South By SouthWest

(SXSW) MusicFest '007
Jefe aka Johnny Chiba Experiential
in Awesome Texass

SXSW2007, the best music festival on earth (other than CMJ Marathon, of course), where the Jefe Experiential took Johnny Chiba to Austin, Texas, aka Awesome Texass...
Jane Awesome!
SXSW released bit torrent of over 730 bands playing music fest. The Chiba list contained over 60 new bands deemed aurally worthy of checking out, Jefe faves, Chiba friends and CMJ label clientele, oh yeah.


On Tues, Chiba stayed at Australian Cattle God Records HQ, site of the Typewriter Museum, FuckByFuckYou & FuckByFuckY'all Fests, and Jane Awesome Records.
Thanks Lee, Bryan, Andrea & Yagi

Jane Awesome Recs presents LITTLE BICYCLES CD.
Click animated cd cover for sweet psychedelics

Yagi the ornery goat lives at ACG HQ, and butts you if you have no food. They should write "666" on the goat's head, then make soup. Here's an Air Yagi shot from Jane Awesome site

 

Tues. Mar 13 (Pre-SXSW)

Ume @ Emo's Lounge
Checked out Ume, a Jane Awesome fave. She reminds me of Kim Gordon, early Sonic Youth, except she plays the Thurston guytar role.
Click the pics

 

WED MARCH 14

Tia Carrera @ The Whisky Bar

Tia mi Tia Carrera, not the bad actress
Click for ACG website

Australian Cattle God showcase. I missed Lebanon, last band, Tia Carrera cranks out one hefty psychedelic guitar solo after another. I heard the bass player's cabinet went up in flames at sxsw gig a couple days later.. better than going down in flames... is that smoke? I smell photo op!

 

Nick Butcher
Low Line Caller
Power Pill Fist
Jack

Saint Nick the Butcher

How Low can you go?

Feel fist, fight power!

You don't know Jack... shit!
Hometapes Records' SHEDDING & NICK BUTCHER - both had songs on Chiba fave list. Shedding = one singer/guitar shedding over backing tracks; Nick is a balding butcher of aural nicks and crannies, employing tapes, effects and snippets to glitchy effect
Caught last song from LOW LINE CALLER @ The Hideout. Fortunately, it was LLC song from Chiba fave list.
Jangly, indie, shoegazin, coolness. a friendly sound from a friendly band.

Graveface Records' POWER PILL FIST crouched in front of monitors, manipulating videogame console type remotes. I sat on floor in front of mass, watching PPF at eye level, entranced by toscilloscopic graphics. When I got up to leave, I was alone on the floor; all chased out by The Fist!

Ace Fu Records showcase, featured Brooklyn's JACK
lead singer has amazing stretchy voice, and is utterly satanic! the lead guit reminded me of Jim Carrey, I kept waiting for him to mug... Is the lead singer's name Jack? I don't know!

 

CHILDREN COLLIDE @ Red 7

Australia's CHILDREN COLLIDE -another Chiba fave from the SXSW Bit Torrent release. This band has got all a 3-piece needs, hi energy, good looking front man reminded me of a rockin Peter Noone with his bowl cut.

collision on da barbie

click for big pic.. .go on, click it!

guitarman sings thru his guit!

good shot to look at big.. click!

Henry the 8th?

rock out with your kangaroo out

whippin it good, Aussie stylee

we are amphibious! hail australia

 

 

DIE! DIE! DIE! @ Havana Calle 6 Patio
New Zealand's DIE! DIE! DIE! - yet another Chiba SXSW fave, led by a maniacal frontman, guitarist, who played half show on stage, half off, no wonder he had a broken hand. that didn't stop him from strumming and dashing around, ending the set flat out amongst strewn drums and eyeballs. Die!

Die! Die! & keep Dieing!

full-on composite Die3!

Singer got a broke fist

atop the drum again

all's in tatters, end of show. Die! Death!

.on his knees...again

 

KINSKI @ Emo's Lounge

Klaus Kinski, the wrath of aguitar!
Kinski - another band from Chiba Faves list, did not disappoint, with a rocking femalemo bass and 2nd guitar who played flute. Ex-Butthole Surfer King Koffee sat in on skins for a song (Kingski Koffee) The tune I recognized from the SXSW Bit Torrent ("The Wives of Artie Shaw") sounded great. I couldn't help thinking the lead guitarist looked like Klaus Kinski, the actor from Aguirre, The Wrath of God....

 

Black Moth Super Rainbow
click for cool Graveface showcase flyer and shit Chiba pic
BLACK MOTH SUPER RAINBOW had fantastic animated movie (art by Paper Rad and others) playing on the big screen, as they rocked the Blender Bar Balcony @ The Ritz. See the audience not-watch the screen, as the balcony audience not-watched the band. unfortunately, had to catch last shuttle back to hotel 10 miles away...
Graveface Records puts out BMSR, the great BMSR/Octopus Project collaboration, and a new DVD of amazing animation! Coolyeah!

Click animated BMSR flyer at left and Black Moth Super Rainbow / Octopus Project covers below for full-on Jefe pages of epilepsy-inducing fun!!

 

THURS - MAR 15

MELVINS @ Stubb's
THE MELVINS show at Stubb's dirt arena was packed, I was way in the back, chilling in the sun and shade with cool industry types and pals; my attention was constantly shifted to the thick buzzing of New Melvin's backed by the thunderous duosity of Big Business men. BB herald the second coming of the Melvins, with grooving beat, fresh new vocals, double the fro, double the drum, and a fresh whipping freneticism!
click ani-Melvins flyer for full-on Mel!
Flyer by MonkeyInk.com

 

Les Savy Fav @ Speakeasy

CMJ 1000 Party! Les Savy Fav rocked the house, with portly balding frontman leading themerry way, throwing his mic up in the balcony, running upstairs and singing as he hung from the rafters. Good frolicking fun and fav.


i'll have a shot of the fav!

weighty, yet full of life

who's expecting?

doin the austin hang!

Les Favspace

 

CUT OFF YOUR HANDS
@ Brush Square Park
LOZEN
@ Flamingo Cantina

Another NZ band from Chiba fave list. Brush Square hosted New Zealand BBQ, and the longest SXSW line. As the queue inched along, I watched 2 bands play, including these punk popsters, whose short set was uninspiring, aside from Chiba fave. Sometimes, one song's all you need! other than love.

Lozen's 2-gal racket play guitar and drums, respectively. Guitar gal sings, as does drum gal, stirring up a ploditude of off-kilter sludgy rocking, some songs bordering on epic. Good riffs, nice faces. rock.

 

HYDRA HEAD Records Showcase
@Emo's Annex
DAUGHTERS

Daughters poster by Seripop
click for full-on Jefe anime

Daughters HELL SONGS cover gets the Jefe twist. click!
DAUGHTERS SLAUGHTERS LAUGHTERS!!
Stepping into the Emo's Annex tent, I saw the familiar site of Daughters' lead singer swaying and bouncing, careening and preening, lead guitarist flailing chops like a windstorm over Iraq, unearthly shards of suicidal bombage tearing new assholes and earholes. Hell songs for devils and demons! This is the future of rock n roll! ...Or is Big Business?

 

BIG BUSINESS

BIG BIZ = BIG BEATS 4 2 GUYS! Bass/Drums duo sing and rock as well as 2 guys can, yet as soon as Melvins guitarist stepped in for a couple songs, my interest level peaked! No wonder the New Melvins are so rockin great!

 

JESU
"Jesu, led by Justin Broadrick of the British industrial-metal pioneers Godflesh, soars on clouds of rumbling guitar noise that inevitably turn turbulent." - NY Times

Justin Jesu on the Godfleshian chordage

Jefe superimposed Justin pic on "Conqueror" cover

shitty shots of JB animated to look artsy

animated Jesu cover

animated hydrajesu

another Jesu Animesu

 

PELICAN
"We're a fucking triumphant band."
- Pelican guitarist Laurent Lebec
Pelican
Pelicone
Pelicat
doin the Pelican twist!

Click Pelicans below for Jefe 006 Mono/Pelican 'view

 

FRIDAY - March 16

FLATSTOCK @ Austin Convention Ctr

Tattoo + Poster Art

High on Fire again!

Nice Raconteurs Art Posters

Smith Bell Crafty
coolness

Smith Bell SSPU cool craftiness

Mexican Chocolate Design
Es muy Delicioso!

 

BUZZCOCKS @ Austin Convention Ctr
Steve Diggle & Pete Shelley's 'COCKS played a few SXSW shows, including a way-too-short set at SXSW Live - a Hollywood-like, TV camera infested convention center stage. "Harmony in my Head"... "Ever Fallen In Love"... ageless and priceless tunes!

Hello Steve Diggle

Diggle and Shelly Forever! Homo Sapiens!

 

Two Loons For Tea
@ The Firehouse Lounge
Sarathon Records' showcase starred the talented TWO LOONS FOR TEA, with SARA and JonaTHAN on vokes and guitar, respect.

Dig the art in the background! Click!

 

JAPAN BASH @ Brush Square Park
Popped by for J-Pop Bash with ORESKABAND, 8 nubile J-gals rockin out, led by cute tromboner, called Leader, she is movie star! I missed another gaggle of J-gal fashionista brass called PISTOL VALVE, PR pic makes nice animation.... you click and enjoy!!

LEBANON @ a cool party outta town
Les Breastfeeders at 5PM were on the Chiba fave list, but couldn't find venue. Called Lee at Australian Cattle God, as LEBANON were playing a party outside of town. Turned out to be a huge warehouse, set up by the guys in Austin band MY EDUCATION, who have a woodworking shop there, next door to an art gallery and a concrete patio where bands set up in two places, beers flowin....
LEBANON and their instrumental orchestrations blew my mind... I was way happy the music was so good, as I met and hung out with the band a couple times before hearing a note. Both Avi and Juval play guitar the way I like, very aggressive and out there. Lotsa soul in the playing, the heart of the band is their Israeli spirit. Their next note could be their last. Awesome... Jane Awesome ----- Lebanon website

 

Israel
Is Real

 

MONOTONIX @ Flamingo Cantina
Panache Booking brought Israel's MONOTONIX to SXSW, continuing the tradition of booking amazing rocking bands from around the world (see DMBQ fromSXSW06). Monotonix singer starts show by lighting drum cymbals and shirt on fire, covers his face with shaving cream, and spends most of the show in audience with guitar player. The bar is his prop box, with lemons, napkins, conical cups being eaten, tossed and dropkicked throughout the club. Towards the end, singer brings all drums into crowd for uplifting performance art. I think I saw this at DMBQ show... is this a Panache thing? Nevertheless, lotsa fun, happiness and good rockin!
Monotoniacal Glee!
Shaving Cream facial

Texas Chainsaw Acne?

The Mono Guitar spreads the crowd like the Red Sea

the bar gal will not be so amused in due time
Barbasol wins! Ready for eyebrow shave, Moishe

 

RUSSIAN CIRCLES
@ Soho Lounge

Flameshovel Records showcase:

Click the animated headbanger for a full-on circulatory review

 

 

SATURDAY - MARCH 17

Les Breastfeeders @ Habana Calle
Walking to FuckbyFuckYou Fest on the eastside o' town, I heard the familiar rings of a Chiba fave from SXSW bit torrent list. Les Breastfeeders at Habana Calle! I watched, stunned and amazed by great guitar player and aging hippie tambourine man who danced and shook his floppy ass.. shades of Happy Mondays... any way, they rocked the parlez vouz! le cool!
Le click for le gran breast

 

 

FUCK X FUCKYOU FEST
@ The Typewriter Museum

 

50 Kaitenz
50 KAITENZ were doin the japrock hi-energy on The Typewriter Museum stage at FuckXFuckYou Fest. As I told the singer, they are to rock n roll as James Dean was to cool. We shared a bottle shot of whiskey later, and it tasted like rock n roll! ...50 K logo anime by Jefe

 

Asakusa Jinta

Is is Rockabilly, big band, or just a rockin' japon time? The standup bass player led the charge, chiding the FXFY crowd to scream "Green Day-o!". The clarinet gal spoke in a cartoon voice, typifying the asian funny. Asakool Ninja! Click pics!

 

Akimbo @ Snake Eyes Vinyl

Down the block from FXFY I saw AKIMBO lumbering thru a set aboard a pickup truck, outside Snake Eyes Vinyl, the 'hood record store; yet another Panache Booking showcase! So Panache! So Rock!

 

MONOTONIX @ FXFY
Monotonix composite Jefegraph

Monotonix were first of 2 Israeli bands to grace the FuckXFuckYou. After their rawkus Flamingo Cantina showcase on Friday, Jefe was prepared for anything. The whole fire to the cymbals, shirt and drumlift was appended and upended by the singer's garbage gathering dance, a load that he poured down his face and mouth. There is an aura of glee at his every move, as the crowd and band hail the singer's antics with smiles, laughs and participation.

Carousing the FuckXFuckyou folk

stretchin' out...

...and goin down

beer down the pants trick

can you feel the monotonic?

my gal likes this shot. she says it captures their spirit

wrestling the garbage
hava, negila hava!!

rakin in the garbage, with a li'l help from FuckbyFuck folk

garbage man!

raise a drummer to a toast

3 Israelis walk into a bar...
Monotonix + Lebanon =
Monobanon - doot do-do-doot

 

(The Mighty) LOZEN

Rockin fxfy sidestage in epic fashion, I understood the Lozen onslaught, hearing: the double vokes, feeling: the guitar/drum connect. it felt good goin down. check out new cd on Australian Cattle God Recs... or is it Silent Queef? myspace!

la feminista howl!
Lozenlogo animated

 

Green Milk From The Planet Orange (@FXFY)
Japanese trio sit and rock.

Japanese trio sit and rock.

Guitman stretch & wail

Japanese trio sit and rock.

Here's a couple Green Milk FTPO CD covers animated by Jefe the JC
courtesy of Beta Lactam Ring Records - click the spinners

 

THE SNAKE TRAP (@FXFY)

Lee and Bryan from Australian Cattle God played a feverish instrumental set as THE SNAKE TRAP guitar/drum, respect.
click pics for shitty Jefe shots, photoshopped for art sake.
Four sores and seven beers ago...

 

LEBANON @FXFY
The Tel Aviv experience washed over The Typewriter Museum stage, 2 guitars in whiteface, lookin all scary halloween zombie like ending the FuckByFuckYou Fest in true Is Real fashion. Complex forms riding empirical waves of godspeed and guitars. Another great performance review enhanced by shitty Jefe pics and animations.

Jefe animates and celebrates the Israelites

FXFY Tree handily separates composite Jefe pic


Avish and Juval animated shit shots
Avi lookin all zombified Texass Chainsaw Massage

New Lebanon CD on
Australian Cattle God

Click Lebanon spin flyer for full-on shalom


Lebanon World of Rubble
 click for full on Lebanon attack

HELLA @ Mrs. Bea's (Todd P)
walking back to town around midnite, passed by Todd P's show down the block, and there was HELLA! hella-cool! didn't know they had a singer. watched from the side of small stage for last couple songs.

Hella-devil guitarted
shitty art shot
who's that hella-singer?
looks like Jism from Ism!r

Todd P announced CHILD ABUSE (another Chiba fave) were doing a short set, but cops showed up, and convinced Mrs. Bea to shut down. Said hi to Todd P, and walked on ... I'll have to see Child Abuse in the 'hood... da Brooklyn 'hood.

 

AN ALBATROSS @ The Creekside Lounge
on the other side of highway, SOLID PR party was ending on an anal note, as AN ALBATROSS rocked the creek at 1AM. Solid Derek blew out birthday cake candles with PR clients Daughters and Ana lBat ross.
Happy Day Derek!! Be Solid! Be Derek's Friend

Anal Bat singer sports wicked shirt & shrieks

Anal Bat-tastic singer surreal creekside silhoutte
Anal Bat Up the Ross Creek


ANAL BAT cd animated

 

GORCH FOCK @ Red 7
I had to catch shuttle back to hotel to prep for 7AM flight to NYC, and ironically, Australian Cattle God band GORCH FOCK were still playing right across street from the creek. Had time for a couple songs. I can't see how Bryan does it, running the Japanese bands all over town, running the FXFY fest, and then playing with his band at 1AM! Amazing and Godlike! Rawk Fock!

The Gorch bone's connected to the rock bone! Click!


Gorch Guitar Cattle God Bryan is absolutely on fire!

 

 Most pics & animations by Jefe aka Johnny Chiba unless noted
e: jefe(at)testicle(dot)com
myspace.com/testicle88