Author: chip midnight

Local H – new CD, tour

Local H

It’s about time – Local H is set to return with their first album of new material since 2004’s ‘Whatever Happened to PJ Soles?’ on May 13. The 12-track concept album, ’12 Angry Months’ (Shout Factory), chronicles a breakup and the aftermath that singer/guitarist Scott Lucas experienced and, as usual, the lyrics are vitriolic and raw. Each track on the album corresponds to a month in the relationship and a few of the songs have been previewed live (including the excellent “Hand to Mouth”) as Local H has toured pretty regularly over the last few years. Last year at SXSW Lucas passed off a CD of demos from the album to me and the songs I’ve heard are among my favorite the duo (Lucas and drummer Brian St.Clair) have ever recorded.

Check out “Machine Shed Wrestling” on the band’s MySpace page for a preview of what to expect in May. Also check out Lucas’s side project with former Fig Dish/Caviar members Blake Smith and Mike Willison called The Prairie Cartel.

DOWNLOAD: The Prairie Cartel – “Fuck Yeah That Wide”
DOWNLOAD: The Prairie Cartel – “Cracktown”
DOWNLOAD: The Prairie Cartel – “Burning Down the Other Side”
DOWNLOAD: The Prairie Cartel – “No Light”
DOWNLOAD: The Prairie Cartel – “Keep Everybody Warm”
Local H has some tour dates scheduled for March (which means no Prairie Cartel appearance at SXSW this year unless Scott flies in on the 11th or 12th and flies back to Illinois on the 13th or 14th – fingers crossed!).

March 14 – West Dundee, IL – Clearwater Theater
March 15 – Kansas City, MO – The Riot Room
March 16 – Omaha, NE – The Waiting Room
March 17 – Des Moines, IA – St. Patrick’s Day Court Avenue (Block party)

Free Music Friday

Jaymay – “Blue Skies” (NY singer/songwriter getting praise from the UK press)
The Whigs – “Right Hand on My Heart” (fresh off a Letterman appearance; indie rock from Georgia)
What Made Milwaukee Famous – “Resistance St.” (can’t wait for this upcoming Barsuk release)
American Music Club – “San Francisco” (LOTS of upcoming tour dates for Mark Eitzel and company)
Destroyer – “Foam Hands” (the latest from Dan Bejar)
She & Him – “Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?” (Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward)
Big Dipper – “She’s Fetching” (old-school college rock from the 3-CD anthology to be released in March)
Helvetia – “Old New Bicycle” (touring soon with Built to Spill/Meat Puppets)
The Charlatans – “You Cross My Path” (first single from the forthcoming FREE album)
Panther – “Violence, Diamonds”, “Puerto Rican Jukebox” (indie funk?)
Mark Pickerel and His Praying Hands – “Cody’s Dream”, “Cherokee Grove” (roots-pop from ex-Screaming Trees drummer)
Waco Brothers – “Cowboy in Flames”, “Do What I Say” (legendary country band on Bloodshot Records)
The Republic Tigers – “Buildings and Mountains” (hmm … electro-indie pop from Kansas; Death Cab + Postal Service + The Shins)

RIP: Gruntruck’s Ben McMillan

Ben McMillan (Gruntruck, Skinyard) passed away on January 28 at the age of 47 after a lengthy battle with diabetes. Damn, that sucks! I’m pretty sure that at some point I interview Ben around the time ‘Push’ was released (1992) and they were touring with Alice in Chains and the Screaming Trees.

Here’s Gruntruck’s “Crazy Love” video.

[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=kDSfDx51Dks[/youtube]

Ben left a pretty tragic message on his MySpace page in December. He must have known he had precious few days left.

Folks~ This is the first real printed word I have done in years. I’m motivated because of our Divine Maker who, I thought I had exhausted surely on Dec. 3rd 2007, when for another life dance, I was once again called out on the floor to shake it up for all those I have loved & cost , to the place we will all volchange-turn, for eternity- On Dec. 3rd my kidneys quit operating & again, I was given hours to live. Only those who take the time to know me out/in ICU, know the contract will be unsigned till my maker wants me. I spend most my time writing music & doing art but, I bet you wouldn’t know about the music. I’ve outlived the keggers & ego bonfires. I would rather be a good chair, comfy & plastic velvet-covered for hygiene & looks, but some sort of ground is more than fine. I’m keeping this short because I don’t want to exhaust you. Please though, write me on my space & if I go because, well, I’m wanted… I’ll be fine. I go to my friends and those I’ve never met. Janis, Miles, Jeff buckley, Angelo, Valentino, Nico, John, George, and Mr. Fred Astaire. Peace & Fight On. love to you and yours, ~Me, Ben

Warrant reunion a go?

2007 saw Van Halen, The Police, and Led Zeppelin (among others) reunite. It looks like we’ll see the original lineup of Warrant get back together in 2008 (yeah, I know, it’s not the “original” lineup but it’s the lineup that got signed to a record deal and put out a few albums together). There has been no official word yet – for the past 2 years the Warrant lineup has included ex-Black n’ Blue singer Jamie St. James while Jani Lane has been performing as a solo artist – but the William Morris Agency, one of the leading booking agencies in the rock business lists Warrant as a client AND has a brand new photo of the band WITH Jani Lane.

Because the reunion hasn’t officially been announced, there is no word on tour plans or a new album though both are likely. The last time this lineup recorded together was in 1992.