GSMD: dedc memory scrolls unfurled

Great Society Mind Destroyers are:

 

ANJRU KIETERANG / VOCALS & GUITARS

BRETT BORDEN / GUITARS

WILL SAUCEDA / BASS

JIM LECHOCKI / DRUMS

SEA GREEN / TAMBOURINE

:::::::::::::::::::::::CHICAGO:EMPTY BOTTLE::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 8/31/10 + 10/11/10::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Empty bottle free shows, you can't beat 'em, and while I'm waiting for this blog to take off and the free tickets to start rolling in ya'll are gonna' to be seeing many more free show reviews. This is not a bad thing. Most of the acts who play at Empty Bottle are fucking awesome, Great Society Mind Destroyers included. 

Let's see- I somehow found GSMD's myspace page and heard the first track which obviously kicked ass, otherwise my friends never would have gone to the show with me. I drove. I brought my two best buddies...
Jolie got really drunk and had to lean on the wall while we smoked cigarettes.  Kyle got some kind of dementia and forgot about the whole thing while it was still happening.

Who knows what I did? Actually, I know what I did. I parked the car on Western. We got to the door. The super nice door guy let us in for free (because apparently sometimes you have to RSVP for these shows in order to get in for free and there is no way of ever possibly knowing that beforehand). Then we had whiskey shots and a beer. Missed the first two bands but let me tell you, the third was horrendously bad. The mood began to deteriorate quickly as I frantically tried to assure my friends that GSDM was going to be worth the wait. Who were those guys? It's better that I don't remember probably. Keepin' it drama free, we all know each other in chicago. But it's really nothing that a little detective work couldn't solve... And... it was Geffika!!! Ooooh sorry guys. Really, I am. However, this blog is not about trashing shitty bands. This is about spreading the word about good local bands that do exist and not only that but recording the memories of a lifelong music fanatic before he gets too old and forgets which brings me to my next point. Great Society Mind Destroyers ruled! Ya, I'm serious. They were amazing. They are the kind of good that makes you stand up, lose your inhibition completely and just freak the fuck out because you know, in a few years, they'll be famous and you won't even like them anymore because your fourteen year old neighbor has their shitty lame-ass comic book. That's how good they are.

It's now October 14 and I've seen this band twice. To describe, they look like a bunch of hippies a la Brian Jonestown which is to say, hippies without patchwork baggy pants. God do those pants get under my skin, I'll tell you! Their guitar player, Drew, is fantastic. He honestly stands out far and above pretty much any indie guitar players I've seen in Chicago (which is a lot). The rest of the band: almost as good. Drew has long blonde hair and shreds exactly as a kid who's fallen in love with drugs and Jimi should. He told me that he's in three other bands and while I love GSMD, to be honest, it shows. Most notably the second time around. They actually played better at the most recent show which was, um, tubular(?) but after a while you get to feel like there is something glaringly missing from their sets. You know how most bands kind of rise and fall in energy during a set and only once or twice a show give you that gleam, that original spark of brilliance that sets them apart from all other bands? Well, this band pretty much does that from the intro to the coda. They never freaking stop. If you like singer/songwriters, do not go see this band. If you like interesting music, beauty, life, creativity, texture in sound, emotion, drugs and/or love... Go see this band. Now. Tonight. What are you waiting for?

This track is called TEMPLE LURKER.
http://www.mediafire.com/?wwvqy67ci9eqqfi

It was recorded at the last Empty Bottle show on 10/11/10

Natural Child - White Man's Burden 7"

Natural Child is:

Hahaha, just chilling...

SETH "DEATH" MCMURRAY- LEAD GUITAR WEZ- LEAD BASS BIG BLACK ZACK- LEAD DRUMS

Natural Child was siiiiick. Empty Bottle, Chicago, Sept. 28, 2010. I've only seen them once so you'll have to wait til they come round again for a full dedc review. If you like the Black Lips or the Strange Boys or whatever good blah blah bland, you will like them. Nice guys from Nashville on Infinity Cat Records.

http://www.infinitycat.com/

Go to the URL if you like this d/l and buy some more shit from them. Then go on the internet and post a link for me to d/l it because lord, I'm addicted and I need your help.

I was told that they still have day jobs and share an interest in tranny-hookers from boys town(that's the north side people, these boys have champagne taste!) so yes, they do need your money. Go see 'em live or buy one of their many records. They've only been around for a year and a half and already have at least four releases under their belts. This is so worth it. Enjoy!

http://www.mediafire.com/?aosp8e2p3akc4

(copy and paste to download.)

Natural child - White Man's Burden 7"

(SIDE A)

1. White Man's Burden

(SIDE B)

2. Ray Thompson's Blues

3. Bang My Head

Sonic Youth: Detroit: Majestic: 8/4/04

Sonic Youth are

Thurston Moore-guits and sings good
Lee Ranaldo-guits and sings good
Steve Shelley-drums
Kim Gordon-bass and sing-puking
Jim O'Rourke (was in the band doing god knows what at the time)

I've seen Sonic Youth five times, the first of which was in like 2004 or something. I was a little late to the party with this band; I think they were all over fifty by then. Not that their extreme age was a bad thing, it just made them that much more impressive. Let me explain. Now I love my dad, he's a great guy, but I remember looking at him after I saw Thurston jump off a ten foot PA and scream directly into my face. I thought, “Jesus, what the hell happened to you?” I guess Mr. Moore just has that rock god 'je ne sais quois'. He had saggy cheeks but he could still headbang. I was twenty yrs old. My neck was sore for a week.

So it’s been about six years and I’ve been having a lot of fun since then so let’s see what I can remember…

I see a long line on Woodward Avenue in downtown Detroit. Everyone was Caucasian in the line. Everyone not in the line was not. I felt weird in the line. The venue was the Majestic Theatre right by the Magic Stick and Rock and Bowl. I also worked nearby. I got there pretty early because I freaking loved Sonic Youth and wanted to be as close to them as possible. As my friend Chris and I waited we saw a many things. There was a guy who was completely obsessed with Uncle Tupelo and the Old 97’s. He was boring. The best part of the line were the street people that surrounded us. They were pretty charming until… out of nowhere some maniacal crazy man tackled this tiny homeless guy with a backpack to the sidewalk right next to me! He seriously fucking slammed the guy. Why? “Holy shit,” I thought, paralyzed with dumbness. Suddenly the man who did the tackling arose and addressed all of us on the sidewalk. “Don’t be giving him any money. He don’t need no money. I said seriously, don’t give that motherfucker any change.” Next thing you know the guy with the backpack is up and he’s understandably quite upset. “Why’d you tackle me? What’s your problem?” More words ensue and suddenly the gentle backpack man produces an industrial style box cutter from what I can only assume were his nether regions. It was the kind with the plastic hilt and the freaking six-inch blade that cuts skin really well. I think it was green. Unsheathed, the tool glistens in the sunset. Then, engines roaring, they were off, scampering down the street into my memory forever. I will never forget you, weird guys.

Moving on… I was front row on stage right directly in front of Lee who kept screaming that he was deaf for most of the show. They opened with 100% which climaxed with one of the most aggressive gravity reversing mind melting explosions of energy I have ever witnessed. Lights blazing, Thurston was fucking his amp with his Mustang. That shit was visceral. They also played Pacific Coast Highway which was so good that it made me cry. It was a fun show. People were dancing and the young’uns were thrashing about which always makes me smile. No Murray Street tunes though, I remember being a little let down by that and four concerts and six years later, still no Murray Street songs. What the hell is up with that? The show ended with a cacophonous super jam between Sonic Youth, Wolf Eyes, and Hair Police. I think there were twelve performers onstage and a gigantic white sheet with a skull painted on it, the words ‘Gnarly Times’ etched in black paint below. I remember that slogan having an impression on me, it was the perfect caption. It just made sense. It was cool. I wanted in on it.

Stopped at the McDonalds on Woodward and like 7 Mile(?) on the way home. Work in the morning. Ears ringing.

Go here for an unbelievable amount of free psychedelic punk,

http://www.freewebs.com/sonikyouth/rarities.htm