Fine…you’re a funky giraffe then. Sheesh.
Bonus Christmas Eve post because you’ve all been so good this year.
Check out the music year in review from our buddy Patrick – lead singer of the late and great Tremendous Fucking. He may not be screaming in your face these days, but he still loves the rock and roll and he loves his brother Rick. Take a gander at the sweet mix CD he made for his number one brosef and for a brief moment pretend that you too are part of their Family O’ Rock.
The mix is heavy on local bands, and so as our Christmas gift to you we found a video for every local band included and inserted it into the post. Everyone except Hard Candy Hearts, who are too handsome to be captured on film. It was almost impossible to find videos of the specific songs Pat picked, but you will still get the idea.
Hello All –
This postcard is based off of a compilation CD that I just made for my brother. We usually exchange a mix CD each year, during holiday celebrations. His usually has Clutch, QOTSA, Soundgarden, Foofighters, and some other random metal-ish stuff. Mine usually has whatever I bought that year, if it even gets made at all.
This year’s mix was pretty nostalgic for me, having just left Bloomingon, IN, after 8 years. The bulk of my mix is made up of amazing Bloomington bands and/or bands that came to Bton to rock. I’ve also included a few favorites from the year as well.
Ready? Go!
1. 01. Arming Eritrea by Future of the Left : Awesome band, and great opener for my brother, Rick. “Come on, Rick, I’m not a prize. I’m not a cynic or one of those guys.”
2. 02. Power by Push/Pull : One of Bloomington’s finest. I love this band like fat kids love cake. Also fun because my brother was in a band a long time ago that made fun of another band that always wrote songs about “Power”.
3. 03. List of Demands by Saul Williams : Simply one of the best songs ever written.
4. 04. The HiFi vs. Potential Energy by IfIHadAHiFi : Milwaukee champs who graced Bton with a few fine shows.
5. 05. Deadly Sinners by 3 Inches of Blood : I was so late on this one. Just got introduced to them over the summer at an Adam-Turla-Heavy-Metal-Breakfast.
6. 06. Steel by Otis and the Rufies : Bloomington’s most over-looked band? Could be the name. These guys were the closest thing to Failure I’ve ever heard, and I’m pretty sure my brother is going to love it.
7. 07. Cold Drinks & Cold Shoulders by The Romance Morgue : Here’s an Indianapolis band I discovered much too late. Loved this song from the “Pulse From Mid-America” comp, and later bought everything I could find of their from iTunes.
8. 08. Urlo Negro by Mike Patton : My brother and I have always been Patton fans. This is like a fun/mellow Fantomas, all in Italian.
9. 09. Transform by Medusa : Another Bloomington power-house. Punch, punch, punch, HIGH-KICK!
10. 10. Sweet Respite to a Nevermore Melody by Morrow : This is a great Bton band that I got to watch get better and better.
(WordPress only allows embedding from video sites. Couldn’t find anything on the usual places, so you’ll have to actually click this to see the vid.)
http://excursionsintotheabyss.com/morrow/video/unsound.mov
11. 11. State of the Art by The Sump Pumps : Former Bton heroes. This was one of their most bad-ass jams.
12. 12. Evil New War God by The Melvins : My brother introduced me to the Melvins way back when “Stoner Witch” came out. I bet he doesn’t even know they’re still making awesome records.
13. 13. Yeah, Well… by Waxeater : Bloomington’s flash-back to the early-90s Chicago underground, which I loved like nobody’s business. This song is seriously kick-ass. Feast on it.
14. 14. Paws Perilous by Child Bite : Always fun. CB, from Detroit, is getting better and better. This is from “The Living Breathing Organ Summer” which you should buy from Joyful Noise Recording, ASAP. (http://www.joyfulnoiserecordings.com/)
15. 15. You’re Gorgeous, Believe It! by Abner Trio : This Indianapolis trio can do no wrong in my book.
16. 16. Rocket Boots by Prizzy Prizzy Please : Bloomington/Chicago – This is a straight-up balls-out rock song, even without guitar.
17. 17. Summerdale by State : Indy/Bton – My brother is going to love this. I feel guilty not sending him the CD when it first came out. So good.
18. 18. Sister Fucker by Racebannon : Bton! Also extremely underappreciated in Bton, but undeniable. Anywhere people truly love HEAVY music, Bannon will dominate.
19. 19. The Love I Give by Hard Candy Hearts : Another fine Bloomington rock outfit. This is a slow one but still very cool, especially cranked way loud.
(I can’t find any vids of these guys, which is a shame because they rock.)
20. 20. Such A Scream (Live) by Tom Waits : From Glitter & Doom, which I snatched up last Holiday Season. This is just plain awesome.
21. 21. I Wish I Could Get As High As Neil Young Does by The Coke Dares : Probably my favorite Bloomington band, and definitely one of the main reasons I got back in to making rock again, back in 2003. The Coke Dares so it right.
22. 22. Nub (Live) by Tremendous Fucking : Just a flash back to one of my favorite nights in Bloomington, the Touch & Go Tribute show at Second Story. My brother never got to see TremFu live. I thought this would be pretty fun for him.
That about sums it up. Check out these bands! Then go start your own!
Happy Holidays!
-PH
