Category: NEWS

Video Premiere: Thee MVPs “US Airways” Exclusively at Janky Smooth

Janky Smooth Central Command October 9, 2017

Thee MVPs have toured coast to coast, stopping off at SXSW to play with Janky garage favorites like Meatbodies, Dead Meadow, and Night Beats. Director Max Horn, whose worked previously with Frank Carter And The Rattlesnakes, was able to capture the kinetic intensity of Thee MVPs being their most vivid and wild selves in this video premiere of the track “US Airways” from the short film Receiver. Check it out… Recorded across the pond in a big room at Brighton Electric studios, Thee MVPs tear the house down with this jammer that they usually bust out to close sets with, sometimes taking the song to a frenzied 12 minute session live. For fans of King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard and Thee Oh Sees, Thee MVPs play garage and psych rock from an English lens that may resemble the same transformation of the blues through bands like the Rolling Stones or Led Zeppelin. So give this groovy video a peep and make sure to keep your eyes open for Receiver which will be released October 13th on Greenway and as a tape through Burger Records. Cheers!

Take This: Win 2 Tix To See Quicksand at The Observatory

Janky Smooth Central Command September 8, 2017

After announcing their first album in 22 years, Interiors, 90’s NYC post hardcore kings Quicksand have been selling out shows all around the country on this tour. You don’t want to miss out on their two Southern California dates and seeing as Saturday’s show is already sold out, we at Janky Smooth are happy to be your hook up at The Observatory tomorrow, Sunday 9/10 Quicksand consists of all its original members: Drummer Alan Cage, vocalist/guitarist Walter Schreifels, bassist Sergio Vega, and guitarist Tom Capone. Interiors will be released November 10th on Epitaph. Canadian Shoegazers No Joy are opening for the band. Janky Smooth is giving away 2 Tickets to see Quicksand this Sunday, Sept 10th at The Observatory in Orange County. You can BUY TICKETS NOW or Just Share/Retweet our Quicksand Ticket Giveaway posts, Tag A Friend on said post on Facebook, Twitter and/or Instagram. That’s It! Winner will be announced on social media at noon pacific time on Saturday 9/9. GOOD LUCK! note: if you make a post private then we won’t be able to see it or consider you.

Take This: Win Two Weekend Passes to Desert Daze 2017

Janky Smooth Central Command August 29, 2017

Janky Smooth is proud to announce our Desert Daze 2017 ticket giveaway for the 3rd year in a row. Have you already gotten tickets for our favorite annual festival in one of the most magickal and mysterious places in the world? Desert Daze returns to the Institute of Mentalphysics for it’s second year stationed in this location. Almost a year since the last DD, it rules supreme as the most meaningful interactive live music experience for all Janks that attended in 2016. related content: Desert Daze 2016- Quantifying the Physics of a Good Time The latest additions to the festival such as Iggy Pop, Ty Segall, Sleep performing the Holy Mountain album in it’s entirety and more have elevated the 2017 lineup to the 2016 roster of performers. One can only assume that the sense that you were at a party in the massive living room of your favorite friend that possesses immaculate taste will only be enhanced by the comfort the folks at Moonblock and Spaceland Presents now have with the Institute designed by Frank Lloyd

Ty Segall Saves The Smell at Teragram Ballroom

Desert Daze Finalize 2017 Lineup: Iggy Pop, Ty Segall, Sleep, & More

Janky Smooth Central Command August 1, 2017

You could have seen Iggy Pop this year at Punk Rock Bowling or Burger Boogaloo or FYF Fest but nothing will compare to the Street Walking Cheetah taking the stage amidst the dry, hot sheen of the California high desert at Desert Daze 2017. And he’s joined in this latest lineup addition by some other great artists too, Garage Rock’s golden boy Ty Segall and Trap Jazz bad boys Badbadnotgood, are now listed on this stellar new lineup poster. And check out the art on that thing, Desert Daze seems to be harkening back the Native American cultures that may have roamed those deserts hundreds of years ago. Makes sense seeing how Iggy Pop is all our spirit animal. Oh, did I mention that Sleep will be playing Holy Mountain in it’s entirety? Yeah. Related Content: Desert Daze 2016: Quantifying The Physics Of A Good Time related content: Ascending The Holy Mountain- Sleep at The Fonda Theater Ty Segall is already scheduled to perform with his incredible side project called GØGGS and we don’t begrudge him his double dip in the least. related content: GØGGS Is Damn Good Gravy On The Ty Segall Catalog Tickets for Desert Daze 2017 can

Take This: Win 2 Tix & Goodie Bag to Dirty Penni Fest 2 at Echo+Plex

Janky Smooth Central Command June 14, 2017

Last year, Janky Smooth was smart enough to send a team over to the first installment of Dirty Penni Fest. We had Paige Vreede out to review the fledgling festival, Josh Allen out to shoot the bands and the people and Danny Baraz threw down a DJ set outside on patio of The Echo. But it’s not about us- it’s about the bands that played the fest which was a collaboration between the laundro-maniacs over at Dirty Laundry TV and the whiz kids at Penniback Records. Bands like Sloppy Jane, No Parents, Guantanamo Baywatch, Cherry Glazerr, our boys in Death Hymn… and of course, no event involving Dirty Laundry TV would be complete without the presence of the great Mike Watt and whatever battery of musicians accompany him- whether it be the “Secondmen” or in this case, the “Jom and Terry Show.” related content: Dirty Penni Fest- A Rock n Roll Romper Room for Young & Old “So whether you’re 14, 26, or 60 I think it’s safe to say we all found ‘home’ this past weekend. So let’s keep the DIY scene alive. These kids are our future.” – Paige Vreede This year, Dirty Penni Fest returns for

Television Performing “Venus” at Bunkhouse Saloon for PRB Club Show

Janky Smooth Central Command June 1, 2017

It’s hard to believe that yet another Punk Rock Bowling is in the books but the week long hangover proves it. The Stern brothers book yet another legendary gig with Television headlining the Bunkhouse Saloon along with The Weirdos, Alice Bag and The Avengers. Tom Verlaine and company were water tight at their PRB 2017 club show. This isn’t the first time Janky Smooth is covering the pioneers of punk and art rock but it was certainly one of the most memorable. The club shows at Punk Rock Bowling always seem to produce some of the best performances in the most intimate settings. Other notable club gigs at PRB 2017 that we attended were Cocksparrer at Backstage Bar, Municipal Waste at Fremont Country Club, Hepcat at Bunkhouse Saloon and The Vandals, also at Fremont CC. related content: Patti Smith “Horsin’ Around” at The Teragram Ballroom Television Set List- Bunkhouse Saloon Prove It Little Johnny Jewel Venus 1880 or So Persia I’m Gonna Find You Marquee Moon For those of you attending Punk Rock Bowling installments in Denver and/or Asbury Park, have a great time. Janky Smooth will see you next year in Vegas. Full recap of Punk Rock

Isaac Rother & The Phantoms- 5 Hits from Hell

Isaac Rother & The Phantoms Are Back With 5 Hits From Hell…

DM Collins May 23, 2017

Isaac Rother & the Phantoms and their soul-laden stew of R&B horror rock and off-the-charts live show bring a seminal but sometimes forgotten era of rock from the 50s and early 60s back to life. But Isaac and his Phantoms also evoke a time just a few decades past, at the cusp of our Modern Garage Era of Rocken’ at Large (or ”MONGEReL” for short), when bands such as the Mummies, the Trashwomen, the Gories, the Bomboras, and the Makers (just to name a few) rooted through not only the record collections of their rock forefathers, but also the backs of their closets, churning out live shows as loaded with sequins and monster masks as they were with broken drumsticks and blown out Fender amps. Unlike many of their successors, these bands also weren’t afraid of adding a little roll to their rock, or exploring those sections of rock’s lemon that still needed lemonade squeezed from them, be it surf music, garage, bubblegum, or glam. Like a breath of fresh tomb air, Mr. Rother and his army of the undead have “dug up” this full-immersion concept anew for the current generation of garage, soul, and just plain rock

New Song Premiere: U.K. Heavy Psych Band SAP release “Sucker”

Janky Smooth Central Command April 7, 2017

A band that we’ve been digging is London based, heavy psych, garage rock outfit, SAP. Our friends at Foxes Magazine shot us a link a couple months ago and this shit has been streaming ever since. Today we premiere the latest track, “Sucker” from SAP ( which stands for “Simple Ass People” ) SAP Sucker unleashes a frenetic energy of crash cymbals, fills and taunting vocals built around classic riffs and licks. The tone of their fuzz brings that vintage sound that has become quite common and even, contemporary but still manages to set itself apart from the filler of those looking to capitalize on a popular movement. Authenticity is what distinguishes a band like SAP and a song like “Sucker” from the wannabe’s that have become super fans of The Sonics and Thin Lizzy overnight, which, isn’t inherently poseur-ish but simply stretches credibility and the motives of those that write and produce music for any reason outside of an internal compulsion to rock the fuck out. related content: The Sonics, The Sloths, Death Hymn Number 9 w/ Green Slime L.A. We here at Janky Smooth will keep our third eye on Simple Ass People and their output to continuously verify that

Take This:Two VIP Tix to Burger Boogaloo w/ Iggy Pop, Buzzcocks

Janky Smooth Central Command April 1, 2017

Being the pre-eminent garage rock festival requires that someone transform the lo-fi sound worshipped by it’s lovers into a minimal visual aesthetic, at least by today’s music festival standards. A modern minimalism that doesn’t lose that fact that the ruffles and confetti of a senior prom or the tiki torches and teen taboo of a backyard party were over the top, once upon a time. After 7 years, Burger Boogaloo and it’s home in Mosswood Park have achieved that “just right” aesthetic that hits all the right notes in the lineup and it looks like it will do so again on July 1st and 2nd, 2017 in Oakland, California. What Burger Boogaloo does so well is that it achieves a familiarity and comfort without being too redundant. With John Waters becoming a welcome permanent fixture as master of ceremonies, two consecutive years of The Mummies were just what we needed. Omitting them from this year’s lineup was just as necessary as booking them twice and adding the likes of Iggy Pop, Buzzcocks and X achieved an exponentially wider net of legacy being cast without losing that trashiness that a couple bigger name acts could bring when patrons wearing indian head dresses

New Song Premier: Raj and the 100’s- ‘No Suicide’- Heartbreaking Beauty

Aria Silva-Espinosa March 21, 2017

We don’t really know much about who Raj Sabhlok is or where he came from but when we were sent the opportunity to premiere the first song in a series of 100, most of which were recorded in a recording studio owned by John Vanderslice. When we heard “No Suicide”, we were in. If you’re a fan of The Growlers, Kevin Morby and Devendra Banhart, you should love Raj and the 100’s. Let us know what you think! We all process loss differently; self-imposed isolation, submitting to one’s vices or even complete disassociation are not uncommon coping methods particularly in the early stages of grieving. Raj Sabhlok instead sought solace through the creation of Raj and the 100’s, a project which came about following the sudden passing of his parents. He traded the comfort of his home for and RV and spent two years traveling the United States, reflecting, exploring internally and exploring the vast wilderness along the way. For the duration of the his musical pilgrimage, Raj composed an impressive collection of about 300 songs. Eventually his journey landed him at Tiny Telephone, the San Francisco-based analog recording studios owned by songwriter/producer John Vanderslice. Vanderslice has recorded with a

Take This: Two Tickets To See The Orwells at The Observatory

Janky Smooth Central Command March 20, 2017

The Orwells are coming to the Observatory in Orange County this Friday, March 24th. The Orwells are one of the most badass young live bands in rock n roll right now. Every element in authenticity is present in their live set. Air tight band and sloppy, blacked out dispositions that mouth whore around the venue on any given night. When their sophomore album, Disgraceland dropped in 2013, it solidified them the “real deal”- appealing to legions of discerning indie hipsters and vapid mainstream mass appealers alike. Now they are touring in support of their 3rd album, Terrible Human Beings. I’ve seen The Orwells play a handful of shows and two of the best were at The Observatory. Most recently was this time last year at Burger Records week long celebration of their partnership with the venue. The video embedded into this post should tell you everything you need to know about the set they played on the last night of a 7 day marathon celebration at the venue: “Mario Cuomo unleashed upon adoring fans of The Orwells a yeoman’s performance of drunken, sloppy but precise and sexual rock and roll frontmannery. The Orwells were fantastic. I hadn’t seen them since just

Take This: Two Tickets To See Kate Tempest at The Constellation Room

Janky Smooth Central Command March 18, 2017

If you’re ANYTHING like we are, you are thirsty for an artist or musician to say something tangible and inspiring and infuriating on the state of our world. Like they used to. To say the things that so many of us are thinking . The things that so many others say to forget because we can’t change them anyway, when the truth is that if we all descended on the halls of power like a human tidal wave, we could wash away the corruption and indifference to human suffering with the weapon in our wallets. Almost overnight. We think Kate Tempest could very well be that artist and she’s coming to Southern California this week on her first U.S. tour in support of last year’s album, Let Them Eat Chaos. Not only that but she’s being supported by extraordinary beat producer, Boom Bip. Janky Smooth is giving away 2 TICKETS TO SEE KATE TEMPEST AT THE CONSTELLATION ROOM INSIDE THE OBSERVATORY IN SANTA ANA on Wednesday, March 22nd. To win tickets simply follow Janky Smooth on Facebook, IG and/or Twitter and share this post on any or all of those sites. That’s it. Winner will be selected on Tuesday March