The EP Show, Show # 168

This week my show consisted of me playing some of my favourite EP's in full. I played seven in total, I will talk about each of them briefly.

Spiral Scratch was a four song EP released by the Manchester band Buzzcocks in 1976. This was the original line up of the band featuring Howard Devoto on vocals. He would leave shortly after this EP and eventually lead the band Magazine. Spiral Scratch was also one of the first independently financed releases without the help of an official record company. In turn it influenced thousands of bands to make the their own music, bringing the punk do-it-yourself motto to different levels.

Undertones released the Teenage Kicks EP in 1978. The Irish, Derry band did it initially hoping to release nothing else, emulating the Buzzcocks to a degree. The EP did so well they were offered to record further albums, which they did. It contained four fast energetic compositions, including "Teenage Kicks" which can be called their own version of "Blitzkrieg Bop".

The Demics were a band from London, Ontario. In 1979 the Talk's Cheap EP was released containing five songs including, "New York City" one of the their signature songs and voted as one of the best Canadian songs of all time. Invasion of the Tribbles came from the Calgary band, The Hot Nasties in 1980. The band split in 1981. Warren Kinsella (one of the members) is now a politician.

The Cost of Living EP was produced and recorded by Bill Price and The Clash in 1979. The 7" EP came in between the US release of their first self titled album, and London Calling. It featured "I Fought the Law" (a cover song), "Groovy Times" (an acoustic track), "Gates of the West" ( a song originally written by Mick Jones, but the lyrics were re-written by Joe Strummer), and "Capital Radio Two (a re-recording of the song "Capital Radio"). It showed a direction the band would be going into, a more American rock oriented one.

The Yellow EP was released by the new wave/post-punk British band, Gang of Four. Coming out in 1980, the songs were politically charged and some of them would appear re-recorded for their next full length album Solid Gold. The last track on the EP was a B-side to the single "Damaged Goods". The album had no name, but since it was yellow, it became known as the Yellow EP. The D4 EP was originally released in 1999 by the New Zealand band The D4. It featured four high-energy rock and roll numbers ("Come On!"would appear on the first full length album, 6twenty). The EP also featured drummer Rich Mixture, who would leave shortly after this release to be in the band the Rock and Roll Machine; Vaughn Williams would be his replacement for the remainder of the bands career. The band went on hiatus in June of 2006, it is a shame that band this good is no longer around.

Next week I will be doing a show dedicated entirely to the Swedish punk outfit, The Hives. I plan on playing songs from every album, B-sides and rare Hives stuff. Also, I plan on playing some new tracks from their newest release The Black and White Album. If you are a Hives fan, leave a comment and make a request, I will play it.

The Play List:

1. Buzzcocks – Breakdown (Spiral Scratch 1976)
2. Buzzcocks – Time’s Up (Spiral Scratch 1976)
3. Buzzcocks – Boredom (Spiral Scratch 1976)
4. Buzzcocks – Friends of Mine (Spiral Scratch 1976)
5. Undertones - Teenage Kicks (Teenage Kicks EP 1978)
6. Undertones - Smarter Than U (Teenage Kicks EP 1978)
7. Undertones - True Confessions (Teenage Kicks EP 1978)
8. Undertones - Emergency Cases (Teenage Kicks EP 1978)
9. The Demics – I Wanna Know (Talk's Cheap 1979)
10. The Demics - You Tell Me (Talk's Cheap 1979)
11. The Demics - Talk’s Cheap (Talk's Cheap 1979)
12. The Demics - New York City (Talk's Cheap 1979)
13. The Demics - Oh Well (Talk's Cheap 1979)
14. The Clash - I Fought the Law (Cost of Living EP 1979)
15. The Clash – Groovy Times (Cost of Living EP 1979)
16. The Clash - Gates of the West (Cost of Living EP 1979)
17. The Clash – Capital Radio (Cost of Living EP 1979)
18. Hot Nasties – I Am a Confused Teenager (Invasion of the Tribbles 1980)
19. Hot Nasties – Invasion of the Tribbles (Invasion of the Tribbles 1980)
20. Hot Nasties – the Secret of Immortality (Invasion of the Tribbles 1980)
21. Gang of Four – Outside the Trains Don’t Run On Time (Yellow EP 1980)
22. Gang of Four – He’d Send in the Army (Yellow EP 1980)
23. Gang of Four – It’s Her Factory (Yellow EP 1980)
24. Gang of Four – Armalite Rifle (Yellow EP 1980)
25. The D4 – Girl (The D4 EP 1999)
26. The D4 – Come On! (The D4 EP 1999)
27. The D4 – Outta Blues (The D4 EP 1999)
28. The D4 – What U Want (The D4 EP 1999)

Some Videos:

Buzzcocks - Breakdown 1976
Undertones - Teenage Kicks
The Clash - I Fought the Law (Live 1979)
Gang of Four - To Hell With Poverty (1983)
The D4 - Out of Control

Album Enders Show # 167 & CJAM Pledge Drive Show

Hey this week is CJAM's annual pledge drive. As for my show I gave it a theme, album enders. I intended every song played to be one that ended an album, but I actually played one song that didn't end an album by mistake, but it all worked out pretty good. The next couple of shows will all have themes as well. Next week I will be doing what I'm calling an EP show. I will be playing some of my favourite EP's in full.

Back to the CJAM pledge drive. CJAM does a pledge drive to raise money for the station, because it is a non-profit radio station. We are calling this years pledge drive the "drive for hard drives". CJAM needs to upgrade their out of date computers, so it will benefit you the listener, especially if you listen online it will be to your benefit. I managed to raise $150 for my show last night!, but you can still make a donation, it would benefit the station greatly (until October, 29th 2007). Also, in return for your donation you will receive a variety of incentives such as CD'S, mugs, T-shirts, toques, and more. You can call us at (519) 971-3630 (in Windsor) or Toll Free (313) 963-6112 ext.3630 (in Detroit) or you can donate online. For more info on how you can donate visit CJAM's website.

The Play List:

1. Ride Theory – hey sugar (In This City 2005)
2. Buzzcocks – moving away from the pulsebeat (Another Music in a Different Kitchen 1978)
3. Radio Birdman – hit them again (Radio's Appear 1978)
4. Buzzcocks - orgasm addict
5. Damned – smash it up pts 1 & 2 (Machine Gun Etiquette 1979)
6. Queens Of The Stone Age – run, pig, run (Era Vulgaris 2007)
7. Iggy Pop – Billy is a runaway (New Values 1979)


Since I really didn't have any music related history this week, I updated two of my older posts. You can check them out here:

White Stripes Update
Stooges Update
Generation X Update

Paranoid Androids...The Radiohead Story & Show # 166

Coming from Oxford in England, Radiohead formed in 1986/87 and were originally known as On A Friday. The band was a band of friends that formed while students in school. Tom Yorke would serve as the vocalist/guitarist, Jonny Greenwood on the guitar (also a multi-talented instrumentalist), Colin Greenwood took on the bass, Ed O'Brien on guitar as well, and finally Phil Selway provides the drums. Various members of the band would attend University and upon completion they would get more involved into their music. In 1992, the band released the Drill EP. The four track EP was their first major release for EMI; Also the band would change their name to Radiohead, which came from the title of a Talking Heads song of the same name. Two of the songs from the Drill EP were re-recorded for the bands first album Pablo Honey.

In late 1992, the group released the single "Creep" which would be found on their first full length album Pablo Honey. Written while at University by Thom Yorke, the song tells the story of a man who follows a woman around and then thinks he is her. The actual song would become a huge hit for the band in America, but was initially not favoured in the UK (it was removed from BBC 1's play list twice; they said it was too depressing). The song would help make the album Pablo Honey a success. Coming out in 1993, the album itself was a heavy rock album with lots of distortion. It came off sounding like a mix of the Pixies, REM, and The Smiths. The success of "Creep" caused some critics to label Radiohead as another one hit wonder. They would also write a reaction to this in song form for their next album, the song would be called "My Iron Lung". For a while, the band would refuse to play the song at their live, shows, they begin to play it again starting in 2001.

In 1995, The Bends was released. This album saw the band reinventing their sound, but still keeping its edge. This time the band would draw in further influences such as Pink Floyd and U2. The band would bring in more acoustic guitar and keyboards. The album at first, did poorly but would pick up after the video for the single "Just" was released. The song was seen as a tribute to the post-punk band Magazine who the band was largely influenced by at the time. The album also showed off the bands experimental side (which would be a taste of the direction the band would lead in the future) with songs such as "Planet Telex"(originally titled "Planet Xerox"), "High and Dry" (originally recorded during the Pablo Honey sessions, but wasn't used), and "Street Spirit (fade out) (inspired by the novel The Famished Road)". The actual album titled The Bends, is reference to a form of depression sickness. It would be a theme prevalent on the album, and pertaining to the bands career at the time. A B-side recorded during the session for the song "Street Spirit (Fade Out)", is regarded as one of the best B-sides ever released by the band. "Talk Show Host" was Radiohead experimenting and being produced by Nigel Godrich, someone who would take on producing duties for the rest of the bands albums. After touring, the band would enter the studio to record OK Computer, which is regarded by many as the best album from the band.


Ok Computer debuted at # 1 in the UK and # 21 in the US in 1997. The album would be produced by Nigel Godrich and was recorded in Oxford away from the city. The album showed yet another direction for the band one they would continue to build on and it would also give them a more unique sound. Musically the band stripped down their rock sound and experimented with weird atonal, and electronic textures, that can be compared to the likes of the strange material found on Beach Boys Pet Sounds and Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon and post-punk music. Songs such as "Paranoid Android" which was influenced by The Beatles "Happiness is a Warm Gun" and DJ Shadow, showed the bands new innovative style. Other great tracks include "Karma Police" which came from a inside joke within the band, "Electioneering" influenced by the writings of Noam Chomsky, and "Airbag". The album was a stand out album in the 90's and still is today.

The band would then take a little break in 1998, and regroup in 1999 to begin work on their next album. During this time Yorke would go through writers block and the band and him would argue over the direction to take the band in next. During the sessions the band came up with 30 songs, which would be spread out over two albums and through B-sides. Musically the band would reinvent themselves jumping in the experimental ambient electronic direction and not sounding rock at all really; The band would cite influences such as Can, Miles Davis, and Remain in Light era Talking Heads. The album Kid A debuted at # 1 in the US and had no singles or videos. Some of the interesting tracks included "How to Completely Disappear" about the struggles of the acclaim that came with OK Computer, "National Anthem" an electronic and jazz influenced track, the ambient and jazz themed "Everything is in the Right Place", and "In Limbo" which makes reference to the writings of Dante, while featuring complex guitar rhythms and textures.

In 2001 Amnesiac was released. Debuting at #1 in Canada/USA and # 2 in the UK, Amnesiac contained tracks that were created at the same time as Kid A. Some initially mistake the album as leftover outtakes or B-sides from Kid A, but as the band stressed, it was a different album. Amnesiac featured the same strange ambient electronic influence of Kid A, but also brought in more guitar on the songs and featured more of a jazz influence. The band released a single this time, "Pyramid Song". The song was a piano ballad seemingly influenced by the Charles Mingus song "Freedom". "I Might Be Wrong" was a more guitar oriented track in drop D tuning, and was released as a radio only single before the album was released (it was also recorded live and released with other songs on the I Might Be Wrong EP in 2001). "Knives Out" was more pop oriented and said to be influenced by The Smiths. Other interesting tracks include "Dollars & Cents" which makes reference to the Seattle protest against the World Trade Organization, and "Life in a Glasshouse".

After embarking on a tour, in 2003 Hail To The Thief was released. This album was a mix of the electronic influences of the band with the more rock influences creating a unique album. Months before its release it leaked onto the Internet, but when it was released in stores people noticed differences in the songs. For example, "I Will" featuring no introduction and "The Gloaming" was shorter than the leaked version. Many confused the title of the album to be a political knock at the George W. Bush campaign, but in fact made reference to John Quincy Adams which was heard in a discussion on BBC Radio 4 by Yorke. "2 + 2 = 5" is obviously a reference to George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four, the actual music builds up to an excellent rock fury. The album's first single was the Can influenced "There There" that lyrically was inspired by the kids TV show Bagpuss, as was it's music video. "Go To Sleep" was an acoustic track that was influenced by Talking Heads, while "Myxomatosis" was a heavy distorted track that breaks off and slows down with the drum beats. The lyrical reference of the song is about a disease that was introduced to help control the rabbit population in Britain. Hail To The Thief turned out to be mixing the old with the new, while Yorke sang with the fury and anger of a British punk.

n 2005, the band began work on a new album even playing a large majority of the new songs at live shows in 2006, but they no longer had a record contract with EMI. Initially starting with producer Mark Stent, the band would switch to their usual producer Nigel Godrich in late 2006. The band took their time recording this album, they had no contractual obligations to worry about. On October 10th, 2007 the band released the album digitally via their website and nowhere else. Also fans could pay whatever they wanted for it, even if the price was nothing. In December of 2007 fans can get what is known as a discbox which features a CD and vinyl version of the album as well as a CD and vinyl version of a collection of bonus tracks. Known as In Rainbows, the album is an experimental album that sounds like a mix of Kid A with OK Computer at times.

The album starts off with "15 Step" a song that has a dancy drumbeat, but guitar work that sounds like it is from OK Computer. "Bodysnatchers" is a rock track that sounds like it could be from The Bends era Radiohead. Other cool tracks include the odd "Weird Fishes/Arpeggi" which features backwards harp, "Jigsaw Falling into Place" an acoustic "Paranoid Android" type song, and the piano ballad "Videotape" which ends the album. Radiohead have come a long way from being an alternative British band that sounded grungy, they have become a unique sparse sounding group who have kept all original members since starting out. The bands influences range from Elvis Costello, The Smiths, Joy Division, Magazine, The Pixies, REM, Miles Davis, Public Image Limited, The Beatles, and The Beach Boys to name a few.

Next week CJAM will be doing it's annual Pledge Drive. For more info please visit the CJAM website.

The Play List:

1. Cheap Trick – he’s a whore
2. Diodes – red rubber ball
3. Young Canadians – where were you?
4. Crash 80's - waiting for the heat
5. The Dogs – john rock n’ roll Sinclair
6. Stooges – I’m fried
7. Sex Pistols – did you no wrong
8. Collectors – we can make it
9. Northwest Company – hard to cry
10. Lou Reed – I’m so free
11. Gun Club – she’s like heroin to me
12. Unknowns – teenage terrorist
13. Gentlemen of Horror – overhead projector
14. Skids – the saints are coming
15. The Clash – pressure drop (alternate version)
16. Pointed Sticks – waiting for the real thing
17. Subway Sect – ambition
18. Stranglers – sometimes
19. XTC – science friction
20. Talking Heads – psycho killer (take 1)/can’t you hear my heartbeat )
21. Radiohead – bodysnatchers
22. The Hives - square one here I come
23. The Hives – fall is just something that grownups invented

Radiohead Videos:

High and Dry (2 Meter Session)
Just (Music Video)
Street Spirit (Fade Out)(Music Video)
Airbag (Live Jools Holland 1997)
Paranoid Android (Later with Jools Holland Live 1997)
Paranoid Android (Music Video)
Karma Police (Music Video)
2+2=5 (Live on Letterman)
Go To Sleep (MTV 2 Dollar Bill)
There There (Live Jools Holland)
Bangers n' Mash (Live Amsterdam 2006)
Down is the New Up

Radiohives...Radiohead In Rainbows and The Hives Singles Collection

As mentioned last week, my show was pre-empted this week due to extended Canadian election coverage at CJAM. Musically this week I have been highly anticipating the release of music from two bands The Hives and Radiohead. On Tuesday October 9th, the Hives made six tracks available via itunes. The album titled The Black and White Album, is set to be released on October 15th in the UK and November 13th in the US/Canada. The songs are available for 99 cents on itunes now. It is known as the Singles Collection. The songs are really good and exciting, next week I will be playing some new hives material on my show.

Singles Collection track listing:

1. Tick Tick Boom
2. Try It Again
3. You Got It All...Wrong
4. Well Alright!
5. Won't Be Long
6. Fall is just Something that Grownups Invented

As for Radiohead, In Rainbows was made available digitally via the bands website (www.inrainbows.com) today October 10th. The album contains ten tracks that sound like a mix of Kid A, OK Computer and Hail To the Thief at times. The album contains many great songs one being the rocker "Bodysnatchers" and others such as "Jigsaw Falling Into Place" which sounds like "Paranoid Android", and "Videotape" which sounds similar to "Pyramid Song" from Amnesiac. The album is set to be released in CD form in December. I also plan on playing new Radiohead material on next weeks show, so don't forget to tune in Wednesday October 17th at 9PM.

Also, if you like the music support the artists, I can't stress that enough.

Too Much Too Soon...Show # 165

This post used to contain information on The New York Dolls.  For other New York Dolls related information please visit:

Looking For Johnny: A Review Of The Danny Garcia Johnny Thunders Documentary

Take A Chance With Me: An Article About Jerry Nolan's 1982 Single

Next week, my show will be pre-empted by extended election coverage from CJAM News. I will return the following Wednesday (October 17th). I will still update this site next week though.

The Play List:

1. New York Dolls – trash
2. Jerry Nolan – take a chance with me
3. Blam Blam Blam – motivation
4. Gruesomes – leave my kitten alone
5. The Jam – to be someone
6. Lime Spiders – 1 2 5
7. Metros – mission
8. The Vapids – dead letter department
9. Neighbourhood Noise – face in the crowd
10. Young Rival – authentic child (demo)
11. Wire - 12 X U
12. Television – venus de milo (74 demo)
13. The Fall – bingo master
14. Gang of Four – guns before butter (alternate version)
15. Dead 60s – bolt of steel
16. Marble Index – all that I know
17. Odds – say you mean it
18. Sloan – ready for you
19. The Checks – what you heard
20. Air Traffic Control - heart attack
21. Subways – I wanna hear what you got to say
22. Arctic Monkeys – temptation greets you like your naughty friend
23. Fire Engines - hungry beat
24. Devo – freedom of choice
25. The Hives – try it again (xfm session)

NY Dolls Vids:

Personality Crisis
Lookin' For a Kiss
Jet Boy (Old Grey Whistle Test 1973)
Chatterbox

In Rainbows...

Radiohead is finally releasing their next album titled In Rainbows, on October 10th. The band is said to have no record label and it can be ordered off of their website. You have a choice between a box set containing the album on CD and vinyl and also a bonus disc on CD and vinyl. Also if you want, you can order the album digitally and pay whatever you want for it. Quite interesting, look for a big post on the band Radiohead soon on this blog (probably in the next few weeks). You can also visit the bands other website Dead Air Space for more radiohead related info.

The tracklisting is as follows:

CD 1 : IN RAINBOWS

15 STEP
BODYSNATCHERS
NUDE
WEIRD FISHES/ARPEGGI
ALL I NEED
FAUST ARP
RECKONER
HOUSE OF CARDS
JIGSAW FALLING INTO PLACE
VIDEOTAPE

CD 2 : BONUS DISC

MK 1
DOWN IS THE NEW UP
GO SLOWLY
MK 2
LAST FLOWERS
UP ON THE LADDER
BANGERS AND MASH
4 MINUTE WARNING

Some Videos:

Videotape (Thom Yorke on a piano)
Preview of tracks from the new album

Standells ... Show 164

Coming from Los Angeles, California, The Standells formed in 1962. The band consisted of drummer/singer Dick Dodd, guitarist Tony Valentino, Organist Larry Tamblyn, and a variety of bass players (such as John Fleck). The band would be known as a garage rock band. The band did a variety of cover songs from the sixties including songs from The Rolling Stones and The Beatles. The band did some television work at first appearing in a movie Get Yourself A College Girl, and The Munsters TV show (1964-1965). On The Munsters the band played two songs, a cover of the Beatles "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" and "Come On Ringo".

When the band teamed up with producer Ed Cobb, the band would have their biggest hit, "Dirty Water". The song "Dirty Water" was written by Cobb and would go to # 11 on the Billboard charts in June of 1966. The band did not even like the song at first, but it would help them get into the top forty. The song makes references to Boston, where Cobb was from. People sometimes think because of the lyrical content in this song that the band is from Boston, but they're from LA. Apparently, after every victory at home for the Boston Red Sox and the Boston Bruins, "Dirty Water" is played. This song would give the band a change in direction and image from their early days (which was very clean cut).

In 1966/67 The Standells wrote "Riot On The Sunset Strip" and starred in the movie of the same name; The song itself was more psychedelic in nature and lyrically about police brutality towards hippies. The band would break up in 1968, Actually they would not record anymore after that time; Dick Dodd would also go solo in 1968. Other songs for which the band was known for were "Good Guys Don't Wear White" (later covered by Minor Threat), "Why Pick on Me", and "Try It" (which was banned in several states due to its subject matter). After Issuing some albums (Dirty Water, Why Pick On Me, The Hot Ones!, and Try It)the band was essentially over, they released released a large majority of material out in a short period of time. They are known as a garage rock band, and were influential on many early punk bands such as The Stooges and many garage bands as well. In 2004 the group reunited at Fenway Park as part of the second game of the World Series. The band has also released some live album (Ban This!) and countless compilations. If you're looking to get into the band, your best bet is to check out one of their compilation albums.

The play list:

1. The Sonics – the witch (version 2)
2. Velvet Underground – I can’t stand it
3. Ugly Ducklings – windy city
4. Standells – sometimes good guys don't wear white
5. Munks – long time waiting
6. Haunted – 8 o’clock this morning
7. Free-for-all – show me the way
8. Secrets – cryin’ over you
9. The Animals – a girl named sandoz
10. The Dark – Hawaii five-o
11. Nick Lowe – shake that rat
12. Beastie Boys – heart attack man
13. Beastie Boys – the melee
14. The Nerves – one way ticket
15. The Government – flat tire
16. Young Rival – dead end scene
17. Compulsive Gamblers – way I feel about you
18. The Pack - snow
19. Rich Kids – hung on you
20. The Scabs – leave me alone
21. Elvis Costello & The Attractions – this years girl
22. Dishrags - past is past
23. Beastie Boys - tough guy
24. Richard Hell & The Voidoids – funhunt
25. Dirty Pretty Things – deadwood
26. Exploding Hearts - thorns in roses
27. The Caesars – its not the fall that hurts

Download Part One of Show 164
Download Part Two of Show 164

Standells Videos:

Dirty Water/Why Pick On Me
Get Away From Here (from the Riot On The Sunset Strip movie)
Riot On the Sunset Strip (from the Riot On The Sunset Strip movie)Try It
Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White

Verse Chorus Verse...The Nirvana Story Part Two...Show # 163

In 1993, Nirvana returned with In Utero. This album was produced by Steve Albini (of the band Big Black, who produced The Pixies) and showed off a harsher heavier, dark sound of the band. Recorded in just two weeks, In Utero was initially rejected by the record company. Some of the tracks needed to be remixed, so the band brought in Scott Litt (REM) to remix some of the tracks. "Heart-Shaped Box", "All Apologies", and "Pennyroyal Tea" were remixed; The remix of "Pennyroyal Tea" would not be released officially until 2002. The album was a success again for the band, and it showed them going into another direction from its predecessor.

In Utero starts of with "Serve the Servants" a heavy dissonant sound rock song about issues with Cobain's father and teenage angst. "Scentless Apprentice" was a song lyrically pertaining to the book Perfume, and musically evolving out of a jam (all three band members get credit on this track). "Heart-Shaped Box" is next. Lyrically the song draws on various issues in a dark poetic style, the song can be looked at as having various meanings, but musically it is a flowing, loud, riffy beautiful song. "Rape Me" is a fast punk influenced track about portrayal in the media, that did cause some controversy, but it is an anti-rape song. Other fast punky tracks are laced all over the album such as "very Ape", "Milk it", and "Tourette's". Songs such as "Dumb", "Pennyroyal Tea", and "All Apologies" show of the bands pop side once again.

One of the other tracks on the album "Radio Friendly Unit Shifter", came about because of an article negatively portraying Kurt and his wife (Courtney Love) in Vanity Fair magazine; The song was originally titled "Four Month Media Blackout". Also the album was originally going to be titled I Hate Myself and I Want To Die or Verse Chorus Verse, both songs which Cobain had written (which would end up as B-sides to the album, along with a few other tracks written during the In Utero sessions). The title In Utero came from one of Courtney Love's poems. Lyrically Cobain takes a step up on In Utero drawing in more poetic images than he did before on Nevermind. The band would then go on a tour of the US also adding Germs guitarist Pat Smear to their ranks.

In 1993, Unplugged in New York was also recorded. The set contained a bunch of lesser known Nirvana songs and covers; The album would get release in 1994. During the period of 1993 Cobain would once again battle with drug addiction and in March of 1993 checked into rehab, cancelling a European tour. On April 8th, 1994 Kurt Cobain was found dead in his Seattle home. The issues that surround Cobain's death may never be known for sure, some fans believe that he was murdered but some believe that he shot himself.

After the end of Nirvana there were numerous post-humus releases. In 1994, Unplugged in New York (on CD & VHS) was released and the video Live! Tonight! Sold Out were released. In 1996, From the muddy Banks of the Wishkah (a collection of live material) was released. After Nirvana, drummer Dave Grohl went on to be successful in his band Foo Fighters, and Krist Novesellic went on to be in various side projects, then finding politics.

In 1997, Novesellic and Grohl started to assemble material for a Nirvana box set to mark the 10th anniversary of Nevermind. A legal battle then ensued for the future of Nirvana's legacy between Courtney Love, Krist Novesellic, and Dave Grohl. They couldn't agree on the material that was to appear on the box set, one song in particular "You Know You're Right" caused issues within the collective group. They eventually settled in 2002, Love wanted the final Nirvana song "You Know You're Right" (recorded in 1994) to be on a greatest hits CD. The song leaked onto the Internet in September of 2002 just before the release of the greatest hits CD. In October of 2002, Nirvana was released. It was a greatest hits compilation of the band which contained the singles of the band plus a few different versions of Nirvana songs.

In 2004, With the Lights Out a 3 CD and one DVD box set was released. The first disc of the set contained Bleach-era Nirvana rarities such as early demos and live recordings of the band. The second disc contained more Nevermind-era recordings, while the third disc contains In Utero-era Nirvana recordings and beyond. The DVD contains live performances a majority of which were taken during the Bleach tour, it also contains more rare songs in the DVD menus such as another demo of "All Apologies", and a demo version of "Lounge Act". Overall, the box set is an extensive look into the recording career of the band which included outtakes such as "Verse Chorus Verse" , and "Old Age" as well as much, much more. In 2005, Sliver: The Best of the Box, was released, it was a compilation of the best tracks from the With the Lights Out box set plus, two previously unreleased demos. In 2006, Live! Tonight! Sold Out! was released on DVD, and in 2005 a Classic Albums DVD was made about the Nevermind album. A DVD version of MTV Unplugged was released in November of 2007.

Currently there has been no official word about any further Nirvana releases, a Kurt Cobain solo album was also said to be in the works in 2000-2002, but there has been no word since then. There is said to be many tapes any recordings left behind, but no one knows for sure how much is left exactly. Whether or not there is other Nirvana releases, the band still has a large following and will always be known as the band that changed rock music for the nineties bringing the underground to the mainstream.

For more information on Nirvana check out Live Nirvana, and Nirvana Club. Also, there are two great books Come As You Are by Michael Azerrad and Heavier Than Heaven by Charles Cross.

What was played:

1. The Damned – liar
2. Adverts – one chord wonders
3. Alternative TV- action, time, vision
4. Undertones – my perfect cousin
5. The Saints – (I’m) misunderstood
6. The Demics – new york city
7. The Statics – rebel like me
8. Modern Pickles – teenage dropout
9. Hammersmith Gorillas – leavin’ town
10. The Dogs – slash your face
11. The Skids – sweet suburbia
12. Subway Sect – parallel lines
13. Prefects – things in general
14. Lurkers – shadow
15. Sturgeons – forward disorder
16. Fits – bored of education
17. The Poles – cn tower
18. Hot Nasties – I am a confused teenager
19. Teenage Head – disgusteen (alternate version)
20. Ramones – loudmouth
21. Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers – born to lose
22. Generation X – ready steady go
23. Black Flag – wasted
24. Fugazi – margin walker
25. Mekons - where were you?
26. Modern Lovers - pablo picasso
27. Black Lips - i saw a ghost
28. Hot Hot Heat - 5 times out of 100
29. Young Canadians - don't tell me
30. Nirvana – talk to me (live unreleased)

Nirvana Videos:

Heart Shaped Box (SNL 1993)
Rape Me (SNL 1993)
Radio Friendly Unit Shifter (Live and Loud 1993)
Pennyroyal Tea (Live and Loud 1993)
The Man Who Sold the World (MTV Unplugged)
Where Did You Sleep Last Night (MTV Unplugged)
Drain You (French TV 1994)
Serve the Servants/Dumb (RAI Studios, Rome 1994)
Heart Shaped Box (Video)
You Know You're Right(Video)

Endless, Nameless...The Nirvana Story Part One...Show # 162

Nirvana were one of the biggest bands of the nineties. Their influences ranged from bands such as The Beatles, Devo, Cheap Trick, Sex Pistols, and Black Sabbath, to indie bands such as The Pixies, Vaselines, Black Flag, The Stooges, and Flipper (to name a few). They would be known as a grunge band that blended elements of punk and metal, but Nirvana were different from the other grunge bands that came out of the emerging scene in Seattle during the late 80's/early 90's. Nirvana contained elements of punk and metal, but they also contained a pop element. Their pop element differed than the other Seattle bands.

After being introduced by Buzz Osbourne (the Melvins) to Krist Novesellic, Kurt Cobain decided to form a band together due to their interest in punk music and feelings of alienation within their home town. After attempting to find a vocalist/guitarist with Cobain on drums and Novesellic on bass, the order was switched around (Cobain on vocals/guitar and Novesellic on bass duties) and after getting drummer Aaron Burckhard on drums, Skid Row was formed. Chad Channing was on drums in 1987 and the band would be known as Nirvana. In 1988, Nirvana released their first single on the Seattle independent record label Sub Pop. "Love Buzz" was actually a cover of a song originally done by the band Shocking Blue, Nirvana's version is re-worked and is better in my opinion. The single was backed by the song "Big Cheese".

The album Bleach would come next in 1989. Recorded for $606.17, the album was heavily influenced by bands such as Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Seattle band Mudhoney. The album which was produced by Jack Endo, was successful on college radio and it created a buzz that got major labels interested. The actual album itself contained a lot of songs showing the bands potential, but also revealing that they had not found their sound yet. The slow drudging "Blew" starts the album, continuing into the heavy-dirty, "Floyd the Barber". "About A Girl" is a song that shows off Cobain's Beatles influence, while still sounding original and different. Other interesting tracks from the album are "School", "Paper Cuts", and "Swap Meet". The band toured a lot behind this album displaying intensive energetic live shows.

Another important note about Bleach is that another guitarist is credited on the album even though he did not actually play on it. This was Jason Everman (also featured on the cover), he did tour a little bit with the band after the release of Bleach, but he would be fired, he also have a brief stint with Soundgarden. Everman also supplied the band with the money to record Bleach. The Blew EP was also released in 1989. The EP contained four tracks "Blew", "Love Buzz" (which can be found on Bleach), and "Been A Son (which can be found on the 2002 Nirvana greatest hits CD)", and "Stain" (on the Incesticide) . The EP was only released in the UK, it was released on vinyl and CD.

The band then released the single Sliver with "Dive" as the B-side. The songs featured a new drummer, Dan Peters from Mudhoney. Nirvana went through a lot of drummers before they would finally find a suitable hard-hitting one to compliment their music and make it even stronger than before. This man would be, Dave Grohl who was playing in the DC hardcore band Scream. During this time the band also signed to a major record label Geffen/DCG in 1990. Before signing over the band also did some work on demos with Butch Vig, but they would then go to Sound City Studios in Los Angeles to work on songs for what would become Nevermind. After spending two months recording Butch Vig mixed the album, but it needed to be remixed. The band chose Andy Wallace from a list of possible people to mix the album, after seeing that he worked with the metal band Slayer. Later on in the bands career, they would say that the mixing on Nevermind was too polished.

Nevermind took the world by storm in 1991, because of the song "Smells Like Teen Spirit". People latched onto this song and it got heavy rotation on mainstream radio and MTV. The album exploded into the mainstream sucking in the Seattle grunge scene with it and a thousand copy-cat bands. The album itself is a mix of the bands punk and pop influences on a more focused level than Bleach. No one thought the album would turn the world of music upside down, but it did. The album itself had a similar impact as Sex Pistols did in the late 70s with their album Nevermind the Bollocks. At the time mainstream radio was filled with older bands and hair metal polluting the airwaves, Nevermind wiped them out. The album contained songs such as "Come As You Are" and "Drain You", which were pop songs that contained watery sounding guitar effects. "Breed", "Territorial Pissings" and "Stay Away" showed off the bands punk rock influences. The band drew influences from all over on this album such as The Pixies, REM and many others. The album ends with the eerie acoustic song "Something in the Way" in which Cobain sings of living under a bridge. After this track there is a hidden song, a song that would be known as "Endless Nameless". Initial copies of the American release of Nevermind failed to include this track. The song was created for the band to let off their frustrations of being in the studio. It would also be a song in which the band would end their lives shows with then smash their instruments.

In 1992, Incesticide was released. It was an album of rarer Nirvana songs. The album contained songs such as "Sliver" a two minute punk song about Cobain wanting to leave his Grandmothers house, and a variety of Bleach sounding outtakes such as "Mexican Seafood", "Beeswax", "Downer", and "Big Long Now". The album also contained a variety of cover songs showing off the bands influences. "Turnaround" (Devo), "Molly's Lips" and "Son of a Gun" (Vaselines)were the covers. The album also contained "Aneurysm" one of Nirvana's best songs, a start and stop masterpiece, and "Been a Son" was another fast punker from the band. A number of these tracks were actually from BBC sessions that the band did. "Aneurysm", "Been A Son", Molly's Lips" and "Son of A Gun" were all taken from BBC session performances.

Hormoaning EP - two different covers (Japan, & Australia)

During the process of touring another EP would be released in Australia and Japan to support their tour there in 1992. In February of 1992, Hormoaning was released. The EP contained six tracks, four covers and two originals. Three of the six songs can be found on Incesticide ("Turnaround", "Molly's Lips", "Son of a Gun"), while the other tracks were "Aneurysm" (a different version than the one featured on Incesticde), "D-7" (Wipers cover), and "Even in His Youth (B-side form the "Teen Spirit" single) were harder to find. To support their releases the band toured to back their success, Cobain would get married and have a child and by 1993 the band would work on their follow up to Nevermind, In Utero. Before the actual recording took place during 1991-92 Cobain would go through numerous personal problems with drug abuse and dealing with fame. Nirvana would also make appearances on various TV shows such as Top of the Pops in the UK, and Saturday Night Live int he USA. Next week I will finish my post on Nirvana, going into 1993 and beyond.

In other news on this Friday September 14th, the University of Windsor will be hosting the Harvesting the FAM Festival, which is an all day event showcasing local talent such as artists, musicians, movies, and fashion. More info can be found here. On Septemeber 28-30th Windsor will be having the PA Festival, a three day event supporting various local and live acts at the Avalon Front and Phog Lounge.

Play list:

1. The Strokes – New York City Cops
2. Libertines – last post on the bugle
3. Replacements – shiftless when idle
4. Green River – ride of your life
5. Mudhoney – inside job
6. Nirvana – big cheese
7. Nirvana – even in his youth (demo)
8. Tankhog – shame
9. Hater – downpour at Mt. Angel
10. Queens Of The Stone Age – misfit love
11. Tricky Woo – hot kitty
12. Mark Inside – liar
13. Rapture – heaven
14. The Hives – love in plaster
15. Ride Theory – walk the line
16. Young Rival – don’t make a sound (demo)
17. Dead 60s – liar (live)
18. The Tweeks – quasi celebrity
19. The Situations – fashion girl
20. The D4 – evil heart
21. Yoko Casionos - cameras on
22. Turbo Fruits - devo girl
23. The Defandants – guilty of you
24. White Stripes – I can’t wait

Nirvana Videos:

In Bloom (Sub Pop Version)
Aneurysm (Live Amsterdam 1991)
Territorial Pissings (Live Jonathan Ross Show 1991)
SNL 1992 (Teen Spirt/Territorial Pissings)
Stay Away (Live Reading Festival 1992)
Lounge Act (Live Reading Festival 1992)
Sliver (Music Video)
In Bloom (Music Video)
Nobody Know's I'm New Wave (Live Argentina 1992)
School & Come As You Are (Live Argentina 1992)

All Mods Cons...Show # 161

The Jam were band that came out around the time of punk, but did not really sound like the punk bands of the time. Forming in their earlier incarnation in the 70s, The Jam started out as a four piece with Paul Weller (guitar/vocals), Steve Brookes (guitar), Bruce Foxton (bass), and Rick Buckler on drums; Steve Brookes eventually left the band and they became a three piece with Paul Weller covering all of the guitar and vocals. The band originally started out playing classic American rock such as Chuck Berry, but that changed when Paul Weller heard The Who. After hearing "My Generation" in particular, Weller and the band then switched directions taking on a more mod look, becoming obsessed with mod bands such as The Who, The Small Faces, and dressing in tailored suits. The band would gain a small following in London around 1976-77, after Sex Pistols started playing in the UK influencing tons of people to start their own groups.

In 1977, The Jam got a record deal with Polydor Records and in April they released their first single "In the City". It was a song that was about police brutality. The song sounds influenced by Sex Pistols song "Holidays in the Sun". In May of 1977, the band released their first full length album titled, In the City. The album was a mix of covers of R&B and Motown bands as well as some Paul Weller originals. The album was fast with the energy of punk despite the fact that a lot of the bands influences were elsewhere differing from the other bands coming out of Britain at this time. "All Around the World" would make it into the UK top ten, after doing a British tour, the band went to work on their next album.

This is the Modern World would come out in the summer of 1977. The album had a few good tracks, but is looked at as not their best effort. Many critics said the album was a repetition of the bands first (Weller has even stated later on, that he had a lack of interest while making the album). Bassist Bruce Foxton contributed two songs to the album "London Traffic" and "Don't Tell Them You're Sane", but Weller would still be the bands main song writer. The band then embarked on their first US tour, it was not successful.

In 1978, All Mods Cons was released. This album was more of a success for the band, going to # 6 on the UK charts. The band first single was "News of the World" a song written and sung by the bassist Foxton; It went to # 27 of the UK Singles chart. The album showed the band going in a different direction than their first two albums going in a more pop direction, drawing in influences of The Kinks ("David Watts" is covered for this album). The album also contained the songs "A Bomb in Wardour Street" (about Weller's sour views on punk and the violence that came with it), and "Down in the Tube Station at Midnight" (about violence in Britain). "Billy Hunt" was a fast paced track with climbing basslines, and the acoustic "English Rose" was actually rejected by Polydor for release as singles. All Mods Cons contained only nine tracks originally and is seen as the bands best album by many. In 2006 a deluxe edition of the album was released which contained demos, B-sides and a DVD documentary.

In 1979, Setting Sons was released. The album was a politically themed album featuring different more produced production than the bands previous efforts. The album was a smash hit in the UK going to # 3 on the charts, but in the US it went to # 137 on the Billboard 200 charts. "Eton Rifles" , and "Little Boy Soldiers" were politically themed tracks, it also contained "Heat Wave" which is a cover of a Motown song. "Going Underground" was a single released for this album, but not actually on the album, and it went to # 1 on the UK charts. The album is seen as another step up for the band, but the band would jump into the Motown and American R&B sound more heavily on their next release Sound Affects.

In 1980, "Start!" was released as a single for the bands next album Sound Affects. The song sounded a lot like the Beatles song "Taxman", and went to #1. The album was a mix of Revolver-era Beatles and Off the Wall-era Michael Jackson. The album would also bring in influences of post-punk, and funk. The album went to # 2 in the UK and # 27 in the US. "Monday", and "Man in the Corner Shop" were obviously showing off the bands Revolver-era Beatles influence. along with "That's Entertainment!" an acoustic number written about the British working class lifestyle. The band then released two non-album singles "Funeral Pyre" and "Absolute Beginners" in 1981, showing more R&B influence than before.

The Gift came out in 1982. This album was the bands last and it was quite different. It brought in influences of soul, funk, and American R&B. The album went to #1 on the UK charts. "A Town Called Malice" was a huge hit for the band, it sounds like a Motown Supremes song. The bands second single "The Bitterest Pill" went to # 2, and the band had one final single "Beat Surrender" which was another # 1. The band did one final tour in the UK, then broke up. After The Jam Paul Weller formed the band Style Council. The band had a few hit singles then broke up toward the beginning of the 90s. Weller then went solo. In the 90's Weller also played the lead guitar and solo on Oasis's "Champagne Supernova", who cited The Jam as a big influence.

In 1997, Direction Reaction Creation was released, it was a five CD Jam box set. Rumours started to fly in 2006 of a possible Jam reunion when Weller and Foxton met backstage. Foxton and Jam drummer Rick Buckler revealed that in autumn of 2007, The Jam will reform for a tour, but there's a catch Paul Weller doesn't want any part of it. So the remaining members of the band will play some shows without Weller and are rumoured to be working on a new album to come out in 2008, once again without Paul Weller. The Jam were a popular band in the UK, but never made it successfully in America. The band started inspired by mod and punk and went into a Motown, soul, and R&B direction and were influential on many bands in the nineties.

Here's what was played:

1. XTC – are you receiving me
2. The Stranglers – Sweden (all quiet on the eastern front)
3. The Swingers – five o’clock shadow
4. Bored Games - joe 90
5. The Stones – something new
6. Boys Next Door – somebody’s watching
7. Radio Birdman – hanging on
8. Burger Boys – shake
9. Vindicators – you’re too much
10. The Diodes – shapes of things to come
11. Richard Hell & The Voidoids – new pleasure
12. The Drones – movement
13. The Jam - the place I love
14. The Jam – eton rifles
15. Gruesomes – leave my kitten alone
16. The Government – telephobia
17. Crash 80s – thrills
18. Radio 4 – caroline
19. Air Traffic Control - what stays
20. The Numbers – I want to believe
21. Albert Hammond Jr. – in transit
22. Television – ain’t that nothin’ (single version)
23. Only Ones – language problem
24. Klark Kent – away from home
25. Air Traffic Control - realize
26. Talking Heads - I wish you wouldn't say that

Jam Videos:

All Around the World (Marc Bolan Show 1977)
In the City (So It Goes Show)
Art School
In the City/A Bomb on Wardour Street/Billy Hunt (OGWT 1978)
Down At the Tube Staion At Midnight (TOTP)
Going Underground (TOTP)
That's Entertainment!
Eton Rifles (Something Else Show 1979)
Town Called Malice
Funeral Pyre (Live on Swedish TV 1981)
Beat Surrender

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)