Here's some audio of Brendan Mullen talking with me about F-Word! and the early days of the Masque, taken from a lengthy interview I conducted with him in the spring of 2005. This snippet was also included in the BM memorial episode of Glory is Noise that I aired in 2010 on the first anniversary of his passing. Really miss the guy.
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Thursday, October 11, 2012
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Ex Bolt Thrower, Benediction, Pigface Members Cover Ultravox Classic
EFFECTIONHATE, the experimental music project led by multi-instrumentalist Shannon Gausten, has unleashed a cover version of ULTRAVOX’s early ’80s New Wave classic, “Hymn.”
EFFECTIONHATE’s interpretation of “Hymn” features guest vocals by Dave Ingram (ex BOLT THROWER/ex BENEDICTION) and Juliana Novo (CRUCIFIXION BR, NOCTIS NOTUS, ex-DREMORA/ex-LAMENTED DESPONDENCY), with Shannon’s husband Joel (ex THE UNDEAD/ ex PIGFACE/ ex ELECTRIC FRANKENSTEIN), Matt Ingram (DOKTOR) and producer/mixer Ryan Reminisce contributing to the music.
The song can currently be heard in the latest episodes of Deep Six Radio (http://www.radiofreesatan.com/blog/deep-six-radio-episode-115/) and the 9sense Podcast (http://www.radiofreesatan.com/blog/9sense-19-august-xlvii-a-s/), both on Radio Free Satan (www.radiofreesatan.com). Deep Six’s segment on the song (featuring commentary by Dave and Matt Ingram) begins at the 50:45 mark, while the 9sense Podcast features a segment on Effectionhate (including an interview with Shannon and Joel Gausten) beginning at the 37-minute mark. In addition, the track will be posted on the official Ultravox website (www.ultravox.org.uk) in the near future. An EP of various remixes of Effectionhate's "Hymn" track is slated for release later this fall.
Created by Shannon Gausten in 2007, Effectionhate is experimental in nature and creates music ranging from Techno to Classical and atonal Industrial noise, with the project's evolving list of contributors ensuring that no two compositions are alike. Past contributors to the project include Troy Gregory (ex-PRONG, FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, SWANS, KILLING JOKE), Pete Jones (ex-PUBLIC IMAGE LIMITED), Keith LeBlanc (TACKHEAD, MINISTRY) and Sonny Bellavance (THE DEVIL'S GUITAR). Effectionhate's debut full-length album, Music Is Dead, is in the final stages of completion and will feature contributions from guitarist Sonny Bellavance and drummers Martin Atkins (PIGFACE, NINE INCH NAILS, MINISTRY, PUBLIC IMAGE LIMITED) and Joel Gausten. The album is slated for an early 2014 release.
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EFFECTIONHATE’s interpretation of “Hymn” features guest vocals by Dave Ingram (ex BOLT THROWER/ex BENEDICTION) and Juliana Novo (CRUCIFIXION BR, NOCTIS NOTUS, ex-DREMORA/ex-LAMENTED DESPONDENCY), with Shannon’s husband Joel (ex THE UNDEAD/ ex PIGFACE/ ex ELECTRIC FRANKENSTEIN), Matt Ingram (DOKTOR) and producer/mixer Ryan Reminisce contributing to the music.
The song can currently be heard in the latest episodes of Deep Six Radio (http://www.radiofreesatan.com/blog/deep-six-radio-episode-115/) and the 9sense Podcast (http://www.radiofreesatan.com/blog/9sense-19-august-xlvii-a-s/), both on Radio Free Satan (www.radiofreesatan.com). Deep Six’s segment on the song (featuring commentary by Dave and Matt Ingram) begins at the 50:45 mark, while the 9sense Podcast features a segment on Effectionhate (including an interview with Shannon and Joel Gausten) beginning at the 37-minute mark. In addition, the track will be posted on the official Ultravox website (www.ultravox.org.uk) in the near future. An EP of various remixes of Effectionhate's "Hymn" track is slated for release later this fall.
Created by Shannon Gausten in 2007, Effectionhate is experimental in nature and creates music ranging from Techno to Classical and atonal Industrial noise, with the project's evolving list of contributors ensuring that no two compositions are alike. Past contributors to the project include Troy Gregory (ex-PRONG, FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, SWANS, KILLING JOKE), Pete Jones (ex-PUBLIC IMAGE LIMITED), Keith LeBlanc (TACKHEAD, MINISTRY) and Sonny Bellavance (THE DEVIL'S GUITAR). Effectionhate's debut full-length album, Music Is Dead, is in the final stages of completion and will feature contributions from guitarist Sonny Bellavance and drummers Martin Atkins (PIGFACE, NINE INCH NAILS, MINISTRY, PUBLIC IMAGE LIMITED) and Joel Gausten. The album is slated for an early 2014 release.
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Tuesday, July 17, 2012
The DoGs: hypersensitive
Without a doubt, The DoGs have enjoyed one of Rock’s richest histories.
Formed in Lansing, Michigan in the late ’60s, the group was born from the same dirty Detroit music world that spawned The MC5 and The Stooges, sharing bills with both bands as well as a young guitarist by the name of Ted Nugent. By the early ’70s, the trio found themselves in New York, sharing the stage with the likes of Television, The Stilettos (featuring a young Debbie Harry) and a pre-stardom KISS. They even got kicked out of the then-new CBGB for playing too loud!
Fast-forward a few more years, and The DoGs turned up in sunny California, joining forces with The Motels and The Pop to create the legendary “Radio Free Hollywood” scene. In the ’80s, the trio played alongside people like Steve Marriott and Robin Trower before singer/guitarist Loren Molinare landed a deal with Geffen Records with his other band, Little Caesar. Oh, there's also a London era of The DoGs in there somewhere,and that one time Sid Vicious sang with them at the Whiskey in LA…but you get the idea.
Starting with 2000’s Fed Up compilation on Dionysus Records, The DoGs have continued to experience a well-deserved surge in international interest. The reformed band’s second proper full-length album, hypersensitive, showcases a group still ready and able to burn after 43(!) years in the game. Tracks like “I Got Nothing” and “Punk Rock Holiday” pummel the listener with the same intensity as anything produced during the ‘90s Garage Punk Revival (Hellacopters, Candy Snatchers), while “In On The Out” and a blistering cover of The Pagans’ “Her Name Was Jane” are two of the finest Punk songs to leave an American recording studio in years. On hypersensitive, The DoGs remind us of how magical American Punk Rock ‘N’ Roll can be.
This is as real as it gets, folks. In fact, I’ll go as far as to say this is the best American Punk album released in a decade.
The DoGs Official Website: www.thedetroitdogs.com
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Sunday, July 1, 2012
A Beginner’s Guide to Twisted Roots
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Twisted Roots was the brainchild of keyboardist Paul Roessler, a musical alchemist who had already built a sizable history with The Screamers, Nervous Gender, Geza X and The Mommymen, Nina Hagen and a slew of other acts by the time he started his own project in early 1981. In addition to providing a vehicle for his creative ideas, Twisted Roots gave Roessler (and, ultimately, the other members who later comprised the initial lineup) a way out of the grief he was experiencing over the recent death of close friend and Germs frontman, Darby Crash.
“There was a lot of healing involved, because Darby was a friend of all of ours,” recalls Roessler, who soon set out to recruit former Germs guitarist Pat Smear for the new band.
“Pat was really depressed and shook up about [Darby’s death],” he says. “It seemed like he was shutting down and not playing with anybody. I didn't think he'd want to do it, but I gave him a call and he was interested.”
Before long, Roessler and Smear recruited friend Maggie Ehrig to sing, a skater kid named Emil McKown to play drums and Roessler’s sister, Kira, to play bass.
“It was a small scene; we all knew each other,” Roessler says. “Maggie had never sung in a band before. She had a great look and a great personality, and I just wanted to see what would happen.”
A self-described “angry teenager,” Ehrig first began kicking around LA’s underground music scene in 1978.
“I hated the rules society was enforcing,” Ehrig recalls. “I decided I wanted nothing to do with being ‘civilized.’ I started making my own clothes - dying them, chopping them up…I would cut off the leg from a bellbottom pant and wear it as a super-tight mini skirt. At night, I would listen to an AM transistor radio under my covers because my record player had been taken away for playing Led Zeppelin’s new album over and over at full blast. One midnight in 1978, I heard The Sex Pistols being played on KROQ, and it totally got my attention. My ears wrapped themselves around that tiny radio and hung on for dear life. The music soothed me in a way…urged me …motivated me. The music and my anger were a perfect match.”
When not learning about new music via KROQ, Ehrig received an education on bands like X-Ray Spex, Roxy Music, The Weirdos, The Buzzcocks and other groups thanks to Hollywood High School friends Amy Albany and Kira Roessler.
“Kira was in Home Economics class with me and I sat down next to her,” Ehrig shares. “She would wear wildly-painted mens suit coats with safety pins, badges and a case of birth control pills on her lapel. She was in a band called The Monsters at the time. She and Amy were the only ‘punk rockers’ on the Hollywood High campus at that time. Kira showed me the Masque on Hollywood Blvd. I was in awe of the girls with REALLY SHORT hair who dressed like boys or really tomed-up gals. At that time, I also met the very sweet and talented Tomata Du Plenty [of The Screamers] on the Franklin Ave. bus. He lived right down the street from me at the time. Messy, spiky hair…torn-up t shirt, tight skinny pants. Back then, when you saw someone dressed interesting and/or different…they were interesting and different. Mind you, the fashion back then was beige bellbottoms and Laura Ashley dresses. Yuck! Tomata welcomed me in by acknowledging me and adding that he liked my pegged green pants tucked into my cowboy boots. I started to belong to a very special club that really became a movement. I chopped off my waist-length brown hair down to one inch long and dyed it black. At 17, I left home with the clothes on my back and three dollars in my pocket. I had nowhere to go, and I didn’t spend one night on the street. The music bound us together, and our visual expression told us apart. I found a tribe; the rest is history.”
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With its first lineup in place, Twisted Roots hit the ground running as a live act in the summer of 1981 – sounding absolutely nothing like you’d expect from a band comprised of ex Germs and Screamers members.
“A lot of the bands coming out at the time were really hardcore and angry, but we had been through a very dark and angry time and were struggling not to be part of that cliché,” Roessler says. “The reaction [from audiences] was mixed. I think people thought we were going to build on The Germs and The Screamers, which is a stupid idea because The Germs were perfect, and the Screamers were perfect. There's no point trying to improve upon perfection, and we had no inclination to do what we had already done…I think all of us took 'punk rock' as a license to experiment.”
Twisted Roots released a three-song 7” (“Mommy’s Always Busy In The Kitchen,” “Pretentiawhat” and “The Yellow One”) and also had a track (“Snaked”) on the Rodney On The Roq Vol. 2 album on Posh Boy Records before McKown split (later to play drums in Black Flag during 1982) and was replaced by Gary Jacoby. Shortly thereafter, the Roessler/Roessler/Smear/Ehrig incarnation of Twisted Roots ran out of stream.
“While the chemistry was incredibly creative and powerful, it was also incendiary and difficult to keep together," Roessler admits.
Kira later joined Black Flag, touring and recording with the band during their most productive period (1983-1985), while Jacoby later worked with Smear in The Death Folk. Jacoby would also gain notoriety in the late '80s/early '90s as a member of the criminally-overlooked LA band Celebrity Skin, whose 2003-ish reunion show at the Roxy in LA remains one of the most surreal visuals this writer has ever witnessed.
Roessler kept the Twisted Roots name going for the better part of the ’80s, enlisting an impressive array of musicians ranging from The Weirdos’ Dix Denny to Black Flag’s Dez Cadena to keep the spirit alive. But it just wasn’t the same.
As Ehrig says, “The original [lineup] was the best, and always will be.”
The classic version of Twisted Roots finally appeared on CD in 2004 thanks to Dionysus Records, who issued a self-titled, 12-song collection including the 7”, the Posh Boy track and previously-unreleased songs.
“I'm glad that when we reissued [the music on CD], we really put the initial band back as the band that deserves that name,” Roessler says. “That's not to say that a lot of the other things weren't cool, [but] I think the original band was larger than the sum of its parts.”
These days, Roessler maintains an active career as a producer, working with a number of acts including Josie Cotton, Nina Hagen and Elephant. On the musical front, he has been seen performing around Los Angeles with reformed Masque-era punks The Deadbeats as well as Fancy Space People with former Germs drummer Don Bolles. Most recently, he completed recording “The Arc,” a 47-minute piece he originally wrote in 1975. In addition to hosting intimate “listening parties” of the work at his Echo Park home for friends, Roessler has expressed interest in releasing “The Arc” commercially in the near future.
Twisted Roots re-entered the public eye in April 2011, when the original lineup (sans McKown, again replaced by Jacoby) reconvened for a live performance at a Los Angeles screening of Dave Travis’ film, A History Lesson: Part 1, which features footage of the 1984 lineup of the band alongside live clips of The Meat Puppets, The Minutemen and Redd Kross.
“I just did [the reunion show] for pure fun,” Ehrig says. “I am really thankful to Pat, Kira, Paul and Gary for participating in the fun. We all had a blast.”
“I just can't believe that even happened!” adds Roessler. “I don’t know if we'll do it again, but I have to say that when we walked off, Pat came up to me and said, 'When can we do it again?'”
This article is dedicated to the memory of Twisted Roots manager Rick Van Santen.
Copyright 2012 Joel Gausten / Gausten Books
Videos by Dave Travis
B&W photo of Maggie Ehrig by Amy Cooper
Copyright 2012 Joel Gausten / Gausten Books
Videos by Dave Travis
B&W photo of Maggie Ehrig by Amy Cooper
Paul Roessler: www.paulroessler.com
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Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Thoughts on the Black Sabbath Meltdown
August 20, 2005. Devore, CA. I’m one of thousands of concertgoers enjoying Iron Maiden’s set at Ozzfest when, out of nowhere, the sound goes dead. After a few moments, the sound is restored, allowing an obviously angry Bruce Dickinson to mutter something about “asswipes” before the band kicked into the next number. If memory serves me correctly, the sound went off on Maiden a few more times after that (with more than a few eggs thrown at the stage for good measure), with Bruce delivering similar vitriol each time. Shortly after Maiden’s egg-pelted set, the unmistakable voice of Sharon Osbourne informed the crowd that, “Bruce Dickinson is a prick!” Now, I don’t know if that’s true, but one thing I do know for a fact is that, on a warm August night in California, Sharon Osbourne ripped me off.
While it remains anyone’s guess as to why Bruce Dickinson and Ozzy’s better half really got into it, there’s no doubt at all that it was unspeakably unprofessional to pull a stunt like that in front of people who bought tickets to see an Iron Maiden show. Ever since that moment, I’ve been suspicious of anything involving Ozzy Osbourne and his…representatives. And let’s be honest…was Ozzfest ’05 really the first time we’ve had to put up with such mindfucks? Nope…and anyone who doesn’t agree should have a chat with Bob Daisley about his bass tracks sometime.
With the above incident in mind, I wasn’t the least bit shocked (just deeply saddened) when the War of the Press Releases began in the days leading up to Black Sabbath’s long-awaited gig in Birmingham this past weekend. Soon after Bill Ward announced that he was not performing drums for the band’s three scheduled reunion shows, Geezer Butler – historically the quietest of the four Brummies – shot back at his now-former drummer with uncharacteristic bitterness. Now, I’ve been in enough bands to know how ugly a split can be, but the following passage in Geezer’s statement really got to me:
The O2 Academy was available in Birmingham, where we were rehearsing, so we decided on that, and to make a donation to Help For Heroes Charity, since we’d be ironing out any glitches we may have. Then Bill put out a further statement saying he’d been ready to play the Birmingham show,, but he was expected to have to do it 'for free'- well, I think that’s basically how you raise money from gigs for charity – you play them 'for free'.
Butler’s above statement is a true head scratcher in light of the fact that: 1. Ward, in his own statement on the matter, said he would have done the show for free, and 2. Ward has spent the past decade supporting a slew of charities through the sale of his solo CD, Straws (http://www.billward.com/discography/straws). When considered in this context, Geezer’s statement was as curious as it was sad. Well...at least he didn’t call Bill a “prick.”
But enough of this…I certainly wasn’t in the room when any of these press statements were written, and I’ve already made my feelings on Bill Ward known in a previous post (available at http://www.bravewords.com/news/178063). But here are some things I can offer as a fan:
1. I’ve seen videos of Tommy Clufetos’ performance with Sabbath, and the guy simply doesn’t cut it in this band. Actually, Tommy’s a great player, which is exactly what makes him so wrong. He’s a metronomic player, not a groove player. Without the groove in Sabbath, this might as well be a cover band. Tommy’s one of those exceptional session-type guys who can blend into virtually any situation – but ultimately offers very little that’s memorable. When I spoke with Eric Singer a few years ago about his time in Sabbath, he mentioned how challenging it was to play songs like “War Pigs,” since Bill was “all over the place” on the original recordings. It’s that looseness that gave Sabbath their swing and soul. There’s very little life in the drumming in the videos I’ve seen. (But hey, Tommy’s drumming with Sabbath and I’m not, so what do I know?)
2. In the future, if/when I’m tempted to spend money on any new Sabbath show, album, etc. that doesn’t feature Bill Ward, I’m skipping it and making a donation to one of Bill’s charities (listed at http://www.billward.com/discography/straws/) instead.
3. That band that played in Birmingham was NOT the Black Sabbath it should have been.
4. I’ll always look at any press statements made by/on behalf of Ozzy Osbourne and the remaining members of Black Sabbath with very skeptical eyes.
5. Get well soon, Tony
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Monday, April 16, 2012
Ex Prong, Flotsam and Jetsam, Pigface Members Join Forces for Dog Rescue Charity Song
Effectionhate, the experimental music project led by multi-instrumentalist Shannon Gausten, has just released a special digital single, “Phoenix Reborn,” in support of dog rescue.
Available on iTunes (http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/phoenix-reborn-single/id516034706), “Phoenix Reborn” also features the talents of Troy Gregory (ex Prong, Flotsam and Jetsam, Swans, Killing Joke), Pete Jones (ex Public Image Limited), Shannon's husband Joel (ex Pigface, Electric Frankenstein, The Undead), Keith LeBlanc (Tackhead, Ministry) and Sonny Bellavance (The Devil's Guitar). All profits from the sale of “Phoenix Reborn” will go to benefit Peace And Paws (http://www.peaceandpaws.org), a nonprofit organization dedicated to placing abandoned and homeless pets into new, loving homes.
“Phoenix Reborn” is Effectionhate's first release since the December 2010 single “Fifteen (Psalm 69 Mix),” which featured bass and samples from Ministry's classic "Psalm 69" track supplied by former Ministry bassist Paul Barker.
“Phoenix Reborn” began life as Troy Gregory's remix of “Take Flight,” an instrumental track from Joel Gausten¹s 2011 EP, “Snake Bite Blues.”
“Once we heard Troy's added vocals and new arrangements, Joel and I knew we had to do something special with what he created from the original track,” Shannon explains. “We - as well as the other musicians involved - are delighted to use this song as a vehicle to help animals in need.”
Last month, the Gaustens co-hosted a special "Dog Rescue" edition of the Glory Is Noise online radio show
(http://www.radiofreesatan.com/blog/glory-is-noise-episode-26-dog-rescue-edition-w-al-jourgensen/) in an effort to raise greater public awareness of the cause. Ministry frontman Al Jourgensen, himself a lifelong dog lover and rescue advocate, joined the duo on the show to discuss his history with dog rescues. In addition to her professional work as a canine behaviorist, Shannon Gausten is a longtime supporter of dog rescue organizations and currently oversees the operations of the dog park in her hometown of Concord, New Hampshire.
Formed by Shannon Gausten in 2007, Effectionhate is experimental in nature and creates music ranging from techno to classical and atonal industrial noise, with the project's evolving list of contributors ensuring that no two compositions are alike.
Effectionhate's debut full-length album, Music Is Dead, is in the final stages of completion and will feature contributions from guitarist Sonny Bellavance and drummers Martin Atkins (Pigface, Nine Inch Nails, Ministry, Public Image Limited) and Joel Gausten. The album is slated for an early 2014 release.
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Available on iTunes (http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/phoenix-reborn-single/id516034706), “Phoenix Reborn” also features the talents of Troy Gregory (ex Prong, Flotsam and Jetsam, Swans, Killing Joke), Pete Jones (ex Public Image Limited), Shannon's husband Joel (ex Pigface, Electric Frankenstein, The Undead), Keith LeBlanc (Tackhead, Ministry) and Sonny Bellavance (The Devil's Guitar). All profits from the sale of “Phoenix Reborn” will go to benefit Peace And Paws (http://www.peaceandpaws.org), a nonprofit organization dedicated to placing abandoned and homeless pets into new, loving homes.
“Phoenix Reborn” is Effectionhate's first release since the December 2010 single “Fifteen (Psalm 69 Mix),” which featured bass and samples from Ministry's classic "Psalm 69" track supplied by former Ministry bassist Paul Barker.
“Phoenix Reborn” began life as Troy Gregory's remix of “Take Flight,” an instrumental track from Joel Gausten¹s 2011 EP, “Snake Bite Blues.”
“Once we heard Troy's added vocals and new arrangements, Joel and I knew we had to do something special with what he created from the original track,” Shannon explains. “We - as well as the other musicians involved - are delighted to use this song as a vehicle to help animals in need.”
Last month, the Gaustens co-hosted a special "Dog Rescue" edition of the Glory Is Noise online radio show
(http://www.radiofreesatan.com/blog/glory-is-noise-episode-26-dog-rescue-edition-w-al-jourgensen/) in an effort to raise greater public awareness of the cause. Ministry frontman Al Jourgensen, himself a lifelong dog lover and rescue advocate, joined the duo on the show to discuss his history with dog rescues. In addition to her professional work as a canine behaviorist, Shannon Gausten is a longtime supporter of dog rescue organizations and currently oversees the operations of the dog park in her hometown of Concord, New Hampshire.
Formed by Shannon Gausten in 2007, Effectionhate is experimental in nature and creates music ranging from techno to classical and atonal industrial noise, with the project's evolving list of contributors ensuring that no two compositions are alike.
Effectionhate's debut full-length album, Music Is Dead, is in the final stages of completion and will feature contributions from guitarist Sonny Bellavance and drummers Martin Atkins (Pigface, Nine Inch Nails, Ministry, Public Image Limited) and Joel Gausten. The album is slated for an early 2014 release.
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Monday, March 5, 2012
Ministry Frontman Discusses Dog Rescue on "Glory Is Noise"
On a very special edition of the Glory Is Noise online radio show, host Joel Gausten welcomes his wife, canine behaviorist Shannon Gausten, and Ministry frontman Al Jourgensen for an in-depth discussion on the importance of dog rescue. The hour-long episode, which also features music from Ministry's upcoming album Relapse as well as Jourgensen's recently-released Buck Satan & The 666 Shooters album Bikers Welcome! Ladies Drink Free, is available for free and on-demand at http://www.radiofreesatan.com/blog/glory-is-noise-episode-26-dog-rescue-edition-w-al-jourgensen/.
Dog rescue is a long-running concern for Jourgensen, who in December of last year released a limited-edition, hand-numbered “Buck Santa Xmas Bundle” in support of Rockstar Rescue (www.rockstarrescueaz.org). A limited edition of 365, the bundle includes a three-song CD (signed by Jourgensen), a Ministry Xmas koozie, a Ministry Eco Shopping Bag, a Buck Satan guitar pick and other goodies. With each sale of a bundle, $7 is donated to Rockstar Rescue, who need that amount of money per dog, per day. So with each bundle, Ministry fans are supporting one dog for one day. Once all the bundles are sold, one dog will be supported for an entire year. Additionally, Al and Angie Jourgensen will do matching funds to whatever monies are raised by Ministry fans – meaning that two dogs will be supported for one year! More information on the bundle is available at http://www.thirteenthplanetshop.com/2011-buck-santa-bundle-limited-edition/.
In addition to her work as a canine specialist, Shannon Gausten is a lifelong advocate of dog rescue organizations and currently oversees the operations of the dog park in her hometown of Concord, NH.
Glory Is Noise host Joel Gausten is currently coordinating the release of a special dog rescue charity single to be released later this spring. Confirmed participants in the as-yet-unnamed project include Troy Gregory (ex Prong/Flotsam And Jetsam/Swans/Killing Joke) and former Public Image Limited bassist Pete Jones.
Glory Is Noise is a show on listener-supported Radio Free Satan (http://www.radiofreesatan.com). Each episode, host Joel Gausten offers an eclectic mix of music and exclusive interviews with mainstream and underground recording artists. The show’s Official Facebook Page is at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Glory-is-Noise-Radio-Show/117651034954730?ref=ts.
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Dog rescue is a long-running concern for Jourgensen, who in December of last year released a limited-edition, hand-numbered “Buck Santa Xmas Bundle” in support of Rockstar Rescue (www.rockstarrescueaz.org). A limited edition of 365, the bundle includes a three-song CD (signed by Jourgensen), a Ministry Xmas koozie, a Ministry Eco Shopping Bag, a Buck Satan guitar pick and other goodies. With each sale of a bundle, $7 is donated to Rockstar Rescue, who need that amount of money per dog, per day. So with each bundle, Ministry fans are supporting one dog for one day. Once all the bundles are sold, one dog will be supported for an entire year. Additionally, Al and Angie Jourgensen will do matching funds to whatever monies are raised by Ministry fans – meaning that two dogs will be supported for one year! More information on the bundle is available at http://www.thirteenthplanetshop.com/2011-buck-santa-bundle-limited-edition/.
In addition to her work as a canine specialist, Shannon Gausten is a lifelong advocate of dog rescue organizations and currently oversees the operations of the dog park in her hometown of Concord, NH.
Glory Is Noise host Joel Gausten is currently coordinating the release of a special dog rescue charity single to be released later this spring. Confirmed participants in the as-yet-unnamed project include Troy Gregory (ex Prong/Flotsam And Jetsam/Swans/Killing Joke) and former Public Image Limited bassist Pete Jones.
Glory Is Noise is a show on listener-supported Radio Free Satan (http://www.radiofreesatan.com). Each episode, host Joel Gausten offers an eclectic mix of music and exclusive interviews with mainstream and underground recording artists. The show’s Official Facebook Page is at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Glory-is-Noise-Radio-Show/117651034954730?ref=ts.
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Thursday, March 1, 2012
The Hanson Brothers: Sudden Death
Appropriately named after characters in the legendary 1977 hockey flick, Slap Shot, The Hanson Brothers skated onto the scene from Canada in 1992 with their first album, Gross Misconduct. A blatant (and rather proficient) musical tribute to The Ramones with an unsurprisingly-high lyrical focus on the game that inspired their moniker, the band (originally launched as the alter egos of longtime Canadian cult heroes NoMeansNo) offered cheeky “puck” rock served up with cover art that mimicked The Ramones’ Road To Ruin.
Originally released in 1996 (and re-released by Southern Records in 2012), the band’s sophomore release, Sudden Death, keeps the better-with-each-listen joke going with 15 more hokey hockey hits. Highlights include “We’re Brewing,” "I Never Will Forget Her” and, ahem, “Hockey Song.”
While nothing on this album will change the world of music as we know it – or come close to matching the band that it shamelessly emulates – Sudden Death remains a satisfying dose of goofy mid ’90s Punk that still sounds great all these years later.
To order Sudden Death, visit http://shop.southern.com/hanson-brothers-sudden-death-cd/.
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Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Words for Bill Ward
Like many diehard Black Sabbath fans around the world, I was greatly saddened to read Bill Ward’s February 2, 2012 announcement that he was reluctant to participate in the previously-announced reunion of the band’s original lineup unless he was presented with something other than an “unsignable” contract. And like many Sabbath fans, I was shattered to later read a statement from Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler indicating their intentions to continue their reunion plans without Bill, if necessary. Aside from posting a few knee-jerk comments (and, in some cases, emotionally-charged graphics) on my private Facebook page as well as on a few pro-Bill sites on the Web here and there, I haven’t publicly addressed this situation on behalf of Gausten Books (which has published two titles featuring Bill Ward), or on my own behalf as someone who has had nothing but an overwhelmingly positive history with the man. With the pro-Bill drum still being heard loud and clear around the globe (and getting much louder by the day!), I felt it was time for me to fully speak my truths regarding the kind of man Bill Ward is.
Let me make it clear that I am not a “band insider” who knows what is going on behind closed doors regarding Bill and his relationship with the other members of Black Sabbath. Frankly, it’s nobody’s business. However, what I can discuss here is my impression of Bill based on my experiences with him over the years. Based on these interactions, I believe in my heart that any contractual arrangement offered to Bill that is beneath the high level of respect he deserves is reprehensible – both to him as a musical innovator AND as a human being. And here’s why.
First, Bill’s loyalty to Black Sabbath is legendary. Here’s what he told me in 2005 shortly before the band was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame:
“I can only play drums with one band. I'm still very much like that. I like to jam with other bands. I've got no problem with that. I'd even like to cut records with other bands, in the sense of like cutting a track, being a socialite drummer. But I would never, ever consider joining a band as a drummer after being in Black Sabbath.”
Second, Bill’s humanitarian efforts are extraordinary. Away from Sabbath, Bill remains active in helping to keep the Vietnam Memorial in DC clean and maintained. Wait, you didn’t know that? Well, read on.
In 2002, he released "Straws" ( http://www.billward.com/discography/straws/), a special CD single sold to raise funds for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, the Alice Faith Mittelman Foundation, the Children Affected by AIDS Foundation and the National Veterans Foundation. As Bill once told me about the “Straws” endeavor:
“I was trying to raise money for four or five different charities, the first charity being the Veteran's Wall in Washington D.C. for the men and women who died in Vietnam, who lost their lives there. Nobody's actually employed to clean the wall. The people that clean that wall are all volunteers, so you can send money to them to help buy the cleaning fluids and pay them a little money for their services or whatever it might be. So that's one of the charities that we support. It's like, give back to those who fucking died, you know?”
Let me make it clear that I am not a “band insider” who knows what is going on behind closed doors regarding Bill and his relationship with the other members of Black Sabbath. Frankly, it’s nobody’s business. However, what I can discuss here is my impression of Bill based on my experiences with him over the years. Based on these interactions, I believe in my heart that any contractual arrangement offered to Bill that is beneath the high level of respect he deserves is reprehensible – both to him as a musical innovator AND as a human being. And here’s why.
First, Bill’s loyalty to Black Sabbath is legendary. Here’s what he told me in 2005 shortly before the band was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame:
“I can only play drums with one band. I'm still very much like that. I like to jam with other bands. I've got no problem with that. I'd even like to cut records with other bands, in the sense of like cutting a track, being a socialite drummer. But I would never, ever consider joining a band as a drummer after being in Black Sabbath.”
Second, Bill’s humanitarian efforts are extraordinary. Away from Sabbath, Bill remains active in helping to keep the Vietnam Memorial in DC clean and maintained. Wait, you didn’t know that? Well, read on.
In 2002, he released "Straws" ( http://www.billward.com/discography/straws/), a special CD single sold to raise funds for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, the Alice Faith Mittelman Foundation, the Children Affected by AIDS Foundation and the National Veterans Foundation. As Bill once told me about the “Straws” endeavor:
“I was trying to raise money for four or five different charities, the first charity being the Veteran's Wall in Washington D.C. for the men and women who died in Vietnam, who lost their lives there. Nobody's actually employed to clean the wall. The people that clean that wall are all volunteers, so you can send money to them to help buy the cleaning fluids and pay them a little money for their services or whatever it might be. So that's one of the charities that we support. It's like, give back to those who fucking died, you know?”
I’m sorry, but these are not the words of a man who would hold up a reunion tour over greed.
On a deeply personal note, I know Bill Ward to be a caring, thoughtful and honest human being, and someone who remains a source of encouragement and inspiration to me. Growing up a drummer with cerebral palsy, I had to learn to relax enough to keep a beat without my left leg seizing up. Around the age of 11 or 12, I discovered the first Black Sabbath album – and the magic that can be derived from keeping the groove slow. “Behind The Wall of Sleep” became personal therapy for me, as I played along to that track to slow down and finally find the calmness I needed as a foundation before attempting to get heavy and fast. If not for Bill Ward, the four dozen or so records I’ve been on would have remained a nice fantasy instead of a reality. After my first-ever interview with Bill back in ’05, I gathered up the courage to tell him about my childhood struggles, and how his drumming changed everything for me. After hearing my tale, Bill thanked me and said something I will never forget:
“I wish you strength to overcome, courage to progress and the knowledge that you are not alone”
Bill, there are millions of us around the world who offer you those same words right now.
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Saturday, February 4, 2012
Bob Daisley & Joel Gausten Discuss Gary Moore (YouTube)
On Feb. 10, 2011, Glory Is Noise radio show host Joel Gausten got in touch with legendary bassist Bob Daisley (Gary Moore/Ozzy/Rainbow/Uriah Heep) as part of the show's tribute to departed guitarist Gary Moore. The full episode aired the week of Feb. 14. More information on Glory Is Noise is available at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Glory-is-Noise-Radio-Show/117651034954730.
Part One:
Part Two:
READ JOEL'S BIO
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EMAIL JOEL at gaustenbooks@gmail.com
Part One:
Part Two:
READ JOEL'S BIO
PURCHASE JOEL'S BOOKS
EMAIL JOEL at gaustenbooks@gmail.com