These are some of my "Multi-sided Records" that will be coming down the pipe in the next year or so!  These are just prototypes.  The final products will probably be CNC routed and much more evenly spaced.  Almost* all of these work with no actual overlap of grooves.

Pernice Bros email mentions PIAPTKBlog.com & New Scuds Tour!

PIAPTKBlog.com's post about the Scud Mountain Boys reunion gets a mention in the Pernice Brothers email list.

Wanna hope that Joyce took the "According to a typically-snarky-and-long-winded-email-filled-with-inside-jokes-I'm-outside-of, from the Pernice Brothers email list" comment as it was intended, a friendly ribbing from a fan who, himself is prone to snarky-and-long-winded-emails-filled-with-inside-jokes-everyone-else-is-outside-of.

But, alas, the internet hath no tone, and if you aren't familiar with the label, or it's proprietor, perhaps you don't understand his sense of humor, and I think she took offense.

was all meant in good, self-deprecating fun, as I take many of the Pernice Bros emails to be (which I've read every word of since W's first term in office).

Love you (and your emails) Ms. Linehan!

Read the full email here:

http://www.pernicebrothers.com/2012/02/get-me-some-gigs/

And go see the Scuds and Pernice variations here:

SCUD MOUNTAIN BOYS
Feb. 17, Maxwell’s, Hoboken, NJ
Feb. 18, Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia, PA
Feb. 19, Black Cat, Washington, DC
Feb. 25, Lee’s Palace, Toronto,
ONRICK MOODY, JOHN WESLEY HARDING, JOE PERNICE
March 28, Milsaps College, Jackson, MS
March 29, Eddie’s Attic, Decatur, GA
March 30, Local 506, Chapel Hill, NC
March 31, Stage Door Theater, Charlotte, NC
JOE PERNICE SOLO
May 31, Hotel Utah, San Francisco, CA
June 1, McCabe’s, Santa Monica, CA

Nick Zwart (Desolation Wilderness/Electric Sunset) Launches Kickstarter for Short Film

(Photo by Sarah Cass)
One of my favorite dudes who ever lived in Olympia, but now doesn't live in Olympia, is former Desolation Wilderness and Electric Sunset (K Records) frontman, Nick Zwart. Nick put full-time music on the backburner and moved to L.A. a while back to pursue his film career. He now lives in one of the coolest houses I've ever had the pleasure to be in, on the steepest street I've ever had the displeasure to drive on.

He recently launched a Kickstarter to fund his first major short film, King Leaves the Kingdom. It seems pretty strange, (and ambitious for $11K), and I'm excited to see what comes out of it. Your patronage and generosity could be rewarded with film stardom as an extra in the "pool party" scene, or a producer credit. You will no longer be a liar when you are trying to impress people at the bar! "No, really, I AM a producer! I swear! Check IMDB!"

Check out the Kickstarter video here:

Free Album or Single of the Day - Golden Ghost Vishnu in the Sow/Siva Playing Siva Faux Picture Disc Lathe Cut

In a desperate attempt to get people to hear all the wonderful records I release (and hopefully buy them in physical form), we will be offering up a free album or 7" for download every day until we run out of stuff to give away. The minimum price for download only will be changed to 0.00.

Todays freebie, the Vishnu In The Sow/Siva Playing Siva faux picture disc from Upstate NY's folk freak, Golden Ghost. Golden Ghost is the project of Laura Goetz, who has also played with bands like Castanets and Viking Moses. There were only 50 made, and they were lathe cut on clear, square plastic and then silkscreened on the reverse side and they come in Arigato mathcbook type sleeves, also silkscreened. I am down to the last few.

http://piaptk.limitedpressing.com/products/12540

7 Inches Blog announces: SteviePink_Javascript lathe cut mirror!

Because we, here at PIAPTK.com, love the NY-based 7 inches blog, we gave them the exclusive opportunity to announce one of the weirdest records we've ever released: SteviePink_Javascript. So, go over to: http://www.7inches.blogspot.com/ to get the 411 on this

record made from a
MIRROR!

Golden Boots Fan Art Contest!

Are you an artist? Do you like The Golden Boots? Do you collect rare and bizarre records? If you answered yes to all of those things, then this contest is for you! Create a piece of Golden Boots-themed art; could be a painting, drawing, collage, digital creation, music video, iphone app, video game, tableus, mechanical robots, song tributes, whatever. Anything inspired by the music, the men, or the myth of Golden Boots.

The top 5 submissions, as judged by The Golden Boots and PIAPTK, will receive their choice of custom made lathe cut LP: Either Burning Brain (never available on vinyl) or a Rarities LP of out of print or unreleased tunes that you've probably never heard. Each of these LPs will be lathe cut onto either a new, high quality lacquer or Laserdisc... your choice. There will only be 5 of these available and each one will come in custom, handmade artwork by the Golden Boots themselves. All entries will receive free digital downloads of Burning Brain and the Rarities albums.

To enter, simply create your work of art, post it on Facebook and tag The Golden Boots (http://www.facebook.com/GoldnBoots & http://www.facebook.com/Winter8s) and PIAPTK Recordings (www.facebook.com/piaptk).

If you don't already know Golden Boots, check out the free Digital Sampler at www.GoldenBootsDigital.com for some inspiration!

All submissions are due by Feb. 20th.

CRAZY Visual pattern on cut vinyl grooves...

The lab coated, chain smoking Austrian Weirdo lacquer masterers, Dr. Dub, have just cut one of the craziest looking records I've ever seen. They worked with the Slovenian Electronic project "Sonosthesia", who used crazy, proprietary mathematical equations to alter the visual appearance of the grooves by manipulating the volume and sound at very exact intervals. It's hard to explain how it works, but I'll try anyway: Silent grooves are completely straight, with no wavering. Loud, bassier, fluctuating tones cause grooves that are have a lot of back and forth movement. By precisely controlling these two things they created this:
Check out a short Dr. Dub video about the cutting here. Also check out some of their other videos. They are extremely interesting.

Mount Eerie - Distorted Cymbals Dub Narcotic 7"

Phil Elvrum releases his first record on K Records in several years, and it comes in the form of the Mount Eerie "Distorted Cymbals" Dub Narcotic Disco Plate, which K has been cranking out a lot of recently. This one comes hot on the tails of the Lake, White Rainbow and Hive Dwellers DNDP's that PIAPTKBlog reviewed a while back.

I wasn't blessed with the digital download press advance notice that the K promo dept sent out (nudge, nudge, Danielle), but I WAS able to pick up a physical copy a couple weeks ago (location has it's privileges).

I initially started playing this at 33 rpm, and given Philvrums recent affinity for black metal, it sounded perfectly appropriate until the vocals came in. I think it sounds better at 33. Much doomier. (All self-respecting indie-bloggers are supposed to be into doom now, right? or was that 2010? I can't keep up with what I'm supposed to like. But, regardless, the chopped and screwed (is that still popular? Would it be hip to bring it back?) 33rpm mix sounds awesome.) The B side is typical of DubNarDisPlates and is a weird remix (Anglepoise Cymbals) with Calvin Johnson recording a bunch of silly melodica on top of it. Calvin is such a card... The record comes in a dustjacket covered in stamps.

I've been waiting to post about it here until the singles actually went on sale via the K site, which should take place on Jan. 7th, one month before the official release date through distributors. But, since the 7th is a Saturday, and nobody works at K on Fridays, I'm guessing Monday, the 9th is a more likely release virtual release date.

There were only 500 copies made, and Mount Eerie/Microphones stuff generally has a very short shelf life (in that it sells out, pretty quick), I would keep an eye on Krecs.com and pick this up as soon as you can. UPDATE: Phil has some copies already available at The P.W. Elverum & Sun Megastore.

Stream it on K's Tumblr.

Beautiful Jad Fair 12" on Joyful Noise

Joyful Noise Recordings out of Indianapolis may not know it, but they are PIAPTK's secret nemesis. They are constantly one step ahead of us, releasing records/tapes with cool attributes, right before we do.

Today's case in point: The gorgeous Birdhouse 12" from Jad Fair with Hifiklub (France) & Kptmichigan (Germany). We will be releasing a similar looking record for Devils Horns Kill The Matador shortly. However, it should be noted that PIAPTK released a collaboration between Jad and a different group of Europeans (Daisy Cooper) five years ago on the first Limited Edition Subscription Club, and looking at it in the package, it had a similar artistic aesthetic. So, in our minds, this one is a tie, Joyful Noise and we are gunnin' for ya, so stay on your toes...

Birdhouse is limited to 300 copies with one of Jad's iconic paper cuts silkscreened onto the Bside.

Check out the sample track here. And buy it here.

And while you are at it, watch PIAPTK's head honcho (me!), Jad and Steve Fisk play a really strange improv set at Willie Nelson's Solar Powered Bio Stage at SXSW in 2007. Yes... I am playing a floor tom with only ball point pens and a bottle of water. And no, that wasn't some kind of statement... it was all that was on the stage. It was Willie Nelson brand water, though... and was much tastier than store brand.

America Salutes the Carter Family: R. Stevie Moore, LAKE, Lazer Zeppelin, Jeffrey Lewis, Calvin Johnson, etc

Mark Morrison of LAKE and Lazer Zeppelin has finally put the finishing touches on his 3+year project of compiling a tribute to Old-school-Folkie-Fam, The Carters. While on tour, he recorded over 60 artists direct to a crappy old hand-held tape recorder. The first volume compiles 30 of these tunes onto a 90 min cassette tape. The fidelity and method are appropriate since it is similar to what the Carters would have been dealing with when they started recording in the 1920's. Everyone playing into a single microphone, directly onto the recorder. The output always had a tinny, fragile, hissy quality that is really iconic of the beginnings of recorded sound. These new recordings follow in that aesthetic.

Artists that made the cut for the first volume include: Calvin Johnson, R. Stevie Moore, LAKE, Lazer Zeppelin, Jeffrey Lewis, Peter Stampfel, Castanets, Golden Boots, Sandman the Rappin' Cowboy, Paleo, Pinehill Haints, and Jack Lewis, amongst many others.

Pick up the cassette and download for $10 or the 30 track digital album for only $5.

http://cartertributetape.bandcamp.com/album/america-salutes-the-carter-family

Show Review - Guns N Roses - Key Arena, Seattle, Dec. 16th

When I received an email from Groupon offering me $70 worth of tickets to see Guns N Roses for only $20, they caught me in the right mood. "Hell yes!" I accidentally yelled out loud with a giggle, startling the four or five students that were eating lunch in my room at the moment.

Like most other people, I stopped taking GNR seriously a LONG time ago. Especially since the only time I've heard anything about them was Axl being hours late to a show, not being able to sing, firing managers, settling lawsuits with promoters, etc, etc, etc. But, when tickets are that cheap, you don't have to work in the morning, and you've got someone to go with (that is equally ambivalent about whether it is a trainwreck or not), it's a no-brainer.


Before I start describing the GNR show, which was beyond ridiculous, I want to put out there that it was actually REALLY good. Sure, the band isn't the Slash/Izzy/Duff/Adler lineup, but you've got dudes from Psychedelic Furs and the Replacements in there, which ain't too shabby. And obviously all of them were great musicians.

OPENERS: Duff McKagen's horribly named band, Loaded, opened up the show. Probably one of the best current bands I've seen that was fronted by the former bass player of a hair band. Pretty typical hard rock, but pleasant enough.

MUSIC: GNR hit the stage a mere 45 minutes after Loaded finished, which I understand is nothing compared to some other recent shows. They played most of the hits you wanted to hear (Jungle, Brownstone, Sweet Child, Don't Cry, It's So Easy), plenty of covers (James Bond theme?!!?!, Riff Raff (AC/DC), Knockin on Heavens Door, Live and Let Die), plenty of stuff I didn't care about (the entire Chinese Democracy album) but that was surprisingly un-annoying, and a bunch of extended solo pieces from all the members, including a Tommy Stinson solo-song (while Axl was off-stage). They DID bring Duff out to play bass on one tune, You Could Be Mine, from the Last Action Hero soundtrack. Why they didn't have him play Sweet Child O' Mine, since that has the best bass line in the history of bass lines (in my humble opinion), I don't know.

MEMBERS: All of the members looked like over-the-top caricatures of "Rock Stars", as if they'd just been pulled out of line from some NBC sitcom casting call for the new boyfriend who has to meet the parents of the teenage daughter. Guitar player with dreadlocks pulled up into a bun on top of his head and a bifurcated beard? Check. Guitar player with full sleeve tattoos and a green Ebenezer Scrooge tophat that looks like it has been run over? Check. Guitar player with the 19 year old Scream-O band frontman hair-do? Check. Bass player that looked and played like Sid Vicious with Paul Cook's haircut (I love Tommy Stinson, don't get me wrong... and when I say "play like Sid Vicious", I only mean that he moved like him, not that he actually PLAYED like him, since we all know, Sid sucked, and Tommy has been awesome since he was 12.), and then, for good measure, throw in a drummer that looks EXACTLY like Suge Knight (from the middle balcony, at least), and you've got yourself a band. Now, all you have to do is throw in Axl in his "Marty-McFly-trying-to-"fit in"-to-1955" leather jacket and fedora, and you've got GNR circa 2011.

PROFESSIONALISM: The most surprising aspect of this show was how professional the band was. When I went to pick up my buddy Carlos for the show, he said that a couple of the members had been kicked out of a local bar the night before and that Tommy Stinson had canceled an in-store appearance because he was "sick". This, obviously did not bode well for the evening, but I was really there more for the trainwreck than the rock show anyway, so I guess it DID bode well for the evening. However, once GNR hit stage, it ran like a well-oiled machine. It went so well, the whole thing had a kind of choreographed quality to it. The kind of show where, if you'd been to a few in a row, you'd be able to say "Ok, this is where the dude with the dreads-in-a-bun and bifurcated beard runs to the other side of the stage, up the ramp, stands up on the railing and takes a big long solo while sticking his tongue out!" I looked up the setlists, and with a few minor exceptions, they'd been playing pretty much the same setlist every night of the tour.

My favorite moment was in the middle of the second song (Welcome to the Jungle), when Axl is doing his thing on the front monitor, and somebody throws a ratty brown leather Members-Only jacket at him, and it nails him and sort of hangs on his head. "Here comes the meltdown!" I grinned and leaned forward, rubbing my hands together.... and you won't believe what happened next! Axl, very gently, removed it from his head and lightly dropped it off the stage next to the monitor, and continued the song. Didn't even phase him. Way to go Axl! I knew from then on, that I was just going to have to enjoy the show for what is was supposed to have been in the first place, a kick-ass nostalgia trip.

PROJECTIONS - Probably the stupidest aspect of the entire show (other than the appearance of the band members), were the Jumbotron projections. They spent a lot of money to project images THAT stupid, and for that, they should be commended, I suppose. We are talking about things like dolphins swimming in place, LONG, SLOW, pans around the face and body of a female model in underwear, (looking sultry, like she was auditioning for Red Shoe Diaries), stock flame footage, monochrome sunsets, etc. I couldn't have dreamed up more ridiculous visuals. I felt like I was watching a Mark Gormley video!

WRAP-UP - All in all, I walked out of that arena with a new appreciation of one W. Axl Rose. Sure, they had to sell 993 steeply discounted tickets on Groupon (the Groupon section was EMPTY mid-set), and still only filled about half the place, if that. But Axl is fighting really hard to maintain some sort of relevance. He knows his rep, and he's beating down the demons and trying to fix it. I'm not going to run out and buy Chinese Democracy (or even download it for free). I didn't buy a commemorative T-Shirt for the evening. But, I DID just spend the last 2 hours writing a review of the show for the 3 people that read my blog, and THAT is something I would only do for someone I respect. Axl, you got me, buddy. You worked hard, you played some songs I wanted to hear, and you sang and shimmied your heart out. You worked hard up there, pal. 34 songs! You weren't messing around (but really, what was up with the Michael J Fox outfit?) and the next time you come to town, I'll be there. In the Groupon section again (who pays $75 + $15 Ticketbastard fees for seats like that?), but I'll be there none the less.

Setlist from Setlist.com

• 1. Dexter Intro
  1. Chinese Democracy
  2. Welcome To The Jungle
  3. It's So Easy
  4. Mr. Brownstone
  5. Sorry
  6. Shackler's Revenge
  7. Estranged
  8. Rocket Queen
  9. Richard Fortus Guitar Solo
     (James Bond Theme)
  10. Live and Let Die
      (Paul McCartney & Wings cover)
  11. This I Love
  12. Riff Raff
      (AC/DC cover)
  13. Motivation
      (Tommy Stinson song) (Tommy Stinson on lead vocals, … more)
  14. Dizzy Reed Piano Solo
      (Baba O'Riley)
  15. Street Of Dreams
  16. You Could Be Mine
      (with Duff McKagan)
  17. DJ Ashba Guitar Solo
      (Ballad of Death)
  18. Sweet Child O' Mine
  19. Instrumental Jam
      (Another Brick In The Wall: Part 2)
  20. Axl Rose Piano Solo
      (Gran Torino/Goodbye Yellow … more)
  21. November Rain
  22. Bumblefoot Guitar Solo
      (Pink Panther Theme)
  23. Don't Cry
  24. Whole Lotta Rosie
      (AC/DC cover)
  25. Civil War
  26. Knockin' On Heaven's Door
      (Bob Dylan cover)
  27. Nightrain
  28. Encore:
  28. Instrumental Jam
  29. Madagascar
  30. Better
  31. Instrumental Jam
  32. Patience
  33. Instrumental Jam
  34. Paradise City
  35. My Way
      (Frank Sinatra song)

Boxset Update & Your Daily Dose of Wooden Wand Prescription runs out...

Well, it made you laugh, it made you cry, it made me wonder why I ever decided to start a blog in the first place, but the Daily Dose of Wooden Wand has now run its' course. Every one of the 70+ songs from the upcoming Wooden Wand Archives Vol. 3 were put up one(ish) song at a time over the course of two and a half months. I did better than I figured I'd do, punctuality-wise, and I hope you love them like I do. This set is amazing (as those who downloaded them discovered.)

Now, for those of you who already ordered the physical set, here is an update.

The records are shipping from the pressing plant TOMORROW! They will arrive at my place on the 28th, and will be stuffed into the covers and boxes at a record packing party at my place on the 29th. If you live in the NW and want free food and beer in exchange for a couple of hours of hanging out with the coolest folk in Olympia, shoot me an email. I will then spend the entire day on the 30th packing them up into shipping boxes, addressing them, etc. and then mail them out on the 31st of December. That is, assuming all goes as planned, which, in the record game, is never a sure thing. This will require, literally, 7 or 8 trips to the post office in my tiny little Prius, to mail 150+ 13x13x4" boxes.

Therefore, you should be receiving your box shortly after the new year. Should be a great way to kick off what may be a slow year for the old Wandster. James has told me that he will not be releasing much, if anything, in early-mid 2012, as he puts all of his energy into the writing and recording of Briarwood II. Which, in a way bums me out, because he is one of my all-time favorite dudes to work with, but also means that the new record will sound that much sweeter! And, at least you've got SIX killer LPs of tunes to listen to in the meantime!

Of Montreal, Deerhoof, Tortoise, Akron/Family, etc on Flexidisc series...

Joyful Noise, a kindred spirit of a record label out of Indianapolis just announced their 2012 Flexi disc series.

One flexi disc a month from artists like: Akron/Family, Danielson, Dead Rider(ex US Maple), Deerhoof, Jad Fair (Half Japanese), Lou Barlow (Sebadoh/Dinosaur Jr.), Make Believe (ex Cap'n Jazz/Owls/Joan of Arc), of Montreal, Racebannon, Rafter, Richard Swift, and
Tortoise. Only $4/month, plus shipping, paid out subscription style through paypal, so you don't have to cough it up all at once.

For those that want to do it up, deluxe style (and you probably will), add in $20 and get a special silkscreened wooden box to keep your flexi discs in!

There are only 500 copies available, and with a lineup like that, you had better get on it soon if you want to get one. Once the "tastemaker" blogs get ahold of it, these will be gone. But, there are no "chillwave" or "indie-crossover hip-hop" artists here, so maybe nobody else in the blogosphere will care.

Pick up your copy at www.Joyfulnoise.com

Fruit Bats - Echolocation 10th Anniversary Limited Vinyl Reissue

From the "I wish I was releasing this record" files (although anything I post here is a record I wish I was releasing).

The Fruit Bats debut album, Echolocation is getting the deluxe hand silkscreened limited edition reissue treatment. It will come out on Jealous Butcher Records on December 20th, but is available for preorder at their site now.

Killer album of quirky folk from the former Califone multi-instrumentalist and Shins guitarist Eric Johnson.

Free Album - Xmas with Skrill Meadow (Mem of Lazer Zeppelin)

Getting tired of playing that Beach Boys Christmas record? We've got an instant holiday classic for you from Skrill Meadow (Mark Morrison (of Lazer Zeppelin) and friends). A bizarre album literally recorded in my backyard. Unfaithful takes on old standards, some obscure gems, and some all-new tunes. Play this album at your family gathering this Christmas and ENSURE that Aunt Sherri never comes back again.

Skrill Meadow has a new tape coming out on Gnar Tapes very soon, so keep an ear out. It's pretty damn good.

DOWNLOAD XMAS WITH SKRILL MEADOW HERE.