AIDS Wolf-Harsh Human Style; Skin Graft Records, 2026

 

On the one time that Disaster Amnesiac was aware of AIDS Wolf playing near me, there was some kind of schedule conflict on my end that made it so that I could not attend. A dude that I ran frequently with at the time did go to the show, and his assessment was simply "they were cool". If you know or knew S., you'd already be appraised that he's a man of very few words, and his capsule review potentially spoke volumes about his perception of the live AIDS Wolf performance that he'd just seen. It's recalled that the band's reputation for insane, unhinged sets reached far and wide. I'm sad that I didn't ever get to take in an AIDS Wolf show, that's for sure. That being said, AIDS Wolf has remained a band that's listened to often enough in these parts, and the news earlier this year of an archival release of unheard material was received with great enthusiasm. That release is Harsh Human Style, and Disaster Amnesiac has listened to it a lot, especially recently as there were a few days of being able to really blast it at high volume on account of having mi casita to myself while Mrs. Amnesiac was visiting with a pal in a different part of the state. A doom-ey riff kicks off Sixty Eight, one that's paired initially with a pounded snare drum and some kind of vocalized beseeching. The drum kit playing gets gradually more beat centered as singer Chloë Lum joins in with higher register intonations. Eventually drummer Yannick Desranleau pounds the track home and guitarist Alexander Moskos marches along with him. Is Lum singing in a language of her own devising? The players start mixing things up right away on Sixty Nine, an example of less is more as regards the drumming. The guitar makes a cool racket atop the machined hits until everyone decides to battle for the space. Eventually a cowbell-centered groove takes the lead. Disaster Amnesiac can't recall any No Wave with a cowbell, but then again I haven't heard everything that mastering engineer Weasel Walter has produced and presumably he's utilized one at some certain point. Still, that's a first for this fan. AIDS Wolf does their version of straight up Hardcore on Sixty Six. The guitar lines swoop like engines being gunned while the drums scatter and skitter. Lum continues with her surreal chanting as strings bend and twist. This track's wonderfully unbridled guitar performance makes an old blogger smile! Harsh Human Style concludes with Sixty Seven, and it's a big, bold No Wave statement done correct in terms of that genre. This is not to imply that the track is a knock off, for it is not. It's just that as I've listened it's always been clear to me that AIDS Wolf are firmly a No Wave band and a lot of their music has pointedly No Wave gestural figures and that's fine because they did it so incredibly well. Guitar turbulence that melts away in the face of the lyrics, ones that drip with mystery. Some type of hook arises again from the strings as the AIDS Wolf melee groove deepens before it too breaks down for one last time. Chloë's lyrics sound as if she's running down reasons to dislike someone, but that's just conjecture because they're still mostly indecipherable. Finally, some strings echo and the (presumably) final AIDS Wolf statement is over after a mere fifteen minutes or so. Oh how Disaster Amnesiac wishes to have been able to have changed my plans on that evening in 2009 in order to have gotten over to 'frisco and seen them jam out live! Sacre bleu! 

Black Sun Ensemble-Whirlpool Ocean; San Jacinto Records, 2026

 

When liner note writer and co-producer of Black Sun Ensemble's Whirlpool Ocean Fred Mills first encountered the band, Disaster Amnesiac was likely also just hearing about them also, via Forced Exposure magazine, and only just down the road from him in Virginia. After that, though, Fred went on to get to know Black Sun Ensemble and its main figure, Jesus Acedo quite well, while they just remained an imagined sound for this listener. Thankfully, that situation changed recently as Whirlpool Ocean is affordable and easily accessible. Yes of course I was going to grab a copy and listen to it. 

The sense that's gotten from the writings of Mills and Rich Hopkins is that Jesus cut a chaotic path throughout his earthly stay. What's also becomes clear after repeated spins of Whirlpool Ocean is that his musical intelligence and creativity cut diamond bright as long as his perceptions were not beset by what was at one time called "demons" and currently more summarized as "chemical imbalance". Let us pause here to acknowledge the travails that Jesus Acedo endured before continuing on to the musical vision that was quite clearly a gift that he had. 

Now, having paused, let us continue on and talk about the main focus of Whirlpool Ocean, that being the guitar playing of Jesus Acedo. The album is full of examples of what made him such a special player. There are the crazed tones on Baby Serpentine Love Sea, the wild solo action at the end of Dangerous Pussy, his off the cuff hitting on Dove Of the Desert, his feedback mastery on Children Look Like Burnt Paper and the shredding action of Lord Of the Fleas. This album abounds with examples of his cold mastery of the electric guitar and its sonic potentialities. Jesus was clearly a player that could execute anything that he heard going on within his musical imagination. That he had such a grooving and supportive rhythm section from Odin Helgison on guitar, Mike Glidewell on bass and Ratshit on drums certainly did not hurt his musical efforts. The ways in which this band grooves and shakes and rolls and rocks on the album is always compelling. Just dig on their Sonoran style Harmelodic pulsing on Blues For Rainer In C Minor and the Surf/Spy Music tones of The Hunger for ample evidence of just how greased Black Sun Ensemble could be when they were hitting right. For further convincing one can spin the title track or the very SST 1987-88 of 667 or It's Not The End Of The World with its driving, Prog Funk moves and its elastic syncopations. This was a tight group that pushed and pulled and drove its music into highly creative zones of musical exploration, led by a player who was clearly touched by some divine fire and inspiration. 

It saddens Disaster Amnesiac to realize that, despite being resident in the home town of Jesus Acedo, I will never get a chance to hear him play live. There's consolation, however, in knowing that Whirlpool Ocean and its fine, powerful playing is easily accessible. Its sounds will continue to enhance my views of Tucson. That said it would rock in whatever town where it gets played. 

Live shot(s) #230!

 

All shots taken at Che's Lounge Tucson 7/2/26.

Below: Goggles bring primitive Psych Rock with a great guitar player.

Above: Stetson Heat Seeker are out on tour from Seattle. Seriously tight rhythm section and incredible guitar solos. Bringing the tenor sax rockin' spirit of the PNW to America! Get out and see 'em!

Below: Marta brought things back to the desert earth with their simple songs. A wonderful change in the Sonoran nighttime. 

Above: It's a fact that Working People cannot put on a disappointing show. They're getting tighter and tighter. New t-shirt design by drummer Dave is a winner! 

Live shot(s) #229!

 

Shots taken at Che's Lounge Tucson, 6/27/26. 

Below: Smoker Dad are a powerful road band that get down with authority. Great harmonica playing too.

Above: Family Worship Center present well crafted American song forms. This band is a cooker!

Both of these groups are currently touring the country. Get out and see them if you can. 

Live shot #228!

 

The Mermen, Stork Club Oakland CA 2012. 

Lob Instagon-Blues For Nobody; Love Earth Music Records, 2026

 

Musicians and music fans of a certain stripe within the general areas of southern California, northern California, and Arizona will know who Disaster Amnesiac is talking about when I'm talking about Lob Instagon. Lob's been an underground music scene denizen for decades, one who has been actively producing and promoting at a very approachable, d.i.y. scale. While I can's speak to Lob's personal feelings, the sense that I've always had from interactions with him is that he cares deeply about creative works and the people who make them, and does his best to accommodate their aspirations when they deal with his organizational proclivities. Lob has had his own project, Instagon, going for quite a while as well. Instagon is fascinating because it's a long running concern that has never had the same personnel twice, and this after close to nine hundred performances. It's a point of pride for the man behind Instagon and it certainly keeps things fresh for him as I'd imagine. A few weeks back, while doing business in Miami, AZ, Disaster Amnesiac was presented with Blues for Nobody, this year's Instagon release, and it must be stated that it may be his deepest record yet. Blues for Nobody is a record that fuses tight/loose jams by various Instagon lineups, deeply strange Electronic Music explorations, and plenty of recitations by Lob of several of his poems. As for the latter, it's clear that Lob has evolved into an expressive and compelling poet. His spoken words describe situations of personal dilemma, sepia'd memories, strange dreams/nightmares, and the sublime states attained from love. His delivery is always on task, even when a given piece is characterized by steam of consciousness attack. Lob's voice, somewhat gravelly now, has a gravitas that is well earned. On that front he has evolved into a true Beat Poet and Blues for Nobody is quite enjoyable for that. Regarding the former, the jams show groups of players who clearly are in simpatico with Instagon's titular leader. The jams at Miami's Thee 23 Skidoo bar, where Lob is the musical director/booker, must be getting legendary! Taken as a whole, Blues for Nobody is an undeniable statement from Lob Instagon: he's making great poetry and music and sound art, and I hope it's not for no one out there. Be a somebody and give it a listen. Lob's earned that consideration a hundred fold. 

Live shot(s) #227!

 

All shots taken at Splinter Collective Tucson, 6/17/26.

Below: Truthsayer. Loopy sexy shadow play.

Above: Romo Lampkin is a singer/songwriting plumbing the depths of current anxiety and ambiguity. 

Below: Igloo Martian. The duration of the performance transcends the actual time on stage. Surreal prop-centered questioning.

Above: CATyklysm brings modular questing and heavy Drone action. 

Rainbow Cholla at Splinter Collective is a really cool new series that hopefully will continue! 

Leland-Live at Mabuhay Gardens, S.F.; Contempt Records, 1980

 

Readers that are of a certain age and having had spent time interested in Rock music in the San Francisco Bay Area will surely recall BAM Magazine. It was a monthly or possibly even weekly trade journal for that general area and probably even a bit of a taste making apparatus for a while, especially during the Heavy Metal 1980's. When Disaster Amnesiac was first exposed to BAM sometime in autumn of 1989, an ad in the classified section jumped out at me: a long haired, caped guy with a Fu Manchu goatee that was holding a Stratocaster. It's not recalled if "Leland" was written above or below this image but it was certainly in one of those spots. Over the next several years, whenever an issue of the magazine was in my hands, I always made sure to check and see if Leland was still posting within the classified section. His image was always there and and it became somewhat iconic for me. Who was Leland? What did the music that he made with stat Strat sound like? Was he still living or had he passed away in some appropriately Punk Rock manner? It was likely in about 1996 when, while perusing the lower racks at the wonderful Open Mind Music on Divisadero St. that Live at Mabuhay Gardens, S.F., by Leland, was discovered by this obsessive crate digger. It added ninety five cents to the bill that day. It also provided some answers to those questions which had been formulated from seeing Leland's photo all of those times on the back pages of BAM. The sounds on the album were made by Leland on guitar and vocals, Razz Porter on bass guitar, and Larry Friedberg on drums. Collectively this trio raises some righteous, rockin' moods. An overall feel of raw and energetic and youthful exuberance characterizes the six tracks that make up Live at Mabuhay Gardens. The Punk Rock that had such an effect upon San Francisco musical culture can be heard as an element to the band's mix, along with what Disaster Amnesiac hears as strains of Heavy Metal. Leland's guitar soloing is deliciously noisy and aggressive to the point of making me wonder if he owned a copy of Raw Power or Funhouse. Razz and Larry pump and push and grind and blast behind Leland as he sings about poverty and impermanence and sickness and whatever other urban nightmares he's been exposed to. The band sounds at times as if they're going to go off of the rails but they always recover and give these jams that hit the exactly correct spot for any fan who craves blends of raw guitar Rock performances from the Punk/Heavy Rock/Psych Rock continuum. Dig especially on Feel The Pain for evidence of that. This album concludes with a track featuring the late great Dirk Dirksen as he questions the life choices of Leland while Leland, Razz, and Larry pump No Wave scrawls back in his direction. Oh how I wish that Leland could have had some of the success found by some of his 'frisco contemporaries. How much did he pay to get his photo into every damn issue of BAM, anyway? 

Interview with Steev Hise about his time working with the Luggage Store Creative Music Series is up at YouTube!

 https://youtu.be/qYhqKIG_gh4?si=GojSLT_h6GCJs2rU

Many thanks to Steev for taking some time to talk about it! 

Shiroishi/Lion/Meanstreetz-Live at Silverlake Lounge; Daft Alliance Records, 2026

Although its propensity probably never really went away Los Angeles has been notable of late for producing tons of interesting and compelling music. One of probably hundreds of micro-scenes, the Improvised Music/Jazz adjacent one in the City of Angeles looks and sounds to be heated up with lots of activity and documentation. As stated many times, Disaster Amnesiac is interested in many of the sounds produced in Los Angeles, not the least of which come from that Improvised impulse. It's not recalled exactly where Live at Silverlake Lounge came to my attention but when it did the urge to hear it was strong. For one thing just dig on that cover imagery! Pretty difficult to pass up, no? Are those colored forms actually letters that spell out the names of the performers? Or the title of the record? Looking at its back, one will find the players listed: Patrick Shiroishi on saxophones, Adam Lion on vibraphone, and Mike Meanstreetz on drums. Fascinating trio that, and full of sonic potentialities, ones which are capably explored by these three Angelenos. Live at Silverlake Lounge kicks off with some Cage/Partch style percussion conversation during which Meanstreetz eventually takes a lead role, but not by bashing around. Instead he lets the form dictate the moves and eventually his voicings rise as the main focus. Shiroishi, a woodwinds player capable of great blasting, shows a bit different aspect of his musical abilities as his saxophone sounds emerge. His tones are abstract but also very much in the pocket. His sweet modal tones guide the group into zones that are often filled with more spacial insight, and when he does launch his ability to control the vessel is readily apparent. The vibraphone playing of Lion adds touches that are often times imbued with an almost mystical tonality, or at least tones of magic. Adam also knows well how to balance quieter runs with those more bombastic ones. Meanstreetz's drum kit playing is supportive and creative throughout, and his "junk percussion" bits are very interesting and well placed within the improvisational matrix that this subtle trio invokes. Ghost sounds and vibe runs take the listener to Shambhala. Everyone slides into a collective exploration of extended techniques. The three players play remarkably well together for one twenty two-ish minute investigation and then that's it. Therein lies the only disappointment of Live at Silverlake Lounge. Disaster Amnesiac is, and surely others are too, left wanting more. It's an intriguing statement from a trio that, given more time and perhaps a bit bigger budget, could really plumb the depths of abstraction available to them in the city that gifted the world the likes of Eric Dolphy, Don Cherry, Horace Tapscott, Nels Cline.....................

Live shot #226!

 

Desert Breath are a Drone trio with vocals, electronics, and bass clarinet. Tranced out stuff. Thee 23 Skidoo, Miami AZ 6/6/26. 

Tucson Saguaros home opener, 6/3/26!

 

It must be admitted that Disaster Amnesiac did not attend any Tucson Saguaros games last season. That said, my pal Evan, who is working at Kino Stadium as a part of Tucson's only professional baseball team, reminded me about their home opener. Last night I donned my Saguaros cap, hopped onto I-10 east, and spent some time watching the game. Saguaros beat the Pecos Bills 3-1! As is usual, opening night at Kino was spirited and characterized by much enthusiasm from the Sagauros faithful. After the collapse of plans to locate a Mexican league team here in Tucson last year, the Sagauros remain the only team in this town. Hopefully more games will be attended by this reporter this season, rain outs or not!

Below: Trumpet player. He played the Anthem to start, along with inter-inning punctuations etc.

Above: Sticky the Saguaro hypes the crowd! I know this guy! 

Defense Mechanism-Lump Sum and Then Some; No Sides Records, 2026

 

It has to be acknowledged that No Sides Records is genuinely interested in presenting a diversity of aesthetic output and if you're doubting that statement Disaster Amnesiac begs you to look no further than their most recent release, Lump Sum and Then Some by Defense Mechanism. This Indianapolis based project presents eight tracks of generally good feeling electronic music that features flavors that cleave to brighter and sunnier side of the Avant Garde musical zone. As I've listened I've heard J Pop and J Fusion, video game bits, cascading rainbows of digital click and glitch and what is presumed to be Chip Core (a style I know next to nothing about). All of it done with what seems to be an ear towards fun times and most likely dancing. If one streams this album or perhaps plays the 3 inch CD version, one will surely find plenty of opportunities in which to move that booty along with being intrigued by its instrumentation and the implementation of said instruments. Tight arrangements characterize each and every one of the tracks on Lump Sum, which gives the record an impressive progressive Pop sheen. This music was clearly and cleverly thought out and produced and it's really breezy and fun. Play it after you dig into some of No Sides Records' darker releases as a way of bringing back some mirth into your sonic cloud!

Live shot(s) #225!

 

Shots taken at Wave Archive Tucson, 5/31/26. 

Below: Scott Jenerik brought psychick saz meltdowns with film about Icarus. 

Above: Shin Chida. Hardcore Noise brutalist fuck yeah!

Below: Mike Meanstreetz/James Fella Duo found discrete spaces within their duo actions.

Wave Archive remains a place of questing. Happy to have seen it again after an age. 

Live shot(s) #224!

 

Shots taken at Crooked Tooth Brewing Tucson, 5/29/26.

Below: Moramarco! bring a distinct Bisbee vibe with their Southwestern sounds.

Above: Cat Mountain. Tight Folk rockin' band. Vinyl out! 

Xopher Davidson/Jacob Felix Heule-Resolution; Sirr-ecords Records, 2026

It's never not good news at Casita Amnesiac when word of new auditory creativity from Jacob Felix Heule arrives, as it has recently in the form of Resolution, which documents recent collaboration with Xopher Davidson. Across three long-ish tracks, this tandem team sets up some very righteous droning action from their varied and well considered instruments. Disaster Amnesiac saw Jacob play live on a fair amount of occasions back in the twenty 'teens and can sort of visualize the rig that he well could have been coaxing for many of his statements: a large bass drum turned on its side, resonant metals placed upon its surface, probably a cello bow. Surely Heule has added a few other pieces to this basic ensemble, but even if he hasn't, he has the skills at improvising which assure that just the right sound or silence is utilized as a way to serve the overall mix of the pieces. It's less clear what type of instruments Davidson handled during the recording of what sounds like a sectioned edition of one longer improvisational meeting. Ring modulators? Guitars/amplifiers? Synthesizers? Synth pedals? However they were accessed, it's just better to let the imagination run wild and to enjoy the inwardly visual aspects that recordings such as Resolution evince. It's very clear that Xopher Davidson and Jacob Felix Heule have great simpatico as an improvising duo. Their method sounds by no means rushed or forced. Instead its sounds emerge in manners that benefit from patient, more slowly paced moves. This allows for their impacts to be heard and felt. Find a method with which to quiet your mind and much sonic enjoyment can be had from the deep spaces explored by the two Oakland CA-based sound artists. People in north eastern Alamda County are advised to take in any of their live appearances! 

Sonny Rollins RIP

 

A fine, fun memory of Sonny Rollins, circa 2009. Mrs. Amnesiac and myself attended a concert performance by the now passed on tenior saxophone titan at the Masonic Auditorium in San Francisco. He had a trio for the evening, one that featured Al Foster on drums. Wish that I could recall the bass player but that's just not happening. The group came out, briefly acknowledged the audience, and proceeded to play a looooooong piece. Seriously, they played for ages, with Sonny in particular going off on his horn, extending melodic fragments and twisting ideas until they became some other idea, spiraling off and out into zones of Jazz bliss. It drove the people in attendance wild, that's for sure. It's not recalled by me as to whether that one song took up the entirety of their first set: it may have. That was the one time that I saw Rollins live, for better or worse. He stayed admirably true to the music that he loved for decades, and now that he's left this place America has lost one of its last standing practitioners from that remarkably strong culture that developed in the 20th Century, if not the last. Thanks for sticking around for so long, Sonny, and thanks for all of that beautiful playing you laid on me and a couple of thousand others that night on California St. back in the aughts. 

Live shot(s) #223!

 

Taken at Che's Lounge 5/24/26.

Below: Mark Pierce/Mad Mindy played shorter songs with cutting Punk Rock vocals and surreal lyrics that suggested time spent out on the highways.

Above: Mark Pierce/Joe Peña/Joe Novelli taking liberties within the American song form from a Southwest vantage and really doing it effectively. The perfect soundtrack to a surprise rain storm, come up from the south and west. 

Cello adds such richness to any music in which it is featured.

Ace and the Soulless-s/t; Ghost Rhythm Records 006, 2026

 

After a recent, tight live set from Ace and the Soulless at the really groovy Chicago Bar in Tucson, Disaster Amnesiac approached guitar player Johnny Soulless about the CDs that they had mentioned being on offer. I had no cash but Johnny just let me take one gratis. Many thanks are in order from me to that really great guitar player. It probably would have been the case that Ace And The Soulless got an enthuse session at this eighteen year blog. That Soulless suggested I "mention it online or something" sealed that deal. In what appears to be this group's debut physical release, the listener is treated to ten tracks of rockin', rooted and rollicking Rock 'n Roll. Ace Reztone plays the upright bass on all tracks, and of course this gives their sound that gritty blend of percussion-attained melody which can be achieved from the instrument in capable hands. Disaster Amnesiac will ask the reader to refer to the ways in which Bill Black's playing effected the Sun Records sessions for Elvis's early trio as a marker for that. Adam Galleano keeps his drum playing pleasingly simple throughout. His drumming frames the songs' forms and keeps their paces going on all tracks. Yet another Tucson drummer that lays it down with an elegance that never misses. Since we're talking about the instrumental approaches here it must be stated that Johnny Soulless is a fantastic guitar player. His tones on the vocal parts of this album's tunes are seductive to the attentive ear, and his solos rip and rampage when he takes them, even as their relative brevity appears necessary to Ace and the Soulless' aesthetic. In the vocal department, the contrast between the singing styles of Reztone and Soulless must be noted. The former has a clear, well annunciated delivery while the former gives a raw alto growl. The back and forth presentation of these disparate ways of Rock 'n Roll chant are astute in that the listener never tires of either. It's worked for a lot of different bands. The lyrical concerns range from explorations of self awareness to barroom flirtation to hard times laments and these are, as we all know, lasting topical themes within just about any American music in general and Rock 'n Roll specifically. If that makes you uncomfortable or offended I'd be willing to guess that the dudes of Ace and the Soulless would shrug and play on. During Where The Hell Johnny Soulless begs the question of where in the hell Rock 'n Roll is these days: c'mon my guy, it's in your hands! Tucson people are well advised to catch Ace and the Soulless within the lounge setting. If they hit your town, dittos!

"Yeah, But It's A Dry Heat": A Tucson, Arizona Complication; West World Records, 1993

 

A bit of the purely subjective right off of the the bat from this reporter: for a long time now it's been my intent to find contextual clues about a given place that may find me through music. Many years have been spent trying to piece together some kind of understandable narrative about locales such as Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Cleveland, Richmond VA, San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles...many many places. The music of varied cities and the regions in which they are located have tantalized me. 

Before moving to Tucson in September of 2021, Disaster Amnesiac was aware of Calexio (seen at a street fair in Oakland) and Giant Sand (seen at Great American Music Hall in 'frisco) from here, but that was kind of about all. The first live music that I had the pleasure to take in, Thanksgiving weekend 2021, featured a band playing covers of many different types of Metal; at that moment it became clear to me that music in Tucson has its very own unique characteristics, and that applies across genre. Tucson has quite a unique cultural gestalt and its music is a reflection of that. 

Just about five years into my residency here and said uniqueness still shows itself to me just about any time I have the pleasure of hearing musicians that live here play and perform music. In light of all that it would likely not come as any type of surprise to a reader of this post that Disaster Amnesiac was delighted to find an affordable copy of "Yeah But It's A Dry Heat": A Tucson, Arizona Complication over in Miami back in April of this year. Some observations after listening for a while follow. 

Earl's Family Bombers are featured first. Was this band a good draw in Tucson? Their two tracks are Slow Run and Green Corn. The former presents as a bit Mid-Western Hardcore and the gravelly vocals from the singer who sells it fine. The latter is bit more England 1979 or Berkeley 1990 with its gang vocals. Great guitar solo makes it for this listener. 

Lonely Trojans come up next. Nothing Is Random has a lot of features from contemporary acts of the early 1990's era, the tight snare drum in particular. Treble-ey bass and wide guitar chord chuckin' move this anthem. Speedway shows a different side of the the band as it's more traditionally Punk Rock in its method. The singer hits a higher note and the song has a brevity which helps. 

Did the Fells ever overcome their disdain for digital audio tape? Melodic Hardcore guitar tones and rhythms lead up to a wild, cool guitar solo on Pretend. When this song goes full meltdown it makes Disaster Amnesiac smile big. Tabouli has aspects of spoken word in the vocal areas: the music frames it thusly within the mix. The singer name drops the Fall so that's winning, as it its big, beautifully messy playing and Psych vibes. 

Al Perry and the Cattle had no disdain for digital audio tape apparently. Their contribution to "Yeah But It's A Dry Heat" is Losing Hand, a piece of proper Cow Punk with crackin' drumming and a grinding, non-Metal riff. Lyrics are troubadour in nature and they sound to have bypassed the Hardcore influence in favor of a more roots-styled aesthetic. That works, always!

Perhaps the most singular group on the record is Skinnerbox, whose singer laid down sultry vocal lines, framed by keyboard lines and thick bass tones on Whisper Parade. The female energy of the singing provides a nice bit of relief from all of the male angst that lead up to its appearance at the end of side one. Gothic Lounge sounds for some kind of emotional intrigue that took place, presumably, in Tucson. Whomever this song's lyrics are about, y'all got dissed pretty fiercely it seems. 

Side two features Mondo Guano, who played junk percussion and primal reverb guitar that really move. They seem to have been fascinated by mind control and societal masks, and Don't Look At Me admonishes people to avert their gaze indeed. This is some fine, primitive Psych. If you love bats, you absolutely MUST find a dusk during which you can stand near the overpass on Campbell near River and watch as the bats depart on their crepuscular journeys in search of insect blood. It's really quite the scene. 

Feed Me, the lone track documented from Zero Tolerance Task Force on the album, is a somewhat shambolic performance but the singer's recounting of life's varied foibles makes it a relatable and listenable one. A ripping second half of this song gets all Hardcore for a final push into sonic oblivion. 

The two songs by Fuzz are Diffused and Drill. They both have a lot of information packed within their structures: this was a tight, well rehearsed band. The drummer stomps really brightly and he must have been well regarded by the guitar and bass dudes. Fuzz hit pretty much Nu Metal zones at times, while twinned vocals on Drill evoke a bit of Fugazi influence. Disaster Amnesiac can envision scenarios in which Fuzz played with Ian's crew and maybe early tour stops by Korn. A really sharp, bombastic group they were.

Feast Upon Cactus Thorns appear next. Their contribution is Gonzo, an Avant Garage/Psych burner with Pop-ey changes that dip into some righteous jamming. It morphs into faster paced places and it's a really interesting blend of styles. UFO's are spoken of and the band jams out more than once, and tightly at that. Who has tapes of this group? Disaster Amnesiac wants more!

Arty anti-Vanilla Ice sentiments are presented by Slo-Deluxe on Vanilla Ice In Hell, a track done in solidarity with the scenes that he's been so lengthily accused of ripping off. Dunno, he seems pretty astute with his business and down to earth at that, so maybe all these years later he deserves some kind of break from all of the invective? Pounding percussion pushes yet more delicious, freaky guitar playing on the song. Tucson really spits out fine guitar players, along with drummers. Their promo blurb mentions cassettes for sale. Who has 'em?

Tight garage rockin' is called for on Shadows, by Malingus Youth, a group that sounds as if they worked on even their harmony singing. It's a unique song that ends way too soon. 

"Yeah But It's A Dry Heat" concludes with Blood Spasm and their tribute to the Old Pueblo on We Got Cactus, done in pure Hardcore that breaks down at exactly the correct spot. While the song is about Tucson, it was waxed in Los Angeles with one of the Bad Religion guys. 

"Yeah But It's A Dry Heat": A Tucson, Arizona Complication lists a clutch of other acts, not on the recording. They are: Doo Rag, Barely Bipedal, Head Cheese, Suicidal Drunk, and Skolliwoll. Hello to them as well. 

As Disaster Amnesiac has dug into this album, the question has arisen: have I partied adjacent with any of these people at shows? Or perhaps stood in line behind them at Bashas'? It's wished that I could tell them all how happy it makes me to hear their music and how stoked I am to get to spend some time in this wonderfully complicated town, even if Grant Rd. traffic currently makes me wanna holler.

Live shot(s) #222!

 

All shots taken at Chicago Bar Tucson, 5/16/26.

Below: World War 77 playing their first show. Fusing varied strains of Punk Rock into a Street Punk Blend.

 Above: Ace & the Soulless. Raw rockin' with fuzzy guitar slayin'. 

Below: Holy Nitemare: simply kick ass. Recording a 7" next weekend!

Foresight In Retrospect: A 10-Way Split, Or A Compilation; No Sides Records, 2026

 

Well gee whiz, No Sides Records, that's quite the mouthful for a release title! Right off the bat, let's just settle on calling this thirteen track compilation of sound artists' music Foresight In Retrospect, shall we? Disaster Amnesiac is grateful to No Sides for putting this release out there, and also for making this listener aware of the various projects featured upon it. Many and varied sounds and approaches to sound production are presented within its duration, so let's dive in. Chandra Shulka starts of the album with Antariksha, a sonic diptych of atmospheric sounds. Long tones and minor synth wave forms characterize this piece, one which could be excellent for an afternoon spent painting or perhaps a morning yoga sesh. There is some nice tweaking of sounds going on during its second half. The second track features percussionist Sean Hamilton, a name familiar to me. It's possible that I saw him play in 'frisco once, too. His track, User Experience, starts with small, wispy percussion bits before building into bigger clacks and scrapes. Bells join in a one is treated to a very intimate microtonal experience indeed. Eventually an avalanche of sound cascades within this feature of unique percussive ideas. Highly worth the eight minutes of its duration. Enchanted Helm come next, with three untitled pieces. Big synthesizer sounds fly by, graciously presenting big chords or are they clouds? Angelic voices ring and there's no shame in that, even in a scene that's probably pretty agnostic. Slow arpeggio forms follow with vertical harmonies very present and a conclusion of harder tones for a coda. Foresight In Retrospect continues with the wonderfully named Insect Deli, who pound the eardrums with straight up machine gun sounds on This Is the Version I Have Right Now. Crazed heaviness and spoken word ruminations upon ontology make this track an absolute crusher. Seriously insane action! Soundoferror have Disaster Amnesiac's favorite title for the proceedings on Hello Breakfast. There's just something so surreal about it. It's a track made up of three parts, with high register beepies and gackles, deeply rhythmic synth tightness and a consummate Head Music vibe that just hits correct while its music spreads out wide into signal feeds of delight! The Long Room is Bob Bucko Jr.'s contribution, wherein a drum machine pulse pushes the the keyboard and woodwind riffs into a Fourth World statement of international polyglot creole. It's a song of realm-wide trance moves which presents musical possibilities that should be further expounded upon. Two tracks of Dream Pop, Germs Burn and An Ode To Fred, are played by Peter Boof. Any kind of Darby reference and Disaster Amnesiac is in, that's a given. The latter is great for dancing around, while the former is more abstract in its sound but still playful. Living Room come up next with Untitled (Song Titles Are For Assholes). Why so dour? Harsh grinding primitive guitar/drums/noise action, that's why! A deeper listen shows that the Living Room dudes are indeed really good at their instruments, which literally rocks. The Avant Garde needn't worry though, as their is a ton on straight up Noise within this primitivist power trio. With Dub! The Drowned World must be Angus Maclise fans, as their Dreamweapon suggests. It starts out with a quite Minimalist arc and builds upon that with paced layers. It's a song like a sky full of slow moving cloud forms and as such very relaxing to hear. Last up on Foresight In Retrospect is Inscrutable Matter from Crow Hotel. Cool moniker and neat, dialed in electrical tones blend with wide Industrial samples to create a sonic junk heap of intricate granular details. Juicy electronics push and weave a track that gets pretty crunchy at times. Are they using contact mics to produce their machinic melodies? As stated, there a pleasing variance to the acts presented upon Foresight In Retrospect: A 10-Way Split, Or A Compilation, and any fan of underground sounds will likely be pleased to interface with all of them. You must be a bit tired of blasting your P.E.A.C.E. comp by now, surely, so seek this one out for some fresh examples from the subterranean music scene!

Live shot(s) #221!

 

Shots taken at On The Rocks, Tucson 5/9/26.

Below: Wrought Iron. Heavy Blues Rock with great lead guitar action!

Above: Soul Of the Sun bring earth moving riffs, an actual singer and more hot lead guitar action. Busting out new songs bravely. 

Below: Day Trails create adventurously progressive Pop blends. A unique band. 

Robert Poss + E-Clark Cornell-Kepler's Choice; No Sides Records, 2026

 

One just has to love a label that branches out into a broad range of musical approaches, a label such as No Sides Records. Since their initial contact with Disaster Amnesiac, it's been a pleasure to hear the many and varied sounds that they've pushed out into the world so far, not the least of which has been this year's Kepler's Choice, a release by Robert Poss and E-Clark Cornell. For starters just look at that great Abstract Expressionist cover art! Don't know about anyone else, but when this fan sees an album with visuals such as that, it's intrigue at minimum. Additionally interesting are the c.v. of this work's two creators. Poss found renown as a founding member of Band of Susans and Cornell has logged countless credits with some of the top flight Euro Art Rock bosses. These two have put in the work, that's for sure. As for the sounds of their collaborative work, they are based within the aesthetics of contemporary composition and symphonic works. Generally longer pieces during which modal explorations are presented, that's the set list on Kepler's Choice. Much of the album features moods of minimalist atmosphere, sometimes brooding and sometimes ecstatic. The duo of Poss and Cornell pull many different timbres from their respective rigs on each of the eight tracks, yet there is a genuine cohesiveness that binds them all, making for a very coherent listening experience. Pieces such as the ripple effect from an emotional error, Russian Tea Room, and Codified Betrayal would be so great if presented at and by a symphony. Large string sections would suit their writing ideally. Excellent piano passages extend forms but retain melodic aspects that are warm and inviting as their electronic frames float alongside and atop. Yesterday, as Kepler's Choice streamed from my desktop speakers a large rain front rolled up in the sky above, and it was the perfect soundtrack for observing it as it floated by. Find a nice quiet time and spot in which to listen to this low key but intense release from two veterans and it'll surely float your perceptions to some interesting spaces.

Live shot #220!

 

 

Chick Blundy & Tryin' Times, Slow Body Beer Tucson 5/1/26. Straight up honky tonkin' with an incredible guitar player. The drummer rules, too.

Modelbau-Nine Times Makes Ten; No Sides Records, 2026

 

No Sides Records made Disaster Amnesiac aware of Nine Times Makes Ten, a new release from Modelbau, a few months back. It took some time to get to really hearing it, though, mostly on account of the stated obsession with the Ramones debut at its 50th anniversary. With those thoughts out of the way now, it's been a bit easier to check into this quietly burning album from Dutch composer/improvisor/writer Frans de Waard. Its sounds are sourced from two reel to reel tape machines, in order to "uncover old ghosts in the machines", and in that endeavor Modelbau succeeds. The nine tracks on Nine Times Makes Ten all share an aura of mystery, each one building upon the somewhat eerie pulses of its predecessor. It's a perfect album for time spent drifting off into abstract mental zones or cloud watching. Indeed as Disaster Amnesiac sits at the keyboard and types these words, Nine Times Makes Ten's sound are perfectly framing a gloomy desert sky that's drifting across the Sonoran sky. It's great ambient music too, in the sense that one could also play it while attending to other tasks. Again, as this post is being assembled de Waard's sounds blossom in pleasing and inspiring manners that outline a mental space conducive to the imagination's wanderings. What are the source tapes from this album? Are they original recordings made by Frans? Whatever their origin, Modelbau certainly did find a way to reveal them on these broodingly intense tracks of sonic experimentation.