Centro-matic Dispatch / Album Pre-Order / April 2014 – Belton, TX 76513

Spring is rolling onward and we’re viciously proud to announce the release of our 11th full length, Take Pride In Your Long Odds, available June 3rd.  We have a Pre-order for the album available through PledgeMusic. You can get the digital download, a diorama, some of Scott’s salsa or even a full blown, high decibel rock show at your house. Check out the pre-order HERE.

Track listing runs like this:

  1. Take Pride In Your Long Odds
  2. Every Mission
  3. Salty Disciple
  4. Cross Path
  5. Anything Torn Out
  6. Academy Of Lunkers
  7. Calling You Glad
  8. Cynthia Glass
  9. Hey There, Straps
  10. Relative Unto The Aces
  11. On The Ride Back
  12. Through The Fog, Then Down

We’ve announced some new Texas and Midwestern dates for June and plan to be on the road more a little later in 2014.  Here’s what’s confirmed at the moment:

  • May 30 – San Antonio, TX/Sam’s Burger Joint
  • May 31 – Austin, TX/Mohawk
  • June 6 – St. Louis, MO/TBA
  • June 7 – Chicago, IL/Beat Kitchen
  • June 8 – Madison, WI/The Frequency
  • June 9 – Minneapolis, MN/The Icehouse
  • June 10 – Sioux Falls, SD/Icon Lounge
  • June 14 – Dallas, TX/Kessler Theater

Our song Salty Disciple was unveiled by Paste last week, and a video for it, directed by Downstate Illinois’ pride and joy, The Galassi Brothers, will be coming along very soon.

Thanks as always.  Hopefully see you down the road.

-Will J.

Pre-order Take Pride In Your Long Odds

We are thrilled to launch the pre-order for our new album TAKE PRIDE IN YOUR LONG ODDS!

Since this event is very special to us, as are you, we wanted to do something equally special with our pre-order for this album and we have teamed up with PledgeMusic to make this a little more unique where we can better connect with all of you. We are offering up some very exclusive merchandise and interactive experiences that we’ve never made available or done before. Hope you will join us and get involved!

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Take Pride In Your Long Odds & Redo The Stacks

We are pleased to announce that our new record Take Pride In Your Long Odds will be released on June 3rd 2014! To coincide with the release of our 11th studio album and due to popular demand we will also be re-releasing Redo the Stacks as a limited edition double vinyl for the first time ever. Redo the Stacks will be available in stores and available online beginning April 22.  If you live in Texas there will also be a 30 copies available at BOTH Waterloo Records in Austin & Good Records in Dallas  this Saturday April 19 for Record Store Day!

Paste Magazine is premiering a track from Take Pride In Your Long Odds check out ‘Salty Disciple’ here: http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/av/2014/04/song-premiere-centro-matic—salty-disciple.html

Pre-order and tour dates to be announced soon! 

LPAlbumFlatSMRedo the StacksSM

Living Room Tour Starts Today!

roswell500

After about nine hours of driving I pulled into Roswell and stopped at the Circle K on North Main Street to get some beer. The first person I spoke with was a lanky, young guy in a black satin jacket and a dirty Miami Dolphins cap.  He had what looked like traction encasing the entirety of his right arm. I almost bumped into him at the cooler, and we wound up talking at the register. He told me he’d been stabbed in the chest and in the arm, had just been released from the hospital, and was finally regaining some movement in his wrist. He continued his story to the clerk, who he seemed to know, and I stood at the door and wished him well with his recovery. He turned and flatly said: “I’m really happy to be alive. I’m just happy to be living this life.”

I couldn’t know what led him to this condition, or this chapter.  I’ll never know if I was talking to the bad guy, the good guy, or just the wrong place, wrong time guy. But as he talked, and as his eyes and smile lines expressed hope for healing and betterment, I realized, after the most difficult and surreal stretch of my own life, that it felt great to be back out in the world again. As rough as things looked for this guy, there was a centeredness about him, his other arm waving about as he excavated the air in the room for a shred of positivity. Keeping on.

There’s a comfort in the driving, the interacting, in making time for a walk to go watch a sunset, in playing some shows again. In smelling the supper of the contract workers cooking on the grill just outside my hotel room door tonight, and finding some trails to run just after sunrise tomorrow.

It feels good to be back in the American West. It feels good to see signs of Spring.

Maybe see you at the show.

-Will J. / April 2014

# # #

WED APRIL 2 : Albuquerque, NM – SOLD OUT
THU APRIL 3 : Phoenix, AZ
FRI APRIL 4 : Las Vegas NV
SAT APRIL 5 : Los Angeles CA (Altadena)
SUN APRIL 6 :  San Francisco – SOLD OUT
MON APRIL 7 : Petaluma CA
TUE APRIL 8 : Sacramento CA
WED APRIL 9 : Reno NV – SOLD OUT
FRI APRIL 11 : Eugene OR
SAT APRIL 12 : Portland OR – SOLD OUT
SUN APRIL 13 : Seattle WA – SOLD OUT
MON APRIL 14 : Boise ID
WED APRIL 16 : Cheyenne WY
THU APRIL 17 : Ft Collins CO – SOLD OUT
FRI APRIL 18 :  Denver CO
SAT APRIL 19 : Crested Butte CO

BUY HERE

Living Room Tour / November 2013

Some folks are writhing in a thick fog of World Series tension, familiar excess, ongoing superstition, gradual wrinkling, unexpected twitches, lil’ sputters, regional quivers, localized belches, maybe endorsed calls/cries for help, obvious confusion, occasional enchantment, mild to total delight, definite surprise, hourly sweating, cold disappointment, understood inventive dancing, (mostly) harmless celebratory air punches, nauseating forecasting, predictable second guessing, and probably some hidden furniture kicks. And then some don’t care. It’ll all be over soon. Anyway, starting Saturday I’m gonna stumble into 18 solo shows in 19 days. This Fall run will roam the Midwest, East, Northeast, then back Midwest again, taking place again in alternate spaces like living rooms, old barns, art galleries, and a couple of venues. There will be weather, traffic, construction, ghosts of construction, tributes to construction, more memorable conversations with strangers, drifters, clerks, Flying-J gypsies, and some non-plussing sandwich and shit-all-they-got-is-Lavazza? situations. I feel like that’s all gonna wind up true.

I plan to show up, steal some paint color or home improvement ideas, put about two beers in the fridge, take one to my chair, then play some old and new songs on a 1960’s Kay acoustic guitar. Most of these shows will take place on the neutral and cared-for turf of a generous host’s home, without a PA system, amplification, lighting rig, or separation/back stage situation. We’re all on private property, and while respect should always be the thing, it’s even more of a thing when kids are around and someone’s pride and joy of a home is the mothership. Touring like this is meant to peel things back, encourage communication amongst all of us, and stick to the business of the songs. As always, I’m really looking forward to the ride.

I’ll have the latest round of baseball art prints, a special limited edition Mark Brabant-signed and designed tour poster, and some vinyl and various cd’s in tow.

– Will J.

Tickets are on sale via
http://www.undertowtickets.com/artist/will-johnson

11/02 : Springfield MO – Living Room Show
11/03 : St. Louis MO – Off Broadway (w/ Okkervil River)
11/04 : Nashville TN – Living Room Show
11/06 : Baltimore MD – Living Room Show
11/07 : Philadelphia PA – Living Room Show
11/08 : Queens NY – Living Room Show
11/10 : New Paltz NY – Tin Roof Sessions
11/11 : Buffalo NY – Living Room Show
11/12 : Goshen IN – Ignition Music Garage
11/13 : Chicago IL – LIving Room Show
11/14 : Chicago IL – LIving Room Show
11/15 : Milwaukee WI – Living Room Show
11/16 : Madison WI – Living Room Show
11/17 : Minneapolis MN – Living Room Show
11/18 : Sioux Falls SD – Living Room Show
11/19 : Charles City IA – Charles City Arts Center
11/20 : Kansas City MO – Living Room Show

# # #

Centro-matic update

As 2012 and a busy year that found us each working on various projects comes to an end we couldn’t be happier to be back together to record our next Centro-matic album! We are currently in the studio and while we work hard to get the new album ready to share with all of you we are also excited to announce a few Texas dates at the end of Jan/early Feb…tickets on sale Thursday Dec 13! Hope to see you there!

Thu Jan 31 – Denton TX – Dan’s Silverleaf
Fri Feb 01 – Austin TX – The Mohawk Austin
Sat Feb 02 – Ft Worth TX – Live Oak Music Hall & Lounge

WJ Talkin Sense

Will takes interviews seriously. He wants to give thoughtful answers to folks who are kind enough to write about Centro-matic and South San Gabriel. On one occasion a little while back, however, the combination of the faulty translations of emailed questions and an unreasonable deadline forced him to respond in a less direct manner than usual. Ladies and Gentlemen, here’s one of our favorite WJ interviews ever gave:

When we talk about Will Johnson, we refer to one of the most versatile rock scene. An artist with many projects at the same time. Work published almost an album per year.

How do you organize your musical hyperactivity?

Organizationally, chemically, and thematically, I am Will Johnson, so
I don’t have much say on that. I do organize my musical activity by
arranging my caresses in a room near the tested/abused edges like a sun, sighing in the key of Harm. I said “sighing”, not “singing”. You probably thought I meant “singing.” Anyway, some things get written at speed of an East County vandal. Some while driving. Like spackle candies or more specifically, the known stink of a familiar tomb. Depends on LanZad futures of course, face paint availability, and horse. So, no set way. (The) Best way for me. Me being Lil Squallz.

To understand the figure of Will Johnson one could use the figure of the great American hero. Someone who can give wings to reply and a normal person with ordinary life. What are differences between Centro-Matic and South San Gabriel?

The Greatest American Hero was one of my favorite TV shows. Giant
helpings. I have given wings to a small child once, but never a puppy. The differences between Centro-matic and South San Gabriel are like heavy wooden bats versus sleepy sheets on a laundry line. But again, not up for me to decide. There is no sense in me posturing the two against each other in silky trunks for any length of time. I want that Bod.

In these two bands mentioned, Will portrays his creativity. Centro-Matic is the formal and intimate side of Will, and is expressed through the rock. And South San Gabriel is perhaps their most versatile, open. Do you need these two projects to express your creativity?

I need these two projects mostly because I need rides to place(s).
Our van is the only world where I can get some good middle class air
conditioning, maybe meet a friend, and get a little time with all these Car
and Drivers. As far as the race, Centro-matic tends to look the speeding bus down, instead of board it. Whereas South San Gabriel carefully raises its Sails of Concern in summer’s caramel heat. Like a compassionate, thorough penguin. The two projects are desired by our troops in order to fulfill the musical and spiritual needs of our collective lives in waiting. We cannot afford counseling. Or rye. No hot tub, so we approach our wells of aural satisfaction with familiar bayonets of reverence and care.

Within your course surprised us your previous work double LP Dual Hawk, the rock on one side of Centro-matic and the other with its more relaxed in South San Gabriel. Was this work the attempt to unify criteria and contained in a only job?

The attempt to unify criteria and contained in a only job is by
masturbating quietly, but very diligently at work. On the clock. Lots.
Bossman in hall, Wokka Bee happy in stall. Think about that. Blam blam.
Blamm… sssssssssssssss, then.. Powwowowowow!!

Why this had to take a toll under the umbrella of South San Gabriel?

What’s taken its toll under the umbrella of South San Gabriel is the
potency of oils. This almost broke the band up, leaving us in a desert of
burning, nearly breathless decay. It is like bleeding from the knees with a
head full of static on an empty, quiet little shingle. All while emitting
spark and rumble in our FresshyPantz. Say that to yourself. In a whisper. FresshyPantz.

What is the approach to this tribute? Revise and redo their songs or else pay tribute remembering and engaging more partners from the experience?

If we engage more partners from the experience, we take a chance on disease. That’s not worth it.

Centro Matic as soon going to publish your next job, “Candidate Walt”. What are we going to find in it?

We met Walt. In/at Childress County Lotion Party.

Instrumentally, what predominates in your “Candidate Walt”? How is it made?

Was not made. (Was..) Dreamed.

The first issue we show is “Double Only In My Mind,” which starts strong to let us live KO from the second one. But at the same time vital sounds cool, almost even pop. Do open this topic to a dead center complex Matic, in which openly do and undo as you please topics without any pressure?

I am always living KO from the second one, but as far as vital might
go, or even the complex Matic part.. there are time constraints and out and out problems with us not hanging out enough together. Really, we’ve been trying to go on a camping trip with this fucking band for years. The shit keeps getting delayed. I think we all know we’d be a better band if we just took the time to go camping. It’s so simple, and we can’t fucking get it done. I’m pretty available. For camping or whatever that game is where you throw the beanbag about ten yards into a hole on a board. Bunghole, is it? Bung-bowls? I think it’s got some various regional names. Or just riding around town, for shit’s sake. Fuck. Anyway, as far as the reference to “openly do and undo as you please”, we usually take full advantage of that so long as it does not flirt with the reality of injury. Or disease (see earlier answer). After all our time together, there is still zero pressure with our band(s). That comes with the very weird and sometimes painful and/or joyous freedom of historically flying under the radar of the public’s conscience. There’s a defiance that lives in our relative anonymity, and we are sovereign because of it. When the vast majority of the listening public isn’t listening, who cares if you walk the streets stark naked with little bitty dry-rub, Skittle nipples? So what? Well, I’ll tell you what.. Here we are, after 1/6th of a century, with our original lineup happily intact, strong as all fuck, still making records the we really love. Not going fucking camping.

In AGAINST THE LINE you talk about what we can expect and how we build as a mute. Where do as escaped or where or how you felt trapped?

Yeah.

Recently, you were in our contry to presents some issues of this latest “Candidate Walt”. How do you expect to be receiving this by the public?

My dad like “contry”. He knew Walt.

Do you feel a bit of nervousness or concern about the outcome?

Hell yes I do. Bath time.

Centro-matic October Tour Dates

Centro-matic is excited to announce a few shows in October, including 2 shows supporting Afghan Whigs in Austin and Dallas TX! Tickets on sale now.

Sat Oct 13 – Austin TX – ANTONES – w/ Afghan Whigs
Sun Oct 14 – Dallas TX – GRANADA – w/ Afghan Whigs
Thu Oct 25 – Houston TX – FITZGERALDS
Fri Oct 26 – Baton Rouge LA – CHELSEA’S CAFE
Sat Oct 27 – Wiggins MS – WIGGINSTOCK