by Michael Hill

"The guys that we were working with before just had this mental thing where we can just write whatever we want and people are gonna like it. It's like what the fuck is up with that? Are you kidding?" - Keith Morris

OFF! (photo by Dan Monick)

Keith Morris was the original front man for Black Flag and later the Circle Jerks, two bands that defined the sound, ethic and attitude of American Hardcore Punk. For that, he achieves legendary status, at least in my eyes, so when I was offered the opportunity to talk to him about his new band Off!, I was blown away to say the least. If you were basketball fan, it would be like meeting Michael Jordan, Larry Bird or Magic Johnson.

The easy way out would be to label Off! a "supergroup" but that's not accurate. The reality is that the band is made up of a group of friends that happened to all have been in great bands. That's apparent when you listen to the 16 (18 minutes long!) tracks on The First Four E.P.s and see the live show. The core of the band is Morris and Dimitri Coats, the guitarist/vocalist for Burning Brides. The rhythm section consists of Steve McDonald (Redd Kross) on bass and Mario Rubalcaba (Hot Snakes, Black Heart Procession, Clikatat Ikatowi) on drums. The music is raw, to the point and vicious, it's everything you want a hardcore punk band to sound like but after talking to Morris and Coats, it was made clear to me that Off! is a band that sounds like a punk band but doesn't carry the baggage of being a punk band. You won't see any Mohawks or leather jackets, there won't be any whining about "The Scene" or any posturing going on. You just go to the show, get your mind blown then go home taking with you a true, honest experience.

I showed up to the interview [on 10/21 in NYC] about 30 minutes early, got a cup of coffee and kicked it in the lobby of the office where the whole thing was going to take place. I had questions prepared...I was trying to be a "pro" as possible but when I heard Keith Morris's unmistakable voice emanating from the other room, I became like the 16 year old fan boy that wrote the words "Damaged" on a plain white t shirt with a black sharpie and pounded 1 litre bottles of Jolt! Cola. I also learned that you don't actually interview Keith, you sort of capture his vibe and maybe steer him towards the subjects you want to talk about.

Read part one of our talk below...

Continue reading "an interview w/ Keith Morris & Dimitri Coats of OFF! (part 1)"

photos by Katie Hovland

Bouncing Souls @ Riot Fest 2010

The Bouncing Souls have announced their 2010 iteration of Home for the Holidays, now in its fourth year and featuring as many nights of shows at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ. Tickets are on sale for all four shows: 12/26, 12/27, 12/28, 12/29. Each night will have a different set of support, as 12/26 will get Strike Anywhere, Adrenaline OD, & The Great Explainer, 12/27 gets Fake Problems, Lemuria, & The Swellers, 12/28 gets Leftover Crack, The Menzingers, & Top Soil, and the final night (12/29) gets H20, Yuppicide and Dirty Tactics.

H20, on board for the 12/29 date at The Stone Pony, will also hit Highline Ballroom the next night (12/30) with Trapped Under Ice and Wisdom In Chains. The show is part of a short stint of confirmed dates for H20 (12/27 - 12/30) with more to be announced (12/2 - 12/5). Tickets are on sale to the all-ages, no barricade NYC show. Plus, the band is giving the audience the opportunity to pick the songs for the set from over 60+ choices including covers by Minor Threat, Dead Kennedys and others.

Leftover Crack has a headlining show in NYC too, as the band will play Music Hall of Wiliiamsburg on 12/26. Tickets are on sale. Leftover Crack related project Star Fucking Hipsters will play NYC a month prior, hitting Knitting Factory on 11/28. Tickets for that are also on sale.

The Bouncing Souls played Riot Fest in Chicago (October 6th - 10th) alongside bands like Bad Religion, Cap'n Jazz, Circle Jerks, Off With Their Heads, and Propagandhi. Belated pictures from that show, as well as Bouncing Souls and H20 dates, are below.

Continue reading "Bouncing Souls Holiday Shows & other Leftover Crack & H2O dates ++ pics from Riot Fest "

UPDATE 3: Chuck Biscuits is alive!

UPDATE (good news): Chuck's death may be a hoax!

UPDATE 2: Chuck Biscuits is not an easy man to get a hold of these days, but someone is now claiming that Otis Link did in fact do that.

Legendary hard rock drummer Chuck Biscuits, whose lengthy résumé included stints in such flagship underground acts as Black Flag and Social Distortion, died Saturday after a prolonged battle with throat cancer. He was 44.

"In response to the inquires, thank you for all the support," an anonymous family member wrote in an e-mail sent this morning. "Chuck did not survive his battle with throat cancer. He passed surrounded by his family on 10/24/09."

Chuck Biscuits was probably best known to the general populous for his work with Danzig. Beginning in 1988, Chuck played on that group's first four albums, which are often hailed as Danzig's best (thanks in no small part to Chuck's powerful drumming style). The percussionist also appeared on 1993's Thrall: Demonsweatlive EP; that release yielded an unexpected chart-burning hit for Danzig in "Mother," a song the band originally included on their self-titled debut. [JG2 Land]

Chuck Biscuits, known not only for his drumming, but for being the member of Danzig without black hair! Chuck also played with the Circle Jerks, D.O.A., Fear, and even drummed on a RUN DMC album. He died way too young. R.I.P. DIDN'T DIE

Videos below...

Continue reading "Chuck Biscuits (D.O.A., Circle Jerks, Danzig), RIP (???)"

"...and the mighty Circle Jerks were on. The place was filled people, and Keith Morris started out with some funny anecdotes, after which the band took of.....and how! They were tight as hell, and really on top of their game. They played a lot of classics like " Wild" and " Wasted" , but ended the set with 5 Black Flag covers. Holy Shit! That's probably the closest I will ever get to seeing Black Flag live. It was fucking awesome. Crowd went nuts and climbed on the speakers dived off everywhere. Insane! Keith Morris is a hero!" [ZXZW blog]

Like Mess With Texas last year, and Fun Fun Fun Fest in November, this year's Mess With Texas (a joint production of Transmission Entertainment and F Yeah Fest) was held in Waterloo Park in Austin on Saturday (3/21). The 3rd annual, all-day, free, 2-stage festival takes place during SXSW, and the organizers know how to put together a lineup.

Not quite as big as last year's three-stage extravaganza with The Breeders and NOFX (probably due to lack of serious sponsorship), the packed park still got more than their didn't-cost-any-money's worth. Stage One had 12 bands, ending with back-to-back Thermals, Lucero, Monotonix, Circle Jerks, and Black Lips. I didn't stick around for Black Lips - partially because Circle Jerks (7:30-8:05) was the perfect ending to the long day in the sun (Black Lips should never play after Black Flag), and partially because I've seen Black Lips so many times, I figured there was more to discover back in town where the final night of official showcases were just getting underway (more on those later).

More Circle Jerks pictures, including one of the setlist, below...

Continue reading "Circle Jerks @ Mess With Texas 2009 (SXSW) - pics & setlist"

photos by Faith-Ann Young

DOWNLOAD: Black Lips - "O Katrina!" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Monotonix - "Ride" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Lucero - "What Else Would You Have Me Be" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Abe Vigoda - "Don't Lie" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Cut Off Your Hands - "Turn Cold" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Thao With The Get Down Stay Down - "Bag Of Hammers" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Japanther - "Um Like Yer Smile Is Totally Ruling Me Right Now" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Red Cortez - "World At Rest" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: HOWL - "Oma" (MP3)

A set of pictures from Tuesday's Black Lips show at Music Hall of Williamsburg, and the lineup for next Saturday's free, 3rd annual Mess With Texas party in Austin, below....

Continue reading "Black Lips played MHOW (pics), playing Mess With Texas in Austin (as are a lot of other bands - full free lineup)"

photos by Tod Seelie

July 12, 2008

1. 3 pm @ The Yard - Crystal Antlers (not part of F Yeah)
2. 6 pm @ Highline Ballroom - Circle Jerks, Dillinger Four, Matt and Kim, Team Robespierre & Monotonix
3. 12 am @ Pianos - Crystal Antlers and Monotonix (21+)
4. 11:30 pm @ Market Hotel - Bear Hands & Cut Off Your Hands, 1:30 am @ Market Hotel (same show) - Crystal Antlers & Monotonix (all ages)

That's right. Crystal Antlers and Monotonix are each playing three times today. Monotonix are also playing the final F Yeah show at Club Exit in Brooklyn on Sunday.

I have two pairs of tickets to giveaway for Highline Ballroom and two pairs of tickes for Club Exit. If you want to win them, email BVCONTESTS@HOTMAIL.COM (subject: F Yeah) with your first and last name and which show you want.

photos by Tod Seelie

DOWNLOAD: Circle Jerks - Live Fast, Die Young (MP3)

Matt & Kim

The DeathSet

Assuming nothing else was cancelled, the F Yeah Tour should be reaching Buffalo tonight (July 6). The linuep for that one is The Death Set, Monotonix, Team Robespierre, Crystal Antlers & Totally Michael. The lineups change as the tour goes on. For NYC we have:

Saturday, July 12th - New York City, NY - EARLY
w/ Circle Jerks, Dillinger Four, Matt & Kim & Team Robespierre
+ comedians Hannibal Buress & Josh Fadem
@ Highline Ballroom

Saturday, July 12th - New York City, NY - LATE
w/ Monotonix + Crystal Antlers
@ Loft Party TBA

Sunday, July 13th - Brooklyn, NY
w/ Circle Jerks, Dillinger Four, Matt & Kim, Japanther, Team Robespierre, Monotonix + special guest.
+ comedians Hannibal Buress + 1 more
@ Club Exit

Saturday July 12th is also that big show at the Yard. More pictures below....

Continue reading "F Yeah Tour - photos from the road (part 3)"