THE RED HILLS – I’M A NIGHTMARE

Mar 082011


It’s been a busy period for the folks in the ICLASOB camp. First they finally pulled The Sounds of Dying off the shelf and gave it the proper release it deserved, Michael Dean Damron has a brand new solo cd coming out, and then you got I’m A Nightmare being pulled from the dusty and hardest to reach corner of the shelf for a proper release of its own.

The Red Hills are Jon Burbank, Dave Lipkind and Flapjack from I Can Lick Any Sonofabitch In The House, joined by standup bass player and singer/songwriter, Dewey Nelson. The band has been around for over a decade and is probably better known under their previous name, The Runaway Boys. The band has taken actively inactive to a new level, averaging approximately two shows every three years, and even longer to finish the album. The album has taken so long, in fact, that at some point a few years back fellow ICLASOB bandmate Mole Harris claimed that he’d drink the oil from one of the lamps at Dante’s if the cd ever saw the light of day. Fortunately for him the band changed their name, letting him off the hook on a technicality.

Knowing all of this, I really expected I’m A Nightmare to feel disconnected and disjointed, with a clash of ideas sometimes years apart. Instead, what I got was a record that could best be described as a mashup of ICLASOB and Tin Horn Prayer, an album meant to be played loud, with booze at hand and drunken sing alongs on tap. With winter about to give way for spring, your barbeque playlist needs some freshening up and The Red Hills have what you need. Check it out and lemme know if you agree that it’s Essential Listening.

The Red Hills – USAtan
The Red Hills – Seal It Up
The Red Hills – Eight Seconds

The Red Hills on Reverbnation, The Red Hills on Facebook, Buy I’m A Nightmare from Bandcamp

DEBUT: MICHAEL DEAN DAMRON – THE DAY BRIAN PICCOLO DIED

Feb 042011


I’ve been a huge fan of Mike Damron’s work both as a solo artist and with I Can Lick Any Sonofabitch In The House for as long as ninebullets.net has existed. Longer, in fact. So it is my distinct pleasure to be bringing you a track from Mike’s upcoming solo album, Plea From A Ghost, today. I’ve heard the entire new album and let me tell you, we’re in for a real treat. It’s the best solo material Mike has produced since Perfect Day For A Funeral and certain to land on many a best of list come December. Hell, I can already deem it Essential Listening but we’ll hold off till the album is actually released. Speaking of which, the album will be released on Suburban Home Records in March and if you’re lucky enough to have Mike coming to your neck of the woods, he’ll have the album with him come March 2.

I chose the track “The Day Brian Piccolo Died” because, (a) I like it. and (b) With the Superbowl this weekend I figured a football song would be topical. I hope y’all like it.

Michael Dean Damron – The Day Brian Piccolo Died

ninebullets.net JANUARY 2011 PODCAST: LET’S GET JIGGY WITH IT EDITION:

Feb 012011


(AIV Note: This was supposed to be posted yesterday but my dumb ass forgot to upload the podcast to the server. Der, I iz full of forgets….anyhow, enjoy.)

Well, it might be a new year and I might have a radio show now but nothing really changes when it comes to the podcast. It starts nice enough and you might even be able to hear some improvement gleaned from doing a weekly radio show but it quickly devolves into a ½ drunk foul mouthed typical podcast. Don’t let that deter you though. While my speech and self-censoring abilities may erode over the hour the music fucking slays and that’s what you’re here for, right?

This month show is plumb full of new music. We got new songs from The Only Sons, Kasey Anderson, Social D, The Decemberists, Frank Turner and Two Cow Garage. We also bookended this show with Michael Claytor. We open the show with a track from his solo album, We Have An Elephant and we close the show with an absolutely beautiful song from Austin Lucas which features Michael playing some fine banjo and harmonies. And, if all of that wasn’t pushing your awesome meter to it’s threshold of pain, we even managed to mix in a track from Danzig’s new album and it fits. PLAM! Top that It Burns When I Pee….the gauntlet has been laid down.

Well folks, that’s it. Another month in the can and I hope y’all like it. If you do, could you please, please, please post something about it on twitter, facebook and whatever cutting edge social network I am oblivious to? Every mention of this will expose these artists to someone who’s never heard of them and that’s what we’re looking for.

Track Listing:

  1. Michael Claytor & His Friends – Hairpins [00.00.00]
  2. Autopsy IV Commentary [00.05.04]
  3. The Only Sons – Temptation [00.06.24]
  4. Kasey Anderson – The Wrong Light [00.09.55]
  5. Danzig – The Revengeful [00.14.07]
  6. Autopsy IV Commentary [00.18.02]
  7. Social Distortion – Machine Gun Blues [00.20.07]
  8. Lucero – Sing Me No Hymns [00.23.45]
  9. Autopsy V Commentary [00.27.37]
  10. The Decemberists – Down By The Water [00.30.00]
  11. Frank Turner – I Still Believe [00.33.37]
  12. Two Cow Garage – My Great Gatsby [00.37.20]
  13. Autopsy IV Commentary [00.40.25]
  14. I Can Lick Any Sonofabitch In The House – Bad Days Ahead [00.42.10]
  15. Tim Barry – (memento mori) [00.46.22]
  16. Slim Cessna’s Auto Club – This Land Is Our Land (Redux) [00.49.25]
  17. Autopsy IV Commentary [00.53.37]
  18. Austin Lucas – Sleep Well [00.56.30]

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Download this episode (right click and save)

TRUCKSTOP DARLIN’ – TRUCKSTOP DARLIN’

Oct 212010


I had the distinct pleasure to spend a drunken hour or so chatting with Truckstop Darlin’s drummer, Eric Kotila, and his wife out in Denver last month. As drunken conversations tend to do, our topic of conversation was a moving target but it naturally stopped on the subject of his band on a couple of occasions. On the last night of the party it was agreed that once the album was complete they’d send me a copy and I remember saying, “I really hope I like your band” to him as we said our goodbyes. I really liked Eric and his wife and the thought of having to tell him that I wasn’t digging their sounds hung over me like a big ol’ bummer cloud when the link arrived in my inbox. Fortunately, I didn’t have to.

Truckstop Darlin’ comes out of the amazingly awesome music scene of the greater Northwest and more specifically, Portland and they made good use of the resources around town by getting Mr. John Burbank of I Can Lick Any Sonofabitch In the House to do the mastering.

I gotta be honest, the first time I listened to the album singer, John Phelan’s voice kind of caught me off guard and I wasn’t too sure what I thought but after a few passes it totally grew on me. If I had to describe his voice I’d have to say it’s almost an 80’s hair metal/beginning of grunge style vocalist singing in an americana jangle rock band. It totally works, it just takes a moment to sink in. Musically, you might be able to call them a more rocking version of The Only Sons (a comparison I’ll gladly admit I use cause they both have predominate slide guitar) or a less rocking version of the copatriots, Root Jack but who cares about describing the sound…that’s what the .mp3’s are for. However, I would be remiss if I did not mention the song “Bluegrass State” (which you can hear below)…it is probably one of my favorite songs of the year and will be featured on many a podcast and mixtape to come.

Truckstop Darlin’ – Bluegrass State
Truckstop Darlin’ – Tired Old Prom Queens
Truckstop Darlin’ – #19

Truckstop Darlin’ on myspace, Buy Truckstop Darlin’

TOP 5: BANDS YOU’VE NOT SEEN LIVE (BUT REALLY REALLY WOULD LIKE TO):

Aug 042010


Last year I went to over 30 shows. The year before that was largely the same but one thing never changes….no matter how many shows you go to, there are bands you wanna see live but just don’t. The reasons may vary. Some break up before you can catch them (Murder City). Some price their tickets too high (Beasties) and some might even refuse to tour your state as is the case with one Mr. Justin Townes Earle and Florida (though I managed to catch him at SxSW). So that’s the basis for this weeks Top 5: Band you have not seen live but would really like to. Please keep this list to bands you actually could see live (ie: no Nirvana since it’s completly impossible) and maybe next week we’ll do, 5 bands you wish you could have seen live.

With that said. Here are mine:

Murder City Devils: By the time I found this band they had broken up. They do short tours now but nothing that gets close enough to me to make the trip. I’ll catch them one day though, of that, I have no doubt.

Murder City Devils – Every Shitty Thing

I Can Lick Any sonofabitch In The House: Never got a chance to see these guys before they broke up and I am not sure if their new album will generate any Florida shows. Fortunately for me, I’ll be catching them in Denver in a little over a month.

I Can Lick Any sonofabitch In The House – Regrets To Greyhounds

Beastie Boys: I don’t know why I’ve never seen these guys. I do know that the last time they came to Tampa their ticket prices were just too high for me to justify. At this point I doubt I’ll ever see them, but man, I wish I had.

Beastie Boys – Pass The Mic

Jane’s Addiction: God damn I loved this band and listening to Nothing’s Shocking reminds me of skateboarding in fall and hanging out with my first high school girlfriend to this day. By the time I could actually afford to go to shows there was no more Jane’s Addicition. Pale versions of their former selves or not, if they came to town on a reunion tour….I’d be there.

Janes Addiction – Had A Dad

Lady GaGa: Nope, that’s not a joke. I tried to go to her last show here in Tampa but it was sold out and I couldn’t get a press pass. I’d love to see her for the spectacle of it all. I can’t see how it wouldn’t be a blast.

Lady GaGa – Bad Romance

Okay, what are yours?

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