Banana Moon

Now, HERE is a rare one for you, seems like a good time to drag this one out. Banana Moon were a band formed by guitarist  Daevid Allen after leaving Soft Machine in the early 70's, drummer Marc Blanc, bassist Pete Fontaine, and sometime vocalist Gilly Smith. Confusingly, this also contains some tracks from Gong, whom Allen would later join.....anyway, what we have here is kind of a French Syd Barrett era Pink Floyd light psych, with strange and sad lyrics. This is a hard one to get your mitts on, and I had forgotten all about it..... it's better as a "collectable" than a listen, although, I will say, it certainly has it's moments (see "Pretty Miss Titty" in 3 seperate versions, as well as "Hyp Hypnotise You".......there are remnants of the classic Soft Machine Sound here, as well as, obviously, what would become Gong, it's not coherent in the slightest, but it is interesting and prog/psych fans of the early 1970's Euro-scene should lap this up! Enjoy, and PLEASE let me know your feelings on this!

01 Intro/02 Pretty Miss Titty/03 Rich Girl/04 Un ouef For You/05 My Mother's Gone to India/Hare Krishna/Time of the Green Banana/Remember the Name/06 La belle cerebrale/07 Est-ce que je sues (garcon ou fille)/08 Hyp hypnotise You/09 Goldilox/10 Why Do You Come Knocking at My Door?/11 Rock N Roll Angel/12 Why Are We Sleeping/13 French Garden/14 French Garden/15 Pretty Miss Titty/16 Pretty Miss Titty/17 Gong Song/18 Je ne fume pas des bananes (Pop Club 1968)/19 Je ne fume pas des bananes

Really a pretty obscure one, see what you think and give me a full report!

I am So thrilled to be able to present this......

Saturday, December 26, day after Christmas.....I go to check the mail, and, lo and behold, a package with the return address of NIKKI CORVETTE!.... let me repeat that, Nikki Corvette actually took time to send me a CD and write me a sweet, handwritten note.... (perhaps I have not mentioned, I have been  totally in love with Nikki Corvette since forever, and for her to even acknowledge my existence, or the existence of my blog, is one of the greatest thrills I have received.)

Ok, all that aside, the recorded work she is sending me is a fine CD (like I'd call it any other way), from Gorvette, a collaboration between Nikki and Amy Gore of the Gore Gore Girls (another of my faves ctually)....it's a few years old, but I had not heard it, and it sounds wonderful to these ears, at least, I will pass it along to you all and let you see what you think, personally, I think a lesser-known gem.

The album is called "lustfully yours", which is getting me excited already, and features seven fine tracks, all of which feature Nikki's sexy "little girl" vocals, and Amy's slamming guitar work. ( also Lianna Castillo on bass and Al King on drums)......

Hey, always LOVED anything by Nikki and the Corvettes (posted on them before, likely dead links), also LOVED  the work of the Gore Gore Girls ("Casino" was SUCH a kick ass tune!), what could be better than this fine collaboration?

I would like to publicly thank the wonderful Nikki Corvette for taking the time to send this to me, she seems to be a wonderful lady and ALSO seems to "get" what the purpose of these blogs are , unlike some others (how's it going, Robert douche bag Fripp?)....Nikki is a great artist, but more importantly a wonderful person...... I am thrilled, honored, and grateful that she took the time to hook me up with this disc...... there are so many artists who DONT "get it", it's great that there are fine people like Nikki Corvette, Lennon Murphy, and Deanna Mitchell (Frightwig) who actually DO "get it"......maybe there is hope for humanity after all......


Thank you Nikki, just plain thank you..... in your letter you mentioned sending me more stuff, happily accept and post ANYTHING you want to send, and you are right, I have never even heard "wild record party 2" (although, of course, I would LOVE TO)....... happy holiday season and happy New year to the beautiful, wonderful, and talented Nikki Corvette......  .you are the greatest and literally made my year with your submission! Love ya!

LUSTFULLY YOURS-01 Nothing's Gonna Stop Me/02 Lustfully Yours/03 Baby Let's Rock/ 04 Fake It/ 05 Honey, Dont You Know?/06 Brand New Lover/ 07 Candy Man

PLEASE check this out and comment...... it means so much to me that Niki Corvette too the time to share this with me, the LEAST I can do is share it with my readers (BOTH of ya!)..... hope ya LOVE it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lots of stuff from the minions

OK, in my drunken way, I stated last night that the new job is going to change things (blog-wise) as I
simply don't have the time to invest (this fall/winter I will be laid off, and I will OVERWHELM ya trust me).....for now, I am basically relying on guest submissions, and HOPING to put up an "original" post this weekend (BigGrant97 is having some of his buds over tomorrow night, thusly me and BigCarla66 are heading off for the casino for a night of gamblin' and lovin', which of course COULD BE the same thing).........Anyway, I have some stuff submitted from the rest of the world that I wish to share, I am going to hold up on Brian's stuff until Saturday because (1) he is my #1 protege, and (2) because he has so much fab stuff that burying it in a post like this might not do it fully justice.....anyway, there is PLENTY of stuff of interest I can share with ya tonight......

OK, first (I am bragging and nothing more), I got another email today from Nikki Corvette, was hoping she wanted to have sex with me, but ALMOST as good, she tole me that if I send her my USA mailing address, she would send me a "Gorvette" CD, a collaboration between Nikki and the Gore Gore Girls, I can hardly wait to hear it, I would just like to thank people like Nikki and Lennon Murphy for being REAL people, people one can REALLY TALK TO AS FRIENDS........it's a wonderful thing that there are such great people in our world (I am NOT one of them)........the day Nikki sends me that disc, it will be shared on this site, believe me.......

OK, so what else I got?.....A reader named Henry Ponds, in response to my ancient Jam post, sends us this fine link (I hope) for which he claims there are NINETY FIVE(!) Jam boots available:

http://yup-yup-mark.blogspot.com/search/label/JamNo.    I dont't really have time, to be honest, to check this, but if it is legit, he claims that most of the links are still active, and if the are , that would be a WONDERFUL thing for the sharing community.......

the main thing we wish to focus on this morning (it is 1:26 AM here) is the fine work of Jonder, whom has become a great semi-regularly contributor....I think I will just copy his email verbatum rather than elaborate, he seems to be the world's greatest fan of The Duke Spirit, which, trust me, is not such a bad thing, this is a great overlooked band.....PLEASE comment, share, listen, whatever, as Jonder says he will continue to share with us, and it seems, at least to me, that he likes some of the "on the fringe" stuff that I myself enjoy........so let's keep him in the mood to contribute, as well as Brian, Apantabapanta, Dave Sez, and of course Cliff (get well soon Cliff, your health is about 1000,000 times more important than this blog, even though your contributions are amazing and very popular)

OK, here is Jonder's review of his latest Duke Spirit contribution, he says he has a couple more, and I
hope he comes through with them.....this blog is for "us", it is NOT for the folks who are looking for that elusive Foreigner boot......not that there's anything WRONG with that, but I have TRIED to operate on the EDGE, on the PEOPLE'S edge, and that is how I plan to continue, regardless as to whether I have to spend so much of my time commuting, working, etc.......THIS BLOG WILL REMAIN, I LIKE doing it, it's just that the "daily" posts are going to have to turn into more like "weekend" posts.......sorry, but I got a kid heading to college next year, and that is a bit more important than YOU hosers, I'm sure you can understand THAT, right? On the other hand, I will (Saturday or Sunday) boost  a bunch of Brian's fab shares, and if I get time I just may get the rest of my Stranglers stuff posted......all good, still LOVE YOU ALL, just a bit of a lifestyle change....I know the REAL followers of the blog will stick with me, and as ALWAYS I welcome/encourage GUEST CONTRIBUTORS, whom, until my own winter layoff, will probably be the life saver of this blog, for beter or for worse........

-------------------------------------------------------------

You can tell a lot about a band's influences from the songs they choose to cover. The Duke Spirit's tastes are eclectic, and reflect a deep knowledge of popular music from the 60's through the present day. The front of the Duke Spirit's second album, Neptune, shows their drummer holding a copy of The Basement Tapes, while another band member displays a painting of Ronnie Spector. On their debut single, they covered "Good Feeling" by the Violent Femmes, and "Big Bird", a soul tune written by Eddie Floyd and Booker T. Jones.

In 2006, the Duke Spirit issued an EP entitled Covered in Love which featured two songs by Arthur Lee ("A House Is Not A Motel" and "A Message To A Pretty") as well as a gauzy dream pop version of Desmond Dekker's reggae classic "007 (Shantytown)" and North Mississippi blueswoman Jessie Mae Hemphill's "I'm So Glad". All three artists (Lee, Dekker, and Hemphill) died in mid-2006, and the EP represented a tribute to them.

The Duke Spirit participated in a few cross-marketing efforts. Fashion designer Alexander McQueen's clothing line for Target included a Liela Moss t-shirt (her profile photo from Neptune), and a Duke Spirit compilation CD was released for Target shoppers. That compilation included one track unavailable anywhere else, a cover of Alex Chilton's "Baby Doll".

A promotion for shoe manufacturer Dr. Martens featured the Duke Spirit's version of Sham 69's "If The Kids Are United", played as a slow ballad. The band matched the intensity of Motorhead's "Damage Case" for the SEAT Music video series, and did an acoustic version of Robyn's electropop hit "Dancing On My Own" for Billboard's "Mashup Mondays". Last but not least is a recent cover of Echo and the Bunnymen's "Killing Moon" performed by Liela Moss and Toby Butler's duo Roman Remains. Enjoy!

1. Good Feeling/ 2. Big Bird/ 3. A House Is Not a Motel/ 4. A Message To A Pretty/ 5. 007 (Shantytown) 6. I'm So Glad/ 7. Baby Doll/ 8. If The Kids Are United 9. Damage Case/ 10.Dancing On My Own/ 11. The Killing Moon

http://www86.zippyshare.com/v/n6rEBpoo/file.html

-----------------------------------------------------------------
(Scott): Fantastic share Jonder, just incredible.....I will do my best to get the link you requested to you this weekend, the covers of the Love tracks are just too amazing.......thanks for your work, and as I said, I will try to send you a link for the WOXY set in the next couple of days, THANKS!

Most amazing guest post EVER!!!!!!!

I recieved an email Friday from the one and onl Nikki Corvette......you wouldn't believe how much
that means to me, for Nikki Corvette to even acknowledge that I am alive.......but anyway, it was a sweet email that I will share with you in a moment, and, after that, some FANTASTIC NEW TUNES that she is sharing with us as well......WOW! Od course I am happily married, if I were not, I'd be on me knees begging Nikki for that honor.........just kidding, but it is incredible that she is sending US new tracks to enjoy, I hope like hell that you appreciate them, they are great, and ya know WHY? They are Nikki Corvettes! Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you Nikki and ANYTIME you wish to share anything on THIS blog, the door is open .....Love Ya Nikkii, always have, always will, and I am THRILLED that you decided to select US to share your new tracks with!

First her wonderful and beautiful email:

Nikki Corvette has left a new comment on your post "Nikki Corvette, anytime anyplace Baby":
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi Scott, just ran across this and wanted to say wow, thanks for the wonderful words! I'd be happy to send you some current music. Just write me if you're interested nikki1146@juno.com
Cheers, Nikki Corvette
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well, OF COURSE, I am interested my love, and as the wonderful woman you are, you quickly ent me a goldmine of stuff........I will publish them ALL here,and I am sure the readers of this here blog will LOVE it all.......and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE if you wish to become a "regular contributor here" (I am sure you are much too busy, but if by some chance NOT, you would make me the happiest blogger on the planet........in other words, feel free to contribute ANYTHING, ANYTIME, and it will be met with the greatest of fanfare.......again, LOVE YOU NIKKI!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, first Ms Nikki sent me another email, a wonderful, sweet, and grateful screed as tohow she is happy that my readers enjoy my blog:

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi Scott, thanks so much for the email and the lovely blog write-up, it's always nice

to know that you/your music has had an effect on someone. I will try to write more

but I tend to procrastinate so I thought I'd better just write you immediately or I might

keep putting it off until I forget to do it (slacker....). Anyway I've kept pretty busy since

I started to play again. I've had 3 bands, Nikki Corvette and The Stingrays also had a

Japan only release called 'Rebellious Love Emergency' (quite proud of this one) then

Gorvette with Amy Gore from The Gore Gore Girls, one release 'Gorvette' and finally

Nikki Corvette and The Romeos, an all Italian band with the bassist and drummer from

Miss Chain and The Broken Heels and the guitarist from The Peawees, one single

'He's Gone/Rockin' Romeos'. I might not have 'made it' but I have been touring the

world for the last 10 years and have a nice cult following. They love me in Japan and

I'm proud of what I've done. Here are a few songs for you, hope you enjoy! Cheers, nikki

P.S. It Don't Come Easy is wth Prima Donna and on a WFMU CD from a couple months ago.

I will send a few messages because I can only send a couple songs per. Also there is a

'Wild Record Party 2', not my fave...

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OK, Nikki, I've neaver heard "Wild Record Party2

", I loved the FIrst one, but I will trust your judgement..........I just wanna make suer you know that I love EVERYTHING I have loved every NOTE I've everheard from you, and if you can EVER find time to send me ANYTHING (I'd be WAYYYYYYYYYY interested in the colaborations with the Gore Gore Girls whom I love Too), I am open to it.......I just thank you for acknowledging I am alive, and here are the tracks you sent for my readers to enjoy:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4 new and GREAT tracks from Mistress Nikkie:01 Just You And Me/02 Have Your Way With Me/03 He's Gone/04 Rockin Romeos

Nikki Corvette, anytime anyplace Baby

Nikki Corvette had a fairly (too say the least) spotty recorded output.... Dominique Lorenz (Nikki) grew up in Detroit and formed Nikki & the Corvettes in 1977.... they released a magnificent album ("Nikki & the Corvettes" on Bomp) in 1980, a spectacular blending of, say, the Ramones and the 1960's "Girls in the Garage" series..... that debut record, along with a handful of singles (that I don't have) are the extent of the career of Nikki & the Corvettes.... but don't be misled. This is a fantastic album, bands such as the Donnas (whom I LOVE), for example, should pay regular homage.. speedy, rocking power-pop, all centered around sexy-as-hell "little girl"/sex kitten voice of the wonderful Nikki Corvette.......

Sometimes I just don't get why something is successful and something else isn't... it seemed, at the time, that the market was just right for Nikki & the Corvette's sexy brand of power popping, REAL rock n roll.... check out basically ANY track on this (IMO) 4.5 star disc, "Boys Boys Boys", "Back Seat Love", the fab "You Make Me Crazy".... who the hell knows why it never took off, life, sometimes, is both a mystery AND a bitch.......

Nikki dissolved the Corvettes and basically fell off the earth, resurfacing in 2005 with ANOTHER fabulous effort, an all-cover version album entitled "Wild Record Party". Sometimes this concept falls flat, but to me, the key to success is taking the material and owning it, making it your own......and Nikki pulls this off in spades.....the material is perfect (Generation X's "Ready Steady Go", Alice Cooper's "Under My Wheels", "Girls Talk" from Dave Edmunds, and especially a wonderful version of the MC5's "High School" which could have been written to order. Another wonderful record, for my money, and another complete failure. If you are unfamiliar you are cheating yourself.

Nikki emerged in 2006 with a new band, Nikki Corvette and the Stingrays, and a new album, "Back to Detroit", and guess what? It's fantastic as well..... my God it's like this babe never missed a minute, let alone 25 years...... another fine, fine collection of high-energy rock n roll, AGAIN nearly every track a winner...... "Back to Detroit", the wonderful "I've Got a Heartbreak", "So Kiss Me", and "Just Can't Stay" sound like they could have been on that wonderful debut album. Another winner, in my book.

If it sounds like I'm going overboard on this one, maybe I am.....but DAMN if I know why Nikki never enjoyed more success than she did. This is one chick that TRULY loves rock n roll, LOVES it, and it shows in her work. Her sexy voice and wonderful choices in material SHOULD have ensured her a small degree of success, but I find it amazing how many people are unfamiliar with her. I love all three of these albums, if there are any boots, EP's, singles, whatever out there, you guys know I'd lick the soles of Nikki's feet to hear em..... well, ok, I'd lick the soles of Nikki's feet anyway, but you get the idea.

If you have never heard these check them out and be sure and thank me later, you will NOT be disappointed.

Love ya Nikki wherever ya are..... thanks at least from ME for all the great rock n roll!

NIKKI & THE CORVETTES-01 He's a Mover/02 You're the One/03 C'mon/04 Just What I Need/05 Boys Boys Boys/06 Let's Go/07 Shake It Up/08 Back Seat Love/09 I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend/10 Summertime Fun/11 Gimme Gimme/12 You Make Me Crazy (1977 Single)/13 Young & Crazy/14 Criminal Element/15 I Gotta Move/16 Girls Like Me

WILD RECORD PARTY-01 Ready Steady Go/02 Rock Your Baby/03 Walking Out On Love/04 Great Big Kiss/05 Day By Day/06 Girls Talk/07 Under My Wheels/08 High School/09 Wild About You/10 Love Is Strange/11 Love Me/12 What's On My Mind

BACK TO DETROIT-01 Back to Detroit/02 Tokyo Boy/03 I've Got a Heartbreak/04 Just Can't Say/05 Lipstick Letters/06 Please Don't Stay Away/07 Well Alright/08 Who Wants to Be My Boyfriend/09 Thinkin Bout You/10 So Kiss Me/11 He Rocks Me He Rocks Me Not/12 Trapped in the City/13 Special Life

Sometimes popping on something I haven't heard in a while is simply an exhilarating experience.....I LOVED the Nikki & the Corvettes album in 1980, and it sounds every bit as great, if not BETTER, today.......this is great, great music, a career that deserves some recognition, at the very least as nostalgia. Nikki, again. love ya and thanks!

By the way, allegedly, there is some stuff out there from Nikki Corvette and the Convertibles, Nikki Corvette and the Romeos, and also, allegedly I say again, a "Wild Record Party Volume 2".....I can't really confirm ANY of these, this might be a job for super-sleuth Doug from Northern Ohio, my go-to guy for IMPOSSIBLE to find shit who has every recording ever made..... haven't heard from Doug for a while, but this one seems right up his power-alley, so calling Doug, if you are out there and have a minute or two!