BMA News Update: Animosity rages with the Russkies; Cancer Bats make the top 10 on Rock Sound and more

It's almost November 4th, which means absolutely nothing to us at BMA -- other than we're edging toward to two exceptional releases (Dance Club Massacre, Architect).

We're not here to tell you to vote or die, but you best read or, uh, well you probably won't die -- still we're not responsible for any unfortunate "accidents."

Animosity recently played Russia, here's a few words from vocalist Leo Miller on that:
"...the experience has been overwhelmingly awesome. The shows have been totally out of control and we have been treated so well. We just finished up the "Hell on Earth" tour through Europe, which was a great time, but not really an Animosity style party. It feels great to be playing smaller clubs with real metal fans losing their minds. Assuming the reds don't sequester and disappear us at the border, we will be heading into the upcoming JFAC tour with full force and will probably work up some older songs for the set list from 'Empires.' Party 'till you're dead!"

Cancer Bats were voted #8 on the Rock Sound list for the "Albums of 2008." Congrats dudes!

Lords' release "Fuck all Y'all Motherfuckers" has a review in Metal Edge. Here's a tidbit from the review:
"Lords is a punk rock band at heart. Let’s start there. And though they don’t necessarily play punk songs—in fact, they play dirty heavy metal tunes full of sudden time and tempo changes—there’s a definite punk rock sensibility to their music....."

Artist Entry: the_Network guitarist Pete Marr reflects on some shitty past jobs

An ode to the joys of bad employment

We’ve all had them.

If you have anything to do with trying to tour, not being forever in debt and/or staying off people’s shit list, then you know what I’m talking about. People always ask, "how do you tour, how do you make money, how do you do it?" Well, kids I’ll tell ya -- you get a shitty-ass job!

Now I know everyone’s got there own shitty-ass job stories. I’ve heard a many in my day, but here’s a few of mine.

The first job I ever had was at a camp in the town that I lived in. It was some day camp where parents would drop of their kids while they went to their jobs in the summer and school (the babysitter) was out. I figured it would be an easy gig. One of my good friends at the time that was working there was the son of “the boss man." Only she was no man, she was a 90 pound completely, over sun tanned, 2 packs a day, yellow-teethed barrel of over stressed hormones. If you’ve seen kingpin and remember Roy’s landlord, then you know exactly what we were dealing with. I’d get as drunk as could the nights before work and show up early, hung over, pissed off and not wanting to do much but hang out. My usual business was making crafts with kids, then hang out with the kids that picked their nose and played in the dirt (stick with what you know I guess). That was the fun stuff.

The shitty part came in the form of the knowledge that my friends Mom (the boss lady landlord) was fucking one of the other dudes that worked there, who was right around the same age as us.

Now I know I live in NH, and maybe this doesn’t seem like it should be out of the ordinary, but it most certainly was. The kid she was fucking actually lived across the street from my friend and his Mom. We would go over hang out, have his Mom buy us beers, and then just be weirded out by this dude being there, obviously fucking his Mom. I guess looking back on it she was a real mess at the time, her husband left her just out of the blue and never told anyone where he was till like five years later.
Basically shit hit the fan towards the end of the summer camp session that year, and all the kids' parents were pissed when they found out about all the shenanigans that were happening around their young, impressionable children. I reapplied the following year only to find out they canned the whole staff due to all this. So another shitty-ass job was in my future.

Kev (the other guitarist) told myself and another good friend that a local amusement park was hiring some people on for the summer. We go to this orientation that was a fucking joke and all got assigned jobs via the mail. Back then people actually used mail (good God I am fucking old). Kev and our other friend got assigned as game attendants. Sweet job, just sit around and wait for people to come by throw a few balls and either give them a prize or don’t. I however get assigned park duty. No idea what that means till I get there.

I show up, have my Mom drop me off at the park. Punch in, get a shirt then handed a radio. I think to myself what the fuck is this, a radio. Well I must be important, they say if this thing rings or beeps and someone says 520, code for cleanup then I have to go respond. I nod and agree and I’m off. We’re told that myself and the other park duty employee have to work in sections of the park. I take the right, he takes the left side. I think, hell yeah, this is way easier t
hen games that Kev and the other guy had. All I had to do was walk around the park pick up trash with a duster and pan and that’s it. Kinda embarrassing, but whatever I was young and it was easy money. So I thought.

After about 20 minutes of doing this, I was bored out of my fucking mind. There's are only so many cigarette buts you can pick up before your brain goes numb. So I’m like, fuck this, I’ll meet up with the other kid on the other side of the park doing the same shit as me and at the very least we can bitch about it to each other till we can go home. I walk over, see the kid, say something like, "wow this sucks huh?" He looks at me real wild eyed, doesn’t say anything for almost a minute, then mumbles something I couldn’t understand. I soon realize the kid is mentally challenged. I’m not one to boost about any type of ego, but I was working the same job of a mentally challenged kid -- fuck, I’m doing a job of a retard. (side note: I have nothing against mentally challenged retards at all, in fact I look at this photo at least a few times a week to remind myself that happiness is actually achievable to a lucky few).

So I head back to my side of the park and the phone I have starts beeping, and a voice comes over saying 520 over at the roller coaster. I ignore the call then it comes back again and then again getting angrier at each call until I respond, saying I’ll be right there. Mind you at this point I have no idea what 520 stands for other then cleanup, I’m not even sure why they’re using code. All I know is I don’t want to do shit.

I get over there and see a huge crowd gathered around near the roller coaster. They see me coming in my park shirt and start howling and making the sounds you would if you saw a bad accident, although some people were smiling like they were about to egg me or something. I get closer and find out what a 520 is…Puke!. Some asshole rode the rollercoaster couldn’t stomach the French fries, hamburgers, and whatever shit food he pumped his stomach up with before he decided to heave it all over the ground for some innocent clump like myself to pick up.

Fucking asshole.

I throw some cat litter looking stuff on it all the while getting hazed by the on lookers and walk away. I called my Mom about half way into my first shift and said I quit, come pick me up I’m done. I didn’t tell any of those fuckers I just walked out and left. Fuck that place! Kev actually ended up getting fired and our other friend quit after his second day. Yes-20-indeed, fuck that place and whoever puked up nasty park food residual that was left over for the next chump.

Next job was at a convenient store, drank beer in the bathroom while working all the time, stole beer and supplied a few parties with it. Did a bunch of pills and drank a shit ton showed up to work after not sleeping and got fired for apparently “Not answering customers questions when asked." I guess some lady was asking me about the muffins we had and I was just staring at her not saying a word till finally she left. Don’t remember any of that, but that’s what I was told when I got fired. Shit job number 3.

and so on and so on.

Get in a shitty band, get a shitty ass job and ruin your shitty ass fuck life!

Pete
t_N.

BMA News Update: Animosity and Architect to tour, Danza visits the great white north and more

Today's news blog begins with a friendly, in your face, reminder:
11/11 - Dance Club Massacre "Circle of Death" (pre-orders available now at the Black Market Activities Indie Merch store.)
11/25 - Architect "Ghost of the Saltwater Machines"

Just sayin' folks.
And onto the news:

The European conquest is coming to a close for Animosity, but those hella-sick dudes will be setting their sights on the U.S. with Job for a Cowboy (Metal Blade), Hate Eternal (Metal Blade) and All Shall Perish (Nuclear Blast) in toe. Check the dates below:

11/13 POMONA CA @ Glasshouse Music Hall
11/14 BAKERSFIELD CA @ The Dome
11/15 SACRAMENTO CA @ The Boardwalk
11/16 PORTLAND OR @ Hawthorne Theatre
11/17 SEATTLE WA @ El Corazon
11/18 BOISE ID @ The Venue
11/20 COLORADO SPRINGS CO @ The Black Sheep
11/21 LAWRENCE KS @ Bottleneck
11/22 IOWA CITY IA @ The Picador
11/23 ST. PAUL MN @ Station 4
11/25 DETROIT MI @ Magic Stick
11/26 PITTSBURGH PA @ Strummers
11/27 LONDON ON @ The Embassy Hotel
11/28 BURLINGTON VT @ Higher Ground
11/29 PORTLAND ME @ The Station
11/30 PROVIDENCE RI @ The Living Room
12/1 FARMINGDALE NY @ The Crazy Donkey
12/2 SAYERVILLE NJ @ Starland Ballroom
12/3 BALTIMORE MD @ Otto Bar
12/4 RICHMOND VA @ Canal Club (Downstairs)
12/5 WILMINGTON NC @ Soapbox Laundro-Lounge
12/6 ATLANTA GA @ The Masquerade
12/7 Knoxville, TN @ Valarium
12/9 LITTLE ROCK AR @ The Village
12/10 TULSA OK @ The Marquee
12/11 DALLAS TX @ The Door
12/12 MCALLEN TX @ Cine El Rey Theatre
12/13 AUSTIN TX @ Red 7
12/14 ODESSA TX @ Dos Amigos
12/15 FARMINGTON NM @ Gators
12/16 TUCSON AZ @ Rialto Theatre

Our big, flannel-loving brother to the North will be paid a visit from Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza following some brief North Eastern U.S. dates. Joining Danza on the "Ripped Across Canada" tour will be A Life Once Lost (Ferret) and Arsonists Get All the Girls (Century Media).

11/04 - Manchester, CT @ American Legion
11/05 - Albany, NY @ Valentines
11/06 - St. Catherine, ON @ L3
11/07 - Windsor, ON @ Chubby Pickle
11/08 - London, ON @ The Embassy
11/09 - Toronto, ON @ Reverb
11/10 – Kingston, ON @ Time To Laugh
11/11 – Ottawa, ON @ Bayou
11/13 – Montreal, QC @ Underworld
11/14 – Trois-Rivieres, QC @ Rock Cafe Le Stage
11/15 – Quebec City, QC @ L' Anti
11/16 - Burlington, VT @ Annex
11/17 - Maplewood, NJ @ Garden State Music Factory
11/18 - Reading, PA @ The Silo

Artist Entry: The Abominable Iron Sloth's Justin Godfrey shares some lyrics

"In the Event of the Inevitable"

Dear future,
sorry about that shit we left
religious wars
forests burned
atomic death

In the event of the inevitable
I pray you find this song
The protons rained
throughout your veins
the past must rightly own

Dear son, dear daughter
stay away from girls on speed
and boys on weed
in search of death
and fleeting things

In the event of the inevitable
I pray you find this song
Those foolish things
inside your brain
I tell you don't belong

BMA News Update: holy megaton of tours, Batman! Plus other news from the BMA family

So we've been absent. Shit happens.
But still, the BMA News Update you are about to read will pretty much make up for the month hiatus.
I mean, hell, we could have gone and pulled a "Chinese Democracy."
Now, to the news:

Dance Club Massacre has released the song "Hoosh Hoosh" from the upcoming Nov. 11 release, "Circle of Death." Check out the song on the DCM MySpace page.
The band has also canceled its October tour, due to scheduling conflicts.

Romans are being featured in the September issue of Metal Edge Magazine, pick one up!

Louisville band Lords will make its BMA debut on Oct. 14 with "Fuck All Y'all Motherfuckers."

November is election time -- no other month would be more fitting for an Architect release. The band will unleash a few post-election lullabies via "Ghost of the Saltwater Machines" on Nov. 25 . A little from Architect vocalist Keith on the meaning of the album:

"War, famine, greed, depletion of natural resources, etc. As well as all the interpersonal trappings we have -- such as losing touch with our humanity and getting lost in a world of material possessions. Our species is just getting dumber and lazier, not to mention we follow archaic religions and irrelevant laws. We as people are sort of just saltwater machines and the ghost of our negative existence will surely be coming back to haunt us."

Architect has a rough version of the song "Death and Taxes" from the upcoming release posted on the band's MySpace. Fall tour dates will be announced shortly.


A plethora of bands from team BMA are touring, or scheduled to tour shortly, check it.

Lords is hittin' the road, behold:

10/4 - LOUISVILLE, KY @ Cahoots
10/11 - DALLAS, TX @ The Lounge
10/12 - AUSTIN, TX @ Red 7
10/13 - EL PASO, TX @ The Perclator
10/14 - TUSCON, AZ @ The Living Room
10/15 - PHOENIX, AZ @ Modified Arts

Khann will tour with Wetnurse beginning early October:
10/5 - WILMINGTON, NC @ Soapbox
10/6 - CHARLOTTE, NC @ The Milestone w/ Skeletonwitch,
10/7 - ATLANTA, GA @ The Drunken Unicorn
10/8 - ORLANDO, FL @ Black Box Collective
10/9 - MIAMI, FL @ Churchill's w/ Light Yourself on Fire
10/10 - TAMPA, FL @ Transitions Gallery w/ Light Yourself on Fire
10/11 - TALLAHASSEE, FL @ St Mike's w/ Light Yourself on Fire
10/14 - NASHVILLE, TN @ The Five Spot
10/16 - INDIANAPOLIS, IN @ The 1511
10/17 - CHICAGO, IL @ Beat Kitchen w/ Plague Bringer
10/18 - DAYTON, OH @ Dayton Dirt Collective
10/19 - PITTSBURGH, PA @ Smiling Moose w/ Complete Failure
10/21 - KINGSTON, NY @ The Basement
10/22 - BURLINGTON, VT @ Wasted City w/ Romans
10/23 - PORTLAND, ME @ Geno's
10/24 - WORCESTER, MA @ Forbes Street
10/26 - DOYLESTOWN, PA @ Moose Lodge w/ No People
11/2 - BROOKLYN, NY @ Europa w/ Harvey Milk

Animosity is currently on the "Hell on Earth" tour in Europe with The Red Chord, Walls of Jericho, Evergreen Terrace, Cataract and Stick To Your Guns until mid October. Following in November, Animosity will venture out on a U.S. tour with Job for a Cowboy, Hate Eternal, All Shall Perish and Anotations of an Autopsy, dates are as follows:

11/13 POMONA, CA @ Glasshouse Music Hall
11/14 BAKERSFIELD, CA @ The Dome
11/15 SACRAMENTO, CA @ The Boardwalk
11/16 PORTLAND, OR @ Hawthorne Theatre
11/17 SEATTLE, WA @ El Corazon
11/18 BOISE, ID @ The Venue
11/20 COLORADO SPRINGS, CO @ The Black Sheep
11/21 LAWRENCE, KS @ Bottleneck
11/22 IOWA CITY, IA @ The Picador
11/23 ST. PAUL, MN @ Station 4
11/25 DETROIT, MI @ Magic Stick
11/26 PITTSBURGH, PA @ Strummers
11/27 LONDON, ON @ The Embassy Hotel
11/28 BURLINGTON, VT @ Higher Ground
11/29 PORTLAND, ME @ The Station
11/30 PROVIDENCE, RI @ The Living Room
12/1 FARMINGDALE, NY @ The Crazy Donkey
12/2 SAYERVILLE, NJ @ Starland Ballroom
12/3 BALTIMORE, MD @ Otto Bar
12/4 RICHMOND, VA @ Canal Club (Downstairs)
12/5 WILMINGTON, NC @ Soapbox Laundro-Lounge
12/6 ATLANTA, GA @ The Masquerade
12/7 KNOXVILLE, TN @ Valarium
12/9 LITTLE ROCK, AR @ The Village
12/10 TULSA, OK @ The Marquee
12/11 DALLAS TX @ The Door
12/12 MCALLEN, TX @ Cine El Rey Theatre
12/13 AUSTIN, TX @ Red 7
12/14 ODESSA, TX @ Dos Amigos
12/15 FARMINGTON, NM @ Gators
12/16 TUCSON, AZ @ Rialto Theatre

Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza is currently on the "Agents of Chaos" tour. Here's the remaining dates:
9/24 - JOHNSON CITY, TN @ The Hideaway
9/25 - DANVILLE, VA @ Plan B
9/26 - CHARLESTON, SC @ The Oasis
9/27 - AUGUSTA, GA @ Sector 7G
9/28 - MONTGOMERY, AL @ Off the Wagon
9/29 - METAIRIE, LA @ The High Ground
9/30 - LITTLE ROCK, AR @ Vino's
10/1 - AMARILLO, TX @ The War Legion Underground
10/3 - SIOUX FALLS, SD @ Nutty's North
10/4 - FARGO, ND @ Red Raven
10/5 - BUFFALO, MN @ The Vault
10/7 - TINLEY PARK, IL @ Mojoe's
10/8 - FORT WAYNE, IN @ Sunset Hall
10/9 - ROCHESTER, NY @ The Penny Arcade
10/10 - UTICA, NY @ Skate-a-Rama
10/11 - POUGHKEEPSIE, NY @ The Platinum Lounge
10/12 - HOLYOKE, MA @ Water Front Tavern
10/13 - JOHNSON CITY, NY @ Magic City Music Hall
10/14 - LEMOYNE, PA @ Champion Ship
10/15 - WILKES-BARRE, PA @ Cafe Metropolis
10/17 - PHILADELPHIA, PA @ The Warehouse
10/18 - RICHMOND, VA @ Canal Club



Behold...the Arctopus will join Genghis Tron for a set of dates on the other side of the pond:
11/17 BRIGHTON @ Coalition
11/18 DUBLIN @ Whelans
11/19 BELFAST @ Limelight
11/20 BIRMINGHAM @Asylum (w/ the_Network)
11/21 THROWBRIDGE @ Snooker Club (w/ the_Network)
11/22 LONDON @ Underworld (w/ the_Network)
11/23 SHEFFIELD @ Corporation
11/24 BRISTOL @ Croft

The_Network will also be making its mark in the UK in November other than the stops with Genghis Tron and Behold...the Arctopus, confirmed dates below:

11/15 - LONDON @ Clothing Stop (3 p.m. start) w/ Throats
11/15 - ALDERSHOT @ The West End Centre
11/16 - YORK @ The Junction
11/17 - MANCHESTER @ Cafe Sake
11/18 - GLASGOW @ Captains Rest
11/19 - LEEDS @ Royal Park Cellars
11/20 - BIRMINGHAM @ Asylum w/ Genghis Tron, Behold...the Arctopus
11/20 - NOTTINGHAM @ Rock City (Late show)
11/21 - TROWBRIDGE @ Snooker Club w/ Genghis Tron, Behold...the Arctopus
11/22 - LONDON @ Underworld w/ Genghis Tron, Behold...the Arctopus
11/23 - LONDON @ Windmill Brixton
11/24 - BRIGHTON @ The Engine Room
11/25 - NEWPORT @ Le Pub


Stay tuned for more kids, this is just a warm up.


-BMA Staff

Artist Entry: Animosity vocalist Leo Miller checks in from Europe

"These aren't hash brownies mon...."

Guuutentaaaaag!  Animosity is back in the land of bread, cheese and
mysterious condiment spreads AKA Europe.  So far we have played one
show without our bass player and eaten a shit load the aforementioned
foodstuffs.  After just one show, this tour is looking to be quite
awesome.  Somehow we are on the exact same bus that we traveled in Las
year with Converge which is pretty weird and nostalgic.  I'll check
back in once some crazy shit happens that is noteworthy.
Party on

Leo


Artwork credit: John Lause's trippy cover art for the Animosity/Drumcorps vinyl release, "Altered Beast," available at the Man Alive! Web site.

BMA News Update: the_Network checks in, Cancer Bats vid to premier on MTV2's 'Headbanger's Ball,' and much more

Happy hump day to all of you. It's the lame, half-way point of the week, meaning one of two things. If you're a glass-is-half-full kind of person, it means your work week is almost over. But Wednesday also means time for us to drop some BMA news at your virtual doorstep.

the_Network is going through some changes -- but not in a RuPaul sort of way. First, the good changes. The band will begin recording its second full length with BMA in October for "Bishop Kent Manning," the title spawns from guitarist Kevin Howley's short story posted in a previous Artist Entry. Shortly following recording, the_Network will tour in the U.K. and in turn will release a split with U.K. based band Throats, titled "Notes from the Turncoat Campaign" through Holy Roar in the U.K. and yours truly in the U.S. And finally, the bad change. the_Network drummer Tim will be leaving the band following recording "Bishop Kent Manning" and the band's U.K. tour due to the financial destitution that comes with being in a band. The band is currently searching for a replacement. E-mail the_Network guitarist Pete Marr if you're a skins player lookin' for a gig: endtransmission@hotmail.com. Check out the band's MySpace page to hear the_Network's music.

Cancer Bats makes its debut on MTV2's "Headbanger's Ball" with the premier of its video, "Hail Destroyer." The show airs Saturday night at 12 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Dance Club Massacre has solidified November 11 as the release date for its upcoming release, "Circle of Death." The band is also in the process of booking a fall tour to support the new album and needs your help in doing so. Check out the DCM MySpace page for the tentative dates and locations. If you are interested in booking the band, please contact guitarist Mitch Hein via e-mail: danceclubmassacre@hotmail.com.

Behold...the Arctopus is currently on "The Ultimate Brodeo" tour with Intronaut and Mouth of the Architect -- just thought we'd refresh your memory about this fantastic tour. Go to the band's MySpace to find out if these sweet dudes will be comin' to your town.