The Flash Hits Are Now! Born of a love for colorful guitars, hypno-groovy bass, fascinating rhythms, found sounds and sweet-dream sidewalk talk, Flash Hits row merrily through streams of post-punk, art rock, and micro-psychedelia, weaving a backdrop to deliver their neorealistic Oulipo-laced narratives.
The Flash Hits began as a four-track project in 2012 in Philadelphia by Damien C. Taylor (the sounds of kaleidoscope, Macitajs on Acid, Kohoutek, Asteroid #4, etc.) and Mike Hammel (Lilys, Ropers, Pink Skull, False Tracks, etc.). Damien and Mike had the same machines and would exchange unfinished ideas, which resulted in a 38 song demo tape, World Tore, featuring contributions from Jordan Blumling (Gondola, Ancient Creature, the sounds of kaleidoscope).
Later that year, Taylor and Hammel teamed up with Justin Gellar (Pink Skull) and Julian Grefe (SPRCSS, Pink Skull) in a series of basement studios throughout the winter in South Philly to record The Basement Tape, a grab of tunes from the demos issued as a small-run handmade cassette.
Taylor’s relocation to Los Angeles in 2013 saw the addition of Gena Tuso on drums and a mini tour of the East Coast in September. With David Petersen (Adam & Dave’s Bloodline) joining Taylor, Hammel and Tuso for the shows, another group of songs were recorded by Adam Garbinski (Adam & Dave’s Bloodline) with contributions from Mickey Walker (Lilys, the sounds of kaleidoscope, Hi- Soft, etc.). This was issued as The Bloodline Tape, with The Noises Tape on side B, which featured four songs from a Lagunitas, California session with Ryan Van Kreidt (Asteroid #4, the sounds of kaleidoscope, Dead Skeletons, Brian Jonestown Massacre, etc.), Adam Weaver (Asteroid #4), Matty Rhodes (Asteroid #4), and Dennis Wilfong (Wolf Fang) backing Taylor.
Upon returning to LA in mid-2014, Taylor and Tuso assembled the lineup that yielded 2015’s Arts & Crafts. In 2016, Taylor re-emerged with a fresh batch of tunes and a new lineup featuring Robin Feher on drums and Nicky Kay on bass, playing frequently with Taylor’s fellow LA-via-DC friends Dead Meadow. In early 2017, Tim Plunkett (the sounds of kaleidoscope, Gondola, Hi- Soft) took over on drums, and the Hits toured with Dead Meadow that spring.
Later in 2017, Kay returned full time to her studies and Taylor returned briefly to Philadelphia to meet Plunkett and Gerhardt Koerner (Lilys, Hi-Soft, the sounds of kaleidoscope) to record Recognitions. The project saw the return of Hammel and Blumling, both contributing heavily along with Wilfong, Walker and Scott Verrastro (Kohoutek, Bardo Pond, etc).
In mid-2018 Taylor returned to LA and self-released Recognitions on LP in a limited run of 500.
With the core lineup then set at Taylor, Plunkett and Blumling, more shows ensued and new songs appeared. They set up in Ultra Sound Studio in Downtown LA on Leap Day 2020 with Jason Simon as producer to record Growths.
Featuring contributions from Simon, Damien’s brother Matty Taylor (Tennis System), Van Kriedt (and more!), the album finds the Flash Hits once again returning with a collection of sonic souvenirs from their Montessori-style explorations and adventures deeply removed from consensus-trance rock.
Growths will be made available in spring 2022 by those legendary purveyors of high-quality rock n’ roll, Frontier Records.
-Colonel Sandals, 2021
credits
released May 13, 2022
Flash Hits are Damien Taylor, Jordan Blumling, Tim Plunkett, and Ryan Van Kriedt.
Recorded & produced by Jason Simon at Ultrasound and The Blasted Heath.
Mastered by Paul du Gré at PMS.
Lacquer master by Golden Mastering.
Album layout by Nick Kulp.
GG paintings by Damon Cromer.
Featuring Matty Taylor, Denee Dentice, Jason Simon, Michael Wetzel, and Wilkie.
Special thanks to Gena Tuso.
Is there a better pop song than “Ginger”?
Yeah, but too not many.
Also: Robert Pollard had to be jealous when he heard it. IF he heard it, which is pretty likely. Brian Issues
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Bobby and the boys are on a roll, following quite well after Mean Machine Music.
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Instrumental track You Stooge You gets a solid gold star. Or two, or five. How many you got?
Last three tracks are some kind of trinity. Beautiful, beautiful stuff.
Bart Furp