Venice is Sinking.

RIP Ryan Hastings of Candy Bars

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 16:10:00 -0400

Lucas from Venice is Sinking here. I got some sad news today. Ryan Michael Fujiki-Hastings of the Tampa band Candy Bars passed away in a tragic accident this weekend. I had the privilege of knowing Ryan Hastings on both a professional and a musical level, and he upheld his end of the bargain as an intelligent, funny, and cool human being in both realms.

As a publicist, Candy Bars were the rare dream clients that reminded me why I stayed on the Titanic that was/is the music industry in the mid-2000s, even after half my colleagues had bolted, been laid off, or given up. Candy Bars—and their stalwart Tampa label New Granada (some of the finest label folks on the planet)—had very little budget for promotion. But they had this record, this enigmatic…thing of a record, a smooshing together of chamber pop, LOUDquietLOUD dynamism, heavy metal growling, psych-rock drones…well, it was an odd thing, but it was a thing. The title was just as mysterious, even a tad annoying: On Cutting Ti-Gers in Half and Understanding Narravation. What is that all about? But the record was this strange wonderful thing, certainly the best record ever produced by two Guitar Center employees. And it caught on: Stereogum, Pitchfork, Magnet, NPR…we only sent out about 100 copies of the thing, and almost everybody wrote about it. It got some head scratches, but mostly great reviews, and I feel like the band was on the verge of something big. To be frank, that was during the BLOG BUZZ BAND era, so almost every band was on the verge of something big, but Candy Bars really deserved it, in my mind (plus Ryan et al. were great to work with…a publicist’s dream!). Unfortunately, they couldn’t hit the road a ton given some geographical and demographic obstacles, so they never got to really take it to the next level. Still, they are/were one of those bands that people some people really dug. If you got it, you really got it, you know?

*Puts on “musician” hat*

For one, the band was just a transfixing live act, jacking up the dynamism of the record twofold. They made a lot of sound with three people. A lot of quiet, too. We had the pleasure of playing with them a few times, and it was always a great show. Were they tight? Hmm, no? Not exactly? And maybe that was on purpose? It was hard to tell. They straddled the border between shambolic and the fluid, but it wasn’t sloppy or lazy. They just had “it,” I guess. Very few do! Ryan knew how to play quiet and lay back when he wasn’t needed. That’s a great quality for a drummer to have. Very few do! It signals intelligence and a commitment to something beyond yourself as an individual musician.

My favorite memory of them was playing a show with them the night of their cello player Melissa’s wedding. They put on a mesmerizing show (our keyboardist James sat in for a bit) outdoors at the New World Brewing Company in Ybor City. Melissa played the show in her wedding dress, and Ryan and Danny were wearing their suits. A wedding band in a very different sense of that phrase! They all looked to be having a great time, and that energy transmitted. The last time we played with them they had new songs and they were righteous. I hope we all get to hear those some day. As far as touring companions go, they were super. Ryan was a really nice fellow, and we talked some drum shop and such. I wish I’d gotten to know him beyond the role of client and colleague, but I’ll take what I got. His music certainly meant quite a bit to me, and it lives on even as he doesn’t. I’m very sorry to hear that he has passed away. Tragic.

New Granada has their amazing album up for streaming. You should go listen to it and buy it. 100% of the proceeds go to Ryan’s wife and daughter.

Love,
Lucas (and Venice is Sinking)

This is where we got started! 666 Pulaski Street!

Mon, 02 Jan 2012 20:28:05 -0500

This is where we got started! 666 Pulaski Street!

The Venice is Sinking 8th Bandiversary!2nite! The 40 Watt Club!...

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 16:03:21 -0500

The Venice is Sinking 8th Bandiversary!
2nite! The 40 Watt Club! Athens, GA!
Space Trucks! Casper & the Cookies! Us! New songs! A cake!

You can get it.

VENICE IS SINKING + CASPER AND THE COOKIES + SPACE...

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 13:50:17 -0500

VENICE IS SINKING + CASPER AND THE COOKIES + SPACE TRUCKS

Celebrating the Venice is Sinking 8th Bandiversary!

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2011 - 40 WATT - ATHENS, GEORGIA

This is probably the show of the century and/or the year and/or at least the end of the year. Our friends Casper & the Cookies are playing new jams. BP and his awesome new band Space Trucks are playing awesome new jams. WE ARE PLAYING NEW JAMS. Three of them, to be exact.

Plus we will have cake and maybe some other things.

It’s our 8th Bandiversary, for Pete’s sake. You have no excuse.

Singing a new song. Come to the 40 Watt this Saturday to hear...

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 21:52:15 -0500

Singing a new song. Come to the 40 Watt this Saturday to hear the full jam!

TONIGHT TONIGHT TONIGHT! Megafaun + Venice is Sinking + the 40...

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 11:46:24 -0500

TONIGHT TONIGHT TONIGHT!

Megafaun + Venice is Sinking + the 40 Watt Club + Athens, Georgia = maybe the best night of your life.

Megafaun + Venice is Sinking — 40 Watt — Athens, GA...

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 13:20:41 -0500

Megafaun + Venice is Sinking — 40 Watt — Athens, GA — Friday, November 18!

Hello, VISers! It is our great pleasure to be playing a show this weekend with the stellar Durham, NC band, Megafaun. They really are one of the best things going, a band that does a marvelous of riding the line between the familiar and the unique. They can be folky, experimental, noisy, pastoral, boisterous, pastoral, psychedelic, and more, often within the same song. You really should not miss this show.

Upcoming shows!

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 12:48:32 -0500

veniceissinking:

November 18th—40 Watt—Athens, GA—with Megafaun!!!

December 10th—40 Watt—Athens, GA—with Casper & the Cookies and Space Trucks (BP from of Montreal’s new band!)

Come out and say hello! Want us to play your town? Let us know.

New shows, y’all! Check it!

A sad reminder that WOXY is no longer with us.

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 10:46:21 -0400

A sad reminder that WOXY is no longer with us.:

The website for the sadly defunct web radio station WOXY is being shut down, so you might want to grab our Lounge Act session while you still can. We thought it was a pretty good one.

It was sad to see WOXY go down (stupid Future Sounds), so soon after moving to their swank new studios in Austin. WOXY was always a huge supporter of VIS, and everyone there was a delight to work with. They are still missed.

This song might be called “Moraine”. It’s new.

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 21:16:31 -0400

This song might be called “Moraine”. It’s new.

What would Brian Eno do?

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 22:47:06 -0400

What would Brian Eno do?

Broken Format: Broken Format Mixtape, No. 6: Athens Night (Hancock Ave.)

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 14:30:39 -0400

Broken Format: Broken Format Mixtape, No. 6: Athens Night (Hancock Ave.):

brokenformat:

Download Part 2 of 5 | Read the opening salvo | See all mixtapes

1. VENICE IS SINKING “Pulaski Heights”
2. MACHA “The Nipplegong”
3. CIRCULATORY SYSTEM “The Lonely Universe”
4. READING “Kiss Me Lively”
5. TELENOVELA “Breakfast with Birds”
6. GARBAGE ISLAND “Heart Skins”
7. …

Check out these awesome mixtapes Lars is making! We’re on one of them!

A preview of things to come.

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 21:10:53 -0400

A preview of things to come.

RIP, Jerry Lieber.

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 17:50:16 -0400

RIP, Jerry Lieber.

MJ does BW. Thanks to Kay Stanton of the awesome Casper &...

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 13:27:36 -0400

MJ does BW. Thanks to Kay Stanton of the awesome Casper & the Cookies for hepping us to this.

Our hero!

Sun, 07 Aug 2011 16:03:59 -0400

Our hero!

Product note: your Sand & Lines CD can also double as a...

Sun, 07 Aug 2011 15:52:12 -0400

Product note: your Sand & Lines CD can also double as a handy fan when you run out of gas 50 miles ahead of your estimate on I-85 South in 100 degree heat.

It was the best of ideas. It was the worst of ideas. Why do we...

Sun, 07 Aug 2011 15:11:30 -0400

It was the best of ideas. It was the worst of ideas. Why do we keep doing this to ourselves?

This consumes us.

Fri, 05 Aug 2011 19:48:50 -0400

This consumes us.

Columbia! We’re comin’ for ya! The New Brookland...

Fri, 05 Aug 2011 18:54:02 -0400

Columbia! We’re comin’ for ya! The New Brookland Tavern…tonight! Do it.