Premiere: New Video from Michael VM

"Oh Susie"

At the end of last year, former Everymen frontman and our very good friend Michael VM, released his debut, solo album. the happiest man on earth traded the beer-soaked, sweaty rock of The Everymen for more subdued, more studied Americana. The album grew from the many changes that Michael had experienced in the preceding years, from marriage and impending fatherhood to his move to North Carolina to the loss of his mother.

It's that last, most devastating change that Michael VM addresses in the song "Oh Susie." Back in November, I wrote:

"Oh Susie" deals with Michael's despondency following the loss of his mother. The song itself, though, is a sonic party. It features handclaps, whistling, and a saxophone. It's possible to celebrate those we've lost even in our darkest moments of missing them.

Michael's partner in crime, Emily, has called the song "the happiest, saddest song there ever was."

Today, I'm happy to share Michael VM's video for "Oh Susie." The clip, shot by Madden Meiners, combines lyrics, live performance footage, and some joyful moments with friends and family into a montage that captures the idea of living the best life you can as a tribute to those you've lost.

Michael VM recently announced that he'd be playing a show back in his old NYC stomping grounds on Sunday, May 20th, at Mercury Lounge. It's an early show with doors at 5:30. Joining Michael VM on the bill will be Metal Mountains.



In other news, Michael's impending fatherhood recently changed to, simply, fatherhood as he and Emily welcomed a baby boy to the world. I'm sure, somewhere, Susie is smiling.

Michael VM, the happiest man on earth, 2017

Album Review

Beginnings, ends, loss, change, new beginnings. That's life. We don't move through all of those phases with the speed or ease that it takes to write them down, but they touch all of us at one point or another. Michael VM (neé Mike V) was the fearless leader of the New Jersey-born The Everymen for over six years. In the annals of rock music there have been few, if any, bands more appropriately named. The Everymen ground it out, releasing 3 albums and a slew of EPs, playing over 200 shows per year to both packed houses and empty rooms, and bringing it every night with the determination and abandon of a band that didn't have the powerful connections or big-money backing of some others. After doing their best to punch their way to that big break, The Everymen decided to call it quits sometime in 2016. The Everymen's farewell show this past May stands as one of the wildest, most joyful things I've experienced since starting this site.

Through all of that, Michael VM experienced big changes -- devastating loss, disappointment, and the elation of new beginnings. Thoughts and feelings piled up as he criss-crossed the country with his rock and roll band. Finally, Michael and his then-fiancé made the big decision to leave the Northeast -- the place where Michael had deep roots -- for North Carolina. The move opened up the floodgates of creativity, and the result is Michael VM's first solo album, the happiest man on earth.

In some ways, the happiest man on earth couldn't be more different than Michael VM's work with The Everymen. He trades wild, Jersey Shore-influenced rock and roll for mostly subdued Americana. He delivers his lyrics in a sometimes whispered drawl. In other ways, though, this is pure Mike V -- honest, straightforward, from-the-heart.

The album sets the scene with "His Name Is Jesus," a short, live recording of some gospel singers. Things then move into "Old Friend" and "Oh Susie," two tracks that -- atmospherically anyway -- remind me a bit of the work Cat Power did on The Greatest when Chan Marshall worked with The Memphis Rhythm Band. On "Old Friend," Michael VM speaks to someone (maybe himself) with whom he's lost touch over the years. "Oh Susie" deals with Michael's despondency following the loss of his mother. The song itself, though, is a sonic party. It features handclaps, whistling, and a saxophone. It's possible to celebrate those we've lost even in our darkest moments of missing them.

The middle section of the happiest man on earth becomes somber. Michael VM looks wistfully at his past on "Neon Light (A Song For Tuckerton)," addresses his decision to start anew in the South on "Chapel Hill" and "Nothing Good Happens After Midnight," and expresses anger and grief at the loss of his mother on standout track "Before The Moon."

Things turn hopeful in the album's final third.

"Handyman Blues" is a song with which I can identify. It features, simply, electric piano and Michael VM discussing how he's "a writer, not a decorator." "It may look like I'm just reading the paper, but these ideas I'll turn to gold dust later." "Before The Sun" uses the same lyrics as "Before The Moon," but the arrangement and the entire feel of the song convey a sense of acceptance and relief instead of anger and resentment. Both "A Girl Named Lou, Pt. 3" and "The Sinking Ship" feel darker, but both also give off the "you and me against the world" vibe that comes when two people are in it for the long haul together.

Michael VM headed to Muscle Shoals, Alabama to record the happiest man on earth at Cypress Moon Studios with Ben Tanner (Alabama Shakes), Albert Rothstein, and Jamie Sego. Joining him for the sessions were Joe Garner (bass), Jonathan Oliphant (pianos / organs), Jeremy Gibson (drums), Kimi Samson (viola), Caleb Elliott (cello / guitar), Scott Zillitto (sax / backing vocals), and Andy Baxter (backing vocals). The result sounds amazing. It's also authentic and honest, just like everything Michael VM (or Mike V) has done before.

the happiest man on earth is out now on Suah Sounds.

The Everymen Played Their Final Show at Monty Hall with The RockNRoll HiFives and NO ICE, 5/13/17

The Everymen

Farewell to The Everymen

Back in August of 2012 -- a mere 5 months into the life of CoolDadMusic.com -- I came across a premiere for The Everymen's "Coney Island High" on BrooklynVegan. The Tuckerton, NJ band's ode to the defunct Manhattan all-ages venue was not only a perfect fit for a Jersey Shore-based blog focusing on independent music, but it is also just a damn good rock and roll song. I pre-ordered The Everymen's debut LP, New Jersey Hardcore, and things took off from there.



I interviewed frontman Michael Venutolo-Mantovani (Mike V) for Speak Into My Good Eye. Mike V became a sometimes contributor here at CoolDadMusic.com, and I went to several Everymen shows -- The Saint, Asbury Lanes, Brooklyn Bowl, Le Poisson Rouge, Maxwell's, SXSW. I met our good buddies, Dentist, at an Everymen show. I met Joe Centeno of The RockNRoll HiFives at an Everymen show. I saw the band open for The So So Glos and Titus Andronicus. CoolMom and I were there when they played well past legal closing time for their last-ever show at Maxwell's, a show that also featured Life Eaters, The Brooklyn What, and my first-ever encounter with Black Wine.

There were several attempts to book The Everymen on a "CoolDadMusic Presents" show here in the area, but the band's relentless touring schedule made it difficult to sync up. Little Dickman and I finally got them for our first-ever Sundown at the Carousel show with Dentist and Overlake (who I also probably met through The Everymen), and it was a day I'll always remember.

On Saturday night, The Everymen played their final show ever. They brought their extended family of The RockNRoll HiFives and NO ICE -- a band that grew out of The Brooklyn What -- to Jersey City's Monty Hall for the final blowout. There were 250 band-provided free beers for the crowd, and -- true to form -- the entire evening was a raucous, joyful, and sweaty affair.

NO ICE kicked things off with "The Cemetery" from their Come on Feel the NO ICE LP. From there, they played selections from that record as well as some new songs. NO ICE play what frontman Jamie Frey likes to call "Cool Dad Rock" (I'm not kidding.) which shows off the influence of everything from The Jesus and Mary Chain to The Replacements to 50s doo wop.

NO ICE

Frey mentioned the dozens of times that his bands had shared stages with The Everymen. He talked of Mike V's and the bands' big hearts and their dedication to supporting other musicians. Frey marveled that so many like-minded individuals (and there have been many Everymen) could come together in a single band.

NO ICE's Jamie Frey

Next up were The RockNRoll HiFives, each member sporting a "The Everymen Drank All My Beer" tee. The Centeno family played the CoolDad Music fifth anniversary celebration back in March and, since then, have been on a tear, touring and playing multiple shows per weekend up and down New Jersey. I think I've had the chance to catch one of their sets almost every weekend since our show.

As I mentioned, I first met Joe Centeno when he was playing with The Everymen at Maxwell's back in 2013. He's known Mike V for many, many years; and The RockNRoll HiFives referred to The Everymen as family many times during their set. And that set, like the three or four others I'd seen over the preceding month, was an absolute joy -- Joe leaping off of his amplifier, Eilee throwing confetti over the crowd, Evren wailing away like a seasoned drummer, Gloree smiling broadly while digging in on the bass, and the crowd loving every minute of it.

Joe Centeno of The RockNRoll HiFives

Eilee told the story of falling in love with The Everymen's "Dance Only, Only Dance" as a seven or eight-year-old during the video shoot at the old Centeno house. She talked about being called up on stage to sing it back then despite not really knowing the words. Joe was visibly a little sad at the idea that The Everymen were calling it quits.

The RockNRoll HiFives

By the time The Everymen took the stage, Monty Hall was packed. The three tubs of ice cold beers were down in front; and Mike V, Catherine Herrick, Ryan Gross, Jamie Zillitto, Scott Zillitto, Matt Siegle, and Geoff Morrissey laid into "A Thousand Miles" from the band's Givin' Up on Free Jazz LP. We were off. Twenty songs, about an hour and forty minutes. Mike V asking me for beers so that he could throw them out to people in the crowd. Catherine Herrick belting out some of my personal favorites like "Coney Island High" and "A Girl Named Lou Pt. 2." Eilee Centeno joining the band once again for "Dance Only, Only Dance." Covers of "Don't Change" by INXS and "Surrender" by Cheap Trick.

The Final Set List

Catherine Herrick

Mike V and his foggy glasses

Eilee and The Everymen

As Jamie Zillitto signaled the beginning of the end with the opening bassline for "Boss Johnny & The Get Lucky," Mike V told us all, "This is it! We don't do fucking encores!" The crowd erupted at all the right moments as they shouted "I HELD ON!!!" along with the band. Mike V ran down the list of all Everymen members, past and present; and, when the song was over, there were waves and hugs as the house music came up.

"Boss Johnny & The Get Lucky"

The Everymen synthesized some very New Jersey sounds -- The Misfits, The Shirelles, Springsteen -- into something all their own. When people have asked me to describe them, all I've ever really been able to say is, "It's rock and roll." Saturday night was a rock and roll party for the ages, one I'm sure nobody who was in that room will soon forget and one that I'm sure many who weren't in that room will claim they remember as the years go on.

No encores

CoolDad Music would not be what it is today if I never came across "Coney Island High" during my Internet travels on that Thursday afternoon in 2012. The NY / NJ music scene would not be what it is today if there had never been an Everymen. The band went out in a blaze of rock and roll glory on Saturday night, and the crowd at Monty Hall drank all of The Everymen's beer.

Pics are going up in the Flickr galleries and on the Facebook page.

The Everymen Released a New Single and Announced a New Album

The Everymen played our first Sundown at the Carousel show last summer.

"Co-Dependent's Day"

The Everymen have always been a mix of influences from their home state of New Jersey. Take Bruce Springsteen, The Misfits, and The Shirelles. Throw in a healthy dose of flat out, on stage abandon; and you've got something like The Everymen.

Earlier this week, the band announced their third studio album, and second for Ernest Jenning Record Co., These Mad Dogs Need Heroes. Following a 2015 that saw the band hitting the road for nearly 200 shows in support of Givin' Up On Free Jazz, including a two-week tour with Philly's The War On Drugs, The Everymen headed to Muscle Shoals, Alabama and put down the 11 tracks that would become These Mad Dogs Need Heroes with Alabama Shakes' Ben Tanner.

Getting out of New Jersey and down to Alabama seems to have brought out the more soulful side of the band as evidenced by lead single "Co-Dependent's Day." It draws heavily on The Everymen's doo wop and girl group influences while still hinting at the band's propensity to rock. Vocalist Catherine Herrick is front and center here, while the rest of the band lend things a soulful swing.

You may be able to take the band out of New Jersey -- and the change of scenery definitely adds a new flavor to their sound -- but leave it to fearless leader Mike V and the rest of the band to give a little nod to their home state by referencing a Springsteen song in the title to their album's lead single.

These Mad Dogs Need Heroes is due from Ernest Jenning on May 27th. The Everymen celebrate with a release show at Brooklyn's Rough Trade on May 25th after which they'll be hitting the road yet again.

Check out "Co-Dependent's Day" below.

CoolDad Does Austin: SXSW Day 1

Sharkmuffin

Tri-State Area Day

My cheap flight from Newark to Austin on Southwest Airlines came with the requirement that it leave at 7am. That meant a 3:20 alarm so that I could take NJ Transit to the airport. This made for a very long day.

The flight was, as they say, uneventful; and I got to my hotel in plenty of time for it to be too early to check in. That was OK. I packed my camera bag and got a Lyft into downtown Austin to pick up my wristband. After a few beers, I decided I needed a taco and ran into Dead Stars drummer Jaye Moore at the taco truck. Turns out they were playing their first set of the festival right across the street at Cheers Shot Bar in about an hour. Perfect.

Dead Stars

I headed up to the rooftop of Cheers and watched Dead Stars do their thing. For a makeshift stage on a small roof deck things sounded pretty damn good. Dead Stars are absolutely one of my current favorites, so it was a good way to start things off. From there it was over to the Salvage Vanguard Theater for "Babes Fest." I wanted to get over there to see Sharkmuffin and High Waisted. Aside: High Waisted's recently-released On Ludlow is quite awesome, and I hope to see them again while I'm here.

High Waisted

Turned out the show was RSVP only, but Sharkmuffin's Tarra Thiessen arrived just in time to hustle the guys from Dead Stars and me inside. Sharkmuffin played a great set, and I got the sense that people had come out specifically to see them which was super cool.

The 90-degree heat and lack of sleep were beginning to take a toll, so I headed back to the hotel for a shower and some food. For a business-oriented hotel near the airport, the Hampton Inn & Suites - Austin Airport, has a lot going for it. Two of those things are the fantastic and inexpensive Javi's Best of Tex-Mex restaurant just across the road and a free 5pm beer and wine happy hour.

Free beer. A few tacos. Then it was over to the UT area to meet up with our Jersey pals, The Everymen and Overlake, at Hole in the Wall. It was a little New Jersey convention in the place for the first two sets as both bands played to their hometown crowds. I got to contribute to the final noise section of Overlake's set when Tom Barrett passed me his Jazzmaster and told me to start strumming.

The Everymen

Decision time: Hang at Hole in the Wall, try to see something official / quasi-official, go to bed? I opted to try to catch Madrid's Hinds over at Hype Hotel. They were playing the first of 16 SXSW shows. I got there, and the place was already at capacity with a line of badge holders (who get entry priority over wristband holders like me) that stretched the length of the block. Oh well. I walked over to Hotel Vegas, hoping to maybe catch Thee Oh Sees; but the situation was similar. Note to self: Get to shows with buzzy bands early if you want to get in.

Overlake

That was all actually ok with me as I was dead on my feet. I've got big plans for today. We'll see what happens. Stay tuned. I've been blowing up the CoolDad Music Instagram and will continue to do so, if you'd like to follow along.

Sundown at the Carousel: Photo Highlights of Dentist, Overlake, and The Everymen, 7/5/15

The Everymen closed out Sundown at the Carousel on Sunday.

Fifth of July

We ended our holiday weekend in Asbury Park yesterday in grand style with the Sundown at the Carousel show presented by Little Dickman Records, Arcade Radio, and yours truly. It was a Jersey-centric, foCDM-packed bill featuring Justin and Emily Bornemann of Dentist, Overlake, and The Everymen. The old carousel house did not disappoint as a venue as each of the bands benefitted from the booming acoustics of the place.

Even with the lighter touch of their two-piece arrangement, the songs of Dentist bounced and reverberated around the old shell sounding big and beautiful. Overlake sounded absolutely immense. Nick D'Amore's drums probably sent shockwaves through nearby Ocean Grove, and the explosive crescendos in every song definitely shook the cobwebs from the upper-reaches of the roof. The Everymen, who were wrapping up their homecoming weekend, tore through about an hour's worth of New Jersey rock and roll as bubbles from a bicycle-borne bubble machine wafted around the room.

From the moment we opened the gates to start loading in, curious onlookers began to venture inside the long-shuttered structure to gaze up at the ceiling or to take in the Haculla mural along the back wall. The mural served as a great backdrop for all three sets.

I'd just like to say thank you to everyone who managed to make it out to what turned into a very special show. Working with bands and businesses doing great things who also happen to be great people is always a treat, and I'll always jump at the chance to call attention to the great music brewing in New Jersey.

Check out photo highlights of all three sets below. Full galleries are up at Flickr.

...and you know. Yesterday was such a good time... ...well, stay tuned.

Sundown at the Carousel with The Everymen, Overlake, and Dentist, 7/5/15

Presented with Little Dickman Records and Arcade Radio

It's really great when you get to do something cool with your friends. Little Dickman Records, Arcade Radio, and I have gotten together to present what I think is an extremely cool show in a unique venue.

We'll be bringing The Everymen, Overlake, and Dentist to Asbury Park's Carousel Building for a holiday weekend closeout on July 5th that promises to be a memorable evening full of fun, friendship, and great sounds. I've written extensively here about all three of the bands on this bill, and I'm happy to call each one of them friends of mine.

It's a real treat to bring the many-headed touring machine of The Everymen back home to the Jersey Shore for a now all-too-rare East Coast performance. They're just back from touring with The War On Drugs, and they'll be home for Independence Day Weekend. We decided to grab them while we could, and we couldn't be more excited.

Overlake have been making more frequent incursions into Asbury Park from their Jersey City home, but it's never enough for me. I recommend this band every time anyone asks me for suggestions on a bill, so it was a no-brainer to include them on one I had a hand in presenting. I can't wait to hear their beautiful noise bounce around the big space inside the carousel.

And Dentist. Some of our bestest besties. Justin and Emily will be performing as a duo and recreating some of the magic and intimacy they brought to their opening slot for Television at The Stone Pony late last year. They don't do this often, and Dentist's songs take on a whole new personality in this setup. It's something you won't want to miss.

It's great to be working with Little Dickman and Arcade Radio on this -- a bunch of great people who really care about doing interesting things to showcase the city of Asbury Park and to bring us music from New Jersey and beyond. Something like an early evening, all ages event in a beautiful space is just their style.

This is coming up quickly. Everything takes place this Sunday, July 5th, starting at 5pm. Bring your whole family. Tell all your friends, and let's celebrate together inside one of the defining landmarks of the Jersey Shore.

You can RSVP and invite your friends by going right HERE.

The Everymen Are For New Jersey with the Statewide Video Premiere of "NJHC"

Hands Across NJHC

Our good friends, The Everymen, are proud New Jerseyans. They've traversed this country since the release of their sophomore effort, Givin' Up on Free Jazz, bringing the gospel of New Jersey rock and roll to every corner of this great nation. They combine the sounds of their New Jersey forebears like The Shirelles, The Misfits, and The Boss into a joyfully sweaty good time.

Today, The Everymen take over their home state with the New Jersey-wide premiere of Givin' Up on Free Jazz track "NJHC." Music-related websites and Facebook pages across the state metaphorically join hands this morning to bring you the video.

In addition to CoolDad Music, the video for "NJHC" is scheduled to premiere today at:

Asbury Lanes (web / Facebook)
The Asbury Park Press
Hoboken411
Jersey Beat
NJArts.net
NJArtsMag.com 
New Jersey Stage
Pop-Break
Signal To Noise NJ (Tumblr / Facebook)
The Saint (web / Facebook)
Speak Into My Good Eye
United By Rocket Science
You Don't Know Jersey

The song pays tribute to the Garden State as The Everymen list out the many great Americans who hail from our crowded little paradise (Joe Piscopo, Pia Zadora) while performing in front of landmarks like the Margate Elephant and our own beloved Asbury Park Boardwalk. It's a take no prisoners love letter that dares to rhyme "Lodi" with "Bon Jovi."

Joe Centeno of badass NJ band, The RocknRoll HiFives, directed the clip. If I'm not mistaken, some of this looks to have been shot on location at another NJ landmark: The RocknRoll HiFives' very own basement. Everyman Jamie Zillitto did all the graphics and editing.

Check out the video right here or at any of your favorite New Jersey-based blogs / websites. As you enjoy your pork roll, egg, and cheese on a roll this morning, sit and contemplate the fact that -- for this brief moment in time -- The Everymen own New Jersey.

The Everymen Started Their 7-Week US Tour at The Saint w/ GayGuy / StraightGuy, The Sound Is Fine, and Those Mockingbirds, 6/4/14

Save Travels

The Everymen will be bringing their pure New Jersey rock and roll -- a body-moving blend of Jersey greats like The Shirelles, Bruce Springsteen, and The Misfits -- to the rest of these United States over the next two months. Appropriately, they started things off with an all-New Jersey send off in Asbury Park.

Asbury locals GayGuy / StraightGuy once again shook The Saint, testing the limits of just how big a two-piece band can sound. Wayne's The Sound Is Fine kept things going with their pop-infused alt-rock; and Montclair's Those Mockingbirds turned in a tight, eight-song set comprised exclusively of songs from their upcoming debut full-length, Penny The Dreadful, due July 1st.

Scotch LaRock and SIMGE's Tara Tomaino made it to The Saint, following the sold-out Modern Baseball show at Asbury Lanes, just in time to get moving to The Everymen. Despite having an early on-air at WPRB the next morning on their way to Philly, The Everymen held back nothing as they rolled off songs from both of their LPs. Almost as soon as things were finished, The Everymen were loading up their van, Rosalita, for the next stop.

Below are some photo highlights of the show and the rest of The Everymen's dates. Head over to Flickr for full photo sets. And if you happen to find yourself in Boise, Idaho or Lawrence, Kansas or Florence, Alabama some night in the coming weeks, check your local listings. You may be able to find a little taste of home.



The Everymen on Tour
6/6/14 Washington, DC Velvet Lounge
6/7/14 Wilmington, NC Walker World Organic Artist Retreat
6/8/14 Raleigh, NC The Pour House (w/ The Battery Electric)
6/9/14 Charlotte, NC The Roux
6/10/14 Atlanta, GA 529
6/11/14 Jacksonville, FL Burro Bar
6/13/14 Miami, FL Gramp's
6/14/14 Orlando, FL Will's Pub
6/15/14 Pensacola, FL Handlebar
6/16/14 New Orleans, LA Checkpoint Charlie's
6/18/14 Dallas, TX Three Links Deep Ellum
6/19/14 Austin, TX Hotel Vegas
6/20/14 Lubbock, TX Bash Riprock's
6/21/14 Albuquerque, NM Burt's Tiki Lounge
6/22/14 Phoenix, AZ Trunk Space
6/23/14 San Diego, CA Soda Bar
6/25/14 Los Angeles, CA Cafe Nela
6/26/14 Oakland, CA Eli's Mile High Club
6/28/14 Seattle, WA TBD
6/29/14 Spokane, WA Baby Bar
6/30/14 Boise, ID Liquid
7/2/14 Salt Lake City, UT Burt's Tiki Lounge
7/3/14 Denver, CO 3 King's Tavern
7/5/14 Lawrence, KS Replay Lounge
7/6/14 Omaha, NE O'Leaver's
7/7/14 Des Moines, IA Vaudeville Mews
7/8/14 Minneapolis, MN TBD
7/9/14 Chicago, IL The Burlington
7/11/14 Madison, WI The Frequency
7/12/14 Milwaukee, WI TBD
7/13/14 St. Louis, MO Blank Space
7/14/14 Florence, AL 116
7/15/14 Nashville, TN TBD
7/17/14 Louisville, KY Zanzabar
7/18/14 Indianapolis, IN TBD
7/19/14 Youngstown, OH The Royal Oak
7/21/14 Boston, MA TBD
7/25/14 New York, NY Piano's

Show Preview: The Everymen, Tour Kickoff w/ Those Mockingbirds, The Sound Is Fine, Gay Guy / Straight Guy. Tonight, 6/4/14.

The Everymen's last appearance at The Saint was an absolute blast.

Givin' Up On Home Life

In his review of The Everymen's second full-length, Givin' Up On Free Jazz, our own Scotch LaRock said:

"I can see a night where my boardwalk stroll leads me into a night spot where the horn section is hot and Mike V and Catherine trade lead vocals. There's a crowd and everyone has their dancing shoes on. I sip a cold beer and make my way onto the dance floor. Yeah, I can see it."

That night is tonight.

The Everymen kick off their mega summer tour in support of the new record tonight with a return to The Saint. It's an all-New Jersey night of rock 'n roll on the Jersey Shore as Those Mockingbirds (whose first full-length, Penny The Dreadful, is due next month), The Sound Is Fine, and Asbury's Gay Guy / Straight Guy will be helping to send our good friends out on their trip from sea to shining sea.

So get your Wednesday night dancing shoes on and come out to sip a cold one with me and wish The Everymen Godspeed.

The Everymen, Givin' Up On Free Jazz, 2014

Album Review

Don't need a reason. It's just do or die...

The timing for another platter of Everymen tunes couldn't be more perfect. We're shedding our winter gear to feel the sun shine on our pale skin. Summer's coming; and around these parts, that means going down the shore for a dip in the ocean, some boardwalk strolls, and funnel cakes. Those lazy summer days turn to nights, and Givin' Up On Free Jazz is the perfect soundtrack to a Jersey summer. I can see a night where my boardwalk stroll leads me into a night spot where the horn section is hot and Mike V and Catherine trade lead vocals. There's a crowd and everyone has their dancing shoes on. I sip a cold beer and make my way onto the dance floor. Yeah, I can see it.

First and foremost, this is a live band. You don't just listen to The Everymen. You should experience The Everymen. These crazy kids, sometimes nine of them!, standing firmly on the roots of New Jersey's rich music history. They wear their hearts on their sleeves and want you to come along for the ride. They are equal parts parts punk rock, soul, and late nights driving around town with the windows down. Givin' Up On Free Jazz is the second LP from The Everymen and picks up right where New Jersey Hardcore left us. Get in. Mike V is driving (he's the one with the killer beard).

“A Girl Named Lou Pt. 2” is the jam. It features some guest starring from AC Newman of AC Newman fame (also, the New Pornographers and Zumpano). Yes, it is The Everymen at their most Springsteen; but I am into it. Again, it is the jam. Catherine Herrick is my MVP here, and her vocals help expand The Everymen as they become a more collaborative effort this time around. If you don't believe me, check the Phil Spector inspired “Fingers Crossed." Another fave is the cover of Bruce Springsteen's Sam Cooke-esque “Ain't Good Enough For You," a deep cut from The Promise. Oh, oh, oh, go ahead. Try not to sing along. And "NJHC" is a name dropper that just brings a smile to my face. Mike V is proud of his past, his roots, and it shows.

So, call up some friends. Fire up the grill. Pack the cooler, and get your summer niii-iights rolling. And if you are in the Dirty Jersey, stop by The Saint on June 4^th to experience The Everymen for yourselves as they kick off their mammoth summer tour.

The Everymen are (or have been):

Mike V

Scott Zillitto

Stephen Chopek

Geoff Morrissey

Catherine Herrick

Jamie Zillitto

Jake Fiedler

Thomas Barrett

Will Hoffman

Pick up Givin' Up On Free Jazz from your friends at Ernest Jenning Record Co. and just about anywhere else in, of course, the format of your choice.

The (Very Late, Sorry.) First 2014 Installment of What Does Mike V Think Of... And a New Video!

Vinyl vs CDs vs Digital

It's been too long since we last checked in with The Everymen's Mike V to get his opinion on a pressing issue of the day. I saw an opportunity when another friend of mine (OK. It was Gentleman Jim Norton.) posted what he knew would be a polarizing (Imagine!) Facebook status stating his position on the Vinyl / CD / Digital Debate. The Everymen have a new record, Givin' Up On Free Jazz, coming this month; so I thought it was a good time to ask Mike about his thoughts on the relative merits of different formats.

Read on to get Mike's position on this very, very important issue; and when you're done, you can watch The Everymen's latest video for Free Jazz single "Spain."

CDM: A few of my friends got into a big debate on Facebook the other day about the merits of vinyl over CDs, CDs over vinyl, both over MP3s, and vice versa. Neil Young has that Pono thing coming out which will supposedly, according to him, be way better than any other MP3 player because you'll be able to buy lossless audio from the Pono Store and listen to it on his device. Record Store Day just came and went a couple of weeks ago, and you've got a new record of your own on the way.

What are your own thoughts on the whole format debate and does that affect your decision on how to release your own records? In what formats will Givn' Up on Free Jazz be available?

MVM: Bah. Listen to what you like to listen to. Dig this. Most faux-waxophiles will tell you that they love the warmth of vinyl. They'll tell you that the CD sounds too digitized and mechanical. Which is true. Vinyl certainly tends to sound more warm, more full. But something else that's true is that most people don't have stereo systems that are high-end enough to tell the goddamn difference. Don't tell me that you love the warmth of the vinyl that spins on your novelty Crosley turntable that you got at Urban Outfitters. I can guarantee you that the CD player in our van sounds a whole lot better.

The debate is all wrong, if you ask me (which you have). It's not vinyl versus CD or digital. It's more about what you're listening ON that defines your listening experience. Pono could somehow be fucking Crazy Horse playing live inside your little pocket, but as long as you're listening on shitty little headphones, it won't sound half as good as a CD with decent equalization coming through a nice set of speakers which are set the perfect distance apart (seven feet apart, eighteen inches from the wall in the instance of my living room).

Having said all that, I prefer vinyl; but it's got nothing to do with the sound. My hi-fi isn't NEARLY hi-end enough to make that distinction. I've got a nice little Stanton table with a very run of the mill JVC amp pushing some EXTREMELY nice Bowers & Wilkins speakers (a birthday present from the best girlfriend ever). My speaker cables could absolutely be upgraded, and my cartridge is probably a few months past its prime. So my listening set up is hardly ideal. I can't (nor will I ever) say that it's the sound, the warmth and the low end that drives me to pick vinyl as my medium of choice.

For me it's all about the ritual. The removal of the dustcover from the record, the sleeve from the jacket, the record from the sleeve, placing the sleeve back in the jacket, the dustcover back over the sleeve, placing the plate on the turntable, pressing play, giving one good swipe with my dustbrush, dropping the needle, sitting back and enjoying, flipping the record and then repeating the entire process in reverse. I love the fact that if you turn your amp off and put your ear REAL close to the needle, you can hear the songs emanating from the vinyl. I love the fact that records -- much like an electric guitar -- are simply the amplification of real sound, as opposed to the digital recreation of those sounds. I love the fact that it's much more inviting to sit around with friends and some wine and listen to records than it is to crowd around a computer and listen to MP3s with some pals. It can be a communal thing where, at other times, it can be a solitary thing. But either way, it's still your process, which you've defined and refined over years of listening to music. And that's why I love it.

Traditionally, I've only put out vinyl and sold digital albums and EPs because that's traditionally been my audience -- people like me who don't care if you're selling CDs. They want that 7" or that 10" or that LP. But now our audience is (thankfully) growing, so we have to give people as many opportunities to buy our albums as we can. Which means CDs and digital along with LPs.

I feel like CDs are dying. Reel to reel, 8 tracks, cassette tapes, they all came and went, just as mp3s someday will. CDs are on their way out the door and some of my more in-the-know friends have for years claimed that 2014-2015 would be the years that the CD officially dies. Our new album will be available on LP, CD, digital and all streaming services if for no other reason than I want people to have every opportunity to buy our music. If there's one dude out there who really wants Givin' Up On Free Jazz on CD, then I'm happy as hell that we're providing it for him.

The Everymen Played The Saint with Richard Bacchus and The Luckiest Girls, The Battery Electric and Pour The Pirate Sherry, 4/5/14

It Was F*#$in' Saturday Night

The Everymen made a long-overdue return to The Saint on Saturday night, bringing with them former D Generation guitarist Richard Bacchus and his band The Luckiest Girls, The Battery Electric, and North Jersey's Pour The Pirate Sherry. It was a rock 'n roll drenched Saturday night that, in fine Everymen tradition, eventually saw audience members jumping up on stage and members of several bands performing covers and trading off on instruments long after The Everymen's proper set had ended.

Pour The Pirate Sherry, who are making a return to playing after some time off, started things. The New Jersey trio, led by guitarist Jarett Quintana, shook The Saint with their heavy indie rock and set the tone for an evening that ended up feeling a lot more like a party than just a rock show.

The Battery Electric, one of the hardest working bands in Asbury Park, were up next and impressed with a set that's only gotten tighter as the band have played and toured more. Opening with single "Ovulator," The Battery Electric also showed off some of the influences that inform their sound as they trotted out covers of The Sonics' "Have Love Will Travel" and The Isely Brothers' / Human Beinz's "Nobody But Me."

Things only escalated as Richard Bacchus and The Luckiest Girls took the stage. Bacchus actually started the set on the floor playing guitar among the crowd. Now based in Raleigh, NC, Bacchus hasn't lost any of his glammy, gritty Lower East Side edge. He repeatedly came to the edge of the stage with his highly personalized red Stratocaster, the sax and the bass lending an almost boogie-woogie vibe to Bacchus's punk guitar. Throughout the set, Bacchus gave several shouts out to The Battery Electric saying they had restored his faith in "denim and dirtiness." The growing friendship would pay dividends later in the night.

Finally, The Everymen made their return to The Saint's stage. The band are readying Givn' Up on Free Jazz, the follow-up to 2012's New Jersey Hardcore. Saturday's set included cuts from the upcoming album like "Spain" and "A Girl Named Lou, Pt. 2." The Everymen have been adding some covers to their set, and Neil Young's "Rockin' in the Free World" saw Bacchus, The Battery Electric, and several members of the audience joining the band onstage for a group chorus. For perennial favorite "Boss Johnny and the Get Lucky," Mike V's dad joined the band to sing and, eventually, play some guitar.

Bacchus was back with The Everymen for set closer "Degenerated" by Reagan Youth, but the evening wasn't over. While most of The Everymen left the stage, Bacchus stayed and was joined by The Battery Electric (as well as CoolDad Music reader and sax player, Matt from Tuckerton) for a series of covers, including songs by The Stooges and Johnny Thunders. Mike V did return temporarily for a stint behind the drum set.

In all, it was a cathartic and exhausting evening. Old friends reconnected; new friendships formed; and people bonded over the music. It was Saturday night.

Here are some highlights. Check out the Flickr gallery for more.

What's Going On: April 3rd, 4th, 5th, & 6th, 2014

Brooklyn's Fort Lean return to Asbury Park on Friday night as part of SIMGE Presents at APYC.

Now With More Thursday!

When I used to commute into Manhattan every day, Thursday was like Commuter Friday. On Fridays, everybody wanted to head out early; so, if you wanted to spend an evening tossing a few back with your co-workers, Thursday was your night. Around here, we have Jeff Raspe's "Locals Live" every Thursday night at Langosta Lounge, and the guys from Sound Waves put something on at APYC every week as well. Then, there's The Saint which is always a reliable bet for pre-weekend action.

I took things easy show-wise last week in anticipation of the jam-packed few days ahead, starting tonight. "Locals Live" has The East Indies, Waiting For Henry, and Framing Dakota at Langosta. Arizona punks Authority Zero headline The Saint. In New Brunswick, Court Tavern has a bill that includes The Hsu-Nami, who mix Chinese traditional sounds with progressive and post rock and feature The Battery Electric's Brent Bergholm on guitar.

Friday night sees the return of Fort Lean to Asbury Park, who play a free show along with Dentist and The Drive Home at APYC for Speak Into My Good Eye. Happy Mondays mastermind, Christine Feola, holds the launch party for her new Dark City Entertainment at The Wonder Bar. And the CoolDaughters would be excited to know that Cher Lloyd headlines The Stone Pony.

On Saturday, our very good friends here at CoolDad Music, The Everymen, come back to The Saint with Richard Bacchus (formerly of D Generation), The Battery Electric, and Pour the Pirate Sherry; while New Brunswick's Court Tavern features an early show by Dave Hause and Night One of the Hub City Music Festival.

Finally, I had to throw in Sunday as The Saint will be helping to celebrate Jeff Crespi's birthday with a full lineup that features Hot Blood, Vextion, A Balance Between, End of an Era, and The Antics. Jeff is a tireless supporter of local bands through his photography, and you should definitely try to stop by to say thanks, wish him a happy birthday, and buy him a Coke.

THURSDAY (4/3)

Asbury Park Yacht Club (Asbury): Sound Waves Presents, 9pm, FREE

Court Tavern (New Brunswick): A Need For A Reason / The Hsu-Nami / Brittney On Fire / The Best Of The Worst / Franchise / Drowning Swans, 8pm, $6

Langosta Lounge (Asbury): Locals Live: The East Indies / Waiting For Henry / Framing Dakota, FREE (ALL AGES)

The Saint (Asbury): Authority Zero / Donald Spencer / Von Mons, $13 adv, $15 door, 6pm

FRIDAY (4/4)

Asbury Lanes (Asbury): JoyCut / Dinosaur Eyelids / Bradley Cooper, 8pm, $8 adv, $10 door (ALL AGES)

Asbury Park Yacht Club (Asbury): Speak Into My Good Eye Presents: Fort Lean / Dentist / The Drive Home, 9pm, FREE

The Brighton Bar (Long Branch): Starcazt / Mike D / Dubz / Premonisitions / The Gindi Brothers, 6:30pm, $10 adv, $12 door (ALL AGES)

Clash Bar (Clifton): Michael Greeley / King Dead / Industry, 9pm, $8

Court Tavern (New Brunswick): Owel / (Damn) This Desert Air / A Balance Between / Verses Narrow / Harvey Pekar, 8pm, $10

Langosta Lounge (Asbury): The F.L.O.W., 9pm, FREE (18+)

The Saint (Asbury): Passafire / Lullwater / From The Ground, 7:30pm, $13 adv, $15 door

The Stone Pony (Asbury): Cher Lloyd / Jackson Harris, 7pm, $26.50 adv, $30 door (ALL AGES)

The Wonder Bar (Asbury): Dark City Entertainment Launch Party: The Vansaders / Chemtrail / Amy Malkoff & The Moonshines / The Battery Electric / Incircles, 7pm, $7

SATURDAY (4/5)

Asbury Lanes (Asbury): Cavalcade Of The Odd's "Kisses and Concussions Rides Again," 7:30pm, $15 (18+)

Asbury Park Yacht Club (Asbury): Birthwater, 10pm, FREE

The Brighton Bar (Long Branch): Goat Rope / Microfossils / Love Kraft / BaBabes / Leeds, 7:30pm, 21 + FREE, 18-20 $5

Clash Bar (Clifton): Silence Equals Death / Tarpit Boogie / Faction Zero, 9pm, $8

Court Tavern (New Brunswick): Dave Hause / Northcote / Rocky Cantanese, 4pm, $12

Court Tavern (New Brunswick): Hub City Music Festival: Roadside Graves / Wreaths / The Junk Rumblers / Chris Harford and the Band of Changes / The Stuntcocks, 9pm, $10-$20 Suggested Donation

Langosta Lounge (Asbury): Broken Gold / Seaside Caves, 10pm, FREE (18+)

Lot 13 Longbar (Bayonne): Cicada Radio / The Cartwheelers / Ravens Ballroom / Japanda, 7pm, $5

The Saint (Asbury): The Everymen / Richard Bacchus and The Luckiest Girls / The Battery Electric / Pour The Pirate Sherry, 7:30pm, $10

The Stone Pony (Asbury): CSN Songs / The Unknowns / The Shadows, 7pm, $15 adv, $18 door (ALL AGES)

The Wonder Bar (Asbury): Marc Ribler and Friends / Lance Larsen / Heaven, 8pm, $10 adv, $12 door

SUNDAY (4/6)

The Saint (Asbury): Jeff Crespi's Birthday Bash: Hot Blood / Vextion / A Balance Between / End of an Era / The Antics, 6:30pm, $10 adv, $12 door

The Everymen Announce Next LP, Share New Single, Playing The Saint on April 5th

Lots of News from Everyland

Our friends The Everymen, fresh off of their trip to SXSW, have announced details of their forthcoming follow-up to 2012's New Jersey Hardcore. May 20th will see the release of Givin' Up on Free Jazz via Brooklyn's Ernest Jenning Record Co.

To coincide with the announcement, the band have made single "Spain" available via Soundcloud. The song, which has been a staple of the band's live sets for a while now, tells the story of the ill-fated love between a Spanish building and the sidewalk on which it sits. The song starts quietly with just Mike V singing over acoustic guitar; but it eventually explodes with the band's usual energy, adding keys, horns and vocals from Catherine Herrick as The Sidewalk.

As the always hard-working Everymen gear up for what promises to be a spring and summer of relentless touring, we all get a chance to catch their live show as they come to The Saint on April 5th. Joining The Everymen on the bill will be former D Generation guitarist Richard Bacchus and his band The Luckiest Girls as well as New Jersey's Pour the Pirate Sherry and Asbury's own The Battery Electric.

The Everymen Sign to Ernest Jenning Record Co.

NJHC Follow Up Is Due This Spring

New Jersey rockers and our good friends, The Everymen, announced today that they've signed with Brooklyn's Ernest Jenning Record Co. EJRC will be putting out the band's follow-up to 2012's New Jersey Hardcore this spring. Stay tuned for information on the new record and its attendant tour.

In the meantime, you can busy yourself by checking out new single, "A Girl Named Lou, Pt. 2," which the band put out last year and features a vocal cameo by AC Newman. If you'd like to catch the band's first gig as members of the EJRC stable, they'll be playing Glasslands Gallery in Brooklyn on January 28th as part of a bill that includes Bright Future, NØMADS, and Dead Stars.

Best of 2013 Installment of "What Does Mike V Think Of...?"

Year-End Lists

Starting next week, we're into full holiday high gear. It's been a fun year here at CoolDad Music. I've heard some great stuff, seen some great shows, and met some really fantastic people. I'll be putting together at least one year-end post of my own, but I'm going to try and get a few more perspectives on the year up here as things wind down.

Before getting started, I decided I'd get Mike V's take on the whole concept of year-end lists. He has some opinions as you might expect, and -- Bonus! -- he even threw in his own list of top albums of 2013.

Mike and The Everymen have been great friends of the blog throughout the year and have been taking a well-deserved sort of mini break as they get ready for 2014. With their second full-length LP in the can and a newly-signed record deal, though, I'm sure they'll be coming back stronger than ever.

CDM: We're coming to the end of the year, so that means -- probably any day now -- we'll start to see everybody's year-end lists for albums, songs, whatever. NME will put out something deliberately annoying and unbelievable. Rolling Stone will include a bunch of records that nobody under the age of -- well, my age -- will have even heard of. P4K will drag their list out over the course of a week or more. What do you think of year-end lists?

MV: I think -- like with anything in today's hyper-circuit of content -- setting yourself apart and, unfortunately, getting those clicks is as just as important as the content itself. So maybe it is up to the NME to do something completely fucking stupid (such as claiming that The Strokes debut is THE FOURTH FUCKING GREATEST RECORD EVER FUCKING MADE) or Pitchfork to roll out their list over days and weeks or The Rolling Stone... well... actually The Rolling Stone list is about as relevant as T.J. Hooker.

Since most people practice in the same general circles and most common-minded outlets will generally be publishing somewhat similar lists, people have to do something to set themselves apart from one another. So what can you do, right? You can come up with some scheme to make your list stand out from the rest. In the end, it is what it is I guess.

As for the lists themselves, I've always loved year-end lists if they proved interesting, a little different and have opened my eyes to something new. But who really wants to read the same fucking year-end list over and over again (looking at you Pitchfork, Consequence Of Sound, Stereogum, et al)? When the holidays start to roll around, I tend to troll metal boards, hardcore and punk sites, and experimental destinations for year-end stuff. I could probably tell you what Pitchfork's top 25 are right now, so why not go out of my comfort zone and find that black metal record I never knew I needed, ya know? I'm not on those sites every day, so having that filter makes getting those outsider goodies that much easier. On the negative side, of course, year-end lists always give me a sense of which outlets I should probably just stop reading. Example: The Rolling Stone proving to you time and time again just how fucking out of touch they are by lauding Katy Perry, Kings Of Leon and Sting to no fucking end.

But of course there is no better year-end list than that of your music loving pals. We used to make each other mixtapes. Now we just send each other links. Might as well make each other lists. Ask a pal what his favorite records of the year are. He might just open your eyes to something even Pitchfork hasn't heard about yet.

Having said that, here is ol' Mikey's Best Of 2013 list... in no specific order.

Yo La Tengo - Fade (Matador)
Marnie Stern - The Chronicles Of Marnia (Kill Rock Stars)
Rhye - Woman (Loma Vista)
Anna Calvi - One Breath (Domino)
Charles Waters Quartet - Chroma Colossus: 13 Visions Of The City (Amish)
Washed Out - Paracosm (Sub Pop)
The Brooklyn What - Hot Wine (self-released)
Potty Mouth - Hell Bent (Old Flame)
King Khan And The Shrines - Idle No More (Merge)
Joel RL Phelps & The Downer Trio - Gala (12XU)
Queens Of The Stone Age - …Like Clockwork (Matador)
Brother JT - The Sveltness Of Boogitude (Thrill Jockey)
Stephen Malkmus And Friends - Ege Bamyasi Record Store Day Exclusive (Matador)
Ovlov - Am (self-released)

What Does Mike V Think of... ...the Marketing Blitz?

Reflektor

It's "Arcade Fire Day." Like Daft Punk and, to a lesser extent, Vampire Weekend before them, Arcade Fire and their people have done everything they possibly can to make sure that Reflektor is on the mind of the record-buying public.

I've been a big fan of Arcade Fire over the years, but I have to admit that the Reflektor marketing campaign has been getting on my nerves. That's mostly my problem, obviously. Everyone's got a right to make a living and to promote their product, right?

Our friend Mike V of The Everymen has a bit of a history on the business side of selling records, so I thought I'd ask him what he thinks of all the pre-release hype around Reflektor. He makes some good points, especially about the balancing act that big bands need to perform when selling to "tried and true" fans (like me) as well as new listeners.

On another, very important, note, The Everymen are playing their final area date of the year TONIGHT at Mercury Lounge. They'll be joined by Life Eaters, and all proceeds from the event go to the fight against MS. Go check them out if you can and support a good cause.

CDM: Arcade Fire's new album , Reflektor, is out today. In the run-up to the release we've been absolutely deluged with pre-release activities. There were mysterious Reflektor Instagram and Twitter accounts. I even saw folks fanning themselves with Reflektor fans at FYF, weeks before we ever even heard a single. What do you think of the pseudo-guerilla and other types of marketing that characterize the modern album release cycle?

MV: Innovative marketing tactics have ALWAYS been a component of the record business. From the trading cards, obnoxious merchandise and television specials of the past to today's crazed environment of hidden teasers, easter eggs and campaign rollouts which take longer to execute than the making of the album itself, thinking outside of the proverbial box to get as many eyes on a new record as possible is hardly new. But I think we have reached a possible (hopeful) critical mass of pre-release hype generation.

While a perfectly crafted marketing campaign can do wonders for an album, record companies must walk the fine line of just right and massively overdone. It really is just that simple to cross the line from the perceived ubiquity that all record labels strive to achieve in the days, weeks and months leading up to an album's street date to "ENOUGH WITH THIS FUCKING RECORD" and I think a lot of it has to do with the status and size of the band.

For me, those moments that are manufactured work perfectly when the band/artist in question is juuuuuust about to break into a new level. Try these overcooked stunts on a band no one really knows yet and it's just a waste of time, money and brain power because most people might not know that Weaselden* is a band - and not say a clothing line or a skate shop or whatever the fuck else people advertise. Weaselden should just be out playing shows, building their fan base and selling records on a face-to-face level, because that's where they're at in their career.

Do this with a band that's too big and you run the risk of most certainly alienating a lot of the band's tried and true fans. It's an ugly feeling when you see the band you discovered while they were still playing at Mercury Lounge shilling BS on cable television. But you still have to tell people that the band has a record coming, no? So that's that. Arcade Fire could have sent out a Tweet this Monday saying that their album drops the next morning and I'm sure they'd sell just as many copies as they will behind this absurd Reflektor campaign. The biggest bands in the world don't need all of that ramping up hype. In a way they simply just need to put a record out (see also: Radiohead In Rainbows)

Of course this all begs the eternal question (posed initially by Socrates, I believe) of exactly how much a turd can be polished.

When I see these huge, worldwide marketing campaigns the first thought that pops into my cynical mind is usually, "Well this album probably isn't very good if they're selling it THIS hard." Because despite what has become an en vogue idea, most records sell or tank based on the merit of their music. Sure there are some records that sell WAY more than they should, but we'll chalk that up to the musical narrowmindedness of the pop-loving public. And, as always, there are plenty of records that should have sold a whole lot more than they have because they are just that good. But justice will never be served. Taylor Swift will always be a multimillion seller and no one will ever really appreciate Yank Crime** the way it should be appreciated. But in the end it is the music contained on that disc or that plate of wax or that file of 0s and 1s that will determine the inherent value of whatever garbage you listen to. No one will ever remember the street team chalking campaign or the hashtag promotion or the bonus tote bag you got if you purchased the album at an independent retailer. But they will remember if your album sucks.

IN CONCLUSION!!!

As a very wise record man once told me, "Why bother with all of this stupid shit when we have a really. fucking. good record?"

Good day, sirs.

*Weaselden is one of my thousands of fake bands. We're a psychedelic polkapop power trio. We fucking rip.

**If you don't know this album go now and listen, my child. You can thank me later.
   
editor's note: I tried to be as contrary and anti-hype as I possibly could, but dammit if I don't think that Reflektor is pretty good. - CDM
 

The Everymen Announce Final Shows of the Year

Camelfest at Asbury Lanes and "Rock to Stop MS!"

Even one of the hardest working bands in New Jersey -- the USA, even! -- needs to take a break once in a while. The Everymen have announced that they'll be taking some time off at the end of this year so that they "can actually take some weekend trips with our girlfriends and stuff and maybe even enjoy XMas with our families." Before going on a well-deserved hiatus, though, the Tuckerton band will play two final shows, both benefits. 

On October 18th, The Everymen will be coming to Asbury Lanes as part of Camelfest, the 20th anniversary celebration for New Jersey's own Dromedary Records. The show will mark the last for Everymen drummer Jake Fiedler as part of the band, and all proceeds from the show will benefit Roots and Wings of New Jersey, a non-profit that seeks to aid young adults who have aged out of the foster system.

Then, on October 29th, The Everymen and Life Eaters will be helping friend, National MS Society NYC Marathon runner, and all-around booty mover, Emily Newman, exceed her fundraising goal of $4000 to combat multiple sclerosis by playing "Rock to Stop MS!" at New York's Mercury Lounge. Those who can't make the show can still contribute.

The Everymen have been great friends of CoolDad Music throughout the year; and, as the run of benefit shows they did following Superstorm Sandy showed, they are always more than willing to play for a cause. Head out to one of these shows and catch them one, last time in 2013 if you can; and help them help out yet again.

Time for Another Installment of: What Does Mike V Think of...

...Music Festivals

It's a rainy Friday, so that means I'm feeling particularly lazy. I did manage to cobble together a review of the excellent upcoming album from London's Shopping, which you can check out over at Speak Into My Good Eye. After that, though, I'm kind of spent. That makes it a perfect day to turn things over to Mike V.

This weekend is weekend number 2 of the Austin City Limits Festival. The CBGB Music and Film Festival is, right this minute, in its second year in New York with CMJ following closely on its heels.

The Everymen have played a few festivals in their time, so I decided to ask frontman Mike V his opinion on the whole festival thing. See what he has to say about making a living as a band and the corporate dystopia in our future.

CDM: Z. Cole Smith of DIIV said earlier this year that SXSW was a "glorified corporate networking event" and "bullshit." You've played -- and been well-received at -- a few festivals this year. What do you think of music festivals as a band? As a music fan?

MV: Well, before I get into anything I have to point out that you should probably take anything that Zachary Cole Smith says with a pretty decent grain of salt. One cursory glance over this completely asinine Pitchfork interview (and his subsequent actions) prove that much.

Having said that, he is right on this point. It is a corporate shitshow. Vans this and Converse that. Doritos, Fader, Vice, Coca-Cola... fuck. Even Goo Goo Clusters had their own day party this year (which is awesome because Goo Goo Clusters fucking RULE). But that's the name of the game these days. And it ain't just in music. It's everywhere. No longer to do we have Comiskey Park, Shea Stadium, Cleveland Municipal or even Giants fucking Stadium. Now we have the M&T Bank Stadium, The Mercedes-Benz Superdome, Papa John's Cardinal Stadium, and -- of course -- MetLife Stadium (much to the Jets chagrin, I'm sure). Corporations are so deeply ingrained in our culture that, one day, we might actually be listening to commercial jingles as radio entertainment (SEE: Demolition Man) or wearing shirts adorned with Reese's Pieces and Clorox logos (SEE: Idiocracy).

But back to SXSW. There has to be some sort of conflicting ideology when a "punk" or "indie" band (sarcastic quotations) are playing inside of a fucking giant Doritos vending machine. There has to be some sort of disconnect when a DIY or die band is playing a show sponsored by Spotify. And there is. There is a major disconnect when a band you saw play in a basement last summer is now main support at a major sponsored party. But what's the easiest way to bridge a disconnect? Cold fucking cash.

Would I want The Everymen to be the face of Mountain Dew? No. Would I take $10,000 to play a forty five minute set at the Mountain Dew / Goodyear Tires / Rdio / Stay Free Maxi day party? Absofuckinglutely. Some bands use these "money shows," as they're called, to finance entire tours or albums; and so long as the artist in question has no moral or ideological opposition to the sponsor, then no one should chastise them for taking the money and running. We're all trying to make a living here, and until you have that fat stack of cash on your table (and maybe rent to pay back home or even a family to support, say), you should hold your fucking tongue about corporate sponsorships. Don't like the corporate presence at SXSW? Play the show. Take the money, and then find yourself a basement show to play for the real kids out there. Or just play the basement show. Collect your gas money and head on out.

So to put it more plainly, I have no problem with these greedy corporate fucks. And I have even less of a problem if they wanna give me a few grand to play my guitar for less than an hour. I was gonna do that for free anyway.