The headline is total bullshit, what is this Spin magazine? Well, naw. This is KLYAM – KIDS LIKE YOU and ME – and if you’re just joining in now, welcome. See we’ve been kicking for coming up on 7 years. Ya true we started as teens around the whole garage revolution, sure. We’ve gotten flak for it. But the story of going from the big stuff – we’re talking Middle East Downstairs, Paradise, kind of stuff – to Grandma’s House and still having fun, maybe even more fun, that’s just life. Being a bit outsider to what may have manifested itself as the Boston underground, we’ve played by our own rules. Seeing NOBUNNY in 2009 for the first time open for Jay Reatard, writing on here about that mighty inspirational show, and then five short years later co-presenting an easily sold out NOBUNNY show. This is what we do. Not for local fame cred hype, no just to have fun, have a good time, enjoy the music. The turning point for the site came around 2011/2012 when we started venturing to basement shows. The thing is when we were seeing our heroes for the first time – Black Lips, King Khan & BBQ Show, Jay – we were going to shows that we could take for granted in terms of the production itself. I didn’t realize these bands came from the underground, the basement / DIY spaces , of their own homegrown communities – Atlanta, Montreal, Memphis. Artistically inclined people binding themselves together on the basis of playing music for one another, hanging out, having a good time. Realistically some other, more damaging aspects might come out of the whole thing, but what looks like what happened with the bands I just mentioned is they started touring, probably with somewhat narrow, initial national fanfare, captured people’s attention with their wild and loose, early rock ‘n roll colliding at punk speed style endeavors.
For me, the primitiveness of it all, the real shun of modern technicality, this is what I like, what I connect with. The fact that there are plenty a ways and takes on the stuff. Anyone can do it, anyone can write about it. No one reads this, nice, punk. I think we dissected a lot of shit a couple years ago with our reviews – damn, you see that Nice Guy, he went into a hallway IN a basement. And it can be real fun, writing about music. Oh it is definitely nerdy, weird, and give offs a sense of wanting to be heard about something nobody cares to read about online. But there you are, maybe you aren’t there. You’re watching Front Row Poster YouTube videos. It’s 2016. You can do whatever, whatever does you. Making amends with the time you have. Maybe you used to have more. You have more now.
There’s plenty out there and it is not only raw rock ‘n roll. Still our favorite of course, but with unifying forces, there’s going to be some more noisier stuff in the mix, maybe some gentler stuff. We’re trying to contribute – throw the shows we want to throw, release the records we want to release, write about whatever is interesting to us. With how much we appreciate everything we are fortunate to orchestrate events and releases… us KLYAM like to pass along what we can, when we can. If you’re checking this out, cool and thanks, we want to have a good time, and we want you to have a good time. Nothing real fancy about that.
What up creeps. It’s been a long time since I’ve been on here rapping about your favorite bands, my favorite bands. Why should all those other writer twerps take away my spotlight? I’ve been, we’ve been busy… we threw down more shows than ever this year and attended many more. Here’s a list of my favorites, you’ll see a lot of the same names. You may even choke on your own vomit because you’re so sick of reading about the same bands over and over again and there’s no mention of Pile or Krill. Too bad freaks! Let’s go…
Flyer by Sonam
10) NOTS, (New England) Patriots, Ursula, Germ House @ Club Bohemia (October 23rd)
Jason Trefts (Illegally Blind) knows how to curate a stacked bill and that’s an understatement. But, this show right here is a chief example of his undeniable efforts. We KLYAMERS were beyond ecstatic when our beloved Memphis punkers in NOTS journeyed to our second home – the 100 capacity Club Bohemia in Cambridge, joining forces with local favorites Ursula and (New England) Patriots. New Mexico’s Germ House was a pleasant introduction as well. Dark, dank, and head spinning. Sounds like a regular night at Bohemia.
Flyer by G. Gordon Gritty
9) The Monsieurs, Atlantic Thrills, Feral Jenny, ACLU Benefit @ Lilypad (January 24th)
2015 is truly the first year we’ve consistently put on shows in Boston and this was one of my favorites. There was a snowstorm that night and the show was facing potential demise. Glen and I grabbed a beer at The Druid and as soon as 10:00 PM rolled around we headed over next door to the Lilypad to get ready for the show, expecting a sparse crowd. Quite the contrary my friends. As ACLU Benefit’s baritone vocals roared through the art gallery I was greeted with snowy friends and strangers alike. Each band turned it up a notch and I hold them all near and dear as you probably know. For what it’s worth, ego aside, I think this was one of the finest and most diverse bills all year. Where else have you seen The Monsieurs and ACLU Benefit on the same bill?! I could go on and on… Feral Jenny rocks. RIP :( and Atlantic Thrills are longtime homies. I hope to see and book more shows at Lilypad in 2016.
8) The King Khan & BBQ Show, Milk Lines @ Middle East Downstairs (November 19th)
To paraphrase something Mark Sultan said during the show, it’s a rare night when the stars align and you can see Nobunny and The King Khan & BBQ Show in one night. We did! But, I’ll get to the bunnyman later on. KKBBQ. Damn, we’ve been able to count on them to provide relentless, passionate rock ‘n’ roll entertainment for many years now. They are the best at what they do; soulful, punk infested doo wop. If you closed your eyes and didn’t know any better you’d probably think there were a whole bunch of fuckers up there. Nope, just two. I dug Ryan Major passionately singing along to their cover of Johnnie Thunders’ “You Can’t Put Your Arms Around a Memory” and King Khan dedicating “Lonely Boy” to one Gangbang Gordon. “Ladies, they don’t call him Gangbang Gordon for nothing.” Haha, they don’t win PC punk points and that’s fine by me.
Photo by Madison McConkey
7) The Barbazons, Earthquake Party, Jim Leonard, The Double Buscemis @ Theives Grotto (November 7th)
I’ve seen my fair share of Barbazons/Fagettes shows and probably your fair share and his fair share and her fair share and your snake’s fair share and you get the picture. They are a KLYAM staple, duh. This one stands out as one of the feistiest, sweatiest, and most fun. The Grotto is often the best place to see a band. Sidebar: Theives Grotto, best venue in Boston. Give it up for those kids. The picture above says it all: Melanie hanging from the pipes surrounded by a sea of doe eyed boys and girls. You can’t make that shit up.
Flyer by Jesse DeFrancesco
6) Nice Guys (tour kick off), Creaturos, The Mardi Kings, The Double Buscemis @ Grandma’s House (August 21st)
We said fuck off to all of our least favorite Nice Guys, which is all of them for me. I hate them all equally. Beer cans and bottles were flung, you crazy fuckssss I TRUSTED YOUUUUUUU. Basement shows can get wild sometimes and this place is pretty teeny tiny, so we were all smushed together and it was perfect. Creaturos set the bar high as always, don’t fuck with those guys or you’ll get a knuckle sandwich. Mardi Kings (they were Marty Kings at the time, what’s the scoop there?), damn that’s my jam. Those fuzzy bubblegum poppers, got all the crazy kids dancing hysterically. I too was not afraid to die, for a second. Anddd The Double Buscemis, this was my first time seeing this local duo. A couple of straight shooters; short, scuzzy rips about not wanting to be a fuckboi. Don’t. Keep your eyes peeled for these hellions in twenty sixteen.
Flyer by David Fowlkes
5) Nice Guys (‘Chips in the Moonlight’ EP Release), The Monsiuers, Slow Jerks, Black Beach @ Club Bohemia (February 12th)
I could make a list of my top ten Nice Guys shows in 2015, but then I’d just be sucking their dicks wayyy too hard and I’d rather save up all of my energy for 2016, sorry gentlemen. This list is pretty close to that anyway. You’ll see those fine boys on here again, trust me, I trusted you… This show was special, because “Chips in the Moonlight” is their finest release to date as far as I’m concerned and this was the perfect celebration for the occasion. Club Bohemia is the KLYAM haus, as you probably know and I love seeing the place packed to the gills, which is rare. Cheers Al Slounge.
Flyer by Jim Leonard
4) KLYAM 6th Anniversary Show featuring The Barbazons, Nice Guys, Atlantic Thrills, G. Gordon Gritty @ Middle East Upstairs (July 1st)
This was a massive love fest. Truly humbling and heartwarming. We were surrounded by all of our friends and favorite bands and I couldn’t have asked for a better anniversary party. The Barbazons set felt like it was being played just for us. I loved how they had us request each song before they played. They opened with my favorite Barbazons/Fagettes number, “Catholic Riffraff & The Allston Amazon.” Melanie shouts “I thought it was a hangover, but it’s my heart.” Well, the next morning, it was a hangover!
Poster by John Magnifico
3) Boston Fuzzstival @ Middle East Upstairs & Donwstairs (August 6-8th)
Several of the shows featured on this list were Illegally Blind shows and many more were attended by yours truly. Illegally Blind is run by Jason Trefts, a true mentor for KLYAM and a pillar of the Boston music scene. Fuzzstival is an annual event that brings various artists and fans together to build bridges within the community. The fest is a microcosm of what Illegally Blind/Jason does every day. This year was especially significant because it stretched across three days and featured 34 bands – 18 on the final day with sets shifting back and forth from the Middle East Dowstairs’ main stage and a little side stage near the bar area. It was incredible seeing so many great people and hearing the city’s fuzziest freaks all in one room. A positive vibe we can aspire to going forward.
Flyer by TJ of Midriffs
2) Nobunny, The Monsieurs, Nice Guys, Gymshorts @ Middle East Upstairs (November 13th)
This was a bruiser, but it was totally worth it. Nobunny is KLYAM’s top dawg, errr bunny. Seriously our favorite current live act. We go wayyy back ked, way back to 09 ked. Eight shows deeps and this was one of, if not, thee best. The bunnyman had some help from some of New England’s slimiest too. Stacked bill if I ever saw one.
Art via Rocket Science Audio
1) Gonerfest 12 @ Hi-Tone, Murphy’s, and Bucaneer (Memphis, TN from September 24-27th)
I can’t believe it either, we made it to Gonerfest! A dream six years in the making. Goner Records has always been a favorite of ours; just look at our vinyl collections. We hold Memphis in our hearts, bbq on our faces, and beers in our bellies. It was an amazing experience as a whole (first time in the South) roaming through literal rock ‘n’ roll history. The fest itself featured numerous incendiary bands, too many to mention them all. Highlights for me included Pookie and the Poodlez, Nots, Ty Rex ( Ty Seall T Rex cover set, got some sweet champagne poured in my eyes), Giorgio Murderer, Obnox, Sweet Knives (Alicia Trout fronted Lost Sounds cover set), Ar-Kaics, Quintron, and Nobunny (duh). What is special about Gonerfest is that the bulk of the attendees are non-locals. Like ourselves, most festers traveled from all over the world just to see some good old fashioned rock ‘n’ roll. We met folks from DC, Kentucky, Washington, Finland, Australia. You name it. We even met some Boston peeps, shout out to Tom! As monumental as the fest is, it’s still relatively small when you think about it and that’s not a bad thing. It’s cool to think 1,000 (or less) freaks from all over the globe are gathering to drink beer and geek out over some underground bands. It’s rock ‘n’ roll camp, that’s all you need to know.
There you have it. 2016 be my baby, be my bitch, you’re next.
Adam Green – In 2016, how does one recommend to somebody where to begin? Didn’t have this problem in 2010. I think I first heard a full Adam Green album with his 2010 Minor Love LP. No, I didn’t “get it” at that time, six years ago. I reviewed it like it was Let It Bloom or something. But Minor Love can’t be thought of as a boozy garage album. There’s a lot more fuzz to go around on Minor than his cleaner sounding previous records, but this one is just as witty as it is raw. One could spend an entire article or small history on how Adam beats everyone at the fun game of random.
Almighty Defenders – Why 2009 was seven years ago. It’s officially a long time ago. Think about it. If you were even the hippest 12 year old listening to The Almighty Defenders, you are 19 years old now. There’s no way around it. Their album and their existence is forever special and will not be forgotten. It is laughable that there was any kind of seriousness associated with Almighty Defenders. I mean that in the best way. Black Lips & The King Khan & BBQ Show getting together, on a whim, given some bizarre circumstances. They did it.
Angry Angles – I was going to assume everybody knows this band, but I bet reality is not as convincing. This is Jay Reatard and Alix Brown’s band. They broke up, so did the band, and then Jay made Blood Visions. But from what I understand, a lot of those songs were already being performed by Angry Angles. Whatever – I am familiar with the three 7″s – Apparent-Transparent, Crowds, and Things Are Moving. Of course they were from Memphis. I would say contemporary bands from there must think fondly of the Angles.
Animal Collective – Say what you will about these guys, but they meant a lot to me from about 2007 to 2009. Their weirdness and noisiness more often than not IS rock ‘n roll to me, at least in its primitiveness and expanding creativity. I can hear the Beach Boys and Pavement influence as much as any of the avant-garde. I would like to revisit all of it. It will be okay to be weird. Yeah, I’ll check out the new one. Why not?
Atlas Sound – There is only one Bradford Cox. I admire him for his insane stretches of bedroom recordings. He has released some official albums and as well as many self-released Databank Volumes. By himself, Bradford touts absolute freedom, but in a very nostalgic and chill way. He is a sucker for the old fashioned ’50s/’60s pop format maybe more than the sound collage, but he liberally incorporates whatever he wants, however, he wants it. And that is something I admire and really learn a lot from with each thoughtful listen.
Ausmuteants – As far as synth ‘n roll is concerned, at least for the past couple years, these guys are the top. Comfortably. The Aussie DEVO I never grew up with, but with more of the Goner spunk. There’s a live video on YouTube where they played for well over 30 minutes on a bill with The Gories and Thee Oh Sees. And I had the funnest time watching them. Tells ya how excited I am about AUSMUTEANTS. Hope for another US tour this year!
PERHAPS they are more prevalent than I THOUGHT. Truly bizarre groups. I love ’em so much (usually) – those possessing that anything-is-possible vibe. Out there, out here, there’s a whole lot of rock ‘n roll, hey experimental, whatever, where you can just close your eyes and that’s it. You got it.
But no see, a band like Listening Woman who I first caught at Hassle Fest a few weeks ago, there’s a complete package involved. Eyes, ears, sense of space. If you have anxiety of like needing to know what’s happening at any given moment or you want some degree of control in your entertainment experience…this is when you pack your bags, and Netflix and chill. Go back to the Cabin. See, at a Listening Woman performance, and I’m no expert, I’ve seen ’em just once, there’s unpredictability and a spectrum of performance style that purposely teases and messes with the spectator. There are conventional components – not your parent’s conventions, unless they live a No Wave life – musicality I’d call it, and a feeling that this eight member (vocalist, guitarist, bassist, keyboardist, percussionist, drummer, saxophonist, and effects?player?) crew got together and previously ran through these numbers more than a time or two.
They keep a straight face too while playing. Being the outsider that I am, I don’t know any of the folks in the band. Probably should , they seem like a nice bunch. The other thing, well actually a few other things. The songs can change in like 5 seconds to something new. This is awesome! Another observation is that watching Listening Woman is watching a film or musical. A moving fantasy world. A world you are trapped in. In this way, I can’t help but think back to Memphis circa 2006 to 2011, with Girls of the Gravitron, The Barbaras (like this), and Magic Kids. Pop Dungeons and shit. Might just be my imagination and I’m missing the point entirely. In that case. GOOD.
Very, very excited to unleash this fresh batch of gunk for all you punk slimers out there. Somerville’s finest Future Spa have slithered their way into the KLYAM family and soon to be your family when you pick up their latest EP “Girl” (KLYAM-008/co-release with Bob Records) at the ill release show tonight (11/20) at Out of the Blue Too! You can also pick it up from the KLYAM online store: http://klyam.bigcartel.com/
Come out early to witness some snotty hooligans in The Double Buscemis, The Rococo Bang, and Johnnie and the Foodmasters.$7-10 Sliding Scale, 8 PM, ALL AGES! https://www.facebook.com/events/916792868404630/
Let me admit it, ok. Music videos are dead. What’s bustling with life and creativity is the no budget / voyeuristic / parental accompaniment advised home video, or compilation of fun times and jerking around. The rock ‘n hop trio originally from Newton, MASS teased us with this medium in their “Face In” video and glad to see it show again. What do you call it when you go to court quickly?
Everyone has a deep urging, a seated, notpatient, and ever intense longing for what I am terming PRIMITIVALIA – this stuff is a step back from modern man, from rightnow pop capabilities and sensibilities, but lemme tell you this is the realest of deals. Oh yes, very noisy, but heartfelt in the most uncontrived ways – just listen. You’ll get it I hope.
First, the debut recording from THE CAVEMEN – Banned Before Time. This is what it’s all about folks. Now full disclosure if anyone’s connecting dots here – I didn’t play on this recording and I am glad I didn’t – I’m just unbelievably grateful these guys let me react to their music from time to time LIVE. So if you want to know what complete freedom and just whatever goes, goes feels and sounds like, come on out to Harvard University this Friday, October 30, and see what Crypt Smarts (TM) looks like. The Cavemen. On this recording, Kurt and Couch nail the brute root elements of old timey frat rockers but of course that gets deconstructed in Bits and Spurts into metallic-y Lightning Bolt – so loosy Grey goosey you have to wonder if this is happily the best doomed equivalent of a Jam band. Thank you God this is a thing.
Now for the true sickos and sickettes. I present to you the mind of >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> and his sophomore release >>>>>>>>>>. Some might be familiar with his work in the live G. Gordon Gritty band on noise guitar – so if you ever wanted to hear what that dude is like on his own, left completely to his own devices, with a wooden or half broken guitar, homemade pedals, and a light switch, this is your chance. His straight to tape competency on this recording is quite literally the embodiment of rock ‘n roll and DO IT YOURSELF. Despite its minimalism, it might be his most accessible work. I can’t recommend the debut album enough though, there’s a lot more going on. It’s poetic. Happy to play with dude every chance I can. It’s special!
As everyone knows there are great shows, great potential shows, and then there are some times where the line-up is just insane. Then there are times where there are several fine ass shows going on the same night. This has been happening a lot lately in Boston and I take that as a strong sign that a variety of people are getting involved and putting their stake in local rock ‘n roll music.
But the show that we here at KLYAM are going to on Friday night is NOTS, URSULA, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS, and GERM HOUSE at Club Bohemia in Cambridge, presented by Illegally Blind.
I’m still giddy from my first time seeing NOTS perform, which was a month ago at Gonerfest 12 in Memphis. I’d been looking forward to seeing them ever since last summer when I picked up their second 7″, Fix / Modern. Even more so upon hearing their We Are Nots LP from last year. Pretty sure that was my favorite release of the year and cemented in my brain their status as my favorite band. Noisy chaotic slashing guitar, shouty vocals, and alien synths make ’em REAL OUT THERE while the bass and drum ground things slightly. “Reactor” and “Strange Rage” from the first album do it in particular for me – all winners though – and their new single Virgin Mary shows there’s no slowing down in sight. A MUST SEE BAND.
I’ve been acquainted with URSULA for almost exactly one year! I saw the duo play at Black Lodge on October 21, 2014, and was so intrigued I wrote about them the day after. I had never seen any band play like them – explicitly confrontational, raw, and yes there’s not many other ways to put it, punk. Several shows later, I still can’t get enough! Their performance goes to show that the most exciting live music is that which strays further and further away from formulas and conventional playing toward something very very real and meaningful. Not in a yay lets all relate to each other way. Something far more sinister than that. Not something I can write “when Caity stares at you, you feel _________”. I’m not going to speak on your behalf. You get from it – something different. I’d say if they don’t become your new favorite Boston band, you done something wrong.
Also playing are The (New England) Patriots – who’ve played their way to being local noise punk legends. Persistently under the radar, I’d say, they seem to evade most online merchants of cool. Well not here. They also weird as fuck, a truly unpredictable three piece. Instead of synths they got I don’t even know, some combination of devices inside of an old voting booth. Like URSULA there’s a chance the singer be bumping into you or falling on the ground nearby. An amazing sight and sound.
Finally is a band I’ve never heard of – Germ House. Now if it was 1979, I wouldn’t have the means of looking them up beforehand. Let alone do I even want to? For fear of misrepresentation or pigeonholing which I guess is innately a part of this post anyway, I’ll simply say I’m excited. I did the looking and I did the listening. Excellent.
Kickin off Parallax Error with some ole ’50s, ’60s Bo Diddley guitaring but that ain’t half of it. If it’s from Australia and it’s on AARGHT and GONER it’s gonna be pretty off and it’s gonna be pretty much the best shit you’ve listened to all year. Happened last year with me and the Ausmuteants. Great thing too is you can jump in after the fact, you know after their first few singles and/or album, and still feel OG because what they doing never loses its realness quotient. So with the Hierophants, I see ma boy Jake is in the band, in fact this was recorded behind his old house. Sounds pretty legitimate to me, but I’m the last to know about production.
For all I know these Australians could be fly by nighters, forming and disbanding just to confuse us Americans, right more than a few of us try too hard to sound ‘right’ or something like that. This Hierophants album, mostly, is that fine mesh of synth and vocal kinkiness – music to anyone’s ears who knows what I’m talking about – and bass/drum groove funkiness. I kinda fell off the new wave old wave synth wave black wave thing somewhere between Devo and the Lost Sounds (fucked up, didn’t I?, but place this down with a soft cushion in between those eras. Those epochs.
And I can’t tell the difference between guitar and synth. Everything is so mechanical, but unpredictable and doesn’t that vibe with rock ‘n roll legends in bands previously mentioned? I’ve realized it’s dumb to comment on songs versus provocation and why things are exciting while I listen and type. Cause it’s weird. But the music is fairly nerdy too. This is the dance music of somewhere. If the Hierophants are a top spin in a modern DJ’s collection, damn, come on please transport me there and allow me to spend some vacation days. They don’t let things get too f’ed and they intelligent too.
Tomorrow night (Saturday, October 3rd), we blast back to 1964 with golden oldies oders Johnnie and the Foodmasters, garage slingers, The Shallow End Divers, and the fiercest pups in town, Drug Dogs. KLYAM DJ set in between bands!
It all goes down at Club Bohemia (the Cantab Lounge basement) in Central Square, Cambridge. $8, 8:30, 21+. Be there or be a square! UP YOUR NOSE WITH A RUBBER HOSE! https://www.facebook.com/events/1665084857039563/
Kids Like You & Me (KLYAM) 