Dionysus Records proudly announces two vinyl LP releases for May of 2012: Stereophonic Space Sound Unlimited “Plays Lost TV Themes” and The Creatures of the Golden Dawn “Dark Was the Night, Cold Was The Ground”

Stereophonic Space Sound Unlimited “Plays Lost TV Themes” with free digital coupon – Dionysus Records ID123390 – click here to purchase

Out of print as an LP for over 15 years, Stereophonic Space Sound Unlmited’s debut platter, “Plays Lost TV Themes”, was originally released on Dr. Dream records on both LP and CD in 1997. When Dr. Dream folded operations a couple of years later, Dionysus Records reissued the CD, but not the LP version of this album.

Even with six full-length albums (including a soundtrack for a movie about Swiss racecar driver Jo Siffert) under their belt, not much is known about this mysterious Swiss electronica duo – not one SSSU photograph exists! But that hasn’t stopped them from garnering a legion of fans who love all retro, surf, spy, Henry Mancini, John Barry and electronica from buying and loving the group’s music.

The album jacket was designed by artist SHAG before he became famous. The LP was cut at HRS (History of Recorded Sound) on a vintage Scully lathe using a Westrex 2-B stereo cutting head. And – this LP has what is called an eccentric shut-off groove; when the album ends, the tonearm is lead to an off-center circle groove (harmless to the stylus) that swings the tonearm back and forth – this was a feature that was common on 78s and pre-1961 albums – it was used to kick in the shutoff or changer mechanisms. Dionysus had HRS cut the record this way because they are record geeks and wanted to take the retro thing a step further…

The Creatures of the Golden Dawn “Dark Was The Night, Cold Was The Ground” with digital coupon, edition of 500 on gold vinyl – ID1233147 – click here to purchase

Arriving after the ’80s garage/psych revival – Bethlehem’s The Creatures of the Golden Dawn came on the scene with a lot more attitude then similar-minded combos. Lead by vocalist Mark Smith – their knife-sharp punky garage-meets-the-early-days-of-psychedelia tunes were filled with hooky riffs and always shadowed by varying degrees of darkness. The Creatures amassed a cult following in the states and Europe, and were played heavily on Little Steven’s Underground Garage syndicated radio show.

“Dark Was The Night…Cold Was The Ground” is a collection of what Mark Smith felt were the group’s best recorded efforts and includes tracks from their CD releases as well as their 7″ EPs. Though test pressings for the album were in Mark’s possession, Huntington’s Disease took his life before the LP was finalized. Thanks to the help of Mark’s brother Gregg and former Creatures of the Golden Dawn guitarist Steven Schlack, work on the record continued, was approved and set for release.

From the LP liner notes: Born of angst and attitude, The Creatures of the Golden Dawn bring forth a collection of songs compelling you to get up and get to action!  Savage rhythms, angry guitars and vocals filled with rage and emotion will set your souls, hearts and minds on fire!   This is the music that has brought teenagers around the globe to the edge of mania!  So get ready to GO with the primitive beat of The Creatures of the Golden Dawn!

Redondo Beat brings their sweet rockin’ Power Pop to a few spots in Europe this month – here’s the schedule!

• THU, 10.05. – Burgos @ estudio 27
• SAT, 12.05. – Santander @ SALA ROCAMBOLE
• WED, 16.05. – Ourense @ Sala Auriense
• THU, 17.05. – Logroño @ Sereo Bar
• FRI, 18.05. – Sant Feliu De Guixols @ Sala TZVR (ATZAVARA)
• SAT, 19.05. – Zaragoza @ La Boveda
• SUN, 20.05. – Torredembarra @ La Traviesa
• WED, 23.05. – Montpellier @ Mojomatic
• THU, 24.05. – Bergamo @ Arcibloom
• FRI, 25.05. – La Spezia @ Shake Club
• SAT, 26.05. – Bucine @ Spectre Live Club
• SUN, 27.05. – Latina @ Sottoscala
• TUE, 29.05. – Brescia @ Lio Bar

The First Annual CreaturesFest in memory of Mark Smith—lead singer of Lehigh Valley, Pa.-based band The Creatures of the Golden Dawn and advocate of the 1960s-inspired rock music genre known as “garage”—will be held 5 p.m. to midnight Saturday, July 21, 2012, at North Penn Gun Club, Trumbauersville, Pa. Proceeds will benefit the Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter of the Huntington’s Disease Society of America. Smith died from Huntington’s-related complications at age 52 in 2011.

“A purpose of this premier event is to celebrate Mark’s life by featuring the music he loved. It’s also to raise awareness of Huntington’s Disease and to raise money for research,” says Scott Steinberg of Bethlehem, Pa., who is organizing the event with the help of a volunteer committee.

“Funding research is important because Huntington’s tears families apart,” adds Gregg Smith of Wescosville, Pa., committee member and Mark Smith’s brother, noting that their mother also succumbed to the disease.

New Jersey-based garage band The Insomniacs will headline. The event will also include live performances by the following bands, all of which feature at least one former member of The Creatures of the Golden Dawn: Consolidated Fuzz (Lehigh Valley-based garage); Strange Haze (New York City-based garage/psychedelia); House of Fire (Philadelphia area-based neo-psychedelia); and Wormwood Scrubs (Lehigh Valley-based garage infused with British invasion). Plus, other local musicians—Danielle Lubené (of The Danielle Lubené Band), Doug Ashby (of Tavern Tan) and Mike McMillan and Laurie Ann Hullinger (both of The SaddleTones)—will perform a musical tribute to Woody Guthrie, who died of Huntington’s Disease and whose 100^th birthday is this year.

In addition, CreaturesFest will feature a display of Woody Guthrie’s life and lyrics. A silent auction will feature CD box sets, gift certificates and original artwork. A raffle will feature T-shirts and CDs and the recetly released Creatures of the Golden Dawn LP. Food and drink will be available for purchase from the onsite kitchen and bar.

A Lehigh Valley native, Mark Smith formed The Creatures of the Golden Dawn—formerly known as “The Creatures”—in the mid-1980s. Known for its monthly performances at The Funhouse, Bethlehem, the band also played venues in Philadelphia, New York City and as far away as Moscow. The band recorded several CDs of predominantly original songs, which are featured on Sirius/XM satellite radio’s “Little Steven’s Underground Garage,” a show produced by Steven Van Zandt of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band. While the group endured many personnel changes over the years, Smith remained constant, continuing to sing, play harmonica, and write and record original music and lyrics until his death. Smith also hosted his own weekly “Exploding Plastic Inevitable” show on WLVR, 91.3 FM, the radio station of Lehigh University, Bethlehem. A limited-edition compilation LP titled “Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground” was recently released on Los Angeles-based Dionysus Records.

Huntington’s Disease is a devastating, hereditary, degenerative brain disorder for which there is no cure and only one FDA-approved treatment. Huntington’s Disease may affect cognitive ability and mobility; symptoms may include depression, mood swings, forgetfulness, involuntary movements—known as “chorea”—and lack of coordination. As the disease progresses, concentration and short-term memory diminish, and involuntary movements of the head, trunk and limbs increase. Walking, speaking and swallowing abilities deteriorate. Eventually the person becomes dependent for all care. Death can result from complications, such as choking, infection or heart failure.

Event admission is $20 per person at the door. North Penn Gun Club is at 2555 Tollgate Road, Trumbauersville, Pa., 18970

The event is sponsored, in part, by All That Salon, Emmaus, Pa.; The Compact Disc Center, Bethlehem; and Double Decker Records, Allentown, Pa.

If you are interested in helping to sponsor this event, contact Scott Steinberg at
610-868-5775.

For most people these days, the name Dick Clark congers up images of New Years Eve – and un-hip Top 40. Some of us who watched American Bandstand and Where The Action Is as often as possible, know different. Dick Clark presented a long list of great bands and artists via his TV shows – from Link Wray to X and all in-between. In my childhood, I watched American Bandstand every week and have memories of coming home from school daily and turning on Where The Action Is which made me want so badly to be a teenager (and made me feel like I was cheated when I was a teen during the ’70s). The image of Blue Cheer playing “Summertime Blues” in front of a stage full of Marshall amps with their long hair swinging from their heads is burned into my brain. Dick Clark booked bands like Love, Captain Beefheart, Syd Barrett era Pink Floyd, The Bubble Puppy, The Music Machine, Blue Cheer, 13th Floor Elevators (both on American Bandstand and Where The Action Is) and many others. Here’s some video:

Based out of Avalon Tattoo 2 in San Diego Dave Warshaw is quickly making a name for himself. Here’s an insider’s look at Dave outside of his daytime world of tattooing. Several friends and collegues express their insight about Dave as an artist. But it doesn’t stop there, he’s a member of The Creepy Creeps and quite the collector of sorts…take a look!

www.davewarshaw.com
www.urbantaxidermy.wordpress.com
www.thecreepycreeps.com
www.avalontattootwo.com

From Alison Martino’s VINTAGE LOS ANGELES channel on Facebook – Los Angeles history and popular culture. We highly reccomend you follow this channel! The last five minutes of this is missing but – it is worth the watch and wonderful on so many levels!!

This Friday: LA’s 60s / mod dance party – The Blackeyed Soul Club in Downtown Los Angeles DJs Howie Pyro and Jason Pandora are joined by Lee Joseph from Dionysus Records who brings some amazing records to the turntable. FUN FUN FUN!

The Blackeyed Soul Club happens every Friday at The Monty Bar: 1222 West 7th Street  Los Angeles, CA 90017, (213) 228-6000, www.montybar.com

Before the club, come to La Luz de Jesus Gallery  for the opening of Scott Hove’s “My Private Apocalypse” and Joe Sorren’s “When The Rains Come” exhibitions, opening at 8PM.

Dave Foley hosts Billy’s Thursday Night Fish Fry and Community Social

Thurs., March 29, 2012
8:00 pm – 11:00 pm
FREE – No Age Limit!

Wacko / La Luz de Jesus Gallery
4633 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90027
phone: 323-666-7667
www.laluzdejesus.com
info@laluzdejesus.com

Dave Foley (The Kids in the Hall, NewsRadio, A Bug’s Life, Celebrity Poker Showdown and The Late Late Show) will be the Master of Ceremonies at Wacko / La Luz de Jesus’ monthly music and performance salon “Billy’s Thursday Night Fish Fry and Community Social”

This Month’s Fish Fry Features Dave Foley as Master of Ceremonies introducing these fine acts:
Gitane DeMone
Pinky Turzo
The Dick & Jane Family Orchestra (with Dionysus Records’ Lee Joseph on bass)
Eli Presser presents an Untitled Puppet Show
Projections by Gio Toninelo
of The GI Joe Stop Motion Film Festival
Michael Rozon on pedal steel
Francois and John (Motorcycle Boy) outside
plus other special guests TBA!

On the last Thursday of each month, Southern California’s axis of underground pop culture, Wacko / La Luz de Jesus Gallery hosts Billy’s Thursday Night Fish Fry & Community Social. The monthly event presents a diverse multi-media mixed-bag variety show of acoustic based music, spoken word, unusual performance and more. Billy Shire calls the night a “21st century salon” and aims to re-connect the local creative community with a free, two plus hour “in the round” show, with the performers in the center of the gallery. The show is open to all ages and there is no cover charge!

Dave Warshaw  has been creating distinctive tattoo art for two decades, thirteen of those and counting at one of the best known tattoo shops in Southern California, Avalon Tattoo II.

Recently, one Dave’s appointments canceled at the last minute. Dave’s pal, Ryan Sinn, formerly of The Distillers and Angels and Airwaves was at the parlor and decided to take the time slot. Dave tattooed his “Four Eyes” creation (currently on display at La Luz de Jesus Gallery) on Ryan – in one shot – a total of four hours! Tattoo art genius!

Dave also creates fantastical imagery on wooden surfaces. From the poetic and surreal intertwining of live thorny vines to nectar-oozing flowers surrounding his detailed creations which he calls “Urbantaxidermy,” the artist’s compositions flow like a virtuoso playing his chosen instrument. Warshaw’s mediums are ballpoint pen and wood – all types of wood, from balsa to skate deck. At one time Warshaw carved wood and painted with watercolors and acrylic, but now strictly creates his art with ballpoint.

“My first creations were based on original commercial clay and steel wheel skateboard graphics from the 1960s. I then began morphing the company logos into my own surreal creatures. I use cheap ballpoint pens, the kind you find at the drugstore. If the wood surface is too grainy and unfriendly to the ballpoint, I will use a fine tip ink pen for my line-work – and then go back over and finish with ballpoint pen,” explains Warshaw whose art is heavily inspired by Southern California car-surf-skate-comic-Tiki and punk rock culture. It was Warshaw’s creative efforts that lead him to a career in tattoo art.

Warshaw starts his pieces much like his tattoo art, using a sketch which he transfers to wood, then lines and shades using his improvisation and imagination as his guide. “I don’t scribble on the surface– you have to be cautious as the ink from the pen smears easily and you cannot erase wood,” says Warshaw who, as a tattooist, knows well that you only get one shot and cannot blow it!  Among the many wooden “canvases” Warshaw uses for his art are one-of-a-kind skate decks specifically made for him by the oldest manufacturer of skateboards, Watson Laminates, the company that was responsible for the original Dogtown decks, among other classics.

For the second year in a row, Warshaw’s art appears in the rebranded annual La Luz de Jesus juried group show -”Laluzapalooza“

Along tattoo art and his ballpoint pen, Warshaw plays guitar in The Creepy Creeps, a San Diego surf-garage-punk rock band with releases on Dionysus Records. In 2011, the group were hand-chosen by Robert Plant to open for his Band of Joy shows in Southern California.

Warshaw works and plays in San Diego, CA. where he enjoys a family life with his wife and son.

View more of Dave Warshaw’s ballpoint and tattoo art here

IMAGES:
“Foureyes” – Ballpoint pen on wood, 8″ by 11″ (in the La Luz de Jesus “Laluzapalooza” show)
“Foureyes” tattoo
“Birthday Gifts” Ballpoint pen on wood, 8″ by 11″ ( in the “Petals To The Metal” show at Vishuddha Creatives in South Park, San Diego)

Follow Dave Warshaw on Instagram: @davewarshaw
www.davewarshaw.com
www.urbantaxidermy.wordpress.com
www.facebook.com/urban.taxidermy

This month, La Luz de Jesus Gallery presents their yearly juried group show freshly rechristened “Laluzapalooa.”  This gigantic, no-theme show features works from from commercial illustrators, graphic designers, tattooists, scenics, students, street taggers, animators and working gallery artists. This tastefully, jam-packed, salon-style exhibition features some familiar names from La Luz de Jesus Gallery’s ever-growing roster of feature artists, and an overwhelming number of pieces from brand new undiscovered, emerging talent.

Watch this slideshow, shot over a four-day period as La Luz de Jesus Gallery owner/curator  Billy Shire, gallery manager Matt Kennedy and company transform empty walls into the “Greatest Group Show on Earth!”

La Luz de Jesus Gallery presents:
LALUZAPALOOZA
Vol. XV of the Greatest Group Show on Earth

March 2 – April 1
Opening Reception: Friday, March 2nd, 8-11 pm
La Luz de Jesus Gallery
4633 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles CA 90027