We’re delighted to debut Summer Hours‘ latest single “Close and Closer.” The band’s latest album, Closer Still, will be released February 5, 2013.
“When I was about 15 years old a friend brought me to Rockin’ Rex!, a great record store in Yonkers, to see some bands play live. At the time I was listening to a lot of David Bowie, Ziggy Stardust era, as well as some older metal like Iron Maiden. The bands set up in the back of the store and all these punks crowded in between bins of records. It was my first DIY experience and I instantly felt like I had found something that mattered, something that I had been searching for.
My friend, Ben and I would travel over an hour to go to Rockin Rex! (there were no record stores in the town we lived in) to search the bins of 7”s and LPs and get recommendations from Tony, the owner. Tony later inspired Ben and me to start our own zine, Satisfaction Guaranteed. We eventually put out an issue that came with a compilation of NYC Hardcore bands. The compilation was done by John, one of guys who worked at Rockin’ Rex! (and member of the band Awkward Thought.)
Without Rockin’ Rex! I would never have delved into NYC Hardcore and later post-punk and indie rock. I surely would never have written a zine and been inspired to start my own bands. I still try to purchase all my music from locally owned record stores.
In fact, I was on my way to picking up the New Forgetters album from Armageddon, a record store in Providence, RI when I found out we were going to be in The Vinyl District.”
—Mike Bliss
