Well, well, well.
It’s April and we are bringing back an olde thing that we quit doing last year – the Album of the Month (AotM). For the months that we don’t have a GMR release we are going to feature some NW goo that we particularly like, because why not?
For this month, we bring you INSECT MAN – Still In Love With Everything. I heard about these dudes from AAIIEE guitar man Greg Stumph, who play bass in these here Insectors. They released their CD early 2018 and I bought it the week it came out. I put it on my Official Top-Ten albums of 2018 list last year. I still like it. It is basic. It is rock and roll. It could have been recorded in England in 1966. I like that too.
Here is their informative official Facebook bio: Insect Man formed in 2013 to perform the songs of front-man Mike Brann. Members of Insect Man have previously been in bands such as The Mourning Doves, The Zero Points, The Crows, Bottle of Smoke, Gut Reaction, West Section Line, Aaiiee!! and YBGB. On their Bandcamp page, he is Michael Brann, a little more formal. Here’s the official bandcamp credits: Michael Brann: Guitar, Lead Vocals, Harmonica; Daniel King: Drums, Vocals; Greg Stumph: Bass, Vocals; David Woods: Guitar, Weirdo Machine.
Piano and Organ played by Ben Laussade; Produced by Peter McGraw at Taj McGraw Studio; Mastered by Brandon Busch; all songs by Michael Brann and Insect Man ©2018Now you know everything.
I went and saw them play at Slim’s in Georgetown a couple months back with Lord Master and the oh-so-delightful OF. They were great. Total rock action. Mike the resident genius guy lurched intently while delivering his poems of love. David the other guitar player played through a dinky Silvertone amp from 1960-something – sounded totally schrunchie. A most enjoyable evening. I advise you to see them soon.
Most recently, we have taken it upon us to get these guys up into the broader internet, so now they are on Spotify, Amazon, Apple Music, iTunes and any other giant corporate soulless beast where you can buy or stream ones and zeros. Get on it however you can, but I say go to their Bandcamp site to buy if you can. Give them the dough.
Oh yeah, you want to see these guys live - damn skippy. The Parliament Tavern in West Seattle with the Tom Price Desert Classic, Hard Rocks, and 25¢ Ride on Saturday, May 4th (unless of course, you are going to the last ever Fuzz show – see below).
Next:
Here’s the lowdown on my new album 1+1 =?. A couple weeks back I went over to Roslyn, WA to record a song in the secret lair of The OF’s John Carey. I arrived that morning with nuthin' and left with a beautiful new song “Alaska (Put It In Your Head)”. A swell time. Next I did a rarely-recorded Ornette Coleman song with The True Olympian’s Joe Cason. I bought the sheet music for this in 1977 and have been waiting to do this ever since. Put a fork in it. I have the trax all done and am in the mastering phase and getting the cover done. It is pretty nice. It is as beautifully weird as anything I have done. My IndieGoGo funding project has one week to go and we are a bit over halfway to the goal, so if you’d like to get on board and essentially buy the album in advance, it would be much appreciated. https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/tom-dyer-s-all-new-duets-album/x/667505#/ I expect the album to hit the streets in July.
In other news of some interest, this week I started hosting a new show on Radio KAOS 89.3FM Olympia, titled Freeform NW, airing from 1:00 to 3:00 pm Wednesdays. Short descriptor: anything from John Cage to The Sonics to Shabazz Palaces to John Coltrane - Live in Seattle. Besides spinning the discs, I am also going to be interviewing NW musicians on an irregular basis, which is pretty fun. If you can’t tune in Wednesdays, via radio or internet, the show can be streamed for two weeks after it airs. Last week’s show is right here :https://spinitron.com/KAOS/pl/7761152/Freeform-NW?fbclid=IwAR3HWC_yyBDT8ZEVeIXhB9jvTqQ48ypf3LtSshAn4AdEy101el1IUNqbZLM If you are in a brilliant NW band of ANY GENRE and want me to hear you stuff, send me a note, send your stuff to me at the station – whatever works.
Next month, we will bring you the first post-live-Pajamas Kelly solo album, Jeff Kelly - Beneath the Stars, Above The River, a lovely album inspired by recent trips to Spain and Portugal. We will have 50 numbered and signed copies first come first serve, so mark your calendar – May 17 is the official release date. Jeff says there might be some acoustic shows for this album so we shall see. He has already made a couple fine videos for the album that will be airing shortly.
In other Pajama news, Sugarbush will be releasing a two LP version of All Clues Lead To Megan’s Bed (first time on vinyl) with 5-6 bonus tracks. We will have copies for you to buy right here at GMR pretty soon so keep your eyes peeled for that.
For June we will be releasing Al Bloch’s Summer Fun Party Mix Tape. After releasing Al’s Wenis and My Favorite Martian, it was “now what?” As you know, Al is a paragon of Summer Fun and he said let’s do this and I said why not! The album features a pile of Northwest delights both new and old. Al wants you to have fun this summer.
Following my 1+1 = ? album, I think we are going the get Fabulous Stinkin' Chemestry Set - The Complete Werks out in August. The Chems were the fledgling band of young Scotts Sutherland and Vanderpool, who released an EP and a single. We will have that and a bunch more, coming from freshly baked master tapes. Mm-mm- good!
Shows coming up:
Tom Dyer and The True Olympians are playing our first ever public show! Why rush into this stuff? We are going to be playing at Mossy Bottom Records in Olympia for Arts Walk! When? This Saturday April 27 at 3:00. Where? 301 4th Ave E – at the corner of 4th and Franklin. Procession of Species starts at 4:30, so we are the perfect opening act – see the show and then process!
The Fuzz are playing their last show ever, the grande finale at Slim’s in Georgetown on Saturday May 4. Do not miss this as they will bring the rock action. https://www.facebook.com/events/1996640040632710/
The Shaken Growlers are rocking Stanwood the night before, May 3, at Amigo’s Canteen followed by a show at Tony V’s in Everett on Saturday May 11. They will rock, be assured.
That’s it my friends!
td April 2019
