Dec. 12, 1997. And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead is leaving for tour next week up to Chicago and Minneapolis and back down through the midwest. Check their site for a complete listing of the shows. Tonight, you can see them at Emo’s with Fun Machine, and Tune in Tokyo, which is Chris Hodge and Mike Gerner from 100 Watt Clock with Ben and Ruben Mendez, I believe.
Carbomb just released a CD on the Young Heart Attack label. There’s 32 songs on it and it covers stuff recorded from 1993 – 1995.
On Tuesday Dec. 16, The Kiss-Offs, Vidi-Vitties and The Search Party are playing at the Bate’s Motel. Show starts at 10:30, so be there for The Search Party’s last gig with drummer Lauren Robertson before she moves away to D.C. After that the group plans to find a new drummer.
We also recommend The Crack Pipes/Pearly Gates @ EMO’s Monday 12/22. So what happened to all the snow that was supposed to show up?
Watch out for this cool new band called Night Vandals. Members are Phillip Niemeyer, Kristen Schilt, Nick Holiday, and Rebecca Gonzales of Fun Machine.
Nov. 14, 1997.
There’s a new band playing at the Bates Motel on Tues. Nov 18 called The Search Party. Members are Paul Streckfus from Glorium, Scott Hamilton of Leshii Auld Clootie, and Lauren Robertson of Yellow Fledgling. Also playing that night are Knife In The Water and solo performances from Robert Mcneill(Softs), Amanda Stein(Yellow Fledgling), Grant Barger(Softs), Drake Tungsten(Britt Daniel), Ray Colgan(Crack Pipes), Billysteve Corpi(Crack Pipes), Bob Taylor(The Hamicks) and others.
The Search Party are also playing on Fri. Nov. 21 with The Rock Hudsons at Spider House. (That’s the official site of the pre Emo’s Hedonism-bash with …Trail of Dead and Prima Donnas(UK). (Chew on that!)
Nov. 10 1997.
In case you missed it, there was a great show this weekend at the Electric Lounge( of all places). Cyrus Rego, Prima Donnas, and American Analog Set got with the modern age. Highlights included a young enthusiast trying his hardest to shush the noisy bar riff-raff having too much fun for his imaginary dreamworld. “Why don’t you take your conversation outside?!” he yelled. Oh brother….
Nov.4 1997.
First of all, I think everyone should go see The Crack Pipes and The Unleaded Heart on Thurs. Nov 6th. at Emo’s.. .Unleaded Heart is a new band with Chris Hodge, Kenny Hopper, two Jasons and a Clint.
The new Glorium CD on Ataglance Records should be out in December, if not a little sooner. Trail of Dead, now on Trance is releasing a full length in January. So is Paul Newman and other Trance acts. New Windsor For the Derby LP should be on sale in November. Right now the Derby’s are on tour in the northeast playing 4 shows in and around NYC.
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Speaking of WFTD, check out Jason McNeely‘s store called Pink Moon, for the finest thrift action in town, opening Nov. 5, ’97, located (where 33 Degrees used to be) at 2821 San Jacinto Blvd, next to Crown and Anchor. You know that strip mall that has the Chinese restaurant, Quiks, and a barber….
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33 Degrees has moved! New location is on 40th and Guadalupe where the old Dismukes Pharmacy used to be. It’s a much bigger space and they’re having in store shows twice a month.
Sat. Nov. 1st 1997
Trail of the Dead is a likely outfit to be scratching and sniffing the concrete floor of an abandoned studio with black painted walls. The films meant to inspire praise for Kenneth Anger were the only lighting for a dank cave on Saturday Nov. 1st. which never seemed to fill with an audience for the aging filmmaker. I blame it on poor planning and no publicity. Some say they saw him, others denied ever having known him. Some laughed at the idea of such an old man having any worthwhile ideas about film and the nature of voyeurism while a handful of pagans danced around in a tribal circle… Learn more about Kenneth Anger. We think he is an amazing and genius artist! The band’s noises were well wished and fell hard upon concrete slabs as the words did not cut through on a dim signal. Much words heard later on at a small upstairs apartment. Was Jason trying to break that guitar? Or was he trying to set it free?…If only those 3 djs were better sound engineers…
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Thurs Oct. 30 and the weekend is arriving on time with bands downtown doing their best to entertain hungry humans. Softs sounds and Trail of Dead seemed appropriate music for the eve of a Halloween weekend. Birthdays and cakes with fruit are such delicious treats for reunited friends. Happy Birthday Joey! El Gigante, nice cakes.
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Sat. Oct 11.
Cleofus Trujillo Trio is a band from San Antonio that still sounds very loud with energy well spent, seducing the Austin audience to get out of their rolling chairs. Manny Castillo, Saul Zertuche, and Chris Lutz are the shit! The last show from Union On Track opened the can of worms. They recorded the show and might release it. Does anyone have any other recordings of them? Trail of Dead set their stuff up last and proceeded to rock out w/ true wild abandon. Lots of watts and smoke….fire
Earlier in the evening was music by Fire Island and Yellow Fledgling at the Spiderhouse. Neighbors get angry and call cops. Staff is upset at the neighbor and vents anger. Lots of venting. Lots of whispering, Much care free laughter. Fire Island added pirated video tape of New Kids On the Block to his elevator soft core. The Fledge are recording all their material at Lino Max’s posh east side pad. Dirty Dale is producing.
We’re taking comments
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Prima Donnas play with Enduro and Hamicks at Emo’s. Fight erupts as unruly patron continues to throw cigarette butts at Otto Matix’s face. Exchange of threats, then bang. On the PA can be heard the thud, thud, thud, thud, of microphone on patron’s face. Otto’s family were present and rush into the fray to break it up. “No, I’m not having a good time.” said Otto. Do the Prima Donnas ask for it? Should they be upset when the crowd badgers them, when they have a reputation for dishing out the same abuse? After all, they invite the audience on stage for hotdog eating contests. I think Otto’s allowed to get upset and physical with a jerk who won’t leave him alone when asked to. He’s only human. Or is he just British? After that episode they went on to finish the set and Otto seemed charged and able to bounce back and continue to be his usual charasmatic self. But he said he felt awful about the whole thing later. The bouncers took the guy outside and beat him up some more. Chew on that… Write in with comments…
Chew on this…….More violence…..Trail of Dead play at Flamingo Cantina with Union On Track, the Softs, and the Hamicks. It was a benefit for the film Plastic Utopia. This crazy dude gets on stage and grabs the micophone. Conrad slams into him knocking him down, then falls on top of him. The guy, disoriented and drunk, stumbles up, then Jason bulldozes him off the stage and into the crowd, knocking more people down. Is this just the Trail of Dead with their usual destructive behavior? Or is it a display of an attitude that you better not fuck with our shit on stage when we’re doing our thing, breaking our own shit? I don’t think they meant to hurt the guy, and I don’t think he was hurt besides. After the show they asked if he was OK and looked after him a little. But still, they could be a little more sensitive to the direction that they vent their angst to. If you attend a “punk” show, should you expect to get roughed up a little? Chew on that…….write in…
Fri. Sep. 25, 1997 The Electric Lounge is not where I’d choose to hang out if the bands were not really good. The place is always too smoky and, well, I’m just anti-social. Not too mention that the staff is obnoxious and surly. But on Fri. 25th I will be there for three of my fav bands. Crack Pipes, Rock Hudsons, and Softs.
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Monday July 30th 1997 – Show reviews: Kemo Sabe / Linus Streckfus / The Burglars / The Hamicks / Knife in the Water – by C.Keely
No… all these bands did not play a show together, though that would be fabulous. Kemo Sabe and Linus Streckfus played last night at the Bates Motel. Kemo Sabe are a groovy band from Australia who keep their guitars turned down real quiet, like. Apparantly their just in town to record with a producer named Tim Kerr who I guess does a lot of out-of-town bands. They have a single, I can’t imagine what it sounds like – hopefully the guitars are louder. They’re a pretty cool live band though, and they took the lack of Austin’s audience participation with admirable humility. Linus Streckfus took to the stage shortly there-after. One person, one guitar. I found this quite inspirational, and I think it’d be great if more people did solo acts, whether they’re in another band (as in Streckfus’s case) or not. I mean, what could it hurt, right?
Then I walked over to the Flamingo Cantina because I’d heard this was going to be the last Burglars show. Though they’ve been saying that for, oh… six months now, I really hope they mean it this time because they’d really be going out with a bang. Not that I don’t like the Burglars – on the contrary, they seem to improve with every farewell-show they play. I can’t imagine what their last show will be like two years from now, because the one last night was so incredible as to be emotionally disturbing.
I felt I’d somehow walked through the Looking Glass into backwards-Austin, where everything’s the wrong way around. For one, some people I knew had recently shaved or cut their hair really short, and I didn’t recognize them at first. Then there were people in the crowd I would never have thought to see watching a Rolling Stones cover band. Someone must have put peyote in this one guy’s drink, because he was using the stage as a farm-animal. And this other girl was doing a dance I could only describe as the doggy-paddle. After a beer, I left because I had to get up, but that was one Burglars show that I really wished I didn’t have to work in the morning. Look out for more up-coming last-shows from these butt-rock savages.
Now we come to the Flaxfield Unheard Music Festival, which was held last Saturday in the middle of a field Lytton Springs, in the middle of nowhere, so that many of the people that went to go see it, or that tried to get back got lost and have yet to be found. Still, it was a good idea, and I hope they didn’t lose too much money, and have another one. i didn’t arrive until midnight, though there had been bands playing since 5:00p.m., such as Yellow Fledgeling and the Abrasion Ensemble, who I heard were particularly good. But by the time The Hamicks went on at 2:00a.m., people were pretty fucked up. There was stage diving, and the tossing of projectiles, and the covering of guitarist Jonathan Toubin’s head with a garbage bag. Keyboardist Jeanine Attaway cast mesmerizing spells with her crazy theramine, singer Bob Taylor belted out arcane mysteries about deficating in one’s pants, drummer Brandon Crowe did his best to ignore everything, and bassist Armon Mabry looked on in amused sympathy. By the time the next band took to the stage, all they could think to do was allow an audience member to dance naked with them.
And so, several waking hours later, as the sun rose slowly in the east, and the sky changed a halo of magnificent colors,Knife in the Water took to the stage. By this time I was trying my best to sleep, but their lulling melodies drew me back to the stage for another look. Nothing, I mean nothing, could have possibly been better to see at 6:00a.m., cow pasture or no. With a line up of guitar(Aaron Blount), Bill pedal slide guitar, hammond organ(Laura Krause) and John brushed drums, I was reminded somewhat of Low, but better, because these guys are from Austin, and I felt (undeservedly) proud.
Saturday July 22 1997 – Show Review: Red Boxing / Morning Wood / Union On Track – C.Keely
Well bugger me blue, I missed Union on Track, and I’m sure Laurie Duke‘s going to kill me. But I’m not too scared because I’m a head bigger than her. However, she said they rocked, and usually her perceptions are fairly accurate despite her tendancy to hallucinate. Plus Jeremy Rueter confirmed this cocky boast.
Morning Wood. Morning Wood… What can I say about this band? First off, it’s always interesting to see a ton of people you’ve never seen before show up for a band you’ve never heard of. It makes you feel like Raoul Hernandez of the Chronicle, or Michael Corcheran of the X-Cellent. I think I’ll just describe the band, and let the reader form their own opinion, somewhat like charades: four women – a singer, bassist, guitar, drums line-up; two male go-go dancers in construction-worker garb; two five-foot-high paper-mache penises with sparklers fitted into the eurethra; one fisher-price xylophone. Lyrics ranged from band title song “Morning Wood” played at the beginning and end of the show, “…I fell in love with the manager of a topless bar”, “…incestuous town”, “…I had a cigarette, now I’m hooked on crack” (or something like that), and “…I dated an asshole”. Their music was that kind of terrible that you’re like, “oh how clever, they’re being terrible”, but not as deliberately terrible as, say, Beat Happening (and I love Beat Happening). In fact, they played well and the drummer was cool, but if I had to call it something, I think the word “schlock” comes to mind. Schlock is a very valid genre, so familiarize yourself with it. My verdict? – see them for yourself, then write us your opinion.
Red Boxing was a new band playing their first show, so it was your typical stroke of Electric Lounge booking-idiocy to have them play last after all the slumming Morning Wood fans had left. Much to their credit, this did not appear to discourage Red Boxing in the least. Mitch Clark (you may know him from Austin Transit Authority), Sean O’Keaf, and the brothers Ernie Maxwell and Yogi Maxwell have come together to form what I would call an emo band, although not many people use that dated tag anymore, and it has been left to sit dejectedly in the dark corners of modern jargon, overshadowed by the blinding light of ebonics. But I digress. It is always refreshing to see a new band play, and these children did a smashing job. Good work, lads. Look out for waves made by them in the future.
Thurs. July 11 1997 – Commentary by C. Keely
What a weird article in the Chronicle today! But don’t worry, kids. All that talk really is just that. We know that what really matters is just folks having fun and death and stuff. So fret not, because the “scene” is neither fragmenting, nor gelling. It is simply crawling slowly along on it’s belly like it’s always been.
And though Brandon Crowe is now playing in The Hamicks, he’s also playing in Zulu As Kono, which is similar to Gut. Saher Selod wanted me to bring that to everyone’s attention.
Tues. July 8 1997 – Review
100 Watt Clock / Yellow Fledgling / Los Despienados / Leshii Auld Clootie @ Bates Motel
Travis Higdon invited Golden Hour to book a show at the Bates Motel for his second night as promoter of shows there. For the occasion, I booked 100 Watt Clock, which was to be there last show in Austin before Splitsville. That’s right kids, the group is disbanding and reforming with a new noisier sound says Chris Hodge, one of the guitarists. At this point there is no word as to when their new lineup will play out, but he did say that they would try to work it out with James Wright, the old Carbomb bass player.
They paused breifly for a string change in the middle of their set, but were as explosive as ever and rocked the crowd of teary eyed and sweat browed Austinites. “Where will we be without our beloved 100 Watt Clock“? one small child moaned. Fear not young lad, soon there will be an even richer combo to enlighten your evening shroud…
The Yellow Fledgling played at midnight and transfixed the audience with delicately whispered melodies. They have added a drummer named Jeff Hunt, but this is not the first time the female duo had a rhythm section. Nick Holiday was seen behind the set with them at the Hole in the Wall in March when they played with Glorium, and also joined them briefly at the Manor Rd Coffee House in May. Rumor was that Lauren Robertson was supposed to play saxophone also, but that joyous event is postponed until the group plays at the Unheard Music Fest on July 28th.
Los Despienados visited Austin for the first time from San Antonio and were greatly admired. George Lara of Glorium was on bass, and Marshall Gause of Cordial played banjo, with Ryan Sawyer on drums and Katja Kohler on accordion. They had a conjunto feel and invited the austin crowd to dance “like they do down south”.
Leshii Auld Clootie started the night with noisy circus parade music that developed into accordion and a soundtrack to a David Lynch film. Scott Hamilton uses pre-recorded tapes with his four track to seduce the audience into another state of mind. Very now….see him in action. Leshii Auld Clootie will release a tape soon on Golden Hour.
July 2nd, 1997
The Softs have a new CD out! It’s called “The Nurse Wore Black” and was released at their Emo’s show on June 25th. Buy one today before they sell out!
The Crack Pipes are finishing the artwork on their 21 minute cassette and it should be out very soon. It’s called The Yeh Sound.
100 Watt Clock have decided to end it, and will play one last show on July 8th at the Bates Motel on 6th street. Also playing is the Yellow Fledgling, La Morte ( that guy who’s in Leshii Auld Clootie[Malcolm Hamilton]), and Mashall Gause and Katja Kohler‘ band from San Antonio Los Despienados. Marshall plays banjo and Katja Kohler plays accordion, I believe.
Windsor for the Derby are recording another LP at Adam Wiltzie’s posh East Austin pad. It’ll be out soon I’m sure Glorium is currently recording an LP with Grant Barger(Softs) to be released in September. This one should be more dreamy and songy says Paul.
The Trail of Dead is recording an LP for Trance at a posh studio down south. Jason Reece says they’re getting the production and sounds that he always wished for.
The Prima Donnas and 1-4-5s will tour with Emily’s Sassy Lime(WA) next month. word is that the Prima Donnas will be on a split 7″ with Emily Lime on Kill Rock Stars, and also on a Lookout release. Believe it or not.
OLDER NEWS
June 5, 1997
Well, kids, we haven’t been getting ANY letters, very inicative of the apathy of our generation. Either that, or no one has been going to see any bands, which don’t think is true…
Latest venue for local shows these days is the Manor Road Coffee House, which Golden Hour promoter Paul Streckfus debuted with a Behead the Prophet N.L.S.L. / Rock Hudsons show.
Shows in June 1997
Jun 3 = 100 Watt Clock / Cordial / Low Budget Sounds of Beau McDaniel (Manor Rd.)
Jun 4 = Rock Hudsons (Blue Flamingo)
Jun 12 = Cyrus Rego / Fun Machine / Bloody Jack (Manor Rd.)
Jun 14 = Prima Donnas (Carousel Lounge)
Jun 15 = …And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead / Union On Track (Emo’s)
Jun 17 = Hys(the new project from Jason Mcneely of Windsor for the Derby), Yellow Fledgling / and the debut of Bart Exposito’s band with Stacy Bryan, Ben Caulfield, and Jack Shelton(as yet to be named.) (Manor Rd.)
Jun 26 = Rock Hudsons / Cipher In The Snow / Transfixr @ Blue Flamingo
Jun 24 = Rock Hudsons / Union On Track (new band from Laurie Duke and Jeremy Rueter – ex Ponce Ja Ja) (Manor Rd.)
Actually, not to get off track, but I’ve really just been enjoying the weather in Austin lately.
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Shows in May [1997]
May 6 = Behead the Prophet N.L.S.L. / Rock Hudsons
May 13 = 100 Watt Clock / Sexto Sol ( Juan Ramos and Ernest Salaz from Glorium, with Becky Cortez from New Girl Art Trend Band and Kristina Lanuza on vcls.)
May 20 = NYC / Fire Island / Leshii Auld Clootie
May 27 = …Trail of Dead / Paul Newman / Tonalamotl
And go see Glorium / Cordial / Cleofus Trujillo Trio / Chris, Ryan, and Steve / Fun Machine / and Matrix at Cabeza de Piedra in San Antonio on May 9th.
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March 1997
By Conrad Keely
News Disclaimer:
I would like to make it clear to everyone that just because I have chosen to talk about some bands and fail to mention others that this is in no way indicative (I hope) of any favoritism on my part, but more a result of the money I happened to have that night, or at times (I must admit) my personal taste, or even just what drugs I’m on (never enough).
Lately it has been expressed by certain people their concern over the possible existence of an exclusive or “cliquish” scene developing that, though I think is not the case, would put some bands inside and leave others on the periphery. I try not to overly-concern myself with denouncing or perpetuating such ideology either way, and believe in some cases the best policy in dealing with something you disagree with is to ignore it completely and hope it goes away. But perhaps that is unavoidable, in which case, fuck it. Kill, destroy, hurt everything, that’s what I always say. In any case, I would always encourage anyone who wants to know what is really going on to go out and find out for themselves. But for those who do not possess the luxury of this initiative, here’s the Scene News:
So the South By South West Music Conference in Austin Texas has come and gone, and with it, I was told, a multitude of Industry penguins, although I personally didn’t see any. Still, despite the inconvenience, the festival offered much opportunity to eat and drink for free. Since I don’t believe in spending more than five to seven dollars to see a show unless it’s truly to-die-for, I spent most of my time at the Blue Flamingo and anything I could get into for free. One such show wasFriday March 14th at Emos, where Sixteen Deluxe headlined. I was very impressed by a band called Salaryman (did I get that name right?), – an ambient dance quartet who incorporated the usual plethora of keyboards and electronic shit; however, their combination of both drum machine and drum set I found impressive, particularly the fact that the drummer was excellent but not repugnantly so.
The Prima Donnas/ Softs show at the Blue Flamingo on March 12 could only be described as complete and utter anarchy and insanity, despite the raising of the door price to $4. A keyboard belonging to Julius Seizure of the former is out of commission now due to copious amounts of beer flying through the air that night. This didn’t stop the show from going on. Long live pop.
I heard only words of amazement and praise from those who attended the Bis/ Atari Teenage Riot show at the Electric Lounge on March 13, but again that was out of my minuscule budget. Actually, I would have forked the money out for this one if I hadn’t been in some other band playing that night. Such is the lift of a thespian. The latter of these two bands have been making waves recently, I’m sure you’ve all heard, by combining drum-machine jungle rhythms with good old grind core. Personally I’m all for the combination of new elements in search of gold – I think it’s called alchemy.
Windsor for the Derby got back for a pleasant, somewhat private show at the Hyde Park Theater with the …And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead and Home. Windsor’s set was the usual dreamy lullaby, and even more so than usual perhaps, with audience members in the first few rows sitting, lolling, and some even lying about like a litter of puppies at the band’s feet. Playing with them was the Soft’s drummer John (sorry John, I forget your last name[Weiss]), who I felt added more fluidness, perhaps trippiness to them than usual. All in all, it was a good night to be on ecstasy, but how would I know?
Some people have expressed the opinion that the local Austin music scene is one of those in-between period, especially after the break-up of several much-loved bands such as Gut, Andromeda Strain, New Girl Art Trend Band, etc. (I’m sure I’m forgetting someone) within a short amount of time. It is my opinion, however, that we are always in one of those in-between times, namely, that between the past and the future; there will always be good bands breaking up, mediocre (or not-as-interesting) bands playing out, and better bands in the process of forming. So my advice is not to worry. One case in point that I would like to make who attracted my attention lately is a band called School Trauma Flashback, who I can only describe as so totally, terribly offensive it’s charming. I would rather not go into too much depth about that, as some of the things I like about this band are exactly the things I would loathe about any other band. So rather than upset anyone, I would just advise you go see them, decide for yourself, then get back to me.
Paul Westmoreland, who has relocated to Seattle with his wife Janet and daughter Olivia, is the master technician, bless his heart; and Conrad Keely in Austin is the Minister of propaganda[GHR 1997].
