2021: Year in Preview

It seems almost offensive to do a Year in Review post. Absolutely no one needs to be reminded of the personal and financial toll, the political bullshit, racial strife, human loss and pestilence of 2020 that wracked us from the end of quarter one on. An old Christian church parable speaks of reaching salvation but reeking of the fires of Hell. We can but hope that this is the correct caption for 2021.

2020 has imprinted on all of us. We know the history of 2020 because we, the living, ARE 2020. We are the result, the by-product, the exhaust of that year. We don't need to look back at the new Jungle Brothers album "Keep it Jungle", their first new album in fifteen years. Nor the at-times preachy but all killer Busta Rhymes album "Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God" that came out on October 31, the same day we lost MF DOOM to the Choir Invisible. Perseverence has been our key value because there has been no alternative.

We know that "we can only go up from here" is a lame platitude as the only thing that has changed is the date, but it serves as a handy carriage return to allow ourselves to treat the next year as a new line in our document. With that, here is the news from a Goon Squad perspective:

2021 will see new marketing campaigns to spread the Goon Squad message of celebrating weird media, surrealist poetry, and music. Some projects in the works:

The Book of Rubinetics : A collection of written meditations of varying lengths.

The Moonshine Parade Album: A mix of Rubin Drew instrumental compositions, new spoken word pieces, remixes of old works from the 90s - early 2000's era -- and Hip Hop? Yes.

You only had one job - The Story of Howland Island: A free-form samplescape of news reports, interviews, sound collage and spoken word telling a brief history of Howland Island focusing on Amelia Earheart's ill-fated journey to the island. It will expound upon the Amelia Earheart portion of Negativland's "Time Zones Exchange Project".

I created Goon Squad Music as a vehicle for self-promotion. To that end, I have plenty of marketing ideas such as stickers, bracelets, a new series of prayer candles and much more. Many of these will be free to people who follow the Rubin Drew artist page, have or will purchase the Do Not Stop album (if you don't have your copy yet, be sure to click here and purchase. The price will be going up very soon), or have otherwise contributed to this hustle.

If you've made it this far, thank you. You can reach out to The Goon Squad and ASK ME ANYTHING by emailing info@goonsquadmusic.com. If you include your shipping address, you'll receive some free promo gifts, MOSTLY related to Goon Squad projects.

2021 - We'll just see how we're doing on time. ~r.

So you bought a copy of Do Not Stop: The FAQs

-The picture shown was going to be the original cover art. This photo was taken in the bathroom of the now-defunct FUBAR in downtown St. Pete on the 600 block, an area that is mentioned a few times on the album. Though I do smoke occasionally, I didn't want to use the image as it prominently displayed my smoking. I liked the new picture better; that picture was taken in the bathroom of Reservoir Bar in Ybor City.

-The title of the first track "Even Unto" is taken from the prophecy monologue of "Oh Brother Where art Thou" containing the line, "Though the road may wind, yea, your hearts grow weary, still shall ye follow them, even unto your salvation." The track originally contained this as a sample from the film.

-Track 3, "Ragged Claws", features lyrics sung in Punjabi by one Sushil Bawa. His words translated are: "It is my desire for who will always be in my heart, I am going to find who can never be mine."

What's up with those candles? There were six candles created in early 2020 by visual and performance artist Jay Hoff. Only six were ever made, and only three ever distributed. They featured a picture of my head juxtaposed upon figures of religious iconography, and caused some controversy. The first three recipients of the album got one. No two images are the same.

What's up with those lighters? There are a number of lighters with my image in the style of Saint Peter (intentional reference to the city I call home). They are being distributed with each purchase of the CD; as of 10/26/2020 there are still some available.

-Unless otherwise noted, I arranged, sequenced, and mixed all the music on the album, using royalty-free loops primarily from www.looperman.com

Other personnel on the album are Pete Tremblay on Wall Street Journals pt.1. Pete made the music. Also Eric Woodson on Claire Says. Eric made the music, and Claire is a real person who lives in Scotland.

The new Rubin Drew album available for purchase! Exclusive Goon Squad Music Blog early offer

If you'd like to download the album, click the download link below, stream or download all the tracks you want, and consider a love gift donation of any amount to Paypal or Cashapp ($bigaldente). Download the album Do Not Stop by Rubin Drew

To purchase a signed, numbered CD copy, send 7.00 USD along with your email and shipping address via Paypal or Cashapp ($bigaldente).

Questions/Comments/Concerns with your order? email orders@goonsquadmusic.com

This is NuGaze: Toronto's Sicayda

Canadian band Sicayda adeptly aims for a Kevin Shields via Deftones sound, but easily grab Catherine Wheel and early Verve (the best Verve) vibes along the way. They do not use the term "Shoegaze" lightly; proper homage is paid while staying freshly original. You are being thrown a lot in their music, to be sure. Just check out the track "Go On" from their Sown E.P.

Across their handful of releases the clash of influences is apparent, but they maneuver them all gracefully. One even hears At the Drive-in era Cedric Bixler-Zavala in the vocals. Marcos Villar and Kevin Tipan, who both contribute vox and guitar, give us a mix that is free of the shoegaze cliché of washing the voices way down in the mix. Their lyrics are clear, concise, deliberate. The rhythm section provided by Ian Fragomeni (bass) and Zachary Clarke (drums) provide a musical foundation that does not fuck around. When the sounds approach a Sonic-Youth level of dexterity, the framework that Fragomeni and Clarke provide is essential.

Good music is important. Sicayda's recent release "Caught in the Rain" pulls in departed souls of the C86 sound to the first wave Shoegaze invasion and does not flinch. A true no-label indie project, they would be as at home on the Slumberland label as they would be on Nuclear Blast. As a Gen-Xer, this writer could not define NuGaze. You would begin your search with Sicayda.

Sicayda's current EP is SOWN, available on Bandcamp.

Check Sicayda's website here. Toronto heads can catch them live March 14th and 26th at Grand Gerard and The Monarch, respectively.

Thee Temporary Temple live performance by Rubin Drew

EP tracks available for free download: Don't Buy the Basement Tapes

In anticipation of a Summer release of the album "Do Not Stop", and two upcoming Tampa shows in support, Rubin Drew is releasing the first four tracks as an EP entitled "Don't Buy The Basement Tapes". Shady things going on. Revel in it. Click to download or stream free of charge: Don't Buy The Basement Tapes

Live performance coming soon!