IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10331
southern Michigan
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Posted on Aug 29 2023 11:45 AM
Hi all!
Ivan Pongracic (of the Madeira and the Space Cossacks) here. I had posted in the past couple of years about the new band I'm part of, Lords of Atlantis, along with Jeremy DeHart (of the Manakooras, Aqualads, and the A-Men) on rhythm and lead guitar and bass, Dane Carter (of the Madeira and the Troubadours) on drums, and Jonpaul Balak (of Insect Surfers, the Tikiyaki Orchestra, the Scimitars, and a ton of others!) on bass. We started working on our debut album three years ago, and it was finally released two months ago on a new label, Tabu Recordings, part of the House of Tabu/Exotica Moderne tiki empire! So far only available on CD, but the LP (on green vinyl!) coming in the fall! Until then, you can get the CD here should you want one (only 250 in print in total), if you wish. Here's the front cover:
We had our debut show at the Surfer Joe Summer Festival in Livorno, Italy, two months ago, on June 25th. I shared some videos in the videos forum, if you want to check it out. (Our second show will be in two and a half weeks at the Makahiki Festival in Indy, which sold out within days.)
Hope to share some reviews of our album with you in the next few months, starting with this thoughtful and insightful conversation between two prog-rock fans, one of whom is my colleague at the college where I teach. They have some fascinating perspectives on the album, and I thought I'd share it here, for anybody that might be interested.
Surf’s Up for the Lords Of Atlantis
Would love to also hear from any SG101-ers, if you have any thoughts on our album, good, bad, or ugly! Thanks, all!
— Ivan
Lords of Atlantis on Facebook
The Madeira Official Website
The Madeira on Facebook
The Blair-Pongracic Band on Facebook
The Space Cossacks on Facebook
The Madeira Channel on YouTube
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IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10331
southern Michigan
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Posted on Aug 29 2023 11:53 AM
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SixStringSurfer
Joined: Sep 23, 2014
Posts: 1401
Memphis, TN
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Posted on Aug 29 2023 12:11 PM
I really like your album cover. I can't wait to check out the new record!
— MooreLoud.com - A tribute to Dick Dale. New Singles "Finish Line" and "Paradiso" on Bandcamp and website.
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Samurai
Joined: Mar 14, 2006
Posts: 2239
Kiev, Ukraine
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Posted on Aug 29 2023 12:33 PM
I have listened to it numerous times and love it more and more. Surely I cannot avoid comparison with your other projects, I guess you understand why. That’s not Space Cossacks nor The Madeira and yes, I find it good.
Yes, I wanted second Ancient Winds cause that’s one of my favorite surf records EVER, but I understand that it will never happen, that was a time and place you could never go back as it always happens with really great albums.
Going back to Lords of Atlantis - your collaboration with Jeremy, Dave and Johnpaul is stunning. Melodies, arrangements, energy, mood and atmosphere - you have everything done right, tastefully, skillfully and devoted. I hear you bringing something new to your playing but still being clearly recognizable in your style and songwriting as well as does Jeremy with his tunes. Also that doesn’t sound like two parts: Ivan’s and Jeremy’s, that’s an album! Unbelievable synergy! I have some favorite tunes but they are always trading places after each listening, you constantly find something new here or there, some subtle notes or changes that suddenly catch you. That’s how great albums usually works) Guess I will go and listen to it again!
One more thing - I have listened to it first live in Livorno and then on the record and it was a perfect way of getting acquainted with this album.
I am really hoping you will go on with this project, we want more!
— Waikiki Makaki surf-rock band from Ukraine
https://linktr.ee/waikikimakaki
Lost Diver
https://lostdiver.bandcamp.com
https://soundcloud.com/vitaly-yakushin
Last edited: Aug 29, 2023 12:35:14
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Brian
Joined: Feb 25, 2006
Posts: 19287
Des Moines, Iowa, USA
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Posted on Aug 29 2023 08:11 PM
Congratulations on the new release... I know my mind hasn't been in the surf music zone for some time but attending the SG101 convention definitely recalibrated me. I look forward to finally checking this out! I'm sure it will be amazing!
— Site dude - S3 Agent #202
Need help with the site? SG101 FAQ - Send me a private message - Email me
"It starts... when it begins" -- Ralf Kilauea
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ArtS
Joined: May 09, 2008
Posts: 1348
Isle of Kent, MD
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Posted on Aug 30 2023 09:21 AM
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IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10331
southern Michigan
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Posted on Aug 31 2023 09:21 AM
Thank you all so very much!! And in particular Vitaly for that wonderful review!! Very thoughtful and observant, too. I should point out that half the songs on Ancient Winds - including some of the very best ones (Journey to the Center of the Surf, the title track, Into the Deep) - were written by Patrick O'Connor whose writing just kept getting better and better through the years and I think he really hit a peak with that album. And he has a very distinctive writing style. But so does Jeremy, who in turn wrote half the songs for the Lords of Atlantis album! So, it makes sense that it's going to be a pretty different beast. For me it's so much fun because I get to adapt to their songwriting styles but still put my own signature on these songs by the virtue of playing lead on all of them, which is a huge privilege for me, I'm deeply grateful for that opportunity. And then I also get to try to adapt my own writing to these other incredible musicians, in order to come up with a unified whole, which I think we did. (I think that's what Art referred to, that this chemistry of the four of us resulted in something a bit distinctive and new, which I'm truly happy about and grateful for!)
So, thank you VERY deeply, Vitaly, I truly appreciate your careful and repeated listens of our album, and am so glad you're enjoying it!
Finally, thank you SixStringSurfer and Brian for planning on checking out the album - very much hope you enjoy it! (SixStringSurfer, our track "Long Live the King!" is a tribute to Dick Dale! It might be right up your alley, I hope it is!)
Thank you all again!
— Ivan
Lords of Atlantis on Facebook
The Madeira Official Website
The Madeira on Facebook
The Blair-Pongracic Band on Facebook
The Space Cossacks on Facebook
The Madeira Channel on YouTube
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IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10331
southern Michigan
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Posted on Sep 14 2023 10:52 AM
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summerfun
Joined: Sep 16, 2013
Posts: 259
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Posted on Sep 14 2023 11:15 AM
IvanP wrote:
The student newspaper at my college just published a nice compact story on the Lords of Atlantis' debut show in Livorno, Italy and our new album. Check it out! (BTW, I'm not the dept chairman. Fake news!
https://hillsdalecollegian.com/2023/09/lords-of-atlantis-professors-band-debuts-album-in-italy/
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IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10331
southern Michigan
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Posted on Sep 14 2023 11:27 AM
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wfoguy
Joined: Dec 11, 2011
Posts: 2127
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Posted on Sep 14 2023 12:26 PM
I finally remembered that I had listened to this only once. I get busy working and music is always in the background but my feeble brain can only do one thing at a time so I'm not always aware of what I'm listening to.  I put this on while working in the shop and listened to it twice. I feel that it is excellent. Knowing who was involved and what seems to be different personalities, I was very impressed by how it all blends together. If you never do another composition, I believe you should all look back with pride and know you left a great foot print in the musical sand. Thank you for your efforts.
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IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10331
southern Michigan
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Posted on Sep 14 2023 05:42 PM
That's great to hear, thanks so much! I think it all came together very naturally, we just played together and really tried to listen to what everybody was doing, trying to be sensitive to that and playing in a complementary way. But we all have very similar tastes in surf music and pretty similar musical backgrounds, so it all came together very easily.
I REALLY appreciate your very kind and generous words at the end, BTW, that's truly nice of you to say.  
— Ivan
Lords of Atlantis on Facebook
The Madeira Official Website
The Madeira on Facebook
The Blair-Pongracic Band on Facebook
The Space Cossacks on Facebook
The Madeira Channel on YouTube
Last edited: Sep 14, 2023 17:44:00
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IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10331
southern Michigan
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Posted on Sep 16 2023 07:03 AM
The print edition of Thursday's Lords of Atlantis article in my college's student newspaper is on the front page of the Culture section and gets a couple of extra photos of us recording the album in the college's music building! And we're ready to bring our deep sea reverb to the Makahiki audience tonight in Indianapolis - our second ever show! Maybe see some of you there!
— Ivan
Lords of Atlantis on Facebook
The Madeira Official Website
The Madeira on Facebook
The Blair-Pongracic Band on Facebook
The Space Cossacks on Facebook
The Madeira Channel on YouTube
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TallTenor
Joined: Nov 30, 2022
Posts: 71
Coast of the Great Lakes
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Posted on Sep 22 2023 11:11 AM
Hi Ivan,
It was a great show in tiki land, Makahiki. We loved the whole night and your band topped it off! Great sounds and I thought the light show was well done, though bright at times 
— Kitten and The Tonics
https://kittenandthetonics.com/
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IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10331
southern Michigan
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Posted on Sep 24 2023 11:59 AM
Thanks so very much for your kind and generous words! You guys sounded great, too! I'm sorry we didn't get a chance to actually meet, though. (I had no idea you're on SG101!)
I felt we played really well, but the lights were truly blinding on stage, too (as I'm sure you remember, there was a strip of lights on the stage, too, pointed up). I actually at quite a few points of the show couldn't see where I was on the neck as a result! A bit frustrating! So, yeah, definitely very bright at times!
Here's hoping we get to share a stage again in the future! And thanks again!
All the best,
Ivan
— Ivan
Lords of Atlantis on Facebook
The Madeira Official Website
The Madeira on Facebook
The Blair-Pongracic Band on Facebook
The Space Cossacks on Facebook
The Madeira Channel on YouTube
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IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10331
southern Michigan
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Posted on Sep 24 2023 12:22 PM
A few pics from the FIRST EVER Lords of Atlantis practice and SECOND EVER Lords of Atlantis show, at The Makahiki: A Night of Tiki Event at the Inferno Room in Indianapolis last weekend!
Goofing around at the practice, Jeremy DeHart, Jonpaul Balak, and Dane Carter - we just had an absolute BLAST, so much fun!
My gear for the Makahiki show: 2012 Jade Pearl Metallic American Standard Strat, Gomez G-Spring reverb unit, '62 Bandmaster with a 2x12 EV-loaded cab (freakin' HEAVY!!!), and Xotic EP Booster and Strymon El Capistan echo pedal. Sounded INCREDIBLE.
And finally, on stage (photo by Marie King):
— Ivan
Lords of Atlantis on Facebook
The Madeira Official Website
The Madeira on Facebook
The Blair-Pongracic Band on Facebook
The Space Cossacks on Facebook
The Madeira Channel on YouTube
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sysmalakian
Joined: Dec 24, 2015
Posts: 444
México
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Posted on Sep 24 2023 01:17 PM
I love it! very cool
— My latest LP Unknown Creatures by Otitis Media Records is available now on all digital platforms and colored vinyl. Listen and buy here: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/sysmalakian/unknown-creatures
Lessons, tabs and tutorials send an email to sysmalakian@gmail.com
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TallTenor
Joined: Nov 30, 2022
Posts: 71
Coast of the Great Lakes
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Posted on Sep 24 2023 04:56 PM
TallTenor wrote:
IvanP wrote:
Thanks so very much for your kind and generous words! You guys sounded great, too! I'm sorry we didn't get a chance to actually meet, though. (I had no idea you're on SG101!)
I felt we played really well, but the lights were truly blinding on stage, too (as I'm sure you remember, there was a strip of lights on the stage, too, pointed up). I actually at quite a few points of the show couldn't see where I was on the neck as a result! A bit frustrating! So, yeah, definitely very bright at times!
Here's hoping we get to share a stage again in the future! And thanks again!
All the best,
Ivan
Oh yea we’d love to do another outing. I think the tiki crowd is wanting more surf focused shows in the future, we’re told. Let’s hope!
You’re rig was killer. Both guitars in the band sounded seamless together. Very good job on that! I saw the big ole’ Vox in the green room area.. I was wondering if that was part of the Atlantis rig. But then the big ole’ blonde cabinet arrived..
Charley
— Kitten and The Tonics
https://kittenandthetonics.com/
Last edited: Sep 25, 2023 09:50:19
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IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10331
southern Michigan
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Posted on Sep 24 2023 06:00 PM
TallTenor wrote:
Oh yea we’d love to do another outing. I think the tiki crowd is wanting more surf focused shows in the future, we’re told. Let’s hope!
Absolutely! It's a natural combination, and we definitely hope to play more tiki/exotica events next year.
You’re rig was killer. Both guitars in the band sounded seamless together. Very good job on that!
Thank you so very much, that's truly kind of you to say, I greatly appreciate it. Hard not to sound great through a '62 Bandmaster, though...
Thanks, Charley, and all the very best to you and your band, hope you get many more great gigs like this one!
— Ivan
Lords of Atlantis on Facebook
The Madeira Official Website
The Madeira on Facebook
The Blair-Pongracic Band on Facebook
The Space Cossacks on Facebook
The Madeira Channel on YouTube
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IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10331
southern Michigan
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Posted on Sep 24 2023 06:01 PM
Lookie here! The Lords of Atlantis LP test pressing!! Sounds AMAZING! And the real thing will be on green-blue vinyl, hopefully very soon, on Tabu Recordings by House of Tabu - stay tuned!
— Ivan
Lords of Atlantis on Facebook
The Madeira Official Website
The Madeira on Facebook
The Blair-Pongracic Band on Facebook
The Space Cossacks on Facebook
The Madeira Channel on YouTube
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