S-S Records' SS2 Festival with Icky Boyfriends, Monoshock, Wounded Lion, and more at Hemlock 7/13-7/14/12

Last year, S-S Records had a ten-year anniversary showcase over four days that was aptly called SS1. This year they return for a scaled back SS2, or the “S.S. Records Second Music Thing,” at the Hemlock Tavern. This fest is two days, but the line-up is no less impressive.

S-S Records was started back in 2001 by Sakura Saunders and Scott Soriano, and was initially intended to be a 7-inch label, releasing one underground and musically left-of-center rock ‘n’ roll single every other month. That plan was scrapped when around the third record, the A Frames (the label’s first artist) expressed interest in co-releasing an LP, to which Soriano and Saunders replied, “Fuck yeah!”

Since then, the label has released dozens more, from bands who garner more attention, like The Mantles, the aforementioned A Frames and Intelligence, and then others who get considerably less so. They follow the rule of thumb that if the music is good, they will release it, as well as the opposite — if they don’t like the music (no matter how much money it might bring), they won’t touch it.

Headlining the first night are the legendary salty punks Icky Boyfriends, who started playing their face melting Electric Eels/Monks influenced garage punk in 1989 and released only a few singles and one LP. The band hardly ever plays live shows, and when they do, they leave the crowd breathless. Also playing the first night are LA’s Wounded Lion (responsible for the now classic “Carol Cloud/Pony People” 7-inch on S-S that came out back in ‘08) and Spray Paint from Austin.

Headlining the second night is Monoshock, whose one and only LP, a “barbarian classic,” Walk to the Fire, will be re-released sometime this month on S-S. They play a Hawkwind-inspired psychedelic punk rock and bands like Comets on Fire and Wooden Shjips have all cited Monoshock as an influence. This will be their first show in 15 years. Also playing on night two are Southern California’s 1-2-3-4 punks Lamps and sludge rockers Musk.