joe johnson, original guitarist for love 666 ("the most important underground band in america" - alternative press) has formed a new band, 'usadown'. the first incarnation of the band, with the winged skull playing keyboards, recorded 'this is the new american national anthem' in the summer of 2000, a 47-minute screaming white noise assault cut on a boombox. at the same sessions, they tracked an album of psychedelic country rock ballads called 'death in the usa', as yet unreleased.
johnson took usadown on the road for the first time in may 2007, touring on 'this is the new american national anthem'
in the intervening period, the band recorded 'drugs' in 2004, at legendary country hit parade omega studios in rockville, md. this session featured angel (ex-love 666) on drums and the winged skull playing keyboards. each member was on a different personal trip: the winged skull was playing songs off a completely different album of his own composition, angel was struggling with a health crisis that altered his style, and johnson was trying to ward off a serious drinking problem.
'drugs' should be equated with both the highest points and the complete decimation of the actual drug experience, i.e., the beautiful moments and the long periods of drifting, pain and non-functionality. it can be compared to neil young's 'tonight's the night', al pacino's 'the panic in needle park' . . . stark realism and the courage to let things fall apart. johnson thought the album was a complete failure at first, but after months of listening, he realized the context and value of it. and decided to put it out.
the 2007 tour on 'this is the new american national anthem' garnered critic's picks from the new york times, time out new york, the austin chronicle, the chicago reader, the phoenix new times and was unanimously well-received.
2009's 'shoot to kill' remains unfinished and has been temporarily shelved. to date it has yielded several unique singles: the seven minute full-on wall of sound ballad 'goodbye' and the stripped down guitar/piano song of no return 'country road.'
usadown is currently in the studio working on their next record, a self-titled 20 song epic slated for release in 2010.
some press:
"a free noise clinic in a single 47-minute composition . . . whenever a structure becomes apparent, the duo shifts directions at breakneck speed to deconstruct the inherent qualities of structure. it's very cool stuff, man." - phoenix new times on 'this is the new american national anthem'
'guitarist joe johnson's emphatic string-wrestling imbues the band's self-titled debut with the sort of metallized sun ra spaciness that characterized 'kick out the jams' - trouser press on 'love 666'
"if you are old enough to remember hendrix high and chewing on stage while performing the anthem with his super distorted fender, just imagine him doing the same in a waaaaay less composite and orderly way and with a ton more drugs in his body . . . " - chaindlk.com on 'this is the new american national anthem'
