The Specials, Ramones & Show # 469

The Specials - Too Much Too Young



“Too Much Too Young” was a song found on The Specials debut full length album The Specials released in 1979. The song featured controversial lyrics, but despite this it was released as a single in the UK and reached number one on the UK singles charts. Lyrically the song was based on the Lloyd Charmers song “Birth Control”, The Specials took those lyrics and gave them a modern slant based on the economic situation and times in England in the late 70s. This song, as do many on the full length album build on early Jamaican/Reggae songs form the 60s, but added 70s Punk attitude and vigour.

Ramones - Commando



“Commando” was a song found on The Ramones second full length album Leave Home released in 1977 on Sire Records. This song had a military lyrical background as do many early Ramones songs. It is credited to Dee Dee Ramone and Johnny Ramone and barely tow minutes long. The version in this video comes from their live album It’s Alive that was released in 1979, but recorded in 1977 at the Rainbow, Theatre in London, England. It's Alive was also the name of a B-Horror movie from 1974, which is where the title orginates from.

This Week's Play List:

1. The Deadly Ones – It’s Monster Surfing Time
2. The Challengers – Back Beat
3. Dean Carter – Call of the Wild
4. Monomyth – Cigarette
5. Ketamines – Double Elevens
6. Primal Scream – Goodbye Johnny
7. Gogol Bordello – We Rise Again
8. Daniel Romano – Chicken Bill
9. Hurricane & Able – Call On You
10. Teenanger – Funeral March
11. Kitten Forever – Rat Queen
12. Dishrags – Carry On
13. Silicon Injection - Argo
14. Johnny Motel & The Fast Fucks - Knock Down Blues
15. Shark Week – Get High
16. Huevos Rancheros – Trouble A Brewin
17. Adam and The Ants – The Human Beings
18. True Lovers – Master’s Apprentice
19. Johnny Thunders – Downtown
20. The Gun Club – Like Calling Up Thunder
21. The Police – Peanuts
22. Ramones – Commando
23. Buzzcocks – Love You More
24. The Rolling Stones - Dear Doctor
25. The Specials – Stupid Marriage
26. The Specials - Too Much Too Young

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for August 13 Or subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.

David Bowie Lodger & Show # 468

Released in May of 1979, Lodger is the third album in David Bowie’s Berlin Trilogy. This was a set of three albums (Low, Heroes and Lodger) in which David Bowie produced/collaborated with Brian Eno. Although Lodger was the third album in this trilogy, it wasn’t actually recorded in Berlin but was primarily recorded in Montreux, Switzerland. Often said to be more accessible or commercial sounding than either Heroes or Low, Lodger was a highly experimental album that was recorded in equally as experimental circumstances. Upon first listen, compared to the other albums in the trilogy it does have a more conventional sound, but if you listen a little more closely it is actually quite the opposite. When first released in 1979, the album was for the most part panned by critics and labelled one of Bowie’s weakest albums. Fans and critics alike now view it as one of Bowie’s most underrated albums.

Lodger is notable for its inclusion of elements of World Music, Funk and Post-Punk/New Wave sounds. Almost every track does seem to have an element that comes from a World Music category. Lyrically the album addresses themes of travel and Western civilization, but the circumstances in which it was recorded are just as fascinating. During the recording process Eno and the band did things such as recording backwards versions of already existing David Bowie songs, making songs deliberately with the same chord sequences, having band members playing instruments they were not used to playing and playing songs based on a series of chords written on a blackboard. In an interview in 2001 with UNCUT Magazine, Tony Visconti (bassist and producer on this album and several other Bowie albums) elaborated on this process:

“A lot more chaos was intended. Brian was doing some strange experiments like writing his eight favorite chords on a black board and asking the rhythm section to "play something funky." Then he would randomly point at a chord and the band had to follow. This didn't go down too well, but we were trying all sorts of different things.”

Adrian Belew, future guitarist in King Crimson also played guitar on several tracks (as did Carlos Alomar), most of which were edited together from multiple takes that he did to backing tracks. All of the tracks he recorded to he had not heard before playing. Another element in the creation of this album was chaos. The atmosphere in which these songs were created added to its overall atmosphere. The album’s cover, in which David Bowie is depicted as an accident victim and oddly looking like a young Richard Hell, further adds to this element and theme that is apparent on Lodger.

Lodger opens with the track “Fantastic Voyage”, the song itself being symbolic with the era in which it was recorded and in which this trilogy stands. Lodger was his last collaboration with Eno during this point in his career, but it also adheres to the imagery and themes of travel that run rampant throughout this album. This song in particular displays an emotive Cold War paranoia, while the second track “African Night Flight” ventures into experimental territory. With electronic sounds, heavy plodding bass and something that is credited as “Cricket Menace”, an effect that was produced by drum machine and briefcase synthesizer that sounds like crickets, anyone can see that this song ventures into a different avenue. “Move On” is one of the strongest songs found on Lodger, the song was created by playing a backwards version of the David Bowie song “All The Young Dudes”. Once again in UNCUT Magazine in 2001 this time by David Bowie, there is further elaboration on this song and why it was done this way:

“I had put one of my reel to reel tapes on backwards by mistake and really quite liked the melody it created. So I played quite a few more in this fashion and chose five or six that were really quite compelling. Dudes was the only one to make the album, as I didn't want to abandon the 'normal' writing I was doing completely. But it was a worthwhile exercise in my mind.”

“Yassassain (Long Live)” is a melding of Reggae/Funk rhythms with Turkish sounding world music, while “Red Sails” is a 80s sounding Bowie track with Saxophone almost sounding like an outtake from Iggy Pop’s The Idiot. “DJ”, “Look Back In Anger” and “Boys Keep Swinging” were all singles for this album and all display a sense of monotony and look at Western Civilization. “DJ” takes a satirical look at the disc jockey, with funky Adrian Belew guitar lines, bass, World Music strings and piano. “Boys Keep Swinging” is a look at the stereotypical theory of masculinity; it is one of the most up tempo tracks on Lodger and was recorded under interesting circumstances. For this song, the band members switched instruments. Guitarist Carlos Alomar played drums and drummer Dennis Davis played bass, this was said to give the song a more Punk vibe and mentality. “Repetition” is a song reflecting a Talking Heads-like funkiness, while lyrically it addresses and questions themes of domestic violence, “Red Money” ends the album. This song was originally written as “Sister Midnight” and given to Iggy Pop for his album The Idiot. It is found here in a re-worked form. Lyrically the song often features the lyrics “Projected cancelled/Tumbling central/Red money”, which many have viewed as a cryptic message. The overall lyrical theme is said to be based on a red box that would appear in paintings that David Bowie created, symbolizing responsibility.

Musically the elements combined on this album venture into World Music, Funk and New Wave genres creating an amalgamation of sorts. The overall message and themes of this album are wrapped up in a chaotic nature, emphasizing the paranoia of that time, but also in the album's cover image. As mentioned earlier, the cover for Lodger depicts David Bowie as an accident victim. Designed with British Pop artist Derek Boshnier, Bowie appears to have fallen and is in a broken state, complete with a broken looking nose. In that respect Lodger can be seen by many as an album that is “broken” in comparison to Low and Heroes in the Berlin Trilogy, but it can also be seen as the opposite of that. The fallen Bowie on the cover can also be seen as symbolism for the experimental and different sounds found on Lodger shattering the preconceived notions we had of David Bowie’s music at the time. Initially rumoured to be called Planned Accidents, Lodger is no accident. David Bowie exited out of the Berlin Trilogy in a unique way, not overstaying his welcome.



This week's play list:

1. Hunx and His Punx – Rat Bag
2. Sebadoh – I Will
3. Wiskey Biscuit – Stoner Girl
4. The Diodes – Survivors
5. Teenage Head – Bonerack (Alternate Version)
6. The Hippies – Can Teens
7. Paul Jacobs – Coffin Ride
8. The Chessmen – Time Machine
9. Lords of London – Time Waits For No One
10. Neil Young – Roll Another Number (For The Road)
11. Jay Sad – My Mensa Friend
12. The Strokes – Machu Picchu
13. David Bowie – DJ
14. David Bowie – Repetition
15. The Mark Inside – Shark Attack (I Can See Them Circling)
16. Nirvana – Token Eastern Song (1989 Music Source Studios Version)
17. Queens of the Stone Age – I Sat By The Ocean
18. The Traditional Fools – Layback!!!
19. Protex – Don’t Ring Me Up
20. Lids – I Don’t Want You
21. 999 – Nasty Nasty
22. The Stooges – Fun House

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for August 06. Or subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.

Bell Peppers and Young Canadians & Show # 467

The Bell Peppers - Batman (Seeds Of The Bell Peppers EP)

This first video is from Manchester’s The Bell Peppers. This Surf and Rock and Roll based group has put out a number of releases, all of which have been made available for free download via their bandcamp page. This version of “Batman” was done for the Seeds Of The Bell Peppers EP, which contains four cover songs including a re-worked version of The Stooges “1969” in their style. “Batman” is based on the Link Wray version of this song originally written by Neil Hefti for the 60’s Batman television series. This version adds a more Garage element to the mix. The Seeds Of The Bell Peppers EP can be downloaded for free along with the bands other EP’s at their bandcamp page.



The Young Canadians - Data Redux (This Is Your Life EP)

The Young Canadians were a Punk Rock band from Vancouver that formed in 1979 and only lasted for a brief time as a band. They consisted of Art Bergmann on guitar/vocals, Jim Bescott on bass, and Barry Taylor on drums. Originally known as The K-Tel’s, they released one EP under that name (the Automan EP in 1979) before changing their name to The Young Canadians due to legal reasons from the K-Tel corporation. The song “Data Redux” was originally released on the This Is Your Life EP in 1980. The Young Canadians are well known for their highly influential sound having connections and influence on other Vancouver bands at the time, such as The Pointed Sticks, Active Dog, D.O.A and the Subhumans. They are perhaps best known for their song “Hawaii” (co-written by Ross Carpenter of Active Dog) which is now known as a Canadian Punk Rock classic. The band split up in 1980. Art Bergmann has gone on to a respectable solo career. All of the bands recordings, including several unreleased live recordings, were compiled on the No Escape compilation album in 1995 and later re-issued by by Sudden Death Records in 2005.



This week's play list:

1. White Fence – Only Man Alive
2. Organ Eyes – Teenage Kingdomdom
3. Average Times – She Knows
4. Pow Wows – Slug Song (Live)(The Clean Cover)
5. Needles/Pins – I Heart Your Drugs
6. The Pygmies – He’s A Whore
7. Babysitter – Be Cool
8. Jimmy Kelly & The Rock-A-Beats – Little Chickie
9. The Night Riders – Cottonpickin’
10. The Gruesomes – My Dad’s A Ho-Dad (Live)
11. The Stomach Mouths – R & B No.65
12. Robert Pollard – Shielding Whatever Needs You
13. Big Search – Distant Shore
14. Survival Knife – Traces of Me
15. The Subways – Oh Yeah
16. The Oblivians – Fire Detector
17. Rude Norton – Sea Cruise
18. Young Canadians – Son of Spam (Live)
20. Young Canadians - Data Redux
21. The Boys – I Don’t Care
22. Johnny Moped – No-One
23. Television Personalities – Where’s Bill Grundy Now?
24. Lost Patrol - That's Your Style
25. Surfer Blood - Gravity
26. The Bell Peppers – Batman
27. The Bell Peppers – Bell Pepper Hop
28. Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet - (Relax) You Will Think You Are A Chicken

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for July 30. Or subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.

The Byrds Sweetheart Of The Rodeo & Show # 466

 

The Byrds sixth full length album Sweetheart Of The Rodeo was recorded at a very interesting and brief transitional time in the band's history. After David Crosby left the group and Michael Clarke in late 1967, the only two remaining Byrds were Roger McGuinn and Chris Hillman. The Byrds were best known for their Psychedelic Folk and jangly Pop songs in the early to mid 60s, but Sweetheart Of The Rodeo would turn out to be something radically different. It was originally conceived as a double album by Roger McGuinn during the recording of their previous album The Notorious Byrd Brothers. His idea was to make an album chronicling an overview of the history of American music in the 20th century. The planned genres were Bluegrass, Jazz, Blues, Country & Western, R&B and Rock music, but that changed shortly after a new member was added to The Byrds line up, Gram Parsons.

The new line up of The Byrds consisted as Roger McGuinn (guitar/vocals), Chris Hillman (bass), Kevin Kelley (drums) and Gram Parsons for piano/guitar. Parsons soon became involved and was more than just a sideman. His love of Country music took over causing McGuinn and the rest of the band to decide to do a Country Rock album. The band hired session musicians and went to Nashville, Tennessee to record tracks for Sweetheart Of The Rodeo. It should also be noted that despite doing a full length Country Rock album, The Byrds had flirted with Country on their previous albums prior to this. After recording in Nashville, the band recorded some tracks and did overdubs over in Los Angeles. Sweetheart Of The Rodeo featured mostly cover songs and reworkings of traditional Country and Folk songs. Several songs were written and sung by Gram Parsons as well. There are two Bob Dylan songs that were covered for this album. The Byrds were no strangers to covering Bob Dylan songs. They covered numerous Bob Dylan songs throughout their career. But the album’s opening track “You Ain’t Going Nowhere” is perhaps as some Byrds fans see it, their best Bob Dylan cover.

“You Ain’t Going Nowhere” wasn’t even released officially by Bob Dylan at the time when The Byrds recorded and released it. Bob Dylan would release the Basement Tapes with members of The Band in 1975 featuring a version of this song and his own different version of the song was released on Greatest Hits Volume II in 1971. The band’s versions of “You Ain’t Going Nowhere” and “Nothing Was Delivered” offer something different with each track. “You Ain’t Going Nowhere” is an authentic Country Rock version of this song and “Nothing Was Delivered” also features that Country flavour, but also the harmonious vocal style that The Byrds were known for. The band reworked traditional songs such as “I Am a Pilgrim” popularized by Merle Travis, “The Christian Life”, “Pretty Boy Floyd” originally by Woody Guthrie, “Life In Prison” by Merle Travis, Luke McDaniel’s “You’re Still On My Mind”, William Bell’s “You Don’t Miss Your Water”, and “The Blue Canadian Rockies” written by Cindy Walker, but sung by Gene Autry. “One Hundred Years From Now” and “Hickory Wind” were Parsons originals.

Tensions in the band were tumultuous during this period in their career. Gram Parsons was becoming a conflict with the other Byrds and during a short brief European tour in 1968, he connected with The Rolling Stones. The Byrds planned a tour in South Africa as well, which would be part of the reason that Parsons would leave the group. The other reason was that due to legal reasons three of the songs that Gram Parsons recorded vocals for on Sweetheart Of The Rodeo (“You Don’t Miss Your Water”, “The Christian Life” and “One Hundred Years From Now”) had to be replaced. The vocals were re-recorded with Roger McGuinn, the de facto leader of the group on vocals. This only added to the tension between the band members, since Parsons would be upset over him getting less of a presence on Sweetheart Of The Rodeo. It wouldn’t be long before Parsons would leave the group, in fact he left the group before the album was even released. He would go on to work with The Rolling Stones and shortly after Sweetheart Of The Rodeo, Chris Hillman left the group and formed The Flying Burrito Brothers with Parsons.

Sweetheart Of The Rodeo was released in August of 1968, and received a mixed reception upon its initial release. Country music fans absolutely hated the album and bashed it, calling The Byrds “long-haired hippies” who were trying to subvert Country music. There was evidence of this when after completing sessions for Sweetheart Of The Rodeo in Nashville in 1968 they made an appearance at the Grand Ole Opry. The performance was met with heckling, booing and negative reactions. Some Byrds fans even disliked it too, but it was a unique release. It was one of the first releases by a popular band to be a radical shift from their established sound. The album brought Gram Parsons to the mainstream audience and is considered one of the first Country Rock albums to be released. Gram Parsons released an album entitled Safe At Home with an earlier band of his called International Submarine Band that is often considered the first Country Rock album.

This album is an important lineage in the exposing of Country music as a fashionable form of music for a younger audience. It was viewed as quite the opposite by many at the time. Sweetheart Of The Rodeo is now considered an album ahead of it’s time, but was a pretty bold thing to do in the late 60s. While this incarnation of The Byrds lasted barely six months, it is a fascinating time in not only The Byrds history, but also in the career of Gram Parsons. It is also said to be one of the first examples of the future of Country Rock music. The song titles “You Ain’t Going Nowhere” and “Nothing Was Delivered” went on to have deeper meanings following the release of this album. Many people at the time felt that there was “nothing” really that great about this album, but it wound up to become the last highly influential album released by The Byrds.




This Week's Play List:

1. Fuzz – Loose Sutures
2. Midnight Angels - I'm Sufferin'
3 The Neurons – New Location
4. Peace – Your Hand In Mine
5. Jay Arner – Bad Friend 2
6. Barren Girls – She Devil
7. The Future Primitives – 1-2-5 (The Haunted Cover)
8. The Future Primitives – The Fly (The Mummies Cover)
9. No Bunny – Chuck Berry Holiday (Live At Third Man)
10. The Mandates – Is She Coming Back?
11. Cold Warps – Don’t Haunt Me Ok?
12. Paul Jacobs – Broken Pencils
13. Cold Country – Missing The Muse
14. The Replacements – Portland
15. The Byrds – You’re Still On My Mind
16. The Byrds – You Ain’t Going Nowhere
17. The Reply – Give What You Can
18. Elvis Costello & The Attractions – Tiny Steps
19. Magazine – Boredom (Peel Session)
20. Spy Device – You Can’t Work It Out
21. The Undertones – Smarter Than You
22. Radio Birdman – Anglo Girl Desire
23. The Stooges - Down On The Street

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for July 23. Or subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.

Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers Unreleased Max's Kansas City 1979 & Show # 465

Following the breakup of Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers in 1978, Johnny Thunders headed to London to record his first full length album So Alone. When he returned to the US, the band decided to reform and play a series of live gigs (something that would happen periodically until Thunders death in 1991). Original Heartbreakers drummer Jerry Nolan did not want to take part in this initial set of reunion gigs so the band recruited drummer Ty Styx. These series of shows were recorded and resulted in the 1979 release Live At Max’s Kansas City, which would be released through Max’s Kansas City’s own Beggars Banquet Records. The recordings captured the band in good spirits and in all their loud, sloppy Rock and Roll glory. The album was so well received that a follow up live album was planned. The band got Jerry Nolan on board to play drums again and three live shows were planned and recorded once again. The results this time were for the most part unusable due to a number of factors, one being The Heartbreakers escalating drug use. There were only five usable tracks from this venture according to the some sources. The reason for this is on the third night of recording Johnny Thunders walked off the stage after the fifth song stating he had to “tune up”, but he never returned to the stage. The album was aborted and these tracks would later be issued on the reissued version of Live At Max’s Kansas City as bonus tracks on ROIR.

Another live recording has surfaced from 1979, one that has been bootlegged and available for sometime. This live recording was also at Max’s Kansas City and is a great performance featuring many songs not on the original Max’s Kansas City live album. This show was recorded on April, 28th 1979. This performance is also another quality performance and was an intended release, but it never saw the light of day officially. Commonly known as Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers Unreleased Max’s Kansas City 1979, this recording showcases numerous ramped up R&B covers and songs that would later be used on future Johnny Thunders solo releases. Notable songs on this bootleg include live versions of songs that weren’t on any official studio release at the time such as “Too Much Junkie Business”, “London Boys”, “M.I.A”, “Flight” and “Copycat”. For the covers there’s “Money”, “Do You Love Me”, “Seven Day Weekend” and two songs that would windup on Johnny Thunders 1978 So Alone album. Those tracks would be a cover of The Chantay’s Surf classic “Pipeline” and “Great Big Kiss” originally by The Shangri-Las.

While this album wasn’t officially released it adds to the mystery and aura that is Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers. Many of the songs found on this live bootleg showcase the band’s catalogue of songs that were building for sometime. The songs captured are rare as they were never officially released by The Heartbreakers and showcase the band’s live energy fusing a Chuck Berry meets Rolling Stones R&B Punk sloppiness. The songs would be spread out over Thunders future solo releases and even some (“Flight”, “Seven Day Weekend”) would end up being played by Walter Lure’s post Heartbreakers band The Waldos.

This video features "Two Much Junkie Business" from the very same 1979 Max's Kansas City show:


The Play List:

1. The Individuals – I Really Do
2. Shadows – Gathers No Moss
3. Johnny Cash – I’d Still Be There
4. Johnny Cash – What Do I Care
5. Lonesome Lefty - New Cocaine Blues (Tell It To Me)
6. The Polymorphines – The Clean and The Dirty
7. Sam Coffey and The Iron Lungs – Rick James Blues
8. Booker T – 66 Impala
9. The Danks – Octaganal
10. Seven Story Redhead – Shake It Out!
11. Dan Sartain – Swap Meet
12. Wavves – Demon To Lean On
13. Papermaps – Break
14. Wire – The Commercial
15. Wire – Used To Know
16. Diamond Rugs – Country Mile
17. The Rolling Stones – Far Away Eyes (Live in Texas 1978)
18. Legato Vipers – Chocolate Milk
19. Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreaksers – Pipeline (Live Unreleased Max’s Kansas City 1979)
20. Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers – M.I.A. (Live Unreleased Max’s Kansas City 1979)
21. The Black Lips – Make It (Live At Third Man Records)
22. The Cramps - She Said
23. Buzzcocks – I Look Alone
24. Young Rival – T-Shirt and Shorts
25. Young Rival - Modern Life

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for July 16. Or subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.

The Prehistoric Cave Strokers Interview & Show #464

Prehistoric Cave Strokers - from the It Came From The Garage Vol.1 linear notes (1986)

 

The Prehistoric Cave Strokers are a Garage Rock band from Windsor, Ontario that formed in 1985. The band also mixed in elements of Punk/Post Punk, but were primarily known for their primal Nugget-themed Rock sounds with at times absurdist lyrics. The original line up of the group featured Marc Fedak (guitar/backing vocals), Dan Moriarty (lead vocals), Lyndon Way (bass) and Jono Fiddler on drums. James Nemeth joined on bass in 1988, when Lyndon moved to Montreal for school and Jerry Rozon took over on drums when Jono moved to Peterborough in 1990. The band has been featured on numerous Garage Rock compilation albums in the late 80’s/early 90’s and produced one full length album that wasn’t released publicly. Let’s Id! (or Don’t Forget About Us When You’re Famous – its original title) was recorded by the band on a four track tape recorder in 1985-1986. It was only given out to a few friends.

The band has reformed several times since their original split in 1991, most recently in 2010 at FM Lounge in Windsor. They will be reforming once again, this time with the original line up on July 13th, 2013 at FM Lounge in Windsor.

For more information on The Prehistoric Cave Strokers you can check out the article I wrote about them in 2010 here.

Listen to the interview I did with Marc from The Prehistoric Cave Strokers here:



This Week's Play List:

1. The Soft Pack – They Say
2. Paul Shuttleworth – Just Another Weekend
3. Devo – Be Stiff
4. Fun Things – (I Ain`t Got) Time Enough For Love
5. Jolly Green Giants – Caught You Red Handed
6. Spectrals – Sob Story
7. Hurricane & Able – Hate The Blues
8 . Prehistoric Cave Strokers – Sold Out (Live 1991 at The Coach & Horses)

MARC FEDAK (OF PREHISTORIC CAVE STROKERS) INTERVIEW

9. Prehistoric Cave Strokers – Fat Man (Garageland Recording Outtake)
10. Prehistoric Cave Strokers – Urine You're Out (Live At FM Lounge 2010)
11. Ray Condo & His Hardrock Goners – Sweet Love On My Mind
12. The Sci-Phonics – 4 Questions
13. Indian Wars – Sweetheart of the North
14. Guided By Voices – My Son Cool
15. Sonic`s Rendezvous Band – Electrophonic Tonic
16. Dead Ghosts – Hanging (In The Alley)
17. Vic Godard & Subway Sect – Head Held High (John Peel Session 1978)
18. Bo Diddley – Please Mr. Engineer
19. Tandoori Knights – Tandoori Party
20. Ty Segall Band – The Tongue
21. Ty Segall Band – Muscle Man

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for July 9. Or subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.

White Fence's Cyclops Reap & Show 463

White Fence released Cyclops Reap in April 2013. White Fence is actually Tim Presley, a prolific musician from California in the vein of Ty Segall and John Dwyer of Thee Oh Sees. Last year he released three full length albums, Family Purfume Vol.1, Family Purfume Vol.2 and Hair which was a collaborated effort with Ty Segall (who also released three albums last year). All of Presley’s recordings have been lo-fi Psychedelic Pop bedroom recorded affairs and this album is no different. But at the same time it has something different to offer than his previous efforts. This album has a bit more clarity, but still gives off that lazy Psychedelic warmth that White Fence has been known for.

Cyclops Reap starts with “Chairs In The Dark” that begins with an offbeat organ loop, being made on a 4 track tape recorded at his home this is something that will pop up at various moments on this album. This song features luscious melodies and that lazy warmth that is found in White Fence’s catalogue, but this song exemplifies a new kind of clarity and cohesiveness that wasn’t as evident previously. “Beat” is a singer/songwriter acoustic driven Pop track, while “Pink Gorilla” is a heavy Psychedelic Garage track with dizzying drum fills, and super fuzzy guitar lines, sounding like a cross between 80s Garage and at times 60’s Pop. “Live On Genevieve” features backwards guitar, layered vocals and strange sound effects which show the extent of White Fence’s Psychedelic experimentation. This song crosses and blurs the line between The Beatles Psychedelic Sgt. Peppers era sound and Syd Barrett era Pink Floyd.

Other stand out tracks include the echoing Pop sounds of “Make Them Eat Dinner At Our Shoes”, the warbled sounds of “White Cat” which changes in an instant from a slow melodic song to a fast driving fuzzed out Garage and organ driven Rock song, and the finger picking acoustics of “Only Man Alive”. “Run By The Same” features a lo-fi George Harrison guitar sound and catchy melodies. This album is difficult to pin down because there are so many fragments that make up the album as a whole. As mentioned it does have a lazy feeling, but it makes the album sound like it is loose and together at the same time.

This album was initially intended to be a collection of the leftover songs from White Fence’s back catalogue ones that have been piling up over the last three years, but Presley quickly changed his mind. In a recent interview Presley described the album and its recording process:

“This record was initially going to be a collection of the many songs trapped between the 4 White Fence LP’s. As I was putting that together, there were more coming. a better crop. I couldn’t stop. So, instead of a retrospective I said “Fuck It”. might as well use the most current songs of the bunch. For the exception of “Make Them Dinner At Our Shoes” which is from 2009.”

As a whole, Cyclops Reap grabs a hold of the listener in a laid back effort, calmly captivating us until it attacks in a fuzzy haze during unexpected moments. Although initially intended as a retrospective of previous recordings, this album reaps the benefits of Presley’s prolific song writing abilities and lurches forward in a new direction instead of heading backwards.

This Week's Play List:

1. Deerhunter – Neon Junkyard
2. Waker Glass - Neighbourhood Party
3. Portugal The Man – Evil Friends
4. Luck of Eden – Bangalore
5. Field Assembly – Storms and Stress
6. The Reply – I Must Stop
7. Danny Rivers – I Got
8. Teenage Head - Little Sister (Live)
9. The Demics – The Least You Could Do
10. Lowlife – Leaders
11. The National – Graceless
12. New Order- Dreams Never End
13. The Nefidovs – In & Out
14. The Knockouts – Riot In Room 3C
15. MYSTICS – Three Legged Dog (Demo)
16. Ramones – No One To Blame (Demo)
17. The Clash – Safe European Home
18. Fergus & Geronimo – Roman Tick
19. Black Angels – Broken Soldier
20. White Fence – Chairs In The Dark
21. White Fence – Pink Gorilla
22. Ty Segall & White Fence – (I Cant) Get Around You
23. Ty Segall & White Fence – Scissor People

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for July 3. Or subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.

The Oblivians Desperation & Show # 462

It has been 16 years since Memphis trio The Oblivians have released an album. Since the band’s last album in 1997, Play Nine Songs With Mr. Quintron a lot has changed in this band’s lineage. They have gone on to influence countless Garage/Punk bands since then such as The Hives and The White Stripes and each member has gone onto achieve different accomplishments of their own. Jack Yarber has gone onto play with Jack O & The Tennessee Tearjerkers, Greg Cartwright has gone onto play with Reigning Sound and Eric Friedl has played in a bunch of one off bands and formed Goner Records. The Oblivians have reformed several times since 1997 for live performances, but they announced last year that they would be putting out a new full length album.

Desperation was released in June 2013 on In The Red Records. The best way to perhaps describe the band's sound of the past would be something like dried up alcohol that was spilled on the floor in some grimy bar, baked in the Memphis heat. The band's blend of Garage, Punk and Soul has not been lost here. The album starts off with the slow Soulful Garage burner “I’ll Be Gone” sung by Greg Cartwright, with lyrics such “Is it for real this time/I’ve seen the signs/your dreams ain’t got nothing to do with mine” addressing their return and getting older with lines such as “There ain’t no way to know/How life will treat you so/Let’s Rock and Roll as we get old”. The song is a thoughtful and reflective start to not only this album, but the band's return. “Loving Cup” follows next. It is a raucous cover of a song originally by the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, done in a fashion to songs they’ve done in the past on previous albums such as “Vietnam War Blues” from Soul Food.
  

“Run For Cover” is a fast paced Punk track sung by Eric Friedl sounding something like Motorhead, while “Woke Up In A Police Car” is another slow scuzzy Soulful Garage burner. Jack Yarber’s “Little War Child” sounds similar to “Stop and Think It Over” by The Compulsive Gamblers another band in the lineage of The Oblivans that is often overlooked. Other standout tracks include the Lo-Fi Punk “Fire Detector”, the greasy Soul of “Back Street Hangout”, the Cramps-like “Em” and the albums ending track “Mama Guitar”, which sounds like it was recorded with one microphone in the corner of the room. This song ends the album by connecting its sound with earlier Oblivian sounding songs and recordings.  While at times Desperation does draw from sounds that each of the respective band members have had with their other music projects, this song lets us know at the end of the album that The Oblivians feel remains. 

In a recent interview, Greg Oblivian (AKA Greg Cartwright) stated:

“Between our last record as a band in ’97 and now, a lot of water has passed below that bridge. We three went our own ways after that and pursued our own musical goals. Personally, I often missed the dynamic that Jack and Eric offered to my songwriting. Almost as much as I missed being given carte blanche to add a thing or two to theirs. I’ve played with lots of great musicians in the interim but needless to say, it’s a hard itch to scratch. The dynamic between us was a singular thing. So, over the years as we would occasionally reunite for a festival or special occasion, the idea began to grow in the back of my mind—the idea of making a new record. I mean, if you’re going to keep playing as a band eventually you’ll want new songs to play. Because as much as we enjoyed playing together the thing I missed the most was creating together. So that’s what we did.”

Despite the positive aspects of this re-union, Eric Oblivian (AKA Eric Friedl) has stated in an interview with Memphis Flyer that "Some people just aren't going to like it," but overall, Desperation is a thoughtful return. Recorded at Dan Auerbach's studio in Nasheville, the music on this album is just as greasy and dimly lit as the album's cover. The difference between this album and their previous efforts is that time has passed. That dried up alcohol spot may have aged and gotten sticky, but it’s still there and it's still all over this album.

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

This week's program also featured two live acoustic tracks from musician Chris Crossroads. You can learn more about him on his website http://chriscrossroads.com and also hear some music at his bandcamp page.

This Week's Play List:

1. Toy Love – Rebel (Live At The Gluepot 1980)
2. The Nils – In Betweens
3. By Divine Right – Past The Stars
4. Ramblin' Jack Elliot - Muleskinner Blues
5. Andrew Neville - Gal Back Home
6. Indian Wars – Pastor Phillips
7. Chris Crossroads - All In The Family (Live On Air at CJAM FM)
8. Chris Crossroads - Southern Fried Turnips (Live On Air at CJAM FM)
9. New Kind of Mambo – My Girlfriend’s In The FBI
10. Prehistoric Cave Strokers - Let's Id!
11. Paul Jacobs – Sara’s Party
12. Jello Biafra & Mojo Nixen - Let's Go Burn Ole Nashville Down
13. Oblivians – Call The Police
14. Oblivians – Little War Child
15. The Cramps - People Ain't No Good
16. The Ugly Ducklings - The Hangman
17. The Magnificent 7's - Today's Empire, Tomorrows Ashes
18. The Replacements – Take Me Down To The Hospital
19. The Evaporators - Brainwashed
20. Ty Segall – I Can’t Feel It
21. Ty Segall - My Head Explodes

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for June 26. Or subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.

The Saints This Perfect Day Single & Show # 461

 

The year 1977 was a very different time. While the Punk scene in the UK was affecting music all over, Brisbane’s The Saints were trying to find their own voice within the London music scene. After relocating to London, England following the popularity of their first single “(I’m) Stranded”, The Saints released the single This Perfect Day as a precursor to their second full length album Eternally Yours, which would come out in 1978. The single version of “This Perfect Day” would be a rawer version than the version that would eventually wind up on Eternally Yours. Lyrically the song addressed the situation that the band was going through at the time in London. The band’s label was trying to have them fit into the Punk mould at the time, even creating a “Saints suit” which was not something that the band agreed with. With lyrics such as “I've seen them drive around in cars/All look the same get drunk in bars/And don't talk back we got no social rights” and "Oh perfect day/What more to say?/Don't need someone to tell me what I don't already know", you can sense the hostility, frustration and separation that they were feeling at the time.

The song itself was recorded at Wessex Studios in London in June of 1977. It was produced by Ed Kuepper and Chris Bailey, but engineered by Bill Price. The b-side “L-I-E-S” was recorded at EMI studios in Sydney, Australia in February of 1977. The single itself was released in July of 1977. There was also a UK edition that was released as 12 inch single as opposed to a 7 inch single adding the song “Do The Robot”, which was also recorded at EMI Studios at the same session as “L-I-E-S”. This Perfect Day climbed the UK single charts going to number 34 earning the band an appearance on Top Of The Pops. Despite this good success, the single was out of stock nationally for two weeks and caused the singles momentum to stall. This prevented the band from getting the attention that they deserved. The Saints would go on to expand their sound adding more elements of R&B and Soul, but after their release of their third full length album Prehistoric Sounds, Kuepper and Bailey would go their separate ways. Bailey would continue with The Saints with different band members into the 80’s, and Kuepper would go on to form The Laughing Clowns and perform as a solo artist. The This Perfect Day single is a perfect embodiment of The Saints. Lyrically it is an example of The Saints trying to do their own thing not being attached to the popular Punk trends of the time, which is itself a very Punk attitude whether intentional or not. Musically it is the initial beginnings of the expansion of The Saints future sound.

This Week's Play List:

1. Result – Suburban Addicts
2. Jagwar Pirates - Planet Claire
3. The Human Beings – Evil Hearted You
4 The Knaves – Leave Me Alone
5. The Orwells – Suspended
6. Get Smart – Eat, Sleep A-Go-Go
7. The Beastie Boys – Eggman
8. Chang-A-Lang – Thom’s Song
9. Actual Water – Open Votes
10. The Hentchmen – West Side Brat
11. Ramblin’ Ambassadors – Superlungbucket
12. The Bell Peppers – Batman
13. Mike Jones Group – Funny Feeling
14. Rolling Stones - Rip This Joint
15. Sex Pistols - The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle
16. The Rezillos – It Gets Me
17. Wasted Lives – Wirehead
18. Active Dog – Nothing Holding You
19. The Saints – This Perfect Day (Single Version)
20. The Saints – L-I-E-S
21. Richard Hell & The Voidoids – Betrayal Takes Two
22. Dead Ghosts - I Can't Get No
23. Young Rival – Black Is Good
24. The Ketamines - Don't Stop (Go On)
25. Bob Dylan - From A Buick 6
26. Bob Dylan – Highway 61 Revisited
27. MC5 - High School

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for June 18. Or subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.

Allah-Las and The Professionals & Show # 460

The Allah-Las - Don't You Forget It

The Allah-Las are a newer band based out of Los Angeles, California. The band formed in 2008. Three of its members knew each other from working at Amoeba Music, and the band consists of Spencer Durhan (bass), Matthew Correia (drums), Pedrum Siadatian (lead guitar) and Miles Michaud (guitar/vocals). The band's first release was a seven inch record featuring the song “Catamaran” backed with “Long Journey”. Their music captures a very Californian sound featuring Psychedelic, catchy British Invasion sounds, mixed in with a dash of some American Garage. The band released two singles in 2012, and also released their first full length album entitled The Allah-Las in the same year.

 

The Professionals - 1-2-3

“1-2-3” was the second single released by The Professionals in October of 1980. The Professionals were formed in 1979 by Steve Jones and Paul Cook who previously played in the Sex Pistols. After Sex Pistols dissolved Jones continued with this band, while they had similarities to Sex Pistols, The Professionals featured a more Hard Rock sound. The band recorded an album in 1980, but it was not released until 1990 due to several complications, which was discussed in a post that I wrote back in June of 2011. The band went through several line up changes and released one album in 1981 entitled I Didn’t See It Coming.

This Week's Play List:

1. King Khan and The Gris Gris – Discreate Disguise
2. The Smoke Rings – Love’s The Thing
3. James T. Kirks – Paper Bags Got A Little More Soul
4. The Blank Tapes – Tamarind Seeds
5. The Scenics – Miami
6. Hysterics – Won’t Get Far
7. Hot Nasties – Barney Rubble Is My double
8. Teenanger – Bad Hand
9. Pow Wows – Rebel Stomp
10. Jay Sad – The Stalk
11. The Strokes – Fast Animals
12. Jaill – Snake Shakes
13. The Allah-Las – Don’t You Forget It
14. The Limininas – Salvation
15. The Professionals – Payola
16. Rudi – I-Spy
17. The Bears – Decisions
18. The Outcasts – Self Conscious Over You
19. Sloan – Jenny
20. Ramones – Outsider
21. The Rolling Stones – Confessin’ The Blues
22. The Soft Boys – Rock n Roll Toilet
23. Alex Chilton - Boogie Shoes
24. Thee Oh Sees - Maze Fancier
25. Joe Strummer – Passport To Detroit

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for June 11. Or subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.

The Mark Inside's Chris Levoir (1981-2013) & Show # 459

I first met Chris Levoir when he was at Phog Lounge in Windsor, Ontario playing with his band The Mark Inside in 2009. I interviewed the band for my radio show Revolution Rock (on CJAM FM) at that show and then whenever The Mark Inside played Windsor, I would go to see them play live. I rarely missed a show by them when they were in town, I even saw them several times before 2009. When in town Chris would talk to the people that came to the show, prior to and following an intense live performance. Their shows were griping as Chris would captivate audiences by walking out in the crowd, walking on tables, or even sometimes playing on top of the bar at Phog as the rest of the band contained the intensity behind him. This past weekend, Chris Levoir passed away, the news came as a shock to many in the Indie scene in Toronto, but also in Windsor and other communities as well. In addition to being a musician Chris was also a respected soundman in Toronto, recently working at The Great Hall. The Mark Inside were gearing up to release their next full length album Dark Hearts Can Radiate White Heat that was set to be released this July. Chris Levoir will be sorely missed.

Here is the interview I did with Chris and Geoff from The Mark Inside and members of Hamilton's Young Rival. The interview took place during a game of Jenga at Phog Lounge in November 2009.


Download this interview here

This Week's Play List:

1. The Small Faces – All Or Nothing
2. Terrorways – She’s A Mod
3. The Stance – Yellow Fever
4. 20/20 – Under The Freeway
5. The Last – Every Summer Night
6. Tim Ray & A.V – Quarter To Eight
7. Spizzenergi – Where’s Captain Kirk?
8. Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet – Rover & Rusty
9. The Bell Peppers – About A Girl
10. The Seeds – Try To Understand
11. Dead Ghosts – That Old Feeling
12. The Ketamines – You Can’t Serve Two Masters
13. The Syndicats – Crawdaddy Simone
14. Peter Case – I Shook His Hand
15. The Mark Inside – Carousel
16. The Mark Inside – Life On The Atlas
17. The Mark Inside – Circling The Drain
18. The Mark Inside – The Sky Is Falling Down
19. The Rip Offs – Can’t Stop
20. Ultravox! – Fear In The Western World
21. Richard Hell & The Voidoids – Going Going Gone
22. Nirvana – Mexican Seafood
23. Nirvana - Beeswax

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for June 4. Or subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.

The Replacements Let It Be & Show # 458

In September 1984, The Replacements released their third full length album entitled Let It Be. The album's title is a reference to the album of the same name by The Beatles, however Paul Westerberg has been quoted numerous times about the title's origins and meaning saying that it "was our way of saying that nothing is sacred, that the Beatles were just a damn fine rock & roll band. We seriously were gonna call the next record Let It Bleed." This is no surprise given this Minneapolis bands previous history. Prior to this album's release, The Replacements earlier sound was very fast and Punk oriented. Let It Be built on the sounds that the band first experimented with on 1983’s Hootenanny, an album in which they played other styles of music breaking from the Punk mould that they had been associated with. This album took that differing of styles to another level.

Let It Be opens with the song “I Will Dare”, a Pop song that was originally written by Westerberg on an acoustic guitar, one of the first that was written this way. On this track Westerberg plays a 12 string electric guitar and Mandolin, while R.E.M’s Peter Buck provides the guitar solo, the rest of the band plays along with a certain intensity. With lyrics such as “Ain’t lost yet/So I gotta be a winner” which captures a certain Midwestern angst and a chorus that states “Meet me anyplace or anywhere or anytime/Now, I don’t care/Meet me tonight/If you will dare/I will dare” these lyrics are not only relevant in the context of this album's content, but also Westerberg’s intentions as a songwriter. “Favorite Thing” follows next which sounds like a more up tempo song as Westerberg rants in a Joe Strummer style with lyrics such as “I don’t give a single shit”, this displays the bands Punk attitude, which is still found on this song and through out this album. “We’re Coming Out” starts off with a breakneck Hardcore Punk-like speed and also features a Jazz breakdown, it is followed up by the Punk/Proto Punk “Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out".  Lyrically the song references an actual incident with Replacements bassist Tommy Stinson, while it also portrays the band's sense of humour as throughout the song we learn of a doctor that is more interested in his tee times than doing his job.



Alternate front cover photo for Let It Be

“Androgynous” comes in at the opposite end of the musical spectrum following “Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out” it is a slow Jazz influenced song, featuring only Westerberg on Piano/Sand blocks and vocals. Lyrically the song is a character study seemingly with lyrics such as “Now, something meets Boy, and something meets Girl”, and “He might be a father, but he sure ain't a dad”, this song proves that Paul Westerberg’s song writing capabilities can be as diverse as going from Punk to Jazz, achieving the same response regardless of genre. “Unsatisfied” is a haunting Folk/Pop-like rant, an anthem for disaffected youth with lyrics such as "Look me in the eye and then tell me/That I'm satisfied/Are you satisfied?...I'm so, I'm so unsatisfied” and “All of the time/Everything you dream of/Is right in front of you/And everything is a lie” Westerberg hits a nerve that taps into the social sub consciousness. Other tracks on this album worth noting are the Hard Rock “Gary’s Got A Boner”, “Sixteen Blue” which features what many fans believe the best guitar solo Bob Stinson had ever recorded and the bitter love song “Answering Machine”, which ends the album.

Overall, Let It Be showcased not only Paul Westerberg’s song writing abilities, which were developing into something other than fast Punk songs. The Replacements as a band and their chemistry is also evident on Let It Be. Bob Mould of Husker Du, another Minneapolis band from that time described The Replacements live shows in The Replacements: All Over But The Shouting: An Oral History by Jim Walsh as this “If you see ten Replacements shows, one of them you’re going to think they’re the greatest that ever walked the face of the earth, and the other nine might degenerate into drunken covers.” That quote is relevant when describing this album. Let It Be has the greatest moments, but also the drunken degenerate ones. From the songs to the now iconic photograph that was taken on the roof of Bob and Tommy Stinson’s mother’s house for the albums front cover, Let It Be captured something that was hard to define, it had something that until this point in 1984 other Replacements albums did not.

This Week's Play List:

1. Human Eye – Alligator Dance
2. Young Benjamins – Less Argue
3. Daniel Romano – He Lets Her Memory Go (Wild)
4. Talking Heads – Psycho Killer (1975 CBS Demo)
5. The Rapture – Caravan
6. Charles De Goal – Synchro
7. Sheep Look Up - Burning
8. Thrush Hermit – French Inhale
9. Syzslak – Turquoise
10. Cold Warps – Hole In My Head
11. The Vondells – Go Go Gone
12. The Vondells – 2 Tone Blue
13. The Zeros – Beat Your Heart Out
14. The Basements – I Don’t Want you No More
15. Raised By Weeds – Here’s A Story
16. The Replacements – I Will Dare
17. The Replacements - Favorite Thing
18. The Replacements – Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out
19. The Replacements – Unsatisfied
20. The D4 – Invader Ace
21. Ty Segall & Mikal Cronin – Reverse Shark Attack

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for May 28. Or subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.

The Doors Ray Manzarek (1939-2013) & Show # 457

 

Ray Manzarek best known as a musician in The Doors passed away on May 20th, 2013 due to complications with cancer at the age of 74. Ray played keyboards in The Doors and was also a founding member of the group. The Doors never had a bass player with the exception of some tracks on their studio albums, when playing live Ray would cover the bass and keyboard parts at the same time playing bass parts on a Fender Rhoades Piano as well as providing occasional back up vocals. Ray met Jim Morrison at UCLA Film school and then met up with him later on after graduating in a chance encounter at Venice Beach in California. The two decided to form a band after Manzarek heard Morrison’s lyrics to what was to become “Moonlight Drive”. They later recruited guitarist Robby Krieger and drummer John Densmore to form The Doors. Some of the bands early influences were very Garage Rock influenced most notably citing Van Morrison’s Them as an influence. The bands sound featured many characteristics of the Garage Rock genre from the 60s along with many elements of Psychedelic music. The Doors went on to release six full length albums before Jim Morrison’s death which was in 1971. The band continued as a trio before splitting up in 1973.

In addition to being a musician in The Doors, Ray played in another group called Nite City releasing two albums one in 1977, another in 1978. Ray was also a music producer, he produced the LA Punk band X’s first album entitled Los Angeles, he was also an author, film maker and solo artist. The Doors influence would become massive even inspiring The Stooges in their early days, they were initially known as The Psychedelic Stooges. Along with Jim Morrison and the other members of this band, The Doors would go on to become a highly influential and iconic band in Rock and Roll music history.

The following video is from a performance on The Smothers Brothers Show from 1968.



This Week's Play List:

1. The Orbits – My Rosa Lee
2. The Rumblers – Surf Rat
3. The New Dimensions – Bongo Shutdown
4. This Machine Kills Robots – The Seaward
5. The Driving Beats – Beach Girls
6. The Gories – On The Run
7. The Band – Helpless
8. Kurt Vile – Snowflakes Are Dancing
9. Big Surf – Stoker
10. Link Wray – Green Hornet
11. The Doors – Wild Child
12. Iggy & The Stooges – Job
13. The Obits – The City Is Dead
14. Decades – Tonight Again
15. Pluto – Thirsty
16. Active Dog – Rat Race
17. Bureaucrats – Feel The Pain
18. The Exploding Hearts – Modern Kicks
19. Thee Oh Sees – Devil Again
20. Mystics – Get Away (Demo)
21 Young Rival - T-Shirt And Shorts
22. Sex Pistols – Holidays In The Sun
23. The Clash – Overpowered By Funk

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for May 21. Or subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.

Wavves Afraid of Heights & Show # 456

Wavves started as a recording project by Nathan Williams in 2008. The band put out some early recordings and two full length albums (Wavves in 2008 and Wavvves in 2009) on Fat Possum Records, the band then gained recognition. In 2010, they released their third full length album, a well received album by critics in which the band brought in more of a 90s Rock influence, serving as a different sound album sonically than their first two full length albums which leaned to the Lo-Fi scuzzy realm of production. With 2013’s Afraid of Heights, Wavves now Nathan Williams with bassist Stephen Pope (formerly bassist with Jay Reatard) expand their sound once again sonically working with producer John Hill who has worked with artists such as Nas, Santogold, M.I.A, but don’t let that scare you away from this album it still sounds like a Wavves album.

Afraid of Heights still has reflections of the bands previous sounds and influences, while at the same time new elements have been added to the bands already established sound. The bands brand of slacker Stoner Rock themed songs are still evident here, but they also branch out into other lyrical subject matter such as cops, paranoia and insomnia. “Sail To The Sun” opens the album in a fashion similar to songs found on 2010’s King Of The Beach addressing the same slacker subject matter that they have been known for with lyrics such as “I’m gonna pick you up in my arms/Give you all of my love/Soon enough it flies by/First we gotta get high and sail to the sun”, while at the same time having characteristically darker lyrics “We’ll all die along/Just as we lived”. “Demons To Lean On” comes in next another song that along with “Sail To The Sun” was released prior to the album for fans to hear. This song has echoes of Nirvana circa 1991, while at the same time retaining something else, like all Wavves songs do that makes them sound influenced by the 90s and different at the same time. Some of the different directions Wavves takes on this album are best exemplified in songs such as the fuzzy Psychedelics of “Mystics”, the acoustic and bass heavy “Dog” “Everything’s My Fault” and “I Can’t Dream” which ends the album in a full circle fashion. On “I Can’t Dream” the song features Lo-Fi elements which the band first displayed on their first two full length albums, at the same time it shows their new sense of direction as the song picks up.

“That’s On Me” is an example of John Hill’s production expanding Wavves usual Lo-Fi sound with his production abilities. The album has several songs that lean more to the bands Punk influences this can be heard on songs such as “Paranoid”, “Cop” and “Beat Me Up”, while it also mixes in their Pop and Surf influences. There is a line in the song “Lunge Forward” that goes “None of you will ever understand me/None of you will ever understand/Lunge forward”, which exemplifies the bands intentions on this album, if you didn’t pick that up from the title. Williams doesn’t need to explain himself, he just needs to do his own thing. This album still has Williams self deprecating, caustic, dark and at times satirical lyrical depth, it ventures into new valleys in terms of production and musical experimentation. Afraid of Heights exemplifies Wavves attempt to take their Lo-Fi scuzzy, Surf, Grunge sounds to new heights beyond their humble Lo-Fi beginnings, even if that frightens some people.

This Week's Play List:

1. Guided By Voices – Crybaby 4 Star Hotel
2. The Flaming Lips – Butterfly, How Long It Takes To Die
3. The Thermals – Where I Stand
4. Mudhoney - I Don`t Remember You
5. Jay Sad – Home
6. The Highest Order – Sacred Team
7. Timbre Timbre – Demon Host
8. Mikal Cronin – Better Man
9. King Khan – Strange Way
10. Hank Davis – One Way
11. The Cramps – Domino
12. Actual Water – Dandelion Sun
13. Sam Coffey & The Iron Lungs – What Have I Become
14. Light Bulb Alley – Long Time Coming
15. The Vores – Forget That Guy
16. The Misfits – Return Of The Fly
17. Wavves – Sail To The Sun
18. Wavves – Paranoid
19. The Oblivians – I’ll Be Gone
20. Paul Jacobs – Kitchen Floor
21. The Black Lips – Cruising
22. The Vibrators – Judy Says (Knock You In The Head)
23. Devo - Come Back Jonee (Live Minneapolis, 1978)

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for May 14. Or subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.

White Stripes Elephant ... Ten Years Later & Show # 455

It is hard to believe that it has been ten years since Detroit’s The White Stripes released their fourth full length album Elephant. The year 2003 was a very different time, in the midst of the Garage Rock revival bands, The White Stripes had been making their brand of Garage Rock, blended with elements of Blues, Folk and Country since 1997, releasing several singles and three full length albums prior to this. The album played into the bands gimmick, two piece band donned in red, white and black colours, and the obssession with the number three. All of these things can be seen in the artwork for this album from the number three's on the back of the album to the front cover in which Jack and Meg site atop a trunk, making out an actual elephant shape. For Elephant, The White Stripes headed to London in the UK and recorded all but one track (“I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself”) at Toe-Rag Studios with Liam Watson in the engineering seat and Jack White in the producing seat.

Elephant was recorded in a two week period in April of 2002 to eight track tape, using vintage recording gear that pre-dated The Beatles, no computers were involved for this albums recording process. During the two week time The White Stripes would record what would be their major label debut on V2 and also an album that would change their status as a band forever. The album opens with the chart topping hit “Seven Nation Army”, a song that was reportedly written at a sound check and attacked with its bass-like, drum/guitar dynamic. What most people at the time didn’t know is while it sounds like bass in the verses it was actually a guitar run through an octave pedal, an effect that fooled many. The song is most notable for its simple structure has a title that dates back to White’s childhood. “Seven Nation Army” is what Jack thought the Salvation Army sign said as a kid. With lyrics such as “I’m gonna fight ‘em off/A seven nation army couldn’t hold me back” White starts off the album with a new sense of anger that was previously not as evident on 2001’s White Blood Cells, while at the same time referencing the difficulty the band had in the past and determination to persevere in the present.

Elephant also had songs referencing Whites early Punk influences “Black Math”, “Hypnotize”, “Girl, You Have No Faith In Medicine”, his Pop influences “I Want To Be The Boy To Warm Your Mother’s Heart”, “You’ve Got Her In Her Pocket” which along with “Well It’s True That We Love One Another” reflect Country/Folk influences, and there are also elements of Jack White’s Delta Blues influence that runs deep through out the album. Other stand out tracks include the other successful hit “The Hardest Button To Button” a driving Garage Drum/Guitar combination, utilizing the same guitar octave pedal effect as “Seven Nation Army” and is a song as Jack White has stated about “a child trying to find his place in a dysfunctional family when a new baby comes”. "Ball and Biscuit” is the closest that the band ever got to a “Bar Room Blues” track, clocking in at over seven minutes the song features heavy hitting drums by Meg White several distorted guitar solos and breakdowns. Lyrically the song tells a Folk-like tale of the seventh son, a common theme in American Folklore, and also referencing Jack White’s own history as he was the seventh son in his family. The title references the characters drug problem the “ball” being Cocaine and the “biscuit” being MDMA.

Of the Punk/Garage themed tracks “Girl, You Have No Faith In Medicine” could be best described by one of the songs lyrics “Give me a sugar pill and watch me just rattle down the street”, as the song rattles in a frantic Garage stupor. “Little Acorns” is a peculiar song that starts off with an introduction from Mort Crim a news anchor from Detroit news television. The song builds from the intro with piano to loads of feedback not unlike sounds heard on Nirvana’s In Utero. Lyrically the song tells how a girl figured out how to solve her own life problems by watching a squirrel storing acorns for the winter. By breaking her problems into small pieces she figures out that she can carry her problems in small pieces one at a time, just like little acorns.

Overall, Elephant built on many of the sounds The White Stripes had been creating, picking up from where 2001’s White Blood Cells left off. Lyrically the album is loosely based on as stated in the linear notes the “death of the American sweetheart”, musically the album proves Jack White’s song writing abilities are nothing to scoff at. Whether a delicate Pop song like “I Want To Be The Boy To Warm Your Mother’s Heart” or the 70s Garage Punk of “Black Math”, “Hypnotize” or the dynamic feedback frenzy of “Little Acorns” to the Country/Folk of “Well It’s True That We Love One Another”, Elephant carried its own weight. Prior to its release The White Stripes were talked about, but were always the elephant in the room so to speak that nobody addressed in any large scale means. Following Elephant’s release in April 2003, they were no longer the elephant in the room that no one was addressing, they overtook the room and became the only topic of conversation.

This Week's Play List:

1. The Nils – Tuesday High
2. The Smugglers – I Need A Vacation
3. DMZ – Baby Boom
4. Zona 84 – Estan Buscandrome
5. The Count Five – They’re Gonna Get You
6. The Stomach Mouths – Don’t Mess With My Mind
7. The Sonics – Wake Me, Shake Me
8. The Vibrants – Wildfire
9. The Golden Hands Before God – Oh No
10. The Scenics – Oh Boy
11. Brother Dan’s All Stars – Eastern Organ
12. Bob Marley & The Wailers – Midnight Ravers
13. Public Imaged Limited – Albatross
14. Gang of Four – Armalite Rifle
15. Sloan – Bully
16. Sloan – Gimme Sopor
17. The Damned – Melody Lee (BBC Session)
18. Young Rival – Time
19. Thee Oh Sees – Minotaur
20. White Stripes – Hypnotize
21. White Stripes – Little Acorns
22. White Stripes - Well It's True That We Love One Another

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for May 7. Or subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.

Indian Wars Interview & Show # 454

Indian Wars first released their If You Want Me EP in 2010 on Bachelor Records. The EP reflected a gritty Garage Rock influence drawing influences from bands such as Jacuzzi boys and Demon Claws, however there were underlying Roots Rock influences on tracks such as “Just Can’t Get Along With You” and “Carol Anne”. This Vancouver, BC band consists of brothers Dave and John McMartin, Dave on guitar and John drums, Brad Felotick on vocals/bass and Fraser With on guitar. Craig Pettman was added on keys/slide guitar during the recording process of the bands debut full length album Walk Around The Park.

Released in April 2011 Walk Around The Park brought in an interesting array of influences such as The Band, George Jones and Dead Ghosts (another Vancouver Garage Punk band). The combination proved for a an interesting blend of Garage Rock and Country with tracks such as “Old Hotel”, “20,000 Cans”, “Bullfrog”, “Won’t Do A Thing”, their influences are diverse and at times hybridic. Lyrically and musically the album conjures up images and stories that are reminiscent of songs once heard by artists such as Johnny Cash and Neil Young, with a dash of Garage Rock and Punk mentality for good measure. This album further developed Indian Wars Folk-like story telling abilities in their songs which are told vividly amongst their brand of Roots Rock and Garage musical arrangements.

Following a tour in which the band supported their 2011 release Walk Around The Park, Indian Wars convened in the late night hours in The Hive studio in Burnaby, BC to record a ten track follow up. The album was recorded in a live setting with very few overdubs to capture the band in their element, the result is the album entitled Song From The North. On this release the band once again flexes their Country, Folk, Garage/Punk sounds, you can hear the bands deep American Roots influence in the grooves of each track on Songs From The North. You can hear the influence of Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Lynyrd Skynyrd, CCR among the other sounds they bring to the table, as a whole Songs From The North has several interesting moments for even the casual listener. The album starts off with “There And Back Again” a quick countrified Garage track complete with harmonica and Brad Felotick’s rich vocal style. The song also features reflective Folk-like lyrics such as “Watch the leaves fall from the trees/Dance around to the wind/Rolling round and around/There and back again” which brings up images reminiscent of ones that made us love Indian Wars so much on Walk Around The Park, “Mississippi” is a haunting song, “Denny” attacks listeners with its Garage/Punk rhythms as we learn the cautionary tale of a burnout. Other stand out tracks include “Windshield Wiper Blues”, “Wastin’ Time” and “Who Needs A Girl Like You” which reflects a Bob Dylan circa 1965 sound.

There is a line in the second song on Songs From The North “Sweetheart of the North”, “Sweetheart these songs about the South are sung for you/They are sung from a Northerner's point of view/It's so hard to see beyond this old garage”. On this album Indian Wars show that they are more than capable of seeing beyond the old garage that dons the albums back cover. The wooden duck decoy on the albums front cover proves to be rather fitting to Indian Wars. While duck decoys are still being made, they are now made from plastic and no longer crafted and carved from wood as they were for centuries. Indian Wars music still harnesses the vintage and unique sounds of the musical influences that the band draws from, they do not align themselves with the mainstream mould of the plastic duck decoy bands of today found in the mainstream. As we move further into the digital age, Indian Wars prove that music crafted from real musicians playing together is still the best form of Rock and Roll music.

Listen to the interview I did on today's program with Dave McMartin of the band Indian Wars here:



The Play List:

1. The Migs – Fuzzy Sun
2. Allah Las – Catamaran
3. Dead Ghosts – Roky Said
4. High Drops – Street Girl
5. Generation X – Valley of the Dolls
6. The Modernettes – Confidential
7. Indian Wars - There And Back Again

DAVE McMARTIN (OF INDIAN WARS) INTERVIEW

8. Indian Wars – Mississippi
9. Indian Wars – Denny
10. Painted Ship – Little White Lies
11. The Bell Peppers – Hokey Cokey
12. The Teardrops - Meet The Teardrops
13. The Plot To Blow Up The Eiffel Tower - Saviours & Suckers
14. The Pointed Sticks - New Ways
15. Pink Mountaintops - Can You Do That Dance?
16. The Velvet Underground – Guess I’m Falling In Love (Instrumental)
17. The Velvet Underground – I’m Set Free
18. Tiki Tones – Sneaky Tiki
19. Link Wray – Hang On
20. Ty Segall & Mikal Cronin – Drop Dead Baby

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for April 30. Or subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.

Thee Oh Sees Floating Coffin & Show # 453

San Francisco’s Thee Oh Sees released what is considered their seven full length album, Floating Coffin on April 16th, 2013. Thee Oh Sees have a very prolific past stemming from front man John Dwyer, some reviews stating Floating Coffin is the bands twelfth studio output when including the rare and early releases in the bands history. Since about 2008 to the present Thee Oh Sees have been bringing their prolific brand of Punk, Psychedelic and Garage sounds to us releasing at least one album a year since then. Prior to that the band had roots in Folk and other related sub genres. For this release the band adopts a heavier sound, while lyrically the band seems to venture into the darker land of fantasy, with song titles such as “I Come From The Mountain”, Minotaur”, and “Maze Fancier” it’s not hard to see that development.

Floating Coffin starts off with the song “I Come From The Mountain”, a song that attacks with the jangly Garage rhythms, stop and start riffs and falsetto vocal duality from John Dwyer and Brigid Dawson. With lyrics like “I come from the mountain/I return again” Dwyer starts off the album with a duality lyrically and musically, one relating to the picture that he paints with this album and two with the return of another album by Thee Oh Sees that’s just as strong, if not stronger than their previous releases. “Toe Cutter – Thumb Buster” follows as the second track, with its sludgy, fuzzy goodness, it hits with a new kind of heaviness, something this album explores. The title track “Floating Coffin” is a raving, super fast episode sounding like a new kind of madness, before the echo and reverb filled guitar/keys come in.

“No Spell” exemplifies more space and dynamics, giving the album a good variety and change of pace after the first three tracks, “Maze Fancier” has dual guitar parts not unlike some elements of early Thin Lizzy while the bass and drums throb with scratchy Garage rhythms. “Tunnel Time” has catchy choruses, fuzzed out Garage guitars and elements of sounds found on 2011’s Carrion Crawler/The Dream release, while the last track on the album “Minotaur” ends the album on a different note. “Minotaur” is a sombre Psychedelic song with rich cello parts and Pop elements, however the song comes off in a delicate gritty fashion. With lyrics like “Men get sick at their work/Each and everyday/There ain’t no cure but to stay/ Stay home today/Go to the beach instead”, the song hits home with something many people can relate to, but also reminds us of some of the bands earlier work in some respects.

With Floating Coffin the band may have gotten heavier musically, but they also show off a dynamism which lyrically can bring us back to elements of the bands earlier Folk based work. Musically the album mixes in elements of Carrion Crawler/The Dream even drawing some comparisons to sounds on 2008's The Master's Bedroom Is Worth Spending A Night In. It also adds more of a jam element extending the songs and bringing more Psychedelic and Pop elements. With so many releases coming out, it would be easy for someone to say that this album sounds just like the others that Thee Oh Sees have been releasing, it is similar in some respects, but it also shows a new development in the bands dynamic. The band builds on their already established sounds while still sounding fresh. The title of the album may be Floating Coffin, but with this release Thee Oh Sees show that the end for this prolific band is not near, it’s not even close.

This Week's Play List:

1. Pow Wows – First World Rag
2. The Auras – Top Notch Surfer Girl
3. Deep Space Cowboys – Dreaming In Space
4. The Vaselines – Roaster
5. Hooded Fang - Ode To Subterrania
6. Ramones - Judy Is A Punk
7. Ramones - Chainsaw
8. The Strokes – Welcome To Japan
9. Fire Engines – Discord
10. The Smiths – Rusholine Ruffians (John Peel Session August 1984)
11. Jay Sad – Good Health
12. Fruit Tones – Coconut Shy
13. Pink Teens – Flying Colors All The Way
14. The Cinch – Get Up & Get Out
15. Teenage Head with Marky Ramone – Full Time Fool
16. Forgotten Rebels – It Won’t Be Long
17. Subway Sect – Don’t Split It (John Peel Session 1977)
18. The Prefects – Escort Girls
19. The Troggs – Your Love
20. Black Angels – War On Holiday
21. Young Rival – Black Popcorn
22. Thee Oh Sees – I Come From The Mountain
23. Thee Oh Sees – Tunnel Time

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for April 23. Or subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.