Screaming Urge in the New Age
On the occasion of Sing-Sing Records’ reissue of Screaming Urge’s 1980 “Homework” single earlier this year, I touched base with Myke Rock and Michael Ravage about the Screaming Urge days and the beginnings of Columbus Punk. Since I spent a decent chunk of my 20′s in the Columbus music scene, I wanted to hear their... [ Read More → ]
Velvet Underground: Under Review and Recently Released Super 8 films
The Velvet Underground Under Review is a documentary reviewing the influential collective, a band that Lester Bangs claims started modern music. It features performances as well as “obscure footage,” interviews and photographs of and with Lou Reed, Andy Warhol, Sterling Morrison and John Cale. I keep falling asleep watching it, personally–but maybe someone out... [ Read More → ]
Fugazi: Instrument
Someone recently recommended I revisit Jem Cohen’s documentary on FugaziInstrument. Released by Dischord Records on VHS in 1999, the film documents the band, its followers and also traces Cohen’s personal relationship with Ian MacKaye back to the 1970s DC, where the two met in high school. Shot between 1987 through 1998 on super 8, 16mm... [ Read More → ]
TV Party Documentary
In true democratic spirit of cable access TV and DIY ethics so associated with the revolutionary NYC show TV Party, some excellent person has shared the recent documentary of the show on Youtube. Much has been written on the now iconic show, so we’ll leave that at bay for now–but check this well-executed documentary out!... [ Read More → ]
Pre-Order Eric Erlandson’s book, “Letters to Kurt”
There are a lot of paths the narrative in this book could potentially go. Comprised of 52 prose poems, each a mini elegy for Kurt Cobain, the book will most likely be an explaination/apology to a friend who’s demise was largely caused by Erlandson’s long term bandmate combined with a general assessment of that whole... [ Read More → ]
FG.Ft: Three Part Project Series, A Tribute to Fad Gadget and Frank Tovey
FGFt
March 1st - April 8th
FGFt commemorates the late Frank Tovey's musical and artistic endeavours with a multi-part exhibition including an art exhibition, a screening of Morgan Tovey-Frost's 'Fad Gadget By Frank Tovey' and musical performances by Xeno and Oaklander and Ike Yard(amongst others). [ Read More → ]
Some like it both ways
The first openly gay American popstar– and one of the first AIDS casualties in the music business, Jobraith (who like many glam musicians at the time, went through a bevy of stage names) was working as a prostitute in LA until he David Geffen signed him to Elekra in 1972. Managed by Jerry Brandt, his... [ Read More → ]
Purple Pilgrims Video and Spring Tour Info
Purple Pilgrims.- s/t 8″ It has been said that ex-Christchurch now Hong Kong based sister duo of Clementine and Valentine Nixon is really a live act, with their haunting, heartfelt, carefully layered drone; pure enough to summon goosebumps. This outsider marble-fuzz project has reproduced the same wide eyed simple magic in these recordings. Songs of... [ Read More → ]
Royal Trux- Live Footage ca. Accellerator
Taped in 1998 at The Point in Atlanta. The set ends with a cover of their now legendary rendition of “Money For Nothin.” Shout out to Marc Masters for this one! [ Read More → ]
Sacred Bones Records at Spectacle
Thursday, January 26th, 8pm Brooklyn-based label Sacred Bones Records will present a selection of material and a rare-screening of Jacqueline Castel’s Twelve Dark Noons at Spectacle Theater. Expect an unearthed collection of underground weirdness, music videos, short films, works-in-progress. The evening will conclude with the presentation of a secret feature film. The secret feature film... [ Read More → ]
Trust-TRST
Trust’s first two singles “Candy Walls” and “Bulbforms” on Sacred Bones were among my favorites from last year. Their debut LP entitled TRST, is slated for release at the end of February on the Canadian label Arts & Crafts. Trust will tour this spring in support of the record, stopping in NYC March 8th at... [ Read More → ]
Organs of Love
Glasgow duo James McKinven (organs, love) and Alicia Matthews (vocals, love) comprise the band Organs of Love. “Organs of Love is a veritable behemoth of lo-fi weirdness that sounds like it’s come oozing straight out of some seedy swamp dive on Saturn.” –the band Optimo Music will release the “Bone EP” next week. Listen: Face... [ Read More → ]
Ministry at EXIT in Chicago,1984
Ministry live at Exit in Chicago, IL on December 20, 1984 By: Scott Kiernan Setlist: Intro All Day Do You Even Like It? Cold Life The Nature of Love Revenge (Everyday Is) Halloween I Will Do Anything For You Work For Love Here We Go Ricky’s Hand (Fad Gadget cover) I’m Falling According to notes... [ Read More → ]
Burning Star Core practice tapes from 2008 Uploaded
Burning Star Core ‘Practice April 4th 2008′ at the Art Damage Lodge, Cincinnati OH Burning Star Core ‘Practice April 4th 2008′ by Dronedisco for Burning Star Core: C. Spencer Yeh – violin, voice, electronics, objects Robert Beatty – electronics, objects Mike Shiflet – bass, electronics, objects Trevor Tremaine – percussion, voice, objects Official recordings featuring... [ Read More → ]
Dispatch from Aoteara #1
Joe Stumble ran my favorite blog, Last Days of Man on Earth for five years, before moving to NZ from the [American] Midwest in 2010 to pursue his Masters degree at Auckland University. He will be writing regularly for Straight To Video about life in New Zealand, primarily with regards to the arts. –KM... [ Read More → ]
Mute to Release ‘Transverse’
Transverse is an experimental collaboration between Chris Carter, Cosey Fanni Tutti (TG) and Nik Void (Factory Floor) created especially for the Mute festival at the Roundhouse in 2011. Late last week, Mute Records announced they will release the recordings of the project this March. The tracks were prepared in the studio and then performed and... [ Read More → ]
Graham Lambkin’s new improvisation recorded in a Honda Civic
For nearly two decades, Graham Lambkin has been redefining our concept of domestic disturbance. From his time in The Shadow Ring to his solo ventures (2003’s Poem for Voice and Tape and Salomon Run, from 2007) to his collaboration with Jason Lescalleet (2008’s The Breadwinner), he has continually transformed everyday atmospheres and the mundane into... [ Read More → ]
‘TG’s Desertshore- The Final Report’
The New Year finds Chris and Cosey in the studio working on TG’s ‘final’ studio album ‘Desertshore’ a reinterpretation of Nico’s third solo album from 1970, produced by John Cale and Joe Boyd. The front and back cover of Nico’s Desertshore feature stills from Phillippe Garrell’s 1972 film, La Cicatrice Intérieure (The Inner Scar) which... [ Read More → ]
What’s Up Matador, 1997 VHS
The beloved video comp. Come on collectors out there, I know you’re harboring some gems. Digitize this stuff or send it to me, and I’ll run the transfers for you! Released in VHS format in 1997 as “A Matador Records Instructional Film & Music Video Compilation”, What’s Up Matador has found its way to the... [ Read More → ]
Music Vids 2011
Class Actress- Weekend 10. Unknown Mortal Orchestra- “Ffunny Ffrends” 9. Anika- “Terry” 8. Grimes- “Vanessa” 7. Austra- “Beat and the Pulse” 6. Badd Energy- “Third Eye” 5. HTRK- “Synthetik” 4. Young Boys- “Bring Em Down” 3. Street Chant- “Less Chat More Sewing” 2. Throwing Up- “Mother Knows Best” 1. Friends- “I’m His Girl” [ Read More → ]
The Unsinkable GBV
By now, most GBV fans are probably tired of all the chatter on the interwebs about how Greg Demos fell on his ass on Letterman. The Dayton vets played a track from their forthcoming post reunion LP, Let’s Go Eat the Factory. Another LP by the “classic” lineup is slated to be released this May.... [ Read More → ]
Favorite LPs, Reissues, Performances, and Singles 2011
Here is a ridiculously long year-end list. Nothing is “ordered” for the sheer fact that it would have taken twice as long to post. Favorite Live Performances TNV and Feelies- Prospect Park You- ESP TV Regal Degal- Flying Nun 30th Deaf Wish at Death by Audio Factory Floor at ATP Popstrangers at Lit Lounge The... [ Read More → ]
Oneohtrix Point Never at MoMA
Oneohtrix at MoMA Oneohtrix Point Never played MOMA last night, as part of a multimedia performance with SF visual artist Nate Boyce. Russian Mind (scored by Oneohtrix Point Never) Nate Boyce is represented by Altman Siegel in SF. Photos by Erez Avissar. [ Read More → ]
2 Different Ways
I realize that these two videos have absolutely nothing to do with each other; BUT they represent the cream that has risen to the top of my mush-brain for the day, and that’s reason enough to post. [ Read More → ]
New Popstrangers Vid
My favorite of the new Flying Nun bands. These guys came over for CMJ and played a handful of really brilliant shows. Hoping they come back soon, so more people in the states can check them out. They are pressing a double a side to vinyl in the new year before the album comes out,... [ Read More → ]
Wolf Vostell’s “Dé-Coll/age Musik” reissued
Originally released in 1982 on the Italian avant-garde label/gallery/publishing house Multhipla, one would be hard-pressed to find Wolf Vostell’s Dé-Coll/age Musik. (Or anything else released via Multhipla) Thankfully, Berlin-based collective “Tochnit Aleph” has reissued the work, but only on CD– which is kind of a bummer. Especially bc they have done LP’s. Taking after... [ Read More → ]
Chris and Cosey at the Diogenes Club, Holland 1988
Creative Technology Institute (now called Institute for Creative Technology) Diogenes Club Diogenes Club, Arnham Holland Set list: Sleeping Stephen Arcade Vengeance Beatnik Club Workout Confession Obsession Dancing On Your Grave Beatbeatbeat More Chris and Cosey posts by Straight to Video: Here Here and TG Reissues Here [ Read More → ]
A Glimpse at Garbage and the Flowers
Former drummer Torben Tilly, now of Berlin based electronic duo Minit, described G&tF’s sound thusly: “There’s this crystalline structure of a song with its architecture of chords and idiomatic vocal melody. It’s something quite arcane and folkloric, owing a lot to Helen and Yuri Frusin’s song-writing and Helen Johnstones’ sapphirine voice. … These songs... [ Read More → ]
Mono No Aware-2011 Program Lineup
Mono No Aware is an exhibition that will present an international program of expanded cinema performances. The program will present ephemeral works that emphasize the cinematic and phenomenological experience. Now that the internet, television, and cellphones have become an everyday vehicle for the moving image; audience experience and connectivity is significantly altered, and the basic... [ Read More → ]
Nunvember NYC
So, I recently re-formatted this site, and for whatever reason– I lost a significant amount of content. One of the missing posts listed the details about the Flying Nun 30th Events in NYC.So I will re-post the latest below. Here’s the latest: 11/8: Open Deck DJ Night at Daddy’s Bar, BK. Bring yr favorite... [ Read More → ]