Red Planet || The Laws of Tonnage || Hidden Rock'n'Roll P.8

Technically they would loved to be known as a San Francisco/East bay (by way of Alameda) band, but these boys roots run deep in the Santa Clara Valley.  Red Planet is/was (??? Not too sure of their current status) an amazing band that as the rumor has it met while attending Santa Clara University. I heard they were part of a small allegiance of tribesmen working at the college radio station attempting, once again, to resurrect a flailing southbay scene.  I don't know much about them except this was another Jeff Okubo find during his all-too-short tenure at Zero Magazine.  He was really diggin' the bands on the Gearhead Records label when he got his hands on "Let's Degenerate", which happened to be the sophomore full length effort by these local boys and it definitely their best.  This genius production is loaded with sniveling adolescents that creates a masterpiece of an album .  The sheer energy in which they go through the line up of tracks turns this whiner-fest into attitude packed fist punch to the face.  I love it.  Through and through.  They run the gamate for straight ahead punk rock to Van Halen & Cheap Trick inspired licks and solo's that firmly place Chris Dunn into the "master-craftsman" status of noodling together loose riffs into a powerhouse of rock and roll.

To see the live show is to really believe the magic.  My introduction came by way of an 80-something toyota corolla hatchback and Sylvain Sylvain.  Colin Kutch was an intern at the now defunct Zero Magazine.  He had offered (maybe forced into) giving his co-worker and I a ride up to San Francisco's legendary The Pound to the Sylvain Sylvain show where he got to take care of us.  Red Planet opened up the show and just blew down the doors.  I heard it was the first show of a tour across the U.S. with Sylvain Sylvain and you could tell they were pumped up on what lay ahead.  You could feel the energy they were soaking in from the hometown crowd.  I immediately tried to see them again when the tour was completed and they were opening up for The Epoxies at the Bottom of the Hill.  I learned my lesson and had to listen to RP from the stoop of the entrance due to it being a sold out show.  Next, I tried to catch them at The Starry Plough in Berkeley.  By this time family obligations led the drummer, John Messier, to leave the band.  This is unfortunate because John is a tasty drummer and his chops would be missed (as luck would have it I had the opportunity to jam with Mr. Messier out in the east bay way back when.  An honor bestowed upon my little consciousness).  The Starry Plough show would falter with a broken bass drum and an unenthusiastic motivation to move forward, soon after brought the band to a halt.

Where are they now?  Good question.  I believe Jeremy is still rocking with The Parties.  I hate to say it, but it is a luke-warm power pop band that I caught once.  Chris Dunn is behind the board engineering albums from The Parties as well as taking part in Trevor Childs & The Beholders along with Gordon Evans.  John Messier did a stint with The Police cover Band, Stung and now it looks like he is getting paid with PopFiction.

I understand that their was personal differences of opinion in the band, but I truly believe that this line up mentioned above was definitely a "sum of the parts" making one of the most energetic live shows to come out of the bay area.  Heck, even Lennon and McCartney didn't get along all the time!  I think they owe it to the fans to reunite plays some more shows.  Or at least, if they have old video footage put it up on Youtube.  Their is very little video out there on the web. 

And I am not the only one that thinks so highly of this band.  I found this little jem of a quote on the web about the boys in RP,

"But the crowd, the rock & roll crowd, wants more. They need closure. Red Planet has to take the stage. Yes! That sound! Those songs! It's only rock & roll. But, oh, it is such a show! Punk rock energy (if they could afford it, you just know Red Planet would smash stuff), smoke bombs, and tin cans full of fire. An audience member holds up a bottle of Jack Daniels; the band passes it around. How very rock. How very roll. All the time, Scotty Bruno--the manager--sits behind the stage, chain smoking, and looking like a Brit-pop music mogul. Right here in San Francisco! Can you believe it"-Melinda Whitehouse, Posthoc

Please reunite forces and conquer the world!


While researching for this article, I came across this video.  Looks like the boys played a "one off" gig down in L.A. back in August.  This is really positive to see.  Please enjoy!

The Disciples || Summer's End || Caravan Series

I love the Caravan Lounge.  Last night was another reaffirmation that would make Jack Handey proud.  It turned out to be a special night due to the fact that my main partner in crime for late night bike rides down to the Caravan was moving out of the city to an undisclosed location.  Ol' Jeff Okubo is leaving the million plus city after a ten year run.  Bummer.

I thought I might not get the call last night with the impending move and all.  Sure enough a text came in somewhere during the 9 o'clock hour and the kid made his way on by my pad for one last cruise into downtown.  First on our agenda was to go check out our buddies, The Gillbillies, who were playing at Johnny V's.  I hate going to Johnny V's because there never is a crowd and dealing with him in the past about booking shows and getting paid is total bullshit and has forever left a bad taste in my mouth.  However, I felt somewhat responsible about them playing there because I tried to connect them with The Bloody Hollies, who were making their way through the bay area.  BH booked this show and I connected them with the Gillbillies, then I guess they cancelled on it.  Bummer.

The Gillbillies seemed hotter than ever.  They are really getting their setlist dialed in.  These boys need to hit the road and go "wow" some music fans in other states.  Just like the kids that like live music in San Jose; the kids across the rest of the nation will love them too.  Personally, I think they've been using the bar circuit in San  Jose as practice.  They have just been practicing, getting tighter and tighter then, Ka-pow...this will be the stuff of history.

all pics courtesy of Jon at Delta Pop Records

On our way to Johnny V's we rode by the Caravan and it was looking pretty hoppin'.  Both Jeff and I were thinking the same thing, "What surprise lay in store over there tonight?"  There have been many hits and many a' miss at the old Caravan but you can always count on something different; be it crowd or be it performance.  Last night we lucked out.  Turns out The Disciples had come to town.  Jeff and I showed up just in time to grab a beverage and a front row seat, in which we were later swamped in by the crowd that generated closer and closer to the band.  The Disciples were seasoned pros.  You don't get that too often at the Caravan but it is a treat when it comes around.

I had never heard of them before last night, but a little diggin' it looks like they are longtime band out of the Northbay.  The lead singer is the show.  The dude works it up there and you can tell that he is enjoying every minute of rockin' out with a tight-ass band behind him.  They tore through a blistering set with all the passion that defines true rock and roll.  My only complaint is that it was all too short.  But as Iggy used to do with The Stooges is leaving them wanting more.

What a great night at a great bar all for the price of free.  As long as the beer is cold, no complaints coming from this corner.  Good times!

EVENING UPDATE:  After diggin' not too much deeper.....shit, this is the Sammytown dude.  I watched that whole documentry of the lead singer of Fang a long while back.  As you can see my punk rock creditability is limited.  It is good to see him still kicking ass with a mic in hand.

This song is called "Bring It On".  A big thank you goes out to Jon at Delta Pop Records for taking this video

Beachkrieg || From Some Other Time || Hidden Rock'n'Roll p.6

Who is Baron Von Krieg?  Let me tell you my opinion.  It reminds me of watching the director's narration of Fast Times at Ridgemont High, and what Amy Heckerling said about Sean Penn, "...he was Spicoli.  He showed up and teased the women, got high, and played the part perfectly on and off the set."  Some say that the Baron is really just the alter ego of one, Andrew Pejack, however I beg to differ.  I think that the Baron is his own individual that has somehow intermittently stolen the soul of Mr. Pejack and appears time to time with Sgt. Pfeffer (Guitar/Uberboard) & Peter Dresden (Drums) in the wonderfully creative outfit, Beachkrieg.  In this day and age it is hard to get people to go out and see live music.  One needs a shtick.  A show.   Just like the name implies, Beachkrieg delivers on all fronts. 

If you are/were fortunate enough to pick up their first album, Surf! you would understand the tales of Beachkrieg.  It's a fable of a submarine crew from World War I, stranded on a deserted island.  With all this idle time they discover a love for surf music.  I cannot think of a more beautiful sequeway into the liner notes of Beachkrieg's debut.

But it is not the album that I want to talk about here.  It is the live performance of these guys that will really get you definitely not  kicking yourself about about missing that re-run of Entourage on the WB.  They dress the part; spiked helmets, medals and Farfisa organs.  They do not speak much, expect to ask for more beer in their german pewtered steins and to tell an occassional French Joke or three.

What to expect?  Great music, no singing but there definitely is some chanting.  French Trivia contests, plastic army-men being flung from a homemade catapult into the audience, a tuba and many a moment of people going "what the hell was that?"

They are secretive.  They don't play out a lot, but they sure are a hell of a lot of fun.  So when you do see their name on a bill, I'd advise you to go see what all the hubbub is about...

NOTE: Don't watch the videos if you are not hip to the schtick. These guys are badass. Pre-admit that fact to yourself before watching these videos; you will enjoy them a lot more!





Here they are on Creepy Kofy Movie Time KOFY TV 20:

This is such a bad ass video. And here I thought The Pinks were all original and what not having it sung in Korean....


Another Gem...

Touch My Rash || More Than Just a Name || Hidden Rock'n'Roll p.5

I first met frontman, Colin Kutch, of the legendary Touch My Rash shoved in back of an old Toyota Corolla hatchback on the way up to San Francisco to see Red Planet open up for Sylvain Sylvain at the Pound.  I don't know if I ever thanked him for the ride, but it sure was worth it (great show!).  Years later, I heard that Colin got himself together a tight little punk band, called (snicker, snicker) Touch My Rash.  I knew that they were going to be my speed due to the long conversation, that I can barely recall, about music we had while driving up to that show in SF.  I knew he was a big fan of The Ramones, a lot of Lookout Records artists as well as a semi-groupie of The Donna's (see him in one of their videos).  So I knew that it would be loud, snotty and in your face.  Throw on a name like Touch My Rash and you will never be forgotten in the San Jose Music scene.

TMR came about when Colin, Olga Safronova and Dave Sokh were all in College at San Jose State.  Bored and looking for an outlet they decided to start a band.  Hey, if the Ramones could do it with three chords, why not three kids from San Jose.  Colin had fooled around with a guitar, with 4th grade do-re-me classes and what not, but Olga and Dave had not played a lick.  They all started getting together in 2002 to "practice".  Turns out that the initial practices consisted mainly of watching T.V. and goofing around.  "Very little playing was involved with our practices for the first three years."  Move ahead to 2005 and they decided to actually try to finish a song, which they did.  This led to a 4 song E.P., that eventually led to them to record, mix and master their full length debut, "Doomed From the Start". It is a fantastic debut with fast, punchy tunes all in the 2 minute range, the way a good song should be!

Looking for work led Dave off to Reno before the recording of their debut album.  However, in came Hong Lam to hold down the low end of the trio.  When  "Doomed From the Start" came available to the public in 2008, this trio played all over & around the bay area clocking over 50 shows in a short time-span.  Playing live this much will make you a better musician, however when prompted to see how Colin feels about his own playing ability the answer I received was, "I still just mainly stick to three chords.  If the Ramones could make a career out of it, I am fine with following that."

So what is on tap for TMR?  Personally, I haven't seen them on many bills as of late.  Turns out that they are deep in the confines of their studio working on their sophomore effort.  Hopefully to be recorded in the fall and ready for public consumption sometime in the beginning of 2012.

Why write about TMR?  Well, first off they are a totally cool bunch that wants to keep with the tradition of DIY maximum rock'n'roll and they aren't caught up in a lot of bullshit that comes with the music scene.  They are real people playing real music.  One of the greatest scenes that I have ever witnessed at the Caravan (of a long list of cool memories) was seeing Colin's Mom sporting a Touch My Rash T-shirt and helping him load out his gear by carrying his Fender amp out to the car.  I loved it.  Everyone has to have a little support.  Why not one's own Mom?  Anyhow, Touch My Rash should be setting up to play a lot of shows coming up this next year.  Be on the lookout and go get entertained.

Here is their video for "Single by Choice"


This song kicks ass live. Beautifully entitled, "Slit our Wrists"