DECEMBER

“GASOLINE,” THE BEST OF THE BEST. THE HARD LESSONS’ debut album on NO FUN, “Gasoline,” makes the list of best local record of the year, multiple times! Local celebs Fred Thomas (Saturday Looks Good To Me), Johnny Hentch Zsymanski (Hentchmen/Paybacks/SSM), DJ Liz Copeland (WDET) and rapper Bareda, aka Mr. Wrong, all enlisted “Gasoline” in their Top 5 Record of The Year/Best Local Music lists. Check it all out here and here. The record also made Creem Magazine’s editor Brian J. Bowe’s list for The Village Voice’s 33rd annual Pazz and Jop. Michigan's The Macomb Daily also listed two HARD LESSONS performances in their Top 50 list of 2005, including a headlining show in Detroit, and Brendan Benson's CD Release Party in Ann Arbor. THE HARD LESSONS appeared alongside The White Stripes, and ahead of Santana and Robert Plant! In addition, “Share Your Vanity” off of “Gasoline” was featured during 89X's Top 89 of 2005!
And there’s more: before being officially out, THE CYRIL LORDS “Motherland” also made one of these Best Record of the Year lists!

BIG TIME PARTY. THE CYRIL LORDS’ smashing record release party was spotless. The Hentchmen joined THE CYRIL LORDS on stage at different points throughout the set in order for the band to play the record exactly as it was recorded in the studio. Adoring fans left the venue pleased, and so did the label, as the merch table was out of control with fans trying to get copy after copy of “Motherland.” The night featured a special light show and the stage of Detroit’s Magic Stick featured a special mod-looking backdrop built for the occasion. Pics of the party can be found here and here.

SURFING PRESS. Recis.com from Argentina did an extensive interview with LOS KAHUNAS. Check it out here (click on "Bandas," and then "Entrevistas"). They also included some very nice photos of the band, such as the one below, courtesy of Rafael Paz.


OUT NOW. “Waves of Reverb, Sea of Fuzz: International Exotic Instro Treasures, Vol. 1” is officially out! As with all the NO FUN RECORDS releases, it is distributed nationally through Get Hip Distribution, and also enjoys international distro through Soundflat (Germany), Ultrapop (Argentina), Wizzard in Vinyl (Japan), Off The Hip (Australia) and Aegis Films Enterprise (Greece). You can purchase "Waves of Reverb, Sea of Fuzz, Vol. 1" featuring LOS KAHUNAS and THE INVISIBLE SURFERS by clicking here.



10th YEAR ANNIVERSARY. Well, that’s more than what lots of traditional marriages last these days, so even more of an accomplishment for a rowdy Rock’n’Roll band! We’re not talking about any band though, but THE FLAMING SIDEBURNS! The band has just held their 10 year anniversay bash at Tavastia in Helsinki, Finland. THE FLAMING SIDEBURNS were proud to share the stage with other great bands such as The Nomads from Sweden, The Black Moses from the UK (featuring Jim Jones of Thee Hypnotics fame), and local favorites such as The Barefoot Brothers, The Mutants, Moses Hazy and Smackfaces (a tribute to Smack and Fishfaces). You can catch some FLAMING SIDEBURNS live action by watching the teaser for the Kike Turmix (RIP) documentary coming out on Orange Production from Norway. This is a movie about the Basque matador of Rock'n'Roll featuring THE FLAMING SIDEBURNS, among others.

NEW RECORD, NEW IMAGE, NEW LIFE. THE CYRIL LORDS launch a brand new website!

Also, check out the bands' kick ass No More Good Times music video and enjoy a still from the video:


INTERNATIONAL TOUR. To keep up with the international nature of NO FUN RECORDS and its business, LOS KAHUNAS are going to Santiago, Chile to surf new coasts during their first international (mini) tour. Check it out!


ROCK’N’ROLL HOLIDAYS. That time of the year is here, so let the festivities begin. For NO FUN RECORDS-related events, make sure you go to:
The Blind Pig Holiday Recital, organized by booker to the stars Amy Butterer of The Billions Corporation and Jennifer Tefft of L.A.’s Spaceland, at the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor. Also New Year’s Eve looks more than promising at Fifth Avenue Billiards in Detroit. Both events feature NO FUN's THE HARD LESSONS.
In the spirit of this Holiday Season, LOS KAHUNAS have sent in this rocking postcard to wish you Happy Holidays!


SOLD OUT. The amazing “Transparente” by RESTOS FOSILES, another early NO FUN RECORDS gem, is gone. This is one of thee finest releases the label ever put out. Own one? Good for you! If not, there's always eBay.


NOVEMBER

PARTY TIME! THE CYRIL LORDS will be playing a much-awaited record release party for “Motherland” at Detroit’s Magic Stick on December 17. The show’s date happens to coincide with the birthday of NO FUN’s very own Claudia, so the celebration will be big! You can’t miss the festivities. The band promises plenty of surprise special guests who will join them on stage to essentially recreate the record live, for that one night only. For other details see the ad NO FUN RECORDS placed in the Metro Times:



SUCCESS, ANYONE? Can we say “success” for a first tour ever out to the West Coast? If in doubt, check out this HARD LESSONS pic rocking out the West Coast. Adoring fans, place your orders here. You’re welcome.


DARLINGS OF THE PRESS. And if you know what’s good for you, you’d also be reading the reviews about THE HARD LESSONS latest national tour. Here are some from Denver, Albuquerque, Dallas, Cincinnati, Las Vegas, and Lansing as well.
In addition, part I & II of the band’s on-the-road journal can be found here and here.

SOUNDS FROM THEE UNDERGROUND, Vol. 4. The label's yearly showcase was as fun as it gets this year. Psycho Daisies: A Thoughtful Sampling of Modern Music did a review with photos of what went on. A more complete photographic account of the night can be found here. Many thanks go out to the bands and everyone who contributed to the success of the night.

CMJ NEW YORK. We had so much fun co-hosting a showcase with Get Hip Recordings at this event, we must continue posting news about it! Here you can find photos of THE AVATARS performing live, and and a full review (with more photos) of the evening, including both AVATARS and HARD LESSONS performances. Top notch photography courtesy of David Dominic, Jr.

SOLD OUT. “Sobredosis de Horror” by MANGANZOIDES, an early NO FUN RECORDS release from the South American back catalog, is entirely gone. Consider yourself lucky if you own one.

THANK YOU CHICAGO FRIENDS. THE AVATARS had the honor of sharing the stage and an emotional night with Chicago friends The Dials for the band’s record release party. Their record featured the late Doug Meis, an amazingly talented drummer and friend of the label, who was tragically murdered in a vehicular homicide this past July, along with John Glick (husband to Becky Crawford, The Dials’ front woman), and their friend Michael Dahlquist. THE AVATARS had the huge honor of playing Doug’s drum kit during their set at the sold out show at Chicago’s Beat Kitchen. Also, last month THE AVATARS played the Detroit benefit to pay tribute to these 3 friends. NO FUN would like to thank all the bands that joined the bill for the night (Sissy, Grande Nationals, Bang! Bang!, and Universal Temple of Devine Power), and the friends and family members of the victims who came up for the occasion. Some of them pictured below at the end of the night:



OCTOBER

ROAD MADNESS. THE HARD LESSONS are on a massive U.S. tour. Check it out! Plus read the lastest reviews that came in for "Gasoline" from Creem Magazine, PopMatters, and Westword.



THE NEXT GENERATION. A number of top quality new artists are being added to the No Fun family before the end of the year:

Two of the new additions include international surf sensations LOS KAHUNAS from Argentina and THE INVISIBLE SURFERS from Greece. The 2 bands will be releasing a split CD on NO FUN that will become the first volume in a new series of the best exotica and surf from around the world entitled “WAVES OF REVERB, SEA OF FUZZ, International Exotic Instro Treasures.” To make the occasion even more special NO FUN commissioned renowned surf/comics/lucha libre artist Dr. Alderete (an Argentina native, currently living in Mexico, who has also worked and lived in Spain) to be in charge of the magnificent cover art, and the results sure show it! Check out Dr. Alderete’s awesome animations for MTV Latina and MTV Japan!

NO FUN discovered LOS KAHUNAS when they opened for CORONADOS at the BA Stomp 5 in Buenos Aires, Argentina last year. We asked them to send us a demo as soon as they got off stage and offered them a record deal practically just a few months later. The band’s been playing major events in their native Buenos Aires, including playing the historic Velez Sarsfield Stadium for 50,000 people opening for national act La Renga. LOS KAHUNAS’ track “Riding with Davie” won them a few words of praise and affection from Davie Allan himself (Davie Allan and The Arrows), "The first word that came to mind was WOW! I can honestly tell you I am quite moved by your tribute to me. It's just great! Please autograph the CD if you do send me a copy! Thank you, DA.” Visit the band at their official site, become their friend at their MySpace page, and leave them a message on their photo blog.




THE INVISIBLE SURFERS came to us via Athens, Greece out of the ashes of the legendary Greek band the Blue Jeans, which was active between 1984 and 1996 and shared bills with bands like the Ramones, the Cramps, Fuzztones, Flaming Stars, Apollo 440, Supergrass, and Sun Records’ legends Johnny Carroll and Rudy Grayzell. THE INVISIBLE SURFERS originally formed as a Link Wray Tribute Band and eventually evolved into their current very distinct surf sound that occassionally incorporates traditional Greek music influences. THE INVISIBLE SURFERS are currently appearing on several compilations and interviews, and a few of their tracks off of their release with NO FUN will be appearing on the “Mad Fabricators Society, Vol. 3” 2-disk DVD of over 2.5 hours of hot rod action. Check out the fun movie trailer! THE INVISIBLE SURFERS are exclusively distributed in Greece by Aegis Films Enterprise. WAVES OF REVERB, SEA OF FUZZ, Vol. 1 marks the first international release ever for both bands.


The label's latest addition is Detroit’s very own THE CYRIL LORDS! Formed in 2000 and originally called the BLOODY HOLLYS, the band hails from Ohio but has called Detroit home for several years now. It is no longer a secret in the D what the ultra-breathtaking Mayuko, spastic guitar god Mother and Vox-smashing Ellwood are capable of. Watching Mayuko beat the piss out of her drums like Moonie reincarnated as a 90-pound Japanese girl is alone worth the price of admission; not to be missed if you know what's good for you (also worth noting is that Mayuko is just the 2nd female drummer --only after Claudia from THE AVATARS-- to join the NO FUN ranks). With a minimalist approach to soul-influenced garage rock, Detroiters quickly found a fondness for the trio's early sound as a two-piece outfit with Mayuko and Mother. Knowing the duo was looking to add a bassist, Ben Swank of the Soledad Brothers introduced them to Ellwood, and THE CYRIL LORDS were born. The band released an EP as the BLOODY HOLLYS in 2001 and 2 more recent singles as THE CYRIL LORDS. This band has been right at the epicenter of the Detroit garage explosion, however the band’s full length album is all of that and much more, clearly showcasing the band’s growth and evolution into their current style that better encompasses their incredible talent and musical abilities. Their NO FUN release is entitled “Motherland,” was recorded at the notorious Rustbelt Studios and produced by Al Sutton (also Producer/Engineer for The Romantics, Sheryl Crow, Electric Six, Big Chief, Kid Rock, Laughing Hyenas, Detroit Cobras, Hentchmen, Easy Action, etc), and it is the band’s first full length album. Special guests on the record include Tim Purrier (The Hentchmen) and John Szymanski (Hentchmen, The Paybacks, SSM). We will celebrate its release in December at no other than Detroit’s Magic Stick. Keep an eye on next month’s news for exact details on a killer release party bill. In the meantime, visit the band at their official site and also become their friend at their MySpace page.
Images of The Cyril Lords signing/dinner party below:

NO FUN RECORDS welcomes THE CYRIL LORDS, LOS KAHUNAS and THE INVISIBLE SURFERS!

PODCAST PLANET. THE AVATARS featured on the very first episode of the Plan Nine Rock Show (click on Episode 001) of Plan Nine Print. Check it out! Others featured along with THE AVATARS include Demolition Doll Rods, The Makers, Gore Gore Girls, The Hard Lessons, Tranzistors, the Black Halos, and Bang Bang.

CHI-TOWN. Speaking of THE AVATARS, November will find the band making a couple surprise appearances at Chicago shows, one of which involves a super secret night and the other an explosive CD release party by our favorite Chicago band.


SEPTEMBER

THE BIG NIGHT OF THE YEAR IS COMING. Get your dancing shoes ready for next month's "Sounds From Thee Underground, Vol. 4!" Yes, the yearly NO FUN showcase/festival is back! October 22 at the Blind Pig. Come one, come all to experience an outrageous night of bizarre Rock'n'Roll along with the even more outrageous Jeremy Wheeler from The Bang! hosting the night and master DJ Brian Tomsic from WCBN. No Fun Records giveaways and other surprises all night long! A must-see event.


BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IT'S DONE. THE AVATARS' full length debut album, that is. After months and months of fans asking the band to freaking get to it, they did! And all we can say for now is that the long wait was totally worth it, you'll have to hear for yourselves. Recorded at Jim Diamonds' Ghetto Recorders in Detroit, produced by John Speck (The Fags/Hoarse/Skeemin' No Goods), and featuring special guest musicians that include John Szymanski (Hentchmen/SSM) and Eric Stollsteimer (The Elevations/Boss Guitars), this record should make for a pretty awesome addition to any record collection. Keep your eyes out for its release!


WE HAD A BLAST! That should sum up our CMJ experience. What an incredible night of the best Rock'n'Roll around. Thanks to all the friends and fans who came out to the really cool Trash Bar in Brooklyn to support the out of town bands! Special thanks to Owen from The Everyothers for the kick ass job at the soundboard that night. Ah, and there's a good reason for why the world thinks New York is the sh*#t. Because IT IS! The NO FUN crew gets out there about twice a year and it's never enough! THE AVATARS and THE HARD LESSONS both had a blast in the city. Check out THE AVATARS having a classic New York postcard moment and THE HARD LESSONS strutting around Times Square.

Hanging out with Hilly Crystal!


More rocking Times Square pictures here.
Both bands also had a blast playing together at ultra cool Asbury Lanes in New Jersey.

BENEFIT/MEMORIAL. On Thursday, July 14, 2005, our dear friends Doug Meis (The Puta-pons, The Dials, EXO) and John Glick (a.k.a. Bobby James in The Returnables), and their friend Michael Dahlquist (Silkworm) were returning to work (Shure) from lunch when they stopped at a red light at the corner of Niles Center Road and Dempster Street in Skokie, IL. They were driving a 2001 Honda civic, behind a Crown Victoria. A 2000 red Ford Mustang traveling at over 70 MPH purposely rammed into the back of their Civic, sending both the Civic and the Crown Vic into the air before they flipped over and landed on their roofs. Doug, John, and Michael were killed instantly and 4 others were injured. The driver of the Mustang, Jeanette Sliwinski, a 23-year old "model" and former stripper of 8915 S. Parkside St. in Morton Grove, was attempting suicide and, basically, murdered these 3 wonderful human beings in a senseless and brutal vehicular homicide. She suffered only a broken foot. Sliwinski has been charged with six counts of first-degree murder and two counts of aggravated battery. It would be an understatement to say that this senseless tragedy has left family and friends entirely devastated. There are no words to describe how unfair and off the charts this event is. Doug was the drummer for Becky Crawford's band The Dials (he had also played with Becky --and Shelly of Telenovela-- in the Puta-pons). Becky had also married John Glick just 10 months before the murder. If you would like to know a little more about these truly gifted, caring and sweet human beings, a wonderful site had been put together here in the memories of the 3 friends (check out the links to video footage; it will give you good insight as to how incredibly fun, and goofie, and full of life these guys were).

NO FUN RECORDS (Ann Arbor) has put a benefit together, and next month, on Sunday October 30th, we will be celebrating our friends' wonderful, happy lives with a big memorial/benefit show at the Magic Stick in Detroit. Latest Flame (Milwaukee) and Top Quality Rock'n'Roll (Detroit) are another 2 labels contributing to the event. On the bill are other wonderful human beings and talented artists: The Nice Device (Detroit), Bang Bang (Chicago), The Avatars (Ann Arbor), Grande Nationals, Universal Temple of Devine Power (Detroit) and Sissy (Ypsilanti). Please come out and contribute to a good cause. At the show, we will raffle A TON of excellent Rock'n'Roll goodies for very cheap ($2 a ticket!!!) to bring others the gift of music and to share the happiness music brought to Doug's, John's and Michael's hearts. Also, it is worth noting that Doug Meis was killed right after finishing the recording of The Dials' debut album, which will still come out (Nov 8 on Latest Flame), BUT it will be available for the first time EVER at the Detroit benefit show. Doug's last recordings ever were 8 tracks with his other band, EXO. His bandmates are currently working on finishing them up to release Doug's last musical statement.

Some of their closest friends and family members will attend the Detroit show. We hope the Detroit/Ann Arbor music community will come out to show them their support, since --although based in Chicago-- these bands always enjoyed coming to Michigan on tour: The Puta-pons had played with Detroit/Ann Arbor bands at the Gold Dollar, the Magic Stick, and the Elbow Room. The Dials had played the Magic Stick and the Lager House. The Returnables had rocked the Elbow Room many times. So had EXO, who had also played the Lager House. Bands in the NO FUN RECORDS family they shared these bills with include the now defunct Rael Rean, and The Avatars.
Pictures of our dear friends here and here. We love them and know they are somewhere rocking away.

**IF YOU ARE A BAND NOT PLAYING THE BENEFIT, BUT WOULD LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE RAFFLE BY DONATING A COUPLE OF MERCH ITEMS, PLEASE CONTACT CLAUDIA LEO AT CLAUDIA@NOFUNRECORDS.COM


LOOKING GOOD. That's exactly what you will find THE HARD LESSONS doing if you pick up your September copies of Punk Planet (Chicago) & Ugly Things (California) magazines. Pages 125 and 92, respectively.

CLEVELAND ROCKS. A huge thanks to everyone at WRUW involved in Studio-A-Rama, and to all the Cleveland fans who came out to give THE AVATARS big love and made the event an unforgettable summer night. The organization of the Studio-A-Rama and the star treatment given to the bands, catering and all, was much appreciated.


AUGUST

NEW YORK HERE WE COME! Get ready to experience healthy doses of No Fun artists at CMJ New York as both THE AVATARS and THE HARD LESSONS will be performing, along with thousands of artists, next month for the Get Hip/No Fun Records Showcase on the 25th Anniversary of the biggest Music Marathon around. Check out poster for details.


SUMMER FESTIVALS GALORE. Can't make it to New York? It's OK, you'll have your chance to catch live action by THE AVATARS and THE HARD LESSONS at this year's end-of-summer local festivals, The Hamtramck Labor Day Festival (Hamtramck) and Arts, Beats and Eats (Pontiac). Get there early, thousands show up every year to these events! Next month, THE AVATARS will be appearing at the historical Studio-A-Rama outside the WRUW studios in Cleveland for a free summer concert with national headliner Magnolia Electric Co.


LIVE RADIO ACTION. On August 30th make sure to tune in to 760 of your AM dial for The Mitch Albom show, where THE AVATARS will be playing their fun tunes all afternoon before and after going to commercials.

A NEW LOOK. THE HARD LESSONS launch a brand new website. Check it out!

UNDER MY HEELS, Vol. 2. We'd like to thank everyone who came out to the second rendition of this Detroit rock extravaganza! On the bill were the amazingly talented Demolition Doll Rods, Outrageous Cherry, EsQuire w/ surprise guest Miss Marcie Bolen from the Von Bondies!, Kelly Caldwell, and Loretta Lucas & The Larkspurs.



JULY

AVAILABLE NOW!! THE TANDOORIS “Science Fiction Guaranteed” (Argentine import) is finally available in the USA! Get ready to experience terribly catchy, fun songs. Check out the band’s 2 new fabulous MP3s as proof for why you need to buy this record NOW.

I AM ROCK. Soy Rock Magazine from Argentina also did a 1-page full color article on THE TANDOORIS. Pure fun. Check it out:


PHOTOBLOG. You think the above photo is a total riot? There's more; visit THE TANDOORIS fotolog and leave these crazy lads a message.

ALL-STARS! That's right, it's a great time in Detroit! And 89X invited THE HARD LESSONS back to rock out before the All Star Game from atop the Elwood parking structure overlooking Comerica Park. To continue on the summer fetivals craze, the band also traveled to Ontario, Canada to play the awesome Sarnia Bayfest with Kid Rock.

SONIC TOUR. THE HARD LESSONS to tour with Dropsonic (Atlanta) in August. Check out this sonic tour coming to a place near you. Fun on-the-road pictures from their tour with The Muggs here.

VIDEO STAR. Also, check out David Dominic's hot new video for THE HARD LESSONS "Share Your Vanity." 

SPIN. The July issue of SPIN Magazine features photos of THE HARD LESSONS' performance from MC2's SPIN/89X mega party at Ford Field.

WE WANT THE AIRWAVES, PART II. CORONADOS was selected once again to spice up one of those happening Podcasts. This time was Digital Detroit Radio that featured the band on their show #38: Detroit, An All Star City.

MOTOR CITY MADNESS. The latest issue of Carbon 14, #26, comes with a Detroit Rock City compilation CD. THE AVATARS were featured among a devilish dozen tracks of Motor City madness, as they call it. Other bands on the compilation include The Sirens, The Valentinos, The Paybacks, Easy Action, Troy Gregory & The Stepsisters, The Space Heaters, and more. Go to your nearest newstand and get your own copy of Carbon 14 for 6 bucks (comp CD included!).

ROCKRGRL. Claudia of No Fun was featured in the July/August issue of Rockrgrl (page 52). The one-page full color article, titled "International Sensation: Claudia Leo of No Fun Records," describes Claudia as a type A personality who does it all, and it is part of their recurring column Woman's Work that features force of nature rocker girls! Other rocker girls in this issue include Aimee Mann, Regina Spektor, Kinnie Starr, Annie, Juliette Lewis, Dresden Dolls' Amanda Palmer, Michelle Shocked, The Raveonettes, Le Tigre, Amy Schroeder, Nikka Costa, and many more! No Fun's THE AVATARS, CORONADOS, THE HARD LESSONS, THE TANDOORIS and FORGOTTEN BOYS are also mentioned in the article. Get your copy now and support a woman's right to rock!


PUNK PLANET. Speaking of getting your copy, pick up the July/August issue #68 of Punk Planet Magazine to read a cool interview with the No Fun Records crew.



JUNE

CMJ FUN. THE AVATARS outdoor show at CMJ Cleveland was a total blast and found the band giving an explosive live performance. Even better though, the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame and Media Group Studios selected The Avatars as the only winner to receive the filming and production of a finished music video. So, the kids will be returning to Cleveland in the Fall for the filming of "Never A Good Time," one of their new songs off their upcoming full length. The video will be the creation of up-and-coming cutting edge video maker Don Tyler of MTV fame. At the Festival Village, THE AVATARS also did a photo shoot with CMJ New York official photographer, Rahav Segev, whose portfolio includes Kings of Leon, Fatboy Slim, Mobi, Sinead O'Connor, P.J. Harvey, Pretty Girls Make Graves, Slip Knot, among others. As part of the festivities, tha band was also interviewed live for several college radio stations, including WRUW FM 91.1.


MUGGED. THE HARD LESSONS to go on tour with The Muggs in July!

The band is also due to appear on the infamous Mitch Albom Show (760 AM) on June 24.

DRIVING AROUND. Speaking of THE HARD LESSONS, these kids get media attention even when they buy a tour van! Here's a funny "Driving with The Hard Lessons" article in the Detroit Free Press.


MAY

CMJ. Come on out Cleveland fans! THE AVATARS were selected among very few bands to perform at this year's CMJ Rock Hall Cleveland along with bands such as The Paybacks, Agent Orange, Misfits, Pixies, The Bellrays, Nashville Pussy, and more. For info on line-ups, showcases and other Rock and Roll Hall of Fame activities, visit the CMJ Rock Hall official site.


SWEET AS HONEY. THE AVATARS’s “Honey Do” and THE HARD LESSONS’ “Milk & Sugar” to be featured on an upcoming Detroit music compilation called “The Sweet Sounds of Detroit.” All the songs are Candy/Bubblegum oriented tunes.  The CD is due to come out later this summer, tentatively on August 9. A very limited vinyl edition will follow in October. Other rocking artists on the compilation include The Paybacks, Grande Nationals, Outrageous Cherry, Troy Gregory & The Step Sisters, Fortune & Maltese, The Hard Lessons, The Hentchmen, The Sirens, Hotness, Capitol Cities, Loretta Lucas, Jackson Smith, Hot Operator, The Gore Gore Girls & more. 

BOOZE! THE HARD LESSONS and Pabst Blue Ribbon unite for some media hype! Check it out.

SOLD OUT. THE HARD LESSONS' release parties were a sold out success. The Magic Bag sold out by 11 PM and it had to turn over more than 100 people to be able to accomodate the long line out the door.

89X B-DAY BASH. To top off all of the above, THE HARD LESSONS played the massive 89X Birthday Bash at the Fox/State Theaters in downtown Detroit. They shared the bill with The Killers, Keane, Hot Hot Heat, Social Distortion, Brendan Benson, The Sights and many more. Hope you got your tickets and were among the 10,000 who attended! Happy birthday 89X!




LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION. We have even more photos of the entirely sold out No Fun Records Showcase at MC2. Pleasure for your eyes here.

SUGARY POP, PSYCH, GARAGE & PURE ROCK'N'ROLL! That's exactly what you can expect from the upcoming CORONADOS show at Ann Arbor's Blind Pig on Saturday June 4 when they join forces with Outrageous Cherry and The Fondas. Yes! This show marks the return of CORONADOS after their South American adventures. Catch them while you can, before the head down South, way South again this Fall. The Blind Pig, Saturday June 4, 10pm sharp. Be there!



APRIL

HOT PRESS. Check out THE HARD LESSONS' 2-page spread in the Ann Arbor Paper.
To continue crossing over different scenes, the kids were also featured --as part of the MC2 press coverage-- in the Michigan Daily for the college crowds .

FOX 2. If you were lucky you caught THE HARD LESSONS playing live on Fox 2 on Saturday April 23! Did you?

WE WANT THE AIRWAVES. CORONADOS hits the airwaves in Detroit! As PodCasts become more and more popular, CORONADOS is featured on East Detroit Radio. Check out PodCast # 8 (#005) for some ass-kickin’ rock’n’roll!

LOOKING FOR A NURSE. Shooting a rock’n’roll video has never looked this fun and stylish! Check out exclusive images of the making of THE TANDOORIS’ “Looking for a Nurse” video!

SOLD OUT. The NO FUN showcase at MC2 was total success. We apologize to those who were left outside as the venue had to close its doors because it sold out by when the Avatars hit the stage. Doors remained opened for a while and the place went well over capacity by the time The Hard Lessons were performing. We had to ask the Lager House to close the doors to ensure the audience's safety. How often does that happen at a local rock show? A big thanks to everyone who participated and contributed to the success, including the industry reps who made it out. Thanks to Sissy for taking on the always hard task of opening the night, and getting a new drummer especially to do so! Needless to say the amazing Doll Rods were on fire and played their soulful hearts out; No Fun is forever honored to have had such Detroit rock royalty join the festivities. Special thanks to Miss Shelly from The Sirens for putting on such a kick ass performance with Coronados after only 3 practices! Also special thanks to the Taylor brothers for the hard work of setting up a special light booth to make the place look so cool. Thank you photographers (surprise renowned rock photographer Sue Rynski included! --for amazing Sue Rynski photos go here) who worked with limited space and stage lighting but stuck around to capture everything. Thanks to the merch crews for putting on the charm to push merch sales for the label and the bands. Last but not least, thanks to the video crew! At the end of the night they gave us 3 full DVs, which will be turned into an MC2 No Fun Showcase DVD movie. Check out some images documenting the night here.

SPIN MAGAZINE / 89X MEGA PARTY. This year’s SPIN Magazine’s yearly party took place at Ford Field in Detroit. To celebrate, SPIN teamed up with 89X. THE HARD LESSONS were one of the few chosen bands to rock the night. And so they did, hard. Here are photos of what went on. And even more photos here!


MARCH 2005

Holy crap! There’s so much going on we don’t even know where to start…

MC2. Yes, the biggest music event of the year in the Motor City is here! NO FUN artists THE AVATARS, CORONADOS and THE HARD LESSONS were chosen to be part of MC2’s national promo campaign and the bands are making the rounds across the U.S. on giant full color posters, postcards, major magazine and newspaper ads. Enjoy some of the images here.

SHOWCASING TALENT. The label will host a showcase night on Friday April 22 at the Lager House as part of the MC2 events. On the bill will be THE AVATARS, THE HARD LESSONS, CORONADOS and very special appearances by friends of the label, Detroit’s very own legends Demolition Doll Rods and Ann Arbor’s glam rock sensation Sissy! CORONADOS will feature a surprise female bass player (since Melody Licious will be on tour in Europe with The Sirens by then). You will have to be there to find out who the hot and uber talented lady is! Click here for more details, exact line-up and showtimes. The night will be documented by a photography crew, a film crew and will feature a special light show.

NO FUN RECORDS PANEL. In addition to showcasing its artists at MC2, the label will hold an industry panel at Cobo Hall. The panel will take place on Saturday April 23 in Room 0240 at Cobo Hall. The session is titled "Independents Day: Smaller Labels Making a Major Impact." Topics will include the unique talents needed to run an indie label successfully, how indie labels can get started, challenges, rewards and obstacles indie labels face, distribution issues and what indie labels can do for bands that major labels won’t. In addition, No Fun Rcds’ very own Claudia will be the featured moderator for the indie label panel. Labels featured include No Fun Records, Ghostly International and Times Beach Records.

COVER GIRL. Well, and boys as well. HA! Look who’s famous: THE HARD LESSONS make the cover of Metro Times for the Hamtramck Blowout! Cover artwork by no other than Mr Mark Arminski. The newspaper also featured a lengthy interview with the band talking to the press about their NO FUN debut release, “Gasoline,” for the first time.

BEST OF. THE HARD LESSONS have been selected to become one of the 20 best bands featured at MC2. They were picked out of 450+ acts. As part of this deal, the band will participate in a compilation CD called “Best of the Motor City Music Festival,” which is being put out by the Detroit Free Press and it’s meant to represent the top performers in Detroit’s thriving music scene. This package deal means high-profile exposure, especially as part of the paper’s coverage of MC2, which will kick off with a large on-going section/front story introducing the CD (and everyone on it) in the weeks leading up to the conference up to April 21, the day the conference begins. The newspaper will feature a profile of each band listing the bands’ sound and history, the time and date of their MC2 appearance and a description of the song featured on the compilation CD. The in-paper material will be repeated on a flash-based mini site linked to the Free Press’s website. This mini site will include THE HARD LESSONS’ tracks for click-thru listening/downloading, both in MP3 and iPod compatible podcast formats. The compilation CD will be available through the many MC2 venues --especially those in which participating bands will be performing-- the Free Press contests, radio giveaways and conference’s bags.

PARTY TIME! THE HARD LESSONS announce upcoming record release parties; not one, but 3 of them:
Attention Lansing-area fans!
Friday April 29. This will be your first chance ever to get THE HARD LESSONS’ debut CD and LP! The party will be at the Temple Club, 500 E. Grand River, Lansing, 9:00 pm, 18+. Opening are El Presidente and the Catridge Family.
Attention Ann Arbor-area fans!
Saturday April 30. Join us at the Blind Pig, 208 S. First St, Ann Arbor, 9:30 pm, 18+. Opening the night are also Detroit’s soul sensation The Elevations and THE HARD LESSONS’ label mates, THE AVATARS, playing right before Gin, KoKo and The Anvil to give them a warm welcome to the label!
Attention Detroit-area fans!
Saturday May 28. Look pretty for your biggest date of the year at the Magic Bag, 22920 Woodward Ave, Ferndale, 9:00 pm, 18+. On the bill are The Nice Device, The Vamps, and Dead Bodies.

OUT NOW!!! THE TANDOORIS “Science Fiction Guaranteed” is finally out. The kings of the Buenos Aires Beat/PowerPop scene surprise us with more of what they know how to do best: strange Rock! This new record is the band’s second on No Fun and we could not be any happier with their latest combination of terribly catchy, fun songs. The release was put out through No Fun Rcds Argentina and it is for now only available in South America, but it will become available through No Fun U.S. this coming July. Until then make sure to check out the band’s 2 new fabulous MP3s.

NO FUN RECORDS SKYTEAM. Like the restless Sky Pilots we are (oh, can’t help that Flaming Sideburns’ reference!), No Fun was recently flying the friendly skies around the world and with us came THE HARD LESSONS. They looked great, and we didn’t even have to buy them a ticket…just put them in the seat pocket in front of us. In fact, the kids were accompanying every single passenger on every single Northwest flight. Sounds weird? Not really. THE HARD LESSONS are being featured on the April issue of Northwest Airlines WorldTraveler Magazine! That is, they are being featured by the 4th largest airline in the world. THE HARD LESSONS will be exposed to more than 900 cities in more than 160 countries on six continents! The feature will include a full color photo of the band accompanying an MC2 write up under the title of “Detroit: Four Nights of Rock.” THE HARD LESSONS was the chosen band to go along with the event’s WorldTraveler Magazine image, and for the clueless business dudes on first class, the photo caption will read “The Hard Lessons: a rock band from Detroit will perform at the MC2.” THE HARD LESSONS will be the only NO FUN artists featured and, in fact, the only band featured in the entire article period. Very limited copies of the magazine will be available at the MC2 NO FUN RECORDS Showcase at the Lager House on Friday April 22. If you want one, visit the No Fun merch table.

SPIN MAGAZINE / 89X SUPER PARTY. And wait, there’s more HARD LESSONS news: NO FUN RECORDS’ new Detroit darlings will perform at the yearly SPIN Magazine mega party, which this year will take place at MC2. The party is scheduled to take place on Saturday April 23 (the night after the NO FUN showcase at the Lager House) at Ford Field with 2 national headliners (yet to be confirmed)! This year’s “SPIN at MC2” will be a combined Spin Magazine / 89X party with massive industry exposure. Spin will be photographing the event and photos will be used on their 1-page spread documenting their yearly party in an upcoming issue. Platinum music badge holders will be able to attend this event. THE HARD LESSONS are the 2nd band on the bill and are scheduled to hit the Ford Field stage at 10 pm sharp. That’s a big Hell Yeah from the NO FUN HQs!

MORE SPIN! Not the magazine this time. The very hard working HARD LESSONS have been getting some serious spins on 89X’s “Homeboy’s Show” with Kelly Brown. Tune in and listen up! Every Sunday night at 10 pm Kelly Brown and 89X bring you the “Homeboy’s Show”, highlighting local talent and debuting music from local bands. The show is designed to shed some light on the local music scene as well as providing support to local artists and their love for music. The concept of this show is very cool and is dedicated to all bands who have load in and out themselves, performed for small crowds, or gotten paid in drinks. Through the show, 89X supports the local music community and the contribution that music makes in all our lives, in addition to thanking the rich culture of the Detroit music scene.


FEBRUARY 2005

WE’RE A HAPPY FAMILY. New year, new life, new family members! NO FUN RECORDS proudly announces that THE HARD LESSONS have joined the label. This up and coming Detroit-area band has been performing sold out shows all last year, getting regular radio air play and growing a large fan base…fast! Stay tuned for their amazing 1st full length release, the parties (yes, more than one!) to go along and many more NO FUN events showcasing this superb rock’n’roll trio. And attention record collectors: the release features different covers for the CD and LP editions. The band will also be touring heavily out of state for the non-local fans out there, and will eventually embark on an international tour.
One of the most fun moments of signing THE HARD LESSONS to the label was probably the signing party itself. Check out the images that documented the nonsense that went on.

BLOW UP. Royal Oak-based international high-end fashion, design and culture publication Clear Magazine booked THE AVATARS and THE HARD LESSONS for a professional photo shoot to go along with an interview by Detroit-native journalist Tamara Warren, who interviewed the bands from her current residence in New York. Here are just a few pics from the photo shoot by Michelle. Look out for the April issue of Clear Magazine featuring a report on the Detroit music scene and the upcoming Motor City Music Conference.

MC2. Speaking of which, if you are from this area you probably heard by now about the massive 1st annual Motor City Music Conference coming up. In preparation for the event, MC2 also booked NO FUN artists to participate of yet another photo shoot for their upcoming national campaign. Images will be selected for posters, magazine ads and postcards to be distributed nation-wide. Stay tuned for next month’s news to see images of CORONADOS, THE AVATARS and THE HARD LESSONS playing rock’n’roll models in print.

METROTIMES BLOWOUT. The big event in the area next month is of course the Hamtramck Blowout, and this year you will be able to catch sets from both THE AVATARS and THE HARD LESSONS. THE AVATARS will also be featured on film at the pre-party. If you were lucky enough to attend last year's Blowout, then you probably witnessed a gang of guys roaming from venue to venue with video cameras grabbing tons of footage. The footage was molded into a 40-minute flick that captures the raw energy of the Detroit music scene. Besides THE AVATARS the film features live performances by over 25 acts including The Hentchmen, Saturday Looks Good to Me, Lee Marvin Computer Arm, Midwest Product, The Fondas and The Fags. The Blowout 2004 movie will be shown at the Launch Party in the Magic Stick on Wednesday, March 2nd at 9:00 PM sharp. Be there if you wanna witness THE AVATARS big screen debut. For now you can enjoy bits and pieces by watching the movie trailer.


JANUARY 2005

PUNK’S NOT DEAD. This last January Punk Planet Magazine from Chicago sent out a reporter and photographer to do an interview and photo session with NO FUN RECORDS. The event happened to coincide with the sold out Blind Pig AVATARS show with The Paybacks and The Dirtbombs, so we double-dipped and had the Punk Planet Magazine crew do a mini-photo session with THE AVATARS at the bar and while playing live. NO FUN would like to thank Ari Paul for the interview and his partner in crime, Sarah, the awesome British photographer who came along. They tell us that the interview will come out in print sometime this summer, so keep checking back the press section for a link to the article.

MEANWHILE, BACK IN THE JUNGLE…I MEAN, THE STUDIO. Next month THE AVATARS are heading into the studio to start recording their full length. This means the band will be playing less and more selective live shows for a while to concentrate on the recording, and also to conserve energy for going on the road in support of the album once it comes out. Many details, pics, key names and surprises regarding the recording adventure to be revealed in the next coming months!

PURE SCIENCE FICTION. Also next month, you will be able to get your hands on the latest NO FUN release, THE TANDOORIS’ “Science Fiction Guaranteed,” the band’s second album with us. Take a look at the promotional ad NO FUN placed in Cosa Salvaje Magazine from Argentina to get just a taste of the awesome content of this release.


2004 NEWS ARCHIVE

2003 NEWS ARCHIVE