Notes from the smoking patio

Black Heart Procession is currently working on a “tropical murder mystery” DVD/VHS movie to accompany its forthcoming album, Amore del Tropico (to be released Oct. 8). The film is set to the album, so each song functions as a chapter, says frontman Pall Jenkins.

The film will star the band and friends, but the main character is “Luigi” (played by Dmitri Dyzinuski), whom Jenkins describes as “a down-on-his-luck guy who is involved with the murder of his girlfriend. [The film] follows him through these days leading up to the murder and the investigation around it-playing with the past and future throughout the plot, evidence etcetera.” Chicago label Touch & Go (Blonde Redhead, Pinback) will release the film sometime next year, and it will be featured at various film festivals throughout the U.S.

Local ghost town trio Maquiladora, who got rave reviews for this year's Ritual of Hearts, has just signed a three-album deal with Sacramento-based Darla Records (My Morning Jacket, Ladytron). The first album is planned for release next spring. Also look for a collaboration with Makoto Kawabata of Nogoya to be released on the Japanese label, Acid Mothers Temple.

Local's Only ran into Ron Fountenberry, frontman for The Incredible Moses Leroy, at the Cornelius show at the Belly Up Tavern. Fountenberry said he's busy working on the follow-up to Electric Pocket Radio at a studio in Los Angeles. R.E.M.'s drummer, Joey Waronker, is handling production duties, and it looks like we should see the album sometime in 2003.

Goodbye Blue Monday has just returned from their first West Coast tour. Plans have begun to record their first full-length album, tentatively titled, Living is Easy When You're Dead.

Strong new local band Blackbird (who sound eerily reminiscent of Soundgarden) is currently auditioning drummers and bass players. The band will begin recording their debut full-length in October. If you're interested in the gig, e-mail tracy@blackbirdmusic.com or call 858-336-3495.

Minutes after wrapping a performance for NBC 7/39's “Concert on the Square” series, local pop-punk band Lucky 7 boarded a plane for Chicago, where they headlined a day of music and extreme sports on the eve of an intergalactic charity paint-war led by William Shatner (yes, Captain Kirk himself). The event was held at Chicago's largest outdoor extreme sports arena and benefited Ahead With HorsesCMJ. Rumor has it the magazine is considering the boys for the cover.

Local rock band 18Bonez has been contacted by three major labels who are interested in the band-Lava Records (a subsidiary of Atlantic), Flawless Records (Fred Durst's label) and Virgin Records. The band is taking this month off to write as much material as they can to persuade the record labels to commit. ©