Showing posts with label Last of the Juanitas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Last of the Juanitas. Show all posts

Thursday, May 2, 2013

RED FANG: TOTAL FEST XII


We all know Red Fang from the LARP-inspired, beer can mountain, blow-coffee-out-your-nose hilarity of the Prehistoric Dog video which is creeping up on a million views. And the other videos. And the tour blog which is one of the best going. I mean, honestly. We’re not particularly religious around here… but fuckin’ thank god to Whitey McConnaughy, the internet and uh, these guys’ own on-screen awesomeness for breaking Red Fang to the broader world. It took and somehow made being in a band a viable endeavor for dudes like John Sherman, Bryan Giles, David Sullivan, Aaron Beam and Chris Coyle. And, honestly, we can think of no better group of dudes, nor a more seriously raucous band to be on the radar of the broader world.


Let’s turn on the way-back machine for a minute, if you will: Red Fang wasn’t always a band. True story. Before they were, Bryan and David played in Last of the Juanitas, which was a bleak, mathy, heavy, sort of metal/sort of punk band from the desert. Lana from that band admits they listened a lot to Black Flag’s Process of Weeding Out. On their worst day, the Juanitas were better than that era of 'Flag, but it makes a fair amount of sense really. Bryan’s kind of like the punk/metal version of Jerry Garcia. His shit weaves, but is a little bit more paranoia-heavy compared with the generally good-vibedness of Jerry. David was in the incredible, intricate, technical Shiny Beast. Download some of it from the internet. John was also in some killer North Carolina bands like All Night and Bad Wizard, and even did a little time on the drum stool for Trumans Water. Aaron was in the awesome band Lachrymator. What’s all this besides an inventory? Well, actually it’s a list of awesome, and thoroughly under-appreciated bands that worked shitty jobs at cardboard box factories, put out records, toured a bunch, and ultimately reached the same conclusion: this shit ain’t working. I mean, that’s probably a little melodramatic, but I think it’s roughly the truth.

And that brings us to the main thrust of this here: Red Fang is working, and for that we’re so goddamn happy. It’s a full-time + job for these dudes, we’re positive. They work super hard at it, and it totally shows. That they have time for Total Fest to us is exactly the kind of thing that keeps us completely positive that we’re doing it for the right reasons. Obviously Red Fang’s in it for the right reasons. They continue to make awesome records, and have a good time with fans, and are super approachable dudes, and ultimately rip like fuck. We’re not even sure if those are cohesive thoughts. But, let it be known that Total Fest loves Red Fang, and we’re ultra proud that -with the support of KBGA 89.9 FM- we’ve got ‘em coming out August 2013.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

MISS LANA REBEL ALL SET FOR TOTAL FEST
No matter what venue I’m at I have a certain habit of standing in the same spot for shows. I stand just outside the main gathering of people making sure I can see the entire stage while garnering a little personal space at the same time. The last couple of times I’ve seen Miss Lana Rebel I’ve stood in my normal spot, which is also a pretty good spot to survey my fellow patrons. Each time it never fails that I see people in front of me start to immediately chatter to each other with excited “damn, she is really good!”

Former bassist for the sludged induced math-metal outfit Last of the Juanitas, Miss Lana not only traded in the bass for the guitar but traded the Melvins for Lefty Frizell and Hank Williams. Miss Lana’s shift in style has resulted in some of the most honest, dobro filled, beautiful tunes that have a Pavlovian effect on me. When I hear Miss Lana Rebel strum her first chord my brain tells me I need whiskey and I need it quick. After a couple of songs that make me feel bad about anyone whoever did me wrong Miss Lana swings into one of her barn burning, stomp your feet tunes. Which should also be about the time the bottle is empty leaving me no choice but to throw it in the air and shoot it down with my six-shooter.