May 2022 – Upstarter

Pulley – The Golden Life

Pre-order some vinyl here.

Man, Scott Radinsky is an interesting guy. The level of success he’s achieved in both professional athletics and punk rock is unparalleled. It’s especially impressive when you factor in that his punk career not only includes being in a hardcore band that put out a record on Mystic in the 80s, but also in Pulley who were at the top tier of the 90s Fat/Epitaph melodic punk boom.

I can think of a few other people who have had some sort of career in both sport and punk rock, but those who come to mind have only a peripheral or brief affiliation with the former. Ross Knight from Cosmic Psychos won a world championship in weightlifting, Mick Jones reportedly had a tryout with Crystal Palace, Bob Mould wrote scripts for the WCW, and Russ Rankin from Good Riddance is a talent scout for the WHL.

Scott, on the other hand, was a legit Major League Baseball pitcher, most notably for the White Sox and Dodgers. According to his Wikipedia page, his teammates in Chicago called him “Rad” (which is how he will be referred to from this point forward in the review) and he rode his bike to Cominsky Park for games. He later became a fan favorite local hero while in LA.

I like to envision a scenario where Rad is just super focused in the bullpen during a game listening to his Walkman, and Bobby Thigpen walks up and is like, “Hey, Rad. What are you listening to that’s got you so jacked up?”. To which he replies, “RKL” and then stands up and throws a flaming 120 mph fastball into the bullpen catcher’s mitt. The catcher then has to remove his mitt because of the heat. Rad lowers sunglasses onto his face and looks into the camera just as the bassline to “Hangover” starts. Then the White Sox lose the game to the world champion 1991 Minnesota Twins.

There are a lot of different iterations of this. Make up your own! It basically just needs to include Rad, any random Nardcore band, sunglasses, another MLB player of that era (preferably American League for accuracy), a flaming baseball, and the bassline to “Hangover”.

Moving along, Rad put up solid numbers throughout the 90s, despite missing the entirety of the 1994 season winning a battle against Hodgkin’s Disease. His playing career squeezed him out of being in Ten Foot Pole (who his 80s band Scared Straight had morphed into), due to his inability to tour during the MLB season. Rad just went ahead and started a better, more successful melodic punk band, who began a string of well received records on Epitaph in 1996. As his playing career came to a close, Pulley kept active and Rad began a career as a pitching coach for a variety of MLB and minor league squads.

This album is Pulley’s first in six years, and only their second in the last 17. I had to go back and refresh my memory of what the “classic” Pulley records sounded like, but stylistically this one does not seem to stray too far from the winning formula. It’s a strong batch of songs that their fanbase will be stoked on. Rad has the perfect vocals for melodic SoCal punk, similar to contemporaries like Tony Sly. Although I don’t listen to this type of punk very often as a man deep into his forties, I sure as hell did as a teenager deep into his 40s (of Olde English), and that nostalgia will always be there for this sound. If you’ve ever moshed in a pair of Arnettes and would like to revisit that period of your life, then check this one out.

–Zack Akenson

Tracks:
01 Repeat Offender
02 Lonely
03 Wake Up
04 Two Winds
05 Align The Planets
06 Northbound
07 Sad Song
08 Golden Life
09 Frances
10 Dust Off The Dreams
11 Transmigration
12 California

Hans Gruber and the Die Hards – With A Vengeance

You’re probably like me. You just want a little bit of Ska Punk to listen to. Maybe you want it to be flavored with a delicate hint of Bluebonnets? Why wouldn’t you? Well then dig into this. “With A Vengeance” is the 4th full album from Austin TX band Hans Gruber and the Die Hards, and it’s pretty damn kickass!

Pre-order’s for the 2nd pressing can be found here.

The album opens with a cumbia inspired track, “Nothing Like a Good Old Fashioned Witch Hunt”. The band has this to say about it:

“Nothing Like a Good Old Fashioned Witch Hunt” started as a musical exploration into Kurt’s obsession with the horn heavy Cumbia sounds he was introduced to while living in Texas. Not being one to shy away from cramming several genres together, we also managed to flow through some hardcore and punk rhythms in the piece.
Lyrically, this song represents some stream of consciousness frustrations Kurt had with some of his friends, family and self, that, in retrospect, also reflect some of the more bizarre aspects of modern American culture.
We’d love to tell you the old fashioned 3D effects applied to this music video is about world views and our split nation. But it’s just because we thought it looked cool. Feel free to read into it and give the video some depth and meaning for us.
“With a Vengeance” is the most “Hans Gruber and the Die Hards-y” album we’ve done. Cliche as it is to say, it’s been a weird time getting this out and we can’t be more proud.
~Kurt, Rosey and Chris

The music and lyrical content is diverse. From the highly controversial “No No Bronto”, a ska punk treatise on the non-existence of the Brontosaurus to the sweep arpeggios accompanying the doom metal sounds of “My Friend Chuck”, into the haunting proto-occult wailings of “Vril Society”, each track rings out a distinct piece of the cohesive whole.

The clearly tongue-in-cheek lyrics of “Let’s Drive Everywhere” provided a glimpse into the band’s environmental standpoint. “Squatcore” featuring Omnigone is a shout along punk rock banger extolling the virtues of physical fitness, obviously.

16 tracks in 29 minutes sets for a breakneck pace, punctuated by an interesting theatrical intermission with their cover of Brazil. It’s a fantastic album. I highly encourage you to check it out, if you haven’t already. As a final note, if you have dandruff, you may want to double check that it isn’t actually ghosts and/or demons. Can’t be too safe.

Cheers!
Jerry Actually

Tracks:
1. Nothing Like a Good Old Fashioned Witch Hunt 01:59
2. No No Bronto 01:46
3. My Friend Chuck 01:20
4. Vril Society 02:18
5. No Outside Tanks 01:52
6. Time, I Don’t Want It Anymore 01:25
7. Blood on the Walls 00:42
8. Brazil 02:21
9. Let’s Drive Everywhere 01:58
10. An Old Man Like Me 02:17
11. Monster of Walgren Lake 02:26
12. Credit Cards are a Product of Satan 01:33
13. Dandruff 01:21
14. You’re Being Watched 01:49
15. Squatcore feat. Adam Davis 01:14
16. Praise to the Algorithm 02:30

Hans Gruber and the Die Hards is:
Chris Thompson – Drums, Vocals, Theremin, Ukulele
Rosey Armstrong – Tenor Saxophone, Vocals
Kurt Armstrong – Vocals, Bass, Trombone, Kazoo

Additional musicians:
Hans Emanuelson – Guitars, Keys, Trumpet, Ukulele, Backing Vocals
Nick Tozzo – Timbales, Congas, Triangle, Guira, Shaker, Tambourine on Tracks 1, 8 and 9
Eric Molina – Baritone Saxophone on Track 1
Jose Noriega – Sousaphone on Tracks 2, 8 and 13
Dave Cavallo – Backup Vocals on Tracks 3 and 8
Drew Leclaire – Backup Vocals on Track 8, Theremin on Track 4
Adam Davis – Vocals on Track 15
Co-Produced, Mixed and Recorded by Drew Leclair

Recorded at Studio 8522, Hokus Tracks and Vine Recording. Mixed at Vine Recording.

Mastered by Luis Crivelli

Bio:
Menacingly fun, Hans Gruber and the Die Hards brand of punk/ska mashes genres together like a toddler eating chocolate cake – with messy intensity for maximum enjoyment. From Boston hardcore to Colombian cumbia, southern gospel to crossover thrash, their live shows are filled with pits, sock puppets, conga lines and confusion – if you are nihilistic enough to jump in feet first.

Formed in Austin, TX as a four piece in 2014, the band shamelessly embraces change. Over the years they added a full time Saxophone player, as well as parted ways with two of their founding members. Their newest album, “With A Vengeance,” represents the best of times with the former lineup, the struggles of a new era after their departure, and finding a new voice through these very same songs.

Much like their ability to combine musical genres, their lyrics tread a fine line between metaphor, truth, sarcasm and lies, assuming their audiences have the know-how to join them on this magical journey.

Possessed by unbridled joy for music, Hans Gruber and the Die Hards continue to push forward looking for the next venue to haunt as they chant: IT JUST DOESN’T MATTER!

FAT WRECK CHORDS ANNOUNCES NEW EDITION OF LIVE IN A DIVE SERIES FEATURING ICONIC PUNK BAND RKL

FIRST SINGLE, “SCAB ON MY BRAIN” NOW STREAMING ONLINE

WATCH: “SCAB ON MY BRAIN”
(MUSIC VIDEO ON YOUTUBE)

We are stoked to announce the latest addition to our Live in a Dive series with RKL! This is our tenth installment of the series, and takes us back over 30 years to Eindhoven, Holland. The 17-song tracklist is mainly culled from their 1987 album Rock’ n Roll Nightmare, and was recorded at the famed Eindhoven squat-turned-venue De Efenaar. The album cover features the incredible art by longtime RKL cover artist Dan Sites, who recently sat down with Fat Mike on Fat Mike’s Fat Mic to discuss his iconic career, and all things RKL, with founding member, Chris Rest. The album drops on June 3rd and is available for pre-order. Check out the absolute banger of a single, “Scab on My Brain,” streaming everywhere and anywhere that you can stream music!

The tenth installment of Fat Wreck’s Live in a Dive series takes us back over 30 years to Eindhoven, Holland. The date is May 12, 1989, not too long before Montecito, CA punks RKL – aka Rich Kids On LSD – will call it quits (for the first time, anyway). In fact, at this point, the wheels are wobbly and are starting to fall off the band. Their time in Europe is surrounded by hash smoke, booze, drugs, and debauchery that is only exacerbated by their youthful, carefree abandon. Strain is also taking its toll from hard van touring, sleepless nights, heavy drinking, drug use, and tension that is beginning to form like barnacles on the RKL ship. Especially between vocalist Jason Sears & drummer Richard ‘Bomer’ Manzullo who are struggling with the direction of the band seven years into its career. Not that you can tell that from these songs. The 17-song set – a good chunk of which is culled from 1987’s album Rock ’n Roll Nightmare – was recorded at famed Eindhoven squat-turned-venue De Effenaar, and is beautifully ragged and raw. In fact, it sounds like the band members are having the time of their lives. Probably because, despite everything going on behind the scenes, when they were onstage they were having the time of their lives!

“This definitely brings back the excitement of those days,” says Joe Raposo, who joined the band as a bassist in 1987. “Even the rough times, which were harsh, were still exciting, I have to admit. Having to deal with the musical direction change that Bomer was adamant about was definitely a bummer, as we all loved the sound of Rock N Roll Nightmare and wanted to pursue that sound for new songs. Which I think is kinda ironic, because Bomer was the one that wrote most of all the music on that album! But that’s just how he was, always progressing. Dealing with the escalation of heavy drug use was not fun and taking a toll on the members not participating. But listening to this album also brings back all of the wonderful memories of the fun we had on the road, touring in a van with [Destiny Records founder] Dave Pollack. We were all really young and just living life and going for it. We were in our teens and early twenties, and we were literally having the best time of our lives together, you know? It was like live fast, die young, and leave a beautiful corpse!”

Although the band would get back together – twice! – after its initial break-up, things were never quite the same after the members went their separate ways the first time. As such, this record is a document of one of the last points before everything took a dive, of a band holding it together – incredibly well, it has to be said – before everything unraveled. And even though you can’t really hear that tension (“It was mostly in the background when we were on the road,” says Raposo, “but it became very evident when we were trying to write new songs”), when compared to the Double Live in Berlin live album, recorded the year before this one, there does seem to be an extra sense of urgency in these songs. They’re more primal and more ferocious, more intense and more nihilistic. Above all, though, they still sound fun as hell.

“I think we were all still just happy playing together,” says Raposo. “For the most part – I would say 95% of the time or even more than that – we were just having a blast playing every night together. And that was the most important thing. We were all on top of our game, Bomer was a fucking beast on the drums, and Jason was one of the best frontmen ever. He could get a crowd going, he could incite a riot, he could make everybody laugh, he could puke onstage at will!”

Even if there’s no puking at this gig, all of that is nevertheless clear, even 30-something years later and on record. But RKL’s Live in a Dive album – which features incredible art by longtime RKL cover artist Dan Sites – isn’t just a pure representation of the band in all its twisted, untamed glory. It’s not just the sound of a band about to fall off the cliff edge. It also serves as a bittersweet tribute to both Manzullo and Sears, who died in 2005 and 2006 respectively. These songs capture both members in their element – onstage, doing what they love, surrounded by people who love what they do. Just listen to the frantic run-through of “Break the Camel’s Back”, the guttural desperation of “Hangover”, the nervous energy of “Blocked Out”, the blistering frenzy of “Rock N Roll Nightmare”. It’s one of the last times – and certainly the last time caught on tape – that the band would sound this imperfectly perfect, this happily carefree.

“When the band got back together,” remembers Raposo, “drugs had taken a strong hold on some people, and at that point the addictions were just so bad that it couldn’t be resolved, not even with going to rehab or anything else like that. So that’s really sad. And then, of course, shortly after, death started occurring and that became the end of it. So what I really love about this record is that I can always play it and hear my friends playing, and me playing with my friends, hearing us all play together, and sharing that love on stage with one another. That’s the best thing ever. It’s a great memorial.

Track Listing
1. Lies
2. Beautiful Feeling
3. Break the Camel’s Back
4. Hangover
5. Coming Home
6. Lay Your Weapons Down
7. Scab on My Brain
8. Drink Positive
9. Tribute to the Jester
10. Blocked Out
11. Rumors
12. Life in a Bottle
13. Meltdown
14. Rock N Roll Nightmare
15. Pothead
16. Why?
17. Ded Teds

The Drowns Announce June Tour

New EP “Lunatics” Available Now

Seattle, WA — May 3, 2022 — Seattle rockers THE DROWNS have announced June tour dates along the west coast in support of their new EP “Lunatics.” The EP is available on Pirates Press Records’ webstore.

The tour begins on June 8th in Albany, California and ends on June 24th with a hometown show at the famed El Corazon in Seattle, Washington. In addition, the band will be playing three shows alongside fellow Pacific Northwest punk act Defiance.

Following this west coast tour, the band will head over to Europe for the Stomp & Shout Tour which will include several festival appearances including Rebellion, Paris Punk Rock Summer Fest, and Back To Future Festival.

“Lunatics” is the follow-up to the band’s recently released 7” “Know Who You Are” and their previous full-length “Under Tension.” For “Lunatics,” The Drowns once again got back into the studio with producer Ted Hutt (The Gaslight Anthem, Dropkick Murphys, The Bouncing Souls) to re-capture the magic they created for “Under Tension.”

The EP showcases incredible growth in The Drowns’ songwriting – revealing an array of influences the band has not showcased in their prior releases.

Catch The Drowns on tour all summer long supporting “Lunatics!”

Catch The Drowns on tour:

06/08/2022 – Albany, CA – Ivy Room
06/09/2022 – Ventura, CA – Gigi’s
06/10/2022 – Long Beach, CA – Alex’s Bar (w/ Defiance)
06/11/2022 – San Diego, CA – Kensington Club (w/ Defiance)
06/12/2022 – Los Angeles, CA – First St. Billiards (w/ Defiance)
06/13/2022 – Tempe, AZ – Yucca Tap Room
06/16/2022 – San Antonio, TX – Paper Tiger
06/17/2022 – Dallas, TX – Three Links
06/18/2022 – Austin, TX – Sunny’s Backyard
06/20/2022 – Denver, CO – HQ
06/22/2022 – Salt Lake City, UT – Aces High Saloon
06/23/2022 – Boise, ID – The Shredder
06/24/2022 – Seattle, WA – El Corazon

Stomp & Shout Tour 2022:
07/19/2022 – Koln, DE – Sonic Ballroom
07/20/2022 – Hamburg, DE – Indra
07/21/2022 – Glaubitz, DE – Back to Future Festival
07/22/2022 – Winsen, DE – Südwinsen Festival
07/23/2022 – Berlin, DE – Wild at Heart
07/24/2022 – Hannover, DE – Vereinsgaststätte SV Arminia Hannover
07/25/2022 – Bochum, DE – Trompete
07/26/2022 – Aachen, DE – Wild Rover
07/27/2022 – Karlsruhe, DE – Alte Hackerel
07/28/2022 – Zürich, CH – Dynamo
07/29/2022 – München, DE – Import / Export
07/30/2022 – Bocholt, DE – Vogelhaus
07/31/2022 – Oostmaale, BE – Klub Kmalle
08/01/2022 – Paris, FR – Paris Punk Rock Summer
08/02/2022 – Nürnberg, DE – Kantine
08/03/2022 – Leipzig, DE – Conne Island
08/04/2022 – Eisenhüttenstadt, DE – Subculture Holiday
08/05/2022 – Münster, DE – Sputnikhalle
08/06/2022 – Duffel, BE – Brakrock
08/07/2022 – Blackpool, UK – Rebellion Festival

For more information on The Drowns:
https://facebook.com/thedrowns
https://www.twitter.com/wearethedrowns
https://www.instagram.com/thedrowns/