Don't Bring Me Down - The Pretty Things Story...Show # 181

Named after a Bo Diddley song ("Pretty Thing"), The Pretty Things started out in England in 1963. The band was influential on bands such as Rolling Stones, Davie Bowie, and The Who. The band started off by doing a bunch of R&B covers (similar to Rolling Stones) which are seen as being punky and edgy versions of the original songs. The band consisted of Phil May (Vocals/Harmonica), Dick Taylor (Guitar), Brian Pendleton (Rhythm Guitar), John Stax (Bass), and Pete Kitley on drums (he would be replaced by Viv Prince on drums). Another interesting fact is that Dick Taylor was actually in an early version of the Rolling Stones before getting The Pretty Things.

The band became very popular in the UK with their first three singles ("Rosalyn", "Don't Bring Me Down", and "Honey I Need") in 1964/1965. The bands 1965 album Get The Picture? contains their early UK hits as well as songs such as "Midnight To Six Man". This song set the standard for the Mod lifestyle in the UK and is even mentioned in the lyrics to The Clash song "(Whiteman) In Hammersmith Palais". In 1967, the group released the Psychedelic album Emotions, changing their sound. They then released S.F Sorrow, which is seen as one of the first rock opera's proceeding Pete Townshends Tommy. The album itself was recorded at Abbey road studios after The Beatles Sgt. Peppers and Pink Floyd's Piper at the Gates of Dawn. The album was a commercial failure and the band still was virtually unknown in the USA. It wouldn't be until David Bowie covered two Pretty Things songs ("Don't Bring Me Down" and "Rosalyn") on his album Pin Ups (1973) that people in the US even knew they existed. Just after the release of S.F. Sorrow, Taylor would leave the group. The bands next album was Parachute in 1970 and was named the album of the year by Rolling Stone magazine; The album had a psychedelic sound.

The band would keep going. They recorded a bunch of songs for some low budget movies in the 70s and in the 80s incorporated more heavy metal into their sound. They were even managed by Led Zeppelin manager Peter Grant (briefly) and had releases on Zeppelin's Swan Song label. On the album Cross Talk the band added elements of punk and new wave to their music. The band has reunited for live shows/tours and albums since 1990 with and without the original members. The band is known for their early British sound sound that was influential on the likes of the Rolling Stones, as well as some punk bands in the late 70s; Some of the bands early material has been re-issued with bonus tracks.

The Play List:

1. Stooges - I Wanna Be Your Dog
2. White Stripes - Black Math
3. Albert Hammond Jr. - Postal Blowfish
4. Ugly Ducklings - Hey Mama (Keep Your Big Mouth Shut)
5. Kinks - I"m Not Like Everybody Else
6. Phantom Keys - In The Summer Time
7. Standells - Dirty Water
8. Pretty Things - Midnight To Six Man
9. Pretty Things - L.S.D.
10. Elvis Presley - Let Yourself Go
11. Young Rival - Authentic Child
12. Whitsundays - Loralee
13. Ex-Boyfriends - Spanked By Lightning
14. 222's - Hold On
15. Gentlemen of Horror - Overhead Projector
16. Hot Nasties - Get Away From Me
17. Sonic Youth - Hey Joni
18. The Government - Hemmingway Hated Disco
19. XTC - Ten Feet Tall
20. Elvis Costello & The Attractions - No Action
21. Klark Kent - My Old School
22. Wire - No Warning Given
23. Nirvana - Beeswax (Live Buenos Aires 1992)
24. Dirty Pretty Things - Radio Song
25. Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - Cool n' Out
26. Iggy Pop - I'm Bored
27. Rage Against the Machine - Tire Me

Pretty Videos:

Midnight to Six Man
On Popside 1966 (Can't Stand the Pain, L.S.D., and Come and See Me)

Show # 180 - The Live Show

This week my show consisted entirely of live recordings from some of my favourite bands. This included official live albums, and rare unreleased recordings. Some of the material I played was:



The Bootleg Series Volume 4: Bob Dylan Live 1966: The Royal Albert Hall Concert

After years of being bootlegged, Bob Dylan officially released this live concert as part of his Bootleg Series in 1998. This is the concert where Dylan went electric, causing many of his fans to believe him a sellout. Other interesting facts about this double CD set is that Bob Dylan is backed by a group of Canadian musicians then known as The Hawks. Serving as his backing band, The Hawks would later change their name to The Band.

Sex Pistols - Live in Chelmsford Prison (2002 Sanctuary)

This is a live concert featuring the Sex Pistols live at a prison in 1976. On this CD there are all the Pistols classics such as "Problems", "Anarchy in the UK", "God Save the Queen", and a variety of covers "No Fun (The Stooges)", and "Substitute (The Who)". This bootleg recording sounds better than a large majority of the bands live recordings. Recorded by the bands sound man Dave Goodman, the album showcases an early version of the band featuring Glen Matlock on bass. The actual overall performance of the band has been described as the group not at their best, but it is a good sounding live recordings by the legendary Sex Pistols. Earlier releases of this show, have sound man Dave Goodman adding overdubs to the show, sometimes even singing over top of Rotten making the release worthless. If you want to get this bootleg make sure it is the 2002 Sanctuary version.

Talking Heads - The Name of this Band is Talking Heads

Originally released in 1982, This was a double live album cataloguing the bands career from 1979 to 1981. The title of the album originated from the incorrect pronunciation of the band as The Talking Heads (it's just Talking Heads). The first disc contains live recordings from the period of 1977-1979 and the second disc contains live recordings from the period of 1980-1981. When released on CD in 2004, not only was the album remastered, but also expanded with 15 bonus tracks. The album also contains the song "A Clean Break" which was previously unreleased, and is an excellent track. This is a live album that is just as good if not better than the bands other live album Stop Making Sense.

In other news, on January 11th, Mick Jones and members of Carbon/Silicon played live on stage with none other than Topper Headon (former drummer of the Clash). It was the first time in 25 years the two played together and here are two videos of it:

Train in Vain
Should I Stay or Should I Go

Finally, an article was written for the University of Windsor's newspaper The Lance on my radio show Revolution Rock. If you would like to read it, you can check it out here.

The Play List:

1. The Clash - Jimmy Jazz (Live From Here To Eternity II)
2. The Damned - New Rose (Live Paris Theatre 1977)
3. Sex Pistols - Substitute (Live Chelmsford Prison 1976)
4. Teenage Head - Little Sister (Live 1978)
5. Teenage Head - Ain't Got No Sense (Live 1978)
6. Young Canadians - Poison of Thought (Live No Escape)
7. Saints - Untitled (Live London 1977)
8. Saints - Nights in Venice (Live in London 1977)
9. Gang of Four - Return the Gift (Live Ann Arbour, Michigan 1981)
10. The Jam - And Your Bird Can Sing (BBC Session)
11. Bob Dylan - Tell Me, Momma (Live Royal Albert Hall 1966)
12. Sloan - The Lines You Amend (4 Nights at the Palais Royale)
13. Sloan - Iggy & Angus (4 Nights at the Palais Royale)
14. Generation X - King Rocker (Live Sheffeild 1978)
15. Neil Young - Sedan Delivery (Rust Never Sleeps 1979)
16. Pearl Jam - Fuckin' Up (Live Toronto 2006)
17. Modernettes - Rebel Kind (Live on the Vancouver Show 1983)
18. Smugglers - What Do You Want Me to Do (Live Growing Up Smugglers 1998)
19. The Clash - Hate & War (Live Something Else 1979)
20. Buzzcocks - Fiction Romance (Entertaining Friends 1979)
21. Talking Heads - Don't Worry About the Government (The Name of this Band is Talking Heads)
22. Dead 60s - Liar (Live i-tunes Music Festival 2007)
23. The Hives - List of Demands (XFM Session 2007)
24. Ramones - Let's Dance (Live at the Roxy 1976)

Tangled Up in Plaid...Story of Queens of the Stone Age and show # 179

Coming from the remnants of Kyuss, Queens of the Stone Age were called Gamma Ray and were a group of revolving musicians that included Josh Homme, Matt Cameron (Soundgarden), and Mike johnson from Dinosaur Jr. They released a series of 7 Inch singles before changing their name and band members. Changing their name to Queens of the Stone Age, Josh Homme (singer/guitar) and Alfredo Hernandez (ex-kyuss drummer) released Queens of the Stone Age . Josh Homme covered not only the guitar and vocals, but the bass as well. The album was a departure from the sound of Kyuss, it was more riff oriented. Josh Homme described it as "Robot Rock", but critics described the music as stoner rock, which is something that Homme doesn't endorse. After the release of their first album, Nick Ovliveri (Kyuss/Dwarves) joined the group as bassist, Dave Catching also joined as second guitarist around this time.

In 2000, Rated R was released. By this time drummer Hernandez left the group two drummers contributed to the album Gene Trautmann and Nick Lucero, Mark Lanegan of the Screaming Trees also contributed vocals to the album. Rated R was an album that showed off Homme and Oliveri's style, the album is a riffy mix of Black Sabbath type rock and elements of punk, but more so on the metal Sabbath side. The album opens with the track "Feel Good Hit of the Summer", a song in which the chorus is a list of drugs. The song was to be seen as a joke by fans, it was a hit in Europe but not released in the US. The song is used by the Colorado Police Department as the song in their instructional video about the consequences of drunk driving. The second track on the album is "The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret" is easily one of the catchiest QOTSA songs. The song is a mix of a mellow verses and loud dragging chorus' with the lines "What Would You Do, Don't Tell Anyone" repeated over and over. Another interesting track is "Monsters in the Parasol", a song written after an LSD experience; the song came from The Desert Sessions Volume 3 & 4 (Desert Sessions are songs written by a group of musicians that includes Homme, Oliveri and others). Despite getting good reviews, the album didn't do too well commercially.

In 2001/2002, QOTSA began work on their third album, but were once again without a drummer. Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters took the job, post-poning his work with the Foo Fighters, even touring briefly with QOTSA. A Perfect Circle member Troy Van Leeuwen joined as second guitarist, Mark Lanegan once again appeared on the album. Songs for the Deaf showed a step up in song structure from the band. "No One Knows" was the first single, it went to number one. It featured the hard-hitting drumming of Dave Grohl along with heavy QOTSA riffs and a bass solo from Oliveri. "Go With the Flow" was another single, that did the band good. The music video features the band riding on the back of a truck and silouhettes of the band. Other interesting songs include "Hanging Tree", "The Sky is Fallin'", and the southern watery sounding "Another Love Song". Overall, the album is a mix of metal, and garage rock. The band also got another drummer during the touring of this album (because Grohl was involved with Foo Fighters), Joey Castillo (drummer of Danzig) took over the job. Songs for the Deaf was the bands biggest commercial success since its beginnings, it went gold.

Homme got involved in a side project in 2004. The band was called Eagles of Death Metal and Homme played drums. The band was formed with friend Jesse "The Devil" Hughes, their first album was called Peace, Love, and Death Metal. In 2006, they released Death By Sexy, and in 2008 a new album is supposed to come out titled Heart On. The band is not a death metal band, they are a mix of garage rock with bluesgrass slide guitar.

In July of 2005, Oliveri was fired from the band. The band got a new bassist Alain Johannes and released Lullabies to Paralyze in March of 2005. The album showed off the bands new wave and punk side, along with a little Black Sabbath thrown in. Songs such as "Medication", "Everybody Knows that You're Insane", and "Skin on Skin" showed off the bands punk side. Other great tracks include the cowbell dominated, and crunchy guitar riffed "Little Sister" and "Burn the Witch". The song featured Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top and Mark Lanegan on backing vocals and Homme on bass. "In My Head" is a slower, "Go With the Flow" type track. Mark Lanegan can be heard on the opening track "This Lullaby", he no longer tours with the band. People that were expecting another Songs for the Deaf type album were thrown off, the album did not sell as well as it's predecessor; The album debuted at number five on the US charts.

Coming out in June of 2007, Era Vulgaris was the fifth full length album from Queens of the Stone Age. The album once again took the band and fans into a different direction. It was a more dark album, sounding like a mix of Rated R and Lullabies to Paralyze mixing elements of punk, new wave, metal, and rocking out like Songs for the Deaf. "Sick, Sick, Sick" was the first single. It a fast punky rocker featuring guest vocals by Strokes singer Julian Casablancas. Mark Lanegan once again contributed vocals, to harmonies on the track "River in the Road". "3's & 7's" is another punk influenced rocker, along with the climbing "Battery Acid". Other great tracks include the long, but hypnotising "Misfit Love", "Suture Up Your Future", and the heavy hitting "Run, Pig, Run". Finally, the album contains the heavily pop laced track "Make It Wit Chu", a song that came once again from a desert sessions. Overall, the album threw off fans, but it is just as interesting as any QOTSA release; It debuted at number 14 on the US charts.

The Play List:

1. Rezillos - Flying Saucer Attack
2. Plasticines - Shake (Twist Around the Fire)
3. Pointed Sticks - Somebody’s Mom
4. Diodes - Coma
5. Carboard Brains - Can Stress Kill?
6. Strollers - Let Me Come on in
7. The Griefs - Board Out of My Gourd
8. Gruesomes - No More Lies
9. Tricky Woo - Hot Kitty
10. Marble Index - All That I Know
11. The Strokes - The End Has No End
12. Stooges - I Got A Right ! (Alternate Version)
13. Queens of the Stone Age - Monsters in the Parasol
14. Queens of the Stone Age - Tangled Up in Plaid
15. Queens of the Stone Age - Needles in the Camel's Eye
16. Roxy Music - All I Want is You
17. Only Ones - Lovers of Today
18. Subways - City Pavement
19. Ultravox! - Frozen Ones
20. Compulsive Gamblers - I’m That Guy
21. Ride Theory - Alright
22. Ride Theory - Can’t Get it Right
24. Redwalls - Modern Diet
25. The D4 - Out of My Head
26. The D4 - Feel It Like It
26. Carbon/Silicon - What the Fuck
27. XTC - Statue of Liberty

Download Part One of Show 179
Download Part Two of Show 179

QOTSA Videos:

No One Knows (Live 2002)
Monsters in the Parasol (Live 2007)
Go With the Flow (Music Video)
Another Love Song (Live)
Little Sister (Music Video)
Burn the Witch (Live on Leno - Featuring Billy Gibbons)
Sick Sick Sick (Music Video)
3's & 7's (Music Video)
Misfit Love (Live Henry Rollins Show)
Battery Acid (Live Henry Rollins Show)

Ambition...The Story of the Subway Sect...Show #178

Forming in 1976 around the same time bands such as The Clash and Sex Pistols were starting out came a band named Subway Sect. The first original line up of the band contained Vic Godard (real name Vic Napper) on vocals, Rob Symmons on guitar, Paul Meyers on bass, and Paul Packham on drums. The band was formed upon suggestion from Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McClaren who wanted more punk bands for the 100 Club Punk Festival in September of 1976. After four gigs, original drummer Paul Packham left the group and was replaced by Mark Laff, who would leave shortly after joining the Sect to drum for another punk outfit, Generation X; Bob Ward would be the replacement. Despite being thrown into the punk scene with no experience, the band was received well. They opened for the Clash on their 1977 White Riot tour, and opened for Sex Pistols numerous times. The bands sound was a bit different from the punk that was being turned out at the time, their music was a strange mix of loud guitars (in the beginning) and with pop (example: "Ambition"); The band was also managed by Bernie Rhodes who also managed The Clash.

In 1978, Subway Sect released their first single "Nobody's Scared", backed with the song "Don't Split It", both of which were recorded during a John Peel Session. Around this time the group also began work on their debut album, in London. It was supervised by Bernie Rhodes and produced by Mickey Foote (The Clash's soundman). For some strange reason while recording the album, manager Bernie Rhodes fired the entire Subway Sect band except for Godard. The album never got its release except for the single "Ambition" which was released on Rough Trade Records. Other tracks would see the light of day from these sessions, but not all of them. "A Different Story (Rock and Roll Even)" was the B-side to "Ambition", while the song "Paralell Lines" was released with an issue of NME Magazine. The other tracks from this lost album were released on compilations in poor quality, until recently when Goddard released them on some compilations.

Vic Godard formed a second line up of the Sect, but called it Vic Godard and the Subway Sect and in 1980 released an album titled What's The Matter, Boy? Around this time Vic Godard was changing his direction musically being influenced by music such as rockabilly and early rock such as Elvis Presley and Eddie Cochran. In 1982, the members of the Sect disbanded to form their own band titled Jo Boxers. Vic Godard continued as a solo artist briefly before retiring from music to become a postman.

In the 90's Godard returned to music releasing several solo albums and in 2002 revived Subway Sect,with the album Sansend. Godard has released several compilations featuring material from his career with Subway Sect and as a solo artist. In 2007, the original members of Subway Sect re-recorded their infamous lost 1978 album, and called it 1978 Now. Vic Godard was a musician that went under the radar, Subway Sect had some great material, but suffered constant line-up changes which would lead to their downfall. The band is a unique group that mixed elements of pop music with the energy and stamina of 1970's punk. For more info on Vic Godard and Subway Sect you can visit this site or their myspace page.

Play List:

1. Johnny Thunders – Subway Train
2. MC5 – Highschool
3. Modern Lovers – Road Runner
4. The Action – TV’s On the Blink
5. Teenage Head – You’re Tearin’ Me Apart
6. Zr04 – Gimme Attention
7. Sex Pistols – No Feelings (outtake)
8. Lurkers – Go Go Go
9. 999 – I’m Alive
10. The Fall – Bingo Master’s Break Out
11. Subway Sect - Nobody's Scared
12. Subway Sect – Parallel Lines
13. Scavengers – Violence
14. The Demics – The 400 Blows
15. Forgotten Rebels – Surfin’ On Heroin
16. Young Canadians – Just a Loser
17. Spiral Scratch – Streetfighter
18. Elbow Beach Surf Club – Surf Theme
19. Radio Birdman – You’re Gonna Miss Me
20. Richard Hell & The Voidoids – I’m Your Man
21. Television – Prove It
22. Wreckless Eric – Reconnez Cherie
23. Bamboo Kids – Right On
24. The Go – Mercurial Girl
25. Ramones – I don’t Wanna Go Down to the Basement
26. Buzzcocks – I Can’t Control Myself

Some Videos:

Subway Sect - Live at Rehearsal Rehearsals 1977
Subway Sect - Why Don't You Shoot Me? (Punk Rock Movie 1977)
Vic Godard & The Subway Sect - Keep Our Chains

Somewhere Outside - Ugly Ducklings Story ... Show # 177

Coming from Toronto, Ontario in the mid Sixties (1965), Ugly Ducklings were a garage rock band. The band mixed elements of The Kinks, Yardbirds, The Who, and The Rolling Stones into their music, but were know for delivering some songs with a high energetic punk delivery. The band consisted of Dave Bingham (vocals/guitar), Rodger Mayne (Lead Guitar), Glynn Bell (Rhythm Guitar), John Read (bass), and Robin Boers on drums. The five piece garage outfit scored some success with their debut single "Nothin'" on CHUM- AM radio in Canada. The song itself was a distorted, fast energetic song with punk elements. The bands second hit for CHUM-AM was "Gaslight" a more psychedelic number. The band even opened for the Rolling Stones at Maple Leaf Gardens.

In 1967 the band released Somewhere Outside their first full length album. The album contained the bands first three singles and other songs such as the dirty garage riff filled "Just In Case You Wonder", and the instrumental "Windy City". By 1968, the band split up. It was ironic that at this time Mick Jagger had said that Ugly Ducklings were his favourite Canadian band, but they were no more. In the 70's Rodger Mayne would manage the Canadian punk act The Viletones. In 1980, the band reformed for another album Off The Wall. The band would get a new drummer former Diode member John Hamilton. In 1982, the band released another album this time it was self titled.

Ugly Ducklings have been featured on countless garage rock compilations. In 1998, the bands material got released on CD with bonus tracks. Ugly Ducklings have been said to have been an influence on Canadian punk and rock acts.

Play List:

1. Bo Diddley – I Can Tell
2. Chuck Berry – Around and Around
3. Small Faces – Understanding
4. Ugly Ducklings – Just in Case You Wonder
5. The Event – Pop Think-In
6. The Jam – But I’m Different Now
7. Yardbirds – Heart Full of Soul
8. Velvet Underground – There She Goes Again
9. King Beez – Little Girl
10. The Haunted – 8 O’Clock This Morning
11. Free-For-All - Show Me the Way
12. Don Norman & The Other 4 – Low Man
13. Hot Nasties – I’m a Confused Teenager
14. Neil Young – Walk On
15. Johnny Cash – Guess Things Happen This Way
16. Bob Dylan – Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window
17. The Clash – London’s Burning (Live From Here To Eternity)
18. Saints – One Way Street
19. Elvis Costello – Welcome to the Working Week
20. Devo – Don’t You Know
21. Magazine – TV Baby
22. Iggy Pop – Success
23. The Stranglers - (Get A) Grip (On Yourself)
24. Undertones – Get Over You
25. Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers – Get Off the Phone
26. Ex-Boyfriends - Her Fathers Clothes
27. The D4 - Invader Ace

Some Videos:

Ugly Ducklings - Gaslight (1967)
Ugly Ducklings - Can't Judge a Book (1968)
Ugly Ducklings - Nothin' (2000)