Press / Reviews

Liquid Hip: Black Party Politics Is An Emerging Artist Pick From Los Angeles (July 26, 2011)

 Although they recently released a 5-track EP (with two radio edits) and have played scores of venues, Black Party Politics still asks the same question many independents ask. What’s holding us back?

But unlike many bands, Black Party Politics already knows the answer. Until recently, they never had a permanent lineup, relying on a rotating rhythm section that often felt like continual tryouts. Along with that, for the last four years, they had to work harder at booking venues without the benefit of any recorded material in the competitive LA market. That all changed this year.After a chance meeting with Chris Ramirez at a local trade school, where Eddie Henry (vocals) and Miles Safford (guitar) both work, they invited him to jam with the band for a few weeks. Those weeks paid off. The three of them, along with Bonnie McIntosh (piano/keys), stepped into the studio as a four-member band.“The cool thing about working in a band like ours is that no one person can do it all alone,” says Safford. “What happens most often is someone will come up with a theme and pitch it to the band and if it sticks, it becomes a song.”

Sometimes the process has mixed results in that the band hasn’t necessarily settled into a sound. The two most prominent tracks on the Hive Mind EP are the rockers, Blue Devils and Vicious Kiss. But then there is MK Ultra, equally strong, but almost feeling like it belongs to a different band, with a pop-soul fusion, until later in the song.

“MK Ultra is definitely a favorite song of ours,” Safford said. “On one hand, it’s kind of a laid back soul song with a groove and a smooth backbeat. On the other, it’s a defiant rock anthem as the chorus kicks in.”The lyrics certainly keep it within the range, but it also lends to the sense they could easily move in any direction. Their live performances are sometimes like that; with pop, funk, and soul all tossed in the mix. They say that is what defines them — the synthesis of different music. There may be some truth to it, but the masterstroke of their work is rock with Henry’s voice big, Safford’s guitar free, and McIntosh and Ramirez holding it all together.Immediately following Blue Devils, Vicious Kiss kicks up an even bigger sound packed with anger, payback, and the refusal to take shit. The band says it didn’t originally begin that way. The song took shape like many of their songs do; this time from what started out as a simple chromatic riff played at a practice session.

“A lot of what the album represents to us is our attempt to push back against forces that hold us down, that make our lives heavy,” Safford said. “Music gives us a way to lighten that load, a sense of control over feelings that might otherwise be overwhelming if we didn’t have that creative outlet.”Playing LA can certainly feel heavy at times, with the band estimating as many 50,000 indie acts in the city at any given time. It takes true determination to move beyond playing anywhere and everywhere they were welcome — tiny venues like Joe’s Pizza, Old Town Pub, and Zen Sushi.Still, it’s no surprise they kept pushing forward. Safford and Henry have been friends since high school. Even after Henry left for Cal State Los Angeles, they remained friends with Safford visiting for days on end. Somewhere in between smoking, drinking, throwing things off of roofs, and insulting campus police, they always found time to sit down and write a few songs.

Everything they did seemed to have potential. But the band truly took an even more serious turn when McIntosh moved up from San Diego on a soccer scholarship (she played goalie). And that’s why their perseverance is no surpise. The band had the right cohesion with a lineup two, three, and now four deep.

Black Party Politics Hive Mind EP Buzzes Up 7.2 On The Liquid Hip Richter Scale.

Black Party Politics is looking forward to releasing the full album and has several shows booked through October. If you catch them live, there may be one immediately noticeable difference between their studio sound and stage presence. The EP paints the band as having angst. On stage, they come across much more like performers who want to have a good time with the audience.

All three tracks (as the radio edits are optional) off the 5-track EP are worth the download. You can download the Hive Mind EP by Black Party Politics from iTunes. You can also find Hive Mind EP on Amazon.

The Mic (May 3, 2011) – band interview
The Mic: What got this band together and started in this business?
Everyone in the band is very passionate about making music and aside from the long story about how the four of us met and our friendship, it’s the enthusiasm for music that that brought us together and keeps the work exciting.

The Mic:Who writes and produces all the material for the band?
It’s a pretty collaborative effort. The great thing about the music that we make is that not one of us could do it alone. Each song takes it’s character from the collective input that we bring to the project.

The Mic:The band played in front of or with any acts our readers would know from the Mainstream?
Yes, Black Party Politics has opened for Eek-a-Mouse, Kottonmouth Kings, Unwritten Law, We are Scientists.

The Mic:Any embarrassing moments on stage?
Plenty…In the interest of time and the worldwide supply of ink, we’ll only describe a few. At a recent show Miles appeared to lose his ability to perceive depth and careened backward into his amp, knocking over his entire guitar rig and its power supply along with it. That was pretty embarrassing…or rock ‘n’ roll, depending on how you look at it. Eddie has been hit in the face at one point or another by pretty much every instrument we have. It can get pretty chaotic onstage sometimes and, especially in smaller rooms, Eddie has taken his share of bass-to-the face headshots. I’m surprised he hasn’t suffered brain damage……or has he? Bonnie hasn’t had any wardrobe malfunctions occur yet, but I’m sure it’ll happen sooner or later.

The Mic:Any good stories you want to tell us?
Bonnie had this keyboard called Big Red that was old, heavy, and way past it’s prime. A few of the keys were chipped at the edges and during a set she cut her hand pretty badly on one of them. The lights went up after we finished the song and her keyboard was all bloody and it looked like something out of a bad horror movie from the 80s. It was pretty great…another one of those stories that is either embarrassing/shocking or awesome depending on how you look at it. We have trouble telling the difference anymore, really.

The Mic:Who is the bands musical influence?
We all like a lot of different things. The band doesn’t have one shared collection of music that we worship and draw inspiration from. Eddie has been in a big psychedelic Cumbia phase lately, Bonnie listens to everything from Beethoven to Britney Spears, Chris has been listening to a lot of Thrice and Kayne recently, and I don’t think Miles can go very long without listening to something by Tom Waits.

The Mic:What is your musical background like?
We’ve all studied music at one point or another. Eddie has taken some vocal/choral training in high school and during college. Bonnie is going to Musician’s Institute for Keyboard Studies and Miles is studying Composition and Orchestration at Pasadena City College. Chris was in drum corp and Jazz Band during high school. Eddie and Chris have been involved in other bands in the past and this is Miles’ and Bonnie’s first go at it.

The Mic:Any other members in your family that are musicians?
It seems like Chris’ entire family plays the drums. It’s scary to think that there might be an entire family tree out there that plays as well as he does. Nobody in Miles’ immediate family is musically inclined. Interestingly enough, Eddie’s mom was a rapper at one point. Bonnie’s mom and dad made sure from a young age that both she and her younger sister got an early start at playing something.

The Mic:What is the TOP reason why you want to play music?
Because doing anything else wouldn’t make us nearly as happy.

The Mic:What has been your best show?
Depends who you ask…Sometimes the band will get offstage and have split opinions on how good the show went. We’ve played some great shows on the Sunset Strip, Downtown L.A., and San Diego has been really great for us too. I hope soon we can say, “Oh yeah, that show in [insert foreign country here] went so great!”  Most recently, the San Diego Indiefest.  It was an amazing experience.

LA Weekly (April 2011) – On the Rise concert series

Michael Doherty’s Music Blog (April 5, 2011)
Black Party Politics is a Los Angeles rock band with style and power. They also lay down some good grooves, and audiences at their shows tend to work up a serious sweat dancing. This EP mostly showcases their harder side. This is rock that comes at you loud and furious, but also with some contemporary R&B elements, particularly on “MK Ultra.”

The EP’s first track, “Blue Devils,” opens with a pounding. It immediately goes into a wild rock guitar line. The vocals have a joyous power, with nothing held back. After all, there are only three songs on this EP, so they have to grab the listener immediately. At moments, it feels like that late 1980s rock – you’d almost expect this band to have spiked leather and ridiculous hair. But no, this is no hair band. They’re too good for that. And then suddenly there is a quiet moment with keyboards in the lead, and you realize there’s more to this group. And the lyrics are lightyears beyond the drivel those late 1980s bands were spouting. The lyrics to “Blue Devils” start, “Won’t you come over young soldier/and get yourself a fix/The first hit is free the next will have you down on your knees.”

“Vicious Kiss” begins with a sound like a child’s toy piano – for just a moment. Then a heavy pounding from the guitar and drums. This song features great vocals, especially during the chorus. Eddie is giving it his all, with great variations in pitch and intensity. Like he says, “I got you where I want you now.” Yes, you’re in his grasp.

The third track, “MK Ultra,” begins with a dancing guitar, and a cool drum beat. But these suddenly give way to a more relaxed R&B groove and feel when the vocals kick in. This is the best track on the CD, both musically and lyrically. The song begins, “The burnt yellow moon bears down/on the streets of this ghost town/And shadows move like serpents on the ground/My mind is leaving me/Replaced by deaf descriptions/Of a world that’s made for show/And I’m the only one cursed to know.”

And check out these lyrics: “They can’t control me/I’d rather destroy myself/Saw their spies in my dreams/I pack a bullet for my mental stealth/So I keep an easy Uzi in my arsenal/And if I die before I wake lord/Break my soul/They ain’t gettin a finger on me.”

This EP also contains “radio edits” of “Vicious Kiss” and “MK Ultra.” That just means the swears have been taken out, but no other words have been inserted as replacements. So there are very brief pauses in the vocals where the word “fuck” ought to be. It’s a bit funny in “MK Ultra,” because the line “Not a mutha fuckin’ finger on me” becomes “Not a mutha f (pause) in’ finger on me.” Will that fool anyone? No, but it doesn’t matter. It will be the first three tracks that will get lots of play in your stereo.

The sound on this EP is heavier than I remember from their concerts at The Boogie Den, their home and usual haunt. The venue is an interesting place in its own right – a place where you can drink and dance to some great bands, but also buy some used clothing, which they sell by the pound. It’s in piles and giant cardboard boxes all around the place. (I found a few cool furry coats there.) Of course, once Black Party Politics takes the stage, hunting for that old prom dress takes a back seat. The band has a way of pulling the audience in, sharing the space with them.

Black Party Politics is Eddie Henry on vocals, Bonnie McIntosh on keyboards, Miles Safford on guitar, and Chris Ramirez on drums. Gil Riego Jr. provided the photography for the CD’s cover.

Afro-Punk (March 30, 2011)
Blending soulful vocals with intense lyrics and arrangements, rock band Black Party Politics’ new EP ‘Hive Mind’ is definitely something you guys can dig. Three original tracks and two radio edits for a guitar-heavy mix of rock, blues and funk. They also have a profile here on afropunk.com if you wanna stay in touch with them. And while you’re at it, check out this list of fun facts about the band members. How do you like their sound?

LA Music Blog (March 28, 2011)
If the metal on Shannon’s Monday Mix-Tape doesn’t get you up and running today, I have a back-up plan. Simply give the upcoming sophomore EP by LA locals Black Party Politics a listen below. The band has been tearing up venues in LA since 2006 with their afro-punk/rock/pop music, and the energy in Hive Mind is enough to wash away the strongest weekend-ending blues.

Speak Easy Radio Interview (March 12, 2011)

SD LIVE Entertainment Blog feature HERE (January 2011)

Interview with LA RAW Magazine (Fall 2010)

LA Raw Fall 2010

Click HERE for full magazine

LARAW Fall Issue - BPP

Live show review – Unsigned Radio Lounge (August 18, 2010)
“I was able to catch a Black Party Politics show and they are a great band and amazing perfomers. Check out the pic of the talented keyboardist Bonnie McIntosh from the Black Party Politics. They are currently working on their EP and I was able to hear some of the production and they have some major label product.”

For more, read here

Interview with Bandome.com (March 12, 2010)

Live Show Review: Kicks and Picks from The Vault in Temecula (February 11, 2010)
Written by PT Rothschild
…Down from LA was Black Party Politics, friends of the headliners. BPP has rolled in to the valley before and the first time was Artists For Autism. Inverse and BPP had met before that but the AFA after party cemented the friendship. Bonnie, the keyboardist, is the mate who hangs out mostly and this time, her parents from San Diego drove up to the Vault to catch the show. BPP is a high-caliber LA band. By that I mean BPP doesn’t just rock out a song, no, they sell you the song. The stage show, especially emanating from the frontman (see archives, TMFest) is one that is geared toward the visual as in ‘there’s a camera pointed at me’ rather than ‘I’m just going to blow their faces off’ mindset. Because LA is such a visual place and home of ‘the look’, some bands that come out of there play like a camera is on them. This adds to the set as only a band from LA can. With sizzling guitar and bass riffs, thespianist keyboard emphasis, and dramatic vocal interpretation in addition to solid range, BPP is a great band to see live. Their excitement is catching…..

Live show review from Big Smile Magazine:
I have never heard of Safari Sam’s prior to this event. To my surprise it was pretty big inside and was said to be rated the top venue for all ages in Los Angeles. Matthew and I arrived just as Fim was setting up. This two piece band had a unique sound and continuously switched off playing guitar, bass, drums and even a synthesizer between songs. They were pretty interesting to watch but it was hard to know what to expect from them. After Fim played, The Naturals took the stage. The Naturals had a poppy-indie, make you want to dance kind of sound. They were pretty good and had a nice energy. The next band to play was a Latin band called Che Sobre Latino complete with all the elements to make a Latin Pop band. They drew a pretty big crowd which filled the room with dancing. And finally it was time for the headlining band to set up. People were anxiously waiting close to the stage for Black Party Politics to begin playing. I was one of them. This night had been announced to be Black Party Politics’ last show before going to Las Vegas in September to play at MTV’s VMAs. Black Party Politics is one of the few bands that will make you smile and laugh but in a way that you can still take them seriously as musicians. They are all very talented and creative with their music. With each of them coming from different styles and musical backgrounds, it shows, but when they collaborate each of their uniqueness and individual tastes it falls together beautifully.  Black Party Politics put on a really great show and they really know how to work their audience. Check out Black Party Politics at www.blackpartypolitics.com

Live show review: From Pit to Lawn (July 25, 2009)
I cant remember when was the last time I hit an underground gig.

Sat. night at The Boogie Den (Vintage Warehouse) tucked away in an East L.A. industrial zone Zyner and I caught 5 bands and one of them was the politically charged revolutionary band KILLRADIO! Punk core underground incendiary! I truly enjoyed the evening. Besides the all you can drink full bar for free! and the 4$ a pound vintage clothing we got to see 4 other bands new to us. One band The Inheritance was not our cup of tea. They were a mix of indie flavor comprising of a banjo, stand up base keyboard, guitar, and drums. Their music was, (no comment) lets leave it at that. However, 1921a was a little more to our liking. The lead singer was this pretty, petite cutie pie. The music was rocking and her singing was good. Nancy Fullforce kicked ass! Front man lead singer guitar former member of Killradio could belt it out and rip the guitar. The interesting thing about this punk band was an addition of sax and trumpet. Bringing back memories of Voodoo Glow Skull minus the geeks. Finally their was this funk rock high energy 5 member band known as Black Party Politics. Excellent stage presence. The lead singer had a remarkable voice and I secretly fell in love with the beautiful and sexy keyboard player. She was a doll! Sorry I did not get the artists names. Maybe next time. All these bands can be found on myspace. Till the next time. REVOLUTION! KUDOS TO BRANDON OF KILLRADIO!

Volumes of Chapters (July 14, 2009)
When trying to classify Black Party Politics, I usually draw a complicated blank. Are they experimental rock, infused with funk, with a dash of soul, sprinkled with passionate and provocative lyrics? Sure. That’s sounds about right. This dynamic band, fronted by vocal powerhouse Eddie Henry, busts down the walls of todays popular music, embodying a sound to lead and inspire future musicians to create music like they did in the good-ol’-days. Creating a visible explosive chemistry, Black Party Politics tears up a stage and leaves a lasting impression to its audience. With a growing fan base, this young band proves to have a promising future. Some older recordings and recent video of live performances are up on: www.myspace.com/blackpartypolitics

Check out Black Party Politics at their monthly warehouse show, The Boogie Den, the last Saturday night of the month. Great deal, $10 at the door, OPEN BAR all night, vintage clothing sale $4 per pound of clothing, and superb live music

Rock, art and haircuts, Hair salon throws dance party, art show for charity (December 19, 2008) Fallbrook Bonsall Village News
Rock bands blared. Artists unveiled their works. Hair was cut. It was an unusual fundraising event.

Last Saturday, more than 500 people gathered at Kromatic Hair, a salon in Temecula, for a fundraising event benefiting Our Nicolas Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping local families raising children with autism.

As part of the event, called Artists for Autism, stylists gave haircuts for a donation of $15 while eight artists unveiled their paintings in the salon.

A few doors down, fog poured from another storefront’s door. Within, bands played and people moved as part of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Dance Party.

The crowd churned on the broad sidewalk in front of the salon under a constant drizzle. The people were noticeably younger than those found at most charity events, remarked some of those attending.

“A lot of charity events they have out here are more directed at richer people. They don’t cater to the [broader] public,” said Deanna Hale, 28, who attended the event. “People are donating and that’s what it’s for.”

The event raised more than $1,500 for the foundation by the end of the night, according to Ivan McClain, the event’s organizer.

“I’m really stoked about how everything’s going,” he said as he stood outside the storefront watching rock band Black Party Politics perform. “Everywhere I look I see new faces.”…