September 02nd, 2010 | Author: natchet

New Disaster, the Internet, and the Survival of Today’s Rock N’ Roll Band.

DIY Music is all about the LOVE.

Got this interesting read today from CDBaby, our online outlet for our CDs. The topic, “Has The Internet Really Destroyed the Music Business?”, actually raises a ton of good questions.

There’s no debate that the Internet and its marketing and sales applications has completely changed the landscape of how music gets bought and sold, but has anything really been destroyed?

Many of the sources quoted in the article are multi-platinum selling, ultra-mega-stars of the old world way of the music business (Stevie Nicks, John “Cougar” Mellencamp, Prince). These guys and gals lived in a different era, with different marketing and distribution methods… and they also lived in an era with far less readily available music. But now, things have changed. Anyone can get out there are make their music available to the world… record label or not.

Which brings me to all of us bands forgoing the record deals and striking out into the brave new DIY world of the WWW and what an amazing yet arduous struggle that can be. Being great at being a musician isn’t simply enough. No, you have to take the reigns yourself and expand your skill sets. Now, you have to learn how to make a website (or at least a decent MySpace page), find out how digital distribution works, figure out how to get gigs, book tours, self-promote, and sell your merch and music. That can be a ton of work and the learning curve can be tough.

But every day I see it and every day I get really excited. I see bands like Dirty Penny deciding to let the chips fall where they may and book a tour themselves to the EU because they felt it was finally time to go pay their fans (whom they made using the Internet) a long overdue visit. New bands like Hot Crush hitting the ground running and getting their name out there by using social media and other avenues to show you just how good they really are. Bands breaking ground like One Eyed Doll creatively experimenting with every kind of marketing, merchandising and promotional scheme imaginable.

The new music business model is almost like what Frank Costello says in Scorsese’s The Departed: “…no one gives it to you. You have to take it.” But I say, almost.

Support your music habit. Buy band merch!

While you have to get out there and really get your hands dirty and scrape out an existence for you and your band, you also depend on your fans more than anything else. They are the lifeblood of your entire enterprise. Without them, you can never hope to succeed in a business capacity. That’s why it is also import for fans to support these bands.

If you like a band and their music, support them. Simple as that. Come out to every show that you can, buy their CDs and T-shirts, spread the word, get your friends to come out with you when your favorite band comes to your town, recruit new fans, join/start a fan club/site, etc. They are out there living like gypsies, eating horribly, sleeping in terrible and unspeakable places, living out in the world far from home, working cruddy jobs, etc., all to get that music out to you, the fan.

But don’t feel sorry for them. They choose that life everyday. It comes with the job and is indicative of the passion they put in the music you love. All you have to do, as a fan, is support them. Buy what you love. Then, regardless of what Johnny Cougar or that cougar Stevie Nicks say about the destructive influence of the Internet on the industry, the music business isn’t a hopeless cause for the musician.

So go to the ND Store, or your favorite band’s online store/merch table today and show the love. We appreciate it and you are doing a great thing. Fleetwood Mac and that Jack and Diane guy will be just fine… The Internet isn’t the monster they say it is. In fact, it may just save the band you love.

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August 17th, 2010 | Author: natchet

Click here for Disaster Fest 2010 Poster. Share it!

Rock N’ Roll is Undead in Texas!

The radio says that Rock N’ Roll is dead but I still see it rambling around in all of its unholy and bloody glory… especially in Texas!

Texas has got chingos of amazing rock bands. CHINGOS! So why not showcase them all over our wonderful State?

Enter DISASTER FEST.

3 jam-packed days of straight-up habanero-hot rock-&-punk from the Lone Star State in three different Texas cities.

September 17th – The Deadhorse in San Angelo, TX.

September 18th – Nightrocker Live in San Antonio, TX

September 19th – The Dirty Dog Bar – Austin, TX

Lineups include these great Texas bands…

New Disaster
The Heroine
The Bexar County Bastards
Shotgun Rebels
White Rhino
Thunderosa
Sabbath Crow
The Gentlemen’s Social Club
Velvet Brick
Big Dirty Shakedown
Hot Crush
Burning Avalanche
Black Bone Child
Crash at Crush
Amplified Heat
Drowning Mona
3 Kisses
The Killing Floor
Jonny Pecker
BugGiRL (honorary Texans from Australia)

There will be drink specials, food, and rock N’ roll and only for $5.00. So come out for a Disasterous Weekend. Disaster Fest 2010.

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June 14th, 2010 | Author: natchet

Night Rocker Live

SA, Old San Antone, Satantonio, whatever you want to call it, New Disaster will be there this Friday night June 18th, 2010 at Night Rocker LIVE! 605 San Pedro Ave., San Antonio, TX, 78212

The Event is planned to start at 8PM first band on around 9ish with ND going on around 10PM… if you are on Facebook, hit up the event here!

Also on the bill: The Bexar County Bastards (ATX), Shotgun Rebels (San Angelo) as well as The Hell City Kings (Houston)… it is going to be a killer lineup. It’s a rarity that we make it down to SA… So we all need to catch up with some beers! See you there.

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April 25th, 2010 | Author: natchet

The Silver Beast. Legendary to a status worthy of a Dio song.

She carries us, shelters us, and delivers us. She rides on the winds. Has traversed the continent. She speeds across deserts and swamps and concrete jungles alike. She’s seen miles and miles. She’s roared through hurricanes. She’s seen battles. She’s seen gunfire and fistfights. She’s seen raunchy backseat action and hosted grand all night binge fests as well as some of the greatest reflection time ever known to us mortal men of rock. She rarely complains. I once considered her my home, even when not being “on the road”.

She’s done more to bring the rock of New Disaster to the masses than any promoter could ever do…

We call her Babylon.

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March 10th, 2010 | Author: natchet

New Disaster is involved in a contest through Guitar Center with an opportunity to record with Guns Great, Mr. Slash himself. Please send a vote or a million our way. Thanks!

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Category: Junk Drawer  | Leave a Comment
March 10th, 2010 | Author: natchet
Live at the Deadhorse.

The Deadhorse. Where the rock never stops.

Saddling up to cross the hill country into the plains and farmlands of Texas isn’t a trek for the casual traveling band. Especially for a one night only show, only to return home the following day.

This isn’t tour. This is a trip to the Deadhorse.

San Angelo, in many minds, might conjure up stories and memories of a town poised on the brink of industrial revolution, or a dusty stop in the plains of Texas, gateway to the Wild West… But to us, it is a well-known sanctuary. It is a second home, a common and necessary stop for us and this gypsy-like existence we call “being in a rock band”. There is nothing like the sunset that spreads out in front of you when you’re heading from Austin toward San Angelo, nor is there anything like seeing the lights on the horizon when you are just about to pull into town. The night is always full of potential, which normally means that it ends in some sort of disaster.

The ND Love Affair with the Deadhorse continues...

The Deadhorse. A bar with a familiar aura, much like Austin’s Red River district, and welcoming vibe. A staff that cements itself as some of your best “on the road” friends after only one solid night of heavy drinking. And the drinking is almost always is heavy… as is the ride home.

We have a standing deal with the Howard Johnson (Mark’s uncle) in town, which is only a short distance away from the bar. They put us up cheap, and we get a place to crash in relative safety and darkness.

San Angelo, the Deadhorse in particular, just plain rocks.

New Disaster and the Deadhorse became an instant match, on many different levels. I honestly cannot recall exactly how we were introduced, but I do remember our first gig there. I was impressed that this club knew the ideal of how a traveling band would want to be treated by a venue and it topped it. ND wasn’t the first band to play at the Deadhorse, I believe that honor goes to The Flametrick Subs, however, we can claim that we were one of the first. On top of that, we made many new friends that very first night… and continue to…

Since then, New Disaster has played The Deadhorse regularly, sometimes monthly. It has become quite a regular tradition for us and we look forward to every Deadhorse show… so much, I obviously though it deserved its own entry into our Tour Journal.

So, see you on the road. And if you are out west, and are looking for a great place to get a cold beer or see a great rock show, or both; see you at the Deadhorse.

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February 20th, 2010 | Author: natchet

Sid and Nancy take time out of their "busy" day to shop at the ND Store.

ANNOUNCING the all new New Disaster Online Store.

Wondering where you can get the coolest shirt for you and your significant other? Trying to figure out how to get your hands on a CD that will make you want to fuck, fight, frolic, or all three F’s at the same time?

Well, look no further. The New Disaster Online Store is up and running and ready to take your orders 24/7.

Not only can you get shirts and CDs, you can also get package deals. Get the New Disaster Greatest Hits Collection, or the Sid and Nancy Special, and save some dough. But also, keep coming back to check on any special deals or new merch.

The Store accepts Visa/MC/Amex/Discover and PayPal. Also, if you are planning on hitting up a New Disaster show soon, you can opt to pick up your order at the merch booth at the next ND show or event and pay cash.

Shop it up, check it out, and as always, email us with any suggestions or comments.

Now go get your L.A.F. Gear…

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February 18th, 2010 | Author: natchet

L.A.F.er por vida!

That’s right. Become an L.A.F.er!

How else are we going to spread the Rock N’ Roll mayhem to the world? Record labels won’t do it. TV won’t do it. Mainstream radio won’t do it. They don’t play with hard rock or punk anymore. The sickeningly slick and sparkly mainstream is the enemy.

But we know who you are. We are one of you. We’re the ones that have to listen to CDs, and MP3’s, and specialized internet radio in our cars. We generally hate the radio. We have to search in obscure places to find what we want. Our music collection spans the decades. And we ask ourselves, is there rock n’ roll anymore?

Rock is not dead. It’s undead. Who cares that it isn’t winning Grammys and knocking out Kanye’s teeth? Who cares that it isn’t up on stage performing in front of 3 celebrity judges and a national voting audience? It’s underground, baby, and undead… and we kind of like it that way.

But it is our duty to spread the word. There are millions more of us out there and when we find something that really moves us, we have an obligation to pass it on to the others who haven’t heard. It is time to hit the streets. It is time to attack this with Guerrilla Tactics.

So as far as New Disaster goes, check out the newest way to promote the Rock N’ Roll Mayhem: The Official New Disaster Fan Club.

South Austin L.A.F.ers' logo (for now...)

This is more than your typical fan club. Inspired by Austin Guerrilla Gurus and one of my favs, One-Eyed Doll, this new network EMPOWERS you to create your very own localized brand of New Disaster propaganda and justice. You can join splinter cells (Fan Clubs or FCs) created by other members (ex: South Austin L.A.F.ers) or create a group that represents your own locality or affiliations. Then get ready for missions. Assignments have to be carried out in FORCE.

Stay connected and organized with Forums, Blogs, and a Chat Room. Hold Fan Club Meetings right there on the site. Post your own content. Share ideas. Share Share Share.

We need more FCs. We need them all over the world, wherever New Disaster goes. Go to the ND Fan Club site now and check it out. If you see that there isn’t an FC in your area, create one. Get started TODAY!

http://www.newdisaster.ning.com

Thanks.

~Natchet F. Taylor
New Disaster Minister of Propaganda and Spin
www.newdisaster.com

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February 17th, 2010 | Author: natchet
NFT

Natchet Taylor Writes with a Spray Can

Welcome to the new incarnation of all things Disaster, NewDisaster.com. The official site and place for all information regarding New Disaster, todos cosas L.A.F., and Rock N’ Roll in general.

New Disaster created this site. ND maintains and updates it, and we’re honored to be at the wheel of this machine. Thanks for stopping by. We are extremely excited about it. Check it…

First off, you can translate this site. We have friends all over the world, and we want them to know what we’re saying. This should be much easier than whenever we try to talk to you in our broken (insert langauge here). Linguistically, New Disaster is a “jack of all trades” but master of none… even English.

There will be chingos updates as we go. Expect to see much more on here over the next few days, weeks, months, etc. Be sure to check back here for contests, updates, store discounts, and more. You can also subscribe to this site and receive updates in your reader without having to come back here, although we’d like you to hang out.

The entire site is blog based and extremely interactive. You can comment on almost everything here… and you should. Good, bad, or ugly. Talk it up. Bring your suggestions and comments. Submit your own fan art and content. We’ll add it and make this place bigger and better.

You can also BOOKMARK/SHARE almost everything on here. Post it to your MySpace, Facebook, websites, Twitter, emails, Google, etc. Use the Facebook and Tweet buttons or the AddInto button on the bottom of each post. We would love it if you SHARED it up. Also, find cool New Disaster stuff to post on your own blog, sites, profiles, etc. in the Media section, under Extras. Post ND players, banners, email collectors, show lists, and more.

All news will be updated here first. Songs will be previewed here first. Tours will be announced here. Posts, Rants, and Tour Journals will be slung up on the home wall.

Buy all your Disaster Gear here, get first crack at special offers and events, etc. The store is being tweaked and finished up now as we speak.

Keep coming back as updates will apply often. Thanks to all of our Family, Friends, and Fans. You’re all L.A.F. and we do this all for YOU!

Cheers!

~Natchet F. Taylor
Minister of Propaganda and Spin
www.newdisaster.com

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February 11th, 2010 | Author: Abel Idle
Abel's Rig

Abel's Rig of Ultimate Destruction +3

While participating in the ongoing discourse regarding cyclical nucleation and collective consciousness, questions arise regarding Cartesian dualism; for mind/body duality is rendered useless with the addition of the electric guitar. Furthermore, the agency of inanimate objects is proven when said guitar bridges the gap between your mind and a Celestion g12-65. The shattering of paradigms. The uselessness of positivism. The epistemological perspective that accounts for phenomenological manifestations. What is this seemingly methodological antipositivism, then, one might ask? It is known by another name: Rock and Roll.

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Category: Abel Posts  | One Comment