After watching this program with increasing excitement last night:
BBC - ROCK FAMILY TREES: Birmingham Beat
only* guitar driven pop music from the late 1960s sounds right to my ears. Fortunately there's a ton of albums uploaded in the alt.binaries.sounds.mp3.1960s group today. Such as "Around" by the previously unheard band Grapefruit.
Roy Wood is my new hero. Clearly, he pioneered everything good in rock music - makeup, stupid rock and roll songs, animal costumes.
Even Jeff Lynne came off sounding much better than I remember. ELO? Seriously? EL fucking O? The Move is fucking excellent. Wizzard was more of a laugh, but still very good.
Wizzard - See My Baby Jive
Paul and Gene have acknowledged stealing "Fire Brigade" for the early KISS track "Firehouse". They attempted to repay their hero Roy Wood by having Wizzard open for them on tour. which didn't go so well. Also Andy Partridge openly admitted to ganking "Blackberry Way" wholesale for the Dukes of Stratosphear track "Collideascope."
This version: holy fucking crap, it's guitar, bass and drums! Only! Imagine making that much of a song with just guitar, bass and drums!!! I said imagine, whore!
I was hoping the documentary would cover Brummie land during the 1970s as well. I mean, I could never figure out why Bev Bevan was in fucking Black Sabbath in the early 80s. Well, hell, he's from Birmingham. Plus he was a pop star in the Move wasn't he.
*well, and Alan Parsons Project, Ratt and Apparat. Mountain "Climbing."
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Monday, June 26, 2006
I WANT EVERRYTHING
they say cancer is nothing to sneeze at. But your secondhand smoke tickles my sinuses. I can't help it.
If you like Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn, listen to Neko Case.
& uh-oh, I don't hate the Christina Aguilera song "ain't no other man". Maybe this is just a remix or something... Hopefully.
And can anyone tell me the difference between Revolting Cocks and Ministry? I'm sure there must be one. The new RevCo is also, like, a partial Lard reunion since Jello Biafra vocalizes on the one about viagra. Timely.
Lita Ford on the Surreal Life. Best rumor in years.
Usenet has been on fire this week. First I find two Bohren and Club der Gore albums I've been lusting after for aeons, then, then, then, finally, unbelievably, Keith Tippett's Centipede!!!! I've wanted to hear this stuff since reading about it in the King Crimson bio five years ago. Septober Energy from 1971.
BANANARAMA
DRAMA
Um, this just sounds like Kylie and every other tech pop princess blah. In a bad way. I guess I prefer music that sounds like it sounds like something teenage girls would like. But this is just something teenage girls would like. Popular ones. "Venus" remixed for the fifty billionth time. "Look on the Floor" sounds like Madonna, big time. Crossed with Olivia Newton John. No, wait, that makes it seem cool.
BIOTRON SHELF
33 MINUTES NORTH
The great thing about Usenet is anyone can upload anything. If they upload it to enough groups, maybe someone will bite. You never know. Biotron Shelf may have perpetrated just such product placement. So, it's pleasant enough sort of minimalist electronic stuff. Blips & gurgles off in the distance. Reverbed to shite and back. Not offensive. "She Gave Me Dark Thoughts" is a nice title.
DE LA SOUL
THE IMPOSSIBLE MISSION
I liked "Three Feet High and Rising". No, I loved it. It was such a pleasant response to NWA, Ice-T, etc. But they never lived up to it, in my estimation. They don't suck but they're not as good as they were in 1988. I guess you could say the same about most of us. Is 'Butta Verses' a Busta Rhymes dis? Ooh, dishy. I'll try this thing again later but right now it's not knocking my nuts.
DIGITAL SAMSARA
DIGITAL SAMSARA
Multi culti ambient electronic noodling.
If you like Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn, listen to Neko Case.
& uh-oh, I don't hate the Christina Aguilera song "ain't no other man". Maybe this is just a remix or something... Hopefully.
And can anyone tell me the difference between Revolting Cocks and Ministry? I'm sure there must be one. The new RevCo is also, like, a partial Lard reunion since Jello Biafra vocalizes on the one about viagra. Timely.
Lita Ford on the Surreal Life. Best rumor in years.
Usenet has been on fire this week. First I find two Bohren and Club der Gore albums I've been lusting after for aeons, then, then, then, finally, unbelievably, Keith Tippett's Centipede!!!! I've wanted to hear this stuff since reading about it in the King Crimson bio five years ago. Septober Energy from 1971.
BANANARAMA
DRAMA
Um, this just sounds like Kylie and every other tech pop princess blah. In a bad way. I guess I prefer music that sounds like it sounds like something teenage girls would like. But this is just something teenage girls would like. Popular ones. "Venus" remixed for the fifty billionth time. "Look on the Floor" sounds like Madonna, big time. Crossed with Olivia Newton John. No, wait, that makes it seem cool.
BIOTRON SHELF
33 MINUTES NORTH
The great thing about Usenet is anyone can upload anything. If they upload it to enough groups, maybe someone will bite. You never know. Biotron Shelf may have perpetrated just such product placement. So, it's pleasant enough sort of minimalist electronic stuff. Blips & gurgles off in the distance. Reverbed to shite and back. Not offensive. "She Gave Me Dark Thoughts" is a nice title.
DE LA SOUL
THE IMPOSSIBLE MISSION
I liked "Three Feet High and Rising". No, I loved it. It was such a pleasant response to NWA, Ice-T, etc. But they never lived up to it, in my estimation. They don't suck but they're not as good as they were in 1988. I guess you could say the same about most of us. Is 'Butta Verses' a Busta Rhymes dis? Ooh, dishy. I'll try this thing again later but right now it's not knocking my nuts.
DIGITAL SAMSARA
DIGITAL SAMSARA
Multi culti ambient electronic noodling.
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
READ 'EM AND WEEP
Thursday was the half-anticipated/half-dreaded Zappa Plays Zappa show in Detroit. Michael Bill bought tix for us months ago... I have to be in a very specific mood to listen to Zappa & another very specific mood to want to sit in a hot black car for 4 hours. Etc. You get the idea, just me being a baby as usual.
We left at 2pm in my car. He brought his 40 gig ipod since he was in charge of entertainment for the drive. We got to the venue... in Auburn Hills, actually... around 6:30pm or so. We killed a few minutes with light dinner across the street. & eventually wandered in to the smallish amphitheater. I wasn't planning on buying a shirt, but when I found myself with cash in hand & saw a dark green one with ZOMBY WOOF in big yellow letters, I had to go for it. Eek. So now I'm Zappa Shirt Guy. I guess.
The place was packed with douchebags of all generations. Parents & kids. Lots of kids. Too many fucking kids. The show started with a long video of Frank & The Boys from I don't know what year. Then Dweezil etc wandered onto the stage & it was off to the races.
The show was surprisingly entertaining. I only knew a few songs but it was still enjoyable. Terry Bozzio was the first special guest they brought out. He was the highlight for me. "Punky's Whips" is hilarious. And he's such a good drummer. And very, um, fun to watch. His drumming... wow. The dude is a monster. He only played a few songs, which was a strange thing to do. Maybe Dweezil didn't want the superstar guests to pull focus from Frank's Music? Because, seriously, when Steve Vai came out, the whole place went ballistic. We listened to "Flex-able" on the way there, so I was kind of in the Vai zone already anyway. He was energetic & entertaining too but I dug Bozzio more. Um. The whole band was very very good obviously. I liked "Florentine Pogen". "Let's Make the Water Turn Black". Even though it was a big ghosty love-in for the long-dead Frank Zappa, this concert didn't feel like necrophilia until the bit where the band simulated jamming with him via the video screen. That was stupid & it was the only thing that reminded me of Natalie Cole singing a duet with her long dead daddy.
I'll take Dweezil's hairstyle too, please. I'm already halfway there.
The drive home took substantially longer because I made MCB drive. I drove maybe like 2 miles onto the freeway & it was instantly obvious that I just couldn't do it. So I took an exit & we made a pit-stop at White Castle. And spent the next hour trying to get back onto the fucking freeway! I got home at 4:30am. EUGH.
Our seats were waaaay over on Vai's side, so we're not in this amazing clip of Terry Bozzio....
We left at 2pm in my car. He brought his 40 gig ipod since he was in charge of entertainment for the drive. We got to the venue... in Auburn Hills, actually... around 6:30pm or so. We killed a few minutes with light dinner across the street. & eventually wandered in to the smallish amphitheater. I wasn't planning on buying a shirt, but when I found myself with cash in hand & saw a dark green one with ZOMBY WOOF in big yellow letters, I had to go for it. Eek. So now I'm Zappa Shirt Guy. I guess.
The place was packed with douchebags of all generations. Parents & kids. Lots of kids. Too many fucking kids. The show started with a long video of Frank & The Boys from I don't know what year. Then Dweezil etc wandered onto the stage & it was off to the races.
The show was surprisingly entertaining. I only knew a few songs but it was still enjoyable. Terry Bozzio was the first special guest they brought out. He was the highlight for me. "Punky's Whips" is hilarious. And he's such a good drummer. And very, um, fun to watch. His drumming... wow. The dude is a monster. He only played a few songs, which was a strange thing to do. Maybe Dweezil didn't want the superstar guests to pull focus from Frank's Music? Because, seriously, when Steve Vai came out, the whole place went ballistic. We listened to "Flex-able" on the way there, so I was kind of in the Vai zone already anyway. He was energetic & entertaining too but I dug Bozzio more. Um. The whole band was very very good obviously. I liked "Florentine Pogen". "Let's Make the Water Turn Black". Even though it was a big ghosty love-in for the long-dead Frank Zappa, this concert didn't feel like necrophilia until the bit where the band simulated jamming with him via the video screen. That was stupid & it was the only thing that reminded me of Natalie Cole singing a duet with her long dead daddy.
I'll take Dweezil's hairstyle too, please. I'm already halfway there.
The drive home took substantially longer because I made MCB drive. I drove maybe like 2 miles onto the freeway & it was instantly obvious that I just couldn't do it. So I took an exit & we made a pit-stop at White Castle. And spent the next hour trying to get back onto the fucking freeway! I got home at 4:30am. EUGH.
Our seats were waaaay over on Vai's side, so we're not in this amazing clip of Terry Bozzio....
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
BLOOD BRUISE
This shoulda been my year for concerts, but it somehow isn't. I dunno why. I already missed Thomas Dolby in Cleveland. Celtic Frost will be in Cleveland & Cincinnati, as will Gary Numan. And Venom will be in Cleveland. Hm.
Archival recording playlist
Thomas Dolby - Boston 1988, FM broadcast. Whoooooo-weeeeee! nus.
Zappa Plays Zappa - first three shows. Trying to get my ears in shape for the Detroit show next week.
Sunday All Over The World (billed as Fripp And Fripp) - spring 1989. Lots of stuff I've never heard before. Twenty songs in 70 minutes. Very nice. I miss this band. I miss futuristic progressive pop.
I'm already repeating myself here in my little micro music summaries.
Archival recording playlist
Thomas Dolby - Boston 1988, FM broadcast. Whoooooo-weeeeee! nus.
Zappa Plays Zappa - first three shows. Trying to get my ears in shape for the Detroit show next week.
Sunday All Over The World (billed as Fripp And Fripp) - spring 1989. Lots of stuff I've never heard before. Twenty songs in 70 minutes. Very nice. I miss this band. I miss futuristic progressive pop.
I'm already repeating myself here in my little micro music summaries.
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
Thursday, June 01, 2006
IT'S ALL AROUND YOU
DALMINJO
ONE DAY YOU'LL DANCE FOR ME TOKYO
Swoonful dancetronica. "Wouldn't Wanna Go Without You" is already the sad-hop anthem of the summer, occupying a similar bandwidth to M.I.A.'s "Sunshowers" last year. You know the one. It's gorgeous like Jazzanova. Oh my god, and "There is a Light that Never Goes Out", easily the greatest Smiths cover, possibly the greatest cover version of anything, ever. Up there with DE-VO's "Satisfaction", surely. This thing sounds like a sad old disco hit, crusty around the edges, slightly surly.
Overall, fucking awesome.
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