There is a Red Dons interview in the latest issue of Razorcake. Below is a link to the Razorcake website if you’d like to order a copy or subscribe to the magazine. Otherwise, check out your local record or book store for a copy.
http://www.razorcake.org/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=697
As you may know by now I’ve been Mastering on a regular basis and I will be posting some samples of my work before and after. Nothing better to start off with than a song taken from the new Red Dons 7″ available on European tour this April. If you’d like more information contact me at gdicktator@hotmail.com. -Hajji
Se Foi: Unmastered
[audio:01 Se Foi (Vox Up).mp3]
Se Foi: Mastered
[audio:Se Foi.mp3]
Follow the latest North London Bomb Factory’s projects here http://www.reddons.com/?page_id=767.
Photo by Mateus Mondini
Check out the new Razorcake Podcast. It features the Red Dons, Tranzmitors, Mean Jeans, Defect Defect, Crusades and a bunch of other great bands.
http://www.razorcake.org/site/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=24577
RED DONS: Fake Meets Failure: LP
Lightning. Pure, white-hot, hot-streaking, sizzling, punk lightning. It’s punk that people who’ve “given up,” “don’t get,” or “moved on” from punk have the highest percentage of liking. It’s just so obviously scorching, beautiful, and crackling music, regardless of genre. And I was reluctant to admit that lightning could strike twice. One of the driving forces behind Red Dons is Doug Burns, the lead singer and guitarist of the untouchable every-member-made-it-greater band, The Observers. The Red Dons first LP, Death to Idealism, while it had its bright spots, sounded covered in blankets, a little restricted and restrained, a little awkward, a little tentative. Getting used to new skin. Not so with Fake Meets Failure. The burka’s ripped off, faces are revealed, and those faces are screaming. Analogous to the transformation of the Vicious to Masshysteri or Sexy to Future Virgins, it took a little time from the dusk of one band to the dawn of another, but the newer band, exhibiting similar genetic code to its predecessor, has developed its own personality, its own habits, and has accomplished what many, including myself, didn’t think was possible: release more music that stands shoulder-to-shoulder with some of their own legacy’s finest work. One of the best punk records of 2010, hands down. –Todd (Deranged)
Photo by Mateus Mondini
Here is a link to a new interview featured in Caught in the Crossfire.
http://www.caughtinthecrossfire.com/music/red-dons-interview/
…I was having a drink with a good friend of mine recently, and that all important subject of the season came up – our favourite albums of 2010. The general consensus was it has been a great year for punk platters, with one of the big standouts being the latest offering from the transcontinental collective known as Red Dons. Rising from the ashes of Portland, Oregon’s The Observers, the Red Dons have truly come in to their own with second album ‘Fake Meets Failure‘, a collection of incredibly well structured and passionate songs, spiked with intelligent lyrics, all played out to super catchy music. Razorcake Magazine recently went as far as to consider the Red Dons “could very well be the best punk rock band on Earth”. I’m in total agreement…
Photo by Mateus Mondini
Okay… so this is the new Red Dons LP. I should start by saying that Red Dons could very well be the best punk rock band on Earth. Death to Idealism is without question one of my favorite records of the modern era, due in no small part to its unique (and not universally loved) production. But mostly it is the songs—logical extensions of The Observers melancholic take on ‘80s East Coast punk rock, with a deeper injection of the East Bay Ray or Mike Palm lead style—that seat Red Dons atop the heap, and Fake Meets Failure boasts the band’s best songs to date. The production on the record is noticeably more aggressive than that of its predecessor, and the songs themselves are both catchier and angrier. Whether intentional or not, Doug even channels Jello on a few spoken lines on the record, perfectly complimenting the ominous, middle-eastern scale leads found throughout. Lyrically, Red Dons remain painfully jarring, both in- and outwardly, and Doug’s vocals are more haunting and pure than ever. In a year already full of great punk rock records, this is by far the best I’ve heard so far, and it’s going to be incredibly difficult to surpass. Phenomenal. –Dave Williams (Deranged)
Our new LP Fake Meets Failure and the single Pariah are now available for purchase off our website. To find these records and more go to the STORE page on our site. Below is a recent review of Fake Meets Failure. To read more reviews go to the REVIEWS page.
“FAKE MEETS FAILURE” reviewed by Zac of Caught in the Crossfire.
Portland’s Red Dons are back with another prime slab of punk rock following up their unbelievable debut ‘Death To Idealism‘ that was released back in 2007 to rapturous applause in the underground scene and on this very website. Most second albums go through the mill somewhat but with the band’s history including members forming The Observers, Clorox Girls and more this was always going to be a release to wait for and the result is nothing other than pure brilliance.
From the off, Fake Meets Failure revs up its engines and delivers riffs to die for and sheer punk rock excellence. Land of Reason chugs straight into where Death To Idealism left us with blood and dirt, exploding bombs and very much in the hands of killers as vocalist Douglas Burns slams his political stances across his songs. The beauty of his offerings are not only edgy but melodic too as each song of the ten on offer here just cut into your ears and make you want to grab the lyric sheet just like your favourite punk and h/c records of old. 3rd track ‘Pariah‘ must have done the same thing for them as the band get mighty close to borrowing a few screaming riff solos from the likes of The Adolescents but knowing that this bands roots come from this world and they have taken it to a new level I guess they are allowed to fully get away with it. This only adds to the wonderful nostalgia of this record, it’s not often that bands in the naughties can replicate the quality songwriting of our leading punk rock predecessors but when it comes with bands such as Regulations and Career Suicide as another 2 examples of bands who touch that nerve it’s absolutely brilliant and people need to know they still exist.
One of the main stand outs on this record for me is ‘Pieces’. 5 tracks into the album and the hail of ‘Armageddon!’ starts one of the best punk rock songs ever written covering rejection, dejection, brutal truth and oppression all summed up in 3 minutes and 6 seconds. Another track on repeat in my car from this album is ‘Enemy Ears’ that kind of takes the very best of The Briefs and mashes it up with the force of Dead Kennedys for flavour but obviously written in Red Dons’ uniquely melodic and chuggy way.
Overall if you love hardcore and punk from the good old days, read Flipside and Maximum Rock and Roll for years and have been to see every touring band like us you are going to be stoked when you realize that those incredible records are still being made to this day. Make sure you don’t download it for free off some shit blog on the internet, go and support this band and buy a CD or a slab of their amazing vinyl that someone has made for you right now, you will not be disappointed. -Zac
Thanks to everyone who helped us out this last month during our U.S. tour. We really appreciate your support and enthusiasm. The shows were amazing, the bands ruled, and everyone made sure we had a great time in their respective cities. A special thanks to Hajji from the rest of the band is also in order. Not only did he earn MVP honors in Texas for not loosing any of our beers while inner-tubing through rapids, but he also toughed it out in a major way by playing the last three weeks of tour despite suffering from a separated shoulder. The biggest thanks of course then goes to those of you who provided extra beers and pain killers for Hajji while we were on the road. Without you we would have had to cancel dates. Mr. Quint & Mr. Foote, you were especially helpful. No thanks to the sound guy in Raleigh who made us play on the stage that Hajji had a difficult time staying on. In the future, trust us sound people, we know our own weaknesses. Once again we apologies to everyone in Raleigh for the short set. We’ll try to make it up with a free show as soon as possible.
Last night in our bassist Hajji Husayn suffered a shoulder separation during our set in Raleigh. Despite the extreme pain, Hajji is determined to play tonight in Richmond. We hope to see everyone there, but please don’t think less of him if he has to sit down. We are from Portland after all, if Pig Champion could get away with it maybe we should be given some slack too. Our deepest apologies to Raleigh for our short set. We’ll make the date up as soon as possible. Thanks to Seth, Corey, & Mike for helping us out at the Hospital last night.
Tonight’s show in Houston has been moved from the MInk to Mangos on 403 Westheimer Rd.
7/08 – Milwaukee @ Ground Zero
7/09 – Chicago @ Ronny’s
7/10 – Kansas City @ Studded Bird
7/11 – St. Louis @ Atomic Cowboy
7/12 – Carbondale (Afternoon Show) @ Plaza Records
7/12 – Memphis @ The Hitone
7/13 – Denton @ Rubber Gloves
7/14 – Ft. Worth @ 1919 Hemphill
7/15 – San Antonio @ The Pedicab
7/16 – Austin @ Beerland
7/17 – Houston @ Mangos
7/18 – New Orleans @ Saturn Bar
7/19 – Gainesville @ Wayward Council
7/20 – Chattanooga @ Discotec
7/21 – Raleigh @ Berkley Cafe
7/22 – Richmond @ Gallery 5
7/23 – Washington D.C. @ St. Stephens Church
7/24 – Baltimore (Afternoon show) @ Charm City
7/24 – Philadelphia @ JR’s
7/25 – New York City @ Death By Audio 49
7/26 – Providence @ 201
7/27 – Boston @ Gay Gardens
7/28 – Albany @ Valentines
7/29 – Montreal @ L’X
7/30 – Ottawa @ Babylon
7/31 – Toronto @ Parts & Labour
8/1 – Buffalo @ Sugar City
8/2 – Pittsburgh @ Helter Shelter
8/6 – Elgin @ The Gasthaus
8/7 – Chicago @ TBA
Our new album Fake Meets Failure is available on Deranged Records in North America and Taken By Surprise Records in Europe. You can order the LP off of both labels’ websites or get it from us at one of our shows this summer. Soon you will also be able to download the album off our website. Check out our SHOWS page to find out when and where we will be playing this summer.