A More Casual Than Usual 'Casual Victim Pile' Where-Are-They-Now? Starring Follow That Bird!
(photo by David Weaver)
It's been a long time since we updated you on the comings and goings of the contributors to our 2010 Austin compilation album, 'Casual Victim Pile'. Since the last missive, the Golden Boys and Wild America went (the former to Europe for a December trip, the latter committed rock'n'roll auto de fé with a house show finale) and Dikes Of Holland came (out with a new full-length album that was arguably one of last year's best). But for for the purpose of appearing to be timely/relevant for a change, we'll focus on the recent activity of Follow That Bird! (above), who mark the release of their brand new Mt. Fuji 7" with the following tour dates ;
sat 2.12 - austin, tx @ the mohawk w/ silent diane, dikes of holland, holy wave
thur 2.17 - el paso, tx @ garage tequila
fri 2.18 - tucson, az @ hangart
mon 2.21 - san francisco @ the knockout
thur 2.24 - eugene, or @ wandering goat coffee co
fri 2.25 - portland, or @ the woods
sat 2.26 - portland, or @ wtf bikes
sun 2.27 - seattle, wa @ the sunset tavern
thur 3.3 - denver, co @ the hi-dive
fri 3.4 - albuquerque, nm @ blackbird
sat 3.5 - marfa, tx @ marfa book company
On a slightly related tip, there's a second volume of 'CVP' --- the creatively dubbed, 'Casual Victim Pile II' coming out on vinyl very soon on another label. I'm told it might be a quality endeavor, but at the risk of getting all corporate for a moment, is the theft of Matador's intellectual property not even worth protesting? I don't know how these people can sleep at night.
Casual Victim Pile / Where Are They Now, Pt II ; Love Collector
Yesterday's admittedly incomplete round up of recent activity from Casual Victim Pile alumni glaringly omitted the Austin quartet Love Collector. Not because I wish them DEAD or anything, but rather, since Dave and Robin fucked off to San Francisco for the summer, things have gone a bit quiet on the Love Collector front. As it turns out, however, I was woefully uninformed. Not only are Love Collector returning to the stage August 28 at Beerland (with The Golden Boys and John Schooley's One Man Band), but director Amedo DiNardo has completed a video for 'Casual Victim Pile''s "First 48". Bottle Service's tambourine-playing dynamo Joe Ryan makes a cameo appearance, while Shawn and Rob reveal themselves to be track & field's greatest revelations since Rosie Ruiz.
Casual Victim Pile - Where Are They Now?
Not a day goes by during my travels around these great United States that someone fails to accost me and say, "hey
The Young - after a pair of singles and one song on CVP, The Young have finally released a debut album on Mexican Summer, Voyagers Of Legend. The entire thing is pretty sick, but "Bird In The Bush" is what us folks in the record business like to call "an undeniable hit". At least until it turns out not to be a hit, in which case we start looking for someone else to blame. If you're in Austin this Friday and looking FOR ACTION after The New Pornographers show, The Young's rec release party is happening at 2906 Cole St., with additional sets from Dikes Of Holland (two 2010 7"'s thus far that you oughta track down), Oakland's Genesis Climber and the amazing trio Cruddy.
Harlem - By now, hopefully you've fallen in love, or at least very intense like with the songs and performances of Coomers, Curtis and Jose, currently making their way across the country in support of The Dead Weather and flogging their 2nd album, 'Hippies' with considerable style and poise.. Potentially Matador's first candidates to be awarded a Grammy and a Pulitzer For Tweeting in the same calendar year, Harlem will follow last weekend's appearance at Coney Island's Siren Fest with an even larger challenge, playing Lollapalooza in Chicago August 7. Rumors they're supposed to play at 7am and/or are prevented from playing anywhere in the Midwest for the next 3 years are mostly exaggerated.
Wild America - on the heels of a terrific 7" released by Brooklyn's Freedom School, Wild America are currently in the midst of a U.S tour. I'm not gonna say "grueling" because for all we know, they're having a great time.
7/22 - Bassettt St. House, Madison, WI
7/23 - Lucky Gator Loft, Chicago, IL
7/24 - Loco Lemonade, Bloomington, IN
7/25 - Carabar, Columbus, OH
7/27 - Anarctica, Chattanooga, TN
7/28 - The Hanger, Athens, GA
7/29 - Couch Couch, Atlanta, GA
7/30 - Saturn Bar, New Orleans, LA
8/1 - Superhappyfunland, Houston, TX
8/6 - US Art Authority, Austin, TX (with Happy Birthday, Woven Bones)
There's obviously more to talk about ; The Golden Boys are featured participants at this September's Goner Fest 7, while the band's John Wesley Coleman is in the middle of a week long residency at Beerland and recently returned from recording his upcoming Goner album w/ assistance from Orville Neely (Bad Sports), Jeremy Steen (The Flesh Lights, Gospel Truth) and longtime associate Greg Ashley. Bad Sports have hit both coasts this summer and recently completed recording of their second album with knobby help from Mark Ryan of The Marked Men. Woven Bones are drowning amidst a pile of accolades for their 'In Out & Back Again' HoZac LP, recently inked their lives away (JOKE) to Hardly Art and will be supporting Pavement at the oh-so-big-timey Stubbs on September 28. The Distant Seconds are prepping their 2nd album with engineering supplied by Tre Orsi's Matthew Barnhart, while Tre Orsi's recent LP, 'Devices & Emblems' has been reissued by Jon Solomon's fantastic Comedy Minus One label, the same imprint that brings Bottomless Pit's excellent recordings into your homes. Follow That Bird! completed their first trip to the East Coast recently, and The Stuffies are hitting the road this weekend for shows in Little Rock, AR and Memphis, TN (Hi Tone, Sunday, 7/25). Elvis are taking part in a bodywashing event (hey, I just report this stuff) at the US Art Authority on July 24 Finally, The Flesh Lights, fast becoming one of the planet's best live bands, have a new 7" coming soon from Twistworthy Records (helmed by Mark Twistworthy of CVP alumni The No No No Hopes), and they'll be at Beerland on Thursday, July 29 with the OBN III's and Dikes Of Holland. There's more CVP related stuff to hassle you about, but trust me, I'm saving it for another post.
Amazing Instances Of Austin Bands Playing Too Many Austin Shows
(an airplane full of musical tourists, overcome with emotion knowing they'll soon be greeted with just-raised-drink prices, t-shirts reading "don't move here" and multiple opportunites to see Love Collector)
Y'know, if I had a quarter for every person who has asked me, "Gerard, we're so thoroughly enjoying Matador's 'Casual Victim Pile' compilation, where and when can we see those ridiculously talented bands in Austin this week?"....i'd be a very, very poor person. BECAUSE NO ONE HAS ASKED ME. That's ok, however, I'm more than happy to supply a long, though possibly incomplete list.
Flesh Lights
Thursday, March 18, 8pm, Burger City party, The Grand
Friday, March 19 (afternoon) Aparition Skateboards
Friday, March 19, 10pm, Beerland (with Cheap Time)
The Young
Friday, March 19, 7pm, Klub Krucial *
Dikes Of Holland
Wednesday, March 17, 12:30am, Headhunters*
Thursday, March 18, 12:45pm, Longbranch Inn (with XYX, Zoltars, Simple Circuit and more)
Friday, March 19, 1pm, 2200 Alta Vista Ave (with Follow That Bird!, Zoltars and more)
Saturday, March 20 (afternoon), Typewriter Museum, FXFY Fest
Saturday, March 20, 2pm, Uncle Billy's (with Bad Sports, Bang Bang Theodores and more)
Sunday, March 21, evening, Beerland closing ceremonies (with Digital Leather, The Stuffies, Love Collector and more)
Harlem
Tuesday, March 16, 11:30pm, House Of Guys
Wednesday, March 17, 8pm, Charlie's, 1301 Lavaca (True Panther/GvsB Party, with Hunx, Magic Kids and more)
Thursday, March 18, 9pm, Red 7 (with Bad Sports, Pierced Arrows)*
Friday, March 19, 2:15 pm Fader Fort
Friday, March 19, 3:40pm, Stubbs (inside), Spin Party
Saturday, March 20, 11:30pm, Cheer Up Charlie's, 1104 E 6th St
Wild America
Tuesday, March 16, 6pm, Trailer Space
Thursday, March 18, 2pm, I Luv Video (with Ghost Knife)
Thursday, March 18, 7pm, Trailer Space
Friday, March 19, 2pm, House Of Commons
Saturday, March 20, 12:30pm, ROFL House (with XYX and more)
The Distant Seconds
Wed. March 17th 6.30 PM @ Chain Drive (504 Willow, one block south of Cesar Chavez across from Iron Works BBQ)
Thur. March 18th, noon @ Chicken Ranch Records day party @ the Liberty (1618 1/2 E 6th Street)
Sat. Mar. 20th, 12.30 PM @ Stem & Leaf day party @ Rainey Manor (90 S-IH-35, catty-corner to the Lustre Pearl).
Follow That Bird!
Tues, March 16, 10pm, Club 1808
Weds, March 17, 3:15pm, Hotel San Jose (Monofonus Press party)
Thursday, March 18, 7:30pm, Club Primos
Friday, March 19, 4pm, 2200 Alta Vista Ave. (with Dikes Of Holland)
Friday, March 19, 11:30pm, Wave*
Saturday, March 20, 5pm, Sneak Attack (behind City Hall)
Sunday, March 21, 5pm, Trophy's
Love Collector
Thursday, March 18, 1pm, Burger City Party, The Grand
Saturday, March 20, 4pm, Aparition Skatebords
Sunday, March 21, Beerland Closing Ceremonies
The Stuffies
Sunday, March 21, Beerland
Bad Sports
Thursday, March 18, 9pm, Red 7 (with Harlem , Pierced Arrows)*
Friday, March 19, early afternoon, Club 1808
Saturday, March 20, afternoon, Uncle Billy's (with Dikes Of Holland and more)
Woven Bones
Wednesday, March 17, 2pm, Beerland (with Cruddy, TV Ghost, the Spits and more)
Wendesday, March 17, 6:30pm Trailer Space (HoZac party)
Wednesday, March 18, 7:30pm, Galaxy Room (Hardly Art showcase)*
Thursday, March 19, 5:4pm, Broken Neck
Friday, March 20, 8pm, Club 1808 (with Bad Sports, Jeff The Brotherhood, Magic Kids and many more)
Saturday, March 20, 1pm, Uchi Sushi, South Lamar Blvd.
Saturday, March 20, 8pm, Karibu, E. 7th St.
The Golden Boys
Saturday, March 20, 4pm, Trophy's
Saturday, March 20, 11;45pm, Encore (patio)*
Sunday, March 21, Sidebar
The No No No Hopes
Sunday, March 21, 3pm, Sidebar
Kingdom Of Suicide Lovers
Saturday, March 20, 11pm, U.S. Art Authority
Lost Controls
Saturday, March 20, 2pm, Creekside Lounge (with Manikin, Turbo Fruits and more)
Elvis
Wednesday, March 17, 1opm, Chain Drive
Thursday, March 18, 11pm, Club Primo
* - badge or wristband might be required. or maybe not.
Early Frontrunner For Most Elaborate Demo Package Received In 2010
Vol. II? Please tell me this will advance to some KBD-type status where someone else can do the future editions (and thus contend with the bitching and moaning from pals & relatives of the generic bands who didn't make the cut). Love the cassettes, though.
Casually Reminding You (The Casual Victim Pile Shows Start Tonight)
After far too much local hype (for my comfort, anyway), our 17-band, 3 night spectacular at Austin's Beerland kicks off this evening (doors at 9pm, music at 1opm) with the first show from The Persimmons in many months. Running orders for all 3 evenings are below (headliners on top) but please be advised of the following ;
a) we're giving away a ltd. edition screenprint of the above poster to the first 30 paid attendees tonight
b) End Of An Ear will be selling LP's and CD's on Friday and Saturday
c) Alan Benavides and Fred from The Stuffies will be spinning records Friday and Saturday
d) Friday and Saturday night's shows start at 9pm sharp.
e) it's $5 to get in. If you don't think it's worth paying .83 cents (U.S.) per band, please keep it to yourself rather than requesting guest list space for a blog we've never seen before. Thanks, dignity (yours especially) is a precious thing.
Thursday, February 4
Follow That Bird!
Dikes Of Holland
Kingdom Of Suicide Lovers
The Golden Boys
Bad Sports
Love Collector
The Stuffies
Lost Controls
(Order 'Casual Victim Pile' on LP, CD or digital album from The Matador Store)
Casual Victim Pile - 3 Nights At Beerland (Update)
While this week's release of Matador's 19-band Austin/Denton compilation, 'Casual Victim Pile' has met with mostly favorable notices, some have rightly raised the question, "where's the inflammatory, entirely unnecessary attacks on other genres / scenes etc.?" So with that in mind, we commissioned Denny Schmickle to design (and Obsolete Industries to print) a limited edition poster for next week's 3-night stand at Beerland. Please, if 60 of these managed to completely obscure the entrance to the Saxon Pub, rest assured this was purely the handiwork of an overzealous street team.
That said, a limited quantity of the above poster will be free with paid admission ($5) to next Thursday's NIGHT ONE featuring Follow That Bird!, Dikes Of Holland, Kingdom Of Suicide Lovers, The Distant Seconds and The Persimmons. On the subsequent Friday (Woven Bones, The Young, Wild America, Flesh Lights, Elvis, The No No No Hopes) and Saturday (Harlem, The Golden Boys, Bad Sports, Love Collector, The Stuffies, Lost Controls) nights, Alan B will be playing records between sets and our good friends from End Of An Ear Records will be peddling LP & CD copies of 'CVP'.
(Wild America, photo taken from ballrogs kill's Flickr stream)
WOXY.com co-sponsor of next week's shows (along with Austinist), will be broadcasting live sessions from Follow That Bird! (February 4, 4:30pm), Wild America (February 5, 12:30pm) and Love Collector (February 6, 4:30pm) as part of their Lounge Acts series.
(Order 'Casual Victim Pile' on LP, CD or digital album from The Matador Store)
'Casual Victim Pile' Comp. Marked With 17 Band, 3 Night Pile Up
(top, bottom : insanely great comp. of Austin/Denton talent, entry point to cathedral of sophisticated entertainment)
For a couple of months now we've been in semi to full-on promo blather mode about our 'Casual Victim Pile' compilation 2XLP/CD, out January 26. As promised (with some gracious assistance from Austinist and WOXY) all of the comp's 19 bands ---- save for Tre Orsi (outta town) and The Teeners (split up) --- are taking part in a 3 night series at Austin's Beerland. Lineups below don't necessarily reflect the running order (though they might), but we're hopeful with a $5 cover each evening you'll get your money's worth.
Thursday Feb. 4
Follow That Bird!
Dikes Of Holland
Kingdom Of Suicide Lovers
The Distant Seconds
The Persimmons
Friday, Feb. 5
Woven Bones
The Young
Wild America
Flesh Lights
Elvis
The No No No Hopes
Saturday, Feb. 6
Harlem
The Golden Boys
Bad Sports
Love Collector
The Stuffies
Lost Controls
Persons living outside the Central Texas region are fully encouraged to fly in for the event ---- you're welcome to stay on
Failing that, four of CVP's leading lights are playing Denton, TX on Sunday, January 17. Bad Sports, Tre Orsi, Follow That Bird! and Dikes Of Holland are joined by Teenage Cool Kids at Rubber Gloves. The following Monday is Martin Luther King Day, and if you're hoping to make the trip from Austin, you can always catch a ride with
Casual Victim Pile - More Than A 10th Of The Contents, Intentionally Leaked
As noted in this very space some 5 weeks ago, on January 26, 2010, Matador will be releasing 'Casual Victim Pile', a double LP/single CD/19 track digital album, in which 17 Austin bands (plus a pair from Denton) are either (take your pick) exposed to a wider audience for the first time....or find themselves brutally exploited by a NYC entertainment monolith after their friends' labels have worked so hard to lay the groundwork. Or maybe it'll be some combination of the two. Pretty hard to say this early.
In any event, it's been a couple of decades since we've tried our hands at a regional compilation, and the last time we did this, the notion of an pre-album MP3 hadn't yet come up. No matter who we leave out of the mix on this post, it's pretty hard to get a sense of the stylistic range represented on 'CVP', and while I'd hesistate to call the artists below polar opposites --- their family trees are only one degree of separation apart --- you might at least get a hint this project is not all-about-one-kinda-thing.
(photo by Will Slack)
Though Follow That Bird! have yet to hit either coast, they've ventured beyond state lines this year, and the trio's new, one-sided 10" EP on Monofonous Press probably won't be available much longer. Long before last year's addition of bassist Mitchell Tellstrom, the duo of Lauren Green and Tiffanie Lanmon had staked a claim as one of the nation's more exciting live bands. These days, however, they're improving so rapidly, I only pray it's not a 'Flowers For Algernon' type-scenario that will end in tragedy. "The Ghosts That Wake You" (160k - mp3) is the first song on side one of 'Casual Victim Pile' (or if you prefer, the first on a CD that only plays on one side)\
(photo by Shannon Bozeman)
Love Collector (formerly the Modern Fuckers) have one of the comp's more glittering pedigrees (Ape Shits, Sex Advice, The Fells, The Dirty Sweets, Deadly Companions, old ties to CVP compatriots Lost Controls, The Stuffies and The Persimmons) and their most recent 7", "My Baby Goes Waaah" b/w "Tell Me", "Come Back" (Big Action) is yet another "blink and you won't be able to buy it" classic single. Recorded under the supervision of the Marked Men's Mark Ryan, "First 48" (160k mp3) --- which may or may not remind you of this television program --- is the first song on side two of 'CVP'.
As promised during the last news item about the comp., most of the album's participants will be taking part in a 3-night stand we have planned for Austin's Beerland on Thursday, February 4, Friday , February 5 and Saturday, February 6. The full bill and running order will be announced soon.
There's a ton more news surrounding the folks on this album, but space is almost as limited as your patience. Tre Orsi's new LP will be out in February , Bad Sports' self-titled debut album just came out on Douchemaster. The Golden Boys' amazing 4th album, the Greg Ashley-assisted 'Electric Wolfman' is newly available from Daggerman. While stores struggle to find copies of Woven Bones' new 12", the trio are touring in preperation for a new full length on HoZac. I could tell you a thing or two about the new Harlem album coming out in Spring 2010 but that's supposed to be the subject of it's own multi-paragraph news update (and it will be --- sooner than you think).
"Casual Victim Pile' is currently available for pre-orders from The Matador Store for the discount price of $15.30 for the double vinyl, $8.50 for the 19 song CD.
Coming Jan. 26- 'Casual Victim Pile', Matador's Stirring Salute To A City Most Of Us Visit Once A Year
As most of you are aware, when I'm not opening prescription medication I've found in Chris Lombardi's desk attending marketing meetings at 304 Hudson Street,, I spend the majority of my time in the lovely city of Austin, TX. The region's musical heritage, while often acknowledged in the major trade fairs and sprawling rock festivals, often leaves some folks more recognized than others ; 13th Floor Elevators, Bubble Puppy, Moving Sidewalks, Doctor's Mob, True Believers, Big Boys, Dicks, Nice Strong Arm, Butthole Surfers, Scratch Acid, Texas Instruments, Daniel Johnston, 16 Deluxe, Glorium, ...Trail Of Dead, Spoon, Shearwater, Strange Boys, Total Abuse, Hex Dispensers, etc. NONE OF THESE WONDERFUL ARTISTS HAS A STATUE, and that makes me want to cry.The thing is, I really suck at making statues. I'm a little more accomplished, however, at putting together compilations. On January 26, Matador will be releasing a double LP / single CD collection/ digital album called 'Casual Victim Pile (Austin 2010'), featuring 17 songs from a newer generation of Austin bands (plus a couple of wildly talented ringers from Denton for good measure). I've been working on this comp. off and on over the past year and I feel pretty good about this record being a valid representation of....uh.....the bands I like to see most often? The Austin Chronicle recently touted CVP as "shaping up to be the most impressive regional comp since 1983's 'Cottage Cheese From the Lips of Death' (Ward 9) , and while I'll take that praise any day of the week, to my ears it more closely recalls Matador's 1991 NYC underground sampler., 'New York Eye & Ear Control'.
Of the album's 19 songs, 18 are previously unreleased, Harlem's "Beautiful & Very Smart" being the only current exception. Only Harlem, The Golden Boys, The Distant Seconds and Elvis have released full albums previously, while several of the bands on this album (Flesh Lights, Dikes Of Holland, KOSL, The Stuffies, The Persimmons) are making their recorded debuts (at least as of this writing). Here's the track listing.
Follow That Bird! - The Ghosts That Wake You
The Young - Blister
Woven Bones - Spirits Roam
Flesh Lights - Crush On You
Dikes Of Holland - Little City Girl
Tre Orsi - The Engineer
The Distant Seconds - Akron Bureau
Kingdom Of Suicide Lovers - Hoboken Snow
Elvis - Mommy's Little Soliders
Love Collector - First 48
Bad Sports - Can't Remember Your Name
Wild America - Drink It Dry
Harlem - Beautiful & Very Smart
The Stuffies - No One's Gonna Miss You
The Golden Boys - Older Than You
The No No No Hopes - Nobody's Fool
The Teeners - Nazis On Film
The Persimmons - The Notice
Lost Controls - Entirely Wired For Sound
There will be more news to follow in the days in weeks ahead, including a multi-night stand at one of Austin's more beloved nightspots (OK, Beerland) featuring the majority of the album's participants. In the meantime, 'Casual Victim Pile' is available for preorders starting today from The Matador Store, 2XLP for the discount price of $15.30, single CD for $8.50
P.S. 'Casual Victim Pile' is an anagram for 'Live Music Capital'. I learned that from a talking statue.