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"Champs Special Order Page" for the 37 Steps to Emotional Healing CD - Click an order button to the left to get it!! - **Special offer** - the CD is $0.10 per song, or, in other words, only $3.70!!! (+$2.00 S&H domestic / $5.00 int'l) You can also mail in a money order or cash to: MoRisen
Records A song that brings a huge smile to my face every time
I hear it...I first heard it last year on some random compilation that
i got...god knows where...but it wasn't included on an album until this
year and I've played it for so many people this year it's been a big
part of my life in 2005! the song is called 'Swimming In A Pool' by the
Alternative Champs. |
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**MySpace Blogger Damn the Bowery Ballroom for not letting me in to see CSS and The Elected! Two of my most favoritist bands! Apparently the venues with the bigger names put a cap on how many badges they allow in, and I could have bought a ticket to get in but I figured I've seen both bands before and I'm here to report on bands from our regions, which don't include Brazil (CSS). So I happened over to Ace of Clubs a little earlier than planned to catch the MoRisen Records showcase featuring a bunch of bands from the Southeast. Dudes, The Alternative Champs rule! I loved them like I love The Product... Meaning, I want to make out with them. If those two bands toured together (which they should!), I'd make out with all 7 members at the same time. It would be that good. Next up was Elevator Action, the band I was there to see .. they were on the cover of Southeast Performer a few months ago. I chatted with Lauralei the bassist for a few and she was a doll. Their set rocked my pants off (because as you know from an earlier post, my socks were already rocked off last night) and they played this one song, I think they said it was new, where Lauralei and Eric sang together so beautifully it gave me goosebumps. Their punk-ish rock was deep and intricate and I really enjoyed them. Ok, enough for now, for more you'll have to read the review in the December SEP! On last were The Sammies, who everybody seemed to be crazy about. Three of the guys from Birdmonster came out to see them (they toured together earlier this year). I chatted with the Birdmonster guys, who remembered me from when I saw them at Great Scott this summer. What a great group of guys; they were wicked wicked friendly (that's New England talk for "very very" if you don't come from my parts). I told them they kicked ass the other night. They play again on Saturday but I think I'm already fully booked that night .. but if any of y'all are in Brooklyn go see them. Anyway The Sammies played their southern fried rock to a very delighted crowd and people were dancing up a storm. Their drummer was remarkable, the bassist reminded me of someone from a movie or something .. I'll come up with it in time for the review .. and the guitarist was so completely engulfed in the music that he played with his eyes closed most of the time, while the singer/guitarist just fired up the stage. All in all it was a great night for rock and roll. *Fabulist Any song that begins Happy hour at the Sloppy Beaver... has my attention. I heard that on my first listen of the song Mississikki and so began my introduction to Alternative Champs. In my quest to discover all things “Champs” I came across one of the most entertaining band websites Ive ever seen. On it I found out that the Alternative Champs are holding a contest to see who can procure five Slim Goodbody costumes for the band to wear at an upcoming performance. (Slim Goodbody was a regular on CBS's Captain Kangaroo from 1976 to 1980. Look it up. If you know what Im talking about you're probably laughing.) Also there is a post entitled Champs song at #2 on guy's iPod and it goes on to reflect on their meteoric rise to number 2 on some guys mp3 player. There is also video of the band being booed at a performance and pictures they found in a dead guys wallet. There are plenty of other goofy moments to be found but lets talk abut their music shall we. The best way I can describe it is that its for serious people that like goofy music. Sort of like They Might be Giants but less brainy or like the Darkness if they took themselves less seriously. They arent just funny guys that formed a band but a band that chose to be funny. Check it out for yourself. *Popdepression.com A song that brings a huge smile to my face every time
I hear it...I first heard it last year on some random compilation that
i got...god knows where...but it wasn't included on an album until this
year and I've played it for so many people this year it's been a big
part of my life in 2005! the song is called 'Swimming In A Pool' by the
Alternative Champs. It's on their album 'Welcome to Fort Awesome'...
you can download this song from Itunes...anyway...what can I say...that
it be funky--true; but who are these guys? Young? Old? Brothers? Honkies?
Are they kidding? Are they sincere? I never really want to know--I just
dial this song up again, and again, and again. And I keep smiling. Enjoy! *Rock Hill,SC Herald Alternative Champs, which hails from the Queen City, specializes in clever musical maneuvers masquerading as off-the-cuff meanderings. Say what? One reviewer dubbed the sound "an unorthodox brand of wrong-headed yet undeniably catchy, anything goes music." It began as a sort of low-key side project for the band's members. They are Mike Mitschele, guitar, vocals, keyboards; Brent Dunn, bass; Dave Massi, drums; and Rick Randall, guitar and vocals. And then it all morphed into a bonafide band with a big buzz brewing, especially since the release of the band's latest album "Welcome to Fort Awesome." The Alternative Champs -- who are rock and pop by nature with a huge streak of humor and hilarity -- managed to fly under the radar for a while, allowing the band the luxury of organic development. There is a campy minimalist ambiance to the catchy, comedic style but don't be fooled by the antics; musically there is a lot going on. How refreshing -- a band with a sense of humor, that's
prone to costumed and themed shows, without taking it all too seriously,
yet with the sophisticated cops to cover the creative bases musically.
- Debbie Jet Jennings *Pucknation Alternative Champs "Welcome To Fort Awesome" When you look at an album with guys jumping around playing with Yo-Yos in 80s track suits on the cover, then notice the album is called Welcome To Fort Awesome and features song titles like “Set Your Face On Fire” and “Shaquille,” you just know you are getting something special. The Alternative Champs are a Charlotte, NC band that has garnered some national attention with the release of their album Welcome To Fort Awesome. The Champs landed in FHM’s “Top 10 List of What’s Hot in October ’05,” and had their song “The Gay 90’s” featured in the Ryan Reynolds comedy “Waiting.” Listening to the album it is not hard to understand why the band has garnered so much attention as of late. Welcome To Fort Awesome is a satirical album that features a wide array of musical genres tailored to different comedic songs. Songs move from the Genesis-like “Set Your Face On Fire,” to the Bee Gees-esque “Swimming In The Pool,” to the AC/DC rocker “Kicking Ass.” The Champs are able to play each different genre of music fairly well, but the constant switching around leaves the album without a cohesive feel to it. This switching around also leads to the main fault of the album, songs like “Rockingham” and “Welcome To Fort Awesome” stand head-and-shoulders above other numbers on the album, garnering repeat plays while most other tracks are much less catchy, inducing a chuckle and a pressing of the “Next” button halfway through. Despite the unevenness of the album the Alternative Champs show they have some great ideas. They prove that though they may be novel, they are no novelty band. The falsetto vocals on the album are all handled fairly well, and on tracks like “Mathematics” the band shows they can harmonize just as good as any “serious” band. Of course one of the high-points of an album like this is the lyrics; tracks like the word problems from hell (“Mathematics” and “Mathematics2”) and the musical letter to Shaquille O’Neal (“Shaquille”) prove that on top of being a talented band The Alternative Champs are quite funny. Overall: Welcome To Fort Awesome is a pretty decent album, featuring fun lyrics, with good musicianship and singing. Still, many of the songs lack the catchiness to warrant repeat plays; the Champs would do well to give a band like The Aquabats a listen to see how a band can strike the perfect balance between novel, funny songs and awesome music writing. *Creative Loafing Goofy get-ups. Over-the-top musicianship. Silly lyrics. If this reads like a description of some heavy metal band, that's OK - the Alternative Champs are spiritual kin to Spinal Tap. Whether prancing about in matching nurses' uniforms, performing the sax solo from Spandau Ballet's "True" on a kazoo or singing about Shaquille O'Neal's size-21 feet, the Champs deliver a cockeyed, irreverent sense of humor and plenty of musical in-jokes. "There's something wrong with every song," says singer/guitarist Rick Randall. "Something's just not right, whether it's the subject matter, or maybe you have us singing a soul song, or it might have a way over-the-top guitar solo. We're not necessarily going for full-on, laugh-out-loud hilarity, just something no one else has done, regardless of what it takes." So what can we expect from the Champs' upcoming Christmas show at the Visulite Theatre? "I was playing some Christmas songs yesterday while I was decorating the house, and I started playing them on the acoustic guitar. So that might be fun," says Randall. "Then again, I could also see us doing a German techno Christmas set. Maybe remix some Mannheim Steamroller." The madness began 15 years ago when a few Charlotte musicians would get together to jam and make weird four-track songs at the Seventh Street home of drummer Dave Massi and singer/guitarist Mike Mitschele. All of them played in other bands, but together these Champs had a loose, informal quality that was missing from their other collaborations. "The Champs was the sort of thing where there were no rules," Randall says. "It all happened very organically because you have a group of friends who all are musicians. So if you're hanging out, spending time together, you're apt to make up goofy or fun songs." A prime example is "Squishy, My Lover," an off-hand ode to couples' baby-talk born during a soundcheck. The Champs recently filmed a music video of the ebullient power-pop track with their friend, local filmmaker Richard Wright. Randall explains the song's genesis: "We were just setting up the microphones and Mike started singing, 'Squishy, squishy, squishy, my love.' He's really good at coming up with those vocal hooks of something no one would ever sing in public." As much performers as musicians, the Champs are best when poking fun at rock star pretension. Yet it's also true that the members just like to dress up, no underlying meaning necessary. Every show explores a different sartorial theme. One time, the band recreated a mechanic's garage on stage, from the matching uniforms right down to the greasy phone and cash register. The visual thing, says Randall, "started out one night when we were playing at a songwriter's showcase. We showed up in substitute-teacher sweaters - you know, with fuzzy Christmas motifs on them. We played a song about the songwriter showcase - it was sort of a 'We are the World' sort of thing, really anthemic. We brought the crowd up on stage to sing it and then left them there singing." Though the Champs have been playing regularly for the past five years, it wasn't until last winter that the band finally recorded its debut, Welcome To Fort Awesome, released in August on Charlotte-based MoRisen Records. In September, the band played the MoRisen showcase at the annual CMJ music festival in Manhattan, and also appeared on a panel about bands with gimmicks, hosted by Nashville Pussy's Ruyter Suys. "We were brain dead and hung over," Randall remembers. "Somehow I managed to say something about David Lee Roth's package. One of the kids was saying he was in a band and his singer didn't have a really good singing voice - what should he do? I said, 'Well, if you look at David Lee Roth's package' - I was going to say he was a great performer, but when I said package it got kinda ugly." There's been something of a buzz emerging around the Champs, and Fort Awesome is climbing the CMJ's college radio charts. Still, Randall says the band doesn't have any plans for a big national tour. "We're more of a songwriting band, and when we do
our performance, it's a Performance. It's very important for us to keep
it fresh and fun," he says. "We've toured in other bands. It's
pretty depressing to play in, say, Tennessee, on a Tuesday night for
two people and make $4. I'd rather be at home making up songs." *Dallas Observer - Critics Top 10 for 2005 *Charlotte Observer Courtney Devores In 10 years, mock-rock quartet the Alternative Champs has never performed the same show twice. Since a Thanksgiving songwriter's night at the Double Door in the late '90s, when guitarists Mike Mitschele and Rick Randall performed in women's wigs and bejeweled "substitute teacher" sweaters, the Champs have donned numerous stage costumes. "We need a sponsorship from Value Village," Mitschele said during a recent three-way call with the Observer from his new home in New York. "I think I've spent more money on wigs than I've made." Over the years, Randall, Mitschele, drummer Dave Massi and bassist Brent Dunn have performed dressed as women's soccer coaches, fast-food workers, auto mechanics and staggering, giant clowns with wood blocks strapped to their feet. At 2005's CMJ Conference in New York, they wore traditional lederhosen. They not only dress the part, but run with the theme, incorporating details such as props and prerecorded messages such as fast-food orders into the set. "We dressed as Orange Annie (once)," Mitschele recalled, describing a bicycling Plaza-Midwood fixture. "She wore an orange hoodie pulled over her head and rearview mirrors on her glasses. We came in on bikes and did a lap around the crowd." The Champs return to the Visulite Dec. 23 to cap off a big year for a band that was once considered a fun side project, especially for Mitschele, who spent ten years with Charlotte's Jolene. "We were in other bands where you practiced a lot and tried to be serious about it," explained Randall, who lives in Winston-Salem. "This was the opposite: the anti-band." The group started as a goof, with Mitschele recording silly songs while his band mates were in class at Appalachian State University. They'd give CDs to friends and perform a few shows each year, usually for large, enthusiastic crowds. Their songs and antics gave them a reputation for creating events rather than typical rock concerts. "When we were in other bands, we'd play our serious band's music, then put in a Champs tape," Randall said. "And a lot of times people would like the Champs better." Lacking any stylistic pretensions, the Champs perform campy soul, hair-metal parodies, humorous Southern rock and kitschy country, never shying away from a cheesy guitar lick or a play on words. Their impressive live draw caught the attention of Chuck Morrison, owner of Charlotte-based MoRisen Records, who released their debut album, "Welcome to Fort Awesome," on his label earlier this year. The CMJ performance followed, along with a publishing deal that has the group currently penning songs for the upcoming comedy, "Employee of the Month" starring comedian Dane Cook and possibly Jessica Simpson. In March, they'll undoubtedly raise eyebrows at South By Southwest, an industry showcase in Austin, Texas. Plus, they recently wrapped their first video for the song "Squishy, My Love," which documents outrageous live shows in Charlotte and Winston-Salem. "I was feeling uncomfortable with my part," Randall admitted of post-shoot doubts. "I was wearing this sleeveless fur vest and chaps and acting like a complete idiot." Embarrassing? Maybe, but that's exactly the kind of behavior
that may attract national attention. *Itunes Music Review ("Waiting" Soundtrack
- The Talk / SOP / Alernative Champs) *Performermag.com In the first grade, six-year olds typically make finger paintings or listen to stories being read by overworked and underappreciated teachers. For Brent Dunn and Rick Randall, first grade was the foundation for a life-long friendship that included musical collaboration. In high school Dunn and Randall met up with Mike Mitschele and Dave Mass and quickly became friends However, they all played in different bands over the years until 2003, when the seriousness of their other bands caused the four musicians to start a side-project together by the name of the Alternative Champs. Their goal was to make up the most ridiculous songs they could think of and then watch how people reacted when they played them. Much to their surprise, they soon developed a devoted fan base. They always embrace the true entertainment factor of live performances. “We are not just up there shoe-gazing. If it requires us to make fools of ourselves that’s okay, but not too silly like a frat house Halloween party,” says Randall. “The idea behind this is to set a tone that loosens people up.” The Alternative Champs don’t just look and dress strangely. Their lyrics also aim to present everything in as unconventional a manner as possible. “We were always in other bands that were more serious, so our lyrics were strictly for fun, like [in] ‘Set Your Face on Fire.’” We try to make every line silly but nothing like weird Al.” says Randall. Their performance, appearance and songs have generated such a positive response that the band was soon signed to MoRisen Records. MoRisen released Fort Awesome in early August. The name Fort Awesome came about purely through happenstance. The band was sitting out on the patio of a Charlotte restaurant and noticed the phrase carved into the table. The group thought it was just nerdy and funny enough to be perfect for the name of their debut. This sense of randomness serves as a basis for not only the band’s naming process, but also for their live performances. For example, at one show the band had Richard Wright, a friend and movie set designer, build a beach scene with an old ’40s tent as the backdrop for the show. Rather than wear the predictable bathing suits, Alternative Champs chose a more interesting angle. “We were wearing bright blue chemical germaphobe outfits, clear goggles splash guards and facial hair nets, it was so hot we detoxed that night,” laughs Randall. These performances are somewhat rare as Alternative Champs chose to play what Randall calls “smart shows,” such as the CMJ festival in New York. “We hit better shows that make more sense, we are not in the mindset of tour,” says Randall. “We’ve done that before and want to try something different, make a show more of an event and keep it fresh.” |
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