Category: NEWS

FYF 2015 Lineup Announced and Yes, Death Grips Are On It

Danny Baraz May 6, 2015

Scheduled for August 22nd and 23rd at Exposition Park, The FYF 2015 lineup was revealed today. Tickets go on sale this Friday, May 8 at 12pm pacific on the FYF Website. FYF 2015 is keepin it cool and still offering single day tickets unlike some of their competitors. This is year 2 of the festival taking place at Exposition Park instead of L.A. Historic Park and we FULLY expect the folks at FYF to complete the transition smoothly after last year’s hiccups. One thing is clear- Sean Carlson and the folks at FYF know how to throw a festival. Another thing is also clear- Festival bookers are once again trusting that Death Grips will actually show up this time after a no show last year and almost every date Death Grips have booked since the last show they ever played at FYF 2013 and Janky Smooth was there to bear witness and we can tell you this- If Death Grips show up and actually play the festival, they will steal the show like they did in 2013. See the footage we captured of that below. The little print bands are amazing this year including the return of HEALTH who have

Camp Janky Smooth Open Jam Lounge at Desert Daze

Danny Baraz April 27, 2015

Camp Janky Smooth will be presenting an after hours, open jam after party at Desert Daze this year. We are manifesting a creative environment where you can lounge, re fuel, re dose, relax and channel your creativity into our collective consciousness. The open jam session will begin at 2am-? and will feature some VERY SPECIAL GUESTS as players. Come and participate or just bear witness to the magic created spontaneously as we connect to each other and our souls collaborate with one another. The event is free with a ticket and camping pass for Desert Daze 2015. We are currently finalizing details with some exciting event sponsors. Please reach out to us if you would like to participate in making this event as exciting as Desert Daze itself. We are less than a week away from the best damn music festival in the world. Purchase Tickets to Desert Daze 2015 Here

Live Stream: Alabama Shakes Intimate Performance on Janky Smooth

Danny Baraz April 14, 2015

If you close your eyes and listen to Alabama Shakes you feel as if you have been transported to another era. It’s the type of music that transcends genre. Frontwoman, Brittany Howard’s voice is effortlessly epic- reminiscent of the tortured textures of the likes of Janis Joplin and Aretha Franklin. Today at 2pm pacific time, Alabama Shakes will be performing live for only 275 fans at Red Bull Sound Space located in the KROQ radio station’s broadcast facility in Culver City along with a Q and A with the band. Chances are that you are NOT one of the lucky fans selected to attend the show but you can stream the show LIVE, worldwide on JankySmooth.com and for 24 hours after the performance. I WILL be attending the show (nya nya nya) but media outlets such as Janky Smooth have been asked not to review or cover the performance in any way so make sure you don’t miss the live stream or the footage that will be looping for the next 24 hours. I’m beyond stoked that I will be able to live preview the new material from the new Alabama Shakes album, Sound and Color that is being released on

D.O.A Look to Fans for Funding Next Album

Savannah Peykani April 13, 2015

Canada’s punk pioneers D.O.A are returning to the music scene to add more hardcore sounds to today’s digital downloads. Hard Rain Falling, which frontman Joe Shithead Keithley says is heavily influenced by the energy of the band’s older albums, has 12 tracks written and ready to record. Now, they’re turning to the fans for help by setting up a Kickstarter. Those who donate can pick from a range of prizes in return, from D.O.A signed merch and instruments to even having the band play in your basement. Go to the Kickstarter for all the rad info. Plus, D.O.A have shows this spring. Check out the dates to see if you can make it a D.O.A show a little less intimate than one in your basement. TOUR DATES: Tuesday May 5th – Jub Jub’s Thirst Parlor, Reno , NV – TBC Wednesday May 6th – The Parkside, San Francisco, CA Thursday May 7th – Los Globos, Los Angeles, CA ( this is in Silver Lake, just east of Hollywood) Friday May 8th – Soda Bar, San Diego, CA Saturday May 9th – The Dive Bar, Las Vegas, NV Sunday May 10th – The Launchpad, Albuquerque, NM Monday May 11th – Moon

Tyler, the Creator announces new album and shares music video

Savannah Peykani April 9, 2015

Tyler, the Creator hasn’t gone anywhere. Two years since dropping Wolf , he took to Twitter last night to announce just what he’s been up to all these months. He’s releasing his newest album Cherry Bomb, launched an offical app called Golf Media and now even has a magazine, Golf Magazine. “Fucking Young/Perfect” and “Deathcamp” are two tracks already posted to SoundCloud, with a music video for “Fucking Young/Perfect” up as well. The lengthy video features Tyler doing what Tyler does best: messing around in LA while of course trying to get the girl. Watch the video above and check out the pitched-up SoundCloud versions of both songs. Pre-odering the album will also let you download the official versions of “Deathcamp” and “Fucking Young.” Cherry Bomb also features a range of collaborators, from Toro Y Moi’s Chaz Bundick to Cole Alexander of Black Lips. In line with previous surprise album announcements, Cherry Bomb will be released April 13. Get ready for this latest craze in music releases, always when you least expect it but want it most. Words: Savannah Peykani

Dodgers Opening Series Filled With Hopeful Storylines

Danny Baraz April 9, 2015

Words and Photos: Danny Baraz It was another beautiful day at Dodgers Stadium and Kershaw was making yet another opening day start for the Blue Crew. But for the first time ever, the number 3 hitter for the opposing team was Matt Kemp. After receiving an extended standing ovation from the Dodgers faithful, he stepped into the box and promptly hit an RBI single to right-center which was made possible only by an inexplicable infield shift. Kemp was booed every at bat thereafter. Kershaw, with a no decision was picked up by a 3 run home run in the 8th inning by veteran shortstop, Jimmy Rollins who was acquired in the off season. The season opening series at the Ravine saw the Dodgers budget cutting picked up’s, out play the Padres “blockbuster” off season moves. What makes this improbable is that they did it with hitting which was projected to be the weakness of this revamped Dodgers team. Adrian Gonzales has had most of the ego’s removed out of the dugout by the Dodgers new front office and the combination of Gonzales/Kendrick is sure to do damage all season- especially if Puig can figure out how to take a few

Stream AWOLNATION’s Intimate Performance for 275 Fans on 3/10/15

Danny Baraz March 10, 2015

The state of the music industry is in utter disarray for business but if you’re a fan, it’s never been better. Case in point- A week before AWOLNATION drops their new album, “Run” on Red Bull Records on March 17th, they will be performing an intimate show to less than 300 fans and they will be streaming the performance to the rest of the world. The AWOLNATION show will take place at Red Bull Sound Space which is located inside KROQ’s Culver City location. You can stream the AWOLNATION performance right here on Janky Smooth and it will be available for viewing for the next 24 hours. The standard Red Bull Channels Player.

Punk Rock Bowling 2015 Club Shows Announced

Danny Baraz March 9, 2015

My favorite and most anticipated part of the Punk Rock Bowling weekend are the club shows. The club shows are by far the most intimate way to see legendary bands play in small, Downtown Las Vegas venues on Fremont street. All the club shows take place after the headlining bands finish their sets at the festival. The club show lineups were announced today and once again, there are some sick fucking shows taking place at night after being in the sweltering heat of the festival all day. GBH, The Dickies, The Weirdo’s, Strung Out, Pulley, The Crowd, Cadillac Tramps, 7 Seconds, Frank Turner and the English Beat are just a few of the announced bands that have been slated to play underrated downtown venues like The Fremont Country Club, Backstage Bar and Billiards, The Country Saloon and Beauty Bar. This year, The Stern brothers and BYO have also added The Bunkhouse Saloon as a new club show venue. As always, you can expect surprise guests like last year’s Cock Sparrer surprise set at Backstage Bar. I also noticed that the band No Parents has made it on the bill for a club show. No Parents have been making their rounds in

Girl Band: Noise Rock Outfit Release A Video And First US Dates

Danny Baraz February 20, 2015

Noise Rock has made quite the evolution over the decades and nowhere is that more apparent than with emerging, Irish Noise Rock outfit, Girl Band. Girl Band take all the chaos and aggression of it’s predecessors and turn that foundation into a highly groovable and danceable expression of rage and frustration. If you’re not familiar with Girl Band, their new video for the track “Why They Hide Their Bodies Under My Garage” is a great place to start. I have to warn you though, it’s not for the squeamish. Autopsy’s, dancing cadavers and necro frontal nudity are the theme and a chaotic, distorted and sort of organic techno/dub step is the sound. Girl Band are releasing their first EP, The Early Years on April 21st on Rough Trade and it will feature a compilation of their rare works that have only been sold via their merch tables or mail ordered through their website. You can pre-order The Early Years Here. Girl Band are certainly a new act to watch out for. They are making their way stateside for the first time in March. They will start in Brooklyn, make their way to SXSW and then to California. With a gig at

Preview: “Multi Love” from Unknown Mortal Orchestra

Danny Baraz February 11, 2015

It seems like every two years, like clockwork, we are blessed with a new Unknown Mortal Orchestra release. Music snobs insist on a certain type of consistency without predictability from their favorite artists. I received an advanced copy of the title track from Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s forthcoming release last week but I never like to give my opinion on art in haste and I’m glad I waited. Art has a funny way of morphing your perception of it from one view or listen to the next. My initial thoughts on “Multi Love”, the title track from Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s new record was that it’s quite the shift from the filthy beauty of their previous works. It’s amazing how different recording methods can completely change the vibe of an artist. On “Multi-Love”, it sounds like there has been a pivot from analog recording to digital. It threw me off the first few times I listened to it but not necessarily in a bad way. It sounds so clean that it almost felt like a different band altogether but at the same time, Ruban Nielson’s vocals are unmistakeable and glorious. There is a guitar lick that comes in at the 1:47 mark of

New ho99o9 video: Casey Jones/Cum Rag

Danny Baraz January 29, 2015

Very few bands encapsulate all the different music we love at Janky Smooth into one band more than the band ho99o9. It’s not everything we love but it’s most of what we love, all in one band. We’ve been hyped on them since the first rumblings of their existence. Ho99o9 dropped a new song/video today and fuuuuuuccccccckkkkk. It’s the type of dissonant, distorted, digitized, angry and disturbed type of noise that can make my blood boil and give me goosebumps all at the same time. I hate to jock anyone but I give credit where credit is due. ho99o9 are the shit and we are more excited to see what they do in 2015 than we are about any other band. Ho99o9 are playing two L.A. shows this weekend and we highly suggest you make it to one, if not both. [button color=”pink” size=”normal” alignment=”center” rel=”follow” openin=”newwindow” url=”https://www.jankysmooth.com/free-show-lil-b-trash-talk-ho99o9-regent-go-wrong/”]Check out our previous coverage of ho99o9 live with Lil B and Trash Talk[/button] On Saturday, Ho99o9 are playing a free show at Church of Fun. Just RSVP at [email protected] On Superbowl Sunday ho99o9 is playing with Thurston Moore, of all people at THE GEFFEN CONTEMPORARY AT MOCA -152 NORTH CENTRAL AVENUE,

BABES Video Premier: “You and Me” Featuring Vice founder Gavin McInnis

Danny Baraz January 27, 2015

The band, Babes is taking Los Angeles by storm with their sexually charged, beautifully arranged, swooning, sad bastard music. Singer/Keyboardist, Sarah Rayne has stars in her eyes as she explains, “We’re Horny and we’re sad”. Babes released their self titled EP on Harvest Records in May 2014. The song You and Me is a dreamy eyed, romantic arrangement. The hook is so sharp that you never want it to end. This video for You and Me is a cut off the Babes EP and features Vice co-founder, Gavin McInnes. Janky Smooth is proud to unveil this new video to the world for the very first time. The concept for this video, as well as all of Babes other videos is ultra creative, entertaining and Gavin McInnes is prepped to take the world by storm with his acting prowess. He stars alongside Sarah Rayne as her love interest in You and Me and as with all of Babes music videos, there is a twist at the end. The band Babes is made up of siblings Sarah, Aaron and Zach Rayne along with Bryan Jeffrey and Jeffrey John. We expect big things from them in 2015 and we hope to see them