Gabrielle Smith
Gabrielle Smith plays in more than a couple bands for someone who spent most of their musical outings as a solo artist. Fortunately that only serves to benefit us, the listening audience, when we see her alongside that rotating group of excellent singer/songwriters that comprise much of the Epoch Is Now roster.
As front-woman (and as previously mentioned, sometimes only-woman) of Eskimeaux Gabrielle crafts tender, coy, and heartfelt mini-epics. And though the project has moved to sounds more polished than its experimental roots, the bedroom is still remains visible behind that control room glass.
A good portion of Gabrielle's playlist comes from that special track of land just north of the city known as Westchester, with Purchase College classics like Eskalators, Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt as well as newcomers Frankie Cosmos and 100% (form. Whatever, Dad) populating much of her picks.
It all makes for a good addendum for her recent Double Double Whammy release "I'm O.K.," a record that's seated firmly in its own unique corner of the scene she helped build.
Marisa DaBeast
Marisa DaBeast is a name that all fans of sludgy punk should already be familiar with. She's the frontwoman of Philly's incredible Mannequin Pussy (once hailing from Brooklyn, but we won't hold that defection against them). We've featured Mannequin Pussy before - and for good reason. Marisa's stage presence is transcendent and capturing the performance of a band as straight up live them is why we started recording shows in the first place.
So what did Marisa choose as her favorites from our archives? There's certainly an emphasis on shredding and as you can expect, some excellent performances from some of the great frontpersons to grace our stage. It's a long 'un, but finely curated by one of the best in the biz.
-Luke Chiaruttini
Chris Gethard
In this month's guest list we reach outside the music world for the first time and call upon hometown hero & comedian Chris Gethard to compile some of his favorite tracks from our archives.
Come to think of it - Chris might have the most successful music career of us all, having once summoned actual demigod P. Diddy onto his public access TV show. The feat was just one of the wild indiscretions that makes The Chris Gethard Show so special.
The show is built upon a punk ethic close to Shea's heart: destroying old hierarchies by taking the power away from the host and placing it in the hands of the audience. It's that same type of notion that leads a handful of great bands to eschew the stage completely and set up on the floor amongst the people. And with that in mind it's not too surprising Chris pulled out some of the best punk (not to mention pop punk, he's NJ born 'n' raised after all) gems nestled in our archives.
Below are Chris' own words on his picks - be sure to catch him in his new cable TV duds on the Fusion Network 10pm EST.
-Luke Chiaruttini
1. Sonic Avenues - Television Youth
Sonic Avenues have been one of my favorite bands for years. I found a random link to a song of theirs from their first album on a message board many moons ago and was blown away. I was so psyched when they joined Dirtnap, one of my favorite labels. I was at this show when they came to Shea and was so so happy.
2. Tenement - Track 1 4.10.13
Simply put, they don't make em better than Tenement. My wife is significantly cooler than I am and was the one who made it clear to me that Tenement would be one of my favorite bands and she was totally correct.
3. Japanther - Track 8 6.21.13
One time we asked Japanther to play The Chris Gethard Show and they asked if they could put on a 12 minute long shadow puppet show. We were really early in our existence and felt like we couldn't take that much time for an art piece when we had to make a TV show. It is one of the biggest mistakes I ever made and I am still embarrassed by it.
4. Downtown Boys - Slumlord Sal
Every few years you see a band that you don't know much about and their live show makes you re-think everything and Downtown Boys are the most recent band to do that to my brain.
5. Antarctigo Vespucci - Track 1 4.26.14
I was definitely at this show and may have performed at it? I don't remember. What I do know is that Chris and Jeff are two of the nicest, most relentlessly creative people I know and this record/show blew me away.
6. Steve Adamyk Band - Not a Witness
Hand in hand with Sonic Avenues! I love pop punk from Canada. Love it.
7. Screaming Females - Bell
There is no better band to watch live than Screamales. We saw them recently and my wife pointed out that when Marissa plays she at all times looks like she's about to spontaneously burst into flames.
8. Bad Credit No Credit - Word is Bond
The first time I saw BCNC Carter jumped off the stage and blasted his trumpet three inches from a person's face and I was like "Well this is what I've been looking for". Then I got to know Carrie Anne and I was like "This person is pure magic". Then they played an episode of The Chris Gethard Show where I was locked in a dog cage the whole time and it was the most perfect match of content and musical guest we ever pulled off.
9. Diarrhea Planet - Power Moves
I feel like anyone who is hanging out at the Shea archives page already likes Diarrhea Planet but this song ends with "I LOVE BEING ALIVE" and that makes me so happy.
10. The So So Glos - Xanax
The best! I love that you can hear a live appearance of this with the sample still. Also Zach Staggers and I are text friends and I think he's one of the kindest people.
11. FIDLAR - Cheap Beer
I'm an alcoholic who hasn't had booze since 2002 and even I can't help but sing along with glee to the chorus of this song.
12. The Front Bottoms - Track 2
I think I played this show? I'm listing track 2 here because Brian starts it off by asking about eating butts, which is rad.
13. Shellshag - The Medley
Shellshag are two of my favorite people on earth. Also every song that's a part of this medley is a good song that will lead you down the rabbit holes of any bands you aren't already familiar with. It's like Shellshag's guide to other cool shit.
14. RVIVR - Track 14
I think Erika Freas has the best punk rock voice there is.
15. Wavves - King of the Beach
My wife and I just went down the shore and listened to this song on the way down there.
Michael Azerrad
In the days before an artists life story and discography were a double-click away, Michael Azerrad had a proclivity for piquing our musical curiosities. An informant for so many of us who came of age in the twilight of the 20th century, his work was a gateway drug to the cultural underground, inspiring countless young listeners at pivotal times in their development to open their minds and reach just a little bit further out of their comfort zone. Over time, a lot of those very same young listeners grew to become young musicians and subsequently started bands of their own. Though pretty difficult to prove statistically, we have a sneaking suspicion that many of those same bands years later now populate a large percentage of our archives.
Though he is perhaps best known for penning one of punk's greatest primers Our Band Could Be Your Life, it is his new vehicle for discourse The Talkhouse that has currently endeared him to us. Essentially a well-curated safe house for musicians to engage in intelligent discussions about the work of their peers, it exists as a refreshing anomaly amongst the World Wide Wasteland of music criticism.
A true scholar and DIY lifer, this playlist demonstrates that while he may have educated many of us on the "glory days" of the underground, his appreciation for all things under the radar is as fervent as ever.
-Adam Reich