Psych Out Fest Recap with Videos

Howdy folks,

Back on July 10th I organized a show called the Psych Out Festival. It was a real cool time. Here is some cool video from the show. All the video was shot by Jonas Sliuzas. You can see more of his videos over on his youtube page.

Up first is my group Blue Snaggletooth.



Then we've got Tokyo Sexwhale.



This is Lava Moth.



And finally here is Chapstik.



There was one other group, The Wolfs, but their video hasn't been finished yet.

Big thanks to Jonas for filming the show and thanks to all the bands for playing. I hope to do this again next summer.

The first annual Ann Arbor PSYCH-OUT music festival.

Hey there folks,
Are you ready to get Psyched Out?

SATURDAY JULY 10th at the BLIND PIG
Jukebox Productions presents,
The first annual Ann Arbor PSYCH-OUT music festival.

Featuring 5 of Michigan's best face melting, brain bursting musical acts,

Chapstik - The audio version of Napalm. Sonic Destruction.

Blue Snaggletooth - If wizards cast spells with guitars it would sound like this.

Lava Moth - ex 500 Ft of Pipe dudes show you the truth and the light.

Tokyo Sexwhale - Tripped out surf with a twist.

The Wolfs - two young dudes with a lot of spunk and tunes that burn.

Only $7 or $10 for folks under 21. Ages 18 and up are welcome!

Hope to see you there!

psych : also see

v. psyched, psych·ing, psyches

v.tr.

1.

a. To put into the right psychological frame of mind: The coach psyched the team before the game.

b. To excite emotionally: The children were psyched to see the circus.

2. To undermine the confidence of by psychological means; intimidate: "Depending on whose personality is stronger, one can more easily psych the other" (Harold C. Schonberg).

3.

a. To analyze, solve, or comprehend.

b. To anticipate or guess the intentions of: "Most others could never approach [his] ability ... to psyche out the opposition's thinking so consistently" (Steven Brill).

4. Informal To analyze and treat by psychoanalysis.

v.intr.

To become confused or mentally deranged.

n. psych

Ann Arbor Rock 'N' Roll Revival, 2009

I've got an awesome show coming up at the Blind Pig on December 18th, The Ann Arbor Rock 'N' Roll Revival for 2009. It's hosted by Stanley the Madhatter and will feature, Deniz Tek (from Radio Birdman), Scott Morgan and the IrRationals, Gorevette and Mazinga. Hiawatha Bailey (from the Cult Heroes) will also be joining Deniz and Scott during their set to perform a few Stooges songs in honor of the late Ron Asheton. DJ Jeremy Wheeler of the Bang Dance party will be spinning records inbetween bands. He also designed the amazing hand drawn limited editon poster which will be avalible for purchase at the show.
It's only $10, doors are at 9:30, Mazinga goes on at 10pm. Advanced tickets can be purchased on the Blind Pig Web site. Don't miss this show. It's going to rule.

Halloween Weekend!

Here is what all you people in Southeast Michigan should be doing this weekend.

Friday Oct 30th at the Blind Pig.
Mazinga will be performing a 20 song Misfits tribute set along with Suicide By Cop, who will be performing as Minor Threat. Should be an old school punk rock party night at the Blind Pig! Plus the ladies of the TICKLED FANCY BURLESQUE CO.!


On Saturday Oct. 31 Halloween night there is only place to be!
THE HALLOWEEN BANG! at the Blind Pig.


See you all there!

This Saturday, Robo Bang + Punk Rock Prom 2009

This Saturday you'll have at least two options for maximum party time in our little town of Ann Arbor, and if you're really up on your game then you'll take advantage of both.

First off, if you like Robots, dancing your ass off to interplanetary boogie and donating money to a good cause at the same time, then you'll want to head over to the Blind Pig for the Robo-Bang! There is sure to be some sexy cyborgs and gorgeous droids shaking their metallic bodies to outrageous jams provided by the Bang DJ's all for your audio visual enjoyment. Proceeds from the event will be donated in support of 826Michigan.

If that doesn't exactly fit your idea of a good time, and you would rather get your ears shattered by thunderous high energy Rock 'N' Roll, then just skip a few blocks over to Main St. and the Club Above the Heidelberg, where you'll find the 2009 Punk Rock Prom in full swing after 9pm. The theme for this year is "This Tragic Moment". Make sure to dress to impress! Music and entertainment will be provided by the bands: MAZINGA, Versificators, Bantha Fodder and Cock Snot (From Grand Rapids), as well as DJ's Jef Porkins and Nate Pancakes spinning punk vinyl all night. Who will be king and queen of the prom? You and your mom?

Come and find out.

I challenge you all to attend both events, since they take place within blocks of each other. I'll be at both. See you there. What the hell else are you going to do on a Saturday night around here?

Ann Arbor Ron Asheton Tribute Show.

This show is going to rule. Don't miss it.

R.I.P. Ron Asheton

Ron Asheton (pictured far right) is my guitar hero. His playing style, his story and local Ann Arbor upbringing influence me more then any other guitar player. His band and their songs are part of my personal mix tape that plays in my head as I travel through life. Growing up a Rock 'N' Roll infected teenager in the Ann Arbor area you couldn't avoid the legend of the Stooges. Their legacy effects every rock band from this area even if they don't know it. They set the standard.
I was fortunate enough to have befriended Ron back in 1999. It was wonderful to be able to get to know the person behind the Stooges legend. He was always very gracious and friendly, and he loved to talk about the past Rock 'N' Roll glory days and the Stooges.

I am very honored to have performed with him on several occasions, when he sat in as a special guest with Powertrane. The highlight from that time was a show we did in Brooklyn at the Warsaw where we played to a sold out house in April, 2002.

This was before the Stooges reunited. Ron didn't play out much back then. Originally I hatched a plan in early 2001 to reunite Ron with Deniz Tek (my other guitar hero) and combine them with Scott Morgan and Powertrane, a group I had just taken over bass duties for. Ron And Deniz hadn't performed together since the New Race tour in 1981. My plan worked out perfectly.

We did a short tour and three sold out shows at the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor, the last one included Mitch Ryder on the bill. A live CD titled Ann Arbor Revival Meeting was released featuring highlights from the first two Blind Pig shows. After the tour Ron took the money he made and bought a ton of fireworks and held an awesome forth of July party. It wasn't a blowout crazy party. It was small. People brought their kids. It was great. He delighted in setting off the fireworks and entertaining the little kids that were there.
Ron started performing out a lot more after doing those shows with Powertrane. He went on tour with the J. Mascis and the Fog and I didn't see him for a while. One day out the blue Ron called me and asked if he could use the Powertrane rehearsal space. He and his brother Scott were going to play some big festival in L.A. with J Mascis, Mike Watt and bunch of other folks and they needed to get ready for it. I told him of course he could. Then he said I could come sit in on bass with them for rehearsal. I was thrilled to say the least. He and Scott were super cool. They even let my friend John Griffin sit in and sing. We did about 40 minutes of Stooges stuff. John and I had our little minds blown. Ron and Scott must have not minded either because they asked us to come back and do it a second time. It was crazy. It was a Stooges fan dream come true. For about an hour or so John and I were in the Stooges. Sort of. Shortly after that the real Stooges got back together in 2003. I saw Ron around then and he was super happy and excited. He was never a stuck up rock star, not once. I was super happy for him and that the Stooges finally got the respect they deserved.
A few years later my wife and I bought a house just down the street around the corner from Ron. We hung out a few times. I saw him outside a lot when I drove past his place. He always waved. In 2007 the Stooges released the Weirdness album and were getting ready to embark on a big tour. While Scott Morgan was hanging out with Ron over Christmas, Ron offered to have Powertrane open for the Stooges at the Fox Theater. Later that year on April 13th we opened their show in Detroit, all thanks to Ron's help.

It was an amazing experience. One I'll always be incredibly thankful for. The last time I talked to Ron was after they played for Madonna. He told me that he had a good time but that it was sort of silly and strange. I saw him one more time after that while coming back from a walk with my wife. He drove by and slowed down and saluted to me. I was supposed to go see him on Christmas Eve, but we were to tired after family stuff. I know Scott saw him. Of course now I wish we would have went. But I guess you never see this sort of thing coming. Ron always seemed like a super mellow person. He liked to relax at home and chill. I hardly ever went over to see him. He never answered his phone and was always in chill mode just off a tour or something. I didn't want to bother him and I hate showing up unannounced. When ever I did stop by, he was always super nice and never turned me away. Ron Asheton is my guitar hero and I'll always be thankful for his friendship and the time I got to spend with him.