SHOW COUNT 2014

I went to 172 shows in 2014.

The count on the bands I’m a part of: Delay played 62 of them. Blue Friction played 8 of them.  Lose the Tude played 2.  Not sure how many I booked… maybe I’ll count this year.

* = ones that had some more memorable performances.

1/6/14 Taste Kinda Like Sad / Night Shift / Dream Journal @ V V K Columbus, OH

1/13/14 Blue Friction / Stella @ Used Kids Records Columbus, OH

*1/15/14 Check Mate / Tessaiga / No Tomorrow @ 15th Haus Columbus, OH

1/23/14 Priests / Wild Honey @ V V K Columbus, OH

1/30/14 Mosses / Parasol / All Dogs @ V V K Columbus, OH

1/31/14 Feature Films / Motel Beds / Tin Armor @ Tree Bar Columbus, OH

2/5/14 Tenement / Vacation / Crushed Velvet @ Ice Cream Factory Cincinnati, OH

2/7/14 Instaband  Christopher Robin / Fishy Fishy Go Go Go / Pett Crow / Space Jam / Suave / Tatum Cica / Trabue / Under the Docks / Underground Magic / Viktor Lillard @ Groove U Columbus, OH

2/8/14 Splashin’ Safari / Stella @ Legion of Doom Columbus, OH

2/14/14 Katherine / Trash Candy / Church of Starry Wisdom / Pretty Pornos @ V V K Columbus, OH

2/20/14 Kidz Bop / The Weaks / Blue Friction @ Dinotopia Columbus, OH

2/21/14 Instaband Finals Christopher Robin / Echolocation / Pett Crow / Strayt Laced / Tatum Cica / The Alum Creek Surf Team / Under The Docks / Underground Magic / Viktor Lillard @ Northland Performing Arts Center Columbus, OH

2/22/14 Day Creeper / Nervosas / Psychic Wheels @ Ace of Cups Columbus, OH

2/23/14 Ben Bennet @ Skylab Columbus, OH

Noah Shull & the Franklin County Boys @ Lost Weekend Records Columbus, OH

Mark Van Fleet / Radium Girls / The A.A’s @ Carabar Columbus, OH

2/24/14 WV WHITE / Total Request Dead @ Used Kids Records Columbus, OH

2/26/14 Randall Garbage @ Ace of Cups Columbus, OH

2/27/14 Into it. Over It. @ Used Kids Records Columbus, OH

3/1/14 Hud Haley & his Friends @ Lois Mann’s Columbus OH

Hot Tips / Mosses / Pretty Pornos / Penis Geyser @ Skylab Columbus, OH

3/2/14 The Patient Zeros / Bad Dates / Van Dale @ Carabar Columbus, OH

3/4/14 Raw Pony / Purple Pyramids @ Bourbon St. Columbus, OH

3/6/14 Technicolor Teeth @ Ace of Cups Columbus, OH

3/8/14 Delay / Sleeves / Randall Garbage @ V V K Columbus OH

3/10/14 Pett Crow / Van Dale @ Used Kids Records Columbus, OH

3/13/14 Slugging Percentage / Mayday / Splashin’ Safari @ V V K Columbus, OH

3/14/14 Pretty Pretty / Sega Genocide / Weird Science @ Carabar Columbus, OH

3/19/14 Unwelcome Guests / Emily and the Complexes @ Carabar Columbus, OH

*3/21/14 Sweet Poison Victim / Blue Friction @ V V K Columbus, OH

4/2/14 Delay / Total Request Dead / Taco Cat @ Carabar Columbus, OH

4/3/14 Pretty Pretty / Broadcoaster / Iron Chic @ Ace of Cups

4/5/14 Slut Castle / Dead Hand of Man @ Smiling Skull Athens, OH

4/10/14 Good Throb / Nervosas / Priests @ Ace of Cups Columbus, OH

*4/12/14 Teenage Strangers (1st show) / Failed Mutation / Splashin’ Safari / Satanarchy @ V V K Columbus, OH

4/14/14 She Bears / Buffalo Riders @ Used Kids Records Columbus, OH

4/16/14 Radiator Hospital / Sports / Pretty Pretty @ Carabar Columbus, OH

4/18/14 Al Scorch @ Rambling House Columbus, OH

4/19/14 Record Store Day@ Used Kids Records Columbus, OH  The Franklin Country Landfillers / Wayfarers / Dick Mackey / Amelia & a drummer… name? / Mahogany & Leather / Mike Shiflet / WV White / Echolocation / Envelope / Nervosas (Jeff plays solo) / Psychic Wheels / Sega Genocide

4/21/14 Counterfeit Madison / Yowler (1st show) / Frankie Cosmos / Tin Armor @ Kafe Kerouac Columbus, OH

4/23/14 Rebellum @ Used Kids Records Columbus, OH

*Sega Genocide / Pretty Pretty / Tweens / Nude Beach @ KOBO Columbus, OH

4/26/14 Fuck You Pay Me @ Kobo Columbus, OH

Vindictive / Wartorn / Oi Polloi / Nukkehammer / Lose The Tude @ Ace of Cups Columbus, OH

4/27/14 Goners / All Dogs / Waxahatchee / Swearin’ / Tyvek @ Ace of Cups Columbus, OH

4/30/14 Turquoise Feeling / Criminal Code @ Ace of Cups Columbus, OH

5/1/14 Delay / She Bears / The Yugos @ Carabar Columbus, OH

5/2/14 Nom Tchotchkes / Raw Pony / Estee Louder / The Something Somethings @ Ace of Cups Columbus, OH

5/3/14 Sega Genocide @ Carabar

5/4/14 Gaze (1st show, later become didi) / Black Planet / Pretty Pretty / Goners @ V V K Columbus, OH

5/5/14 Angel Olsen / Elephant Micah / Promised Land @ Bishop  Bloomington, IN

5/10/14 Blue Friction / Stylestar / Bellows @ Grandma Ben’s Athens, OH

5/13/14 Flea Bite @ Happy Dog Cleveland, OH

5/15/14 Day Creeper / Raw Pony @ Used Kids Records Columbus, OH

5/18/14 Outer Spaces / Sport Fishing USA / Blue Friction @ Bourbon St. Columbus, OH

5/21/14 Hundos / Lorelle Meets the Obsolete @ Used Kids Records Columbus, OH

Catherine / Sundials / Tin Armor @ Carabar Columbus, OH

*5/23/14 CRABB FEST Rutland, OH Night I. Aneids / Meet the Neighbors / The Fury / Melyn’s band / Marissa Anderson / Pretty Pretty / Napalm Donut / Bad Fog / Desperate Pilot / Satanarchy / Rats Rest / Rag Rage / Onion Flavored Rings

*5/24/14 CRABB FEST Night II. Slut Castle / Weird Science / Serengeto / Babe Quest / Delay / Dishpit / Gaze / Sandal Stomp / Hot Mess Monster / Neanderthal / Dog Problem / Nature Boys

Delay Tour

TUES MAY 27 Akron OH 8pm @ It’s a Kling Thing 403 Kling St w/ Northwestern, Cherry Cola Champions

WEDS MAY 28 Buffalo NY 9pm  @ Broadway Joe’s 3051 Main St. w/ Mapmaker, Space Wolves, Gun Trouble

THURS MAY 29 Hopewell NJ @ 50 Snydertown Rd house show w/ Casual, Permiscuah, Stranger Cells

FRI MAY 30 New Brunswick NJ 8pm @ Cooler Ranch w/ Martha, Kicking Spit, Casual

SAT MAY 31 New Haven CT 7pm @  Osborn House w/ Martha, Spit-take, Posture and the Grizzly

SUN JUNE 1 Worcester MA 6pm @ The Firehouse w/ Martha, Uh-Huh, The Takeaways, Hoser, Jake McKelvie & the Countertops

MON JUNE 2 – Boston MA 7pm @ w/ Martha, Baja Blatz!, Parasol

TUES JUNE 3 – Portsmouth NH 9pm @ Studio 550 550 Elm St. w/ Martha, Notches

WEDS JUNE 4 – Providence RI @ 95 Empire St. w/ Martha, Spoonboy, Colour Me Wednesday, Brian Forever

THURS JUNE 5 – Northport (Long Island) NY @ P(((o)))00L P@RTY w/ Martha, Giant Peach, Hot Shot, Outta Gas

FRI JUNE 6 – Brooklyn NY 8pm @ Death By Audio 49 S. 2nd St. w/ Martha, Shellshag, Giant Peach

SAT JUNE 7- Philadelphia PA 7pm @ Golden Tea House w/ Martha, Spraynard, Twin Pines

SUN JUNE 8 – Wilmington DE 6pm @ Kool House w/ Martha, The Headies, Victory Boy, Casual

MON JUNE 9 – Baltimore (Hampden) MD 8pm @ Holy Frijoles 908 W 36th St. w/ Martha, Foozle

TUES JUNE 10 – Washington DC 7pm @ The Rocketship 1223 Decatur St. NW w/ Martha, Jail Solidarity, The Ambulars

WEDS JUNE 11 – Richmond VA 5pm Doors, Delay at 6 @ Strange Matter 929 W. Grace St. w/ Martha, Dogbreth, Cheap Girls, Andrew Jackson Jihad

THURS JUNE 12 – Clarksburg WV 6pm @ The Main Street Cafe 331 West Main Street w/ Martha, Dog Jaw, Amen Lucy, Amen, Captain Catfeesh

FRI JUNE 13 – Columbus OH 9pm @ Carabar 115 Parsons Ave OTE w/ Martha, Brat Curse, Goners

SAT JUNE 14 – Cleveland OH 7pm @ Mosh Eisley W. 99th w/ Martha, Heart Attack Man

SUN JUNE 15 – Detroit MI 7:30pm @ Trumbullplex w/ Martha, Peach Pit, Clevinger

MON JUNE 16 –  La Porte, IN 7pm @ Soap Land  603 Detroit St. w/ Martha, Boilerman, Like Bats

TUES JUNE 17 – Chicago IL 6pm @ Township 2200-2202 N. California Ave. w/ Martha, Boilerman, Nightshift

WED JUNE 18 – Indianapolis IN 8pm @ Chapel of crimes watts satellite for wholesale and distribution 22nd and Illinois w/ Martha, Who Needs You

THURS JUNE 19 – Dayton OH 9pm @ South Park Tavern 1301 Wayne Ave. w/ Martha, Riley

FRI JUNE 20 – SUN JUNE 22 Spencer IN @ Stable Studios * Plan-it-X Fest 2014
MON JUNE 23 – Lexington KY 8pm @ Gnar House 1119 Highland Park w/ Martha, The Elsinores

TUES JUNE 24 – Cincinnati OH 7pm @ Lucy Blue’s 1126 Main Street  w/ Martha, Shellshag, Purple 7, Dopamines, Vacation, Sleeves, Street Eaters

WED JUNE 25 – Pittsburgh PA 7pm @ Star Command w/ Martha, Doubting Thomas Cruise Control, Soothsayer

6/26/14 Spit Take / Kidz Bop @ Dinotopia Columbus, OH

6/27/14 Raw Pony @ Comfest Columbus, OH

6/28/14 Pretty Pornos / Strep Torso / Weird Dad / Vostok @ Skylab Columbus, OH

6/29/14 New Legga-C @ Comfest  Columbus, OH

Earthquake Bloody Jaguar / Life Mess @ Bourbon St.  Columbus, OH

6/30/14 Nasty Habit / Cancers @ Carabar  Columbus, OH

*7/2/14 Radioactivity / Bad Sports / Nervosas @ Ace of Cups  Columbus, OH

7/10/14 Dead Turquoise / Eternally Dizzy / Pretty Pretty / Reverse the Curse @ Carabar  Columbus, OH

7/13/14 Lose the Tude / Katherine / Puberty Wounds @ Cat Science  Columbus, OH

7/14/14 Tatum Cica / Mala @ Used Kids Records  Columbus, OH

7/19/14 Kizzy Hall (1st show?) / Quarter Backs / Nice Try @ 2071 N. 4th  Columbus, OH

7/25/14 Delay / Meridian / The Gunshy / End of the Ocean @ Carabar  Columbus, OH

7/29/14 Slouch (OLY, WA) @ Bourbon St.  Columbus, OH

8/3/14 The Fury / Forced into Femininity / Black Rainbow @ Skylab  Columbus, OH

8/5/14 Worn Leather / Easy Pieces / Jordan Martin / Blessed State @ Dinotopia  Columbus, OH

8/6/14 La Luna / Elsinores @ Legion of Doom  Columbus, OH

8/8/14 Blizzard Babies / Pretty Pretty @ Bourbon St. Columbus, OH

8/9/14 Grrrls Rock Columbus Showcase @ Summit on 16th  Columbus, OH

8/10/14 Lindsays / Acid Fast / Pigeon Island / Pretty Pretty @ Carabar  Columbus, OH

8/13/14 The Planktones @ Used Kids Records  Columbus, OH

8/14/14 Heart Attack Man / Ghost Stories / History’s History @ House with No Name  Columbus, OH

*8/16/14 Moviola / Thomas Jefferson Slave Apts / Scrawl / The Clean – late show –  Sundials / Sidekicks @ Ace of Cups  Helter Swelter 1  Columbus, OH

8/21/14 Peeple Watchin’ @ House with No Name  Columbus, OH

8/22/14 Mavis Staples @ Centennial Park  Columbus, OH

Sega Genocide @ Carabar  Columbus, OH

8/23/14 Tin Armor / LVL UP / All Dogs @ Garden Theater  Columbus, OH

8/25/14 The Something Somethings / Littlefoot / IAN / Egon Gone / Jordan O’ Jordan @ Carabar  Columbus, OH

8/26/14 OBNOX @ Ace of Cups  Columbus, OH

8/28/14 Goners / Nasty Habit @ 4th St. Grill  Columbus, OH

8/29/14 Sega Genocide / Something Somethings / WV White @ Bourbon St.  Columbus, OH FeMMe Fest

8/30/14 Grrrl Cheese / Pretty Pretty / Two Years Later / Dead Set Ready / Senor Citizen & the Border Patrol  @ Used Kids Records  Columbus, OH

Burlap Condom / Yuze Boys / Bad Doctors / Pretty Pretty @ Bourbon St.  Columbus, OH

8/31/14 Black Planet / Reigning Sound @ Ace of Cups  Columbus, OH

9/1/14 Leggy / Underpass @ Skylab  Columbus, OH

9/2/14 Who Needs You? / Gelatinus Cube @ Used Kids Records  Columbus, OH

9/4/14 Headies / Whiny / Jose Garza @ 15th Haus  Columbus, OH

9/5/14 Delay / Perfect Pussy / Pity Sex / Party Plates @ Mahall’s  Cleveland, OH

9/6/14 Blue Friction / Speaking Suns / Gap Tooth Grin / Blue Moon Soup / Weird Science / Sport Fishing USA

9/11/14 Aye Nako / Potty Mouth @ Beechland Ballroom  Cleveland, OH

9/13/14 Kid Congo & the Pink Monkey Birds @ Used Kids Records  Columbus, OH improv. w/ spoken work set

Blue Friction / Frisky Gibbons @ 16th on Summit (outside)

*9/20/14 Bloody Show / Deaf Wish @ Ruby Tuesday’s  Columbus, OH

9/21/14 Weird Science / Purple 7 @ Used Kids Records  Columbus, OH

9/26/14 Mt. Eerie @ Horn Gallery Kenyon College  Gambier, OH

*9/27/14 Dylan Taylor Lehman / Lights Out / Giant Peach @ 2071 N. 4th

9/29/14 Delay /  Vyvyan / Joyride! / Nice Try / All Dogs @ 215 E. Hillside  Bloomington, IN

10/1/14 Delay / Joyride! / Van Dale @ Carabar  Columbus, OH

10/3/14 Wendy Lee / Bree / Aaron Miller (solo set) @ 2435 Adams Ave  Columbus, OH

10/4/14 UK 28 Delay / Truman Carter / The New Gentle Soul / Newish Star / Splashin’ Safari / Betty Machete & the Angry Cougars / Drift Mouth / Comrade Question

10/6/14 Pujol / Vacation / Screaming Females @ Ace of Cups  Columbus, OH

10/11/14 UK 28 Cliffs / Jon Rogers / Counterfeit Madison / The Girls! / Washington Beach Bums @ Ace of Cups  Columbus, OH

10/12/14 We / Ours @ Used Kids Records  Columbus, OH

10/17/14 Blue Friction / John Davey / Moor Hound @ Used Kids Records  Columbus, OH

10/19/14 Lieutenant Dance / Sin Shouters / Day Creeper / Washington Beach Bums / Gamma World  @ Used Kids Records  Columbus, OH

10/20/14 Cassie Ramone / Winston Hightower @ Used Kids Records  Columbus, OH

10/24/14 Legion of Doom Halloween 2014 Beastie Boys / Crucifux / Dead Milkmen / Nirvana / Beat Happening / My Chemical Romance / Saves the Day  Columbus, OH

Delay tour II

10/30 @ Wonderroot – Atlanta, GA w/ The Sidekicks, All Dogs, Babes Motel, The Weaks, Not Half Bad, Three Man Cannon, My Dad, Man Up Yancey

10/31 and 11/1 @ Fest 13, Boca Fiesta – Gainesville, FL w/ Golden Bear, Junior Battles I WATCHED Spraynard, The Max Levine Ensemble, Annabel, All Dogs, The Sidekicks, Two Hand Fulls, Three Man Cannon, Sun Dials, Lemuria

11/2/14 @ 1612 – Birmingham, AL w/ The Urns, Dommel Mosel

11/3/14 @ Saturn Bar – New Orleans, LA w/ Trash Swan, Super Secret Pop-Punk Band (covering old Delay), Rough Shape

11/4/14 @ Trailer Space Records – Austin, TX w/ Lesser Beings, User Error

11/5/14 @ Trainyard – Las Cruces, NM w/ Kelly Williams

11/6/14 @ The Trunk Space – Phoenix, AZ w/ Logan Greene Electric, Daisy Face, Dog Breth

11/7/14 @ Dawg House – San Diego, CA w/ Struckout, Logan Greene Electric, Plastic City Pariah

11/8/14 @ Wulf Den – Los Angeles, CA w/ Pinned in Place, Logan Greene Electric, Spokenest

*11/9/14 @ The Boat – Oakland, CA w/ Joyride!, WUV, Yogurt Brain, Big Kitty

11/10/14 @ 1-2-3-4 GO! Records – Oakland, CA w/ Bascom, Burning Curtains, Acid Fast

11/11/14 @ 916 Douglass – Davis, CA w/ Nigel Read, Taylor Fields, Thom Stone *Delay plays 2nd time as Austin and Ryan chill set. Noise complaints. Jesse talks outside on the phone!

11/12/14 @ The Placenter – Portland, OR w/ Backbiter, Lee Corey Oswald, Defect Defect

11/13/14 @ Black Lodge – Seattle, WA w/ The Exquisites, Your Rival, Peeping Tomboys

11/14/14 @ Astoria Pub – Vancouver, BC w/ Pinner, Erica Freas, Poor Form

11/15/14 @ Le Voyeur – Olympia, WA w/ Dog Jaw, RVIVR

11/16/14 @ The Crux – Boise, ID w/ Tiny Moving Parts, Sheep Among Wolves, Stepbrothers

11/17/14 @ Diabolical Records – Salt Lake City, UT w/ Blade, Baby Ghosts

11/18/14 @ Hamsterdam – Denver, CO w/ Dorms, Lisa Prank, Chase Ambler

11/19/14 @ Art Lab – Fort Collins, CO w/ Defaeco, Sweetly, justinedrugs

11/20/14 @ West Wing – Omaha, NE w/ The Ridgeways, Stomach

11/21/14 @ Public Space One – Iowa City, IA w/ Pillow Fight

*11/22/14 @ Seward Cafe – Minneapolis, MN w/ Tree Blood, Begera, We / Ours

11/23/14 @ Bremen Cafe – Milwaukee, WI w/ Uh-Oh, Rechid, Begera

11/25/14 Pretty Pornos / Raw Pony / DJ Thunder Thighs @ Bourbon St.  Columbus, OH

*12/5/14 Swarming Branch / Anna Ranger / Saintseneca @ Newport  Columbus, OH

Counter Intuits / Connections @ Space Bar  Columbus, OH

12/6/14 StyleStar / Katherine / Thunder Thighs  Make Waves III @ 16th on Summit  Columbus, OH

12/9/14 Leggy / Nasty Habit @ Ace of Cups  Columbus, OH

12/15/14 Delay w/ Heart Attack Man / Prince / Lemuria @ Mahall’s 20 Lanes  Lakewood,  OH

GRAMMY’S ALBUM

I’ve been working at Used Kids Records in Columbus, Ohio for the better part of two years now. On occasion, I work the register while playing DJ to the people browsing in the store. A big part of our business involves buying (cash or trade?) used records. People come upstairs with their stacks and we name a price- titles and condition taken into consideration quickly. I’m honing this fine skill as the dust to mold fights for traction in my lungs.

Recently, a gentleman came up the steps with a crate of records. He wanted to know if it’d be worth hauling up the other four based on what he had in his arms. I took a quick look at them. We’ll call them thrift store records, stuff that doesn’t sell well for us, even at a buck. Most of it would be recycled (the jackets) as packing material for shipping orders. They looked to be in good condition though and he wanted some of them to have a shot at a home before a death in the dumpster.  I made an offer. It’s funny how people who say “It’s not about the money” sing a different song when you name a figure lower than they expected. They’ve moved a decimal point into right-field-fantasy land. No one likes to get ripped off and I don’t care to be the ripper. To be honest, I probably overpaid by $5 (a manager mentioned this to me) based on what I saw and what they said about the records. Soon after, they left amicably with cash pocketed.

I started going through the records, making stacks of possible store stock. There was some Sinatra and Billie at best, lots of classical and some show tunes. Too much Al Hirt for anyone. Suddenly, the iconic art of a Blue Note Jazz LP showed its face. The manager picked it up.

“You may have saved your pants on that one,” he said. We laughed. A stroll to the computer and a few key strokes let us know it was valuable and would soon help the store make a healthy sale. We’d salvaged a piece of jazz history. Who could have known there was that rare winner hiding between the discards? We cleaned it up and played it. Donald Byrd’s Byrd in Flight soared over our heads as we worked along below.

Over dinner with my family last weekend I recalled the story, mostly to put my dumb luck on display. I also wanted to give an idea of what people and institutions are willing to pay for historically and culturally significant records. My Gram was reminded of something and began her own story.

“You know I did artwork for an album cover… your Uncle’s friends… you know, he was always very involved with everything music around here…”

I swore I’d heard the story before but probably didn’t give it the attention it deserved. With my recent immersion in everything records, my ears widened as Gram put more pieces in place.

“It was something, Autumn to Spring... Autumn to…”

“Wasn’t it From Autumn to May?” my mom said.

Gram had done the cover by hand, even the lettering. She also chose the colors.

“It was a light blue on one side and kind of a Chartreuse on the other” she said.

“What’s Chartreuse? Like a lighter pink?” my brother said.

“No no, no, Chartreuse is almost a lighter green” Gram said, almost offended.

I wanted to see her art. I started searching the web on my Brother’s iPhone, plugging in the clues.

“I bet you it’s on here” I said.

First a link on youtube displayed the title, Franklin & Hayes Autumn to May. It wasn’t on Wikipedia. Next I did an image search and there it was; Gram’s art- vibrant and timeless. It looked perfect. Next to the image (see above) was a link to Ron Franklin’s (the Franklin part of the duo) blog. I clicked. As it loaded I stepped to the middle of the floor then read his words verbatim.

“The album was called Autumn to May by Franklin and Hayes, a duo album with my high school friend Ann Hayes (see pic of us in Olmsted Falls park). We only made 1000 so they are pretty rare, but it’s listed in the Acid Archives, a catalog of independent vinyl records of the period, so it has became a minor collector’s item – one sold on eBay last year for over $500.”

“I’m famous!” Gram said.

We gathered around the iPhone, admiring in disbelief, our foreheads all almost touching in a Chartreuse glow.

“Look at how good I am!” she said.

It was true, she was good. My sister wanted one for her and her husband’s new home. It would hang adjacent from where we’d just eaten at the dinner table. A light green wall would host it well.

“A print out may have to do” she said.

I wanted it. I wanted to play it. I knew it was valuable, but I’m one for putting a few scratches down, making a path. I want the cracks and the pops while I get bean burrito juice on the liner notes (not too much). Gram remembered getting a call from a collector about it once. He’d seen her name credited on the record and hunted her down to try to get a copy. She tried to be helpful but couldn’t say if he’d ever succeeded. I loved the thought of pre-internet detective work, the way so many people take access to information for granted. A random phone call or a written letter seems like a distant concept with home keys always near by.

Some more research revealed that the release dates back to 1969. They were in high school at the time and based in Olmsted Falls, Ohio. The album was a private press release (funded by an individual as opposed to a commercial label), catalog number WR-1-69. It could be classified as late 60s folk with pop-psych leanings, especially in the sometimes-moody girl/guy harmonies. It didn’t sound too psychedelic to me. I can’t see Olmsted Falls lending too many trippy vibes. On a Collector’s Frenzy (high end vinyl record auction site) the players are listed as ‘ron franklin-guitar/vocals, tobe finney-guitar, craig baker-bass, tim collins-bass, dennis olic-guitar, ralph jocke-drums, greg funk-congas & ann hayes-vocals… produced by bob wenning out of Cleveland Ohio…’ Along with Franklin & Hayes limited and only LP, The Acid Archives (Patrick Lundborg 2006) documented and reviewed 4,000 underground LPs from the US and Canada between the years 1965–1982.

Maybe it’s time to start scouring the thrift stores in Northeast Ohio. If I found one I’d give it to Gram. Maybe there’s one in a garage or a basement sopping up rain water. Maybe I’ll just wait for another crate to come bumbling up the steps, ragged with someone’s history, ready for new fingerprints.

MY TOP 10 ALBUMS TOP 10 SHOWS OF 2014

Ryan’s Picks

TOP 10 ALBUMS 

We / Ours – Demo tape (self-released)
David Kilgour & the Heavy 8’s – End Times Undone (Merge)

Lower Plenty – LIFE / THRILLS (Mexican Summer)

Caribou – Our Love (Merge)

Radiator Hospital – Torch Song (Salinas)

Martha – Courting Strong (Salinas)

Rakta – S/T (540)

NehruvianDOOM – S/T (Lex)

Diners – Diners (Diet Pop)

The Men – Tomorrow’s Hits (Sacred Bones)

TOP 10 SHOWS (fav. performance underlined)

5/24/14 CRABB FEST Night II Slut Castle / Weird Science / Serengeto / Babe Quest / Delay / Dishpit / Gaze / Sandal Stomp / Hot Mess Monster / Neanderthal / Dog Problem / Nature Boys

1/15/14 Check Mate / Tessaiga / No Tomorrow @ 15^th Haus Columbus, OH

9/20/14 Bloody Show / Deaf Wish @ Ruby Tuesday’s Columbus, OH

3/21/14 Sweet Poison Victim / Blue Friction @ V V K Columbus, OH

5/23/14 CRABB FEST Rutland, OH Night I. Aneids / Meet the Neighbors / The Fury / Melyn’s band / Marissa Anderson / Pretty Pretty / Napalm Donut / Bad Fog / Desperate Pilot / Satanarchy / Rats Rest / Rag Rage / Onion Flavored Rings

4/12/14 Teenage Strangers (1^st show) / Failed Mutation / Splashin’ Safari / Satanarchy @ V V K Columbus, OH

7/2/14 Radioactivity / Bad Sports / Nervosas @ Ace of Cups Columbus, OH

8/16/14 Moviola / Thomas Jefferson Slave Apts / Scrawl / The Clean – late show – Sundials / Sidekicks @ Ace of Cups Helter Swelter 1 Columbus, OH

4/23/14 Sega Genocide / Pretty Pretty / Tweens / Nude Beach @ KOBO Columbus, OH

11/9/14 @ The Boat – Oakland, CA w/ Joyride!, WUV, Yogurt Brain, Big Kitty

late summer late 20s. demo ditch 05 mixtape

LISTEN HERE

I’ll be 30 at the end of this month. Onward. Here is a mixtape I made reppin
some of what I’ve been jamming in this transitional phase of life.
Heavily influenced by Used Kids staff and Columbus, OH. Also shows I’ve
been to or played. Random stuff I’ve stumbled on. I made it at the
tail-end of Summer, hence the title. The record player I used to make it
was pretty tired. You may notice. You may not. Enjoy. DEMO DITCH 05

A

I’M BEING GOOD – Town is Weird

WEED – Heal

APPLES IN STEREO – Mystery

BILL FOX – Let’s Be Buried Together

NUDGE SQUIDFISH – Goodbye Princess / They Call Me Mike Rep

MEAT PUPPETS – Climbing

BORIS w/ MICHIO KURIHARA – Narrador Da Espaconave

ERIN TOBEY – Come Pick Me Up

BOMBINO – Adounia

GIBSON BROS – Dedicated Fool

DWIGHT YOAKAM – Smoke Along the Track

KAREN DALTON – Reason to Believe

CONNECTIONS – 1980 Called

SONIA SPENCE – For Your Love

GENTLEMEN JESSE – Butterfingers

B

THE SPECIALS – Nite Klub

NINA SIMONE – Rich Girl (Hall&Oates)

GREEN DAY – Burnout

JANE AIRE & THE BELVEDERES – I’m an Actress

CATE LE BON – No God

TOMMY JAY – Memories

DOUBTING THOMAS CRUISE CONTROL – N.D.A

DWIGHT TWILLEY BAND – Looking For the Magic

ANGEL OLSEN – You Are Song

MISSISSIPPI JOHN HURT – Coffee Blues

THE SCHRAMMS – It’s Not What She Wants

BOB DYLAN – True Love Tends to Forget

BERT JANSCH – Where Did My Life Go

BLUE FRICTION II

Blue Friction started as me alone and the songs that live on tapes in an old birthday present bag under the desk in my room. Then Leslie joined me and together we drank magic potion and songs were thrown forth. Here is our tape. Already, rituals not to be named are practiced rigorously as we strip mine the earth for new chord progressions.

If you’d like an actual tape, simply paypal $4 to buddywillardjr at gmail dot com and mention that you want the tape.

OR http://bluefriction.bandcamp.com/album/ii 

ryan j’s top 10s of 2013

Top Ten Shows of 2013
10. 9/13/13 New Legga-C Showband @ Hot Times Festival (Parsons Ave. stage), Columbus OH

9. 12/13/13 Splashin’ Safari, Life Mess, Total Request Dead, Deep Santa @ Legion of Doom, Columbus OH

8. 7/20/13 Sewn Leather @ Skylab, Columbus OH

7. 6/9/13 Colour Me Wednesday @ The Blueberry, Norwich UK

6. 3/26/13 IJI, Wormy Earth, In Glove With Bach @ ILLIO, Columbus OH

5. 6/15/13 ONSIND @ Plan-it-X Fest London

4. 5/10/13 Andrew Graham & Swarming Branch @ Carabar, Columbus OH

3. 9/22/13 Angel Olsen (w/ full band), Pillars and Tongues @ Double Happiness

2. 3/24/13 BAD SIDE @ Cat Science Necro Mansion, Columbus OH

1. 5/5/13 Josephine Foster @ Double Happiness, Columbus OH——–

Albums I Listened to Most in 2013

10. Bored Games 10″ –  Bored Games (Milwaukee, WI)

9. All Dogs 7″ – All Dogs (Columbus, OH)

8. Dead Moon – Strange Pray Tell

7. Nina Simone – Silk & Soul

6. Vacation – Candy Waves (Cincinnati, OH)

5. Tin Armor – Tin Armor (Columbus, OH)

4.  Mount Eerie – 11 Old Songs

3. Angel Olsen – Half Way Home (Chicago IL)

2. Elephant Micah – Globe Rush Progressions (Bloomington IN)

1. Ramones – End of the Century

h a p p y n e w y e a r

photo by Glenn Coxx

DEMO DITCH SUMMER MIX 2013

I was asked by Mikey, proprietor of the Russian Blog This Is Pop , to make a mix tape full of Summer vibes. I went for it on the third night of August. I wrote a little bit about that hot and fickle season as well. No shirt, no shoes, new Columbus Clippers hat from an old lady at a garage sale, some headphones. I call it DEMO DITCH SUMMER MIX 2013. Download it or stream it HERE for free.

photo by Ryan J.

Photo by Kristina Markey

Blue Friction began humbly with a group of songs I’d written in need of a home. I situated them onto a Tascam 4 track in the Winter of 2010 and early 2011 when I lived on Forsythe Ave., a quiet street between campus crap and the sky-high rent of Vicotrian Village in Columbus, OH. Sorry to my neighbor for yelping and strumming at all hours of the day/night. Your dog evened things up though.  I play/sing everything on the recording. It was done with 1 microphone in a bedroom, kitchen or the bathroom. I played one shakey solo set on acoustic guitar through an aiwa boombox belonging to a friend. I hadn’t asked to use it, resulting in bad luck for a year.

Blue Friction has become a two person cult featuring Leslie Shimizu and I. We’ve played one open mic night at Shrunken Head. We are in the soul searching stage of the band. For now, HERE is some free music. Released 09 February 2013

CHICAGO ZINE FEST

‘CHICAGO ZINE FEST 2013’ was a subject title shimmying through the inbox of my e-mail for most of the year. I would open one message or the next from time to time and read about the meetings, the bake sales, the readings. I would skim over the finer details, thankfully being sorted out by the dedicated CZF crew. I meant to be looking for the “RESERVE YOUR TABLE TODAY” e-mail. I meant to clear my weekend work schedule. I meant to find transportation and have a sack of crisp zines stapled and ready to go a month in advance.

It’s nice to not have to depend on yourself solely for action in life. Richard, as my friend, compatriot and fellow agitator at Monster House Press said,

“Wanna come to Chicago Zine Fest / table with me at it? March 8th / 9th. I got MHP a table and will be there!”

I said yes, called off work and found some zine freaks / punk geeks to kindly and safely drive me to and from Chicago. Gas station snacks were a plenty to the dismay of our guts. Thanks to these folks and the last minute for nudging me impeccably forward.

Now a few weeks beyond the event, I know that I was met with a meaningful experience. Youthful enthusiasm spread through me for the duration of the event. So many people, by their own volition or by gutsy collaboration with friends at the risk of financial and romantic drama, are making beautiful things. That seems like a general and subjective statement. It is both but I will award BEAUTY to things born of the mind and transferred to the hands, photocopiers and staplers, sharing, trading, the urgency to connect with people, the informal flow of ideas outside of A**AZON or F****OOK, the personal contact that has potential to stir up possibility in an individual or within a subculture. I let my (free) coffee-perked spirit bounce back and forth between the two floors of zine fest territory.

The key to maintaining my sanity in the overwhelming amount of mostly self-published works was finding familiar faces; people I knew from touring in bands or as a touring reader, as well as booking shows and readings here in Ohio. I hovered around faces I might like to know and waited for some space. Then on to bright colors. Finally I moved to walking around and trading things based on a simple non-system. EX 1: That girl gave me a spoon for my yogurt at the book store. She gets a zine as a trade. EX 2: I traded with this person at the first CZF and they are here! I want their new stuff and will give them my stuff whether they want it or not. EX 3: Money for goods (accepted)  EX 4: Oatmeal cookie for goods (rejected)

I want to highlight some zines I picked up and encourage folks to hunt down these titles.

Kate Larson was the zine fest sweep for me. Upon arriving, I saw Kate give a reading at 826CHI from her most recent zine, No Better Than Apples 9. I can say I was mesmerized and flattened at the same time. To speak bravely and eloquently about illness- very real fear and pain- and elevate your audience’s conscience, empathy and ultimately, remind them that being alive is good and giving care to loved ones is good, is beyond invaluable to those who witness such an act. It was moving to see happen. This zine documents Kate’s sudden symptoms and subsequent diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis.

No Better Than Apples is the kind of zine that you want to pick up because of how it looks; beautifully screen printed (by hand, by Kate) covers on colored paper (gold ink!), quarter-sized, a mix of hand-written and typewriter charm, cut-and-paste images and drawings that cheer a reader on in the midst of such heavy subject matter. Underlying themes of body image, sexuality and being a women in a patriarchal society fit into to this narrative seamlessly. I’d attribute this to the way Kate is able to open up moments of her real life experiences with a reader. She is living and writing about her life rather than prescribing or listing as a qualifier, a trap many per-zines can fall into in my opinion. I am very glad to have purchased this zine direct from the author and you can do the same. That is the accessibility of the zine world. Sometimes I’ll look up my favorite poets and wonder, “Why can’t I just e-mail them!” Their work will have spoken to me so intimately that I think I should be able to say, “Hey, wanna go have a beer with me?” Apparently I have to talk their publishers first. Understandable and unfair.

On the lighter side was STORIES, a quarter-sized zine complete with a cassette tape featuring Kate’s friends telling true life stories. I rocked this one in the Delay van driving out to the distant west side of Columbus (for pizza and romance, one and the same) and found my self wholly captivated. I found… a story about a brief stint as a dead head. Another that totally convinced me aliens are real. Cops! Terrorism! Jail! Anal sex! and more.

The third Larson release I acquired was a tiny (physically small though infinitely capable, something I consider most music and art to be) collaborative work. It is a zine that features the water colored paintings of Canadian artist and songwriter, S. Ayton. The zine carries a link to MOOD-SWINGS bandcamp page and streams the musical team-up by the two.

I’ve always admired Mark Novotny’s layout on his long-running zine The Fury. It’s clean, memorable and easy to look at- not to mention his writing is insightful and witty. Pick up any of his releases. Novotny’s skill as a photographer can be found in the zine below. This will make you want to start a band or at least go to more shows and stand in the front.

Someone bought a zine from me and had a poster that was a blown up page from Cathy Hannah’s comic zine ALAS. I needed the poster. It sold out. I bought the zine. All good. Here is the page from that zine that went big.

Sara Drake has unmatched skill for simply precise, clever and beautiful work. Snake Girl is a brilliantly illustrated movie review (plus more) of The Snake King’s Child; Fai Sam Ang’s 2001 remake of Tea Lim Kun’s Pos Keng Kang (The Snake King’s Wife or The Snake Girl 1971). The work seems undoubtedly influenced by Drake’s recent Cambodian residency, teaching young girls how to make and self-publish zines at Independent Youth Driven Cultural Production in Cambodia (IYDCPC).

In Snake Girl, Drake quickly highlights the action in this Cambodian Folktale turned ‘Horror’ film. Along with celebrating a female lead and the scene in which her hair morphs into snakes, instantly killing a perpetrator,  Drake accents the importance of this film, and any art for that matter, existing after the brutal atrocities enacted by the Khmer Rouge Regime and the years of civil war that followed. Screen printed covers. 5.5 X 7.

You may also see the Quickest Flip postcard I acquired below. Quickest Flip was stationed near by Sara and  I (mutually) recognized the table-er from playing at her house in Arcata, CA in 2007 with Delay. Quickest Flip is a current magazine / website / musical compilation, basically a cover-all outlet for many under appreciated artists. It is based in Eugene, OR. Awesome stuff.

Sue P. & Mary C.’s high quality split photo zine. This will inspire travel and help let the simple things in your everyday landscapes speak to you. It is possible to have contradictory feelings always and this one left me calmed and restless.

Mae, A Columbus native’s per-zine. It is funny to connect with someone I have seen around a lot at basement shows over the years miles away and removed from our proclaimed ‘home.’ Sometimes it takes an after party with this girl offering shots of Tequila out of a gun-shaped glass bottle (we passed). This one hits hard right off with an entry on recognizing and surviving sexual assault.  It comes back again at the end. It made a rock in my stomach, thinking of how so many people’s coming-of-age tales involve assault. It is a hard world to trust, a hard world to grow in.

This is a quick read and there is a rawness to the writing style. You get the feeling that it’s off the cuff which makes it a poignant account that is easy to get into. i was a teenaged SCUM FUCK  is also a hilarious and too-crude-for-mom’s travel zine. Trains. Arrests. Shows. On The Road for kids with studded vests and CRASS back patches.  It’s like finding the first forty-ounze you can stomach. I’m reading the title again, thinking about the I WAS, as in, I am no longer. A reflection. There is an interesting tension in this zine. There’s the awareness of irreverent decision-making, privilege and and how one chooses to explore the concept of freedom. Then there’s space bagging on the highway in plain sight.

I have a stack of computer paper looking at me from my bedroom floor. It’s folded and stapled. Zines are like the dirty laundry of literature. So many of us have something to say. It piles up til it cannot be ignored. Zine’s are an outlet. Zine fest’s are a forum for connection and growth. I think I made $20. I think I made more. I think I’ll make more. See you there.

CHICAGO ZINE FEST 2013

Me with Mimi Nguyen at the POC Zine Project’s table.

Upcoming Events // March

Fri Mar 8-9th I will attend and table at Chicago Zine Fest with Monster House Press

Then this reading (see flyer?) will happen where I live.Fri Mar 15th I will read my poetry at The Owlery in Bloomington, IN

Thurs Mar 28th I will read poems at ILLIO w/ Rachel Lee, Richard Wehrenberg, Jr., Lauren Zuniga and one other TBA. 

❤ Thank you for supporting me! ❤