The Type

While a lot of punk bands that pack a visceral punch at their live shows manage to lose some of their edge in the recording process, The Type isn’t one of them, at least not in “Star Explorer.” The song sucks the listener in with a dark and catchy melody and sends her (or him) away bruised, exhausted and wanting more.

- The Isthmus

I’ve lived in Madison since 1993 and have been playing in bands locally almost as long. I joined the local music “scene” officially (or as officially as anyone does) in 2006 when I joined my first “gigging out” band. Since then I’ve played in several bands along the way, and have played over 70 shows…or on average, since fall 2006, over one show a month. This might not seem like much of an accomplishment, but I also have a full time job and a family. I don’t have a manager or a PR firm or a record label helping me. I have myself and my band mates and my supportive friends. We write and practice songs, book shows, promote shows, and haul all of our stuff to the shows and then break it down. Our friends dutifully attend. We pay to fix broken instruments and equipment. We DIY or pay others to record our music. We pay all of our own bills with nominal help from the very meager proceeds from playing.

Not that I’m complaining. Playing in Madison bands has been the highlight of my life, truly, and I love doing it. But it can be tough to work hard to play a show that has little turnout or compensation. And at the end of the year when I look back on all of the great accomplishments that my own bands and my friends bands have made…I rarely see those accomplishments reflected in the big end of year lists or in articles by the larger local media outlets. Kudos and congrats and respect to those who have found a way to promote their work in ways that gets the attention of the media. I don’t begrudge those folks that, because I know how hard they’ve worked for it. But it can feel discouraging to realize that the average Madison resident probably thinks that there’s only a dozen or so local bands playing, because they only ever hear about those dozen bands.

There are literally hundreds and hundreds of bands in Madison playing out each month. Every night of the week. And if you add in the folks who are playing in basements across town who haven’t yet crossed over to public performance…well let’s just say that anyone who bemoans the state of music in Madison isn’t really looking too hard. While it’s true that Madison residents could do a heck of a lot better job in coming out to shows, there’s no lack of people playing music in this town. Some are good, some are bad, some are ugly, and some are just plain weird. But they are out there doing what they love and working hard at it.

So my end of year list is the “The Top Ten Madison Bands That You’ve Probably Never Heard Of.” My definition of “top” may not match yours. When I say “top”…I mean that these folks are the tops in my mind. They’ve got heart and spirit and they are just awesome. A few of the bands may also actually be mind-blowingly great musicians…and I’d argue that they all hold their own in this respect. But your mileage may vary and I’m not here to judge greatness. I’m here to judge “rawk’s” true spirit…getting out there and making it happen and following your dreams. Even if your dreams are just to make some music with and for your friends on a regular basis.


Full disclosure, I play in some of these bands. And I’m friends with the rest at one level or another. If you don’t like that, write your own list.

In most of these cases, you can look all of these groups up on Facebook. Most have abandoned MySpace as a viable promotional tool (so don’t judge them if their MySpace page is neglected), but it is still often the best place to hear a tune or three. A quick check of YouTube is also often a good place to catch a glimpse. And all of these guys are out there playing in public on a regular basis. Go catch a show.
Cribshitter

How can you not love a band with a beautiful woman playing tuba and a lion for a drummer? Genre bending and blending…lyrics you’d be embarrassed to play in front of your mother. http://www.myspace.com/cribshitter andhttp://cribshitter.tumblr.com/
4 Aspirin Morning

Punk ska served up with a side of whoop ass. You will dance at this show.http://www.4amband.com/
Venus in Furs

Recent attention from The Isthmus aside, the next two bands on the list still may be unknown to the broader community. Venus in Furs is the kind of band that I used to think “man, if we ever share a bill with them we’ve finally really made it.” Now, having shared the stage many times, I count Nat, Vic, and Marlo as friends. Check them out at http://venusinfursband.com
The Type

Also recently gracing the pages of Isthmus these guys are breaking into the awareness of the masses maybe, but they still know how to rock a lonely room on a Wednesday night. Watching a pregnant gal rock the electric guitar on stage at High Noon recently is one of my finest Madison live music memories. Their new album, "Sirens and Storms" kicks ass. http://www.knowthetype.com/
The Drain

Once upon a time there was a Madison band called Faghat. And it was good. Now called The Drain, they are ready to release to the masses their second album of punk-pop-prog - dane101.com

The members of the Type offer no apology for sounding like a throwback to 1990s grunge and riot grrrl bands. "We kind of play to what our influences have been," says guitarist and songwriter Jeri Casper. What's influenced them is rock music with a dark edge, a punk ethic and an urgent feel that's high on angst. On Sept. 30, the Type celebrate the release of their second CD, Sirens and Storms, with a show at the Inferno.

The quartet are fueled by two female songwriters, Casper and Aly Niemiec. Tim Spinler's drums and Josh Welch's bass provide the rhythm section. It's been five years since the Type formed in Madison — originally as a trio, without Niemiec. "We met through MySpace and Craigslist," says Casper.

Most of the group is old enough to remember when Nirvana released Nevermind, and the Pacific Northwest's 1990s sound is all over the new record. Songs like "Can't Just Say" rely on pop hooks that recall early Foo Fighters and the loud-quiet-loud song structures that Kurt Cobain made famous. Casper and Niemiec's vocal harmonies shine on "A Stranger's Curiosity." The song is thick with a melodic bass line, a wailing electric guitar solo and a steady rhythm progression.

At times, the Type's wall of sound is pierced by vocals that are surprisingly good-natured and optimistic. "We'll Never Be" starts like a love song with the opening lines "We can't tell what is permanent/With you I know what can be/I'm losing myself in this." The chorus continues, "Forget who we are, let's talk about who we want to be."

At other times, the Type take a word-salad approach to writing lyrics, as with the evocatively titled "Same Sex Attraction." Spinler says listeners shouldn't read too much into the words: "They're just nonsense lyrics, but it works." - The Isthmus