The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir

After their horrific van crash in September last year, TSYGC has been busy healing and re-habbing and more healing.  Recently, though, they've started practicing again with an eye on performances in June.  Read THIS story on their progress and their health care triumphs and tribulations in the Chicago Tribune.

Thanks to all of you who came out December 19th to Chicago's Double Door to benefit the "Get Well" funds for the Scotland Yard Gospel Choir and Lawrence Peters.  Thanks to you all we raised over $4000 for them AND gathered a couple bins worth of canned good for Catholic Charities.

Hope you enjoyed yourselves.  We're looking forward to new music in 2010 from all the bands that played: Dex Romweber Duo (baby, that killer cover of the Xavier Cugat nugget "Brazil" is still jumping in my head), the Blacks and the Detroit Cobras.

Happy New Year from your hard working pals at Bloodshot.

Bloodshot Digest: The "I'm So Pissed FOX Cancelled Dollhouse" Edition:

• Check out this week's Gapers Block feature on music-industry interns -- the piece features a couple of Bloodshot's own, Jill and Zach! Thanks for all the nice stuff you guys said about us (and thanks for not telling the writer we paid you $20 to say those things).

• No Depression has been hard-at-work digitizing its back issues for the web. This week, they featured Scott H Biram's cover story from a few years back -- fans new to Scott's work can read about the horrific car crash Biram survived, and recovered from, with determination and humor.

• Speaking of surviving, we're happy to report SYGC continues to heal from their van accident. We're told that Mark's now able to take walks, and should be able to go home soon. There's another benefit show for the band tomorrow night at the venue, and our just-announced holiday show at The Double Door will also aid the band. Gapers Block has the rundown here.

Greetings,

We here in the office are already to the bottom of our Day-Glo Pumpkin candy bucket---just a few Sweet Tarts, gumballs, packets of candy corn and one broken pixie stick that lost all its powdery goodness are left at the bottom.

Speaking of sugary delights (hey, not all segueways can be perfect), here are some tidbits that have come across our desks this week.

• Dex Romweber appeared in Nashville alongside the LEGENDARY Charlie Louvin.  Here's some photos and video.

• Chicago Sun-Times writer Jim DeRogatis gives the world an update on the Scotland Yard Gospel Choir's recovery following their horrific van accident in September and previews the benefit concert at the Hideout on November 12th.  Read the article here.

• In other Chicago-related news, we are in danger of taking our amazing music scene for granted.  For all that goes on here, we lag far behind in getting City Hall's support. Now, they are threatening to cut the budgets for public music events.  Sign the petition to make sure they know we care about our city's cultural offerings and to keep this a world class destination for music and the arts.

• Make sure you take advantage of our Random Cool Giveaways event, wherein you can score free t's, Lps, CDs, or 7" singles for yourself as endeavor to clean off some shelves before the Holiday onslaught.

• Finally, some sad news to report for all Chicagoans who are fond of old-school drinking establishments (that would CERTAINLY include us): Johnnie,  owner of Johnnie's Lounge (or "the Hamm's Bar" as i always knew when i lived down the street from it) on Lincoln Ave died last week.  The Bloodshot Staff Xmas dinner is held at Fernando's (due to their Queso Fundido and toxic margaritas) and we always went across the street for a nightcap(or seven) afterwards.  Much dancing, tomfoolery and Johnnie storytelling took place.  He shall be missed and the era of the local tavern, in these days of "concept" bars, mixology places and thrice filtered autumnal blueberry ales, comes one step closer to existing in our memories alone.  Read about him here.

Prosit, Johnnie and thanks.

The "I am Chuck Bass" Edition

• Big news, Upper East Siders! In this week's episode of Gossip Girl, you can hear "One Night Stand" from The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir's new album, ... and the horse you rode in on! Listen about 3 minutes into the ep, when Nate brings over to Dan's Brooklyn loft a movie starring his new girlfriend Olivia and ... oh ... Anyway, SYGC lives in Gossip Girl infamy here.

• Ha Ha Tonka -- who is currently criss-crossing these United States with Ludo -- recently visited Daytrotter for an encore session. Listen to their Take 2 with the Rock Island-based rock site now.

• The Chicago History Museum is currently gathering ephemera for an upcoming exhibit on the famed, and long-gone, rock club Lounge Ax. This week, they wax nostalgic on discovering Old 97s there, and share video of the young band performing live at Lounge Ax (you can find the video on our DVD compilation).

• Speaking of the Old 97s, you can now PRE-ORDER our upcoming reissue of Wreck Your Life -- a double-LP featuring WRL as well as all the Bloodshot 7''s the first time on vinyl! This is a VERY limited-edition run -- Pre-order it now, before it's gone!

Coach House Sounds, a Chicago-based website, is having a lauch party on Tuesday, November 10th @ The Whistler, 8 pm FREE!

Features performances by Animal City, Zing! and Classical Revolution of Chicago.

Raffle prizes from Bloodshot, Drag City, Contraphonic Records, Busy Beaver Buttons, and CHIRP.  Proceeds from the raffle will go to the Scotland Yard Gospel Choir recovery fund.

SYGC recorded for Coach House earlier this year.  Check it out here.

The But The Weatherman Promised Me Snow edition:

• After swearing at me about how STUPID Twitter is, Scott H Biram went and joined it. You can follow him @ScottHBiram. In 140 characters or less, Biram's been regaling us with tales from his current US tour—check out the dates and see if he'll be headed your way.

• Perfect Sound Forever has an interview with Exene, where she talks about moving back to LA, where the punk scene is now, and how she almost changed her last name -- You can read it here.

• Rosie Flores' upcoming album, Girl of the Century, is now on pre-sale! Once you order a copy, check out one of her Texas shows with the Pine Valley Cosmonauts or at the Tempe Bloodshot BBQ.

• The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir is continuing to recover from its van accident last month, but good news is coming in: Mark is out of ICU; Gibson is replacing the guitar Mary lost in the wreck; and WOXY / LaLa.com will be featuring SYGC as their band of the week on Thursday!

• In more SYGC news, both Subterranean and The Hideout in Chicago have generously donated nights for benefit shows -- Halloween eve at Sub-T will feature BBU, Canasta, New Duncan Imperials, Kevin Flynn and the Avondale Ramblers, along w/ appearances from members of SYGC. Meanwhile, the Hideout announced a benefit on November 12 featuring The 1900s and Brighton, MA. You can read more about these shows here.

We are saddened to announce that The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir was in a serious auto accident today. They are in hospitals receiving medical attention; most of them being treated for minor injuries. We will post more information as we can. Our thoughts are with them.

UPDATE (9/25): Ethan, Jay and Alison were treated and released from the hospital.

UPDATE (9/25): To offset medical and equipment expenses, a PayPal donation account has been set up in the band's name:

The "What Am I Gonna Eat For Lunch?" edition:

• We're just a few days away from the flagship 15th anniversary celebration at the Hideout Block Party -- There's still time to get tickets!

• There's a new Grammy category this year: "Americana." While the nominees for the category won't be announced for another month, USA Today runs down the year's top contenders, and includes our very own Justin Townes Earle as "Grammy-worthy." Read all about it!

• The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir will be having an unofficial, pre-Hideout Block Party record release bash at Reckless Records in Wicker Park (1532 N Milwaukee Ave) on Thursday, September 10 at 6pm. It's all-ages, free, and the band will have the new record on sale, so you can be the very first person on your block with your very own copy. Make your pals jealous!

• Hey foodies! We've got the Red Hook restaurant THE GOOD FORK catering our Brooklyn BBQ on September 26 at The Bell House. There will be FREE munchies to the first 150 people, but the good folks at the Good Fork will be selling small plates throughout the day. The Good Fork has been profiled in just about every NY foodie publication, and was recently featured on "Bobby Flay's Throwdown," where co-owner Sohui totally showed Bobby who's boss with her famous pot stickers.