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Monday, September 27, 2010

Arrested Motion Greg Simkins Art Contest for "Spider Dreaming"

In the interest of trying new things (or at least getting back to things I used to enjoy) I've entered a writing contest to win a super rad print of a painting by Greg "Craola" Simkins.  (Details here AM giveaway)

SPIDER DREAMING by Greg "Craola" Simkins

An Ode to "Spider Dreaming"

As the purple mountains' majesty 
fades into the smog,
the spider carries onward
dreaming of a world restored.
Though the wretchedness of humanity
so often makes her ill,
she goes forth bravely
carrying the hope for the future safely upon her back.

Your help in suggestions for further entries is greatly appreciated.  You can have unlimited entries, they just have to be sent in a separate email.

Thanks!

Out of the Blue and into the Black

Friends and familiars please welcome Starfucker (or for those people who've seen the latest Polyvinyl promos STRFKR) for a brief Q&A.  They are currently touring the U.S., and if you are going to be in Little Rock this Wednesday, Sept. 29th they are playing a show at Juanita's with The Octopus Project- go check it out!


Questions:


1. What influence have your travels had on your music?
Josh has recently started writing on the road while on tour, so it's had a lot of influence. Every place we go has a different feel and sets off various moods, and that comes through in the music. Especially the darker side. 



2. To whom do you look most for inspiration in life and art?
Friends are a big one, usually try to think of friends when writing and if they'd like it or not.

3. Who are some of your favorite creative minds (artists, musicians, writers, etc.)?
Alan Watts, Stevie Wonder, Longmont Potion Castile

4. Do you have a favorite venue at which you've performed?
Neumos in Seattle is amazing, they really have their shit together and are super nice. and also have a stellar VHS collection in the green room. Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco and Empty Bottle in Chicago are also both amazing, mainly because they are so nice as well.

5. Why do you think so few (talented/good) artists will play in Arkansas (I have some ideas, but I like to know what others think)?
Not quite sure? it might just be routing thing? we're playing in Little Rock this time! which is a first for us, so we're excited to see what Arkansas has to offer! we stayed in Texarkana once, it was scary...

6. How has your move to polyvinyl affected you, and do you think it's been a good move?
We feel that signing with Polyvinyl is one of the best things to happen to us. they are AMAZING! and it truly feels like the perfect fit. As a band we really hate the music business. There's a lot of people in it for the wrong reasons, and Polyvinyl are obviously in it for the right ones. they're real people that actually care about music!

To find out more about the band, and to purchase some sweet sounds, head over to POLYVINYLRECORDS.COM:)

Love and peace,
Reniazen

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

POYLYVINYL LOVE FEST

STRFKR Julius 7in
“Julius” is bouncy and full of life.  I could play this and the subsequent track “Helium Muffin” (which slows it down a notch then kicks it right back up) on repeat for days and not get weary of these infectious songs.  With amazingly alluring bass lines, trippy keyboards and fantastic layering of guitars and synth effects, you don’t want to miss this release!

XBXRX O 7in
O proves that good American punk does exist after 1979, a fact which I found to be quite a relief.  Noisy, fast-paced guitars with simple drums and raucous vocals carry this brief album to its climax.  Gritty and determined to crawl under your skin and make your ears melt, this fun little record combines some of my favorite sounds such as The Cramps, The Slits and Jay Reatard.  “Knowledge is Death” is a total knockout, bringing the beastly guitar lines crunching down hard and intensifying the drums.  If you would like to find out for yourself, please visit the link below to learn more and purchase this fine release.

Love and peace, and more to come:)
Reniazen

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Farming for Hipsters


Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby is the best thing he's written since High Fidelity.  A cult favorite making fun of hipsters and over-enthusiastic/obsessive fans loses no irony on fellow hecklers.  I enjoyed the narrative even when I was frustrated by the characters, which is a good indication of how involved you become with said characters.  Engaging, thoughtful, humorous and not at all overly heartfelt or Lifetime Movie-ish, I found this novel to be a captivating look at seemingly unrelated lives coalescing into something greater than the sum of its parts.  If you are a fan of music trivia, excellent writing, and/or subtle humor, this book will most definitely have something for you to enjoy.

For purchase info please go to: Juliet, Naked