Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Friday, December 10, 2010
Cake Shop - Fryday December 10
Turns out we had to pull out of this show due to the early arrival of Jesse D'Stills baby. First show we ever canceled. The other bands kicked major ass.
Artwork by the incredible Brian Walsby.
Artwork by the incredible Brian Walsby.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
High Times Pot 40 - January 2011 issue
This is the 420th issue of High Times!! And check out 8:40 at #11, twice as good as 4:20, bro.
Lit Lounge, NYC Thursday 11/18/10
First gig in NYC in 3 years! Totally mint artwork by Labatts Santoro!
Set list: Mooche; Cable TV Eye; Speedcreep; Loaded, Loaded; I Don’t Wanna Listen To Yes; Don’t Panic, It’s Organic; Hempophobic; Cheep Beer, Dirt Weeed; Breakin Shit; High On The Cross.
Set list: Mooche; Cable TV Eye; Speedcreep; Loaded, Loaded; I Don’t Wanna Listen To Yes; Don’t Panic, It’s Organic; Hempophobic; Cheep Beer, Dirt Weeed; Breakin Shit; High On The Cross.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
"Foghat on Ketamine..."
England's The Sleeping Shaman is the "heavier than thou" webzine. Check out what almighty Ollie has to say about our split single with Stone Axe -
So you've heard the proverbial saying about the unlucky loser who falls into a barrel of tits and comes out sucking his thumb? Well, Ripple Music at the moment seem to be riding a wave of good fortune and would be capable of falling into a barrel of shit and coming out having a foursome with Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Anniston and Scarlet Johanssen such is the quality of their releases and the praise that is getting lavished on them.
7" singles have, of late, become something of a holy grail for the devout music lover; a short, sharp 2 track shock that delivers a tantalising snapshot of a bands capabilities on some sexy wax. Split singles, even more so offering up a track each with which to grab the attention before selling out of whatever limited run they may come in. This latest release from Ripple pulls together two of America's finest exponents of retro rocking goodness to tease and delight us.
Stone Axe have, over the last year or so, gained a reputation that is second to none as 70's rock revisionists with their note perfect and passionate repackaging of heavy retrogressive blues rock that draws on the vibes originally laid down by bands such as Free, Led Zep, Sabbath, Thin Lizzy et al. Who would have thought that their backwards thinking rock and roll would also take in the nascent metal of Judas Priest and the early NWOBHM bands. On "Metal Damage" (the title should have been a clue), Stone Axe have rolled up their sleeves, donned a studded wristband, stuck out their tongues and flexed a metal muscle that has lain pretty dormant in their sound until now. Imagine some classic "Stained Class" or "Hell Bent For Leather" Priest style metal coming within the radar of that Stone Axe sound. Dru Brinkerhoff's vocals retain their soulful vibe but the riffs of Tony Reed display a tougher bite that we may have come to expect. The groove remains rock solid but the claws are out. This is possibly the best lost song from the "Sad Wings Of Destiny" sessions!!!
Mighty High have never fully targeted their heroes' sound as diligently as Stone Axe in their take on classic rock and roll. Their own self definition of "Black Flag Railroad" pretty much sums them up. This is a vicious punk fuelled, weed ridden take on some classic boogie. Imagine if Status Quo had been brought up on hardcore while a drug crazed maniac rants over the top as if the cops are knocking on the door and his hash stash is about to get flushed!!! "Don't Panic, It's Organic" shows a tighter, thicker and meaner sound than their "...In Drug City" album and owes more to Foghat on Ketamine than The Circle Jerks on downers.
Two awesome bands, a truckload of awesome retro riffery and all on one shiny little black disc...kicking it old school and definitely essential.
http://www.thesleepingshaman.com/reviews/album/StoneAxe-MightyHigh.php
So you've heard the proverbial saying about the unlucky loser who falls into a barrel of tits and comes out sucking his thumb? Well, Ripple Music at the moment seem to be riding a wave of good fortune and would be capable of falling into a barrel of shit and coming out having a foursome with Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Anniston and Scarlet Johanssen such is the quality of their releases and the praise that is getting lavished on them.
7" singles have, of late, become something of a holy grail for the devout music lover; a short, sharp 2 track shock that delivers a tantalising snapshot of a bands capabilities on some sexy wax. Split singles, even more so offering up a track each with which to grab the attention before selling out of whatever limited run they may come in. This latest release from Ripple pulls together two of America's finest exponents of retro rocking goodness to tease and delight us.
Stone Axe have, over the last year or so, gained a reputation that is second to none as 70's rock revisionists with their note perfect and passionate repackaging of heavy retrogressive blues rock that draws on the vibes originally laid down by bands such as Free, Led Zep, Sabbath, Thin Lizzy et al. Who would have thought that their backwards thinking rock and roll would also take in the nascent metal of Judas Priest and the early NWOBHM bands. On "Metal Damage" (the title should have been a clue), Stone Axe have rolled up their sleeves, donned a studded wristband, stuck out their tongues and flexed a metal muscle that has lain pretty dormant in their sound until now. Imagine some classic "Stained Class" or "Hell Bent For Leather" Priest style metal coming within the radar of that Stone Axe sound. Dru Brinkerhoff's vocals retain their soulful vibe but the riffs of Tony Reed display a tougher bite that we may have come to expect. The groove remains rock solid but the claws are out. This is possibly the best lost song from the "Sad Wings Of Destiny" sessions!!!
Mighty High have never fully targeted their heroes' sound as diligently as Stone Axe in their take on classic rock and roll. Their own self definition of "Black Flag Railroad" pretty much sums them up. This is a vicious punk fuelled, weed ridden take on some classic boogie. Imagine if Status Quo had been brought up on hardcore while a drug crazed maniac rants over the top as if the cops are knocking on the door and his hash stash is about to get flushed!!! "Don't Panic, It's Organic" shows a tighter, thicker and meaner sound than their "...In Drug City" album and owes more to Foghat on Ketamine than The Circle Jerks on downers.
Two awesome bands, a truckload of awesome retro riffery and all on one shiny little black disc...kicking it old school and definitely essential.
http://www.thesleepingshaman.com/reviews/album/StoneAxe-MightyHigh.php
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
"Maybe you and your dad need to bond over a six-pack and some shitty weed."
Shane Mehling's review of the Mighty High/Stone Axe split 7" single in the December 2010 issue of Decibel magazine. Best bad review to date!
I am not into party rock, and this record’s definitely not going to change that for me. Here we have both lame ‘80’s metal worship (Stone Axe’s “Metal Damage”) and some mundane ‘70s rock/’80s hardcore hybrid (Mighty High’s “Don’t Panic It’s Organic”). This shit is just shallow and forgettable and not fun to listen to, but maybe you and your dad need to bond over a six-pack and some shitty weed. So, go for it.
I am not into party rock, and this record’s definitely not going to change that for me. Here we have both lame ‘80’s metal worship (Stone Axe’s “Metal Damage”) and some mundane ‘70s rock/’80s hardcore hybrid (Mighty High’s “Don’t Panic It’s Organic”). This shit is just shallow and forgettable and not fun to listen to, but maybe you and your dad need to bond over a six-pack and some shitty weed. So, go for it.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Concert review - "Loud in that basement, too."
JJ Koczan of The The Obelisk was nice enough to write a review of the HEAVY ROCK CONCERT that went down at the Charleston 9/24/10. He was also modest enough to neglect mentioning that his epic doom metal band Maegashira also played and kicked major ass.
If you’ve never been, the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn is to hipsters what the Ent forest is to orcs. They seem to just spring up out of the ground. It’s a nonstop fashion show of apathy, misdirected misogynist irony, and expensive beer. Good sushi, but you pay for it in more than just dollars. It’s like a theme park. Hipster Disneyland.
Nonetheless, for Mighty High, Cortez and The Crimson Electric, I’d gladly hoist my fat ass off the couch to brave such unwelcoming climes. Some band no one ever heard of opened the show at The Charleston, to which I’d only been once prior, to see Kings Destroy. It was now as it was a couple months ago: a basement with surprisingly good sound. Kind of like Lit Lounge in that way, but if dank and moist isn’t your thing, you probably weren’t going to the show anyway.
Mighty High gave the Stooges a stoner boot to the ass, debuting their new lineup, vocalist/guitarist Woody High and drummer Jesse D’Stills joined by new guitarist Kevin Overdose and bass player Labatts Santoro. The foursome ran through probably twice as many songs as anyone else played that night, hitting high marks with “Cable TV Eye,” “Breakin’ Shit” and the “prog rock epic,” “Yes Sucks.” It was the first time I’d ever seen them, and they didn’t disappoint in the slightest. Their music and their presentation is completely without pretense. They don’t dress up, don’t bullshit around, just play their songs and have a good time. Amazing that in a borough so full of assholes, there’s any room on the other end of the spectrum for Mighty High.
Loud in that basement, too. Kevin Overdose and Woody High split some vocal duties, but for the most part it was straight-ahead motion the whole time. And there was some motion. They had the best crowd of the night (being the hometown heroes) and you just can’t watch them and not enjoy yourself if you have anything even close to a sense of humor. This won’t be the last set of theirs I catch.
It had been a while since I’d seen Boston‘s Cortez — long enough for drummer Jeremy Hemond (also of Roadsaw) to get a haircut, anyway — and as always, it was a pleasure. Not only are they some of the nicest guys on earth, but they riff with an energy and crispness that makes me think of what it must have been like to see stoner rock when stoner rock was young. Their sound and style is more solid than ever, and as they said a new album was in the works, I can’t wait to hear it. I wonder who’s going to put it out…
They put a couple older songs in the mix, among them “Stone the Bastards” from the 2007 Thunder in a Forgotten Town EP, which I managed to capture for the video you can see below. It was kind of dark, but I think you can still get the idea. Scotty Fuse‘s riffs, Hemond‘s giant cymbals, Matt Harrington‘s vocals and Jay‘s bass all managed to balance out pretty well down there (though admittedly, there’s an awful lot of cymbal on that video), and their set, as always, was a highlight of the night.
The Crimson Electric were down a bass player as of about two weeks, and they struggled some because of it. Their solution to the issue was to run one of the guitars through a bass and guitar cabinet both to fill out the low end, and it actually worked pretty well to thicken the sound, but there were some technical issues that took some momentum out of their set. I don’t doubt they did the best they could with what they had, and they still rocked, so I’m certainly not about to complain.
That said, being the last band on stage at a show like that has one distinct disadvantage: you’ve already done a full night’s drinking when you start, and you still have to get through the material. There was some shit-talking from the stage and it very nearly crossed the fine line between friendly joshing and dickery, but everyone in the crowd, myself included, knew the deal, and at the end of the show, The Crimson Electric still sounded killer. I remembered how great they were at last year’s Stoner Hands of Doom in Maryland, and I’m sure once they get their lineup nailed down again they’ll have no trouble getting back there.
I got back to my humble river valley shortly after three and was up for maybe another hour. I’d managed (somehow) to stay sober, though I’d swear I saw some dudes taking beers out of their socks at the club. A little recession-special espionage. You do what you have to, I guess.
Good people, good tunes, good times. It’s nights like this, when the “scene” and the inherent politics thereof stay at the bar upstairs, that remind me why I love this music so much.
http://theobelisk.net/obelisk/2010/09/27/mightyhighcortezcrimsonelectricbrooklyn/
If you’ve never been, the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn is to hipsters what the Ent forest is to orcs. They seem to just spring up out of the ground. It’s a nonstop fashion show of apathy, misdirected misogynist irony, and expensive beer. Good sushi, but you pay for it in more than just dollars. It’s like a theme park. Hipster Disneyland.
Nonetheless, for Mighty High, Cortez and The Crimson Electric, I’d gladly hoist my fat ass off the couch to brave such unwelcoming climes. Some band no one ever heard of opened the show at The Charleston, to which I’d only been once prior, to see Kings Destroy. It was now as it was a couple months ago: a basement with surprisingly good sound. Kind of like Lit Lounge in that way, but if dank and moist isn’t your thing, you probably weren’t going to the show anyway.
Mighty High gave the Stooges a stoner boot to the ass, debuting their new lineup, vocalist/guitarist Woody High and drummer Jesse D’Stills joined by new guitarist Kevin Overdose and bass player Labatts Santoro. The foursome ran through probably twice as many songs as anyone else played that night, hitting high marks with “Cable TV Eye,” “Breakin’ Shit” and the “prog rock epic,” “Yes Sucks.” It was the first time I’d ever seen them, and they didn’t disappoint in the slightest. Their music and their presentation is completely without pretense. They don’t dress up, don’t bullshit around, just play their songs and have a good time. Amazing that in a borough so full of assholes, there’s any room on the other end of the spectrum for Mighty High.
Loud in that basement, too. Kevin Overdose and Woody High split some vocal duties, but for the most part it was straight-ahead motion the whole time. And there was some motion. They had the best crowd of the night (being the hometown heroes) and you just can’t watch them and not enjoy yourself if you have anything even close to a sense of humor. This won’t be the last set of theirs I catch.
It had been a while since I’d seen Boston‘s Cortez — long enough for drummer Jeremy Hemond (also of Roadsaw) to get a haircut, anyway — and as always, it was a pleasure. Not only are they some of the nicest guys on earth, but they riff with an energy and crispness that makes me think of what it must have been like to see stoner rock when stoner rock was young. Their sound and style is more solid than ever, and as they said a new album was in the works, I can’t wait to hear it. I wonder who’s going to put it out…
They put a couple older songs in the mix, among them “Stone the Bastards” from the 2007 Thunder in a Forgotten Town EP, which I managed to capture for the video you can see below. It was kind of dark, but I think you can still get the idea. Scotty Fuse‘s riffs, Hemond‘s giant cymbals, Matt Harrington‘s vocals and Jay‘s bass all managed to balance out pretty well down there (though admittedly, there’s an awful lot of cymbal on that video), and their set, as always, was a highlight of the night.
The Crimson Electric were down a bass player as of about two weeks, and they struggled some because of it. Their solution to the issue was to run one of the guitars through a bass and guitar cabinet both to fill out the low end, and it actually worked pretty well to thicken the sound, but there were some technical issues that took some momentum out of their set. I don’t doubt they did the best they could with what they had, and they still rocked, so I’m certainly not about to complain.
That said, being the last band on stage at a show like that has one distinct disadvantage: you’ve already done a full night’s drinking when you start, and you still have to get through the material. There was some shit-talking from the stage and it very nearly crossed the fine line between friendly joshing and dickery, but everyone in the crowd, myself included, knew the deal, and at the end of the show, The Crimson Electric still sounded killer. I remembered how great they were at last year’s Stoner Hands of Doom in Maryland, and I’m sure once they get their lineup nailed down again they’ll have no trouble getting back there.
I got back to my humble river valley shortly after three and was up for maybe another hour. I’d managed (somehow) to stay sober, though I’d swear I saw some dudes taking beers out of their socks at the club. A little recession-special espionage. You do what you have to, I guess.
Good people, good tunes, good times. It’s nights like this, when the “scene” and the inherent politics thereof stay at the bar upstairs, that remind me why I love this music so much.
http://theobelisk.net/obelisk/2010/09/27/mightyhighcortezcrimsonelectricbrooklyn/
Friday, September 24, 2010
Fryday Zeptember 24 - Mighty High Mk.IV debut at The Charleston, Brooklyn NY
First show from the new & best Mighty High line up ever. Fun, fun, fun show with Maegashira, Cortez and The Crimson Electric at the Charleston in Brooklyn.
Set list: Cable TV Eye; Albert Hofmann; Chemical Warpigs; Loaded Loaded; I Don't Wanna Listen To Yes; Don't Panic It's Organic; Hempophobic; Breakin' Shit; High On The Cross; Speedcreep.
Set list: Cable TV Eye; Albert Hofmann; Chemical Warpigs; Loaded Loaded; I Don't Wanna Listen To Yes; Don't Panic It's Organic; Hempophobic; Breakin' Shit; High On The Cross; Speedcreep.
Photos by Theo Wargo.
Monday, September 20, 2010
"Twin-guitar flamethrower rock with Detroit and Dictators overtones, with the wrestling schtick replaced by drug references..."
The I94 Bar is Australia's main hub for regressive rock. Check out their review of our Mighty High...Drops A Decuce 7" single -
Brooklyn's Mighty High delight in receiving lousy reviews and then using them as promo so I'm not going to give them the satisfaction. Like the long lost cousins of Sydney's Psychotic Turnbuckles they play twin-guitar flamethrower rock with Detroit and Dictators overtones, with the wrestling schtick replaced by drug references. "Hands Up!" (rest of the lyric: "If you want to get high") couldn't be more like the 'Tators, circa "Blood Brothers", if it tried. That's absolutely fine with me, overdubbed crowd sounds and all. "Cable TV Eye" is nearly as good. A band that sounds like it knows how to have a bleary-eyed good time.
http://www.i94bar.com/singlesbar.html
Brooklyn's Mighty High delight in receiving lousy reviews and then using them as promo so I'm not going to give them the satisfaction. Like the long lost cousins of Sydney's Psychotic Turnbuckles they play twin-guitar flamethrower rock with Detroit and Dictators overtones, with the wrestling schtick replaced by drug references. "Hands Up!" (rest of the lyric: "If you want to get high") couldn't be more like the 'Tators, circa "Blood Brothers", if it tried. That's absolutely fine with me, overdubbed crowd sounds and all. "Cable TV Eye" is nearly as good. A band that sounds like it knows how to have a bleary-eyed good time.
http://www.i94bar.com/singlesbar.html
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Thursday, September 9, 2010
"Gives Fu Manchu and Cheech and Chong an equal run for their money..."
Mike SOS strikes again! Check out his review from The Gears of Rock.
MIGHTY HIGH/ STONE AXE: SPLIT 7”
Immersed in yesteryear’s rock ‘n roll regalia, this two-song split CD offers a glimpse of retro rock done right courtesy of Brooklyn, NY stoner rock troupe Mighty High and NWOBHM by way of Oregon outfit Stone Axe. Up first is “Don’t Panic, It’s Organic” by the NYC crew that gives Fu Manchu and Cheech and Chong an equal run for their money, thanks to the gas-huffed riff chug over a swinging wrecking ball rhythm tearing down the walls. Next comes “Metal Damage”, a track bursting with old school flavor from the opening simple yet stomping bass line to the histrionic hard rock vocals and rough and tumble Priest-esque guitarwork. If you like to rock, this might be the best 7:24 investment you’ve ever made. www.ripple-music.com
http://gearsofrock.com/2010/09/09/sos-metal-reviews-white-chapel-a-new-era-of-corruption-soilwork-the-panic-broadcast-kingdom-of-sorrow-behind-the-blackest-tears-and-more/
MIGHTY HIGH/ STONE AXE: SPLIT 7”
Immersed in yesteryear’s rock ‘n roll regalia, this two-song split CD offers a glimpse of retro rock done right courtesy of Brooklyn, NY stoner rock troupe Mighty High and NWOBHM by way of Oregon outfit Stone Axe. Up first is “Don’t Panic, It’s Organic” by the NYC crew that gives Fu Manchu and Cheech and Chong an equal run for their money, thanks to the gas-huffed riff chug over a swinging wrecking ball rhythm tearing down the walls. Next comes “Metal Damage”, a track bursting with old school flavor from the opening simple yet stomping bass line to the histrionic hard rock vocals and rough and tumble Priest-esque guitarwork. If you like to rock, this might be the best 7:24 investment you’ve ever made. www.ripple-music.com
http://gearsofrock.com/2010/09/09/sos-metal-reviews-white-chapel-a-new-era-of-corruption-soilwork-the-panic-broadcast-kingdom-of-sorrow-behind-the-blackest-tears-and-more/
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
High Times Pot 40 - Rocktober 2010
# 2 on the Rocktober 2010 chart. Send your votes to pot40@hightimes.com
Saturday, July 31, 2010
"MC5 pissing on Black Flag while Montrose jerk off in the corner"
From the UK music blog The Sleeping Shaman and written by Ollie of the awesome boogie band Grifter. Thanks bro!
OK time for a quick bit of self realisation. Hands up who, for the most part, leads a fairly mundane existence? You know the type of thing; get up in the morning way too early, spend the best part of the day working a shitty job that's a million miles away from the dreams you had for yourself then come home too tired and too fried by the bullshit machine to be bothered to do anything with your evenings. You earn enough to pay your rent/mortgage, your bills and food...etc but Friday night is annihilation time!!! Friday night comes, you have some cash in your pocket and it's time to unwind, let loose, kick up some dust and for a few precious hours forget who you are. Mighty High are the musical equivalent of that Friday night buzz!!!
Rock and roll has always been about escapism, whether it's the fantasy epics of the late and very great Ronnie James Dio, or the fuck fantasies of David Coverdale (or maybe there true stories!!!). At the other end of the scale we have the drug antics of Mighty High. Now I'm not going to comment on the moral implications of glorifying drugs but I will say that I wholeheartedly endorse the glorification of rock and roll in all its forms and the lifestyle that goes with it. In terms of attitude and especially the music, Mighty High are the epitome of rock and roll at its best.
Classing their sound as "Black Flag Railroad" these New York boys kick up a raucous blast of retrogressive punk and roll that evokes the spirit of MC5 pissing on Black Flag while Montrose jerk off in the corner. "Cable TV Eye" is a straight up head down rock and roll charge that takes the Stooges blueprint and fucks it up the ass with a pound of speed while the veins bulge on vocalist Woody's forehead. Flip this sickly blue piece of plastic over and you get the "live" version of "Hands Up". This is live in the same sense as Judas Priest's "Unleashed In The East" and Thin Lizzy's "Live And Dangerous" were completely live...unless the band really did get Jim Dandy from Black Oak Arkansas to introduce them at a gig and provide a mid song rant!!! Whatever, it's another example of the High at their obnoxious, belligerent rock and roll best.
Mighty High don't want to change the world...I suspect if Bono turned up at one of their gigs he'd be on the wrong end of a good kicking (someone please send him tickets!!!). What they want to do is entertain you, give you that much needed chance to turn off your brain and release the shit that piles up in an every day existence and for that reason alone, Mighty High are utterly and unequivocally essential!!!
http://www.thesleepingshaman.com/reviews/album/mightyhigh_dropsadeuce.php
OK time for a quick bit of self realisation. Hands up who, for the most part, leads a fairly mundane existence? You know the type of thing; get up in the morning way too early, spend the best part of the day working a shitty job that's a million miles away from the dreams you had for yourself then come home too tired and too fried by the bullshit machine to be bothered to do anything with your evenings. You earn enough to pay your rent/mortgage, your bills and food...etc but Friday night is annihilation time!!! Friday night comes, you have some cash in your pocket and it's time to unwind, let loose, kick up some dust and for a few precious hours forget who you are. Mighty High are the musical equivalent of that Friday night buzz!!!
Rock and roll has always been about escapism, whether it's the fantasy epics of the late and very great Ronnie James Dio, or the fuck fantasies of David Coverdale (or maybe there true stories!!!). At the other end of the scale we have the drug antics of Mighty High. Now I'm not going to comment on the moral implications of glorifying drugs but I will say that I wholeheartedly endorse the glorification of rock and roll in all its forms and the lifestyle that goes with it. In terms of attitude and especially the music, Mighty High are the epitome of rock and roll at its best.
Classing their sound as "Black Flag Railroad" these New York boys kick up a raucous blast of retrogressive punk and roll that evokes the spirit of MC5 pissing on Black Flag while Montrose jerk off in the corner. "Cable TV Eye" is a straight up head down rock and roll charge that takes the Stooges blueprint and fucks it up the ass with a pound of speed while the veins bulge on vocalist Woody's forehead. Flip this sickly blue piece of plastic over and you get the "live" version of "Hands Up". This is live in the same sense as Judas Priest's "Unleashed In The East" and Thin Lizzy's "Live And Dangerous" were completely live...unless the band really did get Jim Dandy from Black Oak Arkansas to introduce them at a gig and provide a mid song rant!!! Whatever, it's another example of the High at their obnoxious, belligerent rock and roll best.
Mighty High don't want to change the world...I suspect if Bono turned up at one of their gigs he'd be on the wrong end of a good kicking (someone please send him tickets!!!). What they want to do is entertain you, give you that much needed chance to turn off your brain and release the shit that piles up in an every day existence and for that reason alone, Mighty High are utterly and unequivocally essential!!!
http://www.thesleepingshaman.com/reviews/album/mightyhigh_dropsadeuce.php
Monday, July 19, 2010
"Don't Panic It's Organic"
Take a listen to our song from the new split 7" with Stone Axe. Order your copy from ripple-music.com while supplies last.
Friday, July 16, 2010
"They are a band you put on and get stupid to."
From JJ Koczan’s excellent music blog The Obelisk -
Time-wise, it’s a short blip of a release, but the new split 7” single between Port Orchard, Washington, rock resurrectionists Stone Axe and green-thumbed Brooklyn, New York, stoner punkers Mighty High has much more to give the listener than its seven-plus minutes would indicate. The offering, released by Ripple Music, brings together two seemingly disparate bands with two very different missions, who nonetheless work well in a row because listening to each one serves so specific a purpose. It’s short, but for anyone who hasn’t yet experienced either, Metal Damage/Don’t Panic it’s Organic is a great way to be introduced to two bands who most definitely are worth your time.
And if you have heard either band before now, you don’t need me to tell you whose song is “Metal Damage” and whose is “Don’t Panic it’s Organic.”
Present for Stone Axe on “Metal Damage” is the core duo of multi-instrumentalist and recent Obelisk interviewee T. Dallas Reed and vocalist Dru Brinkerhoff. To compare the track to Stone Axe’s recent full-length, Stone Axe II, “Metal Damage” is heavier in a traditional sense and, as you might guess, pretty metal. One of the best parts of listening to Stone Axe is picking out the influences on display – in that way they’re very much a band for music nerds – and here they pair Judas Priest’s driving rhythms and Holy Diver-era Dio riffing with an early Ozzy Osbourne (think Bob Daisley) bass line that’s just killer throughout the short, straightforward 3:41 song. Brinkerhoff does the lion’s share of tying “Metal Damage” to Stone Axe’s prior output – he’s a rock vocalist here almost in spite of himself – and the song in no way sounds flat for having just the two of them recording it. As ever with Reed’s recordings, you get a full band sound whether or not you get a full band.
If one listens to Stone Axe to hear the roots of rock, then Mighty High were born and bred for sheer enjoyment. They are not a band you think about, not a band you sit and pick apart. They are a band you put on and get stupid to. As on their last single, Mighty High Drops a Deuce, and on their In Drug City, on “Don’t Panic it’s Organic,” they offer unbridled, immature fun. I never really understood why they cited Grand Funk Railroad as an influence next to bands like The Stooges and Black Flag, but listening to their half of Metal Damage/Don’t Panic it’s Organic, I think I finally get it. There are some sonic commonalities, okay, but more than that, it’s the unabashed, unashamed joy Mighty High have in their playing that links the two bands, vocalist/guitarist Woody High managing not to laugh as he delivers what he has to know are silly lyrics while guitarist Kevin Overdose, (new) bassist Labatts Santoro and drummer Jesse D’Stills jam furiously behind. If Mighty High have invented a genre, let it be known as “reckless rock.”
Like I said, two very different bands, but they seem to enjoy each other’s company well enough on Metal Damage/Don’t Panic it’s Organic, and listening to the tracks, I find I’m enjoying their enjoyment. Neither band asks much of their listeners, neither band comes even close to anything pretentious in their music, and both seem thrilled at the chance to contribute a catchy-as-hell track to this split. Maybe they’re not so different after all.
http://theobelisk.net/obelisk/2010/07/16/mightyhighstoneaxereview/
Time-wise, it’s a short blip of a release, but the new split 7” single between Port Orchard, Washington, rock resurrectionists Stone Axe and green-thumbed Brooklyn, New York, stoner punkers Mighty High has much more to give the listener than its seven-plus minutes would indicate. The offering, released by Ripple Music, brings together two seemingly disparate bands with two very different missions, who nonetheless work well in a row because listening to each one serves so specific a purpose. It’s short, but for anyone who hasn’t yet experienced either, Metal Damage/Don’t Panic it’s Organic is a great way to be introduced to two bands who most definitely are worth your time.
And if you have heard either band before now, you don’t need me to tell you whose song is “Metal Damage” and whose is “Don’t Panic it’s Organic.”
Present for Stone Axe on “Metal Damage” is the core duo of multi-instrumentalist and recent Obelisk interviewee T. Dallas Reed and vocalist Dru Brinkerhoff. To compare the track to Stone Axe’s recent full-length, Stone Axe II, “Metal Damage” is heavier in a traditional sense and, as you might guess, pretty metal. One of the best parts of listening to Stone Axe is picking out the influences on display – in that way they’re very much a band for music nerds – and here they pair Judas Priest’s driving rhythms and Holy Diver-era Dio riffing with an early Ozzy Osbourne (think Bob Daisley) bass line that’s just killer throughout the short, straightforward 3:41 song. Brinkerhoff does the lion’s share of tying “Metal Damage” to Stone Axe’s prior output – he’s a rock vocalist here almost in spite of himself – and the song in no way sounds flat for having just the two of them recording it. As ever with Reed’s recordings, you get a full band sound whether or not you get a full band.
If one listens to Stone Axe to hear the roots of rock, then Mighty High were born and bred for sheer enjoyment. They are not a band you think about, not a band you sit and pick apart. They are a band you put on and get stupid to. As on their last single, Mighty High Drops a Deuce, and on their In Drug City, on “Don’t Panic it’s Organic,” they offer unbridled, immature fun. I never really understood why they cited Grand Funk Railroad as an influence next to bands like The Stooges and Black Flag, but listening to their half of Metal Damage/Don’t Panic it’s Organic, I think I finally get it. There are some sonic commonalities, okay, but more than that, it’s the unabashed, unashamed joy Mighty High have in their playing that links the two bands, vocalist/guitarist Woody High managing not to laugh as he delivers what he has to know are silly lyrics while guitarist Kevin Overdose, (new) bassist Labatts Santoro and drummer Jesse D’Stills jam furiously behind. If Mighty High have invented a genre, let it be known as “reckless rock.”
Like I said, two very different bands, but they seem to enjoy each other’s company well enough on Metal Damage/Don’t Panic it’s Organic, and listening to the tracks, I find I’m enjoying their enjoyment. Neither band asks much of their listeners, neither band comes even close to anything pretentious in their music, and both seem thrilled at the chance to contribute a catchy-as-hell track to this split. Maybe they’re not so different after all.
http://theobelisk.net/obelisk/2010/07/16/mightyhighstoneaxereview/
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Official 2010 biography
Mighty High, Brooklyn’s #1 regressive rock act, is thrilled to announce a new split 7” single with fellow mid-tempo heavy rock preservationists Stone Axe. Released in July, 2010 on the Ripple Music record label, Stone Axe contributes the outstanding “Metal Damage,” the best song Judas Priest never wrote in 1978. Mighty High’s song “Don’t Panic, It’s Organic” expands on their patented Black Flag Railroad assault and adds elements of Rose Tattoo and Sonic’s Rendezvous Band. Supplies are extremely limited and only available from ripple-music.com.
This new single is the follow up to the beloved Mighty High Drops A Deuce 7” issued November, 2009 (“Cable TV Eye” b/w “Hands Up!”) and 2008’s full length CD Mighty High…In Drug City, all released on the bands home grown label Mint Deluxe Tapes. Both records have been praised by guys over 40 who spend a lot of time exploring Tommy Bolin’s discography. Mighty High have been profiled in publications such as Classic Rock, Revolver, Julian Cope’s Head Heritage website and are consistently voted into the monthly High Times Pot 40 readers poll. (See below for exciting pull quotes!)
2010 has brought about some new and exciting changes for Mighty High. Woody High (guitar/voices) and Jesse D’Stills (drums) are now joined by powerhouse bassist Labatts Santoro and the criminally insanely talented guitarist Kevin Overdose to create the ultimate Mighty High line up. This edition of the band is so powerful that they are now able to perform outside of the NYC area for the first time ever. They are also hard at work on writing new songs for their next album, including the instant classic “I Don’t Wanna Listen To Yes.” Even more exciting is the fact that the band now uses a 4x12 speaker cabinet covered in white shag carpeting that was previously owned and operated by FOGHAT!
A power trio trapped in the body of a quartet, the band was formed in 2002 by Woody High out of sheer necessity. Mighty High existed as a band name, concept and denim jacket long before a single note of music was ever played. In fact, when Woody came up with the band name he couldn’t even play guitar (and still can’t). After years of bragging how great his band would be, his friends challenged him to put up or shut up.
This new single is the follow up to the beloved Mighty High Drops A Deuce 7” issued November, 2009 (“Cable TV Eye” b/w “Hands Up!”) and 2008’s full length CD Mighty High…In Drug City, all released on the bands home grown label Mint Deluxe Tapes. Both records have been praised by guys over 40 who spend a lot of time exploring Tommy Bolin’s discography. Mighty High have been profiled in publications such as Classic Rock, Revolver, Julian Cope’s Head Heritage website and are consistently voted into the monthly High Times Pot 40 readers poll. (See below for exciting pull quotes!)
2010 has brought about some new and exciting changes for Mighty High. Woody High (guitar/voices) and Jesse D’Stills (drums) are now joined by powerhouse bassist Labatts Santoro and the criminally insanely talented guitarist Kevin Overdose to create the ultimate Mighty High line up. This edition of the band is so powerful that they are now able to perform outside of the NYC area for the first time ever. They are also hard at work on writing new songs for their next album, including the instant classic “I Don’t Wanna Listen To Yes.” Even more exciting is the fact that the band now uses a 4x12 speaker cabinet covered in white shag carpeting that was previously owned and operated by FOGHAT!
A power trio trapped in the body of a quartet, the band was formed in 2002 by Woody High out of sheer necessity. Mighty High existed as a band name, concept and denim jacket long before a single note of music was ever played. In fact, when Woody came up with the band name he couldn’t even play guitar (and still can’t). After years of bragging how great his band would be, his friends challenged him to put up or shut up.
“Well Ripple Music have a gem on their hands. This 7″ split between Washington’s Stone Axe and New York’s Mighty High have paired the two for an awesome set of tunes.” – The Soda Shop
“Mighty High’s ‘Don’t Panic, It’s Organic’ is classic – there’s nobody better at making fun of wretched metal excess. This is a fast number, Aerosmith’s Mama Kin as Motorhead might have done it.” – Lucid Culture
“’Cable TV Eye’ is full-on stoner paranoia propelled by riffs they learned from hard rock leaning punk bands like Gang Green or the Circle Jerks in the mid-to-late 80s. ‘Hands Up!’ is like a pep rally at a Texas high school if pot was the football team.” - Rock and Roll and Meandering Nonsense
“Self-styled ‘regressive rock’ marijuaniacs Mighty High of Brooklyn reel off a primo green riffer for the masses.” – Arthur Magazine
“Mighty High…In Drug City effortlessly surfs the tsunami thrown up by AC/DC’s Let There Be Rock-period as though redirected through Grand Funk.” – Julian Cope, Head Heritage
“Positively relentless and gorgeous in its shameless vulgarity. Awesome.” – Classic Rock Magazine (June 2008)
“As the name suggests, their cues come from whatever chemicals they’ve just ingested, but near-lethal doses of MC5, Blue Cheer and Grand Funk contribute to the chaos as well.- Classic Rock Magazine (October 2008)
"Fucking insidious drug-punk riff shift combo veering between 1971 (The MC5's High Time) and uh... 1971 (Grand Funk's E Pluribus Funk).” - Craig Regala, Lollipop
“Sounds like Black Flag tokin', snortin', and shootin' up with Grand Funk Railroad.” – Revolver Magazine
“It’s more than just a clever name — these dudes are seriously fucked up.” - JJ Koczan, The Obelisk
"Mighty High basically sounds like a classic rock cover band who decided to take their cues on what was cool from a couple of fourteen-year-old stoners with leather jackets and a Steve Miller fixation." - Razorcake
“Bought it, played it and didn't like it...oh well, its not the first time!” – Amazon.com customer review
“Mighty High’s ‘Don’t Panic, It’s Organic’ is classic – there’s nobody better at making fun of wretched metal excess. This is a fast number, Aerosmith’s Mama Kin as Motorhead might have done it.” – Lucid Culture
“’Cable TV Eye’ is full-on stoner paranoia propelled by riffs they learned from hard rock leaning punk bands like Gang Green or the Circle Jerks in the mid-to-late 80s. ‘Hands Up!’ is like a pep rally at a Texas high school if pot was the football team.” - Rock and Roll and Meandering Nonsense
“Self-styled ‘regressive rock’ marijuaniacs Mighty High of Brooklyn reel off a primo green riffer for the masses.” – Arthur Magazine
“Mighty High…In Drug City effortlessly surfs the tsunami thrown up by AC/DC’s Let There Be Rock-period as though redirected through Grand Funk.” – Julian Cope, Head Heritage
“Positively relentless and gorgeous in its shameless vulgarity. Awesome.” – Classic Rock Magazine (June 2008)
“As the name suggests, their cues come from whatever chemicals they’ve just ingested, but near-lethal doses of MC5, Blue Cheer and Grand Funk contribute to the chaos as well.- Classic Rock Magazine (October 2008)
"Fucking insidious drug-punk riff shift combo veering between 1971 (The MC5's High Time) and uh... 1971 (Grand Funk's E Pluribus Funk).” - Craig Regala, Lollipop
“Sounds like Black Flag tokin', snortin', and shootin' up with Grand Funk Railroad.” – Revolver Magazine
“It’s more than just a clever name — these dudes are seriously fucked up.” - JJ Koczan, The Obelisk
"Mighty High basically sounds like a classic rock cover band who decided to take their cues on what was cool from a couple of fourteen-year-old stoners with leather jackets and a Steve Miller fixation." - Razorcake
“Bought it, played it and didn't like it...oh well, its not the first time!” – Amazon.com customer review
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
High Times Pot 40 - Zeptember 2010
# 5 on the Zeptember 2010 chart. Beware of the bogus Mighty High at #15, but "doing bowls on the bowl" at #13 is cool. Send your votes to pot40@hightimes.com
Monday, July 12, 2010
"Sounds more like they’re on speed than smoking pot"
Bob Vinyl is a hard man to impress. Check out his review from Rock and Roll and Meandering Nonsense -
Stoner rock always conjures up images of slow, sludgy tunes played in dark, smoky rooms…but it isn’t always like that. The bands on this split EP are perfect examples. Stone Axe’s “Metal Damage” is a mid-paced tune that mixes metal heaviness with a 70s hard rock groove. It has more punch and a cleaner sound than the stoner rock for which they’ve become known. Still, Stone Axe’s identity is clear and the departure isn’t drastic enough to confuse fans. They make no sacrifices with this slight change of direction. While “Metal Damage” draws heavily on sounds from 25 to 30 years ago, it isn’t stuck there.
Mighty High returns to filter the MC5 through Gang Green once again. “Don’t Panic, It’s Organic” is yet another ode to the supposed virtues of cannabis (and perhaps organic farming) that sounds more like they’re on speed than smoking pot. How does a song like this appeal to a guy who gets as big a charge out of being sober as the boys in Mighty High do out of being stoned? It’s just fun. Pure, unadulterated fun. Best of all, the fun and tunes just get better and better with each release. It doesn’t hurt that Mighty High’s artwork is once again supplied by that son of R. Crumb, Wayne Braino Bjerke. Great package, great tunes! Don’t miss it!
Ratings
Stone Axe
Satriani: 7/10
Zappa: 6/10
Dylan: 7/10
Aretha: 7/10
Overall: 7/10
Mighty High
Satriani: 6/10
Zappa: 7/10
Dylan: 7/10
Aretha: 8/10
Overall: 8/10
http://www.rnrnonsense.com/1235/review-stone-axemighty-high-split-7-inch/
Stoner rock always conjures up images of slow, sludgy tunes played in dark, smoky rooms…but it isn’t always like that. The bands on this split EP are perfect examples. Stone Axe’s “Metal Damage” is a mid-paced tune that mixes metal heaviness with a 70s hard rock groove. It has more punch and a cleaner sound than the stoner rock for which they’ve become known. Still, Stone Axe’s identity is clear and the departure isn’t drastic enough to confuse fans. They make no sacrifices with this slight change of direction. While “Metal Damage” draws heavily on sounds from 25 to 30 years ago, it isn’t stuck there.
Mighty High returns to filter the MC5 through Gang Green once again. “Don’t Panic, It’s Organic” is yet another ode to the supposed virtues of cannabis (and perhaps organic farming) that sounds more like they’re on speed than smoking pot. How does a song like this appeal to a guy who gets as big a charge out of being sober as the boys in Mighty High do out of being stoned? It’s just fun. Pure, unadulterated fun. Best of all, the fun and tunes just get better and better with each release. It doesn’t hurt that Mighty High’s artwork is once again supplied by that son of R. Crumb, Wayne Braino Bjerke. Great package, great tunes! Don’t miss it!
Ratings
Stone Axe
Satriani: 7/10
Zappa: 6/10
Dylan: 7/10
Aretha: 7/10
Overall: 7/10
Mighty High
Satriani: 6/10
Zappa: 7/10
Dylan: 7/10
Aretha: 8/10
Overall: 8/10
http://www.rnrnonsense.com/1235/review-stone-axemighty-high-split-7-inch/
Thursday, July 1, 2010
"Weed isn’t mentioned specifically..."
The Soda Shop has a good point -
Well Ripple Music have a gem on their hands. This upcoming 7″ split between Washington’s Stone Axe and New York’s Mighty High have paired the two for an awesome set of tunes.
First, Stone Axe delivers the goods once again. The song, “Metal Damage” is a throw back to classic Judas Priest from the later 70′s to early 80′s. Any fan of Stone Axe knows that both Tony and Dru are the best duo around to preserving music from the 70′s. This song is no exception.
Next up is Mighty High, a stoner rock band from New York. The vocalist, Woody is also a reviewer for The Ripple-Effect blog. These NY stoners really rock with their contribution “Don’t Panic It’s Organic.” It’s more of a fast paced, almost punk like rock song. Most of Mighty High’s songs are about weed. Weed isn’t mentioned specifically in the song but we all know what it’s about. You don’t even need to be on weed to enjoy it either. You can listen to the track by clicking on the band’s Myspace link below.
This split is the first for Ripple-Music. Those lucky guys got two great bands to start what could be a promising line of split 7″ records. The split isn’t available until July 7th but can be pre ordered for $5.99 on the Ripple-Music webstore. Get yours today.
http://thesodashop.wordpress.com/2010/07/01/review-stone-axemighty-high-7-split/
Well Ripple Music have a gem on their hands. This upcoming 7″ split between Washington’s Stone Axe and New York’s Mighty High have paired the two for an awesome set of tunes.
First, Stone Axe delivers the goods once again. The song, “Metal Damage” is a throw back to classic Judas Priest from the later 70′s to early 80′s. Any fan of Stone Axe knows that both Tony and Dru are the best duo around to preserving music from the 70′s. This song is no exception.
Next up is Mighty High, a stoner rock band from New York. The vocalist, Woody is also a reviewer for The Ripple-Effect blog. These NY stoners really rock with their contribution “Don’t Panic It’s Organic.” It’s more of a fast paced, almost punk like rock song. Most of Mighty High’s songs are about weed. Weed isn’t mentioned specifically in the song but we all know what it’s about. You don’t even need to be on weed to enjoy it either. You can listen to the track by clicking on the band’s Myspace link below.
This split is the first for Ripple-Music. Those lucky guys got two great bands to start what could be a promising line of split 7″ records. The split isn’t available until July 7th but can be pre ordered for $5.99 on the Ripple-Music webstore. Get yours today.
http://thesodashop.wordpress.com/2010/07/01/review-stone-axemighty-high-7-split/
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
"They both make me want to pull out..."
Metal Mark's Heavy Metal Time Machine weighs in -
Sometime I get kind of cautious about split albums. Sometimes it's because I am only into one of the bands and don't want to hear material by a band I am not interested. Other times I am apprehensive because if it's good I know I will regret that I didn't get more than a a sampling from each band. Newcomers Ripple Music managed to get highly explosive bands onto a 7" with each act contributing a track. Stone Axe are lead by Mos Generator's Tony Reed. They have been extremely busy knocking out three albums in less than two years. For this release they have recorded "Metal Damage". This track has me thinking of pre-Stained class Judas Priest. The kind of mid-1970's metal where band's kind of took their time and built up the sound with a steady boil of activity. This is slightly heavier than I am used from these guys, but obviously it's a style that they enjoy and that shows through. It's good to see them expanding some and this is an approach that works for them as well.
Now as good as the Stone Axe song is I think that the Mighty High's track "Don't panic it's organic" is even better. The main riff is huge and dripping with 1970's fuzzed out goodness. This is the perfect tune for playing about two minutes after 5:00 on a Friday as you race home for weekend with the windows blasting this out your windows for all to hear. They hit this one right out of the park as just sounds like it came so easy for them to crank out this monster. So without a doubt both bands deliver the goods on this album. Most importantly each song was so good that I did feel that I got plenty from each band. Okay, they both make me want to pull out their other material to hear more, but that's a good thing too.
http://metalmark.blogspot.com/2010/06/stone-axemighty-high-7.html
Sometime I get kind of cautious about split albums. Sometimes it's because I am only into one of the bands and don't want to hear material by a band I am not interested. Other times I am apprehensive because if it's good I know I will regret that I didn't get more than a a sampling from each band. Newcomers Ripple Music managed to get highly explosive bands onto a 7" with each act contributing a track. Stone Axe are lead by Mos Generator's Tony Reed. They have been extremely busy knocking out three albums in less than two years. For this release they have recorded "Metal Damage". This track has me thinking of pre-Stained class Judas Priest. The kind of mid-1970's metal where band's kind of took their time and built up the sound with a steady boil of activity. This is slightly heavier than I am used from these guys, but obviously it's a style that they enjoy and that shows through. It's good to see them expanding some and this is an approach that works for them as well.
Now as good as the Stone Axe song is I think that the Mighty High's track "Don't panic it's organic" is even better. The main riff is huge and dripping with 1970's fuzzed out goodness. This is the perfect tune for playing about two minutes after 5:00 on a Friday as you race home for weekend with the windows blasting this out your windows for all to hear. They hit this one right out of the park as just sounds like it came so easy for them to crank out this monster. So without a doubt both bands deliver the goods on this album. Most importantly each song was so good that I did feel that I got plenty from each band. Okay, they both make me want to pull out their other material to hear more, but that's a good thing too.
http://metalmark.blogspot.com/2010/06/stone-axemighty-high-7.html
Monday, June 28, 2010
"I personally prefer the more stately ‘Metal damage’..."
This is what Sonic Abuse has to say -
A split 7” used to be the way to discover new music. Split records such as the legendary Nirvana/Jesus Lizard disc or the Mudhoney/Sonic Youth were classic ways for fans of the emergent punk/grunge/art-rock wave from the US to check out a couple of unfamiliar names at the same time. Here we have a split from two retro-styled bands who are heavily into ingesting huge quantities of a certain herb if their music is anything to go by and neither side disappoints.
First up is Stone Axe who provide the distinctly Led Zeppelin (filtered through a mid-tempo Iron Maiden plod) sounding ‘metal Damage’ (an inspired title if ever there was one). It’s a relatively short track, but it is pure old-school metal sung with passion and conviction (the singer is somewhere between Robert Plant and Rob Halford) and played with a power that is sadly rare these days. Throw in a decent solo and what you have is a four minute track (well, 3.41 for pedants) that will leave you lusting for more if an ounce of rock and roll spirit throbs in your veins.
The opposite side (which comes with spectacularly lurid artwork) sees the equally fantastically titled ‘don’t panic, it’s organic’ by Mighty High kicking off a stoned punk squall that sounds like Queens of the Stone Age playing Rancid Covers (indeed the singer sounds suspiciously similar to Tim Armstrong) but with a production that Josh Homme frequently aims for but never quite attains (try playing this against the excellent, but weedy-sounding ‘Regular John’ and you’ll see what I mean).
While I personally prefer the more stately ‘Metal damage’ both tracks are well worth your time and money and it’s hard to imagine rock fans not wanting to track down at least one of the albums by these fantastic bands. Either way with two bands of this quality on one release this is something of a must-have.
http://www.sonicabuse.com/2010/06/stone-axemighty-high-split-7-review/
A split 7” used to be the way to discover new music. Split records such as the legendary Nirvana/Jesus Lizard disc or the Mudhoney/Sonic Youth were classic ways for fans of the emergent punk/grunge/art-rock wave from the US to check out a couple of unfamiliar names at the same time. Here we have a split from two retro-styled bands who are heavily into ingesting huge quantities of a certain herb if their music is anything to go by and neither side disappoints.
First up is Stone Axe who provide the distinctly Led Zeppelin (filtered through a mid-tempo Iron Maiden plod) sounding ‘metal Damage’ (an inspired title if ever there was one). It’s a relatively short track, but it is pure old-school metal sung with passion and conviction (the singer is somewhere between Robert Plant and Rob Halford) and played with a power that is sadly rare these days. Throw in a decent solo and what you have is a four minute track (well, 3.41 for pedants) that will leave you lusting for more if an ounce of rock and roll spirit throbs in your veins.
The opposite side (which comes with spectacularly lurid artwork) sees the equally fantastically titled ‘don’t panic, it’s organic’ by Mighty High kicking off a stoned punk squall that sounds like Queens of the Stone Age playing Rancid Covers (indeed the singer sounds suspiciously similar to Tim Armstrong) but with a production that Josh Homme frequently aims for but never quite attains (try playing this against the excellent, but weedy-sounding ‘Regular John’ and you’ll see what I mean).
While I personally prefer the more stately ‘Metal damage’ both tracks are well worth your time and money and it’s hard to imagine rock fans not wanting to track down at least one of the albums by these fantastic bands. Either way with two bands of this quality on one release this is something of a must-have.
http://www.sonicabuse.com/2010/06/stone-axemighty-high-split-7-review/
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
"Wretched Metal Excess"
Great review from the snobs at Lucid Culture -
Seven Sick Inches of Mighty High and Stone Axe
“Brooklyn’s #1 regressive rockers,” Mighty High have a brand-new split 7″ with fellow 70s metalheads Stone Axe and it’s a blast of skunky hydroponic smoke, perfect for dropping on what’s left of your brain. It’s impossible not to crack an illegal smile when you hear this. Metal Damage by Stone Axe sets Drew Brinkerhoff’s woozy/silly David Lee Roth-ish vocals over your basic mid-70s riffage: Kiss might have sounded this good if they’d ever learned how to play their instruments. A smoldering cherry of a guitar solo turns into a twin solo – Hotel California, here we come! Stone Axe are actually a much more diverse band than this would indicate, in fact one of the best retro metal acts around, with a new album due out sometime in the fall.
Mighty High’s Don’t Panic, It’s Organic is classic – there’s nobody better at making fun of wretched metal excess. This is a fast number, Aerosmith’s Mama Kin as Motorhead might have done it. When the lead guitar blurts out of the break before the last verse like a belch that couldn’t be contained, it’s priceless. And of course you gotta have a pickslide! Sweetest thing about this is that it’s on vinyl, with all the low end and sonic yumminess you can’t get from a cd or mp3. Scheduled for release in July at independent stores who have the good taste (well, sort of) to carry music like this, it’ll also be available from Mighty High, Stone Axe (currently on west coast tour, where the single is already onsale) and from Ripple Music, who are already taking pre-orders.
http://lucidculture.wordpress.com/2010/06/23/seven-sick-inches-of-mighty-high-and-stone-axe/
Seven Sick Inches of Mighty High and Stone Axe
“Brooklyn’s #1 regressive rockers,” Mighty High have a brand-new split 7″ with fellow 70s metalheads Stone Axe and it’s a blast of skunky hydroponic smoke, perfect for dropping on what’s left of your brain. It’s impossible not to crack an illegal smile when you hear this. Metal Damage by Stone Axe sets Drew Brinkerhoff’s woozy/silly David Lee Roth-ish vocals over your basic mid-70s riffage: Kiss might have sounded this good if they’d ever learned how to play their instruments. A smoldering cherry of a guitar solo turns into a twin solo – Hotel California, here we come! Stone Axe are actually a much more diverse band than this would indicate, in fact one of the best retro metal acts around, with a new album due out sometime in the fall.
Mighty High’s Don’t Panic, It’s Organic is classic – there’s nobody better at making fun of wretched metal excess. This is a fast number, Aerosmith’s Mama Kin as Motorhead might have done it. When the lead guitar blurts out of the break before the last verse like a belch that couldn’t be contained, it’s priceless. And of course you gotta have a pickslide! Sweetest thing about this is that it’s on vinyl, with all the low end and sonic yumminess you can’t get from a cd or mp3. Scheduled for release in July at independent stores who have the good taste (well, sort of) to carry music like this, it’ll also be available from Mighty High, Stone Axe (currently on west coast tour, where the single is already onsale) and from Ripple Music, who are already taking pre-orders.
http://lucidculture.wordpress.com/2010/06/23/seven-sick-inches-of-mighty-high-and-stone-axe/
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
What have we done wrong?
Razorcake described our first album as sounding like "fourteen-year-old stoners with leather jackets and a Steve Miller fixation" (read it here). Now they like us!
Surprisingly rockin’ and muscular for a band that professes such love of marijuana. The A side, “Cable TV Eye,” is a solid rocker, and the B side, “Hands Up!” is a live track that’s live in the sense that Kiss’s Alive II (or was it Alive?) was live. Musically (and artistically, for that matter, looking at Bjerke’s cover art), this record is like the art of Robert Crumb meets that of Peter Bagge: groovy ‘60s psychosis meets a hard-edged ‘80s and ‘90s aggression. I liked it. –The Lord Kveldulfr
http://www.razorcake.org/site/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=22831
Surprisingly rockin’ and muscular for a band that professes such love of marijuana. The A side, “Cable TV Eye,” is a solid rocker, and the B side, “Hands Up!” is a live track that’s live in the sense that Kiss’s Alive II (or was it Alive?) was live. Musically (and artistically, for that matter, looking at Bjerke’s cover art), this record is like the art of Robert Crumb meets that of Peter Bagge: groovy ‘60s psychosis meets a hard-edged ‘80s and ‘90s aggression. I liked it. –The Lord Kveldulfr
http://www.razorcake.org/site/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=22831
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Saturday April 10, 2010
Fun show at Hank's gruel Saloon with Federale and Cortez from Boston and Kevin Omen. Set list: Cable TV Eye; Tokin N Strokin; Drug City; Speedcreep; Don’t Panic, It’s Organic; Chemical Warpigs; Loaded, Loaded; Hands Up!; Kick Out The Jams; Dusted; Breakin Shit.
This was the last Mighty High show with Tommy Blow (bass) and TJ Whippets (guitar).
Sunday, March 14, 2010
High Times Pot 40 - May 2010
#3 on the May, 2010 issue of the High Times Pot 40! Send them more votes at - pot40@hightimes.com
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
New York Waste review
Here's a short review from freebie rag New York Waste. Thank you Starr Tucker!
"Pure Punk from Cable TV Eye b/w Hands Up! (Live N Nasty) gets you right where you want it. Woody’s got that driving guitar sound doubled up with Mighty High’s smashin’ performance that sends ya mind right down to the mosh-pit and makes ya think, where the hell was I?"
http://nywaste.com/nyw_main/music/StarrTucker/Feb10.html
"Pure Punk from Cable TV Eye b/w Hands Up! (Live N Nasty) gets you right where you want it. Woody’s got that driving guitar sound doubled up with Mighty High’s smashin’ performance that sends ya mind right down to the mosh-pit and makes ya think, where the hell was I?"
http://nywaste.com/nyw_main/music/StarrTucker/Feb10.html
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
April 2010 High Times Pot 40
#3 on the April, 2010 issue of the High Times Pot 40! Send them more votes at - pot40@hightimes.com
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Jan Kotik memorial February 7, 2010
We'll be playing a short set as part of the Jan Kotik annual memorial concert. Hopefully we will be going on around 4:20PM. Union Hall is located at 702 Union Street (at 5th Ave) in Brooklyn. Club info at unionhallny.com
Set list: Speedcreep; Loaded, Loaded; Stone Gett-Off; Hands Up!
Set list: Speedcreep; Loaded, Loaded; Stone Gett-Off; Hands Up!
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Saturday January 16, 2010
Set list: Mooche; Drug City; Tokin N Strokin; Come On – I’m Holdin’; Hands Up; Cable TV Eye; Speedcreep; Loaded, Loaded; The Ram; Kick Out The Jams; Hooked On Drugs.
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