Ran into Tim Rakel a few weeks ago, and got an update on his musical endeavors. First, he says that the last Bad Folk CD (which is titled Part of the Problem) will probably be released online soon. He also says that the Mayday Orchestra album is done, with a vinyl release to come early next year.
Here's a sneak peek from the Bad Folk disc. Thanks for Tim for letting me post this song.
MP3: Bad Folk, "Mechanical Lions"
-- Annie Zaleski
Bad Folk vocalist Tim Rakel reports that his band's final album, Part of the Problem, is now available via lala.com. Here's the direct link. Listen to a sample MP3 here.
Ran into Tim Rakel last night, and he filled me in on all of his goings-on. First, the long-awaited May Day Orchestra LP, called Songs for Lucy Parsons, will arrive on -- when else? -- May 1. An 8 p.m. show at Black Bear Bakery is your first shot at buying the new record. The second chance is the very next day, May 2, which just so happens to be Cherokee Street's Cinco de Mayo celebration, when MDO plays at 8 p.m. at the City Art Supply.
Rakel also has a new band, called The
"That Great Atomic Power Scared Charlie Louvin More than God" 7" (self-released)"Saw a Circus" / "I Sang to Heather Nethereye" split 7" (self-released)
A few weeks ago, I heard Tim Rakel play a plaintive folk song on his radio show. Turns out the tune was by a band called String Buzz, a local duo featuring Ann Hirschfeld on guitar and Ron Leible on drums. Music lifers might know the pair from the '90s band Plaid Cattle, although Hirschfeld writes that String Buzz plays "primarily acoustic stuff but I have plans to slowly work in some electric guitar. We are an original band but play covers as the need arises." (A list of cov
The Union Electric -- the new project of Bad Folk's Tim Rakel and Glenn Burleigh of Adversary Workers, among others -- just posted new demos on its MySpace page. The band recorded the songs with Grace Basement's Kevin Buckley. Click on the band name to check 'em out!
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The Union Electric -- the band featuring guitarist/banjoist/vocalist Tim Rakel, guitarist Glenn Burleigh and drummer Eric Von Damage -- was kind enough to send over a mastered version of "You've Been Served." This will appear on the band's first 7"! It's quite a menacing punk-folk drone; Rakel sounds like someone you wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley. I dig. Catch 'em doing the song live at the following upcoming dates:
Saturday, October 17, at the Schlafly Tap Room (with Campfire Club)
Thu
The May Day Orchestra dropped me a line a few weeks ago to report that it's penned another "folk opera" and plans to debut it on Friday, October 30, at the Black Bear Bakery. Details!
The first May Day Orchestra project concerned Lucy Parsons and the anarchist labor leaders of Chicago in the 1880s. A recording of this material is available as a vinyl album and will be available as a digital download in November.
This next May Day Orchestra project has a different theme and a different sound. T
