Here is a rundown of what the artists of GTG are up to at the moment. More details about what was discussed at the meeting Sunday night are on their way, so check back in a week or so!
STARGRAZER
Peter Richards has been busy at the Crooked Sound studio with Eric Merkling working on atmospheric sounds and melodies; building blocks of upcoming Stargrazer feature “My Dreams Are Running Late”. No date has been set for this release, but we can expect to see it out sometime this year. Whatever they’re cooking up there in that attic smells pretty damn good. We can’t wait to get a taste…
Stargrazer plans to set up a show in February or March, so keep that in your radar.
JOSH DAVID & THE DREAM JEANS
This hot new band comprised of Matt Norton (tCF) on drums, Michael Boyes (of Drinking Mercury) on bass, Nich Richard (ze famous bass playing Plural) on guitar, fronted by the one and only Josh David came smashing into the scene late last year, blowing unsuspecting listeners away at B414, Mac’s Bar and of course the GTG House.
JD & DJ will be working with Tommy Plural on their debut EP “Opinions and Profanity” to be co-released by GTG and Bermuda Mohawk Productions. They will be seeking artwork for this release, so any ideas may be reported directly to the Dream Jeans.
Upcoming shows include an early show tonight, January 28, at Mac’s Bar with Edible Intention, Randy Thunderbird and Burnouts as well as February 13 at Oade’s Hidden Camel with Cavalcade, Drinking Mercury, and Genocya.
NARC OUT THE REDS
“Narc Out the Reds Are On the Run” is the title of the long-awaited album we’re hoping to release as soon as this spring. They’ve been working on this record over the course of that past couple or more years with Ike from Hat Madder and Glen Brown. Peter Richards (yes, Stargrazer himself) will be producing artwork for this album that we can’t wait to hear and see. We proposed a triple-release show may take place this March or April with GTG label-mates The Plurals and Fade To Black, so we’ll see how that turns out.
This band always brings a killer live show (they can even make my MOM dance), so I’d advise you to experience NOTR live at one or more of their upcoming shows:
February 6 at Mac’s Bar with Hat Madder (EP release) and Drinking Mercury
March 12 at Mac’s with Extra Sugar, People’s Temple and Frank & Earnest
April 10 at Mac’s again with Their Teeth Will Be of Lions and Kids With Cobras from Kalamazoo
THE HAT MADDER
It’s coming up quick! February 6 at Mac’s Bar is the date set to release their latest EP “Rogue Notes and Phones”. GTG is proud to be part of this EP’s release and distribution. Raptor’s Delight PR is going to help us send this one out for review as well. I’ve never seen this band preform poorly, and I’m pretty sure when it comes to music, Ike is a perfectionist, so you can expect great things in their recorded material too. Listen for yourself!
You MUST SEE the Hat Madder. If you miss the Release show, check them out April 2 with Satin Peaches and Hounds Below at Mac’s Bar.
EDIBLE INTENTION
These three from Grand Ledge continue to be in and out of the GTG studio with Tommy Plural, with only a few songs left to track for their upcoming EP that is to be co-released with Silver Maple Kill Records. Fortunately, the sounds they’re getting at the GTG house were just what they were looking for. They hope to have these recordings released early this summer. Currently the only show I see booked happens to be tonight at Mac’s with Josh David and the Dream Jeans, so don’t miss it!
JASON ALARM
Now with a different line-up, a few of the Grand Ledge kids popped into the meeting to say they’ve been working on home demos, planning to tour this summer, and maybe even drop a record by the end of this year. We’re looking forward to whatever they bring to the table, especially after their last release “Engage”.
Upcoming shows:
March 28 at Mac’s Bar with Mustard Plug
April 3 t Oade’s Hidden Camel
MK ULTRA CULKIN
We loved “Sexual Exhilaration at a Bargain Price” and are thrilled to co-release their next work “Homeland Insecurity EP” with Silver Maple Kill Records. The band has been working on this with Tommy Plural at the GTG house and should have this EP out in late February or March. MK Ultra had a good couple shows in Bloomington and Indianapolis this past weekend and should be headed back to the studio soon.
One particular up coming show I want to make note of takes place at Basement 414 on February 20 with Love Muffin and Dan Daniels and the Southern Gents. We were hoping to film some footage for the video compilation we’d like to make this year, so please join us with that in mind! This is also the only upcoming show these guys and girl have in Lansing for a bit. They’re playing in Ypsilanti on February 12 and in Detroit April 5 too!
FRANK & EARNEST
Still they are in the GTG studio here and there working on an EP; potentially beginning to work a full album. Whatever it ends up being, they hope to have something released by late spring by both GTG and Bermuda Mohawk Productions. I must say, we are so happy to have these guys around. Lansing was in need of a band like this. Good things are coming. They have three shows scheduled:
February 8 at Mac’s Bar with To Fear the Wolf and Dave from the Loved Ones
March 12 at Mac’s with Narc Out the Reds, Extra Sugar and People’s Temple
March 20 at the Flint Citadel with more bands TBA
THE PLURALS
It’s been a minute since you’ve seen this trio together, but no worries! They are still rocking together as hard as ever whenever Hattie is around, and you’ve probably caught a glimpse of Nich and Tommy in other bands around town (JD&DJ, Drinking Mercury). The band plans to go back to the studio this spring and summer with buckets of songs to work on with Eric at Crooked Sound Studios. No date has been set yet on that albums release, but the band plans to release a split EP with a band called Honah Lee from New Jersey, hopefully by May 6 when they roll through town.
The Plurals first shows this year will be:
February 26 at State Grounds Coffee House in Hastings, MI (free show!)
March 21 at Mac’s Bar with Flatfoot and more TBA!
Also, keep a heads up for a potential GTG house show May 6th!
CROOKED SOUND
Eric has been in the studio with Stargrazer quite a bit these days, so his artistic focus has been on recording and engineering recently. He’s also preparing to get with the Plurals again, since they work very well together (take “Whatevers Forever” for example). The Plurals do miss fleshing out Crooked Sound songs and want to get back on it sooner than later to keep things fresh. We hope to see Crooked Sound perform at GTG Fest this year or sooner. Eventually, an album is on the way.
THE BREAK-UPS
This cutesy, half-cocked quartet plans to begin recording their next album through out this summer; looking to release by late summer/early fall. This album will have even more writing contribution from its rhythm section this time around with sugary-folk-pop songs like “California” and “Michigan”. The next album (not yet titled) is sure to be different from the last, but with all the same elements you love about The Break-ups.
Go see and hear them April 24 at Mac’s Bar with Those Transatlantics.
SMALL HOUSES
Jeremy Quentin (you may have seen him in folk group Head & Toe awhile back) currently resides in Boston, MA where he continues to book some kind of on-going tour of the Rust Belt and beyond under the name “Small Houses”. On his Michigan leg, Small Houses will release a new EP at Scene Metrospace in East Lansing where it all began more or less. That’s happening the 27 of February. Also, Small Houses will be performing all over the mitten; check out the GTG show listing for more info.
FADE TO BLACK
“Black Is Back” is the title of this bands upcoming record; a fitting title for a band who’s just gotten back into writing and recording again for the first time in 15+ years or so. This band started in 1990, wrote and recorded an album, and too soon after ended up going their separate ways, as they all had promising aspirations in the Field of Media. (In fact, their drummer is a professional actor!) After a while, they found themselves back together having a blast making music again, and asked GTG if we’d be interested in helping them promote and distribute “Black Is Back”, and possibly re-release some of their stuff from the early 90’s. We said “Sounds great! We’ll do what we do…”
Having a professional career is film and media (hence their name “Fade To Black”; a film term) guitarist Eldon has expressed enthusiasm for helping GTG make a video compilation over the course of this year. (More on this coming soon).
It’s hard to track these guys down as a band since they’re all busy “grown-ups” with “responsibilities” so… they don’t have a whole lot of shows scheduled. HOWEVER, they have some part in a Haiti Benefit show happening at Waverly High School on February 6. They appear to be on the bill! Check them out and support relief efforts for Haiti!
DRINKING MERCURY
What HAVE these guys been up to? Beats me. Better be good. We’ve been waiting on this album since 2003. What the f*** guys? Just kidding. From what I hear, DM has been playing together more, getting tighter and more prepared not only for the shows they have coming up, but for the studio as well. You may see them on stage, go up to Tommy and say “Oh! Are the Plurals playing tonight?” Or to Timmy, “Oh! The Break-Ups are playing? Where’s Frankie?” Or to Michael “Oooh! The Dream Jeans are playing tonight!? Where’s that sexy singer guy Josh David?!” And to all these inquiries, they will say “No, this is much, much different than any of those bands…” We hope you like the band that preceded all the others that is not The Plurals, The Break-Ups or the Dream Jeans. Check em out February 6 at Mac’s and the 13 at Oade’s Hidden Camel.
SPREITZER UPDATE:
Drummer James Spreitzer (formally of Really Cinematic) is on the look-out for a band to join forces with, so any one interested, look him up! Drummers are hard to come by people! His sister Jessi Spreitzer moved out east last year where she is too shy to tell us what her musical life entails. Like Thomas says in his song “Jessica”: “I don’t know why you write songs in the bathroom, but when I hear the results it doesn’t matter…” something sweet and sappy like that. She’s out there with Dim from Too Much Too Fast Too Soon (former GTG band) who now riffs for Honah Lee—a band soon to do a split with The Plurals. I hear tales and rumors about Jessi Spreitzer music happening, but I suppose we’ll see what’s up with her later this spring.
PUDVAY UPDATE:
He’s in Chicago doing stuff. Keep an eye out for cool places down there Loren!!
GTG RECORDS 