Category Archives: Music

Cleveland, Interview, Music, Music Video, Punk, The Awesome

Interview: Jeff & Loren of Signals Midwest

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It’s no lie.  I miss Cleveland.  I miss Akron.  I miss you Ohio.

I can not tell you how excited I was last night once my Cleveland homies Signals Midwest dropped by for a quick visit.

The boys had a night off of their current tour and I told them they could crash at my pad if they wanted.  They took me up on my offer and decided that we should all go see that new Batman movie too.

I was more than fine with that.

After the movie (amazing btw) and many beers later I felt like interviewing them for kicks and giggles.  Jeff and Loren were the troopers of the night and not only stayed up late, but were all about a drunken impromptu interview.

BHP:  So, what did you think about the movie?

Jeff Russell:  There was about 7 scenes that was tied to to my favorite and they all included Anne Hathaway and I was all like me likey likey.

Loren Shumaker-Chupp: Oh Batman… I don’t know.  The Restorations flasks were pulling it up.  John Blake was getting promoted to detective was epic.  I hit a certain point in the movie where I didn’t know what was going on.  Bruce Wayne making it out of the pit was it.

BHP: Bane was a little heavy on the Vader.

JR:  Ummmmm….I think as a trilogy it ended perfectly and I loved how Christopher Nolan had an all-star cast.  If he was a basketball coach, he would have had a dream team.  But LeBron James would have been in the new Spiderman movie.

LS: The pit that Wayne was stuck in was easy to get to get out of  in New Jersey.

JR:  Commissioner Gordon moved to Cleveland.

BHP:  Ha ha, and I moved away.  Do you feel the movie lacked in anything?

JR:  I would have loved to see Mr. Freeze and what he would have brought to the table.  I would have loved to have seen his take on global warning.  What if Al Gore played Mr. Freeze?

LS: I just think that I have a better memory of Danny DeVito carrying around that umbrella.  I just say that because you can’t use the Penguin anymore because he killed it.  Jack Nicholson killed it.  He warned Heath Ledger to not play the Joker.

BHP:  How’s the tour going?

LS:  Going great.  Played a lot of shows we did not know what we were getting into but had a good turnout.  We like playing new places not knowing what were were going into and having a good reaction.

JR:  The people that travel to see us is mind-blowing.  It sounds conceded, but we made some solid friends in cities that we could  not have played in due to cramming in so many shows as possible in a month and not going to as many cities as we wanted to.

LS:  This tour is great as we get to see a lot of cities, but not as many as we wanted to.  It is great to see so many people thought.

JR:  I will say it’s crazy being 2 weeks being Luther and 4 days ahead of Hold Tight!.  Having kids still come out to our shows is pretty awesome.  It’s tour season.

BHP:  What is next for you guys?

JR: We start a week long tour with French Exit.

LS:  We will be out with them for 6 days and have the cost.

JR:  We ge tho play at our favorite venue called VLHS. Does anybody need a beer?

BHP:  Yes.

LS:  Vince Lombardi high school. Yeah.

JR:  Also stoked to see Sleeping Weather, cause that band shreds.  I think they are just a three piece.

BHP:  What do you guys think of Las Cruces?

JR:  It is not that hot.

LS:  I heard some coyotes earlier.

JR:  No scorpions.  We went and saw Dark Night Crisis with our home girl Brian.

LS:  Las Cruces is awesome because you can buy liquor at Walgreens.  In Cleveland you have go to a liquor store.  Wave Falls, what is that Wallgreens beer?

And that was it.  The interview ended and we all went to bed.  It was well past 3am and we were all exhausted and maybe a little drunk too.  Even though Max and Steve passed out early (Steve, I hope you are feeling better man), it was still great to see the guys.  I only wish it could have lasted a little longer.  Sadly I had to go to work…really hungover, but I made it and wet on with my good self while Village Inn made breakfast for Signals Midwest.  Man I was jealous about that…

Happy touring fellas. Thanks for the great hang.


Music, New Release, Pop, Punk, Review

Album Review: Teenage Bottlerocket – Freak Out!

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Small town pop punk heroes Teenage Bottlerocket have done it again…

You know what?  Why make you all wait to read this entire review to find out what I think, Freak Out is nothing short of what I would ever have expected from this Wyoming foursome.  Full of hilarious, catchy, and memorable pop-punk tracks, Teenage Bottlerocket has released one of their best albums to date.

There, review done.  Go buy it.

Ok, for the sake of those who might want to know a little more, I suppose I can talk about Freak Out a little more.  After all, what else do I have to do right now?

Formed in 2001 in Laramie, WY, Teenage Bottlerocket started small and soon got noticed the old fashioned way.  With no gimmicks and hard work the band was not only picked up by Red Scare Records, but also grabbed the attention of the Groovie Ghoulies who had them play their stage at a Warped Tour.  In 2009, Teenage Bottlerocket signed to Fat Wreck Cords and dropped They Came From The Shadows, an impressive release that immediately grabbed this listener’s attention.  It’s had to believe that it’s been 3 years since that album dropped; I still listen to it regularly.

Freak Out is the band’s fifth release and immediately started off where They Came From The Shadows dropped off.  The 39-second title track screamed Ramones in a good good way.  I loved the “1, 2, 3, 4” count in the background.  Following the opening track was “Headbanger”, and it straight up ruled.  There is nothing quite like a punk rock song glorifying an 80s metal party and especially one that rocked out from start to finish.  I loved the fact that said headbanger got a concussion from whipping around his hair and the band noting “that shit can’t be good for your brain.”

“Necrocomicon” was brilliant.  The song revolved around “the comic book of the dead” in San Diego.  Fun lyrics with Yoda and Captain Kirk aiming to attack thanks to an evil curse.  Seriously, I totally expected Teenage Bottlerocket to write something like that.  “Maverick” continued as a catchy ass track talking about the other guy in Top Gun that did not go on to have a flourishing career making movies while battling to stay in the closet.

Not all jokes and tributes to movies, “Done With Love” was more serious about anti-love surrounded by riffs and hooks that made for one of my favorite tracks on the album.  “Punk House Of Horror” was another track I really got a kick out of that had Teenage Bottlerocket just producing fun pop-punk music.  “Never Going To Tell You” followed in the lines of something Screeching Weasel might have written without ripping them off one bit.

At my current age, it was nice to find out that “In The Pit” actually made fun of mosh pits rather than glorify them.  Once upon a time my dumb ass ran around in circles and probably pissed off tons of people.  That was then, and this is now and I appreciated that song a lot and apologize for my mindless actions as a confused youth in the 90s.

“Summertime” screamed to be the anthem for the rest of my summer.  Singing of being sick of the cold and snow and going to where it is “hot as Mexico”, I am sure some of you can sense why I liked this song so much.  Beyond that, it was a punk rock love song I am sure many of my Ohio friends can relate to.

“Go With The Flow” ended the album on a rather personal level about growing up and moving on.  I liked how the song circled back around enough to show different levels of hurt from each side.  The music that played with it was a tad different over the other songs in the sense that there was what sounded like a keyboard in there.   Seeing two sides of the departure made the song that much more interesting to listen to.

The album is a quick but lasting listen with 14 tracks carrying just below a half hour.  Freak Out is one of those albums that easily can be listened to over and over without getting sick of it, trust me on that.  Teenage Bottlerocket easily has dropped their best release to date and intend to take their talent to the road for all to hear.

Fans of the Ramones and Screeching Weasel (even early Green Day) probably already know who Teenage Bottlerocket is and what they are all about: pop punk with fun, easy to sing along to lyrics.  Nothing more, nothing less.  It’s hard to not like this band, especially for the fact that they have not really changed up their style much and still drop excellent releases.  It’s nice to see a level of consistency for a 10-year-old band not because they have not gone anywhere, but because they choose to stick to what they do best.  As they are just starting to get heavily noticed, I hope to hell they keep their sound for 10 more years.  It’s perfect.

Alt Rock, Austin, Festival, Folk, Fun Fun Fun Fest, Good Times, Grunge, Hardcore, Hip Hop, Indie, Live Shows, Metal, Music, Music News, Pop, Pop Rock, Post-Hardcore, Punk, Ragtime, Rap, Rock, Solo, The Awesome

Fun Fun Fun Fest 2012 Lineup Announced!

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Since 2006, Fun Fun Fun Fest has been nothing short of fun x 3.  Every year, the music/art/food festival seems to turn it up a notch, so much, that last year I actually decided enough is enough and headed to Austin, TX, to check it out.  The result, minus Danzig acting like a little bitch, was a killer weekend with friends fueled by amazing bands.  In other words, I had fun.  A ton of fun.

The festival was well organized, and all three days of music was well worth the $200 or so bucks I dropped on a wristband.  By the want of the fest last year, I told myself and my friends I wanted to return the following year.

This year, the good people at FFF Fest have outdone themselves.  Not only did they get RUN-DMC to reform, but they also had put together almost a dream lineup for this music lover.  Refused, De La Soul, Seaweed, The Promise Ring, Bob Mould, Lucero, Lagwagon, Braid, OFF!, Against Me!, F’d Up, Superchunk, Minus The Bear…I can keep going…P.I.L., Explosions In The Sky, X, Turbonegro…

Seriously, check out all who will be playing this year:

This does not even include the FFFEST Nites, the nightly free (with wristband) concerts around the city.

I am planning on returning to Auditorium Shores in November to take in this festival.  Since I have moved, I have not seen one live band due to a lack of venues, but this festival will make up for it.  Not to mention Austin is one of my favorite cities and I am now only a 6 hour drive away…

For more info, visit FUNFUNFUNFEST.COM

Acoustic, Music, New Release, Punk, Review, Rock

Album Review: Joey Cape / Tony Sly – Acoustic Volume 2

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Has it really been been 8 years since Tony Sly and Joey Cape released their first solo album collectively?  I can remember the day I heard cuts off that release and bragged to my close friends about it.  Soon they were just as hooked as I was with the acoustic renditions of Lagwagon and No Use For a Name (NUFAN) songs.

Hearing those punk rock songs acoustically was just something so new and exciting for this listener.  Keep in mind, this was before many of the punk musicians started their acoustic projects.  It was a new method of sorts and would pave a side road for punk rock music forever.  It’s save to say the revival was made possible by Cape and Sly.

Cape and Sly would continued with their solo careers separately after the release and both dropped some remarkable albums, but nothing was as memorable as their first attempt.  Over the past 8 years, Cape and Sly really built their reputation as solo artists and decided it was time again to take some of their classic songs and create acoustic renditions of them for all to head.  Needless to say when I found out via Fat Wreck Chords that Cape and Sly were releasing Acoustic Volume 2, I got a tad excited.

Once again the duo took 5 songs each from their back catalogs and turned them into acoustic masterpieces.  To keep with the idea of their original attempt, they both wrote and recorded brand new tracks to add to the mix.  The result is a sequel to an amazing release that follows the same path of awesomeness.

Cape took the first half of the album and started it with “I Must Be Hateful” taken from 2003’s Blaze. The already amazing song sounded more powerful than ever when broke down into acoustic form.  Cape loses the rasp in his voice and gently sings with assistance from soft piano.

“Know It All” was one of my favorite tracks off of 1994’s Trashed, and 18 years later it continued to impress me on a different caliber.  “Alison’s Disease”, originally found on Live Fat, Die Young, was a tearjerker to listen to.  I remember the original on the Fat Wreck compilation, but this round was almost as hard to listen to as Fat Mike’s acoustic version of “My Orphan Year”.  Amazing on how slowing down a song can unleash so much emotion.

I was so happy to hear “Resolve” on this release.  Listening to Cape play a more folky version brought a smile to my face even though the track pays homage to their drummer Derrick Piourde who passed in 2005.  “Broken Record”, Cape’s all new track, followed the same path as previous tracks with a mellow mood.  The song perked up half way through but ended just as soon as it started.

Sly took over the remainder of the album with a powerful version of “Black Box”.  Maybe it was the accordion in the background with piano and a strings section, but the new and improved version taken off the 2005 NUFAN release Keep Them Confused sounded better than ever.

“Soulmate” was my choice track off this release.  The track was already one of my favorites in the 90s on Leche con Carne! and hearing it all over again in a different way was just refreshing.  A new take on an old classic was just what I was looking to hear.  I could not help but feel the same way I did when I heard “Justified Black Eye” for the first time in acoustic form back in 2004.  It brought a smile to my face and I instantly sung along.

“Chasing Rainbows” was a fun take on the original found on More Betterness!, but overall I still preferred the 1999 original.  “Pre-Medicated Murder”sounded nothing like the version found on Hard Rock Bottom. The slowed down version was eerie in a sense to listen to and enhanced the lyrics so much more.

Sly’s original, “Liver Let Die”, was a barroom masterpiece in it’s own carried by strumming acoustic guitar.  The song was likable and held out an instant invite for me to learn the chorus and sing along.  The track ended with a crowd chanting “one more song, one more song” and to me was a perfect way to put this release to sleep.  It also provided for a taste of what Sly has in store for his listeners in future releases.

What happens when punk musicians age?  They grow up, maybe have a family, live life, but never put down the guitar.  If you are thinking that this album is “just another punk rock side project” you are wrong.  This album is a celebration by two men and their career featuring some classic songs.  I am glad I only had to wait 8 years for this because honestly, 10 years might have been too long.

If you like NUFAN and Lagwagon, chances are you already know about Acoustic Volume 2.  If you dig acoustic music, check it out, you will not be disappointed.  Punk rock or not, this duo make for some amazing renditions of classic cuts I feel many can appreciate regardless of what genre of music is preferred.

Cincinnati, Music, New Release, Pop, Punk, Review

Album Review: Mixtapes – Even On The Worst Nights

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I remember a while back when I went to the It’s A Kling Thing house to check out a band from Cincinnati called Mixtapes.  Yeah yeah, call me that guy, but it is only fair.  You see, a bunch of my friends who were well aware of what Mixtapes were about early on told me told me I needed to see them live and I am glad I listened to their advice.

The pop-punk foursome impressed me immediately with their ever so likable songs that clearly were written on the pure basis of fun and personal events.  I remember everyone crammed in that tiny basement singing along and rocking out to some of the catchiest songs I had heard in a long time.  I told myself back then that they were going to be going places soon and meant it 100%.

Mixtapes have always had songs that were written to be witty and as close to their hearts as possible making for a very personal listen.  To top that, they are super best pals with bands like Direct Hit!, Wonder Years, House Boat, and countless others.  They are friendly folk too and never seem to have mosh shorts to sell when I visit them at their merch booths.  Quick to crack a joke and incite a smile, this band is always fun to listen to and hang around.

Fast forward to present day and here I sit typing out a review of their new release on No Sleep Records and I have to admit, I excited to be able to talk about it.  Even On The Worst Nights is not their first release, but has shaped up to be their most important release to date.  The band, who started writing tunes in 2010, has released a bunch of songs that can be found on various 7″s as well as for free download on the Internet. (Don’t believe me?  CLICK HERE.)

Starting off Even On The Worst Nights was “Seven Mile”, a 54 second song that pretty much defined what the band surrounds themselves with: lack of friends, long days, small town life, and not a care in life.  “Something Better” followed kicking things into gear with a pop-punk anthem of sorts.  This song without a doubt will be a sing-a-long.  I loved the lyrics “we sat outside talking about movies and music we hate cause there’s not much left to life.”  Seriously, it is almost as if this band gets me.

The album title track really sounded like it was aimed at all the punkers out there that have been there and done that.   Upon listening to it more though, it is clear the song recalls many of the issues the band has gone through getting to where they are today.

“You & I” was a slow starting ode to a special friendship that ended with a bang in less than a minute.  “I’m Wearing The Device (Bridge, Water)” carried the typical personable Mixtapes lyrics I was hoping to hear with the band questioning themselves if they are good enough to continue.

My favorite track on the album easily was “Russian House DJ”.  Perhaps it was because of Maura and Ryan’s back-and-forth-vocals throughout or maybe just because it reminded me of all the pop-punk I listened to over 10 years ago.  Call it poppy or maybe even emo, all I know is that it was good and I enjoyed the hell out of it.

“Anyways”, featuring Grath Madden of House Boat, threw in jabs to nameless opponents (aka bands) for the sake of hilarity.  The group vocals helped make for a good listen as well as lyrics that threw out Mixtapes’s definition of life.  “I represent my city but not my scene” was sung with complete honesty proving that this band is all about the music and nothing more than that.

The drum-pounding intro to “One For The Ozarks” was perfect for the high energy track that was almost like a confession from the band admitting to change.  Change or not, the song was likable with high and low points as well as a clever ending.  “Just When You Thought It Was Over” was a punk rock jam that grabbed my attention in a good way.  This song really showcased how much the band has matured as musicians in the past 2 years.

The duet “Golden Sometimes” had Ryan and Maura singing together with help from acoustic guitars and piano.  It was a track that really brought back bad memories of relationships of my past that never went to plan.  Once again, a certain level of emo-ness could be heard making for a very memorable song.

During “Basement Manners”, Maura took over on most of the vocal duties making for a great track to rock out to.  “Mt. Hope” ended the album with the song sounding more like a conversation between good friends.  Soupy from The Wonder Years actually contributed some guest vocals during the final track of the album.

I really enjoyed Even On The Worst Nights and know I will be adding this album to my daily playlist for some time to come.  The songs overall on the album carried a Mixtapes standard sound I was expecting, but my only vice was that it seemed like Ryan got more attention vocally than Maura did sans “Basement Manners”.  I would have preferred both vocalists to be on the same level, but it was not the end of the world.  Mixtapes have definitely released a solid album that is going to be getting a lot of attention in a short amount of time.

The band that used to place basements and small stages better get used to some wiggle room, I know these guys (and gal) are going to blow up this year.  If you have not heard of Mixtapes yet you really need to fix that and if you have not seen them live yet, boy are you missing out.  They tour non-stop and chances are good for them hitting your town sometime this year.  First things first though…they are playing the UK in August.  Not too shabby for a band that just passed the 2 year mark.