Press release -
THE CALLAS: Athenian Psych-Post-Punks Prepare New Album in Collaboration with Sonic Youth's Lee Ranaldo | Dirty Water Records
THE CALLAS is the tip of an artistic squad producing music, artworks, films, magazines, events, art shows, initiated by the brothers Lakis & Aris Ionas.
The group worked with Lee Ranaldo on the soundtrack of their new feature film “The Great Eastern” and on their new full-length album, “Trouble and Desire” which is due for release on October, 26th 2018 on Inner Ear and Dirty Water Records. Their last two albums, "Am I Vertical?” and “Half Kiss, Half Pain" were produced by Jim Sclavunos (Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Lydia Lunch, The Cramps).
“As multi-media artists and filmmakers, they approach music making from a very different perspective than the average musician and come up with some quite unexpected results,” says Sclavunos. “ The sonic palette of the new album is diverse and exploratory, with songs that range in style from dreamy subversive pop to brutal post-punk skronk to deconstructed rebetiko.”
Lee Ranaldo described his experience on collaborating with the Callas: “It’s been a pleasure for me to know and collaborate with The Callas on their new album Trouble and Desire - we met a few years ago and I’ve been drawn into their artistic world in Athens. I’m a fan of their visual art tapestries and their art studio/venue and I’ve been having a great time making music with these like-minded travelers. Our collaboration took off quickly and was such a natural fit - we speak the same language and the performances we’ve done together have been a total blast! I love the community of artists that they have gathered around them, and I hope we will do more collaborations in the future”.
They have performed live in churches, galleries, flats, museums, boats, mountains, toilets and festivals like Liverpool Psych Festival (Liverpool UK), The Great Escape Festival (Brighton, UK), Indigenes Festival (France), Reeperbahn Festival (Hamburg, DE) and with bands/artists such as Thurston Moore, Lee Ranaldo, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Ty Segall and Grinderman.
Art shows: Documenta 14 (Athens – Kassel), Palais de Tokyo (Paris), Family Business gallery / Anna Kustera gallery (NYC), DESTE foundation (Athens), Athens Biennial (Athens), Andreas Melas gallery (Athens), Yinka Shonibare Space (London), The Breeder gallery (Athens), ATOPOS cvc (Athens) etc.
In 2013 they finished their first feature film “Lustlands” (HAOS film) and in September 2017 they presented their new film "The Great Eastern" at Thessaloniki International Film Festival.
The last 10 years Lakis & Aris Ionas and The Callas have been publishing significant magazines for the Athenian (Greece) underground music/art/film scene such as Velvet magazine and Lust magazine. Their studio is one of the most active cultural spaces in Athens. Going by the name Velvet Room they are organizing art shows combined with music gigs and DJ sets involving some of the best new bands and artists in Athens.
Recent Press
“Rock ‘n’ Roll thick and heavy with a strong motorik backbone” – BROOKLYN VEGAN
“Disaster! Disaster! Disaster! It happens! So goes The Callas’ riotous chant over the dirgy, life-affirming garage rock stomp that is “Disaster.” – NOISEY
“Oddly Thrilling!” - MOJO (****)
5/5 - Album of the week - ARTROCKER
The Callas With Lee Ranaldo - "Trouble And Desire" LP/CD/DIG
Release Date: 26/11/18
Label: Inner Ear Records and Dirty Water Records
Track Listing:
1. Octopus pt. 1
2. The Magic Fruit of Strangeness
3. Octopus pt. 2
4. Μελανιά
5. Octopus pt. 3
6. Trouble & Desire
7. Octopus pt. 4
8. Mirroir
9. Octopus pt. 5
10. Πετώ
11. Octopus pt. 6
12. Acid Books
13. Octopus pt. 7
14. Γλυκιά μου Όμορφη
Aris – vocals / guitar,
Lakis – bass / vocals,
Chrisanthy – drums / vocals,
Marilena – percussions,
Chris – guitar.
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The Dirty Water Club started in October 1996 in the Tufnell Park neighbourhood of north London, at a venue called The Boston. The club's name is derived from The Standells' 1966 hit 'Dirty Water' which glorifies the US city of Boston, Massachusetts.
Past performers have included The White Stripes (voted by Q Magazine as one of the top 10 gigs of all time, Mojo one of the top 30 and Kerrang one of the top 100!), The Gories, Country Teasers, Black Lips, NOBUNNY, Kid Congo Powers, The Fleshtones, Billy Childish, Radio Birdman, The Dirtbombs, Thee Michelle Gun Elephant, The 5.6.7.8's, The Horrors and The Brian Jonestown Massacre to name just a few. The club has also seen some original '60s performers, such as The Monks, ? and the Mysterians, Kim Fowley, Sky Saxon, GONN, Michael Davis of the MC5 and more grace its stage.
Their in-house record label, Dirty Water Records, is one of the leading garage/beat/(real) R&B labels in the world.
