New Year, New Voice

* First of all, greetings are in order. I’m Chris Aponick and I’m your new Backbeat columnist. Think of me as your guide to what’s newsworthy in Omaha each week. I’ve written for The Reader frequently during the last three years, so I hope my voice is one you’re used to hearing. But here’s the thing, I need to hear your voices, too. A man only has one set of ears and sometimes that can make hearing all the happenings in a busy Omaha music scene quite the task. So if you ever have a tidbit to share, an event to promote or just something to get off your chest, jet me an email at backbeat@thereader.com. Can’t wait to hear from all of you. * Allmusic.com, the website of the comprehensive All Music Guide, featured legendary Omaha jazz man Preston Love in its Album of the Day slot Dec. 30th. Preston Love’s Omaha Bar-B-Q , reissued in 2001, originally came out in 1969 and featured Shuggie and his father, Johnny Otis. Led by saxophonist Love, the LP covers smooth and gritty funk-jazz numbers. The review highlights “Cream Dream,” stating “the sounds take on a slightly psychedelic hue, with the combination of underwater bubbling noises and way-in-the-background flute by Love.” * Locally owned Drastic Plastic Records continues to march out rare and highly-desirable vinyl re-issues. The Clash’s second album, Give ’Em Enough Rope , is due out Feb. 1, following the mid-December release of the Wake’s 1982 Factory Records album, Harmony , says Drastic Plastic Records general manager Neil Azevedo. Harmony was the debut release of the Wake, a post-punk act that started in Glasgow. It is the third Factory release to be re-issued by the vinyl-only Drastic Plastic Records label. Rope is the second Clash re-issue put out by Drastic Plastic Records, an offshoot of Impact Merchandising. Azevedo says the label has been working with Sony to get licenses to the Clash catalog. Up next in that effort is a 10-inch release of Black Market Clash . Azevedo says the label’s mission has been to bring back important, interesting records that they love. * There’s a local dog in the fight in the indabamusic.com’s Sleigh Bells remix contest. Derrick Calloway, who DJs as Dorion C, is staying near the top of the heap in a contest remixing “Run the Heart” by Sleigh Bells, according to fellow DJ and Reader contributor Brent Crampton. Listen and vote online at indabamusic.com/submissions/show/38174#!/opportunities/sleigh-bells-run-the-heart. Voting ends Jan. 12. * Be sure to check out the Answer Team Jan. 8 at O’Leaver’s Pub, 1322 S. Saddle Creek Rd. It’s a fundraiser for HearNebraska.org, a forthcoming music website by The Reader ’s Andrew Norman. (Full disclosure: I’m a contributor for this non-profit start-up website.) Backbeat takes you behind the scenes of the local music scene. Send tips, comments and questions to backbeat@thereader.com.