50 Cent Haircut

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about 50 cent haircut

Listening to 50 cent Haircut is like visiting a new place which somehow feels like a homecoming. Classic and richly toned tube and slide guitars, whisky soaked vocals, and timeless melodies stick in your craw for days and days. Like Hank Williams slapping The Beatles on the back over a few beers... Syd Barrett is the bartender, Johnny Cash is working the door, and Ray Davies is playing XTC on the juke-box.

Seven years ago, these musicians were practicing regularly at a garage on a dodgy Venice street. When the barbershop around the corner began advertising "50 cent haircuts," the fledgling band knew it had found its name. The phrase encapsulates the band's attitude toward music. Bostonian Jay Souza notes "a song has to be able to stand on its own with a single voice and a single instrument, and if it can't do that, then it's not really a great song. The song is 'the thing' first and foremost... and then we rock it. We thought the name 50 cent Haircut suited that ideal."

more about 50 Cent Haircut

April 15, 2008 – First Day in Austin

We made it to Austin

April 12, 2008 – Topanga Roadhouse

James Jewell, BC and Bosco at the Roadhouse in Topanga

May 24, 2007 – Rhapsody & Napster The new record is finally available on Rhapsody and Napster! So if you have a music subscription get on it, download and listen. For the rest of you music lovers… you may want to consider getting a music subscription… they are a life changing experience … a little like a TIVO or a DVR… you really don’t get it unless you have one. Remember the new digital entertainment world is NOT about ownership… it’s about access… and the music subscription gives you access over 2 million tracks… listen to almost EVERY record you’ve ever wanted to without risking 15 bucks just to see if you like it.

May 8, 2007 – A Little Help From Our Friends So, our buddies at Amie street have introduced some cool new tools to help us with promoting our music… it is called the Mini Player. It’s so you can take your favorite 50 cent Haircut song and post a widget like this one right on your website, myspace page, blog or whatever.

Feel free to comment your friend’s pages with your favorite track…. If you already bought the track… and given it a “REC” you could be earning credit to purchase more music! Go here and scroll down to the section that says “Mini Player”, choose your favorite title, cut the code and paste to your heart’s content.

April 24, 2007 – One Million on Myspace A year and a half ago, we put up a MySpace page for 50 Cent Haircut. We considered ourselves to be late in joining in on this phenomenon. We have just passed the One Million mark for listens to our music and profile views. Go figure!

April 20, 2007 – Video On Your Phone Wow huh... who would have thought you can get a video of a 50 cent Haircut live performance on your phone... and send it to the phones of all your friends... at no cost to you? Check it out at Zannel

April 4, 2007 – The State of Music Jay was interviewed by the Cosair... the result is a great piece about music today read it here

March 15, 2007 – Face For Radio in mp3 While the "industry" debates the virtues of open mp3 music format... Pencil Green Records has decided to release Jay's solo album "Face For Radio" on Amie Street in mp3 for free(limited time)! click here. 50 cent Haircut's studio records will follow... Live records are available NOW. click here

November 9, 2006 – First Review The Haircut received it’s first review on "Shadow of the Noose"… it’s in Dutch so we have no clue what it says… but we get a good feeling… check it out at RootsTime

November 1, 2006 – A Little Break The gig schedule is light in November and December… we are taking it easy over the holiday. Make sure you come out the Que Sera on Saturday, December 16th in support the Boys and Girls Club of Long Beach. We will be back in full force after the New Year. -Bryan

September 11, 2006 – Featured on Amie Street We are featured on Amie St... the place for great Indie downloads at affordable prices. Check it out and pick up some live recordings... get all three digital albums for under a buck... at least for now... they will get more expensive... so hurry! - Bryan

July 6, 2006 – Free Haircut RecordingsWe have made a special section for members of our email “shows and happenings" list to get free music. I have just added our performance and interview at KXLU available for download. If you are already on the list throw me an email and I’ll let you know where to go. stone-at-50centhaircut.com… replace the “–at-“ with an @... I am against spam. - Bryan

March 28, 2006 - Haircut in the StudioSo we have been recording a new album with our friend and Los Strait Jackets member, Peter Curry. Peter’s studio is a replica of the Sun Records recording studio…. where the famous Elvis, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison and Jerry Lee Lewis records were made. We are so excited about it we had to share a couple of the mixes with you. Check them out at our Myspace site now… keep your eye out for new tracks ‘cuz we are posting as we finish ‘em. ~awe yea buddy!

November 1, 2005 - We were kicked off Myspace!And now we are back... go there now for the scoop... and to make us your friend again. http://www.myspace.com/50centhaircut

September 9, 2005 - Uncle Sam's Roots Jamboree UpdateWhat can be said about the situation at hand in the wake of Hurricane Katrina that is anything other than absolutely heartbreaking?

I have been planning Uncle Sam's Roots Jamboree for several months. This wonderful day of music is almost here. I wanted to give you heads up, so that you may put at least a portion of time aside to make it down at some point. The entire event has now become dedicated to those who need our help on the Gulf Coast. This is a free concert with all ages welcome. [READ MORE]

The Salvation Army will be on hand accepting donations. Every band participating, seven in all, have agreed to donate 100% of all merchandise sales to the victims. So you see, you can see and hear some of the finest Roots, Americana, Alt-Country acts in Los Angeles free of charge and contribute what you can, or take some of this fine music home with you while providing aid as well. All of this at The Historic Farmers Market on 3rd & Fairfax, (adjacent to CBS and The Grove) This is an open air event with two beer and wine bars and food from around the world. The line up is marvelous and is as follows:

Saturday, September 17

Uncle Sam's Roots Jamboree

The Historic Farmers Market/West Patio

3rd & Fairfax

Los Angeles

3pm Molly Howson & The Grits

4pm Bucksworth

5pm Skeeter Truck

6pm King Size Maybe

7pm Soda & His Million Piece Band

8pm King Straggler

9pm 50 cent Haircut

All is being MC'd by KZLA on air personality Bryan Douglas, and a crew will be on hand shooting a pilot for CMT (Country Music Television). We sincerely hope you'll attend. Please extend this invite to EVERYONE.

All the best to you and yours,

Jay

& the gentlemen of

50 Cent Haircut

September 1, 2005 - Hurricane Disaster ReliefIt times of crisis we need to pull together... therefore we are donating all profits for sales of "Brood or Change" from the CDbaby storefront to the American Red Cross for the month of September. Click this link to buy a record now.

August 26, 2005 - Pitching a Tent for Jesus - UpdateWell, we've come to terms with it. Film just takes a long time. So, as Philip & Russ work diligently away... here's a rough cut of the video footage for Elliott Smith Blues to take the edge off. Let's us know what you think. [right click to download]

August 19, 2005 - "Legends" perform for Theatre 68Jay here. Our friends at Theatre 68 need help. This is a great space on Sunset and an even greater theater company. Please assist Theatre 68 by joining us at The Viper Room, Hollywood, Wednesday, August 31. The show entitled "Legends" begins at 8pm and all the acts will be paying homage to some of the greatest musical acts of the last century. 50 Cent Haircut will perform a full set at 10pm, to include our renditions of favorite songs by The Kinks, Who, Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Slim Harpo, Elvis Costello, and others. Don't worry, we'll represent ourselves in the process. Click on this link for further details and to purchase advance tickets. Thank you sweet folks!

May 18, 2005 - The Haircut gives away over a 1/2 million tracksThe Haircut has now given away over 500,000 digital songs from 50centHaircut.com. We would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for listening... now stop freeloading and buy the record.

April 7, 2005 - some highlightsThe Haircut is on another Podcast. Check out the April 6th show at Coverville… Mr. Ibbott plays the best cover tunes.

You can now buy 50 cent Haircut's "Brood or Change" from iTunes US, iTunes UK, Napster US, Napster UK & Napster Canada… awe yeah!

Philip Jaffe is working diligently on the DVD editing. We have seen a few cuts and we are now officially excited. We are still anticipating a late May release… for both the DVD and live record of the January Pitcher House performance.

April 1, 2005 PODCASTING: Have you heard of it? Basically it's a great way to listen to radio shows… the show is automaically stored on your portable mp3 player or computer whenever a new show is made (if you subscribe - most are free). GO HERE to download ipodder & learn what to do. For those of you who just want to check out one show… most Podcasters offer an mp3 download of the show you can listen to without learning all the technical stuff. We are featured on the April 1st show… Roots Rock Radio… go listen now.

January 12, 2005 Welcome to the new 50centhaircut.com. Look around, download some free music and come see us live.

December 15, 2004 - Farmer's Market Press Release Farmers Market / Los Angeles, CA -- 50 Cent Haircut, a band one critic swears sounds "like the Beatles if the Beatles grew up in Austin, Texas", brings its unique sound, and a host of friends, to Farmers Market at Third & Fairfax for the month of January 2005.

The Home Grown concert series, which will also feature the Eugene Edwards Band and Circe Link , marks the first time the Market has presented an extended showcase on its West Patio stage. Show time is 7-9 pm and there is no charge. "We’ve begun to build a reputation as a place for quality music presented by Los Angeles musicians,” says Stan Savage, Marketing Director at Farmers Market. “It seemed logical that we would extend that concept by bringing one band to our stage for an extended stay and when we approached 50 Cent Haircut, they not only embraced the idea but offered to reach out to other home grown musicians as well. We’ll be welcoming the new year with the best of L.A.’s best bands."

50 Cent Haircut, which melds a British rock sound with distinctly American music (a style they characterize as Maximum Honky Tonk), has appeared at Farmers Market as part of the Market’s Summer Music series. Well received by an audience which has grown increasingly discerning over the several years that the Market’s music series have grown and flourished, the band relies on quality songs and songwriting as the basis for their work. They expect a number of other musicians to sit in on their sets, including several of L.A.’s fresh crop of singer-songwriters.

The Eugene Edwards Band has been invited to join the Home Grown Series and will appear on Saturday, January 15. Eugene Edwards, who trained briefly at the Berklee College of Music, has generated rave notices in his appearances in numerous L.A. clubs. Circe Link, a singer-songwriter, will also join the Home Grown Series, on January 29. Ms. Link blends styles as diverse as Sarah Vaughan and Patsy Cline into her own highly personal approach, which merges jazz and country.

50 Cent Haircut will appear on January 1, 8, and 22; Eugene Edwards on January 15 and Circe Link on January 29. Farmers Market’s two beer and wine bars are open through the evening, as are the many restaurants in and around the West Patio. Parking at the Market is free for two hours with a validation available from any of the Market’s merchants. Complete information about events at Farmers Market is available at 323.933.9211

October 13, 2004 ¤ Haircut Log Show Date 10.12.04... Jay's recollection: We performed this evening, via a kind invite from AM , at The Hotel Cafe ... probably the "hottest" venue in L.A. at the moment... and it was swell. There were many familiar musician types there, as well as a bounty of bohemian beauties, and Hollywood hipsters...equal parts organic and ostentatious. We had never played The Hotel before, and I was proud of the fellas on this occasion, as always. Rockin' dynamic set... solid and sonically sensitive. AM's lead guitarist, Geoff Pearlman said "You were a whiskey band in a wine bar"...which kind of sums it up... thanks Geoff... well said.

Krister Axel (monster pianist and songwriter) who had opened the evening earlier, and sat in with AM , joined us on our rendition of "Lover, Not a Fighter," by Lazy Lester , four or five songs in... and then again for our closer, The Who's "We Won't Get Fooled Again." Krister later admitted to me that he had broken a key on the house piano with his inspired attack, during the finale. Upon inspection, I deduced it was the Middle-C. With a musically useless piece of furniture left in our wake, we legged it out of there.

Miles of Music - Staff Writer "Alt. Honky-Tonk Garage BritPop." Not too far off the mark, through probably favoring the BritPop edge, heavy with warm, rootsy undercurrents… has a fluid, indefinable sound where all of these elements mix. Capable of swinging from one end of the spectrum to the other, they prefer mostly to get groovy with lazily nuanced melodies floating over acoustic-driven rock… the distinct arrangements allow each song its own sound.

Groundwaves - Joshua Edelstein 50 Cent Haircut is an irreverent L.A. rock band whose sound could have belonged to the Beatles if they'd grown up in Austin instead of Liverpool.

Delusions of Adequacy - Dave McgonigleLike the Kinks reborn as honky-tonk hillbillies or an alt-country band that has read Oscar Wilde, the LA-based fivesome combines the best of British barbs with all that’s good and great in Americana. Think drawling vocals, jerky American-gothic guitars, soaring choruses, and you’re on the right track. In other words...pretty damn good.

The Music Never Stops/KPFK 90.7 - Barry SmolinGlad to have discovered [50centHaircut's] music. In addition to liking the band and the album, I very much dig [the] writing. The lyrics are truly artful in all the best ways. One doesn't get to hear well-crafted, intelligent lyrics much anymore... There's not enough of that in contemporary American songcraft. The craftsmanship and wit are appreciated!

Radio Crystal Blue - Dan Herman50 Cent Haircut neatly borrows and begs from all the songs that made early rock n' roll, classic rock and contemporary rock so memorable. First time I heard "Fiction" I envisioned my radio as a time machine, playing all the sounds from the 50's to the 70's all at once. Those with a real love for classic rock and all its nuances will quickly find themselves fans of this great California group.

5twenty4 - Staff WriterIf I were driving Route 127 between Santa Fe and Albuquerque in my 1975 Chevy pickup, I’d definitely pop in 50 cent Haircut to my 8 track player.... Brood of Change, made me feel like I should be rocking out in a bar with plenty of something cold on tap. The Clash, Waits, Costello, and Cash are all a part of the sound that this LA-based band is pulling off with great success. But the sound is still their own, lead by a unique voice, great lyrics, catchy compositions and excellent musicianship.... My friends know that I am perhaps the biggest music snob there is and these guys are going to stay in my CD player for a while. Thank you, 50 Cent Haircut, thank you for reaffirming that great music is being made despite the best efforts of Blink 182...

Alibi - Rachel HeislerWith slide guitar, the lazy drawl and distressing tales of lost love, 50 Cent Haircut have the must-have tidbits of classic country music without ignoring the "alternative" side of things. The two-sided sound leads to comparisons to contemporaries like Sumack, a somewhat vague but sure-fire reference, and long-standing rockers The Kinks... this CD [Brood or Change] certainly reflects a few like-minded gentlemen who work best together as a group to nail down the necessary parts, which leads to each song being a complete work that can stand on its own if need be.

Pork Tartare - Staff WriterJay Souza sounds like a mix between Brit Rock and Tom Petty, creating solid vocals amidst a driving, sonic backdrop. A well done full length [Brood or Change] for anyone in the mood for sing along rock and pop. A favorite over here at the Empire of Swine.

No-Fi Magazine - Mary BondWell, this band is interesting. I saw a flyer for them that said "alt honky tonk garage brit pop" and I thought- "Ha! Yeah, right. They wish." But it is actually pretty accurate... The lyrics tell little stories (ala Blur) and the music makes you bob your head and tap your foot involuntarily.

The Daily Breeze - Feature in "Rave" magazine - Corey LevitanDespite it's novelty lyrics [Bring Me the Head(of a Backstreetboy)], this Haircut shows rock's storied roots. Swelling with three chord swagger, tube amps and slide guitar, 50 Cent Haircut is part of a third wave of alt-country bands crashing ashore.

Santa Monica Mirror - Tony PeyserSouza has a sound in his voice like a door that creaks instead of shuts. 50 Cent Haircut gives off some pleasing Tom Petty meet The Byrds sparks...

NY Rock - Bill RibasAs these six songs waft across the room, you get a feel for authentic country, like Hank Williams, with a slight Brit influence...

AltCountrytab - Warren OwenThey twist the vision of alt-country and mix in larger doses of garage rock to form a band sound like Cracker with Brett Anderson of (London) Suede on vocals...

50 Cent Haircut

Shadow of the Noose

Great harmonies, great interplay between jangle guitar and crisp leads, big thumping bass, skins pounded to within a inch of their lives, heavy and sometimes humourous lyrical content. 50 Cent Haircut provides on all fronts.

CD  |  DIGITAL  |  STREAM

1. [listen] Perforated
2. [listen] Elliott Smith Blues
3. [listen] We Sell Cars
4. [listen] Hit Like a Girl
5. [listen] Haywire
6. [listen] Dead Man's Lullabye
7. [listen] Pitchin' a Tent for Jesus
8. [listen] California Falls
9. [listen] Vessel of Ash
10. [listen] Normal
11. [listen] Only You Can Break My Heart
12. [listen] The Ivy Grows
13. [listen] Good Idea (Morphine Drip)
14. [listen] Quitting Time

Great harmonies, great interplay between jangle guitar and crisp leads, big thumping bass, skins pounded to within a inch of their lives, heavy and sometimes humourous lyrical content. 50 Cent Haircut provides on all fronts.

50 Cent Haircut

Brood or Change

Like the Kinks reborn as honky-tonk hillbillies or an alt-country band that has read Oscar Wilde, the LA-based fivesome combines the best of British barbs with all that’s good and great in Americana. Think drawling vocals, jerky American-gothic guitars, soaring choruses, and you’re on the right track.

buy cd  |  more info

1. [listen] [lyrics] Geronimo
2. [listen] [lyrics] Travertine Dell
3. [listen] [lyrics] Matchbox
4. [listen] [lyrics] Learn To Spell
5. [listen] [lyrics] Fiction
6. [listen] [lyrics] Atomic Anti-Star
7. [listen]            Clayton's RR
8. [listen] [lyrics] Baby Lotion
9. [listen] [lyrics] Planet of Apes
10. [listen] [lyrics] Bring Me The Head (of a Backstreet Boy)
11. [listen] [lyrics] Anvil
12. [listen] [lyrics] Great Turtle Alice

Like the Kinks reborn as honky-tonk hillbillies or an alt-country band that has read Oscar Wilde, the LA-based fivesome combines the best of British barbs with all that’s good and great in Americana. Think drawling vocals, jerky American-gothic guitars, soaring choruses, and you’re on the right track.