Alex Walker Releases New Single through Brian Grosz's LapdanceAcademy.com

DOWNLOAD: Alex Walker - "Sacrifice" (MP3)

Wow - I've really fallen behind as Alex Walker's single came out a few weeks back.

Guitarist Alex Walker has new single "Sacrifice" that has a low-fi dub groove that is reminiscent of early Basehead. For anyone not familiar with Alex Walker's music, he has been around the NYC scene for a number of years and has played in bands that range from Aloke (Steve Albini produced their last disc) to the amplified chamber group Electric Kompany.

"Singing an ode to sacrifice is a form of sacrifice in itself. What you end up sacrificing is the time and presence not being trapped in song. So often we go about life not suspended at all, with little to no awe in our daily routine, that we forget to stop and breathe that rush of animation, that elixir of our reality, the tonic that is the moment. This song is an offering to that possibility." -- Alex Walker, 2009

The new single is out on Brian Grosz's Lapdance Academy label and is a free download. Label magnate Brian Grosz's belief is "People are going to ignore it or find a way to get it for free if you slap a price tag on your music...I think that If you're going to get screwed, you should at least get to pick the position and the safe-word so you can try to enjoy yourself."

Links:
Alex Walker's MySpace Profile

Dogs of Winter (Brian Grosz) Release Debut CD as a Free Download; CD Release Show at Fat Baby on Wednesday, May 13th

Brooklyn-based hard rockers Dogs of Winter have released their debut CD, From Soil to Shale, as a free download and the band is playing a CD release show tomorrow night at Fat Baby.

"From Soil To Shale," the blistering 9-song debut from Dogs Of Winter, marks the trio's passage from decay and detritus into the splintery, dark mass of angular stone you see before you. Compressed under the weight of Russian amplification, steeped in science-fiction and late-night movies, the album comprises tales of gorgons, body-snatching extra-terrestrial nano-organisms, tribal-excommunication and the unceasing march of progress.

The new disc was mixed by Andrew Schneider (Cave In, Pelican, Scissorfight, Unsane) and mastered by Nick Zampiello (Converge, Torche). From Soil To Shale also features custom artwork by Joe Boyle which is embedded in each individual track and the accompanying PDF digi-booklet.

Here is the video for the lead-off track from the disc, "Player Piano":



You can download From Soil To Shale, PDF-digbooklet and track-specific album art at Brian's Lapdance Academy site.

Dogs of Winter are playing at 9PM tonight and admission is $5.00 if you print out the flyer (above).

Links:
Dogs of Winter's Website

Dogs of Winter Post First Video "Player Piano" From Forthcoming CD (Exotic Recordings)

Brooklyn hard-rockers Dogs of Winter just released the first video from their forthcoming CD Arrythmia, which should be out next month as a free download.

Dogs of Winter - "Player Piano"



Dogs of Winter guitarist/vocalist Brian Grosz is playing a solo show at Fat Baby tomorrow night (check out the video below from Brian's show at Fat Baby from 2007) and Dogs of Winter's next show is at the "Love Me, Love Me Not Jubilee" at the Parkside Lounge this Saturday, Feb. 7th. The show at the Parkside Lounge starts at 2:00PM.


Links:
Dogs of WInter's MySpace Profile
Brian Grosz's MySpace Profile

The Priestess and The Fool (Meredith Dimenna & Brian Grosz) Play Parkside Lounge Tomorrow Afternoon

You can get your Christmas cheer on in the middle of the day tomorrow as The Priestess and The Fool are playing the "Ugly Holiday Sweater Jamboree" (we are talking Cosby sweaters here).

According to Brian Grosz's MySpace page, 15 bands are playing the Jamboree. The show starts at 2PM and admission is FREE. Some of the other musicians include Alex Walker, Christian Zucconi, Matt McIntosh, Dave Harris, Emily Zuzik and Dorie Vance.

The Priestess and The Fool released a free downloadable EP of holiday covers are few weeks ago. One of the standout tracks is a cover of the Pogues' "Fairy Tale of New York". Here is the complete track listing:

RIDE ON, SANTA EP Track List:
1) “Ride on, Santa, Ride On”
(Stan Kenton Orchestra featuring June Christy)

2) “There Ain't No Hole in the Washtub”
(Emmet Otter's Jug-band Christmas)

3) “Fairy Tale of New York”
(The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl)

4) “Baby, It's Cold Outside”
(Frank Loesser)

5) “Mele Kalikimaka/Waters of Babylon”
(Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters/Traditional)

Links:
The Priestess & The Fool's MySpace Profile

The Priestess and The Fool (Meredith Dimenna & Brian Grosz) Release Free Christmas EP

Here is another Christmas EP that dropped today...

Ride on, Santa is the second release by Brian Grosz (Dogs of Winter) and Meredith Dimenna (Saint Bernadette) who record together under the name The Priestess and The Fool.

Covering both a Pogues tune (where the lyrics are "You scumbag, you maggot/You cheap lousy f*ggot/Happy Christmas your arse/I pray God it's our last") along with a song from The Muppets, this is anything but a typical Christmas CD. Having Brian Grosz in the band might explain some of this but check out the video below and you'll see also see the drunken male choir and the use of a washtub as a de-facto drum.



Here is the track list for the disc:

1) "Ride on, Santa, Ride On"
(Stan Kenton Orchestra featuring June Christy)
An essentially unknown track by the Stan Kenton Orchestra - with June Christy on lead vocals - is re-imagined by TPTF with wailing trumpets, clattering cookware and a drunken, male chorus of all colors, shapes, sizes and sexual orientations. Further proof that a bedroom can sound like a speakeasy at dawn... if you know how to live well.

2) "There Ain't No Hole in the Washtub"
(Emmet Otter's Jug-band Christmas)
This lynchpin of the much-beloved (or totally unknown) Jim Henson project, "Emmet Otter's Jugband Christmas," gets a boogie-woogie makeover to remind every dancer that life is grand if you can still wash your drawers. If you were fortunate enough to catch this underground classic on Betamax, you'll be wondering why the Riverbottom Nightmare Band hasn't had a reunion tour and a multi-million dollar contract with Live Nation.

3) "Fairy Tale of New York"
(The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl)
A country/western version of The Pogues' 1988 Christmas classic. While it might be hard to envision a holiday song that uses the words "slut", "maggot" and "drunk tank" - one must remember that the Irish also gave us banshees, James Joyce and Jameson whiskey. Happy Christmas, arsehole.

4) "Baby, It's Cold Outside"
(Frank Loesser)
A sexy, down-tempo interpretation shifts the scene from an innocent Christmas party to the balcony of an international playboy's mansion on the Riviera.

5) "Mele Kalikimaka/Waters of Babylon"
(Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters/Traditional)
Complete with the sound of a creaky canoe, a fishing reel and the haunting moan of a seagull, this Hawaiian Christmas ditty sails off into the sunset as Psalm 137 pulls into port. Only in the alternate holiday universe of The Priestess & The Fool could a canoe carrying the harmonies of Bing Crosby and the Andrew Sisters be followed by the baby Moses in a floating basket.

This has to be one of the better Christmas CDs that has come out over the last few years. As it is free, how can you say no?

Click on the cover photo to download the new EP.

Links:
The Priestess and The Fool's Website
The Priestess and The Fool's MySpace Profile

Coney Island Freaktoberfest Features Iller Than Theirs, Brian Grosz and Lots of Beer

This looks like a good one...

The first annual Coney Island Freaktoberfest Boutique Beer & Music Festival will be held on October 3rd. Participating breweries are: Shmaltz, Sixpoint, Southampton, Southern Tier, Ithaca, Chelsea, Captain Lawrence, Blue Point, Dogfish Head, Stone, Smuttynose and Lagunitas. There is also going to be a burlesque show and performances by the Coney Island Sideshow. Where else can you get a buzz on while watching fire eating and snake charming?

Here is the lineup for the music:

10:00PM CHIN CHIN
9:00PM Dogs of Winter/Brian Grosz
8:30PM Iller Than Theirs
8:00PM Tone Tank
7:00PM Smokewagon

I know that Labor Day is supposed to be the last day of summer but there is something that really rings right to close out the summer and go into the end the year with Tone and Kray (Iller Than Theirs) and Brian (and Dogs of Winter). Add a couple beers and a Coney Island sunset and it sounds like a perfect night.

General Admission tickets are $50 and VIP tickets are $75. VIP Admission gives you access to the Coney Island USA Museum where you will be tasting exclusive, rare, and vintage beers, as well as talking to some of the brewers who made these tasty recipes come to life.

Brian Grosz Returns to Luna Lounge on Friday, September 28th

Brian Grosz's first solo CD "Bedlam Nights" is one of my favorite records of the year. I'm regretting that I am going to miss this show as Brian and band put on a great live show. The band's sound is somewhere between Tom Waits and Nine Inch Nails and Brian's stage presence could be compared to Lee Ving. The chemistry within the band and with the audience really works. (Pick up the "Bedlam Nights" CD while you are at the show)

Tickets are only $5.00 and Brian is playing at 8:30PM.

If you still aren't convinced, check out the tracks from "Bedlam Nights" that are streaming on Brian's MySpace page. Also, check out Brian's "Infrequently Asked Questions" video (below). I haven't laughed this hard in a while...



Links:
Brian Grosz's MySpace page

Brian Grosz @ Luna Lounge, Brooklyn, June 27, 2007

Brian Grosz held his CD release party this past Wednesday at the Luna Lounge. He played about a 45 minute set and was simply great. This was one of those shows where everything came together -- the lights were low, Grosz has a great voice and stage presence, the band sounded tight and there was a good-sized crowd that was responsive and enthusiastic. Grosz's new CD, Bedlam Nights, and his live show are definately worth checking out.

Grosz salutes the person who refreshed his Jack & Coke.

You have to admire a man who can play the ukulele while singing a song about cocaine and lap dances.




Here are Grosz's upcoming tour dates:
JULY 18 - 8pm - THE TONIC ROOM, CHICAGO, IL
JULY 24 - 8PM - CAT CLUB, W. HOLLYWOOD, CA

Links:
Brian Grosz's Main Website (link)
Brian Grosz's MySpace page (link)

Brian Grosz CD Release Party at Luna Lounge in Brooklyn on June 27th

Dogs of Winter frontman Brian Grosz is releasing his first solo CD this Tuesday and the CD release party is at the Luna Lounge the next night.

Musically, this disc is a departure from the hard-rock sounds of Dogs of Winter. Grosz heads into late-night, whiskey soaked territory occupied by Jeffrey Lee Pierce, Tom Waits and Everlast. There is a quote from Dee Snider on the press release that accompanied this CD that says "Tom Waits + Nine Inch Nails + a BAD attitude = One Cool Ass, Mutha F*cking CD". That is a pretty good description of what this disc sounds like. This is the kind of music that you can easily imagine coming off the jukebox in some down-and-out bar (think the Mars Bar in the East Village or Tommy's in Williamsburg) while the regulars are all trying to decide whether to drink all night or go home and sleep it off.

The songs on this disc cut across a range of styles and all of the tracks are held together by Grosz's strong voice, which ranges from a whiskey rasp to a whisper. The lyrical themes are all dark -- this isn't light stuff but rather tales of twisted relationships and murder/suicide ballads. The sound on this disc is full and open -- a welcome return to the days when music wasn't over-produced and the listener can really understand the driving forces behind the music. There is also some very interesting non-conventional instrumentation on this disc (cookware, cat purring, etc.) which adds to the atmosphere of the disc.


I am looking forward to seeing Grosz's show at Luna Lounge as the club has good sound and low lights which should make for a perfect atmosphere. Grosz goes on at 7:30PM and tickets are only $10.

Links:
Brian Grosz's Main Website (link)
Brian Grosz's MySpace Page (link)