Ghost Cult Keefy caught up with Brendan Canty and Brian Baker of Punk Rock supergroup Fake Names at Riot Fest 2023! The band features Brian Baker (Minor Threat, Bad Religion, Dag Nasty), Michael Hampton (S.O.A., Embrace), Dennis Lyxzén (Refused, INVSN, The [International] Noise Conspiracy), Johnny Temple (Girls Against Boys, Soulside) and Brendan Canty (Fugazi, Rites of Spring), and released their newest album “Expendables” on Epitaph Records last spring. Brendan and Brian caught up with us, discussed the formation of the band at a past Riot Fest, and the legacy of punk, bands they enjoy such as Turnstile and Quicksand, and what is so great about Riot Fest as a whole, and more! Continue reading →
Think of high-profile collaborations and what springs to mind? Self-indulgent widdling like the simply dreadful Dylan & The Dead live album, Sting, Bryan Adams, and Rod Stewart‘s unwanted ‘All For Love’ for the movie The Three Musketeers, Phil Collins and Phillip Bailey, Korn, and Skrillex? I’m sure there are many other offenders out there but you get the picture, ideas that may have sounded promising on paper but ultimately should have remained there.
Legendary hardcore band Minor Threat has been a memory since they released two EPs and the studio album Out Of Step (Dischord) before their eventual break up in the mid-’80s. They helped invent the Hardcore Punk genre, introducing concepts of straight-edge lifestyle that continue to guide the ethos of the music. In a new interview in a new interview with Spain’s GoetiaMedia.com, guitarist Brian Baker was asked if the band would ever return. He answered “We will never play shows again. It was a product of its time. It’s so much better to leave it alone than ruin it by being a bunch of old guys playing songs that we wrote when we were teenagers.” Interest renewed in the band after they recreated their iconic 1980 photo last fall as they broke the internet for a day. Just recently, Dischord Records put their entire 40+ year catalog fo records on Bandcamp for free. Singer Ian MacKaye formed Fugazi in 1987 and in recent years started a new band with his wife and bandmate in The Evens, Amy Farina, and Fugazi bassist Joe Lally. Baker joined fellow punk legends Bad Religion in 1994. Guitarist Lyle Preslar was a member of The Meatmen in the 1980s and played briefly with Samhain before eventually becoming a lawyer.
Satirical music website The Hard Times has launched a podcast network with two brand new shows: ‘The Hard Times Podcast.’ and ‘The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!”. The Hard Times co-founders Matt Saincome and Bill Conway are involved, as is Hard Drive editor-in-chief Jeremy Kaplowitz. The first guest on ‘The Hard Times Podcast’ was Brian Baker of Minor Threat and Bad Religion and is now streaming here: https://thehardtimespodcast.libsyn.com. Along with its sister site Hard Drive, The Hard Times’ move into podcasts allows listeners to get to know the people behind all their favorite headlines, and so much more. DIY organization that has never taken outside investment and is still owned entirely by the punks, comics, and gamers who work on the site.Continue reading →
Hardcore punk greats Minor Threat caused a stir this weekend with a photo shared that calls back their classic cover of 1985’s Salad Days album. The new photo of drummer Jeff Nelson, singer Ian MacKaye, guitarist Lyle Preslar and bassist Brian Baker — sitting on the front porch of Dischord Records house in south Arlington, Virginia was posted on Baker’s Instagram page and was shared by Dischord on Facebook. “This is a non-story. Jeff insists that we always take a porch shot for posterity when the four of us are at Dischord. This is just the first one we’ve had taken since I’ve had an Instagram account.” 2018 marks another anniversary for the band as their classic album Out Of Step was released thirty-five years ago in 1983.Continue reading →
Teenage Time Killers, the supergroup put together by Mick Murphy (My Ruin) and Reed Mullen (COC) is putting on a one-off all-star concert in Los Angeles on September 12th. Featuring many of the big names that make up each of the tracks ofGreatest Hits Vol 1, (Rise Records) taking the stage with Murphy and Mullen will be Randy Blythe, Corey Taylor, Neil Fallon, Lee Ving, Tommy Victor, Vic Bondi, Phil Rind, Ron Beam, Tony Foresta, Clifford Dinsmore, Tairrie B. Murphy, Jonny Webber, Greg Anderson, Pat “Atom Bomb” Loed, Karl Agell, and Trenton Rogers. Tickets are already on sale at this link:
Have you ever heard an album so good you thought it was made just for you? Like someone reached into the great boombox in your brain and pulled out just what you wanted to hear? Well, Greatest Hits Vol. 1 (Rise Records) by Teenage Time Killers is that album for me. If you have yearned for some new tunes to come along and kick your ass back to 1988, then this music is for you. Masterminded by Mick Murphy (My Ruin, and Reed Mullen (Corrosion of Conformity),the core band is rounded out by the ubiquitous Dave Grohl and chipping in everything except lead vocals and Greg Anderson (Sunn O)))/Goatsnake) and his mighty axe. In addition to a cavalcade of former and current stars from across punk and metal, it’s an ambitious attempt to turn the idea of a supergroup on its head.
Certainly, a lot of hype has gone on about the assembled players, especially the vocalists. If you re thinking of Grohl’s Probot project, you are not far off. That was Grohl paying tribute to his metal heroes. TTK is all about paying tribute to a certain mindset. An era when writing fun, smart songs that hit you where you live was the norm. Mullen has put his distinctive angry yelp on many C.O.C. albums and does a fine job here on the opening track ‘Exploder’ and on ‘The Dead Hand’. ‘Exploder’ is just a classic punk track with all the whoa-oh-ohs you can handle. Second track ‘Crowned by the Light of The Sun’ sounds like an early-era Clutch song and thus Neil Fallon is right at home singing over some stone grooves. The most blistering track here is the thrash/punk ‘Hung Out To Dry’. Randy Blythe (Lamb of God) just slays the track with his parts.
Following these first salvos the rest of the album is a tad uneven in a few places, but on repeated listens the entire thing holds together well. Jello Biafra is predictably pissed off in the too-short ‘Ode to Hannity’. ‘Barrio’ featuring Matt Skiba of Alkaline Trio/Blink 182 has the second-best track on the album. It’s another fun old-school sing-a-long that is both fun and political. Mike IX (EyeHateGod), Tommy Victor (Prong/Danzig) and Tairrie B. Murphy (My Ruin) anchor the three of the remaining real standout tracks. While it’s great to have an album in 2015 with Lee Ving (Fear), Karl Agel (COC Blind/King Hitter) and Phil Rind (Sacred Reich) altogether, at times you wish the tracks were a little stronger. Although a little short of total greatness for all the meaningful names, Teenage Time Killers backed up having the stones to call this album Greatest Hits Vol 1.
Teenage Time Killers will be releasing their long awaited release Greatest Hits Vol 1 on July 31, 2015 via Rise Records. The brainchild of Corrosion of Conformity drummer Reed Mullin, guitarist Mick Murphy (My Ruin, The Birds of Satan) and producer John “Lou” Lousteau, the project has released a track listing along with a breakdown of guest credits. All instrumental tracks on Greatest Hits Vol. 1 were recorded at Dave Grohl‘s 606 Studios in Northridge, California. The album was produced by Lousteau, Mullin and Murphy, engineered and mixed by Lousteau at 606 Studios.
Stream “Barrio” (with Matt Skiba of Alkaline Trio) and “Hung Out To Dry” (with Randy Blythe of Lamb Of God) below.
01. “Exploder” Vocals: Reed Mullin Featuring Pat Hoed (Bass), London May (Drums)
02. “Crowned By The Light Of The Sun” Vocals: Neil Fallon Featuring Jim Rota (Guitar), Dave Grohl (Bass)
03. “Hung Out to Dry” Vocals: Randy Blythe Featuring Mike Schaefer (Guitar), Dave Grohl (Bass)
04. “Power Outage” Vocals: Clifford Dinsmore Featuring Dave Grohl (Bass)
05. “Ode to Hannity” Vocals: Jello Biafra Featuring Mike Dean (Bass)
06. “Barrio” Vocals: Matt Skiba Featuring Brian Baker (Guitar)
07. “The Dead Hand” Vocals: Reed Mullin Featuring Woody Weatherman (Guitar), Dave Grohl (Bass)
08. “Egobomb” Vocals: Corey Taylor Featuring Dave Grohl (Bass)
09. “Plank Walk” Vocals: Pete Stahl Featuring Greg Anderson (Guitar), Dave Grohl (Bass)
10. “Time To Die” Vocals: Mike IX Williams Featuring Greg Anderson (Guitar)
11. “Days Of Degradation” Vocals: Tommy Victor Featuring Dave Grohl (Bass)
12. “Clawhoof” Vocals: Tairrie B. Murphy Featuring Dave Grohl (Bass)
13. “Big Money” Vocals: Lee Ving Featuring Pat Smear (Guitar & Bass), London May (Drums)
14. “Devil In This House” Vocals: Karl Agell Featuring Dave Grohl (Bass)
15. “Say Goodnight To The Acolyte” Vocals: Phil Rind Featuring Jason Browning (Guitar), Dave Grohl (Bass)
16. “Ignorant People” Vocals: Tony Foresta Featuring Greg Anderson (Guitar), Nick Oliveri (Bass)
17. “Son Of An Immigrant” Vocals: Johnny Weber Featuring Brian Baker (Guitar)
18. “Your Empty Soul” Vocals: Aaron Beam
19. “Bleeding To Death” Vocals: Vic Bondi Featuring Dave Grohl (Bass)
20. “Teenage Time Killer” Vocals: Trenton Rogers Featuring Greg Anderson (Guitar), Pat Hoed (Bass)
