In this corner the reigning champion, hailing from Newcastle England, NWOBHM veterans and creators of the term “black metal” – VENOM and their 1985 classic clip of between-song stage banter. You know it, you love it, you can thank an unnamed Black Flag roadie for bequeathing us this treasure.

(dude’s been hitting the tanning bed, hard)

And in the other corner the challenger, from Buffalo, New York (oh, how I wanted to say “parts unknown”) Death/Gore Metal heavyweights Cannibal Corpse who once were mentioned by name by none other than Bob Dole as having ”violated human decency” and their recently unearthed left-hook of stage wordy-ness.

(that’s a fortune in shampoo)

LET’S GET READY TO RUMBLE! (Imagine that dude’s voice)

But keep in mind: Venom is classic, yes, and much longer and involved. But the Cannibal Corpse clip is more dangerous, perhaps craftier, and may cause more bodily injury. So it looks like we might have an unholy fair fight on our bloody hands. Put on your spikes, bullet-belts, load your devil horns and come out fighting. 

VENOM (the Champ)

CANNIBAL CORPSE (The Challenger)

From the "Jensen" part of the Earles & Jensen duo. "Just Farr A Laugh Vols 1 & 2" coming out soon on Matador. Get it!

Found on the floor of Ye Olde Record Shoppe.

From Chunklet contrib, EARL front of house man and all around great cook, Curt Wells. This video is just perplexing and this is just the first part! This might be the best video I’ve seen on youtube in ages and has nothing whatsoever to do with the band’s performance and is entirely due to Curt’s comments which I found endlessly hysterical.

Who wants to do a historical reenactment of this with me?

BE SURE TO WATCH THE FOLLOWING PARTS! Two. Three. Four.

They were the first band I ever saw in Athens while I was on spring break from UPitt at the Georgia Theater. After this show, I thought "I’ve GOT to move here". So in a way, you can blame The Feelies for it all.

First it was the Volcano Suns, then Big Dipper and now this!

Via Idolator, The Feelies are opening some Yoof shows this summer in New York. Let’s hope this means more shows.

Mark my words, 2008 is going to be a big year for this band.

How they were able to perform with a never-ending sea of fans leaning up right against them, I’ll never know, but goddamn did they put on an incredible show.

I thought that after last year’s barn burning shows at SXSW, Monotonix were going to be the belle of the ball at SXSW ’08. So if one judges those sorts of things by how many shows they played (eleven in three days from their tally) then they won some sort of prize.

That’s the drummer’s kit being held up outside of Thundertown!

If you haven’t heard of this band, let this serve as a precursor of things to come. If you have heard of this band, enjoy this video.

I guess there’s nothing new left to try……

The 90’s were a good time for zines. Hell, I remember many would come out per month! Feminist Baseball, Wind Up, Bunnyhop…..the list is endless. At least to my geeky brain.

One of the biggest rushes was when the new Craphound would come out. In a time before I became a graphic designer, I’d snag these mags up and just marvel at how they looked. Craphound, to those who are new to it, is a fanzine entirely made up of clip art. Yes, clip art. And this issue’s theme is ‘Church and State’ which is such a broad topic, that this is only part one of a two part issue. Exciting!

Here’s a sample…..

And now in 2008, when magazines are shitting the bed in record numbers, it gets me giddy as a little school girl to see a new issue of Craphound come down the pike. I can’t possibly stress enough how great Sean Tej’s work in Craphound is, but it’s something both special and incredibly important.

Buy it here.

Whoever did this to the B-52’s. These folks are pushing 60 and do not even remotely look like this in real life.

…we’re old enough to pick up your teenage friends at parties…..

Not to mention that I don’t think I want to know of anybody over the age of 40 dressing like this. Fashion is one thing, but this is a fucking digital makeover if I’ve ever seen one.

With that said though, their new album is pretty fantastic.