Mike Park Introduces Latest Line-up of The Bruce Lee Band Featuring Kevin Higuchi, Dan Potthast & Jeff Rosenstock (@asianmanrecords)

"New @bruceleeband coming soon. Even made an [Instagram] page which means this is serious stuff, so please Follow. This photo was taken about 20 [minutes] ago in San Jose in front of @districtrecording I ❤️ San Jose," Mike Park (@mikeparkmusic) mysteriously posted on his Instagram page over the weekend. The Bruce Lee Band has existed in various incarnations since 1995, while the "Bruce Lee" name itself was adopted as a pseudo-nickname by Mike Park during his time spent playing saxophone and singing with Skankin' Pickle from 1989-96. Although, the band is, often, officially known as "The B. Lee Band" because, supposedly, following the release of The Bruce/B. Lee Band's 1995 self-titled debut, "Lee's brother, Robert, who happened to be the manager of the CD manufacturing plant responsible for pressing the album, contacted Park to give him a friendly word of caution that Bruce Lee's name and likeness were copyrighted." Mike "Bruce Lee" Park & The B. Lee Band have, gradually, covered nearly any and all sub-genres of Ska over the years and have released music on Park's own Dill/Asian Man Records, Jeff Rosenstock's Really Records, and Tokyo-based Ska In The World Records.

The earliest iteration of The Bruce Lee Band (I) consisted of Park, as well as Less Than Jake's Chris "Lee" Demakes, Vinnie "Lee" Fiorello, Roger "Lee" Lima, and Derron "Lee" Nuhfer and played across their aforementioned 1995 debut. The Bruce Lee Band (II) re-emerged in 2005 with their Beautiful World EP and featured Mike Park backed by Rx Bandits' then-line-up of Joe Troy, Christopher Tsagakis, Matt Embree, Steve Choi, and Steve Borth. The Bruce Lee Band (III) returned after a 9-year self-imposed sabbatical period with an EP, "COMMUNITY SUPPORT GROUP," and an accompanying full-length titled "EVERYTHING WILL BE ALRIGHT, MY FRIEND," this time, consisting of Park, Jeff Rosenstock (Antarctigo Vespucci, Bomb The Music Industry!) Kevin "The Guch" Higuchi (The Chinkees, Whiskey Avengers,) and Mike Huguenor (Kitty Kat Fan Club, Hard Girls.) It appears as though the most recent iteration of The Bruce Lee Band (IV) now consists of Park, Rosenstock, "The Guch," and long-time Asian Man Records affiliate and friend of The Lees, Dan Potthast of Dan P. & The Bricks, MU330, Sharkanoid, etc.

Last night, @asianmanrecords posted, "SKA SKA SKA @bruceleeband is back. New record coming soon. Follow their Instagram. How many Followers can they get with no posts? Who can name all 4 members of this band? Will this album only be keyboards? What is the meaning of life?" to which I (very confidently!) yet, incorrectly Responded. While there's currently no additional news concerning said Bruce Lee Band "record" or "album," there are a few B. Lee-related releases of particular note: Kitty Kat Fan Club—featuring Mike Park and his former Bruce Lee Band bandmate Mike Huguenor—released their full-length debut, "DREAMY LITTLE YOU," on Asian Man Records this past May; Mike Park & Maura Weaver of Ogikubo Station unleashed their latest EP, Okinawan Love Songs, featuring Dan Andriano (Alkaline Trio, The Damned Things) on two of its three tracks. Below, you'll find our recently assembled Bruce Lee Band - Rude Boy A-Go-Go Spotify Playlist, which attempts to re-assemble Ska In The World Records' 2014 Japan-only comp. of the same name. Stay tuned to this space for contained updates concerning The Bruce Lee Band's forthcoming release, which, it sounds like, will likely materialize before Summer's end. It will definitely be interesting to see what sub-genres of Ska/Punk The Bruce Lee Band decide to tackle next!

"Let Me Shine for You:" Lindsay Lohan for Playboy (Winter 2011-12 Leak)

Lindsay Lohan essentially embodies exactly "What NOT to Do In Hollywood :" Fame, fortune, success... sex, drugs & Rock "N" Roll . Within a fairly short period of time, Lohan somehow managed to obtain a plentiful helping of POWER @ a very young age. This gradual rise-downfall was captured on film; Between 1998-2010, she portrayed a wide array of roles across the silver screen in movies including: Mean Girls, Bobby , Herbie Fully Loaded , Georgia Rule, Machete , and Freaky Friday . Between rapid-paced film shoots, Lindsay Lohan also found time to record 2 Pop Rock albums for Casablanca , Speak (2004) and A Litter More Personal-Raw (2005). Needless to say, Lindsay Lohan has gotten roped up in a lot of troubles and woes with the law over the last 3-5 years... a vicious cycle of drugs, arrest, court, rehab, "daddy issues," jail time [Repeat]. That's the pure basics of it - But Google that shit for additional info, if necessary. Towards the end of...

[W]reckless, Topless American Youth: Lana del Rey - "Born 2 Die" (Britney Spears Birthday 30)

Lana del Rey [Lizzy Grant] effectively became 2011's "It Girl" with the release of her phenomenal debut single, "Video Games" (Stranger) . Like many struggling singer-songwriters, Grant has been signed, dropped, and significantly changed her public image since bursting onto the scene (2009). With that said, it can be assumed that Lana del Rey has collected just as many "haters" as she has avid supporters. To be perfectly honest, the only other artist I can think of that made this much commotion... garnered so much wide-spread buzz/hate and critical acclaim -- right out of the gates -- with just one track is Britney Spears . And maybe in this post- Mike musical era, that's the true synthesis of Pop Culture: Britney Lynn Spears . After months of repeated teasing and speculation, Lana del Rey 's major label debut, Born 2 Die will [finally] be released this coming Jan. 30-31, 2012. Pitchfork reports that it will feature "Off to The Ra...

Liberty Bell Cracked In 1/2: Ween - "Freedom of '76" (Gene Ween's Final Send-Off)

Chocolate & Cheese (1994) was one of the first albums I bought with my own money. I was in some sort of BMG Music Club , where you'd buy 5 CD's and then get 10 for "FREE." It was all sent through mail order and you picked the titles from some special booklet. I'm almost positive that Chocolate & Cheese's side boob-baring album cover was what initially drew me in... mind you, I was 12-15 and the zany Ween logo/middle finger CD graphic really didn't hurt either. Honestly, I forget how I really felt about it @ the time, but a few years later, my older cousin Josh told me that Ween were this BIG college "jam band." CKY did some sort pf 93.3 radio takeover to promote their new album and played "Freedom of '76" late that night on air. Needless to say, I re-visited Chocolate & Cheese @ about 20-something this go 'round and I fucking loved it! Ween were really weird, yet talented... almost too talented. I can vaguel...

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