New Superchunk, Live CAKE, Melvins + L.A. Guns | Music News & a Surprise Email! (VIDEO)

This episode begins with some awesome news. I got an email from Mike Watt thanking me for the video I made a few weeks ago. He also shared the video on his Facebook page.

Next, there's new music from Superchunk and Juniper! You may remember that Juniper's album, 'She Steals Candy,' was my Number One of 2023. Well, when Juniper, herself, left home for college, it looked like that was the end of the band. However, there is, at least, one more song! Juniper covers Rick Springfield's "I've Done Everything For You." The new song can be found on a new Rick Springfield tribute album. 

Caught the long running San Francisco band, Cake, the other night at The Astro. I review that show; and touch on recent shows from L.A. Guns, Melvins, and Violenteer.

I have covered the band Violenteer in the past. I caught a different version of the band recently at a free show at O'Leaver's. They altered the band's name to Violin/tier, and had a guest vocalist (and maybe a new drummer?). It was cool. The "new" drummer is actually from a great local band called Pagan Athletes. That drummer also sang and played guitar in the opening band called Titus Groaners. Had never seen them before, but loved the brief set.

Lastly, I give a plug to my other channel Rock N Roll Book Club and tell you that the newest episode is about the Ione Skye memoir, "Say Everything."

Bob Mould & Mike Watt: Seeing Two Legends In the Same Week! LIVE Review (Clips, Photos) (VIDEO)

Friends, this video was a joy to make. I was able to see two of my musical idols in one week! I saw Bob Mould (Hüsker Dü, Sugar) and Mike Watt (Minutemen, fIREHOSE, The Stooges, Prono For Pyros).

I've been into the music of these two since I first heard them in the late 80s. I missed out on Hüsker Dü and Minutemen, but was absolutely there for Bob's solo career and for Sugar. With Watt, I saw fIREHOSE at least a dozen times, caught his first solo band with Dave Grohl and Eddie Vedder back in 1995, saw him in Banyan, and probably ten other bands, as well. I've had the good fortune to chat with both of them a couple of times over the years.

With this video, I wanted to discuss the shared history of Mould and Watt. Their friendship dates back to 1981. I also wanted to discuss the newest albums featuring both men - Bob's 'Here We Go Crazy' and MSSV's 'On and On.'

I then review both shows: Bob Mould Band on April 14 and MSSV on April 21. Two legends, one week. I hope you dig this big crux!

My 7 Day Weekend of Live Music!! (VIDEO)

Wow! What a freakin' week! Normally, the concert season doesn't start around here (Omaha) until Winter is over and everything thaws out. Not so much in 2024. This video documents a pretty wild week where I saw five different shows in seven days!

Porno For Pyros hit the brand new venue, The Astro. Despite being a Jane's Addiction fan since the late 80s, I never actually saw PFP after Jane's broke up. For the "final" tour, PFP added Mike Watt (Minutemen, fIREHOSE, The Stooges) on bass, and that made the show mandatory for me! Opening the show was a UK band called TigerCub.

Veteran indie rockers, Yo La Tengo, returned to The Waiting Room for "An Evening with Yo La Tengo." The band did two separate sets - one quiet, one loud - and there was no opener. No matter how many times I see YLT in concert, they never cease to amaze.    

David Nance released his newest LP, David Nance & Mowed Sound, recently on Jack White's Third Man Records. He had a record release show at Reverb Lounge. Vinyl community members will recognize Dereck Higgins on bass. He played on the LP, and performs with the band when they play locally.

The last two shows I cover in today's video (Living Colour, Matthew Sweet) both have their own video reviews with lots more clips and photos.

Porno For Pyros LIVE at The Astro 2/24/24 (PHOTOS)

Porno For Pyros, the band formed by Perry Ferrell and Stephen Perkins after the initial break-up of Jane's Addiction in 1992, played at The Astro on Saturday, February 24. This show was a little bittersweet for me. It was my first time seeing PFP, as a long time Jane's fan. However, this tour is being billed as PFP's "final," so it is likely to be my last time seeing them, as well.

Returning on bass was Mike Watt (Minutemen, fIREHOSE, The Stooges). Watt has never been an official member of Porno For Pyros, but he did play bass on some of the band's second album, Good God's Urge, and has toured with them in the past.

Dark Stuff Update October '23: NEW Music // Concert Reviews // Music News (VIDEO)

It's been a busy couple of weeks here at the Dark Stuff -- lots of concerts and lots of new music. First off, I caught New Jersey veterans, The Gaslight Anthem. They played in a brand new venue called The Astro (https://theastrotheater.com/) in LaVista, Nebraska. 

Just a few days before that, I caught MSSV (https://mainsteamstopvalve.com/) which is a trio featuring Mike Watt (Minutemen, fIREHOSE, The Stooges), drummer Stephen Hodges (Tom Waits, T Bone Burnett, David Lynch) and guitarist Mike Baggetta. MSSV is another fantastic entry into Mike Watt's lengthy musical resume. Opening the show was the band Bad Bad Men (https://badbadmen.bandcamp.com/).

In my last update, I suggested that I might go to see Weakened Friends (https://www.weakenedfriends.com/), a new indie rock trio from Portland, Maine. Turns out that I did go see them, and loved them! Opening the show was a cool local band that I was unfamiliar with called Ojai (https://ojai.bandcamp.com/). 

I briefly talk about some new releases that I've been digging, most notable is the new album from The Mommyheads called 'Coney Island Kid.' Long time viewers of the channel know that I cover every new release from The Mommyheads and have been a fan since the early 90s. If you haven't watched my interview with Mommyheads singer/guitarist Adam Elk, make sure to check it out to learn the band's lengthy history: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofZAbydK4SA&t=0s.

All Mommyheads albums can be purchased through bandcamp: https://mommyheads.bandcamp.com/.

After ALL that, I still find time to update you about some upcoming videos and projects here at The Dark Stuff. 

Mike Watt with MSSV at Reverb Lounge, Omaha 9/28/23 (PHOTOS)

Mike Baggetta, Stephen Hodges, and Mike Watt are MSSV

Had the pleasure of seeing MSSV last night at Reverb. MSSV is the current band featuring Mike Watt (Minutemen, fIREHOSE, Stooges) along with Stephen Hodges and Mike Baggetta. This "power trio" had a very jazz fusion type of sound, and all three musicians were top notch players. 

I will admit that when I saw Mike Watt enter the club, I was concerned. Watt was very thin and seemed a little frail. Though he performed while sitting down, his playing was as intense as ever. The band was very good!

I'll have more detail and some video on YouTube soon.

Mike Watt Live at Reverb Lounge, September 30, 2019 (PHOTO)

Mike Watt at Reverb Lounge, Omaha, NE, September 30, 2019. Watt's current band, MSSV, is playing at Reverb on Thursday, September 28, 2023. Buy tickets here.

 

fIREHOSE To Reunite For Coachella

Rumors had been swirling around the interweb that seminal punk/funk/folk band fIREHOSE would reunite for some concerts in 2012. The band, featuring ex-Minutemen Mike Watt and George Hurley along with Ed "fROMOHIO" Crawford, played from 1986 until 1994, and made five full length albums and two EPs.

Since the break-up of fIREHOSE, Mike Watt has rarely discussed the band, though he often still talks about Minutemen, and his solo career. George Hurley and Ed Crawford have largely disappeared from public life. According to Verbicide Magazine, a reunion show has already been booked for Sacramento, California in April. fIREHOSE is also on the schedule for this year's Coachella Music Festival in Indio, California.

So far, there is no information on any shows beyond these. Fingers crossed.

D. Boon Passed Away 26 Years Ago Today

Today marks the 26th anniversary of the untimely passing of Minutemen frontman D. Boon. It is still a huge loss all these years later.

Happy Birthday to D. Boon

D. Boon (April 1, 1958 - December 23, 1985) was the singer and guitarist for legendary punk band, Minutemen. He was also a political activist and an artist. It is impossible to overstate the importance of Boon to the music of today. His anthemic, politically charged songs created the blueprint for political bands that came afterward (i.e. Rage Against the Machine); while his sound (a mix of punk, funk, and hard rock) has inspired everyone from Red Hot Chili Peppers to Sonic Youth to Public Enemy and nearly everyone claiming to be playing "alternative rock."

Rolling Stone published an article last year called Remembering D. Boon and the Minutemen. Read it here.

Here is one of the best known and iconic Minutemen videos for "This Ain't No Picnic."

Tune In To "New Day Rising" TODAY

Tune in to my radio show, New Day Rising, today from 2:30-5 pm Central. In the Omaha area, the show is on 89.7 FM. For everyone else, it is streaming live at 897TheRiver.com.

Today, I will be bringing you music from The Kills, Funeral Party, Mogwai, Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears, Mike Watt, Fiona Apple, Poster Children, plus an artist spotlight on New York Dolls.

Check out the show's Facebook page: Facebook.com/NewDayRisingShow

Mike Watt To Release Third Rock Opera

Punk rock legend Mike Watt (Minutemen, fIREHOSE, Stooges) is set to release his third rock opera this Spring entitled, Hyphenated-Man. Watt and his band, The Missing Men, will be hitting the road in another one of his marathon touring sessions beginning March 10 in Santa Barbara, California.

Watt hits Omaha on Tuesday, April 19 at Slowdown. Check here for the rest of the dates.

Mike Watt Show Re-Cap

Believe it or not, I actually left my crib last weekend and made it out to the Waiting Room for the Mike Watt & the Missing Men show. Super glad I did. I've been a fan of Watt/fIREHOSE/Minutemen for going on 20 years, but it has been more than 10 since I'd seen him live. Some of that was due to Watt's tenure with The Stooges, and part of it was due to Watt being sidelined with an injury for a long time. Whatever the reason, it was good to see the guy again.

Watt's new band is stellar, and that is saying a lot considering some of the people he has played with over the years. I was tipped off by a friend of mine from Minneapolis that Watt's set would be featuring a ton of Minutemen songs. He also said that Grant Hart and Greg Norton (formerly of Husker Du) joined Watt on stage for the encores. For serious Husker Du fans, this was big because the two had not performed together since the last Husker show in December 1987. Whoah.

Former Husker Du bassist Greg Norton 5/16/09 @ The Waiting Room, Omaha

But that kind of thing happens often in cities like Minneapolis or New York or LA, but rarely in a place like Omaha (unless you count the occasional Conor Oberst or Cursive surprise shows). Saturday night was an exception to that rule, as Greg Norton followed Watt down to the Big O, and surprised the audience with an impromptu solo set before Watt played. The "set" was really just Greg noodling on the bass and hitting the drums for a few minutes, but hey, I never got to see Husker Du, so this was the first time I'd ever seen the guy in person!

Norton remained on stage for the first couple of Watt's songs, and then hung out in the crowd pogo-ing and shouting out Minutemen song titles. I think he really enjoyed getting back out there.

As I mentioned earlier, Watt's new band is stellar. And like my friend told me, the set was full of Minutemen songs. But nothing from fIREHOSE and nothing from Watt's first two solo albums (I don't own the third as it is pretty bad). Ever since fIREHOSE broke up in 1994, Watt has acted as if that band never existed. He never plays those songs, and he never talks fondly about the records, the tours, nothing. I wanted to ask him about this, but instead, decided to yell out "Makin' the Freeway" whenever it got quiet (I figured that was a fH song that Watt could still perform). Didn't help.

Greg Norton re-joined the band for the encores, which of course, featured "The Red and the Black" from Blue Oyster Cult. Afterward, I decided against chatting up either Norton or Watt as I was pretty exhausted and pretty deaf (I was standing in front of a speaker most of the time). But I am super psyched to have been there, and am very much looking forward to hearing Mike Watt's next album. As you might have guessed, Husker Du has been getting a shit ton of plays on my ipod since then, and I opened Sunday night's radio show with "Flip Your Wig."

Mike Watt (l) and Greg Norton 5/16/09 @ The Waiting Room, Omaha