A Psychedelic Circus!

Bubble Puppy and The Krayolas at Antone's Friday July 13th

When the members of Texas' Bubble Puppy came together in 1966, the psychedelic/rock "big bang" was complete. They connected the cosmic dots between folk, psychedelia, and guitar-based heavy rock, and thus gave birth to the musical revolution that would define the late-60's & early-70's. "Hot Smoke And Sassafras" went from a regional hit, to the song that cemented International Artists Records' and Bubble Puppy's spot in musical lore.

Signed to Houston’s legendary International Artists imprint, the foursome were label mates of such hallowed acts as Roky Erickson's 13th Floor Elevators and the Red Krayola, but "A Gathering of Promises", the group’s sole International Artists album, stands out from the rest of the roster with its rich vocal harmonies and heavier, Cream/Hendrix/Allman Brothers sound.
 

Descended from Corpus Christi garage kings the Bad Seeds, Bubble Puppy’s tripped out calling card was its combination of soaring, fuzz-drenched guitars, frantic drumming, stop-on-a-dime arrangements and tight, graceful harmonies. Songs like the manic “Lonely”, the cryptically twisting “I’ve Got to Reach You” and the majestic, guitar-searing “Hurry Sundown” prove that Bubble Puppy was far more than just a one hit wonder.

Now, in 2012, original members of Bubble Puppy, Rod Prince, Todd Potter and David "Fuzzy" Fore have reformed along with Mark Miller and Jimmy Umstattd, to bring their pioneering psych/rock sound to a new generation of fans....

With a 35-year history, San Antonio's Tex-Mex garage-rock greats, The Krayolas have been hailed as the "Mexified Beatles", and "As close as you can get to The Who sings Bob Dylan". They are regulars on Sirius XM's "Kick Out the Jams!" with Dave Marsh and "Little Steven's Underground Garage", as well as on “Roots & Branches of Americana” with Ray Wylie Hubbard on KNBT-FM.

 Bubble Puppy will perform LIVE on the fabled stage of Antone's in Austin, Texas for the first time ever on FRIDAY, JULY 13th. Special guests for this show will by The KRAYOLAS. Doors open at 10:00pm, Bubble Puppy plays at 10:30pm, and The Krayolas take to the stage at Midnight. Advance Ticket are $13.00 (Online at www.antones.net), and will be $15.00 at the door.

The Scoot Inn Summer of Soul: Clarence “Blowfly” Reid

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Scoot Inn Summer of Soul: Clarence “Blowfly” Reid

Austin, Texas (May 24, 2012) – The Scoot Inn Summer of Soul series continues Saturday night June 9^th, when legendary soul vocalist/producer/songwriter Clarence Reid brings both sides of his public persona to the Scoot Inn Bier Garten stage with a set of his '60s R&B hits followed by a full set of the funky, filthy rhymes of his alter ego, the one, the only, the legendary godfather of Hip Hop, Blowfly.

According to his Wikipedia entry, “as Blowfly, Reid has recorded numerous albums, mostly of sex-based parodies of other songs, as well as original raps themed around sex. Reid started off writing songs for artists including Betty Wright, Sam & Dave, Gwen McCrae, and KC & the Sunshine Band. He also recorded many songs of his own in the '60s and '70s including the hit ‘Nobody But You Babe.’

“Reid would write sexually explicit versions of current hit songs for fun, but only performed them for his friends at parties or in the studio. In 1971, he recorded a whole album of 'dirty' songs under the name Blowfly. At the time, no record label would release profane material so he distributed the records himself on his own independent record label, Weird World.”

This will be Blowfly’s first Austin appearance since his sold-out show at Emo’s during South by Southwest 2010, when Reid was in town to promote the internationally-acclaimed documentary The Weird World of Blowfly.

D-Madness Project opens the show at 9, with Subkulture Patriots playing the after-show set inside at 12:30 a.m. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door. Presented by Mal Thursday, in association with The Scoot Inn, Atomic Jukebox, Black Media Council, Fleshlight, and Blowfly International.

The Scoot Inn Summer of Soul continues July 14^th with Texas soul legend Roy Head (“Treat Her Right”). The Scoot Inn is located at 1308 East Fourth Street in Austin.

CONTACT:

J.M. Dobies

Industrious Media, Austin, Texas

Trinity Hall

Doc's Backyard

Mal Thursday presents Summer of Soul at Scoot Inn, Old School Tuesdays at Trinity Hall

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mal Thursday presents Summer of Soul at Scoot Inn, Old School Tuesdays at Trinity Hall

Austin, Texas (April 11, 2012) – Austin impresario Mal Thursday is kicking it old school with two new live music series. The Scoot Inn Summer of Soul series kicks off on Saturday May 5^th with The Chicano Soul Revue starring Oscar Martinez, Rudy T. Gonzales, Rico Del Barrio, Joanna Ramirez, Johnny Degollado (“The Montopolos Kid”), Larry Lange and His Lonely Knights. On Saturday June 9^th, Blowfly, the original nasty rapper, a/k/a Clarence Reid, returns to Austin for a not-be-missed evening of raunchy R&B. The series continues June 23^rd with an outdoor screening of the multiple-award-winning documentary Thunder Soul, followed by a live performance by the film’s subjects, Kashmere Stage Band Alumni, and Texas soul legends Roy Head (“Treat Her Right”) in July and Archie Bell of The Drells (“Tighten Up”) in August. Each show in the series will benefit music education in Austin. The Scoot Inn is located at 1308 East Fourth Street in Austin.

Meanwhile, Mal Thursday is kick-starting the live music program at Trinity Hall by hosting and DJing Old School Tuesdays beginning April 17^th. Jake Levinson Band will be the featured act for the first two weeks of the free weekly series, followed by Adam Johnson & The Pay-Me’s every Tuesday in May. Mal will be spinning an appropriately old school blend of soul, rock n’ roll, and rhythm & blues as well as emceeing the festivities. A beautiful new venue in downtown Austin, Trinity Hall is located upstairs at Old School Bar & Grill at 401 East Sixth Street.

After spending the past year building the live music programs at Uncle Billy’s Lake Travis and Barton Springs, Mal has become a full-time independent promoter, producing and programming for The Scoot Inn, Trinity Hall , Longbranch Inn, Doc’s Backyard, Lupe Tortilla, and Freedmen’s Bar (opening in June at 24^th and San Gabriel in West Campus). He is also booking a tour for '60s legends Question Mark & The Mysterians (“96 Tears,” “Can’t Get Enough of You, Baby”), including a date at Antone's in July, and will be the subject of a feature length documentary filming this summer.

His long-running online radio programs, The Mal Thursday Show (archives at maltshow.mevio.com) and Mal Thursday’s Texas Tyme Machine (texastymemachine.mevio.com) continue to win the hearts and minds of listeners worldwide. The Texas Tyme Machine series is back in production after a long hiatus with “The Joe King Carrasco and The Crowns Story” to be featured on the first episode of the new season.

CONTACT:

J.M. Dobies

Industrious Media, Austin, Texas

Uncle Billy's Honky Tonk Happy Hour EXTENDED EDITION March 14-18

To celebrate the beginning of another season of Honky Tonk Happy Hour shows, as well as a certain festival that cannot be named, Uncle Billy's Brew & Que Barton Springs will present over 30 hours of absolutely free live music Wednesday through Sunday March 16-18. More dates and artists TBA.

Presented by Uncle Billy's in association with Mal Thursday's Texas Tyme Machine.

Weds. 3/14:
2 pm: Chisolm Karen
3 pm: Kid Hollywood
4 pm: Patrick Sweany
5 pm: Lisa Marshall

Thurs. 3/15:
2 pm: Chuck Fleming
3 pm: The Human Condition
4 pm: Winterpills
5 pm: Seth Sherman
7 pm: George Kinney
8 pm: Tom Ben Lindley

Fri. 3/16: Hosted by Mal Thursday
2 pm: T. Tex Edwards & the Texwardians
3 pm: Matt Hebert
4 pm: Hans Frank El Gallo
5:30 pm: Jesse Sublett & Jon Dee Graham
7:30 pm: Uncle Bob NYC
8 pm: Stevie Tombstone

Sat. 3/17: Hosted by Roggie Baer
2 pm: Edison Chair
4 pm: Billy Harvey
6 pm: Steve Poltz
7 pm: The Sun Parade

Sun 3/18: Hosted by Curtis B. Lokey
2 pm: Honky Tonk Blood Brothers Hangover Session with John Evans Band & Hank Schyma & Friends
6 pm: Davis Rogan

Admission is free, donations appreciated.

Edison Chair, Billy Harvey, and Steve Poltz appear courtesy of Rajiworld: http://www.rajiworld.com/

Uncle Billy's online: http://unclebillysaustin.com/
http://twitter.com/UncleBillys

Mal Thursday's Texas Tyme Machine podcast archives: http://texastymemachine.mevio.com/

Mal Thursday's Texas Tyme Machine at Uncle Billy's Fall 2011

Mal Thursday's Texas Tyme Machine proudly presents the season finale of Uncle Billy's Honky Tonky Happy Hour series, an ACL Weekend triple-header Friday, Saturday, and Sunday September 16 through 18, featuring a stellar line-up including Jesse Sublett, Freddie Krc and Cam King, Eric Hisaw, and John Evans Band. Hosted by Curtis B. Lokey. All absolutely free.

Meanwhile, up at the Lake, the Texas Tyme Machine continues its residency at Uncle Billy's Lake Travis with shows every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night, with host/DJ Mal Thursday.

The Texas Garage Project!

Presenting Austin's newest supergroup, The Texas Garage Project, founded in 2011 to play genuine Texas music with an emphasis on garage, psychedelic, and other rockin' '60s and '70s-inspired sounds. Membership is rotating, with an open-ended pool of musicians. Charter members include members of The Jungle Rockers, The Mother Truckers, The Freddie Steady Five, The Thunderchiefs, The Diplomats of Solid Sound, The Crazy Kings, The Bellfuries, The Ugly Beats, The Explosives, and The Nervebreakers.

This Friday night, the Texas Garage Project will be opening for Joe "King" Carrasco and the Crowns at Uncle Billy's Brewery & BBQ Lake Travis. Special guest vocalists performing with the TGP include Rick Broussard, T. Tex Edwards, Opie Hendrix, Mal Thursday and Joe "King" Carrasco. On October 7th, the TGP returns to Uncle Billy's for a show with The Mother Truckers. Special guests to be announced.

Joe "King" Carrasco and the Crowns at Uncle Billy's Lake Travis

On Friday August 26th, Joe King Carrasco and the Crowns' 2011 Reunion Tour rolls into Uncle Billy's Brewery & BBQ Lake Travis at 6550 Comanche Trail in Austin (next door to the Oasis). Opening the show will be The Texas Garage Project at 8 pm. Tickets are only $12 in advance, and are available at Uncle Billy's or online at FrontgateTickets.com.

The Story of Joe King Carrasco and the Crowns

by Joe Nick Patoski

In the late summer 1979, Joe "King" Carrasco formed a stripped-down four-piece combo to replace his Chicano big band, El Molino. Dubbed the Crowns, organist/accordionist Kris Cummings, bassist Brad Kizer, and drummer Miguel Navarro backed up Carrasco at Raul's, the famed punk club, and the Hole-in-the-Wall, and other University of Texas-area venues in Austin, quickly gaining a following around their revved-up Tex-Mex brand of punk rock, harkening back to the classic Vox and Farfisa organ-driven sound first popularized by the 1960s Texas bands Sir Douglas Quintet ("She's About A Mover"), Sam The Sham and The Pharoahs ("Wooly Bully"), and ? And the Mysterians ("96 Tears").

In November 1979, Joe "King" Carrasco & the Crowns made their first trip to New York City where Joe "King" almost gave the Lone Star Café's owner, Mort Cooperman, a heart attack when he jumped off the club's balcony onto the stage. The band was such a sensation, they were invited to play the storied Mudd Club downtown, and returned to Austin with critical praise from New York's music press including Lester Bangs and John Rockwell of the New York TImes.

Armed with a 45 rpm single "Party Weekend" b/w "Houston El Mover" that was financed by ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons, the band returned to New York in the spring of 1980 to record a demo album for Warner Brothers Records, which was eventually released on ROIR records as "Tales From the Crypt," and platy two weeks worth of dates at CBGB's, Hurrah, TR3, which would lead to more bookings at the Danceteria, the Peppermint Lounge, and the Bottom Line, as well as appearances in Washington, DC, Boston, Toronto, Providence, and other cities in the northeast.

By the end of the summer, Joe "King" Carrasco & the Crowns signed a recording contract with Stiff Records in England and embarked on the Son of Stiff Tour with Tenpole Tudor, Dirty Looks, the Equators, and Any Trouble, an extended three-month tour of the United Kingdom, Europe, and the northeastern United States, promoting their debut album and the single "Buena," a Top Ten hit in France and Sweden that charted in the Top 40 on the BBC.

While overseas, the band filmed a video of "Buena" in London, and taped television appearances in Spain, France, and on Musicladen in Germany, which was broadcast across the Continent.

In January, 1981, the band issued their first US album on the Hannibal label for music empresario Joe Boyd and appeared on the television series "Saturday Night Live" and was a featured act on a new cable television channel called MTV. Later that year, JKC and the Crowns made their West Coast debut at the Whiskey-A-Go-Go behind their Hannibal EP "Party Safari" and played a date in the basement of Hollywood's Cathay de Grande where they shared the bill with Top Jimmy & The Rhythm Pigs and Los Lobos, making their West LA debut.

Joe "King" Carrasco & The Crowns played a critical role in exporting the Austin sound and Texas music around the world, while establishing the band as one of the most popular music-makers in the Lone Star state in clubs, at Spring Break in South Padre Island, and in arenas and outdoor venues such as Red Rocks, the Frank Erwin Center, the Summit, the Ritz, and Southpark Meadows where they shared the bill with the Talking Heads, the Police, REMm UB 40, the English Beat, the Go-Gos, George Thorogood, and Culture Club.

Thirty years later, the band that exported Tex-Mex Rock-Roll around the globe has reunited for a limited number of Texas dates, demonstrating to fans that what they had heard all those years ago was no mirage: Joe "King" Carrasco & the Crowns rock like no one else before or since.

Jesse Dayton at Uncle Billy's Brewery & BBQ Lake Travis Friday Night

TEEN A-GO-GO and The Ugly Beats Tonight at the Alamo

From the Alamo blog:

People Let’s Freak out! TEEN A-GO-GO this Monday w/ The Ugly Beats LIVE!

by George Bragdon

With very special LIVE performance by Austin’s own THE UGLY BEATS before the film!

Get a taste of what’s in store this Monday with this Mal Thursday’s Texas Tyme Machine podcast featuring guest DJ Melissa Kirkendall, director of TEEN-A-GO-GO!

Every meaningful change in rock music started with some teenagers, alone in their parents’ garage, banging away at three chords. This rampaging doc features original recordings, never-before-seen Super 8 movies, rare archival footage, photographs and interviews with musicians, fans and industry experts on early rock & roll.

TEEN A-GO-GO takes the viewer on an entertaining, nostalgic ride into the teen scenes of the mid-’60s and into the lives of the people who lived it. The British Invasion played an undeniable role on this uniquely American musical genre when on February 9, 1964 the Beatles premiered live on the Ed Sullivan Show. An estimated 73 million viewers (over 40% of the entire U.S. population) tuned in. Teens all across America were glued to their TV sets as they witnessed a true turning point in rock history. On February 10, 1964, it would seem that 10 million teens had something new to do. With their jaws still on the floor and inspiration stirring within, thousands of youngsters knew that their destiny lay in rock and roll and the A Go-Go Teen Scene was born.

Music Monday: TEEN A-GO-GO with The Ugly Beats live – Mon, April 11 at Alamo Ritz.

Mal Thursday's Texas Tyme Machine #8 featuring guest DJ Melissa Kirkendall

Mal Thursday's Texas Tyme Machine Live on Stage

Mal Thursday brings the "Texas Tyme Machine" series from The Mal Thursday Show to the stages of the Lone Star State with the premiere event taking place at Austin's Lucky Lounge on Thursday December 9th at 7 p.m. The all-star line-up features Austin's #1 garage outfit The Ugly Beats, playing selections from their latest Get Hip release MOTOR!, Jesse Sublett of The Skunks and The Murder Ballad Show, and special added attractions The Soulphonics. Mal will emcee and provide the music between sets. Admission is free (donations are appreciated).

Sponsored by Independence Brewing Company. $2.50 pints of Stash I.P.A all night long.

If you live in Central Texas, please try to make the scene at this wild event. Mal's future as a rock n' roll impresario is riding on it!

RSVP HERE.

Malarians Live Review by Dave Hayes

The Malarians
Sierra Grille, Northampton, MA
June 10, 2010
by Dave Hayes

The alarm went off for a half an hour before the soundtrack of my current dream slowly but surely became the soundtrack of my confused bedroom surroundings. CRAP. I was a half hour late for The Malarians gig at Sierra Grille, so I threw ons some clothes, a hat, grabbed my water bottle, and stumbled out the door mumbling some loud repeated phrase designed to wake me up out of my sleepy stupor.

When I arrived at Sierra, The Malarians were on. I peeked into the window to watch for a minute, in the same way I watched some of The Unband's infamous gig 16 years prior back in the early Bay State days that Mal Thursday started when he became booking agent in 1993. Only this time, Mal (his real name is J.M. Dobies) was fronting his band from WAY back in the day (they were active from 1984-1990, and began at Hampshire College, I believe).

When I walked in, I first saw my friend Greg, said hello, and then immediately noticed Dancing Larry. I knew then that this was an old-school Northampton freakfest shakedown of the highest order, and a cheshire cat grin replaced my semi-drooling tired pie-hole.

The Malarians were ROCKING. I kept telling people all night it was as if they were a working band, as if they'd never stopped. It was COHESIVE. This was not the sound of old friends getting together for a couple practices and a couple gigs. THIS BAND HAD A VIBE, an energy of urgency that the best bands produce.

Mal throughout the night timed his classic 'YEA-YUHs' at just the right moments, which was like a band mantra.

These guys were purveyors of classic surf and garage rock replete with farfisa keyboard sounds, backing vocal harmonies, and Mal's classic stutter dance, with his hands thrown in the air like a rock and roll boozy cockatoo, fingers and arms flailing every which way.

Eric Payne (aka 'Lime Rickey') rode the drums with total rock abandon, yet complete control. It was a push-pull balance that he conjured all night long and it drove the tunes, along with Les Lebarge (aka 'Les Fillin') on bass, who was THUNDEROUS with his big ass Gibson Thunderbird cranking away.

The combination of guitarists John Lebhar (aka 'Johnny Tomorrow') and Robert Sherwood (aka 'Bob Medley') was potent. These guys are both total pros, one would lead while the other comped, they'd both riff together, it was just spot on axe-slinging, and the left-handed and right-handed symmetry was cool visually, I thought. Great singers too, can you tell I had fun?!

You could see why these guys were so popular back in the day. It had a retro vibe, but was played with an energy that just felt important and FRESH. Near the end of the night they did a slow-tempo version of Stepping Stone, that was grinding and had many a booty shaking.\

I only wish they would play more. A killer night of original valley rock and roll that began 25 years ago, and may have finished up (in terms of live performances) on this night (although as of this writing there is rumor of more potential live dates). I am grateful I was there to witness it, and gave my bones a good shaking.

The Immolators closed out the night, and while I had to split due to my insane work schedule, I did catch a couple of turns, and the band is aptly named. Mike Dumont was on bass and lead vocals, and Chris LaPlante was on keys and background vocals, and a couple of younger musicians who were ripping it to bits. It was straight ahead rock and roll, and there is no question these guys have their own vibe, and should be paid attention to. It also didn't hurt that Dumont's bass cabinet is the size of a single wide trailer.

Long live rock and roll in the CT River Valley.

Apologies to the Donut Kings

The Malarians Mini-Tour of Route 5 was a mixed bag, with the Sierra show a loud, fuzzy romp through the catalog, and the ZONE reunion marred by my desperate clowning, along with the obligatory sound problems and stage management issues. Although advertised as starting at 8 p.m., the show didn't start until 9:30 p.m. due to the aforementioned P.A. problems. One of the bands had canceled, but the late start meant half-hour sets and I took it upon myself to hijack the proceedings with boorish obliviousness, with the Donut Kings getting the worst of it. All apologies. They should have put me in a cage until the agreed-upon showtime.

Oh well. Mea culpa.

On the plus side, our set was punk as fuck, I danced with Dancing Larry, and vaguely remember doing a somersault across the floor. And Eighth Route Army was GREAT.

The Malarians 2010 Mini-Tour of Route 5

The Malarians are back again (in Western Mass, that is) for two dates this month, Thursday September 9th as part of the "Bay State Reanimated" series at the Sierra Grille in Northampton, with special guests A Dick Supreme, and Saturday the 11th for the ZONE 30th Reunion Benefit Concert at Canal Gallery in Holyoke with Eighth Route Army, Bamboo Steamers, Art Kritics, Donut Kings, and Thrillpillow.

Advance tickets are only $3.50 in advance.

Some would say that "The Tour of Route 9" in June was more of a mini-tour, and this is more of a micro-tour, but I say more than one date qualifies it as an official mini-tour.

The band's LP catalog has been reissued by Chunk Archives. In The Cool Room and Know/Finished In This Town are available on iTunes, Amazon, CD Baby, Napster, and other leading digital retailers, or as limited edition CDs at The Malarians Online Superstore.

Check out The Mal Thursday Show #29 for "Songs I Taught the Malarians," an episode full of songs the band has covered over the years (click image to launch podcast):

The Malarians at Church of Boston June 9th

Mal Thursday's Comeback Tour of the Commonwealth! June 3-12

That's right, kids, GaragePunk icon and legend in his own mind Mal Thursday is reforming two of his old bands to shake things up this June in Massachusetts:

MAL THURSDAY & THE CHEETAHS:
Thursday June 3rd @ Sierra Grille, NORTHAMPTON
Friday June 4th @ Church, BOSTON
w/ Lyres, The Coffin Lids, and The Immolators


THE MALARIANS:
Weds. June 9th @ Church, BOSTON
Thurs. June 10th @ Sierra Grille, NORTHAMPTON
w/ The Immolators
Fri. June 11th @ Lucky Dog Music Hall, WORCESTER
w/ Lyres and The Immolators
Sat. June 12th @ Hampshire College, AMHERST

Order The Malarians' In the Cool Room CD HERE.
Order Mal Thursday & The Cheetahs: The Complete Recordings HERE.