The Authors Release Get Haunted Documentary Short

The Authors Get Haunted CD Release from AmericanOdyssey on Vimeo.

Anyone who reads this blog regularly knows The Authors are one of favorite Austin bands. Pick up their new album Get Haunted or go see them live to find out why. They're playing at La Zona Rosa this Saturday with Los Campesinos! (purchase tickets here).

8201 Interview - The Authors

This Thursday night we are proud to support The Authors as they release their debut LP "Get Haunted". This will be your first chance to purchase the album before it is officially available on 9/7. We've had a chance to get our hands on it before it's release and it is certainly one of the better debuts we have heard in a long time. We were able to get a few questions in with Justin from The Authors in advance of the big show on Thursday. Here we go..

Now that the album is done and ready for the world, tell us what was the recording process like?

The process was intense, but rewarding. We logged in 12 hour days for 8 days, cutting tracks live to tape and rarely leaving the studio, except to eat and sleep. It was a very focused monastic life, but it was what the situation required to make the dream happen.

We cut the album at Elmwood Recordings in Dallas with engineer Stuart Sikes (who also mixed the album). At first we were all a bit apprehensive of going away to record, but I think that really allowed all outside distractions to fall away and all of us had to focus on the task at hand. When it comes time to do album number two, I'd like us to get away again to get the same feeling.

Your style is a little different than from a lot of what is going on in Austin right now, how do you think people will respond to that?

Well, I hope that people will notice us and see that we really want to make an impact not only in Austin, but nationally as well. When we started this band I just wanted to make music that I was not hearing locally and mainstream as well. I think we managed to do that on this album, now we just have to see what everyone else thinks.

What and are who are your influences?

Personally I listen to everything. I've found influences in all the classic songwriters in rock over the years like Dylan, Petty, and Strummer. I really like old soul records, Factory Records type stuff, Sixties garage, and everything else in between. Right now, I'm really into the new Black Keys record, the Exile on Mainstreet reissue, and Springsteen's Darkness on the Edge of Town.

Tell us about the release party and what you have planned over the next few months.

The release party is going to be at The Mohawk this Thursday the 2nd at 9pm and we have fantastic support opening for us. Politics and Motel Aviv will be opening and The Happen-In's DJs will be spinning between sets and after the show. We also have a ton of local blog support and Alison Narro taking party pics during the event. This will also be the first opportunity to purchase a copy of the album before it hits stores on the 7th. This should be a really dope show and I can't wait to play the album in its entirety for folks!

As for the next few months, we play an in-store at End of an Ear on Friday the 10th at 6pm and then we play again in early October at The Ghost Room. We're looking also to do some regional touring in support of the album as we get into the fall. I am hoping folks take this album and spread the word. I know we have something special here and I want to make an impact here in Austin as well as the rest of the country. This band and this album are the culmination of my life's dream and I want to see it really shine.

What was the most interesting thing that happened during recording?

Besides the fact that I became borderline addicted to Dr. Pepper (thanks Stuart)? Actually the most interesting thing was how much work really goes into making an album. You truly live, breath, and eat the songs you are working on and it really is a do or die situation that you have to pull together for. I don't know how some bands can do it when members have issues with each other. It really has to be a family unit from the word go and the band really rose to the occasion to make it all click.

Why title the album "Get Haunted"? Tell us about the cover art. (above)

When I was writing the bulk of the songs for the album I kept finding myself writing about relationships and how a person remembers them after they have ended. "Get Haunted" is about those memories and how you remember a person you had so much invested in emotionally as time and distance separates you from them.

I knew when it came time to record the album that I wanted an image to really represent the songs and have something for us to refer to emotionally while we recorded. I am a huge fan of photography and I frequent many photo blogs. One day I came across this Sardinian photographer Valeria Cherchi's site and from the moment I saw the photo I knew it had to be the cover. To me it really ties the title and the feeling of the album together. It's kind of like a snippet of a memory you might have of a past love, but somehow her face, the most important element, is now missing. It's just like how some memories, no matter how poignant, start to fade over time.

Who are your ideal tour mates?

Politics for sure. Those guys are our type of people. We love playing together and they have the hunger and drive like we do to make it happen. It's a real mutual admiration society with those guys and us. Also, I feel like we make a great complement to each other live. Plus, we dig the same kind of shots! (Ed Note: It was tequila, I was there)

The Authors "Get Haunted" Album Release Party

Thursday September 2nd at The Mohawk

with MoTel Aviv and Politics

Doors at 9pm | $5 with RSVP/$7 w/o

Show Spotlight: The Authors and Politics at Lamberts | Friday (7/30)

I am really excited about this one. Two of Austin's most exciting up and coming bands playing on one stage. A bold statement but a true statement. The Authors will be taking the stage for the first time in a few months after taking time off to record their first full length "Get Haunted" which will be available in September. Politics will be offering support after playing to a full house a couple of weeks ago at Stubb's. I suggest everyone get there early on Friday night. Lambert's is small and this show will fill up fast. Don't miss out on a chance to see two of Austin's brightest in such an intimate setting.

The Authors

Politics

The Authors and Politics

Lamberts 401 W. 2nd Street [Map] | Friday July 30th

Doors at 9pm | $5

Facebook Event Page : RSVP to be awesome...

Giveaway: The Sour Notes, The Authors, She Sir and Mother Falcon Tonight (4/23) at The Parish

Great show tonight at The Parish with The Sour Notes, The Authors, She Sir and Mother Falcon and we have a pair of tickets to giveaway. All you have to do is send us a DM or @reply on Twitter (@ultra8201). And we will pick a winner and get you on the list.

Last Night: New Roman Times, The Authors, The Red Boys and Politics at The Ghost Room

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You

New Roman Times

The Authors

The Red Boys

Politics

Ultra8201's 4th Anniversary Party | The Ghost Room (1/28)

We are extremely proud to announce that this site turns 4 years old in the next few weeks. It's hard to believe that something that started out as something to kill time when I first moved to Austin has turned out the way that it did. We have seen amazing shows, made a ton of new friends and gotten into all sorts of situations that we never thought possible.

To celebrate the occasion we thought we would do what we do best and put together a party. Seeing that one of the first bars I ever went to when I moved here was the Ginger Man is seemed fitting to have the party at the bar's old location. The newly renovated (and renamed) Ghost Room.

The whole thing goes down on Thursday, January 28th and we really hope you can join us. Providing the music will be three Austin bands we love - New Roman Times, The Authors and Politics.

To compliment the music there will be cheap drinks and Annie Ray will be on hand to take photos of all you beautiful people. Please click on the link at Do512 for a chance to win tickets to the show.

All the thanks in the world to Above The Radar PR, Knuckle Rumbler, Austin Eavesdropper, Do512, Austin Town Hall, Sailor Legs, The Peen Scene, Learning Secrets, the #htm and Annie Ray for all of their help in putting this together.

[Facebook Event Page][Do512 Event Page]

The ACL Breakdown | Thursday Kick Off Party | Art Disaster 9

We have our breakdown of the entire ACL Festival all ready with Friday's preview coming today at noon. We kept it clean and basically put our schedules out there with streaming audio so everyone could give each band a listen and broke it down from hour to hour. Below that you will find all the necessary links to both "official" After-shows as well as the "less than official" After-Parties. But before we get in to all that we wanted to take one last opportunity and invite everyone out to Beauty Bar to help us kick off this weekends festivities in style.

This year City on Fire, Knuckle Rumbler and Beauty Bar teamed up with some of Austin's finest bloggers (ourselves included) and put together an amazing line up of bands. This will be the 9th Art Disaster and while it has already established a reputation we think this year will take to the next level. If you haven't RSVP'd we suggest you hurry. The list is at well over 700 people now and Beauty Bar isn't that big! So we suggest everyone gets there early for two reasons. 1. To ensure that you get in without the wait and 2. FREE DRINKS. Lets get to know the bands....

Outside Stage:

1:15 - DJ Tweedy

With a foundation in Salsa, hip hop and electronica, Orion's reportoire has expanded to include the toughest dancehall riddims, Cumbia y Merengue, mash-ups, grime, baile funk, dubstep, jazz, minimal techno, bassline and most things in between.

12:30a - The Lemurs

"This five piece from Texas' BBQ-loving capitol city is ready to burst out onto the national stage...This shit has alternative "radio hit" written all over it" -TheTripwire.com

11:30p - The Steps

The Steps were bred under the influence of life and culture in Austin, the live music capital of the world. Ranging from ages 18-20, they’ve already managed to chisel out an acclaimed sound and stage presence that’s wise beyond their years.

10:30p - Speak

Avid students of pop through the ages, the band distills greatness from classic and modern influences. Forever questing for innovation, SPEAK invoke timeless melodies in energetic, synth-laden anthems.

9:30p - Wallpaper

Partway through recording his debut LP as Wallpaper., Eric Frederic lost his shit. The Oakland artist was neck-deep in a series of isolated studio all-nighters to put him in the mood, when the song "Doodoo Face" pushed him into the beyond. Boxed in by layers of percussive funk, dark synthesizer blurt and crushing bass, Frederic lost himself inside of Ricky Reed, the character he'd long ago conceived as Wallpaper.'s frontman.

DJ Tweedy between sets

Inside Stage:

1:00a - DJ Orion

With a foundation in Salsa, hip hop and electronica, Orion's reportoire has expanded to include the toughest dancehall riddims, Cumbia y Merengue, mash-ups, grime, baile funk, dubstep, jazz, minimal techno, bassline and most things in between.

12:15a - Bright Light Social Hour

Born out of a university art-rock collective, The Bright Light Social Hour has evolved into an unabashedly wide-screen rock act, melding classic rock energy with indie, experimental, and soul influences.

11:15p - The White White Lights

Formed by members of Lomita and Monster Girl, The White White Lights write love songs to ghosts lost in a spectral wonderland. "Little of this, little of that, little loud, little eerie, little cutesy, little sexy, little angry, little thoughtful, little vicious, little dance-y, little hardcore, and a lot awesome." - Austin Chronicle

10:15p - The Authors

With a mix of danceable beats supplied by drummer Angela Stroud and bass heavy melodies by Jon Haben, The Authors have created a sound that they can call their own. Singer/guitarist Justin Prater writes lyrics with social a conscious and a wounded heart, while guitarist/keyboardist Ben Meza weaves a sonic tapestry of reverb drenched guitars and haunting keys.

9:15p-Whitman

Whitman is an indie rock band from Austin, Texas that has worked to establish the perfect blend of catchy melodies and loud, biting rock and roll. A mix of narrative songwriting, driving guitars, ever shifting backing beats, and haunting organ whorls create this quartet’s signature sound.

DJ Orion between sets

[RSVP NOW!!!]

Monolith Weekend / Art Disaster no 9 Show Announcement

We are taking off for the Monolith Music Festival in Colorado this weekend and when we come back you can bet we are coming back with buckets of goodness for you to check out. We will be shooting the entire festival and will have videos and pictures galore. And if the mood strikes us maybe even a interview or two. It will all kick off with the pre party tomorrow night with performances by Chromeo and The Cool Kids. You can follow our adventures all weekend via Twitter [@ultra8201].

Meanwhile we will be checking this out Saturday

and of course these guys on Sunday...

*****************************************************

Until then we are proud to announce Art Disaster no 9 on October 1st! If you are looking for the essential way to kick off ACL weekend or something to do after that Them Crooked Vultures show at Stubb's this is the essential party for you. The line up features some of the most up and coming acts in Austin as well as some of it's finest DJ talent. We will be previewing the entire show next week but until then we highly suggest putting in that [RSVP] at Do512 and saving a spot.

Art Disaster no.9 lineup

Outside Stage
1:15 DJ Tweedy
12:30 The Lemurs
11:30 The Steps
10:30 Speak
9:30 Wallpaper
DJ Tweedy between bands outside

Inside Stage
1-2 DJ Orion
12:15 Bright Light Social Hour
11:15 The White White Lights
10:15 The Authors
9:15 Whitman
DJ Orion between bands inside

OPEN BAR 8:30pm-10pm by Three Olives Vodka

Big Thanks to our friends and supporters:
All the bands, City On Fire, Knuckle Rumbler, Beauty Bar,
Scion, Do512, Under Pressure, BleachOnline, Indierect,
AustinSound, Ultra8201, Playing In Traffic, Austin Is Burning,
The Peen Scene, Raw Word, and Three Olives. And, of course, you.

Last Night: The Authors at The Mohawk

Last Night: The Great Nostalgic and The Authors @ Tripp T-Shirts

We'd like to thank everyone who came out to our event at Tripp T-Shirts on Saturday! It was incredibly hot, but it was definitely nice to cool down with some free Lone Stars and Sweet Leaf Teas! We had a great time, hopefully you did too! Thanks to DJ Orion who kept the party going while spinning a little bit of everything. It was also finally great to see The Great Nostalgic and The Authors. Both bands were incredible live! We'd like to thank the good people at Tripp T-Shirts for their awesomeness and our good friends from Knucklerumbler for helping us put everything together. Alright enough with all that, check out our pics and videos we shot of the bands down below.

The Great Nostalgic:

"House Of My Father" (sorry about the first shaky 15 seconds or so, I had to get a little closer)

The Authors:

"Put It On"