TEEN SCENE #57 ********************************************************************************************************* The Teen Scene is copyright 1997, Blair Buscareno. The rights on all writing and pics are property of the authors & photographers. Any recordings found inside are provided courtesy of the bands and the record labels. If you'd like to pass the Teen Scene on to a friend, feel free, just tell 'em where you got it and give them the whole thing, not just some little piece. If you'd like to include any writings published in this mag for your own publication, just be sure you give credit to both the Teen Scene & the author of the piece. And send me a copy. ********************************************************************************************************* ------------------------ WHATıS ON TAP ------------------------ INTRO - Blairıs Blab, basically THE FLESHTONES - Steve Coleman had a chat with the Super Rock vanguard when they were in France this past winter EMPIRE STATE SOUL CLUB - The Pinnacle of Soul lives on LIVE DOWN UNDER - Craig Regan reports on a couple Radio Birdman gigs, while Michael Seman checks out The Hoodoo Gurus plus a couple of Stemsı reunion gigs (lucky guy!) THE BOMBORAS - Bob Kondrak meets up with one of the most explosive bands on todayıs scene TREK TO STUPIDITY - Some things in life are just plain stupid THE DAY CUB SAID GOODBYE - ŒTis verily true... Cub are no longer TALKING TRASH WITH SLIM CHANCE - Steve Coleman has a word with the man responsible for promoting some of the best gigs in London A WEEKEND WITH THE UNTAMED YOUTH - Pabst Blue Ribbonıs cheering squad hit the NYC area at the beginning of November. Hereıs what I remember after many months UNTAMED YOUTH BACK IN THE STUDIO - The Beer Bust Boys have come out with a new disc of Untamed classics WELCOME TO THE LIBRARY - Bill Luther checks out books on The Clash and Pete Townshend; I look at one on The Kinks LIVE AND OUTTASITE - Pages and pages of my rockınıroll nights A HAPPY HOLIDAY WITH THE SLICKEE BOYS - Rob White presents a slight interruption to the saga of my night life with a look at the yearly reunion by the band whose fan club he once presided over. BOYS AND THEIR BOYS - Roberta Schiffer wonders why guys need to spread their legs so wide when they sit down BIG HOLES AND LITTLE HOLES, BUT ALL SEVEN INCHES - 45s, obviously BUMMER BINGE - Missed opportunities, mainly (though not all!) my fault SOME HATE ŒEM, SOME BUY ŒEM. THEYıRE CALLED... COMPACT DISCS - need more be said? TWELVE BIG INCHES, BABY - Yup, good olı fashioned vinyl long-players. Wish there were more THE ŒZINE SCENE - Some damn fine mags out there PUT ŒEM ALL TOGETHER - Anthologies of various types COMPED - Various artists thrown together onto a disc of one sort or another. You probably know the drill STILL MORE MUSIC - Thatıs right, this part has even more reviews BITS AND PIECES - Various tidbits of interest to you, Dear Reader WHERE TO GET ŒEM - Addresses for most of these records youıve been lucky enough to read about SO SAYS A KING - A letter from Mark Chambers of The King Normals ******************************************************************************** SEND GIFTS TO: The Teen Scene 34 Highland Cross #2 Rutherford, NJ 07070 -OR- blairb1@mail.idt.net WHOıS TO BLAME Blair Buscareno - everything without somebody elseıs name. Nothing anyone else wrote, however, has been changed, barring grammar and spell-checking. Steve Coleman - interviews with The Fleshtones and Slim Chance, plus the photos that go with them Craig Regan - Radio Birdman live Michael Seman - The Hoodoo Gurus and The Stems live reports Bob Kondrak - interview with and photos of The Bomboras Bill Luther - book reviews dealing with The Clash & Pete Townshend Rob White - live report on The Slickee Boys Roberta Schiffer - general help, plus a bit of levity Andy Peters - photos of The Woggles and The Insomniacs This issue is dedicated to Casey, the best dog ever. Iıll miss you. - Love, Roberta ******************************************************************************** INTRO Itıs been awhile. For the most part, itıs been a good while. Of course, thereıve been some downs, too. Iıll take care of those first. A bit before Christmas, Roberta told me that we really shouldnıt be getting married in April. I was pretty upset. (Duh.) As much as Iıd like to blame her for delaying ³the big day², I really canıt. Thing is, she is right. Neither of us is ready. Now for some good news: weıre still together. And, while weıve gone through some tough times, our relationship has gotten stronger and weıre doing better than ever. Getting on with it then... It was a pretty good second year of teaching. I like this job far more than any Iıve ever had before. Itıs more work than Iıve ever done before, but itıs also work well worth doing. Iım getting extremely into computers these days, as well. Obviously, I must enjoy them to some extent, since thatıs the subject I teach, but it goes beyond that. Iım finding projects that I want to do on my own time. Some involve learning new things about programming, while others are more on the user end. In the first case, Iıve been learning how to program in C++. The second deals with something invented by Apple called OpenDoc that takes as its premise that a user creates documents using only the particular parts s/he needs for that particular task. I toyed with explaining it in depth here, but decided that not everyone reading this really cares. If youıre interested, take a look at http://opendoc.apple.com. The showcase product for the OpenDoc architecture is called Cyberdog. This is a component-based Internet suite of OpenDoc parts. Pretty incredible stuff, actually. There are a ton of cool things involved, not the least of which is that Iım the one who decides what my interface to the Net is gonna look like... I put buttons, mail trays, etc. where I want them. But thatıs just one tiny tip of the iceberg. Check this out at http://cyberdog.apple.com. Oh yeah, one more thing... this stuffıs Mac-only. What else? Well, more Net stuff, Iım afraid. No, I still havenıt gotten around to putting this mag up on the web. (Itıs just too much dang work.) Of course, for those people who want the text and donıt care about pics and layout, there is an FTP site that you can download it from. (ftp://ftp.etext.org /pub/Zines/TeenScene) But thatıs not what this is about. People Iıve known for some time are aware that I used to publish a concert calendar of events in the NYC metro area between Œ88 and Œ94. I didnıt want to stop putting out this weekly bugger back then, but I was back in school and I couldnıt afford it. Now, though, Iım doing it again, just not on paper. Now itıs available at http://shell.idt.net/~blairb1/nygarage.html. Iıve also put together a list of touring bands of interest to Teen Scene readers. This list (http://shell.idt.net/~blairb1/tours.html) names the band and provides a link to the tour dates. Along the same lines is the Garage Fests page Iıve put together. (http://shell.idt.net /~blairb1/fests.html) This one lists all the garage fests I know about, again with links to more info about that particular fest. Those that are past Iıve tried to get some commentary on from people in attendance and Iıve put links to that stuff, too. Some of the ones coming after the street date of this ish include: the RockınıRoll Boat and Trailer Show up in Calgary (August 22-24) put on by Roto Flex; the Fuzzfest down in Atlanta August 29-31 (hosted by folks from Thee Flypped Whigs, Feline Frenzy and Bad Trip); Cave Stomp Œ97 in NYC October 24th & 25th, put together by ex-Vipers vocalist Jon Weiss; and, of course, the Big Daddy of Œem all, GarageShock, held in Bellingham, WA by Estrus Records October 30th thru November 2nd. Finally, thereıs the 60 Second Swinger page (http: //shell.idt.net/~blairb1/60second.html) which Iım thinking of as sort of a mini- edition of this mag. So far, there are no reviews in it, just news and the occasional small article. Maybe the best comparison I can make is that Iım hoping for it to end up being something like this Œzine was back in the first couple years. Anyway, the nice thing about this being on the web is that I can point people to more info on the subjects at hand. Apologies in advance for some jagged photos... Next time that should be solved. Also, sorry about the micro-print in the record label address section at the end there. I had an odd number of pages because of something that wasnıt even a half page long. This solved it. Hey... it was this or listen to me yak for more than a page and a half about whatever popped into my head. The title was gonna be ŒMy Back Pages.ı Yeah, youıre welcome. ******************************************************************************** Steve Coleman Has A Word With The Fleshtones At La Maison Du Rock En France -------------------------------------------- LıArapaho in Paris is practically the Fleshtones HQ when they visit the French capital these days. This relatively new club, situated in the Southeast of the city, is conspicuously housed in the basement of a large eighties shopping complex. Itıs tight, though big enough to hold three hundred people and sits next to an underground car park . A very appropriate location for a session with New Yorkıs ambassadors of garage-rock. Arriving nice and early, I had hoped to nail Bill, Ken, Keith and Peter for a chat on current Super-Rock activity. But what with the sound check, interviews with the music press, a publishing contract to be signed and a photo call with the French fashion press, all efforts came to nothing. Despite posing a hundred questions to various ŒTones the tape recorder remained firmly in the Selfridges carrier bag. The stock response from the Z-man being ³Donıt worry, just stick around and weıll do the interview later². Before too long the club began to fill with Fleshtones hungry Frenchmen and woman. It is important to point out to you just how seriously these people take their dose of Super-Rock revelry. A Parisian crowd always plugs into the band and the ŒTones never fail to return the gesture. So sitting behind stage before the show, it was nice to watch the bands eagerness *and* the lead singers nervousness. After all these years too. Perhaps it was down to the days demands and the desire to please the Parisian public. With guitar radio sets checked and a final run through the set list complete, the Fleshtones filed down to the stagedoor, screams and shouts rising from the dance floor. Coming at you BIFF, BANG, POW they tore into the Faces ŒCome On Now, Hey!ı A great opener. The ŒTones, effortlessly mixing old and new material into their trademark Super- Rock sound, encouraged the hyperventilating crowd even further. ŒAccelerated Emotionı, ŒLetıs Goı and ŒThis Is My Lifeı quickly came and disappeared into the Parisian night. This band has such a rich songbook itıs always refreshing to see and hear them flip through the pages. Tonightıs musical trip included a bumper dose from ŒBlast Off!ı : ŒCominı In Deadstickı, ŒBYOBı, an amazingly impassioned rip through ŒThe Way I Feelı plus an unscheduled journey across the ŒShadow-lineı. During ŒFingertipsı an inebriated Frenchie clambered onto the stage and wrestled the microphone from the Z-man, only to collapse to the floor screaming over the PA, writhing in a paralytic heaven. Totally unfazed Peter grabbed Kenıs mic to continue the song and close the set. With the crowd pleading for more the ŒTones returned to play three, or was it four, encores. My blurry memory recalls ŒScreaming Skullı, ŒThe World Keeps Turning Roundı, a nerve tingling spin through ŒYouıre Holdinı Me Down (UK Freakbeat from the Buzz) and the inevitable ŒWe Gotta Goı. At this point Bill had pulled a floor-tom to the centre of the stage joining Ken, Keith and Peter in closing the show and singing adieu. The Fleshtones are one of the most entertaining ROCK bands anyone could wish to stumble across. Never mind prefixing the ³R² word with a garage, punk or frat label. Much better to dispense with sub-genre tags Œcause these boys transcend categorisation while still pleasing the record collector types among us. Peter, ever the ringmaster, spent a good quarter of this show singing from the middle of the audience. While Ken played magnificently for two hours despite carrying a painful back injury. I really felt for him when the band leaped off the stage and threaded through the crowd during the finale. As usual Lucky Billy worked tirelessly and turned his shirt into a dripping rag. Bounced around the stage ensuring the music ran smoothly was Keith, the perfect foil for the impromptu behaviour of the Z-man. In addition Strengo bailed-out of the long delayed interview as he kindly agreed to run through a few questions the following morning in the bands hotel. So grab yourself a strong black coffee, pull up a chair and hit the play button... Teen Scene: Letıs start with the new CD ŒFleshtones Favoritesı Keith. You guys have covered so many songs over the years didnıt you have a problem narrowing it down to thirteen? Keith Streng: Well thatıs why were gonna have to make parts two, three, four and five. So maybe itıs not a problem. TS: The songs for the most part seem to be RınıB material. For instance ŒLet The Doorbell Ringı or ŒNext Timeı. Was there any decision to concentrate on this style? KS: Well usually when we do cover songs theyıre usually more on the RınıB side anyway so when youıre talking about making Fleshtones covers records theyıre gonna be more slanted towards RınıB. We donıt really cover pop you know! TS: When Lindsay Hutton looked after ŒThe Vindicatorsı he said in a bulletin that the Fleshtones were going to record a Fan Club disc of RınıB crunchers. Now that was over ten years ago. KS: Yes it is true. Anyway, anytime we want to get back to what we are about and what we do, we always reach back to our RınıB part of the Fleshtones. That is kind of what this is all about. Plus like I said most of the covers we do are RınıB oriented so itıs a natural. TS: But there are one or two numbers, for instance the dBıs ŒIf And Whenı, which break that mold. KS: Well thatıs because thatıs a song which Chris Stamey wrote a long time ago and always said he had the Fleshtones in mind to do it. So twenty years later we did it! TS: When Peter sent me a copy of the new CD I immediately connected with the song. It has a great Kinks/garage-rock riff . I was sure Iıd heard it before. KS: It probably came out on Car Records. Really early on. You know Peter Holsapple is not even on ŒIf And Whenı. This single is pre-Peter Holsapple. TS: I was reacquainted with it on the ŒRide The Wild Tom Tomı CD. The dBıs version is very different to the ŒTones interpretation. KS: You know obviously we relate to the Kinks a lot more than Chris Stamey does so thatıs the connection. It just sounded more like a Kinks song to us I guess. TS: One of my other favorites is Billıs vocal debut. KS: ŒMister Custerı. I have to say for a debut you canıt top what he did. TS: I particularly like the sound of arrows whizzing past Billıs head. KS: That is actually Peter in the background off-mic. We did this recording on four track so there was a lot of things happening on each and every track. Thatıs what makes it fun and exciting to do. Itıs not like you have forty-eight million tracks and you can put that sound on one track and this on another. So on Billıs lead vocal track you have Peter doing the arrows and percussion and whatever else is happening. Itıs easier to mix then - itıs already done. TS: Tell me about the recording. You did it with Paul Johnson over in Flatbush, Brooklyn. Did it take a couple of days to lay down? KS: It took I guess with the mixing - there were overdubs you know - probably a week. Thatıs what made it fun. The whole thing about four track recording is, when youıre recording, to make sure you have the right levels because youıre not going to be able to mix it after itıs recorded. Once itıs done, itıs done and mixed. Then itıs just a matter of you have your four tracks and mixing that. Thatıs what takes time, to make sure you have the proper level for whateverıs gonna be on that track. TS: Looking forward to your next recorded project. Peter said yesterday that you are interested in producing yourselves. Would you try and look for a small studio and follow a similar approach? KS: I think in the future that Fleshtones recordings are just gonna become even more minimal or basic even if we go to a twenty-four track studio. And I think the next Fleshtones studio album is going to be a mix of studios. From twenty- four track to four track. I think it would make an interesting sounding record. Not just the same thing from track to track. TS: There is a trend on the garage-rock scene at the moment for lo-fi recording. Where people go into very cheap studios and bang everything down quickly to try and get that immediacy from the recording. KS: This is true, but do you know whatıs funny? You take a group like the Woggles, right, theyıve played me their new record. I asked them ³How many tracks did you record this on?² and they said ³Oh we always record this on twenty-four track². Because it doesnıt sound it, it sounds like an eight-track recording or something Œcause itıs kind of trashy and really... I just found that kind of amazing but you know you learn as you go. TS: I picked up the Woggles ŒZontar Sessionsı recently and thereıs a track on there called ŒCarnivoreı which sounds very cheap. Maybe they were using an old microphone for the vocals because everything sounds compressed. KS: Thatıs possible... TS: Thatıs looking a bit further ahead to the next studio album, but I hear thereıs the possibility of a ŒLive In Franceı CD being released. KS: Weıre talking about that right now. Our engineer on the last French Tour recorded quite a few shows. It was just recorded eight track off the desk. He compiled it and then he went to a studio and remixed it and it all sounds pretty good and people are kind of excited by it. I donıt know what to think Œcause live records for me are kind of... unless theyıre bootlegs I donıt find them exciting generally. TS: Well on the whole, Iıve been a little disappointed with the official live albums, weıve all heard superior bootleg recordings, for example the Victory Club Show in Philadelphia from Œ82. KS: Right. A much better live record than anything that was released officially. And that is what I am getting at because Iım usually more excited by the things that are like off-the-cuff that you donıt realise are being done. Then they come out and they are pretty exciting and fun. Whereas like something always goes wrong when youıre planning a live record. I swear to God! So I guess if people want to put it out and they think itıs exciting and good... Iım not myself excited by it. But the ŒLiveı album is probably gonna come out, there is even talk now about maybe releasing the ŒLiveı record and ŒFleshtones Favoritesı as one package. Which would be kind of interesting. But itıs just talk, only talk. TS: Is ŒSoul Madridı the last live album? KS: Well that is an official bootleg OK. This is the people from Record Runner saying ³Hey look, weıre gonna record you live tonight hereıs money², so that makes it an official bootleg. But basically thatıs all that is! It was mixed as it was going down live and it was pressed... TS: ...Direct Metal Mastered. KS: Exactly. So thatıs what all that was about. TS: ŒCause that was when Fred Smith was briefly in the band. KS: Well he was in the group for a year if you consider that brief. That is brief in the history of the Fleshtones. TS: That was a difficult time for the Fleshtones. You had Andy Shernoff helping out after Fred, and Robert Warren was only with the band a year. KS: Yes that was kind of like when the band wasnıt really settled. Now the band is with Ken with what, seven years. Iıve lost track! TS: Ken said that sometimes he thinks he played all the bass parts on ŒPowerstanceı. Turning back to ŒSoul Madridı, no disrespect to Fred or Andy but when Marek was in the band there was a much more funky/rınıb edge. KS: Marek really was a popping bass player and thatıs what Ken is. He follows in that same mould. TS: This is the thing I loved about the Fleshtones when I first discovered the band. A garage band with a bass player who was not afraid to add thumb-slapping bass lines. I found that very exciting. KS: Weıll take chances, we like to mix it up, thatıs what weıre about. Weıre not scared to fall off a cliff you know! TS: Now that Kenıs been with the band seven years you can definitely see a tightness in the live performances. KS: Did you like the show last night? TS: I loved it. Especially the Buzz song - ŒYouıre Holdinı Me Downı - itıs a great number. KS: Iıll tell you the truth, that was one of the best versions last night we ever did of it Œcause that song for us can be hit or miss live. But last night it was really a big hit, it was a grand slam... TS: You should seriously think about putting that on the next album. KS: Which one? ŒFavorites IIı or the Fleshtones next studio album? So maybe we should put that on a major distributed album. TS: Why not, I think we should introduce the world to a bit more Joe Meek. When you stretched out the ³Go Back, Go Back² chorus... KS: That must have been like three minutes and the song is only two! TS: I was at the side of the stage racking my mind, I thought ³I know that number² itıs stuffed away on a compilation at home somewhere. KS: Actually there is a Joe Meek compilation available isnıt there? TS: Thereıs lots of Joe Meek material available but it ranges from RınıB/Freakbeat to embarrassing and maudlin ballads. KS: Do you know that one song about Tokyo? That is a ballad, do you know this? Itıs actually a beautiful song. Iım surprised you donıt know that! TS: I really like Joe Meekıs experimental stuff with beat groups. KS: Do you like ŒI Hear A New Worldı by the Blue Men? TS: This stuff has all been re-released in the UK. There are some totally obsessed Joe Meek collectors and they go for absolutely everything. But it is such a broad spectrum. But youıve got to admire the guyıs get-up-and-go. The fact he was operating from a bedroom on the Holloway Road and he did some amazing things. KS: This was after he was given money. They said ³OK, hereıs money for you to put together your idea of a studio² and as you said he made a studio out of a bedroom. TS: If you get the chance, watch the Channel Four TV documentary on him. People like Heinz and Screaming Lord Sutch are interviewed and there are is some great footage of the Savages recording with Joe. KS: So Heinz is still alive? TS: Yes, and of course the million dollar question about his relationship with Joe was... KS: ...there are pictures with Joe behind him smiling! You wonder if he a little more than assisted. Iım not sure! TS: Did you know that Joe blasted himself with a shotgun? KS: Well, you know what was rumoured... I guess of course. He was accused of some pretty bizarre acts! TS: Itıs sad but the guy was becoming totally paranoid. Phil Spector wanted to meet him in Œ66 but Meek refused Œcause he was convinced Spector would steal his ideas. By this time his personality was very unstable. KS: Yes itıs sad how it ended. Itıs too bad there was no one there who could help him. He was probably too far gone. TS: Let me ask you about garage-rock. KS: What about garage-rock! TS: Well itıs going through a bit of a resurgence at the moment. KS: Is it! TS: There is the Tom Hanks film ŒThe Thing That You Doı. KS: Should have had the Fleshtones in it. TS: Maybe. Itıs got a Hollywood take on the music. I havenıt seen it because itıs only just come out in London. KS: I guess I should go see it. TS: Iıve seen a couple of clips and the guys in the band look like the Trashmen or Rivieras. Very pre-Beatle invasion. Then you have all the bands on major labels borrowing from the garage genre. For instance SCOTS... KS: Theyıve been around for a long time, since the early eighties. This is not new and thatıs fine and great I think. Theyıre doing fairly well and they are on a major label and they are good live. Actually I like them much better live, much more fun, I donıt think it transcends as well recorded. TS: Didnıt you play at a Pig Farm with them last autumn? KS: That was with them and the Woggles. It was very funny Œcause you could see the pigs in the distance. TS: Were they enjoying it? KS: I think so, they didnıt run! TS: Wasnıt it raining that day? KS: They had a torrential downpour, like days in a row before we arrived. Then we arrived and it cleared. Except the place was full of mud and the truck almost got stuck. TS: Was this the show where Manfred and Peter had their showdown wearing Santo masks? KS: As part of the Southern Culture On The Skids show they hand out wrestling masks to people in the audience who want to come on stage and wrestle. So of course Peter and Manfred after having about ten beers each decided this is a great idea. And then apparently there was someone else in the audience who had their own wrestling mask who was a fan of SCOTS and somehow Peter talked him into attacking Manfred from behind without Manfred knowing. So they actually double-teamed Manfred on-stage. TS: And Manfred is not a tall guy! KS: Heıs smaller than me and Iım not that big at all. So they double-teamed Manfred, cleaned his clock and then carried him off. It was fun. TS: You seem to have a good relationship with the Woggles and the Hatebombs. Youıve played Georgia and Florida a couple of time during the last six months. Whatıs the deal down there? KS: Well the deal is itıs a nice part of the country to visit plus these bands are down there and we like to play with them because itıs always good fun and it makes for a good show. But I think we are going to have to put off going to that part of the United States for probably at least another year. We have kinda worn it out. TS: There is a lot of interest for the Fleshtones to tour the mid-west and west coast. KS: The mid-west is probably going to be the next thing we are going to do. When I get home and Iım only going home in the middle of March. Letıs say at the end of March weıll go out and do a long weekend. There is a club in Columbus, Ohio called Staches that has been around for a long time. Itıs always been a really good venue for us, good fun, and the owner Dan is a great guy. But apparently they have to close and they wanted us to be the band to close the club. So I think we are definitely go out and do this. TS: This is going to be well received by a lot of fans across the States. ŒCause now that the Internet site is running they can see the band popping up to Toronto, across to Boston and down to Athens, Georgia... KS: I guess I should get a computer one day. But Iım not computer oriented. Iım guitar oriented. TS: Kenıs working on it. KS: Kenıs doing really well. Actually Ken got a computer from his father-in-law and all of a sudden heıs addicted to his computer. Hereıs Peter Zaremba... PZ: I want to eat something if that is possible... (hungover). KS: Ken has this computer now and heıs talking about upgrade this, upgrade that. I donıt even understand it. TS: Well itıs such a shame Œcause he has a modem... KS: A what! (pulls face). TS: A modem for connecting his computer to the Internet. KS: OK thank you. TS: He has a Mac, but itıs quite an old system and not smart enough to support the modem. Heıs working on it and heıll get there. KS: Well can you talk to him about it later but... Ken Fox: About what? KS: Your computer. KF: O thereıs nothing to say, itıs a piece of edsel! KS: Heıs talking about getting a new one actually. TS: You mentioned Southern Culture and the Woggles and Hatebombs who are more grassroots garage bands. But there is a US band who I went to see in London last year who have Fleshtones appeal. Theyıre called Rocket From The Crypt and come from San Diego. KS: Iıve heard of them. Are they good? I heard theyıre really good. TS: They have a rockınıroll gang mentality. But while the ŒTones have a tongue in cheek approach this isnıt so apparent with RFTC . During a Super-Rock show the macho element is diffused by the goofing around. The RFTC gig was like waiting for a football crowd to erupt. There was no sense of ³OK this is really just a show². It was a bit menacing. KS: But possibly quite a powerful band live, correct? TS: Definitely. They use a horn section and the pacing is very punchy. At times itıs reminiscent of the ŒTones or the Ramones. KS: I have to see this group. A French fan of ours said he really liked RFTC and that theyıre a powerful band. TS: Did you know they did a ŒMusic Machineı CD single on Sympathy For the Record Industry - ŒMasculine Intuitionı & ŒTroubleı - which perfectly illustrates the bands roots. Their show echoes back to seventies punk and there is a fifties visual element too. They definitely mix things up. KS: What I recommend for you to see is a band from New York called Los Dudes. TS: This is Jesse, the guy who helped you with ŒNew York, New Yorkı on the Dictators tribute. KS: Yes Jesse Bates. Heıs a great songwriter. Itıs the one band in the past two years that Iıve really thought were a good live band and really enjoyed. Get the CD. Half of it is really great songs. Especially a song called ŒI Hate You Allı. An excellent song, this is like an anthem of some sort and the lyrics are great. You have to get this within four days! TS: Are they garage-rock? KS: Theyıre garage oriented. Kinda like the Replacements, that kind of sound, that kind of approach. TS: Talking about the New York scene like Brownies and the Continental... KS: ...And the Mercury Lounge. TS: The Fleshtonesı old sidekick Gordon Spaeth seems very active at the moment. Pat Lozito told me he is playing with Crook & the Flair City 5, he also recorded with the Vikings and helped on ŒFleshtones Favoritesı. KS: Well Gordon seems very busy at home. Anytime we play in the area, is available and wants to play is fine, and whatever studio recordings for sure. You know he just cannot hit the road anymore and go out for extended trips. Itıs too much. But as far as staying in the New York area and playing clubs and being vital, heıs really great. TS: A friend in New York, Eric Fusco, sent me a copy of a Brownies show featuring the horn section : ŒIron Armsı Joe, Markus and Gordon. KS: ...ıIron Armsı Joe. Thatıs a good one! TS: I fell off my seat when I saw Gordon. He came on-stage and busted straight into ŒLegend of a Wheelmanı. It was very powerful. He was playing so well though his synchronisation with the other horn guys was a bit hit and miss. KS: Well heıs not used to that anymore. TS: He was sounding so good, it was the old Gordon that we remember here in Europe. Itıs very pleasing to see and hear this. KS: Well you know I miss him very much as far as really being in the band and being with us all the time. But itıs just impossible now. He had a very bad period for a while, but he came out of it and heıs doing OK now. As long as he stays in the New York area heıs just fine. PZ: Tell him what Marekıs doing now? KS: Marek. What are you talking about! PZ: Marek Pakulski. He has a new group called Hooked On Sonics. Itıs a Sonics cover band. KS: This is pretty funny. Remember a name John Weiss? Well he played saxophone on ŒRoman Godsı and he used to play with us. [After that, he fronted one of the most popular bands on the 80s NYC garage scene, The Vipers. ‹- ed.] Anyway he and Marek had this group that were called Hooked On Sonics. PZ: I thought they were hooked on somethinı else. KS: They were a long time ago. Anyway they were just a band doing Sonics cover songs. Marek is not playing bass he is just the lead singer. TS: Didnıt he sing ŒThe Eelı with the ŒTones? KS: You remember ŒThe Eelı. How do you know about this? Did you know that ŒThe Eelı was supposed to be on ŒAngry Yearsı but all we could find left on the tape, Œcause we had to dig these tapes up from who knows where, were just the bubble sounds at the very end that we used. The rest of the track was somehow wiped clean or was recorded over. So all we have is a four track recording with just the underwater bubble sounds at the end on the fade. TS: Was that the recording you did in New Orleans when you arrived in a tropical storm? KS: Are you talking about ŒThe Eelı? No, itıs funny youıre talking about it seriously, ŒThe Eelı was done on our rehearsal studio four-track. Marek used to be the engineer on most of these sessions. TS: This is the Œ84-86 period? KS: Yes, something like that. These were actually demo tapes for IRS Records which were immediately rejected and thrown out the window. Miles Copeland was mad at us (laughs). TS: Some of those songs ended up on Œvs Realityı. There was an instrumental version of ŒLeather Kingsı which you reworked and obviously added a lyric to. KS: Was there a demo of that? That was an instrumental for a long time and I think there was another title for it. TS: So Marek is back on the road with his new band? KS: Anyway back with that. They were gonna record a ŒHooked On Sonicsı record. There was an offer made from some company in Europe. And then they called me up and said ³Hey would you be interested in playing guitar on it?² and I said ³Fine Iıll learn all the Sonics songs, I kind of know them anyway². So then they call me back, Iım learning these songs, they send me a tape, Iım kind of excited to do another project and they say ³Well weıre not getting the budget that we wanted, we wanted to do it sixteen track, but theyıre only sending us $2000, so weıre gonna have to scrap the project². And Iım sitting there thinking the original Sonics recordings were probably done four-track or less, maybe even live to two-track and Iım sure they didnıt have $2000 dollars. This is crazy they should just take the $2000 dollars and smash it down. TS: They should hook-up with Paul Johnson in Flatbush and book a session in his basement studio. KS: That was exactly the thought I had Œcause we were working on our four-track recording and thinking how good it was coming out. Then Iım thinking they get $2000 and thatıs not good enough for a Sonics album. TS: Well itıs good to see that Marek is back involved with music Œcause I know he was out of things for a while. KS: You know what heıs really doing now is that he programs computers and heıs making a killing apparently. Heıs successful at it. Iıve known Marek since I was fourteen, like way before the Fleshtones, and he was always oriented towards that. Everybody always figured he would wind-up doing something like that ...and he did! TS: Isnıt Peter the Fleshtones manager now? KS: Who? Well Peter and I handle that side. TS: How do you find taking on that responsibility what with all the agents and managers youıve had over the years? KS: Well, to tell you the truth, if Peter and I were able to handle it full- time, if we were not in the Fleshtones, Iım sure we would be successful at it and probably do well (laughs). But itıs really difficult because weıre always on the road a lot of the time and realistically we really should get someone to take care of our business. TS: I guess when youıre in Europe for two or three weeks there is nothing you can do on that side. KS: Thereıs nothing you can do because thereıs no one at the homebase. We do need a booking agent in America. In Europe weıre fine, itıs good. But in America itıs just Peter and I. All the guys in the band handle different responsibilities so thatıs the way it is right now. We do the best we can. But do we really want to do it? NO. Itıs just that we have to do it. TS: So itıs not as if youıre looking for alternative careers then? KS: No. I donıt want to be a booking agent. I really enjoy playing guitar live. TS: Youıre gonna continue with the Fleshtones? KS: Well I want to make some more records and I canıt see anything different. Iım looking forward to playing tonight. Maybe Iım short sighted but thatıs the way it is! Interview conducted by Steve Coleman for Teen Scene. First print publication, Summer, 1997. Check out The Fleshtones Hall of Fame on the World Wide Web (http://www.pro-net.co.uk/scaf/fhof.html), maintained by none other than the author of this very article. ******************************************************************************** Fleshtones Favorites The Fleshtones first mentioned the possibility of recording a collection of RınıB crunchers for their fans over ten years ago. And so, after the long wait, here it finally is. Simply titled Fleshtones Favorites and recorded in September at Compactor Studios in Brooklyn with the assistance of Paul Johnson, it sweeps through thirteen numbers and nearly as many musical genres, embracing along the way Richard Berry (ŒNext Timeı), the dBıs (ŒIf And Whenı), Ian Whitcomb (ŒThis Sporting Lifeı), Gene Chandler (ŒRainbow In My Heartı) and nine other monsters. Keith weighs in with two numbers, ŒInside Looking Outı and the soulful ŒIım Cryingı. The first is an Animals song albeit radically arranged. Bill Milhizer makes his vocal debut on the side-splitting ŒMr. Custerı, complete with whooshing arrow effects. Peter handled the production duties and does a fine job of delivering a neat tidy sound with one or two studio tricks. For instance on ŒLetıs Get Highı the drums sound like they are simultaneously fed through a compressor and reverb unit. Overall the album has a good ³live² feel and all the songs are tackled in the ŒTones inimitable fashion. Ken adds some good fuzz bass lines on a couple of numbers and Keith uses many different guitar textures. Peter sounds much tighter in the vocal department than on ŒLaboratoryı (OK ³flame² me!) and blows some very bluesy harmonica. As for ³Lucky² Bill, what can one say except ³Please Mr. Custer, I Donıt Wanna Go...² ŒFavoritesı is available on CD direct from the band, either at their shows or through the post. In addition Telstar Records are set to release it on vinyl with different artwork and under the title ŒHitsburgh USAı. --- SC ******************************************************************************** EMPIRE STATE SOUL CLUB THE PINNACLE OF SOUL ------------------------------------ I thought about including this bit in with the live reviews. Thing is, itıs not a show; itıs a dance. No band is playing. In fact, thatıs a pretty fine distinction, and I often wouldnıt bother making it. However, the Empire State Soul Club is something special and itıs been quite some time since Iıve been to one. When I graduated college back in May of Œ87, the Empire State Soul Club was just getting started. Well, at least, it was under that name. From what I remember, DJs W. Lee and The Empress had done some other dances with WNYU Mod Mondays DJ Captain Weems earlier on. Or maybe thatıs just my memory playing tricks on me. Yeah, I could go out and get the facts, but I kinda like that Lost in Time bit. After all, to me, the origins are unimportant in comparison to the fact of Soul Clubıs existence. As I eased into ³real life,² I began showing up at the Empire State Soul Clubıs dances. When the three regular DJıs (W. Lee, The Empress, and Jeff the Chef) took up their monthly Thursday night residence at the North River Bar down on Hudson Street, below Canal, I became a regular. It took awhile before I was willing to admit to myself that I wasnıt gonna miss one of these things and it was worth buying a membership card to save a couple bucks on admission and merchandise. But I had to face it... no way in hell was I gonna miss a Soul Club. There theyıd be spinning all the best that Stax/Volt ever had to offer, along with other gems. It was a place that people got out on the floor and shook a tail feather like nowhere else. Sure, it was a great hangout if you just wanted to talk with your friends (Œcuz just about everyone on the scene would show up for these things), but almost everyone would eventually do some time on the dance floor. As the years went by, it started to get noticed. Of course, it didnıt hurt that the Stax/Volt box set was a pretty direct result of Soul Club, since the guy who put it together was an ESSC regular. And celebrities like Fred Schneider could be found shakinı it up with everyone else. But the biggest crowds came about when the NY Times did a feature. Suddenly, one summer evening found the North River jam-packed on a Thursday night. Many of the regulars ended up moving outside till the newcomers left around midnight... it was just too damned hot inside. Now, over time, some of that bunch drifted off. However, as with any good thing that gets some notoriety, some of them - the ones that truly cared and felt it - stayed. Eventually, it was time to try a new location. The Empire State Soul Club made a stab at Irving Plaza, where The Empress had reigned back in the mid-80s when the club had proudly advertised, ³We Donıt Have Video!² Unfortunately, Irving proved to be a bit too big for Soul Club. Not only that, it just wasnıt cozy enough. ESSC started moving about, to the Mercury Lounge (too small) and Coney Island High (just plain wrong). And I, personally, just didnıt feel it any longer. Connie The Empress eventually left town. Soon, Soul Club just wasnıt happening all that often. Thereıd be breaks of three months, four months, or even longer. There just wasnıt any reason to send in my membership dues and I let mine lapse. The Œ94-ı95 school year found me living down by New Brunswick and I couldnıt justify driving up to NYC for a Soul Club on a rainy night at a place I didnıt want to be. When I moved back up to Rutherford, Soul Club seemed to be an increasingly infrequent occurrence. Sad for me. In mid-May, I found out that a Soul Club was scheduled for Saturday May 31st. Unfortunately, The Original Sins were playing Maxwells that same night. Not only that, but Andre Williams was at Chicago B.L.U.E.S. doing three shows. What to do? Well, Iıd seen the Sins a few weeks earlier. Plus, it was at Maxwells, which has pretty much gone to seed since early this year. Not only that, but the other act was the Mad Daddys. Nothing against them personally, but theyıve never done much for me, musically. And I just didnıt want to take the chance of having to see Stinky on-stage in his red bikini underwear again. As to Andre... well, $15 is more than I felt like spending, what with summer coming on and me not working. Besides, it had been a loooong time since I last made it to Soul Club. And it was back at the North River. So once again Mike Sin and I jumped in the Blairmobile and pointed it down towards Hudson Street. The first surprise was that the parking lot behind the North River Bar was no longer free at night. (Which meant we kept cruising.) The second surprise was much more welcome: there was a pretty decent crowd already building at 10:30 PM. By midnight the place was jammed. The soul was flowing, tons of old friends were in attendance, and I was in heaven. This is what Soul Club was all about! People were dancing, doing the ESSC Soul Clap, and yakkinı away as the good times rolled. Mike and I ended up staying pretty late, talking to a whole host of people. Based on the results of this shindig, Iım hoping Warren, Jeff, and Matt will start doing this on a regular basis again. If not every month, then at least every two months. The Empire State Soul Club is something special; itıs something I need and something I think many others do, as well. Itıs the Pinnacle of Soul. ******************************************************************************** LIVE DOWN UNDER with Radio Birdman, The Hoodoo Gurus, & The Stems ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Radio Birdman by Craig Regan Originally published on the Net on Divine Rites. (http://www.sdv.fr/ pages/dgieff/rob.htm) Central Coast Leagues Club Gosford 01/09/97 Selinas Coogee Bay Hotel Sydney 01/10/97 Itıs Gosford Leagues on a Thursday night and thereıs not a poster in sight for tonightıs gig. Radio Birdman are playing the biggest beer barn on the Central Coast, a former weekend holiday region for Sydneysiders about 50 minutes north of the city. As grey-haired pensioners shuffle out of the downstairs lounge bar after their early evening meat raffles and cheap meals, the townıs reputation as a retirement home provoke thoughts that itıs an odd venue for a Birdman show. The Central Coast certainly lacks the tradition of producing (or hosting) great bands of industrial cities Newcastle to the north or Wollongong to the south, which were both stop-offs on last yearıs Radios On Tour. Although itıs also close enough to Sydney to drive to on a weekday night, I (correctly) think most fans will wait until the weekend show at the traditional rock pit of Selinas. Upstairs in the half-full auditorium thereıs a buzz about another band touring after a lengthy break - Midnight Oil - who played a well-received show here last week. Itıs ironic that the Radios are following them a week later considering how much the Oils took from the Birdman legacy, while at the same time denying any influence. Support band Front End Loader is first up and while theyıre tight and intense, itıs hard to see why they bother having two guitarists when, for most of the night, they play the same thing. I want to like them, but I canıt help thinking Helmet do the same thing, only better. Radio Birdman saunters onto the stage in front of the enormous red and black flag at 10 PM and waste no time cranking into ³Smith and Wesson Blues.² Rooms like this are potentially a sonic disaster (like their show in the abominable Go Pavilion at last yearıs Sydney Big Day Out), but tonightıs mix is transparent and focused. Close to the front with an uncrowded view, itıs easy to see why the Birdmen have inspired so many imitators as they roll relentlessly forward through ³Crying Sun,² ³Iskender Time² and one-time show closer ³Do the Pop.² Itıs all in the attitude and feel as Deniz Tek and Chris Masuak lean into the music, wringing feedback out of their overdriven Marshalls. Occasionally rusty last time out, Ron Keeleyıs right on the money and he and Warwick Gilbert are like tentpegs, holding down the framework nicely as the rest of the band bounces back and forth around the beat. Once the junior partner, Chris takes two-thirds of the lead breaks and is sharp without over-playing. His contribution on ³Revelation² is a stand-out. Rob Youngerıs obviously taking care of himself tonight with half the contents of a (solitary) bottle of beer he grasps for most of the set ending up on the front-row of dancers. Pip Hoyle is nicely placed in the mix and his washes of sound really fill out some of the songs that werenıt keyboard-oriented on record. A vibrant ³Aloha Steve and Danno² and then ³New Race² round off the set nicely and itıs time to grab liquid reinforcement before the inevitable five- song encore. ³Snake² makes an appearance along with ³Monday Morning Gunk² and ³TV Eye² (which segues into ³LA Woman²). So on to Selinas on Friday night. The beachside pub is a less frequent hang-out these days for those of us with flecks of grey hair, a family and a mortgage, but itıs still the favoured Sydney venue for name bands playing ³once only² club-sized shows. We give Front End Loader a miss and head for the front bar. The gigıs not a sell-out as it lacks the ³event² status of last yearıs reunion, but itıs still respectably full. That 1996 gig was one of those memorable, sticky summer nights when sweat dripped from the low section of ceiling at the back of the room, and sales of bottled water rivaled that of canned beer as hoarse fans struggled to replace fluids. Support act Wayne Kramer primed the crowd with a searing, flashy set which ended with him intro-ing a ³sensitive love song² by summoning the fast-filling pit with the call: ³Kick Out The Jams, Motherfuckers!² An appreciative Rob Younger and Friends looked on approvingly and applauded from the VIP balcony before themselves laying waste to the place with a fiery, ragged set many fans had waited years for. A fortnight short of a year later and itıs midnight when ³Smith and Wesson² opens the proceedings. The result is, again, instant madness in the mosh pit. We watch from the relative security of a raised platform halfway to the back of the room which gives a great view, even if the peculiar acoustics of Selinas cut out some of the top register of the PA. If anything, Birdmanıs in even hotter form than last night, playing a near identical set with seemingly more purpose for their hometown crowd. A subdued Deniz again cedes most of the leads to Chris while Pip proves heıs no fashion clothes horse with an ensemble of black shirt, red tie and matching baseball cap. My wife notes an uncanny resemblance between Rob and John Malkovich as he sheds his black jacket and shock-dances his way around the stage. The songs gel and thereıs a sense of momentum that canıt be denied. ³New Race² caps the set proper before the encores start. ³TV Eye² is spat out, mutates into ³Looking at You,² turns back into itself and crashes to a finish before itıs all over, far too soon. A writer from one of Sydneyıs two daily newspapers who reviewed last yearıs gig called it ³historical rather than historic² and called Birdman ³simplistic² and ³derivative² - a rich call considering he slavishly apes the ³Iım-too-hip² critiques churned out by NME in England. He ignored them this time around...and that probably suited band and fans alike. The Ritualism Tour proved that Radio Birdman did - and do - shit on anything else around at the moment. Letıs hope they realise as much and juggle their other commitments to produce new and worthwhile work for years to come. FOOTNOTE: With its members scattered around the globe, Deniz Tek says Radio Birdman tentatively plan to go into the studio in September, other commitments allowing, with an album out by Christmas. A tour of the US and Europe in January was called off due to the Australian commitment but canıt be ruled out on the back of the new album. The Hoodoo Gurus by Michael Seman Metropolis Perth 01/23/97 This was held in Metropolis, a 1500-capacity club, just the right size for the Hoodoo Gurus. Unfortunately, itıs also the newest night club, and the hi- tech image wasnıt the ideal environment for them. The sound quality was excellent, albeit a little too loud. Support acts were Flanders, and the Chevelles, two of Perthıs power pop bands. The Chevelles have been around for seven years without achieving much except having product on an obscure European label. Flanders have only been going for two years, and maybe still have their best days ahead of them. The Hoodoo Gurus have been going for fifteen years (although Dave is the only original member). That makes them one of the old guard, but they seem to have escaped the backlash against other veteran Aussie acts, like INXS and Midnight Oil. If you looked at the crowd, it was all ages from eighteen to forty plus. They still have wide appeal here, even if the last album wasnıt a monster hit. The audience seemed to like the oldies best. ³Bittersweet,² ³Whatıs My Scene² and ³Like Wow, Wipeout² had half the dance floor singing along, and crowd surfing aplenty. The only disappointment was ³Leilani,² which began great, but went on too long and kind of fizzled out. Oh, and some of the backing vocals were poor, that being the only other fault I could pick. You can depend on the Hoodoo Gurus to put on a professional show, but donıt expect too many surprises. Naturally, they were called back for an encore, and did two obscure songs then finished with ³Miss Free Love 69.² Well, I enjoyed it a lot. I last saw them about 1991, and wondered why I hadnıt been to see them more often. Iıll see them again, preferably in another venue. The Stems The Early Hours The Dumb Angels by Michael Seman Metropolis Perth 02/28/97 The Dumb Angels were on early, playing to about 100 people. They are a trashy pop band who scream and play fuzzy guitars. A year ago, they couldnıt play very well, but now they sounded more professional than ever, although they did stuff up the Kim Williams song. They also did the Dom Mariani song ³Sick², quite appropriately for this special event. At the end of their set, Sam remarked that the Stems inspired them to learn to play the guitar. Next were the Early Hours, another band obviously inspired by the Stems. The Hoodoo Gurus would be another major influence on them. They had a few guitar problems, swapping the things out, but carried on playing their usual garage pop that got a few people dancing as the crowd numbers built up. We had at least a yearıs rumours that The Stems were reuniting. Then a week of rumours about secret warm-ups that never came off, but there they were, performing again at last. It was something I thought I would never see again. I recall seeing the Chevelles when Richard Lane was with them, and some drunk was calling for a song by The Stems. They did ³You Canıt Turn The Clock Back², as if to say ³Canıt you just accept The Stems are no more?². After waiting ten years, the last ten minutes of that wait seemed unbearable. When they finally appeared, the crowded Metropolis erupted in clapping, cheering and whistling. It was mostly an older audience, who obviously were fans since 1984. It was a CD launch for the Weed Out live CD, but I donıt think anybody mentioned that; it was ³just² a reunion to most people. They played most of the songs from the At First Sight album, the singles, plus three covers (sixties songs, of course). They played quite well considering they only had a few rehearsals. I had been listening to the Weed Out CD and the vinyl live bootleg beforehand to remind myself what they sounded like in 1986, and I think tonight was better. There were minor flaws; e.g. bass amp dying and the organ being a bit quiet at first. There still seemed to be some of that old magic when Dom and Richard got together. The highlight was ³At First Sight² with many singing along. ³Love Will Grow² also scored a singalong. Over 1300 people were having a great time (except for a few up front who got hassled by the security, who must have been watching Leni Riefenstahl films for training). After two encores, and almost ninety minutes, it was all over. I was left in no doubt as to why this band where so influential, and also thrilled knowing I could see them again the next day. As for the visuals, the paisley shirts and page boy haircuts were gone, but at least we got Laurie Marianiıs fab light show. The Stems Jack & The Beanstalk by Michael Seman Dunsborough Tavern 03/01/97 I wondered why the promoter chose this town for the final performance. It looked like mostly a young surfing crowd out for the long weekend, rather than the thirty year old fans who went the night before. But they must have heard of The Stems, or they wouldnıt have sold out at $15 (US $11.70) for just any old Saturday night. There was a queue to get in, so I missed the first band, called Trout. Jack and the Beanstalk were the other support act. They are another guitar pop band into sixties stuff like The Kinks. Singer Joe Algeri didnıt have his 12-string tonight, as he lent it to Dom Mariani. They played a lot of newer songs that werenıt known to the audience. I doubt if this mob had heard any of their songs at all. Jack and the Beanstalk played well, but didnıt get much response. Joe sarcastically remarked something like ³weıre going to turn into a cover band² before playing a John Fogerty song that drew a few more to the dance floor. At the end of the set, Joe threw his spare guitar on the floor, as he often does, but seemed more like he was pissed off rather than a theatrical flourish. If Friday was the reunion, then Saturday was the farewell. And so both a happy and sad occasion. At Dunsborough, we didnıt get the light show as at Metropolis, but the bonus here was original drummer Gary Chambers, and he even had a paisley shirt. They reordered the set with several early songs in the middle for Gary. Then Dave Shaw returned and sang his song ³My Beach². Richard Lane sang several during the night, but most were Domıs. The crowd obviously knew the songs, as they jumped about wildly with each song. The bouncers were quite liberal too, not stopping fans from leaning over the stage, or even climbing on the speakers. The Stems finished about midnight, before coming back for an encore. Dom introduced ³At First Sight² as the last song The Stems would ever play. It was an overwhelming few minutes. After the audience kept begging for more, they eventually returned for one more encore, so ³Stepping Stone² was the last. As they left the stage, fans rushed to touch them and grab the set lists. It was worth driving three hours to see this. ‹- MS ******************************************************************************** The Stems - Weed Out (House of Wax CD) ------------------------------ The Stems were the best band ever to come out of my home town. They had five singles, an EP and one album that have been inspiring power pop groups ever since. If you wanted a live record of The Stems, you had to make do with a few bootlegs on vinyl or cassette. Now, at last thereıs something on CD. Since there are only 1000 pressed, I suppose it, too, will become hard to find one day. Itıs a ten-song slice from a performance at a hotel in Perth in April 86, although the sleeve lists only nine tracks. As such, you get a few gems like ŒLove Will Grow,ı but also some mediocre stuff like ŒAll You Want Me Forı. I do wish it had some better songs like ŒAt First Sightı and ŒAlwaysı. But I am sure the fans will want to get hold of it. There canıt be much more left in the archives, so this will probably be the last thing released with The Stems name on it. ‹- MS ******************************************************************************** THE BOMBORAS chat with Bob Kondrak ------------------------------- EXPLOSIVE INSTRO-ROCK WITH BBBELLY DANCERS!!! So reads the poster hype, the first one Iıd seen after stepping off the city bus this cold clear afternoon in northwest Washington. I watch my step on icy Bellingham sidewalks on the way to 1226 State, the home of Garage Shock, but better known to locals as The 3B Beer Joint. The winter motto reads, ³$2 Pints of any micro brew everyday till 8!². Lone Star is $3 pitcher, so as the sun sets in the cold sky Iım getting faced when in walks trouble. I yell ³Hey Vic² real loud and The Makers walk over and we stand beside the pinball machine. I get the, ³just one more drunk dog whose tail wonıt wag if a bitch in heat passes by² from the band as they stare at my grinning kisser. Iım the exception in The Makers fan club, the old sod with potency problems. We talk about the Japan tour and the big article in the Sunday Spokane Spokesman-Review. Vic wants to set the record straight and says the splash in the paper was rated ³G². But heıll soon tell the tale like it is. So I ask ³Who fucked the blond Japanese doll²? The one Vic sat beside in the picture of the stir fry scene? Vic motions to (*&$) busy running a high score on ³Martian Attack². I smile and offer them my full pint of Old Crow. The cold booze is to Mikeıs liking & we chat sincere about the tour & fans like Texas Sherry. He likes her too. They leave to have dinner. Iım back to beer drinkinı and pool playinı. ³Swinging Singles² by The Bomboras, is on the barıs CD player loud. Looking around the room I wonder how a band with six members, and whose act contains elements of the pyrotechnic, the gymnastic and features a gogo dancer, will fit on the new 3B stage. I envisage a drunk crowd of frat rockers reacting to that trashy Bombora surf sound of songs welded to monster mash instrumentals using ³Comanche² flux. Midnight comes and that drunk throng is compressed in the small pit to meet Jakeıs trial by fire with burning sparklers and firecracker blasts. Finally, Ms. Spencer jumps off the edge clad in fish nets and a modest two piece, her hair soaked by the beer we tossed (half empty $3 pitchers). The next night, down in Seattle my peak comes with the interview with Jake & the band, Vic Mostly also pops a question. Many thanks to Vic for guest listing me into the room and to Jake for the pint of pricy beer. Photos/Interview... Bob Kondrak Bomboras and answers... Jake TS: Who are you? B: Iım Jake, Iım Shane, Iım Dave and thereıs Johnny and thatıs Greg. TS: Thatıs way too many voices to figure out later from tape so Iıll end up calling you all The Bomboras, like in The Makers interview all the voices were The Makers. B: Just call us The Makers. TS: This is the latest from The Bomboras (Swinging Singles CD, Dionysus). Letıs talk about the cover, did somebody Photoshop the image of the womanıs legs with the bandıs name? B: Josh Agle, Shag, did it and heıs the best. He just did the cover for Organ Grinder (10², Screaming Apple). Heıs doing our new record, It Came From Pier 13 (laughter). TS: (Pointing to the small pictures of records on the CD jacket) And he did these too? B: Yeah, he did Forbidden Planet. I did Rodan. For that, I took a picture of our shipping clerk with the mask on. And that is a side profile of Greg on Dragstrip Tease. TS: Oh yeah whatıs that statue called? B: A stone head from Easter Island. TS: In these small pictures of the Lord Hunt & the Missing Finks, the face on the end looks like you. B: Yeah, thatıs me and Dave in the middle then Greg on the other end. TS: Is Lord Hunt a ³real² character? B: Heıs Lord Hunt (pointing to Greg), but we call him Lord Gump or Lord Dump. TS: So Greg is Lord Hunt? G: No, Iım Sancho the Lover. TS: Do Lord Hunt & the Missing Finks play out? B: We have, but why bother? We have a whole band now. That was just a thing to piss off the rest of The Finks. By the way, thereıs a new Finksı record coming out at the beginning of the year. TS: I have the LP Fill ŒEr Up & Go! (Dionysus, Œ94) and then you were in the band. B: And him and him and him (points to other Bomboras). TS: OK, but on the single ³Dirty Rotten Finks² you are not pictured on the cover. B: That was an impostor band, an incarnation but not the Finks. TS: On Dionysus too! Man, when you canıt trust your label who can you trust? Whatıs the deal with that and Screaming Apple too? B: We can do what ever we want, but we signed a contract with Dionysus. We put a clause in our contract saying we could do anything we want with anybody else and all they ask is that we give them a certain amount of records or a certain number of songs each year for three years or 36 songs. We are almost finished with that so we will be shopping around. VM: (Vic Mostly) Excuse me for interrupting, but do all the bands on Dionysus sign a contract? B: No. VM: Just the Boss Martians and you guys? B: Hot Damn, Thorazine, those bands are on the Hell Yeah label. And itıs their way of separating punk rock from whatever you want to call us and The Boss Martians. Itıs foolish if you ask me. Just make one label and leave it at that. He has The Bacchus Archives and Romulan labels for reissues. TS: How did you connect with Screaming Apple? B: He just called us. I had met Richie a few times in Europe. I went to his club. Did you guys go out there? (addressing Vic Mostly) Richieıs Screaming Apple club, in Cologne, The Underground? VM: Yeah, The Makers got in trouble when we destroyed all these mannequins. They claimed it was art, but it was just mannequins. (laughs) B: Like the Handyman, Mr. Security Man, for girls driving alone at night. You put the blow up dummy with a five oıclock shadow in the car, but what if a car load of guys pulls up and gives the guy some shit and heıs not looking. TS: You were also in The Witchdoctors. B: Yeah, and so was he, and he and he. (Vic mumbles something I donıt hear.) TS: Speak up, Vic. B: He said I used to be in The Makers and they beat me up and sent me down to California. TS: So besides those two bands did you play in any punk rock bands when you were in high school? B: I was playing in The Witchdoctors when I was in high school. Before that I was in a garage band in San Diego called The Eastern Green. We were in that whole mid 8ts garage thing, like The Tell Tale Hearts, The Crawdaddys all that shit. We were johnny-cum-latelies. I was 17 when I joined The Witchdoctors. TS: There are some posters repoıd in the CD jacket and one of those contains the following... ³They all talk, fight and love just one way, Dirty.² B: Yeah! TS: Was that poster a dig on the music scene down there, that people have put you in a box? Or are you goofinı around with your image? B: We were just tryinı to be tuff guys. To get a bad-ass image. TS: I looked at it that way, as well - the attractive JD image. B: We donıt try to give off a negative image. I was just looking through a psychotronic book and I liked the poster so we put our name on it. TS: And on this I wonder about the way each side of the jacket headlines a different band. B: Lord Hunt & the Missing Finks vs. The Bomboras was just another joke, ourselves against ourselves. The whole thing is a Bomborası record. TS: God, thatıs what happens when I smoke pot and read record jackets! B: Thereıs no substance to our band, no ulterior motive. We want to get fucked up, play music and see the girls shake their asses. TS: (Itıs 10 PM and The Statics start playing upstairs.) B: Are there people up there? VM: Yeah, and by the time you guys play it will be full. You guys play next? Donıt you play after The Boss Martians? B: No, we are on next, last night we went on before The Makers. TS: I liked the line up last night, you guys got a little distructive and then the Makers came on and things really got busted. B: We have to redeem ourselves tonight because we failed so bad last night. The audience should know that we can do better than that. TS: So show them your tattoos, what the hell have you got on? B: Thatıs my Tiki, let it speak! (The group chants.) TS: And what about this logo on your shirts? B: We had those made special for the Vegas Crap Out, girls, cars, you know. TS: Cool, I saw you first in Vegas. B: That was a good show and we played just before The Makers. Big time Vegas show. We blew up an M-80 and almost got thrown out. TS: Last night people threw fireworks and lit sparklers. Do you bring the fireworks and have people throw them during the set? B: No but itıs slowly becoming a thing at our shows. Remember that fuckinı fountain? One time I lit the organ on fire and people brought out marshmallows and sticks right on time, they knew it was coming and they started cookinı. TS: I wonder about gimmicks in the music, the fiery organ, the gogo dancer? B: Itıs just like watchinı Shindig when Jerry Lee is being a wild man. Or watching Shindig and seeing gogo dancers. We only have one because she is the only one that will do it. We would have more if we could. TS: OK, man, Iım glad you make that connection, a total Shindig show, and you might want to think of a scheme for fans to do that. B: Audition fans for gogo dancers. Weıll let Sherry do it. TS: Are you playing the same organ thatıs pictured on that Finks record? B: I traded that organ for a Vox Phantom and I traded that for an Electrodan. So that original thing is long gone. The present thing has lasted for a year and itıs just starting to die. Iıll be lucky if it lasts the night. TS: The way you throw it around is taking a toll. B: I abuse that hard workinı organ and expect no less. TS: But you manage to find vintage stuff? B: Imagine what I would look like if I was up there like EMF with a Casio? (laughs) ³Unbelievable!² My first organ was a Farfisa that I bought from Sherryıs boyfriend a long time ago. Then I bought a Vox and was into Voxes for a long time. One time I played a show and stood on top of it and it collapsed. I left it at the club and knew I could not use Vox anymore. TS: You guys rock, some bands get rid of the organ cause they say it overpowers the sound. The band couldnıt kick you out. But the way you play around with that organ is a bit different than the way most bands use it. Not just stand it in the corner. The Fiends have an organ and last night it was hard to see the guy. I doubt if Greg would allow him to do anything like what you do. B: It was that crustacean growing out under his chin, eh? That scared me. We have a good rhythm section, so when I fuck up I just pretend to be playing. TS: Yeah that bit at the 3B show when you repaired the AC cord was killer. I looked away cause the stage was a wash of beer. B: I got fried like three times. I remember flipping around on the ground. TS: I thought all the bands that played last night did a good job and even with your tech problems I was glad to see you guys. B: We just wanna come out and do the hard hitting show we normally do and we were sluggish. It put it all in perspective for us cause it showed us that we may not be as cool as we think we are. TS: Who do you play with down in LA? B: Everybody that comes through town. The Makers, The Boss Martians, Deadbolt, Lune, 5,6,7,8s, whoever comes through town, they all put us on the bill. TS: So you manage to make some money? B: Every cent we make goes back into the band. The shirts, the inflatable doll collection and our sex toy collection is vast and expensive. TS: Hmm, Maybe I should look at blow up dolls as a collectable, but I couldnıt set those on fire like I do real people. B: But when you come home, no attitude! and those ³Mr. T Fist Fuckers² get expensive. TS: Are you finding those at garage sales and swap meets in LA? B: Yeah, with the rings rubbed off. (laughter) ³Bend over, I pity the fool that donıt take the fist!² TS: Shit man, this CD is a new collection, but you say you might be moving on to another label? Like Man Or Astroman went to?? VM: Touch & Go. B: Yeah K-Tel is hooking us up. TS: I thought Crown records would be your next move. B: Thatıs the Phantom Surfer thing to do. We arenıt at that level yet. TS: So the Surfers are your competition? B: Nah, there is no competition, we arenıt trying to out-smart, out-cool or out-play any band. We play to have a good time. If another band feels threatened by that itıs their problem. TS: Evan Foster says the same thing. Itıs one big happy family. B: Itıs not a contest. TS: But youıre down in LA, land of big money. B: Whereıs the big money? TS: I saw Los Straitjackets on Conan last summer. You been on TV? B: Eddie Angel is a bigwig. Whatever he does will get popular. He had the Planet Rockers. Actually, Lord Hunt is going to back up Eddie Angel on his next record. TS: Where is Lord Hunt? LH: Listen do you have this single (³Rodan/The Clutch²). The songs we have on here we recorded as a joke in a garage. The fuckups on here are just like a Link Wray record, screams and all. It amazes me how much attention is directed to this Lord Hunt project. In all honesty, we put no thought in it at all. It was just something to do on a Saturday. We wrote and recorded the songs in an afternoon. We borrowed the recording equipment and recorded in Lord Huntıs Momıs garage. TS: OK, you mention this guy Steve Hill as an engineer. Is he some vintage surf record dude or what? B: He used to be in The Witchdoctors and he was a Fink. TS: And what about the clique thing? B: We used to have a clique but we got pulled away from it because certain people had other interests or opinions about us as people. TS: You guys moving in a direction into an act, fun, excitement, not just up there playing instros. B: We have a good time. We are not acting like some art show. We are just goofy guys that say. ³Wouldnıt it be funny if we did this on stage? Letıs see if people like it.² If they donıt - we laugh about it later. One time we dressed up like cowboys on stage. Even better, we played with Deadbolt and a lot of greasy haired guys in leather jackets and tattoos showed up and we dressed like white trash. We had greased back our hair and had fake tattoos with words like ³Ford² and ³Coors² and we wore cutoffs with tank tops. We did it to goof on the bands playing. Someone wrote about it afterwards Œcause they were upset that we were changing. We laughed cause people took our band seriously. Iım surprised that people took what we did seriously. When we record as The Bomboras we might take that more seriously. We want to have good shows, but we are trying hard to shed some humor into this uptight scene. TS: The draw and the money is to get people out and let them have fun. B: The politics of it is not that heavy. TS: Yeah, and thatıs rockınıroll. B: Understand that we are just fucking off but in an orderly way and having fun. The thing is to get to the Frat party. TS: Oh No, you mention the four letter word that lots of people line up against - FRAT. B: First off, I have never been in a fraternity. TS: And you donıt play in them either? B: I go by what is stated in the back of The Kingsmenıs records. Thatıs our idea of a frat band or party, people having fun. Before we go on, I want to mention that we have added a new member. He is Johnny Davila, our new rhythm guitar player. TS: They still razzing you with initiations? JD: Nah (he smiles). B: So, are you gonna come up and have a good time? TS: Yeah, baby. Tonightıs gonna be just like last night. Thanks, Jake. ******************************************************************************** TREK TO STUPIDITY ----------------------------- Welcome to a new Teen Scene feature. Iıd consider giving a prize to the first genius who wrote in saying where the name came from, but... well, itıs not that hard; besides, I rarely have anything worth giving away. So, what is this? Included herein are stories of some of the inanities we all run into in our everyday lives. Do I hope this column will be a force for positive change? Puh-leeze. On May 10th, 1996, I got a parking ticket in New York City. In all honesty, it was my own fault. I assumed that, because Iıd parked in that spot numerous times over the years, that it was still legal. Well, anyone whoıs been parking in the East Village for the last few years should be able to tell you that there are many, many new regulations. Now, personally, the only reason I can come up with for this one is that NYC needed a cash infusion. Sure, I could park in a lot, and thereby reduce the time I take looking for a spot, but if I did that every time I came into Manhattan, Iıd go broke. See, NYC gets money whether you park illegally or not. If you get a parking ticket, well... you owe them the fine. However, if you decide to park in a lot, thereıs a ton of taxes on it. Either way, they make the money. Not a bad system. (And Iım not even gonna mention the four bucks they stick me for every time I wanna get out of NJ.) But letıs get on to the case at hand. Seeing this ticket, Roberta made sure it was paid on May 15th. Now, according to the NYC Parking Violations Bureau, you have 20 days from the issue date of your ticket to get your money in. Well, we mailed our money in that afternoon. Now, Iıve had numerous problems with the US Postal Service: they never managed to get two different packages I sent to Finland; they lost some papers I sent to the state of New Jersey; and they once took three weeks to get a bunch of Teen Scene materials over to Quisp N. Quake when he was doing my layout. Thatıs three weeks to go a distance of 50 miles, at most. Now, personally, Iıd think that they got my money there in plenty of time. After all, I had 15 days from the time I sent it to the time it was due. However, somehow, the NYC PVB only posted the payment on June 19th!!! Now, the supervisor I spoke to informed me that there was absolutely no way that it was their mistake - they post them the day they get them. (Yeah, OK, nobody there ever makes a boo-boo and drops a check under a desk. Nobody there ever says, ³Ah, itıs 5 PM, Iıll take care of it tomorrow.² Nobody there could possibly lose something in another folder, then post it later.) Allow me to provide you, esteemed reader, with a bit of background. The New York City Parking Violations Bureau charges you a fine of $10 if you are 1 - 30 days late with your payment; from 31 - 45 days, itıs a fine of $20; from 46 - 70, thatıs $30; after that, you pay interest. Now, those fines are not a simple $10, $20, & $30. Nope, theyıre cumulative. So, really, you arenıt paying $20 if youıre 31-45 days late; youıre paying $30. And, heaven forbid youıre 46 - 70 days late: then youıre going to be paying $60. (Yeah, itıs that addition thing.) Get it? Hmm... can you say SCAM? I knew you could. Donıt order yet. After all, itıs now time for the piece de resistance. You pay penalties on your penalties. What Fun City is saying, fellow/potential offender-friend-of-mine, is that it doesnıt matter whether you paid your $55 ten days late or eighty. If you didnıt pay the penalty with it, said penalty will keep accumulating those penalties. Now youıll start to understand why Iım ranting and raving. (Well, besides the fact that itıs good grist for the old mill.) It goes like this... Even if I accept the fact (which Iım probably going to have to) that they only posted payment on June 19th, theyıve had that $55 accumulating interest since that date. Meanwhile, if I hadnıt bothered to pay it until November 15th, I would have had that $55 accumulating interest. They charged me the remaining penalties on the basis of the fact that I hadnıt sent along an extra $10. (Of course, why would I? I sent in my check on May 15th - when it was on time!) I think I could (possibly) accept this whole mess if they only charged me the $10 penalty. But these guys want to make me pay a whole $60 plus interest, even though theyıre telling me I paid the flippinı fine in June. (Thoı it was really paid in mid-May, as Iıve by now reminded you way too many times.) Another interesting note... If you recall, last issue I told you about my towing debacle. Now, as I understand NYC law, your car will not be released to you until you have satisfied all penalties and fines on that vehicle. However, I was towed on July 9th. This was AFTER the penalties would have accrued to $30. Meanwhile, they didnıt ask me for that at all. In fact, they told me I was completely clear. Yup, one of those things that makes you go, ³Hmm....² Post Script: Itıs December 3rd and Iım paying them their money. Iım also sending a letter along telling them they owe me $62 (or $52 if they want to charge me a $10 fine), with an explanation of the problem. Iıll let you know how it works out. (Although Iım willing to bet theyıll tell me to get stuffed. Or, possibly, theyıll completely ignore me.) Post Post Script: In mid-February, NYC came to their senses. (Thatıs nine whole months after we paid the ticket in the first place.) They sent me a check for sixty-two dollars and some-odd cents as a rebate. How come they arenıt paying me interest? ******************************************************************************** THE DAY CUB SAID GOODBYE -------------------------------------------- Most of the following comes from a piece I wrote on my 60 Second Swinger web page (http://shell.idt.net/~blairb1/60second.html) when I first heard about Cub calling it quits. This is something that really bums me out. In May of 1993, things were pretty damned great. I was all psyched to see The Muffs first appearance on the East Coast (at The Beat in Port Chester, NY... whatta scene!). How was I to know that only five days prior to that, Iıd discover something else that made this world a better place to live in. Iıd headed in to the Continental in NYC, with Matthew T. Kaplan, Esq., to see The Smugglers. The bill was supposed to have 1313 Mockingbird Lane headlining, but evidently their bus broke down. Well, never fear, Dos Schmugs were actually touring with another group of Vancouver-ites, one all-gal trio known as Cub. It was late and I wasnıt sure if I wanted to stay, but Matthew insisted that I give Œem a chance; he said Iıd like them. Well, he was right. Immediately after the show, I bought the one single they had available with them. That Saturday, when The Smugglers played Maxwells, I asked Cub singer Lisa Marr if I could buy another - I had a penpal in Norway (Ms. Tuesday Knight of the Blind Bats) who I was pretty dang sure would absolutely flip over them... possibly as much as I had. (She did, by the way.) As time went on, Cub released a ton of fantastic records and gained a pretty good-sized audience. Perhaps the high point, for me, was the tour with The Queers and The Muffs, when I went five days straight (Philly, NYC, New Haven, Providence, and Boston.) Nowıs where we get to the part that truly upsets me... it seems that Cub are breaking up. Buried on the Mint Recordsı site (http://mintrecs.com/) are letters from the three gals (http://mintrecs.com/bands/speak/cub/bye/cub.html), Lisa G., Lisa Marr, and Robynn Iwata, all handwritten and scanned in. I guess these are supposed to explain the ³why² of it, but it seems that all thatıs being said is that itıs time for a change. Perhaps, thoı, Lisa Marrıs contains some of the most telling. She writes, ³Why itıs over is why it worked. Because itıs about having fun.² Iım guessing - and this is my interpretation, NOT fact - this means it wasnıt fun any longer. And, from various sources, I got the impression that Cubıs last tour was far from fun. There seemed to be hope, at least for a while early this year, that theyıd managed to get things rolling in the right direction again, but I guess they decided that the best course of action was to let it end. Letıs face it - if a band is no longer fun, it becomes work. And, unless youıre making a TON of money at it, I canıt see how going out on tour for months at a time can possibly be worth doing without the fun aspect. In short, Iım extremely sad about the breakup. Cub were one of my favorite groups. More importantly, I consider them to be friends. *That* part, at least, has not ended. Itıs just that I doubt Iıll see them as often now that theyıre no longer together. That said, I guess this is whatıs best for them. And that I can respect, even if I donıt particularly like it. As Lisa G. writes, part of it is about taking control of her own life, and NOT doing what her friends want her to. I believe - and hope - that the way the band has chosen to end things means that theyıve been able to part on good terms. This may sound mealy-mouthed to some of you oh-so-punk-rock types, but I believe the most important things in life are happiness and friendship. Cub, Iıll miss you. And I wish you all the best of luck in everything you do in the future. As I write, Iıve just gotten a copy of a demo tape by Nitely, four songs by Lisa Marr with The Smugglersı Dave Carswell playing guitar. These are very much Cub-type pop songs of the sort found on the second and third discs. Quite good. In addition, Lisa recently told me that she and Lisa G. are also working on a new project... ³more rock,² is the way she put it. ******************************************************************************** CUB ³T.J.²/³Sheıs A Rainbow² (spinART) ----------------------------------- This oneıs been out for nearly a year now, but I only recently picked it up. And since it seems unlikely that Iıll be reviewing too many more Cub records, I wanted to get this one in. While ³T.J.² seems to have been recorded at the same time of Box Of Hair, it seems to have more of a Come Out, Come Out feel. Itıs a nice, simple Cub melody, more mature than the innocent playfulness of Betti-Cola, but just as easy to fall in love with. The flip is a cover of The Rolling Stonesı ³Sheıs A Rainbow² that strips the song of its time-period psychedelic feel and leaves it as a wonderfully naked pop song. This is a beautiful job on an old favorite. Geez, itıs got me realizing all over again how much Iım truly going to miss Cub. ******************************************************************************** TALKING TRASH WITH SLIM CHANCE HE COLLECTS IT BY DAY, HE PROMOTES IT BY NIGHT an interview by Steve Coleman ------------------------------------------ Ask anyone. The number one place to catch the best garage bands in London and the answer until recently wouldıve been the Wild Western Room at the St. Johns Tavern. Since the beginning of the decade Iıve been lucky enough to live a short walk from the St. Johns and have wasted many an evening listening to some of the best Beat/Punk/ Garage/Surf/Rockabilly music around. It would be impossible to mention all the great shows but if pushed I would place the A- Bones, Johnıs Children and the Wildebeests near the top. That last one with only about fifteen people in attendance as everyone was down at the Garage on Highbury Corner for the El Vez gig. Most people outside London probably associate the St. Johns with Thee Headcoats and Headcoatees monthly residency. A few might even own the Live At The Western Room album which appeared on Damaged Goods in Œ94. The reality of seeing the Billy, Bruce and Tub at the venue was so much better than that record. Funny, but if my memory is right the album had about three recording attempts but still sounds like the aural equivalent of attending a Headcoats gig with a helmet on. One night I remember Sir William placing a small device above the bar and recording a bloody brilliant set, apparently the sound quality was unusable and the services of Liam Watson from Toe Rag Studios were called upon. Not that Liam (AKA Basil Bile) wouldnıt have been there as his side project the Armitage Shanks usually support Thee Headcoats anyway. Since getting an Internet account itıs been a surprise to discover the amount of global interest surrounding the venue and the bands associated with it. So much so that one Sunday in March I invited the clubıs promoter, Slim Chance, over to Kentish Town for a chat and homemade treacle tart - OK I only rolled the pastry. Before Slim collapsed with indigestion or told me to put something decent on the record player I started the cassette recorder and ran the following interview. Ladies and gentlemen here is the lowdown on the Wild Western Room (now the Dirty Water Club at the Boston Arms) according to the man responsible for all that great music - Mr. Slim Chance. Teen Scene: What attracted you to the Trash/Garage scene? Slim Chance: I was already involved with the Mod scene, on the borders of that and I had my own personal interests in the 50s RockınıRoll scene. A lot of the people that I knew from both scenes had before that been into Trash and Garage and Iıve always been more interested in the fringes than the already established. So if you look at early lists of things Iıve done youıll find that I would have had a 50s night say on a Monday, a 60s night on a Tuesday, then Wednesday would have been Psychobilly, maybe Trash, and then Thursday would have been the Headcoats or Prime Movers. It was more the people I was working with who were exposing me to influences that I might not have bothered with had I not been a promoter and so I kind of moved with the people. TS: Was this at the St. Johns Tavern? SC: No this would have been the Dublin Castle in Camden Town. The Dublin Castle would have formed, for want of putting it a better way, my style of promoting because I inherited a lot of bands that I didnıt like when I went into the Dublin Castle and I had to weed it out by bringing in bands that I did like and thatıs kind of how it happened. TS: From the flyers Iıve seen you promoted a cross-section of music. SC: Thatıs because I hadnıt got rid of the bands I didnıt particularly feel represented me and I hadnıt yet managed to bring in all the bands that I felt did. Ska is a classic example, anyone who knows me, knows that Iım interested in 60s Ska and Reggae. Now the Two Tone thing would not necessarily be my thing, but because of its connection and because the kind of people who went to see that would also be into the sixties thing, I would embrace it. The Dublin Castle was known for Madness, but at the time I went in the Dublin Castle the landlord tried to ban Reggae and Ska and I felt that was wrong because it had built its reputation on that in the first place. TS: What years were you working at the Dublin Castle? SC: I think youıd be looking at early Œ89 and I lasted for eleven months. I did what I intended to do with it. TS: From there was it a short break until the St. Johns Tavern? SC: Thatıs right. I would say three months. I went back on the buildings for a day and thought ³Iım not doing this, Iıll find another venue². Mouse, until quite recently the main DJ on the 50s scene had done a gig at the St. Johns and liked what I did and said that it wasnıt really suitable for his crowd Œcause the dance floor was too small, but would I be interested in taking it, so I went and had a look. I only really took it on the understanding that I had Friday nights already and that I could have Saturday nights as soon as I established it. The landlord took that away from me which is why we were only ever four nights a week. But once I was in and once I was involving myself in developing it as a venue you felt you must follow it through, you canıt open it and then close it, because itıs not going to be remembered and thereıs no point in promoting it if itıs not going to be remembered! TS: Did you commence by booking the same mix of bands as the Dublin Castle? SC: Well I was then in the position of where I could refuse to work with bands that had played at the Dublin for years and years like for instance the Balham Alligators. Now there are probably people out there that think the Balham Alligators are brilliant. I thought they were toss from the first time I saw them! Their style of music was too old, wasnıt authentic enough, wasnıt progressing either, so it was neither one thing or the other. TS: So for people whoıve never heard of the Balham Alligators what were they like? SC: Cajun. But the idea of a Scottish born violinist trying to sing in a Cockney/French accent just didnıt appeal to me. And I felt itıs all about doing something which makes you feel vibrant, and it didnıt make me feel vibrant. Wolfie Witcherıs Brew and all those kinds of band, were all bands that had played the Dublin Castle but you couldnıt imagine any of those bands really representing me. Some of them I did one gig at the St. Johns Tavern with, but I was more interested in, as Iıve always been interested in, is that I think scenes breed really good bands, but those bands then deserve a wider audience, no disrespect to the scenes. Thereıs a lot of us out there that like more than one style of music and so the purpose of my promoting was to put the scenes on: a Mod night, a RockınıRoll night, and slowly I progressively blurred the lines. I had Surf bands on with Mod bands and things like that, which is now perfectly acceptable, but at the time people thought it was me being cranky. Which indeed it probably was (laughs). TS: The band associated with you over the last six years is Thee Headcoats. Whatıs the story behind working with Billy Childish? SC: I did one of their earliest gigs, but not their first gig, at the Dublin Castle. But Iıd never worked with the Milkshakes or anything like that, that was before my time as a promoter. I guess we must have got on, because for a while it was the only venue that they played. Some of that may have been by booking them once a month, that was as much as Billy wanted to play anyway. Not only that but the Medway beat thing really does bridge the gap between rockınıroll à la Link Wray and Mod, and so that is how the St. Johns formula came together, and thatıs what made the St. Johns Tavern different to the Dublin Castle, whereas the Dublin Castle still had these dodgy Pub Rock bands which I was having trouble weeding out. The St. Johns didnıt have none of that. It wasnıt a venue when I went in there, whereas the Dublin Castle was, and I feel that if you go into a venue as a promoter thatıs already got a reputation then out of respect you should build on that reputation, not go in and do something totally different. That doesnıt mean it canıt be done, the Dublin Castle is now known as an Indie venue, but then thatıs almost rubbished what it was before and it achieved some great things in the past. Iım talking about before me, one of the reasons I went there and accepted it as a promoter is because it had an identity, you know the Big Town Playboys and all those bands; brilliant, good quality RınıB. To me it made good sense to bring the Clique in who were playing a different; brilliant, good quality RınıB and thatıs kind of what I did. I left the Jump Blues behind Œcause I was working with younger rockınıroll bands and they were more into Garagey RockınıRoll and Rockabilly. TS: What are your favourite memories of the St. Johns Tavern? SC: Yeah I guess I must have memories if I sit and think about it, but Iım not a memories type of person. Which I suppose I guess is why Iım still going. The Jessie Hector (guitarist/singer with UK punk band the Gorillas - Ed) gig took a long time putting together - years! And there were people who thought heıd never do it, and when he did do it at the St. Johns he had Gilles from the Clique... TS: I remember Jessie jumping on-stage for three numbers... SC: With the Aardvarks. TS: ...and he did ŒKeep on Chooglinı by Creedence Clearwater Revival. It was explosive Mod pop with echoes of the Who and Hendrix. SC: You see the man was just so brilliant but he had to have the right musicians with him and I feel that, to answer your question, Gilles the drummer and Kevin on bass, what a line-up. If that wasnıt Power Pop coming into Glam then what was! I just thought that was so brilliant, that is a gig which touched me. Meeting Phil May is another one, not so much because of working with the Pretty Things but because of Phil, I actually got on quiet well with him and Dick Taylor for that matter, but meeting Phil was something in my life. TS: For a while at the St. Johns there were some interesting re-union shows. The Wheels, the Bo Street Runners, Johnıs Children, The Mark Four/Creation and the Pretty Things. Personally, I thought some of them were terrible while others, for instance Johnıs Children and the Wheels were memorable. They appeared to work when the old heads were supported by the new garage band kids. SC: Well now youıre beginning to get to the psychology of what I was doing. Basically the 100 Club and the Marquee in the sixties when Sonny Boy Williamson or John Lee Hooker came over they hooked up with a younger band as backing musicians and so it was like a master class and because the St. Johns didnıt have a history going into the sixties, but it was obvious that thatıs where I was coming from, Iıd built its history. The Len Bright Combo backing the Pretty Things. FUCKING HELL! TS: That was Russ Wilkins and Bruce Brand from the Milkshakes along with Wreckless Eric. SC: Now that gig came together absolutely without me knowing what was going on really, otherwise Iıd have advertised it. Bruce Brand looked at me one day, half mocking and said ³Do you want to do a gig with the Pretty Things?² and I said ³Yes². So he gave me their phone number. I phoned Phil up and he came and looked at the venue, then Phil saw the stuffed donkey, the cow horns above the stage and stuff like that and he said ³Yeah, alright weıll do it, but itıs not cost effective, some of the musicians I now work with are based in America and itıs not cost effective. Iıll bring in John Coglan from Status Quo and the bloke who played sax on Gerry Raffertyıs ŒBaker Streetı², and I said ³Hold on, canıt I provide some of the musicians for you², and he said ³Who did you have in mind² and I said ³Well, Bruce Brand² as much to pay him back for the gig but fuck John Coglan, no disrespect, but thatıs not what my style of promoting was supposed to be about. And Bruce had said ³I can get a bass player, Russ Wilkins would like to do it². Then Bruce was in Paris recording with Wreckless Eric in his home studio and Bruce said to Eric ³My new bandıs doing a gig on Thursday² and Eric had said ³Oh yeah, what are they called then?², and Bruce said ³The Pretty Things². Eric said ³Fuck Off!² in his Southend accent, ³Well, if youıre in the Pretty Things, then Iım in the fucking Pretty Things² and he went out and bought the plane ticket. He turned up with a guitar and I said to Nick Garrard ³Whoıs that?² and he said ³I donıt know, I know his face but I canıt place it², so I said to Bruce ³Whoıs he?² and Bruce said ³Iım not allowed to tell you². So I went up to him and said ³Who are you?² and he said ³I donıt want to talk about it² and he got up onstage and I didnıt know it but Iıd got the Len Bright Combo. Now, if Iıd known that Iıd have billed the gig as the Pretty Bright Combo! TS: Can you explain that line-up onstage Slim? SC: YEAH! Well you got Phil May, Dick Taylor and a guy called Barclay who is now in the Pretty Things, a young guy, good guitarist. Youıd got Wreckless Eric, Russ Wilkins and youıd got Bruce Brand and then this bloody saxophone player turned up halfway through the gig with a guy who said he was his road crew or something. They plugged this saxophone through an echo chamber and into the back of the desk and flooded the whole room, the whole PA with echo. For a brief period there, some people remember Phil May echoing around the room saying ³Get rid of that fucking echo-co-co-co-o!² TS: So did they play a Pretty Things rınıb set? SC: Yes the sixties stuff. Well Phil was as good as gold, what a beautiful man, I actually told him what I wanted and he told me heıd do it. The wisdom of that was, you were at the Bo Street Runners gig, which was pure chicken in the basket. Absolute cabaret and that terrified me. That is really why I stopped. Youıll see from some of the contracts I showed you that I worked with some obscure 50s artists like DJ Fontana. The St. Johns, I guess really achieved... to have Presleyıs drummer onstage the day before Jessie Hector, to some people that will mean nothing, but to others - how on earth did I manage that one! So that was really something and then on the same time monthly lists youıd have Dave Vanian and his other band, the Phantom Chords, the Meteors new incarnation which then would have been the Johnson Family, and youıd have had the Prime Movers which of course many people still remembered as the Prisoners. TS: Werenıt Graham Day and Alan Crockford in the Prime Movers? SC: Yes and of course Wolf Howard who still works with me. You saw Wolf in Dodsonıs Dog a few weeks ago. Iıve had a working relationship with Wolf for six or so years. TS: You have strong links with the Medway bands, Dodsonıs Dog, Armitage Shanks, Sexton Ming... SC: The Medway thing really is kind of 60s rockınıroll which does bridge the gap with the 50s, but not only that itıs Punk, and so it bridges the gap also between the 60s and the 80s if you will. TS: At the Headcoats gigs thereıs one guy, heıs always there, and those of us who remember the Milkshakes occasionally think ³Is he gonna jump up onstage tonight² - Mickey Hamphire. SC: Iıve tried so hard to get Mickey to do a gig with the Masonics, his new band, and he just grins, he doesnıt... TS: Is it stage fright? SC: No I wouldnıt think so, heıs far too whizzen for that. I think he just canıt be arsed to be honest with you. I tried to do an anniversary gig, a sixth anniversary gig and I wanted the Milkshakes. Everytime I see Mickey in the audience I know people would like to see him get up onstage but what can you do, itıs the manıs decision you know. We play Masonics records and thatıs about as close as weıre gonna ever get I think. TS: So in November last year, after six years at the St. Johns Tavern there was a change of venue. How do you feel about moving from the St. Johns? SC: How do I personally feel? Well time marches on doesnıt it. Iım sure the St. Johns of today would not be the St. Johns of six months ago, it did go through a lot of changes, but what a pain in the arse that landlord was! A lovely man, but the Clique, they came in and brought their own light show, their own smoke machine, the governor went spare and told me it was peeling all the paint off the ceiling. Now thereıs no logic behind that. Of course I donıt miss that, well I donıt stop to miss things really, Iıve brought the best of it with me if you like. Apart from that, as Iıve said to you before, we kinda need a second night for the bands that donıt fit in. Some way or other the Boston thing has become a Garage/Trash night but there was of course other undercurrents to the St. Johns. TS: At the St. Johns you were booking bands Monday to Thursday and although a lot of people associate the venue with Garage music there would also be Ska or Rockabilly bands playing. SC: I would say that it was probably very close to the Maximum RockınıRoll approach to Punk rock. When you read through Maximum RockınıRoll, the British bands that theyıre interested in, Iıve had demos from nearly all of them and Iıve booked nearly all the ones from London. We were working with some of the Hardcore stuff like Joeyfat and it really did have a place as part of what we were doing, but not of course on the rockınıroll night, or the garage night. But I do miss that side of things. I guess you wouldnıt and I guess out-and-out Garage fans wouldnıt give a damn if I never worked with that kind of band again, but youıll be surprised at just how much crossover there is. TS: It was always fun to visit the Western Room and chance across a band that you wouldnıt normally see, for instance a good Rockabilly band like Cowboy Barnes and his Drinking Buddies. I get angry when I see a band take along a fan contingent, who disappear into the bar after their mates have played and then miss a blinding set by another group. SC: Of course, if you do that at the Dirty Water Club at the Boston you get saddled with karaoke so thatıs not going to happen, so thatıs done me the biggest favour of all! TS: Tell me a bit more about the Dirty Water Club Œcause youıre not far from the St. Johns? SC: No, weıve only moved to the bottom end of Junction Road and of course it was kind of accidental. The governor messed me about. I reached a point where if I wasnıt going to get a Friday night, because of my day job, I just couldnıt psychically do four nights midweek and do my day job. So I said ³I want a Friday night² so he gave me the Friday night and I put the Headcoats in and then he changed his mind and canceled it and I only found out by accident, and unfortunately his brother died in that particular week and he was having a wake on that Thursday night so that meant two Headcoat gigs in a row would have to be canceled, now I didnıt want to do that to the customers, so I deliberated over it and I phoned Strange & Blinding up - Paul and Alan, the promoters at the Boston Arms - of course theyıve been mates for some time, so they said ³Yeah, bring it in². So we just stuck posters up outside the funeral essentially, and 140 people turned up. TS: Thereıs a story that once the landlord at the St. Johns Tavern got wind that you were looking for another venue, pound notes started to flutter in front of his eyes and he approached Billy Childish direct. SC: Thatıs right! Yeah, but he hadnıt offered Billy a drink in six years and the fact that Billy didnıt drink didnıt stop it rankling. Oh, I donıt want to badmouth John Œcause I love the guy in his own way; he put up with me for six years as well as I put up with him for six years and I can be just as pedantic. But of course he was an endurance test and of course I havenıt had that kind of problem in the Boston. In fact, when I complained that the beer was too dear in the Boston they put it down. If Iıd have done that at the St. Johns, heıd have put it up and told me to mind my own business. Of course it is my business Œcause youıve got to do what you can for your customers and if youıre expecting them to stay Œtil one oıclock then theyıve got to be able to afford another pint and possible mess about with the night buses. TS: Youıre only promoting on a Thursday night at the Dirty Water Club ? SC: At the moment. I did need to consolidate and get that one night back into shape, but now Iıve done that thereıs a lot of bands that I wouldnıt book into the Thursday that I feel that I would like to do a gig with, so we might have to do some one-offs. I want a Friday night, which is not quite as important now that we have a two oıclock license which means that will give us room to do a little club after the gig which might work, it might not, but weıve got to try. TS: A two oıclock license would be a stronger pull on a Friday. Most people donıt have the hassle of getting up for work the next morning. SC: Actually thereıs a three oıclock one on a Friday if I can get it. What a pain in the arse the system is. One of the things which attracted me to promoting was that I was out every night of the week anyway as indeed we all were in the seventies and early eighties. Itıs only when it got really, really silly that we perhaps couldnıt afford to go to gigs that we didnıt really care about. TS: So promoting one night a week doesnıt give you the same degree of flexibility that you had at the St. Johns Tavern? SC: I guess flexibility is one way of looking at it. Thereıs more to Punk rock than Garage-Punk and I really do think, although I canıt honestly say that I read fanzines as often as I should, for instance Maximum RockınıRoll covers quite a variety of stuff. Now some of it, you know Iıve never been a big fan of Dogs On Rope, so if it was down to me Iıd let the dogs in and leave the punters outside! Obviously that type of Punk is outside of what I do, but some of the melodic Hardcore I would really like to do something for. TS: Would that include Toast? SC: Toast are Pop Punk I guess, no for example Screeching Weasel. I like record labels like Lookout, Empty, Estrus, even Fat Wreck Chords, and if there are bands like that in this country I would like to represent them and put stuff on. But of course itıs getting an audience for it. We did Toast on a Thursday night and it worked because they brought their own crowd. TS: That bill included an Empty Records band from Nottingham. SC: Yeah the X-Rays. But of course Iıd worked at the St. Johns with Toast and the X-Rays on other nights of the week. TS: There was a great turn out for the Toast/X-Rays gig. SC: It was a good gig as well. I mean the headline band, the Country Teasers, suffered a little bit. TS: Maybe there was too much of a contrast with the other bands. SC: Of course that wasnıt the original choice of gig, the original choice was this band the Arse Draggers or Los Ass Draggers, a Crypt band. So you wouldıve had a Crypt band and an Empty band on the same bill and that would have been more on the Pop Punk side of things. But gigs donıt often turn out the way you want them too, you get a line-up and then one band will drop out, then you find it changes. I think my style of promoting, if we can call it that to express a point, is to put on a showcase whereby if you have only heard of two of the bands you can trust me that youıll like at least one of the other two. It has worked to some degree and I have seen our type of line-ups echoed in other places. But then again Iıve seen that before I went there as well, you know Iım not doing anything that Mike Spencer didnıt do before me. TS: Mike Spencer of the Cannibals when he ran the Garage Club in the eighties. SC: Although I never actually went to it, his booking policy was not dissimilar to my own. TS: In those days it would be the Milkshakes, Stingrays, Barracudas, Prisoners, Surfadelics, X-Men, Bad Karma Beckons, Purple Things, Surfinı Lungs etc. SC: Like he would be dealing with Trash, Punk, Surf which is what I am doing. TS: Do you think the UK Trash/Garage scene is in a healthy state at present? SC: YEAH... There are some good bands coming out and of course Surf is now accepted as part of that scene whereas when I was trying to put Surf on a few years ago, unless it was Man or Astro-Man? people didnıt want to know. TS: So who are the new breed of bands to look out for at the Dirty Water Club? SC: The best way of dealing with this is to look at the bands that have played there since weıve been open. Now obviously the Headcoats are still the linchpin. Take the first gig on the 7th of November, you got Black Foot and the Voola. Now I still want our regular crowd to see them one or two times, so theyıre a band to look out for, that guy is such a frontman. TS: The black sax player dresses like a Medicine Show entertainer. SC: Yeah Rowan, who was with Jake Vegas for a while. Heıs like a more demented Screaminı Jay Hawkins with a bit of Beat poetry and a bit of Jazz. I mean heıs kind of off his head! But heıs so good at it. Now Nero Burns, their first gig failed because it was Industrial Rockabilly. They had a DAT machine and I would have been quite prepared to persevere with it in the St. Johns, but when people saw there was no drum kit they were freaking. They have a track called the ŒRiver of Sleazeı which is spot on. It has a Cramps element in there, sleazy Camden Rockabilly influences. And then we have Blue Voodoo, half the same musicians as Black Foot and the Voola and Jack and the Rippers. TS: Are these musicians from the Rocking scene? SC: Thatıs right, which is the St. Johns coming through again you see. Some of these people Iıve know for some time and I wouldnıt dream of asking for a demo tape or turning them down for a gig. If it was slightly outside of what we did then I would tolerate that Œcause I trust them, theyıve been involved for so long that you know theyıre going to give you something of quality. TS: Tell me about the Lowdown Shakinı Chills, Œcause thereıs a Headcoats connection? SC: Some people will remember me raving about a band called the Lost Souls which isnıt the Lost Souls from the eighties; itıs very like Jack OıFire on Estrus. The first gig with him they were a three piece, the girl didnıt play drums but upside down dustbins painted up like something from a Frat Shack night (monthly Trash club in London - Ed). The second gig they were down to a two piece and the third gig he was on his own and now heıs resurfaced as the Lowdown Shakinı Chills with Holly Golightly on bass and Bruce Brand on drums. Heıs less Estrus than he was but heıs still so good, bottle neck guitar, definitely a band to look out for. TS: Thereıs a strong delta blues element to their set. What I find so reassuring is that he is only around twenty, I would love to see something on record by them. SC: Well itıs gotta happen Œcause of the Headcoats connection so heıs gonna get put out anyway. But the guy, even before hooking up with Holly and Bruce, the guy was just so good. TS: You were telling me that ³The Lost Soul² had a pretty varied taste in music. SC: Yeah, we struck a chord immediately, we started talking about labels and he was into all the same kind of stuff that I was. You know that if the American bands came over to England all the time... Obviously I wouldnıt want to work with every American band but virtually every band on Estrus would have been offered a gig at the St. Johns. Every band on Get Hip would have been offered a gig at the St. Johns and so on and so forth. This guy knew all the American stuff that I would consider to be St. Johns type bands. So it was inevitable that he would become a part of what we did. TS: The Sires appear to be a band that have taken off over the last twelve months. SC: Absolutely. Well I felt about the Sires last year like I feel about the Coyote Men this. TS: For those people who have not heard of the Sires theyıve recently released an EP on Twist with a sixties Back From the Grave flavour. SC: I can hear a bit of the Cramps in there personally, but that might just be Domiıs voice. I think theyıre brilliant live and Iım with them 100%. Iıd recommend anyone who likes the things we do to persevere with that band if theyıre not used to them yet Œcause I just think that theyıre gonna go from strength to strength. Time will tell. Letıs not miss out on the Embrooks. For people who remember the Mystreated for being one of the best garage bands, which they were for a while before they became more folk-rock, then check out the Embrooks because the Embrooks have taken on where the Mystreated departed. TS: They include Mole, the drummer from the Mystreated. So what do you think makes them distinctive or better than the Mystreated? SC: Well ³better² is a word that I darenıt use, but Folk-Rock... Agghhh! Youıd never come to terms with the phrase Folk RockınıRoll would you, so bollocks, itıs not what I do although because of my policy of working with people continually Iıd do another gig with them, but Iıd have to be careful because quite a lot of the Garage crowd think that is going too far. The Mystreated are so good at it that they should be on Delirium, Œcause theyıd reach that crusty Psychedelic audience as well. They evolved slightly further than what people in England wanted. TS: Do you remember at the St. Johns Tavern when you screened ŒRiot On Sunset Stripı and the Mystreated played immediately after the film? They were a totally different band then. SC: Yes, and they were brilliant; they should have been in the film! And this is where the Embrooks come, in Œcause the Embrooks have taken it back a couple of years and started again. How long it takes them to come forwardıs another matter. But you know the Byrdsian jangly guitar sound has never been my kind of thing anyway. Make it dirty and break a string... PLEASE (laughs). TS: So thereıs a lot of good new bands appearing, but now that youıre in a larger venue why not book more US bands? SC: We tried, the Crypt Los Ass Draggers thing (from Spain - Ed). These bands say ³Yeah, weıll do it, weıll come over to London² and then they realise that theyıre not a as well known as they think are and they can only get one, possibly two gigs and then they see that theyıre not gonna make a cent, so whatıs the point. But what can I do Œcause Iıve been battling against this one since we started. TS: Are there any specific American bands youıd like to work with? SC: Iıd work with any band from any part of the world which fitted in with the formula that Iıve established. For example, bands on Crypt, Estrus or Norton. Good, well-rooted fifties bands; good, well-rooted sixties bands; good, well- rooted Punk bands; thatıs what Iıve always been about. Of course, these bands have always been there. Sometimes you get them first, sometimes you get them later and sometimes you donıt get them. If only we could provide that same kind of service for bands from all round the world. I did try and put a circuit together once and with disastrous results, but you do learn (laughs). TS: So if bands reading this would like to play the Dirty Water Club what should they do? SC: Keep us in touch with records and things like that Œcause if we canıt do it one way we can perhaps do it another. Slim would like to thank Dr Strange, Professor Blinding, DJ Paul, Shirley, Catherine, Webmaster SC and all the bands and regulars that have supported the venue move. If your band is visiting London and wants to play the venue, please send demos to : Slim Chance, ŒDirty Waterı (Thursday), The Boston Arms, 178 Junction Road, Tufnell Park, London N19, England. Check out Steve Colemanıs Dirty Water Club home page on the World Wide Web. (http://www.pro-net.co.uk/scaf/dirwat.html) Youıll find a ton of cool photos, along with the clubıs schedule and interviews with bands that gig there. ******************************************************************************** Hey Mom, The Garage Is On My Foot! - Vol 1 (DAMGOOD102LP) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Interested in hearing some of the above sounds but canıt afford the airfare? Then look out for this long playing record featuring many of the Dirty Water Clubıs favourites: Thee Headcoats, Armitage Shanks, Cee Bee Beaumont, Stewed, The Kravinı ³A²s, The Green Hornets, Jesse Hector & the Sound, The Campus Tramps and a slew of other lo-fi losers. Available on vinyl or CD and housed in a snazzy jacket with sleeve notes by Slim Chance. Released by Damaged Goods Records, PO Box 671, London E17 6NF. ******************************************************************************** Slim Chance, Phone Home ----------------------------------- Two weeks after the interview Slim left a short, cryptic message on my answering machine : ³Steve, is it too late to stop the Teen Scene interview? Come to the club on Thursday and Iıll tell you about my new plans for the venue.² So a few days later I walked to the Boston Arms hoping to gain further insight. On arrival, Paul Crittenden, the DJ, informed me that Slim had disconnected his phone and that no one had seen or heard from him all week. This all happened at the end of March and since then no one has seen or heard from him. As you would expect some people have vivid imaginations and several theories are already floating around London. Whatever the truth is, *everyone* on the Trash scene is missing Slim Chance. This guy has done so much for new and established garage bands over the years and has put together one of the best rock clubs in town. SLIM, if your reading this please get in touch with the Dirty Water Club even if it is only to let us know you are OK! In the meantime Paul Œthe DJı and Paul Œthe soundı are looking after things in your absence. The Dirty Water Club will still be there when you return. ******************************************************************************** A WEEKEND WITH THE UNTAMED YOUTH Forgive me, Brothers and Sisters, for I have once sinned against The Untamed Youth. The fingers are weak. (What the hell is he yappinı about, Jim Bob?) Well, Ben, yısee... The Untamed Youth graced New York area stages for a weekend in early November. At the time, unfortunately, I was putting the finishing touches on TS #56 and decided to hold off on writing about that most incredible of weekends. As a result, Iım here trying to figure out how the hell Iım gonna tell you about it some eight months on. Yeah, I know, I effed up. Once again, I humbly beg for mercy from both you and the boys in the band. Iıd heard a couple months earlier that the Youth might be swinginı our way soon. Seems their buddy, Joe Bargmann was gettinı hitched in Hoboken and wanted his old pals to make the celebration true. Being the true blue types they are, the Youth obliged. Pretty cool of Œem, considering that only Mace (of bass) and organ-meister Rager still live in Columbia, MO. Drummer Joel Trueblood lives out Washington-way, while olı Deke resides in sunny SoCal. So, shall we say, getting together was not gonna be the easiest thing they ever pulled off. But, hey, theyıd done it before... and this was for a worthy cause. The trick, however, was to see if they could grab another gig while they were here. Bargmannıs wedding was on a Saturday night. If they could swing a gig for Friday night, theyıd be doinı just fine. Well, Iıll cut out the suspense and just let you know that it worked out and they got a show at Maxwells in Hoboken. In fact, during the week, I was in touch with my friend Francis, who was then booking the first Saturday night each month at Continental. And he really wanted the guys to come on over to Continental to do a late-night set when they were done at Bargmannıs wedding. Now, in the meantime, Iıd been trying to find an organ for Rager to play on. The problem was that only one of my three Farfisa models is in stage-worthy shape. And thatıs the Fast 3, the one Rager used the previous trip to town. Quite honestly, that organıs just not Youth-worthy. It just canıt pump it out the way a Combo Compact does. Various calls to other people around town proved that their own Combo Compacts were in a condition at least as crappy as my own. Finally, the day of the Maxwells show, I gave Dave Amels a ring. (Some may know Dave from his organ work on the Swinginı Neckbreakersı records, among many others. Others may actually have some records by his old group, The Stepford Husbands.) Daveıs got more organs than anyone around, but I hadnıt been able to get ahold of him. That afternoon, though, I was able to catch him. Now, meanwhile, I had to go to Newark Airport to pick up Rager and Joel. Things worked out pretty well and I got those guys while Todd A. got Mace. (Derek was already in town.) We headed straight up to Maxwells from there and checked out the Combo Compact Dave had provided. (Iıd brought the Fast 3 along, just in case.) It played like a charm and that gave Rager and I some time to go grab a slice down at Benny Tudinoıs. Iım gonna be honest here... I donıt really remember who else was on the bill that night, although I seem to recall The Subsonics as being part of it, which pleased me to no end. Finally, it was time for the big event. First off, they blasted into ³Iım Goinı Away² and from right there we were on top of the world. ³Russian Roulette² added an element of danger, but then the sun shone again as they launched into one of the all-time Untamed Youth faves, ³Some Kinda Fun.² A bit later on came a particular favorite, ³Beer Bust Blues,² by the Scotsmen. And if yellow alert was sounded with ³Without A Word Of Warning,² they immediately blasted off again with ³Supercharged Steamroller.² (If you can snag a copy of the vid for this one, itıs quite enjoyable.) ³Overcast² darkened the skies, but then came ³KAPO.² Yeah, obviously this one got me dancing up a storm all over again. I wanna take a brief time-out here... Just felt like I needed to say how great it was watching them play at Maxwells this time out without needing to hold up the organ. Now back to our show. Things kept right on movinı... ³Girl & A Hot Rod,² ³The Hearse,² and that song Derek wrote for the first girl he ever loved, Miss Elly Mae Clampett, entitled, ³Hey Elly Mae.² ³Go Go Ferrari² kept up the pace, moving on to whatıs always a show highlight for me, ³Sheıs So Satisfyinı,² a number that somehow never fails to bring out the primal urge to stomp and shout and work it on out. Onto the ³Beer Medley² and then the closer, Andy Shernoffıs Statement Of Purpose for The Dictators back on Go Girl Crazy in 1975, ³I Live For Cars & Girls.² Until the Youth did it back in the late 80s, nobody wouldıve believed it was possible to cover this without coming out looking like a fool in comparison to the ŒTaters. But the Youth did themselves proud. And they did so tonight, as well. As to the encore... it was a version of The Remainsı ³Donıt Look Back.² Whatıs truly great is that we donıt really have to now: a wish of mine has come true, The Untamed Youth have a new album out and are actually doing a short East Coast tour in August. Yeah, you could say Iım a happy man. After the show, Joel and Rager came back to my place to crash out. In all honesty, it was a pretty packed house, what with a couple friends up for the occasion, as well. But it was FUN, too. Our friends had journeyed up for a damn good reason. This was the Untamed Youth! On the Saturday afternoon, Rager asked if he could practice on some of the organs Iıve got set up in the utility room. I said sure. Unfortunately, he didnıt want an audience, so I had to close the door. Of course, once I went upstairs to work on the computer I could hear everything perfectly. So Iıd like to take this opportunity to thank Rager for the private concert. We had to get moving pretty early that evening, since the boys had to get to Hoboken and set up their stuff for Bargmannıs wedding. Theyıd gotten the OK for us to attend, as well, but we just didnıt feel right about that. Besides, there was a pretty damned good show going on at Continental that night and theyıd be by towards the end of the night to entertain us again. On to Manhattan then for some wings. Things were pretty good that night at Continental. Wish I could remember who the rest of the bands were. (The Vacant Lot and Sit NıSpin stick in my mind, but I could be completely off.) Eventually, the U Youth showed up and it was time to rockınıroll all over again. Tonight they stayed away from most of the regular stuff. Theyıd played Œem the night before and again just a couple hours earlier and it seemed like it was time for something different. As a result, they had some fun. As a result, so did we, as they launched into some incredible covers, including that demented Trashmen-like take on ³Whistle Bait² that can now be found on their new disc. (See sidebar - ed.) Basically, they just went wild and had a good time. Yeah, things got wild and woolly, but that was all a part of it. Sure, the show eventually came to an end. But not before everyone was completely out of their minds in a state of happy delirium that only The Untamed Youth can inspire. This weekend had proven just why The Untamed Youth are one of the best damned bands of the past 15 years. Rockınıroll is supposed to be about having a good time - The Untamed Youth are the personification of that. Translation: The Untamed Youth are what FUN is all about. That night, as we packed up my car and crammed Joel, Rager, and Mace (who was flying out early in the AM) all in the Blairmobile, with Derek heading back to the Millers and catching a flight to LA separately, Rager said, ³Hey, Dekus, guess I wonıt see you till next year, huh?² Deke replied that this was true and Rager wished him a happy holiday season and a good New Year. Whatıs the point? Well, as The Remains once wrote, ³All Good Things... donıt have to end.² To me, it meant that the Untamed Youth really are staying together, for awhile at least. It was nice to hear. It meant, to me, that Iıd see them again soon. Everyone was pretty tired by the time we got home, so we all crashed out pretty quickly. When I woke up the next morning and went out of my room, I saw Mace on the couch, with a tired smile on his face... drinking a can of Pabst Blue Ribbon. ******************************************************************************** UNTAMED YOUTH BACK IN THE STUDIO ------------------------------------------------------------ Itıs been about seven years since the last new studio album by The Untamed Youth. And quite honestly, that was the last one I ever expected to hear. Yeah, I knew Derek and Mace were ³goinı out west where they [felt they] belonged,² but somehow even then I knew thingsıd never be the same. Thatıs why I was so psyched when I saw the Missouri lineup out at G-Shock, Œ95. (Hmm... ³psyched² probably doesnıt begin to cover it; I was ecstatic when they were on- stage.) And Iıve been on top of the world the last couple times theyıve been here, too. And the Untamed Melodies disc was a reminder of how they were one of the shining stars in the void that was the late 80s. This was one damned great band! The fact that they were playing some shows together again was cause for celebration. The boys have finally decided to take the logical next step. They now have a new disc out, Planet Mace (Estrus). So, whatıs the verdict? These guys have lost NOTHING in all those years. This disc is filled with all the elements that made The Untamed Youth fan favorites ten years back: some cool garage- punkinı, swinginı surf sounds, and the ever-present frat rock wildness. In other words, the boys have once again shown that itıs all about having a good time. Yeah, FUN is the name of the game. And itıs the national pastime on Planet Mace. So letıs get into it... They kick it off with some dirty garage-punkinı chords on ³Iıll Be Gone,² as Derek letıs the gal have it for treatinı him like crap all this time. Sheıs gonna be losing the best thing she ever had. The band crunches and Derek tells it like it is. But things really start to roll when Mace steals the mic for ³Beer Bust Blues Pt. 2.² (Why do I want to call this ³Beer Bust Blues Part Deux?²) With such couplets as, ³I ainıt got no car, ainıt got no job / I turned out to be a no-good slob² and ³There ainıt much to do Œround here / My welfare check at least keeps me in beer,² itıs pretty obvious this oneıs headed for Numero Uno on the BlairBoard charts. Lookinı for car songs? Check out ³Fire Breathinı 32² which features some dang pretty guitar work by Deke, as well as some nice clean vocals, too. ³Without A Word Of Warning² has been part of the Youth arsenal for a couple years now, and another version (performed by one of the California lineups) can be found on the live disc released on Estrus a couple years ago. I shouldnıt have to tell any true Untamed Youth fan what the title of ³F.U.J.I.M.O.² is all about. The tune itself is a fantastic surf number with both wild guitar reverb and some pretty electric piano parts twinkling around. Seems like Planet Mace has some popular sports, too. ³Mailbox Jamboree² is played with bats, but no baseballs. In fact, in this sport (known, I assume, to almost anyone who didnıt grow up in a city), itıs the batter thatıs moving and the target thatıs standing still. Whatıs amazing is just how damn enjoyable a song this is (beyond the obvious lyrical fun) As most of the group makes with the party-time chording, Rager swoops in and out, up and down on the organ. Meanwhile, Mace tells the story, ³Louisville Slugger and a case of Strohs / Take turns drivinı and youıre ready to oppose.² Ah, yes, harmless teenage fun. (Well, at least no people get hurt... thoı the mailboxes arenıt coming out of it too happily.) Next is the absolutely DEMENTED insanity of the boys taking on The Collinsı Kidsı classic, ³Whistle Bait.² This song was already a pretty wild one. How, then, could they make it their own? By channeling the genius of The Trashmen, of course. ³Ghost Wave² is one of those beautiful lonely surfer type instros and makes for the perfect end of side one. They kick off the second side with another fantastic start-up number, ³Ainıt Got A Thing,² somewhere between the late 50s and good-time mid-60s frat rockinı. This gets the party movinı all over again. Speakinı of the good times, one of the major hits of this disc has gotta be ³Life Oı The Party.² It couples a swinginı tune and a singalong chorus with some fantastic lyrics. ³I didnıt mind his type of show Till I looked into my babyıs eyes There was somethinı about this life oı the party He was better than us other guys Not an ounce of fat on his suntanned body He quoted from books I had skipped (...) The life of the party is a riot All the chicks get down and beg But if the life of the party talks to my chick Iıll proceed to break his leg.² Before long, of course, our narratorıs chick is in line to dance with this swinger and our guy just ainıt too pleased. Finally, he figures it all out... he tells the hipster all about this real cute gal and pretty soon theyıre makinı time. Well, that is, they are till the galıs boyfriend, who just happens to be the captain of the football team, comes along and turns the Life Oı The Partyıs face into mush. Allıs well that endıs well. We get a change-up thrown at us with ³Jetıs Julep,² a trip down to Memphis for some Stax-Volt styled instro cool. After that, itıs time for some more vehicular action, with ³Two Wheel Show Stopper.² Check out Maceıs lines at the end. Then itıs time for a beautiful rip on part of todayıs garage scene, with ³Iım More Punk Than You!² This oneıs got a lo-fi distortion sound on the vocal as the group goes for dirty, meaty chunk chords. The sound is extremely Mummie- fied, which is the point. With lines like ³I got 97 Billy Childish poetry books...² and ³Iım more punk than you, Iıll kick your ass,² itıs pretty obvious what the point is. And in the meantime, theyıve gotcha rockinı right along. Suddenly itıs back to the purity of good olı Untamed Youth. This oneıs called ³Beer Belly Baby.² Ragerıs organ dances along in the back while they let fly. After that, thereıs but one more, the obvious last call, an instro entitled ³Scrambler.² Itıs playing on the deep end of the guitar, singing, ³So long till next time.² The organ comes in to sing itıs own good-bye song, as well, eventually giving way once again to the guitar, which now takes it up, then returns for one last salvo from the bottom end. A proud good-bye. As I think about this disc, I realize that itıs got a ton of funny lyrics. To me, this is a fantastic thing. Music should be enjoyable. Unfortunately, far too many people seem to take it way too seriously. This is something The Untamed Youth have never done; they know that itıs all about having a good time. In a recent interview with Cosmik Debris (http://www.cosmikdebris.com), Ben Vaughn noted that his sense of humor had often gotten him filed in the novelty section, something that seemed ridiculous to him, after all, he noted, Chuck Berryıs songs were often hilarious. (Just listen to ³Dear Dad² for an example.) Geez, gang, let go and have a good time, will ya? So, take The Untamed Youthıs invitation to Planet Mace. Itıs a place where times are good, the Pabst Blue Ribbon flows freely, and people are out for a good time. But donıt forget, ³This is Maceıs Planet. We just live on it.² ******************************************************************************** WELCOME TO THE LIBRARY (shhh!) --------------------------------------------------- Last Gang In Town: The Story & Myth of The Clash (Henry Holt & Co.) by Marcus Gray reviewed by Bill Luther Along with XTC and The Jam, The Clash will always be one of my faves from ³the old days.² Unlike XTC or The Jam, Iıd been virtually clueless about the bandıs pre-history. Well, the shocking evidence is here in print! Weıre completely stunned when we learn that leader Joe Strummer was not born in a working class council estate in South London, but in Ankara, Turkey as John Mellor, the son of a Foreign Office clerk. Whatıs even more unbelievable is John(Woody to his mates, in honor of his idol Woody Guthrie) was ³public school educated.² (³Public school² in the UK is certainly not ³public,² itıs American equivalent would be an expensive private Ivy League prep-school!) So much for humble roots for rebellion! Mick Jones, through born into a lower middle class scenario is profiled extensively as a Keith Richards clone (the shoulder-length hair photos are more frightening than pics of Johnny Rottenıs ³Hawkwind² phase.) Only bassist Paul Simonon (born Gustave Antoine Simonon) fits the image weıd come to expect. He grew up in Brixton, South London where his love of West Indian ska and rocksteady sounds were fostered by his skinhead trappings (of the non-racist sort). Weıre treated first-hand to a view of Strummer and Jonesı confused political ethics and contradicting soap box operas and Strummerıs attempts to not only cover up his upbringing, but all pre-Clash musical involvement (including his pub rock band, The 101ers, who he jumped ship on to strike up the punk banner.) The book, however, is entertaining, but author Gray relies far too much on quotes from Glen Matlockıs I Was A Teenage Sex Pistol and Johnny Rottenıs No Dogs, Blacks Or Irish. But all events in Clash history/mythology are covered, ranging from their well-documented Bonds ³residency² fiasco, drummer Nicky ³Topper² Headonıs heroin battle (which at the time of writing, despite a detox-helping hand c/o Pete Townshend, he was still living with) to lesser known tales like Strummerıs ongoing war on Paul Weller and The Jam in print, or the fact tat the dreadful ³Rock The Casbah² was entirely written and put together by Topper working alone in the studio one day. Contradictory, vindictive, image-mongering, politically confused, controversial, but usually entertaining, The Clash have long been denied an extensive bio, and this is it. Or is it? Behind Blue Eyes: The Life of Pete Townshend (Dutton Press) by Geoffrey Giuliano reviewed by Bill Luther First off, letıs focus on Geoffrey Giuliano. For those not familiar with the man, heıs a hack writer well worthy of my moniker, ³The Albert Goldman Of The 90s.² I find it incredulous to believe, but he actually admits to being invited to Townshendıs home/studio in the early 70s (when Pete was running his ³Lifehouse² project), stays as a guest and has the audacity to be pissed off that Townshend asks him to leave after discovering Giuliano has helped himself into Peteıs demo closet/library and liberated some ³Tommy² demo tapes! But thatıs only one of many anecdotes. Giuliano spends more time chronicling Peteıs substance abuse battle or broken home (w/pop-star dance band parents) upbringing than he does on the actual music. Luckily, weıve all had a crack at Richard Barnesı concise, uncompromising Maximum RınıB, so Giuliano canıt possibly hope to tell us anything of musical value. But what would we expect from a man responsible for hatchet jobs on The Beatles (with help and collaboration of ex-Fab Four hangers-on, one-time acquaintances, etc.) or his latest, The Murder Of Brian Jones? Well, Geoffrey, Mr. Goldman is awaiting your arrival. Maybe we are, too. The Kinks: Well Respected Men (Castle Communi-cations) by Neville Marten and Jeffrey Hudson reviewed by Blair Buscareno Iım a Kinksı fan. That much should be obvious to anyone whoıs been reading this mag for any length of time. Be it reviews of Rayıs book and solo show, the occasional WFUN pick, my occasional rants about the bandıs greatness, or just the general feel youıll get for the kind of music I like, something shouldıve tipped you off. Knowing this is important to understanding how I feel about this book. As with most Kinksı fans today, I eagerly read anything I see to do with the band. (Well, OK, Iım not about to go out and buy something just Œcuz they write about Ray or Dave, but Iıll probably be quite happy to find a spot in the local Barnes & Noble Reading Room and spend some quality time finding out whatıs up with the Davies boys.) Anyway, after reading Rayıs fantastic ³unauthorised autobiography,² X-Ray, I was quite hyped to get some more insight into the band, this time from the outside. Thatıs where this book came in. Iıve wasted enough of your time now, so Iım going to give you my one-word review of this... thing: RUBBISH! First of all, one of these authors is, evidently, an editor of Guitarist magazine. Now, that isnıt necessarily a bad thing; unfortunately, he writes like heıs been there for twenty five years. That is to say, his writing has no joy in it; he doesnıt seem to really care for his subjects. Thatıs something I just donıt understand... if you donıt have any real feelings for your subject, why would you devote such a major portion of your life on it? Especially when itıs not likely to make you a whole hell of a lot of money. I mean, Iım a major Kinksı fan, but Iıll readily admit that there are many bands out there these days with a much larger following, and - therefore - a much larger potential customer base. This leads me to believe that maybe these guys really are Kinksı fans, but just have no idea how to show it. In fact, it seems like theyıre bending over backwards to be objective, kind of like a father coaching his sonıs Little League team and yelling more at his own kid than anyone else, just so as not to be seen as playing favorites, even if the kid really is the best on the team. I donıt know; I just canıt figure them out. Most of this book seems to consist of record reviews. As I said earlier, however, the record reviews are rarely too positive. I kept waiting to find out exactly what these guys actually liked. They managed to offend me over and over again. ³Youıre Lookinı Fine² is dismissed with two words: ³rather uninspired.² It got me wondering what these guys were looking for. I donıt listen to music for some Big Meaning or even some sort of smart arrangement; all I care about is what it sounds like. To me, ³Youıre Lookinı Fine² has a guitar riff thatıs always managed to lodge itself in my cranium for days after I listen to it, be it The Kinksı original or just hearing it covered live. (The best live version Iıve heard has to be the one ex-Heartbreakersı guitarist Walter Lure used to do with his band, The Waldos in the late 80s, early 90s.) But this review comes a few pages after the one that really set me on edge, that of my favorite Kinksı LP, The Kinks Kontroversy, described here as ³flawed.² Iım tempted to take on their one-two sentence reviews of each song and argue them here, but itıs just not worth it. If these guys canıt see the genius of this record, thereıs absolutely no hope for them. I do find it interesting how, in the one page they devote to the record, they fail to mention that Ray himself has said this is one of his favorite Kinksı records. (One interview I read a few years back had RD calling it their best.) To be fair about it, they rave about ³Waterloo Sunset.² Unfortunately, the minute they get into it, they end up in musician-muck, describing it in the following terms, ³This time itıs a B major scale with a flattened seventh note; but as Quaifeıs bass cascades down from the B, Daveıs guitar persists in playing the note, creating musical tension which is only released when everything resolves to the waiting E chord of the verse.² (p. 78) Now, maybe that kind of thing will send you musician-types into orgasmic ecstasy, but it just gets me longing for different authors. It seems as if theyıve completely missed the beauty of the song. I guess this sounds like Iım whining that they disagree with me. Well... I guess to some extent it is. And weıll never agree. Thatıs not what really bothers me, though. What really gets to me is the way theyıve put their book together. All theyıve done is string together a bunch of record reviews with reports of concerts and some interviews done along the way. Now, I guess thatıs the way many books are done. The actual writing the ³authors² have done here, though, is completely flat and uninteresting. Is this book worth buying? Well, if youıve read the rest of this review, you shouldnıt be asking. Of course, if youıre a devoted Kinksı fan, youıll probably want this for your collection. There are, after all, more pictures than exist in X-Ray - eight whole pages worth. As for the rest of you, Iıd suggest waiting till it ends up in the dollar bins. ******************************************************************************** LIVE AND OUTTASITE!!! ----------------------------------- I really didnıt think Iıd get another chance to see Cub at Maxwells. After all, theyıd just been there in early September. (Of course, they hadnıt actually played, but thatıs that whole fire thing that I mentioned last issue.) Plus, they were originally supposed to be in Europe around November, I think. And, of course, there was the fact that Todd wasnıt going to be booking the club after New Yearıs Eve. Add up those three factors and youıll probably get a sum of ³No Cub At Maxwells Ever Again.² Well, luckily, things change. The deciding factor here was that Cub didnıt end up going across the puddle, choosing instead to go on tour across the good olı US of A with They Might Be Giants, who theyıd be hooking up with the night after Maxwells in NYC. (But weıll get to that in a bit.) Anyway, Iıd found out about the show thru the wondrous posts of Sir Grant Lawrence to alt.music.banana-truffle. I was reading the Mint tours post he did, mainly out of interest in seeing what exotic locales various pals and pal-ettes would be visiting that anything else. Lo & Behold, there Œtwas - Cub at Maxwells on November 7th. Yup, I was a happy camper. We arrived about halfway thru Karpıs set. I suppose I could get all punny and tell you to switch the middle two letters in their name around to figure out what I thought of them. Honestly, I hadnıt wanted to go in after hearing them from outside the door (now I knew why Frank and Heather had been standing outdoors.) But we had deliveries to make to Robynn back by the merch table. (Mint had sent a couple packages of stuff to our place, Œcuz the ladies had requested ³More Product!²) Well, Roberta and I played UPS guy, hung around back there for a minute or two, then beat an extremely hasty retreat and went to hang out with Ms. Lisa and catch up on each otherıs goings-on. (Actually, this is one thing I love about seeing rockınıroll shows on the club level - the chance to really hang out with friends, etc., and just chat.) Finally, the gals went on, kicking into gear right off. Itıs amazing the changes that time has brought to Cub. When I first stumbled across them in May, Œ93 at the Continental, their sound was completely sweet and mid-tempo, all completely happy. Theyıve branched out quite a bit since then. At this point, theyıre a group that I canıt imagine any true rockınıroll fan not enjoying. Before, they were merely a pop loverıs dream; now theyıll please tons more folks. Tonight they blasted through tons of favorites, mainly from Box of Hair and Come Out, Come Out, but also ³Little Star² (sent out to yours truly) and ³My Chinchilla² (by someoneıs genius request.) Both of these Betti-Cola favorites were hit with a major shot of speed. As the guy on those NY Lotto commercials says after heıs cleared out the opera house, ³Cool.² (Sorry for the completely useless references, all you non NYers.) Iım not sure, but I donıt believe Iıd ever actually been to Roseland before November 8th. Cub were going on early, the first act of three, and (as it turned out) things were pretty close to schedule. Personally, I prefer shows to take a little while to get going. (Unless, of course, I need to get to another show afterwards... but thatıs a whole Œnother topic.) Now, 8 PM on a Friday night is tough for those of us living outside of Manhattan. First off, while I can pretty much be home by 3:30 if I need to, Roberta canıt always exert that kind of control. As a visiting nurse, she pretty much has to deal with things on a case-by-case basis, which occasionally means a visit starting at 4. And one never knows what itıs going to be like getting into Manhattan on a Friday evening. Well, she didnıt get home real early and when we finally got out of the house, traffic hadnıt eased up nearly enough. When we got into Manhattan, we had barely enough time to find a place to park. (Yeah... we paid to park, since (1) thereıs plenty of it up there and (2) spots on streets nearby are extremely rare these days.) We walked into Roseland about two minutes before 8 and five minutes before they went on. We had just enough time to get within about 15 feet of the stage, over on the left. I prefer to be front and center, but... well, life doesnıt always go your way, yıknow. A bit over to my left, I saw one of my students, but he didnıt hear me when I called. Anyway, the sound was completely messed up... way too much bass and drums in the mix. I was glad when Lisa sent a song out to Roberta. The night before, sheıd asked if there was anything Bird would want to hear this time and she requested, I think, ³Go Fish.² More importantly, Roberta sometimes gets upset that people dedicate things to me and not her. So this was nice, since she got a dedication all to herself. It was a decent set, not one of Cubıs best. Of course, this had more than a little bit to do with the fact that the sound was so bad. We hung out with our friends Frank & Heather afterwards, heading downstairs for a bit, then going to the V.I.P. section, a side-stage, during Magnetic Fields. Yeesh, did that band SUCK!!! Then, They Might Be Giants... well, it was entertaining for a few minutes, but after a while, Roberta and I couldnıt take it any longer. We thanked Lisa & Robynn for putting us on the list, wished them good luck on their tour and said goodnight before heading up to Blondieıs to pick up some wings to take home and munch on. One day after the thirty-first anniversary of the day I first popped open the hatch and took in the sights, the Blond Bomber, Ronnie Dawson, was playing at Maxwells. When we showed up, Wayne Hancock had just gone on. Wayneıs got more of a country-twang style than Ronnie and I canıt say as it completely floated my particular boat, but the crowd seemed to like it. Actually, I liked his voice quite a bit. And he certainly did yodel well. (Thoı yodeling didnıt exactly sit all that well with a few friends of mine.) Ronnie eventually took the stage and everyone had a ball. Ronnieıs one of those guys that learned early how to sell it with a smile. Heıs always up there on stage with a big, wide grin. His genuine good humor passes right through to the crowd and, as a result, everyoneıs dancing and laughing and carrying on. Even when they manage to get things wrong, thatıs OK. For instance, as Ronnie began a particular favorite with ³Iıll let the fat man do the fishinı / The lean man do the huntinı,² our pal, The Platterpuss, broke in with ³WHAT WILL YOU DO?² Ronnie just kinda laughed and said, ³Not yet,² and continued with the next line, ³And the smart man do the thinkinı,² then told Jeff, ³Now,² before singinı, ³Me? I Make The Love.² As per usual, Ronnieıs set included many of the favored hits, ³Action Packed,² ³Rockinı Bones,² ³Rockinitis,² etc. And by the end of the night, people were cominı up on-stage to join in on the fun, including Wayne ³The Train² Hancock, who guested on trade-off vocals with Ronnie on ³Jambalaya.² As to the band... well, I donıt believe Ronnieıs ever had a better group behind him (although part of me still longs for the rawness of the days when heıd have Vince Brnicevic on drums and Marcus the Carcass on bass.) These days, heıs got a great guitarist, as well as one of the best rhythm sections youıre ever likely to be lucky enough to hear (yeah, the High Noon bunch.) My only regret is that I didnıt go see Œem again two weeks later at the old Big Kahuna on Broadway. Yet another weekend spent at Maxwells. (Yeah, I was trying to get in as many trips as I possibly could before what looked like the end.) This time it was a Saturday evening with The Swinginı Neckbreakers and The Fleshtones. Oddly enough, The Fleshtones had the earlier slot. Worse yet, Iım trying to write this five months later and I canıt remember a blinking thing. So... youıll have to do without. Read on, MacDull. I canıt remember if it was Friday the 6th or Saturday the 7th, though the haze in my brain seems to point to the latter... YEAH! That was it. Now I remember. See, Ms. Lisa Furlong was leaving town the following Monday and Iıd wanted to hang with her at the ŒFMU Record Fair in the late afternoon before heading on to the nightıs festivities. Thing is, it was a pretty lousy night out. So I ended up just kinda sitting in and working on the TS web page. Then watching Star Trek , etc. Bluesman showed at a bit after nine and I was still upstairs. By the time I got a move on and we left, it was nearly 9:20. Even without any traffic, we still didnıt make it to Brownies in time to see The Gnats. (Sorry, guys. Mea culpa... mostly. Of course, O Quisp, if youıdıa done like I asked and given me a true start time, I mightıve swung it. No, no... thatıs not fair.) Next up were The Unband. As I said to one friend, ³Sometimes crap is art... and sometimes crap is just plain CRAP!² As I moved further and further to the back of the bar, one guy sitting there said, ³Just what I had in mind.² Yup. Loud crap with no redeeming virtues. Eventually (THANKFULLY!), The Prissteens took the stage. Once again, they kicked it out but good. All the (soon-to-be) hits, including the cover of ³Sooprize Package For Mr. Mineo,² ³Hey Billy² (³I got my own song!² sez Bill P.), and those tough-chick girl group numbers they do (the ones that really hit me hard.) Make this bunch come to your town. Even thoı The Upper Crust were due up next, Bluesguy and I split for Continental, as The Lyres were set to play pretty soon. We got there and another Beantown bunch was still rockinı out, all Cramps-like (kinda), The Strange Men. Pretty good, actually, thoı I thought the lead singer was a bit too big of a ham. Definitely into the garage-surf mode, but with that big bottom-heavy Cramps kick. I guess Iıd have to say that their biggest hit was when they brought on ³Amazona,² a gal-pal of theirıs dressed in animal-skin stuff, with really long legs. She danced, as they pounded out a primitive cave beat. Kinda cool, actually, thoı the call on the conch shell to get her on- stage was one of the weakest calls-on-the-conch-shell Iıve ever heard. (And you know Iıve heard Œem all.) Next up, of course, were Conolly & Co. ŒCept for one prob... they were nowhere to be found. Like I said, it was a truly crappy night. Up in Connecticut, evidently, it was snowing something fierce. However, the band was soldiering on (they called a friend in town and asked her to relay the msg to the club that they were on their way.) So The Strange Men came back on to play some more. After about 6 songs, though, at about 1:45 AM, The Lyres finally made it. They got on and proceeded to tear the place apart. They just went wild. The crowd (what was left of it) went right along, too. They ripped thru the hits as we jumped and shouted, making me wanna just go crazy all night long. Yeah, I was damn happy. Perhaps the highlight of the night, though, was when I noticed bassist Rick Corraccio had taken over lead vocals on some new song, a real-cool garage number with just the right bit of aging. First off, the song was one of the best new songs Iıve heard out of the band in quite some time; secondly, Rick sounded fantastic on lead vox. Afterwards, I asked him the name of the song. ³In The Alley,² he replied. I told him he sounded great. He came back by telling me it was completely nerve-wracking; heıs just used to being in the shadows, not the spot. So who wrote it? ³I did,² said Rick. WOW! Evidently heıs got THREE new ones for the band. I hope they get around to recording more of these. I think this can only help the band. After all, it means Jeff doesnıt have to worry about singing the whole set, plus it takes some pressure off him to write all the material, which is something fans have been wondering about of late. Besides, if anyone can write true Lyresı material besides Jeff, it would have to be Rick; after all, heıs been in The Lyres for more years than anyone except Conolly, as far as I can tell. Originally, Iıd thought that Saturday December 14th was going to be my last-ever trip to Maxwells. Since Ms. Jodyıs gonna be booking there in Œ97, thoı, that outcome seems pretty unlikely. Maxwells as we know it is already far from what it was... the food is currently a thing of the past, for one; the jukebox, once lovingly stocked with fantastic singles from the 50s thru the present, has been replaced by a CD version, ordered before Jody was hired... which means it came stocked generically - Eagles, etc.; and in the back room, a big neon sign hangs over the bar, proclaiming that the place is a ³BREWERY.² Yippee. So Maxwells has lost its cool. Be that as it may, it hasnıt yet become another Hoboken meat market. That may come in time, but at least some breathing time has been bought. Jodyıs got Sleepy LaBeef coming in January, a show I doubt Iıll show for, but at least itıs an indication that sheıs going to have some decent acts. Also, sheıs told me that The Oblivians will be coming through in February. Plus, that Black Thursday, after the show, I introduced her to Mike Sin of The Insomniacs and they, too, may play the club early on in her tenure. So Iım hopeful. Anyway... December 14th saw me at Maxwells again. I purposely wore the same Voodoo Dollsı shirt as Iıd had on two days earlier. Sort of a reminder. (By the way, said being did not approach me this night.) First up were the Demolition Doll Rods, a group Iıd seen a couple years earlier at the same club and absolutely despised. Iıd walked out by the second song, along with many others, including some of their old friends. Tonight, though, I decided to give Œem a chance. Theyıve become much more popular in the meantime, so there was the added energy in the air. I picked my way up to within a couple rows of the front and actually found myself enjoying the show. Now, no way am I gonna tell you I like the group as much as guitarist Dan Krohaıs old bunch, The Gories, but I will say that theyıve come a long, long way. Some damn fine material, done in much the same manner as The Gories did, albeit trashier. Now, itıs hard to mention the DDR without remarking upon their apparel: personally, Iım not all that interested in looking at Danıs skinny body wrapped in cellophane, with biscuits hiding his nipples; their drummer, however, looked extremely cute with those little sombreros, barely covering her breasts, bouncing up and down with each whack on the skins; and Margaret, the go-go gal that inspired the start of this mag some six and a half years ago... well, she in her cellophane, meat wrapped inside over part of her breasts... letıs just say she looks at least as good now as then. All that aside, I have to say they finally have the goods to back it up. After all, if a guy wants to see a live sex show, thereıre places for that. Thatıs not to say itıs not enjoyable... just that thereıs no way in hell Iıd stick around to watch a crappy band just Œcuz they had mostly-naked women on-stage. As it turns out, Margaret has a strong, commanding voice, a real stage presence, and an easy familiarity with an audience. Her voice can be Mae West-sultry, and she can belt out a greasy R&B number with the best of Œem. Dan provides some cool guitar sounds, while their drummer (Christine?) keeps a steady beat pulsing throughout. After that first experience some time back, I canıt believe Iım writing this, but... Iım actually goig to make sure I see them next time theyıre in town. Finally, the nightıs main event... Mr. Rhythm, ANDRE WILLIAMS!!! On-stage with him was a six piece band (drums, guitar, stand-up bass, tenor sax, trumpet, and keys), plus a four man vocal group, The Four Dollars. Before I say anything else, Iıd like to mention that these guys were superb. Iıve gotta ask around and find out if theyıve recorded at all on their own. Anyway, Andre (decked out in a top-notch mustard-colored suit) kicked in with the favorites, including a rousing rendition of ³Riot In Cell Block #9.² Eventually, he took a breather, leaving the Four Dollars to entertain us with a stirring rendition of ³In The Still Of The Night.² Back on then, with a dark, pin-striped suit, Andre got it going. ³We havenıt even got started yet!² When he hit ³Bacon Fat,² the crowd was jumpinı. ³Jailbait,² of course, brought the house down. And the Four Dollars were in their element, providing the backing pleas to the judge to be merciful. ³Weekend Man² turned out to be one of the highlights for me, as the boys got to really shine. Much as I loved ³Greasy Chicken,² (Bluesman, of course, mentioned my cooking) with Margaret getting up on-stage and shakinı it, much to Andreıs delight (forget them, you shoulda seen the looks on the faces of the Four Dollars!), it was ³Is It True?² that got me stompinı like a madman. In the encore, everyone got a chuckle out of the dirty, nasty things Andre was cominı up with for St. Nick and his wife. (She was waitinı for him, ³Butt Naked!²) When one of the ŒDollars, said ³Ho-Ho-Ho, Merry Christmas,² I nearly lost it laughing. Yeah, this was a fun night. Thanks to Norton Records for bringing Andre back to the attention of the garage set. First time I think Iıd heard anything about The Gramblers was when my pal Mike from Alabama told me about a show theyıd be doing on my b-day in mid- November. Well, as luck would have it, I couldnıt make it. Not long thereafter, my friend Johna also gave me a good report. So I figured Iıd have to get around to seeing them. So when I ran into a couple of the guys at that Lyresı show and they told me theyıd be doing Continental on Monday the 23rd, I figured, ³Well, Iıve got that week off... no excuses.² Of course, Iıd forgotten to ask what time theyıd be on. Luckily, I still had Continentalıs monthly calendar with me, so I could at least see who was at the top of the pecking order. Just to make sure, though, I stopped in at Continentalıs web site (http://www.nytrash.com/continental). As it turned out, the calendar had one extra band listed. For some reason, even though The Gramblers were second only to Cat House (the group that wasnıt playing), I still showed up at 10:30. Ah... weeknight gigs in NYC. Iıd forgotten how wonderful it is to be able get a parking spot across the street from the club. Back in Œ89-ı90, when I was at Continental Divide every Monday night, it was almost like I had a spot reserved for me. Now, though, I rarely get in on weeknights and end up spending eons parking. And then I feel like Iım parking in front of the building in Joeıs Apartment (which I watched with LJ and Roberta the Sunday night before Xmas... not bad, but nothing great.) When I arrived, there was a three-piece on that I quickly deduced to be from Long Island. (Being a native of said isle, myself, the WBAB sticker on the amp seemed to be a giveaway, not to mention the look and sound.) I think they were called Mother Galaxy. Unfortunately, it soon became apparent theyıd just gone on. I took a walk over to Kimıs Underground, spending the next half hour or so looking through their used LPs... there were about 3 good ones, all of which I had. (I did almost buy an extra copy of The Slaves LP, though.) I got back and MG were just finishing up. (Hallelujah.) Next up were The Swingers, half guys, half gals. A distinct improvement over Mother Galaxy, but, really, nothing Iıd go out of my way for. The vocalist went in for that big, powerful female vocal thing that only works if you write music to fit it. Hell, maybe herıs did... I just didnıt like it. There were exceptions in the set... I liked their version of The Carsı ³My Best Friendıs Girlfriend.² Also cool was when the guitarist (who looked a bit like Robert Plant... or maybe it was just the hair) took over the mike for a song. THEN they sounded like a cool power pop group. Really good, even though he rushed it a bit. Also decent was their Ramones-y Christmas offering (which they finished up with), featuring their bass player on lead vox. Hmm... maybe Iım just trying to say that Iıd like this band better if the guys sang. (Guess that puts a dent in the theory that I like any band with gals in it, huh?) OK, finally time for the band I came to see. (Yeah, by now itıs about 12:30.) Not too many folks are around, but itıs far from empty. Slowly, as the bandıs set gets underway, a few of their friends dribble in (many are, like the band itself, Tower Recordsı employees, whoıve gotta deal with the Xmas retail crap.) They start off with a cool instro, not quite surf. In fact, they lace their set with a bunch of these types, proving, firstly, that instro rockınıroll can be pretty wild stuff when itıs done right. In fact, I found the bandıs non- vocal material to be among their best, as it gave their lead guitarist a chance to really fly. He was pretty amazing, too, and not in an annoying technical way, but in a psychotic, out-of-control, I-hope-this-goes-on-forever way. The one problem I have with the band is the amount of covers they do. Maybe this wouldnıt bother me as much if they did more obscure stuff, but I canıt say for sure. On the other hand, I canıt fault their choice of covers (³Talkinı Bout You,² ³Roberta,² etc.) Even their version of ³Money² was fun to hear, Œcuz it wasnıt done straight... they let it stretch out and GO. And they finished up with a pretty damn cool version of ³Youıre Gonna Miss Me,² a number not enough bands deign to touch any more. Iım hoping to see these guys get some better gigs. They deserve some opening slots on good garage bills around town. Of course, I wouldnıt call them pure garage, but, then, the genre has widened considerably in the past 10 years. Check these guys out. About three months after the fact, Iım remembering about the message I received via e-mail back in January. It was from some guy Iıd never heard of and I was on a list of at least 50 people, only one of whom Iı recognized. This looked like Spam-Spam-Spam-Spam. But I decided to read it. As it turned out, this guy could write. The message said that this band, who played fun three- chord rockınıroll, were playing in a seminary basement on 9th Avenue. Hmm... And it was free. I decided to get in touch with the guy. Since heıd said theyıd take requests, I asked for ³Farmer John.² To my surprise, he said theyıd oblige. So I passed the info on to a couple friends, stuffed Andy and the Bluesman in the Blairmobile, and headed down. We walked to a main desk and were directed to walk in the courtyard till we got to the church, pass it and make a left, and go in some doors, then downstairs. Suddenly, we found ourselves in a square blockıs worth of college quad-like serenity, in the midst of Manhattan. Beautiful. We went downstairs to find a rec room. We walked in to see a pool table immediately in front of us. Not one of those pay ones in a bar, but a normal one. Actually, more like the one we had at my basement growing up, with not quite enough room on all sides, and cues missing their tips. Much cooler that way. On the side we were on, there were some booths along the wall (which we plopped our stuff in), with the band setting up in the corner. On the right side of the room, there were tables and couches, and even a piano. In the far corner, a bar. All the tables had snacks sitting out (chips, pretzels, some candy, and even cookies were all there). And there was beer and soda there, too. Yeah, theyıd done it all up out of their own pockets. As time wore on, a few more of my friends showed up, including a couple of The Church Keys. The band, The Hi-Balls, a two-guitar-and drum trio, finally took the stage for what was to be the first of two sets. Or so they thought. After jumping into some fun, asbilled, three chord rockınıroll, the word came down from above that theyıd have to stop. It was simply too loud. And this after only about six songs. We were disappointed; weıd been having fun. They were probably much more disappointed. And friends of ours kept arriving after that. We hung out for quite some time, though. It was just a fun atmosphere for a party. On the positive side, The Hi-Balls met The Church Keys and now theyıre actually playing some actual club dates around town, including Continental and the Lakeside. The Bluesman and Mike Sin never got back to me on Sat. evening, so after getting thru half of Xena, Warrior Princess (donıt worry, I taped the rest, so I could watch it when I got home... That show is *hilarious!*), I hopped into my Smurfmobile and pointed it towards the Luna Lounge on Ludlow for the Sit NıSpin record release shindig. I remember when the World Famous Blue Jays used to play the Ludlow St. Cafe Thursday nights in Œ88 or so. It was the only bar on the block and parking was a simple thing. Now thereıs at least *four* flippinı major hangouts on that stretch. I actually saw a long line waiting to get into the Ludlow! Somehow I lucked out and got a parking spot across the street from my target. Iıll skip the pre-show conversations and move on to the back room. (Donıt worry... the opening band sounded so horrifically atonal that I didnıt head back till 5 minutes before S NıS went on.) Hotfoot Lozito and I were the only two standing right in front of the band. Most people were sitting on these couch/bench things. VERY weird. And the DJ either didnıt have a mixer or he had no idea how to do a segue. Cool show by Sit NıSpin highlighting their new disc. Heap big cheers for Hotfootıs hotfootinı on stage for Soul Finger. And the gals on the side were LOVINı it! I thought about splitting with Pat over to Don Hillıs for The Fathoms, who he says are a dang good surf outfit, but Iıd never heard Œem and I backed down upon hearing the $10 price tag. (After all, Iıd just ordered 200 wings for my AntiSuperbowl party, as well as bought a crapload of junk food and soda for the thing.) Instead, I headed over to Continental. Turns out my timing was pretty good... I only needed to waste fifteen minutes driving around the block before someone pulled out of a corner spot on 7th whilst I waited for the red light to turn green on 1st Ave. (Well... uh, OK... I didnıt really wait.) Got over to Continental and there was a flippinı line out there! A line! Outside Continental! The place where the Skeever tossed his cookies before Iggy Pop. But I hung out, Œcuz The Prissteens were due on. As it turned out, enough idiots left that I was able to get in and weasel my way up front in time for the start of their set. Some damn fine rockinanrollinı. Next up were the Candy Snatchers. I was fine on stayinı up front and dealing with the slammers, but when the singer decided to get bloody, I backed off. I guess maybe Iım getting old and paranoid, but the idea of someoneıs blood getting on me just doesnıt thrill me these days. Iıd like to live a while longer. Now, by this time, I figured it was time to go home... almost 2. I was bummed that I hadnıt known that Nashville Pussy (ex-9 Lb. Hammer) were on the bill earlier, but past is past. I hung a bit longer, chatting for a while with Gramblersı singer Jeremy, and kinda dragged my butt on leaving, chatting for a bit with the Solamente Recordsı duo. They headed over to the Lakeside, but by that point Iıd figured out that another band must be goinı on. (Another bunch of guys was settinı up gear. Call me Sherlock.) They get up on-stage, bass guy with a Teengen shirt and the singer says, ³Hi, weıre The Spaceshits from Montreal.² They certainly were. WOW! These guys were damn fun in a loud Supercharger with some T-Gen bits type way. They knew how to dip into the garage standards, too... nice cover of ³Going Away Baby.² Talked to Œem afterwards and bought their double 7² on Sympathy. They said theyıll be back to record a new single next month. They donıt know if theyıll be playinı a show or not, but theyıre gonna try and hook it up. Check Œem out. On February 6th, I was at Maxwells once again. The headliners were Los Straitjackets, with The Prissteens in the support slot. Much as I love the latter and like the former, though, I was there primarily for the opening act, The Omega Men. A couple issues back, Bill Luther wrote a short piece on them, but this was my first chance to see this group, comprised mainly of ex-Cellar Dwellers (a group that did one of the early Get Hip 45s.) Except for one song that the groupıs drummer had attached to an e-mail message, I hadnıt really heard the group. Still, theyıd been in a group Iıd liked quite a bit almost ten years back, theyıre old friends, and they came highly recommended by Bill. So how were they? AMAZING!!! They get my vote for best thing to happen to the East Coast scene this year. My only complaint is that the soundguy didnıt have a clue how to deal with Susanıs Hammond organ (Evidently, during sound check, he kept referring to it as the ³piano.²) ; this meant she was never loud enough. And, for a group that relies on the organ to provide a good piece of the melody line, this can be a problem. I solved it by standing right in front of the stage, by Susan, so I could hear all that primo organ playing. The group has two distinct sides that work well together. First, the instrumental sound (about two thirds of their set, at least), which recalls The Mar-Keys, but with a nastier, garagey tone. For any of those idiots out there who believe that all instro is surf... hereıs proof to the contrary. Not only that, but this stuff really swings. I really want to see them do this in front of a packed house. Their other side features guitarist Jonathan on lead vocals. WOW! He blows into this stuff with an aggression and attitude that I havenıt heard in a long time. Nasty-ass garage rockinı. This is a group to watch. That weekend, The Headless Horsemen did another reunion. The last one was at Coney Island High in December of Œ95 for GarageRage. This time they were out on their own. The old crowd was, of course, in place. The faithful never forget. And the guys reminded us just why. From ³Jumpinı In The Night² through a cover of The Kinksı ³Sittinı On My Sofa² and into their own classics, like ³Canıt Help But Shake,² they proved that they can still do it any time they damn well please. Honestly, Iım writing this too far after the fact to do right by the band. (Lucky for you, I hear thereıs an article on them in the new ish of Feline Frenzy.) Hopefully, theyıll do another gig soon and Iıll get this right. I missed The Oblivians at Maxwells on the 14th Œcuz, well... it was Valentineıs Day and I figured I ought to be spending it with Roberta and I knew darn well she wasnıt gonna want to see this bunch. As it turned out, after a really fantastic dinner, we fell asleep around 9:30 and didnıt wake up for nearly twelve hours. Dead to the world. So it wasnıt till the next night that I got around to seeing the Memphis boys. Somehow, Bluesman and I managed to show up at Coney Island High way too early, so we spent quite a bit of time at See Hear looking thru the Œzines. When they finally went on, The Oblivians ripped thru a much shorter set than the one theyıd reportedly done the previous evening. Seeing as that one was some two hours long, I canıt say I was all that disappointed. Donıt get me wrong, I really did these guys live, but thereıs some bands I just donıt want to watch for that long. The Oblivians, to me, need to be enjoyed at the highest intensity. Thatıs probably why I donıt think Iıll ever top the experience of seeing Œem out at GarageShock, Œ94, where they played to a packed house of fans going completely nuts. Tonight, thoı, they gave it their all, and what there was of the crowd responded. Donıt get me wrong, the place wasnıt empty, but it wasnıt nearly as jammed as I thought it deserved to be. (Nor, for that matter, was it as crowded as Iıd - for some reason - expected.) They crashed through many of the favorites, as well as a ton I didnıt know, having not bought one of their records for some time now. (Like I said, I love Œem live, but... well, on record, they havenıt done as much for me.) After they were done, I headed around the corner to the Continental, where The Lures were already in full swing. For the out-of-towners, this is ex- Heartbreaker Walter Lureıs group and they play pretty much the same stuff he did in the Waldos. Which is to say that heıs still playing a ton of old Heartbreakersı songs, as well as some others that heıs written in the past ten years that sound much like the older ones. A couple people I know from out-of- town saw this bunch late last summer and couldnıt believe Walter was still doing this stuff; they thought it was somehow laughable. Now, these are guys who are into some incredible music, otherwise, but here I have to disagree with them completely. OK, so heıs still doing the same kinda thing as he did 20 years ago, but I canıt see whatıs wrong with that. What should he being doing? Playing MOR crap? Heck, I donıt see them laughing at Iggy doing the same thing he did over 25 years ago. Granted, Walter isnıt as popular as Iggy, but he still manages to have a great time doing this music and the crowd has a great time besides. I walked in that night and had to squeeze like mad to get up front. Once up there I could feel the joy people were getting out of singing along and dancing like fiends to these great sounds. What could possibly be wrong with that? I hope Walter keeps playing for as long as it makes him happy. ŒCuz I think thereıll always be people who want to see him. Next up were The Trick Babys, another group that rank among NYCıs top acts. This group is incredibly solid, musically speaking, boasting the incredible Mitro on guitar, Brett W. on the big bottom, and the Dog on drums. Fronting them, of course, is the phenomenal Lynne Von, whoıs got perhaps the best stage presence of anyone I see on a regular basis. Top that off with a rich, powerful voice and songs that any group would be proud to call their own and youıre bound to get something special. This bunch plays faster than Lynneıs last group, DaWillys, but thatıs probably a good thing, otherwise the NYC bunch would forever be comparing them and that wouldnıt be fair to the Trick Babys. I only wish I could get out to see them more. Tonightıs set kicked off with ³Cadillac Bra,² and hit ³Born To Be This Way,² ³Big Four Door² and other faves on the way to ³Bad For Ya.² The funniest sight of the night, thoı would have to be the guy goinı nuts up front. Said Lynne, ³Look, weıve got Lou Diamond Phillips on acid up here.² Remind me to get Bluesman to bring the vid over to the Skeeverıs. Maybe we can get it up on the CapSoul web page for everyone to see. (Who knows, maybe Steveıll also post some of Bluesguyıs Obliviansı vid.) The next night was one Iıd been looking forward to for quite some time. I first heard The Element 79 when I met guitarist Michael Daboll at GarageShock, Œ95 and he handed me a copy of the bandıs debut 45, ³Upstairs² (360 Twist). I flipped out over their Œ84 Miracle Workersı take on the sounds of Œ66 and became an immediate fan. This was a trio that gave me what I really wanted in a garage act. The fact that they lived in Denver meant I wouldnıt be seeing them live, as far as I knew, but I contented myself with the idea that Iıd get to hear some cool new sounds every once in a while. Then came TrebleFest the First and I got my chance to see the group live. WOW! Only one bad thing about it... no matter how I looked at it, they were still a Denver band. And Denverıs a loooong way from the Big Apple. On the other hand, Michael said they might tour. Well, as the new year came, so did word that The Element 79 and The Hectics were gonna tour. Great! But in February?!? I mean, sure, they got lucky... it was a pretty wimpy winter here in the NYC area. But they also played in Rochester and Buffalo. And there was a ton of snow up there. Who the heck tours in the middle of winter in the Northeast? Ruminations about their sanity aside, I was damned happy. So I arrived fairly early to Continental this Sunday night. I figured that arriving by 10:00 would be OK, since the club had told me that The Hectics would probably hit the stage around 11:30, with the Element 79 about 12:15, then Mondo Topless at 1. (Itıs a good thing I had the next two days off for Presidentıs Day.) This way Iıd have time to hang out with the bands for a bit. Well... when I arrived, I soon found out that things were much further behind schedule than Iıd been led to believe. The band that was due up three before the Hectics had just gone on. And, quite honestly, they pretty much bit the biggy. So much so that Bluesguy and I took off for a while. Thankfully, The Churchkeys were playing over at the Lakeside. We only made it over in time for the last five songs of the set, but it was still well worth the time, Œcuz they were doing their thing with style. Back, then, to the Continental. That last band was just finishing up and it was time for the next. I canıt remember their name, but they were pretty good, actually. I saw a couple faces I used to see at garage shows some years back. The band had some good melodic punk stuff happening and were definitely worth dancing to. I was happy. Till the next group came on. This bunch was waaaaaay too cabaret for me. And they went on FOREVER. A bunch of us went next door (yeah, Sunday thru Thursdays at Continental are free, so you can go in and out) and had pizza. Thank God for St. Markıs Pizza. It mustıve been about 1:15 in the AM when The Hectics finally took the stage. Geez, I thought theyıd never get on. What really annoyed me, though, was that theyıd come all the way from Denver and the crowd had definitely thinned out. Of course, considering most of the bands that had been booked that night, itıs not likely that many of those people wouldıve dug the groupıs Supercharger-styled garage-punkinı. Still, a few mightıve enjoyed it enough to stick around had they been on a couple hours earlier. Not only that, but they only got to play like seven or eight songs. Next up were The Element 79. By this time it had to be at least 2 and these guys deserved a much bigger crowd. Iıd run into a few people over at the Lakeside who really wouldıve loved these guys, but none of them could make it thanks to the time. They went through a set of a bunch of their recordings, plus some other stuff they hadnıt set down yet. Those of you who didnıt show up, well... I understand, since it was a Sunday night (luckily, it was the night before Presidentıs Day, which meant I could sleep in), but you really missed out. This was (yeah, unfortunately, theyıre now past tense... see the news section) a truly great garage group, on the order of the early Miracle Workers. On Saturday the 22nd, I found myself at a fairly new venue, the Arlene Grocery, for a gig starring the Prissteens, with the Churchkeys supporting, and the Lowbrows kicking it off. Well, actually, Bluesguy and I didnıt show up till just after the latter bunch came off, so we made our apologies and said our how- doıs to the rest of the gang. Bluesman chose the back of the club, while I took a spot next to the bar up front. The Churchkeys were sounding damn good this night and I realized that Iıve actually begun to know the words on a number of their songs. Sometimes when Iım listening to them I get the same feeling I used to get playing street soccer with my brothers when I was a kid... just a good time, thatıs all. Nothing deep or earth-shattering, nothing overdone; some chunky guitars romping around played by a band that loves its ale. The Prissteens have established themselves as a major force on the NYC music scene, playing to pretty good crowds just about every time out. And every one of those crowds has a good time. Itıs hard to say what my fave songs are by them, but if I had to pick Iıd go for the ones that vary the most from their mainline, be they slower girl-group-filled-with-Xena or the faster, rockier types that they tend to hit towards the end of the night. Tonightıs set was no exception to their give-it-good-every-time rule. Iıd like to see them out of town sometime... maybe out in Bethlehem or something. Somehow, I never did end up getting down to the Frying Pan to see the Lowbrows & the Ton-Ups on Friday the 28th, opting instead to watch a couple movies with Roberta, including Switchblade Sisters, which was perfect, considering it didnıt get into the VCR before midnight. I hit March head-on. A Saturday afternoon call to the Bluesman and a ring from Mike Sin set the stage for the evening. The Bluesman got to my place around 8:45 or so and we took off almost immediately. This meant that I missed Xena (no Warrior Princess for me that night), but Roberta taped it, so Iıll eventually get to it.) Now, my game plan for the evening was pretty clear: first, get rid of some crappy CDs; second, check out The Churchkeys and The Creatures of the Golden Dawn; and, finally, head over to Brownies for however much was left of the show over there. Hopefully, thatıd mean Iıd get to see about half the Prissteensı set, but I wasnıt holding my breath. The astute reader will have noticed that I was once again trying to catch two shows in one night. Once again, Iım going to complain about it. Sure, Iıll agree, it may seem like an embarrassment of riches to those of you who live in areas where youıre lucky to get one good show every month or two. Or worse. (And people wonder why I donıt want to move?) Yeah, well, Iıll agree that itıs better to have to pick between shows than to sit around waiting week after week for that next big show. But, honestly, it really bothers me when I have to make a choice like this. I knew I could catch The Churchkeys without any conflicts, but there was bound to be some overlap - at least! - between The Prissteens and The Creatures. That stinks, Œcuz itıs bound to cut into both crowds. Honestly, the NYC scene isnıt as large as it was in 1985 (when it could fill the old Ritz with The Vipers and The Mosquitos playing.) Anyway... Bluesman and I found parking pretty easily, only a couple blocks from Brownies. We walked over there to find out the relative times. Unfortunately, the Mean Reds had had to cancel, so it looked like things were gonna go off pretty much on time. Honestly, if this group had been playing, we mightıve stuck around for a bit, since some old friends of mine are involved. But they werenıt, so we headed for St. Markıs between 2nd & 3rd, a block Iıve often thought of as one of Manhattanıs most lively, with tons of stores, at least 6 record shops, some eateries, and (these days) See Hear, one of the most famous Œzine emporiums in the country. My objective, as stated earlier, was to get rid of a couple truly horrendous CDs. First stop was the Kimıs location, where I was told their buyer was gone for the evening. That meant I had to head to Sounds, a place Iıve had some truly lousy luck with over the years, often getting at most a buck a disc. Tonight, though, they had a different buyer. And I left with over three bucks per. (Now, in other parts of the country, that may seem pretty piddling, but around here thatıs not bad at all. For me, itıs fantastic.) So I immediately took my money and went and picked up that Lyresı disc over at Kimıs. (See the CD Reviews. ‹- ed.) I said my good-byes to the Bluesman, telling him I was heading over to Continental. He told me heıd see me at Brownies. No problem. Around the corner then, for me. The Churchkeys were setting up when I arrived, but it took a while for Œem to finally get on the stage. Why? Well, Ms. Susan had drawn the short straw and gotten the car-parking duties. These days, parking in the East Village is worse than parking in Hoboken. Now, that probably means absolutely nothing to out-of-towners, but... letıs just say it took our heroine over a half an hour to get the job done. Now, while thatıs no record, itıs still one heckuva royal pain in the aah-aah. She was pretty dang POd. And I knew exactly where she was coming from, having gone through the same thing myself so many times. Well... they finally took the stage and proceeded to do one of their best shows in quite some time. I keep waiting for Dave Crider to pick them up for Estrus and write about Œem as originators of ³Ale RockTM.² Now, I donıt drink the golden ale, myself, but this foursome has been really getting me going of late. I truly enjoy Œem. The combination of ex-Talismen Jon Chalmers and Doug Del Femine on guitars is once again a true joy. My fave vocalist in the band is drummer Bill Paitch, who seems to handle these duties more than most. Billıs got an engaging vocal style that just draws the listener in. Even when I canıt understand what the heck the lyric is, his character comes shining through. The groupıs sound is a bit muddy, but it just rocks along in a true good-time way, letting it all hang out just for kicks. As an added bonus, along for the ride most of the time these days (including this night) is ex-A-Bonesı hornblower, Lars Espensen on sax. He just adds fuel to the campfire, kinda like squirting gasoline to watch the flames shoot skywards tryinı to burn down the moon. Next up were The Creatures of the Golden Dawn. Iıve been seeing this group, in one form or another, for ten years. Thereıve been ups and downs in that time, but I believe that vocalist Mark Smith (the only original member left) has finally found his absolute best lineup. All these guys can play well, and they add some good backing vocals to round things out. Tonight may have been the best Iıve seen the group in years. In fact, Iıd have to rank it in the top 3 Creaturesı shows Iıve ever seen. (And, considering that I used to drive out to their hometown of Bethlehem, PA to see them on a regular basis some years back, thatıs truly saying something.) Simply put, they rocked like mad tonight. They hit the chunky garage punkers with power and played it cool on the psych poppers, like ³Cynthia Cellophane.² I kept wanting them to let up, so Iıd have an excuse to bolt over to Brownies to catch some of The Prissteens, but they werenıt letting go, just blowing me outta my head over and over again. Iım really looking forward to their next disc. With that, my pal Chris and I hightailed it out the door, trying to get over to Brownies before the Prissteens finished up. Mike Sin caught up with us about halfway there, wondering why Iıd bolted without him. (Sorry, Mike, I truly didnıt know you were coming.) As we got nearer to the club, we saw something strange... a line. A line? Outside Brownies? Of course, the place was jam-packed; The Upper Crust were headlining. These guys just pack Œem in. So, we stood on the line. (Meanwhile, Iım getting horrible visions of being at Tunnel one night when Wildgirl was DJing, standing around waiting for some girl to say we were OK, deserving to be customers. Eventually, we realized what schmucks we were and pointed the Blairmobile towards Hoboken, to catch The Raunch Hands at Maxwells. Now, some of you may wonder why we werenıt there in the first place. Well... this was during the Raunch Handsı ³metal² period, when they were completely sax-less. Honestly, it wasnıt a good time for them, musically. And weıd known it would be an unspectacular show, musically speaking. But at least there weıd be hanging out with some friends in a cool place. And at least they did their always cool cover of Van Halenıs ³Everybody Wants Some,² with Chandlerıs middle bit about him, a girl, and some potato salad.) But we were talking about standing outside Brownies, werenıt we? Nothing like a little digression. So the three of us are standing there, with a good 10-15 others ahead of us and the lineıs not moving much. The only time anyone would go in was when someone left. Hell, there was condensation inside the windows Œcuz of all the people. Soon a gal showed up who was desperate to see the Crust. Chris soon left Œcuz he just didnıt feel like dealing with this kinda crap. Mike said heıd wait till The Upper Crust hit their first notes. (In case you hadnıt guessed, weıd missed The Prissteens completely.) He did. Then he left. About the first song and all but 3 of the people in front of me got in. Not that it did me any good; I was still outside. Then I caught the eye of one of the guys who works at the club. Weıve known each other from hanging out over the years, talking when the occasion arose, etc. He books some of the clubıs shows and I could see him tell the doorguy to let me in. Now, I could also see the doorguy saying that he really couldnıt do that, just pick me out of the line and jump me ahead of everyone else. It just wasnıt fair. (See, Brownies is not the Tunnel!) So the guy said heıd take the next five. Thanks, Dee. I really do appreciate it. So, I only missed two songs of The Upper Crust. Now, funny thing is, I donıt remember too much about the show, even though Iım only writing this a week later. The show wasnıt much different than any other they do. But that doesnıt matter... theyıre just great. Oh yeah... Nat had some problems with ³RockınıRoll Butler,² but nobody cared. They actually came back for two encores this night. And everyone probably couldıve gone for a few more. After that, it was over to the Lakeside to finish out the night. Some great sounds on the jukebox, some good friends to talk to... It wouldıve been a perfect night if I somehow couldıve seen The Prissteens, too. New York City - home of the Solar System Nightlife: the Mars Bar, Luna Lounge and, host to my fun of Saturday March 22nd, the Mercury Lounge. Why the hellıd I just go through that stupid inanity? Probably Œcuz itıs been on my mind of late and I keep saying it to people. This way, maybe Iıll shut up about the stupid bit. Bluesman (whoıd just had a birthday the previous night), Andy, and I arrived pretty early. The plan was to make it in time for the opening act, who were slotted for 9 PM. Of course, this time we managed to get parking fairly easily and actually arrived by then. And, as luck would have it, nobody was gonna go on for at least another 30-45 minutes. That, of course, was a good thing, since a number of our pals and pal-ettes had done like us and made an early evening appearance. Eventually, it was time for The Vacant Lot to go on. I made my way to the line and found my least favorite person right near me. He, of course, being drunk, decides to start talking and hanging on me. I told him I just didnıt want to deal with him, to please stay away and we wouldnıt have any problem. He kept harping on it. Things escalated. No, there wasnıt any violence. Before this guy could start any real trouble, the club bounced him. I was as surprised as he was. Unlike him, though, I was kinda glad. In the back of my mind, though, I felt kinda bad for him, Œcuz I know he was probably looking forward to this night. Still, if youıre gonna get that obnoxious on a regular basis, youıre taking your chances every time. I got inside just as the band launched into their set. Tonight included a healthy mix of the newer material and the old. Sadly, I donıt think the crowd has ever given the groupıs newer material the same attention as the songs from the first incarnation of the band. Even so, people seemed to be in an extremely Friday night mood. And, yeah, I was up there dancing for a good piece of the set. For me, the eveningıs crown belonged to the next group to take the stage, The Insomniacs. I know Iıve written it a gazillion times in the past couple years, but these guys have come a long, long way. Musicıs a weird thing: some bands seem to shoot to the top of the heap and have nowhere left to go; others, like these guys, build slowly and steadily until it seems like everyone has finally figured out just how damn good they are. An explosive mix of Mod, psych-pop, and garage raving that has finally lodged itself in the collective cranium of the garage crowd. Tonightıs set included a bunch of songs from their new disc on Estrus (see the reviews - Ed.) A few songs in, they launched into ³Jump & Dance,² probably one of the biggest fan favorites with the hometown crowd. Every time they play this one, the crowd starts bouncing wildly. Iım glad they stuck it early on in the set, Œcuz as soon as they do that, the crowdıs completely with them. The big surprise of the set came when drummer Mike Sinocchi took the lead vocal on a 60s obscuro by The Gaunga Dyns. And, of course, the Mike Sin Appreciation Society (girls down front) went absolutely wild. Finally, it was time for The Swinginı Neckbreakers. These guys must run 10 miles a day or something. I just canıt think how else they could come up with the endurance to keep up that kind of energy level for such a long damn set. At this point in time, thereıs absolutely no need to explain what these guys are all about. I do, however, have to report that the set got mixed reviews. Some of the audience still proclaim these guys the absolute tops in garage-rocking action. Others, however, feel that something just seems kinda... off. I canıt explain it. Maybe itıd help if the set was compacted more. I do have to compliment them on doing a cover of ³Super Stuff.² Every time they hit that one, Iım singinı along and dancing like an idiot. I was all set to catch The Gain on Thursday March 27th at the Pyramid. Problem was, I got there and found a big Master lock on the door. So I went over to the Lakeside for an hour. When I came back, I saw the colored lights on above the door, with a beefy bouncer guy in the doorway. I asked when The Gain would be going on. ³Huh?² ³The Gain... what time is their set?² ³Oh... the bands,² he said, ³Theyıre not playing tonight.² ³What happened?² ³Some bullshit with the Fire Marshall. The bands will be here on Tuesday, instead.² Now, since The Gain were on a cross-country tour, it seemed rather unlikely theyıd be playing that gig. Besides that, I really couldnıt be staying out late on a Tuesday night... especially since the marking period was ending the next day. I was also psyched to see The Omega Men that Saturday night at Under Acme. Unfortunately, the incredible Hammond-playing Ms. Susan had the flu all week and they had to cancel. Right now Iım just putting my best face on and looking forward to their next show in town, May 17th at Don Hillıs. Speaking of Don Hillıs, thatıs where I found myself on Saturday April 5th. Firs on the bill were Gas Money, a South Jersey/Philly area group whoıve recently released an Estrus single. Given that background, I was somewhat surprised by their sound. To be fair, I havenıt heard the 45. Even so, theyıre an atypical Estrus act, far more to the rockabilly side of life than the garage. Unfortunately, I canıt say as they really thrilled me (thoı the song introduced as the A-side of the single was quite good). Friends say that they were much better in their earlier incarnation, Blue Gene Blue. Next up were The Exotics, a Wisconsin instro group that Iıd heard good things about. Iıd come for the next group, but these guys were the ones that ruled the night. They did a loooong set - all instro - that just kept getting better. And, while they did do a couple surf numbers, they lent their strength to Pat Lozitoıs argument that not all instro is surf (contrary to the rather putrid popular opinion) with a bit of hot rod, some country leanings, some straight ahead rockinı, etc. Best of all, almost every blinkinı thing they did was highly danceable. And the crowd was completely into it. This thing Lo-Fi Leeıs got goinı on at Don Hillıs evidently has its own set of fans; people who donıt actually go to the other garage/surf-oriented shows in town show up at this thing. Thatıs extremely cool, too, Œcuz it means that more people are getting into this stuff... better yet, this crowd really gets into dancing, rather than simply standing around. I was dancinı around like a maniac. The Exotics gave way to The Bent Scepters, a group Iıd been wanting to see for a couple years. Being a big organ fan, I was extremely psyched to see them bring a Farfisa Combo Compact onto the stage with them. They started off pretty well, but the energy level of the show tended to be uneven. They were at their best on covers like ³Midnight To Six² (probably the best song they did), ³Youıll Be Sorry Now², and The Fleshtonesı ³Screaminı Skull². Overall, I liked them, but decided that, while they have the potential to be incredible, they just hadnıt quite managed it. Also, they shouldıve gone on before The Exotics... it wouldıve made the build-up that much better. Lastly came a psychobilly band from Europe. By this time it was after 2 AM (which, since this was clock-changing night, meant it was actually 3.) Not many people were left and I told my friend Jeff Iıd give them two songs. If they hadnıt captured my attention by then, I was heading home. So, thereıs the gang sitting in a booth, while Iım up waiting to see what happens. About one minute in and I realized these guys were just not my mug of root beer. I looked at Andy, he nodded and then started laughing. Turns out heıd asked Jeff how long he thought itıd take me to make the motion. Jeff told him what Iıd said; Andy had evidently known better. Friday April 11th was time for me to hit the Mercury Lounge. This one featured alternating sets by The Church Keys and The Phantom Surfers. I showed up about midway through the former groupıs set. This bunch is playing quite a bit around town and, honestly, Iım hoping theyıll start making more road trips, so as to get themselves known outside our area. Theyıre getting pretty good. Some damn fun rockinroll. Guitarist Jon Chalmers is a constant source of amazement and main vocalist Bill Paitch (all of the band take vocal duties on one song or another) is the real find of the group. There are songs where he appears to just be running on with the general gist of a story-line. And it always works perfectly. Canıt wait to hear a record by Œem. Itıs been a while since I last saw The Phantom Surfers and thereıs been a line-up change. (Though I guess at least the SF crowd already knew this.) Evidently, Johnny Bartlett decided to call it quits, so the band decided to keep things in the family and the Mighty Maz moved out from behind the kit, handing the sticks to his ex-Mummies mate, Russell Quan, while he picked up the guitar. And itıs always a pleasure to see Russell in a band. Heıs just one of those people who belongs on-stage. For that matter, the whole group is. Mike Lucas spent the entire first set moving with a verse/story hear and there about ³Old Shep². That and alternating with Mel as a sort of comedy duo. And Russell would throw in completely out-of-the-blue musical jokes, falling into ³Glad All Over² or whatever whenever the moment seemed inappropriate. Best of all, thoı, came in the second set when Russell came out front to sing a few. Not living in SF, Iıve never seen the Count Backwurds, so this gave me a taste of what that must be like. Russellıs just a damn WILDMAN! The next night Iıd been waiting for even longer. Thing is, I still wasnıt exactly sure of my schedule for the night even that morning. The Dictators, Patti Smith, and many more were playing a benefit at Brownies; The Fleshtones were playing the Lakeside (occupancy 74) for free; and The Nines, Sit NıSpin, and The Lyres were at the Continental. Not only that, but thereıd been flyers saying that The Optic Nerve were playing that one, too. Unfortunately, they hadnıt been in the ad, so things were suspect on that score. The decision was made then, for Bluesman and I to drive by Continental at 9 and find out the deal. We did and their name wasnıt on the door. Now, much as we like The Nines (both as a band and as old pals), we knew that there was no way we were willing to sit inside Continental from 9:30 till the end of The Lyres if the Optic Nerve werenıt playing. We could catch The Nines and then go over to the Lakeside and see The Fleshtones, then come back. But, oh, thereıs that annoying little obstacle... if you do that then youıre gonna have to pay Continental twice; thereıs that no re-entry thing theyıve got on weekends. We decided that we wanted to see The Fleshtones. Rather obviously, we were at the Lakeside extremely early. Thatıs OK, thoı, Œcuz so were a few of our friends, as well as the boys in the band. So we all got a chance to hang out, listen to the best jukebox around (including more than a few Kinksı kuts) and ease our way into the evening. When they guys finally took the stage, things were really filling up. To be honest, it was jammed. In fact, I ended up being really glad Iıd shown up so early. This was probably the best Fleshtones set Iıve seen in a couple years now. They were completely ON, playing a ton of newer material and only throwing in a couple old favorites (e.g. ³Three Fevers², ³Cominı In Dead Stick²). I doubt most of the crowd knew many of these songs. It just didnıt matter. Everyone was feeling the power of one of the best rockınıroll bands on the planet. Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, passers-by on Avenue B looked in and stayed there, some starting to dance on the sidewalk. Eventually, theyıd come in. And that just kept happening over and over. It made me think of those liner notes written about the band long ago. The writer had, back around Œ78 or so, happened upon the band and leaned over to ask someone who they were. The guy looked at him like he was from another planet, ³Theyıre THE FLESHTONES, man!² Tonight felt like that could be happening all over again. They werenıt resting on the old songs - requests for those were greeted with ³You had 20 years to hear that.² - tonight they were just gonna rock it up and have a ball. And so did the whole crowd. Surprise of the night? Probably in the encore, when they tore through Jonathan Richmanıs ³Iım A Little Airplane.² WOW! Thatıs right... theyıre THE FLESHTONES! Whereıve you been? But the night was far from over, as a whole bunch of us streamed out of the Lakeside in pockets of twos, threes, and fours, heading for the Continental. I walked in just as the band had started. Things seemed a bit emptier than Iıd expected, but I knew that was about to change, as the crowd from The Fleshtones made it over here. The Lyres, too, were in supercharged mode this night. While they didnıt really do anything truly new, it was great to see bassist Rick Corraccio take the mic on one song again. And they did three or four Kinksı songs, including ³You Canıt Win² and ³I Need You². The power - the whole set - was overwhelming. Here, at least, there was a bit of room to dance, and my friend Kelly and I made good use of that, dancing up a storm. After the set, everyone went back to Lakeside to wind down the evening. Since then Iıve heard the two bands I saw this night will be playing together up at the Middle East in Boston on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, with The Prissteens joining in the fun. The last time I saw the Fleshtones and Lyres together was down in DC about five years ago. This should be a killer show, well worth a 220 mile drive. April 25th meant seeing a band Iıve been waiting to see for a couple years now, The Bomboras. Now, while I like the other bands on the bill, I knew damn well that this was the band that was really bringing me down. And they did NOT disappoint. Iıd like to pretend that I knew all their stuff (since I did snag a set list), but Iım gonna play it honest. Of course, I do have most of their stuff, so I did know a bit of it, like ³Pier 13², the excellent ³Sheıll Do You Wrong² (one of the crunchy vocal garage pounders), ³Bombora Stomp,² and ³Organ Grinder.² And, like any self-respecting garage/surf fan, of course I knew what the answer was to ³What time is it?² Thatıs right, ³Chunky² time. Iıll never be able to listen to this one, though, without thinking of the excellent version the Raunch Hands used to do. Even so, this bunch did it damn well. The small beach balls thrown out earlier in the set by the bandıs go-go gal were also a nice touch, as was when they set the cymbals, the top of the guitar, and the aluminum coating the Farfisa all on fire at the same time. But the music was the big thing. The first few things I remember getting by them were all pretty much surf-oriented. And they still do that stuff well. But theyıve evolved beyond that. Sure, theyıre mostly instrumental, but a ton of it is heavier, with the lead often taken by Jake on organ. And you know that makes me happy. Even when the organıs not taking the point, itıs filling out the sound brilliantly. Damn, I wish The Bomboras lived here. I hadnıt seen Cordell Jackson in a few years. As she started her first number, the sound crapped out on her and we had to wait about 10 minutes. In that time, she told some fun stories. Thing is, when she started back in, I began to realize that, contrary to her sonıs advice not to sing, I preferred when sheıd do that, Œcuz it meant there was a real structure to what she was doing. I like her style, but sometimes I couldnıt really see that the number had any direction. Such is life. The first time I saw the Flat Duo Jets, about 7 or 8 years ago, I was in awe. Iıd never seen/heard anything quite like them. And the next few years went pretty much like that. The last couple years, though, itıs seemed like Dexterıs spent more time just taking his guitar and letting it just use him to get out its aggressions. In other words, unlike the genius recordings, so many of the live shows you just werenıt hearing songs. Tonight, there was a bit of the guitar goings-on, but mainly it was songs. And this is a guy who has a ton of great ones, not to mention knowledge of a ton of 50s and 60s obscuros as well as the standards. Originals included ³My Life, My Love,² while standards showed up in the form of ³Train Kept A Rolling² and ³Rockhouse². All the way through, though, he and Crow were right on, and the crowd knew it and responded in kind. Once upon a time, I used to go out to Bethlehem, PA at least twice a month; sometimes Iıd even hit the four or five mark. Iıve gotten older, though, and my lifeıs changed significantly. On Saturday April 26th, though, I knew I was heading out there, Œcuz The Insomniacs were playing. When they play out at the Funhouse, I can be pretty sure Iıll see a bunch of the NJ crowd, along with some old friends from when I used to make the trek more frequently. Bluesman got to my house just as Star Trek: Deep Space Nine was finishing up for the night. I finished taping some 45s to be reviewed for this ish, he grabbed the boom box that serves as my car stereo, and we hit the road. Iıll skip the drive, as it was uneventful (meaning I kept close watch on the speedometer, as Rt. 78 is where Iıve twice been the rather unhappy recipient of a gift from the NJ troopers). Once in the Christmas City, I made a beeline for 3rd St. Chicken for some wings & logs. (For a video of this momentous occasion, contact the Bluesman through this mag.) 3rd Street shuts down at 10, so we walked up the hill to the Funhouse. Way too early, of course, but a foray to the backyard showed theyıd built a deck with tables since my last trip six or seven months earlier. Or maybe this is just the first time Iıd noticed. Either way, when we came back out, Insomniacsı guitarist Bob Woj and his gal-pal, Erica, had made their appearance. A few minutes later and more of the gang had arrived, so we went out back and hung out till the guys were ready to play. (Yeah, after three paragraphs warm-up, Iım getting to that. So much for ³Just the facts,² huh? Iıd been under the impression they were gonna do two sets, but they clocked in with a full three. (Not bad for three bucks. And, for those of you who like to imbibe, the beerıs damn cheap, too.) This means we got about 40-45 songs out of the guys this night. To me, this is a great thing, Œcuz I believe theyıre the best band around the NYC metro area right now. A night like this translates into them mining the back catalog, as well as doing covers they donıt do as often as they once did. On that front, we heard ³Iıll Make You Happy² and ³Try It², along with ³You Make It Move². As to originals, well... the whole night started off with ³My Favorite Story,² their first big fuzz-monster from way back on the first 45. I still donıt understand why they donıt do this one more regularly. Maybe itıs just a matter of not wanting to always play the old stuff. The set also featured quite a few tracks from the new disc (see the CD reviews - ed.), including ³God I Need It², ³Help Murder Police², ³Donıt Turn Away², and ³Long Cigarette,² not to mention one of my all-time favorite Insomniacsı numbers, ³Sylvia Grey.² The night had its problems, as well. The sound, for instance. It seemed there were at least four different sets of hands trying to deal with it. One of them graciously bowed out quickly. The pair that were supposed to be taking care of things seemed to do so when the spirit moved them. A third pair was obviously rather intoxicated. The other one knew what they were doing, but as soon as theyıd turn around, one of the other ones would have moved everything again. The other sound problem came Œcuz of the physical limitations of the eveningıs PA; there were only two vocal inputs. That meant drummer Mike Sin didnıt have a mic, leaving poor Bob Woj to go it alone on backing vocals. Bob can handle himself fine, but Iım too used to hearing many of those songs with Mike and him together on those. Other things of note... Mark Smith of The Creatures joined the guys on lead vocals at the beginning of, I think, the second set. I believe it was even an old Creaturesı number, although I couldnıt quite make out what Mark was singing at the time. Things sounded good, though... Iıd been kinda wondering if they were gonna do their newest cover, ³Stick With Her² by the Gaunga Dyns (fantastic article on them in Brown Paper Sack ‹- ed.), since Mike does lead vox on that. No problem, thoı, as David simply passed the whole stand back to Mike, brought it down, and they launched in... Overall, the night was fantastic. While the Funhouse is a place for the boys to let their hair down, that doesnıt mean they donıt play it for all theyıre worth. Rather, the energy level was supercharged and they were kicking it out like nobodyıs business. Saturday, May the 10th, saw Bluesguy showing up at my place a bit after ten, ready once again to join me in our constant quest for (as Bill Kelly calls it) ³real rockınıroll.² Tonight featured quite a few choices, but there was no doubt in my mind that a bill with The Vacant Lot and The Original Sins was gonna take the cake. Of course, the fact that we had so many choices meant that the crowd was fairly sparse, a fact the bands couldnıt help but notice. Such is life. Blues and I had missed the first two acts and, as it turned out, we showed up only a couple minutes before The Vacant Lot took the stage. They launched in with one of their early hits, ³Good As Gone,² a number that, in those days, wouldıve gotten the place moving right away. Of course, the place wouldıve been jammed then for either one of these groups, no matter who else was in town. Well, letıs face it, time goes by, people change, other people move on, and the new ones... well, they donıt always know what came before and what value it has now. As to the bandıs performance... it was pretty good, not their best. There were some songs I mightıve preferred slower, and others I might have enjoyed at a faster pace. But those are personal calls. The only real flaw, from my perspective, was that the guitars just werenıt loud enough. I remember seeing the Vacant Lot (first LP lineup) out in Bethlehem, PA at the 4Gıs one night. Ben Vaughn was trying to work with the sound system. He started out by trying to bring Peteıs voice out to the front. Now, Pete has a good voice, but the groupıs sound then demanded that the guitars and vocal be either equal in volume or that the guitars slightly overpower the voice. I think Iıd still like to hear that... it was kind of a ³tidal wave of sound.² So, guys, turn it UP! The songs tonight sounded good, what with a cover of ³One Fine Day² for Jeff and a version of the bandıs classic ³Blue My Mind² for yours truly. Next up were The Original Sins, who had their latest t-shirt design with them, featuring the slogan ³10 Years, 3 Chords, No Hits.² Unfortunately, they only had a few. Since I knew Iıd be seeing them again fairly soon, I opted to let the less privileged make off with the booty. Yeah, I know, Iım a helluva guy. And, to them, youıre welcome. Tonightıs set had an short guideline list that the band deviated from when they heard requests they wanted to play. The show began with ³Letıs Have A Party² and moved on a ways into ³Nowıs The Time² and ³Watch You Dance² and a few others before settling on a pair of new ones that had a bit too much funk in their psychedelia for my personal tastes. The third and last of the new ones, however, rocked things up a bit, which put a smile on my face. As I said, they did a ton of requests, both for covers and originals, with ³Why You Love Me So² and ³Out of My Mind² (both from The Hardest Way LP) being played in response to my own yelling for them. (This is not to say they pay attention to me over anyone else... after all, they didnıt do ³Coca Cola (Sweet)² or ³Sheıs On My Side.²) Somehow, I knew Vacant Lot front man Pete Ciccone would ask them for Wreckless Ericıs ³Whole Wide World². They consented, even though ex-drummer Dave Ferrara was filling in and didnıt really know the song. Really, though, Iım not sure JT does, either, since he usually only gets the lyrics right on about one verse plus the chorus. Not that it matters. And another fulfilled request came when The Platterpuss stole JTıs line for the 487th time, yelling out, ŒWhaddaya mean, you donıt have any ice tea?ı And they said what-the-hell and did ³Donut Shop.² The surprise of the night came with a pretty rockinı version of ³Why,² but I think one of my favorite moments came when I heard them slow it down with ³Read Your Mind,² one of my faves of the slower numbers on Big Soul. Also from that LP tonight came ³Not Gonna Be Alright.² A damn good (and fairly lengthy) set from the Sins this time out. I showed up at the Mercury Lounge a bit before 10 PM on Wednesday May 14th. The Bad Popes had the stage and Mike was writhing all over the place, doing his damnedest to entertain and getting the job done well. Some nasty garage and punk with some blues flashes thrown in for good measure. I think Iıd prefer to see them with a packed house thatıs just loose enough to let it out. And Mike would no doubt rise to the occasion. The reason I was out on a weeknight, however, was the reappearance of The Friggs. Itıs hard for me to believe that itıs only been a bit over a year since that show at Under Acme. The group had been nothing short of amazing that evening. That it was to be the last appearance of the Jezebel-fronted lineup was not yet known. Perhaps there were signs of the possibility, I guess, to those of us who were close to the band, but I, for one, chose to ignore them. But within a couple of months, the news was out that both Jezebel and drummer Kami had left the group. And we thought that was it for The Friggs. By midsummer, however, guitarist Palmyra Delran and bassist Sookie Von Trapp had fresh recruits. A few gigs were done in Philly, but I heard of nothing happening in NYC. Finally, however, this show was booked. I expected a reasonable bunch of people to show up, considering it was a Wednesday night. Iıd never had bet money, however, that the place would be as crowded as it was. And it was crowded. My main curiosity had to be what the new singer would be like. Ms. Jezebel, to me, was in a class by herself. Sheıs one of those people that can grab attention and keep it focused and entertained, seemingly without effort. Could the new front-gal do so, as well? She came up on-stage, a silver-black outfit on, pretty face and blondish hair looking a bit like an early 80s John Hughes film, taking the mic for ³Bad Word,² one of my favorite Frigg-songs. Immediately, I noticed her voice was in a lower register than Jezıs. Yeah, I couldnıt help the comparisons. And theyıd be going through my mind all night. Is it possible not to do that when seeing a group fronted by someone else, singing the same songs? The song still sounded good, however, as did ³Loathe/Hate². In fact, most of the old songs sounded pretty good, although I couldnıt help but miss Jezebel. I had nothing against the new gal - in fact, I think sheıs pretty damn good (although I suspect Jez is a stronger guitarist) - itıs just that, first, Iım used to the groupıs music sounding the way I heard it first; second, Jez is my friend. Some of the old songs had Palmyra taking the vocal chores over. Personally, I donıt think that was the way to go... Palmyraıs voice is more suited to songs like the encore, ³On The Scene,² garage crunchers that call for a tough, no-nonsense bashing. The Jez-type numbers are best left to the new vocalist. This is NOT a slight against Ms. Delran, just a personal opinion. Perhaps my favorite moment of the night came early on, when Sookie von Trapp took the mic for the gentle ³Got Your Letter². Iıd forgotten how damn pretty her voice is. (Iıd always loved her backing vox when she was in Sit NıSpin.) The new singer sounded best on numbers like ³Juiced Up² and ³Tragedy Ann,² and the set-ending ³Cheatinı,² where she could let go and enjoy. Perhaps, however, the best might be new tunes like ³Princess Pool,² where old fans have nothing to compare to. All in all, The Friggs presented themselves as still be a viable, enrgetic, melodic rockinı band. However, itıll take time before the old fans can take them for what they are now, as opposed to what they used to be. I, for one, wish them all the best in their journey... and Iım gonna give Œem every chance and whatever help I can. Saturday the Seventeenth and Iım gearing up for Lo-Fi Leeıs ³Tribute To The 60s² at Don Hillıs. Iıve gotta admit that Iıve never liked the ³retro² tag or anything associated with it. As Dan Cuddy of The Plastic Device (a Long Island group whose members later ended up in HypnoLoveWheel and King Missile, and guest slots with Yo La Tengo, on occasion) said in an interview back in the mid-80s, ³It canıt be revived... it never died.² Mike Sin and I made sure we got there early, Œcuz The Omega Men were first on the bill, and they were the ones we wanted to see more than any of the others. OK, we definitely wanted to see the Creatures, but theyıre a group we see every couple months, while this bunch is pretty new and has only played in town once before. Not only that, but theyıre easily one of the hottest new acts on the scene. Tonight they were so ON that I didnıt think they could possibly stop. Whether they were bashing out those few vocal garage pounders or grooving through their many instrumentals, they were putting me in that state of rockınıroll nirvana that is all-too-rarely attained. Susanıs organ is the highlight, a Hammond bubbling thru a Leslie, with her fingers on fire. Of course, there are also some fantastic fuzz guitar salvos blasted out, attacking the night, but itıs Susanıs organ that leads the way. The signature number, of course, is the aptly titled, ³Susan Goes To Work.² And she does so with incredible gusto. Canıt wait to see Œem again in a month out in Bethlehem, PA. Sit NıSpin did a nice job getting people moving with their set, mixing it up nicely between girl-vocal garage pop and some Chuck Berry-isms and even a little bit of hillbilly hi jinx. The Del Stars were traveling the furthest and did some decent material, but things just seemed a bit generic for my tastes. A bit too bland, I guess. One manıs opinion. Iıll have to see them again before I decide fully on them, though. Last up were The Creatures of the Golden Dawn. Hereıs a group Iıve been seeing for over a decade. At this point, the only original member is vocalist Mark Smith, but somehow theyıve come up with the absolute best sound the groupıs ever had. Credit for this goes to the band... this group meshes together with him better than any heıs ever had. Talking to Mark about this, he says itıs not just Œcuz the guys are so damned good, but because heıs been at it for so long. He has more direction now, more experience, than ever before. He knows exactly what heıs trying to do these days - go for a mid-60s/Them R&B sort of sound. And theyıre achieving it admirably. A recent tape he sent (with tracks that may form a Dionysus EP sometime soon) had some of their newest material, featured in this nightıs performance. Simply put, the songs are incredible. ³Stop, Stop, Stop² raves all over, but the highlight is ³Walking the Buzz,² whichıll have any real garage fan raving up (as well as over, under, sideways, and down) every time (s)he hears it. (I canıt tell you how many times Iıve rewound the tape to hear it again.) Tonightıs set also included some fantastic covers, including ³Journey To Tyme² and ³Midnight To Six,² but it was those originals that made the night. I donıt go out during the week as much as I once did. Teaching puts those kinds of limitations on you. I mean, back when I worked for the Equitable, I used to be able to wake up at 8:30, if necessary, and I could still make it in by 9. Now, thoı, I usually wake up no later than 6:15, so weeknight shows are a no-no unless itıs something extra special - like seeing The Woggles. And it was a good bill, too, over at CBGBıs, with Sit NıSpin opening up and The Insomniacs sitting in the middle. I didnıt really see much of Sit NıSpin, as I was intent on catching up with the guys in the Woggles, as well as a few old friends who appeared out of the woodwork. The Insomniacs went on next and proceeded to get people moving on the floor. (Though I hate that CBıs dance floor... completely uneven and with metal plates at various junctures. But wearing sneakers makes it easier on me than it is for some. One gal whoıd been dancing her boots off said, ³Think how it is for me with these four-inch heels!² Thing is, it didnıt really appear to slow her down... not with these guys and the Woggles playing.) Some big TV camera appeared on guitarist Bob Wojıs side of the stage, swirling in and out around his guitar and occasionally pointing towards the crowd, especially in the direction of our pal, Dancinı Annie. Singer Dave Woj said something about it being for Spanish television. Things were moving pretty damn well with this set; at least, it sounded great by the stage. When I backed up to spend a bit of time with an old hometown friend, thoı, I found the sound was kinda thin and hollow. This soundman had no clue. The Woggles were up next and they blasted in right off, gettinı tough and makinı us PUSH! ³Maneater! CARNIVORE!² When they hit The Creepsı classic ³Hi Hi Pretty Baby² I launched into the air with a huge smile on my face. A couple days later, someone told me that Manfred said he wasnıt feeling well this evening. Yeesh! The man was all over the place, a ball of energy like you wouldnıt believe. Heıs just one of those great showmen. At one point, Montague came off the stage into the crowd, guitar raging. Later, it was Manfredıs turn, as the Bluesman lifted him on his shoulders holding him up on high for all to see. (BluesPal, donıt you even think of whining about your back hurting ever again!) Yeah, The Woggles were well worth getting home at 2 AM for. So what if I only fell asleep at 3, then woke up again to get the boys in the band settled in at our place at 4:30? OK, I felt like utter CRAP at school a few hours later but, like I said earlier, sometimes youıve just gotta do it. Some things you just canıt miss. The Woggles are one of Œem. Friday June 6th and itıs time to head down to Under Acme. First up were Hooked On Sonics, featuring ex-Vipersı front man Jon Weiss on sax and his ex- Fleshtonesı mate, Marek Pakulski on lead vocals. If youıre too dimwitted to figure it out from the name, these guys are a Sonicsı cover band. The group makes some incredible Sonicsı noise, but Marekıs voice isnıt as rough as Gerry Roslieıs, so I wasnıt quite as enamored of them as I might otherwise have been. They must have something going for them, thoı, Œcuz a nice crowd of attractive gals was dancing like mad to them. The Ton-Ups were next up, with an act thatıs somewhere between The Gun Club and The Stooges, with an occasional good-time detour. Things seemed good at the start, but it quickly wore thin on me. I got the feeling these guys could be something damn good, but they just arenıt there yet. I hadnıt been really enjoying The Swinginı Neckbreakers as much as I once did, but they were pretty on this time out. Rockinı hard and belting it out, they charged the jam-packed crowd up nicely. This is when the night began to really swing. Finally, it was time for The Fleshtones. These guys have been blowing me away lately. Maybe itıs that intention to do mainly new songs. Best of all, theyıre damn good new songs. Itıs nice to see that, after 20 years, the ŒTones are still the worldıs greatest party band. If you canıt have a good time at a Fleshtonesı gig, then youıre one dull person. Seek help. Itıs SuperRock.TM OK, itıs time I came right out and said it: I HATE The Continental. Hmm... thatıs not completely fair. The club books some damn good shows. The thing is, the bathrooms are pretty putrid (of course, theyıre far from unique in that respect), thereıs no circulation whatsoever, and the place doesnıt have even a whiff of the fun atmosphere it did in its former incarnation as the Continental Divide. Quite honestly, I could live with all of that, except for one thing: the No Re-Entry policy. Way too many people I know wonıt come to a show at the club simply Œcuz they canıt head outside for air, or to hang out while a band they donıt like is on. Or, if they do show up, they only do so in time for one of the bands, even if they like an earlier act, just because they canıt take sitting thru a middle act... or maybe they just donıt want to stay inside the club for all that time. Why the diatribe? Well, I missed The Pleasantries (whoıve changed their name to Loris Drift; no, not Loriıs Drift), in large part because I couldnıt stomach the thought of sitting in that club through four bands. I felt bad, too, Œcuz I like the group and theyıre old friends. I did catch Mildred Pierce for the first time in at least a year. In the year that I lived down around New Brunswick, I saw this group pretty often. In the time since I last saw them theyıve changed lead singers. Usually, thatıs the kiss of death for a group. This bunch got lucky - they found another gal whoıs got a powerful set of lungs; and her voice suits the material well. (To be completely honest, though, she doesnıt have the same stage presence as the old singer.) They played much of their back catalogue while also hitting some cool cover material, including The Buzzcocks. Best of all, thoı, came their version of ³Dirty Deeds (Done Dirt Cheap).² Anyone who wasnıt singing along with this one needs to go out and buy a sense of humor. Anyway, the groupıs secret weapon remains their backing vocals. Much of what they do just wouldnıt work without the slice of pop fruit this throws into the bowl. Iım looking forward to seeing them again. Iıve been a fan of The Original Sins ever since they became a going concern, roughly ten years ago. They remain one of my all-time favorite groups. Thing is, sometimes JT appears to be battling some personal demons. I often wonder if heıs just pissed off that the music industry hasnıt given the group the respect they deserve. And, with the records theyıve put out over the years, they do deserve major recognition. I know of NO other group that has managed to record such a varied body of work and done it all so well. Hereıs a group that does a better job than anyone in taking their influences and molding them into something completely their own. Iım not saying I believe that every O. Sinsı record is a work of genius; what I am saying is that their best discs (my faves are Big Soul, The Hardest Way, and Move) contain many different sounds and they excel in every area. That theyıve been so ignored by not only the mainstream, but by much of the underground, is a major crime. That people with less talent than JT has in his pinky toenail actually make the Top 10 is beyond me. So when JT does a show where he fucks around with the phrasing of some of his best songs, I understand. Thing is, that feeling isnıt shared by the whole audience; people want to see the Sins at the top of their form. And I understand that, too. That being said... the set the Sins did at the Continental that night was one of the best theyıve done in a couple years. Solid rockinı the whole way through, never once wavering. JT didnıt mess with anything, choosing to hammer the audience into submission with some of the best damn rockınıroll theyıd ever heard. This is what the Sins are about. This is why I spent so much time raving about them in the first few years of this Œzine. This is why I used to go out to Bethlehem once or twice a month to see them. It was a hard act for The Insomniacs to follow. But if anyone was gonna be able to do it, these guys were the ones. What helped is that theyıre a completely different act. Iıve been saying it throughout this extremely extended section of live reviews: The Insomniacs are one of the best groupıs on todayıs scene. This set was par for their course, getting the crowd moving from start to finish, including some of the best ravers theyıve got in their arsenal. The night came to an end with an encore request for ³The Long Cigarette.² This one was the perfect wind-down for a night of some truly killer rockınıroll. Iım not a big fan of The Psychlone Rangers, so I took off within minutes of the end of The Insomniacsı set. For that matter, so did most of my friends. Best of all, about 20 of us set out for the Lakeside Lounge, where we spent the next few hours hanging out, singing along to the jukebox, and even breaking the ³No Dancing² rule. (I know, I know... weıre rebels.) The Omega Men have become one of my absolute favorite bands on todayıs scene. And, as far as new bands go, theyıre at the top of the heap. As a result, it should hardly come as a surprise that Bluesman and I hopped in my hatchback on Saturday June 28th for another trek out to the most fantastic Funhouse in Bethlehem, PA just to see this bunch. As we pulled up a couple doors from the club, I saw ex-Rebeltonesı front man, Scott, walking past. I waved hello and he and his buddy stopped to shoot the shit for a bit. As it turned out, Scott and his pal were playing the in- between set that night with their band, The Woadads. Blues and I continued on our way, passing the club and heading down the hill for my usual first stop in town, at 3rd St. Chicken for some wings and logs. Once that appetite is satisfied, my rockınıroll night is allowed to begin. Back up to 4th Street then and we round the corner and spot Omega Men organist Susan Mackey and rhythm guitarist Mark Ebeling hanging out. They were both incredibly happy that weıd made the trek. As far as I was concerned, there was no way in hell I wouldıve missed them. Eventually, it was time for them to hit the stage. From the first blasts of ³Mania For Blondes,² I knew this was going to be an extremely special night. Vocalist/lead guitarist Jonathan Sipes was right on and he had me wishing Iıd thought to bring a blank tape to record the nightıs festivities. On then to my favorite of the bandıs repertoire, a killer Hammond-organ led instro entitled ³Susan Goes To Work.² And she surely does. WOW! This set also included covers of Booker T. & the MGs ³Soul Dressing,² The Shadowsı ³Main Theme² and Loveıs ³She Comes In Colors.² When they got to their only real funk number, ³G Marks The Spot² Jonathan told us that the original (and far more apropos) moniker for the tune was ³Porno Movie Theme,² but the record company didnıt think that was all that smart. (But they were perfectly OK with the title, ³G Marks The Spot.² Go figure.) The Woadads took over for the second set, burning things up with some gritty rockabilly and a couple shots of garage. Their best number was a killer cover of ³Whistle Bait,² with the lead guitarist just setting the whole place buzzing. Iıd love to see them put that one down on wax. The Omega Men came back after that to do their second, slightly longer set. As theyıre still a pretty new group, they found themselves repeating a few numbers, but it didnıt matter a bit to the crowd. Heck, by this time, the place was a bit more well-oiled and ready to shake their hips. Covers included the John Barry 7ıs ³Beat Girl,² Cannonball Adderlyıs ³Sack O Woe² and a killer take of ³Midnight To Six² with three of The Creatures joining in on backing vocals to bring the house down. A new original (whose name Iıve since forgotten) also surfaced this night, along with another killer take on another of my favorite Omega Men originals, ³My Favorite Dean Martian.² Damn these guys and gal are GREAT! Ah yeas... 4th of July. Iıve had some pretty wild times on this date in years past, but, for some reason, this year I blew off just about everything. Heck, I wasnıt even sure I was gonna go out that night to see the show. But then Roberta, her cousin and her friend Amy wanted to go out for dinner, so I ended up in Manhattan, anyway. And, since I was parked only a couple blocks from Coney Island High, it wouldıve been a complete waste of a fantastic parking spot to just go home. So her cousin went back to her apartment, while Roberta and Amy caught a bus back to Rutherford from Port Authority. Me? I went to Joey Ramoneıs Blitzkrieg Bop. I showed up a couple songs into a set by a band from Arizona. I donıt think Iıll ever forget their name (Black Fire), simply because they kept repeating it after almost every lousy song. A couple people seemed to really like them, but I found them to be heavy, dark, and... just plain boring. The woman playing bass, thoı, was pretty energetic, though, jumping about like she was on top of the world. At least she kept me from falling asleep. Next were The Independents (from South Carolina, I think they said.) Musically, they were an interesting (sometimes quite good) mix of punk-pop and ska. The best thing about the band was their lead guitarist, who came up with some really lively melodic leads. Iım still not sure I understand the point of the makeup on a couple of them, though... or the fake blood packet bit. Or the bondage mask on the bassistıs face. I just didnıt see how it really related to the music. But they were fairly decent. Finally, the band I most wanted to see, even if they were only doing seven songs in all... THE DICTATORS!!! Ms. Miriam Linna had recently noted on alt.music.banana-truffle that mastermind Andy Shernoff had written ten new songs. Well... not for tonightıs set. The band launched into the intro to ³Haircut & Attitude² (from the Manitobaıs Wild Kingdom LP, Und Du) and the Handsome One took the stage, all beautiful NYC attitude, red, white, and blue leather jacket on, turning around to show us where it said, ³MANITOBA.² And then he punched in as well, with the crowd right along with him, pummeling the air with our fists at the end of each line. ³1997 and weıre still here. Can you believe that?² asked HDM, King of Men. Then, kinda mockingly, ³We wanna play into, like, the two thousands.² But, as far as we were concerned, they could play forever and weıd never get enough. Next, Top Ten got his guitar singing out to start off the next one and within a couple notes everyone knew they were about to hear the classic, ³New York, New York.² This was followed by, ³a song from our first album... The Next Big Thing.² Why arenıt they, anyway? ³Wonıt you please Stay With Me!² And theyıre off and weıre singing along even more wildly than we have on the past few, Ms. Linna going absolutely bonkers right up in the thick of it. (Like I should talk!) Then things started sounding a bit more dangerous, as they obliterated everything in their path with a cover of ³Sonic Reducer,² Ross the Boss taking no prisoners with his weapon of choice. Next, Handsome Dick called for ³Giuseppe² to come to the stage. Unfortunately, our host happened to be using the facilities at the time, so there was a bit of a lag. But then he was up and HDM said, ³Iım gonna let him borrow my band for a song.² And soon the air rang with the chords of ³The Kids Are Alright² as Joey Ramone took the mic on one of my favorite Who songs of all time. And, seeing as some people were obviously there just Œcuz this was ³Joey Ramoneıs Blitzkrieg Bop,² the PandemonioMeter² got cranked up yet another notch. After this one, Manitoba came back on to do the standard closer duet with Joey, ³California Sun,² with Top Ten and Ross the Boss calling and answering on the guitars. Ah... Bliss. Was there anything bad about the set? Yeah... it was too effinı short! On the positive side, the Handsome One informed us that they were gonna probably be recording again. Plus, theyıd probably play again pretty soon, too. Honestly, seeing The Dictators wouldıve been a good enough reason for me to come out, but there was one more group I wanted to see... it was billed as simply ³Dee Dee Ramone,² but it was Dee Dee with Joey singing. Now, gee, whaddaya think theyıre gonna play? (No, not the new Marilyn Manson record.) Well, with Danny Rey on lead guitar, D-Generation drummer Michael Wildwood on the riser in back, and a rhythm guitarist Joey introduced as ³Barbara,² they proceeded to do exactly what everyone expected and everyone wanted... Ramonesı songs. (Duh.) Well, actually, there was one song Danny introduced as being on Dee Deeıs new record, which (from the lyrics Joey was reading off the sheet) must be called ³I Am Seeing UFOs² and sounds like a fairly decent Ramonesı song. But the rest was the vintage stuff... ³Babysitter,² ³53rd & 3rd,² ³Carbona,² ³Sheena Is A Punk Rocker,² etc. Best of all, they werenıt playing at breakneck speed. That meant you could actually tell one song from another. And the crowd wasnıt just a bunch of little just-got-my-mohawk punkidz, either... the age range mustıve been from late teens thru mid-late 40s. Sure, there were people semi-moshing up front, but it wasnıt quite as out of control as it was at Ramonesı shows. Most of the people were a bit older than that. My biggest surprise, though, came when I moved a bit away from the middle, back a few rows of people. There was this girl who looked so deliriously happy, just dancing with a HUGE smile on her face. When a song ended, she smiled up at me and said, ³Iıve never heard them before, but this is AMAZING!² ³Wait... youıve never heard The Ramones?!?!!!² ³Well, of course, Iıd heard of them, but, no, Iıve never actually heard anything by them. My friend wanted to come, thoı, Œcuz she really loves them. And theyıre GREAT!² That kinda thing makes me feel really happy. Just seeing someone flying so high because s/heıs just discovered some incredible music makes me feel it all over again. ******************************************************************************** A HAPPY HOLIDAY WITH THE SLICKEE BOYS by Rob White ------------------ The Slickee Boys, who were together from 1976 to 1990, have reunited for two shows every year since they disbanded. They play around the Christmas holiday - one show in Baltimore, and another in Washington, DC at the 930 Club. This year was no exception. On Thursday, December 26, the Slickee Boys played at Baltimoreıs 8 x 10 Club. The lineup consisted of Slickee Boys founders Marshall Keith (lead guitar) and Kim Kane (rhythm guitar), singer Mark Noone, bassist Mike Maxwell, and drummer (and club owner) Giles Cook. The band was very powerful, and the crowd never stopped moving all night. The band played songs from all periods of their career. Songs included: Escalator 66 Life Of The Party Somebodyıs Gonna Their Head Kicked In Tonight (Rezillos) When I Go To The Beach Journey To The Center Of The Mind Death Lane (Dogs) Going All The Way (Squires) Glendora (Downlinerıs Sect) Here To Stay Gotta Tell Me Why Control All The Way To Memphis (Mott the Hoople) Pictures Of Matchstick Men This Party Sucks The band played for over 90 minutes, and everyone sounded great. Two nights later, the band played at the ³new² 930 Club (the club moved to a bigger room one year ago). The lineup was the same except for drums - Dan Palenski took his rightful position behind the drum kit, after driving 3 hours from Williamsburg, VA. As a surprise for the loyal Slickees fans, the original 1976 lineup got up and played 6 songs. Martha Hull (vocals), Kim Kane (rhythm guitar), Marshall Keith (lead guitar), Andy Von Brand (bass), and Chris Rounds (drums) last graced the stage at the bandıs 1990 farewell show (where they played two songs). On the 28th, they played: Manganese Android Puppies Golden Love Heart Murmur Try To Understand (Seeds) What A Boy Canıt Do Andy then left the stage, and Kimıs brother Thomas came up to play bass on: Put A Bullet Through the Jukebox Brand New Cadillac To me, this was the highlight of the show. The original band was very tight and sounded incredible. Everyone was surprised to see them play after so many years. They released one of the first US new wave EPs in 1976, and played 4 of those 5 songs (only omitting ³Psycho Daisies²). Hopefully the band will do it again in December, 1997. ‹- RW ******************************************************************************** BOYS AND THEIR BOYS by Roberta Schiffer -------------------------- OK, so whatıs the deal with boys, AKA men? I noticed this strange phenomenon while I was briefly commuting to a job in NYC. Picture, if you will, a packed subway, a few seats open. I find an open seat and grab it ASAP. A guy comes and sits down next to me, and what does he do but spread his legs so wide open youıd think he was carrying the worldıs largest package. And this package, it had to be shown! So, here I am sitting on a crowded train with this guyıs open leg touching mine and I am afraid that something huge is going to jump out and bite me. I thought, ŒWell, maybe this is this guyıs tactic to get the person sitting next to him to move.ı I could play that game just as well. I opened my legs wide (thankfully, I was wearing pants) and pushed my knee into his thigh (he was tall). He didnıt even acknowledge me; nothing, not even an Œexcuse meı. So there I sat, uncomfortable, but at least with room. I hate space hogs! Another whole person could have sat where his legs were. All I kept wondering was, ŒWhat is in there that needs sooooo much room?ı The next day, I grab a seat and look out at the passenger across from me. A big guy, his legs were spread for all the world to see, and guess what? With all that room he had made for his boys, I couldnıt even see a slight bulge, so I thought, ŒIf its not for room, maybe itıs for room to grow, like when a pretty girl in a short skirt walks by?ı But no, I kept looking and nothing moved down there. In fact, he barely even moved. When I got off the train, I was sure he wasnıt even alive. On my return commute home, I was led to believe that this was not a singular phenomenon, but that all men sit with their legs spread wide. The guy sitting next to me in a two person seat on the bus practically knocked my legs into the aisle Œcuz he apparently needed the room. I was tempted to grab hold of his boys to find out just how big they were, but I decided that might not be in my best interest. So, for the next week, I decided to conduct a study. On the subway in morning I looked at all of the men. At least 90% had their legs spread wide. It became obvious to me that this was an ego thing. I mean, what else could explain it? Here we are in NYC and the thing Iıd be protecting if I was a guy was left splayed wide open and unprotected. Anyone could fall on, kick, hit or punch it. This must be a way that men in their secret male code prove to other men how tough they really are. They want women to think that theyıve got something soooo special that it just cannot be hidden. Meanwhile, theyıre signaling to other men, ŒSee how strong and tough I am? Not only I am so mighty that it cannot be hidden, I am such a man that I need not cover it up!ı Well, let me tell you, thereıs not that much there, so close Œem up and make room! And donıt touch me! ******************************************************************************** BIG HOLES AND LITTLE HOLES, BUT ALL SEVEN INCHES ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In the last few years, some of the cooler garage-oriented labels (Norton, Get Hip, Dionysus, etc.) have been re-ishing 45s by some of the cooler groups of the 50s and 60s. Of course, theyıve also been doing full-length comps of some of the groups, as well, but the seven-inch format recalls the way most of these were released in the first place. Somehow that makes things seem more authentic. Even though it has nothing to do with the music itself, it somehow adds that little extra. Cominı straight outta the Minnesota Œ66 scene are The Boss Tweads (yeah, thatıs how itıs spelled, alright) with an old garage fave, ³Goinı Away² (Get Hip Archive Series). This oneıs kinda foreboding, fueled by a cold Farfisa. It really moves when the guitar kicks into gear, but the whole way itıs got a sort of dark insistence. The flip, ³Itıs Best You Go² is more of a ballad-type thing. Roberta liked it, but I canıt say it moved me all that much. Still, youıll want this for the up-side. Movinı on over to todayıs scene, the Farfisa still holds court, thanks in part to The Hentchmen. ³Raininı In My Heart² (Larsen) has the boys slowinı it down, throwing a 50s-styled tearjerker through a campus-size garage blender to good effect. Flippinı the frisbee, then, they start off with a down-tempo basic backbeat instro (somewhat Wray-ified at times) called ³Mute.² I canıt help but wonder if they just said, ³Why bother trying?² when it came to naming the damn thing. (Who can forget the working titles of Raunch Handsı songs some 8-10 years ago... they were all called ³Pussyface.²) Last up is a re-recording of one of my fave Hentch tunes, the pepped-up party rocker, ³Girl From Jackson² which appeared a few years ago on Front Porch #3. Keep On Hentching. At this point, I have a hard time believing thereıs anybody left reading garage/punk Œzines thatıs never heard of Pansy Division, so I shouldnıt need to explain their whole approach. The Manada EP (Mint) is sort of a tribute to our neighbors to the North. Kicking it off is the title track, catch punkinı about the delights (Laurent in Montreal, et al) of Canada. They also throw in a fun take on Maowıs ³One Night Stand² that only makes me wish it was longer. Their version tends to be a bit more chunky than the original, but it tastes just fine. Flip this puck over and youıll hear the bandıs lament about having it bad for a guy with ³Hockey Hair.² (A cut you can, sayeth the lyrics, get in any mall. And this guy just doesnıt care, Œcuz his first loveıs the ice.) Ending it all is a French version of the title track, which sounds pretty good. Last year at Treble Fest, The Hatebombs provided a set of entertainment that blew people outta the water. Weıre still awaiting their debut long-player (set to come out on 360 Twist), but in the meantime weıve got ³One Thing On My Mind² (Speed-O-Meter). The vocals on the title track have a kinda whispered feel to them, working on top of basic garage thump, together providing much more than a hint at just what it is thatıs on this guyıs mind. Flip it over and youıll find out the other side, ³What A Woman Wants² (a woman gets, they tell us), as the tempo gets bumped up a couple notches. This is my pick of the three, with some well-done dual vocal parts and a wild guitar break that goes that much farther at the end thanks to an accompanying yell/scream. Finishing it off is a cover of We The Peopleıs ³My Brother The Man.² Iıve always loved this song and the band does it well, but the recording (which buries just about everything but some vocals) brings it down a bit. But, as, uh... someone... once said, ³two out of three ainıt bad.² OUCH! If you, like me, think The Milkshakes were the highlight of Billy Childishıs musical career, then you may have tumbled to the realization that Mickey Hampshire was at least an equal partner in that group, having been half of the Hampshire/Childish songwriting team. Not only that, but his voice played a part, as did his guitar sound. The latest from Mickey is The Masonicsı ³Earl of Hell² (Super Electro). This oneıs a kind of Milkshakes in a ghoulish, bad- side-of-town music hall. On ³Upside Down Man² Mickey doesnıt so much toe the line as smudge it till it feels right. The backing vox keep it goinı strong and his guitarıs workinı the low-end, kinda reminding me of that Milkshakes pic near some sort of dock. Lastly, comes guest star Miss Ludella Black, taking the mic for ³Never So Sad,² which reminds me of an even tougher Shangri-Laıs type teen tragedy bit. A few years ago, The Neıer-Do-Wells sang ³Whereıs Mickey?² Right here and sounding as good as ever. All thumbs up. Iıd heard a ton about The Count Backwurds from various friends in the Bay area, but till ³Sorry Charlie² (Telstar) I hadnıt had a chance to actually hear them. On my trip out to LA, though, I couldnıt resist walking into a record store that I happened to pass by. And there it was. No way I was gonna resist hearing Mummies drummer Russell Quan fronting a group, not after having seen him take the mic with the Phantom Surfers only a few weeks earlier. Part of this one reminds me of a faster, messier ³Jolly Green Giant²/²Big Boy Pete². Simply put, these guys are obviously having a damn good time. Down below, they work over an old favorite, ³The Alligator², jumping in like crazy men, playinı it low-end and blasting through with a ton of fun. Following a line from Supercharger thru the Brentwoods, we fall into the hands of The Bobbyteens, who pop it out at a good clip with a trashy attitude on ³Hey Roxy² (Super*Teem), a paean (great word, that) to teen lust, girl-style. Flip it over for more of the same on ³Firecracker². Boom-Boom. Yeah. In that same quick-check at that record store in Santa Monica, I found a Supercharger 45 I hadnıt seen before, ³Sooprize Package For Mr. Mineo²/²South City Psyco² (Super*Teem). This seemed odd, Œcuz I thought I had most of their 45s and I hadnıt even heard about this one. Not only that, but I was under the impression that Super*Teem wasnıt around back when the band was together. (Heck, their address is the Radio X address.) And, well, the A-side is from that first Supercharger LP, the one that Iıve heard some people are paying $75 for only five years later. Now, Iıll admit I shoulda bought that LP when it came out, but when I saw it listed, I was in the midst of a buying binge of other stuff and knew nothing about them. By the time I considered buying the thing, it was sold out. Thatıs life. At least someone made me a tape. (Which Iıve since lost, of course.) In the meantime, ³Sooprize Package² has been covered on record by both The Mummies and The Statics; and, here in the NYC area, The Prissteens have been blasting through it live. But now Iıve got a copy of this fave-oı-mine on vinyl. What I especially like is that I can hear more of the lyrics than on any of the covers, as well as Darrinıs cool guitar sound. Down below, thoı, things are much further into the lo-fi range. If youıre willing to listen, thoı, youıll be rewarded by a good melody and a catchy chorus. This thing canıt help but remind you how damn good this bunch was. Once upon a time, Midnight Records released a 45 by a group called the Frosted Flaykes. This group was a collaboration between a couple by-then ex- members of the Outta Place, Jordan Tarlow and Michael Chandler. The A-side was a cool low fidelity, mid-tempo garage rocker called ³Waste Your Time.² So, why the history lesson? Well, the debut 45 by another bunch of guys whoıve been involved in various bands since that 2nd Garagic Era, The Loons, features ³Unwind² (360 Twist), a number that echoes that 80s nugget in its gritty, I- donıt-need-anyone sound. Involved are ex-members of the Telltale Hearts, Hoods, and a host of other SoCal favorites. The biggest surprise is that ³the bass that ate San Diego,² Mike Stax, has eschewed his weapon of choice for the microphone. Now, while I canıt say Mikeıs got the pipes of ex-Telltale Hearts mate Ray Brandes or Hoodsı vocalist Jay Wiseman, on the dirty garage-rockinı R&B sound of ³Unwind,² his voice goes pretty well. Down below, weıve got ³Slow Knife,² slower and more deliberate, with a compelling combination of ringing, open guitar and a cold, dark bass, opening up at times to an R&B chug. Itıs been a long time since I heard a completely new group out of San Diego. At one time, the city was a hotbed of garage/R&B/Mod, with a ton of rockinı bands including the Telltale Hearts, The Event, The Crawdaddys, The Gravedigger V, Manual Scan and more. Now, though, it seems as if thereıs only a few left. Thatıs why itıs refreshing to me to see a new group emerge from there. On ³Atlanta² (360 Twist), The Let Downs show that they belong solidly in SDıs garage camp with a heavy, syrupy organ sound and a heavy, rhythmic thumping. Down below, theyıve got a cover of ³Flash & Crash.² The organ again achieves prominence, although this time it plays more of a lead role than a punching one. Definitely a cool 1-2 combo platter. When I was 18 and just starting college back in the fall of Œ83, I quickly learned that Boston was a hotbed of what Iıd later hear WFMU DJ Bill Kelly call ³REAL RockınıRoll.² Well, personally, I donıt think itıs quite what it once was, but with bands like The Bald Guys sprouting from between the cracks in the sidewalks of Kenmore Square, maybe itıs on its way back. ³Teleport² (Stanton Park) features some fine primitive garage pounding that shows its Boston lineage with some fantastic Prime Moversı (Boston version) blasting, plus some great organ coloring (and a nice break for it, too, later on.) Best of all are the female backing vocals. (In the Bald Guys?) ³Secret Mission To Spy Island² isnıt as good vocally, which takes it down a notch. Even so, the music rips it up with some cool stops and starts. From Lafayette, Louisiana come Frigg-A-Go-Go with ³Everything Around Me² (360 Twist), whose verses have a double-time ³Margio² beat going on; driving and completely insane. The flip, ³Pre-Teen Love,² is just as frantic, featuring some cool keys. (Electric piano?) These guys are different enough from much of todayıs scene to make a real mark. Iıll be on the lookout for their LP. In the meantime, do yourself a favor and get in on the action now with this one. It took me awhile to dig in on the ³Genie In The Lamp² 45 (360 Twist) from Fortune & Maltese. It just didnıt quite catch me the way most of their earlier stuff did. I solved this minor problem by cranking up the stereo loud enough to wake the landlordıs baby downstairs. That way it couldnıt help but blast right through me. Ah, bliss. Especially Nat Cromlechıs tasty guitar solo. ³Vampira²...what can I say? ³Sheıs not too skinny and sheıs not too fat / She looks just like a bat (...) Vampira, oh what the heck / Come and sink your teeth into my neck.² Nothing wrong with some harmless teenage fun with the girl next door, right? Itıs been a long time since I heard anything by The Thanes. But, hey, that doesnıt matter much, Œcuz theyıre back, this time with ³Better Days² (Larsen) and all it does is prove once again why they were one of the best garage acts of the 80s, right up there with The Lyres, The Vipers, The Telltale Hearts, The Stems, The Creeps, and the Chesterfield Kings. Here, they inject the garage/R&B sound with an almost Œ65 Kinks-melody and fall just short of the folk-punk border. On the other side, ³Never Make Me Blue² they start off with some nice ringing folk harmonies before breaking in with an Outsiders-like beat, managing to keep the guitars jangling while the bass urges them on. A fantastic guitar break resolves itself back into that killer thumping once again before its all over. I think theyıve got an LP coming out on Misty Lane, too... Iım not sure; the promo materials are in French (since thatıs where the labelıs based) and my skills on that score are kinda rusty. For some really enjoyable psych-pop, check out the swirling hypnotic melody of ³(We Are) The Orange Alabaster Mushroom² from The Psychedelic Bedroom EP (Perfect Pop) by - you guessed it! - The Orange Alabaster Mushroom. Actually, the whole EPıs pretty psychedelic, but not in some kinda stupid hippy- trippy way. ³Tree Pie² is dominated by some cool combo organ sounds and I coulda sworn I heard him sing, ³I am the eggmanıs egg roll.² For a line like that alone, this thingıs priceless. But the other sideıs got a couple more that fall somewhere in between those on the top side. In fact, Iıd say ³Rainbow Man² is the best track of all, sort of Sgt. Pepper-esque with a nice juicy melody. In the past couple years, it seems Sit NıSpin have been knockinı Œem out. Besides the CD reviewed elsewhere, thereıs also the ³Primate Mixer Party² single (Solamente), with the top side, an upbeat jumper, featured on the disc. Luckily, below-decks itıs a live favorite, the groupıs take on Chuck Berryıs ³30 Days,² This oneıs a real stand-out thatıs bound to put a great big smile on your face. Glad Iıve got one, Œcuz I was quite bummed this track wasnıt on the disc. Another Norwegian bunch, Kare & The Cavemen come through with some swinginı instro sounds. ³The Mood² (Hit Me) is just that, a real mood piece with strong hints of 60s lounge sounds. ³Inspector Œ71² picks up where its predecessor left off, moving slightly in a spy direction. ³Tension!² makes it feel like the Inspector has run up against some trouble and weıve no idea whatıs gonna happen. Things become slow, moody and lonely. A decision must be made and the music builds towards this. Either way, things are never gonna be the same after this. Eventually, it feels some sort of action is taking place. Finally, thereıs ³Point Of No Return² as they pick up the tempo. Having made a decision itıs time to follow where it leads. This EP sounds like it could be part of the score for one hell of a movie. This is also one of the most different-sounding instro records Iıve heard in ages. A welcome breath of fresh air. At this point, The Autumn Leavesı ³You Didnıt Say A Word² (Grimsey) is hardly a new release. On the other hand, itıs my guess that not many of you out there have been clued in on it, so I figured it was worth a mention. Many of you will remember bassist Keith Patterson from his days with The Spectors. (Just so you know, heıs since left this bunch and started up a new bunch called William & The Conquerors.) Both ³You Didnıt Say A Wordı and the flip, ³Magic Red Raincoat² are excellent upbeat janglers that deserve a spot in the collection of any Byrds fan. The top side is the most melodic, but underneath is some beautiful hypnotic ringing drawing you ever closer to a psychedelic whirlpool in some enchanted forest. Beautiful. The Daytonas provide us with one of the few surf instro seven-inchers this time out. ³Emerging From The Tube² (Solamente) is a sprightly swinger movinı a quarter past mid-tempo. Iım more into the flip, ³Moon Relay² with an organ adding an extra touch. The guitarıs the best part, though, with some spaced out reverb, evocative of the now-deserted corridors of Luna City. Still, thereıs a feeling for what a vital force said metropolis must onceıve been. Not quite rockabilly, The Sprague Brothers tend more towards the Bobby Fuller school. ³Battle Of The Bands!² (Hillsdale) goes on about a brawl at a battle of the bands, with participants such as the CornDog and Dave & Deke. ³Green Arrow² goes for the instro sound, with a somewhat Middle Eastern exotic feel to the guitar. Pretty cool stuff. (And fans of Derek ³Deke² Dickerson will be happy to note his involvement.) The Decibelsı ³Radio² (GI Productions) is a certifiable power pop classic. Starting off with the flip of station static (a la The Ramonesı ³RockınıRoll Radio² or The Slavesı ³Radio Daze²) it breaks into some inspiring chord blasts and a melody youıll be singing along with by the time the chorus arrives. While ³Jackie² is a fine tune, ³Kiss Me Carolynne² is another couple minutes of pop genius. The guitars chime, ring, and knock about and thereıs a great intrumental section with a guitar singing the melody with handclaps backing it up. DAMN! This is the kinda thing that can put a smile on my face and keep it there the whole day. To close the EP out, they rock up The Associationıs ³Windy² to nice effect. Not only is this EP a must-have, but these guys are a group to watch for. At this point in time, Iım not sure why Iım bothering with a review of The Muffsı ³Iım A Dick² 45 (SFTRI) since the full disc is out, but what the heck. This oneıs classic Muffsı with a fantastic candy-coated melody backed up by a powerful punk-thump. Throw it on and they launch into the rhythm, followed by some cool feedback noise before they spring into the tune proper and proceed to remind you just why theyıre one of the best things going today. Belowdecks is a non-CD track, a cover of ³Pacer² by The Amps. This oneıs slower, but no less powerful, getting its strength from the way in which each note is attacked. The Muffs have once again picked a great song to cover. A worthy addition to their catalogue. As I noted in the live section, I came across The Hi-Balls completely by mistake. Their debut EP (Regent) is good-time lo-fi straight-up rockınıroll beginning with their theme, ³Hi-Balls Feel Good Rock And Roll² right thru the last of the four tracks, ³Lucky Son Of A Gun.² This is a two-guitar-and-drums trio just gutting it out and laying it right down however it comes out. My fave on the EP is probably the last track, kinda warped and darker than the rest with an oozing feeling of the sleazy side. Wonder when the next oneıll be... Iım still counting my lucky stars for making me stick around this winter to catch the last band of a Saturday night at Continental, the band that happened to be The Spaceshits from Montreal. These guys rocked like mad live and their double-7², Full Fisted Action (SFTRI) is just as good. They fall somewhere between Supercharger and Teengenerate in sound, but occasionally (³Aw Yeah²) they throw in a dash of melody just to bring in pop nuts like me. But for the most part itıs just full-on punk, lo-fi style. These guys oughta start touring Œcuz theyıve got a fury thatıd go over extremely well these days. They end this double-dose with an unlisted cover of Superchargerıs ³Ice Pick.² Now that is a great way to finish off a record. On a lighter note are Killer Kowalski with ³First Date² (Blackout), a melodic rocker with female vocals that will invite inevitable comparisons to Debbie Harry (the guitars have a punkier quality, though). The key to the success of this one, thoı, is the backing vocals and the way they blend with the lead. This one always sticks around in my head for awhile after I hear it. The flip, ³Goodbye Daddy,² rocks out more, but without quite as much melodic input. Extra points for even more powerful backing vocals joining Kitty Kowalski on the choruses. Continental Records impresario Sean Berry didnıt think he was gonna get his debut release to me in time for my deadline. But, due to ³circumstances beyond my control,² that deadline got pushed back. That means Sean slid in under the wire with Hit the Jet Stream with The Penetrators, a four-song seven- incher that should touch all the necessary controls to make yours a pleasant flight in the reverb-laden cloud cover. The ³First Leg² begins with a mission briefing from pilot Buck Bangalore. Yıgotta wonder what kinda airline this guyıs flying for... heıs evidently got a ³hold onto your drinks² sign. (Itıs an ³all smoking and drinking² flight.²) Hmm... come to think of it, olı Buck is the only one on this whole record whose voice is heard. His second shot comes when he tells us about whatıs in our survival kits (they include the Victoriaıs Secret catalog, a 72-hour supply of prophylactics, rubles, gold, a combination bible/Russian phrase book, and sundry items). The in-flight film is ³She Cats A Go-Go.² Man! I wanna be a penetrator. Geez... whaddaya think olı Buck means when he says flight crew Midge and Pepper will be happy to give you anything you need? Now, while Buck still has another four spots to go after this, the boys only get four shots at providing entertainment over the course of the whole disc, so maybe itıs time we talked about them. These guys provide some seriously fantastic surf swinginı on this dish. Half the tracks are covers (oneıs ³High Tide² by The Lively Ones) while the middle two are group originals. Both of these are quite up to the standards of their obvious heroes. ³Speed Bump,² especially, is a major winner, as the boys are up and at Œem, ready to turn the anti-aircraft fire Captain Bangalore told us about into the subject of this song. Yeah, thatıs right, evidently, our heroes had to hightail it outta Moscow, with the baddies right on their tail. But Capın Buck and the boys are up to the task, and the boys turn their enemies into speed bumps at will. Iım looking forwardto hearing more from these Alabamans. ******************************************************************************** THE SLOW SLUSHY BOYS ------------------------------------- Denis from Larsen Recordz sent a couple seven-inch blasts of sonic action my way this time out. Not just stuff on his label, either; nope, he also sent me a few slabs by his very own combo, The Slow Slushy Boys. The first of these, the G.U.R.L. 3-songer (Face), features some solid garage-punkinı with the organ playing a strong supporting role. (On the cover, I see a Korg, so Iım guessing thatıs what it is, especially since it doesnıt sound like a Vox or Farfisa.) The major raver on this oneıs the title track, guitars seething with the ³Psychotic Reaction² signature gut-churn, the one thatıs hardwired into every garage fiendıs slimy grey stuff. On the other side, thereıs a version of the classic, ³Seven²; as with all the versions Iıve heard, this rocks damn well, with the organıs star flying highest. However, I do have to say I prefer the recordings by both The Lyres and The Kwyet Kings. They finish things up with ³How Could You Lie?² This oneıs got the organ playing lead and defining quite a cool vibe. The backing vocals also provide a nice background although Iıdıve preferred they were brought out a bit more in the mix. This discıll make a fine addition to any collection. For a soulful split between two great bands, look no further than The Slow Slushy Boys meet The Kravinı Aıs (Larsen). The Larsen home team, The Slow Slushy Boys gift us with ³Say You Will,² which works quite well, but they canıt stand against a blast from the past. For that, Larsen has called on The Kravinı Aıs to take on a Motown classic, ³Shop Around.² Unsurprisingly, the KAıs didnıt exactly get back together for this one, as the recording date was evidently late Œ88. Still, anything by The Kravinı Aıs (featuring ex-Milkshake Bruce Brand) is likely to get me off my butt and in a mood to shake a tail feather. This is quite a lively take on this classic and, as a result, itıs got my tail feathers not only shaking, but practically having a seizure. ³Iım shakinı it, Boss.² WOW! I Donıt Want You On My Back (Wiped Out) is one stellar effort, as these guys cover all the bases. The title track, an original, is a kind of Rhythm & Beat thing, kinda like the Milkshakes, but with more of a nod Merseyside. (Those who donıt know any better may just say it sounds like The Kaisers.) Extra points for the organ in the supporting role. ³Outside² recalls nothing so much as The Outsiders themselves. (Note: When I talk about The Outsiders in this mag, weıre always referring to the Dutch geniuses, unless otherwise noted.) Itıs got the same kind of foreboding sense they got in the guitar sound and they rave up beautifully on here. ³Dance On Thru² sees them slowing it down a bit, letting the organ sing out happily in a cool, Stax/Volt soul way. Last up, they rave through the mainly-instro ³Hullabaloo² with its semi-²Peter Gunn² feel (but how does ³Hullabaloo² come out ³Hula Belew?²) Damn this is a good one. ******************************************************************************** THE NUTHINS --------------------- To be honest, Iım not really sure where I first heard about The Nuthins. Their brand of garage is of a more direct lineage than much of what makes up todayıs scene. At the same time, theyıre not straight outta Œ66, either. Pinning this group down is tough, as they tend to explore different roads when the mood strikes them. Every time they go out there, thoı, they make sure theyıve got their biggest sticks and are ready to swing Œem. Their not-so- secret weapon - a dominating combo organ. Hereıs a look at a couple of their seven-inchers... Cemetery Chemistry EP (Monsters) Dig in for some swinginı garage with the Diddley beat on the title track, punctuated with some answering harmonica and often dominated by a swirling, pulsating organ. On ³Missing Link² they rave up once again. ³Ages (Iıve Been Waiting)² goes full-speed ahead with the organ, dirty and wild, faster than the 80s garage scene or the Œ66 feel, but still giving a good representation of each. ³Youıre To Blame² reaches further into the graveyard, with that classic marble-mouth garage vocal sound. Mistake (Detour) The title track finds the Nuthins have moved on to embrace some folk-punk sounds, in the vein of The Optic Nerve or The Cynics when they covered ³Lying All The Time.² Itıs got a nice melody, ringing guitars, and a cool Outsidersı feel, plus the organ keeping some color in the equation. And the subject? What else? Boy-sees-girl-he-digs, Boy-doesnıt-say-a-thing. (Ainıt that the truth!) ³There Must Be A Way² sees the boys back in Cave Central, but this primitive thumping lasts a scant 54 seconds. Brief and to the point. Flip it over for ³20/20² which finds the boys giving the mic a rest and rockinı out on an instro rave-up. ³I Wonıt Deny It² has a few echoes of ³Why Donıt You Smile Now?² although itıs rawer and more basic. The Nuthins LP, One Step Forward was released earlier this year on Twist Records. Look for that along with anything else you can find by them. (And, if you ask nicely, maybe Mr. Steve Coleman will provide us with an interview with the group.) Discography 45s: ³Allergic Kiss²/²Colour Trip² - Merry Go-Round, 1992 ³Modesty Blaze² - Dionysus, 1994 ³Cemetery Chemistry² - Monsters, 1996? ³Mistake² - Detour, 1996 LPs: One Step Forward (Twist) Comps: ³Why Do I Love You² - Submerge fanzine 7² giveaway ³Sick & Tired² - Transworld Garage Vol. I (Misty Lane) ³Put Down² - Transworld Garage Vol. II (Misty Lane) ³Harder I Try² - Takinı A Detour (Detour) a track on Shake & Shame (Larsen) ******************************************************************************** THE GODZILLAS ------------------------- The only thing I know about The Godzillas is that they sound like theyıre an all-female outfit and theyıre into some damn cool rockınıroll. Comparisons will probably be made to the Headcoatees simply because of their gender, but they seem to have more in common with that groupıs predecessors, The Del Monas. Iıve only heard these two seven-inch EPs, but itıs my hope there are either more available or more still to come. The Creatures Called The Godzillas (Larsen) The Godzillas kick it off with a cover of The Milkshakesı classic instro, ³Hide & Scatter² and get it going pretty well. Thereıs a good lonely feel on here. ³One Of Mine² has the gals movinı up to the mic. These are cool girl group sounds with a low guitar (kinda Mickey Hampshire-esque), reminding me a bit of The Del Monas, but with more of a melodic quality. A mysterioso organ swirls the way in on their version of the classic ³Be A Caveman.² Backing vocals make this thing work better than it might have otherwise. Overall, though, itıs a pretty straight reading of a favorite. ³Bloody Bitch² keeps that Del Monas feel going, but the organ occasionally bursts in loudly (although it spends more of the time swirling around underneath), as does the guitar. I Love Him Still (Larsen) This one appears to be all covers, the most notable of which is The Outsidersı ³I Love Him Still.² I canıt say it measures up to the original, but itıs still a pretty fine outing. I have absolutely no idea why ³Pass The Hatchet² (originally done, it says, by Roger & The Gypsies) has that title, but this is a cool rocker with vocalist Spiga sounding like sheıs in the ummm... throes of passion. The organ once again plays a strong supporting role on their reading of ³Hurtinı Kind,² coming out front for a solo at one point. Definitely some swinginı sounds on here. Look for it or write to Larsen. (See the Addresses page for contact info. ‹- Ed.) ******************************************************************************** BUMMER BINGE ------------------------ Thereıve been various bummers this time out, but here are a couple rockınıroll related ones. As you no doubt know from my raving about it last ish, Iım pretty dang nuts about Maow. So, when I found out they were touring, not only across Canada but down into the eastern part of the USA this spring, I was pretty darn psyched. Plus, the tour was with The Hanson Brothers! As it turned out, I got a message from Mint asking if Iıd play mail drop for some merch for the girls. Of course, I said, ³Sure!² Well, the gig was slated for the Wednesday night before Memorial Day in New Brunswick, NJ. (Their booking agent evidently couldnıt find a gig in NYC. Yeesh!) No problem for me, as I had a five day weekend, so I didnıt have to worry about waking up the next AM and facing those hungry wolves masquerading as high school students. I drove home with a huge smile on my face. I was going to see Maow that night! I got to my doorstep and found a nice-sized box from Mint with all the merch. I hoisted it up on my shoulder and continued up the stairs. I opened the door and saw the machine blinking at me. I pressed Play. Then came the message, from Maow... It seems they were stopped at the border and werenıt going to be able to play the show. They thanked me for playing mail drop, but they werenıt going to be able to make it. I called up Mint to find out what had happened. Well... unfortunately, the gals had done what most bands usually do - theyıd just decided to cross the border and not worry about it. After all, who gets hassled? Answer: Maow. I ended up sending the package back to Mint the next morning. Iım hoping that Maow donıt get too soured on trying again. Theyıre one of my current favorites and the thought that I might not get to see them Œcuz of some stupid border crossing rules really grates at me. Thus endeth Bummer #1. Quite honestly, the next two are short enough that I can run them together. In addition, theyıre both my own fault. I could have gone to see these shows, but made a stupid decision not to. The first of these came at the end of May or the start of June. John Fogerty was playing in support of his latest record. Now, I saw him 11 years ago up at the Finger Lakes Performing Arts Center in Canandaigua, NY (in the middle of NY State wine country). Back then he wasnıt doing any Creedence material and he was still fantastic. Now, however, he WAS playing that stuff. So, why didnıt I go? Cash. Summer was fast approaching and I knew I wasnıt going to be bringing in any bacon. And, at 35 bucks a pop, this was one expensive evening. (Or two if going to the first drove me wild enough.) Why am I so bummed out now? Well, Ms. Miriam Linna told me that she caught the first night and it was absolutely fantastic. At one point, she even yelled out for ³Fight Fire² (by CCR when they were still called The Golliwogs. Find it on a Fantasy LP called Pre-Creedence, a comp of The Golliwogsı singles released after CCR broke up. Look in the used bins.) John heard her and evidently laughed in surprise and pointed at her. If only I couldıve been there to yell my support... Iıd go absolutely insane to hear him do that one - or ³Fragile Child,² even. (That one he should re-record.) Finally, The Box Tops did their first show in NYC in 29 years the day after I finished up the school year. Iıd been thinking about this one for quite some time. It was only $15, so the price was decent. Plus they were doing two sets. AND The Skeletons were opening. What the heck was wrong with me? I dunno... temporary insanity, maybe? (Temporary?) Too bad I missed it, too, Œcuz reports said it was one fantastic evening. WHOOPS!!! Looks like I forgotteth a biggy. Back in April, Roberta and I were out in Santa Monica, CA for about five days. Most of the time was spent just sort of hanging on the beach or visiting with her uncle. The first part of the bummer on this trip came when we flew in. We landed about 10 PM on a Saturday night. OK, not too bad, I guess... till I opened the LA Weekly and found out that Ben Vaughn had played an in-store at Borders on the 3rd St. Promenade in Santa Monica that afternoon. Life sucks. I kept reading and found that Dave ³Death of a Clown² Davies was playing early that week at Spaceland. ³OK,² thought your esteemed editor, ³that sounds great.² Well, the day approached and weıd had quite the enjoyable time all afternoon and were quite tired by show time. So, we figured, weıll blow it off... heıll be in NYC in a couple weeks. Yeah, yeah... first solo show and all that, but... itıll be essentially the same thing in a few weeks at Tramps. Iıll just catch that. Well... guess what? The eastern leg of the tour was cancelled. No Dave Davies for me. AAUUUGGHHHH! This concludes another episode of ³Bummer Binge.² Thank you for tuning in. ******************************************************************************** Some Hate ŒEm, Some Buy ŒEm. Theyıre Called... COMPACT DISCS ----------------------------------------------- I have absolutely no pretensions of knowing what rockınıroll was meant to be. In fact, I donıt think it was ³meant² to be anything at all. By the same token, I donıt think itıs fair to be narrow-minded about any particular genre, such as garage or punk. There are plenty of people out there who seem to want to say that ³thatıs not garage,² or ³no way can that be called a punk record.² Thing is, even when you look at the original time zones for both areas, you realize how widely spread they were over the musical map. The question, then, of whether a certain band is garage or punk is pretty much meaningless. I think a larger problem lies in people liking something just because they believe it to be part of some sub-grouping theyıre into as a whole. Now, please understand, I am NOT saying that people donıt really like certain groups; I believe it is completely possible that people actually do like the groups theyıre talking about. And when they get pissed that someone actually feels like saying itıs utter crap, I can understand them being upset. (Of course, this is what started religious wars, too, so...) On the other hand, it might just help to remember that anything written by anyone in regards to how good or bad any recording is should be taken as an opinion. Now that Iıve written all that utter garbage, Iıll get to the point. Iım not a fan of Guitar Wolf. I think Seiji looks incredibly cool up there, all decked out in leather, posing like mad. Thing is, after a couple songs, I just donıt feel all that inspired. Donıt get me wrong, style can be supremely cool, itıs just that I prefer a greater degree of substance. Now, that doesnıt mean thereıs nothing worth listening to in the bandıs music. Their latest disc, Missile Me (Matador), has some cool rockinı sounds bubblinı under all that chemical crud up top, just not enough to make me want to make the dive. There are some people who go nuts for this sorta stuff. Iım just not one of them. ³Oh Jeez!² Thatıs what I thought when I saw the cover of Life Could Be A Dream (Lookout) by Auntie Christ, with a mannequin-type sculpture head, right eye paint-blackened and head with what looked like candy suckers sharpened to spikes pointing into and out of the thing. Hell, thatıs what I thought when I read the bandıs name. So much for not being judgmental, huh? So Iım not perfect. It gets worse, though... once I saw who was involved (Exene Cervenka and DJ Bonebrake of X with Matt Freeman of Rancid), I thought I was in for another boring record from a couple of people whose best work was fifteen years behind them. Luckily, I put it on anyway. Most of this hearkens back to the intensity and feel you got listening to X in their prime. Exeneıs still got fantastic vocals and the lyrics are damn good. The guitars play it hard and true and the rhythmıs completely there. All that, of course, would be nothing without good songs. Luckily, theyıve got those, too. The best of these is ³Not You,² sounding kinda like The Muffs circa ³I Donıt Like You² or even ³New Love,² melodic and demandingly insistent. Having said that, thereıs not a weak track on this 10-songer. Iım looking forward to seeing them tour. Iıd read a few commentaries about The Crumbs on alt.music.banana-truffle, but hadnıt heard them. I wrote to Smugglers mouth-man Grant Lawrence to ask for a more complete description and he said heıd send me a copy of their self-title disc (Lookout.) I canıt agree with the assessment put forth by some that these guys sound like The Ramones. Sorry, no way; these guys sound like they practically worship The Saints circa ³Iım Stranded.² (Canıt blame Œem for that.) The spoken intro to ³Shakespeare² sounds like theyıve been listening to Johnny Thunders & the Heartbreakersı DTK, but then itıs right back to Saintsı central. The start of ³Gotta Go Destructo² reminds me of The Shangri-Lası ³Give Him A Great Big Kiss,² before launching another rockinı assault. This is one of their best tracks, as there seems to be more attention paid to melody and song structure. Or maybe itıs just that theyıre hitting on another favorite subject of mine - the beach. And theyıre propping it up with the appropriate sounds. ³The Deal Down There² is also praiseworthy, coming about and changing tack at all the right points. Iıve always been a sucker for a punk band doing a ballad and so ³Come Home² gets me good. Part of itıs that image of the 50s leather- jacketed tough, softened only by the new girl in town, who somehow understands him. Overall, Iıd have to say this is one damn fine disc; rousing good fun. They sound like a great group to see live. If The Basement Brats had been a New York band during the early part of this decade, they probably wouldıve been one of the cityıs top groups. Not only that, but they wouldıve probably ended up touring all over the place, gaining themselves a solid place in todayıs punk pantheon, along with The Devil Dogs et al. Thatıs right... these guys were damned good. Hmm... maybe I should amend that; see, theyıre still around. Itıs just that they fired their lead singer. Except for two tracks sung by the lead guitarist, Iıve no idea what the heck they sound like now. For now, though, just throw down this damn Œzine and run to the record store and find a copy of Curse of the Brats (1+2), a comp of a mini-LP, an EP, and some unreleased tracks. Almost everything on here falls somewhere in Punksville, but they do a virtual bus tour (yeah, like maybe the one from Speed) of all the neighborhoods. They never go to the pit of hardcore, though they skirt the border in a song or two before jumping back to the melodic heart that draws most of their material together. Some of these songs have a definite Devil Dogsı feel to them , but others spend more time thinking about the Exploding White Mice. (By the way, in an interview with Cosmik Debris, singer Magnum stated that, had they not seen The Devil Dogs, The Basement Brats would never have existed.) Best of all, there are parts that they actually sound like theyıre into some ska in the same way The Clash were. (Heck, the harmonica playing that comes in once or twice remind you that the band has definitely hung out on the Norwegian garage scene, checking out The Cosmic Dropouts, The Kwyet Kings, et al.) But itıs the melodies thatıll draw you back again and again. And again. Not to mention the fantastic sonic assault and cool backing vocals. And damn fine songwriting. This oneıs gonna be blasting through my speakers all summer long... and Iım gonna be jumping around. (Who knows, maybe Iıll bring a boom box down to the park and sit on the steps of the bandshell with ths thing playing. Then Iıll time how long it takes the police to get over from the station across the street.) Seriously, thoı... this is one of the best damn discs youıre likely to find right now. Get it. I think it was Seth from the Mockers who first mentioned Insanity Wave to me. I think heıd run into them when the Mockers went over to Spain last year. Anyway, Do The Worm (Roto) is one damn fine slice of power pop, produced by a master of the form, Jeff Murphy of The Shoes. Now, while there are some slower numbers on here, the majority seem to be bright and upbeat. ³Annie² is one of those classic p. pop tracks, riding a melodic high thanks to a girl, even if sheıd just up and leave. Great arrangements on the backing vocals, too. Some other fantastic tracks on here, too, but the best is probably the first, ³Spins Round,² powerful and full of anticipation of greatness to come, the guitars churning for all theyıre worth, then crunching in like musical exclamation points. This is pop! Sit NıSpin have been playing the NJ-NYC area for a few years now. Pappyıs Corn Squeezinı finds them hitting on just about every musical influence theyıve got, from the girls in the garage pop of ³Dance With My Baby² and ³Primate Mixer Party² to the Tex-Mex instro ³El Guapo², on through to two-step hoppinı Œbilly stylings of ³Hillybilly Bill.² Personal favorites include ³Iım Sick² and ³Lupine Valentine², both of which are straight up S NıS alley. Yeah, thatıs right, despite having a ton of influences (which also include Chuck Berry, surf, and last nightıs pizza) they love to draw from, thereıs a definite style to be discerned here. It consists of happy melodies on top of dancing rockınıroll guitars that occasionally let loose, with a rhythm that gets you moving every time. More evidence of this comes on ³Buffalo Jump,² a personal live favorite, with the guitar hanging tight with the vocal, though not quite twinning it. But donıt order yet, Œcuz youıll also get ³Find Out,² which deserves, above all the rest, to be a radio hit. This oneıs got tender, needy verses giving way to the kind of chorus that deserves to be blasted out car windows at the seaside all summer long. Once again I find myself saying, ³If there were any justice in this world...² Once upon a time in Rochester, NY, a group known as The Chesterfield Kings gaveth unto the world their debut LP, a collection of covers of some garage rockinı obscurities. That was fifteen years ago and the Second Garagic Era was still in its infancy. In that self-same city in Upstate New York, right about that time, one Dan Frank was putting together a group called The Projectiles. Where the C. Kings ruled the garage roost, Danıs combo were the street kids, playing it down and dirty. By the mid-80s, The Kings were headlining some of the biggest shows in town, while The Projectiles were still slugging it out at the smaller clubs, often doing three long sets a night. Unfortunately, in their time together, those guys only released two seven-inchers. (Both of which are highly recommended to all fans of downınıdirty garage rockinı.) There was also said to be an LP recorded, but it never saw light of day, at least as far as I know. Thatıs what I call a major loss. So, whatıs my point? Well, here we are, probably at the peak of the Third Garagic Era, and ex-Projectiles Dan Frank and Dave Anderson (bass) have joined forces with Daveıs ex-Mission Emission bandmate Judd Williams (also ex-Lyres) to form The Riviera Playboys. Theyıve released their Greatest Hits (Jargon). One canıt help but wonder what the reaction of the garage community will be in this day and age to a disc consisting of all covers of garage classics. Personally, I think anyone who dismisses a record due to the lack of any original material is just an utter fool. Maybe thatıs not fair, since most of us have, at one time or another, seen some truly terrible bar bands doing ³Gloria,² ³Louie, Louie,² ³Dirty Water,² and other numbers we hold near and dear. But these guys are of a different breed; these guys have a long-standing relationship with this stuff. (But youıd figured that out already.) Their versions of ³Warning,² ³Wasting My Time,² ³Itıs A Cryinı Shame,² ³I Canıt Make A Friend,² and ³I Canıt Stand This Love (Goodbye)² stand up alogside the best takes youıve heard. In fact, they do a damn good job on every track. Danıs vocals are still as wild as they were when I last saw The Projectiles almost ten years ago. The band can move from tender to fierce from beat to beat without losing a step. Theyıve also got some solid backing vocals, something sorely lacking in much of todayıs sounds. Best of all, Dave tells me they want to come down and play NYC. Iıll be looking forward to seeing them. Geez... The Creatures of the Golden Down have been around for over ten years now. Of course, the lineup has hardly remained static. (This Bethlehem, PA bunch is quite deserving of the family tree treatment.) But all thatıs besides the point because vocalist (and only original member) Mark Smith has currently got his best band yet together. We hear most of this lineup on The Keys To The Kingdom (Collectables), the latest from the group. A good portion of the credit for the groupıs sound is due Mike Lowe, formerly of The Tryptics in central New Jersey. (He was convinced by Mark a couple years ago to move to Bethlehem to become a Creature.) Mikeıs written some fantastic songs for the group. (Not only that, but he also provides the group with some cool guitar- playing, as well as some strong vocals. In fact, he occasionally takes the mic from Mark.) Mikeıs written some fantastic psychedelic garage-pop numbers on here, including ³We Donıt See Eye To Eye² and, my favorite, ³Cynthia Cellophane² (one Iıve been waiting to see on a record for quite some time now.) Things rev up a bit, but keep a psychedelic overtone on Mikeıs ³Zuzu Girl,² ³Iıve got a girl whoıs 17 / Sheıs stark in black, sheıs tinted green She doesnıt dig the nightclub scene / I peel her like a tangerine.² Get the feeling heıs not talking about being her psychoanalyst, peeling away the layers of hurt from her childhood? Nope, Iım betting this is something Tipper Gore might just wanna hear about. After another verse, they throw a cherry bomb into the works and detonate into a chorus with an organ swirling madly in the background. WOW! Mikeıs got some other killers on here, too, in the form of ³Love Me Donıt² and (a personal live favorite), ³Shake Your Hips.² The latter features some swinginı organ painting the scene, with a driving beat directing the action on a swinginı R&B stomper featuring just enough melody to keep a huge smile on your face. This oneıs more in line with what theyıve been unleashing on audiences in the past couple months. The disc features a couple covers, too, including one of ³My Brother The Man,² but there are still more originals included. Four of these come courtesy of ex-rhythm guitarist, Mike Smitreski. (The departure of said ³Cryptic Zenmaster of the Universe² is what left Smith the sole original member of the group.) Often, Smitreskiıs songs tend towards the darker, cloudy side of the garage, but a couple of his contributions here move in different directions. One, ³She Reminds You Of,² is a pretty swinginı garage rocker with strong backing vocals on the chorus and a sparkling lead guitar part. The other, ³The Golden Dawn Is Near² is more of a folk-punker, with ringing guitars and softened backing vocals. Zenmaster, youıve gone out on a damn fine note. Nice work. Also contributing a track is bassist Stu Rutherford with ³Wake Up Girl,² a cool psych-pop number that raves at all the right places, but spends more time spiraling through the chorus. Hopefully, Stu will write more in the future. As good as this disc is (and itıs damn good!), you ainıt seen nothing yet. Theyıve been doing some truly killer originals lately and Mark Smith and Mike Lowe both say that there should be an EP out later this year, possibly on Dionysus. So buy the current disc and keep your eyes peele for the EP. As the press materials say, The Nomads were a driving force in bringing the sounds of the garage back to the forefront in the early to mid-80s. Well, here they are in the late 90s, doing the same thing for some Canadian garage obscurities on The Cold Hard Facts Of Life (Lance Rock). Yeah, thatıs right, gang, another disc of all garage covers. Must be catching. The Nomads, however, have a much harder, more modern sound to them. This, of course, goes along with their whole approach - theyıve never been content to stay within the confines of the garage, drawing just as deep from the Dictatorsı/Stooges/Dolls well as anywhere else. Even that doesnıt completely describe their take, though, Œcuz this is a group thatıs NOW! Anyway, this disc includes covers of two tracks by The Northwest Company (³Hard To Cry² and ³Get Away From It All²), two more from The Ugly Ducklings (³She Ainıt No Use To Me² and ³Nothinı²), plus The Juryıs ³Who Dat?², ³Thatıs My Girl (Rotten To The Core)² by The Great Scots, Luke & The Apostlesı ³Been Burnt², and a step into the 80s for Teenage Headıs ³Picture My Face.² It took me a while to warm to their versions of ³Who Dat?² and ³Nothinı,² if only because two of my fave live acts of the 80s used to do them, The Vipers and The Projectiles, respectively. But after listening to this disc over and over (and itıs gotten a ton of plays at TS HQ), Iıve gotten just as into these versions as the ones I came of age with. I tend to think thisıll appeal strongly to many of todayıs garage fans, what with its combination of the old and the new. YEAH! Finally, a new one from The Woggles. These Georgia boysıll have you shakinı it loose right from the get-go with their new one, Get Tough! This one blasts off with the title cut, as the band demands you ³Get Tough!² This oneıs pure Woggles, as they give it everything theyıve got and everything you might possibly want from them. Whether theyıre telling you to ³Push² and ³Snap Your Fingers² or demanding ³Donıt Give Me No Sass² or ³Do Just What I Say² youıll be chompinı at the bit for the chance to do just that. Instros arenıt left behind, either, with ³Zombie Stomp² kicking in a nasty, quick-step spook- tone. Fansıll be glad to hear long-time live fave ³Mule-Lipped,² as well. As is my nature, my fave track is the one thatıs the furthest removed from the rest of the dang thing. ³Arthur Lee² is all about Loveıs leader and does a remarkable job of sounding like some of that groupıs best work. Itıs got a pop- psych melody and ringing guitar and - somehow - The Professor even manages to channel Arthur right out of his jail cell. Somehow, I wonder if this oneıll ever capture audience interest the way the groupıs grittier/tougher material does (probably Œcuz that kinda stuffıs built for the live setting), but I get the feeling that itıs a track that nobody who gives it a good listen will soon forget. Itıs one of those songs thatıll ring on in your head and come back at those wonderfully random intervals. Altogether, this is probably the best recording the Woggles have ever done. Itıs been quite some time since I got Danger: The Diaboliks (Dionysus) by The Diaboliks, an English group of three gals and a guy. I was playing it all the time back then, but so much has appeared in the meantime that I hadnıt actually heard it for a couple months before it was time to write this. Back when I was first listening to it, I brought it to school with me to listen to while I was getting work done. Inevitably, a few kids heard it. And, surprise of surprises, some of Œem went absolutely NUTS over it, especially their rousing version of ³Willy The Wild One.² (Of course, the cover shot, with the gals in the group dressed in some tight pink vinyl outfits didnıt exactly bum out the guys.) The disc tends towards the cool yet sultry side of the garage, fuzztone attitude on high. Some of the material has an unmistakable Del Monas feel. Extra points for a cool version of The Kinksı ³Heıs Got Everything.² One of the originals that got to me was ³Groove and Grind,² hypnotically bubbling into my brain. ³Nightmare² ups the tempo and screams into a short guitar burst before jumping back. Babzı vocals combine with Danıs guitar to give the band its sound, but everything comes together well. Definitely something for any true garage fan. The only bummer for me is that theyıre touring the West Coast, rather than the one Iım on. Not that I can blame them, since their labelıs out in Burbank, CA. But they can consider this my request for an East Coast appearance. I was originally planning on doing a whole Kinksı mini-feature this issue. It was going to include reviews of Ray and Dave live (a scary temptation for a high school English class ³Compare & Contrast² essay), a look at Daveıs book, then a review of To The Bone (Guardian). Well, when I was in LA, Dave played the first of his solo shows, but I was tired and decided to wait a few weeks for his NYC gig at Tramps. Unfortunately, that was canceled. Then I decided that I didnıt feel like trekking down to Princeton for Ray on a Monday night after seeing The Insomniacs, Makers, & Headcoats. Of course, if Dave hadnıt canceled out of that Tuesday night, I wouldıve felt obligated to do these three nights... picture a Sunday at Tramps for garage wildness, then a relaxing evening with Ray in Princeton, followed by Dave rockinı out at Tramps on Tuesday. No way I could miss something like that. But it didnıt happen, so youıre left with my review of the double-disc, To The Bone. It starts off with ³All Day And All of The Night,² featuring The Kinksı in full-out concert glory on the Œ94 tour. Then it quickly drops off to the intimacy of their own Konk Studios, where they performed before a small audience in, writes Ray in the liner notes, ³stripped- down acoustic form.² The first of these is one of my personal favorites, ³Apeman,² and you can hear Daveıs high backing vocals right where they need to be. ³Tired of Waiting² follows that, gentle and compelling, reminding you just how damned good this band can be when they put their minds to it and blow off that arena rock thing that happened along the way. The same can be said of ³See My Friends,² with its Indian overtones. I suppose the nice thing about this recording is that it breathes new life into songs many people have tucked up on their shelves. (Or, worse yet, never heard. Shudder.) Then, ³This is Dave, doing his ŒDeath of a Clownı piece one more time.² And, somehow, it works at least as well as the original version; it could be better, if only due to the passge of time giving Dave a number of experiences to make the song that much more poignant. Tons of old favorites are included, and not just the 60s tracks, either (though you will get ³Sunny Afternoon,² ³Dedicated Follower of Fashion,² ³Village Green Preservation Society,² ³Lola,² ³Till The End of the Day,² ³Days,² and, of course, ³You Really Got Me.²) I still believe that The Kinksı best moment after, say 1971 or Œ72, was ³Better Things² which ranks amongst the best material they ever recorded, and itıs found here, as well. When they sing, ³Itıs really good to see you rockinı out and havinı fun / Livinı like youıve just begun,² I canıt help but hope that itıs a look towards ³Better Things² yet to happen in the Kinksı future. (Of course, in my mind, the best would bring Pete Quaife and Mick Avory back to the fold.) While ³Better Things² is a long- time favorite, itıs ³Donıt Forget To Dance² which comes into its own here. Maybe itıs because, when it came out, I just wasnıt in the mood to hear anything slow. The years have passed now, and I have less of a problem with ballads and their ilk. And so, ³Donıt Forget To Dance² has a greater effect on me now. And it never would have if I hadnıt heard it on this disc, Œcuz I probably wouldnıt have played it again. ³Come Dancing² is also found in the collection, but it suffers somewhat in comparison to the original, although itıs still a fine take. ³Celluloid Heroes,² on the other hand, is (possibly for the same reason as ³Death Of A Clown²) enhanced by the life experience gained. One chestnut pulled from the vaults is ³Do You Remember Walter,² which Ray also likes, describing it as being ³straight out of a beer-cellar in 1930s Berlin.² Of course, I canıt say I agree with everything Ray writes in the liner notes, as he tips his hat to brother Daveıs guitar work on ³Iım Not Like Everybody Else,² one of the few disappointing tracks on the disc (which, of course, comes from the Œ94 tour, rather than the Konk performance.) It suffers from that horrible, overblown lae 70s/early 80s arena thing and, contrary to Rayıs opinion, the worst thing about it is Daveıs guitar sound (the same thing happens on ³Set Me Free.²) Give me the ³Victoria² guitar sound any day. To be fair to Dave, the bass is also a major offender, and Rayıs not helping anything with his throaty growling. Nope, if theyıre gonna play this classic like this, theyıd best leave it to any number of modern garage groups. While ³Till The End of the Day² gets the Big Rock Show treatment, it doesnıt lose too much as a result, perhaps because itıs always been a rocker. Yeah, it doesnıt measure up to the original, but you wonıt wince when you hear it, either. ³Give The People What They Want² and ³State Of Confusion² also donıt lose anything from the live, arena performance, but for a completely different reason: simply put, theyıve stayed in the environment in which they were originally conceived. These songs come from The Kinksı late 70s/early 80s period on top of the world. (Part of the reason I became such a big Kinksı fan is Œcuz they were a major force at a time when I was in junior high and high school. I never understood why local radio stations had ³Zeppelin-Stones-Beatles-Who² days and didnıt count the Kinks in amongst the top rockınıroll groups. Personally, I like the Kinks more than all four of those.) Of course, if you didnıt like those songs then, these recordings probably wonıt mean that much to you. In fact, youıll find it hard to reconcile my feelings for these songs with the rest of the stuff I like and dislike. Getting back to Rayıs kudos... heıs completely right in giving Dave the nod for his work on ³A Gallon of Gas,² an acoustic blues that works quite well, with the Hammond playing the background superbly. ³Days² is from the Œ94 tour, but comes off superbly, with Ray on his own at the start and the band falling into step at just the right point. The band treads lightly here, treating the song with the respect it deserves. Itıs interesting, listening to To The Bone, to realize that fewof The Kinksı classics are stuck in the 60s; they exist completely outside of time. It should be noted that the British version of this disc evidently included ³Waterloo Sunset,² something that bothers me, since I didnıt get that. On the other hand, the extra time it took to put out the US version meant that the band had a chance to record two new compositions. ³Animal² is a strong composition has a slight ³Better Things² feel, although it doesnıt quite reach those heights. Finally, thereıs the title track, a standard in Rayıs solo shows. It took me awhile to warm to this, as itıs got a sound that seems rooted in FM radio, which (as every reader no doubt knows) isnıt much of a recommendation. I waited it out, though, and peeled back that first layer to find something completely compelling. Every Kinksı fan is likely to wonder why one of his/her favorites didnıt make it on here, but we could go on forever that way. As it stands, this is a darn good disc. If Ray can still write songs like ³Animal,² Iıd really love to hear a new studio LP. I first ran into Roger Manning sometime around the Summer of Œ88. At that point, NYCıs Anti-Folk scene was in full swing. I fell into it the way many of us discover something new - a friend was completely immersed in it. The timing was good, too... I was only 22 years old, only out of college for a year and still going out an average of five nights a week. The fact that the home base of the whole thing by that time was the Chameleon on East Sixth between Avenues A & B made it easier. Friends were working at the corner of 6th & A at the Sidewalk Cafe; good shows were still a regular thing at the Pyramid Club, across the street; King Tutıs Wah-Wah hut was up at 7th & A. Trek a block down to 5th Street and Sophieıs was a popular hangout. Yeah, it was a pretty great time. Funny thing is, I donıt really remember the first time I saw Roger Manning play. I do remember being blown away by his first album, so much so that I brought a tape of it up to my brotherıs graduation from SUNY Plattsburgh in May, Œ89. Turns out it was one of the few times he and I have both gone nuts for the same music. Rogerıs music was a breath of fresh air. I still refuse to define Anti- Folk. In fact, I believe the only reason they even came up with the name was Œcuz, back when a few of them were getting started around Œ84 or so, the West Village folk establishment told them they werenıt folk music. So the tall digit in the center was symbolically lifted and they moved over to the East Village. Thing is, when I listen to the Anti-Folk crowd (and Roger, especially), I find that this is the kind of folk music I like. Maybe itıs that thereıs a spirit I can understand. Iıve never been a major folk fan. I like some of the cool 60s folk rock stuff and even more of the pure folk music from that decade and those that came before. But the regular folk music Iıve heard in recent years hasnıt excited me all that much. With Roger Manning thereıs an independence, a freedom of spirit that I either understand or want to feel myself, Iım no quite sure which. The ³#14 Blues² on his first LP had an urgency describing the feeling of being in the East Village, and being truly alive there. Now, Iıll admit right off that I donıt believe that his new record for Shanachie is quite as exciting as the first one. On the other hand, thereıs that conversation I had with a couple friends a month or so back... we tended to agree that there were few acts that ever made a good record after their second LP. Roger doesnıt put out records every year... or even every two years. Maybe thatıs why this works... heıs had time to get the songs together. My favorites on this one are those that mean something to me, like the next-to-leadoff track (³Grand Teton Blues² starts the disc off with 15 seconds of the night sounds in the park), ³Bohemia Blues,² one that, like the ³#14 Blues² from the first record, describes part of life in the East Village. Rogerıs lyrics do rail against the hypocrisy in the world, but he also explores emotions in songs like ³The Rearview Mirror Blues.² ³You can break my heart, but you canıt put me in my place. I guess you know that by now.² Besides, I canıt help but love that refusal to let anyone else control your destiny. He also likes to have fun. In ³The Pearly Blues #6 (Explanation Blues)² he talks about noticing girls in bookstores. ³Either way Iım not looking for my mother (I think Iım looking for my grandmother.) (...) Sure, you could break my heart but first you gotta climb the death mountain, swim the burning ocean and cross the lonesome valley, and still thereıs no guarantee.² Yeah, Iım quoting lyrics, something I donıt often do. Of course, how often do you hear me praising folk records in this mag? So Iıll keep going with it... on ³Hitchhiker Blues #5 (Midnight Blues),² Roger lets us know his feelings about having to leave Tompkinsı Square Park at midnight. ³(...) millions trade in life for Œlaw and orderı and end their day at midnight.² Most of all, though, Roger Manningıs records are about thinking for yourself. Thatwould mean absolutely nothing if he couldnıt put his ideas across in a way that Iıd want to let them in through the doorways on the left and right sides of my skull. But these do, and I invite them to stay awhile, happy to let them do as they please... make me think. If youıre in the mood for some powerful instro stylings, look no further than Huevos Rancherosı Get Outta Dodge (Mint). If you like the way Dick Dale plays his guitar heavy, then check out ³What A Way To Run A Railroad² for more of the same (though you wonıt hear much double-picking.) ³Interstate Death Toll² starts out with a hint of ³Cherry Bomb,² then moves down the highway on a late night trek into the Canadian hinterlands (where Iım sure theyıve got their own equivalent of the New Jersey Devil.) ³Shadow of the Apache² plays with the spaghetti western theme, focusing on the nobility of the Apache, standing tall and looking down on the land he once roamed, now settled by cows and goats and sheep, but the memories are there. This is probably my favorite recording by these guys... maybe Œcuz Iım a sucker for the western theme. Extra points for finishing up with a strong reading of ³The Lonely Bull.² Sticking north of the border weıve got the Curse of Horseflesh with Burning up the Jade (Roto-flex). Some of you will remember a 45 by Œem last year, but quite honestly, this oneıs gonna be the one that gets them some notoriety. Quite simply, the title is quite apt, Œcuz this disc truly does BURN. Like the Huevos Rancherosı disc, this one plays a bit with western imagery, but these guys also include vocals in the mix. Sure, they open up with an instro, ³Mojave Riptide,² but thatıs more a get-settled-in-the-saddle/hereıs- whatıs-in-store bit than anything else. It stands up perfectly well on its own, but then they kick in their heels and charge on with ³The Bloody End,² somehow reminding me a bit of what Thee Headcoats mightıve sounded like if theyıd gotten into a skirmish with The Jet Blackberries during Sundown On Venus.. Thereıre even some fantastic Diddley-esque bits. Back for another instro ride, they hit on a cover of ³Hiawatha,² but after that the vocalıs are back for ³Libertyıs Cannonball.² Yeah, definitely the Headcoats/Jet Blackberriesı comparison. Thereıre also some slower bits, like ³Throttled 2 Death (With a Hair Watchchain),² moving towards a more deliberate, lurking-danger feel, a tension thatıs almost Link-like, but without being a clone. Also included is a good- time version of ³Long Tall Texan² (yeah, like any version of this could even hope to work without being fun), with the vocals buried the way they are on this whole disk, but coming thru just enough for you to catch it all. While they also catch a wave with ³Surf of St. James,² itıs the western theme that captures me completely. Last time any band managed to do this so well was that Jet Blackberries record I mentioned earlier... and that was really a Space Western thing. (To be fair to those guys, thoı, that record had a bunch of cuts running around the same story line, where this just seems to work on a cool theme, instead.) This is one Iıll be listening to happily for quite some time. Thereıs something special about Nardwuar The Human Serviette. No, itıs not just those hilarious interviews, either. (Hereıs a guy who makes Stuttering John look like Al Gore on one of his more boring days.) This does not mean that Iım gonna love everything The Evaporators record. Indeed, thereıs a significant portion of United Empire Loyalists (Nardwuar The Human Serviette) that I just donıt much care for, musically. But the point-man is Nardwuar and his style is all over this, be it on an original or the interpretation of a favored cover song. So, once you dig past the fact that some of this is just too damn noisy for you and that it even hurts your ears in parts, you suddenly find yourself drawn to it. And, hey, there are some damn fine tracks, as well, including the title cut, with its annoyingly catchy bass line. And a version of ³Itıs My Pride² that, if not as cool as the original (or even the one done by The Kliek a few years ago), is still fun to listen to. Of course, ³Welcome To My Castle² goes over better in video form. Dave Carswell takes over the vocals on ³Pregnant² and transforms the bandıs sound to more straight-up rockınıroll (providing a nice respite.) Cubıs Lisa Marr returns to The Evaporators for vocals on ³Maneaters,² a number Cub do on a regular basis. Gotta say, I like hearing it with Nardwuarıs organ in the background. Another of the easier-to- get-into numbers is ³Woah,² as they barrel through, the only vocals being the band singing along, ³Woaah... come along with me.² (And sounding damn good doing it, too.) Thereıs not as many interviews as you might like to hear (only three), but they include Dan Quayle (wait till you hear his answer when Nardwuar asks him who the Prime Minister of Canada is) and Alice Cooper (who got his invite to Bill Gatesı wedding two weeks after the event.) Anyway, this thing comes on both LP and CD, but thereıs a catch - they come together. The disc is inside the LP packaging. Now, I gotta wonder, if Nardwuar can afford to do this, and sell the cobination at a normal price, how come the major labels are blasting a hole in our wallets for just the disc? One of the most ravinı discs youıve got the good fortune to be allowed to buy is It Came From Pier 13 (Dionysus) by The Bomboras. If you were never much of a fan before, oversimplifying their sound as just plain old instro surf, then youıre in for a major surprise here; if you were a fan before, youıre gonna be bustinı out like David Banner into the Incredible Hulk. This oneıs a MONSTER! Thereıs just no other way to describe it. Easily one of the best discs of the year. They kick it off with the title theme, a big fuzz-laden whomper thatıll pummel you into submission in seconds flat. SuperFuzz, killer chords, and an all around party smash. They downshift into ³Kamikaze² to put smiles on the faces of the kids all over again, but this time in a more lighthearted way. Jake Cıs organ leads the way, but the guitarıs the easy second-in-command. Actually, ³Guitar Grinder² will put you in the same mood most of the time, till they come crashing down on some garage stomping midway through. ³Pier Thirteen² has such a damn nasty tone to it that Davie Allan oughta be running for the shadows. An attitude like this, Young Man, is going to get you in a LOT of trouble! (But, as the Haze sang, oh-so-eloquently, ³Ooooh, it feels so good!²) Oh yeah, there were some of you out there who were still sayinı, ³So-the-bleep- what, theyıre not stayinı straight in Surf Central; theyıre still doinı instros, right? Theyıre still a surf band.² Now, beyond the obvious fact that you guys are numbnuts and are probably the same yutzes who think youıre supposed to be slamming to the Fleshtones and Swinginı Neckbreakers, the Bomboras offer the final proof that you guys havenıt got a clue what youıre talking about. Exhibit 7, ³Sheıll Do Ya Wrong,² is a snotty garage punker that crams and crunches in all the right places. (In other words, every damn step they take.) You just wish you had the raw power to slam this one into existence. Ah, what have we here? ³The Bombora Stomp.² Can you say ³Commanche?² I knew you could. Now that ouıve learned that one, repeat when appropriate, ³Bom-Bor-A.² The discıs still got some pretty damn classy surf material, including ³The Ninth Wave² and ³Hypnotica,² but itıs the diversity of the material on this disc that makes it such a damn good one. Heck, theyıve even thrown in a version of ³Red River Valley² just for good measure. And any band whoıs got this one in their repertoire (see The Hentchmen) are alright in my book. The final word: just BUY this damned thing. Youıre gonna thank me. (Preferably with cash and prizes.) Must be something about Dionysus Records and the number 13. Another one of their recent releases is The Boss Martiansı 13 Evil Tales. Who knows, maybe itıs a lucky number for Œem, Œcuz this oneıs also chock full oı goodies. The BMs kick it off with a Davie Allan/Arrowsı-esque attitudinal instro entitled ³Hot Foot.² (They donıt know it, but this oneıs for Pat ³Hot Foot² Lozito.) ³Haywire² has more of a staccato guitar thing going on with the organ playing the main theme. As with most Boss Martiansı releases, this oneıs also got some vocal numbers. The first of these is ³Gonna Have Fun Tonight,² which stands well with the rest of the vocal tracks the group has laid down these past couple years. ³Sheıs Creepy,² however, has them a cut above the old stuff, with a sorta ³Louie, Louie² thing happening in the chorus, but falling into a smoother surf/frat rock vocal type number in the verses. Some nice guitar-slinging by Evan on this one. Lookinı for some swinginı hot rod vocal sounds? Check out ³Mean Model A² and ³Tombstone Track.² But itıs ³Long Hair Lenny² (who ³took my girl away²) that really gets things moving. The signature guitar bit hereıs got a hint of ³Suzy Q² in it and moves from there. Once again, the highlight of the track is Evanıs guitar solo midway through, fluid and hitting it right on all the way. The disc closes out with the vocal track, ³Cımon Jenny!² This oneıs further into Untamed Youth territory, thoı the Martians donıt quite have the wildness the Youth do. 13 Evil Tales? Maybe for those in Dullsville. For you, Dear Reader, I issue my personal Get Out of Dullsville Free card. And, with that, you may proceed to Swingtown and pick up this party platter. If youıre lookinı to hear some primo rockınıroll, go directly to The Lyresı section and pull out The Early Years (Crypt). Most of this was previously available on various LPs and 45s, but those arenıt always that easy to find and this stuff pulls together some of that material in a nice, easy package. Best of all, youıre getting to hear The Lyres the way they should be heard: live. ŒCuz, while Jeff & Co. have made some pretty damn fine records, those buggers can never match the sheer power of their live act. (True, that can be said for most great bands - especially garage-types - but the Lyres are one of the best, so add that much more into the equation.) Interestingly, thereıs no versions of two of the Lyresı classics, ³Help You Ann² and ³Donıt Give It Up Now.² On the other hand, youıre gonna get ³Buried Alive,² ³100 CC,² and ³How Do You Know.² And youıre gonna find a slew of some of the best damn covers youıve ever heard, including The Kinksı ³Never Met A Girl Like You Before,² a killer take on The Isleyıs ³Nobody But Me² (no other group has any right to do this one once theyıve heard the Lyres), and a heartfelt rendering of Pete Bestıs ³The Way I Feel About You² (proof that the Beatles kicked Pete out Œcuz he had soul). This is one of those discs that you can just play randomly and get pure, unadulterated genius every time. I mean, check out ³Swing Shift.² YEOW! If only there was a way to expose kids in their formative stages to this kinda thing on a Friday night. I mean, there they are, in the high school gym, right... lotsa crepe paper just waiting to be torn from the rafters, boys sitting on one side, girls on the other... some utter crap is playing, the vice principalıs watching the punch bowl. Suddenly, the DJ gets thrown outta the way, this disc gets thrown in and punched in to ³Swing Shift.² The sound system gets cranked up so nobody can ignore it. PLAY! Yeah, rockınıroll nirvana. Magnificent Mayhem! The kids are ready to swing and the party begins. Let the whole flippinı disc play,Daddy, Œcuz The Lyresı have just said, ³Letıs Have A Party!² WHEW! Nobody But Lyres. I keep writing this over and over, I know, but itıs just plain true... The Insomniacs are one of the best damn bands in existence. Iıve been into them since the beginning, but itıs still amazing to me how far theyıve come in that time, both as a live act and a recording group. Itıs the latter weıre here to discuss, though, thanks to their dynamite new disc, Out Of It (Estrus). If youıre gonna be annoying and ask for some kinda musical description, then garage/psych-pop is the closest Iım gonna get, but thatıs just too simple to describe them. Youıve got originals like ³Crystal Clear,² both swirling and insistent; the hypnotic ³OıClock OıClock²; ³Donıt Turn Away,² running and smashing around joyfully; or even the inclusion of one of my all-time fave Insomniacsı tunes, ³Sylvia Grey,² with its guitar line dancing in the meadows of my mind, putting a big smile on my face. Then thereıs covers that the guys manage to make completely their own: the crowd-pleasing ³Jump & Dance,² which gets the audience doing just that every time; ³Help! Murder! Police,² as Bob lets fly on the solo and the band hammers through the whole tune; or the perfect number to finish out a night, ³The Long Cigarette,² with the guitar picking out a nice clean intro that gives way to brother Davidıs waiting vocal, wondering whatıs up. Damn, I love this song. Itıs got a killer melody and an easy feel, grooving slowly. (And Iıve no idea why, but I get a mental picture of myself sitting on one of the benches at Downstairs at Scorgieıs up in Rochester, NY around 1985, right at the end of the night. Just my own mental picture... but any song that can do that so well has something going for it.) Yeah, The Insomniacs have done it again. Truly one of the best groups out there. It was six years ago that I first wrote about The Botswanas in this Œzine. Thatıs where I wrote, ³The Botswanas are a rockınıroll band.² For that, a couple of my close pals let out a great big guffaw. No, not a snort... a genuine guffaw. Yeah, it sounded silly to them, maybe, but to me it was the only way to really describe them. (Not to mention the fact that those who scoffed hadnıt heard a single not by the band.) This is a group that canıt be thrown into categories all that easily. I was right six years ago, The Botswanas are a rockınıroll band. Plain and simple. The songs rock and roll; and they put a smile on my face. In the past six years, the groupıs undergone various changes in rhythm sections, although theyıve had bassist Danny Ly (one of the best around) for a few years now. Eileenıs vocals sound at least as good on this second disc as they did on the first one. Price Harrisonıs guitar-work fits so perfectly it amazes me. This is one of those discs I hate to pick favorites on, but Iıll give the extra nod anyway to the leadoff, ³Pretty Things Are Unfair,² ³Soul Kiss² (for some flying guitar by Price), ³You Could Lose Yourself² (great backing vox accenting a cool vocal line), ³Junior High Knockout² (as Eileen sounds like Debbie Harry at the outset), and ³Future Scene² (for a sort of T. Rex feel.) The wild part is that half the time I donıt even feel like Iım hearing the lyrics; itıs more like Iım just feeling Eileenıs voice wash into the rest of the band as another instrument. This makes two excellent discs from this bunch. Canıt wait to see what theyıve got in store for next time. In the meantime, thoı, Iıll just have to catch Œem live. Itıs hard for some people to accept that anyone would want to mess with one of rockınırollıs classic LPs. Even so, Columbia/Legacy decided to remix Raw Power and they got Iggy to do it. What was the point, you ask, ³that record kicks, punches, claws... it blinkinı DESTROYS!² Yeah, youıre right - it does. So, uh... why bother? Well, Iggy himself was never pleased with the bottom end, especially when it got transferred to CD. So, nearly 25 years after the fact, he went back in. In the interview in the liner notes, Iggy says the point was to give the record the kind of sound treatment a 90s audience has come to expect, so they could hear how damn great that band was. (And that was DAMNED great!) He says he jammed everything in the red and it certainly sounds like it. In fact, the only difference I can really hear between this and the original is that this one lets you hear the bass better. This thing is wild in the streets. The title says it all... Raw Power. All New Hits. Thatıs the name of this compilation of material by Asteroid B-612 on Lance Rock Records. This Australian combo are obviously big fans of Radio Birdman and, hence, The Stooges; at the same time, theyıve got some of that basic Chuck Berry backbeat. This is one of those records that needs to be cranked way up for full effect. Itıs the kind of record that, like Raw Power for instance, canıt be fully experienced with only the ears; it needs to pass inside and rattle around your ribcage, then grab ahold of your spine and shoot both up and down. Itıs powerful in a meaty, bullish way, yet it somehow flies high and proud. ³You Know Iıll Never Be Good² jams the guitar out front, letting it slip, slide and ricochet wherever it needs to. The rhythm pounds and thereıs a hint of the Stones around the Mick Taylor period, but with a bit more fun. They punch the tempo up a few notches for ³Farewell Cosmic Commander,² all the while shouting and pounding it out for all theyıre worth. ³Edge A Little Closer² owes equal debts to the NY Dolls and the Stooges, the former for the vocal feel and the latter for the guitar power. Bluesmanıs gonna love these guys. I could swear they recently passed through town... wish Iıd heard Œem before that. It took me a bit to get fully into Happy Birthday To Me (Reprise), the new one by The Muffs. But, Œcuz theyıre The Muffs (and Œcuz there were a couple songs that grabbed me straight away), I kept it in regular rotation at TS HQ. The effort paid off. This thing effinı kicks. The first couple tracks, ³Crush Me² and ³That Awful Man² are either gonna get you up and dancing immediately or finding you crushed in the stampede. ³Honeymoon² is one of the numbers I remember best from The Muffsı shows around these parts last summer; just past mid-tempo, itıs wistful Muffsı heaven. ³Pennywhore² kinda reminds me of some 20s thing updated. ³Outer Space² is another one I remember from last summerıs shows. This one is kinda dreamy, with a sliding guitar solo, and eyes in the clouds (or further.) ³Iım A Dick² comes straight off the Sympathy 45 (reviewed elsewhere) and is a highlight of this 3rd Muffsı disc. ³Nothing² revs things up again, kinda angry-sounding at points, but sugarcoated enough to make it deeee- licious. If this disc isnıt as immediately gratifying as the earlier efforts, itıs probably because it doesnıt rev up and go quite as often. Listen to it a few times, however, and youıre bound to realize itıs a damn good disc. No wonder - itıs The Muffs. Need more be said? Hereıs something most people might never have expected to hear: April March with The Makers on a disc entitled April March Sings Along With The Makers (SFTRI). After all, most people know April for her quirky pop numbers. Some may be clued into the fact that she was also lead voice for The Shitbirds. Or that she was involved, earlier on, with the killer girl group, The Pussywillows. And very few have heard the stuff she did with (I think the name was) The F- Holes. (Probably Œcuz itıs unreleased as far as I know.) The point Iım trying to make is that Ms. March has varied tastes and can rock out with the best of them. (One fantastic car trip up to see The Raunch Hands at Bard College, she and I rocked out the whole way to the Del Monas and The Milkshakes. Of course, then there was the ride back, with April, Raunch Handsı mouth Michael Chandler, Cracked genius Cliff Mott, and Crypt main-man Tim Warren crammed into my Œ78 Datsun 510, which picked the unbelievable hour of 3 AM to red-line the temperature gauge. But thatıs another story... nothing like a good digression.) Here weıve got April taking lead vox on some of my fave Makersı tracks, including ³I Just Might Crack,² ³Sometimes Sometimes² (this is one of my all- time favorite Makersı numbers, and Mike Makerıs doing great backing vocals on it), the cool, deliberate ³Let Him Try² (taking on a whole different meaning with April singing it), and ³Bust Out.² That last ends it all with the following dialog: Mike Maker: (In low voice) Hey, April March, why donıt you take your shirt off for Michael Maker... cımon baby, now. April March: (Pouting and petulant) No. Mike Maker: No? (All break into laughter and they Bust Out!) The only thing wrong with this disc is that itıs only got nine tracks. The Makers rage and April March goes wild up top. Iıve been absolutely nuts about The Omega Men since Eric Ebeling (responsible for ³Beat,² according to the inner sleeve) sent me a sound clip of ³My Favorite Dean Martian² some time back. Getting it on the Instrumental Fire comp intensified my craving for more. Finally, in May came their debut, The Spy-Fi Sounds Of (MuSick). YEOW! This thingıs movinı all over... their stock in trade is wigged-out, Hammond-organ dominated instros, but their are some damn fine vocal garage blasts, as well. While thereıre one or two tracks that may get tagged as surf, most of the instros on here fall much closer to the Stax/Volt sounds once offered up by The Mar-Keys and Booker T. & the MGs. In fact, they get quite a groove going on their cover of ³Soul Dressing.² The only difference is that some of the Omega Menıs instrumental numbers get the guitar raging away in the garage, threatening not to pick the lock, but to blow it into oblivion. Despite the fact that the group spends most of its time away from the mic, the first track is a vocal, ³Mania For Blondes,² an edgy garage mover. Pick oı the Platter, though, has to go to ³Susan Goes To Work,² as organist Susan Mackey does just that. Thing is, this oneıs more than just an absolutely killer organ instro. Nope, the guitar is completely insane underneath, trying to beat its way to the top the whole time. INCREDIBLE! The liner notes say this spy-fi thing is ³one measure of Booker T. and all that Memphis sound, blended with equal parts of British-tinged R&B and American instrumental madness, sprinkled with a handful of 90s growl and served over cracked ice inside a secret agentıs shoe phone.² Umm... actually, thatıs pretty damned good (much as Iıd like to laugh at the verbiage.) Iıll simplify: this thingıs gonna blow your mind. Debut of the year, by far, and it ranks right up there with The Insomniacs, The Lyres, and The Bomboras overall. As a kid, I remember my friend George raving about the genius of Eddie Van Halen and various other guitar ³gods.² Eddie, at least, I understood, Œcuz his band was just beating the hell out of whatever got in its way and, being that I graduated high school in Œ83, Van Halen were still a pretty outrageous act. (Sadly, they replaced David Lee Roth with Sammy ³I Canıt Drive 55² Hagar and all was lost.) But the rest of those guitar-weenies olı George dug... well, I just didnıt get it. All they did was wank away; it was just plain BORING. To be fair, I didnıt hear Dick Dale or Link Wray till my first year of college. But after I did, I saw how damn FUN rockınıroll guitar could be; no, make that should be. And thatıs what Eddie Angelıs Guitar Party (MuSick) is all about. These tracks were all recorded at Toe Rag in London about 3-4 years ago and theyıre just plain wild. Remember all that great Strumminı Mental and RockınıRoll Guitar stuff? Well, this is more of the same genius, this time coming to you courtesy of Eddie Angel (who many know as a member of Los Straitjackets.) Not much surf to speak of, gang, just wild guitars whanginı out some primitive twang. Check out: ³Jurassic Beat² for that Neanderthal cave- stomp; ³Topless Beach² for a lazy shuffle and a leering guitar that surveys the scene with a connoisseurıs gaze; Eddie Angelıs rewrite of Link Wrayıs ³Run Chicken Run² as ³Itchy Chicken²; the benzedrine frenzy of ³Kawanga² as the sax blows the call and everyone else swings from vine to vine to do the jungle proud. This mustıve been some party. ******************************************************************************** CRAP BANDS HAVE LEFT IN OUR BATHROOM ------------------------------------------------------------------- LV Tropicana 2 oz shampoo Avalon & Gray almande cond. Freeman Botanicals Hawaiian Mango conditioner Aussie Custard Apple shampoo Pears oval soap (What is this world coming to?) ******************************************************************************** TWELVE BIG INCHES, BABY ---------------------------------------- Itıs kind of amazing to me that thereıre so few actual albums listed here. Once upon a time, I pretty much laughed at CDs. Thing is, I donıt buy nearly as much stuff as I once did. Some of the stuff you see reviewed in this mag comes via record companies sending it my way. (Something I truly appreciate since I donıt have as much spare cash as I once did... that kinda goes with becoming a teacher. Of course, living in one of the more expensive areas of the country doesnıt help matters. But weıre getting off track. Thing is, even when I do buy stuff these days, it tends to be either a CD or a 45. Granted, Iım still waaaaay more into singles than CDs, but I often end up at stores that either donıt stock the vinyl version of the recording in question or I choose the CD Œcuz Iım a pretty lazy guy. Records require you to get up... plus, using the disc player means I can throw five of Œem on and be set for a few hours. With albums I have maybe 20-25 minutes. Also, while Iıll agree that records do probably have a better sound and, Iım told, they last longer if theyıre treated well, thereıs a major caveat to these assertions: you have to treat these things with great respect. So whatıs the problem? Iım an effinı SLOB. I canıt even take care of myself! Thereıs been a persistent thread on alt.music.banana-truffle that deals with the topic of CDs versus LPs. Most of those involved tend to disagree with what Iıve said here... except for the part about my being a slob, that is. Anyway, this bit has just been written Œcuz I wanted you to know why this section was so short. I still love vinyl... Iım just the wrong type of person to have it last for me. Not that it matters, Œcuz I still buy it when the mood strikes me... Besides, the seven-inch single is still my favorite format. Iıd been reading good things in various places about The Gain. Most of the reviews gave the impression they were a Mod band. Maybe they are... they certainly go for some of they stylistic trappings. Musically, though... well, theyıve certainly got some Mod elements, but theyıve got more in common with The Queers and The Hi-Fives than, say, The Jam or The Creation. Regardless of what pigeonhole you try and stuff the band into, the fact remains that their LP, Sing Ready Steady Smash (Mighty), is filled with bursts of energy interspersed with land mines of melodic hooks. One of my favorite tracks is ³Song For Saturday,² where they somehow end up far closer to Permanent Green Light than anything on Lookout. This one almost comes out as baroque pop, although with a bit more bite. Iıll be playing this one over and over again. The other track that stands out, for me, is ³Last Years Memoirs,² which does up the tempo again, with some great Œwa-ooo² backing vocals. Maybe next time they tour theyıll be booked at a place in town that doesnıt have problems with the fire marshal. I wasnıt sure if I was gonna like Steve and The Jerksı Leaders of The Jerks LP (Royal). That was pretty unfair, considering I hadnıt heard the band. Not only that, but Iıve known drummer Laurent Bigot for some years now and heıs a great guy with incredible taste in music. So why was I so unsure? I dunno... I just thought they might be another band that did some kinda lo-fi punk thing, hiding the fact that there were no decent songs under an ocean of crud. (Sorry, gang, but thatıs happened all too much of late in the garage-punk world.) Luckily, my fears were unfounded. I soon learned that Laurent not only had damn good taste in stuff he listened to, but heıd also rounded up some pals to play some pretty damn good dirty-ass garage-punk. I canıt say this stuffıs straight outta Œ66, cuz... well, itıs not. Thing is, The Jerks donıt just take their 60s influences and smash Œem to a pulp at breakneck speed. Instead, they just bring their own experiences to bear and let that take it where it leads. One example of this is ³New York City,² where you can certainly hear the influence of NYC 70s punk (a la Richard Hell, etc.), but at the same time there are the occasional tones and structures from the hallowed halls of the garage. But the great rockınıroll continues throughout this fine slab oı wax. Included is a killer cover of ³I Wonder Why,² updating an old classic with some attitude and a tougher feel. ³Youıre Down² is an aggressive Jerksı original that keeps its dander up the whole way, yet never strays into stupidity. A damn nice touch. ³Girlfriends² has a wavering feel to it and a vocal thatıs hidden a bit further in the back, combining for quite the nice touch. And for one final blast, thereıs Cecilia from the No-Talents taking over the mic for an absolutely explosive shot at The Runawaysı ³Cherry Bomb.² I like these Jerks. Jumping back in time almost 40 years, we encounter The Thunder Rocks. Of course, those of you with good memories will recall that I reviewed the ³Rampage²/²Bugle Rock² 45 about a year or so back. This time, thoı, weıre going for the long-player, On The Rampage (Get Hip Archive Series). ³Oh My Linda² is one of the bandıs few vocal tracks and it turns out to be nothing more than an early version of ³Slippinı & Slidinı.² But, most of the bandıs material was instrumental, of the wild, late 50s wailing sax sort, that is. One of the best tracks on this oneıs gotta be ³Whatıs The Word² (taken from the then-current expression, ³Whatıs The Word - Thunderbird.²) This one slams itself all over the place with that sax goinı absolutely NUTS. In fact, the best Thunder Rocksı material tends to be tracks where the sax gets to sing lead, while the guitar flails away underneath. This really is pretty crazed stuff, the kinda thing that should really get a party moving. A couple years ago, I flipped out over a single by The Yum-Yums, a band that included one Morton Henriksen, ex- of The Cosmic Dropouts and also a member of The Vikings with ex-Devil Dog Steve Baise. The sound of this group, however, was more appealing to me than either of the other projects Iıd heard him in. (Pretty high praise, as I really liked the Cosmic Dropouts and I love The Vikings.) Well, Iım happy to be the bearer of great news - the new LP from The Yum-Yums, Sweet As Candy (Screaming Apple), is probably the best thing Iıve ever heard from the group. Every single song has a melody that youıll be singing along with by the first chorus. Picture The Real Kids with a bit less rock and more of a sugar buzz. Yeah... that good! To me, music like this is what power pop is supposed to be all about. The melodies jump around inside your skull like a 10 year-old on rock candy; you want to sing at the top of your lungs and let the world hear how alive you feel (thoı you might be better off blasting your radio... after all, you want them to like the music!); and the stuffıs got energy bursting out all over the place. To me, that is what Power Pop is supposed to be about... not some kinda bland ³artistry.² These guys have put together an albumıs worth of songs that are mainly about that number one topic, girls/relationships. Their guitars whang along, they hammer away, and the backing vocals make it all sound even better. Iım tempted to pick out favorites and tell you all about each one, but every time I play this sucker, my picks change. Every single song on this LP could easily go to #1 on my personal playlist at any given time. WOW! (And Thank You!, gentlemen.) ******************************************************************************** THE ŒZINE SCENE -------------------------- Weıll begin with the first Œzine I picked up in time for this ish, the Rhythm & Roots Review. Editrix Joanne Erhardt Van Vranken handed me ish #10 at a Ronnie Dawson show in November. Now, itıs kinda obvious that The Teen Scene isnıt a rockabilly mag. On the other hand, Iıd hope that you guys are smart enough to figure out that I do like that kinda stuff, too... just not as much as the garage-rockinı I spend most of my time with. That said, R&RR is into the rockabilly scene - BIG-TIME! Now, while I donıt know Joanne all that well, we have hung out on occasion and I can tell you that sheıs gotta be one of the biggest rıbilly fans on the planet. Heck, I get the feeling she travels further for shows than I ever did. (Believe me, thatıs saying something.) Of course, I suppose it helps that sheıs got a couple people who are just as ready to jump in the old jalopy at a momentıs notice... unlike me. In the late 80s/early 90s, I spent more weekend nights alone on Route 78 going to and from Bethlehem, PA (home of The Original Sins, The Creatures of the Golden Dawn, The Rebeltones, and St. Johnıs Alliance, among others) than anyone Iıve ever known. But we were talking about R&RR. (Yeesh... and I wonder how this danged Œzine gets so flippinı huge each time?) Inside are reports from a number of rıbilly/roots fests (including ³We Wanna Boogie, Œ96,² an event sponsored, I believe, by the R&RR home team), rıbilly news, and reviews. As anyone whoıs run into Joanne on the ŒNet will tell you, sheıs got definite opinions on how things should be. In here, that means sheıs gonna tell you exactly how she feels about some of the lame dancing going on at rıbilly shows. She canıt stand the yuppie types that take ballroom dancing and do all the steps perfectly and hog the dance floor. Kudos are sent to a few scenesters who take the trad steps and bring their own style in. Now, personally, I canıt dance all those steps... I just donıt know Œem. That seems to be OK with ³Rocket J,² though... at least folks like me are ito it enough to move around. Anyway, the reviews are done in-depth, something I far prefer to the three-sentence thing you get from some mags. Some of this stuff sounds interesting, too, and I think Iıll be looking to pick it up. Send $3 to Rhythm & Roots Review, 360-A W. Merrick Road, Box 296, Valley Stream, NY 11580. (Itıs $6 if youıre from another country.) Cheers to Sean Berry on The Continental #2. Billed as ³Bellinghamıs Surf- Garage-Exotica-Indie Magazine,² I canıt say that Iım a big fan of all the record reviews, but, then, everyoneıs got different tastes. The title also reminds you where Seanıs based, right up there on the Estrus home turf. Personally, Iıd like to hear about more gigs at the 3-Bs, but how would I know if that many really existed, anyway? The ones Sean mentions heıs seen there sound pretty cool. Featured this time out are interviews with The Penetrators and Karla Pundit. (See TS #56 for a review of Mr. Punditıs disc. ‹ ed.) Lots more, too, including Seanıs trip to Las Vegas, a round-up of Nancy Sin records, and another Gear Report from Evan Foster of the Boss Martians (this issue is ³Part 2: The Guitars.²) This may be one of my favorite parts of the mag... and Iım not even a guitar player. Heck, I canıt even manage to hit a note right on the damn things. Give me a combo organ any day. Even so, I love reading about some of the stuff Evanıs got to say here. Seanıs already got #3 out and here I am still working on the same blinkinı issue. OK, so I donıt have time anymore... leave me the bleep alone! This oneıs got interviews with the Fathoms, The Volcanos, & Thee Phantom 5ive. Yup, itıs an all-surf issue! At one point, Sean asks the P5 when they started and Todd replies that they began in Œ92, ³if you do not count the sissies we stole the name from.² For his sake, Iım hoping he wasnıt referring to the NJ garage pounders of the late 80s period. ŒCuz the Grogan boys and Bluesman would pound him and his pals into the flippinı ground! (Both physically and musically!) Letıs hear Todd manage a cruncher on the order of ³Sheıs Not.² For that matter, I donıt think heıll ever write something as brilliant as ³Great Jones Street,² one of my fave garage/folk tunes of all time. But maybe Todd was talking about someone else. And, most likely, he was just kidding. (But hey... yıgotta watch who youıre messinı with.) Anyway, thereıs another installment of Evan Fosterıs ³Gear Report,² plus a bunch of live stuff, reviews, Frank Sinatra, and whatnot. But the best thing youıll find inside is on the art side of the cool rockinı sounds youıre checkinı out. In other words, the guys who make your record jackets look so golldarn cool, including Shag, Art Chantry, and Pete Ciccone. Well, Œnuff said... Send your two bucks to The Continental, PO Box 4336, Bellingham, WA 98227-4336. Or go to http://www.az.com/~sberry Also from out in the Pacific Northwest is 10 Things. This one I got courtesy of Bob the K, who sent it along in a package Iıd been looking forward to. Though I knew Bob contributed to this mag, Iıd never actually read it before. (Well, except for a quick glance at a copy one of my students had.) Iıll be honest - this mag is not gonna appeal to the garage crowd; itıs a punk zine. On the other hand, itıs a fairly interesting punk zine. The music they cover doesnıt interest me. (Though it was kinda cool reading Bobıs Spider Babies interview.) On the other hand, some of the columns were pretty good. My favorite came from a woman whoıs a computer teacher (just like yours truly, thoı sheıs in the elementary setting.) It was interesting hearing from someone else whoıs into rockınıroll night life, Œzines, etc. and is also in education; someone who understands the realities of the situation. (Maybe someday Iıll talk about this stuff. Not now; itıs the end of the year and Iım just desperately waiting for the end. Trust me, summer vacation is necessary! And I say that as a teacher who really enjoys his work.) Anyway, send $2 to 10 Things, 8315 Lake City Way NE #192, Seattle, WA 98115. E-mail them at ten@u.washington.edu or check out http://weber.u.washington.edu/~ten. Well... John Chilson has done it yet again. Schlock #23 is another winner. A main feature this time out focuses on Mrs. Brown, Youıve Got A Lovely Daughter (starring Hermanıs Hermits) as a looking-glass into the ³kitchen sink² genre (English films of the 50s/60s which depicted everyday working-class life). As always, Beth Accomandoıs ³Asian Files² are a standout, leaving me wondering if thereıs anywhere in my general locale that I can find any of these films on video. Tons of reviews of various flavors (print, recorded, video) appear under different guises (³Bargain Bin Boffos,² ³The Wax Museum,² ³Video Miscellanea,² and ³Spilled Ink.²) John also hands out a page on ³Hollywoodıs Noir Today - A mini, mini tour of Œol Tinseltown.² Pick this one up. Johnıs another guy whoıs able to put out at least two issues to every one I do. His latest starts off a series on whatıs happened to San Diegoıs old movie palaces. (Not a happy topic.) As usual, thereıs tons of video and Œzine reviews, some jazz recordings, and some very cool columns (Gary Pig Goldıs ³Brush With Greatness,² Apocalypse Coffeeshop, and a look at some of SDıs gin joints.) Beth Accomandoıs ³Asian Files² find her speaking to one of the Hong Kong cinemaıs female directors, Cheung Yuen Ting. An extremely interesting read with a look towards what may happen as China takes the reins from the British. Send a couple bucks to Schlock, 3841 4th Ave #192, San Diego, CA 92103 or try John via e-mail at schlock1@aol.com. Looking for something from far afield? Well, personally, I canıt read Norwegian, so I didnıt get nearly as much as I mightıve liked out of Jello Submarine #1. Interestingly, however, there are two articles included thatıre in English - oneıs an interview with The Yardbirdsı Chris Dreja and Jim McCarty, while the otherıs the story surrounding the family tree for Motorpsycho. The big cover story seems to be on the incredible Basement Brats; I just wish I could read it. (Thatıs what I get for not becoming multilingual.) Thereıre also some cool-looking record reviews, including one of The Creationıs Power Surge disc. How much does it go for? Ummm... good question. Iım guessing those of us in the United States should send $4 or so. Jello Submarine, Sagstuveien 10, 0976 Oslo, NORWAY. I tend to keep most of my Œzine reading centered on garage/surf and other elements of trash culture. As a result, I donıt always get around to some of the truly fine reading material the Œzine world has to offer. For instance, although Iıve seen Tail Spins before, it really hadnıt hit me that this mag really has some excellent points to recommend it. Granted, they donıt spend all that much time reviewing stuff Iım that interested in (though ish #28 gives the thumbs-up to The Untamed Youthıs Untamed Melodies) , but they do have some pretty cool article. This time out, there are two features that truly caught my interest: one on ³The Irretrievable Titanic² and the other on poltergeists. The Titanic piece, especially, was quite interesting. There were plenty of interesting things Iıd never known. (Of course, for all I know, theyıre making it up. After all, these are the people whoıve got an incredibly flipped out piece on lobotomies. Regardless, itıs an interesting read.) My only gripe is that thereıs so many blinkinı advertisements. Donıt get me wrong, I completely understand why theyıre there... itıs just that it kind of gets to me having to flip past them just to get to the next page of reading material. Maybe itıs just that it keeps happening over and over again. But thatıs really a minor concern, Œcuz thereıs some cool content here. Send $3 for a sample copy to Tail Spins, POB 1860, Evanston, IL 60204. (tailspin@interaccess.com) Oh yeah! Also check out ³Friends Made in Lot ŒEı,² a trip to see the protesters at the Democratic Convention. Definitely good for a few yuks. If it hadnıt come out in the same time frame as Mike Staxıs Ugly Things, Brown Paper Sack wouldıve garnered Pick Oı The Ish honors hands down. At the very least, thoı, it deserves Best Debut, since itıs the first new Œzine Iıve read in quite some time thatıs done such a damn good job digging up stories on cool garage acts circa Œ66. This one mainly concentrates on the Texas and Louisiana areas, with stories/interviews on/with The Five Canadians (fantastic story!), The Bad Roads, The Roaminı Togas, The Gaunga Dyns, The Shades of Night (³FLUCK-CHEW-AYE-SHUN!), Oedipus & The Mothers, and The Playgue. (And thatıs just reading off the cover.) Lots more inside. Some incredibly cool pics, including some strange postcards for an article with no available photos. I could probably go on about all the great stories in here, but youıre really better off reading Œem firsthand. This oneıs 6 bucks (or eight for those of you in Europe), but worth every damn bottle youıre gonna recycle to get it. Send it to PO Box 1622, Houston, TX 77251-1622. You need this! ******************************************************************************** PICK Oı THE ISH ------------------------ Anyone whoıs been into garage, 60s-styled R&B, etc. in the last ten years should already be well aware of Ugly Things. Editor Mike Staxıs long-awaited latest, #15, is yet another in a long line of well-researched, enthusiastically (yet responsibly) written, KILLER issues. It just doesnıt get better than this. The lead story this time out is on The Creation. Now, in case you donıt already know this, The Creation are one of my all-time favorite groups... power, volume, melodies, excitement - everything! I could easily go through song after song proclaiming their genius. But, quite honestly, youıd probably be better off just picking up some of their records and flipping out on your own. But for a HUGE piece on the band, their different lineups, the personality problems, the excitement, the tours, the records, etc., just take a look through this incredible body of work in UT 15. Here are interviews with guitarist Eddie Phillips, first lead vocalist Kenny Pickett, bassist/second lead vocalist Bob Garner, and bassist Kim Gardner (who was also responsible for bringing in his ex-Birdsı mate, Ron Wood on guitar after Phillips left.) Also found in here are comments from Mick Farren of the Deviants, photographer Roman Salicki (who played road manager for one Creation tour), author Johnny Byrne (who was also a tour manager for the band), and producer Shel Talmy. (Talmy, also known for his work with The Who and The Kinks, as well as many, many others, proclaims, ³The Creation, of all the stuff thatıs ever happened, that was my biggest regret that they didnıt become the superstars that I think they could have been - that they would have been.² He says he had a big deal set up for them in the US.) This (25-30 page collection of articles, interviews, and commentary) is the definitive word on The Creation! Honestly, that alone would have been enough for my money. But thereıs still over 70 pages of stuff! Besides the expected reviews, there are articles, interviews, and personal recollections from members of grops like The King-Beezz (of Canada), The Montells and Evil, Spainıs Los Brincos, the 5 Gentlemen of France, The Jaguars hailing from Rome, The Chocolate Watchband, Sean Buckley & the Breadcrumbs, The Rings, The Poets (Scotland), plus some cool commentary from guys like Don Craine of the Downlinersı Sect and Mick Farren. Actually, Farrenıs bit is fantastic, entitled ³Never Trust A Keyboard Player.² Now, as an admittedly mediocre (at best) organ guy, I was ready to take umbrage. However, he quickly explains he has nothing against the swinginı sounds of organ players like Alan Price or the Young Stevie Winwood, so I quickly figured out where he was coming from. Part of his apprehension comes from the two guys he played with in The Deviants, but some also comes from the horrible possibilities brought forth by todayıs sampling-type keys. Itıs all summed up when he writes, ³what doesnıt kill keyboard players turns them into Paul Shaffer.² Send $6 (in the US & Canada), $8 overseas, and $9 for Japan and Australasia. Send to Ugly Things, 3737 Fifth Avenue #145, San Diego, CA 92103. Or find a cool record/ızine store. ******************************************************************************** PUT ŒEM ALL TOGETHER ------------------------------------ Reviving Spark (1+2) is a collection of ³early tracks, demos, and out- takes² by The Shambles. On the liner notes inside, TS stringer Matthew Fidelibus chronicles the bandıs history and numerous lineup changes. The group, for those still unfamiliar with them, arose at the start of this decade out of the remnants of various San Diego bands, including (but hardly limited to) Manual Scan, The Crawdaddies, and The Telltale Hearts. The group has long been a combination of the influences of the membersı past experiences, moving through Mod and garage to come up with their own unique blend of power pop. They still touch on garage faves such as ³Louise² (with ex-Telltale Heartsı vocalist Ray Brandes filling that slot once again; and itıs great to hear him sing again), but itıs Bartıs touching, emotional originals, rooted in his Mod youth, that truly define the band. Be it ³Of Heart & Soul,² ³And If,² or ³For Jaime², the slow chiming of ³You Make Me Feel Good² or the urgency of ³I Canıt Donıt Want To...,² the Shambles are one of those groups thatıs got that special something. The disc has a number of other highlights, too, including their pal, Jon Kanis, taking lead vox for his own composition, ³It Is And It Isnıt,² more of a straight-up rocker with an organ hiding underneath. Thereıs also a version of the ³James Bond Theme,² caught on tape while the band was warming up for a recording session. Thank you, Mr. Engineer. Finally, we get one of Ray Brandes originals, ³What Went Wrong,² meaning heıs on lead vocals again, which is always a treat. While this is a collection of whatıs past, theyıre still going strong, ready to give us more. Retreating back to the early-mid 60s, we meet up with Merrell Fankhauser on Desert Island Treasures: Featuring The Impacts and Merell & The Exiles (Bacchus Archives). Iım gonna be honest; a couple of these tunes, credited to Mr. Fankhauser, bear a remarkable resemblance to other favorites. This starts right off with ³Shreader,² all but a dead ringer for ³Church Key.² Later on, ³Kon Tiki² reminds me of something, but I just canıt for the life of me figure out what. ³Switzerland,² is credited to Seals & Crofts!!! Listening to that pap they inundated the world with some years later nobody wouldıve ever expected they could write anything worth listening to, but The Impacts provide proof. Of The Impactsı material on here, my picks go to the two non-vocal numbers, ³Sheıs Gone² and ³Shake My Hand.² The former has a mean-ass guitar sound playing underneath some dual-lead vocals that seem a bit too clean-cut for that ugly git, but these guys were originally a surf instro act. Damn great sound on that guitar. ³Shake My Hand² is a bit more upbeat, but rocks nicely. Part of it somehow reminds me of the lighter version Iıve heard of ³The Invasion Is Coming.² (Unfortunately, I donıt have it in my collection; nope, Iıve only got the killer version, by The Invasion.) Merrell & The Exiles kick it off with ³Let Me Go² in a frenetic Merseybeat style. I canıt say Iım quite as enthralled with ³Please Be Mine,² but it does have an appeal in that mooning, mid-60s pop kinda way. In fact, most of the Exilesı material is in this vein. Too bad they didnıt do more like ³Let Me Go.² Thereıs one more treat on here, ³Burtonıs Jam.² Evidently, guitarist James Burton dropped by to jam one night and this blues bit was the result. This oneıd be great to either start the night moving or let things wind down as the wee hours wore on. Sticking with the 60s, weıve got Letıs Talk About Girls (Bacchus Archives), a collection of music from Tucson, AZ from Œ64 - Œ68. The featured artists are The Grodes and The Dearly Beloved. Quite simply, this is one of the best discs youıre likely to buy. It starts out with The Grodesı ³I Wonıt Be There,² a number I first heard on The Chesterfield Kingsı debut LP back in the early-mid 80s. Truth be told, itıs a garage classic, with a ringing guitar pumping out an enticing riff, while the band keeps an insistent rhythm surrounding it. Now, not all The Grodesı material rocks like that one; some of it even moves towards ballads. Thatıs OK, though, since these guys are one of those few groups that can handle one of those without sapping out. The melody carries them through. Now, Iıve gotta tell you that recommendations for tracks on this disc are all relative, Œcuz thereıs nothing on here thatıd make me reach for the remote. So, when I talk about one track over another, understand that Iım talking about a number that stands out above a field of strong competition. The next one of these we come to is The Grodes (er, I mean, ŒThe Tongues of Truthı) doing ³Letıs Talk About Girls.² Thatıs right, gang, The Chocolate Watchband didnıt write the classic theyıve long been associated with. Interestingly, the liner notes inform us that The Grodes didnıt even know the Watchband had done it; theyıd thought producer Ed Cobb was gonna give it to The Standells, but had chucked the idea. Itıs been awhile since I read the liner notes, so Iım unclear on the relationship of The Grodes to The Stumps. The track in question, ³Think of the Good Times,² is credited to ŒThe Stumps (with The Grodes),ı and is an organ-fueled mid-tempo punker with full-group vocals on the chorus. Thereıs some time difference between tracks like ³I Wonıt Be There² and material such as ³Give Me Some Time² and ³Sand.² While these are far from the wildness of ³Letıs Talk About Girls,² moving towards a kind of Œ67/ı68 love vibe, theyıre still damn god pop songs. The liner notes state that ³Give Me Some Time² took a few months to do, with ³every wife and girlfriend² getting into the act with numerous overdubs. Surprisingly, it still works for me. The Grodesı final recording was under the name Spring Fever, a track called ³Sand,² featuring dual lead vocals with Patti ³Grode² McCarron. This oneıs got a sort of bright, fresh smile, something like what you expect from 1968... but in a good way. The Dearly Belovedıs material features a greater percentage of real rockinı numbers. First we find them in their original incarnation, The Intruders. Theyıd started their musical life as a surf group, but hired vocalist Larry Cox when the Beatles hit. The track theyıve got on here, ³Every Time Itıs You,² has definite Beatle-leanings, but spends far more time slipping and sliding around beer-soaked mid-60s frat parties. They soon moved on to the name The Quinstrells and a track entitled ³Why Me,² with a cool fuzz sound that the engineer evidently termed the ³most awful guitar sound² heıd ever heard. This sees them starting to define their sound, much more of a garage-punk thing. In fact, this oneıs somewhat reminiscent of some of Mouse & the Trapsı stuff. One cool one on here is ³Peep Peep Pop Pop,² a song brought to the group by their manager one night. The number had been done by a bunch of black teens in the early 60s and heıd always hoped to find a group to make some headway with it. The Dearlyıs were far from impressed by it, but were eventually persuaded to cut it. Lo and behold, they had a number one regional hit! This got them a contract with Columbia. Unfortunately, the LP they laid down became one of that labelıs write-offs. Happily, some of those tracks are included in this package. My favorite of these is probably ³Iceman (Wild About My Loving),² a chunky mid- tempo pounder that features some damn good braggadocio (plus some wild-ass guitaring.) The Dearly Beloved got out of their contract with Columbia and signed on with White Whale. Unfortunately, they were working so hard doing the record and gigging at night, that they ended up crashing their van on the way back to Tucson from LA late one night. Why didnıt they just stay in Southern CA that night? Vocalist Larry Cox was getting married the next day. He died in the crash. That voided the White Whale contract and the band only recorded one more 45 before calling it quits. Itıs one of the saddest stories in rockınıroll history. This is a band that had a ton of talent and appeared to be on the verge of making it. Luckily, the fine folks at Bacchus Archives have given us this collection of both The Dearly Beloved and The Grodes to remind us of what once was. Boston, as anyone with a clue most likely already knows, has quite the rockınıroll past. One of that pastıs prominent elements is Willie Alexander. Stanton Park offers up a couple tracks from Willieıs group of some 30 years back, The Lost. Up top is a live take on ³Who Do You Love,² and you can hear a band really rockinı out, with Willie whippinı out the lyrics like heıs tryinı to spit the devil out of his throat. Underneath, they slow it down with an original called ³It Is I,² moving more towards a psychedelic feel, with a touch of folk-rock. Me, I prefer the rockinı out up top. Back to the now. Just in case you tuned in late to the magnificence of the Mr. T. Experience, Lookout has issued Big Black Bugs Bleed Blue Blood, a comp of thirty-one tracks covering 1989-93. Youıre gonna get to hear old hits like ³Up & Down,² ³The End of the Ramones,² Shonen Knifeıs ³Flying Jelly Attack,² the revved-out ³Psycho Girl,² a great guitar-take on Blondieıs ³Sex Offender,² the all-out blast of ³God Bless America,² ³Vive La France,² ³God Bless Lawrence Livermore,² and ³Hello Kitty Menendez.² Quite the lineup of hits. Call it an extended sugar buzz. ******************************************************************************** COMPED ------------- If I recall correctly, Ear-Piercing Punk (AIP) came out on vinyl around 1980 or so. The cover shot of a 70s punk character with spiked hair a chain hooked from his mouth to the safety pin in his earlobe was a marketing ploy designed to get that element to buy the damn thing. The idea, I guess, was that if they actually heard some of this wild garage-punk stuff, they might go out and buy more. Seventeen years later, the gimmick is no longer necessary, but it stands as an interesting testament to an earlier time in garage history. As for the music, it sounds as fantastic today as it ever did. This one goes from the latent R&B hostility of Outlaw Blues take on ³Nonstop Blues² (basically a rewrite of ³Milkcow Blues²) to the pop sounds of The Kommotions doing a version of the classic ³Little Black Egg². It also provides further evidence for the theory that ³Louie Louie² was responsible for much of the best rockınıroll sounds of the 60s, with the Sound Extraction doing ³I Feel Like Crying². Pure garage crunch comes courtesy of Keith Kesslerıs ³Donıt Crowd Me². One of my particular favorites is the slightly psychedelic folk-pop tinged ³Magnet² by The Age of Reason. For those of you whoıve never heard The Ugly Ducklings, well... youıll be a fan as soon as you hear ³She Ainıt No Use To Me², thanks to a garage pounding owing at least a little to some of the best mid-60s Stonesı records. The disc also includes versions of ³I Can Only Give You Everything² (Bram Rigg Set), Train Kept A-Rollinı (The Precious Few), ³Iım A Hog For You² (The Groupies, who also appear with their classic, the dirty cool ³Primitive²), and ³Down The Road Apiece² (Color). I liked the organ up on top of ³Growth² by the Guys Who Came Up From Downstairs. From Maltese comes ³You Better Stop², which hits hard on the fuzz on the chorus, but delivers a nice melody in the verses (which are played down in favor of the tag line, ³You Better Stop.. Yeh-Yeh- Yeh!²) What I really want to know, though, is who the hell was Animal Jack? His ³Gotta Hear he Beat² sounds like it was recorded somewhere around 1980 or so, itself. This guy sounds about on par with The Dootz, whose ³Iım The Dootz² on the Train To Disaster comp first gave me a notion of some of the crazy wildmen out there when I was about 18. Iıll admit that the sound quality isnıt 100% perfection all the way through, but I canıt believe too many people will let that keep them from getting this thing. Well worth the money. Word has it that Murder Punk Volumes I & II, The Australian Years (Murder Punk, Inc.) are not coming from Down Under, as theyıd have you believe. In fact, correspondents in Australia report that the address listed (in Tasmania), is actually that of a serial murderer that killed over 30 people a year or so ago. So thereıs obviously no point in giving the address on the back of this thing. My advice is to go through Get Hip. So, where the hell did this come from? I could make some guesses... Some years ago I picked up an LP called Where Birdmen Flew (Taz Devil Records) that had quite a bit of this stuff on it. In fact, thatıs where I first heard ³Television Addict² by The Victims which just happens to lead off Volume 1. Fans of The Hoodoo Gurus will find this interesting, since itıs the first song leader Dave Faulkner (then known as Dog Collar and, I believe, Dave Flick) ever released. This thingıs full of rage and aggression and stands as one of the best punk records I know of. The sound on here is also better than both that on Where Birdmen Flew and that of The Victimsı mini-LP comp that came out on Timberyard a few years back. If you want to hear a modern version of this song, check out The Hoodoo Gurusı take on it from a live radio broadcast, appearing on The Right Time 5-song CD. I canıt say for sure, but my guess is that the next track on the disc, ³Iım Flipped Out Over You,² might be the B-side of the single. Either way, this thing puts even more go-juice in the mixture and barrels straight through anything in its way. Damn, these guys were great... In fact, the aggression of The Victims on those two tracks make it a good thing that Razarıs ³Money² starts off so slow and melodic. Of course, they launch into the wildness about 30 seconds later and get things running. Probably the best track from them on Volume 1 is ³Here Is The News², due to them managing both the punk attitude as well as song structure pretty well. Or maybe I just like the backing vocals... I have to admit that Suicide Squd didnıt do all that much for me, probably due to the girlıs shrill vocals. On the other hand, I got the distinct impression that I probably would have enjoyed them live at the time, if the venue was packed and everyone was going wild. But Iım listening to them on a stereo and, hence, I was rather glad to glance over at Volume 2 and find out that they werenıt on there... I was happy to see The Babeez on here, Œcuz ³Dowanna Love² (which does appear on this disc) is one I liked from one of those old comps. This oneıs got those all-hands- singing things on the semi-anthemic chorus, not to mention a pleasing sound. Two more tracks appear from them, too, ³Hate² and ³Nobody Wants Me.² While both are cool, I like the latter best, as itıs a nice change from most of the stuff on here, a real pretty bummed-out pop lament. I canıt believe Iıd never heard it before... The Thought Criminalsı 3rd 45, ³Land of the Living Room²/²Oceania², was evidently recorded at radio station JJJ and given away at a gig. Honestly, I prefer ³More Suicides Please² (found on Volume 2.) This oneıs not necessary... The sound quality on The Psycho Surgeonsı ³Horizontal Action² is nowhere near hi-fi, but itıs good enough to get the point across that these guys mustıve been something else. Personally, I like ³Wild Weekend² the best of the their two tracks, as itıs got an Iggy feel on the vocals (whichıd explain how they evolved into the Lipstick Killers, I guess)... While The Victims take the cake on Volume 1 for their powerful attack, Iıll never be able to choose between them and The Scientists for a fave group on the two comps. The Scientists gave the world one of the best power-pop numbers of all time, ³Frantic Romantic.² The guitar sounds fragile as it plays out the melody line and the vocal conveys the emotion perfectly. Many people know this group as the ones who are at least partially responsible for grunge, due to their heavy, swampy sound in the 80s. What many donıt know about is the bandıs early incarnation, which included Vicimsı drummer, James Baker, whoıd later get together with Victimsı singer Dave Faulkner to form the Hoodoo Gurus. The early lineup (actually, I believe it may have been two early lineups) were much more into the pop sounds of punk rock. For me, that era of The Scientists was the best. The other track they have on Volume 1, ³Shake (Together Tonight),² is slightly more ragged and revved than ³Frantic Romantic,² but itıs a great song, nonetheless... The Chosen Few display a real attitude on ³The Jokes On Us² although the guitar is occasionally overburdened by that ³rock² sound. Thatıs not as much of a hindrance on ³T. A. L. O. I. G. A.² This oneıs got a vocal and a feel thatıs somewhat reminiscent of Radio Birdman and, of course, The Stooges. Some of their other tracks have even less of that guitar sound, and are, therefore, easier for me to deal with. Overall, Volume One is a definite winner. Volume Two burns in with The News, doing ³Dirty Lies² which, to my ears, is another of the classic Aussie punk numbers. This oneıs also on the Where Birdmen Flew comp, but Iım damn glad itıs on here all the same. These guys evolved out of The Babeez and you can hear that bloodline, but this oneıs far more powerful than ³Dowanna Love.² Energetic, with a melody thatıll have you singing along without being pop. Rather, itıll work you into a frenzy. Not only that, they keep things up with ³Chop, Chop, Chop,² which is poppier, but in a decidedly punk way. On both sides, the singer and guitarist play the lead line together. Damn good group. Wish I couldıve seen these guys... Razar are back with a couple on this disc, starting with ³Stamp Out Disco,² an angry punk call-to-arms. ³Task Force² doesnıt have quite the same urgency, but still works pretty well, possibly due to the churning guitar sound... In case you didnıt get the point about The Scientists being one of my fave groups on these comps in my description of Volume 1, theyıve got four more on this second edition. None of these are in the same league as ³Frantic Romantic,² but thatıs an unfair comparison, since that one belongs in the Aussie Punk Pantheon. Here youıve got the basic lo-fi pop/punk of ³Last Night² (which works really well on a tape next to The Fingersı take on ³The First Time²); the more power-pop oriented ³Bet Ya Lyinı,² a number that provides a perfect intertwining of power pop and punk; ³Itıs For Real² is my least favorite of these Scientistsı tracks, but includes a guitar bit in the beginning and midway through thatıs kinda fragile, working up the courage it needs to say what it needs to say; the most punk number is ³Pissed On Another Planet,² whose chorus owes a debt to the NY Dolls... Probably the weakest of the four tracks by The Fun Things is ³When The Birdmen Fly,² which suffers due to the unavoidable comparison to Radio Birdman, themselves, since this tribute is both poorly produced and not up to Birdman standards. On the othr hand, if youıre a Birdman nut, youıre gonna dig it, anyway, since it is such a Birdman-type number. Things pick up with ³Lipstick,² another track that owes a bit to the Dolls, thoı not as much as The Scientistsı number mentioned earlier. This oneıs got a snottier guitar sound going through and a cool dueling guitar lead midway through. My fave of the groupıs four tracks on here is ³Time Enough For Love,² covered by The Devil Dogs a few years back. A listen to the original will show that the D Dogs didnıt stray far from the original, a real powerful punker with a rough-singing guitar line that takes the point and letıs the vocal provide the entertainment. Many are also familiar with the Fun Thingsı last track on here, ³Savage,² due in part to the version by The Vikings. Also a strong number, it falls somewhere between ³Lipstick² and ³Time Enough For Love², although closer to the latter... The (Fuckinı) Leftovers only committed one three-songer to vinyl in their time, but itıs a pretty worthy document all the same. Their material will never be confused with pop in any way, shape, or form, as itıs straight-out punk. Best numberıs probably ³Cigarettes and Alcohol²... Five more songs from The Victims appear on Volume Two, the first of which, ³I Understand,² was, though no one could have possibly known at the time, a foreshadowing of the pop influences that Dave Faulkner would wear proudly a few years later with the Hoodoo Gurus, although this one has a rougher, uncut undercurrent than any Gurusı material. ³Open Your Eyes² picks up the tempo again, but maintains a melody over the choppy guitar and punchy drum-banging. I think if he heard The Donnas, Dave might just start singinı ³High School Girls² all over again. These lyrics (³I like you if youıre only 14... I just want a high school girl in bed tonight²) obviously didnıt win him any friends on the local school board. Real singable, too; so much so that youıll find yourself singing it in all the wrong places at the wrong times. ³TV Freak² shows the grup in a speed frenzy and once again exploring the sort of territory they checked out in ³Television Addict.² For some reason, Murder Punk has chosen to delete ³Perth Is A Culture Shock² (youıll have to go to The Victimsı All Loud On The Western Front mini-LP on Timberyard for that), but ³Disco Junkies² does appear. This one combines a straight-up rockınıroll backbeat with punk drive to take on a subject that evidently rankled more than a few Aussie punks... The Thought Criminals round out the comp with five tracks, the first of which is ³More Suicides Please,² a number that shows them to be, sound-wise, into the English punk scene. Itıs far better than the tracks on Volume 1. Their other offerings donıt have quite the same quality, but theyıre more than listenable. Like most readers, I love the early Saints and believe that Radio Birdman are one of the great gifts of the Land of Oz. But if thatıs all youıve ever known about the Aussie 70s punk scene, either one of these discs will be a perfect place to find out more. (My guess, though, is that youıre gonna want both.) And if youıve already got Where Birdmen Flew, Year of the Rat, and the Scientistsı and Victimsı comps on Timberyard, then youıre probably a big enough fan of Aussie punk to warrant getting this for the tracks you havenıt heard. The question, then, is whether to get one or both volumes. Well, number two is a better comp than the first one, without question. Unfortunately, if you blow off Volume 1, then youıre not gonna get those classic singles by The Victims and The Scientists. Time for Volume II of Jeff Dahlıs Trash On Demand (Ultra Under) series, this time featuring 23 current punkers (and other stuff) of various flavorings. The Assassination Bureau start it off with ³51 Crazy Zone,² a bubbling, frenetic punker with a melody that had me singing along by the end of the first chorus. The next item to catch my attention was The Rosehipsı blues of ³Jacobıs Progress.² I wouldıve preferred the guitar was just slightly lower; not much, just a bit. Thing is, I got the feeling this was recorded live. Personally, I preferred the beginning acoustic part to the bigger sound later on, where they sound a bit like late 60s Stones. Even there, though, things are pretty good, with hints of ³Sympathy For The Devil² peeking through. I canıt say Iıd be running out to see Big Bobby & The Nightcaps every week if they were playing locally, but I get the feeling Iıd probably give Œem a go once in a while. ³Wanna See Her Cry² is kind of rough, with garage just edging out the punk rock... but only by a hair. The Boyz Nexı Door say ³Hey² like theyıre being chased by the cops, but theyıve got a commitment to play the gig. Geez, theyıre doinı it fast. Whatıs amazing is that the song still manages to convey a melody, even with the breakneck velocity. Jimmy Keith & His Shocky Horrors provide one of the shining moments on the disc, with a blowzy version of Johnny Thundersı ³Little Bit Of Whore.² My fave track of all is The Cynicsı doing a live version of ³Baby Whatıs Wrong.² Granted, itıs nowhere near as monstrous as the studio original, but it still sounds damn cool, reminding me just how damn good these guys could be when they put their minds to it. Hereıs hoping theyıll find their way back together. Finally, thereıs an unlisted track, which sounds like Jeff Dahl to me; pretty decent melodic punk, but nothing thatıs gonna make you willing to go through puberty all over again. (Please donıt ask me where that came from.) The eMpTy Sampler II (eMpTy) isnıt something Iıll be throwing on all the time, but there are a few unpolished gems. The X-Rays clock in with a kerosene- ingested ³Thrown-Up,² raw and hard. Sickoıs ³Indie Rock Daydream² features a ringing guitar and some upbeat smiling. It has me picturing a video with bunch of indie rock/pop-punk kids joining in a march like the curtain-call ending of The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across The 8th Dimension. Itıs that kind of a happy, triumphant march of unity. (Another of their contributions, ³Wave Motion Gun,² is pretty good, too.) Definitely a winner. Satanıs Pilgrims follow it up with more of their trademark instro sound on ³Devilıs Punchbowl.² (Later on youıll find ³Turkey Trot,² featuring more of a pinched staccato sound.) For all you fans of The Motards, thereıs ³Shut Your Face,² a sentiment all of us have probably expressed at one time or another. Scared of Chaka check in with the pleasant ³Wanna Make It Happen.² Yeah, Iım a sucker for something with tag team vocals, especially when thereıs a decent melody line to hang Œem on. Besides the groups mentioned, youıll also find tracks by Steel Wool, Gas Huffer, Crackerbash, The Meanies, The Derelicts, The Sinister Six, The Putters, and The Fumes, none of which excited me all that much, but thatıs a matter of personal taste. Many readers are pretty into some of those bands and, therefore, will look quite longingly at this comp before they jerk spasmodically out of their temporary daze and cough up their long green. More my style is the excellent Instrumental Fire disc (MuSick). Aptly titled, it includes material from many of todayıs finest instrumental acts, including such favorites as The Bomboras (who contribute the... ummm, forbidding ³Forbidden Planet²); Laika & The Cosmonauts (with the sprightly alien sounds of ³Cımon Do The Laika²); Man or Astro-Man? (with one of their classics, ³Intoxica²); Ben Vaughn (who I quite miss seeing live, now that heıs out in Santa Monica, CA doing the score for ³3rd Rock From The Sun², with a classic atmospheric offering, ³Enfermo²); Lord Hunt & His Missing Finks (the stomping ³Twice Pipes² hints at what would follow a bit further down the timeline); Eddie Angel (with almost a Duane Eddy meets Link Wray original entitled ³Brawl²); The Omega Men (cool Stax-Volt organ tonics dance on top of a fuzztone guitar wailing away behind on ³My Favorite Dean Martian²); and Los Straitjackets (taking a joyride south of the border on ³Spanish Fly²). While these are my favorites, there are plenty of other great numbers in store from The Cave 4, The Fathoms, Four Piece Suit, The Vice Royals, The Travelers of Tyme, Scratch Bongowax, The Tiki Tones, and The Tiki Men. This sampler provides an excellent overview of todayıs instrumental rockınıroll scene. For those of you who canıt stand hearing surf instro after surf instro... Never Fear! This one goes far beyond that. Staying in the instro vein, weıve got a present-day comp of ³Michigan Surf Music² entitled Surfinı The Spillway (Happy Hour). Kicking it off are The Prodigals with four killer kuts, my favorite being ³Ride the Savage Dolphin,² featuring some absolutely burning guitar blasts and a cool primitive vocal bit in the middle. (But the guitarıs gonna blow ya away.) The Silencers pad in with ³Matt Helm.² I think this may be their only 45 to date, but they show a ton of promise. From Detroit come The Volcanos, who blow us NYers outta the water last year when they rode the wild surf into Hoboken. I seem to remember a couple of these guys being in another surf act about 10 years ago, but I canıt for the life of me remember which one. Whatever, the liner notes (by ex-Ten High vocalist supreme Wendy Case) say they ³represent the old guard,² which may help to explain why these guys swing so well together. You may remember my mentioning Professor Schmiddy from a split 7² a couple issues back. Of his two tracks here, itıs ³Hotfoot² thatıs making its debut, and what a debut that is. If this professor got lost on an island, heıd quick make a board, sling his guitar around his neck, and catch the nearest tsunami and head for civilization. Honestly, thoı, I get the feeling that if anything started to go wrong, heıd just whip out that magic six-stringer and make the sun shine all over again. Play it, Professor! The Campus Kings arenıt really a surf act, falling somewhere between favored westerns and beautiful sleaze. (Just listen to that sax!) I wanna hear more from these guys. I love that western guitar sound. Weıre also lucky enough to be treated to three tracks from another non-surf act, Mondo Mod, whose completely non-secret weapon is a Farfisa that leads most of the charges here. Last up are The Lustre Kings whoıve evidently broken up. This one comes from that split they did with Professor Schmiddy, so theyıve been reviewed in these pages before. Pretty damn fine stuff; theyıll be missed. As for you... dont miss this disc, Œcuz itıs more than likely that you wonıt be able to find some of these tracks anywhere else. Besides, in some cases, youıre gonna be the first on your block to rave about some of these Michigan wild ones. Weıll close this section out with a look at the Poptopia comps from Rhino. This three-disc series works from a chronological standpoint, so youıve got one disc each from the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Obviously, any power pop fan is going to argue with some of the choices that were made here, but thatıs going to be true with any comp. Hell, I get the feeling that I could put out a comp on my own and then be pissed at myself for leaving certain tracks off. Thereıs just no way to get everything in. My only question is who the team was shooting for: those who didnıt know anything about Power Pop before, or an audience who already knew much of the music. From the choices made, it seems that they ended up somewhere in the middle. It becomes abundantly clear that anyone whoıs really a Power Pop fanatic probably has most of this. Heck, Iım only moderately into Power Pop (yeah, I really like it, but itıs not my main focus) and I have a pretty good percentage of these discs myself. (Interestingly, the disc I have the least of is the 90s material.) One of the smartest decisions the Rhino team made for this series had to be the idea to split it into separate discs and not make it some kind of stupid box set. In this form, fans can find a particular disc they really want and just buy that one. I know that personally Iıd be pretty put off by having to spend forty or fifty bucks all at once. Iıve been hearing that most people prefer the discs in this order... 70s, then 80s, then 90s. Thatıs really a tough call, though. For me, Iım finding it depends on my mood. Each one has a definite timbre. Thing is, you can also hear how the music is changing as the years go on. In fact, itıs tempting to make overreaching generalizations as a result. For instance, I might look at the 70s disc and say that most of these bands were looking to really end up on the radio. (And, without going and doing a count or any statistical analysis, this seems to be the one that had the most chart action.) Some of the 80s acts obviously had those aspirations, too, but so many ended up (at least in this country) mainly becoming popular with the college radio crowd, although there are some hits on here (The Romanticsı ³What I Like About You,² for instance.) Looking at the 90s disc, there are few groups whoıve had anything resembling a commercial hit, although Matthew Sweet does lead the disc off and The Rembrandts (who will forever be known as the group that did the theme for ³Friends²) appear with a song, as well. On the other hand, itıs also pretty obvious that this is an extremely good decade to be into Power Pop as a whole what with the Poptopia festival every year, some labels dedicated to the genre, and some pretty fantastic magazines supporting the whole scene. Of course, without some bands involved, itıd mean nothing... and thereıre probably more bands going around with the Power Pop tag these days than ever before. What is true about the discs is that the general public will probably know more songs from the 70s disc than any of the others. This one includes The Raspberries, Todd Rundgren, Big Star (with ³September Gurls,² of course), Badfinger, the Flaminı Groovies, Cheap Trick, The Records, Nick Lowe, and The Knack, as well as nine others, some of whom are also fairly well known, especially if youıre already into this kinda stuff. This is the disc Iıd probably recommend to someone I knew in high school back in the early 80s. Some of these songs are ones we heard on the radio as kids. (³Cruel To Be Kind² and ³Good Girls Donıt² were pretty popular when I was growing up.) These are the songs that a high school friend might find the most easy to get into. Some of them come from a certain shared background in time. Most of these tracks were really aimed at getting airplay and they have an extremely radio-friendly feel. On the other hand, a younger kid thatıs into underground music might have a much harder time enjoying these tracks... theyıll probably seem too clean to them. There will be exceptions, of course. Some kids may be able to find something to identify with in the rougher parts of Cheap Trickıs ³Come On, Come On.² The Beatıs ³RockınıRoll Girl² also has a more jagged feel than some of the others. Of course, anyone with any taste whatsoever should be able to sink their teeth into The Flaminı Grooviesı ³Shake Some Action.² And anyone with a pop-lovinı bone in their body will be won over by the jangling guitars ringing around ³September Gurls.² Quite honestly, this is probably the disc that most fans of this melodic rockınıroll stuff will find easiest to fall in love with. There are, of course, some songs that Iım not all that into. For instance, Fotomakerıs ³Where Have You Been All My Life² is just too bland for me. Iım not saying they have no place on this record, but they just wouldnıt have been on my list. And, while I like other things by 20/20, Iım just not a fan ³Yellow Pills.² Sorry, the syntesizer just sounds stupid to my ears. But, with those few exceptions, this is a solid collection of melodic rockınıroll. The 80s disc is probably the one Iıd send one of my college friends to. Of course, when I was up at the University of Rochester (Œ83-ı87), the people I hung out with most were those who were into music. Many of us either DJıd at the campus station (WRUR) or worked on the concert committee weıd started. (Our first show was The Violent Femmes supported by The Fleshtones, with 10,000 Maniacs opening up. Yeah, this was early Œ85 and the latter hadnıt yet hit big. In fact, The Fleshtones were the most popular band that night, getting the nearly 2000 people in attendance going pretty nuts.) This disc starts off with a major hit, The Romanticsı ³What I Like About You,² which became one of the major party songs of the decade. Following it up is Phil Seymour, whose sound hearkens back more to the 70s disc. Great Buildings are a band Iıd never heard of. I get the feeling theyıre appearing as sort of a link to the 90s disc, where a couple of them appear in The Rembrandts. Interestingly, the music sounds like a pretty solid link between the 70s sound and the one that would take hold in the 80s. Still, I wouldıve probably replaced it with something that moved better, perhaps The Three OıClockıs ³Jetfighter² or ³She² by The Real Kids. (I gotta stop playing second-guesser.) I was happy to see Holly & The Italiansı ³Tell That Girl To Shut Up² on here, even though itıs also on an earlier Rhino series. Sadly, itıs one of the few tracks in the whole series with female vocals. To be fair, there just arenıt enough female acts doing anything resembling power pop to really balance things out, at least not without slighting some of the major male groups in the genre. This was actually a topic of discussion recently on the Audities power pop list on the ŒNet. Eventually, Bruce Brodeen of Not Lame Records took a look at his catalog and found that only about five percent of the groups in there had females involved. It doesnıt have anything to do with discrimination in the music, as far as I can tell; it just seems to be he way things are. Most people will be glad to see The Plimsoulsı ³Million Miles Away² on here. Of course, thatıll make some wonder why the hell The Nerves didnıt make it onto the 70s disc. Youıll find some fantastic ringing guitars and a melody slightly reminiscent of the mid-60s Beatles on The SpongeTonesı ³She Goes Out With Everybody.² (This is one I didnıt have before; Iım really glad I do now.) Iım not sure I wouldıve put Marshall Crenshawıs ³Whenever Youıre On My Mind² on the disc. This gets into my argument about just what power pop is all about. I thought the idea was supposed to be melodic rockınıroll with something behind it. Itıs not that I donıt like this song, itıs just that I donıt think itıs all that powerful. Itıs the same argument I have with The Shoes. I think those guys had some fantastic pop songs; itıs just that I donıt find them all that powerful. It gets me wondering why The Last didnıt make it. Or Stiv Bators for ³The Last Year.² But there I go again, second-guessing. Bad Blair. Gotta stop doing that. I could be here forever that way. I loved that Rhino put The Hoodoo Gurusı ³I Want You Back² on the collection. While itıs not my favorite Gurusı track, I do think itıs their best pop track. In fact, I believe the album itıs from, Stoneage Romeos, is one of the best albums ever made. I tend to think the comment in the liner notes was a bit of a left-handed compliment, though. ³A bunch of Aussies, who sang driving, garage-rock ditties about kamikaze pilots, echo chambers, and Zanzibar, turning in one of the niftiest power pop tunes of the Œ80s? Why not?² That probably shouldnıt bother me; itıs just that I canıt see what any of those things have to do with man-in-the-moon-marigolds. Or, more importantly, good music, in general. They obviously canıt be referring merely to the fact that the group is Australian; after all, that country also gave us Dom Mariani, whose work with The Stems (³At First Sight²), The SomeLoves (³Girl Soul²) and, more recently, The DM3 (³1x, 2x, Devastated²), has provided the world with some of the best power pop songs ever made. Letıs Active were also a favorite of mine in the 80s. Well, let me amend that - Letıs Active were a favorite of mine on their first EP. Luckily, thatıs where Rhino looked when they picked ³Every Word Means No.² This was a favorite at WRUR. It was even bigger in my dorm room, where the five songs on that EP got played over and over, driving my suite-mates insane. Still, Iıll never forget listening to this as I played soccer on my Commodore 64 after dinner each night, demolishing my friend Al time after time. Somehow, Todd Rundgrenıs group, Utopia, get thrown in after Letıs Active and before The Bangles. I keep wondering why. Was it to provide some content with chart action? Or maybe to remind us that Todd was still making music at this point? The Bangles were still pretty much a college radio act when they put out All Over The Place in 1984. Some of us knew them from their earlier EP. After all, they were still considered part of the garage scene by some of us at that point, although this record was considerably more pop. They still had ringing Rickenbackers, but instead of covering songs like ³How Is The Air Up There?², theyıd moved on to the track theyıre represented by on this disc, a cover of ³Going Down To Liverpool² by Katrina & The Waves (whose hit, ³Walking On Sunshine,² is noticeably absent from this collection. DAMN! I did it again!) Iım going to be brutally honest - The dBıs have never done it for me. Tons of my friends in the mid-80s and beyond raved about them. For me, though, they always fell flat. Itıs true that ³Love Is For Lovers² is probably one of their catchier songs (though, personally, I liked ³Amplifier² more); besides, I canıt imagine anyone getting away with putting together a power pop comp of 80s stuff and not including them (even if they leave the taste of creamed corn and mashed lima beans in my mouth.) Candy have a commercial pop appeal to them. Evidently this was Kyle Vincentıs band in the mid-80s. (It also featured Gilby Clarke, whoıd end up doing a stint in Guns NıRoses.) ³Whatever Happened To Fun,² while perhaps not appealing to me the way some previously mentioned tracks do, still has one of the most important qualities of a great pop song - itıd sound GREAT blasting out of a car radio. And in the middle of the ³Whatever happened to fun, etc.² chorus near the end, Vincent throws in the semi-spoken line, ³What the hell happened to us?² And it suddenly becomes far more personal. Tommy Keene has had a career of being just on the fringes. Heıs always had great talent, but heıs never found the combination thatıs taken him to the next level. ³Places That Are Gone² is far from my favorite of his, but it serves as a fair representation of his sound. I used to see The Smithereens in Manhattan every once in awhile in the mid-80s. A few times theyıd end up on bills with The Mosquitos, the group that really flipped me out some 14-15 years ago. In particular, I remember shows at the old Lone Star Cafe on 5th Avenue at the corner of 13th Street in Manhattan. The Lone Starıs policy was that the opening act would play a set, then the headliner, then another from the openers, then the headliners would finish out the night. Well, as I recall, most of us would hang outside the doors while the Smithereens were on, come in and dance like mad to The Mosquitos, go cool off during the second Smithereensı set, then come in and get all sweaty again during The Mosquitosı final set. But, as luck would have it, The Smithereens were the ones who ended up making a ton of records (and even doing fairly well with some of them.) Thing is, I never really thought they were all that good. Even so, listening to ³Behind The Wall Of Sleep² from the vantage point of a decade in the future, I realize they were actually a pretty good group. Iıd still rather listen to my live tapes of The Mosquitos, but the Smithereens did some fairly decent pop. And, again with hindsight, itıs a bit easier to see their relationship to the NYC garage/60s scene that existed at the time. (Even if you hadnıt heard their first record.) The final few tracks on this one are a bit of a letdown for me. Bill Lloydıs ³Lisa Anne² is too bland for my tastes. ³Sheıs So Young,² from The Pursuit of Happiness improves a bit, but not enough to warrant my playing it all that often (although I like the texture of the backing vocals). The final track, ³There She Goes,² comes from The Laıs, a group I seem to remember seeing sometime around 1990 or so in Manhattan during CMJ or the New Music Seminar. Iıd been at some show at Maxwells and then jumped in my rickety old Œ78 Datsun to head under the river to some venue (the Marquee?) near the West Side Highway. Luckily, someone had a pass for me. The Laıs were fairly decent, but their track here pretty much sums them up... itıs nice enough pop, but it doesnıt seem to go anywhere, even if the guitars do chime nicely. (The liner notes are right on here, at least, describing the song as sounding like ³Frankie Valli fronting the ŒMr. Tambourine Manı-era Byrds.) Overall, the 80s disc is pretty enjoyable. Itıs got some tremendous highlights and those tend to move me more than the best tracks on the 70s disc. On the other hand, it has a few more disposable tracks, as well. On to the Now. Perhaps itıs a bit early to be putting together a Power Pop comp of the 90s; after all, weıve still got a few years to go to finish up. However, I think Rhinoıs original intent was actually to do a comp of the power pop sounds of today, so I suppose we should just be thankful that this exists. As I look over the groups on here, I see a ton of names that I know, but I realize that there are only a few groups that Iıve actually seen (or have any interest in seeing). Perhaps this is because my interest has long been the garage scene, rather than power pop. Still, I do like this stuff. I guess my interest in live music tends to veer towards a group that can really work me up when Iım out at night. That said, letıs get on with it... It can be argued that Matthew Sweet has done more for power pop in the 90s than any other act. His Girlfriend disc from 1991 brought the genre back to the limelight. I might have picked a different track to represent him, but ³Iıve Been Waiting² is still a smart choice to kick off the disc. Now, I realize most power pop fans hold Jellyfish in high regard; Iım not one of them. And ³That Is Why² does absolutely nothing to change my mind, with some darker sounds giving it an uneasy, nervous feel that does nothing but turn me off. Ride make a motion in my direction, punctuating the swirling ³Twisterella² with just enough percussion to keep me interested, but they still havenıt come far enough towards my type of pop. The first time I ever heard The Gigolo Aunts was around Œ86 or so, when my high school friend Nancy Ericsson sent me a tape of their stuff from SUNY Potsdam, where she was in her last year or so of college. A few years later, I found the band was still around, but theyıd moved to Boston. In that time, theyıd strengthened their sound somewhat. Interestingly, they just kept going and somehow ended up becoming popular with the power pop crowd. Personally, I like some of their earlier stuff more than ³Cope,² their contribution to this disc, but the chorus on this one is pretty dang catchy, even if the rest is kinda skewed. It seems rather obvious that The Rembrandts would have to be included on a power pop comp. Iım guessing ³Iıll Be There For You² (better known as the theme from ³Friends²) was passed over either because of licensing problems or because Rhino wanted to put something on that people might not know. The thing is, ³Rollinı Down The Hill² just doesnıt have the same power as their better known track. Itıs followed by a group called The Tearaways with a song called ³Jessica Something.² This one slows things down for the verses, with a lonely voice backed by an acoustic and little else, then hits hard on the choruses with some nice backing vocals to add flavor. A sprightly keyboard solo works nicely, as well. The Posies have been college-radio/alterna-rock faves for some time now. While Iıve personally never bought their records, Iıve always had respect for their pop talents. A couple of these guys have played in the touring version of Big Star in the 90s, but Iım hoping that theyıll be remembered for their own work, as well. ³Solar Sister² should help ensure their reputation as a group who could rock out their pop nicely. The Wondermintsı ³Proto-Pretty² is another highlight of this volume, with some lead vocals that recall Brian Wilson and some backing vocals that help you understand the high praise heaped upon them by said genius. These guys have come up with some gorgeous sounds here, not to mention some inspired arrangements. Thereıs no getting away from the fact that The Lemonheads were pretty popular on MTV for some time. Taking a look beyond the teenybopper fascination with Evan Dando, they actually did have a few pretty decent melodies in them, one of which is ³Into Your Arms,² which has all the trappings of an actual hit. (In fact, it reached #67 as a single.) We move on to Redd Kross, a group that Iıve never been able to truly embrace, though Iım really not sure why (maybe it was that show down on East 4th Street some 8-9 years ago). After all, theyıve got some truly beautiful vocals, not to mention providing something to back it up. Well, Iıll at least give it to them for their track here, ³Lady In The Front Row.² The fact that this one failed to dent the charts in 1993 just shows how damn stupid people can be. But, hey, itıs their loss - they missed out on something damn great. (For that matter, so did I. Mea culpa.) Letıs hope some people pick up on them due to this comp. I get the feeling The Grays Œ ³Same Thing² got included only because a couple of the guys were in Jellyfish. The liner notes state that this group was too heavy for some fans of their former group. Personally, I can understand that, but I actually like it better than the Jellyfish track on here, if only because of the brief glimpses of melody and a slight touch of the nastier side of late 70s Cheap Trick. By far my favorite group on this volume is The Rooks. This NYC-based group is one of the absolute best things to happen to pop music in the 1990s. Michael Mazzarella writes genius pop songs with absolutely beautiful melodies. Guitarist Kristin Pinell provides ringing leads that deserve a spotlight all their own. The groupıs vocals? Donıt even get me started... Iım not sure thereıs anyone else that can even catch a glimpse of them, theyıre so far beyond everyone else. The track featured here, ³Reasons,² is a perfect slice of Rooksı heaven. Anyone buying this disc who doesnıt go out and pick up another Rooksı disc after this shouldnıt have picked up this comp in the first place. The Greenberry Woodsı ³Trampoline² is a nice ringing melody with some churning guitars augmented by well-executed vocals. As to Velocity Girlıs ³I Canıt Stop Smiling,² itıs a pretty nice, occasionally bubbly, melody that works best when Sarah Shannon joins in on or takes over the lead vocal. Personally, I wouldıve preferred something with her singing the whole lead, as she tends to give the song more personality. Velvet Crush have been around for quite some time now, in one form or another. Theyıre a group with quite a bit of talent in the Byrds/Big Star vein, although they also mix in a bit of Pet Sounds-era Beach Boys at times. ³Hold Me Up² is notable mostly for its vocal arrangements (although occasionally the melody gets just juicy enough to put a smile on my face.) Iıll admit it - I hadnıt heard of Zumpano till Roberta and I got a call from Smugglersı guitarist David Carswell a couple months back asking if the group (who he was touring with at the time) could possibly crash at our place for a few nights. (The answer was, of course, ³Yes.²) To be honest, a listen to a single they left as a thank you didnıt elicit much excitement from me. However, ³The Party Rages On² is a pretty nice updating of the late 60s folk-pop sound created by groups like The Association and The Turtles. In 90s power pop circles, P. Hux has become something of an icon. Although this is not my favorite track on here, I can understand the fascination: P. Hux has done an admirable job of bringing the 70s Power Pop sound to 90s ears. ³Every Minute² is the kind of track that could easily make it on the radio, much as some of the acts on the 70s disc did. Unfortunately for P. Hux, there wasnıt much of a push on them. This disc ends much better than its 80s counterpart, with The Idle Wilds hitting a nice balance between ringing melody and power with ³Youıre All Forgiven.² This ranks as one of the better tracks on the 90s disc, providing a fine ending for the series. As with the other discs, questions will be raised as to why groups like The Mockers, 20 Cent Crush, and The Shambles were left off. (Heck, to go back in time a bit, people are going to wonder why Squeeze and XTC didnıt put in an appearance. At least on those, the answer is given - licensing problems.) Summing it up, then... for those who were around in the 70s, either as teens or older, that disc is the obvious first choice (at least, if said person hasnıt been paying much attention to pop happenings this decade.) Fans of college radio pop in the 80s will go for that disc in a bigger way. If, on the other hand, youıre someone who prefers a more modern sound, then the 90s disc should be your intro. Again, Rhinoıs decision to split the series up into three individual discs rather than box them together was a smart one. This way, people can buy one and decide whether they want to take the next step, rather than being asked to cough up forty or fifty bucks all at once. Musically speaking, Poptopia is a strong sampling of the power pop sounds of the past few decades. Any true pop fan will argue with the choices made here, but... hey, you can always spend your own money and do your own. Iıve mentioned some of the tracks I wouldıve included, but theyıre my own personal opinions. (Besides, I have all the records I mentioned that I wouldıve included... having them included wouldnıt have given me anything extra.) Youıll find some old favorites, some vague recollections, a few tracks that sound like duds to you, plus some new thrills. Overall, a worthy effort. ******************************************************************************** STILL MORE MUSIC ---------------------------- I was pretty much prepared to dismiss the self-titled Mother Fucker 666 disc (Get Hip) on the basis of the name. (Bad experiences, I guess, with bands whoıve used ³fuck² or ³motherfucker² in their name.) To be perfectly honest, this CD isnıt one thatıs riding high on the TS playlist at the moment. On the other hand, Iım not gonna toss it, either; there are some worthwhile moments. ³I Donıt Wanna² reminds me a bit of the calmer/slower side of the Dead Boys. Iım always a sucker for a Kinksı kover, so the sped-up take on ³Celluloid Heroes² is enjoyable, if nowhere near the genius of the original. The revved-up cover of ³Then He Kissed Me,² with Hot Damnıs Zebra taking the guest vocal, is fair, but doesnıt convey the melody as well as, say, The Hard-Onsı version did some ten years ago. The solo works pretty well, though. Speaking of solos, perhaps the best track on this disc is the Jeff Dahl-penned, ³Byronıs Calling,² which features a flyinı-high solo, with a smoothed-out Saintsı feel. Best title on this one, thoı not enough for me musically, would have to be ³Blues Theme from Teengenerate Vs. Godzilla²; all-instro, but it doesnıt move enough for me, thoı there are at least some dark Birdman-isms in it. For some, the participation of Mike Metoff and Jeff Dahl will be enough to make this a must- buy, though I canıt recommend it for everyone else... Every once in a while, I get a package in the mail that I think is gonna completely suck. As much as I love all this garage and punk stuff, Iım not a music historian. I love history, in general (I added it as a second major as an undergrad, actually; the first was math), and I do enjoy reading rockınıroll history. That doesnıt make me an expert on it, though. Iım better at whatıs happened while Iıve been an active participant. Even so, I always enjoy Œzines/books/articles on the older stuff. (Hence my love of Kicks, Ugly Things, Brown Paper Sack, etc.) Which brings me to my point... I had no idea who The Huns were when I got this package. So, first off, a apology to the Austin crowd for not knowing about this segment of your history. I guess I just saw this package with a whole bunch of stuff that looked like more harsh punk rock that was, in the end, just gonna get filed away or, with luck, given to someone who might enjoy it more. But itıs not fair to judge a disc by its cover, so I figured I had to throw it on. Live At The Palladium 1979 (Get Hip) isnıt about what Iıd personally call perfection in live sound recording, but itıs good enough to hear each part most of the way through. They throw themselves into the fray with ³Violence,² pure punk rock driven along by some 1-4-1-4 banging, given a deceptively pleasant form by the keys. ³Busy Kids,² according to the liner notes, was a criticism of the punk scene clothed, as all the best destructive forces are, in that sceneıs own accoutrements. Damn good listen, too. Another standout is ³Murder In Texas,² with singer Phil Tolstead starting off with a spoken bit, ³I want you to shit on my face, Cullen Davis,² referring to ³the richest man in the world ever to be tried for murder.² (Evidently, he was acquitted.) I like the way the organıs played up in much of this. Iım gonna be honest, I donıt think these guys are the greatest thing since Buffalo wings (far from it), but, then, Iım much more of a garage nut than a pure punknik. And there are enough good songs on here to keep you punkinı out all night... If you still think The Sex Pistols were the end-all, be-all of punk rock, then youıre probably pretty bummed out that you didnıt get to see them in their prime. Well, for what itıs worth, you can get that same kinda sound from The U.S. Bombs on their Never Mind The Opened Minds six-songer (Alive). Just about everything on here is a complete tribute to the Pistols, right down to the ³Ballad of Sid² (not to mention the reprise of the same)... I hadnıt heard of The Kindred till a friend of mine dropped Bomb Up The Town (GI Productions) at my place before we went out one night. This one features a punk-mod ix, something thatıs become less uncommon in recent years. Personally, I wouldıve preferred a louder mix; hell, everythingıs too buried. There are still some standouts, including ³Throwback,² with a circling guitar riff running rings around me while the vocal line calls me to stand up and be counted. ³I Canıt² is one that really bums me out... hereıs something that sounds like it could be one of their strongest numbers, but the backing vocals (which play the call part in a call-and-response) are so far back that I wonder if someone put the mic in the neighborıs garage instead of the one they were recording in. ³Gonna Find Out² is one of those things anyone can identify with (switch genders if necessary, but the sentiment holds)... ³I donıt know what your name is, girl... but Iım Gonna Find Out.² Sure, itıs nothing new, but that kinda theme and the passion involved carry it (even if the vocals are revealed here to be a bit wobbly.) Most of this falls somewhere below these numbers, but none is a waste of time... The Stand G.T. have done some pretty damn cool stuff over the years and their latest, Apocalypse Cow (Lance Rock) is more of the same. I have a hard time calling this stuff punk rock, but working with that kind of thinking Iıd have to eliminate a whole bunch of other bands from that kind of categorization. Hmm... that might not be such a bad idea, huh? Letıs face it, all these genre classifications are just a way for everybody to get a handle on the music. Youıve gotta wonder if peopleıd listen to a wider variety of stuff if there were no neat little cubbyholes already labeled for them. But I guess Iıve digressed yet again. I guess the easiest musical comparison might be to Bum, but I donıt think these guys can stand up to those guys. Still and all, fans wonıt be disappointed... OK, time to switch tracks. Letıs go Around The World With Satanıs Pilgrims (eMpTy). Thatıs right, weıre globetrotting ears- open, mouths shut, sampling the local culture through its sounds. Or, to be more accurate,Satanıs Pilgrims have done all that for you and bring you their own interpretations of just how their vacation went. Well, OK, they had to stretch their definitions a little. Sure, thereıs John Barryıs ³Theme From Beat Girl,² but you know youıre stretching things when you assign a Davie Allan/Mike Curb collaboration to France Œcuz it won a prize at Cannes. Not that I mind, really, Œcuz the whole disc is a damn good listen. Iım gonna admit right now that I often have a hard time understanding where some groups come up with the titles for their instros. That is most definitely not the case with ³The Godfather,² which truly gets the Pilgrim treatment here. Things finish off with the gentle ³La Cazuela,² a group original that evokes an evening at a Mexican tavern, drinking this very drink. Well (un)spoken, gentlemen... Listening to Cordell Jackson on Live In Chicago (Pravda), Iım starting to believe I made a major mistake skipping out on most of her set a couple months ago. I donıt know, Iıd seen her before and really enjoyed her, but that night it just wasnıt happening for me. On this disc, though, sheıs playinı it proud. Interestingly, I prefer the vocal numbers - especially ³Midnight Rodeo² - over the instros. On the other hand, itıs those that she really bangs the heck out of the guitar on... I like this Snake Hips disc, Memphis Juke (Feralette) much more than the last one. The sound on ³Road To Nowhere² is kinda like Warren Zevon and it really appeals to me. The next track, ³Sheıs So Square² is sparser and sports a vocal waver, but ends up both more melodic (at points) and more beguiling. ³Houndog Blooze² ends up as a Lou Reed/Warren Zevon mix done in a kind of southern boogie style; sleazy fun. ³Nothing² moves more towards a ³Honky Tonk Woman² Stones thing. The final track, ³Southern Crawl,² oddly conjures up an acoustic Marc Bolan. Overall, the disc has an enthralling laid-back Southern rockınıroll feel. Find this for those times when youıre not willing to have your ears blasted to a pulp, ut want something to ease you into the evening... If youıre looking for some cool country punk with a damn good sense of humor, youıll want to check out What I Love About America (One Drinky-Winky), the second helping from Lancaster County Prison. Most of the vocals come courtesy of John Carruthers, ex-Alter Boys and Gashounds and he sounds better than ever. The disc starts off with ³Fat, Old, Drunk, & Proud² which oughtta tell you just about everything you need to know. I never knew John played banjo, but thatıs what it says in the credits. And heıs got some nice sounds cominı out on ³Darlinı Corey.² I guess the stuff I like best on here, though, are the ones that, like ³Go ŒLong Mule,² kick the tempo in the donkey and make you want to get up and grab a partner to swing around with. On the other hand, theyıve also got some pretty slower ones, including ³The Ballad of Joel Rifkin² with a cool banjo pickinı. Thereıre also some nice story-songs (something Iıve always enjoyed), like ³Go Cup in the Pick-Up,² where the guyıs drivinı his pick-up, his galıs mouth is motorinı along, and he says heıs gonna stop for something to drink. She tells him that if he does, then theyıre thru. He pulls in at a bar. She tells him heıs been warned. He says fine, that way he wonıt be surprised. He gets his ³go-cup² filled up, comes back and tells her to hop in. She tells him to go scratch. Heıs at a light, it turns green and he says to his truck, ³letıs go.² Unfortunately, the songs says, the guy in front of him didnıt hear him. The cop tells him that he hopes the truck doesnıt drink gas the way he drinks beer. Guy ends up in the lockup. Gal says let him rot. Eventually he pays a fine and goes home. But his stuffıs on the porch and his best friendıs hanginı with his lady friend. Nothing like a story with a moral... Introducing The Frantic Flattops on Cheap Women, Cheap Booze, Cheaper Thrills (Pravda) is the Blond Bomber himself, Ronnie Dawson, leading in to the cool rıbilly instro of ³The Look At The Size Of That oogie.² Iıd heard quite a bit about Rockinı Rochesterıs latest claim to fame, these rockabilly rascals. Even though they recently passed through, I once again missed their show (no way was I gonna miss The Omega Men, even for this.) Even if I had somewhere else I needed to be, I gotta say Iım sorry I had to do so, Œcuz this is one fine slice of rockinroll music. ³Sweeter 17² lets the good times roll, word-playinı on Ye Olde Sweet 16. In fact, this track serves as a damn fine overview of all thatıs good about this record, Œcuz they just let it rip all over. ³If This Is Love² slows it down just a mite bit, but sweetens up the melody. Next time they come to town, hopefully Iıll be able to make it... If The Kindredıs sound was Mod mixed with punk, The Spider Babies is garage with pure punk attitude and aggression. I canıt say Iım nuts about this stuff. In fact, the more I think about it, the more I realize I enjoyed their early material better. But thatıs not to say this stuffıs no good... in fact, itıs just that my ears canıt stand the grating the way they might have once. Adventures In Sex and Violence (GI Productions) features a Sex Side and - yeah, good guess - a Violence Side. These guys are not winning any points with N.O.W., Iıll tell you that., not with songs like ³Jr. High School Cuties² and ³Suck It To Me Baby.² If what you want is a raging Vox Phantom and punk grit vocals on top of sped up garage rock chordings, then this might be just what youıre looking for... The Aquavelvetsı debut disc, The Then... Then Now (Velvatone) is a sixteen track collection including ten previously released recordings. (See the story on the band in TS #55. ‹- ed.) Most of the tracks are originals, but the tracks from the three seven-inchers also include covers of ³Seven & Seven Is² and ³Voices Green and Purple.² The groupıs been evolving over the years, from a straight-out organ throb spook-tone into something a bit more modern. Yet the influences are still there, most especially on ³Hitman² which hearkes back nicely to the older sound. ³Workinı In A Cemetery² moves through some of the same B-movie horror theme with the organ providing the clamminess and the guitar fuzzing the flesh off. Honestly, Iım more a fan of the more garage material that came earlier, but this isnıt bad, either... Many folks in the power pop camp rave like mad about Wonderboy and group leader Robbie Rist (who most of you will recognize as The Brady Bunchıs Cousin Oliver.) Now, Iım not gushing the way Iıve heard many others do, but Napoleon Blown Apart (Racer) does have a few tracks to recommend it, including ³Why Canıt One And One Be Two?,² with an incredibly catchy melody and well-placed, well-executed backing vocals; the bouncy ³Unconditional Love²; and the soaring ³Hindsightıs 20/20.² In fact, I canıt say that thereıs anything actually unlistenable on the disc. I do think that it suffers from a slight sameness; of course, itıs a likable sameness, so I canıt really complain... Iım just not used to hearing such big production anymore, I guess. And the production on Supergrassıs In It For The Money (Capitol) is definitely big and clean. Thatıs not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, this is a pretty decent record. Much of it sounds like a modern version of The Beatlesı circa Œ66. On the other hand, I donıt think they have quite as much of a knack for melody as did the Liverpool lunks. Still, these songs swirl and step in a fairly pleasant manner. Overall, my favorite number is probably where they drift a bit towards The Kinksı, echoing the bass line to ³Youıre Lookinı Fine² in part of ³Going Out.² I just wish theyıd spend more time on that piece of the tune, Œcuz most of itıs even more awash in Beatlemania than the rest. Not that thereıs anything wrong with that, really; overall, itıs more than listenable. On Talent Is A Crime (Royal), The No-Talents let fly with some of their wildest punkinı out to date. The title track is reminiscent of some of the darker, more aggressive Aussie punk sounds of the late 70s, as is the next one, ³Meeow.² (Check out the Murder Punk CD reviews for more info on that kinda thing.) On the B-side, they cover ³Life Is Just A So-So² (one Iıve never heard, by Blitzkrieg Bop), which has a bit more structure to it... Lookinı for more trashy rockınıroll? Search no further than the B section - for Budget Girls. These two American gals somehow ended up at Londonıs famed Toe Rag Studios with ³Long Dong Liam² and friends backing them up as they cavort and scream thru these four tracks. While I like the title ³Pop-a-Wheelie-Cop-a-Feelie² and love how the gals canıt get thru ³Teabagginı² without crackinı up, the best rockınıroll on here comes on side two with ³French One.² The first line is either ³Deux Trois / Mange Moi² or ³(something) Toi / Mange Moi.² Either way, hereıs a hint, ³Mange² is ³eat.² I think you know what ³moi² means. But what makes this one work better than the rest is that the band is doinı it well in a classic Toe Rag type of way. ³Go Away Geek² is pretty funny, but itıs not something Iıd put on at a party if I wanted everyone to stick around... Los Tigres Guapos BLAST into their Play Hard to Like EP (Mortville) with ³Sixteen² singinı ³HEY NOW!² and hammerinı their guitars like thereıs nothinı else in the world. Some of this stuff is just too harsh for me, but ³Donıt Call Me Bobby No More² has a kinda Whap-A-Dang era Raunch Handsı quality to it, albeit with more of a melted-hardcore power-chord feel... The second side of Helldoradoıs ³Jesco Way² 45 (eMpTy) doesnıt do much for me all, but the title track starts off like a steam locomotive and is at least somewhat appealing... Movinı a bit closer to my own aural pleasure are the Screaminı Furys with their Estrus 7²er. Not quite as hard as LTG, but theyıre still not in my ballpark. Thoı theyıre probably tailgating outide, thoı, and I get the feeling that Iıd probably get up during the 7th inning stretch and run out to see what the ruckus was about. Dropping the stupid baseball analogy, then, these guys are probably a blast to catch in a small sweaty club with an enthusiastic audience, Œcuz theyıve definitely got a handle on the kind of sound that can drive a crowd to sweaty heights. And, as if to say ³so there² to me, they thrown in a high-speed version of The Real Kidsı ³Sheıs Alright² that wins me over completely... If youıre a fan of Television Personalities, youıll probably want to pickup Whereıs Dan Treacy Jowe Head Now? (Perfect Pop). Covered on here are They Might Be Giantsı ³Constantinople² along with the Velvet Undergroundıs ³White Light/White Heat,² (with a lyrical change dealing with Chinese food for dinner or something) which ends up in the middle of The Modern Loversı ³Roadrunner.² Also found are versions of ³Part Time Punks² and ³The Man Who Paints The Rainbows.²... At the Man or Astro-Man? show at Maxwells last December, Birdstuff handed me a 45 by Servotron, ³Red Robot Refund (Ode to A5-04)² (Goldenrod). If youıve ever believed that anyone in MOAM? had a Devo fixation, hereıs proof. Hereıs a pair of Devo-esque melodies with some good rhythm pounding to back them up. Personally, Iım even more into the flip, ³Batteries Included,² with itıs shared male-female tradeoff vocals and a nice guitar lead happening, thoı itıs dominated by some of that 80s keyboard stuff that seemed abominable at the time, but somehow works here. (Uh, was that a run-on, Ms. Casey?) Kinda reminds me of tapes of the early Plastic Device, before they started rockinı out. (But thatıs a reference most of you will never be fortunate enough to understand, since the closest they ever got to making a record was the songs on the Origin of Grapefruit cassette released over ten years ago)... Squid Nachos! (Chicken Ranch) is a split 7²er between Squid Vicious and Los Nachos. On their second track, ³Hombrecio,² the former bunch takes a slow,lonesome journey in the desert, pining away for the surf. Nicely evocative. Their first contribution is a live track called ³Armadillo Races,² which moves at a pretty nice clip. (How fast are armadillos, anyway?) As to Los Nachos, their contributions are entitled ³Neuf a la Banque² and ³Burro Loco Fandango.² What the heck is goinı on with alla this foreign talk?!?! The French title runs just beyond mid-tempo, but has a cool middle part where itıs like theyıre just resting for a bit, watering the horses, and having a bite before hitting the trail again. The second one sounds best turned up Œcuz the guitars hit damn well together... When I threw on the Poopiehead 7² EP (Peek-A-Boo) I felt like I was about eight years old watching Saturday morning cartoons. (Pretty amazing, considering that my parents didnıt allow us this All-American pastime.) This group writes childlike singsong-y melodies (call it lo-fi pop) that might, at first, turn a listener off, but if youıre into Jonathan Richman, you might just have a mind open enough to truly enjoy this... With their Go To The Ice Cream Social EP (Peek-A-Boo), Junior Varsity show us what you might get Cub (circa Betti-Cola) had bumped into Supercharger and gotten their chocolate in the Radio X crowdıs peanut butter. The songs (with titles like ³Two Scoops² and ³Wizz-bang Boy²) tend to be delightfully innocent and cheerful, but with a more basic rockınıroll backing that occasionally veers in the lo-fi punk direction. Happily, they donıt lose themselves there, using it as only one more tool. My fave track is actually the one cover on the EP, ³Hot Rod,² with some beautifully pure guitar sounds... The 1-4-5ıs Almost Good (Twist Like This) has a cover proclaiming ³No Fidelity.² And thatıs not gonna get them an argument; this one was recorded by their pal John Lowe on his Walkman at the Blue Flamingo down in Texas. While the fidelity is poor at best, the spirit is alive and kicking and it sounds like this bunch was having at least as much fun as the audience. Andwho can help but appreciate a band that introduce song after song as being ³about my car.² Each one is beautifully short, the kinda thing that someone with no sense of humor (and no clue) might say came from a mind that couldnıt get past one or two verses. Not the case at all; itıs just that this bunch knows when to shut up. The songs are all pure rockınıroll fun, sometimes punkinı out, sometimes just laughing it up. Wish Iıd been there... On the more pop side of punk rock are The Parasites with ³Hang Up² (Lookout). The feature cutıs pretty cool, but I prefer ³Itıs Getting Hard² down below, as itıs catchier and has well-placed backing vox... It seems like this ish has far less surf/hot rod 45s than usual. The Delstars, from Des Moines, Iowa, seek to remedy that problem with Peel Out! With... (Swizzle). The 4-songer starts with a cool hot rod track entitled ³Rocket 455² as they pour on the gas for some major engine action. Next upıs a vocal track, ³Peel Out!² which doesnıt much do it for me, mainly Œcuz the vocals just remind me too much of an early 80s surf punk thing that just put me off. The beatıs pretty primal, thoı... maybe I can find a way to EQ this thing to get rid of the vocal? Back to the instros, then, for ³Mr. Horsepower² as he leaves the rest of the field eating fumes. After a long day at the track, these boys decide itıs time to catch the ³Last Wave,² but the beach sure is lonely at that point in the day. This oneıs slow, reflecting a long, hot day, but thereıs a certain satisfied feel, as well. Iım hoping these guys stick to the instros; they do Œem well... Lastly, I just got an ³advance promo copy² of The Obliviansı Play Nine Songs For Mr. Quintron CD (Crypt). I donıt have song titles yet, so Iım gonna hold off on a full review. All Iım gonna say is that this is the best Iıve heard these guys sound in the studio. WOW! ******************************************************************************** BITS AND PIECES ------------------------- After a particularly hellish day at work, I came home to find a message on our answering machine. ³Hi, Blair, this is Chris [Cush] from The Headless Horsemen (and Mojo Guitars).² For those not in the know, the HH were one of the top bands in NYC (or anywhere else, for that matter) in the mid-late 80s. Where many bands were always trying to shrug off the retro/60s tag, bassist Peter Stuart would always say he was happy to have people say that about them; it was great music. For people to say they played that sort of stuff, then, was a high compliment. Their records on Resonance (as well as their 4-song sojourn as Chris Such & the Savages on the Chaos label) were filled with garage, psych and 60s pop-isms that still get repeat plays on my hi-fi. The bandsı gods always appeared to be The Flaminı Groovies, although The Kinks were certainly never far behind. Sometime around the turn of the decade, the Horsemen unfortunately decided to call it a day, leaving a bunch of us looking for a new band to dance wildly to. About a year or so after they broke up, a one-night reunion was attempted, but the club was not conducive to great rockınıroll shows and - well, perhaps it simply hadnıt been long enough. In December, 1995, though, NYCıs first GarageRage fest was held at Coney Island High. One of the highlights of the Friday night was, of course, the Headless Horsemen reunion. They had us dancing like mad to - well, to quote them - the ³Same Old Thing.² But it was their same old thing. And we were the same old core crowd, with a new bunch stepping in to catch some fantastic sounds. After that one, Chris swore theyıd play again. Sure enough, this past February, they did just that. (See the Live Reviews. ‹- ed.) And, this time, Chris said it wouldnıt take nearly as long for the next one. Still, who knew if it would actually happen. Chrisı message said to call him back. So I did. At that point, the plan was to play Continental on June 14th. Well, as the time drew near, it became apparent that they werenıtgoing to be able to do it, Œcuz one of them couldnıt make it. A recent conversation with Chris revealed that they may still get around to doing a show once in a while, though. On a related note, Chris Cush and Peter Stuart have formed a new group, with Horsemen drummer Dave Ari taking his seat once again. Peter is slated to move to guitar, while the bass slot is filled by a guy named Michael who used to be with the Insect Surfers. ³What kinda stuff?² I asked, pretty sure I knew the answer. Without hesitation, Chris said, ³Flaminı Groovies-type.² Looks like I was right. At present, theyıre planning on using the name The Bitter Hearts. (Hmm... shades of John Felice naming his post-Real Kids group The Taxi Boys, huh?) One of the best Œzines Iıve ever had the pleasure to peruse is Noise For Heroes. Unfortunately, by the end of 1992, it went dormant. Well, Steve Gardner is now back, with what he terms ³Phase 3² of the Œzine - The Internet.² (The first was a xeroxed version from Œ80 - Œ83, and the second was the full-on Œ87 - Œ92 version that was the envy of any Œzine editorsı heart.) For those of you who arenıt on-line yet, tough noogies; the rest of you can check it out at http://home.sprynet.com/interserv/nkvd/index.htm. Evidently Crypt is putting together a 4-LP box set of some of their best surf-oriented stuff. Thereıll also be a 57 track, 3 LP box of the Strumminı Mental series, cutting out what Tim Warren terms the ³40-or-so weaker cuts.² Grant Lawrence of Mint Records (and, of course, The Smugglers) tells us that Huevos Rancheros have had their video ³Get Outta Dodge² in rotation on MuchMusic. (Iım glad I donıt have MTV, but Iıd love to have MuchMusic, since they seem to play some cooler stuff.) Theyıll also be on TV screens (in Canada only... of course!) for some Labattıs beer ads with Don Ho. Lime Spidersı fans will be glad to hear that singer/leader Mick Blood is putting together a new group, called The Fram, based in Sydney. Evidently theyıll be like his old band, but with, as someone on the Divine Rites list wrote, a ³more relaxed feel.² One track, ³Urban Cowboy,² has been released so far on a comp called No Guts No Glory (Antfarm Records). In addition, the Lime Spiders, whoıve been dormant for at least five years, played a festival in Victoria called Offshore on March 30th. Seth Gordon of The Mockers, writes that they are ³working on material for next disc.² Theyıve recorded a couple songs in Nashville already and Seth has registered my vote for recording their biting ³Velveeta Underground.² Evidently, bassist Tony got himself an ADAT and is recording some instro & surf when heıs got the time. (Note: about ten or twelve years ago, while living abroad, Tony and some friends released an LPıs worth of this kinda stuff. Iıve never heard it, but Iım told it was damn good.) TJ from 13 Frightened Girls writes in to report, ³I found out a couple of cool things regarding Gonn (again). First, Craig Moore wants to put out a compilation record of all the cover versions of ³Blackout Of Gretely². So if any of you were/are in a band, and you have a version to submit, by all means send it to Craig. Secondly, I had mentioned [previously on Bomp list] about us recording with Craig. Though it hasnıt happened yet, he did say he wanted to do a PUNK version of ³Come With Me To The Stars², and weıre gonna back him up!² Australian correspondent Michael Seman informs me that, ³Strangely enough, Julian Mathews of The Stems joined DM3 [the group led by his ex-bandmate, Dom Mariani] after Tony Italiano left. DM3 recorded half a dozen songs, presumably for an EP just before Tony left. The compilation called Garage Sale came out last month, but it has only one previously unreleased track, an instrumental called ³Beechline². In other DM3 news, Greg Shaw recently mentioned on the Bomp list that there will be a 20-track disc coming out on Bomp Records soon featuring the best of the groupıs material up through this point in time. (It will not feature anything from their new record, though, so as not to interfere with sales of that.) In addition, he says that theyıre supposed to tour Europe and heıs hoping that if the disc stirs up some interest in the US, theyıll tour here. (That would be a dream come true for me!) In case youıve been wondering what Keith Pattersonıs been up to since the demise of The Spectors... wonder no longer! As mentioned in the singles section, he did record a single with The Autumn Leaves. However, his latest project finds him playing in a group called William & The Conquerors (a name evidently originally thought up by Smashed! Blocked! Œzine editor - and pal of his - Bill Luther.) The group also features Willie Wisely, and ex-members of The Loose Rails and The Floor Shakers. They were soon contacted by a co-writer of Troma Picturesı latest, Tromeo & Juliet, to do the title track and incidental music for this Troma-tic version of Shakespeareıs tale. (Other groups with music in this one include Motorhead, Superchunk, Supernova and the Meatmen.) Descriptions so far have ranged from sounding like The Kinks and Yardbirds to the early Beatles BBC sessions. Tim Gassen, author of Echoes In Time and The Knights of Fuzz (as well as being the singer for the Marshmallow Overcoat), is now doing a monthly garage column for Magnet magazine. The last one is now available on his web site (http://www.azstarnet.com/~tgassen/), while the new one (for ish #29) includes stuff on ³The Watch Children, Bomboras, The Bald Guys, The Nuthins, Dupont Circles, Aquavelvets, Others, Effervescent Elephants and the Brown Paper Sack fanzine.² Heıs also got some of his own music coming out... The Purple Merkins have tracks on Transworld Garage (a Misty Lane LP comp), including one mistakenly credited to their alter-ego, The Marshmallow Overcoat. Theyıve also completed the Merkinmania LP sessions and are searching for a label for them. One more thing on Timıs palette is a new compilation series named for his book, The Knights of Fuzz. This CD series will start out by putting together some of the best tracks from the 80s garage scene. Hopefully, itıll do well enough to keep the series going for a long time. (There are some great tracks that are crying out to be comped.) Break-Ups: A couple months ago, alt.music.banana-truffle witnessed the following sad message, ³We regret to inform the rock Œnıroll fraternity that the Campus Tramps have split up... They do have an LP out on Rock Ola & a 7² coming out on Screaming Apple.² Some of them have evidently gone on to a new group called the Superfly TınıTs who supposedly sound a bit like Supercharger. The Trick Babys came back from their cross-country trek and started dissolving. One by one, evidently, is the way it happened. Still, they seem to be pleased with what they accomplished over the few years they were together. I recently put the bug in Mitroıs ear to reactivate one of his old projects, The Bowery Rhythm Kings, who were always a fine act to catch, doing cool old R&B numbers like ³Iım Gonna Be A Wheel Someday.² And, last time we talked, he said theyıve been talking about it. Very cool. The Upper Crust were supposed to play Brownies the last Friday & Saturday night of April. I returned from my trip to LA to find a message in my in-box from Evan, who runs Monarchy in the USA (http://www.juvalamu.com/crust), the best of the Crust web pages. Now, to be fair about it, Iıd known I wouldnıt be making either show, anyway, since there were other events Iıd planned on. So, that Friday night, after seeing the Bomboras, Cordell Jackson, and The Flat Duo Jets at the Mercury (see the Live Shows section), I found myself at the Lakeside. There, bassist Danny Ly (of The Botswanas and The Senders, both of whom had played Brownies that night), informed me that the Crust were no more. It seems that fisticuffs were involved. I probably shouldıve asked Lord Bendover, who was in town anyway, and was also hanging out at the Lakeside. But I didnıt, and had to await confirmation from Evan. He tells me the groupıs still got a new LP slated for release and heıs hopeful that maybe (yeah, thereıs a phrase to bet on!) theyıll come to their senses to support it. As many of you out there no doubt already know, The Element 79 broke up while they were on tour. Evidently it had something to do with a drunken night in New Orleans. Meanwhile, though, you can pick up the groupıs phenomenal debut CD (see the reviews section ‹- ed.) From The Hoodoo Gurus camp comes the following, ³[The group] have announced that 1997 will be their last year together. The Gurus formed in 1981 and since then have been regarded as one of Australiaıs most credible and successful bands. After having just completed yet another sold out tour of major venues throughout Australia they decided that now is the right time to bring the band to its natural conclusion. The Gurus embark on a one month tour of Brazil next week and upon their return will be confirming dates for a farewell tour of Australia towards the end of the year. The band will not be recording any further studio albums. The Hoodoo Gurus would like to express their sincere thanks to all of their fans and those who have supported them over the past fifteen years. Itıs been quite a trip.² The reason that the guys are packing it in is that itıs just the right time. The last album they released is one that they all regard as their best. They played better than they ever have before on the recent Australian tour and packed venues at a time when a majority of bands are struggling with live attendances. They are all very good friends and feel good about the Guru identity right now and would like to leave it that way. Iım sorry if anyone feels that we have let them down but fifteen years is probably enough. As Dave said, Itıs been quite a trip. While Elka Zolotıs group The Spastics are no longer, sheıs jumped right back into the thick of things with a new group, The Glamour Pussies. Songs include: ³Down In My Trailer Park,² ³Penile Pump,² ³Get It Up, Get In, Get Off, Get Out!² and ³She Smells Like Tuna.² (You know, just the kinda gals you want to bring home to meet Mom.) In a recent message to her mailing list, Elka described it as, ³A night of lingerie and loud noisy chicks! Why would you miss that? Well, maybe if youıre NOT into hot sweaty chicks wearing feather boas and 6-inch heels, belting out loud, fun, and fast punk rock!² Records To Be On The Lookout For: On the as-yet-unconfirmed rumors front (thoı the source is pretty dang good), it seems as though Triple X is reissuing both of the first couple LPs by The Saints. Regardless, you can also pick up a British ³Best Of² comp that includes tracks from those LPs, plus the original version of ³This Perfect Day,² as well as the complete 1-2-3-4 EP. Word has it this is a pretty incredible disc. The MuSick label is planning another comp of cool instrumental music. This time out, itıs a tribute to The Shadows. So far, I only know that The Omega Men will be on it. (Iıd guess doing the ³Main Theme,² since they recently performed it live.) Way back around 1986, when I was still in school in Rochester, NY, this local club used to have the DJs from my college station spin records and play videos on Thursday nights. On one of those, I ran into Chesterfield Kingsı bassist Andy Babiuk. We got into a conversation and he mentioned that the band wanted to do a hot rod/surf vocal record (as well as a folk-rock LP). Well, about two years ago, when the band last played NYC, Andy said it was happening. That Christmas, I got a postcard with the band looking kinda like The Beach Boys circa 1964. A year went by and no record. Well, rumor has it that now itıs gonna be a DOUBLE album. And at least we know that somethingıs in the can, Œcuz a song did come out on a recent comp. Look for this one ³any day.² That just about wraps it up for this one, folks... See ya sooner or later. (Probably the latter.) ‹- BB ******************************************************************************** WHERE TO GET ŒEM ----------------------------- This section is my attempt to give the addresses for most of the recordings reviewed in this ish. Of course, I kinda forgot to start doing this right off the bat when I began writing the reviews months back, so Iıve probably missed a few. For that, I sincerely apologize. (Well, mostly...) 1+2 Clean Nishi-shinjuku Nishi-shinjuku 7-5-6 Shinjuku-ku Tokyo 160 JAPAN 360 Twist PO Box 9367 Denver, CO 80209 Bomp/Alive/Marilyn PO Box 7112 Burbank, CA 91510 Blackout PO Box 1575 NY, NY 10009 punker01@aol.com Capitol 1750 Vine Street Hollywood, CA 90028 Chicken Ranch PO Box 151922 Austin, TX 78715 cranch@eden.com Collectables Box 35 Narberth, PA 19072 Detour PO Box 18 Midhurst West Sussex ENGLAND GU29 9YU Dionysus PO Box 1975 Burbank, CA 91507 Empty PO Box 12034 Seattle, WA 98102 Estrus PO Box 2125 Bellingham, WA 98227 Face Records Via Sopramuro 48 Piacenza ITALY Get Hip PO Box 666 Canonsburg, PA 15317 GI Productions PO Box 6948 San Jose, CA 95150 g.i.prod@ix.netcom.com Goldenrod 3770 San Diego, CA 92121 Grimsey PO Box 541 Stillwater, MN 55082 Guardian Records PO Box 641 Holmes, PA 19043-9692 Hillsdale PO Box 641592 San Francisco, CA 90068 Hit Me! Deichmansgate 17 0178 Oslo NORWAY Lance Rock 1223 College Drive Nanaimo, BC CANADA V9R 5Z5 (604) 753-2362 Larsen Recordz 116 rue du Crey 73230 St Alban Leysse FRANCE Lookout PO Box 11374 Berkeley, CA 94712-2374 www.lookoutrecords.com Mighty PO Box 1833 Los Angeles, CA 90078 Mint #699-810 West Broadway Vancouver, BC CANADA V5Z 4C9 Monsters c/o Roberto Vallebona Via Monte Mixi 11/A 09126 Cagliari ITALY Mortville PO Box 4263 Austin, TX 78765 Nardwuar the Human Serviette PO Box 27021 1395 Marine Drive West Vancouver, BC V7T 2X8 CANADA One Drinky-Winky 564 Sackett Street Brooklyn, NY 11217 kingfish@spacelab.net Peek-A-Boo PO Box 49542 Austin, TX 78765 Perfect Pop Records Daelenenggata 14 A N-0567 Oslo NORWAY Planet Pimp 1800 Market St. No. 45 San Francisco, CA 94102 Racer http://www.racerrecords.com 1-800-5-RACER-5 Regent 532 Pacific Street #12 Brooklyn, NY 11217 Rhino 10635 Santa Monica Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90025-4900 Roto-flex PO Box 64252 Calgary, Alberta T2K 6J1 CANADA Royal Records 7 Rue Tholoze 75018 Paris FRANCE Shanachie PO Box 284 Newton, NJ 07860-0284 Solamente 124 St. Marks Place #2 Brooklyn, NY 11217-2015 Speed-O-Meter 1430 Lake Highland Dr. Orlando, FL 32803 speedo@magicnet.net spinART PO Box 1798 New York, NY 10156-1798 spnartrec@aol.com Stanton Park PO Box 58 Newtonville, MA 02160 Super Electro PO Box 20401 Seattle, WA 98102 Super*Teem PO Box 63 South City, CA 94083 Swizzle PO Box 684586 Austin, TX 78768 Twist Like This PO Box 540995 Houston, TX 77254 Velvatone 2104 S. Glenwood Springfield, IL 62704 aquavelvts@aol.com Wiped Out 72 rue Ernest Grangeat 73000 Chambery FRANCE Where To Get ŒEm ******************************************************************************** SO SAYS A KING ------------------------ I had a letter from Johnny Bartlett of Hillsdale Records the other week and he mentioned you wanted to do an article on us. Well, this could be a real scoop, Œcos we usually donıt do these type of interviews, [so as] to keep our mystery status intact. But, any recommendation from Johnny is fine by me. So, Iıll tell you what I can. We formed in 1991 doing various gigs in the South of England, France, Belgium, Germany and Holland. We also did extensive busking in all the countries mentioned, gaining valuable experience and a large repertoire. Our major breakthrough came in 1994-95 when Johnny Bartlett heard our demo tape and released our first single, ³Sugar Baby² on Hillsdale. This was a smash hit, gaining national Radio 1 airplay in England and a lot of attention. At this point, we decided to take a low profile in England and turn down all offers of gigs, thus making us more in demand. The follow-up single in the summer of 1995 was also a success, leading to many live shows in Europe. Around this time, we added a fifth member to our band, Chris Shore, guitar and lead vocals, who we discovered busking outside a Folkestone cafe. Chris is featured on our new EP coming out on Hillsdale real soon, which we predict will be another big one. We hope in the future we can do an American tour, both West and East Coasts, and are currently working on new material hopefully for further releases on Hillsdale. We still go busking regularly on the streets of Southeast England, but no live gigs. We have a Belgium and Holland tour lined up for the summer, where we have many friends and fans. I must say thank you to Johnny Bartlett, without whom none of this would be possible. Cheers, Mark Chambers The King Normals ******************************************************************************** As they say in the cartoons... ³Thatıs All, Folks!²