Bozo Brigade

Here's again with Bozo Brigade, a cascadian folk punk band. I had the great opportunity to talk with Rattsy, the musical saw of the band, and this is the result.

Me: Hi Rattsy! Thanks for your time. At first tell me something about you and your band, if you want!

Rattsy: I've been part of a few bands. Mostly small short lived projects with people I've traveled with. The most serious project I was part of was called Bozo Brigade. We did a West Coast tour, recorded a short ep, and played Tochtli Fest this year. Currently I'm looking for people in Richmond to start a new band with, and my fiance and I are working on a duet project with banjo and musical saw.


Me: I know you started a community of folk punk, tell me more please!

Rattsy: I started the online community DIY Folk Punk a little less than a year ago. It was sparked by a bad experience I had with a similar group. My solution was to create a new online community, which is how DIY Folk Punk was born. I wanted to create a group where people could share similar interests while feeling safe and respected no matter who they are. Inclusion is a very key part to the diy community in my opinion. Now the community has almost 4,000 members and is very active in sharing music, art, and writing, setting up shows, and giving people advice on projects they're working on. My hope is to keep growing the community and offering more helpful resources such as a diy venue list to help musicians set up shows all over
the US and in other countries.


Me: What are the opinions of your band?
Rattsy: I think we all have different political opinions, most of which follow anarchist ideas. Our music reflects this and personal experiences from our lives.


Me: What about the scene in places where you live?

Rattsy: As for the scene in my town and city, there's a lot to be done to expand it. Virginia has the potential to have an amazing scene, but seems to struggle attracting bands. Richmond, the city I live in, also has this problem. I think one of the problems is the lack of venues putting on shows regularly. That's why my fiance, JimboSlice, and I are in the process of saving to buy our own house. We plan on using it to put on shows weekly with local and traveling bands of a variety of genres. We also want to help our local community in a variety of ways such as food distribution, music workshops, and block parties. We want a space that helps bring more folk punk and diy culture to our city along with many other things.

Me: Finally I must ask you what is for you the meaning of  Folk Punk.

Rattsy: To me folk punk is about going back to the roots of music. I love that it's often comprised of old time instruments and very personal lyrics. Personally I love being able to play a weird but traditionally folky instrument like musical saw. Many of my relatives come from the application mountains, which is where the instrument may have originated. I think this connection makes me love playing it even more.


Me: Really thanks for being part of this.

Rattsy: See you soon!

listen


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Malaise

Here's again with Malaise, folk punk Italy/Portugal duo queer bands.
Since the first time i heard this project (three years ago) my heart changed. I really got my mind blowed by it.

Have really to recommend it to all of you and hope to something new soon.
Here the pics of my fav albums and some live(s).
I can only let the music talk for me.
Turn up the volume and the feelings.

Malaise live@Sga Arese, Italy  

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Days N Daze

Here's again with Days N' Daze, folk punk legends. This article need to exist before and I finally do it.

I'm listening to their split with Night Gaunts on the sofa and it's really too cold for me, but this music refresh my ears.

 I think they are doing a tour together in the united states of folk, playing all can ne played. Hope I said enough how great are they. Listen ALL!

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Denis Kuzmenko

Here's again with Denis Kuzmenko, a great artist from Russia. He play this sort of sad storytelling folk.
He plays acoustic / riot folk. Most of his songs are about social and gender inequality, police, prostitutes and alcoholics.
The project started at the end of the year 2014-2015. Two releases is already out. Now he is writing down the third release, which will be released in the late of summer. In the first one, he only played acoustic guitar, in the second mandolin and acoustic guitar. The third release will contain harmonica and flute.
You can download all of his work and I suggest you to do it. Very deep and fresh sound.

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La Recicleta

Here's again with La Recicleta, diy collective, based in Spain, that reuse bicycles air chambers for making wonderful accessoires. You can order them on their facebook page.

Extremely eco-friendly project, this make us thinking about how many stuff we got in this world that is needed nothing.

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She/Her/Hers

Here's again with She/Her/Hers, a musical project focused on transition and trans perspectives.

I just want to let her words talking for me.

"I had to go to the bathroom today and I didn’t know which one to use
it seems it’s always the one I don’t choose
I might get screams, and I’ll get stares at the least
hey everybody look at the freak
that’s everybody looking at me
every single god damn time that I gotta pee
my name is Emma that’s the one that I chose

cuz I’ll not be defined by my body
and I don’t need to hear
how you feel about that
and don’t tell me that nobody could love me
cuz there are people and places more beautiful than your own mind
where nobody passes judgement
and nobody lies
to themselves
and to each other
together and alone we’ll all strive
to make a world where no one needs to hide"
This is simply a poem against all transphobia.
You will hear more about her soon of course.

download

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Agripunk

Here's again with Agripunk, an association born to close a breeding of turkeys.
After they done it, the place became a refugee for animals and humans.
Giorgina is the only turkey who survived.
Agripunk accept all help.
They made a cool t-shirt and you can buy it to support the struggle against speciesism.

All can help Agripunk with food for the animals.
If you don't have it you can make a donation at Banca Etica N°216509 IBAN IT47 C050 1802 8000 0000 0216 509 TO Agripunk onlus.
They also do great and slurpy vegan lunch every week ends.

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Dunwich Rats

Here's again with Dunwich Rats, extreme country bluegrass band from Chicago.
Like their storytelling style, accordion always appears in every songs.

The girl who plays the violin is cute.
Apart jokes, album ends too fast and it's a pity.

Let's listen and wait for new stuff!


SPREAD IT

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Viento Sin Fronteras

Here's again with Viento Sin Fronteras, the same guy of la soledad biblioteca.
I was away for a while travelling. No special found.
By the way this guy makes you so feeling happy with his music, mixed with south american sounds.

Hope he will do something new soon
Here's the download link of his disc "a donde vas libertad".

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Ari and Her Banjo

Here's again with Ari and Her Banjo, crust punk girl playing banjo. Really can't believe I'm writing of her. I will not write about how much I like her.

I will not write that it's like im writing about a really great famous artist. I just will say that you should listen to this. I warned you. You can miss this.

I can say without problems this sound reminds me of Horse Feathers.
And of course female vocals. You know i love female vocals.
Hope she will never stop.

listen please.

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Raccoon Venom

Here's again with Raccoon Venom, two crazy and fun guys making a beautiful music.
Hi had the great opportunity to talk with them. This is the summary of our fun chat:

Me: Thanks for accept talk a bit with me. Would you like introduce yourself?

Raccoon Venom: RV started in Southern Oregon, but has changed lineup and gotten wayyyy better since moving to the Portland area. Mason (guitar) and Reid (mandolin) hang out all the time making beer and playing croquet and drinking A LOT of whisky and IPA… and of course playing music. We also both work at Chevron, which is dope.


Me: Think you are from portland. So your scene?

RV: We don’t know shit about the Portland scene. We both grew up listening to other Portland punk bands such as Hammered Grunts, Rum Rebellion, and Skatter Bomb, but haven’t gotten to play much with folk punk bands like Felicia and the Dinosaur or Dirty Kid Discount, but are hoping to get more connected the more we meet folks.


Me: Really want to know about your future releases and shows!

RV: We have a bunch of new songs ready for a new album to be released in the next few months which will be called “We Have Fun”, so stay tuned in for that. We also have at least one show coming up soon in Eugene. It will be on June 14th at the Campbell Club House on Alder Street. We are also in the process of booking a show at Sky High Brewing this Spring in Corvallis. Otherwise we are always looking for shows to play. Please let us know if you know any shows or bands we could/should perform at/with.


Me: So do you play in streets? Really really cool!

RV: Our favorite venue is Shed 87, which is the name we gave to the shed in Mason’s backyard on 87th Pl. in Tualatin. We try to get into Portland pretty often to busk around wherever, but we usually end up too drunk and stoned to make anything worth listening to. That being said, we always have fun wherever we play. Lately, we played a couple shows in Portland and Eugene and would love to visit our new friends again soon.


Me: So you're anarcho-punk. What is your life's view?

RV: Uhhhh….Anarchy, I guess. Life is just meant to be fun. If you wanna play music and get drunk in a shed than that’s what you should do. If you wanna get sober and play ping pong than that’s cool too. If you wanna work in an office, more power to ya, just don’t try and recruit us anytime soon. That’s how we should all behave. Do what makes you happy and seems fun and worthwhile, and don’t fuck with other people’s shit. ANARCHYYYY!!! Brrrrraaaappp!

Thanks for your time. See you soon here!

listen.

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BriJit Blair

Here's again with BriJit Blair, awesome female vocals and acoustic travelling world.
I like every songs of her, hope she really starts play again.

Very deep lyrics, sometimes melancholic.
Please listen to every single song of her, please.

this is my favourite songs she sings with Dani Butterlid.
"my mom is born in a factory farm, and i was born in a factory farm.."

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La Soledad - Biblioteca Móvil

Here's again with La Soledad a wonderful project travelling world.

Is a project that tries to bring books to public spaces such as: squares, parks or parking lots. Apart from that, they try to gather people interested in promoting the concept behind Jakim Bey's Temporary Autonomic Zone.
They have in their library many books of all kinds of subjects such as arts, politics and literature. Usually when they go to squares or similar spaces they take an exhibition of books on photography, art and painting. They also have in their library an exhibition of fanzines and independent publications of various locations around the world.

They are also one of the distributors of the anarchist newspaper "El Libertario" in Venezuela and promote independent book fairs and also collaborate in the organization of festivals or cultural fairs. They do all this detached of any private enterprise or any public institutions support. They try to do public and political life detaching ourselves from the State's logic, defying Venezuela's political polarization and working in a non-profit philosophy. They do not make a living or earn money off the mobile library, they have our regular jobs, and the money raised it is used to support independent and self-managed projects.

"This project has been almost two years running, and we can say that, we are very happy with what we have achieved".
In April this year (2015) they collaborated the organization of an exhibition of independent and self-managed books and publications, where they met with many other people and other groups that share many perspectives and objectives of our project.

"We hope to continue with these activities and we hope that the fruit of our work can be translated in more independent publications, more independent fairs and way more friends and comrades to join us in these paths. A sincere greeting to all readers of this blog. And if you want more information (in Spanish) you can check our FB page: La Soledad Biblioteca Móvil and our website"

lasoledad.contrapoder.org.ve

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Shootdang

Here's again with Shootdang, a unique experience of life. Country like never heard, banjo in your veins. Need, need, need to listen to them.

Saw the album was released on two-thousandfourteen. Hope to get them back soon with something new.

take.

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Dani Butterlid

Here's again with Dani Butterlid, or Dirtnap, one of the reasons of this blog.

By listening you will got it. He travel a lot, play in the streets and his the real "folk crust punk" (where i took this word). After i discovered it a new world opened to me.

Just travel without anything and listen.

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