Photos: Fenway Recordings CMJ Showcase @ The Studio at Webster Hall (Static Jacks, WATERS, The Damn Personals)

The Damn Personals

Fenway Recording Sessions' CMJ Showcase @ The Studio at Webster Hall - October 20, 2011

Even though I figured out a way to make it out to some sort of event every night of CMJ last week, I feel like as a whole I didn't make it out to about 95% of what I was planning on. Lesson learned: next year I need to take the entire week off from work. Most of the best shows were during the unofficial day parties that blogs, magazines, labels and promotors were putting on, and working a day job didn't complement that too well.

Fortunately, I did catch some great stuff. One of them being the official CMJ showcase of the Boston-based Fenway Recordings at the Studio at Webster Hall. Unbeknownst to me at the time, The Damn Personals were actually playing their first performance since disbanding in 2005, and they were pretty awesome at doing so. Also great: the highly energetic performance of The Static Jacks, who plowed through their short set at the speed and intensity of an '80s punk band in their prime.

Check out a full set of photos below, which also includes the bands Joywave, WATERS and Secret Music...

Photos: Death @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (Afro-Punk CMJ Showcase)

Death @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (Afro-Punk CMJ Showcase) - October 18, 2011

Late on Tuesday night, I made my way over to the Music Hall of Williamsburg to catch my first dose of CMJ craziness. As we mentioned a couple weeks prior, proto-punk legends Death headlined Afro-Punk’s official CMJ showcase, and it was the first time I’ve seen the band live. Playing immediately after hardcore punk band Cerebral Ballzy may have been too sharp of a contrast (kids were going absolutely crazy for that band), and at first—though definitely appreciated—Death came off as a bit stagnant. After about four songs however, particularly when they launched into “Freakin Out,” the kids once again went ape-sh*t.

It’s pretty great listening to Death’s music, knowing it predated so many bands that took a cue from them either intentionally or unknowingly, specifically The Minutemen and Bad Brains. The latter in particular--and no, not just because they all happen to be black. Bassist and lead vocalist Bobby Hackney shuffles between a rather soulful howl to a sprawling punk rock roar, all the while playing some of the most innovative bass playing I’ve heard in punk music altogether. If you haven’t checked out this band yet, I beg you to do so.

CMJ continues throughout the week, though unfortunately this was Death’s only appearance. Check out a full set of photos of the Brooklyn show below…

CMJ 2011 Preview: Death @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

The official CMJ Music Marathon 2011 schedule just went up over the weekend, so we'll be posting a lot more shows we're excited about as the week progresses. I write to you today on the subject of Death. Not the '80s metal band or the final stage of life. I'm talking about the early '70s Detroit punk band that often does not get the credit they deserve. Formed in 1971 by the Hackney brothers (Bobby, David and Dannis), Death were in a class of their own, predating many of the bands that are often credited with inventing the sound of punk rock.

In 1974, the band entered the studio with the intention of recording a twelve song LP to be released by Columbia Records. Clive Davis, president of Columbia at the time, insisted that the band change their name to something more commercially acceptable, which the band refused. Their decision would ultimately result in Davis withdrawing funding for the album, and only seven of the planned twelve songs being recorded. The recordings from those sessions sat in limbo for close to forty years, up until Drag City released them in 2009 as ...For The Whole World To See. The songs are an extremely important document of the very early beginnings of punk music, and an exciting collection of songs by any measure.

After the album's release, Death reformed to play three shows with new drummer Bobbie Duncan (David Hackney passed away in 2000 from lung cancer), and they've since intermittently performed to incredibly grateful crowds. Luckily, Death will be headlining Music Hall of Williamsburg as part of Afro-Punk's CMJ showcase on Tuesday, October 18. Tickets for the showcase are still on sale for only $12.90 after fees, an amazing deal to see a legendary act perform in an intimate setting. Get on that ASAP.

Below, check out some videos of Death performing at SXSW in 2010, as well as a panel discussion with the band...

CMJ 2011 Preview: +/- {Plus/Minus} (10/21 At The Rock Shop)

As we mentioned recently, we're psyched to have the opportunity to cover the upcoming CMJ 2011 Music Marathon here in NYC. In the weeks prior to the festival, we wanted to shine a spotlight on some of the artists and bands we're most interested in checking out.

While this choice is a bit more out of nowhere than Shonen Knife, I'm personally very excited to see hometown band +/- {Plus/Minus} again for the first time in... probably several years now. Spun off from the '90s indie rock group Versus (yes, that's a nod to Mission of Burma), they're one of the few bands I enjoy that pretty much none of my friends seems to know about... which I guess means I'm doing a shitty job of converting fans, but it feels kinda cool to listen to something that feels uniquely yours. Whatever.

Even so, you should definitely come see them at CMJ's Nicodemus Agency Showcase down at the Rock Shop  on Friday, October 21 for like $10. I've had the pleasure of seeing them live twice so far in all the time I've lived in NYC, and every time has been a total blast. Get acquainted with albums like Let's Build A Fire, Xs On Your Eyes, and their recent compilation of unreleased material Pulled Punches, and check out one of my favorite songs of theirs ("The Queen of Detroit") after the jump. Yes, +/- fans can get pretty hardcore like that.

CMJ 2011 Preview: Shonen Knife (10/22 At Public Assembly)

Hey kids. As we mentioned a few weeks back, Fall is looking like an especially busy season for us here at Fucking Nostalgic. We've already got some cool surprises lined up for you for this weekend's All Tomorrow's Parties I'll Be Your Mirror festival, and thanks to general awesomeness we're happy to say that we'll be covering this year's CMJ 2011 Marathon here in NYC as well.

One of the many reasons we're psyched for this annual local festival is that a band we've loved, covered, and even interviewed - Japanese pop-punk legends Shonen Knife - will be in town to play a set at Williamsburg's Public Assembly on October 22 as part of the Panache Booking & Bruise Cruise Showcase. Tickets are still on sale for the show, so for a mere $10 you can catch these pioneers celebrate their 30th anniversary while paying tribute to one of THEIR favorite bands, The Ramones, under their Osaka Ramones moniker. Do it.

As you wait for that show to happen, here's a really weird oldschool video of Shonen Knife hanging out with Nirvana after their 1991 tour of the UK.

Shonen Knife Celebrating Their 30th Anniversary By Touring North America, Covering The Ramones

Wow, what a great day to be Fucking Nostalgic! Thanks to an email from their publicity team (we don't poke fun at all of them, we swear), we're happy to report that Japanese pop-punk pioneers Shonen Knife will be returning to the States this fall in a very big way. Per said email:

"2011 marks thirty years since Naoko [Yamano] and the band began releasing albums featuring their joyous mixture of pop, punk, food and fantasy for the world to enjoy, and to commemorate this major milestone, the ladies will be launching a fall tour in support of their latest release, Osaka Ramones, a 13-track tribute to NYC’s legendary punk band, The Ramones. Offering support on the trek will be Oakland, CA garage rockers, Shannon and the Clams."

As they were to many, The Ramones were Naoko's "all-time idols," and she is "very happy to release an Osaka Ramones project and to recognize their contribution to the evolution of Shonen Knife." Osaka Ramones is both the name of the upcoming tribute album and of the side project that has worked its way into Shonen Knife's performances throughout their history.

Osaka Ramones will be available on July 19th, and you can check out snippets from the album over here. You can see them rock these songs live when they stop by Brooklyn's Public Assembly as part of NYC's 2011 CMJ Music Marathon on 10/22, and later on 11/18 at the Bell House. In meantime check out their cover of  "I Wanna Be Sedated" as a bonus track from 1983's Burning Farm below.