GIRLSVILLE #1

IN THIS INSTALLMENT OF GIRLSVILLE:
THEE THEE’S, OUIJA BOYS, COLLATE, KIM WILDE, UK GOLD, MR. AIRPLANE MAN, THE PRISSTEENS, EXIT GROUP, SAMANTHA FOX, & SLANT 6.

Before I left Chicago last summer I found out about a couple bands from Columbus, Ohio. One is THEE THEE’S, and the other is called OUIJA BOYS. THEE THEE’S is Myra Power (ex-SLANT 6) on guitar/vox, Ian Graham (TERRESTRIALS) on drums/kaoss pad & vox, and Jason on bass. They sent me a really fun demo and the live footage I saw was really exciting. The lyrical content is dark and hedonistic, but the sound is fun and danceable party rock with weirdo outer space sounding pitch bending from the Kaoss pad. Ian plays drums standing up and is very animated. Myra Power helped turn in two excellent LP’s for DISCHORD RECORDS with her old band SLANT 6. I could see THEE THEE’S being the go-to party band in their local basements and dives. I’m looking forward to hearing more.

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Ian Graham from THEE THEE’S also does a band called OUIJA BOYS and they too are a real cool time. It veers somewhere in between lo fi bedroom punk on towards some synth punk territory. Ian is in like 100 bands in Columbus including TERRESTRIALS. He’s also playing with DRUNKS WITH GUNS. I asked him to put this cool vid he made for OUIJA BOYS on youtube so I could share it with all of you. I also asked Ian and Myra to interview one another, so watch this video and then check out this Q & A between Ian Graham and Myra Power!

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNo1ZbUYt1c]

IAN GRAHAM AND MYRA POWER INTERVIEW. BY IAN AND MYRA.

THEE THEE’S Photo: Kat Kathleen

SLANT 6 Photo: Michael Galinsky

OUIJA BOYS Photo: Tyler Sheehy

Sitting in Ian’s living room “SQUEEZE “Play“” VHS runs in the background…

Ian: This is going to be fun and difficult, we know each other pretty well.

Myra: WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE COLOR SOCKS?
*both laugh*

Ian: This one doesn’t count but since you got me a million pairs of those knee-high black lacey ones, ima say BLACK.

Ian: Okay, for real, let’s do yours first. You’ve always liked writing songs about creepy stuff like SLANT 6‘s “Inzombia” record and TAROT BOLERO, so what would you say is your favorite horror movie?

Myra: hmmm. POLTERGEIST. I always saw myself as the same age as the kids and identified with them. Also that short lady scared me.

Ian: Myra has lived in a lot of places, spending years in D.C., New York, LA, London and…Ohio. Is there anywhere you prefer or would like to live in?

Myra: Arizona! I like the desert. Arizona near California. Lot’s of kooks out there.

Ian: You didn’t play onstage in 20ish years until this last year, whats your most memorable show you’ve played in the past and recently?

Myra: Most MEM-OR-AB-LE shooow? Of the past? I can’t remember if it was Austin or Dallas, SLANT 6 was attacked by cicadas and we played in a warehouse. Or the show we played with BEASTIE BOYS and met the Tibetian Monks….they were free-gans!
Recent THEE THEE’S show would when we played with MITCH RYDER, probably because we were outside. I obviously like being attacked by bugs onstage.

(SQUEEZE “Pulling Muscles” plays)

Ian: Do you feel like William Tell?

Myra: *Weird dracula look*

Ian: We’re only three weeks into 2019 and there’s already been two big Riot Grrrl announcements. One being the SLEATER-KINNEY/ST. VINCENT produced album and the BIKINI KILL reunion shows. Thoughts?

Myra: SLANT 6 wasn’t a riot grrl band. Christina did go to the original meetings but we were a garage rock band. I was more into goth and monster bands. I don’t really care about SLANT 6 in comparison to SLEATER-KINNEY or BIKINI KILL

Ian: YOU’RE A BADASS, MYRA. Okay, your turn.

Myra: You started with the bass guitar, play or have played bass in TASTY, BLOODY SHOW and this new version of DRUNKS WITH GUNS. What made you want to do that?

Ian: Y’ever see that ‘ol Jack Black film, “SCHOOL OF ROCK“? I was the same age as those kids when that movie came out and i thought that was SO FUCKING COOL. hahaha

Myra: You sing in TERRESTRIALS, OUJIA BOYS and THEE THEE’S. Who would be your favorite singers or stage personalities? You’re wild. Who do you emulate?

Ian: Is it wrong to say JAMES BROWN?

Myra: No, i see you dancing.

Ian: Okay yeah, JAMES BROWN, IGGY POP. I’m the MILLIONTH PERSON TO SAY THAT! WHAT’S MY PRIZE? Oh! Fred from B52’S!

Myra: Those are your fun sides, where’s the angry Ian? Why scream sometimes rather than croon? There’s both on the OUIJA BOYS stuff.

Ian: Well, theres this tingly feeling i get in my-

Myra: Well, maybe not angry. I should say bitchy! You can be a real spiteful bitch, Ian! OKAY?

Ian: Probably some books that were social critiques i’ve read throughout my life. Like Virginia Woolf, Ezra Pound, Orwell. Kooks Mark Twain and Freud and Bukowski. You know what? I AM A BITCH. I FUCKING HATE EVERYTHING, OKAY?

Myra: OKAY?

Ian: OKAY?!

Myra: I would like to know who your future-time, uh, like, not your favorite band but what band would you most like to share a tour or bill with? Anyone, Anywhere. OKAY?

Ian: I’m fuckin’ spoiled because i’ve been lucky enough especially in the last year and with you to play with bands that i idolize (KID CONGO, ALICE BAG, AMYL & THE SNIFFERS, DEATH VALLEY GIRLS, playing GONERFEST, CROPPED OUT, Etc.) I really want OUIJAS to get a record out and tour with my friends in PILL. Or for us (THEE THEE’S) to get a record and tour with your friends bands who are out there killin’. OKAY?

Myra: You are spoiled.OKAY?

Ian: I USE MY MIND AND WILL THINGS INTO EXISTENCE, OKAY?

Myra: OKAY.

Ian: OKAY.

BENEFIT SHOW! COLLATE / UK GOLD / DAYDREAM
SPECK’S RECORDS & TAPES, SATURDAY FEBRUARY 16TH, 7PM, $5

Two of my favorite pacific NW post punk bands (COLLATE, and UK GOLD) are playing a benefit show in February. There is a $5 requested donation with proceeds benefitting FREEDOM FOR IMMIGRANTS DETENTION BOND FUND. DAYDREAM will also be playing.

I went up to Olympia last month to see COLLATE and UK GOLD and it was so much fun. Both bands know their way around a repetitive & non-obvious groove with requisite shards of angularity, off-kilter hooks, and shouty bits interspersed with dry, talk-sung deadpan. UK GOLD are from Olympia and they haven’t been down to play Portland in a year or more so NOW IS THE TIME! Bring cake because this is also Erika and Jason Collate’s bday. This will be their first show with new drummer, Janie!
(Flyer design: Erika Elizabeth)

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NEW RELEASES (PRE-ORDERS) ON GIRLSVILLE:
THE PRISSTEENS & MR. AIRPLANE MAN

MR. AIRPLANE MAN “Bits & Pieces” is an extended reissue of a compilation we put out in 2017, which promptly sold out. There are three extra tracks here, two GIRLSVILLE comp tracks, and one that is previously unreleased. This extra material is from a recording session with Justin Hubbard (GERM HOUSE).

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“Bits and Pieces” is a collection of odds and ends culled from MR. AIRPLANE MAN’S private tapes. Outtakes from Red Lite, Moanin’, and sessions from C’mon DJ, plus charming lo fi bedroom jams. Includes early stuff recorded by Jeffrey Evans of 68 COMEBACK (the MAZZY STAR cover, “Blue Lite”) on through a 2015 session with THE OBLIVANS Greg Cartwright (“Over That Hill”). The additions to this reissue in particular (“Believe”, “Never Break”, and “Sensual”) were recorded in 2017 by Justin Hubbard (GERM HOUSE).

THE PRISSTEENS “Almost 24” tracks 1-9 are the first nine tracks off of “Demos & Rarities” (2016), back in print. These are demos recorded in 1999.

I omitted the singles sides and live cuts, added some demos from 96-99, including a never before released song “Don’t Think About You”, a favorite of THE PRISSTEENS old manager Jim “The Hound” Marshall. It’s a girl group tinged pop gem with Lori on lead vocals and Tina singing the bridge.

Mostly this was a way for me to reissue “Demos & Rarities“, while offering a slightly different release with some previously unreleased stuff.

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=3782963574 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

REVIEWS:

“These unearthed recordings knock that quasi-major sheen (they were signed to Herb Alpert’s ALMO SOUNDS label, same label as GARBAGE and THE SUGARCUBES) off The Rock quite nicely; much to mankind’s delight, there’s an ass-kickingly rough edge to the guitar that no one was able to sneak in and fuck with.” REV NORB / RAZORCAKE

#25 on WAX MUSIC’S 50 Best Records of 2016
“THE PRISSTEENS aren’t just relived here, but reevaluated and given the acclaim they first deserved just short of two decades previously. Straight-laced US punk with that cruising power-pop bounce, ‘Demos & Rarities‘ doesn’t simply show what could’ve been.”
RJ / WAX MUSIC

“Scandal, Controversy & Romance, while an excellent album, essentially took the band out of the garage. And something valuable was lost in the process. Demos & Rarities will have us remembering THE PRISSTEENS for what they really were – precursors to the thriving garage girl group scene of recent years.”

LORD RUTLEDGE / FASTER AND LOUDER

PRISSTEENS BIO:

NYC Punks THE PRISSTEENS shone brightly for a few short years in the late 90’s. Originally comprised of Mighty Joe Vincent of THE DEVIL DOGS on Drums, and Lori Lindsay, Leslie Day, and Tina Canellas on guitar and vocals, later lineups would include Jon Chalmers (PURPLE WIZARD) and Dave Lindsay (ACTION SWINGERS).

They released a smattering of singles and they released a one-and-done major label debut with THE STRANGELOVES Richard Gottehrer at the helm (GO-GO’S, BLONDIE, HOLLY & THE ITALIANS). They turned Joey Ramone into an obsessed superfan, and they had songs that featured on 90210 and the 90’s teen movie JAWBREAKER. They began to demo material for a second LP before disbanding. THE PRISSTEENS made some of the finest girl group punk pop of the 90’s, and there were quite a few bands to contend with mining similar territory. THE PRISSTEENS were better than them.

THE PRISSTEENS “Almost 24”
Mastered by Patrick Haight at Spot-On Sound
Cover Photo: Howard Thompson
Design and Layout: CJ Del Mar and Daniel Perrine

Special thanks to James Marshall, The Prissteens, Howard Thompson, Matt Mulichak, Travis Ramin, and Josh Rutledge.

EXIT GROUP – “THE BUTCHER” (CASTLE FACE RECORDS)

So I heard this one tonight on the brand new episode of Erika Elizabeth’s FUTURES & PASTS podcast. Erika is in COLLATE, she writes a column (also called FUTURES & PASTS) for MAXIMUM ROCKNROLL and she has this podcast. I swear to god… whenever I listen to it, I feel like my records aren’t shit compared to whatever her record collection looks like. If you have made it this far reading this blather, go listen to her show already!

So on to EXIT GROUP. This is on CASTLE FACE. (Hi John!) The best bands on the label are COACHWHIPS, ZIG ZAGS, DAMAGED BUG…. and i’m thinking this band EXIT GROUP has gotta be up there. We’ll see, I need to take a deeper dive. It’s members of USELESS EATERS and DRY ERASE. It’s got a dark post punk vibe to it, and it sounds kinda sexy!

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=2112917463 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small track=4015778686]

Adverse Habitat by EXIT GROUP

KIM WILDE & SAMANTHA FOX.
Photo: Unknown

Thanks for reading the first installment of GIRLSVILLE. I’ll be posting these semi regularly. We’ll be giving out some free downloads from our fave bands, listing our fave stuff, doing reviews, talking shit, just really doing whatever we want. Posting radical political propaganda. Broke/Woke/Bespoke lists. If you have something you’d like to contribute to the next installment get in touch! THANKS TO IAN GRAHAM AND MYRA POWER!

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMlU74eTz14]