Posted in Whathaveyou on April 8th, 2022 by JJ Koczan
No joke I had to look up whether the live dates that Mos Generator announced with their original lineup had happened yet before starting this post, not because I didn’t know when they were, but because I had no idea what the date was today. Alas. The shows have not happened yet, and to sweeten the pot of the band marking 20 years since their self-titled debut, they’ve also posted a live bootleg the same incarnation of the Port Orchard, Washington, trio played in April 2002 to celebrate the CD release. See how it all ties together?
Tony Reed has been teasing a new Mos Generator full-length in progress for a while now. Honestly, I wouldn’t be any more surprised if an announcement of same came tomorrow than I would if it ended up being next year. Reed is plenty busy in any case, and it never seems to be too long between one thing and the next. I don’t know who the lineup is for that, but I feel reasonably confident following Reed’s judgment. At least it hasn’t done me wrong yet. And I like a stereo audience recording every now and again.
From the socials:
In celebration of the 20 year anniversary of our debut album (released April 2002) we put up the the audio for the original cd release show from April 2002.
This is a stereo audience recording of the cd release show for our debut album. It was recorded live at an indoor skate park in Port Orchard Washington on April 27th 2002.
Live @ The Hole 4/27/02 -Lumbo Rock -Stone County Line -Acapulco Gold -You Bring the Wine, I’ll Bring the Weather -Sleeping Your Way to the Middle -Y’Juana
Mos Generator Original Lineup Live: 4/15 – plaid pig – Tacoma, WA 4/16 – Manette saloon – Bremerton, WA 4/23 – little devils – Port Angeles, WA
Mos Generator original lineup: Tony Reed: guitar / vocals Shawn Johnson: drums Scooter Haslip: bass / backing vocals
Posted in Whathaveyou on March 14th, 2022 by JJ Koczan
Port Orchard, Washington, heavy rockers Mos Generator will celebrate the 20th anniversary of their self-titled debut (reissue review here) with a trio of shows in their home state next month. The record, which Ripple Music put out as a 2LP special edition for its 10th anniversary — hardly feels like a decade ago, oh wait yes it most definitely does — will be available for the gigs, and more, the band will perform with the original lineup of guitarist/vocalist Tony Reed (also Big Scenic Nowhere, etc.), bassist Scooter Haslip and drummer Shawn Johnson.
This lineup of Mos Generator was intact when the band reignited following Reed‘s time in Stone Axe, and would release 2012’s Nomads (review here) on Ripple and 2014’s Electric Mountain Majesty (review here) on ListenableRecords before Haslip and Johnson were replaced by bassist Sean Booth and drummer Jono Garrett in a (successful) effort to hit the touring circuit domestically and abroad.
So it’s been about seven years, give or take, since Reed, Johnson and Haslip took the stage together. Those familiar with the band’s work and with Reed‘s enviable work ethic generally know that they’re always up to something, and while I sincerely doubt this will lead to a full-scale tour, and while I wouldn’t be surprised if they worked together in the studio again at some point, I’ve had no confirmation of anything like that as Reed continues pressing forward with Mos Generator in a number of directions, some straightforward, some more progressively-bent — as well as other projects; really, he’s at it every single day and has the discography to show for it — but this is something cool for longtime fans in these cities, and I expect they’ll have a lot of good friends at the shows. As a fan of the band, that was enough to make it noteworthy to me.
From social media:
Practices have commenced with the original lineup of Scooter Haslip, Shawn Johnson, Tony Reed. We will be playing 3 shows to celebrate 20 years since the release of the first Mos album. We will have 20 copies at each show. You can also get them at Argonauta Records.
4/15 – plaid pig – Tacoma, WA 4/16 – Manette saloon – Bremerton, WA 4/23 – little devils – Port Angeles, WA
Posted in Radio on February 18th, 2022 by JJ Koczan
This was fun. I asked the other day on the ol’ social medias for requests and wound up getting a whole playlist’s worth. It was a genuine surprise, but hell’s bells, there’s some good stuff here, and as I’m normally so focused on trying to fit as much new music as humanly possible into the two hours, the chance to revisit some oldies but goodies from Saint Vitus, Sleep, Mos Generator, and Throttlerod was great, not to mention the chance to shine light on new stuff from Steak, Weedevil, Kurokuma and Lark’s Tongue, the latter of which, I admit, was my own request.
I included the names in the playlist so I could do oldschool radio-style shout-outs, which was fun in the voice breaks, and I appreciated the chance to hear stuff I wouldn’t have otherwise, like Wallowing or Buñuel, the latter whose new album is out today on Profound Lore and is pretty wild heavy stuff. Maybe I’ll do this kind of thing from time to time. Next show I might just load up on psych tunes and let it ride. Ha.
If you listen, or you see these words, thanks.
The Obelisk Show airs 5PM Eastern today on the Gimme app or at: http://gimmemetal.com.
The Obelisk Show on Gimme Metal airs every Friday 5PM Eastern, with replays Sunday at 7PM Eastern. Next new episode is March 4 (subject to change). Thanks for listening if you do.
Posted in Questionnaire on December 24th, 2021 by JJ Koczan
The Obelisk Questionnaire is a series of open questions intended to give the answerer an opportunity to explore these ideas and stories from their life as deeply as they choose. Answers can be short or long, and that reveals something in itself, but the most important factor is honesty.
Based on the Proust Questionnaire, the goal over time is to show a diverse range of perspectives as those who take part bring their own points of view to answering the same questions. To see all The Obelisk Questionnaire posts, click here.
Thank you for reading and thanks to all who participate.
The Obelisk Questionnaire: Tony Reed of Mos Generator & Big Scenic Nowhere
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How do you define what you do and how did you come to do it?
“Make Music Daily” are the words I live by and it’s very rare day when I don’t live up to this. I’ve very fortunate and blessed in my life to always have the support of people around me who have recognized and believed in my passion for music. It started with my parents and grandparents from a very early age. I’ve made a living at it for most of my adult life thanks to very hard work and the wonderful people that support what I do.
Describe your first musical memory.
Some of my memories aren’t really my memories. They are stories that my mom has told me about my obsession with the record player and stealing a “Nights in White Satin” 45 from K-Mart when I was 4. My first real musical turn on that I can remember was the album Rock Power. It was a compilation album released by Ronco in 1974. An amazing compilation and very diverse. I still listen to it regularly.
Describe your best musical memory to date.
I’ve done a lot of very cool things with music in my life but what I think what I enjoy most is watching my son play. He is a very talented multi-instrumentalist with a great amount of passion. I’m satisfied by the pride I feel when I go see him play. I know that is not one musical memory but it is something I hold dear.
When was a time when a firmly held belief was tested?
When I refused to shake the hand of a person whose belief system was something I strongly disagreed with. This caused me a few years of “watching my back.”
Where do you feel artistic progression leads?
I only know that I’m getting better with age and that is something I would have never imagined when I was in my twenties or even thirties. I’m learning not only how to become a better musician and songwriter but I’m also learning how to convey certain emotions in my music. Emotions that I barely understand myself but need to exorcize them through lyrics and music. As I get older I feel that this is becoming more important to me. The music I am working on now is the most honest music I’ve ever made.
How do you define success?
When I was young success meant making records and playing in stadiums. Tour buses, lots of amps and guitars, etc. Over the years I’ve found that all I want now is an honest connection with the listener. I want people to take the time to understand what I’ve been through. I’m sure that most of the people listening can relate to the feeling and emotions inside the music and lyrics.
That being said, I feel like the people that listen to the music I make do take the time to look deeper into what’s there. When I get messages about how my music has had an impact on somebody, that is the payoff. I have made quite a few records and done a lot of touring over the years so I can say that I have achieved a bit of my teenage definition of success but I’ve also succeeded in building something that is just as satisfying as all of the “Rock Star” stuff.
What is something you have seen that you wish you hadn’t?
Some of my own actions that have hurt others.
Describe something you haven’t created yet that you’d like to create.
A soul-funk album.
What do you believe is the most essential function of art?
To me art/music is true freedom. It is escapism for some and for others it is life. For me it is about leaving a legacy. My work will be around long after I’m dead and I hope will continue to be recognized long after I’m gone. This is not a new or original concept at all but the older I get, the more I realize that this is my line of thinking and that kind of thinking fuels my creative process.
Something non-musical that you’re looking forward to?
Driving. I’m driving down to play a show with Big Scenic Nowhere in Yucca Valley in November and I’m looking forward to taking all of the old highways to get there. I like the back roads.
Tony Reed is relentless. Every day, he gets up, sometimes before six in the morning, and goes into his studio and works on music. The result of his ethic can be seen in his constantly expanding discography. Whether he’s recording, mixing and/or mastering someone else’s release or working with one of his own bands — Mos Generator are his main outlet at this point, but Big Scenic Nowhere have a new record on the way too and are soon to play their first live show, and I hear Constance Tomb might do more, sometimes Hot Spring Water happens, and in addition to his solo stuff, there’s always new projects lurking on the horizon — his prolific nature doesn’t at all undercut the quality of his work. He is undeterred from his purpose in a way that I find deeply admirable and inspiring, and I told him as much in this interview.
He hit me up last week and wanted to talk about the next Mos Generator release. Obviously I’m down for that. I’d seen social media posts from Reed talking about a different direction for the material coming together for the first new Mos Generator proper studio album since 2018’s Shadowlands (review here) — though of course copious other outings have followed that LP, whether it’s live albums, remastered works, EPs, splits, singles or tribute contributions from Mos Generator, the entire advent of Big Scenic Nowhere, Reed‘s first solo LP under his own name, the Constance Tomb album, and more that I know I’m leaving out — and I was curious how “different” things were going to get. Ahead of our conversation, I got to hear demos for three new songs — “The Lime Before the Law,” “(Don’t) Wait Until Tomorrow” and “Only Yesterday” — and based on those alone, there was plenty to discuss.
MosGenerator in recent years, with bassist Sean Booth and drummer Jono Garrett alongside Reed as the sole founder and principal architect of the band, have not been shy about showcasing a progressive rock influence. The new songs are, to put it simply, even less shy. Reed‘s demos, which are of better sound quality than any number of records I might review in a given week, are rife with layers of acoustic and electric guitar, vocal harmonies and rhythmic intricacy. With Garrett living between Boston and Texas — neither particularly close to Reed in Port Orchard, Washington — two fly-in writing sessions this past summer resulted in 80-plus minutes of new material, and as Reed takes the basic tracks and fleshes them out into what will eventually be workable, final form, he’s not wrong in noting the reshuffled sonic priorities on display. I don’t know that Mos Generator have ever sounded so intricate.
I’m going to leave the rest to you. Dive in. This is by no means the first time I’ve spoken with Reed, but it was great to hear his excitement about what’s coming. A Mos Generator triple LP? Maybe…
Enjoy:
Tony Reed Interview, Nov. 9, 2021
Mos Generator last month released the Strange Powers compilation LP, collecting tracks from studio albums released through Listenable Records between 2014-2018. It’s available through Mos Generator’s Bandcamp, along with a ton of other offerings new and old. More info at the links.
Posted in Whathaveyou on May 6th, 2021 by JJ Koczan
Tomorrow, Bandcamp Friday, May 7, marks the digital release of Glory or Death Records‘ Deep Purple tribute, Bow to Your Masters Vol. 2. With a 2LP edition set to follow in November, the release brings together an assortment of established and new names — and stuff like Mothership-offshoot Topsy Kretts, Big Scenic Nowhere and Destroyer of Light-offshoot (also Mothership-offshoot) Temple of Love, which is new names from established names — as well as Mos Generator, Worshipper, Steak, frickin’ YOB and groups from the Glory or Death family tree including Red Wizard, KOOK, Gygax, RedWitch Johnny, and collaborations like High Reeper with Ruby the Hatchet‘s Jillian Taylor, Steak with Vodun‘s Chantal Brown, Francis Roberts of Old Man Wizard sitting in with Great Electric Quest, on and on and on and oh hell you can see the tracklisting below — just go look at it and tell me you don’t want to hear this thing. If you’ve ever EITHER heard Deep Purple OR heard any of these bands who’ve contributed to the comp, then yes, this is probably something that should pique your interest.
And yeah, YOB doing “Perfect Strangers” is a major draw, and as well it should be. It closes out the 15-song/78-minute offering with a duly flowing rendition of the title-track of the 1984 album that brought Blackmore and Gillan back together, albeit temporarily. But there’s more than just YOB going on here. Asphodel Wine‘s “Child in Time,” KOOK‘s “Space Truckin’,” RedWitch Johnny‘s “Maybe I’m a Leo” — also once covered by The Atomic Bitchwax — and Big Scenic Nowhere‘s “Demon’s Eye” are all killer, and from the boogie of “Black Night” as interpreted by Topsy Kretts to the sprawl of Worshipper taking on “Pictures from Home” — perfect band for that song, and they nail it — Bow to Your Masters Vol. 2 is jammed with what should be considered essentials. I know the sphere of heavy isn’t lacking in tributes these days, between Magnetic Eye‘s ever-expanding ‘Redux’ series and Ripple and others getting on board, but hell’s bells, how on earth are you going to deny Great Electric Quest‘s “Highway Star?” The simply answer is you’re not, and you shouldn’t bother to try.
I’ll make it simple. There’s a lot to like here.
The full thing is out tomorrow, and you can get your vinyl preorders in I assume when you do the Bandcamp thing or through BigCartel or however you go. Whatever it is that gets you on board though — whichever name is your pull — or even if its just the artwork by David Paul Seymour and Carin Hazmat that grabs you, don’t be surprised if you hear one track and wind up on board for a whole bunch more. Whether it’s Gygax boldly daring “Speed King” or Saturn doing “Into the Fire” or Steak taking one of the most iconic riffs ever and admirably making it their own, there’s plenty of fodder for a deep-dive.
That kind of makes the six-minute teaser premiering below excruciating, if I’m honest. Because while it features each song on the outing, it’s just enough of it to get hooked and want to hear the whole thing. A true tease, somewhat brutal. Fortunately a bunch of songs from the thing have already been posted and you can find them on the Bandcamp player nearer the bottom of the post.
The order link is down below as well, and the aforementioned tracklisting, which is substantial. I hesitate to call it a premiere for a teaser, but that’s what it is just the same.
Enjoy:
Bow to Your Masters Vol. 2 teaser premiere
FULL DIGITAL RELEASE is 5/7/21, but we have 6 minutes of pure bliss, a snippet of each song on the release in album order! There are a mix of incredibly faithful covers, cheeky tweaks, and full re-imaginings by 15 of the best bands making heavy music today!
Big Scenic Nowhere – Demon’s Eye Gygax – Speed King RedWitch Johnny – Maybe I’m A Leo (Ft. Matthew Putman) Topsy Kretts – Black Night Saturn – Into the Fire High Reeper – Burn (Ft. Jillian Taylor of Ruby The Hatchet) Great Electric Quest – Highway Star (Ft. Francis Roberts) Steak – Smoke (Ft. Chantal Brown) Mos Generator – Love Child Asphodel Wine – Child in Time Temple of Love – Gettin’ Tighter (Ft. Anton Pukshansky) Red Wizard – Fireball KOOK – Space Truckin’ Worshipper – Pictures of Home Yob – Perfect Strangers
Cover art by Carin Hazmat and David Paul Seymour Mastered by James Page at Emerald Age Studios
Various Artists, Bow to Your Masters Vol. 2: Deep Purple (2021)
Posted in Whathaveyou on April 30th, 2021 by JJ Koczan
It’s good to see you again, Desertfest London. The 2022 lineup of the esteemed British edition of Desertfest brings some returning presences who were to have been at the 2020 edition, then the 2021 — both of course gone the way of corona. But we see Electric Wizard, Shellac and Witchcraft in headlining spots, while Corrosion of Conformity will bring their delayed 25th anniversary of Deliverance to Camden Town, and returning kingpins Orange Goblin will play, along with YOB, Truckfighters, Earthless, My Sleeping Karma, Mos Generator, Conan, The Obsessed, the reunited Josiah, Lowrider come for a Refractions victory lap well earned, along with Elephant Tree, Elder, Steak, Deathrite and a ton from the UK’s own ever-blossoming underground scene — Blind Monarch, The Brothers Keg, King Witch, the more established Alunah and Trippy Wicked, and so on and so many.
Note Slomosa. Note Wolftooth. I would expect both to be touring Europe around this time. Green Lung too, for that matter.
There’s no way this isn’t going to be one to remember and it is my sincere hope to be there for it. Maybe I’ll see you there. Maybe we can hug.
Kudos and thanks to the Desertscene crew — Sarika, Jake and Reece — on and for a job well done.
Here’s looking forward:
DESERTFEST LONDON ANNOUNCE FULL LINE-UP FOR 2022 ·
A DECADE IN THE DESERT CELEBRATING TEN YEARS WITH THE BIGGEST & MOST DIVERSE LINEUP YET
EXCLUSIVE UK PERFORMANCES FROM WITCHCRAFT (FIRST UK SHOW IN OVER A DECADE) and SHELLAC
As the home for all the things truly heavy, leading independent UK festival Desertfest have announced their full line up for 2022, which will take place in Camden, London from Friday 29th April – Sunday 1st May.
Celebrating their tenth year, next year’s festival promises to be their biggest and most diverse yet. Covering six venues across the heart of Camden and now including a full line up at The Roundhouse on both Saturday 30thApril and Sunday 1st May.
Founding owner of Desertfest Reece Tee comments, “Desertfest is 10 years old! I’m so proud that our independent festival has stood the test of time. What we have created is special, a decade of great bands, great friends and amazing memories. This year’s line up is a true reflection of how diverse Desertfest has become and with such a loyal audience, Desertfest can champion the underground for decades more to come.”
Headlining the Friday will be Swedish heavy rock masters Witchcraft, with a UK exclusive performance and their first UK show in over a decade. Saturday’s headliners are none other than Chicago’s Shellac, who in another UK exclusive will be bringing their experimental post-hardcore sound to the Roundhouse. Fronted by the iconic Steve Albini, Shellac are one of those bands we all need to experience live, at least once. Whilst closing the festival on Sunday will be UK doom legends Electric Wizard, whose heavy sound encompasses the spirit of Desertfest.
Other acts confirmed include the likes of Corrosion Of Conformity, Orange Goblin and Truckfighters who all played the festival in its debut year in 2012 and there are further UK exclusive performances from hardcore-punks Integrity and the Ukrainian psych space rock trio Somali Yacht Club.
The festival will also see desert legends Brant Bjork and Nick Oliveri’s new band Stoner, who will be playing the Electric Ballroom and doomed heavy metallers Khemmis making their UK debut at The Underworld.
Please see below for the full Desertfest 2022 line up / stage splits. Tickets are on sale now and are available at www.desertfest.co.uk
NEW TICKETS FOR 2022 Weekend Ticket (all venues) – £132 +fees Friday Day Ticket (all venues) – £45 +fees Saturday Day Ticket (all venues) – £50 +fees Sunday Day Ticket (all venues) – £50 +fees Saturday Roundhouse only – £35 +fees Existing ticket holders from 2020’s postponed event have a number of options as the festival is now larger, with an added Roundhouse line-up on Saturday 30th April & Sunday 1st May.
EXISTING WEEKEND + DAY TICKET HOLDERS OPTIONS Full refund Weekend roll-over to 2022 without Roundhouse upgrade (access only to Electric Ballroom, Underworld, Black Heart & The Dev) Weekend roll-over to 2022 with Roundhouse upgrade – £15 +fees Day ticket holders can upgrade to a full weekend ticket – £92 + fees – or will be issued a refund. Upgrade options only available until May 7th ’21. For any ticketing enquiries please contact sarika@desertscene.co.uk
Desertfest 2022’s artwork is hand drawn by legendary artist Arik Roper who has created illustrations for the likes of Sleep, Earth, Sunn O))), High on Fire, Kvelertak, Windhand and many more. As always, posters and other merch will be available to buy at the festival.
Mos Generator are set to oversee a physical release of The Lantern this Friday through Argonauta Records. It’s kind of an oddball release, but these are oddball times, and melody soothes chaos, so bear with it. The Lantern, by my pitiful understanding of such things, is a remix/master of songs the Port Orchard, Washington, power trio released in 2007 on a 10″. At the time, it wasn’t The Lantern; it was Tales From the Vault. Seems pretty straightforward.
Now, where this gets confusing is that Mos Generator last year embarked on what founding guitarist/vocalist Tony Reed called ‘The Plundering of the Vaults,’ continuing a long-running pattern of adding to their massive discography by digging through old tapes, hard drives, whathaveyou. So, “tales” vs. “plundering,” but let’s assume it’s the same vaults in question. Reed also put out the religiously-themed “In the Upper Room” as a digital single last summer in varyingly mixed fashion, from the layered final version to completely instrumental. The Lantern, brings that track together with the harmonized leadoff “Dyin’ Blues,” as well as the centerpiece title-track — a forward boogie into a Floydian midsection en route to a showoff solo and rousing finish — the more classic-metal-tinged “Nightwolf” (sounds like Dio to me, right up to the fadeout) and the back and forth finale, “O’Cataa,” which shifts between softer harmony vocals and heavier rollout, patient and fluid all the while.
Mos Generator at the time was Reed, bassist Scooter Haslip and drummer Shawn Johnson, and if the Zdzislaw Beksinski cover art to The Lantern isn’t its own excuse for being — and it absolutely is — the release at just 22 minutes offers what might be a surprisingly relevant preview of the progressive mindset that the band has followed in more recent years. They’re due a new full-length sometime soon, but the quality and presentation of The Lantern makes it less just a fan-piece than it might otherwise be. With the basic tracks recorded mostly live over just a couple days, there’s an energy throughout that only adds to the flow between one song and the next. It won’t take up much of your day in the actual listening, but you should be prepared to have a song or two from it stuck in your head considerably longer.
Either way, as someone who didn’t hear Tales From the Vault when it came out, I’m more than happy to dig into these remixed tracks. Since the EP is premiering in full below, followed by some comment from Reed, I can only hope you feel the same.
Please enjoy:
Mos Generator, The Lantern official premiere
Tony Reed on The Lantern:
The Lantern was originally released in May of 2007 as a 10” picture disc called “Tales from the Vault”. That first pressing sold out quick and has remained unavailable on vinyl for the past 10 years at least. I’ve been wanting a re-issue of it for a few years now so it’s great to finally be getting to it. This re-issue has a new title, new mix, and new artwork. why? Because the original release was rushed out in every way. This is a chance to give it the attention it deserves on a vinyl format that that has much better sound quality than a picture disc. The new artwork, by the late Polish artist Zdzislaw Beksinski, represents the religious nature of many of the lyrics, as does the new title. The new mix retains the energy of how it was originally recorded and mixed but with a new focus and punch. Our approach to recording and songwriting for these sessions was a successful experiment and I’m stoked that the results are being let loose into the world again.
“The Lantern” will be coming out as a limited Vinyl edition only, on February 26th 2021 via Argonauta Records, the pre-sale has started at THIS LOCATION!
forward boogie into a Floydian midsection en route to a showoff solo and rousing finish — the more classic-metal-tinged “Nightwolf” (sounds like Dio to me, right up to the fadeout) and the back and forth finale, “O’Cataa,” which shifts between softer harmony vocals and heavier rollout, patient and fluid all the while.
