Well friends, the time has come to say goodbye to this blog. However, do not fret as I've moved on up to better things. I'll now be contributing to We Own This Town. My first contribution comes in the form of a Best of '08 podcast. It was compiled by WOTT's main man, Michael Eades and features content from him as well as Andrew J. Spaceman.
Y'know, my whole introduction into Atlanta's music scene was The Selmanaires. The sound those three (now four) gentlemen generate between one another has had me hooked from the first chorus. I even like to think of them as honorary Nashville group. Though that status might be in jeopardy if they don't get back to town ASAP. I'm jonesin' over here. The Selmanaires have a brand new 45 out on Rob's House Records. "Princess Illusionist Frankenstein" b/w "Beneath The Brights" is available via the Rob's House website. Both tunes can be streamed via the band's MySpace page.
From the band:
Dear friends,
We have a new 45 out on Atlanta's own Rob's House Records. Princess Illusionist Frankenstein (side a) was posted a month or so ago. We have now added Beneath The Brights (side b). This single was recorded by Ed Rawls and Justin McKneight at The Living Room studio July 2008.
If you like it and want to have a beautiful vinyl copy, you can order it online at www. robshouserecords. com
Hope you are all well. Thank you all for coming out to the Wire show last week. It was an amazing experience playing with and meeting one of our favorite bands. People came from far and wide to catch Wire's only southeast performance (nice to meet you, Jack and Christina).
love, Tommy Chung
Go give 'em both a listen and pick up a copy for you or a loved one.
My friends, if you couldn't tell by now, here in the Ghetto we have a deep love for the sounds coming out of the ATL. And perhaps such affinity rises from some certain parallels found between our two music scenes. For starters, both Nashville and Atlanta are home to multimillion dollar music industries. Atlanta invented Crunk and is the nucleus of the southern rap game, with players... er playas, such as Lil' Jon, T.I., and Outkast. We've got Music Row and the Christian music dilemma with Big & Rich, Cowboy Troy & Casting Crowns. (OK really bad example... they win that one)
Hmmm... but what else? They've got Little Five Points, the Fabulous Fox, and The Falcons (meh), while we've got East Nashville, The Ryman, and The Only Undefeated Team in the NFL. They've got Athens and we've got Murfreesboro.
On the local music front they've got Atlantis Music Festival, Criminal Records, International Hits, Rob's House & The Living Room where as we've got NBN, Grimey's, Theory 8, Infinity Cat & Lake Fever. They click over to cableandtweed.com and we love us some outtheother.com. Hell, even some of our favorite bands seem to share some of the same DNA: The Features/The Selmanaires, Jensen Sportag/Judi Chicago, Hotpipes/Gringo Star, MEEMAW/Howlies, Cheap Time/The Black Lips... I could go on, but I won't.
The reason for all this jabberjawin' about Atlanta and Nashville is that despite whatever musical similarities we might share, Nashville can boast no analog to Atlanta's Noot d' Noot. Only the ol' Dirty Dirty could give birth to this sprawling, eclectic collective.
Seamlessly fusing funk, afro-beat, pop, hip-hop, free jazz, electro, and rock, then coating it in a thick psychedelic goo, Noot d' Noot's game is to make the asses shake & shimmy while melting the mind wide open. Their original intent was to simply produce and sell beats and backing tracks to their city's hip-hop artists. But the rock scene took notice and they've morphed their studio hijiinks into a sprawling stage show. This much-ballyhooed live set and their debut LP, Goofer Dust (International Hits) led Creative Loafing (their much thicker Nashville Scene) to recently choose them as Best Local New Music Act of '08.
Fortunately for us here in Middle Tennessee, Noot d' Noot make their Music City debut this weekend with two shows you really shouldn't miss. Tonight it all goes down at Agave as part of another night of Festivala. Since there really aren't any local acts that have much in common with these guys (and gals), it's only fitting that they're in the middle of a bill with three bands that have absolutely no similarities what so ever. This experiment in sonic contrast sees Noot wedged between the charming punk of MEEMAW and the rough and tumble dirges of All We Seabees. Ghetto favorites This Modern Station will get things kicked off with their smart Pavement-meets-Gram Parsons rock around 8:30. Not enough Noot for ya? Well not to worry as the crew will reassemble on Saturday afternoon around 4:00 at Grimey's for an in-store set. Check out their blog and download a couple of their tunes below. "Sugar Bicycle" is a personal favorite from their record and features Jason Harris of the Selmanaires on vocals. Their strip-club-friendly anthem "Jiggle City" is the A-side to their Solutionist Records debut seven inch.
Planning on going to the Basement tomorrow night for the Keegan Dewitt CD release show? Are you broke? Cheap? Parents finally cut you off? Recently laid off? Trying to save your money for the impending great stock market crash of '08?*
Well not to worry you cheap bastard, cause Indie Ghetto's got you covered. The first five folks to shoot an email to me@keegandewitt.com will not only get into the show for free, but will also get a copy of his new record, Islands. Not bad, eh?
What follows came in the form of a MySpace bulletin late last night from Jon Burr & Co:
Public Ears,
Prepare yourselves! We are a proud sort, so please tune in with your host, Lieutenant Dan, as he interviews our esteemed dandy man, Jon Burr.
Be the first to hear "Salvage Mission," our long-awaited single exclusively on Lightning 100 radio, tomorrow @ noon.
The coordinates: 100. 1 on your FM dial The time: Lunch Hour, Noon- 3PM
Many thanks for your undying patronage!
-How I Became the Bomb
For those of you who simply just can't wait until Noon - or, like me, quit listening to Lightning 100 nine or ten years ago - be sure to tune into Indie Ghetto this morning as I'll be spinning Salvage Mission on the program. It shall drop at 10:00am sharp. Do it.
Hey gang. Tune in to this weeks radio show as my guest will be Keegan Dewitt. Homeboy's new record, Islands, is out on the always awesome Theory 8 label. We'll be chatting about the disc as well as his upcoming release show this Saturday at The Basement. And since we know you love free stuff, we'll be giving away tickets to the show as well as copies of Islands. He's also bringing in a crew of string players and backup singers to serenade us through the mid-morning. It's gonna be tight in the ol' WRVU studios tomorrow, but it's gonna be excellent.
Tune in Friday morning from 10:00 to 11:00. 91.1 FM or streaming live in Real Audio at wrvu.org
Jesco White - the original Dancing Outlaw, the pride of Boone Co, WV, the last and best of the mountain dancers - will be performing Wednesday night at the Ryman, opening for The Black Keys.
Say whaaat!?
Now it's not worth my hard-earned money to drop $30 on another tired-ass guitar/drums whiteboy blues duo. But Jesco? In the flesh? Dancing, singing, and telling tall tales? Hell yes... worth every damn penny! What a shame it is then that I'm broke as hell and my direct deposit won't drop into my bank account until Midnight on Wednesday. Hmmm... maybe one of those fine, fine folks over at Nashville's Best Independent Record Store can hook a brother up? Or maybe someone at the Only Decent FM Station in Town has a couple guestlist spots for one of their favorie DJs? Pretty please?
Anyway, if you haven't actually seen the early 90's documentary Dancing Outlaw and have no idea why I'm so excited, I urge you to go do it now. It's easily one of the most hilarious, weird, and oddly touching 30 minutes ever captured on film (er... video tape, rather). Pretty sure I've seen it well over 100 times in the past 12 years and it never gets old. If you have seen it, you know what I'm talking about.
You can check it out YouTube style below. However, nothing beats watching it on a 3rd or 4th generation VHS tape. Enjoy!
Dancing Outlaw - Part 1
Dancing Outlaw - Part 2
Dancing Outlaw - Part 3
Dancing Outlaw - Part 4
Many thanks to Rob Marlow of the mighty Ulika for the heads up!
OK so it's a beautiful day and it's shaping up to be a perfect Autumn night. What better way to spend it than knocking back some Patron shots whilst enjoying four outtasight bands. Festivala continues tonight at Agave with music from How I Became the Bomb, Chattanooga's favorite sons Coral Castles, Mean Tambourines, and Talking With Hands. I think it kicks off around 8:30. See y'all there.
For the next five weeks, my dear friend Jim O'Shea (he of Happy Valley notoriety) will be putting on some killer outdoor shows at Agave Tequila Lounge. Festivala will take place every Friday night thru the end of October in the parking lot of Agave (12th & McGavock). Upcoming artists scheduled to appear include De Novo Dahl, The Dexateens, imagine asians, This Modern Station, Mean Tambourines, Coral Castles, My Tyger, and Noot d'Noot. This week features melodic maestro Kyle Andrews and goth-poppers Nite Nite.
It's gonna be a nice night to be outside, so here's to you making it out. I'm afraid I won't be in attendance, so do a shot of Patron for yer boy.
As I told you all several weeks back, Superdrag's brand new jam "Filthy and Afraid" will be available on the Monolith Festival compilation. Well, looks like the guys went ahead and threw it up for free download as well. You can get it from Superdrag.com via the dodgy Nimbit widget (use the arrows to navigate to the 5th page in said widget, and click the "free" button, then hand over your info). Someone's also posted it elsewhere on the web.
Tonight at at Mercy Lounge, Indie Ghetto is proud to be co-hosting Next Big Hangover with Janet Timmons of Out the Other and Michael Eades of We Own This Town & Yewknee notoriety. It'll get kicked off at 9pm sharp and is free. So if the weekend wasn't enough to get your local rock OD, go ahead and plan on coming out.
Jon Burr of HIBtB, seemingly being shivved in his kidneys. (Thanks, Kim!)
To all of you that came out to the Lake Fever/Nashville Scene NBN showcase, let me say thanks. It was a resounding success and Bullock, Baldwin and I hope it was one of the highlights of your NBN experience. Also, a huge thanks to Shuan, Jason, Chris & everyone at Exit-In, Steve Haruch & the Nashville Scene crew, JM Wilkins & all his NBN underlings, Uncle Tommy, and of course, all the bands who played on the bill. Here's to next year!
After a few weeks of hiatus, Indie Ghetto is back on the airwaves! This time, though, you can get your fix on Friday mornings from 10-11am. Be sure to tune in today as I'll be welcoming the talented and always polite Lindsay Jamieson (pictured above, quite inexplicably, before a firing squad).
Now you know Linds from is years spent drumming full-time with Ben Folds. However after passing his duties onto good ol' Sam Smith a couple years back, he's focused his creativity into Repent Or Forever Be Damned. Tonight at 8:00, ROFBD will be kicking off the NBN showcase at The Rutledge. However, this morning, he's invited co-conspirators Gary Burnette (guitar) and Matt Slocum (cello) to come down to WRVU and give us a stripped-down sneak peak of what can be expected from them tonight.
Do it at 91.1 FM or streaming live at wrvu.org via Real Audio.
What's shakin' gang? I hope you make time in your busy schedule tomorrow afternoon to tune into the Indie Ghetto from 1:00 - 3:00. I'll be welcoming the crew from imagine asians into the WRVU studios during the second hour of the show. In addition to getting the low down on what's up with these guys, they've also promised to bring some instruments and woo us with their tight and dreamy pop tunes live on the air.
In case you don't know, imagine asians is sweet juice product of Jeffrey Neutron's mind grapes. The sound pulls from both the classic and slightly cracked pop traditions to forge a strange, yet pleasing dynamic. IA will soon be releasing their excellent new LP, We Are the Future, which was produced by De Novo Dahl mainman and all-around sweetheart, Joel J. Dahl.
Taking a revolving door approach to making music, imagine asians list of live and recording contributors and collaborators reads like a who's who of the local music scene. We Are the Future features contributions from a number of Nashville's finest: Joey Andrews (De Novo Dahl), Kyle Hamlett (Lylas), Joel J. Dahl (De Novo Dahl), Adria Heimburger & Terah Thompson (ex-Girls & Boys), Serai Zaffiro (De Novo Dahl), Luke Schneider (Cortney Tidwell, Lylas), Keith Lowen (De Novo Dahl, ex-108 different bands), Arlo Hall (Hannah Barbarians, ex-De Novo Dahl), Benjamin Patton (My Tyger, ex-Girls & Boys), Caryn Cast (ex-Lylas and one bad-ass artist) and Mark Bond (The Features, Vovo). On the live stage, IA has included even more local talent over the years: Matthew Hungate (De Novo Dahl), Rod Kelly (ex-Love Society), Caldwell Dunlap (ex-Bubblegum Complex, Spanish Bombs), Josh Walker (my second favorite Grimey's employee), Willa Derrikson, Andrew Brassel (And The Relatives), Erik Lehning (Non-Commissioned Officers) and the always fetching Miss Lauren Sandidge.
Jeffrey and Co. will be playing their first show in quite some time this Friday night at the 5 Spot along with Velcro Stars & The Hannah Barbarians. If you're free that night, I encourage you to make it over to the Eastside for this one.
As always, I'll be spinning the best local and regional jams I can cram into 120 minutes. Hit us up with your requests at 615.421.7625 or 625.322.7625. If you forgot to pay your cell phone bill or don't know how to work a phone, shoot us an email at indieghetto@gmail.com. In addition, I'll be giving away some guestlist spots for a few excellent shows this weekend. Tune in to win, my nugs.
-Happy Valley featuring Jensen Sportag, Mindub & Principal and Coach (Friday, Aug 29th @ Aerial)
-How I Became The Bomb, Howlies & Eureka Gold (Saturday, Aug. 30th @ Mercy Lounge)
-Parachute Musical, Mean Tambourines, Roman Candle & Stories That Live (Sunday Aug. 31st @ Agave)
Since I'm not in Nashville this week, my trainee - no, make that former trainee - Matt Hearn shall be manning the controls of the WRVU transmitter, bringing y'all the local goodness you're used to hearing each Thursday afternoon from 1:00 - 3:00.
If someone wouldn't mind keeping tabs on how many times young Hearn screws up, I'd greatly appreciate the effort. Little Buddy's getting exactly one lashing for each mistake he makes. For helping yer boy out, I'll gladly let you video the punishment proceedings and post it on Youtube if you like.
Anyway, be sure to keep your ears piqued in the Fall as Matt's gonna have his own locally-focused radio show on WRVU called Holly House. Can't wait to see him try to steal my thunder. Good luck, ol' boy... good luck.
Well, there's no Ghetto on your radio next week... yer boys is gonna be down in the Dirty Dirty, the ATL, gettin' crunk at a stock options trading seminar. So if you start jonesin' for some hot local action, you can always stream this week's show again and again. Get Yer Fix via Real Audio
The Selmanaires - Just to Get Yr Love (The Air Salesman) Hotpipes - You Burn Or You Don't (Future Bolt) Orange in Circles - My Shaker Mover (unreleased) Imagine Asians - Jacquie Says (Imagine Asians EP) John Davis - I Need Someone (Arigato!) The Clutters - Rockaway (Don't Believe a Word) The Dexateens - Lost and Found (Lost and Found) Roman Candle - Something Left to Say (The Wee Hours Review) Glossary - Chase Me Out of The Dark (The Better Angels of Our Nature) The Features - Wooden Heart (Some Kind of Salvation) Kings Of Leon - Crawl (Only By The Night) This Modern Station - Evangelina (unreleased debut LP) Pico vs Island Trees - Malibu (unreleased) Stories That Live - I'm Gonna Kill Your Boyfriend (unreleased) Kindercastle - Violet (unreleased debut LP) The Northridge Rangers - Mustang Twist (Electric Shoes) Tommy & The Whale - Brothers (Shot for the Moon) Ghostfinger - Ann Marie (The Feeler) Vovo - Well Known Theme (Vovo EP) Cheap Time - Ginger Snap (Cheap Time) Caitlin Rose - Gorilla Man (Dead Flowers EP) Apollo Up! - The Heartbreak of Victory (Walking Papers EP) Turbo Fruits - Tennessee, Baby (Turbo Fruits) The Lonely Hearts - Nightingale (Born In The Dark) The Protomen - Unrest in the House of Light (The Protomen) Self - What A Fool Believes (Gizmodgery) The Glib - We Will (Heaven & Hell Yes) Coral Castles - Your Camera (the Corpse and the Cake) Ricky Young - Suitcase Afternoon (Learn to Steal) Josh Rouse - Dressed Up Like Nebraska (Dressed Up Like Nebraska)
Spending my formative years in Tuscaloosa, AL, I was privileged to that glorious function known as college radio. University of Alabama's WVUA 90.7 may have been a small station, but it affected me in oh so many ways. I've not been the same since.
One of the voices I heard each week was that of Elliott McPherson. For a time he hosted the local music show which turned me onto a number of Tuscaloosa bands of that era - The Nooners, The Penatrators, Kilgour Trout, Three Hour Tour, Mindseye, DC Moon, Planet Terry, The Copacetics, et al - and instilled in me a life-long love of the music coming from the streets of whatever locale I happen to reside. If not for Elliott, I'd not be doing what I currently do.
Well, things have come full circle and I'm stoked that Elliott's band, The Dexateens, will be in town tonight at The Basement. If you're a fan of Glossary, Hands Down Eugene, or Roman Candle I encourage you to swing by. You can also cruise over to their website and download their new record, Lost and Found for free.
So I got a random, but very welcomed telephone call from Senator Tom Pappas of Superdrag a couple days ago. His purpose was to inform me that brand new Superdrag track, "Filthy & Afraid" will be available on the Monolith Festival compilation CD.
And not to toot my own horn, but he attributed it to the fact that I had posted a random clip on YouTube of the band and myself in the studio listening to the 4-track demo version of the tune before we tracked it this past Winter at Lake Fever. Crazier things have happened I suppose. Anyway, here's that video...
And while you're out there pointin' and clickin' around the Net, check out Senor Pappas' new band, The Whip. Good stuff. Hopefully, he'll get me a copy and I'll get to spinning it on the radio show.
-jbc
ps Oh yeah, a little birdy with a big Greek afro and crazy eyes also told me there should be a Nashville Superdrag show in the very near future. Keep those eyes peeled for more info!
So go ahead and sleep in on Friday, my Ghetto peeps. You'll probably need it after Thursday night (did I mention that they'll be $1 PBR's at the Bomb/My Tyger show? Well there will be, so drink up, kiddies). It's OK, we'll forge you a doctor's note for work.
ANYWAY... the good times keep coming on Friday night as I'll be hosting a night of stellar locally grown rock goodness at Mercy Lounge. This will be Mercy's official grand re-opening party after the remodeling job they've been working on the past several weeks. It looks great, by the way. After being there tonight to see country music legend Charlie Louvin, I can truly say that Mercy Lounge is hands down the best larger venue in the city. Come see for yourself.
The Tits will get things started at 9pm, so plan on getting there early for some deafening punky cock rock. After that will be indie-folk troubadour Wes Sp8, followed by Nite Nite and their Nancy-Sinatra-on-downers brand of goth-pop. Batting fourth will be The Glib who brought a Stooge-y mayhem to the last 8 Off 8th I hosted, violently tossing their instruments around as if there were a stack of back-ups backstage (there weren't). Rounding out the evening will be the Shoot the Mountain, who remind me of a southern-bred Replacements and finally Eastern Block, who sound a lot less Communist than their name implies.
Tune into the show this afternoon - 1:00 - 3:00, 91.1 WRVU - to hear all these bands along with the best in local and regional rock. Hit Matt & me up with your requests at 615.421.7625 or 615.322.7625.
Oh and don't sweat swinging by the ATM before coming to Mercy, 'cause there's no cover charge! Do I take care of my crew or what? Who's yer boy?
Ghettos are an unavoidable byproduct of urbanization. For every luxury high-rise, there stands a block of government housing; for every Asian-fusion bistro or posh boutique, a liquor store or pawn shop.
Metaphorically speaking, our beloved Music City, USA is no different. However, here in Nashville there's a beautiful noise rumbling out of our musical slums, being made by artists indifferent to our bourgeois neighbors on Music Row. And finally, it seem, the rest of the world is starting to notice.
Bear witness to this uprising every Friday morning from 10:00-11:00 by tuning into 91.1 WRVU or streaming live at wrvu.org and you'll hear the best independent Rock and Pop being made here in Nashville. And since we did, in fact, invent Rock & Roll down here in the South, we always make room for the great sounds coming out of other Southern music scenes like Atlanta, Louisville, Athens, Knoxville & Birmingham. Of course, we're always looking for new stuff to spin here in the Indie Ghetto, so hit us up if you're band doesn't suck.
Come alone and we can just kick it on the stoop or bring your friends and we'll call it a block party... whatever gets you down here to the other side of the tracks. You know we're gonna have a good time!
