Category: Six Star General
Six Star General Hair Supply vinyl
75OL-180V Six Star General – Hair Supply 12″ Vinyl Album
$30.00 S&H Included
Digital download and streaming is available here
Track Listing
- Christopher Walken
- I Don’t Know Where We’re Going (But I Know That It’s Not Good)
- Trans Am Hands
- Shaking Fists
- I’m Expanding Slowly
- Way Out of Control
- Life in Vain (Daniel Johnston)
- Breathe at Different Speeds
Limited to 25 copies on black vinyl. Includes cd of the album, bonus lathe cut 7″ single, 75orLess stickers and patch, while supplies last.
Six Star General Hats
75OL-299 Six Star General – Green Hats
[sold out]
Green hat, white front, with yellow and orange SSG text. Snapback adjustable sizing.
The Lincoln Tunnel CD Release Show at The Parlour
with Six Star General, Today Junior, Psychotropics
The Parlour
North Main Street
Providence, RI
9pm
Six Star General Greatest Hats
75OL-272 Six Star General – Greatest Hats
compact disc
$7.00 S&H Included
Free digital download and streaming available here
Track Listing
1. Sonic Boom 2:27
2. Curved Nerves 2:44
3. I Don’t Know Where We’re Going 3:45
4. Christopher Walken 6:14
5. Hi Five Low Five 2:39
6. Best Isn’t Always Good Enough 2:36
7. Life In Vain 4:04
8. Theme For Renee Montague 2:08
9. Weathered Homes 4:30
10. George Brett’s Pine Tar 5:37
11. No Know No 1:25
12. Something Ripped Time Away 4:27
13. Life’s A Gas 3:23
Tracks 7 by Daniel Johnston. 13 by T. Rex.
All other songs by six star general.
Track 12 combines two songs into one brand new mix.
This is a sampler of songs taken from ssg albums, including rare vinyl-only tracks.
dan – drums, vocals, percussion
kyle – guitar, synths
mark – bass, vocals
kraig – synths, moog
jay – drums on #12
Additional vocals by Jodie Treloar, Mark Cutler, and Suicide Bill.
Recorded at Plan of a Boy studio Providence, RI.
Jets Can’t Land, Six Star General, and More at Mollypalooza
with Vinal, Party Pillow, Doris Duke Unplugged
Mollypalooza at Cup Defenders
Wood St
Bristol, RI
6:30pm (music starts)
Cookout starts at 2pm
Tix are $15 in advance; $20 at door (includes Littleneck Boil, all the booze you can handle and an EPIC line up of bands)
ALL PROCEEDS GO TO THE RESCUE LEAGUE THAT SAVED MY DOG’S AND HUNDREDS OF OTHERS’ LIVES: ALMOST HOME RESCUE OF RI
http://almosthomersq.org/
Contact Courtney Guertin to secure your tix in advance.
Thank you for supporting Almost Home Rescue! Last year, we raised ~$2,500. Let’s beat that record this year and support pups in need.
Six Star General & 75orLess Interview in Boston’s The Noise
SIX STAR GENERAL
by Eric Baylies
SixStar General has been one of the best New England bands, both live and in the studio, for over a decade. I had the chance to talk to bassist-singer Mark MacDougal aka Slick and guitarist Kyle Jackson about the band and the label Mark has run for many years, 75orless records. The band is rounded out by drummer Dan Ulmschneider.
Noise: Tell me how the band started. Had you known Kyle for awhile? Was this kind of your first band, or your first in a long time?
Mark: Kyle grew up around the corner from me in Warren, Rhode Island and our families were friends. He had moved back home after college and was playing with a drummer. Kyle had 20 songs of his own when he asked me to join on bass. For the first year, I just showed up, played bass, and kept my mouth shut. Then once we knew it was working, I started contributing songs. I had played in some local bands before that, recorded some demo cassettes, played live on WRIU on a Saturday afternoon, and recorded on a Tascam 4 track at my house for a few years. The usual early ’90s loop of local music nothingness. One band I was in did open for Our Lady Peace in 1995 at The Met. It’s been all downhill since then.
Noise: Briefly touch on bands the guys are in outside Six Star General. I know you are all busy.
Mark: Kyle plays guitar with Jets Can’t Land and has a solo studio project called 15er that released a couple of albums. Dan is playing shows with The Callouts, Jodie Treloar, Bob Kendall Band, and The Underwires. Dan also does studio work for most of Kraig Jordan’s music projects out of the Plan Of A Boy studio in Providence, including Jordan Everett Associates, The Bill Keough Band, and Karma Rocket.
Noise: That’s a lot of stuff! What came first, the label or the band, or website?
Mark: The 75orless music review site started in October 2001 and we managed to review almost 2,000 albums over 12 years. The album submissions we were receiving is what gave me the idea for the label. We were getting these great albums in from small town bands, who just like the great local bands around here, had no form of support at all to let people know they existed. So, starting in early 2006, we contacted the best ones and worked with them on providing them CDs and shows if they toured the area. Then, we took our favorite local bands and did the same thing. The first year, the label had a total of 12 albums and then every year after that had close to 20. The review site stopped in 2013, but the label has continued on and we recently released our 230th album. Every band is different. Some need to find a studio for recording or mastering, some need help with manufacturing cds or vinyl, getting shows booked, setting up digital distribution, finding bandmates, borrowing gear, promo places to send their albums for airplay or review, etc. I just try to help with what I can and still have never taken a penny of profit. Many bands can now do this all themselves, but it hasn’t always been that way.
Noise: 230 albums! that is insane for basically a one man operation who also works full time! Thank you from everyone. Let’s get back to the band for a moment. What were you aiming for musically when you started the band? Has that kind of evolved over the years or do you kind of have the same influences?
Mark: We originally just wanted to drink beer, play local shows, not be a cover band, and never go on tour. After a few years, we started throwing some covers in by people like Jonathan Richmond, Butthole Surfers, Cat Power, Sparklehorse, Grandaddy, Daniel Johnston, T Rex, and others. As far as modern influences, Kyle is the one who still keeps up with new music. I have kind of given up, there’s just not enough time any more to keep up, due to holding a day job that has gotten more intense over the past few years. I have had to admit to myself that when a new band cites the bands I was into 15 years ago as an influence, this new band is for the younger people who missed out on the real deal the first time. It’s always a constant cycle and in 15 years, the kids now will feel the same way about the new bands that are coming out and citing 2016 bands as their influences – just like our parents did with Fabian.
Noise: Can you tell me about some of the best and worst shows you guys have done?
Mark: We had about 50 “worst” shows when our first drummer was too drunk to play our songs correctly. After five years, we got a new drummer and have never had a worst show since – unless someone’s gear craps out. I would rate our best shows as opening up for Two Cow Garage from Ohio. It’s an annual tradition that started ten years ago. The locals who follow that band tend to drink way too much and perform some of the worst dancing I’ve ever seen.
Noise: I asked Kyle the same question.
Kyle: My all time favorite place to play was Jake’s in Providence, now its the Parlour and Dusk, both in Providence. We are not playing many shows at the present time. just a few per year.
Noise: Do you guys have any touring plans?
Mark: No, never. None of us have that flexibility and at the same time, we would probably want to kill each other after a few days – and we all get along very well. The key to our longevity is giving each other space and knowing we are never making a dime. We know we will always have day jobs.
Noise: Is the label slowing down or anything?
Mark: In a way, it is. Technology has made it so that bands can do much more for themselves than when I started over 11 years ago. I remember the old days of being stressed out trying to meet everyone’s deadlines, while hand screen printing each jacket for every release. There’s just no time for that now. No one needs to borrow gear anymore. There’s less physical products to make for bands, less money is needed overall. Amazing albums can be recorded at home, no one has to go into debt to cover an outrageous studio bill anymore. Very few bands have the patience to wait for a vinyl release to be created and it has the highest expenses of any format, so the demand is low for vinyl for local bands. I am not going back to the days of cassettes. I lived that life already. It really wasn’t that much fun. Even when I have gone two to three months without a new release, I will find myself getting contacted by bands all at once and will suddenly have five albums added to the upcoming schedule. Even the slowest years have seen a minimum of ten albums released and I am betting that 2017 will end up meeting that same number. 2017 has had a quiet start so far, but now I have upcoming albums over the next few months from High Planes, Monument Thief, Suicide Bill & The Liquors, Stan Sobzac’s new album Stanland, Feng Shui Police’ final album, Bobby Forand’s I Blame the Kennedys book, and the long lost Swampbirds album on vinyl. I still get a lot of emails out of the blue from old friends that start with “Our new album is nearly done, are you interested?” If my first time working with someone was smooth, I will almost always want to work with them again. If it was a pain in the ass, I won’t bother. I have never used a contract and every album is a one off with no further ties. We each have an out that way. If a band is giving away their new album for free online, that is a situation I am going to avoid. I cannot compete with free. Any money I put into a band, I need to be able to get it back somehow, preferably from sales direct from my label website.
Noise: How long can you run it by yourself?
Mark: That is a really good question. I don’t have the flexibility I used to have in my schedule to go check out local bands I hear great things about. Ben from Load Records just announced he is shutting the label down. There is no way I will last as long as Ben did. I guess one day I will wake up and say fuck this.
Noise: Have you tried to get interns from the local colleges or even high school?
Mark: I have had interns in the past, but you know the old saying “If you want something done right…” I really can’t assign someone else to ask my two most important questions of any band I may work with – Is the music weird? Are they nice people?
Noise: I know you guys made at least one video, any others in the works?
Mark: That’s Kyle’s department. Nothing planned right now. We eventually will record our tenth album, but have yet to practice any of the new songs. I have a pile of notes and simple demos recorded. I am in no rush and am enjoying just helping other people get their albums out for now.
Noise: Thank you gentlemen, and I use that term very tightly. But what do they know? How do we know they are being honest about the band? Are they really any good? To get an outside, fair perspective, I asked outsider music expert and WUMD 89.3 dj Sahugy aka Sara Shaughnessy , what’s up with these guys?
Shaugy: I’ve been watching Six Star General since they were a wee lass of a band. I first met Mark at the radio station when he came on the Local Anasthesia show to talk about the first compilation that 75orless was putting out. Since then I have booked them at several hole in the wall clubs, and they have all been fun. They are a fun loving group. Don’t let the music fool you!
Noise: I won’t! There you have it, ladies and germs, check out one of the most consistently good bands of a generation, and one of the most diverse labels around.
Eric Baylies Top 10 in The Noise
Top 10 New England Bands
1. Doomsday Student: Doomsday Student is one of the best live bands in the world and put out incredible skronky post-everything albums.
2. 6 Star General: 6 Star General have been one of my favorite bands for about 10 years. The pride of Warren, Rhode Island, they consistently put out fantastic albums almost annually.
3. Lazertuth: the pride of outer space and southesatern Mass. Lazertuth is a modern day Magma.
4. Goon Planet: Providence has produced a lot of great noisy bands over the years, and Goon Planet is the latest in a long line of geniuses.
5. Pyramid: If Blondie or the Pretenders were a little more punk, but kept the great hooks, they would sound like Rhode Island’s Pyramid.
6. Sick Pills: Chris Evil and company have been cranking out punk gems for a long time, but Sick Pills add touches of The Modern Lovers and Cars to the mix.
7. Picniclunch: Picnic Lunch is the new kings of no wave.
8. David Carradine: Providence thrash punks have been destroying stages world wide for over a decade.
9. Ioneye: Newport, Rhode Island’s Ioneye is the solo project of Stephen Lepre, one of the greatest shredding guitar players on the planet.
10. Olneyville Sound System: OSS has been one the pillars of the Providence noise scene for 20 years, but is set apart a little due to the fact that they happen to also write great songs.
Jets Can’t Land, Tall Teenagers & Black Oil Incinerator at Dusk
with Minibeast (members of Mission of Burma, Peer Group, Kustomized, Baylies Band, Bad Motherf%cker)
Dusk
Harris Ave
Providence, RI
9pm
75orLess 10th Year Anniversary Party Part 3 at Fusion Fest Burr’s Hill Park
Six Star General at The Cup Defenders Mollypalooza Benefit Show
5th Annual Fundraiser for Almost Home Rescue!
with Bi Anal Ham Sandwich, Stray People, Night Enderz, and John Munroe
2pm-7pm Backyard BBQ / Clamboil at 54 Charles Street Bristol with Tiki Bar, Can Jam and other rowdy games
7pm to Midnight stroll down to the Cup Defenders for live music!
$10 in advance
$15 at door
ALL PROCEEDS GO TO THE RESCUE LEAGUE THAT SAVED MY DOG’S AND HUNDREDS OF OTHERS’ LIVES: ALMOST HOME RESCUE