THE WALK, STRIDE OR STROLL ( TAKE YOUR PICK) OUT OF A PRESS SCREENING IS CHAT CITY. EVERYONE USUALLY WANTS YOU TO KNOW THEIR EDUCATED THOUGHTS AND TO GET A GRASP OF YOURS. I LOVE IT AND I HATE IT. I AM AKIN TO PONTIFICATE AND AM DRAWN TO SUCH THINGS, BUT MOST TIMES AFTER JUST SEEING A FILM, I NEED TO LET IT SINK IN BEFORE I KNOW HOW I FEEL. I USUALLY KEEP SILENT AND HIDE BEHIND MY PARTNER IN CRIME AS SHE TELLS THE PRESS SCREENER GUY SOMETHING WITTY. LAST WEEK AFTER THE MILK SCREENING NO-ONE SAID A WORD. WE ALL (IT WAS A FULL HOUSE) EXITED IN SILENCE. HOPE AND OUTRAGE WERE RINGING IN MY EARS.
A GREAT FILM. A SHOE-IN FOR MANY OSCARS.  GUS VAN SANT AND SEAN PENN ARE DESERVING OF RECOGNITION. Read the rest of this entry »

Hux here. Bringing more tunes your way. Keep your ears peeled.

1-6: bottle worthy- goes down real smooth

Dremnt the End–Self Titled– Straightforward disco mid-80s Cure-like riffs with verve from a major label and falsetto springing forth best describes this band’s sound. It really reeks of the Robert Smith with a little bit of a harder core center. Read the rest of this entry »

EOTO, a side project of the String Cheese Incident, is the brainchild of Jason Hann and Michael Travis. They play a new improvised set every night of their tour. Bree Perlman asks them about that process, and the difference between playing with The String Cheese Incident and EOTO. They told her a little about a new sound out of London, “dub step” and it’s sub-genre “grime.”

EOTO interview from AMFM STUDIOS LLC on Vimeo.

These guys are touring with Minus the Bear and have opened for Robert Plant. They give a little insight into life on the road and their creative process.

Austin Daze Interviews 27 at Fun Fun Fun Fest from AMFM STUDIOS LLC on Vimeo.

Hey everyone! Long time no see! In case you were wondering, after recovering from all of the festival madness during September and October, I have just been laying low. I’ve been doing some producing, visiting movie sets, acting etc. I have not had a real chance to see many movies as of late with my erratic schedule, but I did get wrangled into screening one at the behest of a colleague. Now, this colleague does not have the best record of movies that he chooses to drag me to at inopportune times, so I was a little skeptical the day he called me and said that he had a movie that he was screening at a private theatre and I really should come. He, of course, led by asking what I was doing, to that I answered “resting for once”. Then he lets me know that the screening was that night… like in an hour. Grrr….. So I leave my comfy recliner and go out into the dark night to see a movie called Fuel http://thefuelfilm.com. Read the rest of this entry »

Hux here. Even though cold out, the Lonestar Six Pack Project trudges along on the porch with Dud. Boots keep tapping and six packs consumed. I’ll keep pressing play. Keep listening.

1 drinkable- 6 goes down smooth

Ben Mallott–Look Good, Feel Good–Austin local Mallott, is grainy in his songwriter/singer attributions. His first solo release produce songs ranging from sentimental to sad that leads the listener on a journey that is heartfelt and genuine.

Read the rest of this entry »

A conversation with Guy Forsyth during Halloween, if you’re wondering about the costume.

Guy Forsyth at SPI Fest from Austin Daze Magazine on Vimeo.

Friday night found me ready to kick me heels up and release myself from a week of workin’ for a livin’. I first popped into Antone’s to check out my long time fave Junior Brown. It seemed even more crowded than usual, and perhaps that what inspired a great show. Mr. Brown seemed to be having more fun than I had seen him have onstage in quite a while, and the rhythm section of bassist Jason Rathman and drummer Justin Amaral kept things movin’ and a shakin’ which is just what I needed to forget about a week of showing up just to pay the bills. The always funny “My Wife Thinks Your Dead” was a highlight for me, as was Junior’s amazing work on the guit-steel. Looking forward to his next show in our fair city. You can bet I’ll be there and not square, honey.

I then moved to the Parish and entered a completely different world. When I arrived, DJ Pretty Lights was on stage and absolutely killing it. Irresistible grooves emulated from the turntable and the luscious sound waves made it impossible to keep your body still. My guess is that at least ninety percent of the crowd was dancing. Ninety percent! It was a crazed madhouse. While I’m a girl that has always advocated live music with real instruments, this set had even me appreciating electronica. Read the rest of this entry »

Around 11PM King Khan graces the stage wearing his tribute wig with BBQ sitting to stage left with bass drum on foot and guitar in hand wearing a turban and a cape and commenting on just how sick he’s been thanks to the Texas BBQ he’s tried to consume for the second time since arriving in Texas. Minus the go-go dancers and the usual King Khan and BBQ hijinks the show was relatively subdued and short lived, however the crowd seemed to get more pumped as the set continued. Read the rest of this entry »

EXHILARATING FROM THE FIRST FRAME.
I DIG THE HELL OUT OF THIS BOND.
WE HAVE A REINVENTED 007. HE CAN BE SUAVE AND SMOOTH BUT THIS BOND HURTS AND BLEEDS AND HE WEARS THE SCARS FROM THE BLUNT ACTION HE IS INVOLVED IN. THIS TIME AROUND HE IS A MAN ON A MISSION TO UNCOVER THE FORCES BEHIND THE DEATH OF HIS GIRL IN THE PRECEDING, CASINO ROYALE. THAT FILM IS A PREREQUISITE TO WATCHING QUANTUM OF SOLACE.
IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN CASINO ROYALE YET. PLEASE STOP READING THIS. GO RENT IT, WATCH IT. TRUST ME AND JUST ABOUT ANY OTHER CRITIC OUT THERE. THIS JAMES BOND KICKS SOME SERIOUS ASS. A FRESH WAY OF BRINGING FORTH A GREAT CHARACTER. DISCUSSING IT WITH A FRIEND OF MINE, WE SURMISED THAT THEY HAVE RE-IMAGED JAMES BOND THE SAME WAY THEY RE-IMAGED BATMAN.
AND WITH A BLOODY VENGEANCE… Read the rest of this entry »

of Montreal , show review at Fiesta Gardens Thurs night.

“Let’s pretend we don’t exist, let’s pretend we’re in Antarctica”

Pretending to pretend was fundamental to of Montreal’s majestic, production at Fiesta Gardens on Thursday night. Ninjas, Star Wars Gold Men, Pigs were just some of the characters that came out to play for a show that started high and ended higher.

The Prince and David Bowie/Ziggy Stardust comparisons are inevitable. The make up and ambiguous sexuality most notably. I thought of Hedwig’s rock opera on Jane Street, just below the seedy one hour rooms for rent above; Michael Alig and the original Club Kids before they killed Angel. For whatever comparisons, this is Kevin Barnes’ own fantasy world and in it he is king of his own castle, guest of honor at the party, and star of his own death–in a glorious white coffin, of course. You can come if you want to.

Read the rest of this entry »

Party Crasher
Dixie Chicks front woman Natalie Maines threw a Halloween party at her home in Los Angeles and guess who showed up?  Go on…..guess.  If you guessed George Bush, you are sadly wrong, although that would have been a sight to see.  If you guessed Michael Jackson, you must have cheated, but kudos to you anyway.  He would have been one of the last people I thought would show up at a Halloween party since he is such a recluse.  With Michael Jackson being a popular way to dress up for Halloween how can one be sure it’s the real king of pop.  I believe that is why the DJ at the party pulled out the tried, tested and true ‘Thriller Test.’ Only the real Michael could breeze flawlessly through the zombie dance sequence.  Why is this news relevant?  Well for one, Natalie is a local Austin home owner.  And secondly, and quite frankly more importantly, it seemed like a great segue to link to this video that I can’t get enough of, of Mayor Will Wynn doing a portion of the thriller dance. Read the rest of this entry »

Without these guys there would be no Nirvana, no Smashing Pumpkins. Listen as they complain about “back in the day” vs. the music scene of today. By the way, if you’re new to vimeo videos, move your mouse off the window and all the extra wordage disappears.

Killdozer at FFF Fest from Austin Daze Magazine on Vimeo.

Nepotism is alive and well in this town, as the passing of the obligatory torch (read: column) represents. Although my cousin, Miss Riprock is a city slicker type that sips on exotic martinis, calls me and everyone else she knows “darling,” demands weekly manicures, wears heels that she terms “sky high” and dons tunes that are pressed and painted all fancy, I tend to be the exact opposite. Born and raised here in Texas I like my Lone Star, steer away from restaurants who’s names I cannot pronounce, and wear boots for most of the day and often times even while asleep. On a typical Saturday night, I slip on music that’s new to me and blare it from my porch consulting my pup, Dud.

I’m a no nonsense, laid-back type that will give your album a spin and give you my honest opinion (after consulting Dud) rated by how many beers I put back if I like your tracks enough to keep them playing loud enough to annoy my neighbors. My dad calls me boy, my cousin calls me darling , strangers call me Mr. McRiprock and my friends call me Hux or something derogatory that rhymes with it.

Let’s crack one open and see where we go from here. I’ll press play.

The Asylum Street Spankers– What? And Give Up Show Biz?–Widely praised for a vaudeville style-show, The Asylum Street Spankers went through hours of of the troupes theatrical show and put together a double-CD that blends musical selections from audience favorites to souped up versions of their classics “Beer” and “Winning the War on Drugs.” In addition to the musical selections, there is interludes of spoken word that make the album feel more like a live show than an album of a live show. 5.0 Mcriprock’s

Bourgeois Gypsies– Faulty Fairytales...–From stripped down, gritty hill billy sounds to more polished folk rock, the Bourgeouise Gypsies bring a sound straight out of California with a diversity that includes slinky swamp music to music worth slipping on and listening to on your porch. Constantly gigging through juke joints and festivals the band is on the move and they are currently in Austin for a few select shows. For a sound that captures the traditional and nontraditional, check them out on bgypsies.com for this week/weekends upcoming shows including stint at Lorraine’s in Marble Falls, Nonon’s on Sixth and the World United Music Festival. Worth our dollar and your ears. 4.5 McRiprocks

Alex from the Black Angels talks about being in the studio and touring with Roky Erickson. This is part one of a two-part interview.

Black Angels at FFF Fest from Austin Daze Magazine on Vimeo.

Russ Hartmann, the Big Kahuna at the Austin Daze, interviews his long-time friends.

Prolific bassist Karl Alvarez and his very varied musical experience…talks about All, the Descendents, Gogol Bordello and more.