Deluka’s sound is like (Roxette minus the dude) + (The Pretenders minus the US) + Birmingham, UK (minus Black Sabbath). It’s kinda scuzzy and reeking of early late-80s or early-early 90s. Like that bit of pre-grunge when there were those Time-Life Living in the 90’s CD/Cassette commercials because people thought just because the decade changed it was a like whole new world! (Harder to say, “What the hell, it’s the ’10s!) The current single “Cascade” has a relaxed structure that takes it’s time in a very British way and has seen recent placement on MTV as well as some rotation on coastal radio and placement in Grand Theft Auto. The video for “Cascade” is the directorial debut of fashion photographer Antoine Verglas who has shot for everything from Vogue to Sports Illustrated. He has thankfully turned his focus to Deluka lead singer and burgeoning Siouxie Sioux clone Ellie Innocenti who aside from being an art-school raven also has a name that rolls off the tongue like hot syrup. (I think my subconscious is telling me i’m due for some IHOP.)
The fashion world has lost it’s most beloved misfit.
I woke up to a text from a friend, letting me know Alexander McQueen was found dead in his house. He was 40 years old. I’m not putting a fucking bio up here, go to Wikipedia for that. Instead, I’ve put together some of my favorite McQueen looks/moments.
Last March I recommended Echo Park dance troupe/electrosiezure We Are The World as a band “You Should Know” and really, this recommendation is for your own good if you feel that music needs an artistic boost removed from the cult of celebrity currently seized ahold of iTunes. Finally the Echo Park quarted have made a hauntingly spectacular video for standout track “Clay Stones” in anticipation of their first release, a single of the song available today via IAMSOUND (still saying pre-sale). The Vinyl will be out 2/23 on Manimal.
And as I’ve said before if you get the chance to catch their kenetic live show (of which they play very few) consider yourself very lucky. Their myspace page indicates an upcoming February residency here in Los Angeles but a venue has yet to be revealed. Rest assured I will be making as many trips to Silverlake/Echo Park this month as necessary.
Intr0vert may have reviewed Brooklyn’s dirty-glamorous Semi Precious Weapons back in November, but I wanted in on the action. So when the chance came along to interview them before their show on Lady Gaga’s Monster Ball tour, I picked my jaw up off the ground, threw some glitter on and rented a sexy Kia Spectra to get to Rosemont.
From ditching their Brooklyn apartment and hopping on a tour bus that follows my beloved Lady, their lives have been turned a bit upside-down in the past year. Lady Gaga actually opened for Semi Precious Weapons, back sometime between being Stephanie Germanotta and a 23 year old woman with her own army of Monsters.
Sitting down on the bus with SPW, I was expecting 30 minutes of me being awkward turtle while they stared at me blankly, wishing for a legit interview. To my utter amazement, it was just the opposite. Yeah, I did have four gorgeous rock stars staring at me, but to my relief it was just 6 people (including Justin’s mom for awhile) having a conversation about rock and roll, tits, blood, glitter-you know, normal stuff. Read the rest of this entry »
Recently signed to Perez Hilton’s label and even more recently signed to a huge deal with Interscope, New York glam punks SEMI PRECIOUS WEAPONS are a quartet of handsome gents burning high energy Rock N’ Roll that will sting your ears and tease your nethers. It’s danceably infectious AC/DC-meets-Rocky Horror swagger has been lighting up clubs for the past 3 years with fabulously filthy/gorgeous frontman Justin Tranter tearing up stages and after parties like a platinum-blond transvestite GODZILLA!
“I GOT A DIAMOND IN MY POCKET AND A GUN IN MY PURSE SCREAM SEMI PRECIOUS WEAPONS OR YOU MIGHT GET HURT!”
Rounding out the group is the unstoppable trio of Dynamite Drummer Dan Crean, Wig-Afficianato Guitarist Stevy Pyne and Bass Beast Cole Whittle using every inch of every stage at every show. As an exception to the rule, typically you would find an act that rocks this hard and dirty and looks this good to be light on real musical talent but SPW actually met at the prestigious Berklee College of music in Boston.
“STICKY WITH CHAMPAGNE, THAT’S OK IT’S HER BIRTHDAY!”
SPW will be doing 2 shows at The Viper Room in November: Friday the 13th & Wed the 25th. An excellent review of a trio of shows at The Viper Room last July can be found on their blog. A recent interview by Sunset Strip Ambassador and Buzzfinder Brent X. Mendoza with Lead Singer and Daytime Jewlery Designer Justin Tranter (Fetty) can be found @ TheSunsetStrip.com.
“HER HAIR, HER HAIR, HER HAIR IS ON FIRE! SHE DON’T NO WATER LET HER FUCKING HEAD BURN!”
Semi Precious Weapons are currently recording their follow up to 2008’s We Love You with Jack Joseph Puig in Los Angeles and will be opening for Lady Gaga on The Monster Ball Tour (LA Shows @ Nokia Dec 21-23).
The theme of the party was controversy. Of course there was a guy there with a bloody rubber glove and a coat hanger but the costume that impressed me was this boxy airplane flying into both flaming towers of the World Trade Center. These girls have balls as well as skills to wear these costumes. This party was on Devil’s Night; they told me they had a different costume for Halloween, one a bit less offensive. But they didn’t tell me what. Not much really offends me anyway…besides Kirk Cameron.
Do you think those girls feel bombed? I think PBR was an inside job.
Esser is a man. ESSER is also a band …a fucking great one. Really the band at its core is just Benjamin Esser himself, a snotty, sarcastic British 20-something with a fashion sense as sharp as his wit and a gravity defying Pompadour. But to reproduce the magic Ben made on his computer he requires the full resources of his guitarist/loopmaster Matt Lord, brother Reuben Esser on Drums and Bassist Paul Taylor Wale just to cover the sonic bases laid down on his record Braveface.
Unfortunately the album is only available in the US as an IMPORT. But if there is any justice in the world or intelligence left in the music industry (I just checked, there isn’t.) then maybe one day you’ll actually be able to buy an Esser record here in the states.
Until then the next best thing you can do is catch them live. Also unfortunately, they just finished a destructive 25-city US tour with DATAROCK so you may have to wait a little while…or move to England.
I posted about this event this time last year and a lot of people have been searching for it lately (at least 63 of you today alone!). So I figured I would repost with the new information so you are privy to the new shit.
On Octobre 24th head over to Hollywood Forever Cemetery (6000 Santa Monica Blvd) from 4 – 11pm for Dia De Los Muertos. It’s $10 and they make it a point to tell you No Dogs, No Coolers and…No Skateboards? Im sure there has been some axle grinding on Valentino’s Crypt or something to prompt this rule. It’s not like you can ride very smoothly on the cemetery’s driveway or anything.
Be sure to put a sugar skull on Johnny Ramone’s Statue.
Video for the single “Heavy Cross”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IU3VbMGIZeE
Not sure why Record companies like Sony disable embedding, do they want to keep music a secret? The new Gossip is out today and there is a bit of a dance party on it:
“DIY post punk-rock trio, Gossip’s highly anticipated first major label offering, Music For Men, is ready to permate the masses. Recorded at Shangri La Studios in Malibu, CA, Music For Men was produced by multi Grammy Award winner Rick Rubin. Music For Men, finds Gossip taking drummer Hanna Billie’s pulsating rhythms and guitarist Brace Paine’s raucous whaling to a whole new level.Syncopated beats, punk rock attitude, dance energy and ominous bass thumps provide the perfect canvas for the unique vocal power and range of the band’s renowned front woman Beth Ditto.”
This has been my favorite blog for a long time now. In fact, many of the recurring segments on Deadlantern.com were patterned from stuff I saw on this site. It’s chock full of everything that AvantTrash readers would find interesting: musicians, beautiful women, artists, fashion, etc.
I encourage all of you to make it a daily visit.
And yes, Joan Blondell is the goddess. Be cultured and watch Three on a Match.
This video for The Vanishing’s “Lovesick” was shot entirely on the PXL 2000, essentially a fisher-price kiddie camcorder made in 1987. It uses audio cassette tapes to record black and white 15 f/ps movies.
Here’s a new artist that I kind of absorbed as a Terrence Trent D’Arby meets Scissor Sisters thing. It’s a Glam/Electro outfit called Fritz Helder & The Phantoms from Toronto. I’m not sure if I’m onboard with it but I figured I’d let you make your own judgements. Here is an MP3 of their single “Lagerfeld Lady” remixed by Dragonette.
The band’s debut record, Greatest Hits, drops July 7th via Nelstar Music. Drop us a comment and tell us what you think. Enjoy!
