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Band to perform at Bush Tetra's Laura Kennedy benefit in New York on October 26 at Cake Shop.
It's become known that the new wave/post-punk band's bassist and founding member, who suffered a Hepatits C infection, is in need of an immediate liver transplant, which, if you're at all familiar with contemporary healthcare, will cost astronomical amounts.
The venue will host an event featuring performances by Band of Outsiders, Julian Stockdale, the Bush Tetras themselves, and others, with proceeds going to the Laura Kennedy Liver Fund. Admission requires a minimum donation of $15. Additionally, the money from band merchandise sold at the event will also go towards the fund.
Funk/punk stars of the '80s New York club scene, the Bush Tetras were one of the most popular and exciting groups of the era. More importantly, they are a major force in today's '80s post-punk/new wave revival which includes The Slits, Sonic Youth, Pere Ubu, Mekons, Gang Of Four & James Chance, just to name a few.
All proceeds on Bush Tetras CDs, LPs and shirts purchased through the ROIR website go directly to the Laura Kennedy Liver Fund.
Lineup (in order of appearance)
Bell Hollow
Sediment Club
Mikey IQ
Band of Outsiders
Certain General
Command V feat: PAT IRWIN (RAYBEATS, 8-EYED SPY, B-52'S)
Radio i-ching
Julian Stockdale
Bush Tetras w/special guests James Chance & Nona Hendryx
All star jam feat. Lenny Kaye (Patti Smith Group), Ivan Julian (Richard Hell & The Voidoids), Rob Norris (Bongos), Deborah Frost (Brain Surgeons) & more...
DJ dirtytrickpony
October 24th show in Philadelphia at Tritone.
Song written and sung by guitarist Gammage appears in national (U.S.) Walmart television ad.
 Released September 2007 the 2-CD "Invisible New York" from Easy Action Records in the U.K. Celebrating the band's 25 year history this compilation CD features songs from the band's earliest days to the present. More information and how to order here.
CERTAIN GENERAL, one of the most overlooked and under-rated groups to emerge from the New York City post-punk era, release a retrospective compilation called Certain General: Invisible New York on Easy Action in March.
The group, who have been called 'the missing link between Television and Sonic Youth' while attracting comparisons with the Doors, Velvet Underground and Birthday Party, were formed in the East Village in 1979 by singer-guitarist Parker DuLany and guitarist Phil Gammage. Their brand of ravishing psychedelic mayhem stoked a large following at clubs of the day like CBGBs, Hurrah, Peppermint Lounge, the Mudd and the legendary Danceteria, where they were almost house band. CG also supported visiting groups like R.E.M., New Order and The Cure.
Albums appeared on several labels, including some in France where they became popular after touring Europe in the mid-80s. But bad luck, tragedy and wrong career moves dogged their promising career into near-obscurity before they reformed temporarily in 2003 precipitating a new phase of activity which included a track on the second volume of Soul Jazz's New York Noise series.
The 2-CD set features over 40 tracks charting the group's career from their earliest 1981 demos and 82's Holiday Of Love EP, through album tracks including live and alternative versions plus live material from the original lineup when it reunited in 2003 to play a gig at NY's Public Theatre. There's also some toxic collaborations with David Lynch chanteuse Julee Cruise, including a defiant post-9/11 version of 'New York New York' with Patti Smith's guitarist Lenny Kaye.
The set is dedicated to Certain General's former manager Ruth Polsky, the booking agent who nurtured the post-punk movement and can be credited with kickstarting the US careers of UK groups including New Order, The Smiths, Birthday Party and Echo and the Bunnymen. Ruth was horrifically killed by a runaway yellow taxi outside the Limelight Club in September 1986 while greeting arrivals at a Certain General show. Poleaxing the group's spirit and momentum.
Parker DuLany and Phil Gammage have been recording again and hope to play a few UK dates in the summer. Hopefully, invisible no more.
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Rare Certain General videos are now available for viewing as streaming video files on the audio/video page. Several are from the band's earliest days.
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 The Certain General song "Back Downtown" (originally on the Labor Records 1981 EP) appears on the Soul Jazz Records compliation CD "New York Noise Vol. 2".
From the Soul Jazz website:
The new wave of New York art/rock groups such as DFA, the Rapture, Juan McLean, James Murphy, The Strokes, The Liars and Radio 4 all have their roots in the early 1980s New York No Wave music scene.
This is the second volume of Soul Jazz Records' New York Noise and delves further into the post-punk/dance world of New York in the 1980s. The music ranges from the guitar-driven experimentation of Sonic Youth, Red Transistor and minimalism of Rhys Chatham to the dubbed-out disco of Arthur Russell and Nicky Siano and Pulsallama. All alongside a healthy dose of punk-funk from the likes of Y Pants, Vortex and more. Glenn Branca, Rhys Chatham (minimalist classical composer), Jim Jarmusch (film-maker and founding member of Del Byzantines), Arthur Russell, Ned Sublette (writer), Thurston Moore -all included here- played key roles in bringing the New York music and art scene together in the early 1980s alongside the artist Jean Michel Basquiat, actor Vincent Gallo, poet Lydia Lunch and a host of other characters. This album features text, original photos and interviews documenting this amazing period. |
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Read the Certain General article "The Invisible Band of NY" from trakmarx.com (U.K.). Written by music journalist Kris Needs this fascinating article reviews the intriguing history of the band and it's music. Includes CD recommendations by the author.
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The complete series of "PROFILES OF THE DOWNTOWN MUSIC SCENE" will be broadcast on Manhattan Neighborhood Network as single 90-minute episodes on the following dates:
Profiles of the downtown music scene of the 1970s - Sept 19 at 8pm.
Profiles of the downtown music scene of the 1980s - Sept 26 at 8pm. (featuring Parker Dulany)
Profiles of the downtown music scene of the 1990s - Oct 3 at 8pm.
Set your VCRs to stun! Record them now or rent them later!!
Join the TERRORSEX CABARET egroup: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TerrorSexCabaret
Webbed like toes: www.terrorsexcabaret.com
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PreFab International is pleased to announce the opening of it's new online store at www.prefabgroup.com.
This online store gives music fans everywhere the ability to purchase many hard to find CDs from Gammage's various music projects...including the two Certain General CDs "An Introduction to War" and "Live at the Public Theatre" (a PreFab website exclusive).
In addition to the online store the site contains bio info and audio clips for each project. Don't delay! Make your way over to the PreFab International website! Shop with confidence using Paypal.
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Tuesday, December 9th, from 8-10pm at
The New School (66 W. 12th Street) NY, NY. $10
PARKER DULANY is the vocalist of Certain General, an
influential post-punk outfit originating in 1980. They
soon became the house band of Danceteria, the
notorious New York City dance club. In 1984, Certain
General relocated to France and released November’s
Heat, which earned the band both album of the year and
band of the year honors. In 2003, Certain General made
its first recordings with its original line-up since
the mid-80s.
JOHN S. HALL is best known as the vocalist and
lyricist of King Missile, the influential spoken
word/experimental music project that
released its first long-player in 1987 on the Shimmy
Disk label. In 2003, Hall continued to charm the indie
music scene with a new King Missile CD, “The
Psychopathology of Everyday Life.” A collection of his
always-clever writing, Jesus Was Way Cool, was
published by Soft Skull Press in 1996.
ELLIOT SHARP began his musical odyssey at the tender
age of six with a level of virtuosity that led him to
perform publicly just two years later. After studying
music at the graduate level, Sharp moved to New York
City in 1979 and rapidly became a central figure in
the downtown avant-jazz, no wave, and experimental
music scenes, collaborating with the likes of John
Zorn, Wayne Horvitz, Bobby Previte, and Butch Morris.
Sharp is an extremely prolific musician, playing
guitar, clarinet, saxophone and experimental
instruments on no less than 190 records. |
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November 6, 9:00pm sharp,
club LUXX
256 Grand (Williamsburg Brooklyn) $6
Directions: L Train to Bedford. Walk south about 6 blocks on Bedford to Grand between Driggs and
Roebling off the
Metropolitan exit from the BQE. Left on Grand to Luxx.
This event will be filmed by Creative Arson productions
also appearing the Brides (8pm) and Kid Congo (10pm) |
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September 28, Galapgos
Midnight, Brooklyn, NY
also appearing The Others (11pm)
for further information visit the Galapagos website. |
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July 27 CBGBs
10:30pm sharp, NY, NY
also appearing Mary Lou Lord (9pm) and The Silos (11pm)
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Don Hill's April 10th
9:30pm sharp, NY, NY
What happens when you mix No Wave Pop Post Punk and Garage Psychedelic rock? In 1980 it was called CERTAIN GENERAL. In 2002 it still is.
Original core trio -- leaner, meaner, and as vital and as exciting as ever. Reinterpreting and reattacking their earliest material and just crazy enough to pull it off.
Long lived legendary downtown scenesters reemerge with a stripped down format and rededicated to the danger of direct commuication...creating in the moment. An almost telepathic understanding between the members.
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"An Introduction to War" consists of two separate CDs, each representing a complete album its own right. Disc One: Dead Rabbit Gang contains studio recordings dating from sessions taking place June 1984 (directly upon their return from their first UK visit) through January of 1985. It was these songs that they incorporated in their set during that infamous first tour of France supporting the November's Heat album which was such a critical and commercial success over there. Band turmoil precluded these sessions being released at the time, but even in 2001, this set sounds as fresh and dynamic as any current-day underground rock.
Packaged with Dead Rabbit Gang is Disc Two: Savage Young Generals an all-live recording of the band from various sets dating from December of 1981 through January of 1983. This shows a younger, still stylistically forming Certain General, full of postpunk, post no-wave energy and recombining those elements into a new and thoroughly postmodern collage. Savage Young Generals runs 77 minutes and consists of 28 tracks, comprising the first live recordings of the band ever released, and has 16 Certain General compositions never released in any form whatsoever!
Taken together, this set presents a comprehensive view of a criminally overlooked great band, and one that is due to receive it's rightful place in the story of alternative rock in America. Order directly through the SourMash USA website, or look for it in your favorite e-tail/retail record mart. |
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Stereo Fantastica U.S.A. presents for exclusive sale at PreFab International the new CD "Live at The Public Theatre". This CD documents the band's March 2001 performance at Joe's Pub in New York's Public Theatre. Special guests include Julee Cruise and Keith Streng (Fleshtones). Song selection spans the band's 20 year carreer. This was a special evening of music!
This is Certain General's first commerically released live recording and will a great introduction to the band for new listeners while being an essential document of the group for long-time fans.
In late October the band recorded two songs with vocalist Julee Cruise. Recordings of "The In Crowd" and "New York, New York" will be featured on a compilation CD of New York and French artists to be released on Fantastica Records (Paris) in 2002.
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Three new Certain General CDs in Europe are in the works and should be released by the end of 2001. One is the European reissue on Fantastica/Comotion of NOVEMBER'S HEAT. This reissue contains a a bonus disc containing eleven previously unreleased studio songs from the 1981-82 era in a digipak package.
The 2000 CD CLOSER TO THE SUN will also be reissued in a deluxe digipak with a bonus disc containing new recordings of two French songs "La Decadance (Serge Gainsbourgh)" and Fantasie Militaire".
The third Certain General project is the American AN INTRODUCTION TO WAR two-CD set (see April 2001 news). This CD set will be the definitive audio document of the band's early years of live shows from 1981-83. Tapes are being gathered and reviewed from performances in New York, Texas, and New Jersey. The second part of this project will be the infamous 'lost LP' from 1984-85. This 'lost LP' will contain 11-14 previously unreleased songs that the band recorded in the studio as a follow up to NOVEMBER'S HEAT.
In addition to the CG reissues the band continues to work on a record of new songs at various studios in New York.
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On Friday March 23rd at Joe's Pub in the Public Theatre in New York City,
Fantastica and Comotion Records present an evening of French produced music
with the songs of Certain General and Fred Poulet.
Years of making records in France has earned Certain General a very special
place in French culture. The band is the same innovative New York-based band they were when they
started in 1980, and have released their 8th studio album, "Closer to the
Sun".
Fred Poulet blends classic French music with innovation to draw comparisons
with the legendary Serge Gainsbourg and Beck.
From salsa and cubano to punks and poets, Fantastica and Comotion Records
offer an eclectic catalog of music dedicated to groove.
Un Soir Francais will be one French night that you should groove to, too.
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During the band's recent visit to France some recording was done at Jam Studios in Paris. The song recorded was a version of "Fantaisie Militaire" from the album of the same title by Alain
Bashung. it will be issued on an EP by the intellectual Parisian daily
newspaper Liberation as a subscription gift along with the Certain General songs "Maximum G" and "Love song". |
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 Live shows will coincide with the 15th anniversary or the release in France of "November's Heat" and the release of a new Certain General CD "Closer to the Sun" on Comotion Records. Announced dates:
November 29, 30, December 1,2 Espace Kiron, Paris
The new CD was recorded in Paris and New York during the past year and includes the songs "Charity", "Black Eyes", "Moving Song", and the title track "Closer to the Sun".
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 The Certain General song "Maximum G" (originally on the "November's Heat" LP) appears on the Bomp Records 2 CD compilation "Straight Outta Burbank". "Straight Outta Burbank" is an overview of the long-standing tradition of great music that has shaped Bomp. It is also a statement about longevity, independence and good taste. All without a hit, and without the help of a major corporation. This double CD collection, produced in alliance with Alive/Total Energy Records, showcases their current release schedule to give you a taste of the two sides of their operation. It features a mix of releases from the past five years plus some unreleased material, augmented by a sampling of some of our favorite gems.
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A new Phil Gammage (lead guitarist for Certain General) solo CD has been released. The CD features ten new bluesabilly drenched Gammage original songs.
"Habile mélange entre country paysan et blues urbain... grand, grand artiste on
vous dit !"
ROCK & FOLK
"Gammage démontre que le bonheur peut, parfois, tenir dans une simple douze
cordes."
LES INROCKUPTIBLES
"...Ma fanitude sans bornes pour ce type commence franchement à tourner à
l'obsession. Deux disques et je commence à être à sec, à court d'arguments,
de superlatifs pour le monter encore plus en épingle. "
ROCK & FOLK
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 Certain General formed in 1980 in NYC. From the very beginning the press has
embraced the band. New York Rocker, Boston Rock, Trouser press, the Village
Voice, Soho News, and many American and Canadian fanzines and daily papers
declared the band 'the next big thing', dangerous territory. In 1982 a
greatly anticipated ep debut on labor records was released, Holiday of Love,
and the critical praise continued. The disc was produced by underground
favorite, Peter Holsapple of the db's, and mixed by future Swan, Micheal Gira.
All along the band had developed a reputation as an excellant live band and
played everywhere, requested by many clubs and headlining bands.
Early I984 the band released an album with NYC allies, the band of outsiders,
called Far away in America. With that album, both bands toured England and
set up temporary residence in London. The album and live performances
convinced the British music scene (NME, Sounds, Melody Maker, ZigZag, etc.) the
same way the band had entranced america.
Upon returning to America the two bands continued together and toured the
south on a tour dubbed the "killer death tour" (with a nod to the extreme
weather of a southern summer). FarAway in America accomplished it's goal,
and soon a small French label called Invitation au Suicide(new rose) inquired
of any recordings that the band would like released.
A set of well recorded 'demos' was casually dispatched to France, entitled
November's Heat and released in november of 1984. Within a month a phone
call was recieved informing the band that this record had been declared album
of the year, and the band, band of the year by the very influencial and
intellectual French daily paper, Liberation. The record had set the french
music scene on it's ear and soon other french newpapers and magazines got in
line to praise the little American band that had monopolized all the
attention of France's critical music scene with a media blitz. Television
appearances and greatly anticipated live performances followed snowballing
into a phenomenon.
Other tours of England and France, and highly acclaimed 5 star records
followed, but through it all this moment in time was capsulated and defined
by the release of November's Heat and the highly unpredictable coup d'etat
of France by a small underground band from New York, Certain General.
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Two Certain General cybercasts are now available for your listening and viewing pleasure on the internet. Both are from live concerts recorded this past April, one in Paris (at the MCM Cafe) and one in New York City (at CBGBs).
-- MCM Online for the Paris concert
-- CBGB website for the Aprill 22nd New York City concert
You must have RealPlayer to listen/view these cybercasts. |
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 Certain General singer Parker will be performing a series of festivals and club dates in France and Switzerland in June. He will be a featured guest performer of fellow New Yorkers The Fleshtones. The dates are as follows:
JUNE 19 FESTIVAL IN VITRY (Paris)
JUNE 21 MONT-DE-MARSAN
JUNE 22 BORDEAUX
JUNE 23 BIARRITZ or MARSEILLE
JUNE 24 MONTPELLIER
JUNE 25 FESTIVAL IN NEUCHATEL (Switzerland)
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So far 1999 has been quite a good year for Certain General.
'Signals from the Source' (a collection of certain general's earliest
material) was released on CBGB's records, and charted on 60-70 american
college radio stations. Then 'These are the Days' (the bands most notorious
album) was finally released after sitting on a shelf for 12 years on a new
label, Fantastica. In support of 'these' the band spent 5 weeks in France
co-headlining a tour with the Fleshtones, and beginning work on a new studio
album, the first new certain general album in almost a decade.
Both the tour and the records recieved high critical praise from the french
press.
French 'Rock and Folk' said in it's review of 'these are the days' said,"10
years after Television and 10 years before Radiohead, it was Certain
General...intelligent, arty, electric, suicidal,
praiseworthy, and magnificent." and of the live show a newspaper in Val-d'Ajol said,"the band arrives with
the amazing Parker duLany, 'a Jacques Brel and matinee Iggy Pop'...and all
were facinated by the charismatic singer's enormous pressure to listen to
every word and every melodic phrase."
Upon returning from France, the band participated in the 25th anniversary of
CBGB's with an electrifying performance alongside friends the Fleshtones and
a re-grouped Band of Outsiders.
June will see Parker flying back to France to continue work on the new
record, and to perform as a special guest at two outdoor festivals. one, the
19th outside Paris, and the other a week later in Switzerland.
July 13 the band performs at the Mercury Lounge in nyc.
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