|
By Charlene Arsenault One night, probably close to two years ago, musician/producer Steve Blake was chatting with Pete DeGraaf, the guy behind the boards quite often at The Lucky Dog, as well as the singer in Clear the Way. DeGraaf was commenting about how Paul Dagnello's It's Your Local Music compilation CD was such a great idea, and that it had been a good five years since it came out. He wanted to see another one. Initially, Blake and DeGraaf decided to work on it together, but DeGraaf got pretty busy and Blake took the project under his wing. With his Instant Dogma/Toad Hall Studios as a building block, he solicited interest — and songs — from many of his previous clients. "I figured out the math and what it would take to make it happen," says Blake. It resulted in a year-and-a-half project, and a CD called It Came From Planet Mental, a 20-song disc with the likes of pop, punk, metal and folk-like cuts on it. Each band put up $100 and a tune, and got 60 discs. One thousand were produced. Opening with a bordering-on-incoherent "Benediction" from the enigma known as Captain PJ, the compilation launches into a hard-driving rocker from Clear the Way. The Cahs bring it on with Musclecah's ripping, spastic attack called "Chaotic," followed by Dan Chauvin's gorgeous "Quiet Time," that recalls days of when acts like America and Cat Stevens had hits. The Numbskulls recorded a bassy romp called "Heads Are Gonna' Roll" (Lysine and Alex from The Numbskulls also illustrated the cover, which showcases a naked PJ stomping through a city in the midst of chaos). Preacher Roe's "Hampton Falls" is reminiscent of a rockier Tom Petty, or even Neil Young. James Keys, a guitarist in The Numbskulls, also included a neo-folk solo tune called "All Be Over Soon."  Numbskulls "This was to give people a chance to hear things they would never hear," says Blake. "There are some things on here that people have never heard before. I tried to make this as attractive as humanly possible. Two-thirds of it is exclusive to this project. The songs by Musclecah, The Numbskulls, Preacher Roe, The Balls, Loose Salute, Bottlefight, Ted Painter and the South County Band and Skulltoboggan are all exclusive to this project. You want to hear them — you have to buy the disc."  Skulltoboggan You've got three chances to buy the disc, at three different shows and three different lineups, including The Lucky Dog, Ralph's and Vincent's. The Ralph's show is more punk, The Lucky Dog features comedy metal and pop and the lower-key stuff's at Vincent's. "It's tricky to know who goes with what," says Blake. The three live shows offer Worcester music fans the first chance to pick up one these discs, which is a fine slice of some of the scene. Blake admits, though, that the net could reach farther next time. He started by approaching the groups he had worked with, but hopes that with some success on the first Planet Mental, it could follow with a compilation that includes bands that haven't been through Toad Hall.  The Balls "I might open up those doors if there is a second run," says Blake. "I stuck with people we've worked with at our studio. They've paid my light bill for the past three years. Part of what I was trying to do is show that this can be done. There is a whole scat of punk bands out there such as Slitstitch and Can't Kill Katie — just a whole slew of them. There is talk of shopping the disc beyond Worcester. I've talked with Craig Gaumond [of Skulltoboggan] about that. Right now it's exposure for the bands, my studio and the clubs." And who doesn't want a disc with a naked rendering of Captain PJ on the cover? "The reason I love Worcester," says Blake, "is it is the only town that would give Captain PJ a radio show." o
The shows to celebrate It Came From Planet Mental Friday, April 4, at The Lucky Dog Music Hall: Featuring Musclecah, Muss, Never Enough Bullets, White Knuckle Sobriety, Skulltoboggan and Clear The Way. The show features the new Skulltoboggan lineup, as well as a reformed White Knuckle Sobriety (drummer Doug Wedge just moved back from Chicago). Friday, April 11, at Ralph's Diner: With The Balls (a reunion), Epitome of Dog, Bottlefight, The Numbskulls and Preacher Roe. Saturday, April 19, at Vincent's: With Ted Painter and The South County Band, Loose Salute, the return of Bret Hart, James Keyes, Steve C. and Dan Chauvin. Visit http://www.myspace.com/planetmentalcomp for lots of info.
|
