Portugal. The Man

Portugal. The Man is an experimental indie rock four-piece centered on frontman John Baldwin Gourley’s abstract musical approach and corresponding upbringing. He was raised in a sort of technological isolation: his log cabin home in the winter wasteland of the fringes of Wasilla, AK was powered by a generator and had no telephone. Both of his parents helped completely immerse him in the unique lifestyle that comes with a land of seasonal darkness and perpetual cold with their jobs as dog sled mushers. Gourley’s innate curiosity and individual spirit combined with a fascination with science fiction and experiences of homelessness create a distinctly transcendent sound that is always open to interpretation and change. The current lineup consists of John Gourley (lead vocals/guitars), Jason Sechrist (drums), Ryan Neighbors (keys/synths/backing vocals), and Zachary Carothers (bass/backing vocals). The members of Portugal. The Man (with the exception of Jason and Ryan, who both grew up in Oregon) were all born and raised in Alaska. This is "Guns and Dogs" off of their fourth release entitled The Satanic Satanist.

www.portugaltheman.net

Smelly Dog

Tom Petty

Thomas Earl "Tom" Petty is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is the frontman of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and was a founding member of the late 1980s supergroup Traveling Wilburys and Mudcrutch. He has also performed under the pseudonyms of Charlie T. Wilbury, Jr. and Muddy Wilbury. He has recorded a number of hit singles with the Heartbreakers and as a solo artist. His music, notably his hits, has become popular among younger generations as he continues to host sold-out shows. Throughout his career, Petty and his collaborators have sold 60 million albums. Tom Petty was born and raised in Gainesville, FL, and attended Gainesville High School. His interest in rock and roll music began at age 10 when he met Elvis Presley. Petty overcame a difficult relationship with his father, who found it hard to accept that his son was "a mild-mannered kid who was interested in the arts" and subjected him to verbal and physical abuse on a regular basis. On May 17, 1987, an arsonist set fire to Petty's house in Encino, CA. The fire caused $1 million in damage but firefighters were able to salvage the basement recording studio and the original tapes stored there, as well as his Gibson Dove acoustic guitar. His signature gray top hat, however, was destroyed. Petty later rebuilt the house with fireproof materials. This is "Southern Accents" off of the album of the same name released in 1985.

One of my brother Steve's favorite artists..Happy 21st lil bro!

www.tompetty.com

Smelly Dog

Santah

Santah is an indie rock band from Chicago, IL. The group formed in Urbana, IL while attending the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The band consists of Stan McConnell (guitar/vocals), Vivian McConnell (guitar/vocals), Steve Plock (drums/vocals), Otto Stuparitz (bass/vocals), and Tommy Trafton (keys). The band is fairly new to the scene and little information is out there. One note that I did come across was that they just recently added the h to the end of their name. This is "When I Couldn't Move" off their debut release White Noise Bed.

www.santahmusic.com

Smelly Dog

Painted Palms

Painted Palms is an experimental electronic duo originally from Louisiana that now call the Bay Area home. The duo consists of cousins Chris Prudhomme and Reese Donohue. The two started creating music in their bedrooms and have now evolved into a five piece band when performing live. There is very limited information on this band out there so I am no help in giving you any bio information. I do however really enjoy their sound and wanted to give you all a little taste of their sound. This is "Water Hymn" off of their debut EP entitled Canopy.

http://paintedpalms.bandcamp.com

Smelly Dog

El Ten Eleven

El Ten Eleven is a post-rock duo from Los Angeles, CA. The duo consists of Kristian Dunn (composer/guitar/bass) and Tim Fogarty (drums). The duo formed El Ten Eleven in 2003 after playing experimental music together in an electronic four piece group. They are known for combining guitar/bass doubleneck or fretless bass, with heavy looping, or vamping, and the utility of an effects pedal, over acoustic or electric drumming. The name El Ten Eleven is derived from the name of an airplane, the Lockheed L-1011 TriStar. Dunn and Fogarty are also members of the San Diego-based band Softlightes, the first American band signed to the Australian label Modular Records. This is "Hot Cakes" off of their 2007 release Every Direction Is North.

www.elteneleven.com

Smelly Dog