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LeonsTemple.com is a music download/networking site for people interested in, fans of, and contributors of music generated by the SW Michigan/Kalamazoo music phenom that happened in the early 90s. We're not sure what else to call it, but in 1992ish there were about 115 bands, 17 venues, and about a 1/2 dozen record contracts in a 70k-person town, with a bunch of hot bands creating genre-breaking energetic music. Basically, if you know what it is you know what will be here. Find those elusive albums that you've long lost or never had and download them on MP3. Not only those, but everything in the family tree - hear what those freaks and geeks did before hand, afterwards, and even what their friends did. Hopefully rare live and b-side type stuff will be posted as well. Feel free to burn them to disc and share with new friends. Leave a message. If you have something to contribute, i.e., music that belongs here, send it on to cool @ leons temple . com (remove spaces). Make it easy for us to post, e.g., write your bio, list band members, send mp3s. LeonsTemple.com Promote Your Page Too |
See the latest list and add you own. Latest: $dbh=mysql_connect ("localhost", "leonstem_leonuse", "head1ache") or die ('I cannot connect to the database because: ' . mysql_error()); mysql_select_db ("leonstem_leon"); $query="SELECT * FROM topten order by dateadded desc"; $result=mysql_query($query); $num=mysql_numrows($result); if ($num == 0) { echo "Nobody has left a list yet."; } $i=0; while ($i < 1) { $poster=mysql_result($result,$i,"poster"); $dateadded=mysql_result($result,$i,"dateadded"); echo<< GO! END; ++$i; } ?> |
Summer 2012
Hello from the fiery netherworld also known as Florida. While it's a great winter escape for the 'snowbirds' the summer takes a bit of getting used to for those of Yankee descent. If there are no hurricanes, twisters or floods heading this way, then you'll find yourself burrowed inside with the air condition fully cranked, lest you risk death or heat stroke from the near permanent triple digit nuclear fallout-like conditions. I stood outside for less than 10 minutes and had a sunburn. Anyway, most of you have moved to Boston, Seattle, Denver and Portland... with a few still scattered about K'zoo keeping some sort of music scene intact hopefully...
...so there are a few active artists still lingering around, I one of them canoodling in DiGDuGDisaster, my latest and greatest attempt at songwriting in a more, dare I say it, adult-ish manner. And to be fair, it has landed me a 5 year publishing deal with Rescue Records, a distribution deal with Full Effect / Sony, a guitar endorsement deal in the works with Hard Luck Kings Guitars, some nice reviews and a PR firm. So, I could care less about my charred sun poisoned skin for now.
The DiGDuGDisaster e.p. I'm reffering to is called "Stars Burn" and should be available late summer / early fall 2012. A release date announcement will be made on my official site http://digdugdisaster.com where you can watch my ridiculous video for the single "Don't Ask Me" which has a sort of Tom Petty meets RHCP sort of vibe, at least that's what 'they' say... if you're too lazy to click the link, then just watch the embedded YouTube vid right here, cyber hippies...
...next up is Colin Bradford, while he doesn't have anything actually new to show us yet, he's been busy as an AMHOLE, which apparently is what you are if you work for Amazon.Com. Musically though, Colin is always up to something good and has a new band Starry Eyed Samurai which is in the studio recording their debut and he's also working on a followup e.p. to the amazing "Astral" e.p., which you can still download here via BandCamp.Com.
...of course, legendary Bill Clements is always up to something, probably even more than myself. Bill's latest release "Captain Midnight" was a landmark for him, recorded with some of San Francisco's biggest jazz heavies onto 2 inch analog tape, and in Bill's own words "ITS AS CLOSE TO THE BITCH'S BREW PERIOD OF MILES DAVIS SOUND AS I'M GETTIN." You can download this masterpiece at CDBaby.Com right here Be warned, it's infectious funky ass fusion man.
and speaking of Bill, rumor has it that former FAQ'R [get it? arrr] Bob Klomparens is now a room mate at casa de Bill's. 2 bassists in one house, that's messed up. Any, now that we're Facebook pals, Bob told me he's still an active bassist playing in 2 very different bands, Bambi and the Matrix are a blues/cover band and Minimist is an all original stoner-billy group featuring Dave Hoekstra from Four Piece/Suiciety is on guitar/vocals. Feel those Sabbath riffs peeling the paint off Bill's lovely home. Poor Bill.
lastly, a while ago someone wrote that they did NOT play in Feedbag, but all of his friends were in it. but I can't remember who it was and what other band they played in, but I was NOT in Feedbag either, so I feel your pain man. Joke bands are always the best, at least until the joke is over... and then it's just kinda sad.
so that's it for this quarter, hopefully the next update we'll have a few more releases for you to check out, we might be adding a sort of jukebox player to the site, via another host so if you'd like to be part of that.. let us know. So far it's just a thOught.
Some updates from Jeff T.
I really appreciate DuG helping with updates to keep a slow trickle going here. Thanks Douglas! And congrats on the new music, video and deal. Most of my personal hobbies (including music) have suffered as I choose to spend discretionary time with my three young children.
Darthy Wilkin invited you to The Corn Fed Girls's event: Abbey Road at the Taste of Kalamazoo! Thursday, July 26, 2012, 6:30pm - 11:30pm at Arcadia Creek Festival.
And: Aaron Wright invited you to Railway Records's event: Railway Records Presents at The Old Dog Tavern Saturday, July 14 at 9:00pm at OLD DOG TAVERN
Spring 2012
Move over Jeff, here comes DuG...
since Jeff has been busy procreating an underground revolutionary army and that nearly 50% of the 'news' posted is from myself, I'm now helping Jeff accomodate updates. So, if you have trouble reaching Mr. Til, you can now email me at douglas.garnett (at) gmail (dot) com with submission materials.
Also, we'll be updating the site quarterly, consider this our
Spring 2012 update.
First off, congratulations to Colin Bradford on releasing his first solo project titled "Astral". Be sure to check it out, it's a 3 song e.p. and you can download it via BandCamp @ http://colinbradford.bandcamp.com/album/astral-ep. The production is great for headphones, a bit stargazer and very textural. A great mood piece.
Next up is Me [DiGDuG Disaster], as I'm now writing songs with Rescue Records, with an e.p. due out sooner than later. More on that another time... needless to say though, I'm not with Faster Pussycat's label. lol.
Jazz bassist guru Bill Clements created a buzz at the latest NAMM Show, with none other than living legend Stevie Wonder praising his creative performance. Desacrator Dan Roe was also there. It didn't really happen unless it's on YouTube...
There is a growing legion of Facebook Groups you might be interested in. Below is the shortlist:
Here's a fanmade Spoonbender video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YpB4Ej493o&feature=related
Attention active artist/bands/musicians!
I've recently started working with Skope Magazine out of Boston http://skopemag.com If you're interested in getting coverage, reviews, advertising or interviewed, please write to Skope owner Mike Friedman mfriedman@skopemagazine.com and he'll fill you in. Currently we have 2 million+ monthly readers and are growing rapidly. We also have contests, giveaways, and much more...
June 16, 2011
DEPRESSION RECORDS RELEASE PARTY
On the update this quarter we introduce Depression Recording artist Chris Bryer's new project, announce DuG's new record deal, and post two live sets that make up a typical Depression Records release party (TWITCH + SCREWTAPE), but first I present one major cutie:
THE HOVERING LIGHTS release their first full length album. You can buy or buy a download copy HERE HERE HERE
To be perfectly honest, I haven't had a chance to listed to it, but I'm sure it is fabu. (I've been busy - see below - Oh, and CHRIS hasn't sent me a copy yet.) It features CHRIS BRYERS of TWITCH, SLEET, his copious solo releases, et al, JOBY PURUCKER of OCEANS OF REGRET and others, and SHAWN from ?. The recording process is outlined here in this quip from the site:
The songs were written through email by Chris and Joby using FL STUDIO to get Ideas down quickly. Shawn then played drums to the Electronic files which were replaced with real guitars, bass, keyboards and vocals. In total it took about three months to write and record but took 9 months to release as recording of instruments and vocals gave way to Michigan winter.
DuG GARNETT writes me constantly with all of the hub bub going on with his music, including a new record deal for DEAD CITY RADIO. I'll try to catch you up here in breif. Here's a video:
NOW, on to the DEPRESSION RECORDS release party. Headlining our show is a live set from TWITCH. You can download the entire song archive as a ZIP HERE HERE . For the technically challenged, you'll need to download it, unpack it (double click on it) and move the songs to itunes or what have you.
This was recorded at X-JAM something at THE SMALL PLANET in East Lansing. It's a pretty good board mix, and/but has some of the typical board mix characteristics like hot vocals. The songs are:
01. intro
02. Leon's Temple
03. Pull
04. Flunk
05. Nero Apologizes
06. The Fantastic Zero
07. Jedi
08. Locomotive God
... which should be a pretty good indication of what album they were working on or touting at the time. I always think of Twitch's strength being Bryers voice and excellent songwriting (which it is) but it should be duly noted and emphasized that he had a really talented band behind him with KEVIN FARKAS, KEVIN OBERLIN, and STEVE MARTIN all being exemplary musicians. Take a listen to the both thunderous and snappy, dextrous drumming on these tracks.
Opening for Twitch will be a live set from my own SCREWTAPE Y1.993K (how did we do that Y2K thing seven years a head of time??). This is also from East Lansing, but this was at a coffee shop or something at a different time. It's a 4-track recording a live show using independents. The mix starts off rough, but gets listenable shortly in. You can download the single file HERE HERE HERE.
It has some songs that weren't on ANTHEMUNANTHEM including the pretty "Inhale", the drony "Eat Me", the silly "Cockmachine", and the ridonkulous LORD OF THE RINGS send up "Amphibian" (that's us, always looking a few years ahead of the trends). I was going to write an essay titled "THE GRAND FAILURE OF EYE TEETH" that talked about how so many bands in that year (Screwtape, Clockmaker, Table, Eye Teeth, Tongue, Obtrusive Mode, Braintree, et al) were often putting tremendous amounts of labor and craft into songs, but perhaps very often forgetting to put a memorable song in there. I was going to pick on Eye Teeth after listening to "THRENODY" because they put an aweful lot of thought and craft into making those songs, but I still never hear it quite click. ANYWAYS, instead of that, I'll pick on Screwtape's AMPHIBIAN - an almost senseless super-long quirk/tech fest that maybe took us wildly off focus of writing interesting songs in favor of musical gymnastics. Esp. since about five minutes in there's a blip of an actual enjoyable song. Anyways, we can blame BRENT OBERLIN for starting all this anyways.
For anyone keeping track, these shows happened EIGHTEEN years ago.
Congratulate ME. My new daughter - VERITY RUDOLPH TILL - was born this month, filling out my Army of Children and making my family a fearsome fivesome.
Speaking of Verity's, CRAIG VERITY gets a gold star for some serious fitness. He fits into the way-to small, un-punk POCKET T, glow in the dark OVERMAN shirt.:
In other baby news, the BORKOWSKI family is expecting a girl as well as another 'Templer who's name shall be revealed later. JEFF is also in the market for a drum set.
Dead and highly respected club promoter PAUL TOTH is looking for Kzoo band reunions for a TASTE OF KALAMAZOO festival he's part of. Beuler?
Persistent FACEBOOKER and GOP enemy RICHARD BOWSWER found this video about Kalamazoo music:
But really, this is the TEMPLE and if it's not almost twenty years old, do we really care?
Richard also post this,it's GOD BULLY / Club Soda legend, googley-eye champ MIKE HARD:
In other arbritrary FB news, KATHRYN is looking for a garment bag, CHARLIE BRADFORD rode his AIDS bike thing, people like to eat food and sometimes at restaurants - even DAVE GRANT, BILL CLEMENTS and HERB LEDBETTER and even BOB KLOMPERANS (sp) still go out and play bass guitar in front of live audiences, as does DARCY WILKENS, STEVE LYNCH and ROD CONE are touring Europe, DAN ROE is launching a new enterprise, MIKE PEETERS introduces lobster to his daughter, and countless other happenings that had nothing to do with my old combat boots.
And there was a memorial for the recently passed EL DIABLO. I don't personally know who this is, but there seemed to be a lot of Temple-era people in participation. May he rest in peace.
I guess that's it until sometime around September or October. Enjoy the summer!
April 22, 2011
I'll have a proper music update soon, but Charlie is doing some charity work for AIDS research and you should check out his page HERE . Thanks!
March 13, 2011
GOD VS. HUMANS
There are signs of grass peeking through the snow after one of the most oppresive winters I've ever seen. Reports from Michigan have been similar, and our Ex-Pats in Oregon must be having a giggle on us. I think if god wanted to kill every person, animal and plant in the region, and his strategy was to cover everything with three feet of ice and keep temperatures below freezing for four months, and I didn't know better, I might think that was a pretty good strategy.
NEW MUSIC GALORE this quarter! But because I don't have much time, I'm posting most of it in *.zip archives, which means you need to download the entire albums, unpack them with Stuffit or something (Macs will do this automatically I beleive), and then you'll have the MP3 files.
First up is new music from HACKNEYED QUIPS, a new project from former VIOLENT APATHY and BLACK SPRING legend, beer brewer, entrapraneur, former hair stylist TOMMY FULLER. Download the Zip Archive of the 9 song album HERE (warning - big file, it may take a minute to download). Says he: "This was recorded in August, we are from Lawton MI and the singer lives in Kentucky." Giving it four seconds of listen (so far) it has a Patsy Cline, Jazz circa 1950 type vibe (best I can do) with a level of singing talent we're probably not used to.
JASON PLINE sent in gaboons of stuff, including a live TWITCH show that I'm still waiting for permission to post. Everyone thank Jason!
He sends in more songs from EYE TEETH that you can get HERE . In a quick listen, you hear all of the craft and care they put into their songs, but unfortunately neglected to put in the hook. :-\
He also sends in a live BONE CHINA track called ON LETTING GO, which at seconds preview sounds like maybe Pearl Jam or something. Something less dramatic about this than the album...
And he sends in some more LOVE OFFERING HERE for you to grit your teeth to. The way ROAD-I sings, I imagine an angry construction foreman.
Now we start our departure. Jason sends in an album DOUG GARNETT had already done a year ago, the AMALGAMATE project / compliliation, which I think Doug organized. It features such bands as BUHDACHRIST, KILLSWITCH, GENIUS HIRED GUNS, OBTRUSIVE MODE, FATSACK, UNCARVED BLOCK, NAKED LUNCH, and a couple of other bands I don't even recognize. I was going to slowly release tracks to spread out the updates, but you can download the whole kaboodle here --> AMALGAMATE COMP . Remember, it's a zip archive.
And here's the KALAMAZOO COMPILATION ONE which features such acts as TONGUE, BRAINTREE, SUICIETY, and CLOCKMAKER and then about five others I don't reconize. (no offense to anyone, I must of moved before these other bands came out, and I'm the caretaker of the site). You can download this here --> Kalamazoo comp one (another zip).
Not done yet. Jason also sends in the SOUTHWEST METAL COMP which features such acts as RUDE ANGUS, DIRTY TRIX (really?), MARAUDER, and ALLISTER CROWLEY. I think when JOBY was working on the site, he'd remind me that a community didn't mean EVERYBODY, and/but another part of me wonders why us freaks and geeks didn't go enjoy regular old heavy metal shows, because, now in Boston, NASH and OBERLIN and ROE and I sometimes go (at Dave's behest). Anyways, here it is in zip --> Southwest Metal Comp.
Anyway, so we got all of that going for us...
BTW, where is the comp with TI, Twitch, Rollinghead, Sinatras, et al that I would've celebrated? Maybe I can burn one and see if anyone wants to download it... Or maybe I'll just make a mix tape.
Anyways, thanks again JASON for sending in so much stuff. Everyone should, but be patient with me as I don't have much time to update (anyone want to help?).
You can also get SELLING HEAVEN's "NAPOLEAN's HOMECOMING" demo now split by tracks, here: HERE HERE in case you were tired of listening to it cassette style. Thanks again, Jason.
So here is this flyer from maybe 1990 or 1989:
and this photo of Charlie, Dave, Colin, Cam, and Mike:
So, lots of activity per usual via Facebook. Not that I have to mention all of it here. CRAIG VERITY has another new band called NORTHERN that seems to be playing out. COLIN BRADFORD bought a new guitar. JOBY PURUCKER and CHRIS BRYERS have made more progress on a THE HOVERING LIGHTS album. BILL FURGUSON tweeted something like "I came to facebook to see what my friends were up to and only see world news and politics" which is some nice insight. At the same time, some political discourse is important as well as seeing whose dog took a dump today. Aparently libertarians are the new boogeymen, as I've seen lots of shots taken at my peacenikky breed. PAUL KIRY had/has the flu, not a diet (sorry!) and I think turned 40. MOLLY had a birthday too. BRENT returned from Asia. DAN ROE had an art show in Boston. MATT SALHGREN still likes STAR WARS (so do I). TIM posts a new TOP 10 list. SCOTT RICHMOND admits to listening to my album "ESSENTIAL CUBICLE NOSEPICKER". RICHARD BOWSER is persistently outraged, as is DARCY WILKENS. I hear people, such as RICHARD and BRAD MILLER, keep WIDR onward and upward. LIZ JACKSON is visiting and shaving her head again for charity. The HUDSON DEBACLE is considering an adjuct, but don't hold your breath. Anything I missed?
DuG is supposed to send in some new stuff, but is that even news? The dude always has something new.
Thank you to the recent purchaser of "THING AND NOTHING". And I somehow broke a rib this weekend (I was carrying my boy and tripped over a toy and landed into another one as I crashed into the floor, arms unable to stop my fall as I held the chile). With my new baby scheduled to arrive soon, this may be the last post we have for a while. Or maybe not. Anyways, everyone should send new stuff in. I know you have some new projects and that you have treats on tape that people haven't heard yet.
Big kisses you sluts of the great tundra,
January 1, 2011
HAPPY KALAMA-NEW YEAR
I'm pre-dating this post in the name of efficiency. Today marks the 20th Anniversary of OVERMAN's debut (house party on New Year's Eve 1991 in a heatless, kegless house, and then on the 2nd at Club Soda w/ the Sinatras). Whether you give a fig about Overman or not, 20 years is a fine howdoyoudo.
Here's international traveler and Thoughtful Industrialist*, BRENT OBERLIN, having a beer with JOEL "TOOLMASTER" JOHNSON, in Malmo Sweden (I think) having a beer.
Brent goes to see Joel on Brent's relentless search of the globe for new workforces to exploit, visiting India, Iceland, Europe, China, Australia and other locations within the last 12 months. Wow. Unfortunately, he reports to me over a few of our beers last week here in the Bay State that he's lost his creativity. He's offering a reward for whomever can retrieve it. TOOLMASTER, OTOH, suffers his 20th year with his awesome nickname and by report is a Swedish Electrician, which as everyone knows, is basically just a regular electrician who does a lot of bork bork bork. Is he the only DETROIT TIGERS fan in Sweden? Maybe so.
* Without irony, Brent's job now is in private industry generating business intelligence, making him perhaps in the Thought Industry in real terms, as if viewed peeking via a perverted mirror.
Brent and Kzooer and HUDSON DEBACLE guitarist DAVE NASH face off in our fantasy football league, making the playoffs. I was eliminated last week by CRAIG VERITY, who had his game of the season.
I had big plans to provide a full and detailed review of BRYAN CHARLES wonderful new book "THERE'S A ROAD TO EVERYWHERE EXCEPT WHERE YOU CAME FROM" but am not. Let me first say that I strongly recommend everyone buy a copy a read it. Like his other novel (I know this is a memoir, and even read the criticism that it should be a novel, but it reads like one all of the same, or perhaps "HOLD ON TO ME TIGHTLY..." read like a memoir) its a sip of a book, only taking a day or so to read, and feels voyeristic in its intimacy and scope. Bryan does a fabu job stripping the story and observations to the basics in his efficient prose and dialog. IMO, a sign of a great writer is where the reader viz., me in this case, isn't constantly reminded that he's reading i.e., their is no superflous language acrobatics that make you realize the author is at work. So, again, please consider this a wholesale endorsement and promotion of the book.
BTW, frankly Bryan really has to grow a pair. You never heard someone complain for so long about seemingly having a nice job in one of the greatest cities in the world and seemingly getting an endless glut of pussy. And he smooches butt pretty hard on Kzooer and comedian STEPHEN LYNCH saying what a great guy he is, but I guess you would have to upon dedicating 20,000 words of prose to making out with a guy's wife. Many kzooans will enjoy reading about some of the people and sites that they recognize. There's even a cameo made by ROLLINGHEAD.
Bryan was born in 1995, making him five years younger than myself, meaning that when I moved to Boston at the age of 22, Bryan was likely only 17 or 18 years old, which accounts for why I couldn't have talked to him more than a couple times.
STicking with Bryan here, enjoy this nice flyer I pinched from FB:
CHRIS KOLODZIECYK (what a Scrabble score that last name would make) writes in to explain to us TEMPLE folk how the RURAL ELECTRIFICATION ACT came to be, including nods to my CO-OVERMEN Craig and MATT SAHLGREN. You can read his story here: at the REA page on the Temple.
It would be awesome if everybody who visits this site would tell their little tale.
NEW MUSIC: BRIAN BARNES sends in some of his new stuff, which I've linked to the ENTANGLED page (which also hosts Brian's other stuff, such as the Entangled and KNOW NOTHINGS). Brian also writes:
I'm the guitarist for what could charitably be called "Kalamazoo Second Tier Band" Entangled. More famously, I lived with Joe Lawless, have many Joe Lawless stories. Very valuable commodity in the scene! I was the hatchet man (forced by others) to kick Brent Oberlin out of a house, of which I still feel I haven't properly apologized for. Paul Richardson and I have a mutual "always shotgun" and he owes me some ducks. How's that for a history? In the New Year picture? Left to right it's Paul (obviously), Mike Conelly (drummed for Eve Black, sometimes Feedbag, WMU drum core guy), Ben Richards (Bass, original Feedbag, and early Todd McNaughton bands) and Joe (obviously.)
Brian refers to MIKEY and BENZO if I still have everyone's nickname correct.
JOBY PURUCKER, SHAWN RAINER and CHRIS BRYERS launch a new band, virtual I assume, called THE HOVERING LIGHTS. You can enjoy here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Hovering-Lights/104794859587258?v=wall on their Facebook page. I'm not sure how the link will work, all of the funky numbers might be a special code for my account or something. TWITCH fans may like that you get to do some lip-biting with these tracks versus Chris' new wave music he's been doing on his last four solo releases.
Joby was disgusted/terrified when I told him I electronically tweaked some of Bryer's pitches when working with him on my ADULTY ADIPISCI record. Really, it's no big deal.
Our other prolific musician (with Bryer's perhaps being the most) DUG updated a mix on his page and has a twitter account. You can get the update HERE on his temple page.
I've been seeing online that the CORN FED GIRLS are doing a KISS tribute. Should be/should've been interesting. I got a random report that someone mentioned my tenure as a rollerrink DJ at ROLLERWORLD in 1990. I don't know how anyone unearthed that nugget. It's not even present in my own active memory.
This year will be the tenth anniversary of SHORT WAVE ON A COLD DAY. I don't know if that sounds like a long time or a short time.
Quarterly updates I think will be the norm here, as our museum begins to fill and my discretionary time is still compromised. Between my growing young family, managing my two companies, and general slow down in submissions, let's plan on another official update around April. You can, though, always check to see if people left messages, even if they are just spammers who have cracked the code (I'm not putting a sign in or a CAPTCHA on here, so bear with us) I still see about 30 or so Kzooans on Facebook daily, esp. frequent posters like RICHARD BOWSER, JEFF BORKOWSKI, BILL CLEMENTS, BLAIN TOWNSEND, LIZ BARNEY, PAUL TOTH, KARLA WESCOTT, JOHN BARNEVELD, DARCY WILKINS, and countless others, so if you really want to connect, that is the place.
Happy new year everyone! Smell U L8r!
The Management
September 25, 2010
THE LAWLESS SOCIAL NETWORK
So BRENT OBERLIN and I are chatting over a Bud in my back yard amongst the likes of DAN ROE and DAVE NASH (but not MICHELLE GRAF) and I say "So Brent old boy, did you miss the ROLLINGHEAD reunion last week", and he's like "Forget them. They have a reunion every year and have forever. I don't need to hear Sixty Seasons another time." and then he spit on the ground.
DuG or DOUG GARNETT or Vs. the Suct or Rabid Ears sent in a load of stuff. Check it out HERE. It is instrumental guitar music and other treats. DuG is far and away the most productive/prolific musician in this scene, or maybe a close second to BRYERS.
Speaking of DuG and Bryers, Doug remixed a couple of TWITCH songs. I have no idea about whether Chris and Kev and Kev and Steve will get a tickle out of this or be pissed or what. So write me if you want them down. I think he just dicked with the EQ, he didn't put farts or 'jump' keyboards in. Listen:
THE CORN FED GIRLS have released their CD. You can buy a copy http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/cornfedgirls there. Congratulate them!
New music: JOE LAWLESS and what I think might be his Sherwoods or maybe JUST SAY JOE. You can check out the wealth here http://soundcloud.com/joelawless.
In Kalamazoo, Joe seemed to somehow connect in wierd ways to everybody I knew. First I went to high school with Joe in Birmingham Mi where we crossed as thespians and cable club and the like. Joe then played guitar and famously wrote a song about a girl he was sweet on, who was CHUCK WOOD's (of Vine, BHAB, etc.,) sister (who was kind of foxy in the way she dressed like MADONNA before Madonna), and then he somehow appears on THOUGHT INDUSTRY's first album as the jaw guy, and then he somehow knows my non-music-related law student housemate BENNETH BROWN, and I can't figure out how this guy knows everybody I do. So I just went to FACEBOOK to see how many 'friends' we have in common, and the app says "all of them Jeff, he knows all of them".
So here's a picture of what the fuck, starring Joe and PAUL RICHARDSON and who else doing the fuckwhatall?
And here's a picture of KEVIN OBERLIN and SUZY KLASS. Do you know who else knows Suzy? Joe. That's right.
DREW BENNET writes in saying he's got a copy of THE CONFIRMATION's album or demo and he's going to send it in for us all to listen to. So there, we're all waiting.
JEFF BORKOWSKI told me on FB that he has half an album from FIRST TO THE FENCE sitting in the can without vocal tracks. I had the idea that we can get some Templer's maybe to put some on. Sound like fun?
You can pre-order BRYAN CHARLES's new book at Amazon here There's a road to everywhere except.... I've pre-ordered mine and am looking forward to it. I really enjoyed his first book. What took him so long to write another?
JASON JAY STEVENS writes in, thinking maybe I'm JIM CHERRY, to tell me he will, at some future date, mail in some SEXPLOSIVE B music. So we're waiting for that too. JEN COLLINS I guess found our site. I don't know if I ever saw them play personally, I certainly don't remember any of their songs, but this article dates them after my departure of kzoo. Here's some photos for the meantime:
Jim Cherry just sent me some comic books in the mail. That was nice.
Here's these speds:
I thought it was going to be the one of them drinking wine that was in the Gazzette or Herald.
Here's a link to an article about the VIOLENT APATHY reunion tour: HERE. I never have seen VA, not being around when they were (too young) but I can tell you that they are few bass hammer ons from progenitoring SFI. Rumor was that bassist JASON FORTIER is taking over for KARL KNACK (both replacements themselves, not long term players viz. RICHARD/RICKY/DICK BOWSER).
CULTURE OF NONE host (www.cultureofnone.com ADAM PAUL sends in a bunch of FAQ press kit stuff that you can check out here: FAQ page.. You can see such great headlines such as "FAQ ROCKS ON DESPITE RECORD CONTRACT". Ha ha (Nelson riding bike by). Losers.
And, I reposted the TASM LAB tracks that were missing. I bet there is a lot of other stuff missing too. I think that's it for now. I don't have many cycles to update this as I'm swamped with the job of bill paying. Enjoy your fall. Kisses.
September 9, 2010
Again, not a proper update (I've got an armload of stuff, too, just haven't had a moment), but...
Rollinghead will be playing at Bell's on Sept, 11, 2010 as part of their 25th anniversary. Check out the Facebook page for more details: http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pages/Rollinghead/118027563120?ref=ts. So go see it!
July 30
This isn't a proper update, but VIOLENT APATHY did a reunion show this week. Hope you went! (note: We had the flyer posted pre-show on this site, this is less post-mortem than it seems)
July 4, 2010
WHY? (FOURTH OF JULY!) (FOR CRAIG)
New music today: The full length release from BuddhaChrist THERE IS NO WRONG WAY TO EAT A RHESUS. Go get it. Guitarist JAMES KISON promised a bio, but hasn't gotten it together, unless I missed it. CRAIG VERITY and myself tried out with these guys prior to forming OVERMAN, with me as signer and him as drummer, and they had a very starter-level bassist, and I was pretty tricky at the time on 4-string, so it didn't make much sense for me to just do something I was bad at (singing) and not do something I was good at (bass playing).
See, this place is always about ME.
Speaking of Craig, he texts me saying the he went and had a pop with JOHN BARNEVELD, who ex-patrioted to KZOO II in the Pacific Northwest (Portland) where they discussed THE WEESEDIVER. Just to make sure I fit into this, John Barneveld has the exact same name as one of the antagonists in my rock opera, THING & NOTHING, played by COLIN BRADFORD.
Check this out:
Heartthrob and TWITCH teen drumming sensation KEVIN FARKAS got married in California last year. SPOONBENDER/THOUGHT INDUSTRIALIZER DUSTIN DONALDSON sends in a photo record, with BONE CHINA/CLOWN BANDER VEGAS in attendance.
Click the images for a larger size
Here are the handsome gentlemen now, with Vegas apparently in disguise. They look one dark PIPPEN short of being a band of evil Hobbits.
Here we see Farkas' latest hair do, inspired by 80's comedian EMO PHILLIPS
Funny haircut aside, it didn't prevent him from landing a pretty foxy Missus.
Dustin looks like someone from the SEX PISTOLS.
Be still my heart. Too cute. Big "awwww..." everybody.
There is a new THOUGHT INDUSTRY fan page on Facebook. One of my favorite contributions was JEN DORNIK's TI shrine:
JIM CHERRY has taken to blogging on FACEBOOK. I've cut and pasted a few peices from the blog that contains nuggets about CHRIS BRYERS, BRENT OBERLIN, SCREWTAPE, FLIPSIDE RECORDS, BECKY COOPER, and other themes. Check them out HERE, but if you really want to stay in the loop, sign up for his notes HERE (not sure how long or permanent the link is).
In some fit of (drunken?) late night outrage, SINATRAITE RON CASEBEER drafts a bitter something about the oil spill:
Hey everybody, let’s start a big rumor! We’ll say that the oil leaking in “the gulf” is coming from an enormous pocket that sits under most of north America. If it’s not stopped, as the pocket is emptied, the unimaginable weight of the continent will cause it to start sinking. Earthquakes will cause enormous crevasses, the ocean to roar inland, and most of North America will sink below the ocean. Tell everyone that they expect central Georgia to sink first. Makes some kind of Atlanta/Atlantis comparison and say that Nostradamus predicted the whole thing. When you tell someone that you know for sure is a Republican, tell them you heard it on FOX news. Tell everyone else that you heard it from a relative that works for NASA. (If my flippancy offends you, please let me know so I can tell everyone that I heard it from you.) Later, Ron
I figured if he sent it out to everyone he knew at midnight, he probably want it posted here as well.
Here's a picture of DAVID NASH.
:And here's one of TOOLMASTER, with BANTER CLAN JASON BIRKHOLSZ and coquette MELISSA MIHAIL.
As if you needed any other reason to feel old, Kalamazoo music website Kzoonoise.com, which usually does not have a single overlap with the 'temple (think about that for a second, is that big of a town or are we really all that old? The pictures of 40-year-olds Dustin, Steve, and Kevin didn't seems so) has an interview with old punker bank SNORKEL. Check it out.
Happy fourth everybody. I feel like I'm missing stuff, but this is a pretty meaty post as they go.
May 21, 2010
EYE TEETH
New music today: A track from the band EYE TEETH. Go get it.
I have to apologize, as this band is escaping my memory. I seem to can't remember the difference between EYE TEETH and X's FOR EYES, or if they were the same thing. I also want to roll them with EVE BLACK somehow. I think TODD MCNAUGHTON was in this band and the singer was named ROB. I want to say MIKEY and BENZO were in this band, but I think they were in Eve Black. I think they had a keyboard player who actually sat offstage. I was probably at every show they played, but this track isn't bringing back anything. I more remember SEEING the singer vs. ever hearing him sing. But give me a break, it's been 20 years and they probably played on $1 Stroh's night. If anyone wants to send anything in, please help me out.
That's all I now for now. I think the only other scene news is that JEFF BORKOWSKI is considering taking down his baby gates.
April 25, 2010
NEW BRYERS - NEW VERITY - (RE)INTRODUCING TAYZEE J LACROSSE
CHRIS BRYERS has officially released his fourth solo effort THE SIDE EFFECTS OF TIME TRAVEL. You can buy it at CD BABY. It's a digital release only. It's quite neat, a welcomed companion to his last three, it both continues his intimate/acoustic/midi trend while departing a bit into some more quirky and unapologetic use of mide and synth while still deploying his adept harmonies and big easy melodies. Call it more experimental, but his skills as a programmer shine here in addition to his melody making. If the electronic backline was serviceable in BIRDS and buried in GHOSTSTORIES, here it is one of the stars of the show. Despite being very eclectic sounding, the album itself is wholly homogenous. It's bizzarre, IMO, that repeaters and appregios are so common to our ears that you almost want to identify a genre with them alone. Anyways: GET IT. He's the PETER CETERA of our generation*.
DAVE NASH and I listened to it on our recent drive to CLEVELAND OHIO.
CRAIG VERITY has also released a new EP with this band APACHE TRAIL. You can download a free sample GHOST TOWN here.. The instrumentation out WHIGS the AFGHAN WHIGS and Craig's drumming (and drum set) sound superb. Like most of the singers Craig has worked with (ahem), this guy couldn't find a tune with a Garmin and a bloodhound. Rumor is that Craig might of already split with the band over artistic differences.
Check this out:
TAYZEE J. LACROSSE. TAYZEE J. LACROSSE. TAYZEE J. LACROSSE. I keep repeating this magical name to myself. Tayzee wrote in looking for Gary Green and other members of his band. This picture tells a story so large I don't even have to make commentary. There's a link to Gary Green's myspace page on the board, where you can see he's into robot chess, progressive guitar and host of other things all shy of unibombering.
Online magazine SECOND WAVE did an article that mentions the 'TEMPLE and us (and me) here: http://swmichigan.secondwavemedia.com/features/noise0422.aspx. REBECCA (very nice person, a great pro) had interviewed me two weeks ago and reminded me how provincial this whole thing is. Parts of our conversation "JOT INDUSTRY? How do you spell that? Is ROLLINGHEAD two words or one? Don't you think TWITCH is kind of a stupid band name?". Innocent enough questions from a 26 year old who couldn't tell her SNORKEL from COTTAGE CHEESE to save her life. Per usual in such articles, I hope I really didn't say the cring-worthy ""It's history. ... Whoever's playing music there now owes homage to us," Till says." Check it out. Jokes aside, it's a dandy article. It's been a long time since any of us were in a Kzoo paper every week. Maybe Rebecca can be our later day MARCY PERSKY.
I think that is it for now. We're having the nicest spring I can ever remember, as I write this from my outdoor deck. Big hugs.
* He's not really, I just wrote that to piss him off.
March 28, 2010
BREAKING NEWS - NEW BRYERS ALBUM
CHRIS BRYERS is announcing the release of his new album, due out in April, called "THE SIDE EFFECTS OF TIME TRAVEL". It will be a digital release only. Look for it soon. Here is a sneak peek (looks like a video, but it is just audio. I'm not sure if you can burn this or anything (is that the point?)):
And, as if Twitch was headlining this update, in the beer slot are art-industrial-dance band KONICHI WAH. We have a track from the AMALGAMATE comp. Check it out!
I probably saw these guys play a half dozen times, and in my opinion, the speakers at CLUB SODA made the music indiscernable, maybe it was the reverb on the drum machine and samples, or just because the PA was ready for guitars. Really, NO keyboards or samples ever projected well through those speakers, be they from VATICAN or IN AUTUMN or the hidden EYE TEETH guy or THOUGHT INDUSTRY.
OK, here's this week's picture of you-know-who:
If you need (and you should) to record your band, it's time to sign up with MIKE ROCHE's BROADSIDE PRODUCTIONS. Mike reports that his reinvigorating the studio, so get while the getting is good. While you are at it, have is sweety ALYSON snap your band 8x10, preferrably in front of brick wall or on the train tracks.
DARCY WILKENS (who, IMO, looks a hell of lot like Darcy SAHLGREN) has been doing concerts with her CORN FED GIRLS. I don't know really much more than that, but I saw it on FB.
And I think it was ERIKA OBERLIN's birthday. Happy birthday! Also, BRENT got a new phone, and invited DAN ROE, DAVE NASH and I to go see the MELVINS. JEFF BORKOWSKI likes his job, by report. RICHARD BOWSER doesn't like Republicans (who could? who would?), while BLAINE T and I seem to share a similar worldview of being anti-establishment and pro-individualism. Um, CHONK is funny now and again. DEAN VAN DYKE was in the hospital. JIM CHERRY is selling his comic books (despite, I think, really loving them). Haven't heard much from KARLA. CRAIG VERITY texted me. DAVE NASH and I are going to a birthday party. I also bought myself a pretty sweet 17" MacBook Pro, pretty much the most kick assiest one they make.
People keep buying my song "BEAUTIFUL LIKE ME" off of iTunes. I think they are mistaking it for something else, maybe the Garbage song. (I wrote mine first, BTW). But nobody is mistaking my song "LET'S GO FUCKING CRAZY" for the Prince song or my track "APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION" with GNR. Drat these clever bastards. They do like my track "FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK", but I'm guessing there are people who just madly type the word Fuck into their search engines over and over to see what comes up. Like just totally fucking angry.
Like the guy down the street who, last year, put a homemade sign in his front yard that says "Obama is a dummy. Sad but true." Regardless of how your worldview swings, you have to imagine how pissed this guy was to not just, say, give Peter Schiff $25 in campaign donations, but to, one night, stay up in his garage, sawing a piece of wood, painting his sign by hand and then angrily nailing to a tree in his yard. I imagine it was he, later, who would just pound "fuck fuck fuck fuck" into his search engine, and then, suddenly, Jeff Till is $.99 richer. (put it on the pile, smithers!)
But I digress. Happy spring all you dirty sluts,
Your master.
March 13, 2010
Happy Corporate Filings Day
OK, kind of a crappy holiday of sorts, but Monday is when the stupid Inc tax returns are due.
BILL FURGESSON writes in with a strange antiquity from 1986, SKILLKRANE, with a song called Heavy Metal Parking Lot that related to a cable access documentary. Check it out. The production value is superb all considered. I guess the ROLLINGHEAD guys are older than Brent and Chris and I and others. I was only 15 years old in 1986.
SCREWTAPE was almost named the similar "skillclaw", but we decided it sounded presumptuous. Both names refer to the frustrating/stupid arcade game where you try to snag a toy using a mini-crane. If you've ever attempted to explain to a two-year old that three tries is enough you will loathe the game like I do.
DuG GARRNET sent in a bunch of stuff, most notably the AMALGAMATE comp, which I'll post in entirety over the next few weeks. We're going to get many of those links on the side hyperlinked with this one. He also sent me a preview of his new project, which, at first listen, is shockingly well produced and creative. He doesn't have a name yet, so you'll have to hold on.
First up, check out this CLOCKMAKER track: DRAIN. It's THAT song, you know, the unmitigated insanity all on clean guitar that was really the signature of this queer band. It's totally bugged out.
Actually, about 80% of the amalgamate comp is pretty crazy.
Next up, you can download BUDDHACHRIST. The production value is good on this single track and the drumming is suprisingly crisp, you know, for a girl. BuddhaChrist never excelled at writing memorable songs (say, compared to FAQ or King Tammy whose songs you could remember before the first listen was over) and this song doesn't bring back any memories for me despite seeing them a gazillion times. I remember the BuddhaChrist guys to be super-freindly and supportive, so this will certainly be a sweet wayback for somebody.
Those SELLING HEAVEN tunes are back online. Thanks to JM for the resend. "LEONS TEMPLE" is still MIA on this site.
Enjoy! I'll post again in April.
February 14, 2010
Valentines Day
Happy valentines day my nasty boys and rude girls. For a pick me up, be sure to download SELLING HEAVEN's song of the same name. I think it is about buying a girl chocalate and flowers and then getting a nice kiss.
For you kinky lovers, we present TETHER. This is one of MICHELLE GRAF's (TASM Lab, Blue Dahlia) Boston projects, completed with friend STEVE who accompanies on strummed/picked bass. The music is gothy, and by titles such as "Servant" and the name "Tether" I can only guess there is a S+M or other sexual diviation angle to the whole thing. Download it now!
Speaking of kinky sex, I hope there is no reference of someone doing a BIG SAM to another. See TOP 10 list for my 'worst band names part 2'. Yea, I'm a dick.
Please tell your MII's that they are welcome to mingle over here, but they might get bored.
COCKTAIL SHAKER KELLY ARGYLE writes in with a howdoyoudo inbetween naps/preschool to send in this photo:
I don't think anyone has better photos on FACEBOOK than this guy:
DUG's got some new stuff he's going to send in soon with some promotions.
Otherwise, things are pretty quiet. Besides reading what people have eaten for breakfast on FB, I haven't heard much. Um, MIKE ROCHE finished his renovation. DAN ROE is appearing in two art openings (he's an artist now, not a scientist, by payroll terms at least). I haven't seen BRENT OBERLIN in eight months despite us being neighbors (my fault, I blame my young children). CRAIG VERTIY is jamming with a new band called APACHE TRAIL whom are actually playing out and recording. Sort of a AFGAN WIGS vibe if you ask me (who would?). DAVE NASH is going to upgrade to a 15 gallon kettle.
It's GARY GREENE. Got it.
We have a spammer putting stuff on our guest board (can't they leave our little innocent corner alone?). I don't know if it is a robot that defeated my tricky code, so I changed it. I suspect they may actually be human spammers, maybe hired low-cost labor from Myramar or something.
Big kisses!
January 3, 2010
Happy new year
Happy new year! New music today: Progressive artmetalers CLOCKMAKER. Download their 1992 opus/cassette now. Thanks to J. Hanson for doing the legwork. Does anyone want to submit a real bio?
CRAIG texted me to remind me that it has been 18 years since OVERMAN debuted at Club Soda, opening for THE SINATRAS. 18 years later, you can still catch a Sinatra's show now and again. Good luck with seeing Overman.
Just to feel old, you can view a THOUGHT INDUSTRY clip on Youtube that is from/before the signing demo which is over 20 years old (1989 I beleive):
It's been 15 years since GENIUS HIRED GUNS released their album DUTCH MAFIA and TASM LAB released "Thing and Nothing", just about 10 years ago that BRYERS and KEVIN OBERLIN released SLEET "THE VOLUME DROPS" from Sunny California, about 9 years ago (sort of 8) since "SHORT WAVE ON A COLD DAY" was released on a glum 09/11/2001. This site was launched 3 years ago, but it feels like (to me, at least) that it has been up for much longer.
That's all for now. I've got some snowthrowing to do and am going to take the kids sledding if the wind relents, a meaningless Pats/Texans game, and then maybe a gumbo or something. Toodeloo!
December 19, 2009
HAPPY SOLTICE
MERY X-MAS children. CHRIS BRYERS (of recent GHOSTSTORIES fame) delivers a Holiday exclusive with his cover of obscurish cover of TOYLAND. from the 20th century film. Enjoy! (It's a WMA file, which should work on Windows and Mac alike.)
JAMES HANSON has sent in another treat, but I want to give it top billing in the new year, so hold on tight.
thank you all. I'll chime in on the 'Temple's third anniversary and the beginning of the next decade.
December 5, 2009
NEW ROLLINGHEAD!!!
BILL FERGUSON has sent in an entire archive of the live show recently held at Bells. There's a ton of songs and it is recorded quite well (a board mix, I'm guessing, so while clear, it often inverts volumes, but very well done).
NOTE: It is one giant zip archive, which is easier to download, but may very well take between 10-60 minutes to get on to your computer, will take about 100 megs of space, and you'll need an extractor (pretty commonly part of Windows and Mac OS these days).
I had a bit of a dilema, as I wanted to post this, but I didn't want to bump CHRIS BRYERS new album from the top so quickly.
Here's a facebook steal of two cute brothers. Do you know who?
And here's a nice one of some of the many, many expats who live in Portland OR:
TOM HUBERT writes in with a compliment and criticism, to which was both supported and criticized on the board. Just to clear up: I did adopt a gossip column format, but they are just updates and not true gossip; there isn't any intended irony - but sometimes I write jokes; I'm religiously sunny and positive towards every one here almost by policy (no point in being critical here, 15 years post-mortem, even if their band did suck -this is supposed to be fun), and this is indeed a self-congratulatory/back patting site. It's a very small niche, so we celebrate very small things. Imagine if someone had a site about, say "New Hampshire Wineries", it wouldn't be unusual for them to make a big fuss about new corks in Jeweltown.
Also being open and inclusive is good. It reminds me (now looking back) how welcoming all the booking agents were in letting just about anyone and everyone have their turn to play, whether it was PAT WHALEN, PAUL TOTH, BRENT OBERLIN, RICH, AL, CHUCK, and everyone else.
ERIN, BTW, is sweet. I went to her wedding a few years back and she was a delight.
Lastly, everyone should feel free to lease some webspace and start their own site and do it the right way. Be my guest.
Moving on, BRYERS announcess that his new album is availabe via ITUNES. Get it!
I guess I'll have to download and archive those CRYONAX files. But what category would they go in? Would I be stepping out scope there? Perhaps the post in close enough.
CRAIG VERITY sent me a big care package full of old Verity/Till memorabilia, some of which I didn't already have. This one below is a treat, if I had to guess (and I don't) which band was most willing to self depracate and make this flyer, my money is on HOOVERMAN:
Really, is 'Twat' really any better or worse than TWITCH? Club Bonerland isn't bad either, but who was this flyer for? Obviously for people who were going to go anyways, because there isn't a lick of useful information to grab someone new. And here are some ramdom Overman flyers I haven't seen in a while:
I'd like to note that the NEVERMIND mock-up is only the second penis on an Overman flyer (but let's 'shout out' to the cock on my new albume The Brambles of Hell). The bunnysuit song (like on flyer) was never recorded, and it wasn't very good, and the stripper was in honor of KID DEATH playing.
I'm not sure there will be another update prior to Christmas/Solstice, so happy holidays and happy new years my little princes and princesses. Don't tell, but Santa's delivering big for my little kids.
Thanks!
November 12, 2009
GHOST STORIES OUT!CHRIS BRYERS' new album GHOST STORIES is officially out and ready for purchase. I've had this for a while and it's excellent. It's very intimate and pretty, on the same trajectory as Birds and Hazel, but much more consistently down tempo with a less eclectic selection of accompanyment. Chris ability to harmonize is growing into a phenom in itself. Get it now! at CD Baby.
If only BRENT would have finished his thingy, then this quarter would have the most music release activity since the Jaw bootlegger got his first tape-to-tape dubber. Zoink!
If you are on facebook, you can track down COLIN BRADFORD's new project/band GRAYSTAR, along with a picture of Colin in a rodeo clown shirt.
October 17, 2009
HELL FREEZES OVER (AND OTHER NEWS)I hate to bump my new album from the top (see, I made this about ME) but THE SINATRAS are happy to announce that they have released their first CD: LIFE IN FLAMES.
SCOTT STASZAK of JABBERWOCK writes in:
This is Scott Staszak. I was the singer in Jabberwock. I came across your site after doing a search for Rollinghead. I can't believe the work you've put into the site! I saw that Jabberwock was listed under the Weekender's section and hope that you would move us into the Leppotone section. After reading much of the site I felt compelled to write a bio of Jabberwock. ... I may later send you some stuff on Hoarse (me, Jude Lemrow and the VanDyke brothers from Rollinghead) and Gift Horse (me, Jude, Chonk and Bob Klomparens of FAQ). My wife is pregnant and due in January so I feel a bit more motivation on documenting this part of my life for my daughter.
So besides a hearty congratulations on his forthcoming brood, you can read the bio he wrote HERE.
FATSACK no longer exists. Put that in your pipe and smoke it (obligatory reference to contents of fat sack).
I gave BRYERS a hand with getting his new album GHOST STORIES to press last week, so I can say with confidence that it will be out soon soon.
DuG GARRNET with more news: it's been a while but if the weather holds we'll be performing live tomorrow [friday october 16th] at Rock City's VooDoo Bayou on the Rock 105 Stage. FREE!!! ALL AGES!!! 2 SETS!!! 8PM thru 11PM so come check out some fun Halloween stuff while we do our best to be as loud as humanly possible so we'll be heard for miles away...
CRIS from VEGATABLE SOUL posted the most confusing post I've ever read while being completely coherent.
Thanks to all who bought my new album. SCOTT RICHMOND writes in: "Listening to "Brambles" right now, wanted you to know how much i'm enjoying it. I enjoyed "Adulty" as well, but even with Bryers et al I think that this is more to my taste somehow. I don't know what that says about me. I hope you take it as a compliment on your singing, which is top-notch here, sir." This is the first compliment I've ever recieved on my singing, like, not even my MOTHER has ever said anything nice.
BRENT OBERLIN kicked my ass in fantasy football last week, and I'm playing MARK DAVIS this week. Wish me luck.
September 17, 2009
YOUR NEW HELLToday is the day, punkers and posers, that the brand new TASM Lab album:THE BRAMBLES OF HELL is released. Read all about it, but be sure to BUY A COPY ASAP, or at least download some soon!
It's wicked and obnoxious. There's tons of info on tasmlab.com, or you can just listen.
Somebody writes in to clarify the origins of kzooart.com: Jeff, just a head's up: Phillip Rhoades is the creator and administrator of www.Kzooart.com and it is not affiliated with T-C-V. Don't know if it was your blog, but someone from the old-school posted something to the effect that Kzooart was my thing. Anyway, get back to me when you can and i'll get the rest of my contact info to you.
Alexa might remember...
On September 7, BILL CLEMENTS and JOHN REIMER played in "Monsters of Bass". Sorry for the last post. Everyone should feel free to post stuff on the side too.
By special request, I've removed/edited some of the discussion, particularly some of the spirited input by JIM CHEERY. This isn't an evil plot or anything. Everyone should feel free to write whatever they want on the board (and I'll feel free to leave it up or take down).
CHRIS BRYERS has sent me a preview of "GHOST STORIES". Hopefully we'll have another CD release announcement soon.
Buy a copy of my CD if you want (I don't really need your $10, unless you can buy a few thousand of them) or download it to your ipod and burn your own at home. I accidently layed out the spines upside-down, but I'm not going to fix. So the disc will likely be a collector's item - Antique Roadshow circa 2050.
August 22, 2009
Rollinghead rolls aheadBy all reports, the Rollinghead reunion was the event of the year. While I didn't go, both MIKE ROCHE and CRAIG VERITY gave me first hand accounts. Apparently the show was sold out, with a line stretching down the street, hours before they went on. It was not only a reunion of the band, but apparently a massive class of '93 reunion, with all manner of scensters coming out of the woodwork.
this old photo I got off of FACEBOOK where there are millions from the show, including video. I liked this one. Bill looks like a JOHN HUGHES movie extra, Willy looks like NAPOLEON DYNAMITE and Dave V. regrettably has the "BERRIES AND CREAM" hair-do (from the recent candy advertisement; 'berries and cream, berries and cream, this little man likes berries and cream'.
To see more photos, go HERE HERE HERE.
Besides snitching a few from Facebook, many of these were provided by DUSTIN RUSGO BANKS.
I don't have it here, but there is a video of the band doing 'Strangle you'. What's up with the verse to that song? It's like listening to a homeless man muttering to himself. Fortunately the chorus makes up with melody and structure.
I had to pretend I was there by putting on "Vol 3 Live" album. On that CD, when Dave steals the guy's lighter and says "I just put that guy's lighter in my pocket. How lame am I?" we like to answer back "Pretty lame, Dave. Pretty lame.".
Talking to Craig Verity this week, we determining what to do with hundreds of old OVERMAN cassette covers. So long and thick, the cases wouldn't close. We're throwing them away.
TCV (the center's view??) is following up his long aborted Kzoo website (remember that? No? It was the precurers, along with AngelRat East's site, to this one about a decade ago. It's bizzarre to think how fewer people were actually 'surfing' back then.) with www.kzooart.com. There isn't much there just yet, but sign up and leave a comment.
DuG Garnnet's band RABIDEARS played at Club Fathom in Chatanooga, but I think I'm late with the announcement. Sorry! Rollinghead apparently shadows all.
DuG also has a tape with bands such as buddhachrist, uncarved block, a really long song by killswitch, eye teeth and fatsack. He's going to digitize and send soon. Also, his band has released a new album "the New Shaboom". Get more info at http://www.rabidears.net.
KARLA WESCOTT told me not to post this message, but I have to:
I just read John Henry's "recollections" on Leon's Temple...not so accurate, and I seem to come across as an asshole to boot. I never dated Rob Gouin -- but we were roommates with 5 other people, sure. ... Yeah, I was in orchestra with John (laugh all you want, Jeff), but that was the extent of our connection, if you can even call it that. .... I don't care what you post on that site*, I enjoy it immensely. I guess I'm just saying, don't buy all this stuff. I'm not that bad. (Nor do I want people to text me... WTF? ;)
* This is the phrase that gives me license to post this comment. Thanks Karla!
MATT MULLINS writes in promising TOM COLLINS AND THE COCKTAIL SHAKER music. We'll see!
My own eighth offering, TASM Lab's "The Brambles of Hell" went off to press yesterday. I'll make a hullabaloo when it is up for sale.
Smell ya later, Crik Whislters.
July 17, 2009
REVENGE!I finished reading DARRIN DOYLES REVENGE OF THE TEACHERS PET. It was a great read and I encourage you all to buy a copy. You may read my book report here.
Is everyone having a fine summer? Sorry for the dearth of updates but this bitch is BUSY. Plus, nobody's sending me anything. Hey, this works as a museum too. You can all tweet on Facebook.
CRAIG VERITY sent me a tape of a radio interview of myself, Brent, Charles (I think) and others before Kalapalozooa. I haven't listened to it yet. Besides not having a cassette player or discretionary time, I can't imagine I'll feel like anything less than a total ass listening to it. I'll be sure to post when I'm done.
Did you all hear ROLLINGHEAD is playing soon. They are. August 15 at Bell's Brewerey. Is MIKE ROCHE playing drums? Or is Willie in town?
CRAIG R. asked me to post this, so here it is: http://www.environmentmichigan.org/action/preservation/keep-roadless (sorry this is so delayed)
DOUG GARNNET chimes in with this: Hello again everyone! We wanted to let everyone know that we've completely redesigned our RaBiDeArS.NeT website for ease-of-use and better navigation. Also, we have a new drummer we'd like to introduce to you named Rasheen. "Rash" is a maniac on drums [think Animal from the Muppet Show] and his energy and enthusiasm is just what we needed like a swift kick in the junk. Reckless abandon and so on...
Doug: When you send a mass email, use BCC. I don't need COLIN BRADFORD getting my real e-mail address. (this is a lie, he used cool @ leons..., my posted address).
I got several requests for updates on CHRIS BRYERS new album, GHOST STORIES, especially since he announced it on his MySpace page. Well, the dude wrote me and tells me it will be soon. Like he's looking to get it pressed soom. We'll make a big hullaballoo here.
Also, BRENT OBERLIN came over for hot dogs and beer last weekend (along with the likes of DAVE NASH, DAN ROE and his family, siren MICHELLE GRAF, and even KEVIN BANKS. I set up a mini-waterpark for the all the kids. I so don't rock.) and let me report that new THOUGHT INDUSTRY is palpable. I asked Brent if I could hear some, but he said that I had leaked a draft version of SHORTWAVE.. to Chris Bryers without permission, and then Chris told people that it was barfy, ruining most of its sales potential. I don't know if this is totally true, but it sound plausible. Anyways, this probably means I won't get a preview unless it is under careful scrutiny.
Perhaps at Brent and ERICA's new spacious apartment.
Brent had asked "are you going to put the fact that I had a hot dog at your house on the 'temple?" as if it were like being at Club Soda in '92 and getting a plug in Marcy's column in FRIDAYS. Well, Brent, I've grown up quite a bit since then and wouldn't think of it.
Lastly, my new record could be out soonish. I'm now down to 45 seconds of vocals that need to be recorded, but I'm heading off to Kennybunkport for two weeks to sit in the sand. I think you'll all enjoy the record, as it is pretty obnoxious rock music (drop-D guitars, hammer-ons, pick slides, finger tapping bass licks, funk metal, hollerin', etc. although liberal use of common time).
Happy sun, my tulips. Thanks!
May 15, 2009
TWISTED METAL TWO-FERNew treats today from the wildtimes: TONGUE and OBTRUSIVE MODE.
Tongue's song "unhappy" will bring you right back. This is the one they used to open with. This is the first time I've heard the bass part, which is pretty neat. J. Gorgone had such a cool bass rig with such a sonic range that, as an audience member, I could only ever hear a rumble and clicks, but never any notes. The influence of Primus, prevalent among TI, Screwtape, and others, dates this within a heartbeat. The second song is unmitigated confusion. JOHN RIEMER promises a third song that he is in the midst of encoding.
DuG Garnett gives a meaty bio for OBTRUSIVE MODE. There is some very neat guitar riffs in this, and the fellow singing sounds genuinelly upset.
April 26, 2009
REUNION and other Facebook re-runsNo new music this month, and it's not my fault. Nobody is sending anything in. Did I forget anything? I suppose I could finally post the unreleased TWITCH albums, Eh, maybe later.
If you are on FACEBOOK, as many are, there is a huge archive of photos from CLUB SODA under the group "CLUB SODA ROCKED, most posted by Club Soda Monarch PAUL TOTH. What I didn't realize was the African Americans sometimes played and visited the club. Who knew?
Here's a treat from the archive. It's The THOUGHT INDUSTRY playing nnon, that thing they used to do at the end to convince us that they were wierd. Oddly, DUSTIN is the only member properly dressed for a rock show. BRENT has apparently stolen a pair of his grammies sweat pants, NZO looks dressed to play the clarinet in the high school orchestra, and CHRISTOPHER LEE apparently thought it would be chilly on stage and brought a sweat shirt.
I may have to revisit my thoughts on how Paul dressed here. I'm personally no stranger to the plaid button-down tucked into Khakis look, but I'm usually standing in front of a PowerPoint slide.
Speaking of Thought Industry, JEFF WAGNER is writing a book on progressive heavy metal, including the likes of DREAM THEATRE, VOI VOD, QUEENSRYCHE, and our own boots-n-shorts crew. He's looking for a high-rez photo of the band in its progressive metal form (That means he needs nothing from Jeff Borkowski), preferrably in a print-worthy resolution. You can track him down, and maybe buy the book at some point, here http://bazillionpoints.com/zite/?p=21
Here's more stuff abscounded from FaceBook. I think KARLA WESCOTT organized a reunion of Templers, consisting largely of those who haven't expatriated. Apparently everyone still likes to stand in circles and drink beer. A very thin, in-shape crowd given their advanced ages. This first picture of ROLLINGHEAD is one Argyle sweater-vest short of looking like post-eighteenth-hole revelry at the clubhouse. They look like what I imagine my dad's friends to look like.
If you missed it, there are some new Top 10 lists posted in the past few weeks.
And, you've seen it on the board here: KING TAMMMY guitarist DARRIN DOYLE has published (his first?) a new book called "REVENGE OF THE TEACHERS PET. You can and should buy a copy: HERE ON AMAZON for $11. I received my copy last week and have just started reading it. I'll submit a full book report later.
DuG GARNETT writes in to announce another project (dude's busy!): hey it's DuG again. this time i'm letting everyone know that i have a debut double release from my band RaBiDeArS called The New Shaboom! coming out may 9. anyone interested can visit www.rabidears.net or myspace.com/rabidearsband
Grease and Peace,
March 7, 2009
AQUANET DAZENew music: MONOGLOT and the impossibly so-cleverly-name-its-what? DYNAMIC RIBBON DEVICE CRACKERTAX. I know nothing about this, so throw caution to the wind and leave your opinion.
Here's some torture from FB. Many like myself seemed to like dressing as Cirque de Solie in highschool vs having to dress up in some regimented black and plaid punk rocker uniform. This first chick is so hot that I'd take a time machine to bang her all night long, even though it is me. The young Till is the hairspray queen on the right (you may ignore the other high schoolers:
Speaking of hot chicks, a young Erin Dwight is still foxy despite cutting her hair with a lawn mower. I'm not sure the BILL COSBY sweater is very cool, though.:
Who is this? For a dude who only end up having hair for less than a quarter of his life certainly made some good use of it:
Who is this rarified pussy magnet? You just know this guy was lover. And why am I not picking some of those awesome ones Charlie's been posting?
And, a picture of Jim Carrey from the so-so flick about dumb people:
DAVE NASH and BRENT OBERLIN without DAN ROE went out last weekend. We exchanged over 49 emails in order to coordinate meeting at one bar and then going to see Kzoo-ite STEPHEN LYNCH (picture below, homophobes BEWARE). Back in 1992, we discussed, it may have taken exactly 0 emails and probably not even a call to get us in the same bar. I had mentioned, in a different topic line, that TOMMY FULLER and I went fishing one day, because he just happened to stop buy looking for people to go fishing with. Who can do that in our email age? Not me. Tommy, BTW, has some pretty awesome AQUANET era pictures as well from his hair styling days. Someone want to send them in?
Because of the DOWNTURN (it was never the president, it's the system, fools), we had to move servers and many files are gone missing. We're hoping there was little loss of MUSIC, because I don't have that backed up. If you find broken links, please just let us know. Thanks!
February 14, 2009
Finally, we have a few CLUB SODA CALENDARS. COLIN HOOPINGARNER sent these back in July 2007, almost 20 months ago, to which it took JOBY a good long time to scan and post (which we are super-grateful for. Joby had previously given me some excuse about being busy changing tires, which I didn't understand). I took the time to make notes, but I think many people could probably see all sorts of different history in them.
If GEOFF HALSEY feels lazy about BRYERS putting in music time, let it be known that Chris announced this week that his next record is already written and that he is in the 'studio' now laying the tracks. Can't wait!
KARL KNACK sent me a lengthy note this week about calling me fuckface, amongst other things. He's putting CDs in the KPL, so give him a hand if you got them.
Happy Valentines day, my sick hot lovers.
January 25, 2009
New music: SILO. This is a recent project by AARON JEROME, JOBY, and others. Download for free. It's on M4a format, which I think is iTunes. For other would-be contributors, I beleive MP3's are still the most universally compaitble file format.
CARK ASKEW kicks off our FLYERS PAGE. Check it out. There's some good stuff there. The Club Soda calendar is interesting. Selling Heaven gets a Saturday night. Overman on twice in the same month. Hole+thought Industry. Twitch opens. And of course: Keeper Wild! Assembly Required? Shitty band name.
When-oh-when is JOBY going to upload all of those Soda calendars???
I've put up the article/memoir of JOHN HENRY. Not to be confused with the lumberjack whose heart exploded, also known as Animal, tells stories of the day, including a well-vetted one about KRISTY KAMPSMITH. John, arguably under the spells of youth, thought being FOUR PEACE's 'manager' (um, handler?) would be productive work.
If anybody needs things un-posted due to work/family/embarrassement/privacy, etc., let me know at cool @ leons temple . com (remove spaces) and I'll take it down lickety split. People's grandmothers are on the internets these days for chrissakes.
RON MUNIZ and MELISSA FAVARA both became my 'friends' this week on FB, but all they have are pictures of their grubby kids. Who rocks anymore? Nobody. That's who.
Today, or this week, is DAVE NASH's 40th birthday. Happy birthday! If you see him, ask him how many holes could a young buck fuck if young bucks could fuck holes. And then punch him in his cocksucker.
NICK PETROFF and his mullet wrote in to let you all know: "I’ve had some friends find the Catharsis page on your site who also asked about another band I was in, Squelch. Could you please add a link to the Squelch CD http://www.radhs.com/squelch.html in the “Connections” section of the Catharsis page when you get a chance?". Consider it done, Nick.
KARLA would like people to text her. Of all things she could ask for publicly. She's in Henry's story as well, except whereas Kristy gets to be the hot bikini girl, Karla is in the school orchestra. (Dork! Nelson rides by on his bike: "ha ha")
I got a note from MIKE ROSENBAUM and some board posters who are making the case for the likes of MOM HANDY and THE ERJ to be included in our hot beer cotillion. I was going to let GEOFF HALSEY make these decisions, as a clique has to have boundaries to be a proper clique... You see, everything here is viewed through MY eyes, and I used to work nights on Thursday, Friday and Saturday when JAH KINGS were playing SODA. Anyways, they get their own category now.
MARK SHADE, I think we got the link straightened out. You can tell PAUL KIRY to calm the fuck the down. Why is that boy so angry???
AMY STEVENS, our family just got done watching BLUE VELVET this week too, and everybody has been walking around saying "daddy wants to fuck" like it's the new howdoyoudo.
If you haven't yet, download BIRDS already.
Winter sucks it.
January 11, 2009
Don't tell me I never got you anything. New music this month: BRYERS - BIRDS! Likely you already have this classic because JIM CHERRY or JOBY burned you a copy long ago. This is a real gem. 12 songs written and performed in Bryer's basement, making this his first solo record and the first property available after his awesome "Sleet Volume Drops" CD. This album is quiet and personal, it feels like a solo project. The production value won't win a grammy, but it's a profound lesson in that if you have awesome songs and awesome singing, you can gladly snap along to the drum machine. I think my favorite is "prettiest girl in town" (track 3?) and Ku Ku Bird is an instant classic (track 5 or 6, it's unmistakable).
This reminds me of my least favorite live version of a song, which is the Cure's remake of "Close to me" where they add horns to the song. It's been bothering me for 22 years. Glad I could get it off of my chest. I'm hoping Chris never redoes this album with horns, because it is dandy as-is.
But really, burn this to two discs. One for the car and one for home, and another for the iPod.
Also, I've re-posted the first six songs of HAZEL AND THE BLACK RABBIT for you to download. Copes of that (and my own "Adipisci") are for sale if you need to almost* complete your Bryers collection.
Also, I set up a fan page for the 'temple on facebook. I think the clunky and annoying MySpace has lost out in the Web 2.0 game. Become a fan, if for no other reason, to spread the faith to the uninitiated: http://www.facebook.com/pages/LeonsTemplecom/42531844366
SONIC TRIBE and RESIN MATTRESS now have their own pages. Phew!
* Kevin Oberlin: Chime in on unreleased twitch. Your awaiting fans are legion.
January 1, 2009
Happy Birthday shouts Frosty everytime he is revived. Today marks the second birthday of LEONSTEMPLE. It was January 1, 2007 I started this site, planning on starting small and gradually adding files month by month. We now had over 60 bands, over 300 songs posted, and that probably isn't even half of what is out there. We get about 270 visits per day (this probably includes robots).
Have you seen the Frosty cartoon recently BTW? What an unmitigated piece of shit that is.
KillSwitch, Crick, and GHG are the most popular download. Sometimes we register as many as 500 downloads for some songs, such as "my girl is patriotic".
A scant 18 years ago, Overman debuted at the Eat house on Academy street.
Here's a note Luke deCastro just left me on FaceBook:
Jeff,
May your 2009 have the subtle grace of the Pregnant Robot and the irrepressible tenacity of the Frozen Caveman. Truly, your kung fu is the best. The boners you inspire are raging (and figurative...for me...mostly).
Ha!
Dude, I think you're a really good guy and always have thought that. It's a shame we can't just drop by and hang out like back in the day. I'll be having vodka tonics tonight and at least one of those has your name on it, as they say.
Your friend,
Luke
He didn't intend it to go to the temple, but I thought it would be nice to share. At least SOMEBODY is looking forward to 2009. 2008 seemed kind of crappy, and many are glad that it has passed, but not much to look forward to, at least in a sort macro-political-economic way. Fortunately, our lives aren't run individually soley by macro-political-economic means. For example, my boy HUCK here could totally not give a fuck about fiat currency or central banking:
FaceBook, seeming generational in its push, has seemed to sweep heavily into us in our 30's and 40's. If you have nephew or neice in college, you'll see that their posts and friends rank in the thousands. They are fully integrated. Old people, like myself, run websites I guess. Anyways, the point being that this site will work whether it is a museum or it is social spot.
The updates to this site are slowing. People keep promising to send stuff, but time wears on. There is still plenty of fun stuff to come. I get a contribution promised almost weekly.
OVERMAN and SCREWTAPER CRAIG VERITY visited MI lately and found some old flyers (click for bigger):
If anyone was curious about what finish I have on my kitchen counter tops or what my wedding band looks like: feast your eyes on this, fucker. The artistry of these flyers is horrible and I don't recall going to or playing OT's. What a trecherous drunk drive home that must of been! Nice bookings though, with both shows having a very consistent roster. I can practically smell and taste the 'red' show. Who would be the most irreverent? The wild and wackiest? The show on the left would be a seminar on conducting boring but effective band practices. WTF? Why does Screwtape open that show? We had 12 fans in Battle Creek and Tongue only had 9!! This is an outrage that they are headlining! Oh oops, I probably had my shift at Kinkos that night and had to get home early.
TONGUE must of got something on tape. JOHN REIMER must of owned a cassette four-track at the minimum. Someone should send it in.
Congratulations to MATT SAHLGEN and his family, as they have a new son named OSCAR.
CHRISTMAS WITH SMIRK THE GODBLENDER AKA THE SQUID. BRENT OBERLIN and his wife ERICA visited the Till Manse for a pre-holiday visit and sleep-over. Brent was the singer and guitarist for such bands as THOUGHT INDUSTRY, GENIUS HIRED GUNS, and COSMONAUGHT as well as being a corporate accountant. We had a fabu time listening to old 'Temple era records after spending an evening singing carols by the fire with the kids. He also told me the very exclusive status of the new THOUGHT INDUSTRY record. Unfortunately he told me at midnight right before I blacked-out, so I won't be able to share that tidbit with you.
JOE LAWLESS, who besides being 100% of JUST SAY JOE, was the crackly voiced "jaw popped out guy" and the end of SONGS FOR INSECTS, was sick and was in the hospital. Let us all well-wish (Wishing well?) him here. Get better soon, Joe!
MARK SHADE: I got your note. I'm, working on it. RESIN MATTRESS NATION is amply confused.
Also, AARON JEROME wrote with a new project he did with JOBY but I haven't got a chance to post it yet. JOBY can you do this?? Dude, it is you.
MIKE R. wrote in and is going to send us some ERJ. Although I think the high master council of the 'Temple will have to weigh in on whether or not the ERJ was peer enough for this site. GEOFF HALSEY - the decision is yours.
Does anyone feel sympathy for us poor New England Patriots fans whose poor team went 11-5 and missed the playoffs? No? Beuler? You'd think this population of LIONS fans would be able to relate to a tough season. Speaking of Tackleball (was I?) WMU's team, the BRONCOS, was on the national stage this week playing Rice. They got pasted.
Rumor is that KEVIN OBERLIN and CHRIS BRYERS are going to go to APPLEBEE's and then to a MOVIE this weekend. Clever TWITCH fans should track them down and make them rock out "FEEL THE PALM" with their dinnerware.
I'm going to go shovel snow. Happy new year, you little kings and queens of Kalamazoo.
Sweetly,
The Management.
December 11, 2008
Here's a little break from our regularly scheduled programming. It's not Kzoo, but I know about a hundred of you who will enjoy this: http://thetyser.com/
November 26, 2008
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyNZlNmCcuA
Happy thanksgiving, all you punkers and poseurs alike.
November 14, 2008
New music: RESIN MATTRESS. MARC SHADE sends in the submission (submits the send-in?). I'm not sure if this was a release or what, but you can go go go get it now. PAUL KIRY should submit a proper write-up, full of personal quips and insights.
RON CASEBEER sends in this flyer (right+click "open image by itself" to see it larger). He's promised to send some goodies for us all via post.
Is your QUIXOTE collection complete? Not yet, the MANOSAUR (?) sends in the 11th master track, which you can find HERE.
JOHN HENRY has nothing to report right now.
If anyone is curious why the terrorists hate us, it's because we TWITTER. For example, I now know that KARLA WESCOTT is happy to see a doctor last Thursday, KATHRYN V. went to the library on Thursday, CHONK went to the gas station, JOE LAWLESS might look for a new job, JEFF BORKOWSKI isn't really doing anything at all, DARREN DOYLE is wearing a clown nose (by far the most interesting so far), MATT SAHLGREN ate some meatloaf, LIZ JACKSON likes Phoebe Snow, MOLLY and GEOFF HALSEY are eating Pho I think (certainly one-upping the Sahgrens, but isn't pho so 1996?), and LUKE DECASTRO apparently listens to Prince music. I'm getting bored typing this. Luke should be awarded for successfully calling me on my own lamo twitter, picking an obscurish reference I posted from a Disney movie.
The Bradford boys don't even monkey with this shit.
October 25, 2008
I found this floating between Chonk's and Lawless' Facebook accounts. (right click 'open image' or similar to see a bigger version):
One might look at this and think "sweet, 7 Seconds rock", and then think "cool, we'll get to see FAQ too, what a perfect match-up", and the real treat is to scroll down in the little handwriting and know, that if you were to show up at 11 AM, you could see "just say joe", which, if memory serves, was Joe Lawless + mic + guitar.
October 11, 2008
Anybody got anything for me? Can someone digitize the BANTER CLAN release? Anybody talking to the IN AUTUMN guys recently?
Ten years ago yesterday, BRENT OBERLIN watched me get married and then watched a girl wasted on bubly eat a bowl of gravy. True story. This week he's my fantasy football opponent.
Despite the light update, I've submitted a new top ten list for your enjoyment.
Rumor has it that Brent's brother, KEVIN, should be congratulated on buying a new house with the spoils of (get this) his lucrative career in the MUSIC INDUSTRY. Congrats to him!
September 13, 2008
Dug the Freshmaker Vs. The Suct/Rabbidears would like everyone to check out his new song: SHE'S ON FIRE.MEMORIES OF TOMORROW and VINE alum GREG FOWKES sends in a note with some updates on some prominent Kzooites and music for you to download. His note as follows:
Hey, This is Greg Fowkes. I played in a couple Kalamazoo bands. Guitar in Memories of Tomorrow and later, I played bass in Vine. Anyway, I moved to Colorado shortly after Vine broke up, joined later by Ryan Gage, Jake Wilson and Tony Maranda here in Denver. As you know, Ryan is back in K-zoo, Tony lives in Fresno CA and Jake, after a couple years back in Detroit, is here in Denver again. I don't think any of us play music anymore :(
If you're interested, I played bass in a band here in Denver called Space team Electra (not to be confused with Lockheed Electra). We released a few CD's produced by Keith Cleverlsy (Hum, Spirtualized, Flaming Lips, etc) and Sandy Pearlman (Blue Oyster Cult, Clash, etc). We had huge local success but never really caught on nationally. We played one really crappy show in Kalamazoo. I forget who was booking shows at that time but he agreed to squeeze us onto the bill last minute. It was a disaster!
You can find MP3's and info here. http://www.spaceteamelectra.com.
People keep on threatening to send stuff in. People like ANGIE FOARO and AARON JEROME but where is it?
NASH, OBERLIN, ROE and I are going to see a heavy metal band at a Cambrigde rock club tonight. We'll surely toast the fair city of Kalamazoo at some point, if not just Athens and Richland.
To whomever bought a copy of OVERMAN'S RACECAR this week on iTunes: thank you! Y'll come back, y'here!
August 20, 2008
Echo base, I found him, repeat, I found him:
Also, I've straitened out the links for both Trey's and Adam's TI sites below. They should both come work for the 'Temple.
August 18, 2008
WOW! Two new DAVE GRANT and MIKE ROCHE songs you've never heard. GET THEM NOW. If you are a fan of "Stars" (from the band briefly known as CHOPPER), which might be the most kick assiest song on this site, then you know you need these. An LT exclusive. BRETT FIELDS and MARK BALDWIN play on these as well, and while they should be applauded, it's Mike's big whammy bar and Dave's big husky mouth that should draw you in. UHH!
CHARLIE BRADFORD sends in this feature on BILL CLEMENTS, and as a treat, we get to see Charlie himself. Mysteriously, fiddle music plays over the bass playing. TOMMY UFKES gives a howdoyoudo here as well.
Go to YOUTUBE.com and search for "bradfordnews" to find a feature on HORNET.
Charile also promises to send the unreleased BLACK SPRING sessions recorded after GIRTH was released. One of the songs could be the one that CHRIS BRYERS lists on his Top 10.
TREY, a TI fan and DUSTIN DONALDSON friend writes in:
The new T.I. Myspace page is coming along great and Dustin has some cool things coming for it so I was wondering if you could make mention of the new Myspace page and possibly mention that it would be cool to get people that were actually there to become a part of the page and have them leave their memories and impressions and stuff for everyone else to read (like the amusing one by Jeff on your site about the too-high cymbals). I also added TASM Lab, but still waiting... tap, tap, tap.BTW, the link is http://www.myspace.com/thoughtindustry111. It even includes some possibly illegal downloads of tunes you may have forgotten if, say, your "Mods" cassette melted in your car.
Another good TI read is Adam's www.cultureofnone.blogspot.com. It's a good read. I particularly liked hearing who was "too cool for school" when approached at a Battle Creek Burger King, and the thugy, street gang publicity shot (where Chris is in the hood) is dandy. These are both links posted to the sideboard earlier this week.
Did I ever tell you that the Threshold/Sounds Like Braille camp chimed in? Well they did. Maybe they will send music to post. This would be from Kzoo's Minnesota outpost I beleive.
OK, you can now download all of my new record, AN ADULTY ADIPISCI free of charge. GET IT HERE. Thanks again to all who purchased it!
Enjoy the summer,
August 8, 2008 (08/08/08)
This is off-topic, but if you are the type that thinks our president is a corporatist criminal who should, at the minimum, be impeached, please sign Mr. Kucinich's petition HERE
I already have, and if anyone knows one where we can try Bush for crimes against humanity, or at least throw a pie in his face, please let me know. I would encourage everyone to YOUTUBE both of our principled congressmen, Kucinish and Dr. Paul, for refreshing perspective.
BTW, CHUCK BRADFORD just wrote and he's got some goodies I'm going to post soon.
Now back to our regularly scheduled program...
August 3, 2008
New music today: QUIXOTE's mystery album. Get it now! JASON PAUL sends this in. I accidently overwrote the old Quixote file, so if someone could resend a bio I'll put it up.
Chairman BRENT OBERLIN and his Mrs. ERICA moved in to their new swanky Boston apartment this week. Congratulations! Rockers DAN ROE and DAVE NASH carried boxes, along with science nerds TIM and WALTER, and yours truly. 75% of DESCACRATOR now live in the Boston area (should they get the band back together?)
Speaking of Brent, if anyone wants to join our Fantasy Football league (featuring Nash, myself, Brent, Jon Scott, Mark Davis, and others), shoot me a note. Quitters Craig and MIKE ROCHE have left some holes. $50 wager required, but the winner takes home a bundle. NFL fans only.
July 11, 2008
New music today: PHIL A. SHEO and the GOODS. Get it now! PAUL BAYER shoots these Stoogy tunes over. PASATG were based in both Kalamazoo and New York City, making it the second most relocated band behind the three editions of Kzoo-LA-Kzoo SLEET. This also qualifies as a legitimate TOOLMASTER sighting.
Be sure to read that name slowly - there's a dirty homophone in the first name. Tee hee! They must of took a tip from other cunning linguists FA-Q and FOUR PEACE when naming their band.
The 'Temple has been open for about 18 months now, I think I'll move some of the older news to an archive. We still have some great stuff coming up. We should all look forward to:
Enjoy your summer!
July 4, 2008
Happy Independence day! As an athiest framer nut, this should technically be my family's Christmas. We're going to gather around the fire and read Sam Harris and Dr. Paul articles together.
BROKEN HEARTS ARE BLUE and VINE vocalist RYAN GAGE writes in with a howdoyoudo and to inform me of the band Le’me in Masha, of which he/we don't know if recorded music exists. I'll put up the record all the same and we'll wait.
In the meantime, he directs us to BHAB video (and there's others) on YouTube:
See in full glory and explore more: ON youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4B-3rh9ZzWY
JOHN HENRY was attacked by Islamists from Turkey. (a new heavy metal band perhaps?)
DOUG GARNETT announces his new project:
...just wanted to let peeps know that i've got a new band down here called RaBidEaRs, it's total guitar rock, complete with solos and monster riffs. Hints of Foo Fighters, Black Sabbath, Deftones, U2, Chevelle, Muse, Radiohead, TV On The Radio, Blur, Led Zeppelin, Smashing Pumpkins and on and on it goes... Just wrapping up a 7 song demo which I'll send to you in mp3 format for anyone interested in hearing some good old rockarolla. It's been over 3 years since I had picked up a guitar so I've been having crazy good times playing again, also doing vocals for this band too.
I presume you will be able to track this down at his site Vs The Suct.
Thanks to all who have purchased my new album. There's still a few left, so get them while they're hot!
June 25, 2008
The new TASM Lab is out: An Adulty Adiscipi featuring CHRIS BRYERS and MICHELLE GRAF singing some of my very pretty songs. Get it now! I know you may feel obligated to buy a copy just because I do such a fabu job on this website, but you should actually buy it because its good. CD and MP3 version available here: BUY FROM CD BABY or buy it at -- ITUNES. There is also a bunch of information on my TASMLAB.com site.
The unwashed will still be able to download it for free by collecting the tracks over time at HERE
For that matter, you can pick up the rest of BRYERS "Hazel and the Black Rabbit" HERE.
For better or worse, NICOLE DEMENT sends in photos of Craig Verity, Bob from FAQ and others (mostly OVERMAN, befitting my TASM edition of the update). Let this be an invitation for anyone to send photos (KATHY V.?). I have a few from PAUL TOTH I still haven't posted yet.
June 15, 2008
New music today: LOLLYGORE and MARIE LAVEAU. Get it now! CHARLES BARKENBUS sends this in and writes: "I like the site. I'd like to see more of the less well known bands represented too." Dude, EVERY band on this site is less well known. Case in point, our random Frech poster even decries the relative obscurity of The THOUGHT INDUSTRY.
For better or worse, this counts as a legit HAGEN FENSTERMAKER sighting.
Here's something fun from ALLYSON MARTIN, it's a post-mortem of the Kzoo rock scene done by STOKER the Friday's mascot and bemoans how sucky 1995 was:
Allyson is also requesting any obscure TWITCH/SLEET stuff people may have. She's building an archive of all things rock to share with little Martinettes when they are older.
HAPPY FATHERS DAY to likes of JEFF BORKOWSKI, CHARLES BRADFORD, PAUL ENZIO, MATTHEW SAHLGREN, BRETT FIELDS, CHRIS SIMMONS, STEVE MARTIN, JOEL JOHNSON, GEOFF HALSEY, DAN ROE and countless others I'm forgetting.
Like it or not, it will be TASMMANIA (not to be confused with the down under country, TASMANIA) here soon.
June 10, 2008
IDIOT! I haven't picked up email from the leonstemple address since I changed it in March. I appologize to everyone I've ignored. D'oh!
June 7, 2008
New music today: TIMBREFIRE. Get it now! It is ROB STIMPSON new project.
I finally got word from guitar hero and now-professor CHUCK WOOD. He's going to send in some VINE, BROKEN HEARTS ARE BLUE, and a lesser known project LOCKHEED ELECTRA featuring BAD RONALD on drums. Besides being a whip on the guitar, the guy can really name a band like nobody's business.
As I'm converting many of my old 4-track cassettes to MP3's, I'm tempted to post some of the almost-embarrassing tracks from Chuck and Mine's highschool music projects, featuring AL WISEMAN on vocals, played with the squishiest drum machine you'll ever hear.
DOUG GARNETT sends word of a new album THE WORLD VS. THE SUCT, complete with new photos and web presentation. CHECK IT OUT at his WEBSITE www.vsthesuct.com. He sings quite well, IMO, which is often the Achilles heel of many of these one-man-band type projects.
Speaking of which, MY new TASM project is in the can and I'm overjoyed. It's being pressed as I write this, and I'll certainly make no small ordeal about it's release in the coming weeks. It features new songs, sung by CHRIS BRYERS and Ex-Dahlia starlett MICHELLE GRAF.
And speaking of Michelle, she's also finished a new album with her twosome band TETHER with Bostonite STEPHEN. It's a gothy/Swansy bass-vocals combo, with Michelle providing layers of harmonies over strummed bass chords. We finished the transfer over here in my tASM studio last month. When will it be out? Not sure.. these things take time.
BTW, I finally got a chance to listen to COSMONAUT yesterday. It's really cool. You should buy it or download it and stick it in your ipod.
May 25, 2008
New music today: FATSACK. Get it now! ROB STIMPSON also sends in his new stuff called TIMBREFIRE which I will post later (I like to make people wait).
Yesterday was DAVE NASH's wedding. I was best man and a good time was had by all. TASM Fellow KEVIN BANKS was there, as well as JON and STARLA SCOTT. CRAIG VERITY was supposed to go, but girlfriend LEILA got into a scooter accident.
For anyone who watches a lot of NOGGIN like I do, you'll notice that Moose's new song features TEDUARDO from Kalamazoo. Who's Teduardo? Did he play in a King Tammy side project? I thought Ron Muniz was the closest thing Kalamazoo had that resembled a Hispanic person. Mysteries...
Happy memorial day weekend, kids!
May 18, 2008
New music today: EXOTIC FOXES. This is MANDY NEUBECKER's big city indy project. The two song EP (7 inch I guess) was provisioned by BRIAN KOSKUC.
So Brian had sent this in on June 1, 2007, almost a year ago, but he did provide the MP3s and some info. If you want me to post something, please send the MP3s in an e-mail, and try to populate the written part of the page as best you can. It makes it easy for me. If you just send a note saying "here's some stuff you can track down if you want" then I probably wont unless you are LITA FORD or someone cool like that.
LEPPOTONE has posted a bunch of videos of SINATRAS, SLEESTACKS and even karoke parties. Check them out:
You can go to YOUTUBE.com
and search for "Leppotone". As soon as you find one, the rest are all 'surfable' from the linked list on the page.