The Dog Blog

The Making of the Manbox EP

2009-02-23T11:25:00.004-05:00

For those of you who don't know, Manbox (which equals Mansions + Weatherbox) have a self-titled EP available in crazy limited CD-R format.

How do you make a Manbox EP? Here's how:

1. Quickly have two complete strangers record an EP of songs via the internet with 2 completely different recording programs...one of those programs being terrible.
2. Burn 200 cdrs (well, have a sad intern do it...guess what interns...there's never going to be any more openings in the music business...EVER! We tricked you into being a cdr and social networking slave!)
3. Spray paint 200 cdrs. (do not open window if you wanna have a "brain party")
4. Find a friend of a friend's photobucket page and then ask them if you can use one of their drawings for free. Send them some cd promos from 2001 as payment.
5. Cut a stencil of this drawing.
6. Have another "brain party" and spray paint 200 cardboard cd cases
7. put a giant Doghouse sticker on the back (this is called "branding" If you don't know what that is you don't know anything about business and shouldn't be running your own spray paint cdr label)
8. stamp all the cardboard cd cases with a doghouse logo on the spine..."double branding!"
9. print out some cd inserts on a color printer which is mostly out of color ink. This will give the project a "vintage" feel. Making something vintage makes it more credible and you'll be able to sell the product to an older demographic. (you'll probably even get a great review
on "in-the-know websites" like pitchfork, stereogum and AOL Music!
10. Have a dude randomly draw something awesome for the project. Find a low resolution jpeg of this and print out a blurry insert with the tracklisting on it. If it is blurry then it is mostly likely extremely "difficult" to read. If things are difficult, then they are challenging and therefore "experimental" "music" "experimental music" is big right now... so guess what...you've just "branded" yourself to a new "target demographic"..this is called "music marketing" and "juicing the goose"
11. find some yarn in your office. Instead of throwing out the yarn, cut up 200 pieces of it and stick those in the cardboard cases. This is what we call a "mystery item" "mystery" is a type of business model. Do you know who Nine Inch Nails are? Thought so...guess what??...you fell for a "mystery item business model" and didn't even know it. Enjoy listening to Pretty Hate Machine!!!...even if you don't like it?

New Sleepercar Video Debuts Today

2008-05-19T16:31:00.002-04:00

Sleepercar's brand new video for "A Broken Promise" (Directed by Christopher Lewels) from the recently released West Texas is debuting today thanks to our good friends over at CMJ. Take a peak at it over at the CMJ website.

Record Store Day on the News

2008-04-22T18:02:00.002-04:00

Metallica makes an appearance at Record Store Day. Check out our good friend Michael from the Music Monitor Network!

Mansions Full EP Stream

2008-04-22T12:11:00.001-04:00

The entire Mansions EP is available for stream thanks to our good friends over at AbsolutePunk.net. If you dig it, you can go ahead and pre-order the EP from our webstore for only $3.99. While you're there, you can pick up this brand new Mansions t-shirt.

Sleepercar Full Album Stream + New Say Anything Video

2008-04-16T12:35:00.001-04:00

As you may have noticed from the MySpace Music page, you can currently stream the entire Sleepercar - West Texas album.

Also via MySpace, you can check out Say Anything's new video for "Shiksa."

Shiksa

Record Store Day: Limbeck & Jet Lag Gemini In-Stores

2008-04-15T16:24:00.000-04:00

Record Store Day is this Saturday, April 19! Check out the free in-stores for Limbeck and Jet Lag Gemini:

Limbeck
Acoustic In-Store Set by Robb and Patrick
Fingerprints @ 6:30 PM
4612 E 2nd St
Long Beach, CA 90803

Jet Lag Gemini
Full Band In-Store Set
Looney Tunes @ Noon
31 Brookvale Ave
West Babylon, NY 11704

Sleepercar Video Interview from SXSW

2008-04-10T17:23:00.000-04:00

Sleepercar was recently filmed and interviewed by ThePalestra.com College Network at SXSW. Check it out:

Sleepercar - West Texas Pre-Order w/ Free Limited 7"

2008-04-07T17:13:00.002-04:00

Sleepercar - West Texas from Civil Defense League is now available for pre-order exclusively from Insound. Every pre-order comes with a free super limited edition "A Broken Promise" 7" and includes the b-side "Heart," that doesn't appear on the album. So get your pre-order in now. Once these 7"s are gone, they're gone for good!

Jet Lag Gemini Gibson Showroom Live Video

2008-04-01T12:55:00.000-04:00

Check out the video of Jet Lag Gemini's live performance at the Gibson Showroom in Seattle.

Limbeck Live Performances on Fuel TV

2008-03-31T16:11:00.000-04:00

Check out Limbeck on Fuel TV's The Daily Habit:

"Big Drag"

"Keeping Busy"

Ben Weasel and His Iron String Quartet Video

2008-03-25T11:00:00.002-04:00

From Ben Weasel and His Iron String Quartet's album These Ones are Bitter, here's a new video for the song "Got My Number" put together by the stellar Ben Levin.

Weatherbox "The Clearing" Video + EP Out Now + Say Anything Tour

2008-03-19T18:14:00.000-04:00

Weatherbox, who is currently on tour with Say Anything has a new video for the "The Clearing":

In other Weatherbox news, the band has a digital-only acoustic EP entitled 4 Songs now available on iTunes.

Limebeck "Let Me Come Home" Video

2008-03-19T18:00:00.000-04:00

Limbeck has recently made a video (done by our good friends Justin Pierre and Shane Nelson) for "Let Me Come Home" while on the road between Texas to New Mexico and then Lawrence to Minneapolis.

Doghouse Records Signs Mansions

2008-03-19T17:38:00.004-04:00

Doghouse Records is proud to announce the signing of Mansions, the brainchild of Christopher Browder out of Louisville, KY. The band will be going out on tour this spring with Weatherbox and Person L and will be releasing a self-titled EP June 21 17 on Doghouse Records. You can currently listen to 2 unmastered tracks from said EP on the band's MySpace page.

Clemson vs. Maryland vs. Jet Lag Gemini

2008-03-03T11:27:00.001-05:00

It didn't look good for Clemson in the first half, but in the end, they did alright. Wait...is that Vlad? and Misha? and Matt and Dan? I didn't know they played basketball.

Who the hell is Jon Cheese?

2008-02-19T17:37:00.000-05:00

Who the hell is Jon Cheese? What is his deal? Everything you've wondered...finally...starting to be answered.

We Love You: 15% Off All Doghouse Merch

2008-02-14T14:27:00.001-05:00

In celebration of Valentine's Day, Doghouse Records is announcing a 15% discount on all merchandise on our webstore. This includes t-shirts, hoodies, iPod skins, posters, and much more, from new Doghouse artists like Weatherbox and Jet Lag Gemini to your favorite classic bands such as The All-American Rejects, Say Anything, and The Get Up Kids.

The love won't be around for too long though, so score some deals while you can.

The Get Up Kids - Woodson 7"s Uncovered

2008-02-05T13:57:00.000-05:00

Great news for The Get Up Kids fans! Not too long ago, while cleaning through some old Doghouse merch, we uncovered some of very out of print The Get Up Kids - Woodson 7"s. We thought about hording them and selling them one at a time on ebay (I recently saw one go for $15), but then thought it would just be best to sell them via our webstore. Only $5...so get them while you can. Once they're gone...they're gone!

Jet Lag Gemini In-Store Pics

2008-01-29T17:37:00.000-05:00

Check out these pics from the Jet Lag Gemini in-store over the weekend. I wasn't there...but I'm told it rocked. The last pic is not of the band, but Doghouse Owner Dirk Hemsath. His daughter (pictured with him), however, does have aspirations to play lead guitar in the band one day.

Celebrity EP Out Now

2008-01-29T13:42:00.001-05:00

The self-titled, digital-only, 5-song EP is now available from iTunes along with other digital retailers. You can listen to 3 of the tracks in full via the band's MySpace page.

If you dig the EP, Celebrity also has 2 full-length releases available at the Doghouse webstore: Mining for Twilight CD+DVD and Lovesick CD.

Weatherbox/Jet Lag Gemini Tour Contest

2008-01-29T13:06:00.000-05:00

In support of the Weatherbox/Jet Lag Gemini Tour, AbsolutePunk.net is sponsoring a contest giving away copies of American Art and Fire the Cannons, tickets to a show, plus a tour poster autographed by both bands.

One Small Step for Landmines Needs Veggie Oil

2008-01-28T18:23:00.001-05:00

So, Civil Defense League's One Small Step for Landmines got a new tour bus. The best part is the fuel is free. IT
RUNS ON USED VEGGIE OIL!!!

Most restaurants store their used cooking oil and pay to have it taken
away. Our bus can use that as a substitute for diesel gas fuel, and
we'll take it away for FREE!

While on the road the band needs to find quick places to get this stuff.

If you work for, or know someone at a restaurant, that can help them get
used veggie oil, please contact the band via their myspace page.

keep this in mind:
- are you in a city on our tour? check the dates first
- can you get the veggie oil from a privately owned restaurant?
that would rule
- are you awesome? if you can do the first two thing, then yes!

Song for California?

2008-01-28T15:35:00.000-05:00

Jet Lag Gemini are currently on a cross-country drive to California to start their tour with Weatherbox. The band needs your help picking a song to enter into California listening to. Have a suggestion? Let them know and get an autographed poster.

Jet Lag Gemini - Fire the Cannons Out Now and Super Cheap!

2008-01-22T14:03:00.001-05:00

Jet Lag Gemini's long-awaited Fire the Cannons is finally in stores today! You can buy it everywhere, including our webstore for only $8.98. All copies include a voucher for a FREE T-SHIRT plus guitar tablature, bonus b-sides, videos, mobile content, and much more.

The album is also available from iTunes for the only $7.99. So...get it now while the price is still cheap!

Fire the Cannons Customizeable Ringtones

2008-01-21T18:16:00.000-05:00

Completely customizable ringtones are now available for every song on Jet Lag Gemini's Fire the Cannons via GroupieTunes. You can pick out exactly what 30-second clip you want for your ringtone and buy it right on the site or via your phone.

And of course, don't forget that Fire the Cannons is in stores tomorrow.