Photo: Press
The word legend is often bandied about without due care and attention but in the case of Calvin Johnson its fully justified.
As a founder member of lo-fi stalwarts Beat Happening and the man behind K Records, his status as one of independent music's most influential figures is cast in stone.
Last week saw the release of 'This Party Is Just Getting Started', a collaboration with hip hop producer Smoke M2D6 under the moniker of Selector Dub Narcotic.
Next month also sees him return to the UK for a series of shows starting on the 14th on Plymouth and finishing on the 26th in Margate.
As an exclusive for Gigwise, here's a 14 song playlist he's put together.
Middlewav - 'Evil Ones'
An intriguing, anonymous 12” phonograph record found at the local record store turns out to be from this Olympia combo. They got world-class poptitude cascading all around, delirious sonic aptitude climbing silk ladders in your skull.
Stooges Brass Band - 'Thursday Night House Party'
These fellows been stamping through New Orleans’ musical cavalcade since they were teenagers. This, the title song from their 2016 album Thursday night House Party tells you it ain’t going to stop anytime soon.
75 Dollar Bill - 'Cummins Falls'
Drummer/percussionist Rick Brown found this wooden box on the street and took it home, showed it to guitarist Che Chen and 75 Dollar Bill was born. Rambunctious, mildly psychedelic.
Lil’ Donyel - 'She Want all My Cake'
Who is this freak of nature? There’s a story here but who has the time to tell it. Just listen.
CC Dust - 'Never Going to Die'
You can dance or ride a bike but somehow you will express yourself physically when CC Dust get into their thing. You will love their thing and if CC Dust can keep up this off-hand, reckless pace they are never going to die.
Aries - 'Eclipse Total'
Isabel Fernández Reviriego is the one-woman electro-pop factory shop. Feels good to blast her music over the hills and treetops.
Ex-Debs - 'Lost One'
Squares in Portland, OR are a rare bread, but they freak the fuck out when Ex-Debs hit the stage and stage their audio assault on the psyche. Dig those ruffled shirt fronts.
Panduhs - 'Love Letter'
These fellows are the Kings of Rock’n’Roll – they were mere Princes of the Realm until Elvis finally died for the last time (2014) and they ascended the throne. You will kneel at their feet.
Xperience - 'Not Today'
This former Olympia resident was all over our NW hip-hop compilation All Your Friend’s Friends [KLP255]; now he is touring the world and making lots of friends with his personable and infectious style. 'Not Today', is the single from the new album Chasing Grace.
Eleanor Murray - 'Lion'
An Olympia chanteuse of the highest order who spreads her wings and soars with the natural beauty of Northwest wilderness in her veins. “Lion” is from her 2016 cassette Jazz Demos (Antiquated Future), one of three albums she released this year.
Cavegreen - 'Clouds'
This gives us another side of the Eleanor Murray talent, as sultry as her jazz experiments set to a more ethereal rhythm. From the Journey of Return EP, four songs contemplative yet compelling.
Pets - 'Dumpster Diving'
Sacramento, CA is exquisitely eccentric. Like, Lux and Ivy of the Cramps lived there when they were hippies. Pets are punks who pop it off with great dexterity. You gotta dance.
PETS - 'Sewing Machine'
Couldn’t mention the Calif. Pets without bringing up our own Kennewick, Washington PETS whose Personal Electronic Transactions Sounds (Funkytonk Records) album has accompanied many a dinner preparation party and post-show snack.
Fang Wizard - 'Ha Ha Crackers'
Clean, precise sounds have flowed from the Mark Robinson (Unrest, Air Miami, Cotton Candy) since time immemorial, and we’re all the better for it. “Ha Ha Crackers” is from Mark’s recent collaboration with Trevor Kampmann, Fang Wizard. It’s hard to keep up with everything named “fang” and “wizard”; the Fang Wizard album Pure Hex (Teen Beat) is one of most satisfying listens of recent times.
Selector Dub Narcotic, whose awesome new video can be watched here, will play the following shows:
Oct 14 - Union Corner, Plymouth
Oct 17 - Bethnal Green Working Men's Club, London*
Oct 18 - The Druidstone Hotel, Haverfordwest, Wales
Oct 21 - Nexus Art Café, Manchester
Oct 22 - The Northern Charter, Newcastle
Oct 23 - Wharf Chambers (Sunday Matinee Show), Leeds
Oct 24 - Unitarian Church, Cambridge
Oct 25 - The Fishermen’s Chapel, Leigh-on-Sea
Oct 26 - Tom Thumb Theatre, Margate*
* w/ Catenary Wires
