The Bloody Beetroots and Crookers aren’t the only stars to come out of Italy these days. Milan’s 3 IS A CROWD are quickly creating a buzz with their production, as well as edits and remixes for the likes of Crookers, Congorock, Fagget Fairys, Yelle, Armand Van Helden, Amari and others. Things are lookin’ mighty good for them as they’re currently collaborating with Larry Tee, Bryan Cox, Chew Fu Phat and have several releases due to come out on a few labels!
Consisting of three members, Alberto, Francesco and Ivo, 3IAC are influenced by just about everything that is good in music today – house, fidget, crunk, electro, funk, breaks, broken beat and jazz. If you spend your time watching the music that is covered on the blogosphere, more than likely you’ve heard past 3IAC remixes for Congorock, “Exodus (3IAC Back to Home Remix)”, as well as the Fagget Fairys, “Uzela (3IAC Crunch My Crunk Remix)”. Both caught my attention and are fine examples of the kind of work these guys are making. Their latest, “Take It Back”, proves it!
So what is in the pipeline for 3IAC? Francesco clued me in on the latest happenings, along with how this Italian trio came to be and two of their latest remixes.
“News about us: We are finally about to sign a contract with RuNT Records for a release; the name of the EP will be “Amarillo EP” and will feature 3 tracks. We have received a proposal for a couple of releases on A New Hope Records; We still have to release our EP for Italian Indie label Mozzarella Records (this release will feature our tracks “Bullshit”, “Guns”, “Almighty Vibes” and a remix) and of course we are waiting for our remix for Bryan Cox’s “Where You At?” to come out on his Crux Records label. We are collaborating with his blog Crux Da House as well and we are working on several tracks including a remix for Larry Tee!
About gigs: We’ll be playing alongside Congorock in Rome the 23rd of May, with the Crookers the 1st of June and in Berlin the 6th of June and we have a gig in London in July that still has to be confirmed.
Start of 3IAC: “In 2004 we started the project 3 Is A Crowd as a dj collective where we could express ourselves and our different musical tastes both in djing and producing electronic music. We used to play different styles on the decks including techno, electro, hip hop, breakbeat and some drum ‘n’ bass too!
Things began to change after a Crookers Edit we made in 2007 that made us become a little bit popular in the blog world. So at that time we were interested in this new sound clash between house, hip hop and techno and that’s why we started working hard on our own tracks as well as remixes and edits: we started to rework different acts and artists such as The Chemical Brothers, Fagget Fairys, Congorock, Yelle, Amari etc.
We believe that every remix we have done so far has its own personality and a “3IAC” flavour: We are trying to make our production recognizable but at the same time we are putting different ideas around to make people enjoy what we do. The Tamborzuda remix we made starting from the original acapella, received compliments from Daniel Haaksman from Man Recordings. Other supporters of our music have been Drop The Lime/Curses!, Dj Fame, Dj Orgasmic, Dj Donna Summer, Scuola Furano, Blatta & Inesha, Bryan Cox, Larry Tee, amongst others.
“Now we are trying to get inspired from other styles: One of our two new remixes for the Italian indie rock band, “Perturbazione“, (”Nel Mio Scrigno Pianissimo Remix”) is showing our interest for a clash between electronic music and real played instruments that we would like to develop in the future, alongside our dance production. Anyway, we hope that we will make people dance and bounce around the globe! Make sure to check our MySpace for more news and don’t forget to take a listen to our special mixes!”
It has been a while since the last feature on The Toxic Avenger and the timing couldn’t be better as he has sent over his latest grinder of a track, “Defeat!“, as well as some exciting updates!! To say that the Toxic Avenger has been working, would be an understatement. He has been relentless at gigging in the U.S. and Europe and still finding time to create new music, remixes and prepare for his forthcoming EP and LP.
Having just finished off 2 new remixes, Ladytron’s “Ghost” and one for South African group Playdoe, (side project of Spoek of Sweat.X + Sibot), Toxic is set to release his EP, 26th of May on Boxon Records. The EP will contain 4 brand new songs. “Bad Girls Need Love Too“, with remixes of the track by Les petits pilous and Leonard de Leonard. The 4th song is titled ” __________”. (that is the name) For now, you can have a listen to all of them at Toxie’s Myspace.
With a cast of talent collaborating on the video for “Bad Girls Need Love Too”, it looks to be a visual masterpiece! Styled by esteemed Parisian fashion designer, Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, (also known as JC/DC), who has dressed some of our favorites, including M.I.A. and Yelle, we can expect to see some colorful pop art inspired fashion!
The above image is a video-clip of The Toxic Avenger – “Bad Girls Need Love Too”, created by Mathieu Danet of the talented Born To Film team. The video was shot in Paris on 7th of April, and is due out at the beginning of May. The EP photo cover was created by Hélène Giansily and the cover design by Anem. The model in the video is a young French girl named Solweig.
Toxic is also working on his LP, which he is hoping to have out sometime in late 08′ off iheartcomix. If you happen to find yourself hanging out in Aix, South of France, the 28th of June, festivities will ensue with the likes of: MSTRKRFT, The Bloody Beetroots, Vicarious Bliss, Les petits pilous (LIVE), Toxic Avenger, Strip Steve, Uffie (LIVE), Paraone (LIVE) and ER2 (LIVE). Looks to be a swell time!
Roger and The Walk, photo courtesy of rogerseventytwo
Thanks to Aux from Blokgolf, I’ve discovered another lovely Dutch producer called Rogerseventytwo. He’s 22, lives in the Netherlands, and makes pretty nifty electro pop and is super super busy. Roger’s kindly given us two remixes (Daft Punk and Yelle) plus his uber-cool “Imagination”, which I love. I know what you’re thinking, there’s enough re-mixes of these songs to feed an entire country of music-starved people, but have a listen, and you’ll see what I mean.
When Roger’s not making music to make us all insanely jealous, he djs with friend and producer The Walk. In April, the boys are playing alongside Brodinski, Crookers, Boys Noize, Mixhell DJs and more. God, that’s gonna be a fun party !
Roger and The Walk also put on their own night in Amsterdam called WE LOVE, in which they invite upcoming new acts, djs, and producers (great name isn’t it?). So far, WE LOVE have welcomed Teenage Bad Girl, Les Petits Pilous and Aysam, and this spring the boys are partying with Danger and Breakbot.
Roger says of his music: “My biggest influences was the first Daft Punk generation like the Roule stuff and filtered disco house of Crydamoure. And I always been a huge fan of the 70s music. And furthermore I’m a big fan of the French scene nowadays like the Ed Banger andInstitubes crew. And of course not to forget Teenage Bad Girl and Boys Noize.”
Oh these kids. Do you remember what the rest of us were doing at 22?
Here are some dates for your diary, just in case you happened to be in town for Queens day, or you’re on of those lucky souls who actually gets to live in Amsterdam.
I am a die hard Brian Jonestown Massacre fan. The documentary “Dig” featuring BJM and The Dandy Warhol’s has been put to use, by me, as both a “thermometer” and “prescription”. Many a time, when getting into heavy music conversations, with like minded music people, inevitably, i’ve asked them, “have you seen Dig?”, and 3/4 of the true music heads have. On the flipside, when i’ve encountered someone, who thinks they understand music, and they obviously don’t have a clue, I tell them - “listen, watch Dig, and then we’ll talk”. I’ve purchased Dig on 2 separate occasions, borrowed them both out, on separate occasions, and never got them back. You people, you know who you are, and my only solace in knowing that you’re probably never going to give them back, is that maybe you actually watched it, and “got it”.
So last Thursday a magical email appears in my inbox . . .
From: Alexandra||Magnum PR Sent: Thursday, February 07, 2008 6:22 PM To: Audiopimpstress@trashmenagerie.com Subject: The Brian Jonestown Massacre - My Bloody Underground
My initial reaction - No. Freaking. Way. Anton’s written a new album. I was intrigued, and to say I was excited, it isn’t exactly the right word to describe it. Its more like I was captivated, and drawn in, just by the idea alone of him having created new material, and I hadn’t even heard it yet, and F!@#!!! I wasn’t going to be able to drop everything and take it all in, because I had to leave. I was going to a show at Union Pool, Reno Bo and Silver Rockets we’re playing with The Hiss, and if I didn’t leave now, I was going to miss the show, and I wanted to hear them all, so Anton would have to wait, for now.
So, fast forward, say 6 hours later, and how or why, I got to where I ended up, is not important. But its kind of made me think, yeah, there is definitely something cosmic out there in the universe that’s very strongly tied to music. I have never met Anton before now, but I have been mystified by the “legend” that surrounds him, his music and his crazy genius. So to be sitting next to him, drinking vodka and trying to keep up with him while he spoke about about art, politics, children, life, love, hate, dogs, and just about anything and everything you can imagine, was kind of surreal. I was also grilled, yelled at, but that comes with the territory. Anton has beat up his band in the middle of a performance, so this was a compliment. He was considerate, I was cold, so he borrowed me his sweater while we continued to drink more vodka and he showed me all the video’s he produced for the new album. I also got to see his new tattoo, and I got to sit in on a session - him and Paul Dillion (Silver Rockets) played new and old songs, that they had both written. Anton graciously played “Nevertheless” for me, one of my most loved BJM songs, but made sure to remind me, he wasn’t an object.
Something that stuck with from that night, was when Anton explained to me that “Trying is Lying”. I paused, I had to think about it or a minute, and upon further clarification, yeah, I agreed, trying IS lying. Point being, if you’re going to do something in life, anything, whatever it might be, and actually take time to consider it, just do it already, don’t fucking waste time talking about it, don’t “try” to make it happen, make it fucking happen. Otherwise, your a liar - you’re lying to yourself, your lying to the people around you. Like Yoda said - “There is no try, only do”. So there you have it, Anton is a great Jedi master. From what universe, I really don’t know, but I was on his planet that night.
As I write this now, and think back to last week, it was all very, very, bizarre, and it all came together so randomly, but all things considered, how could that be the case? The whole experience, every single part of it, being where I was, having these interactions, I feel like something about me, or the way I think, changed. And what is it about me that might have changed? I have no idea.
What follows below is the press release for the album, with links to the video’s Anton created, they are amazing, I don’t think any one expected anything less. I hope you’re able get as much out of them as I did.
After spending time writing and recording in Liverpool, England and Reykjavik, Iceland; My Bloody Underground will be the thirteenth full-length album released by the band, set for release on Anton Newcombe’s own record label “a recordings” on April 15th 2008.
Thirteenth time’s a charm for a band who’s name a portmanteau of the original and founding member of The Rolling Stones’ Brian Jones and the infamous mass cult suicide at Jonestown, Guyana in 1978. Fans and critics of Brian Jonestown Massacre who have eagerly awaited a new album for a little over 4 years now will not be disappointed with its musical content, quality and controversy to follow.
The opening track titled “Bring Me The Head Of Paul McCartney On Heather Mill’s Wooden Peg (Dropping Bombs On The White House)” begins and soars into an echoing wave of tambourines and trancelike acoustics, that continues for 12 more tracks and 75.87 minutes, stirring visions of sunny Californian communes to New York City bars on the Lower East Side. From Rishikesh to Reykjavik, the entire album provides provocative glimpses into Anton Newcombe’s head, both the darkness and the light, so clearly and so beautifully self-produced.
The Brian Jonestown Massacre has been somewhat of a musical commune for many respected musicians over the years, a band from the 1990’s that has spurned other great bands ever since. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Warlocks, The Silver Rockets, The Black Angels, The Raveonettes, The Dilettantes, Ride (to name a few) are all part of this musical family tree.
Indeed, this is a band that has witnessed many incarnations, since its inception in San Francisco in 1995. Two-dozen band members later and numerous “ups and downs” (some have been famously sensationalized in the media), the one thing that has always remained consistent for this psychedelic-cult-like-collective, is front man Mr. Anton Alfred Newcombe.
A man and artist many are eager to dismiss as obnoxious and unworthy of the attention he receives. Others however, deem him simply as vulnerable in this world he roams and hugely misunderstood whilst doing so. Like many prolific and artistic “madmen” before his and our time, dare we sum all of the above and categorize Newcombe as a one of the musical geniuses of our time?
Maybe it’s too early or controversial to say, but tracks from My Bloody Underground are certainly good indications whether such a “characteristic” is worthy of his nature. “We Are The Niggers Of The World” (track 4) is a song Anton wrote when he was just 9 years old, you can decide for yourself.
Regardless of the spectacles and debate that surround the man and the band, it’s the music that matters. Regardless of the sanity and social standards that some feel is relevant to art, it’s this album that reaffirms the greatness that is The Brian Jonestown Massacre, the songs seem to be channeled from somewhere greater than where we dwell. My Bloody Underground truly is a fantastic album.
My Bloody Underground still offers some of the old Massacre sound but has a more experimental and avant-garde approach to it, enticing and mesmerizing, with its darkness, its weight and rhythmic enchantment. A true testament that this really is the only band of our time and only album of it’s time to sound this way and be so damn good.
Who needs the Nineties or the Sixties when you have something that encapsulates both, with the added twist, trials and triumphs of the modern world we live in and the world that Anton Alfred Newcombe shares with us.
From Bunsen burned dolls to being tattooed on the inside of his lip, all on camera and soon to be available on DVD - a series of videos made for each song on the album My Bloody Underground, by Anton Newcombe. Never one to hold things back, he’s already made them available online for you to view and share…
‘The Pride of Paris’ aka Yelle is making her long awaited first appearance in NYC!
Yes kids you heard it right…Yelle is bringing her fabulous ass to The Knitting Factory on Tuesday 19th February so if you wanna sample even one ounce of her electro fabulousness you better snap up those tickets right now here.
Incase you need a heads up on Yelle’s electro booty take a sneek peek at her video ‘A Cause Des Garcons’ below.
Cosmo is back with a load of goods! He has teamed up with Mister Ed (up and coming DJ/promoter from Montreal), from Nu Ravers on the Block, with a remix of “Ce Jeu”, by the French group, Yelle. Lots of sidechain action on this and a great one for those on the dancefloor!!
He has also sent us two other tracks including a remix of “Armageddon”, by the early 90’s breakbeat hardcore duo, Altern-8, that played gigs in “chemical warfare suits” and “gas masks” filled with Vic’s Vapo Rub – A classic back when he was a young lad at the tender age of 17. (Hostage has also remixed an Altern-8 track, “Frequency”) Check the old skool video below, it’s a real pleaser! “Teaser”, is another great track that will definitely wind things up at your next session. I love it, and think you will too.
Some more exciting projects finalizing soon, that include a 5 song EP with Cosmo’s group, The Junkies, which is about to be released sometime this January on Petrol/emi. His remix of Shiny Toy Guns’, “Rainy Monday”, was picked by Universal/Motown Records for immediate release as both hard press and digital. Nice one.
Fantasma founder, Jon Stoll was indeed one of the “good” ones. I feel honored to have had been able to work with him. This comes as a bit of a shock, very sad news, he will be missed by many.
Jon Stoll, who turned a teenage love of rock ‘n’ roll into one of the largest independent promotion and performance companies in the nation, died Saturday at Good Samaritan Medical Center after an extended illness. He was 54.
While on vacation in August in Aspen, Colo., Mr. Stoll had a stroke that required surgery to remove a blood clot in his brain. About a month later, he returned to a rehabilitation center in Boynton Beach, but complications, including a brain cancer, resulted in a transfer a few weeks ago to Good Samaritan in West Palm Beach.
In the mid-’90s, Mr. Stoll was one of the few independent promoters who refused buyout attempts by large corporations, maintaining that it was bad for business and bad for artists.
“I just think it’s unfortunate that there are less options for artists,” he told The New York Times in 2006. “If you have no options, then you have to deal with one buyer - and whatever they decide to pay you.”
From today’s Lefsetz Letter, nice tribute to Jon and his vision. John, Bill Graham, Chicago’s Jam Productions, independent promoters in general, they are strong spirits, and certainly not a dying breed. Lefsetz defiantly stuck a chord with me, my eyes tend to glaze over when I reminisce about the early 90’s rave days . . . He touches on some very relevant realities in the concert promotion business today, this would not be the first time I said I feel this model is in danger of going the way of the majors, and the clock is ticking for them as well.
Jon Stoll
Words: Bob Lefsetz
Fierce and independent. That not only describes Jon Stoll, but Arny and Jerry over at JAM, all the cats who said no to Bob Sillerman.
Can you imagine turning down millions? Double digit millions? That’s what these guys did. They all loved cash, but it wasn’t the most important thing. They loved music. And they needed to work.
Jon Stoll will work no more.
Whenever we were in the same room, Jon would seek me out. Something was always bothering him. Didn’t everybody SEE? That they were taking the wrong path, that it was bad for business?
But Jon wasn’t only a complainer. With a gleam in his eye he’d tell you about his new project. Not boasting, but proudly putting forth what started in his heart, and had come to fruition.
Last year in Aspen, it was Jon who complained most loudly about the secondary market. He wasn’t like those idiots in the U.K., too stupid to know their (more…)
November re-cap in case you missed anything. We covered a lot of ground. It’s all about making those connections, so we’ve been suckered into joining he following “social networking sites”. (I really do HATE that phrase.) $500 to the person who comes up with something better. So anyway, we’re out there, you can find, us, so if you wanna get a little closer, it is getting chilly and all, might as well snuggle up!
Trash favourite’s Punks Jump Up have generously offered us a delectable amount of sumptuous new remixes to listen to and download for a limited time!
If you have been living under a rock for the past year or so and are not aware of PJU’s juicy goodness then let’s recap; after releasing ‘Be You’ on their own label Cassette Records these boys caught the eyes of James Murphy, Erol Alkan, and Headman just to give you an idea. The masterpiece that is ‘Dance to Our Disco’ featuring The Hives Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist then sent the boys stratospheric with its release on Kitsune.
Their remix portfolio includes the likes of Robyn, Peter Bjorn & John,Digitalism, Tronik Youth and The Gossip. Now we have three remixes from PJU for your listening pleasure so get excited. First up is the Divine ‘City’ from Sweden’s finest electro duo Low-fi-fink, next up is a sublime remix of the new French-electro sweetheart Yelle, and last but definitely not least we have a remix of Remi Nicole’s ‘Go Mr Sunshine’. Download them right now….you have two weeks to get your mits on them before they dissapear!
Then as predicted if you fall in love with PJU – go grab one of their limited edition T-shirts designed by Kate Moross.
The La Grève Générale boys have just finished a new mixtape for Stockholm Beat Connection to promote their upcoming gig in Stockholm this Saturday. We love their mixes and are pleased as always to share with our Trashers. Enjoy the chewns!
1. Les Savy Fav – Scratch bonus
2. 2 Live Crew – Fuck shop
3. Cybotron – R9
4. Naast – Mauvais garcon (Yuksek remix)
5. Interpol - The Heinrich maneuver (Paul Epworth Phones remix)
6. Chromeo – She’s in control
7. Does It Offend You, Yeah? – Weird science
8. Kayne West – Stronger (A-Trak remix)
9. Codebreaker - Exiled (Miami Horror remix)
10. MIA – Boyz (The Twelves remix)
11. Duke Dumont – Lean and bounce
12. Bonde Do Role - Solta o frango
13. 2 Live Crew – Get it girl
14. Donna Summer - I feel love
15. Soulja Boy - Crank dat Supaman (Cousin Cole remix)
16. ZZZ – Lion
17. D.I.M. – Airbus Baby (AC Slater edit)
18. Rick Ross – Hustlin’
19. Yelle - ACDG (Tepr remix)
20. Daft Punk - Robot rock (DJ B-Stee club remix)
21. Afrika Bambaataa - Funky Heroes
22. The Arcade Fire – No cars go
23. The Arcade Fire – No cars go (Flufftronix edit)
24. Bat for Lashes – Prescilla
25. Feist - My moon my man (Boys Noize remix)
26. DJ Khaled – We takin’ over (Il hot remix)
27. Danger – 11h30
28. Peaches – Downtown
29. The Dandy Warhols - Bohemian like you
30. Spank Rock and Benny Blanco are Bangers & Cash - Shake that
31. The Bravery - An honest mistake
32. Rihanna – Umbrella (Seamus Haji and Paul Emanuel radio edit)
33. Patrick Cowley and Sylvester - Do you wanna funk (white label)
34. Justice - D.V.N.O. (LA Riots remix)
35. Sean Paul - Get busy
36. Dragonette – Competition (Ocelot remix)
