knight-ridder, who own the philadelphia inquirer and daily news, just were bought up by the mcclatchy co. but that’s not all — mcclatchy plans on selling 12 of the 32 papers purchased. firmly in the crosshairs are both local papers, not to mention newspapers in san jose, st. paul, akron, wilkes-barre, aberdeen [in sd, but fuck sd these days], grand forks, ft. wayne, duluth, contra costa [ca] and monterey.

this is pretty scary because here at her jazz, we’ve got quite a few good friends and colleagues who work for both papers [including ms. raisedbybees]. keeping our fingers crossed, hoping for the best.

Clockcleaner, “New Slow”

i guess i could have picked “interview w/ a black man” for this entry, if only because you can understand the words and it’s more obviously aligned with the band’s influences, but nearly wordless, unintelligable and distorted is the best route to understanding the majestic fucked-upness of clockcleaner. they don’t play the game fair, so neither will i. sharkey’s yelps and screams pepper “new slow” but it’s totally backseat here; the main focus of this song has to be the thunderous plodding of the drums and extended guitar solo lurching its way to the end. i don’t really think of clockcleaner as the band that kind of jams, but this is about as close to it as we’re gonna get. this track is stranded-in-death-valley-and-there’s-vultures-swarming-over-me ominous. bataan death march ominous. (and by the way, there’s nothing wrong with the mp3, clockcleaner likes to let songs bleed from one chord to another, which is why you need to pick up the entire record.)

for purposes of full disclosure, i should note that in addition to booking clockcleaner for shows, in the past i’ve handled a bit of publicity for them. im not a very good publicist because i hate hype but i gotta say nevermind, their new album out on repitilian (on which i am thanked in the liner notes but thats as far as my involvement goes) is definitely the best local release of this new year so far. seriously solid, totally offensive.

(Purchase Nevermind here.)

for those heading to sxsw, clockcleaner aren’t officially part of the festivities, but they’re down there. will the city be left standing? there’s only one way to find out:

March 19 2006 @ 8:00P at SXSW [with] Clorox Girls @ Beerland, Austin, TX

i know this might be for spyspace [oh come on, admit it, you used it too], but it just seems appropriate for any occaision, blog, etc.

It’s been about twenty years since their first single, so why not celebrate with another one? So says David First, “Any minute now we are about to receive the masters of our new single.” They’re also playing many shows during sxsw, so check them out.

» On the HJ hi-fi this week: I was flipping through my cds and couldn’t resist putting on Awek’s self-titled EP ’cause you know I dig the circa-1993 Chapel Hill vibe and that record displays it in full glory. They did two shows with Plain Parade during the Doc Watson days and boy were they F-U-N. [I vaguely recall waking up one morning with about 12-15 dudes in bands curled up in random spots on the third floor of my old house.] Since they’re defunct, here’s a little corner of the internet devoted to their memory. Also been addicted to The Even’s self-titled and Unrest’s Imperial FFRR in equal amounts and I fantasize about a day when Amy Farina and Bridget Cross will form a band together because that would be maybe the greatest girl band ever. [Esp. if you throw in Mary Timony on guitar!]

» My Chemical Romance = Nirvana? I’m not saying I buy this because I’m old and jaded, but the two don’t even begin to compare because MCR are so well-liked across the board by teens. Not to say that Nirvana weren’t popular back in the day ’cause I remember someone busting out “Smells Like Teen Spirit” at the MHS 8th grade dance but even then, only a couple of the kids were into it. [I believe this marks the first time I ever witnessed the dance craze known as the pogo.] It was only after Kurt’s suicide that suddenly everyone became a Nirvana fan. [you know, "Our Beatles".] I had a point to this, one more eloquent perhaps, but it just disappeared into the pseudoephedrinous fog known as my brain [sick?! again?!] about .000005 seconds ago. Maybe its this: Nirvana got you grounded, mocked by the teen pecking order but you found solace in amazing bands like the Raincoats and Vaselines; My Chemical Romance only makes you more popular on Myspace. Not sure where it leads you but that’s kind of the point, right?

its bad enough they had to play with trouble everyday last night — but this? way to go, philly.

and a word of advice to anyone who tours: bring your guitars in wherever you stay and make one of your bandmates sleep in the car. better safe than sorry, right?

Sorry for the multiple bulletins, but we’re just about ready lose our minds.

To recap, our van was stolen this morning around 8am from the Comfort Inn on Delaware Ave in Philadelphia. It was a white, 2003 Ford E-350, California license plates. ALL of our gear was taken. Here’s a list of what’s missing:

- 1966 Ludwig drum kit, blue sparkle
- 23″ Paiste ride cymbal
- 1976 Fender P-bass, no finish, beat down, Bartolini pick-up
- 1993 Gibson SG, black
- 1973 Fender Telecaster Deluxe, cream, with marble pickguard, humbuckers
- Fender Twin Reverb amp, 70’s silverface, master volume
- Fender Deville guitar amp
- early 70’s Ampeg SVT bass head with 2 massive metal handles on the sides
- Ampeg SVT 410HLF bass cabinet
- Peavey keyboard amp
- 3 boxes of effects: 2 Line 6 delay pedals, Memory Man Deluxe, Big Muff, SansAmp Bass DI, Rat, MXR distortion, Cry Baby wah, 2 Boss EQ pedals, Boss Digital Delay, 2 Boss Tuners. These were in 3 different suitcases.
- Kurzweil K2000 keyboard
- Boss Dr. Sample

If anyone in the Philadelphia area has any info where this stuff might surface we’d really appreciate it. Or, if you find our van or our gear we can pay you handsome reward. Seriously.

As for the rest of the tour, here’s what’s happening:

Wed-DC - cancelled
Thur-Providence - cancelled
Friday-Wellesely College - cancelled
Sat-Mercury Lounge - still on
Sun-Mercury Lounge - still on
Monday- Memphis - ???
all SXSW shows are still on.

If anything changes or the equipment fairy makes a special delivery I’ll post a bulletin here to let everyone know. Thanks to everyone who wrote to us. It really means a lot. Thanks again.

-Justin
Film School

I swear this hasn’t turned into an Oxford Collapse/Constantines fan page, though it probably feels like it recently. Trust me, there’s much more pressing matters to tend to, like how I saw Match Point last night, totally hated it and want to tell you why; or talk about how I need a haircut, etc.

Aaaanyway. This email is from my friend Doug Mosurock, who is a good dude. You know the drill — support the band, support Doug, yadda yadda yadda. Remember, when OXC are world famous, you can totally eBay this single for loads of scrilla.

Also, please give these nice guys and their tourmates a nice clean place to rest at night:

HEY. You remember that I put out records, right? It’s been a while. Someone tried to shut me down. But I’m BACK. And what a doozy I got here.

Oxford Collapse are one of my favorite bands in NYC, and probably the best bunch of guys to hang out with. They have worked hard over these last 5 years and are now, finally, reaping the benefits of that work — lots of touring with good bands, lots of decent press, and oh look — they just signed to Sub Pop. Awesome, good for them, they deserve it.

Anyway. To coordinate with this whole thing, I just released a brand new 7″ single by the boyz — two brand new songs (”Decking the Classics” and “Packed Churches”) in a crazy intricate looking paisley sleeve. This is a one-time pressing of 500 copies. No more! I look forward to selling all of these within the next month, so if you are interested in ordering one, here’s what to do:

* In the contintinental US, it’s $5 postage paid
* In Canada, it’s $6 postage paid
* In Europe or for the rest of the world, it’s $7.50 postage paid

Email Version City for a copy.

Likewise, if you’re in NYC, these will be available in stores by the weekend. Or you could find me and we can work something out in person, maybe.

Here are some tour dates for Oxford Collapse — they’ll be selling these at shows, so you could also go see them and maybe save some postage. This is the first round of shows, all with the amazing and loud PART CHIMP from London. They’ll be heading to the West Coast soon after with the Joggers, and perhaps to the UK after that.

Mar 09 New York, NY @ Knitting Factory Tap w/End of the World, Part Chimp
Mar 10 Pittsburgh, PA @ The Brillobox w/Centipede E’est, Part Chimp
Mar 11 Lansing, MI @ Mac’s Bar w/The Narrator, Part Chimp
Mar 12 Chicago, IL @ Beat Kitchen w/The Narrator, Plastic Constellations, Part Chimp
Mar 13 Louisville, KY @ Keswick Democratic Club w/Breather Resist, Part Chimp
Mar 14 Farmington, MO @ O’Aces Center Stage w/Sam Champion, Part Chimp
Mar 15 Dallas, TX @ Darkside Lounge w/Zombi, Ambulette, Part Chimp
Thu Mar 16 Austin, TX - SXSW AAM Party @ Habana Calle 6 (We play at 10PM!) w/His Name is Alive, Lavender Diamond, Golden Arm Trio, Nomo
Sat Mar 18 Austin, TX - SXSW Porchlight Pop Fest Day Party @ Mother Egan’s Pub (We play at 3:30) with likes of Aloha, Air Traffik Controllers, Swearing at Motorists, etc.
Sat Mar 18 Austin, TX - SXSW SECRET SHOW!!! OOOOOHHHH! @ Cream Vintage (day party we play around 5) w/Vietnam, Shy Child, Anna Kramer, a fir-ju well, Diamond Nights, We Are Scientists
Mar 19 Tallahassee, FL @ Beta Bar w/Part Chimp
Mar 20 Tampa, FL @ New World Brewery w/Part Chimp
Mar 21 Gainesville, FL @ Common Ground w/Part Chimp
Mar 22 Atlanta, GA @ Lenny’s w/Deerhunter, Part Chimp, First Nation
Mar 23 Wilmington, NC @ Soapbox Laundro-Lounge w/Part Chimp
Mar 24 Baltimore, MD @ The Ottobar w/Part Chimp, Dirty on Purpose
Mar 25 Boston, MA @ Great Scott w/Big Bear, Part Chimp
Mar 26 Brooklyn, NY @ Union Pool w/ Part Chimp, Die! Die! Die!

Yes, I totally have a copy of this and it’s worth picking up.

sorry, im having a total 90’s moment.

check out the never-released issues of dirt and sassy, if you havent already. i wonder how that book about sassy is coming along anyway.

your pals and mine, the oxford collapse, have signed with sub pop. (check the first paragraph, about 4 lines down.)

what are the proper keystrokes to signify squealing like a teenage girl and expressing the warmest congratulations to the band? oh, right:

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

» as you can see, housework was afoot here at the her jazz/plain parade think tank.

» instead of my usual friday night plans [ie, stay home], my friend lisa was in town so i gussied myself up and headed downtown to the khyber.

if i havent said it before, i love living in west philly because of the ample mass transit options available to us, even past midnight. so i got on the 42 and sat in front of a group of urban youths. before i go any further, if you’ve seen me lately you know my winter look can be best described with the following equation: this + this = crazy lady.

these youths must have sensed the inner hotness because they tried to holler at me. i sat there, playing a game on my cellphone and then one of them sat down next to me. seriously, WTF? he wasn’t even 18! on a bus! so i got up and moved.

» but the weirdness doesnt stop there. at the khyber, during ester drangs set, this one kid appeared to begin moshing. i thought, “well, brooding post-punk isnt moshworthy, but eh, to each their own.” not even a second later, the kid falls backward, like a gigantic tree. as i watched him go down, i knew this was serious. seizure? drugs? i dont know but i ran to the bar to get help. the staff got him outside but he disappeared into the ether. wherever he is, i hope he’s alright.

the band wasn’t entirely sure what was going on but continued to play. the room began to trickle out. strange vibes in that space, indeed.

» as i’ve mentioned before, in addition to appearing on a panel at sxsw this year, im covering the festival for a site. you can read all my previews [and forthcoming reviews] here. the site’s got some neat features, so check it out.