ELECTRIC FRANKENSTEIN:
How To Live Forever, And Other Helpful Hints Every Monster
(and Band) Should Know
Few bands have as much history to share as NJ's Electric
Frankenstein: A 20 year career, an untold number of shows
all over the world, and an unbelievable 100 releases...
James Damion meets with the band in their sonic laboratory
to unearth the secrets of these indestructible rockers.
Read
his interview here...
DANNY VAPID, HE'S OKAY TO US
Screeching Weasel, the Queers, the Riverdales, Sludgeworth,
the Mopes, the Methadones, Noise By Numbers... Dan "Vapid"
Schafer's got a punk rock resume' longer than your arm and
more projects going than NASA. We check in with the peripatetic
Chicago rocker on the latest release from the Riverdales,
the imminent demise of the Methadones, and the future of
Noise By Numbers, among other topics. Read
Jim Testa's interview here...
 THE
RIVERDALES - Tarantula (Recess Records)
As Dan Vapid discusses in our interview, he and Ben Weasel
used the same songwriting technique for Tarantula that they
used when writing Invasion USA - they took titles from crappy
horror and scifi flicks lampooned on Mystery Science Theater
3000. Oliver Lyons didn't really like Invasion USA but -
surprise, suprise - he thinks Tarantula is a real return
to form, 1995 pop-punk all the way. Read
his review here...
IT'S THE SKULLER KIDS...
In their new Jersey Beat t-shirts!
Jack Skuller and his siblings are rocking their new Jersey
Beat t-shirts. Order yours today and join in the fun! We
can do any size from 4XL to youth smalls, just let us know.
Shirts are $10, email your orders to us here.
 GASLIGHT
ANTHEM:
Lighting Up The Jersey Night
Tim Norek reports on Gaslight Anthem's recent
soldout show at the Stone Pony's Summer Stage in Asbury
Park, with openers Frank Turner and William Elliot Whitmore.
With a near perfect set list, great sound, and a super-appreciative
audience, these fast-rising Jersey stars proved they are
born to run. Read
Tim's review here...
New! Tim Norek's Gaslight Anthem Photo Gallery Added!
GAUGE - Midwestern Post-Punk Pioneers Give
You Another Chance To Discover Them
  
Jersey Beat Paul Silver was there when Gauge
emerged from Chicago back in 1991 and helped jumpstart a
new movement fueled by both Midwest and D.C. hardcore. In
fact, Paul helped release the band's first full-length.
Now the band has reunited for a few shows, made their back
catalog available as digital downloads, and are the subject
of a documentary film, "Gauge:153."
Paul tells you everything you need to know to discover these
exciting and innovative post-punk pioneers...
THE CALL OUT:
Digging their way out of the NJ underground
Somewhere between the shirtless bro's giving free hugs, the
metalcore beardos screaming their heads off, and the sensitive
emo kids with their v-necks and autotuned vocals, we actually
found a band we liked at the Warped Tour this year. They call
themselves The Call Out, they're from the Jersey shore, and
they've got a couple of reall big shows coming up. So
check 'em out here, and then in a year or two, tell everybody
where you read about them first...
 BRUCE
SPRINGSTEEN & THE E STREET BAND - London Calling: Live
In Hyde Park (2 DVD) (Columbia Records)
Phil Rainone checks out this live document
of Bruce Springsteen's festival appearance in London's Hyde
Park, which includes some of his most famous songs, some
unexpected covers, and even a guest appearance by Gaslight
Anthem's Brian Fallon.
Read
Phil's review here...
ACTION ITEM: Pure Pop For The NOW Generation
Download exclusive mp3!
Action Item has opened for Justin Bieber,
Selena Gomez, and Emily Osment, but they'd rather come and
play a show for you in your living room. They'll be on tour
this fall opening for Allstar Weekend, and they're giving
JerseyBeat readers an advance listen to a track from their
new album, "The Stronger You Love." Read
our interview here...
It's Milo in his new Jersey Beat t-shirt!
We can do these in everything from 4Xl to
Youth Smalls so just send us
your order and $10 and we'll get one made up especially
for you (or
your significant others.) Email your order here.
CONIL: MP3 Download
Download "Devil Leaving," the first
single from UK singer/songwriter Conil's forthcoming album,
Strange Part Of The Country. Equal parts Nick Drake
and Tom Waits, the ethereal track was recorded in Conil's
London studio with double-bass player Danny Thompson (who
worked with Tim Buckley.) Stream
or download the mp3 here...
Vans Warped Tour 2010:
Early Birds Got The Worm, The Rest Got Sum 41
Jersey Beat had reporters in New Jersey and Long Island
covering this year's Warped Tour, and each will be providing
their own perspectives (and photos.) Editor Jim Testa gets
to chime in first, grousing that picking the schedule out
of a hat often leaves fans who still arrive as early as
noon out in the cold. But everything else about Warped Tour
remained sizzlingly hot, from the music to the weather to
the amped legions of teens who turned out to see their favorite
bands. Read
Jim's report here...
Deb Draisin and Damien Ellinghaus provide our coverage from
Long Island, where the Warped Tour parked in the Nassau
Coliseum parking lot. Read
their report here...
Adam Assoian of Focused in Photography provides a gallery
of bands from the Monmouth Race Track in NJ. See his photos
here...
A Day At The Races With Reel Big Fish
Phil Rainone and Tim Norek got to interview Reel Big Fish
- or at least the band's mainstays Aaron and Scott, and provide
a blow by blow description of their hilarious encounters with
"the Marx Bros. of punk." Then they recont some
of their experiences at Monmouth Park.
Read
their interview and story here...
CHAMBERS wants to get into your face...
Old School Hub City Hardcore Is Back,
And It Don't Want To Hold Hands & Sing Hymns With the
Diamond Street Church Choir, Either
James Damion meets up with one of the most
urgent and furious hardcore bands to come out of the teeming
basement scene of New Brunswick in years. No solipsistic
reveries about phony nostalgia here, no yearning for warm
Boardwalk nights and hot beach babes. Could this be the
band that makes Jersey hardcore dangerous again? Let's hope.
Read
James Damion's interview here...
Siren Fest 2010: Baking On The Boardwalk
The Village Voice's annual Siren Fest featured
Matt & Kim, Ted Leo, Cymbals Eat Guitars, Screaming
Females, and a whole bunch of other bands, all performing
brilliantly despite the broiling sun. We captured the day
in photos which
you can see here...
STREETLIGHT MANIFESTO HEADLINES A HOT & ROCKING (&
GENRE-DEFYING) SUMMER NIGHT
Phil Rainone and Tim Norek rocked out to the
"scrumptious ska sounds" of Streetlight Manifesto
and The Supervillains, but also enjoyed the punk rock intensity
of The Wonder Years and the quirky charms of singer/songwriter
Tom Potthast at Starland Ballroom recently. Read
their review here...
STILL FEELIE AFTER ALL THESE YEARS
The Feelies, live at Maxwell's - 7/3/10
The Feelies played their annual Fourth of
July concerts at Maxwell's this weekend and we were there
for one of the shows, reveling in the band's still potent
sound, intense performance, and the sense of timelessness
that surrounds this unique NJ band. Read
Jim Testa's review here...
GREETINGS FROM ASBURY PARK
Interviews with Asbury's scenemakers and visionaries
KEITH KENNY:
Bringing The Blues To Infinity (And Beyond)
Phil Rainone talks to Asbury Park blues sensation
Keith Kenny and his bassist Jon Luberecki about Keith's
new EP "Evil Fuzz Magic" and his role as a young
musician bringing a time-honored musical tradition into
a new century.
Read
Phil's interview here...
JERSEY BEAT'S U
PCOMING SHOWS
click
here for listings... '
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FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK:
Reviews by Jim Testa
 |
|
- JOHN PRINE - In Person & On Stage
(Oh Boy)
- BROKEN HEARTS & DIRTY WINDOWS: The
Songs of John Prine (Oh Boy)
|
View
the complete Editor's Desk article...
JERSEY BEAT REVIEWS:
 CAUSE
A SCENE - Volume 1, NY and NJ Punk (Bright And Barrow
Records)
It's almost like they were reading our minds - this
new compilation of area pop punk bands includes some
of our favorites, like the Tattle Tales, Project 27,
the Measure (SA), Stewart, and House Boat, a few scene
veterans like Graveyard School and NJ's Break Evens,
as well as some new bands like Banquets, Step Aside,
Up For Nothing, Dead Sexi, and more. Read
Noah WK's review here...
 PAGAN
BABIES - Last: An Anthology (DRP Records)
Philadelphia's Pagan Babies brought a unique style
to Eighties hardcore, more jovial and fun loving than
the smashmouth style of NY/HC without any of the straightedge
militarism that characterized so much of the Eighties.
DRP Records has remixed and remastered all of the
Pagan Babies' classic recordings and added a DVD documentary
which chronicles the band's history and catches us
up with the members today. Read
Rich Quinlan's review here...
 VANS
WARPED TOUR COMPILATION 2010
Are you ready for the Warped Tour? The Jersey Beat
contingent is lubed up with sunscreen with our point
'n' shoots in our pockets, ready to catch all the
action at Oceanport on July 18. Phil Rainone previews
this year's tour with a review of the Warped Tour's
annual compilation CD.
Read
Phil's review here...
 FLOORED
BY FOUR (Chimera Music)
This is the new project from Mike Watt, Nels Kline,
Yuka Honda, and Dougie Browne. Each of these indie
rock virtuosos gets their own track, each at least
10 minutes in length (the total EP clocks in at 45
minutes.) Rich Quinlan says, " In the hands of
less adroit musicians, this could become a sloppy
mess. Instead, Floored by Four simply uses
these tracks as a vehicle to investigate their limitless
inspirations."
...
Read Rich's review here
 WHY
BE SOMETHING YOU ARE NOT? by Tony Rettman (Revelation)
Onetime Trenton zinester and HC scenester Tony Rettman
chronicles the birth of Detroit's unique hardcore scene
in this book, heavy on interviews and illustrated with
band photos and show flyers. Rettman digs into the stories
of the obvious suspects in this scene like Negative
Approach and the Necros, but also covers peripheral
(but nonetheless) important acts like L-Seven and Blight.
Read Rich Quinlan's review here...
 GOOD
RIDDANCE - Capricorn One (Fat Wreck)
Fans of this now-defunct SoCal hardcore band will
want to complete their collections with this handsome
remounting of the band's singles, compilation tracks,
and even some unreleased material. But Johnny Puke
warns that much of this dates from early in the band's
career when it wore its debt to Bad Religion on the
sleeve of their patched workshirts. Read
Johnny's review here...
 BAND
OF HORSES - Infinity Arms (Fat Possum)
When is a rock album like a Hostess twinkie? When
it's yummy and sweet but lacking in substance, like
this latest effort from Band Of Horses. Johnny Puke
is licking his lips from the gooey creme filling,
but finds he's still hungry for something a little
more substantial.
Read his review here...
JERSEY BEAT COLUMNS:
 THE
SILVER LINING by Paul Silver
Paul digs the diversity of NJ's Elevator
Art, has mixed feelings about the nuevo-classic
rock of Free Energy, and reviews
more new releases from Lithium Seven, Out
Like Lambs, Secret Cities, Sparta Philharmonic,
Asbury Park scenester Tommy Strazza,
noisecore pioneers The Swans, the
quirky synth pop of The White Ravens,
and an enjoyable live DVD from the perky ladies in
Shonen Knife.
Read
Paul's column here...
METAL AS ALL HELL by Dan Siano
Dan finds absolutely nothing to like about And
Hell Followed With and gives them... hell.
but he's surprised to find he actually likes the latest
from Annihilator. Bonded By Blood
earns a "doesn't totally suck," but the
generic metalcore of Deception Of A Ghost
does. He also reviews new releases from metal gods
Lamb Of God, Order Of Ennead, and
Enforcer.
Read Dan's column here...
 MATTERN
OF FACT: By Chris Mattern
Chris gets mad at NO FX for foisting
off The Longest EP, yet another collection
of greatest sides (and some alternate takes) instead
of new material. He also sounds off on new releases
from The Menzingers, PTL Klub, The Anomalys,
The Murder, The Walk Ons, The Undead (releasing
some lost-long tracks from the 80's), a great new
ep from The Max Levine Ensemble,
personal fave Jonee Earthquake Band,
the Pacific Northwest's very cool Smokejumper,
Minneapolis punks Mall'd To Death, the Remaindermen,
AT's Christian punk Knights Of The New Crusade,
the ageless Sloppy Seconds, and new
releases from Sexual Suicide, Road Rage,
and Fed Up. And a book about how
to make soap. Take that, Tyler Durgen!
Read Chris' column here...
 LET'S
PARTY WITH NOAH WK
NO FX is back - not with a new
album, of course, but a 30 track collection of B sides,
compilation tracks, and rarities called The Longest
EP. But Noah says if you're a NoFX fan, you're
gonna need a copy anyway because it's so cool having
so many good songs on one CD. He also reviews the
collection of NY and NJ pop-punk bands called Cause
A Scene, a new 7 inch from The Creeps,
and the very catchy Good Men Die Like Dogs
from Arizona. "The Challenged
rule - you cannot lose." High praise indeed for
the NYC band's latest release, Loaded Language
on Rally Records. Noah also has high praise for The
Dopamines, whose Paper + Plastick release
Expect The Worse has won him over
into a bigtime fan. Noah also reviews new releases
from Stewart, The New 45, Harvey Milk, The
Kyle Sowashes, Maker, Junior Battles, and
two split 7-inches from Traffic Street Records,
the Transgressions/Side Project and God
Damn Doo Wop Band/Vacation Bible School,
both of which are highly recommended.
Read Noah's column here...
REVIEWARAMA by Jim Testa
Love works in mysterious ways...which may explain how
the unlikely couple of Wreckless Eric &
Amy Rigby managed to make such an enchanting
album of covers. We review some pop punk from the
Quarantines and Egghead, the
debut EP from Asbury Park singer/songwriter Anthony
Walker (whom you may know as Anthony Fiumano,)
check out NJ punk bands Banquets and
The Great Explainer, and review new
releases from Junip, The Lights, the Lesser
Knowns, Mall'd to Death, and the Manfred
Kanther Explosion.
Read Jim's reviews here...
 THE
QUINLAN CHRONICLES
by Rich Quinlan
Thunderously loud and highly complex, Charles
The Osprey both challenges and entertains
Rich to start off this month's column. He also lauds
the bold chances taken by Black Helicopter
and enjoys having his ears and brain abused by Alternative
Tentacles' Git Some. Other reviews
include Pity Whores, Bear In Heaven, and We
Were Skeletons. Rich applauds the innovative
duo Fangs Out, raves about the savage
hardcore punk attack of Gatorface,
and celebrates the back story of the long-lost recordings
by NJ's seminal punkers The Undead, but
is less than enthusiastic about a new 7 inch from
Hunters Run!
Read
Rich's column here...
 BROWSIN'
WITH DAVID BROWN
Our new columnist from Merry Olde England ranks the
latest from British punk rock legends Leathermouth,
NJ's own Titus Andronicus, and new
albums from The Moon & Her Mother, We Caught
The Castle, Women, and Friendo.
Read
David's column here...
 THE
WORLD ACCORDING TO WAWZYRNIAK
by Joe Wawzyrniak
Blending elements of country, folk, and rock, The
Redemption Center catches Joe's ear and gets
the big thumbs up. He also digs the offbeat sonic
stylings of Echo Orbiter, the straightforward
folk of John Foti, the amusingly
confessional songs of Jed Davis,
and the eclectic folk stylings of Norfolk
& Western. Joe also samples the beguiling
electronic beats of The Dive Index and
finally, he waxes rhapsodic for the achingly tender
voices of The Chapin Sisters, The
aggressive, abrasive post punk of I'm In You
has Joe moshing around his bedroom, but he still found
time to review new releases from Agent Ribbons,
Floating Opera, Algernon, Grass Widow, The Russians,
Dax Riggs, and a fascinating compilation
that chronicles African-American artists doing traditionally
Jewish music called Black Sabbath: The Secret
Musical History of Black-Jewish Relations.
Read
Joe's column here...
POP VULTURE by Phil Rainone
Phil flips out to The Morlocks
exciting new covers collection of Chess Records classics
and grooves to the dream inspiring sounds of NJ soul
rocker Jimmy Gnecco. The new joint
from Asbury Parks Miss TK And The Revenge
gets a thumbs down from our discerning critic, as
do The Black 100's (one of the many
new acts coming out of Ridgewood NJ.) But Phil digs
the sounds of the Revelevens, the Problems,
and old school rockabilly guy Jim Bush.
Not only does Phil review the new album from Devo,
but also the Devo tribute compilation from NJ's Main
Man Records. Read
Phil's column here...
 DEBORAH
J. DRAISIN -
REPORTS FROM THE FRONT
Reports from the field by our intrepid girl reporter,
Deb Draisin...
-
Leathermouth - Interview
- Fairmont
- Transcendence CD
-
Fairmont - Interview
- Bern &
The Brights - Interview
-
Brine & Bastards - Interview
- Alkaline
Trio - Interview
- Jake
Szufnarowski, RocksOff.com
-
Theodore Grimm - Interview
-
Picture Me Broken - Interview
-
Theory Of Light - Interview
-
Any Day Parade - Interview
 JOHNNY
PUKE SAYS SO...
The masked naked guitarist of the Dwarves known only
as Hewhocannotbenamed has released
his first solo album, and you can just bet it's right
up Johnny Puke's alley. He has less kind things to
say for the regurgitated NYHC of Ultraviolence.
Johnny gives his honest opinion of NOFX's
"Cokie The Clown" EP - hardly crucial but
certainly collectible? There's no doubt that Operation
Ivy changed punk rock forever, but what's frontman
Jesse Michaels done lately? His new band is called
Classics Of Love and Johnny says
that classic, it's not. Johnny also reviews the re-issue
of a real classic, Hot Water Music's
No Division.
Read
Johnny's reviews here...
 THE
QUIET CORNER
by Robert Barry Francos
It's the Spring edition of The Quiet Corner and Robert
Francos sifts through a wide variety of folk, pop,
funk, rock, and even a little punk: Willie
Alexander, Amish Electric Chair, Olof Arnolds, Audio-OK,
Marty Balin, Kevin Barker, Paul Benoit, Capri, Tim
Carroll, Laura Cheadle, Matthew Curran, Dark Sunny
Land, East Park Reggae Collective, Joe Firstman, Fish
Eye Brothers, Fox Pass, Freelance Whales, William
Funk, Brett Gleason, Jen Gloeckner, Adam Green, Half
Handed Cloud, Kevin Huelbig, Joe Hurley & Colum
McCain, Patrick Kavaney & The Last Drags, Jim
Kroft, Holly Miranda, The Ogeez, Lou Rone, Spanky
& Our Gang, Star & Micey, Philip Stevenson,
Linda Duvall, Dick Wagner, Ben Winship & David
Thompson, and Wakey!Wakey! Read
Robert's column here...
LOOSE THREADS by Chris A.
Deeply submerged in the indie rock underground
of San Francisco, our latest correspondent brings
a myriad of tools to his task of being Jersey Beat's
newest writer - impressive tools to his new assignkment
as our West Coast Bureau Chief, including a cell phone
programmed with the number to Jello Biafra's hottub
phone and a crumpled membership card to Gilman Street
tucked into his wallet. This is a man who knows both
Coasts, and we're very happy that he'll be bringing
his unique perspective to Jersey Beat.
Read his first column here...
 WOWIE
ZOWIE:
Psychedelia & Beyond by Rick Kutner
Rick Kutner and Wowie Zowie brings you the best
in psychedelia, power-pop, and glam. In this column,
Rick reviews new releases by Deastro, Empire of the
Sun, Historics, Roger O'Donnell, Phoenix, Sleepy Sun,
Stardeath & The White Dwards, We Are Hex, and
Welcome Wagon. Read
Rick's column here...
PAST INTERVIEWS & FEATURES:
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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 25 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.
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Mick
Hale of MOD FUN
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