AUSTIN LOCAL NEWS
DIRECTORY
AUSTIN Record Labels MONOFONUS PRESS PO Box 6386 Austin, TX 78762 monofonuspress@gmail.com www.monofonuspress.com BEATS BROKE PO Box 29775 Austin, TX 78755 info@b roke.com www.beatsbroke.com AUSTRALIAN CATTLE GOD RECORDS The Typewriter Museum Home of Australian Cattle God Records 1514 Ed Bluestein Blvd. #108 Austin, TX 78721 (512) 779-5179 bryan@australiancattlegod.com www.australiancattlegod.com KING ELECTRIC RECORD COMPANY 1303 East 4th St. Austin, TX 78702 (512) 665-7535 info@kingelectricrecords.com www.kindelectricrecords.com WESTERN VINYL 4409 Merle Dr. Austin, TX 78745 info@westernvinyl.com www.westernvinyl.com ARTIFICIAL MUSIC MACHINE 2108 Thornton Rd. Austin, TX 78704 (512) 657-1414 contact@artificialmusicmachine.com www.artificialmusicmachine.com END SOUNDS PO Box 684743 Austin, TX 78768 (512) 535-0405 info@endsounds.com www.endsounds.com EXPAT RECORDS 2020 South Congress Ave., Suite 1121 Austin, TX 78704 (512) 239-8949 info@expat-records.com www.expat-records.com (all demos MUST be submitted online)
For more listings, visit performermag.com 8 AUGUST 2012 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
Bringing Reggae to the Opry Stage A Closer Look at Austin’s Carlton Pride by Tara Lacey Austin’s up-and-coming reggae star Carlton Pride was born into a life of music as the son of iconic country music legend Charley Pride. Carlton began his career in music by scoring a gig as a recording and sound engineer for his father and freelancing with various other artists. Carlton left his home and work in Dallas in 1995, headed for the Austin area, where the music culture nurtured his passion and helped him to realize his first reggae project, One. In 1996 Pride added his band Zion and began
playing the local circuit, eventually touring the States. He went on to headline Austin’s Bob Marley Festival (now Reggae Fest) from 1996 to 2003. In 2000, the band traveled to Jamaica to record Pride’s second album (What You Need) backed by Ruff Stuff Records at Bob Marley’s Tuff Gong Studios in Kingston. The album was produced by Clive Hunt (Peter Tosh, Culture) and features Marley’s own horn section, along with collaborations from Bunny Wailer, Culture, Burning Spear, and Alpha Blondy. The album also features an emotional guest appearance by Charley Pride in a father/son duet of his father’s No. 1 hit single, “Kiss An Angel Good Morning,” set to a reggae backbeat. Carlton Pride and Mighty Zion boast three additional studio releases, to be followed by Happiness Is A Choice, currently in production. Carlton also has the distinction of being the first reggae act to perform at The Grand Ole Opry. His show is an upbeat form of blues, funk and roots reggae that keeps a crowd engaged and has helped him to realize success on his home turf in Austin and also on an international scale. His spirit-filled lyrics leave his audience uplifted, energized, enlightened, and inspired. www.carltonpride.com
FBI Busts Local Club for Drug Trafficking Jovita’s Staff Accused of Selling Heroin
Something is afoot with the owners of an Austin nightlife spot. Earlier this year a string of clubs was shut down in the entertainment district for cocaine rings and money laundering; thankfully these were dance clubs and not live music venues. Most recently, an even bigger shock came when one of Austin’s beloved live music venues, Jovita’s, suddenly closed its doors after the FBI swooped in and allegedly uncovered yet another drug trafficking ring. Opened in 1992, Jovita’s had many attributes that distinguished it from the average music venue, including an open indoor stage with dining tables on either side, and scenic walkway along Bouldin Creek where you could sit on porch swings by the water in between sets. It was funky and unique, just like the city that made it famous. The atmosphere was decidedly low-key, and the music played seven nights a week, nearly 365 days a year - generally in the country, folk, bluegrass, and rockabilly
by Tara Lacey
traditions of old South Austin. All that changed on June 21st when the feds rolled in, raided and seized the property. The Austin Police Department issued an official statement, “During the investigation, investigators were able to determine that large amounts of heroin were kept, sold, and distributed from several locations in and around Central Texas using the city of Austin as the base of their operations.” Jovita’s happened to be Austin’s central location, a hub out of eight locations alleged to have been used for drug trafficking. Police report that, “The organized criminal drug operation was estimated to have daily sales between $3,400 to $6,250. Amado Pardo (chief suspect) is the owner of Jovita’s restaurant.” It is unclear as to what the future holds for this beloved venue. FBI investigations continue and the doors remain locked – the music silenced for the first time in 20 years.