Okay people - we got a long way to go and a short time to get there! Be sure to check out the SAUSTEX.COM homepage for new vinyl offerings, t-shirts and remember that all domestic orders pay only $4.50 flat shipping and handling regardless of size and include a copy of the new sampler 'The Saustex Variations Volume 3'.
Let's hit it.
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Rich Minus
This Son Is A Stranger To You
"This Son Is A Stranger To You" is a posthumous release by Texas singer/songwriter Rich Minus. These previously unreleased tracks are taken from his last recording sessions at the legendary Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee and were produced by Grammy award-winner Matt Ross-Spang. Something of a well-kept secret, the rough and tumble Minus was part of a clatch of songwriters that included Townes Van Zandt, Blaze Foley and Calvin Russell. He released 3 full-length albums for the
legendary New Rose Records imprint in France in the 90's and the Texas Tornados recorded his songs. Now Saustex brings you his first-ever official U.S. release that features the cream of his catalog with a great backing band that includes Steve Potts (drums - Al Green, Neil Young, Gov't Mule), Dave Roe (bass - Johnny Cash, Sturgill Simpson) and firebrand guitarist John Paul Keith (Ryan Adams, Jack Oblivian, The One Four Fives). (PHOTO COURTESY OF NILES J. FULLER)
And don't forget - we'll be paying tribute to Rich and launching the new album at the San Antonio night Saustex is hosting at The Saxon Pub on Friday March 17th during SXSW. Eric Hisaw
along with
Neal Walker
will be leading the band as a number of guest vocalists including
Mitch Webb
,
"Brother" Dave Rodriguez
,
George Ensle
,
Stevie Tombstone
,
Ricky Broussard
,
Kevin Swafford
,
Asenath Avinash and others interpret the San Antonio-born singer songwriters' tunes. And
the rest of the night's lineup is all killer and no filler with Rio Jordan, Garrett T. Capps, Rudy Tee Gonzales with King Pelican and Harvey McLaughlin rounding out the show. Be there!
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Javier Escovedo at SXSW and The Zeros Texas dates!
Legendary first wave San Diego punk band The Zeros, fronted by Javier Escovedo, will play a handful of Texas dates around Escovedo's solo band appearance at this year's SXSW Music Fest.
( PHOTO COURTESY OF HEATHER HARRIS)
Escovedo's name should be familiar to any fan of real rock'n'roll. He is part of a musical family that includes brothers Pete (Santana, Azteca), Coke (Santana, Malo), Alejandro (The Nuns, Rank & File), Mario (The Dragons) and niece Sheila E (Prince). Having formed The Zeros in 1976 while attending Chula Vista High School the band became hot on the Hollywood circuit and released the seminal punk single "Wimp" b/w "Don't Push Me Around" on Bomp! Records in 1977. After enduring multiple lineup changes and relocating to San Francisco the band would eventually break up in 1981.
Javier then moved on to Austin forming critically acclaimed band The True Believers in 1982 with brother Alejandro and Jon Dee Graham. The TB's would become a legendary live act and sign successively with Rounder Records before having their contract snapped up by EMI only to be dropped in the major label shakeup game and call it quits in 1987.
Escovedo would bounce around over the next two decades between New York, Austin and Los Angeles working with a variety of lesser-known acts before re-emerging with The Zeros in the mid-2000's touring Europe and the States, until finally releasing (at the insistence of fans and fellow musicians) his first solo album "City Lights" in 2012. 2016 brought his second solo album "Kicked Out Of Eden" for Saustex Records. The album perfectly distills everything he loves: glam, 60's garage and pop and the more melodic side of punk. The LP (also released on cassette by Burger Records) garnered great reviews and made several year-end best of lists.
Javier Escovedo & The City Lights
Thursday March 16th - The Saxon Pub - Austin, TX (official SXSW showcase)
The Zeros
Tuesday March 14th - The White Horse - Austin, TX *Coody Gold Presents*
w/ Hickoids, Jon Langford & The Far Forlorn, Count Vaseline, Corrine Rose, The Guillotines
Wednesday March 15th - Under The Volcano - Houston, TX
w/ Western Star
Friday March 17th - Hitones - San Antonio, TX
w/ Joecephus & The George Jonestown Massacre, GDX
Saturday March 18th - *Coody Gold Presents*
"The New Texas Love-In" ABGB - Austin, TX
w/ Pong, Pocket FishRmen, Poor Dumb Bastards, Ian Quiet Band
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WESTERN STAR TOUR DATES
PHOTO COURTESY OF ROCK'n'ROLL SOCIALITE
Western Star is busting out of Baltimore for a full month of dates. I can't say enough great things about these guys...they've got chops, swagger and songs.
Get out and see 'em!
Tuesday March 7th PJ's Lager House - Detroit, MI
Wednesday March 8th Melody Inn - Indianapolis, IN
Thursday March 9th Reggies - Chicago, IL
Friday March 10th Whitetails Saloon - Clarence, IA
Saturday March 11th Jackpot Saloon - Lawrence, KS
Sunday March 12th Dan's Silverleaf - Denton, TX
Monday March 13th Austin, TX
Tuesday March 14th Austin, TX
Wednesday March 15th Under the Volcano - Houston, TX
Thursday March 16th The Saxon Pub Austin, TX
Friday March 17th Twilight Lounge - Dallas, TX
Saturday March 18th 04 Lounge *Afternoon Show* - Austin, TX
Saturday March 18th The Gold Bar *Night Show* - San Antonio, TX
Sunday March 19th Shipping and Receiving - Ft. Worth, TX
Tuesday March 21st Checkpoint Charlies - New Orleans, LA
Thursday March 23rd The Nick - Birmingham, AL
Friday March 24th Community Star Bar - Atlanta, GA
Saturday March 25th The Kracken - Chapel Hill, NC
Sunday March 26th Slim's Downtown - Raleigh, NC
JOECEPHUS & THE GEORGE JONESTOWN MASSACRE TOUR DATES
PHOTO COURTESY OF ROCKHOUSE PHOTOGRAPHY
Joey Killingsworth is a hard working dude. He produced the "Mutants of The Monster: A Tribute To Black Oak Arkansas" with his friend and bandmate Dik LeDoux. It's a helluva' record that features Joey's band Joecephus & The George Jonestown Massacre as the backing band with an outstanding lineup of guest stars that includes Blaine Cartwright and Ruyter Suys (Nashville Pussy), Nik Turner (Hawkwind), Michael Denner (Mercyful Fate), Shooter Jennings and too many more to name right here. We're happy to have them down for the Saustex Records showcase at the Saxon Pub on Thursday March 16th - catch them on the way if you can't be there.
Wednesday March 15th The Door - Dallas, TX
Thursday March 16th Saxon Pub - Austin, TX
Friday March 17th Hitones - San Antonio, TX
Saturday March 18th *afternoon* 04 Lounge - Austin, TX
Saturday March 18th *night* Rockefeller's - Houston, TX
Sunday March 19th Siberia - New Orleans, LA
Monday March 20th Martin's - Jackson, MS
'MUTANTS OF THE MONSTER: A TRIBUTE TO BLACK OAK ARKANSAS' DOUBLE LP ON LTD ED ORANGE VINYL $21 + S&H
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SMART DADS
'BUMMER SUMMER' reissue
Way back at the turn of the 1980's when I was a young man of 16 or 17 I had a band called the Smart Dads. We played bars and had a home base at a BBQ restaurant that myself and one of the other guys worked at. Now, I'm not here to claim that we were the greatest band around San Antonio and had really not thought much about the act until I was contacted by the folks at Radio Raheem Records, a New York City based label that specializes in reissues of "golden-era" NYC hardcore albums. One of the owners had gotten hold of one of our 'Bummer Summer' seven song cassette EP's and asked if I'd be interested in having them do a vinyl edition. I was pretty surprised...so much so that I asked him to send me a sample of what he was listening to make sure someone hadn't taped over the Dads with something a lot more punk. But sure enough, there it was 30 something years on. He said that it "screamed suburban boredom" or something to that effect...I couldn't agree more.
They did an excellent job of packaging the thing and you can get the whole sad story as told by myself and bandmate Plastic Patrick because it comes with a full color magazine style insert. I believe it is an edition of 275...I have no idea what they charge for it because they might be the only record label in the world with a website more out of date than mine. There is one copy of the original cassette version (that I was selling for $5 or $6 a copy a few years ago) on an auction site for $40.
But you probably know by now that I'm not that way. I've got some copies of the new 12" for $20 plus S&H. I'm sure one of you will eventually make more money off of it than we/I did/will.
They ain't no crying in rock'n'roll.
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And finally, I'd like you all to keep my old friend and bandmate Evan Johns in your thoughts. He's in the ICU at an Austin hospital following a stroke and further internal complications. His name might not ring much of bell to younger folks but in his prime he could chop heads like NOBODY'S business. Be good to yourself and others. Jeff Smith Saustex Records & Entertainment, LLC |
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