Sorry for the late post! I'm not gonna bother with excuses and get right to it...
This week's theme: New York City Bands!

1. Electric Shadows - Break the Rules

The Shadows have been one of my favorite NYC bands for some time now. They play good old powerpop, kind of similar to the Exploding Hearts. They're supposedly releasing an EP in the near future, so look out for updates on that on their myspace: http://www.myspace.com/electricshadows

2. Baby Shakes - If Looks Could Kill

These girls are way too goddamn cute. They have a 7" out on Douchemaster records which you can order by messaging them on their Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/babyshakes). They're also playing with The Star Spangles at CBGB two weeks from now on March 15, so if you're in town go to the show for some pre-St. Paddy's day fun!

3. S.M.U.T. - There's Gonna Be Blood

Hey, speaking of cute... this band is fronted by NYC's DIY booking queen, Cutie Calamity. But don't let her name fool ya- when you're not looking, Cutie and the S.M.U.T. ladies (and gent) will take you by the balls and rip em out your short and curlies! After you go shake some babies on the 15th, get your punk on and party it up with S.M.U.T, WWIX and the Blackout Shoppers on the 17th at Otto's (21+)! Oh yeah, and guess what? They have a myspace! http://www.myspace.com/nycsmut

4. Some Action - Double Cross My Heart

I found this song on Rapid Pulse Record's Let's Have Some Goddamn Fun! comp and can't stop listening to it! Some Action have been, well, missing in action for some time now but according to their myspace page (http://www.myspace.com/someaction), they'll be gigging in the next couple of months and will be releasing an album this spring. With the weather as it is right now though, who knows when spring will actually be.

5. Jonny Lives! - Get Steady

I don't know if this is cheating or shameless plug or whatever because I actually intern for this band's management company. Nevertheless, I can't help but feature them because Jonny Lives! are catchy as all fuck. You really need to see them perform live to get it though. They're playing a TON of shows in the upcoming weeks - this Thurs (Mar 2) at Sin-e and next Tues (Mar 7) at Southpaw for you under 21s. Be one of their zillions of Myspace buddies! http://www.myspace.com/jonnylives Hey, they're actually pretty good at responding though...

6. Zombie Vandals - Youth of the Night

Total change of pace now.. The Zombie Vandals play awesome street punk. And that'as pretty much all there is to it. http://www.myspace.com/zombievandals

7. The Spunks - Jet Blue

Check out The Spunks especially if you like Guitar Wolf. They put on a live show that's just as amazing too. They're touring nationwide with great all girl rock'n'roll band from Japan called Gito Gito Hustler. Tour dates are available on their myspace (http://www.myspace.com/thespunks). They're playing CB's Bar next Sunday at 7PM (without Gito Gito though, unfortunately).

Now the next couple of bands aren't really from New York, but they're playing here in the next couple of weeks so here are some mp3s to try to convince you to go to their shows!

8. Funeral Dress - I'm In Love with Oi!

TONIGHT: Funeral Dress, The Radicts, The Agitators, Copyright Chaos @ CBGB $7 16+

9. Midnight Creeps - Nightime Nasty

This Sunday Mar 5 the Midnight Creeps (along with Electric Frankenstein) are support 45 Grave at CBGB. Show starts at 6PM and it's $12. 16+

For more shows, check out the sidebar!

In celebration of President's day, I've decided that this week's theme is gonna be the good ol' US of A.

1. Brain Failure - Coming to the USA

Riddle me this- why do all Asian punk bands want to sound like Rancid? Okay, maybe with the exception of the Japanese. Anyways, Brain Failure (China) are pretty good stuff. This is maybe not their best song (hey... but it's got USA in the title!) so here's one off the Hellcat comp, Give 'Em the Boot vol. 4, which is better: Brain Failure - That's What I Know.

Like em? Well, they're opening for Against All Authority this April! In NYC at the Knitting Factory April 6 $12 6PM... Exact tour info isn't up yet but find out when they're coming to your town from Radio City Booking (under AAA's tourdates).

2. The Briefs - We Americans

I'm not really sure why purple tracksuits make them sick - I think they're pretty stylin'! The Briefs make me want to move to the West Coast because they're one of my favorite live bands and they definitely don't come to the east enough. They're currently touring Europe, but fortunately my research tells me that they'll be headed my way in a couple months. More specifically, they're playing New York on April 23 at the Knitting Factory with the Horrorpops. Don't tell anyone though, I think it's a secret!

3. The Clash - I'm So Bored With The USA

You already know it, so don't make me 'splain. I also gotta throw this one in though: Manic Hispanic - I'm So Bored With You, Ese. I really don't need to explain this band either.. listen to the song and you pretty much got what they're about.

4. Eater - Thinking of the USA

You heard it before... a bunch of bored kids decide to put together a band in high school. But how many of those bands play their first gigs with the Buzzcocks? Okay, so it was '76 and the Buzzcocks had only just formed, but still- these young lads had talent and potential. Unfortunately the band broke up in '79. They did manage to release a couple of singles and an album which UK label Anagram compiled these onto one great CD, The Compleat Eater.

5. The Sounds - Living in America

It's pretty funny that 4 out of the 5 of the songs I'm posting are written by non-Americans. The Sounds are from Sweden and they play great indie rock. A couple years ago my band actually did a cover of The Sounds, a track called "Rock & Roll" off their internationally successful 2002 debut album, Living in America. They're releasing their follow up effort, Dying to Say this to You, mid-March. Check out the teaser here. They even bought their own domain just for the teaser.

Well, that's it for this week. If you wanna be told about new Pure Mania! posts, enter your email address in the box on the left sidebar to subscribe.

I just added an NYC shows section to my sidebar (left side of the page)... Check it out!

Well, now, this it seems is the start of my mp3 blog. Thanks to Gnatty for encouraging me to do this!

Since it's nearly Valentine's day, I thought I'd kick things off with a couple of songs about love...

1. Richard Hell & the Voidoids - Love Comes in Spurts

This is, of course, Richard Hell's post-Television & Heartbreaker's band. Hell is still very much active; not in music though, but with poetry. He recently released a book of 13 poems with David Shapiro entitled Rabbit Duck and is making some appearances in Europe and the Eastern US this Spring. Check out more at http://www.richardhell.com

Also, if you're in NYC and have access to the NYU library you should check out the Fales Library Richard Hell papers. Actually, Hell's work is also currently being featured at an art show at the NYU Grey Gallery at the moment until April 1st. Check out the Downtown Show, which takes a look at the New York art scene from the late 70s to the early 80s.

2. Exploding Hearts - I'm A Pretender

The Exploding Hearts were powerpop/punk band from Portland, OR who you need to check out if you haven't already. I read somewhere that their 2002 album, Guitar Romantic, was more like a greatest hits comp than an album and this is entirely true. Unfortunately the band met an untimely end in a 2004 car accident. You can still check out their website or check out remaining member Terry's new band The Nice Boys, who are also pretty damn good.

3. The Zeroes - Beat Your Heart Out

Late 70s Cali punk band... the "Mexican Ramones". True dat. You can get re-releases of their stuff from Bomp! Records.

4. The Shivvers - Please Stand By

A rather shortlived late 70s/early 80s powerpop band from Milwaukee, WI. Kind of like Nikki & the Corvettes. If anyone wants to buy me this awesome CD from Hyped2Death, that'd be great... thanks.

5. Little Bo Bitch/The Lonely Boys - I Want Your Love

I actually just managed to get a hold of their self-titled album the other night and so far I think it's rocking. Known as Little Bo Bitch in the UK, they changed their name to the Lonely Boys before hitting the US because according to guitarist Steve Carroll, "the Americans couldn't handle the word "Bitch""*. The band met with a bit of success on the UK radio, but because of lack of direction and record company money, they broke up. Too bad. They're very new wave and pop. A lot of fun.

Well... I guess that's all for now! I hope you enjoyed that as much as I did. Comment to let me know what you guys think... I need tons of suggestions for future stuff too!

*Quoted from Steve Carroll post-Little Bo Bitch interview, 1999. http://www.praying-mantis.com/mantis/steve.shtml