But, for now, some exciting news about how you can obtain a copy of Blood, Sweat + Vinyl:

* We have lowered the price of the box set from $42 to $30. It has been 2 years since the film was first screened in April of 2011, in Los Angeles; and today is Record Store Day – so it seems right to lower the price to commemorate these two events. Plus, we just have a few hundred copies left – so, if anybody wants another copy of this limited edition, or if the price always seemed a bit high, then we hope this helps! Here is the link for that:

http://www.bloodsweatvinyl.com/bsv-2-dvd-box-set/

* The number one question about the distribution of this film has been, “Can I watch this online?” Well, we investigated a ton of options, and we found something that won’t financially screw us and keep the rights under our domain – vimeo. For $5, you can now download Blood, Sweat + Vinyl via Vimeo’s Video On Demand service! Just go here to do it:

https://vimeo.com/ondemand/bloodsweatvinyl

Of course, the limited box set is still the ultimate way to experience the film that we independently made, with the additional 2 hours of live footage and box of exclusive goodies. But now, you can buy it for a lower price, or you can download it for a small fee.

More to come soon!

PS – We just added Amoeba Music, in Los Angeles, to our list of retailers of the box set!

Produced, Directed, and Edited by Kenneth Thomas.
Camera Operation by Todd Bell, Christopher Goodson, and Kenneth Thomas.
Shot at The Vanguard, 6 June 2006.

From the 666 Festival, which took place on 6 June 2006, this song got a lot of people hootin’ and hollerin’. Perhaps because it was a crowd favorite. Perhaps it was Niko’s screaming guitar licks. Or perhaps it was because Eugene got a little down and dirty for this performance. I like to think it’s all three.

These guys were right at home at HH Records, and I was thrilled to interview and film them that night. I hope they find a new label, as their music is simply too powerful to be contained.

This would be a NSFW clip – it definitely would have made the DVD R-Rated, so I’m glad it’s seeing the light here!

The Austerity Program is a two-piece band from New York City – guitar, bass and drum machine. Heavy emphasis on rhythm and almost none on melody. Expect to hear songs about C-list cartoon rabbits, despised albinos and suicidal arsonists, all played through about 3500 watts of amplification. On Hydra Head from 2002 until last month.

Following the band performance will be the 1-year anniversary screening of Blood, Sweat + Vinyl. We here at BSV HQ are honored and thrilled to be a part of this event, and we hope that the combination of this screening and a rare performance by The Austerity Program will bring out tons of folks to help support Hydra Head – and in the label’s hometown, to boot!

A fundraising raffle featuring items donated by Hydra Head, Constellation Records and Neurot Recordings will also be held the night of the event.

More information and tickets sales at www.coolidge.org

Produced, Directed, and Edited by Kenneth Thomas.
Camera Operation by RJ Paganini and Kenneth Thomas.
Shot at Chain Reaction, 10 December 2005.

From the Extras DVD, this is from the 2nd show that was filmed for the doc. RJ Paganini and I jammed down to Orange County to film this show at an all-ages club that graced every square inch of their walls with band t-shirts. Once Cave In came out to do “Juggernaut” as an encore, the vibe of this club’s history swirled into life. So rad.

Co-Produced by TV Eye Magazine and Kenneth Thomas.
Edited by Kenneth Thomas.
Camera Operation by Tony Allen, Alan Sova, Kenneth Thomas, and Jozo Zovko.
Shot at The Knitting Factory, Los Angeles, 26 September 2006.

We posted this clip about a year ago, but it’s worth bringing up again. This was from a Hydra Head showcase, with Daughters, Pelican, and Xasthur gracing the stage. The perfect example of the eclectic catalog of the label. A few folks scratched their head at the line-up, but I think most people, who were fans of the label, “got it.”

Oh, and this is NSFW. Enjoy!

Track: “Glisten”

Produced, Directed, and Edited by Kenneth Thomas.
Camera Operation by RJ Paganini, Kenneth Thomas, and Ren Yoneyama.
Shot at The Troubadour, 5 November 2005.

Back to the beginning – 5 November 2005, The Troubadour, Los Angeles. This was the shoot that started the 6-year documentary trek. Isis, while not officially a “Hydra Head band,” was the group that introduced me to the record label. I would continue to see the same core group of fans at subsequent shows from Isis, Pelican, Cave In, and other bands affiliated with the label – and it’s one of the personal reasons why I dig this clip. That, and the fact that Isis played songs at this one-off show that I never heard them play live again. This performance of “Glisten” is one of them – previously released on Isis’ “Clearing the Eye” DVD.

Long time, no talk – but for good reason. On 15 October 2012, BSV will be one-year old! We’ve been laying low the past couple of months, partially to rest from the past year of glorious madness.

It’s been a whirlwind of awesome proportions – from releasing the film at our self-curated BSV festival in Oakland, CA; to an 8-day trek through France, where the film opened up for bands and performers like Om, Pneu, Eugene Robinson, and Scott Kelly (on a boat, no less).

But what made the last year so memorable was meeting folks from all over the world that share the commitment and passion to this music, these labels, and the drive that makes this community what it is. The response to the film has been exponentially larger and more exciting than we ever expected, and we are immensely thankful that the film has reached all of you. And, I personally feel extremely lucky to have had documented this during a time when all of these labels were releasing tons of music, and their bands were touring like wildfire.

Which leads me the next point of this post – We also want to let folks know, if they haven’t heard already, about the demise of Hydra Head Records. Hydra Head was the first label I approached, back in 2005, when the idea for this doc was a mental fetus in my brain. 5 November 2005 was the first shoot of the doc, with the filming of Isis at the Troubadour in Los Angeles. From there, it was a non-stop train of heavy music and sore shoulders from the constant handheld camera operation. Aaron and Mark, who headed up HH, were extremely accommodating to my ideas, and the amount of assistance and fun that I was able to document, and be a part of, will be greatly missed. But, more than my personal joy of having been there with my camera, the amount of music and artwork they were able to put out in their nearly two decades of existence is awe-inspiring.

So, during the month of October, we will have a bittersweet tribute to Hydra Head, by posting rarely seen (or unseen) clips from the doc that are exclusively Hydra Head related: Cave In, Pelican, Isis, Daughters, and maybe some clips from the doc, will grace this page once a week. It’s the small way that I can pay tribute to what will always be one of the coolest labels to have existed.

Until then, keep watching throughout October for our weekly Hydra Head tributes, and for news on an upcoming event!

Event? Well, it is our one-year anniversary…

Most of the box sets travel to Europe, which unfortunately creates a lot of extra fees. We have been told that some people have not bought box sets because of the combined cost of postage and customs fees.

Well, we are happy to let everyone know that there is now a giant stash of box sets — and single DVDs — in Germany at Revolvermann Records. They also have a huge selection of records and great stuff that you should browse while you’re there. Revolvermann rocks!

If you happen to be in Switzerland, you can stop by CALOFROR to pick up a copy of the film. If you time it right, you might catch a band and grab a beer while you’re there.

Thanks to Kongfuzi Booking, BS+V was given the royal treatment with 14 screenings, of which we were able to participate in 6, to answer questions and meet fellow fans of these awesome labels.

As we’ve said before, the best way to see this film is to experience it in a live music setting, which is what inspired the making of the film in the first place. Kongfuzi understood this idea and booked the film in multiple music festivals and gigs, some of which included people profiled in the film.

Perhaps the most enjoyable date was the last one in Lille, where we were lucky enough to open up for a solo performance from Scott Kelly… on a boat. And that was the day after the Blood Brothers Fest in Paris, where the film played with Scott, Eugene Robinson, and The Luxury of Empire, an Oxbow documentary directed by Mariexxme. Epic!

You can see a fairly enormous collection of pictures of this event, along with pictures of the adventurous week in Blois, Montbeliard, Strasbourg, Metz, Paris, and Lille. It was a real thrill to meet fans of the film and to talk to so many people about the music that we all love. Merci beaucoup!

In the meantime, we wanted to let folks in Greece, Russia and Germany know that Scott Kelly of Neurosis is headed your way! He’s on his solo tour right now to promote a new album released through Neurot and My Proud Mountain. The album features Scott Kelly, Steve Von Till and Wino – all performing covers of the brilliant Townes Van Zandt.

You’ll find a few copies of the BS+V DVD and box set on Scott’s merch table, so you can pick that up too if you’re lucky enough to catch his show. His solo performance has the same intensity he brings to Neurosis, but a beauty and soulfulness all his own.

SCOTT KELLY’S TOUR DATES