Mr. Furious Records

Unfortunately, the Allendales had to cancel their performance at the PS Collective on Friday, June 19th for Lincoln Invasion (they scored a second night opening up for country star Chuck Wicks, I believe). Fortunately for me, I was asked to perform in their stead.

So, I will be playing a solo show at the Pizza Shop Collective (6056 Maple St, Omaha NE 68104) at 9:30 pm on Friday, June 19th. I am thrilled to be playing; hopefully you’re able to make it (I play first, precisely at 9:30). I’ll be playing new songs that will be on my upcoming record (out sometime this fall) that will, with any luck, make you want to make out with a bonfire. I’ll probably throw in a few Sleepover songs as well.

Lincolnites: if you want to come, you’re more than welcome to catch a ride with the wife and I there and back; we have room for two (2) people aside from us.

Thanks!
Cory Kibler
www.myspace.com/corykibler

A couple weeks ago on a Monday, Lara and I went to the Nebraska State Fair to see Boyz II Men play for free at the outdoor theater. There was an awning, but I don’t want to get into semantics on a Sunday.

Lara was really excited, because Boyz II Men’s “II” was her first CD, and she spun the living crud out of that bad boy, probably while crying over 12-year-old boys. I didn’t own any Boyz II Men CDs (or tapes?) and I never cried over any 12-year-old boys, but I did know the singles pretty well, and definitely liked them as a youngster. But I don’t think I would have gone to the concert if it weren’t for Lara’s insistence.

We ate some weird food (toasted ravioli, onion blossoms) and drank some 20-ounce lite beers (hurray for the fair!) and stood on the side of the stage to wait for Boyz II Men to take the stage. The place was PACKED. According to a friend, the crowd waiting to get in at 6 pm was gigantic, even though the Boyz didn’t take the stage until 8 or so. But when they did take the stage, Holy Fishsticks; the crowd went NUTS. They started right off with half of “Motown Philly” (which they later played in full as the encore), and people were flipping out and singing along. The crowd was so consistently enthused that the Boyz repeated a few times throughout the night that “it’s been 14 years since we’ve been to Nebraska, but believe me when I say that it won’t be that long between visits ever again!” The crowd was a grateful one.

The perils of being a come-back band at the State Fair is that people want to hear the hits, even if you’ve put out 487 new CDs since your last radio single. However, the Boyz handled this very well. They spaced their hit singles out so that the crowd never got restless, and they introduced new material by saying things like, “We know most of you won’t know this song, and that’s okay; we just like this song so much that we think it’s worth playing it for a bunch of people who’ve never heard it.” And the new songs were GOOD. They didn’t have the same sentimental value as “End of the Road” (graduation/prom, anyone?) of course, but how could they? Give them time.

Apparently, a few years ago, Boyz II Men put out a CD with covers of classic Motown hits, stuff from Smokey Robinson and the like. They played a chunk of about 4 or 5 of these songs at the show, and everyone sung along, especially the older set. During the night, I was constantly amazed at the breadth of age of the people singing along to the hits; there were kids who must have been in middle school singing along to “Water Runs Dry” while their 40-year-old parents did the same. Which proves, I think, that Boyz II Men really did make classic music, even though they were unfortunately grouped in with bands like New Kids on the Block.

Most of all, Lara and I were just impressed with how good they sounded, and how meaningful and awesome the songs were 10+ years later. If it weren’t for that show, I wouldn’t be buying “II” et al in the coming days. And I wouldn’t be planning on covering “Water Runs Dry” and my next solo show. I hope people give their new stuff the same chance that they gave “II” years ago.

“Boyz II Men; ABC, BBD! The East Coast Family!”

So, Howie (with contributions from friends) started Mr. Furious Records to write, record, and post our music all for free, with no advertisements or profit or anything.  Ironically, both of our for-profit bands (weird!) are playing a show together tomorrow night (Saturday, August 12th, at the Chatterbox in Lincoln.  All ages, 4 bones, 5:30 pm is when it starts). 

Maybe “for profit” is the wrong phrase to use.  Maybe I mean, “we try to break even on the money we spend on making CDs and stuff.”  Although money can be a hassle, if it’s low on your priority list, it’s not too bad.  It is kind of neat to have an actual pressed CD to hand out, although I think even MFR is going to press some in the future MAYBE for free give-away or maybe we give it away if you make a donation to sick penguins, like with the old Shacker/howie&scott CDs. 

You can read about our CD release show here.

Unfortunately, I don’t think they mentioned FIVE STAR CRUSH, FAMOUS CELEBRITIES!  And they called Jesse “Jeffe Hodges.”  Which I happen to think is awesome.

Look for a Furious Instance track on MFR from R,CC!’s record, She Beeps.  And it’s not one you’ve heard before, I bet!  Or maybe, it is!

Have a good Friday!  Hope to see you tomorrow!

Love,

Cory

It’s been a super long time since I wrote one of these bad boys, and whenever that happens I have a million little things that I want to write about, but I’ll see how cohesive I can make this nasty little elf-of-a-blog-post.

The first thing I wanted to briefly comment on was the Echoes mention on Pitchfork.  At first, I was the most stoked because “HOLY SH*T THAT’S HOWIE THEY’RE TALKING ABOUT ON PITCHFORK I BET WE GET GOOGLED!”  And then, I felt the most stoked because of a pride I collectively had for Mr Furious and its mission, because, “Hey! Someone else cares besides us!”  But then, I became finally stoked (and the most stoked) on a part of it I didn’t really see at first, but Howie’s mention of “ripples” in the news update reminded me of it: this mention affirms our interconnectedness quite a bit.  To me, Pitchfork is such a staple in the realm if indie-stardom that seeing a Mr. Furious artist’s name in it just seems unreal; My senior-high class photo might as well be painted on the moon.  But if I can see a mention of Echoes in something on Pitchfork, it’s super-cool proof that the things we think are really far away are actually very close to us, and in fact, we are one in the same. 

TRIPPY, BRO!

This weekend is going to be sickalicious, because I’m heading off to the Bay-Area for sister’s graduation and also garlic appreciation weekend with some friends who live there MIKE AND SHANNON w00t!  Because of that, I am forced to miss out on a HUGE AWESOME CONCERT this weekend in Omaha.  At first it might seem like I’m talking about the FREE Bright Eyes Concert this Saturday, the 17th at Memorial Park, but I’m actually talking about Ladyfinger (new Saddle Creek band, they are metal, they rule) and Ideal Cleaners (That’s not the fact of the matter) at the 49er in Omaha on the same night. 

I can’t see this show, but Matt Wisecarver is doing sound for this show, so eff him for being so attractive and talented!

I just realize that Wisecarver is almost like a weird celebrity ghost on this website, since he was in the Remnants, he recorded some stuff on MFR, and he has an album named after him.

Anyway, the level of connectedness within the MFR community and the level of connectedness (I could use “connection” but guess what? no!) between MFR and the outside world is really showing itself these days.  Just so cool to know that we’re not in a bubble!

Speaking of weird connectedness, one final thing:

Robot, Creep Closer!, Honorable Mention, and 10 O’Clock Scholars at Knickerbocker’s tonight at 9:30!  BE THERE OR BE SOMEWHERE ELSE! 

Oooooh, and R,CC!/5*C in NE on August 12th at the C-Box!  Early show!  More later!

San Francisco, Here I Come!

Love,

CoryAlan