Woollen Kits

From Melbourne, VIC, AU, comes Woollen Kits. I don't know all that much about them, YET, but I do believe they are a 3-piece band, and I do KNOW they make some terribly fun and addictive garage rock, as is evidenced by their EP they've made available for free download on Band Camp, Teenage Love EP. It's a quick listen, four songs clocking in at eight and a half minutes only, but hey, true garage rock tunes are usually three things: fun, catchy, and succinct, which is indeed how I would describe the Teenage Love EP songs. The vocals deliver the light-hearted lyrics in a low and easy style, absolutely perfect atop the jangly guitars and snappy drums. I adore this EP, go check it out now, and also check out this video for Woollen Kits' single Maths:

Kris Thompson Interview

High time here on DSK blog for a profile, and a most awesome interview, with someone who practically defines the underground psychedelic music scene, now, and seemingly, for always! In the recent past, I discovered the music of a now-defunct band called The Prefab Messiahs, and had the utmost pleasure of getting to know one of the men behind that band, and behind many other musical projects over the years, Mr. Kris Thompson. Those of you reading this who already know Kris, aren't you the lucky ones! I have checked out at least most of his projects over the past few months, and everything I have heard that he's worked on, has been some truly amazing work. To dedicate your life to making such music, music with substance and style, means you are bound to find listeners who are going to appreciate your art and your love with you, follow you and your work, and show you some *love* back. For myself, I only this year discovered Kris Thompson's immense and amazing body of work, but better late than never, and to catch up with him, and to make sure readers here who don't know him yet find out about him, I asked him some questions that he went above and beyond to kindly answer for me, and here they are, so enjoy the trip with Kris!


How did you first get involved with music, at what age & what was your first instrument?

I wasn't really drawn much to music until high school. There was a summer camp I went to on an island off of New Hampshire, and there was a lot of singing (folk/pop/rock) and we got to crank up rock albums on the stereo in the rec hall. So I caught the music bug there, and at home afterward I got a cheap acoustic guitar and started fiddling about on it. When some friends wanted to start jamming on electric instruments, though, I was the least experienced in guitar and so was "relegated" to the bass, haha.

You've worked with so many people and been in so many bands/projects over the years, but all of them were of a psychedelic nature, true?

Psychedelia can be a hard essence to pin down, but sure, you could say that there's at least a thread of it running through most of the bands and projects. The Prefab Messiahs (1981-83) were a Dada-influenced post-punk/garage/psych-pop unit. The Lost Demension (1983-85) was an experimental space/noise bedroom project. Jasmine Love Bomb (1986-89) was a loud-ish psych-rock affair. Nisi Period (1989-95) was a dark spacey post-punk band with 2-3 drummers. Cloud Furnace (1996-97) was a gloomy/spacey synth-punk project that did some unreleased recordings produced by Roger Miller (Mission of Burma). Abunai! (1996-2002) was a psych-rock/spacerock band with a hint of 60s UK folk-rock. The Lothars (1996-2009) were an experimental space/drone group with 2-4 theremins plus other instruments. Concord Ballet Orchestra Players (2005-present) are a Krautrock-ish avant-psych collective. Sometimes I play theremin in "avant-chill kosmische" sets with ambient guitarist Rob Byrd, and experimental cellist Wisteriax (Karen Langlie) joins in on that occasionally. Rob and I recently released a CD under the name Byrd/Thompson.

There have been lots of live and studio collaborations too, which keeps things really fun. It's cool to be able to spin out sounds with a wide variety of folks. The list looks crazy when I start pulling it together: Prince Rama, Bobb Trimble, Gary War, Damo Suzuki, Tanakh/Kawabata Makoto, Brother JT, Sore Eros, Nick Salomon (The Bevis Frond), Windy & Carl, High Llamas, Alastair Galbraith, The Spacious Mind, Quilt, Awesome Color, 28 Degrees Taurus, Many Mansions, Lauri des Marais, Crank Sturgeon, Mind Yeti...

Bobb Trimble made some incredible (and now very collectible) solo dreamy psych LPs in the early 80s; I made some low-key contributions to the 2nd one (Harvest of Dreams) and helped start his latest band (Bobb Trimble's Flying Spiders) in 2008. I helped him get those first two albums reissued in 2007, and his "lost 3rd album" from 1984 just came out earlier this summer on Yoga Records.

Were you always based in Boston? Is that your hometown for a long time now? From what I know, there is a thriving independent music scene there, but maybe you can give me your thoughts on that?

I grew up in Georgetown, a small town about 30 miles north of Boston. I did some music while at college in Worcester MA and Lowell MA, and then moved to the Boston area in 1991. Yeah, there's a lot of cool independent activity here. It tends to be pretty spread out and segmented, though, but I'm not sure if it's that much more so than most places.

Can you name some of your most fave songs you have made with your bands? Name some fave performances?

Fave songs...that's tough, but here are a couple each from some of the bands:
Abunai! - "Dreaming of Light", "Rolling of the Stones"
Concord Ballet Orchestra Players - "May 29, 1913 (reprise)","I Roamed Under It As a Tired Nude Maori"
Jasmine Love Bomb - "Empire Sun", "That River"
The Lothars - "Banjolin", "The Trot"
Nisi Period - "Echo of Suggestion", "Unless"
The Prefab Messiahs - "Beyond All That", "The 16th Track"

As far as performances, I'll never forget playing theremin with Damo Suzuki in early 2003 (you can hear me, but not see me in this vid). That was a Knitting Factory show in NYC. Damo had put out the word that he was looking for "sound carriers" (live collaborators) in each city that he visited. On my night, the carriers also included Gary Lucas (from Beefheart's Magic Band) and several guys from Parts and Labor.

It was also really cool playing with The Spacious Mind (Swedish space rock band) at Terrastock 6 (2006), and a couple of times with Windy & Carl -- once at Terrastock 4 in '00, and at a bookstore near Boston on '01.

Bobb Trimble's first-ever NYC show in June '09 was a great time. It was sponsored by Rotter & Friends, Viva-Radio, and Mexican Summer -- and they all went out of their way to make it a special thing for us. We did a live WFMU session during that visit too. Bobb had just gotten out of the hospital with pneumonia, so we were flying pretty seat-of-the-pants there -- but it all went pretty well.

What are you working on with your current band and also with Bobb Trimble?

Concord Ballet Orchestra Players had a double-cassette out earlier this year on L'Animaux Tryst. They'll be issuing an LP from us this coming winter too. Rob Byrd and Wisteriax and I have started recording a series of live shows, and at some point we'll use those as a basis for a full release.

With Bobb Trimble('s Flying Spiders) we've been doing some shows in support of his album The Crippled Dog Band. We've also started learning some vintage songs of his that never got released, and we'll be recording some of those. The New York show we played in 2009 was recorded multitrack and came out quite well, so we might mix that and do something with it too.

Future plans?

Well, mainly to keep finding myself in interesting situations, and to document and share them when it makes sense to. That's all I can really ask for. I'll probably do some recording-for-fun with Gary War this fall -- and new live/studio collaboration situations are always popping up.

Speaking of Gary, his label (with Taylor Richardson) Fixed Identity is going to be putting out an 8-song 45rpm 12" of archival stuff from The Prefab Messiahs this fall. It'll be called Peace Love & Alienation, which was a little catch-phrase of ours back then. It's going to be a really nice thing, with a screen-printed "zine" insert with posters, art, writings, etc.


Kris, thank you so much for taking the time to do this amazing interview. The body of work you lay claim to, is absolutely mind-blowing. There is so much to be awed by here, and so much to be proud of. For those of us who explore your music, our lives are all the more richer and wonderful for taking the trips with you.

Further links to explore with Kris Thompson:
YouTube
MySpace
AllRovi (formerly AMG AllMusic) discography
Trip Inside This House 10 Questions feature with Kris

Kent State Walk Through Walls EP

Kent State, from Baltimore, Maryland, has released a second EP titled Walk Through Walls, and like their first EP Spahn Ranch (reviewed on this blog HERE), and their single Challenger, they are giving it away as a free download to us all. Nick Vance, the voice and guitar behind Kent State, is full-time guitarist for awesome punk outfit Deep Sleep, and has been moonlighting with a few buddies as Kent State for a while now, putting his efforts into something different from the raucous, rowdy, most excellent punk rock of Deep Sleep. The sounds of Kent State songs are layered into distorted clouds of guitars and vocals that create a dark intrigue, but also retain a sense of light within the layers. Smashing cymbals and tambourines drive the songs of Walk Though Walls EP, and as they crash you into the walls of guitars, you realize it's a fantastic ride. Every song here is a highlight, but you might especially enjoy Hundred Years' War with its minute-long swagger psychedelic swagger that jumps right into Secrets For Sale, which has the signature hollow reverb of Kent State puffing wrecked smoke clouds all around the room. Low, wide-open guitar pairs with the airier vocals to continue the interplay that makes Kent State's music so intriguing.

So, Nicholas Vance invites you all to check out Kent State's music, no need to do anything more than download his own links:

Walk Through Walls EP

Spahn Ranch EP

Challenger single

Enjoy it all, friends!

Black Market Karma new EP release

Well kids, they have finally released a new EP, titled All That I've Made, and the four fantastic songs are available right HERE to listen to, and purchase as downloads. This deliciously psychedelic EP complete with BMK's signature huge expanse of guitars, serves as a prelude to their upcoming full length, still, TBA, folks, I know, been a long time a'comin' but it's on its way, we promise!

WU LYF at Knitting Factory, Brooklyn, July 23, 2011

World Unite Lucifer Youth Foundation, or WU LYF for short, spent a sweltering summer weekend in New York City, playing shows both in Manhattan and in Brooklyn. I have to say, this was a performance I was quite excited for, and these young Brits did not disappoint. In fact, they were so fantastic onstage playing songs from their debut album Go Tell Fire To The Mountain, that I was pretty blown away. WU LYF seem to have their own language, it's English, yes, but not the regular old English we speak in on a daily basis. They've done something to the words to make them their own, used them in unexpected combinations and in colorful and imaginative ways, which is evident even by their album title. I was really surprised to see how many people at the Brooklyn show knew every single word to all of WU LYF's songs. WU LYF sing in sort of a gospel style, with their music embracing not only gospel, but world beat, R&B, soul, even ska and straight up rock & roll. They have hit upon something so original, so absorbing and uplifting, that they definitely deserve to have real music fans listening. Adding a tribal and primitive element to their songs with huge, pounding drums, the howling, gospel-like vocals and Fender Telecaster Custom guitar work combine with that tribal beat to create music that strikes something deep inside the human spirit. Something strong and beautiful is stirring here beyond what is on the surface, and if you give it the chance, I believe you will come to love the feeling this music gives you.

I've posted some of my own photos, although they are a bit dark! I do shout a huge THANK YOU to WU LYF for playing for us that night at Knitting Factory, Brooklyn definitely loves you!

Bass Drum of Death at Knitting Factory Brooklyn, July 23, 2011

Again Bass Drum of Death pay New York City a visit during their 2011 tour to support their album GB City and again they absolutely ROCK. This time around, John, Colin, and Print were playing with the likes of Young Buffalo (from the same hometown as Bass Drum of Death, Oxford, Mississippi), and all the way from Manchester, England, WU LYF. I have seen the band play quite a few times this year, and each time, they get better and better. I was thinking, are they getting tired being at the end of this tour and playing the rowdy rock & roll tunes off GB City over and over? My answer to that was, well, no, at least it doesn't SEEM that way, as Bass Drum of Death just continues to blow my mind with their bad-ass music even more now, than at the beginning of this tour months ago. Keep rocking, boys. Thanks for the great music and the great live shows. I've posted some photos from The Knit, as I was able to get some better shots this time.

The Guru

The Guru, from Watertown, Connecticut, USA, are absolute charmers. Play their album Native Sun and from the second it begins, you will know exactly what I mean. Arizona kicks off the album with the best upbeat dance rock stylings, and you are already out of your seat. Reel It In keeps the pace pumping, the funky twang of Fender guitars filling the song. My personal favorite, Barracuda Hands, is insanely catchy and jumpy, with the perfect guitar riffs all jammed in there, and following song Pirate's Cove is yet another bouncy, spastic treasure. The Guru have even done their own sweet take on a disco dancing tune, Disco Daughter. All eight songs on The Guru's Native Sun album are so filled with bounce and charm, it's quite addictive.

The band consists of Kyle McEvoy, 17 yrs old, on guitar, Eddie Golden III on drums and awesome vocals, Colin Sullivan on guitar, and Dan George on bass, all 18 yrs old. The Guru may be young, but they have already got life all figured out, and that is something some of us older folks can't even say! Quote from their fantastic Tumblr: 'There's a certain way to live life, only a few know it. Trusting in other humans, trusting in yourself to make the best out of a situation, and knowing that you're only in it for so long.' This just blows my mind something crazy! I love this quote, this philosophy, of getting out there and doing something good and having a great time with cool people. Keep yourself surrounded with good things and feel the good vibes, and enjoy it while you can!

These four young guys have known each other for a long time, and have been playing music as a four-piece band for two years now, just getting together with their gear one day & as Kyle puts it: '...we all decided to jam together and we never looked back!' Colin and Eddie had already been playing as a two-piece with the name The Guru, and Kyle and Dan were in another band, but that day, it all came together for them. As for the scene around where they live in Connecticut, they pretty much made it what it is, setting up gigs, getting folks together for a good time, with great music. Impressive, this all is, they pretty much have me hooked with their story and their music, and I hope you all check out The Guru and get jumping with them and their tunes!

Soon to be released if all goes well, is Native Sun on vinyl, and a split EP with The Guru's buddies High Pop.