by Andrew Frisicano

Jim Jones Revue...

Speaking of the BrooklynVegan/AnSO Thursday day party at Austin's Spider House (full schedule here), London's Jim Jones Revue will be taking to one of the stages (right before Cheeseburger). The garage rock powerhouse, whose first record came out in 2008 and who are currently working on a new album with producer Jim Sclavunos from The Bad Seeds/Grinderman, will be making their US debut at the festival.

Since forming The Revue in 2007, Jim Jones - the jet-fuelled ex-Thee Hypnotics vocal powerhouse - has led his band through a hurricane of live shows and the recording of their first, bone-shattering LP. [Their February 4th set at London's Jazz Cafe] was predominantly made up of material from that album: a relentless meld of flame-grilled rock'n'soul and punk-R&B. In fact it's rumoured that the Jazz Café had to hold back on the band's usual volume for fear of broken eardrums and complaints from the entire postcode.

What makes the Jim Jones Revue such an exciting live prospect is their heady mix of quality songs and unpredictability. Their mining of the pre-1960 rock'n'roll sound serves them well. You feel that you've lived with these songs for a long time, yet, in a live setting, their material doesn't feel constrained by category. It just makes you stand up and listen before knocking you off your feet. [Mojo]

On the same stage will be Kid Congo Powers (aka Brian Tristan of The Gun Club, The Cramps and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds)...

WOW. The Kid did it again. All the uber cool chops and camped up suss we've come to know and love from this true legend. Yep that's right Legend, an over used word in describing musicians for sure but hell when you've spent your life playing with three of the greatest front men of all time - Lux Interior, Jeffery Pierce and Nick Cave - you must have done something right. No one can tell me its not a justified description for someone who was in not only one LEGENDARY band but three - The Cramps, The Gun Club and Nick Caves Bad Seed's.

These days Kid Congo is hipper than ever with his own band The Pink Monkey Birds, who's charming, sexy mix of 50's Rockabilly, 60's Garage Trash, 70's Vegas Lounge Muzak, 80's Post Punk all put together with an authentic Hispanic twist - serves up some serious cool medicine both on record and live. [Splash One]

The two acts also team up again for an official showcase with The Bellrays and more at Prague later that night. Both have other shows on the docket as well. Videos of both (including Jim Jones at the above-described gig) and their full Austin schedules are below...

Continue reading "Jim Jones Revue (ex-Thee Hypnotics) & Kid Congo Powers (ex-Cramps/Nick Cave/Gun Club) playing SXSW, other shows"

photos by Natasha Ryan

Yeah Yeahs Yeahs scheduled a secret show on short notice on Easter (4/12). People didn't know about it. People weren't sure if they'd be able to get in. And people were out of town or with relatives that night. That's probably why the line wasn't too nuts. It didn't even get crowded until halfway through opener Freshkills' set. Yeah Yeah Yeahs went on at 11...

"The show was easier to get into than anyone thought. As I noted several times above, there were tickets at the door. Called the santos line that morning, not the prerecorded message, but the direct line and they confirmed it. I got there around 5:30 and waited in line in the cold. If I got there at 7:00, it would have been fine. It was pretty secret for a secret show." [Ashok]

The 13-song setlist included "Zero" and "Maps" (the two songs they played on Saturday Night Live the night before), and "Human Fly" - a Cramps cover (probably in tribute to Lux Interior - RIP). Look for video of the show to surface later. Full setlist below.

Yeah Yeahs Yeahs' next proper show (that we know about) will happen at Coachella on April 19th (the Santos show was probably a warm-up for that). Before that, the band's media blitz continues will appearances on both The Late Show with David Letterman (April 14) and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (April 15). More pictures from Santos below...

Continue reading "Yeah Yeah Yeahs played Santos Party House (pics & setlist), playing Letterman & Fallon b4 Coachella"

The Daily Swarm site has updated their initial post with an official statement (that seconds after I posted this I also received in my inbox from a reputable source):

For Immediate Release:
February 4, 2009

Lux Interior, lead singer of The Cramps, passed away this morning due to an existing heart condition at Glendale Memorial Hospital in Glendale, California at 4:30 AM PST today. Lux has been an inspiration and influence to millions of artists and fans around the world. He and wife Poison Ivy's contributions with The Cramps have had an immeasurable impact on modern music.

The Cramps emerged from the original New York punk scene of CBGB and Max's Kansas City, with a singular sound and iconography. Their distinct take on rockabilly and surf along with their midnight movie imagery reminded us all just how exciting, dangerous, vital and sexy rock and roll should be and has spawned entire subcultures. Lux was a fearless frontman who transformed every stage he stepped on into a place of passion, abandon, and true freedom. He is a rare icon who will be missed dearly.

The family requests that you respect their privacy during this difficult time.

Wikipedia was also updated moments about with "Erick Lee Purkhiser (October 21, 1946 - February 4, 2009), better known as Lux Interior, was an American punk rock musician and a founding member of the band The Cramps. He died on February 4, 2009. Early reports are stating that he died from auto-erotic asphyxiation."

Sadly it looks like the only thing not true is the "last weekend part". RIP LUX.
Videos below..

Continue reading "Lux Interior (The Cramps), RIP"

Rumor is starting to spread very quickly that Lux Interior of The Cramps "passed away last weekend."

UPDATE: It's unfortunately official