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Rest in Peace Koopsta Knicca

Robert ‘Koopsta Knicca’ Phillips passed away early Friday morning.

Koopsta Knicca, a founding member of Three Six Mafia, beloved Memphis rapper, and Da Mafia 6ix member, has died. It was confirmed by DJ Paul that the 40 year old memphis rapper (whose real name was Robert Phillips) died early Friday morning due to complications from a stroke he suffered on Sunday, despite reports on social media that the rapper had passed away on Thursday.

Koopsta, much like the late Lord Infamous, was known for his gritty verses on classic Three Six Mafia songs, and his solo album Tha Devil’s Playground is a perfect example of how Memphis rap from the mid to late ’90s has influenced current artists like ASAP Rocky and SpaceGhostPurrp. listen to Da Devil’s Playground below.

WARNING: GRAPHIC LYRICAL CONTENT!

Rest in Peace Koopsta Knicca

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Weekend Roundup 37: Father John Misty, Grifters, Mary Owens

The Grifters play the Meanwhile in Memphis release party this Friday night at Minglewood Hall.

Welcome to the 37th edition of my Weekend Roundup. There’s a whole lot going down in M-town this weekend, here are some suggestions of what to check out. 

Friday, October 9th.
Father John Misty, Tess and Dave, 7 p.m. at Minglewood Hall, $20.00.

Weekend Roundup 37: Father John Misty, Grifters, Mary Owens

The Impossible Show, 8 p.m. at The Hi-Tone, $10-$15.

The Grifters, Hope Clayburn’s Soul Scrimmage, 9 p.m. at Minglewood Hall, $5. 

Weekend Roundup 37: Father John Misty, Grifters, Mary Owens (2)

Tommy Lee, DJ Aero, 9 p.m. at the New Daisy, $10-$20.

Graham Winchester, Richard James, Joe Restivo, Jack Oblivian, 10 p.m. at the Buccaneer, $5.

Weekend Roundup 37: Father John Misty, Grifters, Mary Owens (3)

Linda Heck, 10:30 p.m. at Bar DKDC, $5.

Saturday, October 10th.
Bristerfest, 11:30 a.m. at Overton Square.

Raheem DeVaughn & Leela James present the Love n’ Soul Experience with special guest V. Bozeman, 9 p.m. at Minglewood Hall, $35-$42.

Weekend Roundup 37: Father John Misty, Grifters, Mary Owens (6)

Borgore, 8 p.m. at the New Daisy, $15-$25.

Chickasaw Mound, 10 p.m. at Bar DKDC. 

Sunday, October 11th.
Bootleg Ukulele, Paul Compton & Gene Nunez, Kris Acklen, William Charles Collective, Ciera Ouellette, Greg Shaw, and Graham Winchester 4 p.m. at the Hi-Tone, $20 (benefit for The Savior Foundation and Sunny Meadows Safe Haven for Pets).

Ben Callicott, Mary Owens, Drew Erwin, and the Bluff City Soul Collective, 7 p.m. at the Levitt Shell.

Weekend Roundup 37: Father John Misty, Grifters, Mary Owens (5)

Convictions, Eleutheria, Forsake Your Nets, EVINCE, Defy The Architect 8 p.m. at the Hi-Tone, $7.

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Gonerfest 12 Recap

CREDIT: Chris McCoy

Chris McCoy

Hi-Tone, 3 AM, Saturday night after Gonerfest.

Gonerfest is not the biggest music festival in the world, or in Tennessee, or even in Memphis. In its twelve years of existence, it’s evolved from an ironic name for a small gathering of like minded musicians and fans into a full fledged cultural event, a permanent entry on the calendar that says “clear this weekend, it’s rock time.”

Chris McCoy

A floatilla of Gonerfester skateboards.

For the last nine years, I have found myself filming some or all of Gonerfest, first for the sorely missed Live From Memphis, and now for the Rocket Science Audio live stream. From my perspective, it’s been a strange mix of progression and regression. For LFM, we filmed with then state-of-the-art DV and HD cameras. On Saturday I recalled wading into an aggressive crowd outside Murphy’s for the New Orleans metal band Tire Fire, protecting a $1,000 new Sony HD camera while the band threw firecrackers at me. I don’t think that video has ever seen the light of day. This year, during the same time slot, I wielded a hopelessly obsolete Sony Handicam wired into a broadcast system that was state-of-the-art in 1990. But that system was feeding into the internet, and people were watching live from all over the U.S., as well as in Germany, Japan, Sweden, Denmark, and even one in India. Last Saturday afternoon, as Australia woke up, our homebrew crashed under the weight of too many simultaneous viewers. This year’s festival was extremely well attended—Saturday night at the Hi-Tone was the biggest crowd I’ve ever seen at Gonerfest, or at the Hi-Tone for that matter—but a tipping point is approaching where there will be more people watching on the web than dancing in Memphis.

Chris McCoy

Rocket Science Audio’s Kyle Johnson at the controls.

I love running a camera at Gonerfest, because it lets me focus on the music, and puts me in a position to watch and listen. Memphis was well represented, and the natives made a big impression on the out-of-towners. Ex-Cult opened the festival at the Cooper-Young Gazebo with a ruthless precision that eventually loosened up the crowd. That night, the Sheiks proved they’re one of the city’s best outfits by opening the show as a three piece and closing it down backing up Jack Oblivian, who spiked a set full of his contributions to the garage rock canon with a ferocious cover of Television’s “See No Evil”. Aquarian Blood, led by Ex-Cult guitar mastermind JB Horrell, brought the crowd a blast of Source Family psychedelia tinged with the hardcore punk he was weaned on.

Chris McCoy

Jack Oblivian through the Rocket Science Audio viewfinder.

I heard more than one person comment on the increased number of women at Gonerfest this year, both on the stage and in the audience, and nowhere was that more visible than in the Memphis bands. Nots took a victory lap on Friday night after an explosive debut last year. The coveted sundown Saturday slot went to Sweet Knives, the reincarnated Lost Sounds fronted by Alicija Trout. The Sweet Knives’ ferocious performance highlighted the strength and endurance of Trout’s songwriting. As I staggered away from the stage, a female friend grabbed me and yelled “How could you NOT bang your head to that?”

I’m always eager to see the bands from Australia and New Zealand, and this year’s batch included my biggest discovery of the festival, Pink Tiles from Melbourne, whose three-woman front line charmed the crowd with pop hooks on Thursday night. Afterwards, I heard a Memphian tell one of their singers “Y’all make me want to move to Melbourne.” To which she replied “We want to move to Memphis.”

Chris McCoy

The Pink TIles from Australia, seen through the Rocket Science Audio viewfinder.

There were just too many awesome acts to mention here. Obnox’s Bim Thomas was probably my favorite vocalist of the entire festival, and worked the crowd with charisma to spare. Blind Shake from Minneapolis rocked the baritone guitar like I’ve never seen it before. Nobunny stripped down to his underwear and turned on the disco lights for an explosive Saturday night. Timmy’s Organism was another show-stopper on Friday.

Perhaps the most anticipated set of the fest was Ty Rex, in which garage rock’s current leading light Ty Segall started out to reinterpret Marc Bolan songs, but ended up leading an insane party. I was yelling for “Mambo Sun”, but his twisted yet faithful cover of “Cosmic Dancer” ended up being exactly the song I didn’t know I wanted to hear. And when Ex-Cult frontman and Memphis Flyer music editor Chris Shaw joined him for an unlikely punked up take on The Doors’ “Break On Through”…well, you had to hear it to believe it.

Chris McCoy

Quintron taking ’em to church.

But if one musician at Gonerfest 2015 outshone all the others, it was Quintron. He opened Saturday night with an all-female band called First which debuted some new guitar driven punk compositions and then he and Miss Pussycat closed it down with with a transcendent shower of balloons and swampy organ funk. His last Gonerfest headlining set is on the short list for the best thing that ever happened at the Hi-Tone, but this year’s set just might have topped it.

I’ve had the privelege of watching him evolve over the years from the possessed madman of The Amazing Spellcaster and The Oblivians Play Nine Songs With Mr. Quinton to a more controlled, Prince-ly musical mastermind, He seems to have bounced back from recent health problems, and his post-treatment noise work with Weather Warlock has seeped into his mainline show, which leant it a, dare I say, spiritual grounding. It was a unique experience that personified the best of Gonerfest, and made me hopeful for the future of the music. 

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Blackest of the Black Tour at Minglewood Hall

Danzig.

Including this year’s installment, Danzig has taken the “Blackest of the Black” tour on the road six times: 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, and in 2010. Past outings of the several-band package have included a cross-section of supporting acts, both old and new movers in the metal underground like Marduk, Toxic Holocaust, Possessed, Behemoth, Mortiis, (the criminally overlooked) Withered, Skeletonwitch, and Moonspell, to name a few. This return of the brand after five years is no exception. 
       
Portland’s Witch Mountain will kick things off with their excellent take on contemporary doom metal of the blues-driven variety. The band formed in the late ’90s and self-released some material under its original incarnation before going inactive for most of the ’00s. When vocalist Uta Plotkin joined in 2009, and her arresting reach and versatility on vocals initiated an ongoing run of full activity. On the strength of a second self-released album, 2011’s South of Salem, Witch Mountain secured a deal with the best underground metal label going, Profound Lore Records, and followed with two more full-lengths, 2012’s Cauldron of the Wild and last year’s great Mobile of Angels. Though Plotkin departed after that release, Witch Mountain remarkably found a suitable replacement (after vowing to wait as long as it took to do so ) in January of this year: The 19-year-old Kayla Dixon, front-woman of Cleveland metal band Demons Within and a stage singer since age 5. Let’s hope that Witch Mountain don’t suffer from the sound-and-volume challenges that seem inherent to first-slot bands, or the meager turnouts.

Blackest of the Black Tour at Minglewood Hall (5)

Veterans of heavy hybridization Prong will anchor the evening’s bill with its kitchen-sink metal/hardcore/industrial/groove riff volleying. Emerging from NYC’s mid ’80s anything-goes scene with a metal, hardcore and soon enough, industrial flair to its unique sound, Prong released a run of records that eventually lead to a modicum of popularity in the early-to-mid-90s. Centered around ringleader guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Tommy Victor (also part of modern Danzig lineups), Prong went in and out of active status in the late ’90s and early ’00s but reemerged over the last ten years with full-lengths of new material as well as the band’s most recent release, Songs From The Black Hole, an album of cover versions.

Blackest of the Black Tour at Minglewood Hall (3)

Chicago’s Veil of Maya is a popular name within the realm of impossibly-complex progressive death-metal/deathcore and appropriately part of the Sumerian Records roster. The band is sometimes associated with the “djent” movement, so named for the sound of a riff (say it out loud) that could only come from a guitar with a minimum of eight strings and a neck that resembles a fence plank. Like many bands of this ilk that have road-dogged it for a stretch before reaching a certain level of success/exposure, Veil of Maya has seen a revolving door of members across its discography (now five full-lengths strong), including the addition of a new vocalist on this year’s Matriarch who brought clean singing into the fold, though the constant sonic element throughout this band’s set will no doubt be drum triggering. 

Blackest of the Black Tour at Minglewood Hall (4)

Superjoint Ritual, now known simply as Superjoint, was formed in the early ’90s by then-Pantera front-man Phil Anselmo as an early (if not the first) outlet to more some of the more underground forms of metal of which he has always been a rabid supporter and participant. Superjoint Ritual originally featured longtime Anselmo associate Hank Williams III on bass and was named after a lyric by black metal legends, Darkthrone. Sporadically active while Anselmo weathered a notoriously difficult and chaotic narrative during the ’90s and early ’00s run of Pantera, and overshadowed by the better-known Down (another of Anselmo’s countless bands over the years), Superjoint Ritual released two full-lengths of lurching, black-metal informed sludgy nihilism in the early ’00s and then went inactive. The band reformed last year for Anselmo’s 2014 Housecore Horror Film Festival in Austin TX but has remained active (touring-wise) since.

Blackest of the Black Tour at Minglewood Hall (2)

What to say about the headliner? Well, I wouldn’t expect any Misfits or Samhain songs in the set but some renditions of other people’s songs might be on the menu as per next month’s release Skeletons, Danzig’s album of cover songs. As the band’s 10th studio full-length, Skeletons features Prong’s Tommy Victor and Type-O- Negative drummer Johnny Kelly, and versions of songs by ZZ Top, The Everly Brothers, Black Sabbath, The Litter, and The Troggs (it was previewed last month by a now-out-of-print “Devil’s Angels” 7”, a cover of the theme song from the late-60s cult biker film of the same name). But the cover version Memphians can expect more than any other will likely be Danzig’s version of Elvis’ “Let Yourself Go”, also on Skeletons (as if an album of Danzig covering other artists would make any sense without an Elvis song).

Blackest of the Black Tour at Minglewood Hall

Note: Danzig concerts are known for strict rules when it comes to the omnipresent elevating of phones into the air or usage in general, but these days it’s not like the absence of this is unwelcomed or needed. Regrettably, no footage could be found of Danzig addressing a concertgoer with “Homeboy, if I see you with your Go-Pro again, it’s on,” as was reported from a Houston TX performance earlier this summer, but above is a full set from 2014’s Rock Fest. Doors at 6:30, Show at 7:15. Tickets are $35 – $38.

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Killer Mike on the Gary Parrish Show

CREDIT: Josh Miller

Josh Miller

Killer Mike

Killer Mike, half of the rap duo Run The Jewels, appeared on the Gary Parrish Show yesterday afternoon, presumably to bring the hype level of tonight’s concert to maximum capacity. Run the Jewels perform at Minglewood Hall tonight, and you can read my preview of the gig here. listen to the interview below, and get to the show by 8 p.m. tonight with $25 bucks in hand. 

Killer Mike on the Gary Parrish Show

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Graham Winchester Releases “I Want My Memories Back”

Graham Winchester.


Graham Winchester must never sleep. In addition to playing with The Sheiks, Jack Oblivian, Devil Train, and the Maitre D’s (and a handful of others), he also has a budding solo career. Last winter, Winchester released his eponymous debut album, and the midtown musician has just released his first official new single “I Want My Memories Back.”

“It recently occurred to me I can do single songs at home and have him (Jacob Church) mix them, which is free all the way around,” Winchester said. 

Sounding a little bit like MGMT (specifically the song “Brian Eno”) put through a bedroom recording filter, Winchester’s new single is a foray into synth-pop territory, showing that the man behind the drum kit is still pushing his limits as a songwriter. Much like his debut album, Winchester plays every instrument on the new song. Jacob Church (who plays guitar and sings in the Graham Winchester Band) handled the mixing. Winchester said he still plans on doing his next full length at Hi-Low studios, and that a new single is coming soon. Check out “I Want My Memories Back” below. 

Graham Winchester Releases ‘I Want My Memories Back’

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Weekend Roundup 36: Slash, Breaking Benjamin, The Black Lillies

Slash plays the New Daisy this Saturday night.

Welcome to the 36th edition of my Weekend Roundup! This week has been jam packed with shows, and there are still some great ones to carry us through the weekend. Next week is no different, as Run the Jewels and Danzig are both coming to Minglewood Hall. Let’s get it on.

Friday, October 2nd.
Ghost Town Blues Band,5 p.m. at Lafayette’s Music Room.

Weekend Roundup 36: Slash, Breaking Benjamin, The Black Lillies (6)

The Tool Experience: A Tribute, 9 p.m. at the Hi-Tone, $10.

DJ Shopping Bag, Hot Tub Eric, 10 p.m. at Bar DKDC

Saturday, October 3rd.

Toy Trucks, Jeff Hulett, Leah Keys, 6 p.m. at Harbor Town Amphitheater, $5.

Weekend Roundup 36: Slash, Breaking Benjamin, The Black Lillies (2)

Breaking Benjamin, 10 years, 8 p.m. at Minglewood, sold out.

Weekend Roundup 36: Slash, Breaking Benjamin, The Black Lillies (3)

Slash, Prosevere, 9 p.m. at the New Daisy, $35-$40.

Weekend Roundup 36: Slash, Breaking Benjamin, The Black Lillies

Twin Sages, Blackberry Wednesday 9 p.m. at the Hi-Tone, $10

Weekend Roundup 36: Slash, Breaking Benjamin, The Black Lillies (4)

James and the Ultrasounds, 10 p.m. at Bar DKDC, $5.

Sunday, October 4th.
GREEN JELLY, Gloryholes, Slick Sid and The Gangsterbillies 9 p.m. at the Hi-Tone, $12.

The Black Lillies, 10 p.m. at Lafayatte’s Music Room.  

Weekend Roundup 36: Slash, Breaking Benjamin, The Black Lillies (5)

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Cave, Savoy Motel Live at Murphy’s

Cave from Chicago, Illinois.

It would be a shame if Chicago’s Cave (one of Drag City Records’ better-kept secrets) came through Memphis to play Murphy’s, again, and did so to a somewhat empty room. Offshoot Bitchin Bajas were offered a rapt audience last December when they played at Glitch, but perhaps we’re comparing apples and oranges here. Largely instrumental and highly recommended to fans of loud and rhythmic Kraut rock / space-rock like Can, Neu!, and Hawkwind, Cave is a rather hard to pin down but extremely active band that has released five full lengths since forming in 2006. Cave co-founder Cooper Crain also busies himself as an in-demand Chicago engineer/producer, and his credits include recordings by Circuit Des Yeux, Times New Viking, Heavy Times, ONO, and Moon Duo, among others.   

Also on the bill is Savoy Motel, the new project of former Memphian Jeffrey Novak. Novak has a budding solo career and is the founder of Cheap Time, but Savoy Motel doesn’t have much in common with those projects at all. Featuring memebers of D. Watusi and Heavy Cream, Savoy Motel should bring the funk to get things started tomorrow night. Doors are at 9 p.m. Check out songs from both bands below.

Cave, Savoy Motel Live at Murphy’s

Cave, Savoy Motel Live at Murphy’s (2)

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Weekend Roundup 35: Gonerfest 12, Indigo Girls, Chameleons VOX

Timmy’s Organism play Friday night at the Hi-Tone as part of Gonerfest 12.

Welcome to the 35th edition of my Weekend Roundup. As you might have guessed, Gonerfest 12 rules this weekend, but there are plenty of other great shows worth checking out if garage rock isn’t your thing. Let’s get  it on.

Friday, September 25th.
Nowhere Squares, Kit Convict, Pookie and the Poodles, Manhunt, 2 p.m. at the Buccaneer, $5.

Weekend Roundup 35: Gonerfest 12, Indigo Girls, Chameleons VOX

Here Come The Mummies, 8 p.m. at the New Daisy, $18.50.

Weekend Roundup 35: Gonerfest 12, Indigo Girls, Chameleons VOX (2)

Indigo Girls, 8 p.m. at the Germantown Performing Arts Center, SOLD OUT.

Weekend Roundup 35: Gonerfest 12, Indigo Girls, Chameleons VOX (3)

Musk, C*ntz, Nots, Ty Rex, Timmy’s Organism, Sonny Vincent, 9 p.m. at the Hi-Tone, $25.

Weekend Roundup 35: Gonerfest 12, Indigo Girls, Chameleons VOX (4)

Saturday, September 26th.
Black Abba, Shadow in the Cracks, Salad Boys, Ultimate Painting, Giorgio Murderer, Lord High Panther, Obnox, Wet Ones, Sweet Knives,1 p.m. at Murphy’s, $10.

Weekend Roundup 35: Gonerfest 12, Indigo Girls, Chameleons VOX (5)

First, Ar-Kaics, Hank Wood & the Hammer Heads, NoBunny, Blind Shake, Quintron. 8 p.m. at the Hi-Tone, $25.

Weekend Roundup 35: Gonerfest 12, Indigo Girls, Chameleons VOX (6)

The Vaudevillians, Jinx Monsoon, Major Scales, 8 p.m. at the New Daisy, prices vary. 

BB Kings All Star Band, 10 p.m. at Lafayette’s Music Room.

Sunday, September 27th.
Billy Strings, Don Julin, 8 p.m. at Lafayette’s Music Room.

Chameleons Vox, Pop Ritual, Soft Kill, 9 p.m. at the Hi-Tone, $12.

Weekend Roundup 35: Gonerfest 12, Indigo Girls, Chameleons VOX (7)

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Remembering Ben Cauley of the Bar-Kays

CREDIT: Isaac Washington

Isaac Washington

Ben Caulley continued to play professionally after surving the plane crash that killed Otis Redding.

The legendary Bar-Kays trumpeter Ben Cauley passed away late Monday night at the age of 67. Cauley was most known as the lone survivor of the plane crash that killed Otis Redding and Bar-Kays members Phalon Jones, Carl Cunningham, Jimmy King and Ronnie Caldwell. He was 20 years old when the plane went down. Cauley returned to the crash site at Lake Monona in 2007 for the 40th anniversary. “I knew one day I would be back,” he told an AP reporter. “There were a number of times that I thought about it but didn’t have the strength. I’m coming this time.” 

After the crash, Cauley experienced a lifetime of success as a horn player, re-forming the Bar-Kays with bass player James Alexander and playing on the iconic Isaac Hayes album Hot Buttered Soul. Cauley also toured with Aretha Franklin, and The Doobie Brothers, among others. The Bar-Kays were inducted into the Memphis Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013. 

Remembering Ben Cauley of the Bar-Kays (3)

Remembering Ben Cauley of the Bar-Kays

Remembering Ben Cauley of the Bar-Kays (2)