A Town Press

Nobody can seem to talk about this San Diego foursome without answering the unasked question: “What did these guys used to be called?” Being the trendsetters that we are, we will do it too. If it still matters, the band was formed under the name, “The Muslims.” They recorded a handful of singles and an EP [...]

Paint A Picture is a series that asks musicians, painters, graphic designers, local film directors, and other artistic individuals what external factors influence their art. It’s rooted in the concept that we, as musicians and artists, are not just driven by what we see in our own internal communities, everything in the creative world influences us.

My second guest on Paint A Picture is my friend Rod Hamdallah. Rod and I were both members of the notorious skate crew FTS in high school. I recall both of us staying out late for hours at time and literally skating miles around the city and suburbs with FTS. In addition to our love for skateboarding, Rod and I were both music junkies. He was more of punk rocker at the time and I was a reformed metalhead in the middle of a bizarre hipster metamorphosis.

Since then Rod has gone on to start a couple rockabilly/soul-oriented music groups and has followed his dreams. He has not allowed any of his fears to paralyze his actions and he’s one of the most driven people that I know. I wanted to talk with him about skating and briefly discuss how it impacted his life.

When did you first start skating and why?

I first started at the age of eleven. My neighbor in Clifton, NJ was trying to skate so I thought I’d give it a try.

Is your music influenced by your experiences as a skater?

When I first started playing music, it was punk rock. It was already kind of a part of the scene and sub-culture that surrounds skateboarding. Today my music has that skater attitude, which I like and thrive off of. It shares that same energy and dynamic feeling, the same feeling that I get when skating.

Overall, how has skating impacted your life?

It has impacted my life in many ways like, attitude mostly – if you don’t get it right the first time, don’t stop and keep going (like if you fall off your board and have to get up and try something again). It’s implicitly taught me about perseverance and dedication and I am very grateful for that.

Rod Hamdallah will be performing at the Earl on March 3. For more information, click here

Wednesday, March 3

Rod Hamdallah, Austin Lucas & the Choir @ the Earl

Emancipator, Heyoka, AV8R @ New Earth Music Hall

Pink Floyd Experience @ Variety Playhouse

Thursday, March 4

Chicken & Whiskey, Eskimo Fuck Party @ Club 529

Boys and Girls Club of Athens present: Nappy Roots @ 40 Watt

Saturday, March 6

Butch Walker & the Black Widows @ 40 Watt

Tuesday, March 9

Soulfly, Prong @ the Loft

Saturday, March 13

Portugal. The Man, Port O’ Brien, The Dig @ the Earl

Monday, March 15

Josh Yoder of the Jungol @ the 5 Spot

AIR, A.M @ Center Stage

These Are Powers, Lemonade, MNDR @ 529

Thursday, March 18

The Mercury Program, Fin Fang Foam, Nigredo @ the Earl

Saturday, March 20

Untied States, Wizard Smoke, Vincas @ Caledonia Lounge

Tea Leaf Green @ Variety Playhouse

Sunday, March 21

Torche, Irreversible, Wizard Smoke @ the Earl

Monday, March 22

Sunglasses, Giant Lion, Living Rooms (free show) @ 529

Wednesday, March 24

Dillinger Escape Plan, Darkest Hour, I Wrestled a Bear Once, and Animals and Leaders @ the Masquerade

Friday, March 26

Young Widows, My Disco, Phantom Family Halo @ 529

Saturday, March 27

King Khan and the Shrines, the Fresh & Onlys, GG King @ The Earl

Pnuma Trio, Break Science @ New Earth Music Hall

Monday, March 29

Tight Bros Presents: GZA @ the Masquerade

Molotov Pipedream, Joshua Loner, Spirits of the Red Sky @ WonderRoot

By Brock Scott [We are pleased to welcome our latest contributor - artist, multi-instrumentalist, Little Tybee frontman, and darn good writer - Brock Scott. The illustration above is also by Brock.] Girls played the Earl on Friday, February 5th to a sold-out crowd of sing-a-long devotees. This band has been making headlines since September of last year [...]

Sub Pop recording artists Retribution Gospel Choir visit East Atlanta tonight in support of their latest LP, 2. The label bio tells us that they may be the most fit (as in physically) band on earth. They swim, they run, they play ultimate, they play music. Sounds like they’re game. $10 at [...]

We have found our favorite Atlanta band of 2010. It’s Oryx and Crake. They floated us a demo track from their forthcoming LP in the fall and we’d run into them around town, so we decided to show up for their show at the Earl on Saturday night. We were blown away. The [...]

Here’s a triple treat. Two tracks and a video from the trio playing the EARL tonight. Adam Arcuragi will bring his folkish pop back to Atlanta on Thursday night. Adam returns to his native Atlanta from the City of Brotherly Love (one of our former homes) to record his next album. [...]

Our literary friends should get the

Athens’ Dead Confederate have released their new EP, Dirty Ammo, in a variation on the pay what you like format. The EP consists of seven songs recorded live at the EARL in May 2009 – one of our favorite shows of the year. It includes two covers: “Smoking a Mirror” by Officer May and “Roman [...]

This Piano Plays Itself:

CONTINUE READING Photos: Tealights, Venice Is Sinking, This Piano Plays Itself @ The Earl (11/9/09) (4 words)

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Post tags: Tealights, The Earl, This Piano Plays itself, Venice Is Sinking