New Music Friday Vol. 24

There was no New Music last Friday, and there's not much to talk about this week either (unfortnuately):

When referencing Propagandhi for the post below, I did something I haven't done in a while - namely, cruise over to the Propagandhi site. When I was but a teenager, this band used to be the be-all-and-end-all of punk rock music to me: fast as all hell, mad as all hell and smart as all hell. Their first couple of releases - namely I'd rather be flag burning and How to Clean Everything - blew me away. As a young guitarist in my own fledgling punk rock band(s), I looked up to Chris Hannah and his ultra-tight style. Somewhere around 17 or 18, I even go to play a show with them in Sudbury, and I though that was it for me (this feeling was replaced a few years later when I got to play as the opening act at Warped Tour '97 in Toronto, and got to hang out with my heroes: NOFX, Bad Religion, Snapcase, and all sorts of others like Rancid, No Use for a Name, Gob, ect.). They also run a great music label/book distro, G7 Welcomming Committee.

But like all good things, it came to an end. The band took a long hiatus, to return with Less Talk, More Rock, a decided less intense, though still hyper-inteligent album. It was less than impressive. As a three-man band, its hard to loose a member. Though I'm sure it was no surprise, bass player John K. Samson departed to pursue his own brand of punk - namely to start the indie/punk darlings The Weakerthans we all know and love (and I would argue may just be the best Canadian band ever). This was the last Propagandhi album I ever bought.

Since then, Progaandhi has picked up Todd the Rod (ex-I Spy) and produced yet another album, Today's Empire, Tomorrow's Ashes. It never really appealed to me.

And then I read this. Chris Hannah, who I would have assumed has always been the heart and soul of the band, departed suddenly. Where he is now, I have no idea. Somehow the band manged to carry on without him and recruit a new singer/guitarist. They have even managed to remain on Fat Wreck Chords (Fat Mike's from NOFX's label) despite a 4-year silence, and put together a new album, Potempkin City Limits.

Long story short, here is a sample from the new album due to drop in October. Older and more mature, but also more developed than older work. And the new guy kinda sounds like Chris too. Will I buy it? Doubtful.

- Since there techinically is music going on, Tuesday will see Shit from Hell play at Warren Kinsella's book launch party. Incidentially, Warren is the bass player in the band. Man, I hope I get extra credit for mentioning this damn book so many times!