If you haven’t noticed (and you probably haven’t), it’s been a long time since the last post; almost two months. But there have been good reasons for this, as I have not only been SUPER busy with the label, but I’ve actually been planning out upcoming posts.

The next two Lemon Session releases — Von Zippers and Zulus (ex-Battleship, Teenage Nightwar) — are on their way to the presses, so expect them to be available for purchase in about a month. Not only are the tracks on both records KILLER, but they will feature color sleeves that will be way too expensive for me. Of course, starting a record label is a bad financial decision, so there’s no reason for me to become thrifty all of a sudden.

This week’s post is the first in a series consisting of my recordings from the SS Records 10th Anniversary shows. Thanks to my good friend, recording genius Russ Arteaga, we have every set recorded…WELL. And what better way to show off our collaborative recording skills than with a excerpt from Liquorball’s ripping set.

For those of you not in the know, Liquorball is the recently reformed psych band featuring Monoshock’s lead shredder, Grady Runyon. The band, which existed in tandem with Monoshock, was the latter’s crazier, attention-deficient cousin that shared the same roots (motherfuckin’ Hawkwind!) but stayed away from actual song structure. In the words of Julian Cope, the mastermind behind the ’80s hit “World Shut Your Mouth”- “This band was one hoity-toity beast,” whose albums were “psychically dangerous to own.”

Indecipherable descriptions aside, the band shreds just as much as they did almost 20 years ago. This set consisted of two songs… I think? All I know for sure is that the best place to stand was in front of Grady, the drummer was a machine, and the bass was the loudest instrument I’ve ever recorded.

Below is an excerpt from their set.

PS — Yes, I know that the slideshow to the right of this sentence includes pics of bands other than Liquorball. I just made a slideshow for the entire night. And yes, I have great recordings of all these bands and they’ll all be posted soon.




Right click on the player and choose “Download Document” to download this song.

Well, it took a while but everyone got their records and I’m finally free of any deadlines for record releases. It’s kind of depressing how lazy I am and how easy it is for me to make promises that would be easy to keep if I could only keep my momentum going after a long week at work. But my love of television and researching cassette recording devices is fucking up my whole work flow. (No wonder I don’t have any friends.)

This time, I’m gonna do what I can to update this site at a regular pace with recordings, videos and a few somewhat-entertaining stories that I might sit down at a computer long enough to write.

Before we get into the first post of the year, take note: all of Lemon Session’s releases are now available for purchase from this very website. Click on the “releases” tab above and go crazy.

This week’s post is a live set from the Hospitals, the third version of the band with guitarist Chris Gunn.

I recorded this at Rob and Bonnie’s wedding in 2009 (same show as the Blowtops recordings) and while mixing it at home, I realized I wanted to start a label — but only if I could put this out. Songs like “Scan The Floor For Food” and “Getting Out Of Bed” sounded like top ten hits to me. It didn’t help that Rob had sold me on the idea of a singles club being an easy, fool-proof way to start a profitable music label just days before. (Surprisingly, I couldn’t convince him to join in the cause, though he did agree to help me round up bands.)

That next day at my shitty job I emailed Chris and pitched him an idea of doing a live whatever — EP, LP, whatever they were willing to do just as long as I could include those recordings. A few days later Chris wrote back and said the band was interested.

Fast forward a few months — I’m rounding up the bands, and have already signed up Rib Cages, Blowtops, Teenage Nightwar for the club, though I don’t have their recordings. The entire time I’m thinking that no matter who I sign up for the club, at least I have the Hospitals stuff ready to go and I know I’ll be proud of releasing that.

And then of course this email shows up:

The Hospitals are broken up. If you want to put those live recordings out you’ll have to talk to Adam. I’m out. I do appreciate your tenacity and enthusiasm but I doubt that anything will happen. Adam just likes to have control of what comes out and all of that shit.

Anyways, I am taking a much needed complete break from music so I won’t need any live recordings anytime soon.

I hope that your label goes well man.

Thanks,
Chris

What was sadder?: the fact that the record wasn’t going to come out or Gunn taking a break from music (if you’re a Hunches fan, you know the answer.)

Around that time I had heard talk of the Hospitals putting out a live tape but I have no idea whether this is the stuff on it. For me, this ties with “Islands of Jocks and Jazz” as my favorite Hospitals recordings (though I would kill for that first 7″…)

From this idea’s inception it took me 11 months to get to this point. Personally, I don’t think that’s too long of a time to get eight records ready to sell, but if it is, I would love to know.

In theory it shouldn’t be that hard to send a CDR to someone in a different part of the country and have them turn it into a record. Yet it is, because:

A. You actually have to talk to two or three people;
B. You have to have the grip of money that’s required to be sent with it.

Oh, and one quick note: I’m doing this so I can start a label and put out more records you’d want. So, to make yourself feel better when you’re buying this, you can tell yourself you’re helping start a non-profit.

Lemon Session Singles Club 2010

Subscription options

Option 1 - 8 Shipments $65.00 Option 2 - 4 Shipments $55.00 Option 3 - Local $45.00 Option 4 - Payment plan $12.00

Email list

After months of compiling this, here it is, the Lemon Session Singles Club 2010. Only eight records, but all previously unreleased material.

The 2010 lineup:
Rib Cages
Teenage Nightwar
Terrible Twos
Butcher Cover
Unnatural Helpers
Blowtops
Steeples
Aluminum Knot Eye

Cover art provided by the most talented Rob Vertigo, singer for Butcher Cover.

There are no real restrictions, but for those outside the US will have to pay the difference in shipping costs.

Option 1: 8 Packages:
For $65, you’ll receive a single every month of 2010, except for January, April, July and October.

Option 2: 4 Packages:
For $55, you’ll receive two singles each package, mailed out in February, May, August and November.

Option 3: Local pickup (for Bay Area residents only):
For $45, you’ll be able to pickup records on an almost monthly basis at 1234 Go! Records.

419 40th Street
Oakland, CA 94609-2508
(510) 985-0325

You’ll need to sign up for the mailing list above to find out when the new records have been dropped off.

NEW Option 4: Payment Plan:
For 5 payments of $12, you get all the records, but the packages only come after you pay.

So you won’t feel surprised or gypped by what you receive, here’s a sampler of all the bands, including 3 songs that will be on three of the singles in the club.