Tag: post punk

ALL LEATHER - Amateur Surgery On Half-Hog Abortion Island (Double LP anthology)

ALL LEATHER- A Post Punk Re-Release By THREEONEG Out Today

Janky Smooth Central Command July 11, 2025

ALL LEATHER – Amateur Surgery On Half-Hog Abortion Island (Double LP anthology) the remixed, remastered and updated anthology of the band’s music to be re-released TODAY, July 11th on Three One G Records. Originally released by Dim Mak almost 20 years ago with a studio budget of $7,000, Justin Pearson told idioteq.com that a dispute over royalties had arisen after after one of the tracks had sold nearly 2 million downloads and Dim Mak, owned by Steve Aoki stopped reporting royalties. Was this exciting Justin Pearson project squashed before it’s full impact was felt? Stream- ALL LEATHER: Amateur Surgery On Half-Hog Abortion Island (Double LP anthology) “The band’s debt to Dim Mak for our recording has doubled over the years of not being accounted to, just after we had one of our songs sell 1,940,000+ downloads (not streams, download digital sales, as it was pre streaming). However, the accounting showed that we got $320 for that one track’s sales, yet still owe the label $14K, twice the budget we started with” Justin Pearson explained to us in an email. related: Swing Heil- Anti Fascist Hardcore Punks Swing Kids Return to Los Angeles related: Three One G Radiation- Deaf Club at The

Youth Code Break The Ice At The Echo: Yours, With Malice

Danny Baraz June 12, 2025

This past Saturday, June 7th, the post-punk industrial outfit, Youth Code, returned to The Echo in Los Angeles for their first headlining show in this city in 9 years. L.A. is the city from which Youth Code spawned so, that hiatus is enigmatic on its own. Why has it been so long and why now? The latter, easy to answer — Yours, With Malice, the new EP released last month on May 16th by Sumerian Records. Spoiler alert: It’s a fucking banger. In the shadow of the ICE raids and protests happening downtown and all over the city, Youth Code and their supporting act, Sweat played a show- one of the best club shows I’ve seen all year and it was fitting it was at The Echo for many reasons. I knew nothing about the band Sweat but they announced their presence with authority. Sweat are a hard-hitting hardcore-punk trio from Los Angeles, formed in 2019 by veteran SoCal scene members Tuna Tardugno (vocals), Justin Smith (guitar/bass), and Anthony Rivera (drums), formerly of outfits like Graf Orlock, Dangers, and Dogteeth . With razor-sharp riffs, metallic hardcore energy, and an unhinged and frenetic live show by their ringleader, Tardugno, they channel influences ranging from Cro‑Mags

Spiritual Cramp at Regent Theater by Taylor Wong

Spiritual Cramp: Alive at the Regent Theater

Danny Baraz June 6, 2025

Last month on May 21st, Spiritual Cramp opened a show for Bad Nerves at The Regent Theater. We here at Janky Smooth have been mildly obsessed with Spiritual Cramp- mostly theorizing on why they aren’t headlining shows like this yet. Because once you see them live, the band leaves no doubt. Spiritual Cramp released their first full length, self titled studio album in 2023 to go with 4 EP’s and a slue of singles. Every release is solid. But do yourself a favor- if Spiritual Cramp come to your town, do whatever you can to go see them. related: LA’s Best Festival is Sound and Fury- Here’s Why (2018) When you first hear the name Spiritual Cramp, you’re not sure if you’re about to get hit with a darkwave sermon or an exorcism of punk rock demons. But once the needle drops—or they hit the stage—you know exactly what you’re in for: a sweaty, soul-drenched blast of refined angst, post-punk groove, and swagger that may not be unique to them but they certainly take it to it’s purest form. Now stationed in Los Angeles, Spiritual Cramp is the band you didn’t know you needed—until you see them and your taint

Gang of Four at Fonda Theater by Albert Licano

Gang of Four at The Fonda: The End of the Long Goodbye Tour

Janky Smooth Central Command June 2, 2025

On May 28, 2025, Gang of Four delivered a powerful performance at Los Angeles’ Fonda Theatre, marking a significant moment in their farewell “The Long Goodbye” tour. The band, known for their influential role in the post-punk movement, showcased two sets that paid homage to their storied career. As pioneers of the post-punk movement, Gang Of Four’s music favored tense rhythms, percussive guitar with sharp tones, and lyrics that traded in Marxist theory and situationism. As long as this last goodbye run was, it didn’t show at The Fonda Theater. Gang of Four are not only as spry and believable as ever, but John King still had seemingly endless energy at the end of the second set. I’m sure the adrenaline is still pumping a week later from the adoring fans prompting the band to play one more song that would never end. The Fonda-Setlist 1 “Entertainment!”: Ether Natural’s Not in It Not Great Men Damaged Goods Return the Gift I Found That Essence Rare Glass Contract At Home He’s a Tourist 5.45 Anthrax The Fonda- Setlist 2 “Best of the Rest”: He’d Send in the Army Capital (It Fails Us Now) Outside the Trains Don’t Run on Time Paralysed

Boys Noize, IHEARTCOMIX founder Franki Chan, and The Dare with Yo Gabba Gabba shot by The Cobrasnake

Partying Like It’s 2004: IHEARTCOMIX 20th Anniversary

Danny Ryan October 29, 2024

IHEARTCOMIX have established themselves as one of the most forward-thinking and distinct promoters in recent LA history over the past two decades; dipping their toes into events celebrating nearly every form of art not limited to raves, parties, movie premieres, album release events, and interactive art exhibitions. Celebrating their 20th anniversary, IHEARTCOMIX threw an absolutely wild party with a complete hodgepodge of a lineup; Featuring The Dare, Boys Noize, Fcukers, Nation of Language, Chela, and even Yo Gabba Gabba blessing the night with their presence. Comedy legend Reggie Watts hosted the entire event, completely taking ownership of the evening’s vibes and making sure everybody in attendance had the most memorable night possible. Although the early 00’s where they started may be long over, IHEARTCOMIX went above and beyond in providing a futuristic lineup that still evoked a nostalgic feeling that celebrated their history in the most crafted way possible. As soon as I approached The Bellweather, it was instantly apparent that this was not the average club event with the eccentric and colorful outfits that everybody was decked out in. While it was a more formally dressed crowd, IHEARTCOMIX’s brand is entirely based on being as expressive and colorful as

HEALTH at the Grammy Museum- photo by Taylor Wong

HEALTH at The Grammy Museum- Making It In The New Music Industry

Danny Baraz October 18, 2024

So here I am for the first time at the Grammy Museum in Downtown Los Angeles to see HEALTH perform a half set in a small 200 person theater with seats, and to live premier their latest song collaboration- “Ashamed” featuring Lauren Mayberry of CHVRCHES. Prior to the performance was a less awkward than I imagined Q and A with Nic Harcourt and the band that focused heavily on the creation of the 2023 full length release of Rat Wars. Singer/Songwriter and HEALTH guitarist, Jake Dusik was much more chatty than I expected for someone with such a catalog of sad bastard, isolationist song credits. Dusik spoke in great detail about that despair, which peaked during the pandemic lock down. The birth of his child during this bleak time and the death of society conceived their most critically acclaimed HEALTH album, to date. HEALTH co-founder and ambassador John Famiglietti, always bringing levity to the band described a completely different lock down experience that didn’t always shelter in place and was echoed by HEALTH drummer BJ Miller. HEALTH were asked their thoughts on who was the quintessential Los Angeles band and the answer given was The Doors. I found that to

N8NOFACE at The Lodge Room by Todd Anderson

N8NOFACE at The Lodge Room- F*ck You, Pay Me

Danny Baraz April 6, 2023

The character arch of N8NoFace will one day become the stuff of legend. From making music in a closet to a sold out show at the Lodge Room. From a self described “border boy” growing up in the Sonoran Desert in Tuscon Arizona, to building the kind of cult following in Los Angeles over the last 13 years that is the envy of most religious fundamentalist leaders. After seeing N8’s March 22nd kinetic performance at the Lodge Room in Highland Park, the only question that remains is how far does N8NoFace want to go? Up to this point, I had only seen N8 open for other bands and artists. With just himself and his Roland SP-404, I can’t remember anyone who was able to fill up both big and small stages alike with just themselves, a sampler and a massive stage presence. But this headlining gig at the Lodge Room was a different configuration of people joining him on stage and that made me nervous, at first. When the essence of something you like changes, the changes aren’t always good. For this show, N8NOFACE enlisted the help of Here Lies Man and Antibalas guitarist, Marcos Garcia aka Chico Mann. This

Morning Stars Over Lodge Room: King Woman’s “Celestial Blues” Release Party

Janky Smooth Central Command August 4, 2021

You’ve never heard an album more Chthonian than King Woman’s Celestial Blues What do I mean by that? I don’t mean this is the most raw, underground punk sounding album ever. What I’m saying is that with “Celestial Blues” King Woman has lent a voice and story to all the mysteries working beneath the surface layers of reality around us, be they the internal workings of the body, the mysterious processes of the Earth, the unfathomable cycles of birth and destruction in the cosmos, or the interplay of good and evil magic with everyday life. When King Woman closed out their Sunday night Celestial Blues album release party with a cover of the Stone Roses’ “I Wanna Be Adored”, I thought some kind of mind reading must’ve been at play because after seeing a full set of Kris Esfandiari’s doomy siren songs, my main takeaway was being genuinely impressed with how much she is utterly adored by her fans. They seemed to have her back unconditionally and after every song when the band let it all hang loose, the audience was there to catch them in rounds of applause, whistles and cheers. All that was missing from the evening was a

Who’s The Better Brother? Jay Aston’s Gene Loves Jezebel at Echoplex

Rob Shepyer September 28, 2018

I love Gene Loves Jezebel. I love Jay Aston and I love Michael Aston. So, I will do my best to contribute to this band’s legacy by casting judgement on which twin brother’s band is the better Gene Loves Jezebel. Along with seeing a rare L.A. show by Jay Aston performing their favorite songs, many in attendance came to compare the two Gene Loves. Most likely looking to Michael Aston’s Part Time Punks show from years previous which I attended and enjoyed. Check out my review of that show below: related content: Gene Loves Jezebel Play Immigrant In Entirety At Part Time Punks Gig If you don’t know the band’s history, Michael and Jay Aston are twin brothers that each have their own version of Gene Loves Jezebel. Michael’s is based in the U.S., Jay’s is based in the U.K. Michael was the lead singer and Jay was the guitarist, back-up vocalist, and songwriter. After a tumultuous breakup resulting in a legal battle to see who gets to tour under the name Gene Loves Jezebel, they both play the same banner. It’s an interesting question to ponder. How do you cement ownership of a song? Is it the writer or

Color Me Punk: Rubella Ballet Plays First L.A. Show Since 1985 at Echoplex

Rob Shepyer September 20, 2018

Rubella Ballet comes from a time when there weren’t as many boxes for you to cram bands into. There was punk, metal, and a few subgenres in between. They were associated with the anarcho movement, namely Crass, in England in the late 70’s and 80’s but musically, their albums show more diversity than any label could commit them to. Their songs and look represented the essence of anarchy. Rebellion, even against itself. When everyone wore black, they wore Day-Glo. When everyone played fast, short songs, they experimented with slower rhythms and more nuanced arrangements. Singer Zilla Minx and guitarist Sid Ation still know how to get weird. For all these young kids born after Rubella Ballet’s heyday, this was a show unlike anything they had ever seen. Rubella Ballet’s latest album, Danger of Death, brought them back to Los Angeles to play Part Time Punks at the Echoplex for the first time since 1985. Along with a few death rock, anarcho, and post punk bands, their combined effort made for a very special night of music. related content: Gene Loves Jezebel Play Immigrant In Its Entirety At Part Time Punks Gig Spain’s Fatamorgana was the first to take the stage. Made

Magick Man: Killing Joke at the Regent

Rob Shepyer September 7, 2018

Killing Joke is a band that cannot be pigeon-holed. The moment you call them a post-punk band, they put out an industrial album. But within either camp, they were always the misfits of the bunch. Their post-punk was more rhythmic and off-kilter than their peers and their industrial was more lyrical and poetic than the average black leather electro act. Then you have a lead singer like Jaz Coleman, a true enigma. Most singers paint pictures from their own personal experiences but often times with Killing Joke, their songs take on the perspective of eternity. And what I mean by that is, Jaz would step out of his shoes and trousers and into the shoes of time itself, watching human history and making connections we can’t see through his lyrics. related content: The Growlers Reclaim Castle Beach Goth And All Is Right With The World Again One of the rarest acts you could ever see play in America, these English gentleman of the dark arts came out with an album called Pylon in 2015, which they planned to tour in the US, playing the Regent. As fate would have it though, Illness befell the band and they cancelled all their American

Take This: Win 2 Tickets to The The at the Hollywood Palladium

Janky Smooth Central Command August 29, 2018

The UK’s legendary post punk band The The has reunited for a tour across the states and they’ll be hitting Los Angeles on September 25th for what is sure to be a memorable performance at the Hollywood Palladium. Janky Smooth is giving away a pair of tickets to this monumental return performance. Matt Johnson brings his unique and splendorous talents as a songwriter to L.A. to channel his inner-most fears, hopes, and anguishes through the classic songs of The The. Expect to hear songs like “This is the Day” and “Uncertain Smile”, cuts off definitive albums like Soul Mining and Infected, expect to laugh and cry and dance. For nearly two decades, Johnson and The The stayed out of the spotlight but now, after the death of his older brother Andrew in 2016, Matt has been inspired to keep The spirit of The The alive and thrill audience’s worldwide once again. You don’t want to miss this opportunity to see this legendary band play songs that are sure to touch your heart. YOU CAN BUY TICKETS HERE OR. ENTER TO WIN 2 TICKETS TO THE THE SEPTEMBER 25TH AT THE HOLLYWOOD PALLADIUM Step 1- Join Our Newsletter (look for pop up everytime