Brick Mower

Brick Mower - Weaving

2012-02-09T11:26:00.002-05:00

Hey Champs. Got some stuff to watch, if you're eyes are getting dry. Here's a live video of us out in Ithaca, NY at The Space @ Greenstar from a week and some change ago. Looks like we're playing a death lair. Thanks Joe for posting this.

Also, our good compatriots Black Wine have put out this killer video for "Through the Foam" directed by Kate Sweeney which, unfortunately for us, was recorded while we were playing up in Ithaca doing that performance above. So hence, we are not extras. However, props to Miranda for wearing a very familiar and sharp looking t-shirt, if I do say so myself.

Also, for those in the south of NJ area of the USA, we'll be playing 2/24 @ Barclay House in Baltimore, MD and on 2/25 @ Church of Abraham (house, not church) in Richmond, VA. Hope to see yous'ses there.

The Groundhog is Pissed...

2012-02-04T23:28:00.004-05:00

RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!

OK, let's get serious a minute here folks. We here at Brick Mower don't actually know whether the groundhog saw his shadow this year or not. Frankly, a quick google search would have turned up this info. Instead, this gnarly Veitnam era groundhog was googled, and we're happy with that.

NOW, last night we did a live set on WRSU 88.7 FM for Rutgers college radio. Thanks to Jared and Jeff Pape for having us, and having us in the studio for one ridiculously rambling interview. Should be up online soon. Oi.....

Also, this Monday we'll be at Rehab in New Brunswick with Traveling (Ginger from Good Luck's new band), Lauren Measure, Dads, and Tiny Teeth. Be there by 6:30. Catch the show. Catch a wave. Catch the drift. AND catch the rising stars....

So yeah. Someone actually spent money on that. Probably A LOT of money.

Also, our much blogged about, sporadically asked about 7'' Why are We Doing This?, just got the green light from us after the test press came in. SO, record collector's, get your grubby paws ready. The 7'' should be out next month.

Finally, we're doing a tour out to the mid-west in April. Here's the plan so far (some dates might be added before hand).

4/12- TBA in Brooklyn, NY

4/13- The Depot- York, PA

4/14- Dag House- Cleveland, OH

4/15- TBA- Detroit, MI

4/16- Ground Zero- Milwaukee, WI w/ Big Eyes

4/17- TBA- Chicago, IL

4/18- TBA- Bloomington, IN

4/19- TBA- Cincinnati, OH

4/20- Ace's High- Logan, WV

4/21- TBA- Pittsburgh, PA

Who knew there were so many venues named TBA across the country?

And finally for now, still on track to record our 7'' with Black Wine in March. Then, 3 weeks later in March we'll be doing the next record. 12 songs on that slab to get your through this apocalyptic summer.

Later beach bums.

Shows:

2/6- Rehab- New Brunswick, NJ w/ Traveling, Lauren Measure, Dads, Tiny Teeth

2/10- The Loft- New Brunswick, NJ w/ Secret Photos, The Grains

2/24- Barclay House- Baltimore, MD w/ Crimes, + more

2/25- Church of Abraham- Richmond, VA w/ Trust Fall, Dial

3/16- TBA (the best venue on earth)

3/17- TBA (the second best venue on earth)

Hello world! Welcome to 2012

2012-01-09T22:33:00.010-05:00

Pondering the future, one rest stop at a time.

Hey folks. It's been some time since we've updated this thing. Guess our fingers got a bit of the sleeptitus when it came to hammering on the keyboard. Since our last post, back in November, we've gone down to the southeast (of America), and celebrated some holidays. So let's recap, shall we?... and see where this new year is takin' us mowers.

First off, if you find yourself in Birmingham, AL, don't try to lick the lid of a can of beans like it's a popsicle. You will cut your mouth and bleed for a long time. Like hours.

Also, this dog bit Krisin's face in Tallahassee, FL. What a pup! We miss you Shark Tank....wherever you "fetch."

Secondly... well, we just want to belatedly thank our friends and do-gooders who helped up out on our November/December tour last month. Last month? That's like 4 years internet time. Oh shit. Time to get crackin' again.

Also, we just got back from doing a weekend tour to Frederick, MD and New Castle, DE. Thank you, as always to our good buddy Todd for setting up the DE. Do not skip Delaware people. It does exist, and in spite of popular needless jokes about Delaware. Also, thanks to our pal Dylan in Frederick for letting us make noise in the All Episcopal Church's basement. We rattled the Hell out of the place! That's a slam-dunk of a church joke if I ever heard one. Holy smokes!

Ok, so if by any chance you're reading this now, we're playing 1/10 in New Brunswick with Trust Fall (on tour from VA), Melissa & Paul, and Scary at the Rehab House. Email us for the address. Show's at 7pm sharp!

So now, onto more news. Our long delayed, forever and year 7'' Why Are We Doing This, is finally being plated FOR REAL this very week, and should be up for release on the Rok Lok Records website by the end of the month. 4 tunes for you in a fairly short run (250 I believe). Be on the lookout.

Also, we'll be heading down to VA in February for a couple shows, the northeast in March, the mid-west in April, and touring out to the west coast and back with Black Wine over the summer. Details to come.

Finally (thanks for stickin' around), we are heading into the studio in March to record both our split 7'' with Black Wine AND our 2nd LP. Songs are about done and we hope to have both releases out for our summer tour. Again, details to follow.

Many thanks and happy new year for all of you and yours. May it be a year without fear tears. No use in crying too long. Gets ya nowhere but a trip to the Visine aisle. Until next time.

Upcoming shows:

1/13- Hanover, PA @ Kclinger's

1/27- Philadelphia, PA @ The Bikery

1/28- Ithaca, NY @ The Space at Greenstar

1/29- Nyack, NY @ Vinyl Lounge

2/10- New Brunswick, NJ @ The Loft

2/24- TBA in Baltimore, MD

2/25- Richmond, VA @ Church of Abraham

3/24- New York, NY @ the Cake Shop

More comin' soon.

Tour's a comin'

2011-11-25T18:07:00.005-05:00

Hey everyone. Happy Turkey (tofurkey) Day, depending on your choice of dish. Either way, hope your stomachs are feeling filled, and your spirits are spirited.

So, this weekend we start a few shows that ultimatley lead into our slightly longer tour. Things kick off tomorrow in Providence, RI as we play two shows with our buddies The Headies from Delaware.

Our buddy, Todd from the Headies drew this up. And speaking of Todd drawing things up, here's a poster for our full tour.

Here's the spots.

11/26- Providence, RI- New Catalonia

11/27- Bethpage, NY- Mr. Beery's

11/29- New Hope, PA- John and Peters

11/30- Queens, NY- Hi-5 Bar

12/2- Baltimore, MD- The Bell Foundry

12/3- Asheville, NC- So. French Broad St. House

12/4- Nashville, TN- Little Hamilton Collective

12/5- Birmingham, AL- TBA

12/6- Tallahassee, FL- The Shark Tank

12/7- Gainesville, FL- Wayward Council

12/8- Atlanta, GA- The Wonderroot

12/9- Durham, NC- The Motorco

12/10- Harrisonburg, VA- TBA

If you need any info, email us @ vikingoncampus@gmail.com

Also, on December 12h, we're playing a killer show in New Brunswick, NJ @ Rehab House with:

Manipulation (members of This is My Fist), Black Wine, and 3Jane 6:30 PM. There will be treats served for the holidays. Don't be a bitter punk. Eat treats. Don't miss it.

Happy Jollydays.

We Will Run in the 2012 Election

2011-11-16T00:24:00.004-05:00

.... Just kidding. 3 people can not run under the same ballot, to in fact, become the same president. It does now work this way folks.

We are however, working on some BIG (fuc*ing) plans for 2012 (fucking) 12. That's twice the 12's, man. You can't go wrong.

But first, let's see where we're at. We're still working on filling a couple of holes for our Nov/Dec tour. Here's the places we'll be!

11/26- Providence, RI

11/27- Bethpage, NY

11/29- New Hope, PA

11/30- Queens, NY

12/2- Baltimore, MD

12/3- Asheville, NC

12/4- Nashville, TN

12/5- Alabama!/South Carolina/ Georgia/south (HELP!!!!!)

12/6- Tallahassee, FL

12/7- Gainesville, FL

12/8- Atlanta, GA

12/9- Durham, NC

12/10- somewhere in VA (HELP!, please, maybe)

So that's about that. If you can help in any of these spot that say HELP, it would be awesome. We'll give you a free drink (beer, soda, or a bottled water of your choice. But don't waste it by choosing bottled water).

As for the upcoming events, here's how 2012's shaping up so far:

1. NEW LP recording in March or so (anyone wanna put this out? We're broke.)

2. Split LP with Black Wine on Viking on Campus Records, recorded around the same time for the same budget as above LP (we're broke).

3. split 7'' with Snow What from Massachusetts

4. Spring tour (south) and summer tour (all over the f'in Continental map)

5. Finish planning the rest of the year.

Ok, so that's that. We are finishing up crafting a tub load of new songs in the basement, woodsheding our days away on busted guitar cables and cheap wine (not to mention holding down killer day jobs).

SO on that note. See y'all out there. If anyone needs info on a show or wants to book something/ hang out and watch a movie, email us @:

vikingoncampus@gmail.com

-Eric

Upcoming Shows/December Tour

2011-10-16T23:22:00.006-04:00

Hey fellow patrons of the free nation. It's been some time since we've posted on this internet Juggernaut known as "the blog."

Guess I just got tired of typing and writing bullshit. However, things are still as nutty as ever in the Brick Mower universe. Bunch of shows coming up.

(that's one scary-ass lookin' flyer)

10/28/11 @ Stanhope House- Stanhope, NJ w/ Gypsy Wig, + more

11/3/11 @ Rehab House - New Brunswick, NJ w/ Failures Union, Black Wine, Street Eaters

11/4/11 @ The Root Cellar at Bard College- Annandale-on-Hudson w/ Giant Peach, Ink Mouth

11/19/11 @ The Trash Bar- Brooklyn, NY w/ TBA

AND THEN,

We'll be embarking on a little tour around our area and then down south. We'll be posting dates soon as things become more solidified.

Sat. November 26th- Rhode Island/CT (HELP)
Sun. November 27th- Long Island NY (HELP)
Mon. November 28th- New Brunswick, NJ @ TBA
Tue. November 29th- New Hope, PA - John and Peter's
Wed. November 30th- Queens, NY- Hi-5 Bar
Fri. December 2nd- Baltimore, MD- The Compound
Sat. December 3rd- Asheville, NC- @ TBA
Sun. December 4th- Nashville, TN- Little Hamilton Collective
Mon. December 5th- Birmingham, AL- (HELP)!!!!!
Tue. December 6th- Tallahassee, FL- (HELP)
Wed. December 7th- Gainesville, FL- Wayward Council
Thur. December 8th- Atlanta, GA- The Wonderoot
Fri. December 9th- Raleigh, NC- @ TBA
Sat. December 10th- Fredricksburg/Richmond, VA (HELP)

Yea, some places we still need help with. If you have any suggestions, please email us at:

vikingoncampus@gmail.com

Until then, we're woodsheding some new material.

We plan to record a split LP with Black Wine early next year, and then head in to do our follow-up LP a month later. Lot of recording coming up. So little cash. Give us your money NOW!

That is all. Thanks all.

-Eric

Searching for a New New England

2011-09-28T16:11:00.004-04:00

Hey neighbors to our north. No, I ain't talking 'bout Canada. I'm talking England. You know, the new one. This weekend Brick Mower will be touring up to some of our most poetic states to drink hot cider and frolic in the leaves, even if it's still 80 degrees 'round these parts. Also, we'll be playing with our buds Real Good from Jersey City.

Here's the scoop.

9/30/11 @ O'Brien's

Allston, MA

w/ Tornado Riders, The Inhalers, Bobby Joe Ebola and the Children Macnuggets

7 PM, 21+

10/1/11 @ 242 Main

Burlington VT

w/ Trapper Keeper

7 PM

10/2/11 @ The Handsome Woman

Willimantic, CT

w/ iwishididntexistrightnow, The Living City

6 PM

Also, we're gonna be dropping down to some of our southern states too for Columbus Day weekend. Here's some details.

10/7/11 @ The Depot- York PA

10 PM

10/8/11@ Haircut 9000- Virginia Beach, VA

10/9/11 @ TBA -Frederick, MD

10/10/11 @ The Main Man's- New Castle, DE

Also, we're in talks with recording a rad split 12'' with a band of note in January or February. ALSO, around this time we're going to be recording our new full-length LP. Songs coming down the pipe.

FINALLY, for now, we're working on booking a 2 week tour in late November/December. Sounds good? Good.

Back to School...

2011-09-13T19:01:00.007-04:00

Well it's September again.

Back in May, it was all like...

Now it's all like....

And we here at Brick Mower couldn't be happier about the everpresent onward pursuit toward a higher education. Go get 'em Tiger.

As reported a while ago, we still have an 7'' coming out on Lok Rok Records. The Why Are We Doing This? 7'' of older recordings. It'll be up for pre-order soon on the Rok Lok Records website.

Also, we've got some shows coming up both in NJ and out in the lands.

9/17 @ Mason Gross School of Arts- Piscataway, NJ w/ Alien Father, Snoozer, Rasputin's Secret Police, + more. 5 PM

9/24 @ Rehab- New Brunswick, NJ w/ Vacation, Husky Dudes, + more 6 pm

9/30 @ O'Brien's- Allston, MA w/ Joey Ebola and the Children McNuggets, Real Good 7 PM

10/1 @ 242 Main- Burlington, VT w/Real Good, Burning Streets, Trapper Keeper

10/2 @ The Handsome Woman- Willimantic, CT w/ Real Good, plus one

10/8 @ Haircut 9000 House- Virginia Beach, VA

10/9 @ TBA in Delware

Stick around. Keep up on your studies.

New Video!- and more gurgles from the Storm Drain

2011-08-30T23:56:00.008-04:00

So for all you eastcoasteners, it's post Hurricane Irene clean up time! For some of you, this means still waiting around for your power, so you can get on the internet and read Brick Mower updates, I'm sure. If you do not know what Hurricane I'm talking about, or why I'm talking about Hurricanes, I understand.

So a couple of things on the beat. First off, our good buddy and keeper of darkest secrets, Miranda Taylor (also full time drummer/guitar slinger in a bunch of rad bands), has put together this rad music video for our song "Slow Too Fast" with some footage from out past mid-west tour we just finished with Black Wine (in which Ms. Taylor plays the kit).

Also, we got a pretty rad write up on Seattle's 90.3 KEXP's blog for our album "Under the Sink" Take a moment to browse the review in the link below, if you wish.

KEXP review- Brick Mower "Under the Sink"

Finally, we have some shows coming up this weekend. And a few more scattered about. We'll be doing a weekend tour later in September with NJ's own Real Good up to MA, VT, and CT. BUT first, stick around for these shows.

-Sept. 2nd- New Brunswick, NJ @ House Party Vietnam w/ Trash Ride, No Dice, The Terrordactyls (on tour from MN)

-Sept. 3rd- Richmond, VA @ The Hospital 7 PM ask for address

-Sept. 4th- Washington, DC @ The Velvet Lounge w/ Crimes, Monteclair

OK. Also, with the cold weather coming, it's time to hunker down and finish up a batch of new tunes. So stay tuned.

Upcoming shows in the tri-state...

2011-08-13T01:46:00.004-04:00

Hey everyone. Here's 3 show's coming up in NJ and on Long Island over the next week. Check them out and donate some greenbacks to the touring bands at each show. Get at them.

This is in New Brunswick, NJ. 6:30 PM email: vikingoncampus@gmail.com for address

This is @ The Meatlocker in Montclair, NJ 8 Park St. 9 PM Please bring some bucks for Warm Needles on tour.

This is in Bethpage, NY at Mr. Beerys. Come hang out.

That's all for now dudes.

Back from Summer Tour

2011-08-08T23:24:00.000-04:00

Hey guys. We made it back from our trek out to the mid-west with our buddies Black Wine. In past post tour entries I've posted some semi-detailed accounts about the travels. But this was on the longer side, and too much happened to already separate the mundane from the notable and quotable. SO, here's some tour stats for you to better sum it all up.

Miles traveled: 4, 064

Total shows: 15

States played: 9

New states for brick mower: 3

Vehicle of choice: 4 door sedan, Nissan Sentra (Black Wine in super cool red mini-van with bird sticker on the back)

Broken strings during sets: 6

Broken eyeglasses during sets: 1

Cracked windshields: 1

Items lost on tour: cell phone charger, t-shirt in Chicago, underwear somewhere, a bunch of change when relaxing in a sofa, more items to be discovered MIA.

Shows canceled: 1 (Appleton, WI)

State with most shows played: Ohio (3)

Times Eric freaked out over car keys being lost: 5

Number of times Eric felt awesome after finding said keys: 5

Times we couldn't find our camera: 1

Coolest dude who found our camera: Luke from Grist Mill

Places that we ate at named Melt: 2

Best food: Melt- Lakewood, Ohio

Times Eric ordered the exact same thing as J. Nixon: 2 (embarrassing, but crucial)

Freakouts over possibly running out of gas: 2

Number of dumb, but kind of awesome roadside pictures taken next to statues: between 7 and 94

Shortest drive: Elgin, IL to Chicago

Longest, coolest drive: Chicago to Duluth

Longest, uncoolest drive: Milwaukee to Cincinnati

Cool cats met on tour: 7,020+

Mean cats: 0

Blind dogs: 1

Crazy, fun dogs: 4

Number of BBQ/hot sauces obtained by Brick Mower and Black Wine: 6 (I think)

Smelliest day in the car: Last day of tour. WOOF!

Thank you again to our friends in Black Wine for lending us some gear, helping us out, and being all around great people. Can't imagine hanging out with any other 3 nuts who love to eat awesome food and are as willing to do it as much and as often as we do. And thank you to all the people we met on the road who put us up, helped out with the shows, picked up some stuff from us, and gave us free food. Now, time to shower.

Photos coming shortly!

Summer Tour w/ Black Wine UPDATES

2011-07-15T15:01:00.005-04:00

Hey guys. It's been a while since I sat down and typed some spiel on this spiel machine. Feels good to get the blood flowing through the fingertips again. Ahh, the art of typing.

In 1 week, we'll be heading out with our compatriots, Black Wine (makers of such things as "Couch Critics" and the new Summer of Indifference LP) Speaking of Summer of Indifference, if you haven't heard it yet, or picked it up well you better have a good excuse. Loosing all your money at the track. Your house just burned down? Sure. These are acceptable reasons.

You think you're too cool? You're an idiot? Those are just plain old dumb excuses. Pick up their record here.

I want to pick up Black Wine's new record...

SO, here's the newly updated list of where we'll be and what's goin on down:

Sat. July 23-York, PA @ The Depot

Sun. July 24-Buffalo, NY @ Sugar City

Mon. July 25-Lakewood, OH @ Soggy Dog House

Tue. July 26-Detroit, MI @ Jumbo's

Wed. July 27- Elgin, IL @ The Gasthaus

Thu. July 28-Chicago, IL @ TBA

Fri. July 29-Appleton, WI @ The BFG House

Sat. July 30-Duluth, MN @ The Round Up

Sun. July 31-Minneapolis, MN @ Hexagon Bar

Mon. August 1-Iowa City, IA @ Public Space One

Tue. August 2-Milwaukee, WI @ Ground Zero

Wed. August 3-Cincinatti OH @ The Drinkery

Thu. August 4- Columbus, IN @ DiHi Records (early show, 7 PM)

Thu. August 4-Indianapolis, IN @ The Melody Inn (laste show, 9:30 PM)

Fri. August 5-Columbus, OH @ Monster House

Sat. August 6-Hanover, PA @ Kclinger's

If you, or your loved ones are in on of these area, we encourage you to come out, and say hello.

ALSO, you can stream our 7'' Why are We Doing This? here:

It'll be out on Rok Lok Records next month, and features 4 songs recorded in early 2010, more of a demoing session. But it's nice to see these artifacts see the light of day.

Carry on, you wayward bum.

Why did the chicken cross the road...?

2011-06-30T11:37:00.003-04:00

....because he had to go play a show.

And we're playing some stuff this July 4th weekend. Get psyched on that, you so and so.

July 1st @ The Banana Stand in Philadelphia, PA w/ Ah Horse Hockey, Short Bread, and Jeff Riddle 8 PM

July 2nd @ Empty House in Hauppauge, NY w/ The Broosevelts, Censors, Sons of Young, Let Me Crazy 6 PM 184 Linconln Blvd.

July 3rd @ Cliff St. Church in Canajoharie, NY w/ Les Trois Chaud, Japanic Attack, Melissa and Paul + more (invite only. Sorry upstate NY residents)

Also, July 13th, we'll be at Maxwell's in Hoboken, NJ w/ Mountain Dude, Harpoon Forever, and the Sloppyheads. That's at 8 and costs $8.

Finally, here's a review for our Under the Sink LP via Punknews.org

http://www.punknews.org/review/10348

Until the rapture, goodbye for now.

Summer Time Blews/ New 7'' Information/Future 7'' Information

2011-06-22T11:45:00.007-04:00

Hello there. It’s been quite some time since we posted in the blog. Quick update. Actually putting the feet up on the coffee table until the beginning of July. Enjoying some downtime, and taking Tylenol. Ahhh, feels nice. Writin’ new tunes too. But that is neither here nor there.

Few things to report. The July/August tour with Black Wine is shaping up nicely. Here’s what we've got so far, with other places TBA-ASAP (follow all that).

Sat. July 23-Earville, NY at The Barn
Sun. July 24-Buffalo, NY at Sugar City
Mon. July 25-Lakewood, OH at Soggy Dog House
Tue. July 26-Detroit, MI
Wed. July 27-Elgin, OH at the Gasthaus
Thu. July 28-Chicago, IL
Fri. July 29-Appleton, WI at BFG House
Sat. July 30-Duluth, MN
Sun. July 31-Minneapolis, MN
Mon. August 1-Iowa City, IA at Public Space One
Tue. August 2-Milwaukee, WI at Ground Zero
Wed. August 3-Bloomington, IN
Thu. August 4-Cincinnati, OH at Goetz Alley
Fri. August 5-Columbus, OH at Monster House
Sat. August 6-Hanover, PA at Kclinger's

And we’ll be playing some dates before that:
July 1st @ The Banana Stand- Philadelphia, PA
July 2nd @ Empty House- Hauppage, NY
July 3rd @ The Church- Canajoharie, NY
July 13th @ Maxwell’s- Hoboken, NJ

If anyone needs info on these shows, let us know. We got info coming out our EARS!

And finally, seeing the light of day are some earlier, pre-Steve on drum recordings that are coming out on a new 7’’, Why Are We Doing This?, courtesy of Rok Lok Records. These guys have finally gone to print, and feature 4 songs recorded back in early March 2010, with the vocals getting done last August.

Here’s what they look like.

Side A’s got a slower version of our live staple “Cheap Gasoline” and an earlier/slightly faster version of “Instant Rectification” which is on the Under the Sink LP. Side B’s got 2 unheard cuts, “National Washboard” and “Supernatural Bakesale.” Scary stuff.

Info will be up soon on how to get your hands on these bastards.

And in other 7’’ news, we’ll be recording a few new tracks in August to put on some upcoming split 7’’s we have planned, with the full band and all! Whoooa.

Bye.

Upcoming shows this week

2011-06-08T00:26:00.002-04:00

Hey Guys and Ladies. The weatherman/woman says it's gonna be oppresively hot these next three days. So much that you might pass out. No wait, strike that from your brain, and come out to some of these shows we got goin' on. Here's some digital flyers for 'em.

6/8 @ Asbury Lanes- Asbury Park, NJ w/ The Groucho Marxists, SLAW, and Sharkteeth (VA) 8 PM 18 and up $7

6/9 @ Silent Barn- Queens, NY w/ Hop Along (on tour from Philly with...), The Dangerous Ponies (on tour from Philly with Hop Along), Dead Ringer 8 PM all ages $7

AND 6/10 @ The Main Man's- New Castle, DE w/ The Headies, Oh-Shit, Ba-Durr!, and Nona (on tour from PA) all ages 6 PM gas money

And unfortuantely, our 2 shows we were gonna do in VA, including our spot at Read All Over Books in Fredricksburg, VA isn't going to happen. Thanks to Elliot and Janus for trying to piece the weekend together. Such is life. But hopefully we'll be in VA soon taking in the sights of Mount Trashmore and Thomas Jefferson memorabilia.

Later.

UNDER THE SINK Lyrics

2011-06-04T03:21:00.007-04:00

After torturous weeks of waiting, you can finally trudge through the murk of mumbled and cracked vocals to find out what the hell is going on in the grooves or laser intricacies of your brick mower record. Please, let this guide you from your day to day, and aid you at future shows. Print them out and read them, or forward them to your local community youth group. The Under the Sink lyrics.

Tuxedo Bitch

Another boring rant about minor altercations
It seems these hobbies have become full on obsessions
Cause I know the space you share with me, is limited with its charms
You’re crowding up the pillow
5 scratch marks in the arm

Cause it’s days like these when you’re chasing bugs
And they seem so out of reach
A constant that just falls apart, the more you try to teach
Cause she is wandering and sleeping half the day.

Slow Too Fast
It’s been so long since I’ve had time
But everything’s fine
And I could read the writing on the walls
The words I’ve never known

It’s been so long since you’ve been home
And I could rewrite history
But there’s no need (use) to read
And they just closed the book so there’s no need

It’s been a while since I’ve been fine
You arrived on a dime
And I could film the pictures on the wall
The one’s they never show

Weaving
I can’t stop lying through the thick of my teeth
The change falls hard and you’re gone
It's all that I see on a cracked TV
and no more money to burn
And every time you stop the words from which they came

You distance yourself from the biggest risks
We’ll leave it at that for a change
Muddy coffee cup and a side of stale crumbs
We wait, and we wait, and we wait
And when you call my name, well I just do the same

With ease fall to your knees
And you are right with me

Falling on screens, making a scene
And you won’t let me be

Swinging in trees, pulling off leaves
Cause you won’t ride with me

Pulling down leaves, through the skinned knees
But you won’t ride with me

Going out of your way could put me to sleep
I never thought I’d be the one
To wrap you in tight, your hands in a bind
Suck it up, move your feet
And everyone you meet returned from where they came

Voula's Lament
Spent the last 5 years in bed
Spiders weaving webs in my head

Now it’s understood
Tried it out on bail
But I swear that I tried but I failed
Like Buffet said “it’s my own damn fault”

Tried to listen once, “That’s nice”
Lay my body out on the ice
“Well you’re just fucking up,” she said one time before
Thought about that once, but nevermore

Instant Rectification
Hands around your wrists feel a lot like this
I’ve got a job but I’m too fucked up to quit
A paper trail I left made of old pink slips
I got a lot of debt but I just can’t sell it off now

Just thought I would break to you the news
Thought it’d be the diplomatic thing to do
But this is from a different point of view
Cast out to waste
The future’s here
But it’s not that bad
And the past is gone
And the paper’s torn
And all guns are drawn

Standing out underneath the dim streetlights
Holes in my shoes and a new found will to fight
The less I try the more things turn out right
I got a lot of clues but I just can’t give ‘em off

Garden Variety
You catch a bad one
You must get over yourself
Nail in a jawbone
The only feeling I’ve felt
Paint me a picture
Of the places you’ve been
Recycled storyboards
That I’ll never see

I’m calling out your name but it’s too much to ask for
Cross me off your list
And I’m on your front porch now
I wanted to, I wanted to, I wanted to

give it all back to you

You cue a sad song
The first one’s the worst
So sentimental, until you burst
You’re hanging posters
That dip to the left
Of bottom-feeders
Strung out on stress

Lungs Can't Handle
The progress wasn’t progress
I just thought about your freak scene
And you wondered where we regressed
And I thought it was you on the TV screen

And every time I call you up
I get disconnected by
The sound of your silence
And I wondered where the promises defected

Then it’s all in my mind
It’s such a waste of time
And all the way they go backwards, forwards, moving, intertwined

The timing’s only doubled
You thought about the wood ships sailed
And I took a deep breath down
The tension’s only momentary now
And picking up the shrapnel
I took a turn to see you
And I’m exiting the stage left
Wondered how these moments pass us by

Radiator
They try to blind you
With tales of false regret
I thought about that
Once when I was ten

I’ve got a bookmark
Saving up my time
The pages yellow

Run to the candle burn the wick from all angles
Fall off the edge of my couch
Never crawling back
Fall off the edge of my couch

Run to the hanger grab your coat you’re in danger
Fall off the edge of a world
Never coming back
Fall off the edge of a word

The time will tell you

certain things won’t mend
I thought about that
Sinking in my bed

A deeper pocket
Sucks up all my change
The jagged window
It’s all the same

Looks Like What Gives
Snapping rubber bands
It’s our most pathetic plan
And this is how we waste our time
like a graduation day
with nothing new to say
The future needs no salutations

And it’s plain for us to see
the way it shouldn’t be
and we’re riding around all day
with the cards in the spokes
And you want to live a life
One that takes you by surprise
But I’m home staring at my shoes
That’s why I can’t help you

We number all our days
Try to count but slip away
And this his how we waste our time
Bury my sick heart
There’s no other way to start
This race we’re in won’t get us far

And now it makes me sick of trying every night

Cowboy in a Nutshell
He takes his 40 lashes
He looks through amber glasses now
So tired of turning all the screws
with solos just like Mountain Dude
The power’s in the filament
You know that I’m so sick of it
He likes to torture all his friends
Just like a book that never ends
Already dragged it through the mud
You know it’s all unfun

To you we write these songs
And all the time, where you belong
With the plans I make, and the rules you break
The spinning upside down again
With your mechanic’s grip
You couldn’t hold it anyway

We divided up the equator
With a broken calculator too
He lived through all his mishaps
and worked until he broke his back
So sick of all these factions
These fractions will divide

For you....

Sea to Function
Walking around on 2 hours sleep
and I swear that the demons are real
A quarter short from a full cup of coffee
as the mad-cap laughs right behind me
And I’m just fishing for change
In a memory bank all dried up
I spit where I walk

toward the soles of my shoes
As a slow whip cracks
right behind me

And I would just say shut up
Cause you know you’re so fed up
But when the tone’s turned down
then you won’t turn around
There’s nothing to see right behind me

Slipping off in a trial of sleep
And I know now that nothing is real
The air that I breath is the thing that I keep
and I see you there
right behind me

And I’m just riding around
but the bike I got’s rusted up
It’s sort of unclear

I see that you’re there
as the punch-ups start
right behind me

Weekend Schmeekend; Northeast Giddy-Up Recap.

2011-06-02T14:36:00.022-04:00

Hope y'all had fun in beach traffic this past weekend, as it is now the unofficial start of summer, and the time of year when we find cheesy ads for shitty special effects superhero movies on the side of soda cups everywhere.

This weekend for us was quite the time. And proverbial hi-fives go out to all involved with making it happen. We kicked things off at The Alamo in New Brunswick, playing our 100th show! The Young Leaves made it down from Mass. and killed it dead. 3JANE, definitely one of my new favorite bands played too, along with Eternal Fuzz. Too good.

This is the 1st thing you see when you walk into a WalGreens in Maine. Way to be a stereotype, ya gorgeous state.

Saturday, we hit the road, en route to the lovely deciduous state of Maine. We left at 10 a.m., all 3 of us in shorts, sweat pouring down our backs, heat headaches setting in steadily a half hour from home. By the time we hit New Hampshire, the temps dropped a solid 20 degrees out of nowhere, and the clouds replaced where the sun once seemed to shine so oppressively. And was that my breath I saw in front of me? None of us packed a damn thing warm. Yup, that was KG buying a sweatshirt that said MAINE across the front of it, at a Maine gas station. Very, very un-punk. OR, so un-punk she was the punkest motherfucker at Coyle Street house? Thanks to Isaac for setting up the show, feeding us, and helping me up after I got knocked over a bucket full of beer bottles during Grist Mill's set. My elbow scrap still looks rad.

We found out Saturday night that our Sunday show at Fuck Yeah Center in Massachusetts got canceled. We were so bummed out, we did rails of cocaine, and drank whiskey from each other's shoes until we couldn't see the tips of our fingers. Then we all got in the car and began driving down the train tracks as fast as we could. No, I'm kidding. It was all okay. We got over it like adults.

Here's us playing at the Silent Barn after we fell in a vat of grease. (thanks Channing for the photo).

Great time at Silent Barn basement Monday night. Thanks to Jordan for helping to set it up. And, thanks to Harpoon Forever for having the questionably homeless, unstably excitable man follow them on the train from NJ, into Queens, and all the way into the Silent Barn. This dude danced around like a headless chicken on uppers, constantly dowsing himself with streams of cologne and screaming "THAT'S A HIT!" at the good men of Mattress. By the time we played, he could barely pull his danced-out body off the couch, but still kept screaming "That's a hit!," while pouring more cologne on his head. WOW!

Steve and me lookin' oh so greasy.

So that's about that. Right now we have some June shows lined-up. Our VA trip in June is in the balance due to a cancelation, so if anyone can help out in the VA are on June 11th, please let me know. We'll play your b-day party or backyard wedding. Especially if there's wiffle ball.

Also, if you missed our live set on WPRB's Not Cause, But Effect show this past Tuesday night, I'll be posting a couple tracks from the radio session on the blog soon. Stay tuned.

GOOD BYE FOR NOW.

We're on the Radio tonight- WPRB Princeton 103.3 FM

2011-05-31T11:48:00.004-04:00

Hello! Just a quick post letting you know our live in-studio session we did last Wed. will be broadcast on tonight's Not Truth, But Effect show on WPRB Princeton radio. The station can be found at 103.3 FM

Of course for you non-regional lovers of radio, and tech-savy fans, you can stream the show live @ http://www.wprb.com/listen.php

The show starts at 5, and I hear our set will be on at 6. Tune in and support a really sweet radio station, and KPC; one hell of awesome DJ, who doesn't mind helping you carry gear to elevators from time to time.

That is it for now. Updates on past weekend, upcoming shows, and some releases and what not soon. Ummm, as in tomorrow.

Alison Lussier drew this. Woo-hoo.

Let's go to Maine/Smash Your Radio/Crappy Weather

2011-05-24T00:40:00.008-04:00

GOD THE WEATHER IS TERRIBLE.

Thanks for reading our blog folks. Here's what's a comin' up.

In honor of Memorial Day, we're getting in the car and getting the hell out of town, and missing all the super cool parades. I will admit, I'm gonna miss buying a giant pretzel from a guy in a red,white, and blue Yankees hat out of a shopping cart, but we'll manage to get by. Fighters we are. And in the spirit of America, we're gonna act as nomads and take to the road. Manifest Destiny. Cue the viking cry!!!

We'll be kicking it off Friday in New Brunswick at the Alamo with Sister Kisster (Dead Broke Records, on tour), the Young Leaves ('90s good-shit worship, on tour), 3Jane (new New Brunswick jams), and Eternal Fuzz (ear bleeding, good times). This will also mark our 100th show as a band! Doesn't mean much I'm sure, but personally, I'm glad we've stuck it out longer than that 6th grade stamp collection I took a stab at (such a pathetic collection of common stamps).

Saturday, we're heading up to Portland, Maine to the Coyle Street House, and hitting up the Fuck Yeah Center in Worcester, MA for an afternoon show on Sunday. We ice the cake with a Memorial day stop at Silent Barn with our friends Mattress, and Wagers! Tip back those glasses, vibrant patriots.

Finally, here's an image I found on Google. It looks pretty PUNK!!!!. I mean, it speaks on a lot of levels. Smashing an alarm clock. Take that work schedules, and crappy music. Anyway, this is a terrible segue to talk about how on 5/25 we're going to be recording an in-studio set for WPRB FM radio in Princeton, NJ. It'll be broadcast shortly after. So stay tuned for more. Don't touch that dial! That's industry talk for ya.

Thanks everyone. See ya out there.

UPCOMING SHOWS:

5/27 @ The Alamo- New Brunswick, NJ w/ Sister Kisster, Young Leaves, 3Jane, Eternal Fuzz 6 PM

5/28 @ Coyle Street House- Portland, ME w/ Grass is Green, Butcher Boy

5/29 @ Fuck Yeah Center - Worcester, MA (matinee show) w/ Young Leaves, Bovachevo, Golden Girls

5/30 @ Silent Barn - Queens, NY w/ Mattress, Wagers, Harpoon Forever

6/5 @ The Alamo- New Brunswick, NJ w/ Aye Nako, 3Jane, Mister Snake

6/10 @ The Main Man's- New Castle, DE w/ The Headies, Oh Shit!, Ba-Durr

6/11 @ TBA- Richmond, VA w/ You're Jovian, + more

Thank You Show Much/Setlist TV Video

2011-05-11T11:43:00.003-04:00

Hey everyone. Well, first and foremost, just want to extend some thank you’s to the people that made our past mother’s day weekend an enjoyable one all around. First, the mom’s. Thanks for having us. Sorry we waste your time by playing in a band. Secondly, thanks to Mimi from Nona and Mark from Spraynard for having us in Chadds Ford, PA on Sunday night. Your whole town smells like flowers. Oddly amazing. And, thanks to Taryn and Siren Records for having us Saturday. But most importantly, perhaps, gotta thank Melissa & Paul, the duo we played with at Siren Saturday night, who then invited us to play a midnight house show in Berkeley Heights, NJ. That was pretty rad all around. Nothing like playing at 1:30 am in a smoky basement when you have to be up in 6 hours. And so many people there were really into talking about Blank Check, my favorite movie, dare I say, EVER!

Yea, that's not really true. But Tone-Loc is amazing in this. Step aside Bogart.

Ok, so here’s a show we’re playing this Saturday. It’s the last show at Nacho House in Newark, DE. If you haven’t been, this is your last chance to check out this sweet place, and to give it a final send-off. Another in the long list of this year’s funeral procession of show houses. And it’s a packed line-up starting at 1 PM. Should be excellent.

And if you haven’t seen it, our TV bombardment is up on Youtube. Here’s us on Setlist TV, which we filmed in April and was broadcast on CTV out of Staten Island, NY this past week.

UPCOMING SHOWS:

5/14 @ Nacho House - Newark, DE w/ Mountian Dude, Alien Father, Tit Patrol, Hex-I-Am, Oh Shit

5/27 @ The Alamo- New Brunswick, NJ w/ Sister Kisser, The Young Leaves, Eternal Fuzz, 3Jane

5/28 @ Coyle Street House- Portland, ME w/ Grist Mill, + 2

5/29 @ Fuck Yea Center- Worcester, MA w/ Young Leaves, + 1 (matinee show)

5/30 @ Silent Barn- Queens, NY w/ Wagers, Mattress, + 1

6/10 @ The Main Man's- New Castle, DE w/ The Headies, Ba-Durr, Oh Shit

6/11 @ TBA - Richmond, VA w/ You're Jovian + more

HAPPY MARION CUNNINGHAM DAY!

2011-05-06T17:13:00.008-04:00

Happy May Sunday to the Greatest Mother of all-time. Marion Cunningham! She's helped make America's days happy, and has always taught us to do the right thing, by being a great mother and wife. What has your mother done lately? Exactly. Well, in honor of every other mother who should be doing something, we're playing 2 shows in PA this weekend.

Saturday's at Siren Records in Doylestown, PA w/ Dead Ringer and Melissa & Paul

Sunday is at Chadd's Pad house in Chadd Ford, PA w/Nona, The Fake Boys (MA), Paul Blest (DE), and The Snails. WHOOOO.

Email us if anyone needs any info. It should be rad times at Keystone High, which is what I'm going to call Pennsylvania, now and forever.

Speaking of PA, we were supposed to play at the Skate Jawn house in Philly the night of Saturday May 14th, but that show has since been moved to THIS Saturday. Bummer, we won't be able to play. Mountain Dude has also had to drop off the show, but Alien Father and Wisdom Tooth are still on the bill. So show up, and make it happen.

And finally, the GOOD news for Saturday the 14th is that the matinee show @ Nacho House in Newark IS still happening. Show starts at 1, and goes all day, w/ Mountain Dude. AND, it's the LAST show at Nacho House. This was the 3rd stop of our tour in March, and is such an awesome place. Send it off properly.

That's that. So long from Greatest Mom #2, Maggie Malone.

In Case You're Bored

2011-05-01T01:10:00.005-04:00

Hey cool cats. Here's a video of us at Slaughterhouse 5 in Dover, New Hampshire from our short tour we did a couple weekends ago. Billy Raygun, The Young Leaves, and Shire also played this show. It was pretty rad. I especially enjoy when Kit's bass goes out during "Weaving" around the 5:25 mark. Oh, it's a B.M. show for sure.

Also, here's a new review for Under the Sink from one of my favorite blogs, Willfully Obscure. Such a good one site. Make a pitstop there for some hidden gems, and general oddities.

Willfully Obscure- Brick Mower "Under the Sink" a brief evaluation

Cool. Have fun divin' into May folks. Don't forget Mom's day is right around the corner! You can pick out some great gifts below. Take care.

Mother's Day Stocking Stuffers Suggestions 1

Mother's Day Stocking Stuffer Suggestions 2

Upcoming Shows:

5/7 @ Siren Records- Doylestown, PA w/ Dead Ringer, Melissa and Paul 8 PM all ages

5/8 @ Chadds Pad- Chadd Ford, PA w/ Nona, The Snails, Paul Blest 6 PM all ages

5/14 @ Nacho House (matinee show/LAST SHOW @ Nacho House)- Newark, DE w/ Mountain Dude, Alien Father, Tit Patrol, Hex-I-Am 1 PM all ages

5/14 @ Skate Jawn House- Philadelphia, PA w/ Mountain Dude, Alien Father, Wisdom Tooth 7 PM

5/27 @ The Alamo - New Brunswick, NJ w/ Sister Kisser, The Young Leaves, Eternal Fuzz, 3 Jane 6 PM

5/28 @ Coyle Street House- Portland, ME w/ Grist Mill, Brave Shark + 1 TBA 7 PM

5/29 @ Fuck Yea Center - Worcester, MA (matinee show) w/ TBA

5/30 @ Silent Barn- Queens, NY w/ TBA

Some shows and SUMMER TOUR (plans)

2011-04-26T00:53:00.006-04:00

WELL GOOD EVENING!

Yea, so it's time to report on the weekly brick mower home front. So some stuff's going down in the heart of the Hub City, that is New Brunswick NJ this WED. There's a show at THE LOFT (ask for address if you don't know it).

Yea, Sexycrimes (members of The Measure/Dynamite Arrows) is playing, and Sportsbar is touring from VA (in case you were unable to read the print on the flyer). Should be a fantastic time all around thanks to Jay Insult (you know him, you love him, he loves you, and so on and so forth).

Thanks to everyone who came out to The Alamo last night for Easter to support SLAW and us, and check out Tropical Punk, Music Band, and Joe Steinhardt's Modern Hut, all from Ithaca, NY. Damn! What a night, minus the torrential downpours. Yea, that was me running to the car to check on gear, and then sitting in the backseat for 20 minutes as Rain Forest force rains struck the car. Boo-hoo.

AND, although it's been announced in the online form about a week ago on some other websites and blog palaces, the brick mower compound sends the breaking news that we're joining forces with our best buddy band, Black Wine on one of their 2 two week tours this summer (how's that for alliteration). So here are the dates with BLACK WINE, that'll we'll be doing.

Fri. July 22-Wilkes-Barre, PA
Sat. July 23-Syracuse, NY
Sun. July 24-Buffalo, NY
Mon. July 25-Cleveland, OH
Tue. July 26-Ann Arbor, MI
Wed. July 27-Dayton, OH
Thu. July 28-Chicago, IL
Fri. July 29-Appleton, WI
Sat. July 30-Duluth, MN
Sun. July 31-Minneapolis, MN
Mon. August 1-Iowa
Tue. August 2-Milwaukee, WI
Wed. August 3-Bloomington, IN
Thu. August 4-Cincinnati, OH
Fri. August 5-Columbus, OH
Sat. August 6-Hanover, PA

THANKS!

See you soon.

UPCOMING SHOWS

-4/27 @ The Loft- New Brunswick, NJ w/ Sexycrimes, Sportsbar 6 PM

-5/7 @ Siren Records- Doylestown, PA w/ Dead Ringer, Melissa and Paul 8 PM

-5/8 @ Chadd's Pad- Chadd Ford, PA w/ Nona, The Snails, Paul Blest 6 PM

-5/14 @ Nacho House (last show/MATINEE)- Newark, DE w/ Mountain Dude, Alien Father, Wisdom Tooth 3 PM

-5/14 @ Skate Jawn House (late show)- Philadelphia, PA w/ Mountain Dude, Alien Father, Hex-I-Am 7 PM

-5/27 @ The Alamo- New Brunswick, NJ w/ Sister Kisser, Young Leaves, Eternal Fuzz, 3Jane 6 PM

for info on shows email: vikingoncampus@gmail.com

Thanks But I'm Full: 12 Steps to Raising a Healthy Child

2011-04-20T16:27:00.012-04:00

Don't fuck with Pete!

Well, we all made it back after our weekend of bad traffic, bad rain, bad stomch pains, bad acne, bad headaches, and killer shows. Seriously, there was a shit ton of "bad" going on. I mean, 6 and a half hours from NJ to Boston? DAMN! But either way, it was a stellar weekend in Somerville, Dover, and Worcester. Here's a few actions shots from Meg Gaudette at Slaughterhouse 5 in Dover, NH.

And here's the gentle giants of The Young Leaves, Christopher and Pete looking o' so handsome. Sorry Simon.

But despite all the crap-tastic weather, and bitter cold slap of reality that old man April brought to us, a good time was had by all. Well, except when we found out we bought coffee from some strange religiously funded coffeehouse when the "cool"one that throws shows was right down the road.

Thanks to everyone for making it happen at Starlab last Friday, the Lowell brothers and everyone at Slaughterhouse for making killer baked goods and pizza, Billy Raygun (don't worry Zac, still love ya!), Christopher for the floor in Holliston, and whoever the fuck's house we stayed at in Cambridge. Dan, I believe? Your tap water was delicious, and apartment very empty. Seriously, who did we stay with? We got a key and directions from Josh Hoey, and off we went. And thanks to Red Cloud and Bovachevo in Worcester for watching us and buying stuff. Sorry we couldn't stick around. Oh, and here we are in Worcester, MA. If you ever go to the Hotel Vernon, make sure to check out the boat-themed backroom complete with working wheel on the stage (see behind Steve). Spin it fast or it will squeak, and you piss off the bartenders.

And, if you're in the NJ region, please be sure to come out to this show this upcoming Easter. After you've had dinner with your families, found all your eggs, and celebrated the 1978th anniversary of Jesus defying the laws of death come out to The Alamo house in New Brunswick. SLAW will be there, as well as a crap load of touring bands from Ithaca, NY. See ya. Happy hunting.

UPCOMING SHOWS:

4/24 @ The Alamo- New Brunswick, NJ w/ SLAW, Modern Hut, Tropical Punk, Music Band (ask for address) 6 PM $ for touring bands

4/27 @ The Loft- New Brunswick, NJ w/ Sexycrimes (VA/NM), Sports Bar (VA) +1 6 PM $5 for touring bands

5/7 @ Siren Records- Doylestown, PA w/ Dead Ringer, Good Friend Electric 8 PM donate

5/8 @ Mimi's House- West Chester PA w/ Nona + more (message for address)

5/14 @ Skate Jawn House- Philadelphia, PA w/ Mountain Dude, Alien Father 7 PM

Hitting the Road with Young Leaves

2011-04-13T11:42:00.006-04:00

Hey Everyone. Just dropping in to report on our weekend tour we’re gonna be doing with our buddies The Young Leaves up in New England this weekend. Friday we’ll be at Starlab in Somerville MA, Saturday up in Dover NH @ Slaughterhouse 5, and Sunday in Worcester MA @ Hotel Vernon. It’s a dope trifecta. BOOM! And lots of thanks in advance to the Leaves for helping with these days, and the Slaughterhouse 5 gang for having us. ALSO, the day after our Saturday night show is a Sunday matinee with Black Wine and Night Birds! Goshdamn, Dover knows what’s up. And, as reported in the pervious post, we filmed a set for the show Setlist TV on C-TV out in Staten Island. This will broadcast on (I believe) the last Wed. in April at 11 pm, and again that last Friday at 12 am in the NYC/north Jersey area. Don’t know all those details yet. In the meantime, you can enjoy some photos of us looking like we’re in some late-90s video, under the sea.

Thanks to Alisson Lussier and Eileen from Setlist TV for taking some of these picutures.

UPCOIMING SHOWS:

4/15 @ Starlab - Somerville, MA w/ The Young Leaves, Real Good, Dan Webb & the Spiders

4/16 @ Slaughterhouse 5- Dover, NH w/ Billy Raygun, The Young Leaves, + 1

4/17 @ Hotel Vernon- Worcester, MA w/ The Young Leaves, Red Cloud, Bovachivo

4/24 @ The Alamo- New Brunswick, NJ w/ Modern Hut, Tropical Punk, SLAW

5/7 @ Siren Records- Doylestown, PA w/ Dead Ringer + more

5/8 @ Mimi's House - West Chester PA w/ TBA

Email us @ vikingoncampus@gmail.com for show info

April Update from the brick mower Compound

2011-04-07T11:45:00.016-04:00

Hey everyone. I hope you’re all enjoying your week, in this not so gorgeous month of April we’ve been having. Unless you live in Puerto Rico. I don’t know. I'm guessing it’s beautiful there. And if it is, I hate to shit on your parade with my boo-hooing of NJ weather patterns. So, just wanted to say thanks to any of the people who came out the Screaming Females/Black Wine/brick mower show @ Maxwell’s last Wed. or anyone who made it out to Asbury Lanes last night and helped out Fat Shadow get back on the road. And if you came out, and really are reading this, than that’s just amazing.

In other news, we are heading out to Staten Island tonight to record our TV spot for the season 2 premiere of Setlist TV. Tom Tobin was nice enough to invite our photogenic faces over the bridge to tape this. AND, apparently we’re going to get food too!!! WHAT?! I like food. So look for the program to air sometime at the end of April. The videos will also be up on youtube. Speaking of youtube, here’s a couple live jams from our March tour below.

AND FINALLY. Come out to this show tomorrow night @ Meat Town USA. It’s a birthday show for myself and Tim Burke. Also, do not miss Sundials from Richmond. They rule.

And, don't forget about this Sunday matinee show, happening this weekend @ Bands on a Budget in Asbury Park, NJ Come out and help the Lovey Dovies on tour.

That about does it.

-Eric

UPCOMING SHOWS:

4/8 @ Meat Town USA- New Brunswick, NJ w/ Backpocket, Sun Puddles, Sundials (VA)

4/10 @ Bands on a Budget- Asbury Park, NJ w/ Mister Snake, the Lovey Dovies

4/15 @ Starlab- Somerville, MA w/ The Young Leavs, Real Good, Dan Webb & the Spiders

4/16 @ Slaughterhouse 5- Dover, NH w/ Billy Raygun, The Young Leaves

4/17 @ Hotel Vernon- Worcester, MA w/ The Young Leaves, Red Cloud, Bovachivo

Email us at vikingoncampus@gmail.com for any info on these shows.

UPCOMING SHOWS, LADIES AND GENTS

2011-03-29T17:33:00.003-04:00

So we have some shows coming up in NJ in the upcoming weeks. The one above is tomorrow @ Maxwell's in Hoboken, NJ with Screaming Females and Black Wine !!!! !!!! Doors are at 8.

This one is April 6th @ Asbury Lanes in Asbury Park, NJ, again with our good friends (hope they're not sick of us), Black Wine. Also, Fat Shadow is playing. They're on tour from Bloomington, IN and feature members of The Door-keys and Pink Razors. 8 PM

And then we have this rad-ass show. It's a birthday show for me, Eric (from brick mower/Sun Puddles/myself) and Tim Burke (Backpocket, Sun Puddles, himself) @ Meat Town USA. The show starts at 6:30. Get there early. Also Sundials from Richmond are playing. Do not miss them!

That's about all for now. See ya'll soon.

-Eric

R.I.P. Mitchell Dubey

2011-03-26T02:15:00.019-04:00

Last Sunday night, we finished up our tour in New Haven, CT. on Bassett St. @ a house called The Cookie Jar. We met and hung out with the residents, Emily, Andy, and Mitchell Dubey who all cooked for the bands and went out of their way to be beyond accommodating. Mitchell even made us coffee before our set and stood around chatting with us after the show.

Today, it came to our attention that on Thursday night, someone knocked on the door of the Cookie Jar house, forced entry, and fatally shot Mitchell in the chest. As reported, all his roommates were in the house at the time. The person who shot Mitchell has not been apprehended or identified.

Since learning of it earlier in the day, we've all had a tough time wrapping our heads around this. There are many people who are dealing with this senseless tragedy in their own, much deeper way right now. But to know that a life was taken from someone so upbeat, enthusiastic, and generous, whose house we stood in less than a week prior, is something that I'm kind of at a lose of words for. To have shared a fleeting moment, that in hindsight was completely taken for granted at the time, is something too big to comprehend. Mitchell was another in the line of intelligent and inspiring people we've come across in our travels. Someone that you look forward to meeting up with in a couple months when you hope you'll pass through again, never once thinking something like this could happen. Especially, something of this magnitude at their own home that extends kind, helping hands for traveling bands, artists, and friends. Mitchell and his roommates supported others to do what they loved to do. And now that's all changed.

It's something that we like to think can't happen to us in this word. I believe there's a permeating feeling that whatever subculture we've dug for ourselves is ours, and impenetrable by such bullshit. Today was a painful reminder it can all be brought down to earth. The clubhouse isn't shut off from everything. It's comforting knowing that such places exist in the punk/DIY community (or whatever subtext punk falls under), where people can go to be themselves, see bands, talk about new ideas, or shot the shit while outside the rest of the world is going apeshit. It rarely crosses our minds that such tragedy could enter into this circle.

As we were about to head back to NJ on Sunday, I asked Emily at the Cookie Jar house if they usually have a noise curfew. She said they'd let bands play past 10 PM several times but it wasn't a big issue as the cops had better things to worry about in the area. To paraphrase "It's kind of a bad area. But that's the price we pay to have this show house." Hearing this in my head repeatedly today has sent chills down my spine. If only there was something that could have been done to prevent this.

Our thoughts go out to Mitchell's family and friends, and to Emily and Andy from the Cookie Jar house. Please keep an eye out for any possible donations online or in the news to the his family and friends in the days to come.

You can read more about the incident here: http://newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/bike_enthusiast_shot_dead/

And So the Story Goes... East Coast Tour Wrap Up Pt. 2

2011-03-24T10:49:00.016-04:00

Day 7- Wayward Council- Gainesville, FL

Took off to FL after my Aunt Nancy graciously treated the four of us to a beyond grand Waffle House breakfast. Headed down to Gainesville through the scenic, winding roadways of central Georgia. Arrived to 80 degree weather. Amazing. We arrived at Wayward Council, as sweet collectively run record, zine, book, and t-shirt shop that’s put on some awesome shows in the past. Mr. Joe Bridge was nice enough to help us out with the show. We were scheduled to play with Hurricanes of Love from Atlanta and Many Mansions from MA. Got to meet Frank Hurricane who showed up and proceeded to greet us with phrases such as “Righteous brothers and sister, it is gonna be a HOLY night foshizelle,” and “Drop Pimp. It’s great to be hangizelle in the Gainesvilleationation.” Hmmm. After a 3 hour electro, folk, acid jam session that consisted of 3 bands, all with the same members, we got to play at the wee-hours of a spring break morning.
Joe apologized, but we all had a good time sipping our beer, talking about nonsense and enjoying the warm night air. Later, Frank Hurricane asked me where we were playing next. I told him that we were going to Jacksonville and our Atlanta show had been canceled. He responded with, “Oh damn, fo’ sho’. Hittin’ up Jackson-vegas! Das gangsta. Sorry to hear ‘bout Atlantweez.” It was a strange night.

Day 8- The Underbelly- Jacksonville, FL
The next day we only had an hour and half drive to Jacksonville so we did what any respectable group of 20-somethings would do. Got some beers and hung out at some backwoods train tracks for a while. Living the southern life is nice sometimes.

We arrived at The Underbelly in Jacksonville which is attached to a boho-chic type clothing store. Emily, the girl putting on the show was a sweetheart to us. Got us pizza and more beer. Steve opted to get an authentic Floridian haircut down the block, as K, Chris and I sat around the Underbelly, which was the outdoor stage.
Waited, and waited, and waited, and waited to play. Finally, got to go on around 10 after waiting for, uhhhhh, many hours in the backyard. Equipment went haywire, and I think it’s safe to say the small crowd of DMB-lovin’ locals hated us. Or, peered at us with such thick indifference you could churn it into some sort of batter. After we played, the cops showed up. We all hauled ass out of there. Well, the weather was nice.

Day 9- Everywhere America- Driving
We hit the interstate, trying to make it back up for our NY show the next day. We started doing an all-night drive from Jacksonville, trying to eat miles. Steve was doing a fantastic job into the late hours of foggy road out on I-95. About 40 miles from the North Carolina boarder, a car came racing up to us, and began tailing our vehicle for several minutes. We all made efforts to see if it was a cop or not. Needless to say, we thought someone was fucking with us. As Steve hit the breaks to drop back, the lights went on. YUP, a cop. Steve was asked to step out of the car, and was questioned in the freezing cold for a good 15 minutes. The sheriff of Florence, South Carolina kept insisting he was gonna break out the narcotics canine in the back seat. Fortunately for us non-narcotics carrying motherfuckers, we did not have to empty our vehicle for a search and the cop even asked us if we had stickers. “Breek mowa’ huh. Hope y’all make it beeg sumday.” Thanks officer. Later in the day/night whatever it was, Chris Brown threw my antique McDonalds glasses I purchased back in Virginia in the garbage at a Wawa. “I thought it was a bunch of crumpled up newspaper in the bag,” he said. I miss those glasses.

Day 10- The Cakeshop- New York, NY
Friday, we all traveled into NYC which is always a bitch and a half on a Friday night. When we pulled up to the Cakeshop, K.’s bladder was bursting, and fire trucks blocked off Ludlow street. Steve opted to park while we ran in with most of our gear. About 45 minutes later, we finally meet up with Steve who was able to carry the merch box and his cymbals for several unspeakable blocks. Again, a real trooper. That box is heavy! Great time was had by all, and it was the best Manhattan show I’ve ever played with any band ever. Can’t believe how nice everyone was, from the security guy outside to the bearded doorman. Way to rally around Cakeshop. Pregnant and Black Wine played. Oh what a night. J. Nixon nearly peed on me after the set, busting into the bathroom I neglected to lock as he ran offstage with his own bladder problems. Remember kids, lock the bathroom door, and always pee before you play. OR, live by the credo WhatWouldGGAllinDo (WWGGAD)!

Day 11- The Democracy Center- Cambridge, MA
After a nice stay in Harlem with our friend Jon Z., we headed up to Cambridge to play The Democracy Center. Now, the weather was cold. But stupid me brought a sorry excuse for a jacket with me. You win some, you loose some. Before the show, Steve pulled the car into a supreme spot by the load-in door. We all grabbed amps, walked 30 feet into the building, and walked back out. A minute’s worth of activity. As we exited, I spotted a meter-maid punching in the license plate. “WHOOOA! We’ve been here 45 seconds,” I shouted as change flew from my hands and pockets. “Does not go by seconds. It goes by money,” he informed me. Keep that in mind everyone. Steve avoids having an aneurysm in front of this dignified hall monitor as he slaps the tickets on the windshield. Oh, the law. The show was awesome though. Pat Kelley from Stumparumper came out with the ever-awesome Jayne Ziemba. And it’s always a brick mower honor to play with Young Leaves and Black Wine. BLACK WINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Great night of tour, sans ticket. Black Wine leave to go back to NJ. We wave goodbye never to see them again…

Day 12- The Cookie Jar- New Haven, CT
The next day I texted Jeff from Black Wine. They made it home safe, so it turns out we will see them again. Stopped off in Providence to kill time after staying with Christopher from the Young Leaves and his better-half Jill in New Bedford, MA. Had a sick breakfast with them at Lizzie’s diner where Christopher hassled me for ordering rye toast. Apparently, this is not an option in New Bedford. Providence was cool, but man they have some bad coffee. Before our last show of tour, we all decided it’d be nice to have a final drink at classy bar, right around the Yale campus. Unfortunately, ivy league students don’t seem to drink in public, so we all shacked up at a classy Buffalo Wild Wings and had some send-off beers under a giant screen playing the new Punisher movie and a bunch of NCAA basketball. What hipsters we are.
Played our last show at the Cookie Jar house thanks to Emily, Andy, and Mitch, who graced us with a delicious vegan potluck before we played. Met up again with Weak Teeth, the 4 coolest dudes we met back in South Carolina. If you ever get to meet those guys, make sure you can spend the day bullshitting with them. Good gents. Twas the end of the line for both bands on tour. We each gracefully bowed out of the tour life for yet another stint. Drove back home to NJ after the show.

AMERICA!

(all these photos from these 2 blogs were either taken by Chris Brown or Steve).

UPCOMING SHOWS

3/25 @ Court Tavern - New Brunswick, NJ w/ Black Wine, Mattress, Sparkle Shit

3/26 @ Secret Project Robot- Brooklyn, NY w/ In Air, Period Girls, Bacteria, + lots more (PRFBBQ fest, day 3)

3/30 @ Maxwell's- Hoboken, NJ w/ Screaming Females, Black Wine,

4/6 @ Asbury Lanes- Asbury Park, NJ w/ Black Wine, Fat Shadow (on tour from IN)
3/26 @ Secret Project Robot- Brooklyn, NY w/ In Air, Period Girls, Bacteria, + more (PRFBBQ FEST show, day 3)

3/30 @ Maxwell's - Hoboken, NJ w/ Screaming Females, Black Wine

4/6 @ Asbury Lanes- Asbury Park, NJ w/ Black Wine, Fat Shadow (from IN)

And So the Story Goes.... East Coast Tour Wrap Up Part 1

2011-03-23T19:28:00.017-04:00

Day 1- Meat Town USA New Brunswick, NJ
Wrote about this in the last blog. Not gonna retell it. Sorry, but you can reread it if you'd like.

Day 2- K & M Bar - Brooklyn, NY
Steve, K., and I hit the road. Played the K & M in Williamsburg Brooklyn. It's a small, dimly lit place off the BQE. Watch for the pierogi sign on the side of the building or you just might miss it. On this night, the tri-state area was getting hammered by a torrential downpour and unforgiving wind gusts. Luckily, a decent crowd came out, including a bunch of friendly faces (no mean punk here). The Grains opened the show, followed by Wagers from Brooklyn. Both tough acts to follow. Especially after eating Crifdogs and drinking pints of K & M house beer (yea, that's what they call it. What is it? I don't know. Probably PBR). Made it out of there looking like flailing sea otters, rain binding our hair to our bodies, and tearing at our faces. Steve even tried building an ark, but we all agreed renacting bible stories on a school night is bullshit.

Day 3- Nacho House- Newark, DE
Headed down the NJ Turnpike toward the Frottage Cottage house in Newark, DE. Oh yea, and before this, we picked up our good friend and fellow Sun Puddles bandmate of mine, Chris Brown (righteously pictured below).

Right as we paid the toll for the DE Memorial Bridge I get a call. It's Todd from The Headies and Tit Patrol, who put on the show, informing me that the show was canceled. And then my phone broke up for 10 seconds. Somewhere in there I missed the part where he told me the great people at Nacho House (Katie and Alicia) helped pick up the show last minute across town. Finally, I receive the new address where we're playing. Amazing last minute arrangement. Sunken hearts quickly rise as we pulled up to the coolest garage ever. Seriously, this is a garage right out of a '90s kid's show. One you'd fantasize about talking your parents into letting you live in, where you'd get into wacky adventures Home Alone style.Twas a bit nippy in there though as Exhibit A will lead you to believe.
Later on we stayed with this dude Murph, a sweet Irish soul who was pumped for the St. Patrick's day parade the next day, and celebrated with several rounds of Jameson. No foul there. A neighbor of Murph's threatened to kill me as he charged across DE front porches for talking to his "wife." The lady then informed me she was not his wife at all, and he was just joking around, although two people held him back. I went inside. Murph told me his neighbors were a little crazy. Great night.

Day 4- Concrete Art Space- Virginia Beach, VA
Grab your boards and trunks, because we're going below the Mason-Dixon for a little fun in the sun. Took off for VA Beach baby. Finally greeted by warm weather. Jackets were shed. Sunglasses purchased by some. To kill time, we stopped at a pet cemeray on the wooded outskirts of VA Beach where a circus elephant was supposedly burried. No elephant. Just a lot of pets. A strange mix of excitement and depression ebbs and flows as we look over the graves of such fallen friends as Jangles the dog, and Strudel Decker the Jewish Dachshund.
Got to play Concrete Art Space with You're Jovian & Young Adult Fiction from Richmond. Both were awesome as both bands and people. After the show, the girl collecting door money tried to rip-off the bands. We were about to leave with meager funds when Doug, the bespectacled hero of the You're Jovian crew charged the lady's car and went off about ethics, touring, gas, manners, and other such things. Doug was able to retrieve some additional gas money through benefactory verbal methods. Doug's a great guy. Elliott, Wesley, and Emily made us right at home in their apartment, telling stories of their own nutty neighbors half the night and regaling us with their recent tour stories. Oh wait, here there's the gang of Norfolk folk here!

Check out You're Jovian!

Day 5- The Motorco- Durham, NC
We arrived to more funtastic weather in NC. Made a quick pitstop at an essential, much discussed storefront for a fanboy (and -girl) photo-op (after a 40 minute pitstop in a shady Burger King to try to retrieve wifi and cheap pies)
So after that nonsense was over, we headed to The Motorco. We arrived at the place and walked into a venue that could probably hold 400+ people. We were all a bit uncomfortable about the room-size, 8 foot high stage, and large assemblage of stage-monitors but the sound guy, Robert all made us feel at ease and pointed us toward the DRESSING ROOM!! HUH. Free beer and Monster energy drinks awaited, as well as a toilet. Oh yea, we did that up right. Anyway, definitely the nicest sound guy I've ever met at a place. Seriously, give this dude a medal. Played with Antibubbles who is a great laid back, slack pop band. Dave from Antibubbles set everything up and let us crash on his floor in Raleigh, also a great dude. Hey, there's Dave now!
A night of pasta and malt liquor ensued. No one dies. AND, definitely eat at Remedy Diner if you can. The vegan Reuben and nachos are to die for. I actually thought I was dying later while sitting on a truck-stop toilet (no pictures exist).

Day 6- Suite 8- Greenville, SC
Off to the Carolina that is south of North Carolina. Here we meet up with my Aunt Nancy and Uncle Bob, life-time family friends of my parents who we've given the title of Aunt and Uncle. Yup, a big middle finger to the bloodline. And they just happen to live in the town we're playing (after living in 9 states prior! WTF). Nothing like pulling into town and being greeted with home-cooked vegetable lasagna, chocolate cake, and questions about the family back in NJ. Punk's not dead. Played Suite 8 thanks to the help of Ryan and Kerri from Rubrics. This is what it looked like.
Got to play with The Sinbusters from Lowell, MA and Weak Teeth from Providence. Weak Teeth are a force to be reckon with musically, made of 4 of the gentlest giants around. Thankfully we meet up again down the road, many miles later. Turned into an 8 !!!! band show that somehow remained manageable in a DIY space, and held the attention of the local kids. One of the most fun sets I had on tour. Not sure if Steve can vouch for that, playing in a singular floodlight after loosing his bottle of water. What a trooper.

Rest of the tour journal tomorrow.

UPCOMING SHOWS
3/25 @ Court Tavern - New Brunswick, NJ w/ Black Wine, Mattress, Sparkle Shit

3/26 @ Secret Project Robot- Brooklyn, NY w/ In Air, Period Girls, Bacteria, + more (PRFBBQ FEST show, day 3)

3/30 @ Maxwell's - Hoboken, NJ w/ Screaming Females, Black Wine

4/6 @ Asbury Lanes- Asbury Park, NJ w/ Black Wine, Fat Shadow (from IN)

Record Release Recap & Reviews

2011-03-17T22:46:00.007-04:00

What's the New York Times saying about our new LP Under the Sink? Absolutely nothing.
How about Alternative Press?... Nope, nothing there either. Surely, the Auto Shopper had a few words to say about Under the Sink. No. Nothing at all.

But right now we're on a break from our tour we're doing this March. So far we've hit up NJ, Brooklyn, DE, VA, NC, SC, and 2 days in FL. Today's a driving day, kicking back and enjoying the perks of the internet that seemed to elude us for several days. Tomorrow night, we resume the last leg of the tour playing the Cake Shop in NY w/ Black Wine, Pregnant, and The New Rochelles. Saturday, we're gonna be up at Democracy Center in Cambridge, MA w/Black Wine, The Young Leaves, and Kill Conrad. Sunday, we wrap things up in New Haven, CT @ The Cookie Jar w/Weak Teeth from Providence.

So, more details to come on the spots we've played and the good souls we've met, as I often enjoy regaling short scroll-like tales of our adventures in America. Tonight, I'd just like to take a trip back to last Wendsday when we did our record release show at Meat Town USA in New Brunswick NJ. Here it is then.

Colleen from Period Girls kicked things off in grand fashion by baking us the coolest cakes ever. Yea, you heard me Cake Boss.

Here's what it looks like when someone holds the cakes...
Actually, looking at this picture just makes me long for a haircut. Seriously, that's ridiculous. I think I should join the army and get some structure in my life. J to the K.

Also, ex wife played there last show ever. Bummer. No picture is around as far as I know at this point.

Period Girls also played.
So did Mountain Dude.

We were also greeted by some old friends who came out.

All in all, it was a great time for us. We hope it was for any and all that came out. Thanks to those who picked up the record. And right now, not sure if there's any pictures of us from this night. But we're ugly anyway.

Finally, Razorcake reviewed our split 7" w/Granny Frost that came out last May. It's pretty hilarious. So without any further ado... Take it easy. See you out there.

GRANNY FROST / BRICK MOVER:
Split: 7"
The record equivalent of a zine written in one night because, you know, it might be fun. Sure, it might be fun, but there’s probably no reason to share it with anyone outside of your immediate punk house or indie dwelling structure. Granny Frost is basically one guy reading/singing in a way that’s supposed to be humorous, but isn’t. Brick Mower plays some combination of experimental rock and indie something-or-other. Blah. –Maddy (Viking On Campus)

It's been a while....

2011-03-14T01:50:00.002-04:00

Wanting to update from the road, but no dice!

Wifi has not been good to us.

..........punk rock.

Tour's good so far. Updates coming later. Thanks everyone.

Under the Sink East Coast Boogie/RECORDS!

2011-03-05T11:09:00.006-05:00

Hey everyone!
So, after months of preparation, wadding through the Amazon without raincoats, crossing the Sahara with empty canteens, and swimming across the Indian ocean with little more than a box of Saltines, we are finally able to drop a SLAMMIN' record in your lap. The first full-length, Under the Sink is available and ready to ship. It's 300 copies, 120 on mixed-color vinyl, 180 on black. You can pick it up right now on LP or CD over @ http://www.vikingoncampusrecords.bigcartel.com/

To honor this momentous, tear-inducing occassion, we are kicking things off with a record release show, March 9th @ Meat Town USA in New Brunswick, NJ. And on a sad note, this will also be ex wife's last show. Bummer.

Here's a tour flyer of where we're going, and what we'll be seeing.
So right now, we're off the 17th. If anyone wants to pick up a show for us somewhere along the east coast, email us please. Also, just got word the The Handsome Woman show in CT is gonna be moved to a TBA spot in New Haven, CT. Dammit, this flyer is already a sham.

Anyway, see you out there.

Shit's all good.

2011-02-23T16:47:00.006-05:00

Hey y'all. So just a quick update on what's going on this weekend.

First up, we have the Dude Japan CD release show being put on by Mike of Rok Lok Records (and Dude Japan) @ Mr. Beery's in Bethpage, NY. Show is at 9 PM and I believe it's 21+.

Next up, we have a bit of sad news to report. Well, we didn't break this story. But it's going to be the LAST Rapid Cities show EVER @ the Court Tavern in New Brunswick, NJ on Saturday & we have the fortune of playing. After 4 + years, the boys are packing it in, and also putting out their last release, a rarities and demos cassette called "Peripheries." Also, Big Eyes and Mirrors & Wires are playing! 9 PM 21+ $8 or $9 stinkin' bucks.

And finally, a quick report on last weekends trip out west.

Thanks to Joe from Siren Records for having us out in PA last Thursday. Criminal Culture and Trunks & Tales killed it DEAD.

Also, thanks to EVERYONE at Monster House in Columbus OH for having us play, and letting us snore on your floors. They were cozy.

And finally, thanks to Kenny Dix, Sanders, and all at the Soggy Dog house in Lakewood OH for the same. The night we played, the basement started leaking and every band had the death defying honor of playing in a very large pool of water collecting under everyone's shoes and plugged in amplifiers. I'll never forget the 2 hours of horror in Kenny Dix's eyes as he watched the bands play, and hopelessly tried to mop up the floor with cruddy old shirts. Everyone lived.

Oh yea, if you get the rare chance to check out the band What Gives, please do. A super-group of sorts, Ryan from The Sidekicks/Slugging Percentage, Austin from Delay, and Josh from the Serious Geniuses/Real Good, these guys were really something special. Goddamn, they were good. Keep a look out for their tape comin' out of Columbus soon

Finally, the Monday Philly/Steve's B-Day show didn't happen, partially due to bad weather. The snow we hit coming out of Ohio, and the snow that returned in the PA mountains as darkness descended nearly made me puke. Here's a picture of us getting home, somewhere around the Blue Mountains.

Very scary drive indeed. 7 1/2 hour drive took nearly 11! My stomach never felt so goddamn awful. But we made it home alive.

Finally, one of our new tracks was played on Needle Drop Radio out of L.A. last night. Here's the link to a pretty sweet show, with some very flattering things said about us. We really are the all-time dinner party of band. Also on the show was Big Eyes, Pujol, and some schlubs called The Ergs! http://www.needledropradio.com/ It's Episode #37.

So long, Soggy Dog.

Mishmosh of Visuals

2011-02-16T22:04:00.007-05:00

This starts tomorrow. Friday, we're off. Anyone wanna have us play? We'll bring potato salad.

Also, someone shot this video from our show we played @ Meat Town in New Brunswick in January as part of our Black Wine weekend tour.

Some good jams, some rough round the edges. But then again, that's life. Deep, right? Damn right.

And here's the info and invite to our record release show for Under the Sink, and March tour kick-off at the same place this video was shot:

& Le' Facebooke' invite' to make it official in the realm of digital senses.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/event.php?eid=156874204364734

February Brings Snow Showers, But What Do Snow Showers Bring?

2011-02-11T22:56:00.006-05:00

Icing on the roadways. That's what. Cold body temps as well. It's nasty, and only a hardened eskimo could love it. It's alright to me though. Gives me an excuse to catch up on DVD box sets from Christmases long ago.

So a quick update on what we're doing. It feels like a bunch o' random thoughts and tasks for the band are swirlin' round in my skull. Is any of it news worthy? Perhaps.

Anyway, we have some shows coming up on small tour we're doing in PA and Ohio come next weekend. I call it, the OHPA PAOH Adventure Tour. Yes, it's poorly named, and right off the top of my head, but it sounds rather Yiddish to me. Ok, that's not really the name.

In case you're unfamiliar with these states, I did a little online research to find out what the hell they look like.

They seem fun.

Some dates to check out:
2/17: Siren Records- Doylestown PA w/Criminal Culture (Tampa), Expressways
2/19: Monster House- Columbus, OH w/What Gives, Alien Orders, You Blockhead!
2/20: The Soggy Dog house- Lakewood, OH w/ What Gives, Asinine
2/21: JRs- Philadephia, PA w/The Timid Roosevelts, + 2 more TBA

Also, RECORD RELEASE show @ Meat Town USA in New Brunswick, NJ on March 9th which also kicks off our March tour.

AND, just got word that the LP jackets have shipped, and the test pressings have been approved so a record is on the way.

Show @ The Meatlocker tomorrow (today)

2011-02-02T00:15:00.002-05:00

Well I guess it's a little late to post this, but I'll do it anyway. This blog doesn't pay for itself you know.

We're playing a show tomorrow night (today technically for all you East coast 12 PM or later clock watchers) @ The Meatlocker in Monclair, NJ Check the flyer

Hope all that predicted snow and 1/2'' ice storm we're gonna have stops by then. Maybe we'll see you there if we don't all get stuck in an ice block. I hear the show's promoter is a real cold motha.

[artist rendition]

Full-length info + Upcoming shows

2011-01-22T17:06:00.008-05:00

Hey everyone. Well it may be insanely cold outside unless you live in Argentina, but things are really heating up for... Ok, how cliched to say things are heating up for brick mower? Yea, that's stupid. What's more proper to say is that we got a lot of stuff coming down the pipe. Here's some details.

So we're planning to have our full-length LP out around the 1st week of March. We just got the artwork in from the loveable Perry Shall of Dry Feet, Lighten Up, and Angry Serfs. Check it out:

Also, the masters were sent out to press this week. So with all fingers and toes crossed to arthritic excruciation, this thing will hopefully be out in time for our RECORD RELEASE @ Meat Town USA on March 9th, which also happens to be our tour kick off.

So here's a bunch of dates we have coming up. The one's that say TBA will have a home shortly. The ones that say HELP next to TBA... well, we still need some help. If you want to, we'll gladly take some. Thanks. More info soon.

2/2 - The Meatlocker- Montclair, NJ w/Mattress, Period Girls + more
2/18- TBA in Philadelphia, PA
2/19- Monster House- Columbus, OH w/ What Gives (ex/current Delay, Serious Geniuses, Sidekicks)
2/20- The Soggy Dog House- Lakewood, OH w/ What Gives
2/21- TBA Lancaster/Allentown PA (HELP)

2/25- Mr. Beery’s- Bethpage, NY w/ Dude Japan
2/26- Court Tavern- New Brunswick, NJ w/ Rapid Cities (last show), Big Eyes, Mirrors & Wires

March tour:
3/9- Meat Town USA- New Brunswick, NJ (record release show) w/ Period Girls
3/10- The Charleston- Brooklyn, NY w/ Mirrors and Wires, The Grains
3/11- Nacho House- Newark, DE w/ Tit Patrol
3/12- Concrete Art Space- Virginia Beach, VA w/ You’re Jovian, Young Adult Fiction
3/13- The Motorco- Druham, NC w/ Antibubbles
3/14- The Hangar- Greenville, SC
3/15- Civic Media Center- Gainesville, FL
3/16- The Underbelly- Jacksonville FL
3/17- Wonderroot- Atlanta, GA
3/18- The Cake Shop- New York, NY w/ Black Wine, The Boys Club, Pregnant
3/19- Democracy Center- Cambridge, MA w/ Black Wine
3/20- The Handsome Woman- Willimantic, CT w/ Weak Teeth, Gasoline Wind

3/26- Court Tavern- New Brunswick, NJ w/ Black Wine, Mattress, Sparkle Shit
3/27- Secret Project Robot (PRFBBQ in NY)- Brooklyn, NY w/ In Air, Period Girls, We Ride, + more
3/30- Asbury Lanes- Asbury Park, NJ w/ Ba Babes, + more

Martin Luther Monday Monday Monday!

2011-01-16T01:26:00.007-05:00

This Monday, feel free to mosey on over to Brooklyn New Yawk, to see a pretty awesome line-up unfold before your eyes to cap off a great holiday weekend.

Yup. Show is at 7. It's 7 bucks to get in.

Wagers! Dude Japan! Dirty Blonde! and us, mowered bricks.

Sure to be a great time. And also, we just got back from playing Dad's Haus (or House, depending on what flyer you read), and had a great time playing with Spraynard, Glocca Morra, Ah Horse Hockey, and OF COURSE, Backpocket. Thanks for sticking around, watching, and chattin' with us. If you happened to do those 3 things in that exact order, and then signed on to read this blog right after, consider yourself lotto-plain' ready and worthy. Cha-ching...

Life After Black Wine

2011-01-11T22:56:00.007-05:00

Well, we just got back from 3 days with NJ's best band of record appreciation worship, and all things you need to know in life. No, I'm not talking about Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes or Naughty by Nature. I'm waxing 'bout Black Wine.

So yea, how did it go you ask? Well, swell. Friday we played the Banana Stand. Ah Horse Hockey released their EP at this show which is pretty sweet. Got to see OMAR who were awesome too! And yea, then there's Black Wine. (Later we got to hang out with Perry, Jarrett, Kristina, Alejandro, and the scared roommate who was surprised to find us sleeping in his kitchen/living room the next morning who I'm sure is a cool dude too. AND, Nacho the cat!).

Saturday, got to hang out with Dan from Dead Mechanical. Hell, even got to sleep in Dan's bed!!1!1! Well, not Dan's bed. But one of his bed. How was the show @ Charm City Art Space? It was rad, that's how it was. Crimes and Head Homes played and were both really awesome. And then there was Black Wine.

Sunday, was fantastic at Meat Town USA. Scope shots handed out by Ryan of RSO playing their LAST New Jersey show, which sucks. The Young Leaves played their best set yet (and 3rd we've gotten to play with these hairy, gentle giants from MA). And then Black Wine played.

So yea. Black Wine. How many times can I type it? I don't know. Feel free to count in your free time. Here's live shot of said band. BOOM!

But, in a serious tone please, eternal thanks go out to 3 of the most genuine people around. We all love these guys and gal, and owe them a lot (even though Jeff owes me $3000 over a very poorly made bet regarding bagel spreads, but I'll let this one slide, THIS TIME!!!).

I wish I had more pictures from this weekend. I need to start carrying my camera more to document. I guess I'm afraid to acknowledge things like Alzheimers and wet brain. Oh well.

NEXT SHOWS this weekend:
1/15 @ Dad's Haus in Philly w/ Backpocket!!!, Spraynard, Ah Horse Hockey, Glocca Morra 6:30 PM

1/17 @ Party Xpo in Brooklyn w/Dirty Blonde, Dude Japan, Wagers 7 PM

Piece out.

Weekend Tour with Black Wine

2011-01-05T15:15:00.008-05:00

The time is upon us to hit the road with one of our favorite bands, Black Wine. They are not only a swell band, but three people who should be committed, I mean commended.

So anyways, the shows are as follows:

1/7 @ The Banana Stand in Philadelphia,PA w/Ah Horse Hockey, OMAR, His Day Has Come, and Light Hearted. All ages 6:30 Ask for address.

1/8 @ Charm City Art Space in Baltimore, MD w/Crimes, Head Home

1/9 @ Meat Town USA in New Brunswick w/RSO and The Young Leaves (on tour from MA, and awesome dudes as well.)

That about does it.

Looking Forward in the New Year: A brick mower Perspective

2011-01-01T21:14:00.004-05:00

Hello children,
Sit down and let me tell you a cautionary tale of rock and roll. First, always wear ear protection unless you enjoy listening to phantom monotone car alarms ringing in your brain throughout the night. Second, beer before liquor never been more annoying with a microphone. And third, gas is expensive.

So there you have it. Write that inside your guitar case or on your drumstick, and my friends, you will rock and roll till the cows come home.

Well, it's now 2011, and that's just crazy. I remember being 10 thinking about what I'd be doing when I was 25. I honestly thought I'd have a motorcycle and being playing drums in a cool, vulgar metal band even though I didn't know what metal was when I was 10.

Ok, I digress. Here's what we have going on in 2011 so far.

-Full-length record, Under the Sink to be released in March 2011 on LP and CD through VOC Records and Stumparumper Records. Also, it'll be out on cassette through Clubhouse Records. That's a lot of options! Anyone wanna put it on 8-track?

-Weekend tour on Jan. 7th, 8th, and 9th with Black Wine to Baltimore, Philly, and NJ!

-Another weekend trip with Backpocket. Jan. 14th in Baltimore, 15th in Philly.

-New 4 song 7'' of older pre-Steve on drums recordings coming out in April on Rok Lok Records.

-Split 7'' w/ Snow What, with Steve on drums!, when the weather gets kind of humid again on one or both of our labels.

-We'll play some shows.

Sound good to you? Those plans are cool with us. In the meantime, good luck with your resolutions. I'm sure most of you will fail, unless you DO IT! Good luck, and peace on earth and good will hunting to men.

-Eric

Finish Out the X-Mas Season @ McCormkick's!

2010-12-26T17:39:00.004-05:00

Come out and celebrate your post holiday depression with a group of swell bands at McCormick's this Tuesday December 28th at McCormick's in New Brunswick, NJ. It's located at 266 Somerset St. Sorry, but it's 21+ which kind of sucks. Damn the MAN.

Also, Backpocket was supposed to play but were unable to so Black Wine is now stepping in to take their place.

Line-up:
Black Wine!
For Serious This Time (on tour from Long Island. Awesome band).
La Mowere' de Brricks
Sun Puddles (Erin from Full of Fancy, Tim from Backpocket, Eric from brick mower, Chris from general comedy).

And speaking of Black Wine, and Backpocket, we'll be going out with both bands on seperate weekends starting in January. But more on that later. Hope to see you there, and hope all your new sweaters your aunt got you fit nicely.

In the Can

2010-12-21T19:40:00.007-05:00

Hey all. So we finished up recording our full-length this past weekend during a couple of marathon sessions. Through the good graces of Eric Bennett, we were able to hammer down 11 songs into the artery of history. Hopefully, we didn't hit too much fatty tissue.

Now we gotta get this sucker mastered and see what's going to happens with this. We're hoping to have it out in March, around when we might be heading south to explore some unvisited regions of America with our implements of rockin' noise. But again, we shall see.

Here's some very few pictures from the weekend:

Yea, those weren't exciting at all. Well such is the nature of the beast when you only have a camera phone because band members like to borrow family-owned cameras and loose them in sock drawers and under car seats. Speaking of camera phones, here's a picture from one. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

RECORDING weekend & FREE stuff

2010-12-15T18:11:00.009-05:00

Hey gang,
So the time is upon us all. No, it's not 2012. It's time to record the full-length. Yup, that's right. If you've been following this, or talked to one of us, you may recall our calender plans for this weekend. We're going into the Hunt Studio to record with Eric Bennet, who did records for such awesome rib-stickin' bads... oppps, I mean bands, such as Black Wine, Screaming Females, Full of Fancy and more. So,that's where we'll be if you need to reach us. And of course there are three good shows Fri., Sat., and Sun. that I wanna go see in Philly and NY, but duty calls. Bummer.

EXPLICIT DRINKING!!!

AND, if you haven't got it yet, our "Floors" EP is up for FREE download over at our bandcamp site. It's been out a little over a year, and if you haven't heard it yet you might as well have the tracks. But, if you're a nut like me and still want the physical release on CD, we still have that available too.

Download at: http://brickmower.bandcamp.com/album/floors-ep
(copy and paste this bad boy. The link option wasn't workin').

We'll keep you posted on more details. Plus, some nice stuff is shaping up for the New Year, including some early year tours, a new 7'' in the spring, and oh yea, that album I guess. Stay tuned.

EXPLICIT SEX!!!

Takin' a Long Ride Down the NJ Turnpike and Back, and Back, and Back

2010-12-08T11:45:00.004-05:00

Tomorrow, we kick off our December anti-tour. I say this because it is no tour at all. Merely, a clump of shows in three different states over 4 days (one of those states being the one we receive our mail in).

First off, tomorrow (Thursday) we’re playing Mojo 13 in Wilmington, DE w/ Cease the Day, as well as Time and Distance. Mojo 13 is at 1706 Philadelphia Pike and the show starts at 8. 21+

Friday, we’re at Savage Rock School (not Savage School of Rock as I keep promoting) in Blackwood, NJ. Show’s all-ages and we’re playing with Period Girls (no introduction), Beta Male John Wayne (Rapid Cities, Eric from uhhh… brick mower, ex-Serious Geniuses), Pajama Party, and Leo’s Tards. Show starts at 7. $5

Sunday, we finish things up at The Fire in Philadelphia. The Sidekicks from Cleveland will be there!!! Also, we have Dirt Farmer and THE DANGEROUS PONIES! Sweet deal. Show’s at 7. 21+ $7.

If you live down in the south jersey, Philly area come out if you want. Or stay in and put up your decorations. Make grandma proud.

Happy Slappy Holidays

2010-12-01T17:45:00.006-05:00

It's that time of year again. Yup, that's right. You can now buy a wide variety of egg nog flavors at your local grocery store. That is where you'll find me. And what's with these people who say they've never had egg nog? Is it you, perhaps? Shame is a hard quality to live with my friend.

So, on this first night of Hanukkah (or as one of my co-workers said "that Jewish thing". Whatta dumb piece of crap she is.), let me send an early holiday wish to the celebrators, the non-haters, and to the band Yo La Tengo who will never read this I'm unfortunately sure.

Looking forward through this hectic month of holiday bliss, we got some action heating up in the brick mower bullpen. Most importantly, we're going to be heading in to the Hunt Stuido with Eric Bennet in mid-December. We will be expelling 11 songs from the uterus of rock n roll onto the petri-dish of magnetic tape (shhhh... actually digital micro-chips. Analog rules, but not as much when you're broke).

And here's some shows we have lined up for the season to keep you and yours warm:

-12/9- Mojo 13 Wilmington, DE w/a cool band that dropped off the bill. Others will be there now who are probably cool too.
-12/10-Savage School of Rock- Blackwood, NJ w/Period Girls, Beta Male John Wayne, Lost Weekend, +1.
-12/12- The Fire - Philadelphia, PA w/ The Sidekicks (OH), Dirt Farmer, The Dangerous Ponies
-12/28- @ a spot in New Brunswick w/ Backpocket, For Serious This Time (NY)

And if you want to pick up a gift for the band during this season of wintry bliss, I usually take XL shirts and like the game Simon, Kit takes a size 7 1/2 shoe and uses thick purple picks, and Steve takes big baking tins and 1.75 ltr bottle of Jack.

Comp. release show and NEW 7'' out!

2010-11-19T11:45:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow night @ Meat Town USA is night 4 of the “Friends with Benefits” compilation release shows through Love/Hate Records. Shows have taken place already in Manhattan and Brooklyn last week. Tonight and tomorrow, they spill over across the Hudson and include some of the NJ bands on the comp. We’re happy to say we’re on this thing, with an unreleased version of “Daughter, What is the Matter?” which some of you audiophiles might remember from our Floors EP.
If you don’t, it’s ok. I rest easier with the newer version under my pillow.

Also, tomorrow night, we will have copies of our new “Box Turtle” 7’’ that just came out on Stumparumper Records. This lathe-cut slab of pop is clear as the day is long, and very limited. Hand-numbered to 50 with front and back artwork done by Ryan Duggan. The 7’’ also has a cover of “Exit Flagger” by Guided by Voices. And I’ll be honest here. I believe these things were pressed slightly fast, and the octaves on everything is a little high. SO, if you buy it from us, you’ll probably get a CD-R with it. Or, if we can’t burn ‘em all in time, you can download the 2 tracks online. We’ll see what tomorrow brings.

You can also order it now from http://www.vikingoncampusrecords.bigcartel.com/

Tomorrow’s show starts @ 7. Beta Male John Wayne, Ghost Robot Ninja Bear (duo-acoustic set), and Ex-Wife are also playing! I believe everyone who attends the show gets a free copy of the compilation (donations welcome). You can’t beat that.

ENTER THE FUNHOLE TOUR 2010

2010-11-16T21:18:00.012-05:00

Period Girls and brick mower w/ new member Kenny after Eric lost his voice and died in Cleveland.

Day 1:
Goodbye Blue Monday is a junk shop, or more like a museum, in Brooklyn that anyone can play. I like coming here to look at the junk and have a beer. Sometimes other people don't like to come to this everyman's hipster haven. The night brick mower and Period Girls played, that seemed to be the case. Rainy, cold, dark, and awesome. Two people from Berlin were there and particularly liked Period Girls, and wanted to know about American Riot Grrrirrlrilerrllgirl culture. As the Disney song goes, the world is a small place.

Day 2:
Philadelphia with DRY FEET. Awesome. Friends came down from NJ to see this (were you there?). Great time had by all. Period Girls rocking and rolling the hits. brick mower sweaty as usual. I break a string mid-set, and Kelli saves the day with by backing me up with her guitar. Unfortunately, her fretboard is black and "Box Turtle" turns into 2 and a half minute strain-my-eye fest as I try to locate dots on correct frets in the dim light. YIKES. Danger Danger Gallery!

Day 3:
Massachusetts here we come. Played Durgin Hall in UMASS Lowell w/TragWag and Frontrunner. Played in a classroom with chalkboards and all. Frontrunner did a stellar cover of "Straight Edge" by a some band on Dischord Records. It gets hot in that classroom fast. During a verse, a booger flies from my nose and hits a poor girl. I'm sorry. GG Allin I am not. Proceed to eat worst Chinese food we've ever had in a town over, where the girl behind the counter makes fun of us to her co-workers in Chinese. No love for brick mower while ordering egg rolls.

Day 4:
Over to Pittsfield, Mass. to play Rebel Sound Records. GPS gets us lost in upstate NY and declares we've "reached our destination" as we get stuck at the end of a dirt dead-end road covered in horse shit and cat X-ing signs? Hmmm, no record store, and WRONG STATE! Work out the kinks and play with Teleboy. This group of 15 year olds know how to rock and to roll. They perform a solid cover of "Waiting Room" by some band on Dischord Records. Ian MacKaye is owed a lot of royalties by Massachusetts.

Day 5: Monday. We're off. Do not disturb.

Day 6:
We all hop into Kelli's mom's Ford Explorer for the second stint of the tour out west. 5 people, 3 guitars, 2 amps, a drum set, and a luggage rack full of sleeping bags and do-dads. The previous day, I lose my voice. Today, my throat feels like hot coals as I ingest 3000 cough drops. PA is too long and sucks. Pull in Columbus, OH after 9 hours to Cafe' Bourbon Street. Promoter is nowhere to be found. No local bands. No money. Sound guy hates everything. We feel like shit. Thankfully, excited cook makes us free burritos and we get free beers right before we play to pissed off sound man. Bartender tells us, in his European-bloc accent, "Nice job." Cool!

Day 7:
Cough syrup spills all over my pants in the car. Miss everything cool in Columbus to get the hell outta there. Head to Schereville, IN and The Modern Post. Along the way, we come across a sweet middle of the cornfield antique shop where I buy a Troggs 7'' as brittle as my grandma's shin bone. Everyone leaves with sweet junk, K in particular leaves with a SWEET ceramic cat for $8. Deal indeed. Eventually play to the locals and disenfranchised youth of the central time zone. This place is pretty nifty, and I'm glad this town has The Modern Post. Saving bored souls lives one lonely school night at a time. Off to Chicago that night.

Day 8:
Chicago rules. We stay with Kevin Oliver in his loft of magic. It's one you might see on MTV Cribs. Kevin nonchalantly tells us the rent he and his 9 roommate pay, which makes us NJ folk cry out of pure jealousy. We play the Observatory, the biggest stage and bar I've played, which happens to be a "room" in his loft, with Dethwarrant (ex-Sass Dragons), The Studs, and Period Girls. Deep Wizard makes their debut, riding in on a rascal, and serving endless fountains of Malort, a bitter-as-fuck, practically non-drinkable liquor. Malort's pretty good after 4 shots. Great show.

Day 9:
We go to leave Chicago with deep dish pizza and day old Malort fermenting in our stomachs, when all of a sudden... bham, car battery dies. AAA is our savior after unsuccessful jumps. "Don't turn this car off until you get to Michigan," says Juan in his White Sox hat. 4 hours to Lansing, Michigan. If you want to hear about what happened in Lansing, talk to us personally. Or if you were there, just relive it in your mind. It's better that way. Believe us, you should ask. But really, there are no words.

Day 10:
Off to Cleveland (Lakewood). First, we stop over at the house used in the Bob Clark family classic "A Christmas Story." My favorite part of tour. And, inside the house, the actor that played RANDY. Fucking Randy just hanging out inside of the Christmas Story house. AMAZING. Get to the Soggy Dog where we're welcomed by the nicest fucking people ever, Kenny and Matt. The Soggy Dog is the best house in the land, perhaps. Friend of the housemates shows up after show with her tattoo gun, and very drunk. Various regrets are then etched into people's sin in the living room. Some of that ink winds up on members of brick mower. Despite hints of terrifying cat ghosts in the middle of the night, we all get a great night's rest.

Day 11:
Heading off to Pittsburgh. It begins to rain as we roll into town. Met up with Cody, who again, is one of the nicest fucking dudes on the planet. We play with Junkfood, Big Slrrrp, and Unfun from Vancouver @ Helter Shelter. Another great house, but luckily no one brings a tattoo gun to the show. After the show, Kelli drives us home, winding through 7 hours of Pennsylvania mountains as I scream to watch out for deer that are in fact deceptive deer-shaped shadows. We pull into NJ in rush-hour traffic. At 9 am I climb in bed, my head spinning. We all probably throw-up and pass out in our respected beds we forgot to make a week before. Tour is good.
brick mower with RANDY!

TOUR TOUR TOUR with Period Girls

2010-11-03T18:53:00.004-04:00

It's November. That means turkey, gravy, American football, post election parties, frosted AM windshields, gravy, stuffing, post election funerals, VETERAN'S DAY, mashed potatoes, dead leaves, rain, gravy rain, and gravy.

But it also means, you're about to ENTER THE FUNHOLE!

Tomorrow night marks night 1 of the brick mower tour with our friends and trusty broads, Period Girls.

Drum roll............................................ BASH

And the dates:

11/4- Goodbye Blue Monday- Brooklyn NY 8 pm
115- Danger Danger Gallery- Philadelphia PA w/ Dry Feet, v-boys 9 PM
11/6- UMass Lowell, Lowell MA 6 pm
11/7- Rebel Sound Records, Pittsfield MA (matinee show) 2 pm
11/9- Café Bourbon St., Columbus OH 9 pm
11/10- The Modern Post- Schererville, IN 8 pm
11/11- Granny Frost Loft- Chicago, IL w/ Granny Frost
11/12- Basement 414- Lansing, MI 8 pm
11/13- Soggy Dog- Lakewood, OH
11/14- Helter Shelter- Pittsburgh, PA

If you know someone in these towns, and you don't hate us, tell em about it. Also, ask them how much room their floor has because we'd love to sweat all over it with night tremors. Ummm, we need some places to sleep is another way to put it. We'll keep you posted from the road. So find us on social networking sites for any changes and what not.

tanks.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN, cough cough cough

2010-10-30T12:55:00.003-04:00

If you're lookin' for something to do in NJ, come to this show tomorrow @ Meat Town. It's a matinee show (4:30!!!)

We're doing THE CHUNK.

Watch out for ghouls and goblins and all those scary wolves and bloodsucking Tea Party candidates.
INSPECT YOUR CANDY.

Celtic-Punk NIGHT with brick mower/Halloween show

2010-10-27T10:45:00.004-04:00

Tonight, we're playing this show @ the friendly home away from home, Brighton Bar in Long Branch, NJ with some Canadian punks. They have crazy mohawks and like polka. Friggin' nutty songs that, literally make you drink whiskey. When you put on the music of The Dreadnoughts, you become automatically drunk, and an empty bottle of Bushmill's is next to your lifeless body on the floor. Recovering alcoholics should be advised to forgo listening to the music of The Dreadnoughts, for relapse is imminent. Crazy stuff. Hooligan rock and roll for a new generation. Which raises the question; was their one for the old generation?

In other news, we just got word that our lathe cut 7''s have been delayed by the folks at the plant, not the folks over at Stumparumper. After charges were filed, and acquisitions made over general apathy, the plant finally decided they'd press these things, and pushed back the arrival date practically to the end of man-kind. So needless to say, we won't have them for tour. But they'll hopefully be out before X-mas. They go good with egg nog.

Finally, this Sunday, we're playing a Superchunk cover set @ Meat Town USA in New Brunswick. Erin Fancy from Full of Fancy and Marty Leahy from Silent Way will join our 3 piece to turn this into a bloated cover band of delusional fanatics. A bunch of cracked walnuts, we are. Honored to rock the classics of Chunk. Come in costume. It's an early show. STARTS AT 4:30!!!

So long.

These Diapers are 1 Year Old/Recording/Comp. Info

2010-10-19T11:25:00.010-04:00

Well, well, well, Happy B-day to us. Or in 3 days that is. Last October 22nd, we played our first show at Courtlandt Land in New Brunswick thanks to the good-graces of Kelli K. Got to play with Mike Bruno, We are the Seahorses!, and Batrider from freakin’-funkin’ New Zealand!!!! So, yea. It’s been a year in this band, and the knees creek a little when getting out of bed, and these gray hairs are starting to look rather dignified. Since last October, we’ve done 44 shows in 9 states, and are gonna keep rolling with the punches and keeping it cheap when eating our lunches. Thanks for making the year good. You know who you are! Look at how stupid we are in this over-used "1st show" pic. Think it's the only one from that fateful night. R.I.P. courtlandt/litterbox.

So, now that I’m past the self-glorifying birthday wishes to the band, I’m gonna announce that we’re going to be entering the Hunt Studio, NJ to record with Eric Bennet in mid-December to do the full-length album. When it will see the light of day, only time will tell? But for now, I’m going to rejoice in the fact that some of these damn songs will finally be put to tape and scratched off of the “songs to record” list. I hate that list.

Also, brick mower’s going to be on the compilation Friends with Benefits from Love/Hate Records. It should be out in mid-November. We’ll be playing a release show on November 20th at a yet to be named location in New Brunswick to commemorate the hard work put in by the two John’s over at Love/Hate Records. They’ll also be throwing a show in Brooklyn the previous night with other bands from the comp.

Our track is “Daughter, What is the Matter?” however; it’s an unreleased, re-recorded, re-charged, slightly different, and maybe better version than the one on “Floors.” But yea, for you completists, it’s new. Other artists on FWB include Dude Japan, Soft Black, Rapid Cities, mOck, Montagna & The Mouth to Mouth, Ex Wife, In Ribbons, and a ton of other bands are scattered across this thing.

Finally, a lot of shows coming up. Closest one on the calender is at Brighton Bar in Long Branch, Wed. October 27th Starts at 8 PM and it’s $8.

Check the myspace page for more show listings! Thanks a bunch, for the brunch.

Webstore is UP ----->

2010-10-11T16:43:00.003-04:00

http://www.vikingoncampusrecords.bigcartel.com

This is our webstore we set up a couple weeks ago where you can easily acquire our split 7'', CD ep, or t-shirts. Borrow your mom's credit card and go to town. But if you're under 18, ask your parent's permission. We don't wanna get involved with that jazz.

Thanks.

Unzip the October

2010-10-07T11:32:00.008-04:00

The title of this blog came from a Slogan generator online. I also enjoyed, "Life's Straighter without October" and "Because October's Complicated Enough."

Hey cool kids. Finally, the weather’s cooling off and our split-personality disorders and economic frustrations are heating up! Yes, October has struck, and the wheels are finally staying on for a change. Because our bandwagon is generally a rickety one.

But brick mower and Period Girls November tour is shaping up nicely and is almost fully rounded out. We’ll be coming to a town near you soon. Here’s what we got so far:

All shows w/brick mower and Period Girls

11/4- Goodbye Blue Monday- Brooklyn NY 8 pm

115/- Danger Danger Gallery- Philadelphia PA w/ Dry Feet, v-boys 9 PM
11/6/- UMass Lowell, Lowell MA (ask for details) 6 pm
11/7- Rebel Sound Records, Pittsfield MA (matinee show 2 pm)
11/9- Café Bourbon St., Columbus OH
11/10- The Modern Post- Schererville, IN 8 pm
11/11- Granny Frost Loft- Chicago, IL w/ Granny Frost
11/12- Basement 414- Lansing, MI
11/13- TBA in Cleveland, OH
11/14- Helter Shelter- Pittsburgh, PA

HOME!

If you know anyone in these great American towns, feel free to spread the word. I’ll post one final revitalized schedule as time goes on. Also, as you can see Saturday November 13^th is TBA in Cleveland. If you know anyone, or can be of help, we’d love some!

Also, out in time for the tour (hopefully) is our new lathe cut, clear 7’’ on Stumparumper Records. This is going to be a super rare item, pressed in a ridiculously small batch. Does that make us cool? I looked in the mirror this morning and I can already tell you the answer is "no." The artworks done by gig-poster extraordinaire Ryan Duggan, and will be black ink on yellow covers for those who care about such mind-altering minutiae.

Side A:
Box Turtle ('10 recording of it)

Side B:
Exit Flagger (Guided by Voices cover)

Again, hopefully be out in late October. Let us know the deal. We can put one to the side for you if you want one.

That’s that for now.

Couple NJ shows at the end of the month to report on:

10/27- Brighton Bar w/ The Dreadnoughts (crazy Celtic polka-punk from Vancouver), The Discontent 8 PM $8 18+ (a lot of 8’s I just typed there)

10/31- MEAT TOWN USA (Halloween covers show doing Superchunk w/Erin Fancy and Marty Leahy) 4 PM (early show so you can go trick or treating after)

"And all because the lady's love October"

So long September. Hello October. And so on...

2010-09-29T21:50:00.003-04:00

This is tomorrow's show! Be there, unless you have to use a rowboat to get around, cause Mr. and Mrs. Weatherman are saying scary things about the clouds cryin' all over us. Tomorrow, the angels will be bowling, and God will sweat all over the land of New Jersey, but the show will go on.
Friday, this show's in Brooklyn at Party Xpo. Starts at 10. I think we go on at 11 and Banditas are touring from Boston. Radical and fanatical. Not sure how much this show is. I'm gonna say $7? That sounds like a good guess to me.

A real blog coming soon. Not just pictures of flyers and frogs with hats.

Where the streets run wild with Cheese-whiz!

2010-09-24T19:35:00.004-04:00

Hey! We're gonna be in Philadelphia tomorrow with the same damned awesome line-up that we played with last night. It's at The Dreamcastle in South Philly. Mike Bruno and the Black Magic Family Band start at 7 PM. Banned Books and Granny Frost are on tour, so if you're in Philly, tell your Philly friends, Chase Utley, and that fieldgoal kickin', garbage pickin', Philadelphia phenomenon to come out to the show. Donations for the road traveled warriors of rock n' roll please...

GRANNY FROST WEEKEND w/ brick mower and the gang

2010-09-21T21:22:00.009-04:00

Hey everyone. On Thursday, our friends Granny Frost, from Chicago, IL start their tour at none other than....!!!!
MEAT TOWN USA in New Brunswick, NJ

Also on this show is Banned Books and Mike Bruno!!!

In the past year, Stumparumper Records has helped put out stuff for all of these bands including us, and now we're all getting together for some shows. Banned Books will also follow Granny Frost through the weekend.

brick mower will also be appearing at this show!
-Saturday 9/25 @ DreamCastle in Philadelphia w/(the same awesome line-up!) Ask us for that address if you like or live in Philly.

Here's the Granny Frost/Banned Books dates if you wanna be like Phish-heads and follow them around:
9/23 @ Meat Town USA in New Brunswick, NJ
9/24 @ Dave's Basement w/Bloody Swimsuit in Worcester, MA
9/25 @ DreamCastle in Philly
9/26 @ Bullshot's Pizza Pub w/Zebra and Bulls Fight Tonight in Atlantic City, NJ

Also, once more, we have some shirts in S,M,L, and XL. You can order them below if you'd like by clicking on this link.
http://www.vikingoncampusrecords.bigcartel.com/

Thanks a bunch!

Let us Dress You/Hug Your Local Door Man/Shows Abound

2010-09-19T02:09:00.004-04:00

Hey everyone. My fingers have been off the keyboard this September for the most part. I'm anticipating the weather cooling off, but every time the radio/TV tells me it's gonna be 70 degrees with Fall-like conditions, it turns into an 85 degree sweat fest (and then a tornado touches down in Brooklyn/Queens). NUTTY STUFF.

Is this to blame for the lack of blogging? Sure, I'll blame it on the weather.

But anyway, just got back from a little show we played tonight. Got asked to play last minute at Court Tavern in New Brunswick with SLAW, the Weird Fantasy Band, Black Wine, and the resurrection of Mohawk Barbie. Twas a nice one. AND, someone does need to give the door guy at Court Tavern a hug (only because I want to see if he'll whip out a pocket knife in former mentioned occasion). That gentlemen, for the second brick mower show in a row, didn't believe Kit was in the band, and questioned us MEN if "that person" was in the band. Ummm, yea.

THIS WEEK!
If you're in the NJ area, we're playing this show on Thursday, September 23rd @ Meat Town USA with our buddies Granny Frost from Chicago. Also, Banned Books and Mike Bruno are playing. This show is NOT to be missed.

So without any further add eww.... LET US DRESS YOU. We now have some new t-shirts. Here's a modeling picture!

Oppp, wrong picture.

We have shirts in S, M, L, and XL. Hope you know what those letters stand for. If so, you're in for a treat. Message us if you want to acquire one at vikingoncampus@gmail.com

Also, we have our "Floors" EP up for download over at our Bandcamp website.
http://brickmower.bandcamp.com/

WOWOWOWOW..

More info on the life and times of us to come. Hang on to your hats!!!!!

Period Girls Stain NYC/Let's Press Some Records

2010-09-05T23:13:00.008-04:00

This past weekend, Kit's other band, Period Girls got to rock and roll all over the streets of NYC. First they rocked. Then, they rolled. They rolled from block to block, down dark alley-ways, skinning their knees along the way. They rolled right over the Hudson, and back again. They rolled through Time Square, rolled right over the Major Deegan, rolled through the walls of the Lincoln and Holland tunnels, and rolled right into the arms of authorities, who charged them with excessive rolling, and causing a nuisance. That's how much rock and roll occurred.

On Friday, the Girls played Death by Audio in Brooklyn w/the Weird Fantasy Band, Unnatural Helpers, and Passive Aggressor. Then on Saturday, they got to play with Short Dark Strangers, Methodist, and Savage Pinkos! I must say, Friday's show was fucking great. Saturday, well I was parking the tour car for the band while they played. Were they good? Sure, why not.

So, what's up with brick mower? Hmmm, a new lathe cut 7'' is coming out this fall on Stumparumper Records. The records will be limited to 100, with a newer version of Box Turtle on side-A and a cover of Guided by Voices "Exit Flagger" on Side-B. I'm gonna take a shot and say that'll be out as the weather's getting colder (almost too cold).

That's it for now. Some shows at the end of this month:
September 23rd: Meat Town USA w/Granny Frost (IL) and Banned Books (NJ) in New Brunswick,NJ
September 25th: Dream Castle w/Granny Frost, Banned Books, and Mike Bruno in South Philly, PA
September 30th: Little Richard's w/the Maple Stave (NC) + more in New Brunswick, NJ.
October 1st: Party eXpo w/Divets (RI) in Brooklyn, NY

Also, still looking for some mid-west tour help in IL, WI, MN, PA if anyone's got some suggestions that we haven't unearthed yet.

Here's some pictures of girls at Death by Audio from Labor Day Friday:

August 23rd= Happy Belated Birthday, Keith Moon

2010-08-24T21:23:00.007-04:00

AND KING OF BRUTALIZING HIP-HOP, BONE CRUSHER!
and Colleen!

Yesterday was Colleen's birthday, the Period Girls' bass thumper and exquisite fucking cook/baker. To celebrate the situation, the whole mess of birthday shenanigans went down at Meat Town USA with In Air, the Weird Fantasy Band, Period Girls, and us. What a well rounded shebang. Like a bunch of smelly bums stuck in a festive pinata, the night went on with plenty of ear bleeding and birthday wishes, as well as blown instruments, busted noses, wasted kisses, flowing wine, and cheap thrills. OOOOhhhh, what a night.

Endless thanks to Tom of Mattress, Hunchback Craig, Kelli, Stefan, and anyone else who helped pass a second guitar around and plug me in, and for making every attempt to fix our crapped out gear before and as we played. Basically, everything that could break (even Steve's hand) did break. But oh well. What can you do? Tape it up and start again. So, the joint effort was much appreciated.

BUT, drum rolls please... Happy birthday to the Period Girls bassiest, raciest player of mayhem.

Furthermore this Saturday, we'll be back in New Brunswick @ The Court Tavern. We go on @ 10 pm.
Unfortunately, not really sure who's playing. In know a band called The Gazelle is playing. Not sure if this is actually the Iowa garage band, a different NJ band, or a real gazelle?

It might be our last show for a little under a month, unless something opens up along the way. Plus, there's a couple life obligations happening along the way. But, we'll play your b-day party/funeral if you want us to.

Also, seeking help for a weekend tour in VT, NH, and CT & then IL, WI, MN, MI, IN and some states in between. Got suggestions? Fill out the form and place it in the box. We like when it's full.

Massachusetts Weekend of Unwashed Underwear

2010-08-15T15:13:00.013-04:00

Hello Hello Hello,
It's been quite a whirlwind week in the wonderful and frightening world of The Fall. No, wait. I mean brick mower. Yea, sleeps been a little wonky and my showering schedule's taken a loopy turn for poor hygiene factor territory.

But, as known to some, we took a trip up to Massachusetts last weekend with our compatriots Period Girls. Quite a time indeed. We got to play John Doe Jr. Records with The Young Leaves, who rule the world!!!

John Doe Records Jr. is such a cool records shop too. If you can make it out to Greenfield, MA, stop here. It's almost like they don't know how good they got it there. "Oh, yeah. Here's a copy of 'Freedom of Choice.' Give me $3 for it. Oh yeah, and here's some Replacements records. Ehh, I'll take $4 for 'em," says the casual beer sippin' stoner dad. WHAT THE FUCK .

We then drove 2 hours into the night out to Allson, MA, where we all stopped to pee in a church pakring lot. This was followed by Steve realizing he left his phone in the field next to said parking lot, and a 45 minute detour back into the moose lined road followed. Then, we nearly ran out of gas in the land of crickets and pitch black wilderness, all while playing the "Name a band that starts with the letter..." game. Colleen picked Partridge Family for "P," neglecting to remember she's in PPPPPeriod Girls. Oh Colleen.

Sunday, we played The Butcher Shoppe in Allston, MA, after being sassed the previous night by a touring band of idiots, playing a different house, who refused to move their goddamn Prism out of the road to let us pass. What a sassing it was.
But on Sunday itself, we circled Fenway Park, parussed Newbury Comics, and got sidetracked in the town of Quincy when we tried to get to the famous Quincy Market in Boston . Soooo, GPS took us 30 minutes out of the way to a convenience store called "Quincy Market", and a town without bathrooms. Kelli really showed her bladder endurance in Quincy. The mayor should give her the golden key to the city!

Charlie at the Butcher Shoppe, and Rick from Pile recieve endless thanks for getting us on the show, and having a bad ass BBQ on the front steps. Then, Kelli drove us all home from MA on a school night, and got us back safely, stinky, and sleepy. All hail, the driver.

Thanks Period Girls!!!
Here's some pictorials, or is it pectorals?:

Weekend Happenings + We All Made It Home Alive

2010-08-12T14:05:00.010-04:00

Hey everybody. brick mower here to tell you about our crazy little weekend we've got planned for ya. I use the term weekend loosely, because the shows start tonight (Thursday). But who cares. Call out tomorrow. Here's some dates I'm throwing at you. Catch them.

-8/12: Coco66 in Brooklyn w/ Casiorossi, Prayer Town, + 1 more 9 PM 21+ $5

-8/13: New Brusnwick House w/ Black Wine, Silent Way, Sun God (OH), This Month in Black History (OH) 6 PM SHARP $5

-8/14: Buddies Tavern in Sayreville, NJ w/Black Wine, The Break Evens, The Young Leaves (MA)

Stop by if you're in the area. Especially if you like Black Wine. You've got 2 chances to see them show us up this weekend. For Friday's show, get there at 6 PM on the dot because Black Wine's racing up to Maxwell's to melt an openface sandwich with Screaming Females.

And how can you beat Saturday's FREE show. Also, The Young Leaves are coming down from MA to play, and they are so goddamn good I can't take it anymore. We got to play with them over the weekend up in MA and I'm psyched outta my eyeballs to see 'em again.

SPEAKING OF THIS WEEKEND'S PAST TOUR WITH PERIOD GIRLS.....I'll wait for a couple more pictures to roll in before I talk about Kelli's SUV that I graciously stunk up as she drove us all back into the NJ skyline.

And Steve broke his hand. Come see him play in a cast. Huh-boy.

Massachusetts... Here We Come, and Thanks for All the Fish

2010-08-05T22:50:00.003-04:00

This weekend, Period Girls and us are heading out on a 2 day, 2 show trip up to the beautiful state of Massachusetts, where the Sam Adams flows and the Red Sox continue to forgive Bill Buckner.

We're playing Saturday at John Doe Jr. Records w/ Young Leaves and Snow White in Greenfield, MA. On Sunday, we're playing at The Butcher Shop in Allston, MA with a shit ton of bands. Both shows are all-ages as far as I know. Thanks to a select few of helpfuls for helping us and Period Girls out on these shows.

So if you're looking to get away, want to skip out on your coincidental family vacation to Massachusetts, or wanna tell your New English friends, please do all of the above four things.

Thanks also to everyone who came out to Asbury Lanes last night and watched, chatted, bought stuff, had a drink, or told an obscure joke with us and the other bands of merry men and women.

Ok, Goodbye!

Ok, wait! I'm putting the 6 CD set "The Complete Peel Sessions" from The Fall onto ITunes through CD, and my computer is freezing. I am now mad and think I will take out the garbage to vent. Punk Rock keeps on giving and giving.

TAPES 'N TAPES WERE ALL THE RAGE....

2010-07-29T11:28:00.005-04:00

Remember that band? Tapes 'N Tapes? They certainly were something. Yea, I have their CDs. So what? You wanna fight now or something? Your CDs are better than my CDs? Is that it? Well I can go toe to toe Mr. Meanstuff. Sure, go ahead. Call me that. I'll just turn my Tapes N Tapes CD up louder and drown you out. Feel the rock.

Tapes n Tapes is also what we got for you!!!! Just in time to sell out of our brick mower/Granny Frost split cassette (put out last December by the Chicago based, Songs on Tape label), comes our newest tape calamity. It's the FLOORS ep, reissued here on cassette through the pride of Pennsylvania, Stumparumper Records.

Each tape is individually spiffed up for your enjoyment. It's like a maddened Security guard at the Crayola factory got hold of our tapes, and had his sensual way with them. They're all hand numbered with love from Pat Kelley, proprietor over at Stumparumper.

You can get them from us at shows or from Pat for just $2.50 at http://www.stumparumper.com/

And just get everything from that label. Seriously, all the releases are fucking awesome. The packaging on everything is SPECTACULAR. It's a shame if you don't own at least half the shit off that label.

Preaching a little? Maybe. Sorry. But, yes. Help support a fantastic DIY label.

Here's 2 shows you should know about coming up!

This one's tonight. If you happen to be reading this right now, cancel your plans. Actually, no wait. 2/3rds of us are mighty sick. Seems brick mower is either stalked by snow storms or colds/vomiting before our shows. So don't cream your pants over this one yet.

Then there's this show, which is next Wednesday. Could you ask for a better show? Ok, maybe if you wanted to see The Velvet Underground open up for Pavement at The Beatles' Shea Stadium concert. But that's impossible anyway. So don't even think such crazy thoughts. Take care, or take car.

Somethin's brewin' in my stomach.

2010-07-17T23:48:00.005-04:00

Hmmm, looks like I started posting something a few days ago, which I then erased, but somewhere along the line I hit the publish button. So if you frequent our brick mower blog, all 2 and a half of you have probably just seen "The Future Ain't" posted, with nothing else under it.

What does it mean?

Fuck all if I know.

So, without any further ado, here's some pictures to make up for it.

Our next show is @ The Brighton Bar in Long Branch on July 29th w/ Trinitron. This flyer lies too. Lugrust isn't playing anymore, but is being replaced by another one of Jacko's bands. If you know Jacko, then they're like Lugrust. Hope to see you there!

Check back tomorrow or something for something I maybe meant to post over the weekend. Thanks Frank.

Last Minute show @ Meat Town 7/14

2010-07-12T20:37:00.002-04:00

Just found out about this show. With Steve in England and unable to bang the drum, our friend Dave Smilow will sit behind the kit for a show and play a few songs he knows. A nice sweaty way to kill the downtime hangover. Come watch the rusty oldies played without a safety net.

Also, Mountain Dude and Permanent Vacation (from MN) are playing too. Come out, and give $5 to Permanent Vacation, cause they've got a lot more driving to do around the country. Come to see those bands. We'll be there drinking recreationally and playing as well.

7/14
@ Meat Town
$5
6:30 PM (over by 10!!!)

Mairzy doats and dozy doats and liddle lamzy divey....

2010-07-10T00:33:00.008-04:00

NO BETTER TIME TO ANNOUNCE THE NEWEST PRESSINGS OF OUR OLD EP THAT AIN'T EVEN THAT OLD!!!

FLOORS!

So what is with this "Floors" EP? Why the rereleaes you ask? Who are we? Aerosmith? Red Hot Chili Peppers? Three Doors Down? None of the above actually.

As reported in an earlier post, "Floors" is being released on Stumparumper Records in cassette format and limited, to I believe, 50 copies. Unfortunately, I don't have the cover art because I think I sent all the copies to Pat Kelley in Pennsylvania leaving me nothing to scan onto my computer but the side of my face or my butt cheeks. If you wanna see that, I'll be happy to accommodate your creepy "office party gone wrong" fantasies. But I'm not too keen on that.

We're also repressing the CD on Viking on Campus! "Floors" came out last October, right as we began playing shows and making this a functiong band. So why the "new version"? Well, we've sold out of the first run (not as impressive as it sounds). However, if you have the copy of the EP, you'll notice you can't read the song names on the back, and the disc art is flat out lame and blurry. So yeah, the new run of these CDs aren't "remastered by Bob Weston" or anything. They just have so me new artwork to look at. If you already own it, it's not worth getting again.

Also, Stumparumper Records will have a table at the annual Punk Rock Flea Market in Philadelphia on Sunday, July 25th. It's located @ 461 N. 9th St. and it's only $3 to get in. Stop by and say hi to Pat Kelley himself(mastermind behind Stumparumper Records). We too will be walking around, fingering our way through the record bins and getting into scuffles with local law enforcement.

Finally, a week tour may be in the works for October w/ Period Girls. Anyone have a van or a '4 X '8 trailer they wanna get rid of? We have money or a shit load of mid-80s baseball cards to give you.

Seriously, any leads on acceptable transportation is appreciated. Thanks a bunch.

....A kiddley divey too, wouldn't you?

Fire Works for Everyone, but Us

2010-07-02T22:50:00.019-04:00

Happy 4th of July, 2006 everybody.

Only about 4 or 5 people, excluding me, may understand that. Man, there's nothing I hate more than an inside joke.

So what if it's July 2nd, 2010? Shoot me with a firework if you'd like, but I'll wave my freedom flag in your face and whistle Yankee Doodle Dandy all the way to the freedom bank.

Ok, so brick mower is the band we are in. That is Kit, Steve, and myself. But as reported in the last blog, Steve is now in England studying abroad or a broad. I don't know where one's wandering eye may go. So yea, Steve is off eating fish and chips and watching football. (Translation: Eating fried cod and freedom fries and watching soccer). So, we are a little inactive right now in the public appearance department.

That is not Steve, but only what I imagine Steve doing right now.

So, daydreams aside, when Steve's back, we have shows lined up at The Brighton Bar w/ Trinitron, Asbury Lanes w/ Natural Child, Full of Fancy, and RSO, and a show at Buddies w/ Black Wine and The Break Evens. Plus, we're working out a weekend tour with Period Girls that'll take us up to Massachusetts. Hope it all pans out.

Finally, after months of fiddling in the Suburban Ranch Home Compound (srXhc), and at Eric Gieg's house, we're finally on to the mixing process for 8 songs that are gonna be scattered over 7''s and comps. for the next year or so. You can listen to a very rough mix we did of a Sebadoh song, "Ride the Darker Wave," off of their "Gimme Indie Rock" 7''. We tried, but not sure if we did it justice. Enjoy for now.

brick mower: "Ride the Darker Wave" [Sebadoh cover]

And for those who might have missed it, here's the super secret track from the old band Kit and I were in, Network of Halos. This was the last song on the "CYFOFT" album. A hit to some. To most, no. Take care.

"American Man [bonus track]" from Network of Halos "Conquering Your Fear of Small Towns" [2007]

DON'T FUCK WITH MAISY!

OUR BLOG ISN'T DEAD!

2010-06-19T16:58:00.007-04:00

So, I went to blog after our show last Monday night at The Court Tavern w/ Rapid Cities, Kicking Spit, Reaching Away, and Perfect Future. Quite the show! A lot of fun as well, in case you wanna know if I had fun. So I went to sign on Tuesday night, and I was denied access. Hmmm. "Oh well," I thought, "I'll try tomorrow," cause I was about 2 and a half sheets to the wind. So, Wednesday, same shit. Thursday, the same. I'm pressing buttons to get passwords sent to my email, all this boring tech bologna. Then, blogger's tech suggestion is "Maybe you're signed into the wrong email?" Oh, yeah. Whatever blogger. Like I don't know my own login name.

Turns out I had the wrong login name. For 4 days I sat at the computer angry and hopeless, punching keys and cursing. I'm becoming my grandfather, which is scary because he's been dead for years.

But anyway, crisis averted and I sturdy kick to my own ass. Hope y'alls summer is doing swell.
We had 2 good shows last week, one with The Timid Roosevelts down in Ewing, the other with all the great bands mentioned above.

Here's some actions shots!

So how 'bout those action shots taken by Colleen from Period Girls? Nice, huh? That's Steve in the man-t on drums.

SO, SPEAKING OF STEVE, he will be away for a month in England learning shit. Some call it studying abroad. I call it partying abroad 2000 and 0 '10 (girls gone wild UK edition, pub crawling, football lovin, rotten teeth flappin good ol' times). That's a stupid fucking name actually for anything. So basically, we won't be playing for a month while Steve's away. Maybe our buddy Dave can play a show or two but who knows.

Finally, our friend Eric Gieg is helping us finish up some tracks I played drums on back in Feb./March. 8 songs sat in the vaults and now we're rounding them out for future 7'' and comp. tracks.

That's all our boring shit for now. Where's yours?
Take care and pay your fare.

Maximum Rocknroll, likes us???

2010-06-05T23:10:00.008-04:00

Hmmm, hey all. And you know who you are. Give yourself a bow and pat on the back. Do it. I dare ya. Pat yourself on the back right now. Ahhh, doesn't that feel good. It's a little weird, you patting yourself on the back in your own room, or "family computer room." Fun, isn't it. And no one gets hurt.

Ok, I'm gonna shut the f(bleep)uck up and continue on with a bunch of cool facts that exist in the world that some how involves this band and our interests. Okay, so first off, I got a text from John Terry of Rapid Cities glory, informing me Maximum Rocknroll reviewed us in their June 2010 issue. So this is what they had to say. "Turn back the clock to 1988 for what was called 'college rock'- now known as 'indie.' Six college rock songs in the DINOSAUR JR. and GUIDED BY VOICES vein [they put it in CAPS, not I]. A little flat-sounding but still a nice change of pace."-MRR [in fact, Ray Lujan of MRR reviews!]

Hmmm, so okay. Nice to see the review and it seems generally positive. I'm assuming the flat sounding mean's production wise, being that's been my every-band's recording mantra in life. Or maybe we are just flat. Although 2 out of the 3 of us aren't flat, and I remind you that I am boy. This issue also featured an interview with Kamikaze Dan from MD's Lotus Fucker. We got to play with Lotus Fucker on our first day of tour last March and stayed at Dan's apartment where we were wowed with wry jokes and obscure anime box-sets.

In other news, please lend a hand if you can to the Kickstarter project for Love/Hate Records, run by the John's. No, not They Might Be Giants, but John Terry and John Cole. Love/Hate Records is trying to fund their 1st compilation and they need your help. We're due to have an unreleased track out on this compilation as well, as will Rapid Cities (they're they are again!). So, any kind of pledge can help them out. TIMES QUICKLY RUNNING OUT. Click on the link to help out the Johns. You shall be thanked by many.
http://www.kickstarter.com/e/Lm5P9/projects/lovehaterecords/love-hate-records-compilation-vol-1

AND.... Period Girls have some songs up on their myspace. Kit Gogan, brick mower bass extraordinaire, plays drums in that band. Our friend's, Kelli and Colleen are also in the band, kicking ass and forgetting names. They're equal parts catchy, grimy, vulgar, and sincere at the same time. And that's not some bullshit description. It's actually true, and that's a pretty fucking amazing thing to be. It's like getting bubble gum stuck to your sneaker on a 97 degree day, and having the wherewithal to snack on, and enjoy it later. Check it out.

(PPPPPEEERRRRRRIODD GRRRLS!!!)

Finally, we're playing in Ewing, NJ this Friday, the 11th w/ The Timid Roosevelts @ The All Call Inn. 21+ ya' travelin' punks. Thanks a bunch.

Last Nugget of Fun at the Litterbox

2010-05-26T15:18:00.005-04:00

This past Sunday we had the honor of playing the last show at The Litterbox, formerly known as Courtlandt Land. As mentioned earlier, we played our first show here last year so it was great to come in some sort of full-circle fashion and play the place we started out. I guess it's not full-circle because it wasn't our last show, unless I blow up or something before Saturday's show. Thanks to all the friends who came out, everyone that watched, and participated in this delectably fun, yet very very sad day in of local DIY-ness.

Thanks also to The Timid Roosevelts for driving up from Bordentown to play. My friend Cory was able to recommend them for the show and they were really fucking great, and super nice people too. Stefan and Old Snake shared yelps and drummers, and it was so ugly and beautiful. Jalopy struck the last ever chord in the basement, although not one you'll find in a "Learning Guitar for Dummies" book, so they were even better than the first time I saw them. And hats off to Period Girls, who opened the show with a 9 minute set of distorted garage punk, and expressed precisely why they don't want to go to rodeos with specific people.

Kelli and Kate of Litterbox fame have just moved in with the Mattress boys over at Meat Town. Fantastic. More Period Girls shows to come!

Finally, we're playing at The Court Tavern this Saturday. We go on at 9:30. Doors are at 9. Hope to see you there. Yes, you too.

TOMORROW, WE BLOW UP THE LITTERBOX

2010-05-23T01:44:00.004-04:00

Ok, so we are not actually blowing up The Litterbox. Nor are we, "blowin' it up" like a hip rap superstar might wax about on his wax stax. The Litterbox though, is unfortunately closing. We got to play our first show here on October 22, '09 with Batrider from New Zealand. It was fucking amazing. And since then we've gotten to play here 3 more times (tomorrow, our forth). The people here have been great to us, especially Kelli of Period Girls fame. We've only been coming here a short time but regardless, it's been such a cool spot that so many people have been a part of, and meant a lot to a ton of basement dwellers. But, in the past week, the reality that the house is closing its door to shows has started to feel very melancholy (& the infinite sadness-zwan). Such things are easily taken for granted. Appreciated at the time, but it really sucks when you can't look forward to it anymore.

So, alright, I'm done getting all teary eyed. Maybe it's the couple beers I just had. Many other bands deserve to play the last show here. Some were in mind (i.e. Screaming Females, but you know, they're on tour), but it will be a great show with a lot of friends and band families getting together. Come out to The Littebox/CLL in New Brunswick tomorrow night @ 6:30 if you can. Message us for the address or ask a punk.

The Lineup, you ask?:
-brick mower: who? bunch a' numbskulls if ya ask me
-The Timid Roosevelts: great fucking female-fronted punky-power-pop songs!
-Period Girls (Kit from brick mower, Kelli from Savantes, & Colleen from Ass_Cherios Guestbook play their 1st show)
-Old Snake (Stefan, from In Air's otha' band, 'cause In Air couldn't play)
-Jalopy (the name says it all, and they fucking rule)

Upcoming Releases and Shows and Backbeaters

2010-05-10T11:21:00.010-04:00

Hello y'all. Paula Dean here. No, just kidding. This is Eric from the supergroup brick mower. I say supergroup because Paula Dean has just joined on drums. No, just kidding. Why can't I stop talking about Paula Dean? Because her delicious recipes are weighing down my conscience and thought process. So, here's the scoop. A.) Paula Dean is a southern cookin' chef on the Food Network who got hit in the face with a frozen ham last X-mas (true story... see below) B.) Paula Dean is not in our band, and C.) Steve is drumming with us! Steve is not famous like Food Network cooks and chefs but he can play a mean drum and we're happy to have his steady paradiddles backing us up.

So, now that Steve's gonna bang the drum for us, we've got 2 shows to report. We'll be @ Tommy's Tavern in Brooklyn on May 21st w/ Savantes and others. Then, on May 29th we'll be at The Court Tavern w/The Earaches. Both these shows begin at 9, and we play @ 9:30 at The Court Tavern. It'd be nice to see you, under these show-like conditions later in the month, whoever you are.

And more releases to announce. Stumparumper Records, the great label that's brought you such ear-candy such as Banned Books, Railcars, Fuck Montreal, has agreed to release our "Floors" EP on cassette. They will be limited to 50 with new cover art. These will help people with outdated automobile tape decks to sing along to us while stuck in rush hour traffic.

Also, Stumparumper will be putting out a lathe cut 6'' picnic-plate vinyl of us sometimes in the near future. Yes, that's right. An actual picnic plate, with our music on it. Release date for that is some ways away but the tape should be out in the next month or two. Also, our split 7'' with Savantes will be out in a few months as well via Viking on Campus Records.

So yes, a lot of scattered brick mower tunes will be disseminated to the world in the upcoming months. Songs in the works for a new album that will just make you wanna get down and make-out. It'll be 27 minutes in heaven for you when this thing hits the shelf. But again, we've gotta write it first.

Okay, goodbye for now. Take care y'all.

Yummy.

Scratching the Vinyl Scene

2010-04-30T23:24:00.002-04:00

Howdy, folks and folkettes. Our vinyl record has finally seen the light of day. Well, half the light of day. Meaning, we finally appear on one side of a 7'' record cause this baby's a split. Your parents may be more familiar referring to this vinyl format as a "45," meaning 45 Rotations Per Minute. Anyway, fuck your parents. This is a 7" which may sound suggestive, but believe us, it is not.

After a couple months of blood, sweat, and fears, the record has finally seen the light of day. Like a newborn baby busting forth from the fresh womb of shyness, our 7'' has taken to the streets with confidence and a lack of motor skills.So, you want the details? The 7'' was released on our very own Viking on Campus label. On Side A we have Granny Frost from Chicago, IL. Granny Frost is one of the best kept secrets we've been lucky enough to find. Granny Frost is one of the great enigmas of the world. The kind of music project that you dig through crates and crates of old dusty records hoping to stumble across. It's an honor to share a side with Mr. Granny Frost. Oh yeah, Kevin Oliver (of Granny Frost glam), has put out our previous split release on Songs on Tape last December, and "second time" is the new charm.

By the way, we only have three copies of those split tapes left as of now. If you want something fun to show your grandkids, you can email us @ vikingonacmpus@gmail.com for those tapes. Hell, if you want the brand spankin' new 7'' you can email us there too. Again, the number to call again is.... vikingoncampus@gmail.com

godnight, godbless, and godluck

Punk's Not Dead, It Just Hit the Hay

2010-04-19T11:46:00.006-04:00

Show report! Show report! brick mower is gonna be playing some rock and roll tunes to the general public, who I'm told is into rock and roll music! All 3 bands plan to shake, rattle, roll, fall, spit, kick, and punch their way to freedom! Who else is playing? Cats Are Everywhere, that's who. Who else? Mike Bruno and the Mouths of Mire. Or as I like to say, Mike "Fucking" Bruno. I just don't like to say that around my mother.

If you don't know where the Brighton Bar is, it is at 121 Brighton Ave. in Long Branch, NJ.

Also, if you're hungry, I found something you might like at the store the other day. Take note of the upper corner of the jar. It's organic!

Our show is $7 to get in to. And Hair Mayonnaise is $10?!

This is Why Dave Can't Have Nice Things Anymore (all that and MORE)

2010-04-16T11:56:00.007-04:00

Just finished up a whirlwind week. Why a whirlwind? Because I just felt like typing “whirlwind.” I don’t use it enough in my day to day conversations or writings, so I felt like now would be good time to employ “whirlwind.” Was it actually a “whirlwind” week? Well, more just like mildly gusty.

Got to play on WRSU’s “Overnight Sensations” show last Friday. Played 5 songs, including our #41, with a bullet, single, “The Worst Part of Loving You (is the Pain you Brew)(in your Cauldron)(you Witch).” Actually, now that I think about it, we forgot to play that song, but we did play others. Then we got to sit down for an hour with the show's host, Jared Migden, where we were interrogated, probed, and inspected in the nether regions of our young bodies. Jared really kicked ass, and let Dave Smilow (drummer extraordinaire for the night) and I talk about our fantasy baseball league for 10 nerd laden minutes. It was very punk rock and roll high school.

Last night, we got to play with Daniel Francis Doyle from the Lone Star state, Rapid Cities from the Garden State, Pearly from the Cal Ripken state, and Sparkle Shit from the State of the Union. This show marked the first appearance of newest brick mowianite drummer, Steve (yet another name to the list of awesome human beings who help us out on the drums).

If you were there, you may have heard my vocals chords shredding as I was downed with the sickness. I had the coughs. Also, while loading gear into our car before the show, we neglected to put K. Gogan’s bass in the car, and left it on the side of the road. It went unattended for about 35 minutes, until we realized we’d forgot it. K.’s wonderful mother was called. Momma Gogan drove to find where we left it, and stopped a 60 year old man who just began walking away with the bass, claiming he thought it was put out for garbage. Whoo-wee, crisis averted. So now K. is recovering from her traumatic near death encounter of her bass, 3 guitar pedals, and a tuner (not to mention a colorful collection of nifty thick picks).

This is what we think the man may have looked like stealing her guitar, based on eyewitness accounts and an artist rendering. .....

That’s all for now. NEXT SHOW @ BRIGHTON BAR in LONG BRANCH, NJ 4/22 @ 9PM 18+ We’re playing with Mike Bruno and Cats are Everywhere. Mike fucking rules, as does Cats are Everywhere. Come out because prime-time television sucks anyway. (The views and opinions expressed in this page are strictly those of the page author. The contents of this page have not been reviewed nor approved by Neilsen Media Research, based on remarks made regarding prime-time television. Viewer Discretion is Advised).