News
August News
Super XX Man News - August 2010
Super XX Man Announces the Release Of Their First Digital Single Peter And Paul
Super XX Man, the long-running recording project of Scott Garred that has evolved into a regularly performing band, celebrates 15 years of steadfast do-it-yourself homemade rock. The digital single you are holding in your hot little hard drive is the first offering from their new lineup featuring Adam Mack on drums and Daren Claymon on bass.
Peter and Paul is available August 31st via iTunes and other digital media outlets in advance of the long player Vol. XIII White Bed due out October 19th.
The lead track, "Peter and Paul", is a tribute to a high torque super pooch named Harriet. Stubborn like the feedback from Scott’s Les Paul, she could stop, walk & roll in midstroll leaving the leash master cursing the heavens. She is loved and missed dearly.
"Wait For Days" is a classic ukulele-and-vocals number performed solo and designed to bookend the title track of the forthcoming album. As a letter to a recently departed father shouldbe, it was too small and personal to be included alongside the rest of the upbeat anthems of White Bed. It is exclusive to this digital single.
Rounding out the first-ever digital single by Super XX Man is "Broken Branch." This exclusive version differs from the one found on the album in that it has everything including the proverbial kitchen sink. Be careful.
Download the song "Peter and Paul" for free
Tour Dates:
9/3/10 Hogan's Place - Clarkston, WA
9/4/10 One World Café- Moscow, ID
9/18/10 Whole Foods 30th Anniversary Party - Portland Laurelhurst Store
9/26/10 Ft. George Brewery - Astoria, OR
10/20/10 Roseland Theater w/ Octopus Project & Starf*cker
10/28/10 The Woods "White Bed" Record Release Party - Portland, OR
Super XX Man Bio
Super XX was an old b&w film made by Kodak which I called it “double x.” One day I received a letter from a friend in my former hometown of Pullman, WA, in which she said that she dreamed I had a heart attack. In my response, I performed live to 4-track cassette the song “The Destroyer” which begins with the lyric “I dreamed I was Super XX Man flying over Texas.” That was the center piece on the self-titled 12-song cassette released in September, 1995.
My original goal was to release one cassette a year, not much thought being put into it otherwise, except always looking for the most efficient way to dub as many tapes as possible and give them to all the good people in my life. I recorded everything using a dirty SM-58 microphone I bought on the street in Seattle during my first touring experience in college. It cost me $35. I liked to believe it was used by Mudhoney.
Another fall season brought another cassette, Volume II. If I learned anything from early influences Portastatic and Lou Barlow, it was be simple, use your own voice, and make some joyful noise. Cassettes gave way to the 7” and the 4-track slowly gave way to the Tascam 388 8-track. I was thrilled when I bought it from a guitar player in Los Angeles while on tour with Silver Scooter. He said, “You’ll need to hurry and make your decision, because the band is working on some ballads.” Tom Hudson, my friend and drummer from SS asked, “What band?” His reply: “REO Speedwagon.” We loaded the machine up in the van, and I kid you not, as we drove away, the radio played “I Can’t Fight this Feeling.” I recorded Volumes IV, V, VI, VII, X, and XI on that baby, although now the 388 is parked rather permanently in the basement. Today, it’s all about the computer and Pro Tools for me.
My wife and I moved away from Austin, TX at the very end of 2001. I had one final farewell show with Silver Scooter, thus marking the end of our three-album run for Peek-A-Boo Records, including five or six U.S. tours and two trips to Japan. I returned to school in the Portland area to become a Board Certified Music Therapist. I currently work with some of Oregon's most fragile individuals who carry the heavily weighted stigma most refer to as mental illness. A work colleague would rather people refer to it as "a person with alternative neuropathways." The highlight of this career for me so far is the patient band. We play everything from Bob Dylan and Neil Young to Journey and Lady Gaga.
After brief and wonderful experiences with local labels Lelp Recordings (Vols. VI, VII), Hush Records (Vols. X, XI), and Tender Loving Empire (Vol. XII), and having gradually and incrementally expanded the Super XX Man band up to six members, I decided it was time to truly return to my roots of self-releasing and the power trio. Not power as in loud, but power as in capable of playing anything in the catalog – from whisper quiet ukulele to upsetting rock. Although, how upsetting can Super XX Man be anyway?
I assembled Adam Mack on drums and Daren Claymon on bass, and with these gents I drafted the tunes for Vol. XIII White Bed – what is essentially a tribute to my father who passed away in early 2008, having succumbed to cancer in the most wicked way. I spent our last days together playing all his favorite country songs on a Kay brand hollow body guitar a friend of his gave him. The songs for White Bed didn’t come much at all at first. When they finally did, they came fast like dad’s cancer.
The new album features, once again, artwork by Thomas Metcalf (Vols. III, V, VI). We’ve been friends since childhood.
Releasing music has never been easier today. All Super XX Man releases are finally available through various online digital retailers.
July News
Vol. I Vol. II Vol. VI Vol. VII Vol. VIII Vol. IX
These fine albums by Super XX Man are now available via most digital distributors such as itunes, emusic, etc...
The folks at Veoba helped us achieve this. By the way, here's what they are saying about Super XX Man.
Our first ever digital only single will be released next month. We'll give you plenty of notice about that when the time comes. The songs are Peter and Paul from the new album, Wait for days (classic sounding ukulele song meant to be a "partner" song to title track White Bed), and Broken Branch (we call this the "kitchen sink" mix - you'll know why!). Wait for days will not be on the new album.
The Big News: Mastering for Vol. XIII White Bed is complete and the artwork is basically done. It will be manufactured soon with a release date dropping somewhere around October. We'll call it Roctober - have you heard that one before???
Shows: We're playing one show this month at Whole Foods Market on SE Burnside Saturday, July 31st. This show is free and starts promptly at 5pm so bring the family and come bbq with us and Whole Foods. They fire up the grill from 4 - 7pm. Details here.
Huge thanks to all those who came out to Alberta St. Pub last month to help us raise money for the album. We sure appreciate your help. Here's a couple fun videos from the event including Lady Gaga performing her hit Paparazzi. She's a good sport. She didn't look her best and honestly she doesn't remember all the words... oh well! Both videos on YouTube here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfCPwARUGTI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBhSNVhVQuA&feature=related
June News
We have a big show planned for June 19th at the Alberta St. Pub. What's the occasion? Well, we're raising some money to put the finishing touches on Volume XIII: "White Bed" - our 15th release in 15 years! The night will feature performances by our dearest friends who have all spent much time in our band while based out of Portland during the last 8 years. Alison Wesley (hear her on Volumes X, XI, and XII), John Vecchiarelli (Volumes X, XII) and Zach Boyle's own Gold Halo Photograph (Zach played on Vol. X) will join us. We think an all star Collecting Rocks jam will be in order too!
We'll have memorabilia to raffle off throughout the night. Items up for the taking include original release posters for Vol. IV (released in 1999 on Peek-a-Boo records), show posters, CDs, and grand prize: a homemade one of a kind copy of Volume XIII "White Bed." We're still going through the vault so there'll be more for sure.
To help get you as excited for this event as possible we've begun interviewing fans who just can't get enough Super XX Man. This month we hear from Melanie Lovan. She recently "took the plunge" by purchasing every ounce of music we have ever released! Why??? In her own words, here's her story:
1. How did you discover Super XX Man? My Former boss and friend Shelly is married to the drummer, Adam Mack. Shelly invited me out to see Super XX Man at Mississippi Studios and I became an instant fan.
2. Why take the plunge by buying every volume of music by Super XX Man? I went to the Super XX Man website after the Mississippi Studio Show and I couldn't get enough! You know, some of my favorite memories are the times riding in the car with my mom and she would sing (in full voice) to Carol King and Kris Kristofferson. I guess that's what I love about Super XX Man, I sing as loud (and poorly) as I can, nodding and laughing in agreement to the lyrics; they're very honest.
3. What's your favorite Super XX Man song? Collecting Rocks.
4. What are your favorite bands? Neutral Milk Hotel, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, The Constantines, and The Weakerthans. Oh and Carol King, specifically her album, "Tapestry."
5. What's your occupation? I work for Starbucks as an Assistant Manager and go to school full time.
5. Are you lying about any of this? I guess we'll never know!
And finally...
Guess who took home the beloved 3rd place double points BMX trophy for being annoying and overachieving?
The trophy was won in 1984 by Scott for finishing 3 of 3 riders at the Spokane, WA Riverside BMX "Double Points" race. This 3rd place trophy is now used as an incentive for "most annoying over achieving band member." This was awarded to Scott by bassist Daren. AHHHH sweetness! Michelle loves having this back in our home!
May News
Recording News...
Hey we're done tracking the record. It's being mixed right now by Tyler Mallory in Austin, TX (dear friend and bass player in the latter days of Silver Scooter). Mastering will be completed next by our friend and life-long mentor Dave Mcnair in NYC. Artwork will be beautifully crafted by Thomas Metcalf (art for Volumes III, V, VI, and many Silver Scooter releases).
Trumpet player Adam Hill came in from Bellingham to play on 4 tracks:
Bryan Daste, local pedal steel player, came by to play on 2 songs. He also plays tenor sax on 1 song!
Show reminder... We'll be opening for Southerly at Doug Fir Lounge May 6. This will be a CD release party for them and we are happy to be playing such a great room here in Portland.
And finally...
Pop on over to Tender Loving Empire to help them celebrate their grand opening of a new location. Details on all the festivities on their site here.
April Update
Super XX Man News - April 2010
Recording News...
It's all about making the best record we can make right now. We're down to the last of the over dubs including pedal steel, percussion, harmony vocals, and trumpet. Michelle is dusting off the accordion as we type this so that could make it on too. Go Polka Queen of NE Portland!
We are excited to announce that after 15 years of producing music we will be returning to our self-releasing roots. Vol. XIII will be released by Super XX Man and will be available as a very limited edition CD featuring artwork by Thomas Metcalf (He's done numerous album covers for both SXXM and Silver Scooter over the years). This will also be available as a digital download via all the mainstays in MP3 technology.
One other bit of recording news - Podington Bear will once again do a custom remix of one of these tracks.
Our Next Show is opening for Southerly at Doug Fir Lounge May 6. This will be a CD release party for them and we are happy to be playing such a great room here in Portland.
And finally...
Can you imagine our surprise to learn that our song "Big Balloon" is attempting to sell very big hot dogs for this company? Super XX Man has shown up in a lot of weird places - perhaps none weirder than this one. Click the link, scroll down, and check out the video on the left.
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