September Girl

(MySpace photo by Lynne Brubaker)
Today, I learned that Shannon Worrell -- who back in the gay '90s recorded and performed in the Charlottesville duo September 67 -- is still in Charlottesville and still making music. This is, for me, great news because I dearly loved a particular September 67 song called (I kid you not) "Stephen Malkmus is a Fucking Snob."
While the song doesn't actually contain that line, Shannon did seem to be addressing Stephen -- also someone who spent some time in C'Ville way back when. At the climax of the tune, says Shannon quotes poet Allen Ginsberg then sings "Fuck a bunch of irony, dear God, make me a hippie!"
Funny, smart, heartfelt stuff -- and sung in a voice and setting that reminds me of Tanya Donelly or Kristen Hirsh.
September 67 got some big label attention and even toured as part of Lilith Fair, but, for whatever reason, never really took off. Worrell went on to record some overly slick coffeehouse pop-folk on her 1994 solo disc "Three Wishes." Her 2000 album "The Moviegoer" was better, but must not have made much of a splash. I don't even remember hearing about it when it was released.
I had pretty much written off Shannon, so stumbling on her MySpace page was a pleasant surprise. She's set to release a new album, "The Honey Guide," on October 17. If the song "Kitchen" posted on her MySpace page is any indication, she's moved in a more folky, rustic direction. It suits her.

If you want to download "Stephen Malkmus ..." or Shannon's solo discs, they're available through www.emusic.com.

Thrift Shop Stop

(Dan Villanueva photo from MySpace)

My weekend was consumed by lots of strenuous, but worthy, activity. None of it had much to do with music, though, so I thought I'd write about a local disc I discovered at the Hope House Foundation thrift store -- the one across from Doumar's.
Astropop 3's self-titled disc from 1998 is a testament to that group's ambitions and to the talents of Astropop guitarist and singer Dan Villanueva. "You're the One" "and So Happy" drip with both sweet melody and sour melancholy. Arrangements are simple, strumming guitar and restrained bass and guitar make up the meat of the tracks. Dan sings in a bit of a monotone -- and I think that probably ultimately makes Astropop 3 a tough sell for some people. But on tunes like "China Doll" he sounds confident, clear and pretty inspired.
As of earlier this year, the band was still around, but I think they're playing much less frequently.

Auto Harping

(Autoharp photo courtesy of www.jetmedic.com)

I've got a shotgun blast of scattershot news for you tonight, so prepare for screaming pellets of concert/music information.

Pellet No. 1. First off, I urge any of you who have any interest in folky, indie rock to head over to The Boot tomorrow to hear Sarah Carter. Sarah, who sings and accompanies herself on autoharp, is promising to play a set of mostly original tunes. If they're as good as the ones I heard recently at an in-store performance at Volume in Virginia Beach, I'll be a happy man. Regardless, though, Carter is a fine live performer. Her voice -- which seems to bridge a gap between Irish Dement and Billie Holiday -- is in itself something to behold. Friday, she's playing with the duo Ellery and a singer-songwriter named Kyler England. Cover is $5, I think.

Pellet No. 2. I heard today that The Watson Twins are opening for Billy Bragg at the Attucks Theatre on October 30. OK, I really didn't need another reason to get excited about this show. But here's another reason. I've read up and down reviews of the Watson Twins' record, but several of the tunes I heard on their MySpace page were pretty terrific.

Pellet No. 3. Jeff Maisey wrote a nice story about the local SHDWPLY Records in the current issue of Port Folio. The label, which has released an LP by Norfolk's own Super Vacations and a split 7-inch with Norfolk's Little Trooper on one side, Houston's Wicked Poseur on the other. This is a record I need to get my grubby paws on. Read the full story here.

Pellet No. 4. Finally, I learned this week that one of my favorite Hampton Roads cover bands, Ampersand, is playing a local wine festival this fall -- good news for anyone who likes 1980s and 1990s rock songs reinterpreted in an acoustic format. [UPDATE!]They’re playing at the Neptune’s Fall Wine Festival, on Saturday, at the 31st Street Park at Virginia Beach. They’re supposed to be on from 2:30 to 5 p.m.

South Side Soul

(Swamp Dogg photo courtesy of The Sound of Young America blog)

Journalist and music guru Don Harrison supplied the Toggle Switch fodder for tonight. Harrison has a piece on the wonderful (but often overlooked) Virginia funk master Swamp Dogg in the current issue of Hampton Roads magazine.
Here's a sample:

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"A comeback?" the talkative and gregarious Portsmouth native laughs into his side of the phone. "First, you gotta go somewhere."

At the age of 12, the future show biz veteran was hawking homemade records to area record shops; he hosted a TV music variety show in Hampton Roads when he was barely in high school. Jerry Williams' resume has since included prominent stints as singer, songwriter, producer, label owner, song publisher and political gadfly; his creative orbit inhabited by a diverse cast of characters, including Lionel Richie, Jane Fonda, Kid Rock, Johnny Paycheck, Dr. Dre and John Prine - imagine them all in one room!

So how come you've probably never heard of this guy?

Perhaps the answer lies in the fact that, since the '70s, Williams has operated under the pseudonym of Swamp Dogg, and with a fiercely independent attitude that has often blurred any public recognition he might've gained from his musically formidable body of work. The pugnacious, profane (and often fiercely political) Dogg is a big name in South America and the Dutch West Indies; the British dig him too. At the time of this interview, Williams had just returned from a tour of Europe and was planning future concert stops in Aruba and Amsterdam.

But in America, it's been a different story, he says. "I can't pay people to come see me."

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Don was also nice enough to tip me off to what looks like a great resource on Virginia soul music from days gone by. I'll be digging deeper into the Funky Virginia blog soon. You should, too.

Fuck the Computer

(Poster from MySpace)
In the name of expanding the body of knowledge created through the Toggle Switch Institute For Advanced Virginia Music Studies, I've been asking lots of questions. When I run into someone who's deep into the original music scene, I usually ask him to tell me about two or three of his or her favorite Virginia artists.
I like to call this my "Method."
And the "Method" is what led me to Richmond's Amoeba Men.
Matt Deans, keyboard dude from Hot Lava, told me they were one of his favorite Richmond bands. In fact, he was wearing an Amoeba Men T-shirt at the Hot Lava show at The Boot.
Once I made it to the A.M. MySpace page, I heard some deliciously abrasive rock music -- made by a guitar-keyboard-drums trio. The vocals remind me of the shout-talk stuff we used to hear a lot in the 1980s. The angular, stabbing riffs are definitely post-punk. But I wouldn't say these guys are trapped in the past. There's a freshness to the Amoeba Men attack on tracks like "Fuck the Computer" and "Itchy Trigger Fingers" (the latter of which is available as a free download) that tells me that these guys are worth a closer look.
No Hampton Roads dates are listed as yet, but the Amoebas are set to play Gallery 5 in Richmond on Oct. 15.

Undercurrents

The Kung Fu Dykes are a Hampton Roads band that mixed new wave with heavy metal. At least that's my memory. It had been a long time since I'd heard much of their music, so I listened to a couple of newer songs on MySpace and that confirmed my recollection. I'm happy to report that it looks like they're becoming semi-active again. I believe at least one member attended the recent Tidewater Alternative Music Subculture reunion in Chesapeake. And tonight, I saw a bulletin saying the band is playing with Metal Blade recording artists Soilent Green in Danville, of all places. I'm glad that the Dykes are playing again. And I'm glad to see that Danville has some kind of a metal scene going. If there's any place that dark, menacing, morbid music would make sense it's Danville -- where the textile/tobacco economy has been on the skids for years.

Alive She Cried

An ambitious music and art festival centered on local artists is being planned for Oct. 12 at the Granby Theater.
Called Look Alive, it will feature several of my favorite local musicians including 1888 and Sarah Carter. The event will benefit Tidewater Arts Outreach, a worthy local charity.

Here's a description I lifted from the Look Alive Project Web site:

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"Hoping to be a resounding call to arms for area artists and musicians alike, the LOOK ALIVE Festival will not only serve to foster and celebrate the Hampton Roads creative community but will also raise the bar as to what it's capable of, effectively turning artists into artisans and offering an escape for anyone stuck in the doldrums of Saturday night monotony.
Eleven of the region's most gifted visual artists and three of its most praised musical acts will be showcased under one roof; the centerpiece of an evening designed to both raise awareness, and spark initiative among the local arts scene. Some of the area's most recognizable staples like John Hickey (muralist), Cassie Rangel (visual artist ; Norfolk Craft Mafia), and Britta Petilon (gallery artist) will be alongside up-and-coming amateurs like Howard Tarpey (photographer) and Andrew Albertson (urban artist) giving the LOOK ALIVE Festival audience a full scope into the wealth of talent Hampton Roads has to offer. Dancehall darlings JC-DC and Lord Ryan Thomas and indie-rock marvels 1888 (Portfolio Awards Best Album Nominee) will be on hand to turn their amps to eleven and keep the audience dancing all evening long. Also performing will be alt-country outfit Gifthorse (ex-Copperpot, Some Odd Sense), whose forthcoming album serves as both namesake and inspiration for the festival.
Artist participation will not only be restricted to those whose names are on the marquee. LOOK ALIVE coordinators are encouraging and engaging all local artists and musicians to contribute to what's been coined the "Take-Home Tote". Included in each of these FREE souvenir bags will be everything from local bands' demo discs, upcoming show fliers and stickers, to area artists' one-of- a-kind trinkets, photo prints and business cards. Nothing that fits reasonably within the confines of a standard tote will be refused, giving anyone who attends this event quite the memento and giving every artist that submits something a chance to spread their own gospel for just the price of admission.
In keeping with the idea of positively affecting the community at large, the LOOK ALIVE PROJECT has chosen TIDEWATER ARTS OUTREACH (TAO) as its benefactor of all monies from every ticket sold. TAO brings music and the arts to area homeless shelters, rehabilitation centers, pediatric cancer hospitals, and many other facilities and institutions in need of their efforts. These performances, programs and activities promote human interaction, happiness and healing for people who have limited access to the arts, due to health, economic or social circumstances.
Lookaliveproject.com will be launching in the coming weeks, serving as "home-base" for the project, the event itself and as an open forum for any and all interested in getting involved."


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