The Measure (sa) (2004-2011)

The Measure (sa) called it quits yesterday…

Making a public announcement about 2011 being the end of the band, guitarist/ vocalist Lauren Denitzio had the following to say on why they decided to split as well as talked about their final plans as a band including live shows and releases.

After a number of lineup changes, the Measure increasingly became Fid and I finding ways to continue making music together. For a while, that was working, but this Fall I made the decision that I can’t continue with the band. There were a lot of personal reasons behind that and I realized that my heart just wasn’t in the project anymore. It’s not fair to anyone to try to keep going after that, especially when you’re expected to tour and write music and play shows and look like you’re having a good time. As far as parting ways goes, it’s a fairly amicable event and I’m glad that we’re ending the band on good terms and as friends.

We started the band when I was 20, and if you had told me then that I would get to travel around the country, put out over 18 records and play with some of my favorite bands because of it, I’d think you were out of your mind. It’s been a great privilege and I hope those experiences don’t end here. Fid and I will certainly be putting out music in other bands soon, so stay tuned.

We’re planning on releasing the next collection record of the more recent 7”s later in 2011 and intend on playing Fest 10 (Oct 28,29,30-2011) for one final show. There’s a possibility of another couple 7”s as well. Locally, we’ll be playing our last shows during the second weekend in April in Brooklyn and New Brunswick. Details to be announced soon.

We want to thank everyone who has been so helpful and supportive over the years. Especially those who have set up shows, given us places to stay and put out records for us (Don Giovanni, Kiss of Death, Salinas, Chunksaah, Ernest Jenning, Art of the Underground, Los Diaper, Team Science, Snuffy Smiles and No Idea) . We’re incredibly grateful to the awesome folks at No Idea who have both distro’d our records and put out a split 7” and LP for us, getting our music out there to a larger audience than we were able to do on our own. They’ve been one of our favorite labels for a long time and it was an honor to get to work with them so closely both as a label and as friends.

To Mike Regrets, Big A, J Nixon, Mikey Yannich, Joel Control, Tim Burke!, Chris Pierce, Gore, Joey Birds, DanO, CJ, and Marco Reosti: thanks for getting through this band with us”.

punkrockneverstop,
Lauren + Fid

The Measure (sa) released their final studio album, Notes, at the end of 2010 on No Idea Records. You can still stream the album in its entirety on the band’s Punknews.org band profile page!

The Measure [SA] – Unwritten from If You Make It on Vimeo.

Stream The New Social Distortion Album Now!

Hey to all you Social D fans!  You can stream their new album Hard Times And Nursery Rhymes right now by clicking HERE.

For each 100,000 plays the the price on Amazon.com’s preorder for the album will drop $1.

The album drops on 01/18/2011 and is the first release from the band since 2004.

I’ll have a review of the album shortly once Apple decides to call me back and tell me my Mac Mini is repaired (faulty hard drive). I sure hope that is today…

Announcement: Cleveland screening for The Lemmy Movie – 1/30 at The Beachland Ballroom

Not sure what plans you have on January 30th other than trying to stomach watching the NFL Pro Bowl, so let me throw something out for you to do…

On January 30th there will be a screening of the new Lemmy (you know LEMMY! Motorhead/Hawkwind) documentary properly titled Lemmy: 49% Motherf**Ker, 51% Son Of A Bitch at the Beachland Ballroom. Tickets are $8 and include not only a screening of the highly anticipated rockumentary, but also includes a set by Cleveland’s very own Motorhead cover act Motorhead USA immediately after the flick.

The screening event was brought together by Addicted To Vinyl whose words appear below:

For rock and metal fans alike, Lemmy: 49% Motherf**Ker, 51% Son Of A Bitch is one of the most anticipated film releases of 2011.  And as it happens, co-director Wes Orshoski (who helped to produce and direct the new film with Greg Olliver) is a Cleveland native.

A mutual friend put us in touch with Wes to help arrange a hometown screening for the flick and with the help of some good friends, we’re pleased to announce a Cleveland date for the Lemmy movie which will screen on Sunday, January 30th at the Beachland Ballroom at 8pm.

Admission is $8 and the evening will feature a special introduction by Orshoski prior to the start of the film and music from Cleveland tribute band Motorhead USA to close out the night!

Here’s some info taken from a press release in regards to the flick as well:

Over four decades, Motorhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister has registered an immeasurable impact on music history. Nearly 65, he remains the living embodiment of the rock and roll lifestyle, and this feature-length documentary tells his story, one of a hard-living rock icon who continues to enjoy the life of a man half his age.

Shot on a combination of High Definition and Super 16mm film, “Lemmy” (directed by Greg Olliver and Wes Orshoski) includes interviews with friends, family, bandmates past and present and such admirers/peers as Metallica, Slash, Dave Grohl (Nirvana/Foo Fighters), Ozzy Osbourne, Peter Hook (Joy Division/New Order), actor Billy Bob Thornton, wrestling superstar Triple H, Alice Cooper, Mick Jones of The Clash, and many more.

Called “pure gold” by WIRED, “Lemmy” made its world premiere in March 2010 at the South by Southwest Film and Music Festival, and has since collected rave reviews at film festivals around the globe. Variety remarked “‘Lemmy’ rocks,” and The Hollywood Reporter noted, “You don’t have to be a metalhead to love ‘Lemmy.'”

Help spread the word of the event if you can!  I will be there that night as I am helping ATV with the event so I hope you see you all there!!!

Album Review: Dirty Tactics – It Is What It Is

Philadelphia punkers Dirty Tactics are officially the band I overlooked last year.  In a day and age where punk rock music is taking all sorts of diversions into different genres, sometimes I am just hesitant of checking out newer acts.

Maybe it’s the old man in me telling me to hold back as I sadly think I have heard it all or perhaps I’ve just grown tired of band after band sounding alike.  Whatever the reason is, I am glad I took a moment to pop in It Is What It Is, the bands sophomore album on Say-10 Records.

From the very start of the CD I was into it.  It was not because the band exploded into a infectious jam (that was later), it was because of a certain dated excerpt of an interview that opened the album.  Where as I can not pinpoint who the actual band is that is being interviewed, someone who sounds an awful like Mick Jones of the Clash says “it’s just like, there just has to be new groups and that’s just what you got,” when asked where punk rock started.  Without time to agree with that statement, Dirty Tactics jumped into “When You Wake Up” a dirty DIY sounding catchy-ass song.

“Baltimore” followed the opening track continuing with an infectious pop-punky (see, I told you that happened later) song that won me over mostly thanks to the use of the organ throughout.  Begging to be sung along to was “The Process”, a pop-punk heavy track wit a dab of clapping to keep that good feeling going.

“Secret Lives” had an interesting prelude to an amazing track.  “Train Song” proved it is ok to play organ in a punk rock song and have fun doing so.  All I could think to myself is how amazingly talented these guys were and I was only halfway thought the album.

“Arkansas” was unlike any other song previously heard and perhaps my favorite.  Upright piano, almost whispering gruff singing, and distant percussion brought together this quick gem of a track that begged to be listened to over and over again.

The shift in sound also applied to the final track “Blind Man”, a trippy track that sounded almost as if Jeffrey Lewis wrote it.  Even if it was out of the norm I loved it and especially appreciated the repeat of “it’s what you got” taken from the opening sample at the songs end.

Dirty Tactics are group of talented and hardworking musicians that make punk, well…punk.  They recorded the It Is What It Is themselves, work their day jobs when home, and tour when the time is right.  I only hope to catch this band live one day.

It Is What It Is just isn’t just an album that I’ll be listening to a couple of times and forget about…and yes I mean that.  I am pretty sure they will remain in regular rotation for me for quite some time.  If you have not heard of Dirty Tactics yet make sure you put that on your to do list.


Eat A Steak.

I have decided that BHP will be going through some changes in 2011. I am in the works on changing things up around here from the design of the site to the content I throw in randomly.  Change is good.

So to start things off early, I decided to start a random series of quirky little comics from events that have actually happened to me or would happen should I be subjected to the situation.

D.X. Ferris has been supplying some funny ass Suburban Metal Dad comics on Addicted To Vinyl this past month and that along with my addiction to the comics on If You Make It made me what to try it for myself. 

So here you go. Laugh, cry, complain… It is all about the fun and terrible artistic abilities right?

What would happen if Anthony Bourdain ever told me to quit being a vegetarian?