Avant garde rock legend Gary Wilson has given us a cool gift. He’s released a 7″ single of two tracks from his first band, Lord Fuzz, from 1967. These psych-rock tracks are wild, weird, and wonderful. You owe it to yourself to pick up the limited edition vinyl record (only 300 copies) or download the digital files if you’re a fan of Gary Wilson (and if you’re not, what’s wrong with you?).
Keep your mind open.
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Punk legends The Misfits are reuniting for Riot Fest this year. It’s the first time the original members will have performed together in nearly 34 years.
Early bird discount tickets for Riot Fest have been selling fast, meaning the prices keep going up as each tier sells out. The Misfits are the only band announced so far, and it will only cause tickets to sell faster. This will be the one of the biggest gigs of the year, so don’t miss it if you get the chance.
Keep your mind open.
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Aussie legends Midnight Oil announced on May 4th that they are reuniting for a tour in 2017. In case you don’t know “the Oils” (as they are sometimes called) are one of Australia’s greatest bands and easily one of the most politically charged / Stick-it-to-the-Man bands of the last 30 years. Lead singer Peter Garrett even went into politics after the band split up to further their causes for Aboriginal Australians, economic equality, and environmental action.
They haven’t announced tour dates or locations yet, but this will be a must-see show. My wife and I have seen them twice, and both shows were excellent. We got to meet some of them after a show, and they were all good lads.
They’re offering a free download of a live version of “Forgotten Years” (one of the hits off the classic Blue Sky Mining album) through their website to celebrate the announcement, so grab it while you can.
Keep your mind open.
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One of the artists I’m most excited to see at Levitation Austin is Lee Scratch Perry. LSP is the godfather of dub music, one of the founding fathers of reggae, and one of the most influential producers and artists in the world. You owe a debt to him if you love EDM, dark wave, hip hop, and innovative studio work. I never thought I’d get to see him live, so his set was put at the top of my list as soon as the lineup was announced.
Keep your mind open.
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Prince has left us. To say he was an innovator is a massive understatement. He’s influenced more people than we can ever know. Everyone has been writing about his massive hits, his virtuoso guitar work, his multiple talents in and out of the studio, his basketball skills, and everything to do with Purple Rain.
I choose to remember how damn fun he was. Yes, he wrote and performed songs about heartbreak and loss, but I’ll always remember him for his funk influences and how he encouraged all of us to get our groove on, and by that I mean to get laid. Prince encouraged us to embrace our inner nature and to overcome haters by being bigger, bolder, and ballsier than them.
I plan to write a larger piece on Prince’s cementing of his legendary status at the 2007 Super Bowl, but for now let us remember him with the joy he brought us and encouraged us to have with him.
Keep your mind open.
A major coup for Levitation Austin this year is landing the legendary Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys. He’ll be performing the landmark classic album Pet Sounds in its entirety for its 50th anniversary on April 30th. He’s only doing this in a few spots around the world, so this performance is a must-see.
Keep your mind open.
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Another legend I’ll get to see at Levitation Austin is Thurston Moore, formerly of Sonic Youth. He’s playing April 30th with his new band and everything thing I’ve heard from them so far has this nice dangerous edge to it. His former bandmate Lee Ranaldo is playing the same day on a different stage after his set, so it’s a double whammy for Sonic Youth fans.
Keep your mind open.
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David J, former bass player of Bauhaus and co-founder of Love & Rockets, is bring his band, the Gentlemen Thieves, to Levitation Austin on April 30th. I’m a big fan of Love & Rockets, and this might be the closest I get to any kind of reunion. David J’s dub-style bass playing was an influence on my brief career as a bass player in high school, and he’s a harmonica player to boot (like yours truly). I’m stoked to see him live.
Keep your mind open.
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England’s Slowdive are shoegaze legends who should’ve been bigger over here in the U.S. than they were in their early 1990’s heyday. They’ve been reunited and touring for a couple years now, which is good news for all of us. I missed them at Chicago’s Pitchfork Music Festival a couple years ago, but I’m happy to see them at Levitation Austin when they close out the main stage on April 29th.
Keep your mind open.
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The Golden Dawn are one of those legendary bands who put out one great record and then disappeared. They formed in Austin, Texas around the same time as The 13th Floor Elevators and released their lone record, The Power Plant, before breaking up in 1968. Everything I’ve heard off The Power Plant is great, with a heavier edge than 13th Floor Elevators material. I missed these guys at Levitation Austin in 2014, so I’m keen to see them at the Thursday night pre-festival kick-off party at Empire Garage.
Keep your mind open.
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