SKiN GRAFT News for You's

B A L L P E E N ( ! ) B U L L E T I N S

updated: April 23rd, 2007

Salütes Sound Seekers ( ! )
SKiN GRAFT's Ace Reporter, "Jazzy" Joe Romita here with another staggering summary of the frankly phenomenal feats fathered at the famed fount of flabbergast... the forever favored, far-from faddish, far-flung frontiersmen of the fashionable Fort SKiN GRAFT!!!! Face front, frenzied ones!!!!

IN THE NEWS:

THE FLYING LUTTENBACHERS
vv Destroy All Music Revisted!
vv Remixed, Remastered, Revisited!
THE CHINESE STARS
vv Listen To Your Left Brain!
vv Newly plated tsunami of New Waves!
KOENJIHYAKKEI
vv North American Show dates!
QUINTRON
vv Limited edition Jamskate 12" vinyl!
AIDS WOLF & HOLY SMOKES
vv New Guitarist & My Space Page update respectively!
UPCOMING RELEASES?
vv RUINS, CHINESE STARS,
vv PRE and ATHLETIC AUTOMATON!

Salütes Sound Seekers ( ! )
SKiN GRAFT's Ace Reporter, "Jazzy" Joe Romita here with another staggering summary of the frankly phenomenal feats fathered at the famed fount of flabbergast... the forever favored, far-from faddish, far-flung frontiersmen of the fashionable Fort SKiN GRAFT!!!! Face front, frenzied ones!!!!

Saints be Praised, Glasses be Raised - !!!! Your mild-mannered messiah has come down from the mount to cleanse your embittered absentee palettes with yet another tantalizing taste of that enduring, egocentric effulgence that could only erupt from the jovial, jabbering jaws of Jazzy Joe Romita! Yes, your affable audio anti-christ has once again materialized in the midst of the mopey, meandering, musically-emaciated masses to herald the hip, heretofore under-heard happenings here at the sensational, slightly sordid Skin Graft Recs!!!! This time around your solemn sound shoveler has a pair of prized platters to pimp - if these two titanic tales of the tape don't toothen your grin lickety-split, then hombre, you best get to a dentist pronto cause somebody's short on choppers!!!

Alrighty - brace yourself and set those loins on gird, The Flying Luttenbachers and The Chinese Stars are a'borning and they're coming out kicking and scheming!
I'll just hop in the backseat for a bit while press magnate Charlie Nite slips us into overdrive:

ITEM! Skin Graft Records proudly presents "DxAxMx Revisited", a fully remastered, extended edition of The Flying Luttenbachers' landmark 1995 album, "Destroy All Music". This special edition includes notorious drummer/multi-instrumentalist Weasel Walter and renowned jazz saxophonist Ken Vandermark, the innovative punk-jazz ensemble that first garnered the band widespread acclaim. Here the band is captured at the height of the internal struggles that would soon dissolve the quintet line-up. The end result is an unforgettable experience, a document of the most extreme energy level the line-up ever mustered on record.

In addition to the 10 tracks featured on the original release, this comprehensive edition includes seven never-before-heard vintage recordings, all painstakingly remastered by bandleader Weasel Walter. "Destroy All Music Revisited" is 80 minutes of wild, unhinged cacophony, fusing fiery free jazz improvisation with modern post-punk/noise-rock structures. This is an integral part of Chicago's underground musical heritage, a milestone in adventurous jazz, and a key component of the neo-no wave movement.

"Destroy All Music" lets you continue to follow this incredible band's evolution from a freak-out jazz/spaz group to the conceptual beast of musical destruction that they are today.... Here, as always, the Luttenbachers are pushing limits."
- Pillowfight

"... Recorded when some fellas from the Vandermark Five were in the lineup, records like this are the new classics of adventurous jazz. No gimmicks, just intense exploration."
- Popwatch

But your hard-earned buck doesn't stop there! - Mr. Nite, if you please...

ITEM! Band History: Being made now.

With "Listen To Your Left Brain", the Chinese Stars declare a new cold war. Formed in 2003, the band's pedigree reaches back to legendary acts Arab On Radar and Six Finger Satellite, seeds that inform this new efflorescence, but now the band has filled out in all the right places, having honed their chaotic four-on-the-floor, post-punk dance style into an unequivocal signature.

Here The Chinese Stars set in motion a tsunami of new waves, crafting an atmosphere of propulsive sonic escapism - fueled by noodle-stringed guitar riffs, seat of your pants lyrics and hallucinatory synths. This is a fast, forward audio movement, taking music back to the base pleasures. Razor sharp, aural pop-art: the overblown are busted.

"Outpunking Radio 4, outfunking !!! and out-Rapturing the Rapture, The Chinese Stars' brazen four-on-the-floor propulsiveness, flexibly blends elastic guitars over stabby snares and jived-up bass... while former AOR singer Eric Paul peppers songs with salacious commentary, exuding depraved, lascivious lyrics."
- CMJ

"Their sound(?) ...would probably liken it to a really bad drug trip at a Karaoke bar."
- Sound The Sirens .

Both The Flying Luttenbachers and Chinese Stars releases are in-stock and up for adoption - and for you hard sells seeking instant gratification, preview MP3's are now playing at the SKiN GRAFT AUDIO page. Along with seven additional tracks not found on the the original "Destroy All Music" album, the Luttenbachers CD comes complete with a fold-old retrospective booklet documenting the particularly potent "punk jazz" era of the band, while the CHINESE STARS vinyl LP includes a prominent poster-lyric sheet drawn by Mr. Matthew Brinkman. By special arrangement with the righteous rabble-rousers at three one g, we're also making the CD format of The Chinese Stars "Listen To Your Left Brain" available - - - and we've got a downright dynamic deal for those clearheaded congregation members looking to score both the vinyl and the CD formats. For check & money order instructions, go to the CATALOG Page, or click your way to happiness by sending funds our way via the PAYPAL Shop!

ITEM! As reported last time by Jazzy's fairly fabulous fill-in, Japan's KOENJIHYAKKEI (led by RUINS' main man Yoshida Tatsuya) will be landing on North American soil for five positively peerless performances this May. Our Canadian compatriots are on the receiving end of the bulk of Koenjihyakkei's bedazzling brilliance -with performances at the Musiques de Creation Festival and the Festival International de musique actuelle de Victoriaville, along with a show at the much easier to pronounce Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto. Here on the stateside of things, the pre-primed spectators are already salivating over the incoming shows to Chicago and New York.

Make no mistake; this is one you'll want to tell those future illegitimate grandkids about - a major milestone of mind-boggling, must-see magnificence! Visit the TOURS page for all of the details, and while yor there take a gander at the upcoming tours from CHEER-ACCIDENT, QUINTRON, a rare live appearance from STRANGULATED BEATOFFS and the first word on PRE's initial American outing - booking now!

ITEM! Off The Deep End Dept: Metallica learned it the hard way, you can't keep the music pirates down - no matter how hard mass indifference tries to submerge the island of New Orleans, the 9th Ward's Mr. Quintron keeps his chin up, surfacing again and again with breaths of fresh air. Flippers are optional but skates are mandatory cause the Amazing Spellcaster is inviting everyone into the drink with the release of the vinyl-only Jamskate 12" EP. Coming courtesy of Quintron and Miss Pussycat's inspirational imprint Rhinestone Records, Jamskate weighs in at a healthy 5 tracks, including the title track and a cover of the Kajun SS anthem, "Drug Problem". It's up for orders now in the Everything Else department of the Skin Graft Paypal Shop (and mailorders are always accepted). This ones strictly limited to 500 copies, so order now or pay later!!!

ITEM! No ifs, ands, or butts - HOLY SMOKES "Talk To Your Kids about Gangs" packs a serious boot to the hindquarters - and they have the reviews to back it up! Take, for instance, this inspired ink put to paper by Marina Organ at (natch!) The ORGAN: "Uneasy and astonishing listening, utterly contemporary and thus frightening, alive, complicated and sometimes gorgeous". And there's plenty more praise where that came from - read the full review HERE. Rumors continue to run rampant about live appearances from our Holy Smokes, though definitives remain shrowded in mystery. Fans can keep fanning the flames by befriending the band at their MySpace page over HERE.

Turning to another recent release, AIDS WOLF VS ATHLETIC AUTOMATON, Jazzy's particularly partial to this write up courtesy of Brandon Perkins at URB Magazine: "Providence's AA and Montreal's AW have joined forces for this manic display of begrudging noise that'll piss off parents and make you jump on your bed. Squirreling guitars, flying squirrel bass riffs and squirrelly drums: It's a barnyard of animals with gnarly diseases, and it's fuckin' great". Nuff Said? Just about, but the full review is HERE.

Jazzy will have a bit more on Athletic Automaton at the wrap of our Ballpeen Bulletin, but in AIDS Wolf news, while a'waiting the completion of their official website, they've begun a'blogging, which you can click through to HERE. Following a worldwide star search involving countless auditions and a grueling round of "rock scissors, paper", the band reports that they have indeed filled the vacancy left by Barbarian Destroyer's departure earlier this year. Found under a pile of dirty dishes, the band adds that "Montrealers (and those beyond with good taste and good eyes) will recognize him from many famous acts." The man of mystery will make his debut at AIDS Wolf's show on May 6th at Zoobizarre in Montreal (Details are at the TOURS page), and Uncle Sams (and Aunt Samanthas) take note - the band WILL be touring the USA in the not too distant future! Watch this space!!!

ITEM! In his travels across the halls of the grand girl's dormitories peppering this great land of ours, Jazzy has come to learn that Skin Graft's frothy-mouthed fanatics come from all walks of life, from shinola schleppers to millionheiresses - and if there's one thing that both upper and lower crusts alike are in agreement on - it's that when it's time to unwind - it's time to rewind the tape and soak in those scintillating Skin Graft sounds.

Now all of these loyal legionnaires have just one question between them - whining and pining impatiently for a whiff of Jazzy's magic eightball with the wondrous word of "what comes next?". Alrighty, kimosobe's, blow your nose 'cause the time has come for Jazzy to blow your minds (!) - and let loose with a fabulous flurry (frankly, four) of flat-out fantastic full-flavored coming attractions that will set your wallets weeping and prevent those roommates from sleeping !

To begin, in the on-deck circle, we've got Japan's jolty juggernaut of drum(s) and bass bombast, RUINS (!), is coming to the plate with the release of the first album to feature recently departed bassist Hisashi Sasaki. That's right, the long out of print "Refusal Fossil" is making a riveting return to greatness in a new special edition CD - with revamped artwork, remixed and remastered music and five (count 'em) additional tracks!!! Considered by many to be RUINS' heaviest, thickest and rawest album ever, you better check your pulse, cuz you haven't lived 'til you've heard this one!

Then, hot on the heels of The CHINESE STARS' "Listen To Your Left Brain" above, we're proudly re-presenting the band's debut CD "Turbo Mattress" in a brand-spanking-new edition. Previously available as a "weaponized, chinese throwing star-shaped CD, "Turbo Mattress" was quick to sell, but proved plenty problematic for those downtrodden devotees wishing to play the disc in front feed CD devices, CD changers or darn near anything other than a tray loading disc player. So for this new edition, Turbo Mattress is being pressed on a technologically terrific TRANSPARENT CD - maintaining the illusion of a chinese throwing star with the added bonus of being playable on all CD players and drives!!! Yes, the disk may be transparent, but Jazzy has a hunch you'll be seeing it in your collection soon!

And beyond that? Howabout...

That's right, batting third and fourth, we're prepping the sophomore full length from Providence's one-two punch ATHLETIC AUTOMATON and the long playing (all of 25 minutes!) debut from the United Kingdom's preeminent poundcakes-PRE! As if that weren't enough, those crafty counselors here at Camp Skin Graft have advised Jazzy that there's even more in store, another round of racket-ridden releases is yet to be announced! The 2007 line up is so jam packed with masterful, must-have merchandise, that your straight-shootin' sound supremo strongly suggests you contact your local Realtor now - cause you're gonna need a bigger cave to house the bounty of badass beauts rocketing your way from the Skin Graft den of dynamics!!!

Friends, the dark side is calling once again and Jazzy's got a night train to catch. But before I go, let me leave you to ponder these immortal words, first uttered by Luis Ryan G'hamm: "Neuquinee elpont Jelatus!", which, when translated, comes out something like...

Excel-sore!

"JAZZY" JOE ROMITA

updated: March 14th, 2007

FLASH UPDATE:

KoenjiHyakkei
(( LIVE )) in
NORTH AMERICA!

PRE-ORDER
NOW >>>
TFL Revisted
CD and
TCS Left Brain
LP / CD

Hi Everybody,
News reporter Jazzy Joe Romita remains out to lunch, so this is Mark writing again. Alleged Jazzy sightings have been pouring in from readers all around the globe, so he certainly seems to be enjoying himself. Rog Patterson of Bluff Creek, California submitted THIS SHOT he claims to have snapped just last month. While I can't say for certain whether it's Jazzy or not, there is a very strong resemblance.

Anyway, what all this means is that I'm your updater once again. I just have a few minutes, so I'll hold the bologna without skimping on the meat.

Big NEWS! Japan's Koenjihyakkei will be making their North Ameican live debut this May, performing a handful of shows, most notably at the Festival International de musique actuelle de Victoriaville (whew!) in Quebec on May 18th. U.S. shows are slated for Chicago and New York. Word of these shows has been circulating around and these are about as "anticipated" as any I've ever encountered. Details are HERE.

More Big NEWS! Our next two releases, from the FLYING LUTTENBACHERS and THE CHINESE STARS are just about ready to leave the gate, so we're taking orders now - and preview MP3's from each have just been posted HERE. By special arrangement with our friends at three one g, we're also making the CD format of The Chinese Stars "Listen To Your Left Brain" available - - - and have a special discount on an LP and CD set for those who would like both formats.

Along with seven additional tracks not found on the the original "Destroy All Music" album, the Luttenbachers CD also includes a fold-old retrospective booklet documenting the "punk jazz" era of the band, while the CHINESE STARS vinyl LP includes a poster-lyric sheet drawn by Matt Brinkman.

UP FOR ORDERS NOW:

The FLYING LUTTENBACHERS
Destroy All Music Revisited CD (GR85CD)
A new special edition of the greatest album from the "punk-jazz quintet" line-up (with Ken Vandermark, Dylan Posa, etc) remixed and remastered, with seven never before heard bonus cuts and a retrospective fold-out booklet. Swank.

The CHINESE STARS
Listen To Your Left Brain LP (GR86LP)
You know 'em, you love 'em. Here, the band set in motion a tsunami of new waves: a fast, forward audio movement, taking music back to the base pleasures. No sell out.

And check out the TOURS page for THE CHINESE STARS' dates with the Blood Brothers.

Okay, thats all for now. Jazzy just called from Bermuda and threatens to return next month with a proper update. As for me, I'm off to the USA for a couple of weeks, so maybe I'll see you there!

Thanks for visiting,

Mark

updated: January 30th, 2007

Hi Everybody,
This is Mark writing again. I've made it over to Vienna and alles gut hier. Apparently Jazzy Joe is on a bender somewhere in Chicago or the greater midwest, so the News Desk will remain un-updated til he dries out. If you spot him, please tell him to get off the sauce and get back to work.

Dave over in St. Louis has been doing a bang up job filling orders, so you can keep those coming with no worries attached.

Since Jazzy is nowhere to be found, the X-Mas special is still listed as "on". We'll keep honoring the deal 'til Jazzy takes it down. All money we lose on the deal will now be taken out of Jazzy's salary, so order it often.

The PRE Treasure Trails 7" single is NOW in STOCK and all copies are on BLUE VINYL. PRE's Full length debut is coming later this year and talks are underway to see them tour the United States before the years' end. More details on PRE can be found in the previous update.

In other news, we've restocked the MADE IN MEXICO / ATHLETIC AUTOMATON split vinyl 12" and now have it on CD in updated packaging - with the same artwork as the vinyl and packed in a jewel case (the original run came in a wallet folder). The LP and CD are available in the Paypal Shop. You'll find them tucked away on page 7 of the everything else department there.

Okay, I've got to get back back to work on the next two releases - both are penciled in for an April street date:

SKiN GRAFT: APRIL 2007

The FLYING LUTTENBACHERS
Destroy All Music Revisited CD (GR85CD)
A new special edition of the greatest album from the "punk-jazz quintet" line-up (with Ken Vandermark, Dylan Posa, etc) remixed and remastered, with seven never before heard bonus cuts and a retrospective fold-out booklet. Swank.

The CHINESE STARS
Listen To Your Left Brain LP (GR86LP)
You know 'em, you love 'em. Here, the band set in motion a tsunami of new waves: a fast, forward audio movement, taking music back to the base pleasures.

No sell out.

Follow the link below to more news - -

Thanks again -

Mark

Click HERE for MORE RECENT NEWS ( ! )