Showing posts with label 1980s. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1980s. Show all posts

Thursday, March 15, 2018

FESTER RAGE VIDEOS - House of Large Sizes at People's in Des Moines on Dec 30, 2007



"A succinct dadaist approach to contemporary power trio dynamics"
- from Joe Carducci from "Rock and the Pop Narcotic"

"House of Large Sizes is by far the most successful, prolific, and well-known band in the history of the Cedar Valley. Began in September of 1986 by core members Dave Deibler and Barb Schilf, the band released 8 full length albums and a smattering of EPs and singles. They have toured the country extensively, most notably with ex-Pixies front man Frank Black.

"They were signed to Columbia Records in 1994 and released their major label debut, My Ass-Kicking Life, on that label. Due to internal mismanagement at the label, they did not receive the support and attention for their record, and they left the label as a result. Undetered, they continued to play music and make records with What Are Records? and The Tyros Label until 2003.

"The band broke up due for unknown reasons in late 2003. Barb and Dave currently own and operate Mohair Pear, a vintage/retro clothing store on College Hill in Cedar Falls."
- from their page on the Secret History of the Cedar Valley website

"House of Large Sizes was an alternative rock band from Cedar Falls, Iowa, in the United States. The band's lineup was primarily Dave Deibler and Barb Schilf, and featured a number of drummers throughout the group's run...

"House of Large Sizes, often abbreviated HOLS, played a unique style of rock with a driving beat, lots of rhythmic changes, unexpected rests and false endings. Although the group's music was unusual, it drew on common influences--punk rock, funk and heavy metal. Punk shows itself in the short duration of many HOLS songs. The gut-level emotional energy of the music (largely attributable to Deibler's voice and guitar style) and the band's DIY ethic also show their punk roots. Deviating from the DIY standard, HOLS released one album, 'My Ass Kicking Life,' on Red Decibel/Columbia in 1993. They worked primarily with small labels like WAR (What Are Records?) and Toxic Shock or released recordings on their own.

"Funk can be heard in Schilf 's bass playing and the throbbing, danceable rhythms of the music. Heavy metal elements are present in Deibler's powerful guitar technique and the short musical phrases from which the songs are constructed."
- from their Wikipedia page

Saturday, January 20, 2018

FESTER RAGE VIDEOS: A Testament of Youth (ATOY) in Des Moines at The House of Bricks on July 20, 2007 and at The Vaudeville Mews on Sep 23, 2007

"Formed in 1981 by Factory Records aficionados Paul Standard and Dave Edwards, A Testament of Youth or ATOY (pronounced AE-TOI) were Iowa's first Post-Punk band. ATOY were Paul and Dave's response to the bland Styx and Journey-inspired rock that was prevalent throughout the midwest during the late 70s and early 80s. Looking to do something darker and more arty, guitarist Paul and producer Dave set out to forge a new midwest sound. Brad Roth, who was then singing in and playing bass for the power-pop trio The Blue Cruisers was recruited as a front man. With the addition of newcomers Mark Penner on bass and Lonnie Urich on drums, ATOY was set to play the now legendary 1981 2 day Iowa punk/new wave festival, Music For No-Man's Land. A surprise hit at the festival, ATOY contributed two songs to the 'Music For No-Man's Land' release, Roth's Television-inspired "Chemical Boys" and Standard's epic dirge "Requiem for a Priest". ATOY were soon playing gigs throughout Iowa. Due to differences in vision, Dave Edwards soon left the group. ATOY's music at the time was thin, brittle and experimental using rhythm machines, tape loops and incorporating short-wave radio broadcasts into their live shows. Brad's onstage antics were legendary, often getting the group banned from some of the more mainstream rock clubs. Paul decided to return to college late in 1981, leaving the band looking for a new guitarist. Greg Owen, who had played with Brad Roth previously in the Blue Cruisers joined in early 1982. Owen brought a tough, shredding guitar style to ATOY which propelled their sound into a more aggressive stance. Penner and Urich similarly toughened up their sound and Roth's wild stage persona evolved into a dadaist Iggy Pop. Brad's lyrics began to take a darkly poetic turn and led to him being called 'the Baudelaire of the heartland'. Over the next year and a half, the band began touring around the midwest to ever increasing crowds. During that period, many of ATOY's most popular songs, such as 'Stickmen', 'Creeps with Forks' and 'Cut and Restored' were written. The group gained in popularity and the now defuct nightclub So's Your Mothers, opened another venue, Mother's Underground, to regularly showcase ATOY and other Iowa underground bands. The volatile mix of personalities in the band began to take it's toll and in the Spring of 1983 ATOY decided to call it quits. Their final show was recorded and release on CD many years later. A videotape of that last show called "The Final Plunge" was aired on Des Moines TV... In 2005 ATOY were asked to do a reunion show. The success of that show surprised them as much as their fans. This led to the band resuming playing again. The volatile mix of personalities did lead to a couple of false starts, but ATOY is officially back together, writing new material and playing to new fans as well as old. Since ATOY never really sounded like anyone else, the band's music doesn't sound dated to new fans. New material has been written as well as a number of Buick McSnake songs being reworked into ATOY's sound...and then after a dozen or so gigs it all came crashing down. The volatile chemistry of the band once again blew up. As a longtime fan of the band remarked 'If everyone were mature and responsible, it wouldn't be ATOY. You guys have broken up for good before. Hopefully you'll do it again.' Here's to hoping that it'll happen again."
- from their Underground Archives entry



Saturday, December 16, 2017

FESTER RAGE VIDEOS: A Testament of Youth (ATOY) at The Vaudeville Mews in Des Moines on August 31, 2007

Okay, this is the first in a new monthly series we will have on Iowa Music Showcase.

Fester Rage was an amateur videographer who from August, 2007, to September, 2015, recorded various live shows here in Des Moines, both from local acts and national. On this website, we will be only featuring the Iowa artists. But you can watch all his videos on his YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/unclefesterrage.

The first show he recorded was actually a reunion show from a popular 80s Des Moines punk band, A Testament of Youth, or ATOY as they were commonly called.



"Formed in 1981 by Factory Records aficionados Paul Standard and Dave Edwards, A Testament of Youth or ATOY (pronounced AE-TOI) were Iowa's first Post-Punk band. ATOY were Paul and Dave's response to the bland Styx and Journey-inspired rock that was prevalent throughout the midwest during the late 70s and early 80s. Looking to do something darker and more arty, guitarist Paul and producer Dave set out to forge a new midwest sound. Brad Roth, who was then singing in and playing bass for the power-pop trio The Blue Cruisers was recruited as a front man. With the addition of newcomers Mark Penner on bass and Lonnie Urich on drums, ATOY was set to play the now legendary 1981 2 day Iowa punk/new wave festival, Music For No-Man's Land. A surprise hit at the festival, ATOY contributed two songs to the 'Music For No-Man's Land' release, Roth's Television-inspired "Chemical Boys" and Standard's epic dirge "Requiem for a Priest". ATOY were soon playing gigs throughout Iowa. Due to differences in vision, Dave Edwards soon left the group. ATOY's music at the time was thin, brittle and experimental using rhythm machines, tape loops and incorporating short-wave radio broadcasts into their live shows. Brad's onstage antics were legendary, often getting the group banned from some of the more mainstream rock clubs. Paul decided to return to college late in 1981, leaving the band looking for a new guitarist. Greg Owen, who had played with Brad Roth previously in the Blue Cruisers joined in early 1982. Owen brought a tough, shredding guitar style to ATOY which propelled their sound into a more aggressive stance. Penner and Urich similarly toughened up their sound and Roth's wild stage persona evolved into a dadaist Iggy Pop. Brad's lyrics began to take a darkly poetic turn and led to him being called 'the Baudelaire of the heartland'. Over the next year and a half, the band began touring around the midwest to ever increasing crowds. During that period, many of ATOY's most popular songs, such as 'Stickmen', 'Creeps with Forks' and 'Cut and Restored' were written. The group gained in popularity and the now defuct nightclub So's Your Mothers, opened another venue, Mother's Underground, to regularly showcase ATOY and other Iowa underground bands. The volatile mix of personalities in the band began to take it's toll and in the Spring of 1983 ATOY decided to call it quits. Their final show was recorded and release on CD many years later. A videotape of that last show called "The Final Plunge" was aired on Des Moines TV... In 2005 ATOY were asked to do a reunion show. The success of that show surprised them as much as their fans. This led to the band resuming playing again. The volatile mix of personalities did lead to a couple of false starts, but ATOY is officially back together, writing new material and playing to new fans as well as old. Since ATOY never really sounded like anyone else, the band's music doesn't sound dated to new fans. New material has been written as well as a number of Buick McSnake songs being reworked into ATOY's sound...and then after a dozen or so gigs it all came crashing down. The volatile chemistry of the band once again blew up. As a longtime fan of the band remarked 'If everyone were mature and responsible, it wouldn't be ATOY. You guys have broken up for good before. Hopefully you'll do it again.' Here's to hoping that it'll happen again."
- from their Underground Archives entry

Saturday, March 25, 2017

Episode 44: Iowa Indie and Alternative Music



"It's funny, it's taken me this long to get to these genres, because this is actually my kind of music.

I listen to all kinds of music, but punk and alternative are my go-to music. I grew up listening to The Pistols, The Clash, Violent Femmes, Talking Heads, early Police, Devo, early R.E.M....

So I'm quite happy to finally present some of Iowa's figurative grandchildren of those guys, plus a Iowa band actually from that era!

Other IMSC posts and podcasts with indie music:
http://iowamusicshowcase.blogspot.com/search/label/indie%20music

Other IMSC posts and podcasts with alternative music:
http://iowamusicshowcase.blogspot.com/search/label/alternative%20music

Other IMSC posts and podcasts with 1980s music:
http://iowamusicshowcase.blogspot.com/search/label/1980s

To download the podcast, right click the link below and hit "Save as...":
https://archive.org/download/IowaMusicShowcaseEpisode44/Iowa%20Music%20Showcase%20-%20Episode%2044_.mp3

original picture cropped and extended
Art by Robert Braune
https://robertbraune.wordpress.com/
http://most-modern.blogspot.com/

Saturday, August 20, 2016

Episode 32: Iowa Electropop and Electronic Music



Although it hasn't been as well known as some other music scenes, Iowa has had a consistent electronic music scene for decades. University of Iowa has had an electronic music department since freakin' 1963! Which shouldn't be that surprising since one of the first computers was built at Iowa State University in 1942! - Take that, hick state stereotypes!

"The University of Iowa Electronic Music Studios were founded in 1963, when renowned physicist James Van Allen (known for the Van Allen radiation belt) supervised a thesis project by James Cessna to build the world's first digital synthesizer." - from the University of Iowa Electronic Music Studios website

This department, of course, dealt more with the more classical and experimental side of electronic music, which we will feature in a future podcast. In this podcast, we deal with the poppier and more accessible stuff.

But even back in the day, some Iowans were getting into new wave and synth pop and creating some of their own music. Along with some current electropop, we feature one of the first, if THEE first, electronic pop bands, Soldiers in a Field. And some new music from 80s Iowa electropop band, Gallery of Voices!

So get out your glowy sticks or whatever you raving kids do today, and enjoy!

Other IMSC articles and podcasts featuring electronic music:
iowamusicshowcase.blogspot.com/search/label/electronic%20music

Other IMSC articles and podcasts featuring electropop:
http://iowamusicshowcase.blogspot.com/search/label/electro%20pop


TRACK LISTING:
For more information, click on the link below the track.

Intro - "Red Tide Texture 0001" (excerpt) by Gallery of Voices
iowamusicshowcasesongs.blogspot.com/2016/08/ep-32-introoutro-red-tide-texture-0001.html

Song 1 - "Spaceship Launch" by Reidwell
iowamusicshowcasesongs.blogspot.com/2016/08/ep-32-song-1spaceship-launch-by-reidwell.html

Song 2 - "Safe with Me" by Trouble Lights
iowamusicshowcasesongs.blogspot.com/2016/08/ep-32-song-2-safe-with-me-by-trouble.html

Song 3 - "Renaissance Man" by Soldiers in a Field
iowamusicshowcasesongs.blogspot.com/2016/08/ep-32-song-3-renaissance-man-by.html

Song 4 - "Bowlingsmith" by Jack Lion
iowamusicshowcasesongs.blogspot.com/2016/08/ep-32-song-4-bowlingsmith-by-jack-lion.html

Song 5 - "These Days" by Maids
iowamusicshowcasesongs.blogspot.com/2016/08/ep-32-song-5-these-days-by-maids.html

Song 6 - "Just Let Go" by Centaur Noir
iowamusicshowcasesongs.blogspot.com/2016/08/ep-32-song-6-just-let-go-by-centaur-noir.html

Song 7 - "Retribution" by Microwaved
iowamusicshowcasesongs.blogspot.com/2016/08/ep-32-song-7-retribution-by-microwaved.html

Song 8 - "Don't Look Away" by Gallery of Voices
iowamusicshowcasesongs.blogspot.com/2016/08/ep-32-introoutro-red-tide-texture-0001.html

Outro - "Red Tide Texture 0001" (excerpt) by Gallery of Voices
iowamusicshowcasesongs.blogspot.com/2016/08/ep-32-introoutro-red-tide-texture-0001.html

All song are copyrighted by the performers and composers, and used by their kind permission.

Next episode : A tribute to former Cityview music critic, Chad Taylor!

Iowa Music Showcase can be listened to and/or downloaded on the following sites:
Home page: http://iowamusicshowcase.blogspot.com/
Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=81014&refid=stpr
TuneIn Radio: http://tunein.com/radio/Iowa-Music-Showcase-p829174/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Iowa-Music-Showcase/364796883703114
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/iowa-music-showcase
Bandcamp: https://iowamusicshowcase.bandcamp.com/
Archive.org: https://archive.org/details/@iowa_music_showcase#uploads
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXMPcIaIvvs0Aj4zk2JbXdQ/feed
ReverbNation: https://www.reverbnation.com/iowamusicshowcase
Google+: https://www.google.com/+IowamusicshowcaseBlogspotPodcast
Tumblr: http://iowamusicshowcase.tumblr.com/
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/IAMusicShowcase/

Iowa Music Showcase is also on Code Zero Radio every Tuesday and Thursday at 10pm central time:
http://codezeroradio.com/

Other websites:
Spotify profile:
https://play.spotify.com/user/iowamusicshowcase
Spotify playlist:
https://play.spotify.com/user/iowamusicshowcase/playlist/28c74Ooze3Wk9sH9VezvMf
Twitter: https://twitter.com/iamusicshowcase
Instagram: https://instagram.com/iowamusicshowcase

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