86'd Records/Rations Noise (Wells)
1. What are your top five albums that were released in 2018? (Preferably in order 1-5)
- Dark Thoughts - At Work
- Tony Molina - Kill the Lights
- Iron Chic / Toys That Kill - Split LP
- Vacation – Mouth Sounds #2699
- Suppression - Placebo Reality
2. What band did you discover in 2018 (can be a brand new band or an older band) that had an impact on your life? What made them significant?
I don’t think there is one specifically, but in general I hear a lot of new local stuff on WUSB Stony Brook 90.1 - my local community run station. So, for me, getting into my car and hearing an actual local person interview and play stuff from local bands is a more impactful or significant than other discovery methods like curated playlists, algorithmic shuffles, posts from friends, etc -- even if the music isn’t always totally up my alley. Honestly, I’ve been listening to music almost exclusively through terrestrial radio in the car for the past year or so. I’m sure I’ve missed tons of stuff.
3. How will you remember 2018? (In terms of music)
I started 2018 recovering from Carpal Tunnel surgery and writing guitar parts for new songs in my head and ended the year recording some of those songs. So that’s pretty awesome about 2018.
Most of my creative effort this year went into working on the RATIONS NOISE Dronestruck EP. There was lots of research, writing, pixel pushing, and generally wallowing in the upsetting subject matter of the project as I worked on the layout, information, permissions, etc. I tried to channel bands whose political intensity was equal to their audio output. So I listened to a lot of AK-47, NOTHING TO LOSE, KRUPTED PEASANT FARMERZ, UTTER FAILURE, STRUGGLE, and not whole lot else.
4. What can we look forward to from you in 2019?
The results! RATIONS NOISE / UNKNOWN RIVER DRIVER split 12” LP/CS will be out on 86’d (and a bunch of other labels) in January. Also, RATIONS (the band) recorded 4 songs which should come out next year. One track will be on a 2xLP compilation to be announced. Not sure about the rest.
Also, I’m staring down some free time next year, so I’ll be offering layout/design services to bands/labels.
5. What records are you looking forward to most in 2019?
There should be a new AMYGDALA full-length coming called Our Voices will Soar Forever next year that I’m definitely looking forward to. There’s a preview track on their bandcamp page.
6. Right now there are two primary types of digital services: subscription streaming and the bandcamp approach that's more individualized. Do you have a preference and what direction do you think future streaming/download services will move toward?
I’ve never used subscription streaming, but it seems as ubiquitous as it is reviled. I’d like to see more punk-run infrastructure alternatives to Facebook, Spotify, etc. take hold in 2019… or just nuke it all.
