Posts Tagged ‘punk outlaw records’

Hold on to your hats… and don’t give me any s*&t.

// May 18th, 2012 // No Comments » // Downloads, Music, Videos

It’s Normandie Blue Release week next week so don’t give me any s&*t please about being a self promoter. Music like this doesn’t come easy. First you have to have the talent of Alex Blue which is honed by years living on the road with Calavera, the punk/psychobilly band with a huge underground following.

Then you have to have a producer like John Avila (Oingo Boingo, Reel Big Fish, etc.) who probably doesn’t work that cheap.  So above mentioned Alex sells his car to pay for the production of the CD.  Guys like Alex don’t really do things half way.

The result is “It Is What It Is” officially out tomorrow on iTunes, Amazon Music, bla, bla, bla but for you dear reader I’ll tell you a secret.. shhhhhh.. ready…? wait for it.. It’s actually out now! That’s right if you click the links below for Itunes and Amazon Music, you’ll be taken straight to the release page where you can buy a track or the whole CD.

Alex, Ito & Manny - Normandie Blue

Now is this just too much raw, unleashed capitalism for you? Is Normandie Blue not “oi” punk enough for ya? I got you, I hear you and I would almost agree with you except for 3 things:

1) As I said, putting out music like this is hard.. really hard. Because Alex sold his car to pay for the production, he had do walk part of the 25 miles with guitar and amp in hand to the studio everyday in the hot (yes, it gets hot) California sun. Doesn’t get much more punk than that.

2) The music is good. It may not be pure punk but it’s unarguably punk influenced and it is good, aggressive hard and melodic rock and roll. Is Social Distortion punk? Is Bad Religion punk? If you didn’t know their history and just listened to their sound you might say “nahh”, but we all know they are. Well, while Alex’s background is less heralded, it is just as authentic I’ll assure you. He’s punk to the core.

3) And good music, my friends, deserves to be heard.

But what is good music? It varies from person to person of course. So we put together a little video sampler from the CD for you because we know you have a short attention span and your time is valuable and we don’t want to waste it.

And furthermore if you feel we’re appealing to your wallet a bit too much, that maybe we have spent a tad too much time in the belly of “the great satan” (AKA the United States), then we’re offering this. Free downloads of  the single “Amazing Disgrace” just for the first 100 listeners.

But be quick about it. Our buddies Remezcla.com featured a kick ass article on Normandie Blue and they too are offering their readers access to the same downloads.

Check out the Remezcla article HERE.

And finally, just to go one step further to convince you we are not simply takers and not givers, If you happen to live in the LA Area (or are so moved by this post to move or at least visit here), we’re hosting the Normandie Blue CD Release party on June 2nd at the Torino Lounge.

3 bands, $8 and free giveaways.. (sorry, 21+ only).

With so much promotional costs (flyers, CD dubs, etc.) we may very well not make a dime, but if we do, we’ve pledged to help one of Alex’s pet causes, an orphanage in Mexico City. We plan to donate 10% of any net profits we may happen to make and to be quiet honest, living in the U.S. we are pretty damned lucky in many ways (and we have both traveled so we know that… and by “we” I mean Alex and myself), so we’ll probably help out anyway whether we make money or not.

So please don’t give me any S&*^.

We’re just trying to get good music heard and maybe do some good in the process. What’s wrong with that? If you don’t have any money you can still listen, but if you do have money, and do like what your hear, then support good music and spend 99 cents for your favorite song… or 9.99 for the whole CD.

It’s not about the money.. it’s about the music.. but the money keeps the music going you see. That’s not capitalism, socialism, communism or any other ism.. that’s just life.

I hope you enjoy!

 

Just Released: Normandie Blue – “Hard to Forgive” Music Video

// April 26th, 2012 // No Comments » // Videos

We had a great time shooting this video for the song “Hard to Forgive”, which will be the first single off  “Normandie Blues”  forthcoming CD “It is What it Is”  due out on May 19th on Punk Outlaw Records.

Gracias to my 3 interns, Tim, Snik and Alexa as well as Armando in Mexico who shot and edited the original version and of course the guys from the band, the first U.S. based band signed to Punk Outlaw Records.

The CD Release Party is scheduled for June 2nd at the Torino Lounge in Paramount, CA. If you don’t live in Cali or even the U.S., hang tight, Alex Blue, Normandie Blue’s extremely talented founder and front man is planning a little kick ass world tour as I type.

In the meantime, hope you enjoy the video and the song “Hard to Forgive” from Normandie Blue.

Los Suziox Ringtone Now Available

// April 20th, 2012 // No Comments » // Videos

Punk Outlaw Records is tickled punk to announce the release of our very first ringtone. That’s right, the kick ass single “Armas Silenciosas” (Silent Arms) from our good buddies down in Medellin, Colombia “Los Suziox” (The Dirty) is out as a ringtone for iPhone users for just 99 measly cents.

Give “Armas Silenciosas” a listen right HERE and if you think you might want this very cool ringtone for yourself then log onto the ringtone store on your iPhone and search for “Los Suziox”.

While you are at it, check out the whole release from Los Suziox “El Fin Justifica los Medios” (The End Justifies the Means). It’s a very popular CD down from one of the most talented bands to come out of Colombia in a while… and that’s saying a lot because the punk music scene there is first rate… trust me, I’ve been there a lot.

Punk Outlaw Records Signs Leading Punk Band From Serbia

// April 11th, 2012 // No Comments » // Photos

PUNK OUTLAW RECORDS SIGNS LEADING PUNK BAND FROM SERBIA 

- UPS! (Stand Against the System) Releases first CD “Evolution of the Transition” -

 Los Angeles, CA April, 11th, 2012 – Punk Outlaw® Records announced the signing of their first band outside of the Americas with UPS! Hailing from Petrovac na Mlavi, Serbia (the former Republic of Yugoslavia), UPS! is a Serbian abbreviation for “Ustani Protiv Sistema!” which translated means “Stand Against the System!”

No stranger to the atrocities of war during the last century, Petrovac na Mlavi can now boasts having the distinction of spawning the first Serbian punk band ever signed to a U.S. record label. UPS! began performing in 2006 when the band, impoverished but believing in their vision,  persevered and began by borrowing instruments to play covers and eventually originals. When they couldn’t find rehearsal space they practiced in a nearby sheep meadow creating a quiet a spectacle for the local sheep herders.

Their vision and hard work paid off. In 2009 UPS! won the qualification rounds of the GBOB Serbia Contest (a country wide battle of the bands). They then participated at the national finals in Belgrade, where they earned the distinction of being the only punk band to reach the finals. They later toured all over Eastern Europe and even Switzerland with other famous regional rock bands.

After five year of struggle and hard work, UPS! has released their debut album “Evolution Of the Transition”, an aggressive, edgy release that features 10 originals railing against corruption and mistrust of authority in a way that can only be described as both angry and authentic.

“We’re excited to have UPS! be our first band from the punk music hotbed of Eastern Europe” states Robert Rose, Founder of Punk Outlaw Records. “These guys have important things to say and our intention is to help them say it” Rose continued.

UPS! influences include Pennywise, Rancid, Bad Religion, NoFX and Bouncing Souls, as well as local bands Atheist Rap, D?a ili Bu, Goblini, etc. Their trademark sound is speed combined with melody and powerful vocals.

“Evolution of the Transition” is currently available on iTunes, Amazon Music, Google Music, CD Baby and other digital music sites. Samples of the music can be heard and official bio and photos can be viewed at www.upsband.com and www.punkoutlawrecords.com site. Current members of the band include Jovan Kostic (Mandow) – Vocal & Bass, Darko Stojanovic (Dare) – Drums, and Luka Glasnovic (Luka) – Rhythm Guitar.

ABOUT PUNK OUTLAW RECORDS:

Punk Outlaw Records is a digital record label and publishing company with a focus on distribution and promotion of socially conscious punk, ska, reggae, rockabilly, psychobilly and other forms of music from around the world. The label’s mission is to facilitate music’s ability to bring social awareness and change to some of the world’s most pressing issues.

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We’re Heading to Viva Las Vegas Baby!

// April 4th, 2012 // No Comments » // Events, Photos, Videos

In 2006 I happened to be in Las Vegas for some business reason or another when Viva Las Vegas was in town. I stumbled upon the pool party by accident and saw a guy named “Pachuco Jose y Los Diamantes” playing his brand of boogie woogie out by the pool and all these tattooed and retro looking people in a variety of dress swinging and dancing to the music and generally having a good old time.

The music was in Spanish… the crowd was at least 50% Latino and this was as entertaining of a scene as my NYC jaded eyes had seen in a long, long time.  I decided then and there that I’d be back the following year with cameras to feature the event on my syndicated TV show I was producing at the time, American Latino TV & LatiNation.

In 2007 we returned and did just that. We spent a couple days there gathering footage and interviews, checking out the car shows, talking to pin up queens and rockabilly cats from as far away as Japan. We interviewed the founder Tom Ingram and gathered enough material to produce a few segments on the phenomena.

Following my gut instinct that this type of content would play well in our biggest TV market (For a Latin targeted show that is Los Angeles, NOT New York City) and in markets throughout the west and southwest, we started weaving rockabilly and punk content into the shows. When covering music, fashion or other cultural stories instead of just focusing on the latest salsa or reggaetone artists or Latin celebrity, we also included this very underground culture that rarely received any mainstream national media attention.

It worked. Our ratings and awareness increased and I can honestly say of all the smart and stupid things I did in the 8 years I produced the shows, this was one of the smarter moves. It was a marketing home run.

Possibly in part because I was personally fascinated with the culture and people and genuinely interested in this lifestyle, not only from a Latin point of view, but overall.

This my friends, is how Punk Outlaw initially began. Despite the success of the ratings, American Latino & LatiNation couldn’t be all rockabilly, punk and psychobilly all the time. Our mission was much, much broader than that and the vast majority of viewers, while intrigued enough to watch some segments, would never watch entire programs dedicated to the culture. Not to mention our 100+ local affiliates and our dozen or so advertisers didn’t sign up for this type of show.

So walah.. Punk Outlaw was born. First as a simple site with some videos on You Tube then later the current version you see now, which incorporates my world travels as I work on the documentary “Punktology… the worldwide influence of punk”… to most recently, the launch of Punk Outlaw Records.. which is still feeling it’s way around finding and promoting various genres of underground music from around the world so that everyone can enjoy.

Well, now, in 2012, a good 5 years after we first covered VLV and provided some unique, never before seen coverage that I’m still very proud of to this day, we are heading back.

We’re driving this time from Los Angeles and beginning tomorrow will be there through Sunday where we’ll provide daily updates on the blog as well as video segments.

So if you can’t make it VLV this year, never fear dear reader, we got you. Stay tuned for daily updates and pics right here and we’ll do our best to bring it to you in all it’s glory. Should be a rollicking good time.

Enjoy some videos and pics from 2007.

 

 

 

Bettie Page Shoot Featuring The Lovely Nentini

// April 2nd, 2012 // No Comments » // Photos, Videos

You may remember our buddies from Medellin, Colombia, The Dorados Rockabilly Trio, one of the few, true rockabilly bands in the entire country (there is an emerging pyschobilly scene in Bogota).  I was really impressed with Dorados’ passion for rockabilly music, in a country where rockabilly music is a very foreign concept.

My rockabilly friends in California and New York have often told stories about the looks and questions they get when they travel outside the “culture zones” of Cali and NYC in areas less familiar with Rockabilly music and subcultures, like the midwest or deep south.

Well, imagine if you can being in a place like Colombia… so long isolated from the rest of the world, where even being a punk, is bound to draw some stares (or a Gringo, take it from me), much less rockabilly with the pompadour hair, retro clothes, tattoos and the 1950′s and 60′s Americana look.

Yet these guys and a few others like them persevere. We signed Dorados to Punk Outlaw Records when they released their first CD “Conflicto de Espacio Blanco” (White Space Conflict), a Spanish / English mix of 6 originals including their trademark song “Bettie Page”. The CD is out now on i-Tunes, Amazon Music, etc.

While we recognize the excellent rockabilly bands in the UK, U.S. and other parts of the world we felt like music like this from a country like Colombia should be heard.  I feel like we should support music from artists who are the lone voices in their home country.

With that all said, I really loved their tune, “Bettie Page”. I, like most people, wasn’t alive when Bettie Page’s brand of cheesecake photography was so popular. But I became fascinated by her life story when I found she was from Tennessee (where I’m from) and moved to NYC (where I moved to) and then California (where I now live) and later in life returned to Tennessee and became very religious and secluded in her dying days (the similarities stop there, I hope… oh and I’m not really as hot as Bettie Page either… and I’m a dude).

Say what you will about Bettie Page and her art, the reality is that she was a pioneer and has inspired many, many photographers and models in the current pin up and burlesque scenes, which are a big part of rockabilly culture.

I don’t want to get any hate mail and flames from people who don’t agree with pin up and burlesque.  If you don’t like it, don’t read this blog or view the Bettie Page video or videos coming up on Punk Outlaw, because we’re going to feature more of it on the site. Why? because it’s a big part of the culture and we cover the culture, ALL of it. It’s that simple.

Miss Nentini is a burlesque dancer and pin up artists who hails from El Salvador but lives in Los Angeles. She’s got legions of loyal fans on her Facebook Profile and is actually able to make her living  performing burlesque and modeling throughout the Los Angeles area. After the video shoot, we interviewed Miss Nentini for our documentary “Punktology” and she filled us in on some of the challenges facing burlesque and pin up girls.

We asked her to channel Bettie for the video shoot last month at Venice Beach for the video we are producing for the Dorados Rockabilly Trip single “Bettie Page”. I think she did a good job and below are some behind the scenes photos of the shoot.

It was a cold, windy day at Venice Beach. I was sick and Nentini in her retro bikinis was not appropriately dressed for the weather. But like the pro that she is, she carried on and made it look like just another summer day on the beach. Thanks again to Miss Nentini and thanks to Tim & Snik, the Russian interns who provided production assistance for the shoot.

The un-retouched photos below are for your viewing pleasure. Look for Bettie Page video featuring Dorados and miss Nentini to come out later this month. And if you live in the LA area or are visiting, look for a Miss Nentini show. I haven’t had the pleasure of taking one in just yet, but I hope to bring one to you guys soon.

Lokekeda… “Medellin Es Punk” Just Released

// March 19th, 2012 // No Comments » // Music, Videos

There is a band down in Medellin, Colombia called Lokekeda (roughly translated means “Left Overs”). They’ve been playing their unique brand of punk music for years and have, through hard work and commitment, been able to put out a CD called “Medellin Es Punk” (really now, must I translate that for you?). There is a bit of metal in their sound and they site bands like “AC-DC” as one of their influences along with punk mainstays like “The Addicts” and “The Ramones”.

They recorded a little ditty called “Espinas Assesinas” which translated means something like “Killer Thorns” or “Killer Spine” (take your pick) for a compilation CD put out by Colombian punk heavyweights I.R.A.

I found myself listening to “Espinas Assesinas” over and over on the old i-Pod so we ended up producing a music video for the song and putting it out on our “Punktology Vol. 1 – Free Cuba Now” CD late last year.

Well, now, I’m happy to report we are able to put out their debut CD, Medellin Es Punk which also includes “Espinas Assesinas”. It’s over at Punk Outlaw Records where you can read more about the band, see some photos and videos and most importantly listen to some lengthy samples from the CD, gratis, free of charge of course.

If you dig any of the songs and / or the CD you can buy and download at i-Tunes, CD Baby or Amazon Music too.

Enjoy and stay tuned on the Punk Outlaw Records front. It’s going to be a busy spring.

 

 

 

Anti-Everything “Children of a Globalised World”

// March 15th, 2012 // No Comments » // Videos

As you may or may not have noticed, we don’t do a lot of CD reviews around here. Partly because I feel “what makes ME qualified to say what music is good, bad or in between”? Basically, I’m just a fan who knows what I like and on occasion I’ll share the love of a particular bit of music with others.

What music gets my motor running may or may not even fit in your gas tank and visa versa. There are so many ub-genres of punk, it sometimes seem a moot point, but one of the biggest joys I get out of punk music are

1) being turned onto new music and artists and

2) turning people on to new music and artists.

So here goes.

You may have been reading our blog last April 2011 we were in Trinidad & Tobago and spent a lot of time with the ONLY punk band for the whole island nation of just over  a million people. That band was Anti-Everything and those guys took really good care of us while we were on their home turf, picking us up from the airport, showing us around and even took us around town to try some of their legendary Trini cuisine including Roti, Shark-N-Bake and Pigs Feet  Souse (yup, I tried it).

But beyond being good guys, I was super impressed by the intelligent lyrics and good music these guys had been consistently cranking out in a place more known for Carnival and Calypso than than a Punk Pit and Hardcore Music.

These guys are no slouch musicians and their lyrics are biting commentary for the corruption that is rife in Trinidad and, indeed it appears, much of the world.  When you hear an Anti-Everything song telling it like it is, you almost feel yourself going “ouch that hurts” and almost feeling sorry for greedy, scumbags the world over… almost.

Lets just say I’m glad I’m on their side. I would NOT want them to write a song about what an a&&hole I am. If someone was to be assigned to write a theme song about Kony 2012, it should be these guys. You get the point.

When we were there, the guys were working on their new CD “Children of a Globalised World” and it was released late November 2011. We are just now getting around to writing about it, partly because I’ve been super busy and partly because I like to have a few months to listen to a CD and let the music sink into my thick if not overly large brain. I like to let music marinate and build some grooves through my grey matter. It helps me separate the bubble gum from the real stuff.

In this case, I don’t think anyone would call Anti-Everything’s “Children of a Globalised World” bubblegum and I think many might agree it was worth the wait.

The lyrics speak truth to power, in a  place where that might not necessarily be the prudent thing, with songs like “(The Honourable) Crime Minister”… an absolute classic (take a listen on our sound-cloud page HERE)

Other titles I dig include “Silent Streets” and “Starving Youth” and all in all there are 12 really, really strong tracks on this album, including one we featured in the “Punktology” Free Cuba Now! compilation, called “Ratchet Design”

Trinidad may be small but the sound these guys put out is not. It’s smart, it’s hard core, it’s in your face and it’s hard to ignore. I really invite you to give the CD a listen. It’s for sale over at i-Tunes.

And don’t forget their other really fine, earlier release “The International Conspiracy to Push You Down” featuring a couple of my favorites “Punk Rock Sucks” and “New Generation”.

It’s not everyday you hear a punk band that can seamlessly include the sound of Caribbean calypso and the steel drum and still make the music sound both angry and melodic at the same time. I think these guys would be worth a listen on that basis alone, but judge for yourself and check the guys from Trinidad out… you just might like them.

“Lokekeda” – “Espinas Assesinas” Music Video

// February 27th, 2012 // No Comments » // Videos

Lokekeda,  (roughly translated from Spanish to English means “leftover food”) hails from Envigado, a small and quaint suburb in the southern part of Medellin, Colombia which has it’s own distinct vibe including it’s own bars and restaurants, it’s own town square, it’s own little slice of Medellin life and it’s own punk scene.

It’s where I took Spanish classes and where I first met the guys from “Lokekeda” who thankfully, because my Spanish classes didn’t really stick that well, had an English speaking drummer, Cesar.

Cesar is actually a local English teacher. Cesar speaks with a decidedly British accent when he speaks English, having learned English himself from a British teacher.

Cesar’s English is not the only British influence on Lokekeda. They site classic punk bands like Sex Pistols, Addicts, The Damned as well as more mainstream bands like AC-DC as influences.

I first decided to sign “Lokekeda” to Punk Outlaw Records when I heard this song, “Espinas Assesinas” which very, very roughly translated means killer spine or killer thorns. Some things don’t really translate as well as others it seems but the thing I remember about hearing this song was hitting the play button over and over again until I wore down the “play” grooves out on my ipod player’s button.

Espinas Assesinas is a featured single on the “Punktology Volume 1 – Free Cuba Now!” CD Compilation put out late last year and it will be featured on our upcoming CD release for Lokekeda entitled “Medellin es Punk” which has been available in Colombia for a while, but will make it’s debut outside of the country on Punk Outlaw Records.

Word is, the guys are working on a 2nd follow up CD with our buddy Andres Ocampo, lead singer for legendary punks “Los Suziox” providing producing duties at his studio in Bello, the northern most suburb of Medellin.

So the guys from the Southern most suburb of Medellin are traveling all the way to the northern most suburb of Medellin to create punk/hardcore music that will find it’s way to laptops, stereos and ipods the world over?

Punk music, my friends, has become global and we should enjoy it, open our minds, hearts and our ears to music in other languages. Whether you speak or understand Spanish or not, I hope you dig this video from Lokekeda. Please stay tuned for news on their upcoming CD “Medellin es Punk” coming soon to Punk Outlaw Records.

Normandie Blue!!! Coming at you soon..

// February 23rd, 2012 // No Comments » // Photos

More on this band coming soon, but I’m pretty fired up about this band “Normandie Blue”. My buddy Alex Blue from the band’s namesake (you may remember him from psychobilly heavyweights Calavera back in the day), gave me the CD after one of their gigs and I have to tell you, now, it is on full time play on my ipod. There are a good 4 or 5 songs on the CD and I wear the ‘play” then “repeat” button out on my ipod.

Alex has assembled a crack team of musicians and put out a work of art they should be proud of. In the meantime, here are some photos from Normandie Blue’s recent show at the Old Towne Pub in Pasadena, CA. Enjoy!

SEE THE FULL NORMANDIE BLUE PHOTO ALBUM HERE:

 

 

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