SAUSTEX RECORDS NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 6, 2024 | |
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...not a high point of American comedy but an apt intro for this newsletter.
I've been doing a lot of rejiggering on the label level the past several months. Two decades ago when this whole thing started (at least the label part of it) it was possible to sell a sufficient amount of "units", compact discs at the time, and eke out some degree of profit even if I wasn't taking a paycheck. Without revisiting the whole timeline too heavily I'll just say that my timing has been unfortunate and I've constantly been adjusting to new normals. The death of the CD followed by the boom in streaming, then the squashing of paid downloads by the major platforms in favor of of the subscription model onto the boom in vinyl which now appears to be a glut, at least when it comes to niche titles and genres.
A recent article cited the following factoid which I have no reason to disbelieve: There is more new music released on a daily basis than was released for the entirety of 1989.
Needless to say, this makes it hard to rise above the noise. So, I have made the difficult but I believe proper decision to discontinue mainstream physical distribution of the majority of Saustex titles, particularly the back catalog. If you're reading this, the practical effect is minimal but for those outside of "the choir" Amazon and bot-driven resellers will become much less prevalent.
Don't get me wrong...I use both Spotify and Amazon - they represent amazing technological achievements and offer consumers maybe too much speed and convenience and too many choices. BUT - they also slowly kill small businesses like mine.
As to Amazon, by the time they take their obligatory discount from my distributor's wholesale list price it barely pays for the manufacturing and shipping. It's counterintuitive for me to "finance" Jeff Bezos with consigned goods as he slowly strangles the life out of my label. Point is - I'd rather manufacture less product at a higher cost per unit and command the retail price myself than tread water hoping to achieve some economy of scale to the benefit of the corporate oligarchs. So, going forward the majority of Saustex physical releases will be in editions of two hundred or less and should maintain a price of $25 or less for a single LP and around $12 for a compact disc.
Spotify is a much more vexing question. It works well for some artists and labels - but I wouldn't count myself in that number. On the one hand I'm not going to pull releases from the platform because I'm not fulfilling my role as a label if an artist isn't on there. But again, Spotify head Daniel Eck doesn't need my money as he has basically every artist, label, music publisher and podcaster in the world financing HIS platform with THEIR content, at least until it's ALL A.I. generated and he can just pay warehouses full of slave engineers to keep the A.I. running instead of the songwriters and musicians on whose original work this digital garbage will be based. You might be laughing at that sentence now - you won't be in another decade and a half.
My only real counter to this issue is that you support truly independent artists and labels directly via their websites and particularly Bandcamp. Buy the downloads and physical editions because you might see the end of them in my lifetime - if I'm lucky enough to live another 15 years.
Musk, Bezos, Eck and all their ilk are engaged in a trillion dollar dick swinging contest and they view all the resources of this planet as theirs and it's people as their human consumer chattel. It doesn't matter who you voted for - all but the very richest people in the world will be the only ones allowed to own any personal property in another four generations.
If my tone seems generally pessimistic, it is. I hope I'm wrong but I don't think I am. AND that sucks because I consider myself to be an optimistic person. I want to believe there is a future where an average person will be able to find some joy outside of an entirely digitally rendered world.
SO in conclusion, I have three asks here:
1) When I die, if you're still around, please don't let them put my head in a jar because life has no value in the absence of death.
2) As a consumer of music please be sensitive to the decaying ecosystem I cite above. It's really up to you to reject A.I. generated music and content, however dazzling, eye popping and appealing it may temporarily appear.
3) Don't listen to aging idiots like myself. I've always maintained that there is a great deal of narcissism attached to the idea of any person or group of people proclaiming that they are somehow anointed to live as the swords of righteousness in mankind's last days and it would be disingenous to exclude myself from that claim. Humans have been figuring it out for a long time and I expect they will continue to do so without you and me.
Finally - I'd like to applaud Jake Hout, former singer of the revived Dead Boys, on his decision to exit the band on the heels of Cleopatra Records insistence that his vocals be treated with A.I. to somehow replicate Stiv Bators. I'm not dogging Cleopatra who to my knowledge are an above board outfit. I can only guess that they are a much more forward looking outfit than mine and are likely including A.I. clauses in their contracts. But, it should go without saying - that ain't punk rock.
As always - I appreciate your patience, love and support of me and mine and thank you for taking the time to read. Invariably there are errors and omissions somewhere below. My apologies in advance.
Smitty
Jeff Smith/Saustex et cetera
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SOME QUICK NOTES TO OUR VALUED MAIL-ORDER CUSTOMERS
- SPECIFIC QUESTIONS NOT ADDRESSED HERE? EMAIL JEFF.SMITH(AT)SAUSTEX.COM
- DON'T FORGET WHEN ORDERING VIA BANDCAMP -- YOU CAN ADD TO YOUR SAUSTEX ORDER WITHOUT INCURRING INDIVIDUAL POSTAGE CHARGES FOR ITEMS SHIPPED TO THE US, INTERNATIONAL ORDERS ARE DETERMINED BY THE WEIGHT.
SAUSTEX RECORDS AT BANDCAMP
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NEW AND UPCOMING RELEASES | |
Today is Bandcamp Friday and we’re pleased to be announcing the upcoming Saustex Records release of ‘Spirits From The Well’ the debut album by Gary Lindsey and the Pleasure Tide
Today is Bandcamp Friday and we’re pleased to be announcing the upcoming Saustex Records release of ‘Spirits From The Well’ the debut album by and the Pleasure Tide and the first single ‘Old Saint What’s His Name’ on all streaming platforms. It’s not an explicitly holiday themed song but will fit in nicely with your pagan Xmas or NYE playlist.
You might know Gary as the singer from Hank III’s Assjack, The Damn Band and Black Eyed Vermillion. He’s pictured below at the last show by GLPT at The Lost Well (photo by David Fox).
You can pre-order the limited vinyl (200 copies), CD or full album download via the Bandcamp link below and you’ll get ‘Old Saint What’s His Name’ immediately.
Stream, Download or Pre-Order 'Spirits From The Well' via Bandcamp
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The Ghost Wolves ‘Consumer Waste’
We're excited to release the new Ghost Wolves album 'Consumer Waste' alongside Paul Manchester's London-based Dirty Water Records with Saustex releasing the album for the Western Hemisphere with Dirty Water handling Europe and the rest of the world. We'll have unique pressings and we'll fulfill ONLY North and South America and the Caribbean for the physical edition. The Saustex first pressing of 200 copies is available NOW.
Some of you may take exception to Paul's description below but I'm running out of time here, so I'll sum up my own feelings in three words: THIS THING SIZZLES!
“You’re gonna wake up one morning as the sun hits the dawn.”
Texas’ sounds are not just the bogus stereotype of “Yee haw” Country music! Some of which we like! A lot! And Willie Nelson is our national grandad! And who doesn’t love ZZ Top?
But every town/city/state/country has kids that don’t fit it! Refuse to fit in! Population: Art.
Texas has a rich history of brilliant outsider music! The 13th Floor Elevators! Kenny and the Kasuals! Randy Alvey and the Green Fuz! The Novas! And Austin’s The Ghost Wolves have the baton now!
One of THE best live bands you’ll ever see, on Halloween 2024, Saustex Records (Texas) and Dirty Water Records (England) are pleased and proud to unveil the fifth studio album from Austin, Texas duo The Ghost Wolves, titled Consumer Waste. With a blistering runtime of just 27 minutes, this 10-track record delivers the fast, loud, and raw rock 'n' roll that the band has been electrifying audiences with for over a decade.
Carley and Jonny’s songwriting on Consumer Waste explores dark, apocalyptic themes while occasionally offering moments of surprising uplift. Tracks like "666 Mankind 666" and "Edgar Gary" provide a sardonic commentary on humanity in 2024. “Pee Wee RIP” is an homage to the fallen comedian and a major childhood inspiration of the band.
The Ghost Wolves excel at blending heavy lyrical content with their signature ferocious sound, delivering a potent mix of sharp insights and vibrant energy – a spoonful of sugar with the bitter medicine.
Stream, Download and/or order 'Consumer Waste' LP via Bandcamp
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DiNOLA ‘Spies In The Night’
Saustex Records has the bittersweet honor of releasing DiNOLA’s swan song album ‘Spies In The Night’. The album’s first five tracks were recorded at Studio G in Brooklyn with legend Tony Maimone - bassist for Pere Ubu and They Might Be Giants and producer of records by Bob Mould, Frank Black, The Mekons and many others. The epic closer ‘Ill Wind’ was recorded back in 2020 at Rancho de la Luna in Joshua Tree with Chris Goss at the helm.
‘Spies In The Night’ wasn’t intended to be the end of DiNOLA. The tight-knit foursome from New Orleans. DiNOLA emerged in the last decade as a vehicle for original material out of vocalist Sue Ford’s seasonal Mardi Gras parade cover-band Pink Slip. Sue was joined by her husband - Crescent City native and bon vivant - Jimmy Ford on drums with Pink Slip members Eric Laws on guitar and Eddie Payne on bass. In 2013, through Jimmy’s association with Aliens, QOTSA and Eagles of Death Metal member Dave Catching the band would endeavor to make their self-titled debut album at Rancho de la Luna Studio (in the burgeoning West Coast artist in exile-dom of Joshua Tree, California) with Catching as producer, as well as lending his guitar talents to several tracks.A number of tours followed in between the band member’s respective day gig work schedules in the film business, and a second album ‘Up High’ (also made with Catching) was released in 2017 via Saustex Records. More short tours out west, to Texas and the Eastern Seaboard followed along with the EP ‘I Wanna’ Die in New Orleans’ in 2019.
Then, much like everyone else, the band was sidelined not only from rock’n’roll but also their day gigs by the COVID pandemic. Finally, as things returned to a state of normalcy towards the end of 2022/beginning of 2023 bassist Eddie Payne received a cancer diagnosis. Initially the outlook was optimistic and Eddie was making regular trips to M.D. Anderson Hospital in Houston - one of the leading cancer specialty centers in the world.
However, as the page turned into 2024 Eddie’s condition seemed to be deteriorating and finally at the end of April the decision was made to stop treatment and return home to New Orleans. Eddie passed away on the Friday night of June 28th at his home.
‘I Wanna’ Die In New Orleans’, indeed.
It was Eddie’s wish that this record see the light of day - he missed seeing the physical LP by ONE day, unfortunately. It embodies all the best musical and lyrical qualities of the band. Musically - it’s a goth-edged brand of bluesy hard rock. Lyrically the tunes are defiant in the face of a world gone wrong and an inescapable end while reminding us to enjoy the day, our family and our friends while maintaining our pride of place.
Godspeed Eddie.
Stream, Download or Order Vinyl DiNOLA 'Spies In The Night' LP (limited edition of 200)
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The Krayolas keep churning out the hits!
The Krayolas continue their incredible run of new recordings popping up on Little Steven's Underground and other Sirius XM channels with their latest holiday single 'Giddy Up Santa' - a two-minute, Rawhide-meets-the-Beach-Boys pop-punk romp for the holiday blues and 'Gordon Lightfoot' (O Canada version) which sports Byrds electricity in a 21st Century ode to Gordon Lightfoot.
Stream or Download 'Giddy Up Santa' via Bandcamp
Stream or download 'Gordon Lightfoot' via Bandcamp
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The Krayolas 'El Grito"
The Krayolas crush it for Diez y Seis (and every day!) with 'El Grito.'
Provocative, politically-charged, prescient and, yes, totally fun, the new Spanish-language and bilingual rock release is the latest from San Antonio’s Tex-Mex Beatles.
Remixed, remastered and restored for the first time, the 12-song norteño flavored collection is a revelatory body of work. It’s a reminder that the acclaimed Chicano garage rockers are the 21st century embodiment of the late corrido songwriter Rumel Fuentes, the serape-wearing Bob Dylan of the Brown Power Movement of the 1970s.
It's in that defiant spirit that "I Am Your Dirty Mexican" was picked as the lead single from the new album, which features multi-Grammy winners Flaco Jimenez, Santiago Jimenez Jr., Augie Meyers, Max Baca and the West Side Horns. Several of the songs are featured in the award-winning Netflix documentary "Like a Rolling Stone: The Life & Times of Ben Fong-Torres."
"I Am Your Dirty Mexican" is an audacious "I am Spartacus" declaration for Latinos and the LatinX community who refuse to be scapegoats for politicians. It absolutely rocks with distorted guitars, Vox organ and loud drums. Imagine Iggy Pop and the Stooges growing up in East LA -- and you've got it.
“El Grito” reflect Mexican American life in San Antonio through the eyes of Krayolas’ singer-songwriter and journalist Hector Saldaña with original songs infused with conscience, identity, politics, love and humor. Today’s cultural zeitgeist is the band’s border playground.
With songs like "El Cucuy," "La Piñata Trump," "Fruteria," "Corrido Twelve Heads in a Bag" and "Americano," the Krayolas keep the faith, whether singing about fruit cups or drug war beheadings.
Full of sly Cantinflas-style wordplay, “La Piñata Trump” is about catharsis and a piñata as empty as the candidate it resembles. “Americano” is a joyous ode to an under-the-bridge rendezvous.
The release of "El Grito" coincides with Diez y Seis celebrations on September 16 -- and the run up to the November elections.
"El Grito" by the Krayolas is set for release on all digital music platforms via The Orchard on Friday, September 13.
The Krayolas hail from San Antonio and are known as the Tex-Mex Beatles. They can be heard on SiriusXM Satellite Radio shows “Little Steven’s Underground Garage, “Kick out the Jams! with Dave Marsh" and "Outlaw Country."
The Krayolas have been profiled in the Washington Post, the New Yorker, Los Angeles Times, Texas Monthly, Pollstar, Rolling Stone, Billboard, MTV, San Antonio Express-News, Houston Chronicle, Austin American-Statesman, San Antonio Current and Austin Chronicle, as well as on NPR “All Things Considered,” “Alt-Latino” and “Wait, Wait . . . Don’t Tell Me!"
Stream or Download The Krayolas 'El Grito'
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Hickoids ‘You’re Gonna Miss Me’ b/w ‘The Bitch Is Back’
The cowpunk troubadours are back up front—or was it front to back? Either way, they’re here now with a brand-new release. A strange fellow approached them with the promise of warm, fuzzy feelings to press a 7-inch vinyl on his label, and the Texas hitmakers delivered two covers: Elton John's 'The Bitch is Back' and Roky Erickson's 'You're Gonna Miss Me.' All proceeds will go to High Voltage Music, Inc., a San Antonio-based 501(c)(3) non-profit offering free after-school music lessons to high school students.
The above are the words of Peter Illing of Cacophony Clan Records who approached Hickoids about doing a a couple of sides for the “Singles Initiative” on his label. The band hustled into Jett Bass Studio (at the Corn Pound) in late August and cut the two covers in an afternoon. Wasting no time Peter quickly sent it off to Taiwan to be pressed in a limited edition of 100 (sorry - it’s already sold out.) The pair of tunes is available for download via Hickoids Bandcamp and both tunes are available on all major platforms.
Stream or Download Hickoids 'You're Gonna Miss Me' b/w 'The Bitch Is Back'
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HARVEY McLAUGHLIN 'O GIMME BLOOD'
'O Gimme Blood' is the latest single from the prolific and hard-working wunderkind Harvey McLaughlin. Currently on the road with Nicky Diamonds, you might know him from seeing him with The Sandworms, Hickoids, Eddie and The Valiants or his previous solo recordings or work with The Hares. He plays a mean guitar but his keyboard work more fully fuels his musical and lyrical expression which reminds Leon Russell, Warren Zevon, Randy Newman and Tom Waits with a slightly fantastical and modern edge. Give the kid a listen!
Stream or Download 'O Gimme Blood' via Bandcamp
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Piñata Protest ‘Plethora (Reloaded)’ New Vinyl Edition
Saustex Records is pleased to announce that it’s back! Plethora (Reloaded) is the record that brought Piñata Protest’s accordion-fueled punk sound to people around the world. From their scrappy beginnings on San Antonio’s Westside the band has gone on to become well loved across the U.S., Mexico and Europe due to their electrifying live shows and relentless touring.
The album was recorded at Grammy winning producer Joe Treviño’s Blue Cat Studio in San Antonio - Joe has worked with conjunto legends Flaco and Santiago Jimenez, Jr., Max Baca, The Mavericks and Augie Meyers as well as rockers The Krayolas, Sons of Hercules and Hickoids.
This new edition of the album is freshly remastered for 2024 and captures not only the biting edge of the band’s politically-charged lyrics but also their fun-filled conjunto meets punk sound. This disc is guaranteed to get your next pachanga or after-hours party rolling -- it’s punk rock like Abuela used to make!
Pressed in a limited-edition of 600 on “Sangre de mis Enemigos” color vinyl and includes a lyric sheet.
Stream, Download or Order Piñata Protest 'Plethora (Reloaded)' vinyl LP via Bandcamp
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Call Me Animal? I've been called a lot worse!
MC5 tribute from Joecephus and the George Jonestown Massacre features an off the hook guest list!
As a young teenager growing up in San Antonio many of my greatest musical discoveries were in the cut-out bin of the big record store in a local mall. (For those younger folk the cut-out bin was where overstock LPs would end up, in the days when labels and distributors would often send hundreds of copies of a new LP to each outlet. One of the LP jacket corners would often be clipped - hence the term "cut-out".) There were often many misses but then there were the gems. In my case, two particularly great finds were the Flamin' Groovies 'Teenage Head' and the MC5's 'Back In The USA'...I already loved fifties rock'n'roll like the Coasters, Chuck Berry, Elvis and Bo Diddley but when I put these two records on the turntable something really clicked. It was the sound of rock'n'roll's past meeting its future. SO...it is particularly resonant to share that Saustex will be releasing 'Call Me Animal: A Tribute to the MC5'!
Finally! Saustex Records is proud to bring you a tribute to one of the most important bands in the history of punk and rock'n'roll - Detroit's MC5. With hard as nails backing tracks provided by Memphis based Joecephus and the George Jonestown Massacre the 22 tracks feature guest stars: Alice Cooper, Keith Morris (Circle Jerks, OFF!), Zal Cleminson (Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Nazareth), Jello Biafra (Dead Kennedys), Wayne Kramer (MC5), Tex Perkins (Cruel Sea, Beasts of Bourbon), Cherie Currie (The Runaways), Mike Watt (The Minutemen, The Stooges), Lydia Lunch, JD Pinkus (Butthole Surfers), Paul Leary (Butthole Surfers), J Mascis (Dinosaur Jr.), Danko Jones, Kim Thayil (Soundgarden), Brett Bradford (Scratch Acid), Eugene Robinson (Oxbow, Whipping Boy), JG Thirlwell (Foetus), Tommy McLoughlin (The Sloths), Norman Westberg (Swans, Heroine Sheiks), Lisa Kekaula (The Bellrays), Steve Stevens (Billy Idol), Phil Campbell (Motorhead), Mickey Raphael (Willie Nelson Band), Jon Mikl Thor (Thor), Chris Holmes (W.A.S.P), Neil Turbin (Anthrax), Johnette Napolitano (Concrete Blonde), Jimbo Mathus (Squirrel Nut Zippers), Steve Selvidge (The Hold Steady, Bash & Pop), Jeff Clayton (Antiseen), Ruyter Suys (Nashville Pussy), Jeff Smith (Hickoids), Richie Stotts (Plasmatics), Chris Connelly (Revolting Cocks, Ministry), Robbi Robb (Asylum Kids, Tribe After Tribe), Billy Gould (Faith No More), WE Are The Asteroid, Brandon Yeagley (Crobot) and Harold Richardson (Negative Approach)...
As is the case with all the Joecephus & GJM tribute albums this one has a charity component, this one benefits MC5 founder Wayne Kramer's Jail Guitar Doors USA -- a program that aids inmates in correctional facilities by providing them with instruments and musical fellowship. We'll be donating 15% of all Bandcamp sales directly to the charity.
The album is available on digital, a double LP on color vinyl and compact disc (in limited-editions of 1000 and 500 respectively.)
Order double LP, CD or stream and download 'Call Me Animal: A Tribute to the MC5' via BandCamp
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Sh*t gets in your eyes...Hamell On Trial unleashes assault from forthcoming album with ‘Pepper Spray’ single and video
If you’re a regular reader of this newsletter Ed Hamell aka Hamell On Trial should be no stranger to you. While the rest of the world was “pandemic-ing” this man continued to release singles and albums (including the pure charity release ‘The Pandemic Songs’ which benefited food banks), sell his paintings mail-order, stage a series of livestreams, and, perform live when and where he could in between covid variant outbreaks -- all in a successful to bid to pay his rent and send his son Detroit through college.
He also relocated/returned to Austin and has been working with his manager Mike Henry on creating a new Hamell live experience which should see a test run towards the end of the year. But perhaps most importantly and relevantly he began work on his new album ‘Bring The Kids’ (originally titled ‘Bring The Kids, Every Song Could End In Bloodshed’.) The new project, having spent almost two years “on the stove” being released at the end of last year.
‘Bring The Kids’ is everything you’ve come to expect from Hamell and much more. There’s plenty of his biting, hard-edged and heartfelt yet comedic satire and social commentary. But, it’s also a departure on the musical and the lyrical level. You’re not going to hear the manic acoustic guitar splay of songs like ‘Safe’ (with the acoustic guitar being used sparingly and differently on this album.) Instead this album has a denser, crafted sound forged by Hamell and producer Matt LaBozza with a variety of styles and influences on display. It features several guest performances by English folk singer/songwriter Ruth Theodore and a spot by Christine Ohlman of the Saturday Night Live band, and, even includes (tastefully) the use of strings on a couple of the numbers.
I’ve dubbed Hamell’s new genre “aAA” (anarchist Adult Alternative).
And, while there is plenty that will seem familiar in the album’s lyrical landscape there is a more reflective turn at play, especially on the tunes ‘Jelly’ and ‘Trail Mix’...I could go on but I suggest instead that you ingest the video for ‘Pepper Spray’ and order the LP (in a limited edition of 500 on neon orange vinyl.)
Watch the new Hamell On Trial 'Pepper Spray' video
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Jane Woe’s self-titled "boot gaze" debut
"Houston is a cruel, crazy town on a filthy river in East Texas with no zoning laws and a culture of sex, money and violence. It's a shabby, sprawling metropolis ruled by brazen women, crooked cops and super-rich pansexual cowboys who live by the code of the West -- which can mean just about anything you need it to mean, in a pinch."
Hunter S. Thompson
In the summer of 2023 while playing a ‘Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas’-themed event at Hotel Vegas in Austin with the Hickoids I wondered aloud from the stage about the literary merits of said book. Whatever my misgivings about the book, I can state with a fair amount of authority that Thompson’s quote was fairly spot on. If the band X had written the masterful song ‘Los Angeles’ about Houston it would probably have required at least three additional verses and a second bridge. To use a romantic analogy, Houston is that person you love but must question yourself daily as to exactly why that is. And rather than maddeningly attempting to equivocate you must instead simply accept it for what it is or leave it.
By now you’re wondering what all this has to do with a band called Jane Woe and their album... The self-described “boot-gaze” band hail from Houston and is made up of lifer Houston band-folk: pedal steel guitarist, multi-instrumentalist and producer Scott Ayers from H-Town legends Pain Teens and more recently Frog Hair, bassist and backing vocalist Carol Sandin Cooley who has deep roots in the city’s punk and experimental scene (including time as the Poor Dumb Bastards only female member ever), drummer Kirk Suddreath who in addition to working with Ballet Houston and local theater groups creates improvisational recordings, and, are fronted by relative newcomer vocalist and lyricist Erin Dance.
If you extrapolate the Thompson quote two decades and post #metoo on down the line you’ll find resonance in Dance’s spare lyrics. They pose both statements and questions relating to sexual politic and power and the transactional facets of love. The main question seems to be what’s a gal gotta’ do get some layin’ AND some love, and, reading between the lines that maybe unconditional love just doesn’t stand a chance in proximity of the heat and humidity of the Buffalo Bayou (Thompson’s “filthy river”.) The innocent seeming, girlish timbre of Dance’s voice belie the experience of her words. Cast this against the fairly succinct country arrangements and atmospheric playing and you’ve got a humid mess of heartache that is tuneful and manages to find humor and hope in the middle of it.
The full album is now available on Bandcamp and major streaming platforms, and the limited edition of 300 translucent red vinyl is ready to ship.
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Progress has been made in the R&D Department! This coming weekend Tex Pop and Flagship Records have a couple of time machine events at adult friendly hours. On Saturday at Flagship Records we're having "Garage Rock con Garage Sale" with music by Los Number Three Dinners (two sets at 6 and 7), The Mullens (Get Hip recording artists from Dallas at 5pm) and the transplanted "New England Duke of Disaster" The Mal Thursday Quintet at four - all of this will be accompanied by a garage sale with framed art, a large dollar table of music and movies on various formats and much more. $5 dollar donation to cover the bands.
Flagship Records
6336 Montgomery Drive
San Antonio, TX 78239
Then on Sunday at the legendary John T. Floore Country Store out in Helotes it's time to party like it's 1964 with Pete's Best performing music of The Beatles at 7pm, CS Blues revisiting the Rolling Stones at 6, The Cave Dwellers playing The Kinks at 5 and Cain's Children as The Animals at 4. Admission is $20 and benefits Tex Pop "Your Music Museum" - we'll be doing a little Flagship pop-up out there as well. C'mon down and relive the spirit at this storied Texas dancehall.
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UPCOMING EVENTS AT THE CORN POUND!
Quickly - we've built out a new, hyrbid open-air/(mostly) climate controlled performance space at the Corn Pound. Events on the first Saturday of each month - all ages, BYOB (no glass) and free admission or with a reasonable suggested donation. Please refer to our FB and IG profiles for the latest schfizz. And -- the construction would not have been possible without the generosity of time, skill and spirit provided by my friends Marty Medved and Matt Silaski. Thank you gents - you are gems!
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The Krayolas drop new single and EP
'King Of Pop'
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"Imagine the early Kinks on holiday at the Neverland Tombs." That's how the Krayolas describe the title track of the new five-song dispatch, 'King of Pop.' Electric guitars, bass and drums frame the latest story lines, whether it's a hallucinogenic cab ride gone wrong or a love story gone bad. A pop-punk shout-out to Goffin-King via 'Pleasant Valley Sunday' and an anniversary remix of a Coolest Song in the World radio favorite bookend the fun. All of it blasting out loudly from a remote garage in suburbia just a stone's throw from Alamolandia.
Top picks: "Pleasant Valley Sunday" and "King of Pop."
STREAM OR DOWNLOAD THE KRAYOLAS 'KING OF POP' VIA BANDCAMP
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STEVIE TOMBSTONE'S '7:30 A.M.' DIGITAL REISSUE VIA BANDCAMP
Saustex is happy to announce the digital-only reissue of Stevie Tombstone's late 2003 full-length debut '7:30 A.M.' This record was not only the first Saustex release but also the album that put Stevie on the map as a solo performer with extensive airplay on the Sirius XM Outlaw Country Channel.
It's now available again for the first time in a couple of years with a bonus track version of '7:30 A.M.' featuring the Texas Tombstones.
Stevie and the record deserve a lot more play than they're getting in this very brief pitch. Please give it a listen if you're uninitiated or it's been a while and check out Stevie's more contemporary material on Bandcamp.
STREAM OR BUY '7:30 A.M.' VIA BANDCAMP
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NEW JOECEPHUS AND THE GEORGE JONESTOWN MASSACRE ALBUM
'SNOWBLIND IN THE RISING SUN'
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Joecephus and the George Jonestown Massacre latest album of originals 'Snowblind In The Rising Sun' on Saustex Records
Hard-working Memphis rockers Joecephus and The George Jonestown Massacre new album of originals recorded in Tupelo titled 'Snowblind In The Rising Sun'
draws lyrical inspiration from both the band's travels and the dystopia that is modern America. Musically the new volume occupies a space at the crossroads of punk blues, Southern rock and heavy metal. The first single from the record is the uneasy chuckle of 'Voices'.
If you're a regular reader of this newsletter you'll recognize the band’s name from their previous Saustex charity-oriented tribute releases feting Nazareth, Johnny Cash and Black Oak Arkansas - all made with a stunning array of guest stars including King Buzzo, Jello Biafra, Shooter Jennings, Mick Harvey, Warren Ellis and Blayne Cartwright to name just a few. They've also racked up airplay on Sirius XM's 'Outlaw Country' Channel and toured regularly up until March 2020 when a West Coast tour came to a screeching pandemic triggered halt, and a fall 2021 trip was scuttled after several members came down with the Covid Delta variant.
STREAM, DOWNLOAD, ORDER CD OR LP JGJM 'SNOWBLIND IN THE RISING SUN' VIA BANDCAMP
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NEW CHURCHWOOD ALBUM '6: THE BOULE OUI' OUT NOW!
Churchwood is destined to be remembered as one of Austin's all-time greatest acts even if they're not a household name. With a scintillating stew of guitar interplay, buoyant yet driving and diverse rhythms, other worldly lyricism and an unbeatable live show -- they are the apex. On this newest release, as the title suggests, they take a slight detour through bayou country.
Not much I can say about this brilliant band I haven’t said before so I’ll paraphrase a conversation I had with Harvey McLaughlin not long ago “They’re the kind of band that make you jealous…not in a bad “Why do they get so and so?” sort of way but you listen to or watch them and think wow, that’s everything a rock band can be…sophisticated and well executed music and lyrics that is not pretentious in spite of its over-achievement.”
So yeah…he’s a fan, I’m a fan and if you dig in you may well be too. It’s a honor to work with these guys.
STREAM, DOWNLOAD OR ORDER CD CHURCHWOOD '6: THE BOULE OUI' VIA BANDCAMP
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THE KRAYOLAS NEW LP 'HAPPY GO LUCKY' | |
The Krayolas
‘Happy Go Lucky’
Box Records and Saustex bring you the second archival release from San Antonio‘s Krayolas. Contemporarily the band is often heard on Little Steven’s Underground Garage on Sirius XM and these lovingly restored recordings will take you back to the dawn of the MTV era...brimming with excitement and possibility the band folded Latin R&B, Motown and the poppier side of their sixties chart-making heroes into their already well defined garage and power pop sound with the help of the legendary original West Side Horns. Imagine Dexy’s Midnight Runners debut ‘Searching For The Young Soul Rebels’ if rendered more slickly by Texans as a starting point. Fully half the tracks were culled from 1982 masters that were thought lost for good and now see their first release.
The limited edition Neon Orange LP in gatefold package is sure to be one of the most collectible records of the year.
VINYL AND CD ARE AVAILABLE FOR IMMEDIATE SHIPMENT. FULL DIGITAL RELEASE ON FRIDAY JULY 1st.
STREAM, DOWNLOAD, OR ORDER LP OR CD - THE KRAYOLAS - 'HAPPY GO LUCKY' ON BANDCAMP
CHECK OUT BILL BAIRD'S IN-DEPTH SAN ANTONIO CURRENT COVER STORY ABOUT THE BAND AND RECORD HERE
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