Longtime scene musician and producer TONY REED meets with debut Doomed & Stoned contributor Doob Solo for an interview that meanders through Reed’s prolific career.

Have a seat with these two heavy rock heads as they talk about minimalist mods and retro recording techniques, gear, lyricism, and Tony’s favorite ways to connect with you, the audience.

We hope you enjoy this deeper look into his musical life with Mos Generator, Hot Spring Water, Stone Axe, Big Scenic Nowhere, and more, with a few Pentagram teasers thrown in.

This week on Doomed & Stoned Choice Cuts we go inside the first annual Doomed & Stoned Awards (aka the Doomies), with an emphasis on both the Best Song and Best Cover Song nominations.

See the complete list for all 8 award categories in The Official Guide to the Doomies and cast a vote for your favs at Doomies.net.

NOTE: voting closes at day’s end on Friday, April 9th!

Winners will be announced in a special stream on 4/20.

PLAYLIST

INTRO (00:00)
  1. Acid Mammoth - “Jack the Riffer” (00:07)

HOST SEGMENT I: Best Song Nominations (07:38)
  2. Dopelord - “World Beneath Us” (08:13)
  3. Elephant Tree - “Bird” (13:36)
  4. Lowrider - “Bird” (13:36)
  5. Psychlona - “Blast Off” (25:42)
  6. Witchskull - “Baphomet’s Child” (33:19)

HOST SEGMENT II: Best Cover Song Nominations (36:26)
  7. Clutch - “Fortunate Son” (CCR cover) (37:01)
  8. Mos Generator - “Son And Daughter” (Queen) (39:24)
  9. Hippie Death Cult - “Fairies Wear Boots” (Black Sabbath Cover) (44:31)
10. Howling Giant - “Rooster” (Alice in Chains) (51:11)
11. Khemmis - “Rainbow In The Dark” (Dio) (57:12)

OUTRO (1:01:14)

Originally aired Thursday, April 8, 2021 on Trendkill Radio.

Here’s a thought I had while watching people conduct interviews at Hellfest this year. I was watching these journalists bring out all this fancy equipment to do surface level interviews with a small handful of bands. Meanwhile, I get more traction producing episodes of my Bacons Bits video series with just a cell phone and less than five minutes of a bands time. And like who even gives a shit about video interviews done by amateur journalists in hot rooms, asking the same five questions over and over? This led to me asking myself a question about DIY bands, because my brain is weird like that. What I thought bands had to ask themselves was this: are you creating the type of content people want to consume?

This is a really rough question to have to ask yourself because it might force you to recalibrate your band’s entire approach to getting fans. However when you embrace it, you start to see some very real opportunities that can help bring more people into the fold of your band. To answer this question, we’re going to look at the fundamental rule of social media content: thinking about how others perceive our content, and then looking into the kinds of shifts you can make that will get people wanting to consume your content. Once you get to that point things will start to fall in your favor. Let’s dive in.

I. The Fundamental Rule of Social Media Content

The reason that people give a shit about this article, the videos I create, the podcast I have and all my other content is that I’m creating something people want and putting out stuff that tells a story. If you look at my feed on Instagram, you’ll see that a third of it is stuff people want – that is to say, cool band advice in the form of my Bacon’s Bits videos. The rest of it is usually stuff that helps add to the overall narrative of what I’m doing.

I try to share personal history and show off the cool stuff I get to see, but it all ties into the overall story of what I’m doing, which further bolsters the fundamental thing people want — which is the advice videos. Every post I create is built around this rule. Is this something that people who I don’t personally know are going to want to see? If the answer is “no” then I usually don’t post it.

II. Learning How Others Perceive Your Content

Bands need to do the same thing – they need to look at their content objectively and ask themselves: where is the concrete value in what I am posting about? How is this going to interest my audience? What information am I communicating? So often, bands don’t have a clear idea of what they’re communicating, while the message can be very simple. Anything from “we had a great rehearsal and wrote a new song” to “here’s an upcoming show” works, as long as there’s a clear message.

You need to share part of the experience or deliver a reason to make people want to keep coming back. The most obvious way to create value for the listener, and the one most relevant to bands is to create really fucking good music and have a really good live show. It’s therefore easy to post videos because you’re sick live and, as such, people will want to check back because you’re that good.

III. Shifting Your Content Strategy

So, if you think your music is so good that randoms are going to dig in, how then do you create content that people get excited about? Well first and foremost, you need to actually create it for where people are, not where you want them to be. I know that your personal Facebook page, for example, gets a lot of traction. But guess what? There’s a limit to that. You need to push content on platforms that people are excited to engage with.

It’s the same reason that big labels focus less and less on premiers, preferring instead to run stuff on their own platforms as people actually check a label’s Instagram. Although, the average amount of views (even on a big site) is usually pretty small – nothing compared to what a label gets from tossing up a new song on their own channel that has thousands of subscribers. So, you can either start playing the game with this in mind, or you can keep creating wherever you want and stay screaming into the void.

The concept is simple. It’s like you’re day trading in attention. You’re exchanging on the simple fact that you need people to pay attention to your band so they can see your music is good. You can’t do that on platforms that nobody gives a shit about. You need to do it on platforms that not only interest fans, but that you can also actually create stuff for. However, remember that the more you document, the more you’ll be able to create. So when you think about the fundamental rule of social media, ask yourself how it brings value to those around you and be amazed as people start to really dig in to what you have to offer.

Matt Bacon (IG: mattbacon666) with Dropout Media is a consultant, A&R man, and journalist specializing in the world of heavy metal. Matt also co-hosts the Dumb & Dumbest podcast with Curtis Dewar of Dewar PR.

In just a matter of weeks, MOS GENERATOR will be heading out again to please the groove-thirsty ears of the land during their upcoming Tour of the Shadowlands, in support of their new album ‘Shadowlands’ (2018 - Listenable Records), reviewed here.   I had the pleasure of having a conversation with legendary instrumentalist, producer, and frontman Tony Reed just before Mos Generator head out across the United States and Canada, where they will be included in the line-up of Doomed & Stoned Festival on October 5th. Wishing the band luck, love, and prosperity on their next journey!

Have you considered a concept album involving all moss-covered instruments to bring a true sound to the original derivation of the band name, Mos Generator? How do you think that might sound if you were able to capture that sort of meta?

We released a concept album in 2005. It’s actually my favorite album I’ve ever made. Very difficult to produce though. May not try it again.

Did you use a moss-covered drum, though?

No.

I just kind of think that with you name concept and not necessarily your music concept, you could make that work somehow. Explain the concept of the 2005 album. Why was it your favorite?

It’s a very layered and complex album. It’s basically a 48-minute track with 12 movements. The concept is the end of the world by man and by biblical prophecy. It took two years to write, record and release. “The Late Great Planet Earth” is the title. It’s a mix between Sabbath, Pink Floyd and King Crimson. A heavy prog album. None of our other albums sound like it. It’s our second album, released in 2005.

I saw that you love Sabbath, including Mob Rules, which I surely agree with its amazingness. However, you don’t like the self-titled Black Sabbath? I’d have to say, I can’t stray from its hold.

I love all Sabbath up to Born Again. They were playing in my house as a child and I was brought up on them. My favorite band.

I like the combination you mention, and I can hear that in the style. What about the end of the world prophecies drive you toward creation? What is your favorite strange prophecy statement? Luckily, too, my dad had all of the best 70s vinyl to grow up with!

When I was a teenager, there was a lot of scare with going to war with Russia and documentaries like “the late great planet earth” and “Threads” were used as scare propaganda by religion to make people turn to religion. That mixed with my obsession with atomic bomb testing docs and is what drove me to write the record. Also, the drummer and I had a saying, “shave your head and kill”, so when we started making the record, we shaved our heads.

What are your pre-show rituals? I have frequently taken advice from this question of musical peers in particular. Even in simplicity, I find a ritual to become rewarding in performance. How about you?

I usually watch the band before us and hum along to the melodies to warm up my voice. Then, 15 minutes before they are done, I go warm up on guitars. During that time, I also drink lots of Jäger.

I like the attunement with the previous acts! How does the Jäger help? I know we all have our rituals. I want to know how you feel this best contributes to your part in Mos Generator?

Jäger does a few different things for me. It lubes the throat and when I drink just the right amount, it helps me forget my mistakes on stage. I also seem to have better flow on guitar. Maybe because my mind is not so engaged in that exact moment. Who knows?

Do you like The Allman Brothers Band?

Of course, I like the Allman Bros.

What is it like being in a band and living in Port Orchard, Washington?

Port Orchard is a town of about 14,000 people and I like it that way. I grew up in an even smaller town that is two hours west of here, so that is kind of how I roll. No crazy city life for me. I lived in Seattle for a year when I was in my early twenties and I hated it.

What is a typical day like for you?

Wake up around six. Coffee and toast. I go out to the studio every day at 7 a.m. and work on music for clients or myself. I make music every day.

Do you have a message to the universe?

I’ve been doing a lot of interviews lately about the state of rock music. I have to say it is alive and well. It’s not huge but that is the way I like it. It’s almost like “our secret” and we all keep it close. The grass roots approach to building a fan-base has always appealed to me and I don’t mind hitting the road doing the hard work that it takes to spread the word. The scene keeps growing, so we have to be out there taking ‘em on one by one. I’ll do it ‘til I can’t anymore.

BOISE. Who would have imagined that it was a crown jewel of the Pacific Northwest’s hardcore punk scene? An epicenter of post-punk hardcore music that would provide valuable seeds of the Seattle music scene of the 1980’s itself. Scenes – as I hate to describe them – were specific to the geographic limitations and influences found within. College towns had a young population, ready to absorb tension and blow it back out. Provided with a local radio broadcast and courageous late-night DJ, a vibrant night club scene and access to a highway route frequented by touring bands, each town could foster a scene indicative of each regional influence. A spider web of interconnected cultural hubs. It was a moment in time where everyone could express their rage, their joy and a band’s wish to take their gig on the road to the next big thing.

When I first heard about the H-Hour reunion in Boise, I knew I couldn’t miss it. H-Hour, a Seattle powerhouse band that would populate the Seattle scene with some of the forefathers of the (forgive me) Grunge scene. While H-Hour came to Seattle to gain attention and get more influential gigs, their roots are deep in Boise. Tad Doyle (Bundle of Hiss, TAD, Hog Molly, Brothers of the Sonic Cloth) drove the rhythm section on drums along with Darren Peters (Willard) on bass, Johnny Clint (Willard) on Vocals and Danny Brown on guitar. While the Boise scene was more of a hardcore punk flavor (pre-Treepeople band State of Confusion), H-Hour contained the slower and lower groove we were more familiar with.

Treepeople, too? A Treepeople reunion would be the capstone of the Boise Treefort Festival on 2018. Doug Martsch (Treepeople, Halo Benders, Built To Spill) and Scott Schmaljohn (State of Confusion, Treepeople, The Hand) took the Treepeople to Seattle for a successful run on C/Z Records in the early ‘90s. Only after I returned to Seattle, and Tony Reed from Mos Generator reminded me, did I learn that Tony played with the Treepeople! The festival gained critical mass for my interests when Boise guitar shaman Brett Netson (Caustic Resin, Mark Lanegan Band, Built To Spill, Snakes) signed on to perform a set with Crosss and an improve set with Tad Doyle. You can hear how I would feature Brett in this story when you listen to Caustic Resin and his current works with Snakes.

Tad Doyle was kind enough to grant me an interview bringing us all up to date with him, spanning 30+ years of Pacific NW history and the trajectory of the current state of music in Seattle, especially his new record label, Incineration Ceremony Recordings!

We all know what happened once Tad got to Seattle, when Doug formed Built To Spill – but what of the rest? How did the Boise scene evolve? My goal attending four nights at the 2018 Treefort Music Festival was to dig, absorb, and capture everything I could see and hear there – and prove without a doubt that the hardcore scene in Boise can draw distinct proximity to the roots of our current Doom Metal and Stoner/Desert Rock vibe. In essence, I was able to show that the festival culture was able to incorporate and honor the local scene’s legacy without alienating the core of the audience, while bringing in new ears and eyes to a stock of artists ready for proper attention.

When I planned my trip, I knew my brother would be instrumental in writing this piece. He’s been living in Boise for the majority of the past 20 years playing the scene in various bands. His drive to start a band in Seattle (FUZZBUD, 1993) and play the clubs was my inspiration for maintaining my residence there, even though by many people’s standards, the magic had left Seattle years ago. As the artist and musician communities get priced out of greater Pacific Northwest metropolitan areas like Seattle and Portland, Boise has been able to support local musicians and foster a lively club scene by way of a vibrant public access radio channel, a university whose students enjoy having a good time by attending concerts, and an arts community that is growing every day with the addition of California tech refugees.

So, let’s discuss how this vibrant, diverse music scene is anything doom, stoner, desert, or doom-adjacent in classification? Having spawned bands like H-Hour, Caustic Resin, Snakes and Uzala, the future roots of tomorrow run deep. While this story may transcend the boundaries of Doomed & Stoned, I feel it’s an entertaining journey, nonetheless. Follow me in my rationalizations and I shall explain!

Day One

I took a happy-hour flight the evening before the festivities began so I could re-acclimate myself to time zone (my excuse to drink cheap beer until the wee hours). Wednesday morning found us checking into the press suite of the Owyhee Hotel to gain our five-day wristbands and photo pit credentials. I gotta say, the staff were really looking forward to seeing who “Doomed & Stoned” had representing them. Definitely a door opener! We paused for the obligatory selfie in front of suite 420 – then off to prepare for the V-Fort festival kickoff.

V-Fort, hosted by the Vista Bar on the bench, was put on by a local promoter to showcase local acts who weren’t considered for the greater festival as a whole, and the touring acts that come through from the highways connecting Boise to Salt Lake City to the Pacific Northwest. My brother and BFAM (brother from another mother) and drummer from the first incarnation of FUZZBUD, Pat, have a band named The Sun Cat Brothers (dating back to the mid 1990’s), and are well acquainted with the local hardcore punk and metal scene that plays the Vista Bar. We were there primarily to see NO – a band fronted by Boise’s premiere hardcore record producer and studio owner (Chop Shop Recording). We were treated to a local band, Zemon Lemon, and touring from California: Frequency Within. While we were able to catch Andy Agenbroad (NO) in prime form onstage, we would follow up with him later at the studio to discuss his legacy recording and producing hardcore acts in the region.

We hopped an UBER down to the Linen Building (in the Linen District), as Idaho, while gaining some ground in progressive culture, is still ruled by a draconian, conservative, religious center. DWI and DUI convictions will basically stunt your growth and hobble you for life. The adage “Boise: Arrive on vacation, leave on probation” is a mantra worth checking out. Luckily, the local cab fare and UBER rates will not kill your bank account.

The draw for me at the Linen Building this evening was Crosss, a doom metal band from Victoria, B.C. who collaborated with Boise local and Caustic Resin frontman, Brett Netson on his Snakes/Crosss album. Brett would be closing down the festivities at the stroke of midnight with lit candles and a healthy smudge of sage, joined on stage by locals he’s collaborated with for years and his own son and daughter, surrounding himself and his ample pedalboards with a tribal drum circle.

Who was that swaying in the sonic breeze? None other than Caustic Resin bassist Tom Romich (Tommy Dirtweed) and his daughter – making this a family affair on multiple fronts. I had met Tom and Brett in 1993 when my band FUZZBUD found ourselves in the same obscure basement recording studio in North Seattle with Caustic Resin. It was obvious they were about to do something great.

What makes Brett such an enigma and proto-celebrity here? He’s a man of few words in person, yet prolific once he’s in his element. His guitar and gear mastery knows few boundaries as his wizardly appearance may suggest. His musings on politics and the future of the community can be heard every week on his Boise Public Radio program, “High, Wild & Free.”

We stayed well after closing so we could introduce ourselves to Crosss, then catch a ride back up to the bench for a sleep lasting until noon. Give the Snakes/Crosss album a listen:

Day Two

6:00 AM. Too damn early. Still – I get my morning walk to coffee in and downtown we go. No rest for the wicked. Wickedly hungover, that is. Power through.

Our first stop today was at GIG’s Music and Chop Shop Recordings, both local institutions in the Boise music scene for years. Andy Agenbroad, former owner of GIG’s Music and owner/audio engineer at Chop Shop allowed me a few moments to snap some promo pics at the studio and muse mutually about being TAD fan boys. Tad would be borrowing a few drum parts from Andy for his performance with H-Hour later that evening. Andy has had a unique distinction of being active in the local scene since the early 80’s, and has had a catbird seat behind the mixing console assisting so many of the bands throughout the region get their recordings out into the world (Sun Cat Brothers, included).

Many of the younger local acts that would be playing Treefort this year had the honor of having Andy’s guidance. Every regional scene needs a recording guru to help mold the sound, whether intentional or not. Seattle’s Tad Doyle and Jack Endino, Portland’s Billy Anderson stand out as a few. From amp and guitar selection and repair – to recording the band, Andy’s hand is evident.

Tonight was a departure from the local artists, being that it’s a festival and all. We’ve had Seattle’s Hobosexual on our agenda from the very start. They are popular with the record collecting set. Classic, big, brash and monolithic in sound, recorded and produced by none other than Alain Johannes (QOTSA, Them Crooked Vultures, Eleven). A recent KEXP in-studio performance was engineered by Ancient Warlock’s Chris Matthews Jr. – keeping it all in the stoner rock family. There’s no denying they fit with the stoner culture – flannel, PBR and Newport 100 menthol-spitting Teddy Ruxpin included.

While I did chase them across town for the day, finally crashing the artist lounge at the Owyhee Hotel (they get a no host bar? We got half a pizza and free Red Bull in the press lounge). We may have missed them, but we did get the distinction of being turned away at the door. That’s ok…we’d see them later that night at Humpin’ Hannah’s for a CRAZY good time! The boys are well acquainted with Hanna’s after playing Treefort a few years earlier…I’m sure she was anxious to have them perform again!

Ears still ringing and stepping over the Treefort Festival sidewalk street-meat diners, we made our way around the corner to Tom Grainey’s Basement in time to have a nightcap and view a surreal, smog-filled set by Red Hand Black Feet (now called Bright Old Giant). A complete guilty pleasure and new music find for me – and for our fans hungry for new jams!

Day Two – in the can!

Day Three

6:00 AM. Too damn early. Still, I get my morning walk to coffee in and downtown we go. No rest for the wicked. Wickedly hungover, that is. Power through. Wait…what day is it again? “Groundhog Day” Syndrome is setting in.

Today is the big day. The H-Hour reunion occurring at the Neurolux, followed by the Treepeople reunion – the second of three Treefort performances by them. The first occurred at the “Hell House”, a north end punk/DIY party house where the Treepeople played their first show back in the 80’s. Being as busy as we were the previous night, we opted to see them twice at the Neurolux and the Shredder – both iconic venues in their own right.

We were able to secure 5-day wristbands for the rest of our crew – so off to the show we went! The Neurolux, a long time focal point of the Boise scene, has been booked solid for the duration of the festival. Another scheduling boffo made me miss WEEED there earlier in the week. Hey, I tried. They played a 3:30 PM set and I think I was still asleep. I’ve been to the Neurolux a few times before, specifically to see the Melvins and Big Business a few years before. The building adjoins Boise’s premiere record store, The Record Exchange. It had been booked solid, as well. Seeing both the Treepeople AND H-Hour in this hallowed hall would be epic!

I made a break to the front of the room to capture images the best that I could. Luckily, the curtains parted and Peg ushered me backstage to snap some choice pics of Tad Doyle on the drum kit! Doug even got in on the action, looking amused toward the stage and crowd. H-Hour was better than ever! Every tone, every song sent everyone swaying back. This really was the key – this sound. In its raw, unadulterated form. This is where Seattle proto-post-punk-hardcore-what-have-you gets its sound. Soundgarden? They opened for them. Skin Yard? Mudhoney? Melvins? All from the same school. The common thread runs deep. Deep roots. I hear echoes to this day in bands who draw direct connections to them. Those who were in attendance back in the day and those that still listen when they can. Slow and low. The brown sound. You say stoner rock? I agree.

INTERMISSION! Yay! I caught Jamis Harms, guitarist for Hand Of Doom, Boise’s resident Black Sabbath tribute band hanging out with my friends and asked for a photo. As you can tell, he’s no stranger to the lens… or the tattoo needle.

My sister-in-law is seen here speaking with Darren Peters of H-Hour. She’s a fan of his music, and he’s well acquainted with her grandfather’s notoriety. Kenneth Arnold was the first to coin the term “flying saucer” when he was flying over Mt. Rainier. She’s quite the UFOlogist herself, now!

Treepeople take to the stage and I squirm and worm my way to the front of a packed house. Why I did not get into them in the 90’s, I’ll never know! I had my head wrapped up in Nirvana and Mudhoney and a whole lot of Death Metal at that time. They had just broken up when I turned 21, so that was probably a huge contributing factor. The Treepeople were a definite force in the scene – both in Boise and Seattle. Suddenly in 1993 BTS - Ultimate Alternative Wavers appeared on the shelves and Doug & the Halo Benders with Calvin Johnson came out in 1994 and that was that. In the past ten years of listening to my brother’s stories of Boise, and his collaboration with Scott Schmaljohn (Zen Zero and The Treatment), I’ve been able to piece together the missing years (Stuntman).

Flash forward to two weeks ago while on a photo shoot with Tony Reed and Mos Generator – when Tony revealed to me that he was in the Treepeople…twice (drums and bass) – and had appeared on Something Vicious For Tomorrow and Just Kidding, as well as the tours supporting them. Getting closer to Kevin Bacon (ask Jono Garrett about that someday). This PROVES without a doubt that the Treepeople are part of the roots of Stoner Rock here in the PNW. Not necessarily because of the style of music they wrote, but the lineage they spawned. That interconnected, often incestuous pool of musicians once isolated by regional geography and airplay, all-too-soon to be homogenized and spread out through the universe by the internet rather than a Ford Econoline.

My ties here in this effort are on a personal level. I took a chance and joined my brother’s band, eventually recruiting TAD’s drummer Steve Wied in 1994 after Willard disbanded and Foil was on break. Willard, being Johnny and Darren from H-Hour. Steve, having played briefly with Skin Yard after they lost Matt Cameron to Soundgarden, was the one who taught me the most in my musical career. Polyrhythmic time signatures with industrial sensibilities, introductions to underground punk scene icons and late nights studying his vinyl collection (Big Black, Pixies, Scratch Acid, Swans – all required listening) brought me up to speed. Our band FUZZBUD wanted to be the FIRST “Stoner Rock” band in Seattle – before the tagline ever came about. I was granted a unique and privileged education in the PNW music scene and it’s stayed with me. I’ve met a lot of colorful people along the way. We all have similar stories here in Seattle, Boise, Portland – those of us left hanging on here as the tech hoard invades and pushes us all out into the hinterlands, that is. There’s my Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.

Day Four

This, the fourth day of my itinerary, is the cornerstone of why I came. Let’s recap:

• Tad returning to Boise and reuniting with H-Hour.
• Brett Netson officiating a sonic ritual three nights previous.

Combine these two music powerhouses in an improv session on one stage, the Shredder, for a wake & bake (4:00 PM) set and VIOLA. History is made. Sonic fury and inter-dimensional portals await! Tad’s work with his band Brothers of the Sonic Cloth and Incineration Ceremony establish him as an orchestral genius, establishing the perfect platform for Brett’s vocal rasp and signature guitar & pedal mastery. The crowd in attendance, all local legends in their own right and Treefort faithful, received a true gift that day. Two very different captains of two similar star ships from the same port, who set diametrically different courses to arrive at this destination in one epic performance! Two guitar heroes sharing this moment in time with us.

A rest was needed before returning to The Shredder to see the headlining acts, Toy Zoo (touring with the Treepeople) and Sick Sense both hail from the Chop Shop Recordings camp.

The night was capped off with a third Treefort performance by the Treepeople. It’s amazing how a change of venue and lighting can dramatically change the set. By far, the best that I have seen by Doug, Scott and company. Seeing a room this size packed with two generations of fans, mouthing every word to every song. Soccer moms braving the pit just to have that moment back in the front of the stage. Young skate punks who wore out their dad’s cassette collections. All one and the same.

This is a feeling I get when I attend our shows in Seattle and Portland. We have geographic boundaries separating all of us, but the heavy community, whether doom, stoner, punk or metal, can attest to the live music scene forefathers who earned their wings in the pits. After years of thinking I missed out, I finally got vindication and fulfillment.

Day Five

With each passing show and every day here, I’m feeling the connections. There was the magic we lost in Seattle decades ago. Can Boise keep it going? What does the future hold for local clubs, hardcore bands, and their faithful audiences? Do communities need to rely on touring acts and multicultural events to bring attention? How do you sustain momentum? How do you make a sustainable music community?

We took the morning to rehearse with the Sun Cat Brothers, my brother and Pat’s band that came after Fuzzbud, still jamming updated Fuzzbud tunes with new material added all the time!

Enter Hansi Hilmer. A German import to Boise, he brought with him his own school of metal. Heavy Metal Clubs aren’t unique to the United States, I know of a few now through my Doomed & Stoned contacts. I thought it a magical meld of Biker Gang unity and true, undeniable passion for Heavy Metal. A community, a family to attend shows and parties with. Protection for those who may fall in the pit and support outside the venue to lift you up. Brothers and Sisters, clad in leather vests adorned with patches of your musical conquests.

Hansi now fronts Munchkin Suicide (referring to the Wizard of Oz fame and misfortune), a hardcore metal and punk sideshow of classics, covers and originals. Munchkin Suicide also is manned by members of MANY bands in this community, from the originator of the Rock On The Mountain Festival, to members of local grindcore band Kurgan Hypothesis, and Tulpaa, an eight-piece doom orchestra awaiting a proper recording and the attention of a welcoming doom community outside the city borders and internet-wide. As you can hear for yourself in this interview from Grainey’s Basement, these guys are true showmen.

So, I may have begun this trip with the idea of finding where Doom and Stoner rock may fit into the Boise and Seattle music heritage, but I ended up looking at my place in the community. I may not belong to any one group, style or school of thought. I’m a musical feral cat, feed me and I’ll stick around. What does one do to maintain momentum in a “scene”? Do you diversify and play other styles, open for acts outside your genre? Look at my portfolio: shoegaze, stoner and doom; Seattle rock veterans and drag, drag, drag (Gurl, them queens put me through the gauntlet more than most punk bands do!)   If anything, I’ve injected more of myself into the acts I work with than they do me. They’re my muse, yes, but my eye is there.

I got to spend time with my family and friends, exploring new sounds and revisiting familiar ones, all while putting my stamp on images for you to see. I got to see what my life would look like if I could do this gig full-time, and actualize that life that exists in the back of my heart. I wouldn’t have been able to do any of this without the support and love of my brother and his wonderful family, rock & roll community, and Doomed and Stoned’s Billy Goate for giving me carte blanche to do pitch this crazy idea to y'all!

My goal was to shine my light on heavy hitters in my backyard who I thought were worthy. I threw out the idea of a ‘Doomed and Stoned in Boise’ compilation to everyone participating, and to Billy Goate. If I can make it a reality, I’ll be knocking on Boise’s door for track submissions. You all are worthy!

I hope y'all enjoyed it! Cheers!

Check out the complete photo album: Treefort 2018 Photo Gallery

The prolific Port Orchard, Washington trio MOS GENERATOR has been cooking up another feisty full-length rocker for us. The eight songs of ‘Shadowlands’ (2018), out May 18th, make up one incredible release and I’m very happy to be reviewing it for you guys. I know this band is a big one for a lot of people out there and this, full disclosure, is my first proper initiation into a Mos Generator album, as I’ve previously only listened to a song or two here and there. I am happy to report that this is an excellent album full of powerful riffs and influences that range from Led Zeppelin to Lynyrd Skynyrd, not to mention some fantastic vocal work.

The title track introduces the album and is one of the more rocking tunes on the album (not that they all don’t rock). The opening riff is southern-flavored, with a heaping helping of Zeppelin swagger. As it leads into the first verse, it gets heavier and then lightens for the verse itself. This surprised me, but generated some genuine excitement to hear how this song would play out. I love the verse riffs, especially, and Tony’s vocals are suitably matched with them. “Shadowlands” is a killer song any way you slice it and a great way to open up the album.

The album closes in grand fashion, too, with “The Wild and the Gentle Dogs.” The acoustic guitar that ushers us into the opening moments the track is beautifully written. Sean Booth’s bass work is deliciously well-played. Vocally, this sounds like Dave Brockie has returned from the grave to add his truculent style to this wicked number, only in the visage of Tony Reed. The midsection of the song is an ominously toned riff. Listen on for a lead that Jimmy Page would be proud to call his own. This is just a seriously badass song from start to finish.

“Drowning in Your Loving Cup” is awesome, too. I really like the lyrical content, which is well suited to the thematic power and catchy rhythm of the music. There are once again spots where Tony has that Dave Brockie tone to his voice. I love that, as I sorely miss Dave Brockie’s musical escapades.

My top pick here, though, is “The Destroyer.” It’s easy to get into Tony’s driving guitar play, which works perfectly with the Jon Garrett’s steady-on drumming. The breakout leads and guitar licks bear a distinct Jimmy Page influence, an element of Mos Generator that I feel never gets old. The chorus is enormous and as catchy as anything on the album. Every aspect of this track speaks to me in a phenomenal way.

Shadowlands is a fantastic listen, brilliantly conceived and executed, an LP that fans old and new alike will be able to really sink their teeth into. Mos Generator has stacked the deck with everything a good album ought to have: killer riffs, strong songwriting, great vocal work, and the ability to wear one’s influences on the sleeve, while carving out a distinct sound. May 18th is the street date for this Listenable Records spin. I think you’d be well advised to grab this great album and give it a prime place in your collection.

Mos Generator on Tour

(with Fu Manchu)

• May 1st - Rebel Lounge – Phoenix, AZ
• May 3rd - Curtain Club – Dallas, TX
• May 4th - Barracuda – Austin, TX
• May 4th - White Oak Music Hall – Houston, TX
• May 7th - Vinyl – Atlanta, GA
• May 8th - Kings – Raleigh, NC
• May 9th - Rock & Roll Hotel – Washington, DC
• May 10th - Brillobox – Pittsburgh, PA *
• May 11th - Underground Arts – Philadelphia, PA
• May 12th - Bowery Ballroom – New York, NY
• May 13th - Brighton Music Hall – Allston, MA
• May 14th - Mohawk Place – Buffalo, NY *
• May 15th - Grog Shop – Cleveland, OH
• May 16th - Ace Of Cups – Columbus, OH
• May 17th - El Club – Detroit, MI
• May 18th - The Baby G – Toronto, ON *
• May 19th - Bottom Lounge – Chicago, IL
• May 20th - Total Drag Records – Sioux Falls, SD *
• May 22nd - Streets of London Pub – Denver, CO
• May 23rd - Streets of London Pub – Denver, CO
• May 25th - Substation – Seattle, WA*
• May 26th - The Manette – Bremerton, WA *

* Mos Generator only

This year, we decided to reach out to some of the musicians that have brought us so much joy with their creativity, passion, and moving performances. We asked, “What were your favorite albums of 2016?” Some preferred to give us records that they listened to most in 2016, even though they were released some years back. We’re grateful for these insights into what gets their buzz on! Special thank you to all the heavy hitters who participated, as well as Stephanie Cantu, Leanne Ridgeway, and Corey G. Lewis for coordinating! Doomed & Stoned eagerly looks forward to what 2017 will bring as the heavy underground continues to errupt with acid-soaked riffs and apocalyptic vibes! Keep on rockin’ and doom on! (Billy)

Sami Hynninen   (OPIUM WARLORDS, SPIRITUS MORTIS)

• Helmet - Strap It On  (1990)
• Deicide - Deicide  (1990)
• Napalm Death - Harmony Corruption  (1990)
• My Dying Bride - As the Flower Withers  (1992)
• Deicide - Legion  (1992)

Mikko Kääriäinen aka Count Karnstein   (CARDINALS FOLLY)

• Running Wild - Rapid Foray Great heavy metal, great riffs, great wanking music. Eternal Champion - Armor of Ire  (2016)
• Bölzer - Hero  (2016)
• Darkthrone - Arctic Thunder  (2016)
• Seremonia - Pahuuden Ääniä  (2016)

Ole Ulvik Rokseth   (HYMN, Tombstones)

• She Said Destroy - Time Like Vines  (2006)
• Grand Funk Railroad - Grand Funk  (1969)
• Bölzer - Hero  (2016)
• Kongh - Shadows of the Shapeless  (2009)
• Yob - Atma  (2011)

Gregory Meleney  (DANAVA)

• Good Rats - From Rats to Riches  (1978)
• Acid Wash - Big Heavy World  (2016)
• Blue Oyster Cult - Fire Of Unknown Origin  (1981)
• Susan Vaslev - Music From Enchanted Forest  (1971)
• Fabio Frizzi - Shark - Rosso nell'oceano OST   (1984)

Kyle Juett  (MOTHERSHIP)

• The Skull - For Those Which Are Asleep  (2014)
• Robin Trower - Long Misty Days  (1976)
• Deep Purple - Stormbringer  (1974)
• Roky Erikson - The Evil One  (1981)
• Blue Oyster Cult - On Your Feet Or On Your Knees  (1975)

Tony Reed  (MOS GENERATOR, STONE AXE)

• David Bowie - Blackstar  (2016)
• Motorpsycho – Here Be Monsters  (2016)
• Zippo – After Us  (2016)
• Whizkey Stik – On The Level  (2016)
• Spidergawd – III  (2016)

Dustin Hill  (BLACK PUSSY)

• Mott the Hoople - Mott  (1973)
• Cheap Trick - In Color  (1977)
• T-Rex - The Slider  (1972)
• The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds  (1966)
• Saturday Night Fever - OST   (1977)

Tim Peterson  (OLD BLOOD)

• Vodun – Possession  (2016)
• Mammothwing – Morning Light  (2015)
• Egypt – Endless Flight  (2015)
• Year of the Cobra – …In The Shadows Below  (2016)
• Holy Grove – Holy Grove  (2016)

Nighthawk  (HEAVY TEMPLE)

• Type O Negative - October Rust  (1996)
• Scorpions - Lonesome Crow  (1981)
• EYE - Second Sight  (2013)
• Hivelords - Tapered Limbs of a Human Star  (2015)
• Rainbow - Rising  (1976)

Jeppe Wittus  (DEMON HEAD)

• Edgar Broughton Band - Edgar Broughton Band  (1971)
• Jungle - Jungle  (2014)
• Pink Floyd - Animals  (1977)
• Second Sun - Hopp/Förtvivlan  (2015)
• Creedence Clearwater Revival - Creedence Clearwater Revival  (1968)

Jeff Owens  (GOYA)

• Leonard Cohen - You Want It Darker (2016)
• Metallica - Hardwired…To Self-Destruct  (2016)
• David Bowie - Blackstar  (2016)
• Darkthrone - Arctic Thunder  (2016)
• The Well - Pagan Science  (2016)

Sabine Stangenberg & Joey DeMartini  (DISENCHANTER)

• Castle - Welcome to the Graveyard  (2016)
• Grand Magus - Sword Songs  (2016)
• Mos Generator - Abyssinia  (2016)
• Shroud Eater/Dead Hand - Split  (2016)
• Electric Citizen - Higher Times  (2016)
• Holy Grove - Holy Grove  (2016)
• Youngblood Supercult - High Plains  (2016)
• Hellhookah - Endless Serpents  (2016)
• Brandt Bjork - Tao of The Devil  (2016)
• Old Blood - Old Blood  (2016)
• The Well - Pagan Science  (2016)
• Beastmaker - Mask of Satan  (2016)
• Doomstress - Wicked Woman 7”  (2016)
• Seritas - Blind to Reason  (2016)
• Old Blood - Old Blood  (2016)
• Kröwnn - Dracarys (single)  (2016)

Jon & Amy Barrysmith  (YEAR OF THE COBRA)

• Heiress – Made Wrong  (2016)
• Monolord – Lord of Suffering/Die in Haze  (2016)
• Mos Generator – Abyssinia  (2016)
• Beastmaker - Lusus Naturae  (2016)
• Ancient Warlocks - II  (2016)

Amanda Howell   (PSYCHIC DOSE)

• Comus - First Utterance  (1971)
• Fairport Convention - Leige and Leaf  (1969)
• Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Let Love In  (1994)
• Uncle Acid - Night Creeper  (2015)
• Trees - On the Shore  (1971)

Steve Janiak  (DEVIL TO PAY, APOSTLE OF SOLITUDE)

• Brimstone Coven – Black Magic  (2016)
• Wretch – Wretch  (2016)
• Howling Giant – Black Hole Space Wizard Pt. 1  (2016)
• Beelzefuzz – The Righteous Bloom  (2016)
• The Judge – The Judge  (2016)
• The Watchers – Sabbath Highway  (2016)
• Astral Mass – All Systems Go  (2016)
• Zed – Trouble in Eden  (2016)

Dan Harrington  (FISTULA)

• Church of Misery - And Then There Were None   (2016)
• Hierophant - Mass Graves  (2016)
• Piss - Stuck In The Gutter  (2016)
• Implore - Thanatos  (2016)
• Darkthrone - Arctic Thunder  (2016)

Marc Gaffney  (GOZU)

• Holy Grove – Holy Grove  (2016)
• Black Cobra – Imperium Simulacra  (2016)
• Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds – Skeleton Tree  (2016)
• Elephant Tree – Elephant Tree  (2016)
• Gorguts – Pleiades Dust  (2016)

Shy Kennedy  (HOREHOUND)

• Clouds Taste Satanic – To Sleep Beyond the Earth  (2016)
• It’s Not Night, It’s Space – Our Birth is but a Sleep and a Forgetting  (2016)
• SubRosa – For This We Fought The Battle of Ages  (2016)
• Elephant Tree – Elephant Tree  (2016)
• Funeral Moth – Transcience  (2016)

Steve Colca  (DESTROYER OF LIGHT)

• The Cure - Pornography  (1992)
• Ratt - Out of the Cellar  (1984)
• In Solitude - Sister  (2014)
• Blue Oyster Cult - Fire of Unknown Origin  (1981)
• Opeth - Sorceress  (2016)

Mike Desertt  (HORNSS)

• Swans – The Glowing Man (2016)
• Dinosaur Jr. – Give a Glimpse of What Yer Not  (2016)
• Cardinal Wyrm – Cast Away Souls  (2016)
• Stick Men With Rayguns – 1000 Ways to Die  (Live 1987)
• Profanatica – The Curling Flame of Blasphemy  (2016)

• Fatso Jetson - Idle Hands (2016)
• Floating Goat - Spawn Of Poseidon/Suburban Anxiety  (2016)
• Hammers of Misfortune - Dead Revolution  (2016)
• Eight Bells - Landless  (2016)
• Brian Eno - The Ship  (2016)
• Geezer - Geezer  (2016)
• Necrot - The Labyrinth  (2016)
• The Well - Pagan Science  (2016)
• Scharpling & Wurster - Live At Third Man Records  (2016)
• Darkthrone - Arctic Thunder  (2016)