David Johansen

It is often forgotten or overlooked that after the inevitable implosion of the original New York Dolls
and the "rise" (so to speak) of that Buster Poindexter nonsense, that David Johansen put out some great music, including one fairly unknown five-star classic album.....blending Dolls-like garage-punk blare with a more mature, white-blues sound, if you missed out on this stuff the first time, don't hesitate here......

The history of the Dolls, of course, is well-documented, no need to rehash it here, I think I have put up a  bunch of Dolls rarities and stuff before, I don't THINK I have ever put these up, at least all of them, and even if I have they are worth another shot.

After the Dolls were dead and gone, in 1978, Johansen released one of the great unknown rock albums of all time, not kidding here......his self titled solo debut is a rock-soul masterpiece, nine songs all of the absolute highest quality......opening with the strange "Funky But Chic" ("Momma thinks I look pretty fruity but in jeans I feel rotten"), the manic "Girls" ("I like to watch em go down"), the soulful "Pain in My Heart", hard rocking "Not That Much" and super heartfelt "Donna", this is one incredible album, one that has not dated a bit, and by the way, that is just side ONE, the LESSER of the two sides......

Side two opens with the positively explosive "Cool Metro", which basically (coming from a Dolls fan) blasts every Dolls track out of the park, the amazingly catchy "I'm a Lover" with it's goofy spoken intro, the powerful "Lonely Tenament", and the finest song Johansen has ever created "Frenchette", which is so great, so complicated,  and works on so many levels that trying to explain it here  be pointless, just listen to it over and over and be amazed.

This is, in my opinion, obviously, a fantastic record, and mine is just that, a RECORD (vinyl rip) so it
does NOT include the CD-only B-Side "The Rope (The Let Go Song)", before I post I will see if I can find a copy of it on the Bay or something. (Edit:Couldn't find one.....that'd be a great share if anyone has a CD copy of this, I have never heard it and would obviously like to). Trust me, though, this is a classic, 5-star, unknown masterwork that sank without a trace at time of release. PLEASE grab this and I assure you, you will love it.

OK, his other commercial solo works are not up to this caliber, or even close......the follow up "In Style" is a so-so record, with occasional highlights ("She", "Swaheto Woman") but it pales next to the self titled epic (anything would)......"Here Comes the Night" is even less spectacular, in my opinion, and right this second I can't find it, I'm sure I have one here somewhere, and likely I'll find it before I post......(Edit: found it!)

So, is that it? One masterpiece and a pair of so-so follow-ups? Well, no, because Johansen was such a dynamic live performer and we have a tasty variety of live discs here for your pleasure. "Live It Up" with it's minor-hit Animals medley, was something of a commercial success, as it should have been, a tour de force with some perfect cover material (the aforementioned Animals stuff, "Reach Out I'll Be There", "Build Me Up Buttercup") some welcome Dolls material ("Personality Crisis", "Stranded in the Jungle") and even "Frenchette" and a couple others from the solo debut......really, really great live release, glad someone had the balls to pit out commercially, couldn't really have blamed them if they'd have left it in the vaults in view of his previous lack of commercial success.

Got a bunch of other live sets here, including FOUR from 1978 when he was at his smoking, solo-album masterpiece-making best, "Philadelphia 7/17/78" features "Cool Metro" (which would have made "Live It Up" nearly a perfect set), versions of "It's a Heartache" and "Love Child" that you will find great, and the other essentials: "Frenchette", Dolls classics.....what are you waiting for, I think this is fairly rare.

"Madison Wisconsin 7/4/78" features a similar setlist (it was, after all, a few days before the Philly
show), but does include a rare "Give Me a Pigfoot and a Bottle of Beer". "Live at the Bottom Line 1978" is a fairly common promotional album, it's a good one also albeit with again a similar set list, this  can also be said for "Cleveland Agora 5/29/78".......maybe you don't want all of these, but they are all pretty good and if you are a Dolls fan or even a David Jo fan, this might be a treasure trove you've stumbled upon today.

Finally, from 1981, we have another set from the Bottom Line, a WNEW simulcast, which includes some latter-day material such as "Melody"and "She Loves Strangers", mixed in with the prerequisite Dolls numbers and classics from the self-titled masterwork.

Some great music here, maybe something you've not heard...if you've never heard the solo debut, you'll be amazed.....if you HAVE heard it, you will flip for the live recordings......and you are STILL craving more, "In Style" and "Here Comes the Night" at least have their moments......sorry (well, really, NOT sorry), but no Buster Poindexter foolishness here.....I mean, I always advise not to take music TOO seriously, but I suppose that would be an example of taking things just a tad too far in the other direction

DAVID JOHNASEN-01 Funky But Chic/02 Girls/03 Pain In My Heart/04 Not That Much/05 Donna/06 Cool Metro/07 I'm a Lover/08 Lonely Tenament/09 Frenchette

IN STYLE-01 Melody/02 She/03 Big City/04 She Knew She Was Falling In Love/05 Swaheto Woman/06 Justine/07 In Style/08 You Touched Me Too/09 Wreckless Crazy/10 Flamingo Road

HERE COMES THE NIGHT-01 She Loves Strangers/02 Bohemian Love Pad/03 You Fool You/04 My Obsession/05 Marquesa De Sade/06 Here Comes the Night/07 Suspicion/08 Party Tonight/09 Havin' So Much Fun/10 Rollin' Job/11 Heart of Gold/12 Here Comes the Night

LIVE IT UP-01 Medley-We Gotta Get Outta This Place/Don't Bring Me Down/02 Frenchette/03 Reach Out, I'll Be There/04 Is That What I Get For Loving You/05 Donna/06 Build Me Up Buttercup/07 Melody/08 Funky But Chic/09 Bohemian Love Pad/10 Stranded In the Jungle/11 Personality Crisis

LIVE AT THE BOTTOM LINE 1978-01 Funky But Chic/02 Not That Much/03 Build Me Up
Buttercup/04 I'm a Lover/05 Donna/06 Frenchette/07 Lonely Tenement/08 Girls/09 Personality Crisis

PHILADELPHIA 7/17/78-Station ID, DJ Intro/02 Cool Metro/03 Looking For a Kiss/04 Not That Much/05 Funky But Chic/06 Donna/07 Build Me Up Buttercup/08 I Found Love/09 I'm a Lover/10 Love Child/11 Reach Out I'll Be There/12 Girls/13 Lonely Tenement/14 Frenchette/15 Personality Crisis/16 It's a Heartache/Personality Crisis (reprise)/17 Outro

MADISON WISCONSIN 7/4/8-01 Cool Metro/02 Looking For a Kiss/03 Not That Much/04 Funky But Chic/05 Donna/06 I'm a Lover/07 Build Me Up Buttercup/08 I Found a Love/09 Give Me a Pigfoot and a Bottle of Beer/10 Love Child/11 Reach Out and I'll Be There/12 Frenchette/13 Lonely Tenement (cut)

CLEVELAND 5/29/78-01 Intro/Cool Metro/02 Looking For a Kiss/03 Not That Much/04 Funky But Chic/05 Build Me Up Buttercup/06 Donna/07 I'm a Lover/08 Frenchette/09 Band Intros/10 Reach Out I'll Be There/11 Lonely Tenement/12 Girls/13 Personality Crisis

BOTTOM LINE 7/15/81-01 Intro/Cool Metro/02 Here Comes the Night/03 Funky But Chic/04 Melody/05 She Loves Strangers/06 She Loves Strangers (conclusion)/07 Build Me Up Buttercup/08 Marquesa De Sade/09 Stranded In the Jungle/10 Bohemian Love Pad/11 Frenchette/12 Reach Out I'll Be There/13 Girls/14 WNEW DJ's/15 Personality Crisis/16 WNEW DJ's/17 Wreckless Crazy/18 WNEW DJ's

Hope that keeps ya busy for a little while at least. Links in a little while.....want to hear about my retirement? OK, I will stop....for now at least. All joking aside this is a post of which I am proud and I think there is some great AND hard to find music here, so by all means check this out, in particular fans of the Dolls, of soul/rock, and of just plain great rock n roll.

Fatso Jetson

Since they have recently split a disc with Herba Mate (see yesterday), might as well get introduced to
these fellows if you are unfamiliar.... from Palm Beach California, another that worship at the altar of Kyuss/Queens of the Stone Age, which make them a prefect compliment to split a CD with Herba Mate..... anyways....here is most of the work from Fatso Jetson that I can locate.... hope you guys enjoy it, there is some good stuff here, for fans of West Coast stoner rock at least!

Former memebers of  (the great) Yawning Man Mario Lalli and Tony Lalli joined forces with Tony Torny to form Fatso Jetson in 1994......their debut was "Stinky Little Gods", a unknown somewhat-classic of Dessert Surf......it's not their best effort, for my cash, but itis worth a listen: the fab finale "Corn on the Macabre" gets the job done, as do several other stoner/burner numbers here.....it's a good album, good starting point.

In 1997 they came up with "Power of Three", a fine album of power trio/stoner rock, LOTS of oddball shit here such as "Ugly Man, Ugly Name", "Orgy Porgy" (Named for a term in "Brave New World" what could be better?), and "Phil the Hole".... simply put, what Herba Mate=Kyuss, Fatso Jetson=QOTSA..... pretty simple really, but I do love all these bands, really.

For their next disc "Flames For All", they added second guitarist Gary Arse, formerly of Yawning Man, and turn out another winning effort, perhaps their best (I'd say so...), "Fucked Up and Famous", "Untimely Death of the Keyboard Player", and "Icon To Ex-Con" are perhaps the high points, not only of the album, but arguably of the career.

2001's "Toasted" is also a fine album, albeit returning to the power trio format of the earlier efforts... Good hard rocking stuff, the definition of "stoner rock" .....what else would you make of titles such as "Too May Skulls", "She's So Borg", or "Tutta Dorma".... frankly, if you like this stuff  (and I DO), you wil want this one as well.

2002's "Cruel and Delicious" added some other musicians, ie keyboards and the like..... well, what are ya gonna do? It's "growth", I guess, shorter songs, more fleshed out sound.... not as great an album, but there ya go.... there are plenty of good, listenable moments here, like "Drinkin Mode", "Party Pig", Mountain of Debt"...... frankly, another good LP, these guys were really underappreciated.

They released a 2007 Live disc, and the most recent release I happen to have is "Archaic Volumes" from 2010 after all these years, these burnouts still know on which side their bread is buttered.... not at all a bad CD, "Golden Age of Cell Block Slang, "Jolting Tales of Tension", and "Play Dead" stand up  with all of their earlier "classics"......

These guys were fairly under-the radar masters of dessert surf/stoner rock..... nothing here as great as you might find on the greater albums of Kyuss or QOTSA, but still, this is pretty good stuff, if you are a fan of stoner-rock (NOT really "stoner metal", there's a diff) you will likely enjoy this...and if ya DO, make certain to go to the Herba Mate post and check out their new split with THAT band, whom both of have agreed to share with us for free so we can check it out...... cool.

I THINK that this is their complete catalogue, if anyone has anything else please share....this was/is a decent stoner rock band, I would classify them as a poor-man's QOTSA, and that is no insult....

Want to go off-topic for a minute? Of course you do..... when me and my "homies" (GOD I am so HIP) were talking about famous media-bitches we'd like to do earlier this evening, the name of Nancy Grace came up (from me)..... looking for opinions here.yes she is a total bitch.... but I sincerely would fuck the living hell out of her, she (IMO) is SOOOOO fucking hot, ESPECIALLY with that fucking handcuff necklace.... OOOOOOOOH baby.....and, since what babes we'd like to do is such a topic of titanic importance, here is MY list of the world's hottest fucking women (notice Nancy doesn't quite make the grade, but personal to NG: Anytime, anyplace Baby)......  would LOVE to hear everyone else's lists of the hottest babes in captivity, it's SO much more interesting than talking about stoner rock or retirement (did I mention I am retiring June 27? possibly, I have....)

1. Carla Miller (my beloved of 27 years)
2. Drew Barrymore
3. Geneveve Gorder
4. Megyn Price
5. Jenny McCarthy
6. Lennon Murphy
7. Lita Ford
8. Vida Guerra
9. Emile de Raven
10. Olivia Paige

MMmmmmmmmmmmmm, that is a fine list..... anyone else have any "special favorites"? My wife and I jokingly have a "list of three" that we are allowed to have sex with without reprecussion, mine, of course, is Drew, Geneveve, and Megyn......  hers are three guys I've never heard of, ahh, well......

so anyways, Fatso Jetson..... COMMENT COMMENT COMMENT, this is a pretty big post on which I worked my fingers to the bone. I may have forgotten to mention that I am retiring on June 27, and, if so, send cash in lieu of congratulations.......

STINKY LITTLE GODS-01 Kettles ooom/02 Joke Shop/03 Von Deuce/04 Captain Evil/05 Pressure For Posture/06 Nightmares are Essential/07 Gargle/08 Salt Chunk Mary's/09 Highway 86/10 Corn on the Macabre

POWER OF THREE-01 Builders and Collectors/02 Ugly Man, Ugly Name/03 Mummified/04 Orgy Porgy/05 El Taurino/06 Phil the Hole/07 Phantom of the Opry/08 Handgun/09 Sandy and the Clockfamer/10 Bored Stiff/11 Itchy Brother/12 Drones Pills

FLAMES FOR ALL-01 Untimely Death of the Keyboard Player/02 Vatos of the Astral Plane/03 Fucked Up & Famous/04 Flames For All/05 Icon to Ex-Con/06 Let's Clone/07 August In Lawndale/08 Graffiti In Space/09 Deaf Conductor

TOASTED!-01 New Age Aroid/02 Magma/03 I've Got the Shame/04 She's So Borg/05 Swollen Offering/06 Tutta Dorma/07 Rail Job/08 Procrastination Pros/09 Too Many Schools

CRUEL AND DELICIOUS-01 Pleasure Bent/02 Drinkin Mode/03 Light Yourself on Fire/04 Died In

California/05 Heavenly Hearse/06 Ton O Luv/07Pig Hat Smokin/08 Superfrown/09 Iron Chaf/10 Sunshine Enema/11 Party Pig/12 Strangers Blues/13 Mountain of Debt

ARCHAIC VOLUMES-01 Jet Black Boogie/02 Play Dead/03 Jolting Tales of Tension/04 Archaic Volumes/05 Golden Age of Cell Block Slang/06 Here Lies Boomer's Panic/07 Let Go/08 Back Road Tar/09 Garbage Man/10 Monoxide Dreams

LIVE-01 Too Many Skulls/02 Back Road Tar/03 Orgy Porgy/04 I've Got the Shame/05 Let Go/06 The Golden Age of Cellblock Slang/07 Rail Job

Wow, for such a huge (and pretty good) catalogue, these dudes are fairly unknown......not bad at all, ya just never know...... if ya like these, by chance, please go to the Herba Mate post and  check out their NEW split CD with that band, as they have generously allowed us to preview free of charge.... pretty decent stoner rock, not the world's greatest, but it will do.... anyway, SIT ON MY FACE, NANCY GRACE!!!! (AWESOME how that rhymes and shit!)

A lot of outside contributions....and I thank you all SO much

Here is what I like, when reader/listeners get involved and send in stuff for everyone else to enjoy.....got a few here today, including a couple of submissions from the blog-legend that is Dave Sez, although I HAVE had some trouble with one of his downloads, on his advice I am trying it again, and we will get to him last.....but a LOT of these contributions turn up in the comments section after you guys have gone on to more recent things, and I want to make SURE you don't miss any of this fab generosity!

OK, first of all, just today, we have Phil, a big fan of yesterday's featured band Elvis Hitler.....he contibutes to us all an album of which I at least was unaware, "Splatter"....thanks Phil, I know I will be checking it out, again i thank you because this is what I have said MANY times: THIS, RIGHT HERE, is how I want THIS blog to work.......people sharing, ALL in an effort to obtain the perfect or him/her) music collection.....Thanks Phil..... http://www77.zippyshare.com/v/70369495/file.html

Now, somewhat a little stranger is an Anonymous contributor.....he has contributed a metric tonne of Angel City/The Angels albums, videos, live shows, etc.....MY OWN Angel City post was long, long ago and the links (for my stuff) are dead, but if you are a huge Angel City fan (blistering hard rock from Australia), you WILL want to check this out.....I think the easiest way to help you get to HIS stuff is to simply link the original post, and then direct you to the comments section.....IF YOU ARE a huge Angel City/Angels fan, this will be like Christmas in April for you, I plan on checking hem myself, thanks VERY MUCH Anonymous, here is the link to MY original post, remember, go there, and seek the comments section for more Angel City than you thought possible:

http://growboredbigscott62.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-best-angel-city-post-everif-you.html

Next up we have a couple of my favorite type of contributions......Andrea Barlotti, guitarist for the great Italian Kyuss-style stoner rockers Herba Mate whose debut I posted last week, emails me and informs me that his band Herba Mate has released a new split with Fatso Jetson (I have a bunch of Fatso Jetson, and may even do a post on them tomorrow).....anyway, most generous of Andrea who "gets it", wants MORE listeners for his band, and they DO rock the hell out (for my memory so do Fatso on), so this should be a fine split......generously, Andrea contributes a link for us:

http://www.godownrecords.com/en-UK/fatso-jetson-herba-mate-split-godlp099.php

Also got a kind email from the French band Blondstone haven't heard it yet, but THIS IS ALSO what I want....lesser-known bandswho come to me will be given the same respect as would, say Led Zeppelin, I want them ALL to be heard.....Blondstone gives us a Bandcamp link to their album "Mass Solace",  this MAY be a streaming-only link, they sent me one with a private download code, so I will snatch it up and if it's as good as all that, I'll put up a copy....meantime, download the stream and give it a chance, again, they WANT us to hear their music, so let's take a free opportunity to do so......please report back if you hear this before I do!
 http://blondstone.bandcamp.com/album/mass-solace-2014

I have also received an email from a band called A Cat....they call themselves a digi-rock-techno-dream-afrodisco band (indeed) fromTel-Aviv, Israel..ok then. they have their new single sale on Itunes, I wish they would provide us all with a free copy to evaluate (they sent me one which I have not heard yet), but they do offer up you guys Youtube and  SoundCloud preview options, you can at least see what you think of them....my PREFERENCE is always that new bands provide a least a little "something" to everyone for free, my opinion is the exposure is more valuable than the income generated, but that is just me......I will respect the wishes of any bad who comes here looking for exposure.

Although I don't think it is out yet, Blair Kodman sends us an email to tell us that the recently profiled Heavy Glow DO IN FACT have a new album coming out.......I had no idea if they were still at it or not, see my Heavy Glow post of a few weeks back.....he provides this information on thier upcoming release:  heavyglowmusic.com

In case you missed it, Marcan from France provided us a link to Arc Of Ascent's hard to locate second disc "The Higher Key", I snatched mine right up coz I LOOOOVE me some Arc of Ascent (Datura, Jr.)......if you are as big a Datura fan as myself (unlikely)or enjoyed my Arc of Ascent post a couple weeks ago, you DO want to hear this.....trust me, from one of the (still) mos underappreciated stoner-metal bands on our planet.....

http://www.filefactory.com/file/6oqgcvwzann3/n/Arc_of_Ascent-The_Higher_Key-2012-BERC_rar

OK, I think "amateur hour" (you know I'm fucking KIDDING) is over, and time for a longtime contributor to come through with some more gems....first I have to check and see if one of is downloads that I previously had a problem with is OK.....give me a minute.......

OK, ALL GOOD.....the legend that IS DAVE SEZ is in a reggae mood today, I LOOOOVE me some reggae, but AM BY NO MEANS AN EXPERT, which makes this tremedously interesting and gret for me.....I'm gonnalet Dave Sez use his own words etc here, after I tell you what we got...first of all we have Linton Kwesi Johnson 1984 at the Paris Theater, an artist I am but minimally familiar with, so, thusly, I CANNOT wait to hear this on tomorrow's morning commute......as if that were not enough, Dave Sez ALOS very generously contributes a wondeful live set from Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros, I have heard this one and it is the absolute SHIT, you guys WANT THIS PERFROMANCE, trust me.......As Dave Sez prefers that I use his text for description, which I am VERY happy to oblige, see the following for any details on these fine performances.......

I just want to say thanks to Dave  Sez, as usual, but also to the others who have contriuted to this post...the Angel City stuff is really THOROUGH, and I LOVE when a band (Herba Mate) turns up and actually understands that I am trying to get MORE listeners for them!   also the bands who are sending me stuff......KEEP IT COMING.....I would rather post stuff like that than another, say Sleater Kinney boot, and do not take that wrong I LOVE SLEATER KINNEY BOOTS, but I have done a couple hundred of them......NEW STUFF, DIFFERENT STUFF, THAT is what we like to be about here......love all my readers/listeners, but ESPECIALLY those who contribute and UNDERSTAND what we are trying to do here......some don't, I fear, but here is no helping them......our mission is twofold.....1) help MUSIC LOVERS try to complete their "perfect" music collection, as best we can, and 2) introduce everyone to some NEW AND DIFFERENT sounds that they may not otherwise get to hear.......I love it that some bands (Herba Mate for example) actually understand that  WANT TO HELP, NOT HINDER their careers......an again, thanks so muchto Dave Sez, one ofthe blog's all-time finest contributors, these reggae gems, and for everything else too....wish I ahde more like you brother, it would be fab......here are the texts for Dave Sez' newest posts, thanks again my brother:

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Linton Kwesi Johnson - 1984 Paris Theatre, London (FLAC)
From the Dave Sez archive: more LKJ, taken from a BBC Radio One In Concert performance, recorded at Paris Theatre in London on 30th May 1984. Mixcloud>WAV>FLAC, artwork thanks to www.bootlegzone.com.
Introduction 1:00
Dread Beat An' Blood 3:21
All Wi Doin' Is Defendin' 3:02
Want Fi Goh Rave 4:01
Reggae For Dadda 3:53
Band Introductions 1:41
Reggae Fi Peach 3:14
Di Great Insohreckshan 3:43
What About The Workin' Class? 5:37
Makin' History 3:56
Reggae For Rodney 3:34
...
Instrumental 1:52
Listen to the gig online: http://www.mixcloud.com/dubwisegaragecollection/linton-kwesi-johnson-paris-th-london-1984-bbc-broadcast/

(See Comment Section for Zippy upload Link)
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Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - Acton Town Hall, 15th November 2002 (FLAC)
From the Dave Sez archive: On the ‘Bringing It All Back Home’ tour in November 2002, Joe included this benefit gig for the members of the striking Fire Brigades Union. Mick Jones was in the audience and joined Joe onstage for the last three songs, the first time the two had shared a stage since their last performance together in the Clash in 1983. Originally a fan club only release, the CD is now out of print and has taken on legendary and essential status for all Clash fans, as the sound quality and mix are superb.  It is a fine memento from Joe’s final tour deserving a permanent official release. Joe died from an undiscovered congenital heart defect just over a month later on 22nd December 2002.

01. Shaktar Donetsk
02. Bhindi Bhagee
03. Rudie Can’t Fail
04. Tony Adams
05. White Man In Hammersmith Palais
06. Mega Bottle Ride
07. Get Down Moses
08. Police & Thieves
09. Cool ‘n’ Out
10. Police on My Back
11. Johnny Appleseed
12. Coma Girl
13. I Fought the Law
14. Bankrobber
15. White Riot
16. London’s Burning
Joe Strummer: vocals, guitar
Martin Slattery: keyboards, guitar, backing vocals
Scott Shields: guitar, backing vocals
Simon Stafford: bass
Luke Bullen: drums
Mick Jones: guitar, guest appearance on last three tracks
Check out Gobshyte's great blog featuring lots of Clash at mondo-de-muebles.blogspot.com, and don't miss this fantastic rarity: http://mondo-de-muebles.blogspot.com/2014/04/joe-strummer-and-101ers-smokey-joes-cafe.html


(again, see comments section for zippy upload link.......THANKS DAVE SEZ, at least YOU understand what I/we are trying to accomplish here.....please don't be a stranger!)

_______________________________________________________________________________

OK, back to the BigLad.......lotta stuff here to deal with, pick and choose what you want......I LOVE THIS POST, because the material has been provided from OTHERS, not ME, which is what this is ABOUT....sharing, sharing, sharing, we can all share with each other and ALL have wonderful music collections......as they said on the "Six Million Dollar Man" (Gorsh am I showing my AGE?...oh well FUCK IT)...."We HAVE the technology"....if you check out anything on tonights post, please comment and above all THANK THE CONTRIBUTOR, they are the lifeblood here, at least of what I want to accomplish.

Did I mention I am retiring June 30? Yes? Allow me to mention it AGAIN!

THANKS EVERYONE, I LOVE YOU, especially those who "get it" (if you DON'T get it, I still LOVE you, we are all winding up in the same place anyway, if you think about it!)

Elvis Hitler

A sort-of humorous band from Detroit, Elvis Hitler were singer Jim Leedy (aka Elvis Hitler), guitarist John Defever, bassist Warren Defever, and drummer Damain Lang. To show you the type of musical zaniness we're dealing with here, their best know number is "Green Haze", which utilized the lyrics of the theme from "Green Acres" done to the tune of Hendrix' "Purple Haze".....if that sounds appealing to you, there is a good bit more where that came from on these three albums.....if not you may wish to pass on their blend of psycho rockabilly and goofball humor.

They debuted with 1988's "Disgraceland", if you only wish to sample these boys I'd probably advise this one....it features the aforementioned "Green Haze", also assorted nuttiness ala "Black Babies Dancing On Fire", "Crush Your Skull", and "Ten Wheels for Jesus".....pretty much a less-serious (!) version of the Cramps.

The follow up the next year "Hellbilly" is a similar set, ("Ballad of the Green Berets", "Teenage Surf Slave", "Revolving Blues of Death")......I do enjoy these albums from time to time (fans of the aforementioned Cramps may go for them), although, honestly,  little bit of them has the potential to go quite a ways.

Their final effort, to my knowledge, was 1992's "Supersadomasochisticexpilaidocious", don't expect a lot of growth/change from the earlier efforts....."Yummy Yummy Yummy", "Dickweed", and "Shove That Sax" being the standouts......

Again, striving for variety.....these aren't going to be hanging on the walls of the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame, but, then again, not everything HAS to be.....you can tell these dudes had a great time making these albums, and, perhaps, for them, that was enough.....for certain tastes only.

DISGRACELAND-01 Cool Daddy In a Cadillac/02 Live Fast Die Young/03 Hot Rod to Hell/04 Rocking Over Russia/05 Berlin to Memphis/06 Elvis' Ripoff Theme/07 Battle of 1000 Men/08 Green Haze (Parts 1 & 2)/09 I Love Your Guts/10 Ten Wheels For Jesus/11 Black Babies Dancing On Fire/12 Crush Your Skull/13 Disgraceland

HELLBILLY-01 Showdown/02 Hellbilly/03 Ballad of the Green Berets/04 Teenage Surf Slave/05 Booze Party/06 Gear Jammin Hero/07 Revolving Blues of Death/08 Crush Kill Destroy/09 Ghouls (Looking For Food)/10 Hang Em High/11 Don't Blame Me If You Die Tonight/12 Black Death On a White Horse/13 Dance of the Living Dead/14 Misanthropes

SUPERSADOMASOCHISTICEXPIALIDOCIOUS-01 Last Sound/02 World Explodes/03 Shotgun Shell/04 Don't Push Me/05 Cathouse/06 Ghoul/07 Bloody Bride/08 Yummy Yummy Yummy/09 Shove That Sax/10 Dickweed/11 Rebellion/12 Bury the Hatchet/13 Flat Head Boogie/14 Open Road/15 Yummy Yummy Yummy (Satan Remix)

JUNE 27, 2014...........that will be my final day of performing tasks as a civil servant for the taxpaying citizens of Ohio.....31 years, as I have likely said many times, is quite enough.....it has been my experience that in my time of employment, much like every conglomeration of people that I have experienced over a period of time, pretty much separate into a 90/5/5% split.....90 % of them are just people, basically good, who perhaps touch our lives in a small way, but in reality will eventually simply blur together in memory.....5% of the people I have worked with in my 31 years have been true friends, the kind that are friends for life, whom I will continue to see, and to cherish the great friendships that I have developed with them.....and then there are the other 5%.....the other 5% represent the most loathsome, vile, reprehensible excuses for pathetic human refuse that I can possibly imagine to exist. It will continue to be my hope that you roast in hell for some of the things you have done. How you can look at your vile reflections in the mirror is beyond me, and, assuming there IS a God, perhaps He will forgive you.......I won't.........

On a much less somber note, tomorrow will bring forth a treat.....Dave Sez again will be contributing some reggae treasures.....I LOOOOOVE me some reggae but I am FAR FROM an expert on it, so hopefully some good tunes AND some education for me....I know Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros is a part of it, there is more, tune in tomorrow, same Bat-time, same Bat-Channel......

The Jim Jones Revue

Some of you might freak for this UK garage combo, named for everyone's favorite messiah/Kool-Aid pitchman.....they have a fairly unique sound, combining some definite 1960's "Back From the Grave"-style garage rock blended with elements of modern, heavier such as maybe the Stooges or MC5......consisting of Jim Jones, Nick Jones, Gavin Jay, Henri Herbert, Rupert Orton (Beth's brother).......they releasedd their very good and raw self titled debut album in 2008, 10 pretty fair rockin tunes, notably "Princess and the Frog" and "Rock N Roll Psychosis" it's a little on the short side but still a quality record.

Their next release (I don't have it) was a collection of singles and B-sides ("Here To Save Your Soul") which has some overlap with the debut, if anyone has it please share I THINK there are a couple of tracks available only there. Anyway, that led to the release of the fine "Burning Your House Down", certainly a more mature musically and a bettter effort than the debut, again, a strange mix of straight-ahead Jerry Lee Lewis/Little Richard type stuff as if played by The Chesterfield Kings? I always think it to be a GOOD thing when I have a lot of trouble describing a band.....the title track, "Dishonest John", "Shoot First" and more standout.......HA I thought of something of a comparison, say, a UK version of the Iron City Houserockers who I did a post on a while back, check the archives.

The most recent effort is 2012's "The Savage Heart", for my dough not quite as good as "Burning", but still perfectly acceptable garage/punk/whatever/revival-rock......to be quite honest I've only listened to it a couple of times and the standout tunes aren't coming blazing, but trust me this is a decent album as well, all three of them are very much worth your while, I think, for the folks that appreciate garage-rock, as so many here do.

So rock out to these, no "grand statements" or "concepts" (GOOD!) just good old rock n roll. PLay it loud.

THE JIM JONES REVUE-01 Princess & the Frog/02 Hey Hey Hey Hey/03 Rock N Roll Psychosis/04 Fish To Fry/05 512/06 Another Daze/07 Meat Man/08 Make It Hot/09 Who's Got Mine/10 Cement Mixer

BURNING YOUR HOUSE DOWN-01 Dishonest John/02 High Horse/03 Foghorn/04 Big Len/05 Premeditated/06 Burning Your House /07 Shoot First/08 Elemental/09 Killin' Spree/10 Righteous Wrong/11 Stop the People

THE SAVAGE HEART-01 It's Gotta Be About Me/02 Never Let You Go/03 7 Times Around the Sun/04 Where Da Money Go?/05 Chain Gang/06 In and Out of Harm's Way/07 Catastrophe/08 Eagle Eye Ball/09 Midnight Oceans and the Savage Heart


Also thanks to the anonymous friend (edit: NOT anonymous, actually Marcan) who contributed the second (rather hard to find) Arc of Ascent album, if ya missed it see the comments section of the Arc of Ascent post from the other day.....haven't listened to it yet but I'm going to in just a fwe minutes, and if it's half as good as any of Datura/Arc of Ascent's previous work, it's going to be a winner!

These Arms Are Snakes

From the early 2000's, some post-hardcore weirdness from These Arms Are Snakes.......something of a 2nd-line all-pedigree, vocalist Steve Sneer came from Kill Sadie, other members came from Botch.......in 2003 they released their debut EP "This Is Meant To Hurt You", their only release with a keyboardist. The EP goes out of it's way to be "weird", nothing wrong with that on the surface......you may enjoy tracks such as Drinking From the Necks of the Ones You Love" and "Riding the Grape Dragon"....don't really know who I can compare these gents to, always a good sign in my estimation.

So, they dropped the keyboards which, according to Sneer, allowed the band's wild live shows to get even more rowdy without a keyboard cluttering up the works.....the first album with the "new" lineup was "Oxeneers or the Lion Sleeps When It's Antelope Goes Home". Quite different from the earlier EP, it features stripped-down weirdness such as "The Shit Sisters" and the lengthy "Idaho"......something of an unknown "psuedo-classic", I like the album, many, I assume will dislike it.

So, in 2006 the released "Easter" as though Patti Smith had never existed, if you like these guys you may opt for this as your favorite album.....weird, energetic, punky hard rock, stuff like "Mescaline Eyes" and "Crazy Woman Dirty Train" would make a "Best of", were there a demand for such.

The called it a day in 2008 with "Tail Swallower and Dove", really pretty similar to the previous two efforts, standout tracks incude "Prince Squid" and "Lead Beater".....simply, if you liked the other disc, you will like this one as well.

A footnote to rock history, these guys were nothing if not interesting......if unfamiliar, investigate here if you're a fan of 70's punk, maybe of 90's industrial stuff, post-hardcore rock.......these are fairly good albums, and, at the very least, might be a new sound that you may be happy to discover....if not, something else will come along tomorrow......

THIS IS MEANT TO HURT YOU (EP)-01 Riding the Grape Dragon/02 Run It Through the Dog/03 Diggers of Ditches Everywhere/04 The Blue Rose/05 Drinking From the Necks of the Ones You Love

OXENEERS OR THE LION SLEEPS WHEN ITS ANTELOPE GOES HOME-01 The Shit Sisters/02 Angela's Secret/03 Big News/04 Tracing/05 Your Pearly Whites/06 Gadget Arms/07 Greetings From the Great North Woods/08 La Stanza Bianca/09 Darling of New Midnight/10 Oxeneer/11 Idaho

EASTER-01 Mescaline Eyes/02 Horse Girl/03 Subtle Body/04 Desert Ghost/05 Child Chicken Play/06 Hell's Bank Notes/07 Abbracaddabra/08 Deer Lodge/09 Lady North/10 Perpetual Bris/11 Corporeal/12 Crazy Woman Dirty Train

TAIL SWALLOWER AND DOVE-01 Woolen Heirs/02 Prince Squid/03 Red Line Season/04 Lucifer/05 Etheric Double/06 Seven Curtains/07 Long and Lonely Step/08 Leadbeater/ 09 Cavity Carousel/10 Briggs


OK, something a little bit different......this is the kind of thing that gets almost zero interest at times, which makes me wonder if some of you guys even understand what I''m trying to do here......I wonder if I put up Kansas or some lame ass shit like that, would it generate more interest than These Arms are Snakes? Makes one wonder about the state of the world, and the level of interest in learning new things.......just sayin'........

A tiny dab of Snakefinger

Someone asked for some Snakefinger a while back, can't recall who, but here is the best I can come up with, I've been asking around and looking, but this is kind of hard stuff to find......so I have but two albums, hopefully someone else can hook us up with a few more, we'll see....but for now, to whomever requested this, well, here you are.

Snakefinger (real name:Philip Charles Lithman, 17 June 1949 – 1 July 1987) was a kind of odd British multi-instrumentalist, most noted for his odd guitar/violin playing....a member of the legendary Ralph Records stable in the early 80's (along, of course with the Residents, not to mention my faves MX-80 Sound who were featured on this blog LONG ago)....his first (and likely best known) album (as Snakefinger, he had rcorded under some other names previously) was 1979's "Chewing Hides the Sound" which I swear to God I have around here somewhere but can't find, so we will settle for his second effort, "Greener Postures" from 1980. I also found "The Collection" which includes most of "Chewing" and "Postures", as well as an early couple of singles.....a littany of his recordings exist, Ralph Records eventually released seemingly every note he ever released.....

Some odd, odd stuff here, you will like it or you won't simply stated.....some very weird slide-guitar playing and violin, oddball lyrics and Residents-like strangeness.......sorry I couldn't locate either "Chewing" or some of the more rare stuff, I did try.....anyone wanting to contribute any further recordings, please do so!

Links in a little while.....

GREENER POSTURES-01 Golden Goat/02 Don't Lie/03 The Man in the Dark Sedan/04 I Come From an Island/05 Jungle Princess/06 Trashing All the Loves of History/07 Save Me From Dali/08 Living In Vain/09 The Picture Makers Vs The Children of the Sea

THE COLLECTION-01 The Spot/02 Smelly Tongues/03 The Model/04 Kill the Great Raven/05 Jesus Was A Leprechaun/06 Here Come the Bums/07 Magic and Ecstacy/08 Who is the Culprit and Who Is the Victim?/09 What Wilbur?/10 Picnic in the Jungle/11  I Love Mary/12 The Vultures of Bombay/13 Golden Goat/14 Don't Lie/15 The Man in the Dark Sedan/16 I Come From an Island/17 Trashing All the Loves of History/18 Save Me From Dali/19 Living In Vain/20 The Picture Makers Vs the Children of the Sea