So...Thanks to Long Island’s band Gamblers, the band put their own distinct stamp on a special Halloween single featuring cover versions of The Ramones’ classic “Pet Sematary” and Bobby Pickett’s ‘60s holiday staple “Monster Mash.” Both tunes exemplify the band’s ability to uproot their influences and give them a sonic makeover and slyly subvert our established definitions of indie rock. Play from Soundcloud below.
The tracks also mark the recording debut with longtime friend of the band, Billy Rymer (Dillinger Escape Plan) on drums. “Pet Sematary” pays homage to the godfathers of Gamblers’ NYC punk lineage, while “Monster Mash” imagines Mark Ronson playing in a ‘50s rock and roll style. The band released these tracks to “tide fans over between the 2018 release of their Corinthian Order EP and the early 2020 release of the new album.”
Originally from the south shore Long Island town of Massapequa, Gamblers have made New York City their homebase but they may as well be coming from another world. Growing up in the land of the Baldwin brothers, John Gotti Jr. and the Amityville Horror does something to your perspective in a way that never quite leaves you. The band’s upcoming full-length Small World reflects that odd sense of distance one develops from being in a place that’s so close yet so far, so undeniably locked in the gravitational pull of the center of the universe, only with a language and lore all its own.
The band and their music has been described as:
“plentiful in bubbly guitar and hip-hop influence” -- Alternative Press
“an updated take on a classic sound... a delightful passing of the torch” -- The Deli
Check out the Gamblers Corinthian Order:
Bandleader/producer Michael McManus cut his teeth touring with DIY alt-rock bands in high school. In college, he spent practically every waking minute that he wasn't in class or sleeping holed up in his dorm room crafting the unique hip hop production style that paved the way for collaborations with Meek Mill, Stalley and Heems, as well as musical contributions to Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown and Viceland's Gaycation. With Gamblers, McManus and fellow in-house studio rat Gary O’Keefe marry the beatmaking sensibility of hip hop to the songcraft and jamming-in-a-room m.o. of a rock band.
And check this out: McManus grew up working in his family’s business Peter McManus Cafe (one of NYC’s oldest and most storied bars and a film set for Saturday Night Live, Broad City, and Seinfeld). Watching the constant flow of life from a young age was crucial in shaping the acutely observant lyrical outlook McManus brings to the music. With one ear to the pulse of Long Island's debris-strewn cultural landscape and the other focused finding the right words for heady meditations on the human condition, McManus tucks his often cutting insights into deceptively simple and innocuous-sounding wordplay. The band’s sunny hooks may evoke The Beach Boys, but much darker things tend to wash up on the south shore. Small World harbors some of those things, even in its brightest moments as addiction, stress, despair, corruption and violence lurk in the shadows between the lines.
I’m at the only Pool Hall in Incline Village Nevada about 11 o’clock on a Friday night for some drinks with friends. The jukebox (YES! they still have a jukebox! Which can be programmed and paid for via app) is pumpin’ out eclectic mix of songs that ranged from Cypress Hill, the Killers, to Nikki Minaj / Sir Mix A Lot. So, you’ve got people playing pool and twerkin whileshouting “my anaconda don’t want none…” can you picture it? Then “No Roots” from Alice Merton comes on, and the same people twerkin’ fifty seconds earlier use their pool cues as mic stands to sing the infectuous hook “I’ve Got No Roots” while jumping in unison. So when I caught up with the platinum-selling English born, German-based singer-songwriter during this portion of her sold out U.S. tourwhich has taken her from the Roxy in West Hollywood to Austin City Limits, DC, NYC, Boston, Philly and back to her “roots” in Canada then wrapping October 26thin Detroit at The Majestic, I wanted to get a sense of what musical and creative roots were the basis for the instant global anthem “No Roots” and a new album “MINT” which will be out in January 2019. “MINT” is ripe with hits and a new surreal video for her single “Why So Serious” that already has over 1.3 million YouTube views in it’s first few days. “Why So Serious” reminds me of the best video work from Flaming Lips and OKGo combined. Alice Merton toured the US supporting the brilliant Vance Joy, has beenchampioned by Billboard Magazine, Rolling Stone Magazine, performed on Jimmy Fallon's The Tonight Show, James Corden's Late Late Show and Live With Kelly and Ryan.
Alice Merton- By The Numbers:
Alice is now approaching 130 Million YouTube hits
"No Roots"held #1 for 2 consecutive weeks at alternative radio,
#1 in Canadafor 8 weeks
#1 on the AAA (Adult Album Alternative) charts 5 weeks in a row.
No Roots also cracked the Top 30 pop charts, the Top 15 on Hot AC (#13) and The Billboard Hot 100.
2018 Teen Choice Awards Nomination in 'Best Rock'.
Here is what I learned about Alice's musical roots in Canada and Germany, her Paper Planes Records International music label, school band mates and what one vegetable she chose to throw some shade!
Ted Kelly’s Ten Minutes with Alice Merton:
10:00Ted:As a child in Canada and then Germany what are some of the songs and artists you remember hearing or your parent playing?
9:56 Alice:My parents listened either to classical music, Barbra Streisand or The Alan Parsons Project. That was really it, so that’s what I grew up on.
9:40 Ted: Then….?
9:39 Alice:At some point I discovered indie rock and loved listening to Panic at the Disco, Fall Out Boy and the Killers. But I still am obsessed with the 80s.
8:36 Ted: The Why So Serious video, which accompanies the new single opens with a middle aged nudist sitting across from you, to a hamburger guys sipping an espresso a street café bicycling creatures, fisherman, a costumed puppy, some street corner PDA, stunt dinosaurs, sumo wrestlers ribbon dancers, an elephant and a palm tree in mini coopers... Who found these characters for the video?
8:06 Alice:I found them. My imagination is a strange place.. haha.
7:56 Ted: Where was it shot?
7:50 Alice: It was shot in Berlin, and a fun fact is that all my favourite people are in this video, disguised.
7:26 Ted:Talk about your label Paper Plane Records International that your formed with your friend and manager Paul… Paper Plane is an interesting name. Would it possibly be a nod to M.I.A.? The reason I ask is because Paper Planes and M.I.A. were a staple of UPOP on XM and WorldSpace Satellite Radio as we debuted M.I.A. on global satellite radio, with her first US interview on our XM and Worldspace channels.
6:42 Alice: Nice! What a cool thing ! I do love that song, and it did play a role in the name finding, but more importantly I liked the message of a paper plane.
6:26 Ted:How so?
6:23 Alice:It shows that something so simple such as a piece of paper, can be turned into an object that flies and can soar, depending on how you fold it, not depending on how expensive the paper is. 6:07Ted: How does that fit in with creating your own music label? (that ultimately gained such global visibility Alice’s first single charted To 5 globally)
6:01 Alice:That basically describes our company and our thinking behind it. We didn’t have much money in the beginning, but we invested time and effort into the music and in the end watched it grow.
5:43 Ted: That first artist you have on Paper Planes Records has done pretty well.. any plans to sign more artists?
5:31 Alice: We will be signing artists very soon to the label, but we want to establish it a little more beforehand. I also want to make sure I have the time to invest in another artist, and at the moment I don’t with all the touring.
4: 52 Ted:What was the backstory to your writing Why So Serious?
4:44 Alice:I was asked in interviews if I think I was going to remain a one hit wonder. That really hit a soft spot, so I went into the studio, very angry…but then realised…whats the point? I don’t make music to satisfy other people, I make it for myself to realise how I feel and share these feelings with others.
I feel like we often get so caught up in our problems and we completely forget to look at the big picture! Which is pretty nice if you ask me.
3:44 Ted:In 2000 at Roseland I had a chance to ask David Bowie about his evolution of music and writing styles. He gave me a very similar answer. He said he realized that he had personal experiences and things thing to write about and different instruments to work with. Those creations were not developed with a particular audience in mind. If you weren’t doing music what do you think you would have been doing?
3:04 Alice:I would love to be directing movies or writing screen plays.
2:54 Ted:Your on tour gonna be playing through --- Tell me about your band mates, are some of your former classmates still in the band?
2:36: Alice:Yes my band is still from college. We all met in our first year. I asked Lucas and Bastian and Simon if they’d join my band. Unfortunately Simon left the band, but then we asked a friend of ours (Regi) also from the same college if he’d like to join us. Its really nice being with people you know from 5 years ago, because it’s a new adventure for everyone.
2:03 Ted: Recording Geek Alert: Was “MINT” recorded, Analog or digital? And do you have a personal preference, or do you think it matters at all?
1:53 Alice:There’s a bit of both actually. I won’t say which songs or which parts are which though :)
1:32 Ted:Congrats on the Border Breakers Award!, the international award for the success in reaching audiences outside your own country. You join quite a roster of talent including; Adele, Katie Melua and Tiziano Ferro, all three artists I had the honoring of debuting on satellite radio globally.
1:31 Alice: Thank you very much!
1:30 Ted:What do you think it is about you and your music has taken on such global appeal?
1:16 Alice:I honestly don’t know…haha. Maybe I'll figure it out one day.
1:01 Ted: What music styles do you like?
00:47 Alice:Everything except heavy metal.
00:42 Ted: Who are you listening to on your tour bus or while traveling between gigs?
00:29 Alice: I always listen to something different. At the moment I love listening to Tase Sultana, Lewis Capaldi and Fenne Lily. I love discovering new talented artists.
00:11 Ted:What else do you want to share that you haven’t been asked a million times?
00:09 Alice: Hmmm…I think you covered most of it
00:06 Ted: Hey!
00:05 Alice::)
00:04 Alice:I haven’t been asked if I like Brussels Sprouts.
00:02 Ted: Do you?
00:01 Alice:I don’t though.
Alice Merton’s journey mirrors her memorable hook from “Why So Serious” ‘I want to live with no regrets, I don’t want to care of what if’s, cause what if those things don’t last.’ Is that a lyric to live by, or what!? You can pre order the new Album MINT (from Mom+Pop) here.
This week marked the 58th Anniversary of the death of Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and J.P. Richardson "The Big Bopper." February 3rd, 1959. A tragic plane crash in an Iowa field took the lives of three of the biggest music stars of the period. Their pilot also lost his life. To pay a tribute some recent covers of their music:
2004 Richie Valens cover by: Wyclef Jean "La Bamba"
1972 "Big Bopper" cover by: Jerry Lee Lewis "Chantilly Lace"
Now, hope you enjoy my Episode 2 playlist with some of the latest releases and other tracks you gotta check out... (You can purchase and download any track at Apple Music) Depeche Mode "Where's the Revolution"
Written by Martin Gore, this is Depeche Mode's first release in four years and provides a taste from the upcoming "Spirit" album to be releases in March. Speaks of the volatility in society, possibly reflecting the climate in the U.K. and U.S. Enjoy..
A.R. Rahman, Arjun Chandy, Haricharan and Jonita Gandhi "Azyhagiye"
Some of you may remember A.R. as spokesman for our Worldspace Satellite radio or as the composer of brilliant soundtracks. This track, just released earlier this month is already #1 in India and it is truly representative of the global appeal of Bollywood. The track is a mix of Tamil and English. A.R. Rahman was a great voice for Worldspace and a brilliant talent.
Milky Chance "Cocoon"
This is first single from Germany's Milky Chance forthcoming album "Blossom." Their first global hit "Stolen Dance" topped multiple global charts including the US.
London Grammar "Big Picture"
The British trio London Grammar released Big Picture via their Facebook page earlier this month. Already charting in multiple countries. Big Picture features the lead vocals of Hannah Reid.
Digital Farm Animals (Featuring Hailee Steinfeld) "Digital Love"
Digital Farm Animals is British DJ Nicholas Gale. Digital Love is sung by American actress Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit/Pitch Perfect). The single Digital Love was released in Early February.
Episode 1 features music from Rag "N" Bone Man, Sia, The Weeknd, Amy Shark and Ed Sheeran. We all know there has been a lot of great music that continues to be made since UPOP left Satellite Radio and it's so much easier for us to purchase or stream great music now that labels have one global release date. (Something Scott Weimer, Zach Overking and I had been lobbying labels for since 2001!) Each Week I'm going to share some of the global tracks and artists that come onto my radar. Some of them you may know, some you may discover and some of the tracks that I plan to share hopefully will come from your suggestions. I always appreciated and shared your songs and artist suggestions on UPOP. So let me know what you have found and I'll share it with a few thousand of our closest friends.
For the first episode, gonna share some of the tracks from 2016 that you may or may not know and some cool new stuff too.
Rag'N'Bone Man "Human"
Back in July, Rag n' Bon Man (official link here) released Human. Born in the U.K., Rory Graham took on the name Rag
'N' Bone as the MC for his original drum and bass band in Uckfield, East
Sussex, England after watching repeats of the 70s British sitcom Steptoe
and Son. Human hit #1 in Austria, Germany, Belgium and Switzerland and
has been certified Gold in Germany, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland, Austria,
Belgium and the Netherlands. Very little terrestrial radio play in America. In
March 2017 by his debut album will be released.
Amy Shark "Adore"
You are going to like New Zealand’s
Amy Shark. (official link here) Her latest single is “Adore.” In
2016 Amy won her first Queensland Music Award, taking the Best Pop Song for her
song 'Golden Fleece'.
Ed Sheeran "Castles on the Hill"
Ed Sheeran,
from Halifax, Yorkshire released the single "Castle On The Hill" on January 13. The single debuted at number two on the UK Singles Chart, selling over
193,000 copies in its first week. 1/13-1/20. Sheeran also debuted at number one with
"Shape Of You", making him the only artist in UK chart history to
debut in the top two positions."Castle On The Hill" also debuted at
No. 1 on the Scottish Singles Chart behind "Shape Of You". The theme
of the single surrounds Sheeran's home town of Framlingham, and he reminisces
tales of 'smoking hand-rolled cigarettes' and getting 'drunk with friends' at
this place. The castle mentioned in the song is Framlingham Castle, and in
January 2017, Sheeran was invited to perform at the Castle. Ed's new album "Divide" (here) will be released in March.
The Weeknd "Starboy"
“The Weeknd (official site here) born; Abel Makkonen Tesfayeis
the only childof Makkonen and Samra
Tesfaye, who were Ethiopian migrants to Canada in the 1980s. "Starboy"
was recorded by the Canadian singer for his third studio album of the same
name. It features French electronic duo Daft Punk and was written by the trio
and produced by Daft Punk and co-produced by The Weeknd. Daft Punk was a staple
artists on UPOP. "Starboy" topped the charts in countries such
as Canada, France, Netherlands, New Zealand and Sweden.
Sia "Move Your Body"
"Move Your Body" is the fourth
single from Australia's Sia seventh studio album “This is Acting.” “Move Your
Body" was originally intended for Shakira, but was rejected.
