by rudyards | October 26th, 2013
B L A C K I E (Houston, TX)
https://blackieallcapswithspaces.com/
“WHO: “Floating between Houston’s punk and hip-hop circles, B L A C K I E (Michael LaCour) is an enigma infamous for showing up at clubs with a homemade sound system that at over 5,000 watts makes him a one-man noise ordinance violation. His schizophrenic mix of dizzying feedback and hard-charging beats recalls both hardcore pioneers Bad Brains and one of last year’s SXSW breakouts, the Brooklyn noise-pop duo Sleigh Bells.
START HERE: “I Don’t Wear Sneakers,” from his “Spred Luv” album, documents the clash between sharp old-school-inspired rhymes and a seriously distorted rhythm track.” - New York Times
“There’s nothing subtle about B L A C K I E All Caps, With Spaces. Not the incendiary name and certainly not the all caps. (Okay, I’ll give you the spaces.) Not the rumbling bass booming from the fuck-off PA system he hauls to and abuses at every gig or the way he thrashed about on the cement floor of the cavernous Barcelona Wednesday night. The unhinged screamcore Houston rapper unleashed a brutal assault of noise-rock and rhymes on a mostly unsuspecting audience for 20 minutes, repeatedly shoving the mic toward the haphazard pile of speakers to produce an ear-piercing feedback effect. “Look at You” from recent LP Spred Luv lasted no more than 30 seconds, while “Stay Up” – written about a friend who passed away – was only a touch longer. B L A C K I E crawled on the floor inside a circle of slack-jawed onlookers, occasionally rising up to run as far as the mic cord would allow. Spitting the closing lines of “Dope & Doper” a cappella, a now shirtless B L A C K I E simply yanked the power source of his sound system out of the wall and hoarsely wailed, “You’re dope but I’m doper.” No argument.” - Austin Chronicle
Secret Prostitutes (Houston, TX)
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Secret-Prostitutes/406440782699278
“The Secret Prostitutes, led by drummer Adit Samudra with Wolf on guitar and Ryan on bass, play something like the antithesis of the distended and psychologically complex music of the Energy. Aptly titled, Never Mind the K.B.D. consists of D.I.Y. punk in the style of the Killed By Death compilations, with simple, direct riffs arranged into fast, very short songs, 22 of which are dispatched in just over 25 minutes. A.D.D. indeed. Samudra has a knack for the punk technique of crafting catchy vocal lines without the use of melody, with songs like “Sabotase Barang Bukti” and “Hipnotis,” both of which feature Samudra’s sister on vocals, serving as prime examples…Confoundingly, one of the things that distinguishes the Secret Prostitutes, the fact that Samudra writes in Indonesian, limits the impact of the songs for an English-speaking audience. Not that Samudra doesn’t have every right and reason to write lyrics in whatever language he chooses, but this particular choice does limit the access of most American listeners to the content of the songs.” -29.95.com
https://myspace.com/wickedposeur
Sinister brainchild of The Energy’s Arthur Bates. Darkly clever lyrics, stiff mechanical synth beats and dueling electric guitars. Currently a duo featuring Bates and Cley Miller of Young Mammals. – 29-95
