This Be The Good Life: September 2010

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Little Down Time

This is a one man show sometimes theres a length of time before new content is posted. Sorry about that.

CHECK IT

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Interview: Live@Subs

My interview with Sub from Live@Subs. Straight outta Australia this bands got some great stylee and all of their albums are worth checking out.

What artists/bands influence your sound? Eric Clapton/Cream, Hendrix, Sublime, any good dub, Alice In Chains, Beasties, RHCP's...list goes on! Wing and Deef listen to a bunch of different stuff but we def share a bunch of common influences.

How did Live@Subs get started? We all went to school together, Wing and I played guitar, Deef played drums...Wing started playing bass, we had a band! We used to jam every chance we could for years...Deef and I played in a bunch of other bands, I toured the US for 2 years back in '97 &'98 playen in an Aussie Blues/Funk band... When I quit we started taking L@S a bit more serious...just a bit...!

Whats the Australian music scene like and how do you guys fit into it? Its a pretty small scene...I dont know if we fit in it or out of it??...depends what day it is!

Who do you guys like sharing the stage with? Theres a couple bands we play with a bit out here, Feed Ya Munkie are a young band recording a new record rite now, Direct Influence and The Lowdown are another couple we play with when we can...other wise any of the 63 bands Mudd plays are always cool!

How do your songs usually start out and how do they end up getting to point were you record them? We all write together and separately, either by jams or individual ideas...We don't want just one opinion contributing to our song writing.

How did you get your start with Long Beach Records? I met Mudd over the net and sent him some music. He liked it, and then he came out to Australia just around the time Slightly Stoopid came out. We opened up for them and Mudd hung out. He then came out again not long after and we did an East Coast Tour with him on drums, we been good buddies ever since. I just had my family out staying with his in August this year.

Tell me about your recordings that are currently out? Dam we got a few...We got 4 EP's, Memoirs of an Ashtray, Holiday In Japan, The Subs EP, & The Game. Then we got 3 full lengths, Live@Subs Self Titled, Transpacific(w/Glue Factory) and Hecho En El Norte which we havnt really even released yet!! Its a project that Mudd started. Like Transpacific it was recorded half in LB Cali, and half in Melbourne. Everything is up on Itunes and at LBR's website. We also have it all for sale at www.longbeachrecords.com.au but we are currently rebuilding the website so its not up atm!

Transpacific is probably my favorite rite now, its got Mudd playen drums and guitar, Randy Bradbury from Pennywise plays bass on a couple tracks, Mike Davis from Secret Hate and Glue Factory, and Todd Forman from Sublime fame plays sax too which is cool!...

Are there any new recordings in the works? Yeah we are currently writing our asses off...we have a shit load of ideas demo'd we just gota get them structured a bit better....We been talking to some producers and playing them what we got to see if they get a vibe...but we need to get more songs outta our jams!
Mudd, Mike Long(Capitol Eye), and I spent a few days recording in LB back in August, so we got a few ideas down, we spent a day with Mike Happoldt and drank beers and did a dub medley just for kicks...was good fun!

But yeah we just in the process of releasing Hecho En El Norte thru LBR. Hit them up at www.longbeachrecords.com to get a copy...I think its on Itunes too...

I see you travel to the USA what is it that you like about the USA verses Australia? There are simply more people to play too, and its a newer audience to play our music too.... Its not that one is better, we just want to expand and not limit ourselves solely to Oz! That and we got a bunch of good friends we have made via playing music!

If you could play live anywhere where would it be? Man I don't know...thats a pretty big question...L@S like playing snow shows and beach shows, so beach or mountains, flip a coin...we aint too picky.

What is it that you like most about music? playing it live. And the people I meet thru playing music.

Whats your favorite cd and why? we still have cd's these days?

Any local Australian music acts people should check out? Same as above, Feed Ya Munkie, The Lowdown, Direct Influence, & AUD!

If your drinking than what are you drinking? Beer when its day, Scotch and Coke when its night.

What have you been listening to lately? Old Rolling Stones and Stevie Ray Vaughn.

Whats the next move for Live@Subs? Finish writing our record, and record it with a good producer!

Anything you want to say to your fans people out there? support live music, get out there and go see a band at your local, when ever you can!...Cheers!

Check out some of their tunes right here
http://www.myspace.com/liveatsubs

Buy there albums from the source right here
www.longbeachrecords.com

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Interview: Long Beach Records

My interview with Mudd co-owner/founder of Long Beach Records. He has also appeared in Falling Idols, Pivot Foots, Del Noah, Busface, Gluefactory, Corn Doggy Dog and the 1/2 Pound, 3rd Alley and Live@subs.

So what first got you in interested in music? My Dad was a drummer back in Detroit. He mostly just jammed at a local bar, and stopped playing by the time he moved to California. He still liked the idea though, so when my older brother showed interest in drums he bought us a set, and set it up in the garage. I got more interested when me and friends discovered punk rock. Since I had a drum set I was destined to be a drummer.

What bands and artists did you follow when you were growing up? By middle school I was mostly into David Bowie, Jimmi Hendrix, Niel Young, and Pink Floyd. The summer between junior high, and high school I was up in San Francisco at a friends house. He took me to a Dead Kennedy show. We were 15 but convinced the door guy we were older, and got in. After that I got into local punk bands (Rhino 39, Secret Hate, Crewd, Descendants), and west coast bands like DOA, Dead Kennedys, No Alternative, Germs, Plugs, Circle Jerks, Rik L. Rik. I also got into old school NY punk like Johnny Thunders, Dead Boys, Patti Smith, Jim Carol, etc, and UK bands like the Damned, Stiff Little Fingers, 999, Sex Pistols, etc.

What bands/artists influance you? Same as above, but also including MC 5, Bubble Puppy, Steppenwolf, Elvis Costello, etc. But mostly, and most significantly local bands, and the tastes of guys that I have played in bands. Guys like Blair and Brent of the Pivot Foots, and Mike Davis of Gluefactory opened up musical doors that otherwise I would have overlooked. Currently Mike Happoldt and Mike Long of Perro Bravo have me listening to a lot of cool stuff, and continuing to add to my influences.

What are some of the bands and projects that you have played in? Drums: Falling Idols, Pivot Foots, Del Noah, Busface, Gluefactory, Corn Doggy Dog and the 1/2 Pound, 3rd Alley, Live@subs, etc. I also have got to play some guitar with Live@subs, and Ken the All Night Rocker and the Wild Eyed Southern Boys. Recently I got to play bass with Part One Tribe. Very cool to record a couple of songs with those guys. Great band.

How did Long Beach Records get started? Mike Happoldt of Skunk/Sublime had me as a consultant on Stand By Your Van. I didn't really feel that I did much, so I wanted to put the money back into Skunk. Mike thought it best if I had a separate label, and we worked closely, so that he would not have to be personally involved in every band I wanted to add to the label. My first release was Das Klown's Antidote. It is a hard core punk album, and not really what Mike was doing with Skunk at the time, so it made sense to keep the labels separate, but closely linked.

Has there been alot of struggles along the way? Yeah of course. If there isn't then at the end of your life, you have not really lived. Life is a series of peeks and valleys. Flat lining is where I will be at the end.

How did the Australia and Europe divisions get started? Just meeting cool dudes like Gernot Krebs in Germany, and Simon "Sub" Michaelski in Australia. I have always loved to travel. It reinforces the fact that I too live in a bitchen part of the world. Gernot was in a band Mongrel. He sent me his cd and it was great. Same with Sub, and Live@subs. Once I got to know those guys, and their bands, we decided to go global.

Whats the process like when you choose to put a band on the label? I like them as people, and I like what they are doing musically. LBR is a DIY label. We rarely know what the band is going to do until they send us what they did.

What do you think of the Reggae/Punk/Cali music scene lately? It is really cool. I like where it is going. I think it started in the punk era for me with bands like Secret Hate, DOA, and the Plugz throwing in an occasional reggae song with political messages, and frustrated youth style lyrics. Sublime turned that into a west coast style that influenced a lot of bands. I like where a lot of the bands like the Expendables are adding to that with the double lead attack that at times reminds me of Iron Madden. Great stuff. Live@subs is adding Australian flavor, and some Hendrix style blues. Not really into the bands that take it to the pot and chicks lyrics only thing. That does not help me think, but almost encourages me not to.

What advice do you have for just starting up musicians? Build on what you hear. Write lyrics that are universal, and make your listener think. Play beyond your abilities. A lot of my favorite bands struggled to play their own songs live. I respect that. That says to me that their mind was a head of their fingers.

Should we be on the look out for some new stuff coming out? Always. Part One Tribe has some new stuff that is currently being previewed as a prerelease on lastfm.com. I am playing in a band called River Jetty that hopes to be in the studio soon. Look for Perro Bravo with Miguel Happoldt in a Costa Rican town near you in December.

Anything you want to say to the peoples/fans out there? Think for yourself. Don't just accept anyone's interpretations of books, events, etc. Enjoy a diverse world, and people with other opinions. Thank you for enjoying or hating what we do at LBR. We are just glad you know who we are. Have fun, live is to short not to.

Check out the Long Beach Records Website right here

http://www.longbeachrecords.com/

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

3RD Alley's New Album News: Total Access Studios Mixing Sessions

Total Access Studios – Redondo Beach, CA (9-6-10)

From Zack of 3RD Alley

We rolled in around 11am greeted by Adam Arnold (co-producer/engineer) and jumped right into mixing “medicated” which is the song we’ve all kind of considered being a “single.” It started off as a really bum out song, really dark, so I through in some lemon pepper for some zing and some Forman and it’s now a beguilingly happy jam. While mixing I’d ask “how does it sound?” and I’d hear back “sounds good” so then I’d say “okay then we gotta keep going, we’re not going for ‘good.’” We gave it a car test after we all thought it sounded “bangin’” as opposed to good and got a nice seat massage from jack’s woofers in his g-wagon. It seemed like we could just keep going but just said, “boom, we’re done, print it” which is always relieving and scary at the same time, cause that’s it. Done. Lunch time (pizza as always, they deliver, oh yeah, we had lettuce wraps for breakfast made of some frozen oriental dinners and fresh iceburg lettuce)

We then moved into “bloodshot eyes” which ended up finishing late late that night, so we had some blurry vision goin on at the end, but otherwise the same story as the previous song is applicable here. As long as there are goosebumps involved at some point, I’m stoked. It’s like studying for a test really well and then you finish your test and you feel like, I should do something more, reread it, double check my . . . . aah fuck it, i’m done.

We’re planning on releasing the 2 songs as a double single while we finish up the rest of the album which is already tracked, fyi. We just figured it would be best to get something out sooner by doing it this way. Plus, albums seem to be a bit obsolete these days, it’s all about the individual songs. We wanna feel like each song we put out is capable of being received by itself. Like in the beatles/elvis eras.

I don’t wanna talk it up like it’s the best thing ever, I’m not Brandon Flowers and I know everyone’s a bit biased when it’s so fresh, but I think these songs are the best I’ve done. This album is going vibe more like “After School Special” than the “Shiny Shady People.” It’s going to be called when it’s all said and done, “shoulda, woulda, coulda.” And it’s a complete coincidence that all 3 3rd Alley albums have 3 words in the title. Maybe satan has his hand in the works?

Drawing by Zack during the mixing session

Check out some 3RD Alley songs right here

http://www.myspace.com/3rdalley

Interview: IrieAz Photo

My interview with Tommy of IrieAz Photo. Tommys pictures are all over the place so I had to ask him some questions.

So how did you first get into taking photos? I was given a camera from my sister about 5 years ago, just an old film camera. I started taking photos during my road trips between Arizona and Michigan. After about a year i took an interest in live music. It made sense to combine the two because music has always been a big part of my day to day life.

I see you take pictures from many genres which do you dig the most? Music. Like i mentioned in the previous question its something that has always been an interest. Live shows and the energy felt from the performers and fans never gets boring. It doesn't hurt that i get to meet and photograph the artists i have grown up listening to. I'm blessed in that sense.

What else do you like taking pictures of? Anything and everything pertaining to life, art and the diversity in people. I have done my best to help promote other artists in their ventures and portray their perspectives and style through my photos.

Whats some of your most memorable shoots? You didn't specify here memorable for a good time or lessons learned. I think some of the more memorable shoots have been the ones i learn patience from. Shooting a band before they play a show, after just rolling into town and no introductions have been made. This can be a little nerve racking because you don't want to take to much of their time but you want a great shoot.

What music venues do you like the most? The best one right now i would say is Celebrity Theater. The whole set up of the venue is great. The lighting is good and the stage is set up to rotate 360 degrees while the band is playing so you get those great crowd interaction shots.

Best show you've been too so far? Beach Fest 2010 Rocky Point Mexico. It was chill because it was all right on the beach. Everybody was hanging out drinkin smokin straight west coastin. Ha.

Have you ever looked into publishing a book of your work? No. I'm not ready for all that.

Being that your in AZ what is it that you like/hate about the state? Az is my second home but the summers are lame. I enjoy being outdoors but on some days that's almost impossible. Otherwise its great!

Do you have any other hobby's? I like Bicycles.

Anything we should be on the lookout for? Yeah! Keep an eye on the web page and my FaceBook page. I am pretty consistent with my updates and i enjoy feed back.

What do you wanna say to your fans/peoples out there? There's too many too name but i want to say a big thanks to everybody that has supported me and my awesome girlfriend for helping me use my words. Ha.

Check out the IrieAz Photo website right here

http://irieazphoto.com/

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Notable Mention: Skindred

A favorite band of mine for many years these guys are a class all their own. Straight outta Newport, South Wales they mix hard rock/metal with reggae calling it "Ragga metal". All thier realeases are soild and worth checking out.