We're delighted to welcome Mark Hughson (some of you
might know him as Bort) back to the Jersey Beat family
as our new electronic-music columnist. Mark will be writing
about everything from Krautrock to synthpop to experimental
sounds. In his first column, Mark reviews new releases
from Faust, Ohmslice, Der Plan, and Nrvs Lvrs.
Read his column here...
Vince Lombardi High School was the nickname of a beloved
SoCal DIY space that recently had to close. Paul Silver
was at the final show, dubbed the VLHS Graduation. See
his report and photos here...
Load up your summer listening list by digging into Paul's
new reviews, which include releases from Eating
Club, Cheap Whine, Marvelous Mark, Humble Fire, Bad Cop/Bad
Cop, Frenzal Rhomb, The Fur Coats, Kamikaze Girls, Kuken,
Lost Balloons, Medical Maps, Micah Schnabel, Needles//Pins,
Rayner, Suicide Generation, Violence Creeps, Vista Blue,
Walk The Plank, Wood Chickens, and WV
White.
Jersey Beat is proud to premiere the video for “Eating
Club,” the first single from Eating Club’s
new self-titled album. Eating Club is the alter ego of
Alex Bortnichak, also of Sparta Philharmonic. Bortnichak
plays most of the instruments and provides the vocals
for most of the tracks on the new LP, and is joined on
others by a host of talented musicians. This lead single
is dreamy, yet dark and gritty, and the video has visuals
that communicate the same feeling. Rosa Bonilla provides
additional vocals. Eating Club will be released
on July 14th. - Paul Silver
Keep up with the Hardcore scene as James Damion of United
By Rocket Science blog brings his unique understanding
of punk, hardcore, and rock to Jersey Beat with this column.
James reviews new EP's from DC Disorder, DARE,
Abuse Of Power, and Aggression Pact,
and then interviews Scary Stories, an
exciting new band composed of New Jersey punk scene veterans.
Also read his interview with Brian Musikoff,
long a mainstay in the Hoboken music scene, about his
decision to move to Seattle and how he finds his new hometown.
Joe wades into summer with reviews of new albums from Arrica
Rose, venerable Jersey journeyman singer/songwriter Richard
X. Heyman, Joe Billy, Andy Frasco & the UN, and Rob
Jennings.
You might remember Mike Flannery from his partnership
with Tim Fite in Little T & One Track Mike from the
early '00's. Nowadays he goes by Mr. Flannery, and his
new album Try Your Hardest on Rhyme & Reason
Records combines a Ween-like eclecticism with the lysergic
whimsy of early Flaming Lips. You'll sing, you'll dance,
you'll bang your head, and on this first single and video,
you'll be warmly welcomed into the world of Mr. Flannery
& His Friends.
Leslie Snyder reviews new releases from Jenny
& The Felines, Jake Tavill, King James & The Special
Men, Jupiter In Velvet, Stutter Steps, Bodies Of Water,
and Jake & The Growlers.
Joe
reviews the latest Omnivore reissue from Game Theory,
Two Steps From The Middle Ages. Joe writes,
"While it’s a joy to see this overlooked gem
of an album get the loving Omnivore Records reissue treatment,
it also hits you that this will be the final installment
of the series and serves to remind us that we’ll
never get new music again from Scott Miller, who passed
away in 2013."
Rich raves about the debut EP from NJ/Philly
punk powerhouse Erotic Novels and samples
the mindblowing debut of Fat Dukes Of Fuck,
which includes punk legends like Dale Crover and David
Yow in the mix. Rich also reviews the comeback single
of 90's punks Ann Beretta, catchy punk
from NJ's Nervous Triggers, and the "sad
music for sad people" from NJ's Tru.
For your summer reading, editor Jim Testa recommends the
humorous yet scary mobsters-meet-zombies novel Deadfellas,
and David Weigel's informative and entertaining The
Show That Never Ends: The Rise & Fall Of Prog Rock.
We've been a big fan of Ari Vais, who records under the
name The Campbell Apartment, for a long time, so it's
an honor to present his latest track, "V.P. Of Snails,"
a crunchy bit of indie-pop with a grungy kick. Ari will
be releasing a song a month over the next several months
so watch out for more at The
Campbell Apartment's Soundcloud Page.
Paul Silver powers through Spring and into the first
batch of hot summer releases with reviews of The
Darts, The Dirty Nil, Emperor X, Jim Jones & The Righteous
Mind, Mark Lanegan, Pig, The Rocketboys, and
Wooden Wand.
Face To Face, Bad Cop/Bad Cop - Live at the Casbah,
San Diego
Our San Diego Bureau Chief Paul Silver overcame an aching
back and SoCal
traffic to catch two of our favorite Fat Wreck Chords
bands at San Diego's Casbah.
Read his review here...
Dave Hause with his band the Mermaid and Frank Iero with
his band the Patience shared a bill at the Music Hall
of Williamsburg recently. Deb Draisin reviews the show
here...
Amanda Palmer always seems to have a new trick up her
sleeve. This time she's collaborated with Edward Ka-Spel
of the Legendary Pink Dots for an exciting new album.
Deborah Draisin chats with her about this project with
both Amanda and Edward here...
Coming back from a tragic traffic accident that almost
claimed the lives of several bandmates, Frank Iero continues
his post-My Chemical Romance solo career with a variety
of new projects. Deborah Draisin catches up with him here...
Jersey Beat celebrated it's 35th anniversary with an
amazing show at Maxwell's Tavern on April 14. Jim Testa
wrote up a short history of the zine here...
Highlights from Jersey Beat's 35th Anniversary
Show at Maxwell's Tavern:
Teenage Bottlerocket, the Mr. T Experience, and the Nobodys
rocked the Soda Bar on April 8 and our San Diego Bureau
Chief Paul Silver was there. You can read his review and
see his photos here...
THE FEELIES - "Gone Gone
Gone"
From the new album "In Between" on Bar/None
Records
Deborah Draisin chats with Amanda Rose Riley, a Jersey
girl whose acoustic roots
have led to a promising career in the rock arena. Read
Deb's interview here...
Editor Jim Testa kicks off 2017 with reviews of new albums
for the new year - garage-punk maniacs Wyldlife
with their first album for Little Steven's Wicked Cool,
Sons Of An Illustrious Father's chanteuse Lilah
Larson with a stuning solo LP, a new full-length
from ageless NJ veterans The Catholic Girls,
Hoboken songstress Jaime Della Fave's debut EP as Jaime
Rose, Jersey City's ambitious Adam &
The Plants, and terrific power pop from old friends
Kurt Baker and The Connection.
Want more? How about New Brunswick's Atom Driver
and Magic Mountain (both on
Powerbunny 4x4 Records,) Montclair's folk-pop Porchistas,
Asbury Park's dark-synth combo Seaside Caves,
former Cheepskates frontman Tony Low,
Sussex County lo-fi punks Uncle Einar,
North Jersey's Bitter Chills, and tribute
compilations to the Young Marble Giant's Stuart
Moxham and Nirvana's In Utero. Read Jim
Testa's reviews here...
Jamie Frey interviews the legendary Mike Watt, currently
promoting the release of Ring Spiel '95, a live
album recorded on the Ball Hog?Or Tugboat tour
in 1995. Watt talks about how the album came out, the
remarkable Ring Spiel touring band (which included Eddie
Vedder, Dave Grohl, and Pat Smear,) and his role in punk
rock history. This is Jersey Beat's fifth interview with
the irascible, effusive, and totally original Mike Watt,
and we can't wait till the next one. Read Jamie's interview
here... And
read Rich Quinlan's review of Mike Watt's Ring Spiel '95
here...
REVIEWS BY
Deb Draisin is back on the beat with reviews of Frank
Iero & The Patience's new album, and live reviews
of Bad Religion and The Descendents. Read her reviews
here...
Our intrepid San Diego Bureau Chief Paul Silver traveled
to Oakland and environs for the third annual THIS IS MY
FEST, a DIY punk festival where Paul reports he enjoyed
every single act. Read his report and check out his photos
here...
John Sanucci of JGSPhoto captured these images
of Shirley Manson and Garbage at NJ's Starland Ballroom
on July 27, 2016. See his photos here...
Our intrepid San Diego Bureau Chief Paul Silver tracks
down the Mystery Lights, childhood friends whose long-awaited
debut album is turning heads in the punk world. Read his
live review
here...
Jamie Frey speaks to singer/violinist Petra Haden to
help celebrate the Bar/None reissues of her two mostly
a cappella solo albums, Imaginaryland and
Petra Haden Sings The Who Sell Out. Read his
interview here...
It's been eight years since the Ergs! disbanded and almost
ten since their last full-length album, so Mikey Erg's
first solo album Tentative Decisions arrives with with
a lot of expectations. Happily, Mikey delivers on all
fronts, with a more mature but still passionate rendering
of his trademark pop-punk, complete with crunchy sonic
guitars and punchy drums, melodic basslines and emphatic
vocals delivered in Mikey's trademark nasal yowl. Read
Jersey Beat's reviews here...
David Boyle visited one of New Jersey's hottest new acts,
Pat Llewellyn & The Parade,
in their rehearsal space and watched the magic as a new
song came to life. Read his
impressions on these intriguing musicians here...
Don't think of them as a teen band - even though San
Diego's Big Bad Buffalo can't legally order a beer yet
- just think of them as one of the best up 'n' coming
groups in the fertile San Diego punk scene. Jersey Beat's
Paul Silver keeps the lowdown on these phenoms here...
Our world was recently shattered by the loss of Dan McLane.
Dan was original member of the Harmonica Lewinskies and more
recently his own group, the Dan McLane Family Band. He was
a musician, singer, songwriter, but more importantly, one
of the brightest spirits I've ever know. Oliver Ignatius,
the guru of Mama Coco's Funky Kitchen, said it best: "It
is our most crushing loss, and it is our deepest defeat to
confirm the untimely passing of our beloved soul brother number
one Dan McLane, pillar of our community, life-giving lover
of the universe, the warmest, gentlest and most kind human
we have known."
In remembrance, I'm reposting this interview I did with
Dan and the Harmonica Lewinskies in 2012, when Octopus
Wallstreet was released. Dan was one of the first friends
I made when I discovered the Mama Coco's collective and all
it took was about a second; one big smile and one of Dan's
gregarious bear hugs and he made me feel like we'd already
been friends for years. Dan had that effect on everybody.
All we can do to honor his memory is to try and follow his
example: Be a little kinder, a little more generous, a little
more loving, and a little more life-affirming every day we
remember him. And we will remember him always. - Jim Testa
Dan McLane will be remembered at the Mama Coco's Funky
Kitchen "Space Jam" on Friday, May 20, at 8 p.m.
Admission is a requested donation of $10. MCFK is located
at 23 Meadow Street, Brooklyn, across the street from the
DIY venue Shea Stadium.
Read my 2012 Harmonica Lewinskies interview here...
The future voice of American theater?
Ramin
Karimloo is a rising star in theater and films. David Boyle
profiles this exciting new actor here...
It's only taken 40 years but finally there's a sequel to
Have Moicy!, the groundbreaking freaky folkie compilation
that critic Robert Christgau proclaimed "the greatest
folk album of the rock era." Peter Stampfel is back
but this time there's a new cast, including his daughter
Zoey, Jeffrey Lewis, Baby Gramps, Robin Remaily, and Brooklyn's
Down Hill Strugglers contribute songs, fiddles, banjos,
jew's harp, harmonica, and vocals. Read Jim Testa's review
here...
The Hold Steady's Craig Finn is Jim Testa's guest on the
latest episode of the Jersey Beat Podcast. Craig talks about
his new solo album Faith In The Future, about living in
Brooklyn and going out to see bands, and even offers some
advice for young musicians. Check it out here...
A college student and two of his best friends started a
band back in the Eighties, and wound up riding the thrills
of making loud weird music well into their forties (with
a serious hiatus in the middle) as Bitch Magnet. Jon Fine
tells that story here, which captures the zeitgeist of a
generation of bands that toured in vans, slept on floors,
and rarely made a dime, yet helped lay the way for the indie-rock
of today. Did that revolution fail? Fine seems to think
so, but you'd never notice from his insightful and well-documented
tour stories, including quotes from a small army of like-minded
contemporaries. If you liked Our Band Could Be Your Life,
you're gonna love this.
Jim Testa sits down with the godfather of punk rock to talk
about his folkie beginnings, New York City in the Fifties,
the joys of collaboration, and much, much more. Read our
interview here...
JerseyBeat.com
is an independently published music fanzine
covering punk, alternative, ska, techno and garage
music, focusing on New Jersey and the Tri-State
area. For the past 30 years, the Jersey Beat music
fanzine has been the authority on the latest upcoming
bands and a resource for all those interested in
rock and roll.
Joe
reviews the latest Omnivore reissue from Game Theory,
Two Steps From The Middle Ages. Joe writes,
"While it’s a joy to see this overlooked gem
of an album get the loving Omnivore Records reissue treatment,
it also hits you that this will be the final installment
of the series and serves to remind us that we’ll
never get new music again from Scott Miller, who passed
away in 2013."
For your summer reading, editor Jim Testa recommends the
humorous yet scary mobsters-meet-zombies novel Deadfellas,
and David Weigel's informative and entertaining The
Show That Never Ends: The Rise & Fall Of Prog Rock.
Ramin
Karimloo is a rising star in theater and films. David Boyle
profiles this exciting new actor 
A college student and two of his best friends started a
band back in the Eighties, and wound up riding the thrills
of making loud weird music well into their forties (with
a serious hiatus in the middle) as Bitch Magnet. Jon Fine
tells that story here, which captures the zeitgeist of a
generation of bands that toured in vans, slept on floors,
and rarely made a dime, yet helped lay the way for the indie-rock
of today. Did that revolution fail? Fine seems to think
so, but you'd never notice from his insightful and well-documented
tour stories, including quotes from a small army of like-minded
contemporaries. If you liked Our Band Could Be Your Life,
you're gonna love this.
COOL
DAD MUSIC- 
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