Another Year in the Clear

Hey there peoples. So another Pizza Fest in the bag and the end of Summer approaches quickly. It’s been quite a year. We’ve been recording slowly, here and there, as time permits. We’ve got something like 6 or so songs down on digital “tape” and we’re working on more content with hopes of bringing you all a new full length before this time next year.

In the meantime, I (Aaron) will be writing songs and making drawings out in the New Hampshire countryside. That’s right folks, I’ve left the big city. It was definitely time. With songs like “People Are the Worst” and “Use Your Words”, you can easily see the negative impact that living in NYC has had on my everyday life. It’s only been a month and my daily anxiety has nearly vanished. I’m really trying to embrace this country boy persona despite having no experience. I’ve been a city boy all my life so there’s a lot of lifestyle/cultural changes to discover. We’ll see how I deal when Winter comes.

So, what’s happening to LUMPS you may ask?

We’re on a limited hiatus from performing live. The idea is to work on new tunes remotely and reconvene in the New Year to record some more and maybe bust out a few shows. The other boys have had some changes as well. Greg is retiring The Mad Doctors (last show on October 5, 2019 at The Gutter) and taking a break from booking. Rich is riding that Ghost Funk Orchestra train into stardom with our good friend Seth Applebaum. And Mr. Jon Mann has a new project with his beloved, Cait Smith, called Major Pain. So please go check out their painfully pummeling riffs in lieu of live LUMPS.

That’s all for now.

Keep it local and live free or die!

PIZZAFEST V!!!

Things have been pretty cool around here lately. How about you?

Just played a show in New Paltz for the first annual Newpalsapalooza. That was super rad. Best sounding basement I've ever encountered. College party status in full effect.

NOW! This is happening! Last night kicked it off and it shall last for another 48 hours or so. PIZZAFEST pt.V!!!!!

We'll be rocking hard on Saturday late afternoon. Keeping up that sweating spirit that a humid Spring(?) day imposes on all New Yorkers whether you're making the best of your life in the Gutter or not.

And, please, all those who may be interested in knowing should know that we have welcomed Mr. Jon Mann into our LUMPS as a guitarist and general badass on premises. 

See y'all soonish!

XOX ABH

Bedroom Eyes give you LUMPS

Hey y'all! This video is pretty old now but still a decent portrayal of LUMPS in a live setting. I'm now the last man standing from this particular moment in time but based on the interview portion of this video, that's probably not much of a surprise. Not necessarily because I'm an egomaniacal control freak, which I swear has only become a thing out of necessity for LUMPS's survival, but because my boys have grown up and become successful adults in the big bad real world. I'm still sitting here trying to figuring out what "successful adult" means for myself as a human American so in the meantime I am LUMPS. 

Please don't misunderstand, while I am at the core, there are new LUMPS involved now. From the label that released our limited edition cassette, King Pizza Records, comes the man behind the crust, Greg Hanson on drums. Being that I'm quite a bit less talented at socializing/networking than Mr. Hanson, I'm not nearly as tuned into what is going on with local musicians and therefore had no idea who to recruit for bass duties. Thankfully Greg knew that Mr. Rich Seibert was looking for an outlet to unleash his pent up nastiness. Rich was previously known around town as that guy who plays singer/songwriter-like acoustic sets and could rip on trumpet if needed. Now, Mr. Seibert is a loud and proud all-around RIPPER of LUMPS-sized proportions.

And those are my guys. Yep, you counted right. Just the three of us. Keeping it real.

We've got some new jams that we've been bumping at shows around NYC lately. So far about an EPs worth. Hoping to double down on that and have enough for a new album within the coming year. I'm horrible with estimating time frames though so don't take my word for it. Could be sooner, could be later.

Later.

Vintage Video for Current Currency

Yep! That's me, all longhaired and lazy eyed, with the rest of the LUMPS boys playing live for our buddies at Bedroom Eyes way back last year. This is actually the same day that we finally posed for real band photos together too (see inside artwork for CURSES!). If you are unaware of our typical band dynamic, it tends to be extremely difficult to get all of us together in one place at the same time. You may find this strange since it seems to be an essential characteristic of a band, to be together in the same place at the same time, but I assure you it is quite natural. When our bodies are in the necessary proximity and psyches connect, the attraction and inevitable unification can be so intense that we must only spend these moments expelling our pent up musical energy and then splinter off on our separate paths immediately after all has been spent. We really can't control it, unfortunately. It always ends in some big sloppy happy mess. May I draw your attention to Exhibit A: the above video.

More Bedroom Eyes with LUMPS to come...

Also, a super crazy loud and lovely shout out to Greg Hanson and everybody at King Pizza Records for putting together such an amazing weekend of Pizza Fest 3! Extra super special thanks to everybody who came out to support the fest and the wonderful bands that played! We were fortunate enough to have our cassette release for CURSES! at Pet Rescue on Friday and it was nothing but a bunch of sweaty loving all night long. Thanks for the wonderful action packed night of passionate screaming. Love yalls.

Dagnabbit!... I mean, CURSES!!!

I told you it was coming so don't act so surprised. I never disclosed an exact date though so I suppose it's okay to be a little surprised.

AVAILABLE NOW on cassette from King Pizza Records, CURSES! If your need is more immediate and strictly digital, files for use on electronic devices are available through this bandcamp link.

CURSES! is our first release on a physical format of any kind and cassettes are cool with the kids so whatever, it's cheap. It's also our first release as a four-piece fully functional force of foot-shaking fury!

To celebrate this momentous occasion we will be performing a formal TAPE RELEASE (sorry, I got excited for a sec) ceremony this Friday at Pet Rescue in Bushwick as part of the third annual Pizza Fest! (facebook event) A big warm loving thank you to Mr. Greg Hanson of King Pizza Records fame for helping us share our music with the world!

Unfortunately that's kind of all I've got for you at the moment. Happy Summer Solstice! I'll be back at you with some more stuff soon! XOX

Down Low (DL for the know)

Hey yalls! I've been keeping it quiet around here, just accumulating news for your eager eyes. If you've been keeping up with us on ye olde FB , you may already be pretty hip to most of this stuff but here it is for the beloved blog readers.

Yes, LUMPS have been playing shows around Brooklyn since we last spoke. Sorry for leaving you out of loop. I feel very badly about it. Especially since they were some really fun shows. Also, I should have told you this sooner but "Baby" Sam (Backer) has left us without a second guitar of equal or lesser caliber to replace him. He ran away to Baltimore to get a big person education in some sort of history something so people will need to start calling him "Doctor" Sam (Backer). Our baby's growing up. RIP. He will be missed.

But don't fear! His legacy shall go on long after he has gone! Before his final days we managed to document his skills at their peak. All that "Baby" Sam, on-the-knees tone that you crave will finally be available on a single record. His ultimate gift to LUMPS. Ladies and Gentlemen, there is a new LUMPS record.

We recorded bass and drum tracks at The Seaside Lounge in Park Slope and then finished the rest on our own in a basement in Ridgewood, Queens. Mixes are almost done and we're going to start working out particulars and such very soon so that we can get this stuff in your ears ASAP.

So, what's the future of LUMPS, you maybe asking yourself? Well, we've decided to go on as a three piece. At least until we find the right person to add that other layer of sonic accompaniment  to our tight rhythmic thrusts. We're working on a lot right now. Writing new songs as a three piece, finishing the record and getting ready to start performing more regularly. Expect a few new jams next time we jump up in front of you all screaming and sweaty.

We're also proud to announce LUMPS return to San Diego! We'll be playing on December 26, 2015 at The Casbah opening for Mr. Tube and the Flying Objects. It will be my return to baritone sax duties with Mr. Tube for the first time in 4 years. It's going to be a hoot! Come on out if you're in the SD hood around Christmas!

Anyway, I guess that's kind of it for now.

Hope you had a bitchin' Summer!

Love,

Aaron

Movin'... Groovin'... Doin' it, ya know?

Hello again, it's been a little while.

Things are still moving along here in LUMPSland. Since returning from our successful Chicago trip, where we met lots of amazing people and made new friends, we've been functioning in various forms. Sam had been applying to grad schools during the last few months of 2014 which left us to perform as a single guitar wielding trio at Don Pedro for the last Saturday Revenge. Then, our following show, at Cake Shop, ended up being the duo of Sam and I with rhythmic help from Roland SP404 because Rory was talked into attending a self actualization seminar all weekend that prevented him from being a drummer. Since the seminar, he only wears all white and chain smokes while telling us about all the ways we could tap into life's full potential. He's also working on cultivating a sweet ponytail. Still, he swears it's not a cult.

This last Saturday night saw the return of LUMPS as a full band. We rocked our faces off at Don Pedro again for the El Silver Cabs EP release show. It was a wonderful, triumphant night of dancing, drinking, and guitar thrashery. Also, record t-shirt sales! Thanks to everybody who brought their body into the room. You made the right choice.

The next LUMPS appearance will be at Coco 66 on Friday, March 6. Opening up the night right. Maybe we'll even have a new song to share as well. We never know. So start saving your lunch money, and we'll see you in less than a couple weeks.

In other news, we are actually taking steps to record some stuff! We've booked some studio time at The Seaside Lounge on March 8 to lay down drum and bass tracks. The rest will come in time. Eventually we may have something completed and worthy of being released on one of those cassette tapes all the kids are talking about now a days. I mean, we told King Pizza we would do it, so gall darn it, we're gonna do it! LUMPS is not a liar!

See you all LUMPin out on the dance floor soon!

love love,

Aaron

You've gotta whole lotta LUMPS!

Hey there, how have you all been? Did you have a great Halloween? I sure did! Got all kinds of dark and weird, just like you're supposed to on Halloween. My Gary Wilson costume was a hit, even if only one person actually knew what I was. Thank you very, very much "one person".

Well, we've been a bit busy lately. We played an official CMJ showcase this year, which was kind of cool. Even if we did play at 7pm at Coco 66 in Greenpoint, meaning nowhere near any of the other CMJ shenanigans and at an early, awkward time. Thanks to everyone who did actually make it out for that, on time or not, your support is always greatly appreciated! One awesome thing that happened that night was that we got to play with a band called, The Mystery Lights, who we hope to play with again very soon. They are amazing live!!! Fully LUMPS endorsed. 

We have a show at PIANOS tomorrow night (see flyer BELOW for details). It may very well be our last NYC show this year. We haven't been able to practice as much lately as we really want to due to scheduling conflicts so we're going to take a few months off to regroup. Hopefully we'll be back in January or February with some new jams to shake at you. Better than ever. But in the meantime, we would LOVE to see you at PIANOS tomorrow night. We play first though so please come early, like 7:30, seriously, if you want to catch us in full effect.

Next on the books is a sure to be fun-filled weekend in The Windy City, CHICAGO!!! We will be making our debut outside of NYC with a free show at The MUTINY on Friday, NOV. 7th (HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY SAM BACKER!!!) and then Saturday night, NOV. 8th at some house party at 2739 W. Haddon, Chicago, IL 60622 (AKA Poundtown). We are super stoked to be sharing the weekend with Chicago's own ABSOLUTELY NOT, who are one of LUMPS' personal fave band bros. It's gonna be a crazy trip maaaaaaaaaaan.

AND... WE HAVE T-SHIRTS AGAIN! Thanks to Dave Krinick!

See you this week sometime or I guess we'll just see you around!

love,

aaron

Saturday Revenge!!!

How's you're Summer been going? Any vacation or RnR time? 

We've been experiencing a little bit of that. Just a little bit. It's never enough though, you know?

We had to miss the Drive Like Jehu reunion in good old San Diego a couple weeks ago unfortunately. I've mentioned them before, so obviously you know there is some deep musical love for those guys running through the LUMPS psyche. Just too short notice to make the miraculous happen on any of our ends. Whatevs, I'm sure we probably have a better view of the show on YouTube.

Other news coming out of LUMPS headquarters, we've got a show coming up this weekend at Don Pedro for the SATURDAY REVENGE!!! Come party down with us nice and early at the King Pizza home base where you can't actually buy pizza on premesis, but you can get a San Diego specialty, known as a California Burrito (if you know how to ask Parrot the right way). It's the only place I've ever been able to get one outside of SD and it's always made with love and care by Don Pedro's own B'klyn Burro.

Besides the exotic food choices, there are also great rock bands accompanying us that evening so come early for dinner and LUMPS but stay for... The Abandos, Larry & the Babies, Deadly Lo-Fi, and The Mad Doctors. It's going to be a time. It always is.

FREE LUMPS!!!

Well hello there. We've been pushing the jams all around town lately to spectacular results. Thank you everybody who has been coming out to support us and the bands we have been performing with. It really means a lot to see people having fun with us. I mean, we have fun regardless but it's very nice to share the wealth and have it accepted. So to all of you, major props and mad respect.

The Cake Shop show last week featured our King Pizza affiliates, MA on the bill. They were super awesome and we are so very happy to have made friends with them! LUMPS stamp of approval for sure. MA was also supposed to play with us tomorrow night at Hank's Saloon but unfortunately Angelica, the singer, is sick. Sorry to say no more MA tomorrow. We are searching for a last-minute replacement at the time of this post. We'll see.

Speaking of the Hank's Saloon show, are you coming? You know it's free, right? The beer is pretty darn cheap there too so it is theoretically possible for you to have a fun night out, drinking and partying with all your friends while getting to see some amazingly energetic live music, for a relatively small amount of money. Sounds good, right? I'll just count you in.

See you tomorrow!

LUMPS4LYF!!!

Shout out to Coach N' Commando!!! Bringing that Outlaw Country howl!!! AHHHHHHHH!!!

We're German, and I hope you are a German too. -B. Marley

Hey dudes, we've been active in a weird kind of way lately. I did a solo LUMPS show with the good old Roland SP-404 backing me up last month and then we got in a single practice before rocking the shit out of our favorite BK venue, Don Pedro this last Sunday. We performed a Drive Like Jehu cover (Atom Jack) for the first time. The guys said we couldn't make Jehu in a LUMPS style but I proved them wrong and now they all love it.

We also received a very warm invitation from our Don Pedro brethren to join the KING PIZZA Records family. We are very flattered and extremely stoked to be included with such a great bunch of bands. After being in NY three years, I've finally found a "scene" that we can really be a part of and it feels amazing! We don't have to be the old guys who are trying to fit into the retro 90's grunge scene that all the early 20 somethings seem to be caught up in. We already lived through the 90's and it shaped who we are now in 2014 immensely but we don't feel a need to do it again. As they say... been there, lived through that.

I guess this all may sound slightly hypocritical after stating earlier that we are covering a Jehu song from 1991. But at least we're opting for Jehu over the normal trend of 90's influences so prevalent now like Nirvana, Alice in Chains, Sonic Youth and Dinosaur Jr. I love all those bands, or at least did at some point in my life, but it's like starting a 60's influenced band and using the Beatles, Rolling Stones and the Kinks as your primary influences. Dig deeper man. You're just scratching the surface.

I know, the music snob in me is showing, sorry.

ANYWAY...

the next show should be a doozie! Check out the poster below and we'll see you there, dancing and a shaking!

Fat Baby...

So we did this show last week and it was actually a whole lot of fun. We had some trouble with line up changes for the night but in the end it pretty much worked out. All of the bands listed on the below flyer canceled the day before the show.

We were lucky enough to have a touring band from Savannah, GA called Culture Vulture open. Not really a band that we would have initially chosen to play with based on the pretty large difference in musical styles but I was very happily impressed. Please check them out if they come your way.

Then to close out the night, our guitarist, Sam Backer's other band, Ghost To Go was able to play without practicing for three months or so. They sure are some pumped up youngsters with plenty of energy to spare. Super fun night! Extreme thanks to every single person who made it out! It was really great to see you all! And to the venue... we will gladly never play there again. Thanks.