I got about half of these in the mail today, or maybe yesterday.
BECK/JAY REATARD – Gamma Ray 7” (dgc) BLACK LIPS/CARBONAS/GENTLEMEN JESSE/PREDATOR - Live at Rob’s House 7″ w. DVD (robs house) – white 7”, 1318 pressed, 200 white. Comes with a DVD of all the bands performing at one show. Each are numbered.
BLACK LIPS/DEMONS CLAWS – What to Do/Factory Girl 7” (norton) – feat. Rolling Stones covers by both bands
The BRONX - III (white drugs) The BRONX - Social Club Vol. 3 7″ (white drugs) - clear one sided vinyl with gold silkscreen underneath, ltd to 250. Volumes 1 (black) & 2 (red) came out in January 2006.
DARK MEAT/BIRDS OF AVALON – Split 7” (volcom) – yellow, # out of 500 INTELLIGENCE – Debt & Esp 7” (plastic idol) The HIPSHAKES - Live at Rob’s House 7″ (robs house) - 500 pressed black JACUZZI BOYS - S/T 7″ (robs house) – gold 7”, 600 pressed, 100 gold KING KHAN – It’s A Lie 7″ (norton) The KING KHAN & BBQ SHOW/The Flakes – Flight 505/Stupid Girl 7” (norton) – feat. Rolling Stones covers by both bands
RED FANG/TWEAK BIRD – Split 7” (volcom) – yellow 7”, # out of 500 THEE OH SEES – Peanut Butter Oven EP (awesome vista) – 12” with silk-screened cover
VIVIAN GIRLS – Surf’s Up Ep – (wild world) – 7” features Beach Boys cover and two other tracks. Came with a t-shirt and button.
The WEAKENDS - S/T LP (robs house) – white 12”, 1000 pressed, 100 white WITCH/EARTHLESS – Split 7” (volcom) – clear green, # out of 500 YEAR END DIASTER/TURBONEGRO – Split 7” (volcom) – clear red, # out of 500
To start off 2009, by complete coincidence, will be one of my best friends… EL PASO HOT BUTTON (Norman, OK). He will be on a joint-tour with THE BLACKS from San Francisco. EPHB friend’s, UME will come up from Austin to open the show.
Jan 7th, 2009 - Lounge on Elm St, $5 for 21+, $8 for under. Ages 17+. Doors at 8PM.
Bands cancelled: 5 (5 or 6): Jay Reatard, The Secret Bangs, Lipstick Terror (twice), Teenage Cool Kids, White Denim
Packed House:
Nov 26th, Little Joy, The Dead Trees and Cocky Americans
Nov 7th, …and you will know us by the trail of dead, When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth
Favorite:
Mar 16th - Torche and Parts & Labor at Doublewide
July 24th - Health on my Birthday at Club Dada
Oct 8th – Monotonix at the Lounge
Top Albums: (alphabetical order) CRYSTAL CASTLES – S/T (lastgang) The COATHANGERS – S/T (rob’s house) FUCKED UP - The Chemistry of Common Life (matador) GENGHIS TRON – Board Up the House (relapse) MARNIE STERN - This is It . . . (killrockstars) The MUSLIMS – S/T (1928 recordings) The NIGHT MARCHERS – See You In Magic (swami/vagrant) TIDES/GIANT – Split (levelplane) TORCHE – Meanderthal (hydrahead) TRICLOPS! – Out of Africa (alternative tentacles) YOUNG WIDOWS – Old Wounds (temporary residency ltd)
Here is the schedule for this Sunday’s A Parade of Flesh CHRISMUKKAH Celebration at the Lounge on Elm St | 2810 Elm Street | 75226 Cover is $8 for over 21 and $12 for under 21. Doors at 3PM SHARP
Interview with Matty McLoughlin of The Soft Pack (formerly known as the Muslims). This interview was conducted right after Thanksgiving, but I have been too slammed to put it up on the web.
Parade of Flesh: First obvious, almost obligatory question:Why the abrupt name change from The Muslims to The Soft Pack; and any significance it was announced the day before Thanksgiving? Matty McLoughlin:We decided to change the name because we were sick of it. Sick of questions, jihad comments, basically everything about it. It became a total nuisance. We didn’t care about it, were excited to change it. No significance on the announcement, we had (wanted) to change it for a year now but all of the names we came up with were terrible. The only one we got excited about was The Soft Pack.
POF:Are fans to expect any changes in line-up or the overall sound with The Soft Pack? MM: No lineup changes. The first record was done by Matt (Lamkin) and I. Brian (Lantzman) and David (Hill) joined in January of this year. Right now we are working on new material and it is much more of a collaborative process. The sound and songs are getting better.
POF: “The sound and songs are getting better” . . . In what ways do you think it has improved? MM: Brian and David bring great ideas and open things up for what Matt and I can do. We can do whatever we want. We have been playing a lot together through touring and working on new stuff, so we are more powerful and exciting with our instruments.
POF: Who recorded what on the first LP? Are both you and Matt Lamkin versatile musicians? MM:Matt and I wrote all of the material and played guitars and bass on all of the tracks except for 2. David played bass on two tracks and Brian played drums on two tracks. The rest of the drums were done by a bunch of different people.
POF: If you had to choose one track for people to listen to and form an opinion about your band, then what track would it be, and why? MM:Every new song we write becomes my favorite song to play. The most recently recorded one is called called “Parasites”. It’s on a 7 inch. That’s probably my favorite (one recorded). My real favorite is one we haven’t recorded called “Everything I Know.”
POF: In the video for “Extinction”, is that true frustration or just some good acting? MM: Well you’d have to ask Matt that question. But I think it was a little of both.
POF: I first heard of The Muslims when they were announced as tour support for The Night Marchers (Jon Reis’ current project) in 2008. How did that come about? (or just b/c everyone is from San Diego?) MM:Speedo asked us to go on tour with them when we were at SXSW. We we’re really excited, as we are huge fans of the bands he’s been in. I’m guessing being from San Diego didn’t hurt but we had never spoken with him prior to that conversation.
POF: On the first full length LP, on 1928 Recordings there are series of holes in the Sleeve. What’s the story behind this? Also, did the band come up with the packaging, concept and inserts? Anyone have a background in printmaking? MM:Matt came up with the concept of shooting the records. We didn’t have enough money to do a colored silk screen so Matt thought it would be a good idea to shoot the records. Our friend Ryan at 1928 Recordings hand typed all of the inserts and silk-screened the all of the records. I thought he did a great job. He’s a pro.
POF: Is there drama in the SoCal music scene because you guys are based in LA now; but then get nominated for Best Album at the 2008 San Diego Music Awards? MM: No drama in Socal from what I can tell. We knew we weren’t going to win the sdma award. I don’t think anyone cares that we live in LA now.
POF: Whom do you guys get compared to most often in the press? MM: We probably get compared to the Velvet Underground or Strokes the most.
POF: And finally, how did the name The Soft Pack come about . . . anything to do with cigarettes? And why Pack (singular) instead of Packs (plural)? MM: Na, nothing to do with cigarettes. I hate soft packs of cigarettes. Pack, you know like a pack a fuckin’ dudes.
CLOCKCLEANER - Skinheaded Lady/Hate City 7″ (stained circles) FUCKED UP - Year of the Pig (us version) 7″ (matador) GENGHIS TRON - Board Up the House Remixes: Vol. 4 12″ (anticon) - yellow splatter on dark magenta vinyl with remixes from Subtle, Telefon Tel Aviv, Lucky Gragons and Odd Nosdam. Volume 5 will features remixes by Genghis Tron.
JAY REATARD - Blood Demos 7″ (stained circles) - As the titled indicates, Blood Demos are demos tracks for the Blood Vision album. PAST LIVES - Strange Symmetry 12″ + mp3 (suicide squeeze) - features ex-members of Blood Brothers
BLACK COBRA - S/T7″(at a loss) - First 3-song EP, reissued on vinyl again.
BLACK COBRA - Bestial 12″ (at a loss) - orange vinyl BUENO TORNADO - EP (self) The DEAD TREES - Fort Music Ep (?) DEERHUNTER - Microcastles 12″ (4ad/kranky) - White vinyl. LP version comes with a Microcastles/Weird Era Cont. Cd.
CREAM ABDUL BABAR/KYLESA - Split (at a loss) EARLY MAN - Beware the Circling Fin (end) GENGHIS TRON - Board Up the House Remixes: Vol. 3 12″ (relapse) - red splatter vinyl 1000 pressed GIGGLE PARTY - The Holes in Your Face Are Pleasing EP - EP is avail to download HERE for free. THEE OH SEES - The Masters Bedroom Is Worth Spending A Night In LP (tomlab/castleface) THESE ARMS ARE SNAKES - Tail Swallower & Dove 12″ (suicide squeeze) - pink marble w. digital d/l
TORCHE - Meanderthal 12″ picture disc - Multiple limited pressings in various colors, including 1,000 pressed of the Picture Disc. Picture Disc features artwork from Torche guitarist Juan “the Wizard” Montoya; who has been rumored to have left the band this past week. Torche as a trio won’t be as interesting.
