TM Givens trailer premieres for his Bamboo Dart press book

TM Givens forthcoming book on Bamboo Dart Press, Standing in Line: Coffee Shop Drawings captures the restlessness, surprise, laughter and blooming doldrums on exhibit in our shrinking public squares.

Givens has exhibited in a variety of media, with sculpture at the Ankrum Gallery, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Chaffey College, and with drawings and paintings in a variety of galleries in Sacramento. In 2018, the Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden exhibited his drawings in a changing exhibition titled “Terry Givens: 100 Garden Views.” He has contributed many drawings to organizations, individuals, and businesses in and around Claremont. The series Garden Prayers, inspired by his Botanic Garden exhibit, and a book of photographs from the 1968 March on Washington were both published by Pelekinesis.

Standing in Line offers a slice of the everyday from Givens, with a fascinating interview about his work, his life and what continues to inspire him. The book is available September 15th at finer book stores and all those larger boxes online. The book is available for preorder from us directly as well. Check out the trailer for the book below.

Furniture Huschle & Food Fortunata split release out today

Food Fortunata and Furniture Huschle have written and issued thousands of songs between them over the last forty plus years. You may know Joel Huschle, of Furniture Huschle from his myriad of solo and collaborative records including his work with Wckr Spgt, and perhaps Food Fortunata from his work as Sockeye and dozens of other names/bands as the purveyor of over three hundred rightfully weird world recordings on his Wheelchair Full of Old Men label. It has in fact taken decades to bring these cats together, the double lift of Unread and Shrimper records to issue it, and most importantly, two sides of tape pro duped at some factory, magnetized with the unique sound of these stalwarts of the underground. A Rudimentary Peni and Caroliner Rainbow Fish n’ Chips cover best describes the pumping heart that these two push oxygenated blood out of. Limited edition of 100 with cover art by Dennis Callaci. Get it here or here.

Adam Greenfield’s Bamboo Dart Press book is out now

Adam Greenfield’s Dinner Party Music is a surrealistic look at how men pass on a legacy of anger to one another and the women in their lives who choose to escape it.If these walls could talk…they’d tell the story of generations of rage that are literally embodied in the walls of a family home. Greenfield’s previous books on Pelekinesis, Mountain Lion Blues and Circa fine line sorrow and joy without being cloying, with whoever is working the lights veering off stage, under the floorboards and up through the sternum as they get to the heart of the matters at hand.

Check out a reading by Greenfield with a score by Craig Wedren below. Dinner Party Music is out now, available at finer book stores as well as direct from us.

“Adam Greenfield’s vivid and bitingly funny prose explores love, loss, and the impulse to self-destruct. Mountain Lion Blues is not only a fascinating story, it’s also an ode to those of us with a wrecking ball swinging around inside of us–this book is unforgettable.” -Chelsea Hodson, author of Tonight I’m Someone Else

Refrigerator “Get Lost” LP is out now, second video premieres

Limited edition first pressing of the new Refrigerator LP “Get Lost” is out now on vinyl. Second pressing and CD available in the new year. Jad Fair’s art houses the vinyl with as little script as possible on the sleeve to keep from obfuscating the beauty of his work. Check out the second song/video from the record, a track written by Allen Callaci & Chris Jones. Fear not, Daniel Brodo’s bass ties the whole thing together as the jangle of Mark Given’s guitar strangles the squeal of Callaci’s Ibanez Roadstar II.

The record is available at better record stores and trickling services on Friday or available here and here.

Jeff Friedman’s “Broken Signals” book is out today on Bamboo Dart Press

Jeff Friedman’s Broken Signals is a wildly imaginative collection of dazzling fabulist micro tales that reveals a world of inexplicable mysteries in which we struggle to love each other and ourselves. A girl coughs out salmon fillets for the family dinner; a man can’t remember his father’s face; a man’s lover believes he’s Paul Newman…a female mime pantomimes sex with her lover, but never touches him; a flotilla of clouds sails toward the horizon, each with a dog tail ticking behind it. A husband opens the doors through which his wife sleepwalks and a white owl sews together the dreams of two lovers…Broken Signals is deeply serious and knock-out funny!

Each of these potent, minute-length pieces—about family, love, and the inner life—shimmers with the wisdom and emotional precision of a dream. Together they form a moving kaleidoscope of our most urgent yearnings. Friedman’s work is reminiscent of the great 20th Century writer István Örkény, with an intimacy and freshness that is all his own.

—Dawn Raffel, author of Boundless as the Sky

Decades ago, Russell Edson was the writer who introduced me, not only to prose poetry, but also the realization that this form could be funny, quirky, and profound at the same time. Jeff Friedman is a worthy successor. This short collection ended too soon. Reading Broken Signals is like opening a door to a room filled with wonder.

—Gary Fincke, author of The History of the Baker’s Dozen

Available everywhere now, including direct from Bamboo Dart Press

“Free LSD” movie screening at Laemmle in Claremont this Tuesday w/ a panel Q&A featuring Dimitri Coats & Keith Morris of OFF! moderated by Dennis Callaci

Not only was the record and the script for the film, Free LSD birthed in Pomona and Claremont, but scenes in the film were shot out this way. The film is a total joy to behold. If you live in the area, you can check out a screening at The Laemmle in Claremont on Tuesday August 6th at 7:30 pm. After the screening, I will be moderating a Q&A with my pals Dimitri Coats and Keith Morris from the band and taking questions from the audience. Tickets are going fast, don’t sleep.

Trailer for Jeff Friedman’s “Broken Signals” book on Bamboo Dart Press premieres

Jeff Friedman’s Broken Signals is a wildly imaginative collection of dazzling fabulist micro tales that reveals a world of inexplicable mysteries in which we struggle to love each other and ourselves. A girl coughs out salmon fillets for the family dinner; a man can’t remember his father’s face; a man’s lover believes he’s Paul Newman…a female mime pantomimes sex with her lover, but never touches him; a flotilla of clouds sails toward the horizon, each with a dog tail ticking behind it. A husband opens the doors through which his wife sleepwalks and a white owl sews together the dreams of two lovers…Broken Signals is deeply serious and knock-out funny! Check out the trailer below featuring a reading by Friedman, soundtracked by Roy Nathanson and directed by Dennis Callaci. The book is out August 9th and available for preorder now.

King Daddy “Fine in a Moment” Bamboo Dart Press book out now

“The heart is not a metaphor – no, wait – the heart is a metaphor.”
King Daddy’s first volume of poetry for Bamboo Dart Press, Fine in a Minute, follows the author as he attempts to make sense of his life after the loss of his wife and muse of 30 years, Wendrika Thorpe, chronicling his grief and laying bare his fears, regrets and idiosyncrasies. Heartbreaking and hilarious, Fine in a Minute highlights King Daddy’s twisted, erotically-charged yet erudite wit and wisdom, which evokes fever dream poignancy and working-class empathy. From Buddha to bluesmen, Covina to catharsis, Fine in a Minute is an emotionally gripping poetic journey.

Refrigerator “Fire on 12th Street” Video Premiere’s on Austin Town Hall

Refrigerator’s new record, Get Lost, is out August 23rd on Shrimper/Grapefruit Records. The album opener, Fire on 12th Street is the first music and video released by the band from the record. The song, recorded live in one take by Steve Folta, is a jumble of stabbing guitars, loping drums, broken glass and a hymnal vocal chant coda. The video was directed by Dennis Callaci and features the artwork of Jad Fair (whose art graces the front and back cover sleeve). The first press of the LP is a limited affair and is available here, here and here for preorder. Here is what Austin Town Hall, who premiered the video, has to say about it and beneath that is the video.

Refrigerator Announce Get Lost + Share Fire on 12th Street Video

Second video from Dennis Callaci and Heimito Kunst’s “First Light” record premieres

The new collaborative record First Light by Italy’s Heimito Kunst and, uh, USA’s Dennis Callaci is out July 12th on Pass Without Trace. The first video, World of Lovers was directed and edited by Kunst. The second video, below, is a one camera, one shot distilled Russian Ark affair shot and directed by Callaci for the song Consider Me. The record is out June 28th, preorders are ongoing here and here.