I have some absolutely horrible news to report, unfortunately. Hideaki Sekiguchi of Guitar Wolf (better known as Billy Bass Wolf) has died of a heart attack. Here is the message from Guitar Wolf about this terribly sad news.

3/31/05 Update – Billy’s Passing

This is never easy. Please excuse me if I start making no sense. Hideaki Sekiguchi, AKA Billy, has left this world this morning, due to a heart attack at the age of 38. Billy was a brother, one of the wolf pack. He rocked harder than anybody in the room, and I would feed off that energy. He was a great friend, and I can’t really do him justice when I’m like this. He was too young to go, he still had some rock let in him. Lately Billy was acting a little odd, he said nothing was wrong. That’s just like him too, the hardass. God damn it. Some of you may have had the chance to meet Billy, you know how awesome he really was. I just can’t believe it, he was there from the beginning. I know Billy’s up in heaven rocking out, keeping all those mother fuckers up at night. I bet he’ll start a band with Joey Ramone and Elvis. He would love that.

Sorry guys, but all shows are now cancelled. I hope you understand. Please don’t flood us with letters/e-mail asking us when we will continue. I just don’t know what I’m gonna do now. It was always me and Billy. He would want me to keep rocking, and I just might. Anyway, I’ve got lots of stuff to do, and think about. I love you Billy, god speed you.

Seiji, Guitar Wolf

More information from the Guitar Wolf website regarding funeral arrangements and vigil

We regret to inform you that Hideaki Sekiguchi, a.k.a. Billy has passed away by heart attack
in the morning of March 31st., at the age of 38.

Vigil and funeral information is as follows:
Vigil: 18:00p.m.(non-relatives 19:00p.m.) on Tuesday, April 5
Funeral: 10:00a.m.`11:00a.m., The Hearse to Leave at 11:00a.m. on
Wednesday, April 6
Place: Rinkaisaijo http://www.rinkaisaijo.or.jp
1-3-1, Tokai, Ohta-Ku, Tokyo
Phone: 81-3-5755-2833
*Since there is NO parking lot, we kindly ask you not to drive to the place.

We announce that all shows will be cancelled.
We hope to have your understanding.

Claritin doesn’t cut it. Zyrtec won’t help. Benadryl doesn’t work AND it puts my ass to sleep. All the ginger and garlic and aspirin in the world won’t fix it. If you have allergies, you know what I’m talking about — it’s pollen season again, and I’m getting my ass whupped. It doesn’t matter how much I put into my body to try and fight it, I can’t seem to get settled. So far, the only drugs I’ve been able to take effectively to fight this are:

• Allegra 180 – 90 Tablets, $244.00
• Flonase – 2 Bottles (90 Days), $199.00
• Singulair – 100 Tablets, $275.52

Needless to say, the cost of a doctor’s visit and a prescription are mutatedly prohibitive — I can’t afford to get sick, can you? If anyone’s holding free samples of these little bad boys out there, leave me a comment and show some love. Old E.J. is coughing and sniffling and sneezing and hacking until his respiratory system can’t take it anymore.

Is there a doctor in tha haus?

Paul Hester was a world-class drummer, one whose value to the world of popular music is emphasized in the works of both Split Enz, which he joined in 1983, and Crowded House, a band which he helped to form along with brothers Neil and Tim Finn. Unbeknownst to millions of fans worldwide, Paul was suffering from a lengthy battle with depression. His mates, according to published news reports, were unaware of the depth of his depression. Tragically, Paul’s body was found in Melbourne’s Elsternwick Park in Elwood on Saturday, marking the end of a career that spanned two-and-one-half decades. He leaves behind a girlfriend and two young daughters.

From News.Com.Au:

Last night, former Crowded House members, singer Neil Finn and bassist Nick Seymour, said they were reeling from the tragedy.

“I am devastated,” Finn told The Daily Telegraph from London. “I have lost one of my best mates.”

Finn, on tour with his brother Tim, is due to start four dates at the Royal Albert Hall in London, but may postpone the performances to fly to Melbourne today.

As news of Hester’s death swept Sydney’s Cockatoo Island Festival last night, You Am I singer Tim Rogers dedicated a song to the drummer during his set.

Split Enz and Crowded House members were contacted by Peter Green, from Neil Finn’s office, yesterday. “I can’t imagine a sadder day than today,” Mr Green, Hester’s long-time friend, said last night.

“I feel for Paul’s little girls. We are still, all of us, asking why?”

Mr Green said Hester, a perennial joker on stage and off, had been in good spirits in recent times. “Paul had some dark moments. Some good days and some bad days, like all of us,” Mr Green said.

Hester had returned from Dublin two weeks ago, where he enjoyed an upbeat visit with former Crowdies bassist, Nick Seymour.

“It was all good,” Seymour said from Dublin last night. “The last words Paul told me were: ‘I love you, mate. See you in town [Melbourne] in a month’.”

I never knew Paul but certainly the music he crafted has had an impact on me and on many of those in my circle of friends. I send my condolences to his family and friends during this very saddening time. If you are a Crowded House or Split Enz fan, you can go here to find out more or to share your thoughts with others. Above all else, if you have a friend or loved one who is suffering from depression, I urge you to seek help.

Ok, so, pretty soon the whole universe is going to figure out about this band El Pus. I’m as sick as all of you are with rock/rap, but I think that finally El Pus (pronounced L-poose) will change things back to how they ought to be. I figure they’re gonna explode very shortly because their video is being featured on MTV in April and I gotta hand it to them — it was about time someone made this song. My buddy Michael sent me the link to this video & all of you people out there who get tired of kids from the ‘burbs rolling up on you who are “fakin the funk” will appreciate the irony. The video for “Suburb Thuggin” (and the song) are just…well, see for yourself.

Hey, about last night: nothing personal to Clem Snide, but I’m not ever paying $10 cover to get into the Hi-Tone to hear you guys. NEVER. I like you pretty good, but I don’t like you $10 worth.

Okay, time to go suburb thuggin’ with El Pus, aiight?

[ Suburb Thuggin - Windows Media Player ]

[ Suburb Thuggin - Quicktime ]

[ Suburb Thuggin - Real Player ]

Tonight’s adventure in Midtown had only one stop — The Hi-Tone. Although I wanted to see my friend Greg Faison‘s band Circuit Benders, I managed to show up just in time for them to be finished. Slight bummer, but how could you do everything there was to do tonight in Memphis? We had Guitar Wolf in town playing with the band known as The Secret Service, there was a Filthy Diablo reunion show at The Buccaneer, and this little show. I really liked The Color Cast, but their set was only 20 minutes long! Make way for Swearing At Motorists, the Dayton two-piece who made a commendable effort performing songs from their current and back catalog. SAM’s Dave Doughman and Joseph Siwinski played a great set and were thoroughly enjoyed by the swimming crowd of twenty-somethings. But the story for tonight was definitely Enon.

My friend Shelby Taylor‘s favorite band, she has frequently prodded me to listen to Enon & I have to confess: I never made the effort. Perhaps that is what made the whole affair so incredible. The band’s lineup has had several changes, but the current unit features Toko Yasuda, Matt Schulz, and John Schmersal. I knew I had met John somewhere along the way, and I somewhat made an ass of myself in the forgetting process. I came to realize it was in Seattle at the Crocodile Cafe when he was in the sadly too-short-lived Brainiac, one of the 1990′s most promising bands. The Enon show actually had many Brainiac qualities to it. The music is a divine combination of screaming guitars, unflinchingly solid percussion, and loops and keyboard plotted expertly to match Toko’s and/or John’s voice as they belted out these highly-danceable (and rangingly prolific) post-punk collectives. I cannot recommend seeing this band highly enough, it was a magical show.

Among the many faces in the crowd were Jack White and Patrick Keeler (the drummer for Cincinatti band The Greenhornes) who are in town working on two different records at Ardent. I have to admit, having had a chance to talk him last night and tonight, I’m convinced Jack is one of the most down-to-earth people working at his level of the industry that I’ve ever met. He doesn’t have any artifice about him. He’s just a guy who is really good at what he does. He loves Memphis, and we love him. Patrick, too, is an exceptionally cool guy. It was a bit awkward meeting him because of that interview I did with Brendan Benson a couple of months back (in which Brendan spoke in technicolor about his love of The Greenhornes’ record he had recently worked on). I got to talk to Patrick about the new Big Star album (which Jody Stephens had played some of for him earlier in the day). Patrick says it’s phenomenal and I’m sure everyone reading this cannot wait for Rykodisc to release it.

Also seen amongst the throng was Dave Shouse along with the other 2/3 of his Bloodthirsty Lovers (ex-Guided By Voices drummer Kevin March and Dave’s new bassist whose name escapes me, sorry!). Bloodthirsty Lovers had the night off after a solid performance Sunday night at the Young Avenue Deli, so it was time to get down and hear some great music. The Bloodthirsty Lovers have toured with Enon before, so it was cool to hear Dave sing the praises of how far Enon’s music has progressed.

Rachel talked to Jack for quite a while, bought him a couple of drinks, and when Jack accidentally knocked her Shiner Bock out of her hand, he kindly bought her another. Hipster Jenna and R.Y.A.N. were in the crowd, along with Rachel V2.0, Shelby Taylor and beau pop impresario David Brookings, Paul Taylor, Chris Swenson, my buddy Will, Shawn Apple, the very sweet Marianne and her friend (a really nice guy whom I only met at the end of the night briefly), Lauren Goler, Lisa and Brooke and so many youngsters I couldn’t keep up with them all! We managed to close down the Hi-Tone, and the rock stars took off to do whatever rock stars do at 3 AM in Memphis.

There is some sort of unflattering gravitational pull that brings people back to Memphis. What is it exactly? I mean, nobody here seems to notice. We all live in the middle of the evenly-paced refuge of the quietude. We frequently take it for granted that Memphis is just a different breed from other major cities. It is only upon leaving that people begin to recognize the nuances of our town. Is it a big city with small town aspirations, or is it a little town with big city dreams?

Hard to know exactly what the reason is that people love it here, but how pleased I was to find out that two of the city’s favorite sons are on their way back. At the fantastic Bloodthirsty Lovers concert tonight at the Young Avenue Deli, I ran into one of the most talented musicians I know, Ross Rice. I had a chance to catch up with him briefly and learned that he would be moving home soon. Within minutes of that conversation, I learned from a couple of friends that Cory Branan, an emerging young songwriter who shold not be missed, will be rejoining the ranks of the midsouth’s finest in just a few days.

Regardless of the reasons, we’re glad to welcome you both back with open arms. I wouldn’t call it “homesickness” so much as “trustsickness”. At home, there’s usually someone on whom you can depend. I know that is true for me, and I’m grateful for being able to see it.

More later on today regarding tonight’s welcomed (and unexpected) visit from the lead singer of The Green Plaids The Black Paisleys some band you’ve heard of.

Everyone in the world has a favorite love song, something so moving it wells you up with some kind of emotion — be it a memory, a feeling of hate or disgust, whatever — but it touches something in you that you can’t let go of. Click the link below to see how you can be a part of this really cool project that has attracted hand-written letters from all over the world. Give it to as many people as you can & encourage them to participate. Pass this flyer around to everyone you know. It’s something we’ve all done anyways — write down the words to our favorite love song on a piece of paper and send it to someone, only this time, Jeanine will be the recipient of the song that makes your heart grow fonder, brings tears to your eyes, makes you want to exact revenge on the one who got away, or just brings on the warm glow of a special time in your life.

All you have to do is this:

[1] Hand-write the lyrics (and nothing else) to your favorite love song. Write them on anything — a piece of notebook paper, a 3×5 or 4×6 card, the back of a flyer, anything that has blank space but is no bigger than 8.5″ x 11″.

[2] On a seperate sheet of paper, write the song title and the artist along with your name and address. You can include a phone number and email if you want, but you don’t have to if you don’t want to.

[3] Send your addition to:

Every entry received will become a part of this project.

What is mine, you ask? Check the radio blog about 9/10ths of the way down, I’m pretty sure it’s in there.

For more info on The Glass, click here.

For more info on Augustine, come to the show. This. Band. Owns. Me. Completely.

Wow, what a mess. In my earlier story, SXSW Revoking Press Passes of People Holding Day Parties During Festival, I did not detail what happened to The EDGE magazine. This letter was found from Steve Freeman, publisher of The EDGE magazine. In it, he details allegations of SXSW publicity director Elizabeth Derzco waging a campaign against him in particular, sending emails and making calls “threatening sponsors” of his event, an event unrelated to SXSW. Please read this whole letter.

At this time, neither SXSW nor Elizabeth Derzco has been available or made comment.

It’s official, The EDGE Magazine has been banned from attending any and all functions associated with the SXSW conference.

For the last seven years The EDGE Magazine has supported unsigned groups from San Antonio, San Marcos, Austin and surrounding cities. Every year the EDGE has donated over four to six pages of it’s March issue’s to covering the events and performances of the SXSW conference and asked nothing in return, not even for passes or wristbands. These were donated pages to help support the event and the groups that were performing.

For the last three years The EDGE has sponsored The Quadruple Heart Bypass Rockfest that goes on during the same time as SXSW. Since this show usually had Texas local and Indie band who didn’t have the honor of getting picked for a showcase from SXSW, the EDGE was honored to help support these groups when they need it most. Since the groups were not chosen to play any showcases we figured that it would in no way conflict with any of the other events going on during SXSW. And since we’ve been doing this for the last couple of years and had never had any problems with the SXSW committee that there would be no problem especially seeing that SXSW is supposed to be about supporting unsigned music and all. And let’s not forget to mention that our SXSW press credentials were not pulled the last 2 years we sponsored the QH Bypass, nor were we ever notified about SXSW concerns about what we endorse.

With out any phone calls or warnings to our office, Publicity director for SXSW Elizabeth Derzco, systematically contacted staff writers for The EDGE and revoked all their press credentials that had already been granted days prior, and forbid them from attending any SXSW conferences and all its events. We have even been forwarded emails from SXSW members threatening bands who are playing the “QH Bypass” that they would black ball their bands from the SXSW events, and they would never be able to play the event again. We were even informed that someone from the SXSW committee went so far as to contact music industry people that we have relationships with and tell them that we were banned from the event.

Our writers contacted our main office and forwarded us the emails from Elizabeth and the other SXSW members. Other sponsors of the Bypass were also threatened and have forwarded us their emails. We even received phone calls from our friends at some of the Record Labels who laughed along with us about the whole thing. We immediately contacted Mrs. Derzco asking if it was true about The EDGE being banned from the event. With a one line return email she confirmed that The EDGE was banned from SXSW do to us sponsoring a conflicting event. Over the phone a SXSW member had the nerve to ask the names of people who we might have had “PAID” for their passes separately. I guess this was so they could revoke their paid passes to.

In all my many years of working in the music business I have never seen such a political noose from such a power hungry, money hungry, group of individuals. It is quite sad and pathetic for SXSW to deny any sort of media support for bands that they undeniably rejected from their event.

I want to apologize to any of the groups that were threatened for their participation in The Bypass Rockfest. I also want to apologize to all of our contributing writers who were looking forward to covering the SXSW event. I don’t know why The EDGE Sponsorship was singled out this year. There are numerous performances going on during SXSW that are much larger and draw a lot of people away from some of the SXSW shows.

I personally don’t care about attending any of the SXSW conference events, and I don’t need anyone’s permission on what The EDGE can cover or can’t cover, and I certainly don’t need their permission to attend any of the shows that we have been personally invited to by labels. What I do care about is the way that this was handled. I think the reason we weren’t told about the banning sooner was because they probably knew I would print the whole thing out for people to read. I’m not writing this for people to rise against the establishment as I think it is just counterproductive to do so. I just want the supporters of The EDGE to understand that there is a much larger political structure that has nothing to do with supporting music that we face day in and day out. It all comes down to power and money. I regret not being able to let our writers cover the SXSW event. But in my opinion the true event is the “Bypass Rockfest” now. Where unsigned and Indie groups from Texas can come together and support one another. Isn’t that what SXSW was supposed to be about in the first place.

Don’t be surprised if the SXSW committee pulls extra strings closer to the event to make sure that the Fire Marshals, TABC, and any other entity that they have pull over to show up and cause extra headaches.

From this experience I want to let people know that from this date forward The EDGE will no longer support or sponsor anything from the SXSW conference itself.

We will continue to support our national and independent record label interests and there shows and performances during SXSW, and we will always continue to support unsigned South Texas Rock Artists.

The EDGE was created to open the doors for unsigned rock groups in South Texas and to let them have a voice. This just means that the EDGE will have to work harder to keep the music scene strong and thriving. We ask for your support in all of our events and efforts.

Support Your Scene….!!!

Thank you
Steve Freeman
Publisher of The EDGE Magazine
“Your True Texas Rock Connection”

Additions and Corrections 4:30pm CST 03.16.05

Every year, I swear up and down and all around on stacks of bibles and other religious implements (and, of coure, to God himself) that I will never, never, never, ever go to SXSW ever again. Every year comes around, and inevitably I end up going. Why? In case you’re one of the people reading this that’s never been, it’s an earth-shattering event for anyone involved in the business of music, that’s why! This year is the pale exception to that rule — for a change, I’m actually staying home. Truthfully? I can’t afford it, I have too much going on here to even consider it. Good thing, too, because now I’ve got beef with the people who bring us Austin’s favorite pastime since Waterloo Records and Stubbs BBQ — and you piker knobchokers who work down there at the fest can quote me until your heads spin. Inside track on the festival is that it’s going to be a humdinger — tons of great bands performing. How would you ever have time to see all that music?

Well, now it’s going to be even more of a bitch to see everything. Used to be everyone that knew the deal could fly under the radar, head to Austin, and have a good time. No longer. The organizers of SXSW actually give a shit as to who you are. So much so, festival organizers have started going after individual publications and revoking their press badges. One would think that Austin’s biggest income grabber and city attraction has gotten soooo much better than all the little people who made it into what it has become (a giant get-drunk-and-fuck-each-other-at-the-company’s-expense festival for music industry, radio, and promo elite).

The best part of SXSW, I always thought, were the day parties. You get to actually interact with people from labels, the media, the artists, the managers, enjoy a few cocktails, and check out the band. Apparently, I wasn’t alone — the day party scene at the festival has exploded in the last few years. However, this trend towards the day party scene has created some kind of furor with the fuhrers at the festival. Gone are the days when you had to shell out an inordinate amount of money on a wristband to see the bands you (and the other ten gazillion billion people who work in or around the music industry stranded in Austin) came to see. Nowadays, all you need is to be invited to the day parties, which generally occur while panels are going on at the Convention Center, and you can actually have a chance to do almost everything you’d like and catch all the bands you want to see. Every major label has at least one, many independent publicity companies, independent record labels, and several of the widely-read independent publications contact venues and plan day parties months in advance for showcases which allow everyone attending the festival at least one additional chance to interact with their bands or their staff.

SXSW, keen to watch their mortgage payments on their ridiculously oversized houses (and self-inflating egos), have decided to chastise certain press people for holding such parties. Chief among them — Chunklet Magazine. Yeah, I know…CHUNKLET? One of our most adored indie music publications?

It’s bad enough they took out Chunklet, but it has been reported that THE EDGE Magazine, an indie publication that for the past three years has sponsored the Quadruple Heart Bypass Festival that takes place during SXSW every year, has not only been stripped of their credentials, they’ve been banned altogether. To make matters worse, sponsors and performers at their event have been threatened with the loss of their credentials as well — paid or not. Here is the initial acknowledgement that formed the basis of the story from David at Wisdom Teeth on the matter:

Speaking of sxsw, those assholes revoked chunklet magazine’s press pass. The official reason is that they weren’t going to cover the festival enough, but through the grapevine I heard it was because they were advertising their free party/day show too much. I’m thinking of making t-shirts that say “sxsw destroys music” and wearing it around all week. The festival itself is such an awful thing but, damn, I love all the parties. So, yes, I’d like that cake and I’ll be eating it too.

There have been calls for a boycott of the festival altogether by Austin music fans, and one of them has even organized an ongoing list of Austin events and day parties via which one can, actually, skirt the festival entirely. Here is a copy of a message from Dan (who compiles Showlist Austin) posted to the Unofficial SXSW Info group over at Yahoo! Groups (membership required to read) where this topic has clearly raised the ire of the membership:

I decided this year to join the growing ranks of Austin music fans who go to only non-SXSW shows, as soon as their $110/$130/$150 wristband plan was announced. This will be the first time in 11 years that I won’t have one, but I just couldn’t justify paying the money. My decision was aided by the fact that most of the bands that are playing that I would want to see I already have.

Last year, a few months after SXSW, someone who works there emailed me to ask if I had a copy of the showlist from back in March (this was before I put the archive page up), as he said they were “trying to get a handle on the scope of daytime events in Austin that go on during SXSW”. Obviously it bugs them. This year you can tell that labels, etc. were pressured to play down their daytime parties in favor of the showcases at night. It’s very evident in the way they are advertising and with the growth in number of badge-only day shows. As far as I’m concerned, it’s none of their business how a label or magazine advertises their stuff. Now that Chunklet apparently got their press pass revoked, I’m even happier with my decision not to give them my money. Let the people who rarely go out to see music have their day in the sun. You’ll find me at the free parties.
Dan
****************************************************************

These are the two cases which have been confirmed, but there is no doubt that there will be others crying foul when the festival is over with. Emails and phone calls made to SXSW officials and to Porter Novelli regarding these incidents went unreturned.

Hey, but wait a minute. Isn’t that kind-of snobbery a way of shooting yourself in the foot?

The worst part for SXSW officials is clear: the relevance of the festival to people at an independent level (the sector of the music industry who gives life to your festival and whom you people do not need to piss off) appears to be receding — but that’s not news to me, and probably not to you either. You want less people in Austin every year for the poo-slinging and tree-swinging? Fair enough. We will stay home, and keep our money where it belongs — in our pockets.

Word of this behaviour on the part of SXSW officials will likely spread VERY rapidly during the festival this week. SXSW officials hope to put the fear of losing one’s credentials out there, believing that the festival’s importance is such that its mythological power will force people to do their bidding. They might be right, but how long will that last? At least from an independent press standpoint, the negative publicity has a 50-50 chance of working in their favor. It will either turn the music press into a bunch of suck-ups or, conversely, make them reconsider all the attention they give the festival — the generous amount of coverage, time, and space devoted to the lineups and the highlights. Try paying for those generous amounts of free advertising in publications promoting the myth of a festival that is too good for the people whose work keeps it alive.

And all of this because someone decided to have a party in the afternoon? Please.

The lesson in all of this: don’t throw a day party for your publication or your record label at SXSW scheduled against an “important” SXSW event because, God forbid, someone doesn’t fork over the exorbitant amount of money for a wristband in order to wait for hours outside a venue to see a band/artist play only to be denied entry to the show because 400 badge holders were bumped ahead of you. Give me a fucking break.

Lesson for everyone in 2006: if they can try to muscle the day partiers by revoking credentials, we should revoke their festival. Don’t go.

UPDATE: With further thanks to David, an ongoing list of day parties.