SONIC BOOM! MAGAZINE - ISSUE 5

ALTERNATIVE, PUNK, HEAVY METAL, ROCK N’ ROLL

Volume 1, Number 5, August, 2017

The NoShows Lou Thevenot Sea Battle Corey Feldman . . . and more

ATTENTION BANDS! WE WANT TO REVIEW YOUR MUSIC email us at SBPalz@outlook.com Subject line “SONIC SOUNDS!” for more information

In this issue of Sonic Boom! Magazine we delve into some things a little different. We have our punk rock and SKA bands with Lou Thevenot and the NoShows but then we have some weird wild stuff with the Hip-Hop Electronic music of Sea Battle and my adventure to the Corey Feldman show in New Orleans.

We have a good bit of music reviews of all kinds for all of you music junkies to enjoy (look this music up you will find something for you I swear it).

We also introduce a show listings section. It’s only one page this time as it is an experiment but I hope to expand it to a lot more listings next time around.

I hope that you are enjoying the magazine and if you have any questions hit me up at SBPALZ@outlook.com, Thank you and keep on rockin’.

- Kevin P. Johnson

LOUIE FUNKS WITH PUNK by Hex Windham . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. page 4 ROOTING FOR THE BULL - NEW ORLEANS SKA WITH THE NOSHOWS by Kevin P. Johnson . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. page 10 AS TRAINWRECKS GO, IT’S THE COREY FELDMAN SHOW!

by Kevin P. Johnson. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. page 22 SEA BATTLE by Austen Krantz . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. page 30 TAKE ME TO THE SHOW - Show listings in the New Orleans area . .. .. .. page 36 SONIC SOUNDS! - Reviews . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . Page 37 SONIC BOOM! MAGAZINE, VOLUME 1, NUMBER 5, AUGUST, 2017 - Published by Kevin P. Johnson. SONIC BOOM! MAGAZINE is Copyright ©2017 Kevin P. Johnson. All rights reserved, no part of this work may be reproduced without express written consent of Kevin P. Johnson. Published in the United States of America.

This issue: Kevin P. Johnson - Publisher, all layout design, all photography unless otherwise noted, writer, reviews, editing (attemted editing) Austen Krantz - Writer, Hex Windham - Writer, photography.

“Louie Funks with Punk”

by Hex Windham

Lou Thevenot (sometimes also known as “Louie Lapalco”) is one of only a handful of punk veterans that has continuously been active in the local scene since the early 80s, starting with guitar and vocals in the hardcore-punk-funk of Black Problem and later on with Lump, continuing on to this day with Alpha Sardine and Norco Lapalco. Whereas many might assume that punk is a young man’s game, Lou’s songwriting and guitar work have only improved through his decades of experience, making him the guy who all the other guitar players in the house gawk at. Nevertheless humble about his substantial abilities (when I praise his playing, he tells me “Aw, I’m not even the best guitarist in my band!”), Lou’s dedication and work ethic keeps him ripping up the frets. He met up recently over cafeau-lait at Morning Call with local punk Hex Windham to chat about the earliest days of the NOLA hardcore punk scene and how he started playing “punk-funk” in New Orleans.

and figure out “how to be punk.” How did you get into punk in the first place?

Lou Thevenot: Creem Magazine — I used to read it coverto-cover every month. They were covering The Stooges and Lou Reed before punk even happened. The format of their reviews would often be bizarre or humorous; they had a great angle and a great sense of humor.

Sonic Boom!: Was Black Problem your first band?

Lou: It was the first one that got past doing open mics.

I was in a band with my brother and AP [Hex’s note: AP now plays drums in Alpha Sardine], but my brother went off to LSU.

Sonic Boom!: Who else was in that band with you?

Lou: Andrew Dalio was on bass, and Dave Anderson was on guitar. Andrew quit and was replaced by Mike Joseph, who was also with me in Norco Lapalco, and who recently passed away. Before Black Problem, Mike had been in this band called Virul Nihil, a bizarre hardcore Sonic Boom!: You were in high school in the late 70s band — very adventurous. And he also worked at Morning & early 80s, before just anyone could get on the internet Call for about 20 years.

Sonic Boom!: I’ve heard you say that the band’s being called “Harry Lee & the Black Problem” was a myth, partially propagated by the artist Skylar Fein in his punk exhibit at NOMA a few years back [Hex’s note: Former Jefferson Parish sheriff Harry Lee was notorious for once publicly saying that Jefferson Parish had “a black problem”]. The band was never called that?

Lou: No, it was always Black Problem . . . We did have a song called “Harry Lee Death Squad,” though.

Lou: Alright, I was at UNO in a political science class; the professor was telling us about some politician from the 1800s who couldn’t get elected because he didn’t have support from the black part of the population, and I just scribbled down “black problem” as I was taking notes.

Sonic Boom!: Okay, well we’re gonna set the record straight here!

Sonic Boom!: How did Black Problem transition into Lump?

Sonic Boom!: Based on those old songs, though, Black Problem seems like it was a politically aware band decades before being politically aware was a cool thing. Would you say that your current music is also politically motivated?

Sonic Boom!: But I had already heard the story about Lou: I wouldn’t say Black Problem was a politicallythe original name years before the Skylar Fein exhibit. I motivated band; just some of our songs were. It wasn’t a know there’s an old Offbeat article about the history of major angle. Most of our songs were personal or cultural the NOLA rock scene that repeats this story. references, not political.

Lou: Yes, that article is encyclopedic!

Sonic Boom!: And today?

Sonic Boom!: But also fallacious…?

Lou: Well, I do follow politics and am passionate about Lou: Yes, but maybe that’s where Skylar Fein got his it, so every now and then it might creep into my songs, info from. but I prefer not to write about politics.

Lou: The guitar player from Black Problem wasn’t into as weird influences as the rest of us . . . We started getting into jazz and odd timings, so the 3 of us, me, Mike, and AP, started dabbling in pseudo-jazz. We thought it might be cool to play with a horn player. Ben Ellman from Galactic was doing an open mic night at Little People’s Lounge with a bunch of brass band people . . . We gave him a tape, he liked it, and he joined up.

— even a laid-back funk song like that is going to have a certain tension in the interplay between instruments.

Sonic Boom!: How did you hook up with AP in the first place?

Lou: I coached him in soccer at the playground. He’s 5 years younger than me, so I coached his soccer team when I was a teenager. He moved to Houston at 12, came back to New Orleans at 17, and he was already a great drummer. Now, he’s my brother-in-law; his sister is my wife, Lyle, who is the singer for Alpha Sardine.

Sonic Boom!: I’ve seen people get rowdy at shows trying to request “Chicken Head” [Hex’s note: One of Black Problem’s best songs]. How does it feel to have people request songs that you wrote back in the 80s?

Sonic Boom!: Why the switch from Norco Lapalco to Lou: Ha! Well, that’s pretty much the only one. It’s Alpha Sardine? gratifying, but we do also just enjoy playing it.

Lou: Oh, they’re totally unrelated projects. Lyle and I have been wanting to jam with Sonic Boom!: What were us and AP forever. A lot of our your initial influences that got material was written with Mike you started on being in a band back when we were jamming and writing songs? before he took ill. Lyle had been Lou: Minutemen, Clash, in a band years ago called AGB, Elvis Costello . . . Lou Reed which stood for “All Girl Band.” was huge with me . . . Gang of They all started out not knowing Four, Devo . . . I was always an how to play at all but ended up introvert socially, so I made up being great. for it by obsessing over music. I was obsessed with The Beatles Sonic Boom!: So Norco as a young kid, but once the Lapalco is also still an operational beginnings of New Wave came band? out, I was totally into that.

Lou: Sure! Michelle, the drummer for Norco Lapalco, Sonic Boom!: Do you ever listen to funk guitar? I feel went out of town for about 6 weeks, giving me some like Alpha Sardine might be your funkiest band yet. down time, which was the impetus for starting to practice Lou: Black Problem and Lump were pretty funky, maybe as Alpha Sardine. even more so than Alpha Sardine. AP especially was into The Minutemen and The Meters. I wasn’t that much into Sonic Boom!: When an audience leaves after one of The Meters when I was younger, but AP got me to listen your shows, what do you want them to walk away with? to them closer. But yeah, that was something that me, AP, Lou: Oh man, it’s hard to put into words . . . I just Mike, and Andrew always connected on. Ironically, AP hope that they were effected . . . hates it when anyone talks about a band having a “funk feel,” because funk has to be a lot more than a 4/4 beat with Sonic Boom!: What do you get out of playing punk a “feel” to it; there has to be a certain tension in funk. shows now, a few decades after you started doing it?

Lou: I really like the spirit of the scene right now, Sonic Boom!: That’s interesting, because most people around people like you, U.S. Nero, Merkablah, & Interior would say that the most characteristic quality of New Decorating . . . It has that DIY feel of the early punk Orleans funk is being laid-back, whereas James Brown- movement, without any affectation. It feels real. It’s style funk relies more on “uptight” tension. heartwarming to an old punk like me.

Lou: Sure, but check out a song like “Chicken Strut” -Hex Windham

ROOTING FOR THE BULL

NEW ORLEANS SKA WITH

By Kevin P. Johnson

If you were around during the middle of the 1990’s you probably remember a bunch of different musical styles gaining popularity. One of those styles was called SKA (SKA-Punk for some) and it was a really fun style of music that often took a punk rock band and added brass instruments (typically trumpet, trombone, and saxophone) and the chaos was unleashed. Bands that led the way were The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Operation Ivy, Reel Big Fish, Save Ferris and Less Than Jake as either major influences or by breaking through to national mainstream radio. At some point the styles of music that took over the 1990’s began to fade and with that SKA also faded into the background.

Fading into the background doesn’t mean it’s dead though and in New Orleans SKA is alive and well. A band that has grown to nine members (It was seven when I sent the questions out) the NoShows are New Orleans own favorite sons and their shows are usually to a pretty good sized audience. The band currently consist of Billy Bones Baxley - Drums, Jonny Biguenet - Lead Guitar/ Vox, Daniel Levy - Guitar/Vox, Chris Francioni - Bass Guitar / Backup Vox, Mo Mayberry - Alto Sax, Paul Barnes - Baritone Sax, Travis Steelman - Trumpet, Josh Nethken - Alto Sax, and Matt Wright - Trombone. At this

point their is no room on stage for these guys.

The NoShows put on an amazing live show that is loads of fun and brings an audience to life from the start and they stay that way until the end dancing, skanking, moshing, whatever it makes people move. Sonic Boom got a few members of the band Daniel, Jonny and Mo to talk to us about the band, the fans and their debut album “Root For The Bull.”

Sonic Boom!: The NoShows are a seven piece SKA band from New Orleans. When and how did the band form?

Daniel: The NoShows started out more or less as an excuse for Jonny and Billy and I to get together in a garage once a week and drink beer. We were a four piece then, playing pretty much the same style of music, and frankly some of the songs you still hear today, but lacking entirely in the horns department. In many respects, the band remains in part an excuse to get together once a week and drink beer, but we have graduated slightly from the garage to the state of the art Fountainbleau Storage Facility and have been adding horn players as we go, in fact just bringing in another alto sax and a long awaited and elusive trombone recently. The sound keeps getting

bigger. Hoping all will be good to go for upcoming gig at Rare Form on August 25, 2017.

Jonny: I don’t remember when it was (2011, I think) Me, Billy, Daniel, & our original bass player were old friends doing a lot of drinking together. Billy was the only one still playing then and the rest of us were pretty rusty to say the least. I hadn’t really played my guitar for years . . . at least not seriously. We decided we should just get together and start playing. I had some stored up ska-punk songs I had written previously with horn parts worked out and everything. I was hell-bent on getting a horn section together, but that wouldn’t happen for a couple years and in the meantime we played as a four piece and I dreamed of what it would be like to have a 7 piece. The modern incarnation of The NoShows started in about 2013 when we got the rest of the guys. Mo and a former member, Jack were our first two horns. And a few months later Mo introduced us to Paul. Membership changed a bit over time, Travis joined, Chris joined . . . and quit . . . and joined again. And we’re still adding members to the horn section. We just played a show with Josh on sax and just had our first practice with Matt on trombone. No one knows how we will fit on stage.

Mo: Started with Daniel, Jonny, Billy, and Matt. Not

sure when they started to get together, but I joined The NoShows about 3 or 4 years ago. Daniel and I were playing pick up soccer together when he mentioned being in a SKA-Punk band but were in need of a horn section.

I started playing in middle school and had been playing open mics on Frenchman since moving back to New Orleans but was looking for a new excuse to play. So, I showed up to a show, then decided to go to practice.

Sonic Boom!: SKA-Punk had it’s heyday during the big alternative rock movement in the 1990’s. Bands like the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Less Than Jake, Fishbone, and Reel Big Fish led the way and still get some radio play but many fans have forgotten it or even think it was a silly form of music. I always have thought SKA was awesome and a perfect fit with punk rock . . . I still feel this way. As a SKA band in 2017 what do you do to sway the misguided fans into enjoying the NoShows brand of SKA? Daniel: If you like punk rock with a bigger, fuller sound, if you like seeing too many people on stage, if you like shiny metal instruments, there is no reason not to come out and get some NoShows in your life. I think with The NoShows, Jonny and Billy and I are at heart punk rock guys, but starting out we wanted to do something a

little bolder sonically, with a little more BOOM if you will (hat tip), and maybe a little less straightforward than we could have accomplished as a four piece. So far, I think it’s working for us. And though we certainly can draw a line from our band back to the acts you mentioned, the NoShows are pretty frill-less. No suits or fedoras, no gimmick really. I don’t think anyone who comes to see us will confuse us with a Reel Big Fish, no disrespect to our forefathers. It ain’t a candy store and we ain’t singing about vegetarians or selling out, at least not so far.

Jonny: Some people say, “I haven’t heard music like that in years!” So they get a kick out of the throwback. I think some of the younger fans may not even know all that much about the ska-punk of the 90’s and just like the energy and the sound of it all. There’s a lot to look at and hear when you’ve got that many members.

Mo: I’ve never really had an issue with anyone being misguided. When I mention being in a SKA-Punk band people either light up and get excited about how they used to listen to it or have no idea what the genre is. Both scenarios offer great opportunities to pull up our album or encourage giving us a like on Facebook (@thenoshows.music).

Sonic Boom!: I brought up the previous question because I’ve seen the NoShows play quite a few times and you always have a pretty decent crowd at the show (more than most local bands). Does the band have a large following or do you guys have the magic formula to book the right shows with the right bands? Or is it that everyone in the band brings two friends and it packs the place . . . seven members indeed.

Daniel: The NoShows are blessed to have a supportive group of friends and we seem to pick up a new fan or two each time we go out there. There is no magic formula. I think it helps that we all genuinely like each other, are excited to play shows together, and go out every time trying to outdo the last one. Hopefully that energy and camaraderie is palpable for the folks out on the floor, and keeps them coming back. We have played to empty rooms before and it is not fun. We encourage everyone to bring two friends to the next show. Probably doesn’t hurt that we usually play for free and encourage the exuberant imbibing of alcohol.

Jonny: I truly don’t know how it happens, but we appreciate the hell out of it. Our fans are the best!

Mo: We have an incredible group of “Obligated Friends” that come and support us at most of our shows.

The trick is to get your friends to bring a friend or two and to talk about the band. Eventually you’ll find someone that is interested and then all you have to do is keep them posted with what is going on.

Sonic Boom!: The band has a little bit of a different style than most of the SKA bands I’ve seen. You play what seems to be a darker and seedier sound than traditional SKA-Punk bands and that works really well with your two vocalist. Can you describe the sound of the NoShows and tell us what were your influences behind the sound?

Daniel: Dark and seedy is taken as a compliment. [It was totally meant as a complement] Thank you. Again, we wanted to do a something different, and the sound is hard for even us to pin down sometimes. It has just sort of come about organically as Jonny and I work together with pieces of songs we have and eventually arrive at a finished product. We try to be egalitarian in the creative process so I think what you hear is often the result of a combination of ideas from a number different band members. As for influence, there are the usual suspects when it comes to ska and punk: The Clash, Operation Ivy, Less than Jake, the Bosstones, Mustard Plug, Mu330, Streetlight Manifesto, The Suicide Machines, Voodoo Glow Skulls, Rancid, the Mad Caddies, NOFX, Millencolin, Sublime and on and on. I know I personally draw some influence from bands

like Alkaline Trio, Against Me, Nirvana, some local brass stuff like your Soul Rebels, Rebirth Brass Band, and Hot 8, and to a lesser extent in terms of the sounds that you actually hear, The Talking Heads and Paul Simon. And Beyonce. I love her. Sue me.

Jonny: It’s definitely a little dark, and a little rough-andtumble, but also heavy on melody. And I’m told it’s pretty catchy. We pull from punk rock giants like Rancid and NOFX and ska-punk bands like Streetlight Manifesto and Against All Authority, and even bands like The Slackers.

Mo: My first influence to the genre was Goldfinger when I was playing some Tony Hawk Pro Skater. But, I really only started getting into SKA-Punk after I started showing up to practice and wanted to hear what other bands horns sounded like. I started with Streetlight and Reel Big Fish because they have some pretty rad horn section.

Sonic Boom!: In 2016 the album “Root For The Bull” was released as a vinyl and digital only album. Was their a reason it wasn’t released on CD? Daniel: We are stupid? Does that count as an answer?

I think to be honest, we may have miscalculated the number of people who had record players and loved vinyl in this day and age. But really, we like vinyl, we think it is cool, its tangible, and with the download code anyone can make CD’s to their hearts content. On the next one, we will probably consider CDs as it’s cheaper and more accessible, but I would expect us to revisit vinyl in the future as well. There is something fun about pulling a record out of the sleeve that a jewel case or a touch screen just can’t replicate.

our debut album. We had recorded a little EP prior to that entitled the “Not Sorry EP,” also available on bandcamp for anyone interested . . . The album was recorded with our good friend and super talented producer type guy James Whitten. James has a lot of talent and experience and made some time for us between touring the world as sound guy for A Wilhelm Scream among other cool things he gets up to.

Jonny: We recorded with James Whitten in his old space at Fountainbleu. I can’t say enough good things about James. He made us sound like we know what Sonic Boom!: “Root For The Bull” is an amazing record we’re doing. I think we did it over the course of a couple from beginning to end. What can you tell us about the months. It was a big job with this many guys. album? Is this the first album that you have put out?

Where was it recorded? How long did it take to record the Sonic Boom!: As a seven member band your influences album? Any special or interesting stories in the recording must be far and wide. Can you tell us some of the bands process? that inspired you to become what you are today?

Daniel: Firstly, thank you very much for the high praise.

Daniel: We all listen to a lot of different music and that Probably undeserved but we will take it. And if anyone has to filter its way in. Aside from the stuff mentioned doesn’t believe him, you can go judge his taste in music at above, I know we have guys in the band who listen to https://thenoshows.bandcamp.com “Root for the Bull” is everything from Irish folk to hip hop music, so, it’s just

a bunch of people with varied tastes and ideas coming together, and what you hear is what you get. Hope you like it.

Jonny: For me, I think that’s pretty much the same list as the influences of the darker ska sound. But I also love the blues and old soul music. And more recently, my wife has me hooked on some bluegrass tunes.

expect you will see us branching out in the near-ish future but until then, we will continue to do our best tearing it down right here at home. We welcome the opportunity though, so any readers out there from out of town, hit us up! As far as the out of town bands we have played with, we have just been lucky I think. We have been invited to do things out of town and will be pursuing those offers in the future I hope. A lot of groups have Sonic Boom!: Has the band toured outside of contacted us through Facebook, and we have done our Louisiana? You have had several out of state bands play part to help make those shows happen. We have been shows with you when I have seen you play, do they invite pretty good about keeping in touch with the bands we you to play shows in their home towns? get to perform with and it’s all just worked out for us.

Jonny: No, we haven’t. I think they do, you gotta ask No secret sauce there, just have fun and others will want Daniel. to have fun with you.

Daniel: We have not. As noted, there are at least Mo: We have not toured outside of New Orleans, except seven of us at any given time, swelling to nine in for that one time in Metairie. There was a point earlier this recent days. And if you have seen us try to get on or year when we were being contacted more by out of town off of a stage before, it’s a bit like herding cats, who bands to play shows when they were rolling through town are also stupid and suffer from severe organizational than we were from local bands. But, organizing 7 people problems. That being said, we fully aspire to who all have day jobs to find a common 3 day weekend to go stretch our legs a bit and at least venture down the gulf on the road is a bit of a chore. But, to answer your question coast for starters. Would be fun to get the music out to we have been invited to come play in other towns. some new people and get some more folks on board. I Sonic Boom!: A NoShows show is guaranteed to be

fun and the crowd will be dancing and having a great time . . . and you always have girls skanking in the pit for the entire show (and they don’t ever let the boys push them around). Your shows are like a big group of friends having a whole lot of fun. This isn’t really a question as much as an appreciation of the joy and community that seems to happen when the NoShows take the stage.

Daniel: So I’ll respond first by saying thanks, and that it means a lot to hear you say that. We are really fortunate to have had some great experiences with crowds at our shows and we are always encouraging people to step forward and get involved. Trying to convince people that we don’t bite. So far it seems to be working. I like to think, as you pointed out, and as we touched on earlier, that it comes down to the fact that we as a band are having a goddamn great time. We aren’t making a living off of this project, and that isn’t really the point. We are all good friends and we want the shows to be a party. The fact that that attitude is getting picked up by the good people who come out to listen makes it all the more worthwhile. The community of bands we get to play with (like Joystick, I’m Fine, the Bills, Tomb of Nick Cage, Name Calling, Start Select, and 11 Blade to name a few) are all fun guys

with supportive fans and everyone contributes to the fun atmosphere. We hope we can keep that going for as long as we are doing it. It should be a party and we want you to party with us.

Jonny: We have a ton of fun playing and we don’t take ourselves too seriously. I think that rubs off on the audience.

Mo: I think we need you as our hype man. We’ll all pitch in to get you a green fuzzy hat.

Sonic Boom!: Is there anything that you would like to add that will convince everyone to become NoShows fans?

Daniel: We have a great time. Come to a NoShows show and you get to see, like in an aquarium, way too many people in a band, having way more fun than they should be, and It seems to be infections. Also we sometimes tell some jokes and make fun of each other, which I’m sure is very charming. And since we largely play for free you don’t really have an excuse.

Jonny: When’s the last time you saw somebody skank?

You should really make time for that.

If you are in New Orleans and looking for a good time you should find out when the NoShows are playing and

catch their show it is not something that you will regret. SKA-Punk is alive and well, it lives in New Orleans, do not miss this band, and do whatever you need to do to get your hands on their album “Root For The Bull.”

Find the NoShows on Facebook at www.facebook. com/thenoshows.music give them a like and find out when they are playing again.

Head over to Bancamp to buy the digital download of the album “Root For The Bull” at https:// thenoshows.bandcamp.com for only five dollars you are sure to get you monies worth out of it.

- Kevin P. Johnson

As Trainwrecks Go,

It’s The

Corey Feldman Show!

By Kevin P. Johnson

Corey Feldman Live at Southport Music Hall, New Orleans, LA . . . sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. I think that by this pointy we have all saw the Today Show performances and the video of him getting hit in the mouth by his microphone on YouTube right? The show that was supposed to be a massive train-wreck, it had to be (and it pretty much was in a lot of ways) but it turned into a train-wreck where nobody got hurt and when it was all over I couldn’t help but feel that I was entertained.

Personally I am not a fan of Corey Feldman’s original music but the show was affordable and I had to see exactly what would happen . . . and I wanted to take pictures. So I get there early to assure a front row spot and so I could be sure not to miss anything. I knew that if anything strange and unusual were to happened I just might be able to get a photo of it. Well the show started and it was quite bizarre from the very start, with awkward dance moves and a weird sense of nostalgia that may have been in the wrong place at the right time.

Corey Feldman plays pop music that is not really that great but he believes in it. He believes in it a lot and puts a lot of energy into his performance. With tons of costume changes and a belief that he was doing something great either meant that he was crazy or on to something . . .

most likely crazy but that didn’t stop him from doing his thing and not caring what anyone had to say about his music or performance.

The crowd was pretty large for the venue, I’ve heard numbers from 1,000 to 1,300 people attended the concert and most of them stayed for the two hour plus show.

From social media post leading up to the event most people were saying that they wanted to go just to see the train-wreck but their were a lot of people dressed in their finest 1980’s attire and singing along to every song proving that as weird as all of this is the guy has made some real fans and I think that is what every band is trying to do with their music.

The show was a mixture of original material and quite a few cover songs that were almost all related to the movie history in which he has been a part of. For me the music wasn’t the weird part of the show but his choice to use all of the signature dance moves from his late friend Michael Jackson. Every move was directly channeled from Michael Jackson and they were not done as smoothly as the former “King of Pop” would have done them. I think that his whole musical adventure is to try to recreate himself into a new Michael Jackson as I mentioned is obvious in his poses and movements but

also in his hair. The performance seemed really awkward and bizarre and that was only enhanced by his over use of name dropping and talking about himself throughout the show. Despite the weirdness Feldman still played to the crowd as if he was the best thing around and even when the show got to a super weird moment it was entertaining . . . maybe I was just intrigued at the weirdness of it all.

The band (Corey’s Angels) was equally a strange group.

Five beautiful women backing him up dressed scantily in white with angel wings and halo’s. The band barely moved for the most part and if they did it was mostly just a dance in place kind of thing. The Angels held their positions on the stage and established themselves as just the backing band. Feldman spoke of his Angels highly and referred to them as great musicians though and he gave each of them complements throughout the show. As the show went on each member of the band got her chance to perform a solo that showed that she had real talent and that made it hard for me to figure out why they were playing this weird pop music. Each one of Corey’s Angels could play in any number of styles of music and they can really rock if they wanted to.

As strange as the show was there were moments of surprise that made the performance worth seeing. One

of these moments was the cover of Gerard McMahon’s gothic theme song from The Lost Boys Soundtrack – “Cry Little Sister,” this song was heavy and dark and I immediately thought that if Corey’s original music was half as good as this one song people would not take him for a joke. It was like it was a different band for the five minutes or so this song went on. They briefly created something powerful and impressive and there is nothing bad that could be said about that song or their performance of it.

The one part of the night that actually blew the crowd away had nothing to do with Corey Feldman himself, it was when his guitarist performed her solo. The solo was a was a medley of alternative, hard rock and heavy metal songs that made the crowd go crazy. The medley covered many different songs from the White Stripes to the Scorpions, and bands like Nirvana, Ozzy Osbourne, Pantera, Megadeth, Metallica, and Slayer . . . but then it ended with a killer rendition of “Eruption” by Van Halen.

The girl can shred and I hope that after her time with Corey’s Angels she finds herself in a good rock band that really shows off her talent.

By far I think that the cover songs that were performed were done a whole lot better than his original material.

One of the covers was a pretty decent version of the hit

“Man in the Mirror” by Michael Jackson that allowed Corey to become in his own mind the persona of his friend and hero for a little while. Another big hit cover that the band performed was the late 80’s hit for Michael Damian, “Rock On.” These two songs had the crowd singing along and seeming to enjoy themselves. At one point in the set Corey left the stage and one of his Angels sang the Cyndi Lauper classic “The Goonies ‘R’ Good Enough” which was fun and silly and entertaining.

As train-wrecks go the Corey and His Angels show was definitely one but it was fun entertainment and nobody got hurt. I’m still not a fan of his music or anything but I am glad I went to the show to see what the entire spectacle was about.

A lot of opinions came out the day after the show a lot by people who didn’t even attend and it was bitter and harsh and a complete waste of energy. We all like to give our opinions about bands and say that someone is great and someone else sucks but if you are actively trashing things you do not like it seems to me that you are taking away from the time you could be talking about the things that you love. Corey Feldman . . . yeah his act is really kind of ridiculous but don’t waste your time bashing that, go find some great band that you love and want the world to know about and do everything that you can to go out of

your way to give that band all of your love and time. More than likely there is some band in your hometown that is amazing and barely anyone knows it, they need you and they need all of your post which can give them the free promotion that they desperately need.

Corey Feldman and his Angels . . . I can’t say that I will ever go to another one of their concerts and I won’t be buying any of his music or merchandise but for one night in July of 2017 he entertained me with his bizarre brand of pop music and stage act. I do not regret going to the show but I would rather that Corey Feldman found his way back into a movie career that gave us some fun classics (he has worked a lot in movies over the years.)

I think the moral of this story is don’t judge too harshly, don’t spend too much time bashing the things that you dislike, and whatever happens trust me when I say this— there are much worse things to see than Corey Feldman, I’ve seen some of them in my very own town, but if that person on the stage is doing something that they love and they believe in themself enough to do it in front of other people then they deserve to be there no matter what any of us think about their ability or performance.

Go out and have fun make the music you love, love the music you make.

- Kevin P. Johnson

What started as a sonic experiment with home-made analogue effects has blossomed into an electronic hip hop duo, with Chris “Naughtypie” Herbeck running beats and sound effects, and Annie Gaia spitting vivid rhymes packed with attitude. Their collaborative project is a versatile dance party anchored in electronic grooves, aquatic aesthetics, and a continual theme of inclusiveness —dubbed Sea Battle. Between their work with dancers, musicians, and other artists, the duo has created a constantly evolving live performance. Whether they’re opening for a sold out party with Big Freedia or diving into an experimental noise set for a house show, Sea Battle has found the balance of experimentation and fun that largely makes New Orleans underground music special.

Sonic Boom! recently caught up with Sea Battle to talk about how the project started, and what to expect from their future musical adventures.

Sonic Boom!: How did you first start making music as Sea Battle, and what kind of music were you listening to at that time?

Chris: I first started Sea Battle as an experimental noise project. I can’t really say I was listening to other things that were in the same style of it, but I was aware of the band Negativland, who mostly used samples and looped samples that were manipulated. I wasn’t really trying to copy them, but because they existed, it told me “oh, it’s okay to do this weird shit like this. This exists already.” But as Sea Battle is now, it’s mostly influenced by me working with Annie, who’s the other creative side of it. It’s experimental, which to me, means it has no boundaries. Noise [music] actually has boundaries. Once it starts getting into more musical elements and having a beat, it doesn’t really fall into the category of being experimental as much. But if it’s weird enough, it’s still experimental. Sea Battle evolved into experimental music more so than just being a noise project.

Annie: He’s been making noise [music] forever. When we first met, his beats I heard were just beautiful. [to Chris] You have your alter ego.

Sonic Boom!: How did ya’ll meet? Did you intend for Sea Battle to be so collaborative or did that just happen?

Chris: I always thought, in the back of my head, that it would evolve from what it originally was to involve other people. Definitely a collaborative thing. I didn’t think it would ever happen, but it was a little serendipitous that I met Annie at the time that I was making these beats.

I had told a friend who we both knew, and who Annie was about to move in with, “oh I’ve been making these beats.” My friend had been following my experimental noise projects, and she said, “Oh play them at this party, for Annie’s house warming party, and it’s also my birthday.” I had never done anything like that before. So I brought my keyboard and we did it. We plugged it into a home stereo, and I played a few of my programs, and I looked up and everyone was dancing and having a good time.

Annie: I had all the girls at the party harmonizing. We were doing like a Ben Folds vibe. But I had known Chris outside of that for a while too. We had a cool relationship for this non-profit that Reese Johanson started, Art Klub, bringing a lot of local artists into this theater community. I had seen Chris make sets for plays and run lights for a cool musical project we helped put together. So when he brought the beats to the party, I loved it immediately.

Chris: It was just something that happened. We would have jam sessions at Art Klub, and I saw her sing with a jazz band there before. They didn’t know what they were going to play, and she didn’t know what they were going to play, but I saw her just go up there and rip it with them—I was super impressed, because that’s not something anyone can do. A lot of my instincts with noise experimentation also came from improvisation, so we were both okay with taking that approach to our music. Luckily, with the programs I use, I’m able to keep everything in time. It makes it to where I can be the full band, and Annie can be the singer. Since one piece of gear basically dictates our sound, I can make Hip Hop beats, and a lot of our electronic sounds can go into any

genre from House to Drum and Bass. I have beats that Sonic Boom!: How did performance art become a even go into tribal rhythms. part of Sea Battle?

Annie: Coming from a theater background for me Sonic Boom!: Who else have you collaborated with? and for Chris, I kept telling him that we should get some Chris: We had a cellist, who was classically trained, lights and do some projections. And one day he just said, and she would run her instrument through some pedals. “You know what Annie, you should do it.” It gives us a For our recording of “Clones” on our EP, all of the extra nice balance, because he’s in charge of the beats and I’m noise on that track—I recorded her running her cello in charge of the spectacle. Whenever he’s setting up he’ll through a pedal called a Memory Boy. And then MC be hooking plugging things in and I’ll be setting up the Trachiotomy will sit in with us sometimes as The Ghost fabrics and things on that route. I’ve always danced, and of MC Trachiotomy— I’ve always liked to enjoy he’s ephemeral like a beautiful site on a stage, that. And now we have so I just want to perform Hex [Windham] who something that I would I think will be more want to go see. It’s cool of a permanent band when we get some badass member. We’ve had a photography of it. It’s relationship with Hex also a fun way to have playing shows, I made other people on board as a remix of one of [his well, making it more of band] Scarecrow Sonic a big art collaboration.

Boombox’s songs, he Sometimes I think I push made a video game for a little too far— having us that was projected dancers can take away at some of our shows. a little too much of my When I saw him make energy, when I just want that video game, I to get weird and be a babe couldn’t’ believe he did on stage. I spoke with an all of that for us. He amazing artist from New wasn’t even in our band, but he put all of this work into Orleans, MC Sweet Tea, who started bringing dancers on this. I really admired that, and I like him as a person and stage with rappers—she tells me it’s worth the work for the a musician — it just works out. spectacle. This woman does it all with her shows—Ariels, costumes, her message. It’s key to be organized and know Sonic Boom!: Do you think things like video game what you want. I’m always working on structure for the projections and performance art will make Sea Battle Nocturnal Mermettes (Sea Battles dancers). more of an immersive party experience in addition to Chris: Annie approached me with the idea of bringing being a musical one? in dancers. She said “I want dancers. It would be really Chris: Well, Hex just made the video game, and I was cool to have some people break out some moves while like “what are we gonna do with it?” We had a great show we’re performing,” and I thought it was a great idea. At coming up at One Eyed Jacks’ front room and decided that point, she was getting used to me shooting down to project it during the show so people in the audience all of her ideas, but there was no reason for me to say could play it as a demo. That was fun, but after that it no to that. The approach to Sea battle is experimental, just seemed like a no-brainer to project some of the so that is just another experiment that even goes beyond video game images on the stage while we performed. We sound. Sometimes dancers perform with us, sometimes it haven’t had a chance to really refine it since Hex joined works better when it’s just me and Annie depending on the band as our guitarist. But eventually we would like to the show—the shows are always changing. If we kept it further push the boundaries of the dancer and rigid, that would take the fun out of it. projection interactions. I just like to think of it as art, and I don’t feel too concerned with how it ends up Sonic Boom!: Do you ever build your own pedals or being categorized. tools to use in Sea Battle?

Annie: He’s a mad scientist (laughs).

Chris: I do, I have a side project called Herr Schmitt, and the concept of it is demonstrating homemade inventions or circuit-bent things. It’s just a demonstration of things I’ve modified or built. Some of it ends up spilling over and becoming useful for Sea Battle. We like to do intros that are noisy and set the tone, that kind of freak people out for the first few minutes. Usually, that’s where they take place. In one song we have a beat breakdown, and I’ll just loop some oscillations with a little box that I made. I, uh, don’t have a circuit diagram or a name for the thing. It’s just a box with some knobs and wires coming out of it. We also have some circuit-bent toys—a battleship and a toy aircraft carrier that makes an air horn alarm, and we’ll use that live. It’ll be plugged in and Annie will hold the aircraft Carrier—it’s another part of the show.

Annie: I get to push those buttons!

Sonic Boom!: Where did that part of the “Sea Battle” theme come from? Were you influenced by old-school movies with sounds like you mentioned, or were those just random toys you came across?

Chris: A lot of my source material was from movies, and it just makes it sound like it’s an adventure. The name Sea Battle is actually from an Atari game that’s, you know, obsolete. Most people know Joust or Pac Man when it comes to Atari, but it’s a more obscure, old school video game reference. There were so many Atari games that Sea Battle was just a generic one. I thought of the name, and then I Googled it and found out it was a game. That was perfect, it made the name even cooler. The very first Sea Battle song didn’t have a military theme or old school battleship imagery. It was kind of silly and had almost a fantasy theme. I thought that I could explore this music in so many ways and still have this underlying theme of adventure. Not everything we do is tied into that, but we try to have a little bit of consciousness and social commentary.

Annie: Which is weird, because when we made our first few songs we had lyrics about anarchy and the government, and now the things we were writing about, and I was singing about, are all happening.

sounds that would make it more interesting. As I started working on the sounds, I just became engulfed in that.

I started making more of the part that I enjoyed most, which was the sounds. After I had an album’s worth of stuff, I recorded it, and then I made another one! And I would sell them at art shows. I didn’t really ever know how far it would go.

Annie: And it’s a great outlet for me to freestyle over.

I’ve been doing that since I was 18. Triple Six Mafia— when I was 18 I saw them at the club. I was like, “You guys are bad. You guys just have bad language!” And they were like, “All right, well you do it.” And they told me just to do whatever comes out, and not to think about it, just do it. And then everything that came out of my mouth was profanity too, and it all rhymed together. I knew then I had to work harder with my flow to be proper and say something people should hear. There’s power in words.

Chris: Wait, this really happened?

Annie: Yeah! It was Al Kapone, and I didn’t know who they were at the time—it was in my Memphis glory days. But that’s when I started to freestyle. I always try to keep it sharp, you know? Always trying to do open mics. I did it at this cool venue—The Boom Boom Room in San Francisco last year. I look like a Tulane student, but when you pass me the mic, I will funk you up. It’s really fun, and I enjoy being who I am when I’m doing it. There’s no denying, I look like a sorority girl —I know what I look like, but whenever Chris puts a new beat down, it just comes to my head. It’s like magic, but we have to record it. If we don’t, we’ll be like, “What did we do last Week? I don’t remember . . .”

Chris: and it might not be the words that we have to capture, it might just be the flow or the pattern. When you get down to the specifics of making a song, it’s like a puzzle: the pieces have to fit right. The wrong sound can throw everything off. It’s a weird thing where you kinda become familiar with your process, and you learn what you can be loose on and what needs to be consistent.

We’re constantly working on that. There’s not one way that we write a song, we’re constantly taking all these different approaches.

Annie: Recording is more difficult for us than live shows. I’m a live, theatrical person. I freestyle everything, even at live shows. I may have a chorus, but everything is off-the-cuff. Chris knows I’m a writer and a poet, so he’s always pushing me to also be a recording artist and to write it down.

Sonic Boom!: How did you initially get into experimenting with analogue sound effects?

Chris: It was just my personal obsession with electronics. My original practice was visual art. When I had my first art installation, I thought the visual part Sonic Boom!: How big of an influence is Hip Hop on wasn’t that interesting, and I thought I could make some Sea Battle?

Chris: I feel like with the era we grew up in, Hip Hop was part of America’s consciousness. It’s no longer just a section of America’s music. Right now, I’ve been listening to a lot of Hip Hop for research. The artists who are making stuff right now really interest me. We try to be influenced by anything progressive, and right now, Hip Hop is super progressive and it has the most places to go. Hip-Hop has the same DNA as punk rock basically —just because it doesn’t have to fit in this category or that category. They have more similarities than people think. We’ve played with a lot of punk bands before like Scarecrow Sonic Boombox or Liquor & Lies—really heavy bands that don’t sound like us at all. But it’s a scene that just allows for anyone to do something different and push boundaries—that’s what the crux of these genres was when they first started: experimentation. Now they’ve become cornered and marketed and they have to sound a certain way.

Annie: we just got on Spotify recently, and we have a cool idea to do a Love and War album, which will be our first full-length. As always, looking for local collaborations, too.

Chris: For songs that we play live and that we want to add to our full length, I want to find different producers, so by the next time we have a new recording project, we’ll know who to work with. There are definitely a lot of professionals that know what they’re doing, who we could potentially work with.

Annie: New Orleans is definitely a city full of mentors, and they’re willing to help us. A lot of people really enjoy what we do, and a lot of people have been willing to help, just because Sea Battle is pretty different. We’re very lucky that we live in this city, because you have a place that’s known for Jazz, but we also have a pretty raw, underground scene. The venues love us because we’re always doing a lot. When you have the support of the community it’s awesome. And when you live in the same place as Quintron and Miss Pussycat, the inspiration never ceases. So much electronic music is coming from here, it’s rad. Also not only do Chris and I enjoy making this art project, but also we do rap workshops with kids. You think you’ve seen really cool acts? Well, when you hand a mic to a six-year-old and they rap about watermelons and how they wanna crush summer and never go home—they’re really tiny geniuses.

We do a lot of cool things with the Positive Vibrations Foundation. We enjoy giving to adults, but we feel it’s our responsibility to let kids feel like superstars. And let me tell you: They. Love. Sea Battle. I’m glad to make music with someone who agrees with me about giving back. We feel very blessed that New Orleans not only gives to us, but we’re able to give back to the city.

Chris: Yeah, you gotta give back.

Sonic Boom!: What pushes y’all to constantly experiment in your music with noise effects and bringing in collaborators and making continuous changes to Sea Battle?

Annie: We don’t want to be bored. We can get pretty bored with our songs. I think Naughtypie is always pushing the envelope.

Chris: I try to pursue what I admire in other artists. The Melvins for example. Nothing we do sounds like what they do, but they set creative goals and decide on who to collaborate with. They don’t really give a shit what anybody thinks. If we were just going for the easy path, I could just make some trap beats or just do bounce music, but that just wouldn’t be as interesting. Even with the noise genre, there are people who run a feedback loop through five different distortion pedals, an equalizer and some delay.

They might scream and do some power electronics . . .

Be sure to check out Sea Battle on Bandcamp and Don’t get me wrong, I love that stuff. But if there are five Spotify, and play as Sea Battle in their video games, Sea people in one city doing that stuff, that’s already enough. So Battle: Clone Attack! (http://bloxels.co/138%7C842) and Sea Battle is us kind of pushing back against all of that.

Annie’s Dance Quest (http://bloxels.co/138%7C846), both built by Hex Windham!

Sonic Boom!: Does Sea Battle have any upcoming projects at the moment?

- Austen Krantz

TAKE ME TO THE SHOW All show times, dates, cover charge, age restrictions and lineups are subject to change.

You should contact the venue and/or bands for further information.

9-1: Solunar’s EP Release w/ RESURFACE & Event Horizon 8 PM · Southport Hall Live Music & Party Hall, New Orleans, LA, 18+, $7.00

9-28: Sacred Reich - 30 Years of Ignorance Tour with Intrepid Bastards and Byzantine 8 PM · Southport Hall Live Music & Party Hall, New Orleans, LA, 18+, $19.00/$30.00

09-2: First Fracture, Sustenance, Fighting For Frequencies, & Cake Rangers 9 PM · The Twist of Lime, Metairie, LA, 21+

9-29: Bending at Southport Music Hall 8 PM · Southport Hall Live Music & Party Hall, New Orleans, LA, 18+, $7.00

9-1: Flying Raccoon Suit 11 PM · The Juke Joint, Ocean Springs, MS

09-29: Stepping Sideways & More 9 PM · The Twist of Lime, Metairie, LA, 21+

9-2: Joystick, Green Gasoline, Diplocrats, Gools, Rich Octopus. Free Show!

9 PM · Banks St Bar, New Orleans, LA, 21+, FREE

9-30: Saint Roch 5 PM · Babylon Sportsbar, Metairie, LA, 21+

9-7: Metro Station - 10 Year Anniversary Tour 8 PM · The Willow, New Orleans, LA, 18+, $12 - $18 9-8: Scotty Elstrott 8 PM · Caddyshack Bar and Grill, Metairie, LA, FREE 9-9: Zombies Eating Sheep, The Void, and Naughty Palace. In the Southport Deck Room 9 PM · Southport Hall Live Music & Party Hall, New Orleans, LA, 18+, $7.00 9-9: The Return of Southern Brutality with Misled and Mean Machine 9 PM · The Twist of Lime, Metairie, LA, 21+ 09-15: Inbetween EP Release w/ Bear The Gentleman, Sometimes The Fall, & Fear Unknown 9 PM · The Twist of Lime, Metairie, LA, 21+ 9-16: Bad Moon Lander & The Weakness 9 PM · The Twist of Lime, Metairie, LA, 21+ 9-17: Quicksand with No Joy 9 PM · One Eyed Jacks, New Orleans, LA, 18+, $25.00 9-18: Overkill, Crowbar, Havok, and Black Fast 6 PM · Southport Hall Live Music & Party Hall, New Orleans, LA, 18+, $25.00/$40.00 09-22: Nun Remains, 9 Slug, & The Blackcat Massacre 9 PM · The Twist of Lime, Metairie, LA, 21+ 9-23: ZYNC, Vivisektor and TBA 9 PM · The Twist of Lime, Metairie, LA, 21+

10-6: Green Mantles Igor’s Checkpoint Charlie, New Orleans, LA, FREE 10-8: Motograter. In the Southport Deck Room 7 PM · Southport Hall Live Music & Party Hall, New Orleans, LA, 18+, $7.00 10-13: Puddle Of Mudd with Akadia and Remedy 8 PM · Southport Hall Live Music & Party Hall, New Orlaens, LA, 18+, $22.00/$40.00/$200.00 10-13: Jak Locke, Breach, Tomb Of Nick Cage, & People On The Side 9 PM · The Twist of Lime, Metairie, LA, 21+ 10:21: Glamarama Halloween Glam ‘n Goth Party with Trashlight & Billion Dollar Baby Dolls w/ WTUL DJ Pete Simonson 7:30 · Café Istanbul, New Orleans, LA 10-28: HELL FEST #2, Arbre Mort. Nun Remains, Hex Campaign, Choke, Black Kreole, Vivisektor and Aurum 7 PM · The Twist of Lime, Metairie, LA, 21+

Attention BANDS & Fans We’d like to expand this section.

If you have an upcoming show or know of a show please let us know about it.

We are currently looking for info on late October 2017 - December 2017 shows for our next issue.

at times but you do get a pretty fair sampling of what the current Louisiana rock scene is about.

The album (including the online tracks) introduces me to 14 new bands that I had never heard before so that is refreshing and it also gives me new recordings by most of the other 11 bands that I hadn’t heard before.

For new fans this music has a lot of variety and I think the point of it is to show you what is out there and if you like something on this album you should get out to a show and support the bands and seek out more of their music.

The bands on this compilation cover a lot of ground from alternative rock, black metal, death metal, electronic rap, experimental metal, progressive rock, hard rock, funk, to horror punk so hold on you’re going for a ride.

Bands featured on the CD are Zombies Eating Sheep, Bending, Raise The Death Toll, Like Water, Resurface, The Absence Project, Bongzeye, Opener, Tomb Of Nick Cage, Onerous, Cain Resurrection, The Void, Inbetween, Cultum Nocte, For The Wait. The Online only bands are A Hanging, Vivisektor, Rella, Omega Faction, A Tiny Bands In Your Backyard: Louisiana Clack Of Sparks, Beyond Oblivion, Fly Molo, BrokenEdition bytheburden, and Holoverse.

Various Artist, 2017 This may be one of those albums that you find one Independent band that you really love on it or you may find twentyfour new adventures to delve into and spend the rest of Originally the Bands In Your Backyard: Louisiana Edition CD your days trying to track down the rest of the music that was made to be given out at the Warped Tour when it these bands have created. came to Louisiana . . . well the Warped Tour cancelled If you can track this disc down it will definitely be a coland the CD had to find a new way of getting out into the lectors item as the copies were limited and a few of these world so the publishers have been at several local shows bands may break through nationally some day soon. The handing them out. The CD is limited to I believe one album leans a lot to the heavy side so don’t expect any New hundred copies and contains 15 tracks by a mixture of Orleans Jazz on this but don’t let that stop you from trying Louisiana bands ranging from electronic rap to horror out something new from the bands that make up a local punk to death metal but if you visit the bandcamp page scene in New Orleans and around the state of Louisiana. you can get all of the music for free and find an additional Check it out fans! nine songs . . . you can’t beat that.

Now the music on this compilation isn’t always for the Get it at bandsinyourbackyard.bandcamp.com/releases -Kevin P. Johnson fans of radio friendly music, it gets heavy and aggressive

The kind of sound that you might hear in a movie at the sterotypical moment (maybe I’m making this up but I hear it and I like it).

The album finishes with “Bacon Waltz” and sure enough it’s a damned fuzzy waltz about cooking breakfast with your best girl . . . maybe it’s just about sex.

But wait remember I mentioned possible Asian things?

Well included as secret tracks on this album are the four song “Panda Attack” E.P. which the bandcamp page describes as “new recordings of old chinese folk songs.”

Well I doubt that part is true but “King of Hong Kong (Combo #3 with Soup)” is a catchy sounding rocker. “Panda Attack” the song is great fun and further shows the Asian influence on this music. A fun song with some traditional Asian sounds mixed in for good measure.

This is a band worth checking out!

The Prof.Fuzz 63

For more information about The Prof.Fuzz 63 go to prof-fuzz63.bandcamp.com -Kevin P. Johnson

Bang Me Hard! (to get inside), 2017 Dreamy Life Records You wanted the fuzz, you got the fuzz! The Prof.Fuzz 63 jump right into their fuzzy guitar fueled rocker “Shitwater TX Blues.” This song rocks hard and heavy and gets you in the mood for some down and dirty bar business in a shady bar.

This album is a delightful surprise with it’s crazy song titles and indie-rock (soooo fuzzy) sound. “Transcendentalhygentist’s Lullaby” for example . . . I don’t know when the last time you sang “Novacane, ease my pain, novacane. Novacane, novacane, no” was but I know that once you listen to this you wont get those lyrics out of your head for days.

The vocals on this album have that same fuzzy quality as if they are being sung through a megaphone but not really (if that makes sense???), a prime example of this is on “Golden Tickets To Heaven” and “Las Vegas Waltz” and where the fuzzy guitar, organ and drums just fit so nicely with that raspy voice.

The songs all tell a story (you can find out a little about it on the bandcamp page) and sometimes the songs have different meaning that you might think on first listen, “Sippy Cup Blues” chants “Come on little baby, it’s time to get up, drink your juice from a sippi cup” is actually a song about people who have trouble holding their alcohol.

This music is fun and dirty (like dusty hot desert dirty) and my one and only wish if I am lost in Texas some day that I have this album with me because I think it holds secret messages on how to survive the dangers that await.

“Honey Bomb” has an oddly Asian sounding intro.

Decomposer

Relapse, E.P., 2016 Dirty Needle Records THRASH METAL! Well mostly. Decomposer hail from Minneapolis, Minnesota and deliver a fast paced 6 track E.P. on this limited edition cassette from Dirty Needle Records.

“Relapse” is only about 10 minutes long but you get a lot out of it. It starts with the :37 long “Everything Is Fine” which includes a sample of something where a woman

says “Jim I wish you’d start drinkin’ again” and then rips into a massive and quick thrasher that get the pit nice and cozy and ready for destruction.

The next three tracks “Dead Last,” “Dementia X” and “Atrocity” are fast and brutal, but not overly heavy and the vocals are understandable and not that common growl that usually turns me away if the music behind it isn’t something special. This band keeps the high energy flowing and the songs won’t seem so short.

Remember when I said that this was a thrash band with all this fast energy? Well I should also mention they have a song called “Borrowed Time” that is a great song . . . except it throws out everything we heard on the first four tracks and is this really good hard rock song that could get these guys on the radio if they are not careful.

In case the fans got confused the last song on “Relapse” is “Scarecrow” and that kicks right back into the thrash metal pit churning music that this band excels at.

Only 100 copies of the cassette are available which comes with a lyric sheet and download card to get digital versions of the songs.

fit into the genre and have liked every bit of it but it just hasn’t found it’s way into my music collection for one reason or another so when I got this download of the Finland’s own Basementones new E.P. “No Ease, No Rest, No Mercy” it was a nice surprise (and in English). The band refers to themselves as “Arse kickin’ Punk’n Roll from Finland!!!”

“The Call” starts the E.P. off and it is a jumping track from the start. The stand up bass by Tuukka thunders and is a sound I find infectious and Jani hit’s you with raspy vocals that command you pay attention.

It continues into “Green Bastards” as drummer Lahu and guitarist Kinnunen get a chance to shine on a little double solo (is that a thing?) This song has a strong beat that the swing dancers will love to dance and move to.

“The House” is an interesting song because it has an American Old West feel to it . . . which may be totally off but it tells a tail of the Four Horsemen coming “to take their prize” (I listened to this song about 8 times in a row and decided the word was prize, but bride and pride also seemed fitting.) It feels like a song that would be playing at the ending scene of a modern day cowboy movie when the old hero meets his end . . . or maybe fights off the Find the “Relapse” E.P. digitally for only three dollars at death the Four Horsemen bring him. This is my favorite decomposermn.bandcamp.com/album/relapse song on the E.P. -Kevin P. Johnson The final track is “No Regrets” which starts out kind of slow but turns into a fast paced song that brings in the punk rock in the final minute of the song.

Get yourself some Basementones at basementones.bandcamp.com - Kevin P. Johnson

Fly Molo

Fly Molo, E.P., 2016 Independent

Basementones

No Ease, No Rest, No Mercy, E.P., 2017 Umdead Artist Records To be completely honest I do not own very much Psychobilly/Rockabilly music, I have seen a few bands that

On this self-titled E.P., Fly Molo bring the alternative style of rock that was huge in the 1990’s and I think the opening track “Your Gate Is Down” could have been huge back in the 1990’s and even today it could stand on the side of bands like Bush or Breaking Benjamin that still get tons of radio play. This song has hit written all over it (hit is a dirty word to some but it is what it is and it’s a great song.)

The next track “Lowerline” gets a bit psychedelic (or becomes space rock) and sounds a bit like some of the trippier stuff Stone Temple Pilots did . . . I told you these guys would have been big in the 1990’s.

“Letter Bomb” is the track that is going to get these guys put on an F.B.I. watch list “I just planted a bomb, in

your, post office box, and it’s going to blow your tomorrow away.”

That’s probably got a double meaning but if you happen to see these guys are at the post office you might stay away for a few days.

“Fly Molo” is a good six song E.P. that would be great for fans of what made the 1990’s great with a bit of psychadellica over it that makes this and interesting disc and worth checking out.

The final track “Message To Control” is a hard rocking track that may be the most heavy of the songs here. The song builds up in it’s heaviness and kind of reaches it’s peak and stays there throughout most of the song. This is a good thing and maybe it will get some of the headbangers into it.

and scary and definitely isn’t something you want to play at a low volume. The songs are really short for the first nine tracks and for me kind of blend in together as grindcore does for me. It’s really hard for me to differentiate track from track, well until track number ten.

The second to last track of the album “Trumpeting Ecstasy” and the final track “At The Cauldron’s Bottom” change everything and make this album something to look into. The two songs are over nine and a half minutes in total much longer than the rest of the albums tracks “Trumpeting Ecstasy” starts off with this industrial noise with drums and fuzz and a wall of white noise with this haunting ghostly female voice singing.

About midway through the grindcore vocals come in briefly but are soon washed away into the background Get “Fly Molo” at flymoloband.com by the beautiful ghostly voice again. This song ends as a -Kevin P. Johnson lead in to “At The Cauldron’s Bottom” which is superfast and brutal with great blistering guitars, a few minutes it breaks down in the middle into a slow paced march Full Of Hell Trumpeting Ecstasy, 2017 with tormented demonic sounding vocals until finally Profound Lore Records the vocals go away and the march continues to play the album out.

Well it took me a while to decide if I would review this I think that fans of the grindcore genre will like this, the album. The cover art is intriguing and at the same time of- music is definitely brutal and if you survive the first nine fensive to my Catholic beliefs so I had to think if I could tracks the final two songs will give you something different be fair in reviewing this and I can. and maybe a little unexpected.

Full Of Hell are a grindcore band and that means brutal Not for the faint of heart but the metal kids should love metal with what I believe is a required monster on vocals, this one for sure. super fast drumming and blistering guitars. All of what are accomplished here on “Trumpeting Ecstasy” with addition to Find out more about the Ian Quiet Band at www.facebook. a second voice which I believe belongs to a goblin. com/fullofhell So what do I think of the music? Well this shit is brutal -Kevin P. Johnson

longest track on the album by far has this slow pace for the first half of the song is kind of a twangy goth vampire anthem but then the song kicks into a blazing pace that reminds you what you came here for . . . they do take you back to that twang to end the song.

The album’s last three tracks are more great rockabilly jams that will keep the pace up and keep you dancing across the floor.

Get this album at undeadartists.bandcamp.com/album/ lowdown-n-dirty -Kevin P. Johnson

The Dukes Of Bordello Lowdown ‘n’ Dirty, 2017 Undead Artist Records

“Rock n Roll trashcan troubadors from the seedy side of town” a perfct self description of the Dukes of Bordello on their Facebook page. I couldn’t agree more this music is down and dirty and full of awesome. The music is rockabilly punk or maybe better described as horror punk/horrorbilly and it rocks.

The songs are fast paced and should get you moving “All In The Name Of Rock N’ Roll” starts it off and immediately sets the pace for this album. The sound is a cool old school rock n’ roll that sounds modern and fresh.

The bass thumps and the guitars burn up the joint on this one you’ll be singing along before the song finishes it’s first play.

“Hellvis” is a tribute to Elvis Presley and with it’s “I’m the King, I’m the King” chorus you’re bound to be loving this album by this point. It will keep you jumping’ for sure.

“Wreckin’ Ball (Into The Pit)” is a super fast paced track that might stir up a mosh pit, it is aggressive and in your face from start to finish.

On “King of The Road” the pace slows down with a cool stand-up bass intro and then turns into a cool little rockabilly rocker.

The Dukes of Bordello seemed to be focused on a certain sound for this record because most of the songs don’t venture far from each other in style but they sound great and are not a disappointment at all. One song that does make a change is “The Devil Rides Out” which is the

Fotocrime

Always Hell, E.P. 2017 Rough Trade Publishing Fotocrime debut with a three song E.P. “Always Hell” and it has a dark 80’s style, goth alternative rock sound the band refers to itself as “rock, post-Punk, electronic” but I’m just going to say if you like goth bands you will like Fotocrime. The band is the new project from Ryan Patterson, formerly of Coliseum, Shelley Anderson and Nick Thieneman. The theme of this record is a dark noir look at the world with graphics to match.

“Always Hell” the opening track is a very dark sounding song that fans of goth music should eat up. The track speaks of Cold War fears of “waiting for the bombs to drop” and is actually kind of catchy. A perfect tune for the paranoia running rampant through America.

“Plate Glass Eye” is a faster paced song that has a danceable repetitive beat. This one will get your head

nodding and it’ll have your black eye-liner in a frenzy.

The final track is “Tectonic Shift” which is a bit different the song starts out as this haunting dark voice speaking over this atmospheric music that is almost equivalent to a spoken word track, it kicks into more of a rock song towards the end but the voice fades into the background and eventually disappears.

The final track is a little odd for my taste but the first two songs on “Always Hell” are really good and I’d love to hear a full length album of that style of music from Fotocrime.

Get “Always Hell” at fotocrime.bandcamp.com/album/ always-hell -Kevin P. Johnson

while “Misery” is a darker, hard and heavy track that is made perfectly for head banging and fist pumping.

Lastly is“Mother Nature” which I interpret as an angry look at the current situation in political and modern society.

This one is heavy with a melodic and haunting chorus.

The Intrepid Bastards are a seasoned and talented bunch of musicians who play a brand of heavy metal that isn’t too abrasive, it might not be mainstream enough to get radio play but it is definitely something that you can rock out to.

One of the big pluses on this record are that vocals are clear and sung without screaming every word which is a huge positive in what today’s metal music has become. This band plays a flawless brand of “Swamp Metal” that any fan of heavy music should take the time to check out.

Find the Intrepid Bastards on Facebook and find out how to get the E.P. at www.facebook.com/intrepidbastards -Kevin P. Johnson

Intrepid Bastards

Intrepid Bastards, E.P. 2017 Independent Ya’ll ever heard of “Swamp Metal” before? Well here it is straight out of New Orleans, Louisiana. Intrepid Bastards have released a new four song self titled E.P. and it’s a southern rock influenced head banger.

The opening song “Incinerate” is a heavy song that has kind of a catchy beat and could almost even be a radio friendly track but I think the lyrics “Right before your eyes, incinerate them alive” might prevent that from happening on most stations that don’t cater to the metal audience . . . but that doesn’t mean you can’t jam out to it in your car.

“Struggle” and “Misery” are where I hear that southern rock influence most, these are really heavy songs with a bit of slower pace. “Struggle” starts off with a country/blues sounding guitar and vocal that turns into a heavy rocker.

Bronze Comet

Bronze Comet, E.P. 2017 Independent So do you want to hear some weird stuff ? Well here’s some weird wild stuff . . . and it’s pretty good too. Now I don’t know what mood you need to be in to get the most out of this five song self titled E.P. from New Orleans own Bronze Comet but if you figure it out you might enjoy this weird psychedelic fuzz trippy brand of music.

Bronze Comet play this mellow space trip style of music that is so out there I’m not sure that I can describe it accurately . . . maybe that’s how it should be . . . right?

So it kicks off “Gone To The Sea” which has a nice sound, kind of a guitar pop 1980’s style but it’s fuzzy and has trippy vocals and there is this one instrumental sound that reminds me of lyrics from an old song that I can’t figure out what it is . . . confused yet?

Then we get the space trip “Sea Specimens” this song is a sort of surf rock in outer space kind of tune that is fuzzy, trippy and has these neat sound effects that might be good for the Dr. Who crowd. The vocals sound if they are coming through some sort of tunnel but I think the music is the main focus and this song does rock on it’s own and the weird organ and effects make it a fun trip.

“Ingmar Bergman (Having A Bad Day)” is more of the fuzz, more of those tunnel vocal and more of that space tripping but then you ad some rockabilly/punk to it and wham you got yourself a weird wild ride.

“Falstaff ” is up next and I can only assume that this is about the beer but the vocals are a bit hard to understand.

The music is kind of a rock jam that has a bit of that spacey stuff going on as well.

The final track is “Burt M” this is a weird alien-like spoken word track with trippy sound effects and what may be organ or keyboard music in the background.

This thing is weird and I think Bronze Comet wants it to be just that.

Check out the “Bronze Comet” E.P. at bronzecometnola. bandcamp.com/album/bronze-comet-ep -Kevin P. Johnson

Second Floor East has released this compilation of New Orleans heavy metal and heavy punk songs. The cassette contains eleven tracks by nine bands and is a great representation of the local New Orleans heavy scene. The cassette is a cool gold color but has almost nothing in the liner notes besides band logos and a photo of New Orleans (not really a bad thing just wish it had a bit of info). The cassette comes with a digital download of the songs just in case you need that for your fancy modern music players.

Bands featured on this compilation A Hanging, GLUT, Torture Garden, Desecrator (2 songs), Ossacrux, Donkey Puncher (2 songs), Witch Burial, Forged By Hate, and Short Leash. The music is a touch of everything Thrash Metal, Black Metal, Hardcore Punk, Doom Metal it’s all here and it’s good stuff.

This compilation rocks so hard that your grandma will form a circle pit with her Keno Club and when you ask her what she’s doing she will throw up the metal sign and drag your ass into the pit.

All of the songs on this compilation are fast and furious and although they touch on several different genres they fit well together. This is definitely worth checking out if you are a metal head looking for new music.

Get This City Is Sinking Volume 1 and Second Floor East’s other recent tapes at facebook.com/secondflooreasttapes -Kevin P. Johnson

The Noise Complaints Various Artist

This City Is Sinking Volume 1, 2017 Second Floor East

Feed It Back To Me, 2016 Warehome Records

This is just a cool record! Alternative rock that’s kinda fuzzy with an indie rock/noise pop sound. This is a

New Orleans two-piece band that has a guitarist/vocalist Shane Avrard, drummer Brad Davis, and in their live set a mannequin (she has a name too) that holds a bass guitar and wears some sort of crazy outfit.

This Noise Complaints are a band that fans of Dinosaur Jr., The Smoking Popes, and Hum would like a lot. They wear these influences on their sleeve and yet offer something original and unique.

Every track on “Feed It Back To Me” is a little indie rock treasure and from the start of “Survivors Guilt” you know exactly what you are going to get. Shane Avarard’s unique vocal stylings and distorted guitar matched with the rapid beat of Brad Davis’ drums take you on the adventure you sure to enjoy.

The music is upbeat and even when it ventures into that noise rock sound and goes to some strange places it feels good and it feels right.

“More Than Red” is by far my favorite song on this album.

Something about the way it sounds when the chorus of “I Love You More Than Red, I Love You More Than Red” is softly spoken and then it rips into a Dinosaur Jr. style guitar solo that gives the song it’s intensity and passion until the end.

If you are gonna pick up one indie-rock album in the near future make it The Noise Complaints “Feed It Back To Me” you will not be disappointed.

still really heavy stuff and ends up at blazing speed.

“Ideal Breaker” I’m not sure if something is wrong with the cassette or the song actually sounds like this but the sound fades in and out for about the first 30 seconds or so. But when it finally starts to play right the song is as brutal as the previous two.

A cover of a Trouble song from 1984 “Bastards Will Pay” is the only song on this that I can understand the Get the Noise Complaints“Feed It Back To Me” at lyrics. I think they played it a little less in there own style and closer to Trouble’s but that’s okay because it rocks. thenoisecomplaints.bandcamp.com The final track is “Neurotic Misery” another brutal track.

-Kevin P. Johnson With a super fast drum beat by Crawiln’ Davis and Todd Farnham keeps the pace on the bass guitar.

Invidiosus This is the soundtrack to some horror movie for sure.

Guided Towards The Inevitable, E.P., 2014 Dirty Needle Records Get all of Invidiosus’s music at invidiosus.bandcamp.

Technical Death Metal, Grind, Blackened Death, com/music Experimental . . . that’s how the band describes themselves -Kevin P. Johnson and I’m afraid if I disagree the witch monster vocalist Matthias Joyce is going to come and get me and drag me Throat Yogurt/Anti (Christ) Social off into a cave of bad things. This is brutal stuff.

THRO YO A (c) S, Split E.P., 201?

So I put this cassette in the tape deck and the first of Dirty Needle Records the five tracks ripped through my speakers with aggression and a tandem of “cookie monster” and “witch-like” Well this is . . . hell I don’t know what this is! The vocals and I seriously said “Holy Shit” and had to rewind cassette has no song listings or label that tell what band it. “Guided Towards The Inevitable” is a full on assault that is on which side. Luckily the Throat Yogurt side gives punches you in the face and surprisingly ends with some you a notice at the beginning stating “Are you ready for really good but ye more traditional heavy metal solos by some yogurt?” guitarist Kevin Alter and Ray Nevinson.

The Throat Yogurt side is snippets of machine gun The carnage continues on “Malignant Universe” this one drums, guitars, someone sounding like they are gonna is a little bit different the witch voice is more growled and hock a lugie and really nothing else but a wall of noise. the music is a bit slower tempo for part of the song but I don’t even know what else to say about these guys.

So then we get to the Anti (Christ) Social side I was not expecting much and with the bands name I thought this was going to be just something that was offensive and not for me. Well it was offensive and it really wasn’t for me except for when they got to the third song it’s a raw street punk sound on a cover of Tom Petty’s “American Girl” I absolutely loved it. That song made so much sense in this style of music it was fast and raw and snotty and it just worked . . . if you are going to pick this up that’s the song you want to hear. This cassette is definitely an acquired taste kind of thing so just be open minded about it and give it a try.

This album is well produced, the music sounds flawless and the vocals are super clean. On “Micro Aggression” the music is blazing fast but keeps you right in it with vocals you can sing along to, I think that it’s important to be able to understand the lyrics in heavy music and this album has no problem with making it clear.

The pace of the songs on this album is rapid but their are moments in the songs that slow down and are just about the vocals taking the lead and great guitar solos like on the track “Headrush” and “Irons In The Fire.” The guitars and vocals are performed by Steve Broadsky and this is a name that will hopefully find it’s way to big stages along with the rest of the band . . . Ben Koller on Drums and Go to www.facebook.com/dirtyneedlerecords for more Nick Cageao on Bass do an excellent job as well keeping info on this. the pit stirring.

-Kevin P. Johnson “War Moans” is an intense song the blazing guitar solos and thundering drums and bass attack your speakers and if your mind wasn’t melted already this should finish the Mutoid Man job for you.

War Moans, 2017 The album continues with three more hard rockSargent House ing tracks “Wreck and Survive,” “Afterlife,” and “Open Are you looking for some badass rock n’ roll? Well you Flame,” these songs are all big rock songs that are a little should be and you should be looking for Mutoid Man’s punk rock and a lot of metal. new album “War Moans.”

“Bandages” ends the album and is by far the slowest The album starts “Melt Your Mind” with rapid drums song on the album. This one is that Alice In Chains style and guitars that let you know this is gonna be metal that of slow heavy music that punches you in the mouth but owns you maybe even melts you . . . but as the song says remains 100% Mutoid Man. “Don’t Let It Melt Your Mind” although it will. This song is Buy this album today! relentless rock n’ roll and you will love it!

The ass-kicking doesn’t stop after one track “Bone Get Mutoid Man’s“War Moans” at mutoidman.com/ Chain” keeps it going with a little bit slower song but it war-moans rocks just as hard.

-Kevin P. Johnson

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