Always Respond to Other Bands

We get about a thousand messages/emails a day from bands looking for shows or needing help booking in some way. It's almost impossible to respond to all of them, even any, but here's my new advice: Respond to all of them. Be nice when you can't help them and just say "sorry, hopefully next time."
You never know who's going to be great someday, and then you end up with messages that you never responded to like this one:

From: Surfer Blood
To: EXERCISE
Subject: September Dates
7/22/2009 5:14 PM

Hey guys dig the jams!
We are working on a September tour up north and was wondering if you would like to join us! Were looking to play September 19th or 20th at either Firebird, Off Broadway, The Koken Art Factory, Lemmon's, Fubar, or The Wedge. We've had most venues respond back, but were still working on the bill to conifrm. Other bands of interest for that night are: The Hibernauts, Bunnygrunt, Target Market, Say Panther, ect. What do you think? Thanks.
Tyler
PS. I saw that you guys are play Piano's in NY a week before us. Tite!


Blew it. Sorry for not responding, guys.

I Did This For Fun

The band Yeasayer is holding a remix competition online for their song "O.N.E." They give you the stems and multitrack files from the original song, along with a shitty editing program that everyone is required to use to make their remix. But its completely free, and the whichever remix gets the most votes online wins something cool, or something. I mostly just thought it would be interesting to try, so I made the most club-bangery song I could muster up for 3 in the morning.


T.W.O.O.N.E (EXERCISE REMIX) by exercise

Advice for Musicians

Listen to the stage manager and get on stage when they tell you to. No one has the time for your rock star bullshit. None of the techs backstage care if you're David Bowie or the milkman. When you act like a jerk, they are completely unimpressed with the infantile display that you might think comes with your dubious status. They were there hours before you building the stage, and they will be there hours after you leave tearing it down. They should get your salary, and you should get theirs.
-Henry Rollins

I've Been Thinking

I was driving down Big Bend tonight, and my ipod dug up a gem of a song. You know when you go back and listen to music you used to love, but you never listen to anymore, and it's still good? There's no better feeling. It makes you feel better and smarter than everyone. So this song by Soul Coughing comes on called "Misinformed," totally not a great band in the long run, but they had some jams, and this song was a staple of my 13 year old world, and it still gets me going.
This got me thinking about other music from my past, which led me to my computer to type what I'm currently typing. Here is my (ever-growing and changing) list of under-rated, under-recognized, under-appreciated bands, that everyone should know and love, at least in my head:
1. McLusky. If you've never heard this band, pick up a copy of "McLuskyism: A Sides." They should be in the Rock n Roll hall of fame for this album.
2. Cake. I know they had some popular singles, and everyone knows who Cake is, but they have such an amazing catalog that no one knows. They were my absolute favorite band for a long time, and I have no shame saying it.
3. The Cadets. Lesser known, but equally as great. They are from Florida, now defunct. Emperor X was the bass player.

Here's my list of albums that fall into the same category:
1. The Cadets - "On the Death of Science as a Major World Religion"
You'd be hard pressed to find a copy of this, but it is easily one of my top 5-ish favorite albums ever. I'll give you a copy if you promise to love it as much as I do.
2. Doug Martsch - "Now You Know"
There is one song on this album I don't care about, the rest of them are insane. Almost makes you wonder why he ever started Built to Spill.
3. Holopaw - "Holopaw"
If you've ever listened to the Ugly Casanova album, this is the guy Isaac Brock collaborated with from that. It won't grab you right off the bat, but it will work its way in, deep.
4. Sparklehorse - "It's a Wonderful Life"
I am usually never phased or sad when a "celebrity" dies, but when Mark Linkous killed himself a couple weeks ago, I felt really depressed by it. For some reason, I relate to him and his songs a lot, this album shaped the way I write music from a very early age. And I know because of his suicide, Sparklehorse has been getting more attention lately, but I never heard much about this album back in the day (there also weren't 3 million music blogs in 2001), and its so good, in a very strange way.

I'm sure this list will grow now that I'm thinking about it, but this is my top-of-the-head run at it. Any takers?

-Bo

Everything sounds better when a bunch of little kids sing it.

SPECTACULAR

Thank you. We're all refreshed and challenged by your unique point of view.

Hello.
I'm sick of looking at this blog unchanged month after month. So, I'm going to start writing here to keep it entertained.
We have been practicing less than we should for a band who is trying to write a new album. But it's safe to say we have a few solid tracks, and a couple more in the works that will be super hot jams, at least in someones book. I feel confident that a "sophomore slump" will not be the case. Another tour will be happening this summer, and I imagine by the end of that, we will be ready to record again. We have gone through 2 samplers since you last saw us, and are obtaining yet another new one soon. We also invested in a 4X12 Ampeg Cab for Trevor's keyboards. Goodbye DI. Hello Awesome.
In other news, we have a show tomorrow, March 5, at The Firebird, with our friend and expert DJ, Safety Words. It'll be a blast.
-Bo