Chicago-based Smog Veil Records, owned by former Clevelander
Frank Mauceri, has a slew of Cleveland-related releases scheduled for
the second half of 2009.
Three releases are slated for November 17. The delayed Face
Value CD-DVD Rode Hard, Put Away Wet covers the hardcore
band’s career from 1989 to ’93. The Tin Huey retrospective,
The Bushflow Tapes, is filled with rare material by the Akron
experimentalists and features liner notes by longtime Village
Voice “dean” of rock critics Robert Christgau. And an
as-yet-untitled Easter Monkeys release will include legendary
recordings and video footage of the band opening for X. The band
featured the late Jim Jones, who also played guitar for Pere Ubu.
In the pipeline with no set release date are a collection of early
Spudmonsters material and Yadang from Buzz Clic (Rubber City Rebels.)
Smog Veil recently released Funland from Mike Watt’s Unknown
Instructors, on which Pere Ubu/Rocket From the Tombs frontman David
Thomas contributes guest vocals.
A rare in-depth profile of David Thomas appears in the new
book Sound Levels: Profiles in American Music, 2002-2009, a collection of feature stories about seminal musical figures from Tom
Waits to Mike Patton. Author (and Scene contributor) Phil
Freeman interviewed Thomas in New York City for the piece, which
originally ran as the cover story of October 2006’s Wire. The
book version has a new introduction.
“I think what makes him distinct is his ability to blend avant-garde
ideas with raw, basic rock ‘n’ roll that can appeal to almost anybody,”
says Freeman. “He sees middle-American culture as a perfectly valid
starting point for intellectual exploration, something too many critics
don’t understand.”
Former Faith No More frontman Chuck Mosley’s long-time-coming
solo album is set for August 11 release. Will Rap Over Hard Rock
for Food features appearances by Korn frontman Jonathan Davis
and Marilyn Manson/Rob Zombie guitarist John 5. The transplanted
Clevelander worked at producer-engineer Michael Seifert’s Ante Up
studio.
The Bridge Party (myspace.com/bridgepartymusic), the electro/EDM/dance duo featuring former Whitechapel (Cleveland)
bassist Eric Pollarine and synth player Rob Musser, makes its live debt
at the Phantasy (11802 Detroit Ave.) Nite Club on Friday, July 17.
Doors 8 p.m., tickets $3.
This article appears in Jul 15-21, 2009.
Chuck Mosely and Jonathan Davis…? Im really wondering how his record is going to sound. I hope its a lot better than his live performance across the street from Ante Up he did last year.