Rock of Aging Episode 1: Heavy Metal Time Machine (VIDEO)

Today's episode is the first in a new series here at The Dark Stuff called  "Rock of Aging." In this new series, my co-host Erika and I will be exploring the depths of our "hair metal" past as well as trying to discover what it is about the music of that era that has kept us captivated for decades.

Our plan is to post a new episode of the show on the 10th of every month! To learn more about Erika, check out her podcast, A92A: https://www.a92a.life/

Because it's the first episode of the series, we begin with a series of five questions for Erika so the audience can learn a little bit about her and her musical taste.

Next up, we engage in a heavy metal thought exercise. In it, we imagine where we would go and what we would see if given a time machine and the ability to see any past concert or tour. Where would you choose? The Beatles at Shea Stadium, Bob Dylan at Cafe Wha, Van Halen at The Whiskey? The choices are endless.

First Video of the New Year! Bangles, Belly, Silversun Pickups, Violenteer, The Fluid + MORE!!! (VIDEO)

Thanks for stopping by to watch my first video of the new year! In this edition of "This Year's Week," I offer up a preview of my road trip to see Vicki & Debbi Peterson of The Bangles! I also have a new Dark Stuff Playlist for January, and some updates to the channel.

Next I have some live footage from the recent Violenteer record release show at Reverb. Also on the bill was Bad Bad Men. Violenteer's music can be found on the streamers or on their bandcamp: https://violenteer.bandcamp.com/ 

The video closes out with a little bit of music news on The Magnolias and The Fluid.

R.I.P. Bob "Slim" Dunlap (1951-2024) // The Replacements (VIDEO)

Thanks for stopping by to watch my latest video. Today is a sad one, my friends. Bob "Slim" Dunlap has died today at the age of 73. Bob is best known for his time as the lead guitarist of The Replacements (1986-1991), but he was a Twin Cities music legend many years prior to that. 

In the 1990s, after The Replacements broke up, Dunlap recorded two solo albums, "Times Like These" and "The Old New Me." He suffered a serious stroke in 2012 and has been unable to perform since then. 

Dunlap's time in The Replacements has been recently featured on the double live album, "The Complete Inconcerated Live," and on the box set, "Dead Man's Pop." Rest In Peace, Bob.

VIOLENTEER / BAD BAD MEN Live at Reverb, Omaha, 12/7/24

These photos are all from the record release show for the new EP from Violenteer. The Omaha band has just released an excellent new self-titled 12". The band's sound recalls classic 90s era Touch & Go Records bands. Unlike most of those bands, Violenteer has no guitarist, and instead utilizes two bass players. The music is heavy, dark, and moody. It's quite good. Violenteer's lead singer, Steve Tulipana, also sings for the similarly inspired band, Season To Risk.

Violenteer at Reverb, Omaha, NE 12/7/24

Violenteer's music can be found on the streamers, and can be purchased on their bandcamp page. 

Bad Bad Men opened the show. BBM's most recent album is called "Messed Up."

Top 20 Albums of 2024 (VIDEO)

Folks, it's my favorite time of year...Best of season! So, here is my annual contribution to the cause! As always, I begin with a quick video montage of 20-11, and then I join you to discuss the Top 10. Here are playlists with a couple of songs from the Top 20 albums:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1n9rUoX9O6lvN7aHtnfAdG?si=0c4724443de148e3

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/best-of-2024/pl.u-11zBDygS6RzqY  

Dark Stuff: RSD Black Friday / New Vinyl Pickups / Speed! Nebraska / New Playlist (VIDEO)

In this edition of "This Year's Week," we hit the record release show for Speed! Lightning 500: new compilation of Nebraska bands from Speed! Nebraska Records. I caught "most" of the show, but had to take a burrito break, and missed a band I wanted to see.

Make sure to check out the latest Dark Stuff Playlist for December 2024!

  

I finally received my copy of the new Susanna Hoffs LP, The Lost Record. Just in time for best of the year consideration!

This Fall's Record Store Day (black Friday) was a total bust for me. I bought nothing. But I did hit a used store and grabbed some unexpectedly great stuff.

The newest episode of ‪Rock N Roll Book Club‬ has just dropped. This month, we read Sly Stone's memoir, "Thank You (Falletinme Be Mice Elf Agin)." Next month is "The Witch's Daughter" from Orenda Fink.

Last up, I offer up a quick preview of some of the stuff I'm currently working on. There's some stuff I'm very excited about that will be premiering next month.

Dark Stuff Playlist December 2024 (Apple and Spotify)

 Spotify:

Apple:

The Mommyheads: Interview with Adam Elk // One Eyed Band // Indie/Prog (VIDEO)

This week, Adam Elk from The Mommyheads returns to The Dark Stuff to talk about his band's newest album, 'One Eyed Band.'

The Mommyheads are a New York band whose sound straddles the line between XTC-style pop and prog rock. I have been a fan of the band since the mid 90s when I first heard the EP, 'Flying Suit.' In my previous interview with Adam, we discussed the band's history: forming in NYC in the late 80s, moving to San Francisco, signing to Geffen Records, breaking up, and ultimately getting back together. I recommend you check out that video for some history (and please excuse my pandemic beard).

The Mommyheads have just released their 16th album, 'One Eyed Band.' It's another in a long line of fantastic albums; and Adam explains some of the themes and ideas behind the new record.

The best place to find the band's music is bandcamp: https://mommyheads.bandcamp.com/

Or their website: https://www.mommyheads.com/

See Through Dresses LIVE at Reverb Lounge, Omaha, 114/15/24 (PHOTOS)

 

Sara Bertuldo of See Through Dresses

Omaha's favorite dream pop band, See Through Dresses, returned from their hiatus for a show at Reverb Lounge in Omaha. The band even came armed with new songs! Sara claimed that this show was their "Go Fund Me" for the next album. Can't wait. Video forthcoming on my Youtube channel.

Bassist Alex Kirts

Drummer Nate Van Fleet

Singer/guitarist Matt Carroll

The 15 Greatest American Bands of All Time (VIDEO)

 

Dark Stuff Playlist November 2024 (Apple and Spotify)

 

 

Spotify:

SUPERCHUNK / MDOU MOCTAR Live!! Two Night Stand! (VIDEO)

This week, I'm reviewing two EPIC concerts that happened back to back in the same venue in my hometown of Omaha.

First night was Mdou Moctar. This is some of the most amazing guitar music I've ever heard. It is hard for me to describe the trance like state the music can put you in. Hopefully, my video clips do it justice. The band records for legendary indie label, Matador Records. 

Opening the show was Rosali. While Rosali herself is based in North Carolina and records for Merge Records, her band is from Omaha. These guys were amazing, as usual. They remind me of Aimee Mann fronting Crazy Horse. Seriously.

Night 2 belonged to Superchunk! To say I really needed this show would be the understatement of the year. Superchunk is one of "my bands" -- and I have been ride or die with them since 1991. But, I hadn't seen then since 2010; and the line-up these days looks kinda different than it did back then. Didn't matter. The show was completely cathartic for me, and it let loose a lot of feeling. I really dug seeing Superchunk again. It made me so happy.

Australian indie rockers Quivers was the opener. Great band with a fondness for R.E.M. - I'll take it. I bought the split 7" with Quivers and Superchunk being sold at the merch table. Plus, the guys were nice to me when I made the faux pas of saying Alvvays is from Australia.

SUPERCHUNK / QUIVERS @ Waiting Room, Omaha, NE 10/17/24 (PHOTOS)

Here are some of my favorite photos from the Superchunk / Quivers show at Waiting Room in Omaha, on October 17, 2024

Hit the Dark Stuff YouTube page for videos from the show: https://www.youtube.com/@Thedarkstuff
 

Mac McCaughan

Laura King is the new drummer

Jim Wilbur

Jason Narducy

Opening the show was Melbourne, Australia's QUIVERS

Bassist Bella Quinlan

Rock N Roll Book Club Episode 12 - "Confess" by Rob Halford // Judas Priest / booktube (VIDEO)

For Episode 12, we’re raising devil horns high in the air to salute the Metal God himself, Rob Halford. His memoir, “Confess,” takes us from his early life in Walsall, England, to becoming the lead singer of Judas Priest, one of the greatest heavy metal bands of all time.

But this isn’t your typical sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll tale (although we do hear about trysts in public bathrooms and piles — literal piles — of cocaine). What most people didn’t know, until he casually revealed it on MTV in 1998, is that Halford is gay. To Halford’s credit, this book takes us on a much different autobiographical journey than you might expect from one of the founding fathers of metal.

Here’s what to expect in the episode:

The gang discusses:

— The discovery of Halford’s golden vocal chords in elementary school

— The hostile environment gay people, including Halford, dealt with in the 20 th

century

— Whether Judas Priest would have been as successful if Halford had come out

sooner

— Metal culture vis-à-vis “Heavy Metal Parking Lot”

— Rob’s (often tragic) relationships

— Glory hole etiquette

— Business tips for drug dealers

— Coming out, getting sober, and other amazing feats of Halford’s strength

— How underwear was a sign from the beyond

— Did Halford’s bandmates know he was gay the whole time?

— Can you quit a band via fax?

MJ LENDERMAN / M WARD Live / New Susanna Hoffs / Omaha Record Show /Jane's Addiction / Jesse Malin (VIDEO)

In the newest edition of "This Year's Week," I report on recent shows from M.J. Lenderman and M. Ward (pretty much all the M's), as well as a new release from Susanna Hoffs, and my trip to the Omaha Record Show. Make sure to watch until the end to see Blackie O and myself visit a cat groomer for the first time...

M.J. Lenderman is one of the most buzzed about indie artists of 2024. His new album, Manning Fireworks, is drawing comparisons to Neil Young and Paul Westerberg. Lenderman is featured on the newest Waxahatchee record, so he will be all over every critic's "best of" list for 2024. He played at The Waiting Room along with Ryan Davis and the Roadhouse Band.

Indie legend M. Ward returned to Omaha for the first time in 15 years for a show at Waiting Room. He's touring in support of a new greatest hits album. Shelley from ‪RockNRollBookClub‬ and I hit the very subdued show and enjoyed the music trip down memory lane. 

Susanna Hoffs is releasing a new solo record, The Lost Record, on October 18. These tracks were being worked on at the end of the 90s, but were never completed once The Bangles reunion happened. Note that October 18 is the day it will be available to stream. The vinyl will be released at the end of November.

Susanna Hoffs also appears on the new tribute album to Jesse Malin called 'Silver Patron Saints.' She appears alongside Bruce Springsteen, Tommy Stinson, Billie Joe Armstrong, Ian Hunter, and many more. It's a fantastic collection.

After showing some pickups from the recent Omaha record show, I give my (a little less than) two cents on the break-up of Jane's Addiction.

At the very end of the video, come along with me and Blackie O to The Grand Feline Hotel & Salon. In 30 years of cat ownership, I had never been to a cat groomer. There's a first time for everything, folks.