Mission Mission

S.S. Records changed my life. One cold night some time in the last 10 years I was driving past some college town on an interstate, when I heard a song on the town’s college radio station. It was evil, man. It was slimy. And dark, but also bright and rad and sexy. It was “Your Body” by Frustration:

S.S. wasn’t even responsible for the recording, but I looked up the band and they were associated with S.S., and so I read about S.S. and started listening to other S.S. stuff and buying as much S.S. stuff from Needles + Pens as I possibly could. I’ve always been into weird music, but this was a special brand of weird. This was expertly curated weird, and it made me want more. Fortunately, S.S. is still going strong — and celebrating 10 years as a label this year — and the main event is this weekend right here in San Francisco.

Frustration isn’t on the bill, but a lot of their labelmates are, and everyone on the bill is similarly raw and similarly out-there and similarly viscerally exciting. Here’s what the S S 1 0 website has to say:

Over the last ten years, the label has built a reputation for discovering great unknown bands, finding hidden underground music scene throughout the world, and digging up obscure and forgotten recordings.

To celebrate it’s tenth anniversary, S.S. has put together a weekend of music in San Francisco. This is what we have planned:

Friday, May 20
A Frames**
Liquorball
Hank IV
Charles Albright
w/ dj Mitch Cardwell
@ Bottom of the Hill, 8:30 PM
Buy Tickets Here!

Saturday, May 21
feedtime*
Lamps
Nothing People
Wounded Lion
w/ dj Ryan Wells
@ Bottom of the Hill, 8:30 PM
Buy Tickets Here!
Sunday, May 22

The Mantles
Nar
3 Toed Sloth
LENZ
+ record swap
@ Hemlock Tavern, 4 PM Swap, 6 PM Show
Buy Tickets Here!

The official description says everything you need to know:

Josh Yule and Jay Howell spin all Smiths, Misfits related tunes.

It’s this Saturday at the Knockout. RSVP and invite your friends here. And do dress the part if you’re feeling so inclined:

So we’re all going, right?

RSVP and invite your friends here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dm3UGftvCRo

First Pitchfork did a big feature called Positive Destruction: San Francisco’s New Garage Rock. Then Scion released a whole movie called New Garage Explosion: In Love With These Times. They both, obviously, focus a lot on Ty Segall, Thee Oh Sees and other hot SF bands. The movie mentioned briefly though that none of this ever would have happened without this band The Clean.

They’re from New Zealand. And the above song is pret-ty good. But I do believe it sounds like this Strokes b-side (almost exactly, really) more than any Oh Sees hit:

[Thanks, A!]

I like to stay home too, but I’m probably going to go to California’s scenic Central Valley on Saturday to see R. Stevie Moore headline Operation: Restore Maximum Freedom XI. It’s an all-day rock festival organized by a free-form college radio station, and it takes place in the sunny, grassy backyard of a real live Roadhouse-style roadhouse. The burgers are great, the veggie burgers are great, the beer is cheap, and the rest of the lineup looks fun too:

R. Stevie Moore (Tennessee)
Zach Hill (Sacramento)
Appetite (Sacramento)
NOBUNNY (Oakland)
Ellie Fortune (Sacramento)
Charles Albright (Sacramento)
The Rain in Endless Fall (Santa Cruz)
Moonpearl (Irvine)
Alak (Placerville)
Kites Sail High (SF)
Produce Produce (Davis)
UC Davis Samba School

The Bay Bridged has a few more details here. Who’s in?

The song is an instant classic though:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpJQWGA1O8s

Instant classic! Doesn’t it make you want to ditch the office and head for the park?

Watch the Ferocious Few video in question here. Stream the entire new Cars album here (though it’s not all this good).

Yeah, that’s pretty baller.

I think this was some combination of Silian Rail and a few dudes from some other bands.

Our pals at Zambaleta music school are throwing a kick-ass benefit show this weekend, featuring about 20 bands including Foxtails Brigade, Quinn DeVeaux, the Blank Tapes, and Kacey Johansing. Have you heard Kacey’s album? It’s pretty damn incredible.  Also playing is Glittersnatch, a supertrio featuring the best folk-singin’ babes in town: Megan Keely, Wolf Larsen, and Kelly McFarling. Listen as they harmonize prettily on their cover of Kids by MGMT:

If you can’t afford the $5-$20 sliding scale cover, you can also volunteer at the show and score some free class credit at Zambaleta while you’re at it. Read on for the details.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgcZWaLUXLY

The press release doesn’t explain how exactly this relationship came about, but for some reason Bob Mould has begun DJing regularly at Flour and Water. Here’s the skinny:

Music begins at 5.30pm and will extend throughout the entire evening; Mould will join flour + water in celebration at 9pm.  Come and meet the artist!

Bob Mould DJ nights are the first in a series of artist DJ collaborations at flour + water.  We have teamed up with NoisePop to bring these exciting DJ nights to you.  These evenings are sought to deliver what flour + water does best: pasta, wine and loud music.  From Mould’s play list on May 2, look to enjoy a little Ringo DeathStarr, Dum Dum Girls, No Age and Foo Fighters…just to name a few.

No Age AND Foo Fighters?? I thought you had to choose one or the other. I guess Bob Mould knows best.

Full press release after the jump:

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Now let’s all watch some vintage Mummies:

Whoa, sweet Trouble Makers bumper sticker too:

Now let’s all read a vintage Troublemakers interview I did.