2007 Press
The great Demo review in City Beat 3/28/07 for our January '07 demo "At the Mercy of Technology"
[Got all the hardcore you can handle? Well, make room in the boiling pot of pissed for one more dash of fuck-all, cuz here come Batwings. Dubbing themselves as "experimental post indie hardcore," they are that glorious, unrealized country between Minor Threat and Fugazi, Black Flag and Rollins Band. The opener, "Knives," starts expectedly with a speedy riff and a space-monkey wail but then segues into a proggy, paranoid crawl. "We Don't Have the Answers" and "Carbon Based Dream" sound like what we all wish The Liars and Fugazi still sounded like. The rest plays out similarly-spastic and abrasive one minute, intricate and melodic the next. Let's hope they don't take their album title too seriously, 'cause if we can get these guys in with Justin Pearson behind the knobs, their white heat will only sound better.]"Cultural Hasteland: Why San Diego's Music Scene is Better Than Yours"
[9. We're legendary Ask a music snob in Portland what he thinks of the San Diego scene, and you'll be surprised how often you get a story about how a Rocket From the Crypt, Three Mile Pilot or Drive Like Jehu show changed their life. More than pop-punk or beach bums with guitars, San Diego is legendary for its hardcore scene. And like L.A. and D.C. back in the day, our past and current scene is influencing aspiring screamers the world over. Best of all, there's more to come (see Batwings, Sirhan Sirhan, Waco Fuck, etc.).] City Beat 3/28/07 (2) We made the City Beat "If I Were You" 6/23/07 section a few times, some of them came with the following captions:
Monday 1/22 The Long and Short of It, Sirhan Sirhan, Batwings, Bumbklaatt @ The Casbah. Four of San Diego's better thrash/hardcore/punk bands. Bring ear plugs and some issues.Friday 5/25 Batwings, The Evening Episode, Red Host @ Scolari's Office. Punk fans need to get into San Diego's Batwings-sloppy, paranoid, compelling. Support comes from San Francisco: The Evening Episode, who will make Mazzy Star fans swoon, and impressive chick-punk band Red Host.Saturday 6/23 The North Atlantic, Batwings @ The Ken Club. Two of San Diego's best punk bands. One you can sing along with (North Atlantic) and one you can tremble before (Batwings). The Daily Aztec mislabeled a picture of Todd. Also, here's the subsequent article about Anti Monday League at the Casbah that doesn't mention us or The Long and Short of It, ha!
Cat Dirt Sez - "i liked what i heard last night... they reminded me most directly of fugazi, although generically i would categorize them as having a lot of the mid/late 90's dc sound. the band itself mentioned unwound and brainiac- which i think are both appropriate reference points. the singing def. reminded me of fugazi... i think probably the 31G/plot to blow up the eiffel tower crowd might dig this- might be a good band for a C.H.O.B. or Che show."
Dirtbag's Delight - "one of the more exciting new punk/noise bands in San Diego. I think they're like Sonic Youth if Sonic Youth were constantly on the edge of a violent, shrieking nervous breakdown. If you know what I like, you know that that's one of the higher compliments I'll pay a band."
A Coat of Red Paint in Hell - "their brand of post-punk swagger and Jehu-esque sound is really rad to behold."
Cat Dirt Sez - "i liked what i heard last night... they reminded me most directly of fugazi, although generically i would categorize them as having a lot of the mid/late 90's dc sound. the band itself mentioned unwound and brainiac- which i think are both appropriate reference points. the singing def. reminded me of fugazi... i think probably the 31G/plot to blow up the eiffel tower crowd might dig this- might be a good band for a C.H.O.B. or Che show."
Dirtbag's Delight - "one of the more exciting new punk/noise bands in San Diego. I think they're like Sonic Youth if Sonic Youth were constantly on the edge of a violent, shrieking nervous breakdown. If you know what I like, you know that that's one of the higher compliments I'll pay a band."
A Coat of Red Paint in Hell - "their brand of post-punk swagger and Jehu-esque sound is really rad to behold."
