killing off young american boys

I just caught the most recent update to the Hard Soul Records website. In the music section they posted a lengthy clip from the song "A Dozen Lies" that is being released sometime next month under the moniker Hell's House Band. It seems a little curious that it's being released under that name; perhaps someone is still hiding out from the Isn't Really Secret? I remember the Hell's House Band logo from the inside of my "Let the Wretched Come Home..." cassette. (Cassette? Jesus, that was a long time ago, wasn't it?)

The quality of the song is much better than the wma converted to mp3 copy that I found the other day on John Crow's Website. While the sound quality seems decent, I have to admit that the music section of the HSR page tends to be really buggy with my browser. They promise a new site by the end of September. I wish them the best of luck, because the site seems a little messy as it stands right now.

It is was a breath of fresh air to hear "Bombs Away". I'm glad Mark is still writing political stuff; this country could use plenty of protest songs. How is it everyone I talk to hates Bush, is voting for Kerry, or both, but Bush is still leading in the polls? How is it that the general public doesn't seem to see through W's bullshit? "Protecting the rich, denying the poor... They love to watch the war from the White House..." MTV wouldn't have the balls to show a video for a song like "Bombs Away". Regardless of how horrible HSR says it might be.

The Deftones collaboration sounds interesting. It smells a little like something Mike Patton would do, but a Mark Curry spin on the Deftones could be very cool. Somebody over there digs Mark's stuff. (Just in case you don't feel like searching for the Mark Curry mention I'll post it below:)

B: (Somewhere the conversation turned to local musician Mark Curry. After hitting the bars the question is buried under gallons of yellow beer)

Chi: Mark Curry is the best singer-songwriter on the planet.

SB: (Without the benefit of recorded word I can't tell you the question that spawned this answer. I think it had to do with something about MTV and the Deftones's video play)

If anyone at HSR is reading, when do I get to buy something?? (PS I can't come to LA easily. Would someone ask Mark to play a show in Norcal, please?!)

Thanks again to John for hosting and everyone else for posting all of the great material. It has been a total treat to listen to so much new material. I really appreciate it.

And lastly, if Ashcroft or any of his goons are reading this because of the reference to killing American boys, I have two words for you. Bite me.

a dozen lies

It just keeps getting better. I came home from the airport and posted the previous blog entry I had written while on the plane. While checking to make sure all of the links worked correctly I discovered the Hard Soul Records website had been updated.

Not only has Mark Curry been working on a new solo album for the past few months, but Hard Soul Records will actually be releasing the mystery album recorded on Martha's Vineyard over five years ago!! The album is called "A Dozen Lies" and its existence was actually confirmed in an email to me from Kenny Lyon a number of months ago. He told me that they had recorded it and that it was a pity the album had never been released.

Thiss is great news. I can't wait to hear both "A Dozen Lies" and the new material.

I don't think it's right that L.A. gets to keep these "Hard Souls" for themselves--How about a tour, people? Maybe San Francisco? Sacramento? Davis, even?

happy merry-go-round

And things got a little busy...

I am pretty amazed by all that has come to light regarding Mark and his music in the past couple of weeks. After months of information barely trickling out of the vast hole of chaos that is the Internet, suddenly a number of great resources have opened up.

First and foremost it appears that Mr. Curry has indeed found a new record label at Hard Soul Records, an indie label just starting up in Los Angeles. The website says that the company will be releasing a compilation album containing songs by all of the label's artists. At least one Mark Curry track will be one it, a song called "Merry-Go-Round". If you click on the "Hard Souls" link on the main web page, you can scroll down to a Mark Curry link that lets you hear a good chunk of the song. The site also maintains that Mark is recording (or has recorded) a new album that will be coming out soon on the Hard Souls label. This will be the his first album in seven years.

This is great news.

The record label seems to have a pretty clear "fuck you" attitude towards corporate music. I think that's absolutely awesome. The website has a few bugs in it yet, but as they are cleaned up I intend to check out the other artists on the label. Anything I can do to support the little guy and bring down the evil empire makes me feel all fuzzy and warm inside. (If anyone from Hard Soul is reading this, I encourage you to get the store section of your site up and running! Unless, of course, you already plan to distribute to one of the cute indie stores in Davis. Let me know if you do!) Maybe I should send these guys one of mydemos!

Next is the Mark Curry mailing group on Yahoo. I already wrote earlier about reading through several years years of postings and being thrilled to hear about so many other Curry fans. It was great to hear about all kinds of different unreleased and live recordings that people were trading. You can imagine my delight when John Crow offered up his home server for the collection and trading of said Mark Curry material. Others have posted material and there now exists a nice collection of music and photos over at his website. John has allowed anyone to post material to the ftp site using the login markcurry and password markcurry. If you have something cool, I encourage you to post it!!

I was able to finally obtain clean copies of tracks that were scratched on my second generation copy of "Down in My Alley". There is a great recording of "Perfect Government" by Mark on the "Mark Curry EP". It's really great to see all of this stuff in one place.

Hey Mark, is there going to be any sort of tour with the album?!