Thursday, July 30, 2009

AustinSurreal "Vacation" Almost Over
SXSW 2010 Kicking into full swing

Hey just a quick note. Been dealing with some family stuff in my home town. My damn laptop is messed up and photoshop won't work. I will get back to blogging hard after the 1st of August.

Splain later, maybe.

But ummmmm, if you are reading this, and you make music, you need to know that we begin taking applications for SXSW MUSIC showcases on MONDAY AUGUST 3rd. Go to www.sxsw.com or www.sonicbids.com and see how you can do just such a thing. The earlier you get in, the better. Helps me, helps you and helps me to help you, and such. So yeah, get your shit in ASAP.

OK for now I am going to go back to cleaning an old country house and listening to classical music.

Friday, July 24, 2009

I couldn'ta said it better myself

Thanks to Dr. Rock of the Erie Times News for the front page write up about the show tomorrow! And thanks to everyone who has been putting in work on this!

Click here to read the article about the Continental Ballroom Reunion show.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

I am at my mama house, and Saturday it's really goin' down

Oh man, I never had any will whatsoever to go to a school reunion. Besides, with Facebook, who needs it. Every blivit that ever shared a beaker with you in chemistry class can be found right there. Oftentimes they find YOU. But um, this here reunion of sorts is gonna be a great time. And well, I could use a good time right about now!



Yeah man, I'm out here in my hometown of Erie, PA. One of the Rust Belts finest towns. I was planning on coming up for a long weekend, but that turned into a much longer trip due to some circumstances that don't need to be blogged about (nothing horrible, just family needed some help) and well I have to say that this past week being here, at my mama house, has really upped my excitement levels for this show.

Going back to my roots and such.

It's so real though. Most of y'all know me as some dude who knows a lot of rappers from Texas, and rides for the music of said artists pretty tough. But reality is, I am and always have been a punk rocker who likes all types of music. I learned back in those days - uh, the 80's - that being a punk rocker meant being able to do whatever you wanted to do, with no regard for any, um, well for lack of a better word, HATERS. The DIY (Do it Yourself) philosophy always appealed to me. Especially when it comes to music and the arts.

And that's what really appealled to me about Houston rap. From the Rap-A-Lot / South Park Coalition early days, to today, the independent spirit that runs through Houston is just amazing. The energy that comes from that cities hip-hop scene is unparalleled, and when I moved there in 1989, I felt it immediately.

Anyway, the show on the flyer above was conceived by me, and put together and executed and promoted by a wonderful group of folks who all hold those days at the Continental Ballroom near and dear. More shouts to them later when I run photos from the event.

That little run down spot on 20th and Peach, in Erie, Pennsylvania, meant so much to so many. I am a firm believer that one of the biggest problems in our world is that so often the youth have nothing positive to do. Not everyone wants to play basketball, go to shooting ranges, join the scouts, go to church, or whatever. Some of us grew up with a raging passion for music and art and never had a place to really experience such culture at its purest. The Continental Ballroom opened its doors to bands and promoters, many of whom including myself were under 18, and that opened the door to poster designers, radio shows, wanna be independent journalists, dancers, and more.

The effect that place had on my city was enormous and much needed and I just want to make sure that it's remembered. And I'd like to inspire young people, in cities that may seem like Nowheresville, USA to a 17 year old, to get inspired like I did and to create a place for themselves and their communities to come together and thrive. A gallery, a music hall, a sports center, a gathering place. All this shit is important.

Anyway, 99.9% of you reading this won't be able to attend, but I'll post some photos. Should be quite fun.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

NEW VIDEO! Bavu Blakes - GO BLAZE!



This is legendary... I only eff with real shit.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

REALITY RAP IS NOT DEAD!
New Music from The League of Extraordinary G's!

Oh man, I keep tellking y'all that Central Texas is the place for this rap shit right now. The place where talent and heart is shining through. Where people still have meaningful lyrics and give a shit to do a good show. It's a wellspring down here.

Check these dudes out:



This is an Austin Super Group of sorts consisting of members of the groups Da C.O.D., Dred Skott and Southbound. Honestly, three of my favorite groups out in any capacity right now. The song below is entitled "A.P.D." and I posted the lyrics below so you can really feel it.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD "APD" by the LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY G'S

Anyway, I love to see young artists get up and say what's really on their mind. IT'S IMPORTANT! Peep the lyrics below. Who prints lyrics anymore? I think more people should.

The League Of Extraordinary G's- "A.P.D."

REGGIE COBY (Dred Skott)
How many shots will it take? How many straws on the camels back till that bitch break,
How many more niggas you gon shoot, and how many more times till it's you,
And how many more lies do we gotta listen to, till you muthafuckin cowards grow a spine and you finally tell the truth,
Justified homicide huh? i need to see some proof, or do our lives even make a difference to you?
Maan, they don't give a fuck about you and me, our struggle to succeed, what's happening in the community,
What ever happened to serve and protect, i deserve some respect but instead you rather shoot at me,
So im gon do to them, before they do to me, what the fuck would you do if you were me?
Now you tell me what's worse the dopeboy or the burgler,
The pimp the whore or the muthafuckin MURDERER.....

SB Da 6TH STREET BULLY (Dred Skott)
This morning i woke up and twitted-in, everybody goin nuts saying the laws struck again,
This time it was a youngsta, barely old enough to get gigarettes was took from us,
Said he fit the description of the disturbance they was summoned on,
Said he was strapped, when they searched him found a wallet and a cell phone,
That's fucked up it's too late cuz he gone, another family the APD tore down,
Now it's far past due what niggas should do, that could easily be you, so i declare war on the boys in blue,
(not the cuz) But the fuzz, 5-0 done fucked up, we ridin for ever family in Austin you took from,
Rest in peace to Daniel Rocha and Sphia King, Jesse Owens and Gonzo's brother we gon make a scene,
2000 deep in all black down 11th street, headed to the capital governer Perry got beef!

MR. GREEZO (DA C.O.D.)
So this the policy, murder no apology? Ima stay strapped for a fact cuz you gotta be,
Shoot first then you got a chance like the lottery, pussy ass pigs ain't shit but a mockery,
League full of G's on top no apostrophe, rest in peace all the deseased your still a part of me,
And my niggas locked up for the century, revolution first when it's time come and mention me,
I was raised on Dead Prez and Bun-b, felon by design so you know where my gun be,
Comin at your boy sideways like a gumbi, APD that's the all puss division,
Cowards wit a badge waiting for a true colision, with some niggas that'll shoot at you for livin,
And i'm wrong for pimpin? A loaded 38 in size 38's that's true religion....

LOWKEY (SOUTHBOUND)
I say fuck 'em up against the wall, cuz they ain't never protected or served me once at all,
I know you feel me your rollin just minding business, they get right behind you trippin
and wishing that you gon fuck up and give them reasons to bust, give em reason to taze,
Ask em if crime pays, they know just like i know, the money go missin my prime suspect is 5-0
I seen it with my own eyes, i know i wasn't speeding cuz i ride slow,
If you from Austin then you should be mad, Williamson too, when will it be too much they just itching to shoot,
And when they do they get a vacation chillin imune, but catch me with a quarter-pound i'd be in prison by noon,
Them bithces shoot you in the back dawg that's a cowardly move, they got some friends on the hourly news,
I think it's time for retribution like we standin at church, tell us why the videotapes go missing like they're amber alerts,
RIP to all the fallen got your family first in my thoughts
We gon take it to em so they always remember your loss,
Fuck Art Acevedo, Will Wynn, and anybody else that's standing up for all these pussy cops, fuck 'em all.....

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Photos from the first show I ever Booked, 1989 and such

Welp, I been waiting to get these in my digital hands. I hollered at my mom earlier today and she dug in my archives (a closet in her house) and found a photo album with a lot of old photos. She didn't have time to do them all, but here's a clean ten of 'em to get us started.

The show was April 9, 1989. Laughing Hyenas (Detroit), Knifedance (Cleveland), and Lost (Erie). There's way more where this came from and I am working on a full on story about the first show and those first days and well, it's coming soon. Along with more photos. After the photos, the new flyer.

Oh yeah we added The Killerinas, Diesel Houdini, The Trashed and a semi-reunited My 3 Scum to the line up. I was trying to keep all these a surprise, but well THE INFO WAS LEAKED! And I am not tripping at all. Hope everyone stays happy and this event goes off beautifully!

Anyway, check it!


I took this photo when the band arrived for soundcheck that afternoon. This is the Laughing Hyenas, one of my favorite bands of all time. Larissa Strickland (RIP MY BEAUTIFUL GUITAR GODDESS IN THE SKY!), Kevin Strickland/Munroe, John Brannon, Jim Kimball


This is the Erie band LOST sitting outside the Continental Ballroom. Oh have I got stories related to them. I booked three tours around the US for them and we spent a lot of time in vans on the highway doing our thang. MY DUDES! Tho this line up did not last. Bob Rhodes, Brian DiPlacido, Jim Beveridge (who was later in Last Man Standing and will be playing at this show on the 25th!), Pete Stadtmueller (If I had one wish it would be for a Lost reunion at this show. But um, yeah, word is, that ain't happening. Dude who replaced Bob - FRED KRUGGER - is in Johnny James and the Absolutes tho SO THAT'S SOMETHING!)


That's me on the left there with Pete Stadtmueller of Lost. We are holding the first issue of my first fanzine Jackhammer Pogostick. It was named that stupid name because at our first "editorial meeting" when we were thinking of names, I said that and everyone said it was stupid so I got mad and demanded we call it that and we did. Yeah, good idea dude.


My mom and one of my mentors, Dan Allen. Dan was a lil older than me, and an avid record collector. He hipped me to a lot of music, took me to my first punk rock show outside of Erie (Butthole Surfers in 1987, me, Dan, Dave Martin and Frank FOE. We went in Dan's car and spun out in a blizzard behind a semi at 2 am and ended up in a snow bank. But yeah, we lived.), and used to pick me up every Saturday after I got out of work at the Oakwood Cafe to buy records at Record Country. Shit was really real back then.


Knifedance was a raging band from Cleveland that blew my mind at an early age and they fuckin' ruled.


If you were a teenager that needed to get some aggression out in 1989, Knifedance was the band to see. Also, Tom Dark was booking bands like the Misfits and Black Flag in Cleveland when he was like 14 and that is not a lie dudes.


Charlie of Knifedance


Tom Dark Stagedive!


John Brannon is the singer for Easy Action now and will be at the Anniversary show on the 25th! See the new flyer below!


And Kevin Strickland.Munroe lives in Cleveland now. I invited him via Myspace but we shall see. I'd love to have him up in the VIP section at the Beer Mug. HA!

Anyway, July 25th in Erie, PA. IT'S REALLY GOIN' DOWN!



New flyer will be posted when Ben Frazier sends it to me.

New Video! Pimpin' Pen from Austin, TX - Lil Homey!

Check out Ryno in the starring role!

I guess I am a vlogger now, fuck it.

LIL HOMIE MUSIC VIDEO from LM on Vimeo.

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

New Crew 54 Reality Show

Now, lemme say this, I am not trying to go all Vloggy on y'all, but yeah, people do tend to post videos and send them to me, and if they have some relevance to this site, I will post them.



I got mad a while back when someone spent a long time explaining to me why I need to get a camcorder and be a vlogger - IF I REALLY WANNA BLOW UP. As this is what's hot right now. It annoyed the shit out of me, cuz quite simply, AustinSurreal is just me, it's not a hip-hop blog, I don't sell ads (at the moment), I don't blast it out to people all day, it's just a blog that kinda covers what I do and what I like. That's all.

No disrespect to the Vlogs of the world, but I am not a vlogger. I go watch thangs at Nahright and a few other sites and they do it right.

If anything I want to write more. I had a whole buncha stuff in my head last night but then my lil Elena woke up and well, sat in my lap, and well, I just couldn't write, we went to bed. This happens kind of a lot. Maybe I should just vlog - much simpler and my kids can be involved, but please don't tell me what it is gonna take for me to blow up. Unless you really KNOW.

I leave that to the professionals. Like my folks CREW 54. The Crew 54 Reality show is always a good look. They document what is really goin' on out here in Central Texas. I mean seriously, I am 37 years old, have 2 kids and don't get out much. But when I do, the first people I see in the place are almost always Mos and G-Christ.

They are also my official security, so don't talk to me, these big dudes will hurt you, on tape.

Anyway, this vlog here (above) says that HOMEBOY SANDMAN and J-LIVE will be in Austin on Sunday July 12th???? Upstairs at Paradise? I need to find out where that is and catch this. J-Live is LEGENDARY and of course Sandman is on the come up and deservedly so. So yeah, see you Sunday???

(Also Friday at Red 7, where I will be DJing all night, no cover, cheap drinks, lots of ladies, lots of fellas with jobs, lots of nice things)

Oh yeah here's the flyer for my DJing event...



I do hope to see you there. It's really goin' down.

(UPDATE: Here's the Homeboy Sandman/J-Live/Feddi Man Flyer)

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Bands I saw and liked and such...

Like, over a week ago, at The Mohawk, on a slowish Sunday night. I made the trek down to see Relgious Girls, Our Brother the Native and Shots Were Fired, only to find out Religious Girls had broken down somewhere and weren't going to make it, and then had my doubts as to whether Our Brother the Native was there or not. So I spent a lot of the night sitting on the roof. But I did venture downstairs a bit and man, honestly liked both the bands I saw. First up was Shots Were Fired...


I mean you know.


Spaced out effecty acoustic guitar duo just killing it.


On a fairly quiet Sunday.



Spent some time on the roof...


Then Our Brother the Native


Came on and it was really quite great.


Oh yeah also there was a dude laying flat on his back on the floor during the Shots Were Fired set.


And then I was going to write more but my daughter Elena woke up and is dragging me to bed. She's gonna be 4 on Sunday! OK. Good night. Great show.

A Message to Austin Rappers from Hot 93's Deuce!

He ain't lying, a lot of y'all are trippin'.

But what about the songs that really are worth it? I feel like since every commercial station floats thru the air we breathe they should all have some sort of local show or some sort of policy that requires them to play at least a small percentage of locally made music every day. But I mean, you know, I ain't no businessman. (And this ain't Canada) And yes I mean rock, jazz, whatever stations, Not just "urban."



I know how dude feels though. He gives a couple artists an inch and then a bunch of them try to take a mile. It gets real tiring. On my old show, Damage Control, we had a policy to play music from everyone who came thru the door, genuinely in response to commercial radios refusal to play local, independent music. We did that on purpose, and yeah, it drove me a little crazy.

But I'd do it again. Damn I need to get back on the damn radio. Maybe even just on the internet. But then how would the people in prison hear me? Man, I don't know. I been itching to get back on the radio though.

And honestly, there's more good stuff coming out of Central Texas right now than anyone else will ever let you know. So yeah, I'ma have to kick this into gear.

Also there's a lot of bad shit. LOL at the stick man on the CD comment. I do have to say though, it's better than the hundreds, maybe thousands of totally blank CDRs that have been handed to me over time. Now THAT is the dumbest thing ever.

Anyway, I need to do a lot of things. I'll let you know when I do. And if you happen to have a radio station that needs a community voice, I'm down. (Kinda like how the rappers Deuce is speaking of do. "YOU SHOULD BE CALLING ME!" The audacity of myself, I know. I'll get it going soon.)

Friday, July 3, 2009

Saturday July 25th in Erie, PA
The 20th Anniversary of the First Show I Ever Booked

But it's oh so much more than that. It's the celebration of a scene. A celebration of musicians and promoters and writers and photographers and all that from my home town who are still doing their thing. The Continental Ballroom is the venue where it all started for me, and I want to celebrate that fact.

I'll post more of a story soon, but here's the flyer as done by my man Ben Frazier.



And there's more to be announced FO REAL!

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Print This Poster - Buy This Shirt

Found this on MISS CHIN'S BLOG.



"Ashkahn is back again. He made these beautiful FREE IRAN posters! Download to your desktop, print it up at your local print shop and circulate amongst friends or buy the T-shirt for $10 here! President Obama called a midday press conference today condemning the Iranian crackdown against demonstrators and declaring the rest of the world "appalled and outraged" by the violence going on there."