Besides Asides

This is a long overdue post, it was meant to go up back when we posted all those Hot Water Music related updates. Pants did most of the work on this one so thanks go to her. Anyways this is a b-side and rarities collection by the Draft who were basically Hot Water Music without Chuck Ragan during HWM's hiatus. If you've never heard the band they continue the Epitaph Records-era Hot Water Music more straight up rocking approach but also toss in some roots rock and 90's alternative. If you like what Against Me! has been doing since signing to Sire this is very much in a similar vein except without lyrics that are pure cheese.

The Draft didn't release much as a band and now that Hot Water Music is back I'm not sure we're gonna get much more. This collects the band's three 7", a handful of demos that came out prior to the In A Million Pieces LP, a compilation track and some rare live songs. Enjoy!

There are a lot of Hot Water Music boots floating around on the internet but I chose this one because it is a great setlist and the sound quality is great. It captures the band right before their jump to Epitaph Records right when they were in their prime. There is some funny banter about people comparing them to Avail and references to other shows on the same tour. This is a really essential live document for anyone that considers themselves a HWM fan. enjoy!:

Of all the various side projects and associated acts to come from Hot Water Music, Rumbleseat still remains my favourite. Chances is are if you you are a HWM fan but you've never actually picked up a Rumbleseat record you've heard them before as Chuck Ragan covers their song "California Burritos" both live and on his first album. If you haven't heard them at all before what can you expect? Well essentially they sound like stripped down Hot Water Music songs with leanings towards traditional folk, blues and country music. They recorded a bunch of songs from summer '98 to sometime in '99 with Rob McGregor and proceeded to release a handful of singles as well as appearing various compilations. The band's lineup was Chuck Ragan and Chris Wollard on acoustic guitars and vocals and Samantha Jones (of Bitchin') on acoustic bass and vocals with Rob McGregor helping out on the harmonica. Before long they called it quits but not before they tried their hand at going electric, augmenting the existing lineup with Bill Clower of Radon on drums.

Rumbleseat didn't have that lengthy a recording history so No Idea announced they would be releasing a collection entitled Discography And Then Some in 2004. Well 2004 came and went and there was still no sign of the album when finally in 2005 it was released with an altered tracklist and the title changed to Is Dead. So I've gone and collected all the band's odds n ends that were left off of Is Dead, including 8 studio tracks only one of which saw commercial release, 6 electric band demos and 8 rough live recordings. For me the most interesting aspect of these songs is that on two of the studio recordings Samantha Jones takes lead vocal duties - something she didn't do on any of the commercially available songs. As a nice little bonus I've even included the artwork that was originally intended for Discography And Then Some as the cover for this collection:

With the recent announcement that Hot Water Music is going to be heading into the studio to record their first reunion LP, I thought it would be great to have some HWM related posts. This "Besides" installment focuses on Chuck Ragan's 7" and compilation appearances not including his single series/Blueprint Sessions stuff. This marks the first post on Besides Asides where Pants did almost all of the collecting and sequencing of the contents of the mix as well as the cover. Hope you enjoy it: