la dimension de trastos

DON'T JUST SIT THERE

2012-01-28T20:01:00.000-08:00

Here you go. These here are hybrids, so to speak. A mish-mash of funk, jazz, and afro elements, with some slight weirdness in parts, and bonus borderline freak outs. All worth a listen, if you're in that kind of mood. I was, and these hit the spot.

The sax player at 4:36 says it all

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Listen:
The Poets of Rhythm - More Mess On My Thing mp3 at Chromemusic
The Poets of Rhythm - Discern/Decide mp3 at Virginia.edu
Karl Hector and the Malcouns - El Gusto mp3 at The New LoFi

Karl Hector and the Malcouns - Followed Path mp3 (via MediaFire) at Tone Agents
Karl Hector and the Malcouns - Nyx at Passion of the Weiss NOTE: He doesn't like direct linking, but it's worth the trip. It's #44 of his top 50 from whenever. "Nyx" is some sort of funk jazz meltdown. Sounds like a cop show soundtrack hopped up on God knows what.
The Whitefield Brothers - Prowlin' mp3 at DJNoDJ This one is..., no, could be hypnotic, if it wasn't for the synthesizer. Vintage sounding or not, it's a distraction.

CAN YOU SHIMMY?

2012-01-27T19:42:00.000-08:00

You can tell a lot about a band by the covers they choose. Not only is it a clue to what they're trying to convey with their own music, and who they want to tip their hat to, it's also a keen look into how serious they are about what they listen to, and how deep their tastes run. And you can tell a whole lot more about a band by how well they integrate their own identity into someone else's song, something the New York Dolls were particularly good at. (By New York Dolls, or "Dolls," I mean the original Dolls, because without Johnny Thunders they are not the Dolls, not in these parts.)

The Dolls do Bo Diddley (plus "Trash")

I thought I'd try to track down the songs they covered, as there were only five on their two original releases, and I was able to find them, albeit one is on MediaFire, and one is streaming only at YouTube. While looking for mp3s of those two, I ran into a mix that had 14, which includes songs they played live. It's a nice varied mix, from doo wop, to blues, to Philly-type soul and girl group stuff. They're all over the board, some semi-obscure, and if you know the Dolls' versions, you know that they make them all sound like Dolls songs.

While I was typing the above stuff, a live band started playing, right around the corner, in the yard that is directly behind my apartment. I went over there to check it out because they were good, kind of a Black Keys pace, without the distorted guitar, and they had at least one horn. Kind of a big ensemble for this neck of the woods. The band was Supertasty, literally that's their name. The party people were nice, and invited me over to their side of the fence, but I didn't feel like being the "who's that guy?" guy. God damn, I miss beer. Now I'm fully distracted.

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Listen:
The Cadets - Stranded In the Jungle mp3 at Ace Terrier
Bo Diddley - Pills mp3 at Carnival Saloon
Sonny Boy Williamson - Don't Start Me Talkin' mp3 at MMSD Amps
Archie Bell & the Drells - (There's Gonna Be a) Showdown mp3 at 4Shared Note: Click on blue "Download Now" button, then wait about 15 seconds.
The Coasters - Bad Detective (streaming) at YouTube
The mix:
Songs the New York Dolls Taught Us - 14 songs in one file at Dr Faustroll Scroll down to comments for MediaFire download link
Related posts:
New York Dolls - Tons of stuff. It's an older post, but out of nineteen, there's bound to be a few links that are still good.
Johnny Thunders in the Heartbreakers Ditto.

WHAT'S WITH HIM?

2012-01-26T19:38:00.000-08:00

I couldn't resist. Thee Midniters "I Found A Peanut" is one of those twisted songs that I can't get enough of, more so because it seems kind of uncharacteristic. As you should already know, Thee Midniters ruled East L.A. in the sixties, and their standard fare was garage-ish R & B and ballads. They were good at it. Hugely popular. Anyways, I'm not quite sure what "I Found A Peanut" is about, but my guess would be that the singer found something at a party that he thought was a peanut, but turned out to be some sort of barbiturate. You'll see what I mean, and you'll know why it was a bit tough to decipher the lyrics (about a third of the way into the song). One thing to point out, Raven Sings the Blues' post that hosts the second song below, does so in a post of five cuts of lesser known garage songs, all worthy. Git!

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Listen:
Thee Midnighters - I Found A Peanut mp3 at Api.ning.com
Thee Midniters - Jump, Jive & Harmonize mp3 at Raven Sings the Blues
Thee Midniters - Sitting On the Grass mp3 at Like Dynamite to Your Brain
Thee Midnighters - Chicano Power mp3 at Concordia Click on small arrow right underneath "info" on streaming bar for download link.
Visit:
Thee Midniters at Wikipedia
The Birth of the Lowrider Sound at Lowrider Magazine

WELL, YEAH. NOW I AM.

2012-01-25T20:28:00.000-08:00

I'm just putting this up because my friend Skid posted a thing on Facebook, with the Jake Holmes (original) version of "Dazed and Confused." I hadn't ever given any thought to the songs origin, beyond knowing that the Yardbirds did it earlier than Led Zeppelin. Plain or Pan has posted the Holmes original and two versions of Led Zeppelin's, the studio version and an eighteen minute live version from 1971 (for you ultra freaks). For now, here's a video of the Yardbirds version, towards the end, when Jimmy Page was in the band. Plain or Pan posted it too, but I'm just filling space. Plus, if you're lazy, you can get bored without even leaving this post.

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Listen:
Jake Holmes - Dazed & Confused mp3 at Plain or Pan Note: If song title doesn't get you there, just go to the post to get it.
Led Zeppelin - Dazed and Confused (two versions) at Plain or Pan Studio version and 18 minute live version from 1971.

4 LPS IN, LATE PER USUAL.

2012-01-24T17:51:00.000-08:00

I don't really know what to make of the Pack a.d.. Distorted guitar and pounding drums, that's a good start. But then there's the photos. There's hardly a image that exists that doesn't show the two piece as completely photogenic. Is that some self aware stuff? Do you discount for that? (Why can't all bands just look like shit, so I can be sure that I'm totally objective about the music?) How about a singer that can hit the high notes with borderline staccato? Does that take away from the whole package? I don't rightly know, but I do know that it's always refreshing to hear a crunchy guitar based rock 'n' roll band. They don't have to be perfect. They just have to be loud. Let's party.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~
Listen:
The Pack a.d. - Sirens mp3 at Chrome Waves
The Pack a.d. - Making Gestures mp3 at Draw Us Lines
The Pack a.d. - Crazy mp3 at Draw Us Lines
The Pack a.d. - Deer mp3 at The Dadada
The Pack a.d. - Stalker Blues (live) mp3 at Large Hearted Boy
The Pack a.d. - Haunt You mp3 at KEXP
The Pack a.d. - Cobra Matte mp3 at The Muse In Music

FOR TERRY

2012-01-23T19:52:00.000-08:00

Early on in San Diego's punk scene, the Marine Corp Recruit Depot and several Navy bases were in close proximity to the rather large hub of punk activity. So it wasn't unusual that there was a string of military guys who were active members of the scene, and by that I mean band members, zine editors and occasional show promoters. They drank, fought, loved and slammed like everybody else. Their military service was a day job, and didn't identify them, just as you may not have been thought of as a burger flipper first, [scene role] second. I lived for a while with a couple Navy guys, and have known one particular Marine since the very, very beginning of the San Diego punk scene. I never thought I'd be in contact again, with that unknown guy with "Void" rubber stamped on his face, decades later. So this is for Terry, who was the first person I thought of, because I know he loves reggae, particularly the early stuff. And it's for Bruce, Lou and Chris (RIP), too. (No bro hugs, not with a lit cigarette.)

On to the goods. If you, like me, really like looking at early reggae record sleeves, here's a collection on a site called Smashing, with accompanying design oriented text. That Maytals album cover below is not only my favorite reggae LP cover ever, but in the top ten of all of the record covers I've ever seen, which is to say, a fuck load. There's something about it's simplicity, choice of colors; and the well composed ramshackleness of it.

The site that really started all of this, an hour or so ago, is Dave's Jukebox, which I am currently all over like flies on stink. Reggae oriented blogs are rare. Even rarer are those with reggae 45s, as opposed to whole LPs. And this Dave has a great selection of early reggae, with names and labels you know, and quite a few names and labels that you may never get to hear again. That's the big thing, early unfamiliar reggae. I eat that shit up. If you like early ska, rock steady, and DJ stuff, you will want to bookmark it immediately. The music is on DivShare, but you don't have to join. Just click on the small green "Download " button, and wait while the timer runs out, about 15 seconds, without clicking on anything else. I linked to one down below so you can give it a whirl; after that you can just get your ass on over there.

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Listen:

Jack Sparrow & the Wailers - Ice Water/The Skatalites - Ska In Vienna Woods at Dave's Jukebox
Tons more early reggae at Dave's Jukebox
Visit:
Design Legacy: A Social History Of Jamaican Album Covers at Smashing

I STILL LIKE THIS GUY

2012-01-23T18:04:00.000-08:00

He fist bumps White House janitors. He body surfs, and does so with respectable style. He brings troops home. He repeals "Don't ask, don't tell." When he's not shooting hoops, he's ending wars. He sings Al Green. He is the Most Interesting World Leader in the World.

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Listen:
Barack Obama - Let's Stay Together mp3 & ring tone at Barack Obama Note: Click on "Download for other smartphones" for mp3
Al Green - Let's Stay Together mp3 at Suck My Caucus

CLIFTON PICKS SOME GOOD ONES

2012-01-22T22:06:00.000-08:00

Here's some that may take an extra click to get to, but are well worth the wear and tear on your finger tip. Aquarium Drunkard disables direct linking, so you'll have to go there to get them. A DJ named Clifton does guest posts and this one from November is a great collection. Clifton’s Corner: Volume Six (British R&B And Back Again) includes Georgie Fame, J.J. Jackson, the Pretty Things, Muddy Waters, Small Faces, Booker T. & the MGs, Six Feet Under, the Zombies, and Smoky Robinson and the Miracles, all somehow cohesively linked. What makes it a great post is that, not only will it have a few songs that you've never heard, some are slightly atypical of the particular artist's sound. Regardless, they're all deepish tracks. And I'm not going to recommend a few, I recommend listening to all of them (click on the song titles to download). And read the text. It seems the guy knows his shit.

Clifton’s Corner: Volume Six (British R&B And Back Again) at Aquarium Drunkard Nine worthy cuts and some book learning

OKAY, AFTER YOUR HOMEWORK

2012-01-22T08:44:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I ran into a video that, if you have kids or think kids are cool in general, might seem pretty neat. I gotta admit, I got sucked in. Then I got to thinking about how the parents might be like some of the pageant type parents, where the kid gets pushed into it, without the chance to develop their own interests. I told myself to relax and just enjoy a couple minutes of a kid being a kid, and rocking out while doing so. Still, I just don't think it was the kid's idea.

In contrast, back in 2007 (that's the dark ages in kid years), there was a pair of siblings, Tiny Masters of Today, that actually wrote their own songs, played their own instruments, and pretty much seemed to steer their own ship. Russell Simins (Blues Explosion) did help out on drums, but it's pretty obvious that adult intervention was slight. And that's what made the Tiny Masters of Today special. Remember all that stuff about punk being refreshing because you didn't have to be a virtuoso, and a whole genre was now open to rank amateurs with attitudes? Suppose some of those rank amateurs started bands had little playing time under their belts, not because they never had the opportunity to pick up a guitar, but because once punk opened the door, they saw it as a way to get a bit of that musician adulation that gets people laid and out of a day job. Now compare that to kids who have relatively little experience because they're so young they simply haven't had the time to get spit shined. Who's more authentic?

Tiny Masters of Today, with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Mike D (Beastie Boys), Gibby Haynes (Butthole Surfers), and Russell Simins (JSBX)

Speaking admittedly as a non-parent, this also raises the question, is the "School of Rock" really necessary, or is it just a way to bilk dough out of parents who consider themselves to cool to be soccer moms? Really, just give them three chords and one electrical outlet, shut the door, turn up the TV: Lesson one complete.

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Listen:
Tiny Masters of Today - K.I.D.S. mp3 at Spin
Tiny Masters of Today - Book Song mp3 at Indie Blog Heaven
Tiny Masters of Today - Skeletons mp3 at Quiet Color
Juliete - My First Hardcore Song at iTunes
Video:
Tiny Masters of Today - Radio Riot at YouTube
Tiny Masters of Today - Pop Chart at YouTube

YEAH,YEAH. IN THREES. STILL...

2012-01-20T17:56:00.000-08:00

Wow, what a messed up week. Jimmy Castor, Johnny Otis and Etta James all gone in a matter of days. Just an unpleasant reminder to go see the living greats, if you can, before you can't. Here's some from Etta James, who, contrary to how it may seem, did more than one song. Really, as great a song as "At Last" is (and it is), she really is someone who could make a song all hers, a master song stylist. To wit, "I Just Want To Make Love To You" is nothing like the version first made famous by Muddy Waters. The same goes for her treatment of "Just A Little Bit" (Roscoe Gordon), and "Security" (Otis Redding), and a whole bunch of others.

Etta James, with Keith Richards, Robert Cray and Johnny Johnson. While superfan Chuck Berry watches.

I'm reluctantly taking a pass on Jimmy Castor and Johnny Otis, because Funky 16 Corners has both of them well covered and he's promised a Monday Etta post, so bookmark him. (Hell, if you haven't already booked him as a regular destination, you need to start paying attention.)

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Listen:
Etta James - At Last mp3 at Carried Away
Etta James - Good Rockin' Daddy mp3 at Dirty Poodle
Etta James - Tell Mama mp3 at Blog Rage
Etta James - I Just Want to Make Love to You mp3 at Tsururadio
Etta James - I'd Rather Go Blind mp3 at Free Beer For Yorky
Etta James - Just A Little Bit mp3 at The Soul Girl
Etta James - Security mp3 at LS Scott
Etta James & Sugar Pie Desanto - In the Basement (Pt 1) mp3 at Dr. Mooneys
Etta James & Sugar Pie Desanto - In the Basement (Pt 2) mp3 at Dr. Mooneys
Etta James - Lover Man mp3 at Musik Kurier
Etta James - Something's Got A Hold On Me mp3 at Music Kurier
Etta James - Watch Dog mp3 (via Box.net) at 27 Leggies
Etta James - Six more songs at Funky 16 Corners

THIS HERE IS THE WHOLE PACKAGE

2012-01-19T19:53:00.000-08:00

Good golly Miss Molly, look at that sleeve. Out there a little bit, eh? If you don't know the Mighty Hannibal, what would you be your guess? What type of music would this sleeve contain? What's the story with this cat? I'm still trying to figure it out, because nothing I've read or heard about him (yet) really quite pegs the source of the Mighty Hannibal's mighty weirdness, never mind his incredible talent. It's a very cool combination going on here.

The video above is one understated oddball piece of work. John Waters, David Lynch, Quentin Tarantino,...hell, probably even Walt Disney and Russ Meyer; they all wish they could do something this subtlety off. I don't even care about the questionable outfit or some of the more sissy dance moves that slip in. The Mighty Hannibal makes some irresistible music, and, whether you're in the kitchen or bathroom, it's time to get down.

About the selections: Pickin's are slim online, so I'm posting what I could find. (Regardless, I recommend the excellent compilation on Norton Records.) "Hymn N. 5" is a gospel-ish anti war song, written during the Vietnam era. Aquarium Drunkard posted it, but doesn't like outside linking. You should go there to get it while it's still there. The very funky "Get In the Groove," is a killer. Hell, just listen to the music below, watch the video, and then try going back to your unweird life.

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Listen:
The Mighty Hannibal - Get In the Groove mp3 at RnB45
The Mighty Hannibal - Time to Make It Through mp3 at RnB45
The Mighty Hannibal - Hymn N.5 at Aquarium Drunkard
The Mighty Hannibal - Fishin' Pole mp3 at The Soul Girl
The Mighty Hannibal - I Found A Way mp3 at Dub Lab
The Mighty Hannibal - Somebody In the World For Me at The Soul Girl
Video:
The Mighty Hannibal w/the Black Lips - Get In the Groove, Hymn N. 5 (Live) at YouTube
Video:
The Might Hannibal at Wikipedia

OKAY, SO ONE OLD GUY RULES.

2012-01-18T19:14:00.000-08:00

It doesn't seem possible. An slightly older bald guy, with a more than considerable amount of cool. Even when older, with graying sideburns, pink polyester cape and shorts, and white go-go boots, he still has something of a cool old dude thing going on (see this video). Only one person could pull that shit off, Rufus Thomas. He recorded for a few different labels, among them, Sun and Stax; and either of those alone would be enough. The stuff below is middle era, most, if not all, from Stax. For you with an ear toward funkier stuff, I strongly suggest "Itch and Scratch," and "Funky Hot Grits."

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Listen:
Rufus Thomas - Memphis Train mp3 at Rock 'n' Soul Ichiban
Rufus Thomas - Walking the Dog mp3 at Love My Oldies
Rufus Thomas - Funky Hot Grits mp3 at This Is My Island
Rufus Thomas - Itch and Scratch mp3 at Girl Atlas
Rufus Thomas - Willy Nilly mp3 at The Soul Girl
Rufus Thomas - Do the Funky Chicken mp3 at Sunrise Musics
Rufus Thomas - Pink Pussy Cat Wine (Radio spot) mp3 at Rock 'n' Soul Ichiban
Video:
Rufus Thomas - Breakdown, Do the Funky Chicken (Live) at YouTube

THANKS, I NEEDED THAT

2012-01-17T22:41:00.000-08:00

Ever get to a point where you just want to hit the reset button, and clear everything out of your head? It takes a special experience to wipe everything out. Today, just the first few bars of "Psycho" did it for me. So goddamn wild. I hope I don't need to go into specifics. If you hang around here long enough, you'll know that the Sonics are revered like few others. And I know I've posted their stuff a few times before. They just completely hit the spot today, right when I needed it. Turn your volume up and click on "Psycho" below, and take back your day.

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Listen:
The Sonics - Psycho mp3 at Bag of Songs
The Sonics - Strychnine mp3 at Gimmetinnitus
The Sonics - The Witch mp3 at Tinyvices
The Sonics - Money mp3 at Girl Juke Box
The Sonics - Maintaining My Cool mp3 at Beware of the Blog

HOLY SHIT! ALREADY?

2012-01-16T19:19:00.000-08:00

Ten years of Daptone Records. Unbelievable. How does that happen? They're too good. Weren't they supposed to have been squashed? It just goes to show you, if you put out a good product and don't overextend yourself, you can make it work. Remember, that's how record labels used to do it. And, like Stax, Chess and Sun, they have their own studio, so they control the sound; and what a sound it is. Have a listen, all of the stuff below was recorded in recent years (with the exception of Pax Nicholas, a rare reissue), yet every one is timeless. Once you get to know the roster, you'll be giddy every time you see the label; like you used to dream about happening again someday (when you were shuffling through your Stax and Motown thrift store finds). It's some most excellent shit friends, and it's high time to start paying attention again, if you haven't already.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:

Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings - Just Dropped In To See What Condition My Condition Is In mp3 at Passion of the Weiss
The Sugarman Three - Soul Donkey mp3 at The Frump
Naomi Shelton & the Gospel Queens - What Have You Done mp3 at Sonny Venice
Charles Bradley - Golden Rule mp3 at Musicalicious
Menahan Street Band - Montego Sunset mp3 at Grayson Stebbins
The Budos Band - Budos Rising mp3 at Ear It Now
Pax Nicholas & the Netty Family - Ataa Onukpa mp3 at Other Music
Video:
Daptone Records Celebrates Ten Years at YouTube
Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings - Let Them Knock (Live) at YouTube
The Budos Band - Unbroken, Unshaven at YouTube
Charles Bradley featuring the Menahan Street Band - The World (Is Going Up In Flames) at YouTube
Naomi Shelton & the Gospel Queens - What Have You Done at YouTube
The Daptone Records channel at YouTube
Visit:
Daptone Records
Soul Reviver - Good profile from the New York Times Magazine
Soul Sides - Today's reminder came from here

SONGS THAT DON'T SUCK SHOWCASE

2012-01-15T18:40:00.000-08:00

Here's a couple songs that you've heard a zillion times, but really deserve a good listen. You, like me, may have been desensitized due to hearing them played to death on oldies stations. It's only been in recent years that I started listening to all of the stuff going on. Really, isolate any instrument in either song. The Isley's 1969 "It's Your Thing," in particular, really gets me; the way it starts out with just guitar and bass, followed by the piano and cymbals, then drums and vocals. By the time the horns show up after a few measures, you're in it deep.

Rare Earth's "I Just Want To Celebrate," from 1971, is somewhere between the Norman Whitfield produced Temptations era (ala "Ball of Confusion" and "Psychedelic Shack") and Hendrix. They were the first all white band on Motown to crack the top 40, and it was about the same time, so the Temptaions aren't really a stretch, and the lead vocals sound like the guy locked himself in a room with the Smash Hits LP for a while. The guitar playing, what with the wah-wah and distortion, is pretty badass (more Whitfield than Hendrix, if that makes any sense). Just a couple reminders that hits sometime deserved to be.

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Listen:
The Isley Brothers - It's Your Thing mp3 at Parasoul
Rare Earth - I Just Want To Celebrate mp3 at LZ Center.com
Video:
The Isley Brothers - It's Your Thing (TV appearance) at YouTube
Rare Earth - I Just Want To Celebrate (Live) at YouTube

GOING TO THE STORE?

2012-01-14T18:21:00.000-08:00

Boy, this is a mixed bunch, with only the loosest of threads. I was puttin' around town today listening to an old mix that I made that had the Flamin' Groovies, the Blues Explosion and a few other bands that got me all riled up and wishing I was having one of those good ol' "Really, they said I was having a party tonight?" type impromptu what-the-hell, if you can't beat 'em join 'em type Saturday night throwdowns, just like the good old days. Problem is, that ol' gang of mine has, literally, moved on. Time was, there was a steady stream of drop-ins on just about every weekend night (and some during the week) that would give cause to hiding a few beers in the vegetable drawer. People get married, move away, buy homes where they can afford them, and start families. Not me. Just like John Milner said in the movie American Grafitti, "I'm staying right here, having fun, as usual." It is what it is, to use a phrase I hate to use. We all grow up in different ways and I suppose. now that I'm a little older, my way is leaving beer right out in the open. So I guess this is for the "Do you have a paper plate?' "Who pissed on the seat?" "Is that the last one?" "He's upstairs" "Can I play this?" friends. They know who they are. I have carpet stains named after some of you, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Love you more because of it. XO you loiterers.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
Dirty Shames - Makin' Love mp3 at Beware of the Blog
King Khan - Treat Me Like A Dog mp3 at Obscure Sound
The Chocolate Watch Band - Don't Need Your Lovin' mp3 at Beware of the Blog
The Flamin' Groovies - Teenage Head mp3 at Beware of the Blog
Jim Dickinson with the Cramps - Red Headed Woman mp3 at The Hound Blog
The Gun Club - Sex Beat mp3 at Eat This Grenade!
Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - Money Rock’n’Roll mp3 at Review Stalker
The Black Keys - Have Love Will Travel mp3 at Nine Bullets
Left Lane Cruiser - Big Mama mp3 at Nine Bullets

50 SONGS I DIDN'T POST

2012-01-13T20:25:00.000-08:00

Okay, so tonight was going to be a roll call of sorts, with all selections coming from recent posts found from the blogs on my link list (under the heading "Get Lost" in the left column of this page). You know what? I got as far as Big Rock Candy Mountain, and am now ass deep in sidetracked. In a series of consecutive posts, he rattled off his 50 top releases of 2011, which beats my list by approximately 50. Here's a random one I like, because, when was the last time you heard a slide playing one woman band (or as Molly Gene refers to herself, One Woahman Band)? The rest of the stuff is riddled with keepers you never heard off, so dig it. (When the Dirtbombs are #50, you know there's some good stuff.)

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
Molly Gene One Whoaman Band - Country Lover mp3 at Big Rock Candy Mountain
More sounds:
Big Rock Candy Mountain's list, selections 1-10
Big Rock Candy Mountain's list, selections 11-20
Big Rock Candy Mountain's list, selections 21-30
Big Rock Candy Mountain's list, selections 31-40
Big Rock Candy Mountain's list, selections 41-50

QUINCY IRBY LIVES

2012-01-12T19:18:00.000-08:00

Try as I might to find a common theme among songs on the same post, this one is kind of an exception. The reason is because it's for my brother, Tim, who passed away in 1997 and was a brilliant guitarist. His birthday is January 13, which this year falls on a Friday, hence the image above. So, here's just a few of guitarists that he dug.

I had to start it with Johnny Winter, because that's the first guitarist that I remember him trying to emulate, and he had it down; to the point that you could name an era of Johnny Winter and he could improvise something in that style, be it bottleneck blues, or electric rock 'n' roll. The cut below, an alternate take of "Dallas," begins with Johnny Winter muttering "unlucky thirteen" which, of course, meant I had to post it.

He was also into surf music, deep. Beginning with the omnipresent garage sale Ventures, and then onto the Surfaris, the Challengers (who he would later christen "dodes"), the Lively Ones and so on. We knew about Dick Dale, but, believe it or not, at the time all of his records were out of print and nearly impossible to find. Finally, around 1975, Dick Dale released a new album with re-recorded old material and some new stuff. It blew away all of the other bands. Tim got it bad. A few years later (around '80) he started a surf band, the Evasions, with a guy he met through a classified ad, Richard "Skid Roper" Banke (who Tim would call Braniac, because Richard had suggested "The Braniacs" as a band name). A while later, he would get the opportunity to be sent to Dale's house, to shoot him for a friend's music column. He spent a day, one on one, with the King of the Surf Guitar. Dale took him out on his boat, played piano, and played an unreleased song on acoustic in the middle of a tour of the house. He gave Tim his phone number and told him to call him any time (and, as any brother would, he later proved it by calling him while I was present).

Tim, Del Mar Fair, mid-80s

That's only two, and though there's a few others down below, this will have to be continued later. I can see where it's going, I could go forever about all of the guitarists he loved. Besides Johnny Winter, Dick Dale, Cliff Gallup (Gene Vincent), Paul Burlison (Johnny Burnette), Neil Young and Karl Precoda (Dream Syndicate), all represented below, there's the man, Chuck Berry, Billy Lee Riley, Scotty Moore, Keith Richards, Mick Taylor, Ron Wood, Jeff Beck, Rory Gallagher, Hendrix, Clapton, Duane Allman, Leslie West (Mountain), Chet Atkins, Merle Travis, Tommy Collins, Joe Maphis, John Fogerty, Ronnie Montrose, Jimmy Page, Rick Derringer, Jeff Beck, Ron Asheton, Johnny Thunders, Paul Johnson, and on and on. His tastes were varied, but it was always about the guitar.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
Johnny Winter - Dallas mp3 at David Fullmer
Dick Dale & the Deltones - The Wedge mp3 at 4Shared
Gene Vincent & the Blue Caps - Cat Man mp3 at LYWL
Johnny Burnette & the Rock n' Roll Trio - Honey Hush mp3 at RocknDog.com
Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Down By the River mp3 at I Am Fuel, You Are Friends
The Dream Syndicate - Halloween mp3 at The Mad Mackerel

A MOMENT FOR A FIEND

2012-01-11T18:23:00.000-08:00

It finally got to me, the little snippets I'd seen about this supposed "best bar band in the world." I thought where better to start? So I bought the first NRBQ LP and got as far as the second song and was stopped dead in my tracks. After just hearing their cover of Eddie Cochran's "C'mon Everybody," it was a one of those "what the hell is this?!" moments, a cover of Sun Ra's "Rocket Number Nine." Now, if you know the song, and you know what you would expect when listening to a "bar band," you'll know why this record had me scratching my head. I was intrigued. The LP also had covers of Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee's "C'mon If You're Comin'" and Bruce Chanel's "Hey Baby," mixed in with originals. Weird. They got chucked into the "keep an eye on these guys" stack.

A few years later, I stopped by a record store on my way home from work, and was browsing when I noticed that there were four guys in the store who all stuck out because they looked rather ramshackle, and not at all in typically ramshackle way. The other thing that stuck out was that they were in different sections of the store. One in imports, another in blues, another in international music...yeah, you can guess where this is going. Later on that night when I went to my first NRBQ show, I realized the guys I'd seen in the store were NRBQ. Now, this is where I try to explain my fondness for a band that may seem only marginally interesting to a casual listener. The record store was a good twenty miles south of their southernmost gig, meaning that before their gig, they drove twenty miles to go to a record store. Motherfuckers stole my heart. They were record fiend brethren. So, their worth to me is not that of a band I like, it's of freaks. Because there's no denying it, to whatever degree, they let it fly.

NRBQ's long time drummer Tommy Ardolino just died. A quote from a 1992 L.A. Times interview with Ardolinio: " I know all the good record stores in every town." Yes. A fiend among fiends. He started out a fan, and began to swap tapes with Terry Adams, the keyboard player. He sat in on a gig, and in 1974, when the original drummer left, he joined. He played with them for roughly thirty years. I believe it was he in the blues section of the record store. (Record Store Day is April 12. Yo, occupy.)

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen (streaming):
NRBQ - Rocket Number Nine (streaming) at YouTube
NRBQ - You Can't Hide (streaming) at YouTube
Listen (mp3s:
NRBQ - That's Alright mp3 at Art Decade
NRBQ - That's Neat, That's Nice mp3 (plus one other) at Star Maker Machine
Visit:
Tommy Ardolino - Excellent profile/obituary at the L.A. Times

MOVE OVER JERRY LEE

2012-01-10T18:31:00.000-08:00

I've always dug Roy Head's "Treat Her Right," it's only about two minutes long and has hardly any lyrics, a song so simple that even Johnny Thunders couldn't fuck it up. But I've heard little else of his, and knew squat of his background. After listening to the song again tonight, I decided to take a look-see. I ran across a great cover of Rosco Gordon's "Just A Little Bit." Then, on another hunt for an image, I landed on a post about Head at The Hound Blog. There in the middle of a long profile (with eleven mp3s and a few videos!), I ran into this illuminating quote: "I beat up club owners, choked disc jockeys, and did a lot of things I wish I hadn't done. Just just screwed up." Roy Head is now one of my favorite people.

This video is better once you know he's a party monster.

A read of The Hound's piece is highly recommended. Let's just close with another Head gem: "Hell, I've screwed up. I've got thrown off tours because I was having a little more fun than some of the other acts. I bit Elvis Presley on the leg when I was drunk one night and his bodyguards leaped on me, man, I had to go to the chiropractor for three weeks to get straightened out. I'm still not through. If there's one son of a bitch in the room that's paid to hear me, I'll work my butt off for them." There is no other guest of honor tonight.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
Roy Head - Treat Her Right mp3 at Rocky-52.net
Roy Head - Just A Little Bit mp3 at Boogie Woogie Flu
Roy Head - One More Time mp3 at The Hound Blog
Roy Head - Ten more songs at The Hound Blog
Visit:
Roy Head - Excellent profile at The Hound Blog
Roy Head at Wikipedia

TIME TO BONE UP

2012-01-09T18:50:00.000-08:00

Oh joy, another reunion. Actually, this one might not be so bad, if only because At The Drive-In didn't really get their fully deserved due on their first go around. They must have just announced it, because there seems to be a some sorta elder-blogger buzz going around. And you kids had better listen up. If you wonder what all the fuss was the first time, have a look at this video:

Yeah, try keeping that up for a set, which, by all reports, they apparently did. There's nary a video around that doesn't show them like some ten year old kid, hopped up on two pots of coffee, being told that they're going to Disneyland tomorrow, oh, and by the way, today is Christmas. It's now eleven years later (and yes, I did end up looking that up), and they're eleven years older. More coffee.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
At The Drive-In - Pattern Against User mp3 at Central Village
At The Drive-In - One Armed Scissor mp3 at Herbert
At The Drive-In - Arcarsenal mp3 at Karljohann.hneta.net
At The Drive-In – For Now … We Toast mp3 at Cause Equals Time
At The Drive-In - Metronome Arthritis mp3 (via MediaFire) at Metal Bastard

NO, YOU SUCK.

2012-01-08T17:29:00.000-08:00

You could spend a whole lot of time trying to track down all of the releases of any reggae DJ, so it's no wonder that it took me a while to get to Prince Jazzbo. With U Roy, Dillinger, Dr. Alimantado, Big Youth, and Dennis Alcapone (among others) all with older releases still lingering on my want list, I was hard pressed to let any others in the door. That was before I heard the long version of Prince Jazzbo's "Crab Walking," which features all the elements: a Studio One rhythm (Horace Andy's "Skylarking," thank you very much), toasting, and, on the disco mix, dub. It was immediately put into heavy rotation. (Note: Couldn't find the long version, but the single version is below.) He was added to the list, as was I Roy, due to the ongoing feud between the two. Though they remained friends until I Roy's death in 1999, they kept listeners on their toes (and record sales up) with potshots at each other on vinyl; and unlike other musical battles, their intents were not all that veiled. Titles included “Straight to Jazzbo’s Head" (I Roy), “Straight to I-Roy’s Head" (Jazzzbo), “Jazzbo Have Fe Run” (I Roy & Prince Far I) and “Gal Boy I-Roy” (Jazzbo). King Tubby & the Aggrovators even got their two cents in with "Straight To I Roy's Big Mouth," which has got to be one of the greatest reggae song titles ever. Good times.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
Prince Jazzbo - Gal Boy I Roy mp3 at Bedazzled
Prince Jazzbo - Takeover mp3 at Reggae Top Site
Prince Jazzbo and Lee Perry - Croaking Lizard mp3 at 4Shared
Prince Jazzbo - Pepper Rock mp3 at Reggae Top Site

Prince Jazzbo - Crab Walking mp3 via 4Shared* *NOTE: Once there click on blue "Download Now" button, then wait until the timer times out (don't click on the orange "click here" button unless you want to sign up for a premium service). Click on "Download file now" link when it appears.

More feud fun at YouTube (streaming):
I Roy - Straight to Jazzbo’s Head
Prince Jazzbo's Straight to I-Roy’s Head vs I Roy's Jazzbo Have Fe Run
Visit:
I Roy and Prince Jazzbo at War at Distinctly Jamaican Sounds

YEAH? SHOW ME SPECIAL

2012-01-07T18:38:00.001-08:00

I was not all that surprised that the Specials still had an official web site. Thinking: Oh, hey, there's a blog...let's see here...oh, wow, there's something about a tour? Oh yeah, this is gonna be rich. What's this nonsense about strings? ...and so on. Then I scanned to the bottom of the page, waaay down there, and in tiny type, it said "Jerry Dammers will not be performing as part of the re-formed The Specials." What?! If you ask me, no Dammers, no Specials, AKA or otherwise. Reformed or otherwise. I've forgotten their history (and I'm too lazy right now to deal with researching why I have the impression that I do), but somewhere along the way, I've had reason to think of Dammers as the heart and soul of the Specials. Whether or not it's warranted, that's what I think. When the Specials split up, some became the Fun Boy Three, and some became Special AKA. The latter went on to record "Free Nelson Mandela," which is a magnificent piece of work. The former did a Go-Go's song. And Dammers was the head AKA-er, that much I know. So he was there for "Message To You Rudy," he was there for "Ghost Town" and he was most definitely there for "Free Nelson Mandela." Nope, sorry. Ain't buying it. If he's not in it, it ain't.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
The Specials - A Message to You Rudy mp3 at Booween
The Specials - Little Bitch mp3 at Joe Bien
The Specials - Ghost Town mp3 at 8106
Special AKA - Free Nelson Mandela mp3 at Contort

LEMMY & SQUIGGY

2012-01-06T18:52:00.000-08:00

If you know anything about Lemmy Kilmister, you know that he does things his way, without compromise. That includes, how you say, "lifestyle choices." A guy I know was a guitar tech for a Lemmy tour, and swears up and down that he subsists solely on hard liquor, smokes, red meat and women. You know what? Lemmy may be the one guy who gives Keith Richards a run for his money. And if ever there was a signature song for an artist, it's Lemmy/Motörhead's "Ace of Spades." You know it right? I certainly hope so, because it's one ferocious mutha. The way he spells out his life plan, mid-song: "I was born to lose, and gambling's for fools, but that's the way I like it, I don't want to live forever." Yet, he will.

Eli "Paperboy" "Squiggy" Reed

So, I was listing to an old mix I had, and it had a solid soul cover of "Ace of Spades" by Eli "Paperboy" Reed. I realized that, although I'd posted Reed's version a while back (actually it was two and a half years ago), I'd never posted a link to Motörhead's original. To be honest, as much as I like Reed's version, the original makes it sound like sissy stuff. Just put them on different mixes and you'll be fine.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
Motörhead - Ace of Spades mp3 at Shelter From the Norm
Eli "Paperboy" Reed - Ace of Spades mp3 at Ryan's Smashing Life
Watch:
Motörhead - Ace of Spades (live) at YouTube

DIRTBOMBS SAVE THE DAY

2012-01-05T21:40:00.000-08:00

The good old reliable Dirtbombs. Every time there's a lull, either in motivation or new cool stuff, you can always depend on a handful of bands that are consistently listenable, have a pretty vast catalog, and are posted often. The Dirtbombs are one of those bands. You could shoot at a pile of mp3s blindfolded and still hit something interesting by the Dirtbombs. Here's five, the first two are from a recent LP of Detroit techno covers. The last three are the Dirtbombs we all know and love. Check out "Chains of Love" for them doing what they do best.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
The Dirtbombs - Alleys of Your Mind mp3 at Big Rock Candy Mountain
The Dirtbombs - Sharevari mp3 at The Finest Kiss
The Dirtbombs - Chains of Love mp3 at Indie Rock Cafe
The Dirtbombs - Cosmic Cars mp3 at KEXP
The Dirtbombs - Get It While You Can mp3 at Dailybeatz

SOME PRODUCT

2012-01-04T18:47:00.000-08:00

Nothing new here, just schmoozing for dollars. Whether it's appearing in commercials or print ads, endorsing products, having tours sponsored, or co-branding of merchandise, it blows. You might call it doing what you have to do too remain a recording artist without having to resort to (shudder) working a day job like the rest of us suckers. Some may call it selling out. And guess what? Some of us working suckers consider artistic purity when it comes time to go record shopping. Here's just a few random offenders. Some are obvious (Michael Jackson), some are surprising (X, John Lydon) and some were just the drummers, so their share of millions of dollars just won't take them through the end of the month. Believe me, these were so easy to find, this could have gone on all night. Let's start with the granddaddy of them all, the I-Tunes commercial, where the all star suck-ups include Liz Phair, George Clinton, Exene (X), De La Soul, Iggy Pop, Chuck Berry, Lil Kim, Smashmouth, Dwight Yoakum, Amy Mann, Ziggy Marley, Barry White, and Jeff Tweedy (Wilco).

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
The Who - Odorono (deodorant) mp3 at The Rising Storm ( parody)
Rolling Stones - Rice Crispies mp3 at Guterman
X - This Bud's For You mp3 at Billy Zoom.com
The Ramones - Fill My Cup (Steel Reserve) mp3 at Beware of the Blog
The Ramones - High Gravity Lager (Steel Reserve) mp3 at Beware of the Blog
The Ramones - Gimme My Steel Reserve (Steel Reserve) mp3 at Beware of the Blog
The Troggs - Coca Cola mp3 at 4Shared
The Supremes - Coca-Cola mp3 at 4Shared
Full length collection:

WHO THE HELL WERE THEY?

2012-01-03T20:09:00.000-08:00

Here we go. I've been poking around smelly bins of music minutiae for years, and I still run into stuff I can't find anything about. In this case, a band called the Parkays. First off, it may be just a small coincidence that the first time I ever heard of the Parkays is when the Mystery Suggester hipped me to their groovy "Last Date" a while back. Soon afterward, she pointed me towards the Martinis "Hung Over."

Exhibit A: The Martinis featured one Packy Axton, a sax player who was in the Mar-Keys, and partied his way out of a steady gig at Stax (owned by his mother and uncle). He went on to form a series of combos, among them bands called the Packers and the Pac-keys. Exhibit B: You will note that similarities between the Mar-Keys' "Last Night" and the Parkays' "Green Monkeys." Exhibit C; The similarities in band names, the Mar-Keys, the Parkays, and the Pac-Keys. Exhibit D (the only sketchy one): All references to the Parkays point to the ABC-Paramount label, who, though based in New York, "licensed finished masters from independent producers and purchased regionally-released records for national distribution" (according to the Wikipedia entry for the label).

This is where I get off. I may continue the poking around later, and I may not. Who knows? I might get a wild hair and become the unofficial biographer of the Parkays, seeing as how there doesn't seem to be anybody else stepping forward. Maybe I'll just start a Parkays Locator Club. Wanna join?

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
The Parkays - Green Monkeys mp3 at Diddy Wah
Visit Diddy Wah for another Parkays cut
The Mar-Keys - Last Night mp3 at Rock 'n; Soul Ichiban
The Pac-Keys - Dig In mp3 at Office Naps
The Packers - Hole In the Wall mp3 at The Hound Blog

WE PISS ANYWHERE MAN

2012-01-02T23:14:00.000-08:00

I was bumming around The Hound Blog the other day and I ran into a really good post about the bootleg 6 CD set that is The Genuine Black Box, a set that the Hound rates as the best ever Stones bootleg (and this guy knows his shit). He posted a whole bunch of worthwhile stuff, from early demos and unreleased finished songs to alternate takes and alternate vocals (Jagger on "You Got The Silver," and Richards on "Gimme Shelter"). I'm not linking to any of the songs, because you really ought to go there to get them, he's got all these awesome annotations going on. (Click on the linked song titles in the text for the songs.) All the stuff is great quality, some much more raw sounding than the released versions, which suits me fine. (Check out "Jumpin' Jack Flash.") Well, don't just stand around looking stupid. Go get 'em!

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
The Secret World Of The Rolling Stones- The Genuine Black Box at The Hound Blog Roughly 18 songs, a few videos and and the background information on the songs and set.

BACK OFF ROMEO

2012-01-01T18:54:00.000-08:00

I just ran into a post on a blog that mentioned someone with the last name of Self. If you're into rockabilly, you might have had the same sort of association that I did. I immediately thought of Ronnie Self, a rockabilly second stringer who released two songs that have ended up on more than a few rockabilly compilations, "Bop-A-Lena" and "Ain't I'm a Dog," along with a host of other solid rockabilly records. Before I even started poking around, I told myself that if I found them posted by this French guy named Rocky, I would take the opportunity to sing his praises. Why? Because in this house, Rocky (of Rocky-52.net) is a fiend by which all fiends are measured. And guess what? Good ol' Rocky had the only three Ronnie Self songs I could find posted anywhere. And it didn't surprise me. The man is a saint, Rocky-52 that is. Primarily into rockabilly and country and western, he has space on his palet for assorted other genres like Western swing, hillbilly, early rock 'n' roll, and the odd surf, blues and what not. His site looks pretty basic, but do a little digging and you'll be blown away at how much stuff is on there. Just click on "discography" (on the menu on the left side of his home page), pick an artist. If there's a speaker icon, there's an mp3. He's got a lot of top shelf stuff. About Ronnie Self: you can read about him at the Rockabilly Hall of Fame, but do give his stuff a listen; especially "You're So Right For Me" which features the most self defeating delivery of any courtin' song I've ever heard. Dude sounds fucking crazy.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
Ronnie Self - You're So Right For Me mp3 at Rocky-52.net
Ronnie Self - Ain't I'm A Dog mp3 at Rocky-52.net
Ronnie Self - Bop-A-Lena mp3 at Rocky-52.net
Visit:
Ronnie Self at the Rockabilly Hall of Fame
Rocky-52.net Note: Click on discography, pick an artist. If there's a speaker icon, there's an mp3.

BO PLUS THE DUCHESS TIMES INFINITY

2011-12-31T23:44:00.000-08:00

The video below slays me. Bo Diddley, with the Duchess..., ooh the Duchess. She, the total proto-Ivy. I was digging a lot of stuff about this one. Hell, first off, it's in shitty quality black and white, which is totally apropos. It gets so repetitive in the middle that it's almost Velvet Underground-ish. Then there's the dancers, and the trippy (for the time) prism effects. I started to fantasize about seeing that video at high volume in front of a wall of a hundred screens, all showing it simultaneously. Party 'til you puke.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
Bo Diddley - Diddy Wah Diddy mp3 at Diddy Wah

EL MEJOR JERRY, EL MEJOR

2011-12-31T21:08:00.000-08:00

Flaco Jiménez has been around a long ass time. I dig him. Maybe it's because I've spent just about my whole life about twenty minutes from Mexico. I don't know. Is it a border thing? I can't be objective. Flaco's the best. (The best, Jerry, the best.)

Here's a few by him, and a Texas Tornados cut that's really good. The Texas Tornado were some sort of Tex-Mex supergroup weren't they? Doug Sahm, Augie Meyers, Freddy Fender and Flaco Jimenez, in one band. Fuck-'n-A. Beats the Traveling Wilburys, hands down if you ask me. And whoever's on pedal steel on the cut below is pretty badass too.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
Flaco Jiménez - El Pata Caliente mp3 at Let's Polka
Flaco Jiménez - Ay Te Dejo En San Antonio mp3 at 4Shared
Flaco Jiménez - Laureles mp3 at Let's Polka
Flaco Jiménez - En El Cielo No Hay Cerveza mp3 at L.A. East Side
The Texas Tornados - Hey Baby, Que Paso? mp3 at Geolibro.org
Visit:
Flaco Jiménez - Interview at PBS
Flaco Jiménez at Wikipedia Please somebody, if you have a discography, add add it to the wiki thing!

TORCH CARRYING 101

2011-12-30T19:38:00.000-08:00

Around this time of year, all sorts of blogs post their favorite releases of the year. There will be no such nonsense here. As you can probably tell if you've looked around here to any extent, I don't even attempt to keep up with new releases. There's a whole lot of bands that have been around for decades that I still haven't gotten around to. But, I do run into the Black Lips quite a bit, and most of the stuff I've heard is raucous enough. They've popped up on quite a few "Best of" lists, which, you know as well as I, is not a good reason to post them. I am posting them because they still use guitars. Apparently for a lot of things. That must be encouraged.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
The Black Lips - Family Tree mp3 at Winnie Cooper
The Black Lips - Modern Art mp3 at Impose Magazine
The Black Lips - Raw Meat mp3 at Barryfest
The Black Lips - Bicentennial Man mp3 at Off the Radar
The Black Lips - New Directions mp3 at Infrasons
The Black Lips - Mad Dog mp3 at The Vinyl District Note: Click on the tiny arrow on the streaming bar, right under where it says "Info"

PORT OF CALL: ODDBALL

2011-12-30T06:34:00.000-08:00

Really, with a cover like the one above and a band called Dorothy and the Vampires, did you really expect me not to click? This ditty from Singapore might seem a bit tepid, but when will you ever run into it again? Found at Radiodiffusion International, a site that features vintage oddballs from Africa, the Middle East and Asia. If that doesn't wet your whistle, you must not be into the exotic bag.

You've heard "Miserlou," "Telstar," and "Walk, Don't Run" to the point of exhaustion, right? Here's a couple instrumentals you won't recognize, by the Silhouettes, lifted from the first stereo record released in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). Dig it, "Bhavayia" features solos in guitar, organ and sitar.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
Dorothy & the Vampires - 爱情感气球 (Love is Like a Balloon) mp3 at Radiodiffusion International
The Silhouettes - Bhavayia mp3 at Radiodiffusion International
The Silhouettes - Hodge Podge mp3 at Radiodiffusion International
Visit:
Many more exotic oddballs at the Radiodiffusion Annex

BURY HIM WITH THE GLOVE

2011-12-28T19:17:00.000-08:00

Holy shit, another bummer. I just found out that Sean Bonniwell, lead singer of the Music Machine died on December 20. Before going any further let me just say this: if you don't own "Talk Talk," and don't download it now, you are a dandy boy and have no business hanging around here. If you know the song, and I'd expect that most of you do, you know what I'm talking about. Two minutes of archetypical perfection. The brevity, the lyrics, the fuzz, the organ, the vocals, the groans, the solos, the mix, the title. Shit. Can you think of a single genre specific quality that it doesn't possess? It was the Music Machine's first single. One minute and fifty nine seconds. Bang! They're in the annals.

I've moaned about some of their other less effective stuff on an earlier post, so I won't go into it here, just as I won't go into their other excellent stuff. This is just a head's up. Just listen to "Talk Talk" and relish in it's awesomeness.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:

The Music Machine - Talk Talk mp3 at Sous les Paves, la Plage
The Music Machine - Trouble mp3 at Sous les Paves, la Plage
The Music Machine - Double Yellow Line mp3 at The Rising Storm
The Music Machine - Come On In mp3 at Iron Leg
The Music Machine - Cherry Cherry mp3 at Sous les Paves, la Plage
Video:
The Music Machine - Cherry Cherry at YouTube (The sight of a flute player with a black leather glove slays me.)
Earlier Music Machine posts:
Rocket From the Machine Rocket From the Crypt play the Music Machine
If It Works, Don't Fix It Rag, rag, rag.
Read:
Sean Bonniwell - Obituary at the L.A. Times
Beyond The Garage - Sean Bonniwell's site
The Music Machine at Wikipedia

BAREFOOT IS GOOD

2011-12-27T18:11:00.000-08:00

Are there any artists in your collection that are personal favorites, but no one else you know seems to have heard of them? You know, they become so yours, that you don't even attempt the impulsive "you gotta hear this" push. Cesaria Evora is like that for me. After listening to the one album I had for a couple years, it turned out that one of my friends had heard of her, and because of who that friend was (and still is), and what their taste in music was, it seemed to validate my own fondness for Cesaria's music.

I'm not lying: This gives me goosebumps.

Cesaria Evora passed away about a week and a half ago, and it was a uncharacteristically solemn moment for me when I heard the news, as if a friend had died. Often referred to as "the barefoot diva," she sang for years in the night clubs of her native Cape Verde in relative...no, make that total obscurity, until someone offered her a trip to Paris to record an LP in the eighties. At that point she was 47, and her career finally kicked into high gear, spreading the sound of morna globally (much like Bob Marley's music became entry level reggae). Morna is often referred to a music of longing and sadness, and because of the disparate elements, it's really kind of hard to peg the sound. It's easier to say what it feels like, and to me it feels like an earthy version of Billie Holiday, at her saddest. I'm at a loss to explain why I think it's beautiful, or if it even really belongs here.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
Cesaria Evora - Petit Pays mp3 at Digital Citrus
Cesaria Evora - Rotcha 'scribida mp3 at Baza
Cesaria Evora - Besame Mucho mp3 at Llaertsky.com
Cesaria Evora - Sodade mp3 at Star Maker Machine Note: Go there to get it, because they have a good concise bio. Plus they get extra special credit for being one of the very few blogs to note her passing.
Visit:
Cesaria Evora - Official site
Cesaria Evora - Excellent bio at ArthurScount

HIPSTER REPELLANT

2011-12-26T22:48:00.000-08:00

It only takes one good song to gain admission over here, and one good song is about all I know of Porter Wagoner. But, what a doozy it is. Some of you may know it from the Flying Burrito Brothers cover of it. Tom Jones, and a few others, covered it as well. To tell you the truth, I'm not sure Wagoner's is the original. Doesn't matter though. If it's all that important to you, feel free to pipe in. By the way, check out "The Rubber Room" and tell me if that doesn't have Cramps written all over it. For all I know the Cramps may have covered it. (See how I cover myself? A simple yet effective anti-nitpicker shield.)

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Listen:
Porter Wagoner - Green Green Grass of Home mp3 at Beware of the Blog
Porter Wagoner - Rubber Room mp3 at Beware of the Blog

JUST DON'T MESS UP ANYTHING

2011-12-25T19:34:00.000-08:00

What the hell. I'll give these guys a ride. The less I know the better. They're already on thin ice, because of the stupid band name, and a song title that consists of the word "Like" seven times in a row. But, yeah, what the hell, what with the holidays and all, I'm feeling more tolerant, and too lazy to dismiss a band that managed to wiggle it's way into my space based solely on the guitar, (perfectly) crude mix, and songs that are hard to shake. I just hope they don't take themselves too seriously, because that would ruin everything.

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Listen:

The Intelligence - Thank You God For Fixing the Tape Machine mp3 at Brooklyn Vegan

The Intelligence - Sailor Itch mp3 at KEXP
The Intelligence - Like [x 7] mp3 at Get Bent
Video:
The Intelligence - Bong Life at YouTube
The Intelligence - Like [x 7] (live) at YouTube
Visit:
The Intelligence at In The Red Records

IT'S THE ECONOMY, SANTA

2011-12-24T09:08:00.000-08:00

We had a few Christmas records when I was growing up, but none played as much as a Nat King Cole Christmas album. It consisted of a few standards and a few upbeat kid oriented numbers, the most annoying of which was "The Happiest Christmas Tree" ("I'm the happiest Christmas Tree, Ho, ho, ho!, Hee, hee, hee!, Look how pretty they dressed me..."). There was one track that was odd in juxtaposition, the dark side of the happiest Christmas tree coin. It was "The Little Boy That Santa Clause Forgot." It's got to be one of the most depressing holiday oriented songs I've ever heard. But guess what? It's even harder to hear it these days, because it paints a scenario that may be more likely today than it was when it was released.

This one is for my siblings, who know well all of the words.

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Listen:
A Girl Called Eddy - The Little Boy That Santa Claus Forgot mp3 at Crying All The Way To The Chip Shop
Visit:
Occupy Wall Street
Occupy Together

DARLENE LOVE ALERT: TONIGHT!

2011-12-23T17:33:00.001-08:00

Wow, that went by in a blink. Exactly a year ago, I posted a thing about Darlene Love's annual appearance on The Late Show With David Letterman. Every year she performs her signature song, "Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)" on the last Letterman show before Christmas. (You can read my whole gushing thing here.) This post is just a reminder that tonight is the night, the twenty fifth year she's done it, and it's worth watching. When I think about all the different places I've been while been watching her perform this particular song, and the different states of sobriety (it's on after midnight for crying out loud!), it's like experiencing the last couple decades flashing before my eyes. I've watched it in bars, at parties, at friends' houses, at my own parties, while wrapping gifts, while exchanging gifts, and at home by myself. Gawd, I think I may have even watched on a night I was DJing. (Again, if you want to know what the fuss is about, check out last years post.) It's my own personal holiday tradition. Make it yours.

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Listen:
Darlene Love - Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home) mp3 at AM Then FM
Video:
Added 12/24/11: Darlene Love - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) 2011, Letterman at YouTube
Darlene Love - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) 2010, Letterman at YouTube
Darlene Love - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) 2006, Letterman at YouTube
Darlene Love - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) 2009, Letterman at YouTube
Darlene Love - Saved (1965) video at YouTube
Darlene Love - Christmas Time For The Jews (claymation) video at Hulu.com (from Saturday Night Live)
Visit:
Last years post, with additional video and assorted gushing

STAY ON THE SCENE

2011-12-22T18:28:00.000-08:00

I was going to ease up on all this holiday stuff, but that was before the Godfather of Soul entered my ear canals today. I realized that I never gave him his holiday due. It's no surprise that The Hardest Working Man in Show Business, a man who could turn a fart into a soul funk classic, was also prolific in the Christmas music game. There's tons of his holiday stuff out there and, like most of his output, a high percentage is good enough to eat. So, as I again celebrate another lazy post, here's James Brown. The Man.

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Listen:
James Brown - Funky Christmas mp3 at SB Dave
James Brown - Go Time At Christmas Time mp3 at The Sound of Indie
James Brown - Soulful Christmas mp3 at Love My Oldies
James Brown - Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto mp3 at Too Much Happiness
James Brown - Christmas In Heaven mp3 at Pup 'n' Taco
James Brown - Let's Make Christmas Mean Something This Year mp3 at Too Much Happiness
James Brown - Merry Christmas Baby mp3 at Plain or Pan
Visit:
James Brown - Discography at Wikipedia

ANOTHER CHEAP HOLIDAY

2011-12-21T19:12:00.000-08:00

Here's another Christmas mix courtesy of Big Rock Candy Mountain. Don't know if you need even more holiday stuff (I reached the saturation point a ways back), but I figured I'd let you make that choice. Like the one I posted from them a few days ago, this one has some country, but there's some other choice ass shakers too: Andre Williams, Ernest Tubb, Loretta Lynn, the Bellrays, Jack Scott, Kay Martin and Her Bodyguards, Hank Thompson, Mae West, The Dirtbombs, the Fall, Kitty Wells, Buck Owens, George Jones, and Eddy Clearwater with Los Straightjackets, and more.

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Listen:
Big Rock Candy Mountain's Junk Shop Christmas Mix at Big Rock Candy Mountain.

COLOMBIAN FELA COVER. REALLY.

2011-12-20T19:42:00.000-08:00

This is how things happen around here (again). Yesterday I was ran into a link to a cover of the Meters' "Sissy Strut." If you know the Meters, you know the song. It's been covered a lot. (Must've been the go-to cover back in the 70's.) The particular version I clicked on was done by Sunny & the Sunliners, a band that I was getting a fairly giddy about a few weeks ago. Needless to say, "Cissy Strut" + Sunny and the Sunliners = Get outta my way! Boy, was I lucky that the clicking finger had a light touch; because the host blog, Musica del Alma, is a really good one. I intend to be lurking around over there with regularity. Check it out. My spot check revealed some consistently good stuff. After just a quick look around, I found another neat cover, of Fela's "Let's Start," by a Colombian band called Phirpo y sus Caribes. Too good not to share. If I was you I'd just bookmark that site.

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Listen:
Sunny & the Sunliners - Cissy Strut mp3 at Musica Del Alma
Phirpo y sus Caribes - Comencemos mp3 at Musica del Alma
Visit:
Musica del Alma

COMING RIGHT UP SNOOKUMS

2011-12-19T20:29:00.000-08:00

I don't thing I have a thing to say that that look on Carla Thomas doesn't convey a thousand times better. It screams..., wait, no it doesn't. It says, deliberately, "Play my record, baby." So here's a couple of her Christmas songs. There you go. Got the holiday thing taken care of and, thanks to Carla Thomas' stare down, I can cheapo out on the copy.

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Listen:
Carla Thomas - Gee Whiz It's Christmas mp3 at Kick Kick Snare
Carla Thomas - All I Want For Christmas Is You mp3 at Sir Shambling's Deep Soul Heaven
Video:
Carla Thomas -Every Ounce of Strength (TV show, 1965) at YouTube
Visit:
Carla Thomas at the Stax Museum
Portrait of Carla Thomas - A large high resolution version of the photo above at the Stax Museum.

WELL, SO COULD ANYONE

2011-12-18T19:47:00.000-08:00

Even if the Pogues had only recorded the one song, "Fairy Tale of New York" is enough. It isn't just a good Christmas song, it is one of those near perfect freak masterpieces (and I don't use that term loosely), greater than the sum of its parts. "Be My Baby" good. "Hey Good Lookin'" good. "Anarchy In the UK" good. "Strange Fruit" good. And the best thing about it is that it's not pretty. It's both ugly and and beautiful at the same time. Maybe it's all the symbiotic elements. Then again, maybe it's because it allows fuck ups to have a Christmas song. And by fuck ups, I mean every last one of us. Because, really, to varying degrees in different circumstances, and sometimes at the most unfortunate time, everybody's been a fuck up.

I've posted the song before, but today I found a bunch of good related stuff (that is if you hold the song as near and dear to your heart as I do). The whole story behind it is great. A lot can happen during the gestation of a song, and this one was roughly two years in the making. The circumstances that left it to ferment, as the band did, are a big part of the story. Worth looking into, as they say.

So here's what's down there. First off is the song as we all know it. Then there's the pre-Kristy MacColl early takes (at Plain or Pan). For the fiend elite, there's a documentary about the song (in six parts, at YouTube). There's also a thorough dissection of the recording of it at Sound On Sound, a site for studio geeks and recording industry types.

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Listen:
The Pogues and Kristy MacColl - Fairy Tale of New York mp3 at Review Stalker
The Pogues - Fairy Tale of New York, early take mp3 at Plain or Pan
The Pogues - Fairy Tale of New York; "Shane & Cait" version mp3 at Plain or Pan

The Pogues - Fairy Tale of New York; "Blueprint" version mp3 at Plain or Pan
Note: No previews available, but if you like the song, I'd go for these too. (I'm particularly fond of the "Shane & Cait" version.)

Video:
The Story Of...Fairytale of New York - The Pogues
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6
The Pogues and Kristy MacColl - Fairy Tale of New York (Live, 1988) at YouTube
Visit:
The Pogues 'Fairytale Of New York': Classic Tracks at Sound On Sound

BIG ROCK CANDY DITTO

2011-12-17T23:05:00.000-08:00

You've seen the photos floating around. It's of this house with tons of Christmas lights and other such flash, and the house next door has a simple light display that says "Ditto" with an arrow pointed to the house of excess. I'm like that ditto guy. I don't do mixes, I just point at them.

Here's a good one by Big Rock Candy Mountain. Roland Kirk and the Sonics on the same mix? Never thought I'd see the day. There's some others scattered around his recent posts too, a few of which are linked below. If you want to start with weird, start with "Psycho (Santa)" by Western Caravan.

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Listen:
King Salami & the Cumberland 3 - Black Santa mp3 at Big Rock Candy Mountain
The Damned - There Aint No Sanity Claus mp3 at Big Rock Candy Mountain
Western Caravan: Psycho (Santa) mp3 at Big Rock Candy Mountain
Andre Williams - Night Before Xmas mp3 at Big Rock Candy Mountain
Ron Holden & the Thunderbirds - Who Sez There Aint No Santa Claus mp3 at Big Rock Candy Mountain
Vincent Lopez - I'd Like to Find you in my Stocking mp3 at Big Rock Candy Mountain
The Mix:
A Big Rock Candy Cane Xmas at Big Rock Candy Mountain Go there to get the Wailers, the Sonics, Hank Snow, Pee Wee King, Rufus Thomas, the Staple Singers, Lightnin' Hopkins, El Vez, the Everly Brothers, the Blind Boys Of Alabama w/Tom Waits, and 17 others.

MORE HOLIDAY FODDER

2011-12-16T19:26:00.000-08:00

Don't get all worked up in a fuss over there. There's nothing by Kiss here. That image up there was just too easy, too stupid, to not do. Anyway, here's a mixed bag of various holiday songs. Do listen to the Lee Perry songs back-to-back, and hear him go from reggae producer to space cadet. I think his "Santa Claus" is fast becoming one of my favorite Christmas songs ever. Yeah, have another Scratch!

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Listen:
Lee Perry & Sandra Robinson - Merry Christmas, Happy New Year mp3 at Music Like Dirt
Lee Perry - Santa Claus mp3 at Music Like Dirt
Clarence Carter - Back Door Santa mp3 at Music Like Dirt
Billy Childish & the MBE - Santa Clause mp3 at Brooklyn Vegan
Louis Prima - Shake Hands With Santa Claus mp3 at Lil' Mike's
Shonen Knife - Space Christmas mp3 at Lost In Your In Box
James Brown - Santa Clause, Santa Claus mp3 at AM Then FM
Carla Thomas - Gee Whiz It's Christmas mp3 at Kick Kick Snare
Tom Waits - Silent Night mp3 at Salad Days Music

PUTTING THE PRETTY IN VACANT

2011-12-16T19:04:00.000-08:00

Just a quick one here. I wouldn't ordinarily post a Bananarama song, no matter how hot I thought they were back in the day, but I like this one. Obviously it's a Sex Pistols cover, but what I like about it is how it combines the Burundi beat, used to great effect by Bow Wow Wow, with a glam sort of beat, ala Gary Glitter, Suzi Quatro and a thousand other bands. So, forget their whole cutie pie schtick and dig the beat.

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Listen:
Bananarama - No Feelings mp3 at Sucka Pants

DIDN'T WE JUST DO THIS?

2011-12-14T19:38:00.000-08:00

Here they come folks, as dependable as cheese balls, sugar ODs, and heavy drinking, the consolatory holiday mixes. For those with at least a toe in the humbug pool, these mixes have the stuff that will make forget what a crass, phony, consumer driven holiday that Christmas is. Holy crap. This is the way that you celebrate the birthday of your deity? Yeah, okay, pass the bottle.

So, here's Spread The Good Word's Reverend Tom Frost's Bloody Holiday Mixes. Tons of mixed up stuff: James Brown, the Ventures, Hank Snow, Davie Allan,...all sorts of stuff that will have you smiling while you're digging for toothpicks. (Check the song lists.) There's a few songs from other sites too, for those of you who don't feel like diving into mixes.

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PAYBACK FOR THE BIG KID

2011-12-13T18:34:00.000-08:00

I ran into this one, and, though it's a novelty, I'd be remiss if I didn't repay my friend Ken with a digitized version of a song that he turned me on to back in junior high. He had a mangled version of the record, borrowed from his older brother's record collection. It made the rounds on early mix tapes, or what Ken used to refer to as "Shish Tapes" (as in tapes you listen to while you shit, shower and shave). A few years later, Ken and his friend Nick were the first friends to move out of the house and into their own bachelor pad, which loomed large in the world of young knuckleheads on the cusp of adulthood. He was also the first of my friends to get married and start a family and, though our lives have taken separate paths over the years, they continue to intersect, and we're still good friends. Friends with many, many in-jokes left to annoy and confuse spouses, girlfriends and, if we're lucky, parents.

I found this at the ever excellent Rock 'n' Soul Ichiban, with an alternate sleeve, credited to Alf Newman. Now, many years later, it's payback time.

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Listen:
Alfred E. Newman - It's A Gas mp3 at Rock 'N' Soul Ichiban
Alfred E. Newman - Let's Do The Fink mp3 at Rock 'n' Soul Ichiban

JERK IS THE WORD

2011-12-12T19:15:00.000-08:00

Who's idea was it? I have wanted to know for years, just who's idea it was for the Stones to change the phrase in Chuck Berry's "Come On," that goes "some stupid jerk trying to reach another number" to "some stupid guy trying to reach another number"? Being that it was done on their very first 45, it could be the secret of the whole dynamic of the band. What if Jagger and Richards agreed about everything else up to that point, but Jagger was insistent enough about changing the word "jerk" to "guy," that Richards assumed the "fuck off" attitude of the band, right then and there? Or could it have been the idea of Andrew Loog Oldham? Maybe they had a vote. Who knows? I thought that the answer to this lingering question would be in Richards' tell-all autobiography Life, but no. He doesn't tell all. Not of what I want to know.

The answer's probably out there, in some Stones book, or in the mental database of any real Stones fiend. Regardless, I was reminded of that when I ran into a couple posts at Boogie Woogie Flu. Both posts are about the Stones' early material, particularly the covers they did, and they're a nice mix of the covers original versions, early Stones oddballs and a couple of unreleased tracks. I'm not linking directly to any Stones stuff (just go there to get them). Let's just say that this time it's because they changed the lyrics to a Chuck Berry song on their first record. Yeah, they're lucky this big shot listens to them at all.

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Listen:
Chuck Berry - Come On mp3 at Boogie Woogie Flu
Muddy Waters - I Want To Be Loved mp3 at Boogie Woogie Flu
Benny Spellman - Fortune Teller mp3 at Boogie Woogie Flu
Muddy Waters - I Just Want To Make Love To You mp3 at Boogie Woogie Flu
Jimmy Reed - Honest I Do mp3 at Boogie Woogie Flu
Bo Diddley - Mona mp3 at Boogie Woogie Flu
Slim Harpo - I'm A King Bee mp3 at Boogie Woogie Flu
Visit:
Gather No Moss - Rolling Stones post, part 1 (13 more songs) at Boogie Woogie Flu
England's Newest Hitmakers - Rollings Stones post, part 2 (9 more songs) at Boogie Woogie Flu

THE PRIDE OF ZURN

2011-12-11T18:29:00.000-08:00

The Mystery Suggester hit pay dirt again. This time with Reverend Beat Man's band, the Monsters. Seriously, I can't get enough of the Beat Man, his music, his label, and his whole schtick. The video below, starring Beat Man, is what she hipped me to. It totally reminded me of my friend Greaser's imitation of a drunk horny old man trying to dance with a hot chick at a dive bar. It's so close to the video below, that I'd swear he choreographed it. It's a rockin' song to boot.

Work it Beat Man!

Here's a few from the Monsters. There's a ton more mp3s by other bands on the Voodoo Rhythm roster, including Reverend Beat Man solo stuff, at the Voodoo Rhythm Publishing page. (Click on "mp3" link on the menu.) You gotta like the tagline: "Music to destroy all your social skills." That is, presuming you have any left.

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Listen:
The Monsters - I Want You mp3 at Voodoo Rhythm Records
The Monsters - I Wanna Do What I Wanna Do mp3 at Voodoo Rhythm Records
The Monsters -The Love I Never Had mp3 at Voodoo Rhythm
The Monsters - I'm a Record Junkie mp3 at Voodoo Rhythm
The Monsters - Go Away Fuck Yourself mp3 at Voodoo Rhythm
Visit:
Voodoo Rhythm Records

HERE WE GO AGAIN

2011-12-10T20:04:00.000-08:00

Depending on where your tastes lie, troplicália could either be a "where the hell is the rock 'n' roll?" thing, or it could be "fuck yeah! different, with just enough weird" thing. I'm among the fuck yeah-ers. Ran into this post at Super Sonido a while back, and find myself returning to it a bunch, just to sort of pace myself. Being that troplicália is poorly represented in my own music stash, this has, over the last week, created another one of those temporary obsessions; the kind that could either last a few days, months, or half a lifetime. One of the cool things about listening to unfamiliar music, that is good unfamiliar music, is that you never know how long the obsession will last, or in what intensity. This being on the cusp, and the anticipation of what may or may not come, is what it's all about.

So, Super Somido ("The Latin America Cultural Reverb"), had this post. It is of Gal Costa stuff from 1968-74. It's good stuff, and varied. Having only dabbled (Os Mutantes), this is where I continue. See you there.

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Listen:
Gal Costa - Vou Recomecar mp3 at Super Sonido
Gal Costa - Relance mp3 at Super Sonido
Gal Costa - Acauã mp3 at Super Sonido Wait for the freakout.
Gal Costa - Pontos de Luz mp3 at Super Sonido
Gal Costa & Gilberto Gil - Sebastiania mp3 at Super Sonido Hmm, freakout endings seem to be a trend.
Gal Costa -10 more cuts, 15 in all and great copy at Super Sonido
Visit:
Troplicália at Wikipedia
The Best Troplicália Albums at Sounds and Colors
Gal Costa Official site

YES, I CAN HEAR YOU KNOCKING

2011-12-08T20:43:00.000-08:00

Let me start by saying that the version of "Wild Horses" below, by Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings is one of the best interpretations of a Stones song that I've ever heard, in any genre or era. A bold statement, I know, but listen to the whole thing. Not just a few bars, the whole thing. It builds and builds. It's epic. Really. It smokes.

As many of you probably know, the UK music magazine Mojo comes with a themed CD every month, with varying results I think you'd agree. But this month they did a bang up job of rounding up current soul acts to do covers of songs from the Stones' Sticky Fingers. The concept CD, titled Sticky Soul Fingers, is good enough that it's worth the price of the magazine (about ten bucks in the U.S.). While it's all current acts, with one of two exceptions they're all in the traditional soul vein, and it serves as an excellent overview of todays old school soul torch bearers. Believe me, if I was able to find more selections floating around, every cut on the compilation would be down there. (You can get snippets and a complete list of artists at Mojo's Sound Cloud here.) This sucker is in the running for the best album I've heard all year. That good.

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Listen:
Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings - Wild Horses mp3 at The Mad Makerel
Joe Black Lewis & the Honeybears - Sway mp3 at The Mad Makerel

Sticky Soul Fingers - Snippets of cuts at Mojo's Sound Cloud From Alice Russell, The Bamboos, Naomi Shelton and the Gospel Queens, the Sugarman 3, Aloe Blacc and Joel Van Dijk, Ren Harvieu, Anthony Joseph & the Spasm Band, Lee Fields and, of course, Sharon Jones and Black Joe Lewis.

LUDWIG VON HAS A POSSE

2011-12-08T18:33:00.000-08:00

Classical music has never been my thing, it's one of those "maybe I'll get to it later" genres that I've never hated, but has never really wound my watch either. More than a few people have tried to twist a classical piece into some sort of upbeat novelty instrumental, presumably for us low culture types, but I ain't buying it. That said, Diddy Wah just posted B.Bumble and the Stingers take on Beethoven's Fifth, and because he's someone I consider an musical ally, I gave it a listen. Gotta say, as hokey as the concept sounds, if you forget the source material it's not all that bad, just another faceless instrumental. I seem to remember Kim Fowley having something to do with the creation of that studio band, and I've always considered him an asshole blowhard, so I can't be completely objective. Here's that one and a few other rock-gone-classical anomalies.

Oh yeah, before I forget, Diddy Wah now has radio shows posted online that you can download as mixes. You can find them here (click on the small arrow on right of the streaming gizmo to download).

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Listen:
B. Bumble & the Stingers - Mashed #5 mp3 at Diddy Wah
Takeshi Terauchi & the Bunnys - Theme From Beethovens Fifth mp3 at Beware of the Blog
B. Bumble & the Stingers - Rockin-On-'N'-Off mp3 at Diddy Wah
Takeshi Teraushi - Sabre Dance mp3 at Beware of the Blog
Takeshi Terauchi and the Bunnys - Let's Go Classics LP (classical covers, 11 mp3s, right click song titles) at Beware of the Blog
Bonus:
Diddy Wah's Radio Show at NTS Live Note: Click on small arrow on the right of streaming gizmo to download.
Video:
Dave Edmunds - Sabre Dance (Live) at YouTube

I'M WITH THEM

2011-12-07T18:09:00.000-08:00

Dobie Gray died yesterday. The singer of the soft rock mainstay "Drift Away," he really hit his stride earlier with "The In Crowd," an ode to hipster cliques that I've always been at particular odds with. Thankfully, Sam the Sham and the Pharoahs crafted an answer that I could live with. Now, I know that Gray didn't write "The In Crowd," and that Sam the Sham and the Pharoahs' "(I'm In With) The Out Crowd" could use a little more oomph (it sounds pretty tame compared to "Wooly Bully"), but with all due respect to family and associates of Dobie Gray, I gotta go with the latter.

Exhibit A, From "The In Crowd": "I'm in with the in crowd, I go where the in crowd goes, I'm in with the in crowd, and I know what the in crowd knows." Sounds like there's a pack mentality going on.

Exhibit B, from "(I'm In With) The Out Crowd": "But I’m in with the out crowd, and they never seem to care, if my clothes are tattered and worn, or the way I wear my hair." Here, here!

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Listen:
Dobie Gray - The In Crowd mp3 at The Soul Girl
Sam the Sham & the Pharoahs - In With the Out Crowd mp3 at Beware of the Blog
Bonus joke I heard minutes ago:
Q: How many hipsters does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: Nevermind, it's an obscure number that you've probably never heard of.

HAMMER OF THE WHAT? OH BROTHER...

2011-12-06T18:26:00.000-08:00

A cover of "Immigrant Song"? Sure, I'll bite. But only if it improves on the original. Oh, it does? Okay, let's go then. Here's Trent Reznor and the effervescent Karen O with a cover of a Led Zep ditty, a wonderful song that I'm sure you're all going to enjoy. And a one, and a two,...

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Listen:

Trent Reznor & Karen O - Immigrant Song mp3 at Shelter From the Norm From the soundtrack of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.
Led Zeppelin - Immigrant Song mp3 at Mercury Paradise

Dondero High School - Immigrant Song mp3 at Archive.org From Pop Concert 2004

Led Zeppelin - Immigrant Song (Streetlab Remix) mp3 at Streetlab
Video:
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo trailer at YouTube
Led Zeppelin - Immigrant Song (Live) at YouTube

DEAR SANTA, GIVE THEM THIS SUCKER

2011-12-05T19:23:00.000-08:00

The first time I ever heard Don & Dewey was at a party (here it comes...) a long time ago. Even over the murmurs of conversation, it hit hard enough to hunt down the host of the party, and complete a thorough investigation. It was immediately added to the ongoing want list. Amazingly Tower Records, of all places, had a reissue of their stuff, and it was good, from beginning to end good. No stinkers.

Ever since getting hooked by that LP (on Specialty no less), I've tried to figure out why Don & Dewey weren't, and still aren't, better known. They're like some sorta Little Richard meets a rockin' version of Sam and Dave, with some gravel thrown in. And a little bit of rhythm and blues, with electric violin. They recorded the original versions of "Leaving It All Up To You" (a hit for Dale & Grace, in a much milder version), Farmer John (the Premiers, and The Searchers), and the Sonny Bono penned "Koko Joe" (the Olympics, and the Righteous Brothers). And every one of their original versions is superior to their respective covers. They should be huge.

Here's what I could find. The only version of "Farmer John" I could find was an awfully tinny version on YouTube, and it's so bad that I left it out intentionally. That song is one that must boom. Without the ability to blast it, it is not the same song. Buy their record. The one with "Farmer John." If you can't find it anywhere else, there's always the online retailers.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
Don & Dewey - Jungle Hop mp3 at The Adios Lounge
Don & Dewey - Justine mp3 at Beware of the Blog
Don & Dewey - A Little Love mp3 at Rock 'n' Soul Ichiban
Don & Dewey - Bim Bam (streaming) at YouTube
Don & Dewey - Kill Me (streaming) at YouTube
Don & Dewey - I'm Leaving It All Up To You (streaming) at YouTube
Visit:
Don & Dewey - Excellent bio at The Hound Blog Unfortunately the mp3 links are dead.
Don & Dewey at Wikipedia

"BOOK OF RULES" RULES

2011-12-04T17:50:00.000-08:00

I just got some bad news a couple hours ago. Barry Llewellyn of the Heptones passed away on November 23, of pneumonia. While Leroy Sibbles was the main lead singer of the vocal trio, Llewellyn sang lead, and co-wrote their biggest hit, "Book of Rules." This hurts folks. The Heptones are one of my favorite reggae vocal groups and "Book of Rules" is my favorite song of theirs. It's a monster. Essential, for anyone that has even a casual interest in reggae. It was on the first reggae LP that I ever bought, the soundtrack to the film The Harder They Come, and that was a long, long time ago. There are decades in there where it could have slipped in rank, but it has always up there near the top of the list. I can't tell you how many times I've listened to that song, with my eyes closed to get the full effect. So turn up the bass, and listen to a near perfect reggae song.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:

Here's two versions of the song, the first one is preferable if you ask me. The second version is sweetened up with unneeded strings.

The Heptones - Book of Rules mp3 at Lake Tahoe Real Estate (?)

The Heptones - Book of Rules (w/strings) mp3 at Town Full of Losers
The Heptones - Only Sixteen mp3 at Rasta Geeks
The Heptones - Fatty Fatty mp3 at Nintendo Planet Video
The Heptones - Our Day Will Come mp3 at DanielJohnsonWrites
The Heptones - Ain't That Bad mp3 at OCF.Berkley.edu
The Heptones - Hypocrite mp3 at Ear It Now
The Heptones - Crying Over You mp3 at Passion of the Weiss
The Heptones - Mr. President mp3 at Passion of the Weiss
Video:
The Heptones - Book of Rules (Live, 2009) at YouTube
Visit:
Barry Llewellyn - Obituary at the New York Times
Barry Llewellyn - Obituary at Ligali (Scroll down the page)
The Heptones at Wikipedia

ROSETTA STONE MY ASS

2011-12-04T13:19:00.000-08:00

I realized a long time ago that I like all kids, it's just some of the parents that I can't stand. Like an aggressive dog, kids start out as a blank canvas, and if the parents use some shitty grade of paint, it's not the kids' fault. Intro over, the reason for this post is the video below. It's young Korean students learning English. I'm not going to elaborate more than to say my crusty old heart melted when I watched it.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
Ramones - Judy is a Punk mp3 at Plain or Pan
Ramones - Judy is a Punk (Demo) mp3 at Plain or Pan
Ramones - Judy is a Punk (Live) mp3 at Plain or Pan
Wild Flag - Judy is a Punk mp3 at Cover Me

THE HORROR!

2011-12-03T22:05:00.001-08:00

With a title like "La Locuro de los Hippies" ("The Madness of Hippies"), do you really expect me not to click? Glad I did. It's a beaut, I'll tell you. It starts with some pretty neat fuzz, and just when you're expecting a Davie Allan rip off, a cheesy organ (à la Dave "Baby" Cortez) rears it's ugly head. It's then you begin hearing the other instruments, including the tambourine player, especially the tambourine player, who is going all Pete Townsend on the thing. Just bashing it. Their hand is going to hurt tomorrow. Really, if I ever have a band, and need a tambourine player, I'm tracking that person down. (The most determination this side of the drummer at Oktoberfest.) That much effort is so unhippy like. The most effort that the hippies can muster is for sitting around and not bathing. That's why the call it madness!

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:

Los Hermanos Cortez - La Locuro de los Hippies (The Madness of Hippies) mp3 at Musica de Alma

Los Hermanos Cortez - Two more songs, not quite as interesting, at Music de Alma

MORE OF LUX & IVY'S FAVORITES

2011-12-02T19:11:00.000-08:00

Good ol' Kogar, proprietor of Kogar's Jungle Juice has posted more volumes of Lux & Ivy's favorites. If you're not familiar with the series, it consists of songs that Lux Interior and Poison Ivy (of the Cramps) had, at one time or another, either included on their own mix tapes, mentioned as favorites in interviews, or covered. The fact that the series is now up to sixteen volumes says something about their passion for music, both in collecting and turning others onto their scores.

California State Mental Hospital, Napa, CA, 1978

The compilations are painstakingly put together by Kogar, not the band, through exhaustive searches, and he's not content with considering them finished. He's continually hunting down cleaner versions of the songs, and has begun the painstaking process of remastering compilations that have have long been "completed." A hat must be tipped in his general direction, because his intent is for these compilations to be free, and remain free, to be spread amongst other crackpot enthusiasts. Dig in folks, there's a lot of good stuff on these suckers.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

First, a few from the tour guides:
The Cramps - Cofessions of a Psycho-Cat mp3 at Review Stalker
The Cramps - Tear It Up (Live) mp3 at The Lost Turntable From the film Urgh! A Music War
The Cramps - Let's Get Fucked Up mp3 at 8106
The Cramps - I Was a Teenage Werewolf mp3 at The Mad Makerel
The Cramps - Surfin' Dead mp3 at Indie Shuffle
The Cramps - Goo Goo Muck mp3 at Review Stalker
The Cramps - Human Fly mp3 at Review Stalker
TD,
The mixes:
NOTE: Linking to Kogar's posts so you don't miss the essential annotations:
Lux & Ivy's Favorites, Volume 6 (Remastered)
Lux & Ivy's Favorites, Volume 12 (Remastered) NOTE: The original download link Kogar posted for this Vol 12 is broken, and he later posted a new download link here
Lux & Ivy's Favorites, Volume 13
Lux & Ivy's Favorites, Volume 14
Lux & Ivy's Favorites, Volume 15
Lux & Ivy's Favorites, Volume 16
Previously posted:
Lux & Ivy's Favorites Volume 1 (Remastered) and link to Volumes 1-12
Video:
The Cramps - Drug Train at YouTube Filmed in 1978 Californial State Mental Hospital, Napa, CA
The Cramps - Hang Up (Live, Oslo, 2006) at YouTube
The Cramps - Hot Pearl Snatch at YouTube
The Cramps - on Beverly Hills 90210 (1996) at YouTube Dancing with the devil here.
Visit:
Interview with Kogar at Kogar's Jungle Juice (Translated interview, originally appeared in Dig magazine.
Kogar's Jungle Juice - The blog
The Cramps Official site
The Cramps at Wikipedia

IT WON'T FIT ON THE DRUM HEAD

2011-12-01T19:59:00.000-08:00

As if we needed any reminders that there is an endless amount of music out there that we haven't heard, and may never hear. Bands that were hot shit in their day, maybe just among their crowd, and maybe in only one venue. And other bands that may never have done anything but one record, and could not have even conceived that their overly generic band name would mean nothing but frustration for some coffee swilling bastard trying to track down just one photo, thirty plus years in the future. But that's where we find ourselves today.

The first of the most awesome songs de jour is "Itchy Bon Mash" by the Pendletons (found on Rock 'n' Soul Ichiban). After listening to it three times in a row, and really getting off on the way the sax, all dirty and honky and such, creeps in, and then abruptly takes a piss break (very Rumblers-esque), I decide, "Okay then, let's link to this sucker...oh shit. 'The Pendletons.' That's going to lead to Google Hell." I never stood a chance. Scrapping something out of that ill-fated search, I somehow ended up on 60'sGarageBand.com. I started to poke around and landed on the page for Gross National Product, a late sixties Southern California band. They never put out a record, and their only recorded work is a practice tape, recorded by an early version of the band. Don't let the tame looks of the early version of the band fool you. Listen to "Little Girl," relish the whole tough guy routine, and remind yourself that there were many, many, bands of that era that never recorded in a studio; more still that never recorded anything at all. Sure, this one's copy cat stuff, what with all the dead on snotty sounding affectations, but it is good, real good; like a six minute "Psychotic Reaction." Goddamn, I love oddballs.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
The Pendletons - Itchy Bon Mash mp3 at Rock 'n' Soul Ichiban
Gross National Product - Little Girl mp3 at 60s Garage Bands
Visit:
Rock 'n' Soul Ichiban
Gross National Product at 60s Garage Bands

HERE'S YOUR HILLBILLY FIX

2011-11-30T20:40:00.000-08:00

When it comes to hillbilly music, Webb Pierce is as good as any. That is not to say he's not good, in fact that's saying the very opposite. As good as any, in terms of hillbilly music, is a complement. By virtue of the fact it's hillbilly music in the first place makes it red hot, and entirely listenable. Of course, I've heard comparatively little, so I'm totally unqualified to make a sweeping critique like that, but I'm just callin' 'em like I see 'em. And I see red hot, and entirely listenable. It fills a hole that nothing else really can. We can start with Webb Pierce. He's as red hot and entirely listenable as any.

I should've known, as soon as I saw the clip above and started to poke around online, that two places I'd find Webb Pierce stuff would be the Hound Blog, and Rocky-52, both red hot, and entirely visitable sites. If you're a regular, you know that I hold them both in high regard. So, I'll just defer to them on this whole Webb Pierce red hot certification nonsense. If they like him, I know enough to listen.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
Webb Pierce - Teenage Boogie (alt. take) mp3 at The Hound Blog
Webb Pierce - In the Jailhouse Now mp3 at Rocky-52.net
Webb Pierce & Red Sovine - Why Baby Why mp3 at Rocky-52.net
Webb Pierce - There Stands the Glass mp3 at Rocky-52.net
Webb Pierce & Red Sovine - Little Rosa mp3 at The Hound Blog
T Rex - I Love To Boogie mp3 at The Hound Blog Tribute, or epic fail?
Mixes:
Hayseed Paydirt, past post with links to ten Rockin' Hillbilly mixes
Video:
Webb Pierce - Here Stands the Glass at YouTube
Webb Pierce & Red Sovine - In the Jailhouse Now at YouTube
Visit:
Webb Pierce at Wikipedia
Webb Pierce post at The Hound Blog
Rocky-52.net

WELCOME TO THE TRASTOS AV CLUB

2011-11-29T17:54:00.000-08:00

Ahh, Memphis. The city that was ground zero for rock 'n' roll over fifty years ago has never ceased producing rock 'n' roll weirdos, on the outer fringes of the often too bland genre. As is my habit, yesterday I checked back on one such weirdo, and I mean that with admiration. Mike McCarthy is a musician, comic artist and filmmaker. I first became acquainted with his work years ago, when my friend showed up at an impromptu BBQ that I was having, with two women from out of town in tow. One had been in one of McCarthy's films, Teenage Tupelo, and she left some flyers for the just completed movie at my apartment. A couple weeks later '68 Comeback was rolling through town and Monsieur Jeffrey Evans and the drummer (whose name escapes me) crashed at my place. The next morning the drummer saw one of the flyers laying around and said, "Hey, my girlfriend is in that movie!" Here we go...

The World of Mike McCarthy, clips of music videos

Fast forward to about a year ago. Frustrated at my inability to find Teenage Tupelo anywhere, I finally emailed McCarthy and asked where I could get a copy. Nice guy that he was, he burned me a copy, and let me tell you, it's got all the ingredients: a twisted, hard to follow plot, cool soundtrack (by Impala), a little bit o' nudity, and a timeless rock n' roll vibe, all shot in gloriously grainy black and white.

I still can't find it for sale anywhere, but sometime in the past year McCarthy posted it on Blip.tv, where you can view it online. I highly recommend checking it out, even if you can't watch the whole thing in one sitting (it's posted as chapters). You ought to check out his site too, Guerrilla Monster Films. It's got all sorts of nooks and crannies that you can get lost in, including videos he's shot for a number of bands (notably Guitar Wolf and the Oblivians), other films, McCarthy's comic work, and his own bands. Just close your eyes and click.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
Impala - Odalisque at Gravel Sauce
The Oblivians - Cristina mp3 at Crypt Records
The Oblivians - Bad Man mp3 at Sucka Pants
The Oblivians - She's A Hole mp3 at Beware of the Blog
The Oblivians - Jim Cole mp3 at Beware of the Blog
Guitar Wolf - Missle Me mp3 at Spin.com
Guitar Wolf - Love Rock mp3 at Zana Bayne
The Makers - Matter of Degrees mp3 at Kill Rock Stars
The Makers - Red Headed Beatle of 1000 B.C. mp3 at Arf Lovers
Note: McCarthy has no connection with the above music, he has just worked with the bands at one time or another. Yeah, a weak tie-in.
Soundtracks:
Elvis Meets the Beatles - Get Backward mp3 at Guerrilla Monster Films
68 Comeback - Smack Dab (in the Middle), from Sore Losers mp4 at Guerrilla Monster Films
NOTE: Most of the film pages under the "Movies" drop down menu at Guerilla Monster Films have parts of the soundtracks, some as mp3s, and some as mp4s.
Video:
Teenage Tupelo at Blip.tv Once there, scroll down for the different chapters
Guitar Wolf - Invader Ace at YouTube
Guitar Wolf - Butobase (All Through The Night) at Blip.tv
The Oblivians - Leather at Blip.tv
Jim Dickinson - Down In Mississippi at Blip.tv
The Makers - Lover Lover at Blip.tv
River City Tanlines - at Blip.tv
Impala - Live at the Cigarette Girl premiere party at Blip.tv
Cigarette Girl trailer at Blip.tv
All above clips, videos and films directed by Mike McCarthy, except the Impala clip.
Visit:
Guerrilla Monster Films - The World of Mike McCarthy

IN DEFENSE OF JOANY ROTTEN

2011-11-28T17:26:00.000-08:00

Darby Crash (nee Bobby Pyn), Pat Smear, Joan Jett, 1977

The first people I ever saw slam dance were Darby Crash (then Bobby Pyn), from the Germs, and Joan Jett. It was at a Weirdos show in a rented hall. That's it, a two person pit. You're probably thinking "Joan Jett? Oh, brother..." If you were around, near the beginning of the L.A. punk scene, you'd know that in the waning days of the Runaways, it was more like a day job for Jett. She was always around at punk shows and parties. As Slash magazine, the biggest L.A. punk zine back then, said (to paraprase) "show us the Joany Rotten you really are." Shortly after that, she would produce the Germs only studio album, Germs (G.I.). Now, thirty plus years later, she's on Letterman, playing "Bad Reputation" with the Foo Fighters; on her far left, Pat Smear, the Germs guitarist from back in the day. Mind fuck.

Joan Jett has never been in heavy rotation in this house. In fact, I may only have a couple of her albums, and I can't tell you when I last listened to them. But I've always had a soft spot for her, from way back in those early days. She's always been herself, and unapologetic, as a woman musician, and as a gay person. (You knew she was gay, right? That's why me and her aren't dating. Uh huh, you betcha.)

Joan Jett, ca 1978

Here's how my sister related the impact of a performance on a young fan (from an email I received back in July).:

"It didn’t hit me until last night how empowering her lyrics are for teenage girls – like "As I Am" which beats Lady GaGa’s "I Was Born This Way" by 25 years. It really hit home after the concert how much that message resonated. There was this girl, about 15, in front of me during the whole show. She had short, spikey kind of androgynous hair with bright yellow streaks. She wore a Green Day t-shirt with the sleeves cut off, a studded leather bracelet, and black nail polish. She was going ape-shit the whole night and twice stomped on my toes with her Doc Marten boots, and there’s no way I could get mad."

The Runaways, 1977

"She didn’t have a lick of make-up on, and absolutely no piercings or tattoos, which I thought lent some authenticity to her individualism. But it wasn’t ‘til later after the show, when I saw her walking with a really pronounced limp that I realized she had cerebral palsy which was in no way noticeable while the concert was going on. I thought about how the lyrics must have affected her in a really good way, and stupid me, I got all weepy."

"You’re the only one who would understand what a profound thing that was, to see music set someone free like that, even if it’s music from someone as goofy as Joan Jett." Amen sister.

The Germs, ca 1978

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
The Germs - Richie Dagger's Crime mp3 at The Adios Lounge Producer: Joan Jett
The Germs - What We Do Is Secret mp3 at Cows Are Just Food Producer: Joan Jett

The Germs - Communist Eyes mp3 at The ModPopPunk Archives Producer: Joan Jett

The Germs - Cruising Soundtrack studio sessions, 4 mp3s at KBD Records Not produced by Joan Jett, but included because they're not commonly known, and I think only one of them has been officially released, as part of the soundtrack of the film, Cruising.
Joan Jett - Cherry Bomb mp3 at A8.media.v4.skyrock.net (?)
Joan Jett - Bad Reputation mp3 at The Vague CD
Joan Jett - Hanky Panky mp3 at Lil Mike's
Joan Jett - Summertime Blues mp3 (via Box.net) at Les Enfants Terribles

Video:
The Runaways - Cherry Bomb (live) at YouTube Jett is on far left of stage, in black
Joan Jett - I Love Rock n' Roll at YouTube
Joan Jett w/the Foo Fighters - Bad Reputation (live) at YouTube Madison Square Garden, NYC Nov 2011

Joan Jett and Miley Cirus - Bad Reputation, Cherry Bomb and I Hate Myself For Losin You (live) at YouTube Now, before go all "WTF?!" on me, let me add to the weirdness: Oprah is the audience. She's shown a couple times, but the really strange juxtaposition comes at !:45 when she's shown singing along to "Cherry Bomb."
The Germs - Manimal (live) at YouTube
The Germs - Live at the Whiskey at YouTube

WHO KNEW?

2011-11-27T07:11:00.000-08:00

I know what you're thinking. Bob Seger? Hear me out. Like a lot of people, my first exposure to Seger was his mid-70's stuff, all of the hits that you've probably heard way too many times. Inoffensive, but not my cup of tea. But, in 1977, Dave Edmunds, whose work I was familiar with (from his single "I Hear You Knockin'" and his LPs with Love Sculpture) put out his first solo LP, with a cover of Seeger's "Get Out of Denver." By itself it might have been a fluke, but shortly after that another UK act, Eddie and the Hot Rods, covered it. If you know the musical tastes of the UK back then, you know that they picked up on a lot of American acts that never got due recognition domestically. So, with only that thought to temper my Seger bias (c'mon, "Night Moves," you know you hated it), I never completely wrote off Seger, putting him in the further listening at some point file.

Everything had to be reevaluated after a chance purchase of a beat up 45, and, as it happens, it's one of the best anti-war songs I've heard. It's the Bob Seger System's "2 + 2 = ?", in this case it was against the war in Vietnam. I'd been wanting to post it, because it could also apply to our most current fuck-ups in the Middle East, but couldn't find an mp3 already online. Yesterday, I ran across a great post on AM Then FM, that's all about the early Seger stuff. The kicker is that he has contributions from a handful of other bloggers, most of whom I was already familiar with, and respected. So, here's a couple and a link to the rest. When it comes to Seger's early work, you might want to reconsider. (Note: Check out the Caretakers cover of "East Side Story" below for a little more punch.)

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
Bob Seger and the Last Heard - East Side Story (1966) mp3 at AM Then FM
Bob Seger and the Last Heard - Heavy Music (Part 1) (1967) mp3 at AM Then FM
The Bob Seger System - 2 + 2 = ? (1968) mp3 at AM Then FM
Covers:
The Caretakers -Eats Side Story mp3 at Beware of the Blog
Dave Edmunds - Get Out of Denver mp3 at Rock Town Hall Note: a bit tinny.
Bob Dylan - Get Out of Denver (live) mp3 at Seger File Because it was floating around.
Visit:
Bob Seger's Other Greatest Hits at AM Then FM More early Seger
Bob Seger at Wikipedia

HE STILL LIVES IN TULSA

2011-11-25T17:43:00.000-08:00

Imagine this for a line up on your solo album: George Harrison, Ringo Star, Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts, Steve Winwood, and Eric Clapton. On your first solo album. Oh yeah, and you're twenty eight years old. But Leon Russell didn't exactly get there overnight. He began playing in Tulsa, Oklahoma clubs at the ripe old age of fourteen, in the Starlighters (which also included J.J. Cale). After that he did time in the house band on Shindig, and as a member of the Wrecking Crew (and you know what that means ). Just a partial list of people whose sessions he's played on includes Badfinger, Glen Campbell, Joe Cocker, Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, John Lennon, B.B. King, Freddie King, Steve Cropper, Rita Coolidge, Gram Parsons, Barbra Streisand, Ike & Tina Turner, Ricky Nelson, Herb Alpert, Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, Ann-Margret, Dean Martin, Marvin Gaye, the Monkees, the Astronauts, the Ventures, the Beach Boys, the Byrds, Jan & Dean, Gary Lewis & the Playboys, Paul Revere & the Raiders, the Rolling Stones, the Ronettes, the Crystals, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, the Everly Brothers, the Righteous Brothers, and the Flying Burrito Brothers. (Phew!) His songs have been covered by as disparate artists as the Carpenters, Sonic Youth, and Ray Charles. In short, his CV is mind blowing.

Shindig TV show, 1965

Still, there's something about him that seems so nonchalant. It might be his chronically expressionless face. Or his Jerry Lee Lewis meets early Tom Waits, meets Full House-era Peter Wolf, gravelly drawl. Or the way he calmly tickles the ivories, or the way he goes about his business without the normal look at me rock star posturing. Whatever it is, it works, and although his music may be an acquired taste (it took me about twenty years), once that voice gets under your skin, you realize that there's no one who sounds quite like him. He's that guy you know who's fundamentally badass, without ever having lifted a finger.

The Wrecking Crew effect creeps out at :47

A few notes about the videos: check out the two versions of Hank Williams' "Jambalaya." The first one is from Shindig. If you can ignore the corny set, the performance is great. Now, compare that to the second version, at one of Willie Nelson's Fourth of July Picnics. While he seems a little buzzed, it's got a nice "it's okay, you're among friends" party vibe, that many of you have probably experienced when you've had one two many. Especially endearing is his tug on Waylon Jennings shirt when he joins them on stage (seriously, that part slays me). The other videos are equally engaging, so you might want to budget some time. By the end of them, you'll be adding him to your list.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
Leon Russell - Shoot Out At the Plantation mp3 at Newsome.org
Leon Russell - Tight Rope mp3 at Star Maker Machine
Leon Russell - Beware of Darkness mp3 at Ryan's Smashing Life
Leon Russell - Delta Lady mp3 at Leons Bio
Leon Russell - Wild Horses mp3 at Achtung Baby
Leon Russell - Crystal Closet Queen mp3 at Iron Leg (via Funky 16 Corners)
Video:
Leon Russell - Jambalaya (Shindig, '65) at YouTube
Leon Russell and Willie Nelson - Jambalaya at YouTube (with Waylon Jennings and Doug Kershaw, early 70s)
Leon Russell - High Heel Sneakers (Shindig, '64) at YouTube
Leon Russell - Come On Into My Kitchen ('71) at YouTube
Leon Russell - A Song For You ('71) at YouTube
Leon Russell - Crystal Closet Queen ('71) at YouTube
Leon Russell - Jumpin' Jack Flash/Youngblood, Concert For Bangladesh ('71) at YouTube With George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton and many others.
Leon Russell with J.J. Cale - Corrina, Corrina ('79) at YouTube
Leon Russell - White Lightning ('79) at YouTube (Yes!)
Leon Russell, Willie Nelson and Ray Charles - A Song For You at YouTube
Leon Russell's induction into the Rock n' Roll Hall of fame (2011) at YouTube
Visit:
Leon Russell - Bio at Leon Russell Records
Leon Russell at Wikipedia
Semi-related:
How Was Work Today? - Earlier post about the Wrecking Crew

CELEBRATE BUY NOTHING DAY

2011-11-24T09:52:00.000-08:00

When was the last time you could help a movement buy sitting on you ass at home? As we will be reminded ad nauseam over the next twenty four hours, tomorrow is known as the biggest shopping day of the year. It is also Buy Nothing Day, a day when you can use your free will, break away from the pack, and stay away from malls, department stores and sales. You can refrain from spending part of your life waiting in line to buy that heavily discounted flat screen that you don't need and can't afford. You can stop giving credit card companies your money to fortify the power and control they have over your daily life. Tomorrow could be the day that you start to think for yourself, objectively, and ignore what the media and sale ads tell you. Tomorrow, you can be free.

It should go without saying that, by not shopping tomorrow, you can also help the Occupy movement, without spending the night anywhere, without holding a sign, or participating in a demonstration. Buy Nothing Day, which has been in existence for several years, is part and parcel of what the Occupy movement is about. Freeing ourselves from the power that corporations, banks and big money hold over us. Buying nothing for a day, whether tomorrow or any other day, is empowering, liberating, and as any of my fellow tightwads will tell you, highly addictive. It's how you dig yourself out of that hole. And believe me, even if it takes a long time to do it, once you're out, you'll want to stay out.

As I did last year, for this Buy Nothing Day, I'm including the music of Poly Styrene (RIP) and X-Ray Spex, because for many in my generation, she was the first person who raised our awareness about conspicuous consumerism. (You can read more about her on previous posts here and here.) You also ought to check out The Story of Stuff and The Story of Broke video links below, they're great to share with anyone dubious of the Occupy movement. (Your pep talk free posts will resume tomorrow.)

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
Poly Styrene - Black Christmas mp3 at Perfect Porridge
X-Ray Spex - Art-I-Ficial mp3 at Krucoff
X-Ray Spex - More cuts on this post (a few links are dead, but most are good)
The Go! Team - Buy Nothing Day mp3 at Naive Harmonies
Buy Nothing Day - The Album - 18 mp3s at Ted Dave
Video:
Poly Styrene - Black Christmas at YouTube
The Story of Stuff at YouTube
The Story of Broke at YouTube
Visit:
#Occupy Christmas page at AdBusters
The Story of Stuff official site
Buy Nothing Day at Wikipedia
International Buy Nothing Day
Occupy Wall St.
Occupy Together

THEN TRASH TALK YOU WILL GET

2011-11-23T19:02:00.000-08:00

Yee haw! It's not often that two of my favorite blogs feature the same artist doing related songs within days of each other, so I had to post these. Both are by one of my favorite potty mouths, LaVern Baker. Diddy Wah posted her biggee, "Jim Dandy," which I would imagine (and hope) that most of you know. Diddy Wah hosts all sorts of early rock n' roll, R & B, soul, surf, and oddball instrumentals, so consider the Baker cut a teaser and go check his place out. Funky 16 Cormers posted Baker's "Batman to the Rescue," which is actually a rewrite of "Jim Dandy," recorded during the Batman craze in the sixties. If you can get past the obvious shilling, it's neat to hear a version with a little more oomph (not that the original needed it). Funky 16 Corners hosts soul, funk, R & B and the occasional reggae cut, so bookmark it too.

So, you're asking yourself, where's the potty mouth connection? You cussers will thank yourselves for reading this far. There's a duet with Baker swapping lines with clean cut Jackie "Lonely Teardrops" Wilson, that's about as dirty as songs got back then. "You Better Think Twice" is a humdinger. F-bombs? Check. Drug references? Yep. Accusations of promiscuity? Covered. Hell, they even throw in accusations of lice infestations. This sucker, besides being a great song with dirty words, is also appealing in that both Baker and Wilson are clearly enjoying all of that cussing. It's one for the ages folks.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
LaVern Baker - Jim Dandy mp3 at Diddy Wah
LaVern Baker - Batman to the Rescue mp3 at Funky 16 Corners
LaVern Baker & Jackie Wilson - You Better Think Twice mp3 at Beware of the Blog

THIS WOULD BE THE RESET BUTTON

2011-11-22T19:11:00.000-08:00

If ever a band represented everything this humble dimension of junk favors, it is the Monks. In short, they were raw, primitive, inventive, and weird. They had their own sound, their own look, their own hair cuts, and their own reasons. They went where few of their contemporaries would; they challenged their audience. Sonically, verbally, and what-the-fuckingly. I cannot be objective. There are too many specifics to start checking them off. They stir something in me, and I'm not quite sure what it is. (If you don't know it already, I recommend familiarizing yourself with their story.)

Take a look at that video above, from a German TV. While they were doing that whacked out shit, the Dave Clark Five were doing this. The Beatles were doing Rubber Soul, Syd Barrett was doing god-knows-what, and Johnny Rotten was still in grade school. The Monks had their own world, and it included banging on guitars, fuzz, feedback, and that beat. That gloriously monotonous beat.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
The Monks - Monk Chant mp3 at Pretty Goes With Pretty
The Monks - Oh, How To Do Now mp3 at Popop
The Monks - Shut Up mp3 at One Sweet Song
The Monks - I Hate You mp3 at Merry Swankster
The Monks - Drunken Maria mp3 at Popop
The Monks - Love Came Tumblin' Down mp3 at Gorilla vs Bear
The Monks - I Can't Get Over You mp3 at Popop
Cover:
The Gossip - Drunken Maria (streaming) at YouTube
Video:
The Monks - Complication (German TV) at YouTube (HIGHLY recommended)
The Monks - Boys Are Boys and Girls Are Choice (German TV) at YouTube
The Monks - Cuckoo (German TV) at YouTube
The Monks - Oh, How To Do Now (German TV) at YouTube
The Monks - I Can't Get Over You (German TV) at YouTube
You're A Monk, I'm a Monk, We're all Monks, profile at YouTube
Visit:
The Monks Official site
The Monks at Wikipedia
Earlier post about the Monks:
I Know Just What You Kids Need A profile of the Monks