Cory Graves
Josh Venable Moves On, The Bad Rise Up and Kickstarter Keeps Working.
It might have seemed like the end of the world for KDGE-FM program director Josh Venable when word came down a couple weeks back that he was being let go for the second time.
But Venable's layoff won't be the last fans hear of the 18-year radio vet. Not if he can help it. For the time being, at least, Venable fully intends on keeping his Smiths cover band The Venables in tact. To that end, the band's next gig comes as part of an '80s night bill next Thursday at Granada Theater, which also features local Cure cover act Le Cure. He's also recently taken to blogging at A Wide Open Space. Thus far, he's primarily stuck to posting YouTube clips of songs he's into at the moment. Really, though, what more would anyone expect from the guy that used to host The Adventure Club? Other gems include photos of Danzig grocery shopping and a video from local hard rockers Long Sword Spectacular whom Venable (hopefully) facetiously refers to as the greatest group of all time.
That band's unapologetically over-the-top brand of rock 'n' roll isn't a far cry from the self-aggrandizing fictional garage band The Bad, whom local filmmakers Chris Gardner and Blair Rowan will begin portraying in a web series in early 2013. The debut episode of the series was screened at Texas Theatre last week alongside short docs on local trio Unconcious Collective and Deep Throat singer Taylor Kimbrough. Among other topics broached in episode one, the duo find themselves filming and editing the music video for their testosterone-fueled fantasy metal single, “The Warrior.” Though only a couple of brief clips of the hilariously low budget video appear in the episode, the full spectacle can be viewed in its entirety at the bottom of this post. The hook is best summed up by the band that describes their efforts as what would happen if “Dream Theater and the original members of King Diamond got together and stuck their fingers inside Mozart and started playing him like a fucking instrument.” Here's hoping the world doesn't end this Friday, if only so we can see how the rest of this series plays out.
Like the impending apocalypse, though, there are just some things beyond anyone's control. At least that's how 35 Denton organizers are framing the news that King Khan and the Shrines are already dropping off next year's bill. Per festival organizers: “They will be missed, but rest assured the party is still on!” Maybe they'll tap Khan's daughter, Saba Lou, as a replacement? The adolescent did just release her adorable first single, “Until the End” via H.U.N.X.'s Wacky Wacko imprint.
But if the world does end this weekend, at least Virgin Wolves and Trebuchet's new albums will have (albeit briefly) seen the light of day. Both bands are releasing new works this Friday at Hailey's on a bill that also includes The Phuss and Mothership.
Unfortunately, though, the end of times would keep Fort Worth's The Will Callers from getting around to releasing their latest. It would be a shame, too, as their current Kickstarter campaign says the only thing keeping them from putting out the Ray Wylie Hubbard-produced disc they recorded in 2011 from being released is the funding to manufacture physical copies.
A quick perusal of that site also shows that The O's, Missile, Dead Mockingbirds, and Jessie Frye have either just received funding or are currently in the middle of campaigns to help finance the releases their upcoming records.
Come to think of it, the impending apocalypse makes now a great time to pledge dollars to Kickstarter. If the world does happen to end, you don't pay. But, in the meantime, your friends will be so grateful.
