The Mighty Cynics are back with a New CD and the same fuzzed out mayhem that has made their live shows legendary.In the last year The Cynics have been extremely active, playing shows and Festivals in London, Rotterdam, Stockholm, a full tour of Norway, all over Spain, Festival Beat in Italy, and even a few acoustic shows which spotlighted the rich song writing talents of the Kastelic/Kostelich team.
Never has their talent been more on display than on the new CD. Those who had the chance to listen to advance demossay it is probably the best Cynics record ever, on par with their classic "Rock'n'Roll" CD. It was recorded in early 2007 in Gijon (Spain) at Circo Perrotti Studios, and counts with the collaboration of the members of Doctor Explosion, Jorge, Pibli and Kaplan as well as other great guest musicians.
Kastelic and Kostelich came out of the Punk Rock Movement in their early teens and into the Real Punk world of
Garage rock during the mid-eighties. Hailing from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, they have been at the forefront of this
scene for more than 20 years now. Along with The Fuzztones, The Lyres, and The Chesterfield Kings, The Cynics have
always been regarded as garage rock royalty. Kostelich still owns and runs the Garage rock label Get Hip. Kastelic's
wailing screams, his on and offstage antics, and his legendary tequila consumption have made an impression on points
all over the globe.
Here's what the cognoscenti of Trash are saying about the new Cd:
"The Cynics are sure to gain a wider appeal than ever before with their newest album... ...Gregg Kostelich's playing and
arranging here is tightened to such an extent that every influence shines through with infectious clarity.... ....Michael
Kastelic's singing is his most expressive in years. The lyrics continue the familiar laments of loneliness, and lost or
unobtainable love, but with a surpassing wit and expanded poetic pallette.... ....."Here We Are" proves in musical terms,
that the "We" in it's title refers not just to The Cynics themselves, but to their audience as well. The accomplishment of
such a feat is not to be underestimated..." GP Colton. Listener/Writer/King of Men
Track Listing:
1. HERE WE ARE
2. COMING ROUND MY WAY
3. THE RING
4. THE WARNING
5. ME WANTING HER
6. SHE FELL
7. SLIDE OVER
8. LAST MISTAKE
9. HARD TO PLEASE
10. WHAT SHE SAID
11. ALL ABOUT YOU
12. COURTNEY
Historic Bio:
Guitarist/producer/record company head Gregg Kostelich is the frenetic force behind THE CYNICS. He managed to keep the band afloat in
the wake of constant personnel changes, he recorded some of the finest garage tracks ever, and also launched one of the best independent
record labels of the 1980s. THE CYNICS' style has been clear since their 1983 inception: fuzzed ultra-distorted guitar, screaming, moaning
vocals, with a straight-ahead no frills rhythm section. The influences are extreme '60s Punk, R&B, and other loud, frantic trash. Gregg has
occasionally steered the band into flirtations with folk-rock and little pop, but it's the grunged-out punkers that have created THE CYNICS'
reputation. Their first two 45s were released by the Californian Dionysus label, but soon after Gregg had established his own Pittsburgh-based
GET HIP RECORDS. This new indy label would release all of THE CYNICS subsequent discs, as well as those by several dozen other cool
groups around the globe.
Though Gregg's guitar is the backbone of the band, vocalist Michael Kastelic's contribution to THE CYNICS sound cannot be underestimated.
In concert (and on record) he screeches, wails, and moans with great abandon, while his frail, thin body shakes throughout the room. Miichael
is a truly possessed frontman. On and off bassist Steve Magee should also be noted for his fine artwork for both THE CYNICS and many of the
GET HIP releases. The initial line-up featured the talents and 60's looks of keyboard player Becky Smith. After she left the band in the late 80's
they stayed with the simple but strong guitar/singer/bass/drums that they currently display.
Each and every CYNICS release is a passage into the depths of simple, heartfelt punk rock. It should be noted that their live perfomances can
be just as effective as their vinyl. A bit “harder rock” sound began to creep into band's style as the '90s dawned. But with their last album “Here
We Are” they proved they haven't forgotten any of their influences and once again you hear incursions into Garage, Punk, Folk-Rock and even
Soul! But we will not spoil the surprise and let you find out on your own.
In an interview on March 21, 1986, Gregg Kostelich said “I was maybe 4 or 5 when I started collecting Garage records, and I've been listening
to that type of music ever since. And I was lucky enough to see a couple of shows I was a little kid…my parents would bring to see bands like
THE SONICS and THE BLUE MAGOOS and THE WHO, when I was about 7 or 8! I didn't know what was going on really, but it was really
exciting. I was kinda embarrassed in a way because I was with my parents.” When I mentioned that this early exposure to garage music
explained THE CYNICS style, Gregg responded “Yeah, maybe I got brain damage from all the noise!”
-Tim Gassen
THE CYNICS are the loudest, wildest, and most hypnotic live garage band around. If you get a chance to see them in the flesh,
DON’T MISS IT!
Recent Press:
AUSTIN CHRONICLE MARCH 2007
The Stooges/The Cynics 'Austin City Limits' studio/Antone's Records, Friday, March 16
Seeing the Stooges perform for a morning radio broadcast on Seattle's KEXP was a bit like watching Iggy Pop
yuk it up with Dinah Shore. Nevertheless, the band created a formidable racket in plowing through four songs off
their middling new album, The Weirdness. "ATM" and "My Idea of Fun" packed more punch in a live setting thanks
to bassist Mike Watt throwing himself into the songs as the group's legendary frontman contorted about the stage.
Still, the Stooges should've spent more than eight days recording The Weirdness, as Iggy revealed in the interview
segment. Heading up the Drag, their were no such hairs to split at the Cynics' Antone's Records in-store, where
? & the Mysterians were a no-show. Guitarist (and Get Hip Records impresario) Gregg Kostelich and bug-eyed/
tambourine-torturing vocalist Michael Kastelic were joined by members of Austin's own Ugly Beats on a mad run
through crowd-pleasing faves like "Baby What's Wrong, "Get My Way," and "Yeah!" By set's end, not getting to hear
the Stooges do "No Fun" wasn't such a big deal anymore.
PITTSBURGH POST GAZETTE 01/27/07
Yet another reason to love YouTube is the posting of long-lost video clip of The Cynics performing at the In Pittsburgh
Music Awards in 1990. It's an unplugged performance of "The Room," with a perfect vocal and great mugging by
Michael Kastelic and compelling backup work from cellist Erin Snyder and guitarist Gregg Kostelich. The song is
timeless enough that if it were in black and white, it would look like an old Ed Sullivan Show clip.
It's hard to believe now that this event from the Syria Mosque was actually televised in prime time by KDKA. What a
showcase it was for local music. To see the clip, go to www.youtube.com and type "In Pittsburgh Music Awards."
RIP, Syria Mosque and IP Newsweekly.
Pittsburgh’s Cynics, who along with the Chesterfield Kings and the Fleshtones remain among American’s longest-running—and greatest—garage bands, will be hitting the road next month for a handful of American shows followed by a trek across Europe that will run through mid-November. The Cynics have a new album, Here We Are, due on Get Hip on October 16, recorded this past February. It’s to be the followup to 2002’s scorching Living Is The Best Revenge. Fred Mills / HARP Magazine
Tour Dates:2007
October 4 – PITTSBURGH, PA – 31st Street Pub – Record Release Party with the Ugly Beats and Black Tie Revue
October 5 – BROOKLYN, NY – Magnetic Field – with The Ugly Beats and Mondo Topless
October 6 – WFMU Live @ Terre T’s Cherry Blossom Clinic with The Ugly Beats
October 6 – ASBURY PARK, NJ – Asbury Lanes – with The Ugly Beats and Mondo Topless
October 17 – AMSTERDAM, HOLLAND – Paradiso Upstairs - Start of ‘Here We Are Europe Tour 2007’
October 19 – BONN, GERMANY – Harmony Rockpalast Festival w/Beasts of Bourbon
October 20 – HANNOVER, GERMANY – Glocksee
October 21 – HAMBURG, GERMANY – Molotow
October 23 – DENMARK – TBA
October 24 – TROMSO, NORWAY – Bla Rock
October 25 – STAVANGER, NORWAY – Checkpoint Charlie
October 26 – FREDRICKSTAD, NORWAY – TBA
October 27 – OSLO, NORWAY – Garage
October 28 – COPENHAGEN, DENMARK – TBA
October 31 – BERLIN, GERMANY – TBA
November 3 – MUNICH, GERMANY – Atomic Café
November 4 – VIENNA, AUSTRIA – Chelsea
November 9 – VARAZDIN, CROATIA – TBA
November 10 – ZAGREB, CROATIA – TBA
November 13 – RENNES, FRANCE – Mondo Bizarro
November 15 – ATHENS, GREECE – Gagarin 205
November 16 – THESALONIKI, GREECE – TBA
