This time, we were particularly focused on spinning some of the newest [...]]]> It was great to sit in on Levitation Radio again at KXLU 88.9 FM Los Angeles. The program’s DJ graciously offers up part of her own airtime as a platform for DHR to present and share some the music we feature here on the net. It provides an additional channel to help expand our reach through the broadcast medium, and we always get bitchin’ feedback from the station’s listeners.

This time, we were particularly focused on spinning some of the newest music featured on DHR. Time… it’s always been our ultimate nemesis. As usual, we weren’t able to play everything we’d hoped to. But here’s what we did get out:






DHR Set 1:

Sleepy Sun – golden artifact
Fiore – backyard snake
Mirror Mirror – the story
VUM – echo mountain
Manhattan Murder Mystery – arlington cemetery

DHR Set 2:

Temporal Love – sad song
5-Track & Glass Goblins – 3 til dawn
The Blank Tapes – i’ve been had
Natural Child – antichrist
Buffalo Electric – feel the waves

Before Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros catapulted this whole pseudo-hippy, rag-tag crew of musicians into every “so-called” independent network outlet across the land.. In the earlier part of the millennium, the lead singer Alex (who has lately fallen into the whole indie-rock guru role with this caravan) once fronted the kick ass LA-based band Ima Robot.

Now, there’s nothing wrong with the whole Edward Sharpe thing… And I am not going to lie, when that song “Home” was [...]]]>

Cover of Ima Robot

Before Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros catapulted this whole pseudo-hippy, rag-tag crew of musicians into every “so-called” independent network outlet across the land.. In the earlier part of the millennium, the lead singer Alex (who has lately fallen into the whole indie-rock guru role with this caravan) once fronted the kick ass LA-based band Ima Robot.

Now, there’s nothing wrong with the whole Edward Sharpe thing… And I am not going to lie, when that song “Home” was on every hipster girl’s playlist whatever years ago, I’d play it on the jukebox… when the whole college scene picked up on it around here, on 2nd St. in Long Beach, of course I’d “Super Search” it. It’s tolerable, but I guess I am just partial… In my top ten favorite albums of all time (which, come to think of it, I really haven’t exactly picked), Ima Robot’s self-titled Ima Robot, released by Virgin Records in 2003, is up there with Neil Young’s Trans.

During the time of its release, music (in my opinion) was in a bit of a rut. I was just a year or two out of High School, so my musical taste was very much best described as naive; yet, at the same time I still currently don’t feel like an authority or “go-to music guy.” To get back on topic: The years prior to Ima Robot, I was under the assumption that pretty much all contemporary music sucked. I’d get lost in Jim, or Eric (not Clapton). Chuck, Janis, Buddy, Iggy, David, Neil, Van, or whatever… In High School, I remember walking past the football gym locker and hearing Pennywise albums being “jocked-in,” or a pre-vampire/Hot Topic Davy Havok squealing AFI’s “Very Proud of Ya” as a way for the team to get pumped up. (Yes, by a 90-pound vegan who wears more makeup than their freshman girlfriends.) KROQ was still mixed up with the whole rap-rock conglomerate, maybe throwing in something lighter like Dave Mathews Band (which I felt was better suited for a Gap commercial)… Then, there was that whole Nofx/Blink 182 scene… I felt like that shit was a bit whiny and humorous at the same time; men in their mid-twenties sounding like 15-year-olds…

I was introduced to Ima Robot by a High School chick who the lead singer of Tall Cans and Teenage Sex was dating. She happened to see the Ima Robot music video “Dynomite” on MTV 2. The good word was spread to my whole group of friends at the perfect time… Musically, I did not know where to go. I’d been dabbling in the whole Rockabilly scene, on account of driving a 1959 Ford Galaxie everyday and attending car shows which attracted that crowd. My musical taste buds were a little bit dull, especially after my friends and I had just attended a KLOS music festival with headliners Cheaptrick and Midnight Oil. (Before that concert, we got rolled by the fuzz and were forced to pour out 42 beers onto asphalt. My friend got a pot ticket and never smoked again.)

Every note of Ima Robot’s Ima Robot is amazing. The song that captured our imaginations (although my choice of favorite song would change with an evolving maturity) was “Dirty Life,” track number 6. In our 20 year old minds – adding “fashion,” instead of “Rock ‘n Roll” after the ”Sex” and “Drug,” one-word breaks to introduce other lyrical themes was out of control (especially with Alex singing in a very Bowie-esqe tone). One of my friends, the late Ryan “Raw-Dawg” Thomas (the cat who inspired me to write), played the song “Dirty Life” for an entire day, all day, in college up in Humboldt while preparing for a killer party to be held at his residency with two of my other buddies. Someone fell asleep in the jacuzzi that night…

Again, I am not an authority on music, as I feel it’s best for the audience to listen to the album and form their own opinions… and I believe to break down and deconstruct every song is just a very boring idea… that, or I am just too lazy. But anyway, there is a hidden song at the end of track 10, “Here comes the bombs,” that could have been Ima Robot’s career-launching single; yet, for some reason it’s not even listed on the cover sleeve. “Black Jettas,” quirky enough to jeopardize the group into one-hit-wonder status, is tastefully barred, but still a great song with clever, early-2000s cultural observation of “Ex-girlfriends in… Black Jettas.”

The first time my friends and I heard of an Ima Robot show happened to be a free concert at UCLA… I ended up not going. I think I had to do something with my then-lady’s family that weekend, but my friend Ryan went in a full on OP short-shorts to cut-sleeve ensemble, accessorized with checkered slip-ons, aviators, and one of the cut-off sleeves for a head-band (again, this was 2003 when most cats dressed up gang related for a drive-by). He, as reported by my other buddies at the event, had the best time ever… dancing, going nuts, making out with chicks, and just totally living out the characteristics that made him – “The Raw-Dawg,” a legend. This would be his last concert.

Throughout the early millennium, I would go on seeing them play at Safari Sam’s, the Whiskey, House of Blues, and a few other places. Although, I really wouldn’t count the Whiskey, as I met an ex-girlfriend prior to the show and rekindled our romance from months before and decided to pre-game in her “black jetta” in a parking structure down the road. When we finally got to the show, I could hear “Alive” (track 3), but I was busy rushing her to the el baño. I started to worry, as she stayed in there during the entire songs ”A is for Action” (track 5) and “Philosophee” (track 8). Show was over for me. When she finally stumbled through the bathroom door, it was time to take you-know-who to bed and put her to sleep. My friend Morgan was at the show… He came to the conclusion that Alex dances and speaks between songs like a robot because he is the robot. The band ended the night with the encore of Eddie Murphy’s “Party all the time.”

The last Robot show I went to was at the House of Blues in Anaheim. My lawyer Denuedho attended with a girl rocking a very shitty, self-cut hairstyle that looked like the outcome of a pixie screwing an elf. I also brought my little brother and my then-girlfriend’s brother, who played in a few local punk bands. This was sometime in 2006 or ’07, right after the Monument to the Masses album, which would release “Creeps me out” and “Lovers in Captivity” as singles, with heavy play on the now defunct Indie 103.1. I was never a huge fan of this sophomore expression, as the name of the record… with a softer, slower, and more minimalist sound – devoid of the rougher, faster, bass-driven rhythms of the first album. A more user-friendly record. The EP Search and Destroy is more true to the first record’s sound.

The show would go on to play all of Ima Robot’s standards, with a bit more of a younger fan base in attendance. Or perhaps, was I just getting older? I would go on to have my shirt ripped by prepubescent, slightly chubby Mexican girls from Fontana. Alex would at times forget lyrics during the set and look blankly into space. At this point, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros was just a presence on Myspace, starting out strictly as a very minimalist step band eventually to transcend… My little brother is a huge follower and has been to more shows than I have with Robot.

XOXOXOX Edfactor 2012

The program spins a seamless blend of new and old garage, psych, rock, and whatever penchants the DJ happens to be entertaining from week to week. Could be a bit of funk, a lot of soul, a dash of Latin garage, or a kiss of French psych. Always, the selection keeps listeners in tune with today’s beat, while reminding and unearthing what led up to [...]]]> Dirty Hippie Radio is guest DJ-ing tomorrow, Thursday, Feb. 2 from noon-3 on KXLU’s Levitation Radio.

The program spins a seamless blend of new and old garage, psych, rock, and whatever penchants the DJ happens to be entertaining from week to week. Could be a bit of funk, a lot of soul, a dash of Latin garage, or a kiss of French psych. Always, the selection keeps listeners in tune with today’s beat, while reminding and unearthing what led up to it.

We’ll be representing some of DHR’s newest music and bands, and might even throw in an educational number or two from yester-yonder (maybe some Os Brazoes, Q-65, Fever Tree…). We’ll definitely be pulling from newer material from the likes of VUM, Blue Jungle, Natural Child, Manhattan Murder Mystery, The Blank Tapes, Seasons, Collin Ludlow-Mattson and The Folks, Matthew O’Neill, Brook and River, Elison Jackson, The Damselles & The TC4, So Wrong, 5-Track & Glass Goblins, Mirror Mirror… Too much to choose from.

If you’re stuck at the office, out of range, or just have a shitty car antenna, you can tune in online by clicking here for the live internet feed (don’t forget to press play).

Someone the squre community doesn't give a shit about... but KXLU will take us.

Listen to Johnny Mc Glinn now!

Ric Frank (tenor sax, percussion, vocals), Walt Szymanski (trumpet, percussion, vocals), Curtis Fowlkes (trombone, percussion, vocals), Ron Caswell (tuba, general craziness), Chauncey Yearwood (bass drum, cymbal), Washington Duke (snare drum).

There’s just something about that sound… That southern swamp, voodoo-alligator sound… That Night Tripper with satchel of Gris-Gris sound… That funky marching band sound, soulful enough to get zombies dancin’…

We’re fortunate [...]]]> From The Big Easy to The Big Apple… It’s “New York City’s ultimate New Orleans party band.” Jambalaya Brass Band is:

Ric Frank (tenor sax, percussion, vocals), Walt Szymanski (trumpet, percussion, vocals), Curtis Fowlkes (trombone, percussion, vocals), Ron Caswell (tuba, general craziness), Chauncey Yearwood (bass drum, cymbal), Washington Duke (snare drum).

There’s just something about that sound… That southern swamp, voodoo-alligator sound… That Night Tripper with satchel of Gris-Gris sound… That funky marching band sound, soulful enough to get zombies dancin’…

We’re fortunate enough on DHR to add a splash of that New Orleans colour and flavour to our mix with ensembles like Jambalaya Brass Band, Kirk Joseph’s Backyard Groove, and Dumpstaphunk. God bless ‘em, and please keep ‘em goin’ and comin’!

Listen to Jambalaya Brass Band now!

Thursday, January 6th, Long Beach, CA, Alex’s Bar: A popular venue amongst the hip cats and, I believe, also a set used for some certain Vampire show/movie (I’m not really into that shit). Darren, mastermind and lead singer behind The Tyde, informed me a few days prior, via social networking, the happening.  After the go-ahead from Mr. Hippie Jeff (of DHR), the green light was given to me to jump back into journalistic duty.

So, I did the most responsible thing in [...]]]> The Show

Thursday, January 6th, Long Beach, CA, Alex’s Bar: A popular venue amongst the hip cats and, I believe, also a set used for some certain Vampire show/movie (I’m not really into that shit). Darren, mastermind and lead singer behind The Tyde, informed me a few days prior, via social networking, the happening.  After the go-ahead from Mr. Hippie Jeff (of DHR), the green light was given to me to jump back into journalistic duty.

So, I did the most responsible thing in preparation for my first music write-up since a piece I did for the Easy Reader a year or so ago (about Tall Cans and Teenage Sex, a Torrance-based band in exile up in Cen-Cal)… I phoned a friend and invited her to make a day of Long Beach with a few cocktails thrown in the mix. She brought her roommate for safe measure, as we hit Los Angeles County’s best and most efficient public transportation -  the PassPort.

It was a pretty bizarre day… filled with backroom ballrooms, decrypt cryptic closed-up social lounges, and getting lost in the Queen Mary among the sheltered souls perpetually roaming the corridors, stuck in the grains of time… A daytime Long Beach bar-hop at it’s finest.

The rounds were made, but The Pike, on Fourth Street and Hermosa Avenue, was too tempting.  I just could not resist.

A Reverie

In my year as a South Bay transplant to Long Beach, carousing LA County’s second biggest city, every experience at The Pike has been memorable. A burlesque show, an early-Beatles cover band, and a Johnny Cash cover duo whom relied on antique sound equipment to give the music a forceful “lo-fi” eerie airiness, are just some of the “tops” I can recall at the drinking grounds owned by the drummer of Social D.

Number one though for sure, was accidentally running into a performance of one of my favorite modern-day surf bands, The Dynotones. I just happened to be roaming the streets with my roommate, his lady, a few cats from work and the chicks they scored from Fullerton (who were expecting a posh, yupster club – closely related to some of those uninspiring places where uninspiring people hang out on Pier Avenue in Hermosa Beach). With re-verb filling the smokey air, as we waited to be carded outside the front door, I knew something was a-brewing… and then… yeah.

(Growing up around the modern take on car culture from the 50s and 60s, I always looked forward to seeing the group play at the Paso Robles West Coast Kustom Car Show, Mooneyes events, Ventura Primer Nationals and what-not. The chaotic and energetic, yet structured sound of the the surf beat was a great break between the Rock-a-billy howl of pompadours, Psycho-billy kookiness, and Johnny Cash riff-raff wanna-bes.)

At The Pike, The Dynotones played the normal surf fare, but then threw in a few covers of the Dead Kennedy’s (minus a Jello-rant, of course), which was something I’d never seen at any of the car shows. Of course, I went ape-shit dancing the “surfer stomp” with every beat and almost fell into the band. A long story short, I wasn’t going to leave until the last note. The Fullerton chicks and the work cats split. My roommate, his lady, and I would end the night at the Reno Room getting poured into a few Phil Jackson’s.

Back to the Show

So the trio of us pit-stopped at The Pike. Although it was a casual Thursday evening, I still had to rock the jukebox (it’s pretty amazing, with a very far-out eclectic mix from the Adolescents to Neil Young). After a few rum cannonballs I was off to the show, splitting the cab with two ladies from Glendora – one transplanted from Texas, the other from Gonzales, CA. I was one hell of a tour guide that afternoon. They dropped me off in front of Alex’s and said, “Sayonara Edfactor.”

The Salsa Chips

I strolled into Alex’s a bit early and was greeted by Darren (The Tyde), who was sporting a new look – slicked back hair into a sweet ponytail. Last time I saw them perform was at the Long Beach Art Museum… I’d tried to recruit a few straggler artsy hipster chicks in the alcoholic concession stand to no avail, and retreated into the specialty drink of the night: the Mai-Tyde, a blueish drink based on a Mai-Tai… Let’s just do the math on how that ended up. I was definitely not in that state yet, but tiptoeing on the realm.

So I sat at the bar, said a few hellos here and there, and was greeted by this older cat. Turns out the dude is Steve Cleveland of Surf Craft Media Productions, famous for surf flicks like “Another State of Mind,” and “Fresh Fruit for Rotten Vegetables.” We shot the shit and threw around names of South Bay surfers, as Cleveland’s from Redondo Beach. He grew up with some of my favorites like Bobby Warchola and Mike Purpus. Two tequila shots and a couple of beers later, the band Salsa Chips jumped on stage.

My first reaction to Salsa Chips… “Who let these little girls into the bar?” With two beautiful, yet prepubescent-looking lead singers sweetly tuning in unison, my mind was screaming with “Lolita!” Their enchanted voices sang with a playful, jumping-the-rope pop sound. With a lighthearted, youthful naiveness, the music mimicked the uncertainty of first love.

Tomorrow's Tulips

Second band of the night: Tomorrow’s Tulips, Alex Knost’s newest musical endeavor. A departure from the Japanese Motors (Knost’s first band), Tulip’s are a stripped-down, low-fi experiment capturing Knost’s maturing taste in playing music. With the Motor’s, Knost’s vocals could be best described as a mixture of a Lou Reed and Iggy Pop with Lux Interior howls, and a generous helping of surf jargon. With the simplistic, yet meaningful beats, provided by his lady, the dude croons in a more straightforward voice that purposefully gets muffled in an orgasm of distortion.

The Cosmonauts

The Cosmonauts, being the most uptempo, blurred the lines between 60s garage, some surf, lo-fi, or whatever. By this time, I was pretty faded. The music basically was so loud, it just sounded like sizzling noise burning my ears, reminding me of when peroxide is dripped in to ease an infection. (By the way, I don’t mean this as a bad thing.) My perception was off and my senses were being dulled by every next drink. I looked them up. They are actually pretty sick, but with the connotations around the band of “psych,” ”stoner rock,” or “trance,” maybe I was on the wrong drug?

The Tyde

The Tyde, with brothers Darren and Brent Rademaker, veterans of the LA indie Music scene for the last ten years, showcased the tightness of the band with a melodic blend of mellowness and smoothness that was a nice way to end a pleasant evening. I, on the other hand, was pure shit show and in full heckle mode. My favorite thing to do is spew in these moments, “Play some Pennywise!” This is not the first time I’ve done this to the Tyde. I think the bassist actually went into the bass riff from “Bro-Hym,” to heckle me back. See, in these types of scenes, Pennywise is the binary to which music theme is being expressed. It just seems to me that for some reason the South Bay is back-asswards on watered down music that had it’s day back in 1995. The current inclinations of the same, repetitive music aesthetic is being reflected as “pop-punk,” or ”white-boy reggae.”

By the end of the night, I was bent on “playing the music faster,” as the California gold cool wasn’t tranquilizing this cat. I kept mouthing off between songs. All of the sudden Darren looked around to his band and started laying into “Brock Landers,” the group’s most well-known hit, leaving the audience with carpet burns.

After the show, I stumbled out of Alex’s bar. I first saw the Lolita girls smoking cigs. I went up to them trying to bum one. Totally got barred, as the duo looked away blowing smoke into the crisp Long Beach air. Maybe they were actually little Lolitas, and I was viewed as just some drunk old man? I looked for Cleveland, but his van was gone. So what did this Edfactor do? I mean, I was technically about a 45 minute walk through a so-so sketchy neighborhood with about $12 in my left pocket…

Darren and my friend Dave threw me into a cab. I luckily looked up in time to find the Jack-in-the-Box sign on 2nd St. to signal to me, I was just down the street. I got dropped off at the Box and walked in to get a mother-truckin’ cheeseburger. The Box was going off, chaotic, in this college part of town.

Edfactor 2012.

It’s a fascinating accomplishment when a band from elsewhere, outside Los Angeles county, is able to secure a following here in the South Bay. I’m not talking about acts like Toots and The Maytals, Dickey Betts, or Tab Benoit, who enjoy throngs of predetermined fans flocking to their tour buses. I’m talking about everyday bands, and underground bands. Bands like Fartbarf and Temporal Love. Emerging bands on the [...]]]>

ZuhG plays Saint Rocke in Hermosa Beach, CA tomorrow night, Jan. 25.

It’s a fascinating accomplishment when a band from elsewhere, outside Los Angeles county, is able to secure a following here in the South Bay. I’m not talking about acts like Toots and The Maytals, Dickey Betts, or Tab Benoit, who enjoy throngs of predetermined fans flocking to their tour buses. I’m talking about everyday bands, and underground bands. Bands like Fartbarf and Temporal Love. Emerging bands on the rise, still establishing their names in nether regions, short of being preceded by lavish international press and sales. ZuhG is one of those bands.

Hailing from Sacramento, ZuhG has been paying consistent visits to the South Bay over the past few years, bringing a sliver of their Sac-town popularity with them. But why are they so well-received?

“I think we fit in,” says Bryan Nichols of ZuhG. “We’ve met some good people from the South Bay and they keep helping us spread the ZuhG love. We’ve also had a lot of support from local clothing company Hippy Tree. ZuhG and the South Bay are like peanut butter and jelly.”

Katie Henley, marketing manager and assistant talent buyer at Saint Rocke, attributes their roving popularity to identifying with their fans.

ZuhG Bus

“They play a lot of house parties and colleges in addition to clubs… Bryan [Nichols] always kept the band touring and they connect with their fans by actually hanging out with them,” she says. “Any artist can smile and take a picture or sign an autograph… But when you host a van of hippies and share takeout at 4 a.m., you form a bond – you’ll rock their CD. They genuinely enjoy music, people, and fun. They’re easy to love!”

Hippies? 4 a.m. takeout? Something smells skunky… Yep, that’s right, ZuhG’s sound is set in the reggae vein; but it can’t be categorized so simply. They blend not only Reggae, but Jazz, Funk, and a detectably light dose of Progressive Rock.

“We just make music that comes naturally,” says Nichols. “We don’t try to force out certain types of songs to uphold a genre. Whatever happens happens, you never know what you’re going to get. There’s a good mixture of musical influence in ZuhG.”

Bryan Nichols of ZuhG

With Nichols on vocals, guitar, and bass, the rest of ZuhG’s current lineup is JR Halliday (guitar, bass, vocals), Jesi Naomi (vocals, piano), Bot (saxophone), and Russel Lundgren (drums).

Nichols continues on their eclectic influence and output. “Bot on saxophone loves Jazz… We all like Classic Rock and Jam-Funk bands (like The Doors and Galactic)… We enjoy some Hip Hop, Reggae, Rock n’ Roll… We might break out into a Disco jam… a little bit of everything. ZuhG means to be unlike others, and to do something different… Be ZuhG, live a ZuhG life. We made it up!”

Generally speaking, they’re a band whose range can place them in both reggae and jam band festivals alike, possibly even funk fests. They appeal to the nation’s vast neo-hippie music festival demographic, while easily connecting with the high-energy meets chill-groove vibe lovers of the South Bay as well.

As usual, ZuhG has been touring and recording like crazy. They’ll be stopping here in the South Bay while on a two month tour, after just releasing freshly this year a side project centered around their female vocalist/pianist Jesi Naomi, titled Jesi Naomi & The Trippers, and a (ZuhG) full-length titled “Free Love” last summer. On March 1, they set out on their “For The Love Of Music Tour” for another two months across the country. Buried beneath all their tracks are another 3 albums, dating back to their 2008 DIY record label debut release on Sunflower Records called “To Be Unlike Others.” They even opened their own ZuhG Life music, art, and clothing store back in Sacramento. Along the way, they’ve scooped up loads of press and awards while living the ZuhG life; and lots of friends.

While the South Bay of Los Angeles is traditionally and affectionately renowned for its punk and reggae roots, the local musical spectrum has been trending toward eclecticism. Therein, many bands are flirting with, submerging into, or weaving in folk-based elements to their sound. We’re seeing a mounting trend toward Americana, Country, and Bluegrass roots, and various brands [...]]]>

Bullys & Matadors (seen here at Becker Surfboards) play Thurs, Jan. 12 at Lighthouse Cafe in Hermosa Beach

While the South Bay of Los Angeles is traditionally and affectionately renowned for its punk and reggae roots, the local musical spectrum has been trending toward eclecticism. Therein, many bands are flirting with, submerging into, or weaving in folk-based elements to their sound. We’re seeing a mounting trend toward Americana, Country, and Bluegrass roots, and various brands of blended bits that I’m tempted to categorize as a whole new bag called Whiskey Honk.

Barley Legal, Hang Dog Expression, Green Blossom String Band, Grit Dogs, Johnny Jump Up, Tim Matson, Brook & River, Hoist The Colors, The Midnight Screening, and Goodfellas are just a few local acts currently shaking down the folkier side of the street. Bullys & Matadors, and Ok… Here’s The Plan are a couple of whiskey-breathin’, folk blended outfits new to the scene that you may also want to look into. Coincidentally, both contain a former member of the dormant, in flux local metal group Gabriels Fallen, and both are performing the My Beating heART SHOW’s (music with live painting) Album Cover Edition tonight at the Lighthouse Cafe in Hermosa Beach.

Bullys & Matadors

Bullys & Matadors are Steve Huante (dobro resonator guitar, vocals), Kira Lingman (hollow-body Casino guitar, foot-tambourine), Rachel Togut (cocktail drum kit, percussion, back up vocals). Huante is both a South Bay and local music veteran, RUHS class of 1999. While it would never be guessed, the two class of 2005 Mira Costa grads Lingman and Togut are new to being in a band.

Their sound is like riding upon a horse through a desert on your way to kill Bill just after having defeated T-1000 on Judgement Day, and you just need a damn drink; so you have one. At least, that’s what visualized itself in my mind when I saw Bullys & Matadors during Becker Surfboard’s observance of Hermosa Beach-based businesses’ First Thursdays.

Bob Rich, manager of the iconic surf shop, says, “They’re a little bit rough. I call them ‘Whiskey Rock’”.

Booze certainly crossed my mind as well. It’s a type of Blues n’ Country-saturated, Jazz-laced cocktail hour jam session, and good ol’ beer-drinkin’ music.

Huante lays it out as a blend of Rock, Country, and Blues, but acknowledges that they also dabble even in Flamenco and are willing to try anything. He says, “It’s a couple hours of good live music with a great-looking, ripping pair of girls on cocktail drums and guitar, and a Mexican-hybrid of Elvis and Johnny Cash who ate Glen Danzig.”

“Kira and I share the singing and [guitar] leads,” says Huante. “I’d say I’m more rhythm, but fill in when called for leads… but I might sing a little more and she leads way more! Nice not pulling double-duty all the time,” he adds with reference to his Gabriels Fallen days as both the lead guitarist and vocalist.

Songs are carried by twangy lead vocals from Huante, alternating with the gorgeous voice of Lingman.

Lingman. Another name you should know. An interesting component of Bullys & Matadors is the presence and prowess of Kira Lingman: one of the South Bay’s best kept, jaw-dropping musical secrets, who’s never even been in a band.

“A brief rundown of my musical history and experience?” asks Lingman. “This is it… I’ve never been in a band until now.”

A few guitar lessons in high school… too self-conscious over lacking classical training to play with others… a few open mics in college… That’s it. After a year of working together at Becker Surfboards, Huante discovered Lingman’s interest in playing guitar and singing, and invited her to jam with his band mates of the time. The joyous experience provided the poignant shift which would eventually unveil a considerable local music talent. She’s jamming, slaying, and singing in Bullys & Matadors.

“Kira has the most soul that I’ve ever experienced from a blonde-haired, blue-eyed surf lady,” says Huante.

Before Togut joined the band, it was just Huante and Lingman performing acoustically, where Lingman displayed her dynamical musical abilities.

She says, “Before Rachel was in the band, I felt like Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins… I kept beat with my feet: tambourine with one foot, a Cuban noise-shaker with the other. Then we found out Rachel plays drums, and asked her to sit in with us… We couldn’t be happier, because she brings such a happy, positive energy – and she can really wail!”

While the Bullys’ set runs through a variety of “countrified” covers, by anyone from Elvis, Johnny Cash, and Patsy Cline to Billy Idol, Misfits, and Tiger Army, they also filter in a number of originals. Appropriate songs like “Drunk On You,” “Six String Slinger,” and “Whistle Arrow” are just a few.

“We’re hoping to have an album completed by the end of the year,” says Huante. “Goal is to have a full length out by this fall, and we’re almost there as far as enough original material – just have to tighten ‘er up a bit before dropping money on recording.”

Ok… Here’s The Plan

Three RUHS grads spanning three classes, and one dude from Incline Village (Nevada side of Lake Tahoe). One on resonator guitar and harmonica, one stroking the acoustic guitar, one picking the mandolin, and one slapping the upright bass. They’re Ok… Here’s The Plan, and they say it’s “Folked Up Whiskey Music.”

(continued in part two of Whiskey Music, Feb. 16)

Bullys & Matadors and Ok… Here’s The Plan are sharing the bill tonight Jan. 12 at My Beating heART SHOW’s The Album Cover Edition, 9 P.M. at the Lighthouse Cafe in Hermosa Beach. Live painting by Sam Harang, Chris Bowman, Max Becker, and Johnny 2/3’s. Bullys also play Ocean Bar in Hermosa Beach every three weeks, and are scheduled for Feb. 8. Here’s The Plan are booked at Suzy’s in Hermosa Beach on Feb. 17, which will be preceded by a feature story of the band here in Dirty Hippie Radio.

*Originally written for print in the Easy Reader newspaper by Jeff Vincent.

I still hear people mumble about how these guys shoot themselves in the foot with a name like Fartbarf. Bottom line: they sound good, they look good, they perform good; so, those incapable of accepting their silly name may as well make an appointment with the podiatrist.

Fartbarf call their sound more eclectic than the offspring of a Tijuana hooker, and have defined themselves as post-Neanderthal Analog Synthesizer Rock n’ [...]]]>

Fartbarf performs Texas Loosey's in Torrance, CA Jan. 6

Fartbarf

I still hear people mumble about how these guys shoot themselves in the foot with a name like Fartbarf. Bottom line: they sound good, they look good, they perform good; so, those incapable of accepting their silly name may as well make an appointment with the podiatrist.

Fartbarf call their sound more eclectic than the offspring of a Tijuana hooker, and have defined themselves as post-Neanderthal Analog Synthesizer Rock n’ Roll. With Josh McLeod and Dan Burley perched behind keyboards and various devices on the sides, and Brian Brunac sitting behind drums in the middle, it’s a torrent of genre-bending sound this funky three-piece is able to throttle from their instruments. Dance, rock, punk, disco, psych… it’s difficult to say just what their crazed elixir is. At any rate, a show with these sharply-dressed apemen guarantees a powerfully energized, explosive time full of dancing, madness, hilarity, and the odd sense that these quirky boys are on to something big.

Did I mention they sing like robots?

Like the unfettered nature of children, it seems that Fartbarf will play just about anywhere. From Brixton to Saint Rocke, Suzy’s to Shore, Gasser Lounge to Mariachi bars, LA to Long Beach, International music festivals to Halloween backyard parties. And, oh yes, Texas Loosey’s Chili Parlor & Saloon this Friday, Jan 6 at 10:30 P.M..

Those lacking in the know, may find it tasty or tasteless to learn that Texas Loosey’s, located at 22252 Palos Verdes Blvd. in Torrance (bordering South Redondo), offers drink specials, lunch specials, Tex-Mex Tuesdays, fashion shows, karaoke, and live entertainment – all spiced up by female servers wearing assless chaps. Oh, and kids eat free (ages 10 and under).

Even while KROQ 106.7 FM has been working on some type of live footage video feature of Fartbarf, this scene fits this band perfectly perfect. (Official after party scheduled for Gasser Lounge, located at 1500 Aviation Blvd. in Redondo Beach.)

–Jeff Vincent

Singers and Songwriters at Suzy’s

This Friday, Jan 6, seekers of the softer side of rock, blues, or folk can look to Suzy’s Bar & Grill in Hermosa Beach (located at 1141 Aviation Blvd.) for a singer/songwriter night with Erik Anders, Kapali Long, and Tim Moyer.

Erik Anders refers to his music as a mixture of ballads and Americana. His singer/songwriter approach has been compared to the likes of John Denver, James Taylor, and Glen Campbell.

Kapali Long, now in his mere early 20s, is a Hawaiian-born and raised musician who escaped the decadence of Hollywood to relocate in Hermosa Beach. He’s a mult-instrumentalist on guitar, bass, piano, and drums, and he loves to sing. According to Fred Milani, procurer of Wednesday Open Mic Night at Fat Face Fenner’s Fishack, he is a rare raw talent.

Tim Moyer has shared stage with notable famous acts Dave Mason, Howard Jones, and America. For over 15 years he’s been working to gain a reputation as one of Southern California’s leading singer/songwriters. While his circle may call his just that, he’s successfully secured himself the following additional titles: JPF’s Best Folk Album 2001, OCMA’s Best Male Performer 2002, TVIFF’s Music Festival Winner 2004, IEMA’s Best Male Artist 2005 and 2006, and IEMA’s Best Solo Pop 2007.

– Jeff Vincent

*Originally written for print in the Easy Reader newspaper by Jeff Vincent of DHR.

To be honest, when we were approached by Zlicious Productions about 5-Track, we were a little skeptical. I mean, we get a lot of music coming our way, a shit ton of inquiries, submissions, uploads; and well, some of it’s just crap. That’s the way it is. Not everyone makes good music.

The thing was, unfairly, we presumptuously and preemptively feared that 5-Track would be a wash, due [...]]]>

"3 Moments Til Dawn" Split Single by 5-Track & Glass Goblins/Marc Cantlin II

To be honest, when we were approached by Zlicious Productions about 5-Track, we were a little skeptical. I mean, we get a lot of music coming our way, a shit ton of inquiries, submissions, uploads; and well, some of it’s just crap. That’s the way it is. Not everyone makes good music.

The thing was, unfairly, we presumptuously and preemptively feared that 5-Track would be a wash, due to his name. Now we know full well about not judging books by their covers, but to be straightforward, the name sounded to us like a cheesy rap star moniker or something (and we don’t really play that kind of sound). Shows what we know. We did our duty and checked out this “5″ man anyway, and take our word for it: don’t be a jackass like we almost tried to be. “What the fuck?” spread across our brow, and now we’re trying to figure out how to get as much 5-Track on DHR as we can.

So far as we can tell, 5′s a badass guitar player and his music is an invigorating blast of psychedelic rock. Considerably bluesy, and usually raw, with nasty progressive jams splattered about while the band sustains a lively feel. At any rate, like one of our more unique DHR favorites, the very classy Fartbarf, this so called 5-Tack proves that if you’re good you can call yourself whatever you damn well please, and anyone with a problem about it can go screw themselves and miss out on the good shit.

We’re grateful we didn’t miss out, grateful to Zlicious for finding us, and look forward to adding more 5-Track to our mix. For now, we’re debuting his appearance on DHR with a split single from Cosmic Primitive’s Binary Stars series, featuring one cut from 5-Track & Glass Goblins and one from Marc Cantlin II. One thing we were quick to learn is that 5′s a prolific artist who’s applied his name not only to his own recordings, but loads of collaborations with other artists. Enjoy!

Click here to listen to 5-Track & Glass Goblins or Marc Cantlin II.

Liner notes as follows: Marc Cantlin II and 5-Track have been playing music together since 1992. Today, they are playing music apart. Herewith, Marc covers one of 5′s songs, and 5 covers one of Marc’s songs. “3 Moments Til Dawn” is volume two in Cosmic Primitive’s Binary Stars series of split singles. Released 21 June 2011. Produced by The Owsley Brothers.

“3 Til Dawn”
5-Track … electric guitar, bass, singing
Woody Frank … electric guitar
Simon Thomsen … drums
Tommy Santee Klaws … choir

“I Don’t Want To Lose This Moment ”
Marc Cantlin II … everything