Listen: Guest Mix by Nick Sakes

Nick Sakes boasts one of those impeccable underground-rock track records. His discography to date encompasses three brilliant, insular projects: prog-minded post-hardcore nightmare merchants Dazzling Killmen, cryptic art-punk psychos Colossamite and the skewed yet surprisingly tuneful Sicbay. – Skin Graft Records

We’re proud to present a mix by one of the unsung heroes of Midwestern rock scene – guitarist/vocalist Nick Sakes. Nick’s career spans 3 decades with much of his output tied to Missouri label Skin Graft Records. As Dark Forces Swing Blind Punches blog puts it:

There is a certain category of well-known (or even just “known”) DIY-rock lifer who’s been around forever and has been in a long string of bands. Folks like Ian MacKaye, Tim Kinsella (Cap’n Jazz, Joan of Arc), Geoff Farina (Karate, Glorytellers, etc.), Mike Hill (Anodyne, Tombs), Blake Schwarzenbach (Jawbreaker, Jets to Brazil), J. Read (Revenge, Axis of Advance), Mira Billotte (Quix*o*tic, White Magic), Ben Weasel (Screeching Weasel, The Riverdales), Fred Erskine (Hoover, The Crownhate Ruin), Pen Rollings (Honor Role, Breadwinner), Tara Jane O’Neil (Rodan, The Sonora Pine), Dave Pajo (Slint, Tortoise), Jared Warren (Karp, Big Business), Walter Schreifels (Gorilla Biscuits, Quicksand), Rick Froberg (Drive Like Jehu, Obits), Mick Barr (Crom-Tech, Orthrelm)—even icons like Robert Pollard or Kathleen Hanna fit in this general classification.

We compiled a video playlist that features all of the band that Nick been involved in so far, including his current project Xaddax (duo with Chrissy Rossettie from My Name is Rar Rar).

Mix that Nick made for us is nearly as eclectic as his own output. Over 30 cuts by the likes of grindcore pioneers Repulsion, Paul McCartney (making a weird call to temporary secretary), tech death overlords Gorguts, Devo and so much more!

Tracklist

Massacre – Legs

Zipper – Born Yesterday

Tuxedomoon – No Tears

Paul McCartney – Temporary Secretary

Kitchen & Plastic Spoons – Fantastic

Rusted Shut – Dead In The Water

Poison Idea – The Badge

Crazy Spirit – The Burning Churches

EXEK – REPLICATE

PORTAL – Glumurphonel

Gorguts – Obscura

The Scientists – Set It On Fire

ASVA – New World Order

Godflesh – Parasite

Devo – Freedom Of Choice

Jigsaw – Sky High

Pack – We Better Get Ready

Fang – The Money Will Roll Right In

The Beasts of Bourbon – Hard for you

The Frogs – I’m Sad The Goat Just Died Today

Red Transistor – Not Bite

Saccharine Trust – A Human Certainty

Crushed Butler – My Son’s Alive

Bl’ast! – Surf And Destroy

Saint Vitus – War Is Our Destiny

Gordon Lightfoot – The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald

Dickies – Paranoid

The Stranglers – I Feel Like a Wog

Feedtime – Melody Line

Battalion Of Saints – My Mind’s Diseased

Dr. Know – Mr. Freeze

Endless Boogie – The Savagist

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Jump into our Skin Graft Records archives in order to learn more about Nick’s bands – Dazzling Killmen and Colossamite. Last, but not least, there’s a roundup of articles/interviews with Nick:

How Dazzling Killmen Merged Avant-Garde Jazz and Punk Fury (Clyrvnt)

Skin Graft Records Homecoming Show at the Tap Room: Talking With Xaddax (St. Louis Mag)

Dazzling Killmen: Meet the Most Twisted and Punishing Math Metal Group of the 1990s (Dangerous Minds)

Dusted Reviews: Sicbay – Overreaction Time (Dusted Magazine)