Wednesday, April 30, 2003 I just returned from a short trip to Montreal. I may end up going back over the course of the year, hopefully getting to see the Expos and Godspeed You! Black Emperor both play. No dramatic revelations or observations, really. A very special congratulations to my friends in Umea, Krister and Ylva who just had a baby boy. Krister's hoping he will be a Swedish rock star someday, just like Krister. One-sided LPs...Early Day Miners will be out in a couple of weeks or so and features tracks a little more subdued than the rockers on their latest release, Jefferson at rest...Yume Bitsu artwork is being completed still, but we all know what we're going to do for it, at least...The Six Parts Seven will come out in August or so, once Ethan gets the covers silk screened, this is definitely some fine instrumental music and you will be impressed...Aspera, Kind of Like Spitting, and Starflyer 59 are in the progress of recording...Brother Danielson has a concept and is getting ready to record...It is all coming together... :::scott::: Posted by Scott @ 11:54 PM CST Friday, April 25, 2003 The Trouble with Sweeney are continuing their jaunt across the USA. Their dates resume tomorrow night, 26 April in Seattle and they will ride down the west coast and loop through the southwest in the next week and a half or so. You need to see them rock, they'll be hawking copies of their beautiful new record, I Know You Destroy! Matthew is sending out all orders for I Know You Destroy! and the also beautiful new record, Unwed Sailor's The Marionette and The Music Box. The vinyl and hardbound books/cd are just around the corner, so more information will be given soon. I am preparing my rise out of the basement in the btv fantasy baseball league. I'm in first place in another league. Must be dumb luck, I mean mad skills. Tonight, Daniel Johnston will be joined by my good friend Brother Danielson in Philadelphia. I know I'll see you there. Saturday night, party at my house. You're invited. :::scott::: Posted by Scott @ 09:59 AM CST Tuesday, April 22, 2003 Things have been really busy lately. The Trouble with Sweeney : I Know You Destroy! and Unwed Sailor : The Marionette and The Music Box cds finally arrived. They'll be on their way to college radio and stores in the next few days, so be on the lookout. Pre-orders will be shipping out this week. The hardcover books for The Marionette and The Music Box will be arriving a little bit later, more likely in early May. Jamie and Matthew were here visiting from Mississippi this weekend. We had the chance to see Denison Witmer play with Melon Galia from Belgium, for an amazing show. We hosted a wonderful show with J. Tillman, Saxon Shore, and The Naysayer at the Ofuraya Gallery; thanks to everyone who came out in support. Also got to see The Sea and Cake with The Circulatory System. The daily dosage of rock has been quite high lately. Damien Jurado, Adam Voith, and Dave Fischoff were also around during the week and it was great to see them play and/or read (in Adam's case) for a second time (in Philadelphia after the Bryn Mawr show). I've been excitedly reading through Adam's book, Stand Up, Ernie Baxter, You're Dead. I've been in a vague nostalgic mood since seeing my friend Adam at the Jurado/Voith/Fischoff show. He mentioned seeing my old friends Mike, Tom, and Yuri. Hello to them if they're out there. Then, I went rummaging through the vinyl and cassette archives while Jamie and Matthew were here, playing a wide arrangement of weird things, such as Damien's band The Cupcakes, a cassette only release on his Casa Records tape label. I was excited after finding some things in the basement. :::scott::: Posted by Scott @ 11:37 AM CST Tuesday, April 15, 2003 This past weekend was much busier than I had expected. It began in a great way, with The Trouble with Sweeny playing I Know You Destroy! straight through for their cd release party. Many of these songs have never been performed live, so it was great to see. Have you paid attention when I talk up this album? The live show is extremely tight and Richard is a madman on the drums. Thanks to everyone who came out in support at the Ukrainian American Club. Thanks, in advance, to everyone who will see them rock on their national tour. Saturday night, Damien Jurado, Dave Fischoff, and Adam Voith were at Bryn Mawr College. If you don't have a Dave Fischoff record or get the change to see him play live, you are missing out on one of the greatest underrated singer/songwriters. His most recent album, The Ox and The Rainbow, was one of my favorite releases in 2001. His set was amazing as he sang and played electric guitar over a minidisc of ambient noise and backup vocals. I'm super anxious to hear his next release. Adam Voith read some sections from his new book, Wake Up Ernie Baxter, You're Dead, published by TNI Books. I haven't read it, but the sections got me very excited to crack one open. [Adam was also the first btv publicist, for those keeping score.] Damien ended up the night playing quite a few older songs, as well as songs from his newly released Where Shall You Take Me? on Secretly Canadian. They will all be here in Philadelphia on Wednesday. Sunday, Scott and Jane actually came to my house and we went out for Indian food. Later on, Tom and I went to Lancaster to see a show at the Chameleon (movies with heroes and twothirtyeight) and meet up with my old friend Tim who was in town from Ohio. In label excitement, The Trouble with Sweeney and Unwed Sailor cds are being sent from the factory, finally. Pre-orders for these will go out and just make the release date. Unwed Sailor's hardbound book is slightly delayed, but I did see the color proofs for everything yesterday from the Icelandic printers. Saxon Shore are still on tour. They will be here in Philadelphia on Friday to play at the Ofuraya Contemporary Art gallery (formerly Reset Art) at 201 S. Camac (between 12th/13th and Walnut/Chestnut). They'll be playing with The Naysayer from Carrot Top Records. :::scott::: Posted by Scott @ 09:57 AM CST Thursday, April 10, 2003 It's been a quickly moving week, getting last minute details and issues setted for The Trouble with Sweeney : I Know You Destroy and Unwed Sailor : The Marionette and The Music Box. FRIDAY...if you live in Philadelphia or the surrounding area, you must come to the following event or suffer forever in perpetual lack of coolness: I Know You Destroy Record Release Show This Friday (4/11) @ 9pm UACA 847 N. Franklin St. (Near 7th & Poplar) Featuring Elk City, American Altitude and the Cruel Summer DJs Find out why all of your friends will soon be talking about The Trouble with Sweeney. The record is just that hott. Other exciting developments continue with Saxon Shore : Four Months of Darkness to be released to stores on 3 June 2003 in a digipak version co-released by Burnt Toast Vinyl and Broken Factory. Hardbound book printing is in progress for The Marionette and The Music Box. Some of us may visit Iceland to see the printing happening; we're at least excited to talk about it. Jamie and Johnathon are discussing possibilities of a film which is bringing big smiles to my face. Starflyer 59 starts recording their one-sided LP on Tuesday. My old housemate and pal (not old pal, just old roommate) J. Edward Keyes has written a short story for the back side of the LP etching, all of you bookworms will be happy to know. His serial novel of sorts inspired The Dromedary Theme on the most recent Starflyer 59 cdep. Damien Jurado, Dave Fischoff, and Adam Voith roll into Bryn Mawr on Saturday. I'll see you there in the aftermath of The Trouble with Sweeney party. Yes, you will be going to the party. I thought I made that clear? :::scott::: Posted by Scott @ 04:57 PM CST Tuesday, April 8, 2003 I just had a surprise visit from Saxon Shore. They had to cancel a couple of show's because Josh (drummer) was sick. They're getting everything together to go to the midwest the rest of this week, including a visit through my hometown in Indiana. We all watched the Syracuse/Kansas game and watched it go down to the wire. All while talking rock business. This past Friday, I was at the Phillies' home opener, watching Art Garfunkel (yes, Art Garfunkel!) sing America the Beautiful as part of the opening ceremonies. I braved the cold with my dad, Willis, Cake, Dave, and Willis' friends and watched the Phils take a serious pounding from the Pirates. The next day, my parents and I saw the Phils return the favor with a 16-1 romp. Some severely uneven playing from both teams. We also had a change to visit the Mütter Museum in Philadelphia, a museum of medical oddities and history. Quite an eye-opening tour and my first time to go... :::scott::: Posted by Scott @ 12:09 AM CST Wednesday, April 2, 2003 11 April is the date of the big album release party for The Trouble with Sweeney's new release, I Know You Destroy! Be sure to come on out to the UACA, 847 N. Franklin Street. 12 April, our pal Damien Jurado will be at Bryn Mawr College with Dave Fischoff and writer Adam Voith. 16 April, they will be at the First Unitarian Church in Philadelphia. Damien's new album, Where Shall You Take Me?, is out now on Secretly Canadian. You can also order copies from the btv webstore, as well as his previous releases and the btv issued one-sided LP, Four Songs, which also features writing from Adam Voith. Details are being finalized for the vinyl release of Starflyer 59's "Old" which is due out on 25 May on cd. The vinyl will be a 2x10" gatefold with two additional tracks. :::scott::: Posted by Scott @ 11:51 AM CST Tuesday, April 1, 2003 I am excited to read about Nomo's four hitter as the Dodgers opened up their season with a big 8-0 victory. And Nomo's on one of my fantasy baseball teams, so that helped a lot. Randall (of Tidal Wave Magazine and Jetenderpaul) sent me a special tour promo DVD with the new Sigur Ros video from the first untitled track on their ( ) album. I haven't seen such a beautiful and haunting video in recent memory. Elementary school children are getting ready for recess as their teacher makes sure that they are ready to go. Then, they leave the building in their gas masks as they enter a sort of apocalyptic chemical wasteland to play. All with the ethereal, dreamlike music playing. It's looking like there will be a double 10" version of Starflyer 59's new album "Old" (with extra tracks) out on btv in the US... :::scott::: Posted by Scott @ 09:28 AM CST [ Archives ]