Tiny Masters of Today

Next to appear was Russell Simins, drummer for the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, who also found the band on MySpace. He sent an email and asked if they'd like to jam with him. After meeting their parents to convince them he wasn't an oddball, Simins became their drummer and the only adult in the band. Gigs at CBGB's and the McCarren Park Pool in Brooklyn started building a stateside buzz. K.I.D.S., another EP of home demos, came out in the U.K. and sold out while Simins took the kids into a real studio and started laying down tracks for their debut Bang Bang Boom Cake. Chris Maxwell and Phil Hernandez (aka the Elegant Too of Brave Combo, Shivaree, They Might Be Giants, John Cale) co-produced the sides with Simins. Most tracks just add a bit of polish to the band's raw squall, but a few older folks dropped by the sessions to add their two cents. "Disco Bomb" features the B-52's Fred Schneider on background vocals and Ramones-like lyrics "Disco bomb, we got it goin' on." "Trendsetter" has anti-folk star Kimya Dawson performing one of her unhinged outbursts about the corporate indoctrination of tween consumers, while her husband Angelo Spencer adds some real lead guitar. "Hologram World" features Nicolas Zinner from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs on guitar with Karen O helping out on vocals. Gibby Haynes (Butthole Surfers) and DJ Atsushi also dropped by to help out. The finished album was snapped up by Mute in the U.K.; Great Society, an American indie, put the album out in the U.S. In 2007, Tiny Masters spent their summer vacation on tour, wowing 'em at SXSW (the youngest band to ever play the festival) and selling out smaller venues in London. They were one of the highlights of the Underage Festival in Victoria Park, along with a passel of tween bands from the U.K.. In the fall of 2007, Tiny Masters returned to school in Brooklyn, NY and had to slot in gigs as their schooling and parents permitted. ~ j. poet, Rovi