DJ Tom Hanks and the Battle of Rape Valley

More Hidden Beauty on Lake Street

2011-03-04T19:45:00.000-06:00

Vampire Remembers 1,000 Year Old Law to Take Down Wells Fargo

2011-02-24T18:26:00.000-06:00

Do yourself a favor and check out the comments.

More Urban Detritus on Lake Street

2011-02-03T14:44:00.000-06:00

This street is just horrible. Like I was saying before, there are bums on every corner. Including this one: at Lake and LaSalle. A mean looking bum sits here all day and shakes a McDonalds coffee cup at passersby. I see him every time I go to Starbucks or the other office or any location west of LaSalle.

Anyway, I walked to Lake and Wells the other day and passed this guy in his usual spot with his usual cup. He was swaddled in dirty bum blankets with an assortment of bum equipment scattered around his spot on the pavement. After a short visit with Accounting, I started on my way back east. I had a red light at LaSalle and glanced back to see my man's spot vacant. Upon closer inspection, I found all his stuff gone. The only remnants were pennies scattered on the sidewalk by his spot. I thought "Are you shitting me? Who throws away pennies?" I was so angry at his wasteful ways that I went to reach for the lone dime next to the puddles he left. As I bent towards the filthy concrete, I thought better of scavenging this dude's dime and held out hope that maybe he'd been forcibly removed from his corner. Nothing worse than a choosy beggar, ya know?

A Couple People Have Been Asking...

2011-01-28T16:55:00.002-06:00

Challenger was Crazy

2011-01-28T16:54:00.000-06:00

I Love These Real Simple Graphics

2011-01-26T19:37:00.000-06:00

Lake street has got to be the worst street in Chicago. Aside from the trains roaring across the loop a few feet above, the sun never shines below the trestles so snow turns to icey slush and stays that way. There is an aggressive bum on every corner and government issued vehicles illegally and/or doubled park in every spot. Traversing the street between offices everyday is enough to make you agoraphobic.
However, I found this little glimmer of light at trestle number 420 and it brightened up my afternoon. Dig:

Albums I Just Bought

2011-01-21T11:08:00.002-06:00

Due to a visit from the facist dictator of China, it has taken cousin Michael and I an hour and a half and counting to get downtown today. I don't know why he chose Chicago, but he is here messing shit up. Maureen lost an hour of her life to his motorcade last night and now he is rampaging me and Mike this morning. Bastard. Anyway, this time killing gave me time to listen to a sampling of my new albums. You see I was killing time in Wicker Park the other day and found some treasures in the dollar bins at Reckless Records. I buy a lot of alt rock from the Half Price Books dollar bins and Reckless has a lot of the same stuff. However, they also have some real gems that might not make it all the way to a suburban HPB.
I bought the first two Bjork albums for 99cents apiece because I don't think I ever owned a tangible copy of either one. It's been years since I heard Post all the way through and I don't think I ever heard Debut all the way through. Nothing too exciting here: I could've certainly copped either one at any HPB around. However, not for under a buck.
Let's see...what else...I got the Italians Do It Better compilation for a buck and even though I have most of the full-lengths advertised on this album, there's still a couple unknown tracks on there and I'll pay a dollar for 7 tracks from a label I trust. Plus cd audio sounds a lot better in the car.
I shelled out $1.99 each for the 3 disc Matador anniversary set and Health::Disco2. I got the Matador comp mainly just to have (ya know?) but also to throw on when I'm not in the mood to make decisions. And since I've been hanging with the two most indecisive people in the world lately (Michael and Maureen), I have less and less capacity for weighing options these days. Ordering dinner is a nightly battle that wastes way too much of my precious time.
Decisively, I love Health. I love everything they've ever done and I loved Disco::2 before I was halfway through the tracklist. I somehow slept on it when it came out ( I think I read about it, got a few songs from blogs and then stopped thinking about it before I actually acquired it) even though I loved Disco::1 so much. And after listening to most of it while waiting for Supreme Chancellor Jintao to finish mentally molesting the students at Walter Payton middle school and clear the roads, I like it at least as much as I liked the previous disco album. While the Salem remix is fire and so is the Tobacco one, the best song on the album is probably "USA Boys" by Health themselves. I'll post it eventually.
But the best score had to be King Kong's first album for 99 cents. Obviously, some foolish clerk at Reckless didn't realize what she was doing when she slapped that ".99" sticker on a totally cristine copy of the self-titled banger. I think I may have to post the intro track at least when I get home tonight. For those of you unfamiliar with King Kong, the dude from Slint is the frontman and I guess you could say they sound like a more showgazey(?) version of Pylon. I guess.

I Wanna Go Tanning to Cure My S.A.D.

2011-01-18T09:27:00.000-06:00

I finally got around to seeing Black Swan the other night. It was just about superb, as expected. Portman was a freakshow waiting to explode and I kept feeling the tension build and build as she turned the most mundane activities into psychotic episodes. Ballet may be stressful and all but then why was Mila Kunis so normal? I guess it was supposed to be Black Swan and White Swan but it was more like a regular swan (kunis) and Portman's tiger-giraffe possessed swan. I kept wanting to like smash a thick 40 bottle over her face. But the plodding psychosis made the movie: she eventually figures out that she literally has to kill her self and/or others in order to dance with a little swagger?

I guess my main (only?) complaint is that the movie was not long enough and her descent should have been more brutal and much darker. It could have been infinitely meaner and creepier and even more salacious if they had just let the characters keep doing what they were doing. Maybe a few more dark sex scenes or awkward Portman social situations, you know? Like maybe her imagining a dragon or something at the Doctor's office while she is getting her mutated foot checked out. Or maybe she rapes a subway monster or something, ya know? Yes, the film gave me the creeps a couple times (the lovely feathers), created a few visually compelling circumstances (monsters in the darkened theater), and eventually blew me away when she died for perfection. However, it should have been much darker, erotic and thrilling because when you think about it, the stakes aren't high enough when the only lives hanging in the balance are indifferent to death anyway. Was anyone actually really saddened by the ending? Does it matter what happens to anyone after the last frame? Whatever.

My roommates and I (Maureen and cousin Michael) had been trying to see Black Swan for weeks but uncompromising show times (not to mention the wicked case of S.A.D. I contracted since moving to Chicago) conspired against us ever getting to the theater. Instead of seeing the darkly erotic freak-fest everyone promised, we had been staying home in the snow and working our way through the Wire Box set. While I can quote the dialogue from every episode by heart, I still manage to notice a couple new dynamics every time I re-watch a season. For instance, Sobotka telling Carver his boss (Valcheck) is a "gaping asshole" while Carver just smokes without using any hands opened up rounds of new speculation for Michael and me this time through season 2. Is Sobotka's response believable? Is Carver a gaper too for dumbly following orders like that? Why is Carver smoking like that anyway? How come the stevedores don't put up more of a fight? I envy my brother because he is still watching the original seasons for the first time.

I hate to keep harping on the weather, but I'm really not trying to go linger and waste time at nightlife spots for no particular reason. I've had it with the whole going out just to go out mentality and unless you're as good as me at convincing people to do things they don't want to do, there is slim to no chance of getting me off my love-seat. So we watch Wire episodes. If we're lucky, the Redbox round the way will have something decent and I'll find a way to convince everyone to watch The Expendables or some crap like that while we eat takeout. And you know what? I can't figure out what's wrong, let alone how to fix it.

But there are a few bright spots. Last week, a couple movies I've been aching to see came to the Walgreens on Montrose. I rented The Town, the Social Network, and the Owl Movie I've been trying to see since it was in the theaters. (Quick side-note: I tried to take a bunch of neighborhood kids to the movies so I wouldn't feel like a freak when I went to see the Owl Movie myself. It kinda backfired though because I'm pretty sure the dads all think I'm a pedder-ass and the kids think I'm lame for wanting to see the Owl Movie).

So I paid for the Town with the Ipad app and ran up there to retrieve it, encountering the Social Network (also freshly released) while at the store in a box. I'd forgotten about it since I'd scornfully dismissed it during the round of theater previews over the summer. But I figured I'd grab it anyway so I could be the first person to rent/watch that particular copy, ya know?

I forget what we had for take-out, but I remember how horrible The Town managed to make itself after the excitement of the opening scene bank robbery quickly faded. Literally, the movie is like a TV crime drama mixed with Point Break. But instead of surf culture, they just have d-bag Boston meat-head culture to invade and latch onto. Ohh watch out, the dude from Hurt Locker is a loose cannon. And Ben Affleck is different: he's a sensitive felon...but you already knew that right? And because they had to out-Boston the Departed, the final shootout is deep in the guts of Fenway Park. Which reminds me of the very first thing I thought about this movie: if this "town" is so famous for all its bank robbers, how come I never heard of the town or a single bank robber from said town. Did they make it up? Uhh, I gotta stop thinking about it because I'm boring myself with my memories.

On the other hand, The Social Network was a lot better than I had first thought. Initially, I had no desire to go anywhere near the movie. Not only did I not ever want to see it, I decided I didn't like Jesse Eisenberg because he annoyed me in the previews. Plus I had hated the whole college aspect of Facebook since I was in college (where are the grown-ups?). But David Fincher's film was actually incredibly entertaining. It was exciting, informative, dramatic, well-structured, appropriately sinister and just glamorous enough for my tastes. Timberlake was great as the fella from Napster and he earned his 7%, unlike the rich kid who felt entitled to ride Eisenberg's coattails because he had a checking account. Seriously, he couldn't even hang out with his buddy while he was working. I mean, you at least have to stick around while others work if you yourself aren't going to work, right? Like when I made the LA STAYBAD mix-tape a few years ago, that kid Brent at least made an effort to be in the same room as me while I worked on Ableton. I didn't really notice the Reznor soundtrack so I'll have to give it another go, as I didn't notice Johnny Greenwood's superb There Will Be Blood score until the third or fourth viewing.

And I fell asleep during the Owl Movie because it was too hard to follow...I think. No wait, I remember a battle and a giant tree. I knew I couldn't get behind Owls; totally overrated woodland creatures anyway.

Well that was a long year.

2010-10-17T12:34:00.000-05:00

So I took the last year off from a lot of things. I moved around a bunch of times trying to get my act together and I'm finally satisfied with the results. I left Los Angeles a little over a year ago and crawled across the east coast like the walking death until I finally settled down in Atlanta around Thanksgiving. I saw some doctors, worked on fixing my chest pains and just about figured out how to stop being such a psycho all the time. It really wasn't as easy as that short description makes it sound but that's fine: I don't wanna bore anyone with the gory details. Bottom line is that I've been clean and sane for almost a full year now and I haven't felt this good since high school.

I'm in Chicago, once again, and determined to last more than a couple months this time. Hopefully, I'll be attending Loyola Law School Chicago next year and in the meantime, I'm the Office Manager at American Invsco Realty and I actually enjoy getting up and going to work everyday. While I'm totally weirded out by that fact and never thought those words would leak outta my grill, I guess it just means I'm finally sick of the angsty slacker life I've been committed to since college. Or simply that I finally found a job I enjoy. Totally never thought I'd be involved with the scam real estate industry but I'm just the Office Manager and don't actually do any renting or selling. And that's why I like it: I get to do everything from marketing to research to social networking to Adobe stuff. And I like my boss. She's in a band.
I also got engaged to Maureen and we're finally moving into our bungalow in Portage Park, Chicago next week. Since we got here in August, Spaghetti and I have been stuck sleeping on the floor at her mom's house and its totally a drag. But I guess I am trying to make up for the hell I put Maureen through these past 8 years and although it has got to be impossible, sleeping on the floor at her mom's is something a well-behaved young man would do and not complain about. And if I also let her pick out the kitchen cabinet colors, then that is a huge step in the right direction too right?

So what do I do now if I'm not out raging til 10 AM every day? Kind of a good question. Well obviously I've been catching every Phillies game this Doctober. But other than that, I mostly just read a ton and play with Spaghetti. I try to play with him for at least a couple hours a night because he's stuck home alone all day with Maureen's mom and she calls him Sparky or some such nonsense and never even plays with him. So between the dog and the Phils and the job and Maureen, I have very little free time these days anyway. Maureen and I ran a 5K a few weeks ago but that is such a lame hobby. I'd so much rather play team sports or something.

I was playing a ton of piano in Atlanta but now Maureen's mom yells at me when I touch it. However, I did get my exiled computer back when I came to Chicago and Maureen watches her "Gossip Girl" and WB re-runs elsewhere now.
So hopefully I'll be able to crank out a new mix one of these days when I'm all set up at the bungalow. I had the ill studio upstairs before and I have plenty of space to rig something up this time as soon as Michael Albert gets his ass out here and we get the original Audacity lineup back together.

Oh and I found out who the impostor "DJ Tom Hanks" was and he got his cease and desist. Like I said, it was somebody I knew from Atlanta (who actually went to Fordham too) and it was actually my brother Christian that cracked the case. Obviously, he admitted he ripped it off right away and now goes by some horribly lame name.

Anyway, that's what I'm up to these days. My act is officially together and things are looking up. So I'm gonna go and hopefully figure out how to catch some of this Birds game online. Holla!

hey someone was trying to talk to you on facebook the other day when you were...somewhere else...

2009-06-05T23:43:00.000-05:00

THIS GUY! HOLY SHIT!

AND THEN THIS MOTHERFUCKER BIT THE HEAD OFF AN OZZY!

AND ALONG CAME HIS EVIL BUDDY....THIS...THIS....THIS OTHER GUY!
AHHHHHHH!!!!!!

I'm literally starting to believe all the Werepyre mythology I've been making up and as a result, I'm terrified of losing my blood to one of these freaks.

WEREPYRE. "LEAVE YOUR BLOOD AT HOME" EP: WE WILL EAT YOUR SOUL WITH THE FURY OF AN OPERA.

2009-06-04T00:13:00.000-05:00

WEREPYRE . LEAVE YOUR BLOOD AT HOME

LEAVE YOUR BLOOD AT HOME

I. Werepyres Are Coming Down The Mountain
II. Leave Your Blood At Home
III. We’re Fucking Killing All The Kids In This City, First Born Or Die
IV. Werewolves Really Do Drink Blood…Your Blood
V. Summertime

30 Minutes of psychedelic blood shed by the full moon light from DJ Tom Hanks and The Crack Fox. Enjoy.

WEREPYRE . LEAVE YOUR BLOOD AT HOME

Sorry INTER-TRON, DJ Tom Hanks Has Bigger Fish to Fry

2009-04-28T19:03:00.000-05:00

Yes, I know it has been a month since I posted anything on here. And yes, I am horribly apologetic. But as most of you know, I am on my way to becoming a hot shot lawyer that eats cheesesteaks for dinner and souls for breakfast and lunch. But before I can dump hot sauce on purgatory, I have to actually study for exams and whatnot around this time of year. So listen to the new Metric, download a 13th Floor Elevators album, and smoke while doing so.

Although I'm not done til May 11th, I turn 26 on May 7th and you can bet your ass there is gonna be a raucous birthday edition of POUNDTOWN at Footsie's next Wednesday the 6th. Instead of taking a test on my b-day like last year, I'll be half-shitfaced on Chimay by the time the clock strikes May 7th next week. Stay tuned for specifics but save the date...we're going to smoke lightning and stab unicorns at Footsie's next Wednesday. Holla!

To help get ready, download my 26th B-day theme song "Redlights" by Salem. It is just one of several slamming tracks on their "Yes I Smoke Crack EP" out now on Patrick North's Acephale Records

I'd bookmark that page and check back often because our boy North, in addition to being an all-around grizzled motherfucker, has better taste than literally everyone I know. I mean...shit...Salem? Listen to that fucking track up there! Who the fuck knows where to find goth-crunk kids in Echo Park, let alone Traverse City, Michigan? You gotta be kidding me!

But I guess we should have expected the realness from a dude who looks like Tad and posted my first mix before I did. Those of us scoffing at the Burbank police blotter are envious.

DJ Tom Hanks and Camerin P Kelly Present Poundtown at Footsie's

2009-03-18T21:19:00.001-05:00

POUNDTOWN IS TONIGHT AT FOOTSIES.
COME GET PSYCHEDELIC WITH US!

any questions?
download Poundtown the Mix

NO POUNDTOWN THIS WEEK

2009-03-03T23:43:00.000-06:00

Due to yet another mix up at the Pound City chamber of commerce, the rocket ship to POUNDTOWN will not blast off this Wednesday as previously indicated. Instead, we're chopping up the 1st class section to make way for more masses and rescheduling our maiden ascent. Basically, we're gonna keep hyping the fuck out of the party and push back til the aformentioned third Wednesday of the month. From then on, non stop service to POUNDTOWN will depart from Footsie's every single 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month.
As a consolation, you can catch your favorite Junky Cosmonaut DJ Tom Hanks in action at KXLU 88.9 the next two Tuesday mornings from 6-10 AM. Mysterious Ways indeed. Keep on pounding.

DJ Tom Hanks and Camerin P Kelly Present Poundtown at Footsie's

2009-03-03T06:51:00.000-06:00

Sorry about the mix-up: Poundtown is the first and third WEDNESDAY of every month. If the kick-off jammer on Sunday was any indication, this night is gonna go off hard. So join me, DJ Tom Hanks (KXLU, SLU Records, S.T.A.Y.B.A.D.) and Camerin Kelly (Akasa, Trademark Records) as we put it down for the cool kids and music snobs. Holla holla!
And once again, here is a small sample of how we get down.

DJ Tom Hanks and Camerin Kelly- Poundtown: The Mix mediafire

DJ Tom Hanks and Camerin P Kelly Present Poundtown at Footsie's

2009-02-25T20:54:00.000-06:00

Yes, our much heralded psych and prog night finally begins at footsie's this weekend. While we are usually throwing down on the first and third thursday of every month, we're having a special "launch party" this sunday for our homies and avid psych heads. I mean, anyone can come but we're expecting what real promoters call a "soft opening." Meaning, our initial fan base will probably draw from the aforementioned groups of people we know and weirdo music aficionados.
Since our design man Cam'Ron was out of town, I had to draw from my minimal photoshop skills to produce the flyers you see here. Plus who the fuck makes flyers that advertise a launch party on a different night than the party itself? Shit, that sentence itself is confusing.

But come through if you like weirdo rock music from the sixties and seventies...than a big jump to today. While Ron is a purist and will probably only play old shit, I'm not opposed to hyphenating newer music that gets spacey. Basically, that means I'm playing new stuff and old stuff. Holla at me for some more instances of what we're trying to bring to the music snobs first...than the masses. And check my mix again, dammit!

DJ Tom Hanks- Poundtown: The Mix mediafire

jerusalem "primitive man"
king crimson "easy money"
arzachel "queen st gang"
black mt "modern music"
gravy train "ballad of a peaceful man"
parts and labor "little ones"
joseph "stoned age man"
iota "love comes wicked"
jd blackfoot "cycles"
caverns "this are syntax"
headband "goodbye mother nature"

DJ Tom Hanks: KXLU 2/17 @ 2AM

2009-02-16T13:30:00.000-06:00

So...
Awesometown was dope last week and I kind of killed it. I mean, I didn't break new ground in terms of selection but I had the entire crowd dancing their asses off. And then everyone stopped dancing when I finished. I don't know why, but it is true. I brought a bunch of friends to Shortstop but literally none of them danced because they're cynical assbags. So yeah: DJ Tom Hanks makes all the girlies shake it shake it. And the dudes love it too. Check out Shadowscene's pictures from the night at Shadowscene.com.
And as a result, Terrel the boss man from Shortstop and Footsie's finalized my psych night. On March 1st, we will be having a launch party for Poundtown at Footsie's. Then Camerin and I will be doing every other Thursday night psych style. When we have the flyer/invite, it'll be here for your amusement.
Oh and one more thing:
KXLU TONIGHT/TOMORROW! 2AM-6AM
I'm not supposed to play too many of my own songs at first in favor of what they have at the station but hopefully, they will have a bunch of good albums for me to choose from.
I'm not posting any mp3 right now but check this: follow me at blip.fm and I'll be posting tracks all day.

DJ Tom Hanks: Tear da Club Up at Awesometown, 2/11/09

2009-02-10T21:30:00.000-06:00

Yes, the rumors are true: DJ Tom Hanks will be crashing Anne Lee and Shadowscene's Shortstop jump-off tomorrow (2/11/09). In 24 hours, your boy Sir Hanks-a-Lot will be bumping up the population in Awesometown and getting ready to rampage all over some Dodger memorabilia. Why do I keep referring to myself in the third person? Ha, Sir Hanks-a-Lot...that is friggin dope.
Anyway, I'm not sure what I'm going to play yet because I haven't been to A town in a minute but rest assured: I will go the fuck off. As we say over here in Rage City: I'm going to go on (get it? so far off I'm on again? I know, Psycho Matt...).
So definitely come through for a minute because there will be A) cute girls (sorry ladies, the dude clientele is kinda hurt), B) cheap beers, C) a sweaty dance floor, and D) a psycho, red haired Rape Valley Records ALL STAR dropping sick mid-Atlantic club music. Damn, I've already said too much.
But yo: download a mix from the list to the right in case ya'll wanna know what I'm about. Oh and stay tuned for my brand new Glasnost remix on Rape Valley Records in a day or two.
Psychotown....
Shortstop Bar, 2/11/09
10-2 Echo Park

Mack Winston and the Reflections at Bardot Saturday/White Arrows at Temporary Spaces Friday

2009-02-06T05:22:00.000-06:00

Alright, I just saw Diplo rip shit up at Dance Right and it reminded me that I gotta work on my DJ game before next week at Awesometown for real. So I'm not gonna go on about Mack this time because I've devoted enough djtomhanks.com jibba jabba to those dudes already. But, you should go to the show on Saturday night because A) they rule, B) I'll be there raging, C) it is free.

Also, you guys can catch Casper Adams in action at Temporary Spaces Friday night playing with White Arrows. Funny, if I was still doing first Fridays there the same band would be there. The scene is way too small sometimes. And it isn't just LA; it's everywhere. The same kids just batting each other back and forth. Whatever. See you at the rock party. Holla!

Yeah, I Don't Want to Bury Poundtown the Mix So Soon. DJ Tom Hanks at His Most Progressively Psychedelic

2009-02-01T09:48:00.000-06:00

"Poundtown: The Mix" on mediafire. By DJ Tom Hanks w/ Camerin Kelly
Oh and this mix is brought to you by the good people at...

Poundtown: The Mix

Jerusalem "Primitive Man"
king crimson "easy money"
arzachel "queen st gang"
black mt "modern music"
gravy train "ballad of a peaceful man"
parts and labor "little ones"
joseph "stoned age man"
iota "love comes wicked"
jd blackfoot "cycles"
caverns "this are syntax"
headband "goodbye mother nature"

DJ Tom Hanks at Awesometown 2/11/09

2009-02-01T09:37:00.000-06:00

Alright, Anne finally put me on for Awesometown. It is the Wednesday after next and I'm planning on killing it. You could probably say I'm gonna go the fuck off.

Meanwhile, Tom is doing a Monday night party at Footsie's now too so check that out. Lord knows I'm not trying to promote any more of my own Monday night parties any time soon. And you know what, dude still owes me money from last time I DJ-ed his party. But here is his flyer. Go.

Poundtown: The Mix is Finally Here

2009-02-01T08:51:00.000-06:00

Poundtown: The Mix

Jerusalem "Primitive Man"
king crimson "easy money"
arzachel "queen st gang"
black mt "modern music"
gravy train "ballad of a peaceful man"
parts and labor "little ones"
joseph "stoned age man"
iota "love comes wicked"
jd blackfoot "cycles"
caverns "this are syntax"
headband "goodbye mother nature"

I really don't know why this mix took so long to finish. Me and Camerin picked out the tracks before Christmas and although I've been saying I was waiting for him to get home because we're supposed to be making it together, that's bullshit. It was done and I posted it on mediafire like 2 weeks ago and he said it was fine. I guess I've just been sitting on it thinking that there had to be something wrong with it because it was easier to make than I thought. I'd never really done an all rock mix before so instead of just getting the beats mixed up and eventually fading one out like with drum machine tracks, I had to feel out each transition and find the best way to trade up songs as I went along. At the end of the day, I pretty much used a different effect or two for every song change and I'm happy with the results. And I should be confident: instead of adding effects to the transitions until I found a nice setup, I just threw like 12 or so on the two mixing songs and took them away level by level til I got a decent sound I hadn't used yet. I turned it into the manager at Footsie's tonight too so we should be getting Poundtown Parties at Footsie's underway soon enough. But yeah, listen to the mix at least because it took so damn long.

DJ Tom Hanks with Camerin Kelly "Poundtown: The Mix" mediafire

Caverns

2009-01-21T04:18:00.000-06:00

My love affair with Caverns began a few years ago when my Dale took me to see them play at some nondescript meat-head bar in DC. I feel bad saying it but i had pretty low expectations for the show. I mean, Dale was pretty stingy with the praises and the clientele at the bar were certainly not my crowd. I just remember hearing all kinds of conservative rhetoric bandied about while Dale was reiterating that they had just started playing and were getting better.
But goddamn did these dudes rock! When the lights went down, you forgot about the douchey DC guys all over the place and just heard well-trained musicians going off uncontrollably. To this day, I've never heard a band play with this instrumentation: solid rhythm section coupled with heavy metal guitar and of all things, a super clean jazz piano. Simply put: the guitar riffs and the piano meanders, occupying huge swaths of the track at hand. They take turns blasting the melody around and converge at just the right time. Build ups for short attention spans and monumental hooks that aren't over the top or annoyingly dramatic.
They just dropped a sick ep on FARC records that you should pick up ASAP. They're amazing live and the record definitely does a better job than most of capturing this energy on tape. It boils down the aforementioned formula into a perfectly distilled handful of tracks that manage to be approachable and intellectual. Hopefully, I'll be able to convince them to enter the Rape Valley fold and we'll get to hear more from them soon enough.
Since I don't wanna step on any one's toes, I'm only leaking tacks I've seen on other blogs. But don't get me wrong: "This Are Syntax" is one of my favorite Caverns tracks. So buy their records and holla holla at them when they're within a few hundred miles.

Caverns "This Are Syntax" mediafire

They're Rioting in Oakland and I'm Way Too Lazy to Do Anything But Download Full Albums: Featuring Nana Grizol and Titus Andronicus

2009-01-08T05:09:00.000-06:00

OK...I was mad lazy over my recent Christmas break. I didn't update this page once and barely even read any blogs on my reader. However, my scheming cousin helped me pick up the slack and showed me where to download the best FULL-LENGTH albums. First of all, are you friggin kidding me? Full length albums? Just google the band's name and mediafire and you'll get a gang of entries...AKA: CHEATING!
Back in my day (last year), we had to go on a blog aggregater and get tracks one at a time. Nowadays, these lazy emo kids throw up whole albums and use my classic excuse "Ahh bro, I go see them live all the time and they get a much bigger cut from that money."
Whatever man, you're a real Robin Hood and shit.

Nana Grizol

Yeah, I'm hating...hating even though I must've downloaded 25 albums from the very same cheatin emo kids over break and I'll certainly be sharing them the old-fashioned way (one track at a time dammit!) when I decide on favorites.

But for now, I'm still lazy. I just hopped on here to bitch about excessive bloggers and join my homey 'Ron in giving the people of Oakland, CA some sincere props. Keep bringing the heat.

Titus Andronicus

Plus I've been shirking my djtomhanks.com mp3-bequeathing responsibilities: there will be plenty of one at a time track postings in the days to come. To get things rolling, here are tracks from Nana Grizol and Titus Andronicus that I DL-ed at the beginning of break and already listened to excessively. In typical Hanks-ian fashion, I'll keep my descriptions minimal: Nana features some of the dudes from Neutral Milk Hotel and they totally have an Elephant 6 circa 2009 feel. Outsider pop...yet waaaaaayy poppy. And Titus, according to said scheming cousin, sounds like "Springsteen meets Bright Eyes only way grungier." These albums come highly recommended by plenty of assholes with more popular blogs than me and if they're not the best tracks on Nana's Love It Love It or Titus's The Airing of Grievances, the albums are even better than I thought.

Titus Andronicus "Joset of Nazareth's Blues" mediafire

Nana Grizol "Circles 'Round the Moon" mediafire

Piel De Pueblo

2008-12-18T02:57:00.000-06:00

I usually don't go in for rock music in different languages. Its not that I really care all that much what they are saying, it just sounds off. Spanish sounds frantic, french sounds off-beat...ya know? But this recent find off Chris is fire. I'm obviously not sure what he is saying, but I assume it is something along the lines of "when you're deep in the heart of rape valley, Tom Mahoney ain't never gonna save you. His black heart is infinitely black and stinks of fried plastic and tar love. Kindle your foie gras in the river of shameful bestiality. Mountain goats, in the heat flame, guide me to the domed terrace of sainthood."
Shit, that is what I would say if I was an Argentinian psych rocker in the 70s. Chris goes off yet again. Dig the GNR post a few below too for anyone who though Chris was a snobby cynic and hater. I never did...

Piel De Pueblo "Silencion Para Un Pueblo Dormido" Mediafire

This Is Why Some People Aren't SupposedTo Interact with Others in Polite Society

2008-12-17T03:23:00.000-06:00

Dear Matthew,

Yesterday you published a blog on Myspace.com making
statements about our recent business together.

I find the statements untrue and unfair. In addition the blog contains
direct attacks on my character, which I believe are intended
to adversely reflect my fitness to conduct my trade as a professional
disk jockey.

You also made your intentions to defame my character
clear in a text to me containing the words, "I'm bad mouthing
your bitch ass all over net".

Furthermore you may or may not have made slanderous
comments about me on public radio station KXLU, the extent
of which will be determined once the transcript of the show
has been received from the radio station.

I believe your conduct outlined above to be legally defamatory
and I am meeting with a legal representative this week to assist
in the matter.

Please immediately remove the offending blog, and any other
potentially defamatory internet postings, and replace with an
apology for the defamatory remarks.

Your failure to correct erroneous and false statements and
their repetition after notice of their falsehood constitutes
further publication of libel. It also further confirms your
malicious intent to hinder profits of my disk jockey business.

You must cease and desist from tortious interference and making
false and malicious comments about me. You are advised to cease
contacting me with harassing phone calls and text messages.
Please govern yourself accordingly.

Please note complying with my request to remove the offending
article(s) and publish an apology does not constitute an offer
from myself to cease any legal proceeding against you.

Sincerely,
FUCKING LUNATIC WANNA-BE DJ WHO SPELLS "DISC" WRONG

Hit me up at my myspace and I'll add you so you can see this inflammatory blog. In case anyone else forgot, I'm STILL IN LAW SCHOOL!

We're Coming For You

2008-12-16T09:07:00.000-06:00

That's right, we're out to getchoo!

http://www.mediafire.com/?zoniryrzdnn

KXLU with Bianca

2008-12-15T19:23:00.000-06:00

Yo so I guess its kinda...or i guess way too late, but I am currently DJ-ing on KXLU with Bianca. Right this minute. Tune to 88.9 kxlu or hit up their website.

Model Ryan

2008-12-12T13:24:00.000-06:00

Ok so I linked this in the last posting but I really want to ensure (or is it insure? man, i'm supposed to be a friggin dual major in english and writing. wow!) that everybody who comes through djtomhanks.com gets to behold the wonder that is...RYAN CURRY! AKA MODEL RYAN!

I don't think he could look like more of a sissy if he tried. Seriously. Well, I guess technically, he is trying to look this way but still: dude looks ridiculous. To be fair, this was a couple years ago. And it definitely seems like the 90s lasted until 2005 sometimes. Ya know? Curry looks mad 1999 in this shit. Just so I don't piss off my homey more than I care to, here's a look at Ryan and you.

A lesson in fairness:

In addition to having multiple fan clubs (one of which, I'm told, used to have real-life straight girls in it), Ryan Curry...

Knows more about baseball than you. Or anyone you know for that matter.
Banged Paris Hilton more times than you. Or...at all.
Explained the difference between Williamsburg, Brooklyn and Williamsburg, Virginia more than you can imagine.
Drove a souped-up Subaru down the Jersey turnpike at speeds you could only imagine. So basically, faster than you.
German Suplex-ed Tom Mahoney. Twice.
Passed out in his own Mohawk vomit on St. Marks once a week until he was 19.

So although you could probably beat the hell out of Model Ryan in Fantasy Football,
I'd say he earned the right to look like a complete and total pussy all over youtube. Not to mention runways all over the world. Holla Curry!

DJ Tom Hanks Takes a Break from Law School Finals for a Preview of..."Poundtown: The Mix" with MP3s from Parts & Labor, King Crimson, and More

2008-12-12T07:20:00.000-06:00

Ok, I'm not going to spend more time than necessary blathering on and trying to sound pseudo about the new mix I'm working on for Footsie's. Here's the summary: Last week, I dropped off my mixes at a bar in northern Los Angeles called Footsie's. Although I don't hang there too often, I certainly make plans to do so often. Shit, the current and former door guys are homies of mine. But for some reason, I get sidetracked and end up eating Thai food or watching ESPN with Model Ryan. Much like I'm doing now...
So I dropped off the mixes and had a little convo with the manager about getting some Hanks action up in there. I told him "Listen man, I'm not gonna talk your ear off about some bullshit and wait til you're confused enough to book me. I'm gonna make this simple: You...Need...More...Hanks...in your life! Plain and simple. Now I'm gonna bounce because I have places to go and whatnot. But take these cds and I'll wait for your call. Oh, yeah...I know that all black one is kinda ravey but trust me: I am a punk rock kid and I'm gonna smack this crowd in the face with some good olde-timey-rocke-rolle. Trust me, you'll see. Hollatyaboy!"
And then I left. A few days later, me and my homey Camerin Kelly were talking about how awesome Jerusalem is and how weirdo rock from the 60s and 70s is next big ish in music snob lifestyles. Scenesters already beat the crap out of post-punk and now the cool guys need another easily-mastered genre that lets them get all knowledgeable in a matter of days. And then it dawned on me: not only does Footsie's need some more Hanks in their life, they need more psych rock too.

I told Camerin (from now on, exclusively referred to as the motherfucking one and only DJ 'RON!) and he goes "Shit, those dudes need more prog too man. Lots of it."
"Shit," I said. "You're right. Those motherfuckers need all that weird shit. You know, the shit that the cool kids were into when losers were into Zeppelin and the Who. Dude, we're doing it yo. We're doing a night at Footsie's where we play weirdo, obscure rock tunes from the 70s that no one has ever heard of but wishes they had."
"I'd go to that night."
"Fuck yeah man. I'd fuckin own that night. For real, we're gonna change lives and shit."
"Yeah...I think LA could get into this. I really do."
"Yo...fuck man! Seriously, we go off Ron. We go the fuck off! Hanks and Ron! For real, we're those motherfuckers that go off. People are gonna walk by us and start saying that shit: 'Ah damn, there go Hanks and Ron...they're those motherfuckers that go off.' For real dude. Fuck! I'm psyched. I'm psyched about psych. Lemme email this dude right now."
So I hit him up and he called me back the other day and now...well now we're making POUNDTOWN: THE MIX! Moth-er Fuck-er!

OK, so due to the strict Trademark laws in the High Sierra territories, one of these tracks is not on the mix...first person to get it right gets drink tickets on opening night! And obviously, look out for the finished mix in the next few days. Holla! (all files on mediafire then ysi)

Parts & Labor "Little Ones" mp3 mediafire
ysi

The Poppy Family "There's No Blood in Bone" mp3 mediafire
ysi

King Crimson "Easy Money" mp3 mediafire
ysi

BROUGHT TO YOU BY RAPE VALLEY RECORDS
I'm still on imeem and iLike if you guys get bored

In Case Anyone Forgot, the Phillies Won the Motherfucking World Series!

2008-12-09T07:15:00.000-06:00

I don't think it ever really set it: we won the world series. My squad finally sealed the deal and won it all. I have a championship team. Chase and Cole and Ryan and Myers and Shane and the rest of the most likable team in baseball are the champions of the whole goddamn world. And I still don't think I know what it feels like to be on top of the world. I always thought I'd have this year long euphoria and feeling that everything is right in the world. But now that I think about it, the feeling is more like a general sense of completion. Like the satisfaction you get after crossing something off a checklist: content, but the feeling is temporary and fleeting.
Maybe this has to do with my horrible night of "celebration" (so annoyed by the choice of companions at Cam's house that I gave myself a rash) (I'm not kidding...the shit hasn't even completely gone away. I was that annoyed by those motherfuckers.) Or maybe I just haven't been around enough Philly fans. I know one thing: the whole 46 hr rain delay did not ruin my series. I know all the media d-bags get off on being able to pigeonhole this series for the whole rain delay incident and act like it somehow ruined our victory. Fuck that noise: if anything, it only made the victory sweeter. Even Bud Selig and his bullshit maneuvering ("ok, tie game...time for the rain delay" - ARE YOU KIDDING ME?) couldn't thwart our steamroller pummeling of the Rays.

We're the shit. Seriously, no one could touch us last year and I knew we had the series locked up since the first playoff game in Milwaukee. In 2007, I knew we weren't getting past the first round. And this year, I knew the series was ours the whole way. Even after the bullshit analysts and sports writers started acting like we would forget how to play ball for 2.3 games because someone tried to screw us. They obviously don't know about Philly: we thrive on getting screwed.

So I don't have mixed feelings about the victory for the city and team (longest drought of any city with all four franchises is officially over!) even though baseball may want me to. I just wish i could be reminded of how badass my team is all day every day. But for now, I'll just have to content myself on the simple fact that when I find time to watch a couple highlights, tears of joy start leaking out my eyes and I remember cutting class to watch the Phils give it to Joe Buck and the rest of the irrational Philly haters out there. And I'm certainly holding out hope that finally getting back east in a few weeks will cement this feeling for the next 10 months.

Oh and one more thing: Fuck yeah we know how to riot! Seriously, I'd of been severely disappointed if we hadn't gone ape-shit on Broad Street like we did.

Phillies World Series Champion Riot Oct08 2008 -

P.S. Joe Buck can eat a fat dick.

Jay-Z and Santogold Video. DJ Tom Hanks Signs Up For Imeem and iLike.

2008-12-08T07:27:00.001-06:00

Hey yo...check out my multi-tasking: Hanks, in the third person, signed up for iLike and Imeem during the studying (law school, right). And to celebrate how on-point and touching the whole affair is, I'm throwing up Imeem's "single of the second" without even watching it. I mean, how could you go wrong with Jigga and Santi rapping over a Kanye Beat?
And while I'm not sure what you might be able to ascertain from more pages of data about Hanks, here they are:

DJ Tom Hanks on imeem

DJ Tom Hanks on iLike

a jawn is?

NINJASONIK "Art School Girls" Video

2008-12-01T18:31:00.000-06:00

just thought i'd show you that not all the songs are about ill-fitting pants. some are just about art school girls.
staybad motherfucker. 12/5 temporary spaces. ninjasonik/japanther

Ninjasonik/Japanther at Temp Spaces, 12/5: Finally, a Finished Flyer

2008-11-29T22:00:00.000-06:00

NINJASONIK/JAPANTHER AT STAYBAD

2008-11-28T16:36:00.000-06:00

STAYBAD. And STAY Tuned for more info! But see ya'll there!

Ninjasonik "Tights Pants" and "Negative Thinking About Tight Pants"

Jerusalem and Godflesh

2008-11-28T12:38:00.000-06:00

Ok so my homey Camerin hipped me to the most amazing blog ever a few months ago: http://ChrisGoesRocks.blogspot.com. This saint of man in Sweden, apparently named Chris, took the time to upload thousands of amazing full-length albums by bands no one has ever heard of. I mean, I dig some obscure psych rock and prog and all that and I am ashamed of how little I know compared to this dude. So far, the standout track is by a band called Jerusalem. "Primitive Man" rips it so hard and I can't get the song away from my brain. All day, I hear a pretty much steady loop of that killer riff and vocal line...you know which one I'm walking about. Fire. Also, imagine the scene 30+ years ago: no one rocked properly, let alone with Big Black style production. Start bulking up on the psych, metal and folk now because I will beat yo over the head with it. I want to move in with Chris and be his apprentice.

Jerusalem- "Primitive Man" mediafire

And Tom hipped me to this one. Not much to say about Godflesh other than they are the template for all heavy music after 1990. It derives all its power from the gnarly rhythm section. And every band after them derives something from them. The Shape of Punk to come actually came out in 1989. Sorry Refused

Godflesh- "Sterile Prophet" mediafire

Rape Valley Records-Crimes Galore vs. BLL "Poundtown Cagefighting Anthem"

2008-11-24T05:49:00.000-06:00

Despite the world's best efforts, Rape Valley Records will officially begin rolling out the hits this winter. We're all over the place and when it comes down to it, we're just the dudes who will put out the goofy shit; the eclectic shit; the shit that everyone is afraid to Trademark. We're bringing the thunder and we're doing it sans marketing professionals.

Here is the first track. And I'm leaking it. Business?

Crimes Galore vs. BLL - "Poundtown Cagefighting Anthem" zshare

Future Disco

2008-11-23T20:54:00.000-06:00

From S.T.A.Y.B.A.D. Flyers and Party Photos

So we're not gonna be 100% evil tomorrow. It was a long weekend, what with us killing it at Mountain Bar and raging and all that. Plus I got finals coming up. Instead, we're getting disco. And a little worldly. And a little werepire...that's half werewolf and half vampire. Plus we got our boy Chad, AKA DJ High Speed Dub coming though to help turn it out. Future Disco: Its where the other weeknights go when they disco.

Friday Night: Mountain Bar

2008-11-21T03:52:00.000-06:00

Hanks and Brap will burn down the Mountain Bar like the motherfucking warriors we've always been.

Weekenders Fearing. Scumbags massing. Unicorns Freaking. Metals Burning. Riffs.

Akasa and Trademark Records

2008-11-17T00:58:00.000-06:00

Yo...I really dug the Akasa tracks more than usual last night. And the video is dishearteningly amazing.

Trademark Recordings will be rolling November 24. And don't sleep on Rape Valley Records.

J-E-T-S and Electrocution

2008-11-13T23:14:00.001-06:00

Damn, I think I like the Jets more than the Eagles right now. Maybe its just because I don't take their bullshit personally. Friggin Pats.
Meanwhile, spring guns are illegal. Spring electrocution is still up for grabs in most jurisdictions. Frayed wires are my future.
Dig the headshot sample:

Just for Comparison

2008-11-13T14:08:00.001-06:00

Here's the original video for "Manipulator":

My First Remix! And who but Mack Winston and the Reflections

2008-11-10T17:37:00.000-06:00

So if any of ya'll know me or even check in on this piece every once in a while, you'll know that I think the world of Mack Winston and the Reflections. I randomly saw them in Hollywood one night and jumped right on the train. They play rock music properly and without any prefixes or suffixes. Not to say I don't love me some post- and get down with some dance- but its supremely comforting to hear the real thing sometimes. And lucky for us, they played our STAYBAD party at Temporary Spaces in October. And even luckier for me, I convinced them to let me learn how to do a remix with one of their ass kicking tracks, possibly the most ass kicking: "Manipulator." I posted the original on here a while ago and have been quietly tinkering with my version since the party last month. While I'm sure it will never be up to snuff or on par with the og version, I threw some wicked mid-atlantic drums on there and hacked at it til I got this version. Now I'm not saying it can bump in the club, but I'd certainly dance to it. And from what I hear, homeboy Brap is working on his own take on the song and I'm sure it'll be something other than a club track. Thanks for the opportunity guys and now that I got the hang of it, I'm accepting submissions. Holla!

Mack Winston and the Reflections- "Manipulator (DJ Tom Hanks Remix)" zshare

...so in recap: S.T.A.Y.B.A.D. FUCKIN RULES!

2008-11-06T16:48:00.001-06:00

RSVP@STAYBAD.COM AND WE'LL SEE YOU TOMORROW

Icy Lytes

2008-11-06T15:53:00.000-06:00

alright, just in case you ain't up these dudes, the icy lytes are some of the best rappers around town. they are super clubby and energetic and on their way to the top. dig this sneak preview demo and get down hard tomorrow at STAYBAD. and just to keep shit crazy, they're playing at an undisclosed time. shit, i want them to just jump out there are rage. and rage they shall.

icy lytes - "twist bottle cap" zshare

S.T.A.Y. B.A.D. TIME OF THE MONTH

2008-11-06T11:14:00.000-06:00

just in time for the cool weather, its getting icy at temporary spaces. icy lytes are some of the best in LA right now and you guys are in for a treat. these kids are on some neon clothes, hand gesturing madness and spit raps faster than you can figure them out. i wouldnt be surprised to see a cartwheel pop off or some shit. and we're filming the show too so look good. damn, if you only saw how amped they are getting for this show...
ya'll know the drill with us: we are gonna bring it hard. straight up this time: Hanks and Brap have been plugging away at the standard all month and are dying to unleash our bangers. and we got bangers!

The Origin of Spaghetti

2008-10-24T07:45:00.001-05:00

S.T.A.Y. B.A.D. at the Standard, West Hollywood 10/20

2008-10-17T22:09:00.000-05:00

ya'll on notice

S.T.A.Y.B.A.D. VOLUME #1 (smaller file)

2008-10-11T23:02:00.000-05:00

S.T.A.Y.B.A.D. Volume 1 (zshare)
So here is a smaller version of S.T.A.Y.B.A.D. Volume 1. I know firsthand that downloading huge ass mixtapes is a bitch. Also, there is another little surprise in this version so get with it. And come holla at the S.T.A.Y.B.A.D. boys this Monday at the Standard in Hollywood and we'll see about getting you guys an official copy with the dope black album packaging. See you there.
Also, Ninja fuckin Sonik, Sonik fuckin Ninja. December.

Down to pound

2008-10-11T06:14:00.001-05:00

Tom mahoney ain't down to pound.

S.T.A.Y. B.A.D. at the Standard, West Hollywood 10/3

2008-10-07T11:52:00.000-05:00

o we're heading west for the next three mondays and getting fancy at the olde timee weho-e Standarde (uh, those olde e things are so un-standard). come through and rock out with me and puddin and I'll see about playing "murda murda," "i ain't saying my goodbyes," and "brave men run (in my family)." all with a little tittsworth on top. for once, i made a playlist so i don't screw anything up on our first night and it was a swell idea. oohh and i bet i have the mack winston remix done in time too. holla indeed motherfucker.
drenched

Twin Crystals Rocked at the Echo

2008-10-06T21:07:00.000-05:00

Yo I hate to keep repeating myself but these dudes are out of control good. I posted their stuff before but now I'd rather you go to the S.L.U. web store and buy the two girls 7 inch. I mean, how often do you buy records these days? This one is worth it. I'm re-posting "Trinity" because it blew me away especially last night. And I'll save you the trouble of scrolling down to check it. But really, I think a new 7 inch will do everybody a world of good. And look how adorable they are in Canadian Tuxes pawing at the Crue...
"Trinity"

And fuck those part-time punks guys. Yeah, I said it.

staybad.com

2008-10-06T20:32:00.001-05:00

we got that dot com now and shit.
also...peep the party pictures from the other night at getfamousla

S.T.A.Y.B.A.D. VOLUME #1 (finally)

2008-10-03T18:05:00.000-05:00

hey yo...

S.T.A.Y.B.A.D. Volume 1

width=300>

new STAYBAD mixtape coming out tomorrow

2008-09-27T20:54:00.000-05:00

Yo heard it right...me and Brent's new STAYBAD tape is dropping tomorrow or maybe tonight. Basically, I just have to hear on a few more types of speakers to be certain of its excellence. But just to get ya'll salivating, here is the tracklist. Holla!

Kanye West - Love Lockdown
Kanye West - Love Lockdown (Roan refix)
Hail Social - Heaven (Designer Drugs remix)
New Young Pony Club - Get Lucky (the Twelves remix)
Fake Blood - Restless
Health - Heaven (Narctrax remix)
The Rapture - I Need Your Love (live)
Icy Demons - 1850
Afternoons - Grafitti Artist
Dandi Wind - Searching Flesh (Jokers of the Scene remix)
Poni Hoax - I Shall Take it Anyway
Zeigeist - Tar Heart
The Voyeurs - Sunny Afternoon
Panthers - We Are Louder
Cousin Cole - Chicken Moose Rhino Monkey pt. 1
Prodigy - Outaspace (Jamtech Foundation remix)
Kissy Sellout - Night Swimming
John Legend and Andre 3000 - Green Light (MSTRKRFT remix)
Twitch - Contort Yourself (Optimo mix)
Bo Bliz - Put Your Hands Up
Thunderheist - Jerk It
Yeasayer - Sunrise (Teenwolf remix)
Vampire Weekend - Walcott

S.T.A.Y. B.A.D.

2008-09-27T19:25:00.000-05:00

Hey yo...S.T.A.Y.B.A.D. is the new first Friday dance party at Temporary Spaces and it is friggin dope. DJs Tom Hanks and Brap come through with the bangers and don't let up till the cops start talking shit. Indisputably, they keep it real. But why? For starters, they've been doing this dj shit for a minute and aren't just some tight jeans wearing, itunes rocking bitches. Hanks came up in New York's kitchen-sink styled scene and learned under some of the best DJs the East Coast has to offer. Expect anything. Well, anything raw. And here is the cool part: DJ Brap cut his teeth in the uber-competitive London nightlife scene where only the strong survive. Not to get overly Darwinian on ya'll, but dude had to learn some knob-twiddling, live-looping madness to compete with those bitches over there. Basically, his professionalism tempers Hanks's punk rock mess and keeps the night from eroding into a complete nihilistic shit show where Ludacris punches out Richard Hell and art school girls od in the shitter. Not to say that won't happen anyway, just that Brap's selection of fidget house, wonk and nu soca keep it in check. So expect that and a healthy serving of Mid-Atlantic club music, alt-rock gems, balls-to-the-wall dirty south and all the illest remixes around because they're killin them blogs son! And in case you didn't notice, TS1 is basically on fire these days. Holla at RSVP@staybad.com and we'll see you there.

So I feel like it went alright...

2008-09-11T23:33:00.000-05:00

me and brent's new monthly at temporary spaces started off pretty friggin hype for having two and a half days to promote and me being in arizona for two of them. we got asked back and are beginning our premeditated rise to the top yo. so lets "go all west coast on this one" and you fools better come through in a big way october 3rd. to hold ya'll over, here's brent's mixtape. and don't worry about being a download buster: its only 20 megabytes and rages hard.
oh, and we saw mack winston again last night at spaceland and i'm still convinced that they sound exactly like a rock band should in 2008. while i heard strokes tinges last time, now i know the truth: they don't sound like the strokes, they sound like tom petty imitating the strokes. i wanna remix them and hopefully, we'll get them cleared for october 3rd.
stay bad ya'll, stay bad.

Brap mix tape sendspace

DJ Tom Hanks and (Lil) Brap at Temporary Spaces for the First S.T.A.Y. B.A.D. Friday

2008-09-05T07:11:00.000-05:00

yo...come through to me and brent's new party at temporary spaces. its our first, first friday of the month monthly and i shit you not, we will rage. rsvp below if ya'll wanna be cool and make us look tight for our dope new bosses. and smoke while doing so.
i'll be bringing out everything i got before brent comes on at midnight with a loud fast dance set that better get all your bandannas soaking fucking drenched
two for ones and cheap domestics if you're early so come through.
holla!

abandon ship motherfuckers

2008-08-31T19:13:00.000-05:00

Ahh man, Abandon Ship...Jesus Christ!

Bad Religion meets the Refused.
Queens of the Stone Age meets Blanks 77.
Get Up Kids meets Archers of Loaf...
Channels 3x4 meets Dr. Feelgood meets Electric Soft Parade meets Elliott meets Gallows meets The Stooges meets Jesus Lizard meets Leftover Crack meets Les Savy Fav meets The Thermals.

And eventually, they kind of sound like Nation of Ulysses if they had gotten together on the west coast.

I really like these guys a lot. I don't know what else to say about them...I mean, I already compared them to a litany of bands I friggin worship. I mean, I could have gone the easy route and just said they sound like Nation of Ulysses fist-fighting Nofx while early Boy Sets Fire albums blare in the background. That might have worked; but it would've been lazy and somehow, despite my undying love for those bands, kind of sounds derogatory.
I work with one of the dudes and have mad respect for him. I don't know the other guys but I do know they have high-minded ideals and a burning desire to speak the truth on politics and the shite state of affairs. They're in the studio now working on a full-length album and seem to be spending almost as much time working on their manifesto because I shit you not, these dudes are motherfucking for real. Rock stars in Bakersfield and making an impact in LA, I can't wait to hear the album and read this goddamn manifesto. Shit, a manifesto on their first record. Man, I can't wait to get blown away.

Dig this track here:
abandon ship "all hands on deck" mp3 zshare
and
check out these videos:
one and two

DJ Tom Hanks at Beauty Bar this Thursday

2008-08-04T21:02:00.000-05:00

Hey yo...I'm finally dj-ing in LA this Thursday and as I expected, it is through a friend and not my diligent marketing. Anyway, I just spent a week with Curtis up north and I'm still sub par. But hopefully, I'll be recovered and me and Tom can rock out on Thursday. I figure Beauty Bar is a good place to start since its a mixture of east siders and everyone else. I mean, I go there when I get dragged to Cahuenga...

Sebastian Tellier American Apparel Mix Contest on Discobelle

2008-07-27T04:57:00.000-05:00

I'm going to the American Apparel flea market sale tomorrow and Sebastian Tellier is supposed to rock out at some point. Although I probably wouldn't throw this mix up on here just to enter the Discobelle contest, I'll do so because I'm going to the throw-down and I'm not entirely focused on the "Fade to Black" DVD playing on my TV. To be honest, I barely even listened to the mix. However, I'm sure its tight. So dig it. And when I win this prize package, I'll certainly spread the wealth.

American Apparel Viva Radio mix - Sebastien Tellier

Mack Winston and the Reflections Bad Ass Mp3

2008-07-25T18:59:00.000-05:00

I forgot to add this to the last post: a friggin awesome new track by Mack Winston and the Reflections. It has this gnarly keyboard powering through the song with thick ass guitars and rhythm section dropping in right away. And homeboy can definitely sing. Watch out for the organs battling during the chorus.
Supposedly, they're making a video for this track too and if we live in a just world, it'll be huge. Or at least make it on my nemesis, Indie 103.

Mack Winston and the Reflections "Manipulator" (zshare)

Mack Winston and the Reflections at Le Doux 7/28

2008-07-22T01:56:00.000-05:00

Oh, and just because I mentioned this before, I thought I'd follow up:
Mack Winston and the Reflections are playing at Le Doux this coming Monday, 7/28. Also, the guys told me the Donnas are playing now too if you're into that sort of thing. And although I'm a little confused as to how rock bands can play or draw crowds at that kind of venue, it should be cool and I can't wait to take pictures with overly-busy Doux wall paper all over the background.

Did I mentioned these dudes know how to party?

Knyfe Hyts

2008-07-22T01:45:00.000-05:00

Alright: I usually don't like to write about bands I've never seen rock out live. And I especially don't like writing about bands that I don't know anything about. But in this case, my homey OD gave me the heads up and I sincerely trust his taste and advice. He knows his shit and has hipped me to a lot of ill shit in the past. And 3 seconds into the song, you'll know Knyfe Hyts are for real. So dig the Maiden cover and I'll figure these guys out at a later date. Holla!

Knyfe Hyts- "Run Free" (zshare)

HEALTH live in the 'burg/ The plight of drinkers in LA's all-ages scene

2008-07-17T03:59:00.000-05:00

Watch the full concert at baeblemusic.com

The good people at Baeble Music were nice enough to hip me to the live HEALTH show in Brooklyn they just posted. And on the real...it is ridiculously tight! I've only seen HEALTH once and it was at some suited up industry party that Village Voice and their city paper cohorts around the country (I don't feel like doing the pertinent internet digging right now, but I'd bet one dude owns them all) threw during SXSW. While I can't knock them too hard because it was a decent lineup (shit, HEALTH played) and they gave away these sweet gym bags with the show flyer printed on them, the crowd of almost entirely forty-somethings wasn't really feeling experimental noise punk at noon. And even though I'm friggin certain those dudes weren't partying nearly as hard as I was the night before, I can totally see where they were coming from. If I wasn't already hooked on the intensely abrasive and still defiantly melodic HEALTH album I'd just copped before heading to Austin, I might have been sulking near an A/C duct and pounding bloody marys too. So to quit acting tough and finally set the scene: I stood real close to the stage and rocked out for the duration of the set and I shit you not, there wasn't a single person within 15 feet of me or the band. And as we all know, it is kind of awkward to dance by yourself to noisy art punk, let alone doing so at noon. But the point is: HEALTH are so goddamn amazing live that I couldn't help but flail around and air drum. And all the while, I was dead sober. Or, you now what, I guess I was probably still a little boozed from ending my night a few hours beforehand. Also, I'm fairly certain me and Brian burned one on the ride down...
But speaking of sober, this brings me to my next point: I'm kind of bitter that all the best and most exciting shows in LA are all all-ages and no beer. I totally feel like a dick saying this because I was such a fervent hater throughout my childhood whenever bands I liked didn't play all-ages shows. "Punk's supposed to be for the kids, man" and all that business. I can't tell you how many times I snuck in and/or got kicked out of 18 or 21 and up shows. Shit, the second best show I ever saw was the 21+ Modest Mouse show we snuck into when I was 16 and they were touring for Lonesome Crowded West. (Quick side note: I had just gotten my license three days beforehand and my midnight curfew came and went about 15 minutes into the 2 hour set. When I finally got home around 2, my mom started screaming and I calmly replied "you can ground me forever but it was worth it." And it was. To her credit, she saw that look in my eye and I got off with a stern warning. Her leniency might also have had something to do with a similar occurrence involving my dad and a Who concert in Philly when he was 16). But for the most part, I saw some pretty sweaty shows in community centers and church basements and loved every one of them.
Sadly, nowadays I've become a mutant drug addict that needs a lukewarm PBR in my hand in order to enjoy a show. (I know, I know...but it breaks down like this: I always have some sort of beverage handy no matter what. Coffee, water and beer are my go-to bevies of choice. And if I'm out somewhere at night, I really don't wanna pay money for anything but a beer. Ya know?) Obviously, there are plenty of good shows at beer-selling venues in LA. I go to Spaceland every Monday and hit up the Echo, etc. on a pretty regular basis. Sometimes there are good local bands at the bars (see postings below). Additionally, I'm certainly not above pounding said lukewarm beers in the bathroom at the Smell (see postings below).
But coming back around to Brooklyn: it just never seemed like age was an issue for shows in New York. Although I never really looked into it, their alcohol laws are probably less strict about shit like that. And besides: kids in NYC all get fakes well before their 21st and flaunt them. Damn, I must have gone through 10 fake ids before I turned 21. But out west, LA just seems to have a gaping chasm surrounding your 21st birthday and it's really weird sometimes.
While I've been noticing this schism between the ages since I got here, going to the 18+ party at Cinespace with DJ Huggs the other night really drove this fact home: all the under 21s were dancing (forget about whether they were on drugs or not) and all of us that were of age were scornfully watching them have fun. They were just so different and it was blatant: you could tell who was of age and who wasn't just by their demeanor. I mean, yeah, I'm totally down for dancing when the time is right and everyone know I always end up getting rowdy when the music hits me. But these kids were crazy ecstatic just to be at a club in Hollywood with a DJ playing...gasp...fucking MSTRKRFT! I don't know: they just seemed really different and immature. And I certainly don't mean that in a bad way at all. I just mean it. It was almost like they were dancing because they thought they were supposed to dance.
On the flipside, we saw Meho Plaza at an all-ages cafe show last week and Doug and I couldn't help moving around and pounding our legs like tom-toms. Meanwhile, the teens sipped from their contraband Tecates and watched in utter stillness. It was almost like they weren't dancing because they were certain they weren't supposed to show any emotion.
Once again, I want to reiterate that I don't mean to hate and I certainly admire the youth. But it kinda pisses me off to see them underage drink from communal backpacks full of beer while I sit and salivate because I remain too respectful of the all-ages atmosphere to bring in the beers I always have waiting in the cooler (or what I call my real man's purse) in the trunk of my car. Ya heard? And if I do bring them in, I hide in the bathroom (see above) or cautiously sip them when I think no one is looking. It is just such a crazy role reversal and it annoys me to no end. It is especially frustrating that all the best shows and bands from LA (HEALTH or Meho Plaza, for starters) play these venues. And this is the whole reason I got all tangent-ed: I've only seen HEALTH play once and it was in Texas! And last time I checked, they lived down the street. But because I like beer, I'm stuck seeing shitty bands that sound like they're ripping off b-sides from Interpol's last album (I don't know if I mentioned this before, but due to the fact that so many of the bands at Spaceland sound like Interpol, I rate them on a scale of first album [obviously the best] through last album [a flaming chunk of ass germs]).
I'm going to make a bold statement here (with no real factual evidence), but please don't criticize before you think about it: LA's best bands (i.e. the bands that play mostly all-ages jump-offs) spring up organically from like-minded individuals getting together and playing music they enjoy. While fame and fortune are welcome footnotes to the music, punk rock's shadow looms and getting down and rocking out are the first concerns. On the other side of the spectrum, bands like Spaceland's current Monday night residents, Under the Influence of Giants, seem like they are the product of either a) an ego-driven and unoriginal front man who moved to LA in order to get famous, or b) a bunch of ego-driven dudes with minimal talent who wanna be famous and don't care whose coattails they have to ride to get there. We all know it: those of us who live out here are surrounded everyday with almost exclusively people who wanna be famous one day. Usually, it's amusing and cute and not really that bothersome. But sometimes, it leads to shitty results for those of us who just love music and want to see people do it big as often as possible. (Just to reiterate, I'm in law school and getting the hell back east when I'm done).
And once again, I'll bring it full circle: watching HEALTH play in my old hood just makes me wish for those days in the early 2000s when Brooklyn was awesome. Of course, New York will always have wanna-bes latching on to scenes. But back then, they were too busy playing yuppie bars in Manhattan to bother anyone rocking out in the boroughs. And there was never a need for a comparable all-ages scene in NYC because almost all the venues have all-ages shows "where the beer flows like wine." But the originality is fading and nowadays, it really seems like bands move to BK just so they can call themselves Brooklyn bands. I see it every time I go back or one of those schmuck-rock bands comes out this way and makes it onto a bill (usually at Spaceland). Or shit, SXSW this year was a prime example: all the "new" bands from BK were totally derivative and un-amusing. Brooklyn is just too expensive to really devote yourself to art anymore (please don't let me hype Philly again) and tons of cheesedicks have infiltrated the scene on both sides of the East River. The music is no longer organic and therefore, dying out.
I'm not all that familiar with what was going on out here in the last ten years, but it doesn't seem like LA ever really had a scene comparable to the one in Brooklyn during the first part of this decade: there aren't enough good venues now and I can't imagine the dearth of hipster infrastructure when rent was actually affordable! Even if the scene is popping off now, it is annoying as hell to people like me to have to choose between socializing with my peers and hanging out with the kids that are ill-adjusted because they're barely allowed in grown-up spots. Does LA have a pedophile problem? Is that why they keep it separated like this?
Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm guessing musicians that come to LA have just always done so in order to get famous. In contrast, I know for a fact that plenty of kids went to New York ten years ago to rock out with talented and like-minded individuals and a scene just sprang up in their wake. For now, LA's best scene is the one with the kids just playing music that they know is good. But like I said...it is different and problematic.

OK, I'm done. But because I know I'm not always that clear when I have a lot of abstract shit to vent about, here is a succinct conclusion:
1) I am bitter because LA's best bands play all-ages shows.
They most likely play these shows because: a) they retain a sense of punk rock morality, and b) there are way too many synthetic d-bags at the LA rock bars playing ass music in hopes of one day having an opportunity to suck a dick for record contract consideration.
2) Even though LA may have one of the most exciting and innovative music scenes in the world right now, it will never be as enjoyable as New York's scene from a few years ago because of the aforementioned problems. This fact sucks.
3) While they are earnest and mean well , LA's kids don't necessarily deserve or appreciate the bands/shows they are privy to.
4) As a result of the division of music scenes out here, the youth stay young and ill-informed while the twenty-somethings become frustrated and prematurely bitter.
5) Fuck all-ages club owners: I'm bringing my Coney Island backpack full of beer to every friggin no-beer venue in town from now on.

Rape Valley

2008-07-13T20:53:00.000-05:00

Since I got added to the SLU myspace page, I guess I am one of the artists now? Cool huh? But dig this: me and Doug (aka DJ Omar Omar) are doing a mix tape called "Rape Valley" that is going to be pressed up and released for real! Tight, right? I don't wanna give anything away or run my mouth, but its going to be extreme and violent but also eerie as hell. Just think of barely legal knives, illegal drugs, red jeans, Patrick Bateman and associated acts of debauchery usually reserved for HBO drama, Hype Williams videos and millionaires with vacation homes in Thailand. Sound good to you? Cause it sounds good as fuck to me.
As far as music I've been rocking out to, it has been weird: Doug was here for a week and than after he left, DJ Alex Huggs came in the next day. So I was just keeping it real with my boys for like weeks straight and instead of geeking around the blogs finding new tracks to wow yous guys, my homies and I were blasting tracks we like. Also, anything associated with raping valleys is now classified for the next couple months. However, Doug and I had to dig up the first Hollertronix mixtape one crazy night because I couldn't get track 6 out of my head. And that's below in case ya'll feel me. Also, I have to give Huggs props on his current project. I'm not saying anything else, but it is gonna be tight and out soon. Keep your eyes peeled if you're not looking up out of a hole in a valley somewhere. Well I mean, I guess you could still keep your eyes peeled at that point... but you probably wouldn't give a rat's ass about some mixtape. Even though they're both awesomer than you can imagine.
Oh, and Hellboy 2 was decent and I already copped tickets for the new Batman next Thursday/Friday at 1 AM. To be clear, I don't think I've been this excited for movie (superhero or otherwise) since the first Ninja Turtles movie came out when I was 6. But to reiterate, for now you should rock out to this old Hollertronix track and be prepared for all the aforementioned dope shit I just mentioned.

Hollertronix: "Feeling Some Kind of Way" mp3 zshare

Mack Winston and the Reflections

2008-06-29T06:07:00.000-05:00

Hey, I saw Mack Winston and the Reflections Wednesday at Three of Clubs and they were bad ass. My homey does sound there and he said, upon arrival, "This is my favorite band in LA." Obviously, this type of comment always draws skepticism from my music snob side and I drank $4 PBRs patiently awaiting this best band hoopla.
Sooner, rather than later, they came on and ripped it real hard. I can't really compare them to anyone except like the Strokes, or something of that ilk...wait, new the Rambo is on in the background and Sly totally just said "Live for nothing... or die for something" and that is about the most awesome thing he ever said on-screen in a non South-Philly accent. Goddamn. Anyway, he's busting Burmese motherfuckers in the head with a bow and arrow and I'm sitting here shotgunning beers and writing about this band that forgot to send me their tracks. And, btw, is playing at friggin LeDoux next week! How hilarious is that?
Anyway, they were raw. And peep the myspace in the meantime until I throw up tracks bc I swear it will happen sooner rather than later. And if anyone cares to expedite this process, email the mf-ers at mackwinston@gmail.com or drop intense myspace comments begging for free tracks. Holla!
Ok, the track is called "Dark, Dark Night" and I really hope that the (5-9) that showed up with it is supposed to be there because it is infinitely more badass that way.
Mack Winston and the Reflections- "Dark, Dark Night (5-9)" MP3 zshare

When I get married, I totally want Twin Crystals to play

2008-06-20T07:07:00.000-05:00

You know, I really should have done this a long freaking time ago because I love these dudes so much. Twin Crystals are so intense that I told them they reminded me of Rage Against the Machine after their set at the SLU SXSW showcase. Although they just kind of looked at me funny as I was way too messed up to articulate what I meant by such a bold statement, Rage comparisons are truly the cat's pajamas in my book. At least in terms of a live show. I mean, if I were to hear your cd and say that, than maybe you shouldn't be too psyched. But when I see a live show, I basically want a Rage like intensity at all times. I guess that means I may have some meathead in my blood somewhere up the family tree root plant. Who knew?
And, the fact that they can draw a Rage comparison with synths and not 5 string distorted basses speaks volumes. Obviously, they have more of a post Suicide No Wave sound on the record and that's great too. But I totally felt like I was hearing "Freedom" for the first time again at Beauty Bar that night. And as far as dudes go, they are certainly dudes among dudes. Shit, they fucking slept outside all week for no apparent reason other than their sheer hardcoreness. Than, they left Austin and went straight to Juarez for a show! That alone deserves more props than I am capable of bestowing. Shit, I've even been trying to convince my girl that we need them to play at our wedding and her opposition is making me seriously rethink the date we set three years in advance. So bottom line: sorry I didn't do this earlier and enjoy the Twin Crystals tracks I have on my computer now. And get hungry for more because Mr. Doug Kompany himself promises to finally show up in LA next week with a grip of SLU vinyl and wild boars armed with AIDS syringes couldn't keep me from blessing the entire internet community with more Crystalline goodness.

Twin Crystals "Trinity" mp3 zshare

Twin Crystals "With or Without You" MP3 zshare

Ravens and Chimes and Meho Plaza...Music

2008-06-20T05:08:00.000-05:00

Wow, Paul from Better Looking Records is a real nice dude. And damn, there are a shit ton of great bands on that label. I friggin knew that name sounded familiar all along and now I know why: it's like contemplative indie rock central. Chances are, you've heard the music while making out or crying or playing pin ball in a bar with a good juke box. On the real, it is going to take a minute to sort through everything they got and pick out the gems. So for now, here are Ravens and Chimes mp3s (damn, it looks weird every time I type it) and some Meho Plaza tracks as well since I already know they rock and so do you.

Ravens and Chimes: "January" mp3 zshare

Ravens and Chimes "General Lafayette! You Are Not Alone" mp3 zshare

Meho Plaza "I Sold My Organs" mp3 zshare

Meho Plaza "The Beach" mp3 zshare

Meho Plaza "106 Beats That" (Wire Cover) mp3 zshare

your highness electric

2008-06-19T06:13:00.000-05:00

Hey, I just got home and Spaghetti pissed all over the floor and I'm out of it so this post will be brief: I saw Your Highness Electric tonight at Silverlake Lounge and they were pretty friggin tight. I'm totally not into doing a long and intricate post right now, but needless to say, I dug the set from these guys with a stranglehold passion. As if my love for Flight 19 and Christensen in high school wasn't enough, these dudes are on a whole new level these days...well, sort of. It's hardcore but not poppy or annoying or slick or any other slashie category that tends to bring down decent hardcore bands. They just rip it and sound like sabbath mixed with black flag mixed with the minutemen fans that grew up touring with Boy Sets Fire.
However, since LA is such a fucked up and bogus town, two shitty bands played after them, for some ridiculous reason, and I missed the first two songs. Jesus, just because homeboys were from Louisville (home to one of America's top 7 music scenes hands down), they had to play before a bunch of chicks ripping off blonde redhead and two dorks emulating dj shadow. I'm really sorry to those bands, but they were so shitty I didn't even bother figuring out their names. But sadly, they blow chunks. Sorry again, but I fancy myself a learned music connoisseur and sincerely think you need a few more months of practice before playing live again. Be patient!
This city is just frustrating me to no end: bookings here are all about who you know/suck-off and have nothing to do with talent or actual ability and that is so fucking sad. I'm not even going to tackle the whole DJ breakdown (or what some no talent wanna-be male-model at chacha said about "The Pigeon Killer" even though he never even heard a single second of the tape), but it is the same for bands: Silverlake lounge would rather book two shit ass bands (that shouldn't even be allowed to play live) as headliners over a pretty friggin awesome band, just because the awesome band happens to be from the midwest. Fucking dumbshit promoters following these bogus LA seniority rules. AHHH, it is so frustrating. I'm really having a hard time taking this city seriously these days.
While Your Highness Electric played a killer set and had a bunch of super tight tracks, here is the one song I got on cd for now. Admittedly and as usual, it is certainly not their best. However, they have a full length on Longhair Illuminati Records (home to Ride the Boogie, Casket Salesman [super dope]. Mongoloid, Mythmaker, and Auditory Aphasia among others) and are going to be playing Warped Tour for a while this summer. Peep them if you get a chance and I'll post photos and auxiliary commentary tomorrow when I'm not so bitter. Holla!
Plus I know I had something else to say but I totally lost my train of thought.

Your Highness Electric: "Handing Out Hairlips" MP3 zshare

afternoons with ravens & chimes@ spaceland, 6/16/08 (afternoons MP3s!)

2008-06-17T04:16:00.000-05:00

OK, I know I promised more Afternoons tracks by last week but I was out of it and couldn't get to Spaceland. However, that ended up being a good thing because I also got to see the awesome Ravens and Chimes from NY. After the predictably sick set from Afternoons, I was set to bounce and go pig out at Burger King before they closed. But, like any good music fan, I figured I'd stick around for the first couple songs from the next band. Usually, the last band on Mondays at Spaceland tends to be slightly more avant garde and slightly more ass. But Ravens and Chimes were fuckin sick. I kept staring at them trying to remember where I knew them from until the singer said "hey, we're Ravens and Chimes from New York." At this point, I stopped trying to place them and contentedly decided that I must have caught them in BK at some point during my extended tenure in the city. I can't really think of a good way to describe them so you'd probably be better off checking out their label, Better Looking Records, for some PR type descriptors. Here is a video of them rocking out too.

I talked to Paul from the label and he is so into hooking pillstohear up with some tracks so I'll get on that and share them with the quickness. In the meantime, here are two Afternoons tracks that are fucking sweet. Surprisingly, I really don't think any other blogger d-bags went out of their way to buy the friggin three dollar ep and share the goodness. Ridiculous: people just won't spend a goddamn cent on music these days. BUY MUSIC! BUY MUSIC FROM THESE BANDS ASAP.
In case you aren't convinced of the awesomeness, dig the tracks:

Afternoons: "Grafitti Artist" MP3 zshare

Afternoons: "Line 'Em Up" MP3 zshare

Oh, and I have some crappy quality cell phone video of afternoons playing too. Check it

Is it way too ridiculous to use some sort of bad pun in my post about Prowler's new album? Cause I totally have a shitload I could use

2008-06-12T20:04:00.000-05:00

I feel like I start way too many posts with "wow" and instead of looking back for evidence, I'll just take the easy way out and start this one with the self-referential sentence that is about to end. My homey Tyler from Prowler just sent me a few tracks from their soon-to-drop album and I'm certainly impressed. First of all, I'm glad Philly's scene is so intense these days. I mean, we all know they've had an intense scene for a few years now, (timeout: my neighbor is such a freak during Laker games and his yells are so timely and textbook that i swear to shit he's just yelping to let the whole complex know he is, in fact, watching "the game") but I kinda feel like the bands out of the Delaware Valley that get press are all on this weirdo vaudeville tip. We could holla about it if ya'll want, (three pointer: two loud claps followed by a louder third clap) but I'd say Man Man, Dr. Dog and The Teeth are probably the first three Philly bands I think of in terms of hype from my hometown. And while each band has at least some very good music and their own intricacies, they definitely share that pared down acoustic rockabilly/gypsy punk/T-Bone Burnett sort of vibe. To me, Dr. Dog sounds more pure pop-oriented and Brian Wilson-ey, Man Man takes home the weirdo prize, and The Teeth hit somewhere in the middle. Although I may over-analyze Pennsylvania's contributions to the arts, I can't help but think that discerning music fans everywhere assume there is a lingering Quaker influence or some shit that makes all the Phila bands sound old-timey. Of course War on Drugs and Hail Social are repping Philly-town hard right this minute and earning their respect in a decidedly non old-timey way, you guys know what I mean, right?
Thankfully, we also got the motherfucking Prowler coming to bat (34-12 Lakers, respectable claps) for the 'iladelph and they're hard as nails. Actually, I need to clarify: they're not rioutous metal, nu-rave or meandering psych-rock. And they've been keeping it real for a few years now. But I guess I'd take their word for it and say they are influenced by electro, pop and funk. I'm not an expert and have never seen them live, but to the put in in layman's terms (i.e. easy to understand comparisons to popular/influential musicians of the past), the few tracks I've heard sound like a drugged out supergroup with Isaac Brock singing, John Frusciante playing guit, Martin Rev and PiL dropping synths and beats, and maybe the Talking Heads or Soul Coughing bringing up the rhythm section (there's seven dudes in the band so this dream team lineup is actually feasible). And trust me, I mean this in the best way possible. These dudes are friggin raw and I'd love to see them in Philly this weekend cause I guaran-damn-tee you they are ultra tight live. Stoppey-startey beats, shouting, low-end thumps and catchy choruses usually seem to impress me live.

Meanwhile on the west coast, I'm gonna join my neighbor and actually pay attention to the game/stop trying to sound informed or smart and just let anybody willing to rip into these two Prowler tracks go at it.
Oh, and shout out to Elbows for adding me and Discobelle for finally posting my mix, even if they did also add my incredibly damning and hilarious five minute plus blackout drunk voicemail rant against LA. Give it a listen, err, I mean, don't...or listen to the mix and not the voicemail. Holla!
Prowler: "Ahead of the Pack" MP3 zshare
Prowler: "Beware Deleware" MP3 zshare

Caps and Jones Three Year Anniversary

2008-06-08T03:37:00.000-05:00

Yeah, Savalas is flying Brian back to rock out for the three year anniversary of their residency at this excellent Brooklyn bar. They are Savalas and vice versa. The owners worship the boys and their sound is inseparable from the bar. Seriously.
The flyer is genius and is even more genius if you know that the two boobed Phoebe Cates was the original cover of Moving in Stereo. If you don't have it, BUY IT NOW. Essential.
I would love to go but doubt I can so east coasters, vicariously attend and tell em Tom Hanks sent you. Or large marge.
Holla!

hey, i found this old demo from the band i was in when i first got to LA last year

2008-06-08T02:45:00.000-05:00

So before law school, I played in a kick ass band with Dave and Adrian and a random cast of other heads. We were solid all last summer and played like at least four days a week. Its kinda hard to describe our sound cause me and Dave liked a bunch of the same stuff but also liked a lot of different stuff. For instance, he grew up in San Diego and likes those sort of softcore-hardcore/screamo/ wtf? bands that kids who grow up out here like. Its hard to explain, but if you're from the east coast and moved out here, you know what I mean. Basically, really bad pop-punk bands. Like who the hell in the east coast would ever listen to Alien Ant Farm or System of a Down in high school? Jocks liked hippie shit and/or hip-hop and the other kids like me liked punk or indie or art rock. The final blow, for me, was when Dave said he had never heard The Refused. Nowadays, it seems like regular kids like indie rock a bunch and I guess you can blame that on emo but that's besides the point.
Anyway, Dave didn't even write songs like that: he wrote songs that sounded like Pixies or Beatles songs (even though he claimed to hate them) and they were ALL in b minor. Basically, he didn't want to rock as hard as I did and didn't want to experiment beyond basic pop song structure. It was like waaayyy too art rock to even try and use the mini korg. I love the guy but honestly, he'd do better as a solo acoustic performer and doesn't need a band to shine. And now that he is engaged to a lovely lady, music is no longer a priority.
I, on the other hand, have way too grandiose ideas to execute without other dudes playing instruments. As a result, our songs from that band mhoney (the m is silent...or not) have such inner tension and you can totally hear it. Nowadays, I'm about to start a band with Caspar Adams and am ultra pumped: I used to go see his bands in high school and they always blew me away. Now, 8 years later, we're finally gonna play together! He spent time in Say Anything and The National Acrobat out here, but I remember him best from The Moths and Fuck the Android from my brief tenure in Lousiville, KY.

Dig these mhoney tracks: its two songs recorded together with no pause from a room mic so its bad quality but good melodies deep down. I wrote them both but Dave sings lead on the first track while the second one is only me singing the whole time.
Oh, and when I find some Moths or Fuck the Android tracks, they'll get tossed up ASAP cause they are absolutely amazing.
mhoney- "Affordable Health Care/Those Cliffs and Beaches" zshare

Music for Today: Hail Social and Lil Weezy

2008-06-06T06:41:00.000-05:00

As far as music goes, I'm totally into all the new weezy tracks that are leaking this week and even though I already have at least half the album, I wanna go stand in line at midnight on Monday for that official CARTER III jump-off. I haven't sorted through it enough yet so I'll just hit you with the obvious choices: the track with Jigga and the track with Kanyeezy
Lil Wayne ft. Jay-Z (produced by Just Blaze) : "Mr Carter" MP3
Lil Wayne (produced by Kanye West) : "Let That Beat Build" MP3

And file under the holy shit, I'm psyched and ready for it category: Philly boys and "Pigeon Killer" alumni Hail Social dropped a remix album this week and of course, its dope. I'm not quite sure what my favorites are yet because I haven't driven around bumping the album yet, but I think the Designer Drugs remix of "Heaven" is super tight. I mean, I'm so into Hail Social right now that I dig all the remixes. Buy the album from Turntable Lab and quit stealing music.
Hail Social- "Heaven" (Designer Drugs remix) MP3

I don't know how much you guys read, but I've been hitting the books hard since law school got out

2008-06-06T03:13:00.000-05:00

With forty hour work weeks and at least forty hours of school work a week finally abated for the time being, I justifiably have time to delve into some highly anticipated and much appreciated leisure reading. Since May 13th, I've gotten through about four books and bought a few more for the on deck circle: Steven Johnson's The Ghost Map, Cormac McCarthy's The Road, John Brandon's Arkansas, and the og version of I Am Legend by Richard Matheson. Additionally, I've finally gotten a chance to read the copies of "Believer" magazine that I kept buying and putting aside cause I knew damn well I couldn't read them in the thick of finals. I'm about twenty pages away from finishing Arkansas and its friggin amazing. I really like this guy's style and I feel like we see the world through very similar lenses. The book is about two low level Arkansas mules in a huge drug organization that runs shit in the southeast. I'm not done yet, but I anticipate finishing it tonight and can't wait to see how all the angles tie up and into each other. Barring an unforeseen shitty ending, I highly suggest it for anyone who likes drug books or at least cynical protagonists who think they're better than everyone else.
And of course, believe the hype: McCarthy is the word incarnate and The Road is a must read for discerning and terrified readers that care about Americana's place...post-apocalypse. Damn, after I finished it, I almost got like that same feeling I got when I saw "There Will Be Blood." You know, that "holy shit, that was incredible and scary in a super intelligent and super intense way that I can't quite verbalize but am terrified by what I know it means and more terrified by what I don't know it means." Ya dig?

Johnson's book was interesting...but certainly not quite the engrossing page turner I expected. Historical fiction set against the last pre-germ theory cholera outbreak in the western world, it was intelligent and reminiscent of the classic Devil in the White City that intertwined tales of Chicago's preparation for the turn of the century world's fair and the deranged, narcissistic serial killer with bullshit motives that was torturing the would-be fair goers the whole time in a very "Pulp Fiction" type style. However, Johnson's book is nowhere near as engrossing and the characters are far from developed and therefore, further from interesting. Nevertheless, it was pretty decent and I'd say get it from the library and save the 13 bucks. But of course, read "Devil in the White City" first.
And Matheson's oft-adapted tale of man v. science-vampires was a good story with intelligent (and ahead of its time) theories about mankind's death wish that was markedly different from Will Smith's ego-driven film version. However, the writing style was sloppy and inconsistent to a point that I had to struggle through whole chapters. Science fiction writers just don't have the chops to keep me interested after I spent four years studying English masterpieces at Fordham. Don't wanna sound cocky or anything, but I was spoiled on early modernist literature when geniuses like Joyce, Lawrence, Yeats and T.S. Eliot were dropping classics with ease. And I certainly don't know what the hell was going on with those 200 pages of seemingly random short stories that followed the main "last man on earth story line." Honestly, I only got through the first couple.
I also started Survivor by that Chuck Palanhiuk (i think thats the spelling) guy and the quarter I've read so far is engrossing and posing questions I really wanna see answered. My bro likes him a lot and apparently so do a lot of other people. So we'll see.
Also on deck are McCarthy's Blood Meridian, a collection of short stories by various modern authors called The Worst Years of Your Life, that Dave Eggers book A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, and a seemingly simpleton book about cigs called The Joys of Smoking by James Fitzgerald. Aside from the righteous description of McCarthy's final installment of the "Border Trilogy" that I read in a big story about him, I know very little about the on-deck books and am going on some severe leaps of faith and sadly, cover judgments. So we'll see if my ass gets bitten more than it already has been recently.
I've been buying a plethora of books lately cause I realized that my new job at Urban Outfitters hooks up that massive discount and there are actually books there that are worth reading. I was doing markdowns the other day and I realized that Jonathan Lethem's debut novel Motherless Brooklyn is only $1.90 and have since told every co-worker who will listen that they should cop that shit ASAP cause it is certainly worth more than that paltry amount. While not quite as good as his masterpiece Fortress of Solitude, it is a damn fine book with an intricate and often...I guess the most apt word would be mesmerizing...style all his own. But like I said, I'm not so sure about the Eggers or the Mark Jude Poirier edited collection of shorties and only got them cause of the discount and speculation. Basically, Eggers eventually became recommended after my initial speculation and the Porier collection just seems to scream at me whenever I walk by it. But at this pace, I'll blow through them by next week.
So stay tuned for the final reviews and buy Lethem and Brandon's books NOW!

blaqstarr gives you confidence

2008-06-04T05:29:00.000-05:00

i cut all the hair off my face and head the other day cause i had some law school related interviews and i had to rock out to blaqstarr's "the king of roq" mixtape to get through it. i don;t really remember how i got the mixtape, but i know it happened during the hollertronix reunion show in la last year and there are 31 tracks of goodness on it. i showed up super early (the advertised door time) and walked into the echoplex and grabbed a couch. several head nods and twenty minutes later, i tried to order a beer and they told me i was way too early and had to leave. i politely explained that i had had a long day and NEEDED a beer. luckily, the bartender told me to go to the gold room down the street and i conceded warily. i took a seat at the bar and found out that it was $2.50 for a shot of tequila and a beer. "great," i said. "here's 20 bucks cause i'm gettin loaded."
i was barely conscious 8 beers and 8 shots later but i came to long enough back at the club to convince blaqstarr to give me his mixtape, wile out to the hollertronix set, order 6 sparks from the bar, and get on the mic for a lengthy shit talk on the mets. after that, my next memory is waking up in my car with soaking wet jeans and a half drank sparks. due to my ignorant sense of smell, we'll never know if i was soaked in sparks or piss. dig the first real track on blaq starr's "the king of roq" mixtape.
blaq starr- "hey i" MP3 zshare

afternoons @ spaceland, 6/2/08

2008-06-03T22:54:00.000-05:00

LA's afternoons (not to be confused with the much crappier welsh band THE afternoons) are the new monday night residents at Spaceland and they certainly started the month off with a statement: These dudes mean business.
First of all, there are 8 people in the band and they keep trading off so that some songs have as many as four drummers or two bassists. There's trumpet songs and slick guitar lick tracks and droney organ tracks and theres this goth chick with a beautiful voice who trades off lead vocal with the two guitar playing frontmen types gettin' passionate up front. They all appear to be incredibly talented musicians and the songs got melody like whoa. The extra thick sound of the dual drummers (it looked like there were at least two drummers per song) hits real hard live and makes the melodies kinda like...you know, soar. I know that sounds cheesy but its really true: I shit you not.
Although I would assume that most semi-educated music fans would immediately notice the arcade fire similarities in style and appearance, these dudes aren't rip-offs in the least. Yeah, everyone digs arcade fire. Its plain ignorance to not admit the influence they have on every musician these days. Come on, Funeral was the bomb and we all relished our early listens. But....I don't know about you guys, but I thought Neon Bible kinda sucked. If afternoons recorded their set last night, it would certainly rank higher than that sophmore slump of an album. Their songs share similar qualities with arcade fire but are original and dissimilar enough to ever accuse them of plagiarism. Nuff said.
I'm kicking myself for not buying their 3 dollar ep last night. I just thought I'd be able to gank some tracks off elbows or something. So all I got for now is the song "Say Yes" that Shepard Fairey designed a poster or album cover or something for and it was actually one of my least favorites last night. But I'll throw it up here for now and when I cop that ep next week, I'll hit ya'll with some more realness. Warpaint also played and they were pretty tight too. Three super cute chicks playing guitars and keys with a dude drummer. Not as exciting or inspiring, but certainly above average for spaceland: i.e. they don't sound like crappy interpol b sides.

afternoons- "say yes" MP3 zshare

screen savers just make all your ass pictures look stunning someetimes

2008-06-02T04:26:00.000-05:00

this picture from last spring popped up on the screen saver the other night and there's gotta be something beautiful in a very 1996 sort of way about the duct tape. its like...alright, there is this dude in my neighborhood that i seen walking around more than once with red converse, green jean shorts that fray down just below the knee, a red and yellow striped shirt, and a head full of aged and perfectly kept white boy dreads and he probably would've loved to have had this picture on his album that undoubtedly came out that year.
damn, in retrospect it would be great if i could follow him around and take his picture so you know what i'm talking about cause you'd totally be like "oh snap, i totally know what you mean, that dude is so into duct tape."

whats up the emusic rollover minutes?

2008-06-02T03:15:00.000-05:00

lately i've been staving off this habit of hearing something tight from a long ass playlist of recent downloads that i've finally gotten around to hearing and deciding that i needed to throw it up right away. while i really should hear something more than once and preferably at least once during the daylight hours, this black kids remix is going up. i'm not even looking around or anything to verify that fifty other dudes heard the song (maybe once, maybe once at night, or maybe the key day/night combo listen) and threw it up somewhere else.
plus i'm friggin bored and i am stalled on using up my emusic downloads that don't rollover tomorrow. but if it doesn't get done now, i know ill forget again and be salty for a day and about losing those 16 tunes. its such a tease when you click on that buy from emusic link and get dissed when they dont have the new albums.
dig this...wait, there's really no good way of abbreviating that obnoxiously verbose alt-rock song title but that be the link to super dancey version of said song that keeps it from getting stale a little while longer
Black Kids (twelves remix) MP3 share
and i guess i may ass well throw this other one up too cause i heard it too just in the knick of time. same deal as the boyfriend dancing remix: keeping a recognizable song interesting for a few more listens. i don't know anything about these remixes or the dudes cause that would entail retracing my steps to where i found it and its not important, you know?
new young pony club vocals always sound so great in contrast on remixes. i mean, i guess on the album too. i dig the jazzier but still hard synths the beat is simple but nice as hell. puts the mstrkrft attempt to shame
nypc- get lucky (twelves remix) MP3

wow, i found this and have no clue where it came from

2008-05-29T21:36:00.000-05:00

you know when you put a new song on itunes and hear it and after it finishes, it goes right into another track you totally forgot about downloading or even hearing before?
i was listening to those two war on drugs tracks everyone has posted (without my external harddrive hooked up) and it went right into "oh" by we have band and the song was so much better than the two much hyped songs i had specifically sought out before it. so rock out to it
oh wait, i went to upload it and saw where it came from: pinglewood.com. thanks ya'll
we have band "oh" (demo) zshare

holy shit, health has a remix album

2008-05-29T19:26:00.000-05:00

yeah, like i said, holy shit! thats such a great idea. i gotta listen to them all and decide which is the best....hold on. i'll be back in a minute...i'm at the bar and need to catch a cig and listen right quick.
the three best tracks are...or i guess my 3 favorite are: "triceratops" (acid girls remix B),"Heaven" (Narctrax Remix) and "Tabloid Sores" (Nosajithing remix). I guess these are my faves cause they sound dancey and playable but still a lot like health too. the cfcf remix is tight too but thats everywhere already. holla at these
"triceratops" (acid girls remix B) MP3 zhare
"Heaven" (Narctrax Remix) MP3 zshare
"Tabloid Sores" (Nosajithing remix) MP3 zshare

ahh man, thank douggles for the heads up

2008-05-29T04:53:00.000-05:00

this wire shit is ridiculous. check out the first one too.
the exchange between snoop and marlo is the funniest shit i've heard (maybe not seen) in as long as i can remember.
however, i watched "adaptation" the other night and i keep silently cracking up to myself about donald saying "what, the makeup girl? she was totally hitting on me bro."

mezzanine owls at spaceland

2008-05-27T02:31:00.001-05:00

i had such high hopes for memorial day this year. we were gonna hit up santa barbara or catalina or universal studios or some other theme park and had been planning it all week. instead, i slept til four and went to that shitshow of a mall in glendale and bought jeans. however, i did end up at spaceland in time to see mezzanine owls before their residency ended. when they first got on stage, i saw the rickenbacker bass and hoped they sounded like superdrag. but alas, like most bands here, they sounded like interpol. and while that is usually a dis, they mixed in enough superchunk vibe and the girl drummer fuckin rocked hard. her kit was tuned perfectly and she was so on-beat she sounded like a drum machine. she even one-handed the mini korg on a couple songs and still hit every beat perfectly.
wednesday, 2 days later:
on the mp3 "snow globe" i eventually found, they sound really good and not really that interpol-y at all. i guess it must be the acoustics in there... or the soundman's favorite band.

more japanther pictures

2008-05-27T02:03:00.001-05:00

i mean, its cool that i can sit at the bar and work on my page with my phone and all but it obviously sucks that you cant send that much at once. more japanther sweat club action. wait, is that why its called the smell?

japanther at the smell

2008-05-27T01:58:00.001-05:00

we saw japanther at the smell on saturday night and it was obviously tight. i mean, its kinda like going out to eat and ordering a cheesesteak: you know its gonna be good no matter what but may not necessarily be as good as some more unfamiliar dish thats got like blackened chili or some shit and may backfire. ive done tons of parties with them in nyc and have all their records except the new one and knew what to expect. and the guys were real cool with me, moe and susan and got us into the sold out show cause we shared their pain of being weirded out to be in la. aside from the continuous trouble with the lo-fi tape deck karaoke, the new songs seemed to be missing something. im totally not hating cause i love the band and they hooked us up and all but they totally peaked with "dump the body in ricki lake." so far. maybe i just took their awesomeness for granted and expected too much. i'm certainly guilty of that: the new indiana jones and iron man movies had me so psyched for years and it was just impossible to live up to my unreal expectations. in reality, both movies and the show were super tight but it was impossible to live up to my expectations. i mean, at the end of the day i bought a t shirt and totally shotgunned three beers in the bathroom! holla indeed.

Wait up

2008-05-11T02:07:00.001-05:00

I think that last one was matt and kim. Heres the other one. But seriously, check out how many badass shots i got of them at bee's last year on the crimes galore flick page.

And the others

2008-05-11T02:05:00.001-05:00

You cant really send more than 2 shots per email from a phone.

You know, i was pissed i didn't get more pictures from sxsw this year but here they are anyway

2008-05-11T02:04:00.001-05:00

Yeah, i was like a picture taking machine in austin last year. I'm sitting here watching my screen saver picture slide show and every other shot is from south by last year. The other ones appear to be mostly from the black law student society trip to Tahoe a few months ago when I unwittingly spent 72 straight hours fucked up. Great time.
But i recently lost my camera and things haven't been the same ever since. All I got from this year are a few random shots from my camera phone and its kinda lame. Here are the shots of bruno and apache beat playing the homosexuals songs.

law school finals

2008-05-08T18:28:00.001-05:00

im getting crazy with the property law.
even spaghetti is studyin these days.
finals blow. they blow real hard.

well, here is some collateral in the form of this awesome sound advice remix

2008-05-01T23:00:00.000-05:00

ok, if you are roughly my age and grew up surrounded by an alt rock landscape, you probably love it when djs randomly drop "laid" by james. usually, that is a good sign that you'll love a super sweet bmore remix of the track. teenwolf from ninjasonik and soundadvice (and roughly a shitload other projects) did this awesome aforementioned (albeit, solely in an imaginary context) "laid" remix that i think anyone getting into the blogass assphere deep enough to actually peep this site would actually dig. basically, my friends like the song and since they are typically my only web visitors, they'll love this shit. there are a butload of other remixes over at the sound advice site that, while i can't individually vouch for each of them (i'm sorry, but i fucking hate brown eyed girl and a baltimore break won't divest me of such a deep loathing), these dudes are on their game and i'm sure there are plenty of gems. as a bonus, the remixes are right at the top of the page.
and if you don't believe me when i say they keep it crunk, like how happy everyone at their weekly(?) supreme trading party.
now, seriously, i don't know shit about "consistent additional terms and contract ambiguity" and the test is in six days.

sound advice- james gets laid

So i guess tom hanks the actor has hobbies?

2008-05-01T22:28:00.000-05:00

yo, what the fuck? since when does forrest gump actually dj? you gotta be friggin kiddin me. regretfully, i've been googling dj tom hanks to see if anyone is mentioning the mix (come on, you'd do the same) and i came across this kcrw page that looked like a fan site devoted to a goddman npr affiliate and it mentioned a guest appearance by dj tom hanks. since it wasn't me and there is no further clarification, i assume it is the man himself. fuck, at least be cool enough to call yourself dj josh baskin or some shit.
it sucks, i mean i really wanna be all netted out and promoting this shit right now so i can actually do some shit this summer but i have a scheduling conflict with FUCKIN LAW SCHOOL FINALS! and believe me, this shit is hard. college was fuckin easy. i would study for like fifteen minutes on my way to class and be set. it wasn't like i went to community college either. fordham is all about being hot shit these days.
but fuck me, law school is hard. i gotta get back to oral modification and the parol evidence rule so if you'll excuse me...
after may 12th and the ensuing hangover, i promise this is going to be a real blog with mp3s and such. so hold up and maybe i'll get distracted enough to keep up the randomness, but yeah, i promise nothing and expect nothing in return. cept maybe a decent weekly this summer

Patrick North

2008-04-28T03:40:00.000-05:00

hell yeah...patrick north is the only one of you mf-ers who was a loyal enough friend to post my shit on his blog, the all caps banger MYSTICS NOT WASTRELS.
while he's been getting mad props from some of the big boy blogs lately, he has always been on his game and the page is straight up ill-ness on a downloadable mp3 platter. fuck, who the shit post eartha kitt?
on a side note, i just ate multiple drugs and went and saw "sarah marshall." there will be a special prize if you can correctly guess at least four of the chemicals in my system that simultaneously made the movie funnier and shittier. despite my rollercoaster emotions, i dug the movie hard. "hey, look at my driver! i will have sex with her," or something to that effect was the funniest line i've heard in a long ass time.
bonus question: which of these dudes is patrick north?

the pigeon killer link

2008-04-27T21:57:00.000-05:00

alright, i just reposted this shit on z share cause i foolishly put it on easy share...whatever the fuck that is. anyway, nothing new to report, just getting my upload on. holla. oh, and i yelled at those fools for not posting my shit and only pat north was man enough to respond. of course, he said he's on it.
i was an extra in adam's movie today too and we'e gonna use the pigeon killer in the film as often as possible...holla, indeed!

in case you missed the title bar, heres "the pigeon killer" link again on z share. and again on ysi. download you and i assure you you wont be sorry. if you are, i will personally give you the back the 35 minutes (exactly, 35 minutes) of your life that is wasted.

alright, score one for tom

2008-04-27T05:36:00.002-05:00

alright, instant feedback. homeboy devin (aka desert eagle) dug the mix and hopefully, me and him can rock out at his friday night jump-off pretty young things party soon. if you haven't been, its a sweet party at jimmy's and they always turn it out. i even heard a kid blend the strokes with the rapture not too long ago. so you know, anything goes. ahh man, i can't wait. this shit is tight.
that mix is so poppy and easy to like that i have a hard time believing someone would hear it and think i can't rock a party. i mean, crusty old crate digging motherfuckers probably hate it but normal party people, shit, those songs are fucking likable as hell. and thats not just my ego talking.

my temporary dj bio...what d'you think?

2008-04-24T02:30:00.003-05:00

this is the bio i'm sending out to the bars and blogs and whatnot....i'm not too sure about it but brian is real confident in it so whatevs.
plus, i gave the mix to a bunch of la djs and promoters at club 86 last night and i also managed to drop one on the mighty diplo himself. shit, i could be on mad decent in no time playa...but for real, it turns out my homey derrick (my punk band used to open for his back in the day...crazy right?) is a producer for mad decent and he should be all up in everyone's ear about expediting the dj tom hanks mixtape jump-off. so yeah, the dual santogold shows last night paid off. keep checking back cause shit is starting to happen fast. making moves....

Hi. How are you guys doing? My name is Matt Capozzoli (DJ Tom Hanks to ya'll that don't know!) and I just finished making a new mixtape. Since I left Brooklyn and moved out to Los Angeles for law school last year, I haven't really dj'ed out a whole lot. That is partly to blame on my insanely busy schedule of working all day and going to school all night and partly to blame on my lack of connections with LA promoters. However, I was mad busy back east and was doing a bi weekly at Capone's with the Ninjasonik dudes and a weekly at Niagra for the Skinny Mafia Girls when I left NYC last winter. (Before that) I grew up in Philly and moved to NY when I turned 18 in the summer of 2001. After getting a writing degree from the Bronx Fordham in 2005, I dicked around Williamsburg for a few years and fed my habits by dj-ing, making music, working for the occasional magazines, and slanging: hardcore slanging!
When I got sick of scraping by, I decided I needed to make a shitload of money and law school was the way to do it. To that end, I attempted to sequester myself and prepare for the LSAT last winter at my parents' new house in Baltimore. However, there are just too many cool kids throwing ill parties in B more and I just continued to rage with new friends the whole three months I was there. But even though I didn't do as good as I should have, I got into a bunch of law schools and moved to Chicago last February to go to Loyola Law School.
So I was all set to start ripping apart the Chicago nu-rave scene last winter and rock out (when I wasn't rocking out to Torts homework) when my hatred for the Chicago, its residents, and the midwest in general got the best of me and I packed up my dog spaghetti and my Civic Vic and drove to LA. While I go through bursts of loving it here and hating it immensely and wanting to go back east, I am starting to focus less on the latter and am dying for the school year to end so I can start playing out again.
Oh Yeah...SO THE POINT OF THE WHOLE EMAIL THAT WAS ENTIRELY WAY TOO LONG AND DRAWN OUT (SORRY!)...
I made this bad ass mix with my best friend from back in the day, Brian Curtis (AKA, Pandemonium Jones). We lived together for a while back in the burg but I've been kinda isolated out here this past year. So after sxsw this year, me and brian drove back to LA together and had a helluva time. Between the mexican valium adventure and the 15 mile (curtis says 13 but there is certainly a disagreement in there somewhere between the valium and blistering sun) death march through the grand canyon, we had a blast. I figured out the wish list for the mix on the ride back and bpm’ed everything out when we got back to LA. And once I had it all planned out, Curtis showed me how to use Ableton and I finished the recording process. Certainly, Brian was a necessary ingredient to a smooth mix tape (what with the ableton learning curve and all) but I still feel that I had full reign of artistic freedom.
So yeah, the tape is called DJ Tom Hanks “The Pigeon Killer” in honor of my dog Spaghetti catching his first pigeon when me and Brian took an ableton break and went to Starbucks. We got stoned and convinced ourselves that Jay Zeatard was the greatest name ever, but we eventually decided we’d save it for the inevitable mash up masterpiece that some Midwestern high school kid is sweating away on now.
Well…please, listen to the mix and enjoy. Theoretically, it is supposed to be a dance party demo cd but may not be ravey and distorted keyboard-ey enough to be a dance party mix anymore. Regardless, my only regret is not including “Race Riot on the Dance Floor.” Please holla at me at (718) 930-9783 or mattcapozzoli@gmail.com. Or my blog is http://pillstohear.blogspot.com and Brian’s is www.pandemoniumjones.com. You could even get a hold of us through doug@summerloversunlimited.com or just www.summerloversunlimited.com too if you are Canadian or something. I’m not really sure who will read this someday….I’m sure I forgot to say some shit but whatevs…Holla!

Hot Chip - Made In The Dark
Foreign Born - Union Hall
Panthers - Goblin City (Holy Ghost Disco Dub)
Black Mountain - Bright Lights
Crystal Castles vs. Health - Crimewave
Glass Candy - Beatific
Hail Social - Cherry Cola Funk (STA Mix)
MGMT - Kids
Holy Fuck - Royal Gregory
Dan Deacon - Wham City
Blaqstarr - Smack
SantoGold - Creator (Scottie B Mix)
The Tough Alliance - Neo Violence
Shocking Pinks - How Am I Not Myself
Clipse - Wamp Wamp (Co.Fee Remix)
Ninjasonik vs. The Death Set - Negative Thinking About Tight Pants
Jay Reatard - It’s So Useless
The Exploding Hearts - Your Shadow
Shellac – Copper

Matthew Capozzoli (DJ Tom Hanks)
(718)930-9783
mattcapozzoli@gmail.com
1730 N. Edgemont St. #304
Los Angeles, CA 90027

Older version of "The Pigeon Killer" Link on easyshare, not the better-known and all around better zshare. Basically, download the other one up top.

2008-04-22T00:07:00.006-05:00

Alright..so the time is near...Hopefully, the people I send this too are gonna dig it as much as my loyal friends and come running over here to download. Brian is against the p jones site getting blown up so I gotta put this link here. Plus, it is nice to actually use this site once again. 'i do wish it was named crimes galore though. But for now, here is the link. holla!
dj tom hanks: "the pigeon killer"

the return of DJ Tom Hanks

2008-04-18T00:12:00.010-05:00

Obviously, I haven't updated this in a year...however, it has been a year from hell with the switch from not working at all to working full time and going to school all night. I literally have days that go from 6 am to 10 pm before i get any free time. But I'm not here to sob...I'm here because I am so psyched for summer, I made a mix tape for all to hear. My old roommate and homey for life Brian Curtis (AKA the boss DJ Pandemonium Jones)gave me the recording software tutorial as we engineered it and his presence was absolutely crucial.
Back in New York, I just kinda fell into dj gigs and relied on my good looks for six years and never got around to making a mix tape. Sadly, I haven't fallen into shit since I been out here ain LA nd I need something to hand out. Apparently, the Tom Hanks name is just not household enough out here. Hopefully, that will soon change: this shit thumps hard.
South By Southwest this year lit a fire under my ass and made me remember just how much fun it is to get paid doing something I would so for free. After catching a plethora of awesomeness highlighted by the tough alliance, yeasayer, the death set, amanda blank (actually playing her own songs and not just spittin fire verses over spank's) (oh and by the way, shake it til my dick turns racist), Health (cheesy corporate party at NOON: I was the only one rocking out), fuck buttons, the homosexuals, black mountain, and a shitload more that I can't remember. Ohh, and after the festie was over, me and Curtis drove back to LA and had a lovely time eating mexican pharmies and camping out in the twenty degree weather at the grand canyon rim. That fifteen mile hike put me on my ass for days. No joke!
Anyway, Brian put the mix on his page so I'll just post that link and it'll show up here eventually. Keep checking back too cause I scour the internet for music all throughout law school class and I need to be putting that shit in yo ears..for real!
DJ Tom Hanks, The Pigeon Killer
http://pandemoniumjones.com/

Hot Chip - Made In The Dark
Foreign Born - Union Hall
Panthers - Goblin City (Holy Ghost Disco Dub)
Black Mountain - Bright Lights
Crystal Castles vs. Health - Crimewave
Glass Candy - Beatific
Hail Social - Cherry Cola Funk (STA Mix)
MGMT - Kids
Holy Fuck - Royal Gregory
Dan Deacon - Wham City
Blaqstarr - Smack
SantoGold - Creator (Scottie B Mix)
The Tough Alliance - Neo Violence
Shocking Pinks - How Am I Not Myself
Clipse - Wamp Wamp (Co.Fee Remix)
Ninjasonik vs. The Death Set - Negative Thinking About Tight Pants
Jay Reatard - It’s So Useless
The Exploding Hearts - Your Shadow
Shellac - Copper

Me and Spaghetti en route to LA

2007-04-26T18:38:00.000-05:00

Korea Town

2007-04-26T18:24:00.000-05:00

Spaghetti-Head
Well even though I packed all my shit up and drove over to my new apartment, there were glazing issues and the attempted move had to be aborted. But of course, today is the first real hot day I've had out here and I did all my packing during peak sun hours only to be told about the bathtub glazing after getting to k town. The girl in charge of my account is a very nice and sweet your lady from San Diego who loves Spaggy Face and let me put my expensive stuff at her place so I could leave the car loaded up overnight with the balance of clothes and accesories stuffed up in the Civic.
i just want to move in and get it over with so I can begin the job search in earnest and hopefuly start work before next month's rent is due. Then, I want to lease a civic hybrid and drive a nice car like every other a-hole out here. My car is falling apart and the duct tape only last a couple days each round so I have to keep on taping unless I want to hear the highly annoying and nerve-wracking sound of aluminum coated duct tape flapping on the driver's back side mini window all damn day.
And no matter how hard you try to avoid it, you gots to drive a shitload out here. You can't even park the car and get out and explore neighborhoods. I wanted to go to American Apparel, Amoeba, a book store, and a cafe yesterday and had to drive to three different neighborhoods to do so. Los Feliz and Echo Park and Silverlake, for all their "west coast Brooklyn" hype are far from urban ped-friendly areas. I always imagined long Bedford Ave like streets with loads of indie record stores and overproced vintage boutiques. Nuh uh. Losse conglomeration of overpriced wackness.

However, I still like it out here and can't wait to find whatever it is I've been searching for these last few years. Being that this is the seventh city I've lived in in as many years, I'm still not quite happy with the hand I've been dealt.