Pre-breakup, we had talked about putting No Authority, Direction, or Control up here on the site for free download. Since I am an asshole I decided instead to go behind everybody’s back and employ another strategy. I put together “01/07-09/08″, which refers to the epoch since Gerry joined up — the definitive Meltdowns line-up, if you will. It is every proper recording we’ve finished, gathered chronologically by release date in one handy ZIP file. That includes all of No Authority, the “Yule Tide” digi-single, Them Letdowns, and one new track. You can also grab each track individually if you’d like.
Just head on over to the front page at www.themeltdowns.com to get your fill.
The new track, “Morning News“, is from recording sessions intended for a third EP. I carefully reviewed these sessions (we had six tracks worth after a few days work) and it was the only song that was complete enough to mix. Then I stayed up way too late last night mixing the shit out of it. Despite engineering that session in our tiny hole in the wall studio with inexpensive mics, I am pleased with how it sounds. The performances were spot-on and there is definitely shit loads of energy. We’re unlikely to ever play the song again, as it wasn’t even in our recent live set, so I couldn’t help myself but give this away for free. So, there it is, the last Meltdowns recording.
The picture was taken during our trip to North Carolina. The van is all packed up and we’re ready to drive back to Jersey.
Friends, The Meltdowns are no more.
It may come as a surprise to most, but some irreconcilable differences came to a head at last. Billy and I will be enlisting the help of the wonderful, talented, and kind Joe Borges and Eddie Garcia Garza of The Imperialists to help us finish up the remainder of our scheduled shows. I will probably introduce us as the Meltperialists, or Terrorism, or something equally ridiculous.
It has been a fun and wild ride, and without a doubt the most rewarding experience I have embarked on in my life. The four of us will continue to play music - but no longer together. At the outset The Meltdowns was the baby of Billy and I, and had seen three line-up changes in our four years. Yet, the addition of Gerry and Lloyd brought something true, uninhibited, and grounded to the mix. To me, The Meltdowns will always be the four of us.
As sad as I am, this is still a life of possibilities. The future awaits.
I will keep this spot updated to let you know what we are all up to.
With Love,
Adam
Just wanted to point out, because I didn’t, that THEM LETDOWNS has some gorgeous artwork in the form of a PDF in that zip file, with photographs and layout done by our singer Adam. The pics are basically the view of the approach to our rehearsal space in Jersey City.
Download the PDF here or as part of the whole thing.
Today’s the big day! Our new EP, Them Letdowns, is available for free for you to download right here.
We’ll have copies for you at our show tonight at South Paw, in Brooklyn, NY:
The Meltdowns
w/ Pale Nimbus & Werewolves
South Paw, 125 Fith Ave, Brooklyn, NY
8:30pm, $8, 18+ (we’re on first)
Come join us, we need dancers! We’ll have the hot new stickers, and there’s going to be a pretty rad after party after all the great bands.
One of my favorite zines, Razorcake, gave us a review:
MELTDOWNS, THE:
No Authority, Direction, or Control: CD
Though they really don’t sound much like them, these guys remind me a lot of the sorely missed Minutemen—it’s obvious from the first couple of notes that they love their jazz and their funk. Their rhythm section is taut and tense, and they ain’t apprehensive in the least to use their lyrics to convey something a bit more substantive than, “Babe, I’m gonna leave you….” It’s also obvious that they know how to pen a catchy tune, even if they sometimes go on a wee bit too long for my hardcore-bludgeoned senses to wrap my mind around. On the whole, this is thinkin’ man’s rock, and since lord knows there ain’t enough of that around these days to fill a bell jar, it’s most welcome. –Jimmy Alvarado (www.themeltdowns.com)
The guys are at rehearsal tonight and I’m home sick! BLECH! GREEN STUFF!
Mike East of the Imperialists was kind enough to record our set at Matchless last Saturday. You can download it here if you’re into that sort of thing. Has a pretty good rendition of our newest tune, “1/1000″.
Our next performance will be the Babyhole Finale at Toy Eater’s this Tuesday, June 10th in Jersey City. 143 Christopher Columbus Dr!
I’m going to go watch Flight of the Conchords in bed until I fall asleep again. And you know I had to figure out that the chords for the opening tune are Am and Em.
This is a preview of a song off the EP we’re going to release next month, in June sometime. The tracks are (not necessarily in this order):
Slut [ download! ]
Elephant
Shine a Light
Surrender
Enjoy!
We’re playing 58 Gallery’s New Year’s Eve party this year. 58 Coles St., Jersey City, NJ. It’s gonna be a ruckus.
We just got our CD back from the printer. “No Authority, Direction, or Control” is a six-song EP and it will be released on Friday January 25th at the Clash Bar in Clifton, NJ.
