How appropriate that one of the sunniest afternoons in recent memory would herald the sun-tinged, power-chord laden music of none other than Paul Collins, back in Milwaukee once gain to help Milwaukeeans shake off any winter blahs and boo-hisses with a booty-shaking set at Riverwest venue stalwart, Linneman’s? Let’s dig into this nature-inspired aesthetic and let it lead us into another weekend of snowy shenanigans.

Maybe you got to listen into WMSE at  2 p.m. for Collins’ interview with Andy Turner’s Zero Hour earlier today…the reason for the occasion? Collins’ stop at Linneman’s tonight. Also playing, are the undeniably catchy Sugar Stems and Sleepovers. Wait! No time to stop dancing, yet. The Get Drunk DJs will make sure of that as they spin tons of classics that make one long for a spilled-beer-floor on which to do some sweet slides. 9 p.m.

If you prefer to blast your winter blahs out of existence, look no further than Frank’s Power Plant tonight for a metal triple attack with Architects of the Aftermath, New Labor and Bible Of the Devil. 9:30 p.m. And ask the rockers what’s up at Cactus Club with some solid new punk from Heavy Hand and post-punk deliciousness from competitive math/music league, Absolutely. Add in Ween-like weirdos, Scrimshaw, and the bill should be the closest to a true punk rock show feel and the furthest from traditional rock show boundaries. Black tees and Converse need not apply.

Join WMSE at Kochanski’s Concertina Beer Hall at 8 p.m. on Saturday for a little something different other than the usual accordions and tubas. Ex Fabula further dives into its storytelling series, Terminal Milwaukee, which chronicles five distinctive Milwaukee neighborhoods over seven separate events, this particular one hosted by none other than WMSE Station Manager, Tom Crawford as he details the Milwaukee neighborhoods he was raised, lived and worked in.

One of Milwaukee’s most prolific and savvy rappers, KingHellBastard showcases The War Room at 9 p.m. at Mad Planet on Saturday night (preview it by clicking, here), put together in part with Dana Coppafell, Joell Ortiz, Evan Christian, A-Biz, Elle Razberry, Pezzetino, The WhiteRussian, Reason, White Shadow and LMNtlyst. KHB shares the night and the stage with Speak Easy, DJ Jank One, Dope Sandwich and Villa Rosa. The man should get props for amount of collaborators, alone.

Want some more hip hop, but rather hang on the south side? Check out Logic & Raze at the Cactus Club for a 10 p.m. show. The duo have a new song you can check out beforehand, but if you show up, expect to hear that, and music from The Hollowz, Up North and DJ Optimist.

The Helene Zelazo Center for the Performing Arts must be the place to be on Sunday, for the show featuring Camille Saint-Saens’ String Quartet No. 2 in G Major, Johannes Brahms’ Variations on a Theme by Robert Schumann and Brahms’ Piano Quintet in F Minor and featuring guest pianist Joseph Kalichstein is absolutely sold out. Are you one of the lucky ticket holders? This solely serves as your reminder and also as a heads’ up to the rest to pay attention to the season’s lineup, early! Next performance is scheduled for March 25th.

Tune into the Mad Kids show on Tuesday, January 31st at 10 p.m. to listen to an interview with The Cranberry Show, “the dopest show on earth”.  DJ Bizzon will talk to the local hip hop duo (Young Focus and Arcane) about their upcoming album release at The Rave that Thursday, February 2nd. Dope.

words by Andy Turner

Releasing two live albums from the late, great Plimsouls is more than enough to make me embrace Alive/Naturalsound Records. After all, my radio show, Zero Hour, takes its name from the classic Plimsouls song of the same title. But the Los Angeles-based record label started in 1994 by Patrick Boissel through his association with Greg and Suzy Shaw’s Bomp! Records has plenty more to offer. Alive’s impressive catalog boasts the Black Keys (their celebrated debut, The Big Come Up, is the label’s best-selling release), Left Lane Cruiser, Thomas Function, Two Gallants, T-Model Ford, Occult Detective Club, Outrageous Cherry, Brimstone Howl, Nathaniel Mayer and more. Boissel recently took time to answer a few questions for WMSE.

How difficult was it to put out your first release?

Getting our first record out was never an issue, as fortunately I was associated with Bomp! and I could use Suzy and Greg’s (Boissel is now married to Suzy; Greg Shaw died in 2004) setup from day one. Alive/Naturalsound, as it exists today, was born when The Big Come Up was released. It was the first time that the Naturalsound logo appeared alongside the Alive logo. I designed it based on an old blues record logo, and I have pretty much used it since. The Big Come Up was initially pressed at 500 copies for the vinyl and we did 1,000 CDs. Before that, the Alive releases were rather sporadic and eclectic, from GG Allin, which was the first release, to the Swell Maps and Nikki Sudden.

You are a faithful believer in vinyl records. You frequently put out limited colored versions of albums and the new label compilation Where is Parker Griggs? is only available on vinyl and download. Why vinyl? What special appeal does vinyl hold for you and Alive fans?

We do color vinyl for pretty much all our releases and we often change colors when we re-press them. I enjoy changing the covers as well, with new designs, or with a different printing process for example, I find it fun  and creative. Re-pressing the same object endlessly can get boring, although I understand it’s the essence of the business. There are hundreds, often thousands, of different editions of certain books…why not approach music packaging the same way? As far as Where is Parker Griggs?, I wanted it to satisfy fans of the label with rare tracks and oddities, but I hoped for the release to be an attractive object as well. An album cover is part of the listening experience; it should enhance it. Joshua Marc Levy, who also designed the latest Buffalo Killers album cover, did the artwork for this release.

In what ways has the success of the Black Keys impacted Alive?

I have more money to spend on other artists. Plus, their success brought a little bit of attention to the label as well.

How did you connect with Paul Collins and Peter Case and come about the excellent archival releases (including the just-out live Beach Town Confidential from a 1983 Plimsouls show) that Alive has released?

I contacted Paul Collins because I was interested in reissuing his first band, The Nerves. Paul put me in touch with Peter Case, who put me in touch with Jack Lee. It took me almost three years to get it done, but we eventually released One Way Ticket. My relationship with Peter and Paul developed from there. The Plimsouls, Breakaways and other releases followed, and they’re now reuniting for a US tour (appearing in Milwaukee at Shank Hall on Saturday, March 24th); it worked out great.

How would you describe Alive’s influence on independent music/labels over its history?

If you look at the big picture, I would say insignificant, at this point. We may represent some hope for other small labels though…the ‘you can make it if you try’ kinda thing.

What upcoming releases can you tell me about? What else is on the horizon for Alive?

The debut album by Lee Bains III and The Glory Fires is coming out soon. There’s one track of his on the Where Is Parker Griggs? release. We also have a new Andre Williams record in the works, produced by Matt Smith of Outrageous Cherry. Also in the works is a Left Lane Cruiser and James Leg album. James Leg is John Wesley of The Black Diamond Heavies. We’re also reissuing Radio Moscow’s previously unreleased debut album recorded back when Parker was only 17. It’s way more garage than his current work, in a Nuggets and Pebbles vein. It rocks.

Check out Alive/Naturalsound recording artist Paul Collins when he visits Zero Hour around 2 p.m. today. Also tune in to hear songs from the Alive catalog when I salute the label during the second half of my show.

It’s been proven that good things stick around so we aren’t surprised that the goodness that is the MELT music series is one of those things (maybe just surprised how fast that one year went!). Fueled and masterminded by local electronic scholar, The Demix, tonight’s celebration includes returning favorite Pressboard (Jim Schoenecker of Collections of Colonies of Bees fame) as well as the Javelin-like amazingness from WC Tank (listen, above) and Madison’s Brad Hawes, otherwise known as Echo Island, whose sparkling melodies loop over his delectable beats. Check into Club Garibaldi’s tonight at 9 p.m. and check out some of the most exciting local electronic sounds that are hitting the both the studio and the stage.

What: Call Me Lightning w/ Hot Coffin

When: (tonight) Wednesday, January 25th, 9pm

Where: the Hotel Foster (2028 E. North Avenue)

RIYL: local music, rock/punk rock, sweaty shows, loud guitars, louder drums

We don’t know how we let this one slip by (with an original release date late last fall), but we’re making up for lost ground with lots of repeat plays of the new singles from Hope Sandoval and friends. It’s pretty perfect for crisp winter afternoons, alternately sweet and bitter, its wistfulness housed in Sandoval’s forever-sad vocals. Mazzy Star’s new 7″ Common Burn includes the title track as well as “Lay Myself Down” — listen, above.