tullycraft news

This blog has moved

2010-04-18T18:57:00.002-04:00

This blog is now located at tullycraft.com. Please head over there to read our recent blog posts, purchase merch, and access a mound of other Tullycraft info.

This site, http://tullycraft.blogspot.com, is home to posts from our blog's first five years.

Happy Birthday to Us!

2010-04-16T00:22:00.003-04:00

On this day in 2005, this Tullycraft website went live. Happy five year anniversary! The site was designed by our very own Corianton Hale. Click here if you would like to travel back in time and see our very first post.

Today we have the song Five-Year-Old Feeling by Jonathan Richman. Signing off.

This Weekend!

2010-04-15T00:34:00.002-04:00

On Saturday, April 17 The Special Places (Jenny & Cori) will be performing with Math & Physics Club at the High Dive in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle. The show is an early bird special… it starts at 6pm. If you plan it right you can enjoy Record Store Day, see The Special Places and Math & Physics Club, get some dinner, and still catch The Redwood Plan at the Sunset later that night. What a Saturday! Today we have a live recording of White and Grey by Math & Physics Club.

MP3 of the Day

2010-04-13T00:03:00.001-04:00

We almost forgot, yesterday was David Cassidy's birthday. Today we have the song David Cassidy by Betty And The Werewolves.

MP3 of the Day

2010-04-12T00:41:00.003-04:00

On this day in 1985 Madonna played the very first date of her Like A Virgin tour in Seattle, WA. Opening the show were the Beastie Boys. Just prior to the tour the group had recorded the song She's On It. Mike D. said, "It was one of two songs that we would perform to the boos and shocked expressions of her audience every night. Thanks are due to her [Madonna] for keeping us from getting kicked off the tour." Happy Monday!

Surprise Appearance

2010-04-10T11:24:00.002-04:00

On this day in 1996 the Beastie Boys made a surprise appearance at the Bottom of the Hill club in San Francisco, CA. That evening they performed under the name Quasar. The group wore orange jump suits that said "Quasar" on them. The suits were similar to the ones the Beastie Boys would wear on their 1998 tour.

MP3 of the Day

2010-04-09T00:01:00.000-04:00

On this day in 1989 The Pooh Sticks recorded a session for John Peel's show on BBC Radio 1. Today we have the song Young People from that radio broadcast. Happy Friday!

MP3 of the Day

2010-04-08T00:20:00.001-04:00

The Clash released their self-titled debut album on this day in 1977. Today we have a live recording of the song Complete Control by The Clash.

MP3 of the Day

2010-04-06T00:50:00.001-04:00

On this day in 1974, ABBA won the Eurovision Song Contest for Sweden with their song "Waterloo." The competition took place at the Brighton Dome in England. Today we have the song Letters From A Voyage To Sweden by Cats On Fire.

MP3 of the Day

2010-04-05T00:04:00.002-04:00

On this day in 1991 Galaxie 500 played their last show ever at Bowdoin College in Maine. Today we have the song Final Day by Galaxie 500.

MP3 of the Day

2010-04-01T00:04:00.002-04:00

On this day in 1993 Bunnygrunt found their band name at the Fairmount Park Racetrack in Collinsville, Illinois. Karen Ried had bet on a horse named Bunnygrunt to win, and when it did, both she and band mate Matt Harnish saw it as a sign. Not long after they convinced former band mate Renee Dullum that they should change the name of their band from The Mars Bars to Bunnygrunt. She agreed, and the rest is history. Today we have the song Horses by Cheap Red.

MP3 of the Day

2010-03-31T00:08:00.001-04:00

The movie Heathers was released on this day in 1988. It starred Winona Ryder, Christian Slater, and Shannen Doherty. The movie follows a four-girl clique who rule over their Ohio high school. Three of the girls are named Heather. It's a classic for sure. Today we have the song Winona Ryder by Unrest.

Dion vs. Dickinson

2010-03-29T00:01:00.003-04:00

Back in the early days of Tullycraft, we had a driver/merch guy that traveled with us named Aaron. He was the third person to fill this position. Our prior drivers (Alex and Ken) each only lasted one tour, while Aaron managed to stick with us for a few years. One of the reasons I especially enjoyed having Aaron on tour was because he didn't really like our band that much. In fact, after we'd play each night I'd ask him, "So Aaron, how do you think we sounded tonight?" And he'd say something like, "You sucked as usual." I expected these responses and I loved them. He wasn't joking, we weren't really his cup of tea. You might be asking: Why was he there? Well, he loved to be on tour and we all got along, so it worked out pretty well. Since indiepop wasn't really Aaron's thing and since he was exposed to it nightly, he (and Jeff) instated a "no indiepop will be played in the van" rule. This meant we listened to a lot of Slayer, Behead the Prophet, Iron Maiden, and a live Ozzy Osbourne album that Jeff was particularly fond of.

I'm telling this anecdote because I noticed that the Iron Maiden album, The Number of the Beast was released on this day in 1982. This was the band's third album, but the first to feature vocalist Bruce Dickinson. I heard this album more than a few times on tour, and I must say after repeat listens I came to really like it. Who knew?

Although, it wasn't all hardcore and heavy metal on the road. I managed to find a loophole in the "rule" when I purchased a Céline Dion cassette along the way and insisted it receive equal airplay. You may be asking: Was Céline Dion allowed to be played in the van? She was. And I actually think Aaron may have enjoyed it the most. Who knew?

Today we have a live recording of Superboy & Supergirl. This was recorded at the Empty Bottle in Chicago in 1996. If you notice near the beginning of the song... my bass cuts out. I can't remember if I broke a string or if I was having amp problems. Either way, Jeff and Gary were champions and played right through until I was able to deal with my bass issues. The show must go on! - for the handful of people in attendance. Happy Monday!

MP3 of the Day

2010-03-26T01:47:00.001-04:00

Boyracer is playing tomorrow night at the Rickshaw Stop in San Francisco, CA. Does anyone else remember when Jen Turrell posted this on the Indiepop list on Aug 6, 2008?

"...We also wanted to mention Boyracer will play their last ever (honest) show at Athens popfest, 15th Aug at the 40 Watt Club. We have a shithot drummer (at last, just as we throw in the towel)."

At the time I was bit skeptical.

I'm sure the show will be great. Today we have the song Smile On Cue by Boyracer from the Insults & Insights ep. Happy Friday!

MP3 of the Day

2010-03-25T00:34:00.002-04:00

On this day in 1998 The Promise Ring played a show at Brodie's Warehouse in Orlando, Florida. Shortly before the band's Orlando appearance, they were involved in a serious accident. The van they were traveling in flipped on an icy road and every passenger was thrown from the vehicle. All of the band members were hospitalized, but fortunately each recovered and managed to continue the tour. At the end of the Orlando show Jason Gnewikow announced that although the set was supposed to be over the band would play one more song, "A Picture Postcard." The song was dedicated to Molly Anderson who was celebrating her birthday that evening.

With all hype surrounding the MTV show, today I'm posting the song Jersey Shore by The Promise Ring. Great song, terrible show.

TULLYCRAFT TUESDAY

2010-03-23T00:02:00.000-04:00

Today we have a video of Chris and Jenny singing the Jay-Z and Alicia Keys' song "Empire State of Mind" at a Karaoke bar. The video quality is grainy and poorly lit, but it's an awesome performance. Enjoy!

MP3 of the Day

2010-03-22T00:15:00.001-04:00

On this day in 1999 the indiepop band Bis released their second full length album, Social Dancing. The album was recorded at Apollo Studios in Glasgow, Scotland. Today we have the song Making People Normal from Social Dancing. Happy Monday!

MP3 of the Day

2010-03-19T00:09:00.001-04:00

On this day in 1957 Elvis Presley purchased Graceland, a large white-columned mansion and 13.8 acre estate in Memphis, Tennessee for approximately $100,000. Today we have the song Tennessee by The Galactic Heroes.

MP3 of the Day

2010-03-16T00:13:00.002-04:00

On this day in 1992 Unrest released Imperial f.f.r.r. on TeenBeat Records. This is such a goood record! Today we have the song Suki from this awesome album. Enjoy!

MP3 of the Day

2010-03-15T01:20:00.003-04:00

On this day in 1997 Bunnygrunt performed at Chris Munford’s house in Seattle. The band convinced both Chris Mac and Chris Munford to join them on the song I Am Curious Partridge. Unfortunately, the show ended abruptly when a fuse blew during the song Constantly Fighting. (Both of these MP3s are live recordings from that show).

On Saturday Chris Mac opened a record store called Jigsaw Records in downtown Ballard, WA (5459 Leary Ave NW). It would have been very fitting if Bunnygrunt had played the grand opening... they didn't. But both Math & Physics Club and Dave Crane (from Boat) did. No fuses were blown, but Chris Munford was in attendance, so I'd say the circle was almost complete.

MP3 of the Day

2010-03-12T00:23:00.001-05:00

On this day in 2003 the British newspaper, The Guardian published its review of a Dixie Chicks concert that had occurred two nights earlier in London. The article ignited the biggest international music-related story of the year. In that review, The Guardian's Betty Clarke included the following line from the concert: "Just so you know,' said singer Natalie Maines, 'we're ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas." (Clarke left out the middle of the full quotation, which was, "Just so you know, we're on the good side with y'all. We do not want this war, this violence. And we're ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas.") That line quickly became fodder for a grassroots anti-Dixie Chicks backlash. It began with thousands of phone calls flooding country-music radio stations from Denver to Nashville - demanding that the Dixie Chicks be removed from the stations' playlists. Soon some of those same stations were calling for a boycott of the recent Dixie Chicks' album and of their upcoming U.S. tour. Fellow country star Toby Keith joined in by performing in front of a backdrop that featured a gigantic image of Natalie Maines beside Saddam Hussein. Today we have the song Satisfied Mind by Jonathan Richman from the album Jonathan Goes Country. Happy Friday!

MP3 of the Day

2010-03-09T00:33:00.002-05:00

In the mid-1950s, Lilli was a cartoon character found in a German newspaper called Bild. She was intended for adults, and became so popular that the publication began manufacturing a Lilli doll which was sold at news stands and cigarette kiosks. In 1956, while visiting Europe, Ruth Handler (founder of Mattel toys) discovered the Lilli doll which sparked the idea of manufacturing a similar doll for children. Handler bought the rights to Lilli and made her own version. The result was Barbie, which was introduced at the American Toy Fair in New York City on this day in 1959. Since that first year, more than 800 million dolls in the Barbie family have been sold around the world. Today we have the song Trash by the 80's band Doll.

Happy Birthday Chris!

2010-03-08T00:04:00.003-05:00

It's Chris Munford's birthday today.

Chris joined Tullycraft just prior to the recording of our ill-fated sophomore album, City of Subarus. Even though that record might not be everyone's favorite, I still like it and I think Chris does too. I certainly know we had a lot fun making it. Today we have a live performance of Ticket Tonight recorded before City of Subarus was released.

MP3 of the Day

2010-03-05T00:37:00.001-05:00

On this day in 2009, Vince Neil opened a Mötley Crüe themed restaurant in downtown West Palm Beach called Dr. Feelgood's Rock Bar and Grill. The restaurant features music memorabilia, guitars and motorcycles. They serve American-style food, which includes burgers, sandwiches and pastas. Today we have the song Maneaters by Cub. Happy Friday!

MP3 of the Day

2010-03-03T00:02:00.001-05:00

On this day in 1995, Bikini Kill performed at the Sailors Union Hall in downtown Seattle with Team Dresch, Phranc, Mary Lou Lord, and Elliot Smith. Today we have the song Star Bellied Boy by Bikini Kill from the album Pussy Whipped.

MP3 of the Day

2010-03-02T00:55:00.001-05:00

On this day in 1944, the Academy Awards were televised for the first time. Jack Benny served as master of ceremonies for the event, which was held at Grauman's Chinese Theater in Los Angeles. Due to lack of network interest, the show was only broadcast locally, on two Los Angeles TV stations. Today we have the song The Girl Who Lost Interest In Everything by The Hepburns.

MP3 of the Day

2010-03-01T00:02:00.000-05:00

On this day in 1994 Luna released the album, Bewitched. Today we have Luna covering the Rolling Stones' classic Waiting On A Friend.

MP3 of the Day

2010-02-26T00:23:00.004-05:00

On this day in 2000 Mount Hekla, in Iceland, erupted. This was the last time Iceland's most active volcano actually erupted, but in January 2010 there were reports of patches near to the summit not covered with snow and the lava chamber pressure had reached levels similar to those of Feb 2000. During the Middle Ages, Icelanders referred to this volcano as the "Gateway to Hell." Happy Friday!

MP3 of the Day

2010-02-25T00:01:00.005-05:00

On this day in 1938, Miami opened its first drive-in movie theater. Invented in 1933 by Richard Hollingshead, the very first drive-in debuted on Crescent Boulevard in Camden, New Jersey. Hollingshead received a patent for his idea in 1933, but it was later repealed. Without a patent to hinder them, copycats began opening up drive-ins all across the country. By 1938, most metropolitan areas had drive-in theaters. The drive-in craze would reach its peak in 1963 when 3,502 theaters were in operation across the U.S. Today we have a live recording of the song Drive by R.E.M. If you notice, Michael Stipe flubs the lyrics a bit at the 3:02 mark... it's sorta funny.

MP3 of the Day

2010-02-23T00:10:00.001-05:00

The Magnetic Fields are playing tonight (and tomorrow) at the Town Hall here in Seattle. They are currently on tour supporting their new album, Realism. I think my favorite song on the new record is You Must Be Out Of Your Mind. That may be because it sounds sorta similar to All The Umbrellas In London from the Get Lost album, which is also one of my favorites. See you at the show!

MP3 of the Day

2010-02-22T00:27:00.001-05:00

Last week Cori was in the studio rockin' the accordion on the new Math & Physics Club album. Today we have a live recording the song Movie Ending Romance by Math & Physics Club. Enjoy!

MP3 of the Day

2010-02-18T00:09:00.001-05:00

On this day in 1930 the ninth planet Pluto, was discovered at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, by astronomer Clyde W. Tombaugh. However, in August 2006, the International Astronomical Union announced that Pluto would no longer be considered a planet, due to new rules that said a planet must "clear the neighborhood around its orbit." Since Pluto's oblong orbit overlaps that of Neptune, it was disqualified. Today we have an acoustic version of Welcome to the Planet by The Thermals.

MP3 of the Day

2010-02-17T01:04:00.000-05:00

If you happened to be in Fargo, North Dakota on this day in 1999, then I'm sure you know this as the day The Rolling Stones came to town. It's true. The Rolling Stones performed at the Fargodome on this day in 1999, and North Dakota has never been quite the same since. Today we have the song Tallahassee Bop by Slow Down Tallahassee.

MP3 of the Day

2010-02-16T00:03:00.000-05:00

In 1977, Blondie played almost every night of this week at the Whisky A Go Go. The first couple nights they shared the stage with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and the rest of the week, they opened for The Ramones. This was Blondie's L.A. debut. Today we have a live recording of the song Denis by Blondie.

MP3 of the Day

2010-02-12T01:02:00.002-05:00

The UK band Horowitz has released a new 7” on Cloudberry Records featuring two songs, How To Look Imploring and “The Drunks are Writing Punk Songs." Are we the drunks? I’m still not sure. In any case, it’s a great single worth checking out. Happy Friday!

MP3 of the Day

2010-02-11T00:05:00.004-05:00

On this day in 1990, underdog Buster Douglas defeated Mike Tyson, the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, in 10 rounds at a boxing match in Tokyo, Japan. Three days later, the band Crayon would practice together for the very first time in Bellingham, Washington. Despite the fact that we did not know how to write songs or play instruments, we decided prior to that first practice that our band name would be Crayon when Jeff, Brad and I discovered that we were all fans of The Pastels. “Crayons come in pastel colors don’t they? Alright then, we’ll call our band Crayon.” Most of that afternoon was spent making nonsensical noise/instrumentals in Michael Griffin’s living room using borrowed gear. Occasionally, Brad or I would sing over this noise. We were young and naive, but to our ears these were songs in the making. Brad had the forethought (or misfortune) to record much of this event. Today we have an actual recording of Knee-High Susan from that Valentines day in 1990. WARNING: This is terrible.

MP3 of the Day

2010-02-10T01:05:00.002-05:00

On this day in 1996, world chess champion Gary Kasparov lost the first game of a six-game chess match against Deep Blue, an IBM computer capable of evaluating 200 million moves per second. The game had lasted three hours. Kasparov ultimately won the match with three wins, two ties, and one loss. An estimated 6 million people worldwide followed the action on the internet. In 2003, Kasparov battled another computer program, "Deep Junior." The match ended in a tie. Kasparov retired from professional chess in 2005. Today we have a great song called Fun by Sourpatch from the album, Crushin' released on HHBTM Records.

MP3 of the Day

2010-02-09T00:07:00.002-05:00

Tonight… Tender Trap, Darren Hayman, Hexicon and Moustache Of Insanity will be playing at Barden’s Boudoir (36 Stoke Newington Road) in London. Rumor has it Darren Hayman and Amelia Fletcher are going to be performing a few duets from the Hefner days. How can you miss that?! Today we have the song I Did It! I Won! I'm The Winner! by Moustache Of Insanity.

MP3 of the Day

2010-02-08T00:05:00.000-05:00

Have we talked about Shrag? I'm loving this song Hopelessly Wasted.

MP3 of the Day

2010-02-05T00:10:00.003-05:00

Jens Lekman will be celebrating his 29th birthday tomorrow. Happy Birthday Jens! Today we have a super lo-fi version of A Postcard To Nina. Happy Friday!

MP3 of the Day

2010-02-04T00:03:00.001-05:00

On this day in 1980 The Ramones released their fifth album, End of the Century. It was produced by Phil Spector. After Spector became interested in the band, he offered to produce an album for them. Joey Ramone was a huge fan of Spector's early work, including albums by many girl groups like The Crystals and The Ronettes. The result was a departure from the bands' original punk rock formula. In an attempt at more mainstream success, the songs on End of the Century were more "produced" and longer in duration. The album reached number 44 on the US Billboard 200 chart, and number 14 on the UK Albums Chart, making it the band's highest-charting album in both countries. Today we have the song I Can't Make It On Time from the album End of the Century.

MP3 of the Day

2010-02-03T01:50:00.000-05:00

On this day in 1959, Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson were killed when their chartered plane crashed in Iowa a few minutes after takeoff on a flight headed for Moorehead, Minnesota. Investigators blamed the crash on bad weather and pilot error. Today we have (Using Buddy Holly's Ghost as a) Parachute by Fishboy.

2010-02-02T00:34:00.000-05:00

4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42

MP3 of the Day

2010-02-02T00:04:00.001-05:00

On this day in 2007, two Bellingham bands, The Trucks and No-Fi Soul Rebellion played at the Jules Maes Saloon in the Georgetown neighborhood of Seattle. Today we have the song Titties by The Trucks.

2010-02-01T00:08:00.001-05:00

On this day in 2003, the Space Shuttle Columbia broke up while entering the atmosphere over Texas, killing all seven crew members on board. Prior to his mission, Space Shuttle Pilot Willie McCool contacted the band Weezer to let them know that he planned to take a picture of himself holding the group's self-titled debut album while in orbit. He even invited the band to witness the shuttle's launch at the Kennedy Space Center on January 16. Unfortunately, no one from the band could make the trip to Florida to attend. Weezer released a statement after the disaster that read: "The Weezer community extends its deepest condolences to all the families of the crew of the STS-107, and trust that those seven brave souls are now at peace."

MP3 of the Day

2010-01-30T18:15:00.003-05:00

On this day in 1989 NEW ORDER released their fifth album, Technique. Part of the album was recorded on the island of Ibiza. For this record the band incorporated Balearic beats and acid house into their techno sound. Today we have a live recording of the Technique album track Love Less performed by Tullycraft. This recording appeared on the Singles CD.

MP3 of the Day

2010-01-29T00:01:00.001-05:00

Matt Johnson (from Matt & Kim) turns 28 today. Happy Birthday Matt! Today we have a mash-up between the Beastie Boys and Matt & Kim called Good Ol' Fashion Rump Shaker . Happy Friday!

MP3 of the Day

2010-01-28T00:03:00.001-05:00

On this day in 1997, the third full-length Built to Spill album, Perfect from Now On was released. It was the band's first major label release on Warner Bros. The original recordings of the album were destroyed by heat when producer Phil Ek was driving from Seattle to Boise to record overdubs. After this initial set-back, the band rehearsed some more and re-recorded the album at the Avast! Recording Company in Seattle, WA. Today we have a live recording of the song Stop The Show by Built to Spill.

MP3 of the Day

2010-01-27T00:16:00.001-05:00

On this day in 1984 Michael Jackson was filming a Pepsi Cola commercial at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, CA. During a simulated concert, pyrotechnics accidentally set Jackson's hair on fire. He suffered second-degree burns to his scalp. Today we have the song The Secret Fire by Boyracer from the album, Flickering B+W.

MP3 of the Day

2010-01-26T00:42:00.000-05:00

On this day in 1788, the first 736 convicts banished from England to Australia landed in Botany Bay. Over the next 60 years, approximately 50,000 criminals were transported from Great Britain to the "land down under," in one of the strangest episodes in criminal-justice history. Generations later the great grandchildren of these criminals would go on to form bands like: The Go-Betweens, The Birthday Party, AC/DC, & INXS. Today we have the song Rock n Roll Friend by The Go-Betweens.

MP3 of the Day

2010-01-25T00:28:00.001-05:00

On this day in 2005 Bright Eyes released two albums, I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning and Digital Ash in a Digital Urn. Both albums were released on Saddle Creek Records. The single "Lua" (from I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning) reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Sales Chart. Today we have a non-album version of Lua performed by Conor Oberst & Gillian Welch.

2010-01-23T16:53:00.002-05:00

If you happen to be near Winooski, Vermont tonight (Sat Jan 23), be sure and swing by the Monkey House to catch The Smittens.

MP3 of the Day

2010-01-22T00:15:00.001-05:00

Daniel Johnston was born in Sacramento, California on this day in 1961. He grew up in the northern panhandle of West Virginia between Ohio and Pennsylvania near Chester, West Virginia. He began recording music in the late 1970s on a $59 Sanyo boombox. If you haven't already seen the 2006 documentary The Devil and Daniel Johnston, you must. Today we have the song Mind Movies by Daniel Johnston from the album, Is And Always Was. Happy Friday!

MP3 of the Day

2010-01-21T00:01:00.001-05:00

On this day in 1959 Carl Switzer, better known as Alfalfa from the Our Gang comedies, was shot and killed. Following his childhood acting career, Switzer became a hunting guide and bartender in Northern California. He was shot during an argument over a $50 debt. Authorities ruled the shooting "justifiable homicide." Today we have a live recording of the song Rumble with the Gang Debs performed by Tullycraft.

2010-01-20T02:30:00.000-05:00

Rainn Wilson was born in Seattle on this day in 1966. Happy Birthday Dwight!

Did anyone happen to catch The Mountain Goats on Jimmy Fallon last night?

MP3 of the Day

2010-01-19T00:00:00.001-05:00

On this day in 1980 Eddie & the Subtitles, Dred Scott, The Go-Go's and Middle Class performed at the Hong Kong Café in LA's historic Chinatown. The show cost $5.50.

If you're up for an exciting show in Seattle don't miss Nana Grizol, The Max Levine Ensemble, Iji and A Million Years. They're playing at The Vera Project tonight! It's going to be great. Today we have the song Galaxies by Nana Grizol . See you at the show!

2010-01-15T11:36:00.000-05:00

On this day in 1892 the Springfield College newspaper (in Springfield, Massachusetts), featured an article about a "new game" invented by James Naismith. They called it "Naismith Ball", but the world would soon come to know the game by another name... basketball.

MP3 of the Day

2010-01-14T00:05:00.001-05:00

On this day in 1978 the Sex Pistols played their last show every at San Francisco's Winterland Ballroom. Their encore consisted of one song - an extended version of The Stooges "No Fun". Before throwing down his microphone and walking offstage, Johnny Rotten said to the audience: "Ah-ha-ha. Ever get the feeling you've been cheated? Good night". Rotten announced his official departure from the band three days later on January 17, 1978. Today we have the Sex Pistols version of The Who classic Substitute.

MP3 of the Day

2010-01-13T00:02:00.004-05:00

On this day in 2008 Chris was at our practice space by himself, past midnight mixing the song "Welcome to the Big Ten Conference". At the time we were still trying to figure out how to put things back together after the fire that had occurred at our space months earlier. Chris assembled the gear he required in the corner of the room and went to work straight away. Thank you Chris! The song was featured on the Magic Marker 10th Anniversary 7" box set.

Today we have an alternate mix of Welcome to the Big Ten Conference that didn't appear on the 7" (please ignore the studio hijinks).

2010-01-12T00:13:00.001-05:00

Happy birthday Melanie Chisholm! In 1994 Melanie C formed the Spice Girls along with Melanie Brown, Geri Halliwell, Emma Bunton, and Victoria Beckham (at that time Victoria Adams). By the late 90's she was known to most of the world as Sporty Spice.

MP3 of the Day

2010-01-11T00:08:00.002-05:00

On this day in 2007, author J. K. Rowling completed the seventh and final Harry Potter novel, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Rowling completed the book while staying at the Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh, Scotland. She left a signed statement on a marble bust of Hermes in her room which read: "J. K. Rowling finished writing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in this room (652) on 11 January 2007". Today we have the song Black Magic by Jarvis Cocker. Cocker appeared as lead singer of the band The Weird Sisters in the movie Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. He also contributed to the film's soundtrack.

MP3 of the Day

2010-01-08T00:04:00.002-05:00

On this day in 1941 William Randolph Hearst, owner of the Hearst newspaper chain, forbid any of his 28 newspapers from accepting ads for Orson Welles' Citizen Kane. The film, which was loosely based on Hearst's life had been co-written by Welles and Herman J. Mankiewicz and directed by the 26 year old Welles. Hearst had used all of his resources and influence in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent the film's release. Welles and the studio, RKO, resisted the pressure, but Hearst and his Hollywood friends succeeded in getting theater chains to limit bookings of Citizen Kane, resulting in mediocre box-office numbers for the film. Today we have a new Nana Grizol song, Cynicism from their soon to be released album, Ruth. Happy Friday!

MP3 of the Day

2010-01-06T00:07:00.003-05:00

On this day in 1996 the band Noise Addict (featuring a 16 year old Ben Lee) played at the Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco, CA. At one point during the set Lee said to the audience, "You all seem pretty uptight for Americans," in response to the lackluster response his band was receiving. There were a couple people jumping up and down in front, but that was about all the enthusiasm that was visible. Today we have Noise Addict covering the Jonathan Richman classic Back In Your Life.

On a related note - If you don't already own the 1979 Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers album Back In Your Life, it is a must for any record collection.

2010-01-04T00:22:00.001-05:00

It is 2010 and Tullycraft has finally joined Facebook. What took us so long you might ask? Well, without going into it too much, let's just say that we had an unhealthy allegiance to Friendster. If you would like to join our brood on Facebook you may do so here.

Happy Birthday Cori!

2010-01-03T02:15:00.002-05:00

Today is Corianton Hale's birthday.

Yesterday The Special Places (Jenny & Cori) played a show in Honolulu, Hawaii. Earlier in the day they appeared on the Honolulu radio station KTUH. Today we have some excerpts from their KTUH appearance.

2010-01-01T01:10:00.001-05:00

New t-shirt!

2009-12-29T00:11:00.003-05:00

Since the original "Fangs on Bats" Tullycraft t-shirt was introduced some time ago, we have had a few requests to make this design available on black shirts. Well... just in time for 2010, a limited number of these shirts have been produced in black featuring the classic bats design. I hesitate to call these goth. Maybe bubblegum goth would be more appropriate? Just like the original blue shirts, these new ones are also American Apparel and quantities are limited. Happy New Year!

Tullycraft w/ Santa

2009-12-27T19:34:00.002-05:00

Pictured above are: Cori, Sean, Jenny & Chris with Santa (John Roderick) and his elves at the Three Imaginary Girls: Winter Holiday Spectacular in Seattle on December 23rd. The Special Places (Jenny & Cori) performed at the event.

12 Days of Christmas - Day Twelve

2009-12-25T22:08:00.001-05:00

Today we are finishing up our Twelve Days of Christmas. On this twelfth, and final day we have the song Spend Christmas Day With Me by Darren Hanlon. Merry Christmas!

12 Days of Christmas - Day Eleven

2009-12-24T04:00:00.001-05:00

Happy Christmas Eve! Today we have The Sonics' classic, Don't Believe In Christmas performed by Junior Varsity.

12 Days of Christmas - Day Ten

2009-12-23T00:15:00.002-05:00

In 1980, RSO Records released a seven inch single for the song "What Can You Get a Wookiee for Christmas (When He Already Owns a Comb?)" by The Star Wars Intergalactic Droid Choir. The b-side of the single featured the very first professional recording by Jon Bon Jovi (credited as "John Bongiovi", his birth name), who sang lead vocals on the song "R2-D2 We Wish You A Merry Christmas." Today we have What Can You Get a Wookiee for Christmas (When He Already Owns a Comb?). This song reached #69 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart that year.

12 Days of Christmas - Day Nine

2009-12-22T00:05:00.002-05:00

Years ago, I was asked if I would contribute a Christmas song to a compilation on Kindercore Records. I had never written a holiday themed song, but I gave it my best. I'm not sure it was a success. Today we have Secret Santa (You Could Be The One) by my old casiocore project Six Cents and Natalie.

12 Days of Christmas - Day Eight

2009-12-21T00:13:00.003-05:00

In 1964, The Beach Boys released The Beach Boys' Christmas Album. Five of the album's 12 tracks were original Christmas songs written by the band, which was unusual at the time. Today we have the song Santa's Beard written by Brian Wilson & Mike Love. Brian Wilson often used studio musicians to record instrumental tracks for the band to sing over, but on this song The Beach Boys recorded their own backing tracks. Brian played piano, Dennis played drums, Carl is on rhythm & lead guitar, and Al Jardine played the bass.

12 Days of Christmas - Day Seven

2009-12-18T00:04:00.001-05:00

Today we have a Norwegian Christmas song called Deilig Er Jorden by Kings Of Convenience. Happy Friday!

12 Days of Christmas - Day Six

2009-12-17T00:02:00.002-05:00

Today, as part of our Twelve Days of Christmas we have one of my very favorites, My Christmas Card To You by The Partridge Family. Actually, if you're looking for a good Christmas album, A Partridge Family Christmas Card, is pretty hard to beat.

12 Days of Christmas - Day Five

2009-12-16T00:24:00.002-05:00

Today we have Santa! Don't Pass Me By by Jimmy Donley. Donley wrote many songs in the mid to late 1950's that went on to be hits for a number of early rock 'n' roll artists, including Fats Domino and Jerry Lee Lewis. Unfortunately, he was never properly credited or compensated. Jimmy Donley committed suicide in 1963.

12 Days of Christmas - Day Four

2009-12-15T01:12:00.001-05:00

Continuing with our Twelve Days of Christmas, today we have the song Christmas Wish by Autumn Teen Sound.

12 Days of Christmas - Day Three

2009-12-14T00:43:00.001-05:00

It would be difficult to put together a collection of holiday songs without including at least one from Sammy, Dean or Frank. So... today we have Baby, It's Cold Outside by Dean Martin. A classic.

12 Days of Christmas - Day Two

2009-12-11T00:10:00.001-05:00

We're continuing our Twelve Days of Christmas today with the song, Four Years of Christmas by Angry Moofah and the Joints. Happy Friday!

12 Days of Christmas - Day One

2009-12-10T00:16:00.002-05:00

Today we're kicking off our Twelve Days of Christmas with the song, Sleigh Bells, Reindeer And Snow by Rita Faye Wilson.

MP3 of the Day

2009-12-09T00:23:00.002-05:00

On this day in 1994, the band, Nothing Painted Blue appeared on the radio show Brave New World on KCRW-FM in Santa Monica, CA. The show was hosted by Tricia Halloran and engineered by Scott Fritz. They played a number of songs including a cover of The Minutemen classic, My Heart and the Real World. Since the trio split-up in the late 90's, each member has pursued new endeavors. Franklin Bruno (guitar/vocals) has gone on to write music criticism for The Village Voice and Time Out New York. He is currently is a visiting professor of philosophy at Bard College. Kyle Brodie (drums) is a Superior Court Judge in San Bernardino County, and Peter Hughs (bass/vocals) is in The Mountain Goats.

12 Days of Christmas

2009-12-08T00:17:00.000-05:00

Starting Thursday we’re going to be kicking off The Twelve Days of Christmas, featuring 12 of our favorite holiday inspired songs. Some you may know, and some you may not. But, before we begin the yuletide fun, we’d love to know…. which holiday songs do you love (or not love)?

MP3 of the Day

2009-12-07T00:20:00.001-05:00

On this day in 1787, Delaware became the first state to ratify the US Constitution. I was just in Delaware last month and they're still talking about this (no joke). Today we have the song The Day I Was A Horse by CHEAP RED.

MP3 of the Day

2009-12-04T01:47:00.003-05:00

On this day in 1952, a dense fog settled over the city of London, England. Although the city was accustomed to thick fogs, this one was denser and longer lasting than any seen previously. The fog mixed with chimney smoke, vehicle exhaust, and other pollutants, which blanketed the city. The absence of significant wind prevented its dispersal and it hovered over London for four days. Initially, there was no great panic, as the city was renowned for its fog. However, in the weeks that followed, statistics compiled by medical services found that the fog had killed over 4,000 people. Today we have a cover of The Magnetic Fields' song All The Umbrellas In London by LINDA SMITH.

MP3 of the Day

2009-12-03T00:07:00.001-05:00

On this day in 1968, NBC aired an Elvis Presley Television Special. The program has commonly been referred to as the '68 Comeback Special. After coming home from the Army, Elvis recorded a number of hits, but only performed three concerts in 1961. It wasn't until this 1968 television special that the public saw Elvis perform live again. Today we have the song Elvis by WIMP FACTOR 14.

MP3 of the Day

2009-12-02T00:36:00.001-05:00

On this day in 1973, The Stilettos played at the Boburn Tavern in New York City. The band featured vocalist, Debbie Harry and guitarist, Chris Stein. The two would go on to form the band Blondie in 1975. Today we have an interview with Debbie Harry and a live recording of the song Hanging On The Telephone by BLONDIE.

MP3 of the Day

2009-12-01T00:05:00.001-05:00

On this day in 1959, twelve nations, including the United States and the Soviet Union, signed the Antarctica Treaty, which banned military activity and mineral mining on that continent. It was the first arms control agreement signed during the Cold War period. To date, forty-six countries have signed the treaty. Experiments and scientific research are currently ongoing by more than 4,000 international scientists in Antarctica. Today we have the song C & F by ANTARCTICA TAKES IT!

MP3 of the Day

2009-11-30T00:48:00.001-05:00

On this day in 1954, a meteorite crashed through the roof and into the living room of a house in Sylacauga, Alabama. It bounced off a radio, and struck Mrs. Elizabeth Hodges, who was sleeping on a couch at the time, in the hip. The space rock was a sulfide meteorite that weighed 8.5 pounds and measured seven inches in length. Mrs. Hodges was not permanently injured but suffered a large bruise along her hip and leg. Ancient Chinese records told of people being injured or killed by falling meteorites, but the Sylacauga meteorite was the first modern record of this type of human injury. Today we have the song Big Bangs, Black Holes, Meteorites by LOVE IS ALL.

Indiepop 09

2009-11-25T01:23:00.002-05:00

The ROUGH TRADE SHOPS INDIEPOP 09 compilation was recently released just in time for the holidays. The comp features 25 bands that represent the wide-ranging current state of indiepop including: The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, Love Is All, The Legends, Tullycraft, Los Campesinos!, Cause Co-Motion, Vivian Girls and many more! Makes a great stocking stuffer!

MP3 of the Day

2009-11-24T01:31:00.001-05:00

If you don't know already, BOAT have a new album out titled, Cloudy with a Chance of Boat... wait that's not it. It's called Setting the Paces, and it was recently released on Magic Marker Records. This album is the band's best yet and it features a song about Tullycraft drummer, Jeff Fell called Jeff Fell Dream. Enjoy!

2009-11-23T00:45:00.003-05:00

On this day in 1988, Nirvana opened for Coffin Break and Skin Yard at a small club in Bellingham, WA called Speedy O'Tubbs. I was told that there weren't very many people in the audience (less than 25). Despite playing a lot of shows throughout the Northwest over the next few years, Nirvana never played another officially announced show in Bellingham. They did appear as an unannounced opening act for Mudhoney at Western Washington University (in Bellingham) in 1992. This appearance was a surprise to all in attendance.

MP3 of the Day

2009-11-20T00:23:00.001-05:00

If you happen to live in New York, DEVO will be playing their debut album, Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo from beginning to end tonight (Nov 20th) at The Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza. Today we have the song Uncontrollable Urge from that very influential 1978 album. Happy Friday!

2009-11-19T01:03:00.003-05:00

This past Saturday, Darren Hayman (from the band Hefner) was mugged while parking his car after a show in Nottingham. He was seriously injured and taken to the hospital. On Monday night he was discharged and is now resting in London. The statement released said: "there should be no long term damage, but he does have a linear fracture in his skull which will keep him fairly quiet for the next six weeks. He also has a head wound, a bit of bruising, and a very nasty headache." Our best wishes go out to Darren. Today we have the song Rochelle by Darren Hayman And The Secondary Modern.

MP3 of the Day

2009-11-18T00:11:00.002-05:00

On this day in 1982, Yazoo performed at the Playhouse Theatre in Edinburgh, Scotland. Today we have a live recording of the song In My Room from that Edinburgh performance. While "In My Room" isn't a cover of the Brian Wilson/Beach Boys classic, its sentiment is obviously inspired by the original.

the fire that still haunts us

2009-11-17T00:42:00.003-05:00

On this day in 2008, the curse of the Every Scene Needs A Center album cover caught up with us when the Tullycraft practice space/recording studio caught fire. It didn't burn to the ground, but the smoke damage was more severe than any of us expected. Every surface of our equipment (inside and out) had a layer of filthy, smelly soot on it. Everything had to be disconnected and disassembled. Chris spent months attempting to clean and salvage the recording gear. A lot of the furniture had to be thrown away, and to this day the rebuilding process continues. A full year later, we are still recovering from this horrible incident.

MP3 of the Day

2009-11-16T00:07:00.002-05:00

The film, Close Encounters of the Third Kind was released on this day in 1977. It was written and directed by Steven Spielberg. Today we have a cover of the Jonathan Richman song, The UFO Man performed by THE FOUR ONE AND ONLY's.

MP3 of the Day

2009-11-13T15:48:00.001-05:00

Happy Friday the 13th! Since 1981, there has been a tradition that every Friday the 13th motorcycle enthusiasts gather in the small town of Port Dover Ontario, Canada. Last year an estimated 150,000 bikers and spectators converged on this rural community on Friday the 13th. Today we have the song Garden Lights by CATS ON FIRE from their new album, Our Temperance Movement.

mp3 of the day

2009-11-12T11:26:00.004-05:00

There is an amazing show happening in Seattle tomorrow night! The charming Australian, Darren Hanlon, Rose Melberg (The Softies, Tiger Trap, Go Sailor...), and The Special Places (Jenny & Cori from Tullycraft) will be performing at the Fremont Abbey Arts Centre (4272 Fremont Ave N). Doors open at 9pm and it is only $7. Can you think of a better way to spend your Friday the 13th? Today we have the song Couch Surfing by DARREN HANLON. See you at the show!

P.S. Hey peeps, there's supposed to be a picture with this post, but Blogger's acting a little wonky right now. In fact, it wouldn't even let Sean post! Let's hope it's remedied soon...

MP3 of the Day

2009-11-11T00:16:00.003-05:00

Recently, Frank Boscoe from The Gazetteers was featured in Scholastic Math Magazine (Jeff Fell has a subscription) . He wrote a story about his involvement in the World Rogaining Championship in the nation of Estonia. If you're not familiar, Rogaining is the sport of long distance cross-country navigation. Championship rogaines are 24 hours long. They involve both route planning and navigation between checkpoints using a variety of map types. In a rogaine, teams of 2-5 people choose which checkpoints to visit within a time limit with the intent of maximizing their score. While Frank and his teammate, Vesa Keinänen, were no match for the best European teams, they were proud to have covered 62 miles in the 24 hour time frame. Today we have the song Come Play In Aberdeen! (45.27ºn 98.29ºw) by THE GAZETTEERS from the album, Territory Songs released on Magic Marker Records.

TULLYCRAFT TUESDAY

2009-11-10T00:23:00.002-05:00

Today we have another installment of Tullycraft Tuesday (i.e. a band or artist covering a Tullycraft song). On this Tuesday we have the UK band, THE MANHATTAN LOVE SUICIDES performing the song Superboy & Supergirl. This song appeared on the Magic Marker 10th Anniversary 7" Collection - a box-set of 7” singles featuring Magic Marker bands covering the songs of other Magic Marker bands. This past July, The Manhattan Love Suicides announced that they were splitting up. The last I heard, Adam and Rachel (from MLS) formed a new band called The Medusa Snare. Happy Tuesday!