Chain & The Gang

It's played at pool parties, proms and pizzerias. These beings or entities dig the hard-edged dance groove of "Livin' Rough." They think it sounds real "earthy." They love "Detroit Music" (but they think it refers to a particular kind of space cake). They've chosen "Not Good Enough" to be the anthem for their Football Team when it competes in inter-stellar tournaments. It really psyches out the competition. And they know that "Youth is Wasted on the Young" expresses a sentiment that we are only beginning to understand here. But that's a more advanced society of course. It's a place where people have good taste and a sense of humor and like music that's exciting, simple and full of vitality. On Earth? Some don’t even know what they’re listening to. To them music is a sense of security, and nothing more. But they have a strategy: maybe if someone heard their music, they would like it. So they're sending out promotional "previews" for DJs and reviewers with a little written explanation, which reads: "Chain & The Gang is a group with a new record on K records which features Ian Svenonius (from Nation of Ulysses, the Make Up, Weird War etc) who is also the host of the internet chat show “Soft Focus” (vbs.tv) and authored the book The Psychic Soviet (Drag City Records and Books). Music's Not For Everyone is their new album, following their 2009 opus Down With Liberty ... Up With Chains! [KLP203]. This Music is pithy and succinct. It features roaring organ solos, shredding guitar, and plomping percussion by an all star cast (Fred Thomas, Arrington de Dionyso, Brian Weber) complete with call and response vocals by fabulous back-up singers such as Veronica Ortuño, (The Carrots and Finally Punk), Sara Pedal (Seahorse Liberation Army) and Tara Jane ONeil." That just might do the trick. Or, it'll prove that music isn't for everyone. “Ian Svenonius is the jam. If you don’t believe me, go ask someone’s older brother. Then you won’t be surprised when everyone is making spooky jailhouse doo-wop in four years. You see, the way this crazy game works is, first Svenonius is in an awesome band, then a few years later, way too many bands try to be that band. It’s been happening for years and it ain’t gonna stop now.” Tokion Magazine