Lt Headtrip Reunites with Impervious Machine Producer Rich Courage FKA Defpotec for Summer Single "Water Wings" (we are the karma kids)

we are the karma kids (karma kids) founder, emcee, and producer Lt Headtrip has returned with his first proper offering of 2019, "Water Wings." Headtrip has reunited with his one-time Impervious Machine collaborator, producer Rich Courage FKA Defpotec. Impervious Machine released Impervious Machine v1​.​28571429 on karma kids back in 2014; Headtrip & Defpotec re-emerged in May 2016 for ImpMac_DLC, a remix collection featuring edits from the likes of Duncecap, Teddy Faley, Samurai Banana, E L U C I D, Carl Kavorkian, Uymitsu, and Headtrip himself. "Water Wings" is Lt Headtrip's first proper, non-remixed single since his 2018 single, "WET BRAIN" Remixed By Teddy Faley, as preceded by 2017's Comedy of The Filthbeast. Lt Headtrip stated "this is the first time in my career that I've written a nice, pleasant song, let alone, record and release one..." within an emailed press statement to The Witzard. "Water Wings" is accompanied by a fittingly glitchy Headtrip & Brita Enflo-shot music video wit after effects added on by Rich Courage & Headtrip. "Water Wings" is the first single from an upcoming Rich Courage-produced EP, which Lt Headtrip assures will be released before the end of 2019.

"I'm putting a track out this Friday. Produced by Rich Courage, formerly known as Defpotec, the other half of Impervious Machine. This is the first time in my career that I've written a nice, pleasant song, let alone, record and release one, so I figured I'd get it out in the summer when people are feeling all happy and sh*t. Rich & I are working on an EP that will be out eventually, but this is all the world gets for now. This is certainly the most pleasant song on the album. We shot the video on Block Island, where I'm living for the summer, using an off-brand Go-Pro. Once we captured the footage, I sent it to Rich to glitch out using his VJ rig and then, I edited the filtered video together."

- Lt Headtrip (@LtHeadtrip)

Sturgill Simpson Returns with "Sing Along" Single from Upcoming SOUND & FURY Album & Anime Film (Elektra Records/Netflix)

Since issuing his self-released/funded 2013 debut, High Top Mountain, Sturgill Simpson has become something of an underground/cult Alt. Country super-star and budding actor. Simpson, then, self-released his second album, 2014's Metamodern Sounds In Country Music on High Top Mountain/Loose and signed with Atlantic Records for its follow-up, A Sailor's Guide to Earth (2016.) All the while, Sturgill Simpson has appeared in a handful of films released between 2011-19 including, but not limited to, Orca Park, Black Hog Gut, One Dollar, The Dead Don't Die, Queen & Slim, and most recently, shelved controversial film The Hunt co-starring Betty Gilpin, Emma Roberts, Hilary Swank, and Glenn Howerton. Now, for the first time in his career, Simpson has somehow figured out a way to merge his love of both music and film: his fourth full-length album, SOUND & FURY, will be accompanied by an Anime film of the same name, which was written by Sturgill Simpson himself. SOUND & FURY (the film) will be entirely set to selections from SOUND & FURY (the album) and is being publicly touted as a "futuristic, Dystopian, Post-Apocalyptic, Samurai film." Simpson has, thus far, described SOUND & FURY as "a sleazy, steamy Rock "N" Roll record," which, seemingly, abandons the Ryan Adams & The Cardinals meets Smokey Robinson & The Miracles-leaning sound heard across his previous three records.


Sturgill Simpson & Elektra Records have recruited Anime veterans Jumpei Mizusaki (Batman Ninja) and Takashi Okazaki (Afro Samurai) to come on as writer/director and character designer, respectively, for SOUND & FURY; while the accompanying album features members of Sturgill Simpson's current touring band, Bobby Emmett, Chuck Bartels & Miles Miller. Simpson, Emmett, Bartels & Miller all serve as co-producers on SOUND & FURY alongside Bleachers, Mayer Hawthorne & Wavves producer John Hill. Sturgill Simpson recently told Beats 1 radio host Zane Lowe: "I was listening to a lot of Hip-Hop, and Black Sabbath, and The Cars, and old Funk records and things. And I think... we were in Detroit while we were making the record and I was sort of writing it in real time and listening to a lot of Eminem." Although, I would more so compare SOUND & FURY, at least based on lead single "Sing Along," to the musical output of The Black Keys during their 2010-11 breakthrough success of Brothers & El Camino. SOUND & FURY: The Album & Film By Sturgill Simpson will become available Friday, September 27, 2019 on Elektra Records/Netflix.

4 Compositions from Gordon Withers' JAWBREAKER ON CELLO Featured Within Don't Break Down: A Film About Jawbreaker

Not entirely unlike Michael Rapaport's 2011 documentary Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest, Tim Irwin & Keith Schieron's Don't Break Down: A Film About Jawbreaker unintentionally helped reunite yet another Punk/Hardcore band. Blake Schwarzenbach, Adam Pfahler & Chris Bauermeister were originally active as Jawbreaker from 1986-96, released four albums and countless EP's/singles, fostered a die-hard underground following, toured with everyone from Nirvana to Foo Fighters, signed to DGC/Geffen Records, and, essentially, self-imploded before ever really "making it big." Since September 2017, Blake, Adam & Chris have been effectively reunited as Jawbreaker, selling out shows across the world, and, supposedly, working on what would be their first proper album of new material since 1996's Dear You. Don't Break Down: A Film About Jawbreaker features the band and their associates/supporters re-telling "their "rags-to-riches-to-rags" story writhe with inner-band turmoil, health issues, and the aftermath of signing to a major label." It showcases interviews with Billie Joe Armstrong (Green Day,) Steve Albini (Big Black, Nirvana,) journalist Jessica Hopper, Chef Graham Elliot, Chris Shiflett (Foo Fighters,) Josh Caterer, and many more.


After a period of exclusive screenings and a very limited release, Don't Break Down has now been released to the general public and is currently available on most digital streaming platforms (excluding Netflix.) I was fortunate enough to watch Don't Break Down: A Film About Jawbreaker from the comfort of my own home last week and aside from the story itself, one of my personal favorite elements was cellist Gordon Withers' arrangements tastefully strewn throughout Tim Irwin & Keith Schieron's film. "Six or seven years ago, Adam [Phahler] from Jawbreaker reached out about doing a few cello arrangements for the Jawbreaker documentary, Don't Break Down: A Film About Jawbreaker. Four tracks ended up in the film and two years ago, it, finally, was released for screenings in select theaters. As of August 6, it's finally available to stream/buy on major services, too," Withers explained within a press statement. Gordon Withers has performed within outfits such as Office of Future Plans (Dischord Records,) BELLS≥ (Zach Barocas of Jawbox,) Betwixt, Kill Dalton Ames, We All Inherit The Moon, Woodworkings, and currently plays as part of The J. Robbins Band (J. Robbins of Jawbox, Government Issue, Burning Airlines, etc.)


"Of course, I couldn't stop at just four tracks, though. Earlier this year, an album's-worth of tracks were finally complete. And now, it's coming out on New Granada Records—whose founders just completed a tour with Jawbreaker in their main band POHGOH!" Withers ecstatically continued. I've been fortunate enough to attain an early press stream of Gordon Withers' JAWBREAKER ON CELLO and trust me, it's a phenomenal piece of work! Alternative Press is currently hosting an exclusive stream of Gordon's "Bivouac" re-work, which originally appeared on Jawbreaker's 1992 sophomore album of the same name. New Granada Records' first pressing of 500 LP's of Gordon Withers' JAWBREAKER ON CELLO has already been completely sold out... however, a second press on colored vinyl is currently available for pre-order. JAWBREAKER ON CELLO will see a wide-release on Friday, November 1, 2019. Don't Break Down: A Film About Jawbreaker is currently available to stream on most digital streaming platforms. I would, honestly, strongly recommend both JAWBREAKER ON CELLO and Don't Break Down: A Film About Jawbreaker for fans new, old, or even within their earliest discovery of Punk/Hardcore as a genre.

Japanese Jazz Trio Nautilus Return with DJ Shadow/Giorgio Moroder & The Stylistics-flipping "Tears" 7-inch (Palette Records)

Tokyo Jazz trio Nautilus have returned with an exclusive Europe-only limited edition release of their latest 7-inch single, "Tears" B/W "People Make The World Go Round." Yes, you read that right: Toshiyuki Sasaki, Daisuke Takeuchi & Shigeki Umezawa have effectively decided to record and release a mind-bending cover of DJ Shadow's "Organ Donor" from Entroducing..... (1996) as well as one of the songs in which it samples, "Tears" from Giorgio Moroder's 1972 album, Son of My Father. Then, on Side B, Nautilus have expertly flipped "People Make The World Go Round" from The Stylistics' self-titled Avco Records debut, also, released during 1972. I, actually, first heard about "Tears" through DJ Oonops, whose label, Agogo Records has previously released Nautilus' two most recent Beastie Boys & A Tribe Called Quest-flipping singles; "Massive thanks to Nautilus from Japan for their brand new 45, which includes a top-notch cover version of DJ Shadow's "Organ Donor" and The Stylistics' "People Make The World Go Round," @dj_oonops recently posted ahead of a then-upcoming vinyl-only DJ set at PLATZprojekt e.V. in Germany.


Always the inquiring mind, I quickly reached our to Oonops, who soon got me in touch with Nautlius drummer Toshiyuki "Toshi" Sasaki. Toshi was kind enough to send me a copy of the band's Palette Sounds/self-released "Tears" 45, which, honestly, would have cost a pretty penny to ship from Japan all the way here, to New Jersey. Speaking on "People Make The World Go Round," Nautilus stated, according to Google Translate: "The Stylistics' mellow tune has been completely re-made into a tense arrangement with an aggressive sound. The style of folding from the keyboard solo that moves freely on the thick drum and bass rhythm to the last, which should be called the true value of Nautilus, is, also, fully demonstrated." Nautilus' "Tears" B/W "People Make The World Go Round" 7-inch single is currently available to purchase online from disk union Japan, as well as streaming on Nautilus' Soundcloud page. Toshi Sasaki exclusively told The Witzard, via email, that "we're gonna release a new album [in] November! It'll be LP's, CD, and digital MP3," which is, also, mentioned within the disk union full site translation.

Secret Sidewalk Return with Genre-eschewing Single "Common Core" from Upcoming Album PRIMAL DAP (Primal Dap Sound)

Secret Sidewalk are a Bay Area, California-based Electro-Acoustic quartet consisting of Alex "Pu22l3" Abalos, Mike Boo, Michael Reed & Marcus Stephens. Founded in 2010, Alex, Mike, Michael & Marcus are "a close-knit group of musicians, all born and raised in The Bay Area, yet, at the same time, deriving from vastly different backgrounds and crafts." Michael "Mike" Reed is, actually, part of The Witzard regulars, The M-Tet, as well, and Mike Boo recently formed yet another Hip-Hop-leaning 4-man crew with D-Styles (THE BEAT JUNKIES,) Excess, & Pryvet Peepsho. Since 2010, Secret Sidewalk have released Truncate Mastadon The Dragon Wilson, Cholo Curls 45, and Does Anyone Knock Anymore? as digital singles, cassettes, and 7-inches. Secret Sidewalk have secretly been working on their proper debut full-length, now-titled PRIMAL DAP, since about 2017 at Bird & Egg Studio and The Swill in Richmond & Oakland, California, respectively. PRIMAL DAP was fully written and self-produced by Secret Sidewalk and engineered by Nino Moschella & Secret Sidewalk.


PRIMAL DAP will, actually, be the first proper release issued on Secret Sidewalk's newly-minted label, Primal Dap Sound, which, will, eventually, "feature projects curated by the members of Secret Sidewalk," as well. "Common Core" is the first of 12 songs to be released from PRIMAL DAP and features our first sonic taste of what Secret Sidewalk have fittingly deemed "Post-Apocalyptic Mob Music." "Recorded live in-studio, "Common Core" is Secret Sidewalk in full swing: Marcus Stephens' dirty, driving woodwinds are met with Mike Boo's cohesively-layered turntable manipulation, while the rhythm section of Alex Abalos (synth/samples) and Michael Reed (drums/electronics) guide the band through complex, yet Funky terrain." "Common Core" is accompanied by a 41-second promo video featuring Secret Sidewalk recording PRIMAL DAP live in-studio at Bird & Egg Studios. Secret Sidewalk's PRIMAL DAP is currently available for pre-order on Bandcamp and will see a wide release on Friday, October 11, 2019 on Primal Dap Sound.

3 Feet High & Rising: Grumpster Return with First Single "Crumbling" from Full-length Debut Underwhelmed (Asian Man Records)

Grumpster is an Oakland, California-based Punk trio consisting of vocalist/bassist Falyn Walsh, guitarist Lalo Deetz, and drummer Noel Agtane, who make "Rock & Roll for the young and old." After first forming Grumpster in early 2017, Falyn, Lalo & Noel cut their teeth playing gigs at 924 Gilman Street and soon became mainstays amidst Gilman's tight-knit D.I.Y. scene. Earlier this year, Grumpster submitted a cover of Green Day's "Having A Blast" to GILMAN STREET'S RIPOFF (A Tribute to DOOKIE) jointly issued by Asian Man/Lavasocks Records. Grumpster have previously self-released a handful of musical offerings, including "KAIROS" (2017,) a split with Slumped, Cutting Ties EP (2018,) and "Strangers" from earlier this year. Now, Grumpster have once again reunited with Asian Man Records to properly release their full-length debut, Underwhelmed and lead-off single, "Crumbling." Asian Man founder Mike "Bruce Lee" Park fittingly described Grumpster's overall sound as a stylistic mix of Alkaline Trio, The Donnas & Green Day. Grumpster's "Crumbling" is currently available to stream on your digital streaming platform of choice. Underwhelmed will be release on Friday, November 8, 2019 and is currently available to pre-order in a number of exclusive packages from Asian Man Records.


8/25: Destroy Boys at Harlow's w/ Grumpster & On Drugs (California)

8/26: On Drugs / Grumpster / Sarchasm / TBA at Oakland Secret (California)

9/23-31: GRUMPSTER ON TOUR WITH ON DRUGS!!! (Locations TBA)

11/1: The Paranoyds, Grumpster & Shutups at Cafe du Nord (California)

"I'm gonna use the word STOKED! 'cause I'm stoked to debut the first single ("Crumbling") from Oakland Punks, Grumpster. Their debut full-length, Underwhelmed, comes out Nov. 8th. Let me do my best to describe this band... Gilman St. kids, who love walking around Oakland and picking up litter. They like music, dogs, skateboards, and coffee. Musically, they sound like a mix between ALKALINE TRIO meets THE DONNAS meets GREEN DAY. But there's an easy way for everyone to decide! Just listen and tell me your thoughts. Good or bad... just let me know what you think. I'll put the info in the Comments and you can even do that pre-order thing that people like to do. Well, I like it, too. In fact, I love it!!! Let me know your thoughts and if you can give 'em a Follow, that would be swell, too."


Peace,

Mike "Bruce Lee" Park (@asianmanrecords)

Mr. Bungle to Perform The Raging Wrath of The Easter Bunny (1986 Demo) at Trio of Feb. 2020 "Reunion" Shows with Scott Ian & Dave Lombardo

Mr. Bungle were an Experimental Rock/Funk Metal/Avant-Garde Metal/Ska/Jazz Fusion/Art Rock/Progressive Pop/Surf Rock/Thrash/Death Metal band hailing from Northern California, who were originally active from 1985-2000. Its final line-up consisted of Mike Patton (Faith No More, Fantômas, Peeping Tom, Dead Cross,) Trey Spruance (Secret Chiefs 3, Faith No More,) Trevor Dunn (Tomahawk, Secret Chiefs 3,) Danny Heifetz (Link Wray, Secret Chiefs 3,) and Clinton "Bär" McKinnon (UMLAUT, Secret Chiefs 3) with past members, also, including Theobald Brooks "Theo" Lengyel, Jed Watts, Luke Miller, Scott Fritz, and Hans Wagner. Mr. Bungle released three albums between 1991-99, Mr. Bungle, Disco Volante, and California on Warner Bros. with at least four demos released prior between 1986-89. Since their split in 2000, Mr. Bungle's sound and overall style has influenced everyone from Incubus to Slipknot with Korn, most notably, utilizing what they have dubbed the "Mr. Bungle Chord," commonly known as a Flat Fifth Chord or "Tritone." Mr. Bungle took their name from a 1950's educational film, which was later featured within a 1981 Pee-wee Herman HBO special and true to their name, were always one of the most zany, unique, and unconventional bands at the time and even, since.

Just yesterday afternoon, Mr. Bungle announced their "classic" line-up of Mike Patton, Trey Spruance & Trevor Dunn would be re-forming for the first time in 20 years for a trio of shows to be held in February 2020. Mr. Bungle will be playing a full album throughout the entirety of said mini-tour, although, unlike most of their peers, they'll be playing... their self-produced/released 1986 demo, The Raging Wrath of The Easter Bunny. Patton, Spruance & Dunn will be joined by none other than Scott Ian (Anthrax, Stormtroopers of Death, The Damned Things) and Dave Lombardo (Slayer, Suicidal Tendencies, The Original Misfits) for the string of dates through Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York City. As a press release notes, this is "the first time Mr. Bungle has performed in close to 20 years and the first time these songs have been played live in over 30 years." Support bands are still yet to be announced and tickets for all three shows sill go on sale this upcoming Friday, August 16, 2019. While the Feb. 2020 tour flyer further specifies "Only in 3 cities!" fingers crossed, this will still turn into a full-fledged Mr. Bungle reunion with Scott Ian & Dave Lombardo!

"Ever since Trevor hatched The Raging Wrath of The Easter Bunny V.2 idea a few years back, Patton, Lombardo, he, and I had each been incubating some idea of that egg. [Dave] Lombardo called me one day and asked me to make some guitar demos, so he could learn the songs. He had this generous idea to surprise the other guys with being totally ready to go with the tunes. It just so happened that I was in Eureka at the time. So, I found myself re-visiting all of those riffs in the same Goddamned town and in the same Goddamned house where I recorded all the original guitars on that demo 33 years earlier. There was something about, actually, physically working out the mania of those riffs again at DAVE LOMBARDO's request, in that environment—it just split my head open. It wasn't long before the train of destiny had picked up too much speed for any of us to jump off... At our very first show, at The Bayside Grange Hall, Nov. 30, 1985, we played Slayer's "Chemical Warfare" and a S.O.D. cover. I mean, are you kidding?? We WORSHIPPED those guys! And now, they're gonna PLAY in our band?"

- Trey Spruance


"When we recorded that demo, we were 16 & 17-years-old and we were absolutely serious about the music. At the time, we were living the deluge of 80's Metal and absorbing every riff and every drum fill from every known band from Denmark to San Francisco. The recording and playing were amateurish (save for Trey's video game solos) but the schooled composition and spirit were solid. I always felt like this music held its own and deserved to be presented in a clearer and more defined package, even if it meant being 33 years later... They are a significant percentage of "The Big Four," all of which had a major impact on us. Aside from their obvious skills and—for crying out loud, INVENTION of this genre—there's nothing like being in a band with those whom which you have rapport. If we are going back to the source with this stuff we might as well go ALL THE WAY back."

- Trevor Dunn (@dunnatov)


"I remember writing riffs for this cassette in my parents' garage, with no heat, so I recorded in a sleeping bag for analog warmth, playing a one-stringed acoustic guitar that was piped into a ghetto blaster. Thank God I had Trevor & Trey to help decipher my rotten riffs into something intelligible!... To have Scott & Dave with us on this suicide mission is more than an honor. THEY are a big part of the reason we wrote this stuff in the first place and to realize it 30+ years later with these maestros is an absolute miracle... we can finally play this teenage nonsense correctly! A total catharsis for us."

- Mike Patton


"When Mike hit me up about this, my brain thought he was asking me if I wanted to come to a show, him knowing I am a HUGE Bungle fan. When I realized he, actually, meant for me to play guitar with them, it broke my brain, I was a giggly drooling mess. Somehow, I pecked out "Y-E-S" on my keyboard and, holy crap, I'm playing in Mr. Bungle. Seriously, it's an honor and a privilege to get to play with my favorite "Mr." band of all time."

- Scott Ian (@Scott_Ian)


"I don't know what was in the water in Eureka California, but it certainly wasn't clean. This is going to be a ridiculously, insane band to play with and I am honored to have been asked to join the wrath."

- Dave Lombardo (@TheDaveLombardo)