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Drilling For Blasting
On June 8th, Drilling For Blasting played a record release show at Chop Shop for their debut full-length, Fingers are the Best Eyes. We met up with singer/guitarist Douglas Ward and drummer/singer Kammy Lee before the show to talk about the album, including how it was written and recorded, what some of the songs are about and more. The record finds the band refining their sound, which combines elements of punk and blues with an undercurrent of reckless energy and unconventional songwriting. In short, it’s an eclectic album that’s happy to color outside the lines of any typical genre boundaries.
Additionally, we discussed the concept for the record release show, which featured four bands set up in different corners of the venue. Each band would play one song and when they were finished, the next band would start. The bands alternated in a clockwise pattern, with the crowd in the center of the room. It was a decidedly unique experience for those in attendance and an absolutely fitting way to celebrate the release of Fingers are the Best Eyes.
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Shot Baker – “Ode to Kerouac”
This Saturday, Shot Baker is playing at Beat Kitchen with Vacation Bible School, The Eradicator, No Enemy!, and Mofaza. They’re also releasing a new EP on the same day, courtesy of Underground Communiqué Records, called Crack in the Code. When asked about the origins of this EP, singer Tony Kovacs provided a detailed backstory. He said, “In 2009, we were on an East coast tour with Naked Raygun when we parted ways with our guitarist John Krohn over retrospectively stupid shit that we probably could have mended. But, tensions can run high on tour. We had a bunch of good material we wrote with John that we ended up scrapping. In his place we got Steven Jenkins and started fresh, writing all new material. In 2011, we were very close to recording a full-length, but I kind of freaked out and decided to quit the band and move to Colorado. At that point we had good material with both John and Steven that never saw the light of day.” He continued, “Since then we’ve all made up and become friends again. In 2017, we did a reunion show with John and promoted the show as the “original lineup,” with the understanding that anything we do after that show will be a five-piece with both John and Steven on guitar. So, Crack in the Code is a handful of stuff we wrote with Steven and some stuff we wrote with John to sort of merge talents on one release and solidify Shot Baker as a five-piece band.”
We’re premiering the video for one of the EP’s songs below, called “Ode to Kerouac.” When describing his motivations for writing the song, Kovacs said “At surface level, it’s a huge dis to Jack Kerouac. But despite the scornful lyrics, I view it as a proper homage. It’s really just a dis on myself. When I study Kerouac, I notice patterns, fears and mistakes that remind me of myself. I read the ramblings of a guy who had his head and heart pointed in the right direction, but ultimately flopped. His adventures in Buddhism and his glorification of society’s undesirables is hugely influential, but he wasn’t able to maintain his convictions. He ended up dying a lonely, anti-Semitic, right-wing alcoholic.” He added, “In one of his books, a Zen master told him that he has ‘Zen flesh but no Zen bones,’ (a line I use in the song) which really shook him to his core. Turns out the Zen master was right. So, through my own Buddhist studies and other adventures, I’ve picked up on certain insights that I know have to be properly cultivated or they’ll be lost. I don’t think I’ll become an anti-Semitic alcoholic, but I’m pretty lousy at converting insights into lifestyle.”
When looking ahead to Saturday’s show, Kovacs commented “I used to work at Beat Kitchen and Shot Baker had some of our most memorable shows there, so I’m excited to play for nostalgic reasons. But mostly I’m looking forward to the energy of a roomful of people who care about these songs we made. That’s an amazing feeling.” The show starts at 8:00 PM, is 17+ and tickets can be purchased here.
The Eradicator – “The Court’s Closed…”
On November 23rd, The Eradicator will release its new EP, called The Court’s Closed on Christmas. It will be made available by three different labels: Underground Communiqué Records, Programme Skate & Sound, and Stonewalled. For those unfamiliar with the band, their identity is centered around a sketch from Kids in the Hall by the same name. According to singer/guitarist Andy Slania, the idea for this EP stemmed from a desire to put out new music between LPs, as they plan on releasing their second full-length next year. He further detailed the EP’s concept, stating “I’ve had the idea for a while in terms of approaching this character doing cover songs, but adapting the lyrics to fit the character. I only had one or two songs off the bat that I was looking to interject into the live show, but then with the idea of doing a ‘midterm’ release and the concept of the holiday song, it just made sense to record a bunch of covers and continue the build out of the character as to why he wants to do cover songs.”
The EP was recorded by Pete Grossmann at Bricktop Recording, who also recorded the band’s debut album. When asked to describe their time in the studio, Slania said “Recording with Pete is always a treat, especially since this band is made up of people from different locations with different schedules. Our songwriting process is me writing everything in my practice space and then emailing it out to everyone to learn, so the majority of the time we don’t actually play the song as a band before it’s recorded. Pete has a lot of patience for us to learn songs as we’re recording them. If we went with someone who wasn’t patient with us, it would be way more difficult and a downer.”
We’re streaming the title track off the EP below, which was inspired by Slania wondering how the Eradicator character would feel about Christmas. He explained, “I just imagined him going on with his usual day and then realizing on his way to the squash court that it was closed, and focusing on that moment in time and writing the song about his reaction to that. I also thought the melody of ‘Frosty the Snowman’ would fit, so I went with that from a structural perspective.” The band’s next scheduled show is December 22nd at the Cactus Club in Milwaukee, followed by a special Christmas Day show in Union, IL. Take a listen to the song now and preorder the record here.
Still Alive
Last month, Still Alive released a new EP, called Assemble. We caught up with singer/guitarist Dan Alfonsi and discussed the band’s decision to put out the record themselves, as well as how recording went and the meaning behind some of the songs. We also talked about the EP’s cover art, the origins of its title and what else Still Alive has planned for this year. Assemble finds the band, (also consisting of guitarist/singer Dom Burdi, bassist Bryan Schroth and drummer Mikey Cervenka) experimenting with the boundaries of their sound and embracing a heavier tone. In addition, there’s still a wide range of influences present, but also increasingly intricate songwriting and a greater sense of overall cohesion. Be sure to check out the EP in its entirety here. Continue Reading…
Apocalypse Hoboken – “Excel”
Following three successful shows at Chop Shop earlier this month, Apocalypse Hoboken is set to release a collections LP on Underground Communiqué Records, titled Everybody’s Been Burned. Spanning 17 tracks in total, many of these songs initially appeared on compilations, but were never previously released on vinyl. According to label owner Justin Schwier, the idea for this record came about roughly six months ago during a conversation with drummer Andy Peterson. “Andy and I were at a birthday party and he brought the idea up. He told me they were planning this weekend of shows and asked about whether or not I was interested in doing something for the band, which I of course was,” he said. “Working with Apocalypse Hoboken was never something I ever thought would happen and I’m truly honored to get something back in print for them.”
A limited edition of 100 LPs on smoky clear vinyl were made available at the recent shows, but quickly sold out. Once the covers are ready, there will be 200 copies available on transparent orange vinyl and 100 copies on clear vinyl with blue coloring at the center. Additionally, there will be 100 copies of purple vinyl sold exclusively at Reckless Records. All songs were remastered by Bill Henderson at Azimuth Mastering, which according to Schwier wasn’t the easiest of undertakings. “First and foremost, he did an amazing job and truly transformed these songs in a way that is staggering compared to the state of some of the tracks the band handed over initially,” he said. “Compilations like this are difficult to master because almost every track is from a different recording session, so he had to uniformly equalize the sound and then go and fix a bunch of technical audio problems. A couple songs were really challenging to fix, but he worked his magic.”
When reflecting on the weekend of shows and the opportunity to work with the band, Schwier said “Honestly it wasn’t until Friday night when they started playing that the magnitude of doing an Apocalypse Hoboken record actually hit me. I got a little emotional seeing them live again. That Friday night show was bonkers from the first note. I was immediately brought back to being a teenager and seeing them play all the time. The power of that band live cannot be explained, nor underestimated. They reconjured that alluring darkness and chaotic atmosphere out of nowhere again, like I knew they would.” Preorder the LP here and take a listen to one of the songs below, “Excel.”
Rebel Spies – Rise!
Underground Communiqué Records – Release Date: 9/29/17
Detroit’s Rebel Spies recently released their debut full-length on Underground Communiqué, called Rise! Featuring members of The Suicide Machines, Hellmouth and Telegraph, Rebel Spies’ sound isn’t especially reminiscent of those bands, but rather suggestive of old school punk like 7 Seconds and Dag Nasty. What’s unique is how they manage to capture the spirit of the genre’s forefathers, while remaining unpredictable and infusing contemporary influences to create something particularly distinct. Album opener “That Mask” is a rousing call to arms with a stirring chorus that quickly sets the tone for the rest of the record. It’s followed by “Sorry About the Mess,” a concise burst of energy that rallies against complacency and evokes memories of melodic hardcore greats Avail. “We Must Be Cautious” changes things up with an expansive chorus and a blazing guitar solo, while “Domain of Evil” is reminiscent of The Clash, complete with an offbeat rhythm and call and response vocals. “What Have I Done” is influenced by East Coast hardcore and encourages making a change for the better, and the album’s final track, “Not Dead Not Yet,” arguably saves the best for last. It begins with a catchy guitar lead that segues to ska-influenced upstrokes, paving the way for a soaring chorus that delivers a resilient message and reinforces the importance of not giving up. With Rise!, Rebel Spies have made a record that draws from the past as much as it incorporates modern styles. It’s well-written, skillfully performed and filled with promise.
Shot Baker @ Cobra Lounge, 5/20/17
On Saturday, May 20th, Shot Baker will return with its original lineup and play Cobra Lounge alongside Avenues and Shots Fired Shots Fired. We recently caught up with singer Tony Kovacs and spoke about how exactly this reunion came to be. He explained that the departure of guitarist John Krohn in 2009, followed by the exit of drummer Chris Gach had left the band with only half of its founding members. After years of touring, the wind in the sails of the group had understandably begun to weaken. Kovacs eventually opted to move to Colorado to be with his girlfriend, (now wife) and to pursue a doctorate in audiology. Over the last five or so years, several of the band’s members have started families, while bassist Nat Wright currently plays in 88 Fingers Louie.
When asked as to how this show came together, Kovacs said “We’ve long since set aside our differences and really just wanted to play a show together again. We’re no longer trying to live off this band so we can really just have fun with it, which is how it should be. In the early years, Shot Baker was a total lightning bolt. Maybe it’s a nostalgia thing, but we really wanted to do a show that represented the urgency and volatility of the early years. That’s why this is an ‘original lineup’ show.” When speaking about expectations for the show, he said “I’m mostly looking forward to seeing everyone again. All of the people who helped this band along the way are going to be there: Mike Petryshyn of Riot Fest, Justin Schwier of Underground Communiqué Records, a ton of our close friends…I just can’t wait to see all those people in the same room again. And, obviously, I can’t wait to play again. Five years of academia as a mid-late thirties adult is rough. This show is like breaking out of prison for me.”
Lastly, when discussing the band’s plans beyond this show, Kovacs hinted at possible future endeavors. He said, “Before we broke up, we had written an album with (guitarist) Steven Jenkins that never got released. It’s a shame, because it’s easily some of the best stuff we’ve done. We really want those songs to see the light of day at some point. There have been talks about collecting the very best of that unreleased album with Steven and the best of the unreleased stuff we did with John and meshing it all together as an absolute stunner of a record. I have no idea when or if that record will actually get made, but if it ever does, it’ll be great. Any Shot Baker activity after this ‘original lineup’ show will include Steven as a second guitarist, but who knows when the next show will happen. We’re all so busy right now.” Tickets for what is sure to be a memorable evening can be purchased here.
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