Four teenagers, singer-guitarist Cole Alexander, drummer Joe Bradley, guitarist Ben Eberbaugh and bassist Jared Swilley, bonded over a love of music and formed a band, Black Lips, in the Atlanta suburbs more than 10 years ago. Their first couple of singles gained them some attention and their antics, both onstage and off, got them banned from several local venues. But the group persevered, getting past their shenanigans and lineup changes, including the death of Eberbaugh, who was killed by a drunk driver. He was replaced on guitar by Ian Saint Pé Brown, but that hasn’t affected the band’s sound. In fact Black Lips (above, playing “Dumpster Dive” for Billboard.com) have been churning out quality Southern-tinged garage punk for years, most recently on this past summer’s Arabia Mountain. You can see them—with Davilla 666, Xray Eyeballs and DJ Jonathan Toubin—celebrate Halloween on Saturday at Webster Hall. And as an added bonus, the good people of Vice are offering up some free tickets.
In just a few short weeks, Halloween will be upon us. This year it comes on a Monday, but you can get your holiday started early when Black Lips—and Davilla 666 and Xray Eyeballs—play Webster Hall on Saturday, 10/29. Their fourth album, the well-received Arabia Mountain, came out this past summer, and it features the Atlanta quartet’s retro sound with a modern touch. It’s great to listen to and it will even better to hear it live. Hell at the Hall. Don’t miss it.
Black Lips have a terrific new album, Arabia Mountain, and they’re coming our way to play The Bowery Ballroom on Friday. The show is sold out, but The House List is giving away two tickets. Want to go? Then try to Grow a Pair. It’s easy: Just fill out the form below, making sure to include your full name, e-mail address, which show you’re trying to win tickets to (Black Lips, 7/29) and a brief message explaining your resolution for the debt-ceiling crisis. Just kidding. Let us know why you’ve got a thing for garage rock. Eddie Bruiser, who definitely would’ve been in a garage-rock band if he’d ever had a garage, will notify the winner by Friday. Good luck.
Four teenagers, singer-guitarist Cole Alexander, drummer Joe Bradley, guitarist Ben Eberbaugh and bassist Jared Swilley, bonded over a love of garage punk and formed a band, Black Lips, in the Atlanta suburbs more than 10 years ago. Their first couple of singles gained them some attention and their antics, both onstage and off, got them banned from several local venues. But the band persevered, getting past their shenanigans and lineup changes, including the death of Eberbaugh, who was killed by a drunk driver. Black Lips (above, playing “Bad Kids” for Baeble Music) went on to put out five well-regarded albums, including 2009’s 200 Million Thousand, which has led to many relishing the release of the group’s next LP, Arabia Mountain, out in June. But perhaps you can preview some of their new tunes next Tuesday at Webster Hall.
