TVD | Windian Records First Anniversary Week

CRUSHED BUTLER
WIN20005
Crushed Butler - It's My Life (Mp3)


In celebration of Windian Records First Anniversary, this week we're looking back at the label's entire output of 7"s over the past 12 months.

Enter to win passes for Windian Records back to back First Anniversary Parties at Velvet Lounge this coming Friday and Saturday nights right HERE.
—Ed.

TVD's Twitter Music Monday for 7/26/10

To steal a line from 'Lost': There’s a war coming.

I was hoping to spend this week’s column talking about some hot new Pitchfork band, because I’m a solid week behind on the news and failed to realize that Pitchfork happened two weekends ago, and not this past weekend. I’d also be happy to talk about nu-metal again. Or Eminem—he’s fun. That is not going to happen, because this Monday, the hashtag world is being dominated by five very unsettling hashtags. In order of reverse magnitude, as of 10 pm on Monday, according to the fine robots at wthashtag.com:

#6millionbritbitches (6,095 tweets by 606 contributors)
#6millionbritfans (6,414 tweets by 788 contributors)
#5millionmonsters (8,205 tweets by 3,131 contributors)
#britneyvma2010 (13,666 tweets by 1,036 contributors)
#4millionbeliebers (21,009 tweets by 8,186 contributors)

Obviously, something is up: There is hostility between the lines of these hashtags, and pathos and hubris and pretension. Mix in some natural resources and egomaniacal political leaders and you’d have all the ingredients for a sloppy war soup.

Here’s the timeline of events. Justin Bieber is the genesis of so many wonderful things on the internet, including this escalating hashtag rivalry.

Nearly 4 million people follow Bieber's verified Twitter account (3,959,118 at time of writing), and his bonkers tween-girl fanbase is prematurely celebrating that monumental achievement. There is a joke in here about “premature” that is just out of my reach, and that’s probably good because it is either crass or completely dumb or both. Also, these people call themselves Beliebers as, like, a badge of honor, and that fact is sort of buzzing around in my brain and making me question everything I thought I knew about humor.

As a response to the swell of Bieber tagging, the fans of two other pop stars apparently decided to hype their preferred Tweeting sensations.

First up, Lady Gaga, who refers to her fans (on Twitter and elsewhere) as her “little monsters.” Unlike the Biebermeister, Gaga does actually have as many followers as her hashtag claims: As of 10 pm Monday, she was at 5,117,634 followers. I assume this is because her Twitter background involves her wearing a metallic bikini with sparks flying from her boobs and crotch, but it could be because of her musical ingenuity, I suppose.

Then we’ve got #6millionbritfans and #6millionbritbitches: Both are referring to what you’d think would be Britney Spears’s 6 million Twitter followers. Brit is nearly 600,000 followers shy of 6 million, though, so this celebration seems maybe delusional instead of just premature. Perhaps if her followers could decide whether they are “fans” or “bitches,” they could present a unified front in this battle and push through to the 6 million mark? Brit lovers do seem to be unified in their desire to see Ms. Spears perform at the 2010 Video Music Awards in September, hence #britneyvma2010.

Who will win this hashtag war? The Bieber fans have enthusiasm, sure, but they’re counting their followers before they, er, hatch. Britney’s fans seem deluded, frankly, but they’ve got a common cause: Getting their girl onto the VMAs. Lady Gaga seems like the likeliest winner of ANY war—I have to think that someone with a machine-gun bra who models her revenge-fantasy videos on Tarantino movies and death metal videos has a bit of an edge in at least the munitions department.

Role #mmodel: “@justinbieber: I love girls...and today was a really great day.” Oh no way. You're kidding me.

My #musicmonday pick: If you follow me on Twitter (come on over! I’m @alnotally), you’ve already seen me pushing Ezra Furman and the Harpoons, “The Faceless Boy.”

TVD Summer Giveaway | Lawrence Arabia "Chant Darling"

First off, it's a CD—not an LP. I'm bending the rules a little bit for this one because it's well...great.

Lawrence Arabia, who opens for Crowded House tonight at Wolf Trap, has been on my radar since last Winter, when I wrote:

"Methinks if John Lennon were still kicking around, we'd have this bit of canny song craft perfection on the regular—if he were in top form, that is.


A former member of bands like The Ruby Suns (Sub Pop), The Brunettes and The Reduction Agents as well as a touring member of Okkervil River, Lawrence Arabia—the savant-like songwriting alter ego of James Milne—is shedding his sideman status and stepping alone into the bright light of the U.S. music scene with Chant Darling.

The album is his first full-length on Bella Union, the UK-based label credited with discovering hallmark influencers Fleet Foxes, Midlake, Beach House and Explosions in the Sky among others.



Already receiving four-star reviews from UK tastemakers like Mojo and Uncut, Chant Darling melds irreverent lyrics with West Coast melodies and lush harmonies, playing like a modern take on the work of classic popsmiths like Jonathan Richman, John Lennon and Brian Wilson.

The first single from Chant Darling ‘Apple Pie Bed,’ received New Zealand’s highest songwriting honor the Silver Scroll award this past September."


I think this one's worth bending our 'vinyl only' rule but we'll let you decide. Pipe up in the comments to this post to enter to win an autographed copy of "Chant Darling" and the most stellar comment will be sent the (egad) CD. We'll give you until this Friday (7/30) and remember to leave us a contact email address!

Lawrence Arabia - Apple Pie Bed (Mp3)
Authorized for download!

TVD Sunday Hangover | Holy Ghost! and Chromeo at 9:30 Club tonight!

Tonight, two pioneers of the dancefloor, CHROMEO and HOLY GHOST! will be dropping by 9:30 club for what is sure to be a stellar performance. If you happened to miss Holy Ghost!’s recent performance at U-Street Music Hall than it is an absolute must that you catch them this time.

Holy Ghost! are Brooklyn natives Nick Millhiser and Alex Frankel, who have been on the DFA label since 2008 and the notorious indie-electronic giants Chromeo are Dave 1 and P-Thugg, whose first studio album “She’s in Control” dropped in 2004.


Take a listen to the tracks below and get your tix at ticketfly.com now before they’re gone! I’ll see you at the show!!!





...after watching this video is there anyway you can really NOT go to this show??

http://www.twitter.com/holyghostnyc
http://www.twitter.com/chromeo
http://www.greenlabelsound.com/artists/holyghost/

TVD | Windian Records First Anniversary Week

If revolutions are lit brick by brick, pamphlet by pamphlet, musket by musket, DC's Windian Records has been igniting its own in this town — seven-inch by seven-inch.

With releases from The Points, The Shirks, and The Cheniers among others, they've responsible for a string of 45's from some of the best bands in this area within just twelve months.

Windian Records turns one this week, and in advance of the two back-to-back Anniversary Parties at Velvet Lounge this Friday and Saturday night, we'll be spotlighting the eight 7"s the label's released over the course of the year all this week on the blog.

Check in with us tomorrow for your chance to win tickets for both Anniversary Parties along with Windian tees and posters.

First up however, before we begin counting down the Windian releases, a few words from BEERONIMO:


Photo: Sam Vasfi

WINDIAN RECORDS WOULD LIKE TO THANK VINNIE & JOURDAN BETETTE, JOE KORZEN, EVA THORNTON, DAVID MALITZ, ASHLEY FULWILER, MATT & JENN, PATRICK WHITE, ZABBY BIG ACTION, KODI FRENCH, SONNY VINCENT, DARRYL READ, THE POINTS, TWO TEARS, PERSONAL & THE PIZZAS, THE CHENIERS, CRUSHED BUTLER, THE SHIRKS, TESTORS, SWEET SIXTEENS, DISCHORD RECORDS, REVOLVER USA, GONER RECORDS, INDIE IMPRINT, THE VELVET LOUNGE, AND EVERYONE WHO BOUGHT A RECORD FROM US THIS PAST YEAR, ALLOWING US TO CONTINUE CATCHING DREAMS, AND KEEPING OUR EARS TO THE GROUND. POW'N 'N WOW'N.

BEERONIMO


THE POINTS
WIN20001
The Points - Shout (Mp3)


TWO TEARS
WIN20002
Two Tears - I'm So Outta It, I Can't Get In To It (Mp3)

PERSONAL & THE PIZZAS
WIN20003
Personal & The Pizzas - Never Find Me (Mp3)


THE CHENIERS
WIN20004
The Cheniers - 45 Days (Mp3)

TVD's Press Play

It's our weekly recap of the tracks the folks in the press offices want you to be hearing, right here, each Monday morning.

Soars - Throw Yourself Apart (Mp3)
Hooray For Earth - Form (Oh No Ono Remix) (Mp3)
Oberhofer - I Could Go (Mp3)
Mahjongg - Whoop (Mp3)
Women - Eyesore (Mp3)
Authorized for download!

TVD: We're Three

Three years ago, in this chair, at this desk, on this Mac.

Thanks for coming along.

TVD's Idelic Hour with Jon Sidel

Greetings from New York City! | I’ve found myself walking the streets of my hometown this week. Fittingly this week’s Idelic Hour pays tribute to John Cummings, a departed friend.

Maybe first and foremost John, aka Johnny Ramone, was great New Yorker. I could say he reminded me of the city but in reality he reminded of a bad ass construction worker from Queens.


I remember hearing the Ramones for the first time playing on the jukebox at Max’s Kansas City in the fall of '76 and I bought my first Ramones 7” from Bleeker Bob at a rock convention in the winter of 1977. John’s guitar sound was completely radical. The Ramones might have been taken for a joke save not for his tough and cool look.

I became friends with John after he retired and moved to California. As I write this it seems so unreal that I would end up having the honor of calling Johnny Ramone a friend! He was undoubtedly one the most influential musicians of the '70’s and this week’s playlist keeps in mind John’s extremely clear opinion on what was cool.


On Sunday evening, Linda Ramone will be throwing her annual tribute to Johnny at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in LA. Come join us!

Gabba Gabba!!!

xosidealer
idelicsounds.com | @sidelic

The Idelic Hour Podcast [7/23/2010] (Mp3, 88Mg)

The Vinyl District Takeover | Tereu Tereu

Our Best (and Worst) LPs | There are always certain albums that hold a special spot in a collector's heart. Usually, that's because they're particularly exceptional and probably have some sentimental value. Sometimes, however, it's because they're especially terrible but we just can't bare to part with them. We decided to list both.


BRENDAN POLMER, Drums | 3 Favorite LPs:
Beatles - Revolver
It's just an awesome record all around. I think of "Tax Man" every time I look at my paycheck and "Eleanor Rigby" every time I ride the Metro. The iconic black and white cover illustration is particularly cool, and it's just one of my "go-to" records when I don't want to think for more than 15 seconds on what piece of wax I want to listen to.

Dr. John - Destively Bonnaroo
Perhaps not as well known as some of his other gems, but this record is positively funky and reeks of 1970's classic New Orleans Meters. One of my all-time favorite drummers—Joseph "Zigaboo" Modeliste of the Meters—is all over this record. He plays so deep in the pocket that you can't even find your keys OR your lighter.

Cannonball Adderley Quintet - Mercy Mercy Mercy
All you need to know about this recording is that, while it certainly sounds like it was recorded in a nightclub, it was actually done in a studio with an invited audience and, perhaps most importantly, an open bar—giving the jazz-soul classic the perfect tinge of "nat sound" WHOO!'s, YEAA!'s, catcall whistles, and sporadic applause. It'll take you back to church in an instant—even if you're an atheist.

Awful Album I Can't Part With: Herbie Hancock - Futures Shock
Of course I love me some Herbie Hancock, he's a genius after all. But this record is just terrible. Sure it was revolutionary in 1983, what with its futuristic synthesizers and sample-worthy "Rockit" breakbeats, but to me it's just not listenable. Unless perhaps you happen to be on LSD and think you've been turned into a robot, in which case it's the most awesome record EVER.


THOMAS ORGREN, Bassist/Guitarist | 3 Favorite LPs:
Arcade Fire - Funeral
Besides the sonic advantages of vinyl, sometimes the biggest advantage is the packaging. The 12" vinyl version of Funeral features a lyric / credits sheet that actually looks like a program from a funeral.

Wolf Eyes - Fuck The Old Miami
I found a live Wolf Eyes record at a music store in Wisconsin, printed on beautiful green vinyl. Side A is a live set, which I once listened to while watching a jewelery show on HSN - absolute consumerist Hell. The B side is the pièce de résistance. It features a hand-engraved skull, and if you play that side of the record you get a crazy noise loop that sounds like nothing you've ever heard, and varies depending on which part of the etching you drop the needle on.

Grandaddy - Sumday
I just love this record, and playing it on vinyl seems to up the whole people vs. technology theme that runs throughout the album.

Awful Album I Can't Part With: Shaquille O'Neal - ???
All my records are packed away right now and I can't remember the name of the song, but I have a Shaq single that's as good as it sounds like it would be. Which means not really. But what's not to love about Shaq rapping instead of learning to shoot free throws or conditioning himself so that he can actually run up and down the court?


RYAN LITTLE, Singer/Guitarist | 3 Favorite LPs:
My Bloody Valentine - Loveless
This is not an every day record; I don't just throw it on at a party. I usually put it on when I'm by myself and can turn it up loud, at which point the whole thing just sucks me into it's dreamy vortex completely. It's massive and unearthly and absolutely unmatched. It sounds better on vinyl, period, and because it's such a "special occasion" type of record for me, having a physical object is important. That ritual of picking it up and putting it on makes the trip that much more immersive.

The Byrds - Sweetheart of the Rodeo / The Louvin Brothers - Satan Is Real
So when my former bandmate/roommate Adam started getting into Gram Parsons really hard, Sweetheart of the Rodeo started getting a lot of play in the house. In fact, all of us who lived there loved it, and anytime people would come over to drink, it would get played. I can't listen to it on an iPod or whatever because if I put it on I immediately want to grab a cheap beer and hang out. It's like a Pavlovian response at this point, and digitizing the album just seems pointless to me.

After hearing that record so many times, I really wanted to know where some of the songs came from. That lead me to The Louvin Brothers, and I promptly picked up Satan Is Real. It's a classic bizarre album cover (and possibly racist? I'm not sure, but the devil looks disconcertingly similar to an Asian caricature...), and the music is great. Awesome harmonies, deeply religious "we'll scare the devil out of you" lyrics, and it just captures a specific era/mentality so perfectly.

Bob Dylan - Freewheelin'
This was the first LP I ever bought, as well as the first proper Dylan album I owned (aside from greatest hits and such), and when the needle hit the wax that first time, it felt like pure fucking magic all the way through. "Bob Dylan's Dream" left me in tears, and I actually laughed out loud during "Talkin' World War III Blues." I think most musicians, or at least most songwriters, have had that Dylan moment (or moments), and this was mine.

Awful Album I Can't Part With: Phil Keaggy - Ph'lip Side
In the days of my youth, when I was still a part of the Christian music world (it still exists, and it's still enormous I think), there was this ongoing completely fabricated story that when some journalist asked Jimmy Hendrix what it was like to be the best guitarist in the world, he responded, "I don't know, you'll have to ask Phil Keaggy." For some reason, in that world, it was somehow a persistent and believable story. Phil Keaggy is in fact an incredible virtuoso, but most of his songs are about as corny as they come. This record is no exception.

The Beatles - Tomorrow Never Knows (Mp3)
The Arcade Fire - Rebellion (Lies) (Mp3)
Bob Dylan - Bob Dylan's Dream (Mp3)

TVD Ticket Giveaway | Solar Powered Sun Destroyer w/Hammer No More The Fingers, Monday (7/26) at Velvet Lounge

...and they're giving you a shirt right off their backs. (Well, from the merch table - but you get the idea.)

The mighty Solar Powered Sun Destroyer joins North Carolina's Hammer No More The Fingers Monday night over at Velvet Lounge in advance of new releases from both bands—SPSD's J. Robbins produced "Sender/Receiver" and HNMTF's "Black Shark."

And with a little twist on a popular theme around here, the guys in SPSD have come up with the hoops you need to jump through to win this one:


"To celebrate this historic night of rock, Solar Powered Sun Destroyer and the guys in Hammer No More The Fingers have decided to give away a couple shirts as well as a pair of tickets to see them at Velvet Lounge on July 26th.

The rules are simple—tell us who you feel deserves a Solar Powered Sun Destroyer shirt and why . . . and the best answer wins.

You can say "my grandmother, because she doesn't understand irony." You could suggest "the wolf kid from Twilight cuz homeboy needs to get in the habit of wearing a shirt to work at Quiznos as soon as his 'acting' career ends." Or, you can say "Megan Fox because she is not talented and is married to the white rapper from 90210."

It's up to you, be as creative as you want or, if you are a fan of lame, be as sincere as you want.

Winner gets a choice of shirts for themselves or having us personally send the shirt to the person you choose a shirt for with a note saying why they deserve that shirt . . . oh, and remember, you get a free pair of tickets to the show.

That's one Solar Powered Sun Destroyer shirt, one Hammer No More the Fingers shirt, and one pair of tickets . . . FOR FREE. Be sure to leave your name in the comments section and enter your email in so we can contact you if you do win. Best of luck."


Can't beat that, right? We'll take your submissions until noon on Monday, 7/26.

Solar Powered Sun Destroyer - The Roulette Year (Mp3)
Solar Powered Sun Destroyer - Ghost Light (Mp3)
Solar Powered Sun Destroyer - Intromission (Mp3)
Authorized for download!

The Vinyl District Takeover | Tereu Tereu

Our Favorite Ridiculously Gratuitous Guitar Solos | While we all love good pop songs, as a musician it's hard to deny the power of a really sick solo. These are our favorite moments where someone said, "You know what this needs? A guitar solo. From me. It's gonna be awesome." And awesome it was...

BRENDAN (drummer):
The Knack - My Sharona (from Get The Knack)
Everyone knows this song, but most people only know the shortened radio version. The album version is 4:52 long, mostly thanks to one of the longest, most-badass guitar solos on a pop-rock album for its time (1979). If you ever get the chance to get your hands on this record, it's well worth a listen.

Do You Feel (Like I Do) - Peter Frampton (from Frampton Comes Alive!)
If your parents liked rock and roll in the 70's, chances are Frampton Comes Alive! lives in their record collection somewhere. My dad absolutely loved Frampton, or rather "Do You Feel (Like I Do)", simply because he could talk through his guitar during his solos. "He made his guitar talk! Amazing!" Pretty cool, dad. Pretty cool.

Mountain Jam - Allman Brothers (from Eat a Peach)
This track, featuring Duane Allman and Dicky Betts having a musical conversation with their guitars, takes up the entire Side II of "Eat a Peach." It can get a bit intense, but something tells me that was the intention. And the drum solo at the end is pretty spectacular as well.


THOMAS ORGREN (bassist/guitarist):
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Freebird
It's THE classic guitar solo, and I love it to death. When I was a freshman in high school, my band learned it so that we could actually play it when that asshole in the crowd yelled for it. Somewhere in my house I have a cassette tape recording of us playing it - I was playing rhythm guitar, using a Boss Metal Zone for distortion, and when the solo rolls around it sounds like aliens landed in the swamps of Florida. I still sing the solo note for note whenever I hear it on the radio. People think I'm crazy...

In A Gadda Da Vida - Iron Butterfly
Another song that I learned freshman year of high school for little reason at all. This one I actually learned without ever having heard the song before. During the guitar solo our drummer's bass drum pedal broke so I put down my bass and climbed underneath the drum set and fixed the pedal as the drummer launched into his solo. I'll probably lose my hearing before I'm 50 years old because of that.

Derek & The Dominoes - Layla
This song makes me a little embarassed for Eric Clapton, because Duane Allman was just that much better than him (read: more tasteful). I still hardly believe the first part of the song exists (you know, "Layla, you got me on my knees") because whenever I hear it on the radio it's always the outro that's on.


RYAN LITTLE (vocalist/guitarist/singer):
Wilco - Ashes of American Flags (live)
It's almost impossible to choose the best Nels Cline guitar solo, but on the live Wilco album Kicking Television, he pretty much destroys the end of Ashes of American Flags. It's heartbreaking and pure and technical and abstract and just one more reason he is my favorite guitar player of all time. Of course, I do have to give some props to Glen Kotche on this one because his signature drumming really deeply reinforces the splendor of the moment.

Yo La Tengo - We're An American Band
As much as I enjoy "My Little Corner of the World," this should really be the last song on I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One. It's epic. The solo is the culmination of Ira Kaplan's face-destroying noisy proclivities, his patient and moving sentimentality, and his incredible sense of melody. Ira takes a really solid, structured song and rides it out for a while before really pushing it out into another dimension.

The Velvet Underground - I Heard Her Call My Name
There's the line "And then my mind split open!" and the subsequent guitar solo proves it to be true.


The Knack - My Sharona (Mp3)
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Freebird (Mp3)
Wilco - Ashes Of American Flags [Live] (Mp3)

TVD Class of '77 | Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, "This Time It's For Real"

Is it OK to say you grew up in the '70s and somehow never really got into Bruce Springsteen?

None of my hometown friends were into Springsteen when he hit it big in the mid-'70s. But when I went away to college, I started working at the newspaper and found myself one desk over from a guy who was a hardcore Springsteen fan. You did anything with that guy and you got the gospel according to Bruce.

Somehow, perhaps by hearing it played at Truckers Union (our local record store), I was introduced to Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, the great R&B big band that thundered out of Asbury Park, New Jersey, not long after Springsteen hit it big.

Part of Southside Johnny Lyon's appeal (to me, at least) was that he was not Springsteen, yet he was one of Springsteen's pals, doing any number of Springsteen songs and sharing a collaborator in Miami Steve Van Zandt. That gave my friend and I some common ground.


Part of the Jukes' appeal (again, to me) was that their music was more consistently upbeat and joyous than that of Springsteen, especially on "This Time It's For Real." That was their second album, released in 1977. It was arranged and produced by Van Zandt, who wrote eight of its 10 songs.

Side 1 is an extended nod to classic R&B, with a cover of Aretha Franklin's "Without Love" and tunes on which the Coasters and the Satins sing backup.

Side 2 gives way to five original R&B workouts, all written by Van Zandt (and three with Springsteen as his co-writer).

We have three of the latter for you. Finishing out Side 2, they go from laid-back, stripped-down blues ("I Ain't Got The Fever No More") to Brill Building-inspired orchestration ("Love On The Wrong Side Of Town") to primal, thundering drums, piano and guitars ("When You Dance").

Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes - I Ain't Got The Fever No More (Mp3)
Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes - Love On The Wrong Side Of Town (Mp3)
Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes - When You Dance (Mp3)

"This Time It's For Real" is out of print, at least on its own. It is available on this 2-on-1 CD also featuring "I Don't Want To Go Home," the group's fine debut LP from 1976.

(Note to Springsteen fans: I appreciate your passion and I appreciate his greatness. I have some of his records. But I am far from a hardcore fan like you, or like my old friend from the newsroom.)

The Vinyl District First Date | Gabriel Mintz

"I have encountered Vinyl: I have encountered Vinyl at many pivotal moments in my development as an audio-attentive human. Of the records I can call my own, one that is very special to me, is my Monorchid 7” that my friend Paul gave me long ago. I remember the singer was the door guy at our local venue, the Black Cat. They sang a song called Red Red Meat that I heard on vinyl as a youngin’ and is probably one of my favorite songs in the world… I still sing it.

We grew up in the DC area, the nation’s capital of vinyl-releasing delinquents, and Paul was in a band called the Better Automatic for a time – they released their music on Vinyl. The place where I grew up seems to spawn musicians that both appreciate, and release their music on Vinyl . . . an inarguable fact of this universe, so I’m especially delighted to share some stories about Vinyl’s involvement in my life. Kids from the area who released music on Vinyl in the DC area include, and to whom I looked up to a lot were Mike Kanan of the Black Eyes, Jason Simon of Dead Meadow, and Dan & Hugh of Q and Not U among others. They put on great shows and had neat record releases, many of which I have held in my hands and inspected myself.

Living the high life the way I do, coming and going at all hours, in and out of town in an unpredictable fashion, never knowing what’s happening next, I store most of my records and delicate possessions 3000 miles away in my parents’ basement. It was in that house that I heard the greatest records of all, my Dad’s collection from the 60’s, which sits in near-mint condition on a shelf over the player in their family room. He and his friend were Martin and Gibson guitar dealers for a time in the early 70’s, so growing up we listened to lots of Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, CSN, guitarists like Leo Kottke, and all kinds of magical-realm-level shit like that.


The poetry, the visual art, the sense of purpose and journey on those records all fired my imagination. Emerson, Lake & Palmer’s record “Tarkus” was the one I always reached for on the shelf. It was beautiful. The cover was an armadillo/tank, and the inside were these ferocious animal/weapon/machines that were going to battle… they were some of the coolest illustrations I saw as a kid, alongside Shel Silverstein and Dr. Suess, that Tarkus record was one of the most awe-inspiring visual masterpieces of my life. The music on it was crazy and mysterious beyond words, it would take a lifetime to grasp all that was on that thing. Illustration has since been as much a part of my life as music and writing songs, and I cite that particular record in a lot of conversations I have about album art.

As early as 8 years old I remember being across the street in my buddy Paul’s basement, listening to the Magical Mystery Tour a million times and playing BattleTech. I think that as my big brother-figure on the block, he felt responsible for introducing me to all the best rock and roll in the world before I could be corrupted by anything else, and I will always appreciate that. Praise the Lord, I done been saved. The Stones “Sympathy for the Devil” and Dire Straits “Sultans of Swing” were other songs I heard on that old, clunky, silver record player down there.



It was dark down there and it was like operating heavy machinery. Soon enough it was cool to skip school and release a vinyl record all around town, and there were kids with their new vinyl records everywhere. I watched, listened, and participated in their vinyl-centric shenanigans with glee – it was like a duty in my home town. It was the code.

I later encountered many vinyl-weilding musicians in Boston, where many of us worked on Emerson College’s WERS 88.9fm, a fantastic college radio station to have been involved in. My friend Fakts One would take a record and make it make noises unknown to humans…. He was a master at the turntables, I’ll never forget watching him do his thing. He gave me the healthiest respect one could have for the existence of and many uses of vinyl.

The music of Aphex Twin, Doctor Octogon, DJ Shadow, and DJ Spooky played in my room a lot. I remember hanging with friends, digging though weird useless piles of old records, finding the strangest thing for them to use later in something they were making…. Just the weirdest stuff sometimes. Vinyl became synonymous with treasure hunting, in a way, during my time in Boston."
—Gabriel Mintz

Gabriel Mintz - Desert Sky (Mp3)
Gabriel Mintz - Safeway (Mp3)
Gabriel Mintz - Western Days (Mp3)
Authorized for download!

Find Gabriel at his Official Website | MySpace | iTunes | Facebook

TVD Fresh Track | New from Jukebox The Ghost

DC's Jukebox The Ghost return in September with the brand new "Everything Under The Sun" on YepRoc and we've got the first track to be released, "Empire" which Filter magazine is calling "the catchiest song of the summer."

We post. You decide.

Catch JTG this Saturday, July 24th, at the Tarara Winery in Leesburg, VA, at the FLO Fest, an all day music and wine event.

Jukebox The Ghost - Empire (Mp3)
Authorized for download!

The Vinyl District Takeover | Tereu Tereu

Organization Hell | How do you organize your records? Or perhaps I should be asking; DO you organize your records? Certainly there are obvious benefits to taking on such a feat. Knowing exactly where something is so you can go to it on a moment's notice is probably pretty helpful. Keeping multiple records by the same artist in the same spot also seems like a good idea. You can even break it down by genre, keeping all your classic rock records on one shelf, jazz records on another, funk and soul somewhere else...

I've tried them all. At one point I even tried keeping a spreadsheet inventory of every record I collected. It felt good to be so organized, everything was in its right place. But then after a while, for no reason in particular, I started getting sloppy.


When the inspiration to make a new mixtape would hit, I'd start making stacks of records that I thought in my mind would go well together. Then when I choose the first song, I hit record on my computer and don't stop spinning until it's finished. I don't choose the next song until the song before it has started to play. Then when I'm finished recording a track from a record, it goes back into a random stack.


After a while these stacks of records don't get put back in their respective places on the record shelves. Suddenly stacks of records end up all over my living room, on top of windowsills, radiators, and other audio equipment. Yet somehow in all the clutter, I know exactly where everything is. In fact, I can find any given record in a random stack much quicker than I ever could digging through my "organized" record shelves. Why is that? I have no idea.


So I'm asking you, dear reader– How do YOU organize your records? Or do you even care?
—Brendan Polmer