tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27407714455709076612011-10-03T04:07:15.294-07:00Diary of a MagmanMagashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12986475446150973349noreply@blogger.comBlogger341100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2740771445570907661.post-91027064876760326972011-09-22T14:28:00.000-07:002011-09-22T16:00:41.608-07:00

This morning, I awoke to a note from Weasel, via Facebook, sharing recollections about the recording of the 1997 Lake Of Dracula LP on Skin Graft Records. Weasel's stories got me thinking about it, so I followed with recollections of my own, both of which are reprinted here, for those who want a little less Facebook in their lives.Weasel's comments are in red text. My comments are orange.WEASEL

Magashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12986475446150973349noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2740771445570907661.post-32989612076024352702011-07-15T06:56:00.000-07:002011-07-15T07:43:01.790-07:00

In the latest issue of the Chicago Reader, Kate Schmidt asked me to talk about 3 beers that I find inspiring. Also joining me were Chicago beer legends John Laffler, who runs Goose Island's barreling program, and Jess Straka, General Manager at Metropolitan Brewing Company.READ IT HERE

Magashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12986475446150973349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2740771445570907661.post-29941953644804287682011-06-17T05:46:00.000-07:002011-06-17T06:21:02.638-07:00

This live MAGAS performance was recorded on Monday, May 30th at the Abbey Pub in Chicago. All music was improvised on ARP Odyssey 2800 Mk1, Roland Juno 60, Roland TR-808, Casio RZ-1 and Electroharmonix Memory Man.No computers, vocals, MIDI or edits were used. This performance was mixed by Steven Moore and recorded by Bob Konow. Also playing on the bill were Richard & Duncan Pinhas, Scum Ra and

Magashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12986475446150973349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2740771445570907661.post-1357055133008597402011-05-26T06:08:00.000-07:002011-05-26T06:57:24.698-07:00

Monday, May 30th (Memorial Day) at the Abbey Pub.RICHARD PINHASMAGASSCUM RABLOODYMINDEDTickets available HERE.I'm very honored and excited to open for the legendary Richard Pinhas. Pinhas has been a singular force in psychedelic music since his days in Schizo and Heldon dating back to the early '70s. Pinhas will be accompanied by his son, Duncan. As to what we will see musically, I await with

Magashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12986475446150973349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2740771445570907661.post-73047527539046332092011-05-18T06:25:00.000-07:002011-05-18T12:44:26.731-07:00

Join us for a night of chaos!Monday, May 30th (Memorial Day) at the Abbey Pub (3420 W. Grace, Chicago)RICHARD PINHAS (Heldon, Schizo, etc)MAGAS (Violent ARP Band, etc.)SCUM RA (Plastic Crimewave, Spires That in the Sunset Rise)MARK SOLOTROFF (Bloodyminded, etc.)

Magashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12986475446150973349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2740771445570907661.post-34702556009473636962011-02-20T20:20:00.000-08:002011-02-22T05:40:35.861-08:00

For the past year, I've kept MAGAS on the back burner, turning my attention toward the hard-rocking sounds of the Violent ARP Band. Playing with such excellent like-minded musicians has been very satisfying. The time away from MAGAS has given me a fresh perspective and new enthusiasm, as well as a new way that I want to approach the concept. Now that the Violent ARP Band has achieved a smooth

Magashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12986475446150973349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2740771445570907661.post-33919906634150762632011-01-13T06:00:00.000-08:002011-01-13T06:01:03.352-08:00

The Violent ARP Band play 'Walk Through the Dark' live at the Hideout, Chicago on January 8th, 2011.

Magashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12986475446150973349noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2740771445570907661.post-43801177631018227962011-01-05T14:49:00.000-08:002011-01-05T14:50:41.366-08:00

OUTSIDE THE VIOLENT ARP INSTITUTE(l-r: Eli Caterer, Matt Jencik, Mike Mazzola, Jim MagasPhoto by Melissa Grubbs

Magashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12986475446150973349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2740771445570907661.post-34670880987601694202010-12-29T16:50:00.001-08:002010-12-29T16:50:58.598-08:00

Saturday, January 8th - 9pm at HideoutGA'ANTHE VIOLENT ARP BANDDJ MIKE BROERS

Magashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12986475446150973349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2740771445570907661.post-58603337306899104192010-12-20T06:29:00.000-08:002010-12-24T21:38:01.695-08:00

I've always loved good beer, but somewhere along the way, great craft beer became a full-time obsession. Two European tours in 2004 and 2005, with extended stays in Bruxelles, Belgium, set the wheels into motion, but it was probably discovering Chicago's West Lakeview Liquors that really sealed the deal. Half Acre's 'On Photon' party last Saturday night was the magical culmination of this beer

Magashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12986475446150973349noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2740771445570907661.post-49086892492426366232010-10-18T13:57:00.000-07:002010-10-18T13:59:38.908-07:00

Magashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12986475446150973349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2740771445570907661.post-41225463077123824222010-10-09T22:04:00.000-07:002010-10-09T22:11:41.025-07:00

Greetings,On Monday, October 18th, The Violent ARP Band has the honor of joining JOAN OF ARC, MIRACLE CONDITION and THUNDER POWER, for what is sure to be a memorable evening of music. Admission is free. 9pm

Magashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12986475446150973349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2740771445570907661.post-52275949247347878322010-08-04T05:59:00.000-07:002010-08-04T06:00:18.621-07:00

The Violent ARP Band plays "Statue" live at Enemy, Chicago, 2010. Our first show.Line-up: Jim Magas (vocals), Eli Caterer (guitar), Matt Jencik (bass), Mike Mazzola (drums). Cinematography by Laurie Little.

Magashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12986475446150973349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2740771445570907661.post-73177758255177128322010-07-19T10:00:00.000-07:002010-07-19T10:01:08.797-07:00

Friday, July 30th, 9PM at Enemy (1550 N. Milwaukee, 3rd floor)Violent ARP Bandhttp://violentarpband.blogspot.com/Drugs Dragonshttp://www.myspace.com/drgsdrgnsKen Camdenhttp://www.myspace.com/kencamdenRatatoskhttp://www.cranksatori.net/ratatosk

Magashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12986475446150973349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2740771445570907661.post-36239340230201021292010-07-13T20:06:00.000-07:002011-03-11T17:26:17.700-08:00

Lyrics to VIOLENT ARP ©James Marlon Magas, 2009THE VIOLENT ARPYou don't even understand desireYou don't even want to know the whyWe own all the timeWe are no replyWe don't even wonder when we dieCOOL AMERICANI feel like a cool AmericanYou are not but the only way you ever beenSunday morning got the funny money act to youSunday morning got the funny money act to youDEVIL IS FLYING (Magas/Larson)

Magashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12986475446150973349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2740771445570907661.post-82413110004156978102010-05-14T06:41:00.001-07:002010-06-07T15:51:50.574-07:00

VIOLENT ARP BAND (l-r) Eli Caterer, Jim Magas, Matt Jencik, Mike Mazzola Photo by Steve ShoupThe VIOLENT ARP BAND has been undergoing some changes behind the scenes. Drummer Dave Hoffa split awhile back and has been replaced by the one and only MIKE MAZZOLA, a longtime Magas ally and drummer of RAGTONES and LASERS & FAST & SHIT. Mazzola's rough'n'tumble style meshes perfectly with the turbulent

Magashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12986475446150973349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2740771445570907661.post-84813440858676891902010-03-31T05:47:00.000-07:002010-03-31T06:04:02.532-07:00

Just discovered what I thought was lost: my half of a split cassette with TWIG HARPER, entitled BLACK TEST CAR. BLACK TEST CAR is a 10-minute jam recorded in 2000.Download HERE

Magashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12986475446150973349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2740771445570907661.post-69262759240709726692010-03-05T05:27:00.000-08:002010-06-07T15:52:48.222-07:00

The VIOLENT ARP BAND now has its own blog, which can be found HERE.

Magashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12986475446150973349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2740771445570907661.post-39668272284874952182010-02-04T06:10:00.000-08:002010-06-07T15:53:13.813-07:00

THE VIOLENT ARP BAND (l-r Jim Magas (vox), Dave Hoffa (drums), Eli Caterer (guitar), Matt Jencik (bass)Ladies and gentlemen...after devoting the past decade to purely electronic music, I have decided to smash the old model and begin the new decade with a new sound: THE VIOLENT ARP BAND. "Sharing a love for high-velocity avant heavy sludge, this newly-minted syndicate of freaks features Jim Magas

Magashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12986475446150973349noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2740771445570907661.post-29147861759283916832009-10-04T19:21:00.000-07:002009-10-04T19:41:07.315-07:00

Here's my ticket stub and concert notes from Deep Purple's 1985 Perfect Strangers tour.

Magashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12986475446150973349noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2740771445570907661.post-23269963736086550562009-09-23T11:56:00.000-07:002009-09-23T11:58:59.793-07:00

Magashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12986475446150973349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2740771445570907661.post-33926622671917205552009-08-26T22:48:00.000-07:002009-08-27T10:21:31.069-07:00

ENTERLadies and Gentlemen,It gives me great pleasure to announce that I'll be playing live on FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16 at THE HIDEOUT, CHICAGO. This is a record release party for my new mini-LP, VIOLENT ARP. Joining me will be Chicago luminaries, GATEKEEPER, whose infectiously dark collision of DAFT PUNK and JOHN CARPENTER have made them sensations in the Chicago underground, soon to be unleashed on

Magashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12986475446150973349noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2740771445570907661.post-84091992202742595952009-07-17T12:07:00.000-07:002009-07-17T12:11:04.595-07:00

Tom Smith (aka TO LIVE AND SHAVE IN LA) works his magic here:TLASILA - Magas vs. Jóhann Jóhannsson vs. Slade vs. Richard Youngs & Simon Wickham-Smith

Magashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12986475446150973349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2740771445570907661.post-87136326635792226672009-07-13T21:29:00.000-07:002009-07-13T21:43:19.477-07:00

MAGAS DJ SET at SONOTHEQUE on JULY 17 with ADULT. I am very excited to DJ with my old friends and labelmates, ADULT. This special post-Pitchfork party at Sonotheque Also DJing is fellow Weekend Records and Soap colleague, BEAU WANZER. .

Magashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12986475446150973349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2740771445570907661.post-14369786566743333092009-07-11T20:19:00.000-07:002009-07-13T21:08:14.711-07:00

Magashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12986475446150973349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2740771445570907661.post-39996495144076090812008-10-26T19:48:00.001-07:002008-10-26T19:48:57.740-07:00

Magashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12986475446150973349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2740771445570907661.post-54733012452737423972008-04-05T19:46:00.000-07:002008-04-05T20:22:44.559-07:00

As promised in an earlier post, I said that if anybody had a digitized copy of COUCH's New Friends 99 7", I'd post it. Well, Knox Mitchell came through like a champ, so here it is. This was the first thing that we released with Aaron Dilloway on drums. Three short jams, released on San Francisco's INSIGNIFICANT, to coincide with COUCH's first and only 1995 West Coast tour. We broke up right

Magashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12986475446150973349noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2740771445570907661.post-57765484130029307742008-03-21T16:03:00.001-07:002008-03-21T16:03:49.875-07:00

Magashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12986475446150973349noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2740771445570907661.post-8899006245604950482008-03-14T11:17:00.000-07:002008-03-21T06:19:19.077-07:00

Here is the out-of-print CD by my first band, COUCH. This CD collects some vinyl-only tracks from our first self-titled 7" (BLB-026), the Silver Owl 12" (which was a split with Bullet In the Head) and some new tracks that fleshed out the CD. Some of the newer tracks were COUCH hits that were never recorded and some of it was shameless filler, designed to make the CD "long enough". Incidentally

Magashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12986475446150973349noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2740771445570907661.post-62477110788762353522008-03-13T09:56:00.000-07:002008-03-14T20:59:42.710-07:00

V-Hearsals, which is short for "video rehearsals" is a concept that I came up with, in order to allow listeners and viewers an informal look at my creative process. For the most part, my work is usually shrouded in secrecy, except for 2 or 3 friends that I allow into my studio for a sneak peak. This time around, I decided that everybody could have a look. Why not? I'm having fun in there and

Magashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12986475446150973349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2740771445570907661.post-78386396559093104962008-03-13T04:43:00.000-07:002008-03-13T04:50:08.852-07:00

Magashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12986475446150973349noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2740771445570907661.post-91981962359701597222008-03-13T04:40:00.000-07:002008-03-13T04:49:30.084-07:00

Magashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12986475446150973349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2740771445570907661.post-14864046845779176882008-03-12T11:25:00.000-07:002008-03-21T16:11:59.004-07:00

"Forget what you know about MAGAS because he’s smashing the mold with this daring new fourth release, MAY I MEET MY ACCUSER. Picking up where FRIENDS FOREVER left off, MAY I MEET MY ACCUSER, showcases a harder, more rough-hewn sound. Spraying a layer of sizzling hi-hats atop the thunderous roar of an old ARP, Magas has created a defiant new style of electronic motor-punk. MAY I MEET MY ACCUSER’s

Magashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12986475446150973349noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2740771445570907661.post-4095005148192375022008-03-12T10:48:00.000-07:002008-03-12T11:19:05.651-07:00

This blog is ground zero for all-things MAGAS-related. This will be pretty free-form and informal. I'll share what I like and you can comment, if you want.

Magashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12986475446150973349noreply@blogger.com0