by Bill Pearis and Andrew Sacher

Ex Cops DJing at Other Music, RSD 2012 (more)

We're about a week out from Record Store Day 2013. When it began in 2008, RSD was a celebration of brick-and-mortar stores in the face of digital downloads, offering up exclusive releases to get people out to stores. It's blown up considerably since then, with hundreds of RSD-only releases. (Many of which fall into the hands of folks who turn it around on Ebay that same day, but what can you do?) While it is a mob scene these days, there is no doubt it helps what record stores there are left -- though not enough, as Record Store Day will be the last day for Williamsburg's Sound Fix. Participating stores around the country are listed here.

There are always some pretty cool exclusives too, items that may have never seen the light of day without RSD. With that in mind we've gone through the list of North American RSD exclusives to highlight a few things to keep an eye out. This isn't comprehensive, just stuff we wanna get. What records are you trying to get this year?

We've written about the Sacred Bones comp, the Astralwerks comp, Old 97s, Frightened Rabbit, Austra, Sonny & the Sunsets, and Titus Andronicus Check out our new list below...

Continue reading "a guide to Record Store Day 2013"

After teasing the reunion earlier this year, Rocket From The Crypt have announced a string of European dates but so far none in the US. The band has also taken time out to answer a few pertinent questions regarding the reunion. That FAQ list, the 2013 lineup, and more is below alongside a list of all dates.

Continue reading "Rocket from the Crypt confirm reunion, announce European shows (dates), answer FAQ"

by Fred Pessaro // BBG

Rocket From The Crypt have posted the above image on their official Facebook page, leading to specualtion that the John Reis project, which called it quits in 2005, will apparently rise from the grave for more shows or recorded output next year. Reis recently reunited with Hot Snakes to play shows, so a RFTC reunion can't come as much of a surprise, but it is still very, very welcome.

Check out some RFTC video below, including one of Speedo with Petey X playing the RFTC favorites "Young Livers" with The Aquabats at ComicCon in San Diego this year.

Continue reading "Rocket from the Crypt reunites?"

DOWNLOAD: Earthless - Godspeed (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Phosphorescent - Reasons to Quit (Willie Nelson) (MP3)

Earthless

Jagjaguwar announced the addition of Dinosaur Jr. to their label family earlier this week. Not many details were released, but they said, "Its not often that the shiny reveries of our younger, more formative years get to coincide with the psyche of our professional lives. Let's call it castle building, start making plans for a new tower, muse on it in our quieter moments, then move on. WE'RE STOKED!" Other Jagjaguwar artists include Okkervil River, Bon Iver, Women, Black Mountain, and Swan Lake who just released their new album along with some free MP3's.

The Secretly Canadian/Jagjaguwar/Dead Oceans SXSW showcase takes place at Mohawk in Austin on Thursday, March 19. Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band, Julie Doiron, Foreign Born, These Are Powers, Women, Richard Swift, Bishop Allen, Phosphorescent, BLK JKS, Akron/Family, and "Special Guests" are on that 2-stage bill. I can't say for sure who the special guest is, but Dinosaur Jr. will be at SXSW. They have a publicized SXSW show just one night later. Apparently BlackBerry (yes, the phones) have taken over the Court Street Courtyard for a couple of nights. Dinosaur Jr. are playing that. They go on after Grizzy Bear (one of two shows they're playing) who go on after Peter Bjorn and John.

Phosphorescent is playing two official shows at SXSW. They're doing a normal set at the above-mentioned showcase, and they're performing their new Willie Nelson tribute album from start to finish at the BrooklynVegan showcase at Club DeVille one night earlier which is exactly what they're doing at the Bell House in Brooklyn this Saturday night.

Lou Barlow is also playing at least one show at SXSW. The Dinosaur Jr. bassist is listed as ""Lou Barlow w/ Imaad Wasif" on the Merge/Barsuk showcase at The Parish on March 21st. Telekinesis, The Wooden Birds,, Say Hi, The Rosebuds, and Ra Ra Riot are also playing that show.

J Mascis's other band Witch is currently on tour with Earthless. That tour brings them to Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn TONIGHT (2/25). Children open up and tickets are still on sale. If you go, don't miss San Diego's Earthless.

Earthless is the brainchild of Mario Rubalcaba, Mike Eginton & Isaiah Mitchell. Rubalcaba a prolific drummer has worn the alias of Ruby Mars during his stint with Rocket From The Crypt, went on to bang away for the Hot Snakes, was the drummer for hardcore art-punks Clikatat Ikatowi and previously was in the Black Heart Procession... and prior to that? Mario was a member of Tony Alva's Alva Team skateboarding crew. He now finds himself, along with bassist Mike Eginton and guitarist Isaiah Mitchell, knee deep in the near opposite direction of all things punk rock, ensconced in the world of jam, space and "cosmic nodding" a.k.a. Earthless.

They're playing SXSW too.

Speaking of Hot Snakes, and the Bell House and SXSW, Obits kick off a tour on March 15th.

Video of Earthless performing at Roadburn 2008 (the performance they just released as a live album), below...

Continue reading "Dinosaur Jr, Jagjaguwar, Witch, Lou Barlow and Earthless"

John Reis (b. 1969 and also known by the pseudonyms Speedo, Slasher, and The Swami) is an American musician, singer, guitarist, record label owner, and disc jockey. He is best known as the singer and guitarist for the rock band Rocket from the Crypt, which he formed and fronted (as Speedo) for the entirety of its career from 1990 to 2005. Prior to this he was the guitarist in the post-hardcore band Pitchfork, and also played in Drive Like Jehu during the early 1990s. In 1999 he formed the Hot Snakes, and in 2000 also formed the Sultans, in which (as Slasher) he sang and originally played bass before switching to rhythm guitar. He played in both these bands until their breakups in 2005 and 2007 respectively. He also released a solo recording under the name Back Off Cupids, which was recorded in 1994 but not released until 1999. Over the years he has performed in many other musical acts including Conservative Itch, Stacatto Reads, Custom Floor, and Beehive and the Barracudas. He is the owner of Swami Records, a label he founded in 1999 (he uses the title The Swami in this capacity). He frequently works with bands in a studio capacity and releases albums by many southern California groups through his label. He also hosts the "Swami Sound System" program on San Diego radio station 94.9 (KBZT). Reis remains an influential figure in the San Diego underground music community and is currently performing with a new band named The Night Marchers. [Wikipedia]

The Night Marchers have been on tour for a while and tonight (May 7th) is the night they play their show at Mercury Lounge in NYC. In honor of that, here are some photos I took of them on March 15th in Austin (as the Mess With Texas festival.... that many comedians and bands including The Breeders also played).

The Night Marchers' new album See Your In Magic is out now on Swami/Vagrant.The rest of those SXSW pics are below...

Continue reading "the Night Marchers play NYC Tonight +++ pics from Texas"