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Brick by Brick – Music and Message

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One thing I’m learning from doing interviews is that you come up with lots of good questions that you don’t want to repeat, because every question is a fragile little gem, then you get a band that makes you dust out the best of those questions and beat them into service. Meet Brick by Brick.

Brick by Brick has a long and storied career which reads like a documentary on all that’s upstate and heavy as fuck. With five CDs and three 7” records out, (and a baby on the way,) they’ve opened for metal legends and became legends in the process. We sit down with Mike Valente, guitarist, promoter and, soon, secret Santa.

Mike Valente. Photo Credit James F. Wertman, Jr.

RRX: So Mike, million questions to ask. Let’s start with a roll call. Who plays what, and what gets everybody out of bed in the morning besides the need to pay the bills?

Well, we are all proud, blue collar guys. Working class schmucks. You got Jameson, our drummer. He’s a psycho. He teaches martial arts and is a barber. Then there’s Andy that plays bass. He’s mellow on the outside. He’s very technical in his approach to writing. Very versatile and talented. He does HVAC and has a family. Then there’s Ray, the nomad. He’s been fronting the band for four years now and is a powerhouse on vocals. He does cyber security in his spare time. Lastly there’s myself. I’ve got a love for music that is unparalleled. I sacrifice money, time and sanity for it. I’m a so-so guitarist that catches shoplifters as a trade. We like to have fun, bring the fun and ensure fun for everyone.

RRX: February 22nd. Hive Mentality. Sounds like it’s going to slam. Now I know you put out the vinyl for last year’s Thin the Herd earlier this year, and the compilation Upstate Records. But you guys are lining up a little heat for the late winter icebox. Tell us about the upcoming studio album. What can we look forward to?

It’s metal. We have always been the odd man out on Hardcore bills. We’re metal band with the Hardcore attitude, never claimed to be anything else. This record has the best production to date that we have done. All thanks to Jason Bourdeau. We have guest spots on this record from Tony of Municipal Waste, Vincent of The Acacia Strain, and Jessica of Alekhines Gun and she’s on the Netflix TV show Orange is the New Black as well.

Andy Parsons. Photo credit James Wertman Jr.

RRX: As you just mentioned, you have a few some guests on the new release. And I’ve seen a lot of collaboration in your videos that are so definitive of the hardcore/metal scene here. What are the benefits, and maybe even the challenges, of working “across borders” like that?

It’s all about the attitude. There are some bands and some genres that are not Hardcore but have the Hardcore mentality. Take Johnny Cash for example; Hardcore as a motherfucker. The best part about having a hardcore attitude is that there are no prejudices. A lot of metal bands failed to embrace an open mind mentality. It seems that the more underground the bands are the more receptive they are to all genres. I never want to lose that.

RRX: Mike, everyone in the scene knows that you are one of the promoters of record here in the 518. And I sure hope that lots of starting-out bands read this article. What do new bands need to know about the old order? What do old bands jumping back in need to know about the new game?

Music is what you make it. If you’re lazy you’re gonna get lazy results. I rarely see bands going out and promoting their own shows. I am slowing down with booking shows because agents ruin friendships. It’s difficult to make money in this scene. Everyone thinks that there’s a boatload of cash to be made and there’s not. Bands need to realize that there is a process called paying your dues. What that means is you’re supposed to promote your shows and build up your fan-base, while cultivating friendships with out-of-town bands and trading shows. No one seems to get it.

I have tried numerous times to help bands and it just doesn’t happen. The only way to ensure that the Metal and Hardcore scene thrive is to keep bringing younger and newer people into this culture. Young bands just starting out, be prepared to work. Don’t expect anything to be given to you. I’m sick of the self-entitlement bullshit of social media. Paying your fucking dues like everybody else is done. Older bands that are jumping back into the scene, you have a sense of responsibility to the younger kids to help them and guide them.

Let’s relax on the agents. A lot of these agents bump up the price to where they are astronomical for a smaller market. A majority of the bands that I book, I’m friends with, and they know what the capability that the 518 has. It’s not New York City, so a thousand people are not gonna show up for Madball, However, in New York City they will. So why should I have to pay the same amount that they’re charging in New York City? So the help of the band is detrimental and can make or break a show.

James “Jameson” Muller. Photo credit James F. Wertman Jr.

RRX: You guys are having a Toy Drive benefit show at Chrome in Waterford on December 22nd. I’ve noticed you guys are always doing something to help people out. Whether it’s supporting family through a rough patch or putting in for the Smash Cancer benefit last year, you guys give back. Can you talk about the role benefits have in metal/hardcore culture?

The Madeline Hardcore scene is very family oriented. All the kids that come to shows, or in bands, or promote all have a sense of responsibility to those less fortunate. I am no better than the next person. We just have different paths in life. Someday I may need help and I would hope that’s someone would give me a hand in succeeding rather than kick me when I’m down.

The Acacia Strain and Brick by Brick have raised over ten-thousand toys for underprivileged kids in the past few years. We have raised thousands and thousands of dollars for kids … that need money for the help. We have donated literally a ton of food to shelters. These are the people that are in our scene. These are the people that need help.

I do whatever I can to have a positive reflection on music that is looked at as so negative. The lyrics may be negative, the pits may be violent, the riffs may be heavy, but do not be fooled, this is a real music. With a real message.

RRX: I like to ask people to give me they’re wildest road story. Some bands have played ball, so let’s see. Give me something, keep it beyond any statute of limitations – save us both a headache. Strange, bizarre, mind-blowingly messed up – all of that. What do you got?

There are hundreds of stories. There is not one regret that we have. We have been accused of inciting riots. We show up, we do our jobs, we party, we leave a lasting mark. One time in California, Ray decided to jump in the pit and grab a guy in a wheelchair and motor him through the pit. The wheel of the wheelchair broke off. He dumped his poor guy onto the ground like a sack of potatoes. There is so much more to that story but that is essentially the gist of what began the shit-storm following. Ask me in person it’s funny.

Toy Drive. Don’t be cheap.

RRX: What else do you have in the works? Anything on the horizon that we haven’t talked about here?

We definitely have plans. I’m going back to Europe, the west coast, the east coast, and of course keep your eyes out for new merch.

RRX: Shout outs. We’re trying to build an upstate music Wiki on here. We can manage the names, but we’re looking for the grimy geniuses who never see the light of center stage. Help us spread the word. Who’s in the shadows?

Jason Bourdeau – producer
Overit Media – studio
Alan Douches – Mastering
Mario Cangemi – Upstate Records.

Brick by Brick actually has a Wikipedia page. Look it up. Interesting. Visit our Reverbnation page, or Facebook page, and we are on Instagram.

Catch Brick by Brick at the Toy Drive on December 22nd at Chrome in Waterford featuring The Acacia Strain, Recon, Kill All Betrayers, Year of the Knife, Vatican, Chamber and Beast. $15 with a toy. $20 without.

Mark your calendars.

Be sure to also mark February 22nd off your 2019 calendar for the CD Release of Brick by Brick’s Hive Mentality at Upstate Concert Hall, with Dying Fetus, Ramallah, Iam, Snapmare, Assault on the Living and Close to Nothing. Doors at 6:30 pm – $25 at the show.

Blackcat Elliot – Nine Lives of Rock

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Sometimes you just want a good old-fashioned hard-driving garage rock band to get the liquor flowing, the tongues wagging and the boogey pumping through the floor with the high-hat hiss and the bass thumps. Blackcat Elliot is just such a band. With Gus on Guitar and Vocals, Marky Balboa on drums and Fast Eddie on the bass, Blackcat Elliot is forever at the ready to come to your table and piss in the mash potatoes. We sit down with Gus for a keg-side chat.

Gus, vocals & guitar. Photo by Aprilio

RRX: Blackcat Elliot formed in 2001, so quite literally a generation grew up with your music on the CD player, or your live shows at a park somewhere. Was this a continuous relationship, or has Blackcat Elliot gone through a few lineups?

Gus: First off, I’d like to thank you and RadioRadioX for the support of our local music scene. It’s great to see the scene constantly evolving and we’re all on the same boat. And people like yourself, keeping that boat of possibility afloat and staying above water. So, like the saying goes, cats have nine lives and just like that saying, Blackcat Elliot is no different. The only way this band is still together is by the tight bond that Marky and I have. Since high school actually.

So, the only lineup changes we’ve had are only in the bass guitar position. Jamie St. Denis, Steve Gregory and Johnny Mystery. All have helped us pave the way in becoming labeled as Albany’s Favorite Garage Rockers. We were even blessed to have Big Frank from Big Frank And The Bargain Bingers step in for a few shows back in the day. He was a “big” help to say the least! Our current bassist Fast Eddie has been in the band since 2007-2008

RRX: Let’s say I win the Powerball, and I want a Blackcat Elliot-themed “I’m rich!” party. I’m throwing cash at you guys, and you can set the whole tone. What should I expect when I show up?

Gus: If we were asked this question a few years ago, the answer would be completely different. Now, as we have matured as people, as a band and our music as well… I think we would play your party just like we perform any of our regular shows. We always try to perform with the same amount of electric energy, rawness and have an overall good time with our audience. No matter what, where or when. We want people to leave their reality at the door and come on into our world. Raise their fists in the air with happiness, and walk out with big smiles and their hearts afloat.

RRX: I noticed that, when I saw you guys play at the Hangar, that you have really cool merch. How do you feel having cool merch helps you? Is it just a cash issue, or an advertising issue, or is it something more? Is it a part of the experience?

Blackcat Elliot (L to R) . Marky Balboa, Gus, Fast Eddie. Photo by Michael Klein.

Gus: Well, thank you for the kind words Liam. I’m glad you noticed our merchandise. We definitely focus a tad more on our merchandise because of my background in graphic design and advertising. It’s my full time gig and I try to utilize that with Blackcat Elliot. Advertising is as important to me as my music. Growing up and listening to bands like KISS, Cheap Trick, The Ramones, The Beatles and several others, I learned the importance of branding your musical act and trying to find the audience that will enjoy your music. It takes years to figure out who you are and what you are. Once you find your genre, there’s nothing that you can’t do to help your music along the way with the right brand.

RRX: So, I’m hearing of weekend bar brawls and avoiding stalkers. I’m also hearing of cheap beer, cigs and tequila. I challenge you to put all of those in one story. Or just give us a few smaller tales of degeneracy. What do you say?

Gus: Oh man. Where did you find this biography bit? I remember writing that a while ago. I better revise that soon. Umm. Let’s just talk about this one thing. There’s a couple of New York State Troopers out there that have an album or two of ours after a couple of run ins. Next question

RRX: Every musician has a love/hate relationship with their equipment, and they write whole books about brands, effects, whatnot. I’d like to ask you guys if there’s a brand, an effect or a piece of equipment that you use (or avoid) that you all have strong feelings about?

Gus: When it comes to guitars, Fast Eddie and I are Fender guys. I have an Orange amp for rehearsal. I also have a Sovtek head and Marshall cabinet for bigger venues. If not, Ill use my Fender Blues Deluxe. Marky plays on Ludwig drums, Tama snare and a Tama iron cobra pedal. Sabian cymbals and 5a sticks.

RRX: Blackcat Elliot has been a fixture in the 518 music scene. I’ve had the privilege of interviewing a few bands and players now, and I can’t talk fixture bands without mentioning fixture venues. Can you dig deep and talk about a show you played that really brought together player(s) and venue?

Positively 4th Street was our second home back in the day and Art [Fredette] was our go to guy for years. God bless him! Let’s see… Savannah’s, Valentine’s, Kings Tavern, BR Finley’s, QE2, The Continental in NYC, Trash Bar in NYC, The Fuzebox, Otto’s Shrunken Head in NYC, The Low Beat, The Hollow, The Hangar and a bunch more…

RRX: This is where you call upon the other great musicians and acts in the Capital District (and beyond) to stand up and be recognized. We’re looking for the unappreciated, the “unsung heroes” playing dive bars, garages and back yard barbecues. Make ‘em shine!

Gus: Blackcat Elliot has been playing the scene since 2001. I’ve been performing for 30 plus years and for each of us to sit down and name all the bands that we love and have been involved in helping us and other bands in the scene would be absolutely difficult. Not just that, if we happen to forget anyone, it’d be a shame.

Keep Blackcat Elliot on your radar as they head into the studio in January to begin working on their next album. They’re pretty tight lipped about the title, so if you want to know, we suggest you buy them shots the next time you see them. Maybe they’ll let it slip.

Metal and hardcore music comes to Radio Radio X 2019

Art Fredette
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In 2019 we’re going to blow a few speakers, the loud hours are coming!

Big Frank and the Bargain Bingers – Americana on the Hudson

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At the General Store down the river, go about five miles south past the last Cow Crossing sign, where the trucks in the lot all have mud finishes and if they don’t sell it, you just don’t need it, and you might just find Big Frank and the Bargain Bingers kickstarting Judgment Day.

With Frank Novko on bass, Johnny Hoffman and Bob Resnick on guitar and drums respectively, and everybody pitching in on vocals, Big Frank and the Bargain Bingers have here, there, and a little bit of everywhere. We sit down with Big Frank for a chat.

Photo credit: Joanna Palladino Resnick.

RRX: I’ve heard you all described as “swamp rock” and having heard some of your stuff, I can definitely see that. Can you describe your sound to our readers? How else would you describe yourselves beside swamp rock?

BF: Our sound is the sum of our influences, varied as they are, with the common thread being what is now termed the Americana music/genre. Which is an all-encompassing term itself, being a mix of blues, rock, classic country, Motown/Stax and R&B. Beside “swamp rock” I would say our sound would be what you would hear in a roadhouse somewhere out in Oklahoma in, say, 1964 – a bit of country, some R&B, a little surf, some rock, a bit of garage rock, etc…

RRX: You guys are a three piece. There are a lot of power bands that are three piece, like Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble, the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Cream, Rush… what do you think are advantages of being a three piece band?

BF: For one it’s easier to get everyone together for rehearsals and scheduling gigs. Also it’s a purity of sound; with fewer members, it’s easier at times to give the music space, and also lets us all have our moment to stretch out.

RRX: Can you tell us how Big Frank and the Bargain Bingers came to rock the Capital Region? Is your current lineup the lineup you’ve always had, or have there been other players throughout the years?

BF: The genesis of the band came about as I was tired of being reliant on singers/front people. I was writing songs, and wanted to do something different, something that incorporated originals and covers you don’t typically hear.

The lineup, as with many groups, has changed a little over the years, with the constant members being Johnny Hoffman (guitars, vocals) and I. We’ve cultivated a good musical dialog over the years. I joke at times; it seems we have the Spinal Tap drummer curse. We’ve had a few talented people on drums – former members are Johnny Long, Matt Robbins, and Corey Hough on guitar, harmonica and vocals. We use the guys as fill-ins when Bob has another commitment.

RRX: You guys have been bringing joy to the region for a long time. Can you think of any notable shows you played? Any notorious shows? Do you have a place around here that you really like to jam out at?

Big Frank. Photo credit: Billy Francis LaRoux

BF: A more recent notable show was last year at The Hanger on the Hudson, we opened for The Fleshtones (we’ve opened for them a few times.) This gig, we played a couple of tunes from their back catalog, songs they hadn’t played in years as an unannounced tribute to them. The feedback from Keith Streng (Fleshtones guitarist ) was very positive; he enjoyed what we did.

Notorious shows – well there’s been a few. A gig in Herkimer at Brownies with a group called Boneslaw, a crazy night with a packed house the typical rock debauchery. Many gigs at Positively 4th Street with Black Cat Elliot, the Lawn Sausages, Phillips Head…

Places we like to play – pretty much anywhere that will have us, but of note, The Ale House in Troy and the Lost and Found in Albany. We did a Sunday session there this past spring/summer. Also The Olde English Pub and Indian Ladder Farms Cidery and Brewery.

RRX: Following from the previous question, you all have been in the local scene for a long time. You’ve probably seen it change considerably over the years. So, broad question: what do you think has changed around here since you started playing? And just as important, what has stayed a constant in the 518 music scene?

BF: The obvious answer, the venues to play at have changed, opening/closing. Places to play original music is limited. Gigs start earlier (which isn’t a bad thing.) New opportunities have risen at the local breweries that host live music which is nice to see.

The constant is the level of talent in the area; we have some damn fine musicians, talented songwriters, and the camaraderie of bands and musicians is good.

RRX: We’re all influenced by people, but I hate asking people to list influences. So I try to be creative. Discuss this among yourselves and compose a super group that you’re going to open up for. The players all must be from different bands. What’s the lineup?

BF: As I’m writing this alone here’s my supergroup (Frank) it does not reflect the opinion of the Bargain Bingers

OK here’s the group:
Vocals: Big Mama Thornton
Drums: Charlie Watts
Bass: (upright) Ron Carter
Keyboards: Jon Valby
Guitars: Roy Nichols, Rick Miller, Steve Ferguson
Horns: the Blood Sweat and Tears horn section from 1973

Photo credit: Julia King.

RRX: Sharing is caring. Share for us some local musicians, in your genre or not, that you’d like to show some love to. And to add to this, say one thing about them to pique our interest. Who do you love?

BF: Skip Parson of Skip Parson and the Riverboat Jazz band. Skip has been playing in the area forever, and now in his 80’s he’s still bringing it on clarinet. Dixieland and trad. Jazz, he’s the real deal. Catch him at The Fountain on New Scotland Ave, Albany. He’s been playing there since 1971.

Got to shout out to Black Cat Elliot. I played bass for them a few years ago when they needed a player. Great tunes and fun guys to hang with.

Guitarist Bernie Mulleda, from the 1980’s Albany band The Stomplistics. If he’s out playing, catch him, be it gypsy jazz, R&B, or slinky Stones rock. He crushes it.

Catch Big Frank and the Bargain Bingers at the Radio Radio X-Mas Rock and Roll Show of Shows at the River Street Pub in Troy on December 7th, with Blase Debris and Joe Mansman and the Midnight Revival Band.

Blase Debris – the Phoenix and the Christ

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Blase Debris. Photo credit: Richie Sorensen.

Punk to me is a raw force that pushes back against the tide of bullshit that seeks to suck the sand from beneath our feet. And metal, which I’ll admit is my favorite of the two genres, hate mail be damned, is like that razor’s edge that carves through all the garbage bags to show the world what it’s throwing away. Okay, these analogies suck, but imagine finding a band with the raw angst of punk and that technical, melodic savor of metal, pretty boss, right? That’s Blasé Debris.

Blasé Debris, currently composed of singer and guitarist Duane Beer, lead guitarist Patrick “Ginsu” Ginnelly, bassist Charlie Monroe, drummer Bill Ketzer and saxophonist Justin Birk, has been an established name in the Capital Region and elsewhere since 2002. Kids born to Blasé Debris’s first jam are just now getting their learner’s permits, for perspective. We sit down with Duane Beer for a few questions.

RRX: I read your bio, and it said that you set out to close the gap between classic metal and punk rock. I watched the video for Collecting Stares; it had a really full sound, something I thought was missing in some of the music I hear from either genre. Can you talk a little bit further about how you all met, and how you all were put on this musical quest?

DB: Jamie, Tony, Rob, Earl, Karl, Billy, JJ, Charlie, Patrick, Ketzer, Justin and myself make twelve. A dirty dozen different members over the years. I remember telling Tony (aka Sewers) that no matter what happens, no matter how many different members, it is Blasé DeBris from this day forward. We “all” have known each other prior to playing together.

In the beginning we were looking to do double kick punk rock with a Broadway-esque style live show. Something with sort of a Oliver-meets-Rocky Horror vibe. We were a wild live band that felt right at home within the Horror Punk genre. We signed to Altercation records fairly early on, released the “collecting stares” video you referred to, and hit the road in support of our 1st full length album, entitled Creep Cool.

We played some really cool shows and burned the candle at both ends. Driving from state to state in a van with one tire in the grave is nerve wracking. There were breakdowns and boozed filled nights that would make nearly anyone question their sanity.

RRX: Being as how you all exist in a bit of cross-genre, do you have any issues with metal purists or punk purists in your fandom, like those music trivia arguments that happen around the music? Have you hybridized your fan base, or is there a state of friendly rivalry between metal and punk?

DB: We have transitioned fairly smoothly from our horror punk beginnings into a “this is DeBris” rock band with a solid old school punk and classic metal foundation. I love what we are doing now, and I like what we had done and had attempted to do in the past. We had lofty aspirations and carried on despite countless setbacks.
Our fan base locally is mostly made up of friends and fellow musicians. When you have been around as long as we have you will see “the scene” change multiple times. I feel like most musicians do a real decent job of supporting each other.
I highly doubt we would be near the top of any punk or metal “purist’s” playlist. The majority of folks I find myself talking to at our shows enjoy listening to the Ramones as much as they do Black Sabbath. Really, that’s us, our band, our friends, and hopefully our fan base.

RRX: You all have played in monster venues and festivals, and you’ll be playing in smaller spots like the show coming up here. What do you guys see as the benefits and drawbacks of big stages vs. little stages. Is one preferable? And which type of venue, real-world or dream-world, do you all think is the perfect vehicle for your sound?

DB: Larger stages tend to have better monitors and sound systems. Smaller stages force the band to be closer to each other. It’s kind of cool to feed off of each other’s energy.
Personally, I like to be able to move around on stage. Give me a big stage and a crowd that is hearing us for the 1st time, and for me, that is exciting. That being said, I am “most” comfortable in a well air conditioned, smaller club with a cool stage and rockin lights. The old QE2 setup (downtown Albany) with its stage, cage, sound, lights, artwork and eclectic clientele was what dreams are made of. Simply put; it was the coolest hang out.

RRX: You have Justin Birk on sax in your latest line-up. You don’t expect to hear sax in anything metal or jazz. What do you all see it as bringing to the sound your putting out there? And are there other instruments you’d like to see brought in to the blend?

DB: Loving the current lineup with Justin on sax. [He is] a sax player with a solid background knowledge of classic punk and metal. Why didn’t we think of this sooner? There is a time and place for everything I suppose.

When putting our latest album together in my head I could hear horns on a handful of songs. Did I know it would work on everything? Nope, I did not hear that coming. It’s good to be surprised.
As soon as we started working everything out it was obvious to all of us that this was the direction we would be headed in. Playing together felt right and sounded fantastic. Justin’s playing really solidifies the new sound of DeBris. The five of us make up the band, but when it comes down to recording, we will always be soundscapably adventurous.
Gimme piano, gimme cello, trumpet, xylophone, fiddle and endless imagination.

 

Gauze, 2018.

RRX: On your Facebook page, in About, it says that you guys are “greaser punk meets classic metal in a rocky horror hypothesis…” I like that. It’s very visual. If you can, can you take a song, or a favorite album, and tell us what it is, and give us a visual description of the world you all put into that song or album?

DB: I will gladly elaborate on the song Up in Smoke, off of our latest album. It is a song of reincarnation and immortality. You can draw parallel lines between the life of Christ as it is most often perceived and the mythical lives of the phoenix. Musically it was important to be open and comfortable in the verses.

I wanted the vocal to feel like it was landing on a hotel collection soft standard pillow. It tightens up and gets more resounding in the chorus and closes with a fury of chaotic drum fills before landing on the pillow once again for the finale.

If given the choice between reincarnation or immortality which would you choose?

As the phoenix, you would live a solitary life. As it is written, only one phoenix can exist at one time. It is endless reincarnation. Both Christ and the phoenix (sometimes referred to as God’s pet) have the ability to heal. Christ chooses to heal others as the phoenix can heal itself.

When the phoenix reaches the end of its life, it sets the nest and itself on fire and is burned to ashes. Only to rise again and begin its life anew. It just sounds lonely to me. To be the only one of your kind. I choose immortality. To lift a line from the chorus, “immortality is worth the wait”.

RRX: I just had a chance to check out your new CD, “The Gauze.” Such a great mix of songs you got there. How about I shut up at let you all talk shit about how your CD can beat up everybody else’s CD?

DB: “Beat up everybody else’s CD”??? Nah, I just don’t approach music that way. It is certainly us against us. I visualized hearing this album “the gauze” long before beginning the recording process. It was always a, “see this through”, you must “see this through” sort of thing. Try not to settle, and then make peace with the recording.

I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I said to the engineer/producer (Arthur Scott Verner, DMS Studios) I know no one will hear the difference here except for myself. But, I can assure you that no one will listen to this recording more than myself. Art gets it and is great to work with.

Now that I am able to step outside of myself and listen to the album as a whole I love it. From start to finish it just flows well. From the artwork to the tom drum outro, it is all DeBris.
We have created a signature album that deserves to be heard. Go out of your way to give it a listen and get out there and catch a live show. Until then, Thank you for your time and attention.

PS: We will be performing at the Radio Radio X-Mas event on Friday Dec. 7th at the River Street Pub. 194 River St. Troy NY along with Joe Mansman and the Midnight Revival Band and Big Frank and the Bargain Bingers. Also, keep your eye out for a soon to be released vinyl version of Blasé DeBris’s latest album The Gauze with two bonus tracks. (via Cacophone Records)

Special RadioRadioX Bonus!

Here are the full lyrics to the song Up in Smoke, mentioned above, with permission from Duane Beer.

UP IN SMOKE

of yin and of yang
with the neck of a snake
don’t get carried away
on tombs and on graves

red hot is the heat
that fans itself with the flames
don’t get ash in your eye
there is no escape

and so I call on this flesh of mine
if I’m to burn with celestial rays
let’s go up in smoke, this ain’t no joke
immortality is worth the wait

quit the body that dies
rediscovering life
don’t let Eve get away
with her looks and her lies

creep cool on the coals
I’ll be a loner for life
don’t you ever get cold
don’t hand me a line

Celebrating a lifetime of punk rock

Art Fredette
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24 hours of Punk Rock sponsored by Collar City Tattoo Troy.  RRX   is digging into an arsenal of music (1969 to current). Your input is encouraged email us info@pzf.rsq.mybluehost.me.  We Compiled a mighty list of  requested bands   (The Queer’s, Black Flag, Rise Against, The Dicks, Sonic, Youth, The Heartberakers,  The Business, Sex Pistols, Sheer Terror,  U.S Bombs, The Melvins,  7 Seconds, The Ramones, X,  Patti Smith , Fear, Cro- Mags, The Stooges, Pansy Division, Minor Threat, Dead Kennedys, Quicksand, Talking Heads, The Clash, Violent Children,  The Clash, Husker DU, Negative Approach, Bad Religion, New Bomb Turks, Sleater Kinney, Jerry’s Kids, Agnostic Front, The Replacements, AFI, Misfits, The Offspring,  to name a few) We will do our best to include all requests.  Send us pictures of your old punk show flyers

“Is celebrating punk rock, the right punk thing to do?”  Short and simple, the answer is yes! It really depends on who you ask.   Everyone has their own opinion on what punk is and identity, we will respect that.  Book shows, make flyers, pass out mixed tapes.  We all have hung out with the dude who know’s everything about punk and only likes the demo. We still hang out with him.   D.I.Y. ethic (do it yourself), and of course the worldwide  underground family.  While thinking about this too much, we decided to do some research.   We decided quickly, Thursday January 31, Radio Radio X will play 24 hours of punk rock music.

Punk Rock was said to be invented in the 1960’s with extreme garage rock?   The experts say it was The Ramones and Sex Pistols in the 1970’s.  National Punk Day is a holiday celebrated all over the world. where people dress punk rock or like there favorite punk bands. The day being January 31, because it’s Johnny Rotten’s birthday,  Radio Radio X should and will provide the soundtrack.  24 HOURS OF PUNK  Starting at midnight January 31, 2019.  Your opinion, input, & requests are welcome please email Ralph@pzf.rsq.mybluehost.me

A Piece of Basstory Comes to Town

Art Fredette
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It looks like heavy metal story tellers is coming to town? Noodles, Hammer on’s, hotel rooms , and  theory? Well all the reviews have been gold from local metal heads, bass players, press and fans alike. Most of who, have already traveled to see this rare show.  They will be in attendance this Wednesday night as well.

Grammy award winning Megadeth bassist, author, businessman and legend, David Ellefson Lands at Chrome in Waterford this Thanksgiving eve with his Basstory tour, with special guest Bumblefoot (ex-Guns  N’ Roses, Sons Of Apollo) and opener Dead By Wednesday,  get there early to support the locals I Recant, Deveria, And Uncivil Liberty. For more info see below or Chrome Food & Spirits   Wednesday November 21, 7:00pm

(see below for details).

Joe Mansman & The Midnight Revival Band – Shotguns and Joyrides

Staff
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Joe Mansman & The Midnight Revival Band – Shotguns and Joyrides

Man, there is some crazy shit going on in the sticks around Glens Falls. Fast living, shotgun show-and-tells, boozin’ bamboozlers, bar brawls and in the middle of it all, like a backwoods church choir, is Joe Mansman and the Midnight Revival Band. With members Joe and Alex Mansman, Chris Becker, Jesse Ordansky, Shaft and Johnny Smokes, the Midnight Revival Band makes rebel rock that’s both fresh and time-honored, like a new batch of ‘shine using the family recipe in moon-kissed stills. We had a chance to sit down with Joe Mansman.

Joe Mansman & the Midnight Revival Band.

RRX: Okay, you guys are good. So how about a little unmasking before we begin? Joe, I assume you sing, but what does everybody else do?

JM: My brother Alex Mansman plays guitar, Chris Becker is keys, Jesse Ordansky does drums, and Johnny Smokes is our most recent addition, he plays the dad guitar. Bass.

RRX: I love the feel of your music. I fully plan on adding it to my car’s play list. Being from the Albany area, it’s great to hear country rebel rock that originates from upstate New York. Please, Can you comment on why upstate New York has a country, rural, outlaw voice, and why you all chose to use that voice?

JM: That’s a good question and hard to answer. I guess I can’t say for certain why Upstate NY has it, even if it’s slightly buried. We chose to go that direction a few years ago just because that’s where we were just at in our hearts at the moment. Fuck art man, we tried it and it sucked. I’m 33 years old, I don’t give a crap anymore about writing my swan song. I just want to fucking rock and roll. We’re just over the playing safe thing, Rock and Roll is about sexuality, about swagger, and it’s supposed to be dangerous. And there was a reason moms and dads in the old days grounded their kids for going to see bands. Nobody has thick skin anymore, people everywhere are offended about this and that and some groups are even creating what they call “Safe Scenes”. I’m sorry but if you pay to see a Rock and Roll band you should expect it to be a raucous environment.

RRX: What got me, in doing my research, was the videos you guys have done. In one of them, I believe it was the video for Cut Out My Tongue, there was a lot of partying that went on. Tell me you did your own stunt-drinking. But also, there was a driving scene where you guys were wearing Halloween masks and toting a shotgun in the passenger seat. Did you plan that route out so the cops wouldn’t stop you, or do they even give a shit about that out there?

JM: That was a fun video, man. So the whiskey bottle being poured into our bass player’s mouth was ice tea. However, all those beers were real. We filmed that video next door to our practice space, which had the floor completely covered in empties at that point because we’re pigs, I guess, and we literally took a broom and swept them all next door for the scene. The part with the masks and guns, we just drove through town like that and hoped for the best. There were onlookers walking their dogs and grabbing their morning papers and shit just flabbergasted seeing us roll through. I wonder what they told their families about what they saw that morning.

RRX: Now, being that you guys are based out of Glens Falls (is that right?.) if you could take a moment to “map out” the Glens Falls scene, that would be great. Are there great acts or venues people should make the trip up (or down, or over) for? And being a band with such an outlaw vibe, do you find more exposure comes from rural gigs, or city gigs?

Joe Mansman.

JM: Yeah, we’re from Glens Falls. The scene is tight out here right now, and bands are making moves, dude. Some of my favorites are Between Now and Forever and Paradox Saints among others. But all the band members from everywhere all know each other and we all go to each other’s shows. Some great things we do out here are GEM Fest every July and Gugs season in the winter time. You’ll see all the Glens Falls bands kinda pull together in the summer to make the festival huge. In the winter time, we all hole up from touring and play all the Gugs nights together, because it’s like the great gathering place of music dudes in their twenties and thirties.
Our band has always had a better response in the rural areas, playing those off the cuff dives, barns, and whatnot. We don’t do terribly in the cities; we actually had a great show in NYC. But all of our appearances in Providence, Philly, Boston, and Burlington have been pretty low key compared to our other shows, as expected for a band at our level. But we had a ton of fun at each one of them and met some cool fans, bands, and promoters who we still work with on a regular basis, and we’d play those places again.

RRX: Of course, I ask everybody about influences, and it’s no different with you guys. But I like to twist it. Name two ‘influence’ bands that you all generally agree on. One you get to jam with, one you get to party with. Which band is which, and why?

JM: We have our regular influences, but we pick up new ones on each record, which is why they all sound different. As far as our standard ones we all agree on, we all love AC/DC, Danzig, Bon Jovi, and Aerosmith to name a few. On our last record “Bastard” we were all on a southern rock and hardcore kick where we listened to a lot of Maylene and The Sons of Disaster and Crobot. You can hear that in the whole record with the heavy blues rock riffs and breakdowns. On our new record it’s been a lot of Motley Crue, Warrant, and Skid Row (Sebastian Bach era.) You can hear that influence on with the bigger choruses and soaring guitar solos. If we could pick a band to party with it would probably be Steel Panther, for obvious reasons. Not sure who we’d Jam with though. Maybe Slipknot, cause we could just get fucking loaded and put on masks and bang on some shit, like trash cans or something.

RRX: Okay, time for a war story. It can be from a show, a practice, or a hang out, but at least most of the band had to be there. Pitched battles only please, no border skirmishes. The weirder the better, and names can (should) be changed.

JM: One time this dude was talking to me behind a fence for a show he couldn’t get into, and demanded I grab his friend for him to get him in. I told him to fuck off and he started talking some shit, to which Al promptly responded by flicking his lit cigarette at the guy’s forehead, sparks and all. That ended the shit-talking real quick.

RRX: We’re all a family here, so bring out your kin. Other bands, places, events that you think really bring out the best of the upstate music scene. Want to give shout-outs to friends? Here’s the spot.

JM: Ralph Renna of course is one of the best dudes we know and has always had a heart for the little guys. Brian Michael, a local promoter and singer for Iüdica has always been a fantastic dude when it comes to giving the bands he books 100% of his time and resources. And of course our fans. We’ve got a few diehards that come out to every show and we’re forever grateful for their time and resources too.

 

See Joe Mansman & the Midnight Revival Band  Live this weekend at #GemFest2019

RadioRadioX Stream

Tom Atkins
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RadioRadioX Stream

The Clay People – Demon Heroes Don’t Wear Capes

Staff
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The highways and back-alleys of the Capital Region’s punk-industrial landscape would arguably be best put to the music of The Clay People. This Albany based band is as much a movement as a collection of musicians. Through the current line-up of Daniel Neet on lead vocals, Brian McGarvey on guitar and Dan Dinsmore on drums, and Vegas Nacy and Eric Brayner on back-ups, beats, and bass respectively, the Clay People have been able to cultivate a sound that has evolved over decades to be just as razor’s edge as it was before many of us had to shave. We sit down with Dan Dinsmore and Brian McGarvey with our usual brand of oddball questions. Let’s hope they’re good sports.

RRX: I remember seeing you guys at the QE2 back in the 90’s, maybe ’94, ’95. You were opening for Fear Factory, I think. There was a ton of energy back then, I mean, we were hanging off the walls. Part of it is that QE2 is such an intimate (read: small) place. In all of your touring, both back then and even recently, can any of you talk about places, here or elsewhere, where you felt the energy really matched what you guys do?

Dan: All of the shows have had that vibe since we started touring The Demon Hero record. We really were not sure of what the reactions would be but it has been unreal. It is the same feeling you describe and in bigger places. We just got back from playing the Gramercy Theater and The Starland Ballroom and it was people having a great time and letting go. I think that The Clay People really evoke a community togetherness vibe like there is no difference from being in the crowd or being on stage we are all there together letting go and celebrating the ridiculousness of everyday life.

Brian: We’ve been fortunate to play many iconic venues that no longer exist like CBGBs, Limelight, and Coney Island High, also The Whisky in LA, Metro in Chicago, but really any venue where we can feel the energy of the crowd with us. It makes the show fun. Otherwise it can feel like work. The Chrome show we played in August was a highlight. It was such a triumphant event for us. New material with a new lineup after so long. It felt like everyone in the room was a part of it.

RRX: Being that The Clay People is as much an institution as it is a band, are there any rituals, rites of passage, etc. – even if they’re normal everyday things that would tell a new member, “Well, you’re in The Clay People now!”?

Dan: I think it is just the insanity of the constant joking and laughing. There always seems to be some sort of drama flying around we are just trying to pinpoint where that insane dark comedy comes from but I think we all have an idea. There definitely is a unique vibe to the band. We are all very different people with our lives and very different musically.

Brian: I don’t think we do anything consciously. I think we all just sense when the chemistry works. And we’ve all been friends for over 20-25 years, so we know each other. Jared Weed is half our age and probably twice as wise. He is an asset to any band and he just seamlessly meshes with the rest of us. We couldn’t be happier with the vibe in the band right now. It’s alot of fun. It feels so natural for all of us to be playing together.

The Clay People. Photo Credit: Jim Wertman

RRX: There have been long breaks, and for whatever reason the group has gone dark before. Was it totally dark? Were there moments that didn’t rise to the level of a resurgence like you’re having now, but could’ve been? May a tasty jam session, or listening to a shitty band (no names) that you all knew you could’ve taken what they were doing and blown it up? Can you talk about any moments or scenes like that?

Dan: Sure, There were definitely times we had gotten together and even did some one off shows. I was always in touch with Dan, Brian and Mike. Brian and I would jam when we could and I was very busy with Overit and the band OWL for about 9 years. We always had it in mind and knew we would probably get to writing at some point but it just kept getting pushed. Brian and I started recording Demon Hero like 3-4 years ago and we always had a vision but the timing just was not right for me and I knew when the time arose we had to be 150% to do it right. So here we are.

Brian: I never wanted to take the breaks, but when we did, I took the opportunity to play solo and with other bands and other styles and discovered musical dimensions that I was not aware of, including writing the Outlaw Mystic record that featured Dan Dinsmore on drums. In the long run, it made me a better more well-rounded musician when I came back to TCP. And nothing else really felt as comfortable and natural to me.

RRX: You’ve had your songs in movies, such as Strangeland and Universal Soldier. And your music, and I’m talking Demon Hero, which we’ll get to later – would just fucking slay in so many movies. So this is a weird question: If Demon Hero was being used as the soundtrack to a new movie coming out, what’s that movie about? Bonus points if you can give me the director.

Dan: Well I’m a bonus points kinda guy so I would say David Fincher or Tim Burton if he did something darker. I also am still holding a flag for M Night. Im sure the other guys have strong opinions on that but those are some I think we would be awesome in. The movie could be about underdogs overcoming hardship and misery or could be about the utopian lie we are all living with right now. Ah hell maybe a creature living under your stairs.

Brian: I’d love to have a tune in a Christopher Nolan Batman film or one featuring a misunderstood villain/anti-hero figure. Or anything that features fast cars and monsters. I think our music fits the darker action stuff.

Photo credit: Tomoko Sawamura.

RRX: With a band that has history, been around in some form or another for as long as The Clay People, you have a good timeline on the changes that have occurred between getting the music and the word out before social media, and how it is now. The way we’ve democratized production and crowd-sourced funding and developed DIY platforms… What does all this give, and what does it take away? And examples would be great.

Brian: Thanks to the internet, we now have people from all over the globe following us. Countries and areas we’ve never been too. That’s really cool.

Dan: This could turn into a long documentary answer. I can remember when as a kid I would know every members name, could recite orders of songs on albums and really dug into a band i loved. Those days are now gone with the amount of data being thrown at us on a 24/7 basis. It’s kind of sad to not really grab onto an artist and really give it the time to tap into your soul. This was a big factor in what we set out to do with Demon Hero. We wanted to create a record and not try to write some shit box single. We wanted to write material that people could grasp but also something real and personal.

I think this record is anti-industry and that is okay by me. As far as social and DIY, Overit and Magnetic Eye Records have been developing a new digital marketing system we have built out that is proving to be very successful in reaching new audiences that will like what we are doing. We are going to continue building this out and I think it has a shot to really help a lot of emerging artists get in front of the right people. You have to be in front of the right audience and let people hear your music or see your videos and content. That has not been easy it’s a ton or work and it’s about time the industry needs a shot in the arm.

RRX: You have a new album out, Demon Hero and Other Extraordinary Phantasmagoric Anomalies & Fables. For someone who grew up on Clay People, it is a little bit of a change. Not in any bad way; it seems that it’s evolved. The sound is tight as ever. Would you like to talk about the direction that you went with Demon Hero, and where you see yourself musically going forward?

Brian: We had no preconceived ideas regarding direction. We never discussed anything or were even in the same room together during the whole process. We just knew we wanted to bring our A game. For more than half the record, I played to my demo tracks with just an engineer in the room. Then I conducted Dan [Dinsmore] through the glass when he tracked drums. For the other songs, I received drum and vocal mixes and wrote guitar to them at home. There really was no band until we had to get a live show together or shoot a video. This may seem unusual, but it allowed us an incredible amount of freedom to develop ideas and express ourselves in the most authentic ways. We’re never trying to be anything other than what we are. So that’s what constitutes our sound.

As far as the future goes, I have unlimited amounts of more of the same and am always recording new demo ideas, but I also am open to adding to our repertoire and evolving.

Photo Credit: Eric Durkin.

Dan: I would love to hear how you feel it has evolved / changed. It is interesting you say that because it definitely has. We want to always keep the energy and angst that we have always had but we have grown as people and wanted to expand musically and also be more real or as real and open as possible lyrically. Dan [Neet] has gone through a lot of experiences as we all have but I really think he relates to a lot of people and is being very honest. We also wanted to tap into statements of what we have experienced and taking a stance / drawing a line in the sand as to what we believe in.

I think we will just keep writing and have a lot more to do. We already have enough tracks laid down for the next record but we also have a bunch more ideas. I think Brian has ideas daily. It is so inspirational when you have folks just churning ideas and creativity. We really forgot how creative this unit is and I think we all have so much more appreciation for the band and each other. Moving forward I am sure we will dig deeper and push ourselves. We also have some new blood in the band that really brings many new ideas and influences.

RRX: I like to ask every band or musician about influences, and as important, people who are contemporaries that you wish more people had heard about. Seeing as word of mouth is still the number on way for bands to get exposure. So let’s combine influences and shout outs into one; give us a mix-tape of bands past and present, local and national, that you would throw onto a cassette tape and chuck into a time machine that was heading back to each of you when you started out. Who would be on that mix-tape?

Dan: Again your going to get different answers from each person in the band. BIG differences.
If i could send a mix tape back it would go something like this.

Tool
The Jackson 5
Jane’s Addiction
Sunny Day Real Estate
Pantera
21 Pilots
One King Down
Rage against the machine
Soundgarden
Section 8 & Ill remembered
Clutch
System of A Down
Justin Timberlake
Fat MooKeN
Super 400
NIN

Demon Hero and Other Extraordinary Phantasmagoric Anomalies and Fables

Brian: Early Metallica and Iron Maiden were untouchable in my formative years. Pantera, Sepultura, Prong, Fear Factory, all brought metal to a new level for me. Then there’s the laid back heavy of Soundgarden, Alice In Chains, Kyuss, Clutch, Monster Magnet. Ministry, Neurosis, Massive Attack, and Dead Can Dance altered my musical perspective as well.
Locally speaking, an aha moment for me was when Cranial Abuse, who later became Stigmata, played my high school and I saw guys my age on stage playing original heavy music.
I’ve seen Super 400 at least 50 times and they always bring the rock as well as anyone ever. And I don’t think I’ve ever heard anything like what 1000 Young was doing. Very cool band.

Be sure to check out The Clay People’s newest, Demon Hero and Other Extraordinary Phantasmagoric Anomalies and Fables. I have it; it is great. And if you are feeling a winter road trip down south, check them out on The Art of Dissent Tour with Otep and One Day Waiting in December, kicking off in Atlanta, GA and finishing off in Memphis, TN.

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