Global folk-punk troubadour Mike Spine shares poignant anthem for the times, "Crumble"

"Gorgeously arranged folk-rock...Likely to get stuck in your head after the first spin." -- TrebleZine

Seattle/Europe based troubadour Mike Spine premieres a new track from his forthcoming double album anthology today via TrebleZine. Hear and share the poignant anthem, "Crumble" HERE. (Direct Soundcloud.)

UK outlet XSnoize previously shared lead single "Delirious" HERE. (Direct Soundcloud.)

Mike Spine is a critically acclaimed Seattle born and Seattle/Europe based musician known for his captivating live performances, intelligent songwriting and support of humanitarian issues. He has played hundreds of shows in five continents since 1995 and has received press and radio airplay throughout the US, Europe, UK and Asia.

Forage & Glean, Volumes I & II, is the 10th full-length studio album for Mike Spine. It is a 32 track double album, an anthology containing the best of Mike's songwriting and recordings from the last two decades.

Volume I is a collection of Spine's best work of folk rock and rock songs, including the memorable and more relevant than ever "Crumble", personal political songs such as "Meteorite", and the labor themed "Sand in Your Teeth".  There's also a hauntingly beautiful version of "The French Girl" and the stripped down "Black Diamond", the lyrically dense and moving tale of families immigrating to work in the coalmines outside Seattle in the early 1900's.

Volume II contains Spine's more explosive rock and punk material. It opens with the dynamic anti-war song "Kiss and Remember" and then launches into fiery, complex and catchy rockers, which touch on the themes of global warming with "Second Hand", empire "Transylvania" and the anti-corruption song, "Power Broker", before transitioning into the hook filled songs like "Iron Lake" hybrid country punk song "Another Day" and the rocker version of "Meteorite".

For twenty years, Mike Spine bounced between the worlds of folk rock, underground rock and punk, while simultaneously working as an inner city language arts and social studies teacher in Seattle, Portland, New York and London.

Since retiring from public school teaching in 2011, Mike has spent his time focused on music, having performed hundreds of concerts and benefit shows in multiple continents, ranging from Italy to Vietnam, Cambodia and Costa Rica. The last few years he has split his time between the US and Europe, touring extensively throughout the EU and often living out of a motorhome for months at a time.

Credits:

The songs on Forage & Glean were predominantly recorded and mixed at Haywire Recording in Portland, Oregon with longtime engineer Rob Bartleson (Wilco, Pink Martini, Pond, etc.). The album was mastered by Ed Brooks (Pearl Jam, REM, Heart, Fleet Foxes, etc.) at RFI/Resonant in Seattle, Washington. 

The recordings were made with a highly talented pool of band mates from the United States, Europe and South America over the last decade. 

Core musicians on Volume I include Joey Prude and Chris Croft on Drums, Martin Flores on guitars, Katie Toft and Ali Ippolito on piano, accordion and backing vocals, Amelia Claire on backing vocals, Robert Bartleson on electric bass, Brian Casey on upright bass, Barbara Luna on violin and Mike Spine on guitars, vocals, songwriting, arrangements, etc.

Core musicians on Volume II include: Jeff Gall and Chris Croft on drums, Martin Flores on guitars, Richie Parish on guitar and bass, Jack Peters on bass, Amelia Claire on backing vocals and Mike Spine on guitars, vocals, etc.

Forage & Glean, Volumes I & II will be available on CD and download on June 1st, 2018. Pre-orders are available HERE.

MIKE SPINE LIVE:

05/23 Milan, IT @ Al Baggese

06/02 Lake Como, IT @ Mountain Lake Music Festival

06/03 Lake Como, IT @ Mountain Lake Music Festival

Artist: Mike Spine Album: Forage & Glean, Volumes I & II Label: Global Seepej Records Release Date: June 1st, 2018 01. Delirious 02. Meteorite 03. Sand In Your Teeth 04. The French Girl 05. Crumble 06. Sinaloa 07. La Frontera 08. Primrose Hill 09. Nora 10. Mouth of Hell 11. Razors 12. The Beautiful Sunset 13. Cutter 14. Black Diamond 15. The Accordion 16. Spanish Anarchy Volume II 01. Kiss and Remember 02. Second Hand 03. Transylvania 04. Power Broker 05. Iron Lake 06. Another Day 07. Meteorite (Rock Version) 08. Lick and Squeal 09. Miklukho-Maklay 10. La Frontera (Rock Version) 11. Mott Haven 12. First Day of Spring 13. Mouth of Hell (Rock Version) 14. The Ointment 15. Joys of Oil 16. Battle in Seattle On The Web: www.mikespine.com facebook.com/mike-spine mikespine.bandcamp.com

Street Doom band R.I.P. to tour with Electric Wizard this week & headline full U.S. dates in June

"Street Reaper is just a disgusting, punk-rock-meets-Black Sabbath shredder that's going to leave a film of filth on any speaker that has the misfortune to output its gnarly sounds." -- Metal Injection

"R.I.P. find a place for '80s and early '90s nostalgia that's not overblown would-be glam or retro-minded thrash, but would nonetheless fit well on a bill next to Slayer during their big-hair days, despite the obvious sonic discrepancies." -- The Obelisk

Portland, OR 'Street Doom' quartet R.I.P. support British heavyweights Electric Wizard on West Coast dates starting this week. And, the band announces its first full U.S. headlining tour to kick off on May 31st. Please see complete dates below. Tour poster available HERE.

R.I.P.'s sophomore album Street Reaper is available to hear and share via YouTube and Bandcamp.

When R.I.P. came crawling out of the sewers of Portland, OR last year, their grimy, sleazy Street Doom was already a fully formed monstrosity that quickly infected the minds of everyone it encountered. Now, borne from the band's declining state of mental health and increasing focus on songwriting, Street Reaper is an even more unhinged and menacing album than their 2016 debut In The Wind. 

Borrowing equally from 80s Rick Rubin productions and Murder Dog magazine aesthetics, Street Reaper is a streamlined, yet brutally raw manifesto of heavy metal ferocity hearkening to the era when both metal and hip hop were reviled as the work of street thugs intent on destroying America's youth.

Throughout, Angel Martinez's guitar and John Mullett's bass are inextricably interlocked, sounding like a massive sonic steamroller, while drummer Willie D keeps the beat solid and simple for the most powerful impact. And, the band's extensive touring and excessive virgin sacrifices have clearly endued singer Fuzz with evermore agile vocal chords to drive it all home with extreme precision.

Operating on the belief that doom is not tied to a tuning or a time signature, but rather a raw and terrified feeling, R.I.P. eschews well trodden fantasy and mysticism tropes of the genre and focuses on conveying the horror and chaos inherent in the everyday reality of the human mind. With several years of touring under their heavily studded belt, R.I.P. has distinguished themselves from the interchangeable hordes of bands trying to play heavy metal by crafting an aesthetic and a sound all their own, focusing on the things that make metal heavy rather than adhering to the formulaic confines of a particular sub-genre.

Street Reaper opens with the knockout punch of "Unmarked Grave" and the rest is just sheer bludgeoning for bludgeoning's sake as the album echoes the grimy vibe of legends like Saint Vitus, Pentagram and Motorhead, with the no b.s. aesthetic of the early Metal Massacre compilations. 

Street Reaper is available on LP, CD and download, released October 13th, 2017 via RidingEasy Records. 

R.I.P. LIVE:

04/29 Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern *

04/30 San Francisco, CA @ The Warfiled *

05/02 Portland, OR @ Roseland Ballroom * - SOLD OUT

05/31 San Francisco, CA @ Elbo Room 

06/01 Reno, NV @ The Hideout 

06/02 Las Vegas, NV @ Double Down 

06/03 San Diego, CA @ Tower Bar 

06/04 Long Beach, CA @ Blacklight 

06/05 Flagstaff, AZ @ Green Room 

06/06 Phoenix, AZ @ Tempe Tavern 

06/07 Tucson, AZ @ Loudhouse 

06/08 El Paso, TX @ Cigar Bar 

06/09 Austin, TX @ Lost Well 

06/10 San Antonio, TX @ The Mix 

06/11 Houston, TX @ Rudyard’s 

06/12 New Orleans, LA @ Poor Boys 

06/14 Richmond, VA @ Strange Matter 

06/15 Washington, DC @ TBA 

06/16 Baltimore, MD @ Metro Gallery 

06/18 Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie 

06/19 New York, NY @ Saint Vitus 

06/20 Boston, MA @ O’Briens 

06/21 Brattleboro, VT @ TBA  

06/22 Pittsburgh, PA @ Rock Room 

06/23 Canton, OH @ The Buzz Bin 

06/25 Dayton, OH @ Forces House 

06/26 Chicago, IL @ Cobra Lounge 

06/27 St. Louis, MO @ Fubar

06/28 Kansas City, MO @ Riot Room 

06/29 Denver, CO @ Electric Funeral III 

06/30 Salt Lake City, UT @ The Beehive

* w/ Electric Wizard

Artist: R.I.P. Album: Street Reaper Record Label: RidingEasy Records Release Date: October 13th, 2017 01. Unmarked Grave 02. Street Reaper 03. Mother Road 04. The Dark 05. The Other Side 06. Shadows Fools 07. Brimstone 08. The Cross 09. The Casket 10. Die In Vain On The Web: ridingeasyrecords.com facebook.com/R.I.P.P.D.X instagram.com/R.I.P.P.D.X braveinthegrave.bandcamp.com

Mick's Jaguar (NYC noisy, guttural rock'n'rollers) premiere new track from forthcoming RidingEasy Records debut

"An infectious 10-track spinner. As the band's name implies, Mick's Jaguar has definitely got a hearty Stones vibe to it. That, coupled with those searing metallic riffs got me right into the record's groove." -- Doomed & Stoned New York City rock 'n' roll sextet Mick's Jaguar premiere a new track from their forthcoming debut album on RidingEasy Records today via Doomed & Stoned. Hear and share "The Real Boss" HERE. (Direct YouTube.) The band previously launched the first single "Blood On The Snow" via YouTube. Rock and roll is dead in New York City. Long live New York City rock and roll. Mick's Jaguar is bringing noisy, wild, unafraid big rock back to NYC. Crazy rents, corporatized venues, and kids listening to DJ's: it's hard being a band in this town.  This isn't LA and Mick's Jaguar is a product of their environment: a windowless dungeon practice space 20 feet below the trash covered sidewalk of the Lower East Side. Rats, grime, the sounds of the city; Mick's Jaguar gleefully pillages the history of rock music to create thoroughly modern, but classic rock and roll. Not quite punk, but not metal either, this is hard rock and roll that's been put through the brain blenders of 6 musicians who pair their Judas Priest shirts with Steely Dan hats. They claim no musical lineage to New York - they just live there. If you need to compare them to something, the night AC/DC played CBGB's would be about as close as you can get.  The group formed as a drunken Rolling Stones cover band, and after a few years of mainlining Stones songs and playing sporadic shows marred by violence and sprayed by beer, they started writing originals that attracted the attention of RidingEasy Records. And their new album, Fame and Fortune, sounds absolutely nothing like the Stones. The three guitarists -- yes three guitars -- open the album with a riff of buzzsaw intensity that would make a Ramone proud. But then like Jim Morrison sashaying into a wine shop, it drunkenly careens into a big sounding rock and roll album somewhere in between Van Halen and Tres Hombres. Guitar solos abound, Thin Lizzy harmonies soar, the bass and drums make a groove that will shake the asses on the dance floor and put a rumble in your loins. Songs about life, death, cars, blood, murder, sex, drugs and booze are the world of Mick's Jaguar. Don't forget - this is what rock and roll is all about. Listen close and you'll hear hat tips to your bands, Mick's Jag knows their history and likes to rip it apart.  Recorded in Brooklyn at Figure 8 Recording by engineering wizard Philip Weinrobe, and fueled by a steady diet of Allen's Coffee Brandy, the Fame And Fortune sessions resulted in only one hospital visit and it just might be your favorite album of 1978, 1988, or 2018. This is music that's made for listening to while driving fast in your car, and while relaxing at the local strip club. It's okay to have fun. Cute indie bands make everyone puke. That shit stops now. Let there be rock. Fame and Fortune will be available on LP, CD and download on June 22nd, 2018 via RidingEasy Records. Preorders are available at ridingeasyrecs.com  MICK'S JAGUAR LIVE: 05/11 Brooklyn, NY @ Saint Vitus  w/ Them Evils 06/19 Brooklyn, NY @ Saint Vitus

Artist: Mick’s Jaguar

Album: Fame and Fortune

Label: RidingEasy Records

Release Date: June 22, 2018

01. The Real Boss

02. Pay to Play

03. Where We Go

04. Here Comes the Night

05. Blood On the Snow

06. Hellride

07. Damnation

08. Country & Punk

09. Call the Guy

10. New Orleans Blues

On The Web:

ridingeasyrecords.com

facebook.com/MicksJaguar 

instagram.com/micksjaguar

micksjaguar.bandcamp.com

The Well announce summer tour dates & premiere video via Revolver Magazine

"Furiously strong... One of our most anticipated heavy albums of 2016." -- Consequence of Sound

Austin trio The Well announce summer headlining North American tour dates today and premiere the official video for "Black Eyed Gods" today via Revolver Magazine. Watch & share "Black Eyed Gods" HERE. (Direct YouTube.) See dates below. 

The Well are supporting their recently released, critically-praised album Pagan Science on RidingEasy Records. Consequence of Sound is streaming the entire album album HERE. 

The Well has been prominently featured on The Walking Dead star's Ride with Norman Reedus TV show on AMC. Not only did the band compose and record the series' original theme song, they also appeared on the show with Reedus, an avowed fan of the band and all things RidingEasy. 

The impressive crux of Pagan Science, the sophomore album by Austin trio The Well, is that It's a multiplicity of itself. From the band's dual male/female vocals to their transcendently timeless sounds and erudite lyrical themes, Pagan Science is crystalline in its complexity and clarity at the same time.

The Well walk an intriguing line between authentic early 70s doom/heavy psych and the more frayed-edge-of-sanity weirdness of their hometown's legendary noise rock scene, whilst also splicing in shades of chamber choir vocals, occult rock and dark folk.

Sonically, Pagan Science picks up where The Well -- bassist/vocalist Lisa Alley, guitarist/vocalist Ian Graham and drummer Jason Sullivan -- left off with their widely heralded 2014 RidingEasy debut Samsara. Here, the band's heavy psych, proto-metal sound growing evermore vast, yet more focused on hooks, and their lyrics more conceptually intricate. Part of a running thread throughout the album's introspective lyrics is the notion that the world outside of one's own mind is also a creation and reflection of the interior world of that mind. And, just like the band's sound is one thing (undeniably heavy) and simultaneously another (dark folk, blues... there's even a Crosby, Stills & Nash cover, "Guinnevere"), it's this multiplicity that makes Pagan Science such a captivating record. 

Pagan Science was recorded with producer/engineer Chico Jones at Micro Mega Studio in 2016. Jones also previously engineered the band's debut album Samsara with producer Mark Deutrom [Melvins, Sunn0)))] in 2013. Samsara, released late September 2014 was ranked the #1 debut album of 2014 by The Obelisk and widely praised in the press. Likewise, the band's intense - some even say "possessed" - live performances have earned them featured slots at Austin's Levitation Fest in 2015 & 2016, as well as tours with Kadavar, All Them Witches, Black Tusk and more. 

Pagan Science is available on LP, CD and download as of October 14th, 2016 via RidingEasy Records. 

THE WELL TOUR 2018:

05/25 Dallas, TX @ Ruins

05/26 Oklahoma City, OK @ The Blue Note

05/27 Kansas City, MO @ Westport Roots Fest

05/28 St Louis, MO @ The Sinking Hole 

05/29 Fort Wayne, IN @ The Brass Rail

05/30 Chicago , IL@ Reggie's

05/31 Detroit, MI @ The Outer Limits

06/01 Rochester, NY @ The Bug Jar

06/02 Toronto, ON @ Bovine Sex Club

06/03 Montreal, ON @ Crobar

06/05 Boston. MA @ Once Lounge

06/06 New York, NY @ Saint Vitus

06/07 Philadelphia, PA @ Century Bar

06/08 Baltimore, MD @ The Depot

06/09 Atlanta. GA @ TBA

06/10 Lafayette, IN @ Freetown Boom Boom Room

06/11 Houston, TX @ TBA

Artist: The Well Album: Pagan Science Label: RidingEasy Records Release date: October 14th, 2016 01. Black Eyed Gods 02. Forecast 03. Sky bound 04. A Pilgrimage 05. Drug From The Banks 06. Byzantine 07. One Nation 08. Choir of the Stars 09. Brambles 10. I Don't Believe 11. Guinevere On the Web: www.thewellband.com www.thewellaustin.bandcamp.com www.facebook.com/thewellband

Cellist Randall Holt (Godspeed Y!BE, Knest collaborator) streaming full album early via Heavy Blog Is Heavy

"Perhaps no musician has contributed to the cello’s prominence and presence in the field of experimental music as Randall Holt...It's a haunting and beautiful album." -- Heavy Blog Is Heavy "A haunting, moody and gorgeous piece of music, rhythmic yet melancholy, stark yet richly layered." -- Treble One of Austin's best classical & experimental cellists Randall Holt is streaming his forthcoming solo album in full today ahead of release via Heavy Blog Is Heavy. Hear & share Inside The Kingdom of Splendor and Madness HERE. (Direct Soundcloud.) Ghost Cult Magazine recently shared "I Felt Safe Again and Was At Home" HERE. TrebleZine hosted "Seeds of Light Descend" HERE. PlaylistPlay launched "What Hope We Have, What Hope We Haven't" HERE. And, Scene Point Blank presented "Labyrinths" HERE.  Randall Holt is a member of Knest (with Thor Harris & Jonathan Horne) and Horne + Holt. Randall has also played in Reverend Glasseye and has collaborated with a wide range of artists including Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Yann Tiersen, Eric McFadden Trio and jazz composer Adam Rudolph. Recorded with Chico Jones at Ohm Recording Facility in Austin TX, Inside The Kingdom of Splendor and Madness is an evocative & emotive cello showcase, lulling you in with "I felt safe again and was at home" into the howling strings of "Wandering: Mountain pass"; continuing the tension-and-release of an epic journey, each song a chapter from Holt's cinematic imagination, drawing to the inevitable yet joyfully prolonged ending of a fond goodbye in "Bid Farewell, Without End!" Originally released digitally in March 2016, the album will be available on cassette and CD on Friday, April 20th, 2018 via Self Sabotage Records. Pre-orders are available at selfsabotagerecords.bigcartel.com

Artist: Randall Holt Album: Inside The Kingdom of Splendor and Madness Record Label: Self Sabotage Records Release Date: April 20th, 2018 01. I Felt Safe Again and Was At Home 02. Wandering: Mountain Pass 03. Seeds of Light Descend 04. Revolution Weariness 05. What Hope We Have, What Hope We Haven't 06. Labyrinths (and other writings) 07. Lost In The Funhouse 08. Cool Over the fields 09. Bid Farewell, Without End! On the Web: randallcello.com selfsabotagerecords.bigcartel.com

Svvamp premiere new single from upcoming RidingEasy sophomore album via The Obelisk

"A near-perfect debut record." -- New Noise Magazine

"There isn't one song that wouldn't work as a 45rpm single. And perhaps the band's greatest strength lies in their utter lack of pretense." -- The Obelisk

"Arguably the band of the year." -- Doom Charts 

Jönköping, Sweden trio Svvamp premiere a new single from their forthcoming sophomore album Svvamp 2 today via The Obelisk. Hear and share "Hillside" HERE. (Direct YouTube.)

Paste Magazine recently launched the lead single, "Queen" HERE. 

Svvamp’s self-titled debut was a breath of fresh air -- unpretentious and free, primordial homespun classic rock that landed in the Top 20 Albums of 2016 in the Doom Charts consortium of writers and radio. The most common remark being just how genuine and uncontrived it sounded, unlike most bands that posture and mimic the sounds of yesteryear.

So, it may be hard to grasp how fully realized the band sounds on Svvamp 2, while still sounding as laid back as their debut. Perhaps it can be partly attributed to Svvamp’s jump from self-recording on a 4-channel cassette deck to self-recording on a comparatively expansive SIX-channel system. That’s two whole more tracks to fill up, folks! The obvious comparison to the groundbreaking psychedelic albums of the late 60s, when artists began experimenting with studios moving from 4, to 8 to 16 tracks, is fitting here, too.

“On Svvamp 2 the sound is more raw in the sense that it’s stripped,” vocalist/ drummer Adam Johansson explains. “So the music is more bare. We make sure all of the instruments are treated equally, they all have their place in a song. Obviously, with 6-tracks now available we’ve had a bit of fun with that.”

Svvamp is three friends -- Johansson, Henrik Bjorklund and Erik Stahlgren, all of whom share lead vocal duties -- drawn together for the sake of jamming and a love of rock, folk and blues. Their resulting heavy psych sound bears hints of Cream, Eric Bell-era Thin Lizzy, CCR and Crazy Horse.

Svvamp 2 opens with a lightly plucked electric guitar line that Clapton would be proud to claim his own, before quickly launching into the heavy riff anthem “Queen”, echoing the bare chested bravado of Grand Funk Railroad. “Sunshine Street” is charmingly unapologetic garage pop reminiscent of Big Star. “The Wheel” is a hook-loaded bluesy rocker, while “How Sweet It Would Be” hearkens to the glazed zombie drive of Canned Heat’s “On The Road Again.” Elsewhere, “Alligator” brings on a showstopping stomp of dueling guitars, syncopated drums and wailing, distorted vocal howls to close out the proceedings with fitting aplomb.

“We definitely wanted to mix styles and genres, so the music stays interesting for the band, like the first record,” Johansson says. “Our approach is still fairly straightforward and live. And, all of us sharing lead vocal duties solidifies that the band consists of three equal members.”

Svvamp 2 will be available on LP, CD and download on June 8th, 2018 via RidingEasy Records. Preorders are available at www.ridingeasyrecs.com.

Artist: Svvamp Album: Svvamp 2 Label: RidingEasy Records  Release Date: June 8, 2016 01) Intro 02) Queen 03) The Wheel 04) Sunshine Street 05) How Sweet It Would Be  06) Hillside 07) Surrender 08) Out Of Line 09) Blues Inside 10) Alligator  On The Web: ridingeasyrecs.com www.facebook.com/svvampband www.svvamp.bandcamp.com

The Quietus streaming 'Brown Acid: Sixth Trip' compilation of rare 60s-70s pre-metal singles in full ahead of 4/20 release

"So rare that diehard fuzz junkies say you'd have a better chance of winning the lottery than finding a physical 45 rpm single by one of the bands featured on their latest installment." -- Dangerous Minds

"Will do for hard rock, proto-metal and heavy psych what Nuggets did for garage rock, and bring it to a wider audience of collectors and music fans." -- The Guardian

"We're huge fans of the Brown Acid series... Think of it as a companion to the essential Nuggets compilation but covering artists and records that never made it out of their hometowns." -- Ultimate Classic Rock

The forthcoming latest edition of the popular compilation series of long-lost vintage 60s-70s proto-metal and stoner rock singles, Brown Acid: The Sixth Trip, is streaming in full via The Quietus ahead of its April 20th release date. Hear & share Brown Acid: The Sixth Trip HERE. (Direct YouTube.)

Ultimate Classic Rock recently premiered "Inferno" by Heat Exchange HERE. Paste Magazine launched the first single, "No Parking" by Gold HERE. CvltNation also shared "Luvin', Huggin' & More" by Flight HERE. The series is curated by L.A. label RidingEasy Records and retailer/label Permanent Records. 

About Brown Acid: The Sixth Trip:

This time around we have 10 deep cuts from across the continental US of A and one from our neighbors up North. This Trip kicks off with an outrageous number from Gold out of San Francisco circa 1970. The band used to open their sets with this over-the-top frantic jammer which is absolutely mind-blowing and also leads one to believe that the only band that could've held a candle to Gold back in the day would've been the mighty Blue Cheer.

As we delve deeper into the depths, Canadians continue to prove that they could bang heads with the best of 'em!  Heat Exchange from Toronto released the rollicking ripper "Inferno" on the Yorkville label way back in 1968 and it's still thumping almost 50 years later! Missouri isn't a state that brought us a lot of heavy 45s, but there are a handful of outstanding tracks from the Show Me State, one of which is the funk-laced anthem "Give Me Time" by Backwood Memory from Kansas City. 

The longer we do this, the more we begin to believe that Youngstown, Ohio was the Hard Rock Mecca back in the day.  Travis is yet another Youngstown group that aimed to get asses out of seats and out in the streets.  "Lovin' You" is a groovy banger with a sultry riff originally released on the prolific Starshine Productions imprint. Six years prior to his Arcadian synth-funk novelty hit "Space Invaders" from 1980, Victor "Uncle Vic" Blecman took Flight into the studio with a list of relationship requirements.  Amongst which are his need for "Luvin', Huggin', & More", with emphasis on the "More" part if we're to believe the urgency with which he delivers this fist-pumper.

If you don't immediately recognize the Truth & Janey moniker, you need to get with it and familiarize yourself with their incredible 1976 LP No Rest For The Wicked. It's a proto-metal masterpiece that's been reissued on Rockadrome.  Released four years earlier than their debut LP, "Midnight Horseman" is a 45-only track backed with a cover of "Under My Thumb". Another Iowan group, West Minist'r, self-released three 45s between 1969 and 1975. They're all great in their own way, but "My Life" hit the crunchy sweet spot in '71 with vocals sounding like a fresh from primal scream therapy John Lennon over a zonked-out Hendrix groove. You can count on hearing more from West Minist'r on future Trips.

It's nearly impossible that Dayton, Ohio's Purgatory didn't seize the "Strange Days" and join "The Soft Parade" while "Waiting for the Sun".  And although "Polar Expedition" wears its influences on its sleeve, 1969 would have been at least a little worse off if the band hadn't self released this single. Johnny Barnes was definitely "smokin' that reefer" and "drinkin' that wine" when he released "Steel Rail Blues" in 1976. The label states that you could order a copy of this 45 for by sending $1 to a PO Box in Boston and it's the only record on the Brown Acid series that seems to be obtainable currently for about the same amount it was sold for over three decades ago. That said, it's doubtful that it will remain so cheap for much longer.

With a track as heavy as "Is There No Peace" it's easy to let the name of the label on this 45 slide.  In Chicago in 1970 PSLHRTZ seemed like as good a label name as any for the guys in Zendik to release this insane recording on. Halfway through the track you might be wondering to yourself, "How was this not a hit?", and then you hear the lyrics to the last bit of the song and understand. 

About the Brown Acid series:

Some of the best thrills of the Internet music revolution is the ability to find extremely rare music with great ease. But even with such vast archives to draw from, quite a lot of great songs have gone undiscovered for nearly half a century -- particularly in genres that lacked hifalutin arty pretense. Previously, only the most extremely dedicated and passionate record collectors had the stamina and prowess to hunt down long forgotten wonders in dusty record bins -- often hoarding them in private collections, or selling at ridiculous collector's prices. Legendary compilations like Nuggets, Pebbles, ad nauseum, have exhausted the mines of early garage rock and proto-punk, keeping alive a large cross-section of underground ephemera. However, few have delved into and expertly archived the wealth of proto-metal, pre-stoner rock tracks collected on Brown Acid: The Sixth Trip. 

Lance Barresi, co-owner of L.A./Chicago retailer Permanent Records has shown incredible persistence in tracking down a stellar collection of rare singles from the 60s and 70s for the growing compilation series. Partnered with Daniel Hall of RidingEasy Records, the two have assembled a selection of songs that's hard to believe have remained unheard for so long. 

"I essentially go through hell and high water just to find these records," Barresi says. "Once I find a record worthy of tracking, I begin the (sometimes) extremely arduous process of contacting the band members and encouraging them to take part. Daniel and I agree that licensing all the tracks we're using for

Brown Acid is best for everyone involved," rather than simply bootlegging the tracks. When all of the bands and labels haven't existed for 30-40 years or more, tracking down the creators gives all of these tunes a real second chance at success. 

"There's a long list of songs that we'd love to include," Barresi says. "But we just can't track the bands down. I like the idea that Brown Acid is getting so much attention, so people might reach out to us."

Brown Acid: The Sixth Trip will be available everywhere on LP, CD and download on April 20th, 2018 via RidingEasy Records. Pre-orders are available for digital (with immediate download of the first single) at Bandcamp, physical pre-orders at RidingEasy Records. 

Artist: Various Artists Album: Brown Acid: The Sixth Trip  Label: RidingEasy Records Release Date: April 20, 2018 01. Gold "No Parking" 02. Heat Exchange "Inferno" 03. Travis "Lovin' You" 04. Enoch Smoky "It's Cruel" 05. Backwood Memory "Give Me Time" 06. Flight "Luvin, Huggin & More" 07. Truth & Janey "Midnight Horsemen" 08. West Minst'r "My Life" 09. Purgatory "Polar Expedition" 10. Johnny Barnes "Steele Rail Blues" 11. Zendik "Is There No Peace?" On The Web: www.ridingeasyrecords.com