Obnox – Memphis Flyer

A living chapter of the legendary Cleveland punk scene comes to Memphis this Friday when X__X (pronounced Ex Blank Ex) roll through town with current Cleveland rocker Obnox and semi-local heroes True Sons of Thunder. Formed in the late ’70s, X__X mostly gets lumped into the weirdo Cleveland art-punk scene that spawned the Cleveland Confidential compilation LP and served as home to bands like Pere Ubu, the Styrenes, and the Electric Eels. While the Electric Eels (the precursor to X__X) would receive a release on the iconic punk label Rough Trade (home to bands like Stiff Little Fingers and Essential Logic), X__X have always been seen as more of an obscure punk band, possibly because of how short the band’s life was. X__X did leave two singles as proof they existed, but both records came out after the band called it quits.

Now, nearly 40 years after they were originally active, X__X is back with an album on Smog Veil records called Albert Ayler’s Ghosts Live at the Yellow Ghetto. The record dropped in November of last year and features liner notes from Byron Coley (the rock critic behind Forced Exposure). Recorded in August 2014 and January 2015 at Negative Space in Cleveland, Albert Ayler’s Ghosts Live at the Yellow Ghetto was produced by the band and John Delzoppo and features eight tracks of weirdo Cleveland noise, including a cover of the title track “Ghosts” by free jazz artist Albert Ayler. The album features John Morton (founder of X__X) on guitar, vocals, theremin, didgeridoo, and electric sitar, Andrew Klimeyk on guitar and vocals, Craig Bell on bass, and Matthew Harris on percussion. After recording Albert Ayler’s Ghosts Live at the Yellow Ghetto and a few one-off shows, the band decided to book a tour and recruited Lamont “Bim” Thomas (of This Moment in Black History, Bassholes, and Obnox fame) on drums.

Jim O’Bryan

Cleveland’s X__X

Thomas is also a relic of the Cleveland noise/art-punk scene, releasing multiple full-length albums a year through labels like 12XU, Smog Veil, and ever/never under the name Obnox. Just as X__X dabble in all sorts of genres to create their brand of not-easily-digestible music, Obnox has also been known to enter some weird territory, taking elements of hip-hop, roots rock, and heavy metal into the recording studio while being beholden to none. While still considered underground, Thomas is no doubt reaching legendary status with his creative output. He’s collaborated with artists like Orville Neeley (Bad Sports, OBN III’s) and toured the country numerous times, performing at festivals like SXSW, U+N Fest, and Gonerfest in the process. Yes, it’s safe to say that Obnox and X__X were made for each other, making this pairing of left-field instrumentalists that much more exciting. Seeing as both Thomas and the gents from X__X call Cleveland home, my only question regarding this collaboration would be: What took so long?

Rounding out the bill is one of the best bands to come out of the Memphis punk scene in years, the never-normal powerhouse known as True Sons of Thunder. While the band was seemingly on every local show during their early years (a time when bands like Dead Trends, Staags, and Sector Zero represented a small but talented punk scene), it wasn’t until True Sons of Thunder dropped the now-classic Spoonful of Seedy Dudes LP that non-Memphians started paying attention. In a 2013 interview with the Flyer, True Sons of Thunder guitarist Joe Simpson summed up the band’s existence rather concisely:

“We couldn’t do this anywhere else. We are a product of this city. At the same time, our music doesn’t make sense to the people who live here. The funny thing is, people who don’t live here understand what we are doing, but no one here understands it, only we do. That’s been the funniest thing: The people who buy our records don’t live here. But we don’t really care, and maybe that’s the most Memphis thing of all. We don’t give a shit about being liked.”

While it might be true that your average Memphian doesn’t understand what True Sons of Thunder are all about, those who did would readily admit that their presence is missed. Thankfully, the band hasn’t called it quits for good, and they are usually reliable for a few Memphis appearances a year. The band also has a single on Goner Records and the amazingly titled Stop and Smell Your Face LP, both of which are recommended. This one is going to get weird, so plan accordingly.

The 11th edition of Gonerfest roared into Midtown last weekend, with punk, garage, power pop, noise, and just plain weird bands from all over the world converged on the Bluff City in an annual gathering of the tribes that has gotten bigger and more exciting each year. Festivities kicked off in the Cooper-Young Gazebo with New York’s Paul Collins Beat.

Gonerfest 11: Blood, Sweat, and Beers

I spent the weekend embedded with the Rocket Science Audio crew, who were live streaming the performances to people from as far away as Australia watching on the web. I’ve done this for several years, formerly with Live From Memphis, and this year we brought the full, multi-camera experience to the audience. It’s a lot of fun, in that I get to be up close and focused on the music, but also quite grueling.

The Rocket Science Audio van outside Goner Records.

The highlights of Thursday night at the Hi Tone were Ross Johnson, Gail Clifton, Jeff Evans, Steve Selvidge, Alex Greene, and a host of others playing songs from Alex Chilton’s chaotically beautiful 1979 solo album Like Flies On Sherbert. The mixture of old school Memphis punks who had played on the album and the best of the current generation of Memphis music made for an incredible listening experience.

The Grifters’ Dave Shouse on the Rocket Science Audio livestream.

Thursday night’s headliners were 90s Memphis lo-fi masters The Grifters. Recently reunited after more than a decade of inactivity, Dave Shouse, Scott Taylor, Trip Lamkins, and Stan Galimore have their groove back. At the Hi Tone, they even sounded—dare I say it—rehearsed.

I couldn’t make Friday night due to another commitment, but Friday afternoon at The Buccaneer hosted a great collection of bands, starting off with a blast from Memphis hardcore outfit Gimp Teeth.

Cole Wheeler fronts Gimp Teeth at the Buccaneer.

Next was one of the highlights of the festival: The return of Red Sneakers. Back at Gonerfest 5, the duo from Nara, Japan showed up unnannounced wanting to play the big show. When Jay Reatard cancelled, they got their chance and blew the roof off of Murphy’s in front of an unsuspecting crowd. This year, they did it again, only they were invited, and they substituted a soulful “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend” cover for the smoking “Cold Turkey” they did five years ago.

Yosei of Red Sneakers about to take the stage.

Afterwards, returning to the Rocket Science Audio van, we found that one of Red Sneakers’ drum sticks had flown over the fence and embedded itself into the earth. No one dared touch it.

Red Sneakers drum stick, fully erect.

Buldgerz

Hardcore Memphis vets Buldgerz played a sweaty and confrontational set of hard and fast punk nuggets, followed by Mississippi’s Wild Emotions.

The weather cooperated again the next day for a memorable afternoon show at Murphy’s. Two stages, one inside and one outside, alternated throughout the afternoon.

Roy from Auckland, New Zealand’s Cool Runnings plays the indoor stage at Murphy’s under the old Antenna sign.

Goner Records co-owner Zach Ives sings with Sons Of Vom, as seen from the Rocket Science Audio webcast monitor.

There were many great performances on Saturday afternoon, but the most incredible was Weather Warlock, an experimental heavy noise act centered around a light-controlled synthesizer custom built by New Orleans’ mad genius Quintron. The cacuphony rose and fell as the light changed with the sunset, and Quintron and co-conspirator Gary Wong swirled around it with guitars and theremin, while a plume of smoke rose over the stage.

Photographer Don Perry, AKA Bully Rook, dressed for Gonerfest.

Gonerfesters stumbled into the Hi Tone Saturday night, a little bleary from three days of rock, but with a lot of amazing music ahead of them.

DJ Useless Eater keeps the crowd hopping at the Hi Tone.

Obnox

The highlight of the show for me was Nots. Fronted by steely-eyed, ex-Ex-Cult bassist Natalie Hoffman, the four piece arrived with something to prove. And prove it they did, with punishing, athletic songs delivered amid a shower of balloons and waves of reverb.

The Nots, Charlotte Watson, Natalie Hoffman, Allie Eastburn, and Madison Farmer, backstage at the Hi Tone.

Austin, Texas No Wavers Spray Paint on the monitor Saturday night.

Detroit, Michigan’s Protomartyr on the Hi Tone stage.

English guitarist, songwriter, and ranter The Rebel delivers a solo set to a packed house.

Ken Highland and Rich Coffee of The Gizmos get bunny ears from their drummer after a celebratory closing set at Gonerfest 11.

The crowd, the largest I’ve ever seen at the Hi Tone, never flagged throughout the night, which ended with a reunion of The Gizmos, a seminal American band that developed something like punk in 1977 in the isolation of Bloomington, Indiana. The playing was loose, the mood buoyant, and the band vowed to not stay away for so long. And after a Gonerfest as great as this one, next year can’t come soon enough.

[Ed Note: The first edition of this story incorrectly identified The Nerves “Hanging On The Telephone” as being written by Blondie.]