Telephone and Suffrajett on tour

TELEPHONE, Portland’s own synth-pop outfit, forged by former Dandy Warhol founder Eric Hedford, gets set to hit the road. TELEPHONE launched their first full-length album AUTOMATIC released June 19 via Los Angeles and Chicago-based independent record label Cobra Music (distributed by Fontana Distribution).

“I can’t wait to get out and tour this record. We spent a year making it, and went through a lot: band members quit, we fired people, we had fun, drama, lots of stress, and questioned whether the band would go on. But, after all of it, we made a record I am proud of,” remarks Hedford.

Radio seems to agree. The first week at radio, TELEPHONE received support from some of the country’s most influential stations including Los Angeles’ KROQ, spinning “Mystery Girl.” WKQX in Chicago, KTCL in Denver and WOCL in Orlando are receiving extremely positive feedback from listeners hearing “Shout About It.”

The album sequence and lyrics ended up reflecting the struggle of making the record, starting off positive, then diving down into despair, and then ending with a sense of hope for the future. “I swear it’s not a cheesy ‘concept’ album,” Hedford laughs.

"It's a Northwest effort, through and through," says Hedford, recording basic tracks with Jeff Stuart Saltzman (Death Cab for Cutie, Stephen Malkmus), mixing with Hedford’s old friend Tony Lash (The Dandy Warhols, Special Goodness, Heatmiser, Elliott Smith), and receiving a helping hand from friends.


For more info on TELEPHONE and up-to-date tour dates check out: www.cobralounge.com/Telephone/index.html


SUFFRAJETT is set to release Black Glitter, their most recent critically acclaimed record, in Japan on Star Mole Records Sept. 25. Black Glitter is the embodiment of the SUFFRAJETT way of life–dark, sharp and shiny. It fearlessly proclaims that this is the year Simi crushes the glut of boring bands into a fine powder. SUFFRAJETT, Chicago’s unstoppable force of nature, joins Star Mole label mates Veruca Salt, Rye Coalition and Prototypes.

SUFFRAJETT’s innovative gang of delinquents—Simi (vocals), Jason Chasko (guitar), Kevin Roberts (bass), and Danny Severson (drums)—continue to tour tirelessly in support of Black Glitter out now in the U.S. on indie upstart label Cobra Music/Fontana.

“Grads of the Joan Jett/ Mötley Crüe School of Rock, the Chicago band's sophomore effort is the raw, hair metal-heavy soundtrack for a drunken fight in a pool hall. Watch your back.”
– Blender, February 2007

Created from a divergent brew of The Runaways, Tamar-Kali, Blondie, Diana Ross, Grace Jones and Guns ‘n’ Roses, SUFFRAJETT emerged just three years ago as one of the driving forces in independent rock with their self-titled debut, released on In Music We Trust. Esquire described the offering, recorded in a Manhattan mini-storage space, as a “dirty record about sex and drugs” and dubbed it one of the 21 essential records of 21st century.

Originally formed by Simi, guitarist Chasko (who co-wrote Liz Phair’s whitechocolatespaceegg) and bassist Roberts in New York, SUFFRAJETT unearthed drummer Severson once the band made to move to Chicago. The band has previously spent their share of time on the road with MC5, The Eagles of Death Metal, Electric Six, Local H and The River Boat Gamblers.

For more information, check out: www.suffrajett.com/epk

Tour dates are as follows:
Thu Aug 2 Minneapolis, MN Fine Line Music Cafe
Fri Aug 3 Omaha, NE Saddlecreek Bar
Sat Aug 4 Chicago, IL Cobra Lounge
Wed Aug 8 Des Moines, IA Vaudeville Mews
Thu Aug 9 Cincinnati, OH Decibel Lounge
Fri Aug 10 Indianapolis, IN Melody Inn
Sat Aug 11 Grand Haven, MI Blue Note