The Mal Thursday Show #30: Texas Tyme Machine, Vol. 3

The Mal Thursday Show #30: Texas Tyme Machine, Vol. 3

Once again, Mal Thursday sets the controls for the heart of the Lone Star State to take you on a wild trip in a Texas Tyme Machine. This particular journey finds Mal on the dusty streets of Austin circa the late '70s, as special guest Jesse Sublett tells the incredible true tale of Texas punk legends the Skunks. Along the way, there are stops in the present day with a track from the new Ugly Beats long-player Motor! and a fistful of smokin' 45s from the psycho-delic '60s.

Presented in Living Monophonic Sound.

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THE UGLY BEATS: Things I Need to Know
SHADES OF KNIGHT: Fluctuation
THE CHEVELLE V: Come Back Bird
DESTINY'S CHILDREN: Fall of the Queen
THE SHERWOODS: I Know You Cried
THE MODULATION CORPORATION: What to Do
THE GOLDEN DAWN: My Time

MYSTIC EYES: Enough of What I Need
THE UNTOLD FABLES: It's a Cryin' Shame
THE TELL-TALE HEARTS: Crackin' Up
THE HIGHER STATE: You Can Forget About That
LYRES: We Sell Soul
THE MALARIANS: Good Times
SONS OF HERCULES: Gimme Some

The Skunks Story:
THE SKUNKS: Earthquake Shake/Television Lover/Memphis/Cheap Girl/Can't Get Loose/Jackie O/Dancing on My Grave

THE TWILIGHTERS: Nothing Can Bring Me Down

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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.

Florida Rocks Again! #43: What's in a Name?

Florida Rocks Again! #43: What's in a Name?

After a lengthy hiatus, Mal Thursday returns to Florida to dig up another treasure chest full of rare nuggets by the all-time greats from the Sunshine State. This time out, the theme is "What's in a Name?" as every song on this episode has somebody's name in the title. Featuring music from the Belles, the Allman Joys, We The People, the Royal Guardsmen, Charlie Pickett, Betty Wright, and many more. Dedicated to the memory of the late, great King Coleman and Montells/Evil drummer Jeff Allen.

Produced by J.M. Dobies and Jeff Lemlich in Living Monophonic Sound.

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Playlist:

THE BELLES: Melvin
THE ALLMAN JOYS: Oh John/Doctor Fonebone
31st OF FEBRUARY: A Nickel's Worth of Benny's Help
WE THE PEOPLE: Alfred, What Kind of Man Are You?
FLYING BURRITO BROTHERS: Lucille
CHARLIE PICKETT: Penny Instead
THE VANDALS: We're the Vandals
THE FIVE MEN-ITS: Walkin' with Mr. Lee (bed)

THE ROYAL GUARDSMEN:
Bo Diddley/Alley Oop/Simon Says/The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

THE ECHOES: Wild Mother
THE IMPACS: Your Mama Put the Hurt on Me
MANDARIN GATE: It's a Revolution, Mother
DION: Daddy Rollin'
THE MONTELLS: Daddy Rolling Stone
BETTY WRIGHT: Sweet Lovin' Daddy
STEVE ALAIMO: Happy Pappy
THE IMPACS: Cape Kennedy (bed)

QUEENS KIDS: Brutus
BOOT: Danny's Tune
WAYNE COCHRAN: C.C. Rider
SAM & DAVE: Jody Ryder Got Killed
J.P. ROBINSON: George Jackson
HOYT AXTON: Officer Ray
BETTY WRIGHT: Mr. Lucky

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Chunk Archives

Announcing the official launch of Chunk Archives, a new indie/garage/reissue label based in Austin, Texas. The label is the brainchild of Mal Thursday, who ran the "obscure but rewarding" Chunk Records label from 1986 to 2000. Chunk Archives will be reissuing many classic recordings, as well as new and previously unreleased material.

The initial releases from Chunk Archives are the reissues of the LP catalog of '80s garage rock semi-legends The Malarians, and are currently available as mp3 albums on iTunes, Amazon, CD Baby, and other leading digital retailers:

In The Cool Room

Know/Finished In This Town

The above titles are also available as limited edition CDs from The Malarians Online Superstore.

My Massatucky Walkabout, Pt. 1

Today is my birthday, and I'm feeling bloody old. Also a little worse for the wear from all the rocking...Three months ago, I returned to Massachusetts for the "Tour of Route 9" with my old bands the Malarians and the Cheetahs. Last week, I went back again to do two more shows with the Malarians (see previous post). I wrote the following in July, but never published it. Here is part one of "My Massatucky Walkabout."

It was one month ago today that I made my return to the concert stage with a gig at the Sierra Grille in Northampton, Mass., which is located in the building that once housed the Bay State Hotel, where I used to book shows in the mid-'90s under the guise of my rock 'n roll alter-egomaniac Mal Thursday. For the proper historical context, check out Ken Maiuri's June 3rd piece in The Daily Hampshire Gazette:

Clubland: Local legend Mal Thursday returns to reanimate Valley

Although the tour was not a popular move at home (my marriage would be in much better shape had I kept it to just the four dates with the Malarians, or had not gone at all), it was something I had to do, and in spite of it all, I'm damn glad I did it.

I flew in on the afternoon of the first gig, a Cheetahs show with the Egos and Evil Bill at the Sierra Grille, former site of the Bay State Hotel, where I ruled the roost back in the salad days of the Northampton music scene circa the mid-'90s. It wasn't a total triumph, but it was good to be back. The next night, we played a barn-burner at Church of Boston on a bill with Lyres (sounding as good as they ever have, and I've witnessed dozens of their shows over the past quarter-century) and the Coffin Lids. Northampton band the Immolators were supposed to be on the bill as well, but Mike Dumont a/k/a Liv Damage got lost in traffic, despite the fact that the club is just a few blocks from Fenway Park. I drove back from the gig with Cheetah David Trenholm, and once we exited the Mass Pike, we navigated a spooky, foggy, winding route that was totally Ichabod Crane-like.

New England: it's centuries-old crazy.

I then had several days off, most of which were spent on my own without access to a car, the internet or cable TV. I had plenty of time for reflection, and to rehearse with the Malarians. I had pooh-poohed the idea of a reunion for many years, owing to the fact that founding member Slater Awan (Kent Garver) was dead. But I warmed to the idea over time, and we kicked serious ass. And miraculously, my voice held up.

Thanks to Ken Maiuri, Matthew Dube, Gary Carra, and Vincent Bator for writing up my return; Marc Solomon for providing shelter and sanity; the boys in the bands, with a special shout-out to Les LeBarge a/k/a Les Fillin, for learning 25 songs and rocking them thoroughly; and a host of others, not least Jeff Conolly, Tim Downie, Mark Sheehan, O'Brien Tomalin, our producer Sean Slade, Glenn Merrill-Skoloff, Dancing Larry, Andrea Newhouse, Meag Kennedy, the Immolators, the Egos, Evil Bill, and Peter "Spec" McHugh.

No thanks, and a special place in hell for the Malarians' opening act at Church, who have started a "Boycott the Malarians" Facebook page because they felt that should have received a bigger cut of the $130 that was to be split between the three bands. They were an awful, awful semi-pro '80s synth-drivel band made up of NBA employees. I think the horrible lead singer was their boss, and they were afraid to tell him that he looked like a spastic or that his songs were terrible. I did go slightly batshit on their lame asses, calling them "Kobe-enablers" and accusing them of being "in cahoots with the L.A. Rapers."

They did, however, generate some good one-liners:
"They make A-Ha sound like AC/DC."
"Like Missing Persons without Dale Bozzio or Flock of Seagulls with less balls."
"The Malarians may or may not have stolen their money, but they stole 45 minutes of my life."
"Music to eat a gun by."

Fuck 'em. I had a ball.

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):