…a few favorites from ’07.
And undeniably the best release of the year:
The Beatles – While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Mp3)
(acoustic with new strings, ‘Love’ version)
Foreign Born – In the Shape (Mp3)
David Vandervelde – Nothin’ No (Mp3)
Bee and Flower – Don’t Say Don’t Worry (Mp3)
The Clientele – Isn’t Life Strange (Mp3)
TVD will return 0n 1/2/08. Happy New Year!
I’m reminded of how the Melody Maker would often do reviews of shows or new releases. Everett True, for example, would ostensibly be writing about this or that — and never even mention this or that. Just a free-form, associative meandering on the page. Worthwhile reading, for sure – just not, shall we say, pertinent to the topic.
Twenty five years ago this LP was a gift for the holidays. Lightening lamps of memories.
ABC – Tears Are Not Enough (Mp3)
ABC – 4 Ever 2 Gether (Mp3)
ABC – Many Happy Returns (Mp3)
ABC – Date Stamp (Mp3)
ABC – All Of My Heart (Mp3)
I had a pen pal back in the day when people used pens who turned me onto Japan. Hilde was a bit older, worldlier, with an established taste in music at times far from my own. So, it was “Oil on Canvas” posted to me in the mail after numerous letters and raves about the band — copied from her LP onto cassette. Seduced, I was. I mean, what was THIS? That opening bass line – those vocals…off-putting and embraceable at once. Japan was done by then and ‘Brilliant Trees’ slithered into my consciousness in Winter ’84 as a senior in high school. I was working at a KB Toy Store in the Mall — holiday help for the Christmas season then. This odd, brooding, troubled LP became the soundtrack to such wonderful memories only enhanced by the rush of a crush on Lisa, the cashier. I think we dated for about an hour. One of those girls who was just too pretty to not stop dating just in GENERAL — why waste all those good looks, right? She could do no wrong, I could do no right and Sylvian’s singing “…why do I fail, just when I’m needed?” amid the toys and the children and the Christmas lights. I came upon ‘Brilliant Trees’ in the dollar bin over at Som Records last weekend. I was almost tempted to repurchase it despite owning it on vinyl and CD. I miss this record, I thought. I miss the me then, eons ago, amid the toys and the children and the Christmas lights and the pictures of the people who’ve come and gone, the lives and loves, who I’ve actually shared this record with. …Sylvian’s singing “..the sound of waves in a pool of water, I’m drowning in my nostalgia…” in the dollar bin.
David Sylvian – Backwaters (Mp3)
David Sylvian – Nostalgia (Mp3)
David Sylvian – Red Guitar (Mp3)
David Sylvian – The Ink In The Well (Mp3)
David Sylvian – Weathered Wall (Mp3)
Something happened along the way to one of my favorite New Wave bands — it shed the “of the moment” vibe for something more – timeless – which is an odd proposition when it’s coming from Talk Talk whose first LP’s slick, professional — and quite lifeless (although the single “Talk Talk” still remains a favorite.) Newly signed to Polydor in 1991 (the 90’s again?!) “Laughing Stock” was released on the Verve imprint which befits the minimalist, experimental, improvisational, often jazz-like vibe of the release. I found myself one evening at the much missed Warehouse Next Door watching band after band shoot for this Can-like groove without pulling it off and I thought, “Damn — that Talk Talk was onto something…”
Talk Talk – Ascension Day (Mp3)
Talk Talk – New Grass (Mp3)
Talk Talk – Runeii (Mp3)
“The ’90’s Didn’t Suck Shock” continues with the Auteurs’ “Now I’m a Cowboy” from ’94. (Maybe the better bands were just …overlooked?)
The Auteurs – Chinese Bakery (Mp3)
The Auteurs – Lenny Valentino (Mp3)
The Auteurs – Modern History (Mp3)
The Auteurs – New French Girlfriend (Mp3)
The Auteurs – The Upper Classes (Mp3)
SHUFFLE BORED.
It’s a five Mp3 walk from TVD Home Base to TVD nine-to-fiver — quite fortunate we are. That said and despite the best of efforts, the iPod’s been reduced to a ‘Name That Tune’ which occurs at merely one or two simple notes in. See, we know ’em all.
Sooo – welcome our new Friday feature. That morning’s five will get slapped up on the blog — then we wanna hear your iPod’s five random, shuffled selections to spread the wealth and/or the Mp3’s. Feel free to just list them, or if you want to supply a link in the comments section, by all means go for it. Expand our shuffled horizons.
These first ten suffice as your Weekend Shots and serve as a random example of well, randomness. 
Joe Jackson – King Pleasure Time…brand new track! (Mp3)
Friends Again – Moon 3 (Mp3)
The Babys – True Love True Confession (Live) (Mp3)
The Replacements – Swingin’ Party (Mp3)
Grant Lee Buffalo – Rock Of Ages (Mp3)
The Clientele – Somebody Changed (Mp3)
Eric Matthews – Pair Of Cherry (Mp3)
Gene Simmons – Mr. Make Believe (Mp3)
FGTH – San Jose (Mp3)
Band Aid – Feed The World (Mp3)
Maybe subconsciously I’ve been trying to convince myself this week that the ’90’s didn’t suck for music — with some obvious exceptions, of course. I’ve been surprised to see that much of this week’s grabs from the stacks have been mid-90’s releases much to my chagrin. I really loathed THEN and STILL despise much of that college/alternative rock that permeated the 90’s. (REM – I’m looking right at f’n YOU.) But there were highlights — the releases from Jellyfish, Suede, Supergrass, Crowded House, Grant Lee Buffalo come to mind, as does yea – Nirvana and reluctantly Oasis. This Grays release, ’94’s “Ro Sham Bo,” brings together Jason Falkner from Jellyfish and LA studio whiz Jon Brion into one hell of a pop group — produced by Jack Joseph Puig who engineered the two Jellyfish releases (among many others) and who was also behind the board for yesterday’s Fabulon LP. Nice stuff here for your Friday…
The Grays – Same Thing (Mp3)
The Grays – Not Long For This World (Mp3)
The Grays – Nothing Between Us (Mp3)
The Grays – No One Can Hurt Me (Mp3)
The Grays – Spooky (Mp3)
And speaking of the ’90’s — who did I leave off that quick list? Who merits inclusion to debunk TVD’s “The ’90’s Sucked” ethos?
Ike and Tina Turner – A Fool in Love (Mp3)
Ike and Tina Turner – Our Lord Will Make a Way (Mp3)
Ike and Tina Turner – Proud Mary (Mp3)
Update: Since we’re discussing it… Ike Turner – Rocket 88 (Mp3)
Remember hearing a song on the RADIO for the first time and having to have it? (I know…search back…) Such was the case with the first track on this Fabulon LP released in ’95. “In a Mood” crosses Marc Bolan with Prince for one serious butt-wiggle. Where’s my fez?
Fabulon – In a Mood (Mp3)
Fabulon – Say Anything (Mp3)
Fabulon – Jon (Mp3)
Fabulon – Cherish (Mp3)
Fabulon – Simple Man (Mp3)
Five today from the criminally overlooked McAlmont & Butler (vocalist and ex-Suede ax man) release from ’95. Left out the two singles cuz, well – you can find those anywhere. Deep cuts, man.
McAlmont & Butler – The Right Thing (Mp3)
McAlmont & Butler – Although (Mp3)
McAlmont & Butler – How About You (Mp3)
McAlmont & Butler – Disappointment/Interval (Mp3)
McAlmont & Butler – You’ll Lose A Good Thing (Mp3)
When asked if the Teardrop Explodes would ever get back together, Julian Cope quipped: “Would you ever return to having your mother wipe your asshole?” Which begs the question, are Page’s, Plant’s, and Jones’ mothers still around? I wonder?
The Teardrop Explodes – Bent Out Of Shape (Mp3)
The Teardrop Explodes – Seven Views Of Jerusalem (Mp3)
The Teardrop Explodes – Pure Joy (Mp3)
The Teardrop Explodes – The Culture Bunker (Mp3)
The Teardrop Explodes – Like Leila Khaled Said (Mp3)
This panel from Daredevil #77 (housed in TVD HQ) inspired the band’s name.
Big Andy and I are rattling toward the USAir Arena in his truck on our way to pick up some very last minute tickets to see the Page and Plant Tour in ’95. It’s our friend Gary’s birthday and as a last minute idea, we’re going to pick up any old tickets for the show while his girlfriend takes him to dinner. The show’s been on sale for months and at this point — and on a lark, the rafters will be a-ok. The tinny radio’s buzzing with the local rock station playing tons of Zep in advance of the show. We’ve had a few beers and we’re chatting about the Zep and I say, “Y’know man — sometimes I hear a Zep tune on the radio that I’ve heard for eons now, and I’m never sure of the title. Like this one — Bron-Y-Aur Stomp — I mean, c’mon.” Andy’s got a cig hanging from his mouth as he’s driving, “Dude, so right — I have the SAME problem.” So, we sidle on up to the Will Call and request four tickets. Dude slides four tickets under the glass to us, his hands covering the face of them so we can’t see what they are…gives us a wink and says, “If you two can name five tunes Page and Plant are playing on this tour, these four are yours — face value.” “Mother f’er,” I’m thinking, “we just HAD this conversation! We don’t KNOW the song names — SHEEZUS!” Andy’s looking at me, I’m looking at him — WTF? “OK, OK — I just saw the Unplugged special on MTV…uh, er…” People in line behind us are are literally fuming as we’re standing there, pulling Zep song titles out of our ass. But y’know — we DID. Andy’s on about “Are these obstructed view – are these OBSTRUCTED VIEW??” Guy says, “If you don’t want ’em fine” — slides the tickets in a block under the window and Andy’s unfurling the lot and running toward the seating chart posted on the wall. “DUDE,” he says “…LOOK.” So, Gary shows up after dinner with his then girlfriend. Gary’s a truly fantastic guitarist, a hay-uge Zep fan and an even bigger Jimmy Page fan — literally could be his guitar idol. “Thanks for getting the tickets guys,” he says not expecting all that much for the evening’s vantage point. We head into the arena where the lights have already gone down. Andy’s holding the strip of four tickets as the ushers are flashlighting them up and down and moving us on…lower, …lower, …lower………….second row………f’n …CENTER. I literally got splashed with Plant sweat, we were so close. And Gary? I think he had a rather decent Birthday.
Led Zeppelin will play their first public gig in 19 years at the O2 Arena in London, and their first UK show since 1979 THIS EVENING and yes, I entered the lottery to win tickets and yes, I didn’t win and yes, I’m wearing a tie right now getting ready for work. And yes, here’s the last gig Led Zeppelin played with Bonzo on 07/07/80 in Berlin. (Smell the Plant sweat? I do.)
PART ONE (87 MGs)
Train Kept A Rollin
Nobody’s Fault But Mine
Black Dog
In The Evening
The Rain Song
Hot Dog
PART 2 (65 MGs)
All My Love
Trampled Underfoot
Since I’ve Been Loving You
PART 3 (62 MGs)
White Summer/Black Mountain Slide
Kashmir
PART 4 (86 MGs)
Stairway To Heaven
Rock And Roll
Whole Lotta Love
“The killing of John Lennon altered everything… “
—NORMAN MAILER
My cousin Carol was working at RSO records in Los Angeles in the late 70’s at the height off the disco craze. RSO was the Bee Gees label then and the soundtrack to Saturday Night Fever earned the label untold millions. So she thought it was pretty darn cool to be able to send a stack of LP’s my way from RSO. I got almost every Bee Gees LP in the mail, followed by the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, then later the Grease soundtrack and later still the godawful Sgt. Pepper movie soundtrack. I can still recall her face when she asked if I dug the records she sent, and at 11 or 12 …well, I didn’t have much, shall we say – tact – in response. It was an unqualified “nah” from this anti-disco kid. But this is how cool Carol was…she asked just WHO was I really into…and in 77-78 without a doubt next to The Beatles, it was KISS. Well, Carol had a friend at Casablanca, KISS’s label — and BOOM — each and every KISS LP to date in one box at my door. Cool, huh?
Carol was in her early/mid twenties back then and really WAS that cool. So cool she had even met John Lennon, presumably during his Lost Weekend bender and had struck up a bit of a rapport with the Beatle. Why, she had even given John and Yoko one of their house cats. So, it seemed entirely feasible then that she could grant me an even bigger wish — to meet John Lennon. And she thought it was quite do-able. She’d heard they’re working on a new album after five years, they’d be doing press in New York and she’d drive me up from Jersey into the city to meet J & Y. Man, I was psyched. This was right about the time that John and Yoko would run full page letters to the people in the New York Times. There’d be one almost every other month. “Here they are – they’re back.” So, I had every inclination to think that one day my path would cross John Lennon’s.
Well, its been 27 years now. I anticipate every music blogger and his blogger mother will have a Lennon post this weekend, the anniversary of his assassination. (And it WAS an assassination, indeed.) There’ll be posts on each and every aspect of John’s career…pre-Beatle, Beatle, post-Beatle…and he’ll be quoted and examined and opined upon for pixels galore.
But very much like my tactless response to Carol regarding the Bee Gees LPs that I’d wish to have back or recast as an adult, I’m quite sure John would have said, and frankly often did, “we’ve moved on from that, dear.” To me what is MOST important is what he was saying/thinking/doing on the very LAST days of his life because he, as we all become, was the sum of his travels. Not the guy who went misunderstood for the “Jesus” remark which will get plenty of traction this weekend I’m sure, but the guy with the clarity, self reflection and self-deprecation, good humor, wisdom, charm, and yes wit on the days before and on his very last day here with us — which went captured in the links below.
The first 10 below are excerpts from a BBC interview conducted by Andy Peebles on December 6, 1980. Recorded in studio, John sounds more vibrant than ever. Current and relevant. Incisive and thoughtful. The latter is an almost hour-long, compilation of cassette-recorded interviews done on the day of his death. Eerie in many regards but no less charming somehow.
John would have been 67 this year and most likely would have every reason to still be performing that very last link right there.
John Lennon, 12/6/80 – A New Prolific Era (Mp3)
John Lennon, 12/6/80 – A Sense Of Security (Mp3)
John Lennon, 12/6/80 – Fatherhood And Sean (Mp3)
John Lennon, 12/6/80 – House Husband (Mp3)
John Lennon, 12/6/80 – Love Of British Comedy (Mp3)
John Lennon, 12/6/80 – Memories For The BBC (Mp3)
John Lennon, 12/6/80 – New Wave, Reggae, Disco (Mp3)
John Lennon, 12/6/80 – Phil Spector And Harry Nilsson (Mp3)
John Lennon, 12/6/80 – The BBC World Service (Mp3)
John Lennon, 12/6/80 – Time For A Break (Mp3)
If there’s a common theme among the last two day’s posts, it’s not just who the hell is Egbert Records (really, I Googled) but the appearance on both tribute releases by Material Issue. Trouser Press noted “…at its best, Material Issue was responsible for some of the ’90s’ juiciest Big Star/Cheap Trick-style power pop at a time when it was well out of fashion. . . ‘Freak City Soundtrack’ is an unqualified triumph.” And they’re right on both accounts. (Play LOUD.)
Material Issue – Goin’ Through Your Purse (Mp3)
Material Issue – Kim The Waitress (Mp3)
Material Issue – I Could Use You (Mp3)
Material Issue – The Fan (Mp3)
Material Issue – One Simple Word (Mp3)
Another nice compilation by Egbert Records (?) – this time of the Bees Gees.
Material Issue – Run To Me (Mp3)
The Fastbacks – Turn Of The Century (Mp3)
Phil Seymour – The First Mistake I Made (Mp3)
Nick Celeste – The Greatest Man In The World (Mp3)
Baby Lemonade – How Deep Is Your Love (Mp3)
