Playlist 5/29/11

Ramones - Tomorrow She Goes Away
Duran Duran - Hungry Like The Wolf
Something Fierce - When You Hurt
Tranzmitors - It's Not Your Call
Goodnight Loving - Doesn't Shake Me
Marvelous Darlings - I'll Stand By Her
Hunx and His Punx - Tonite Tonite
Peter Case - Anything
J Mascis - Listen To Me
Bloody Muffs - Fireworks and Beer
Social Distortion - Gimme The Sweet and Lowdown
OFF! - Panic Attack
Mongrolls - Rock & Roll
Booze - Wild One
Biters - The Boys Alright
Mean Streets - Where Do We Go
Brothers Gross - Electro-Mail Heartbreaker
Mary Weiss - Nobody Knows (But I Do)
Jake Donehue - Don't Take Smack (Play 3rd Grade Rugby)
Haskels - Daddy's Girl
Daniel Johnston - Her Blues
TPI - She's Too Clever For Me
Tequila - Dime Que Me Quires
X - Cons - Do Dead People Tan?
Plague - Stop
Boyfriends - I'm In Love Today
Holly & The Italians - Chapel Of Love
Gangsters - Best Friend
Rattlers - On The Beach
Questions - Can't Get Over You
Moderns - Got To Have Pop
Quincy - Turn The Other Way Around
Low Numbers - Deep In Touch
Undertones - Teenage Kicks
Hitmen - Tell Tale Heart
The Sighs - She's Not The Girl
Tearjerkers - Murder Mystery

Playlist 5/22/11

Ramones - It's Gonna Be Alright
Gits - Second Skin
Mary Weiss - You're Never Gonna See Me Cry
Social Distortion - Far Side Of Nowhere
OFF! - Poison City
Haverchucks - Jimmy's Song
Mongrolls - Casualty
Mean Streets - Bought Some Time
Keefs - Lemonade
Biters - Ain't No Dreamer
Poison Arrows - Wild Hearts Beat Free
Marvelous Darlings - Lagoons
Jukebox Zeros - Secret Streets
Flair - Shut Your Trap
True Romance - Stop
Prostitutes - Suicide Is Fun
Dimestore Haloes - Saturday
Bladder Bladder Bladder - Living A Lie
Stiletto Boys - Messerschmitt Kids
Padded Cell - Different Shades Of Blue
Invaders - Best Thing I Ever Did
Shivvers - Teenline
Strangeways - Wasting Time
Continentals - Fizz Pop
Ronnie Mayor - Can't Wait 'Till The Summer Comes
Spliffs - You Know What They'll Say
The Tweed - Underwater Girl
Charlie Fawn - Blue Skies
Tina & The Total Babes - Tongue Tied
Dictators - Stay With Me
Victims - Something Like Love
Sorrows - Teenage Heartbreak
Jack and the Rippers - No Desire
Code Blue - Burning Brides
Firestarter - Trashy Dreams
Raydios - My Baby's Back
Teenage Confidential - I Only Want To Be With You
Shilpa Ray & Her Happy Hookers - Heaven In Stereo

Playlist 5/15/11

Ramones - Take It as It Comes
Pixies - Here Comes Your Man
Social Distortion - Machine Gun Blues
OFF! Jeffrey Lee Pierce
Bloody Muffs - Drama Queen
The Gaslight Anthem - American Slang
Keefs - Compromise
Mean Streets - Genessee
Mongrolls - Watch That!
Brothers Gross - Rhythm & Blues
Pleasure Kills - I Want You
Marvelous Darlings - Teenage Targets
Adverts - One Chord Wonders
Jukebox Zeros - (Going Down To The) Cop Shop
Biters - Anymore
Jail Guitar Doors - Frustration
Zack Zack - Arkadengirl
About Blanks - She's A Nosebleed
Modern Pets - Deformed Kids
Pikes - No Name Street
Young Parisian - Glitter Sateliter
P.I.L. - Acid Drops
Cheap Cassettes - My Little Twin
Dimestore Haloes - Dumb Radio
Dictators - 16 Forever
Dee Dee Ramone - Disguises
Tommy James & the Shondells - Gettin' Together
Jilted John - I Was A Pre-Pubescent
Any Trouble - Yesterday's Love
Carpettes - Just What Do You Want
Kirk & the Jerks - Engine # 9
Stiletto Boys - It's Happening
Lover! All In My Head
Outlets - Someday
Manikins - C'mon C'mon It's Summertime
Scooters - Someone Tonight
Anti Nowhere League - Queen and the Coutry

Tuff Darts! - You Can't Keep a Good Band Down

(Captain Trip Records)
(REVIEW BY DAVE GETZOFF)

First and foremost, the Tuff Darts! are a great rock n' roll band. They emerged from the 1970s New York City CBGB's/Max's Kansas City scene. The thing I really like about the early New York punk scene is the bands tended to have their own unique sounds. Sure, the New York bands were inspired by earlier rock n' roll bands. However, they usually didn't copy off each other. The Ramones were the Ramones, The Dead Boys were the Dead Boys, The Dictators were the Dictators, The Heartbreakers were the Heartbreakers, Blondie was Blondie, and the Tuff Darts! were certainly the Tuff Darts! In my opinion, they are one of the best of the lesser known bands from the early New York punk scene. There are some great songs on their debut album. "Who's Been Sleeping Here?" is one of the best powerpop songs you will ever hear. "She's Dead" and "(Your Love is Like) Nuclear Waste" are great anti-love songs. The band's best known song, "All For the Love of Rock n' Roll", should have been a hit.

You Can't Keep a Good Band Down, which has been released this year, is the second Tuff Darts! full-length album. It is the long awaited follow up to the band's self-titled debut album released on Sire Records in 1978 (which was re-issued on CD by Wounded Bird Records in 2002). You Can't Keep a Good Band Down is the perfect title for the new album. In fact, although there is a twenty-nine year gap between the two albums, this album sounds as if it could have been released in 1979 shortly after the first album. They haven't lost a thing. The Tuff Darts! continue to do what they do best on this release by combining the sounds of mid sixties American garage and British Invasion bands, powerpop, and early American punk. If you like the first album, you will definitly like this album. I just received it today, and I have already listened to it six times. If you are not familiar with the Tuff Darts! and you like the sound of '77 style punk rock and roll, this band is definitely worth checking out.
Dave Getzoff August 6, 2007

(originally posted on Now Wave Webzine on August 6, 2007)

An interview with The Hangouts
by Dave Getzoff

The Hangouts are a very catchy punk rock band from College Station, Texas. They are made up of husband and wife Niki and Matt S., and their friends Matt W. and Marty. This is Niki's first time singing in a band, and I must say she is a natural. Her vocals fit the style of the Hangouts' music very nicely. The Hangouts have already released a four song split 7" with the band Something Fierce, which is definitely worth checking out. I hope to hear a full-length album from this band in the near future.

Dave: First off, could you introduce yourselves, who is in the band and who does what?

Niki: I sing and talk shit - but in a nice way.

Matt S: I am Atarimatt, and I play power chords.

Matt W: I play the easy guitar.

Marty: I'm Masta Blasta, and I play the drumz spelled with a "z" instead of an "s".

Matt S: Marty's the new guy. Drummer 3. And we love him and his smart ass!

Dave: How and when did your band get started?

Niki: Matt and Matt had been playing together for quite a while already, our friend Manny started playing drums with them, and then they decided they wanted a singer. They convinced me to try even though I'd never done it before - EVER. I think I hid behind the speaker cabinet for like the first 6 practices and no one was allowed to look in my direction because I was so nervous about it. They finally all told me to get over it, and I've been in the middle of this thing ever since. =)

Matt S: Pretty much just like Niki said. And by the way, she's a natural and the kids love her!

Matt W: When bored old people get together, magic happens. This is one of those times.

Marty: The state of Texas brought us together.

Dave: How would you describe your band's overall sound to someone who never heard your music?

Niki: Powerpunk-driving-to-a-show-jump-up-and-down-gettin-sweaty-sing-a -log-super-funness!!! We are all about having a good time!

Matt S: Shortish songs that are simple, catchy, and fun.

Matt W: Old school punk rock goodness.

Marty: Skull rock, shriek beat!

Dave: Could you tell us about Manic Attack Records?

Niki: Matt S. is the guy to ask - I just know that half of our bedroom is used for recording people who might want to be on it! =)

Matt S: I started it as a way to put out Atarimatt CDs. Then I realized that for whatever retarded reason, NO ONE had ever offered to out a record for Something Fierce. So with us being friends, them being so damn awesome, and me having a bit of cash to blow, I told them I wanted to put out a 7" for them. We decided a split would be the coolest, so that's what we did and it turned out GREAT! And now I'm addicted to putting out vinyl and going broke in the most wonderful way. It's worth every penny!

Matt W: We are riding the coattails of the Atarimatt bandwagon.

Marty: Just go buy any book about the history of Texas...you'll find all the info you need in there.

Dave: What is your favorite Ramones album?

Niki: The first Ramones is my favorite - I heard it for the first time when I was 13, and it was sort of life-changing for me at that age.

Matt S: All of the ones that have "Loudmouth" on them. That song is so ruling that it's not even funny.

Matt W: Ramones, Leave Home, Rocket to Russia, Road to Ruin. If you don't like all 4 of those albums equally, then I hope you get a tumor.

Marty: Animal Boy

Dave: What is the current music scene in College Station, Texas like?

Niki: College Station has always had this weird cycle of having a good music scene and then suddenly overnight it disappears. We've really tried to play a part in making the local scene better and have been really fortunate to hook up with friends like Something Fierce, and a bunch of other bands that have been willing to give this town a chance. I think they have always been pleasantly surprised once they play here because the kids are so into it and really show a lot of love - most of the time they want to play here again. College Station is definitely on the upswing, and we hope it stays there!

Matt W: Country, alternative country, singer songwriter country, new country, old country, metal, screamo, The Guns of Detroit, and us. An island of punk rock in a sea of crap.

Matt S: Like Niki said, we've worked really hard to bring it back to life. Back in the early '90s it was really good because there were a couple guys that worked at the local record store that really cared about putting on good shows. Hell, back then I remember playing with Fire Hose and Nomeansno and going to see The Jesus Lizard, Fugazi, and The Descendents. It would be rad ass if we could bring it back up to that level. But also like Matt W. said, there is a huge sea of crap that has to be waded in to get to the treasure island.

Marty: It's about to be scary.

Dave: What are some of the upcoming plans for the Hangouts?

Niki: Well, we just put out our first 7" with Something Fierce, and hopefully we'll be putting out a full-length CD pretty soon. Other than that, we are just going to play a lot of shows and see what happens!

Marty: World domination? 1) Play Houston with Something Fierce2) Record with *NEW* drummer MastaBlasta 3) Hangout! 4) Infect the SW region with our screeches and beats!

Matt W: A little rock, a little roll, and a whole hell of a lot of punk.

Matt S: New songs, new recordings, new shows, new friends!

Dave: What is your favorite format to release and listen to music on? (records, CDs, MP3s)

Niki: CDs and vinyl to release, vinyl and MP3s to listen.

Matt W: MP3s.

Marty: 8 Track!

Matt S: Vinyl is definitely the coolest to release, but everyone can play a CD. I love MP3s and I'm not ashamed to admit that I "illegally download" them as often as I can find what I'm looking for. I can only hope that one day someone will want to steal ours! That would be the coolest!

Dave: What do you think of the current state of punk rock?

Marty: http://www.afropunk.com/First, let's define what we think punk is. Punk is the same as it ever was. Punk hasn't changed since first documented in the Bible, so that would be at least a couple of thousand years. Punk is standing up for something that no one else is standing up for. Punk is not fashion. Punk is going against the grain of society, or going upstream, against the flow of normal. Punk is not nihilism. Yes, punk, in a sense is anti-establishment, the overall behavior of punks is generally selfless, so punk could be called selfless. The prophets of the OT in the Bible would be considered punks, and same goes for Christ, who I believe is the Ultimate Punk. Punk is not a genre, punk is an attitude. So, what is the current state of punk rock? Well, I think any real punk bands these days usually don't last that long for whatever reason. I personally like what Scotland's Voice of the Mysterons ( http://www.votm.co.uk ) are doing. Also, Me Without You are currently doing cool stuff.

Niki: I really don't know .....everybody seems to have their own opinion of what punk rock is - it used to be a very specifically defined genre of music but has become much broader over the last 20 years. I think people get caught up in this weird thing of what they listen to being 'punk enough', or 'real' punk rock, which, I'm sorry, is really lame. There are a lot of really good bands out there, and I want to hear as many of them as I can, I don't care what subgroup of punk rock they have been put into. If you like it, listen to it, but don't label it!

Matt S: Pretty much going with what Marty said, I think that the most "punk rock" music going on out there is nothing close to what the genre of punk rock has come to represent. To me punk rock as an attitude is doing something different and not giving a fuck who likes it and who doesn't. Mohawks, leather jackets, and 3 chords have been done over and over in different forms for the last 30 years. It's extremely mainstream. I think it's these kids like Best Fwends and Happy Sucky, to name a few, that are the new face of punk rock by the terms of my definition. But they don't play guitars and wear Black Flag t-shirts. They sing and spazz out to quirky electro tunes while wearing neon short shorts and wrist bands. That shit is fresh!!!

Matt W: I sure wish we had our own punk rock state.

Dave: What are some of your favorite bands?

Matt W: Bad Religion, The Clash, Good Riddance, Iron Maiden, Danzig, Misfits

Marty: early ScaterdFew, Blaster the Rocket Boy(Man), Eric Dolphy, Anthony Braxton, The Jonx, The Minute Men, The Velvet Underground, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, early Melt Banana, All Hail the Moving Picture Box, The Dreaded Dandylions, Charlie Mingus, Jaco, John Zorn, The Stooges, and Cong Vu.

Niki: The Digits, Blatz, The Hellacopters, Electric Frankenstein, The Candy Snatchers, ALL, Jawbreaker, My Bloody Valentine, in no particular order. The Kansas City Faggots, The Valentine Failures, Looker, about a thousand more...

Matt S: Dimension Hatross - Nothingface era Voivod, Electric Frankenstein, The Candy Snatchers for sure, of course The Ramones, and the two best Dallas bands ever, The Valentine Failures and Kansas City Faggots. Looker from Laramie, Wyoming has been wearing the shit out my CD player the last month or so. And I'll probably loose all street cred punk points for saying this, but I LOVE the first two Coheed and Cambria albums.

Dave: What do you like the most about being in a band?

Matt W: The huge stacks of cash...that I still don't have.

Marty: What I like most about being in a band is the collaborative process of writing, recording, and performing live. Of these three, the live experience is my favorite and most personal because I'm sharing with the band AND an audience, and we're all sharing together getting through "this". If it's just for $$$, then my favorite part is getting paid after the show, otherwise I enjoy just the aspect of making butter with my band. Who cares about $$$ when your freakin' face just got rocked off by our powerful riffs and screaching vox?!!

Niki: Playing shows along side my husband and 2 good friends, nothing tops it! Also, all of the people that we get to meet and talk to. I've ended up with some really good friends because of this band.

Matt S: Yeah, Niki and I are married and being in this band with her is the coolest thing ever. I also really like the networking side of it and the fun shit like shows, recording, putting out records, and making t-shirts.

Dave: What do you like the least about being in a band?

Matt W: The huge stacks of cash that I still don't have.

Marty: When attitudes among band members creep in (and they creep in sometimes) and mess everything up. It's hard sometimes to avoid this because we're all just people living our lives in this messed up world. We're all fallen, so it's bound to come up, attitudes that is. The best thing is to not let things get too personal and to have lots of grace with your fellow artists.

Niki: Uh.... well, we're all pretty ADD, so it can be frustrating sometimes... =)

Matt S: Renting a trailer and driving four hours to play a show that gets double-booked and then having your old drummer get so drunk that he almost starts a fight with giant hardcore band dudes, pukes, and then passes out in the car, only to split the scene without playing and leaving said ex-drummer behind to fend for himself with The Pirate.

Dave: What type of places do you enjoy playing shows at the most: all-ages shows, bars, small clubs, parties, etc.?

Matt W: Small all-ages places that don't book 6 bands on a show that starts at 10.

Marty: I enjoy playing everywhere.

Niki: I just like playing shows. I don't care where we are...although I REALLY want to play in a laundromat...or bowling alley...

Matt S: Basement shows up north, back in the early nineties with my old band were probably some of the funnest shows I've ever played. 50 kids crammed into a 20x20 room sweating and breathing up all the air until you think you're gonna pass out...hard to get that shit down here in Texas. But pretty much every show The Hangouts play is fun and enjoyable because we are a fun and enjoyable band. So it really doesn't matter where we play! I've always wanted to play inside a van...just roll up with everything set up inside and open the doors and rock it out!

Dave: Are there any closing comments?

Niki: Yes - if you haven't seen us, you should, we are fun. If you have and like it, buy our 7"!!!!! And thanks for interviewing us!
Dave Getzoff, August 2007

(originally posted on Now Wave Webzine in August 2007)

An interview with Something Fierce
by Dave Getzoff

Something Fierce are an exciting new band from Houston, Texas. They have released their debut album, Come For The Bastards, which is definitely a stand out release in the current punk scene. Inspired by the 1970s punk rock movement, Something Fierce will be touring around the country this year, keeping the spirit of rock 'n' roll alive for current and future generations.

Dave: First off, could you introduce yourselves, who is in the band, and who plays what instrument?

SF: Hello, Dave at Now Wave. We are Something Fierce from Houston, Texas. Steven Garcia holds down the guitar/vocals, Niki Sevven is on bass/vocals, and Andrew "Rocket" Keith brings the pain on the kit...As in he's constantly cracking his knuckles and breaking sticks. We don't let him sing, but we do give him control of the egg shaker while recording.

Dave: When and how did Something Fierce get started as a band?

SF: The band started with Niki and Steven as a two piece in 2005. It would be easy to say that it all "came together" right away, but it took a lot of work before things started picking up. While scouring the city for a drummer, Andrew literally emerged from under our noses. We only knew him as the awesome red afro guy that showed up to all of the parties, so when we found out he was a drummer, our fate was sealed.

Dave: How is the current music scene in Texas? From on outsider, like me, looking in, it seems like there is a lot happening in Texas. What are some of the best cities for bands to play in?

SF: Texas is big, so there definitely is a lot going on. Denton, TX seems to be breeding the best bands in the scene (Marked Men, Riverboat Gamblers, Wax Museums, Maaster Gaiden), and the cool kids there are as nice as can be. There's a hint of elitism in the air, but I think that's what causes the bands to rise above the generic. Austin has always been known for its prevalence in the music world, but playing a successful show there without having immediate connections can be tough. There's just too much competition, but it's still a place bands need to hit on tour. Austin can be a blast. We have some friends, The Hangouts, who are putting on rad shows in College Station, and although Houston has been a third wheel in the Texas scene since we are too far south, we'd like to think that Something Fierce is changing the formula. There is finally some unity developing amongst Texas bands, and we couldn't be more happy.

Dave: That's good to hear. About how far is Houston from Denton and Austin?

SF: Denton is a little over 4 hours away, just north of Dallas, and Austin is only about 3 hours north. That doesn't sound far, but you'd be surprised how often bands opt to skip Houston because of its location.

Dave: What are some of the future plans for Something Fierce?

SF: We've got a lot lined up this year. We should have a split 7" with The Hangouts out this month on Manic Attack Records, another 7" on Bitchin' Riffage due in October, and we've got two tours coming up. Basically, as long as we can afford to keep pumping out records and touring, that's what we'll do.

Dave: Are there any plans on playing shows on the East Coast (Philadelphia, New York, Boston etc.)?

SF: Nothing is set in that area, yet, but we want to hit it up before the end of the year. The tour lined up in July bounces as far east as Atlanta, then we head up to Chicago and come back down central. The tour in October hasn't been fleshed out, but I know we're doing a few dates heading east with Teenage Bottlerocket. After those, we'll likely continue up the coast on our own. Shit, dude, we tried last winter, but booking our own tours is fuckin' hard. Sometimes people are cool, and sometimes they just blow us off...Still, we have to keep trying.

Dave: What kind of topics do you like to write your songs about?

SF: My lyrics always either come off with a disdain for the upper echelon of society, or they will be about heartbroken kids that can't get their lives straight. There's an effort to find beauty in the dark corners of modern life, though. I always loved the way bands like The Buzzcocks could be so dark and realistic, yet so romantic in one sitting. Another perfect example would be The Wipers.

Dave: What were some of the best shows you played so far?

SF: The last two shows have really blown us away. We released that debut album last year, but Houston is notorious for catching on to things slowly, mostly because it's so big and divided. It's taken a lot of work to build up good local support. However, these last two shows with The Marked Men and The Ends have really caused an upswelling in our local fan base. We saw kids that we've never met before singing lyrics to our songs, and that is downright heartstopping.

Dave: Were any members of your band in other bands besides Something Fierce?

SF: Niki played in a band, The Neckbreakers, for a few years with her dad (a true first-wave punk rocker), and Steven played in Gun Crazy/Born Liars for about two years, starting as the bassist, then the drummer, then the guitarist...He even recorded both bass and drum parts on Exit Smiling, their latest release on Mortville Records.

Dave: Wow, that's really cool to hear that Niki played in a band with her dad. Texas had a lot of bands back in the day. Are there any first wave bands from the 1977-1982 era that are still together?

SF: Hrmm, that's a really good question. The first band that comes to mind is The Dicks. Gary Floyd has been living in San Francisco for the last two decades, but they still get together for a few Texas dates once a year. Niki and Steven were lucky enough to catch their last show in Houston at Rudyard's, and Floyd gave them both a big, hairy beard kiss! Other than them, Houston's The Hates are still in full gear, San Antonio's Butthole Surfers haven't called it quits, and even Jeff Walton of the legendary no-fi pop group, The Judy's, recently spoke about re-releasing their old albums and a possible NEW album/reunion tour. Stoked.

Dave: How old are the members in Something Fierce?

SF: At the moment, we're all 22.

Dave: Did you guys release the Come For The Bastards CD yourselves?

SF: Yes, completely and entirely on our own, but with the help of our loved ones. Steven designed everything on the album, and all of the money came from our own pockets. That's probably something we'd never want to do again because we're still paying for it!

Dave: What do you think about the current state of punk rock?

SF: Things will always fluctuate. There will be good bands, and there will be bad bands. There are a lot of exciting changes in the music world, though, like the downfall of the major label. The Internet and MP3 revolution have destroyed the importance of CDs, and records are on the rise again. Hopefully, that shift will make vinyl less costly to produce. Fuck, the Internet is even allowing access to excellent online zines like Now Wave that don't need to worry about advertisers but simply get to focus on CONTENT. Actual content and heartfelt reviews. That's what really matters.

Dave: That is a very good point. It was a pleasure to do this interview with you. I wish Something Fierce the best of luck in the future, and I hope I get a chance to see your band play live sometime. Do you have any closing comments?

SF: Thank you, Dave. Hopefully, you'll get your chance in October, and if any of you readers see us coming around YOUR town, show some love.
Interview by Dave Getzoff, July 2007

(originally posted on Now Wave Webzine, July 2007)

The Ratchets - Glory Bound

(Pirates Press Records)
(REIVIEW BY DAVE GETZOFF)

The Ratchets' debut album isn't just good - it's phenomenal. The album features ten reggae influenced '77 style punk rock anthems. Glory Bound was released last year, and I would say it's definitely in my top five albums of the past two years. I get the same feeling listening to this album as I did hearing The Clash and Stiff Little Fingers for the first time many years ago. A great album all the way through with great mid-tempo catchy songs that really grab me. My former 70-something year-old landlord, who played music for many years, once told me that you know you're listening to a good band when you can hear all the instruments distinctively. The Ratchets are that kind of band. A standout band definitely worth checking out.
Dave Getzoff July 9, 2007

(originally posted on Now Wave Webzine on July 9, 2007)