Current top 5 tracks:
Nopes, "Immersion" (Magnetic Eye)
"I'm really liking this newish band from the Bay area. This track is from their new LP, Stapler."
The Hunches, "Carnival Debris" (In the Red)
"Their final LP, Exit Dreams, kinda flew under my radar when it came out in 2009. I'm just now rediscovering this one and it's an amazing album."
The Stabs, "Never Going Home" (Homeless)
"From Tasmania mid-late 00's. Noisy downer pummeling; for fans of feedtime or anything sludgy and negative with lots of feedback."
Scientists, "Braindead" (Karbon)
"One of their deepest cuts, from 1987. Seeing them play this on Saturday reminded me to include this weird one in the rotation."
Chrome Cranks, "(I Was) Sleeping" (Atavistic)
"This is all about droning fuzz rock."
Crew/label affiliation: "DIY. Brian MacDonald and I started DJing together in April this year."
Styles played: "At the moment, noise-rock is what I'm playing."
Events organized: "In the Raw, the best of noise-rock in all its myriad forms."
DJing philosophy: "Think, but don't think too hard. Too much thinking makes it not as fun."
Format: "I don't have a preference, but In the Raw is vinyl-only. In other contexts, I would play whatever format."
Worst request: "On our second night, a group came in to the bar and judging by their baffled faces had no idea what kind of music this 'noise-rock' was. A woman from their table was sent up to request something and asked for Pearl Jam. I had to let her down gently, so in the spirit of a somewhat local/regional alternative, offered her the Melvins. Which turned out to not satisfy her."
Upcoming events: "Thursday October 4 at Lucky Liquor for In the Raw #5! We play every other month on the first Thursday."
Current top 5 Tracks:
Warp Transmission, "Ultra Thrust" (Creepy Crawl, 2018)
"Finnish stoner-/psych-rock band that just released a new album called The Process Ultra. I like Monster Magnet, but this is what I really wish Monster Magnet sounded like. I discovered this recently at Wall of Sound records. (Thank you, Jeffery!)"
Lyn Collins, "Mama Feelgood" (People, 1973)
"I can buy any Lyn Collins single or album from this era and always trust it will be great—much like records by her partner in crime at the time, James Brown. Every record is made for dancing."
DUSTdevils, "Encient" (Rouska, 1987)
"In a way, DUSTdevils predicted the future of indie rock—even moreso than Sonic Youth, Live Skull, Band of Susans, and their other New York peers—gritty, swirling, sick, dizzy, and catchy."
African Head Charge, "Stebeni's Theme" (On-U Sound, 1981)
"Both 99 Records and On-U Sound Records are my favorite labels, mainly for the way they fused Jamaican and post-punk music into a completely unique sound. This track is originally from 1981's My Life in a Hole in the Ground, which is probably my favorite early-'80s album. It's a wall of rhythm and bass that takes Metal Box to the next plane. Incredibly ahead of its time."
Haircut One Hundred, "Lemon Firebrigade" (Arista, 1982)
"Even though they're pretty much ripping off Orange Juice here, Pelican West is my go-to indie pop album. The flourishes of tropicalia and disco really put this one above the rest."
Styles played: "Glam-rock, psych-rock, funk, disco, post-punk, indie-pop, soul, early punk, synth-pop, synth-punk, hard-rock, and—last but not least—noise-rock."
Events organized: "Just In the Raw for now."
DJing philosophy: "I plan out 20- to 30-minute mini-sets as preparation for listening and refining—each long enough to establish a journey, but short enough to get in requests in between these mini-sets."
Format: "Vinyl."
Worst request: "Many years ago, when I was doing a free-form night, someone requested '80s. I almost always bring '80s records, so I obliged and played some Rick James and Michael Jackson soon after. That person came up to me, unimpressed, and told me 'No, I mean, I want to hear, you know, REAL '80s,' and later clarified she only wanted to hear 'White '80s.'"
Upcoming events: "In the Raw on October 4 at Lucky Liquor!"
