Cold hard times. LoL.

In light of my recent employment status, which is now un-, West Palm Beotch is on hold for the time being. Bums me out to say this, as I had some truly killer releases on deck. I'll do my best to get those releases out in the world somehow, either digitally or perhaps other people that may want to put them out. In keeping up with why I ever even started this label, I am going to try to release as much music through the WPB website or blog, either of myself or people I've worked with who may be agreeable to the format. So whatever, looking forward to whatever is next and hopefully putting physical releases back in the world some day soon. Taking a 'half full approach,' I know have some time on my hands to finish up some projects. Expect new releases from Low Level Lazer Radiation, Universal Expansion, and the new Cop City LP. All of which will be of the utmost in quality, especially the Cop City LP. Jesus.

Newest LLLR in 2012

New track from the upcoming full length "Transcendental Medication." Written and performed entirely on a Roland Juno 6 with a little assistance from a Moogerfooger MF-102. No midi or loops of any kind were employed. Still a rough mix, subject to change. Download four other tracks two posts below.

Low Level Lazer Radiation - Weaken the Light by West Palm Beotch

Universal Expansion live recording

There is a new-ish band from the greater West Palm Beach area called Universal Expansion. Usual suspects involved (mems of LLLR, CC/CP, Guy Harvey, Love Handles, Weird Wives, and Windbreaker). We still haven't properly recorded, but this live set is a pretty good representation of the band.

Universal Expansion live by West Palm Beotch

New LLLR + cassettes

There will be a new LLLR full length released on the excellent Augurari label out of Miami, FL. It is titled "Transcendental Medication," and will run just over an hour or so. Four tracks can be previewed with the link below. This is easily the finest, most interesting example of LLLR thus far. Psyched out minimal American electronic music straight from the wastelands of south eastern Florida.

DOWNLOAD: LOW LEVEL LAZER RADIATION - TRANSCENDENTAL MEDICATION (preview)

Both the Andy Boay and Weird Wives cassettes should finally be shipping this week. After a many duplication delays, these bad boyz are finally on ready for new homes.

Weird Wives cassette on Pitchfork

Read all about it.

Up comin shaos

*Updated July 28*

Aug 4th @ End Spring Break (space formerly occupied by Spinello Gallery.), Miami FL
Tumbleweave (The brief return! Don't miss these synth-pummelin' bad azzez)
Universal Expansion
+1?

Aug 6th @ Dada, Delray Beach FL
Guy Harvey
Universal & The Expansions
*watch Adam Perry's worlds (peacefully) collide*

Aug 15th @ Club Snoozwhich (The Snooze), Lake Park FL
What's YR Damage? (annual disturbance by this Oaklando Beach, CF [Califlorida] trio. Mems of
SSLOT, Soft Creatures, LLLR, Gregorian Chants, Martin Luther Vandross, Sexual Tourist, Universal Extension, Shirts VS Skinheads, The Skoundrelz, Suicidal Tenderness, Newton)

Sept. 6th @ SNOOZE, LP, FL
Love Handles
Weird Wives
RUH-OH. PRESSING PLANT HOLD UP. Probably going to post-pone this bad boy. Late Sept./early Oct.
#################################

Other WPBR News:

Love Handles 7" is coming along nicely. Recorded by the ever awesome Crud Brothers. This shit is going to blow minds. No joke. You think you know, but you have no idea.

Looks like Weird Wives and West Palm Beotch are gonna make love and give birth to an-as-of-yet-unnamed cassette. Stay tuned for more details. Also file this under "shit that's totally killer."

Andy Boay (Andy White) - "Trenches in the Sun/So So So We See" cassette. Two way under the radar masterpieces (yes, masterpieces) from this incredibly talented Tonstartssbandh member. Need to be heard to believed.

All releases should be available on Sept. 6. Barring any unforeseen circumstances. Pressing plant hold up. The above releases will be available in late September/early October.

Last minute show tomorrow!!

@ THE SNOOZE (798 10th Street, Lake Park, FL)
Universal Expansion
Southern Nights
+1 more? Maybe, maybe not?
$5 $5 $5 $5 $5 $5 $5 $5

Even if you can't attend the show, you should do yourself a favor and download Southern Nights 2010 Mixtape. Easily in my top 5 releases of 2010.

Upcoming shows.

Sunday, May 22, 8:30 PM
@ Kismet Vintage, Delray Beach, FL
Universal Expansion
nothingberryplasma (FL via bawldimore hevvyness)

Friday, May 27, 9:00 PM
@ Little Munich, Lake Worth, FL
Universal Expansion
Band in Heaven
This Heart Electric
+1 more...?

Saturday June 4th, 9:00 PM
@ a bar in Orlando, FL
Cop City/Chill Pillars
Hibachi Stranglers
Hungry Gayze

NEW WEBSITE

Please go to West Palm Beotch Records website for all further West Palm Beotch goings ons.

Diet Cokeheads / Neon Blud "Compact Heat"

"Compact Heat" pairs two of Florida's best and brightest with their finest material to date. Diet Cokeheads' "Number to Call" is a throbbing, five minute long reverb drenched missive that's only a taste of how good this band continues to be. "Neon Nites" has one of the sickest Blud basslines yet paired with rhythmic wailing guitars guiding you through familiar yet creepy territory. Pro printed covers designed by ZzSuX and HenDog, black vinyl limited to 550 copies. Co-released by West Palm Beotch Records and Lower Me Into My Coffin Records.

Compact Heat

USA $6.50 Canada $8.00 World $10.00

Same apes, different zoo

Universal Expansion=LLLR. Look for a release bridging the new with the old in the near future.

Diet Cokeheads/Neon Blud 7" will be available to order soon. $6.50 ppd. Distros, contact nelson.hallonquist@gmail.com for ordering. 5 copy minimum for distros.

Hotter new shit that isn't shit at all coming out this summer.

UPDATE.

2011. Here we are.

Neon Blud / Diet Cokeheads "Compact Heat" 7" out soon (early April). Cokeheads should have them on their tour with Broken Water. Check the dates here.

Cop City/Chill Pillars are currently tearing up the eastern side of America with Partial People. Check those dates here.

LLLR show coming up:

April 15th @ The Orange Door, Lake Park, FL.
Featuring:
Blank Dawgz
Love Handles
The Jameses
Guy Harvey
Low Level Lazer Radiation


Lastly, scope the bad ass Miami label Iki Jime Owen Meany for a new series of LLLR tapes, amongst tapes by other bad assed people. LLLR ended up doing 15 totally unique tapes limited to one each of new recordings. Some are new minimal jams, some are processed out field recording collages, some are remix/re-edits of older LLLR recordings.

Orders, tapes, etc.

All recent orders will be sent out next week. Sorry to those who have waited a little bit for your order, a family emergency has slowed things down.

Old Smokers tape is now SOLD OUT. Thanks to all that ordered it. Outmode/Lesson Lesson Lessen Relearn split is down to a handful.

Neon Blud/Diet Cokeheads split 7" out late October/early November. It sounds incredible. Best WPBR release yet. Split with Lower Me Into My Coffin records.

New tapes

Old Smokers - "Nicotine Dreams"
Outmode/Lesson Lesson Lessen Relearn split
$5/ea. paypal=nelson.hallonquist@gmail.com.
Proper ordering info and descriptions early next week when I get back from the freakin' weekend tour.

Aug. 6 @ Stardust, Orlando, FL=Cop City/Chill Pillars, LLLR, Honey Heads, Lazy Magnet
Aug. 7 @ Bloodfest, Tampa, FL=BLOOOOOOD FESSSST
Aug. 8 @ The Junkyard, Gainesville, FL=Diet Cokeheads, Cop City/Chill Pillars, LLLR, Julie Karr, Misfits Coverband!!

Back from the depths.

So, things are popping here in West Palm Beach. I'll start updating this more frequently. Not sure if anyone reads this, but there are new items in the works. I guess it's OK to announce them. The following will be available during Tampa Bay's BLOODFEST on August 7th:

Old Smokers - Nicotine Dreams (Trevor from Slavescene and Kevin from Nazi Dust pulling out all the stops. Aggressive punk for aggressive punx. Art work by Josh Erickson)


Outmode/Lesson Lesson Lessen Relearn split tape (finally!)


On the horizon:
Skeleton Warrior covers cassingle (featuring The Fugs "Kill for Peace" and Chuck Berry "School Days)
Other cool stuff

I've been playing a few of shows as of late under the name Lesson Lesson Lessen Relearn and will have some new releases in the near future. Besides the Outmode split, there will be a split cassette with Honed Bastion (on Lower Me Into My Coffin Records) and then a release documenting my live performances (probably download only). After that, LLLR will take a break from live shows and focusing on recording a new full length. Hopefully I'll be getting my live fix with a new act; name/info forthcoming.

If you aren't listening to Cop City/Chill Pillars and Love Handles, do yourself a favor and start NOW. Get in on the ground level or pay the price. There will be three shows played in August featuring Cop City/Chill Pillars and LLLR: Aug 6 @ Stardust w/ Lazy Magnet, many others, Orlando, FL. Aug 7 @ Bloodfest, Tampa. Aug 8 @ Bo Diddley's House, Gainesville w/ Diet Cokeheads.

Neon Blud - Amphetamine Dreams c22 - $5

Neon Blud-Amphetamine Dreams: $5 SOLD OUT. (Seriously. Sold out. Copies won't magically appear if you email me, so don't.)

This c22 documents two live performances of Tampa's Neon Blud. One side will make you want to punch holes in your bedroom walls. Cymbals crashing and guitars blaring in the red so hard it'd make Iggy cream his jeans. Hopefully by the time Side B rolls around you've raided your stash for any leftover barbiturates you forgot to take in the 80s. Unsettling, nerve-racking and an overall enjoyable listen by a band that definitely makes me love punk again. Limited to 200. Do it now before you have to buy it on eBay and lie to your friends about "having been there since the beginning." (Featuring ex-members and members of other bands).

Russian Tsarlag/Lesson Lesson Lessen Relearn split 7" available NOW

Two longtime and long distance comrades on one piece of wax. Random marble-colored vinyl with full color pro printed covers. $5 ppd.

Russian Tsarlag is Providence musician/filmmaker/artist/Kinky Noise Records CEO Carlos Gonzalez. Tsarlag contributes what could be considered the soundtrack to a late-night teenage creep cult pep rally; his most plugged in and power chorded ripper yet. It's the perfect progression from his "Community Death Tube" LP (Night People) and split 12" with Blue Shift (Rare Youth). Kind of reminds me of early Chrome without the tacky electronics.

Lesson Lesson Lessen Relearn is the ongoing project of What's YR Damage?'s Nelson Hallonquist. His side slows things down, way down, with a warped out analog burner. Thick synths, oscillations, finger piano, and the contents of a warbled tape found in a public garbage are utilized, in which two men contemplate a body transcending experience via the metaphysics of sports. Weird shit.

Preview: Lesson Lesson Lessen Relearn "Ultra Cultural Bummer" / Russian Tsarlag "The Master's Speech"

West Palm Beotch Records - Drop Down Menu

Lesson Lesson Lessen Relearn/Russian Tsarlag split 7" $5.00 Lesson Lesson Lessen Relearn/Russian Tsarlag spit 7" + 3 LLLR cd $8.00 Lesson Lesson Lesson Relearn - 3 cd-rs $5.00

Also available is a new Lesson Lesson Lessen Relearn CD-r. Dense, blown-out electronics with few melodies. It can be downloaded below, or purchased (full color packaging, uncompressed music). All three LLLR cd-r's (Potentials, The Smiling at Technology EP and Things Have Never Been Better) are available for $5 ppd or $8 ppd with the RT split 7"
Download Lesson Lesson Lesson Relearn - Potentials

The sounds of What's YR Damage to come...

WYD?@SXSW


What's Yr Damage? - INC @ SxSW 2009 from Breathmint on Vimeo.

Smiling at Technology EP review

My good friend Adam Prince posted a review of the Lesson Lesson Lessen Relearn - Smiling at Technology EP. For the review, and a ton of other art-related writings, click this, bro.

SXSW

Returned from SXSW late yesterday afternoon. A really great time was had by myself and the What's YR Damage? team. Unyielding gratitude goes to Rat Bastard for asking us to play. I recorded sets from Laundry Room Squelchers, Darker Florida, Sanguine Piss, Ryan Jewell and Lazy Magnet. I should be able to put the What's YR Damage? set up later in the week.

Download: INC @ SXSW

SXSW was actually a blast for my first time going. Saw lots of great bands (Silver Apples, Devo, Woods, Frodus reunion, the whole INC showcase), some not-so-hot ones, and didn't sleep for about two days since our hotel was overbooked despite us having a reservation. Got to eat more burritos and tacos than I'll want for a long time (and I love burritos and tacos), hang out and swim in my underwear at Barton Springs, see old friends, and just generally have a great weekend that was much needed.

Looks like WYD? is trying to pull it together to do a tour in August. If we can pull off playing shows in Miami and Austin in the last two months, the prospects for this are looking bright. Stay tuned.

3 more INC sets

Here are three more INC sets.

Byron House - This turned out really well. Full blown intensity, complete with Carlos's witty between song banter. One of the best Byron House sets I've seen in a long time.

My [Left] Uterus - Hands down the best MLU set I've ever seen. Unfortunately the audio is kind of jacked. I walked in right as they were about to start, and couldn't see the settings on my recorder. About 3 minutes in, it gets very loud and sounds correct. Still a shredder.

Soft Creatures - This is the soundtrack to the places we'd rather not go. Talk about haunting...!

Download: Byron House, My [Left] Uterus, and Soft Creatures at INC 2009

What's YR Damage at INC 2009

Below is a set by What's YR Damage? recorded last week at the 2009 International Noise Conference. It's a bad trip into a creep vortex.

I'll upload other face shredding sets by Byron House, My [Left] Uterus, and Soft Creatures sometime soon.


What's YR Damage? - Live at INC 2009

LLLR-Sweat Leaf Revolution

Here are covers of Black Sabbath and The Beatles.

Download: Lesson Lesson Lessen Relearn

New EP.

Here is a new Lesson Lesson Lessen Relearn. It's probably the best thing I've done in a long time. I am very pleased with it. Of course, I think it's better with headphones and in the dark. I apologize if you do not use a Mac, but I uploaded the files in .m4a format to avoid quality loss. If you want mp3s, just email me and let me know. The final cover art may differ for physical copies. Enjoy!

*Note: I have added MP3 versions for those not on a Mac.



Download: Lesson Lesson Lessen Relearn - Smiling at Technology EP (Apple Lossless version)
Download: Lesson Lesson Lessen Relearn - Smiling at Technology EP (Mp3 version)

Damage in Oh Nine.

Looks like What's YR Damage? will be playing a Rat Bastard curated showcase at the 2009 SXSW. I'm sure there are a ton of good bands on it. We'll also be playing Friday night of the International Noise Conference. Gettin' stoked.

New Haves & Thirds videos and old music.

This past Saturday evening, I was the recipient of a very great surprise party for my 26th birthday. Many friends (quite a few traveled good distances, which I am so grateful for) and family gathered together for a really nice evening, which was beautifully accented by a 2 song Haves & Thirds performance. Apparently the second song will never be played live again.

Enjoy!





Next I've uploaded the last studio session of What's YR Damage? songs. I think this must've been early or middle 2005. Two songs were previously released on a split 3" CD with Puke Attack. Not sure many people heard it, as I think we made only 100 or so. The other four songs were supposed to be the always-planned-but-never-realized What's YR Damage + Dead/Bird split LP.

I've always been a little hesitant to put these songs on the internet because the recording is pretty bad. Our buddy Josh Dobbs did it, and while I think he is certainly adept when it comes to recording, as he's shown many times with plenty of bands, we were young and had no idea what we wanted it to sound like. It should've been a little more blown out, a little more in the red, and our amps should have worked properly. I'm mostly disappointed in the recording because I think the songs were actually pretty good. After this period, we pretty much gave up on conventional song writing and recording methods. I'm hesitant to say we only played improvisational or free form music after this period, because we pretty much played that type of stuff live anyways. Whatever, enjoy the music if you can:

What's YR Damage: The Last Studio Session

WYD? + Newton split cassette coming soon.

What's YR Damage? ersatz Greg made it out to Nick and Fran's wedding in Portland on August 8th. The above image is from the wedding reception. The next evening the three young men that are not Newton played a What's YR Damage? set at the Pocket Sandwich along with harsh favorites Newton, Yellow Tears and Ahlzagailzehguh (who we unfortunately missed due to an early departure for San Francisco the next morning).

The What's YR Damage?/Newton split cassette will be released by Breathmint Records soon. I am very happy about this. We have known Newton for many years, so it only makes sense to finally share a release. He's one harsh dude. Even when he isn't playing music. Here is our side of the split. The first new WYD? recording in sometime. Expect more to come.

What's YR Damage? - Rocky Butte Oregoners

Skeleton Damage

Here's a video of Skeleton Warrior + What's YR Damage? live in Tampa a long time ago. Justin Clifford Rhody played (and also uploaded the video) along with Glen or Glenda. A ton of the usual Tampa Creeps played, too.

bludfezt

Lesson Lesson Lessen Relearn - Live at Bloodfest - 08/02/08


Back from Bloodfest last weekend... wow, it was completely amazing. So many great bands (Lazy Magnet, Russian Tsarlag, Then & Than, The Oals, Limp Lungs, Blood Mountain, Newton + Slow Owls, Skeleton Warrior, and other amazing ones that I probably forgot!). Easily one of, if not the best Lazy Magnet set I've ever seen. Same with Then & Than. Newton was in prime form. It felt incredible just to be back with all of those dudes doing what we all do best. I've alluded to it in the past, but I'll be blunt: The "Florida and Beyond" connection is one of the best things to happen to music in a very, very long time. Sometimes I stop and think about where we all were six years ago and how far we've come, and honestly, how much of an impact it's had. I wouldn't trade these experiences for anything in the world.

The above video is Lesson Lesson Lessen Relearn (half of, at least) accompanied by Todd Lynne on drums. It was a fun set. Who needs more than 1:30 of that racket anyways? In any case, expect a cassette on Ted Records before the end of the year and a split 7" with one of my favorite artists ever shortly thereafter.

If you don't have the most recent Lazy Magnet recording "Is Music Even Good," you should get it immediately. Jeremy Harris is one of the most capable musicians I've ever met, and this recording is set to blow minds. I've been listening to it non-stop since International Noise Conference 08. As incredible as it is, I've got a feeling it's just the tip of the iceberg. Corleone Records has you covered.

Surprise, surprise! The dudes are back! What's YR Damage? will be playing with Newton this Saturday in Portland, OR. There also a lot of other great bands playing. I think it's at a place called the Holy Mountain, and the show is done by a gentleman named Gordon. If that makes sense, then you probably know what's up. Unfortunately I've never been to Portland, so I don't know much about the show. Good chance What's YR Damage? will be playing on Tuesday August 12th in Oakland with Cellblock, Social Junk and Big Nurse. I guess we'll see.

I know I've neglected this blog since right after INC. There are a lot of recordings of things from the past I want to put up, as well as new stuff. I've been busy with my visual arts lately. If you're going to be in the Miami area tomorrow night (Thursday August 7th), a video of mine will be shown at the Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami in the Optic Nerve X program. It'll also be shown from about mid-September to mid-October in the MOCA lobby.

More to come when I return from my West Coast trip in about a week and a half!

Lesson Lesson Relearn/Soft Creatures split.. fulllll thang

It's out and ready for INC. Trade/buy a copy there. 45 minutes long. I'd say this is less of an adventure in sound and more like a trip to the grocery store; completely necessary. A taste of things to come. It embraces the age old question of "Do you get softer with age or do you get better with age?" Both bands choose an answer and laugh at it.

Download: Lesson Lesson Lessen Relearn/Soft Creatures split

New releases 11-19-07

As usual, all of these are available as cd-r's from me. Just get in touch. Trades are preferred, but you can purchase them for $4/ea.



Download: Haves&Thirds - Now I Know Why Tigers Eat Their Young

This international genius returns with his third full length, showing more focus now than ever before. Haves&Thirds is one of my favorite artists (recorded and live), and it is more than a pleasure to release something for the mysterious hooded man. You'll love this, there's no doubt about it. Plus, there's an OALS cover. Am I serious? Hell yes.

Check out previous releases on Cephia's Treat, Kinky Noise, and Obelisk.



Download: Zachary Granger Moldof - A Contest is Eminent

A Contest is Eminent documents a performance organized by Zach Moldof. There's no doubt that this man knows exactly what he's doing. Controlling the uncontrollable, listening to the unlistenable (or maybe unlistening to the listenable). Just when you ask yourself, "When does this start?" you've wasted valuable minutes, and might want to kick it back to the beginning. Nerds will certainly hear some John Cage and David Tudor in here. I think it sounds a little bit like Pengo at some points. But honestly, it stands on its own with out reference points. Just check it out and blast off into outer space.

This is the type of recording you'll want to discover and rediscover time and time again. Please believe.


Download: What's YR Damage? - No Thanks
This has been available since the most recent International Noise Conference, but what good does availability do without the knowledge of it? This is an attempt to get this recording to see the light of day.

This is the one and only full length recording by What's YR Damage?. It was recorded right before INC 2006 by Mr.1/2s&1/3s himself on analog 4 track, completely live in the Trung Party Palace. A much more physically free and sonically restrained Damage than ever before, No Thanks. documents one of the most important periods of that band, showcasing the young men doing exactly what they wanted to at that specific point in time.

Those that saw the band on their last tour know what they're in for. Those that didn't should find out.

Amusing.

Check the "Added: days ago" and "number of views." Someone's looking out for me.

In other news, I'll be getting the internet and cable television at my house today. I'm hoping my productivity with go through the roof while I edit sounds/layouts/etc. for cd-r's and digital versions for the blog while consuming as much contemporary rubbish as my brain can handle.

So, expect Zachary Granger Moldof and Haves&Thirds cd-r's up here this weekend for real, as well as a bunch of promised WYD? junk. Adam is sending me a box of odds 'n ends cassettes we used, so those will make their way up here at some point. I think we're going to do a cd-r collection of these cassettes for International Noise Conference titled "Rough Times." Chances are, the digital version will be posted here before the year's end.

Got the Soft Creatures songs for the LLLR split. Holy crap, it's really good stuff. I'll probably post a couple of tracks this weekend. The split will feature top notch packaging courtesy of Jotch2812.

If you're in Gainesville there are some total shredders playing on Saturday, you MUST attend this show:

ACTION RESEARCH 8

In person:
Gaybomb -- the return of the magnetic strip abuser, from Charleston, SC
Otolathe -- cricketronics, from Tampa
Pairs -- one man pushes drums through electronics and vice versa, from Tampa
Often -- record collage, new to Jacksonville
Hal McGee -- longtime jack of all noise trades
Ironing -- microcassettes, tapes, radio, and records, ridden like a bull
M.A.S.S. & Adikt -- new pair mixing turnatablism with sax, beats and real time sampling and electronic manipulation

Not In person:
Lesson Lesson Lessen Relearn -- West Palm Beach

Saturday, November 17 at 9PM
@ Tim & Terry's <------note different location from past shows!
1417 NW 1st Ave
Gainesville, FL

LLLR will be playing via telephone thanks to electronic wizardry of Mr. Ironing.

There's a Florida weekend tour planned for Lesson Lesson Lessen Relearn at the end of December. Orlando/Tampa/Sarasota/maybe Miami? Sure is a good reason to get out of south Florida, and hopefully spread some music around.

New Whats YR Damage?, etc.

Download: What's YR Damage? - Cactus Up Yr Asstus

Cactus Up Yr Asstus is an accidental tape collage made by the members of What's YR Damage? sometime between 2003 and 2004. We used tape manipulation live, and I can only guess that this was a source tape for that. The first two and a half minutes are a WYD? song that never developed out of the practice space. There's lots of random sounds, talking, radio sounds, testing of instruments and pedals and other bands. Sometimes we liked to record bands that played right before us and then play them while we were setting up. I can deduce that there are recordings of The Franchise, Deadbird, and maybe New Flesh or possibly Animal Husbandry here. There are some parts of this tape that defintiely stump me. But over all, its an interesting listen.

Soon I'll be uploading the WYD? Back to Being Banned at the Backbooth cassette, the WYD? Afraid of the Magic Wand cassette, and the full length titled No Thanks.

The Zachary Granger Moldof CD-r will be posted here early next week. It's really good.

And lastly, here is a video of Lesson Lesson Lessen Relearn live at Churchill's in Miami, FL on November 6th. Btw, LLLR is now a two piece. New shit coming up.

New Sounds + More upcoming releases

On the Saturday before Halloween, October 27 2007, I took advantage of sound possibilities by riding my bicycle from my house through downtown West Palm Beach. My original plan was to document the journey on a lively evening, and then repeat it the next morning, comparing the two. What awaited me was crowds of more people than I've ever seen at one time in the downtown area; some sort of street festival in honor of Halloween. A lot of people went as drunks this year. I assume this isn't unusual here even when it isn't Halloween. Of course there was also the obligatory "hot cops," "70's guys," and various racist costumes... such as a young man in black face with an afro wig and two young men in "arab sheikh" outfits (or a supposed romanticized Western version) carrying gas cans. "WTF?" is an appropriate response. In addition, I was mistaken twice, for being dressed as an "environmentalist." Welcome to the South. Class? Tact? I couldn't seem to find any of that.

For some reason, second generation experience has the potential to be more interesting than first generation experience. I believe that my conscious recording method provided unexpected sound quality and results. I don't expect many to endure the 53 minute excursion in its entirety, but surprisingly, it played out naturally with a crescendo, climax, and descrendo.

This is the first in a series of field recordings. Some may become source material for more Lesson Lesson Lessen Relearn songs. More than anything, its an excuse to stay busy. Process breeds ideas, right?

Download: Lesson Lesson Lessen Relearn - Halloween Sonic Experience

Also, the man known as Soft Creatures is recording again (what the hell? The whole team is back in one way or another). This is a very good thing. Dude is building upon sounds heard on the "Cry Me a Liver" cassette released via Black Lakes, but this round its a million times better and using even less equipment. Talk about sitting on ideas for a couple of years and then executing them flawlessly... Expect a SC/LLLR split very soon. We're both currently recording for this release. November? December? Whenever. As if anyone is holding their breath anyhow...

mp3z + showz

MP3 links for both releases are current. Scroll down to the first post for them.

I have the art work for the Zachary Granger Moldof CD, just waiting on the music. I have the music for the Haves&Thirds CD, just waiting for the art work. Both will be out very soon.

Tuesday, Nov. 6th @ Churchill's (http://www.churchillspub.com)

Curious Hair, Blood Mountain, LRS, Super Pizza Party, Telepathik Friend, Lesson Lesson Lessen Relearn, and plenty of other weird0z. Most likely free!

Shirts VS Skinhedz in Miami/Other updates

October 19th & 20th @ Churchill's Center for the Performing Arts (5501 NE 2nd Ave, Miami, FL. www.churchillspub.com)

Rad show featuring: Laundry Room Squelchers, Curious Hair, Haha Help, Luciano Guidini, Dino Felipe, Shirts VS Skinheads, Doersam, Omar Roque, Space Bass, Jewish Blood, Psyclone Ranger, Brains!, Max Dance, Flux Forces, Bulimic Playhouse, Peasants with Feathers, Otto Von Schirach (from a telephone or something?), Sasha Weisfeld, Alesh, Dumbo.

Also, new releases from Zachary Granger Moldof, Haves & Thirds, and others before you realize it. Stay tuned, and then tune out.

New releases:

Download: Lesson Lesson Lessen Relearn - Things Have Never Been Better

Lesson Lesson Lessen Relearn has popped up now and then since 2004. He released a tape (of which 3 copies exist), and can be heard on two compilations (Night of the Living Dead Bird - Breathmint Records, Pesky Pests at the Party Palace - Black Lakes).

After a post-modern meltdown that lasted from summer '06 to summer '07, which included getting rid of 90% of his records, almost all of his musical equipment, and listening to nothing but "Ready to Die" for six months straight, he drops "Things Have Never Been Better."

The title speaks the truth, and so does the music. It was recorded in one afternoon with the few instruments he thought he got rid of (a mbira, a keyboard, a guitar, and a lot of analog tape sounds) but discovered in boxes after a recent move to sleepy beach town. Sounds of past experiences are used in conjunction with minimal instrumentation to create a deconstructivist rhythm that lasts approximately 25 minutes.

Not that we could ever tell you how to listen to your music, but it's best enjoyed with headphones while spacing out.



Download: Shirts VS. Skinheads - Abilities

Shirts VS. Skinheads is 2/3 of What's YR Damage? playing some pissed off, blown out, trashed out sounds using guitars, electronics, and drums. "Abilities" captures two live sets during the month of August in the year 2007. The last song features Jimmy from Skeleton Warrior laying down something fierce on an old moog, adding a completely different dynamic (and making that set about 3 times longer than the first set featured on the disc).

All releases will be available for free digital download very soon. You know the routine: if you dig it, think about buying it (or trading something for it). CD-r's are $4.

Email if you're interested in trading or purchasing. nelson.hallonquist@gmail.com