World Racketeering Squad blog

Luna Tart loves Bush on Video, thanks to Reed

reedoliver@gmail.com — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 13:26:35 -0500

In a past life I was an independent filmmaker. No, really. And I've been putting together the live videos of the Squad for months, but this is the first opportunity I've had to do a quick and dirty video for an artist I respect as much as Isaac and Bruce, the inimitable Luna Tart!

The video is low-key, but the lyrics are NSFW. :)

And then we went ahead and shot a bonus video just for giggles:

He had a long way to go, and a short time to get there.

brucewchandler@gmail.com — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 11:04:28 -0500

I was really bummed to here about the passing of Jerry Reed yesterday. He was one of my favorite guitar players.

New Alexa Woodward recording project

brucewchandler@gmail.com — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 11:01:12 -0500

After hearing the work I did on J Wagner's new album, I was stoked and honored that at this year's Kerrville Wine & Music Festival Alexa Woodward asked me to engineer & produce her next album.

Alexa lives in New York and is an urban banjoist songwriter. Check her out HERE and HERE. You won't be disappointed.

All I want for christmas is my R2D2 DVD/Video Projector/iPod dock

brucewchandler@gmail.com — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 10:43:00 -0500

Forget world peace, ending hunger, and christmas cheer - I want one of THESE!

Sweet!

Meanwhile, back at the Ranch ...

reedoliver@gmail.com — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:12:18 -0500

Yes, it's time again for the Kerrville Wine and Music Festival, affectionately known as Little Folk, to relax, play and listen to music all night, and engage in hippy hijinks.

Little Folk will always be special for the Squad, because it's where we first performed our songs someplace other than Reed's living room and the positive reactions and love we encountered gave us the boost we needed to start playing open mics around Austin.

A year flew by so quickly, and the Squad moves with the times, so join us for a drink and tune at Quiet Valley Ranch (hydration is vital!) and we'll see you September 3rd at the Red Eyed Fly for our Summer and CD Combo-Release Fiesta!

Until then, enjoy this clip of the old Gene Autry science fiction movie serial, The Phantom Empire! I watched these as a kid and loved them. Yay YouTube!

CDs and photos on the way!

progressions@gmail.com — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 12:31:21 -0500

I got word yesterday from Mitch, our excellent and talented photographer, that our photographs from the August Red-Eyed Fly gig are ready and in the mail to WRS HQ in beautiful northeast Austin. You can rest assured, we'll be posting those here, there and everywhere when they arrive.

We're also in the process of creating our new CD which we'll be distributing at shows, including our newest recording, "Needful Things", aka "the tin whistle song"!

Stay tuned for news on how to get CDs as well as t-shirts and stickers!

Johann gets his Jam On - Bruce Produces

reedoliver@gmail.com — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 12:51:49 -0500

Johann Wagner proudly releases his new album, "Desert Needle Grass" this Friday at Cafe Mundi, and the Squad will be there to celebrate.

Not only are we friends and fans of the studly but sensitive Johann, but we're also the power behind the music. Even though Bruce Chandler rocks 24/7 to the WRS beat, he somehow found time to record and produce Johann's new album. Bruce just can't help himself. So much awesome requires multiple outlets.

So when you come to Care Mundi Friday, not only will you bask in the boyish grin of Johann Wagner, you'll also get to hear what Bruce sounds like playing percussion for such a fine folksinger AND purchase the triumph of musical magic that the Wagner-Chandler combo brings to the world.

See you there!

Friday Aug 22 - 8:00 PM
Cafe Mundi
1704 East 5th St

John McCain: ABBA Fan

brucewchandler@gmail.com — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 08:18:28 -0500

Well, I guess he's not ALL bad. ABBA Rules!

Link

Recording "Needful Things

progressions@gmail.com — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 22:00:22 -0500

Just got back from Bruce's place where we laid down a host of epic guitar tracks for "Needful Things", our tin-whistle song.

The main part is one I've been playing live forever, but once we started putting down tracks on top of that I was able to find some really interesting themes and melodies that I hadn't thought of before.

It makes the song slightly more melancholy at the ending, and I can totally see it being used in a teenage soap opera TV show or movie. The girl who broke up with her boyfriend can be sitting in the park where they used to hang out, or by the window with the rain streaming down the pane, thinking about the good times past...

Producers, give us a call!

Now we've got everything recorded but the tin whistle and the organ. The goal is to have "Needful Things" mixed and in the can soon enough to make 3-track CDs available at the Red-Eyed Fly on Sept 3 and after.

'Llectuals: coming to PBS

progressions@gmail.com — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 12:48:29 -0500