Modern Needs: Aspirin Aspirations


Modern Needs is listening and dance party with special guest DJs and monthly musical themes, held monthly at the great Last Exit bar in scenic Brooklyn, U.S.A. ... The August throw-down of Modern Needs features returning guest DJ ERIC DAVIDSON (author, and frontman of punk-rock heroes The New Bomb Turks and Livids).

Eric, and your Modern Needs host and boss DJ, MR. LEE (Dead Flowers Productions), will be spinning only the finest rock, punk, power-pop, and juvenile delinquent anthems until the wee small hours.

Tuesday, August 7th at Last Exit
136 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, U.S.A.
Kicks off at 9PM... No cover!

Brooklyn Yes Indeed!


"Style is knowing who you are, what you
want to say, and not giving a damn." -Gore Vidal  

Brooklynites have a pride that is unmatched, and while the borough has gone through many changes as of late, one thing holds true, Brooklynites from the '70s and '80s have style, and we know it. This style was exhibited in many ways, from the way we dressed, walked (with a knowing swagger), talked (despite mythology, there's more than just one Brooklyn accent), made a stoop our own, or how we wrote on subway trains, walls, and later, canvasses.

While street-art is often referred to as a worldwide movement — and it truly has has become one, co-opted by small commercial interests and big business alike — the art-form got its humble, ink-stained start in the five boroughs of NYC, kicked-off by city-kids for city-kids. The County Of Kings can lay claim to breeding and nurturing many a talented and acclaimed urban artist, hailing from places as diverse as Red Hook, Coney Island, Park Slope, and Bedford Stuyvesant.

The BROOKLYN YES INDEED show intends to highlight an art movement and subculture that has grown leaps and bounds from its insular D.I.Y. origins, by showcasing artwork that shows the trajectory of a clutch of legendary Brooklyn artists who have taken their work from the trains and walls of our great city onto the next level. In addition to canvas and sculpture work, the exhibit includes photography in an effort to give a context as to where the art was birthed, and by whom.

•••

Featuring artwork from legendary Brooklyn artists
JOUST • Mr. KAVES • KEO • RIBS • Jamel Shabazz • TRIKE
(Curated by David "CHINO" Villorente and Lee Greenfeld)

•••

Opening reception & party - Friday, July 27th at 7PM
Urban Folk Art® Studios, 101 Smith Street, Brooklyn U.S.A.

Show runs until the end of August.
Gallery hours: Tuesday - Saturday, 12-9PM and Sundays, 1-8PM

Ranking Full Stop


THE ENGLISH BEAT
DJ Mr. Lee (Modern Needs)

The Beat were formed in Birmingham, England in 1978, during a period of high unemployment and social upheaval in the United Kingdom. Ranking Roger, one of the band's vocalists, added a Jamaican vocal flavour to the band's sound with his toasting style. Jamaican saxophonist Saxa (b. Lionel Martin, 1930, aka Papa Saxa) added a Jamaican ska instrumental sound. Saxa had played saxophone with Prince Buster, Laurel Aitken and Desmond Dekker in the first wave of ska (as well as with The Beatles in their Liverpool days). He joined The Beat to record their first single, "Tears Of A Clown," a cover version of the Motown hit by Smokey Robinson.

Although The Beat's main fan base was in the United Kingdom, the band was also popular in Australia, partly due to exposure on the radio station Triple J and the TV show Countdown. The Beat had a sizable following in North America, where the band was known as The English Beat for legal reasons (to avoid confusion with the American band The Beat). The Beat toured the world with well-known artists such as David Bowie, The Clash, The Police, The Pretenders, REM, The Specials, and Talking Heads. Members of the band often collaborated on stage with The Specials, and in the early 1990s, Roger joined members of The Specials to form the new band Special Beat, which toured and released two live albums. They supported the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and participated in the collaborative recording "Nelson Mandela."

Thursday, July 12th at The Bell House
149 7th Street, Brooklyn, U.S.A.

Doors at 8PM. $25 cover.
(Tickets available via TicketWeb)

Modern Needs: Summer In The City


Modern Needs is listening and dance party with special guest DJs and monthly musical themes, held monthly at the great Last Exit bar in scenic Brooklyn, U.S.A. (and occasionally at other locales within the Five Boroughs)... The July edition of Modern Needs features special guest DJ RONIN THE SWORDSMAN (DoubleBarrel/Copasetic).

Ronin, and your Modern Needs host and boss DJ, MR. LEE (Dead Flowers Productions), will be spinning only the finest in punk slop, street-rock, power-pop, reggae, soul, and rock'n'roll!

Tuesday, July 3rd at Last Exit
136 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, U.S.A.
Kicks off at 9PM... No cover!

Talkin' About City Slang


THE SIGHTS
THE BROUGHT LOW
Plus: THE WICKED TOMORROW

Detroit's masters of heavy soul, The Sights, are a five-piece rock'n'roll band renowned for both their incendiary live shows and acclaimed song-writing. Think Big Star and Badfinger fronted by Steve Marriott and you'll get a pretty good idea of what makes these guys tick. Hailed by critics and fans alike, they continue to build on an incredible 14-year legacy of uncanny blues-rock meets power-pop.

Hard-rocking, outer-borough power-trio The Brought Low recently released their third full-length album, the aptly titled Third Record, to near-universal acclaim. The Obelisk called them "the best rock and roll band in New York" and The Big Takeover said "Previous albums have been excellent, but Third Record takes the group to a whole 'nother level, indisputably placing The Brought Low in the ranks of the Great American Bands."

Formed in NYC by kindred musical counterparts, Ian Jacobs (guitar/vocals) and Michelle Feliciano (drums/vocals), The Wicked Tomorrow have garnered attention for their visceral, raw and melodic sound citing comparisons to Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Black Keys, Velvet Underground, and The Kills, by press and fans alike.

Sunday, July 1st at Union Hall
702 Union Street, Brooklyn, U.S.A.

Doors at 7:30PM. $8 cover.
(Tickets available via TicketWeb)

Kings & Queens


"There’s a narrative at work in The Brought Low’s best songs, chronicling existence in the inner-cities outer boroughs and the pitfalls of hard work, hard liquor and hard time."

Dig: The Brought Low on Facebook

Video edited by Mr. Lee

"I Am The Magnificent!"


Come on out for a big night filled with soul, ska, garage, rocksteady, freakbeat, and other storming sounds as spun by the Double Barrel / Copasetic crew (Raul The Hooligan and Ronin The Swordsman), and special guest DJs Jonny Quest (SPQR) and Mr. Lee (Modern Needs/Dead Flowers Productions).

Banter, Brooklyn's best footy bar, features 24 craft beers on tap, and an impressive list of scotch and bourbons. Cozy into a nook, take a seat at the copper bar, or shake a tail-feather to the boss sounds.

Friday, June 15th at Banter
132 Havemeyer Street, Brookly, U.S.A.
Kicks off at 10PM... No cover!

Modern Needs: Rock Around The Clock


Modern Needs is listening and dance party with special guest DJs and monthly musical themes, held monthly at the great Last Exit bar in scenic Brooklyn, U.S.A. (and occasionally at other locales within the Five Boroughs)... The June edition of Modern Needs features very special guest, DJ BIRBAL.

Bribal, and your Modern Needs host and boss DJ, MR. LEE (Dead Flowers Productions), will be spinning eclectic and rockin' vinyl sounds all night long!

Tuesday, June 5th at Last Exit
136 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, U.S.A.
Kicks off at 9PM... No cover!

Gimme Gimme Gimme


CAROLINE AND THE TREATS (Norway)
with LES SANS CULOTTES and PARTY LIGHTS

What do you get when you mix one professional good-time-girl with one rock'n'roll genius, and two sexy punk-rockers? Yup, it's Caroline And The Treats and their explosive bubblegum rock'n'roll.

Featuring spoiled little brat, Miss Andersen, and guitar-hero Morten Henriksen (from The Vikings, The Cosmic Dropouts, The Yum Yums, and the Twisteroos) along with Geir Saanum on bass and Olle DeVille Hov on drums, the group play energetic, bubblegum rock'n'roll about the most simple and important things in life — like boys, candy, and hanky-panky... It's sinfull, it's delicious, it's... BAD ALL OVER. Let their tunes blow you away and rejuvenate every bone in your body. And we mean EVERY bone.

Caroline And The Treats are often described as a mix of The Donnas, The Ramones, Blondie, Nikki Corvette, Suzy Quatro, The Runaways, and The Devil Dogs, and are utterly explosive live... Every night is Saturday night when The Treats come to town!

Wednesday, May 9th at Union Hall
702 Union Street, Brooklyn, U.S.A.

Doors at 8PM. $8 cover.
(Tickets available via TicketWeb)

Modern Needs: Tuesday Night Fever


Modern Needs is listening and dance party with special guest DJs and monthly musical themes, held monthly at the great Last Exit bar in scenic Brooklyn, U.S.A. (and occasionally at other locales within the Five Boroughs)... The May edition of Modern Needs features special guest DJs ERIC DAVIDSON (New Bomb Turks/Livids) and HARRY HOWES (Last Laugh/Almost Ready Records).

Eric and Harry — your usual host and boss DJ Mr. Lee is on hiatus this month — will be spinning all your favorite rock'n'roll nuggets and juvenile delinquent anthems until the wee small hours.

Tuesday, May 1st at Last Exit
136 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, U.S.A.
Kicks off at 9PM... No cover!

Get Down With It!


THE SIGHTS (Detroit)
With NOUVELLAS and THE NUCLEARS

With Most Of What Follows Is True, Detroit's The Sights have achieved an unprecedented level of song and studio craftsmanship. In an era of soulless keyboards, drum machines and Autotune, The Sights respond with thrillingly catchy songs. No gimmicks, no studio trickery—just rock'n'roll from the heart. The Sights combine the unobtrusive honesty of The Band with countless slivers of influence from their own personal record collections: Ike & Tina, Solomon Burke, The Everly Brothers, Bob Seger, Tim Hardin, and all manner of raucous, infectious song-writing.

Raucous? Infectious? That pretty well sums up The Sight’s live shows as well. It’s a rocket-ride that has been experienced by countless audiences throughout North America and Europe. The Sights have shared the stage with some best in the business: Robert Plant, The Dirtbombs, Sloan, The Datsuns, The Donnas, The Kills, etc.

Thursday, April 26th at Union Hall
702 Union Street, Brooklyn, U.S.A.

Doors at 8PM. $8 cover.
(Tickets available via TicketWeb)

Be Here Now


The Grip Weeds are a critically acclaimed psychedelic-rock/power-pop quartet consisting of brothers Kurt and Rick Reil, Kristin Pinell, and Dave DeSantis. Surrounded by their vintage equipment, this talented four-piece band records slices of perfect, radio-friendly guitar-pop, psychedelic enough to appeal to record junkies and '60s-retro fans, but edgy enough to fit into a modern rock set... This is the group's first show of 2012, and also the debut of their new bassist Dave DeSantis (formerly of Laughing Soupdish).

The Above are a rock'n'roll group hailing from Brooklyn, New York. Some folks might call them a garage band... others might describe their sound as rhythm and blues... but regardless of how they are categorized, it is undeniable that their music compels some serious dancing. With tube amps screamin', drum kits stompin', and vocal harmonies wailin', these ambassadors of freakbeat are making good in the city where rock and roll will never die.

Friday April 20th at Union Hall
702 Union Street, Brooklyn, U.S.A.

Doors at 8:30PM. $8 cover.
(Tickets available via TicketWeb)

Modern Needs: World Beaters


Modern Needs is listening and dance party with special guest DJs and monthly musical themes, held monthly at the great Last Exit bar in scenic Brooklyn, U.S.A. (and occasionally at other locales within the Five Boroughs)... The April edition of Modern Needs features special guest DJ AGENT JAY from NYC legends The Slackers, as well as Crazy Baldhead and the long-running Move Your Mule DJ party.

Jay, and your Modern Needs host and boss DJ, MR. LEE (Dead Flowers Productions), will be spinning Afrobeat, Cumbia, Tropicalia, Arabic and Gypsy jams, transworld psychedelia, Yé-yé, South Of The Border garage, and American folk-rock.

Tuesday, April 3rd at Last Exit
136 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, U.S.A.
Kicks off at 9PM... No cover!

Ba Ba Boom Time


Come on out to the "other Brooklyn" for a night filled with the sweet sounds of soul, ska, garage, rocksteady and freakbeat as spun by the Double Barrel / Copasetic crew, and special guest DJ Mr. Lee.

Banter, Brooklyn's best footy bar, features 24 craft beers on tap, and an impressive list of scotch and bourbons. Cozy into a nook, take a seat at the copper bar, or shake a tail-feather to the boss sounds.

DoubleBarrel / Copasetic
Friday, March 23rd at Banter
132 Havemeyer Street, Brooklyn, U.S.A.
Kicks off at 10PM... No cover!

Modern Needs: Let's Monkey Again


The March edition of the monthly Modern Needs party is a rarity, with no special guests, just your host and boss deejay, MR. LEE (Dead Flowers Productions) spinning top-flight '60s beat, punk, psych, and soul, with a few sonic detours along the way... As always, Modern Needs is a strictly digital-free, vinyl-only affair!

Tuesday, March 6th at Last Exit
136 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, U.S.A.
Kicks off at 9PM... No cover!

Modern Needs: Pissing Out The Poison


Modern Needs is listening and dance party with special guest DJs and monthly musical themes, held monthly at the great Last Exit bar in scenic Brooklyn, U.S.A. (and occasionally at other locales within the Five Boroughs)... The February edition of Modern Needs features returning guest DJ ERIC DAVIDSON lead singer of punk-rock heroes The New Bomb Turks, and his new band Livids (and author of the must-read We Never Learn: The Gunk Punk Undergut).

Eric, and your Modern Needs host and boss DJ, MR. LEE (Dead Flowers Productions), will be spinning choice punk, power-pop, and rock'n'roll sounds from the '60s to the now... all-night long!

Tuesday, February 7th at Last Exit
136 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, U.S.A.
Kicks off at 9PM... No cover!

A Lee Grows In Brooklyn: 41st Edition


Annual birthday bash for Dead Flowers' own Mr. Lee, featuring live music from the MIGHTY FINE, and top-flight DJ action from Eric Davidson (New Bomb Turks/Livids), Ben Diesel (The Brought Low), Leah Lugosi (Nouvellas), Lupe Loop (Discovery), Dean Rispler (Drug Front Records), Dolowhite (45 Adapters), Big Sir (Strange Haze), Chris Powers (Vibratone Records), Tom Dash (Imaginary Icons/Shop Fronts), The Beyonder, and Anna Anabolic (Party Lights).

Sunday, January 29th at  The Bell House
149 Seventh Street, Brooklyn, U.S.A.
Party kicks off at 2PM... No cover!

Dead Flowers Holiday Bash... Evidence

SPQR / Modern Needs... Set It Off! (Photo: Phil Templar)

Your Boss DJs... Ursa Major & Mr. Lee


Dirty Spiders (Photo: Sarah Hoadley)

Dirty Spiders (Photo: Phil Templar)

45 Adapters (Photo: Sarah Hoadley)

45 Adapters (Photo: Sarah Hoadley)

45 Adapters (Photo: Sarah Hoadley)

Sing-Along (Photo: Sarah Hoadley)

DJ Ursa Major

DJ Mr. Lee

Dead Flowers Holiday Bash!



45 ADAPTERS and DIRTY SPIDERS
with DJs URSA MAJOR and MR. LEE spinning scorching reggae,
soul, and punk classics before, between, and after the bands!

The 45 Adapters are four friends who dress well, listen to good music, drink licentiously and dance when the mood strikes. They describe their music as a truck-full of Cock Sparrer records crashing into a truck-full of Otis Redding records... Maximum Oi'N'B! "Make no mistake, there are elements of gruff street-rock present, but it's clear that these lads also have an ear for Jamaican ska and r&b, and it shines through..." -Razorcake

Born from booze and sweat, the Dirty Spiders emerged from Brooklyn's backstreets in 2009. Started by Rush and A.D. as a way to kill time before the bars opened, The Spiders soon took on a life of their own! The hard-partying and fast-living lifestyle has seen many members come and go, but with the addition of Andy Shaw earlier this year, the best Dirty Spiders line-up to date was solidified!

Ursa Major is a world-renowned DJ, founder of the Legio SPQR DJ collective, and drummer with The Templars, 45 Adapters, and Stomper 98... Mr. Lee is the founder of Dead Flowers Productions, and the boss DJ at Brooklyn's monthly Modern Needs party.

Thursday, December 29th at Union Hall
702 Union Street, Brooklyn, U.S.A.

Doors at 8PM. $7 cover.
(Tickets available via TicketWeb)