Knoxville. Football. Go big Orange, right? When you hear Knoxville you think school. You think Sunsphere. You might think Boomsday. Or Johnny Knoxville. If you're cool you might think Cormac McCarthy or Quentin Tarantino. But you probably wouldn't think music. You probably wouldn't think about all the amazing local bands Knoxville have to offer. We here at the Tennessee Journalist have decided to change that. Periodically we will be comprising short lists of staff writers' picks of the moment. Things different members of the Tennessee Journalist think you should be listening to. Here are mine. I figured I'd let the bands do most of the talking.

1. Royal Bangs

Let's see...Royal Bangs is electronic mischief. Take merciless hooks times a dance inducing rhythm section and add it to a child on a sugar high. It's fun!  It's silly! It's an escape and that is why I like them. They have released two albums: Julius Vampire Breath and We Breed Champions. We Breed Champions is set to be re-released on Audio Eagle Records, Patrick Carney of the Black Keys' independent label. There next show in Knoxville is Dec. 1 at the Pilot Light. I'll let Ryan and Chris take it over from here.

Band Members & Respective instruments:
Chris Rusk - drums
Danny Sale - guitar
Sam Stratton - guitar
Jason Campbell - bass
Ryan Schaefer - singing and keyboards

but we all switch instruments.

[Token] Bio/How the Band Formed Section:
It's not very interesting. I met Chris when I was walking home from school one day as a small boy in my native England. I bumped into him as I crossed over the railroad tracks next to my neighborhood, and he had a stack of old American blues records under his arm. We got to talking about it, and now our band, the Rolling Stones , plays stadiums around the globe.

Describe Your Sound in Three Words or Less:
Ultra, turbo, maximum. General music.

What We Have Been Up to Lately:
We used to have pretty good songs that tons of people enjoy (everywhere in the world), but now we are really taking it to the NEXT LEVEL!!!!!!!! Our main goal is getting awesome. We have been practicing a lot, and have attained at least a medium awesome, but hope to soon advance to a solid great awesome.

Why I am in a Band:
We are in a band.

Favorite New(ish) Band/Song:
We are at Java, and they are repairing the floor in the next room. The power drill they are using is [explicit] sweet!!!!! It sounds awesome. That is our new favorite song. Art.

Favorite Old(ish) Band/Song:
Before they started using the power drill, they were using a hammer and that was super sweet also. It was real loud, but powerful.

Favorite Song...Ever:
general art.

...Make us a Mixtape!
1. peanuts
2. flww//((8
3. jeans
e. egg timers
t. leibach
c. general music
.
.
.

Favorite Local Band:
Royal Bangs

Favorite Place to Play in Knoxville:
Discovery Zone or Q-Zar. Maybe you mean playing music? Pilot Light, then.

Favorite Place to be Alive in Knoxville:
Under the bridge downtown
Is where I drew some blood
Under the bridge downtown
I could not get enough
Under the bridge downtown
Forgot about my love
Under the bridge downtown
I gave my life away

Last Great Show I Saw:
Hey Dude

First Show I Ever Saw:
Phil Donahue

First CD/Record I Ever Bought/Received:
Microsoft Encarta

Film/Book I Would Strongly Recommend:
Physical Computing by Tom Igoe

Best Thing I Have Done So Far This Year:
I found this milk in my fridge the other day, and I almost drank it. Right before I put the jug to my mouth, I noticed it was really old. Whew. That was a close one. It would have tasted horrible. Sick.

What I was for Halloween:
Drunk

Are You In Rainbows?*
No, we are Royal Bangs

2. Woman

Woman is absolute chaos. You might not be able to understand what Chris is saying, but that really doesn't matter. I could try to describe their sound, but I would undoubtedly fail. Just listen. My favorite song is Flood Plain - crazy.tribal.dance. I cannot remember how many Woman shows I've been to. A lot. And each time it has been absolute and pure entertainment. If not for the music, Chris's stage performance is worth that standard $5 cover charge. Oh! They have a new record coming out with winter and will be celebrating it's release on Dec. 14 at the Pilot Light.

Band Members & Respective instruments:

Jason Stark-Drums

Tyler Mucklow-Guitars

Damion Huntoon-Bass

Chris Lowe-Song and dance

[Token] Bio/How the Band Formed Section:
Out of complete boredom and desperation, Woman started in the Summer of 2006. Being fed up with the then current state of "rock n' roll" (Folk, Psyche, Noise, Folk-psyche, Psyche-folk, Folk-noise-Psyche, etc.), it was decided that these young men from Knoxville would take it all back and play loud aggressive sounds that parents don't like. Taking from Public Image Limited, Echo and the Bunneymen, the Jesus Lizard, Nirvana and the world of high art, Woman blasts into the familiar, in an unfamiliar way, again.

Describe Your Sound in Three Words or Less:
Whoa wow what

What We Have Been Up to Lately:
Playing shows, touring, listening to our new 7" which will melt your mind's eye.

Why I am in a Band:
Why not?

Favorite New(ish) Band/Song:
Deerhunter, Pink Reason and New Age. We like all their songs.

Favorite Old(ish) Band/Song:
Echo and the Bunneymen, Nirvana, Public Image Limited. "Going Up," "Even in His Youth," "Annalisa."

Favorite Song...Ever:
We couldn't possibly answer that.

...Make us a Mixtape!
1. Gogogoairheart- PS Sincerely
2. The Germs- Lexicon Devil
3. Sex Pistols- Pretty Vacant
4. Spacemen 3- Alright
5. Superdrag- Cuts and scars
6. Deerhunter- (last song on the Flo Grey EP)
7. The Gun Club- She's like heroin
8. Psychedelic Furs- We love you
9. Black Flag- Nervous Breakdown
10. Iggy Pop- Lust for Life

Favorite Local Band:
Fistful of Crows / Fecal Japan / Mountains of Moss

Favorite Place to Play in Knoxville:
Pilot Light

Favorite Place to be Alive in Knoxille:
Old Grey Cemetery

Last Great Show I Saw:
"Dark Inside the Sun" at Basement Gallery

First Show I Ever Saw:
Jackson 5 at Neyland Stadium 1983

First CD/Record I Ever Bought/Received:
Last Train to Clarksville"-The Monkees 7' record

Film/Book I Would Strongly Recommend:
Book-"Last Exit to Brooklyn " Film-"anything by Werner Herzog"

Best Thing I Have Done So Far This Year:
Trip to Puerto Rico- Chris Damion and Tyler

What I was for Halloween:
Milli Vanilli

Are You in Rainbows?*
Umm.. I like to draw rainbows.

deek hoi is like my favorite vintage sweater. It's been worn and loved. It's soft and warm. It's something unique, but nostalgically familiar. The music is whimsy and sweet. It's simple, complex and beautiful.  My favorite song is California, in case you wanted to know. Listen to their latest release The Golden Country here!

Band Members & Respective instruments:
Jen Rock--vocals, guitar
Jennifer Bradley--drums
Daniel Coy--vocals, keyboards

[Token] Bio/How the Band Formed Section:
We all went to Maryville College (different years), but we began playing together when Jen R. picked up a guitar and started playing some folk songs. I'd been in bands before this one, but after hearing Jen R. (and hearing about interest from Jennifer B.), we got together.

Describe Your Sound in Three Words or Less:
Goofy and Apocalyptic

What We Have Been Up to Lately:
In Jan. 2007 we filmed a short movie called Coventry. A lot of really cool people donated their time to make it (you can see the preview on our myspace). Since July I've been editing it, and it's just about done. Most of the soundtrack is deek hoi, and the idea is that the movie + soundtrack would be the follow up to the Golden Country, our 2007 release.

Why I am in a Band:
I'm not sure, really. That's a good question.

Favorite New(ish) Band/Song:
Eyes and Arms of Smoke -"In Three Houses"

Favorite Old(ish) Band/Song:
Vangelis --"Le Petite Filles De La Mer"

Favorite Song...Ever:
Auld Lange Syne

Favorite Local Band:
The Mito Band

Favorite Place to Play in Knoxville:
Pilot Light

Favorite Place to be Alive in Knoxville:
Chandler's

Last Great Show I Saw:
Monotonix

First Show I Ever Saw:
Grant Lee Buffalo at Bogart's in Cincy

First CD/Record I Ever Bought/Received:
There were two--Bon Jovi -Slippery When Wet, & Beastie Boys-License to Ill (the one w/ Paul Revere). I bought them together. Also Paula Abdul--Straight Up Now Tell Me.

Film/Book I Would Strongly Recommend:
Blade Runner is the best movie ever I think. As far as books, Alex Cox (the director of Repo Man) has a free book online called "10,000 ways to die", it's his thesis on Spaghetti Westerns. I read it in a day. He's a genius.

What I was for Halloween:
"Dr Livingstone , I presume . . ."

Are You In Rainbows?*
I don't understand the question.

*Reporter's attempt to throw a Radiohead reference into the mix. Fail.