:: HALF OF SOMETHING OR ALL OF NOTHING ::

Posted by: Sucka Pants

(photos from the Dillinger Four record release show at Danbro Warehouse in Brooklyn, full gallery here)

Stupid Saturn Return.

MP3:

It's a cover too.

- Love Is All - So Far Away

A band's place in myspace.

:: IN THE FOREST IT RAINS BEER AND URINE ::

I did go to Russia and I do have photos, but I'm not ready to post them yet. Instead, here's Robstock. It's the annual skate-music-booze festival that takes place in the sticks of Maine courtesy of Rob Collinson and Low Card Mag. Like every year, this year was fucking nuts. Andreas Trolf and I even worked together on an article that is in the current issue of +1 Magazine. It's only available in the UK but you can download a PDF of the issue to see the article. Enough jibber-jabber, here's the photos.

We showed up in the middle of the first night. Brett forgot tent poles and went with a tee-pee instead. Where's Sandy?

We started the day off with a swim at Pussy Rock.

Strubing and the beer-sip front-flip.

Some people actually even skated.

The rest jousted.

Victory.

The show started. No burning coffins this time though.

Lawnchair tattoos were handed out to the brave.

Frontside 5.

Hightower.

Demassek got together for two rounds of the same song.

A townie brought a minibike, which was quickly confiscated and used to its fullest abilities throughout the night.

Screwboo at 9:13 PM.

Screwboo at 10:35 PM.

Screwboo's belly at 1:16 AM.

Luigi Hip was just filming the madness when he handed his camera off and decided that he was gonna jump the fire Evil Knievel style. Four tries later he was riding away in glory.

There's a reason someone brought champagne.

Good night.

The next morning I saw this guy shotgun a Bud and instantly pass out.

Rob surveys the damage.

They were all out of coffee.

Screwboo at 12:18 PM.

I don't think Sandy remembers being in Maine.

:: SLOW LEARNER / STUBBORN OPTIMIST ::

Posted by: Sucka Pants

(photos from this year's Zombiecon, full gallery here)

Zombiecon 2008 kicked off on the streets of Manhattan this year with the rise of the undead i-bankers. Looking to the near future end-of-times: the economy has crumbled, banks have closed down, food and fuel have become scarce, and then the zombie attacks began... First stop on the crawl was the Manhattan Mall, which would have been better if most of it wasn't under construction. A little more foot-dragging later and the zombies arrived at the perennial favorite, Macy's. Photo ops were had, small children were mildly frightened, and employees got a reason to scowl and use their walkie-talkies. The last stop in midtown was Victoria's Secret. They were not amused.

The zombie horde then moved to Union Square and the first bar stop at The Continental. Drinking, some NSFW situations, and synchronized dancing to a projection of Michael Jackson's "Thriller" followed. The zombies then descended upon their intended target, Wall Street. As it was late on a Saturday, it was a bit of a ghost town. However the famous Bronze Bull was beset upon and left a bloody, zombified mess.

MP3:

And the winner of the "new favorite song" Ninjasonik remix ablum giveaway is: Nic. With this song by the Found Sound Orchestra.

- Found Sound Orchestra - Little La La

A band's place in myspace.

:: THE LINE BETWEEN DECENT AND DICK IS GETTING BLURRY ::

Posted by: Sucka Pants

(Fucked Up with the Vivian Girls and Inepsy at Market Hotel)

This show was one of the more damaging that I've been to in a while. Between getting someone else's sweat in my eyes, elbowed in the ear, buttons ripped off my shirt, a couple crowd-surfer kicks to the head, belly-flopped on several times by the same fat guy, and then having a girl wipe her blood on my face, it seemed a bit more intense than usual. I highly recommend catching Fucked Up live if you can.

MP3:

I usually don't post more than one song per album from a band, but since you can get this free (legally) elsewhere I figure it can't be too bad. You can also see the video for it too.

- Matt & Kim - Daylight

A band's place in myspace.

:: MINIMUM WAGE IS A GATEWAY DRUG ::

Posted by: Sucka Pants

(Dillinger Four and NOFX at Irving Plaza, capped off with Patty's backstage antics)

I may have given up on music photography as a way to make a buck, but it's still pretty damn fun. Thanks again to the Dillinger Four guys for showing me a good time.

MP3:

Showing some love.

- Dillinger Four - Noble Stabbings

A band's place in myspace.

:: BLOOD BOILING, STOMACH IN ROPES ::

Posted by: Sucka Pants

(Fucked Up performing at the Rogan Bowerie store)

More photos of Fucked Up from the Market Hotel when I have a moment to edit it all. Listen to the song below and picture them in the meantime.

MP3:

- Fucked Up - Reset The Ride

A band's place in myspace.

:: YOU'RE JUST MY NEXT MISTAKE ::

Posted by: Sucka Pants

(Japanther and Ninjasonik at the Mercury Lounge last night, probably the last NYC Japanther show for a while. Japanther is moving to LA, we're going to miss you around here guys!)

Egotism and mosh pits don't go well together.

MP3:

A new band with Kyp Malone of TV On The Radio, unsurprisingly it's good.

- Iran - Buddy

A band's place in myspace.

:: THE FINE ART OF LETTING GO ::

Posted by: Sucka Pants

(the final installment from the Swimming Cities of Switchback Sea, full gallery here)

I've got a week to kill in Europe in mid-Novemeber, anyone have any suggestions? I'll be coming from Amsterdam after the Rockaway crew finishes our installation in Eindhoven as part of the exhibition "Heartland" at the Van Abbemuseum. I love Berlin, and have heard good things about Belgium. Any tips?

MP3:

It's still about those great cover songs. Anyway, last chance to enter to win a copy of the new Ninjasonik remix album, just send me what you think will be my new favorite song.

- Japanther - The Dirge (New Bad Things)

A band's place in myspace.

:: DISPELLING THE MYTHS OF YOUR YOUTH ::

Posted by: Sucka Pants

(part one of two of photos from the Swimming Cities of Switchback Sea, a raft project that took place on the Hudson River this past summer)

It's been a long time coming, but I am finally getting the photos from this summer's Hudson River raft trip up. You can see the full gallery here. I'm not really sure what to say about the Swimming Cities of Switchback Sea. It was very different from the Miss Rockaway Armada, although I'm still not entirely clear why it felt that way. It was great to meet a lot of new people that jumped on this project, as well as a fresh adventure with some familiar faces from the Mississippi. When it was good, it was amazing. And when it was bad, well it was never nearly as low as things got on the Rockaway (even if it there were rocky spots for me at least). I think the thing that I overwhelmingly feel is that it was way too short, but that's stating the obvious.

MP3:

Good cover songs are the quick way to my heart.

- The Morning Benders - Dreams

A band's place in myspace.

:: ENDLESS MOVEMENT ::

Planes, trains and automobiles. Subway, buses and boats. This is about being in transit during the last month. This is about what's beyond the window.

"The most remarkable thing about coming home to you is the feeling of being in motion again. It's the most extraordinary thing in the world."

:: YOUR FAILURE IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE STORY ::

Posted by: Sucka Pants

(exploring an abandoned island castle this summer)

BIKE KILL = OCT. 25TH.
You might want to make sure you have some sort of health coverage before then.

MP3:

- Marnie Stern - Transformer

A band's place in myspace.

:: BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNEW WHAT YOU LOST ::

(photos from Maine: exploring an island and it's abandoned bunkers; faces full of fresh-picked kale, Porkchop goes skinny-dipping - in the Atlantic - in Maine - in October; Kim and her lobster; Porkchop learns that eating lobster like Darryl Hannah in "Splash" is not the best way; Matt & Kim and the Black Label DJs at SPACE Gallery)

Still in Maine, I'm giving an artist talk tonight at SPACE Gallery. There are some great art events coming up this weekend in NYC, which I would recommend checking out. Details below, but first some videos from the opening weekend of Constant Quarry.

Matt & Kim perform "Silver Tiles" at SPACE Gallery in Portland, ME.

Black Label DJs dance party at SPACE Gallery in Portland, ME.

:::

DEITCH PROJECTS invites you to attend a conversation with

ANNE MESSNER
KIKI SMITH
SWOON

Moderated by CARLO MCCORMICK

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9, 7 - 10 PM

Selections from Todd Chandler's upcoming film FLOOD, shot aboard the Switchback Sea vessels, will begin at 7pm.

DEITCH STUDIOS
4-40 44TH DRIVE (ON THE EAST RIVER)
LONG ISLAND CITY, NY, 11101
(212) 343-7300
WWW.DEITCH.COM

:::

Art Makes Eye Contact
art sale and experience benefitting Transformazium

October 11, 2008

Secret Project Robot, 210 Kent Ave Brooklyn

4pm – Screenings: Braddock, PA in context, a series of short films featuring the work of Braddock native Tony Buba

5pm – Total Eye Contact BBQ chef Jason Engdahl presiding

6pm – the Opening: wide ranging art sale, raffle (a Swoon, a McGee, and an all inclusive stay in Braddock), interactivities, cool jams, good people, general goods store

The artist list is growing! Please see our web site for the most recent updates:
http://transformazium.org/eyecontact.html

:::

MP3:

Are you surprised that I haven't posted any Shellshag before now? I am.

- Shellshag - Little Birdy

A band's place in myspace.

:: FALL OFF CAUSE THERE'S NO REASON TO STAY ON ::

(Dark Meat and These Are Powers playing at SPACE Gallery in Portland, ME; installation monster by Dirtyfinger; they have these things called "stars" in Maine, and nice cottages too; Dirtyfinger and his arm pus-worm)

The list from my stay in Maine, so far:
- Getting to see These Are Powers and Dark Meat play on different nights in the gallery space where I was installing my show.
- Dumpstering the Odwalla factory = more delicious juice and decent snack bars than we can handle.
- Staying out at a lovely little cottage with an old barn that has a rooster mini mural by Mike Houston on a stack of oil drums.
- The opening of Constant Quarry at SPACE, it was well attended and I met a lot of very friendly local artists.
- Dirtyfinger's staph infection exploding. Watching him try to squeeze/dig out the hardened pus and blood and ooze, in between bouts of gagging. Video below (do not watch while eating anything, seriously).

DJ Dirtyfinger meets Mr. Staph Infection.

MP3:

You've seen a lot of photos of them on this site. . . but ever wonder what Monotonix actually sounds like?

- Monotonix - Body Language

A band's place in myspace.

:: LIVING A LIFE I CAN'T LEAVE BEHIND ::

I'm writing this from Russia, a land where summer has long since gone if it appeared at all. And when I return to New York, the leaves of the few trees will be rustling about in the street interfering with pedestrian traffic. My summer disappeared and these are the only images I have left--fleeting moments with dear friends.