THE TRUE HISTORY OF GREY GHOST – PART TWO: THANK YOU PAIN TEENS, YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU DID FOR US ALL.
Yesterday we begged John Sears for a confectionery treat in the form of his telling of the origins of the Grey Ghost cassingle series. Today, we’re back with part two of the story, the lore and legend of how the we, now in the Cdrsingle era, came to be gifted one again with such a weekly bounty. The Tale unfoldeth:
About a month ago I was talking to Russell (of Domy) at the last Jana Hunter show and he asked me if I still did stuff. I said "Yeah". He said, "You should bring some up to Domy like you used to do at Sound Exchange". I said, "man, that was a lot of work".
Later on I started thinking about it and I said to myself, "john, remember how you got started? Remember the inspiration you got from buying your first Pain Teens cassette tape from Vinal Edge when you were 15? It blew your mind that local bands were writing and recording a putting out their own music. You liked it so much you sent the Pain Teens a fan letter asking them how they recorded. They responded by telling you they started off with a 4-track and then moved up to an 8-track by that time. So you went and bought a four track on your 17th birthday and you never looked back. You should put some recordings of local bands up at Russell's store for two dollars each and maybe some 15 or 16 year old kid in there will buy it and be totally inspired to start their own band. That would be awesome."
After this conversation with myself, I sent Russell an e-mail with my demands. 13 copies. different local bands. color laser copy covers (if the band wants color, punkin pie gave me black and white images). and most importantly, the releases are going to be two dollars each. oh yeah and i only sell them for a week each.
Russell agreed and so I started working. I'm lucky enough to know a lot of local bands, so I just asked them if they wanted to participate. Everybody's being really generous giving me their music and art knowing full well they aren't getting any money out of it. Some of the releases are going to cost more than two dollars a unit to make, but that's how it goes when you are punk.
Our hope is that at least one band will start as a result of this project. That is all. and yes, i picked the number 13 in honor of the garage band Poison 13.
Tremendous. Sears, though he will blush when we say it, is about as crucial a local cat as they come. The recording, the records, the bands he’s been involved with over the years are part of why we’re here in Houston still – it’s certainly part of why we care. And to think - it all came from the Pain Teens. For us, it was the deSchmog Fairy Tale tape – what was yours? While you sift through your memories (and old tapes) to try and pin down what got you locally stoked, we’re gonna drop some surprise on what’s in store for the rest of the current phase of the series, currently planned for another 13 week run of one band a week. We’re told that the next Cdrsingle will be none other than Pasadena WTFpunks Cop Warmth. Also in the pipeline are new releases from Blades, Hearts of Animals, Ben Murphy (Pop Deflation, Lucky Motors) and Dan Smith (Port Vale).
Not enough? Lance of Skyline Network favs Tambersauro just laid down a few tracks with a new band (so new they don’t even have a name yet) that will be coming your way in the s to the h to the o to the r to the t. Hell, there’s even talk that the elusive Black Congress might put something to tape to contribute. No member of this band could be reached at press time. Regardless, be sure your weekly vigil to the Westheimer/Dunlavy confluence includes a stop at Domy to pick up the latest Grey Ghost. Freak Out.
Labels: Black Congress, Cop Warmth, Dan Smith, Grey Ghost, Hearts of Animals, John Sears, Pain Teens, Tambersauro
