Dispatch 51: Happy new Solar Maximum...*spacetime distortion

Dispatch 51: With the new year comes a new release from the ultimate drone lords.
(*Some witnesses report actual spacetime distortion) pt1 is the title of this slow, deep emotional soundtrack. True to form, the low bass plows onward allowing the soaring nature of the astrobass to come clear. The temporal beat seems to emanate from under water and merely hints at the rhythm, leaving only room for the feelings angst, the wanting for closure. In the end, no such relief. Pt 2? Maximalist. Purely.
 The track is only available as a stream on the bands Soundcloud page but will hit the MCL Bandcamp store upon release of the EP, sometime very soon. Look back here for details.

Dispatch 50: Explosion or Implosion: ATTN:Magazine Thinks the Latter

Dispatch 50: Sounds like Jack at ATTN:Magazine in England had a really good experience while listening to our album for review. He writes about the implosion sensibility of the record, an inward look as opposed to an outward expression of the album. He then paints a really great visual picture with words.
 ATTN:Magazine is based in Bournemouth, England and features interviews, articles and reviews on new experimental music and sounds.
 Read the review here.

Dispatch 46: Solar Maximum Release Full Live Performance Video

Dispatch 46: On a warm summer evening in early September, Solar maximum did an intimately live in-store performance at Hercules Records in Berkeley, Ca. A single stationary camera documented their performance.

Dispatch 45: Solar Maximum Perform Live at Hercules Records in Berkeley

Sammy and Heather are Solar Maximum

Dispatch 45: Sometimes we are fortunate enough to be part of something that will only happen once in a lifetime! The MCL Recording Co. is very happy to announce the live debut by those ultimate drone lords, Solar Maximum! On Tues Sept. 6, 2016 at 7pm they bring their own unique brand of experimental psyche drone to Hercules Records for a rare in-store performance promoting their new album. The limited edition LP's with handprinted jackets and poster is available at Hercules while supplies last. Its also available online at MCL Recording Co. Bandcamp.

 Sammy and Heather started together with their fast and loud stoner-punk thrio Leather Pills in 1999, learning and jamming a whole set of Ramones songs for fun. A twist of fate and Leather Pills went live without a clue!  The Pills kept rehearsing, recording and gigging until 2004, and on more than a few occasions, supporting Marky Ramone and the Speedkings, D.I and The Lewd.  Since then, Sammy and Heather have continued to write and record at home both together and separately. Sammy has also become a principal in the Oakland Ca. music/art collective known as Her Majesty theE Spleen. 
 So in the early summer of 2015, coming together in the couples home studio, plugging in, turning on and tuning out as they say, Sammy and Heather began the sessions that have become the core of the bands existence to this point. Recording almost all of the sessions they have done, each session an event and throughout those events are moments. Those moments are Solar Maximum.

  This will be part of the monthly block party held first Tues of the month at Adeline/Alcatraz in Berkeley, Ca. which always includes Hercules Records, a really cozy indie record shop specializing in new and used rock, blues, soul jazz, hip-hop and Solar Maximum, you know the good stuff. Good selection is always changing and great prices. So come hangout and enjoy a nice festive evening with good friends, vinyl records and Solar Maximum.
"Heavy psychedelic droning riffs are what Solar Maximum is bringing to the party!"

Dispatch 43: 'Soundtrack: Event I Uranian Fire' LP by Solar Maximum available on Vinyl now!

Dispatch 43: Music for closetLames is excited to announce that "Soundtrack: Event I - Uranian Fire" (MCL343) by Solar Maximum is now available for purchase on 12" vinyl at our label Bandcamp store, and at Mod Lang Records in El Cerrito, CA.

 The limited run of only 143 numbered copies with the beautiful 11"x17" poster insert come housed in very special hand-printed jackets.
 The ultimate drone lords have offered up a complete DIY package here. The ambient, experimental psychedelic music on the record was conceived, composed, recorded, mixed, and produced by Sammy and Heather. They also conceived, produced, hand-printed, and assembled the covers and poster insert. Aaaand, they are also working the release and promotion of the album. Some help came from Matt Kelley for mastering and Pirates Press for vinyl pressing. Just the way they like it. The band says: We do this kinda stuff because we believe there is value in the hand-produced aspect of our releases, and we enjoy all of the various aspects of the project. We think it's cool that each of these records is unique and we both had our hands on every single one of them.  It makes these pieces really personal.
This is Sammy and Heather to the max!

  The album has already been described this way:

 "This is an incredible piece of work as it is so zoned in as a total concept. It is full on, flat out and limber. It is the maxiumus of solaris. The bass is the maximum bass. The riffs are the ultimate riffs. The sound aches with perfection. The ensemble roars..."
-Bill Boethius, England

"Solar Maximum's new work has a surrealistic, Eraserhead kind of feel. The music evokes a posterized imagery in black and white with the low-frequency sound. The bass is heavy and rich, and it has the sound of belonging in a David Lynch movie soundtrack.  "Soundtrack: event I uranian fire" brings together psychedelic rock and a gritty ambient sound that is easy to get lost in. 'Uranian Fire' is music you listen to straight through."
-Becca, Fiberglass Jacket Blog


 "I can only say this is absolutely fantastic. Congratulations for the masterpiece!"
-Daisuke Muraoka, Japan

Uranian Fire is available at our Bandcamp store where you can find other great tracks by Solar Maximum, closetLames, PallasCatfight, SMDS and DS Peligro, whose new album Thao's Sunday will be available on vinyl in October here on MCL!
 The best shit is always on MCL Recording Co!

Dispatch 40: Her Majesty theE Spleen - out with 'Assault and Batterie'

Dispatch 40: Its been a little while,  speaking relatively to the Spleen world, since we have heard anything coming from the direction of the HMS collective, but to be sure, when we do, it's always a doozy!
  Never ones to disappoint, we have Assault and Batterie, a slower, drudging track that would have made the perfect soundtrack to a great mushroom trip i had years ago! The track was recorded on a handheld then produced by Phonic theE Bomber.
 Prepare oneself. Grab a seat. Close your eyes and open your mind!
 Whoa! Why is that bunny looking at me with that evil eye? Released thru the bands soundcloud page.

Dispatch 39 (Sunday Edition): From an imminent release to 6k bags of Cheetos! MCL happenings.

11x17 Poster insert for Uranian Fire

Dispatch 39: A little update of the lots going on at MCL HQ.

Ready for Imminent Release!

Solar Maximum is putting the final touches on the very limited vinyl 12" version of Uranian Fire, screen-printing the jackets and poster inserts. Only 143 hand numbered pieces will be available thru the MCL Big Cartel store, our bandcamp store and in brick-and-mortars around the SF Bay Area. The digital version of Uranian Fire has been getting some nice reviews so far and we are very excited to finally be releasing the album. Watch here for release date really really soon!

In the mean time, along with rehearsing for a live show debut, Solar Maximum has released another single track titled 'Empires' on our Soundcloud page. Come by and check it out and let us know what you think. Here it is:

Thao's Sunday

We are very, very excited to announce that the DS Peligro album titled Thao's Sunday is off to the presses for an October 2016 vinyl release on MCL. The album was written, recorded and produced by DS himself, curated by Heather and then mastered by Matt Kelley in San Francisco. The album artwork was designed by Sammy (Solar Maximum and MCLscreenworks).

DS is a one man experimental sound fiend. There's no way to accurately describe the genre, or even the time period of his tracks. One has to experience the prolific nature of this man's output to understand it. The passion and vision that come thru consistently are mesmerizing. Check him out!

PallasCatfight has been busy in studio recording and has released a few tracks thru her soundcloud page recently.

 What's Wrong With Me is a rocked up punk song with loud screamin' guitars and an equally loud and bratty vocal! This Pallas track was dug up outta the archives and as soon as it hit the ground it was on the run! Look for a couple more from Heather's archive to surface in the comin' months. 

The Sunday Edition #4: Poetry, videos, JFK?

[For your Sunday afternoon reading and/or viewing pleasure, we present vol.4 of THE SUNDAY EDITION at Music for closetLames. A bit of this, a bit that, maybe art, whatev's. May include contributions from friends, associates, accomplices, not to exclude detractors, and maybe even us sometimes. So, kick back and dig in...]

(Page 1)
A poem By Heather Salazar

Oh yes - the city sound
It fills up in aroud you
carries you down
slick black gum dotted
sidewalks like a river
it muffles, screetches and clicks
is greater than the sum
of its hearts
the sun of its heart
it heaves and moans
drowns out
the sounds
of ancient voices
ancient vices
oh it rises up
crests and pulls us under
crashes around as
you sit with your coffee
going cold
as you sip with your
heart going cold
and it buzzes there
about four feet high
like a cloud like fog
you can wrap up in it
wrap it up
and there's nothing like it when it stops







oh you can hear it
you can sing it to me
send it to me
we can harmonize rise above
rise with it
we can ride it

oh yes find
the right corner and it
- the sound -
will resonate just right
to drown out
ameliorate
anxiety, mistakes
all that crap you ate
the crap you hate
it will make you forget
how to fake
forget to make way
to plan your escape
 

(Page 2): A video by DS Peligro

TRANSMISSION ALPHA - Master Mix from David Spero Peligro on Vimeo.



(Page 3): The JFK Assasination
I've always been interested in the fateful events of  Nov 22, 1963 in Dealy Plaza, Dallas, Tx. Presented here are a couple of podcasts by professor Jerry Kroth from Santa Clara University that really shed a lot of light on the events of that day. I hope you enjoy them. -Sammy