Scene Point Blank is excited to share an early full stream of the second album from Jumpstarted Plowhards, a San Pedro, CA collaborative project between Mike Watt (minutemen, firehose, The Stooges, and more) and Todd Congelliere (Toys That Kill, F.Y.P, Clown Sounds+). The new album releases digitally on October 4 via Recess Records and is titled Round Two.
As the story goes:
Todd and Mike first met in the early '90s when F.Y.P. shared bills with Watt’s bass duo, dos. In 2013, Mike Watt and the Secondmen released their version of Toys That Kill’s “No One” on both a split 7” with Qui and a compilation of covers of Todd’s songs. Throughout the first two decades of the 21st century, Mike’s Missingmen frequently did dates with the former’s Toys That Kill, and after a 2017 West Coast tour together Watt proposed a collaboration. He’d supply Todd with bass parts recorded to click tracks and Congelliere would flesh out the songs with guitars and vocals and recruit different drummers to complete respective tunes.
That led to the excellent Round One, released in 2019, with promises of more material to come. The new collection features 8 more songs, with drums from members of Jane's Addiction, Matt & Kim, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, and more.
In the Summer of 2018, Todd received a CDR with 15 selections, headed to his Clown Sound studios and got down the business feeling both excited and overwhelmed. After laying his parts, and getting Watt to record spiels on two songs, Congelliere began contacting drummers. As each song started taking shape, a prospective drummer usually popped into his head. Here’re Todd’s observations of what each one brought to the sessions:
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1. "The Safe Call" feat. Stephen Perkins (Jane’s Addiction, Porno For Pyros)
Being in these monster acts I thought Perk would have no time at all for this. Turns out it took just one phone call during breakfast and it was done within 24 hours. Wow! He couldn’t have been more pleasant.
2. "Plowhards Revenge Potion No.40" feat. Russell Simins (Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Service)
I met Russell when his new band, Service, played our club (The Sardine). I think I played it so cool but on the inside I was 14 and pissing my pants. He told me he dug Recess Records. Blown away. Then Service played. Blown away twice. JSBX are like the punk rock Rolling Stones to me and Russell’s drumming is a HUGE reason. Listen to Orange and Now, I Got Worry and tell me these aren’t two of the greatest albums of all time. Bill Ward and Russell are the most responsible for my annoying air drumming.
3. "It Cost Us All" feat. Raymond Terrones (A Lovely Sort of Death)
LSD is one of my favorite Pedro local bands. They’re so highly underrated that it makes me angry. Ray’s drumming style is like no one else. It’s borderline freaky and scary. I love that.
4. "The Cut You Counted On" feat. Mindee Jorgensen (Mod Pods)
Mindee plays in an awesome local band called Mod Pods. They’re groovy and excellent. Mindee is also a drum teacher.
5. "Sonic Blow" feat. Derek Bloom (From First To Last)
I don’t know Derek but he emailed me saying that he’d love to play drums on something I was working on. Totally!
6. "Under The Light Crawl" feat. Steve Reed (Legal Weapon, Saccharine Trust, Carnage Asada)
My first interaction with Steve was through an email. He totally stressed me out to where I shut the computer and exclaimed, “This fuckin’ guy!” Although it was email, usually these first impressions stick. Not this time. I’ve gotten to know and hang with him a lot since and he’s one of my favorite people on this earth. At the time of writing this I literally can’t think of someone more kind. Steve is mainly a bass player but just knows rhythm.
7. "Not That Much / None" feat. Kim Schifino (Matt & Kim)
I hooked up Matt & Kim’s first ever LA area show in San Pedro on a slab of concrete a couple of feet away from the ocean. They ended up coming back, playing whatever dive bar we could get em in. Now they’re a little too big for these joints but not much has changed with their love for music.
8. "WF Damage Control Theme Song" feat. Ryan Davidson (Conduit Closing, Coma Twins)
Ryan has been one of the main bartenders at The Sardine since we first opened. It also turns out he’s a great drummer. This was an obvious choice to me cos of his loose yet super solid style. He also did this song in one take! When you listen to it all the way through you’ll think “This dude’s a fucking liar!”
A vinyl release is planned for the future at an unknown date. Congelliere's Clown Sounds just released a new single also, "Primetime Recount."
