Posts (page 2)
This is a track from the label that was forced to change it's name to 4AD. Originally an offshoot of Beggars Banquet, IVO RUSSELL founded AXIS records to release some of the local unsigned groups he'd been digging on, including THE FAST SET, SHOX, BAUHAUS (see first listing) and this groups BEARZ- a nifty little synth/guitar New Wave duo. I've been collecting the 4AD stuff on & off for over 20 years, and JUMPED at the opportunity to get this one. My cover's a little beat-up, but that's OK. I used to have this great compilation released in 1980 called PRESAGE(S) which featured some really great bands, one of which, Modern English actually recorded more for the label & helped establish the visionary roster of early artists. Their early singles & first album are great dark doomy, post JOY DIVISION ish pre-gothic Death/Doom punk. Don't know much about the ol' BEARZ but I dig-um...
Pete & Dud had been an "item" for over ten years when the infamous "Derk & Clive" tapes started circulating, later making their homes on 3 very rude & often shocking LPs . "THE HORN" is probably their most infamous recording, appearing on the AD NAUSEUM LP, also notable for it's horrible barf-bag cover. Apparently , according to legend, Moore walked out during the recordings, no longer able to tollerate Cook's verbal assaults, many of which remain here, on THE HORN. 2007 saw the official DVD release of their finest hour, the Stanley Donen film BEDAZZLED. Now we need the long overdue release of their classic 1960s BBC series NOT ONLY....BUT ALSO, from where this clip originated. Dig-Um!
Here's one from the old 4AD band DANCE CHAPTER, sort of a post-punk, post-joy division kinda group, VERY little information other thatn the singer is still active I believe, dunno though. I always really liked this rare EP, turns out this was supposed to be the BIG ONE for the label, but during the recording sessions a tape appeared in the mail, from Scotland, from one Robin Guthrie....featurng the earlier demos from the COCTEAU's, and I guess Ivo's priorities changed... anyways check it out, and, you know, Dig-um!
Sorry my blogs have been slow this week, much much more coming!!
In the wake of the success of THE FIRESIGN THEATRE Several other LP oriented comedic troups arose on other record labels, Epic had Harvard Lampoon, Atlantic had The Conception Corporation , There was that duo on Fantasy who I cannot remember the name of, CHRISTOPHER GUEST produced perhaps the finest example of all conceptual audio "headphone" comedy abum with National Lampoon's RADIO DINNER . One night I was up burning the midnight oil, writing auctions, when I started thinking about the Firesign's & how I never really "got it", so I decided to download Don't Crush That Dwarf, Hand Me the Pliers , which had been the recommended title & had the weird cover that had fascinated me as a very young child when I wondered upon it in my dad's record collection. Indeed the cover itself has a certain aesthetic to it that remains my favorite style of LP cover (tight facial of the band members, other examples include THE SHOCKING BLUE USA cover, the STOOGES first LP & the self titled MODER JAZZ QUARTET on Atlantic). Anyhow, I had fully downloaded it & was trying to make out the subtle bits on the computer speakers, when Miss Ventur stumbled & asked me to turn it down, all groggy & squinty eyed. "Sorry baby" I 'splained "It's just that I just loaded Firesign & am not sure I get it". ".....headphones" she murmured as she made her way back to bed. Good advice, it all makes so much more sense!!! Oh that Georgie Tirebiter!!
This is a bit from my other favorite THE CREDIBILITY GAP, featuring regular GUEST guests HARRY SHEARER & MICHAEL McKEAN, DAVID LANDER & RICHARD BEEB. Such convincing send up, many think it's an actual recording from The Tonight Show, McKean's RICKLES is dead-on perfect, and SHEARER...IS...CARSON! The group did a hilarious Borscht-belt meets WOODSTOCK send-up album for CAPITOL which I have never seen called WOODSCHTICK, a great mini- rock Opera (1 side of 1 45!!) Something for Mary ( i think it was a promo only, never seen one w/o white label) & an LP for Warners ,from which this bit is included , called A GREAT GIFT IDEA before splitting up soon after, McKEAN & LANDER of course, going onto become LENNY & SQUIGGY, and apparently SHEARER joined SNL during the final season w/ the original cast members, but I sure don't remember that. as the frog sez: dig-um!!
This is a track from KIM FOWLEY's sci-fi conceptual punk masterpiece (of crap!) SNAKE DOCUMENT MASQUERADE: 1980-1989, a concept album about the eighties released in , uh, 1979. It's all very confusing & might be the work of a genius or the work of a megalomaniacal half-wit. Not sure which, but I love that guy. After watching THE RUNAWAYS biography film, It appears that KIM FOWLEY is the true Fagan of rock, and I know that BURL has a good story or two about him. Say what you will, but I gotta give my props to the man behind both ALLEY OOP and THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION.
Here's one from my old pal Jason Willett 's record collection from the 1980's. This is a side project from the great Scottish group ASSOCIATES featuring vocallist Christine Beveridge. I can find ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about this track online, except that miss Beveridge is still active & has a my space page. Jason Is still active & can be found most days at the great Baltimore record store THE TRUE VINE.
I am often asked if I know who does that "GOODBYE HORSES" song from the SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, you know, the one where Jaime Gumm gets nekkid & does his special "I'd Fuck Me" dance? Here it is, as it appeared on director JONATHAN DEMME 's previous film's soundtrack LP MARRIED TO THE MOB> Reminds me of one of my favorite rock'n'roll stories from Merry-land, one night when VOODOO LOVE GODS singer BRIAN came on stage, walking like a duck with his pants around his ankles. He grabbed the microphone and said "LOOK AT MY PUSSY!!!!". I Thought I was going to shit my pants, I was laughing so hard, as was the rest of the place. I squinted through my hysterical tears & saw the smirk on that frighteningly Iggy Pop looking face of his. Everytime I see that guy, he sings my name to the tune of "Gary Gilmore's Eyes" by the LURKERS. I freeking love that goof!
Okay, aside from STARSHIP's "We Built This City", this one has to rank as the OTHER worst (or best, if you're like me) songs of the 80s. Maybe it's that I'm not from the midwest or Ohio or somewhere, but I never could understand the appeal of JOE WALSH . Everything about him seems phony & secondary, never mind hid stint in shit-basket coke-rockers THE EAGLES or proto-dullards THE JAMES GANG (James Who? What gang? What the fuck are you on about?). His sole classic rock tune LIFE'S BEEN GOOD always seemed to be the grumbleymusings of some prematurely over-the-hill rock star burn-out, and who can forget his reefer-addled bid to run for "Vice" President several years ago (get it??VICE preseident!?!? huh-huh!)
Anyways, here's Joe's rant against THOSE FUCKING VIDEO GAMES from 1983, complete with references to DONKEY KONG HIGH SCHOOL and a monotone "robot" voice in the refrain saying I....LIKE....QUARTERS....FEED ....ME....QUARTERS! Recording un-classic LPs with OH SO CLEVER titles like YOU BOUGHT IT YOU NAME IT and GOT ANY GUM? , Walsh at this time was cocky & arrogant, like he had nothing to lose ( I recently saw his appearance on SCTV where he clearly couldn't bother to sober up before-hand, and thought he was on Saturday Night Live, not an actual scripted bit on the far far superior Canadian spoof. Check out his ugly mug on bitch-fest nazi-rock-head "everyone should like rock" anti disco,etc. I CAN PLAY THAT ROCK & ROLL video ). One can imagine the confusion poor Smoky Joe must have felt in 1982, when he went to pick up his pizza as the SINISTAR game mocked him with it's diabolical "Beware I Live!!" and "I Hunger!!"'s. Or more likely an old GORF machine with the "Insert Coin...Dah,Dah,Dah,Dah!" Imagine the terror in Joe's bloodshot eyes when he realised THE MACHINE WAS TALKING TO HIM , not only that, but DEMANDING MONEY that might be better spent on Joe's Conceptual "masterpiece" THE CONFESSOR. Poor Joe, unable to contain his outrage, rushes home, picks up a vintage Gretch Chet Atkins and knocks this baby out. Clearly, some doofus at the record company agreed, as this is the MONO radio version , because you know, we gotta get the message out on all frequencies, including AM radio. I'm sure somewhere there is a video for this tune, but I just can't be bothered. Dig-um!!
