Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Rusty Knuckles, Antiseen, Billy Don Burns And Itunes Make A Great Team

We are one goal away from a hat trick this fine day and thanks to Itunes for featuring Antiseen and Billy Don Burns as New & Noteworthy albums. Damn proud of these albums and so stoked to see the huge response we have been getting on them.



Itunes New and Noteworthy under Rock, featuring Antiseen's - Falls Count Anywhere
Itunes New and Noteworthy under Country, featuring Billy Don Burns - Nights When I'm Sober... Portrait Of A Honky Tonk Singer

Cool Bikes And Gorgeous Women With The Black Keys...

Some videos need little to no explanation to make sense and this is one of those videos. You read the title so dive in, watch and enjoy.



Billy Don Burns Feature Radio Interview With Highway Woman Radio

Billy Don Burns album Nights When I'm Sober... Portrait Of A Honky Tonk Singer is really starting to take off and get the recognition it deserves. With orders piling up rapidly world wide and feature interviews and reviews coming in, folks are starting to realize how great of an album this is. 

Have a listen to Brigitte London and Billy Don as they talk on the album.


Billy Don Burns new album - Nights When I'm Sober... Portrait Of A Honky Tonk Singer

Monday, July 30, 2012

Antiseen At Tesco Fest In Detroit On August 18th

A public service announcement from Tesco Vee:

1 NIGHT / 2 STAGES OF PUNK ROCK FURY!!!
Tesco Vee..the very name strikes fear in the cockles of god-fearing farts all over the world! After a 32 year career spent in the trenches of the Punk Rock Undergound, The Dutch Hercules hath proclaimed that the time is nigh to host a GODDAMN HARDCORE PUNK FEST that befits his name...Seriously butt hurt and smarting at being snubbed by every major fest this side of the Rio Grande, Vee has decided to ven- ture off on his own, hand-assembling some of his angriest old school chums to reek havoc on the Motor City Aug 18, in THE FIRST ANNUAL TESCO FEST at the Magic Stick.

Get a load of this line up!!!!!
THE MEATMEN /NEGATIVE APPROACH ANTISEEN / GANG GREEN IRON CROSS / HELLMOUTH AGAINST THE GRAIN / BILL BONDSMAN / GOLDEN TORSO
Thats right Klingons, Uncle Tesco ain’t fuckin around!!! He remembers a time when punk was about vitriol, volatility and vulvas!!

Your Masters of Ceremonies will be Tesco Vee along with special guest, Squared Circle Revue’s ringside announcer, “The Voice of Reason,” Mark Pants!

If you miss this nite you will miss a slice of Punk Rock History... This will be the show of the summer in Detroit...no the Midwest...no the WHOLE GODDAMNED COUNTRY! SO DONT MISS IT! WEENBAGS!!!

The Majestic
Midtown Detroit - 4140 Woodward Ave. 
313 833 9700
Saturday August 18, 2012

Get your tickets now!

Tesco Fest, featuring Antiseen, The Meatmen, Negative Approach, Gang Green and more








Stoked For Nitro Circus In 3D

The new film by Nitro Circus will definitely be our motorized mayhem highlight of the summer and looking forward to seeing what new stunts they have. Check it out...




Jolene Van Vugt has to be one of the hottest women on motorcycles
Air bag blast out to base jump, dig it
Jolene ready to rip it up
Ever gap between buildings, while also 400 feet above the ground
bouncy balls have a great effect on gravity
Doing the full 360 loop while on a tricycle

Reno Divorce Featured on ESPN Skateboarding With Converse Shoes

Huge things are coming up for Reno Divorce with their new album, Lovers Leap. If you are a die hard skater and into watching some great footage check out the link below, as there is no embed link to add the video directly into this post.

Reno Divorce has a featured song in the Converse Coastal Carnage Contest video

More footage from Coastal Carnage 2011

Buchholz Custom Buell X1, Repost From BikeExif

Without fail, some of the best bikes in the world are being featured on BikeExif. We are damn proud to have had our Cafe Bike featured on there also. Chris has impeccable tastes in the bikes shown and this Buell X1 is truly cool.


Buell X1 Custom by Buchholz Custom featured on BikeExif
"You don’t often see Buell-based customs, and when you do, they’re invariably of the streetfighter genre. So it’s good to see someone trying something different with a Buell-powered bike. This machine has just been finished by the German company Buchholz Custom, and it’s based on the Buell X1 engine—a 1200 cc unit originally destined for the Harley Sportster range. At first glance, it’s old technology—Harley’s familiar air-cooled pushrod V-twin—but Erik Buell gave the X1 his ‘Thunderstorm’ cylinder heads, with big valves, heavy port work and reshaped combustion chambers. That means a power output of around 95 bhp, a 60% increase over the contemporary Sportster.

Buell X1 right side showing of forward controls interesting cover setup over sprocket cover
Buell X1 Custom by Buchholz from rear
Builder Michi Heyer has cranked the power up even further with Mikuni carburetion, a Crane HI-4 Single Fire ignition system and a ForceWinder/K&N air intake. The exhaust is Akrapovic. 

The motor nestles in a Sportster frame, but the front end is pure sportbike—courtesy of a Honda VTR 1000 RC51 SP2. (And probably just as well, given the drastic hike in power.) Keeping the back end planted are a Honda CB1100SF X11 swingarm and Öhlins shock.

Buell X1 Custom by Buchholz Custom featured on BikeExif
Minimal seat design for this Buell custom
The rest of the machine is largely custom fabricated, from the oil tank to the bevel cover and that tire-hugging rear fender. It’s an amalgam of styles, but they somehow work together very effectively, including the Yamaha MT-03 headlight unit.


If this whets your appetite, keep an eye on Michi Heyer’s future builds via the Buchholz Custom website."

Friday, July 27, 2012

Rock N' Rassle Apocalypse Featured In Creative Loafing

We dig getting press and especially when it's well written and accurate. Have a look at what Creative Loafing Charlotte has to say about the Rock N' Rassle Apocalypse taking place on July 28th, 2012.

"You’ll get your usual blood, guts and gore at this Antiseen-headlined show, but the mayhem will happen before they even hit the stage. Welcome to the inaugural “Rock N’ Rassle Apocalypse,” a wrestling-rock extravaganza that’s a perfect pairing for Destructo rockers — they go with wrestling like Texas Pete goes with anything I eat. (Interestingly, this is only the second time in its 29-year history that the band has performed at a wrestling event.) Matches will feature wrestlers from Raleigh-based Gouge Pro Wrestling, including a headliner pitting the Necro Butcher (featured in “The Wrestler”) against “Beastmaster” Rick Link. Plus, the first 100 attendees get a free copy of Antiseen’s new wrestling CD collection, Falls Count Anywhere. The only beef you could possibly have with this event is that it won’t be available on Pay-for-View for the next month."

— Kathleen Johnson

Rock N' Rassle Apocalypse featured in Creative Loafing, Charlotte

Antiseen Feature Review On Punk News

Only if you have been hiding under a rock and praying that Charlton Heston will save you from the impending reality of Apes taking over, will we believe that you haven't seen all the work Antiseen has been putting in for the last couple of decades. Now with such a long winded opening statement, get your asses off the couch or magic computer box and pick up the greatest collection of wrestling songs ever created. 

Yep, this ain't just no hyperbole for the sake of hot air, this is truth. Truth just like the science spit out so easily by Neil deGrasse Tyson. It's on a cosmic level of mat pounding brutality in which Baby Faces run like rabies ridden cats towards impending doom. So do yourself a favor and click this here link below to purchase your new theme music while posing in the mirror while getting ready for the next bout.


Antiseen's - Falls Count Anywhere - A Collection of Wrestling Songs
Antiseen's - Falls Count Anywhere - A Collection of Wrestling Songs


"As dedicated as ANTiSEEN is to self-annihilation, its interesting to see how reverent they are towards the music that inspired them. New Blood, a collection of the band's singles from 2008-2011 and some new tracks, finds the band fitting the material to create a surprisingly coherent album that pays respect to their influences as well as furthers their own quest for self destruction.


As with most of their work, the North Carolina band blends together punk/early hardcore with Southern style blues rock. The connection between the two genres is never more apparent than it is on "Reconstruction." The bands slams out three chord riff after three chord riff, but the song swings like ZZ Top, making the connection between punk and blues mixed together with no clear separation. BB King could as easily sing the song as could the Dwarves.


This connection is also addressed by each of the poles. The band tears through a fairly faithful rendition of the Ramones' "Chainsaw." However, Jeff Clayton's whisky soaked voice growls in lieu of Joey Ramone's lamentation, which takes the song from one of horror to one of perverse glee. Then, on the other side of their influences, the band cuts through "Black Eyed Suzie," a Southern banjo cut with the help of Hank III's stringsman Joe Buck Yourself. While the song is a traditional ballad based around a circular chorus, the band's purposeful sloppiness gives the song a ragged punk menace.


Just as the band twists their sources into a combination of their own material, the lyrics suggest a certain twisted transformation. For instance, on "Black Eye Suzie Brown," is the song an ode or lamentation to spousal abuse…or does "Black eyed" refer to eye color and not to bruises? Does the band care? "Pledge Allegiance to the Bomb" is just that, but is the song speaking in a ironic detachment of contemporary war theory, or are they really hoping for nuclear fallout to wipe out the human race?


But, despite the band running headlong into destruction, it's remarkable how much they preserve their source material. Personally they might be hoping for an end, but the energetic crunch of their riffs suggests that if anything, they're doing their best to preserve both Southern rock and classic American punk. New Blood is an argument for the curation of both, because while these songs are all loud and nasty, they each maintain a separate identity and edge, something sorely lacking in much modern music. Certainly the members themselves would have to (regretfully?) acknowledge that by trying to destroy themselves for so long, they've ended up preserving their career and by accident, preserved two disparate genres along the way."

Antiseen feature review for New Blood on PunkNews.org

Waylon Jennings EPK For Upcoming Goin Down Rockin, Also Featuring Aaron Rodgers

Billy Don Burns new album produced by Aaron Rodgers
We have talking about the presence that Aaron Rodgers has had on some upcoming albums. With the work he did with Billy Don Burns and now as a player on the posthumous album of Waylon Jennings entitled Goin' Down Rockin', you will be hearing a lot more about Aaron. Give his work a listen on Billy Don Burns new album, Nights When I'm Sober... Portrait Of A Honky Tonk Singer.


Aaron Rodgers is a force to be reckoned with in Nashville

"A new album from outlaw country legend Waylon Jennings will be released this September, filled with recordings the icon made during the last few years before his death in 2002. Jennings spent hours in a recording studio with his longtime accompanist, Robby Turner and together they laid down twelve tracks using just Waylon’s guitar and vocals and Turner’s bass. All songs were personally selected by the country star, ones that resonated in a deeply personal way and reflected his state of mind, his passions, and important statements he wanted to make about his life. The duo planned out the future instrumentation that would be added to the tracks, but Jennings was never able to complete them.

10 years after his passing, Turner returned to the recordings, finishing each song to honor Waylon’s vision of what would turn out to be his very last album. Bringing in musicians who had long worked with Waylon, such as Reggie Young, Richie Albright and tour mate Tony Joe White, Turner painstakingly created the album that Waylon set out to make. "Waylon knows he's surrounded by friends and all that hear this will feel as if they know Waylon in all his authenticity," explains his widow, country singer Jessi Colter. With his family’s blessing,Goin’ Down Rockin’: The Last Recordings of Waylon Jennings will be available on September 11 (Saguaro Road Records). No one has ever heard these performances before; they are Waylon’s last gift to his fans.

Jennings wrote 11 of the 12 songs that appear on the new album, a testament to the personal nature of the recordings, and they reveal an artist in the midst of a final creative peak. In addition to his own songs, the album includes Tony Joe White’s “Goin’ Down Rockin’” (on which White himself is a guest). In all, the album will feature eleven songs that have never been released before."

1. Goin' Down Rockin (Featuring Tony Joe White)
2. Belle Of The Ball
3. If My Harley Was Runnin'
4. I Do Believe
5. Friends In California
6. The Ways of the World
7. Shakin' The Blues
8. Never Say Die
9. Wasting Time
10. Sad Songs & Waltzes
11. She Was No Good For Me
12. Wrong Road To Nashville

Produced by Waylon Jennings and Robby Turner, and to be relased through Saguaro Road Records

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Rory Kelly October 2012 European Tour Poster

Just finished up the final elements to Rory Kelly's October European Tour Poster. Below are the dates and damn are things lining up great for the band.

Rory Kelly European Tour 2012


10.03.12 - Zaragoza - La Ley Seca
10.04.12 - Monzon - Serjo's Zona Rock
10.05.12 - Barcelona - Rocksound
10.06.12 - Castellon - Pub D'Leyend
10.07.12 - Estepona - Louie Louie
10.08.12 - Cadiz - Supersonic
10.10.12 - Cangas - Salason
10.11.12 - Vitoria - Helldorado
10.12.12 - Barakaldo - Edaska Rock Club
10.13.12 - Madrid - El Juglar
10.14.12 - Calella - Rock&Apple

AJ Fosik's Monsters Mix Well With Mastodon

Have you ever heard the name of AJ Fosik? I sure as hell hadn't, as of this morning. The funny part is that that I already knew his work through one of his other projects. Finding tidbits such as this which pop up during a random commercial makes for an interesting day.

AJ Fosik's mask sculpture for Mastodon's album The Hunter
Now here is the thing that we know about AJ Fosik. Chances are you have seen his iconic cover created for Mastodon's album The Hunter. Visually it is stunning and once you see the process of his work, it gets even more interesting. His approach is three dimensional and uses a variety of material to make the work come to life.

Dive into more of his work through images from Flickr, videos from youtube, with Mastodon's Curl of the Burl while you check it out. Or you can also check out the Noteworthy Project put on by Samsung, as that is where I found one of the videos below about his work.



AJ Fosik's - The Third Way Out

AJ Fosik's - The Time & The Way


AJ Fosik mask sculpture

Green Lady Killers, Built For Speed - From Screamer Magazine

The Green Lady Killers are on the prowl
Link to original write up at Screamer Magazine



"No one who knows the real world of rock n’ roll can ever say it’s not a man’s world; there are very few bands with an all female line-up compared to the masses of all male rock bands, wearing ‘guy liner’ and long hair. It’s definitely a “Boy’s Club” but Lady Van Buren (vocals/guitar), drummer Cherrybomb and bassist Ivy Rose, better known as the , seem to be holding their own.  Why? Well, their eyeliner’s thicker and it’s waterproof.

One look at these women and you know they are not ‘wallflowers’. “Sometimes we get treated differently but I can tell you that after we play, we get treated just like every other band.” States Van Buren with certainty, but then says with a chuckle, “You’re mistaken a lot for a ‘girlfriend’ of a band, when you’re carrying a guitar! There are no ‘girlfriends’ in this band.” “We know how to play with the boys and we have a blast out there,” giggles Cherrybomb, “there are definitely not as many female rock bands; I think it has its disadvantages and advantages; but we don’t care about any of that though ’cause we just want to rock, bottom line!”


Being very confident, educated women, one might ask, “what is a green lady-killer” and how did you become one? It’s a sordid tale but true; and brings to mind the theme from the Twilight Zone. “Well, Lady and I grew up across the street from each other,” states Cherrybomb. “When I was a kid, I was afraid of this monster in my closet and she was called, ‘The Green Lady’. This was like when I was two or three years old and Lady remembers all this because she terrorized me for about a year…maybe longer… so years later we grow up and Lady decides to move to Seattle for a little bit and she’s in a house with like seven other people and one day this roommate brings home this print of a painting called, Miss Wong. It’s this 60’s painting that you’ve probably seen before; it’s kind of a freaky print; her eyes follow you everywhere. Anyway…the print FREAKED everybody out in Lady’s house so nobody wanted it by the time everybody moved out. Well, Lady had a friend come visit her after she moved out and he says, ‘show me your last place’, so they drive by. And what’s sitting outside? The painting. So the landlord had put it outside to throw it away. Her friend loved the painting and said, ‘that’s awesome can you send it to me’? So Lady says, ‘Yes, I guess if you really want it.’ So she ships it off to him and he actually gets the painting on Halloween. Now he’s having a party, right…runs out of beer, goes to the store to get another case of beer and the house catches on fire while he’s gone! Well… all this shit burned down and all his shit burned down but the painting remained, right… it remained untouched. So, a couple of years later we start this band and we’re ‘googling’ images for a flyer for a show and we typed in, ‘Green Lady’ for fun, and that’s the image, which came up. That’s the image that comes up with that name. We knew it immediately… “We had to kill her.” States Van Buren; with a devilish laugh. “Yeah… we still have that painting… She hangs in my house actually.”

Though the may be new to Los Angeles; Van Buren and Cherrybomb grew up together in Phoenix, AZ.  Along with former bassist, Annie Venom, they played as much as they could but Phoenix is only so big; they needed to be in a central location to get to more clubs and reach a more broad audience, so the decision to move to Los Angeles was an easy one, though they’d be making the move without Venom. “Cherry and I grew up together,” says Van Buren, “we lived across the street from each other as kids and that’s how we originally met. I met Ivy about a year and a half ago, about May 2011, after we relocated from Phoenix, AZ (our hometown) to Los Angeles.  She lives in Chino, which is kinda close to LA.  So we found a new addition and the best yet…for sure!”

The Green Lady Killers taming the sun © 2011 Lance Dawes Photography
“Unfortunately, our old bassist Annie, wasn’t able to move with us, when we decided to come to Los Angeles,” adds Cherrybomb, “we adore her and loved playing with her but she decided she wanted to go back to school and moved back to Chicago. We supported her decision hundred percent and we totally understood; it was hard because we were all so close and such good friends; we totally loved jamming together. Lady and I decided we wanted to totally support Annie with her next endeavors in life and we parted ways on excellent terms; again, we’re really close friends.” So the hunt was on for a new bassist but it didn’t take Van Buren and Cherrybomb long to find…Ivy. “When we got to LA, we interviewed a few bass players but when we met Ivy, we knew it was like an instant match….” Cherrybomb says with a smile. “Like eHarmony!” quips Ivy. “We love the vibe of Los Angeles,” states Van Buren. “Phoenix is a great city but we just wanted a different experience. Of course we spent some time getting everything tightened up and nailed down with a new line-up and then began writing songs and Ivy is a mountain of creativity. The song writing chemistry we have is awesome.”

(GLK) sound stirs memories of the Cramps and the Pixies and as they will tell you; unleashing an electric-charged garage rock that embraces 1970s American pre-punk style and delivers a loud, fast and sexy ride. Their video for the single, My .45, filmed in Nashville, TN, is a very visual piece and feels reminiscent of Quentin Tarantino’s, Death Proof; not a copy by any means but a fun ride none the less. “It was really really cold and look at what we’re wearing!” laughs Cherrybomb. “It was a really cool experience. We did it over two days… We had an awesome production crew,” says Van Buren, “we couldn’t have asked for more nice people; they were awesome.”

Green Lady Killers have been gaining a lot of momentum and just came back from a gig up in Oakland, CA, where they played with The Dwarves and Fleshies and are getting ready to record again. “We ended up talking to Black Dalia from the Dwarves and we’re going to have an internet podcast on his show and that will be coming out in about a month,” says Cherrybomb, his show is called, Radio Like You Want. So yeah, we’ve been playing a lot of shows and we’ve gotten a great reception. We also were just recently in the studio and we’ll be releasing our new single, about mid August, we’ll also be putting together a video for that single; we’ll be coming out with that and our plan is to have a full record released next year.” “Yeah, we’ll probably have a couple of singles drop before the full length hits,” adds Van Buren. “We’re like Pinky and The Brain; we want to take over the world!” laughs Ivy. I wouldn’t laugh; they just may."

 - Robin Vagnozzi

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Baron Samedi And A Voodoo Altar Sketch For Rory Kelly's European Tour Poster

Been crankin' away in the design lab with all sorts of new merch coming out for quite a few of the bands we work with. Check out the tour poster sketch of some voodoo we have conjured up to help make a damn great tour for Rory Kelly. The south is full of mysticism and folklore and what could be better than a copperhead slithering through an altar wrapped in a bone necklace. We hope to make Marie Laveau proud.

Below are the tour dates and a cool video we found with some interesting visuals and homage to Baron Samedi. If voodoo and Black Magic is an interest, read on below with more info on Baron Samedi. Just remember though, voodoo magic only preys upon the weak of mind...



10.03.12 - Zaragoza - La Ley Seca
10.04.12 - Monzon - Serjo's Zona Rock
10.05.12 - Barcelona - Rocksound
10.06.12 - Castellon - Pub D'Leyend
10.07.12 - Estepona - Louie Louie
10.08.12 - Cadiz - Supersonic
10.10.12 - Cangas - Salason
10.11.12 - Vitoria - Helldorado
10.12.12 - Barakaldo - Edaska Rock Club
10.13.12 - Madrid - El Juglar
10.14.12 - Calella - Rock&Apple

New tour poster for Rory Kelly in the works



He is usually depicted with a top hat, black tuxedo, dark glasses, and cotton plugs in the nostrils, as if to resemble a corpse dressed and prepared for burial in the Haitian style. He has a white, frequently skull-like face (or actually has a skull for a face) and speaks in a nasal voice. However more recently he has been portrayed rather differently. Now the the image of a dark-haired, light-skinned young man is seen as Baron Samedi. This new adaptation stays true to tradition wearing a fitted dark suit, but there are differences. The dark glasses, nasal voice and cotton plugs have been removed. Replaced with slight facial hair and earring on his left ear. The most notable change, Baron Samedi seems to have traded in his top hat for a fedora. 

Baron Samedi illustration featured on FunnybookBabylon.com
He is a sexual Loa, frequently represented by phallic symbols and is noted for disruption, obscenity, debauchery, and having a particular fondness for tobacco and rum. Additionally, he is the Loa of sex and resurrection, and in the latter capacity he is often called upon for healing by those near or approaching death, as it is only Baron who can accept an individual into the realm of the dead.

Baron Samedi spends most of his time in the invisible realm of voodoo spirits. He is notorious for his outrageous behavior, swearing continuously and making filthy jokes to the other spirits. He is married to another powerful spirit known as Maman Brigitte, but often chases after mortal women and men. He loves smoking and drinking and is rarely seen without a cigar in his mouth or a glass of rum in his bony fingers. Baron Samedi can usually be found at the crossroad between the worlds of the living and the dead. When someone dies he digs their grave and greets their soul after they have been buried, leading them to the underworld.

Baron Samedi illustration by - johnnymc.deviantart.com
As well as being master of the dead, Baron Samedi is also a giver of life. He can cure any mortal of any disease or wound, if he thinks it is worthwhile. His powers are especially great when it comes to voodoo curses and black magic. Even if somebody has been afflicted by a hex which brings them to the verge of death, they will not die if the Baron refuses to dig their grave. So long as this mighty spirit keeps them out of the ground they are safe. He also ensures all corpses rot in the ground to stop any soul being brought back as a brainless zombie. What he demands in return depends on his mood. Sometimes he is content with his followers wearing black, white or purple clothes or using sacred objects; he may simply ask for a small gift of cigars, rum, black coffee, grilled peanuts or bread. But sometimes the Baron requires a voodoo ceremony to help him cross over into this world.

Monday, July 23, 2012

Might Need A Tetanus Shot While Riding This Custom

If you attend enough events there will always be one build that just defies comparison. At this year's Heavy Rebel in Winston-Salem a bike pulled up that defied the odds and then some. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and there I was staring and taking in all the angles of this particular bike. It's long, it's low and most of all it was all hand built. Maybe this bike is not to the perfection of the normal standards but this one got more photos than any other bike out front and for that we dig it. 

Thankfully some folks dare to be different and use what they have on hand or readily available to make something new and different out of. Congrats on the interesting build and yes it does run and sound good.

Heavy gauge chain for handle bars, yes indeed.
Custom front end with dirt bike tire and wheel
Is that by chance a digital speedo on the tank?
Bias ply tires on a motorcycle, what?

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Depth of Speed: High Mileage

Depth of Speed: High Mileage

"170,000 miles in 4 years might not seem like an outrageous amount for today's standards but in a 1964 Corvair van it is a downright astonishing amount. John Jackson, of NotStock Photography, travels across the entire country in search of cool hot rods and bikes to shoot and averages around 60,000 miles a year. Topping out at 60mph and with no A/C it is inspiring to see one living his dreams and passion year after year."

notstockphotography.com

facebook.com/pages/NotStock-Photography/151898738611

"We have set out on our journey across the USA. Join us over at the site and Facebook to find out where we currently are! If you have any car stories along our path please contact me."

depthofspeed.com

facebook.com/DepthofSpeed

Billy Don Burns Review On Outlaw Magazine

Billy Don Burns album review on Outlaw Magazine

"There are all kinds of artists, but very few true Song Warriors. What does it take to be a Song Warrior? Well, it ain’t no picnic. It’s a long, hard road. You have to give every bit of yourself to the muse, and live it and breathe it until you’ve squeezed out the last breath of inspiration and gut wrenching soul. After that, you will need to find one more thing to keep you going, one more thing to write about, one more lover to love and one more song to sing. And do it again and again. That is what resonates through Billy Don’s voice and the kind of truth that comes out in his songwriting has to be lived. And no one has lived it the way Billy Don Burns has.

He’s been doing it from the time he showed up at as a youngster in Merle Haggard’s office in Bakersfield, CA and Merle was so taken with him that he put him on television that very day, to the partnership publishing company he formed with Harlan Howard. Then, of course, there was the intense project recording Paycheck in prison, as well as hanging with Willie, Waylon and the boys and you-name-it, traveling across this country on a song and a prayer. Billy Don Burns has lived it and done it all. He’s had his songs cut by many country artists including Connie Smith and Willie Nelson. Through drugs, hardships and music business bullshit, he has not only survived, but every nuance in his voice manages to tell his tales with deep conviction and fluid emotion and his writing continues to be exceptional.  He never once compromised himself, and while no one would dare to come up against him or mess with someone he loves (or suffer the consequences), there is not a truer heart or more loyal comrade in the business. He understands all of it. He is there for the music and for the transcendence music brings.

The thing we loved most about the late, great Hank Williams (besides that voice), was the way he made you feel what he was feeling. He cut right inside of you. That’s the same ingredient that exists in every Billy Don Burns song. Where Hank wails, Billy Don laments and then perseveres.

On Billy Don’s new Rusty Knuckles Records release, Nights When I’m Sober: Portrait of a Honky Tonk Singer, the realities of life are harsh but poetic, painful and yet, beautiful. The production by Aaron Rodgers is, well, perfect. Sparse and tasteful arrangements that allow the songs to breathe fully in their full expression. A lot of the lyrical content and vocal delivery in today’s country music is masked by mass instrumentation and vocal cover-ups. Not here. The songs get exactly what they deserve in order to preserve the integrity of feeling and the potency of the lyrics. From kicking it in “That’s Alright,” a honky tonk rouser that shows he keeps his humor amidst life’s troubles, to tearing the heart strings in “When Lonesome Comes Around,” each arrangement accents rather than distracts. And, by the way, “When Lonesome Comes Around” is in the league of “Sunday Morning Coming Down.”  

Yes, it is.


Each song tells a different part of Billy Don’s story. “It Would Kill Mama” was written after a friend asked Billy Don (through a bathroom door) what would his mama would think about  what he was doing in there (drugs). See, Billy Don doesn’t hide anything. Anything. He bares it all and you love him for it. He is one of the most unique and gifted artists walking this planet. I don’t give a shit who is on the charts right now, blah blah blah. If it were a balanced world, then Billy Don would be number one right now. But it is not a balanced world. And today’s music machine is one big mess. You have to take the beauty where you can get it. And beauty lies in the art. True Art is what matters. And True Art is what Billy Don gives you. Listen to “Honky Tonk Singer” and you’ll hear the lonely cry of a worn country heart.  Through this album, he’ll take you on a journey battling the road, through the drugs and the drink… and wrestling with that internal desire that needs the music, searches for truth and longs for deliverance as well as distinction from the sheep that roam this land.
Want to know the Artist’s struggle? “Is He The Writer” will give it you, no holds barred…

He’s hold up one night as usual, alone
he’d been drinkin’ and druggin’ and writing his wrongs
there’s no more to lose, nothing to fear
takes out his knife and cuts off his ear
Poets like Dylan live in his brain
is he a writer or is he insane
he dresses in black and he goes it alone
is the writer or is he a song

He’ll give you some uptempo ass-kickin’ tunes, like “Some Were Born To Ride” and spook you out along “Diablo’s Highway.”  He will start the bleeding in your heart with “Stranger” and take you down that long, lost highway where you’ll have a complete “Heart Breakdown.” Man, what a song. There’s also the fun “Aaron Rodgers and Me” that tells how the producer/musician and Billy Don got together to make this album. Love it. All the tracks are prime example of hardcore country music.

But you don’t have to take my word for it. Check it out for yourself and get a copy right HERE. 

I’m honored to call Mr. Billy Don Burns my friend and I am honored to have him as a guest on my radio show. On Friday, July 20th, you can hear my interview with him on Outlaw Magazine’s Audio Special right here on Outlaw Magazine as well as on my radio show (The Highwaywoman Radio Show) all of next week."

There are all kinds of artists, but there is only one Billy Don Burns.
~ Brigitte London

***Billy Don Burns is Outlaw Magazine’s Artist of the Month. 
Brigitte London, otherwise known as The Highwaywoman, is a Singer/Songwriter out of Austin, Texas. She’s a poet, dreamer, crusader. She is also the host of internationally syndicated radio show, The Highwaywoman Radio Show)www.brigittelondon.com.

Outlaw Magazine. Country, Rock and Roll, Blues, Folk, Americana, Punk. As long as it is real, it is OUTLAW. Overproduced mediocrity need not apply.

Jeff Clayton Of Antiseen Will Be Invading Half A Million Homes

That's right, you heard us correctly, Jeff Clayton will be invading half a million homes four times in the next two weeks. The Rock N' Rassle Apocalypse has been selected to be a featured commercial during WWE Smackdown and TNA Impact wrestling. Not only is this a massive boost to the credibility of our bad ass event next weekend at the Tremont Music Hall, but most every television set in the metro region around Charlotte, NC will be warned of the coming Apocalypse.

Git yer priorities in order, make plans and work up your own BBQ tail gate pre-party for the Rock N' Rassle Apocalypse. This is an event not to miss.

Oh yeah, we may as well start leaking some "secret" info on the show. A documentary film is also in the works for the event, so yeah, if you want to be preserved for posterity get your asses to the show!



Jeff Clayton will be in a featured commercial during the last two weeks of July 2012 on WWE Smackdown
Antiseen - Falls Count Anywhere, A Collection Of Wrestling Songs
Rusty Knuckles Presents - Rock N' Rassle Apocalypse - July 28th 2012
Jeff Clayton will be in a featured commercial during the last two weeks of July 2012 on TNA Impact Wrestling

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Rory Kelly Tears Into Some Palmetto Moonshine

If you want to know about hard work and dedication, take some cues from Rory Kelly. Not only is he on the road constantly, but he, Pops and Billy are dialed in lock step, just like a an old rotary phone. Their sound is being heard world wide now due to an immense response in Europe in preparation for a tour in October through Teenage Head Music.



Here is press clipping from Germany's Rockblog.Bluespot

"Saloons, bikers, horses, Black Mountains, barbecue, cows, Stampede and stuff of that nature who is thus an impression on the Americans and their tumultuous personal rock 'n' roll circus between alternative Swamp rock, make Southern and heavy rock want is this from "Rusty Knuckles" operated perfectly edited music."

Yep, you can get the jist of what they are saying. Even though some might be lost in translation the music is what matters. Rory Kelly, Pops Kelly and Billy Miller are cutting a deep gouge into the map and carving out their territory. Do yourself a favor and get out to their shows pronto and say you were there from the start. Even better, get yer asses out to the Rock N' Rassle Apocalypse on July 28th at the Tremont Music Hall in Charlotte, NC and witness Rock N' Roll fury being dished out the way it should be.



Here are some photos from a recent Rory Kelly gig down at the Palmetto Moonshine headquarters take by Chris Newman

Cool bikes were on hand - Chris Newman Photography © 2012
Gorgeous Ladies and Moonshine, what's not to like - Jake Simp Photography © 2012
Pops Kelly holdin' down the beat - Chris Newman Photography © 2012
When did moonshine get all fancy? - Chris Newman Photography © 2012
Billy Miller and Rory Kelly - Chris Newman Photography © 2012
Rory Kelly's moment of zen - Chris Newman Photography © 2012
Why yes, I 'll have another - Chris Newman Photography © 2012
Billy Miller knows his way around a stage  - Chris Newman Photography © 2012
Billy Miller and Rory Kelly - Chris Newman Photography © 2012