Sunday 22 June 2014

Inner Scum!

Apropos of mysterious circumstances (maybe playing live with PANIC, maybe running into Mark Jarrett at the show), I recently thought: why not put NO NO ZERO's "Inner Scum" record out there, even though it still hasn't been mastered? It sounds really good as is, and the money needed to master it isn't going to materialize any time soon, so why sit on it potentially forever?

I checked with Zak Hanna, who mixed the album literally years ago now, and he agreed. The creation of a Bandcamp page took all of a half hour. The hard part really is sorting out what to say about this record.


Simply put, back in 2010, I suggested to the ever shifting line up of the band (here, Zak Hanna and Chris Thief on guitars, Siânteuse and I singing, and Mark Jarrett on drums), that we record the songs we were playing live, a new album in other words. Former drummer and core member Johnny LaRue suggested he could record it in his basement. This we did, recording the bed tracks in a day or two, as I recall.

Unfortunately, my mental health took a nosedive that same year, and I spent a couple of months as an inpatient at CAMH. During part of my time there, I was allowed out to practise with the band, and in fact the AUX TV show footage (featuring the same line up who recorded "Inner Scum") and interview I did for Garageland was shot the same day I was released.


 
Anyways, things went awry and focus was difficult to maintain. We had some really amazing people lined up to do overdubs, but it wasn't until the following spring that we finally recorded them -- all in one fell swoop with Nyles Miszczyk in his basement studio at 159 Manning. We had Jeremy Strachan playing various saxophones, and both Jon Sharon and Michael Keith laying down tasty guitar licks.

Finally, people can hear all this goodness. It won't sound as loud or polished as "Rough Stuff" did, because -- and I emphasize this -- it's mixed but not mastered. Still, I think it sounds great and I hope you will too.

Just remember to TURN IT UP.

No No Zero - Inner Scum

Monday 16 June 2014

Taste of Little Italy Festival Show!


Last Saturday night, we played a set on a sidewalk in Little Italy, in front of the wonderful June Records. It was about an hour after Italy beat England 2-1 in the World Cup, and College Street was filled with people walking about and celebrating. Even our music couldn't dampen the atmosphere. There were grandparents and children smiling along to "Creepy Dom". Quite surreal. Special thanks to Ian from June for sound.


Top pic by Karim Romero / Bottom pic by Derek Westerholm

Tuesday 10 June 2014

"Bad Fantasies" Release Show!

Thanks to everyone who came out to the Smiling Buddha last Friday and helped PANIC celebrate the release of our "Bad Fantasies" album. It was a great turnout and a good time appeared to be had by all. Thanks to DJ Chico for providing great tunes and Wyrd Visions for a mesmerizing set.


Pics by J. Martin / Video by Winona