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The Sensational Prodigal Sons: Chunklet Gits Right With God!

You know, it’s not all punk rock histrionics and hipster noise ‘round here. Sometimes we all need a good dose of what Cab Calloway called “churchin’ up”. I was lucky enough to come across this here elpee in a box of junk a few weeks back and well, it just knocked me on my non-believer ass. First we have the amazing cover and once I flipped it around and saw those two guitar-wielding gents in their finest Sunday morning white suits I knew this sucker had a home. Fret not, it’s no billion dollar treasure, it can be plucked off the web on the fair side of cheap and I promise it would make for money well spent. Little is known about the SPS, they came out of Washington, D.C. in the late 1960’s, recorded a couple of 45’s and a couple of LP’s and then, well, who knows, maybe they’re still at it. But this 1976 platter shakes the steeple baby and I’m giving you a taste of two swinging tracks. Also, I figured with the impending arrival of The Rock Bible we could use all the positive mojo we could muster. Can you dig it? I knew that you could.

(sorry for the semi-noisy vinyl rip, it’s the cross I bear)   

That says “Hey – check me out!”

That says “Well, what do we have here?”

That says – “SOLD!”

Sensational Prodigal Sons – Goin’ To A Meeting
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Sensational Prodigal Sons – Witness
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Caption Contest: Rock Bible Sightings!

I’m a poor man with one copy of the Rock Bible. In a month I will have plenty. But now? I show it to friends who are in town.

Cole from The Black Lips……eyes closed.

Here’s The Black Lips and The Dirtbombs checking it out at last night’s show at the Variety Playhouse opening for Spiritualized.

Mick Collins from The Dirtbombs! He’s really giggling!

Best caption for any will win a free "We’re All In This Together" t-shirt.

Ben from The Dirtbombs and Jared Swiley from The Black Lips……

SLUGGO: Bloodstains Across Chunklet Returns!

I’m feeling nostalgic. It was 25 years ago this December that SLUGGO recorded a whopper of Midwest hardcore, the “Contradiction” 7” E.P. I must have owned, given away, owned again, lost and found this beauty about ten different times. Luckily the last time I checked the boxes there it was and I felt it was time to share. (Also I took an epic nap this afternoon, hence I’m wide-awake in the a.m.). Sluggo were a frenzied gang of youths here in my hometown of Cincinnati, and I mean young, but played tight, ripping HC as evident with the 8 song 7” we are featuring half of here (again, posting the whole thing just ain’t square dealing, get out there and hunt). It can be had for a mere full tank of gas. KBD, DIY, OOP, H/C, SxE, all that good stuff. Enjoy. 

Ah, good old B&W punk rock sleeve.

Ah, good old vinatge punk rock flyer w/ some band from Michigan?

Ah, the…uh, back cover.

SLUGGO: Stitch
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SLUGGO: Erase The Thought
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SLUGGO: Suburban Haven
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SLUGGO: Of It
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The Good & Bad News (and Sic Alps Live!)

So there’s good news and there’s bad news. The bad news first. I’ve been extremely busy finishing up the new issue, so there’s not been much in the way of blog updates. And for that, I apologize. There’s a LOT going on, but I have to finish the new issue first. I should add that if you have money to put towards advertising or supporting this endeavor, I’m available.

The good news is that I’ve been seeing some absolutely stellar shows recently. Sex Vid, American Cheeseburger and the Bukkake Boys leveled an Athens pizza joint’s back room on Sunday. Boris, Torche and Clouds brought it on the day after Independence Day. But the big show (at least for me) was seeing Sic Alps perform here in Atlanta on Tuesday with local bands The Suitcases, The NEC and Hawks.

Sic Alps have been a recent fave here at the office and with a new record that came out on Siltbreeze this week, they’re keeping their Most Favored Band status for a while longer. After checking with the band and listening back to the recording, they are allowing me to post their performance in its entirety. It was recorded by Mr. Curt Wells.

I strongly recommend buying their new album (TJ, thank you for resurrecting the label!), the singles comp and the new single (complete with off center and way too big center hole) on Important.

Okay, me go back to work now. You’re gonna love the new issue. I promise.

Sic Alps – Atlanta July 2008
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Hey Music Fans!

What do you think of Columbia Records choosing this to launch their vinyl reissues campaign?

A record that one would say is as “common as rat shit”

Whirlyball Single #3: Diplo/Dark Meat

Hooo nelly! Are we flying by the seat of our pants! The records showed up mere hours ago!

I’m proud to annouce the newest installment in the "record-as-a-ticket-to-a-show" concept. This time we’ve paired Athens mega-band Dark Meat with DJ maestro Diplo for a single of epic proportions!

….ain’t it purty?

On one side, Dark Meat cover Iggy Pop’s classic jam "Success" and, on the other side, Diplo deconstructs it on a track entitled "Unsuccessful Space Jam."

As with the two other singles in the series, it’s only available (at least until after the show) if you go into Criminal Records in Little Five Points in Atlanta, Georgia.

And as with the other two shows this was celebrating, it’s being held at Whirlyball Atlanta in Roswell, Georgia next Saturday, July 12 with Noot D’Noot supporting.

Dark Meat and Diplo hit Athens at the 40 Watt the night before with Future Ape Tapes in support.

Get on it now!

RECORD STORES: What Does & Does Not Make a Good One

Lists, lists, lists, we all love lists. You can’t exhale anymore without some magazine having a list, countdown or some numerical declaration of some type or another on the stands. 100 greatest this, 50 most overlooked that, the 25 most well groomed genital areas of the Cleveland Parking Department Staff, blah, blah, blah. As we know not all lists are created equal and if my suspicions are correct some lists are not created at all – they are thrown together by lazy slugs who do nothing but bump around the inter-webs for ten minutes and then maybe make a phone call to their buddy who’s “an expert”.
 
Recently a list of “coolest record stores” made the rounds in some disposable rag and well, I cannot hold my tongue any longer. As Godard said, "The only way to critique a film is to make another film."  So I am going to make my own list of what does and does not make a “cool record store”. And to answer that question: yes I AM a goddamn expert on the matter, trust me. I’m talking Antiques Road Show-Weirdo Effeminate Twins-talking about furniture- kind of expert. I’ve been across our great lands and that is basically all I do – go to record stores, not to mention that the field has paid for the house I live in, the car I drive, and the degree that does not hang on my wall (where’d I put that thing?) Ironically about the only thing the vocation of record stores has not paid for is a lot of the music I own (ah, perks) and the 1 of 643 free t-shirts I’m wearing right now.

I’ll just kick things off with three samples for each department and let you take it from there (in the comment section, of course):

DOES NOT (make a cool record store)
Size – just because the place is the size of a freaking JC Penny that doesn’t make it any good. If I need a golf cart and 11 hours to mull through it chances are it’s compensating for something. Yes, you could stock all 253 available Merzbow CD’s & Puddle Of Mud belt buckles but who gives a crap?

Location – Being in a hipster city, in a hipster neighborhood does not automatically translate into “cool record store”. It translates into name-drops and microbrewery bar hoppers trolling the world music section. Wow. 

Age – Existing since 1907 could just mean the rent’s cheap. Larry King is 101 years old and he ain’t cool either. These are usually the joints where the staff consist of stereotypical jackbags who are either 24 year-old white-bread indie dorks with a slight mixture of dusty old men in ponytails who order every prog reissue import. Points for survival, however.

DOES (help make a cool record store)
Having a focus – I’ve been to record stores the size of my kitchen that sold one style of music. I didn’t spend a penny, but it was a cool store full of pride and passion. Gimme that over some “rep” and/or an airplane hanger with a cash register any day.

Giving a Shit – the smart shopper can spot this valuable trait right away. You walk in and know that somebody cares…cares about you and the music. The crew being nice and smelling good go a long way in my book as well.

A Look – a place has to have something going on for the eye. I’m certainly not talking style over substances here but nothing sucks more than walking into a “cool record store” you’ve heard all about and it could be any nameless strip-mall rent-a-center maze of bins and grey industrial carpet. And that Hendrix poster on the wall for $45 does not count as “a look”.

The rest is up to you. Have at it. We’re talking generalities here not whoring and plugs abound, M’kay?  SO ALL NAMES WERE LEFT OUT OF THIS POST TO PROTECT EVERYTHING AND EVERYBODY.

*It should be duly noted that many of the shops on the list mentioned were genuinely great and well deserving of their props.     

George Carlin R.I.P.

The thing that is most disappointing about George Carlin’s career and his death is that the mainstream media will only remember him for his "Seven Words" material and not the inarguably brilliant and venomous nuggets that have spewed from him since the 80’s. You can read anything you want about him on the internet, but I think it best to know Carlin as one of the only comedians (possibly only comedian?) that got better as he entered his senior years. I saw him perform a lot, and he was always top notch. Although I’d like to think he’ll be missed, he certainly wouldn’t care. A nihilist philosopher, oh, and he was funny to boot. He died at 71 and was one of my great personal inspirations.

I’ve included his final in-depth interview conducted by Jeni Matz.

To prove my point about his later material, I’ve included bits about God, Americans, germs and the stupidity of human life.

George Carlin – Free Floating Hostility
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George Carlin – Why We Don’t Need 10 Commandments
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George Carlin – Extreme Human Behavior
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George Carlin – Dumb Americans
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George Carlin – There Is No God
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George Carlin – Fear of Germs
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