DEA FIRES & LOS ANGELES AREA SHOWS

Bridgetown Records is about to release my newest record toward the end of May.  It is called DEA Fires and it is vaguely psychedelic and definitely bongo driven.  If you throw up a little bit, that's kind of the point.  Bongos are pretty solid in my book though.

The record will be available at my three upcoming LA area shows.

June 2nd @ dA Center for the Arts,
252-D South Main St., Pomona, CA
w/ comfort slacks, nicole kidman, no paws

June 3rd @ Manny's Depression Chamber
House Show, Fontana, CA
EARLY SHOW / 12 NOON
w/ comfort slacks, nicole kidman, torn humorist, infinity dots, bronson caves, shivering window, monochromes

June 4th @ Pehrspace
325 Glendale Blvd., Los Angeles, CA
w/ comfort slacks, nicole kidman

Amended DEA Fires Tracklist

This record will be coming out on Bridgetown Records in the Spring.

LADO A>
Indian Blanket
Solar Hits
Ominous Sounds
Poncho and Moonlight
Budding Fruit

LADO B>
Informers
The Grow
DEA Fires
Pilgrims
Weeds

DEA Fires Tracklist

Here's the tracklist for DEA Fires thus far....

Indian Blanket
Informers
DEA Fires
Pilgrims
Solar Hits
Ominous Sounds
Poncho and Moonlight

http://soundcloud.com/johnthill

If you couldn't guess this album is about agriculture in Northern Claifornia.

Where am I?

Though it is true I've been hiding out in the nether-regions of California, amidst the fumes of paradise, I have been working on several projects...slowly.

I. DEA Fires

An EP on Emerald Triangle cultivation and eradication

II. Water Wars

An insurgency involving water rights in the California Delta

III. Parking Lot

Record about the many conceptual permutations of the parking lot

IV. A record about the Napa Valley

Very hard to understand place and people, but I persevere.

For new recordings go to www.folktalerecords.com
They are selling my second full length President of Happiness on cassette with download code.

Los Angeles Shows this week

1.20.10
PORTS O'CALL BEDROOM
2136 E. DEODAR
WEST COVINA
$3 ALL AGES 9PM

JOHN THILL
WHITMAN
NO PAWS (NO LIONS)
SEAN PINEDA

1.21.10
WOMEN OF CRENSHAW
1852 CRENSHAW BLVD.
MID CITY, LOS ANGELES
ALL AGES 9PM

RED HOT THILLY PEPPERS 360
NARWHALZ (OF SOUND) [RICHMOND, VA]
HAWNAY TROOF [OAKLAND]
SHAMS [RICHMOND, VA]
CHILL TENDENCIES

1.23.10
THE COOP
1417 W. 36TH PL
JEFFERSON PARK, LOS ANGELES
$3 6PM ALL ALGES
ALL THE CREPES YOU CAN EAT

JOHN THILL
VOICE ON TAPE
THURSTON MOORE IS A FAGGOT

1.23.10
PEHRSPACE
325 GLENDALE BLVD.
FILIPINOTOWN, LOS ANGELES
$5 9PM ALL AGES

JOHN THILL
NICOLE KIDMAN
HAUNTED TIGER
FULL FRONTAL
SCATTERED LIKE BIRDS [OAKLAND]

1.24.10
THE SMELL
241 MAIN ST.
DOWNTOWN, LOS ANGELES
$5 9PM ALL AGES

JOHN THILL
PIZZA!
I.E.
MUSICAL CHAIRS
ARISTIDES



It'll be rad. lot's of musical highlights, lots of friends.

2.1.09

1. I've posted a new song titled Day at Disneyland about entry into somekind of psychedlic inferno below the magic kingdom. Pay close attention to the segue between songs on the myspace player.

myspace.com/johnthill

2. The Broken Freeways tape has been released by Unread Records. I think it's one of the best releases I've had my hand in. It chronicles a time without plentiful gasoline in Los Angeles' dumpy suburbs. West Covina is the site of civil unrest, East Los Angeles is a warlord's fiefdom, Pico is an agricultural land of plenty.

Unread Records

3. The Sun, Smog & Hate compilation LP, released recently by Folktale Records has charted #1 on KSPC, Claremont. It's a good collection and it features a song by yours truly. The rest of the line up is formidable; Voice on Tape, Andrew Jackson Jihad, Foot Ox, I.E., Whitman, Clark 8 and more. It's cover was drawn by Brian Blomerth of Narwhalz infamy.

Folktale Records

KSPC

4. My Goth Tales Ep is still available for pre-sale through folktale. Here's the basic lowdown on that.

"Many of you may already know Thill for his tendency to work with concepts for his releases, and this record lives up to that in full effect. This is a collection of eight songs about gothic/pagan culture. The songs are dark, distorted, and often disturbing. The pre-order comes with two additional mp3’s, one, “Dark Will” is an outtake from the record, and the second, “Sword of Fire” is a new song written in the theme of the record. Both songs are exclusive to this pre-order. The album will come on tinted-red cd-r’s which is packaged in a large, black screened on black, fold-out, upside down cross."

Folktale Records

5. The mp3 blog 20 Jazz Funk Greats recently reviewed a track of mine, though most of the buzz surrounds the accompanying photoshop picture in the entry.

20 Jazz Funk Greats

6. I'm looking for Bay Area shows to play, pretty much anywhere. If you have leads for me, by all means get in touch.

I'm Moving and A Lot Is Happeing

I



First things first. I found out last week that I will be moving to the Napa Valley ala Mr. Big to take a job at Napa City-County Library. I’m leaving LA sometime in the latter half of December. The position is full time, will supply a substantial cut in tuition at San Jose State University. What they say about Napa is basically true. I don’t really give a shit about wine, but it certainly is gorgeous. I will certainly be down in Los Angeles to play somewhat frequently, but clearly shows in Sacramento and the Bay Area will be far more common.

II

On a similar note, there will be a going away party at 6143 Fountain Ave. in Hollywood. You may know it as the Denver Dome. Thanks to Josh and Kyle for wanting to send me off in style. Apparently all of my bands will be playing that night, which means one can expect a line up consisting of Allusions to Jazz, Red Hot Thilly Peppers, John Thill 360° and John Thill. I would love to see all my friends in SoCal come out because I know there will be plenty of people that I will miss.


Saturday, December 13
The DENVER DOME
6143 Fountain Ave., Hollywood


III


I’m playing at a health food / organic grocery in Claremont…With Kevin Greenspon! The mind is boggled.





Ecoterra is located within the confines of the “The Village” in Claremont. I used to live in this town. I find it particularly strange that only now am I performing therein. Do they know that Kevin Greenspon is not organic?


IV


I’m playing a somewhat massive show at Ports O’Call Bedroom on Sunday, December 14. This maybe your last chance to hear lots of songs about West Covina in West Covina.

Sunday, December 14
Ports O’Call Bedroom
2136 E. Deodar, West Covina
(enter trough the side gate, go to the pool house)
Uggamugga (Arizona)Stellaluna (Arizona)Nicole KidmanJohn ThillPat ReganHatchlingsThe Life Of Girls TodayDead Ape


V
Broken Freeways (Unread Records)



This is a new tape, just out. I should have copies soon. Here’s the scoop from the Unread website.

“Newer than new cassette from John Thill...by and by...inland strum. High concept recordings dealing with a future of absent fuel in the suburbs of Los Angeles...mainly West Covina, but not limited to. Listen close to the new sound of songwriter. Hearty and full.”

"the land between the rivers"
"petty king"
"joker and the nazis"
"the flower of west covina"
"white power"
"holiday at the biosphere"
"broken freeways"
"slow rapture"
"the pillars of old malibu"
"the golden hills"
"dry year"


VI


The long delayed (by me) Goth Tales CD is available for pre-order through Folktale Records. I hear the cover design concept is awesome, some kind of Satanic fold out with Goth poetry I wrote while drunk at Women on Crenshaw. This record is SO SAD!!!





Can’t really remember all the song titles some were named dark symbols tied to ancient alchemy. All you need to know is there is a song about doing it with a Wiccan chick. I’m ill not sick.

My phone works now, so call me up.

How Lame I Am Now

I was sick for over a week, pretty much endured a strict hibernation, involving no contact with the outside world. This was aided by a broken phone that has no visual display, so if did recieve calls I couldn't return them.

There is nothing like getting good and sick to set you back on all fronts. I lost, for a short time, the flash drive which contained my life's work (musically) after my computer crashed. I think I was so out of it I dropped it in the car then forgot about it for over a week. I'm glad to not have to endure that potential devastation.

I'm seriously considering moving to the Bay Area if I can get a certain job. Specifically to the musical void of Napa. What reasoning could I possibly have for this?

1. A extreme cut in tuition from San Jose State, possible because I would be eligible for Regular Session, as opposed to the more expensive Special Session.

2. Clean air for my girlfriend's daughter who seems to be developing asthma by living near the 60 freeway.

3. A full time benifitted position, which has eluded me here in Southern California for a couple years now.

We shall see. The current feasability of it all seems questionable.

Here's a multimedia update on my happenings:





















Video from Irvine show: http://vimeo.com/1807528

Next shows

October 18 Ports of Call
2136 e. deodar
West Covina CA

October 19 Back to the Grind
(4pm to 12am)
3575 university ave.
Riverside, CA

NEWS 8.18

Silence.

So I have been neglecting this blog, so the TRUE updates probably range beyond what will be covered here. Work is stressing me out right now, so let me talk a little about things that are less likely to be objects of annoyance:

1. Midwest Vacation
2. New “Future” Record in the Works
3. State of State Address
4. Compilation News
5. Upcoming Shows

1. Midwest Vacation. I’m going to Omaha, somehow someway for a likely show with Simon Joyner in November. I’m not sure if I want to fly or drive. Driving would mean dates in OKC and West Texas. Flying means more upper Midwest shows. Either way I’m excited at the possibility of playing with one of my musical heroes, enough to get all lame and girlish about it.

2. New “Future” Record in the Works. So I’ve spent over a month now working on new songs for a record about the future of a post gasoline Los Angeles where movement is more difficult and infrastructure has collapsed. Now, while I feel guilty subjecting people to such a high concept record, everyone should breathe easy because all the songs thus far have been very approachable, maybe even pastoral, but not in a gay way, you know. I’ve been playing a lot of these songs live lately, many of which are based in West Covina. In a world without the car all I can think is that this hellhole in the center of the San Gabriel Valley would decay into a wasteland.

So there. Now, influences here range from mountain songs to Brazilian forro, anything super democratic. The songs thus far, may give you an idea of the tone:

The Flower of West Covina
Holiday at the Biosphere
Joker and the Nazis
The Pillars of Old Malibu
Slow Rapture
The Land Between the Rivers
The Emperor of ¼ and ½

3. State of the State Address. Here’s the skinny on various things supposedly destined to come out beneath the John Thill banner.

Goth Tales – This is long delayed by myself because I haven’t finished the cover art.

Voice on Tape / John Thill Split 7” – We found a great home for this release with Tiny Panda Records out in Phoenix as part of the “Seven Inches in Heaven” series. Right now it’s slated for December. My contributions are “Loud Birds” and “In the Valley.” This will be solid!

President of Happiness – I’m still working on getting some overdubs done for this record. Then I’ll actually worry about securing a label to put it out. Might end up on Shrimper, but I haven’t talked to Dennis Callaci about it yet, so it’s up in the air. I know this much; it has solid guests on it thus far, including Brad Dunn, S. Pineda, Clark 8, Whitman, Golden Boots, Sam from No Paws (No Lions). Sick!

Girls of Meth – New copies arrived in the mail on Friday and I’ve already sold a few. I’ll get this tape back up on the site ASAP, but it’s likely to sell out again before we get too deep into Fall. This has always been one of my favorite releases I’ve done, great bang per buck ratio. $5 ppd in the USA / $7 ppd elsewhere. Send funds to presidenthappiness@yahoo.com

4. Compilation news. I don’t even know where to begin. I sent out a lot of stuff to labels for compilations many of which I’ve forgotten about completely. There’s a couple I’m pretty excited about.

Sun, Smog & Hate: This Phoenix/Los Angeles compilation has amazing stuff on it and it will be a classic in my book. I have some intimate knowledge of it because I was forced at gunpoint to master it by the label head. Yo j/k. But really French Quarter and the Voice on Tape tracks alone make it worth whatever cash you got.

Rot Box: Chris Fischer, who I’ve never actually met, but I feel very indebted to is compiling I quote “a compilation of records and garbage.” I would take it literally if I were you. I love this label and its ethos, though I doubt they are as thought out as I might assume. Chris just does stuff the way he likes to. I have yet to turn in my track, but I think it’s about Atlanta’s sprawling airport, unless I come up with something better soon.

5. Upcoming Shows:

8.31 Shamel Park, Riverside w/ Brother Mitya
9.15 Pehrspace, Los Angeles w/ Human Host & Gabbertree
9.27 Shamel Park, Riverside w/ Whitman, American Gil

Going slow with the shows for awhile due a hectic schedule, but I’m working on songs everyday. So I’ll get a better handle on the situation soon. Working on a master degree as we speak, going to school on the internet is utterly lame. Where’s the motivation to do anything.

So the other night I was awoken by Los Angeles County Sherriff’s Helicopter shining a light repeatedly in the backyard. What dangerous criminals are on the loose? It turns out the whole incident barely warrants a footnote in the news though it stole more than an hour of my sleep. LA County uses a helicopter to pursue car thieves, seems rather ridiculous to me, couldn’t a cruiser suffice. I was hoping to see the incident on Topix.com along with a discussion strand rife with gang slogans. Sorely disappointed.

COCHINA VIDEOS / WRAP UP

Cochina Festival, June 6 / 7 @ Higginbotham Park, Claremont, CA

1. The beauty of pure retardation is exhibited by John Thill 360 featuring Kyle Mabson, Rogers from No Paws (No Lions) and Thill. June 7.



2. Ema & The Ghost covering Leonard Cohen, June 6.



3. Nicole Kidman plays "Statis from the Air" on June 6.



That's it so far. I post more as they appear.