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Songs featured on the CD-EP "Welcome to Thrillsville"
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Ain't Got No Soul- 1.94M
King of the Strip- 1.65M
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MP3 LINKS OF THE WEEK
Listen up: these are links to the MP3 pages of the bands (hence the title). Most of these bands' official websites can be found on the Links page.
11/28/01
12/5/01
12/12/01
12/19/01
12/26/01
1/9/02
1/16/02
1/23/02
2/6/02
2/11/02
2/27/02
3/20/02
3/27/02
4/3/02
4/10/02
5/1/02
5/15/02
5/22/02
6/19/02
RPG(reconsidered)
Dragstrip Syndicate
- this Richmond, VA 5 piece triple guitar threat rock n soul band is one of THEE BEST live bands I have EVER seen. And I've seen my share. Take the smoothness of the Stones, the blues bastard riffage of Zeppelin, the Who's explosiveness, the South and Motown, mix 'em together and turn the intensity up to 12. I ain't shittin you when I tell ya these guys should be on a world tour of arenas.
The Mud City Manglers
When I first came back to Piss-burgh from college and was finally old enough to go out to the bars in my city, this was the fucking band that I never wanted to miss. To me, this is THE BEST BAND IN PITTSBURGH. The one thing about these guys that sets them above the rest of the punk/rocknroll world is that they are 100% BULLSHIT FREE. They use no gimmicks whatsoever (in fact despise that kinda shit), they have no "look" and no agenda, and whats more, the music is a fuckin furious whirlwind of hellfire that gets to the bottom of the soul of anyone who was ever shat upon by life from all directions and left only with some piss-tasting beer and some fine rock n roll. This is what it's all about. The Mud City Manglers are the REAL DEAL.
The Runarounds
High-energy guitar driven punk n roll with attitude from Greensboro, NC. This link is to a song called "Glitter Pussy" off their CD Easy Action and it's a damn lightning bolt of a song. I've heard they are an amazing band to see live, and I'll find out this weekend when we do a show w/ them in Winston-Salem.
RPG
Another kick-ass band from Richmond, VA (known formerly as The Pushers). This band definately got that garagey-punk sound but complete with a LOT of fucking energy and some nice guitar to boot. They are nice and loud live and you can't miss a chance to see this band. They've played here in Chapel Hill at the Sleazefest and this is my definition of music to get really outta-hand-rowdy drunk to, which is what people do at the Sleazefest. They got 8 songs to choose from on their MP3 page...
Leadfoot
Leadfoot has a song called "Chicks Love Metal" and another song called "If You Don't Go Down On Me, Someone Else Will". How can you hate them now? They are from here in the Raleigh/Chapel Hill Triangle area. I think they sound something like good old southern rock mixed with that hard rockin' style of metal that you can sing about getting drunk and blow jobs to (rather than the other kind of metal that you sing about Satan and killing). Their live shows are refined and funner than blowing up bottles, cans and small animals with dynamite. They'll be recording a new album soon, so check it out.
Billy Joe Winghead
Winghead is a highly entertaining and original band from Oklahoma that have been around for a while, and loved here in NC as they have played the past few Sleazefests, Elvisfests, and the 1st Annual Heavy Rebel Weekender. As you can see, they are here in NC quite often for being so far into the continent, and I didn't mention the occasional weekender here. They are some hardcore tour junkies. It's a very interesting show to watch, complete with some excellent beef jerky that's usually passed around and a weird radio antenna thing (like the one Jimmy Page had in the LedZep movie) that the frontman John Manson plays.
Jimmy & the Teasers
Sure, three fine ladies in band sometimes helps a band, but not if you're playing asexual, apathetic slacker crap. Not the case with Jimmy and the Teasers. The damn music in and of itself is sexy. I first saw this fine-looking group of individuals at Sleazefest 2000 and was glad to know they lived closeby in Burlington, so I started to be a regular at their Local 506 appearances and oftentimes the band was as drunk on stage as my loud dumb ass was at the foot of the stage. Jimmy's an atom bomb of raw punked-up bluesy guitar energy, all over the damn stage, knocking over the mic, drums, whatever's in the path. Val beats on them drums like they did something wrong. It's fire, is what it is. Burn burn burn. Everything that rocknroll is supposed to be, and not missing a single element. I've seen them 800 times and I never get sick of 'em.
The Needles
From Wilmington, NC, this band absolutely explodes live. Along with talent and chops and a kick ass show all that, they got Attitude (with a capital "A"), which is an element missing from a lot of bands, but something that can't really be learned from sheet music, and can't be faked without looking like a jerk-off. I would describe the music as punked-up Johnny Thunders-eque rock, but with a bit more attention to the playin' quality but what the fuck do I know. These guys are our label-mates on Regal Beegle Records and we'll be heading out on tour with them in March 2002. Fun shit!
1/30/02
The Cherry Valance
This is a Raleigh band that got signed to Estrus in the last year, and, like every other band I've had on here, they are damn spectacular live. (I get to see a lot of good shows. It's a healthy lifestyle.) These guys and girl are very critcally acclaimed in the local and national press because they have a great fucking self-titled album out that rattled the old noggin and tested the old ticker when I finally got to listen to it after a recent all-nighter. I've heard that old tired, stupid comparison of them to the Stooges and the MC5 (2 bands that go together like fucking milk and cookies these days for some gay reason), but I'd say they are a smart Sabbath or a Motowned Zeppelin. I don't fucking know - that's what the MP3 is for. This is a link to the Estrus MP3 page which also has a bunch of other bands.
Syrup
We did a show with this Atlanta band a while back at the 506. Okay let's get down to it: Syrup can dance. I mean, did you ever see a Kiss show how they do a little choreographed move with their guitars during a certain part of Detroit Rock City or something? Well, Syrup does that shit through their entire show. They got a lot of funk in them to for a rock band, which only compliments their style. These guys toured with Nashville Pussy and tour like there's no tomorrow. This MP3 link has many songs on it.
Valentine Killers
Since it's Valentine's Day tomorrow I thought I'd be all festive and make the Valentine Killers the MP3 of the week. We played with this Seattle band at the 506 in April 2001, a month before they broke up. They were a fun fuckin band, let me tell you. And they liked their Jager. Loud rocknrolly punk stuff, well put together. Too bad they ain't still around.
Throw Rag
This band is 6 lunatics claiming to be from the Saltan Sea, CA. One guy plays washboard and cowbell. The singer reminds me somehow of a hybrid of David Lee Roth, Iggy and Johnny Rotten. They are fucking fun. They are my new favorite band. They are touring with Flogging Molly. Everybody likes them. They have an intimidation factor which is good for a band. I like their songs. I'd miss my brother's wedding to see these guys. They are that good.
Candy Snatchers
For some reason I think people, even people who like this kind of music, tend to stay away from Candy Snatchers shows. I went to see them a few months ago and there was about 15 people there. I think people avoid them because of some notorious & violent stories they heard and they don't want to go home with a boo-boo. Damn pussies! At least they don't rub shit on each other! When I saw them, 2 seconds into the show Larry was face down in a garbage can with his legs flailing. That's rock n roll! That guy makes Monday nights at Chicho's in Virginia Beach the best damn night of the week. And it is for this reason I give you the Candy Snatchers.
The Deviltones
Richmond does not stop rockin, lemmy tell ya. This is the 3rd band we've featured here on MP3 Link of the Week from Richmond, Beerginia. We first met these guys up at the White Trash Luau in September, and recently we played a show with them on their home turf at the Hole in The Wall. The Deviltones got a stripped down, dirty old school punk sound going, and in my opinion they have my favorite element in a band: true intimidation factor. They got that underlying gravel-in-a-blender / full-throttle-chopper PUNCH to 'em. Evil, drunken, bloody, hellraising good fuckin time!
The Last Vegas
Whoa, boy. This week, my friends, I take you up to the windy city, Chicago, Illonois. Birthplace of the Chicago blues sound, home of tall buildings, deep-dish pizza, Ruff McGruff, and the Last Vegas. The band is high-energy rock 'n' roll firmly rooted in the blues. They got some harmonica and organ and a good set of pipes -- these elements are not cosmetic ad-ons just to make it sound bluesy, but central to the music. Live, these guys are a party. They bring the typical audience shyness to record lows. Nice website too, and points for being big fans of David Lee Roth. Can't wait to do a show with these dudes again.
Bleed
A rocknroll tour of the midwest, friends. Last week we were up in Chicago and this week, Milwaukee, WS, home of Alice Cooper, Laverne & Shirley and BLEED. This is a three piece rock 'n' roll band, in the most elemental sense of the word. They show a strong influence in rock 'n' roll when it was still weening on rhythm & blues, back when the term "rock n roll" first emerged as a safer and more marketable term that R&B or "race music". But it ain't rockabilly, and it ain't retro either - they rev that shit up and make it something agressive and new. But screw all that, generic terms are just generic terms for descriptive puporses. The important thing about this band is they know how to play live. They've been together since high school and the communication in the performance shows. They realize it ain't about looking good and it ain't just about playing all the notes right and it ain't about trying to make people think you're cool --- what it's really about it the drive and intensity in your blood, and when you forget about all your inhibitions and insecurities for 45 minutes and "bleed" that intensity out, it transcends genre and image and translates to something that everyone can respond to. That's rock n roll at it's most elemental. The link will take you to an article from 2000 in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, with an MP3 of "Motorpsycho".
Keystone Allstars
I would have featured this band a lot earlier, but I couldn't find an MP3 of them until now. (as is the case with several other bands). This is Blue Collar Pennsylvania Punk Rock. These guys are from central Pennsylvania where Blue Collar Pennsylvania Punk Rock is most prevalent, and are supported by Eightonefour and Jumpstart Records. Though with some inevitable line-up changes, Keystone Allstars have been a band since 1997, that's 5 years, making them The Longest Running Pennsylvania Punk Rock Band in history. Their strength is in the TIGHTNESS of their performance, and the spirit by which it's delivered. They sound like Saturday night and beer and fightin and heartbreak and hardships mixed together and rumbling in the pit of your stomach then exploding out of you with a roar and a tightly clenched fist in the air and you know you're having a Pennsylvania good old time. Link is to interpunk where you can hear "King of the Highway" off of their latest CD Man's Ruin.
Immortal Lee County Killers, Fireballs of Freedom and Gasoline
Look how crazy this shit is. It's an Estrus triple threat! To make up for lost time this week I'm featuring three bands, all with the same link to Estrus records. First up it's the 2-piece ex-Quadrajets band we just did a show with on Sunday, the Immortal Lee County Killers. The essential fucked up blues or blues from the punk delta. Chet or Cheetah plays a guitar he made himself called "The Black Widow". It's a loud some-bitch. The Tokien One beats them damn drums in the key of WOOOOOO. He also got some tween song banter that keeps even the NC kids entertained.
The Fireballs of Freedom got a long history you can read about in their bio but what I can say about them is they explode and fucking communicate at the same time. It says they are "psychedelic hardcore" in the bio and that word sounds like two polar opposites colliding and exploding and sending you into infinity and beyond. They give every strand of DNA and destroy it up there.
Gasoline are three funny dudes from Japan. They play garagey-rock and the guitarist has spilit of Jimi Henrix in him. He uses one of those laser guns on his guitar which is an excellent touch. The bass player looks like an international man of mystery and the drummer likes to stand up and raise his arms up alot. Get yourself some true entertainment and go see em.
ZEKE
Zeke broke up. Are you aware of how much that fucking sucks? They were going to play a show here soon, opening for the Melvins, and now it's just the Melvins. Well fuck the Melvins. I want Zeke damnit. It says this on their website: "Zeke may return you never know! But for now we are split!" What the fuck does that mean? Watch, somebody is going to put a gay ass tribute to Zeke comp out. That would be a shit stinkin sacraligious abomination. We'll play on it and do some not-angry-enough version of "Lets Get Drugs" or something. Don't buy it. Buy a bunch of their albums so they'll get back together. You gotta give this band credit- Zeke stayed together for 9 years, when other bands break up in a year because they have no foundation. Zeke is the music you put on and turn up real loud and get drunk on cheap ass beer and bump shit and break shit to. Zeke tapped into the center of primal human madness and amplified the shit. Zeke ruled.
Midnight Creeps
This is the best punk rock band I've seen in a while. We had the good fortune to play with these guys and girls in Norfolk, VA. They are from Rhode Island. They use the good punk rock, the old New York and Cleveland type shit with a bit of old Detroit in there, but they vary the shit so it doesn't sound like you're hearing one song the whole show, and you can tell they aren't influenced by a single band, but many. It's smart. The more and more I do this mp3 of the week thing, which consists of bands I saw live and liked, and the more I try to describe it to you-- the more I realize that reading about and even listening to a band's song is at most 10% of the total experience. You have to go out and see shows, especially one by this band. Jenny the singer is the female Iggy Pop, and she takes that as the highest compliment. She's all over the stage and she got the pipes and the range. Heather's back there with a great guitar sound - a Tele plugged into some Fender combo of some sort. I'm glad to see the Tele. You don't see the Tele much these days, and it works for the Creeps. The Jonas and Jeff rhythm section keeps it real and steady and punches it. Another good thing about this band is that they're young, from the looks of them. Kick ass.
The first time I featured RPG on MP3 link of the week all I had to go by was the one drunken time I saw them live at the 506 and the outdated songs they had on mp3.com. Well they got new ones now if you click on the headphones on their website, and RPG is a much more explosive and original band than I made them out to be the first time. In fact I'm going to delete that old review after this week. These guys go OFF like men possessed and it reels you in and makes you as high as they are. Loud guitars, yes! And to top it off Matt's voice is original and the way he sings gives you the feeling that he's laying down the fucking mad truth. To my knowledge he's not trying to sound like anyone but himself. That sincerity is hard to come by which makes RPG not only kick-ass but an important antagonist to the state of all current music everywhere. Motherfucker!