Talking Mountain at The Waiting Room, 7/22/11.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Who remembers Talking Mountain, the fun-loving combo from the mid- to late-2000s? My fondest memories of the band are:

1) They loved loved loved using smoke machines and lasers, so much so that one time they played at The Waiting Room and there was so much smoke billowing out the front door I thought the place was on fire.

Jason Steady (I think) in Talking Mountain.

2) They used to perform wearing super-cool muppet-like masks that had to be hot as hell. I always wanted one of those masks.

And, of course, 3) I loved their friggin’ music. I mean, who doesn’t want to hear a song about a snowman that loves to work out?

I bring this up because the mastermind behind Talking Mountain — Jason Steady — just released the 2007 album Old Gold / Ancient Jamz for its 10 year anniversary. The record is being released under the Jason Steady moniker (rather than Talking Mountain), and is available on CD and cassette.

It’s a collection of the best demos and bedroom recordings Steady did between 2004 and 2007, both alone and with friends. It originally came in 2008 on defunct label Slumber Party Records. Why is Steady re-releasing it now? Is this some sort of get-rich-quick scheme?

“Haha! There shall be no getting rich,” Steady said. “You know, it’s 10 years old and I kind of feel like the follow-up album (Nature of Magic) was a misstep, sonically speaking. I’ve got a new band now, which we’re just calling ‘Jason Steady’ to keep things simple, so I figure we’d re-release this one while we work on the follow-up, which will be a proper spiritual successor. It’s honestly the album I’m probably most proud of, and it’s literally bedroom demos. Go figure.”

Steady spent two weeks last May and almost all of November on the road with Chris Twist (former Omahan, currently in the Lemons and Nobunny), “remembering how fun it is to just play songs without the added hassle of lasers, lights, fog, projections, backing tracks, etc.”

His new band includes Ryan “Knife” De La Garza (who is more known for his comedy these days) on drums and Darren Keen (The Show Is the Rainbow) on bass. The official release show is this Saturday at the Replay Lounge in Lawrence, Kansas, with The Dull Drums (Tulsa, OK) and Arc Flash. (Hey, Jason, when’s the Omaha release show?).

Jason Steady, Old Gold / Ancient Jamz (2017, self-release)

The products are real hand-made efforts. The CD has a full-color print, minimally packaged with a hand-folded xeroxed insert slipped into a 3.5 mil poly sleeve. “The lettering on the cassette is custom-cut vinyl lettering that was hand applied,” Steady said. “The inserts were hand drawn, then printed, hand cut/folded, and assembled. Each one of these was touched by a human (me) a lot. I’m sorry if there’s a hair in yours.”

Order your copy and peruse the Jason Steady collection at https://www.etsy.com/shop/ifeelrealistic

* * *

The Pageturners Lounge Winter Concert Series continues tonight with Dirt House (Annie, Amy, Miwi & Roger) and Ryan Menchaca & The Invisible Horses. It’s free and starts at 9 p.m. Can’t think of a better place to be on a snowy Monday night…

* * *

Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2018 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Jocelyn with an undercover Darius Rucker from last year’s episode of Celebrity Undercover Boss.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Yesterday morning I woke up to find a video on my Facebook feed of local singer Jocelyn announcing she’s been “officially signed to BMG Records.” Now, one assumes she’s signed a contract for BMG to release material under her name. Details were not provided. No dates given for studio work or anything else. See vid below.

BMG is a major label; other BMG artists include Morrissey, David Crosby, Gary Numan and a bunch or radio pop artist I’ve never heard of. In fact, BMG controls a plethora of labels including Mute, Sanctuary and Vagrant.

Here’s how BMG characterizes its artist contracts, from its website: “We have ripped up the old-school record contract and give it to you straight – with no hidden deductions, no unpleasant surprises. Everything clear, everything fair – cards on the table. Deals that you deserve.”

No doubt Jocelyn will be moving to Nashville imminently, where the label will turn her into a star. I don’t know anything about the major-label star-making process, but have a feeling she might be in for some changes. Let’s hope this doesn’t become a “Welcome to the Machine” experience. Jocelyn deserves better. It’ll be interesting to see what comes out the other end of the BMG hit factory…

* * *

Now onto the weekend line-up, and it’s a very limited line-up at that.

Try as I may, I don’t see a single indie-rock show — national or otherwise — going on tonight. If I’m missing something, let me know via the comments section.

Tomorrow night is the album release show for the Clarence Tilton/Monday Mourners split LP at Reverb Lounge.  We’re talking six songs by each band, one side after the other. How these two bands hooked up I do not know. I’m sure there’s a good story behind it. Regardless, this is a solid slice of vinyl by two of the best alt-country acts in the midwest. $5, 9 p.m., you can’t go wrong.

If you’re still craving some twangy rock, Bloodshot Records act Banditos is headlining at Reverb lounge Sunday night. RIYL Alabama Shakes, Drive-By Truckers, Lee Bains III & the Glory Fires. The Willards Band opens at 9 p.m. $12.

And guess what? That’s it for the weekend. Like I said, if I missed your show, put it in the comments section. Have a great one.

* * *

Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2018 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Anna McClellan this morning leaked a new track off her upcoming LP, Yes or No. Photo by Ebru Yildiz.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Sunday night Mimicking Birds opened for someone at The Waiting Room or Reverb, not sure who now. Regardless, the band’s publicist had reached out weeks ago for some promo. I sent her the Ten Questions survey; she’d get back to me.

A few days before the show she sent me some answers from Mimicking Birds frontman Nate Lacy — half of them. Nate didn’t want to answer some things, and asked for different questions. I explained the premise behind Ten Questions is that everyone answers the same 10 questions. He wasn’t interested, and so, no harm, no foul.

Then Saturday afternoon Nate had a change of heart and his publicist sent the following answers. Too late. She asked that even though the concert had passed, would I run them anyway, so here they are. I’ve been listening to Mimicking Birds on Spotify this morning before work. The music is trippy, ethereal, laid-back indie rock that kind of reminds me of Ester Drang. It’s definitely worth checking out. From Portland. On Glacial Pace Records.

So, here’s Ten Questions with Mimicking Birds:

Mimicking Birds

What is your favorite album? 

Mimicking Birds’ Nate Lacy: Pink Floyd’s The Wall 

What is your least favorite song?

Prob anything by AC/DC

What do you enjoy most about being in a band?

The exhilaration of performing together as if we’re one entity.

What do you hate about being in a band?

Touring is prob a hate/love relationship, the uneconomical and negative environmental impacts of it, the exhaustion/health affects, being away from loved ones for long periods of time, the danger of endlessly careening across highways in deranged states, etc., etc., but at the same time there are few things  more rewarding than bringing your music to people and experiencing first hand how much the art has affected lives, and being able to hug those people and share that moment of deep connection through the music and its message.  It truly gives you a sense of purpose and fulfillment more than any amount of money or things ever could.

What is your favorite substance (legal or illegal)?

Water

In what city or town do you love to perform?

Denver, CO

What city or town did you have your worst gig in (and why)?

We’ve had a fair amount in similar fashion but more recently prob Austin due to late set time (12:30-1 am set), rude crowd, poor sound, exhaustion, sick, etc., bookended by very long drives.

Are you able to support yourself through your music? If so, how long did it take to get there; if not, how do you pay your bills?

No, I also work at a hotel in Portland as a bellman/valet.

What one profession other than music would you like to attempt; what one profession would you absolutely hate to do?

Entomologist

What are the stories you’ve heard about Omaha, Nebraska?

Heard many times we should have been in Omaha instead of Lincoln, NE.

* * *

I’ve been listening to this new Anna McClellan album, Yes or No, a ton. My favorite track is the 8-plus-minute epic “Nail-biting Song” which takes you around the sun and back again. Anna’s got such a unique, soulful voice, there’s no question in my mind she’s going to be discovered by a large audience. It takes time.

Anyway, today McClellan dropped another song from the album (below), which comes out Feb. 23 on Father/Daughter Records. You should pre-order your copy now before they run out, cuz they probably will and then you’ll feel stupid for not pre-ordering your own copy.

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John Maus plays electronic music. Here’s a guy who (according to Wiki) took two years off to learn how to build modular synthesizer. Now that’s dedication to a genre.

A couple of his albums have garnered praise including a “best new music” nod from Pitchfork; the latest, Screen Memories (2017, Ribbon Music) garnered a massive 8.0 Pitchfork rating. Whoot!

Maus headlines tonight at Reverb Lounge. LukDlx opens.$15, 9 p.m.

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2018 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

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Jack White’s headed to Baxter Arena…

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

I’ll tell you right up front — I’m not a big Jack White or White Stripes fan. Just never really dug their music, though I get the attraction. They’re sort of a mainstream garage rock act; to me, White always sounded like he was aping Led Zeppelin (though nowhere near as much as Greta Van Fleet).

What’s interesting about today’s announcement that White has been booked to play Omaha April 23 is where the show is being held: Baxter Arena. I think the Baxter has hosted music in the past, but nothing like this.

I personally love Baxter Arena. The facility is right-sized, perfect for the UNO hockey program and a huge upgrade to the craptacular CenturyLink Center — one of the worst places I’ve seen a rock concert (Fleetwood Mac, Springsteen, The Who, three strikes you’re out). I wondered when it opened if Baxter could become a viable alternative to the old Civic Auditorium and CB’s Mid-America Center for bigly concerts like this. Baxter has a capacity of 7,898, according to Wiki (Vs. CenturyLink’s massive 17, 560 capacity). It’s in a great location, a modern facility with great sight lines. But I have no idea how a rock band will sound in there.

This brings up the recent news of a possible new venue in La Vista run by the guys who run One Percent Productions and KC’s Mammoth Inc.

From the OWH article:

“The hope would be for the indoor club to seat about 2,000 and the amphitheater to seat about 4,500. While there are other indoor venues that seat around that many people, there are no other places in the area that pair that size of an indoor space with a sizable outdoor amphitheater. Also, many existing venues of that size in town are hard to get acts into because they book up so fast,...”

The proposed amphitheater would seat around 4,500, according to the article, which also said the new venue would allow Omaha to compete for shows it hasn’t been able to compete for in the past, like “Lauryn Hill, Arcade Fire, David Byrne and LCD Soundsystem — all artists that have skipped Omaha at some point because there wasn’t a venue that met their needs…”

While Arcade Fire has been reportedly playing to half-full arenas, you would still think a 2,000-capacity venue would be way too small. Same goes for LCD Soundsystem. David Byrne played at the Holland Center back in 2008, and didn’t sell it out (which to me, seems a more likely reason for passing over Omaha this time ’round).

Regardless, the La Vista project is exciting news and could provide another venue for the kind of acts booked at the 3,500-capacity Stir Cove. That is, if it happens. The article said the indoor club is estimated to cost about $15 million, and would be privately funded by the booking companies and another investor, while the amphitheater would be funded by the City of La Vista, and “La Vista spokesman Mitch Beaumont said the city hasn’t committed to anything yet and has no cost estimate for an amphitheater.” Hmmm….

I’m sure all parties involved will be keeping an eye on how well the Jack White show sells (or doesn’t sell)…

* * *

Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2018 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

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St, Vincent at Slowdown Jr., June 3, 2009. She plays at the Holland Center Saturday.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

It’s gonna be another one of those ice-cold weekends, the kind where it takes every bit of your dying will to drag yourself out of your house/apartment, get into a frozen car and drive somewhere…. especially when it’s so much easier to sit at home all warm and coze and binge-watch The Great British Baking Show on Netflix…

Still… here are some good reasons to put on your leather parka, get out and go…

Tonight at fabulous O’Leaver’s it’s a big four-band bill headlined by Chicago rockers Two Houses. Supporting them is a slew of local acts, top of which is the musically infectious Uh-Oh. With White Wolf T-Shirt and Mad Dog + The 20/20s. $5, 10 p.m.

Saturday night Des Moines’ Karen Meat returns to O’Leavers. She came through here about the same time last year. From the review of that show:

Front woman Karen Meat a.k.a. Arin Eaton, filled the void with her girlish growl on golden garage-rock tunes that got me singing along by the third time through the chorus. Check out the recordings.

With Hussies, Dubb Nubb and Detachable Limbs. $5, 10 p.m.

Also Saturday night, The Brothers is hosting a rock show with Portland act Sunbathe. Razors and headliner Oquoa fill out the bill. $5, 10 p.m. This one’s sneaky good!

And then you have St. Vincent at The Holland. I’ve seen her play here four times, including back when she was basically fronting a rock band. Those early shows (The Waiting Room, Slowdown Jr.) were the best; the more recent ones were too stiff and choreographed (i.e., boring). Add to that the fact that this is happening at Holland Center and, well, that venue isn’t the best place to see a rock show — the pristine, sterile environment kind of sucks the life out of the audience. Maybe that’s why tickets are still available. $32-$42; 8 p.m.

Sunday afternoon, Hi-Fi House is hosting a free listening party for the new Clarence Tilton/Monday Mourners split LP. I’ve listened to a preview copy of the record (a number of times) and can tell you it’s worth your time. 4 p.m.

And finally, over at Film Streams Sunday night, it’s a special screening of Urgh! A Music War. It was way back in August 2005 that myself and Mike Tulis hosted a screening of this film at O’Leaver’s. It was actually my bootleg DVD copy of the full-length version of the movie. You can read about that event (and what the movie’s all about) online right here.

From my review of that night and that screening:

The turnout was good (over 50?), and it was fun to see which bands got the biggest reaction. I think The Cramps won, followed by Gang of Four, Devo and 999 (There were actually people singing along to “Homicide”).

I have no doubt the turnout will be even better when Film Streams downtown screens Urgh! A Music War Sunday night at 7 p.m. If you haven’t seen this film, you should go. Twenty-five years after it was made Urgh! stands as a valuable document of ’80s underground music.

And that’s all I got for this weekend. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section. Try to stay warm and have a great weekend.

* * *

Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2018 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Chemicals performing at Hi-Fi House, April 16, 2016. The band plays tonight at The Down Under.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

I guess consider this video a Throwback Thursday since it went online way back in 2015. I just discovered it this morning when I was trying to remember whether Nate Krenkel was the guy who ran Team Love Records — he is. He’s also the guy, along with Gabe Gonzalez, who runs NAG Management. They’ve represented Conor Oberst’s projects since back in the day. NAG also works with Mega Bog, who opens for Destroyer at The Waiting Room Feb. 4.

Anyway, doing my Googling, I fell into this video from Copyright Alliance of Krenkel talking about piracy, streaming and record labels from way back in 2015. I mean, if I’ve never seen it before, it’s new to me, right? Nate points to a grim future in a streaming-only world. Take a look:

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Tonight musician extraodinaire Dereck Higgins launches his new monthly showcase at The Down Under Lounge. Aptly titled “An Evening with Dereck Higgins,” it features Higgins’ various musical projects as well as local and regional acts, visual artists, etc. Tonight Higgins welcomes his red-hot progressive jazz project Chemicals, while Hugo’s Art Galleries will display the works of Derek Shockey.

This one’s free and starts at 9 p.m.

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2018 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Tennis at The Waiting Room, Nov. 5, 2014. The band returns to tonight.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

One of Hear Nebraska’s last forays into music journalism (for now, anyway) was a video interview with Digital Leather’s Shawn Foree about his just-released LP Pink Thunder. Read it here.

It’s a straight-up interview by HN’s Lauren Farris, and when I look back at what HN did in terms of music reporting, this was the kind of stuff I liked best. Because there simply isn’t anyone interviewing local bands anymore in a way that HN approached these interviews — in depth, professional, with the writer staying out of the copy and out of the frame.

It makes me miss what I used to do at The Reader back when it was a weekly and I was hustling an interview a week (plus a column). HN’s recent departure brings up the question of  music journalism’s relevance to the general local music audience. I personally think it’s important; that it still needs to be done. We just need to find a place to do it (in addition to in ol’ Lazy-i).

Wouldn’t it be awesome if someone started a music weekly with interviews, album reviews, live reviews, photos and a gig calendar?? I’d subscribe.

Anyway, I finally got my chance to interview Foree a couple years ago when Digital Leather released All Faded. He’s an interesting dude and one of the most talented musicians and songwriters in Nebraska. It’s appropriate that HN went out by interviewing him. Check it out and check out Pink Thunder, which you can order online here

and, I believe, is available in its vinyl incarnation at Almost Music.

* * *

Two shows going on tonight…

At The Waiting Room it’s the return of Tennis, who just played here this past summer when they headlined Farnam Fest. New York electro-pop duo Overcoats (Arts & Crafts Records) opens at 8 p.m. $18.

Also tonight, Pageturners’ Winter Concert Series continues with Nathan Ma and the Psychic Readers. This one is free and starts at 9 p.m.

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2018 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

High Up’s latest promo shot. Photo by Andy Lachance.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

This morning news broke that High Up will release its debut full length, You Are Here, Feb. 23 on Team Love Records.

High Up, You Are Here (2018, Team Love)

The album was recorded and produced by Mike Mogis at ARC. Pre-order info is already up on their Bandcamp page

. From the press release: “The band…  draws from a wide variety of influences — from Janis Joplin, (who (frontwoman) Christine (Fink) is frequently compared to at live shows from misty-eyed ex-hippies), Sam Cooke, and Screamin’ Jay Hawkins to Dead Kennedys and The Birthday Party.”

Misty-eyed ex-hippies? Dead Kennedys and The Birthday Party? Hmmm….

Anyway, the track list includes three of four songs off that 4-song EP that came out last year (“Trees Keep Growing” was left off for some reason). Check it out below:

You Are Here Track List

1. Alabama To The Basement
2. Two Weeks
3. Make A Plan To Love Me
4. Blue Moon
5. Girl Walking Home Alone At Night
6. All Torn Up
7. Domino
8. Your System Failed You
9. Glorious Giving In
10. You Can’t Give Up On Me
11. Before The Storm

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Without further ado, the winners of this year’s Lazy-i Best of 2017 CD giveaway are: Cary Waldo, Jack Parks, Evan Keelan-White and Kelly Murphy. Your copies will be dropped in the mail (probably) tomorrow. Thanks to all who entered!

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2018 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

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Relax, It’s Science at Lookout Lounge, April 30, 2016. The band plays Saturday at O’Leaver’s.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Another cold, somewhat quiet weekend, at least as far as indie shows are concerned. Let’s get into it…

Pkew Pkew Pkew, who play at Lookout Lounge tonight, are sort of a yell rock act a la Andrew WK, though you could argue they’re more melodic bordering on emo/pop-punk. They played a Milk Run show a couple years ago, which makes them OK in my book. Since this is a Lookout Lounge show, it’s a four-band line-up (Why? I guess to sell more beer? No one wants to see a four- or five-band line-up). It starts at 9 with Blandford, followed by Lincoln’s Hosting Monsters, Waking the Neighbors then P3. $10.

An example of Steve Schneider’s art, which is on display tonight at The Little Gallery in Benson.

Believe it or not, it’s also the first Friday of the month which means Benson First Friday (BFF). If you’re in the East Benson area (you know, east of The Sydney) stop into the Little Gallery, 5901 Maple Street (the bottom bay of the Masonic Lodge building), where we have a reception going tonight featuring the work of Steve Schneider.

Steve Schneider sometime in the ’90s. Photo courtesy of Stephen Sheehan.

Who is Steve Schneider? I asked Stephen Sheehan (who knows him and who, incidentally, will be performing as part of the Bennie and the Gents Bowie Tribute tomorrow night at The Waiting Room).

Says Stephen: “I suppose you could begin by saying ‘local artist and experimental musician’ who performed and recorded around Omaha in the late ’80s through the mid-’90s. While his main instrument was saxophone, Steve was known to incorporate children’s toys and found objects into his performances. Steve was a master of band names and performed under many, such as Little Bro Peep and The Church of the Obvious Choice.”

Sheehan said Schneider recorded a double album with Tom Ware at Ware House Studios but it was never officially released and only a few copies are in circulation. Some might remember Schneider as someone who frequently busked in the Old Market on street corners. These days Schneider lives in the Pacific Northwest under the name Shane Ronet.

Needless to say, there’s a ton of his art as part of this reception. Check it out. Booze, treats provided. 6 to 9 p.m. See you there.

Tomorrow night (Saturday) the double-bass attack of Relax, It’s Science returns to fabulous O’Leaver’s. Joining them are new act Bled Notes (Julie Kestner and Co.) and Lincoln act Brazen Throats (members of Nanahara) who says this will be their last show ever. Come say goodbye at 9 p.m. $5.

And finally, tomorrow night is the third annual Bennie Does Bowie show at The Waiting Room. See Bennie and the Gents (along with special guests) take on the Bowie catalog. The Beat Seekers open at 9 p.m. $10.

Lazy-i Best of 2017

And that’s it for shows. If I missed yours put it in the comments section.

Finally, today is your last chance to get in on the drawing for a copy of the Lazy-i Best of 2017 Comp CD.

The collection includes my favorite indie tunes from last year, including songs from SUSTO, David Nance, Alvvays, Luna, The Lupines, LCD Soundsystem, Digital Leather, Beck, CLOSENESS, King Krule, Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile and lots more. The full track listing is here, or take a listen if you have Spotify.

Want one? Enter to my drawing to win a copy of this limited-edition, hand-crafted CD. To enter, either: 1. Send an email with your mailing address to tim.mcmahan@gmail.com, or 2) Write a comment on one of my Lazy-i related posts in Facebook, or 3) Retweet a Lazy-i tweet. You also can enter by sending me a direct message in Facebook or Twitter. Hurry, contest deadline is tonight (Jan. 5) at midnight!

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2018 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

The Stacks – Songs from the Oasis, various artists (2018, Brash Tracks)

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

This year in Lazy-i I’m filling in the holes when nothing’s happening locally with record reviews (mostly local), gossip, and stories like the one below, which are pretty cool. Plus, I like Austin…

* * *

So I’m about 100 pages into the novel Ready Player One, which I picked up at the library (Yes, some of us still go to the library) after I saw the trailer for the upcoming Spielberg film and then read a brief review of the novel. It’s pretty good so far, certainly something someone from my generation can relate to (as it’s about a tech genius who deifies ’80s pop culture).

I bring it up because yesterday I got an email from Brian McKinney of Brash Tracks cluing me in on a new record called The Stacks, Songs from the Oasis. It’s an album of 18 classic ’80s songs covered by 16 Austin-based bands, with part of the proceeds going to help foster kids get free music lessons and mentorship — could the charity be any more heart-tugging?

The record was actually inspired by the novel Ready Player One by Austin dude Ernest Cline (“The Stacks” are stacked up mobile-home trailers — sometimes stacked 25 high — where poor people live in the future). After reading the book, McKinney got that bright idea of tapping Austin bands to record versions of songs mentioned in the book, like “Rebel Yell” by Billy Idol, “The Wild Boys” by Duran Duran, and “Dirty Deeds” by AC/DC, etc.  Austin artists involved include BOOHER (ex-Zykos), Pocket Sounds (Mike St. Clair ex-Polyphonic Spree), Mobley, Belcurve, Obscured by Echoes and more.

You hear about these kinds of multi-band charity efforts all the time, and I always wonder how the producers manage to pick the bands from the crowd, so I asked McKinney.

“I was managing (Mike) Booher the last couple years – Mike Booher used to front Zykos and I met him on tour with The Good Life in Chapel Hill around 2002,” McKinney wrote. “Through him I met Robyn (Foxworth) who’s one of the biggest supporters of Austin music that I know. We put together a list of bands and started contacting them. The 16 that are on the album we’re the ones who were interested and had the time and resources to record something. Since it was for charity and we’re giving 50 percent to Kids In a New Groove (KING) and the bands split the other 50 percent, we didn’t have a budget to pay for studio time or anything.”

The record comes out Feb. 2, but you can see the track listing and pre-order it at their Bandcamp page here, and hear samples below.

Here’s a sample mix…

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Got news? Send it to me, and read it here…

* * *

Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2018 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.