Playing with and off conventions of punk, surf, heavy rock and more besides, New York trio The Mad Doctors have been a sort of gleeful anomaly. In the release info for what will serve as their final (as much as anything is final in rock and roll) release, the EP R.I.P., they use the word “weirdoid,” and I love that, because not only does it push “weirdo” to 11, but it has fun in the process, and from where I sit, that’s what the band have been about this whole time. They call it quits leaving behind a too-short discography of short releases, splits and the 2016 full-length, No Waves, Just Sharks (review here), and an aesthetic that seemed just to be finding its joy in the strange nuance of their songwriting, but their doing so hints that perhaps the point all along was the search, not the find. In any case, they were a good band. So it goes.

R.I.P. serves as vital emphasis on that point particularly; one more fuzz blowout from guitarist/vocalist Seth Applebaum, bassist Joshua Park and drummer Greg Hanson, who earlier this year also issued the Fuck Sean Hannity digital single, thereby earning a 1UP’s worth of charm points. I’ve done exit interviews before once or twice. A band breaking up can be a contentious thing, and as I’m not really into hearing dudes rag on each other or dig into “band drama,” it’s not something I always want to chase down, but with The Mad Doctors, that doesn’t seem to have been what did it. They just seem like they’re ready to move on. There are new projects in the works and they decided to put things to rest with the five songs on R.I.P. and some last shows. It’s hard not to respect that, and after a run that goes back to 2013’s Fuzz Tonic EP, they’ve well earned the victory lap. So here are the dates:

The Mad Doctors last shows:
Wed 7/17 – Brooklyn @ Windjammer
Thur 7/18 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Gooskies
Fri 7/19 – Ft. Wayne, IN @ The Brass Rail
Sa 7/20 – Detroit, MI @ Beaconsfield House
Su 7/21 – Chicago, IL @ Reed’s
Mon 7/22 – Cincinnati, OH @ The Hub
Tu 7/23 – Knoxville, TN @ Pilot Light
Wed 7/24 – Richmond, VA @ Cary St. Cafe
Th 7/25 – Harrisonburg, VA @ Lon Lon Ranch
Fri 7/26 – Washington, DC @ The Pie Shop
Sa 7/27 – Baltimore, MD @ Mercury Theater

I’ll say this about them: I never knew what a given offering from The Mad Doctors would offer — and that’s still true on R.I.P. — but I knew it would be a good time. I’m glad they had the awareness to pull the plug before it stopped being one.

Enjoy the interview and all the best to Applebaum, Park and Hanson on current and future projects:

The Mad Doctors – Exit Interview

Okay, so what happened? Why end The Mad Doctors?

Nothing happened, really. Creative projects just have ends. We were able to feel it coming and thought it was best to try to make the best of it and have some fun before we put it to bed. It’s better to have it end naturally rather than keep it going just for the hell of it. We had an amazing run – our adult lives are in many ways defined by it, we have made so many of our closest friends through it, we have seen so many places we otherwise wouldn’t have. And now it’s time to see where else the road goes.

When did you first start to feel like things with the band were drawing to a close? Obviously you’re still in it, but did it become the band you wanted it to be?

It has been about a year, maybe a little longer. It was mostly a lack of inspiration to write new material. It kind of felt like we had explored all the things we were excited about sonically that made sense with this band. Around this time, we had a few meetings to try to get the creative juices flowing again and see what we hadn’t tried (one of these attempts turned into “Aggro”) but most of the time, it ended with lukewarm tunes that just didn’t fit us. Sonic interests had changed, tastes had changed and we just felt like it was time to figure out a good way to put it to bed. So we came up with the idea of doing one more record and another tour to support it, a few goodbye shows and end on a high note.

Did you know as the new EP was coming together that this was it?

Yeah — we went into the recording process with the plan for it to be the last release. Thankfully we all still love each other and playing in the band is still a lot of fun so giving it some time wasn’t a problem at all but we have been sitting on the news and it’s exciting to be able to do it one more time.

You’ve toured, played fests, recorded albums, splits, the whole thing. What are you leaving undone?

Really, the only thing we wanted but haven’t done is tour internationally. It’s a bit of a bummer but we all have jobs and commitments to things locally so an international tour just wasn’t in the cards but we definitely wish it had! We had talked about Europe, Australia, Asia – we have had some good love from around the world – just good excuses to travel and see new places – which is always how we viewed touring in the first place. For another band, I suppose!

Best memory — live, in the studio, whatever. What specific moment will you look back on most fondly?

I mean, it’s impossible to pick one memory but when pressed, I definitely think one of the more magical moments was something that happened on a recent tour. We were playing a basement in Harrisonburg, VA that only had one light – a standing lamp that our friend (Jake from Illiterate Light) was whipping around, giving us a “light show.” Well, in the middle of one of the songs, he accidentally broke the bulb and we finished the song in darkness. Honestly, not the first time we have played in total darkness for one reason or another but after the song, we asked someone to turn another light on and we were told there wasn’t another light to turn on. So Jake turns on the flashlight on his phone and five or six more people in the front row take the cue and do the same so we finished the set by iPhone light and it was a moment that was totally awesome.

What lessons will you take from your time in The Mad Doctors as you move forward?

We learned all of the ropes in The Mad Doctors. Everything. How to book shows, how to book tours, how to not fight with band members, how to talk to each other, how to keep out of each others’ hair on the road, how to not take a bad show as a sign that your band totally sucks, how to embrace the moments of pure magic, how to maintain relationships in close quarters, how to play our instruments. It’s immense how much we have all taken from this band.

What’s next for you guys? Any new bands or projects in the works?

Always lots of stuff! Seth and Josh are doing Seth’s psychedelic soul band Ghost Funk Orchestra, who is doing quite well (and has a new LP coming out in August called ‘A Song For Paul’), Greg is in another garage punk band called Lumps, who is working on their second LP, Greg and Seth have a recording project called Power Children that’s like revved-up biker rock as well as their super-sometimes (like they play once a year) surf punk band The Fucktons, and Josh is always working on his solo drone/sludge project Sludge Judy (which Seth plays drums in). So – yeah, we’re definitely not done making music together in other forms and we’re all keeping active and happy with lots of music!

The projects:
https://ghostfunkorchestra.bandcamp.com/album/a-song-for-paul-2
https://soundcloud.com/ghostloadsound/power-children-night-time-is-the-fight-time
https://thefucktons.bandcamp.com/album/spring-cleaning
https://sludgejudy.bandcamp.com/

Seriously though, reunion tour in a year?

Who knows? Honestly, we’re not saying we’re never going to play again but this is the end of the band playing consistently, especially for the time being. Maybe we’ll have inspiration and write more songs and pick up the mantle again. But until then, we’re going to have a few more bangers and give our necks and heads a rest…

The Mad Doctors, “Shit Hawks at Blood Beach” official video

The Mad Doctors on Bandcamp

The Mad Doctors on Thee Facebooks

R.I.P. tape preorder

King Pizza Records website

King Pizza Records on Thee Facebooks

Let’s face it, when someone like Brooklyn’s The Mad Doctors comes to you and says, “Hey we’ve got a video for a song called ‘Shit Hawks at Blood Beach’ do you want to premiere it?,” the correct answer is not no. All the better that the clip in question takes animation influence from the likes of Bill Plympton and Terry Gilliam and probably eight or nine other animators I’m not cool enough to recognize and looks as disturbing as the track itself — which features guest spoken vocals from Matt Witte alongside the core Mad trio of guitarist/vocalist Seth Applebaum, bassist Joshua Park and drummer Greg Hanson — sounds, with the band’s weirdo take on surf rock chilling out a bit from some of the more uptempo fare surrounding on 2017’s No Waves, Just Sharks (discussed here) from whence it comes in order to set a creeper vibe like Faith No More‘s “RV” if someone had parked it in the sand and left it there for a month to bake in the sun.

Oh, it’s strange and oh, it’s fun. The clip, directed by Jordan Wason, is an inventive work of line animation and stop motion that much like the song seems to grow more psychotic as it plays out, starting innocently enough if with something sinister happening beneath. Soon enough there’s a plastic gun and garbage and bottles and oil paint being used to convey, what, sunburn, maybe? But like an existential sunburn? It’s hard to read and that’s pretty clearly the intention, but again, it meshes really well with the echoing guitar jangle of “Shit Hawks at Blood Beach” itself, which takes the innocence of early-’60s surf — before punk had the chance to dirty it up — and turns it into a bad trip unfolding right in front of the listener. Watch it fullscreen and be creeped out. I think it’s better that way. This isn’t the kind of thing I cover every day, and nothing against the standard or anything, but that’s kind of why I like it.

The Mad Doctors released a single in January called “Fuck Sean Hannity” that’s available name-your-price at their Bandcamp and well worth your time. Their work sees release through Hanson‘s imprint, King Pizza Records, and they play Pizzafest VI at The Gutter in Brooklyn on June 6. More info on that here.

Please enjoy:

The Mad Doctors, “Shit Hawks at Blood Beach” official video premiere

Jordan Wason on “Shit Hawks at Blood Beach”:

“The animation blends together antique photos and found toys from Brooklyn’s own Glass Bottle Beach at Dead Horse Bay. The beach is a former landfill from the 1930s, and some ghosts from the photos may be of the same era as the trash buried there. I thought it was appropriate to let them play together again, reunited at Blood Beach.”

The Mad Doctors on “Shit Hawks at Blood Beach”:

“Jordan is an amazing animator and we are stoked he took on the project — stylistically, his sensibilities lie at the crossroads of 80s/90s underground film, Svankmeyer/Brothers Quay stop motion, mixed media, and a dash of roadshow exploitation and that really suits our tastes. His choice of song makes perfect sense as it’s probably our strangest and most atmospheric. The vocals/monologue by Coach n Commando’s Matt Witte really set it apart for us and it’s cool to see it all set to some truly unsettling images. It’s rad to release it so close to the anniversary of ‘No Waves, Just Sharks’ release and we can’t be more excited to share it.”

“Shit Hawks at Blood Beach”
Music by The Mad Doctors
Lyrics and vocal performance by Matt Witte
Video concept and animation by Jordan Wason
Band photo by Jeanette D. Moses / Blood Sweat and Beers NYC

Off the album “No Waves, Just Sharks” by The Mad Doctors, available from King Pizza Records.

The Mad Doctors are:
Seth Applebaum – Gtr/vox
Joshua Park – Bass
Greg Hanson – Drums

The Mad Doctors on Bandcamp

The Mad Doctors on Thee Facebooks

The Mad Doctors on Twitter

King Pizza Records website

King Pizza Records on Thee Facebooks

You know, I was going to start out this post by wondering if Brooklyn trio The Mad Doctors knew that there was already a sequel to the 1992 movie Sister Act. It also starred Whoopi Goldberg, came out in ’93, and it was called Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit. But you know what? I bet The Mad Doctors already knew that shit. And if you think about it, doesn’t that just kind of make the joke funnier? So the title of their new single, “Sister Act II: Electric Boogaloo (What if Idris Elba was the Next James Bond),” isn’t only a goof reference on the first Sister Act, it’s even more tongue-in-cheek because it’s a fake sequel to that movie when there’s already a real one. Plus, that whole thing with Idris Elba in the parenthesis. I believe the answer is, “white people on the internet got really pissed off about something that doesn’t matter in the slightest,” which, you know, is kind of the answer to any such “what if” scenario.

Because white people love bitching about shit that doesn’t matter. Like the deficit.

Other point: the title of the new The Mad Doctors single is clever as hell and the band are headed out on a Northeastern run as of this very evening to support it. I doubt they’ll be explaining the joke to everyone as they go, like, “It’s funny because there’s already a movie,” but you know, it’s still pretty funny. And the song’s streaming at the bottom of this post and a name-your-price download, so even better.

Details

The Mad Doctors – Sneakin Out The Web Tour

Northeast coffee fiends, booze hounds (and pitbulls), party rock boys, and folks of all things n stuff – after PIZZAFEST V we’re hitting the road for a week and spending some good quality time with our pals Fire Heads from Wisconsin!! It’s gunna be fuzzy! Check us out in the following places:

M 5/28 – Saratoga NY – Desperate Annie’s
Tu 5/29 – Portland ME – Matthew’s Pub*
W 5/30 – Salem MA – Koto*
Th 5/31 – Pawtucket RI – News Cafe*
F 6/1 – Stamford CT – Riot at Amadeus*
Sa 6/2 – Rutherford, NJ – The Jungeon
* = Fire Heads (WI)

Tour poster by Erick Freuhling (of Fire Heads)

The Mad Doctors are:
Seth Applebaum – Gtr/vox
Joshua Park – Bass
Greg Hanson – Drums

https://www.facebook.com/events/2021766151389187/
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https://themaddoctors.bandcamp.com/
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The Mad Doctors, “Sister Act II: Electric Boogaloo (What if Idris Elba was the Next James Bond)”

Granted, I’m not exactly on my A-game as regards general mental power this week, but it took me a while to figure out where Brooklyn’s The Mad Doctors were going with naming their tour ‘November Pain.’ Once I figured it out it seemed pretty obvious, but yeah, it was a minute or two of actual, conscious thought before I got there. ‘Danksgiving’ — way more obvious. Making the connection between ‘November Pain’ and the Guns ‘n’ Roses song “November Rain” was a bit more of a challenge. Again, that one’s on me. I’m sure most human beings wouldn’t have the same kind of trouble, what with the higher brain function and whatnot.

Following the release of their second long-player,  No Waves, Just Sharks (discussed here), earlier this year, The Mad Doctors issued a follow-up split via Twin Earth and King Pizza Records with Heavy Traffic (review here). I guess in the end the band couldn’t decide which clever name they wanted to give the run, but either way, they’ll be out for 10 days supporting both of the recent offerings, playing with Rye Pines, Sun Voyager, Black Hatch, Zip-Tie Handcuffs and a whole bunch of others. Details on the shows are available through the Thee Facebooks event page, linked following the dates below.

Goes like this:

The Mad Doctors – November Pain / Danksgiving Tour

We are hitching up the minivan and hitting the road in search of gravy. It’s NOVEMBER PAIN/DANKSGIVING so come party with us, ya turkeys!

Three bearded, lab-coated creeps strung out on a dumpster beach, hi-fiving the sun. Two parts fuzz, one part reverb, and a jigger of formaldehyde.

Wed – 11/8 – Brooklyn @ Our Wicked Lady
Thur 11/9 – New London CT @ 33 Golden St.
Fri 11/10 – Boston @ The Rat’s Nest
Sat 11/11 – Upton MA @ Paulson Stained Glass Studio
Sun 11/12 – Milford NH @ Union Coffee Co.
Mon 11/13 – Saratoga Springs NY @ One Caroline
Tues 11/14 – New Paltz NY @ Snugs
Wed 11/15 – Baltimore @ The Crown
Thur 11/16 – Harrisonburg VA @ Crayola House
Fri 11/17 – Richmond @ Hardywood
Sat 11/18 – Philly @ Tralfamadore

Poster art by Tav Palumbo / Heavy Traffic.

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The Mad Doctors & Heavy Traffic, Split 7″ (2017)

[Click play above to stream the new split between Heavy Traffic and The Mad Doctors in its entirety. Seven-inch is out Sept. 22 via Twin Earth Records and King Pizza Records.]

It’s a quick one, but there’s enough cacophony in the split between Heavy Traffic and The Mad Doctors to make a larger impression than its seven-minute runtime might lead you to believe. The two New York-based bands pair up for a mini-platter with the cooperation of their respective labels, Twin Earth Records and King Pizza Records, and really, that’s about where the cooperation ends. From the point of its existence onward, the split is much more about brash noisemaking than being friendly, though both bands certainly seem to be having a good time. Maybe “mischief” is the right word. Yeah. It’s like if the night before Halloween was a two-song sampler of what these groups have to offer; as though a release might somehow throw rolls of toilet paper into the tree in your front yard or egg your car. Take that, suburbia.

Pressed in an edition of 500 copies with smaller numbers on clear (150), gold (150) and black (200) vinyl, the split brings one song each from Heavy Traffic and The Mad Doctors, both of whom are following up on relatively new releases. In the case of the four-piece Heavy Traffic, their sixth full-length, Plastic Surgery (review here), was issued late in 2016 via Twin Earth, and the 4:44 of “Daylight Ripoff” begins side A with a fervent charge that answers the heavy psychedelic blister-raising they proffered with the album, which was the debut of the lineup that found guitarist Ian Caddick and drummer/vocalist/cover-artist Tav Palumbo — both formerly of Santa Cruz, California, blowout psych-gazers Spanish Moss — joined by bassist Dave Grzedzinski and drummer Dan Bradica (which presumably moved Palumbo to guitar/vocals, though don’t quote me on that).

Whether or not “Daylight Ripoff” was recorded at the same time as Plastic Surgery or under similar live-tracked conditions, I don’t know, but it’s certainly a believable. The song begins with just a momentary wail of feedback before lurching forth with a blast and wash alike, melodic vocals topping a thrust that could just as easily have come from modern black metal as heavy psych. It’s a surprising way to begin, and no doubt that’s exactly what Heavy Traffic had in mind. About 20 seconds in, they find their footing a prog-metallic churn of intertwining guitars at 53 seconds, they slam on the brakes to hit into a Sabbathian lumber that will slow even further as they hit the second minute, maintaining a spaciousness and fuzzed tonality as it nods itself seemingly into oblivion. The “but wait — there’s more!” moment happens just before the three-minute mark when they bring back the melodious assault that began “Daylight Ripoff” and cycle through it and the more angular riffing again before a distant lead echoes out behind tense chug and a build on the toms in the last minute.

This fades out relatively quickly and relatively noisily and “Daylight Ripoff” seems like anything but as it ends having been marked by its dizzying tempo changes and drawn together through the vague but resonant vocals laid over its shifting bulk. One might be tempted to call it a kitchen-sink approach, but Heavy Traffic keep the arrangement to their two guitars, bass, drums and voice, even if those common elements are put to uncommonly madcap use. In relation to Plastic Surgery, “Daylight Ripoff” feels altogether more unhinged than groove-rolling cuts like “Rule of Nines” or “Three Stigmata,” and whether its punkish refusal to settle into a pace or method is indicative of an overall shift in direction on the part of the band or just a one-off experiment in style and/or structure, it’s impossible to say, but the weirdo vibe suits Heavy Traffic well. If “Daylight Ripoff” is them continuing to refine and explore options with their approach and this relatively new lineup, one can hardly argue with either the variety or the intensity with which they deliver.

Though their inclusion is shorter and more straightforward, The Mad Doctors hardly come across as subdued upon the flip to side B. Their cleverly-titled “Yuengling Malmsteen” checks in at 2:57 and is the first new music they’ve had out since their earlier-2017 sophomore full-length, No Waves, Just Sharks (discussed here). The trio of guitarist/vocalist/recording engineer Seth Applebaum, bassist Joshua Park and drummer Greg Hanson, who also runs King Pizza Records, employed a few guests throughout that album for vocals and had spoken word samples peppered throughout as they shifted between surf punk and heavier impulses, crafting a rare union in atmosphere that actually worked without being either overly punkish, overly surfish, or a crude amalgam of desert and garage, while still sounding impressively off the rails and unpredictable — it really was something, if you didn’t hear it — but here it’s just the three of them and they once again adjust the balance.

“Yuengling Malmsteen” doesn’t feel intended to be a summary of The Mad Doctors‘ sound as a whole — I suspect it would have at least as tough a time in providing that summary as I just did — so much as a quick-burst showcase of their craft in general. Its push begins with a deceptive jangle before unveiling a full tonal boar moving at a crisp tempo that shortly opens to the first verse. Momentum is held in Hanson‘s drums throughout and before the first minute is done, The Mad Doctors have trod through the verse and chorus both in shoving, party-time fashion. Not a moment is wasted, but “Yuengling Malmsteen” doesn’t necessarily feel stripped down either — vocals are soaked in reverb and the guitar and bass are both weighted and present a depth of tone, the former particularly with a quick-but-drawn lead around two minutes in that shimmers before a final chorus takes hold to drive the song to its somewhat understated finish. The thickened thrust that kicks in before each verse proves especially righteous, and “Yuengling Malmsteen” is primarily about motion and its own forward drive, which it fulfills while giving the sense that if one just continued to let the record play, Applebaum, Park and Hanson would be on to the next track in no time at all.

Of course, that’s not the case, but in each band giving listeners a look at what they do, Heavy Traffic and The Mad Doctors both acquit themselves well in terms of songwriting and style without necessarily sounding like they’re competing with one another in the way of splits with groups more sonically akin. That’s not to say they don’t have anything in common, just that while both show a strong sense of personality on this short release, those personalities are distinct enough that there’s never going to be any confusion about who it is saying what with their material. Heavy Traffic raise a few questions as to where they might be headed and The Mad Doctors reaffirm the deceptive depth of their latest album, and among the traits the two bands share is a clear efficiency with which this is accomplished. Like I said at the outset, it’s over and done in about seven minutes.

Heavy Traffic on Thee Facebooks

Heavy Traffic on Bandcamp

The Mad Doctors on Thee Facebooks

The Mad Doctors on Bandcamp

Twin Earth Records webstore

King Pizza Records webstore

Next weekend — not this weekend, the one after that — King Pizza Records hosts Pizzafest 4 in Brooklyn at The Gutter and El Cortez. The lineup boasts 21 bands by my count playing over the course of three days from June 22 to June 24, and I’ll readily admit that I’m completely unfamiliar with more than half of them. To be honest, that’s a big part of the appeal to me in putting together a post about it.

Sure, names like Sun Voyager — who released their latest single, “Trip” (posted here), in January — and The Mad Doctors, whose No Waves, Just Sharks (discussed here) came out in April, are readily familiar, and so too are several others, but Panther Martin? The Unders? Max Pain and the Groovies? Well I feel like a real square in saying so, but I’ve never heard these bands and have no idea what they might sound like. Isn’t that fantastic?

There are few better feelings for me than go-do-your-homework when it comes to finding new bands, and with King Pizza‘s penchant for finding the off-kilter in noise, punk and psych, I’ve little doubt there are more than few here worth digging into. So if you need me, I’ll be doing that. Think of the lineup as a checklist and feel free to dig in as well:

Pizzafest 4 – June 22-24 @ The Gutter & El Cortez, Brooklyn, NY

Pizzafest a three-day festival of rock n roll, pizza, comedy, weirdo art, and more.

Following tradition, we’re also releasing a tape that weekend – this year for Brooklyn indie rockers El Silver Cabs.

Lineup:

Thur June 22 @ The Gutter (200 N 14th St. Brooklyn)
7pm, $8
Evolfo
Sirs & Madams
Jacques le Coque (CT)
Greasy Hearts
Lumps

Fri June 23 @ The Gutter (200 N 14th St. Brooklyn)
7pm, $8
The Mad Doctors
The Lushpockets (MD)
The Rizzos
Deadly Lo-Fi (GA)
Super FM
Max Pain & The Groovies

Sat June 24 @ El Cortez (17 Ingraham St. Brooklyn)
3pm, $10
The Royal They
Sun Voyager
Panther Martin (CO)
El Silver Cabs (tape release)
Suzies (MI)
Francie Moon (NJ)
Garbage Brain (NJ)
The Unders
Spowder (NJ)
Leg Days
+ DJ Dollarbin & DJ Bagels & Lox spinning after the bands/all night long

All daze hosted by Casey Regan
+ Readings from the Book of Yum Yums by Pizza Scribe Napolitano
++ Pizza
+++ More weirdness

All shows 21+
Snag discount 3-day tickets: http://ptix.co/2prfrD3

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Sun Voyager, “Trip”

The Mad Doctors, No Waves, Just Sharks (2017)

There are bits and pieces of dialog interspersed between the tracks on The Mad Doctors‘ forthcoming second album, No Waves, Just Sharks, that come together to tell the story of the record. I’m not entirely sure what that story is, but it’s there, and it involves drugs, and somehow it feels really, really appropriate when put next to the heavy-surfer-punk that the Brooklyn trio proffer in the songs themselves. It’s a fine line to walk, since so much of the record is about thrust — of crotch and rhythm alike — and it basically interrupts itself at every turn, but yeah, they pull it off. If your brain’s not on board for some weirdness, take a second and get there.

Then go ahead and dive into the song “Dead Beach,” which is premiering below. Last we heard from the band was their 2016 split with fellow New Yorkers Sun Voyager (discussed here), and though “Dead Beach” is a little thicker than some of what No Waves, Just Sharks gets into at its most manic — The Mad Doctors get to be pretty zany as they go, in a subtly-malevolent kind of way — I think it represents the album pretty well in its impact and underlying sense of the unhinged, effectively conveyed across the span of the record as it courses through one song to the next.

The Mad Doctors have a slew of dates lined up to herald the April release via King Pizza Records — preorders are up now — and you can see those below and hear the debut of “Dead Beach” at the bottom of the post. Thanks to the band and label for letting me host the premiere.

Enjoy:

The Mad Doctors – No Waves, Just Sharks

The Mad Doctors continue their quest to surf the sludgy seas and headbang on Blood Beach with their second LP ‘No Waves, Just Sharks’. One part riffy fuzz, one part reverb-drenched surf – the Brooklyn trio pound out 10 tracks of driving garage punk shit and take to the highways and byways of America to cover themselves in beer and eat lots of chips (aka tour).

Collaborating with tons of familiar faces from the Brooklyn rock n roll scene – additional vocals by Megan Mancini of The Rizzos & Matt Witte of Coach n Commando plus voice-acting in the b-movie clips (featuring mems of Sirs & Madams, The Rizzos, and more), The Mad Doctors create an unholy soundtrack to a B-Movie you wish existed.

Blurring the lines between punk, sludge, psych, and surf, The Mad Doctors revel in their part of a larger scene bringing all types of rock n rollers together to party. So dig the tunes, spread the scourge, and lose your mind. And always remember, Justin’s a cop.

Limited run of 500 LPs, 100 on minty snot green, 100 on fool’s gold, 300 on black available for pre-order via King Pizza Records

Pre-order link: http://kingpizzarecords.storenvy.com/products/19006516-the-mad-doctors-no-waves-just-shark-lp

Release is 4/14 at Shea Stadium in Brooklyn with Stuyedeyed, The Royal They, and Crazy Pills

Track List:
The Ballad of Jort Dad
Springwater Supper Wizard
Dead Beach
Shit Hawks at Blood Beach
Lord of Garbage
Justin’s a Cop
Mind Rot
Dial M (for Sultry)
She’s a Psycho
The Rats are Coming

Tour Dates:
Th 3/16 – Brooklyn NY – The Gutter
F 3/17 – New Paltz NY – Fizzies
Sa 3/18 – Rochester NY – Monty’s Krown
Su 3/19 – Syracuse NY – The Spit House
Fri 3/31 – New London CT – Oasis
Sa 4/1 – Providence RI – POP Gallery
F 4/14 – Brooklyn NY – Shea Stadium
M 4/24 – Baltimore MD – The Annex
Tu 4/25 – Roanoke VA – Front Line
W 4/26 – Knoxville TN – Pilot Light
Th 4/27 – Boone NC – TBA
F 4/28 – Norfolk VA – Norfolk Taphouse
Sa 4/29 – Richmond VA – S.ADD House
W 5/10 – Boston MA – Obrien’s
Th 5/11 – Amherst MA – Spirit Ghost House
F 5/12 – Brattleboro VT – McNeill’s Brewery
Sa 5/13 – Burlington VT – Monkey House
Su 5/14 – Worcester MA – Distant Castle

Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1857459804531134/

The Mad Doctors are:
Seth Applebaum – Gtr/Vox
Josh Park – Bass
Greg Hanson – Drums

Band photo by Jeanette D. Moses. http://www.jeanettedmoses.com.

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Been a couple months since New York heavy psych rockers Sun Voyager last checked in. At that point, they were saying their debut long-player would be out early this year, and as we make our way with blinding speed toward the middle of it, the band offer up the new song “Ghost Valley” as demonstration of progress and to herald the arrival of a new split with The Mad Doctors out this weekend on King Pizza Records. They play a release show in Brooklyn on Saturday.

The vibe will be right on for anyone who’s dug into Sun Voyager‘s past work — ultra-bright psychedelia like shoegaze given a kick in the ass — and as the band says they’ve been recording the aforementioned album, I’ll continue to look forward to it. Curious if “Ghost Valley” represents their last work as a four-piece, having parted ways with guitarist Steve Friedman since it was put to tape, but I guess we’ll find out.

Info and audio:

Split 7″ Single – New Song Out Now

It’s been a minute since we last updated you. Long story short, we’ve been writing, gigging, and recording an album. The new tunes are going to rock you and speaking of new tunes, we have a new song out today!

It’s called ‘Ghost Valley’ and it’s on our split 7″ coming out April 9th. One song from us, one ripper from The Mad Doctors, and we’ve put together a ripper of a release show at Idio Gallery in Brooklyn this Saturday with KDH, Super FM, and The Royal They.

Wanna listen? Check it: http://sun-voyager.bandcamp.com

If you dig it you can buy a hand-numbered copy in either blue or white vinyl from us on bandcamp.

Sun Voyager live:
Apr 09 Idio Gallery Brooklyn, NY

Sun Voyager:
Carlos Francisco – Vocals/Guitar
Stefan Mersch – Bass
Kyle Beach – Drums
Steve Friedman – Guitar

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Sun Voyager / The Mad Doctors, Split 7″