Art for Spastics v.82

Stream the latest show at this link right here! (by tomorrow or too late)!

OR better yet…
Link to mp3 show archive (find "DJ Rick - Art for Spastics, Tue Apr 18") high & low bitrates available

Next week is the KDVS Fundraiser! If you call in and pledge at the student level of $25 or $40 for community members, you can pick up a 2xCDR compilation of rare whacked weirdness and DIY punk sleaze of thee lowest order, and these were hand-picked by me and Fuzzbox Flynn. Includes liner notes. PLUS, you get this in addition to the regular premium package which KDVS sends as thank-you gifts. But you must phone in during my show Monday night at midnight PST or Flynn’s show Tuesday night at midnight PST. We’re aiming to raise $65,000 in just one week. I also strongly suggest picking up ALL DJ’s CDR comps for a $100 pledge…it’s like your own portable capsule of rarities representing all the variety which this miraculous freeform radio station offers.

CHEB SAMIR & THE BLACK SOULS OF LEVIATHAN -- New Motorcycle -- v/a: ”Tête de Bébé” -- S-S Records *new
OLD TIME RELIJUN -- Your Mama Used to Dance -- 2012 -- K Records 2005
OLD TIME RELIJUN -- Lions and Lambs

SILVER DAGGERS -- Faithful Unlawful – “Bored Fortress” Singles Club split 7" w/ Death Sentence: Panda! -- Not Not Fun *new
MIKA MIKO -- With My Ducks -- v/a: Under 21: Los Angeles! -- olfactory *new
BATTLESHIP -- Lucy Stone -- Presents Princess -- On/On Switch *new
DANIEL FRANCIS DOYLE -- She Breathes -- Who Are Your Customers? -- Furniture *new
DANIEL FRANCIS DOYLE -- Move Up
THE DAKOTA BUILDING -- title unknown -- Anthology CDR – Furniture *new
MOTO PHOTOS -- Funny -- Brain Breakfast CDR – Subfort *mew
HELLO ASTRONAUT, GOODBY TELEVISION -- Bauhaus in the Middle of the Street -- Pixellated Math Costumes -- olFactory/Not Not Fun *new
KNIGHTMARES -- Charles' Song -- Off the Record -- self-released *new
ABE VIGODA -- Wheelers -- self-titled 7" EP -- Silencio 2005
SHE-RAT -- KRAQ -- demo CDR -- self-released *new
BUSINESS LADY -- Zebra South -- split LP w/Rose for Bohdan -- Half Adder Press 2005
CRACK UND ULTRA ECZEMA -- Testicle -- v/a: “Tête de Bébé”

LE CLUB DES CHATS -- Tututut – v/a: “Tête de Bébé”
ZEEK SHECK -- Milk (& Pumpkins) -- Zemag Deah -- ToYo 2000
ARGUMENTIX -- Defy Nature: Take Laser Surgery for Granted -- April 2006 Releases Sampler CDR -- self-released *new
MACAW -- Fucking Freedom -- A Fool Is Kill CDR – Subfort *new
MOTHER TONGUE -- Chapter and Verse -- v/a: A Bead to a Small Mouth -- Barooni 1989
IMPRACTICAL COCKPIT -- Passion of a Cop -- To Be Treated -- Load *new
BLIND IDIOT GOD -- Thunderhead -- Cyclotron -- Avant 1992
NOOTHGRUSH -- Hatred for the Species -- split LP w/ Corrupted -- Reservoir 1998
DESOLATION -- Black Birds -- s/t CD – Prank 2005
DESOLATION -- Awake
UNCURBED -- Framtids Visioner -- Ackord för Frihet / Chords for Freedom -- Sound Pollution 2002

RIPCORD -- Get Away -- Poetic Justice -- Rage 1989
INFEST -- Screwed -- Slave -- Off the Disk 1988
COCK ROACHS -- Hardcore Isn't a Fashion -- v/a: Rapsodie -- Jungle Hop Int'l 1986
BLIGHT -- Tomorrow -- Chapter II cassette -- self-released 1984
MOMS WHO CHOP -- untitled -- Too Mega CDR -- self-released 2005
JOSHUA TAYLOR'S FRIENDS FOREVER -- untitled -- split CDR w/ Barrabarracuda – Not Not Fun *new

Thanks for listening!

We start with some primo garage scuzz from Cheb Samir & the Black Souls of Leviathan, one of 12 French bands from the outstanding brand-new compilation LP from the infallible S-S Records, "Tête de Bébé." Maybe I'm just a little over-excited, but this record could be one of the landmark punk compilations of this era, deserving to be rated among such all-time greats as "Not So Quiet on the Western Front" and "Cleveland Confidential." These bands generally mine the territory between garage and arty new-wave, and they all do it superbly. And while there's a great variety on this album, Cheb Samir is in several of the bands that appear on this LP, including Crash Normal and the Normals, and he's in even more bands than that, such as the Cheeraks. Each band kicks ass, so it doesn't appear that Cheb's spread himself too thin yet.

Next is Old Time Relijun, the fantastic band from Olympia which is led by the multi-talented Arrington de Dionysio, whom I've also seen perform as a solo artist in a range of unusual styles from throat-singing and free improv with found junk. All this high-brow arty stuff he's into doesn't detract from his abilities as a supreme shaman of ecstatic party spirit, which is what Old Time Relijun will bring to Fools Foundation Friday night in Sacramento. So, of course, I recommend all superfans local to this area to see this show!

The newest installment of the "Bored Fortress" Singles Club split 7-inch series has been delivered to its subscribers, and this time it features two of my favorite bands, the Silver Daggers and Death Sentence: Panda!, who both appear at top form. The Daggers tune opens with a beautiful dual saxophone intro that's somewhat somber until dissonant guitar-scree serves warning of the onslaught of the ominous bass and drums attack. This band's sound has become so complete and so impactful with the reintegration of the original guitarist that comparisons to Dogfaced Hermans and Dawson are beginning to sell them short; they've become even more special than that. A live performance is still the best way to enjoy the Silver Daggers experience, but I'm also pleased to report that the fidelity of this recording is an improvement over the 4-song 7" from last fall on Not Not Fun.

Jenna is primarily the saxist in Silver Daggers, but she's talented and flexible enough to handle other tasks, like she does in Mika Miko, an all-female band which is so infectious and undeniably rockin' that no one--and I mean no one--can rightfully write them off as a "novelty act" for singing into microphones adapted from hair-driers, but perhaps that can add to the fun. Their 7" on Post Present Media from last year was good, but not quite representative because of muffled fidelity (unfortunately, this plagues a lot of records by the great young bands of L.A.'s scene which is supported by venues such as The Smell, Il Corral, etc.), but this compilation track is their most recent, and it's approaching the right kinda fidelity, so I can't wait for an album. Indeed, I love this band so much that I asked them about making a record. Yes, Mika Miko is the kinda band that makes me wanna start my own DIY label. But, alas, I got beat to the punch by a label that can afford to do them justice...Kill Rock Stars. I was so happy and proud for them. Here's a band that can recapture the importance of a strong female presence in punk rock, like so many KRS bands did a decade ago, but not often since then.

Battleship's mini-album from last year was only available on a 12-inch from Thee Raw Deluxe, but now it's finally available on CD from On/On Switch. Mitch, the proprietor of Raw Deluxe, told me that he heard Battleship's new album, and he swears that compared to "Presents Princess," it's so off-the-charts awesome that it's gonna surprise everyone, and perhaps even the band's biggest fans. I've seen this band about eight times beginning at their very earliest stages when I didn't think they were so hot, but they became an outstanding live act a couple years ago, and they've become even better more recently, so I'm inclined to trust Mitch's opinion. They're about embark on a tour which will pass through my living room on July 14th, and maybe I'll post more about that later.

Daniel Francis Doyle is a virtual unknown outside of his hometown of Austin, but fans of hallowed Texas legends such as Scratch Acid and the Surfers need to take notice of this guy. His new EP’s out on Furniture, who also released an EP last year by the Tuxedo Killers, who are touring together with Daniel out here to the west coast. They’ll be playing on Thursday, May 11th, in the basement of the historic “Turtle House” with a special appearance by the “Sore Maps” (which is basically Sacto’s ruling blues-damaged garage-scuzzers The Sores doing a live set of Swell Maps covers).

I know very little about the Dakota Building. I got this mysterious CDR in the mail from the Furniture Records folks called “Anthology,” and it lacked a true tracklisting or any other info about the bands except to say the first seven songs were from an EP called “I Screamed at the Workers” (surely this is a “Wonder Showzen” reference, which says something about their perverse sense of humor). The band name most likely relates to the place where John Lennon lived with Yoko Ono, and the scene of his murder. Yoko still keeps her apartment there, and another interesting piece of trivia about the place is that Roman Polanski filmed much of “Rosemary’s Baby” there. Now the place has a rad band named after it.

Moto Photos is from Boise, Idaho, and they’re the most hard-rockin’ band by Jeremy dad and kid Venec who are best known as the nucleus of Monster Dudes. Venec is just six years old, but quite precocious as a hard-hitting power-drummer for decades to come. He plays on a full-size kit with a bass drum that’s about half as high as he is. Their show hits the road in June and travels down the west coast. We’re aiming to do something in Davis or Sacto for them on Friday, June 2.

The first time I heard the band name Hello Astronaut, Goodby Television, root beer almost came out my nose. Later, when I read their list of influences on their Myspace page and saw that it included Modest Mouse and Einstürzende Neubauten, I smirked and thought, “Jeez…that sounds like a nightmare.” I really didn’t expect much potential, but when I saw them last year open for Rose for Bohdan at 21 Grand in Oakland, I was blown away. How could a band actually envision blending lush, twinkly, sparkly indie pop with violent outbursts of junk percussion bashing, and then actually pull it off effectively? They had their “Pixellated Math Costumes” official CDR last year, covered in candle wax dripping and packaged with broken Crayolas in true Not Not Fun style, and it was certainly very promising. But perhaps something didn’t sit right with the band about this very adequate recording because they completely re-recorded all the songs for the official CD—not CDR—release of the album. My favorite song from the album is this “Bauhaus in the Middle of the Street” one, which gets all-new adlibs for extra spontaneity.

Sacramento’s Knightmares confusingly spell their name with a “Kn” half the time, and sometimes, just an “N.” Beyond that quibble, this is one of Sacto’s finest bands today. They’re a powerpop band comprised of members of just about every Sacto band of the last ten years—e.g. the Four Eyes, Rock the Light, Sunshine Smile, etc.—who run the gamut from breezy folk pop to burly rock, with the main unifying elements always being a sorta buoyant melodicism and extremely clever and funny lyrics. NBA fans will love their ode to Stockton and Malone, which even namedrops coach Jerry Sloan, the Gomer-like Greg Ostertag, and Sacto’s most hated ex-King, Olden Polynice, all within a context that is perfectly sensible and grounded in actual facts about these people’s lives. “Charles’ Song” is the most aggressively rockin’, and of course, I love the ridiculously repetitive ending which drives the same riff into the ground so far that it busts out somewhere in China.

Abe Vigoda are four young dudes from Chino and another rad suburban L.A. band that’s part of that DIY community supported by The Smell venue. This song is from the band’s most recent 7-inch which has five songs of tweener art/garage that is sorta frantic and geometric, kinda like Karate Party, the A Frames’ first album and 7” singles, or The Intelligence as a full band. The two guitarist almost seem to chase each others riffs around each other, darting in and outta the rhythms led by Reggie’s strong drumming. They’ve also got a new split cassette with local rad dudes Hot Girls Cool Guys which I’m dying to hear.

She-Rat are a San Diego outfit comprised of ex-members of Year Future and the Fucking Angels, but I know little else about them. Their 5-song demo reveals a brand-new band already well on the right path, exploring a sound centered on frosty, almost emotionally detached female vocals and splattery psych guitar.

It’s hard to know what’s really going on in the Business Lady camp. First, they were my favorite new discovery of 2004, delivered a legendary live performance in Davis at the Student Co-Op garden and then again in my living room last year, dropped a couple ruling 7-inches and then a split LP with Rose for Bohdan, and then I heard they broke up. Then someone close to the band said their breakup announcement on their website was a lie, and that they were still planning on making an album and playing more shows. Next, I discovered that drummer Paul moved to San Francisco, and bassist Tara joined a new band called Duchesses. So, I figured that friend of the band was just trying to cling to a dream. Later, someone on a message board who’s generally well-informed on such matters said Load Records was gonna put out an album. Will someone please tell me the truth in this matter? New copies of their excellent split LP are back in stock at Neon Hates You distro if you hurry! I recommend the LP without reservation.

Next, we hear a couple more great French artpunk from “Tête de Bébé.” Tell me you’ve just ordered your copy now that you’ve heard these awesome sounds!

I've neglected to play Zeek Sheck for far too long, and certainly I should play them again soon without talking over the damn song. Rose is a visionary artist, and her website linked above under the band name is surely an engrossing time-suck for a rainy day. Zeek Sheck played at the DAM House many years ago, and they got into a fight with Nautical Almanac, and I'm not sure that score has been settled even now, eight years later.

Argumentix is coming to Davis with Dead/Bird Thursday night to play live on the radio. Check back here Friday for a link to download and listen to that session. And then they'll be back again next Friday the 28th to play with Saccharine Trust and Pump Kinn & D.O.N. at Kleiber Hall on the UC Davis campus.

Macaw is a new band from Boise, Idaho, which features some sweet and saucy moanwavin' by Amy of Yuma Nora. This 19-track CDR clocks in at just 20 minutes, which makes it unlike anything of the "moan-wave" ilk. You know I'm still trying to make that genre descriptive term stick, right? At any rate, Amy sounds a lot sweeter than her rather bluesy howl which she delivers in Yuma Nora, and the musical accompaniment seems to be entirely electronic. The CDR comes packaged in a homemade baggie that appears to be made from a folded section of a patterned shower curtain handsewn with silky ribbon.

This Mother Tongue track comes from a compilation comprised of four bands. The others are Nurse With Wound, Graeme Revell and friend, and Zoviet France...all rather legendary names, so why is Mother Tongue such a mystery. I suspect some ex-members-of affiliations merited the lofty company Mother Tongue shared for this CD. In any event, this wonderfully bizarre excursion is probably the best of the four long tracks on the album. The name is ungoogle-able, so if you know the Mother Tongue story, please share it with us!

I've already gotten so mushy about how much I'm loving this Impractical Cockpit CD.

Next up is Blind Idiot God, a sorta cyber-edged technical prog-metal band who started out on SST in the mid- to late-80's. Unless you were Sonic Youth, that was a bad time to be on SST. Every record of the post-"My War" era at SST had that terrible production, and every drummer sounded like a machine. You'd think that would be a good thing for a technical prog-metal band, but it's not. The band never fully realized their awesomeness until this "Cyclotron" album, which sounds like the unholy union of Voivod, Heldon, and Scorn. One of the dudes is in Khanate now.

During the powerviolence era of the 90's, the South Bay Area boasted a number of bands who came to prominence and came to be revered as seminal (e.g., Plutocracy, No Less, Agents of Satan, 976, Gory Melanoma), and Noothgrush was the creeping doom metal branch of that scene. Drummer Chiyo had some very clever fills, and she did a great radio program for years at KFJC. Guitarist Neil also did one of the last KPFA music DJ's to actually play strange and wonderful music there. Although they seemed underappreciated during their heyday, they seem to have a crucial legacy now. I'm still flabbergasted when I meet teenagers who claim they've got "powerviolence nostalgia." Jeez...I remember being a fan of that music then, and we all wanted the faddishness of the word "powerviolence" to pass.

Desolation is a current band from San Francisco who play the apocalyptic D-beat punk, yet vary the pace quite a bit and add outstanding guitarwork that incorporates clever and subtle non-power-riffs, a'la Piggy of Voivod. This album absolutely blazes, like everything Prank does.

Uncurbed are Swedish hippie crustpunks who play the Mötörhead gallop at the fastest possible speed, and their dueling guitars really wail. In the late 90's when Scandinavia was known for all these sideburn-cultivatin' cock-rock revisionists (Hellacopters, Gluecifer, etc.), these guys still peeled off the best guitar solos in rock history since the Scott Gorham/Brian Robertson era of Thin Lizzy (well, specifically the song "Emerald").

Ripcord rates as my favorite British hardcore band for their impressive tightness and speed which rivalled grindcore bands but retained the punk character of traditional fastcore forefathers such as D.R.I., the Neos, Siege, and Deep Wound. Fistpumping posi-consciousness thrash without all the egregiously macho bullshit! Members later reformed in Dumbstruck, but that was about six years ago, just as I started to take my hardcore radar off the ultra-sensitive setting. Maybe that had something to do with the band Life's Halt breaking up...I dunno!

I still gotta drop an Infest tune every now and then just so I can sing along in that sandwich-in-throat growl which took the influence of Negative Approach to the next level, which was then pushed another notch forward during the late-90's version of Lack of Interest, who were often jokingly called Lack of Infest.

Cock Roachs (sic) were a young French band that played thrash/HC not at the edge of no control, but really beyond it. The drummer is hardpressed to keep pace with all the tremelo picking, but dig that silly bass solo! Sounds like the dude from Crimpshrine trying to shred. I mean, really...Is that a bass guitar or a rubber band? Of course, it's ridiculous, and that's why I'm a sucker for it. You also gotta love a band who's so convinced of the devotional power of hardcore that they sing "Hardcore's not a fashion...It's a life! It's a life!" Lifestyle? In any case, props to a French punk band singing in English for a change! (j/k)

Before Tesco Vee was in the Meatmen, he was in a band called Blight, and their only 7-inch was a Flipper-like salvo of dirgepunk and the tenth release of Touch and Go Records. After Tesco left to the Meatmen, the band carried on and made this demo tape with four songs which explore reverb, feedback, bleakness, and absurdity...and it would've made a great 12-inch 45 RPM EP.

Moms Who Chop is a Portland noise outfit led by the prolific and ultra-creative Glamorous Pat, who also records under his own name and with such bands as Sisprum Vish, Space Hawk, and others. Moms Who Chop is his purest project of power-electronics while many other projects have strands of psychedelia or the early values of late-70's/early-80's industrial.

As for why there's a Friends Forever and a Joshua Taylor's Friends Forever, I dunno, but I've only seen the more recently active JTFF, and they lived up to the reputation that the original Friends Forever made playing guerilla shows under bridges and freeway overpasses and in places like abandoned quarries, with all members stuffed into a VW van shooting sparks and fireworks outta the windows.

Don't forget about the fundraiser now!