Teenage Time Killers, the supergroup put together by Mick Murphy (My Ruin) and Reed Mullen (COC) is putting on a one-off all-star concert in Los Angeles on September 12th. Featuring many of the big names that make up each of the tracks ofGreatest Hits Vol 1, (Rise Records) taking the stage with Murphy and Mullen will be Randy Blythe, Corey Taylor, Neil Fallon, Lee Ving, Tommy Victor, Vic Bondi, Phil Rind, Ron Beam, Tony Foresta, Clifford Dinsmore, Tairrie B. Murphy, Jonny Webber, Greg Anderson, Pat “Atom Bomb” Loed, Karl Agell, and Trenton Rogers. Tickets are already on sale at this link:
Have you ever heard an album so good you thought it was made just for you? Like someone reached into the great boombox in your brain and pulled out just what you wanted to hear? Well, Greatest Hits Vol. 1 (Rise Records) by Teenage Time Killers is that album for me. If you have yearned for some new tunes to come along and kick your ass back to 1988, then this music is for you. Masterminded by Mick Murphy (My Ruin, and Reed Mullen (Corrosion of Conformity),the core band is rounded out by the ubiquitous Dave Grohl and chipping in everything except lead vocals and Greg Anderson (Sunn O)))/Goatsnake) and his mighty axe. In addition to a cavalcade of former and current stars from across punk and metal, it’s an ambitious attempt to turn the idea of a supergroup on its head.
Certainly, a lot of hype has gone on about the assembled players, especially the vocalists. If you re thinking of Grohl’s Probot project, you are not far off. That was Grohl paying tribute to his metal heroes. TTK is all about paying tribute to a certain mindset. An era when writing fun, smart songs that hit you where you live was the norm. Mullen has put his distinctive angry yelp on many C.O.C. albums and does a fine job here on the opening track ‘Exploder’ and on ‘The Dead Hand’. ‘Exploder’ is just a classic punk track with all the whoa-oh-ohs you can handle. Second track ‘Crowned by the Light of The Sun’ sounds like an early-era Clutch song and thus Neil Fallon is right at home singing over some stone grooves. The most blistering track here is the thrash/punk ‘Hung Out To Dry’. Randy Blythe (Lamb of God) just slays the track with his parts.
Following these first salvos the rest of the album is a tad uneven in a few places, but on repeated listens the entire thing holds together well. Jello Biafra is predictably pissed off in the too-short ‘Ode to Hannity’. ‘Barrio’ featuring Matt Skiba of Alkaline Trio/Blink 182 has the second-best track on the album. It’s another fun old-school sing-a-long that is both fun and political. Mike IX (EyeHateGod), Tommy Victor (Prong/Danzig) and Tairrie B. Murphy (My Ruin) anchor the three of the remaining real standout tracks. While it’s great to have an album in 2015 with Lee Ving (Fear), Karl Agel (COC Blind/King Hitter) and Phil Rind (Sacred Reich) altogether, at times you wish the tracks were a little stronger. Although a little short of total greatness for all the meaningful names, Teenage Time Killers backed up having the stones to call this album Greatest Hits Vol 1.
Teenage Time Killers will be releasing their long awaited release Greatest Hits Vol 1 on July 31, 2015 via Rise Records. The brainchild of Corrosion of Conformity drummer Reed Mullin, guitarist Mick Murphy (My Ruin, The Birds of Satan) and producer John “Lou” Lousteau, the project has released a track listing along with a breakdown of guest credits. All instrumental tracks on Greatest Hits Vol. 1 were recorded at Dave Grohl‘s 606 Studios in Northridge, California. The album was produced by Lousteau, Mullin and Murphy, engineered and mixed by Lousteau at 606 Studios.
Stream “Barrio” (with Matt Skiba of Alkaline Trio) and “Hung Out To Dry” (with Randy Blythe of Lamb Of God) below.
01. “Exploder”
Vocals: Reed Mullin
Featuring Pat Hoed (Bass), London May (Drums)
02. “Crowned By The Light Of The Sun”
Vocals: Neil Fallon
Featuring Jim Rota (Guitar), Dave Grohl (Bass)
03. “Hung Out to Dry”
Vocals: Randy Blythe
Featuring Mike Schaefer (Guitar), Dave Grohl (Bass)
04. “Power Outage”
Vocals: Clifford Dinsmore
Featuring Dave Grohl (Bass)
05. “Ode to Hannity”
Vocals: Jello Biafra
Featuring Mike Dean (Bass)
06. “Barrio”
Vocals: Matt Skiba
Featuring Brian Baker (Guitar)
07. “The Dead Hand”
Vocals: Reed Mullin
Featuring Woody Weatherman (Guitar), Dave Grohl (Bass)
08. “Egobomb”
Vocals: Corey Taylor
Featuring Dave Grohl (Bass)
09. “Plank Walk”
Vocals: Pete Stahl
Featuring Greg Anderson (Guitar), Dave Grohl (Bass)
10. “Time To Die”
Vocals: Mike IX Williams
Featuring Greg Anderson (Guitar)
11. “Days Of Degradation”
Vocals: Tommy Victor
Featuring Dave Grohl (Bass)
12. “Clawhoof”
Vocals: Tairrie B. Murphy
Featuring Dave Grohl (Bass)
13. “Big Money”
Vocals: Lee Ving
Featuring Pat Smear (Guitar & Bass), London May (Drums)
14. “Devil In This House”
Vocals: Karl Agell
Featuring Dave Grohl (Bass)
15. “Say Goodnight To The Acolyte”
Vocals: Phil Rind
Featuring Jason Browning (Guitar), Dave Grohl (Bass)
16. “Ignorant People”
Vocals: Tony Foresta
Featuring Greg Anderson (Guitar), Nick Oliveri (Bass)
17. “Son Of An Immigrant”
Vocals: Johnny Weber
Featuring Brian Baker (Guitar)
18. “Your Empty Soul”
Vocals: Aaron Beam
19. “Bleeding To Death”
Vocals: Vic Bondi
Featuring Dave Grohl (Bass)
20. “Teenage Time Killer”
Vocals: Trenton Rogers
Featuring Greg Anderson (Guitar), Pat Hoed (Bass)
Teenage Time Killer, an all star project headed by Corrosion of Conformity’s Mike Dean and Reed Mullin, has reportedly signed a record deal with Rise Records. The name was taken from a Rudimentary Peni song. The instrumental parts for the upcoming CD were recorded at Dave Grohl’s (FOO FIGHTERS, NIRVANA) Studio 606 in Northridge, California on the famous Sound City mixing board, which was the central focus of Grohl’s acclaimed “Sound City: Real To Reel” documentary. The effort was mastered by Bill Stevenson (THE DESCENDENTS, BLACK FLAG).
Reported artists who have contributed to the project include:
Randy Blythe (Lamb Of God)
Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters)
Corey Taylor (Slipknot/Stone Sour)
Neil Fallon (Clutch)
Jello Biafra (Dead Kennedys)
Lee Ving (Fear)
Tommy Victor (Prong)
Nick Oliveri (Mondo Generator, ex-Queens Of The Stone Age/Kyuss)
Aaron Beam (Red Fang)
Pete Stahl (Scream, Goatsnake)
Greg Anderson (SUNN O))), Goatsnake)
Karl Agell (ex-Corrosion Of Conformity)
Tairrie B Murphy (My Ruin)
Mick Murphy (My Ruin)
Vic Bondi (Articles Of Faith)
Clifford Dinsmore (BL’AST!)
Pat Hoed (Brujeria)
Max Cavalera (Soulfly)
Tony Foresta (Municipal Waste/Iron Reagan)
Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein (The Misfits)
Keith Morris (Black Flag, etc.)
Phil Rind (Sacred Reich)
Asked if there are any plans for TEENAGE TIME KILLER to go on the road in support of the upcoming CD, Mullin told INDY Week: “Touring, I don’t know. Dave Grohl’s folks — his management and marketing people — are going to help us do all that with the thing. We recorded about 98 percent of it at his studio. They were talking about — since there’s so many people from so many different bands — maybe do something like ‘[Jimmy] Kimmel [Live!]’ and have three or four different singers come out at one time, like Jello and Lee Ving, maybe Randy from LAMB OF GOD, something like that. All the songs are real short, so we could do, easily, four songs and not go over. But you know, we’d have Brian Baker come out and play guitar, Pat Smear play bass or guitar or whatever. It’s pretty star-studded.”
He added: “It sounds really organic. It sounds like we — the people that we associated with for the different songs — wrote the songs together.”
A beloved haven of British punk rock, the Star and Garter pub is rough and ready, but a great setting for an intimate performance from SST Records luminaries Bl’ast. Many will have felt the pull of guest rhythm section, namely former Queens Of The Stone Age men Joey Castillo and bass playing hellraiser Nick Oliveri, himself fresh off his second solo acoustic tour of the UK. Make no mistake about it, this is a set of high-octane punk from a much overlooked underground act that helped shape the face of American hardcore.
Before the main event it’s time for Denim and Leather to warm up an already sweaty venue with their skinny frontman flailing across the stage. The group mainline Black Flag intensity with a few soiled Discharge riffs in an effective manner, warming things pleasantly for the headliners.
Bl’ast are like a kick to the gut. The predominantly thirty plus audience really wake up to the raw intensity before them. Vocalist Clifford Dinsmore passes the mic around and Oliveri hammers out guttural basslines while Castillo is a hive of activity behind the kit. Focussing heavily upon their It’s In My Blood and Take The Manic Ride records, this may be an exercise in punk rock nostalgia but it cannot be denied that this old workhorse can still “go”.
A frantic moshpit ensues at the front of the stage with Dinsmore gleefully egging the crowd on, with the punters hanging on his every word. Even members of Denim and Leather get in on the action hurling each other around amongst the audience. The venue may be an intimate one but it is barely able to contain the celebratory atmosphere within it.
The punishing “Something Beyond” rides another grimy Oliveri bassline with Castillo beating his drums with such vigour he manages to dislodge a fan from the app above him. Without missing a beat he hurls the offending item into the audience who catch it and parade it around like a trophy before dumping it unceremoniously back on-stage.
They may be greying, but this was still a righteous display of exuberance which belied their veteran status.
