Album of The Year – Gonjasufi’s MU.ZZ.LE

Out on the Warp label this Tuesday, January 24 is Gonjasufi‘s MU.ZZ.LE. Although it’s just ten short tracks, this could well be the album of the year (hey, early days… but this is an incredible collection of music). You can preview the entire record on Fader. Audio CD and Vinyl release out on Tuesday. Digital presumably out then too (Gonjasufi iTunes page).

Hopefully you also checked out Ganjasufi’s interview and 20-minute guest mix on Tom Ravenscroft’s BBC 6Music show from January 13 (Friday the 13th!). Maybe it will turn up on Gonjasufi’s SoundCloud page.

Ringo Starr Loves His Suit

In 1977, Ringo Starr did four commercials hawking Simple Life Leisure Suits for Japanese TV. They contained variations of the song, “I Love My Suit” – sung by Ringo, featuring background vocals by Harry Nilsson and Davy Jones of The Monkees.

I can’t begin to say how awesome I think this song and video are. Would love to see a higher quality copy of the commercial. Info here.

Download the song from backup singer Davy Jones.

UNREST Perfect Teeth deluxe 7″ Box Set

UNREST Perfect Teeth / 7″ Box Set from Teen-Beat on Vimeo.

UNREST’s landmark indie-rock album, Perfect Teeth, has been out of print for 15 years. Their last, and widely considered their best album. Featuring M.T.V. hits “Make Out Club” and “Cath Carroll”, the other 8 songs, plus 6 non-LP tracks.

it is being re-released in it’s original 7″ vinyl box set format, revised with a 7″ 24-page booklet filled with photographs of the band by Erin Smith and recording session photos by Mark Robinson, six records all on color vinyl, full-color labels, replicas of the Unrest and Teen-Beat stickers, and a download coupon. Just like the original, the box will be printed by Independent Project Press, this time with metallic gold ink. Each box will be numbered.

You may pre-order it today at http://teenbeatrecords.com It will ship in Spring, 2012.

It is no secret that we at Wow Cool *heart* Unrest all over like a cheap suit.

Adam Arcuragi US Tour & New Album This Month

Adam Arcuragi and The Lupine Chorale Society – with Andrew Gerhan on Bass – kicks off a one month US Tour on Wednesday, January 18th at Los Angeles’ Bootleg Bar. More local to Wow Cool HQ, they will be in San Francisco at The Hotel Utah on Thursday. They’ll be hitting 22 states, so there is a good chance they will be playing somewhere near you soon. Their album Like a fire that consumes all before it… will be released on January 31st on the Thirty Tigers label.

Andrew Gerhan is, of course, the chief audio mixer and general knob fiddler for Wow Cool. Two of the records he added massive polishing to will be released this spring. Stay tuned for more news…

Scientific Maps – People Love Their Troubles

This is a couple years old, but somehow I totally missed it. The Empire State’s favorite sons The Scientific Maps present a video loveletter to Albany, New York(!!!???). Starring ace designer Philip Pascuzzo as the bubblegum bandit. Makes a nice follow up to the Andy’s Chair 4 video zine posted here awhile ago – see the same settings virtually unchanged after over a decade and a half. Look for a special appearance by my Brown Cuts Neighbors “Make Room” poster featuring Frank Beam, towards the end of the video. Thanks to all the folks that shared this on facebook this week.

Never Could Get The Hang of Thursdays

Yes, it is I. The irregular Wow Cool link dump. Usually posted on a Monday or Tuesday, often in two parts, often skipping many weeks. We are well back from the holidays, and therefore it is time to obliterate every open tab and share the good bits that emerge.

We open with the fight song from of the original St. Trinnian’s films. As you may have heard, St. Trinnian’s creator Ronald Searle passed away a few days ago. He has been remembered far and wide. I tried and failed to find what I thought would be the perfect image to present, so I went with the video instead. If you are going to read only one obituary of the late British cartoonist, you should read the one by Steven Heller in the New York Times. And, hey, I actually liked the newer St. Trinnian’s films.

If you have a couple days to spare you really should take the time to read this interview with amigo Steve Bissette – part of the Comics Reporter holiday interview series. I could list about half of the rest as must reads too, but I’ll let you pick your own favorites.

I was hit totally from left field to see that the Comics Journal had run this astoundingly comprehensive profile of the great Motorbooty zine assembled by Frank Santoro. Mark Dancey is the man and make no doubt.

Our late friend and inspiration Dylan Williams, of Sparkplug Comics, is being chronicled in bloggy fashion at the DYLAN WILLIAMS ARCHIVES – The life and work of Dylan F. Williams 1970 – 2011. “We are attempting to archive the life and work of Dylan Williams: Collected writings, comics, artwork, sketches, letters, stories, photos and tributes. This is an ongoing project compiled by Dylan’s friends and family. If you have something you would like to contribute, please write to tom (at) iwilldestroyyou (dot) com” If you knew Dylan, then the Amazon reviews will make you chuckle and miss him all the more. I lied a couple paragraphs ago, you also must read this Comics Reporter holiday interview with the current proprietors of Sparkplug.

I would be amiss to not give a shout-out to Sean T. Collins for giving us a Shout-out in this post-holiday roundup of amazing comics stuff. It’s part three of… how many? Does this guy ever sleep? So much goodness out there.

In related news, CBR’s Robot 6 has gone into overdrive the last few days (while most of us were relaxing) with great news, bits, previews and more. Seriously, too much to mention, just start digging.

And give special attention to this Robot 6 exclusive preview of titles coming from Koyama Press in 2012. We’ve just added a couple more Koyama titles to the shop here at Wow Cool. Snatch those up, because they are low in quantity and not likely to be reprinted.

OK… in more related news, just one more specific Robot 6 link, and another Koyama-related bit, even… you should really read their recent interview with Michael DeForge, who is also one of the featured artists at Wow Cool.

I’m not sure if Wednesday or Thursday is new comics day where you are. All I know is Paul Grist’s Mudman issue 2 is out from Image. Go get that!

I’m sure I could go on… but I refuse. Carry on… single file, begone with you!

Link dumpage composed while listening to Tom Ravenscroft sitting in for Gideon Coe on BBC 6Music.

Rites & Dust – Burning Man 2011 by Scott Smallwood

Rites & Dust by scottsmallwood

Scott Smallwood of Evidence has shared a collection of his field recordings from Burning Man 2011 up on the SoundCloud. Share and enjoy. “A collection of field recordings from the 2011 Burning Man Festival, Rites of Passage, Black Rock City, NV.August, 2011. (download the mp3s for better quality!)”

New Tape Releases from Jason Martin & nickname: Rebel

Yup. Tapes… as in cassettes. New in the Wow Cool shop are two full length releases from former Brown Cuts Neighbors Jason Martin and Marc Arsenault. First up – on Yeay! – is Jason’s “Harmonic Time Cycles & Scary Guitar Man” and on Hollow Home Ministries is the debut release from Girls of Slender Means – the electronic music lab of nickname: Rebel – Marc Arsenault, Nick Carpenter and Michael Keegan, with special guests Pete Von Petrin and Andrew Sullivan. Break out your Walkmans and crank up the funk.

Ralph E. White in Austin, Summer 2010

Pieces of Ralph E. White performing his original tunes “farewell to the river daughter” & “no stranger” live at the United States Art Authority. Video by Neil “Cloaca” Young of Yeay! Records and Fat Worm of Error. This is an astounding performance.

Kid Kameleon in The Mix

Kid Kameleon at SF MusicTech 2009 - photo by Marc Arsenault

It’s always really nice when a thing leads to another thing and you discover a whole other world of awesome music and art that you did not previously know existed. The art and science of discovery is something that drives the marketers wild and makes us passionate ones crazy. Today saw a series of intriguing finds spurred by the usual Friday afternoon listen at Wow Cool HQ of the excellent Tom Ravenscroft show on BBC 6Music. The guest mix on the show was by local favorite Kid Kameleon (Site, Twitter), who I’d photographed and seen perform at SF MusicTech a couple years ago.

Discoveries:
The Kid Kameleon Mix Archive – hours of listening
Next stop on that world opening up was this post: The King Deluxe label is one year old. This was my first exposure to Canadian-based collective King Deluxe and to the artist HR-FM. I need more! Many more discoveries are to be made in Kid Kameleon’s blog.

Black Friday Free Totebag Explosion

Be the next person to order any of these three items from the Wow Cool shop and you will receive a custom heavy duty canvas totebag at no additional charge:

Holli Hoxxx #1 by Austin Tinius, Adam Tinius & Stefano Cardoselli

Parallel Strokes by Ian Lynam

Offset Needle Radius Vs. nickname: Rebel CD (this tote is also available to purchase separately)

These are 6 oz. cotton canvas totes. Size: 15″ x 16″. Natural color. Screenprinted. This offer will remain open until completed.

We also have a selection of lovely items that are on sale, including several graphic novels.

Need a t-shirt? The very timely “Oh No!!! Retconned Again!!!” is a mere $6.99.

The new shop is forever growing, so keep watch on the new items page. Recent highlights include Bowman by Pat Aulisio, Ganges #4 by Kevin Huizenga, Never Learn Anything From History The first collection of Hark! A Vagrant by Kate Beaton, R.A.V. #5 by Mickey Z, the much acclaimed Pope Hats #2 by Ethan Rilly and the 30 page monster minicomic Stay Away From Other People by Lisa Hanawalt – a 2009 Ignatz Award Winner now back in print.

Jason Martin POWER ANIMALS, at Good Kids Party

With music by Burial! Archangel from Untrue, even! Jason used to make fun of me for liking that kind of stuff! Hey!

RIP Heavy D – Actor, Singer, Producer Dwight Arrington Myers Gone at 44

I used to play the shit out of We Got Our Own Thang back in ’89. It was such an amazing time for music and this was a great bridge between hip hop and the emerging House music scene. Godspeed, brother.

LA Times: Heavy D dies at 44; singer who shaped rap music

Oh yeah, we got the Ganges four

And much else as well. At least seven titles by Kevin Huizenga and a few hundred other fairly awesome comics, zines and records. Many more on the way. Do come explore.

Jeffrey Lewis Rocks the Guardian

A few days ago Tom Spurgeon asked the comics world to name five cartoonists who were still in an ‘establishing themselves‘ phase of their career. I threw Jeffrey Lewis in my list, despite his many years of putting comic books out. I claimed he was virtually unknown in the comics community. This was based on a straw pole I took of people in comics I knew*. Today, I open up the front page of the Guardian; and, right there in the center column, right below Gaddafi, is, that’s right: Jeffrey Lewis. His new album A Turn In The Dream-Songs has just been released on the Rough Trade label. I think it’s been a little while since an issue of Fuff was released, but I think you’ll really enjoy what Jeffrey has done with ROM: Spaceknight.

*I asked Frank Santoro… and maybe one other guy.

Hmmm. Guardian video embed wouldn’t work, so, it’s been replaced with ROM. Enjoy.

New Jason Martin Release Out Now on Yeay! Tapes

JASON MARTIN “Harmonic Time Cycles & Scary Guitar Man”

Yeay! 033 | 10/11 | 60mins /cassette. color copy cover. | $6

This long-overdue Yeay! debut tape by spandex-wolf, mad-genius, Jason Martin features two long audio collage works – one radio play / lecture / sermon about the nature of time and the other, a grateful nod to our departed beefheart in puzzling words & sizzling strings. Martin is a particularly diabolical man of riddim & as an engineer, he carefully sculpts tone with recording details that sparkle especially in their dirtiest passages. Put this cookie in your fun salad. Get yours here.

Excerpt from Harmonic Time Cycles (broadcast 2008, cassette release 2011) by Jason Martin

Conspiracy in the standardization of time, started by the Romans continues to this very day. Harmonic Time Cycles is an experimental “radio play” piece, upon completion it was broadcast on a few upstate college radio stations in the spring of 2008. This particular track also used as sound track for single channel video piece “Psychotronic Entrapment” (2010). Released on YEAY! TAPES FULL 30 MIN. PROGRAM, 2011

The World Did Not Get Enough Rammellzee

http://www.gothicfuturism.com/

The Links Keep Coming – with Bonus Zak Sally

The tweetstream is humming this morning. Your soundtrack right now should be the Thom Yorke 6Mix. He drops in a cut from former touring partners Low in the mix – it’s one from the days when La Mano Press main man Zak Sally was still thumping bass with that unit. Enjoy the video.

Tom Hart writes about spending some time with the talented Derek Ballard, and about about this whole fusion comics business. Many illustrations.

Sean T. Collins has coined the word “Hanawaltian” is his glowing in-depth review of Thickness #2.

Today is a second monday, which means that Michael DeForge has posted the fourth installment of Ant Comic.

Brian Ralph is interviewed by the National Post about the new hardcover collection of his brilliant Daybreak comic. Daybreak is now in stock at Wow Cool and available in the shop.

Box Brown spotted this one: Mars is a romantic comedy in space that counts James Kolchaka, Kinky Friedman and Cynthia Watros among it’s cast members and has a soundtrack that features Kristin Hersh and Neko Case. All you need to know is on the Swerve Pictures site.

And lastly, on my old on-air stomping grounds WSVA (Where I hosted Grunion Radio with Ben Jackson, Sam Henderson and many others back in 1988-89), Sam Weber is interviewing Lisa Hanawalt Wednesday, October 19, and they need your questions. We just got copies of a thick mini comic and a limited edition letterpress print by Lisa in the shop. You really should check those out.

Judas Priest Epitaph Tour with Lady Starlight Starts today!

Yes it’s true, Lady Starlight, my fellow Brown Cuts Neighbor, will be helping Judas Priest send it all off in style. The party kicks into high gear Wednesday in San Antonio, Texas.

Follow Starlight on Twitter | Like her on Facebook

Here’s all you need to know, direct from Judas Priest’s official tour page:

After storming the world for nearly 40 years and taking their very special brand of heavy metal to all four corners of the planet, JUDAS PRIEST – one of the most influential heavy metal bands of all time, have announced this will be their final world tour!!

However, the mighty PRIEST will certainly be going out strong as they rock the planet starting in 2011 on the massive EPITAPH tour – hitting all the major cities throughout the world they will be playing the songs that helped make the name JUDAS PRIEST synonymous with heavy metal!

With all guns blazing and amps cranked to eleven, the band will be giving all their fans one last chance to witness the ultimate metal experience that is JUDAS PRIEST!

US/Canada Leg Of Epitaph Tour 2011
LADY STARLIGHT will be appearing at the majority of our US shows (except the ones listed below) – she will be performing in between each artist – playing some great classic metal!!
She won’t be appearing at the following shows:
18/10-Tuscon AZ
21/10-Phoenix AZ
27/10-Concord CA
23/11-Quebec City CQ
24/11-Montreal CQ
03/12-Biloxi MS
 Date  Location  More Info
 12 October  AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX  Tickets
 14 October  Concrete Street Amphitheater, Corpus Christi, TX  Tickets
 15 October  The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Houston, TX  Tickets
 16 October  Allen Event Center, Dallas, TX  Tickets
 18 October  Ava Amphitheater, Tucson, AZ  Tickets
 19 October  Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre, San Diego, CA  Tickets
 21 October  AZ State Fair, Phoenix, AZ  Tickets
 22 October  San Manuel Amphitheater, San Bernardino, CA  Tickets

PLEASE NOTE:
THIS IS THE ONLY LOS ANGELES SHOW OF THE TOUR!!
 23 October  Hard Rock, Las Vegas, NV  Tickets
 25 October  Rabobank Arena, Bakersfield, CA  Tickets
 27 October  Sleep Train Pavilion, Concord, CA  Tickets
 29 October  WaMu Theater, Seattle, WA  Tickets
 30 October  Rogers Arena, Vancouver, BC  Tickets
 1 November  Shaw Conference Center, Edmonton, AB  Tickets
 2 November  Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, AB  Tickets
 4 November  Maverik Center, Salt Lake City, UT  Tickets
 5 November  1STBANK Center, Denver, CO  Tickets
 8 November  US Bank Arena, Cincinnati, OH  Tickets
 9 November  Prairie Capital Convention Center, Springfield, IL  Tickets
 10 November  The Family Arena, St. Louis, MO  Tickets
 12 November  The Venue at Horseshoe Casino, Chicago, IL  Tickets
 13 November  Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, MI  Tickets
 15 November  Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, OH  Tickets
 16 November  The Armory, Rochester, NY  Tickets
 18 November  Izod Center, East Rutherford, NJ  Tickets
 19 November  Cambria County War Memorial, Johnstown, PA  Tickets
 20 November  Paul E Tsongas Arena/Lowell, MA  Tickets
 22 November  Air Canada Centre, Toronto, ON  Tickets
 23 November  Colisee Pepsi Arena, Quebec City, QC  Tickets
 24 November  Bell Centre, Montreal, QC  Tickets
 26 November  Sovereign Center Arena, Reading, PA  Tickets
 27 November  Lawrence Joel Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum, Winston-Salem, NC  Tickets
 30 November  1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre, Tampa  Tickets
 1 December  Klipsch Amphitheatre at Bayfront Park, Miami, FL  Tickets
 3 December  Hard Rock Biloxi Hotel & Casino, Biloxi  Tickets

Throwing Muses Tour Dates

 

Just received this dispatch from Kristin Hersh. Folks, if you are in the US, you’ve got just two chances to see the Muses this month. Western Europe, your prospects are much greater. 

 

This is not something we get to say every day! We finally have the opportunity to share some Throwing Muses tour dates with you…We know there are many more places where the band should play, and we’re looking forward to doing a lot more touring — but it all depends on how well these shows are attended, so we hope to see you there!

Throwing Muses Tour Dates!

THROWING MUSES:
OCTOBER
12      USA – ATHENS, GA – ATHENS POPFEST - Tickets
14      USA – WASHINGTON, D.C. – THE BLACK CAT - Tickets
16      USA – NEW YORK, NY – THE BOWERY BALLROOM - Tickets
24      HOLLAND – AMSTERDAM – PARADISO –  Tickets
25      GERMANY – BERLIN – POSTBAHNHOF –  Tickets
26      DENMARK – COPENHAGEN – VEGA –  Tickets
27      BELGIUM – GHENT – HANDELSBEURS –  Tickets
28      Travel
29      SPAIN – MADRID – SHOKO –  Tickets
30      SPAIN – BARCELONA – APOLO –  Tickets
31      Travel
NOVEMBER
1      ENGLAND – BEXHILL – DE LA WARR PAVILION –  Tickets
2      ENGLAND – LONDON – SHEPHERDS BUSH EMPIRE - Tickets
3      ENGLAND – NORWICH – UNIVERSITY OF EAST ANGLIA - Tickets
4      ENGLAND – HOLMFIRTH – PICTUREDROME –  Tickets
5      off
6      ENGLAND – MANCHESTER – ACADEMY 2 - Tickets
7      SCOTLAND – GLASGOW –  ORAN MOR –  Tickets
8      WALES – CARDIFF – THE GATE - Tickets
9      IRELAND – CORK – CYPRUS AVE - Ticket Information
10    IRELAND – DUBLIN – ACADEMY - Tickets
And while we have you…we’d like to remnd you that Kristin will be doing the following in November:
KRISTIN HERSH:
NOVEMBER
11    IRELAND – DUBLIN – WORKMAN’S CLUB (make-up show, SOLD OUT, original tickets will be honored)
18    USA – BOSTON, MA – MFA (Kristin presents, Paradoxical Undressing) Tickets & Information


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