be there and rock out with us! doors @ 8pm, $10!

it’s gonna be wild..

demons,

- da leopard

ps: we totally surpassed our top hits EVER this month – over 3,000 views… YES! 

THANK YOU! please keep reading, keep sharing, keep liking. we appreciate everything!

In January, I wrote here that The Shape of Punk to Come, by the Swedish hardcore band Refused is a must-own album due to its uncanny levels of creativity and staggering influence on the world of heavy music. I’d also mentioned on a few occasions that the anti-capitalism/anti-establishment/anti-anything-organized lyrics contained in said record are still incredibly relevant and “could give the Occupy movement a potential rallying cry.” Thanks to a twist of fate, or sheer laziness, Da Leopard finally posted the piece about a week ago [ed's note: i resent that..], days before Refused were set to play the yearly Music Festival To End All Music Festivals, also known as Coachella, and two sold-out nights at Terminal 5 in New York City, none of which I was aware were in the works upon penning my article last winter.

Incredibly, I was able to, not only seemingly score tickets to last night’s Terminal 5 show, but I hijacked them off StubHub just this past Tuesday for seventeen bleepin’ dollars! Throw in the required overnight shipping and fees and I swore that my fake Refused ticket was in the mail. But, oh no, by Friday afternoon my very legit-looking pass was in my hand and I cradled it like I might imagine one would a baby sloth who had lost its way.

Sunday had come and, wondering when the jig would be up, I anxiously handed my ticket over to the girl who really looked like she wanted to be there, so she could infrared Star Trek laser blast the barcode and, potentially, allow me into the venue. Alas, God saw that the ticket was good.

I was in. Like a boss, I got the rail (which means I was in the “front row” of a general admission show for those of you not familiar with the extensive concert-going lingo. If you’re really interested in getting the ball rolling on such an education, I suggest you look up “merch” and “wristband,” which has a distinct definition given the context).

The Brooklyn-based underground punk outfit Cerebral Ballzy was up first and boy were they bad. Despite the fact that nothing could lessen the level of excitement I was experiencing, it’s noteworthy to quickly offer to you just one of the baker’s dozen of reasons why they were so awful: their song topics. The singer apathetically attributed his inspiration for the indecipherable lyrics of their second tune to “the cheese triangle. This one’s about pizza.” From there they moved into songs about “drinking beer,” “skateboarding,” “not going to school,” which many of us “idiots” would “probably have to do tomorrow,” and, my personal favorite, “not having enough money for the bus.” I was wondering when the song about “buying a chain wallet” would grace us, but they must’ve forgotten to scrawl it on the set list.

Finally, the time came and Terminal 5 was effectively renamed Creedmoor Psychiatric Center. Properly, Refused unleashed the opening track of Shape to propel us down the white water rapids of sheer hardcore mania. Song after intricate song was performed with incredible precision, impressive for a “punk” band that, aside from their Friday night Coachella set, hadn’t played together since 1998. During their first break, the band’s frontman, Dennis Lyxzen, pleased the New York City crowd by crediting a half dozen old school local hardcore bands for inspiring them and telling an unfortunate story about misconstruing the borders of “New York,” having to once play in Long Island when they thought they’d booked a gig in Manhattan.

More music came and went with my ribs continuing to bruise up against the barrier as the frothing moshers forced the crowd to sway in every direction. Lou from Sick Of It All came out to perform “It’s Clobbering Time” and “Injustice System,” two New York Hardcore classics.

The most poignant moment of the night though came upon the introduction of two older crowd favorites from their second album, “Rather Be Dead” and “Coup D’Etat.” Lyxzen reflected upon his own lyrics in all of their songs, most of which were written over a decade and a half ago, calling them “naïve, dystopic, and angry.” Then he paused and noted that “they mean more today than they ever did,” which is why, after all these years, they finally decided to reunite.

Thus, the true purpose of this post has finally revealed itself. The Shape of Punk to Come, and perhaps the entire Refused catalogue, is emerging out of the “must-own” category and into another, more elite one. These songs are becoming some of the most important music ever written, standing next to the likes of The Rolling Stones, The Sex Pistols, The Ramones, and Radiohead. Thankfully, the band is cognizant of this and, as I left Terminal 5 and walked through the hardest rain I could ever remember being in, I wondered what we would be in store for next.

Beginning to make his rounds on Internet blogs, Michael Stahl is on a mission to alter your perception of stuff. Be it the world of entertainment, sports, culture, or society as a whole, read him only with an open mind, or harm yourself trying. Check out his film and television “counter-criticism” blog Walter Peck Was Just Doing His Job. With whatever energy you have left, consume his interviews for IntellectualTimes.com, STAHLing for Time. He has marked his territory on MindBombed.com and now is proud to leave an imprint upon Sugar-N-Thunder.com.

That Inspired Big-Name Acts You Probably Don’t Own, But Totally Should

A Blessay by Michael Stahl

Refused – The Shape of Punk to Come: A Chimerical Bombination in 12 Bursts
Released: 1998 Genre: Punk/Hardcore/Emo/Screamo
Influenced: At The Drive-In/The Mars Volta, Isis, Thursday, Panic! At The Disco

From the moment this album begins with a sound byte declaration of “They told me the classics never go out of style, but they do, they do. Somehow baby, I never thought that we’d do too,” privileged listeners become immediately cognizant of an impending assault of creativity comparable to few other sources. Now over 13 years old and the extreme polar opposite of “dated,” this work of Swedish hardcore rockers sounds as fresh and edgy as ever, thankfully rendering that intro’s self-fulfilling prophecy unfounded. Pit Shape against any punk album since and many would have a fit trying to comprehend how it has gone so unnoticed in the mainstream and calculating an assumed release date would prove equally as trying. As the United States continues to toil in rocky, murky economic waters, the opening lyric “I’ve got a bone to pick with capitalism / And a few to break” could give the Occupy movement a potential rallying cry. From “Worms of the Senses / Faculties of the Skull,” the newly-hooked travel through some radio station signals (interludes that were totally jacked by Panic! At The Disco on their work A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out) to land on “Liberation Frequency,” a track about the band’s desire to hear more envelope-pushing music dominate the airwaves, vocally highlighted by: “We don’t just want air time / We want all the time / All of the time.” After the eardrum clapping “The Deadly Rhythm” (with jazz ensemble intro), the more catchy “Summerholidays vs. Punkroutine,” and the acid jazz break “Bruitish Pome #5,” the album’s cornerstone track “New Noise” begins to unfold with marching band drums building upon a repetitive guitar sequence. After a slowed-down house music sidestep, vocalist Dennis Lyxzen returns to yelp: “Can I scream?,” hoping that the louder he offers the option to listen to more challenging works of art, the more people will heed the call. Some of the most incredible audio engineering exists midway through this LP when, as “New Noise” comes to a prolonged, screeching close, a live speech about capitalism actually being “organized crime” is blended in as a skit/intro to “Refused Party Program,” creating the illusion that the previous song was being performed on stage all along. More calls for revolution are announced in “Protest Song ’68,” a plea for people to revert back to the proactive mindset of the 1960s. By the time one gets to the tour de force “Tannhauser / Derive,” exhaustion may have settled in, but the Celtic violin startup will redux the hype that has been similarly insisted upon by Dropkick Murphys in their more recent and popular classic “I’m Shipping Up to Boston.” Front-to-back, The Shape of Punk to Come is a must-own and appears to only have grown in terms of relevance and importance.

The Buzzcocks – Singles: Going Steady
Released: 1977-1979 Genre: Punk
Influenced: Nirvana, The Strokes, Hüsker Dü

Formed in the mid-70s, The Buzzcocks were part of the initial wave of British punk along with better-known acts Joy Division and The Sex Pistols. Likely the more (relatively) unassuming of that triumvirate of bands, The Buzzcocks are often overlooked, but this collection of their initial singles and corresponding B-sides proves that to be most unjust. “Orgasm Addict” gets things kick-started by delivering a traditional, straightforward, wry punk anthem about, yes, jacking off, followed by Pete Shelley’s call for romance in “What Do I Get?” Featuring harmonies that harken back to early Beach Boys and Beatles records, “I Don’t Mind” and “Love You More” aim to please the pop kids. “Ever Fallen in Love?,” the band’s best-known song, has their thumb prints all over it, but is about the oft encountered conundrum of badly wanting to be with the wrong person, so it has found itself covered by the likes of Robert Plant, Elton John, David Gilmour, and many others. Subtle dynamics persist throughout Singles and are perhaps best exhibited on “Harmony in My Head,” where Steve Diggle takes over singing and songwriting duties to include nifty little guitar riffs that depart from the typical power chord barrage. Humor is evoked in the titles “Noise Annoys,” a catchy tune about teens wanting to listen to loud music, despite their parents’ objectionable cries, “Oh Shit!,” and the elongated “Why Can’t I Touch It?,” while jealousy-laced complaints construct “Everybody’s Happy Nowadays,” all delivered with that unquestionably necessary punk attitude that inspired Kurt Cobain to buy their ski cap and, like, write music.

The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion! – Orange
Released: 1994 Genre: Blues/Rock
Influenced: The White Stripes, The Black Keys

Name a genre of music and The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion! have found themselves toying with it at some point in their songbook, but on their distinct opus Orange, the focus is blues/rock that just happens to be on crystal meth. The album’s opener “Bellbottoms” begins with their signature pounding kick and bass and obnoxiously cheap-sounding fuzzy electric guitar, with a string arrangement thrown in for good measure. After a brief instrumental intro, an echo-heavy Spencer thanks his imaginary crowd for showing up and explains that he’s going to tell them about “the fabulous, most groovy bellbottoms.” If Tourette’s syndrome had a soundtrack, “Bellbottoms” would be it. A slightly more down-home blues feel is granted to “Ditch” with the chaos quickly being ratcheted up again in “Dang.” “Very Rare” offers an instrumental reprieve as Spencer coolly layers his guitar tracks over straightforward blues drums and bass with an organ making an appearance as well. The self-congratulatory “Sweat” is one of the album’s major highlights and “Cowboy,” naturally, goes the country route with the vocalist employing a southern twang. The album’s somehow endearing title track has a completely indecipherable theme, ironically making way for the most digestible song, “Brenda,” who Spencer explains has “got to have the money” for him, though how much and for what is unclear. It doesn’t get much heavier than “Dissect” and “Blues X Man” is all about his love-making ability and subsequent recovery time that can apparently be interrupted by the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Undoubtedly, “Full Grown” shows up next on the track list because it outlines the body specifications needed for a woman to endure such a Spencer sexual encounter, while “Flavor” and “Greyhound” round out the 13 songs of explosive chaos needed for the band to live up to their name. The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion! are not nearly as palatable as anything Black Keys, but if the mood is right, they are certainly a much more exciting listen.

Radiohead – The Bends
Released: 1995 Genre: Alternative Rock
Influenced: Coldplay, et al.

Granted: Radiohead is a world-renowned super group, but their second effort The Bends is often looked upon as the album in between the one that had “Creep” and their universe-altering OK Computer. In the U.S., it has achieved platinum status, but that took quite a while, and all of their subsequent albums have reached significantly higher on the charts than the 88th slot, which was all that The Bends could muster. With Coldplay’s singer Chris Martin telling anybody who will listen that they’ve ripped Radiohead off countless times on their way to cataclysmic record sales, The Bends becomes more valuable because this is likely the one Radiohead album that Coldplay is most reminiscent of. As a precursor to the futuristic sound of OK Computer, “Planet Telex” opens The Bends with ghostly, wavy sound effects and an echoing keyboard on top of a sweet Phil Selway drum beat. The electric guitar kicks in quickly (I don’t think there was one of those on Kid A), with Thom Yorke’s voice of gold not far behind, explaining, “You can force it but it will not come / You can taste it but it will not form,” as if to prophetically suggest that their commercial success from Pablo Honey wasn’t guaranteed this time around. The album’s title track follows with a catchy-by-Radiohead-standards hook of “My baby’s got the bends, oh no / We don’t have any real friends, no, no, no.” The soothing singles “High and Dry” and “Fake Plastic Trees” show up back-to-back, which some scientists say are 49 times better than anything Coldplay has put out, and have held up incredibly well. The alt-rock kicks back in with “Bones,” and after a brief acoustic-based departure in “(Nice Dream),” “Just” and “My Iron Lung” provide the album’s balls. The closer is one of the band’s greatest, most haunting songs (and music videos) about a person facing their impending death: “Street Spirit (Fade Out).” Now go help The Bends continue its delayed sales success and find out why it’s had significant critical acclaim all along.

Far – Water and Solutions
Released: 1998 Genre: Rock/Alternative Rock/Post Hardcore/Emo
Influenced: Thursday, Coheed and Cambria, Blink 182, Funeral For A Friend

Featuring the incomparable Jonah Matranga on vocals, Far’s best album is one that is exceptionably listenable because it has since been done and redone many times over by other acts. Like The Shape of Punk to Come, newcomers to Water and Solutions will be shocked at its late 90s release date and the album’s opener “Bury White” immediately validates that claim. Heavy guitars and hardcore drumbeats fuse to create Far’s miraculously traditional yet somehow contemporary sound. Associate those elements with universally appealing lyrics, like “We find another way / We dream up stupid shit / To while away our days / There’s time for everything / We’re always searching for what’s wrong,” and a classic emerges that just slipped off the proverbial boat to commercial success. Matranga’s voice juggles between raw and soothing throughout, settling on the latter in “Really Here,” but shifting back the other way with hints of distortion on the title track. The band’s most recognizable tune, the singable “Mother Mary,” which has been covered by Thursday and others, is about accepting the inevitable death of a mother: “Like Elvis, like everyone / We all die, we all live on in photos / And paperbacks, if we’re lucky / We’re coming back.” Post breakup bitterness is the topic of “I Like It” and the action doesn’t stop with a driving bass line in Matranga’s tribute to aesthetic beauty and a man’s relentless sexual desire in “Wear It So Well.” “Man Overboard” is another great track that shows off the band’s usual coy, but brutal dynamics. In a quick paced 40-minute runtime, Water and Solutions is an album that defines the phrase “before its time” and needs to be treated as such with downloads and listens that will be sure to impress unknowing friends.

Beginning to make his rounds on Internet blogs, Michael Stahl is on a mission to alter your perception of stuff. Be it the world of entertainment, sports, culture, or society as a whole, read him only with an open mind, or harm yourself trying. Check out his film and television “counter-criticism” blog Walter Peck Was Just Doing His Job. With whatever energy you have left, consume his interviews for IntellectualTimes.com, STAHLing for Time. He has marked his territory on MindBombed.com and now is proud to leave an imprint upon Sugar-N-Thunder.com.

i first heard 18-year-old UK musician ed tullett‘s song “ribboned blood“ on a random tumblr playlist, and was struck immediately by the jangling banjo and his strong, distinct sound, both musically and lyrically. the brooding acoustics on his new album never joy - released december 2011 – were completely (and impressively!) written, recorded, and produced by ed himself. he’s a great example of just how independently successful you can be when you embrace what the internet can do for your music. never joy is available for free download on bandcamp, and thanks to his open dialogue with fans from around the globe on multiple social media platforms (and of course his undeniable talent), the first pressing of his CD recently sold out. we spoke to ed to find out more about his music, what inspires him, how he feels about the new model of the music industry, and more. check it out!

1. describe yourself in three words: GO!

Cynical, self-concious (counts as one!), dull (what a well-rounded person).

2. how long have you been making music?

I started writing songs when I was around 14 or 15, when I first got my acoustic (the same one I use now in fact, I saved up so long for it!). My old songs were so formulaic and terrible, something I hope I’ve moved on from now, but I’m sure some would beg to differ! But it all comes with experience, and trial and error, and before I wasn’t writing stuff that meant anything to me – now I am.

3. your lyrics are quite beautiful – raw and poetic, layered with meaning. do you find that you purposely sit down to write a song or you’re struck by the muse at random moments?

Whenever I write it’s usually because I feel inspired. I would never want to try and write anything for the sake of it, or force it. If it means leaving an unfinished poem, or song, until later, then so be it. It’ll be worth it in the long run.

4. you’re 18 years old with a great album out on the internet via bandcamp (for free!) – how do you feel about the new model that has replaced artists depending solely on record labels for promotion and distribution? what has your experience been and where do you see the music industry going?

I think the use of the internet and social media to distribute and raise awareness about music, for both unsigned and huge artists, is a fantastic thing. I’d never have got even a hundredth of the people who have heard my album to do so without the internet, and I certainly wouldn’t be talking to you! It still sparks debate though, you have to be careful, and certain people do abuse it – the free and easy way that absolutely anyone can share their views on anything on sites like Twitter is sometimes not always a good thing.

I think the music industry will grow as a result, but maybe with a decline in physical media, and an emphasise on live shows as a way for artists to make money. I don’t have a problem with illegal downloading, as long as it’s just a single person downloading the music for their own personal enjoyment, or to share with friends, but I do object to people sharing music illegally on a mass scale to people they don’t know. It’s why I made the album free, it encourages sharing and the love of music.

5. what songs on never joy are you proudest of, and why?

I’ve been asked this a few times, and it’s a question I slightly object to. I don’t think any artist should release anything until they’re fully pleased with it! The album as a whole I’m very proud of, but if I was forced, then the 3 bonus tracks that come with the download of the album (‘Father Figurine,’ ‘Boyhood’ and ‘Knots’) are the ones I’m least proud of, I made them bonus tracks for a reason, they just didn’t end up sounding how I wanted to, and I couldn’t seem to get them to do so. I’ve had quite a few people saying they love ‘Knots,’ but personally it’s my least favourite song on the album!

6. tell us about your recording process and how this album came to be.

When I started writing Never Joy I began employing a technique whereby I write poems first, and then when I write music and melodies I fit them over the top. This way the words come much more naturally – I’m not inhibited by trying to fit in rhymes or rhythms. If I do need to change a word or two, then I can do that when I write the music, but it’s something I’m slightly against. Lyrics should be honest, and the best way to do that, or so I’ve found personally, is to write about something without being confined by musical walls (albeit probably the most wonderful walls in the world, they are walls all the same). The album was recorded with two microphones and a computer in my bedroom. I like to keep things simple, that way it sounds much more natural and honest.

7. who or what are your greatest influences?

Justin Vernon is a huge influence. I remember when I first heard “Re: Stacks,” and watched that infamous performance of “Skinny Love” on Jools Holland, something just clicked. I knew this was the kind of music I wanted to be writing – soaked in emotion, coming from somewhere so genuine, somewhere so perfectly open and honest.

Other artists I’m hugely influenced by include Radiohead (their influence may not be evident stylistically, but they are my favourite band ever), Sufjan Stevens, Arcade Fire, Fleet Foxes, Iron & Wine, Keaton Henson, S. Carey, Grizzly Bear – so many I haven’t mentioned, I could go on for pages and pages.

BONUS! recommend 1 thing you love that we should check out in the following categories:
a) MUSIC! I guess it’s probably best to pick something relatively unknown. I guess I’ll go for Keaton Henson, or Tubelord.
b) FILM! I’m not great at talking about films, but I really like the two films that Xavier Dolan has released thus far, I Killed My Mother and Heartbeats.
c) WEBSITES! If you’re a new band or musician starting up, please don’t go anywhere near MySpace, or even, in my opinion, Soundcloud – Soundcloud is so impersonal and uninspiring to look at, every page looks the same. Everyone should use Bandcamp – it’s so simple, you can make it look fantastic, and it’s a brilliant way to sell downloads and physical media.
d) BOOKS! I hardly ever read, and I really wish I did so more. I guess I’ll just say The Catcher In the Rye.
e) PLACES TO CHECK OUT IN YOUR HOMETOWN! Don’t come to my hometown, it’s emphatically boring. Go somewhere you’ve always wanted to go instead! I’ll be studying at University in London from October hopefully, so why not visit London if you’ve never been haha.

thanks, ed – really looking forward to new sounds from you!

KEEP IN TOUCH: like ed on facebook, and follow him on tumblr and twitter!

- da leopard

Introducing the next candidate to fill out SUGAR -N- THUNDER’s New World Order Employment Application: CONNOR DWYER!

Connor Dwyer is the cousin of SNT’s pal Mike Wilson. Clearly acting crazy on the internet runs in the blood. Like Mike and I, Connor acts, shoots and edits his original YouTube content – though he is usually busy pranking his brother, covering songs or posting challenges. He’s stepped up his production with a newly acquired green screen (they can be so fun… and tortuous) and is posting new videos with a mix of commentary on pop culture while showing off his skills.

Who I am & what I do:

I’m a YouTuber and aspiring filmmaker.

Projects you should know about:

The rest of Connor’s work can be found HERE!

The Survey:

1. What defines awesomeness to you? When you see/do/feel/experience/etc. something and it makes your jaw drop every time – that is true awesomeness.

2. Have you ever had a near-death experience? Yes, multiple times! I was hit by a car when I was 8. Luckily I only got a few scratches but then, due to being a skater my whole life, one time I got hung up on a high-ass rail. Whew, if my balls didn’t hit that rail my face would have been done for!

3. If you could be absolute ruler of the world for a day, what’s the first thing you’d do? I would make it absolute law that I was ruler of the world for the rest of my life so I could do whatever the fuck I want.

4. What’s your guilty pleasure? Oh boy, I would say walking around my house naked. A lot of people like it but I would do it all the time if I could.

5. What do you know now that you wish you knew as a teen/kid? But I am a teen/kid! Well if I had to answer I’d probably say knowing how to play 9+ instruments. I feel like that would’ve come in handy.

6. What’s the most awesome concert you’ve ever been to, and why? Is it too egotistical to say one of my own? Oh well, my old band and I played a boat show where the boat went out to sea. After our set we all just partied the rest of the night on the boat. Ahhh memories…

7. Tell us a quote/phrase/lyric that sums you up.
going out tonight
leave the ball and chain behind
just another day
another story
- “Another Story” by Clearview77

8. What’s the worst film/best film you’ve seen? It’s so hard to pick just one being as I love films and movies, I really can’t pick.

9. If I was in a freak show I’d be…
a. contortionist
b. sword swallower
c. fire-eater
d. where I belong, duh.

Is it sad that I already know how to eat fire and swallow swords? … I used to be a magician lol so I’ll pick D.

10. It’s 2012, for f@&*(!’s sake. Where’s my ___?
a. flying car
b. 10-foot microwave
c. sex robot
d. hoverboard
e. colony on mars
f. vibrating calculator

Definitely a hoverboard. I mean I’ve seen crappy prototypes that use lift magnets and batteries. They worked for like a millisecond then I lost balance and it shot out and broke :(

*BONUS* What cartoon or TV show do you wish you could put back on air? Aww theres so many shows, can I just say the entire late 80s early 90s cartoon era? Yea that sounds about right.

*SUPER BONUS* Make up a name for a new sex act/position. Go! The Pinching Purple Panda. I don’t know why but that sounds dirty to me.

Thanks Connor, but I have to say – it’s AWESOME that you can eat fire and swallow swords!! That would make for a great video!!!

You can also check out Connor out on Facebook and be sure to ‘like’ his page!

Until next time!

-Eric

[questions by eric whiptastic & audrey leopard; compiled by eric whiptastic]

FUCTIPHINO: 1) A mystical animal; 2) #%^&!@$?/*; 3) A punk rock trio from Brooklyn, NY.

Lee Pilgrim drives me to Brooklyn and I meet up with the rest of FUCTIPHINO around 1pm. Their practice space is located in the basement of an apartment building, on one of Bushwick’s residential streets. They’re hanging outside, sipping their morning coffee, and Babs is cursing out loud at the paper cup for being too hot. Tim Skrewd is chewing his sandwich and complaining about a headache from a party he went to a night before. It’s still just a casual Saturday morning for the three of them although the time is long past noon already. Once Tim’s sandwich is gone they go downstairs, plug in their gear, tune up, and pound through their set which takes approximately twenty minutes. The music is quick, loud, simple, with a few curse words here and there. But hey, it’s punk rock! And as opposed to many punk rock bands – you can actually hear what these guys are saying. “We don’t crank our instruments up to the max like most bands do,” Lee Pilgrim tells me during their cigarette break, “our lyrics are just as important as our music. It would be good for people to hear what we have to say.”

Who are these three guys, you ask? Fucked if I know!

No, seriously, I’m not being rude. FUCTIPHINO, pronounced “Fucked-If-I-Know” as you might have guessed, is a simple-minded and straight-forward punk rock trio from Brooklyn, New York. “Why do you spell your title this way?” I ask the lead vocalist and bassist Lee Pilgrim. “Well,” Lee tells me, “imagine, that you’re in a safari, right? You’re wearing the whole hunter gear, have a gun by your side and you’re driving around looking to kill the infamous, bloodthirsty Fuctiphino. Get it?” That pretty much sums it up, I think.

FUCTIPHINO arose from the ashes of two other projects previously fronted by Lee Pilgrim. Looking to form another band “who wouldn’t be a chore this time around, but fun and laid back instead,” Lee met the drummer Babs at the Angels & Kings bar. The duo latter jammed at Astoria Soundworks and clicked. “He had this huge blue mohawk and muttonchops at the time,” Babs recalls, “and he had all these fast-paced songs written already. We played them together and it sounded good. But now I had to get my drumset!”

Picking up Babs’ drums from a little town called Templeton, Massachusetts was a crucial event to the formation of FUCTIPHINO but neither one of the musicians knew it then.

“We picked up the drums,” Lee is telling me, “and on the way we visited one of the only two bars in an entire town called ‘Red Onion.’ On the stage there was a band called ‘Go Gadget Go’ playing all these covers and while they were taking a break I sought out their guitarist Ryan and asked him if Babs and I could go up there and play a few songs of ours. They were cool with it, but the crowd wasn’t really feeling our music. Before ‘Go Gadget Go’ went back up Ryan told me that back in New York he knows someone who could be a perfect guitarist for us. And that’s how we met Tim Skrewd! Tim hooked me up with a ticket to see NOFX and the first time we met was while fist-pumping at a punk rock show. That alone says a lot about Tim’s character, I think.”

Skrewd was a final piece that solidified the sound Lee and Babs were looking for and the trio hit it off.

Initially called Fight Against the band soon dropped the politically-charged title and switched to a phrase Skrewd likes to throw out there a lot – “We realized that a serious name didn’t really fit us anymore. We’re punk rockers and it is true that a part of punk rock is quite serious. But we also would like to write a song or two about Scott Baio, so… fucked if I know!”

FUCTIPHINO’s structure is as simplistic as punk could possibly get, but that’s precisely where the gem of these guys lies. The obvious simplicity doesn’t leave much room for neglect, and each member needs to contribute an equal amount of work, songwriting included. Their lyrics range from humorous anecdotes to poking fun at United States presidency and commenting on social problems the troubled youth of America is facing. “We’re pissed off at everything and we put the ideas and anger of the three of us together. Neither one of us is ever left out when writing songs, but that’s the only way to get our music to sound like FUCTIPHINO and nobody else,” Skrewd tells me. He is straight-forward about his love for music. “Punk rock is my heartbeat!” he says. “Slow my songs down and they are country songs, but ha! We play them fast!” Lee expresses his feelings towards the current situation in the punk scene with frustration in his voice. He says that “people seem to have lost sight of what punk is. It really doesn’t matter anymore if you have a mohawk, how tight your pants are, how many pairs of Doc Martens you own, and how big the studs are on your fuckin’ leather jacket! It’s not an image, it’s a mentality! There are bands out there that will decide to play punk rock because it’s cool, and there are also bands that play punk rock because they feel totally alienated from everything and everyone and punk is the only way to express themselves. It’s always so easy to tell the two apart! As for me – punk is all I have. It has been by my side through everything that I’ve been through.” And the drummer Babs… Well, according to Lee Pilgrim, Babs has been going through his educational punk rock history and appreciation course ever since joining the band. “I’ve been getting into The Queers lately,” Babs tells me. ”Seeing The Queers live was badass! They pounded through thirty-plus songs in forty minutes. It was awesome!”

So what exactly does a FUCTIPHINO show look like?

As the band puts it – “If you’re trying to find some good looking musicians, then you’re at the wrong show!” For starters, there’s a big dude behind the drums beating them in total nonchalance. And also there’s a guy in a superhero t-shirt playing guitar and singing about how he cancelled Christmas (and he may seem like a dick, but he feels pretty good about it!). A mysterious masked bassist sports tattooed arms and a Scott Pilgrim grin. And the three of them harmonize their vocals. It already sounds like they are having fun, doesn’t it? ”That’s what it really is all about,” Lee tells me. “When playing with other bands it was always difficult to get everyone to focus and practice enough. And there were always scheduling conflicts. I grew tired of that. Maintaining a band means a lot of discipline and no pay. Playing underground music doesn’t pay much, but some people don’t understand that. We are a small band and don’t have a big fan base. Punk is not that big of a scene in general and it will take time for us to get recognized, if it even happens at all. Look at the Bouncing Souls from New Jersey! They are among the biggest names in the scene right now and always sell out venues, as do NOFX, Bad Religion and Rancid. But it took the Bouncing Souls over fifteen years to get there! And some people want it all now or never. It doesn’t work that way.” Tim Skrewd ensures that the FUCTIPHINO guys are not looking to get rich. “For now, we are doing this because it’s fun for us, and if others are having fun too – then that’s even better! We recently played an acoustic gig at the Angels & Kings which is unusual for us. People were sitting down before we came on stage, but we immediately got everyone to stand up and move closer. This way we created a more intimate atmosphere and got a lot of positive feedback. If we continue to play shows and have at least one new person seeing us live each time, eventually the time will come when we will play for more people in bigger venues along with bigger bands. That would be sweet.”

Within the next couple of months or so we should be hearing more about FUCTIPHINO – these guys are making plans for a record. “We practice a lot and already have a pretty big number of songs ready to be recorded,” Lee tells me, “and we will mix, master, and press the record ourselves. It’s the twenty-first century – musicians don’t need the big corporations anymore to get their music out there for people to hear.” In the meantime [at the time of this writing] – the band is on “March Madness,” playing a show every week in New York, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire. “Once we have the record out and can pass it around – we hope to get recognized more and eventually play bigger venues, such as the Gramercy and Irving Plaza. One brick at a time.”

So there you have it… but one question has still been left unanswered.

Why is the bassist wearing a mask all the time?

…Fucked if I know! :)

* photos by ignas bautrenas

Ignas Bautrenas is a short story writer and journalist born in Vilnius, Lithuania who currently lives in Astoria, NY. He attended Hunter College from 2004-2009 and graduated with a BA in English. Ignas currently writes for sugarnthunder.com, manomuzika.lt, 15min.lt and other publications.

so. HOLY SHIT GUYS.

by now everyone knows that sugar -n- thunder’s favorite band the giraffes played their last show with frontman aaron lazar in feb of 2011. aaron took some time off (and composed some improvised experiments of the “bitter, sparse, dark and expansive” kind) but is now rocking away with DON’T, and the rest of the giraffes – drew on drums, jens on bass, damien on sweet, sweet geetar (and vox!) – have since picked themselves up two lovely ladies with killer pipes by the name of kimberly and brianna, and have birthed a ssssexy new giraffe of a different color.. err. yeah.

it’s THE GIRAFFES… THE NEXT GENERATION!

we are ALWAYS thrilled to see damien, jens, and drew doing what they do best, but the last show they played – their triumphant return to mercury lounge last month – really took the proverbial (jameson-soaked) cake.

they kicked the night off with some nasty surfy jams and sprawling slow numbers punched up with accompanying vocals from the ladies, which is the way the giraffes had been rocking out for the past few shows they played since parting ways with aaron (for the first return gig at st vitus, i believe they were accompanied by – the also very lovely – joanna of the midnight show and bayli from the skins). here and there was a recognizable track like the instrumental “ESF” from their last full-length prime motivator or even a holy throwback from franksquilt (the original giraffes album – pre-aaron, super surf, damien on vox and tim kent – who, did we mention, is a fucking amazing artist?! – on bass).. but mostly it was NEW SHIT – including the track “shaman shakes” from their next album (a soundtrack!..?!!), entitled the tales of the black whistle. NOTE: you can watch a performance of that song HERE as filmed at adrian grenier’s awesome new project wreckroom records (NICE)!

BUT THEN. THEN, ladies & gents, they surprised the living shit out of us. suddenly – a familiar intro.. the ruled epic “THE CITY” begins and.. KIMBERLY IS SINGING THE LYRICS! and as if that wasn’t awesome enough, then we get another surprise with both girls singing a vampy, raunchy reworking of “THE BORDER” that starts out almost totally unfamiliar but then builds and builds to the reprised chant all giraffes fans now know by heart.. WE! GET WHAT WE WANT! AND WHAT WE WANT! IS WHAT YOU GOT! get. the FUCK OUT! and after that.. an insane finale – kimberly on lead with brianna backing as they blast through “DONE” from prime motivator! we were, in no uncertain terms, ELATED. this is what we were hoping for - the giraffes building upon their legacy and yet becoming something new. the girls aren’t just singing backup, and aren’t just standing in for aaron, whose boots no one could EVER fill. they are truly holding their own as something different – messing with the guys, egging on the crowd, playing around with each other – and yes, even swigging some jameson here and there (naturally!).

in this newest incarnation (which we think suits them the best thus far since their return), we see the band unleashing new tracks, spicing up old instrumentals with vox, AND churning out giraffes classics (yes, they’re classics) with a new flavor, which we assure you is not just the taste of drew’s loogie – we think… and let me just say that not just any ladies could hang with the giraffes we know – but kimberly and brianna CAN, and as they continue getting more and more comfortable rocking the fuck out as the crowned giraffe queens they now are, we can’t WAIT to see what’s in store for old and new fans alike.

CATCH ‘EM: they’re playing trash bar 4/20, studio at webster hall 6/2 with goes cube (!!), st vitus in july, and hopefully more in between.

click here for the rest of our giraffes posts, here they are on facebook, andddd.. here’s a(nother) fucking podcast..!

LONG LIVE THE GIRAFFES!

- da leopard

thank you, bill oberst jr.* you are pretty damn awesome.

this video is relatively short and you should watch it, especially if you’re chasing a dream.

sometimes you just need a reminder that even if you were or are the underdog, misfit, bullied, “freak of nature” – you can be stronger for it. on the playground or in the classroom when you were just a kid, or while fighting for a dream for the rest of your life – you can get knocked down, but get back up again. you can “turn your vocation into your occupation.”

as part of this interview, in another video he also spoke about actors getting their own work and not relying solely on their agent/manager. it applies directly to actors but it’s also a bigger issue.. when it comes to doing what you want to do in life – don’t rely on gatekeepers or displace the responsibility you hold for your OWN life and journey onto someone else. don’t make excuses. do whatever you can to blaze your own trail. everyone will tell you no.. say YES.

* bill is a creeptastic horror/thriller actor based in LA who started in theatre and went on to earn tons of film/TV/internet credits, among them – playing the face of the viral facebook app take this lollipop AND starring as honest abe in the upcoming flick abraham lincoln vs. zombies. .. yes, yes. we love it too.

thanks to film courage for the videos, and please do check them out as well! they’re ALL about indie film and supporting creative people who are pursuing their passions.

here’s to dreams,

- da leopard

Robin puts passion into everything she does, and this chance to bring her line to life in a new way is such an important one. hennaflower is an original couture party dress line with a fun, flirty, ethnic edge that stems from her love of Indian, Middle Eastern, and African culture and textiles. Robin’s first pieces were a cross between Bollywood and Old Hollywood, and she is now dreaming up the line’s return with a new collection that marries Africa and French can-can dancers! We really want to see how it will turn out – and you can help!

Her campaign is a relatively quick one, so please check it out by CLICKING HERE - your contributions will go towards the entrance fee for the fashion show, fabric and notions to finish the collection, new photos, a new website and promotional materials in preparation for the show. There are some really fantastic rewards like hennaflower headbands and scarflettes and opportunities for exposure on the hennaflower website and lookbook. And if you can’t contribute, PLEASE share share share the link! In crowdfunding as in most of life’s efforts – every little bit helps!

We asked Robin a few questions about herself, what this opportunity means to her, and for recommendations on some of her favorite things – check it out!

1. Describe yourself in three words: GO!
Giggly, goofy, craftabulous

2. What is unique about hennaflower?
hennaflower is unique in the way it seamlessly (no pun) blends together ethnic sensibilities and textiles with a modern, urban, girly girl style.

3. What do you hope to achieve with this relaunch of the line?
Well, I had a pretty exciting upward trajectory my first year and then I took an extensive break to focus on being a mommy. Now it’s just really time for me to get back to work. I spent all of 2011 thinking about designing and sewing; I mean pretty much everyday, while nursing, while taking her out for walks, while changing her diaper, all the time! I had all of these ideas and I couldn’t wait to get them out. Relaunching is almost like giving birth again in a way. Mostly importantly though, is that everything I’m doing now has a new focus. It’s all for my daughter, Mehrunnisa. I want to become successful for her and make her proud.

Robin dancing with Arab music & dance ensemble, Zikrayat

Robin with daughter Mehrunnisa

4. Why is making it to Africa Fashion Week so important to you?
Oh, its super important to me. First, it’s a huge show, it will be my first of such size and because hennaflower has ethnic flavor, it will be my chance to market what I do directly to buyers who are looking for something with that edge. Second, it is such a unique opportunity for designers of color to showcase their work all together in one place, so I’m looking forward to meeting them and networking with some of the amazing talent in my community. Third, being a new mommy is super rewarding, but getting out of the house most days is a major accomplishment, hahaha! Presenting at a show like this will prove to myself that I can be a super mommy and do anything in I set my mind to!

5. What or who are your biggest influences?
My husband Sami. He gives me so much support and encouragement and he truly believes in my talent. He’s also my Tim Gunn. You wouldn’t believe how many times I’ve asked his advice and he’s said “that’s great, but make it like this. Or that sucks, try this instead” and he’s been totally correct! My other influences fashion wise are Manish Arora, Betsey Johnson, and of course my sewing teacher, designer Sumie Tachibana. Sumie is truly one of the most talented and creative people I’ve ever met. I wouldn’t be doing this if it wasn’t for her. Another great influence is Bollywood. I’ve been a Bollywood junkie since 2002.

BONUS! Recommend 1 thing you love that we should check out for each of these categories:

a) MUSIC! Ok, shameless plug. My husband and I co-run an Arabic music and dance ensemble called Zikrayat. We are just about to start a bi-weekly gig at Katra Lounge starting on April 10. If anyone would love to hear some great live Arabic music and see some awesome bellydancers, come out to the show. You might catch me dancing at a future gig.

b) DANCE! Wow, this is really hard for me because I just made one shameless plug, but since our group is both a music and dance ensemble, I’m going to have to make another, hehehe… One of my favorite dancers in the world of bellydance is Mariyah. She’s worked with Zikrayat since 2008. She’s always phenomenal, and always wonderful to work with. Here’s a clip! Ok, I know I was only supposed to name one, but since it was a plug, I feel compelled to name another more neutral recommendation. One of my favorite dancers of classical Indian dance is Sonali Skandan. She is doing a performance in April, she is amazing. Check it out!

c) FILM! I’m really into 1930’s musicals. First, a lot of the dialog in some of those films was kinda dirty (I mean, not dirty by today’s standards, but definitely dirty for what you’d expect in the 1930’s). A really cool film I saw from that era was “Fashions of 1934.” It features dance numbers by the great Busby Berkeley (Sami, my husband, always jokes that Busby must have been doing acid to have come up with those crazy dance formations), and Bette Davis, who plays a young fashion designer.

d) PLACES TO GO IN NYC! Dotted around Brooklyn and Queens are these stores called “Save A Thon.” As a designer who lives kinda far out in Queens, this is a great resource for me to get fabric (super cheap!) and other sewing notions without having to go into Manhattan. They also sell sewing machines and have beginner sewing classes. You wont find high-quality silks there, but they have just about everything else!

Stay in touch with Robin – like hennaflower and Zikrayat on Facebook and spread her campaign around!

GOOD LUCK, ROBIN!

- audrey leopard

* all photos courtesy of robin shumays

on awesome, exploratory blog HYPNA i came across a video of “the biggest daytime fireworks show ever” – which is actually somewhat of an art installation/experience by a chinese artist at the arab museum of modern art (?!!??!).

check it:

“At the Arab Museum of Modern Art in Doha, Qatar this week, Chinese artist Cai Guo-Qiang put on his largest ‘explosion event’ of the last three years, utilizing microchip-controlled explosives to form incredible designs and patterns. The video we’ve embedded of the event is an impressive testament to how a volatile black powder explosion can be controlled and shaped by computer. Each set of explosions was calculated to paint a different picture. One series of explosions created black smoke clouds that looked like ‘drops of ink splattered across the sky.’ In another, 8,300 shells embedded with computer microchips exploded in a pyramid shape over the desert.”

watch the video after the jump!

….. BOOM!

- da leopard