SFBlue - Superczar Index

2008 News

FountainCity Blues review

Brian Fowler is a multifaceted musician and producer. Fowler has an impressive resume having shared stages with the likes of Harvey Bainbridge, Charlie Daniels, Dr. Hook, Nik Turner, and Bob Harvey. He's a twenty year veteran of the music scene and works with scores of bands including, Bibb City Ramblers, Superczar, and Spaceseed.
Fountain City Blues is Fowler's homage to back porch blue grass instrumental music. One of the impressive things about this disc is that it is a strictly one man deal. Brian plays all the instruments. Fowler produced it himself and over half the tunes are originals. This disc features Fowler doing some intricate plucking and strumming on the guitar, bass, mandolin, and he even takes a stab at the violin.
Fountain City Blues opens up with an original called White Tail Ridge which is a sweet taste of the great sounds to come. The time change in the middle of White Tail Ridge is so subtle and deft you hardly notice it shifting into high gear until the tune is speeding by you. It takes a breezy tune on a hairpin turn.
The traditional Train 45 is next. This track features some nice jangly guitar harkening back to the days of the Yardbirds and beyond.
Then we get the title track. The mando and the guitar swing off each other perfectly. There's so much going on the track it takes repeated listens to get your ears around everything that's going on. Fowler stretches his musical muscles on this one for sure.
Fowler covers Little Sadie next. There are some deep romantic slices of violin in his version.
Foggy Mountain Breakdown is another cover song. This one has a sweet waltz feel. Really nice for some slow dancing and romancing.
Port Columbus Blues features some spacey theremin whirls in the background. Ok I know that sounds like a weird thing to have going on in a blue grass tune but it works. It's hard to say why. Maybe it's because it adds a psych quality to an otherwise standard arrangement or maybe it's because the mandolin floats over the ethereal tones. Whatever the reasons it works out well and is a welcome component to this number.
Fowler gives us a rousing rendition of House of the Rising Sun. There's a stirring quality to Fowlers thick attack of the guitar.
Concrete Soldier has a strong melody that takes you away to a different age. You can really feel like your only care is sipping your mint julep as this song fills you up.
Ghost of Andersonville has some striking mandolin tremolos that hang expertly on top of thick acoustic guitar chords. There are some nice Kentucky style sweeps of the violin that really fill the space on what starts as a breezy number then turns into what might almost be called "proggrass" with some great time and structure changes creeping into the tune.
His cover of Amazing Grace is well, very spiritual. You can feel Fowler pouring himself into all the moving mando tremolos that decorate this tune.
Eufaula is another Fowler original. This is a fast paced number and you can hear Fowler's fingers flying over the mandolin. This is a great knee slapping dance number. You'll have to fight to keep your feet from moving to this tune.
The disc closes out with a rendition of the traditional Weeping Willow. It feels like there's a whole band blazing away on this one. You can't help but feel like your at the local dance hall on summer night with your best gal or guy and you're ready to cut the rug one more time.
The whole disc has a deceptively under produced and casual feel to it like it was done in a single afternoon but repeated listens reveal that to be untrue. The complexity of the playing and songs speak to long hours of writing, recording, and mixing.
This a great disc for chilling on the deck, barbecuing, cruising on a backwoods road, or watching a summer sun set.

-Paul Angelosanto

2007 News

Brian Fowler's new acoustic record "Fountain City Blues" will be available from November 1st. The album clocks in at just under an hour, and has 13 tracks of Bluegrass, Folk and Newgrass.

Check out his new Acoustic music here: http://www.soundclick.com/brianfowler

Check out live videos here and here

2005 News

2005 SPACESEED will enter into one of it's most exciting collaborations to date. SPACESEED will be joined by British prog/space keyboard legend Harvey Bainbridge. Harvey is best know for his work with the seminal space rock band Hawkwind. Harvey has also scored a film that ran in the prestigious Canne's film festival. SPACESEED featuring Harvey Bainbridge will record together later this summer and tour in the early fall. The working title of the recording is The Empire Of Night. It will be recorded at North Georgia studios owned by one time Jefferson Airplane bassist Bob Harvey.

July 2004 News

SPACE ROCK CON. 2004

SPACE ROCK CON. 2004 IS COMING TO CULLMAN, AL

Line up now finalised

I've finally managed to get the contacts finished and here's who will be playing for this year's SPACEROCK CON 2004:

NIK TURNER AND SPACESEED
SIGMUND SPOTNEK III
PAUL ANGELOSTO AND THE MELTING POETRY COLLECTIVE
VALLES SPACESHIP
SUPERCZAR
AND SUPERHEAVEN (with possibly THE SUBLIMINATOR)

I'll give out the info on the bands and also directions to the civic center, rules, hotel locations, admission (which it's 10.00) and all that stuff pretty soon. And I still need merchants.

For more information email Carlo at :strangemage57@hotmail.com

June 2004 News

A new Superczar gallery for June

New album out now!

Brand new from Superczar £7.99 - Buy One Now

Superczar will be releasing the new album "The Misadventures of Stanley Howard".The album will be available in June 2004. The current line-up is Brian Follicle on gtrs and Gabe Holland on therimin,vocals,synths along w/ J.W Culp bass and Hank Tart on drums. We recorded it on a 32 track Roland and the album sounds better than anything we have done so far. The trilogy of albums Stress Signal,Six Lives and Pop Art are still available and have great art work by Merrie Lockwood. Those 3 albums are electronic and alot of programming and synths mixed w/ gtrs and Mandolins. The new album is a full band album. J.W Culp and Hank Tart add so much to our sound . For a sample of the new album called "The Flight" as well as other related bands, Jones AVe and SFB. http://www.besonic.com/therocker

The new album has some great special guests Arian Arcu a fantastic cello player and she added volumes to our album. Arian has toured w/ Deep Purple and Scorpions. She appears on the Scorpions DVD "Acoustica. http://www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20010818/windows/music.htm also is Master Jimmy Holland Gabes father and plays one badass trumpet.. Joe Williamson gets the MVP award because he produced the cd and played some guitars as well. J.W did some amazing arrangements on the record and Hank hit the drums hard. Hank hits the drums w/ power and finese I love playing w/ him. Gabe and Follicle are super happy with this lineup. We have added a concert date w/ the legendary Nik Turner. In Elizabethtown Kentucky a small town there was a record store and a young Follicle ordered a album "Hawkwind" Roadhawks. I had got a tape handed too me by a fella who had got it from a soldier stationed in Germany. It had master of the Universe and It made me seek out Hawkwind. I waited 15 months and had long gave up the album would ever come. Then the clerk phoned me to get the album. I opened it up and it had a pic w/ Nik and his sax in a superweird picture of H.W. live. I was 15. I have seen Nik Turner 4 times, when he comes to the states we always go. Great several years later SUPERCZAR gets to share the stage w/ a legend. Nik tours w/ Spaceseed a hard hitting juggernaut w/ tounge in cheek. Great live band led by Conraider John Pack. www.spaceseed.org We are looking fwd to doing the show w/ them. We are booking dates now so keep checking the website. www.sfblue.co.uk

Forums about SUPERCZAR want late breaking Information? Join the Forum its the way to hear MP3s of the band, see pictures and keep w/ the pulse of SUPERCZAR. We want to thank Nicole Kirksey for the photography she is brillant and did a wonderful job.I appreciate you helping SUPERCZAR.
http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/SUPERCZAR/
http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/sfblue/

Both Forums have Superczar files enter the gateway and enjoy the file section rotated w/ mp3's. Thanks for the Support and check out the new album "The Misadventures of Stanley Howard". Thanks SUPERCZAR

May 2004 News

Fri 24 Sep 2004
Space Rock Convention
USA - Cullman, AL - Cullman Civic Center
Nik Turner & Spaceseed + Subliminator+Superczar

Superczar is currently recording in Valdosta Georgia with Joe Williamson aka "Magic Joe." Joe also adds keyboards and gtrs as well as producing this album. He was very kind to let us in his house along w/ his wife Ashlie, Superczar says thanks a million. We enjoyed the breafasy burritos and would like an encore when we do the next album. It is great to have a producer, Its alot easier than trying to produce it yourself. Adding Hank Tart Drummer and John Culp has made a huge difference in the sound, Hank is a powerful drummer. Anyone who has the first 3 albums will be shocked and awed by the big sound we have now. We have took the better songs from the first 3 albums and new songs and re-wrote them as a band. The songs are written,and arranged by SUPERCZAR. We have 3 new songs Hymm,You and Me,and Bobbye as well as Nature,One night Stan,Serial Killer,Haunted,Only Minds are Worth Reading and the Flight. Ariana Arcu a fantastic Celloist who tour w/ Deep Purple and Scorpions and appears on their DVD will play on this album as well as Master jimmy Holland, Gabes Father and great trumpet Player will also be on the album as well.Joe Williamson has a 32 track Roland and is helping us get the sound we need to take some steps forward. There is alot of other music available thru Zeitgeist. The first 3 Superczar Projects as well as some compilations w/ Superczar for College Radio. Pick one up the proceeds go straight to the band and help us keep making music. Stuart has a secure server so if you want to Support Superczar by picking up a cd. www.sfblue.co.uk The album is rolling towards completion, We still have to let Ariana and Master Jimmy do their parts and master it. Hopefully it will be available in the near future. Pop Art released on january 1st has master jimmy and Bob Harvey guesting on it. Bob played a psychedelic auto harp part thru a flanger to all kinds of wierd sounds on Serial Killer, Joby Phillips a DJ put a scratch part. Bob is open to doing all kinds of music and I am glad he appears on a Superczar record.There was 100 pressed of Each of the Superczar albums so get one while they are available they each have Merrie Lockwood Cover Art on them. Superczar is on the Shuteye Compilation "Take Out" out this month. The track "Only Minds are Worth Reading" is the track on the cd. The album is under the working title of "Magic Joe and his Life Cocktail" Cheers Brian Follicle
p.s. Thanks to you who take time to give a s&^%$ about SUPERCZAR!!

Hello folks and Czar heads, We master the new album "Pop Art" October 30th, We should have it available to the public around January. Merrie Lockwood whose album Art has graced alot of Albums covers like, (Idiots Vision-SFB,Folk Art-Jones Ave,Stress Signal and 6 lives-Superczar) has returned with her best cover yet. Superczar "Pop Art" we spent 6 months on and one more step and this album is ready to ship and be available to you the fan and friend soon. If you haven't joined our forum yet please do so it is on the home page, you can get late-breaking news and comments from all the bands including Jefferson Airplane member Bob Harvey, who by the way played auto-harp on a track on the "Pop Art" Album. Gabe played alot of synth and therimin synth on the album, i played some acoustic bass,mandolins, and alot of flat-picking gtr on my Martin D-15. There is some mandolin on the album, electric mandolin thru distortion, as well as camoes by master Jimmy Holland on tru mpet. He has appeared on Superczar albums before guesting on tracks like "Haunted" and "Kiss I send". He appears on 2 or 3 tracks on this record. We are mastering at Larry Rose Studio in Phenix City Alabama. He has some excellent mastering equipment. We produce our own albums ourselves so there is no outside influence, We just boost levels and add effects to the final mixes at Larry's.Superczar will be featured on buzzlighter 6 the track "Only Minds are Worth Reading" The compilations are on sale at Zeitgeist, they have 1 Superczar songs and the rest are other bands, some of the bands Whenbreathing Stops and Whitelight motorcade are great bands and anyone wanting to hear new, fresh music the Buzzlighters are a good way to hear them. plus by purchasing a buzzlighter you are helping Superczar keep these indie rock albums coming to you every year.

1. Devil's Advocate
2.pop Art
3. Catalyst
4. C.O.W.
5. One way Ticket
6. Miss Indecision
7. Unchartered by Thieves
8. Crazy

Sept 2003 News

Hello and welcome to the world of SUPERCZAR, this is Follicle, I want to update you on all the latest news for Superczar.

We will be on another compilation from Shuteye records going for College radio Adds, the Compilation is called "Take Out".Zeitgeist has available for sale the first 2 compilations w/ Superczar music. Melodic marvels has "House of No Windows" and Buzzlighter 4 has "Haunted On it. Take Out will have "Only Minds are Worth Reading" Which will be our third single released on College radio. "Haunted" is doing well on radio, being played from Coast to Coast. We are slowly chipping away at radio, trying to get something to get into heavier rotation. Buzzlighter 6 will be out in a month or so. It will be a nice follow up to Haunted. Our new album "Pop Art" is racing towards completion, and it's the best thing so far we have done. Merrie Lockwood called me and the cover art is almost done. This will be the best sounding album we have done so far, We are going to master it at Larry Rose Studio's. Larry Rose has some great equipment vintage and new. We are going to mix it thru Willie Nelsons old Board and we should get a pristine sound.We have mastered all of the SUPERCZAR songs in his studio.There are 9 songs on this album, add them to the 14 we have available and our catalog is growing.Pop Art will be our 3rd album out w/ 3 Compilations as well actually 4 if you count the Umbref Records Soundtrack to "Chaos God and the Sun Monster" they have the song Superczar on the film and the Soundtrack. You can pick that up thru UMBREF Records. The song "Superczar" is available on the Stress Signal" in the Shop Section. Buying the song thru here enables the band to keep it going, thanks for all the support w/ anyone who has ever bought a Superczar CD. Pop Art is sounding good, the guitars sound bigger w/ the new Strat called "Elephante" the Seymor Duncan pickups growled in the mixes. Gabe added some Therimin Synths and it added alot to the album, The Therimin was the one of the first synths made. Gabe plays it w/ sound waves and takes it to new levels. Master Jimmy Holland, Gabes father played some monster trumpet on the album, Superczar keeps it in the family for real, Merrie Lockwood my mother has done almost every cover for the band as well as my side projects JONES AVE. and SAN FRANCISCO BLUE.The writing was easy as usual, me and Gabe have a "vibe" together, We don't even hardly talk in the studio, we just laugh and jam.One night Stan is a little ditty we have recorded. It has a driving mandolin w/ a ragtime back drop, I envision the Charleston when I hear this song, The influences are all over the map on this album. If you listen to the albums they draw from many influences from Can to Bill Monroe, to Coltrane to Bowie. Look for a Nov/Dec release. Superczar "Complete" will be out here shortly, It's a compilation of the first 2 albums w/ a B/W picture of us on the front. Also Zeitgeist has Buzzlighter 4 w/ haunted available, There are song other good bands on this album like Whitelight Motorcade and When Breathing Stops. Complete catalog of Albums w/ Gabe Holland or Brian Fowler

Gary Cothran "On the Right Track" 1993 w/ Brian Fowler mandolin and writer
Scatter Album w/ Brian Fowler on mandolin 1995
http://www.linox.com/linox/CDs/Scatter/scatterCD.htm
San Francisco Blue "Idiots Vision" 2000 W/ Jefferson Airplane's Bob Harvey
Jones Ave. "Folk Art" 2002
Superczar "The Stress Signal" 2002
Melodic Marvels Compilation w/ Superczar 2002
Superczar "6 Lives" 2003
Buzzlighter 4 Compilation w/ Superczar 2003
Buzzlighter 6 w/ Superczar 2003
Superczar "Pop Art" Coming Soon in 2003

Mac mccormick builds the mandolins and Gtrs that Brian Fowler plays http://www.mccormickguitars.com/about.html
If you are looking for a Luthier to build you the instrument you need to sound good by taking your input and his expertise, contact Mac you will not be sorry.
If you want late breaking SUPERCZAR news straight from the Horses mouth join our forum, There is a invite on the homepage. Join and connect, w/ the music. Below are some links to Superczar and some reviews of our music. take care. Brian and Gabe

From Modern Dance:

SUPERCZAR. 6 Lives. www.sfblue.co.uk.
This is my second 'session' with Superczar, and to be perfectly honest, this release is just as impressive. Interesting set of songs, as it's definitely got a soul vibe going on here; the opening track, Haunted, has your interest caught in a flash. Superb trumpet playing adds such an authority to the song, as well as those little guitar licks and super smooth bass lines. There's nothing really flashy here, just damn fine songs. All originals, written by the two main guys: Brian Fowler on guitars, bass and mandolin, and Master Gabe Holland on vocals, and keyboards. All six songs are really good, but The Flight and, as I've said, the opening track, Haunted, have to be highlights. Amazing . (Dw

Buzzlighter 6 "Take Out!" (October/November/December 2003) coming soon with Pat Walsh, Lucky Chan, The Milwaukees, Deron 5L, Linda M, Superczar, The Sleestacks, Putty, The Defog, Slice, The Everyday Visuals, Lynda McLaughlin, Jeremy M. Dukes, RS3, barfly, Noam Weinstein, Making Planets and more!

From Aural Innovations #22 (January 2003)
Superczar is a duo project from Brian Fowler (guitar, mandolin, bass, vocals) and Master Gabe Holland (vocals, keyboards, synths, programming) of Jones Ave (see AI #20). Fowler and Holland formed Superczar because they wanted to create music that was more electronic and less folk oriented than what they had been recording with Jones Ave (and Fowler with San Francisco Blue. See review this issue.)
The set opens with the quirky electro-pop tune "Nature". "1000 Times" is a decent rock tune. "Kiss I Send" is a catchy folk-psych song with trumpet embellishments by Master Jimmy Holland. The Jones Ave elements are still present, particularly on songs like "Sunshine Ends" and "House Of No Windows", though the electronics are certainly active players. But my favorite tracks are "Superczar", "Table Monkeys" and "Ricochets". "Superczar" and "Table Monkeys" are very cool trip-psych tunes with a pounding bassline and totally freaky acid guitar and alien synths. And "Ricochets" starts off as a song but gradually evolves into a jamming freeform psychedelic freakout that is probably the highlight of the album. A nice blend of songs and instrumental jams

NEWS FROM THE OVERFLOW RADIO SHOW WITH GARRY LEE ON RADIO CAROLINE (Netherlands): www.radio-caroline.nl
To mark the 50th edition of The Overflow,a Top 50 chart of the most played bands and artists on the show,has been compiled. It was put together using the playlists for the first 49 programmes (Dec 2002-July 2003),therefore reflecting accurately who has had the most airtime.

20 - THE HITCHERS (ENGLAND)
19 - THE LEVELLERS ( ENGLAND)
18 - NOTHING 2 DECLARE (ENGLAND)
17 - SUPER MASSIVE OBJECT (ENGLAND)
16 - DOG SALAD (ENGLAND)
15 - FARSE (ENGLAND)
14 - SUPERCZAR (USA)
13 - THE VANDALS (USA)
12 - KWABENA (ENGLAND)
11 - JESSE MALIN (USA)
10 - RICK RAY (USA)
9 - HAWKWIND (ENGLAND)
8 - JOHN BARTLES (USA) (includes credits for Bartles & Arpad)
7 - GONG (UK/AUSTRALIA)
6 - THE CLASH (ENGLAND)
5 - THE DISTILLERS (USA)
THERE IS NO NUMBER 4 POSITION - A TIE AT NUMBER 3!
3 - CENSUS OF HALLUCINATIONS (ENGLAND) / 3 - MYSTERY JUICE (ENGLAND)
2 - THE RABBITS HAT (ENGLAND)
1 - OZRIC TENTACLES (ENGLAND)

Superczar news: July 4th, 2003 The fireworks are blasting and the guns are still blazing, I hate war, I have a right to say because I am a Veteran of War.. One of my friends was injured in Iraq, Sad and scary this earth can be. Superczar is currently rehearsing the live show and sorting out alot of recordings we have just made. We have our Radio Interview on Album 88 Atlanta that we will be posting to the mp3 sites, and some live Superczar at the Eyedrum in Atlanta Georgia for the Chaos God and the Sun Monster movie, Directed by Kreg Thornley,
If you want to see the movie and hear the SUPERCZAR track go to www.thunderbubble.com and stream the very funny movie. Kreg Thornley has many good movies that he has there to stream.Kreg helped us out w/ a projector at the eyedrum and made us have a very nice visual. He shot movies over us and different colors.
We have some live recordings Stan Stephens our sound friend has made of Treadmill,Superczar,Sunshine Ends,Flight. David Wisdo(Jones Ave.) Plays Bass and he really cooks on these recordings, David played bass on some tracks on Folk Art. Josh Railey and John Joiner(Jones Ave.) rounded out the line-up at Eyedrum. We are going to clean up the tracks and may release them on the Mp3 sites, They are pretty good, Gabe plays some outerspacial Therimin, and I played with my wah-wah, Damn that don't sound right but the crybaby wah, Hendrix loved it and I do too, its a fun effect. In the studio we have recorded C.O.W. Causualties of War, it is as heavy of a song as we have done and it has a big riff and fun to play, Gabe does some nice synth so far on the album, We are getting some clean recordings w/ alot of spirit in them. We have combined "Six Lives" and "Stress Signal" into "Complete" which is basically both of the first 2 albums combined, 63 minutes of Superczar that show pretty much what we do. the new album has slide guitar,therimin,trumpets,congas, alot of new sounds are being added. We are on Buzzlighter 4 as well. Shuteye Records has released these Compilations, We have already been on Melodic Marvels Compilation released by them as well. Zeitgeist has both of these compilations in stock now, There are very few of them left, They have some hot bands on College radio like Whitelight Motorcade and WHENBREATHING STOPS. Haunted is the single on Buzzlighter 4 and House of no windows is on Melodic Marvels. We also have "6 Lives" and "Stress Signal", These are Superczar albums available here on the Zeitgeist. Both have Merrie Lockwood Psychedelic Art, Merrie Lockwood also has done the Album covers for Jones Ave. Folk Art and San Francisco Blue. These cd's Six Lives has a pressing of 100, and the Same for Stress Signal. The album is being repackaged together so these will be available until they are gone, Great Covers.
Superczar is currently recording their new album and working on the live Show. The new Live performance or Disturbance as MASTER GABE calls it will be at the Cannon Brew Pub on Sunday Sept 7, and 14th 2003. Superczar will be doing a set live. The new album will be ready probably before the first of 2004. If you don't have any of the Albums pick one up, It will go to a great cause, the life and heart of Superczar. The album sales help us record and get the INDIE rock thats required out. Thanks to anyone out there who has helped along the path.
The radio interview went fine except for Kreg Thornley pissing off the Interviewer by mentioning all the Corporate names like MAC and Coke. We will post the mp3 so you can hear the interview, we talked about the film, "Chaos god" as well as other film. The Intergalactic Cowboy was there as well. Gabe said he was going to stream it from MP3.com.
Thats all folks from the Superczar Camp....Follicle....

Both links have Superczar music as well, as other great Zeitgeist Distro Artists.The buzzlighter link for our single is http://www.shuteyerecords.com/buzz4.html
It has the info about the cd.
Please join forum so you can get news about the happenings of the Family of acts here at Zeitgeist. Atlanta is population of 4 million so a hour radio spot on college radio at Georgia Tech is excellent. Check out Kregs other movies at www.thunderbubble.com Kreg is going to do a video for us as well. Alot happening in the CZAR camp as we speak. 6 Lives is out now, a 25 minute mini album, there was 9 lives, but some technical diffculties shortened the life of the cat

May 2004 News

Fri 24 Sep 2004 Space Rock Convention USA - Cullman, AL - Cullman Civic Center Nik Turner & Spaceseed + Subliminator+Superczar

Fri 24 Sep 2004
Space Rock Convention
USA - Cullman, AL - Cullman Civic Center
Nik Turner & Spaceseed + Subliminator+Superczar