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Karate / Geoff Farina / Secret Stars thread


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so I know a few people have been searching for all things Karate / Geoff Farina based.

 

but here's some good news from southern records  

 

Greetings! I bet you forgot we existed, didn't you?  Well, we nearly did as well, but we won't bore you with the details.  Just a few things to mention here. (I edited out everything non Geoff related)

News

  • Karate - Operation: Sand 7 inch reissue 

Back in stock

  • Geoff Farina - Usonian Dream Sequence CD

Coming soonish

 

  • Karate - Karate LP reissue

Right now. we're happy to announce a limited reissue ofKarate's Operation: Sand/Empty There single in late August. Originally released in 1998, the two songs on this 7 inch do not appear on any other releases by the band.

Karate was an American band formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1993 by Geoff Farina, Eamonn Vitt and Gavin McCarthy. Jeff Goddard joined on bass in 1995, and Vitt moved to second guitar, before departing in 1997 to pursue a medical career.

Karate’s sound made them something of iconoclasts of the time: punk had broken through to the mainstream and most “alternative” bands were wearing flannel shirts and growing their hair. Karate’s love of improvised music and classic rock separated them from the pack, and confounded music journalists seeking to pigeon hole them.

During their career, Karate released six studio albums, one double live album, and two EPS on Southern Records, as well as a half a handful of split singles on other labels.

Karate disbanded in 2005, when Farina developed hearing problems due to exposure to high volume music over the 12 years and nearly 700 shows the band had performed up to that time.

Farina has continued to work as a solo artist, and played in quieter bands, including Glorytellers, Ardmore, and The Secret Stars, and also recording as a duo with Chris Brokaw.

As well as Karate, Jeff Goddard has been active with Apology, Grin, Jones Very and The Lune and playing as a guest with artists including Mary Timony and Chris Brokaw.

Gavin McCarthy has also played with The Swirlies, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Beat Circus, Cul de Sac, and Glorytellers. 

Karate's Operation: Sand/Empty there is available in the Southern web store.

Cheers
Rita & all the Southern mail order elves

 

I saw one other link to Geoff's new band here.  http://boards.vinylcollective.com/topic/112004-exit-verse-%E2%80%93-st-white-12-vinyl-limted-of-350-sitll-available/?hl=karate

 

what's really exciting is that they're repressing the s/t LP.  I wonder if they will repress them all, I know Unsolved is a tough one to find.

 

anyway, hope someone digs this thread.

 

tpg

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I would buy some Karate reissues

 

 

Super excited about s/t repress! :)

 

yes me too.  I have the originals but a few of them are pretty beat up and my cover for Unsolved is pretty damaged.

 

not to mention that my friend (and fellow VC'er) has a colored s/t that I have never seen before makes me want one of those too.

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I spent ages trying to track down a copy of Unsolved, finally got one for $40 IIRC. Worth every penny. Karate never made a bad record. I think I have a complete collection of theirs; I know I have all the studio LPs, the In The Fishtank LP, all the early 7-inches (I think)... Were either of those live records ever pressed?

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I spent ages trying to track down a copy of Unsolved, finally got one for $40 IIRC. Worth every penny. Karate never made a bad record. I think I have a complete collection of theirs; I know I have all the studio LPs, the In The Fishtank LP, all the early 7-inches (I think)... Were either of those live records ever pressed?

I was thinking Concerto was, but apparently I was wrong.
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Man I didn't think many Karate fans were around. One of my favorite bands ever. Took some time but I've got a pressing of everything except the live album (595) and Unsolved. I listen to the 7inch/splits all the time and although I go through phases with each album, Some Boots always seems to get more spins than the rest. Bed/Ocean is neck and neck in 2nd as far as rotations with the self titled debut which has my all time fav karate song, Every Sister. I emailed them last year and they have contacted me direct a few times letting me know reissues of the whole catalog are coming. And even talk of a rarities/live release was mentioned in one of the early responses from them, though not mentioned in today's press release/email.

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All you guys have such nice karate collections! The only vinyl I have from Geoff is a Glorytellers album he signed for me. They played the coffee shop I used to work at about...9/10 years ago now?

And that Exit Verse album.

 

honestly some of their records are way easier (and cheaper) to find..

 

I think Unsolved and maybe  Some Boots might be the hardest to find for a cheap price.

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honestly some of their records are way easier (and cheaper) to find..

 

I think Unsolved and maybe  Some Boots might be the hardest to find for a cheap price.

Yeah, I've thought about picking some of them up recently. I've been snagging some other "more important" things though.

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I only saw Karate once, back in 2002 I think, with K. opening (who were also wonderful). I remember buying a copy of "Cancel/Sing" on CD as well as something else from their merch table, and the total was $18. I gave their bassist $20 and was like "I've been waiting to see you for seven years. Please come back soon."

 

One of my biggest show-going regrrets was skipping going to see Karate in Cleveland back in 2004 because it was in the middle of winter and it was snowing and the venue was way over on the east side of town and I didn't feel like dealing with it. Then they broke up. :(

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I saw them a few times .

 

one time in NYC at a place called the Fridge or something (it was an old meat locker, I know, weird venue)..

 

but I never got to see him solo or Secret Stars.

that would have been cool.

 

I wonder if we petition Southern, we can get them to put out his solo records on LP.

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