The Days of Lore

The life of Zodiac Death Valley

Tuesday, February 7th, 2012 | musiX | No Comments

I caught Zodiac Death Valley at a recent performance in front of a rather motley crew at Portland’s Kenton Club. Needless to say it felt right. The San Francisco five-piece fully embraces rock and roll’s hedonistic tendencies, and this night seemed like everyone was feeling a little unhinged. Then again, it was the Kenton Club.

ZDV is touring in support of their self-titled debut—out now—which has been getting some serious spins here at TDoL HQ. The best thing about these rawk and rollers is that their music is difficult to pin. Their back-alley blues is prone to noisy outbreaks, and their live shows (which have gained notoriety in a city that includes Thee Oh Sees) are fueled by time-honored traditions of sex, drugs and rock and roll. Yes, please.

“Jail” - Zodiac Death Valley

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Tags: Kenton Club, Omega Records, San Francisco, Thee Oh Sees, Zodiac Death Valley

Freshened up for The Fresh & Onlys

Monday, September 20th, 2010 | musiX | 1 Comment

I’ve been hibernating in my hyperbaric oxygen chamber since the closing minutes of MFNW, and I think I added a few years to my life in the process. For a few days I felt like I was 16 again, and only wanted to write about Ke$ha and Linkin Park—I had to smoke a pack of Camel Lights and drink a bottle of Crown Royal last night to snap out of it.

Which brings me to The Fresh & Onlys. San Francisco is a foggy little hotbed of rock that includes Sic Alps, Thee Oh Sees and Ty Segall, but The Fresh & Onlys have probably released more music—several 7-inches, two full-lengths—in the past two years than all those bands combined. And they don’t appear to be slowing. The four-piece will release Play It Strange on October 12 on In The Red. Needless to say the lead single “Waterfall” is a garage rock twanger (that ends with a classic fade-out) that has me feeling my current age once again.

“Waterfall” - The Fresh & Onlys

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Tags: In The Red, San Francisco, Sic Alps, The Fresh & Onlys, Thee Oh Sees, Ty Segall

Attack of the clones

Friday, October 3rd, 2008 | pdX | 8 Comments

I recently moved to Portland (the hipper, sexier Oregon version, not Maine), where I made an interesting observation—I look like every other dude in this city. Beard, glasses, western shirt, New Balance sneakers … check, check, check and check. I guess the only difference is that they have eyeballs and lips, unlike me (see above).

Actually, I’m convinced that every person in this town is blind … you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who doesn’t wear glasses … fashionable ones at that. Yes, I’ve finally made it! Portland reminds me a little of its hip California sister-city San Francisco, where a man in his 40s can still dress like he did when he was 17. So, I can finally dust of that old RATT T-shirt that clings to dear life by a few faded threads and still feel good about myself.

Oh, and I feel good about myself … so good, in fact, that I am putting the shirt on right now (and nothing else … hmm, doesn’t seem to cover up as much as it used to), and getting sweaty to this dirty li’l ditty: “U Got It” from RATT’s 1983 debut EP.

Tags: Portland, RATT, San Francisco