Friday, January 25, 2013

Black Flag founder, Mike Vallely launch band

Musical collaborations can indeed bring great ideas together, but sometimes it leaves us wanting for more. After only hearing the one song below, I was left wanting more. Not to the effect that I wanted to play the song over and over, but hoping they had more material to fit the description of the write up about the new project. But then again, maybe it's my wanting to hear the next phase of what Mike V's last band sounded like in Revolution Mother, which was by far his strongest material to date.


Link to original post on Lambgoat

"On February 26, SST Records will release Life is Too Short to Not Hold a Grudge, the debut album from Good For You, the brand new band featuring influential guitarist and bandleader Greg Ginn and professional skateboarder and musician Mike Vallely (aka Mike V). Featuring eleven uniquely distinct high-energy rock songs blistered with themes of betrayal, regret, disillusionment, resolve, determination and independence propelled by Ginn's distinctive, stun-gun guitar, Life is Too Short to Not Hold a Grudge sets a new course for both musicians and delivers a strong statement of intent that begs to be heard.

Recorded at Ginn's Casa Destroy Studios in Taylor, TX, Life is Too Short to Not Hold a Grudge teams the singular guitarist -- named as one of Rolling Stone's "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" -- with the creative, aggressive Vallely for the first time since Black Flag's 2003 reunion shows in Los Angeles where Mike V performed the entire My War album from start to finish with the world renowned punk rock band at the invitation of Ginn.

As the founder, guitarist and driving influence behind Black Flag, Greg Ginn defined the west coast punk sound and the DIY ethos of punk rock. In many ways, Vallely is the perfect frontman to lead Ginn's first hard rock band since the dissolution of Black Flag. A strong-willed, determined, intense and inspirational figure, Vallely (owner and creative mind behind Elephant Brand Skateboards) has earned a devoted, worldwide following over the course of his two decade plus career as a professional skateboarder and years fronting the bands Mike V and The Rats and Revolution Mother. The vocalist first saw Black Flag perform at City Gardens in Trenton, New Jersey in 1984, crediting it as a life changing experience. Greg and Mike first met in Long Beach, CA in May 2003 when Mike V And The Rats started a supporting run of shows for Greg that would eventually lead to the guest vocal spot at the Black Flag reunion shows. A friendship was formed and the two have kept in touch through the years with the intention of collaborating on new music at some point. In February 2012, Ginn presented Vallely with new music and the singer spent the next five months filling notebooks with lyrics. The duo's intense songwriting chemistry generated both a solid set of dynamic songs that would become Life Is Too Short To Not Hold A Grudge and the formation of an entirely new band: Good For You. Life Is Too Short... features the traits of a benchmark release. Rarely is rock so pure and hard-hitting.

"Greg and I had been talking about writing music together for many years, comments Vallely. "There was no real plan in place to "team up" or anything like that. It was more so just about the music. Creatively and artistically we just found a common road and from that came an output that became this new music and this new record."

"Working with Greg really opened me up as a writer and vocalist, he continues. "His approach to writing, recording and producing was so free that for the first time I feel I was really able to honestly express myself in the studio."

"I can't wait to deliver these songs live with Mike," said Ginn. "I have the feeling that things are going to get wild.""

Side A:

1.) I'd Rather Die
2.) No Plan B
3.) Free
4.) Hanging Around
5.) Knife in the Face

Side B:

1.) Stupid Me
2.) Good Sport
3.) It's Just Business
4.) Dreams
5.) Blaze of Glory
6.) True Companion

Good For You is currently offering fans a taste of what Life is Too Short to Not Hold a Grudge holds in store, streaming the new song "Hanging Around" via its SoundCloud page. The band is expected to debut a number of additional new songs from the LP prior to the release of the record.