End I "s/t" 7 inch (Rok Lok Records/2001)

Here is a quick little morning post for y'all! For those unaware End I was a solo moniker used by On the Might of Princes guitarist Lou Fontana however this was the only material ever recorded/released. The music is droning guitar/vocal based, lo fi basement emo and it is eerie as it is beautiful. Jagged guitars mixed with elegant melodies is what one can expect when spinning the two songs that make up this 7 inch. Originally, this release was planned as a four way split between End I, my own Stars Are Insane, I'd Rather Be Flying (Jason from OTMOP's solo name) and a solo song from Tommy Orza also of OTMOP but Jason didn't seem into the idea and after Tommy recorded his song he got a little shy about releasing it. Not sure why, I heard (as well as have a copy of it) and it is awesome. So I decided to scrap my contribution and make the 7 inch just 100% Lou since he already had a second song stashed away. I pressed up 300 of these all on green vinyl, 100 came with lyric inserts and they are long out of print. However, for you completists out there who need the physical record there are two distros that I know of that have copies- Interpunk and Vinyl Junkie Distro.

End I s/t 7 inch track listing
1. The Wishing Flower
2. Schiavo

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Everyone Loves OTMOP right? Want another demo track?

Seriously, everyone loves On the Might of Princes right? I don't listen to the albums nearly as much as I used to be even just a thought or mention of the band's name fills my head with so many thoughts and emotions. Who I was and where I was in my life when I discovered this band and how fortunate I felt to see a band this incredible from the beginning to the very end and even into reunions. But most importantly I am transported to a time and place in Long Island DIY that is long gone. And while there are great bands, great venues, and great people today doing stuff on Long Island for me on a personal level nothing feels like it used to back then. And I guess this flier that I am posting here today is a perfect example of what I am talking about. My buddy Steve booked a show at the Local 7 space to raise money so our mutual friend and someone who had given so much of himself to the Long Island DIY community, Jon Contra could be able to have his soon relocated from Florida back to Long Island. Specifics don't matter but what matters is that the Long Island DIY community came out in droves to have music lead to having a very positive effect in the outcome in someone's life away from the bands, basements, zines and potlucks. Sometimes we wrap ourselves up so much in the music, the ideas, the friendships, etc that we forget about the real world and it was awesome to see everyone come together to help a friend. It was such an honor to be playing this show which for me a I really felt was one of the high marks of the Long Island DIY community. In addition to On the Might of Princes, Contra reuniting, Regarding I, Latterman, The Backup Plan, and my band Yes Sensei, Scent of Human History played. This was a night that I will always remember not only for the great music but for the great reason that the show happened and how it was able to help.

For some audio content I have decided to upload a demo version of the On the Might of Princes song "Water vs The Anchor" that appeared on the Creep Records CD compilation The Last Stake Has Been Driven. It was recorded at The Creep House but it is a completely different recording than the version that appears on Where You Are and Where You Want to Be. I imagine when asking fans what is the song that best defines On the Might of Princes, and some will say "For Meg" and others, like myself will say "Water vs The Anchor". I say that because it is the song that hooked you in right away long before the album closer even came through your speakers. Everything about "Water vs The Anchor" is perfect as it showcases all the different musical genres that the band was primarily influenced by and it had great lyrics that were absolutely anthemic in nature. So check out this earlier version as I am not sure how circulated this comp that it appeared on was.

Download ON THE MIGHT OF PRINCES "Water vs The Anchor (Demo)"

I'd Rather Be Flying "Standing On the Shore Watching You Drown" & "Shadow Of a Doubt" (1998)

So now that I am unemployed I have far more time than I know what to do with, which is of course is a lie because anyone who knows me is well aware that I am always working on some sort of project. My days are generally filled resume sending and filling out applications. When that is not being done I am going to move full speed ahead in cranking out the real rarities in my collection- the tapes and vinyl. Just today I have ripped  three cassette releases and here is the first batch. Like I told you in my previous On the Might of Princes post that I wasn't done posting rarities from the band or related projects. Here is a probably little known solo project from the band's guitarist/singer Jason Rosenthal called I'd Rather Be Flying. Heavily influenced by Lou Barlow/Sentridoh and lo fi tape label stuff he created this moniker to record music under. Recorded all to four track Rosenthal displayed the same type energy, emotion and sincerity that he did with On the Might of Princes only through a acoustic guitar and some tape loops/guitar noise. The first track called "Standing On the Shore Watching You Drown" is featured on a emo/indie tape compilation called Like Two Kites Flying. Volume 1 which came out  on the Sweden based Communication Records and Mandarin Fanzine. The interesting thing about this song is that it did get turned into a early On the Might of Princes song that was recorded on a unreleased demo via reel to reel so most likely this will be the only opportunity for On the Might of Princes fans to hear the original song that was reworked by the band but never released. Who knows maybe one day they'll let people hear that unreleased demo... The other track is a super lo fi cover of Sonic Youth's "Shadow of a Doubt". I am fairly certain this track was never released anywhere. Jason recorded it and gave me a copy.

As far as other I'd Rather By Flying releases the only one I am certain exists is the track "Satellite" which appears on the Next Year We'll Be Robots Volume 1 cassette on Robin Hood Records that also featured Silver Scooter, Soul Junk, Rop Style UFO, Nova Scotias and others. I know Jason spoke of tapes he made and perhaps some other comp appearances but I am not certain as to the details. I do have one other unnamed track in my possession but upon hearing the song it sounds like it was a personal gift for someone special not to be shared. And it is master cassette for a 4 track. How I came about it is most  likely a result of doing some 4 track stuff at Tommy Orza's (OTMOP bassist) house one day and the tape someone ended up in my box of tapes. Most likely Tommy and Jason were doing some 4 track stuff and the cassette was one the floor and yeah. We were young and unorganized. What I am getting at it doesn't feel right sharing that tune. Unless of course Jason says it is okay...

In any event if you dig the version of "Caboose" on The Making of a Conversation or the original version of "An Illusion to Italy" than you'll love these two tracks.

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On the Might of Princes "Live on WNYU" (on air recording/2001)

Here is double shot of On the Might of Princes stuff pulled out from the archives. First is a flier for the going away show for what was the send off of their first full US tour with Contra. Man, what an awesome show this was. On the Might of Princes as always was just incredible. It sounds silly but there was knot in my stomach because I at the time I couldn't bare the thought of going six weeks without seeing them playing. Back then it seemed like they were playing somewhere locally every weekend-trust me I do realize how fortunate I was to be able to see this amazing band week after week.after week. The same could be said though about a lot of bands. A funny story about this flier is that when On the Might of Princes was taking a lunch break while recording The Making of a Conversation at Paris Studios in Ronkonkoma the band ducked into a record store that was across the street and in there was a bin of promo flats and empty 45 sleeves for free. In there was this New Edition 45 sleeve, guitarist/vocalist Jason Rosenthal laughed, took it and months later I see it turn up again as this flier that I have posted here.

And the second bit of OTMOP rarity that I have for you today is a full live set that was done on the air at WNYU 89.1 FM in New York sometime in  late 2001. It was recorded by Steve Roche from Off Minor, who recorded a bunch of great on the air sets at WNYU in this period of time. At the time On the Might of Princes embarked on a few short tours/weekend trips with Massachusetts' screamo/emo band The Last Forty Seconds (pre Saddest Landscape/Her Breath on Glass) and this stint on WNYU was indeed one of those as Last Forty Seconds played on the air as well. Sadly, I don't have those tracks- if anyone has them feel free to send along.

The tracks captured on this performance document what On the Might of Princes were sounding like in the period that Where You Are and Where You Want to Be was out and about. The cool thing is that the set also captures the track "Go Fuck Yrself" when it was still a new tune. The version of The Water vs the Anchor on this set was previously released as a bonus track on the CD reissue of Where You Are and Where You Want to Be on Rok Lok Records and Eugenics Record Label. Now I am stoked to share with everyone the rest of the set. On the Might of Princes fans are just as passionate about the music as the band were so I always enjoy giving fans something "new" to sink their teeth into. Additionally, I'll have some more OTMOP live sets/rarities and related projects being posted in the future.

On the Might of Princes "Live on WNYU"
1. The Water vs The Anchor
2. Go Fuck Yrself
3. Thirteen Cheers for Beer & Bullshit
4. Old Wives Tale
5. For Meg

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On the Might of Princes "Live at The Spot 9/9/99" (soundboard recording)

Oh boy to say this is a rarity is an understatement. And I am really excited to share this with everyone. How I came into possession of this is nothing short of a miracle. As the story goes when I was compiling material for the CD reissues of The Making of a Conversation and Where You Are and Where You Want to Be that I released with my buddy Wells a few years back I started doing some detective work to track down recordings and such to make the reissues really special. I distinctly remember seeing On the Might of Princes play a show at The Spot on Stony Brook University Campus and I was aware that they did happen to record the shows through the soundboard from time to time. And what made me recall this and try to track down the possibility of the recording was that I definitely remembered them playing a song that was never formally recorded, "Poison of Youth". I remembered this so vividly because Pauly from Splurge showed up mid way through them playing that song and tried to coerce the band into playing it a second time. This was stuck in my memory banks when the search for a possible recording commenced. Through a string of various different people who I knew at the time and hadn't seen/spoke to in years I was able to find the guy who was manning the sound board that night. I did and he revealed to me that he if his memory served him correct he did indeed record the entire set that night however,  if he did indeed have the recording he wasn't sure if it still existed as he explained that hundreds of recordings he did over the years were lost in a fire in his home a couple years prior. Mike searched through what recordings remained and low and behold one day the cd-r of the entire show in my PO box. So we were able to include a recording of a song that most On the Might of Princes fans never heard and would've never heard if it wasn't for a lot of luck and for all the folks who used to be involved with The Spot that took time out of their days to assist in locating the recording. And now I am stoked to share the entire set with the world.

About the music enclosed on the soundboard recording captured here, it is all songs that were from time period of the band's first album The Making of a Conversation came out. In fact the album was formally released almost a month prior to the date of this show. And this recording is the only known live recording outside of a video that surfaced of "Poison of Youth" (different show from the one here) that features the original On the Might of Princes line up with Nicole Keiper on drums. The performance is rough and sloppy at times which was a trademark of On the Might of Princes live shows from the beginning all the way to the end. People loved On the Might of Princes for their sincere, heart on the sleeve song writing and performances that were the most visceral thing anyone had ever seen-not whether or not they missed a note or lyric or whatever. I am happy that this recording exists not only for giving people a chance to hear the song "Poison of Youth" but to hear that early On the Might of Princes had a edge as well which in some ways I do believe got lost in the recording of The Making of a Conversation. There is a misconception from fans of the band who came on board with their later albums that OTMOP's early material was "safe" and that they weren't as powerful live-clearly those are thoughts from people who weren't there at during this era of the band to witness it first hand. People who were there know better and will tell you otherwise. I think that this recording proves that there was a raw power to OTMOP's early material in a live construct that maybe didn't translate as well to the studio.

I have a few more On the Might of Princes live sets that I will be uploading in the near future. As far as more OTMOP rarities I do know that there was a unreleased demo recorded on a reel to reel in Lou Fontana's basement where at least two maybe three songs that were never re-recorded appear. I heard it only a couple of times but it ruled, I was wish those guys would release that in some manner just as a document in the evolution of the band. I know fans would love it. Even if they just release for free digitally or something. Additionally, there is another track that was written in the period after The Making of the Conversation was recorded and before Keiper was replaced by Chris Enriquez and the band started putting Where You Are and Where You Want to Be together; the song is called "History of Churches". I can't find a recording anywhere of it. I know the band played it in Spring of 1999 when they played with Promise Ring and American Football at NYU. I tried seeing if there was a soundboard recording of that show but no luck. Who knows maybe something will turn up some day...

Also I want to credit the photo above the Maria Ciafonne who took this photo at a show with On the Might of Princes and In Transit at here apartment in late 1998/early 1999. I didn't have a live photo from the show at The Spot so I felt this photo would be the most appropriate.


On the Might of Princes Live at The Spot 9/9/99 track listing
1. Absentee Ballot (partial)
2. The Snow Watchers
3. At Half Mast
4. Poison of Youth
5. Juliana (Taking the Long Way Home)
6. Astoria
7. Water Wings
8. A Shadow Taller Than You
9. A Thousand Words

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And now for something different...

Here is the first entry in something a little different that I'll be doing. In addition to the regular music uploads I shall posting scans of show fliers that I have amassed over the years. I realized if I just keep this stuff in boxes I am a pack rat (or is hoarder the new "in" term?) but all of this accumulation is worth it if I am archiving and sharing it with people. And if people enjoy seeing this type of stuff, awesome.

This flier upload is a two for one as there were two fliers made for the same show. The top one was a small flier that I found amongst the stack at None of the Above Records and the second is one of my first encounters with a digital flier. Danny from Bunsen Honeydew (whom I WILL be uploading tunes for this blog shortly) emailed me this flier on the good 'ol America Online. It took me a bout 15 minutes to download it and another 10 to print it. Ahhhhh... high speed internet in the late 90s was funny. Anyhow, this is the flier for which is essentially the night that changed my life as it was the first time I saw On the Might of Princes play. It was maybe their second or third show; I can't exactly recall. While music has always been a huge part of my life, no band influence my life in the manner that On the Might of Princes did- I started a label, a band, etc. all because of these guys. I don't listen to the music nearly as much as I used but every time I see this flier I get choked up and it takes me back to a time that was really exciting for me. It makes me feel good despite all of the uncertainty in my life at that time, but that is realizing in hindsight how fun growing up is no matter the heartache.

Come Down "Sender" cd (self released/2001)

Here is a band that came out of the ashes of Intransit as guitarists Mark Pernice and Scott Altmann teamed up with former On the Might of Princes drummer Nicole Keiper and Tom Mallon on bass, keyboards, and programming right around time the new millennium touched down. Come Down played moody, spacious indie rock that reminded me of a cross between The Verve, Radiohead, Spirtualized and Portishead as well as some of the slower tempo Pedro the Lion material. There is also an element of the post hardcore that most of the members played in previous bands that is evident at times but in a manner that isn't too obtrusive. Unlike, a lot of bands from the island at the time who relied on fast, aggressive bursts of distorted guitars and throbbing low end to express themselves Come Down reveled in quite the opposite as their songs were about playing at slower tempos and locking into grooves that would flow carrying with it touches of layered sounds that didn't make the presence so obvious. There was a maturity to the songwriting of Come Down where parts in songs didn't feel rushed and that was something that I wasn't exposed to a lot with most of my peers' bands.  It was most welcome. At the time it should also be noted that bands were definitely being more pronounced with their sense of dynamics thanks to bands like On the Might of Princes and Latterman, where parts and changes jumped out at you. Subtlety in songwriting wasn't the order of the day and that was something the struck me instantly about the songs Come Down wrote.
  
I only saw the band a few times and somewhere along the line I picked up a copy of the CD that I am sharing with you today- Sender which I do believe is the only release that the band had. If I am mistaken and someone does know of another recording please let me know. Furthermore, I am not very familiar if the members of Come Down went onto to pursue other projects. Once again inform me and I shall be happy to share that information here. In the meantime check out Sender.

 Come Down "Sender" track listing
1. Synesthesia
2. New Script
3. Fast Cars
4. Everyone With Guitars
5. I Drive With Closed Eyes

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On the Might of Princes "Demo" cassette (self released/1998)

In 1998 I created my label Rok Lok Records to release this band's first album so it is only fitting that On the Might of Princes is the first entry in this blog. My earliest exposure to On the Might of Princes was only a few months into their existence and it was solely by chance. They happened to be sharing a bill with a band that my old AOL chat room buddy was in called Bunsen Honeydew at Cedar Beach, which was a "venue" that the North Shore Youth Council allowed young people to book their own live music events in the summer months to keep youths out of trouble and that sort of thing. Anyhow, On the Might of Princes performed and I was absolutely blown away. It was just so raw and it hit me on a personal level that I couldn't fully explain-to put it simply I had never seen anything like it before or since. And this feeling continued in the subsequent times that I saw them over the next few months and eventually years. At some point I mustered up the courage to approach vocalist/guitarist Jason Rosenthal express my appreciation of the band's music and invited them to take part in some shows that I was booking. It was the beginning of what I would like to think of as a long, healthy as well as creative friendship with the band. After a few shows it was clear something truly special was taking place, there was an electric feeling going on in the Long Island scene and while not take anything away from any other bands, On the Might of Princes have to be given a large amount of credit for their contribution to making the scene at that time so vibrant. Bias aside, their influence can not be undermined. While screamy hardcore and emo had already made its presence felt on Long Island via bands like The Last Crime, La Magna, Scapegrace, The State Secedes, Half Man, to name a few- I don't think a band had meshed such a strong sense of pained melody with visceral, discordant emo/hardcore the way On the Might of Princes did. Perhaps the only other Long Island band prior to them that did something similar was the wonderful (and very under appreciated I may add) Garden Variety.

With all of this excitement it seemed as if it was a good enough time to record a demo. So in September of 1998 On the Might of Princes with microphones hanging from the ceiling of guitarist Lou Fontana's parents' basement, the demo was born. I imagine like many demos, it was recorded over the span of a weekend or maybe two. And I remember vividly when Jason gave me a copy of the demo, I must have listened to it at least a half dozen times in the first sitting. Over the course of the next several months I listened to the demo almost non stop. At the time I worked the closing manager shift at a local McDonald's and I couldn't have had a better soundtrack to get me through those nights than the On the Might of Princes demo. A co-worker at the time commented saying "this band is good but don't you own any other tapes?", which I guess illustrated how much I did indeed listen to the tape. Personally, I was at that post high school crossroads and amidst all the confusion in my life at the time hands down On the Might of Princes' music was the only thing that made sense, and to this day I don't think I have ever experienced anything as cathartic as seeing them play live. Eventually I released their debut album The Making of a Conversation in 1999 (later re-issued with bonus tracks in 2007 including "Drunk & Missing Vital Parts" and "An Allusion to Italy" from the demo) and the band continued to progress and earn themselves accolades with their second and third albums, Where You Are and Where You Want to Be (Traffic Violation/Creep and later Rok Lok Records/Eugenics Record Label) and Sirens (Revelation). The rest they say is history...

Originally the band self released the six song demo and also contributed a exclusive track taken from the same sessions, "Water Wings" for a tape compilation called Strong Island that myself and friend Phil Wohl released to document some of the bands we were booking. Months later after the original batch of demos were sold out a new pressing on local label Eiffel Trousers Records were made that included "Water Wings". A cool thing about the demo was that it was the first time anyone really heard the song "A Shadow Taller Than You", which hadn't been played out live at that point and it was just a song that I felt would go on to really define that time period for the band. Also that song, in my opinion would pave the way for some of the things they'd do later on. I know the vast majority of On the Might of Princes fans are more fond of the later stuff but I don't think anyone can deny the rawness, and gut wrenching sincerity that is captured on the seven songs on this demo. From a historical point of view the demo I think perfectly documents what On the Might Princes and the respective time were like. Still after all of these years I love the entire demo but stand outs for me are "Water Wings" which has always been and always will be my favorite On the Might of Princes song. It is just so simple and endearing while the distortion overload of the guitars is one of the most beautiful messes I have ever heard. And still to this day the original version of "An Allusion to Italy" sends chills down my spine. There is personal charm and warm aesthetic on the demo version that makes the version on Where You Are and Where You Want to Be sound rather sterile.you be the judge.

I hope you have enjoyed the inaugural upload at Here on This Island and I look forward to sharing more with everyone in the coming weeks.


On the Might of Princes "demo" track list:
1. A Fond Farewell
2. Astoria
3. Anywhere in Europe
4. Drunk and Missing Vital Parts
5. A Shadow Taller Than You
6. An Allusion to Italy
7. Water Wings

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