New Podcast Up with UNLIKELY FRIENDS (MEMBERS OF BOAT, MATH AND PHYSICS CLUB)

Just wrapped up the podcast that I did with UNLIKELY FRIENDS (members of BOAT and Math and Physics Club) a while back. They came by the ol' Basement and played some songs and chatted about baseball, bands, and just the love of the game (whatever the game may be). They open up for Death Cab for Cutie tonight at the Paramount here in Seattle (poster above by the fantastic Derek Erdman). Head over to the podcast page to give a listen; I recommend tailgating before the show and blasting this in the parking garage. 

The Royal Basement Podcast #7: Chris Porterfield (Field Report) is up now!

Episode #7 of the Royal Basement Podcast is live now, this time featuring an interview and guest DJ session with Chris Porterfield (above, left) of Field Report. Head over to the podcast page and give it a listen!

New Royal Basement Podcast is up! More in the works!

Just published a podcast that I did when I was back in Kansas City for the World Series with one of my closest buddies and former bandmate, Mr. John Nguyen. John was the drummer for The Believe It Or Nots as well as a band called The Times. Go listen over at the Podcast page. 

We've also wrapped a few more podcasts with John Davis (Superdrag, The Lees of Memory), Gruff Rhys (Super Furry Animals), and Chris Porterfield of Field Report. We're getting them edited down and they should hopefully be up within the next couple weeks. Pretty stoked about those conversations and the ones we have in the works! 

The Royal Pick for October 16, 2014: CONSTANT LOVERS

For a while there, Seattle, it looked like the folk rock movement was going to win. Much like the cranes that dot our city skyline, building up yet another squared-off concrete and glass mixed-use monstrosity, the sincere "beardo with acoustic guitar" thing threatened to flatten out and homogenize Seattle's music scene for a while there. Sure, that sort of thing is fine when it's well done (and in small doses), but there's so much more to this place than coffee shop rock. 

Thankfully, there are bands like Constant Lovers who gnash and claw through the beige clutter. Sure, there's a definite tip of the cap to the sound of early 90's Seattle in there (along with a nice melding of some of the finer bits of the Amphetamine/Reptile catalog), but Constant Lovers manage to retain their urgency and freshness, all while writing frantic anthems for the restless and frustrated parts in all of us. This is the soundtrack to our condo apocalypse, Seattle. 

Constant Lovers play with Unnatural Helpers, SSDD and Corey Brewer at The Sunset Tavern tonight. Tickets are $8.

Welcome! Vilkommen! Bienvenu

Greetings from The Royal Basement! Take your damn shoes off.

If you're wondering "what the heck is this", The Royal Basement is an audio zine/blog/podcast located in a basement in the Seattle, Washington area. It is the love child of one Greg Franklin (that's me), who has written for Seattle Weekly/Village Voice/The Pitch/a bunch of zines you've never heard of since the mid-90's. 

Things are a little dusty around these parts as we get up and running. We're currently archiving oodles of old content, working on new reviews and features, and trying to pay a healthy amount of attention to our beloved Kansas City Royals. 

We've got brand new podcasts up with Robb MacLean (Limbeck/The Young Dudes) and John Cobb. Go listen to them over here at the podcast page. Both Robb and John did some acoustic sessions for the podcast and played some of their favorite songs, as well as talking about their musical origins. They're a real hoot, and I'm thrilled that they could both be on. 

We've got more podcasts coming up really soon, as well as more concert reviews and record reviews and other good-feelings a-plenty. Keep in touch with us.