Doom Town "Demo"

Doom Town "Demo" tape This is Doom Town from St. Louis Missouri not to be confused with the Doomtown from Germany. This group is relatively new. I will be releasing a record for them soon. Here is a preview of what you will hear. I'm really excited about working with them.e
Demo

Photo: Mateus Mondini

NIGHT FEVER - "New Blood" LP

NIGHT FEVER - "New Blood" LP
This a great newer band out of Copenhagen, Denmark. Nice mix up of styles, great vocals. Saw them last night and it seems they have added a second guitarist. None other than Nicolaj from HJERTESTOP. One of europe's finest just got better.

New Blood

KMBT Radio Show

I had been back in the Bay literally one day and my friend Ben Sizemore makes me do his radio show with him. It's was fun as hell and I sound like an idiot but here it is anyway. All the songs on the show can be found on this blog. Ben does a great job check out his show every week.
Combat Music Radio

THE ESTRANGED -Subliminal Man - LP

THE ESTRANGED -Subliminal Man - LP (New Dark Age Records/Sabotage Records)
Anyone who hasn't heard this band has been living under a rock for the past 3 years. Think early WIRE, JOY DIVISION, and WIPERS of course, and then add musicians with the skill to bring something interesting and exciting to the sound. I used the limited edition Silkscreen cover wraparound that I designed for this great follow-up to their " Static Thought" LP.


Digital Download

For more info on where to get vinyl versions in Europe and the USA click here

The AUTHORITIES - Puppy Love LP

The AUTHORITIES - Puppy Love LP
Another one of my all time favorites. This came out in '93 which was the year after I discovered punk. The Authorities kind of dropped in my lap. There I was about to buy some other seminal record that everyone owns, and instead because of my lack of cash I picked up this gem instead. Ever since the needle hit the wax I have worshiped this band. The simply never gets old, the music is layered and complex. See for yourself
Puppy Love

MOSKWA - s/t - LP

MOSKWA - s/t - LP
One of my all time favorite records. The drums on this record are phenomenal, the singing is catchy as hell, and guitar and bass have hooks like no other band can hope for. If you haven't heard this record please download it. I think this is due for a re-issue on vinyl. Anyone contacted them about it yet?
Moskwa

TRISTESS - Hog and Lag Blues - LP

Reminds me of THE KIDS mixed with any other good early Danish or Swedish punk you can name off. This record fucking rules!


Tristess

Current favorites in Europe

There seems to be a lull in good bands these days in Europe but make no mistake there are still some standouts. First up is KNUSTE RUTER from Oslo Norway.


KNUSTE RUTER-"Var Det Bare En Løgn"  EP

Great traditional Norwegian Hardcore in the tradition of bands like SO MUCH HATE, STENGTE DORER, and KAFKA PROCESS.  One of the finest sounding bands I've seen on a consistent basis and always fun to watch . Their new LP Gjennmo Veggene is another modern classic. 

download

7/08 - Milwaukee @ Ground Zero

7/09 – Chicago @ Ronny’s
7/10 – Kansas City @ Studded Bird
7/11 – St. Louis @ Atomic Cowboy
7/12 – Carbondale (Afternoon Show) @ Plaza Records
7/12 – Memphis @ The Hitone
7/13 – Denton @ Rubber Gloves
7/14 – Ft. Worth @ 1919 Hemphill
7/15 – San Antonio @ The Pedicab
7/16 – Austin @ Beerland
7/17 – Houston @ The MINK
7/18 – New Orleans @ Saturn Bar
7/19 – Gainesville @ Wayward Council
7/20 – HELP!
7/21 – Raleigh/Durham @ TBA
7/22 – Richmond @ Gallery 5
7/23 – Washington D.C. @ St. Stephens Church
7/24 – Baltimore (Afternoon show) @ TBA
7/24 – Philadelphia @ TBA
7/25 – New York City @ Death By Audio 49
7/26 – Providence @ 17 Mules
7/27 – Boston @ Gay Gardens
7/28 – Albany @ Valentines
7/29 – Montreal @ Katacombes
7/30 – Ottawa @ Babylon
7/31 – Toronto @ Parts & Labour
8/1 – Buffalo @ Sugar City
8/2 – Pittsburgh @ Helter Sheler
8/6 – Chicago @ TBA
8/7 – Chicago @ TBA

SPECTRES - Last Days LP

New Dark Age/ Sabotage Records

Spectres were originally formed in 2006 by Brian Gustavson and Steve Hanker in a small town called Coombs, British Columbia.  The pair wanted to experiment with peace punk and post punk influences and made a few demos that were mailed out and given away to various friends. Whisper in Darkness label heard one of these demos and expressed an interest in what eventually became the "Cold War" 7".  At this point Brian and Steve set about putting together a band to start playing shows, and Heather Szilagyi (drums), Nathan Szilagyi (bass) and Zach Batalden (guitar) were added to the band's roster.  Not long after Heather left the band and Steve Gerencer joined to fill in on drums, and this line up went on to make the "Visions of a New World" 7" later that year.  The band toured to support this release in the spring of 2008 and Steve Hanker left the band after the tour to persue other projects.  Tyler Pilling joined shortly after to play guitar in Steve's place and this line up has been consistently playing shows in the Pacific North West ever since.  The band's first LP, "Last Days" began when Spectres partnered with Felix Fung of Little Red Sounds in January of 2009, working in multiple sessions through the next few months to complete their debut full length album. The new record expands the song writing skills from their two previous ep's to include some more angular writing abilies. The vocals are more dynamic and overall better thought out. Being compared to bands like JOY DIVISION and SISTERS OF MERCY is a hard thing to live up to, but they have definitely taken those influences and molded them into something heartfelt and profound. This release is being jointly released by Whisper In Darkness Label in North America and Sabotage Records/New Dark Age in Europe.

Last Days digital download

visit our online shop at sabotagerecords.net/shop

Sabotagerecords/New Dark Age
PoBox105824
28058 Bremen
Germany
www.Sabotagerecords.net

if you are in bremen come to our record/book shop: the goldenshop
Fehrfeld 4
28203 bremen
www.thegoldenshop.org

RED DONS - Fake meets Failure LP

The '00s or whatever you wanna call the last decade are over, the results are in. Honorable independent publications and the ever growing "blogosphere" outdid themselves with Top 5, Top 10, and Top 100 lists of records that were issued in the last ten years. A common find among these lists was the seminal SO WHAT'S LEFT NOW? LP by Portland, Oregon's THE OBSERVERS released on VINYL WARNING in 2004. The dawn of a new decade is upon us and Doug Burns (Lead singer/songwriter/artist of THE OBSERVERS) has a new band, the RED DONS, featuring Daniel Hajji Husayn, Richard Joachim Preinesberger, and a rotating cast of characters including Justin Maurer (Clorox Girls), Will Kinser (Born/Dead), Zack Brooks (Soda Pop Kids), and Andy Foote (The Physical Challenge). Named after a group of Cambridge professors that operated as spies for the Soviet Union in WW2, the RED DONS continue where the OBSERVERS left off with added elements of Arabic themes in both the artwork and sound. After the much lauded release of their debut album and successfully touring the US, Canada, Europe, and Brazil, the RED DONS entered a Portland studio to record ten new tracks. On this new album FAKE MEETS FAILURE (DERANGED RECORDS / TAKEN BY SURPRISE RECORDS) due to be released in July 2010, the band successfully develops their unique style even further. Coded lyrics about vagabond characters moving back and forth between the lines of the current climate of fear and suspicion that has been brought upon the USA by the war on terror. Again, consistent songwriting and a great production make this record stand out among the current competition. Combining TSOL-like vocals, SoCal punk rage, and the defiant melancholy of Pacific Northwesterners like the WIPERS this powerful release rises above the stack of contemporaries that take on the early 80s punk sound. No retro fashion hype, no flavor of the month. When this year turns, be sure to find this LP in the leading spots of Top 5, Top 10 and Top 100 lists of 2010. This allbum will prove to be unsurpassed in the underground realm of indie, punk, hardcore, and the DIY Rock'N'Roll of today. Though members are now scattered across the globe, the RED DONS will tour the USA in July 2010 and set sail for Europe in the spring of 2010. So What's Left Now? A hell of an aftermath to follow...one hell of a followup record, and one great, fierce force of a touring machine known as RED DONS.

Fake Meets Failure digital download

order in the USA at http://www.derangedrecords.com

order in Europe at Taken By Surprise Records

RED DONS updates

DJing at the Cobra Bar in St. Pauli, Hamburg for the next 4 Tuesdays

Dienstag 27.4
Dienstag 4.5
Dienstag 11.5
Dienstag 18.5

Continuing with the best records of last decade..

BRAINOIL-"s/t" LP
One of the heaviest acts ever in the Bay Area. Louder and thicker than probably any band I've seen from Oakland other than High On Fire. This record was recorded at Polymorph studios and really is a great representation of their sound. This band has been playing here and there lately so hopefully sometime soon they have another record ready to release.

Brainoil

Fliehende Stürme (the best Deutsch band)

Fliehende Stürme-"Kaleidoskop" EP
saw them last night and they where totally amazing. Totally great show!

kaleidoskop

La vida de tes nuits photo show.

here are some of the photos that i submitted for this show. I will try to do a show in Hamburg before I leave for tour in July. I'm gonna be working on presentation this time around.
As usual click on the images to view full scale.

R.I.P Bruce Roehrs

I am really sad to hear that Bruce Roehrs is dead. What awful news. He was always someone I looked forward to seeing when I went to MRR ,at shows, or at the bar. In a world of despair he was always so inspiring and upbeat about things, and seemed to shrug everything off and rock out no matter what. He was a pure music fanatic that rarely ever had anything bad to say about a band. He was always someone I handed every new record I released first, I will be very sad to never be able to introduce him to a new record again. What a loss for all of his friends. I consider it an honor to have been one of the many.

Bruce at Chaos in Tejas 2009 watching Young Offenders. 
Click on image to view large version.

One of my favorite records of all time. WIRE-Pink Flag

WIRE-"Pink Flag"

This record gets my vote for top 5 best all around recordings. Every little extra layer that they added is so brilliant. The snare sound is incredible as well as everything else. Great. Great. Great!

Wire-pf

TERMINAL ESCAPE: SOCIETY'S VICTIMS

TERMINAL ESCAPE: SOCIETY'S VICTIMS

San Francisco Bay area show 4.3.10

One of the bands didn't like the first version of the flyer so I made another one. Besides the date is wrong on the first one.

Flyer 2-Photos: Mateus Mondini, Will Kinser

Flyer 1-Photo: Mateus Mondini

Layout: Will Kinser

click on image to view full size

On the Darker side of the spectrum

SIEKIERA-"Nowa Aleksandria" LP (Tonpress KAW)
This is one of the best post punk records ever. SIEKIERA came from Poland and had a very cold war era sound. A lot of bands progressed away from punkrock into utter crap but there are some which nailed a new sound and created something classic.
siekiera

HERÄTYS-'s/t' 12" & demo

HERÄTYS-'s/t' 12" & demo
Your new favorite band. Following in the tradition of Scandi hardcore bands like NO SECURITY and TOTALITAR.

s/t 12"
demo

click on image to view large