New Additions: Sob Story by Gaunt

At the start of this project, Gaunt was not an unfamiliar band for me. Way back in season one of the podcast I co-host, Dig Me Out, we checked out the last Gaunt record from 1998, Bricks And Blackouts. Maybe starting with the last record didn't leave a good enough impression, because at the time I didn't follow-up that revisitation with an additional listening. Now that I've started picking up Gaunt releases here and there, it's given me a chance to digest the whole discography, which was pretty prolific for such a short period of time. In seven years, they managed to release six albums and nine singles worth of material, and earlier works like Sob Story from 1994 provide a much different picture of the band than B&B, which a less polished and more visceral/direct sound that makes it clear why they're one of the most celebrated punk bands in Columbus history.

Know Yer Band: Gaunt

Band: Gaunt

Members
Vocals/Guitar - Jerry Wick
Guitar - Jovan Karcic
Bass - Eric Barth/Brett "Falcon" Lewis
Drums - Jeff Regensberger/Sam Brown

Releases
1991 - Split Ep w/New Bomb Turks (Datapanik Records)
1992 - Fielder's Choice 7" single (Datapanik Records)
1992 - Jim Motherfucker 7" single (Anyway/Datapanik Records)
1992 - Cowtown Vol. 1 7" compilation (Anyway/Datapanik Records)
1992 - Whitey The Man album (Thrill Jockey)
1993 - Good Bad Happy Sad 7" single (Bag Of Hammers)
1993 - Solution 7" single (Snap! Crackle! Punk!)
1993 - Split 7" single w/The Beavers (Demolition Derby)
1993 - Pop Song ? 7" single (Thrill Jockey)
1994 - 1¢ USA 7" single (Potential Ashtray)
1994 - Sob Story album (Thrill Jockey)
1994 - I Can See Your Mom From Here (Thrill Jockey)
1995 - Yeah, Me Too (Amphetamine Reptile Records)
1996 - Kryptonite (Thrill Jockey)
1996 - 2¢ USA 7" single (Super 8 Records)
1997 - Bricks And Blackouts (Warner Bros. Records)

Dream Cymbals Interview with George Hondroulis

The always busy George Hondroulis, brother of Constantinos Hondroulis, was interviewed by Dream Cymbals a few years back, here is some of that:

In 1976, he moved to New Orleans where he first truly fell in love with music—a love he held on to when his family permanently relocated to Columbus, Ohio in 1987, just in time to begin both high school and playing music with punk rock band Our Flesh Party. This in mind, he started taking fill-in gigs with local bands here and there, picking up more music knowledge as he went. In 1999 George joined the retro group Jack Neat, leading him to branch out with more blues and just begin to flirt with jazz. 

In 2002 he and the other members of Our Flesh Party formed The Evil Queens, a heavy rock outfit bent on shaking the booty—and shake they did, charged with the reckless joy that comes from almost 15 years of camaraderie and a collective appreciation for loud rock. When he had time, George would fill in (and often wind up touring with) groups such as The Killionaires, The Shame-a-Lots, The Randy’s, The Good Kissers, Sweet Melons, The Razors, and Two Cow Garage, to name a few.

Video: Messing With Me by Salt Horse

The Lantern: Salt Horse on mission to save rock

Thank goodness The Lantern keeps all their old articles online and available. If a band put out a record over the last few decades, there is a good chance they've covered it, like the 2001 release of Salt Horse's The Best Of Times? Here is a snippet of that:

The best of times are definitely ahead for local Columbus band Salt Horse. The band combines hard-driving rock with an intense amount of energy in their sophomore CD, “The Best of Times?,” which they will release tomorrow evening at Little Brother’s, 1100 N. High St. 

Also appearing will be Grafton, Pretty Mighty Mighty and The Marcy Mays Experience who will join them in their mission of breaking new ground to help save rock. 

“We are the forging sounds of the future – more flavorful than just rock that’s unique in itself,” said Costa Hondroulis, singer and bass guitarist in Salt Horse. 

With a fed-up punk mentality and a raucously hard sound, “The Best of Times?” combines experience, enthusiasm and true rock ‘n’ roll flavor. In “Campus Riot Fight Song,” the band wanted to create a harsh sound like Hondroulis’ former band, Our Flesh Party. 

“We wanted to create a shocking sound like Our Flesh Party because they rocked harder than anybody,” said Milan Karcic, lead vocals and guitar.

New Additions: The Best Of Times? by Salt Horse

This one is kind of a lie. You see, I actually bought The Best Of Times? by Salt Horse back when it came out in 2001 on Derailleur. I was a big fan of the label, and picked up almost everything the put out. However, like so many in the mid-2000s when MP3s came along, I dumped a lot of my CD collection at record stores and tried to go fully digital. It didn't last, and I've rebuilt some of my collection. It also coincided with me being occasionally not well off financially at times, and needing to pay bills. I was able to grab this at one of the Columbus record stores recently, so now I've bought it twice, which is okay with me, because it rocks. Excuse me, RAWKS. The production is still exceptional, and I'm just a sucker for wise-crackin' hard rock that has an Rated-R/Songs For The Deaf era Queens Of The Stone Age vibe.

Know Yer Band: Salt Horse

Band: Salt Horse

Members
Vocals, Guitar – Milan Aleksandar Karcic
Guitar, Vocals – Dan Focht
Bass, Vocals – Constantinos Hondroulis
Drums, Percussion, Vocals – Christopher Dodds Cox

Releases
2001 - The Best Of Times? album (Derailleur Records)
2003 - Year Of The Horse album (Backstage Records)

Wex Q&A - Matt Reber of New Bomb Turks interviews Amy Fusselman of The Bread Group

New Bomb Turks bassist and Wexner Center Store Manager Matt Reber interviewed writer/author/publisher Amy Fusselman last year for the Wex website, and dug deep into one of the lesser known Columbus bands of the 1980s, The Bread Group. Here is some of the interview:

Amy FusseIman was the guitarist in The Bread Group. I have been familiar with her writing since the Pharmacist’s Mate was published by McSweeney’s in 2001. Eventually, a thread on the Facebook page “Columbus Music Scene 1975-1985” led to our connecting, and to the reading and book signing coming up.  

What year did The Bread Group form and how long did you play together? 
I graduated from OSU in 1986 so it must have been a couple years before that. Our band was me, vocalist Frank Snider, lead guitarist Richie Athy, bassist Patrick Roetzel, and drummer Andy Izold. I played rhythm guitar. Patrick, Frank and I were all undergrads in the English department and the band stayed together until we graduated. We played mostly at a place called the IP Lounge, which was a bar on High Street run by a Greek gentleman named Louie. He also sold one-dollar gyro sandwiches which were the source of much morning remorse for me.  

What were your perceptions of the OSU/Columbus, Ohio scene at the time?
I was obsessed with music at OSU. That was my real focus of study. I was a DJ at the OSU radio station along with Frank, who was then my boyfriend and is now my husband. We saw bands constantly, mostly at Stache’s. Some of the most important audience-member experiences of my life were at Stache’s: The Butthole Surfers, Big Black, Pussy Galore, Agent Orange … I also vividly remember seeing The Cramps and X at The Newport and The Gun Club at a little bar called Crazy Mama’s. I was so lucky to see those shows!! 

I didn’t really appreciate how rich the scene was at the time. It was just people I knew doing interesting things. I saw Scrawl come into their power and that was really important for me to witness. I saw The Great Plains and The Gibson Brothers develop. Frank and I still quote Gibson Brothers lyrics: Big Pine Boogie!

The Lantern: Finding community in local Columbus music scene

There has probably been a version of this article written every few years, but it's never a bad thing to remind people of the community of artists and musicians in Columbus, as The Lantern did earlier this year:

Looking into the Donatos Pizza on campus at 10 p.m. on a Friday night, one might think the place is nearly dead. 

There are two 30-somethings at the bar and a bearded man asleep in a booth. But if you were to enter the campus pizza joint you would immediately hear — even feel — something very alive. There is a muffled hum of guitars, a faint voice shout-singing unintelligible lyrics and a distinct, rhythmic rumbling coming from the floorboards. 

Head downstairs and you will quickly discover the source of this electric buzz. Amid a dense, denim-clad crowd, local band Fullsend blares out its trademark psychedelic sound. Singer Austin Harsh, outfitted in a pastel pink romper, belts out the words to their final song, Monkey Funks. Before the final chords have rung out, the audience is already in an uproar. Soon after, the bandmates scramble to clear their equipment from the stage before the next act. 

Performances like this are part of a long-standing tradition of do-it-yourself artists in the Columbus area. DIY musicians, as the name suggests, are responsible for every aspect of their band’s success. This could mean social media promotion, recording songs or even providing their own sound equipment for concerts. Their highest priority, however, is always to provide an entertaining live performance. 

There are many ways to spend your weekends in Columbus, but the music scene near campus — in all its forms — presents an unbeatable diverse, yet tight-knit option. Between the DIY community and student organizations, there is a place for everyone in this bustling culture.

Video: Ronald Koal & The Trillionaires, THE CITY IS SLEEPING, live at the Agora

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to locate any video of The Burners. Instead, I went with another band that featured Pete Linzell, Ronald Koal And The Trillionaires.

Short North Gazette: Michael "Micky" Bletz

Back in 20008 the Short North Gazette covered the death of "hard rockin’ rock and roller Michael “Micky” Bletz" of The Burners. Here is part of that:

He was one of those guys who was the most memorable characters in your life,” Barnes said. “He was one of the most generous people you’re ever going to meet, one of the most loyal people you’re ever going to meet. I feel like in my life I’ve had a few relationships like that, and Michael was one of them.” 

Between his Jackie Cupid and Baffoos days, Bletz played for other bands, including The Gangsters and The Burners, local stars in the mid-1980s. 

“He was a great rock and roll performer,” remembers Dan Dougan, former owner of Stache’s (later Little Brother’s), where The Burners played. “He was a real slick dresser, too. Really natty. He really knew how to style.” 

The Burners gave a Fourth of July performance in 1986 in the Park of Roses that turned a community get-together into an event to remember. 

“Way back in the day, that band rocked,” said Bryan Wolfe, an acquaintance of Bletz’s. “When they backed Bo Diddley at what I thought would be a neighborhood picnic, there was a show going on there that was way out of proportion from what you’d expect at a holiday picnic. The music was coming hard and fast. It was a great show.”
Passion was Bletz’s musical trademark. 

“He was able to feel a song, not just play the song, but feel the meaning of the song and understand what the song was trying to say and stir in a person,” Scranton said. “And he could put his signature on that. He could make a song that you’ve heard all your life and make it sound familiar, but make it sound different.”

New Additions: Mesmerization by The Burners

This isn't, strictly speaking, a "new addition" in that I acquired it a few months back at Elizabeth Records here in Columbus. While it was sitting in the local section for a few prior visits, I did a little research as I was completely unfamiliar with the band, and dug up enough info to figure it was worth grabbing, and I'm glad I did. Turns out Happy Chichester, in a later discussion, cites The Burners as an important early influence, and specifically bassist Michael Gene.

Know Your Band: The Burners

Band: The Burners

Members
Guitar - Sonny Pill/Micky Burner [Bletz]/Sammy Davis Blue/Mick Williams
Vocals - Jamie Lyons
Bass - Michael Gene
Drums - Jerry Hale/Scott McMillen
Piano - Mike Reed
Saxophone - Pete Linzell

Releases
1987 - Mesmerization album (Pony Records)

Video: Agora Newport 25th Anniversary (2017 update info)

Video: Secrets by Trachete

Unfortunately, I couldn't locate any video of Miss May '66 on any of the usual platforms, so I kept digging and decided to post this video of Tera Stockdale's current band, Trachete.