DARK SKIES profile picture

DARK SKIES

About Me


If anyone can bring the rock ‘n roll high-kick back into the front-and-center, it’s Joe Machamer, guitarist and singer of Portland power trio Dark Skies. This long-forgotten show-stopper has nearly ceased to exist in this, the age of the pseudo-emotional singer-songwriter. Why? Because you can’t fake the rock ‘n roll high-kick and get away with it. Machamer had on a beige leather jacket (or something like that) with fringes. Aside from the jacket it was disheveled hair, t-shirts, Converse and cans of warm Pabst (drummer Rob McConlouge and bassist Charlie Gotgart included). I didn’t know what to make of it. On that night (the first of many), the set was a balancing act, with Blue Cheer-ish sonic blow-outs and break-downs weighing against a lean, sinuous energy and blue-collar ethos reminiscent of the Minutemen. You see, you can’t just walk out onto the stage and do one of those kicks. There has to be a reason to fling your leg up above your head just at the right time (while playing a wicked riff, mind you). And if you think about it, most rockers aren’t in good physical condition, and by show time their balance has probably become a little impaired. The strength and coordination has got to come from somewhere. Bottom line: It's a sight to behold, so don't miss Dark Skies-jeff earl, livepdxPortland, Ore., has a tradition of no-bullshit rock bands: Wipers, Dead Moon, and now Dark Skies. Fronted by ex–Vegas Thunder member Joe Machamer, Dark Skies add a heavy dose of British art blues (Groundhogs, Cream) to the stripped-down Portland garage-punk formula. Machamer puts on a ridiculously energetic, good-natured live show and has been known to clamber up amp stacks and teeter across the stage as if he were on the deck of a listing ship, all without missing a riff.- dave dunlop, washington press

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 29/03/2005
Band Website: http://www.geocities.com/j_machamer/darkskies.html
Band Members: joe- guitar vocals/ charlie-bass,tambourine,vcls/ connie- drums
Influences: groundhogs, cream, hendrix, thin lizzy, dead moon, zz top, motorhead, the who, blue cheer, minutemen, wipers, mc5, yardbirds, pink floyd, zepplin, coltrane, pharoah sanders, bad brains, big star, kinks, john steinbeck, sherwood anderson, rumi, hafiz, hounddog taylor, junior kimbrough, stax records, lao tzu...
Sounds Like:
Dark Skies Albums

My Blog

heres our new album!!

here's our new album!!Feelin Freetrack listing-1 Thankfull2 Crystall Ball3 Magic Garden4 BMD5 Till I'm Blind6 A Toast7 So Low8 Feelin Free9 Peace of Mind10 Going Nowhere11 Cheap Man12 If You Want Itre...
Posted by on Wed, 03 Dec 2008 12:12:00 GMT

DARK SKIES, JETOMI, DEAD BY DAWN AT ACME,7/11/06

DIRTY DIRTY ROCK SHOW!!!
Posted by on Fri, 07 Jul 2006 14:01:00 GMT

greetings from america!

so, we haven't been able to post much on tour, but i'll give some brief headlines-sat around with dead moon telling tour tales in seattle. a dangerous navahoe chick obsession and shitty drugs in albeq...
Posted by on Sun, 09 Apr 2006 09:38:00 GMT

tour stories from our roadie...

we've been having a hell of a time, but our computer acess has been somewhat limited. mike, our roadie/driver/merch/documentarian has been keeping on top of it, though. you can read all about it here...
Posted by on Sat, 01 Apr 2006 16:10:00 GMT

debut album available now!!!

check empty records website to order!! available on cd and lp! first 100 on blue vinyl!! www.emptyrecords.com
Posted by on Sat, 14 Jan 2006 13:58:00 GMT

DARK SKIES U.S.A. TOUR

*3/21portland- towne lounge*3/22 ashville-vinyl club with ROMANCE FORGERY*3/23 oakland- stork club w/ DMBQ and DRUNKHORSE3/24 sf*3/25 l.a.- the scene with THE HUSBANDS and GUILTY HEARTS*3/26 san diego...
Posted by on Thu, 05 Jan 2006 19:42:00 GMT

mercy corps benefit!!

still recovering from a tequilla and absinth bender, but it looks like we helped raise over $800 for mercy corp last night at the halloween show. if anyone has any pictures of dark skies as mc5, pleas...
Posted by on Sat, 29 Oct 2005 18:30:00 GMT

rock mama's benefit

we helped raise $800 for rock and roll mamas films! that's pretty cool. -joe
Posted by on Thu, 20 Oct 2005 15:41:00 GMT

DARK SKIES UNOFFICIAL BIOGRAPHY

Following his much publicized drug bust in January 1997, Joe Machamer spent nearly two years awaiting trial-playing, singing and writing like there was no tomorrow. During that period, he produced Veg...
Posted by on Fri, 07 Oct 2005 18:57:00 GMT

BENEFIT FOR OUR FRIENDS IN NEW ORLEANS

So, as you may know by watching the news, folks in New Orleans lost EVERYTHING and for the next few months (at least?) are homeless and staying with friends and family wherever they can, with no cloth...
Posted by on Wed, 31 Aug 2005 11:05:00 GMT