The Long Stairs just dropped a new single "The Spotless Mind"
Give it a listen here:
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Tuesday, April 30, 2019
Sunday, April 28, 2019
Interview with The Obscenities
INTERVIEW WITH...
THE OBSCENITIES
One of the wildest local bands I've ever seen is The Obscenities. They're a true punk band, led by bassist/lead singer Dee Putman. The Obscenities just put out an excellent cassette the Dirt Nap EP on Painters Tapes, and Dee's also got a sick youtube channel and is one of the funniest people around.
Remove Records: Tell us somethings about yourself and your project.
Dee: I play bass and I’m the lead vocalist in a band called the Obscenities, which is a punk band I started with my best friend, Craig Garwood, years ago when we were just teenagers. It kinda started as a joke band inspired by the ridiculous excesses of punk, in the vein of GG Allin & The Meatmen. Basically it was a parody of really offensive & dumb punk. The band is on hold right now though. I’m trying to focus on other shit.
What are some of your musical influences? And what are some non-musical influences?
I love The Ramones & The Velvet Underground, they’re my two main idols. I also love James Brown & Charles Bradley. It’d be cool to be a soul singer but I can’t sing or dance. I also take a lot of influence from the Dead Milkmen, NOFX, DEVO, Big Boys, Minutemen, Toy Dolls, NoMeansNo, Jay Reatard, Erik Nervous and my friend’s bands Toeheads, The Waterheads, The Stools, Noise Bleed, Craig Garwood, The Long Stairs. I take outside influences from whatever; myself, people around me, etc. Most of the early Obscenities songs Craig & I wrote from just watching TV, getting drunk, and making each other laugh.
What are your favorite venues?
I don’t know, really. None stick out to me. Most venues, especially DIY venues, kinda fucking suck. Though I have enjoyed playing The Windsor Beer Exchange, Beaconsfield House, Ham House, & The Sanctuary. It’d be cool to play the Magic Stick one day.
What advice would you give to someone just starting out in music/ art?
Who am I to tell people what to do? I’m a fucking idiot! I guess my advice would be to just do it. You can’t fail at artistic expression. Don’t think about the “why nots”.
What messages or themes are you trying to convey through your music/art?
I don’t concern myself with messages. I just make music/art because I’m driven to do so.
What are you working on next?
Recording new music and making a film. Maybe starting some new projects.
How do you feel about the future of music/art?
In the future art will be irrelevant, in its place will be competitive hotdog eating; everyone will have their own TV show. People will be pissing in the streets and public guillotine executions will make a come-back.
Thursday, April 25, 2019
Interview with Just Guys Being Dudes
INTERVIEW WITH...
JUST GUYS BEING DUDES
JUST GUYS BEING DUDES
Dude! Today we’re lucky enough to speak with both members of the Detroit based Psycho-Delic Punk duo Just Guys Being Dudes, Guitarist/Vocalist Michael “Nips” Kolesky and Drummer/Violinist Jordan Teets. These guys are prolific dudes, they released their last record The Sound You Want, The Noise You Don’t in December of last year and already have another project recorded, soon to be released. They also host epic house shows/parties.
Nips: I front the two piece experimental garage band Just Guys Being Dudes. My name was given to me freshman year of high school by a guy I wouldn’t become friends with until a few months later. I was wearing a James Dean t-shirt. And it was a little small for me. And then there was Nips. I started doing solo mixtapes in high school. And performed solo for a little bit until Jordan offered if I wanted drums sometime he could back me on djembe. We played a couple gigs like that before Jordan impulsively bought a full kit and taught himself to play. We dubbed it psycho-delic music. It’s messy. It’s primitive. But still rooted in psychedelia and early punk.
Jordan: So it was my dream since I was probably 6 to play drums. The movie, “That Thing You Do” was a huge influence. My parents said drums were too big, too loud, and too expensive. They weren’t really wrong. I played violin growing up, private lessons then school orchestra. Fast forward to almost two years ago, I was going to Nips’s solo shows at The Ritz, he was amazing up on stage, jamming with just his electric guitar and electric lyrics. I had previously acquired a djembe just to jam on, and I knew he needed a drummer. I figured why not and he invited me up on stage for the next couple shows, kind of an odd duo. I then bought my first drum set with my tax return and it took off from there. We started practicing At least once a week. Recorded our first album within a couple months. I’ll never forget after our first show, my brother said, “So Jordan, how are you instantly good at drums?” All credit goes to Nips. He’s the foundation, he rhythmically holds the beat, and I just hit shit. We kept playing shows, practicing, recording more. Literally living a fantasy. I could play to an empty room at every show and have a blast. Nips is the best band leader. He does everything. The songs are his brain children, he invents the actual music, does all the networking, sets up all the shows/recording/merchandising. I just show up and hit shit and it’s a blast. Often times it seriously does feel surreal, and I can’t believe I’m lucky enough to do all this.What are some of your musical influences? And what are some non-musical influences?
Nips: The artist that really did it for me was Daniel Johnston. Hence the psycho element. The music is all about expression. It’s a release. Sound wise we spent a lot of early practices listening to Half Japanese. Playing style and tone that’s where a lot of it came from. I remember in high school learning about the Fluxus movement. And it was all about impulse art. Lyrically, my influences go back to my start with writing poetry and stories. Stylistically I was always into the sporadicness of Hunter S. Thompson and William S. Burroughs. But Charles Bukowski probably had the most influence with the dirty realism. I don’t like masking things in metaphors. I try to stay up front and real with all the grime. Somewhere on Youtube there’s a playlist of our top influences. It doesn’t matter what you make as long as you’re putting your all into it. All our album titles are quotes from lyrics or interviews too.
Jordan: 70’s rock, from Lyrnard to Crosby stills Nash young to Rod Stewart to yea, just all of it haha. Indie/alternative/punk rock. Mindless self indulgence. Something corporate/jack’s mannequin. Grizzly Bear. Radiohead. All of Nips’s music, like SWMRS. Also I like techno and edm and funk. From dubfire, to griz, to zeds dead, to the floozies. I already mentioned the movie “that thing you do.” Jimmy Hendrix and his drummer Mitch Mitchell May be my favorite’s ever.
What are your favorite venues?
Nips: Outer Limits or the Old Miami would have to be mine. Their lowkey. Kinda dingy. All the eclectic decorations. It just feels very homey when you’re sitting there. Good vibes.
Jordan: Hamtramck: outer limits, corner bar, various others we play at. Detroit: old Miami. The majestic/magic stick. Masonic temple. Hart plaza during movement. I don’t know if this counts, but Electric Forest is just incredible.
What advice would you give to someone just starting out in music/ art?
Nips: I received this advice from the band Carjack. when we played with them at Cadieux Cafe. Put out whatever comes to you. Don’t worry about if people are gonna like. Don’t try to modify it to make it more appealing. Create what comes. The people that will dig it will find it.
Jordan: Have fun. If you’re in it to try and make money, it won’t be fun and won’t work and you should probably just stop. You honestly have to accept that you’re not going to make it big. That mindset, for me at least, gives it all a lighter feel, and makes it a fucking blast. It’s all about just following your passion and having a good time. You don’t need a big crowd to have fun. The whole experience is fun, and it’s cool to have your name on real CD’s and stickers and tapes and pins. Don’t stop pursuing the dream and making a name, but don’t put too much pressure on yourself.
What messages or themes are you trying to convey through your music/art?
Nips: So the band name is our ideology. It came from a Vine. The guy says “guys being dudes. What’s better than this?” And that’s all we’re trying to do. Just hang out and have a real cool time ya know? Enjoy this shit while we can. And that’s what I explore a lot in the lyrics. Life can be a drag. But in spite of the constant shit show, just cut loose and do what feels right. Don’t get so hung up on what it all means that you never take the time to enjoy yourself. FIDLAR man. Fuck it dad, life’s a risk.
Jordan: Though Nips writes all the guitar parts and lyrics, I feel as though he’s somehow extracted a lot of what I feel through a tube to my brain. I deal with bi-polar disorder, and a lot of the mental anguish he talks about in his songs I feel. It’s actually kind of weird, he can describe my depressed or anxious thoughts better than I can, and he’s not even trying to describe me. Also the songs still have a light, darkly comical feel to a lot of them. I also like the simplicity of a lot of the “poems with a wrif and beat” type songs, (smoke like a poet, I am the blues). All in all, it’s like a, life can really suck but we’re gunna live it up the best we can, type vibe.
What are you working on next?
Nips: We just recorded a ten song album with a buddy of ours at Wayne State. Waiting for him to mix and master them. We’re calling it One More for Dessert. Hoping to get it out before summer.
Jordan: Lol ask Nips. No but seriously. We have more shows and house shows/parties coming up, almost 3 a month now. New T-shirt’s might be cool. We have an ep recorded, our friend just needs to mix it. I’m always trying to get Nips to let us revamp some more of his old solo stuff. I also wouldn’t mind completely re-recording No More Sucka Music, as I feel I was pretty bad back then, and those songs deserve better than what I was able to produce.
How do you feel about the future of music/art?
Nips: I think right now is really fucking great time for music and art. For better or for worse, with sites like Bandcamp, Instagram, and what not it’s so much easier to be heard and get a voice. It’s so much easier to record, produce, release, and spread work now and people are realizing they can take advantage of that. Anybody can have their music on Apple and Spotify now too. The means to show your work are so accesible and think that means a lotta people are going to be able to be heard. Regardless how that might affect the quality of work, it’s helping bring people together and spread people’s work.Jordan: The possibilities really are endless. It changes so much and so fast nowadays, with evermore genres. I really do like it all, from rap to country, just depends on my mood. So I like where it’s been, it’s so cool that we have the different decades of music, but also really cool that it’s expanding so much. It’s also kind of cool/strange that the “popular mainstream” stuff is widely considered bad to people who actually appreciate music, (which is totally different than music 80’s and prior). So it’s a completely different world, with everyone easily able to find what they like, and everything being free, and edm, and just everything. Who knows man. It’s probably just going to keep expanding and pushing limits, getting more creative. The same sort of goes for all art. Pushing boundaries. Getting weird. Yet new crazy breathtaking things like giant hanging glass sculptures and incorporating lights. I’m also very into woodworking. Art is what makes us human.
Sunday, April 21, 2019
Interview with NO FIX
INTERVIEW WITH...
NO FIX
Matthew Menard is the brains behind NO FIX, who just released the excellent Toxic Adult Demo. He is in many bands in the Detroit/Windsor scene, one of my personal favorites being the psychedelic-hardcore band Psychic Void. We want to thank Matthew for taking the time to talk with us about NO FIX and a bunch of other stuff.
Remove Records: Tell us somethings about yourself and your project.
Matthew: I am simply another marsupial making his way through this dry, treacherous landscape. I've done some things, I've gotten myself into debt, and made some friends along the way. My current commitments are Brain Itch, Psychic Void and Disco Assault but this particular project NO FIX, is something I've been working on low key for a while. It's a direct source of me. As of lately, It's started to surface a bit more and I even released a cassette tape.
What are some of your musical influences? And what are some non-musical influences? First song I ever learned on the drums was "Riot" by The Casualties... I love early 80's hardcore/punk and new wave indie stuff. But If I were ever stranded on an island and had to take one discography with me, It would be Black Sabbath (With Ozzy). It's really quite overwhelming these days but there is so many good bands and so much creativity going, I'm influenced by everything. But mostly my close friends and my dog, I do it all for him.
What are your favorite venues? I'm lucky to have grown up next to Detroit. Definitely my favourite place to see live shows. I love Trumbullplex and what they do. I think it's all about the DIY spirit. Places like the Precinct, and house shows. Coop Katacombes in Montreal is pretty amazing too. Also anywhere that has something to skate in the bar...
What advice would you give to someone just starting out in music/ art? I'm not sure the kids would wanna hear it from me. I think they've got it all figured out. The kids are gunna be alright.
What messages or themes are you trying to convey through your music/art? We need to transcend beyond social tradition and cultural stereotypes, Personal growth should not be negatively received, and this whole thing is about perspective so try putting yourself in someone else's shoes. Also, try riding a skateboard.
What are you working on next? when I get the chance, I am going to be recording a few more demo's over at Kaiser Sound Production In Windsor, ON and hopefully have an official EP released in the next little while.
How do you feel about the future of music/art?
As crazy as things are right now, I think we are living in an exceptionally creative time. It almost feels like there are no boundary's and as over saturated as it may seem at times, you can really go anywhere and find what makes sense to you. I am pretty optimistic about the whole thing but it is unfortunate to see some of the transitions that have taken place, for sure. Just the over throw of technology sort of watering down the purity of where it all came from and the live show experience. It may make it difficult for the artist to make a living for their craft but at the same time we can start a whole online store with little overhead so its kind of what you make of it. I'm hopeful for the arts but I am quite uncertain what the next 10 years have in store for us socially.
What are you working on next? when I get the chance, I am going to be recording a few more demo's over at Kaiser Sound Production In Windsor, ON and hopefully have an official EP released in the next little while. How do you feel about the future of music/art?
As crazy as things are right now, I think we are living in an exceptionally creative time. It almost feels like there are no boundary's and as over saturated as it may seem at times, you can really go anywhere and find what makes sense to you. I am pretty optimistic about the whole thing but it is unfortunate to see some of the transitions that have taken place, for sure. Just the over throw of technology sort of watering down the purity of where it all came from and the live show experience. It may make it difficult for the artist to make a living for their craft but at the same time we can start a whole online store with little overhead so its kind of what you make of it. I'm hopeful for the arts but I am quite uncertain what the next 10 years have in store for us socially.
Thursday, April 18, 2019
Interview with Oh Oh Ecstasy
AN INTERVIEW WITH...
OH OH ECSTASY
Oh Oh Ecstasy is a New York based band led by Peter Carlovich. The band has released almost 20 projects over the past decade and Oh Oh Ecstasy don't seem to be slowing down with an album OOX scheduled to release later this year. I love New York and this was a big deal to land an interview with a New York band, one with a long past and a bright future.
Remove Records: Tell us somethings about yourself and your project.
Peter: I started the band in 2010 when I was still in high school. I was originally influenced by the NYC DIY scene particularly surrounding the Captured Tracks artists. The first stuff we released was that sort of surf rock driven post-punk mixed with mellow surfy sounds a la Real Estate. I soon after got into DIY Cassette Culture and took huge inspiration from one-person recording artists like Ariel Pink and R. Stevie Moore; it changed my whole perspective. I love all types of music and I love making songs vastly different from each other and even doing vastly different styles within the same song. For the next six years I spent endless hours recording while dealing with a lot of personal issues and released loads of music, including unfinished songs and sound experiments. At first, live performance was not my focus. I thought of it as a necessary evil, but through the discovery of performance art, it sprouted my interest in thought-provoking spectacle that parallels my recording techniques. The band has always been made up of a rotating door of friends and it wasn’t until 2016 when I began to solidify my lineup, which fell into place by late 2018. Now I’m working with a new (hopefully) fixed lineup with Savanna Boyer, David Klestadt, Ben Weitz, Ross Pannebecker, Jack Moulton and Djoulde Saul. We’re recording an album currently that has songs for the first time that were written with an entire band contributing, so I’m excited for that.
What are some of your musical influences? And what are some non-musical influences? As I mentioned before, Ariel Pink and R Stevie Moore are big influences in the way I operate the band and execute it. Also: Todd Rundgren, Tonstartssbandht, Marvin Gaye, Frank Zappa, Can, Captain Beefheart, Flaming Lips, The Cure, 45 Grave, Swans, Hailu Mergia, William Onyeabor, Pink Floyd... Recently I’ve been getting into Ministry and Skinny Puppy because those bands are so aggressive but still completely art driven, and I’ve been wanting to explore a more aggressive driven sound myself that accompanies my already dark lyrics. Non-musical Influences are death, weed, altered states of consciousness, impressionist paintings, horror movies, fuzzy tv screens, weird cartoons, Andy Kaufman, Stanley Kubrick, Nicholas Cage, David Lynch, Dario Argento.... the list goes on. What are your favorite venues?
We loved playing at Elsewhere and Baby’s Alright in Brooklyn. We played at a place called Friendship Mountain in South New Jersey and it is maybe my favorite DIY spot I’ve ever been to. I love seeing shows at The Glove and Market Hotel but we haven’t played there yet; hoping to soon. Obligatory nod also to The Bowery Electric. I terribly miss 285 Kent, Death By Audio and Aviv.
I would say, be yourself, explore your unique quirks that can add something special to the mix, don’t take yourself too seriously, and don’t stick to one style of music or limit yourself. If you have a feeling to do something that is out of your comfort zone, take the risk and don’t care what people say about it.
What messages or themes are you trying to convey through your music/art?
What messages or themes are you trying to convey through your music/art?
My main theme would have to be death. It doesn’t have to be feared but must be respected; it’s also a psychedelic experience. While that is the overarching theme, I write about my experiences with mental illness, drug addiction and dealing with losing a close friend. I like my music to have a sort of haunted quality to it. There’s cautionary tales, there’s fictional stuff I make up, made-up words, conceptual continuity. I like my music to exist within its own universe that people can jump into with me. The music is depressing in a lot of ways, but I’m trying to say to people, it’s alright to have these feelings, and you shouldn’t be ashamed. What are you working on next?
We have a new album coming out in the fall called “OOX”. This is sort of our effort to focus the band and shape it into a collaborative unit. We want to start touring more and playing lots of shows and actually get out there. The album was written mostly with core members David and Ben, some with my full six piece band. The album also features contributions from almost every member thats ever been involved with the project along with lots of friends. I wanted to not be the one doing everything this time and plus a lot of my friends are way better at the instruments I play so why wouldn’t I just have them shred it up?
I feel like both music and art have become so blurred with other elements of culture that it surrounds you in ways you don’t even realize. Consuming media has become so vast in the ways you can do it, there are so many elements to it now money-wise that of course the artist is still the one suffering. There will always be artists, it’s never going to go away no matter how bad it gets for the artist, but I think we have remember to be able to separate art from media as it is so oversaturated, and greatness is taken for granted. I also think that sticking to just one art form won’t be as prevalent in the future and that the idea of even being an artist will get abstracted. It’s easier now than ever for anyone to be an artist and art has taken on so many other forms now besides traditional music, or visual art.
Saturday, April 13, 2019
Interview with Greyhound
AN INTERVIEW WITH...
GREYHOUND
Greyhound – Black Spring LP (2019)
Greyhound is the solo project of Ty, a multi-instrumentalist who also drums for the punk band Tooth. His album Black Spring released in February, and took off quicker than expected and resonated with a lot of people. We're very happy to have him for our first interview.
Remove Records: Tell us somethings about yourself and your project.
Greyhound: I wish i had some things to really say about myself but i can honestly say i really love music and they way i express myself is through my lyrics and production. Greyhound started off as a “lo-fi” indie bedroom project back in 2015 under the name “pup face” after listening to so much teen suicide and bulldog eyes. I decided to revive it after getting bored with my noise/PE project and i just wanted to try something new when it came to production and sampling and using a voice.
What are some of your musical influences? And what are some non-musical influences?
Dean Blunt is the biggest influence on my music as far as vocals and production. I also appreciate his no bs approach when it comes to music and he just does his thing which i have appreciated for the past 3 years of loving his music. Joseph Beuys and Albert Camus influence my music when it comes to creating the sound and feelings i try to convey with the experience of the greyhound project itself.
What are your favorite venues?
My favorite venues to play with my band TOOTH are trumbullplex, kellys bar and we recently played trixies and that was sick. If im going to see someone perform i REALLY love saint andrews hall and the sanctuary.
What advice would you give to someone just starting out in music/ art?
All i can give is the generic answer which is just do what makes u happy. Audio/Visual art can be so stressful when yr trying to find a niche or what represents you but when i started with art i copied alot and just moved from there. Find inspiration first before you jump into art.
What messages or themes are you trying to convey through your art/music?
Greyhound is all about growth, moving forward, pain, and Focus. Alot of the lyrics are just my experiences and what swirls in my head constantly. Just the theme of a busy state of mind and working yr way out of it to become a new, and strong person.
What are you working on next?
New album is due in june but releasing a single in may! Once i get alot of things figured out , expect music videos and just loosie material. I was not expecting the support for greyhound as much as i got and im so appreciative of it and i cant wait to do more.
Thursday, April 11, 2019
Just Guys Being Dudes – 2019 Tiny Desk Submissions
Directed by Brendan T
Monday, April 8, 2019
Remove Records
Welcome to Remove Records!
Detroits premier semi-physical underground punk Record Label since 2018.
This was our first release RMOV-01
Stay tuned for more cool stuff
Detroits premier semi-physical underground punk Record Label since 2018.
This was our first release RMOV-01
Stay tuned for more cool stuff
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