The End
After four years of exceptional writing and photography, ZapTown is closing its doors. It’s time to say goodbye to the website as we have featured what we considered the best in local music and a glowing national presence in our community.
We would like to thank everyone who has been involved with this website and most importantly, you, the reader. Without you, this resource celebrating music culture would not have existed.
At some point, we hope to bring back to light, a greatest hits per se. But for now, we can say that ZapTown is a testament to how proud we are of this city and what we have accomplished in these four years.
Look for a new adventure just around the corner.
Davey Suicide – Gone Wild
Opening for Static X, I got to meet up with Davey Suicide, founder the band of the same name, in a dumpster filled alley behind McGuffy’s in Dayton Ohio. Davey Suicide is a band out of Los Angeles, or as they have labeled it “Unholywood Killafornia.” A part of the Noise Revolution tour, I caught up with Davey to fill us in with what is going on with the band.
So, who is Davey Suicide?
Davey Suicide is the next generation rock/industrial act, a theatrical act for this generation. We’re filling a void that hasn’t been filled in a while.
Your bio lists Guns N’ Roses, Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson and Eminem as inspirations. How does Eminem fit into that?
The way they have taken their own path and history follows them. Axl and Eminem were great at just paving the road and people conformed to them, whereas, I feel like a lot of artists try to conform to the industry, which is bullshit. You gotta do what you do and people will embrace that or they won’t. I think they have that. That’s what Manson has too. I love that about all three of them because they’re not afraid to be bold, to pick something and run with it. And lyrically I think they’re brilliant.
Religion is talked about in your bio also, how does religion affect the music you make?
I was forced to try to believe that, instead of me being in control of my life, I was forced to think that if I just prayed for something everything would work itself out. The older I got the more I realized I was in control of the cause and effect of the happenings of my life and I realized that there are certain people who need that and there are other people who don’t need that, and that was me. The whole name Suicide has become the religion we all live by because I feel that unless you kill yourself there is nothing that you shouldn’t be able to obtain. So that’s how that came about.
You have just released your debut album?
We released a single, the EP comes out November 6.
Are you getting good response from it?
It’s been great. It’s very polarized, so people are either completely turned off or obsessed. I think that’s good.
How have the crowd’s with the Static X tour been responding to you?
It’s been great. I think the older metal fans are some of the hardest ones to buy into it. The first couple of songs I think people are shocked and are like “what are we watching” and then mid set we got them by the balls and by the end they’re fans. That was one thing we were excited to see, how the whole dynamic was going to work and we’re inspired that people are getting it. I think we’ve got good songs and a good performance, it’s working.
So is your show more a theatrical performance or an in your face rock and roll show
I think it’s everything. I think we’re lucky to have five frontmen, you could watch anyone in the band the whole set and be completely entertained. I think we’re just monsters, we just come out on stage and it’s like we’ve invaded the area.
What kind of show can we expect tonight?
The same one we put on every night. We leave our guts out on the stage, by the time we’re done we have nothing left. This is all we know. We eat, breathe and sleep this.
How long have you been on this tour?
This is the fourth week. Three more weeks and then we have a few days off and then we pick up another eight dates on the west coast.
Are you doing the Fort Wayne (IN) show also?
Yeah, Pieres. We just played South Bend (IN) and it was really good and I’ve heard Pierrs is awesome. (Referring to McGuffy’s, a smaller sized venue) I think this is one of those places that is so intimate that people are just going to be crammed in. We played one in Jacksonville FL that was like that and it was like football practice from the second we started to the second we were done, and those end up being the most memorable nights because you’re right there. As a music fan I have always wanted to be as close to the band as possible, and that’s what these guys have.
You described your sound as having industrial influences. How has that worked out for you as other bands that have done industrial, Danzig for example, and it bombed. How is it working for you?
Danzig was more of a punk rock type, he was in the Misfits, so I don’t know. I think we have industrial overtones, but we’re a rock band with industrial in it. I’m never really concerned with what people are gonna say, everyone’s gonna have a different opinion about it, but this is from the heart from us, this is what we live. We love Nails, we love Manson, we love Zombie…those are our predecessors.
Anything you want the world to know about Davey Suicide?
I think generally I want people to realize boundaries are only there because we put them there and you don’t have to live up to a social standard, live up to your own standard. If you feel like you are doing the right thing don’t worry about negativity because that’s inevitable.
I was soon to learn what Davey Suicide was all about. From the time they took the stage, bathed in red light looking like post-apocalyptic warriors or something right out of a horror movie, they attacked their set with a ferociousness that I have not seen from a band in a long time. This energy lasted the entire set and kept the crowd moving. Every member of the band (Davey on vocals, Frankie Sil on bass, Ben Graves on drums, Needlz on keyboard and Eric Griffin on guitar) could have been the center of attention, each giving outstanding performances. With a sound that combines the best elements of those he lists as inspirations, the sound is sort of like White Zombie meets Marilyn Manson with the high intensity vocalization of Axl Rose, and it works and works well.
Davey Suicides performance was visually exciting and was backed up with quality songs and musicianship. At one point Davey stood silent, unmoving, arms outstretched in a pose of crucifixion as if to say rock as we know it is dead and through him it will be resurrected bigger and better than anyone could imagine. At the end of the set, Davey put forth that “art” needs to be put back into “artist”. In a time when the entertainment industry as a whole seems to be out of original ideas, Davey Suicide is carving out their own path. A path that I think many will follow.
Mungolian Jetset – Mungodelics (Smalltown Supersound)
Mungolian Jetset
Mungodelics
Smalltown Supersound
Link: Facebook
Forget what Schlungs did to you, that’s a brilliant gem in its own mindset. Mungodelics is the sequel to the exceptional We Gave It All Away, Now We Are Taking It Back. It’s hard to follow-up on their dual CD mind melt and not reach the propensity they had, but Mongodelics tries, revisiting various elements that made We Gave It Away… so great. Consider Mungodelics a brief recap to the epic electronic saga that put Mungolian Jetset on the map.
You may not realize it at first because “Toccata” actually sounds normal for Mungolian Jetset standards. Lots of vibes swirl around your head in a subtle House music manner. Jaga Jaggist Vs. the Knights of Jumungus fill the void of this humble song. You can almost feel its geometry weighing down on you. But expect no tricks or gimmickry beyond subtle layering that turns this piece into an organic delight that feeds into “Revolving Door.” Working with Unni Wilhelmsen, Mongolian Jetset spreads out their sound while never being obnoxious in doing so. Without you realizing it, they will have you tripping over yourself as the song comes to life and grows. And before you know it, you have tambourine chants and spiraling funk where a bassline bleeds out boogie nights in the smoothest of fashion. Bongos break the atmosphere with the gentle waves of acoustic guitars keeping things toned down. Beach music for the transcendental. Downtempo for the jetsetter. You are now on Mungolian Jetset’s dime, and you have just booked a first class ticket into a tropical world filled with wonder.
“Smells Like Gasoline” turns the sandy breeze of downtempo meditation into a trance fantasy. The beats react to the samples, all fueled by the controlled chaos this band loves to impose on the listener. A song like this all goes to prove just how amazing Mungolian Jetset is at subtle layering and emitting an emotional buildup that will practically drive you insane in a good way.
Just when you think you are ready to let it all go, the band drives the mood back down with atmospheric polishing that pairs cosmic sounds with jungle vibrancy. “Mung’s Picazzo” with Athana transitions into “Mush in the Bush,” a tribal adventure like a dance orgy between the headhunters doped up on ecstasy and aphrodisiaced-out virgins sweating out the toxins from the humidity of the vibe. A highlight to Mungodelics, now is your moment to let go.
Mungodellics proves once again that Mungolian Jetset holds the title as the most incredibly delightful electronic group in the scope of modern EDM. Someone come over and clean up my brains off the floor. Once again, my mind is blown.
Charlatan Meets the North Sea – Self-Titled (Field Hymns)
Charlatan Meets The North Sea
Self-Titled
Field Hymns
Link: Field Hymn Recordings
Are you searching for those beaten down nights in the city, looking for solace within the imperfections of what man has created? Search no further because Charlatan By The North Sea has what you are looking for all in a sound collection that peers through technological grasps.
The way this band wraps around analog sounds is like an escapade in the stratum. But what Charlatan Meets The North Sea reminds us of is that even in if the future is now, it’s not perfect. There are inconsistencies in the flow and breathe of progression. That is where “Empty Naked Streets” demonstrate sleek metropolitan life via strange conflicting sounds. It does not bode well to the general ambience of the piece, but it is poignant at making a point.
“Futura” continues the artistic repetition of neon-drenched expressions. More Stars of the Lid flowing electronics than Com Truise metallic palm trees, it’s stark to realize all of this comes from the openness of a place like Tulsa, Oklahoma, and not the New York City Wordless music scene.
This confliction turns to tension and it makes sense when you learn that things were not puppy dogs and roses during the recordings. But the hostility in the studio tries hard to be effective within the songs and they succeed up to a point. However, what really works on this album is when they come together for the ambient delight, “”Maximum Capacity.” There are no gimmicks and no extreme tactics to prove a point. The song is just a brilliant array of sound textures that is traditionalism at its best.
Charlatan Meets The North Sea – Emerald Eyes from Field Hymns Records on Vimeo.
The Young Evils, Foreign Spells (Self-Released)
The Young Evils
Foreign Spells EP
Self-Released
Links:
The Young Evils
The Young Evils Facebook
Hailing from the birthplace of Grunge Rock comes Seattle’s own Young Evils and their debut EP Foreign Spells.
The EP includes four tracks which are a stunning throwback to late 80’s new wave. These highly original tunes remind me of late Jesus and Mary Chain crossed with The Breeders. This sound is evident in the very first track “Darker Blue Bayou” with the contrasting vocals of Mackenzie Mercer’s haunting vox crossed with Troy Nelson’s somber tone. Currently unsigned, I foresee big things in the store for this band’s future.
“Dead Animals” is the first single of the EP, which is a very hard rocking but upbeat track. It’s a very joyful song with a catchy chorus and blazing cords. One listen and it will be stuck in your head for a long time.
The last two tracks “Devil’s Barricade” and “Touch Tone Lovers” round out the album. The former is an interesting song with the two contrasting vocalist calling and responding to each other while adding a small spoken word element to highlight the track as well. The latter is my favorite with a doo wop rhythm, contrasting with the moody and melancholy vocals.
