SVJ Album of the Week: The Eye Jabs

I don't know much about the Eye Jabs. I learned about the Oct. 31 release of their self-titled second album through a post on a Facebook group page, streamed it on Spotify and really enjoyed it.

There's not much information about the band in any of the usual spots online. But here's what I have found:

• The Eye Jabs is a duo out of the northern St. Louis metro area consisting of Dave Long and Nathan Butterhorn, according to their Facebook page. The one performance video I could find on YouTube features a five-piece band playing at Just Bills in July 2014.

SVJ Album of the Week: Bruiser Queen's Let's Fall in Love Again All Over

In case you missed it -- I know I didn't see it coming -- Saturday was the third annual Cassette Store Day, when fans across the globe celebrated the glory of the cassette tape.

Don't ask. I'm not sure I can provide a satisfactory answer. I only bring it up because Bruiser Queen joined in the festivities by releasing Let's Fall in Love Again All Over, a collection of demo recordings spanning the St. Louis duo's five-year career.

SVJ Album of the Week: The Fuck Off and Dies' Dear Liver

Dear Liver is the second full-length album by St. Louis trio The Fuck Off and Dies, a side project of Story of the Year front man Dan Marsala.

The LP, released in July, is a fast-paced, high-energy blast of punk with Marsala's tongue planted firmly in cheek. If you like loud songs about partying hard or saying the word "fuck" in some form or another, buy this album now.

Remembering Lou Reed: Going solo

Lou Reed was 29 years old, living at home with his parents and earning $40 a week as a typist in his father's accounting firm in the summer of 1971.

He had left the disintegrating Velvet Underground in the hands of Doug Yule and Steve Sesnick, and all he had to show for it was four albums that died almost as soon as they were recorded and a portfolio of dozens of songs he had written that never saw the light of day.

SVJ Playlist: Divide the Empire CD-release show

This Saturday at Pops greatness will be brought into the world
Remember how important music is to the planet and please share.....thanks
Posted by Randy Shanks on Monday, October 5, 2015

Divide the Empire plans to bring its new CD into the world with a bang this weekend.

The alternative rockers will unveil their second album, Three Winters Vol. 1, at a show Saturday night at Pop's Nightclub and Concert Venue in Sauget, IL.

Remembering Lou Reed: The Yule-era Velvet Underground

Doug Yule was a 21-year-old kid in 1968 with little professional music experience. He was a guitar player with a local band in Boston who was a friend of the Velvet Underground's road manager.

With the departure of John Cale soon after the band's split from Andy Warhol, Lou Reed clearly now was the Velvets' dominant force. Yule just happened to be the right guy in the right place at the right time. The band needed somebody to play bass, and Reed was extremely attracted to Yule's pliability.

SVJ Album of the Week: Popular Mechanics' Onramp to Irrelevance

St. Louis power-pop band Popular Mechanics lets you know from the start of its second album, Onramp to Irrelevance, that it's not kidding around.

Opening track "Always Down" begins with a sonic blast of guitars that doesn't let up through the first half of the album.

The band takes a breather with the tender "My Target," an acoustic number sung beautifully by Dave Todd

Remembering Lou Reed: The Cale-era Velvet Underground

I'm starting this series with a fudge. This video really isn't the Velvet Underground, technically, and it didn't come from the era under discussion here.

This is Lou Reed and John Cale as a duo performing "Heroin" during a one-off acoustic performance in Paris in 1972, about four years after Cale left the VU and a couple of years after Reed's departure. Nico also was part of this show, though she doesn't participate in this song.

Remembering Lou Reed: Introduction

For decades, I fantasized about the day I would meet Lou Reed face-to-face and somehow be granted an audience with the man. Sadly, it never happened

Even so, Lou Reed held a prominent place in my orbit for more than four decades and probably had as profound an impact on my life as anyone outside of immediate family.

Supe Granda: Future TV star?

St. Louis native Michael "Supe" Granda has gotten an audience with A&E Networks to pitch an idea for a reality TV show.

Local King, a concept created by Granda and local TV producers Kathy Bratkowski and Aleta Harris, has been named one of 16 finalists in the fifth annual A+E 360-Degree Unscripted Development Pipeline.

SVJ Marketplace: One Day cell-phone case

The One Day merchandise store is now open for business.

Singer Josh Herrin designed this cell-phone case and has made it the first product available for purchase at the band's store at Zazzle.com.

The case is available for several models of iPhones and Samsung Galaxy phones. You also can get one for the Motorola Razr or iPads and iPods.

SVJ Album of the Week: Les Gruff and the Billy Goat

Les Gruff and the Billy Goat has just released its eponymous second album -- a tighter, more cohesive effort than the band's first effort, 2013's sometimes rambling A Cup of Coffee, an Apple and a Suicide.

The new album, released to retail and streaming outlets Friday, is a focused collection of 11 roots-rock tracks. Billy Croghan's strong, expressive voice floats effortlessly over instrumental accompaniment dominated by Tony Compton's lead guitar and Sean Kamery's electric fiddle.

SVJ Playlist: Newgrass Invasion

A whole lot of country is going to be played on St. Louis-area stages this weekend.

The Josh Tyler Band will rock Pevely Saturday night at the Sun Valley Jams Fan Appreciation Concert. And SVJ friends Les Gruff and the Billy Goat will celebrate a CD release that same night at Off Broadway.

But before that, former Allman Brothers Band guitarist Warren Haynes will headline a newgrass show Friday night at the Pageant that also will feature Gill Landry and Chessboxer. Tickets are available through Ticket Liquidator.

The accompanying Spotify playlist includes songs from all three of Friday night's acts. Have a listen while you're trying to decide whether to go. If you like your country traditional with a progressive twist, this would be a good show -- and a good playlist -- to check out.

Countdown to SVJ Fan Appreciation Concert: Whiskey Kick

Whiskey Kick is going to bring a whole lot of '80s-era headbanging to Sun Valley Jams' Fan Appreciation Concert Saturday night.

The St. Louis quartet started playing together about 18 months ago, according to guitarist Jeff Durbin. They put their songlist of heavy-metal classics onstage for the first time in May at the Wentzville Blues and Classic Rock Festival.

Countdown to SVJ Fan Appreciation Concert: The Josh Tyler Band

The Josh Tyler Band, slated to appear Saturday at the Sun Valley Jams Fan Appreciation Concert, isn't so much a band as it is a stage name for country rocker Josh Middleton.

Middleton is a familiar presence on the cowboy circuit around Southeast Missouri and southwestern Illinois. He has performed acoustic solo sets around the area and has been known to show up onstage supporting and jamming with other acts.

Many fans knew him until recently as a member of Crimson County, which disbanded a few weeks ago.

SVJ Album of the Week: The Langaleers

The Langaleers' self-titled debut album grabbed me the first time I heard it a few months ago and hasn't let go.

This 12-song, 52-minute effort from July 2014 is packed with enough catchy riffs to keep you air-dancing for days.

Bassist Ryan Cosgrove and drummer Sean Kennedy keep the rhythm tight while Dylan Clubb tosses out fuzzy, piercing solos on guitar and electric keyboard. Principal songwriter Kory Meyer contributes rhythm guitar while tying it all together with distinct nasally vocals.

Highlights include "Golden Gate," featuring an infectious Clubb keyboard riff; and "They Don't Bother Me," in which Cosgrove and Kennedy are front and center pushing the action. "Forget" is a lazy, shuffling number that builds to a driving coda that struggles to stay under control.

SVJ Playlist: Hendrix Highlights

I wasn't a huge Jimi Hendrix fan when I was a kid. I was too wrapped up in the cult of the Doors to pay much attention to the psychedelic bad-ass who I knew even then was the greatest musician of our time.

I was familiar with his albums and did like a few of the songs. I do remember the day Hendrix died 45 years ago today, at the beginning of my sophomore year in high school -- not because I felt any kind of personal loss but because a couple of my friends seemed truly saddened by the news as if they had lost the family dog.

Little did I know at the time that, you know, these things do come in threes and Jimi's death would only be the first of a shocking trilogy. Janis Joplin, whom I cared not a thing about at the time, passed a mere 16 days later. And Jim Morrison -- the one that kicked me in the gut -- checked out the following summer.

The Faded Truth, three others to rock Overland

The Faded Truth, which played at Sun Valley Jams in August in Battle of the Bands #4, will join three other bands Saturday in some heavy rocking at Just Bills Place in Overland.

Fenton-based The Faded Truth is on the metal-heavy bill with Grafton, IL, band Ever More Broken and St. Louis-based Skyline in Ruins and Struck Down by Sound. The music starts at 7 p.m. The venue has a $5 cover charge.

SVJ Marketplace: Signature Retro music system with turntable

Tired of playing those great old songs in the stereo of your brain while all those vinyl LPs sit collecting dust? If so, this is exactly what you need.

Consumer-electronics manufacturer Electrohome is offering a 15% discount this month on this retrofit record player. The Signature Retro music system -- $199.99 full-price, $169.99 with checkout code SAVE15 -- looks like a classic tube radio but actually is a feature-rich hi-fi stereo system.

The system includes an AM/FM tuner, a CD player, a 3.5-mm auxiliary input and a USB jack. It has a built-in digital encoder so you can convert the music on your vinyl to MP3 files directly to a memory stick or media player without going through a computer.

SVJ Album of the Week: Pogo Funk's Sound from the Underground

Sun Valley Jams has one more show scheduled for this season -- a free concert Sept. 26 featuring Whiskey Kick and the Josh Tyler Band -- that we will start previewing later this week. But after that, the Balvens will be shutting down the outdoors concert venue for a few months.

So the ball's in my court to keep Sun Valley Jams going for the winter with this website. And I'm going to do that. I'm going to produce a couple of regular features to keep everyone entertained and informed, starting now.

Introducing: The SVJ Album of the Week.

Pogo Funk plans to start recording Sunday

Members of Pogo Funk setting up their studio

Pogo Funk is about to have a big day for the second straight Sunday.

The Festus funk/rap band will start recording its second album Sunday, a week after winning the Sun Valley Jams Battle of the Bands Finale.

But that's not all. The band also will get some radio exposure Sunday. Bob Scott of KBDZ/Classic Rock 93.1 in Perryville recorded an interview a few days ago with Pogo Funk vocalist Christopher "Goofy" Breck. Scott told Breck the interview will air a couple of times, tentatively in the 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. hours.

The interview with Battle of the Bands sponsor KBDZ is part of the Finale prize package along with a $2000 cash prize. You can catch KBDZ's live stream here.

Just a Girl: Pixie Houska as Gwen Stefani

A few Sun Valley Jams veterans are hooking up to form a new tribute band.

Pixie Houska, the lead singer for Hollywood 5, will portray Gwen Stefani in Just a Girl: A Tribute to No Doubt. The act is scheduled to debut Oct. 9 in the Duck Room at Blueberry Hill, 6504 Delmar Blvd. in St. Louis.

Also on the bill is American Idiot: A Tribute to Green Day, which appeared at SVJ in July at Battle of the Bands #3. Hollywood 5 performed at SVJ in June at Battle #2.

H5 and American Idiot guitarist Dan Elder will support Houska in Just a Girl, as will drummer Eric Hendrickson, who also is lead singer for American Idiot. Rounding out the band will be bassist John "Kingvegas" Keihne and keyboard player Phil Minardi.

Hollywood 5, meanwhile, is set to play Friday night at Bobby's Place, 108 Meramac Valley Plaza in Valley Park. Check the H5 Facebook page for its schedule for the rest of the month.

Here's Houska in action with Hollywood 5 at Battle #2:

Battle of the Bands Finale: Les Gruff and the Billy Goat video

Les Gruff and the Billy Goat rushed to Pevely late Sunday afternoon for the band's second appearance at Sun Valley Jams.

The Battle of the Bands #2 co-winner had played a set earlier in the day at Cree Fest in St. Louis, and the band did seem a little tired after a couple of weeks peppered with promotional appearances for their self-titled second album.

But singer Billy Croghan and the band found their rhythm a few songs into their 75-minute SVJ set and closed their day with a flourish.

Fan Appreciation Concert next at Sun Valley Jams

We're not calling it a day just yet.

Owners Lyn and Mark Balven have decided to stage a Fan Appreciation Concert on Saturday, Sept. 26, to thank everyone who supported Sun Valley Jams in its first Battle of the Bands season this summer.

Admission will be free. No tickets required. Just bring your lawn chairs and/or your blankets and kick back and enjoy the show.

Battle of the Bands Finale: Pogo Funk video

We're in the process of uploading our Battle of the Bands Finale videos to YouTube. They should all be there soon.

Here's one more from Finale winner Pogo Funk to pass the time while you're waiting for the rest:

Battle of the Bands Finale: Pogo Funk sweeps

Pogo Funk answered a late bell about three weeks ago to book the Sun Valley Jams Battle of the Bands Finale. The seven-piece funk/rap group from Festus knew why it finished second in Battle #1, caught a break when it got its late invitation to the Finale and acted quickly to overcome its earlier error.

Pogo Funk blasted away the competition Sunday by pulling together a huge contingent of fans and putting on a spirited performance that drew a near-perfect score from the judges to win the Finale in a sweep.

Countdown to the Finale: A preview

By now, I'm sure you've heard we have a show coming up in a couple of days. The Battle of the Bands Finale will begin at 1 p.m. Sunday with six of the best bands we've heard all summer.

This is our final show of the year, and it will be our biggest. We're bringing back six acts who were judged the best by either our judges or our fans in our four earlier Battle of the Bands.

It'll be a scorcher for sure -- six hot bands on an expected hot day. Come on out to Sun Valley Jams in Pevely and enjoy to day with us. Bring some sunscreen, bring a shade umbrella or a tent, bring your lawn chairs or a blanket and have some fun with us.

Keepin' Busy listening to Beau Diamond

Beau Diamond performing recently at Barnfest

I've been listening to Beau Diamond and the Collective Dream Band's album Keepin' Busy tonight. Trust me when I tell you: This is some good stuff.

For those who don't know, this is a group of young guys from High Ridge. I got acquainted with 21-year-old Beau Diamond a couple months ago when his band was booked for Battle of the Bands #3. He struck me as a nice, humble, hard-working kid seriously pursuing a musical dream.

He certainly is prolific. BD has a decent amount of material posted at Bandcamp.com, a website that helps unsigned musicians sell their music -- both with his band and as a solo act. I sampled a bit of it when I began researching him and his band for a blog post and was immediately intrigued. And I really enjoyed the band's 45-minute set over July 4 weekend at SVJ. It was the kind of stuff I never could have expected to hear from some young unknown surfacing in Jefferson County, MO.

Countdown to the Finale: One Day and L84dnr

One Day

Granite City, IL, alternative rockers One Day and Bridgeton cover band L84dnr round out our lineup for the Battle of the Bands Finale, set to begin at 1 p.m. Sunday at Sun Valley Jams.

One Day is coming off its appearance Saturday at Pause for the Cause -- a benefit staged by singer Josh Herrin for his brother Larry Jr., suffering from emphysema. The band has another performance scheduled for Oct. 16 at 300 State in Alton, IL, the pizzeria that hosted Pause for the Cause.

Beau Diamond's new album lands

Beau Diamond and the Collective Dream Band's new album, Keepin' Busy, has landed on Bandcamp for digital download.

The album also is available on CD, which you can purchase by contacting the band through its Facebook page. You'll get a code for a free digital download when you buy the CD.

The band said Monday on Facebook that Keepin' Busy should land on Spotify and iTunes within a few days.

Pause for the Cause benefit Saturday

Battle of the Bands #4 performers One Day and The Faded Truth are among several bands expected to play Saturday in a benefit for the brother of One Day singer Josh Herrin.

Larry Herrin Jr. is in the late stages of emphysema. Proceeds from the event will help pay some of his medical expenses.

The event is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. at 300 State, a pizza parlor at 300 State Street in Alton, IL.

Also scheduled to perform is Divide the Empire, which includes the two members of Battle #2 performer Echo Trace.

If you cannot attend the event but would like to contribute, you can reach Josh Herrin through One Day's Facebook page.

One Day is among the six bands scheduled to perform in the Sun Valley Jams Battle of the Bands Finale on Sept. 6.

Countdown to the Finale: Slick Ice Blues

Slick Ice Blues started performing a few original tunes shortly before the band's second Sun Valley Jams appearance, in early July.

Now, armed with the $2000 cash prize from its win in Battle of the Bands #3, Slick Ice Blues is doing a little studio shopping.

Countdown to the Finale: Macrobliss

Macrobliss was a fairly new band in June when it was named co-winner of Battle of the Bands #2. But the trio of young prog virtuosos are solidifying as a unit with frequent appearances around the area.

Guitarist Josh Feeney, bassist Aaron Cheatham and drummer Tyler McDermott are becoming pretty familiar to the St. Louis music scene, hitting places such as Fubar and the Demo with some regularity. They will play Sept. 5 at Cicero's, 6691 Delmar Ave. in St. Louis, before their return to Sun Valley Jams the next day.

Countdown to the Finale: Les Gruff and the Billy Goat

Roots-rock band Les Gruff and the Billy Goat has been staying busy since winning the judges' vote at Battle of the Bands #2 in June.

The group used the $1000 cash prize it received as co-winner of Battle #2 to finish its second LP, Les Gruff and the Billy Goat, set for release Sept. 25. After frontman Billy Croghan took a timeout to get married, he and the band have been working feverishly to promote the new album.

Countdown to the Finale: Pogo Funk

Pogo Funk was starting work on its second CD a few weeks ago when the band found out it would be returning to Sun Valley Jams for the Battle of the Bands Finale.

The rap-metal group was a hit with the judges at Battle of the Bands #1 in May and was named runner-up to Lunar Levitation, which was booked to return to SVJ in September. But Lunar Levitation withdrew from the Finale a couple of weeks ago, and Pogo Funk eagerly answered our call to come back to Pevely. 

This is the second go for the Festus-based Pogo Funk. The band was formed in 1999 and spent a few years performing around the area before recording its debut album, Sound from the Underground, in 2003.

Divide the Empire sets CD-release party

Divide the Empire has set a release party for its new CD, Three Winters Vol. 1.

The four-piece band that includes Randy Shanks and Keith Thurnau of Echo Trace, which played Battle of the Bands #2 in June, will celebrate at Pop's Concert Venue in Sauget, IL, on Oct. 10. Divine Sorrow, Pirate Signal, Midnight Reveille and Apex Shrine will perform at the event.

Finale band One Day, others have weekend gigs

Battle #4 co-winner One Day is among four more Sun Valley Jams bands with performances scheduled this weekend.

One Day will travel to Bowling Green, about 100 miles north of Pevely on US 61, to play in the Pike County Payback Festival on Saturday. Nine acts are scheduled for the event, which will begin at 3 p.m.

Bucko Toby delivers

Bucko Toby today released the video we were promised on Monday. It's a clever three-minute promo of the band's Friday-night gig at the Heavy Anchor with the Langaleers.

The video is shot in the style of a silent movie serial. It stars members of the two bands and a few friends. It appeared on Bucko Toby's Facebook page about an hour ago.

Enjoy:

Bucko Toby/Langaleers Heavy Anchor Promo
Here's a short film we made with Bryan Basler and The Langaleers in anticipation of our show this Friday at The Heavy Anchor. Pass it along. Enjoy.
Posted by Bucko Toby on Tuesday, August 18, 2015

The Langaleers and Bucko Toby staying busy

Bucko Toby and the Langaleers, who appeared in Battle of the Bands #3 in July, are playing together again this weekend.

The two Festus-based bands will be at the Heavy Anchor, 5226 Gravois Ave. in St. Louis, on Friday. They'll share the stage with Dead Mockingbirds, a Dallas band wrapping up a three-week tour.

In the meantime, Bucko Toby has a video in the works, according to the band's Facebook page in a post that included the photo at left. And singer-guitarist Josh Friederich appeared last week on the Tokcast podcast with host Matt Basler.

Catching up with Les Gruff and Macrobliss

Les Gruff and the Billy Goat has dropped another preview of its upcoming album onto Soundcloud. This time, it's a track called Walking Home Alone.

The band finished recording its self-titled second album shortly after being named the co-winner of Sun Valley Jams' Battle of the Bands #2 in June. It plans a CD-release party Sept. 26 at Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave. in St. Louis. Les Gruff and the Billy Goat will share the stage with the Cara Louise Band, Benjamin Sturdevant and Marie and the Americans.

Guitar-embossed denim jacket

Things You Never Knew Existed... has this guitar denim jacket ready for fall.

The jacket is 100% cotton. It comes in S, M, L and XL for $79.98 and 2XL and 3XL for $89.98.

Things You Never Knew Existed... is a novelty catalog and mail-order retailer owned by Johnson Smith Co., which has been in business in the United States for more than a century. It also owns Betty's Attic, which we visited earlier.

Rob Zombie limited-edition guitar/LPs bundle

PopMarket, which we visited earlier for the Dig That Underground Sound! CD, is offering up this package of a limited-edition Rob Zombie-autographed guitar and a pair of vinyl LPs.

The guitar is made by Artist Series Guitar, which also made the Walking Dead Zombie-Burst guitar we featured earlier.

PopMarket plans a limited run of only 50 of these pieces -- each hand-numbered and signed by Zombie. It features a basswood body, ASG Arsenal humbuckers, an inlaid fingerboard and full-body binding. Each guitar will be shipped with a certificate of authenticity.

Shipped separately will be vinyl copies of Zombie's fifth solo album, Venemous Rat Regeneration Vendor, and the two-disc Mondo Sex Head, a collection of EDM remixes of 13 Zombie tracks.

Price for the package: $649.99. Shipping is free.

Looking backward and forward with One Day, L84dnr

Two more bands deserve thanks for helping make Battle #4 a nice success. Gentlemen, we couldn't have done it without you. You were the best, according to ticket buyers and judges.

Thanks to One Day, including guitarist Marino Topal, wherever the heck he wandered off to:



And thanks to L84dnr, who graced us with some Alex Chilton by way of Joe Cocker:

Happy birthday to Randy Shanks

Happy birthday, Shanks -- Mister getting-ready-to-release-a-Divide the Empire-CD-as-well-as-an-Echo Trace-one.

Did you know that Echo Trace has the most views on our Battle of the Bands #2 playlist?

Pogo Funk set for Battle of the Bands Finale

Battle #1 runner-up Pogo Funk has been booked to fill the slot in the Battle of the Bands Finale vacated by Lunar Levitation.

Lunar Levitation was named the winner of Battle #1 in May and had accepted an invitation to play in the Finale. But a band member's scheduling conflict arose a couple of days ago, forcing a cancellation.

Pogo Funk will join Battle #2 co-winners Macrobliss and Les Gruff and the Billy Goat, Battle #3 winner Slick Ice Blues and Battle #4 co-winners L84dnr and One Day in the Finale on Sept. 6.

Battle #4: Thanks to Who Killed Kenny, Alternate Route and Jam Central Station

Special thanks go out to these three cover bands from Saturday's Battle of the Bands #4.

Thanks to Who Killed Kenny, who came to our rescue late in the game to fill an opening:

Huge thanks to Alternate Route, a band put together by drummer Michael Chedester when his scheduled band had to drop out at the last minute:

Battle of the Bands Finale: Lunar Levitation drops out

Battle #1 winner Lunar Levitation has dropped out of the lineup for the Finale. Lyn is working on scheduling another Battle #1 band to fill the slot. We'll let you know if and when we get a commitment.

Battle #4: Thanks to Revence, King James and The Faded Truth

Battle #4 might have been the best one yet. We had beautiful skies, some great music both original and familiar once again -- and most of all, we had our best crowd so far.

And once again, we got some great feedback from everyone. The paying customers had a great day, with several making a point of telling us how much fun they had. And the musicians keep telling us they love this venue and can't wait to come back.

Pulp Fiction, a Minimalist Movie print

Imagekind, an online art gallery featuring the works of independent artists, has a cool collection called Minimalist Movie.

Twenty-three artists have contributed more than 400 works to this collection of prints that present stark, simple, subtle interpretations of key scenes or concepts in classic, well-known movies.

One of my favorites is Pulp Fiction, by Mihir Desai, a Singapore screenwriter and producer who moonlights as a design artist.

Desai's print is a perfect statement for a fan of the 1994 Quentin Tarantino masterpiece: Behind all the madness and mayhem everyone remembers from this movie, there was a causative factor that led us only to speculation.

Desai displays several prints at Imagekind in a personal collection, MinimalistPosters. Among his other inspirations are Speed, Gladiator and Batman Begins.

Pulp Fiction can be purchased as a 6-by-10-inch paper print for $19. Imagekind also offers larger prints and framing options.

Battle #4: One Day and L84dnr are co-winners

One Day

L84dnr

The last two bands on stage Saturday night for Battle #4 -- One Day and L84dnr -- turned out to be the day's best.

Battle #4 is under way

Battle of the Bands #4 is under way. The third band of the day, The Faded Truth, just finished up.

There's still plenty of time to catch some good music at Sun Valley Jams. We have five bands still to perform, and the weather is great. So head on out.

Dig That Underground Sound! CD collection

Dig That Underground Sound! is a 3-CD collection of 45 garage-rock and psychedelic tracks from the 1960s and 1970s sold exclusively at PopMarket.

If you're familiar with the Nuggets series of releases by Elektra Records and Rhino Records, you have a good idea what you'll get in this set. The tracks on this collection, which sells for $25.99, were mined from the vaults of Elektra, Warner Bros. Records and Atlantic Records.

A lot of these songs have appeared in Nuggets and other similar compilations. But Dig That Underground Sound! does have a handful of rarities -- Vamp's "Floatin'" and The Waphphle's "I Want You (To Be My One and Only Girl)" among them.

Higher-profile bands represented here include Love, Flamin' Groovies and the Beau Brummels. You can find a complete track list on the set's product page.

PopMarket is an online retailer specializing in rare music products such as vinyl box sets and limited-edition guitars. It offers deep-discount deals through a daily email newsletter. Shipping of most items is free.

Here's a taste of Dig That Underground Sound!, from a 1964 episode of American Bandstand:

Les Gruff and the Billy Goat album preview

Battle #2 co-winner Les Gruff and the Billy Goat has posted the first track from its upcoming self-titled album.

"River Road" will be on Soundcloud for a few days before it's replaced by another new track from the album, the band announced on Facebook.

Les Gruff and the Billy Goat is scheduled for release Sept. 25. The band plans a release party the following day at Off Broadway Music Venue in St. Louis.

The Goats are scheduled to appear at Sun Valley Jams on Sept. 6 for the season's Battle of the Bands Finale. They will be joined by other previous winners Lunar Levitation, Macrobliss and Slick Ice Blues. An invitation will be extended to the band that wins the Battle #4 competition Saturday.

Countdown to Battle #4: Alternate Route

The Chets will take the stage for Battle of the Bands #4 after all.

Brothers Stephen and Michael Chedester -- the bass player and drummer, respectively, for Jimmy and the Chets -- will appear Saturday with their new band, Alternate Route. The Chedesters formed the band in the past couple of days with a couple of friends they have jammed with in the past.

Jimmy and the Chets dropped out of the Battle a few days ago when singer and lead guitarist Jimmy Rohlfing learned he wouldn't be able to appear. Michael Chedester told us about 24 hours later that he and his brother could step up and appear with their quickly assembled new outfit.

So there you have it. Battle of the Bands #4 is set. Eight bands, eight hours, great weather, great scenery ... it's going to be a great Saturday. Gates open at 2 p.m., and the music will start at 3 p.m.

We'll see you there.

Countdown to Battle #4: The cover bands

The music of three of the bands scheduled for Battle of the Bands #4 on Saturday will be familiar to you even if their faces are not. Come on out to Sun Valley Jams from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. and you're bound to hear a rendition of one of your favorite songs.

Making their second Battle of the Bands appearance will be Jam Central Station, seen here a few years ago knocking out the 1970 Sugarloaf standard "Green-Eyed Lady:"

Jimmy and the Chets cancels Battle #4 appearance

Blues-rock cover band Jimmy and the Chets had a change in plans Wednesday evening and cancelled their Saturday appearance at Sun Valley Jams.

Lyn is trying to find another band to fill that slot in Battle of the Bands #4. We'll update here and on our Facebook page as soon as we find a replacement.

Countdown to Battle #4: The alternative bands

The eight bands sharing the stage Saturday for Sun Valley Jams' Battle of the Bands #4 can be divided into two distinct categories: Four of them can be grouped generally as alternative-rock bands who perform mostly original material, and four of them are predominantly cover bands.

Here's a sampling of the four alternative bands. We'll complete the roundup in a day or two with a post featuring the four cover bands.

Here's The Faded Truth with a cut from its EP, This is My Life, released in February:

Cassette tape belt buckle

Before digital downloads came along, before anyone knew what a CD was, back when we needed something portable that was more rugged and sounded better than an eight-track cartridge, we had cassette tapes.

That was a long time ago. If you were around in the day, you can now wear your heritage proud with this cassette-shaped belt buckle.

This buckle is about 4 inches by 2 inches and sells for $14.95 at The Belt Buckle Shop. Like most of the 700 belt buckles sold by the Texas-based Internet retailer, this one is made of pewter and won't rust or tarnish.

The Belt Buckle Shop has a tool on its website that allows you to customize a belt buckle with your own photo or text.

The retailer does offer quantity discounts. Shipping is free for orders of more than $50.

Countdown to Battle #4: Who Killed Kenny

Who Killed Kenny, a cover band out of Fenton, is a late addition to the Battle #4 lineup.

The band is named after a recurring gag in the long-running Comedy Central cartoon South Park. Members include rhythm guitarist Tim Boze, keyboard player Mandy Densmore, bass player Dan O'Connell, lead guitarist Steve Poelker and drummer Mick Harris.

Beau Diamond releases album preview

Beau Diamond, who performed last month at Sun Valley Jams' Battle of the Bands #3, has released the first track from his upcoming album.

The High Ridge singer-songwriter has posted "The Blushing Horizon" at Bandcamp with open pricing. The track is a preview of Diamond's upcoming album, Keepin' Busy, which should be out in a few days.

Diamond also has dropped the three-track Live @ Picasso's, recorded at an open-mic appearance a couple of weeks ago.

Here's the new track:

Mackie Thump Series powered speakers

Cascio Interstate Music is offering mail-in rebates this month on the Mackie Thump Series of powered loudspeakers.

The Mackie Thump Series is commonly used in stage and studio setups. These speakers deliver powerful sound in a compact, portable design.

Rebates offered:

* $100 on the Thump Series TH-18S 18-inch subwoofer, which retails for $699.99.


* $50 on the Thump Series TH-15 15-inch speaker, which sells for $349.99.

* $25 on the TH-12 12-inch, which goes for $299.99.

The prices of these speakers appear to be tightly controlled, so there isn't much variance from one retailer to the next. The mail-in rebates represent the best value you're going to find for these.

Cascio has been a landmark music retailer and wholesaler in Milwaukee for nearly 70 years. It expanded into mail-order retailing in 1970 and has been selling gear online since 2000. Interstatemusic.com offers live chat in case you have any questions. Cascio does take phone orders. Shipping for most items ordered online -- including the Mackie Thump speakers -- is free.

Countdown to Battle #4: Jam Central Station

Battle of the Bands #4 will mark the second appearance on the Sun Valley Jams stage for Jam Central Station, following its Battle #1 appearance in May.

The band specializes in covering classic rock songs and consists of guitarist David Bohannan, keyboard player David Dodson and drummer Ron Baechle, with either Vic Hoffmeister or Stu Massey playing bass.

Here is a video from 2012:

Music note photo collage on canvas

What to do with 130 of your favorite photos? You could have Canvas Champ turn them into a collage in the shape of a music note.

Canvas Champ produces this customized canvas print in a range of sizes. The smallest, at 24 inches by 24 inches, goes for $61.58. You can increase the size in 1-inch increments up to 54 inches by 54 inches, for $287.37.

At the time of this posting, Canvas Champ is offering a 15% discount with coupon code ILOVECOLLAGE.

The process is pretty simple if a little time-consuming. After you create an account at Canvas Champ and navigate to the product page, you upload the photos you want to use in your collage. Canvas Champ promises to email you a proof within 24 hours, allowing you to make any changes you want.

Your collage will be printed and shipped within 48 hours after you sign off on your proof. Standard shipping is free for an order of more than $150.

Countdown to Battle #4: One Day

One Day is a hard-rock outfit out of Granite City, IL, consisting of singer Josh Herrin, lead guitarist Marino Topal, bassist Eddie Morgan and drummer Brad Murphy.

The band has been playing around the area for several years, having been formed in 2007. One Day released an album titled Therapy in 2008 and an EP, Believing is Everything, in 2011.

Countdown to Battle #4: L84dnr

Guitarist Gabe Corcoran and his friends in L84dnr are "a collection of happy idiots struggling for the legal tender," mostly by hitting open mic nights around North County.

They are also a quintet of old friends who decided to form a band in 2013 to have some fun while working on their classic-rock chops.

Jazz-metal bassist Ryan Garner, classically trained pianist Terry Kasper and Latin drummer Miguel Squires join Corcoran and Ken DeClue, "a couple guitarists off the Campire Circuit," in Corcoran's words.

The Transformation of Saint Lou

Lou Reed's classic New York hipster glare has been a favorite subject of artists from the first time Andy Warhol committed that stark, blank expression to film and silkscreen reproduction.

A half-century later and nearly two years after Reed's death, Oklahoma City artist Todd Bane has produced The Transformation of Saint Lou, a striking pencil-and-digital portrait of the man in his last few, frail months.

"I saw a great photo of Lou Reed shortly after he passed away in 2013, and it screamed at me to draw it," Banes wrote in his description of the piece. "This is a simple two-color painting, but the shadows and highlights make it look like more.

"The best way to experience this painting is to put on Lou's album Metal Machine Music at a deafening volume and just stare until the blackout happens. And it will," Banes says.

The drawing is part of Bane's CelebrityPortraits collection at Imagekind, an Internet gallery that features works of independent artists. Among his subjects are Joe Cocker, Frank Sinatra, Johnny Cash and other musicians and celebrities.

The Transformation of Saint Lou is available as an unframed print for $14. Imagekind does offer a variety of framing options to suit your needs.

The Beatles American Tour 1964 jacket

You can feel like you were there 51 years ago when the Beatles first conquered America.

Betty's Attic, a catalog and Internet retailer specializing in nostalgia collectibles, offers this black varsity-style jacket with the itinerary of the Fab Four's first American tour embroidered on the back.

The wool-blend jacket is a limited edition of 1964 pieces, according to the Betty's Attic product description, and sells for $160. It features knit cuffs, collar and hem, a front zipper and snap closures, a quilted nylon lining and side slash pockets and comes in M, L, XL and 2XL.

The lettering on the back is embroidered, as is the familiar The Beatles logo on the front.

You can find the jacket on the Beatles category page in the Icons & Brands menu. It's among several items, including the Where's Ringo? picture book ($18), the All You Need is Love and Let it Be wind chimes ($59), a few T-shirts and other items.

The Walking Dead Zombie-Burst guitar

What to buy for your favorite guitar player who has everything?

Here's something: The Walking Dead Zombie-Burst by Artist Series Guitar.

The Walking Dead Official Store is taking orders for this solid-mahogany axe, which will be issued next month in what is being called a Comic-Con exclusive limited edition.

The guitar features a maple top, a rosewood fingerboard, a set mahogany neck, chrome tuners and ASG Arsenal dual-coil humbucking pickups, according to ASG.

Each piece will be individually numbered and will be shipped with a certificate of authenticity.

Price tag: $499.99.

Obviously, this piece isn't available for review. But if anyone is familiar with ASG guitars, please drop a review in the comments section below this post.

Countdown to Battle #4: Revence

Vocalist Nathan Howard and lead guitarist Bryan Parmenter have been treating area venues to Revence's hard-driving alternative rock for close to five years.

The band has made several live appearances on local TV and radio over the years. One of Revence's songs was featured in a promotional video for World Wide Technology's Geek Day conference in 2012.

Countdown to Battle #4: Jimmy and the Chets

Jimmy and the Chets is a blues-rock trio formed a couple years ago by guitarist Jimmy Rohlfing and twin brothers Stephen and Michael Chedester.

The Chets have become familiar to music fans in the St. Charles area.

Rohlfing has been performing for about 25 years as a solo act and as a member of several bands.