Category: Bands/Comps/Splits
Mike Mountain Interview in the New Bedford Guide
Mike Mountain is a well known band from New Bedford. They straddle a fine line between the noise-rock underground and catchy, hook filled tunes. I had a few choice words with lead singer Michael Montagano about cultural diffusion, spontaneous combustion, rock and roll and Portuguese cuisine.
How did Mike Mountain get started?
Michael: I had known (bassist) Jeff for a while. I was impressed he was able to quit his job to make a living playing music. I toured down to Miami in an early version of the band with Jeff and got to know him better. Eventually it coalesced into something more permanent. The guitarist Steve and I had played on and off for years, and Jeff used to play with our drummer (also named Mike).
Mike Mountain Band New BedfordHow do you guys come up with your songs? Is here a magic formula? What’s it all about?
Michael: There is no set pattern. Jeff comes up with bass lines first for most of the songs, but some have started with Steve on guitar or my lyrics. A lot of bands jam and make songs from those sessions. We don’t really do that. Lyrically I tend to gravitate to open ended meanings that people can attach their own significance to. It is a kind of stream of consciousness. I don’t over think it.
I know you are recording a new album. How is that going?
Michael: Great! We are recording at Feedback Studios in Freetown with the New Wave Cafe’s main sound engineer Ron Poitras. Ron has been great, very professional but laid back. Its inexpensive but very big sounding. We are almost done, just some some guitar and vocal overdubs left.
What impelled you to play music in the first place?
Michael: Most of my formative years were spent going to shows in the early to mid 1990’s. Lyrical influences, well I try to take what influences me from different genres. I like Bob Dylan and The Kinks from the 1960’s, Bruce Springsteen and the Swell Maps from the 1970’s, Drunks with Guns and the Birthday Party from the 1980’s, Pavement,Royal Trux and the Jesus Lizard from the 1990’s. A lot of things appeal to me, it is difficult to quantify.
It is obvious from that response that it may be difficult for Mike Mountain to fit in with a certain scene or clique in New Bedford. How do you manage?
Michael: Because we are all in our mid 3o’s there is a certain desperation to do our best work now, not like we are young kids and will have a lot of future bands. We can’t afford to worry about the little stuff. We cover a song by A Stoveboat. All of their songs were about Whaling, its kind of a sea shanty. I feel like a lot of poets come from New England and we fit in that with a sort of New England perception. We have an original sound but we like to think we can appeal to the average person. it is hard for us to be grouped into one scene but hat may be beneficial to us eventually. Our first two CD’s have a wide range. We don’t want the songs to sound alike.
What do you make of the New Bedford area since you started at nearby U- Mass Dartmouth about 20 years ago?
Michael: Downtown was a ghostland. It is nice to see a cultural renaissance, made all the more remarkable during a recession. There are places to play and hear music,eat and get out in general.
What’s coming up for Mike Mountain?
Michael: Jeff and I have the freedom socially to just go out and play and not worry about money, so we will do more touring, but we have to work around the other guys lives. We will have our second album out on 75 Or Less Records soon. We want to tour as much as we can, but you will still see us playing around town.
Mike Mountain will be playing No Problemo and the New Wave soon, so keep a lookout for New Bedford’s best kept secret.
Set Lathe Cut Singles Package
75OL-238 Lathe Cut Singles Package
$25.00 S&H Included
A set of all three limited clear poly lathe cut singles.
Track Listing
1. Matt Fraza Band – Drugs/I Don’t Want It 6:00
2. Jordan Everett Associates – Moonbeams 6:00
3. Jodie Treloar – Sonic Boom 5:15
4. Six Star General – Christopher Walken 6:00
5. Bob Kendall Band – Stay 2:57
6. Feng Shui Police – Without You 3:00
7. Eric Ott – Free 6:00
Eric Ott video for ‘Felt’
Eric Ott video for ‘These Pills’
Eric Ott video for ‘Pop Starlet’
Gaskill – Our War
75OL-229 Gaskill – Our War
Digital download is available here
Track Listing
1. My War
2. Can’t Decide
3. Beat My Head Against the Wall
4. I Love You
5. Forever Time
6. The Swinging Man
7. Nothing Left Inside
8. Three Nights
9. Scream
Credits: recorded by Brain Cass and Corey Sherman at Overclock Studios. Mike Brunetto plays second guitar on all tracks. All songs Dukowski, Ginn, Rollins.
Gaskill – The End of the World
75OL-237 Gaskill – The End of the World
Digital download is available here
Track Listing
1. Worms
2. Eleanor Rigby
3. Long Lost Friend
4. Immigrant
5. I’m Not Waiting
6. Birds Suddenly Appear
7. Memento Mori
8. War and Knives
9. Dog Heaven
Mario Costa: bass
Craig Fleming: guitar
Kevin Grant: vocals
Chris Helme: drums
Michael Brunetto: second guitar on bonus tracks 10-18.
Album art: “Relentless Head” by Michael Hecht
Recorded by Brian Cass and Corey Sherman at Overclock Studios in Middleboro MA on November 21, 2015.
All music by GASKILL, all lyrics by Kevin Grant except where noted. Published by BMI.
Haffenrecords 5.
Bob Kendall video for Waistd
Boston’s The Noise reviews Outlaw In Peru’s ‘OIP’
Outlaw in Peru – OIP
Outlaw In Peru claim to hail from Providence, but they could just as well come from outer space. There are a few biker rock kind of songs that cruise along in a cool way. What I’m really digging here are trippy Steppenwolf or Hawkwind sounding gems, the really long songs that let the psyche guitar rip. Outlaw In Peru worked with one of my favorite lyricists Mike Mountain on much of this record and its cool to hear his words in a different soundscape and a different voice. Let your brain be the venue and check this album out with headphones and whatever it is you take to relax. Enjoy the trip!
Bob Kendall / Feng Shui Police / Eric Ott – Split Lathe Cut 7 inch Single
75OL-219 Bob Kendall / Feng Shui Police / Eric Ott – Split Lathe Cut 7 inch Single
$10.00 S&H Included
Limited to 30 copies. These singles consist of clear poly-plastic with holographic, kraft, white, or clear jackets. The four options are shown in the photo above. All styles while supplies last.
This lathe cut single includes a link to a digital download with artwork
Tracks
1. Bob Kendall – Stay 2:57
2. Feng Shui Police – Without You 3:00
3. Eric Ott – Free 6:00
Bob Kendall – Stay
Bob Kendall – Guitar, Vocals David Narcizo – Drums
Kevin Zahm – Bass Rafael Attias – Guitar
Dan Wright – Keys Chuck Ciany – Guitar
Produced, Mixed and Recorded by
Paul Q. Kolderie @ Stable Sounds, Portsmouth, RI
Feng Shui Police
Dash Elhauge – Guitar, Vocals, Quips
Evan Harris – Drums, Stares
Hariz Johnson – Bass, Skin
Eric Ott – Free
Eric Ott – Acoustic Guitar and Lead & Backing Vocals
Philip Labbe – Bass
Dan McGary – Drums
Chris Decato – Keys and some Lead Guitar
Mark Edgerly – Lead Guitar
Anna Coogan – Backing Vocals
Chris Plumstead – Slide and Lead Guitar
Timothy Fife – Synthesizer