Soda Killers Magazine #11 OUT NOW~!

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SODA KILLERS//PUNK, RAP, AND GRAFFITI MAGAZINE//ISSUE #11

Minneapolis, MN + Summer 2016

Happy to announce the release of Soda Killers no.11. Inside you'll find an exclusive interview with Twin Cities graffiti artist ERGOT. (He also did this amazing cover.) We go pretty in-depth and get all interpersonal relations-y. I think graff heads, sociopaths, vandals, and regular people alike will dig it.

There's also an interview with Chicago-based punk trio Boilerman, whom are both great guys and funny guys. Also very serious guys. We talk about things like Taco Bell breakfast, Justin Theroux being the best punk ever, and what it's like living in a world where cops can get away with murder whenever they feel like it.

And rounding out the interviews portion, I have a candid conversation with Cleveland punker (and kinda legend, depending who you ask) Tony Erba about pro-wrestling, his band Fuck You Pay Me, memories of Thrashfest III at Babylon Cafe, and if the well-being of performers matters if the match is good.

There's also awesome contributions from the likes of Clell Miller (Luke Sick), Dan Lactose (DJ Eons One), and Doom Goblin. Clell talks about rap tapes, heady beers, and the Golden State Warriors. Dan recalls his days coming up in the mail-trade world and shares a story of an incident from a Capitalist Casualties show back in the day. Doomy G muses on her oppositional disorder and how it applies specifically to that shitty band Radiohead.

The issue is rounded out by ERGOT graff flicks and a healthy chunk of record & tape reviews.

36 pages cover-to-cover, half-size, photocopied in black & white with some color.

I'm just going to say it: Soda Killers is the best punk, rap, and graffiti magazine on the planet.

GET IT NOW SOLD OUT

Thoughts on the Neutral Milk Hotel Reunion

The following Doomgoblin piece first ran in The Soda Killers isssue #4, which there are still a very limited number of copies left of.  Get in touch it you'd like to get one.

Thoughts on the Neutral Milk Hotel Reunion
By Doomgoblin

4/29/13
The Internet just told me that Neutral Milk Hotel got back together and has five shows scheduled. I’m not one to get excited about reunions, but this feels a lot different.

I used to check out CDs from the library in my hometown all the time. Whoever was responsible for buying CDs for the library back then really snuck some gems in there. So I was browsing the collection and I came across this bizarre looking CD. There was a chick in a dress with half a coconut for a head or something. The colors were muted and dreamy and I decided to check it out because I was 15 or 16 and it looked cool. The band name was just as mysterious as the artwork. What kind of band calls themselves Neutral Milk Hotel?

I took it home and sat in my bedroom and listened to it for the first time. I was confused as hell. The guy can barely sing, the horns are unbearably out of tune, and the lyrical content made no sense. But I couldn’t stop listening to it. And the more I listened to it, the more I loved it. The best records are always like that, it seems. Things that take a couple spins to really get under your skin. Not that I refuse to embrace music that is instantly enjoyable, but it just feels more satisfying when you have to put a little more work into it. So I found this record that I knew absolutely nothing about. I didn’t know if I was supposed to love it or mock it. I was a total tabula rasa, you know? It’s been a long time since I’ve listened to something without any preconceived notions about how I should feel about it.

I was young and I was just starting to really explore music. I was never attracted to top 40 radio, so I just listened to oldies stations and Broadway cast recordings. I started by checking out the musicals from the library. Do you remember those bulky double CD cases? Yuck. Then I moved to the classical section, and the jazz section. The rock section was kind of my final frontier. I didn’t like most of the stuff I picked out, but Neutral Milk Hotel, Radiohead, Cat Power, and Elliot Smith were my gateway drugs. So thanks old library! Thank you for planting the seeds that made me want to discover more music.

I’m so excited about this whole NMH reunion because I never thought I’d ever see them live. They broke up/went on hiatus/whatever shortly after In the Aeroplane Over the Sea was released. Everything I read about them at the time (2002ish?) suggested that Jeff Mangum was a total recluse and it was highly unlikely that we’d ever hear from them again. It’s probably still highly unlikely that I’ll see them live. Even if they do eventually make it up to Minneapolis, I’ll probably forget to buy tickets and then not remember the show is even happening until the day of when it’s too late…unless I can convince someone to get me in for free. Because that’s how I roll. I completely suck at going to shows. But that isn’t the point! The point is that I’m being all nostalgic and happy that they’ve decided to play a couple shows in places far far away from here.

I’m Faster Than My Shadow

The Soda Killers issue #4 OUT NOW~!

For the second time this month, we proudly announce the arrival of a new TSK! Issue #4 is here and available for your viewing pleasure.

Rap lists, scene reports, columns, graffiti flicks, and more.  Some great contributions again too: Doomgoblin offers up her thoughts on the impending Neutral Milk Hotel reunion, RO'B From Seattle shares some pics from Bellingham, WA, and  first-time contributor Cheyenne B. talks about the passing of Jeff Hanneman from Slayer.

The Soda Killers #4

Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America

Trades//Free//Donation

Get into it!

Scene Report: Swans live at First Avenue

Swans live, First Avenue, Mpls, MN, 9/20/11
I had nearly forgotten Swans were in town until I noticed the dark cloud lingering above Minneapolis. Yeah right. I bought my ticket like, three months ago and I’ve been waiting with baited breath ever since. I don’t follow Michael Gira as closely as I follow say, Nick Cave, but I’m still a pretty big fan. Heck, most people I talked to as I was excitedly bubbling about the show the days preceding it had never even heard of these guys.

I went out for dinner with my crew and we kept cracking jokes about how we should sit in silence and order our food burnt, just to get in the proper mood. One girl even asked us if we were gonna commit suicide during the show or wait until afterwards. Oh how we laughed.

We get to First Ave in time to catch the last couple songs of the opening act, Sir Richard Bishop. I don’t know anything about him, but he was really good at playing his guitar really fast. I was slightly disappointed that the place wasn’t packed, but I do prefer when there’s room to walk around without getting elbowed in the face. We settled on the stage left side of the balcony and waited patiently with our bombers of Heineken.

The show began with a single drone. The band members took the stage one by one, each adding something to the sonic landscape. It was grating, repetitive, and slow as shit. We had heard that there was a 30 minute song on the setlist, I was pretty sure that this was it. Finally, after about 25 minutes, Michael Gira makes his glorious entrance. He took the role of conductor, with his back to the audience, and led the noise for what felt like forever. I was enjoying it, but I was praying that they’d start playing a song soon. I remember scurrying to the bathroom (I’m totally a one beer/one pee sort of drinker) and continually keeping my eye on the stage lest I miss something ACUTALLY HAPPEN.

I don’t really remember the details of the rest of the show. I totally let the percussive, rhythmic, atonal sounds wash over me. I usually wear earplugs at First Ave shows because they are so damn loud, but I didn’t wanna miss out on a single decibel of this one. Gira’s voice is incredibly powerful, yet still so soothing and comforting. His baritone vocals rang out through the room and hung in the air like a thick fog. Either that, or they actually did turn off the ventilation systems, as was rumored, in an attempt to make the audience as hot and uncomfortable as possible.

What I’ll remember forever is what happened after the show. I was hanging around the merch table, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw a big white cowboy hat go past. I knew it was him and I got totally star struck. I saw him approach the merch table and start signing autographs and stuff. There weren’t a whole lot of people milling about, so I caught his attention and just shook his hand and said thank you. I was happy. But then, my girlfriend started taking a picture with him and I was like, oh damn, I better get in on this. But I got shy. She came bounding back to me like an excited puppy and was like, “Oh my god, he said he’d come talk to me later, but that he wanted to talk to everybody first.”

I was just as excited as she was. We make our way outside for a cigarette, and then he shows up right behind us again. She’s totally in love by this point. It was pretty hilarious actually. But he was really sweet. Way sweeter than I was expecting, judging by his incredibly dark creative output. I don’t remember what we talked about. I was mostly giggling by how thick my friend was laying it on. I think she totally lost him when she put on her sexy voice and said, “I’ve read all your books.” But he was very patient and totally put up with our drunk asses. I even invited him back to my place. I knew he’d say no, but you can’t blame me for trying. He actually seemed like he kinda wanted to come party with some crazy young girls. Or he’s a very good actor. So we said our good byes and went on our way. I really hope he didn’t notice how we were skipping off singing “We just hung out with Michael Gira! We just hung out with Michael Gira!” like a couple of pubescent Justin Bieber fans.

At the end of the day, it was an incredible show. It was definitely the best time I’ve had at a First Ave show ever. Now I just gotta wait for him to take Angels of Light on a tour again.

-Doomgoblin
I'm  Faster Than My Shadow

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