CHEMICALS – CHEMICAL LIVIN LP is out now!

Servus,

here we go again with a quick update! Thanks to everybody who made the CHEMICALS first European tour so much fun! We had the best of times and can’t thank friends old and new enough for the hospitality, partyablity and all the icy cold frosty dogs. Special thanks to the duke of Neufchatel and his estate, without him this buttery cruise on the stormy waters of Lake Neufchatel would not have been possible!!

So just during the tour this record below finally dropped from the pressing plant!

SURPRISE 035 | CHEMICALS – CHEMICAL LIVIN’ LP

“CHEMICALS are punks on drugs, whose hot-wired Trashpunkjunk can be associated with O.C. beachsounds of the “Führers…”-SMOGTOWN or GEARS and the MEAN JEANS on Pepp not canned beer, with their in your face “Screw you!”-nihilism as life’s central philosophy and was originally released on vinyl.in 2009″ – OX Fanzine.
Repress of Portland’s finest garagepunkers first LP. Jonny Cat assembled Rich Preinesberger, Hajji Husayn and Douglas Burns of PDX punk stalwarts RED DONS to record this album in 2009 during the same session as RD’s FAKE MEETS FAILURE. 12 raygun blasts of nihilistic, futuristic and chemicalistic punk! Originally released on JONNY CAT RECORDS in 2009, this record has been remastered by Hajji Husayn at NORTH LONDON BOMB FATCORY MASTERING and has updated artwork by NYC’s finest AVI SPIVAK! 500 copies only, ever.

SINGLE COPIES ARE 15 EUROS POSTAGE PAID WORLDWIDE!
SEND YOUR PAYMENT TO: info@takenbysurprise.net

Or order HERE!

Stream and download the whole thing here:

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NEXT UP ARE:

BIG EYES – ALMOST FAMOUS LP
CHEMICALS / P.R.O.B.L.E.M.S. split 7″
NIGHT BIRDS – BORN TO DIE IN SUBURBIA LP
AUTISTIC YOUTH – 3rd LP
RED DONS – NOTES FROM THE UNDERGROUND 7″
LONG KNIFE debut LP

and then some…

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MAILORDER!

LOTS of new records are available, including some sweet JONNY CAT RECORDS releases you probably won’t find anywhere else, some rare shit like a square shaped CLOROX GIRLS 7″ from back in the day (ltd. 200!) and other goodies by great labels from all over the punk globe.

www.takenbysurprise.net/shop

If you have any trouble ordering just email me at info@takenbysurprise.net

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DISTRIBUTION!

We deal direct, email to info@takenbysurprise.net for a complete wholesale list, including records from some other great labels like SABOTAGE, GRAVE MISTAKE, etc.

You can also get our records from the the nice people at:

DAY AFTER RECORDS (Czech Republic)
SOUNDS OF SUBTERRANIA (Germany)
PUNK DISTRO (Germany)
CARGO RECORDS (Germany)
SONIC RENDEZVOUS (Benelux)

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That’s it for this edition of the punk o’clock news. Enjoy your spring and see you at the Springsteen show in Hannover on May 28th!

NO SURRENDER!

Michl

CHEMICALS – FOR REAL… LP out now! And more news!

Servus,

just a quick update from the depths of the TBSR HQ this time. Spring is finally here, time to buy some punk records and go see punk bands play. We have it all…

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NEW RELEASE!

SURPRISE 033 | CHEMICALS – FOR REAL, FOR LIFE, FOREVER, OR WHATEVER LP

Finally here, second longplayer by these Portland garagepunk stalwarts!
“For people who’ve invested a lot of time and energy mapping the vast, complicated genome of the local punk community, Portland’s Chemicals are something of a supergroup. Comprising members of Cyclops, Triggers, Sleepwalkers, RIP and Straitjacket—among countless others—the band plays loose-limbed garage punk, free of frills but not without surprises: Check out “No Reason to Stay,” from recently released second album For Real, For Life, Forever or Whatever, with its basically two songs, with two different tempos, ingeniously fused together by a ripping bass solo. It’s powerful stuff, sounding like the product of lifers who’ve been around the dirty, trash-strewn block a few times.” – Willamette Week

Stream the whole album here:

Single copies are 15 EUROS ppd. anywhere on the planet. Send your cash to info@takenbysurprise.net via PayPal please.

Stores, mailorders, distros, popsicle stands write to info@takenbysurprise.net for trades and wholesale inquiries.

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UPCOMING RELEASES!

Next up are:

CHEMICALS / P.R.O.B.L.E.M.S. split 7″
2x PDX punk, all killer, no filler, 4 tracks total.

CHEMICALS – CHEMICAL LIVIN’ LP
repress of 1st LP feat. RED DONS members in the band.

BIG EYES second LP
Seattle sweethearts, coming over to Europe in the fall.

NIGHT BIRDS – BORN TO DIE IN SUBURBIA LP
new LP by the best East Coast band, back in Europe in the fall.

LONG KNIFE debut LP
new PDX band doing the POISON IDEA worship.

AUTISTIC YOUTH 3rd LP
back for the attack again, better than ever.

and then some… more cool shit is in the works.

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TOURS!

SUSPECT PARTS GERMAN INVASION
14.03. Köln – Sonic Ballroom
15.03. Duisburg – secret show… watch out for flyers or bar gossip in the area

RED DONS UK VACATION
27.03. London – The Shacklewell Arms
28.03. Leeds – Wharf Chambers
29.03. Manchester – TBA

CHEMICALS EURO TOUR 2013
03.04.2013 D-Berlin – Cortina Bob
04.04.2013 D-Hamburg – Komet
05.04.2013 NL-Amsterdam – Pacific Parc
06.04.2013 B-Kortrijk – The Pits
07.04.2013 UK-London – Ryan’s Bar
08.04.2013 UK-High Wycombe – Scorpios Bar
09.04.2013 F-Paris – La Mecanique Ondulatoire
10.04.2013 D-Freiburg – Slow Club
11.04.2013 D-Tübingen – Laden am Sternplatz
12.04.2013 D-München – Kafe Kult
13.04.2013 D-Dresden – Chemiefabrik
14.04.2013 U-Budapest – Trafik Klub
15.04.2013 A-Wien – Arena Beisl
16.04.2013 HR-Zagreb – Grey Room
17.04.2013 I-Bologna – Freakout
18.04.2013 I-Fidenza – Taun
19.04.2013 CH-Basel – Hirscheneck
20.04.2013 D-Nürnberg – Desi – KEEP IT EVIL FEST
21.04.2013 D-Leipzig – Zoro

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MAILORDER!

The distro is jam packed full with great records, shirts and zines. Peep it at www.takenbysurprise.net/shop and then order some stuff, so I can release more new stuff. Pretty simple, right?

I’ll bring the distro to all the shows mentioned above, so if you wanna save some postage money let me know beforehand and I can bring your order to town and you can also buy me a beer. Email me at info@takenbysurprise.net for details beforehand and we’ll make it happen…

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DISTRIBUTION!

We deal direct, email to info@takenbysurprise.net for a complete wholesale list, including records from some other great labels like SABOTAGE, GRAVE MISTAKE, etc.

You can also get our records from the the nice people at:

DAY AFTER RECORDS (Czech Republic)
SOUNDS OF SUBTERRANIA (Germany)
PUNK DISTRO (Germany)
CARGO RECORDS (Germany)
SONIC RENDEZVOUS (Benelux)

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That’s it for now. Thanks to all the friends, old and new, that keep supporting this operation, I couldn’t do it without your help.

Hope you’re having a great springtime start. Listen to more Springsteen and quit your stupid job.

NO SURRENDER!

Michl

UPCOMING IN 2013!

Servus,

just a quick announcement of what’ll be happening on TBSR in 2013!

We have a bunch of new releases planned, this will be a busy year.

We’ll start the year with the release of THE CHEMICALS – FOR REAL, FOR LIFE, FOREVER, OR WHATEVER LP. Second album by these Portland garagepunk stalwarts, who’ll be gracing the continent of Europe with a tour in April. Check the dates below, it’ll be an icy cold frosty dog extravaganza not to be missed. You can stream the entire album on our Bandcamp page. If you live in the USA get your copy from JONNY CAT RECORDS, distributed by GREEN NOISE RECORDS in Portland.
In time for their tour we’ll also release a split 7″ with Portland’s P.R.O.B.L.E.M.S. as well as a repress of their first LP, CHEMICAL LIVIN’ (feat. some RED DONS members in the band before they decided to move all over the globe). Also in time for their tour, our friends at HIDE AND SEEK RECORDS in France will put out a limited CHEMICALS 7″!

Next up is a record I’m really happy to be releasing. The new BIG EYES LP, following up their great BACK FROM THE MOON 7″ on GRAVE MISTAKE RECORDS and an LP on DON GIOVANNI. Drawing from a range of influences that span across decades of rock and roll – from CHEAP TRICK and ALICE COOPER to the RAMONES, DESCENDENTS, and THE MUFFS – BIG EYES bring a refreshing and distinct element to their melodic power-pop-punk sound. The band just toured the USA extensively, released split 7″s with the MEAN JEANS and AUDACITY and will be coming to Europe late this year. The new LP will be a cooperation with our good friend Alex D. at GRAVE MISTAKE RECORDS outta Richmond, VA, who will handle things stateside. Check out his label update, he has A TON of great releases coming up in 2013! Masters just went over to the pressing plant and the record should be out by the end of March hopefully.

Speaking of GRAVE MISTAKE RECORDS… Another co-release is coming up on the horizon this year. NIGHT BIRDS enter Seaside Lounge Studio (TED LEO AND THE PHARMACISTS, THE OBITS, THE STALKERS) in Brooklyn, NY one week from today to record their sophomore album, “Born To Die In Suburbia” for TAKEN BY SURPRISE RECORDS in Europe and GRAVE MISTAKE RECORDS in the USA. 14 brand new songs. Expect this early summer! There is also a 7″ coming on a label TBA before that.

Also in the pipeline are the debut LP of LONG KNIFE from Portland, perfect POISON IDEA worship (US version on FERAL WARD), a new 7″ by German band HYSTERESE (check out their great LP on SEARCH FOR FAME), and our first Heavy Metal release, the mighty DEATH MACHINE (members of BI-MARKS, RIPPER, HELLSHOCK), Murray / Smith guitar madness over pummeling pure Metal destruction.

Hopefully something of interest for a bunch of you out there. Keep buying our shit, so we can release more shit, the equation is simple.

The mailorder is freshly stocked with a bunch of killer records, so why not spend some of that christmas money!

Mailorders, stores, distros, we deal direct, email to info@takenbysurprise.net for a wholesale list. You can also get our releases from DAY AFTER RECORDS, SOUNDS OF SUBTERRANIA, PUNKDISTRO, SONIC RENDEZVOUS, CARGO GERMANY,… in the USA our buds at GRAVE MISTAKE have a bunch of our releases for wholesale distro as well, get in touch at gravemistakerecords@gmail.com if you live overseas!

That’s it for now, happy 2013, see you somewhere on the road!

Michl

THE CHEMICALS – EURO TOUR 2013

03.04.2013 D-Berlin – Cortina Bob
04.04.2013 D-Hamburg – Komet
05.04.2013 NL-Amsterdam – Pacific Parc
06.04.2013 B-Kortrijk – The Pits
07.04.2013 UK-London – Ryan’s Bar
08.04.2013 UK-Brighton – TBA
09.04.2013 F-Paris – La Mecanique Ondulatoire
10.04.2013 D-Freiburg – Slow Club
11.04.2013 D-Tübingen – Laden am Sternplatz
12.04.2013 D-München – Kafe Kult
13.04.2013 D-Dresden – Chemiefabrik
14.04.2013 U-Budapest – Trafik Klub
15.04.2013 A-Wien – Arena Beisl
16.04.2013 HR-Zagreb – Grey Room
17.04.2013 I-Milan – TBA
18.04.2013 I-Fidenza – Taun
19.04.2013 CH-Basel – Hirscheneck
20.04.2013 D-Nürnberg – KEEP IT EVIL FEST
21.04.2013 D-Leipzig – Zoro

THE CHEMICALS EURO TOURDATES 2013!

THE CHEMICALS tour is coming together pretty smoothly. Check the dates below and come see them in a city near you in April.

We are still on the lookout for a few shows on the open dates. If you can set up a show, contact us at info@takenbysurprise.net

Check out the tourpage on Facebook for updates on the shows.

03.04.2013 D-Berlin – Cortina Bob
04.04.2013 D-Hamburg – Komet
05.04.2013 NL-Amsterdam – Pacific Parc
06.04.2013 B-Kortrijk – The Pits
07.04.2013 UK-London – Ryan’s Bar
08.04.2013 UK-Brighton – TBA
09.04.2013 F-Paris – La Mecanique Ondulatoire
10.04.2013 D-Freiburg – Slow Club
11.04.2013 D-Tübingen – Laden am Sternplatz
12.04.2013 D-München – Kafe Kult
13.04.2013 D-Dresden – Chemiefabrik
14.04.2013 U-Budapest – Trafik Klub
15.04.2013 A-Wien – Arena Beisl
16.04.2013 HR-Zagreb – Grey Room
17.04.2013 I-Milan – TBA
18.04.2013 I-Fidenza – Taun
19.04.2013 CH-Basel – Hirscheneck
20.04.2013 D-Nürnberg – Desi – KEEP IT EVIL FEST
21.04.2013 D-Leipzig – Zoro

NIGHT BIRDS VIDEO INTERVIEW

Check out this cool NIGHT BIRDS video interview shot at the RAZORCAKE HQ! It also features some live footage from a show on their recent West Coast tour!

We have some big NIGHT BIRDS related news coming soon, in the meantime watch the video…

CHEMICALS EUROPEAN TOUR 2013!

THE CHEMICALS from old Portland, OR will tour Europe in April 2013, April 3- 21 to be precise. If you wanna book a shows for Jonny Cat and the guys and gal, email me at info@takenbysurprise.net – their new LP will be out in December!!

Stream two songs from the upcoming record here!

New video by THE CRY!

Here’s a brandnew video for the song DOWN IN THE CITY by THE CRY!

Buy their LP here!