CD Release party @ club Charlatan (Gent, Belgium) | Saturday 29/10/2011.

http://speedballjr.tumblr.com/

“Treble in Paradise” CD | GC028 | 2011 | one-sheet | reviews

| gigs | photos | mp3’s | videos |

CREDITS

[1]. Treble In Paradise (3:06) [2]. Swell Hell (2:26) [3]. Swimming With The Sharks (2:54) [4]. Beat Girl (1:51) (John Barry) [5]. Take It Back (2:31) [6]. Pilgrimage (3:00) [7]. Bombora (3:30) (The Atlantics) [8]. Motion Of The Ocean (3:07) [9]. Mr. White (3:02) [10]. … And The Horse You Rode In On (2:43) (Gary Siperko / Mofos) [11]. There She Blows* (4:10) [12]. Halloween** (2:49) (Rob Zombie & The Ghastly Ones) [13]. Maiden Surf (2:16) [14]. Cor Steijn Rides The Wild (3:04) (The Apemen)

All songs written and arranged by Speedball Jr except were noted | * Mandolin by Fre ’74, ** Vocals by Scorchin’ Sascha + Backing Vocals by Fre ’74 | Recorded at Jack Studio | Drums recorded at CCR, Deinze, Belgium | Mixed by Dylan at HoloDeckXX Studio, Terneuzen, Netherlands | Mastered by Dennis Rux at Yeah Yeah Yeah Studio, Hamburg, Germany.

BIO

Speedball JR was formed in the summer of 2000 during Ghent’s (surfcity Belgium) famous surf explosion. They originally played more traditional surf rock like Dick Dale, Bobby Fuller Four and the Ventures. You can hear these influences on their first studio session which was recorded at the end of 2000 at the Yellow Tape studio. Later on they developed a more trashy sound with more garage and sixties influences and started to write their own tunes.

The band gigged with a number of cool surf bands like Jon & The Nightriders, Slacktone, Dick Dale, The Wangs, among others, all the time they were honing their sound and finding their own place among these contemporaries. They also supported Bo Diddley at one of his final shows.

The first full CD “Whiplash,” was recorded in 2003 at Zamans Catfarm studio and was released by Drunkabilly Records. This album is also available on vinyl and includes a video which was shown on the Belgian MTV.

Also their second album “For the Broad Minded”, recorded in 2006 at CCR and released by Green Cookie records, was selling like hot cakes!

And in 2011, after some serious band changes they released their 3rd long player “Treble in Paradise”. All sleeve designs are masterpieces of hotrod-trash-art by Mighty Sam the renowned graphic artist.

Speedball JR keeps continuing to gig all over Europe, bringing their intense reverb soaked live-show to festivals and venues near you! So put on your shrunken head necklace, steal your grannies ironing board and surf on down to a venue near YOU!!!

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Speedball JR gooit alle registers open met nieuwe Treble in Paradise CD

Het Nieuwsblad | woensdag 02 november 2011, 08u00 | Auteur: Dominique Dierick

http://www.nieuwsblad.be/article/detail.aspx?articleid=BLDDI_20111030_002

GENT – We hebben er even moeten op wachten, maar vijf jaar na het vorige schijfje ligt de nieuwe CD ‘Treble in Paradise’ van de surf-trash band Speedball JR in de rekken. Hij werd dit weekend losgelaten op het publiek van de Charlatan.

Speedball JR trad de laatste jaren regelmatig op in het Gentse. De combinatie van harde surfbeats, wulps dansende go-go girls en de priemende ogen van lead guitar Fré werden zowat het handelsmerk van de band.

In de aanloop naar het nieuwe album moest Fré echter verstek laten gaan. Om allerlei praktische redenen werd het hem onmogelijk nog met de band op te trekken. De overblijvende leden van de groep, Sascha, Alexandra, Frank en Eleanor besloten toch door te zetten. Sascha Reynders nam de lead guitar over. Tegenslagen, waaronder een materiaaldiefstal uit hun repetitieruimte, werden overwonnen en Treble in Paradise geboren.

De nieuwste Speedball JR telt 14 nummers, hoofdzakelijk eigen werk, maar ook verdienstelijke covers van Bombora (The Atlantics), Halloween (Rob Zombie feat. The Ghastly Ones), And The Horse Your Rode In On (Mofos), Cor Steijn Rides the Wild (The Original Apemen)  en Beat Girl van de dit jaar overleden legendarische componist John Barry. Het wordt onmiddellijk duidelijk dat Speedball JR de roots niet verloochent.

Treble in Paradise tapt dus meer uit het surf-trash vat, met vaak loeihard gitaarwerk van Sascha, striemende drums van Frank Rosseau, delicaat baswerk van Alexandra Cools en het immer aanwezige Hammond orgeltje van Eleanor. Dat orgeltje domineert het zachtere, trippy Take it Back en haalt het centrale riffje van Rebel MC’s Street Tuff voor de geest. Eveneens afwijkend van platgetreden surfpaden kon het bloedmooie There She Blows zo uit een roadmovie van David Lynch komen.

De CD voorstelling van Speedball JR kon een volgelopen Charlatan zeker bekoren. Sascha Reyners kreeg de ondankbare taak om het legendarische podiumbeest Fré te laten vergeten (als dat al mogelijk zou zijn). Hij koos er gelukkig voor om niet te vervallen in imitatie, maar te overtuigen met het eigen gitaarspel. In duo met Alexandra Cools op bas lukte dat wonderwel.

The Error Team zorgde eerder met hun subtiele en jazzy cocktail van sixties lounge nog voor een meer dan behoorlijke intro.

http://distortiontamers.tumblr.com/

  OUT @ 19 September 2011 !!!

DISTORTION TAMERS “Junglehead Stories” CD

| gigs | photos | mp3’s | videos |

“Junglehead Stories” CD | GC027 | 2011 | one-sheet | one-sheet (greek) | reviews

[1]. New Sunrise [2]. Sunday of the Dead [3]. Bad Dog [4]. Give Me Soul [5]. Better Move On * (Arthur Alexander)  [6]. Swell  [7]. Down in the Hole [8]. Motorcity Surf  [9]. Rage [10]. Hey Bro

DISTORTION TAMERS

Distortion Tamers is a R’N’R trio from Athens/Greece which plays pure, primitive and explosive music based on the primary feelings and the joy of R’N’R. Rock, garage, surf, psychobilly and punk flavors mixed with their “live on stage attitude” create their own style of sound, expressing THEIR nowadays version of rock and roll.

They were formed at the end of 2009, played their debut gig on May 2010 (opening for the underground Greek band The Last Drive) getting excellent reviews from the Greek press.

Distortion Tamers’ line-up is:

Kostis Anagnostopoulos (Kosta.A-Monk) ― Guitar/Vocals.

The basic composer of the band with two decades of experience on his back with bands from both local bands and in other places in Europe (Germany), had already have a considerable huge amount of experience on the R’N’R subject. He also composed the music for the film ‘MEDUSA’ (science fiction award in Houston Texas USA film festival) and participated in the making of several recordings and live performances.

Christophoros Triantaphillopoulos (Silver) ― Drums.

With more than 20 years of service as the drummer of Greek neo-psychedelic pioneers Purple Overdose and No Man’s Land he also had the pleasure to contribute in the making of 12 records.

Stelios Voumvakis (Pep) ― Bass.

The 22-year-old potentially talented bass player (the fresh blood in the Tamers line up)!

As you’re reading this Distortion Tamers have just finished recording their debut album “Junglehead Stories” which will be released by Green Cookie records.

In their plans is to continue creating R’N’R records and play R’N’R gigs!

… STAY TUNED !!!

MySpace | Facebook | Reverbnation | Booking & Management

PEDRITO DIABLO & LOS CADAVERAS “El Cuerno del Chivo” CD

pre-order NOW [ €10,00 ] and get one previous Green Cookie release as gift (p&p included)

| gigs | photos | mp3’s | videos |

“El Cuerno del Chivo” CD | GC026 | 2011 | one-sheet | one-sheet (spanish) | reviews

[1]. Desenfunda Forastero (3:40) [2]. El Baile del Justiciero (2:35) [3]. El Hoyo (3:59) [4]. El Duelo (3:31) [5]. Bulldog (The Ventures) (2:21) [6]. Looking for Laura (5:19) [7]. Guadalupe Vegas (2:31) [8]. Mogambo (4:46) [9]. La Cárcel de Tijuana (3:54)

PEDRITO DIABLO & LOS CADAVERAS

The band started in 2010 as a consequence of the proposal made by the theater Troula Animación (Vigo/Spain) to Los Cadáveras (members of bands such as Los Villanos de Boraville, Thee Tumbitas) consisting of being responsible for the musical part of one of their theater plays called “Calaveras y Diablitos”.

Then Pedro Berbell (bass), Santiago “Pistolas” Paredes (rhythm guitar and percussion) and Javi GDJazz (trumpet) joined the project to complete the lineup of the instrumental band “Pedrito Diablo & Los Cadáveras” influenced by The Ventures, The Shadows, Link Wray, Phantom Surfers, Satan’s Pilgrims and great composers like Ennio Morricone and Nino Rota.

In December 2010 they recorded their first album “El Cuerno del Chivo” (Green Cookie Records) in Muu! Studios (Vigo/Spain) produced by Pedro Feijoo.

The video clip for their first single “Desenfunda Forastero” was recorded by Producciones Mutantes and can be viewed at YouTube.

Current line-up of the band: Israel “Indy” Ruiz (Lead Guitar) | Manuel Santos (Drums) | Santiago “Pistolas” Paredes (Rythm guitar and percussion) | Javi GDJazz (Trumpet) | Alex Lagos (Bass)

God save guns, surfing and Pedrito Diablo & Los Cadáveras!!

MySpace | Facebook | Reverbnation | Booking & Management

ITS OUT and its LEKKER !!!

Release Date : 15 April 2011

15 April = Release Party @ De Blauwe Kater, Hallengang 1, 3000 Leuven, Belgium,

LOS VENTURAS “Kaleydoskop” LP + free download, GC025

| gigs | photos | mp3’s | videos | get your copy | buy the digital version of the album from cdbaby

“Kaleydoskop” LP | GC025 | 2011 | one-sheet | reviews

A1. Ventura’s Groove A2. Dizzy (Tommy Roe) A3. Zot Van A A4. Delerium A5. Revenge Of Tiki’s Pt. II

B1. Bubamara (Goran Bregovic) B2.Ganja Party B3. 04:52 Urh Reeperbahn, St-Pauli B4. Pumpin’ B5. Transsibirskaya Magistral B6. Lawrence Of Arabia (Maurice Jarre)

PS. You can download the whole album plus 3 extra tracks using the coupon you’ll find inside the LP.

BIO

‘Los Venturas’ started out in 1998 as ‘Harley and The Revtones’. Playing mostly 60s double-picked instro-tunes they aimed to conquer the Belgian surf scene. The same month they did their first gig, 2 demo-tracks were recorded under the supervising eye of John Blair (!). Sadly these tracks have never been released on CD or vinyl, but maybe someday they will appear on a rarities album…

By the end of 1999 Los Venturas was formed after a bassist-switch and a change of name, as ‘Harley and The Revtones’ would wrongly be associated with the motorcycle-brand. The new name had to sound fresh, warm, ad-venturous and exotic. So Los Venturas has nothing to do with The Ventures, 60s-band The Venturas, Jim Carrey’s alter ego ‘Ace’ or the city with the same name.

Meanwhile they had found their specific sound and started making own compositions. In 2001 these Belgian youngsters released their first 4-track vinyl-only EP ‘ Sharkfest’. For some already a classic in neo-surf.

For their full-album ‘Aloha Summer’, Los Venturas wanted to attend that classic 60s surfsound. In early 2003 they went on a trip to London to record in Liam Watson’s famous Toe Rag Studio (think of The White Stripes’ much praised album Elephant, also recorded in Toe Rag…).

Still chasing the sparkle of instrumental power, people came, people went, some traded their instruments, but they all switched into high gear and ventured forth into the vast realm of instro-rock.

Thanks to the brilliant songwriting skills of Thomas Molineaux, Aloha Summer had a strong follower, ‘Surfers Brew’ (2006), an album that mixes ska, surf and a touch of reggae. Mention that all band-members were writing for this album which explains the diversity in styles…

Today they provide a mix of surf, ska, funk, rock-steady, soul, groove, reggae, rai and indierock. The 4-track EP ‘Besame Mucho’ (2007) is the best example of what an instrumental band is capable of… with groovy hot tracks like Theme from P.O.R.N., Met de Vespa op de baan and Rai Uno… they will easily blow your mind.

Touring in Italy, England, Switzerland, Holland, Luxemburg, Germany, France, Austria, Greece, the Czech Republic, … they sure have marked their spot in the European instrumental scene. Los Venturas have shared the stage with The Surfaris, The Trashmen, Slacktone, Jon and The Nightriders, Leighton Koizumi (The Morlocks), De Heideroosjes, Bee Dee Kay and The Roller Coaster and many many more.

Currently they’ve finalized the recordings of a new full LP in Pete Curry’s ‘Pow Wow Fun Room’, Los Angeles. The LP will contain 8 originals and 3 covers and will be called ‘Kaleydoskop’, referring to the variety of styles and sounds in the songs. It will be released in the beginning of 2011 on Green Cookie Records.

Please check out our myspace or vi.be account to have a quick listen to some of the new songs.

Thanks!

Los Venturas

website | MySpace | vi.be | YouTube | Booking & Management

OUT : 01 March 2011

this is the part 3 of a trilogy (part 1: Hoodoo Garage & part 2: Swamp O Delic)

BOB URH & THE BARE BONES “The Cha*Cha*Cha Review” cd, GC024

bio | gigs | photos | mp3’s | videos | get your copy

“The Cha*Cha*Cha Review” cd | GC024 | 2011 | one-sheet | reviews

Bob Urh & the Bare Bones | “Cha*Cha*Cha Review” | cd | GC024 | [01]. Intro [02]. I’m a Man [03]. Alexandra [04]. Hell (revisited) [05]. Jetset Possibility [06]. Carnival Song (aka the Bored Barker) [07]. Fogged (inspired by and dedicated to the Mardi Gras Indians of New Orleans) [08]. Everybody Wants to be a Punk Rocker [09]. Country Song #1 [10]. Two Sisters [11]. After The Sun Part 2 [12]. Soda Pop [13]. Right Baby Right [14]. The Bone Dust Blues | All songs  copyright B. Urh – BMI 2010 Except “I’m a Man” (Ellas Otha Bates/Bo Diddley) | All songs written, recorded and performed by B. Urh | Recorded at The Chicken Shack # 3 of San Francisco, CA. formerly The Chicken Shack of New Orleans | Mastered by the great Geoff Knoop, San Francisco, CA | Cover by Stephen Blickenstaff | Produced by Ultra Productions | A Green Cookie / Ultra Productions release |  Contact: Ultra Productions c/o Bob Urh, 5263 Todd Road, Unit One, Sebastopol, CA 95472, USA.

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DIRTY FUSE “Lost Riders” 7”

| gigs | photos | mp3’s | videos | GET YOUR COPY (5.00€  post incl.)

“Lost Riders” 7” | SC001 | 2010 | one-sheet | reviews

[1] Surf Lady [2] Look Around [3] VU [4] Lost Riders

DIRTY FUSE

BIO : The band Dirty Fuse was formed in mid 2008 by guitarist Duda Victor (Bufalos d’agua) and drummer Chris Kogios in order to explore the frenzied world of Surf, Rock ‘n’ Roll and Garage. Having as its key composers Duda Victor and Costas F. (bass), the music is based on a solid Dick Dale-Ventures as it unfolds with its garage concerns. In 2008-2009 the band strolls through Athens’ underground venues. The band’s first official release is in May 2009, with “surf lady” and various artists’ compilation: “Unsigned United”. Suffering many lineup changes, but always as a trio (bass, guitar, and drums), Dirty Fuse records four tracks (Lost Riders, Look Around, Perfect Device and VU) with Panagiotis Kotsiopoulos on the bass. In 2010, the band expands adding Manos Kisamitakis (saxophone), John Drake (bass) and Kostas Bakoulas (guitar). Having in its hands Lost riders (7” vinyl), Dirty Fuse is in the mood for new adventures …

MEMBERS : Eduardo Victor (electric guitar), Chris Kogios (drums), Kostas Bakoulas (electric guitar), John Drake (electric bass), Manos Kisamitakis (saxophone).

INFLUENCES : Ventures, Dick Dale, Man or Astroman

MUSICAL STYLE : Surf ‘n’ Rol ‘n’ Garage…

MySpace | Facebook | YouTube | JumpingFish

ΒΙΟΓΡΑΦΙΚΟ : Οι Dirty Fuse σχηματίστηκαν στα μέσα του 2007 από τον κιθαρίστα Eduardo “Duda” Victor (Bufalos d’agua) και τον ντράμερ Χρήστο “Αου” Κογιό, με σκοπό να εξερευνήσουν τον μανιασμένο κόσμο της Surf , Rock ‘n’ Roll και Garage. Με βασικούς συνθέτες τους Eduardo “Duda” Victor και Κώστα Φ. (μπάσο) η μουσική τους “πατάει” στις γερές βάσεις των Dick Dale, Ventures και ξεδιπλώνει τις garage ανησυχίες της. Οι τρεις τους ξεκινούν την περιπλάνηση στα live bar της Αθήνας. Το 2008 συμμετεχουν με ένα δικό τους τραγουδι “Surf Lady” στη συλλογή “Unsigned United” που κυκλοφορει από την LYRA. Μετά από πολλές αλλαγές στη σύνθεση τους αλλά πάντα σαν τρίο (μπάσο, κιθάρα, ντραμς) ηχογραφούνε στα μέσα του 2009 τάσσερα κομμάτια (Lost Riders, Look Around, Perfect Device, VU ) με τον Παναγιώτη Κοτσιόπουλο στο μπάσο, και κυκλοφορουν το πρωτο τους 7″ single.

ΜΕΛΗ : Eduardo Victor : ηλεκτρική κιθάρα, Κόγιος Χρήστος : τύμπανα, Μπάκουλας Κώστας: ηλεκτρική κιθάρα, Δράκος Γιάννης: ηλεκτρικό μπάσο, Κισαμιτάκης Μανώλης: σαξόφωνο.

ΕΠΙΡΡΟΕΣ : Ventures, Dick Dale, Man or Astroman …

ΜΟΥΣΙΚΟ ΥΦΟΣ : Surf ‘n’ Rol ‘n’ Garage…

MySpace | Facebook | YouTube | JumpingFish

De vraag hoe The Velvet Underground had kunnen klinken als de groep er nog tien jaar had bijgedaan, is tegelijkertijd een oeverloze discussie en een uiterst interessant vraagstuk. Oeverloos omdat men het antwoord natuurlijk nooit zal weten; uitermate interessant omdat de band in een paar totaal verschillende richtingen had kunnen evolueren. Eén mogelijke richting kon alvast het minimalistische traject zijn dat Bob Urh & The Bare Bones nu al drie platen lang volgt.
Image

The Brian Jonestown Massacre een onverantwoord interessante groep? Heel zeker, want de manier waarop de Californische psychedelische rockgroep in het begin van de jaren negentig verder ging waar The Velvet Underground het in de jaren zeventig bekeken hield, om in het nieuwe millennium zelfs in een psychedelische mengelmoes van rock-‘n-roll en elektronica uit te monden, is op zijn minst opwindend te noemen. Wat men echter geen enkele groep — hoe fantastisch ook — kan toeschrijven, is het monopolie op het erfgoed van een inspirerende band. Want even interessant als de honderden excentrieke instrumenten waarmee The Brian Jonestown Massacre keer op keer blijft uitpakken, is de less-is-more-formule waarmee Bob Urh & The Bare Bones tegenwoordig platen maakt.

Bob Urh & The Bare Bones begon halverwege de noughties nog vrij onschuldig met Hoodoo Garage, een plaatje dat ondanks een mooi uitgebalanceerd evenwicht tussen het erfgoed van de grote voorbeelden nooit veel verder dan klassieke rock-‘n-roll kwam, maar daar kwam met Swamp O Delic enkele jaren later bruusk verandering in. Bob Urh koos namelijk voor een minder strakke formule, wat eindigde in een plaat waarbij je constant het gevoel had dat het muzikaal wel alle mogelijke richtingen uit kon gaan, zelfs al had je het plaatje al twintig keer gehoord. Bob Urh liet Swamp O Delic een stuk minder ingestudeerd dan Hoodoo Garage klinken, en dat bleek een fantastische keuze. In een nummer als “Ramblin Man-Boom Boom A Zoom Zoom” hoorde je immers tegelijkertijd lekkere rock-‘n-roll à la Lou Reed en onheilspellende filmmuziek zoals Ennio Morricone die maakte.

De grote kracht van Swamp O Delic zat natuurlijk in het feit dat het plaatje tegelijkertijd heel klassiek en toch heel vooruitstrevend klonk. Heel klassiek omdat Bob Urh & The Bare Bones nergens geforceerde stunts ging uithalen door er bijvoorbeeld elektronische muziek of bizarre instrumenten bij te halen; heel vooruitstrevend omdat tot nu toe nog nooit iemand het idee heeft gehad om het erfgoed van The Velvet Underground op een dergelijke minimalistische manier te benaderen.

Dat The Cha Cha Cha Review geen millimeter meer van dat traject afwijkt, is Bob Urh & The Bare Bones bijgevolg gegund, want wie al een eigen geluid heeft uitgevonden, hoeft zich niet meer te bewijzen. Dat betekent gelukkig nog niet dat The Cha Cha Cha Review geen nieuwe hoogtepunten bevat. Wel integendeel, het covertje van Bo Diddley’s “I’m A Man” maakt meteen duidelijk hoe onconventioneel Bob Urh & The Bare Bones kan zijn. Het nummer klinkt in Urh’s versie namelijk zo verbasterd dat alleen de losse flarden tekst je eraan herinneren dat het een Diddley-cover is. Wat als kennismaking met Bob Urh & The Bare Bones natuurlijk wel kan tellen.

Het restant van The Cha Cha Cha Review bestaat alleen uit eigen nummers, en dat is niet verwonderlijk. Het covertje is namelijk niets meer dan een statement waarmee Urh duidelijk maakt lekker te doen waar hij zin in heeft. En dat zijn net zoals op Swamp O Delic trage, hypnotiserende nummers geworden met “Carnival Song” als het bevreemdende, maar absolute hoogtepunt, al hoeft een track als “Hell Revisited” — waarin Urh letterlijk eventjes de almachtige toespreekt — zeker niet onder te doen, want het is net met zulke songs dat hij zijn imago als rock-‘n-roll-sjamaan bevestigt.

Dat The Cha Cha Cha Review geen gemakkelijke kost is, is dan ook het enige wat er op het plaatje aan te merken valt. Maar net dat is dan weer de sterkte van Bob Urh & The Bare Bones, want terwijl Thom Yorke tegenwoordig al bizarre dansjes moet bovenhalen om het publiek nog te overtuigen, is Bob Urh & The Bare Bones maar een kleine stap verwijderd van oude rotten als Lou Reed en Bo Diddley en tegelijkertijd toch zó baanbrekend. En zeg nu zelf: hoeveel artiesten lopen er tegenwoordig nog rond met een dergelijk profiel?

Jurgen Dignef | 18 April 2011 | Goddeau.com (NL) | http://www.goddeau.com/content/view/8998

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Bob Urh, of the erstwhile psych-garage masters Ultra 5, has released his new album: a deep dive into the sounds of the late ’50s and early ‘60s. A seriously lo-fi job with minimal instrumentation, these songs sound like they were performed in a 1x1m booth and recorded on a tape machine that happened to be lying about in the room next door!  Psychobilly, blues, garage and a plethora of further influences permeate this album whose every note seems to emit authenticity as well as an indispensable sense of healthy paranoia, aided by a sublime lack of sophistication in the instruments and recording equipment departments. Hell sounds deadly, as garage tracks go, and is free of the genre’s sonic clichés; While Soda Pop bears the traces of Floyd’s schizophrenic masterwork Pow r Toch! Bob Urh’s The Cha Cha Cha Review is a musical path that may be hard to tread and whose outcome is uncertain; yet it is for this very reason that its genius shines all the more brightly

Peace Frog / Gew-Gaw fanzine (GR) | http://www.gew-gaw-fanzine.gr/bob_urh__the_bare_bones_english.htm

The Graves Brothers Deluxe are gonna tour US @ summer 2011. More details soon.

* Tuesday June 7 – The Prospector, Long Beach, CA
* Wednesday June 8 – Redwood Bar, Los Angeles, CA
* Thursday June 9 – Double Down Saloon, Las Vegas, NV
* Friday June 10 – Lost Leaf, Phoenix, AZ
* Saturday June 11 – Plush, Tucson, AZ
* Monday June 13 – Bryan Street Tavern, Dallas, TX
* Tuesday June 14 – Nightrocker Live, San Antonio, TX
* Wednesday June 15 – Beauty Bar, Austin, TX
* Friday June 17 – Siberia, New Orleans, LA
* Saturday June 18 – The Tavern, Hattiesburg, MS
* Sunday June 19 – Poplar Lounge, Memphis, TN
* Tuesday June 21 – recordBar, Kansas City, MO
* Wednesday June 22 – Barley Street Tavern, Omaha, NE
* Thursday June 23 – Cowboy Bar, Laramie, WY
* Friday June 24 – Woodshed, Salt Lake City, UT
* Saturday June 25 – Zephyr Lounge, Reno, NV

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[ release date: 20 January 2010 ]

THE GRAVES BROTHERS DELUXE “San Malo” cd, GC020

| gigs | photos | mp3’s | videos | get your copy

“San Malo” cd | GC 02o | 2010 | one-sheet | reviews

“SAN MALO” RECORD RELEASE PARTY

WHAT: “San Malo” record release party with Winston Tong, the Graves Brothers Deluxe, + Mark Matos & Os Beaches (a Pirate Cat Radio co-presentation)
WHERE: Bottom of the Hill, 1233 17th St., SF
WHEN: Wednesday, January 20, 2010, 9pm (doors at 8:30)
HOW MUCH: $8, 21 and over
PRESS/ INTERVIEW INQUIRIES: Stoo Odom, misterodom@gmail.com, 415-642-5724

It’s been over four years and one giant levee failure since the last full Graves Brothers Deluxe album, and they’re back with a vengeance. Produced by Geza X (Germs, Black Flag, Dead Kennedys, Elliott Smith) & Paul Roessler (45 Grave, the Screamers), “San Malo” is the Graves’ musical tale of the real-life fishing village of St. Malo, Louisiana, founded by escaped Filipino indentured servants in 1763 and destroyed by hurricane in 1915. As a New Orleans native and San Francisco resident, Graves frontman Stoo Odom found this story of the USA’s first Asian-American settlement particularly compelling in this post-Katrina, post-modern, post-lumpia world.

Far from lazy for the past four years, the Graves Brothers Deluxe have been busy scoring films; writing; recording; collaborating with members of Acid Mothers Temple, the Boredoms, and 60′s icons the monks; making TV appearances (most recently Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations); plus touring Japan, Mexico, and the USA in their spare time. “San Malo” will be released January 20th on Greece’s Green Cookie Records.

Headlining the bill is former Tuxedomoon frontman WINSTON TONG, performing for the first time since 2008. Winston is best known for the song “In a Manner of Speaking,” covered by (among others) Nouvelle Vague and Depeche Mode’s Martin Gore. Joining the SF cult legend onstage are guest artist LX RUDIS and members of the Graves Brothers Deluxe themselves. MARK MATOS & OS BEACHES (Porto Franco Records) open the show.

The event is brought to you by the Bay Area’s favorite radio rogues, Pirate Cat Radio.

More info:
www.gravesbrothers.com
www.myspace.com/thegravesbrothersdeluxe
www.facebook.com/pages/The-Graves-Brothers-Deluxe/195063714889?ref=mf
www.winstontong.com
www.myspace.com/markmatososbeaches
www.bottomofthehill.com
www.greencookie.gr
www.piratecatradio.com

review by: Avi Shaked

There’s something sneaky about this new release by The Graves Brothers Deluxe. Underneath a disguise of a rock outfit that delivers its modern approach to blues rock (“neo blues rock,” if you wish), there’s something even more complicated. It took us some listens to put our finger on it, but then it finally struck us: There’s a beating King Crimson spirit in this invigorated set of songs.

Sure, the quirky sax on “Splinters” is a throwback to ‘70s Crimson, but it is in fact the nod towards the Adrian Belew-fronted Crimson (‘80s and forward) that is evident throughout: in the rhythms, in the guitar vocalization and in the songs’ semi-hysteric character. It is perhaps most apparent on “Five Foot Category Five,” which is delivered with a tricky guitar and feels like it was lifted off Crimson’s 1982 Beat.

Lest not we forget that it was also King Crimson who offered an updated version of the blues earlier in this millennium (ProzaKc Blues), and The Graves Brothers Deluxe do live up to the spirit, albeit in a more groovy (rather than metallic) setting, enhanced by tasty double bass licks, staggering keyboards and a slightly possessed vocal delivery. Add some swinging, captivating songwriting (in terms of both lyrics and tunes) to the careful, accessible musical explorations mentioned earlier, and you can see why San Malo is an essential and singular demonstration of contemporary rock music. (9.5/10)

Maelstrom Zine
3234 Clay St.
San Francisco, CA 94115
U.S.A.

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CDs/LPs/Singles – Reviews

GRAVES BROTHERS DELUXE  “San Malo”

Format: CD | Label: Green Cookie | Spielzeit: 41:03 | Genre: Rock’n'Roll/Garage

Wertung: 7/10

Eine wilde Mischung aus Psychdelic, Psycho, Rock, Surf und Konzept liegt dem Album zugrunde. Vor allem gibt es sogar eine Story, die die Songs nacherzählen, sie berichten von der versunkenen Piratenstadt San Malo.

Dabei sind die Geschichten der Songs sehr schräg, könnten manchmal ein wenig mehr zurücktreten hinter dem Sound. Am besten sind die zurückgehaltenen Gitarren, die auf einen Einsatz warten, zögern und sich dann langsam in den Vordergrund spielen und mit ihrem Sound manchmal unberechtigterweise hinter dem Gesang zurückbleiben.

Und dann sind da die Tracks, wo die Gitarren sich fast wie THE SURFARIS anhören, und dann wieder so freie Improvisationen, dass man an Noise erinnert wird. Eigentlich müsste man es unter Psychedlic-Surf einordnen, wenn es die Kategorie geben würde.

Ein cooles Fusion-Album der skizzierten Genres, für jeden Geschmack ist etwas dabei und zu einem neuen Süppchen zusammengebrutzelt. Manchem mag es vielleicht ein wenig zu viel an Zutaten sein, aber man kann es gut anhören!

Thomas Neumann

© by Ox-Fanzine / Ausgabe #88 (Februar/März 2010)

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03 March 2010

the graves brothers combine near-suicidal excess with hairpin-turn discipline to create the most confounding and commanding rock album of the year.
thanks mike and nikos. shelton

John Shelton Ivany

http://www.jsitop21.com/

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Graves Brothers Deluxe – San Malo (Greek import CD, Green Cookie, Progressive)

So many bands either go for a total pop/rock approach…or experimental music so weird that it alienates most listeners. The guys in Graves Brothers Deluxe manage to tread on the fine line that separates both worlds. The band has been very busy over the past few years recording their own music and working with a wild array of different artists in all kinds of different mediums. San Malo is right up there with the Brothers’ best recordings. Some of these tracks are moody distorted pop/rock…while others feature more abstract sounds and ideas. Interestingly, the album is being released on the Greek Green Cookie label. Strange how many cool credible American bands find far more support in other countries (?). Ten groovy cuts here that glide all over the audio map. Our favorite tracks include “I’m Fine,” “My Heart Burned Down Today,” “The Ballad of San Malo,” and “Noisy Kind of Nothing.” Another killer release from one of the true American classic underground bands. TOP PICK.

http://www.babysue.com/2010-March-LMNOP-Reviews.html#anchor80612

babysue® | March 2010

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Schwindy’s indie music spotlight: Graves Brothers Deluxe

February 26, 5:07 AM | Orange County Music Examiner Gary Schwind

Orange County Music Examiner rates this: 4/5

Let’s start this off with a little quiz. Choose the best answer. You know you are an indie music artist when:

a. You play a gig for a dozen or fewer people.

b. You sell your merchandise from the back of a van.

c. You end up on a Greek record label.

OK, I don’t know exactly how Graves Brothers Deluxe ended up on Green Cookie Records from Thessaloniki, Greece. However, it’s not surprising to me that the band couldn’t find a label in the US. This is a band that plays the antithesis of 3-minute pop songs. San Malo is a collection of songs that includes a lot of heavily distorted, hypnotic guitar, and skronking saxophone. Oh, and lyrics that sound like they should be recited by some beat poet smoking a French cigarette and topping off an all-black outfit with a black beret. Either that or Captain Beefheart. A couple examples of the sort of far-out beat feel are “Splinters” and especially the last song on the album, “Song for Mating Mailmen.” Yes, someone wrote a song for mating mailmen. (It’s about time.) And yes, it’s easy to imagine this song being the backdrop for someone’s poetry reading.

But that isn’t even the song I would classify as the most unusual on the album. That designation belongs to “Papio Papio (the Swamp Ape Again).” This song has tremendous energy. And tremendous discord. This is not the sort of song you play for people who enjoy the Grammys. Well, it is if you want to chase that person away. Trust me, I don’t mean that in a negative way. I mean, quite simply that this song is the perfect antithesis of all things Grammy and pop.

I have never seen your music collection, but I think it is fair to assume that you don’t have many albums like this in your collection. According to the one-sheet, this is a “post-Katrina retelling of St. Malo, Louisiana, a swamp village founded in 1763 by Filipino deserters of Spanish galleons.” All I can say is that if this is the soundtrack of a village, it must be one really unusual place. WARNING: This album will take some getting used to. It’s not one that you can sit down with and immediately start singing along. But if you ask me, it’s this sort of album that makes music worth exploring. The musical world would be pretty dull if every band played easily digestible pop songs. Graves Brothers Deluxe most certainly does not. If you are looking for something different, and a little challenging, give this album a try. I think you’ll find it’s worth the challenge.

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February 20, 2010

NEW MUSIC REVIEW: THE GRAVES BROTHERS DELUXE San Malo CD

Filed under: Album Reviews, Reviews — russelforster @ 12:01 pm | Pirate Cat Radio 87.9 fm, USA

THE GRAVES BROTHERS DELUXE / San Malo CD / Green Cookie Records / 2009

Brilliant bad-attitude rock expertly produced by L.A. legends Geza X and Paul Roessler. World-weary in a totally pissed-off way that’s also very funny, with some of the tastiest slide guitar I’ve heard in years. BONUS: Features PCR ace DJ STOO ODUM on stringed instruments, vocals, and way-offbeat songwriting.

SOUNDS LIKE: RADIOHEAD, NOMEANSNO, GUN CLUB

SUGGESTED TRACKS:

1 “San Malo National Anthem” (instrumental goodness)

4 “Five Foot Category Five” (ambivalence defined)

6 “My Heart Burned Down Today” (catchy and danceable – a hit!)

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The Graves Brothers Deluxe, “San Malo” (Green Cookie Records) Rating: 4 TCB’s ****

I kept scratching my head on this one. I love it, no question about it, but I was puzzled at why I was so drawn in. Then it hit me. The stripped down, beat driven arrangements and haunting lyrics remind me of the late great Mark Sandman and his jazz/experimental work with Morphine. If you can imagine a musical stew of Morphine, Beck and Wall of Voodoo with a pinch of Gang Of Four and the Sex Pistols thrown in. Now picture Frank Zappa stirring the pot then you’re about halfway there.

This album is the musical re-telling of a swamp village in Louisiana founded in 1763 by Filipino deserters of the Spanish galleons. Heady stuff indeed but these guys not only pull it off, they’ve created an album that the listener can really sink their teeth into for years to come. This isn’t disposable music that loses its flavor after a few listenings.

“Five Foot Category Five” has an eerie swamp groove that will have you checking the skies and battening down the hatches. “My Heart Burned Down Today” sounds a bit like the Sex Pistols “Submission” covered by a young Talking Heads. “The Ballad Of San Malo” is a mesmerizing personal favorite. Highly recommended stuff.

Review by J.R. Oliver | Ear Candy magazine  http://www.earcandymag.com/reviews-0210.htm

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The Big Takeover > essays

Nara Denning (featuring Stoo Odom of The Graves Brothers Deluxe), Part II

by Chris Stroffolino | 16 January 2010

The Graves Brothers Deluxe were one of the first three rock bands I got into when I moved to the Bay Area, the only one not named after a front-man (in contrast to Kelley Stoltz and fellow Mississippi Exile, Hudson Bell), and the only one for which I jumped around in an Apesuit, on our package shows for the now defunct Good Forks record label (before my accident).

Always one of the most danceable of the Bay Area bands, the band’s first release in 5 years, SAN MALO, and their first on Greece’s GREEN COOKIE records (an implicit commentary on the paucity of quality/viable Bay Area independent labels), has even tighter grooves, from the rhythm section of Marco Villalobos and Stoo Odom, while stepping their “noise rock” jams up a notch; the glorious melodic cacophony of Willie The Mailman’s (ex-Residents ) sinuous and jagged guitar/saxophone lines recall Albert Ayler, as “backed” by the rhythm section of The Minutemen, if not Firehose). Perhaps it’s a result of 5 years of touring since 2005’s FILTER FEEDERS, or their work on the MAHIKARI album (Birdman 2008), with Japanese noise-rock legends SEIICHI YAMOMOTO and MAKOTO KAWABATA, but many of the tracks on SAN MALO have a much more expansive instrumentalization, while the words —never a central aspect to GBD— take even more of a backseat. Perhaps because GBD’s singer is first and foremost its bassist, the words are usually only important insofar as they call attention, often playfully, to the inadequacy of words, as on FILTER FEEDER’s “…And The Conversation Turned To Sex” or SAN MALO’s “Noisy Kind Of Nothing.”

At the same time, San Malo is the most melodic, and tuneful LP in the GBD’s catalogue —not that melody was ever that important for GBD. But, with the addition of Allison Lovejoy on keyboards, many of the new GBD compositions are much more “college radio” friendly, without sacrificing anything about what makes them such an engaging live band. I recently sat down with Stoo Odom to talk about GBD and his work with Nara Denning. Here’s some videos.

“It came from the Id,”

Interview, with Stoo and Nara

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uA8k5iPiA5U

And here’s the information about their San Francisco Release Party
Pirate Cat Radio co-presents: “San Malo” CD release party!
WINSTON TONG (ex-Tuxedomoon) & LX RUDIS
THE GRAVES BROTHERS DELUXE
MARK MATOS & OS BEACHES+ original films by Winston Tong and Nara Denning

Wednesday January 20, 2010
8pm, $8, 21+
Bottom of the Hill, 1233 17th St., San Francisco, CA USA

GBDLX’s long-awaited 4th full-length album comes out next week! It’s (almost) a full-on rock opera about the village of St. Malo, Louisiana. The Asian-American experience began there in 1763 when Filipino indentured servants escaped Spanish galleons and founded the town in the remote swamps east of New Orleans. GBDLX retell the village’s isolation, struggles, and eventual destruction-by-hurricane through a post-Katrina, post-lumpia filter. Beautiful violent art by New Orleans institution Bunny Matthews graces the CD cover.

Headlining the show is legendary Tuxedomoon frontman WINSTON TONG, performing with LX RUDIS and members of the Graves Brothers Deluxe themselves! Porto Franco Records artists MARK MATOS & OS BEACHES open the show, and original films by Winston Tong and Nara Denning will punctuate the evening.

“San Malo” is brought to you by Greece’s GREEN COOKIE Records. It’s available in the USA through Super D Distribution (www.sdcd.com) and CDBaby (cdbaby.com/all/mikesurf); in Europe through Clearspot (www.clear-spot.nl), Soundflat (www.soundflat.de), and Hands & Arms (http://handsandarms.com) – and very soon through www.gravesbrothers.com …

Thank you! More info:
www.winstontong.com
www.markmatos.com
www.bottomofthehill.com
www.piratecatradio.com
www.greencookie.gr
www.gravesbrothers.com
www.myspace.com/thegravesbrothersdeluxe
www.facebook.com/pages/The-Graves-Brothers-Deluxe/195063714889

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ANTIMUSIC: http://www.antimusic.com/reviews/10/Graves_Brothers_Deluxe_-_San_Malo.shtml

Graves Brothers Deluxe – San Malo

by Gary Schwind

I first encountered Graves Brothers Deluxe a couple years ago on a split with Boxcar Satan, so I kind of knew what I was getting when the new album San Malo arrived. That being said, the band is not any easier to classify than it was at first. I know this much. If you are looking for 3-minute pop nuggets, keep looking.

The guitar on this album is rather hypnotic, particularly in the first couple tracks. Frankly, if you can think of a better word for the guitar on “I’m Fine,” I’d love to hear it. When this song is playing, it doesn’t feel so much like you are listening to it, but rather that it is washing over you. The distorted guitar and the uptempo drums seem to surround you. The band follows that with “Splinters,” one of a couple songs that features some skronking saxophone. Maybe it’s the saxophone, and maybe it’s the lyrics, or quite possibly, it’s the utter chaos, but something about this song feels a bit like beat poetry. Performed by Captain Beefheart. An even better example of that beat poetry feel is “Song for Mating Mailmen.” (And you thought no one would ever write a song for that particular group of people.) It is real easy to imagine some guy in a beret with a French cigarette hanging from his lips reciting a poem while this song plays in the background. Perhaps there is no better example of the difficult to describe quality than “Papio Papio (the Swamp Ape Again).” This is just a song with all-out blazing energy and a fair amount of discord. I doubt you have too many songs like this one on your iPod.

The thing about this band and this album is that as you go through it, you realize you’re hearing something completely different. You’ll probably also realize that you won’t really know how to explain this album to your friends. But let’s face it, that’s one of the great things about music: passing along music that is truly different and perhaps a little challenging to listen to. I mean, if everyone sounded like a Grammy winner (that is to say, bland and safe), music wouldn’t be worth exploring. Suffice it to say that if you explore music that is not easily pigeonholed or compared, this is a band and an album that you’ll want to check out.

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JERSEYBEAT: http://www.jerseybeat.com/philrainone.html

The Graves Brothers Deluxe – San Malo (gravesbrothers.com)

Jim Testa

Not only is “San Malo” inventive, but it’s also an enjoyable throwback to bands like Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Southern Culture on the Skids, or any of those cool-as-fuck, demi-punk garagey bands. You know what I mean, like the bands who’s vinyl albums you have a hard time trying to get rid of, because you know they’ll never come up with a band as eclectic as they are.

Enthusiasm and melody are certainly not a problem here. Songs like “I’m Fine,” “Vulture Sing,” or “Noisy King of Nothing” are low-brow, compressed with high energy, and have a polite blowtorch vocals that could boil over at any minute.

When the tempo slows down on numbers like “Vulture Sing,” or “My Heart Burned Down Today,” they draw you in like a hypnotist.- Tantalizing, taunt, and tight.

The Graves Brothers Deluxe’s pull out all the stops for the neo-psychedelic, spiderwebed sound of “Noisy Kind of Nothing.” A running bass line (just about every song here), is dominate, but not forceful, and is well supported by a pulsating drum kit, marked by cymbal rolls and floor tom flourishes.

Playing with punky venom, but without pop slickness, the band’s goth-horror edge offers doses of humor, and tongue-in-cheek-truths.

Bands like The Graves Brothers Deluxe are sometimes viewed as a novelty act, but they easily avoid such trappings by remaining uniquely cool. “Song for Mating Mailmen” squashes any thought of pigeon-holing this band. Creative and fun, it’s time to turn off the TV, unplug the video games, and tune into something unique and original!

“Come On 69″ cd   == OUT NOW ==

A Limited Edition (313 copies) Picture Disc LP == out NOW == available at the gigs

GERMANY TOUR | VINYL RELEASE CONCERTS | August 2010

• Aug 19, 2010 @ Grüner Jäger (Hamburg, St. Pauli, Germany) | MySpace | Poster
• Aug 20, 2010 @ Wild At Heart (Berlin, Kreuzberg, Germany) | MySpace | Poster
• Aug 21, 2010 @ Karo (Bremen, Walle, Germany) | MySpace | Poster
• Aug 22, 2010 @ tba (Germany) | MySpace | Poster
• Aug 23, 2010 @ Bei Chez Heinz (Hannover, Niedersach, Germany) | MySpace | Poster
• Aug 24, 2010 @ tba (Germany) | MySpace | Poster
• Aug 25, 2010 @ tba (Germany) | MySpace | Poster
• Aug 26, 2010 @ tba (Germany) | MySpace | Poster
• Aug 27, 2010 @ Wutzrock Festival (Hamburg, Allermöhe, Germany) | MySpace | Poster

RECORD RELEASE PARTY | 17 February 2010

• Feb 17, 2010 = RECORD RELEASE PARTY w/ The Magnificent Brotherhood @ Molotov club (Hamburg, St. Pauli, Germany)