Vide: Baby Lindy and the Drug Mothers -Nowhere fest 2019

Video: Orchestraville "Weatherblown" 9/18/2010

Columbus Dispatch: Local Limelight - Orchestraville

For there last release, the 2010 album Poison Berries, Orchestraville got together and played a rare show, which the Columbus Dispatch covered in this piece:

Time had a way of eroding the well-intentioned plans of the men of Orchestraville-- which this weekend will release its third full-length album, Poison Berries. 

The product gathered dust for almost six years. 

“All of the members were eventually focusing on other things,” said singer-guitarist Chris Forbes, 40. “Dave now lives in Colorado. Parker Paul got sick of baby-sitting me and went on to have two children of his own.” 

With the two other members playing full time in the Columbus chamber-folk outfit the Black Swans, ambitions faded. 

A now-or-never attitude has the 20-year ensemble back on track, said Forbes, whose quartet on Saturday will feature a fifth member - previous guitarist Matt Duckworth.

New Additions: Poison Berries by Orchestraville

Way back a few decades ago, the band I was in played one of it's very early shows with Orchestraville at Little Brother's here in Columbus. At the time I didn't quite get it, as my musically vocabulary simply wasn't that expansive. A band that could incorporate the pop melodies of The Beatles and The Kinks with the more esoteric sounds of Robyn Hitchcock or Richard Thompson was not something I could grasp all that well. I finally got around to digging into the actual catalog, and stating with the latest release and working backward, I picked up Poison Berries recently on crate digging trip to various stores, not able to wrap my ahead around the band what they are capable of pulling off with expertise - pop music for people who don't like their pop on a platter, but parceled out in tasty, albeit layered, bits and pieces.

Know Yer Band: Orchestraville

Band: Orchestraville

Members
Vocals/Guitar - Chris Forbes
Guitar - Brendan McKay/Matt Duckworth
Bass - Dave Pascoe
Drums - Keith Hanlon
Keyboards - Parker Paul

Releases
1992 - I For An I 7" single (Interzone)
1998 - Orchestraville album (Mossy Records)
2001 - At Night It Is Particularly Lovely (Mossy Records)
2010 - Poison Berries (Old 3C Record)
2010 - Waiting For A Chance digital single (Not On Label)
2010 - Invent The Machine digital EP (Not On Label)
2011 - Early Tracks: Outtakes 1991 - 1998 compilation album (Mossy Records)

Marco Polo?

One of the truly fun and interesting parts of researching for this book is discovering the various nooks and crannies where bands recorded, practices, played shows and other spots lost to the sands of time. One such example is Marco Polo. So far, here's the only reference I could find online, via a website that tracks Husker Du concert dates:

Venue notes: Marco Polo, Columbus OH 

Defunct music club. Was located just off the OSU campus. Jay Brown recalls in 2003: "It closed [around 1985] then re-opened as a laundro-bar; you could do your laundry and get lit at the same time, but no more live music. If my memory is correct, it was one of the first in the country. About a year ago, the former venue as well as about five blocks surrounding it (the entire bar district for the Ohio State University), were razed for an urban renewal type project. Of course after tearing everything down, Columbus and OSU are arguing over who will pay for the yuppie 'improvements.'"

The website Setlist.fm lists two different shows taking place at the venue in 1984 - the aforementioned Husker Due show in October, and Black Flag in July.

The website OSUBars.com has it listed in their Defunct section, but not additional info is available.

Do you have info, stories, etc. you can share? Contact me.

Video: Necropolis at Bernie's in Columbus, OH August 2004

Treblezine: Transatlantic Underground - Summer 2007

San Diego music zine Treble checked out the lone Necropolis album back in their "Transatlantic Underground: Summer 2007" album reviews, check it out:

Stateside, Columbus band Necropolis have made a name for themselves with imaginative pseudonyms and suffixes (sample: “Mat Bizzarro-…Sea Monster nerd”). Recent long player The Hackled Ruff and Shoulder Mane contains admirable psychedelic, screaming Post punk. “Colors and #’s” creates the mental image of a Germs record heard over particularly bad radio reception while Night of the Living Dead occurs outside. “Innerspace” is almost lounge music as played by the Cramps and Husker Du, and David Thomas would be proud of “To the Bar.” The record is becoming a regular on my speakers, and several non-album tracks on Myspace exhibit great snotty intelligence.

New Additions: The Hackled Ruff & Shoulder Mane album by Necropolis

For a period of time in the 2000s, Columbus Discount Records became the most proficient label around town, putting out challenging, artistic work from a variety of bands, including Necropolis. It helped that two of three operators of CDR were also members of the band, who mostly put out 7" singles, but did manage the 2006 album The Hackled Ruff & Shoulder Mane, which I picked up via trip not to long ago to one of the local record stores (I forgot which one, sorry!). Though a bit more experimental and noise oriented then my usual preferences, what is interesting is hearing the lineage of sounds that recall the works of Jim Shepard or Mike "Rep" Hummel from thirty years earlier.

Know Yer Band: Necropolis

Band: Necropolis

Members
Adam Smith
Benjamin Holesapple
Bo Davis
Emily Davis
Kyle Heiberger
Mat Bisaro

Releases
2005 - Stalking Mark E. Smith Around NYC 7" single (Columbus Discount Records)
2006 - The Hackled Ruff & Shoulder Mane album (Columbus Discount Records)
2007 - Song For A Working Man / Cocksuckerbastardmotherfucker 7" single (Columbus Discount Records)
2007 - Stumpf b/w Van V. Art 7" single (Columbus Discount Records)
2009 - Love Theme From Necropolis 7" single (Columbus Discount Records)

Nowhere 2019 Is Happening Tonight!

From the Nowhere 2019 Facebook Event Page:

NOWHERE was created out of necessity by MICHAEL RAVAGE of Columbus punk founding fathers SCREAMING URGE in 1978 as NOWHERE would have this new fangled “punk” sound in their venue. So he rented out a space and put on the show himself. 

NOWHERE miraculously survived 18 outings, giving artists and bands such as SCREAMING URGE, THE TRUE BELIEVERS, NAKED SKINNIES, THE JETS, JIM SHEPARD, DON HOWLAND, NEW BOMB TURKS, SCRAWL and more a place to play to great effect and acclaim! The last NOWHERE was in 1996. 

Now, over 20 years later, a small sect of new, young art and punk rockers have fallen in love with the NOWHERE ideal through coverage in THE OFFENSE book of books. Ian Graham reaches out to MICHAEL RAVAGE to bring NOWHERE back for its 19th edition in 2019. 

TWO STAGES! INCREDIBLE ACTS FROM THE PAST AND FUTURE!  

Friday, March 15th at Cafe Bourbon St./The Summit- ONLY $10! 

NOWHERE 2019:
CHEATER SLICKS
BABY LINDY AND THE DRUG MOTHERS
TWISTED SHOUTS
ERIK NERVOUS
OUIJA BOYS
DANA
BIG HOG
BURNING ITCH
MESSRS

Video: Spanish Moss by Moviola

Tape Op: Moviola - Recording All Over The Place

Veteran Columbus journalist Stephen Slaybaugh spoke with several members of Moviola back in the early 2000s for Tape Op magazine following the release of their 2001 album Rumors Of The Faithful. Here's the beginning of that interview:

At first glance Columbus, Ohio's Moviola seems like the perfectly conventional band you'd expect from the heart of the Midwest — a couple guitars, a bass, a drum. But as anyone who has heard the band's records will attest, they hover far above the heads of most conventional rock bands. Their recordings are imbued with a post-modern sensibility, both in lyrical bent and sound. When it comes to sound the appropriateness of their name, a piece of machinery akin to a nickelodeon, becomes readily apparent. There are elements both old and new, rock standards and otherworldly nuances. Often labeled 'lo-fi', they've transcended the limitations of their homemade studios through innovative tinkering to create some of the past decade's most immediately engrossing records, namely 1997's Glenn Echo Autoharp and its follow-up, The Durable Dream, both on the Spirit of Orr label out of Boston.

New Additions: Waste 7" single by Moviola

Moviola are one of a handful of bands included in the research for the book that I actually had some familiarity with from years back. Back when I first started playing in a band, Moviola were already well established, and their album The Durable Dream (1999), Rumors Of The Faithful (2001) and East Of Eager (2004) were all on my record buying radar. I never caught the band live, but when future releases popped up, I would give a listen, and usually enjoyed what I heard. What I didn't do is go backwards and check out their early/mid-90s era, at least not until now. I decided to start by picking up their very first release - the 7" single Waste released jointly on Anyway and Eardrop Productions. It's interesting to hear the bands evolution, which started much louder and noisier, to the 2000s and their mellowed indie rock sound.

Know Yer Band: Moviola

Band: Moviola

Members
Guitars/Vocals/Keyboards - Jake Housh
Guitars/Vocals - Jerry Dannemiller
Keys/Guitar - Scotty Tabachnik
Bass - Sam Demkee/Ted Hattemer
Drums - Ted Hattemer/Greg Bonnell

Releases
1993 - Waste 7" single (Anyway)
1994 - All By Myself 7" single (Ratfish Records)
1994 - Lookin' In 7" EP (Anyway)
1995 - Split w/Cobra Verde 7" single (Wabana Ore Limited)
1995 - Frantic 10" EP (Spirit Of Orr)
1995 - Cowtown Vol. IV split 7" single (Anyway)
1996 - Split w/Eric's Trip 7" single (Me Too! Records)
1996 - Next Door 7" EP (Ata-Glance)
1996 - The Year You Were Born album (Anyway)
1997 - Brainhole 7" single (Wabana Ore Limited)
1997 - Crowding The Sky 7" single (Home Base Music)
1998 - Kitchen Waltz Preabmle 7" single (Kim Will Kill Me)
1998 - Glen Echo Autoharp album (Spirit Of Orr)
1999 - The Durable Dream album (Spirit Of Orr)
2001 - Split w/Eyesinweasel 7" single (Spirit Of Orr)
2001 - Rumors Of The Faithful album (Spirit Of Orr)
2002 - Split w/Handsome Family 7" single (Spirit Of Orr)
2004 - East Of Eager album (Anyway)
2007 - Dead Knowledge album (Catbird Records)
2012 - Split w/Hiss Golden Messenger 7" single (Pale Rider)

Idioteq: “Energy Punk” – a discourse on Columbus DIY scene

Idioteq talked with Alex Blocher of then Nuclear Moms in 2015 about the DIY Columbus music scene and the concept of "Energy Punk:"

Well, people like Alex prove that doing this webzine is well worth it. After all, it’s all about discovering new stuff, digging into foreign breeding grounds and love for the passion of music and youth inspored movements. For this and a lot more reasons, it is my pleasure to give you my insightful interview with Alexander Blocher of the band NUCLEAR MOMS, who will explain you everything about the current big things happening in Columbus, OH and tell us everything about his love for photography and his newest project called “Only Loud“, a photo blog which will showcase every Columbus punk band and different venues and house spaces.

Vide: Human Sufferage - Thank You, Mother Dear

MAXIMUMROCKNROLL: Thank You, Mother Dear Album Review

Although now only an online concern, MAXIMUMROCKNROLL has a long and storied history covering punk and hardcore going back to the 1970s, including a review of Human Sufferage in the January 1985 Issue 21. Although an image of the review isn't online, I was able to track down a transcription via the JimmyButtons Blog:

HUMAN SUFFERAGE - "Thank You, Mother Dear" 12"
The production on these acidic thrash compositions is
extremely basic, as on their debut LP, but HUMAN SUFFERAGE
earn high marks for improved songwriting and a sense of
passion that's almost tangiable . "Take It for Granted" is a
snappy hardcore number worth special mention, but the lyrics
on all these songs show that this band is extremely articulate,
too . A must-get . (SS)
(New Age Records, 1585 N . High Street, Columbus OH 43201)

New Additions: Thank You, Mother Dear album by Human Sufferage

Reading Steven Blush's book "American Hardcore: A Tribal History" was one of the inspirations for taking on this project. Although Columbus doesn't get its own section in the book, and the midwest overall is underserved, the city provided a number of contributions to the 80s hardcore scene, including Human Sufferage. Though hard to find, I was able to track down a copy of their second release, the 1984 album Thank You, Mother Dear that was released via New Age. It's a nice slab of youthful hardcore that sounded fresh and energetic to this day.

Know Yer Band: Human Sufferage

Band: Human Sufferage

Members
Vocals - Adam Santelli / Scott Fagerston
Guitar / Vocals - Tom Byrne
Bass - Tom Byrne / Steve Locklear / Matt Campbell
Drums - Greg Block

Releases
1983 - Human Sufferage 12" EP (New Age)
1984 - Thank You, Mother Dear Album (New Age)

Columbus Monthly: A Tragic Roll Call

The Columbus Monthly in 2014 posted an piece about the deaths of a variety of musicians or those connected to the Columbus music scene. For whatever reason, the author of the piece is not named (perhaps a print to web oversight?), but it still packs a punch:

The first musician I personally knew-and regarded well-who died young was Joe Dunlap Jr., guitarist for the New Jivebombers, a guy who looked tough on stage, but was a sweetheart off. Murdered in his cab late one summer’s night. I was devastated. 

Co-founder of Singing Dog Records, Dave Wolfson, my college buddy and employer, disappeared while living in Chicago, turning up dead and decapitated in an Illinois ditch. Chicago is a tough town, foul play there is unlike foul play anywhere. Took years of bad dreams to get over that one. Dave, Dave, Dave. Sigh. What did you do? He opened a lot of record stores and made a lot of money. He was gone in his 30s. Buy low, sell high was his motto. But die young? What a waste. 

Three-fifths of my favorite Columbus rock-and-roll band, the Burners, has gone on to that great rehearsal in the sky, and I miss every dang one of them. Sweet Michael Gene Antler, guitarist, bassist and a musical god to me, died from his own hand. Singer Jamie Lyons and guitarist Micky Bletz made it to early middle age before they checked out, sort of from natural causes endemic to the music business I guess you could say. This was just one of the great roots rockabilly/rock bands of the day. Micky was the most visually exciting guitarist I knew, and Jamie virtually a singer on par with Jerry Lee Lewis, but without the piano.