MY New Site!
It is finally here! GO check it out.I'm still working  out a few bugs and adding content... But here it is! Sheila Broderick photography

 Social Distortion rocked the Boulder Theater again last night.How many bands do you know that can play a city 6 times in 3 years and sell out every time? Certainly not many...

Stay tuned for more information in June's issue of Colorado Music Buzz!

The Blackouts April 2012 issues out online , in print April 6th

Photos and interview by Sheila Broderick ( little o'l me)

The Blackouts,Colorado Music Buzz April 2012

The Blackouts CD & April Issue of Colorado Music Buzz Release Party!

Be here! This is one event you don't want to miss! Featuring the Blackouts one of Denver's premiere Kick Ass All Female Rock Bands! Article and photos by yours truly. Event is Thursday April 12 @ Herman's Hideaway.

Broken Tongues

Check out the October Colorado Music Buzz issue featuring Denvers Broken Tongues!
www.coloradomusicbuzz.com

Cover photo: Sheila Broderick.

Pin-Up Holiday Special!

The holidays are right around the corner.Why not give that special love in your life a truly unique gift.
Call and book your session today! Packages starting at $150 Email me for details.
sheila@sheilabroderickphotography.com

The Lost Dirty Lookers Interview!

The Dirty Lookers

By Sheila Broderick

There is a new punk band in Denver, The Dirty Lookers! Front woman Pam Puente with her raw and heart felt lyrics together with Sarah Fischer, a newcomer (The Pindown’s, Crazy Miss Daisy and more) and Chris Kieft (Children of Denial, Zorobra and the Clavens) on guitar and bass. Gerry Feit (The Midgets and The Rayons) on drums. This is a recipe for chaos. The four of them have been playing in the Denver music scene for a number of years this combination really pulls together a great group. They present a chemistry you don’t see in a lot of bands. It is not often you meet a great group of people such as these.

The Dirty Lookers have their first CD "Audio Voyeur" officially released July 31 2011. Go get it! Check out their website for more information and upcoming dates.

A few words from Chris Kieft.

CMB: Tell Us a little about the Dirty Lookers, how did you meet ect.

Chris: Pammy and I met during the early days of the Denver punk scene. We loved and supported all the early bands like Happy World, The Fluid and The Rok Tots. I was in The Children of Denial and Zozobra, but at that point I was just learning how to play and being inspired by my heroes in the local scene. Pam and I stayed friends over the years, and shared many friends and life and experiences. She moved to Seattle and I moved to San Francisco and we played in many other bands, but there was always some sort of destiny we'd end up in a band together. I've never met anyone whose musical acumen and personal background was so tightly wired with mine. Early on when the TDL started, I kept telling her I sucked on bass cuz I never practiced. She teases me that when I showed up I brought the rock after saying I couldn't play. Underpromise and overdeliver!

CMB:
 What has been your biggest challenge as a band?

Chris: I'd say our biggest challenge hasn't been finding gigs, rehearsal space, band members or writing songs. We've had great encouragement and support from club owners, booking agents, friends and other bands. Our lineup is rock solid and our goals and setbacks, personal or within the band, are shared as one.

The biggest challenge has been the emotional impact of losses in our personal lives. Ricky Kulwicki from The Fluid was a big personal and musical influence on Pam and I. When we lost him we were devastated. Just a few weeks before his passing we were working on a song and needed another part. We said, “What would Ricky do?” We got a good laugh out of it, (once again) trying to cop some Fluid grooves for our own song, but when he passed it took on a different meaning. We saw the phrase show up on some flyers for the Ricky benefit show at the Bluebird, so apparently we weren't the only one inspired by Rick for a model for living. We chose to go ahead with rehearsals that week and we really felt Rick's presences. Rick certainly wouldn't want us to stop rocking on his account. Our EP includes some funny dialog I recorded of Rick when the Buckingham Squares played the Walnut room...listen for it at the end of the special “secret track” on our EP! 

Also, Pam unexpectedly lost her ex-husband who's the father of her daughter. We'd been doing Cry On by Allen Toussaint, but again, that song took on some special meaning after Pam's loss.  He's a legendary New Orleans songwriter who made a record with Elvis Costello, wrote Fortune Teller that was covered by The Who on Live at Leeds and he's played with the Stones, Eric Clapton and many more bands over his 50+ year career. He is a very gracious man and it meant a lot to Pam and I to meet him and tell him why Cry On meant so much to us. We were honored.

Around the same time two good friends from the music scene lost their children unexpectedly. As parents this impacted Pam and I greatly. We have the same frustrations, challenges and disappointment typical of any band, but with the flood of personal loss we experienced it really taught us a lesson about keeping things in perspective. Whether they're covers or originals, funny, raunchy or sad, The Dirty Lookers try to convey that the music we play is personal and real and we want our fans to know our that message comes from true life experiences. We want our fans to come with us on that journey because our story could be theirs.

Phil the Fan Hamon passing away us had an emotional and demoralizing effect. We all have stories about how Phil would buy every little touring bands' shirts, stickers or single. The inspiration that comes from a fan like Phil is incalculable. We like think Phil would've been our #1 fan.

CMB: where do you get you inspiration for writing you songs?

Chris: For better (or sometimes for worse) Pam and I are certified sex-freaks with a penchant for the more raunchy aspects of our sexuality. We're both single and have different, shall we say, “procilvities” when it comes to sex. The steamy and seamy apsects of sexuality are a big part of our lives. We incorporate this into our songs and certainly make no apoligies for our honesty. We're not afraid to express the sexual aspects of our personality that most people are reluctant to admit.

We appreciate the honesty of our heroes like The Fluid, The Pagans, The Damned and early Detroit rock and soul and we try to bring the same straighforward message in our songwriting. Every rehearsal, gig or song we write is a special moment in time and we try to live that moment to maximum effect.

CMB: Tell me a little about your new CD?

Chris: Our album was recorded in 3 sessions at Dave Fox's Alley Recording on 24-track analog tape. It was produced and engineered by Kelly Cowen from Human Head Transplant and Lord of Word and the Discples of Bass. Bill Thomas assisted as did Dave Fox. JP Manza at CO Sound did the mixing and it was mastered by the brilliant Patrick Haight of Burger Records. Kato Femmenino stepped in as executive producer at exactly the right time and has been instrumental in getting this album off the ground.

There are definitely cheaper ways to record a record but It was important to us to record on tape because we love the analog sound and we wanted to convey authenticity on our debut. We don't necessarily strive to be a 70's punk band, but the records and bands that influenced who we are as musicians and people all recorded to tape. The goal was to tap into the energy of our idols.

We had enough material recorded to do a full LP but  we decided to debut with a hard-hitting EP and pour the strongest and most high-impact songs into one big blast. There's never a dull moment and the EP covers a diverse example of who we are as a band. Bias aside, this is  one of the strongest, most powerful debut efforts I've ever heard. I definitely feel this album brings the rock and we're very excited to unleash it.

We were also very lucky to secure the talents of internationally known artist Aaron White for our album art. He did a great job depicting our raunchiness, our playfulness and it's colorful, unique and memorable.

CMB: What are your thoughts on the Colorado music scene?



Chris: We all have a history in the music scene but feel we're coming back in during a vital, enthusiastic time. We're inspired by the fact that a lot of longtime friends who, like us, started careers, had families, moved away and came back, are making waves with the same ferocity they had when they were just starting out. The Overcasters, Warlock Pinchers, Supermodified, The Buckingham Squares, Hotgun/The Informants, Sunday Girl, Dirty Backseat Lovers, The Omens, Hot Robots and many others are an ongoing source of inspiration.

UMS, the Westword Music Festival, Titwrench, Vixens Ball, Girls Rock and other theme-events really boost the scene. New clubs like Rockaway, The Stingray, BarBar and Beauty Bar are opening all the time. The Lions Lair, Hi-Dive, 3 Kings, Ogden, Blubird, Oriental, Gothic, Meadowlark, Larimer Lounge, The Skylark all the SoCo venues provide ongoing support. We appreciate the opportunities these venues continue to give all the great Denver bands. .

CMB: What is in the future for The Dirty Lookers


The release party for our debut EP, Audio Voyeur, is at Wax Trax on July 31. We are playing 12 east coast dates in August. We are scheduled to go into national radio rotation on Little Steven's Underground Garage in September. We are releasing widely on the Intenet and media on July 25^th. We already have enough material for a full-length LP. We've made several videos that will be out soon.

CMB: What is the weirdest thing that has happened to you at a show? 

Chris: Well, it all ties into this fantastic song we wrote called Trainwreck. It's a classic-rock or alt-country type tearjerker. Very beautiful and heartfelt and we're very proud of it, signaling big jump in our songwriting skills. It'll be released soon in some form and we're really excited about it.

The afternoon we wrote it, we played it in the basement for Pam's then-boyfriend. Upon hearing the song, Pam's boyfriend promptly packed up his belongings and moved out. Then, after a really great show at Vixen's Ball, out on the patio at Rockaway we plugged in little amps and played it low-key electric style. It went over GREAT! 20 or 30 people checked it out and and LOVED it! THEN, a few weeks later after playing 1^st of 3, opening for the Bellrays at Benders, we plugged in again on the patio at the end of the night and played Trainwreck. We absolutely cleared the place! People thought we were just some weirdos that walked in off the street and started playing. Talk about mixed messages! Either way, it'll be available shortly so YOU be the judge!

www.thedirtylookers.com

www.coloradomusicbuzz.com