Friday, January 25, 2013
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Yunker extras
More skate videos. Here are some extras from Eric Calfo's video 'Yunker'
http://vimeo.com/57829262
Does anyone know how to link Vimeo videos on here?
http://vimeo.com/57829262
Does anyone know how to link Vimeo videos on here?
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Adam "Fargo" Barton and Todd Richards by BK
Friday, January 18, 2013
FORTHEHOMIES skate montage
Ryan McKowen put a montage together of super old skate footage some of it from Pittsburgh. I donated a few things I filmed of Nick Panza, Dan Sotak, and Drew Windon for this.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Raymond Strife, Stillborn Identity, and Cornelius III April 2012 tour recap.
Raymond Strife,
Stillborn Identity, and Cornelius III April 2012 tour recap.
April of 2012 I was fortunate
enough to go on tour with one of my best dude I’ve met through rap, Raymond
Strife. Ray suggested bringing his friend Cornelius the Third (then known as DMk).
At first I was pretty hesitant because over the last few months I had been
working pretty hard on getting these dates booked, and then all of a sudden
this random dude wants to show up and wants to milk me dry. Eventually I agreed
to let him come along, and luckily I did because he’s pretty rad too. This
sounds like it’s about to be some boring sentimental crap, but I’ll try my best
to not let it end up like that.
The first night we played in
Pittsburgh at Inn Termission Lounge with Amuck, Fortified PhonetX, GINO, and
Jack Wilson who showed up out of nowhere and rocked a quick set. Nothing to
eventful happened this night but it was still a rad show, the venue made us
meatballs and beans which sounds disgusting but it was delicious and those
leftovers kept us nourished the entire tour. Ray and Cornelius stayed with
Ray’s friend in Coraopolis, and I went with like five of my dude friends all
chasing one girl to Oakland where I passed out on my friend’s floor.
The second night we were supposed
to play in Cleveland, OH at Bela Dubby, but it ‘temporarily had to close for
repairs’ aka it went out of business. So we got a last minute show in East
Lansing, MI at The GTG House with some of Ray’s friends. We went there pretty early to hang out and
the entire time Ray talked about how these were the coolest people ever, after
the first or second hour I just tuned him out and read books in the back not
believing anyone could be that cool.
When we showed up at the house
venue the beers were already flowing, it was like they’d been preparing for
‘Raymond Strife’ for days. Cats were wearing his old shirt, someone brought
their leather jacket and wanted his new stencil on it. I broke my rule of not
drinking until I at least know what time I’m supposed to play and started
cheersing beers with everyone.
The Guest Stars opened, Cornelius
III went second, I was third, and as far as I know everything after that is
just hear say. Ray dropped my computer when he was using it during his set and
I didn’t seem to care at all because I was drunk. I only remember this because
there was a huge dent in it the next day. They had real strong IPA’s at the
show for anyone who donated money to the touring acts. So in some way in my
drunken stupor this made me feel entitled to all the beer I could stomach… and
more.
After drinking a river dry during
every acts set, some girl asked me if I wanted to smoke some chebba. Typically
I’d say no, but they were cute and I was drunk, and I thought being drunk was
the same thing as being charming so I accepted thinking they wouldn’t be able
to resist me. We went to a “bedroom” behind the “stage” in the basement and
smoked.
What felt like was hours later, but
was probably only 2 minutes later I emerged from the room back to the show
space where the party where was still bumping. Apparently there was a DJ who
was spinning dance music. I see Ray in the middle of the dance floor killing
it. I try to join but I’m walking all bowlegged looking like a drunken cowboy
that has just been on a horse for days falling slightly forward with every
step. I inform Ray of my problem and he tells me just to go with it. “Genius!”
I think to myself, and partner up with the wall for stability in the dance room
and start pointing my index fingers to the sky as I bob my head back and forth
like a baby without any neck muscles. Before long I realize I’m not the world’s
best dancer and somehow make my way upstairs to pass out on the couch.
Here is where the story literally
becomes hear say, but I believe every word of it. At some point in the night I
get up from the couch I’m sleeping on to look for a bathroom (so I can barf).
There is a glass table next to the couch that I knock everything off of and
then step on as the person sleeping on the bean bag next to the couch tells me
to not step on the glass coffee table, somehow it doesn’t break.
Luckily the first room I go into is
the bathroom. Except after a quick assessment I come to realize it’s not the
bathroom, but I’m already committed so I’ll be damned if I don’t throw up
somewhere in this room. I spot a window and start trying to open it so I can
throw up out of it (not being able to open windows when I’m blackout drunk is a
reoccurring trend, luckily for me or else I probably would have fallen to my
death 10 times by now). The kid whose room I’m in is outside with Ray, they
spot me upstairs stumbling around pretending to be the world’s best mime,
except there is actually a window in front of me.
He comes up (I can’t remember his
name, big surprise, I can’t remember anything from that night) and asks me if I
need to throw up. I nod and he takes me to the bathroom, where I pass out on
the cold floor. A while later he comes back and tells me he’s got a bed set up
for me. I follow him to the dining room where he laid a blanket sheet under the
table for me to pass out. To me this looks perfect; I thank him and lie down,
only to wake up a few minutes later, rush to the bathroom and puke my brains
out.
As we’re getting ready to make our
way out of town, I get informed that our show in Kalamazoo is cancelled. I
break the news to the group expecting them to be bummed, but they’re pumped to
get to hang out in East Lansing for another day while I’m worried I may have
worn out my welcome. The locals assure me that I haven’t and after a few phone
calls they get us on a show at Macs Bar for a roller derby benefit then offer
to show us around town. I guess Ray was right that these were like the
nicest/raddest people ever.
I try to stay pretty mellow this
night, but it’s damn near impossible. When we walk into the venue and the DJ
from the night before is bartending, without saying much he pours us three
draft beers, gives a convincing wink, and walks away. He must have admired my
dance moves. Plus some of the East Lansing homies held us down pretty hard at
the beer store and gave us a killer deal on a case so when we didn’t have a free
draft at the bar, we had plenty of car beers to go around
While
watching the merch table with Cornelius towards the end of the night some
maniac that’s a self-proclaimed ex-WWF bouncer for Hulk Hogan or Andre the
Giant or something like that comes over and starts chatting us up, but not in a
friendly manner at all. I ignore him, while the drunken DMk’ becomes buddies
with this roid-raging asshole. After a few minutes he asks Cornelius if he
wants to smoke some weed in his van, although he doesn’t usually smoke he
accepts the offer because he’s drunk and that’s what beer does.
this is the show we jumped on >
“He’s
dead,” I think to myself. I’m never going to see Cornelius the again. There is
no way that guy smokes reefer, he’s way to high strung. It’s a trick, he’s
going to take him in his van and strangle him with his wiener and strangle him
with his hands. All I can do at this point is hope that he kills him before he
rapes him.
To my surprise Cornelius comes back
in a few minutes seemingly unscathed. Except whatever he smoked wasn’t pot at
all, I have no idea what he was, but he started turning into a total weirdo. I
started to notice traits in him that I saw in that guy, super high strung,
abrasive , eyes totally glassed out, and just plain uncomfortable to be around.
He’s was like this for the rest of the night and part of the drive out of town
the next day.
(Appleton
flyer?)
LO Double T hooked us up with a
show in Appleton, WI. We stopped by his place before the show and checked out
some of his tracks off his upcoming release. One of the tracks Ray was on and Ray
absolutely despised his verse but LO Double T said he liked it so wouldn’t let
him redo it, which I thought was kind of funny. Mac Lethal was also featured on
the release.
Streams of Consciousness came to
the show and put us up for the night. Which ended up being a huge relief he was
able to put us up because LO couldn’t and it was way too cold to sleep in the
car. Ray and Cornelius didn’t even bring blankets and Streams only had one for
us to use in his living room. Cornelius got the blanket, and Ray got the
abnormally tall girl at the show to keep him warm. Ray has fans in every city,
for better or for worse. At the end of the night when we were getting ready to
leave the venue and Ray was trying to duck out before this girl tracked him
down I thought it would be funny to invite her (I was drunk, sorry Ray). But
luckily I did or else he probably would have frozen to death without her, or
worse yet had to cuddle with Cornelius or me to stay warm!
Bloomington,
IN was the next show. As far as I know no one we’re real tight with has played
Indiana (especially not Bloomington), so it was kind of a “milestone” even to
get a small show there. We played with some groups that were heavily influenced
by Oddfuture, and they killed it. It was one of those shows that you thought
was going to be horrible but ended up being pretty rad.
Athens,
OH got cancelled so we decided to drive through the night back to Pittsburgh. I
picked up the last shift of driving that ended when the sun was coming up. Ray
is super anal about letting people drive his car so he pretended not to sleep
the entire time and would just sleep talk to himself thinking that I was
responding. A few times when he finally did fall asleep he’d wake up for 30
seconds and rap along to the Wu-tang cd we were listening to then pass back
out.
Raymond Strife
-IG @RaymondStrife
Stillborn Identity
-IG @CodyCodyJones
Cornelius III
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Ordeal - Beat On, Beat Off Jesus
Ordeal – Beat On,
Beat Off Jesus
Writing another review right now would be torture, both for
me and whatever lost soul actually reads this crap. Yet I still have time to
kill at work and artists that I want to plug on this dumb blog. So I’ll write a
little about my experience with Ordeal, his music as well as him.
It’s
kind of hard to believe that I’ve only met Ordeal one time, but have known him
for years and still stay in loose contact with him. But it was an interesting
enough encounter to leave a strong impression on me. I met him when he toured
through Pittsburgh on the ‘Never Ending Gun Show Tour’ with Kristoff Krane,
Sadistik, and Bodi. The night before they played in Portland, ME, and that trek
is at least a 10 hour drive. Not to mention the show that night was at an art
gallery and started at 8pm and had to be over by 11, a fact that seemed to slip
the tours mind until they were already late on their way to Pittsburgh.
When
the group arrived to the venue only 45 minutes late, they wasted no time in
setting up and playing. Bodi went first, while Ordeal and the rest of the tour
filled me in on their drive. It consisted of the usual things you do when you’re
late, don’t pull over to eat, piss in bottles, etc. etc. Except when it was
Ordeals time to perform he let the crowd know of one extra detail about the
drive, that he had some acid (or mushrooms, I can’t remember) about halfway
through the trip, and was still tripping.
With
that in mind, he still killed his set. I found it weird/hilarious/awesome that
anyone would willing eat psychedelics when they’re around to stuck in a stinky,
dirty, van with four other sober people for hours on end. The show was so long
ago that’s about all I remember of his set, but whatever that was still enough
to make me a fan of him.
In 2004
when ‘Beat On, Beat Off Jesus’ came out I was 16 sneaking rap cds in my car
listening to them alone because I was worried my band mates would make fun of
me for listening to this stuff. Meanwhile Ordeal was making music that internet
hip hop geeks (like me I guess) are still gawking about. The fact that the cd
starts off with a skit dates it as old right there. Rap skits have pretty much been extinct since
the iPod had become the standard method for listening to music.
Abbadon
is featured on this release a lot, and I think he is responsible for producing
almost the entire album. But good luck to finding any sort of internet presence
from him. According to Ordeal he has
none. Apparently he’s been recording music for somewhere around 10 years and
has never even bothered making a cd. He’ll record a song one week, save it on
his computer, and if he loses it then the song is lost forever. Ordeal says if
you ever want to hear anything Abbadon has made more than likely you have to go
through Ordeal to hear it. These two have been teaming up for years and you can
still see Abbadon featured on some of Ordeals newer releases. Crude Perdition is my favorite one they collabed on together off this release.
If you
like gritty, unconventional, hip hop then check Ordeal out.
freeeeeeeeee downloaddddddd of Beat On, Beat Off Jesus
Labels:
abbadon,
beat on beat off jesus,
bodi,
boston,
free download,
Hip Hop,
Indie,
kristoff krane,
never ending gun show tour,
ordeal,
rap,
real ordeal,
sadistik,
underground hip hop
HW - Wall Papered Exit Wounds
HW – Wall Papered
Exit Wounds
Here it
is, another day at this lame temp job and another sorry excuse for a review…
Wall Papered Exit Wounds, released by HW (aka
Josh, formerly known as Hazardous Waste, but not the punk band) of Boston in
July 2012 is produced by MobRobb with cuts by DJ Emoh Bettah is a release that
will stand of the test of time and be relevant to people (and not just ‘rap fan
people’ everyone can find something in the release) because each of the song
topics are something that all listeners are able to relate to regardless what
age or social status they’re living in. From relationship troubles, to feeling
like everywhere else on earth is better than where you are (This Old Town), to
dealing with your own internal struggles, and more all of which are mentioned
during the duration of this coming to age 8 track album by HW.
1.)
Memories of Linwood
The album starts off with an overtly personal song over a
cool calm beat with a flow so smooth and subtle you almost don’t notice how
depressing the track is. And even more depressing than the song topic is
beating able to relate to it, from the breakup at the beginning of the track to
being 25 and still feeling lost.
2.)
Blueprints to Your Inner Workings
Track two elaborates on the (presumably) breakup that was
mentioned in the first track. From what I grasp the female the song is about is
jaded, but HW refuses to let her give up on all the potential beauty in the
world, and thinks that she can find again in the love they use to have. What a
nice guy, I’d never do that, I’ll never be happy for any of my ex’s without me.
(I have no idea what I used this photo. Not that it isn't him, but it's a pretty bad representation of what he normally looks like)
3.)
Brutally Beautiful
Brutally Beautiful is a little me of the “emo-rap” that fans
have grown to expect from HW. But as usual it’s done way to good (should I have
used ‘well’ here?) to be slumped into that category. Josh is such a better lyricist
than most other emcees that get labeled as “emo” it’s an insult to even put him
in the same sub-genre as them, he’s more so a great story tell (even though the
stories aren’t always true) than a winey heartbroken mc.
4.)
Hello Stranger
This is another incredibly personal story by HW. Even to the
point where he mentions his muse, Mellissa by name. Perhaps Mellissa is to HW
what Lucy Ford is to Atmosphere, only except I don’t think Lucy Ford is “her”
real name, but I’m willing to bet Mellissa is. HW must have balls of steel to
not only write this “emo-song” and not only share it with the person it’s
written about, but everyone who listens to his cd! There are more awesome cuts on
this track by Emoh.
5.)
Moving On feat. Sarah Lynn Bowler
The only feature on this rap cd isn’t by a rapper. This is another
reason HW is appealing to more than just rap fans. Sarah Lynn Bowler sings the
hook in ‘Moving On’ over a soft jazzy beat with relaxing bass lines, piano, and
horns scattered here and there.
6.)
Faded Memories
If you’ve seen HW live chances are you’ve seen him perform
this song. Also, it’s funny to hear him
make reference to “surviving on lunch meat” in this song now he’s a vegetarian.
Supposedly this cd was done almost a year before it was released.
7.)
Insecurities
Not every rapper can do a song about not being promiscuous.
In fact most cats rap about the exact opposite, boasting about humping out
girls with no sentimental attachment at all. So hearing HW do a track like this
is a total breathe of fresh air.
8.)
This Old Town
‘This Old Town’ is an ode to boring hometowns. In the song Josh realizes
the importance in in recognizing your roots, and pays homage to Fall River in
this track even though he resides in Boston (well Cambridge, but whatever) now.
Wow, I’m terrible at writing reviews.
Monday, January 7, 2013
Emily Rugburn - I Wish I Could Grow A Beard
Typically I don’t do reviews. I
hate them. I hate reading some has-been-who-never-was-rappers jaded opinion on
someone’s release that got more shine than theirs. I never wanted to be the
dude bashing someone else’s art, giving praise is alright I guess, but saying
something is garbage because the person reviewing it doesn’t like it is totally
bananas.
"...skate dude
who shaves pubes, blaze doobes, and pays dues on credit...”
Get 'I Wish I Could Grow a Beard' for free.
However, all this week I’ll be
at some temp job that the first 6 hours of my work day each day is supposed to
be spent writing. That’s it; all I have to do is write. I guess they’re
scanning like 10 peoples writing style each week and see if you can identify them
just by the way they type. The speed, the words they use, amount of times they
use back space, all that shit.
So I figured whatever, I’ll plug
some of the stuff I’ve been listening to lately that is available for free
online. Maybe it will make this painstakingly slow work week go faster. Plus technically
I’m getting paid a pretty penny for this, and I can guarantee I’ll never get
paid this handsomely again for writing about underground rap. So here it is,
the worst excuse for a review you’ll ever come across.
First off Emily Rugburn is T.M.F.S.E.
(The Man From Somewhere Else, formerly known as abc-def) and Junkwaffel of
Slangcorp. TMFSE is known for his slow delivery, unique cadence, bizarre
vocabulary, intricate internal rhyme schemes, clever puns, and songs about
drugs. I think ‘I Wish I Could Grow a
Beard’ came out in early 2010.
1.)
Imaginary Friend
The cd
starts off with a soliloquy from an ‘imaginary friend’ and Junkwaffel drops
some soft jazzy samples in the background that set the pace for the ep. For the
longest time I thought this quote was from a movie, and I was determined to see
it. However, after google searching direct quotes from it more times than I'd like to admit I came to the
conclusion that it’s not a movie. I guess a movie about an imaginary friend
wouldn’t be that visually stimulating anyway.
2.)
Slam Dancing with the Stars
Yep, this
song is pretty cool. I don’t really know what to say. Starts and ends with
another quote I don’t know the origin of, but I tried to find the movie for a
while. As TMFSE said he rocked the posse cut solo… and he laced it. I think
this track came out when rappers saying “no homo” was the thing to say, kind of
like swag is now. So TMFSE drops the line “fuck homo” in there, but I really
doubt a vegan (self-proclaimed) junkie is homophobic. Or maybe he meant literally
fuck homos and he’s down? Either way people take the shit rappers say to
seriously sometimes.
3.)
Perms, Sperm, and Sherm feat. GDP
Starts off
with another quote I don’t know what it’s from. In case you can’t read, this
song features fellow Slangcorp alumni, GDP. GDP did a good job rapping at TMFSE’s
super slow bpm. Yep, this is another
cool song by Emily Rugburn. And it ends with a relevant Bill Hicks quote about
drugs, hell yeah finally something I can pin point.
4.)
Watermelon Lemonade
Arm Arm Leg
Head. I don’t get it but sure, why not. TMFSE does 8 bar verses in this song
instead of the standard 16. I’m always into different structures, but sometimes
I wonder how incredibly short his already short tracks would be is he rapped at
an average pace. “…Smack your ass no homo,” there it is, the token ‘no homo’
line of the time.
5.)
Pumpernickle
I have no
idea who the girl who dubs her vocals behind TMFSE’s vocal track is, but I’ve
heard her on a few Emily Rugburn tracks. I think you have to be from Jersey to be able to rap anything about pumpernickle.
6.)
One More Bag feat. Pistol
Another
Slangcorp affiliate featured on this release, this time it’s Pistol. Pistol is
only featured on the hooks though. Tracks like this always make me wonder how
these dudes on heroin are able to be so prolific with their music, when there
are so many clean people out there that can’t get anything done. It’s like, “Hey
look what these people did while heavily addicted to such a deadly drug. What’s
you’re excuse for not getting anything done again?” Remind me to never to work
in a rehab center.
7.)
The Girl with the Thorn in her Arm
For the
longest time this was my favorite track on the release. Everything about it,
from the title being a pun on The Smiths song ‘The Boy with the Thorn in his side’ to the guitar (I think that’s a guitar) loop that TMFSE raps over with
no drums, to how the drums kick in and he does the “refrain” or whatever a real
critic would call that. Is it bad to like songs about someone else’s struggle
drug addiction? I like this song so much I used a line with it to try and pick
up a girl before. We didn’t have anything to do, so I suggested “let’s get high
and drive all night.” I don’t think it worked, but that’s alright because I can
use it again on another girl out there because chances are she doesn’t read
this blog or listen to Emily Rugburn.
8.)
Star-Belly Sneech
This is
another good jam to finish off this ep. At the end Junkwaffel drops the beat
and lets you get a better listen to TMFSE’s unique style.
Bonus track)
But wait,
there’s more! This song became my favorite over ‘The Girl with the Thorn in her
Side’ once I discovered it. I feel like for the most part bonus tracks are
fading away because so much stuff is only digital, but they were always my
favorite part of a cd when I was younger. I really dig beat boxing drums and the
sample and am pretty curious of the origin. “Just cause my name on the flyer
don’t mean I’m gonna show up,” was an awesome line, then I heard it was true.
On the ‘Only Rule: Eyes Out’ tour with HW, ESH, and DJ Halo I saw according to
their dates a few days before they played in Pittsburgh, those guys were
playing Trenton, NJ with Raymond Strife and TMFSE. I told HW that was pretty
rad they were getting to play with TMFSE. A few days later when I met played
with those guys in Pittsburgh they told me he showed up so late he didn’t even
get to play. On one hand that really sucks, but on the other I think it adds to
his “enigma” if you will. But then again, I can’t stand when I book something
and people don’t show up. “TMFSE the black Heath Ledger.”Get 'I Wish I Could Grow a Beard' for free.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
John Bachman aka Jumbled of Napalm Def interview about Our Only Escape Vol. 2
John Bachman) Our only escape is the name of the 2 compilations I have put together. The idea was inspired by the “Underground Hip Hop Essentials” comps from Cory of Sass Bologna. I thought they were really great and very DIY. He said he was not releasing anymore so I decided I would try to put something out. The first one was cassette only, and consisted of friends, and some other acts I found on Myspace that I really liked. I asked a lot of people, and only a few followed through. It features one of the first real Napalm Def songs, where both me and salk spit on the same track. There were many Baltimore acts (Height, AK Slaughter, PT Burnem) as well as some acts from other parts of the country (Shed dwellaz from California, Unified Theory from the northwest, Iz-Real from Atlanta). The acts got most of the copies. I’ve also sold some at shows and had them in distros. It is pretty much out of print by now, but I put it up on my bandcamp page for free. The name comes from one of my first songs, in which I use the line “beat tapes, our only escape, wish I could rhyme to every beat that I make.”
T-TAD) How has it progressed since the last release?
JB) I have put out 7 other releases on my label (Harford and Reckord) and started asking people if they would be interested in participating. This line-up is much more diverse and widespread. It started out as a message chain on facebook and some emails. A few acts reached out to me after hearing the first comp, so I tried to follow up with them.
A few acts on the comp I saw at local shows and really liked their stuff, like Taylo and Dilligence. I wanted to include local Baltimore acts I am into so I talked to Collectible Humans, Something compleX, Disturbed Individuals, and Detale. I came across White Mic, Michael Riggs and Lurch Lightning online and asked them to be on the release.
Since there were so many more people involved, I decided to get pro-printed cdrs, and hand make the covers (to save some money). Since the first comp had stenciled covers, I tried to keep that theme by stenciling the OOE on the covers of Volume 2. When I layed out and sequenced the tracks, it was almost too much to fit on one CD.
T-TAD) Describe your relationship with some of the artists featured on this?
JB) I could start with salk and Dwell. Salk is in Napalm Def with me, and we played in many bands together over the years. Dwell is an old friend and mentor, that records most of our vocals and helps produce our stuff. I have played a bunch of shows with Something compleX and we are trying to work together to build bridges between local acts. Jack Wilson was living in Baltimore at the time, so we hung out a few times, he gave me a track for the comp and did a verse on my last album. I’ve booked and played a few shows with JE double F, AK Slaughter and Stillborn Identity. It’s funny to think that I’ve never met some of these people, but am still a big fan of their music.
T-TAD) There are some “bigger” names on this compilation, what would you do if you saw one of your students wearing one of the featured artists shirts? Would you say anything/try to sell them a cd for their lunch money?
JB) That’s a weird line. I just took a job at a new school [I teach Technology Education at a school in Baltimore City] and they only talk about Meek Mill and 2Chainz. A few years ago at my old school, I got excited when I found out one kid in the whole school was into Odd Future before they blew up. Since more stuff is online/on youtube, kids are finding out more about people like Jay Electronica and Childish Gambino, instead of only listening to what’s on the radio. To answer your question, I would probably just give them a copy of the comp!
T-TAD) Do any of your student, past or present, know about Napalm Def?
JB) I keep my facebook profile private, but after students graduate, some will ask teachers to be their “friend.” I think I only follow 2-3, but since I promote a lot on there, a couple realized that I was Jumbled. I had one of their little brothers in class last year and he knew, but was cool about it.
The funniest thing I found while looking on Tumblr was one former student posting a song I made about Snowballs (a Baltimore sno-cone sort of treat) and it said something like “oh my god, I just found out my old shop teacher raps” and someone else responded “you mean the one that looks like the guy from Fall Out boy?”
I have been doing this for only about 7 years, but feel like I’ve come a long way. It started as just loops in my bedroom, and making a demo (limited to 3 copies.) I settled on the name of Napalm Def, and asked my friend Clint to start rapping (which I don’t think ever occurred to him, but we shared a love of grindcore and hip hop, so it fit.) We turned to Dwell to help record and point us in the right direction, as he was winding down his short career as an mc. This past year was my best and most productive, I put out an album and a comp, started doing out of town shows, a ton of local shows including the 2 biggest shows I’ve ever played. I started performing and working with dj Franco, made my first video, scored a short film and web tv show, and have been sending out more beats to collaborate with more people.
T-TAD) Will there be an "Our Only Escape 3" if so, what are some of your plans for it? (artists, work, theme maybe?)
JB) No plans for one right now. I am working on production for salk’s solo album, and a Napalm Def full-length, that I hope to get pressed on Lp. Next up for the label is the reissue of Height’s album “Winterize the Game” which is my favorite album of his.
thanks
John Bachman aka Jumbled
mc and producer / Napalm Def // Baltimore, MD
http://jumbled.bandcamp.com
harfordandreckord.tumblr.com
napalmdef@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Napalm-Def-Jumbled-and-Salk/137860689584633
I wanted to include the track listing at the end of this interview but somehow it ended up looking like this. Whatever, you get the picture. Download it for free!
1.
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Diligence - Burnt
02:00
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2. | ||||
3.
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4.
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Amable – New Take
02:29
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5.
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6.
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Taylo – Lovin’ It
02:04
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7.
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8.
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E.T. – Graveyard
02:45
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9.
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10.
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11.
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Detale – Smokestacks
03:42
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12.
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Jack Wilson – Jimmy Legs
04:49
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13.
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Dwell – Give Praise
03:41
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14.
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15.
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Pinpoint ft. Only - Real
03:01
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16.
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Roebus One – Which Ways
03:05
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17.
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18.
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Leopard Opera - 419
02:18
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19.
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20.
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21.
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Warning
01:47
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22.
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Rick Rab – P.O.M.E.
03:15
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23.
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24.
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25.
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Stillborn Identity/MC Homeless split cassette
It's about time I shamelessly promote myself. I(Stillborn Identity) did a hand numbered, limited run, split cassette with MC Homeless at the end of last year. Since the release, MC Homeless has "retired" but I still wanna keep this release in circulation because I think both sides are awesome. As far as I know this is the last release he did as "MC Homeless." I think there is a Brain Busters(MC Homeless and Joey Silva) release out there, and he started doing some non-hip hop project.
MC Homeless' side starts off with a track Imaginary Audience, a track by Brain Busters.
The second track is 66 featuring Me, Stillborn Identity. It's produced by C Money Burns. Homeless and I drive from Youngstown, OH to Austin, TX after he moved there and needed his car. I was super pumped to hang out in Austin, TX, but Homeless started a new job during the day and was gun-ho about hanging out with his at the time lady friend at night. So most of my time was spent trying to figure out how the bus line there worked only to instead walk 5 miles to a skate park, drinking Mad Dog20/20 by myself, and writing this track. Homeless had a half finished verse and polished it up in like 3 takes after I took over a half over to record my verse I had been working on all weekend. We're both kinda Vincent Gallo geeks and titling the track was never even a question after we put the quote from Buffalo 66 in there.
Breathe was originally released free online on his Wild At Heart ep produced by Johnny La Rock.
This fourth track on his side is almost to good to believe. MC Homeless toured with Illogic and Baker a year or two ago, and they had a day off in CT during their tour. During their day off they wrote and recorded this song with Ceschi.
My side starts off with Artist Wishlist produced by Pat Urn of 7718. I think I also wrote most of this song at Homeless' place in Texas. I didn't finish it until weeks later when I was in New Jersey "working" as a videographer on a freestyle motocross tour. That night one of the best FMX photographers (at least in my opinion), Chris Tedesco talked to me about what he had to do to "make it" in the industry. The only direct quote from that drunken hotel foyer conversation was, "just don't sell out, whatever that means to you." Ironically enough, I think that was my last weekend working on that tour.
Jack Wilson played me CREAM sometime in the beginning of the year when I was couch surfing in Baltimore and I was so pumped on his verse, and the beat by Visionary Brotherhood, that I demanded that he let me collab with him on it... and luckily he did.
I'm leading Me Down produced by Tybo Beats was the last track I wrote for the release. I thought it sounded like something HW would fit in with, so before I was finished with my second verse I sent him a text seeing if he was down, then emailed him a rough copy. Within hours(before I was finished with my second verse) he sent me his final version of the track.
Photo from left to right: Cathy Cathodic, HW, Stillborn Identity, Eric, Baker
Pitseleh's a Goner produced by JE Double F is my favorite track. I never knew that Pitseleh was Yiddish for "little one" but after I figured that out when I opened for Height with Friends at the 31st Street Pub it made the title even more fitting. Originally the titled was inspired by an Elliott Smith song. http://www.pghcitypaper.com/FFW/archives/2012/10/22/mp3-monday-stillborn-identity-pitselehs-a-goner
I wrote 1,000 Miles(produced by Zoen) away when I was living in Nevada and still in love with a girl in Pittsburgh. After I wrote this song and sent her the demo, I thought she would ask me to come back to her. But she didn't. She just said it was another really sad song I wrote, and asked what it was about.
Physical copies of the tape are available through this blog, Milled Pavement, Harford and Rekords, and whatever hard copies the artists have left.
MC Homeless
facebook
tumblr
twitter
Stillborn Identity
facebook
bandcamp
instagram @codycodyjones
MC Homeless' side starts off with a track Imaginary Audience, a track by Brain Busters.
The second track is 66 featuring Me, Stillborn Identity. It's produced by C Money Burns. Homeless and I drive from Youngstown, OH to Austin, TX after he moved there and needed his car. I was super pumped to hang out in Austin, TX, but Homeless started a new job during the day and was gun-ho about hanging out with his at the time lady friend at night. So most of my time was spent trying to figure out how the bus line there worked only to instead walk 5 miles to a skate park, drinking Mad Dog20/20 by myself, and writing this track. Homeless had a half finished verse and polished it up in like 3 takes after I took over a half over to record my verse I had been working on all weekend. We're both kinda Vincent Gallo geeks and titling the track was never even a question after we put the quote from Buffalo 66 in there.
Breathe was originally released free online on his Wild At Heart ep produced by Johnny La Rock.
This fourth track on his side is almost to good to believe. MC Homeless toured with Illogic and Baker a year or two ago, and they had a day off in CT during their tour. During their day off they wrote and recorded this song with Ceschi.
My side starts off with Artist Wishlist produced by Pat Urn of 7718. I think I also wrote most of this song at Homeless' place in Texas. I didn't finish it until weeks later when I was in New Jersey "working" as a videographer on a freestyle motocross tour. That night one of the best FMX photographers (at least in my opinion), Chris Tedesco talked to me about what he had to do to "make it" in the industry. The only direct quote from that drunken hotel foyer conversation was, "just don't sell out, whatever that means to you." Ironically enough, I think that was my last weekend working on that tour.
Jack Wilson played me CREAM sometime in the beginning of the year when I was couch surfing in Baltimore and I was so pumped on his verse, and the beat by Visionary Brotherhood, that I demanded that he let me collab with him on it... and luckily he did.
I'm leading Me Down produced by Tybo Beats was the last track I wrote for the release. I thought it sounded like something HW would fit in with, so before I was finished with my second verse I sent him a text seeing if he was down, then emailed him a rough copy. Within hours(before I was finished with my second verse) he sent me his final version of the track.
Photo from left to right: Cathy Cathodic, HW, Stillborn Identity, Eric, Baker
Pitseleh's a Goner produced by JE Double F is my favorite track. I never knew that Pitseleh was Yiddish for "little one" but after I figured that out when I opened for Height with Friends at the 31st Street Pub it made the title even more fitting. Originally the titled was inspired by an Elliott Smith song. http://www.pghcitypaper.com/FFW/archives/2012/10/22/mp3-monday-stillborn-identity-pitselehs-a-goner
I wrote 1,000 Miles(produced by Zoen) away when I was living in Nevada and still in love with a girl in Pittsburgh. After I wrote this song and sent her the demo, I thought she would ask me to come back to her. But she didn't. She just said it was another really sad song I wrote, and asked what it was about.
Physical copies of the tape are available through this blog, Milled Pavement, Harford and Rekords, and whatever hard copies the artists have left.
MC Homeless
tumblr
Stillborn Identity
bandcamp
instagram @codycodyjones
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