On April 4th, Artistic Integrity Records will issue the debut release from Mean Sean. The band formed in early 2014 and consists of singer Vito Nusret, guitarist Nicolas Kubica, bassist James Henderson and drummer Vincent Miller. When asked to describe their sound, Nusret commented “I’d like to think we sound like Crimpshrine or Black Flag, but we probably just sound like a sloppy pop punk band that wears black t-shirts.”
The self-titled album will be available both digitally and on cassette. Recorded by Erik Rasmussen at Observatory Studios, the cassette contains a total of 13 songs and comes in lime green or light blue. They’re limited to 50 copies each, include a download code and can be purchased here. We’re streaming one of the tracks below, called “Hard of Feeling.” Speaking in regards to the song’s lyrics, Nusret said “It was inspired by a friend dealing with an autoimmune disease. I’m terrified of how our bodies can betray us without warning or pain while still doing severe and sometimes irreparable damage. It’s about juxtaposing that with a hardening of one’s feelings against potential emotional attacks, and examining how we can be considered too sensitive or too callous in both physical and mental ways.” While the content is decidedly serious, that’s not to suggest that the group doesn’t also have a comical side. Take for instance their name, which according to Nusret is derived from a friend’s dream about having a pet duck that smoked cigarettes and was named Mean Sean.
To commemorate the album’s release, the band is playing a show at Quenchers on April 7th, along with Drilling For Blasting, Angel Lust and Sincere Engineer. The show starts at 9:00 PM, costs $5 in advance and is 21+. Tickets are available here.
[audio:http://www.jadedinchicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/13-hard-of-feeling.mp3|titles= “Hard of Feeling”]Flag’s origins can be traced back to 2011, near the 30th anniversary of Black Flag’s first LP, Damaged. The Descendents were playing a show in Santa Monica, CA when former Black Flag drummer/current Descendents drummer Bill Stevenson and Descendents guitarist Stephen Egerton, were joined onstage by original Black Flag singer Keith Morris and former Black Flag bassist Chuck Dukowski. The four proceeded to play Black Flag’s first record, Nervous Breakdown, in its entirety. Eventually this lineup made known that they would form under the name Flag, with plans to play songs from Black Flag’s entire catalog at various tour dates, both stateside and abroad. Flag’s lineup would be solidified once former Black Flag singer and rhythm guitarist, Dez Cadena, joined the fold on guitar. Flag recently played Riot Fest Chicago and we spoke with Stevenson, Egerton, Dukowski and Cadena. We discussed how they got together, the continued legacy of Black Flag’s music and their current thoughts on Black Flag’s lyrics. We also talked about their Riot Fest performance, future plans and more. Continue Reading…
Keith Morris needs no introduction. For nearly 30 years he has been at the forefront of punk rock. Last year he created the supergroup OFF! and many would argue it’s some of the best punk to be released in a long time. Keith was very candid in revealing how OFF! came together as a unit and what’s changed since he started out in his first band. OFF! is set to rock the Pitchfork Music Festival on Saturday, July 16th and they will also be playing a second show at Reggie’s the following day on Sunday, July 17th. Interview by Kevin Corazza. Continue Reading…