Licorice Pizza: December 2006

12/31/2006

Pearl Jam - NYE in NYC (1992)

"Ending a year in which heirs had become apparent, in rock as well as politics, Eddie Vedder was trying hard to keep his veneer of ugliness in place. He looked a wreck, even more than usual, because of the hat: Vedder had stuffed his curly locks under a huge, misshapen black stocking cap, as if to say, 'Girls, boys, don't you dare think I'm sexy.' But his trademark spastic gyrations kept sending the thing flying. So a few songs into the set, Vedder grabbed a roll of black packing tape and angrily secured the hat to his head. Neither as weird as Nirvana nor as unpleasant as Guns N'Roses, Pearl Jam is being groomed by rock's aging pantheon to inherit their kingdom. That's why Vedder got to stand in for Jim Morrison when the Doors were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and why the band made sense opening for Keith Richards as part of CBS's festivities last New Year's Eve. 'If it weren't for Keith we wouldn't be here tonight,' Vedder mumbled before launching into 'Alive.' Then he remembered that Richards wasn't the one who'd bought all those copies of Ten, and added sheepishly, 'We're happy to be here.'"

... Ann Powers, from Spin, April 1993

The above is from a review of Pearl Jam’s 1992 New Year’s Eve show at The Academy in New York, in which they were the opening act for Keith Richards and the X-Pensive Winos. It’s strangely premonitory, this comment from Ms. Powers 14 years ago that Pearl Jam was being groomed to become rock hierarchy. So many other bands imploded along the way. Fortunately this one didn’t.

Some additional notes on the show, from Five Horizons:
-- Unusual fast version of "Wash."
-- A short clip of "Sonic Reducer" was broadcast on CBS's New Year's Eve broadcast. See the song in its entirety, as well as other videos from this show at YouTube.
-- The rare "Dirty Frank" had not been played previously live in its entirety.

The entire show as a Zip file.

Speed Wash.mp3
Sonic Reducer.mp3
Why Go.mp3
Even Flow.mp3
Alone.mp3
Garden.mp3
Daughter.mp3
Dirty Frank.mp3
Oceans.mp3
Alive.mp3
Leash.mp3
Porch.mp3

12/30/2006

B**g Like A Beast

Wow! So much has happened since my last post and it’s barely been a week. Gerald Ford passed away; the nation is mourning James Brown; and, of course, Saddam Hussein’s execution last night (eastern time). Events are piling up on us at the end of this year. And 2007 is just around the corner. Could be a year of major changes for me; I hope they’re for the good, and I hope the new year brings positive things for you as well.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

With that all said, it’s good to be back. I missed the blogging, although it got a little tiresome doing it even five days in a row. I’ve got to hand it to those who post stuff nearly every day. I’d burn out pretty quick.

I thought I’d dive right back into the vinyl with those masters of messy metal, WASP. I don’t have the time, space, or inclination to get into their entire history, but you can read all about the band in its Wiki entry, or at the band’s own site, WASP Nation. Suffice to say they came from L.A. in the mid-80’s, and, as SleazeRoxx writes, took “perversion to an all new level. Band leader Blackie Lawless took equal amounts of Alice Cooper and Kiss to craft his own brand of shock rock, managing to land his band on the infamous P.M.R.C.'s "Filthy Fifteen" list with the sexually charged "Animal (F**k Like A Beast)".

WASP is still around, and is working on an album tentatively called Dominator, which they plan to release in 2007.

Some miscellaneous WASP trivia to brighten your day:
-- Blackie was born Steven Duren on September 4 1956. His uncle is Ryne Duren a professional baseball player. A young Steven considered becoming a pro ball player and even played in the minor leagues
-- Some people believe the initials W.A.S.P. stand for "We Are Sexual Perverts" or "We Are Satan's People" or even "We Are Satan's Preachers". "We Are Sexual Perverts" is inscribed on their first album into the vinyl next to the label. When asked, Blackie normally doesn't give a straight answer; in one interview, he answered "We Ain't Sure, Pal".
-- Blackie can be seen in the movie This is Spinal Tap; he is in a mock Spinal Tap greatest hits commercial presented by "Heavy Metal Memories."

I Wanna Be Somebody.mp3 W.A.S.P. (1984)
Animal (F**k Like a Beast).mp3 12” single (1985)
Blind in Texas.mp3 The Last Command (1985)
Easy Living.mp3 Inside the Electric Circus (1986)

12/25/2006

"Mery Crisma"

Happy Christmas to you, yours, and anyone else. Hope you’re having a great holiday so far.

This picture was circulating around work. Hialeah is a subdivision of Miami. I don’t want to slam the area too much, because I know people who live there, but I’m not sure this isn’t entirely accurate. Spelling, pronunciation, and all.

Moving on.

A last couple of holiday songs. The first, by Elvis Costello and The Chieftains, is “The St. Stephen’s Day Murders.” Celebrated on Dec. 26, the day commemorates St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr. It’s a popular day for visiting family, and the lyrics address how that seems to work out sometimes: “For that is the time to eat, drink, and be merry / ‘Til the beer is all spilled and the whiskey has flowed. / And the whole family tree you neglected to bury / Are feeding their faces until they explode.”

I couldn’t find any information about Jimi Hendrix’s version of “Little Drummer Boy.” I remember seeing a performance on a grainy video probably 15 years ago and was blown away. I’m sure the song is on at least one album, but I was never able to find it until the digital age started; now the the rendition is pretty widely available.

All I really know about the Streetwalkin’ Cheetahs is their name comes from the opening line of Iggy and the Stooges’ “Search and Destroy.” Their sentimentally titled “Fuck Christmas” was part of a compilation titled “A Vital Gesture Xmas Vol. 1,” from Vital Gesture Records. I don’t really know what year it was released, but I think it was maybe 1999. If you want, go to the Cheetah’s site for free downloads and other things you shouldn’t live without.

St. Stephen’s Day Murders.m4p Elvis Costello and The Chieftains
Little Drummer Boy / Silent Night.mp3 Jimi Hendrix
Fuck Christmas.mp3 Street Walkin’ Cheetahs

*********************************************

And sadder news, the Godfather of Soul, James Brown died this morning. He was hospitalized with pneumonia in Atlanta on Sunday, said his agent, Frank Copsidas, but the cause of his death still is uncertain.
James Brown was one-of-a-kind. You’ll be missed, my man. You will be missed.

May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006

12/24/2006

Countdown to Xmas - Day 4 (Xmas Eve)

Oh, the glory that is Xmas Eve. Highs expected in the 80s today, The air conditioner roaring in the background. I’m thinking of going out to the pool later today. Jealous? Don’t be. Palm trees look ridiculous adorned with holiday wrappings. And there’s only so much Santa-in-bermuda-shorts I can take. Maybe just one time I’d like to spend Christmas someplace where it actually looks like Christmas.

As I near the end of the Xmas Countdown-apalooza, I’ve got some Brian Setzer, from his 2002 Boogie Woogie Christmas disk, and Elvis, doing “Blue Christmas” at his infamous ‘68 Comeback Special.

Jingle Bells.m4p
Winter Wonderland.m4p
O Holy Night.m4p
Blue Christmas.mp3

12/23/2006

Countdown to Xmas - Day 3

Only two shopping days left. The joy is so thick here, it’s almost like figgy pudding. I’ve got to make this post then get to the liquor store before it closes. Otherwise there’s no realistic way this joy can last.

A few from the miscellaneous section of the Christmas collection:
-The Ben Folds song comes from a 2002 compilation titled “Maybe This Christmas.” It’s a warm tale of a Santa stuck in a chimney and a pending lawsuit from Mrs. Claus.
-The Long Blondes’ “Christmas is Canceled,” I think came out as a single last year.
-Filthy Little Angels records has several albums for free download at their site. Included is the compilation album with this track by ...and what will be left of them?
-The Reverend Horton Heat’s contribution comes from 2005’s We Three Kings disk.
-And, according to Second Hand Songs, this Stiff Little Fingers’ 1983 version was the 15th official release of Irving Berlin’s seasonal classic "White Christmas." From their 1983 album All the Best.

Bizarre Christmas Incident.mp3 Ben Folds
Christmas is Canceled.mp3 The Long Blondes
Have Yourself a Filthy Little Christmas.mp3 ...and what will be left of them?
We Three Kings.mp3 Reverend Horton Heat
White Christmas.mp3 Stiff Little Fingers

12/22/2006

Countdown to Xmas - Day 2

Hurtling on toward Xmas. Last day at work for the weekend. Everyone off to spend time with friends, family, etc., etc. I was sort of bummed they didn’t at least spring for lunch at work today. No one even did any baking, although the way I now understand, baking cookies is not something Cuban women do. Ah well, what’re ya gonna do?

For Day 2 of my holiday celebration-athon, I’ve got a couple of things from Big Bad VooDoo Daddy’s 1995 disk, “Whatchoo Want For Christmas.” I learned just a few minutes ago this disk is currently out-of-print. However, all of these songs were rereleased on 2004’s “Everything You Want For Christmas” CD.

It’s Friday, Christmas Eve Eve Eve, or something like that. Mix up some Nogasakes and enjoy the Voodoo Daddy.

Christmastime in Tinseltown (again).mp3
’Zat You Santa Claus?.mp3
Rock-a-Billy Christmas.mp3

12/21/2006

Countdown to Xmas - Day 1

Here we are. The official first day of winter. Let me set the scene for you. It’s a brisk 71 degrees outside. Apartment 104 isn’t well-ventilated (like most apartments, there’s only windows on one side), so it gets warm; as such, the air conditioner is on. I’m dressed for the season in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt.

I know - blah, blah, blah. But this is the one time of year I’m more or less OK with living in Miami. It could be a lot worse. I know there was / is some ugly weather in Colorado. On the downside, the sun and the palm trees really do nothing to take away from my general Grinch-ness.

All of that aside, today is Day 1 of my Countdown to Xmas. I’m finally going to jump on the holiday bandwagon before it leaves town altogether, and post holiday themed music.

Today, I’ve got three songs. The first, by Tom Waits, I think comes from an Austin City Limits recording. It starts with a traditional “Silent Night,” then goes south. Next is a Christmas mainstay - Springsteen’s “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.” This song has been around so long, I really have no idea where it originated. Hanoi Rocks’ “Dead by Xmas,” comes from their Self-Destruction Blues album.

Silent Night / Postcard from a Hooker in Minneapolis.mp3 Tom Waits
Santa Claus is Coming to Town.mp3 Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
Dead By Xmas.mp3 Hanoi Rocks

12/19/2006

Here's What I'm Gonna Do

Here’s what I’m gonna do for Christmas. My holiday schedule, so to speak. I’ve managed to pull together a few Christmas songs (let me apologize now to my fellow bloggers from whom I got some of these songs; I didn’t keep accurate track of what songs came from where. I know, I suck.).

Starting December 21, which is the first day of winter everywhere except Miami, I’m gonna post a couple of holiday-type songs each day. I’m not going anywhere or doing anything, so there should be no interruption in those plans. This will lead into Christmas Day when most of us will be blissfully dosed with tryptophan or something and sleeping in front of the TV.

Nextly, I’m not doing any sort of top-anything lists. I’ve thought about what I’ve listened a lot to over the last year and the Raconteurs disk is the only album from 2006 that I listened to more than a few times. So that would be a short list. And lists are always so subjective anyway, omitting someone’s favorite and opening the door for conflict. And God knows I don’t need any more conflict this time of year. If it’s lists you want, check Large Hearted Boy’s master list of lists. Or go corporate with Rolling Stone’s list of 2006’s top 50 albums. Hey, I have listened to Rolling Stone’s top album a few times this year.

Then, for tonight, I’m going back to 1975 and Saturday Night Live’s debut season. The original Not Ready for Prime Time Players: Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Chevy Chase, Jane Curtain, Garrett Morris, Laraine Newman, and Gilda Radner. Following the show’s first season, Arista Records decided to capitalize on the success by releasing a soundtrack album of sorts. This album caught some of the highlights of the first season, with guest hosts such as Lily Tomlin, Paul Simon, Peter Boyle, and Richard Pryor. A few of the sketches are now classics, such as the “Word Association” sketch I’ve included here.

I realize most comedy recordings wear thin after a listen or two, so you can listen and delete like we’re supposed to do with MP3 files anyway (nudge, nudge, wink, wink). Then go buy the SNL Complete First Season DVD.

Gerald Ford / Opening.mp3 Chevy Chase, Don Pardo, Howard Shore and His All-Nurse Band
Dueling Brandos.mp3 Don Pardo, Peter Boyle, John Belushi, band
Weatherman.mp3 Chevy Chase, John Belushi
Word Association.mp3 Chevy Chase, Richard Pryor

12/17/2006

Charmed, I'm Sure

As I’ve mentioned in the past, I’m not much on new music here. For one, I don’t find a lot of new stuff I’m crazy about; for another, there are a lot of other bloggers who do it bigger and better.

The band I’m sharing today, The Charms, is not a real new band and the disk I pulled the music from is not even their latest. But I think this band is really good and not getting the mentions they deserve. Of the dozen or so blogs I look at regularly, not one has mentioned them (at least not that I’ve noticed). Of course that leaves about ten million or so other blogs that could be mentioning The Charms every day.

Briefly, The Charms are from Boston. They formed in 2002, recording a demo that got the attention of, among others, noted philanthropist Gene Simmons. The band recorded their first album, “Charmed, I’m Sure,” in 2003, getting some local and college airplay. A 2004 single, “Believe,” became “The Coolest Song in the World” on Sirius Satellite radio's Underground Garage channel. Since that honor, The Charms have been featured on several of the Underground Garage touring shows.

Today’s music comes from their breakout album “Pussycat,” which was released last year. But I think The Charms deserve a little more attention. Maybe I could be on the crest of a wave here....

Losing My Addiction.mp3
Pussycat.mp3
Gimme That Shot.mp3

The Charms official site, and their MySpace space.

12/16/2006

Le déjeuner sur l'herbe

Like everyone else who was around back in those days, I came to Bow Wow Wow because of “I Want Candy.” I bought the EP with the “shocking” cover (a naked 15-year-old Annabella Lwin - of course all her naughty parts were concealed). Their music was poppy and catchy, but the repetitiveness soon wore thin; how much tribal drum can you take?

By the time it was over, I had bought four albums (including Annabella’s awful debut solo album), seen them perform live, and gotten a t-shirt signed by the Burmese Lolita.

Other than seeing the albums every time I browse through my record collection, I haven’t given much thought to Bow Wow Wow lately. Then, as if back from the dead, the band surfaces this year on the soundtrack to Sofia Coppola’s “Marie Antoinette.” And not just once, but three times. A hot Kevin Shields remix of “I Want Candy” is suddenly back in the public consciousness.

What can a poor boy do, except to jump on this bandwagon while it’s rolling. I dug into the record crates, and pulled out and dusted off those Bow Wow Wow disks. I decided not to go with the way-too-obvious “I Want Candy,” but instead went a little deeper, taking “Louis Quatorze” from the EP; a couple of songs from a 1981 compilation titled “I Want Candy,” which I think was rereleased a year later as “The Last of the Mohicans”; and the single “Aphrodisiac,” from their last 80s album, “When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going.” I also found, on Annabella’s Web site, a weird version of David Bowie’s “Fame,” which I tossed in just for fun. And "Fever" is from Annabella's aforementioned 1986 debut solo effort.

Louis Quatorze.mp3
C30C60C90 Go.mp3
Fools Rush In.mp3
Aphrodisiac.mp3
Fever.mp3 Annabella solo
Fame Shmame.mp3 Annabella solo

Some other things about Bow Wow Wow that I didn’t know, courtesy of Wiki:
*Lwin's mother alleged exploitation of a minor for immoral purposes and instigated a Scotland Yard investigation. As a result the band was only allowed to leave England after (manager Malcolm) McLaren promised not to promote Lwin as a "sex kitten". This included an agreement to not use a nude photograph depicting Lwin as the woman in Manet's The Luncheon on the Grass (Le déjeuner sur l'herbe), though the picture was used as the cover of an EP in 1982.
*Annabella was born Myant Myant Aye (Burmese for "cool cool high", the name given to her by a Burmese priest).
*Annabella reunited with former bandmate Leigh Gorman to reform Bow Wow Wow for a tour in 1997, and has had a frequent small-venue concert schedule since 2003 (see the above pic ^).

The Bow Wow Wow homepage.

12/13/2006

Peter Boyle, 1935-2006

This has nothing to do with music, but I need to note the passing of a great character actor. Peter Boyle, the actor who was probably best know as Ray's father on "Everybody Loves Raymond," died yesterday in New York. He was 71. Boyle had been suffering from multiple myeloma and heart disease.

"I don't think I would be an actor if I was all that intelligent" - Peter Boyle

Although he played Frank Barone for almost 10 years, Boyle's film career actually began in 1970 when he was cast in the role of Joe, in the movie of the same name. He had another hit role as Frankenstein's monster in the 1974 Mel Brooks comedy Young Frankenstein.

Some of Boyle's other better-known roles include an appearance in Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver opposite Robert De Niro, in which he played fellow cab driver "Wizard," and While You Were Sleeping, in which he played the father of Sandra Bullock's fiancee. Boyle was also in Monster's Ball, playing the hateful father of Billy Bob Thornton's character.

Some Peter Boyle trivia, from Wikipedia: Boyle met his wife, Loraine Alterman, on the set of Young Frankenstein while she was there as a reporter for Rolling Stone. He was still in his Frankenstein makeup when he asked her for a date. John Lennon was the best man at their 1977 wedding. Boyle and Lennon were good friends and became acquainted because their wives knew each other through Alterman's job at Rolling Stone.

Check out CNN.com for more information on Boyle's passing.

12/11/2006

"Use once and destroy..."

I was on one of those Interweb forums the other day when the topic turned to Hole. Eventually, as happens, someone posted a comment saying Kurt Cobain had written the Live Through This album.

I’ve heard this comment before and don’t believe it’s true, but nonetheless, I wondered why that rumor persists. I checked around the Web and came up with a couple of things I didn’t know before. First, Cobain sang background vocals for at least some of the tracks on Live Through This. For example, he can be heard in the bridge of the released version of “Asking For It," as well as towards the end of "Softer, Softest."

Second, a b-side track for Hole’s “Beautiful Son,” "Old Age,” which was credited as being written by the band, actually had a more complex origin: the song had been recorded a year before by Cobain, but with different lyrics. Hole guitarist Eric Erlandson later clarified that the song had been given to Hole to rewrite and record.

A Kurt Cobain tribute site adds, “Initially, there was no reason to believe [Old Age] was anything other than a Hole-penned song. However, in 1998, a recording of the song performed by Nirvana (with significantly different lyrics) surfaced in the Seattle newspaper The Stranger. In the article that accompanied the clip, Chris Novoselic confirmed the recording was made in 1991 and "Old Age" was a Nirvana song. This lead to more speculation about
Cobain's involvement in Hole's catalog. Nirvana had even attempted to record "Old Age" during the sessions for Nevermind, but it was left incomplete as Cobain had yet to finish the lyrics and the band had run out of studio time. (The incomplete recording, credited to Cobain, appeared on the 2004 compilation “With the Lights Out.”) As for Hole's version, Erlandson noted that he believed Cobain wrote the music for the song, but that Love had written the lyrics for their version.”

After reading all this, I ended where I began: I don’t think Kurt Cobain wrote the Hole album. At the time, Kurt and Courtney were together and doubtless influenced each other. But I still believe Courtney and Hole wrote their album.

Today, I’m offering up some stuff from “My Body, the Hand Grenade,” a collection of Hole B-sides and unreleased material. Included among the tracks is “Old Age.”

Turpentine.mp3 first recording ever
20 Years In the Dakota.mp3
Old Age.mp3 Live Through This outake
Season of the Witch.mp3 unreleased - from MTV’s Unplugged

12/10/2006

Be Bitch's Slave

I’m gonna take one more quick dip into the LA metal pool, then maybe move to a different genre for a bit.

Bitch was one of the earliest of the LA metal bands, formed in 1980 by guitarist David Carruth. Carruth searched the local metal ranks for the appropriate singer, before settling on the erstwhile Betsy Weiss, who would become Betsy Bitch. Sleazegrinder writes, “If ever there was a band that capitalized on the ‘sex sells’ shtick, it was Bitch, who plastered their albums with slutty pics of their singer, the eyeliner-smeared S&M pain-queen, Betsy Bitch.”

Bitch dropped their first full-length album, Be My Slave, in 1983, on the independent Metal Blade label. Again, from Sleazegrinder:

“Be My Slave” still LOOKS like it’s gonna be the greatest fuckin’ album ever. Betsy’s on her knees on the cover, draped head to toe in spikes n’ leather, surrounded by S&M gear, beckoning you with one crooked finger, and wielding a whip with her other hand. On the back, bass player Mark Anthony Webb is sporting the coolest honcho mustache ever, and the expression on his face suggests that he’s ripped to the tits on trucker speed, and every song is titled like a strong come-on- “In Heat”, “Gimmie a Kiss”, “Be My Slave”, etc. I still can’t think of another album that looks quite as rock n’ fucking roll as “Be My Slave” does. Musically, it doesn’t quite live up to it’s own hype- how could it, really? – but amidst all the iron-fisted flash metal, there are a few choice tracks. “Leatherbound” reveals Betsy’s hardcore Runaways influence, and it’s a sexy, hard-as-nails rocker.
Overall, though, “Be My Slave” sounds a lot like Pat Benatar fronting Motley Crue, which is only half as entertaining as it sounds.”

After briefly changing their name to Betsy in 1988 in an effort to be more mainstream, the band returned to its Bitch roots for their 1988 swan song release, A Rose By Any Other Name. They disbanded the same year, but reunited for a one-off performance at a 1993 metal festival in Germany.

Be My Slave.mp3
Leatherbound.mp3
Right From the Start.mp3

12/08/2006

12/08/1980

“If everyone demanded peace instead of another television set, then there'd be peace.” John Winston Lennon

John Lennon stood for peace, only to be killed 26 years ago today, in a violent manner by a crazed fan.

Many people don’t mark a day someone died, preferring instead to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, and other “joyous” events. I don’t see today as a day to be celebrated so much as I think it’s a day for reflection. The Strawberry Fields Memorial in Central Park was dedicated as a shrine to tranquility, both inner and outer. Even though the majority of us cannot visit the Park today, take a minute wherever you are to sit quietly and calmly, and give peace a chance.

The song I picked for today is not one of the “meaningful” Lennon songs, like “Imagine” or “Give Peace A Chance.” Rather, I picked my favorite from his last album, Double Fantasy. To me, this song's message of hope is as strong as anything Lennon wrote.

(Just Like) Starting Over.mp3

I also want to direct you to WFMU’s Beware of the Blog blog, which has MP3’s of Lennon’s 1971 interview with Rolling Stone’s Jann Wenner, a dial scan of New York City's FM dial from Dec. 8, 1980, and a link to an article about that dial scan recording.

12/06/2006

End of Year Bitches

As we barrel toward the end of 2006, I’ve got a couple of things to bitch about. Actually, I’ve got tons of things to bitch about, but for the sake of brevity and relevancy, I’ll stick to two.

Bitch #1: Christmas is approaching even faster than the end of the year. I haven’t started shopping; I haven’t bought or sent any Christmas cards; I’m not really ready. Actually, living in Miami, where it’s still 80 degrees and I still wear shorts everyday, it doesn’t feel like the holidays anyway. The remaining members of my family are on the opposite side of the US, so I won’t be seeing them this year.

And, to top everything off, every other blog in the world is posting Christmas music! Which brings me to my point. I was going to post Christmas music, but I was going to wait until closer to Christmas. Or at least until it’s officially winter. The 21st. I have a couple of holiday songs I’ve intended to post and will do so, even if everyone else already has them up!

Bitch #2: End of year “best of” lists. I’d love to do one. However, in looking back, it seems like most of the music I listen(ed) to came from years, if not decades, ago. I may be able to compile one - certainly not a Top 10 - but maybe a Top 5. Or Top 2. Or maybe I could do a best of the stuff I’ve enjoyed this year. I’ll figure something out.

But, this blog isn’t about my personal life; it’s about music. That’s why I’m only kvetching about music-related stuff. And, as a thank you for listening to my gripes, here’s a couple of songs from the Beavis and Butthead soundtrack (1993).

Search and Destroy.mp3 Red Hot Chili Peppers
I Am Hell.mp3 White Zombie
Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun.mp3 Anthrax
I Hate Myself and Want to Die.mp3 Nirvana

After I uploaded these, I realized my therapist would have a field day if she saw the titles and how they relate to the rest of this post! “I Hate Myself and Want to Die”? “Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun”? Really guys, it’s OK!
Take it for what it is.

12/03/2006

livE 3vil

In staying with the metal theme for the weekend, I’ve dug into the record crates and found a 24-year-old live Black Sabbath album, Live Evil.

I’m not even going to try to get into the tangled mess that is/was Sabbath. According to Wiki , some 18 people have passed through the doors, not including the four original members (Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward) who all seem to come and go on a rotational basis. Black Sabbath online , though, lists 30 musicians, including the original four. Anyway you look at it, it’s hard to tell the players without a score card. As of presstime, the band consists of Osbourne, Iommi, Butler, Ward, and a keyboard player, Adam Wakeman.

But, back in 1982, Ozzy had been gone for three years. Ronnie James Dio of Rainbow had been drafted to replace him. Reacting to the success of a bootleg from the Ozzy era, “Live at Last,” the newly recharged and Dio-fronted Sabbath released “Live Evil,” recorded in Seattle, San Antonio, and Dallas during the “Heaven and Hell” tour.

A review of the two-LP set, from The Metal Observer: “’Live Evil’ is a band at the top of their game proving there was much more to the Sabbath name than Ozzy Osbourne. The sound is powerful and fresh, the playing tight and supremely heavy.
“Far from trying to sound like Ozzy, Dio goes one better and turns the Ozzy period songs into more of a theatre-type affair, lending his own unique voice to expand the darkness and bleakness of Iommi's monster riffs.”

Ultimately, Dio would leave the band while they were putting the finishing touches on this album. There was speculation, which to this day all parties deny, that Dio and then-drummer Vinny Appice sneaked into the studio to mix the drums and vocals higher. In what Dio has called retaliation for him and Appice leaving the group, on the back of Live Evil, Dio is listed as "Ronnie Dio" instead of "Ronnie James Dio," and Vinny Appice is listed as a special guest rather than a member of the band.

E5150/Neon Knights.mp3
NIB.mp3
Black Sabbath.mp3
Mob Rules.mp3

12/02/2006

Pay It In Metal

Returning to the part of my mission statement that covers metal, today I’ve got Switzerland’s most famous import other than army knives, Krokus.

No Life ‘til Metal sums up Krokus as such: “OK, I know, this is the band that everyone makes fun of. I know they were considered a poor man's AC/DC and that they were not the most original or the most technical musicians, but SO WHAT! What matters is that the music is infectious, heavy, and well, I like it. That's what matters!”

Krokus was founded 1974 by bassist (and original lead vocalist) Chris von Rohr, and guitarist Tommy Kiefer. Originally a symphonic rock outfit, they changed to metal because their former direction was unprofitable. Current singer Marc Storace joined the band in 1980, when they recorded the triple-platinum selling (in Switzerland) Metal Rendez-vous. Von Rohr left the band in 1988 and guitarist Fernando von Arb in 2005, leaving Storace as the group’s veteran.

Krokus is still actively touring and recording. They released Hellraiser this year on the AFM label. Their Web site has 2007 tour information.

My Krokus collection dates back a few years to when this stuff was released on vinyl. 1984 was the last time I bought a Krokus album. I’ve arranged these songs in order from oldest to newest. The Pay It In Metal album doesn’t have band credits, and, until I started researching for this post, I had no idea von Rohr was the singer. So, you learn something every day.

Pay It.mp3 from Pay It In Metal, 1978
Heatstrokes.mp3 from Metal Rendez-vous, 1980
American Woman.mp3 from One Vice at a Time, 1982
Screaming in the Night.mp3 from Headhunter, 1983
Eat the Rich.mp3 from Headhunter, 1983
Ballroom Blitz.mp3 from The Blitz, 1984

11/30/2006

Take A Look at the Guy

You got Slash and Axl, of course.

But Izzy Stradlin was the cool guy in the back during the heyday of Guns n’ Roses. It was Izzy and Axl who formed the band in the mid-80s. He had a reputation as the silent one in the "most dangerous band in the world.” Izzy ultimately left the band in 1991, during its “Use Your Illusion” tour, stating a variety of reasons.

By 1992, Izzy had put together a band, The JuJu Hounds, and released an album, “Izzy Stradlin and the JuJu Hounds.” The sound, to me, was very reminiscent of the Stones, especially Ron Wood. Woody would actually play on a track on Izzy’s second album, “117 Degrees.”

Since then, Izzy has, with little fanfare or promotion, released five additional albums. His last album, “Like A Dog,” was shelved for two years until a fan petition convinced Izzy to release the music via the Internet.

He’s apparently settled his differences with Axl Rose and has appeared a few times recently with the reformed Gunners. Currently, Izzy is considering issuing some previously unreleased stuff he’s been storing away, and he’s also (maybe) working on a new album.

The music I have for today is from a single Izzy released preceding the JuJu Hounds disk. Best as I can tell from perusing Izzy’s discography, these tracks weren’t released on any of the later albums. I think this might have been an import single, but I can’t really remember (it was released in 1992).

I’ve also included, “Shuffle It All,” from the JuJu Hounds album, and “14 Years,” from GnR’s “Use Your Illusion II.” I’ve added those just because I like ‘em. Do you really need another reason?

Been A Fix.mp3
Can’t Hear ‘Em.mp3
Came Unglued.mp3
Shuffle It All.mp3
14 Years.mp3

Izzy’s Web site, Chop Away, is here. It’s under construction, but there is an interview, and a video for “Hammerhead,” from the “Like A Dog” album.

11/26/2006

Ziggy Stardust: the Motion Picture

One of the coolest things about ripping vinyl to MP3 is getting to listen to albums I haven’t picked up in years. Other than the turntable, I don’t have a stereo system, per se, anymore. So the only time I really get to hear these old albums is when I rip them and have the computer and turntable all wired together.

Picking up “Ziggy Stardust: the Motion Picture” was like finding a lost treasure. I just have a couple Bowie CDs, and find that I really don’t listen that much anymore to him. But I put this record on, and goddamn, it’s good! It was hard for me to narrow the tracks down to a reasonable sampling to share.

The Ziggy Stardust fansite 5 years has a lot of information about the movie, including reviews, US and UK release information, and so on. The movie and the resulting album were recorded at the July 3, 1973, show at the Hammersmith Odeon in London. DA Pennebaker shot the concert, which was the Spiders from Mars’ final show. The recordings were shelved for 10 years, finally seeing the light of day in 1983.

In a 1999 interview, Pennebaker talked about filming Bowie: "Well, he is incredible to watch. I mean, I could see myself getting a hard-on just looking at him sometimes, which is ridiculous. But I think that the reason we made it was because RCA said, we have this guy and he's going to do a concert, maybe the last one he's going to do, and you've got to go make a film.
"I thought they said Bolan. I thought it was Marc Bolan I was going to do. And I was very excited because I really dug glitter rock. So I kind of set off with the wrong guy in mind. But I've spent time with Bowie, and I've seen him go into his head. He just disappears. He's like Dylan. He has someplace where it's just all music, and he's all alone."

A note in Wikipedia says that the soundtrack album was remixed and rereleased in 2003, with almost the whole show being restored except for "The Jean Genie/Love Me Do" encore featuring Jeff Beck. The continued absence of Beck's sequence has been variously attibuted to an issue over royalties or to the guitarist feeling, in producer Tony Visconti's words, that "he didn't fit in the film."

Hang On to Yourself.mp3
Ziggy Stardust.mp3
Moonage Daydream.mp3
Let’s Spend the Night Together (Rolling Stones cover).mp3
Rock ‘N’ Roll Suicide.mp3

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Clarification
I got a note yesterday from Magnetic Mary about my comments on her blog and calling her a “Google-stalker.” I meant the comment in fun, and she understood, but she also wanted to make sure all of my readers understand.

She wrote, “Before your readers get the wrong idea about my stalking and general addiction to the person of Danny McCormack, allow me to explain that he used to play bass in one of my top 5 favourite bands, The Wildhearts, and later he formed The Yo-Yo's. ...He's been out of the spotlight for about a year, but now he's trying to come back with a new band, very cooly named The I told you so's.”

I have a very dry sense of humor that rarely translates to writing, especially if you don’t know me well. No harm intended!

11/25/2006

... You Can Almost Smell the Rubber Burn

Never one to rest on my laurels, I thought I’d reach back about 40 years for today’s selections, which come from a Capital Records compilation titled “Shut Down.” There’s no date on the record, but the jacket notes refer to the title coming from “the current high-riding hit by the Beach Boys.” The “Shut Down” single was released in March 1963, so you do the math.

These are songs “about the fun, thrills and excitement of the road,” no doubt meant to cash in on the Beach Boys’ success at the time; “409” and “Surfin’ USA” were both Top 25 hits, and “Surfer Girl,” would soon break into the Top 10.

But this collection isn’t about the Beach Boys, although they are represented here. It’s about a time when gas was less than 50 cents a gallon, kids cruised the strips and hung at burger joints, and Detroit muscle cars ruled.

Other than the Beach Boys and Robert Mitchum, most of the artists here are one-hit wonders. I’ve tried to find links to more information where possible, but mostly the searches were in vain. Enjoy the music - it’s mostly in the rock-a-billy vein. The sound quality isn’t always so great; the songs came from a mono disk that is about 40 years old.

Wide Track.mp3 The Super Stocks
Thunder Road.mp3 Robert Mitchum
Hot Rod Race.mp3 Jimmy Dolan
Cheater Slicks.mp3 The Super Stocks
Black Denim Trousers and Motorcycle Boots.mp3 The Cheers
409.mp3 The Beach Boys

For More Information:
The Super Stocks
Robert Mitchum and “Thunder Road”
Jimmy Dolan
The Beach Boys

11/23/2006

Are We Not Men?

To me, there’s nothing that says Thanksgiving quite like Devo. Or, as my grandfather was fond of quoting, “Are we not men?”

I’ve noticed, from reading other blogs, that long band histories are boring to read. I usually skim through them, looking for the music. If I want to know more about a band, I’ll go to their Website or Google them myself. That said, I’m going to try to rein in my band histories to a couple of sentences. I figure if I find them boring to read, others probably do too. I will reserve the right to carry on if I find something I think is interesting, though.

The Wiki entry on Devo traces the evolution of devolution -so to speak- back to the late 1960s at Kent State. Gerald Casale and Bob Lewis met Mark Mothersbaugh while they were all attending school there. Mothersbaugh was the one who introduced the others to a pamphlet titled “Jocko Homo Heavenbound,” which would later prove to be inspirational. Interestingly, Casale knew two of the students who were shot by the National Guard in the infamous shootings in May 1970, and actually saw the wounds suffered by one of the women.

I’ve got a handful of songs today from Devo’s first two albums, “Q: Are We Not Men?” and “Duty Now For the Future.” My personal introduction to Devo came with their late-1970s appearance on Saturday Night Live. I forget the first song they did (possibly “Jocko Homo”) but I definitely remember their version of “Satisfaction.” That song was the talk around the water cooler at school the next day. Everyone was like, “What the hell was that about?” Something about their quirkiness appealed to me, and I became a Spudboy. But by the time “Whip It” and the flower pot hats came along, I had moved on. It’s still fun, though, to go back and listen to the early records, particularly the first one.

Mongoloid.mp3
Uncontrollable Urge.mp3
Jocko Homo.mp3
Blockhead.mp3
Smart Patrol/Mr. DNA.mp3

If you do want more information, check out the Wikipedia link above, or go to Club Devo or Freedom of Choice, both excellent sites.

11/22/2006

Night of the Living Dead Boys

Just when I thought things were cool with my new host. I tried three times last night to upload these songs and kept getting error messages. Finally I gave up and went to bed. So tonight, I log in, ready to try again, and what to my wondering eyes does appear? All six songs, uploaded three times each. Great. I’m sure glad I purchased that extra storage space....

Anyway -

I promised I’d lay off the Joan Jett posts for a little while, but I’m not ready to leave NYC just yet. Making a grand return to actually posting from vinyl, I’ve got a some selections from The Dead Boys’ “Night of the Living Dead Boys,” which was recorded in March, 1979, at CBGB. This was the last of three official Dead Boys releases.

The story goes that, even though the group had broken up in 1979, they still had a record left on their Stiff Records contract. They reunited for these shows, during which Stiv Bators decided to get his revenge by deliberately muffling his vocals and creating a shitty sound for the live recording. In 1981, when Bomp Records was ready to release the material, Bators rerecorded the vocals.

A review in Goldmine magazine called “Night of the Living Dead Boys”, “Everything you'd expect it to be: chaotic, tumultuous, obscenely loud and utterly divorced from all the emotions you'd expect to find at the last-ever show by a much-loved institution. No tears, no good-byes, nothing but an unrelenting wall of noise, and every brick a barrage of punk purity.”

All This and More.mp3
Caught With the Meat in Your Mouth.mp3
Tell Me (Rolling Stones cover).mp3
Ain’t it Fun.mp3
What Love Is.mp3
Aint Nothin’ To Do.mp3

As an afternote, I knew Stiv Bators had passed away several years ago (June 3, 1990, to be exact) but I didn’t know how he died, This from Wikipedia: “In 1990, Bators was struck by a laundry truck while intoxicated on a street in Paris. He was brought to a hospital but, under unclear circumstances, was sent home by the attending doctor. He died in his sleep of a concussion. Bators was a fan and devotee of Jim Morrison, the lead singer of The Doors, and had his ashes spread over Morrison's grave in the Père Lachaise Cemetery.”

hmmm.