American Slang for Jersey youths

ALBUM REVIEW: Good and hearty tunes from Brian Fallon and the boys on American Slang. No doubt about The Gaslights Anthem's 4th release is a winner. Could be it's own reality show taking place in the suburbs of Jersey and spilling out across America. RXP is going to be playing the crap out of them no doubt. Classic diddling guitar riffs backed up by a solid rhythm section. Jersey bar bands needs to take lesson from these guys and they need to take some more risks too in my humble opinion but then again I always say that. A few too many rebel Clash punk cliches but ready made they are for mass consumption at your local Cheesecake Factory bar. I think I know "The Queen of Lower Chelsea", she works at Bis.Co.Latte perhaps? The lyrics are the meat of this New Brunswick band, like a well planned tattoo, with a voice which is straight from the souls of rebellious youths who really don't stand a chance. The bar is really high especially when you're one of them kicking it up in the air.

Ex Models live at the Court Tavern

I was digging in the archives a few months ago looking up video footage to lend to the Cruel but Fair movie [CBF on Facebook] and i cam across half a set by Ex Models from a Aviso'Hara Record release show for Made From Scratch. Anyway. The banter is funny and if you dig these guys you should enjoy these live nuggets which are not available anywhere else.

Ex-Models live @ The Court Tavern 2000 mp3s
Girlfriend is worse
the fun system
The Mechanic

The pic is from a earlier EM show in 1999 way before they broke...note the plug spark sanjay t-shirt.

Save the Court Tavern from their ungodly taxes

Open letter from Eileen Albert

Family,
Once again I am in the position of writing an extremely difficult letter. We have 24 hours to raise $20,000 or we may be forced to close. I know that times are tough and it is the holiday season but it's not impossible, 4 people to lend us $5,000 ea. - 10 people/$2000 ea. - 20 people/$1,000ea - 40 people/$500 ... See Moreea. and so forth. Here's why: We owe @ $26,000 in back property tax and water and sewer to the city of New Brunswick. A friend of ours knew we needed help and offered it based on the fact that he was selling his house and asked how much we needed. Bobby told him $20,000 or so. He said he could help us out provided his closing went through on Friday, which it did. Today he came in with $5,000, apparently all he could do. Bobby was under the impression that he could lend us the bulk of it. Now we are really screwed. We must pay the entire amount by 4:00 tomorrow ( Tues. 12/15 ) or it will go to tax sale. If it goes to tax sale the mortgage company will start foreclosure proceedings. Commercial mortgages are different that residential and the only way to stop it would be to file bankruptcy. The bankruptcy court will take over the business and liquidate it. The end of the Court Tavern. Bobby and I and Cassius have sacrificed so much of our family time and money over the years just trying to stay afloat. Everytime we are ready to throw in the towel , someone will come along and tell them how much the Court means to them so we keep on going. Tony Shanahan is in the process of organizing a benefit concert for us at the state theater in March. We thought we had it covered, borrow the money from our friend, pay the taxes, in March pay him back and have some extra cash to get caught up on some other stuff. Not going to happen. If you can help at all please call my cell phone at 732-887-1612 ASAP. All loans will be repaid in March with interest. We only have 24 hours. You can also text me if it's late tonight although I don't know how I'll sleep.
Sincerely,...
Eileen Albert"

IF 200 people give $100 dollars this should do it. Come on WFMU people.

If you know anyone in a financial position to help save the Court, PLEASE pass this along to them! The Court could go under....TODAY!

Visit the Court's FB page to find out more: http://www.facebook.com/pages/New-Brunswick-NJ/The-Court-Tavern/95906964037
Or call or text Eileen directly: 732-887-1612
Or call The Court: 732-545-7265

UPDATE: 12.15.09pm
SO the Benefit is on for March. Looks like somebody walked into the bar and gave them 20k. Good to have friends, family and fans -- oh and money. The Court Tavern is safe for now.

PAYPAL INFO TO COME!!!
The saga will continue.

Hub City Cruel But Fair the show

Well the first show in support of Stuart Wexler's ambitious documentary on the 90's New Brunswick Music scene was a huge success. I never saw so many gadgets and die-hard fans all in once place. The "Scene within the scene" to quote Bryan Bruden the old Mad Daddy's manager. Was really awesome to see so many oldish faces in one place and sad that I could not talk to everybody. Hadn't seen some of these characters in 5-8 years or so and glad to most are still alive.

So what does this all mean? Who cares right? it was so 90's ago? Well first off the music was vibrant like the first time you self discovered. All the colors were represented and none sounded like the other. For quick view go ahead and download or listen to DJSPORK SHOW #29 No Frills Rock podcast. I play a few select tracks mixed in with current talent out there. it's all about the rock.
Cruel But Fair movie page on Facebook or on YouTube.
NEXT SHOW: Sat 12.126.09 Court Tavern w/ Horsey, 3 to 6 inches, Prosolar Mechanics, Buzzkill and The Stuntcocks.

Mr. Thumb Flowers are not Evil

Based out of New Brunswick, NJ in the early 90's there was prog funk alternative rock metalish band called Mr. Thumb. The group had two singers and a running gaggle of drummers. Above is the cover for a 3 song ep called "This time it's gonna fuckin' Hurt" on Hub city label Well Primed Records. The track we are featuring in this post was supposed to appear on a follow-up 7" and self titled album on Behemoth Records but it never was released due to financial issues at the time(isn't this always the case?). The band recorded its full length at Trax East in South River New jersey with Eric Rachel and Steve Evetts. Drumming on said record was Dave Rosenberg (AKA Dave Crayola from Deadguy). The original singer Karl Munzel only appears on the Well Primed released. For the rest of the duration of the band the torch was carried by D.Buzz operating the bassness, Bil Weis vox and Jhon Thumb as the nutty jazz rock professor on guitar. You can still catch the Jhon Thumb band or something very close to it. If you ever get the opportunity to see him play it comes as a highly recommended live experience. The kind of thing you should see before you die in lieu of seeing Frank Zappa, Hendrix or a wasted John Frustrante. D.Buzz went on to form Aviso'Hara.

Grab some mp3 trax:
Mr. Thumb "Flowers are not Evil"
Deadguy - "Running with Scissors" b/w "Police Story" (black flag cover) [ buy some ]
Aviso'Hara - "Conspiracy Au Go Go" [ buy some avisohara

Review: The Gaslight Anthem 59 Sound jersey punk lite story

The strict state of rock is always trying to re-invent the storyline where the county lines have been defined for quite some time. To get your six string on and give it something new is as hard as making new octave chords out of the three that exist. The first three tracks on this record totally sound like the timber of Springsteen and music of some Southern Californian band holed up in the same apartment for a few years. The advantage for new bands is there are so many recent tenets who have come before in literature or Music who are the hometown mayors and pioneers as Bruce is to Asbury, as alliteration is to Tom Robbins and well punk is to the power chord. The good news is there are plenty of people to borrow from and bads news it just hard to be truly original. When you boil it down; the references are easy to hear if your record collection goes deep down to the marrow. Making the twists and turns your own from the scene around you is the trick and this is what they seem to do. The 59 Sound by The Gaslight Anthem is transparent and derivative for somebody like me but brand new for the next generation of music lovers. For execution style and in the singing at audience dept they deliver on just about the same plain as classic rock of The Hold Steady and best that Jersey has to offer these days. Real stuff exists in these lyrics and only gets into trouble from my pov when they try to be too accessible and take the first exit off the turnpike. They don't break too many rock rules too much; borrowing from pop-culture but hey who am I to complain. I keep playing the record and listening so they are doing their job right. I am not bored and enjoy catching the bits and pieces of other songs I like so all is good here fellers. Fallon's band rocks. 3+ thumbs up. Check them out on Emusic | Download The Backseat | The '59 Sound

Other great New Jersey Bands you should be aware of:
Aviso'Hara - Sonic youth and flaming lips inspired - Last.fm | Emusic
Boss Jim Gettys - Big rock alla Nirvana and Green Day but snazzier - Zoommoozik
Eastern Anchors - Trail of dead with Hum peppered inside - Last.fm
The Slow Wire - Pixies mixed with some GBV goes along way - Last.Fm

There are a lot more.

Mr. Thumb Trax East tunes on last.fm

It has been a long time since I have had this cassette kicking around, and I am sure Jhon Thumb has a better version somewhere of these tunes but the other day I took the time to post 7 tunes by the New Brunswick, NJ band Mr. Thumb on last.fm. The band played with Barkmarket, Nude Swirl, Mule, and whole bunch of other nameless national acts. The music can best be described as classic prog grunge. I would start with

Flowers Are not Evil

and work my way back-up. Enjoy!

Former drummer Alum included: Ken Devoe, Gregor, Dave Rosenberg(aka D Crayola from Deadguy/Lifetime/Transiliva) and bunch of other dudes I can't remember their names- about 3 others. You know who you are.

Former singers: Bil Weis (trax east album) and Karl Munzel (This time it is gonna fuckin' hurt ep)

Bass: Yours truly D Buzz

Guitar/vox: Jhon Thumb

In other blogosphere news:

There are some eastern anchors trax posted on MS which were recently recorded at Moonlight Mile in Hoboken. The anchors are also slated to play a free show at Maxwells Sat Aug 30th w/ Brooklyn's Ff, Stuyvesant and No Pasaran! Rock.

New Brunswick 3 day Music weekend

I am glad to report the basement scene is alive and well in the Hub City of New Brunswick, NJ APRIL 25, 26, & 27, 2008. When Jim Testa emailed a few weeks ago asking me to comment on basement life in the 90's and some memorable moments i wrote some down and forgot about it until he sent me link of his latest Jersey Beat podcast episode #54 that on listen really took me back. Features infamous bands like: Pleased Youth, P.E.D.,The Blisters and Deadguy among others. I then realized this was a part of something bigger and I got really excited to hear there were three days of weekend shows going on in alternative venues like a yoga studio! Man have times changed. Now, all the bands in his podcast are not playing but he really documented almost two decades worth of music. That is right New Brunswick has been a scene like any other that ebbs and flows in and out of clubs and basements and tail of the cast high-lights band who are playing The Screaming Females, Rapid Cities,full of fancy, and for science; all keeping the torch alive. The New Jersey suburban youth gets it and I can't wait to read the special edition of the Hub City Fanzine. I'm amazed somebody printed something and it is not a lazy web zine. Very cool. I may need somebody to hook me up with a copy or since it is Sunday I'll take baby girl on a little road trip this afternoon to curmudgeon records.Life goes on and remember to support your scene outside the scene.