Not much to report currently. Welcome back and congrats to Kevin and his new wife. Golden times. Foxy Digitalis is struggling through some server difficulties but should be up and running, bigger and better than ever, within a little over a week. And if you haven't already, check out Terrastock 6 - Gathering of the Psychedelic Beards over at Deep Water; it's a revolving perspective account of this most special wyrd weekend. Majik Markers tonight (anyone heard Valley of Ashes?), Superman tomorrow, the world this weekend!

I highly recommend the film The Proposition, written by Nick Cave--yes, the baddest seed of them all--and directed by John Hillcoat. It's the best flick I've seen this Summer, touching on Joseph Conrad, Samuel Beckett, John Ford, Peckinpah (mainly Pat Garret and Billy the Kid) and Tarantino (at his gritty realistic best--not Kill Bill) through soul cleansing biblical allegory with Guy Pearce's Charlie Burns as the Abel dispatched to kill Danny Huston's Cain. At once shamanistic, transcendental and deeply misanthropic, Huston's Arthur is one of the great villains in film history. His crimes are only whispered of, yet he's never too busy stabbing/raping to appreciate a brief poetic moment or wax philosophical before a glorious sunset. Excellent cinematography and droning film score (by Cave and Warren Ellis). This one DEMANDS big screen viewing and is as gory and grimy as the hellish "uncivilized" landscape its set in. Highly, highly, highly recommended. Got it?

Also just received a big package of releases on the New American Folk Hero label, including droned out raga greatness from Mike Tamburo, Keenan Lawler, Matt McDowell, Meisha, Fathmount, Tusk Lord, Nüx, Bradam Streiple (who?) and even more. Looking forward to digging into this stuff in the coming weeks. So far (having dipped into Tusk Lord, Nüx, Tambura/McDowell and Bradam Streiple disks) so very, very sweet. Thanks so much, Mr. Folk Hero!

And Echo and the Bunnymen were INCREDIBLE the other night. No lie. The set focused heavily on the first three albums and they closed with "Ocean Rain" in all its swarthy epic noise rocking glory. Not a show to be missed, postpunkers.

Also, go see Six Organs of Admittance touring with Hush Arbors if they come near you. Both have released some truly mind-blowing works of late.
(from Drag City)
Thu July 6 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
Fri July 7 Cambridge, MA Middle East Upstairs
Sat July 8 Philadelphia, PA Khyber
Sun July 9 Arlington, VA Iota
Tue July 11 Chapel Hill, NC Cat's Cradle
Wed July 12 Atlanta, GA The Earl
Thu July 13 Lexington, KY The Dame
Fri July 14 Chicago, IL Empty Bottle
Sat July 15 Detroit, MI Magic Stick
Mon July 17 Cleveland, OH Beachland Tavern
Wed July 19 Northampton, MA Iron Horse Music Hall
Sat, July 29 Seattle, WA Neumo's
Sun July 30 Vancouver, BC Canada Media Club
Fri Aug 4 Santa Cruz, CA The Attic

That's all for now, brothers and sisters. Go Mavs. Fuck this Heat!

i_miss_jim_laffin: i sold my black mountain cd
i_miss_jim_laffin: today
i_miss_jim_laffin: LOL
pants_come_off: i like black mountain
i_miss_jim_laffin: me too
i_miss_jim_laffin: like cocaine more

Just got home from like...echo and the bunnymen live...closed with ocean rain. holy shits! good. go.

If you haven't yet, I highly recommend reading the Seht feature over at Foxy Digitalis. Behind the scenes New Zealand underground gossip, all out battlewar, piss-taking and much more. Very fun read. Question: Is that hairy gargoyle in the fourth picture Stephen Clover or William Basinski?

Hot diggidy! I went to this place last year to see Sean Smith, Blithe Sons, Six Organs of Admittance, and it rules! IT TOTALLY RULES!

folkYEAH! presents "Three Days of Summer"
Friday, June 9, Saturday, June 10 & Sunday, June 11

a three day music exchange with the following artists performing sets in the magical woods of bigSUR.


Friday Night: (start at 8:00pm

8:00- 8:35 Lee Bagget

8:45 9:20 Madrone Tree

9:35 10:30 Sir Richard Bishop

10:45 11:20 the Alps

11:35- 12:15 Bobby Birdman

12:20- 2:00 DJ night one (special guest surprise DJ set)

Saturday Night: (start at 4:00pm)

4:00 4:30 Meric Long (30 minute set)

4:45 5:35 Skygreen Leopards

5:50 6:40 Nick Castro

7:00 7:25 Ascended Master

7:40 8:35 Citay

8:55 10:00 Little Wings

10:15 11:10 Whysp

11:30 -2:00 DJ night two (special guest surprise DJ set)

Sunday Night (start at 6:00pm

6:00 - 6:30 Sharron Kraus

6:40 - 7:15 Sean Smith

7:30 -8:10 James Blackshaw

8:25 - 9:20 Colossal Yes

9:40 -10:45 Faun Fables

11:00 - 12:15 Tim Bluhm (Mother Hips)

Advance paypal tickets are available from this website:

http://www.fernwoodbigsur.com/music.htm

Remember: All advance paypal tickets will be "will call" tixs available for pick up on the day of the show. tickets will not be printed and mailed.

More Big Sur Camping Links are here:

http://www.bigsurcalifornia.org/camping.htm


((((folkYEAH!)))) encourages ride sharing to Big Sur!

HAPPY HELL DAY, EVERYBODY!

For the first time ever, I wish I lived in Michigan. From http://www.hell2u.com/whats_happening.htm:

"Hell's Once in a Lifetime Party!
6-6-6

Special “6-6-6” T-shirts and coffee mugs can be purchased from Screams Ice Cream and Halloween store in downtown Hell. Each item will include a “Certificate of Authenticity,” verifying that the purchase came from Hell, Michigan, on June 6, 2006. These keepsake certificates will be sealed, singed and signed by Odum Plenty, the mayor of Hell.

Coming this summer is a date that will occur only once in our lifetime: June 6, 2006. What’s so special about that, you may ask? Well, we here in Hell recognize that date as 6-6-6, so we’re throwing a party! Everyone is invited to visit us on that day to commemorate the occasion. Live entertainment will perform until midnight, and prizes will be awarded for the best costumes. After all, this is the town where Halloween is celebrated all year long.

There’s even fun stuff planned for the kids. Creepy Clyde will entertain the “Lil’ Devils” at Screams with his spooky songs from 4:00 until 9:00 p.m. Additionally, visitors to our store can enjoy small ice cream cones and sundaes for only 66 cents all day long, right up until midnight. We’re not evil … we’re just taking advantage of an excuse to have fun! Come on out to Hell for a good time. We’ll see you on 6-6-6!

If you have any questions, feel free to call Screams at (734) 878-2233."

...and don't forget to play some SLAYER real fucking loud in the car at those intersections today. Praise Him, O' Prince of Lies!!!!

I have been too busy to make that update promised recently. Lots of shows, lots of whiskey, and the sun how she shines so brightly these days. It's comin' though. Need to put together a new Bones column for Deep Water and finish some more reviews for Foxy Digitalis, which was FANTASTICALLY updated today with reviews of everyone from Chris Knox (with help from Pumice!) to Jandek (double live album!), Judy Sill to Coil, Tom Verlaine and plenty more. Holy smokes! We really do feature the best coverage of the weird underground anywhere. Eat your heart out, THE WIRE! Take that, BLASTITUDE! Totally kidding, guys. You all fucking rule. Must say though, Brad and Eden are functioning at full throttle right now with an expanded roster of knowledgeable, passionate writers, regularly updated podcasts and much, much more on the horizon. And the releases keep coming from Digitalis, too. Can't keep up, but it's fun to try. "Goodbye" by Brothers of the Occult Sisterhood is sick!

Hmm, what else? Saw two great live gigs in the last nine days or so. The Liars at The Gypsy Tea Room were particularly inspired. I dig 'em a lot, and they played basically all my favorite songs from the last two albums, so props to them for that. Think This Heat and mid period Sonic Youth, I suppose. I'm being lazy though. Also saw Country Teasers a few days ago (and drank so much I still don't know how I got home) and REALLY enjoyed what they were doing. I stand by my description: the missing link between Hank Williams and the Fall. Great garagy country/art punk stuff that you can dance to. Apparently there's a photo out there somewhere of my praying at the alter. Silly shit. Seeing Shellac (first Texas show EVER!) and The New Year in two days. WOOT!

One more thing: Issue #6 of Dream Magazine is ready for consumption. Don't think I mentioned it here yet. Music writer/graphic artist/all around cultural sage George Parson's entirely self financed, homemade labor of aural/visual love is hands down one the FINEST underground music related print zines in America today. Now I can say that and mean it because if anything his coverage and scope has only improved over the years. Nah, it was always great. George just asks the best questions. An example from his fascinating interview with Michael Gira (a notoriously difficult interview subject):

G.P.: What is the best medicine for melancholy?
M.G.: Work. Work is Everything. And sex, sex with love. Alcohol is of course a runnerup, but it just leads to more melancholy.

Don't worry, his other answers are typically longer. Also featured: A Hawk and Hacksaw, Nick Bensen, Nick Castro, Current 93 (an intro/primer written by myself, not an interview), Baby Dee, Phil Elverum, The Golden Dawn, Keenan Lawler, Eric Matthews, Bob Moss, My Cat is an Alien, Alasdair Roberts, Brad Rose, Jonathan Richman, Six Organs of Admittance, Bridget St. John, Vibracathedral Orchestra, Windy & Carl and more! SHIT! 112 pages plus an EXCELLENT free comp featuring most of the artists listed above, plus a live track by obscure early 70s Nevada City jam/psych band Absalom. Order it here.

Finally, extra reading snagged from Perfect Sound Forever. An until recently unpublished interview/article by Lester Bangs with Brian Eno, circa 74-75. Enjoy.