Yesse Yavis Virtual Release Show Extravaganza

It’s been a minute since we’ve had a new record for you, but we at Misspent couldn’t be happier to be putting more Memphis jams out into the world this week. Many will be familiar with Yesse Yavis, aka Jesse James Davis, from his solo work, the Slovenly released Model Zero debut album, his recurring role in Kelley Anderson’s Crystal Shrine, fronting 10,000 Lights, or maybe his new radio show on WYXR. If somehow you’ve missed him in any of those, get ready for a wild ride.

The latest Yesse Yames project is the culmination of a series of sessions recorded in 2019 with one of our absolute favorite Memphis ex-pats, Andrew McCalla (Spider Bags, Nots, Wes Coleman). The single and b-side feature a tight group including Keith Cooper on guitar (Model Zero, Jack Oblivian, Aquarian Blood), Coltrane Duckworth on bass (Wrangler Tires, Aquarian Blood, Crystal Shrine), Ben Bauermeister on drums (Optic Sink, Magic Kids, Toxie), as well as guest appearances from Seth Moody on keys (Jack Oblivian, Turnstyles, Faux Killas) and backing vocalists Jimmy Davis (Jesse’s dad and Riverbluff Clan co-founder) and Michaela Caitlin (Rosey).

In celebration of our coming liberation from the year that wouldn’t end, Yesse Yavis is putting on a virtual release extravaganza this Friday. A show unlike any you’ve attended, you’ll see a performance from B-Side, interviews, sketches and more as Jesse peels back the layers of a strange and mystifying onion. Tune in HERE from 7-10 pm on Friday, November 20th for the show and grab a copy of the 7” from the Shop!

Secret Service is Back!

Well, it's been a minute, but we're back with a new release from another Memphis favorite - Secret Service. The band hardly needs an introduction, but a quick sketch would start with front man Justice Naczycz (formerly of Final Solutions with Goner co-owner Zac Ives and the late, great Jay Reatard), and include his initial cohort in crime, Steve Selvidge (The Hold Steady, Tommy Stinson's Bash & Pop, Sons of Mudboy, etc.), as well as the powerhouse rhythm section of Mark Edgar Stuart and John Argroves (both formerly the back bone of bands for Alvin Youngblood Hart and Jack Oblivian, among others).  After an indefinite hiatus while pursuing other projects, the band reunited last year for a show at the Levitt Shell and realized they had unfinished business.

Soon thereafter, we got together with the guys and went into High/Low Studios to record a couple songs that had been live staples before the band took a break. Pete Matthews and Toby Vest are two of the best sound guys around and always get the most out of every band they welcome to their spot (though they recently moved and are now in the INCREDIBLE, historic American Studios). Out of those sessions came a couple tunes packed with all the bravado of youth and teeming with wild guitar riffs, drum breaks and wailing howls - "Teenage Mustache" b/w "Outsiders."

We're celebrating the release today with a party at Minglewood Hall's 1884 Lounge. If you can't make it tonight, the 45 will be available in the Shop exclusively for a little while before hitting record stores around the country and digital outlets. To hear a little more about the new release, head over to our Soundcloud page and catch Justice being interviewed by Rock 103's Catrina Guttery on her Memphis Made show.

Getting started...

After years of working with artists in various capacities in and around music scenes in Memphis and Jackson, MS, my buddy Chaney and I started talking this past year about working on a project together.  We both really liked the idea (hatched at the Hi Tone over a Water Liars show) of releasing 7" records from artists we were hearing in the Memphis area that might not yet be familiar to most. Memphis has a great history of remarkable artists whose songs were released on 45 rpm records, from classic Sun, Stax, Goldwax and Designer singles to those on more modern labels like Shangri-La, Sugar Ditch, Electraphonic and Goner.  Right now there's a lot going on in Memphis that isn't always making it to someone's turntable, and we want to present these artists' unique moments.  Working to record, mix, master, and design (and soon press!) projects with current and former Memphians, we anticipate putting out material with a variety of incredible artists in and around the 901 region.

This week we'll release our first 7" - James and the Ultrasounds "Robot Love" b/w "TV Set."  The band is experiencing a bit of a creative flood, with this project and a full LP due out in the near future from ever-present local label, Madjack Records.  Our single will be available in limited quantities at Goner and Shangri-La Records locally on Record Store Day's Black Friday Sale, November 28, with a release party the next night (11/29) at Bar DKDC.  We're just getting started and are excited about what's to come. If you are interested in getting in touch or keeping up with us you can check back here or via Facebook or Twitter.

"Rock and roll has no beginning and no end for it is the very pulse of life itself." - Larry Williams