This week's local band spotlight comes from Destruct-a-thon, straight from the depths of Boston's metal/punk scene. Fueled by political outrage and driven by a tumultuous wall of guitar, Destruct-a-thon has been making noise in their headquarters of Allston, Ma., since the summer of 2000.Led by Duncan Wilder Johnson's "mental patient on crack" stage presence, their gritty sound is made ten-fold with Michele Morgan's furious guitar riffs, Sean Linehan's low end attack on bass and Eric O'Brien's fast paced drumming insanity.Destruct-a-thon's latest EP, titled "Aloha Jihad" and out just yesterday has 2 songs, 1 cover and 2 bonus tracks. Tracked at New Alliance in Cambridge with His Majesty Ethan Dussault (God.Fires.Man., The Lot Six, Smoke or Fire, Everybody Out!) and mastered by Nick Zampiello (Dropkick Murphy's, Torche, Campaign For Real Time, Against Me!, Cave In, Converge) at New Alliance East.The EP features the standout track "Aloha Jihad" -- a blistering 2 minutes and 33 second tirade against the Bush Administration. Cruise on below to grab the track, and if you like what you hear, make sure you check them out this Friday at the Middle East Upstairs for the official "Aloha Jihad" EP release party with We're All Gonna Die and 26 Beers.
Now read on to see Destruct-a-thon frontman Duncan Wilder Johnson answer the same five questions Stranded In Stereo always asks local bands.
Hailing from Boston, makes us better than all those non-Boston bands because Okay, going for honesty here: I don’t think that being from Boston makes us “better” but I would say it makes our skin a lot thicker. Boston is an intense place with a deep history in local music and punk rock. When we play other places, I notice that we’re the most energetic band on the bill, the most relentless band on the bill, and often the heaviest band on the bill. People in New England like their rock LOUD and people in Boston are a tough crowd. So, if you don’t “bring it”, you’re not going to last too long around here. That being said, Boston is where we cut our teeth, so when we play other towns people’s jaws drop because they see that we’re not fucking around. Name at least three bands that are still around and touring that you’d love to be on a bill with, and think it fits well Clutch, The Sword, and Shat
Your favorite Boston venue to perform in is This is like asking which of your kids do you like the best? We built our following playing O’Briens (so hats off to those guys), but I have to say I like playing The Middle East and Great Scott’s a lot too. We’re making our debut at Church this summer and I’m looking forward to that. Other than that, I’m dying to do an all ages punk show at The Papercut Zine Library or The Elks Lodge.
Are there any genres that influence your music conceptually, rather than sonically? (In that you can’t hear from simply listening to the music, but from getting into the structure or mathematics of the song-writing, etc.) I’m not sure that I understand the question, but if you’re asking me what inspires me in regards to our music other than other music then I’d have to say Visual Art. I went to Art school. I have an insatiable love for photography. I read. I see films (especially political documentaries). When I write the lyrics for a Destruct-a-thon song, I tend to write about what’s upsetting me in my life: people dying, general frustrations, relationships ending, and corrupt government shenanigans.
Your favorite local bar to hit up when not doing the whole band deal is The Model or The Middle East. The Model is an evening place (often after shows) and I go to The Middle East earlier in the day on weekends to get food, drink a beer, and write crap.
Three summers ago, I was all over X&Y. When Coldplay dropped that record, it got plays non stop. Almost every song was good, dark, different, even the overplayed "Speed Of Sound," the album's lead off single, was bearable.
Since then, the band toured the world numerous times, I think Chris Martin and Gwenyth Paltrow had another baby, and they hunkered down with the legendary Brian Eno to record their fourth album, Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends. Will this be their Joshua Tree, that remains to be seen, but we will get our first chance to see what exactly went down in the studio when the band gives away their new single, "Violet Hill," for one week only beginning tomorrow at 6:15 AM EST. Will it be a landmark recording? Will it be the greatest thing ever? Will it just be another Coldplay song? We will all know this time tomorrow.
On the touring front, the band only has two shows on the horizon, and they are both free. The band will play the Brixton Academy in London on Monday June 16th, and Madison Square Garden in NYC on Monday June 23. Stay tuned to their site for info on how to get your free tickets.
Viva La Tracklisting 01 Life in Technicolor 02 Cemeteries of London 03 Lost! 04 42 05 Lovers in Japan/Reign of Love 06 Yes 07 Viva la Vida 08 Violet Hill 09 Strawberry Swing 10 Death and All His Friends
OK Tokyo are three guys from the UK who’ve “traveled to the future, to pre-historic lands, and back again”, and it shows. Their combination of heavy, aggressive guitar riffs and supersonic vocals are taking electro-rock to a new, exciting realm of hard rocking and intergallactica. OK Tokyo make it clear that they don’t give a shit -- they just want you to throw your hands up and join in on their journey to the future. Their first single, “You Better Believe It” has been a staple in taking my nights out to another level. You’re tired, but sure you’ll have a beer or two. Listen to this song -- you’ll find yourself ready to fucking tear it up.
Check them out at The Great Escape on May 17th at The Brighton Coalition.
So, I've given enough attention lately to The Republic Tigers that it's time to move on to the other spawn ofThe Golden Republic: Soft Reeds. Around the same time TRT were spotted in TGR's top friends on MySpace, so were Soft Reeds, the new project of singer Ben Grimes.
Activity on their MySpace page had been rather dormant for awhile, until over the weekend when a bulletin was sent out informing the world that new demos from the upcoming Soft Reeds album, which may or may not be called Let's Get Old, were available to check out. It also appears that Mr. Grimes has packed up and found himself in a new town, relocating from his beloved Kansas City to his new home of Nashville, the musical capital of everywhere.
The three new songs show a different canvas in which Grimes is painting upon. "A Brave New World" finds Grimes entering said new world, which is true - new "band," new location - thinking why, why, why. "Thick Of Thin Things" somewhat reminds me of the Republic he once fronted, with its keyboards humming and distinct guitar playing, filled out in the chorus by ghostly backing vocals. And there's "Look Back In Anger," which could be a retort to the Oasis tune that has a similar title, that could be an outtake from the BJM's Thank God For Mental Illness.
All in all, what Grimes is cooking up sounds rather promising: if the songs sound this good as demos, who knows what he could come up with in final versions for a release. He informed me the other day he's hoping to wrap work on the album soon and finalizing a line-up to bring the show back on the road. And that's a good thing, because it just means I get to keep spreading the gospel even more on what ever happened to one of the best bands that broke up too soon.
Stream: "A Brave New World," "Thick Of Thin Things," "Look Back In Anger" [here]
*Also be certain to check out the MySpace page for the original demo of "Buildings And Mountains," that was a Golden Republic live staple long before it was Republic Tigers track, as well as "Hemel Dalingen," the last recorded jam released by TGR before they disbanded.
This week's local spotlight comes to us with a bit a grit, a dash of overdrive and everything you expect from unrelenting rock in roll. Wild Zero my friends, are not for the faint of heart. Lead vocalist Clay N. Ferno says, "We've been doing this for about three years, smashing piñatas over people's heads (see picture below), cranking our Marshalls to beyond the limit, and singing songs about dirty sex acts in tubs."Mhhmmm, everything there is to love about rock and roll. In addition to Clay, the band features Dennis, Iyad and Chris on alternating lead guitar. Chip is on bass and Damien (formerly of local BOMP! legends The Coffin Lids) rounds out the band on the trap kit.
Their latest EP, II, (available in its entirety below for download) perfectly sums up Wild Zero's sound -- the punk-tinged rock and roll started by the Stooges while supplemented by the member's modern influences ranging from the Riverboat Gamblers to the Bronx to Guitar Wolf (where they obviously got their name). Give a listen to the EP -- I personally recommend the tracks "Hike For Beer" and "Love Eraser." If you like what you hear, then head on out to their next show, May 3rd at the Abbey Lounge in Somerville.
Read on below to see what Wild Zero frontman Clay says in response to the same five questions Stranded in Stereo always asks local bands.
Hailing from Boston, makes us better than all those non-Boston bands because Boston is a Rock and Roll town, replete with the misery of winter (songwriting) and the glorious days of Summer (BBQs and drinking.)To be fair to the rest of the world, Iyad now lives in Williamsburg, so we can only really address SOX vs. YANKEES rivalries here. Chip also holds the unique distinction of being a METS fan. To each his own, Wild Zero says!
Name at least three bands that are still around and touring that you’d love to be on a bill with, and think it fits well Riverboat Gamblers, Iron Maiden and The Sword. Heck, we already played with Cheeseburger (Kemado, NYC) and that was a dream come true right there.
Your favorite Boston venue to perform in is Middle East Upstairs. I guess Downstairs is OK too, we played our very first show there!
Are there any genres that influence your music conceptually, rather than sonically? (In that you can’t hear from simply listening to the music, but from getting into the structure or mathematics of the song-writing, etc.) Tough one, but the answer, unequivocally, is equal parts Steely Dan, 311, Blind Melon, Testament, Tim and Eric, Cheap Trick and Black Sabbath. We’ve actually been waiting for someone to ask us that.Also, does being inspired by the amount someone drinks count as an inspiration? Yes? OK, Lucero, The Men, Cocked N Loaded and Motherboar are our heros.
Your favorite local bar to hit up when not doing the whole band deal is Have your local readers heard of The Model Café, in Allston? We’ve been there a few times…Get in before 1:30 AM is all I am saying!
I haven't decided yet if I am laughing because I am in shock, or because I actually think it is funny.
Anyway, "Pork And Beans" is available today on Amazon, even though it isn't supposed to be out until Thursday. You can just stream it from the the mighty =W= homepage.
Also, be on the look out later this week for one of the best My Formative Years posts, ever.
Until then, the running order:
01. Troublemaker 02. The Greatest Man That Ever Lived (Variations on a Shaker Hymn) 03. Pork And Beans 04. Heart Songs 05. Everybody Get Dangerous 06. Dreamin' 07. Thought I Knew 08. Cold Dark World 09. Automatic 10. The Angel And The One
Deluxe: 11. Miss Sweeney 12. Pig 13. The Spider 14. King
A happy Patriot's Day to you as we celebrate with another Monday Morning Newsletter from Mr. Fritz.
Jane's Addiction will be reuniting April 23rd to receive the NME Godlike Genius Award. Strangely that is a real award, previously won by the likes of Manic Street Preachers, Primal Scream and Ian Brown [Editor's Note: This award is for the NME Awards' first US edition. Also, the Manics are from Wales and Ian Brown is from Manchester]. This would be the first time the award went to a band not from London. Original bassist Eric Avery announced he will return to the band for the first time since 1991 for the event.
Scars on Broadway is mixing their first release, tentatively scheduling their self-titled debut for July. The band is a collaborative effort between System of a Down's Daron Malakian and John Dolmaya. Malakian released a press statement saying “It has to be better than Serart, right?”
Eyeball Records signed the Wilkes-Barre based band An Albatross. The group's debut for the Jersey-based label will be available this fall.
Panic At the Disco’s album Pretty. Odd. has performed so poorly that after a month they’re planning their next release. Ryan Ross was quoted as saying “we’re doing to go back to Vegas, hit some titty bars, gamble a little, drink a lot and rethink the whole thing.” Despite that their label, Fueled by Ramen intends to release the next single May 2.
Internationally famous media mogul and evil bastard Clive Davis has announced he is stepping down as from his position as CEO of the Sony Music Group. Davis is not leaving the label, instead taking on a different role as King of all media unseating Howard Stern. Barry Weiss, head of the labels Zomba Label Group, steps into Davis’s old shoes.
RZA of the Wu-tang Clan is off his maintenance medication. A source informs Jose Fritz that RZA’s long-subressed multiple personality has resurfaced and even recorded a record. Bobby Digital is back for the first time in almost a decade. RZA said of Bobby’s work “ODB used to just put the recorder on, get drunk and make noise… You’re in your car or you’re in your crib, and it’s that hour of the day when you smoke weed and shit.” Jose didn’t even make up that part.
Rapper Foxy Brown was released from prison this week. Family and fans greeted her Friday outside Rikers Island where she has been incarcerated for 8 months. She was quoted as saying "I did almost a year in prison, a year in prison, just because my name is Foxy Brown." State Attorney general Spitzer retorted :Actually it was for beating up a manicurist.”
The living children of famed pianist Ray Charles have accused Joe Adams, his longtime manager, of mismanaging his estate. Adams said in a formal statement, "just because he can't see doesn’t mean he didn’t know what was in the contract.”
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Destruct-a-thon's latest EP, titled "Aloha Jihad" and out just yesterday has 2 songs, 1 cover and 2 bonus tracks. Tracked at New Alliance in Cambridge with His Majesty Ethan Dussault (God.Fires.Man., The Lot Six, Smoke or Fire, Everybody Out!) and mastered by Nick Zampiello (Dropkick Murphy's, Torche, Campaign For Real Time, Against Me!, Cave In, Converge) at New Alliance East. The EP features the standout track "Aloha Jihad" -- a blistering 2 minutes and 33 second tirade against the Bush Administration. Cruise on below to grab the track, and if you like what you hear, make sure you check them out this Friday at the Middle East Upstairs for the official "Aloha Jihad" EP release party with We're All Gonna Die and 26 Beers.
Name at least three bands that are still around and touring that you’d love to be on a bill with, and think it fits well 
