Radio Free Silver Lake

RFSL Free Tuesdays at LaBrie's: MP3 Preview – Geronimo Getty, Zenda Marie, Future Dancing, and The Lonely Wild

Compiled by Jackie Lam

Just when the signs of having an actual summer this year seemed promising, last weekend's brilliantly warm weather has lapsed back into a dreary April gloom. So if you're looking for a post-weekened pick-me-up look no further than LaBrie's in Glendale, where you can find amazing local talent performing for the remarkably low price of nothing (It's free--always!) Our residency band The Lonely Wild will be joined by three great bands this week: Geronimo Getty (the side project of Aaron Kyle of Le Switch), Zenda Marie, and Future Dancing. So come out to participate in the revelry which is RFSL's weekly showcase at LaBrie's. Doors open at 8:30 pm, and the first band goes on at 9:00 pm. 21 + . Here are a few free downloadable mp3s and some back story on the making of each respective song.

 

Aaron of Geronimo Getty on "Slide":

I recorded "Slide" in the beginning of 2005 at a recording studio in Atwater along with 9 other songs. This record was going to be my first one made in a studio with lots of instrumentation. I finished it, and at the end of the year grew out of the material, wrote new songs, started Le Switch and never put it out. There are only a few tunes that I still listen to and send to people from this record. I always loved the drums on this song. When we were recording, we turned up all of the pre-amps for the drum mics and recorded overdriven. Chris Harrison plays lead guitar, bass, and sings back ups; and Maria DeLuca came in to play viola on the song.

Free download: Geronimo Getty - "Slide"

 

 

Galen of Zenda Marie on "Prairie County":

I wrote this song while in New York. I am from Arkansas, and my extended family has 80 acres in Prairie County, about an hour from Little Rock. It's my Eden and I hadn't been there in two years. My soul was crying to go back and the song came out of my heart. 

Zenda Marie is Galen and Kelsie. An important fact is that we recorded the song (vocals and guitar) live along with the rest of our upcoming album this past March with Producer/Engineer Ben Tolliday. Zenda Marie's approach to music is to strive for purity, hoping that we can spread light and love.

Free download: Zenda Marie - "Prairie County"

Brandon of Future Dancing on "Telling Stories":

We all dig "Telling Stories" because it basically wrote itself. The opening keyboard figure and drum part provided the foundation and all the other pieces just fell into place.  “Telling Stories” is the opening track on our debut album, which we recorded in a cabin out in the San Jacinto Mountains.  It ended up being one of the easiest songs to record and the one we were the most excited about, so on the last night of recording, we shot a music video for it.  The video really captured us as a band and our experience while making the record, fun and casual.  It also highlights our light organ (designed and built by our keyboardist, Colin Mann) which has become a visual trademark for the band. The last verse of this song, with the male/female vocal interplay and quick starts and stops, is one of our favorite parts in our live set.

Free download: Future Dancing - "Telling Stories"

And here's the music video:

  

Andrew of The Lonely Wild on their cover of "Personal Jesus/Money":

We'd been talking about doing various covers for a while, but hadn't really committed to anything.  We wanted a song that we could somehow make our own; something we could put a new spin on.  I think those are usually the most successful covers.  Mark Kozelek, for example, has an album entirely composed of AC/DC covers, but the songs are almost unrecognizable.  He took these rocking party songs and transformed them into beautiful and soulful tunes.

One practice Andrew Schneider suggested "Personal Jesus."  He had just heard it on the radio on the way in, and he quickly figured out the riff and started playing.  We jammed on it for a minute or so, and then started working on other things.  A few days later I was humming "Personal Jesus" in the shower and it turned into Pink Floyd's "Money" in my head.  Certain songs tend to do that for me.  If I have it in my head it will turn into something else, or two songs will combine.  Anyway, I thought it could make a cool cover, knowing Schneider's love and knowledge of David Gilmore's guitar work, so I suggested it at our next practice.

We had to change the key of each song to make them flow together, then we had to find a good point in each song to make the transition.  Edward then put down a grooving tom-heavy beat, Ryan gave it a little saloon piano, Schneider laid down gritty riffs, we harmonized the main melody, and made it our own.

Free download: The Lonely Wild - "Personal Jesus/Money"

Ticket Giveaway: Black Apples, Agent Orange, TRMRS, Dagha Bloom and Fidlar at the Echoplex Friday, April 22

By Kathryn Pinto
People, there are not one, but two ticket giveaways this week. The good folks at the Echo have a pair of tickets for one lucky reader and a guest to Friday’s show at the Echoplex with the Black Apples, Agent Orange, TRMRS, Dagha Bloom and Fidlar.

RFSL faves and Echo Park’s own over-caffeinated Black Apples bring you eleven and a half inches of guitar forward double drummer psychedelic garage rock. Headlining is Agent Orange. Yeah, the same punk/surf power trio who’ve been delivering non-stop punk rock since “getting the word out” meant an xacto knife, a glue stick, a staple gun and sweet talking the cute girl at kinkos. The Punk Vault called Agent Orange’s debut LP Living in Darkness “easily one of the best Southern California punk rock albums of the decade it was released in.” TRMRS, Dagha Bloom and Fidlar round out this adrenaline-fueled line-up.

Here’s the deal. To enter for your chance to win free entry for yourself and a friend, if you are 18 or older send an email to "RFSLjoel(at)gmail(dot)com.” Include “the Black Apples and Agent Orange” in the subject line and your first and last name (and any other comments you may have) in the e-mail text. Send it by NOON on FRIDAY April 22.

Ticket Giveaway: Cody the Band EP Release at The Silverlake Lounge, Thursday, April 21

By Joel Robinson

Greetings Radio Free Silver Lake friends. Although unnoticed by many, I have been away from RFSL and ticket giveaways for a bit now...well, I'm baacckk! And back with a terrific offering to join the fun at The Silverlake Lounge this week where Cody the Band celebrates release of their new EP.

Cody the Band is excited to be releasing the new EP and will be celebrating as much on this night. Their new offering will be available sometime midweek. Can't wait? Just have great taste? Then have a swing over HERE and grab their existing EP to tie you over 'til the new stuff is in hand. Excellent stuff!

And for the show, well I've seen them live and would be very pleased to share my thoughts on this one (OUTSTANDING leads the charge on those thoughts, DAMN FUN is a close second), but others have beaten me to it. See The 704 for an on-the-money take and see Rawkblog for another tight, accurate take.

Trust me, make that us, this is gonna' be a night not to be missed!

Oh, and there is more. Joining in on the night over at The Silverlake Lounge will be Downtown/Union, Sturgis Adams, and Judson & Mary. Yeah, "a night not to be missed" is starting to look like a seriously inadequate descriptor!

So don't miss it. And don't miss your chance on freebie entry for you and a friend. If you are 21 or older, drop an e-mail to "RFSLjoel(at)gmail(dot)com” that includes "Cody the Band" in the subject line and your full name (and any other comments you may have) in the e-mail text. Act now! We'll need that e-mail by NOON THURSDAY (i.e. day-of-show) to be certain you're in the mix.

And NO, my absence did not allow for a cure of my tendency for repitition. So let me reiterate that this is gonna' be a night not to be missed, so it's worth the trip out whether you're a lucky winner or not! -jdr

The L.A. Show Low Down (Or: "And I Don't Know A Soul Who's Not Been Battered, I Don't Have A Friend Who Feels At Ease...I Don't Know A Dream That's Not Been Shattered, Or Driven To It's Knees...")

by Brad Roberts

 

Coachella's over (above) and Los Angeles bounces back wih a full program of shows every night. Some bands sneaked into town to play secret (or semi-secret) shows, like Broken Social Scene offering an intimate show on Monday night for fan club members at the Masonic Lodge in Hollywood Forever Cemetery on Monday, and Elbow ducked into a show last Friday for KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic, hosted by Jason Bentley, promoting their astounding new album, Build a Rocket Boys. And those were only two of the shows I heard about.

Paul Simon is in town for a three night stand commencing on Tuesday at the Henry Fonda Music Box and continuing Wednesday and Thursday for two seated shows at the Pantages Theatre. I've watched his development as a songwriter and musician with respect, for years...hell, decades, but never seen him. and his new album is pretty nice so that situation is remedied on Tuesday night.

Of course there's the Prince shows taking place down in Inglewood at The Forum, but that's too far out in the 'burbs of Los Angeles proper to make it onto the list. Besides, I pride myself for never having attended a show at that gargantuan arena, even though it was the only place to see bands like Fleetwood Mac or Jefferson Starship at exorbitant prices after I moved here in '78. It's one of the reasons I stopped attending rock shows. But kudos to Prince for keeping most of the tickets in the $25. range.

There's some great local shows this week too, from favorites like Cody the Band, Eastern Conference Champions, Fishtank Ensemble, Dengue Fever and The Pity Party. Check it out inside...

Happy Record Store Day!

By Kathryn Pinto
In the lead up to Record Store Day I was surprised by how many people I talked to had never heard of the celebration, and not just civilians, but bloggers and band guys. I wanted to write a story about the day and reflect on it with all the optimism and enthusiasm for local music that are at the core of Radio Free Silver Lake. With a heavy heart and a huge, ominous deadline looming large at the day job I gave away this plum assignment to Radio Free Silver Lake staff writers Jackie and Jed. RFSL Jackie wrote an RSD Low Down for the event detailing what the various Los Angeles record shops have planned, and today RFSL Jed takes on Record Store Day 101 for the benefit of the uninitiated.

If the music scene has something like soul surfers—people make music for the love and joy of making it—that’s who Radio Free Silver Lake was is here to write about, review and document. At its heart Record Store Day is a day for people who really love music to get together in real life.

The day is worth paying attention to not because it’s going to “save” the record business or even because it’s a chance to score a limited edition LP to sell on ebay, but because it reflects some larger trends in the music world. The music industry as a business got bloated—selling $19 CDs then suing its customer base when they started downloading—and then it started shrinking and dying slowly (for a great read on the topic, see Greg Kot's Ripped), while at the same time music as something that people play and record and see live and listen to is quite vital.

When a fan can download nearly any album imaginable via the internet, where is the place for physical records? If we don't need a physical product to hear these songs and if no one is buying CDs or records by the millions and no one is making any money off it, then what is going on in this places? Why are new stores like Origami Vinyl opening? (We Listen for You has a passionate and entertaining discussion of vinyl love on their soundcast.) Maybe the more that we fans can have nearly unlimited music collections, the more we miss something physical and finite. Record stores are equally important because they are places where you can meet up and talk to other people about music, disagree, get recommendations and geek out a little. Get out there today and get yourself some records.

Record Store Day 101

By Jed

Music lovers internationally will come together on Saturday  April 16, 2011 to celebrate the 4th annual Record Store Day. RSD is for raising awareness as to "the unique culture surrounding over 700 independently owned record stores in the USA, and hundreds of similar stores internationally", as well as promote the sale of the 500 special releases scheduled for that day at participating stores (viewable here).  These exclusive RSD only releases (and other heavily discounted items) have been popular historically, so show up early.   According to Wayne Johnson, co-owner of Silver Lake's Rockaway Records (which has been participating in RSD since the first year), "When we opened our doors last year for Record Store Day, I think there were 75 people waiting outside, and 90% of them rushed to the wall for those limited edition releases."  In addition to the exclusive releases, participating stores celebrating this "unique culture" in the L.A. area may feature live performances, "cook-outs, body painting, meet & greets with artists, parades, and djs spinning records" at participating venues.

Interview: The Damselles

by Joe Fielder

LA girl group The Damselles -- comprised of singers Jillinda Palmer, Maria DeLuca, and Brittney Westover -- play tonight at The Echo to celebrate the recent release of their self-titled EP on Otik Records.

We checked in with them earlier this week to find out more about the band and what they've got on the docket for later this evening.

Congrats on your EP!

Thanks! It was a lot of hard work, but we couldn't be more proud of the result!

How did you all meet?

Most of us actually met on the kickball field! Maria DeLuca started a kickball league a couple of years back comprised mostly of various band members in the East Side Local band scene. I think she did it to bring people together in an activity that wasn’t music-related in order to get us out of our norm, but a lot of new bands formed from that and we eventually switched from playing kickball together, to playing music. Brittney Westover, Maria and I (Jillinda Palmer) first realized we could sing in three part harmony on third base!

What are the backgrounds of all the members?

Most of us are from Spanish/Italian/Irish descent! Maria DeLuca is from NY, Brittney Westover is from CA and I am from TX. The TC4 (Sean Johnson, Jake Maltinsky, and Dave Mustang Lang) are all from the LA area except for Adam Kurtz who is from Maine.

Seriously though, our band started out about three years ago as a cover band covering girl groups from the 50’s & 60s, Motown, and Soul music, always with the intention of eventually writing our own songs in the style of the retro music that we all loved so much. It took us a while to get to the point where we could record original material mainly because we spent so much time building our repertoire of covers, but once we really established our sound, all of us have been able to easily contribute original songs.

Celebrate Record Store Day on Saturday, April 16th!

By Jackie Lam

In an age where cloud computing, in which you can listen to music or watch a movie on a shared digital space without having to own it, is on the horizon, and stealing music off your friends’ iPods is easier than baking brownies from a Betty Crocker mix, it’s a small wonder why record sales actually went up last year (by a whooping 14%). Perhaps because listening to an album still reigns supreme in a lot of ways. It’s an undisputed fact that because a record’s analog recording more closely resembles an audio wavelength, its sound quality is far superior than digital formats. Perhaps taking a record out of carefully designed cardboard sleeve, putting it on the turntable’s slender needle, and listening to an album in its entirety, is still considered a bit of a sacred act. Or perhaps it's because record collectors have the reputation of being more knowledgeable about music than the casual Pandora peruser. To own is to cherish, and to have a long-sought-after rarity or B-side is a testament to how hardcore a music fan one truly is. And we introverted audiophiles know there's nothing more enjoyable than spending a leisurely afternoon on your day off going through the aisles of your neighborhood record store. 

So what better way to support your local music retailer than dropping in this Saturday, April 16th to celebrate the 4th annual Record Store Day. Participating stores will be having

giveaways, special in-store performances, sales, and most will carry an exhaustive list of RSD
exclusives, which includes releases from our own indie darlings Manhattan Murder Mystery, and Dengue Fever, Akron Family, Blitzen Trapper, Built to Spill, Caribou, Deerhoof, Fleet Foxes, Lower Dens, Of Montreal, Pinback, The Flaming Lips, The Naked & Famous, Vivian Girls, Yeasayer, Bear in Heaven, Deerhunter, Panda Bear, and The Growlers. If you are seeking a particular exclusive, I highly recommend checking out the store's website or calling ahead of time. 

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 On the Eastside, Amoeba Records in Hollywood continues its tradition of celebrating RSD with a day chockful of festivities. They’ll be open at 10:30 am and all their exclusives will be kept behind their front counters. In addition to carrying a boatload of exclusives, from 11 am – 4 pm you can get a limited-run RSD t-shirt. Just make a sliding-scale donation of $5-$10 and receive a tee of your choosing. All donations will benefit Doctors Without Borders. There will also be special DJ sets from KCRW’s Henry Rollins and members of Fucked Up.

Origami Vinyl in Echo Park is the place to go if you want to see some fantastic bands play. This cutesy, intimate long corridor of a record store is just over two years young, and they’ll be opening shop bright and early at 10 am Saturday. The first 150 customers will receive a free Origami Vinyl/Altamont Tote Bag with purchase. Free in-stores include a surprise guest (2 pm), Nick T. from Islands (4 pm), Hanni El Khatib (6 pm), and The Growlers ( 8 pm). Plusthey'll be doing free giveways all day. 

Don’t forget to swing by Rockaway Records  in Silverlake as they will be having a massive storewide sale. RSD exclusive vinyl and CD music releases they have in stock includes special releases from The Beach Boys, Dengue Fever, The Velvet Underground, and The Beatles. In addition, they’ll be raffling off a signed Alice Cooper guitar and Rockaway gift certificates. No doubt there will be lots of free goodies from the music distributors and labels, such as buttons, stickers, records, and posters.

Vacation Vinyl on Vermont in Los Feliz will have DJ sets all day long, and a buttload of great exclusives. You can check their store blog for a more complete list.

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On the Westside, Record Surplus in Santa Monica is extending RSD to a three-day weekend blowout bonanza and extended hours from 11 am to 10 pm. Their massive sale will run from Friday to Sunday.  Select LPs, cassettes and VHS that are housed in their Attic section will be sold at three for a whooping .90 cents and all bargain bin CDs that are regularly marked at .90 cents will be reduced to .23 cents each. On top of that, your entire purchase will be discounted an additional 20% off. So for those who are anticipating an exhausting, jam-packed day of perusing sale bins, making a quick grab for the last copy of Lower Dens 7" exclusive,  I highly suggest starting your RSD celebration early and trekking over to Record Surplus on Friday. Although not an official participant of RSD, Angel City Books & Records in Santa Monica has a robust assortment of collectibles and rarities, and is worth a trip. 

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And for Valley denizens, RSD participants in my hometown of Burbank includes Backside Records. Backside will have hundreds of exclusive titles, DJ sets, and live bands performing all
day long. For a complete schedule of the lineup, please visit their website. In addition, ever item in the
store (sans items already for sale) will be 20% off.  They’ll have extended store hours and will be open from 9 am – 11 pm. If you're already in Burbank, swing by Atomic Records , which offers a bulk discount.
Pasadena peeps should check out the longstanding Penny Lane Records, where your entire purchase will be tax-free, and Canterbury Records, which is reputed to have an amazing vinyl collection, will be carrying a lot of exclusives. 

So have a field day and paint the town red by visiting your favorite mom and pop indie music shops.

Video Free Silver Lake Special: Pre-Coachella Edition

By Jed

In the spirit of 2009, when I compiled a two part Pre-Coachella VFSL series featuring videos from some of the bands I was most looking forward to seeing, I have done the same this year, yet condensed it into just one post.  I'm incredibly excited about this year's festival, mostly because it will be the first time I don't either have work on Monday (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010) or a final on Tuesday (2004) or wasn't going at all because of graduation weekend (2005).  Which leads me to admit that I've never NOT RECOGNIZED AT ALL SO MANY OF THE BANDS. I can partially blame the fact that I was out of town for 4 months this year, and there seems to be a lot of UK based hip-hop but STILL! That being said, of the several hundred that are playing, I've found 20 videos to recommend for you, some from some tried and true favorites and some from bands I just discovered during the pre-Coachella prep process. I invite you to watch these all today while either watching the clock tick til the end of your work day, or through a long evening of picking out the perfect headband and funny t-shirt.

1) The fake movie trailer that is New Pornographers' video for "Moves" (also one of my favorite songs off the album (and one of the bands I'm most looking forward to seeing) is one of my favorite songs of the year. The fake Paul Rudd/Bill Hader that precedes it almost surpasses in brilliance. And for all you Julie Klausner fans -- she plays Neko Case:

Video Free Silver Lake: Jordan Hudock of Marvelous Toy (and the Henry Clay People)

This week Jed is riding all over the Valley on his bicycle delivering the LA Times. When he saw how much the Ticketmaster service charges were for Coachella tickets this year, he had to go out and get a paper route to cover his Visa bill--and this is a guy who pays no rent.

This week's guest columnist Jordan Hudock of Marvelous Toy (who play April 18 at the Satellite) told me you couldn't pay him to spend three days in the desert with a bunch of weekend warriors. Then somebody offered to pay him. His side project the Henry Clay People plays the festival Saturday at 1:00pm on the Mojave Stage.

By Jordan Hudock
1) I get a real kick out of watching the Walkmen play.  Lead singer Hamilton Leithauser is like a boxer when he sings... jumping around and gearing up for that next note he's gonna scream at the top of his lungs.  So I got a REAL kick out of watching them cover this Lindsay Buckingham classic... somewhere in the middle of watching the video, Christie Brinkley drove up next to me in a red Ferrari.