Valley King Records Showcase with the Phantom Ships
Founded by noted San Francisco poster artist Alan Forbes and partner Justin McNeal in 2010, stoner/psych imprint Valley King Records started out as a boutique label issuing limited edition 7-inch singles exclusively, but gradually expanded to include a number of 12-inch EPs and full-length records. With an array of locally based psychedelic acts including Carlton Melton, Golden Void, White Manna, Triclops! guitarist Christian Beaulieu's experimental collective Anywhere and Comets on Fire/Howlin Rain guitarist Ethan Miller's power trio project Feral Ohms, the label has established itself as a bastion of good taste in heavy sounds.
For this label showcase at the Bottom of the Hill, Valley King welcomes Mudhoney guitarist Steve Turner's new project the Phantom Ships for their first ever Bay Area show. Started last year when songwriter Matt Brown approached Turner about adding electric 12-string and harmony vocals to some material he had written. The collaboration soon grew into a band featuring drummer Evan Railton (Swords, Blue Giant) and Dolorean bassist James Adair (though he was later replaced by Brent Rahja).
Driven by Turner's heavily distorted, 12-string hollow-body guitar riffs, the songs from the Phantom Ships echo the rural psychedelic country of Gram Parsons while still leaning towards the more feral garage rock the guitarist is known for playing with Mudhoney. Valley King is set to release a set of three 7-inch singles featuring the band's music.
The balance of the bill features several local acts associated with the label. Arcata-based psych juggernaut White Manna had already established itself with a pair of releases through Holy Mountain Records when it issued its third album album of ferociously lysergic grooves entitled Come Down Safari on a picture disc with VKR last year. Prolific space rockers Carlton Melton (whose founders Andy Duvall, Rich Millman and Clint Golden all played with SF's 90s gospel punk heroes Zen Guerilla) put out a single with the label and featured art by Forbes on a number of their early albums. Opening San Francisco band Older Sun issued their "Bad Man" single on the label earlier this year.
Valley King Records Showcase with the Phantom Ships
Saturday, Nov. 21, 9 p.m. $12-$14
Bottom of the Hill