Wednesday, June 18, 2008

The Mummies Reunited (And Unmasked????)

The Mummies are back! They're playing one show, and one show only, in Spain on October 10th at the Funtastic Dracula Carnival Festival (The Untamed Youth are also getting back together for this fest!!!!!). Man, it is very, very tempting to start savin' up the scratch to make it there, but I'm already booked for Rockabilly Rave USA the week before. If there were just a few more must see bands on the bill I'd consider changing my plans.

However, they played a warmup show a few days ago (as Scarecrow & the Corn Shuckers) - without their costumes! Whaaah? Read all about it here and see pics here. There's also a new interview here.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

The Madeira - Carpe Noctem CD

The Madeira - Carpe Noctem CD

It's the second full-length release by The Madeira, a band that plays surf music born of screaming wind over the sand dunes of the Sahara Desert. This disc contains eleven lush, intricate surf instrumentals along with two covers (including "SOS (Stomp On Stomp)" by The Atlantics). Pick this up from the band at any of their upcoming shows, or order it through Double Crown Records. This CD was released on May 27th, 2008.

Tracks: Carpe Noctem - Wreak Havoc! - Undercurrents - Rolling Thunder - Infidel - El Flaco - Hamsa - The Saracen - SOS (Stomp On Stomp) - Tangaroa - Surf Fidelis - Sahar - End Of The Circle.

The Madeira - Carpe Noctem CD - DCCD30 - $12.75 (Buy Now From Double Crown Records CCNow)

The Madeira Official Website: www.themadeira.net

The Penetrators - Declassified DVD

The Penetrators - Declassified DVD

The long awaited DVD from The Penetrators entitled "Declassified" is available for purchase on line at www.penetrators.com and www.dblcrown.com. "Declassified" features 15 live performances in addition to the video for "Redlined" shot by Paul Mayne and a new video for "The Southern Surf Syndicate Theme" and more! The retail price has been set at $14.95 plus shipping. The DVD was released on May 13, 2008.

Bonus features include the animated short, "Stuntmasters: Jawbone Gorge." Created in 2000 by Rip Thrillby (027) (under the pseudo-name "Scott Rogers") along with his business partner @ atomo.com Bill McIntyre. It has remained unreleased until now. An alternate audio track with commentary by Sticks Stechkin (013), Trace Luger (017) and Spanky Twangler (023) is also included in addition to liner notes composed by music journalist Gregory Nicoll.

May 13th seems a very appropriate release date as it is coincidentally drummer Sticks Stechkin's (013) Syndicate number. According to Spanky Twangler (023) who edited the project, "Without Stick's metronome like timing, many of the edits would not have been possible and this might have become a very boring presentation visually speaking."

May 13th is also 2 days removed from the dubious 5 year anniversary of Rip Thrillby's departure from this earth (May 11th, 2003). This DVD was compiled in a very large part as an effort to preserve his memory and contribution to Surf Music's 3rd wave as one of the driving, creative forces of The Penetrators. All of the DVD's menu artwork was adapted from a redesign Rip had been working on for The Penetrators web site. Taking into account the music, the art work, plus the humor in the "Stuntmasters" video, The Syndicate feels this is a fitting (albeit incomplete) tribute to several of the complexities of Rip Thrillby (027).

A sneak peak of "Declassified" can be viewed at http://www.penetrators.com/video.html

1:33:1 ratio. Running time approximately 66 minutes.

Regards,
Simon

The Penetrators - Declassified DVD - #DCDVD01 - $14.95 (Buy Now From Double Crown Records/CCNow)