Porcelain Decay "s/t" 7 inch (Sot Records/2000)

Okay folks... I am back. As promised I shall start to finish up the remaining uploads I have planned before unveiling my new blog (which I am very excited about). And I suppose you should be too if you like obscure indie rock/lo fi and shoegaze because I'll uploading plenty. Today's upload comes courtesy of a melodic DIY punk rock band called Porcelain Decay which featured current/ex members of Fellow Project, Bridge & Tunnel, Contra, Church of the Rowdy, and 3 Mylile. They played catchy, politically charged DIY punk rock and outside of this 7 inch the only other thing the band released to my knowledge was a track and in my opinion their best one to the "Who Has Two Thumbs and Loves Long Island Punk and Hardcore" 7 inch compilation on Traffic Violation Records. Porcelain Decay were a ton of fun live and you can guarantee that vocalist "Lord Snake" (Adam from Contra) would put his fingers in a gun formation to his head mid song at least five times a set every time they played. I know right now somewhere my good buds Joe and Tia are wondering "why is Mike posting this" but the fact remains that Porcelain Decay were an integral part of what was going in the late  90s Long Island DIY scene so I'd be completely remiss if I were to not share it. Personally speaking I feel the music does have a rather dated quality to it but that is just fine with me. This vintage Long Island Y2K DIY punk rock! Enjoy!

Porcelain Decay "s/t" 7 inch track listing
1. DIY Revolution
2. Punk Rock High Pt 2
3. Down In It
4. Porcelain Decay

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Grid Iron "Quietly, Confider" cd (Burn It Down Rebuld/2003)

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Completing things is a nice feeling and that is what I have done with this fourth and final upload from Grid Iron. I am glad I have now been able to share with everyone all of this band's entire discography. And with that being said I do want to say that I will be completing some more discographies in the coming weeks and months which will ultimately bring a close to Here On This Island. I figure between some albums, eps, tape and vinyl rips as well as some more live and unreleased material by summer's end I will have accomplished what I set out to do with this blog and document this great music that has been such a huge part of my life. Thus far I want to thank all of the people who have supported the blog and  who have listened to this music for themselves. I also want to thank all these great bands for creating all this great music. However, I do want to point out that I do have to say I am amazed and somewhat disappointed when I look at the download stats seeing how even with free music people are still unwilling to take a chance. The stats are staggering, while I won't name names there are certain bands who I have uploaded who are downloaded far more than "lesser known" bands. It is no wonder why so many independent record labels are closing up shop. Unless you can cement a name brand band people won't take a chance to try out something new or even outside the box. It actually depresses me a great deal. I feel fortunate that I grew up in a age where independent labels/artists thrived and those who dared were rewarded. Personally, I think it speaks volumes for our culture at large when people's playlists are as bland and predictable as a fast food restaurant menu. Anyhow enough with my rant...

After a series of eps in late 2003 Grid Iron released their full length album Quietly, Confider which would become the band's final release. And what a release to go out on. In some ways it is a shame that this was the band's final release because you could really start to sense a growth that was only just starting to take footing. Quietly, Confider builds on that Jawbreaker influenced, jagged guitar indie rock/emo but another half of the album features more quieter (no pun intended), introspective tunes and dare I say even ballads. I know totally un-punk but seriously who gives a shit? A good song is a good song. There was certainly a roughness and charm to the earlier Grid Iron material that I enjoyed but Quietly, Confider finds the band firing on all cylinders and personally speaking, I forgot how damn good this album is. So check it out and if it so interests you I do have a couple of copies hanging around in my distro.

Grid Iron Quietly, Confider track listing:
1. Sleep Through This
2. The Pretender
3. The Derivative of the Sum is the Sum of the Derivatives
4. Treading Air
5. The Colors
6. Tears
7. Climbing the Ladder
8. Blindsight
9. Tides
10. Gift Horse
11. One Day Rains

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Fellow Project "Where's the Wire?" 10 inch (Make Or Break Records/2004)

Okay. I lied this is the last Fellow Project I will upload. Well maybe that is a lie too. It is just that all of the other releases are still readily available. As far as I can tell Where's the Wire? is pretty much only available from the band. So after you download this awesome album be sure to go see them live and buy the 10 inch from them (as well as all of their other available awesome music) so you can spin this great record on your turntable. Where's the Wire? is still beginning to end probably my favorite Fellow Project record. It is the last overtly folk rock influenced record that the band did as everything since has been more rock/post punk influenced which still certainly rules but definitely the sound on the first three Fellow Project records is what I love most about the band's ever growing discography. The band's releases always have great vocals and lyrics and for my money Where's the Wire? is coming up aces in both of those categories.  This is also the last album that original drummer Adam Kuhn played on. Where's the Wire? is wonderful 10 inch record that comes with a bonus cd that includes a song that is not on the record. And because I am such I good sport I am sharing that track with everyone as well.

If for some reason you missed my previous two entries about the first two Fellow Project albums Watch It! and If We Were Mariachis I highly recommend you go back and download those two albums. Especially if you like listening to great music there is no reason why you shouldn't download all the Fellow Project albums I have made available here. And do yourself, the band, and the labels who have released their music over the years by adding their available releases to your record collection. In recent years they have released music on Dead Broke Records, Kiss of Death and even my own Rok Lok Records.

Fellow Project Where's the Wire? track listing
1. Doom?
2. Vamanos
3. Papillion
4. Songs Are Like Bugs
5. The Pace
6. Scrap
7. Races
8. Where's the Wire?
9. Sunrise* (cd bonus track)

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Grid Iron "6 Songs" (unreleased/2003)

In starting to organize the recordings that I would be using in this blog I came across this cd-r in my spindle and I had no idea what this was because I never recalled  Grid Iron releasing a 6 song ep. And some of the songs sounded like they could have been different mixes of tunes on Quietly, Confider but there were also songs from the Demo re-recorded as well as two songs that I never recalled hearing before on a recording. Then it dawned on me and I am fairly certain I unraveled the mystery of these songs. This is what I believe to be the story here- shortly after Grid Iron first started playing they started teaming up a lot with my band Yes Sensei for shows. We liked them a lot and playing shows together were always fun. After we, Yes Sensei that is, released our first album What I Do Best is What I Do Worst in 2002 we started looking to the future and thinking about our next release. After some discussion it was decided that we'd do a split cd with our buddies Grid Iron each of us doing six tracks each. Grid Iron had their shit together and it didn't take them very long to get their half of the split together and it wasn't before long where drummer Adam Kuhn was pestering us (rightfully so) wondering when we'd record out tunes. And unless I am mistaken (which would sure make me and this post seem rather silly- what can I say but those years were my "drunk years" so the memory is a bit fuzzy at times)- at some point Adam handed me this cd-r which was to be their six songs for the split.

Finally, we set up shop in Yes Sensei bassist Paul Como's parents' house, ran cables everywhere and had a pretty good set up going. We recorded the tunes and it really didn't sound all that hot. Mostly it was my fault because I waited to the last minute to get a good guitar cabinet. Back then I hated recording and was more interested in playing shows constantly. Anyhow, we sat on that recording and were going to patch it up but eventually Paul left our little band and with Michael Parish assuming the bass role and weeks later Adam Vargas joining us on guitar we all thought it best to scrap the recording and finish re-working the five songs and discarding one from the band's library of tunes we had to make our second full length album which would turn into We Who Transplant Sustain; which meant that the long planned discussed split cd with Grid Iron went the way of so many youthful discussions and plans. And that is really unfortunate because in listening to these songs for the first time in years I realize what a missed opportunity I had to release a collection of outstanding songs on my label. I have a few regrets in my label history of projects that I passed up on or ones that didn't happen for whatever reason. I have been listening to this batch of songs a lot the last several days and all I could think was "man how did I NOT release this?"...oh well. Live and learn.

Grid Iron grew in leaps and bounds from their Demo and this collection of 6 unreleased songs is a wonderful document of band finding its footing and doing so in style. The level of songwriting and performance improved so greatly, even the two re-recorded songs from the Demo, "Tarry Under Docks" and "Crater Basin" sound like a different band. I highly recommend this batch of songs and this is easily one of the best uploads song writing quality wise that I have the privilege to share here. One last bit- if anyone knows the names of the two untitled tracks please pass those along. Thanks!

Grid Iron "6 Songs" track listing
1. Gift Horse (version)
2. Tarry Under Docks (version)
3. (track #3)
4. Tides (version)
5. Crater Basin (version)
6. (track #6)


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Fellow Project "If We Were Mariachis" cd-r (Burn It Down Rebuild/ 2002)

This isn't the first time that I have posted about Fellow Project and it most likely won't be the last, though I probably won't share much more because I don't want to be sharing titles that are still readily available. The Watch It and this album If We Were Mariachis represent the bulk of the rarities in the band's discography mainly due to the limited nature of the "pressings". And since it is the season of giving I implore you or any lover of good music to head to a few of the links I shall provide below and pick up some of Fellow Project's available records for a loved one or even as a gift for yourself. Like, I mentioned in my previous post about Fellow Project, they are essentially the only band that I have written about that is still active so be a sport and support their music as well as the labels who continue to support them.

On Fellow Project's sophomore effort If We Were Mariachis the trio continued to explore the anthemic folk tinged indie rock but this time around some "mathy", more dynamic tinges were thrown into the mix hinting at would the band would later (and currently) be known for. Watch It! was a solid start for the band as it showed that; yes a band with a acoustic guitar can rock but overall If We Were Mariachis is a far stronger record as it really documents a band get settled into its niche groove. The songwriting is top notch and honestly, I am amazed at how well the bulk of this album holds up. To me, one of Fellow Project's greatest strength as a band has been the lyrics and vocal arrangements but also the seamless juxtaposition of more straight forward, anthem rockers next to more in depth, introspective dare I say "musician's rock". Fellow Project has always had a knack for writing really smart music that has been able to still be fun and not take itself to seriously. They are one of those bands whom I feel really fortunate to have seen play live many times (at least 100 times at this point) and watch them develop over the years with new recording after new recording.

Quite honestly, I don't think I have ever heard them write a bad song. There maybe the odd track or two that won't hit me as hard as others but still the songs and ideas are always of high quality. Stand outs on If We Were Mariachis for me get going right away with the opening track "3 Left Turns Created a Monster" with it is insanely catchy chorus with the lines "Let Me Die Quick/Let Me Die Quick/ And Painless" always makes me want to sing along. "Dangerous" is a great folky indie rock romp. "The End" has one of the most beautifully haunting guitar melodies I have heard come from a Long Island band that out of nowhere picks up temp and goes in a unexpected direction. And the way the flute and vocal harmonies are weaved in are just wonderful. "Perfectly Subtle" is a morose acoustic ballad that reminds me so much of Simon Joyner- and when has that ever been a bad thing?? And easily, the curve ball of the album is the closer "Give Me More" that with its driving rhythm and picked note guitar playing and then the unexpected frantic scream towards the end is a tune that has always stuck with me.

If this was a just world where quality musicianship was rewarded there isn't a doubt in my mind that Fellow Project would be enormously popular-however it seems that they are just left to a select group of music fans that have excellent taste. Such is this unjust world.  With that being said please check out the following links to help make the world a bit more just; well at least for Fellow Project.

Boots 7 inch (Rok Lok Records)
Rok Lok Records


Stream or purchase digitally Boots on Bandcamp

The Buried Life cd (Dead Broke Records)
Dead Broke Records

split 7 inch w/ Go Sell Drugs (Kiss of Death)
split 7inch w/ Thousandaires (Kiss of Death)
split 7 inch w/ Jonesin' (Kiss of Death)

Kiss of Death

If We Were Mariachis track listing
1. 3 Left Turns Created a Monster
2. Dangerous
3. Shoot the Latter But Save Your Face
4. The End
5. The Myth
6. The End and The Myth
7. Evelyn What?
8. Perfectly Subtle
9. We Do the Best We Can With What We Have
10. Picapatas
11. Give Me More

Download Here

Grid Iron "Demo" cd-r (Diner's Club Records/2001)

Initially started as a side project when original Latterman drummer Bryce Hackford had a desire to get out from the behind the kit and it in front of the microphone and guitar amp 'ala Dave Grohl; Grid Iron quickly turned into a full time local band regularly playing shows and doing a few recordings in the process.  Grid Iron played jagged guitar, gruff vocal driven indie rock/emo punk that reminded me of bands like Jawbreaker, Jawbox and very early Karate crossed with 90's emo/punk hybrid stuff like DBS. Eventually, wanting to focus on Grid Iron Hackford left the Latterman fold to be replaced by original Grid Iron drummer Pat Schramm. Funny how things work out eh? On the four song demo Grid Iron was comprised of Hackford on guitar/vocals, Schramm on drums and Chris Cerrone on bass and vocals. After Schramm and Cerrone both left at different points that were replaced by Adam Kuhn (Fellow Project, Small Arms Dealer) and Mike Campbell (Latterman, The Brass) respectively and recorded another cd-r demo as well as a full length CD called "Quieter, Confider" on Burn It Down/Rebuild. Shortly, after the release of the album the band dissolved with members moving on in different directions. A bummer I always enjoyed watching them play and they usually played shows with Yes Sensei which was always fun. We even planned a split cd that never happened for whatever reason, most likely because we took forever to record. We started recording for it than our first bass player quit with that recording being scrapped and most of those songs ended up being re-recorded for our second full length We Who Transplant Sustain. Anyhow...back to Grid Iron, if anyone is interested I do still have a couple of copies of this demo in my distro as well as copies of their full length Quieter, Confider.

Grid Iron "Demo" track listing

1. "Second Song"
2. "Jazz Age"
3. "Tarry Under Docks"
4. "Crater Basin"


Download Here

We Meet Under Tables "CD EP 1-Summer 2005" cd-r (self released/2005)

Today's entry is bit more current than some of the other things I have been posting but just as awesome, obscure and bit too short lived. Music lovers I present to you We Meet Under Tables! Coming out of nowhere it seemed We Meet Under Tables first came to my attention one summer when I was given the duty to find bands the fill the summer schedule at Cedar Beach's for the teen band nights that were going Thursday to Saturday nights from July to August. Trust me that was a harder task than one would ever expect, so finally all of those countless Myspace band friend requests were finally coming in handy. And one of those bands who happened to find like a diamond in the rough was We Meet Under Tables. The band immediately jumped out at me with their frantic rhythms, percussive centric, noisy guitars and a dual vocal assault.  Sonically it was a cross between Fugazi, Lungfish, Wire, and Gang of Four which was just music to my ears especially since my band Yes Sensei was looking for other like minded bands to play with because at that time a lot of the bands we had a creative kinship with had broken up or moved on. I hooked them up with a show and started talking to the band about more shows and even eventually trying to coerce them into letting me release some of their music.

The band consisted of Ryan Blecher on guitar/vocals, Mitch Hansen on bass/vocals and Caryn Koza on guitar/vocals and rotating cast of drummers which included Blecher himself also taking on drum duties on the recording of the ep which I present here. At one point they recruited one time Yes Sensei drummer Dave Elliott and later Cheeky/Eachother's Mothers drummer/Little Lungs guitartist/vocalist Angie Boylan. Ironically, Blecher went on to replace Elliott as the drummer for Yes Sensei. Got all that? Despite all the shifting around We Meet Under Tables created quit a racket for a couple of years there. Their live shows were high energy, raucous events they were greeted with members tossing and flailing around on stage. I do believe blood was involved more than once... With Elliott at the drum helm the band recorded and released a second ep cd-r. And then at some point during the lineup with Boylan on drums material was being worked on for a split 7 inch with Yes Sensei but by the time to record the band fizzled away, which was a shame. And as far as I know they never recorded anything with Boylan on drums.

After We Meet Under Tables Ryan Blecher played drums in Yes Sensei, Fellow Project, Firing Squad, Kenwu as well as recording solo material (playing all instruments) under the name BigR. Mitch Hansen joined up with Blecher to once again assume the bass and vocal role in Firing Squad. I don't believe Caryn Koza has been involved with a band since We Meet Under Tables parted ways. At some point shall upload the second ep. In the meantime enjoy this first ep.

We Meet Under Tables "CD EP 1-Summer 2005" cd-r track listing:
1. "Shipwreck, Sir!"
2. "Wires to Wires"
3. "Good Laws"
4. "On the Front"
5. "Words"
6. "Opposition"

Download Here

Fellow Project "Watch It!" cd-r (self released/2001)

Unlike most of the bands I have posted so far, Fellow Project is still together and releasing one excellent record after another. Fellow Project originally started as a off shoot project from the Porcelain Decay to showcase the more folk/indie interests of guitarist Joe Jerkens and bassist Tia Meilinger. They recruited Adam Kuhn from Grid Iron/Fuck Cops and later Small Arms Dealer to play drums and quickly they started playing shows. And quickly they became one of my favorite bands to ever come from Long Island. Their songs were catchy, had great lyrics and there was that sing along type of energy without being juvenile. In their original three piece lineup the recorded three full length albums and the one I am sharing with you here today is their first album called Watch It! which was a self released cd-r. For my money Fellow Project have always been a real treat as they were so opposite of what every other band on the Island was doing. I mean Jerkens would rock out using an electric acoustic dobro! And maybe I am off my rocker but I truly sensed that there was/is a deep appreciation within the band of music that just isn't contemporary. Perhaps that is why they have stuck around for so long and why subsequently  their fans  have stuck around for the ride. Their songs resonate beyond any sort of temporary fad or trend, which is what happens when your music has roots. Sadly, I think Fellow Project tend to get lumped in with unfortunate folk punk movement of the early 2000s-speaking of fads.

Over the years Fellow Project have evolved so much sonically that their current incarnation bares very little resemblance to those humble, "folky" beginnings. The current lineup which includes Ryan Blecher (Yes Sensei/We Meet Under Tables/Firing Squad) on drums and Lou Fontana on guitar (On the Might of Princes, Small Arms Dealer, God's Gift to Women) has the band doing a more of post punk sound that resembles a cross between The Grifters, and Cursive. I also detect hints of Lou Reed, Bingo Trappers, Television and The Feelies in Fellow Project's music.

Watch It! and the following two albums were more rooted in the folk rock spectrum then their current recordings so it may take current fans by surprise but that doesn't mean the songs aren't as kick ass as their more current full on rock motif. I strongly feel that especially the first two albums have slipped away from most people's memory banks though maybe it would help if the band started playing these songs again (HINT! HINT!)


I have often said that Fellow Project are Long Island's most prolific band and here by listing their discography you can see for yourselves. Perhaps I am missing a compilation or two. And if anyone is interested a few of their releases in my distro including the Boots 7 inch which I released. Get into it. www.roklokrecords.com

discography:
-Watch It! cd-r (self released)
-If We Were Mariachis cd-r (Burn It Down/Rebuild)
-Where's the Wire? 10 inch/cd-r* (Make or Break Records) *has bonus track
-No Nucleus cd compilation (The Tone Library)
-Dead Broke Tape Comp: Volume 1 cassette compilation (Dead Broke Records)
-4 Way Split Series: Volume 1 7 inch compilation (Dead Broke Records)
-Dead Broke Tape Comp: Volume 2 cassette compilation (Dead Broke Records)
-The Buried Life cd (Dead Broke Records)
-split w/ Jonesin'  7 inch (Kiss of Death)
-split w/ Thousandaires 7 inch (Kiss of Death)
-Boots 7 inch (Rok Lok Records)
-split w/ Go Sell Drugs 7 inch (Kiss of Death)
-Life on a Island: Summer Compilation #2 cassette  (Life on a Island)

Fellow Project Watch It! track listing
1. "A Jolly Good Thing"
2. "Uncle Joe"
3. "What's the Matter"
4. "Silence is a B Flat"
5. "Tired Themes for Sorry People"
6. "Interlude in the Key of Housed"
7. "White Trees & Broken Bones"
8. "Ruthless"
9. "Papllon"
10. "My Way vs Your Way Means the Highway"
11. "Sample"
12. "Untitled" (track is unlisted on sleeve)


Download Here

Fuck Cops "Demo" cd-r (Burn It Down Rebuild/2003)

Today's post while was certainly going to be posted at some point, is going up as per request of Mac over on Viva La Vinyl. So here you go and enjoy! There was a period (and I guess it still prevails but truthfully "scene" happenings haven't been on my radar for some time now) where good, solid hardcore with thoughtful lyrics gave way to a brand of of melodic "hardcore" nonsense singing some white boy suburban blues that seems to be all the rage on Long Island. I mean what scene doesn't need nearly two dozen Lifetime and Kid Dynamite rip offs? Ugh... Anyhow in 2003 a very short lived band called Fuck Cops (aka The Local Conservative Commission)  was forged by members of Contra, Latterman, Fellow Project, and Grid Iron to remedy the situation and makes Long Island Hardcore not be a four letter word even for a short period of time. Growing up on bands like Dead Kennedys, Born Against and then local hardcore bands like Campaign I could never get into these so called hardcore bands that were popping up all over Long Island that just sang about girls breaking their hearts or whatever the fuck. And while I certainly had my brush with youthful idealism I don't think I ever really thought punk and hardcore lyrics could change the world or whatever but I did (and still do) like that idea of using the form as a means of exchange ideas and being a launch pad for young people to express their anger for shit going in the world. Because look around-there is a lot to get angry about and think those things should be discussed by whatever means necessary, so why not song form? And that is one thing that I just couldn't wrap my head around. Post 9/11 there was even more to be angry about, yet it seems no one was angry enough or wanted to us the forum of punk and hardcore to be a forum to confront or discuss any of that. Long Island "hardcore" seemed content just having a good time and while I support a good time as much as anyone else I also appreciate music and art that has substance. So I guess what I am saying, while I generally am not into preachy types of music or art- I DO appreciate and enjoy music or art that challenges perceptions and goes against the grain. As far as I am concerned the grain on Long Island for too long was hardcore that wasn't all that hard and Fuck Cops were just the edge that was the opposite of what was going and that spoke to me very loudly.

So yeah with a name like Fuck Cops you can certainly expect very political, heavy, metallic at times hardcore. Fuck Cops was short lived but they certainly played a important part in the vibrant DIY punk/hardcore scene on Long Island in the early 2000s. And while most will discard on the basis of being political-for those who were there can attest to how active the scene was with challenging bands of varying genres/sounds but decidedly punk in their actions, and how basement shows, zines, activism and organizing flourished in this period. And Fuck Cops and their members certainly played a huge role in all of that. Thank you Fuck Cops for the brief but rad memories.

Fuck Cops "Demo" track listing

1. "Song Luke"
2. "Song Paul"
3. "Song Mary And The Immaculate Conception"
4. "Song Matthew"


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