Thanksgiving Break

We Want Action Compilation

In 2003 We Want Action, the label run by Relay Recording put out a compilation documenting the various bands on the label or that had recorded at the studio. It's a great time-capsule of 2003 Columbus, with bands such as Tiara, Denovo, Kopaz, The Sun, Templeton, Silencio, Miranda Sound, Frotiva, 84 Nash and The Last Hotel all contributing tracks.

Video: THE CREEPS - VICTIMS 7 INCH

ManBQue: Looking Back - A Hardcore Retrospective

Not a whole lot written up about The Creeps (or at least what made it online), but they did get mentioned in this ManBQue retrospective on hardcore from 2014:

The scene in Ohio was pretty diverse you had punk kids and hardcore kids at the same shows, where today shows seem to be missing that diversity you saw in the 90s.  Some of the bands at the time were Twelve Tribes (Dayton), X Battleground X (Dayton), Pitboss 2000 (Columbus), The Creeps (Columbus), Integrity (Cleveland), Run Devil Run (Cleveland), Ringworm (Cleveland).  Not far from Cleveland you had the Erie, PA scene with greats like Shockwave, Disciple, Brother’s Keeper, and Problem Solver Revolver. 

Let’s also not forget the violence that went on.  In Dayton you always heard of a certain “crew” beating up people 5 on 1.  This was also around the time when militant straight edge was becoming a big thing.  While I never saw too much violence, there was always a chance of something going down.

New Additions: The Creeps / Black Love split single (2000)

The first (and only) release in my collection by The Creeps is the 2000 split single with Black Love. It's an interesting document in that it's the only recording I can find by Black Love, which was the late 1990s band featuring former Carnival of Souls/Barbed Wire Dolls lead singer Johnny "Booger" Weills. When I found this at Records Per Minute, it ended up having both the green and red vinyl versions included, which for a record collecting nerd like myself, was a pretty cool bonus.

Know Yer Band: The Creeps

Band: The Creeps

Members
Vocals - Jon Gingrich
Guitar/vocals - McFly
Bass - Jess Martin
Drums - Sam Allen/Jeff Wise

Releases
1997 - Come Get Some 7" EP (Retribution Records)
1998 - Victims 7" single (Retribution Records)
1999 - Lights Over Baghdad 7" single (Smog Veil Records)
2000 - Split w/Black Love 7" single (Diaphragm Records)
2000 - All American album (Frontline Records)

Willi Phoenix Tribute Machine

Back in 2015, a group of notable Columbus musicians got together to pay tribute to Columbus legend Willie Phoenix. Featuring Sam Brown (Drums), Colin Gawel (Vocals, Guitar), Andy Harrison (Guitar, Vocals), and Matt Reber (Bass), the group recorded a pair of covers and posted them to Bandcamp.

Video: Willie Phoenix " Gloria " July 17 , 2010 , LC , Columbus Ohio , Wing Zing

Columbus Monthly: Rise Up - The Unstoppable, Unknowable Willie Phoenix

Back in 2015, Columbus Monthly profile Willie Phoenix. Here is part of the article:

Musician Willie Phoenix seems to have an infinite supply of creative energy that, over the decades, has been poured into bands, recordings, riveting performances and a brush with big-time fame that ended with disappointment. These days, he’s playing dive bars for audiences that measure by the dozen, though he’s ever the entertainer, ever the rock star. Could a new album and fresh energy send him soaring skyward again? 

It’s Halloween night, and High Street is teeming with Ohio State students scurrying to and from bars and nearby rentals. I’m headed to Bernie’s, a basement deli and concert venue that opened in the ’70s, to catch a set by Blues Hippy and the Soul Underground-aka Columbus rocker Willie Phoenix, whose musical history in this town goes back as far as Bernie’s does. 

The show is running about an hour behind schedule, so Phoenix doesn’t take the stage until after midnight, following sets by two lackluster opening bands that draw only a handful of onlookers to this dark, dank room. One band spills beer onstage and pesters the bartender for more. The sparse crowd, which trends a couple decades older than the students on the sidewalks above, talks over the music and mills around the scattered bar stools and tables. Toward the back of the room, near the bathrooms and the sound man reading his book with a penlight, LPs and 45s by ’90s Columbus bands like Gaunt decorate the wall. 

Twenty years ago, there would have been a line out the door to see Phoenix perform at Bernie’s. Tonight, no more than 20 people have ventured in, but they all crowd the area in front of the stage when Phoenix walks to the mic. One middle-aged man is wearing a wig of black dreadlocks. “I’m 1985 Willie Phoenix,” he says. A woman grabs her friend’s arm and begins hopping in place, saying: “I get to see Willie Phoenix tonight! I get to see Willie Phoenix tonight!”

New Additions: Willie Phoenix 1982 self-titled debut album

If you're going to start with an artist you are not all that familiar with, it's not a bad idea to start at the beginning. In this case, it's the 1982 self-titled album released on A&M Records. Now, but this point Willie Phoenix was an established artist, having started with Eric in high school, and playing with a variety of folks in a number of different projects. This is Willie out front, and it's a good sound for him, midwestern rock with touches of power pop, psychedelia and more.

Know Yer Artist: Willie Phoenix

Artist: Willie Phoenix

Bands
Eric
Magical Soul
The Boppers
The Buttons
Romantic Noise
Willie Phoenix And The Shadowlords
Willie Phoenix And The True Soul Rockers
Willie Phoenix And The Voodooz
Willie Phoenix And The Soul Underground

Solo Releases
1982 - Self Titled album (A&M Records)
1988 - Flower Machine album (Not On Label)
1999 - Have You Seen My Tambourine? album (Not On Label)
2000 - Eight Track Spider album (Not On Label)
2000 - A Zillion Miles Gone album (Not On Label)
2004 - Blues Reaction album (Junkyard Cat Recordings)
2005 - Quick N' Dirty album (Not On Label)
2007 - Plastic Blues And Grooves album (Junkyard Cat Recordings)
2009 - Revolution In The Basement album (Junkyard Cat Recordings)
2011 - Blues Hippy album (Orange Mono Music)
2011 - Magic Black Umbrella album (Junkyard Cat Recordings)

Facebook Group: Columbus Music Scene 1975 to 85

If you are interested in learning more about the Columbus music scene, a really interesting Facebook group to check out is the "Columbus Music Scene 1975 to 85" moderated by Mike "Rep" Hummell, Paul Nini and Renee Velkoff. Lots of pictures, flyers, and stories shared from this era.

Monster Zero at Cringe.com

Normally Thursday would be a video day, but unfortunately, no video songs seem to have made to the web for Monster Zero. Instead, here's a press release from Lizard Family Music posted at Cringe.com in 1996. Enjoy!

Monster Zero
This Columbus, Ohio buzz quartet was born out of Middle America Suburban ® frustration! Fed by the driving guitar chants and introverted vocals of Brad Caulkins and John Jones, while Em Allen's hypnotic bass lines and Derek Bell's power punch drumming churn the heart providing the pulsing circulation that keeps this Monster on its toes! 

Thrown together over a year ago, the band evolved from the seed of previous musical experiments. These members exist in a highly tremultuous relationship who's eruptions fuel the fire behind their brand of noisy guitar basement rock. 

It was their first show at Columbus' all-ages hangout Luna that they were first seen by Lizard and Rich of L.F.M. Their songwriting ability and sonic prowess was so obvious that they were quickly slated to record with L.F.M. 

Since the release of the Unkindest Cuts of All  7-inch they have hit the Top 10 radio play on many college stations and have yet to play a live show to less than 100 convulsing teens! A religious experience indeed. 

What next? Monster Zero has two tracks on the ... L.F.M. compilation CD, The Beautiful People, a split 7" with Preston Furman and a 10" EP due out this fall??? !

Vinyl45LP.com: Monster Zero Spy vs. Spy 7" Review

Not a whole lot out there about Monster Zero, but I did find this write-up at Vinyl45LP.com regarding their 1995 single Spy vs. Spy:

Monster Zero was an indie band from Columbus, Ohio active in the mid 1990s. This release is arguably the best record the band recorded. The tracks remind one of Versus or good era Sonic Youth, as these youngsters dig for sounds most Columbus bands can't seem to muster up. The tracks are all properly documented by the band's drummer Derek Bell.

New Additions: The Unkindest Cut Of All seven inch single by Monster Zero

One of the fun parts of this project is finding the connections between various bands of the 2000s that are linked in the 1990s. For example, Monster Zero features Brad Caulkins, who would go on to play in The Jive Turkeys and The Sun, and Emily Allen, who would go on to play in Templeton, Estee Louder and The Means, which included her brother David Wayne Allen that played on third Monster Zero single. All that said, Monster Zero has grungy indie rock sound perfectly at home for the mid-90s, and it makes sense where this family tree extends off to in the various directions.

Know Yer Band: Monster Zero

Band: Monster Zero

Members
Bass – Emily Ann Allen
Drums – Derek Bell
Guitar, Vocals – Brad Caulkins, John Jones
Guitar - David Wayne Allen

Releases
1994 - The Unkindest Cut Of All 7" single (Lizard Family Music)
1995 - Split w/Preston Furman 7" single (Lizard Family Music)
1995 - The Beautiful People - An LFM Family Gathering compilation album (Lizard Family Music)
1995 - Spy v. Spy 7" single (Seldom Scene Records)

Nowhere 2020 Is Happening

Mark your calendars, Nowhere 2020 is happening March 19th (Dirty Dungarees) and March 20th (Bobo/Summit). Bands yet to be announced, more details as they are released.