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7 seconds · 7seconds · kevin seconds · leave a light on · Music · MW · News · May 29, 2014

Q&A with Kevin Seconds on Leave a Light On (Brand-new 7 Seconds!)

The new 7Seconds album is awesome. It’s one thing to hear kids singing exuberant, straight-from-the-heart punk songs about walking together and rocking together. It’s another to hear adults who not only cling to the idealism and activism but rip at the art of hardcore after 30 years. Songs like “Exceptional” and “Slogan on a Shirt” are at once tangible and humble yet experienced and intelligent. And while certain lyrics hint at being weary (“Who wants to be sequestered in Another State of Mind?” ), there are no signs of being jaded. I love the dream sequence in “Heads Are Bound To Roll” in which The Clash plays one last show and Kevin gets to sing “Death or Glory” with them. Meanwhile, the hyper melodic title song “Leave a Light On” can be as literal or poetic as you want–perhaps a side effect of Kevin Seconds’ acoustic gigs between 7Seconds releases and shows.

Needless to say, I was all over a chance to ask Kevin about the new 7Seconds LP, his most recent acoustic work, and just plain making passionate, powerful music for 34 years and counting. Maybe next time I’ll ask him about his painting…

7 seconds · a minor forest · adam bomb · adolesscents · amoeba hollywood · andee conners · baja bugs · ch3 · channel three · dum dum girls · hector penalosa · human resources · kchung · kevin seconds · king buzzo · kxlu · martin wong · melvins · money mark · Music · MW · News · sandy vu · save music in chinatown 2 · the echo · the satellite · the zeros · Feb 27, 2014

Show reviews: King Buzzo acoustic set at the Satellite plus A Minor Forest, Dum Dum Girls, Kevin Seconds, and SMIC2 with Baja Bugs, CH3, and Money Mark

King Buzzo played his first ever acoustic set at the Satellite last night and it was amazing. I really didn’t know what to expect when Scion announced the free show. Would it be Melvins Lite light? Were marshmallows going to be provided for “Kumbaya” moments? No way. It was heavy as shit, with Buzzo singing as if he heard the bone-crushing music of the Melvins in his fuzzy head while trying to break his acoustic axe’s unorthodox-tuned strings with every stroke. The badass set started with a super dark Alice Cooper cover and ended with my favorite Japanese psychedelic doom metal band’s namesake song, “Boris.” Somewhere in the middle of the show he previewed a cut off his upcoming album and surveyed a bunch of Melvins tunes. It was great. You had to be there–or not. There was a ton of SLR-wielding dudes filming the event so you should be able to check it out on the Scion AV site one of these days… Props to Tweak Bird for playing a far-out opening set. I arrived half-way through and was stuck in the back of the room, too far to take photos, but they ripped. BONUS REVIEWS You might have noticed that the GR site went down a week or so ago. Here are some friends’ shows that were casualties but need to be on this blog… Dum Dum Girls record release show at The Echo on January 28. I like the new LP but the new songs sound even better with the proper band propelled by my pal Sandy Vu’s killer chops and beats. Killer set of psychedelic pop goth with an extra dude added for bonus texture. I expect this lineup to be out of their collective minds by the time they hit Coachella. A Minor Forest at The Satellite on February 8. Back in the day, drummer Andee Conners stayed at my house with J Church, P.E.E., and this band, A Minor Forest, which just got back together for some reunion shows. They were tighter, heavier, and more mathy than ever. Perhaps more fun, too. So great to seeing him and the dudes in action and hanging out on the sidewalk, as well as opener Rob Crow. Kevin Seconds at Amoeba Hollywood on February 13. Okay, I don’t personally know the singer from 7 Seconds but Eloise is now part of the youth crew after attending the in-store commemorating his great new solo album. Accompanied by his wife Allyson and Kepi Ghoulie, the new songs aren’t meandering singer-songwriter stuff but brief, earnest bursts of energy that rip. Sound familiar? Save Music in Chinatown 2 on February 9 at Human Resources. Our fundraising has now reached about $7,500 to put toward music education at Castelar Education in Chinatown. The lineup of our second benefit matinee was a dream for me: DJ Adam Bomb from KXLU’s Bomb Shelter played first-generation L.A. punk and hardcore (Weirdos, Circle Jerks, X, Dils, Adolescents…) complemented by vintage 7″ singles from my friends from...

7 seconds · a minor forest · adam bomb · adolesscents · amoeba hollywood · andee conners · baja bugs · ch3 · channel three · dum dum girls · hector penalosa · human resources · kchung · kevin seconds · king buzzo · kxlu · martin wong · melvins · money mark · Music · MW · News · sandy vu · save music in chinatown 2 · the echo · the satellite · the zeros · Feb 27, 2014

Show reviews: King Buzzo acoustic set at the Satellite plus A Minor Forest, Dum Dum Girls, Kevin Seconds, and SMIC2 with Baja Bugs, CH3, and Money Mark

King Buzzo played his first ever acoustic set at the Satellite last night and it was amazing. I really didn’t know what to expect when Scion announced the free show. Would it be Melvins Lite light? Were marshmallows going to be provided for “Kumbaya” moments? No way. It was heavy as shit, with Buzzo singing as if he heard the bone-crushing music of the Melvins in his fuzzy head while trying to break his acoustic axe’s unorthodox-tuned strings with every stroke. The badass set started with a super dark Alice Cooper cover and ended with my favorite Japanese psychedelic doom metal band’s namesake song, “Boris.” Somewhere in the middle of the show he previewed a cut off his upcoming album and surveyed a bunch of Melvins tunes. It was great. You had to be there–or not. There was a ton of SLR-wielding dudes filming the event so you should be able to check it out on the Scion AV site one of these days… Props to Tweak Bird for playing a far-out opening set. I arrived half-way through and was stuck in the back of the room, too far to take photos, but they ripped. BONUS REVIEWS You might have noticed that the GR site went down a week or so ago. Here are some friends’ shows that were casualties but need to be on this blog… Dum Dum Girls record release show at The Echo on January 28. I like the new LP but the new songs sound even better with the proper band propelled by my pal Sandy Vu’s killer chops and beats. Killer set of psychedelic pop goth with an extra dude added for bonus texture. I expect this lineup to be out of their collective minds by the time they hit Coachella. A Minor Forest at The Satellite on February 8. Back in the day, drummer Andee Conners stayed at my house with J Church, P.E.E., and this band, A Minor Forest, which just got back together for some reunion shows. They were tighter, heavier, and more mathy than ever. Perhaps more fun, too. So great to seeing him and the dudes in action and hanging out on the sidewalk, as well as opener Rob Crow. Kevin Seconds at Amoeba Hollywood on February 13. Okay, I don’t personally know the singer from 7 Seconds but Eloise is now part of the youth crew after attending the in-store commemorating his great new solo album. Accompanied by his wife Allyson and Kepi Ghoulie, the new songs aren’t meandering singer-songwriter stuff but brief, earnest bursts of energy that rip. Sound familiar? Save Music in Chinatown 2 on February 9 at Human Resources. Our fundraising has now reached about $7,500 to put toward music education at Castelar Education in Chinatown. The lineup of our second benefit matinee was a dream for me: DJ Adam Bomb from KXLU’s Bomb Shelter played first-generation L.A. punk and hardcore (Weirdos, Circle Jerks, X, Dils, Adolescents…) complemented by vintage 7″ singles from my friends from...

alkaline trio · asian man records · bruce lee band · chinkees · kevin seconds · kindie rock · mike mark · Music · MW · News · ska · skankin' pickle · slapstick · smile · the queers · Nov 29, 2011

Asian Man Records’ Mike Park on Smile, an indie ska LP for kids

Mike Park has been playing indie punk and ska since he was a teenager, first with Skankin’ Pickle, then The Chinkees, Bruce Lee Band, and solo gigs under his own name. Along the way, he began releasing albums for not only his own bands but others such as Alkaline Trio, The Queers, Kevin Seconds, and Slapstick, as well as starting the excellent Plea for Peace benefit compilations and tours. Mike has always made music for all ages, but his latest release is literally for the kids. Smile features indie ska songs for children inspired by having two children. After I played a copy for Eloise (above, who especially liked “When The Light Turns Red You Stop” and “Paint With Me” and even came up with custom dance moves), I had to find out more more about the new project by an old friend.