As if the Giant Squid news wasn't amazing enough.....I've got more!
Jackie Perez Gratz's other band, Grayceon, has joined the Starbird roster as well. Please help me in welcoming them.
www.grayceon.com || www.myspace.com/grayceon
Grayceon is Jackie Perez Gratz (Amber Asylum/Giant Squid) on electric cello and voice, Max Doyle (Walken) on guitar and voice, and Zack Farwell (Walken) on drums. Grayceon pulls together an extremely diverse range of musical influences and writing styles to create a fresh sound that defies the boundaries of the metal/rock/progressive genres. Compared to Opeth, King Crimson, and Ved Buens Ende, not in sound but in 'feel', Grayceon embraces the hard-to-describe-them definition and expects no hard comparisons to be made any time soon. Alternate low tuning on both cello and guitar, finger picked metal riffs, dreamy double vocals, and unpredictably impeccable drumming all meet to give Grayceon their unique sensibility.
Grayceon's album, This Grand Show [Vendlus Records] was released on November 11, 2008. Upcoming summer tour with Giant Squid is in the works.
"....the band spit out deep, infectious post-metal jamns which delicately balance the dreamy/heavy dynamic in a delicious and inimitable Bay Area fashion." - Metal Maniacs
"The lean and powerful, controlled tumbling riffs and percussion sometimes evoke fleeting thoughts of Mastodon, and although the band ebbs and flows, contrary to master architects Neurosis, these aren’t the kind of earth shifting, blow your hair back crescendos, but more subtle movements that are natural, dexterous, and almost unassuming in comparison." - metalreview.com
17 April 2009
14 April 2009
Giant Squid and Starbird join forces
I am more than pleased to announce that San Francisco's Giant Squid have joined the Starbird family.
www.giantsquidlives.com || www.myspace.com/giantsquid
Giant Squid recently self-released their 2nd full length on February 3rd, a limited edition (1000 copies) album entitled The Ichthyologist. Recorded by Matt Bayles (Minus the Bear, Isis, Botch) at the Red Room in Seattle, it features guest musicians from members of Neurosis, Crisis, Amber Asylum and The Gathering.
Their most recent tour was a February jaunt with Relapse Records' 16 and an upcoming national tour with Grayceon is in the works for Summer. Keep an eye out for dates.
"While the narrative may take a page from Gregory’s personal life, musically, The Ichthyologist invokes the elemental force of Neurosis, the cinematic scope of God Speed You Black Emperor, and the attitude of punk rock." – Revolver Magazine
"The Ichthyologist is, for lack of a better term, a grand fucking slam. Sublimely textured but crushingly heavy, deep as the ocean at its heart and yet instantly approachable, this is more than a great metal album—it is a beautiful work of art, by any standard. Even after writing this review, I can’t wait to listen to it again, and I’ll consider it a gift from the heavens if I hear another album even close to as good as The Ichthyologist this year." – metalreview.com
www.giantsquidlives.com || www.myspace.com/giantsquid
Giant Squid recently self-released their 2nd full length on February 3rd, a limited edition (1000 copies) album entitled The Ichthyologist. Recorded by Matt Bayles (Minus the Bear, Isis, Botch) at the Red Room in Seattle, it features guest musicians from members of Neurosis, Crisis, Amber Asylum and The Gathering.
Their most recent tour was a February jaunt with Relapse Records' 16 and an upcoming national tour with Grayceon is in the works for Summer. Keep an eye out for dates.
"While the narrative may take a page from Gregory’s personal life, musically, The Ichthyologist invokes the elemental force of Neurosis, the cinematic scope of God Speed You Black Emperor, and the attitude of punk rock." – Revolver Magazine
"The Ichthyologist is, for lack of a better term, a grand fucking slam. Sublimely textured but crushingly heavy, deep as the ocean at its heart and yet instantly approachable, this is more than a great metal album—it is a beautiful work of art, by any standard. Even after writing this review, I can’t wait to listen to it again, and I’ll consider it a gift from the heavens if I hear another album even close to as good as The Ichthyologist this year." – metalreview.com
12 April 2009
Meet the band, Pt 1
I've decided to do this "meet the band" thing so that you might actually get to know my bands as individual people and not just sex objects. I've come up with a system of questioning that will no doubt give you some amazing insight. You're welcome.
First up is Aaron Blanchard from the band Prize Country.
Aaron is very near and dear to yours truly. Truthfully, I only met Aaron rather recently but we have many mutual friends, so it was inevitable that we'd bro down at some point. Despite my initial misjudgement of his winning personality, he's quickly become one of my favorite people - we have perv-offs to see who can say the most revolting, insulting, offensive things. He is a true competitor.
Anyway, back to band shit...he is the singer and one of two guitar players in the band. He's also recently made his foray into being a booking agent [eh hem....Middle Child Booking]. What he doesn't know is that he'll never be the booking mogul that I am, but I don't want to spoil his fun.
Here's Aaron (a hunk, no?):
And here are his answers to my ridiculously unprofessional questions:
Best show you've ever been to: 1991 - Soundgarden, Monster Magnet, Swervedriver. It was amazing - at the Warfield in San Francisco. I didn't know what I was in for at the time. I went to see Soundgarden and ended up having the best time watching the first two bands. Swervedriver really moved me; won me over and I have been a big fan ever since. Even saw them again last year. I couldn't believe how incredible they could still be.
Big Lebowski or Kingpin: Come on.......Lebowski. Nuff'said.
Best tour story: The fact that we tour as much as we do is the best tour story I have. I will keep it short like that.
Lotion or lube: Lube, unless we're talking about dry hands.
Describe your ultimate taco: It would be a batch of nachos with jalepenos, cheese, sour cream, black olives, lettuce, tomato and salsa on a bed of black beans wrapped in a nice hard corn tortilla big enough to harness that power - then of course I would have to wrap that in a soft flour tortilla smattered in refried beans.
First up is Aaron Blanchard from the band Prize Country.
Aaron is very near and dear to yours truly. Truthfully, I only met Aaron rather recently but we have many mutual friends, so it was inevitable that we'd bro down at some point. Despite my initial misjudgement of his winning personality, he's quickly become one of my favorite people - we have perv-offs to see who can say the most revolting, insulting, offensive things. He is a true competitor.
Anyway, back to band shit...he is the singer and one of two guitar players in the band. He's also recently made his foray into being a booking agent [eh hem....Middle Child Booking]. What he doesn't know is that he'll never be the booking mogul that I am, but I don't want to spoil his fun.
Here's Aaron (a hunk, no?):
And here are his answers to my ridiculously unprofessional questions:
Best show you've ever been to: 1991 - Soundgarden, Monster Magnet, Swervedriver. It was amazing - at the Warfield in San Francisco. I didn't know what I was in for at the time. I went to see Soundgarden and ended up having the best time watching the first two bands. Swervedriver really moved me; won me over and I have been a big fan ever since. Even saw them again last year. I couldn't believe how incredible they could still be.
Big Lebowski or Kingpin: Come on.......Lebowski. Nuff'said.
Best tour story: The fact that we tour as much as we do is the best tour story I have. I will keep it short like that.
Lotion or lube: Lube, unless we're talking about dry hands.
Describe your ultimate taco: It would be a batch of nachos with jalepenos, cheese, sour cream, black olives, lettuce, tomato and salsa on a bed of black beans wrapped in a nice hard corn tortilla big enough to harness that power - then of course I would have to wrap that in a soft flour tortilla smattered in refried beans.
10 April 2009
April shows
Should you live in one of these fine towns, you should go see these shows.
5-April :: Tiny Vipers, Grouper @ Rontoms, Portland [FREE]
(I know this already passed but I'm trying to include all shows for the month for posterity, get off my case)
10-April :: Prize Country, Black Eyes & Neckties (and 11 other bands) @ Ash St. Saloon for Adam's B'day show, Portland
11-April :: Boy Eats Drum Machine @ IKEBox for Cherry City Music Festival, Salem
16-April :: Boy Eats Drum Machine @ Baby Bar, Spokane
17-April :: Boy Eats Drum Machine @ The Badlander, Missoula
18-April :: Boy Eats Drum Machine @ Empyrean, Spokane *all ages*
25-April :: Black Eyes & Neckties, Helms Alee, Black Elk, Moons & Goochers @ The Nightlight, Bellingham
5-April :: Tiny Vipers, Grouper @ Rontoms, Portland [FREE]
(I know this already passed but I'm trying to include all shows for the month for posterity, get off my case)
10-April :: Prize Country, Black Eyes & Neckties (and 11 other bands) @ Ash St. Saloon for Adam's B'day show, Portland
11-April :: Boy Eats Drum Machine @ IKEBox for Cherry City Music Festival, Salem
16-April :: Boy Eats Drum Machine @ Baby Bar, Spokane
17-April :: Boy Eats Drum Machine @ The Badlander, Missoula
18-April :: Boy Eats Drum Machine @ Empyrean, Spokane *all ages*
25-April :: Black Eyes & Neckties, Helms Alee, Black Elk, Moons & Goochers @ The Nightlight, Bellingham
09 April 2009
Boy Eats Drum Machine jams the penny
Haven't seen Boy Eats Drum Machine yet? What's your problem? Because I fancy myself a nice lady, I am going to post this video to get you salivating for his live show. This is what to expect....partially.....
Boy Eats Drum Machine at Kush Carpets from The Penny Jam on Vimeo.
Boy Eats Drum Machine at Kush Carpets from The Penny Jam on Vimeo.
08 April 2009
Prize Country go on yet another tour
Prize Country are road dogs. These bitches tour like motherfuckers and if you don't believe me, well, ask and I'll send you their tour history. It's impressive. Anyway, while I didn't book this tour, I still want to tell you about it because 1/ they are my homies and I do work for them just in other capacities and 2/ they are touring with a band that I love. Without further ado I present you with tour dates for Prize Country and Kingdom of Magic. Now it's your duty to show up to at least one of these.........
Apr 15 2009 - Satyricon w/ Black Elk and Made Out Of Babies - Portland, OR (Tour Kick-off!!!)
Apr 17 2009 - HQ Basement w/ Swamp Donkey & Sixteen Eighteen - Reno, NV
Apr 18 2009 - Burt’s Tiki Lounge - Salt Lake City, UT
Apr 19 2009 - Double Down Saloon - Las Vegas, NV
Apr 20 2009 - Jughead's - Phoenix, AZ
Apr 21 2009 - tba - somewhere near or in Phoenix, AZ
Apr 22 2009 - Plush w/ Long Live the Smoking Gun - Tucson, AZ
Apr 23 2009 - The Casbah w/ Hostile Combover - San Diego, CA
Apr 24 2009 - Radio Room - San Diego, CA
Apr 25 2009 - The Relax Bar w/ District of Evolution - Los Angeles, CA
Apr 26 2009 - Billy O’s - Ventura, CA
Apr 27 2009 - Monterey Live w/ Ox vs Thunderbird, & Razorhoof - Monterey, CA
Apr 28 2009 - Chinatown Youth Center - Fresno, CA
Apr 29 2009 - Annie’s Social Club w/ Mount Vicious - San Francisco, CA
Apr 30 2009 - Stork Club w/ Hurry Up Shotgun & Mount Vicious - Oakland, CA
May 1 2009 - The Kennel Club - Sacramento, CA
May 2 2009 - The Alibi - Arcata, CA
May 3 2009 - East End w/ Rabbits - Portland, OR (welcome home show)
Apr 15 2009 - Satyricon w/ Black Elk and Made Out Of Babies - Portland, OR (Tour Kick-off!!!)
Apr 17 2009 - HQ Basement w/ Swamp Donkey & Sixteen Eighteen - Reno, NV
Apr 18 2009 - Burt’s Tiki Lounge - Salt Lake City, UT
Apr 19 2009 - Double Down Saloon - Las Vegas, NV
Apr 20 2009 - Jughead's - Phoenix, AZ
Apr 21 2009 - tba - somewhere near or in Phoenix, AZ
Apr 22 2009 - Plush w/ Long Live the Smoking Gun - Tucson, AZ
Apr 23 2009 - The Casbah w/ Hostile Combover - San Diego, CA
Apr 24 2009 - Radio Room - San Diego, CA
Apr 25 2009 - The Relax Bar w/ District of Evolution - Los Angeles, CA
Apr 26 2009 - Billy O’s - Ventura, CA
Apr 27 2009 - Monterey Live w/ Ox vs Thunderbird, & Razorhoof - Monterey, CA
Apr 28 2009 - Chinatown Youth Center - Fresno, CA
Apr 29 2009 - Annie’s Social Club w/ Mount Vicious - San Francisco, CA
Apr 30 2009 - Stork Club w/ Hurry Up Shotgun & Mount Vicious - Oakland, CA
May 1 2009 - The Kennel Club - Sacramento, CA
May 2 2009 - The Alibi - Arcata, CA
May 3 2009 - East End w/ Rabbits - Portland, OR (welcome home show)
07 April 2009
Black Eyes & Neckties to tour the UK
I feel like I'm in a new relationship.....I'm all giddy about this blog and posting various news items. It's like I'm prematurely ejaculating in front of all of you.
Anyway, this is important news and I deemed it so important it could not wait until tomorrow. Black Eyes & Neckties are the first of my bands to schlep it overseas for a tour and so they deserve some props. They recently signed with the William Morris Agency over there (yes....the WMA.....they are big time hustlers over there) and will do their first tour next month. I have been lucky enough to talk them into letting me join them. Suckers.....I mean, um, lovers. Here are the dates so far:
Anyway, this is important news and I deemed it so important it could not wait until tomorrow. Black Eyes & Neckties are the first of my bands to schlep it overseas for a tour and so they deserve some props. They recently signed with the William Morris Agency over there (yes....the WMA.....they are big time hustlers over there) and will do their first tour next month. I have been lucky enough to talk them into letting me join them. Suckers.....I mean, um, lovers. Here are the dates so far:
May 15 Barfly, London - with Titus Andronicus
May 16 Kasbah, Coventry
May 17 off
May 18 Rainbow, Birmingham
May 19 Academy 2, Oxford
May 20 Barfly, Liverpool
May 21 Academy 2, Newcastle
May 22 Off
May 23 Dot to Dot tbc
May 24 Dot to Dot tbc
May 25 Off
May 26 Glasgow tbc
May 27 The Doghouse, Dundee
May 28 Sneaky Pete's, Edinburgh
May 16 Kasbah, Coventry
May 17 off
May 18 Rainbow, Birmingham
May 19 Academy 2, Oxford
May 20 Barfly, Liverpool
May 21 Academy 2, Newcastle
May 22 Off
May 23 Dot to Dot tbc
May 24 Dot to Dot tbc
May 25 Off
May 26 Glasgow tbc
May 27 The Doghouse, Dundee
May 28 Sneaky Pete's, Edinburgh
Look out - 2 posts in one day!
The first order of business should probably be for me to tell you about all of the spectacular bands I work with since this is supposedly my centralized place of business. Well since you asked, here goes:
Black Eyes & Neckties (Bellingham, WA) - www.blackeyesandneckties.com AND www.myspace.com/blackeyesandneckties
Boy Eats Drum Machine (Portland, OR) - www.boyeatsdrummachine.com AND www.myspace.com/boyeatsdrummachine
Feral Children (Seattle, WA) - www.myspace.com/feralchildrenseattle
Prize Country (Portland, OR) - www.myspace.com/prizecountry [regional only]
At some point each will receive individual posts about their goings-on and whatnot, but give me a break....I just started this 10 minutes ago. For now, click on those links and sit back and enjoy the jams.
Black Eyes & Neckties (Bellingham, WA) - www.blackeyesandneckties.com AND www.myspace.com/blackeyesandneckties
Boy Eats Drum Machine (Portland, OR) - www.boyeatsdrummachine.com AND www.myspace.com/boyeatsdrummachine
Feral Children (Seattle, WA) - www.myspace.com/feralchildrenseattle
Prize Country (Portland, OR) - www.myspace.com/prizecountry [regional only]
At some point each will receive individual posts about their goings-on and whatnot, but give me a break....I just started this 10 minutes ago. For now, click on those links and sit back and enjoy the jams.
I'm joining the technological revolution
I've contemplated off and on about having some sort of website besides good ole MySpace. And I keep coming to the same conclusion.....that my agency is not big enough to warrant making and paying for a website that I will never update. Then I noticed this trend of people using blogs as a sort of secondary website and I figured....what the hell, I can do that....I've already got an account.
So here I am. I'm hoping that I will actually do something here and keep you updated on what I'm up to as well as what my bands are up to. These are high hopes.
So here I am. I'm hoping that I will actually do something here and keep you updated on what I'm up to as well as what my bands are up to. These are high hopes.
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