#kickinggiant

[indieephemera]

Pin-back badge for Olympia, WA band Kicking Giant, acquired sometime in the early-to-mid 90s.

There’s a good chance I picked up this badge that time Kicking Giant played at my record store, though I did see them a handful of other times throughout the 90s. Noisy guitar-n-drums + pop melodies = “Fuck the Rules”, yeah!

[taewonyu]

"This Being The Ballad of Kicking Giant, Halo: NYC/Olympia 1989-1993" is released today on drawingroomrecords.com thank you to Jeff Kuykendall for helping us to produce this beautiful artifact. 2LP • Gatefold • Heavyweight Vinyl • This album is dedicated to girls who walk like tigers, to the bold & the scorned, the fuck ups, the has beens, the drop outs, the shut ins and you. You were there when the cops shut the party down, you gave us floors and couches and dreamless sleep, we were there together. Thank you.

[indieephemera]

Business card of Kill Rock Stars co-founder Tinuviel Sampson, acquired October 1994.

Here’s another Kill Rock Stars artifact, to finish out the weekend.

I first met Tinuviel when she came into the record store (In Your Ear) where I worked, a she was friends with one of the owners. I think this coincided with our in-store performance by Kicking Giant (who appeared on the original Kill Rock Stars compilation album), as she would have helped arrange that.

I’d been a fan of Kicking Giant since first acquiring some of their early 90s DIY cassette releases with cool, handmade cover art. So I was ready with my pro tape recorder to capture the duo’s set: fierce and loud with a jagged pop aesthetic. Thankfully, I remembered to label that tape, so I can tell you that happened on October 19, 1994. Here’s one song from that performance I posted online a few years ago.

In talking to Tinuviel, I learned we were both heading back to New York City the next day. She gave me her business card, and we parted ways. So it was funny when, upon arriving at the bus station to catch my Peter Pan bus back to NYC, I bumped into... Tinuviel! We sat next to each other and chatted for most the ride down, though I honestly can’t recall what we talked about. Though I’m gonna have to guess... music.

[taewonyu]

Divine geometries beneath the Port Authority bus ramp on 40th and 10th Ave. The song is "She Comes In Colors" by Kicking Giant."This Being The Ballad of Kicking Giant, Halo: NYC/Olympia 1989-1993" is released today on drawingroomrecords.com

[blittman]

Got my copy of #kickinggiant #thisbeingtheballadof album hand delivered by @taewonyu yesterday. Can’t wait to listen to it. Lots of personal memories of Tae’s place on 10th Street and NY in the 90s wrapped up in this.

[taewonyu]

Kicking Giant live in Olympia, May 2, 2015, with the She’s Real Angel Choir (members of C.O.C.O., Nudity, Grass Widow and Morgan & the Organ Donors)

Photos: (top- bottom) Teenage Hot Dog, Janice Headley, Heather Schofner Photography @olyheather, Janice Headley

[taewonyu]

Surprise Kicking Giant reunion set at my art opening.

Land Gallery,  Portland. September 6, 2013.