The New Susan Surftone Rides the Nightclub Surf with "Too Far"

Susan Surftone is no stranger to our proceedings here. Her new album “Too Far” redefines surf guitar for a new generation with a sexual bombast of guitar slinging and Watusi beats that makes one hunger for a dangerous and lustful summer. With go- go dancer extraordinaire, Seana Steele and the precise smash-bop of drummer Steve Kravac, this release gets your inhibitions feeling loose while filling the libido with plenty of edgy surf-pop damaged soundscapes. The synergy of sunshine and dark night clubs lights up the murky alleyway in the world of Susan’s song structures that rock and shake with a fun and sinister swagger. I am desperately seeking more bands like this in 2013.

“Start Again” has a psycho-syncopated beat with a bouncy chord pulse to numb your problems away in. The infectious riffing and aloof sense of direction get this reviewer’s motor fired up. “Rock Candy” and “Navy Grog” give a darker, unassumingly menacing bite to them and provide a great way to introduce yourself to the Surftone experience (if you want to jump in the deep end without feeling how cold the water is first). Fuck caution, it’s almost summer, and this psychedelic trip of modern surf dance will hold you hostage, whether you like it or not.

The band interlocks with some very tasteful odes to new wave and power pop, not to mention some overdriven British Invasion stylings for good measure. Instrumental records are meaningless nowadays for the most part BUT this one has had my pulse on overdrive from over a week of non-stop airplay on my headphones. The punk influenced title track, “Too Far”, is my personal favorite as it just snakes around the eardrums with its addictive detonations of troubled melody.

The new record is coming in July of 2013, so I want you to be “in the know”, as I’m sure Susan and Seana are coming to a city near YOU to finish what they started. On Susan’s site you can hear her new track “Navy Grog” and check the latest happenings. I fully endorse this surf-rock damage courtesy of Portland, Oregon. If they lived in Long Beach, I would be hanging out in their garage every night listening to rehearsals. Who knows? They would be a welcome addition to our wild city’s personalities and independent talent.

SUSAN SURFTONE SITE

FEAR & LOATHING LONG BEACH

interview HERE with Susan & Seana

-K.M

Michael Lohrman Interview: Stitches Punk Music, Uncut.

First off, The Stitches were the band that set off the 90’s into the 2000’s punk revival on the underground circuit, prompting bands to release 7”s that lived in the middle of nowhere, myself included, and created an excitement that had not been felt in a long time. What motivated you to start the band and why do you think the effect was like a musical drug induced explosion across the underworlds of the U.S and Europe?

First of all, I didn’t start the band, I joined it. I answered an ad that they put up in the record store (Underdog Records). We voted “The Stitches” in as the name off a long list of ‘potentials’ and played our first show about a month later.
-The Exploding Fuck Dolls had played their first couple of shows (with Duane singing) and the opportunity seemed right. They were really good, but the ‘scene’ at the time sucked pretty bad- I hated most of the bands that were playing regularly at the time, the clubs they played in and the people who went to them. I would get thrown out of every gig I went to- meathead jock bouncers and pony-tailed promoters didn’t seem to dig what was goin’ down…just their disposition alone was enough to prove their retardation to me, but to throw someone out who was spending good money on their overpriced drinks solidified my beliefs…so, I figured if I was in the band that was playing that night, not only could they NOT throw me out, but they’d have to give me all the drinks I wanted and pay me some $ on top of it. Basically, they were gonna fuel the fire that was gonna burn down their club…

As the premiere band from this genre, with major press publication coverage that seemed non-stop, what made you decide to avoid signing with a major label and streamline the sound for mass appeal like so many did at the time?

-The only reason I started Vinyldog Records was because nobody else wanted to put out our records. There were certainly no major label offers coming our way..I’m pretty sure our sound was as streamlined as we could possibly get it ha ha - we set out to write mid-tempo powerpop songs and what made it to record was as close as we could come…

Do you think the bands that kind of commercialized “crash and burn” punk with melody killed the momentum this scene had? Did this lead to oversaturation where bands were more concerned with putting on safe and sober stage shows with merchandise being the main focus? It felt like every band from the revival period had turned into a hoodie sweatshirt.

-Damn, I dunno…I’ve heard some stories about bands starting because of the opportunity for $ to be made in merchandising…I don’t think people tone down who they are to put on a safe and sober stage show, I think it’s just who they are- safe and sober people. We have Stitches hoodies available on our website www.thestitchespunk.com

Are the Stitches still together and will there ever be another album of original material?

- We’re still together and we play about once a month locally and try to get at least one out of state regional tour in a year…dunno if we’ll ever write another album’s worth of material- we haven’t even practiced in 9 years. The only time we get together as a band anymore is to play a gig.

What was the motivation behind The Stitches Do the Jet Set? I heard the band was met with major opposition in this endeavor. Personally, I love the art/electronica damage of the record. What would you say to fans that were wondering, “Why can’t they just do 5 or 6 new tunes and throw in a couple of covers”? Is the writing process time consuming for the Stitches or is it not an issue??

-Skibs came across an electronic drum kit and we motivated to use it. He picked it up during the decline of our band practice nights- I could rarely make it to practice and they had a handful of songs in the works that never got set to lyrics. I think they got bored of playing the same shit and started fuckin’ around with the electronic drums..We purposely played ‘The Jetset’ at a show in Huntington Beach where we knew the reaction was gonna be bad- the crowd threw chairs and bottles, some of ‘em threatened to beat us up ‘if we ever played that shit again’…it was perfect.
-We recorded it just to record it. We put it out because we recorded it. I wonder if those fans ‘that were wondering’ like Flipper…

What bothers you the most about current “punk” bands and what bands outside the genre do you enjoy. Do you find it limiting when people decide to “live in a genre” forever? Some people and artists have a nasty habit of being frozen in time, why do you think this happens. Is the time of everyone’s lives their twenties and then you just give up and settle down?

-I’m pretty much out of the loop when it comes to current punk bands- I don’t get out much. I like the Regulations records. We played with a band in Austin called the Flesh Lights that I liked..uhhh, yeah. Honestly, everything bothers me about everybody. I have to make a conscious effort every day to try an’ not let other peoples’ existence bug the fuck outta me..
-I listen to all kinds of music- I’ve got a few records..music is good to people and it’s very subjective- it’s not for me to judge what music and/or ‘type of music’ does for other people. Personally, I get bored with just one genre. Besides, there’s so much more out there to listen to..
-Ah yes, the ol’ “frozen in time” phenomenon..I went to my 25 year high school reunion a few years back and had the oddest experience. First, let me say, I was pretty pissed I spent money to attend this shit can event- I forgot that I absolutely hated high school and everything about it- especially the people. Second, a little history- I was 4’11 and 98 lb.s when I graduated. I rarely went to school. When I did, I was high as fuck and usually just went to sell stolen Polo shirts and LSD. I had 2 friends- stoners that I’d blow grass with at lunch- and a handful of sympathizers– that I could relate with. 1 friend died on graduation day and the other- well, I wish he had too..So, I go to this lame ass reunion and the “frozen in time” phenomenon is the life of the party- “I was the best…”, “remember when I….” & “…back in the good ol’ days” were king. I think it’s fear that runs it, if you get down to the center of the issue. People, by nature, are scared of change. Most people get their identities from what other people assign to them- not too many folks get to make one of their own. In their youth, people have a bigger social life and therefore get validation on their given identities more often. As they grow older, have kids and start to settle down, they don’t get their egos caressed as often and their identity gets a little lost. There’s certain times, sounds, people, images, etc…that can spark a memory of who they think they used to be and they cherish it as “the best times of their life.” It really is a ‘nasty habit’, as you say- it’s a tough habit to break as well. David Bowie’s ability to reinvent himself….something to be admired.

Do you find copious amounts of drugs and alcohol to be the portal to getting to the essence of truly explosive band that emotionally connects with their audience while rattling their nerves at the same time??

-Pretty good contradiction there- ‘drugs and alcohol’ & ‘emotionally connects’.. I don’t think it’s necessary, but for a good ‘punk’ show, confrontation, recklessness, destruction, a complete lack of respect and the imminent threat of violence, seem to be what works best…in my book, at least. Drugs and alcohol can help people drop their inhibitions enough to access that, if they have trouble getting there on their own.

In what ways have you changed since the band started and what are your aspirations as an artist and performer? Will Mike ever go solo or join another band?

-Next February, I’ll be 20 years older, I have a wife, 2 kids, 2 dogs, a 9-5 office job, a mortgage and a station wagon. The suits I wear on a daily basis have less holes and bloodstains on them. I’m not as angry, as often. I rarely go out to see other bands play unless The Stitches are playing with them. I buy a lot less records. I haven’t been thrown out of a club, gone to jail, dyed my hair, been beaten up, drank booze or done drugs in over 10 years…I’m as fuckin’ square as you can possibly imagine- you can cut glass with the corners of my life.
-ha ha- ‘Solo’- that’s funny. I don’t have the time to join another band- even if I did, I don’t know if I would. Besides, at this stage of the game, I see no reason why The Stitches would break up- we have a lot of fun together, it certainly doesn’t take much time or effort -we never practice and don’t give a fuck if it doesn’t sound perfect when we play live- and people still come out to our shows. When we go outta town, it’s like four old friends getting together for a fishing trip- we pile in the van and laugh the entire time. I love those guys…

There’s a tendency for bands to “sloganeer” and tell people what they already know, which to me is really annoying and exhausting, how do you feel about bands with a “message”?

-Isn’t there a ‘message’ of some sort in all music? I guess it would depend on the ‘message’ they were throwing out? Maybe I don’t fully understand your question? “I play in a band called The Stitches and we hate bands with a message!”

Who are your top 3 bands and women of all time that represent your taste as an individual?

-Here are my top 3 bands WITH women of all time that represent my taste as an individual:
1) Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
2) The Shangri-Las
3) The B-52’s
…and if you’re gonna throw out The B-52’s on a technicality, then please replace them with Elastica. Thank you.

As always we’re in the middle and beginning of issues and like to keep things fresh on our blog, make sure to say hi

BOOKMARK us at F&L LB, and thank you Mike Lohrman….

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Churchwood 2 : Anarchy in the Great US Depression

The subject of this week’s review comes courtesy of Texas, I can’t think of a better place to make dirty music permeate from booze soaked barroom floors. I was thinking to myself the other day, man this whole music thing is getting a bit stripped and raw, like fast, to a welcoming audience (for once), kind of like depression era music. Well, no shit man, we are in a depression and Churchwood’s latest offering of “2” lets the sounds of confusion and blues country swamp fry your brain like it’s going out of style.

The band itself, like so many have tried to do, managed to land a spot on the infamous “Sons of Anarchy” series at a time when getting “song placement” to shred a bare existence seems relegated to Modest Mouse sound alikes doing it with enough extra protection to avoid unwanted pregnancies in the Vampire Diaries crowd. I’ve been examining and soaking in the latest release this past week which has been filled with many Long Beach hiccups of indecision and turmoil. THIS is where the party is at if you’ve got the ears and reckless soul for some backroom hustle with a loose bumping n grind.

The track “Duende” kicks off this outing with an MC5 inspired rhythmic cacophony, Highway 61 grittiness, and the vocal urgency of Hank Williams drowning to death in his own vomit. “Keels Be Damned” follows this one up with Texan Goth Country Vibe. It’s always an awesome listening experience to hear cool musical experimentation that doesn’t pride itself on pretension but uses emotion and moodiness to dictate its slightly unfocused shape of aural pleasure.

“I have a devil in me” pretty much sums up the swamp you’re taking a midnight swim through in “Churchwood 2”. When listening to the entire epic of this full length, MC5’s “Skunk” keeps pulling at me as a starting point listening wise for the uninitiated. The proceedings end with the haunting and gritty pseudo balladry of “New Moon”. The intro riff and chording are quite great, flowing with the breeze of contact high smoke and the mental imprint of condensation rings left on the wooden bar from long days of hard drinking and contemplating the meaning of the outside world’s annoyances and nuances. –K.M


CHURCHWOOD

FEAR AND LOATHING IN LONG BEACH SITE



The Summer Volume is starting to get itself underway and outrageous ideas are welcome, as we’ll be staying in Long Beach for the long haul. Feel free to drop by the F & L LB site and send a message through the contact section. I’ve almost lived one year through my new literary debacle, let’s seal the coffin and make sure the party keeps going where civilization meets the wild. cheers

Wrong Beach: The Dark Robot KILLS YouTube

Long Beach’s own “Wrong Beach", a Fear & Loathing in LB favorite, surprises the world with their catchy as hell and incredible new video for “Dark Robot". Vocalist and creative guru AJ Ransdell produced this modern work of video mayhem with odes to classic sci-fi and vintage music television. This aggro blast reminds me of the decadent 1980s and its MTV stepchild(when it was playing actual music) would actually run cool videos from the Angry Samoans, Naked Raygun, Pegboy, Big Black, and other indie punk legends.

The band itself is a tribute and psychic appendage to the legacy of Southern California PUNK ROCK left behind by such notables as D.I, The Adolescents, Germs, and just about every band on the classic “American Youth Report” compilation. It comes as no surprise that Mr. Rikk Agnew (member of many of those greats along with his fellow co-conspirators) is grinding the power chords of pulsating punk evil in this band while recapturing and expanding upon what past members did before. By totally using the technology of 2013 to direct and produce their own video, this ravenous punker of a short film is gaining an incredible response we have not seen in the YouTube charts for a REAL PUNK band in a long time, unless you consider metal/emo “punk”, which I do not or ever will. Just call it what it is!

Rikk’s “All by Myself” has been one of my favorite solo albums of all time and with the addition of AJ’s razor sharp and world weary vocals, the song does not disappoint and only serves as living proof that aggressive music recognizes zero boundaries. I suggest everyone checks out the Wrong Beach tunes as the onslaught is just beginning!

I love hearing a band rip it up as I ponder what the seedy underbelly of Southern California has in store next for those of us watching the economy collapse and the human race deteriorate with blazing sunsets, condom, & needle-strewn beaches, replete with broken bottled alleyways to ensure dangerous outings at all times. Not a bad time to be alive as it’s a pleasure to actually watch modern Rome burn to the ground. Oh yeah man, we’re gearing up for volume 4, be sure to check our past issues at the site. Wrong Beach interview in our Fall debacle of literary insanity.


Wrong Beach Facebook

Mexico is bleeding: THE COPPER GAMINS - "Los Ninos De Cobre"

The Copper Gamins latest release on the infamous Saustex record label is quite a monster, the kind that keeps you drinking from 8 am until 3 am the following day. With the openers of the crazed “All Hid” and “oh Well Well”, an almost “Wipers” like feel of dread that is cut with contagious fuzz gets injected into your bloodstream as the alcohol level rises, claustrophobia ensues, and a fuck all attitude will be your tour guide through these distorted and eerily deliberate assaults on your senses. You can hear the guitar string being strummed for every last ounce of fuzz in your eardrum like going around a bar at 1:45 and drinking everyone’s half emptied booze vessels.
My two picks for repeated A.D.D listening are “Hold my Name” and “Nightingale”. Both of these sonic manifestos hold you in a state of suspended animation like a three-day coke bender that keeps getting worse with the uglier aspects of life becoming more beautiful by the second. Feel the tempting taste of complete toxicity in your mouth while that crazy, maybe homicidal girl, cradles you into a booze and Quaalude state of the manic unrepentant blues with a nice shot of cheap perfume.
By all means check out the new record by this deranged and super talented duo who were originally from the mining cities of Metepec and Zinacantepec near Mexico city. Very impressive credentials, when you are talking about revolutionary blues destruction from the real deal. Right here, right now. Listen to the truth and turn off your TV, for just a second. You might not want to come back from this bender of blissful torment that ignites blues-punk and takes it to unheard of heart-attack inducing levels.

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THE COPPER GAMMINS and check out Volume 3 of our latest Issue
-Kevin McGovern
Fear&Loathing in Long Beach 2013



by the way, i think im staying here for a bit, that's a good thing, let's get it on

The Stitches, CH3, Idol Lips...read loud!

READ THE NEW ISSUE! HERE!

STITCHES, CH3, NOIZEE, KINGQUEEN, IDOL LIPS AND MORE

Helen Money: Deadly Nightshades of Cello

“Arriving Angels” is your brand new album. As soon as I played this chaotic beauty of orchestral maneuvers into the abyss, it was like the witnessing the most spectacular sunset during the middle of a catastrophic earthquake. How would you describe your new album to our readers interested in a dance of death with an uncompromising cello and tribal rhythms of uneasiness?

To me, the songs are dark, and intense, brutal sometimes but also really intimate, if that makes sense. Kind of minimalist doom, I guess.

The legendary Steve Albini produced the new record and it does have reflections of the U.S Steel Cello Ensemble and Big Black, was either one of these an influence on you?

It’s hard not to be influenced by Steve – as an engineer, a musician and a writer. But the thing that I didn’t fully appreciate until I toured with Shellac, was how great a guitar player he is. His tone and his style. I am definitely a huge fan.

A member of the underground noisemakers Neurosis contributes as well, how did that come to be?

Steve suggested Jason when I was ready to record. Fortunately Jason had heard me play when I was touring my first record and was a fan, so he said he’d do it. I can’t imagine the record without him. He’s an amazing player, of course, but a wonderful person as well.

This is album number three with a tour coming right up, when does the tour begin and how far will you travel?

I’m doing some Midwest/east coast dates in the spring. I’ll go back out in June, hopefully doing some shows with Rachel Grimes. In the meantime I’m looking forward to playing some shows in and around LA. I moved out from Chicago a couple years ago and I’m really looking forward to building an audience here.

Do you tour alone and what are your favorite cities to play?

I do tour alone. My favorite city to play in is Chicago – I lived there for 20 years and feel like I have a strong relationship with the city. But I’m looking forward to what the West Coast has to offer. It’s nice to have a new challenge – new people to play for.

During touring, what do you do in your time between and after shows? Do you have an intimate relationship with your listeners in terms of getting to know them and staying connected?

I try to at least find the heart of the cities I go through – stray off the interstate a bit if I have time. And I do love to meet people at shows. It’s interesting to me how different people are from one city to the next. A wonderful thing to be able to experience.

In the 90’s you were part of the alternative/underground rock movement, how did that experience translate into your decision to go solo?

It was kind of an organic process. I left Verbow but still wanted to play rock. I didn’t see any situations where I could be as integral to the band as Verbow, so I just started to write.

The cello was my first instrument when I was eight; I was not very good at it and to this day cannot figure out how to play a power chord on the fret board. How did your unique style of cello playing come to be? Your cello playing is more expressive than most guitarists in the current world of music are.

Thank you! I think it’s all about sound. What you hear in your head and feel in your heart. And finding your own way to express it. I love the cello – I started when I was 8, too, so it’s a part of me. I think I’ve probably used it to express myself for a long time.

What is the difference between Helen Money, the performer, and the offstage personality?

Well, I’m pretty soft-spoken in “real life”. I think when I have the cello and pedals and the amp to help me I’m able to express a part of myself that’s more assertive and maybe emotional - the side of me that I normally keep to myself.

You have some extensive experience in the world of metal, is it a passion of yours as well? What is your attitude towards the punk/hardcore movement and were those sounds influential?

Definitely. I really like how visceral that music can be. It’s serious stuff, not arty. I like music that isn’t afraid to wear it’s heart on it’s sleeve.

There has been a renewed interest in the New York No-Wave scene of the late 70’s, what are your thoughts on experimental music and playing?

I’m for it – but I don’t see myself ever playing it. Sometimes avant garde stuff loses me because it can be either too conceptual or too heady. But then there’s stuff like Glenn Branca, which is pretty conceptual but very powerful and visceral. That I like.

Does your new label offer adequate tour support and how difficult is it to conduct such an endeavor with a public reluctance to live music? Will this be the rise of experimental improve because everyone can just YouTube live performances of their favorite pop/rock/ metal artists?

My label is pretty small and they aren’t able to offer me that kind of support. It’s very hard to tour in the US, but I think to really reach people you have to play for them. It’s important to connect with your audience in that way. To put yourself in a live setting, where you’re dealing with the unexpected – where you’re communicating directly with other people. That’s the best part of it, for me.

Where can readers see your amazing live show and hear your records?

I’m playing an in-store at Permanent Records in Eagle Rock on March 2nd. And I have other tour dates posted on my website – I’ll keep updating it as more are confirmed. This record is available at Profound Lore’s webstore. And all three are available on my website. And I’m sure Amoeba and Permanent Records in have it or could order it.

Any last words you would like to share with us before we part ways into the abyss.

Just thank you. And hope to see you at a show!

CHECK OUT SHOW DATES AND TIMES AT HER PAGE AND SUPPORT INDIE MAYHEM MUSIC MAKERS!
CLICK HERE FOR HER SITE!


As always we’re nearing completion of volume three and like to keep things fresh on our blog, make sure to say hi

bookmark us at F&L LB, and thank you Helen Money….