Tuesday, August 31, 2010

The Dictators - "Bloodbrothers" (Asylum Records, 1978)

"Miami" Steve Van Zandt once said about them that they really were "the connective tissue between the eras of the MC5, Stooges, New York Dolls, and the punk explosion of the mid to late 70s". 
What I like most about the Dictators is the fact that they were a true rock n’ roll band. I don’t have problems with tags but hey, if you wanna tag something do it right, OK? You can’t count the VU or the Talking Heads as rock n’ roll, cause if you do what in the hell then the ‘taters were/are? Here again many label them as the first/perfect mix of punk rock and heavy metal… C’mon gimme a break. I heard in my life (and I mean it) many heavy metal records and not a single note played by them have elements of this genre. I guess all this came due to the fact that Ross the Boss (guitars) and Mark Animal Mendoza (bass on 2nd album) had a pass from bands like Manowar (i fuckin' hate them and their zincky panties) and Twisted Sister in correspondence. But then again, were the Sister ever a metal band…?
They loved every single little pop, R&B or rock n' roll masterpiece of the 50s and the 60s decades and that’s showing a lot on their stuff. I mean, “Cars & Girls” must be the first and the best surf revival song and compared to this whatever the Barracudas did (a band that I LOVE truly to fore run the suspicious minds),  is just a sha-la-la popper or Beach Boys mimic. Throughout their boisterous career, they attracted the public’s eyes unfortunately for the wrong reasons. The infamous incident with Wayne/Jayne County or songs like “Back to Africa” on their first album, got them some publicity but for the wrong reasons. A lot of people and because of the aforementioned happenings, thought of the Dictators as racists and homophobic. Of course no such thing existed. Many Dictators members are Jewish but irony, humor and no hold barriers fun wasn’t (and still isn't) many people’s stronger point.
Bruce Springsteen was and still is a huge fan if that says something to you. Actually, you can hear him count like another Dee Dee Ramone on the very first seconds of this record. That’s the third and my favorite if I had to pick just one cause I dig them all the same.  They used for some reason Blue Oyster Cult’s production team and the result’s simply superb!  If you ever heard Blue Oyster doing “Kick out the Jams”, maybe you’ll be able to understand what’s happening in here. Evil, dark humorous and “Faster & Louder” punk rock, delivered with just one purpose, to have fun! I'm pretty sure the Nomads (from Sweden) when they tried some "different" things on that Screaming Dizbusters single, had not only the Blue Oyster Cult on their minds, but also the Dictators. "Borneo Jimmy" and " Minnesota Strip" are two more standout and well covered tunes that almost every newbie likes to sing and oh, the last track it's Flamin’ Groovies masterpiece “Slow Death”. Many tried to cover it, almost all failed. Well, not the "taters"…
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Bloodbrothers 


Friday, August 27, 2010

The Sid Presley Experience - "Cold Turkey" (SPE, 1984) & "Public Enemy No.1" (I.D. Records, 1984) Singles

I guess most of this blogs' visitors probably know who the Godfathers were/are, right? Well, to those not in the know, the Godfathers were the last true rock n' roll outfit that came out of Britain. Perhaps a punkier version of Dr. Feelgood or a rhythm & blues edition of Sex Pistols. Anyway, I must do and say more things on these lads in the near (hopefully) future. The Coyne brothers (Peter - guitar, Chris - vocals) always were the core of this terrific gang. But before the gangster suits and band name, lead a more (!) aggressive and passionate group, the Sid Presley Experience. Obviously, a three word tribute to some iconic figures of rock n' roll. Still sharp dressed, still rough and most importantly, in a more high octane state than their later “famous” effort. On their short lived "career" as far as I know, put out only two singles (“Public Enemy No.1” and “Cold Turkey”) and even though had numerous fans and cool/good coverage from the English music press (not the best lads in the world, especially for a rock n' roll band) for some reason unknown to me, they disbanded.
Due to my age, I discovered them many years later and of course the reason why was the Godfathers. I always liked their version on John Lennon’s “Cold Turkey”. It was rougher and rawer. One day some record store owner played me Sid Presley’s version and from that specific day, this early incarnation of Godfathers became something of an obsession to me. Last night got down to my basement to dig up an old Zig Zag magazine (January 1984) with the Sid Presleys inside. On a small piece of the interview you can actually read and understand the reason why these guys were Britain’s last chance to rock n’ roll (see last picture)…
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Tracks:


"Cold Turkey"

A Side: "Cold Turkey"
B Side :"Firewater", "F For Fake"


"Public Enemy No.1"
A Side: "Public Enemy Number One"
B Side : "Hup Two Three For"













Monday, August 23, 2010

Ducks Deluxe - "Ducks Deluxe" (RCA, 1974)

It's hard to pick up a favorite record among so many others and twice as hard is to pick up a band as your fave among all those out there. True as it is from all the so called 'Pub Rock' scene for me at least,  it's not hard at all to pick on on Dr. Feelgood, the Count Bishops and Ducks Deluxe.
And you can't do no wrong with a band that had Sean Tyla (at the time ex Help Yourself) and a bunch of ex roadies (Martin Belmont road-ed for Brinsleys, Nick Garvey for the Flamin' Groovies!). I strongly believe that Ducks should have been bigger! I'm sure i read somewhere sometime, that Keith liked them so much that offered them a record deal with the Rolling Stones Records but... they were too punk rock even for an opportunity like this! On a good night Ducks were a "straight ahead hard driving punk rock band, drawing on the uptempo drive of the MC5, the true street drawl of Lou Reed, and the precocious teen angst of Eddie Cochran!" (source: Mojo magazine, May 1996). They sure not invented anything. A friend once moaned about them as a Chuck Berry recycling band... OK. I agree. But i can't see a bad thing on this statement! And that's what they were. A great band with a strong loving on American rhythm & blues and boogie! Dave Edmunds produced them (I'm pretty sure you might guess the end results, huh?), the Stones tried to grab them and the fans (what else?) adore them. They put out three classic albums, and when they finally split out, they transformed into great outfits like the Tyla Gang, the Rumor and the Motors! A couple of years ago re-united and still plow every little city across  Europe. An 'odds and sods' album is out there ("Side Tracks & Smokers") if anyone's interested.
That's their same name debut. Still the best, still the strongest of the three. Give a shot a lemme know...
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Ducks Deluxe 

Monday, August 16, 2010

Ian Dury - "New Boots and Panties!!" (Stiff, 1977)

I always had a thing for unusual people. I trust 'em. I like the way they looked weird at least for most of the other people. I like people too that have a "problem" that makes them unique. From a small child still, i was unable to follow the other kids on school and make fun of them and their uniqueness. I didn't pity them. I pity people that's racists, money hunters and liars. I have no bad word for all the others, and especially those with kinetic problems.
Gene Vincent was one of my ultimate heroes. And he had a "bad" leg. That didn't stopped him to be thee Gene Vincent we all like and admire. The first time i confronted Ian Dury was in a club. Not in person. "Wake Up and Make Love to Me" blasted through the place's speakers and i left there stunned! No dance! Go figure, with a track like this i remained something like a statue. And that incident took place about 15 years ago. Still this sucker on his late teens. There was no internet and there was not much money in my pockets. So i had to wait for years to catch this long play.
Ian Dury had a "bad" leg too and he liked Gene Vincent at least as much as me (i still believe I'm No. 1 fan on most of my favorite artists - so i believe i can make a compromise here and let Billy Miller & Ian Dury be on the same table with me on this)! And that's a great coincidence! On a second thought this must not be a coincidence, it's fate. So i bought sometime later "New Boots and Panties!!" and from that moment never really recover. A bizarrely energetic amalgam of Pub Rock, Rock & Roll, Funk and Calypso... Brilliant lyrics and danceable beats to make a thousands assholes under an artist name that starts with a "D.J", sample him and cash on his back.  C'mon, span classics here: "Wake Up and Make Love With Me", "Sweet Gene Vincent", "Sex & Drugs & Rock N' Roll", "Blockheads", "Razzle In My Pocket"... You won't be wrong if you count this as a "Best Of" record.... One of the most underrated artists ever, just like our idol, Gene.
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New Boots and Panties!! 



Saturday, August 14, 2010

The Ramones - "Live, January 7, 1978 At The Palladium, NYC" (Sanctuary, 2004)

Well, i haven't realize until seconds ago and before this words you reading now being typed, that in its eight month life, this blog didn't include yet my favorite band ever, my teenage years companion and the reason for what i was known mostly in high school... The Ramones!
Funnily enough, and for some strange reason da brudders slipped away from this blog's pages. I was sitting with my son and looking on my record collection for something that i haven't touched and listened to for a while and i came across the Ramones almost complete discography (complete if you not count the boots). At first wanted to hear the ultimate live record of all time time (for me even better than "Kick Out The Jams" or "Live at the Apollo"), "It's Alive" but right next to it was sitting its cousin. A record that came out first at 2003 (re-released a year later) but recorded weeks after (if i remember correctly) than "It's Alive". Many referred to "Live, January 7, 1978 At The Palladium, NYC" as a semi-official release but i still think it's a boot. A very fine though, capturing the Queens' bad boys at its absolute peak era, both in studio and on stage! This show originally recorded for a King Biscuit Flower Hour Radio Show and taken from a very good stereo sound board mix.
The original line up of Joey, Johnny, Dee-Dee and Tommy shines, rips and runs through a 27 song list in less than an hour (as usual) delivering the goods! High energy rock n' roll (a.k.a. punk rock) from the mighty four that save it! The ''no time for solos'' Mosrite of Johnny, the ''steady ready go!'' beats of Tommy, the surf bass-lines and of course the "1-2-3-4s" of Dee-Dee plus the highly entertaining fake Brit accent of Joey are all here in the best shape and form!
Pay some respect to the band that saved our favorite music, the ripped jeans kings of NYC, the 3-chord (maximum!) and 3 minute heroes of our own, the Ramones!
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NYC 1978 


Friday, August 13, 2010

Flamin' Groovies - "California Born and Bred" (Norton, 1995)


I consider myself a HUGE Flamin’ Groovies fanatic and almost daily google a little with their name putted on the search box to see what’s new or not.
Some days before I checked on Hounds’ blog (always a pleasure reading him) and found him raving about Norton’s Groovies compilation “California Born & Bred”!  Indeed an excellent add on for the band’s loyalists. As usual, Jim was right.
That's the Roy Loney era line up and has many previously unreleased tracks including the killer versions of "Texas Border" or "Dr. Boogie".
Since it’s a 1995 release I thought to post it here. Of course Norton has copies available and I assume you know what you must do next huh? 
TEENAGE MONSTER BOOM BLAST!
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Born & Bred!





Thursday, August 12, 2010

Eddie & the Hot Rods - "Teenage Depression" (Island Records, 1976)

Like the Count Bishops, Little Bob Story or the Gorillas, Eddie & the Hot Rods were the links between the tough rhythm & blues explosion of pub rock and the super speed rebellious attacks of punk rock. If you ask, for me the best combination on rock n’ roll! With one foot stompin’ strongly on the Pretty Things' or even the Rolling Stones' early days and the other on the American garage punk forefathers (the Sonics, ? & the Mysterians) - the Hotrods created for three at least years a fuel injected rock n’ roll that had not many rivals or emulators!
On their debut LP “Teenage Depression” one year before the official arrival of British punk movement (1976) with the Pistols, the Clash and all the others, combined the Who’s and the Pretties’ tough enuff riffs and rhythms with a teenage angst that many were about to adopt some months later. Their taste on rock n’ roll through what choose to cover here, says exactly what the influences were for these punks.
Joe Tex’s “Show Me”, Sam Cooke’s “Shake” and of course the Who’s “The kids are alright” makes them look to our eyes like mods that lost their paths!
The homonym track of the album is the absolute punk track! Loud & snotty, anguished to the max with a “No Future” trademark written all over it, again 12 months or so before Johnny Rotten and co.
The ultimate outsiders’ Long Play that came outta Britain during the whole 70s decade! Nevermind the Sex Pistols, here’s Eddie & the Hot Rods!
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Teenage Depression







Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Motörhead - "The Dave Edmunds Tracks" (Excerpt from "On Parole" Reissue, 1997 - EMI)

This is not an official release. I borrowed these Dave Edmunds produced tunes from the 1997’s re-issue of “On Parole”.
But let’s take things from the start. Almost all Motörhead fans agreed to the fact that the best ever line-up was Mk2. The one that had Lemmy, “Fast” Eddie Clarke and Philthy Animal Taylor. I was surprised when I finally came to conclusion that MANY of the fans had a blur on this and think of the aforementioned personnel as the original… If you are one of these, let me tell you this – WRONG!
The original line-up of Motörhead had except of course for Lemmy, the psychedelic punk legend of the Pink Fairies, Larry Wallis on guitars and Lucas Fox on the traps. “On Parole” was actually the first Motörhead recording and it was planned to be released by United Artists. For many reasons (chickened?) the company put it on naphthalene and after band’s success in the late 70s, hit the streets in 1979 just to cash in.
What it had inside its grooves, were all the known debut’s tracks but on a different approach. And that’s the interesting part of the story! I’m sure you all know about Rockfield Studios on Wales and the man behind them, Dave Edmunds.
Dave Edmunds except for a wide known roots rock n’ roll artist (perhaps the last true of an era) was also and excellent producer. He produced among others the Flamin Groovies, the Stray Cats and Ducks Deluxe, giving the original 50s or 60s touch all these bands needed. So what the hell happened with Motörhead?
Lemmy and co. picked him up and cut together four demos of the well known now “On Parole”, City Kids”, “Motörhead” plus Motown’s (!) classic “Leavin’ Here”.
Well, this is your only chance to catch up Motörhead stripped to the bone (more..?), steeped on rhythm & blues, much boozier than ever with an end result sounding like the BEST PUB ROCK BAND IN THE WORLD! Something like Ducks Deluxe on speed! The noise’s still here but you really need to hear this and understand what I’m trying to tell. Even if the tracks are already familiar and many times heard by you, here have something how shall i put it...? Original. You have the sense that Chuck Berry sew there and played all the licks! You think that this thing captured on Memphis Tennessee and SUN studios instead of the island. To these ears these 4 blasts, remain the best recordings of the wild beast under the sulfurous mark of Motörhead! A devastating session that deserves every bit of the legend around it!  
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The Dave Edmunds Tracks





Monday, August 9, 2010

Suzi Quatro - "Can The Can" (RAK Records, 1973)

When it comes for Suzi Quatro, forget every other girl that tried to rock n' roll.
And that's a perfect debut album. Actually this one must be one of the superior debuts ever. Glam in the hooligan way of Slade, with more attention to ripped jeans than glitter clothes and chock full of dynamites! I must admit that i fell for this record immediately - just by staring at it. I still think of the front sleeve as one of the coolest in rock n' roll! Take a look at the gang, d'you really think these dudes (including Suzi) had anything in common with other (great) glam groups but lame on the looks, like the Sweet par example? I don't know why this fucker still counts as "glam" but anyway...
A true Detroit rock n' roll band, working on a formula that simply couldn't go wrong (Slade meets the Stones and then hit the gas!). From the fire-burner openers of "48 Crash" and "Glycerine Queen" to "Skin Tight Skin" and the EXCELLENT covers on "I Wanna Be Your Man" and "Shakin All Over", Suzi and the gang just rips and never looks back! But don't be fooled, this thing here has no failed melody, no failed note and no failed attitude throughout its existence!
The sexiest piece of rock n' roll ever buried in a vinyl's furrow (OK i got too far here, i mean in the glam years and add to the the picture Marc Bolan too) and yes as much as cliche that is, without Suzi - No Joan Jett and no Runaways at all!
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 Can The Can



PS: Once i had the pleasure to interview her by email... So cool, so sexy and so down to earth after all these years!


Friday, August 6, 2010

The Runaways - "The Best of The Runaways" (Mercury, 1987)

During their heyday, the Runaways treated like shit. Most of the so-called "rock writers", dismissed them as a commercial trick. Thankfully time was on their side and today the band has won the fans admiration as one of the very first all female bands that rocked and most important, rolled the world!
That's a very old CD. To tell you the truth i was anxious to see if this plastic thing still plays on a CD player. The date on the back cover says "1987", and my marked signature ( i used to stain all my records with my name and the date bought them) "1992"... This must be one of the first if not the first ever official conveyance of the Runaways old vinyl catalog to a digital format.
Even though since the first years of the 00s i completed with all their records my collection, this thing still gives me fond memories. It was one of the first 10 CDs of mine (for sure) and of course it played countless times on my parents home stereo at FULL VOLUME!
I'm not going to to write here the Runaways story. There is plenty of better information on the net plus a new movie on 'em with the collaboration of most Runaways members (Joan, Cherrie, Lita). I didn't see it yet but i will on the first chance. Along with the Ramones and the Pistols, Runaways were my first darlings on rock n' roll. For a teenage boy, girls with leather jackets, skin tight jeans and guitars was a blast! To tell you the truth still is. I was from the beginning a Joan Jett guy, but i stole many posters from my metalhead friends with Lita Ford in enormous SEXY outfits! Imagine "Pictures of Lily" by the Who but replace the name "Lily" with "Lita" and you'll get the picture for what Ford did to my teenage libido!
Anyway, this is a good place for starters i think. I mean after this, hunted down and get all of the Runaways material, so this must be a good place indeed.
Hats off to Kim Fowley for picking them up, promote them this way (a jailbait sleazy adolescent fantasy) and make more boys in a Prog / Disco age turn their heads on rock n' roll! And YES, sex is a good reason for someone to like Rock n' Roll!
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 The Best Of..










R.I.P. Sandy West 



Monday, August 2, 2010

Joan Jett & the Blackhearts - "Album" (Original Release, 1983 - Blackheart Records)

Avoid immediately cliches like "one of the first female rockers", "good but childish" or "godmother of punk". All of those stupid, easy phrases had nothing to do with Joan Jett!
If rock n' roll to be played in its purest stripped down form it's childish, well that's the main reason liking it!
Joan's one of the few still out there preaching for rock n' roll the way this devil's thing should be preached! A glam-y approach on the Stones and AC/DC with the snarl of punk rock and the hip shake of an early Elvis is what Joan Jett & the Blackhearts always were and thank god still are!
"Album" had the sad fortune to be the follower of "I Love Rock N Roll" LP and as you can easily guess lacks on glamour but kicks ass when it comes for the music! Arguably the best and strongest Blackhearts LP! I believe that the band was relaxed by success instead of anxiety and throughout this burner, quite simply the Blackhearts really tear into a manic and well straitlaced rock n' roll - indicating how GOOOOOD they were!
Don't try (to) find here "I Love Rock N Roll"s or "I Hate Myself For Loving You"s....
What you get it's a astonishing "Fake Friends", two excellent covers on Stones' "Star Star" (one of my very fave Stones toons ever!) and Sly's "Everyday People" or a killer a stripped re-edition of the Runaways "I Love Playin with Fire"... That are the standouts but as i said, this is a well wound up record from start to finish!
Don't be fooled, nix journalist of Rolling Stone or Billboard is smarter than Kim Fowley! And Joan Jett's one more reason for thanking this maverick for what he did for or better on rock n roll!
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Album