Quickie stuff:

I'm doing some writing for these guys now. Very cool site.

These folks are putting on a cool goth/punk art and music festival all day tomorrow at The Pour House.

And the same people who are putting on the festival have told me that they're booking Gene Loves Jezebel on Nov. 28 at Legends in Raleigh.

Just a quick note to say that I really love the new Rosebuds CD, "Birds make Good Neighbors," especially the winsome sing-along "Shake Our Tree." I've been in a bad mood all weekend, and that song is the only thing that's been able to shake me out of it.

Check them out on Myspace too.

Chrome Plated Apostles
Twelve Bars
Demonbeach Records

The first few seconds of The Chrome Plates Apostles CD might lead you to believe you've accidentally put on a blues record. There's lots of slide guitar, harmonica and fiendish howling from frontman Hunter "Crash" Landen. And just in cased you missed the fact that these guys are treading on the bluesier side of rock, the second song is called "Blues." But despite their overt blues influences, this is basically a rock band at heart, a sleazy, grimy rock band whose music would fit perfectly on the jukebox of the most broken-down strip club you can think of. You know, the type of place that's in a trailer in the middle of nowhere with a big flashing "TRUCKERS WELCOME" sign out front. That's meant to be a compliment, by the way.

Landen and guitarist Clif Mann (no relation to yours truly) are veterans of one of the best bands to emerge from the Triangle area, the full-throttle Bad Checks, known for pounding rock songs about graveyard tramps, jail and jailbait. Mann handled bass duties in that band while his brother, Robin, played guita. Switching to guitar, Mann and bass player Greg Adams did time together in Chapel Hill's Pipe, one of the most aggressive punk rock bands ever to emerge from that town. Chrome Plated Apostles seems to capture the best of both bands - Bad Checks' ominous sleaze and Pipe's ferocity - while avoiding being a carbon copy of either.

Blowfly for President


Blowfly at Kings last night.

Not much to say here. He was rude, crude and nasty. He invited me, and all the other ladies in the audience, to ride on the Bootybus, and he said something really nasty to me, which I didn't catch, but did get on video. After I watch it, I'll decide whether to put it up.


Openers Pro L had a cool G. Love vibe.