Sad news today from These Arms Are Snakes, who announced via Facebook (see their statement below) that they're calling it quits.

From The Band:
"It's with a heavy heart we tell you that These Arms Are Snakes is no more. It's been a great run and we'd like to send out a very hearty "Thank You" to everyone that we've worked with or anyone that we've toured with; anyone that lent us a floor, towed our van and/or trailer, lent a van, given us a listen, downloaded our records prior to their coming out, bought our shit, or asked us where our band name came from; everyone who cooked us food, made habanero-infused tequila, had a safety meeting with us, let Steve gyrate all over you, had to live with any of us, made us pay shitloads of money to get off your punk label, got us into LOST, found Steve drunkenly wandering the streets of Tokyo alone, played Madlibs in the van (plural nouns), lost money promoting one of our shows, took Chris to the hospital, put up with our drunken sorry asses, got into a fight with us, etc. etc."

This band could not have been possible without all of you. We sincerely thank you.

Much love,

TAAS

More cerebral bounce to the ounce than a barrelful of Tim Learys. Meanwhile, check out the zombie video below.

By Blurt Staff

American's greatest roving band of psychedelic lunatics the Brian Jonestown Massacre is back and set to release their tenth studio album, Who Killed Sgt. Pepper? on February 23^rd. The 13-track album was recorded throughout 2009 in Iceland and Berlin and features (speaking of psychedelia) Spaceman 3 legend Will Carruthers on bass, vocalist Unnur Andrea Einarsdottir and others pitching in to bring frontman Anton Newcombe's singularly unhinged vision to fruition.

Who, indeed, killed the good Sergeant? Only their hairdressers know for sure, but we're advised that this will feature "textures not previously heard on a BJM album... the band's most multi-cultured release to date -- featuring ambient Bhangra beats and gypsy influences of Eastern Europe music - while retaining much of the trademark style that The Brian Jonestown Massacre has honed since their inception in 1994."

Newcombe's own label, "a recordings LTD", distributed though Red Eye, will release the record.

The album also marks the return of guitarist/vocalist Matt Hollywood, an original member/co-founder of the band who helped write some of the BJM's classic material from their early albums (Strung Out In Heaven, Their Satanic Majesties Second Request, Take It From The Man, Spacegirl & Other Oddities, Give It Back) as well as penning the infamous dig at the Dandy Warhols, "Not If You Were The Last Dandy on Earth". Tour dates in support of the release will be announced soon.

Tracklisting:

Tempo 116.7 (Reaching For Dangerous Levels Of Sobriety)

Tunger Hnifur

Lets Go Fucking Mental

White Music

This Is The First Of Your Last Warning (Icelandic)

This Is The One Thing We Did Not Want To Have Happen

The One

Someplace Else Unknown

Dekta! Dekta! Dekta!

 Super Fucked

 Our Time

 Feel It

 Felt Tipped Pictures Of Ufos

Meanwhile, you gotta see this BJM video for "Lets Go Fucking Mental," retitled for obvious reasons, "Lego Fucking Mental". It was originally created by TomJoeTwins and Newcombe subsequently added music to it to give it, er, a completely new level of meaning.

Saving the world one record at a time: rock complacency marked for death.

By Fred Mills, Blurt Managing Editor

After Greg Shaw died in 2004, his former wife Suzy Shaw decided it was time to resume work on a project that had been back-burnered for two decades: to assemble a book chronicling her ex-husband's journalistic legacy and resurrecting crucial early writings of some of rock writing's greatest voices-among them, Lester Bangs, whose notorious Troggs screed "James Taylor Marked For Death" originally consumed a whopping 24 pages of Shaw's seminal publication Who Put the Bomp.

WPTB was one of the premiere rock fanzines of the ‘70s, aesthetic sibling to the likes of Crawdaddy!, Fusion and CREEM, and an oasis for kick-out-the-jams-minded fanboys and collectors who had little truck with corporate-hyped swill. Early issues featured the Bangs classic, stories on the Seeds, Flamin' Groovies and the rockabilly revival, and all manner of left-field minutiae (take the 26-point test to learn if you are a "rock and roll trufan"[sic]; point 13 inquires if "you squeezed Robert Plant's lemon"). When punk and new wave dawned, Shaw eagerly dived right in, doing cover stories on the UK punk explosion ("England's Screaming" blared the headline, over an image of a leering Johnny Rotten), power pop, the Ramones, etc., and foreshortening the mag's name to just Bomp!. Regardless of the coverage-Shaw's late-‘60s pre-WPTB zine Mojo-Navigator Rock & Roll News included-there was never any whiff of complacency. This was rock criticism as activism.

In the fall of 2007, Suzy Shaw, along with author/Deviants frontman Mick Farren finally completed the first phase of anthologizing the Greg Shaw oeuvre with the book Bomp!: Saving the World One Record at a Time. For the handsome, hardcover coffee table volume they culled the best features as direct reproductions so one could see exactly what the magazine's pages looked like, right down to the typos, the quirky layouts and the close-ups of Joey Ramone's ripped jeans. The editors also penned fresh essays and added unpublished photos to contextualize Shaw and his magazine as both evolved with the times.

Now Shaw has returned to the Bomp! well with a second volume, Bomp! 2 - Born in the Garage, this time assisted by Mike Stax of Ugly Things zine fame. Elsewhere on the BLURT site today our right Rev. Keith A. Gordon flips through the Bomp! pages and offers his reflections on what the magazine and Greg Shaw represented - "unbridled passion," for starters, something we could use a helluva lot more these days as the print milieu continues its decline and snarky celebrity-centric navel gazing tries to pass for music journalism.

By way of my own tribute, let me add this anecdote. In 1974 Shaw also launched Bomp! Records and along the way he had a hand in the careers of Stiv Bators, Flamin' Groovies, Plimsouls, Warlocks, Black Keys and others. I eagerly snapped up anything that bore the Bomp! imprint. But whether he was writing about music or releasing it, his overriding manifesto was saving the world one record at a time, and that was the type of approach that a lot of us who started our own zines or our own labels back in the ‘70s and ‘80s took too.

I'll never forget the time I wrote Bomp! for back issues and included a note to Shaw telling him that I had started working on a punk fanzine and asking if he had any advice. Boy, did he ever - most significantly, he said that you have to do it because you love the music and not because you want to get rich or famous. (Getting free stuff in the mail, however, he added, was a nice perk.) That's been a guiding principle for me ever since.

Later, around 1984 I devoted an issue of my zine to the world of underground music magazines and the people who published them, and Shaw was one of the first people I contacted. At the end of the interview he reaffirmed all the forgoing, observing, "I don't find much essential difference in producing a magazine or producing an album. It's our shared opinions, expressed through records or writing, that it boils down to."

Of course, we STILL haven't gotten a new album, despite the reunion and word the band has done some subsequent recordings. Early video posted below.

By Jose Martinez

Catalysts of the emerging ‘70s era glam scene, England's Roxy Music influenced an entire generation of musicians. Some devotees that sing the band's praise in this documentary include U2's Bono, Duran Duran's John Taylor, Siouxsie Sioux, Steve Jones of The Sex Pistols, Goldfrapp, and Nile Rogers.

Steve Jones even dares states that he likes them better than The Beatles seeing they were a band of his generation.

One word they all use to describe the daring sound of Roxy Music, the brainchild of fashion conscious performer Bryan Ferry, is "glamour." From first seeing the band on Top of the Pops, a young Paul Hewson (who would eventually become Bono) was struck by the band's provocative look and sound.

Emerging to instant acclaim in 1972, Roxy Music effortlessly mixed a dazzling fusion of musical styles with fashion. This 50-minute documentary (along with nearly 40-minutes of bonus footage) that originally aired on BBC4 in September 2008 tells the story of the band's extraordinary career via new and rare interviews with band members Bryan Ferry, Andy Mackay, Phil Manzanera, Paul Thompson, famed producer Brian Eno, and Eddie Jobson, along with contemporaries and artists inspired by Roxy Music.

Essentially a five-piece band with ever-changing guest bass players, Roxy was recently chronicled on the DVD More Than This: The Story of Roxy Music (Eagle Vision/Eagle Rock Entertainment). It follows the group from its early days with Eno, who was a member for the first two records (funny enough his favorite Roxy Music release is Stranded, the band's third effort).

The documentary examines the group's groundbreaking and influential album covers (works of art that never included band members), as well as the story behind their wonderful cover of John Lennon's "Jealous Guy," to 2001's reunion; 18 years after the band ceased recording and touring.

An art-minded group that covered the gamut of styles and genres, from cutting edge to disco to lush and borderline adult contemporary, Roxy Music still has a legion of fans today that are passionate about the avant-garde sound of tracks like "Re-make/Re-model" and "Virginia Plain" to the simple and elegant sound of "Avalon" from the band's final 1982 studio release.

Latest installment in a tradition that for the past couple of years has featured, the Decemberists, R.E.M., Avett Brothers and others.

By Blurt Staff

 NPR Music announced this morning its plans to present, broadcast and webcast the opening night showcase of this year's SXSW Music & Media Conference, which takes place in Austin (duh) March 17-20. NPR has the mighty Spoon set to headline at Stubbs' amphitheatre on Wednesday, March 17 - and this will be the official kickoff of Spoon's U.S. concert tour in support of its forthcoming album, Transference, which drops next week, on Jan. 19, courtesy Merge. At SXSW, the four-member band will have just returned to its native Austin, following a European tour. The concert at Stubbs will mark the first U.S. performance of material from Spoon's new album.

The other bands on the bill are to be announced shortly.

NPR Music is offering an advance stream of Transference, one week before its release, now through January 18 as part of the "Exclusive First Listen" series. Hear the entire album for free at www.npr.org/firstlisten.

"The music of Spoon has always been an exercise in careful restraint," says NPR Music producer Robin Hilton. "And Transference is the band's tightest, most flawlessly executed album to date."

As with the last couple of years, NPR Music will live webcast and broadcast the entire showcase from Stubbs. The concert will be streamed live, podcast and archived at www.npr.org/sxsw, and will be available for broadcast on NPR Member stations across the country, including live on KUT in Austin.  NPR Music's broadcast and webcast of the concert will be anchored by Bob Boilen, host and creator of All Songs Considered and its Live in Concert series; NPR Music "Monitor Mix" blogger Carrie Brownstein; and David Brown, host of Texas Music Matters on KUT.

NPR Music is also partnering with five NPR Member stations - KUT Austin, WFUV New York, WXPN Philadelphia, KEXP Seattle and The Current from Minnesota Public Radio - to offer extensive coverage of the festival on-air and online.

Tour Dates:

17-Mar  Stubbs                          Austin, TX
18-Mar  Republic                        New Orleans, LA
19-Mar  Workplay Soundstage     Birmingham, AL
20-Mar  Tabernacle                     Atlanta, GA
22-Mar  9:30 Club                      Washington, DC
23-Mar  9:30 Club                      Washington, DC
24-Mar  The National                  Richmond, VA
26-Mar  Radio City Music Hall    New York, NY
27-Mar  House of Blues               Boston, MA, USA
29-Mar  Sound Academy             Toronto, ON
30-Mar  Royal Oak Music TheatreRoyal Oak, MI
1-Apr    Aragon Ballroom           Chicago, IL
2-Apr    First Avenue                  Minneapolis, MN
3-Apr    First Avenue                  Minneapolis, MN
5-Apr    Ogden Theatre               Denver, CO
6-Apr    Ogden Theatre               Denver, CO
7-Apr    In the Venue                  Salt Lake City, UT
9-Apr    Moore Theatre               Seattle, WA
10-Apr  Moore Theatre               Seattle, WA
11-Apr  Orpheum Theatre           Vancouver, BC
13-Apr  Fox Theater                   Oakland, CA
 
*Deerhunter direct support on all dates.
*New Orleans - Royal Oak w/ The Strange Boys
*Chicago - Oakland w/ Micachu & the Shape

[Photo Credit: Autumn DeWilde]

Much-loved indie label decides to resume operations after a ten-year hiatus.

By Blurt Staff

Back at the dawn of time - 2000; ten years in the current music biz climate amounts to an eon - a northeast-based music fanatic named Al Crisafulli decided, with heavy heart, that it was time to fold his micro-indie label Dromedary Records. He'd run it for much of the previous decade, since 1992, issuing well-received titles from the likes of the Mommyheads, cuppa joe, Footstone, Godspeed and others. But the vicissitudes of the industry, and assorted personal and career callings, eventually made it impossible for him to continue.

Intriguingly, though, Dromedary remained very much on Crisafulli's mind, and a year ago, in January of 2009, he started a blog where he proceeded to tell the story of his little label that could (and did) in installments. Wrote Crisafulli in his first entry:

"there are things that happened during the dromedary days that i never really passed along to anyone - things people did, things people said, things that deserve to be out there. 

"there are also people who talk about starting indie labels - like i did - who have no idea what they're doing - like i did.  and there's not really a resource for this (except the mechanic's guide), and there's not really a memoir of this kind of thing documented anywhere.  that i'm aware of, at least.

"so for all these reasons, i've decided to tell the story, bit by bit, online.  while i'm telling the story, i'll also be building out a website for dromedary records.  i'll post mp3s of songs we released, demos we received, songs from our friends.  i'll post scans of album art, photos, and letters i received.  i've got some other surprises i'll throw in as well."

The blog features thoughts, opinions and anecdotes, memories of triumphs and failures, peaks and valleys, complete with a cast of illustrious and colorful music-making characters, some of whom are still around and some who have long since passed from his life, music-making and sadly, the world. And  apparently the response to the blog was significant: Crisafulli has now re-launched the label itself at www.dromedary-records.com.

"Over the past year, writing the blog and seeing the response it's gotten, my passion for doing it has been rekindled," says Crisafulli.  "and even though the music industry has taken a hit over the years, there's still a thriving underground.  So after some prodding from our friends, and some real soul-searching, we're going to get some good old, guitar-based indie rock back out there for people to hear."


To that end, Dromedary intends to start by re-releasing many of the titles it initially released when it was an active label in the ‘90s.  "We'll make them available digitally, so the people who loved the music then can get their hands on it again."  The label also plans to issue other, previously-unreleased material from its heyday, as well as new music from current indie rock artists.

So with that, Dromedary's initial release is a digital copy of NJ's now-defunct power punk luminaries' Footstone's 1994 single, "Wobbles From Side To Side," plus one additional, previously-unreleased track. The recording will be made available for a limited time for free download from the label's site. Dromedary will then follow on February 2 with a digital-only release of Footstone's acclaimed, Lippy CD  (originally released in 1995). The album will be available in all the leading internet retail stores, including iTunes.

And a rare and special treat for those in and around NYC/NJ: on Saturday, February 6th, Maxwell's in Hoboken will play host to a Dromedary relaunch show which will include a reunion set from Footstone, along with sets from The Dark Brothers and a reunited Friends, Romans, Countrymen.

"We're back," the Dromedary blog announces at the most recent post. "I finally decided to get back on the horse.  When I began this blog, re-starting Dromedary was the furthest thing from my mind.  I was looking for closure.  But some doors, they just won't stay closed."

And out here in indie land, a lot of us are happy that they didn't stay closed. Welcome back, Al, and Dromedary.

First shot across the bow of the latest round of Hendrix repackagings reveals Hendrix at a transitional point in 1969 following the release of Electric Ladyland (sleeve pictured above).

By Blurt Staff

Valleys of Neptune is the name of a newly compiled album of 12 fully realized studio recordings, more than 60 minutes of music never commercially available on a Jimi Hendrix album. It's due March 9 from Experience Hendrix and Legacy Records as part of the new Jimi Hendrix Catalog Project, which will involve reissuing (yet again) the guitarist's back catalog in expanded form.

Centered around tracks recorded during a pivotal and turbulent four-month period in 1969, Valleys of Neptune unveils the original Jimi Hendrix Experience's final studio recordings, as the group lays down the foundation for what would have been the follow-up to Electric Ladyland, alongside Hendrix's first sessions with bassist Billy Cox, an old army buddy he'd recruited into his new ensemble.

Valleys of Neptune provides an up-til-now largely unseen view of what Jimi Hendrix was up to musically in the critical period between the release of Electric Ladyland in October 1968 and the 1970 opening of his own Electric Lady Studios in Greenwich Village, the state of the art facility where he would begin his final project, the ambitious double album First Rays of the New Rising Sun.

Janie Hendrix, CEO of Experience Hendrix LLC, the Hendrix family-owned company entrusted with preserving and protecting the legacy of Jimi Hendrix, noted, "My brother Jimi was at home in the studio. Valleys of Neptune offers deep insight into his mastery of the recording process and demonstrates the fact that he was as unparalleled a recording innovator as he was a guitarist. His brilliance shines  through on every one of these precious tracks."

Valleys of Neptune contains more than 60 minutes of previously unreleased Jimi Hendrix music - see track details below - originally recorded, and newly mixed for this release, by Hendrix's longtime engineer Eddie Kramer, who first worked with the guitarist on Are You Experienced? in 1967.  Valleys of Neptune is produced by Janie Hendrix, John McDermott (who contributes detailed liner notes to the album) and Eddie Kramer.

The title track "Valleys of Neptune" has long been one of the most sought after of any commercially unavailable Jimi Hendrix recording.  The song will be released as a single globally on February 2. nearly forty years after Jimi finished recording the track at New York's Record Plant in May of 1970.

Other highlights on Valleys of Neptune include covers of Elmore James' classic "Bleeding Heart" and Cream's "Sunshine of Your Love" as well as premier performances of original Hendrix compositions like "Ships Passing Through The Night," "Lullaby For The Summer" and the original un-dubbed Jimi Hendrix Experience rendition of "Hear My Train A Comin'."   Also included is "Mr. Bad Luck," a Jimi Hendrix Experience track, produced by Chas Chandler during the 1967 Axis: Bold as Love sessions.

***

As part of the opening wave of releases for the Jimi Hendrix Catalog Project, Legacy Recordings will also be releasing new deluxe CD/DVD editions of Are You Experienced?, Axis: Bold As Love, Electric Ladyland, and First Rays of the New Rising Sun, also available on vinyl, on March 9.

Each of the essential titles in the Jimi Hendrix catalog to be reissued on Legacy will feature a bonus DVD featuring newly created documentaries directed by the Grammy award winning Bob Smeaton [Beatles Anthology, Festival Express, Beatles: The Studio Recordings] and featuring interviews with Experience members Noel Redding, Mitch Mitchell, Billy Cox, original producer Chas Chandler and engineer Eddie Kramer.  In addition, Smash Hits, Jimi's original compilation, will be reintroduced. The critically acclaimed Live At Woodstock will be available as a standard DVD as well as a Blu-ray Disc.

Valleys of Neptune tracklisting:

Stone Free

Recorded: Record Plant, New York,  April 7, 9, 14, May 17,1969

Producer: Jimi Hendrix

Vocal, Guitar: Jimi Hendrix

Bass: Billy Cox

Drums: Mitch Mitchell

Backing Vocals: Roger Chapman, Andy Fairweather Low

Valleys Of Neptune

Recorded: Record Plant, New York, September 23, 1969, May 15, 1970

Producer: Jimi Hendrix

Vocal, Guitar: Jimi Hendrix

Drums: Mitch Mitchell

Bass: Billy Cox

Percussion: Juma Sultan

Bleeding Heart   

Recorded: Record Plant, New York, April 24, 1969

Producer: Jimi Hendrix

Vocal, Guitar: Jimi Hendrix

Bass: Billy Cox

Drums: Rocky Isaac

Tambourine: Chris Grimes

Maracas: Al Marks

Hear My Train A Comin'  

Recorded: Record Plant, New York,  April 7, 1969

Producer: Jimi Hendrix

Vocal, Guitar: Jimi Hendrix

Bass: Noel Redding

Drums: Mitch Mitchell

Mr. Bad Luck     

Recorded: Olympic Studios, London, May 5, 1967

Producer: Chas Chandler

Additional bass and drum recording, Air Studios, London, June 5, 1987

Vocal, Guitar: Jimi Hendrix

Bass: Noel Redding

Drums: Mitch Mitchell

Sunshine Of Your Love   

Recorded: Olympic Studios, London, February 16, 1969

Producer: Jimi Hendrix

Guitar: Jimi Hendrix

Bass: Noel Redding

Drums: Mitch Mitchell

Percussion: Rocki Dzidzornu

Lover Man  

Recorded: Olympic Studios, London, February 16, 1969

Producer: Jimi Hendrix

Vocal, Guitar: Jimi Hendrix

Bass: Noel Redding

Drums: Mitch Mitchell

Ships Passing Through The Night

Recorded: Record Plant, New York, April 14, 1969

Producer: Jimi Hendrix

Guitar, Vocals: Jimi Hendrix

Bass: Noel Redding

Drums: Mitch Mitchell

Fire  

Recorded: Olympic Studios, London, February 17, 1969

Producer: Jimi Hendrix

Vocal, Guitar: Jimi Hendrix

Bass, Backing Vocal: Noel Redding

Drums: Mitch Mitchell

Red House  

Recorded: Olympic Studios, London, February 17, 1969

Producer: Jimi Hendrix

Vocal, Guitar: Jimi Hendrix

Bass: Noel Redding

Drums: Mitch Mitchell

Lullaby For The Summer

Recorded: Record Plant, New York, April 7, 1969

Producer: Jimi Hendrix

Mixed By Eddie Kramer

Guitar: Jimi Hendrix

Bass: Noel Redding

Drums: Mitch Mitchell 

Crying Blue Rain    

Recorded: Olympic Studios, London, February 16, 1969

Producer: Jimi Hendrix

Additional bass and drum recording, Air Studios, London, June 5, 1987

Vocal, Guitar: Jimi Hendrix

Percussion: Rocki Dzidzornu

Bass: Noel Redding

Drums: Mitch Mitchell

While it was widely reported that the DC punk rock legends Scream recently reunited for a benefit show at DC's The Black Cat just a few short weeks ago, frontman Pete Stahl also confirmed to BLURT that the band is not only back together (with new rhythm guitarist Clint Walsh joining the all original lineup of vocalist Pete Stahl, guitarist Franz Stahl, bassist Skeeter Thompson and drummer Kent Stax) but plan on remixing their long out of print swansong "No More Censorship" at Dave Grohl's Studio 606. It will be a longtime coming treat for Scream fans (it's the band's only full release on reggae label RAS and has never been reissued) and for Nirvana/Foo Fighters completists who never got a chance to hear Grohl's contribution to the group before moving to Seattle in the early 90s and well, the rest is history.

No word yet on what label will release "No More Censorship".

"Some of the coldest music you ain't never heard": My Morning Jacket dudes forge new online label: Removador Recordings and Solutions. Print those veggies and auto parts out in the privacy of your own home!

By Blurt Staff

Whether it's collaborating with his band mates, recording guest vocals, or hand-picking opening acts, My Morning Jacket's Yim Yames - that's Jim James to his pals and family - has always radiated a spirit of camaraderie with his fellow musicians.  Now Yames, along with his cousin and collaborator (and former MMJ member) Johnny Quaid, are launching Removador Recordings and Solutions - an online platform to shine a light on some of the musicians that he admires and would like to share with the world.  The label will also help connect the dots between an ever-growing artistic community that Yames is apart of, reflecting his eclectic taste and steadfast passion for music.  Below are the details for Removador's first three releases.

Jan 19 - Cortney Tidwell -"Boys" - Cortney Tidwell blends her boundless imagination and voice to create "Boys."  Her second full-length record, "Boys" leaps triumphantly from style to style, with her voice being the silken thread that holds the album together

www.removador.com/cortney-tidwell

February 16 - The Ravenna Colt - "Slight Spell" - The Ravenna Colt's "Slight Spell" is a debut album bursting with an impassioned and dreamlike sentiment.  The band, which is helmed by former My Morning Jacket guitarist Johnny Quaid, combines its myriad influences into a dark, spacious plane, highlighting its cosmic yet truly American style.

www.removador.com/the-ravenna-colt

March 16 - Follow The Train - "Mercury" - "Mercury" is a nine-song psychedelic journey into musical space.  A potent and volatile mixture that pays tribute to the shoe-gazers of the late 1980's and early 1990's, "Mercury" proves itself to be a compelling attraction to the ears. 

www.removador.com/follow-the-train

***

Here is an official statement from the company:

The Removador Recordings and Solutions web venture will offer

consumers a rich new way of web-based living; specializing in music

purchase, production, and facilitation, as well as problem solving,

sports, rehab, recreation, vacation planning, vaccinations, ghosts,

and social networking.  Coming this fall, Removador will also debut

our much talked about new 3-D printer technology, enabling consumers

to purchase food and auto parts online, and simply print them out in

the comfort of their own home with our new carbon and silicone based

3-D printer.  Imagine ordering a few sprigs of broccoli, or needing a

new carburetor, and being able to print them out in edible 3-D- all in

the comfort of your own home! Anyone who comes to invest in or own a

share of the Removador name will not only find some of the coldest

music they ain't never heard, they will be provided with a richness of

living, and sharply increasing aural dividends for years to come.

Removador Recordings and Solutions- some of the coldest music you

ain't never heard!

BLURT says - boy howdy to that. Especially the part about getting auto parts online and printing them out.

Germs, YaHoWha 13, Electric Prunes, Strawberry Alarm Clock and others among the first proposed signings.

By Fred Mills

The music industry wreckage of the past decade is still smoldering but that isn't stopping some budding entrepreneurs from starting up new record labels. Barely 5 minutes after we posted news of My Morning Jacket's Jim James launching an imprint we learned of Smashing Pumpkins majordomo Billy Corgan going into startup mode as well.

This may seem surprising, but Corgan has been on a tear the past several months in terms of his ability to get into the news - not the least of which was that deal about him and Jessica Simpson  canoodling (news here - potentially NSFW image, though), plus working on a new Pumpkins album and trying to convince folks not to get their flu shots.

At any rate, according to the LA Weekly (thanks for the tip, Pitchfork), Corgan and producer Kerry "Studio Dog" Brown will soon announce the name of their label and have plans to release records "rom the psychedelic garage rock of the 60's and the punk rock insanity of the 70's and 80's to the post-punk Pleiadian power-pop that is now." This will include, the report continues, The Germs, the Electric Prunes, YaHoWa 13, and the Strawberry Alarm Clock.

Brown elaborated in a posting on his blog, which we are reprinting below. Say what you will about Corgan, the young man has some excellent taste in rock ‘n' roll, and we'll be looking forward to hearing the label's output.

***

From Kerry Brown:

Happy New Year.... A quick update on the Pumpkins recordings for Teargarden By Kaleidyscope: We have 5 songs mixed and another song is tracked and ready to be mixed. Song number 2 should be ready for download within the next 2 weeks. I will let you know when we have a solid date.

Billy and I are happy to announce the birth of our record label! The name of the label will be made public soon. (We need to make sure that we have the name rights before we can announce it.)

We are very excited to be collaborating with amazing artists that have made a huge impact on the underground music world... From the psychedelic garage rock of the 60's and the punk rock insanity of the 70's and 80's to the post-punk Pleiadian power-pop that is now.

This year we plan on releasing new songs from the following bands:

Fancy Space People- We are currently in the studio recording 3 songs... These songs are slated to be our first release, also keep an eye open for the upcoming Fancy Space People film.

The Germs - In the very near future we plan on recording two songs that Darby Crash wrote with Pat Smear. "Out of Time" and "Beyond Hurt - Beyond Help" Darby committed suicide and the songs were never recorded. The original line up will be recording these "new" songs: Pat Smear (guitar), Lorna Doom (bass), Don Bolles (drums) and Shane West will be singing.

The Electric Prunes- Get the Visine ready for your third eye! Two new songs are in works with an E.P. to follow.

The Strawberry Alarm Clock- We are in the writing/demo stage right now and hope to be in the studio soon.

YaHoWha 13- Music channeled from the Divine...Looking forward to getting the family back in the studio.

Starchildren- Get ready for something new?

I will be getting back to you soon with more updates on all the sonic goodness. Hope the new year is treating you well.
KB