Epidemics - I don't get it (video)

New stuff from Umeå pop-punk act Epidemics. Expect an EP from the band later this year.

MP3: Paper - Built the system

Relentless, single-minded in the best possible way and extolling the very essence of the mantra "keep it simple, stupid"; this is Paper. And they're also playing at our It's a Trap! Clubnight at Debaser Malmö tomorrow night with Epidemics from Umeå! Don't screw this one up folks.

Paper - Built the system

Epidemics tour report

Swedish punkrockers Epidemics report back from tour: http://epidemicsrock.wordpress.com/2011/05/08/tour-report/

Epidemics added to May Clubnight

Umeå pop-punks Epidemics have been added to our May 28 Clubnight! Be there!

New Epidemics EP, tour

Swedish female-fronted pop-punk act Epidemics have a new 7" EP they are giving away as a free download: http://epidemics.bandcamp.com/album/no-reply-e-p
The band is also heading out for a few live dates in April:

04/22 - Lobusch, Hamburg (GER)
04/23 - Koma F, Berlin (GER)
04/24 - Elba, Warsaw (POL)
04/26 - Mitril, Olomouc (CZ)
04/27 - Futurum, Prague (CZ)
04/28 - Pod Lampou, Plzen (CZ)
04/29 - L'86 (early show), Finsterwalde (GER)
04/29 - Kombi (late show), Nuenchritz (GER)
04/30 - G16 festival, Leipzig (GER)

En samling från Turist i Tillvaron

Turist i Tillvaron, the blog of Swedish punk critic Mikael Sörling, is putting out a comp LP this summer: http://sirling.blogspot.com/2011/02/turist-i-tillvaron-ger-ut-samlings-lp.html
Featured artists include Slöa Knivar, Abjekt, Bäddat för Trubbel, Epidemics, Snutjävel and more.

Umeå Punk City Fanzine + CD

Now in stock: Umeå Punk City Fanzine + CD
This zine + compilation package features 30+ interviews with Umeå-based punk acts such as AC4, Regulations, Masshysteri, Invasionen, Knugen Faller, Industri Royal, Epidemics, The Bombettes and way more along with a 26-track compilation CD. Not only that, it's dirt cheap! Highly recommended, especially for anyone with an interest in hyper-local music scenes! See more here: http://umeapunkcity.blogspot.com/

Updated Euro dates for Epidemics

Updated tourdates for Umeå-based punkrockers Epidemics:

04/17 - Kafe 44, Stockholm (SWE)
04/18 - Showdown Henriksberg, Göteborg (SWE)
04/20 - DGB Keller, Mainz (GER)
04/21 - Cloeb Frisch, Wiesbaden (GER)
04/22 - 3Königskeller, Frankfurt (GER)
04/23 - Elpi, Freiburg (GER)
04/24 - Teufel, Heidelberg (GER)
04/25 - Plattendeck, Emsdetten (GER)

The band will be bringing along fellow Umeå resident Inge Johansson from The (International) Noise Conspiracy to rep for label/club night Ny Våg and to DJ. They'll also be carrying copies of their new (English-language) zine "Umeå Punk City 2008", which I should hope is self-explanatory enough -- I'm looking forward to getting a copy of said zine myself.

Epidemics to tour Germany

Umeå-based punkrockers Epidemics are heading out on tour in April:

04/17 - tba (SWE)
04/18 - Showdown Henriksberg, Göteborg (SWE)
04/19 - tba (GER)
04/20 - DGB Keller, Mainz (GER)
04/21 - Cloeb Frisch, Wiesbaden (GER)
04/22 - 3Königskeller, Frankfurt (GER)
04/23 - Elpi, Freiburg (GER)
04/24 - Teufel, Heidelberg (GER)
04/25 - Plattendeck, Emsdetten (GER)

Here's the playlist for this week's radio show:

01. Familjen - Nu händer det igen
02. TALK 1
03. Murmansk - Pale
04. KTMK - Valaistu risti
05. Lapko - Hugging the phone
06. Hebosagil - Big sun
07. TALK 2
08. Samuraj Cities - Washed up!
09. Sad Day for Puppets - Marble gods
10. Logh - An alliance of hearts
11. Epidemics - Never grow up
12. TALK 3
13. Simon Says No! - Shiver
14. Kornstad - Turkey, Texas
15. Spirits of the Dead - White lady/Black rave
16. TALK 4
17. Laakso - Hang me in the Christmas tree

Reminder: my show airs every week on Sundays and Mondays at 11pm ET on Sirius XM U. That's channel 26 on Sirius, 43 on XM and in my house, channel 831 on DirecTV.

MP3: Epidemics - Never grow up

Pop-punk is the music of my adolescence. Growing up in the East Bay meant that the shadow of Lookout! Records hung heavy: Green Day, Mr. T Experience, Screeching Weasel, yadda yadda -- I was way deep into that stuff when I was 15/16. It's quite fitting then that a band like Epidemics out of Umeå have a song called "Never grow up" because to my ears, this is the music of youth and willful naivety. Naturally, it all goes back to the Ramones, whose semi-ironic bonehead stance personified/s the genre. Epidemics don't really do much to tinker with convention, but that's fine. Strong vocal harmonies and charming single-note guitar melodies seem like a bit of a lost art these days, so I'm glad to hear it done well. I'm sure 4th-rate pop-punk acts are still a plague, but since I don't play in that scene anymore, I'm blissfully insulated from hearing them. If there's more bands like Epidemics out there though, I'm all about it. It makes me feel like a kid again.

Epidemics - Never grow up

Umeå punk label Ny Våg has a new website and news about new releases from Tristess, Masshysteri and Epidemics: http://nyvag.com

MyFriends: Bluebridge the Quartet, Desktop Orchestra, Epidemics, Gentil, Harasser, Panter