Threats & Promises

Music News And Gossip

originally published July 26, 2006

To all the loyal readers out there, I just want to say that this week you should first jump for my love and then jump on in to this week’s news. Hit the deep end below…

Slow And Steady Wins The Race: Even though they’re now pretty much a full-time Atlanta band, Parade still has its roots in Athens and that’s how I still think of it. Those unfamiliar with the group's subtly infectious pop would do good to listen in when the band plays “Live In The Lobby” on WUOG 90.5 FM on Tuesday, Aug. 1 at 8 p.m. Unfortunately, though, if you’re wanting to catch the group live, you’ve got to make the trip west where it will play a special acoustic set at Joe’s Coffee Shop in East Atlanta on Aug. 11. The next night, Parade goes electric at the Drunken Unicorn. Oh, yeah, the band is also in the midst of setting up a full East Coast tour, so if you have any help to lend, contact kari@weareparade.com.

No Power Glove?: Cinemechanica keeps getting ink in the national video game press thanks to the local band's alter egos Contraband and Megaband, wherein the guys play the soundtrack to a live run-through of classic Nintendo games Contra and Mega Man II. Several months ago, there was a little article on them in Nintendo Power, but this month Electronic Gaming Monthly, the top American video gaming magazine, features the group in a story about bands inspired by gaming. Rock on!

If I Didn’t Tell You How Would You Know?: Athens band Walcott has entered the studio with engineers David Barbe and Billy Bennett, and the guys say they have absolutely no idea what they’re going to do with what they record. They have plenty of material for a full-length release, but might choose to issue an EP soon and another one in a few months. Well, tease away boys. The band's sound is a curious mishmash of styles, including straight-ahead rock, piano-laden ballads and chukka-chukka jam sounds. In this case, being “uncategorizable” may not be such a good thing. But, they do have a very nice looking website over at www.walcottmusic.com.

Short Stack: Local act Producto is currently working on a new album with Andy Baker and David Barbe, and Ken Stringfellow (The Posies, Big Star, R.E.M.) will produce. Tentatively titled Producto 3, the album has no set release date, and I have no more information to offer.

Everyone’s Making Records!: The fun-time punks in Guff are currently in Los Angeles recording a new album with Charlie Paulson of Goldfinger. The members report that they’re playing approximately 12 hours a day and working non-stop. And that’s pretty much all they had to say, so maybe they’ll drop some more news as it happens.

If You Feed Them They Will Come: Local rapper Badkat was joined by Ishues, DJ Killa Cut and Figaro a couple of weeks back on WUOG 90.5 FM when they performed live on the air as a precursor to an event the following day. This event, “Summer Splash 2006,” was held at Athens' Thomas Lay Park as part of its “Family And Friends” day. Music was played by DJ I Cue and, although the rappers were on hand ready to perform, they decided just to hang out and enjoy themselves. Sherm's Wings and Bulldawg Pizza provided free food and local mortuary Hurley Funeral Home provided a mist tent to cool revelers. All of which proves what I’ve said for years: if you give folks free food and a swimming pool, your event is a guaranteed success.

Eat Dub For Breakfast: Athens reggae sensation Dubconscious returns to town briefly this Friday, July 28, to perform at the Georgia Theatre. Currently in the midst of a four-week tour, the band has just made its first trip out west and hit Boulder, San Francisco, Berkeley and Portland while there. Busily promoting its newest album Realization, Dubconscious is one of the very few American reggae bands that do the genre any justice. Without getting too far into it, these guys know their Prince Buster from their Prince-Far-I, and I’ve always found their albums to be very enjoyable. Check them out over at www.dubconscious.com.

Just Buy One: Local hardcore/ screamo band I Would Set Myself On Fire For You found itself last week in the middle of the desert in a van with a dying transmission. Consequently, the group had to cancel almost an entire week of shows while nursing the van back home. So, in order to give some support to a band that has done nothing but work its ass off for several years, I suggest y’all make the trip to Atlanta this Friday, July 28, and see the group when it plays the 11:11 Teahouse. It also wouldn’t hurt for you to pick up a copy of its sound-shifting new album Believes in Patterns, out now on Atlanta’s Stickfigure Records.

Where Ya Been?: After causing much ruckus in 2005, local pop group The 63 Crayons hasn’t been heard from a lot lately. Well, bub, they’ve got good reason. Pretty much all last winter and spring, the band laid low and concentrated on recording rather than playing live and then got the news that bandleader Charlie Johnston had ruptured a disk in his back and needed surgery. Ouch! So, after a few months of recuperation, the Crayons are ready to rock it once again. Upcoming shows include this Friday, July 28 at the fabulous 40 Watt with Atlanta’s dreamy Deerhunter and The Selmanaires. You can also catch them at the Athens PopFest on Friday, Aug. 11, when they take the Little Kings stage at 5:45 p.m. Go check out www.myspace.com/63crayons  and get yourself up to speed.

Out Now: Bill Mallonee has released his newest record… sort of. The copies that folks pre-ordered have been shipped out, but the album, released under the artist name of Bill Mallonee / Victory Garden with the title Permafrost, hasn’t landed in many stores. Hopefully this will change soon, at least locally, as the album features some of Mallonee’s most soul-searching work. The man has also launched a new website, in addition to his popular www.billmallonee.net, called www.volsounds.com where fans can download, for a fee, nearly all of his out-of-print recordings and other stuff. Mallonee’s recorded output has been substantial over the past 17 or so years and fans should benefit greatly from this development.

Holy Shit!: Henry Owings, publisher of Chunklet Magazine, has announced that he is done compiling, editing and totally finishing up the long-awaited DVD on heavy rock legend Harvey Milk. To celebrate it, he’s hosting two screenings. On Aug. 22, you can see it at the fabulous 40 Watt and on Aug. 23, there is a screening at Atlanta venue The EARL. It runs three-and-a-half hours and will be shown in its entirety each night. Yes, yes, yes.

And that’s all for now. Be sure to keep your news coming in and always mention either Threats & Promises or my name in the subject line of all emails. Twenty-five dollars and a six pack to my name via email to music@flagpole.com, voicemail at 706-549-9523, ext. 203, or by post at P.O. Box 1027, Athens, GA 30603.

Gordon Lamb

Gordon Lamb