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Josefus Debut New Lineup; Confirm Recording in Progress

Posted in Bootleg Theater on November 5th, 2017 by JJ Koczan

josefus

New lineup, new material and new recordings on the way — the news from reunited Texas heavy rockers Josefus would seem to be all good at this point. The four-piece have been relatively quiet since their reformation was announced back in May, but it would seem that tracking has begun on their next studio album, and the stage lineup of founders Pete Bailey (vocals) and Dave Mitchell (guitar) and newcomers Doomstress Alexis, (bass/backing vocals, also of Doomstress and Project Armageddon) and Michael Morris (drums, also of Lone Star Hippie) made their live debut on Oct. 22 as part of the End Hip End It festival at Walter’s Downtown in Houston.

Amid classics from the band’s original run — their 1970 outing Dead Man should be considered essential proto-heavy for anyone who hasn’t heard it — the band broke out at least two new songs from the yet-untitled outing that will be the first from the band since 2006’s State of the Union, and a live clip with both has been posted from the fest, with Mitchell and Bailey front and center of the cult classic outfit, proffering unbridled boogie on “Guns and Fun” while digging into a darker, bluesier and loosely Sabbathian style of riffing on the subsequent “The Shade.” Each song offers a distinct take from the other and bodes well for what the studio outing might bring.

A considerable risk with new studio offerings from groups with ’70s era bands has consistently been an incongruity between the intent of the songwriting — to capture that raw spirit and energy that fueled the early days of heavy rock — with a sometimes-too-slick, or at very least dry, modern production. This can be heard on numerous contemporary from artists at multiple echelons, from Leslie West and Cactus to Leaf Hound. An exception to the rule might be Ripple Music jammers Poobah.

Likewise, it’s something Pentagram largely avoided with their Last Rites comebacker in 2009 I think in no small part because of guitarist Victor Griffin‘s ongoing connnections to the heavy underground, and I think in Josefus, having that awareness of what the current heavy audience is looking for is the role one might find Doomstress Alexis and Morris playing (in addition to their instruments, obviously). It will be up to them to ensure the sound of the record matches not only the purpose behind the material in the first place, but the vibe that listeners will invariably crave from a band like this in the first place. Fortunately, they would seem to be readily up to the task.

To my mind, this only makes the next Josefus long-player, previewed with the stage performance at End Hip End It, all the more worth looking forward to. One assumes at this point it’ll be a 2018 arrival, but of course when I hear something, I’ll let you know.

Until then, enjoy “Guns and Fun” and “The Shade” below, as filmed by IcedRelics in Houston:

Josefus, “Guns and Fun” & “The Shade” Live at End Hip End It

Josefus performing live at Walter’s Downtown at End Hip End It Festival in Houston, Texas on Sunday, October 22, 2017. Harvey Relief Benefit. Houston Psych Fest.

Brand new Josefus tunes debuted at End Hip End It Fest on 10/22/17 marking Josefus’s return to the stage and with new recording/live lineup:

Pete Bailey-vocals/harmonica
Dave Mitchel-guitar
Doomstress Alexis-bass/backing vocals
Michael Morris-drums/backing vocals

1st song “Guns & Fun”
2nd song “The Shade”
Video credit: Iced Relics (YouTube)

New record currently in studio production being recorded by Richard Cagle @ Montrose Studios in Houston, TX.

Josefus live:
11/25 Rockefellers Houston TX w/ The Dirty Seeds, Fiddle Witch & Mr. Plow

Josefus on Thee Facebooks

Josefus on Instagram

Josefus website

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Josefus Announce New Lineup and Recording Plans

Posted in Whathaveyou on May 11th, 2017 by JJ Koczan

josefus

By my count, the most recent Josefus studio album was Son of Dead Man, released in 1990, but of course the Texas-based outfit are more known for their works during the heavy rock surge of 1969-1970, during the course of which they offered three records to the overarching cause of the development of heavy rock. 1969’s Get off My Case and their two 1970 releases, Dead Man and Josefus — most particularly Dead Man — have continued to find relevance and influence among subsequent generations of Texan groups, and as they look to make a return this year to play End Hip End It this October in Houston and move forward with their first long-player in nearly 30 years, they do so crossing the generational divide in their own right.

The new lineup of Josefus, in addition to founding vocalist Pete Bailey and founding guitarist Dave Mitchell, features bassist/backing vocalist Doomstress Alexis, also of Doomstress and Project Armageddon, and drummer Michael Morris of Lone Star Hippie, and they’ve begun work tracking new material already while also dealing with a host of medical issues, scheduling conflicts, and so on. No exact release date has been set, but it doesn’t seem unreasonable to think there’s a chance Josefus could have the record together by the time End Hip End It comes around, if not actually pressed and ready for the merch stand.

They posted a quick rehearsal teaser on Thee Facebooks this past weekend that I’d embed here but for the evilness of the social medias involved. Instead, I’ve included Dead Man as a refresher at the bottom of this post, along with the info the band sent down the PR wire below about their upcoming plans.

Check it out:

Josefus – New Lineup May 2017

Josefus singer Pete Bailey had been feeling like the inspirational well was dry though the want to continue creating music was still there. Two days after celebrating his 70th birthday in November 2016 he checked in to the hospital for a scheduled minor surgery. Things took a dramatic change when severe complications from a massive infection developed forcing Pete to spend three months in both the hospital for treatment and rehabilitation to avoid a massive stroke or worse. It was during this time of isolation that Pete suddenly found his inspirational well surge.

Once released from the hospital Pete & Dave started working on songs together with an intense drive and contacted Richard Cagle at Montrose Studios about doing a new record. Unfortunately existing drummer Leesa Harrington-Squires (Lez Zeppelin) & bassist Mark Weathers were unable to commit to the project. Dave called bassist Doomstress Alexis (Doomstress/Project Armageddon) and drummer Mike Morris (Lone Star Hippie) whom they were all familiar with and asked if they could dedicate time to putting a record together.

Four writing and rehearsal sessions later and they were in the studio tracking drum and bass for several songs. Dave and Pete will be laying down guitars, vocals and harmonica for the existing tracks while Alexis is on a scheduled tour with Doomstress but once she is back, tracking will continue on several more songs already developed from writing sessions.

A short video teaser from the studio session was uploaded to the Josefus Facebook page and has had a massive response, especially with fans from across Europe asking for a European tour and festival appearances! Josefus plans on doing shows and some touring later this year and is already booked to play End Hip End It psych fest with Doomstress on October 22nd in Houston, TX. Europe is definitely on the radar as well.

ORIGINAL MEMBERS
Pete Bailey – Vocals & Harmonica
Dave Mitchell – Guitars
NEW MEMBERS
Michael Morris (Lone Star Hippie) – Drums & Backing Vocals
Doomstress Alexis (Doomstress/Project Armageddon) – Bass & Backing Vocals

Facebook studio teaser video: https://www.facebook.com/josefusmusic/videos/10155499351477262/

End Hip End It psych fest event link: https://www.facebook.com/events/444285199249564/

https://www.facebook.com/josefusmusic/
instagram.com/josefus_1969
http://www.jam280.com/josefus.html

Josefus, Dead Man (1970)

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