Two Cow Garage - "Sweet Saint Me"

Two Cow Garage "Lydia" Official Video from Suburban Home on Vimeo.

two cow garage is badass. ask around or take a listen. these guys throw their hearts and guts on stage every single time they play. no matter what the venue is, who the crowd is, or what the mood is. two cow garage plays hard and lives hard.

i was trying to think what i was going to write about the boys and their new (brilliant!) record for this piece and i decided what i should write is exactly what i wrote to shane after i had first heard the rough version of "sweet saint me" earlier this summer. below is a part of that email to shane and i hope the honesty i was trying to convey to shane comes through to you too.

"... true art is captured and chaptered chronologically - giving something of importance a place - saying, "hey, this was important and this was here and this happened - look/listen." you boys have somehow have found a way to consistently capture art and build this big beautifully bound book of brilliance. it's so true. you boys have come a long way and i can fucking hear it in this record. BUT what is of value is that each record - each chapter has equal importance - for different reasons - in your book. and THAT is what makes y'all so damn good! it's that each chapter of your journey is as just as strong as the next and the previous- but shine in different ways. and on top of creating amazing rock 'n roll, being some of the nicest and most sincere souls i've met on the road..."

i couldn't say which two cow garage record is my favorite, and frankly i don't think that matters because they are all so strong and solid. but there is something about "sweet saint me" that is exceptional.

"sweet saint me" is available via suburban home and bandcamp. i highly encourage picking up a copy or four.

also be sure to catch the boys on tour ... i know i can't wait to catch them in our neck of the woods - hell, i'm taking the day off for it!

11/3/10 Normal, IL @ Firehouse Pizza & Pub w/ Franz Nicolay
11/4/10 Madison, WI @ The Frequency w/ Franz Nicolay
11/5/10 Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock w/ Franz Nicolay. The Evening Rig
11/7/10 Lawrence, KS @ Replay Lounge
11/8/10 Ft Collins, CO @ Surfside 7
11/9/10 Denver, CO @ Hi-Dive
11/10/10 Salt Lake City, UT @ Burt’s Tiki Lounge
11/12/10 Seattle, WA @ The Sunset Tavern
11/13/10 Bremerton, WA @ Winterland w/ I Can Lick Any Sonofabitch In the House
11/14/10 Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge w/ I Can Lick Any Sonofabitch In the House, Olin & The Moon
11/15/10 Stockton, CA @ Plea for Peace Center w/ Olin & The Moon, Daniel Francis Doyle
11/17/10 San Diego, CA @ Ruby Room w/ Olin & The Moon
11/18/10 Los Angeles, CA @ Spaceland w/ Olin & The Moon
11/19/10 Tempe, AZ @ Yucca Tap Room w/ Olin & The Moon
11/21/10 Manhattan, KS @ Auntie Mae’s Parlor
11/22/10 St Louis, MO @ Off Broadway
11/23/10 Chicago, IL @ Schubas Tavern

Suburban Home Records 15 Anniversary!

Dear Virgil, Suburban Home Records, and Denver;

Thank you for the wonderful weekend of family, friendship, music, art, and rock. We love you all. You are some of the very best at hospitality, accommodating, community and partying.

It's always such a special treat to not only be under the same roof as your road 'n rock family, but to be able to spend an entire weekend with like-minded believers in a beautiful city is just badass.

So thank you to Virgil and the rest of the Suburban Home crew and to all the musicians -- keep doing what you're doing. It's gold and it doesn't go unnoticed or unappreciated. Virgil - cheers to a lifetime of celebrations just like this 15th anniversary weekend. To Brian and Vanessa Polk for driving us around and letting us sleep on their aero bed, Charly and Vinny Fasano for putting on an amazing art show, Dan Utter for being the mastering master, Three Kings Tavern and the Phoenix Gallery for so graciously hosting such an amazing event, the 9Bullets crew for the southern hospitality, Longfellow with chauffeuring us to the airport, and Virgil for being the king of parties - thank you for such a memorable trip.

See y'all sooner than later at the rock show.

Love,
The Lubricated Family


Virgil spinning records at Sputnik's.


'Tuding with Two Cow's Shane and 9Bullet's Bryan Childs.


Jon Snodgrass on percussion.


I Can Lick Any Son Of A Bitch In The House + Two Cow Garage = bringing down the house.


Rob Coe.


Tim Barry.

Roll Deep...

Willy Tea

do yourself a favor:

go pour yourself a glass of whiskey and sit on the porch and listen to this.


http://willyteataylor.bandcamp.com/track/the-very-best

Suburban Home Records 15th Birthday Weekend Art Show

I am yet again honored to be a part of the celebration for Suburban Home Record's Anniversary Weekend in Denver, CO. I will be hanging my renegade artwork in the the Phoenix Gallery at Three Kings Tavern Friday, September 10 and Saturday, September 11. I've got some new work that I'm excited to bring to town. I hope to see many old and new faces there.

Below is the press release via the Fasano brothers who are in charge of the art events that will take place over the course of the weekend at the Phoenix Gallery...

XO,
Vanessa Jean

Artists Charly “the city mouse” Fasano and Vincent Cheap have united once again under the moniker Dumb Guy’s Brother to produce an art series in the Phoenix Gallery at Three Kings Tavern. Dumb Guy’s Brother was created in Fort Collins , Colorado in 1996 as a collected effort to bring a rock and roll starved farm town punk and indie concerts. Now, they are determined to present the city of Denver with a series of events throughout 2010 and 2011 that will feature an eclectic range of artists, comedians, writers, musicians and film-makers.

As part of the Suburban Home Records Birthday Weekend, Yellow Rake Zine, Lubricated Magazine and Fast Geek Press will present an art show that will be held in the Phoenix Gallery in the basement of Three Kings Tavern on Friday, September 10 and Saturday, September 11. The art show will showcase painters, poets, fiction writers, movie-makers and photographers from Colorado , Florida and California that have supported Suburban Home Records over the years.

On Friday, September 10 the art show will present a collection of short films by John Botts, Charly Fasano and Vincent Fasano (silent short accompanied live by his music project Booger Sugar). The movies begin at 7 pm .

On Saturday, September 11 the art show will present the Yellow Rake Zine new issue release party which will include a reading featuring poet, Charly “the city mouse” Fasano, and fiction writers, Brian Polk of Yellow Rake Zine, Josiah Hesse and Zach Boddicker of Drag the River and 4H Royalty. The reading will begin at 7 pm .

The Phoenix Gallery will be open for the duration of the weekend between 6 pmand 12:00 am .

Featured artists are:
Karl Alvarez (painter, All/Descendents)
Jana Miller (photographer)
Martina Grbac (drawings, Matson Jones)
Charly “the city mouse” Fasano (poet, film-maker)
Vincent Cheap Fasano (painter, film-maker)
Cat Waller (photographer)
Phil Guzy (painter)
Faim Worldwide - myspace.com/faimworldwide
Mike Zero (painter)
Vanessa Jean Speckman (mix media/Lubricated Magazine)
Ralph Eberhard (painter)

Here are additional links to websites affiliated with the show.

Lubricated Zine – lubricatedzine.blogspot.com
Yellow Rake Zine - facebook.com/pages/The-Yellow-Rake/151753629568
Fast Geek Press / Analog Empire – fastgeekpress.com
Suburban Home Records – suburbanhomerecords.com

a HUGE campfire fest THANK YOU!!!

dear forest punk family,

i want to pathetically attempt at words via cyber space my heartfelt appreciation and amazement at what our wonderful weekend turned out to be. alex hudjohn, brian stevens and i couldn't have envisioned something so beautiful to stem from our crazy conspiracy. strangers and friends became family through music. period. we all have a fire burning inside of us and to be able to come together and share, laugh, dance, sing, drink and swim... hot damn i think we are ALL onto something! you EACH made campfire fest possible and special. so keep writing. keep recording. keep listening. keep sharing. our little community is growing into a bastard of a family and it's BADASS. i love you all. thank you, thank you, thank you.

and don't forget... "BABIES! ARE YOU WITH ME? DISREGARD THE HATRED! THIS IS ABOUT LOVE, BABIES! THE SECRET TO LIFE IS ROCK 'N ROLL, BABIES.... WE'VE GOT 20 SECONDS!!!!!"

a proper summary + photos to come.

love,
vanessa jean

What we have been listening too...

Red Clay River



Glossary

Glossary - Save Your Money for the Weekend from Stewart Copeland on Vimeo.

Larry And His Flask



Tim Barry and Gaslight Anthem covering Lucero's "The War"



Frank Turner

Campfire Fest: Countdown In Single Dgits!!!!

Campfire Fest 2010.
acoustic music and campout.
FREE!
Friday 7/30/10 and Saturday 7/31/10
@ Hirz Bay Group Camp #1 on Lake Shasta.
Brought to you by Alexander Hudjohn, Vanessa Jean Speckman, Brian Stevens, Lubricated Zine, Intervention Records.

***please not that all spots and reservations are full, so if you haven't rsvp'd, sorry buddies, but we'll see ya next year***


FRIDAY

4:00 - Tater Famine
4:30 - Know Your Saints
5:00 - Johnny Young
5:30 - Ryan Russell
6:00 - Splitzville
6:30 - Roy Dean
7:00 - Julie Karr
7:30 - Rock Creek Jug Band
8:00 - Sons of Jefferson
8:30 - Attica!Attica!
9:00 - Fire Whiskey


SATURDAY

12:00 - Randy Stevens
12:30 - Heart Full of Snakes
1:00 - The Pillowfights
1:30 - Ryan Remains
2:00 - Davey Death Ray
2:30 - Bastards of Young
3:00 - Curt Baer
3:30 - Destroy Nate Allen
4:00 - The Sweet Revenge
4:30 - Bryan McPherson
5:00 - Alexander Hudjohn
5:30 - Brian Stevens
6:00 - Brian Hanover
6:30 - Hanalei
7:00 - Ty Vaughn
7:30 -Tom VandenAvond
8:00 - Larry and His Flask
9:00 - Kevin Seconds

And if you are attending, please don't forget to read this...
http://www.facebook.com/notes/campfire-fest/campfire-fest-attendees-information/131600343523981

Suburban Home Records 15th Anniversary Party

We couldn't be more excited about flying out to Denver again this year to help celebrate with Virgil and his crew Suburban Home Record's 15th Anniversary and see some of our favorite musician buddies perform live.
Flights have been booked and now the countdown commences.
Hope to see some new and old faces in Denver come September.

http://www.suburbanhomerecords.com/2010/07/07/suburban-home-15th-anniversary-weekend-announced-drag-the-rivertim-barrygamitstwo-cow-garage/

Suburban Home Records and Vinyl Collective Lovin' on Lubricated.

http://www.vinylcollective.com/2010/05/24/po-benefit-release-for-lubricated-magazine-featuring-jon-snodgrassjoey-capeshanemicah-of-two-cow/


crucial links:
http://www.suburbanhomerecords.com
http://www.vinylcollective.com

Analog Boner.

Nine Bullets love...

http://ninebullets.net/archives/lubricated-magazine-double-mix-cassetts-vol-1-the-company-i-keep


crucial links:
www.ninebullets.net

Stream "The Company I Keep" right now....

Head on over to

www.fastgeekpress.com

and stream Lubricated Magazine's Mix Cassette Tape Volume 1 "The Company I Keep" before the pre-sale of this mix tape starts next Friday, May 21.
Fast Geek will be selling the double cassette compilations that includes over 86 minutes of rock and each order comes with one of a kind original j-card artwork for $12 (includes shipping costs).

So go stream the mix and let us know what yall think.

Thanks Friends.

Cheers,
The Lubricated Family

Press Release: Lubricated Magazine Mix Tape Volume One: "The Company I Keep"

Lubricated Magazine and Fast Geek Press / Analog Empire to Release Two Cassette Tape Benefit Compilation


Book publisher and cassette tape label, Fast Geek Press / Analog Empire has united with Lubricated Magazine to release Lubricated Magazine Mix Tape Volume One: "The Company I Keep". This two cassette tape compilation includes an mp3 download code, original one-of-a-kind j-card artwork by Lubricated artists and over eighty-six minutes of music, spoken word and comedy – a lot of which is unreleased and original work recorded just for Lubricated. Twenty-three tracks include some of the following: Jon Snodgrass, Joey Cape, Kevin Seconds, Chris Wollard + The Ship Thieves, Red Clay River, Chad Rex, Shane Sweeney and Micah Schnabel of Two Cow Garage, The Takers, In the Red, Tom VandenAvond, Yellow Rake Zine’s Brian Polk, poet Charly “the city mouse” Fasano, Magic Cyclops and more. Each cassette will come with a handmade original j-card cover from one of our talented artists – including: Kevin Seconds, Violet Cape, Vinny Fasano, Lucas Andrews, Erika Jane, Tim O’Hanlon and many more. All the proceeds for this release will go to Lubricated Magazine to cover printing costs of the magazine. Only 100 copies will be available exclusively at fastgeekpress.com. Pre-sale starts May 21, 2010 for $12.00 (includes shipping costs).


Lubricated Magazine is a publication out of Northern California that supports the collective effort of independent artists, writers and musicians. You can check them out online at lubricatedzine.blogspot.com.
www.myspace.com/lubricatedthecultureboner

Lubricated Magazine and Fast Geek Press / Analog Empire believe that printed zines, books, vinyl records and cassette tapes add to the thrill of discovering new bands, writers and artists. The physical aspect of getting covered in newsprint while thumbing through a zine, flipping over a cassette tape and holding something tangible in your hands lends to a special connection between fan and artist.


Track listing:

Side A - 21:36 minutes
1 - The Takers - When My Shades Were Drawn
2 - Shane Sweeney of Two Cow Garage - Hallelujah
3 - Paige Anderson of the Anderson Family Bluegrass Band - Flying Rocks
4 - Charly "the city mouse" Fasano - Portland
5 - Possessed by Paul James - Take Off Your Mask
6 - Kevin Seconds - Oh American Girl
7 - Jon Gaunt - Every Drink Every Song

Side B - 20:34 minutes
8 - Micah & John Schnabel - Billy James
9 - The Enablers - Whatever You Like
10 - Red Clay River - Ain't No Blues
11 - Michael Dean Damron - Dolls
12 - The Good Luck Thrift Store Outfit - Bones
13 - Chris Wollard & The Ship Thieves - Everybody Knows

Side C - 21:05 minutes
14 - The Anchor - Hot Dogs & Vodka
15 - Joey Cape - Good-Bye
16 - Careless Hearts - Joselina
17 - Andy Thomas - Spring Softly
18 - The Redemption Family - The Power A Secret Holds
19 - Larry & His Flask - Land of the F(r)ee
20 - Brian Polk - Let's Get Stoned and Over Analyze NomeansNo Records

Side D - 22:50
21 - Jon Snodgrass - Song For Gibson
22 - In the Red - Overworked
23 - Chad Rex - Awhile
24 - Digger Barnes - Waiting for the Snakes
25 - Tom VandenAvond - El Paso
26 - Magic Cyclops - Teen Pregnancy
27 - woMANgione – Saggy

** mastering credit thanks to Dan Utter **


J Card List of Artists:

+ Kevin Seconds
+ Violet Cape (daughter of Joey Cape)
+ Vinny Fasano
+ Tim O’Hanlon
+ The Anderson Family Bluegrass Band Kids
+ Erika Jane
+ Roy Dean
+ Aaron Burtch
+ Charly “the city mouse” Fasano
+ Eric Powers
+ Lucas Andrews
+ David McHank
+ Jeffery Fernengel
+ Nicholas Darquea
+ Cassie Podish
+ Guru Tattoo Shop’s Dave and Company
+ Patrick Speckman
+ Vanessa Jean Speckman


Available fore pre-sale on May 21, 2010 at fastgeekpress.com

New Logo.

Thanks to the fabulously talented Boris Vrbich for helping us create our new logo.

We love it!
and
We love Boris!

totally badass.

We were so excited to go see Trampled by Turtles play in our neck of the woods at Moe's Alley - that it didn't even matter that it was on a night in the middle of the work week and we were drinking like it was Friday night. This Minnesotan quintet puts on a show that will have you totally enthralled by the shear ability just to rip it up on stage.

Their new record, Palomino is another great creation for them to add to their steady album making repertoire.

http://trampledbyturtles.com/

Here's their latest video for "You Wait So Long"...

Tim Barry and Possessed By Paul James Tour

I couldn't be more excited for two of my favorite people and musicians to hit the open roads of California picking and singing together. Tim Barry and Konrad Wert of Possessed By Paul James are currently down in Southern California working their way up to us and we cannot wait to see the boys and share some good conversation, drinks and music with them. Check out their tour schedule and be sure to catch them while they are in your town - you won't want to miss this.

Below are the Northern California dates we'll be at...

3/16 Tim Barry @ The Blue Lagoon, Santa Cruz
3/17 Tim Barry and Possessed By Paul James @ The Blue Lamp, Sacramento
3/18 Tim Barry and Possessed By Paul James @ The Red Hat, Concord
3/19 Tim Barry and Possessed By Paul James @ The Stork Club, Oakland
3/20 Tim Barry and Possessed By Paul James @ Thee Parkside, San Francisco

Crucial Tim Barry Links:
www.timbarryrva.com
www.myspace.com/timbarryrva

Crucial Possessed By Paul James Links:
www.myspace.com/possessedbypauljames
www.ppjrecords.com

See You At The Rock Show,
Vanessa Jean

It's Better In The Wind

A renaissance renegade. That is what Scott Toepfer is to me. I could not be more exited and proud to see my new friend's creative pursuits come to life. That is one of the most admirable qualities about the L.A. based photographer - he is a doer - one of the few who truly walks the talk - and I believe we can all find inspiration in his cadence.

Scott and his camera and a group of friends are hitting the open roads of the West on their motorcycles in pursuit of pursuit. In the spirit of Steve McQueen and Jack Kerouac, this group of adventurous eager souls are setting out to get lost to find some clarity in this hectic and chaotic fast paced world.

Here is what Scott has to say about it all...

"In the process of trying to gain sponsorship for the project, I was asked a very interesting question, and I was reminded of it today.

“What are you trying to accomplish with this?”

Instead of telling this person I love all things adventurous while playing The Times They Are A Changin, I wrote what seems like a manifesto, but is really the heart of the project and what it means to everyone involved. Take a gander, and know that although we love motorcycles and adventure, we have something much more in mind.

“It must have been some time in the 1980s, when the archetype of a right of passage changed from following your favorite jam band across the country (with $20 and a spare t-shirt), to a perfectly manicured visit to Europe after college graduation. A trip where you would visit a dozen countries and experience nothing but jet lag and a language barrier.

Such has been the way of things for the majority of the youth on their fast track through life towards their retirement and eventual demise. We have been told stories from our parents: stories of seemingly outlandish and extreme adventure through this country. And all the while we, their children, are being pushed along a track through our youth that discourages any lack in haste at achieving a “gainful” employment.

Well, here we are. In our 20s, staring our 30s, and some choices are to be made. With mountains of debt and a perilous job market, we have come face to face with the end of the fast track to success. It is time to decide what is truly important in life, to focus on quality, and let the creative ingenuity of an educated generation take a right of passage into a future of its own creation.

This project is about just that, call it a “visionary journey.” There is something very visceral to the riding of a motorcycle for long distances. You are naked to the elements, forced to listen only to your own thoughts as the engine becomes white with the background. The road is beneath you and you are one with the world that surrounds you. The elements in your face remove you from your daily comforts, and you become alone within the group. The most important reflections in your life can happen here, and at the end of the day it is the group that will bring us to face the next.

We are setting out across the Western US, to re-imagine the stories of the previous generations, to experience the spaces between here and there, to see what becomes of us on the road, and to photograph the entire process.

No support vehicles, no production crew, no better time than now. Film in the same bag as the blanket. Some of us will change, for better or worse, under the power of our own will.”

Please help support their quest. Every donation over $20 receives a 5"x7" exclusive print by the talented Scott Toepfer. So help fill up their gas tanks and stock up on rolls of film and take part in this journey.

Crucial Link:
www.itsbetterinthewind.com

So to all of you, Friends...
Ride The Wind.

-Vanessa Jean

"And that's what we're going to do... have a good time..."

28th and Stonewall

If you haven't picked up Tim Barry's latest, and in my opinion, best record to date, do it now... trust me.

http://www.timbarryrva.com/



And make sure you catch Tim on tour this Spring.

Issue 2.5 Review by Ashcan Magazine

Thanks to our buddy, Sean Logic over at Ashcan Magazine for this sweet review of Lubricated Issue 2.5.
Read up here:

http://ashcanmagazine.com/2010/01/27/lubricated-magazine-2-5/


Make sure to check out Ashcan Magazine here:
http://ashcanmagazine.com/

Cheers,
The Lubricated Staff

Scott G. Toepfer: Revival Tour Photography

I first met Scott Toepfer outside of The Blank Club in San Jose during the waiting period of pre-load-in for the Revival Tour bus. The scene was something along the lines of Chuck Ragan and Ethan Anderson picking by the club entrance, Konrad Wert plucking on his fiddle outside the bus, and a few small clusters of the musicians and close friends catching up on the bus. Scott was taking some photos of all the hustle and bustle and jamming outside, and he stopped what he was doing and came up to my brother and myself and introduced himself to us.

For the few days that I was along for the tour, Scott always was always a smile and a good conversation waiting to happen. He kept track of my beer koozies when I couldn't, he found my friend's lost phone, he was always down for adventure time in the new cities we were in, he helped out with the Anderson kids, and he was always game for a ginormous burrito.

He's been supportive of Lubricated since we have met and on top of him being a solid individual, he takes some of the most stunning photographs to date in the sea of generic stale "band photos" you see all too often these days. Scott doesn't just capture amazing people doing amazing things, he captures on film the true heart and soul and purity of those particular moments. Scott's photos capture the intimate moments on Revival Tour... from Jim Ward playing "Bear-Ninja-Cowboy" with Daisy Anderson, Jon Gaunt and Frank Turner throwing the football around in the back lot of the club at 3am, Joey Cape writing, the beauty of each and every member of the Anderson family, and Chuck and the infamous tiger and lion heads from the tour bus.

Scott will be doing a sweet photo spread and tour journal of his time on The Revival tour in Issue Three of Lubricated. We thought it would be fun if he gave us a bit of a teaser for our blog in the meantime. Thanks for the support, Scott.

Crucial Scott G. Toepfer links:

http://www.sgtoepfer.com/

http://www.sgtoepfer.com/2009-11_RevivalTour/

http://sgtoepfer.com/blog/

http://www.redletterimages.com/

To avoid caddy suspense or teasers, I'll just give you the first 12 hours of what became a week on the road with The Revival Tour and no shower. I awoke at 3 am on a Wednesday, and after 20 minutes of desperately trying to convince her that she should've charged me less for my airline ticket, I give up. I finish packing, only to realize that I do not have enough film to cover my trip. Shit. I call my cab, and bolt to the only photo store open at this hour to purchase their entire stock of my favorite film. 12 rolls...that'll cover me for a couple days. I speed back to the house, hoping that I haven't missed my cab.

Well, I make it through security without much issue, just the normal hassle of some TSA employee telling me I don't have to hand check film. I insist that my film is "special" and can't be X-rayed, hoping to avoid any further discussion. The building line of anxious commuters won't allow him to argue with me, so I get through with relative ease. I should mention, that at this point, I still didn't have any idea if I was going to be allowed to sleep on the tour bus. The conversations between me and Chuck had been short and strained, as the tour had ran into some extreme weather, and nothing could be considered "for certain" at this point. Let's just say I took a leap of faith buying the plane ticket the night before.

I'm on the plane, which is now delayed, and adding to my stress level, when Chuck calls me. The moment of truth arrives while I'm already on the plane!

"Hey man, it's Chuck, are you still coming up to meet us?"
"I'm already on the plane, I'll be there in a couple hours." I managed to keep my cool in spite of my joy.
"We are on our way too, you can sleep in the back for a few days, see soon."

I said my thanks to the powers that be, and took a short nap, knowing that I wasn't going to get much sleep for a few days.