Blessed Humans!
It is time for the Green Monkey Records Back-to School sale. No pencils, rulers or outfits, no. Just 100% Guaranteed Great Music. What does that mean? Ask Howie. But nothin’ really, it’s just an over-the-top slice of gratuitous sales terminology put in here to gets yer vital juices raging.
So, before we get down to brass tacks and business and whatnot, don’t forget – today is Bandcamp Friday! Bandcamp keeps zero percent of sales today – it all goes to the artists. And the artists thank you! Now, time for bidneth!
First up. Seattle power-poppers Swedish Finnish are back with Periodical Table, their first release since their 2017 self-titled debut on GMR!
What do they have to say about this most-fine release?
Magazines. REAL magazines. Who still reads them? Who subscribes to printed material with pages stapled together? Remember when there used to be magazines for literally every interest or group? Cars, cooking, travel, art, music, girls, boys, women, men, teenagers, children, seniors, fitness, sex, fashion, business, hunting, fishing, sports, humor, politics, movies…sometimes all in the same magazine! Some served as guides to life, and others just wanted to turn you on. Magazines were once a huge part of our lives; now, not so much. And it’s a damn shame.
With their new release, they pay tribute to the days when magazines and newspapers ruled the roost. The songs range from blasting rockers like “Better Homes And Gardens” and “Men’s Magazines” to the poptastic earworm “Good Housekeeping.” Add the hammock-swinging sway of “Boy’s Life” and “Woman’s Day,” and sprinkle in the shimmering harmonies that Swedish Finnish are known for, and there you have it: Five songs, five magazines. Subscribe now!
So what on earth have they been doing since 2017? Wouldn’t you like to know! Singer/guitarist Rod Moody and his wife, drummer Tina Anderson bought a mini-farm on Vashon Island and have kept busy writing, painting, and growing veggies. New guitarist/vocalist Laura Vanderpool reformed her ‘80s band, Capping Day, for a couple of shows in support of their new album on Green Monkey and she has also been rehearsing with the nearly legendary Green Pajamas (who are also contemplating a return to the stage). When he’s not building catios, bassist/vocalist Andy Hoggarth is also a multi-band machine, playing a full SIX strings in both The Maywood Mailmen (John Prine tribute) and The Mrs. Bill Larsens (girl group tribute). Periodical Table may only be an EP, but never fear, Swedish Finnish has another batch of new songs in their back pockets ready to record. We hope it won’t take another eight years!
Next up and also completely brand spanking new!
Band of Certainty is back on the beat with their second collection, 5 Things 6 Songs. New songs by Scott Kaplan (everybody contributes!) brought to life by a group of long-time friends – Scott, Tammy and Mike plus the return of long-time Walkabouts keyboard whiz Glenn Slater. New to the crew on this recording are guitarist Ted Ford and drummer Steve Ash.
Recorded in 2025 with Johnny Sangster at Crackle and Pop and mastered by Ed Brooks at Resonant, the band hits their groove and stays there, moving all the way from Tammy’s sultry sweetness on “Days of Rain” to Scott’s smashing declaration of seaworthiness in “The Ship”. Plus four more formidable compositions/performances in between!
Scott: The band would like to call your attention to Track 4: “Five Things”. This song is relevant. Relevant? A rarity in the pop music stream, this song is being called a soundtrack to America’s current dystopian lean …. its sonic and lyrical landscapes focused by the stark melodic chorus. Also worth mentioning, Track 5: “Sand”. “Sand” is a lively rhythm and blues battle of the sexes romp …. a duet filled with puns, humor and innuendo. Why are these songs left to the back of the new album? Says the band, “It was a tough call.”
Band of Certainty is not afraid to make the tough calls.
5 Things 6 Songs will be availabe on both download and CDR – there were some hang ups with the manufacturing and we probably won’t have discs until Monday or Tuesday. If you purchase today, you can stream it and we will send you the disc pronto.
We will have more goodness for you coming in September. Now listen.
Friday, September 5th, The True Olympians will release their opus of the week, History Of Northwest Rock Vol 2: 1970 -1980. This is Tom Dyer’s love song to the seventies Seattle Punk scene. Blackouts, The Beakers, Telepaths, Red Dress, Student Nurse, Jim Basnight, ‘S nots, The Accident, The Heats, Chinas Comidas, The Colorplates, The Enemy, The Macs, they are all here, plus Ballin’ Jack, Hendrix, and Heart! These are all-new arrangements of these Northwest proto-classics created by Tom and executed by the True Olympians! Best yet, twelve of the sixteen songs on this album are sung by the fabulous Lisa Ceazan!
First video from the album!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=colHzo9UVN0&list=RDcolHzo9UVN0&start_radio=1
The True Olympians will be playing one show only for this album, their first in over two years, Sunday, September 28 at 6:00 PM at Wild Child (414 4th Ave. E. in Olympia). Danny Kelly of The Hinges has kindly consented to open the show with a solo set. The show will be a benefit for the Thurston County Food Bank. Wild Child ain’t that big, so get yer advance tickets here: https://www.purplepass.com/events/328682-tom-dyer–the-true-olympians-record-release-party-sep-28th-2025
Also in September, Band of Jays will have yet another slab of uber-pop magic for you with Perpetual Rewind. The clear implication of this title is you are going to love this album so much that you will put this on endless loop – perpetual rewind. More news to come.
Julian = Band of Jays and he is lookin’ good!
For October, get ready for Richard Peterson Plays The Beatles. I recently attended a Jack Straw recording session where GMR artist Jeff Parkhurst overdubbed drums on “A Day In The Life” and it was pretty damn cool. You know you want this!
Speaking of Richard, he will have a rare piano gig at the Kenmore Aqua Club Sunday, September 14 @ 2:00PM – 18512 58th Ave NE, Kenmore, WA (425) 486-5758). Fifteen bucks will get you in the door plus a FREE copy of the Richard Peterson Orchestra‘s Seven!
A final bit of glorious news. I have been bugging Glenn and Mike Slater for years to let me release their Melting Fish catalog, which includes the great Erotic Surgery EP from 1987. They have finally said yes and we will soon have 11 or 12 great tracks of beautiful whackamole electronica coming your way!
It is now time for me to go start practicing up for that September True Olympian show. See ya there!
td
August 2025
PS. In case I’ve not mentioned it, my radio show with Steve Trettevik, FreeForm NW (all genres/all time periods), has moved to the afternoon drive-time slot (4:00-6:00 pm), where we are in direct competition with our beloved drummer Michael Stein on Olympia’s KXXO. Battle! Plus, after prerecording the show for years, Steve and I just did our first live show at the station since Covid hit. It was fun and we’re gonna keep doing it – music, interviews, insights, rumors and fun! If you ain’t in Olytown, you can stream it here: https://www.kaosradio.org/listen Tune in!
