Get Modern ... Show # 160

Forming in 1980, The Modernettes were a Canadian punk band from Vancouver. The band were a three piece, John "Buck Cherry" Armstrong was on guitar/vocals, Mary Jo Kopechne covered bass/vocals, and John "Jughead" McAdams played drums and sang as well. The band has been described commonly by critics as a mix between The Velvets and Ramones. The band had a sound that was a mix of pop and punk way before the days of modern pop-punk bands such as Sum 41; the band also was influenced by other bands, like The Who. The band was not like other Canadian punk acts like D.O.A. or The Subhumans, they were different.

The band did not last that long, but they were part of the emerging Vancouver club scene at the time playing at Vancouver's answer to CBGB's, the Budda nightclub. The band only had one full length album, but released a bunch of EP's. In 1980, Strictly Confidential was released on the Quintessence label. Also the EP titled Teen City was released in 1980. The EP featured six songs and is regarded as one of the if not the best releases from the band. It contained the track for which the band is commonly known for "Barbra", a song that sounds influenced by Ramones, but also a pop song in a different way. Other great tracks include "Suicide Club", "Celebrity Crackup", and "Teen City". 

In 1981, the bands only full length album (or LP) was released, it was called Gone But Not Forgiven. After this release, the band had one more EP titled View From The Bottom in 1982, The band then disbanded. In 1994 The Modernettes reformed and recently in 2007. In 2005 Sudden Death Records released Get It Straight. The release is a collection of various songs from the bands various releases as well as some live and unreleased material. Armstrong would go on to play with other bands and even write a book titled Guilty of Everything, about his time with The Modernettes. The Modernettes were a Canadian pop and punk band before it became known as a genre, and were an interesting Canadian band.

Here's the play list:

1. Them – I can only give you everything
2. Count Five – double decker bus
3. Ugly Ducklings – just in case you wonder
4. Standells – mr. nobody
5. Electric Prunes – get me to the world on time (live)
6. Modernettes – barbra
7. Modernettes - get modern (live)
8. Spys – underground
9. Saints – demolition girl
10. The Dogs – john rock and roll Sinclair
11. MC5 – call me animal
12. The Stooges – tv eye
13. Brian James – why why why
14. The Users – kicks in style
15. 222 – first studio bomb
16. Teenage Head – little boxes
17. Demics – the least you could do
18. Scavengers – true love
19. Rezillos – I can’t stand my baby
21. Young Marble Giants - clicktalk
22. Generation X – from the heart
23. The Clash – listen
24. Sex Pistols – emi (outtake)
25. Undertones – wrong way
26. Buzzcocks – fiction romance

Videos:

The Modernettes - Barbra
The Modernettes - 509
The Dogs - John Rock and Roll Sinclair

A Different Age...Show # 159

Coming out of Liverpool in England, The Dead 60s started out as Resthome, then Pinhole. As Pinhole the band recorded some songs, opened for Green Day in 2002 and even recorded a BBC session with John Peel. The name change occurred in 2003, with the band also changing direction a bit. The band would add more reggae, dub, and ska into their music as well as punk. The band sounds influenced by bands such as The Clash, Gang of Four, The Specials, King Tubby, and Lee "Scratch" Perry. The band consists of Matt McManamon (guitar/vocals), Ben Gordon (guitar), Charlie Turner (bass/vocals), and Bryan Johnson on drums. The band signed to Deltasonic records in 2004, "You're Not the Law" was released as a single, the song featured organ, heavy reggae/dub influenced bass and catchy lyrics; The song sounded influenced by British ska legends, The Specials. "Riot Radio" followed as a single. The song is a energetic ska, punk flavored track with phaser guitar sounding like a mix of Gang of Four and Ska; It reached # 30 on the UK charts.

Both Versions of Dead 60s first album.

The actual Dead 60s album was released in 2005, but it was released in different versions. In the UK, the red album version was released featuring a different track listing than the US version which is known as the yellow album version. The difference between the two albums is the European/UK version of the album featured the songs "Ghostfaced Killer" and "Soul Survivor", as opposed the the US version which featured "New Town Disaster" and "Just Another Love Song" instead. A limited edition of the red album was released with a bonus disc featuring dub remixes. Also the version of "Riot Radio" was re-recorded for this album. The album was recorded in Liverpool, and produced by a group of producers called Central Nervous System. The album was released on Epic Records in the USA, Sony/BMG in Japan, and Deltasonic in the UK. "A Different Age" was a punk influenced rocker, "Control This", "Loaded Gun", and "Horizontal" are also rock tracks. "Train To Nowhere" is a slow reggae influenced track, while "We Get Low" and "Red Light" offer reggae and ska variety; Also the song "Ghostfaced Killer" is a fast ska track sounding heavily influenced by one of The Specials faster songs. The album overall was a punk, new wave, dub, ska, and reggae album drawing in influences from various the spectrum's of theses genres, sounding original and unique at the same time.

"Stand Up" is the first single from their second album titled Time To Take Sides. This time the band travelled to New York City where they worked with producer David Kahne, who has worked with acts such as The Strokes, 311, and New Order. The album is set to be released in September of 2007, it features eleven tracks (and two bonus tracks if you order the import version). The majority of the songs for this album were worked out live while on tour, the result is something different than the bands first self titled release. The songs have more melody, and more new wave sounding influence than punk or dub. "Stand Up" the first single, is a mellow and energetic song with short stabbing guitar parts in the catchy chorus. "Start a War" is a song with a Motown sounding bassline with ska and David Bowie sounding guitar, while the chorus has new wave sounding guitar as well. "All Over By Midnight" is an energetic fast paced rock song with ska influence, dirty guitar riffs, and a climbing bassline as the lyrics "It's All Over By Midnight" ring through your head. "Liar" is a song that sounds influenced by the bands new wave and punk favourites. "Seven Early Days" shows the band returning to their dub and reggae influences. Other interesting tracks include "Desert Sun", "Dull Town", and "Beat Generation". Time To Take Sides shows more promise for the band, who shows that they are not a one album band. As of February of 2008, the band split up and are no longer together. You can visit their website at http://www.dead60s.com/

Also this week I played Young Rival, who are a Canadian band from Hamilton, Ontario. The band used to be called Ride Theory (who I also played), and they are currently working on a new album. To hear some of their new material and for more info visit Young Rival's website.

Here's the play list:

1. Offspring – smash it up
2. Arctic Monkeys – old yellow bricks
3. Hater – tot finder
4. Love Me Nots – cry
5. Bob Dylan – tombstone blues
6. 101ers – sweet revenge
7. Ride Theory – got me on the run
8. Young Rival – 415 (demo)
9. Subways – somewhere
10. Empire Dogs – the dogs
11. Fiction Plane – death machine
12. Radiohead – pop is dead
13. Action Makes – get the joke
14. Marble Index – missing file
15. The Midways – a lot like me
16. The Locusts Have No King - goodman on a strange horse
17. The Whammies(redux) – double whammy
18. Johnny Thunders – pipeline
19. Mach Kung-Fu – Singapore ’66
20. Caesars – we got to leave
21. Pearl Jam – anything in between
22. The D4 – outta blues
23. Compulsive Gamblers – stop & think it over
24. Dead 60s – start a war
25. Dead 60s – all over by midnight

Videos:

Stand Up
Riot Radio (Version 1)
Riot Radio (Version 2)
You're Not The Law
Ghostfaced Killer
Ghostfaced Killer (Remix with members of Madness)
Loaded Gun
The Last Resort

Don't Care...Show # 158

Klark Kent formed in 1978. Claiming to to have been a computer programmer who sued IBM for stealing an invention he created, Klark Kent was actually the alter ego of Stewart Copeland. Coming from the band The Police, Drummer Stewart Copeland wanted to record some of his own songs in which Sting, from The Police rejected. Copeland is credited for playing all the instruments and singing on Klark Kent's debut album, Music Madness From the Kinetic Kid (the album contains eight songs so it could also be classified as an EP), but it sounds like members of The Police actually play on it at times. Klark Kent released a few singles starting in 1978, with "Don't Care". The song was a quirky, eccentric new wave number containing similarly odd lyrics. "Too Kool to Kalypso" was the second single released the same year. The song was a song that sounded as if it came from the Police album Regetta De Blanc, which wouldn't come out until 1979. The song featured Copeland's loud, energetic drumming along with kazoo parts in the song.

Music Madness from the Kinetic Kid (also known as Klark Kent, or Klerk Kant), was released in 1980, the albums first single was "Away from Home" backed by the song "Office Talk". "Ritch in a Ditch" came as the next single, backed by the song "Grandelinquent", which was an instrumental. The song "Ritch in a Ditch" was released without the "T" in the word "Rich". The album overall was a new wave album of songs that sounded like Police song outtakes (like the songs written by Copeland such as "On Any Other Day", and earlier Police songs that he also wrote), the album also featured two instrumentals "Grandelinquent", and "Theme For Kinetic Ritual". After Klark Kent's identity was found out, Copeland stopped his odd little side project and returned to his band The Police.

In 1995, Klark Kent returned with Kollected Works. The album (released on CD) was a collection of Klark Kent's material from Music Madness From the Kinetic Kid, as well as some early singles, b-sides, and outtakes. Klark Kent's albums are now out of print (I don't believe that Music Madness From the Kinetic Kid was ever released on CD). After The Police fell out in the late 80s, Copeland would continue to work on side projects with other musicians, do soundtracks (for movies and video games), and in 2006 he released Everyone Stares: The Police Inside Out, a documentary he filmed during one of The Police's tours. Currently Copeland is touring with The Police on their 30th anniversary reunion tour; An anthology featuring a collection of Copeland's work is also out titled, The Stewart Copeland Anthology, it features one Klark Kent song and a bunch of solo Copeland material.

Play List:

1. Gang of Four – to hell with poverty
2. Glaxo Babies – Christine keeler
3. Roxy Music – street life
4. Elvis Costello – less than zero
5. Iggy Pop – dum dum boys
6. Blondie – Detroit 442
7. The Cinch – once a week
8. Young Canadians – this is your life
9. Evaporators – el degas
10. Vindicators – hate
11. Chessmen – l’adventure
12. Professionals – the magnificent
13. Public Image Limited – poptones
14. Talking Heads – electric guitar
15. Ultravox – all stood still
16. Wire – fragile
17. Klark Kent – don’t care
18. Klark Kent – too kool to kalypso
19. The Diodes – behind those eyes
20. Pointed Sticks – its ok
21. The Stranglers – tank
22. Magazine – model worker
23. The Hives – tick tick boom
24. Joe Strummer – it’s a rockin’ world

Krazy Videos:

Don't Care (TOTP)
Away From Home Video

Ghost Town...Show # 157

The Specials formed in 1977, in Coventry, England. Before they got to the name The Specials, the band went by other names first The Automatics, The Coventry Automatics, then Special AKA. The band consisted of Jerry Dammers (keyboards/vocals), Lynval Golding (gutar/vocals), Roddy Radiation (lead guitar), Sir Horrace Gentleman (bass), John Bradbury (drums), and Terry Hall on vocals as well. After being seen by Joe Strummer of The Clash, they were offered an opening position on the bands On Parole UK Tour. Opening for The Clash generated interest in the band, which in turn generated interest in the band from major record labels. Instead of signing to a major label, Dammers would start his own record label known as 2-Tone. The labels design would be black and white checks, the band would adopt a unique fashion sense, one of the 60s rude boys, which featured Mohair/2-tone suits, hats, and loafers. It wouldn't be long before fans would be dressing the same way. 

In 1979, the band released their first single on their label "Gangsters". The ska paced single would become a top ten hit. In 1979, the band would also release its first self tilted album, Specials. The 14 track album was produced by Elvis Costello, and it featured a variety of covers. "A Message To You Rudy" (Daddy Livingstone), "Monkey Man" (Toots and Maytals), and "Too Hot" (Prince Buster). The album was a ska revivalist album which featured British ska mixed with Jamacian Ska from the 60s, with the energy of punk. It started a Ska movement (other bands included in this were Madness, The Beat, and The Selector). The album would also blend in political ideas surrounding Britain at the time, most notably the track "Concrete Jungle" (borrowed from a line in a Bob Marley song), which described the violence in the cities of a Margret Thatcher run Britain. "Nite Klub" was a song obviously about the club scene in Britain, "Too Much Too Young" about teen marriage and pregnancy (also it was a #1 hit on the UK Charts), and "It Doesn't Make It Alright" an anti-racism song. The album is a ska classic.

The band would then tour, but also release a live EP called Too Much Too Young. More Specials came in 1980. This album would draw in more influences such as, New Wave, and Lounge. The actual album would reach # 5 on the UK Charts. The album would have guest appearances (Ronda Dakar, The Go-Gos, Lee Jay Thompson from Madness). "Enjoy Yourself" starts the album, it is a cover of a song from the 40s (it is a ska song with western sounding piano). "Man at C & A" is a reggae song slower featuring saxophone, building organs and horn sections. "Hey, Little Rich Girl" is a ska flavoured song featuring Lee Jay Thompson from Madness on Saxophone. Other greats include "Do Nothing" (a more pop influence track), "Pearl's Cafe" (a song featuring beach sounding keyboards), and "Stereotype" (an odd mix of ska and western cowboy sounding influence). While the group did bring in new influences on More Specials, the album proves to be just as vital as Specials.

In 1981 the band released the single "Ghost Town" a song about unemployment rates in Britain and race related violence. The song did so well it went to number one on the UK charts and stayed there for three straight weeks. After its release Neville Staple (the then drummer), Terry Hall (vocalist), and Lyvnal Golding (guitar) left the group to form Fun Boy Three. This would not stop Dammers from making music, he would add Stan Campbell (vocals) to the band and change the name of the band back to Special AKA. In 1984, In Studio would be released. The album would have some hits "Free Nelson Mandela" and "Racist Friend". The album was deeply political, after the final single was released "What I Like Most About You is Your Girlfriend", the group disbanded; Dammers would go on to pursue political causes.

Remaining members of Specials would go on to tour with The Beat to form The Special Beat a touring band, that formed in the early nineties. The Specials would also return in the late 90s to release three albums (minus Jerry Dammers). In 1996 Today's Specials was released, in 1998 Guilty Till Proven Innocent!, and in 2002 Conquering Ruler. The Song "Ghost Town" has been featured in some films, in Snatch (2000) and Shaun of the Dead (2004). Both films featured the song as some sort of introduction to either characters or the film. The Specials were a ska revivalist band that brought in the energy of 70s punk, they would later bring in more influences such as lounge, and new wave. The band still stands up as a great band (one of the best British Ska bands to come out of Britain) and their influence can be seen all over.

Play list:

1. The Saints – river deep mountain high
2. Radio Birdman – I-94
3. Teenage Head – you’re tearin' me apart
4. Gruesomes – what’s your problem?
5. Modernettes – I can only give you everything (live)
6. Standbys – withdrawn
7. Victims – disco junkies
8. Lurkers – I don’t need to tell her
9. Coventry Automatics – jay walker
10. The Specials – Friday night, Saturday morning
11. The Specials – international jet set
12. Madness – night boat to Cairo
13. The Beat – drowning
14. Toasters – night train to Moscow
15. Ugly Ducklings – gaslight
16. King Beez – Gloria
17. Bureaucrats – grown up age
18. Piranhas – green don’t suit me
19. Only Ones – city of fun
20. The Cure – I want to be old
21. The Damned – I fall
22. Ramones – swallow my pride
23. Ramones - gimme gimme shock treatment
24. The Clash – gates of the west
25. The Stooges – little doll

Videos:

A Message To You Rudy (OGWT 1979)
Gangsters Video
Ghost Town Video
Nite Klub (Live on Dance Craze 1980)
Friday Night, Saturday Morning Video
Monkey Man/Blank Expression (Live)

Whatsever...Show # 156

Hater formed in the early nineties. It started out as a side project by Soundgarden bassist Ben Shepherd, and Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron. In this band, Shepherd would play guitar and write the majority of the material, Cameron would play drums, Alan Davis would play bass, and John McBain (Monster Magnet) would play guitar as well. The Band also had Brian Wood (brother of Mother Love Bone singer Andrew wood) on vocal duties as well, but Shepherd would sing as well as Cameron on one track on the bands first album.

Hater was released in 1993. The album would contain ten tracks which sounded like a blend of 60's garage and psychedelic Rock as well as the band The Stooges. "Mona Bone Jakon" the song that starts the album is a cover of a Cat Stevens song. "Circles", and "Down Undershoe" prove to be original Shepherd compositions that would come through in his other band Soundgarden, on the songs he contributed to the group. Other interesting tracks include "Tot Finder", "Lion and Lamb",and "Sad McBain". Many thought that this would be the only release by the band, but it was not. Hater also would have one song on the compilation, Hempilation in 1995. They would contributed a song written by Shepherd titled "Convicted", a 70 second song.

Two years later in 1995 when Soundgarden was on a break, Shepherd along with Cameron would record what would become demos for Haters follow up album. The album which was mostly comprised of demos would not see release for some time due to the fact that Shepherd was not happy with the way it sounded. It would take until 2005, ten years later until the album saw official release; The album would be called The 2nd. Also, from these sessions during Soundgarden's down time, songs for the bands final release Down on the Upside would be reworked. "Dusty" and "An Unkind" songs on Down on the Upside were recorded during these sessions, but are not included on the release. The 2nd is an album that stands up to Hater's first self-titled release. The same 60's garagey and Stooge-ish sounds are here, it is not a clone of the first album. Songs such as "Zombie Hand" a jagged jam, and "Wish On" are great tracks. The album is an interesting listen, as is the first from the band. The band has played various live shows in 2005 Shepherd toured with Hater, but with different band members.

Cameron and Shepherd along with McBain formed the band Wellwater Conspiracy as well around the same time as Hater. The band has a similar 60s rock and psychedelic sound as Hater did. The band has released four albums (Shepherd was in the band from 1993-1997, it then became Cameron and McBain's side project). Matt Cameron currently plays drums with Pearl Jam, he has been a member since 1999. Ben Shepherd was said to be in a new band Unkmongoni in 2005, but no one has heard anything since then about the band, and most likely will hear no more. For more info on Ben Shepherd visit his unofficial homepage.

Play List:

1. The Strokes – meet me in the bathroom
2. The Boys – turning grey
3. White Stripes – stop breaking down
4. Hater – circles
5. Hater – wish on
6. Soundgarden – kickstand
7. Mudhoney – baby can you dig the light
8. Black Sabbath - lord of this world
9. Tricky Woo – wholesale
10. Smugglers – bad guys
11. Cities in Dust – emergency
12. Young Knives – here comes the rumour mill
13. The Rapture – pieces of the people that we love
14. Arctic Monkeys – plastic tramp
15. XTC – making plans for Nigel
16. Sex Pistols – seventeen (outtake)
17. The D4 – john rock
18. Ride Theory – I’m on board
19. Marble Index – we always complain
20. The Jam – town called malice
21. Dead 60s – stand up
22. Sloan – blackout
23. Sloan – people think they know me
24. The Hives - The Hives - introduce the metric system in time
25. Exploding Hearts – black & blue (alt mix)
26. Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros – get down Moses

Videos:
Circles + Interview (2005)
Otis & Mike (Live 2005)

True Confessions...The Undertones Story & Show # 155

Undertones formed in Derry (in Northern Ireland) in 1975. The bands influence would come from bands such as Ramones, The Stooges, MC5, Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers, and the like. Influence would also come from 60s Garage Rock bands. The band would have five members, John and Damian O'Neil (both guitarists), Michael Bradley (bass), Billy Doherty (drums), and Feargal Sharkey (vocals). The band would play at clubs in Derry blasting out their form of punk and pop, usually at a place called The Casbah. Upon hearing their demo tape in 1976, Terry Hooley (a record shop owner) signed the band to Good Vibrations Records, which was his label. Teenage Kicks EP would come out in 1978, and it would contain four tracks, "Teenage Kicks", "Smarter Than You", "True Confessions", and "Emergency Cases".

"Teenage Kicks" the song was a fast, loud energetic song that starts off with Billy Doherty hitting the drums three times, then the buzzing guitars coming in. The song was also unique due to Feargal Sharkey's singing style, which was very high. Upon hearing this track John Peel a DJ for BBC radio immediately declared how much he liked the song, saying it was his all time favourite and even playing it twice in a row on his program. This publicity caused the band to get a record deal with Sire Records. Undertones, would come out in 1979. The album would be an excellent debut for the Derry band, it would originally feature 16 tracks, all simple, loud, and full of Rock and Roll energy. "I Gotta Getta", "Get Over You","Jimmy Jimmy", and "Listening In" all are perfect examples of the bands unique blend of Pop and Punk that sounds like a mix between Ramones, The Clash, and Buzzcocks. The band would then support the Clash on their American tour in 1979.

1980, saw the release of Hypnotised. The album would be similar to their debut, but it would also expand on their previous sound. The first song "More Songs About Chocolate and Girls" was a song taking a hit at the band Talking Heads (they had an album called More Songs About Building and Food). Still the album contains many great moments as did the bands debut. "There Goes Norman" features climbing guitar riffs from the O'Neil brothers, "Hypnotised" is a fast paced song with angry, impatient filled lyrics from Sharkey, and "My Perfect Cousin" (a single from the album) was a sarcastic clever song. "Wednesday Week" was a mellow acoustic song sounding influenced by 60s pop, and was also the second single from Hypnotised. It went to # 11 on the UK Charts ("My Perfect Cousin" went to # 9). The band would then go to EMI Records.

In 1981 the bands third album, Positive Touch was released. This album went in a different direction, the album would feature horn sections, and piano. "Julie Ocean" is a good example of their new direction. Some of the bands old pop and punk mix cracks through on songs such as "It's Going to Happen" (which also features a horn section and is about situations in Derry), "Positive Touch" is a definite song that sounds close to the bands earlier sound, but the band was drawing in different influences at this point such as soul music. Sin of Pride would be the bands final release with its original line up. Coming out in 1983, Sin of Pride was more of a change that Positive Touch. The album experimented with 60's psychedelic music, soul, and Motown. The album would feature two cover songs "Got To Have You Back" (Leon Ware) and "Save Me" (Smokey Robinson). The bands change and experimentation was evident on tracks such as "Conscious", "Untouchable", "Love Parade", and "The Sin of Pride". The band would split up in 1983 after touring for a bit due to disagreements about the musical direction of the band.

After the split the band went their separate ways. Feargal Sharkey went on to pursue a solo career. His career was brief. He would realease two solo albums and have a number one single with the song "A Good Heart". The O'Neil brothers would go on to form the politically charged band The Petrol Emotion, that would last until 1994. In 1989 a collection of Undertones BBC sessions were compiled onto a CD titled Listening In. The bands albums would also be re-released and remastered in CD form in the early 2000's, all containing bonus tracks. The band would attempt to reunite with Sharkey in 1999, but he did not want any part in a reunion. The band got Paul McLoone to take over on vocals and even recorded a new Undertones album titled Get What You Need in 2003. In 2001, a documentary titled Teenage Kicks was also released pertaining to the bands history. The band released Dig Yourself Deep in October of 2007. The album, which failed to chart featured fourteen tracks including the song, "Here Comes the Rain" which they have been playing live since 2005. In September of 2008, Undertones released an Anthology featuring one disc of studio tracks, and one disc of unreleased material. More information about the anthology can be found here.

For more information about the band visit their official website or undertones.net.

Play List:

1. The Nerves – hanging on the telephone
2. Sex Pistols – new york
3. The Jam – a bomb in wardour street
4. Count Five – psychotic reaction
5. Standells – riot on sunset strip
6. Velvet Underground – head held high (alt mix)
7. Ugly Ducklings – hey mama
8. Demics – the grey and the black
9. 49th Parallel - citizen freak
10. The Stooges – loose
11. Neon Boys – love comes in spurts
12. Fun Things – when the birdmen fly
13. Cosmetics – guilt
14. K-Tels – where are you?
15. Gruesomes – ain’t got nothing
16. Spys – machine shop
17. Sturgeons – forward disorder
18. Buzzcocks – friends of mine
19. The Saints – one way street
20. Johnny Thunders – dead or alive
21. Undertones – jimmy jimmy
22. Undertones – I told you so
23. Undertones – it’s going to happen
24. Ramones – chainsaw
25. The Damned – sick of being sick
26. The Furies - what do you want
27. Dishrags - I don't love you
28. Ian Dury - sex & drugs & rock & roll
29. Television - untitled instrumental
30. Ramones - now I wanna sniff some glue

Undervideos:

Here Comes the Summer (TOTP 1979)
Jimmy Jimmy (OGWT 1979)
True Confessions (OGWT 1979)
My Perfect Cousin (Live Something Else Show 1980)
There Goes Norman (Live Something Else Show 1980)
The Recording of Teenage Kicks
Teenage Kicks Promo Music Video
It's Going To Happen Promo Music Video

Can't Stand Losing You: The Police Story...Show # 154

The Police started out in 1977 in London, England. The band consisted of three members originally, Sting (real name Gordon Sumner on bass), Stewart Copeland (drums), and Henri Pandovani (guitar). After playing around London for a while, the band would get another guitarist in the place of Henri, Andy Summers. Just before their formation Sting was playing with a jazz band called Last Exit (he was also a teacher), Stewart Copeland was in a prog rock band Curved Air, Summers was a veteran rock guitarist. It is also important to mention that Copeland was from America, as opposed to Sting, and Summer who were from the UK. The band would form with an interest in becoming a punk band (as the punk scene was exploding in the UK, and in parts of the USA), but would go beyond punk and bring in different styles to their music such as, reggae, jazz, and would be known as not only a new wave band, but also as one of the biggest band of the eighties.

In May of 1977, the bands first single was released. The single for Fallout, did not do well chart wise at first. It would also contain two heavily punk influenced tracks "Fallout", and "Nothing Achieving". The band would then receive a recording contract with A&M Records. The reason for the contract would be due to the fact that Stewart Copeland's brother, Miles heard the song "Roxanne" and realized its potential, it helped the band get the contract. The single for "Roxanne" would be released in 1978 and would not chart (that would change when it was re-released in 1979). The song itself was Reggae pop song about a prostitute in a red light district (hence the lyrics "You don't have to put on the red light"), it would also be on their first album also recorded/released in 1978 Outlandos D'Amour. Outlandos D'Amour did poor at first, but would climb slowly when the band did a US tour. It would eventually climb to # 6 in the UK and # 23 in the USA. "Next to You" started the album. The song itself was a fast punk influenced song, Copeland and Summers wanted to song to differ lyrically (it was a love song written by Sting), but it remained the way sting wanted it. "So Lonely" was another song with reggae influence (Sting has said that he took influence for the way the vocals were sung from the Bob Marley song "No Woman, No Cry"), it was about loneliness. "Can't Stand Losing You" was another love song, that took a reggae influence, the single was banned due to its cover art, which featured Stewart Copeland on a block of ice with a noose around his neck, waiting for the ice to melt (an alternate cover was also created). "Peanuts" was written by both Sting and drummer Stewart Copeland, It is a fast rock song. The album finishes off with the instrumental track "Masoko Tanga". Outlandos D'Amour was a mix of punk and reggae tracks. The albums title would come from manager Miles Copeland meaning outlaws of love.

In 1979 Regatta De Blanc would be released (the title meaning white reggae). The album would contain the bands first number one hit song, "Message in a Bottle". The song was a flowing rock song with a stop and start reggae bassline, and heavier rock guitars as the chorus builds up to slow down again. The next single "Walking on the Moon" would also become a # 1 single, it was a reggae rock style track. The album also contained some Stewart Copeland compositions. "On Any other Day" was a fast rock song sung by Copeland about a comedic take on middle age troubles, "Does Everyone Stare" features both Copeland and Sting singing, it is a building rock song, and "Contact" was another punk influenced track composed by Copeland. Sting and Copeland also wrote the song "It's Alright For You" another rock song, that features Andy Summers watery sound guitar effects (as does most of his work on this album and with the band). All three band members are credited on the songs "Reggate De Blanc" (an instrumental track featuring chants from Sting), and "Deathwish". The album would show a change in sound from the band, while they were still influenced by both punk and reggae, the sound of the album was less gritty and more shiny or polished. The album also drew in some jazz influences (evident on the track "Bring on the Night").

Zenyatta Mondatta would come next in 1980. It was recorded fairly quickly (four weeks) and was written while the band was on tour supporting Regatta De Blanc. The album itself would be a new wave classic, the album would bring in more influences. "Don't Stand So Close to Me" was a song written by Sting about a teachers interest in a student. "Driven to Tears" was another new wave rock song with Summers trademark watery guitar sound and politically fuelled lyrics about poverty. "When the world is running down you make the best of whats still around" is another new wave rock track. "Canary in a Coalmine" and "Man in a Suitcase" were ska and Caribbean influenced tracks. Copeland also had two more compositions on this album "Bombs Away" a rock track about the conflicts with Afghanistan and the Soviets, and "The Other Way of Stopping" an instrumental track. The album also contained a Andy Summers composition, the instrumental "Behind My Camel" a song that Sting hated so much, he would bury the tapes in the garden. In fact Sting doesn't even play bass on the song, Summers would do that. "Do Do Do Do, Da Da Da Da" was the second single, both singles "Do Do Do, and "Don't Stand So Close to Me" did well, the album overall would reach # 5 in the USA and # 1 in the UK.

Ghost in the Machine was released in 1981 and would reach # 1 in the UK and # 2 in the USA. The album would be a huge change in the bands sound, it would feature saxophones, keyboards, and synthesizers. Lyrically inspiration came in a large part from the book Ghost in the Machine by Arthur Koestler. "Spirits in the Material World" is drowned in keyboards, and itself is a dark sounding pop song, "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic" features heavy piano while sounding Caribbean, "Invisible Son" is another dark sounding song written about North Ireland troubles. "One World (Not Three)" features a lot of Saxophones, "Secret Journey" was a song featuring heavily layered guitar effects, and "Omegaman" is a song about personal pressures written by guitarist Andy Summers. The album itself launched the band into the eighties with a new sound that would be expanded on their next album, Synchronicity.

In 1983, Synchronicity would be released, it would also be the bands final album. It would expand on the bands Ghost in the Machine sound, adding more world music influence to the mix. Recorded in the Caribbean the album would be influenced again by the work of Arthur Koestler (The Roots of Confidence) and would go to # 1 in both the USA and the UK. "Synchronicity 1" was another song with circling keyboards, while "Synchronicity II" was a heavy eighties rock song lyrically taking inspiration from Carl jung's theory of Synchronicity. "Every Breath You Take" was a slow moving pop song (one of the bands most recognized song) that was lyrically about stalking someone (it is often misinterpreted as a love song). "King of Pain" another single from the album, was another dark pop song in the vein of "Every Breath You Take" with strong lyrical images,and "Wrapped Around Your Finger" was a light sounding pop song with mystical sounding keyboards. The album also contained another song written by Summers "Mother" (he also sings the track), and "Miss Gradenko" a two minute rock song written by Stewart Copeland. The album also contained the songs "Tea in the Sahara" and "Walking in My Footsteps" two songs drawing world almost tribal music sounding influences.

After touring and big success from Synchronicity The Police were essentially over. In 1986, the band would perform three concerts for a benefit for Amnesty International, then they just stopped. Sting would pursue a solo career, but the band would reunite briefly on a few occasion's. In 1992, when Sting got married The Police played at the reception. In 2003, when the band got inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the band reunited for three songs. They never reformed officially until 2007. In a surprise move the band reunited as part of the 30th anniversary of the band. On July 17th, 2007 I was fortunate to see the Police perform to a sold out crowd at the Palace of Auburn Hills. The band sounded great, like they never stopped playing. After two world reunion tours, The Police announced that after their second reunion tour they would break up for good. The band released a collectors DVD/CD set of a concert they did in Buenos, Aires on November 11th, 2008. The set will also include a documentary filmed by Stewart Copeland's son, Jordan.

Here's the songs that were played:

1. Magazine – because you’re frightened (bbc)
2. The Diodes – no right to make me bleed
3. U2 – city at night
4. Nervebreakers – politics
5. Randoms – abcd
6. Braineaters – rock rock
7. Forgotten Rebels – Rhonda Barrett
8. The Statics – rebel like me
9. Teenage Head – lets go to Hawaii
10. Roxy Music – all I want is you
11. Only Ones – lovers of today
12. Wire – outdoor minor
13. Devo – love without anger
14. Talking Heads - these boots were made for walking/I walk the line
15. Talking Heads - thank you for sending me an angel
16. Klark Kent – ritch in a ditch
17. The Police – hole in my life
18. Public Image Limited – chant
19. Gang of Four – 5:45
20. The Visitors – euro girls
21. Hot, Hot, Heat – wait a second (demo)
22. Pointed Sticks – the witch
23. Fiction Plane – running the country
24. Arctic Monkeys – what if you were right the first time?
25. Franz Ferdinand – outsiders
26. Dead 60s – train to nowhere

Some videos:

Can't Stand Losing You & Next To You (OGWT 1978)
The Bed's Too Big Without You (Live 1979)
Can't Stand Losing You Video (1978)
Roxanne Video (1978)
Synchronicity II Video

Ghetto Defendants: The Story of The Clash Part Three...Show # 153

After spending a lot of 1981 touring, The Clash would go into the studio yet again in New York, to record their final album with the original line-up of the band. The producing duties of this album that would be known as Combat Rock, were done by Clash guitarist Mick Jones. After recording the album (originally it was going to be called Rat Patrol From Fort Bragg), Joe Strummer and Mick Jones had disagreements about the actual mix of the album. Joe Strummer referred to Mick Jones mix as the "Home Movie Mix". This album created a lot more conflict within the band, which ultimately lead to their demise. Glyn Johns known for his work done with The Who, The Rolling Stones and The Beatles was brought in to remix the album (some parts for some tracks would be re-recorded before being remixed). The album would be renamed Combat Rock by Strummer and it would featured the bands two biggest hits. "Rock the Casbah" was a song that was written by Clash drummer Topper Headon (he also played the piano, bass and drums on the track), Joe Strummer would do the lyrics. The song itself is a funky/rock track and was inspired by the banning of rock music in Iran. It is also said to have been influenced lyrically by their manager Bernie Rhodes who asked if everything had to sound like raga (or reggae). There is an actual line in the song "The King told the boogie-men, you have to let that raga drop" that was influenced by this incident.

"Should I Stay or Should I Go" was a Mick Jones composition that some people believe is about Jones' relationship within The Clash. Mick has stated that this is not the case, that it is actually about Ellen Foley his girlfriend at the time. Despite the fact that it may be about Mick's girlfriend, the lyrics still seem to foreshadow Jones departure from the group. The actual music is a stop and start rock song that has heavy fuzz bass on it. Joe Strummer also sings in Spanish in some parts of the song. The song would be the bands biggest hit, it would go to # 1 after it was used in a Levi's commercial. It would skyrocket the bands success, even though they were no more (it was used as a single in 1991).

The album contained a great variety of songs including "Know Your Rights" a political rant about the poor and their rights. The song was the first single released from Combat Rock and was a rock track with climbing bass and echoing guitar effects. "Car Jamming" was a funky track, "Red Angel Dragnet" was sung by bassist Paul Simonon, "Overpowered by Funk" was a dancy funk track, "Sean Flynn" was a song about the American actor of the same name, and "Ghetto Defendant" is a slow reggae rock influenced track that features American poet Allen Ginsberg. "Straight to Hell" was a longer, spacey track that lyrically referenced American soldiers in the Vietnam War that abandoned children that they fathered while they were stationed there. The song was originally seven minutes long, but was edited down to five and a half minutes for the album. The full seven minute version of the song in which Joe Strummer adds additional lyrics and hits the bass drum with a lemonade bottle can be found on the Clash on Broadway Box Set that was released in 1991. The album was a mix of funk, reggae, rap and rock and was deeply influenced by the New York scene at the time.

Mick Jones original mix of the album can be found on bootleg, it is titled Rat Patrol From Fort Bragg. On Mick Jones original mix, the songs are different. "Should I Stay or Should I Go" is a completely different version, with Joe's Spanish vocals through out the song, no fuzz bass and a horn section in the middle of it. It also contains two unused Clash tracks "The Beautiful People Are Ugly Too", and "Kill Time" both of which remain unreleased officially. Combat Rock was released in May of 1982 and climbed to # 2 on the UK and # 7 in the USA.

The Clash opened for the Who in 1982, playing stadiums becoming even bigger than they were before. Also just before the band started touring for Combat Rock, drummer Topper Headon was fired due to his drug addictions. Original Clash drummer Terry Chimes would take over for a little while. He would leave in 1983 and be replaced by drummer Pete Howard. Mick and Joe would constantly be arguing during this time. In 1983, the Clash played the US Festival. This concert was the last with guitarist Mick Jones, he would be fired shortly after this show for a variety of reasons. One was the direction the band wanted to go in. Mick and Joe had different ideas, the other was that Joe and Paul were influenced by their manager Bernie Rhodes to fire Mick, even though he was one of the main song writers for the band.

In 1984, The Clash recruited two new members to play guitar for the band, Nick Sheppard and Vince White. The Band did a tour with the new members playing new material, this period of The Clash is known as the Clash II period. Cut The Crap was their new album and it would be recorded in Munich, Germany. During this time it was evident that Rhodes wanted to be an artist and in turn got Joe to kick Mick out of the band, attempting to gain control of the group and a music career. The sessions for the album were chaotic, the songs are credited to Rhodes and Strummer. The album sounded nothing like the bands previous efforts and is disregarded as an album by most fans. It was disowned by Strummer and Simonon at a later date. The album did have one single "This is England" and the album would be released in 1985. Clash II would then go on a busking tour. Armed only with acoustics, the band would go to various places and play unplugged and unplanned. After this tour, the band split up. Mick Jones would go on to form Big Audio Dynamite, Joe would work on soundtracks and have a few movie roles and a solo career, and Paul Simonon would form the short-lived group Havana 3AM, and pursue a painting career.

The Clash ended in a mess, the band would break up just before they would have gotten really, really big. In the 90's reunion rumours were sparked by the success of "Should I Stay or Should I Go", but it never happened. In 2002, the Clash were inducted in the the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and were rumoured to play again, but this never happened, Joe Strummer would pass away due to an unexpected heart defect at the age of 50, just before the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in December of 2002. The Clash would go onto influence many.

In 1999, the entire Clash catalogue was remastered and re-released. The albums did not include any bonus tracks due to a request by Joe Strummer to keep them true to the original way the albums were released. Other interesting Clash releases include The Clash on Broadway box set which includes a variety of outtakes and b-sides, such as demos of "Career Opportunities" and "Janie Jones". "One Emotion" was an outtake from Give'em Enough Rope and "Midnight To Stevens" an outtake around the time of Sandinista! that would also be featured on the box set. Super Black Market Clash is a collection of further singles and remixes (it was itself an expanded version of the Black Market Clash EP that was originally released in 1980). In 1999, From Here To Eternity was released which was a collection of live Clash material. In 2003, The Essential Clash was released, a 2 CD greatest hits-type compilation of Clash songs, 2005 saw a remastered Legacy Edition of London Calling with a bonus disc of songs. In 2007 The Clash Singles Box Set was released. This release was a collection of all of the bands singles in replica CD form, similar to ones done by The Who and The Rolling Stones. As for DVDs, Westway To The World is a documentary of the band, Rude Boy is a movie done around the bands tour in 1978, and The Essential Clash DVD is a collection of the bands music videos, as well as some live performances. In November of 2008, Live At Shea Stadium was released on CD.

Play list from the show:

1. Neil Young – living with war
2. Richard Hell & The Voidoids – crack of dawn
3. Heatseekers – new (old) sound
4. 101ers – steamgauge 99
5. The Clash – inoculated city
6. The Clash – the beautiful people are ugly too
7. B.A.D. – v. thirteen
8. Latino Rockabilly War – trash city
9. Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros – coma girl
10. Carbon/Silicon – prophet
11. The Good, The Bad, and The Queen – green fields
12. Iggy Pop – new values
13. Viletones – she’s free
14. The Shades – new clientele
15. Tricky Woo – Kentucky derby/ten tons
16. Generation X – this heat
17. Young Knives – part timer
18. Radio 4 – enemies like this
19. Young Rival – the haunt (demo)
20. Sloan – in the movies
21. White Stripes – I’m slowly turning into you
22. The Visitors – I don’t belong
23. The Hives – I’m a wicked one
24. The D4 – Joe Orton’s wedding
25. Undertones – true confessions
26. Elvis Costello & The Attractions - no action

Video Clash II:

New Music Interview 1982
Combat Rock Commercial
Know Your Rights (Live US Festival 1983)
Sound of the Sinners (Live US Festival 1983)
Rock The Casbah (Live US Festival 1983)
Should I Stay or Should I Got (Shea Stadium)

A series of two radio specials I did on The Clash can be found here:

The Clash (1976-1979)
The Clash (1980-1985)

Revolution Rock...The Story of The Clash Part Two..Show # 152

In 1979, The Clash would begin rehearsing for the songs that would end up on the album, London Calling. The band would rent out a place and play, would then set out to find a producer for the album. Guy Stevens was chosen as producer, but he wanted to hear some of the material that The Clash was working on. They would make what would be known as The Vanilla Tapes. The Tapes were finally released in 2004 on the Legacy remastered edition of London Calling. The album would be yet another step in a new direction from the band, drawing on more diverse influences than their two previous efforts. "London Calling" the song was written about a variety of subjects, the threat of nuclear war, the flooding of the Thames River in London, and the punk scene in general that came out the UK. The actual title of the track came from a line that was used by the BBC during World War II "This is London Calling...". The song itself is a mix the bands influences. That actual guitar work of the song is eerily similar of a song done by The Kinks, and the bassline is reggae influenced.

The album also addressed a variety of subjects such as addiction to drugs with "Hateful" and "Rudie Can't Fail" a reggae stabbing tune with a horn section. It was originally written for a movie made about the band titled Rude Boy (Rude Boy was released in 1980 and featured The Clash on their Sort It Out tour and the recording of Give'em Enough Rope, amongst a plot featuring a character known as Ray Gange). "Clampdown" was a rocking track in the vein of punk that concerns issues relating to factory life. Other tracks include "The Right Profile" a song about the actor Montgomery Clift, "Lost in the Supermarket" a slow and somewhat autobiographical track written by Joe Strummer, but sung by Mick Jones, "The Guns of Brixton" a reggae track written and sung by bassist Paul Simonon and "Koka Kola", a fast rock song about corporations and advertising. At the end of the recording sessions for the album, which were done at Wessex Studios, Mick Jones had one more song to record. Train In Vain (Stand By Me)" was a pop song Clash-style (influenced by Blues and R&B music) that was originally intended to be given away with NME Magazine. The deal would fall through and the band would instead add it to the end of London Calling after the song "Revolution Rock" (a cover song), but it would not be listed on the album's artwork. Part of the reason for this is because the artwork was already done for the album, so many people referred to "Train in Vain" as a hidden track, but that was not the original intention.

Elvis Presley vs. London Calling

The album's now famous cover features bassist Paul Simonon about to smash his bass to pieces while at a Clash gig (on September 21st, 1979 in New York). The picture taken by Pennie Smith is out of focus and was not originally intended to be used as the cover shot for the album. The cover itself is similar to an Elvis Presley album (it has the same type and colours), instead of a guitar being raised as it is on the Presley album, it is being brought down and smashed (technically it's a bass guitar). The album itself did the band good. Released in the later part of 1979 in December in the UK and in early January in the USA, the album went to # 27 on the US charts and # 9 on the UK charts. The album itself which found the band drawing in a variety of styles and influences (ska, Reggae, Jazz, R&B, rockabilly) would be later voted to be one of the best rock and roll albums of all time.

After touring behind London Calling, the band would enter the studio again in 1980 (in New York) to work on songs for the album that would be known as Sandinista!. Before heading to New York the band would go to Kingston Jamaica and record the track "Junco Partner". Originally a blues song, the track would be redone it a reggae/dub style. When relocating to New York in Electric Ladyland studios, the band would once again expand on their sound. Being in New York the band would draw in influences from early New York hip hop, funk, and their traditional blend of reggae and rock. The album would be a triple album (by vinyl standards). While it contained 36 tracks, some of the songs would be dub remixes (done by Mikey Dread), adding a dub feel to the album. The album would have a few guests Norman-Watt Roy would play bass and help compose the funky, hip hop track "The Magnificent Seven" (the reason for Roy playing bass was that bassist Paul Simonon was busy with a movie role), Mikey Dread (reggae artist/producer), Ivan Julian (Richard Hell and the Voidoids), and Tymon Dogg Joe Strummers old friend from his 101'ers days.

The Clash experimented even more with this album. Some critics thought of it as too much from the band and too different. In fact, the album is just as good as it's predecessor, some people believe that if it had being released as a double or single album, it would have received greater acclaim. "Hitsville U.K." was influenced by Detroit Motown, and is sung by Mick Jones and his then girlfriend Ellen Foley. "Ivan Meets G.I. Joe" was a disco flavored track sung by drummer Topper Headon, Paul Simonon sang on the reggae song "The Crooked Beat", "Somebody Got Murder" was a strange, but excellently crafted pop song written for a movie that was never used, "The Leader" was a fast punk and surf rock influenced track that lyrically referenced a politician Joe read about in a newspaper. The album also had "Rebel Waltz" a combination old time waltz music and reggae, "Lightning Strikes (Not Once but Twice) a hip hop flavored song similar to "The Magnificent Seven", "Let's Go Crazy" a Caribbean-vibed song, "The Sound of the Sinners" a Gospel influenced track, and so much more. "The Call Up" a song about the draft, would be the bands first single. Other different tracks were "Broadway" a jazz song, "The Street Parade", "Kingston Advice", and "Version City".

In order to get the album released as a triple LP, the band forfeited a certain number of royalties to ensure its release. The album was quite ahead of its time and very different. The album received good reviews in the USA, but not so good ones in the UK. The Clash scheduled a series of shows at Bond's Casino in New York in 1981. The tickets to the shows got over sold and in turn, the fire Marshall's had to close down and cancel one of the bands scheduled shows. Since so many fans were denied to the show (and also since all the people that bought tickets weren't allowed into the show, due to over crowding), the band extended what intended to be a week long residency in New York to 17 concerts. This time in New York was chronicled by film maker and friend of the band Don Letts, but was rumored to have been lost. In 1999, 15 minutes of what supposed to be a much longer movie were added to the Clash documentary Westway to the World, which was also filmed by Letts. Recently there has been rumours of the complete film being found. The Clash would take week long residency's while on tour in other places such as France and London as well. After spending 1980 and 1981 touring, they then recorded their final album, Combat Rock in 1982. Since this post is so large I will continue my clash post next week, thus completing the bands history.

Here is the play list:

1. Public Image Limited – public image
2. Modern Lovers – roadrunner
3. Ultravox! – fear in the western world
4. 4/4 – systematic
5. 999 – my street stinks
6. The Visitors – sad tv
7. Modernettes – barbra
8. Smugglers – bad guys
9. The Odds – say you mean it
10. The Mark Inside – carousel
11. The Scabs – don’t just sit there
12. Red London – CND
13. Only Ones – my immortal story
14. Adverts – we who wait
15. Gang of Four – at home he’s a tourist (bbc)
16. Suburban Reptiles – Saturday night, stay at home
17. Hot Nasties – I am a confused teenager
18. The Demics – talk, talk
19. The Diodes – tired of waking up tired
20. XTC – statue of liberty
21. Buzzcocks – I don’t mind
22. The Clash – safe European home
23. The Clash – up in heaven (not only here)
24. The Specials – its up to you
25. Television – venus
26. Sonic Avenues - off the ground
27. The Saints - enough is never enough
28. Long Blondes - sparated by motorways

Video Clash:

Live on Fridays Part One (London Calling, Train in Vain)
Live on Fridays Part Two (Guns of Brixton, Clampdown)
Bankrobber music video
Spanish Bombs Live 1979
Magnificent Seven Live Tomorrow Show 1981
Radio Clash Live Tomorrow Show 1981
The Call Up music video

A series of two radio specials I did on The Clash can be found here:

The Clash (1976-1979)
The Clash (1980-1985)

All The Young Punks: The Story of The Clash Part One...Show #151

The Clash started out in 1976 with members Joe Strummer (vocals/guitar), Mick Jones (guitar/vocals) and Paul Simonon (bass). The band emerged out of a group of musicians that were involved in a new emerging music scene in the UK, punk rock. The intial startings of punk can be traced as far back as the late 60's with bands such as The Stooges and MC5. Joe Strummer (real name John Mellor) came from a pub rock group called the 101'ers (named after a place he and some friends were squatting in - it was a different time back then in the UK). Mick Jones and Paul Simonon would go to see 101'ers shows and after seeing Sex Pistols, Joe Strummer wanted to become a punk rocker. The Clash came together due to a series of events. One being the assembling of Sex Pistols by Malcolm McClaren. The Clash were in part put together by Malcolm's friend Bernie Rhodes, (who would serve as their manager, giving them direction in the early days of the band), and also by Mick and Paul who were always looking for people to play with, but never really finding the right front man. Mick and Joe would become song writing partners similar to the style of Lennon and McCartney and Jagger and Richards.

After quitting 101'ers Joe would go on to play with Mick, Paul, and Keith Levene (he would go on to play guitar in the post-punk/new wave group Public Image Limited) who was another guitarist in the early days of The Clash. The Clash always had problems finding a drummer in the early days, but eventually they got Terry Chimes to play for them. After playing for a few months and writing some songs, the band got better. The band would focus on the current happenings of Britain, and things of a political nature, as well as various other non-political topics. Labels started to get interested in the group as they did with other punk groups such as Sex Pistols and The Damned. The Clash signed to CBS Records in September of 1977.

The first Clash album would come out in 1977. The Self titled album was loud and energy fueled. The band also experimented with reggae on this album (Reggae was all over Britian during the time of punk). The song in particular was known as "Police & Thieves" (originally by Lee Scratch Perry), the song was reworked by Mick Jones and the band to have a Clash feel. The album also featured the song "Protex Blue" a song about a condom wrapper. Other songs included "White Riot", a song written after Joe Strummer and Paul Simonon were involved in the Noting Hill Carnival riot of 1976. The song is not racist, but a song about class economics. Other great tracks include "Career Opportunities", "I'm So Bored With The USA", "London's Burning", and "What's My Name", the only song in which Keith Levene is credited for (he left the group shortly before the album was recorded). Another fact about the first clash album is that drummer Terry Chimes is credited as Tory Crimes. The album also inspired Bob Marley to write the song "Punky Reggae Party". The album would not see US release until 1979, and featured a different track listing.

After the release of the bands first album, Terry Chimes would leave the group due to differences in the band. This move would turn out to be better then The Clash expected because they would get Nicky "Topper" Headon to take over on drums. Topper would become the bands more permanent drummer until he would be kicked out (in the late 1980's). Topper brought a different drumming style to the band. Having background in jazz and soul, he was also able to play reggae quite well. The bands next album which would be titled Give'em Enough Rope would come out in 1978. It would be produced by Sandy Pearlman, who is known for his work with Blue Oyster Cult. The album would contain ten tracks and would have a different sound than the bands previous effort, also it was their first official album to be released in the USA. The album contained tracks such as "Tommy Gun", a political song about how Strummer thought terrorists liked to read about their deaths as movie stars liked to read about their movie reviews. The song itself is a cleverly paced track featuring not only Strummers political yet sarcastic lyrics, but also drumming sounding similar to gun shots. "Safe European Home" was a song written by Jones and Strummer after going to Jamaica and wanting to be back in England. "Stay Free" stands out on the album as well. The track penned by Mick Jones is a song containing lyrics pertaining to his childhood friend; The music is similar to David Bowie with reggae/ska rhtythms. Regardless of how the album did chart wise (#2 in the UK, #128 in the USA), it is often overlooked by Clash fans as not their best work but, it does contain some great tracks and a different feel than the first album. Other good tracks included "Last Gang in Town" , "Julie's Been Working for the Drug Squad", and "All the Young Punks". The album also featured "English Civil War", a re-working of the classic war tune "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" with new lyrics concerning Britain. Nevertheless the band would keep evolving and keep getting better. The Clash who would record singles as well as albums, had quite a collection of material going by 1978.

Shortly after this album was recorded and in the middle of touring, the band would record The Cost of Living EP, which would come out in 1979. It would feature a cover song titled "I Fought the Law" (originally by The Bobby Fuller Four), "Groovy Times" an acoustic, melodic track, "Gates of the West" a reworking of a Mick Jones song originally called "Ooh Baby, Ohh", and "Capital Radio Two". "Capital Radio Two" was a reworking of a previous song that was recorded for a single about the radio station in London, that only played safe music. This version was faster and more energy fueled than the previous one. It also featured not only a new intro written by Topper Headon, but also different lyrics and fantastic drumming which outweighs the original. After this release the Clash would begin working on what is arguably their best album ever, London Calling. I will discuss the London Calling Years as well as the remainder of the bands history in next weeks post on The Clash..

here what was played:

1. The Jam – all around the world
2. Hollywood Brats – sick on you
3. Eddie & The Hotrods – 96 tears (live)
4. Sonic’s Rendezvous Band – city slang (original 1978 mix)
5. Zero’s – beat your heart out
6. The Gruesomes – get outta my hair
7. Ugly Ducklings – nothin’
8. Collectors – we can make it
9. Northwest Company – hard to cry
10. The V.I.P.'s - Jeanie
11. New York Dolls – trash
12. Sex Pistols – satellite
13. The Damned – fish
14. David Bowie – queen bitch
15. The Stooges – no fun (full version)
16. Black Sabbath – fairies wear boots
17. Ramones – have you ever seen the rain
18. The Saints – (I’m) stranded
19. Teenage Head – take it
20. The Sturgeons – punk rock virgins
21. Wire – a field day for the Sundays
22. Wire - EX lion tamer
23. Gore Gore Girls - sweet potato
24. The Beat – rankin’ full stop
25. The Clash – i'm so bored with the USA(1977 beaconsfield demo)
26. The Clash – complete control
27. Young Canadians - i hate music
28. The Vibrators - jumping jack flash (live)

Here's some cool early Clash vids:

Complete Control
Live In Munich 1977 (The Prisoner, Janie Jones, Garageland)
Tommy Gun (Live 1978)
(Whiteman) In Hammersmith Palais from Rude Boy
English civil War from Rude Boy

A series of two radio specials I did on The Clash can be found here:

The Clash (1976-1979)
The Clash (1980-1985)

Do the Pop! The Radio Birdman Story and Show # 150

Radio Birdman were a punk band that came out of Sydney, Australia. The band who were classified as punk, took its influence from Detroit bands such as The Stooges, and The MC5; The band also had a surf rock influence. The name of the band came from a lyric in a Stooges song, "1970". The lyric is actually "radio burnin' up above", not "radio birdman up above", but nevertheless that's where the band got their name from. Deniz Tek who was one of the founders of the band was originally from Ann Arbor, Michigan. He would move to Australia in 1972. The band would be formed by Deniz Tek (guitars) and surfer Rob Younger who would do the vocals. After recruiting three more members Pip Hoyle (keyboards),Carl Rorke (Bass)(then Gilbert Warwick), and Ron Keeley (drums), the band would record the EP titled Burn My Eye in 1976. The EP was a rough sounding recording containing four tracks. The EP was quite different from the styles of Aussie rock at the time.

The band would record and release Radio's Appear in 1977. The album title came from a Blue Oyster Cult song titled "Dominance and Submission"; Blue Oyster Cult was another one of the bands influences. When Sire Records came to Australia to sign fellow Australian punks The Saints, Radio Birdman were also signed to the label. After getting signed, the band would record Radio's Appear again and release it under Sire in 1978 (known as the overseas version of the album). The album would feature tracks such as "Murder City Nights", "Do the Pop!", "Descent into the Maelstrom" and "Aloha Steve & Danno", which was a song about the cop-drama TV series Hawaii Five-O. The song showed the bands surf influence as well as punk ethics as did the majority of Radio's Appear. The original 1977 Australian release of the album started off with a cover of The Stooges song "TV Eye", the song is played twice as fast as the original, and is angry loud and vicious. In 2005 a CD re-issue of the album featured "TV Eye" as well as a few other bonus tracks.

Before Radio's Appear was even released Radio Birdman would play at a pub that would be named The Oxford Funhouse (taking the name from a place where The Stooges would play and live, called The Funhouse). The club would be a home for the Sydney punk scene, but as Radio's Appear took off commercially, the place would begin to attract crowds of gangs who would commit violent acts. Radio Birdman were blamed for the violence so around this time, the band took a little break. After a short European tour the band was dropped from it's label and were essentially over. In 1978, the band recorded Living Eyes, which would be their last album until recently. The album itself never saw release in the USA, and wasn't released until 1981. Following one more live show, the band split up in 1978.

Living Eyes the album, was originally released on and mastered from a cassette tape due to the fact that the master tapes were lost. In the 90's the tapes were found, the album was remixed properly and released. The album was re-issued in 2005 with bonus tracks as well. The album itself featured another band member Chris Masuak on guitar. Masuak who joined the band shortly after their first EP, is credited on Radio's Appear, but he is more prominent on Living Eyes. The album itself drew more from the Detroit sound of The Stooges and and less from the MC5, but the the band also had different attitude here. Examples of the new but still similar sound of the band are on tracks such as "Breaks My Heart" (a more melodic track), and "More Fun". "More Fun" is a surf influenced track with heavy drowning organs. The album ends with the track "Alone in the Endzone". A song featuring chugging guitar riffs and keyboards and a climbing bassline in the chorus. The album itself is just as good as its predecessor, too bad it didn't get the proper released when it should have.




After the band split members of the band would form other bands and projects. Rob Younger would form New Christs, Deniz Tek would from the short lived band, The Visitors with previous Birdmen, Ron Keeley and Pip Hoyle. Tek would also form another short lived live band New Race. The band consisted of Ron Asheton of The Stooges, and Denis Thompson of MC5. Warwick and Chris Masuak formed The Hitmen. After his New Race days Deniz Tek would become a surgeon, and serve in the Navy. In 1996 Radio Birdman would reform for some live shows, in 2006 the band recorded another album titled Zeno Beach. A tour followed, the band toured for the first time in the US supporting Zeno Beach, as well as some of their classics. In 2001, a greatest hits compilation titled, The Essential Radio Birdman: 1974-1978 was releeased on Sub Pop. Radio Birdman were one of the punk originators in the Australian music scene. While they may not have been a huge commercial success, the band are known as Australian punk legends.

More Information:

Deniz Tek's Blog
Living World (a post I did on The Visitors)

Here's the play list:

1. Richard Hell & The Voidoids – liars beware
2. Rage Against The Machine – down rodeo
3. Sublime – same in the end
4. Buzzcocks – why can’t I touch it?
5. Iggy Pop – dog food
6. Modernettes – celebrity crack up
7. Marble Index – all that I know
8. Neil Young – shock and awe
9. Radio Birdman – hand of law
10. Love Me Nots – heart on a chain
11. Soundgarden – bleed together
12. The D4 – north shore bitch
13. Pearl Jam – hail, hail
14. Nirvana – frances farmer will have her revenge on seattle
15. Ride Theory – on fire
16. Hot, Hot, Heat – eyes ears mouth (demo)
17. Fiction Plane – two sisters
18. Dead 60’s – you’re not the law
19. Exploding Hearts – shattered (you left me)
20. The Subways – city pavement
21. Sloan – Iggy & Angus
22. White Stripes – bone broke
23. White Stripes – rag and bone
24. White Stripes – effect and cause

Touch and Go The Magazine Story...Show # 149

Howard Devoto left his first band Buzzcocks after twelve live gigs and the release of Spiral Scratch EP in 1976. After getting a band together John McGoech (guitar), Bob Dickinson (keyboards), Barry Adamson (bass), and Martin Jackson (drums) the band Magazine was formed in 1977. The band would get a record contract with Virgin Records and Dickinson would leave the group. The single "Shot By Both Sides" was then recorded. The song was previously written by Devoto and Pete Shelley of the band Buzzcocks. The punkish single would crack the top 50, the band would have four early singles including "Shot By Both Sides". The others were "Touch and Go", "Goldfinger", and "My Mind Ain't So Open". The band would get a new keyboardist Dave Formula and then the band would record an album. In 1978, Real Life was released. The album was one of the first post-punk albums alongside with Public Image Limited. The album itself would feature nine tracks one of them being a re-recording of "Shot By Both Sides". The version on Real Life was less raw and more polished. The album also featured keyboards, odd lyrics courtesy of Mr. Devoto and music that could be at times gloomy, but also sharp, pointy, and arty. "The Light Pours out of Me" is an example of this. Other tracks that showed off the bands new post-punk, yet different style were "Motorcade", "The Great Beautician in the Sky" a winding circus-like song, and the strange pop song with piano, synthesizers, and a steady drum beat "Parade". In 2007, and expanded version of this album was released with bonus tracks (the four tracks being the early singles mention earlier).

Secondhand Daylight came next in 1979, the band also got a new drummer John Doyle (Jackson left the band shortly following the bands first tour). The album was not like their debut, it was a darker album featuring more keyboards, snyths, and darker lyrics. The album is an album that sounds very icy, songs such as "Feed the Enemy" and "Permafrost" illustrate this point perfectly. The album does have its moments, "Rhythm of Cruelty" is an upbeat song on this album. The song is closer to the sound of the bands first album Real Life. Overall, Secondhand Daylight was an overlooked album by most because of how different it was. 

The Correct Use of Soap was released in early 1980. This album showed the band returning to the earlier sound they once had with Real Life, but also combining elements of Secondhand Daylight. The album opens with the new wave-ish track "Because Your Frightened". The song is a features crunchy guitar riffs with melodic pull-offs. The song lyrically is more like original Devoto sarcastic and humorous, when the lines "Look What Fears Done To My Body" are repeated in the chorus. "Model Worker" is a more upbeat song musically featuring light piano in the background, synthesizer keyboards similar to Real Life in the choruses, solid drumming, chunky bass and clever Devoto lyrics, this time being about factory life. The album also featured a cover of the Sly & The Family Stone song "Thank You (Fallentinme Be Mice Elf Again)", the fast paced "Philadelphia", and "A Song From Under The Floorboards" (a song compared to "The Light Pours Out of Me"). 

In 1980 Play (a live album) was also released. McGeoch who had been involved with Siouxsee & The Banshees became a full member of that band, so Robin Simon was brought in as a replacement. After touring Simon would leave to be replaced by Bob Mandelson. Magazine would have just one more album before splitting up for good, it would be titled Magic, Murder, and the Weather. Released in 1981, the album did not do well, and most people do not even know it exists. Just after it's release Devoto left the group to pursue a solo career. In the 90's Devoto focused more on being a photo archivist. In 2001, Howard Devoto and Pete Shelley recorded an album together titled Buzzkuntz, under the band name ShelleyDevoto. The album is an experimental electronic album. In 2002, Devoto appeared in the film 24 Hour Party People, a film about a record label in Manchester (where Devoto is from).

In 2000, Magazine released a three CD box set titled Maybe It's Right To Be Nervous Now. This box set catalogued a large majority of material from the bands catalogue including B-sides, alternate mixes, and outtakes. On the third disc there is a collection of the bands BBC sessions done for John Peel. Included on the disc is also a re-working of a Buzzcocks song "Boredom" with organ. It is remade into a more Magazine sounding song. Also in 2000 a compilation/greatest hits type CD was released titled Where The Power Is. The album contains songs found on the box set. It is a great CD for people who are just getting into the band or for hardcore fans and completists. Finally in 2007, all of Magazine's studio albums were expanded and re-released with bonus tracks. In February of 2009, Magazine plans to reunite for some live shows in the UK.

Here's the Play List:

1. Pointed Sticks – its o.k.
2. Rich Kids – only arsenic
3. Public Image Limited – memories
4. The Stranglers – (get a) grip (on yourself)
5. Devo – through being cool
6. XTC – this is pop
7. Elvis Costello & The Attractions – moods for moderns
8. Gang of Four – damaged goods
9. The Police – on any other day
10. Teenage Head – ain’t got no sense
11. Young Canadians – don’t tell me
12. Arson – coho coho
13. Hot Nasties – secret of immortality
14. Wire – French film blurred
15. Talking Heads – new feeling (live)
16. Magazine – touch and go
17. Magazine – rhythm of cruelty
18. The Diodes – midnight movie star
19. Arctic Monkeys – the bad thing
20. The Strokes – whatever happened
21. Radio 4 – too much to ask for
22. Queens of the Stone Age – 3’s & 7’s
23. Mando Diao – tv & me
24. The Hives – uptight
25. The Hives – the hives meet the norm
26. The Gruesomes – I wish you were her
27. The Heatseekers – you been runnin

Here are some Magazine videos:

Shot By Both Sides (Top Of The Pops 1978)
The Light Pours Out of Me
Model Worker (Live 1980)
A Song From Under The Floorboards (Live 1980)
Permafrost (live 1980)
Definitive Gaze (OGWT)
I Can't Control Myself (Devoto reuniting with the original Buzzcocks members)