Hell City Annual

This Saturday, October 4th Hell City Records will be taking over the New Dodge Lounge. This record label was originally started by two friends, Jason Lockwood and Robert Enell. When Jason passed away a few years ago an amazing woman named Jennifer Koss stepped up and made sure that Jason and Rob's baby kept going. I have always respected her for taking this on and I wanted to take this opportunity to ask her about Hell City. Running a small local label isn't easy, it's a huge job and she has taken it on and done so well.

This year the The Amino Acids, Axe Ripper, Lockgnar, Manic Outburst, Best Idea Ever, Fires in Japan, SUB, Aggro or Die, Dead Church, Sweat, Karmic Lava, The Failures, and Come out Fighting
will all be playing. It is only $13 to get in the door and the show starts at 6 p.m. Hype Ignition will also be in house screen printing some shirts. There will be drink specials, including one that is called The Lockwood.  It will be a  night to celebrate the past, present, and future of Hell City Records.

HID- When did you take over Hell City Records and why?
Jenn Koss of HCR- "Jason Lockwood brought me on about six months before we lost him to suicide. Rob Enell gave me 50% of the business the morning of his funeral when I was tattooing his ankle at 6:00 am. Which he thought it would be a good idea to care for the tattoo with Astroglide and promptly after the service we headed to the shop to remove his sock from his tattoo, too funny. After the first year with Rob, I took over HCR. Rob will always be a part of HCR. Although, I have brought on added help from an amazing sound engineer, David Miseveth and Damon Trestain from Sawchuk. Both of these amazing fellas were in bands with Jason Lockwood."

HID- What does Hell City mean to you?
HCR- "Hell City Records, means Love for our music scene and family. Moreover continuing a legacy of a great man, that I strive every day to make proud of what HCR has become."

HID- What does local music mean to you and why?
HCR- "The local music scene is amazing and I love supporting it. Their energy and hard work, passion for music in general is amazing. I love them all."

HID- How many bands are currently on the label?
HCR- "Past and Present-21"

HID- What band are you most looking forward to watching out of the lineup for the night?
HCR-  "I’m looking forward to all of them of course. I’m excited to have 2 stages at New Dodge Lounge. I don’t think that has been done in this scene, at least not for awhile. I do know the space is small but larger than most of the basements in the area that have shows. : )"

HID- Why did you ask Cabresto and Suck it Suicide to be part of this event ?
HCR- "Suck It Suicide is always welcomed at all HCR shows. Katie Hardy and I have been working together since Best Friends Fest a few years ago, we’ve been great friends ever since! I’m a supporter of her cause and love to help infiltrate her message into the local music scene.

I met Mike Sickinger from Cabresto at the Hamtramck Labor Day Festival and we immediately hit it off talking shop. Now, we are currently working on a few projects together. I love working with him, he’s a great guy. Dave Miseveth and Andrea Bonaventura had a great time on his show last night on RawRadioX.com."

HID- What type of shirts will Hype Ignition be printing?
HCR- "Scott Boyink and I usually figure it out a few days before, lol. You can expect nothing less than something amazing. Hype Ignition always goes above and beyond my expectations."

HID- Where do you see Hell City in five years?
HCR- "I hate to project. I am a very “in the now” person. Right now, we are doing very well and working with some great bands."

HID- Anything else that you would like our readers to know?
HCR- "We have Hell City Records currently working with 3 new bands that we would love for everyone to check out.

Axe Ripper
Pick Axe Preacher
S.U.B. Some Uncoordinated Bastards

Our friend Andrea Bonaventura from New Dodge Lounge also has some great drink specials for the October 4th show:

SPECIAL DRINK MENU:
HELL CITY: Chilled shot of habenero infused vodka
BEST IDEA EVER: Watermelon margaritas with Cabresto Tequila *
AXE RIPPER: Gin & Hot Sauce
KARMIC LAVA'S LAVA: Rumchata, Vanilla Vodka, Kailua
THE JOLLY: Ghost pepper infused Cabresto Tequila *
THE LOCKWOOD: Cabresto Tequila * simple syrup, Squirt"

~S

Hell City Remembers Jason Lockwood

November 15th, 2012 was one of the hardest days of my life, I woke up to the news that a long time friend and mentor was gone. News like this is hard to take for a million reasons, but mostly because you really wish you could just talk to your friend and tell them how much they meant to you. Jason Lockwood may be gone, but who he was and what he did will never go away.

When I close my eyes I can see him sitting at a merch booth at a hall show peddling wares for a band, a cause, or a record company. I can see him loading and unloading a million bands out the sides of bars and venues and bitching every time someone was in his way. I can hear his voice crack when he got excited about a cause that was close to his heart, he always knew how to rally the troops and get people to care. I can picture him larping in his pirate costume at a friends house party the first time he explained to me what Theatre Bizarre was and convinced me I had to go.

He was a very eccentric person whose best trait was his passion. He was the kind of guy who would let any touring band in town stay on his floor, give his last dollar away to someone that was hungry, and would stay up to sunrise to talk if you needed an ear. He was one of a kind. He was part of the music scene during a time when the people who went to shows were more like family than friends and wearing a pair of Chuck Taylor's in public meant that you would be fast friends. He took a million of us under his wing and made us feel special, like we were part of something big. From Unity Records, to Idle Kids, to Hell City Records he gave music his all and believed in it. Music will never be the same without him.

Join us this week to celebrate his life in the only way that I know how, by getting together at a bar and listening to some good bands. We can do a few shots of Jameson, tell a few stories, and celebrate someone who we all love and miss. The A-Gang, Voice Of Addiction, Dick Hickey, S.U.B., and Dad 1000 will be playing at Small's on November 15th at 8 p.m. It's $8 to get in and I will be bringing the rest of the United By Lockwood pins that we had made last year to give out to anyone that wants them. Small's is located at 10339 Conant Drive in Hamtramck.

~S

Tribute to Jason Lockwood at the Trumbullplex

I'm not going to claim that I was close to Jason or that I knew him well. But, I would call him a friend. Just as many of you did.

It's not often that you get to say a proper goodbye to someone and tell them exactly what you would want to say to him. Back in the spring I bumped into Jason on the Alley Deck and had that opportunity, which I will forever be grateful for. Those of you that know me, know I'm pretty shy towards those that I'm not super close with. So, I'm glad that I actually opened up to Jason that night. I'll sum our conversation up with one statement that I said to him, "Detroit won't be the same without you". On that night I thought I was just saying goodbye to a friend that was jumping ship to Chicago. Little did I know that I was actually saying goodbye to him.

Jason was a great guy and more passionate than most people I have met in my lifetime. I definitely idolized the guy, as most Detroit Punk Rock kids did. He was someone we looked up to. He knew music, he wanted to create a community, he threw awesome shows and opened a record store that would change the Detroit scene and live on as a legend, just like the owners. But, more importantly, he was genuine and made everyone feel important. From hall shows, to the parties in Rochester, or the encounters at shows. It didn't matter if you were the lead singer of the headlining band or the kid standing in back alone, he knew who you were and made sure you felt like you were a part of it all. Hell, I crashed the guys wedding and he even made me feel like he was happy that I was there.

For a while, I had the pleasure of working with Jason during my short-lived "sound guy" career at The Stick. When I first started, there were only about 2 people I even "knew" there. Jason and Chris, well and of course Royce, but only because I hunted him down and he was nice enough to give me a shot. Jason was supportive from the get go, but that's not to say that he didn't give me plenty of tough love. Although I was happy to see him on the nights we worked together, I was also super intimidated. He had been around the block a few times and had been to a show or two. I had to make sure to be on top of my game when he was around. I felt like I had to make him proud or something. The guy was a legend, even though he was a friend.

This Saturday we have another chance to celebrate Jason Lockwood, to remember him, and to make him proud. Hellmouth is hosting a tribute to him at The Trumbullplex with some of Detroit's finest. The night will be full of music, memories and plenty of whiskey, I'm sure. The bands playing along side Hellmouth include Against The Grain, Bump-N-Uglies, The Dewtons and Downtown Brown. It sounds like there might even be a Whiskey Diaries sing-a-long or two. Doors open at 7 p.m. and it's only $5 to get in, all of which will go to Jason's family. For more info on the event, and to see some pictures and memories, head over to the Facebook event. 

~C

A Chance to Pay Tribute To Jason Lockwood at Small's

To sum up someone’s life or what they meant to you with words, even with music, seems a little ridiculous to me. What one person accomplishes in a lifetime and all the people’s lives that they touch cannot be summed up. When we lose someone that we love we lose a part of ourselves that we can never get back. After they are gone, all we can do is keep going and keep the memories of that person as close to our hearts as we are able to. We can also get together as a group and celebrate that person’s life and what they meant to us. We can choose to carry on their dreams and make sure that although they are gone their spirit lives on.

That is why Small's is holding a tribute to Jason Lockwood on Thursday, December 27th at 8 p.m. They have enlisted The Jollys, The Amino Acids, Mean Mother, Bailout, Dick Hickey, DJ Trent Whiskey and DJ Abner Wigglestaff to perform. These were all bands and people that meant a lot to Jason. It will be a night to gather and to tell stories and to celebrate his life and how he affected all our lives.

I cannot convey what Jason meant to me in a few sentences but I thought that I would share this with you. I heard a song the other day and the words made me think of him, maybe they will do the same for you.

As far as I am concerned Jason Lockwood and Dave Kujawa were Detroit and a part of this city died when they left it, but their dreams, their hopes, and the things that they started will live in forever. I will always be an idle kid and I will always choose to keep believing that things can get better and one day will get better. I believe in the city of Detroit, I believe in music, and I believe in the ability to make a real change in the world if you put your mind to it. I believe this because those boys taught me that it is possible to change the world through some small actions, and the effects will ripple out and spread like a virus. I heard this song and I thought it applied to Jason and what he meant to me and the city of Detroit.

99 dreams I have had
Everyone a red balloon
It's all over and I'm standing' pretty
In the dust that was a city
If I could find a souvenir
Just to prove the world was here
Here it is a red balloon
I think of you and let it go

Come out and celebrate the life of Mr. Jason Lockwood, the Idle Kids and Hell City Records.

We love you forever and always Jason and you know damn well that I will never forget you.

This Jameson is for you brother. See you on the other side.

~S