Rich Soul was a DJ, spinning records at Red and Lizard Lounge, among other places, specializing in hard house remixes and his own originals. Along the way, he also founded Handy Records, both as an outlet for his music and to "pave the way for new talent to expand the realm of the music scene," as he said on Handy's Web site. Ashamed to say we didn't know the man personally, seeing him only during the times when we stopped by Red for a drink. We know at least from those brief encounters that he was talented and know enough to be shaken up by someone so young (only a year older than us) taken away rather inexplicably, and leaving behind a family.
On February 17, Club Clearview will host a benefit for Renee and Julian, featuring DJs from all over the area; a minimum $5 donation gets you in, and all proceeds go to Rich's wife and son. Doors will open at 8 p.m. "All of us who knew Rich well agree that this is something he would want," general manager Greg Watson says, "and the kind of send-off that he would appreciate." Stop by...
As David Dennard's Dragon Street Records releases its third Big "D" Jamboree disc, The Guys of the Big "D" Jamboree, we've received news of the passing of one of the men who kept the Jamboree going. Ed Watt, who booked acts for the Jamboree from 1953 until it folded in 1966, died last week at age 82. Watt was Sportatorium boss Ed McLemore's right-hand man, bringing in the talent and making sure everything ran smoothly, or at least as smooth as possible. "He was responsible for keeping clients such as Gene Vincent in line," Dennard says. "McLemore sent Watt over to Gene's house in North Dallas on Dykes Way to break up a fight between Gene and wife Darlene one night when Vincent was drunk and threatening the family with a loaded gun. Ed was a former boxer, and I think that he was the 'bad guy' for McLemore, though he was actually very sweet as a person when you got to know him." You can't hear Watt on any of the Big "D" Jamboree discs, but you'd better believe that he is very much there...
Updating last week's bit about a forthcoming Dooms U.K. show, we still don't know where, but we have a better handle on when: April 28. So says Dooms front man John Freeman's roommate, Darci Ratliff, who is receiving the show as a birthday present. (By the way, check out Ratliff's Web site, www.kitten-pants.com, if only because the first page describes it as, "The site for: people who like to see pants on cats, cats who like to wear pants, Keith Gordon.") According to Ratliff, The Banes have already agreed to open, and they should have a venue confirmed very soon. Never thought we'd see the Dooms play again, so while it may be a birthday present for Ratliff, it's a gift for everyone else, too...
The pAper chAse is currently at Pachyderm Studio in Minnesota, recording its next full-length album, titled Hide the Kitchen Knives, for Washington, D.C.-based Beatville Records, which released 2000's Young Bodies Heal Quickly, You Know. Singer-guitarist John Congleton once again will be recording the disc, tentatively set to arrive in stores this spring. If Pachyderm Studio sounds familiar, it's most famously the recording facility that birthed Nirvana's In Utero, as well as records by PJ Harvey and Superchunk, among many others. Expect some form of genius to emerge from the pAper chAse's session there. Don't question us...
Brave Combo, The Burden Brothers, Centro-matic, Chomsky, Clumsy, The Deathray Davies, Dixie Witch, The Feds, Jack Ingram, Initialization String, The Killdares, Lift to Experience, Lynx Squad, Macavity, Olospo, Phat K.A.T.S., The Polyphonic Spree, The Rocket Summer, Slobberbone and Soviet Space have all been accepted to this year's South by Southwest Music Festival, scheduled to happen March 13-17 in Austin. It's still pretty early in the game, so expect at least a few more bands from the Dallas-Denton-Fort Worth area to be added as the fest approaches. Other performers with local ties playing SXSW this year include Norah Jones--whose mesmerizing debut, Come Away With Me, hits shelves February 26--and Seaworthy, the side project from Macha's Josh McKay. So far, the SXSW lineup is not spectacular, but there are enough good bands (Ash, Destroyer, Clinic, Neil Finn, Eels, Elbow, The Promise Ring, all of the above and plenty more) to make it worth your while. Wristbands for the festival go on sale February 21 for $85 and, if we remember right, are only available in Austin. But that could be wrong. You might wanna get a friend down there to pick one up for you just to be on the safe side. Or maybe you don't. We have no idea what people want these days...
Cover charges will most likely apply: The Adventures of Jet does two sets at Bar of Soap on February 15; Soviet Space performs at Trees on February 17, with Vibrosound and ES-3, as part of KEGL-FM's Local Show; Viva Maxitone is at Club Clearview on February 15, with Flametrick Subs; Boy Division, the Denton boy band formerly known as N2U, plays Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios on February 15. And that's about it. Probably.
