Posted in Whathaveyou on October 4th, 2022 by JJ Koczan
Put together by bassist Kip Page of Formula 400, Mezzoa guitarist/vocalist Ignacio “Nacho” Maldonado, and Desert Suns singer Jason Busiek, the SoCal Heavy Jam is a new festival intended — as you can glean for yourself by looking at either the banner above or the poster below (one likes to cover horizontal and vertical, when possible) — to be an annual event.
Motorbäbe, who, yes, play Motörhead tunes, will headline, and Void Vator and -(16)- (whose new record I’m still anticipating eagerly) are up near the top of the bill as well. All three of the founders’ bands will play, and presumably that won’t be the case every year — they might alternate, for example, or all take 2023 off — but in addition to being well within their rights, having booked the thing, they’re good bands. With Lords of Dust, Awakeners and Into the Fuzz rounding out, the all-day-and-plenty-of-the-nighter will take place Oct. 22 at Full Circle Saloon in Santee, California, which makes it easy-peasy for those in the San Diego area.
The lineup was announced a while ago and has been bandied hither and yon since, but I suck at keeping up and kind of figured nobody would argue if I posted it now, which is far enough out for you to make travel plans to San Diego/adjacent if you’re up for it and still close enough to that it won’t be forgotten by the time it actually happens. That’s my thinking, anyhow.
Putting together one festival, let alone one with an intention to do it every year, is not a minor undertaking. I wish Page, Maldonado and Busiek the best this first time through and will look forward to what comes next for SoCal Heavy Jam as well.
Info, a Spotify playlist of the bands, and social links follow:
SoCal Heavy Jam at Full Circle Saloon – Saturday, October 22
1st Annual SoCal Heavy Jam at Full Circle Saloon featuring – Motorbäbe, Void Vator, -16-, Mezzoa, Formula 400, Desert Suns, Lords of Dust, AWAKENERS and Into the Fuzz!
Free Food – 3pm – 5pm Drink Specials
$15 cover Portion of the proceeds go to NSEFU – Wild Life Conservation. Founder – Coe Lewis
Posted in Whathaveyou on March 22nd, 2022 by JJ Koczan
Back for its second year and with a fourth day in tow, Ripplefest Texas 2022 confirms its full lineup, a total beast of legends and newcomers. Really, I don’t even know what to say here except that if you’re lucky enough to go, it’s probably the kind of thing you’re going to remember for a long gosh-darn time, and it’s the kind of lineup that serves as lording-over fodder on the part of those who were there to those who weren’t. Well, at least it would if the heavy underground weren’t too cool to each other for that kind of gatekeeping nonsense. In any case, this looks like a massive undertaking to put on, and the roster of assembled acts gets a hearty ‘fucking a’ from my corner of the universe.
Tickets for all four days will run you $150, but I feel like the festival earns that on both quality and quantity of product.
Here’s the announcement, info and links:
RIPPLE FEST TEXAS – The Far Out Lounge – July 21-24
4-day passes available now!
RippleFest Texas 2022 is back and the lineup is as big and hot as Texas itself! 4 days of blistering hot music at Austin’s premier music venue The Far Out Lounge. There will be everything from crushing heavy riffs, to acoustic and banjo picking, to improvisation jam sessions and puppet shows! So many legends and great music that this will be a 4 day weekend you will not want to miss!
FULL LINEUP: Eagles of Death Metal, The Sword, Crowbar, Mothership, Big Business, The Obsessed, Stöner, Spirit Adrift, The Heavy Eyes, Sasquatch, REZN, Fatso Jetson, Heavy Temple, J.D. Pinkus, Lord Buffalo, Lo-Pan, Wino, El Perro, Void Vator, Hippie Death Cult, Howling Giant, Doctor Smoke, Nick Oliveri, High Desert Queen, Destroyer of Light, Ape Machine, High Priestess, Dryheat, Rubber Snake Charmers, Sun Crow, Holy Death Trio, Bone Church, Horseburner, Spirit Mother, Thunder Horse, Mother Iron Horse, The Age of Truth, Salem’s Bend, Las Cruces, All Souls, Kind, Fostermother, The Absurd, Godeye, Ole English, Mr. Plow, Snake Mountain Revival, Blue Heron, Grail, Formula 400, Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol, Eagle Claw, Bridge Farmers.
The Far Out Lounge is located at 8504 South Congress. Winner of Best New Venue at the Austin Music Awards 2020.
Posted in Whathaveyou on April 29th, 2021 by JJ Koczan
This is an in-person event. Feels weird even saying that, but also refreshing in a way. Set for Aug. 7 at the Texas Ski Ranch in New Braunfels — between San Antonio and Austin, if you’re looking to fly in — the upcoming RippleFest Texas 2021 purports to be the first in an ongoing annual series, and that’s a hell of a time to make a debut. Early, but I have no doubt they’ll get people out for it. Shit, I’d go.
The first lineup announcement — more to come, reportedly — brings Void Vator, Bone Church, Witchcryer, Holy Death Trio, Thunder Horse and Switchblade Jesus to the bill, and leaves plenty of room for speculation on others. Of course, Texas is awash in bands, now as ever. Would Mothership headline in a triumphant return? What about the more recent offshoot of that band and Destroyer of Light, Temple of Love who premiered a Deep Purple cover here not so long ago? That’d be a cool first gig, even if they’re not signed to Ripple (yet).
Like I said, lots of room for speculation. One way or another, though, I know a party when I see one, and this looks like a party. Not sure I’d bring a swimsuit — pandemic beach body? that’s a hard pass — but I’d definitely bring earplugs enough to share.
Lick of My Spoon Productions, which is co-hosting, put up the announcement that follows. Tickets are available now:
FIRST LIST OF BANDS ANNOUNCED FOR THE 1ST ANNUAL RIPPLEFEST TEXAS!!!
Void Vator, Bone Church, Witchcryer, Holy Death Trio, Thunder Horse, and Switchblade Jesus!!!
This is only the first announcement and MANY more bands to be announced soon. Bring a swimsuit and swim on the beach at Texas Ski Ranch while listening to music from the hottest label in the business: Ripple Music!
Posted in Whathaveyou on December 21st, 2020 by JJ Koczan
I don’t know how much cash a name-your-price comp is bringing in ultimately, but the not-cynical part of me wants to think supporting bands is still something humans are interested in doing, so here’s another way to do that. And if you name your price and your price is nothing, that’s not me trying to guilt you. Over 800,000 people filed for first-time unemployment insurance last month in the US. England has super-covid. Shit is tough everywhere and for everyone. There’s a reason it’s name-your-price and not $35.
As for critical observation, here’s one: John Gist does good work, Ripple Music does good work and these bands do good work. Stay tuned for more heavy hitting insights on the next episode. Make sure you like and subscribe.
All of the following comes from Bandcamp:
The Revolution Lives ***A Benefit for the Bands!***
In this day of the coronavirus-enforced shutdown of live shows, Ripple and Vegas Rock Revolution wanted to join forces to rejoice about all the great live music we’ve experienced. Based in Vegas, John Gist, running VRR has created a heavy underground scene where none existed! From his infamous Planet Desert Rock weekends to his numerous shows at Danny Koker’s Count’s Vamp’d, the Beauty Bar, and Bunkhouse Saloon among others, VRR has brought tons of Ripple bands to Vegas to rock the hell outta the desert.
So, now let’s celebrate. Think of this compilation as a virtual show… holding space until the real ones can resume.
Dig into this free comp, made just for you, summarizing all the Ripple family that has journeyed to the desert to play for VRR. Gist himself chose this tracklist and the incomparable Kyrre Bjurling provided the stellar art.
Although the album is “pay what you want” any proceeds raised for the purchase of this compilation will go to help out all the bands that have missed out on being able to perform live shows.
Dig in, and let’s unite when this is over to rock the hell out once again!
Tracklisting: 1. Brutal Winds – Freedom Hawk 04:54 2. Oklahoma Black Magic – The Watchers 04:29 3. Nothing to Lose – Void Vator 03:43 4. Chopper Wired – War Cloud 03:34 5. City Nights – Mothership 05:22 6. Lonely One Kenobi – Mos Generator 05:06 7. Into the Shredder – Ape Machine 03:56 8. Ain’t Trying to Go Down Slow – Shotgun Sawyer 03:16 9. Sun and Mist – Salem’s Bend 05:16 10. Hour Glass – High Priestess 06:46 11. Isolation – Wino 04:12 12. Three Minutes to Midnight – Wo Fat 06:20 13. Fathoms – Horseburner 08:12 14. Sunshine of Your Love – Blackwulf 03:38 15. The Grace of Time – Mr Bison 07:22 16. Light of Day – The Hazytones 03:56 17. Hypnotized – Red Desert 04:17 18. Fog of Whores – Cortez 04:55 19. Cactus Highways – Red Mesa 03:09 20. Better Off Alone – Fuzz Evil 04:42 21. Low Tide – Chiefs 03:48
Posted in Whathaveyou on May 20th, 2020 by JJ Koczan
With the ready confession that I’m a sucker for such things, you pretty much had me at ‘Mos Generator cover.’ There are few who dig as deep into ’70s aficionadodom as Tony Reed, so when it comes to picking tracks to take on with his band (or on his own, as he’s also done), he knows what he’s doing. That’s not to take away from Void Vator, who share the other half of the double-A side Covering Queen 7″ due out July 31 on H42 Records. The Los Angeles classic metallers issued their Stranded full-length through Ripple last year, and if the sharpness of their logo doesn’t clue you into the kind of bite on offer, I suggest you find an online class in thrash history to take. There has to be one somewhere, and if it’s not taught by Jim Durkin from Dark Angel, it should be.
How does one become a degree-granting institution, anyhow?
Sorry, sidetracked. Here’s PR wire info about the split:
MOS GENERATOR & VOID VATOR Split-7″ vinyl COVERING QUEEN
Despite corona we are still working on the upcoming releases. On July 31st there comes a new small piece of plastic that you have all been waiting for, even if you don’t know it yet.
The release will take place in collaboration with RIPPLE MUSIC with whom we have successfully often collaborated over the past few years. Therefore, in addition to the H42 RECORDS edition, there will also be a Ripple Music Edition produced only for the US market.
Two great american bands each cover a song by one of our favorite bands: QUEEN
This release will not make any prisoners – look forward to two great interpretations of classic Queen songs!
We were actually always the opinion that you shouldn’t cover any Queen song. But after we heard the master of the split 7″-vinyl, we are converted! Great punchy versions are waiting for you …. let yourself be surprised and “let me entertain YOU”!
RELEASE JULY 31st in different editions
EU H42 Records Edition on clear vinyl (ltd. 60 with OBI) H42-066 US Ripple Records Edition on gold vinyln (ltd. 60 with OBI) H42-066 EU Retail Edition on white vinyl (with OBI) H42-066 Retail Edition on black vinyl (with OBI) H42-066 PRESALE JUNE 19th over H42 Records
Side A ‘Son & Daughter’ (original by Queen, B. May, 1973) TONY REED / Guitar, vocals SCOOTER HASLIP / Bass JONO GARRETT / Drums
Side AA ‘Tie Your Mother Down’ (original by Queen, B. May, 1976) LUCAS KANOPA (guitar, vocals) ERIK KLUIBER (guitar) GERMAN MOURA (drums) SAM HARMAN (bass)
Posted in Whathaveyou on March 8th, 2018 by JJ Koczan
Hard not to dig the mission here. Anyone who’s had the pleasure of being in one and the other can probably tell you that Northern and Southern California are fairly different worlds. Forest vs. beach, off-grid pot farmer hippies vs. those hitting the dispensary on their way to whatever charmed adventure next awaits them. Weather vs. no weather. I don’t know, man. I’m from the Northeast. All I know is that driving southward down the Pacific Coastline, there’s a marked shift in ecosystem. To put it another way: things in one place be different from things in another place. Boom. Language economy. You’re welcome.
Anyhoozle, No Legacy Records is a new imprint helmed by L.A.-based Erik Kluiber of the bands Ironaut and Void Vator, and the label’s first release, No Legacy Vol. 1: Socal/Norcal features not only his own groups but a slew of others whose geographical disparities serve here to unite them in one underground. Always cool to see bands like Disastroid and Astral Cult show up, but along with Aboleth, Hazzaard’s Cure and others, the company they’re keeping is both good and plentiful. Like I said at the outset, hard not to dig the mission.
Info follows, courtesy of the PR wire:
NO LEGACY RECORDS DEBUTS WITH A FULL-LENGTH COMPILATION VINYL RELEASE ‘VOL. 1: SOCAL/NORCAL’, IN CELEBRATION OF TODAY’S CALIFORNIA HEAVY METAL UNDERGROUND.
Los Angeles, CA’s No Legacy Records formally announces their debut full-length ‘No Legacy Vol. 1: Socal/Norcal’ is available strictly on vinyl pressing. Featuring nine of California’s modern heavy music acts that span the full genre spectrum of ‘heavy’, including Ironaut, Disastroid, Madrost, Astral Cult, Void Vator, and others. There are ‘no legacy’ acts on the compilation, as the label was created to specifically highlight professional up & coming bands not already in popular awareness.
California is long-known for its contributions to the heavy metal music world. Be it bands, venues, and for many eras – record labels. With the digital stream eruptions, physical music sales plummeted and many major labels focused only on their ‘legacy’ artists, or outright folded. This gave smaller, independent labels room to grow and their underground artists found that same sunlight. Recent years sprouted a resurgence of physical format music on CD, Vinyl, and even cassettes. Yet, major labels still tote primarily ‘legacy’ artists, with reissue after reissue of legendary artist releases in every color vinyl in the rainbow.
However, music lovers still attend live music shows, searching for new heavy music that doesn’t carry that hefty legacy price tag. No Legacy Records was launched for this specific purpose. Erik Kluiber, label founder and executive producer of the compilation, knows his way around the California heavy metal scene. Erik is a long time heavy music artist, currently a member of both Void Vater (guitar) and Ironaut (bass and vocals), as well as former guitarist for Gypsyhawk and White Wizzard.
According to Kluiber, “The title is called No Legacy, because this album features exclusively contemporary up-and-coming bands in the underground California heavy music scene. From my perspective, the heavy metal movement has shifted over to an unhealthy focus predominantly fixated on established legacy acts. Metal has become all about the brands, instead of the bands.”
“I met all of the bands included on ‘No Legacy’ by sharing the stage with them at club shows across California. I hear and see hundreds of bands every year and the good ones stand out. In 2017, I had this idea of the compilation album in my head. I approached bands that made an impression the night I played with them and asked them if this idea of a compilation album was something they would be interested in participating in. I was surprised on the immediate positive feedback. They reminisced about albums like ‘Metal Massacre’ from decades ago and understood the fan crossover potential.”
The “No Legacy Volume 1: Socal/Norcal” compilation is available in a limited edition, first press run of 500 on 180 gram black vinyl, with printed sleeve insert. Executive produced by Erik Kluiber, with assembly and additional mastering by Michael Hateley at Lotus Mastering. Cover artwork, design, and layout by Ryan Bartlett. The album compilation features nine California heavy underground bands, including Ironaut, Disastroid, Madrost, Astral Cult, Void Vator, Aboleth, Grand Lord High Master, Hazzard’s Cure, Tzimani.
