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Jess Walter [Interview]

October 10, 2011 1 Comment

Jess Walter is undoubtedly one of the finest American writers living today. His whimsical and explicit position in the world of fiction has been solidified with a terrific perception of the tyranny of the world around us. Comedy is definitely infused into the world of modern American literature these days. Walter’s work isn’t entirely funny in a Judd Apatow or Sinbad kind of way, but maybe more like George Carlin in his prime. The idea that “it’s funny because it’s true” has turned more into a “funny because it’s sad” sort of atmosphere. And since the mid 90’s, Jess Walter has proven himself a master of such new-found idealisms and eccentric glory.

In his decades spanning career, Jess Walter has proved himself to be one of the finest novelists of the latter-day generation. When Bukowski passed along his last novel, Pulp, in the early 90’s and later died in the most fashionable of senses, there was probably some confusion on what the hell we were going to read next. Thankfully we have Walter to pick up the pieces of a drunken man’s rage towards beauty.

Walter may not be, in the literal sense, a poet or (as far as we know) a sex crazed drunk, but his style is definitely a combination of the beauty of Bukowski, and the wit of Carlin. And with great fortune, I was able to get a few incredible responses from one of the finest authors of our time. Here I talk with Jess Walter about everything from his love for his hometown of Spokane, basketball, and what is in store for this amazing writer to include is work in film and literature.

You’ve been praised, awarded, and praised again for your amazing work. How have you handled literary stardom?

Ha! That’s an impossible question to answer, since I’m not sure I believe in “literary stardom” and wouldn’t know it if I saw it. I certainly don’t feel like I’ve achieved anything like that. It’s nice to have people know the books, but I really just concentrate on the sentences and hope the rest takes care of itself.

What sort of influence does your almost like long residents and/or connection with the city of Spokane have on your writing?

Spokane’s a great source of inspiration for me. It’s a REAL place and I love its work ethic, its unadorned sense of itself. I think when I was younger I had a more difficult relationship with the city, wanting it to be something that it wasn’t. I recently wrote an essay for McSweeney’s recently (Statistical Abstract for my Hometown of Spokane, Washington) that dealt with my obnoxious youthful antagonism toward the city and came to the conclusion, in that piece, that hating where you’re from is just another form of self-loathing.I hate to use comparisons that might hinder an unknown reader’s interest, but I’ve heard many times that you are to Spokane what Palahniuk is to Portland. Do you believe these are justifiable comparisons, not only as city reps but as writers overall?

Ha, that’s another funny question. I don’t think our styles are much alike at all, and I don’t think Palahniuk even lives in Portland any more. I doubt any city would claim to have a novelist as a representative for the city. Thankfully, writer is an unelected position. But I did just read his newest, Damned, and it’s very funny.

Is there any subject you haven’t tackled to date that you desperately would like to write about? Any subjects you just plain won’t touch with a ten foot stick?

I can’t think of a subject I wouldn’t write about, and there are dozens, maybe hundreds I’d like to write about: more Western stories, more stories about class and wealth and income inequity, more crime stories, more humorous novels, more satires, farces and scary things, more short stories about basketball … I’ve got far more ideas than I have time or fingers to type with.

It’s been a while since you wrote Every Knee Shall Bow (or Ruby Ridge if so preferred), any thoughts on working on a new non-fiction project?

I do have some ideas for nonfiction books, but I haven’t researched any of them enough to really talk about. I sort of feel like the fiction mine has turned out to have a deep vein of material so I’ll just keep digging there for a while. If I run out of stuff, I may go back to mining nonfiction for a while.

Through a bit of research, I learned that you landed the elite role as “Spokane Basketball Player #3” in the 1999 film The Basket. How did this come about?

My friend was one of the writers and producers of that film and they asked me to round up basketball players who looked like they could be from the early 1900s. I’ve played basketball all my life, but apparently, to the casting people, my game was all throwback. My acting is bad, but I’d love to try again, and if there were an Oscar for handlebar mustaches, I’d have been in the running.

What might have been more reasonable research notes, is that your amazing book The Financial Lives of The Poets is soon to be made into a film directed by the man behind the cult classic 24 Hour Party People (and an Angelina Jolie movie) Michael Winterbottom and starring Jack Black. And most importantly, you wrote the script! This is very cool stuff! Any news on this you might be able to let us in on about the progress of the film?

Films take a long time to get from conception to screen (and often they never make it.) Right now we’re in the place a number of movie projects end up, waiting to get everything in place and, hopefully, start filming. But there are still a few hurdles to clear. So, unfortunately, nothing new right now, although I may know more in the coming weeks.

Any chances of seeing more film adaptations? Shouldn’t George Clooney have hit you up for the rights to Citizen Vince by now?

The film rights for The Zero and Citizen Vince have been scooped up and there are scripts for both films out there, with producers trying to get them made. As of right now, neither one has the momentum that The Financial Lives of the Poets has, and I’ve yet to hear from George Clooney.

And you knew it was coming….what’s next for Jess Walter?

I have a novel coming out in early June called “The Beautiful Ruins,” which is a big, I guess I’d say ambitious book about 1960s Italy, present day Hollywood and the Donner Party. Oh, and it’s funny. And romantic. One of those.Finally, the most important question of all….. what was the last thing that made you smile?

These questions, I suppose. I had one of the last tomatoes from my garden today; that was pretty swell. And my kids all the time.

Filed under Interviews

Neil Nathan [Artist]

October 6, 2011 1 Comment

Photo by Nicole Szalewski

Neil Nathan is an impeccably brilliant pop rock mastermind. Anyone how has ever heard his precarious melodies and savory hooks even just one time can attest to these claims. The man has an exuberant way about him that simply screams brilliance louder than a protester in Tunisia. His lyrics are like a hotel key card letting you in on the spiritual adventure that is a continual voyage in Neil’s head. And ever since said mastermind released his debut album The Distance Calls in the summer of 2010, the voyage has been never-ending.

Everybody has a few tracks in their mental library that always show up during the essential playlist induction to the newest version of iTunes. For this lowly music blogger, Neil Nathan’s “California Run” makes constant appearances alongside Dylan’s “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” and Blitzen Trapper’s “Below The Hurricane”. Nathan is undoubtedly on par with some of the greatest singer/songwriters in history. Whether or not his genius has been fully reprimanded is of no real concern. He makes brilliant songs, works with brilliant artists, and has the dutiful fortitude to wander down a path littered with of pretentious free prose that can leave you feeling mystified in less than 4 minutes.

And the illustrious Mr. Nathan has proved lately that his talents go far beyond just being a personal storyteller. With his very own label, Pirate Vinyl, Neil has helped others get their stories told in amazing ways. His eye for worthy talent is as inscrutable as his ability to pen a brilliant pop song. He’s helped produce and/or release the likes of fellow folk pop oriented wonders like Susannah Conn, Pete Sinjin, and Caren Le Vine. And if Neil Nathan’s work has intrigued you in any way, before or after reading this fanboy expose of the guy, it would definitely behoove you check out his cohorts of excellence.

Whether you realize it our not, everybody yearns for some sort of personal experience with musicians. When you hear a

Photo by Cristina Gilbert

song that completely grabs you by the balls/labia, you most likely feel a sudden impulse and wonderment to know why the hell this artist was able to create a track/album/circus act that completely appeals to your wants and desires in life, as well as in music. It may not entirely make sense to you, but your heart is letting you be had. Because you need this. You need fine folks like Neil Nathan telling you that you will be okay/are totally fucked. This is the power of great music that a man Neil Nathan has probably been in tune with since his inception. This is great music. This is brilliance.

Discover all the news, music, and wit you could ever need or want about the great Neil Nathan at his WEBSITE.

Filed under Features

Sunbeam [Band]

October 5, 2011 Leave a comment

Well alright, alright. Here we have something special. We’ve covered the likes of The Ascetic Junkies on Trainwreck’d before. Therefore you know that pretty indie folk rock holds a serious place in our hearts. Well, we got another one for you fine folks. Introducing Portland Oregon’s Sunbeam. A fancy new group that indulges in the glory of steel drums, sad eyes, and perfected storytelling. And like the acclaimed AJ’s, this is a group that does an amazing job intermingling the beauty of male/female vocals. Whenever unity can be found so masterfully done in folk (or any music for that matter), you can rest assure that you have something wonderful spilling out of your auxiliary cords.

Sunbeam is that sort of group that will make the shyest of white dude’s dance the night away, yet feel the poetic pull of such beautiful songs on the scale of Woody Guthrie his early years. Last August found Sunbeam debuting their genius to the world with the release of the freshman LP, Sunbeam & The Lovely Ghost. The beautiful old school approach to modern indie-folk the have become known for in the city of Roses has now reached audiences worldwide, and should be for their diligence. This a project that simply came around due to guitarist/vocalist Brian Hall’s desire to not take himself too seriously, and just have fun with making music, which in turn lead to a project that is seriously awesome.

If you’re looking for a band that is sure to bring on some good feelings whether at your favorite downtown bar, or driving in your crummy car on a crummy day on the way to your absolutely crummy day job, this is the band that will enlighten you in ways that downright need sometimes. This is good. This is Sunbeam.

Sunbeam & The Lonely Ghost is available now from the band’s Website, as well as CDBaby and iTunes.

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National Pastime: Coma EP [Album Review]

October 4, 2011 2 Comments

Natinal Pastime’s frontman Andy Botterill may very well be one of the hardest working cats in all of the United Kingdom. He’s in a thousand bands, and releases most of their material on a label he runs himself. Not to mention an immense consistency of gigging around Exeter and wherever he can manage to drop his feet. And with such a chaotic work schedule and a plethora of material piling up on his resume, sometimes an album or two might get sadly under rug swept. But, it’s when you finally take the opportunity to check out each release from the awesome and talented Pastime Records, you will find you were missing a gem. And with that, we have the Coma EP. A translusive piece of art that should for no reason whatsoever, be looked over.

At the tail end of 2010, National Pastime released the amazing lo-fi pop masterpiece Bookmarks. It was a beautiful display of total beauty in simplicity. It felt like a total display of everything Andy B and company had to offer. That is until Coma EP landed Por Avion in my mail box a couple of months ago. And I fell in love all again. Here we find these lovable pop masterminds advancing beyond anything we have heard before. The singularly amazing track “Goldsworthy Gurney” is actually sort of a stretch from their generalized lo-fi sound, and it is a real treat to say the least. And even when they move to more familiar territory on a track like “Read Your Mind”, there is a delightful sense of advancement that simply leaves you with a great sense of the jollies, and a yearning to cheer for the happy crew. And don’t be surprised if you hear these cuts again on a full length album sometime soon. Or damn, you may already be able to considering Pastime Records works like a manic poet on benzederine trip.

National Pastime is an amazing group that just never fails. They do more than bring a full-bodied sound to Andy Botterill’s solo work. They incorporate a wonderful electric feel to tingle the ear drums while listening beautiful stories of love, life, and the eternal search for a cure to the cancerous spirit of non-creativety that bites each and every one of us at some point. This is beautiful stuff. It just can’t be said enough.

Find more about National Pastime on Facebook.

Filed under Music

1776 [Band]

October 3, 2011 1 Comment

Photo by Fathead.

Years ago I considered 1776 one of the finest up and coming group of rock and roll youngsters in the country. Well, time has only changed a few things for these amazingly talented youths. Sure they’re not as young as they used to be, but that doesn’t really matter considering they have never really had a youthful sound to begin with. They are still attached to the likes of The Dandy Warhols and The Hugs via The Dandy’s own label, Beat The World Records. They’ve grown their hair out a bit, and they may have seen a bit more of the world with a never ending touring schedule, at the very least regular spots in their favorite Portland, Oregon area venues. Hell, they even scored their very own limited edition chocolate filled themed doughnut at Voodoo Donuts. Now, if that isn’t impressive, you obviously no nothing about anything.

But, what is most amazing about how far 1776 has come is the advancement in their classic rock styling of songwriting and performing that I never believed they could truly improve upon. I secretly feared that this is a group with the potential to peak far too early, and be sadly thrown to the wolves of pretentiousness and savage disgust of “could have beens”. Their style was unique when they first arrived on the streets of Portland. Sounding old, somewhat bitter, yet totally refreshing, they snuck their way into bars they weren’t allowed to be in to bring old fashion rock and roll, possibly to PBR drinking hipsters initial dismay, but quickly found a way into our hearts. And if they were simply unique a few years ago, it’s almost impossible to describe them now.

Two years ago, friend and (soon to be) fellow Train Wreck’d contributor, had this to say about the boys at Fensepost.com:

“When performing live the band pulses, and burns through numbers like a lost train careening down a track to hell. This isn’t metal, this isn’t punk, it’s pure rock and roll the way it was meant to be played. If you miss the Stripes and have lost faith in the Kings of Leon, longing for the Youth and Young Manhood to come back, then this band is for you.”

And honestly, nothing has really changed considerably. Their a bit older, and more experienced these days. And with that experience, they have managed to take their brand of pure rock and roll, and turn it into something mystically similar to the likes of any super star or rising talent of the late 60’s. Basically, the song remains the same for 1776, but the progress that the band has made has been amazing. Now with very little effort, I can easiley say, they can only move up from here.

Find more information and music from the band at their Website, and on Facebook.

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Behind Children of Mercy: Part III: Pre-Production [Exclusive]

September 14, 2011 2 Comments

I was sitting in the Spokane Airport early in the a.m., fumbling with my very first smartphone and waiting for my flight to Denver to arrive when I received an e-mail from said phone. And then another. And then another. Christopher B’s influence was spreading like a fire in East Texas. I don’t rightfully remember who the e-mails came from, but I do remember the shock and awe factor of trying to conceive the idea that I might have thunk up something people might give a damn about. I wasn’t built with a strong ego. When any sense of anything resembling pride builds up within me, my mind shuts down, and the fear sets in. I was about to spend two weeks in what I considered the dead center of American hell (Wichita Falls, Texas), my career was in danger of a serious culture shift, yet here I was thinking it was a good idea to embark on a journey far beyond anything I had ever considered.

I arrived in Texas with a couple more offers from contributors. And during my stay in desert land, I made a few more acquaintances. I was there for a class of some sort, but I spent most of my time behind my laptop sending and replying to e-mails about this project I was so entirely frightened by (in between marathon sessions of Man Vs. Food, which in turn helped me gain 10 lbs). And little did I know, four different amazing things would happen during these two weeks, that would create a no hold’s bar attitude, we are doing this, sort of feel. Let’s count them down:

1. A Portland Mercury contributor I decided to randomly contact had recently agreed to join the team, and he mentioned something about a new thing out entitled Kickstarter. Apparently you can raise money for projects such as this one, through a severely creative way of offering free shit for every donation. It seemed strange, but I put it in the back of my mind, and told myself to remember this in case it might come in handy. (As most of you know, Kickstarter some became the platform in which we were able to make this whole damn thing happen financially. So, yeah, Ryan Feigh pretty much saved our ass on that one.)

2. Through a random British source, I had decided that I would go out on a limb to try to get one of my favorite female vocalists, Anna-Lynne Williams of Trespassers William, to write. I had known the former TW drummer during high school, and he was a close friend of some close friends of mine. But, I really didn’t see myself reaching out to him for help for personal reasons. But, there was hope across the pond, and I managed to get in contact with Anna and nearly pissed myself to learn that she would love to help out. So, in a severe stroke of luck, we acquired the talent of an indie rock sensation who jammed out on a Chemical Brother’s Grammy winning record. Things were truly getting strange.

3. The idea to make this project a charity based collective was always the main idea. The problem was finding a charity to donate to. So I did the simplest cop-out idea I could muster….I asked everyone else. This is when I received the now infamous e-mail from Swedish based musician, Ola Nyberg, informing me about his son Gordon who has Cystic Fibrosis. I have to admit, I was only vaguely familiar with CF. I though it to be just another health issue some deal with. I would soon realize this was not just another illness. This was insane, and serious. Most important to note was the fact that it affected children of young ages. The average lifespan of a person with CF is 37 years old. And this age is actually a major improvement from original studies. Improvements are being made, but there is still a lot of work to do. It was with this information, and a few tears in my eyes, that I decided to skip out on any VH1’s Save The Music time charity, and go right for a source that would be more than worthy to donate to. And alas, The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and The Cystic Fibrosis Trust became our sources of charity.

4. It was a Friday night I believe. I didn’t have class in the morning, and I found myself up far too late. The stench of whiskey on my clothes, and fingertips stained from cigarettes. I was an utterly drunken mess. I decided that it was time to lay down and sleep off the misery. As I often do, I loaded up a large batch of Menhirs of Er Grah songs onto an iTunes playlist, and allowed Thom Carter to sing me to sleep. And just before I fell to the Sandman, I heard a song I hadn’t noticed before. I’m certain I had heard it, but never like this. That song was “Child of Mercy”. Now let me tell you, I had been listening to Menhirs of Er Grah for years, and I’ve always been moved by Thom’s tracks. But, something about this song got to me in a special way. And in a epiphany like state, I yearned to be a child of mercy myself. Then it struck me. Children of Mercy. Perfect! The subtitle came instantly. And I never felt more sure about anything in my entire life!

And although I would be the first to agree that not a whole lot comes out of Texas (save for some damn fine musicians, and SXSW), I think it was destiny that I was to live in solitude on Wichita Falls for a little while. I had a bit of focus time this strange project I was working my way into, and some very crucial elements were mixed into the batch.

So what now?, I thought. Well, there was promise of an album. It was time to make that happen. And then the essays would start pouring in. And what is this Kickstarter thing? I again felt in over my head, but so damn excited about the progress of it all that I quickly forged my way through the nervousness, and continued to move forward. I’ll save the suspense by letting you all know, for those who don’t know already, things ran pretty damn smoothly in retrospect. The speed bumps were minor, and mostly unnoticed.

Read more in Behind Children of Mercy Part IV: Production, coming soon!

Filed under Exclusive!

Tacocat [Band]

September 9, 2011 2 Comments

Photo by Sarah Creighton

I’ve always had a soft spot for not so angry chick pop-punk. I know, “chick punk” Susan B. Anthony would kick me from her grave for using the word “chick”, and nobody seems to like being considered “pop-punk”. But, I will simply call it as I see it, and how I would like to appreciate it. I’ve always dug groups like Portland’s Forever, Hotpants Romance from the UK, and Juliette Lewis & The Licks from….wherever the hell she thinks she is from (Hollywood?). But, there is one definitive group that always tops my list of fun filling female oriented fun. This would definitely be the Seattle based foursome, Tacocat. Yes, there is a dude in the group (same for The Licks), and he is very talented. But this is the lady’s hour, and it would absurd to not recognize this factor.

Although Tacocat has received some major praise over the last few years, it seems as though they do not wish to take themselves entirely too serious. Which is awesome in my book. They rock out for fun, and for nothing else. They have an everlasting internet presence, but every single detail is not of the upmost importance. They’d rather throw a quick quip on Twitter rather than detail every experience they ever encounter in 250 words or less. They have toured the country over and over (including a strange shared stage with Phish in Montana. Weird!) Their songs are heard from here to Shang-ri-la, but again, no big deal right? You can’t be “punk” or “hip” by giving a shit, right? Right!

But, people are listening. Thousands have turned out to see them rock their homeland of Seattle (not official numbers, but a good estimate). And if you managed to make your way to their Bandcamp and Myspace (remember that?) pages, you are likely to have fallen in love with their hilariously awesome tracks like “Volcano”, “UTI”, or “Psychic Death Cat”. Their music is quick, astute, and extremely entertaining. As you would guess as well, it is a live show that would prove most entertaining. This is where Emily Nokes spills her beautiful venomous words, Eric kills riff after riff, Lelah Maupin murders a kit(ten), and Bree makes us fall in love with ourselves and our inability to dance (maybe, that’s just me?).

Photo by Jesus Christ

It is imperative to subsidize the bulllshit rectal thermometry we are currently forced to endure in the modern day “punk” world. Even the slightly embracing back alley acts of today have very little to offer that is either genuine, sincere, or at the very least, worth a damn. Let it be known, it’s not about how damned weird you can be, it’s about the sound, joy, and emotion that can be relinquished when an escape is needed most in order to keep your sanity. And a group like Tacocat is sure to make you feel great. Like an Indian haircut/massage or a fresh kick in the teeth, you are definitely going to feel something special when you walk out of a Tacocat show, or stepping out of your beat up Honda Accord your mom still pays the insurance on, humming the last few lines you just heard. This is the type of friendly chick punk everyone yearns for, whether they know it or not.

In Seattle? Watch for Tacocat to perform live at EMP for Nevermind Cover Night on October 20th. They will be performing “Loung Act”. Discover more from the band’s Website.

Filed under Features

The Ascetic Junkies [Band]

September 8, 2011 4 Comments

There are far too many great things to be said about this band. I’ve been covering them for years. Ever since I was a shy puppy of a music blogger digging around the internet (on the newly fashionable social networking site Myspace!), I have been a fan of The Ascetic Junkies. Yes, it borders along the lines of obsession, but that is for my shrink, not Trainwreck’d. No matter, it was about high time I put the dear AJ’s in the spotlight once again.

In late 2008, The Ascetic Junkies released One Shoe Over The Cuckoo’s Nest. This political (and Dracula) driven record turned out to be exactly what I was looking for during a period of political revitalization and the return of self-representation. And it still holds up to date with the current shift of, well, damn near everything. Tracks like “A Protest Song” and “Gone Shootin'” are just as relevant. And maybe even more so, my personal favorite, “Windows Sell The House”.

A year later, around the tail end of ’09, and the beginning of 2010, I fell in love with the (then) free digital EP, Don’t Wait For The Rescue Squad. It was a simple and quant lead into the magic that was about to come in the near future, but I was smitten. The two original singles “Jenny Don’t Do That!” and “French Girls” where a phenomenal prequel to the band’s sophomore album that was sure to come. Both of these tracks still sit somewhere around the top of my favorite AJ tunes, and I hope that when the proverbial Best of The Ascetic Junkies is released, they will be included.

And alas, we have the band’s pinnacle of recordings thus far. In late 2010, Portland’s favorite Folk/Americana/Awesome band released one of the finest records to have ever come out Hipsterville USA. This Cage Has No Bottom was a record that is still in my regular playlist. The Ascetic Junkies took their old styling of passionate folk, and merged it with an indie rock feel that is as purely amazing. And while I have always been a fan of lead songstress Kali Giaritta’s tantalizing vocals, it is her cohort (and now, husband!) Matt Harmon on “Water From Wine”, which is undoubtedly one of the greatest songs EVER written. I say this with much ease, and little regret. It is that damn good. Matt has always been heard vocally on the band’s work (see the extremely catchy “Kali, All I Do” from their first record), but he absolutely kills it on this track, and several more spots throughout This Cage Has No Bottom.

The Ascetic Junkies are a non-stop dynasty in Portland, OR and their influence has successfully spread across the land as well. They’ve landed a sweet gig during BIKETOBEERFEST alongside fellow PDX folk royal family, Jared Mees & The Grown Children on September 17th. And Jared Mees and company can also be found with The Ascetic Junkies and other fine groups on the on insanely popular PDX Pop 2011 compilation album. It’s been an amazing road for these amazing folk/bluegrass/punk/pop/whiskeystomp , whatever you want to call them, artists. And the momentum is far from over. Undoubtedly this is a group that will continue to shine brighter than a starlit sky for years to come. Tremendously fascinating music such as this can never fade away.

If you find yourself in the Potland area on September 16th & 17th. Do not forsake your oppurtunity to see The Ascetic Junkies live!

September 16th @ The Christmas Horse w/BELLS (San Francisco)

September 17th @ HopWorks for the 3rd Annual BikeToBeerFest w/Jared Mees & The Grown Children and The Wonderlust Circus

And of course, you can catch them all over the town, somewhere here or there. Keep updated at the band’s WEBSITE.

Filed under Features

Sadistik [Artist]

September 7, 2011 1 Comment

Underground hip hop has become a well received genre these days. The idea that hip hop music can be not only a form of poetry, but literature in motion, has become a relevant and accepted tradition by most in these times. In fact, it is entirely pleasing to know that an act like Atmosphere is now a household name even outside the artistic communities. And yet with the explosion of popularity happening, the true essence of the music has yet to have been lost. Wordsmiths are still all around us. And one can not express the power of this lovely branded music without mentioning the master of lyrical wit, Sadistik.

Sadistik is the bourbon in the espresso. The freshly rolled blunt in the moonlit dive bar. This Seattle based MC is a merchant of rhyme slaying who rarely goes contested in his respected field. With blends of indie rock and old school soul, this is a cat that brings an all new sense of enlightenment to an already engmatic field of soldiers for the pen. He’s been putting it down for a long while. In 2008, he released critical acclaim from the underworld with his debut album, The Balancing Act. The album may have been promoted heavily by guest appearances from the likes of Mac Lethal and Vast Aire, but it was Sadistik’s own prolific abilities that really rode him along to the earned respect he has (or at least should have) today. He managed to create beautifully spastic lyrics meshed a perfectly timed flow in motion. It was damn good.

But, our man has only gotten better. He proved it in 2010 with the release of The Art of Dying with the Chicago based style master Kid Called Computer. Rarely has a follow up album been this amazing. And since, and before, this inception, Sadistik has seen himself working amongst the likes of so many great artists (Sage Francis, Eyedea (RIP), Blue Sky Black Death, etc.) in which he has continually proven that he is either on par with, or better than depending on who you may ask. As well has opening for/performing with the likes of major acts such as Bone Thugs N Harmony, D12, Lotte Kestner, Cage, and more. And to top it all of, he just completed a nation wide tour with two other amazing artists from the underground scene, Bodi (formerly Alexipharmic) and Kirstoff Kane (P.S. watch for these two on Trainwreck’d very soon!) on the aptly titled and Kickstarter assisted Never Ending Gun Show Tour.

And nothing seems to be stopping this kid. He is currently prepping for a Canadian performance debut, and some spots with Sage Francis in the Northwest, an EP with Kristoff Kane, a full length with a electronic supernova Emancipator (who can also be found on The Balancing Act), and a solo album due out very soon. There should be no doubt that Sadistik is a mad man on the loose, and should be adored at any given moment. Do not question it: Sadistik is destined, and deserves to be, the next household name in underground hip hop.

Check out Sadistik at his WEBSITE, and watch for him as he hits the road, most likely in a city near you.

And if you find yourself in the Northwest this month, find Sadistik performing with Sage Francis at The Roseland Theater in Portland (9/210 and at Neumo’s in Seattle (9/22) before he heads to Edmonton, Alberta to play the Avenue Theater (10/1).

Filed under Features

Jason Michael Allred [Showcase]

September 6, 2011 2 Comments

Jason Michael Allred is not a paid artist. In fact, you can simply refain from asking him to “like, draw me a tattoo dude!”. He won’t do it. No, Jason is simply an amazing illustrator who would rather not take himself too seriously. His illustrations and own personal brand of “street art” are for his entertainment only. And maybe Facebook. In fact, all of the illustrations and pieces in this blog were stolen directly from his Facebook album, without any permission given whatsoever. Isn’t the internet grand!

Allred is definitely an amazing artist. But, it is his style and demeanor in which he works that is most impressive. What this highly eclectic designer of the dark can “doodle” during a slow day at work is in itself easily on par with some of the biggest names in the illustrated and sketching world. And should our man decide to movie towards a career in the art world, there is no doubt he would take the world by storm. But, really, I can’t see him giving two to three shits what others really think of his work. And that is undoubtedly what makes a true artist.

To find more work from Jason Michael Allred……….well, good luck!