Localized Movement

I want you to take five minutes and go check out http://www.localizedmovement.com/

they are doing pretty much what we are doing, but down in California.. so.. i guess they are much warmer then we are.

does that make On The Wall cooler?

doubtful

-Jim Nowhere

Goodbye winter, hello Skateboard

I don't remember the name of this dude, but I certainly remember hanging out for a few hours while him and his buddies attempted to land any number of grinds.

Spring 2011 Clareview Park.

the classic bean plant with Matt Cunningham.  Not just for slackers and songwriters.. night skating summer 2010 at Paul Kane.

See now and again someone will actually snap a shot of me.. still doing nothing

Lazy Carve at Callingwood park Spring 2012

I've been going through a photo dump from the past four or five years on one of my external hard drives lately.. so expect a few more random old shots to crop up over the next little while.

- Jim Nowhere

Spastic Panthers - Unreleased Shite

http://spasticpanthers.bandcamp.com/album/unreleased-shite

Now these cats have more then a couple records out in the world, and I don't really know how to single out what one a person should start with.  Me, I picked a couple 7" releases up at the shops here in E-town, and happened to snake the rest of them from the band themselves one of the last times they ventured up here to the north. And while doing a bit of research to update myself before asking their front man Dan Izzo some questions stumbled upon this "new" release, four tracks entitled "unreleased shite"

Now I've been a fan of thrashy skate punk since as long as I can remember, some might even say that i grew up on the stuff.  This no frills internet only release from Calgary's Spastic Panthers is probably some of the best of the genre that I have heard in a while, at least heard in a while that came out within the last few years.  Now if you aren't already a fan of these cats you may wish to start with something that is a bit more polished, a little less akin to studio out takes, and available on wax.  But if you're like me and willing to take a chance, this little four track gem will end up holding a place in your heart, a spot on your skate playlist (or mix tape, i don't know what devices the kids use now a days.)

- Jim Nowhere
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Handsom Dan Records - http://www.handsomedanrecords.com/
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/SpasticPanthers
Bandcamp - http://spasticpanthers.bandcamp.com/
Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/thespasticpanthers

Vol. 1 Issue 1 - Available May 1

Just to give you a heads up, the "Winter 2012/13" issue of the print version of On The Wall will be hitting all your local skate & record shops that will let me leave them there on or around May 1st 2013.
and then work will begin on the "Summer 2013" issue. If you would like to contribute to On The Wall
then hit us up on facebook: www.facebook.com/OnTheWallZine there should be a MESSAGE button in the top right hand corner..

There is still a plan to sell an On The Wall compilation album as well, and we've extended the due date for that to April 15th give or take.  So if you happen to be in an Edmonton band and are down for donating a track to help me cover printing costs I would love to hear from you.


The compilations will be available as a digital download for $2.00 or a 60 minute Cassette with digital download card for $3.00 if you are grabbing it from my hand at a gig, in a coffee shop, or at whatever places will take them on consignment. For those interested in obtaining a copy by mail I'll be setting up some sort of Paypal thing-ma-jig for you to be able to order it.  Mail order copies will be $5.00 including shipping, for CONTINENTAL NORTH AMERICA, and $7.00 to the rest of the world. ALL mail order copies of the zine will come with a mix tape. So sadly we can't rock those out for free.

Keep your eyes open.

- Jim Nowhere

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facebook.com/OnTheWallZine
OnTheWallZine.bandcamp.com
onthewall-mag.blogger.com

Cover art layout by Jim Nowhere
Photos by Jim Nowhere / Kalan Olsen-Peet
Photo Edits by Jim Nowhere
5-0 Nose Grab: Matt Shnell
Bowl Carve: Kalan Olsen-Peet
Boneless: Matt Cunningham
Graffiti artists unknown

Rhubarbs - If We Build It, You Will Come

http://www.facebook.com/rhubarbs780

Rhubarbs first record, pop punk from the arctic tundra.  Remember when Chixdiggit was putting out killer albums in the mid 90s? Well these guys do, all the passion and power of an early lagwagon/chixdiggit record, add in another 20 years of technological advances, a new skateboard, and your brand new white vinyl LP comes with a download code right from their label (Wasted Wax Record.)

Remember the first time that you heard "White Trash, Two Heebs, and a Bean" and how all you wanted to do was grab your skateboard and go thrash the streets? well "If We Build It, You Will Come" does that exact same thing for me.  Though these days its more i want to go try some front side grinds in a bowl.. but you get the idea.  This Edmonton trio has managed to present something new, while taking what they love and mixing it up a bit.  You can hear the influences from Motorhead, Black Sabbath, NoFX, Black Flag, Chixdiggit, and many more all coming through, but without sounding cliche and tired, instead they somehow manage to sound as though this is brand fucking new to your ears.


I guess what this all boils down to, is if you have a chance to snag this LP do it, and listen to it often.
to quote some Flipper liner notes "Listen for 45 minutes. 4 times daily or.. as needed. Caution: to be taken in conjunction with alcoholic beverages. At Maximum Volume"

Jim Nowhere

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Rhubarbs - Facebook
                - Reverbnation
Wasted Wax Records - http://www.wastedwax.ca/

Forever in Blue Jeans

Happy Birthday to a man who isn't involved at all in the Edmonton Skate/Punk scene, but thats probably because he has never lived here. A personal hero of mine, someone who has taken the long road to success at what he does, and showed how just keep doing what you love to do and things will work out if you keep at it. Krooked skateboards Dan Drehobl.

If you've spent any sort of time on a skateboard with me in the past 15 or 16 years I'm sure that you'll have noticed me talking about him a bit. or having my "Drehobl Diet" at the skate park..

so from Krooked Krohnicles here is his part, after Gonz tells him to go back to school.

Good Friday Brawl, Shotgun Dolls, Action News Team

A random gig in review.

$10, 18+ At DV8

Ah saturday night in ye `ol Deadmonton Alberta, in March, a balmy -11C a couple new feet of snow, and after the windchill something similar to -27C.  So what could have been possibly the most talked about show happening on March 16th ended up feeling a lot more like a random band jam with a couple handfulls of their closest friends and some dudes who drove north for three hours to drink beer and make loud noise.  We rolled in around 9:30pm, just as Action News Team was finishing doing the load in.  A handfull of regulars spotted the bar, and a turn out that is similar to when i rock a solo show on a monday.  Not what anyone was expecting when this gig was booked, though the best of it was made by all, and really by the time Action News Team started a half decent crowd had wandered in from the cold and was about to get their ears rocked.

Now it's been quite sometime since I last saw Action News Team played (I suspect it might have actually been a bill similar to this one...) Actually I'm not even sure when they got a second guitarist and really beefed up their sound.  Also this might have been the first time I was actually able to hear Max sing, as he's grown leaps more comfortable up on stage, and certainly more with the microphone.  Now these cats come from a mostly punk/garage/folk background, so hearing them play with a bit more fleshed out sound, and two Gibson SGs really made for a total change in tone.  One big thing that I certainly noticed is that as they have grown as a band they really are leaving that garage/punk sound in the background, trading it in for more blues-ish riffs and a heavier Black Sabbath inspired sound.  One should never begrudge a band for growing and evolving in their own sound, the bigger beats, the harder riffs, certainly are destined to make their mark on the fine folks of Edmonton who catch them.  Though at what cost?  I feels as though these small changes almost robs the music of part of the very soul they were creating.  I may be the only one of this opinion, certainly in the crowd that was there.  The vibe in the room was certainly into it, and the signature Snoop Dogg cover near the end won over anyone else who hadn't already been a fan.

After a relatively quick tear down, certainly helped by sharing parts of gear, Calgary Alberta's Shotgun Dolls took the stage. Now I always have a strange feeling like I've shared a stage with these boys, but the fact remains that I've actually only seen them play once before. (Quite possibly with Action News Team, see first paragraph - Jim) So what can I tell you about our southern Alberta rock brethren?  They braved the weather, knowing that a 3am drive home awaited due to a shitty work schedule that had someone punching in at 8am, brought the gear, the mersh, and even the lights.  More then that though these kids brought their passion and energy, and a love for playing to anyone who shows up.  Talent, good tunes, grooves that will haunt your mind for days, they have it all, and are in the process of self releasing a debut album. What I hope you'll hear on the studio album is exactly what I heard coming from the small stage at DV8. Sludgy, skate rock, touching on what makes bands like Rebuild/Repair good, the Melvins & Jesus Lizard great, and Flipper awesome.  This "post stoner skate sludge", as someone coined a while back, is certainly a genre that not many really fit into, but the bands that do are worth checking out.  If you follow my instaLame/twitnerd feed you may have noticed a shot that I put up saturday night stating that what they have going on would fit perfectly in a Lowcard Mag / Blood Wizard Skate video. I stand by that statement.

Now it's been quite a while since I last had the cash ney, the opportunity, to see three of my friends rock out, in this configuration.  Miek, Nolan, & Bert are quite possibly the three nicest dudes in the deadmonton punk/folk/whatever music scene.  Now if you hand them some music makers, turn up the amplifiers, and just start feeding them the booze, all of that changes.  Miek has sass to spare as a front man, and it serves him well, Nolan rocks this sly smile and makes the thunderstick move you in ways you thought only the devil would do to you. As for bert, its hard to say, as all i see are a flurry of drum sticks. Now anytime Good Friday Brawl headlines a show the energy in the room just crackles, reminds me of when I first saw Against Me! tour, circa the eternal cowboy days. Dirty Music, Dirty People indeed.

So despite the fact that weather was shite, and the turn out subpar for a saturday night, each band came out and played the best show they had in them, the preformances blew pretty much everyone who was there away, I'm glad that the lady dragged me out on a half-hearted promise, as for me this will certainly sit in my top gigs of 2013.

Jim Nowhere

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Full Disclosure. I was in Zero Cool with Andy Crackers (Action News Team Drummer) for four years.   Good Friday Brawl and I are signed to the same independent record label Dead City Records

Shotgun Dolls - Facebook
Good Friday Brawl - Facebook
Action News Team - Facebook

Kroovy Rookers

just.. just go listen ..

you'll understand.

http://KroovyRookers1.bandcamp.com

and for only $2 an ep you'd be stupid not to buy them.
(and feel free to pay more.. i know i did)

JN - Sunday update.

The Fuzz Kings - Accentuate Everything

http://thefuzzkings.bandcamp.com/album/accentuate-everything 

 An experiment in bringing back some Rockabilly? Or maybe just an Honest attempt to make some good `ol rock and roll. I'll let your ears decide. I know what mine think.

 But i'm not here to argue "genre" classifications, I'm here too listen to music, and when I dig, to tell you about it. Having only really given this thing a quick virtual spin at the moment, it caught me by surprise. Knowing how the Edmonton music scene works is part of that, also knowing the production values usually found on a self released record is another. So the first thing that blew me away was how good absolutely everything sounds, the second thing was excitement at how much better it will sound once I've a limited edition LP in my grubby hands and I'm cranking it through my home stereo, instead of just streaming it through my laptop speakers. But lets get to the meat and potatoes of this thing.

 My first impression was that I had traveled back in time about 50 years, tossed on some spats, and was getting ready to take my best girl for a night on the town. Solid grooves run right through this record (no pun intended) and catchy hooks that just make you want to pick up ones feet and get our collective asses down to the dance floor. Pick it up, give it a listen, and know that what you are hearing isn't from a bygone era, but brand new and about to hit a few local stages kicking off the summer of 2013.

 If you can catch The Fuzz Kings Live for the LP release party Saturday March 16, 2013 at Edmonton's The ARTery

 Jim Nowhere

 ---115---

thefuzzkings.bandcamp.com
www.fuzzkings.com
Facebook
Twitter

Fat Dave - an interview

'Fat Dave' Johnson

www.FuzzKings.com

Alright so Fat Dave Johnson... 

We all know who Fat Dave is right? Well I had the chance to talk to him a little bit about the new Fuzz Kings LP, guitars & gear, and a little bit about what drives him to keep putting out music this far into the game.

Jim Nowhere: I've a few questions to shoot your way regarding this new release you and your boys are putting out "Accentuate Everything" but I figure the best way to start is to learn a little about you and your history within the Edmonton music scene(s).  So lets cut through the crap and just get started.

Who are you and why should people check out your music?

Fat Dave: I'm Fat Dave, I'm an internationally renowned singer, songwriter and guitar player who writes catchy, tongue-in-cheek tunes that make girls stop and stare. 

I'm a head-turning, charismatic entertainer and musical heavyweight. I might be the best at what I do, and my super-musical heavyweight rhythm section in THE FUZZ KINGS is air-tight... 

JN: How long have you been playing in bands?

FD: I just passed the 16 year mark. 

JN: After catching a few of your live performances, I've noticed you've a few different instruments, what would you say your main live rig is?

FD: Mainly I've been using my American 60th anniversary telecaster through a Fender Blues Jr & ext cabinet in stereo with an excelsior 1x15 combo, split with stereo slap-back delay. 

When I'm feeling silly u bring out a Leslie cabinet as well. 

JN: Now what did you use when recording this album?

FD: Blues Jr power section through an avatar 2x12 cabinet, fender teles and a fender marauder. 

Acoustic parts were played on a beat up old 1956 Gibson J45 and I also used an old electric accordion that I found at value village years back. 

When writing a song, do you approach it differently for the Fuzz Kings, `Ol Smashy, the Fat Dave Crime Wave, or solo, or do you just go with what comes and find a way to make it work within the "confines" of each project?

Songwriting has evolved for me as I've gone through becoming a dad and dealing with divorce, new love, various old cars... And the timeline of bands follows suit somehow. 

Out of the crime wave came ol' smashy... As did the beginning of the end of my marriage. Ol' smashy was something to do more than anything. I just wanted to keep momentum while I figured out what my next real step was...

Which is when I found myself hiring out to Jake Ian and the haymakers and Sherry-Lee Wisor. I was trying to get my bearings and it took a while, but playing music with those bands that I wouldn't normally have chosen to play definitely helped form my decisions and improve my chops in other settings. 

I'm a more traditional player because of it, but I've maintained the rock and roll growl as well. 

Everything is refined and intentional, like it was in the crime wave days, but stylistically different. 

JN: What would you say the main difference between recording a Fuzz Kings record is vs say `Ol Smashy?

FD: The fuzz kings is a little more slick. Just as punchy as ol' smashy but more precise. Less 'smashy' I guess... The songwriting is more upbeat and the delivery is stronger. More finesse. 

JN: Where will the fine folks of the world be able to grab this new release?

FD: Online through thefuzzkings.bandcamp.com and locally at permanent records, freecloud, and a few other places, I'm sure. 

It should be out around the town within a few days of the release party on March 16th at The Artery. 

JN:And if they want to check you cats out online where would they be able to find you?

FD: http://www.fuzzkings.com 

JN: Anything else you'd like to say?

FD: This is the most seriously I've taken a musical endeavor since the demise of The Fat Dave Crime Wave, and it totally shows. Definitely worth a listen. 

JN: Thank you very much for taking the time to participate.

FD: Thanks, Jim. 

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thefuzzkings.bandcamp.com
www.fuzzkings.com
Facebook
The Fuzz Kings Twitter

The Strugglefucks - EP

http://strugglefucks.bandcamp.com/album/ep

Released back in November 2012, I somehow missed this little gem of an EP by Edmonton Punks The Strugglefucks.  This self titled 5 song EP is up on the bandcamp site for a pay-what-you-may plan.  And well worth whatever scratch you find sitting in your paypal account.

This first EP is pretty rough, but worth the listen, Nolan and co lay down some amazing tunes and certainly let you know the potential of the band.

--99--
Bandcamp
Facebook

Anatomy Cats - A Matter Of Minutes

http://anatomycats.bandcamp.com

Released with very little promotion at the Wunderbar last January 12th (2012) The Anatomy Cats softmore release show growth in the band, from lyrical phrasing, and a bit more of that `ol late 90s Propagandhi guitar style.

 A Matter Of Minutes kicks off with the ear pleasing "Devolution" One minute and Thirty-two seconds of pure power, making no mistake about where this band stands on the political spectrum.

This is the second release for our friends from Fort Saskatchewan and hopefully we'll be hearing and seeing a lot more of them over the next while. Never forgiving, never giving up, nothing but the truth.


--97--
Bandcamp
Facebook

Via King Shit

Cardiel is EPIC.
Not at all related to the Edmonton skate/punk scene.
Though certainly a part of history that people need to know.

we'll be back soon

Jim Nowhere.

--27--
King Shit Mag