vs. Sonic Youth have finally realized their music is too horrible even for a major label to release, so they're apparently close to signing with an indie label. Which label remains a mystery, but to this reporter it's clear-as-fucking-day that the band is not going to suddenly start sounding good again just because they're moving to a new record label. The likelihood of hearing a good Sonic Youth album from here on out is about the same as my being offered a job with a six-figure salary before the end of the year. Far be [...]
• Podcast Jack e-mailed me this news story, taken from ABC News, about a giant inflatable dog poo blowing away from an outdoor exhibition in Switzerland. "The art work, titled Complex Shit, is the size of a house". I'm not quite sure what to say about that, but it makes me wonder whether life would be different for people if there were animals on Earth that shit bricks the size of houses. I bet if they were flying animals, you'd say way more reinforced housing structures all over the world. [ story ] • Jack also e-mailed me [...]
MySpace Page Grunnenrocks Page Wikipedia Page Discogs Page Matador Bio Along with fellow New Yorkers Helmet , Unsane represent one of the most succesfull AmRep acts. Their 1995 song "Scrape" became a surprising hit, thanks, in part, to accompanying video which depicted all kinds of injuries that extreme sport professionals might get. Unsane were formed in the late 80s by Chris Spencer, Pete Shore and Charlie Ondras, who met [...]
Off to Glastonbury soon, perhaps, maybe, might be... One of those: 'meet a rain-blasted dead-eyed Gandalf in a field with a bunch of dodgy wristbands tieds to his necklace of ears' kind of things. Sort of. Still, as the rain looks likely to hammer down, I'm drawn to memories of past Glastonbury trenchfootings and mustard gassings, and especially Reading 1989 where Swans played to a lightning-struck crowd of unbelievers - documented a little here . Truly a magical moment, one I always think about whenever i'm preparing to go to a Festival. [...]
It's been some time since the last Islands record, but I did not think they would come back with something as commercially ready as their latest album Arm's Way . Every song is beautifully crafted, lush with harmonies, strings and vintage guitar sounds that would made any audiphile snicker (but secretely like it). I'm pretty upset by the lack of steel drums, actually. After their first album, Return To The Sea , I went to the local Guitar Center, bought a steel drum and spent $10,000 on lessons thinking it was the [...]
After the Jump presents Extra Life , this Saturday June 21st, for After the Jump Fest in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY, during the day on Galapogos free noise stage at 5:00pm. Listen :: The Refrain MIA: Musically, how did the band form, what past experiences do you carry with you? CHARLIE: I knew each of the members of [...]
fruko & sus tesos a la memoria del muerto swans greed 1987 (française version) Mardi. En soirée. J'adore regarder pendant des heures la télé, son coupé. Pour mieux en souligner le vide. Là, je regarde du foot. Pendant que les joueurs s'esquintent amicalement sur le terrain, jécoute Colombia! une compilation Soundway [...]
I just re-watched the Vinyl documentary with Nicci yesterday, and burnt a copy of it to CD for one of my bosses, so of course I feel compelled to speak about record collecting today. I'm not going to discuss the process of acquiring new albums, or the analyze the psychology of someone who attempts to fill holes in their life with material possessions. I'm going to rant about how more and more bands and record labels are engaging in "limited edition" releases as a last-ditch effort to make dwindling audiences more greatly appreciate their recorded output. [...]
When I worked at Crescent Golf Range (formerly 2235 Springfield Ave in Union, New Jersey), I had the closing shift. One night I was driving home from work late and listening to Tony Coulter's show on WFMU, and the DJ was going on endlessly about a garage rock band called the Bachs. Tony played two tracks from their album Out Of The Bachs , and I was floored. I'm no garage rock junkie (in fact, the only two LPs I own that I can think of off the top of my head are this one and the Rising Storm [...]
Sunday has been transformed. I guess since the mix tapes went bye-bye, I've replaced them with the rare, out-of-print downloads. It seems natural and easy to do this, because I spend my Sundays working the collectible and high $$$ counter at work, which gives me time to research the various obscure recordings that are either part of my record collection or on my hard drive. This week, Swan Fungus reader Geroge has contributed two of the four albums that are being offered for your listening pleasure. Everybody be sure to say, "Thanks George!" and enjoy the following records. [...]
I've just returned from the store, where I put in a modest nine hours of work today. I've worked in retail before -- in fact, I've worked in retail since the age of 16 -- but I've never seen pandemonium like what occurred on the much-ballyhooed (if you read the Pitchfork News section or the New York Times (thanks for the link Mr. Collins)) Record Store Day. Although I wasn't there in time for the front door to open, I was told there was a line extending from the parking lot side of the [...]
His beach & crab, not mine My Mother rang last week to tell me that she has sold the house. The one I grew up in. It has been almost two years since My Father died. During that time My Mother has been debating where to live, what do do next. The decision has been a difficult one for her to make; there was so much to consider. Stay or go? If go, go where? In the end she has decided to move [...]
This past July, I vowed to take the occasional stroll down Livejournal lane, and share with you some old missives that were written when I was really, really, really trashed. Over the span of four years, I fancied myself a young Thomas deQuincy, Aldous Huxley, or Baudelaire, but with no insight into the human condition, and a penchant for spending eight paragraphs talking about a cheeseburger. The Livejournal elicited many comments from friends that expressed pity, and often sounded like goofy online interventions. Perhaps the most vocal of my friends was Zoya, who told me that when I'm [...]
Sunday. Is it time again already for a new mix tape? Ugh, alright. Hold on, let me get my glasses. [2 minute pause] Ah, much better. Before we get started, I figured I would reprint for you the mini top five (it's actually a top six, but who's counting!) that a lovely Swanfungus reader e-mailed me this weekend. I recently posed a rhetorical question on the topic of women, but since I actually received a legitimate response from one of you, I will reprint it for your reading pleasure. Here are the top five reasons girls like to [...]
"Here, take these blankets. No Smallpox, I promise!" Happy Thanksgiving to all. I hope everyone is celebrating in the company of friends or loved ones. The slightly anorexic voice inside me is begging me to tell you, "Do not over-eat," but I guess if you're going to gorge yourself on tasty, savory foodstuffs, today would be the day to do it. Here's a brief list of things I am thankful for this year. I can't be bothered to devote a lot of time or thought to this today, because I doubt anyone is spending their holiday [...]
Hello my loves. I'm currently scribing from the kitchen, where Sari is preparing a massive Sunday afternoon spread that includes homemade bruschetta and all sorts of yummy snacks. We're several bottles in, and it's been a generally beatific day. Not sure what the plan is tonight, but I have to be asleep at a reasonable hour thanks to another voluntary airport run in the wee hours of tomorrow morning. Hopefully this won't happen again for a while. Now here's the music. RULES for uninitiated noobs : With 100MB of webspace, I give birth to [...]
Sep 24, 2007, 2:55pm
MVSW
Monday 9/24 Foo Fighters @ Fonda Editors, Ra Ra Riot @ Wiltern Air @ Grove of Anaheim Gram Rabbit @ Spaceland Del the Funky Homosapien, Devin the Dude @ House of Blues (Sunset) Tuesday 9/25 Arctic Monkeys @ Palladium James Blunt @ El Rey Priscilla Ahn, Meiko @ Hotel Cafe Wednesday 9/26 !!! @ Avalon Klaxons @ Music Box Hello Stranger, Sierra Swan @ Roxy Thursday 9/27 Ladytron, [...]
Of all the late seventies-early eighties No Wave bands, the toughest and most uncompromising of the lot were held to be The Swans. Notorious for shows and music that were confrontational, and songs like 'Raping A Slave' (yes, you did read that right), Michael Gira and his not so merry men (and one woman, Jarboe) were one of those bands whose reputation is still infamous years later. So it might come as a shock for those who haven't followed Gira's post-Swans career particularly closely (and I have to admit, I am no authority) but having read a review [...]
Last night was so embarrassing I won't even describe how I spent it. Sure, I left the apartment at five in the afternoon and didn't return until after 4am, but the hours in between were so utterly unremarkable I feel it could actually damage my reputation if I recounted the details for you. I awoke to my phone ringing at noon. There were television characters making cameos in my dreams this morning. RULES for uninitiated noobs : With 100MB of webspace, I give birth to a weekly Mix Tape to be deposited on your iPods or [...]
Greetings from the land of the ill. I made the brutal mistake of rushing to kill the intense burning sensation which accompanies eating hot peppers with a cold glass of milk before remembering that my body cannot digest lactose. I feel like I'm on the brink of an terrible vomit-filled evening. Too bad, I was having a really good day. I hung out in Pasadena for a while, and then almost fell asleep in my notebook trying to write a short story. Have you ever tried to write something while half-conscious? I'll tell you right now, I started on page [...]
Swan Fungus
I ♥ Noise
An Idiot's Guide to Dreaming
Air & Sea Battle
music is art
So the wind won't blow it all away
pogo a go-go
17 seconds
Video: Chromatics – “These Streets Will Never Look The Same”
Video: 2:54 - "Creeping"
Mumford and Sons anuncia novo álbum e toca música nova em rádio holandesa
