Savvy Show Stoppers...The Story of Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet...Show # 185 (Surf Show)

Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet were a Canadian band that formed in 1984. The group had three members Reid Diamond on bass, Brian connelly on guitar, and Don Pyle on drums. The group mixed styles of surf, punk, and were an instrumental group. Throughout the 1980's the group released a series of EP's and in 1989 one of their songs "Having An Average Weekend" was used for the Canadian TV comedy show Kids in the Hall. In 1990, Savvy Show Stoppers was released, it was a collection of their early singles. In 1991 the band released their second full length album Dim the Lights, Chill the Ham. It offered more variety than the bands previous releases. In 1993 Sport Fishin': The Lure of the Bait, The Luck of the Hook came out. The album was also produced by Steve Albini and once again took the band into another direction, while still having elements of surf. The album had a more diverse sound than the bands previous releases.

In 1996, the group split up and went into different directions. Diamond and Pyle went on to form another instrumental group called Phono-Comb, while Connelly went on to play with Atomic 7 and the garage rock trio The Heatseekers. The group are known for being a great Canadian (from Toronto) surf/instrumental rock band, they are identified as doing the theme song for the TV show Kids in the Hall, but were much more than that. In 1992, the group also won a Juno Award for Instrumental artist of the year. In 2001, Reid Diamond passed away due to cancer. For more information on Shadowy Men, Atomic 7, Phono-Comb, and all their side/after projects visit The Shadowy Site on a Shadowy Web.

This week I did a show consisting entirely of Surf rock style songs. It was the fourth week of the I Am Collecting Beautiful Things variety challenge, which means for four weeks, I was not to play the same artist twice; The host of the show will not play the same artist all year! I previously did a surf rock and garage rock show last February and this February it was entirely surf and surf influenced material. I would also like to mention that I have a new banner that was excellently designed by Greg Maxwell, he has a website called The Ugly Vision. 

Surf Play List:

1. Ventures - Walk Don't Run '64
2. Beach Boys - Moon Dawg
3. The Vistas - Moon Relay
4. Avengers VI - Heartbeat
5. The Phantoms - XL-3
6. Chevells - Riptide
7. New Dimensions - Cat on a Hot Foam Board
8. Goldtones - Strike
9. Tommy & The Hustlers - Diggin' Out
10. April March - Chick Habit
11. Torpedoes - Bustin' Surfboards
12. Spring Break Shark Attack! - Blood Ocean
13. Shadowy Men On a Shadowy Planet - Our weapons are Useless
15. The Beans - Surfs Up
16. Metalunas - Balistic Bikini
17. Atomic 7 - Chock Full O' Notes
18. Ramonetures - Rockaway Beach
19. The Cocktail Preachers - Rudie Can't Fail
20. The Glasgow Tiki Shakers - Garageland
21. Rna - Spanish Bombs
22. Urban Surf Kings - Clampdown
23. The Anacondas - Guns of Brixton
24. The 5.6.7.8’s - Cat Fight Run
25. Challengers - Our Man Flint
26. Bobby Fuller - Our Favorite Martian
27. Lively Ones - Surf Rider
28. Surf Trio - Beach Genius
29. Mach Kung-Fu - Singapore
30. The Chantays - Pipeline
31. Dick Dale & His Del-Tones - Banzi Wash Out

Semaphore Signals...Wreckless Eric Story...Show # 184

Signing to Stiff Records in 1977, Wreckless Eric (real name Eric Gouldon) was a member of the emerging new wave roster on the label (alongside Ian Dury & The Blockheads, and Elvis Costello). Wreckless Eric's musical style was fuelled by the raw power chord punk and pop he produced. In 1977, "Whole Wide World/Semaphore Signals" as released. The song's backing instruments were provided by Nick Lowe on bass, and Ian Dury on drums. Eric's first album was self titled and came out in 1978, but he was known for his drunken antics while on tour, on and off stage. His first album reflected his drunken antics with a certain charm. it was a punk influenced album with pop sensibilities.

In 1979, The Wonderful World of Wreckless Eric was released. This album showed that Wreckless Eric had a talent, and a knack for writing pop songs. The album did not do too well, along with he first one; He was poorly promoted on the Stiff label. Another album came out titled Big Smash (in 1980), that was so poorly promoted by Stiff and overlooked that he quite the music industry. In in 1979, The Whole Wide World came out in America only, it was a collection of Wreckless Eric's early singles. It came as a bonus with original pressings of 1980's Big Smash.

In 1985, Eric returned with a new group called Captain's of Industry. The group released one album called A Roomful of Monkeys; the band consisted of members from Ian Dury & The Blockheads. In 1986, he formed another group called The Len Bright Combo who would release two albums before quitting. In 1989, he signed to another record label as Eric Goulden and Le Beat Group Electrique. Since then and throughout the 90's, Eric has toured and released albums and even wrote an autobiography titled A Dysfunctional Success. Eric has since then relocated to France.

Next week I will be doing a different type of show. It will consist entirely of surf songs.

The Play List:

1. Sex Pistols - Holidays in the Sun
2. The Scabs - Don't Just Sit There
3. Subway Sect - Chain Smoking
4. The Skids - Skin of Our Own
5. Generation X - Listen
6. Saints - Wild About You
7. Scavengers - Supported by the State
8. The Jam - Art School
9. Modernettes - Celebrity Crackup
10. Spys - Underground
11. The Demics - The Gray and the Black
12. Teenage Head - Little Boxes
13. The Unknowns - Teenage Terrorist
14. Television - Friction (Alternate Version)
15. Wreckless Eric - Whole Wide World
16. Gun Club - She's Like Heroin to Me
17. Wire - Three Girl Rhumba
18. The Victims - Television Addict
19. Radio Birdman - Hand of Law
20. The Shades - New Clientele
21. Gruesomes - I Need You
22. The Clash - Career Opportunities
23. Ramones - Teenage Lobotomy
24. Buzzcocks - Get On Our Own
25. Undertones - Mars Bar
26. Richard Hell & The Voidoids - the Kid With the Replaceable Head
27. Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers - It's Not Enough
28. The Hives - You Dress Up for Armageddon
29. Soundgarden - Ty Cobb

Wreckless Videos:

The Whole Wide World
A Pop Song
Reconnez Cherie (Live Stiffs Tour 1977)

Destination Venus...The Rezillos Story... Show # 183

The Rezillos Formed in Edinburgh, Scottland in 1976. The group was Eugene Reynolds (vocals), Fay Fife (Vocals), Jo Callis and Hi-Fi Harris on guitar, Dr. D.K. Symthe (bass), Angel Patterson (drums), William Mysterious (Saxophone), and Gale Warning on backing vocals. The band is associated with the 70's punk and new wave movement, but were quite different. The bands image was more glam than other punk bands at the time. During the bands early live sets they were known for playing covers such as The Dave Clark Five, The Sweet, Screaming Lord Sutch, and Earl Vince and the Valiants (Fleetwood Mac).


In 1977 the band recorded the single "I Can't Stand My Baby" (backed with "I wanna Be Your Man" a Beatles cover) and released it on Sensible Records. The single generated interest in the band and the band would sign to Sire records, who had the likes of Talking Heads, and Ramones. The unexpected success was a shock to the band, who didn't take what they did that seriously. As more interest generated in the band, they would would lose three members (Symthe, Harris, and Warning). The band would then begin work on their debut album with a new line-up, minus three members and Mysterious on bass. The bands second single was "Flying Saucer Attack" backed with "My Baby Does Good Sculptures", the single didn't do too well. In 1978 the band would have a top 20 UK hit with the song "Top of the Pops", reaching number 16. The bands album would be titled Can't Stand the Rezillos and came out in 1978. Around this time Mysterious left as bassist and was replaced by Simon Templar. The single and album versions of "Top of the Pops are different. Mysterious is on the album version while Templar is on the single version. Overall the album is classic album in the punk and new wave categories. It also contains a variety of 60's covers "Glad All Over" (Dave Clark Five), "I Like It" (Gerry & The Pacemakers).


The band would release one final single "Destination Venus". Reynolds and Fife left the group just after The Rezillos debut album and formed a new group titled The Revillos (the name change was due to contract reasons). The other members formed a band called Shake. The Revillos released Rev Up in 1980 and continued a longer career as The Revillos in the 80's and went through numerous line-up changes. In 1979 a live album was released by the band titled Mission Accomplished... But the Beat Goes On. In 1993, Can't Stand the Rezillos : The (Almost) Complete Rezillos was released. The album was the bands first album remastered with songs from their 1979 live album, but not all of the songs from the live album (all the songs couldn't fit onto one CD). The Rezillos reformed in 1994 and 2001 for some live shows and are currently still playing together.

This week was also the second week of the I Am Collecting Beautiful Things challenge. The challenge is no to play the same two bands twice for 4 weeks.

Play List:

1. Big Audio Dynamite - Harrow Road
2. Public Image Limited - Socialist
3. Professionals - Mods, Skins, Punks
4. Devo - Uncontrollable Urge
5. The Network - Supermodel Robots
6. Ultravox! - Rockwrok
7. Diodes - Terminal Rock
8. The Action - TV's on the Blink
9. Bureaucrats - She's an American
10. Crash 80s - Thrills
11. Magazine - Because You're Frightened (BBC Session)
12. Pointed Sticks - Real Thing
13. Stranglers - Sweden (All Quiet on the Eastern Front)
14. XTC - This is Pop
15. Elvis Costello & the Attractions - (I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea
16. The Government - Fire Escape
17. Talking Heads - The Big Country
18. The Police - Bring On the Night
19. Gang of Four - At Home He's a Tourist
20. Rezillos - I Can't Stand My Baby
21. Ride Theory - Great White Shark
22. Misfits - Hybrid Moments
23. The Damned - Your Eyes
24. Motorhead - Love Me Like A Reptile
25. Metallica - Free Speech for the Dumb

Rezillos Videos:

Top of The Pops (On Top of the Pops)
Destination Venus (On Top of the Pops)
My Baby Does Good Sculptures (Live on Old Grey Whistle Test)

Flourescent Adolescents... The Arctic Monkeys Story and Show # 182

The Arctic Monkeys are a band that draw in influences from punk, post-punk, and Brit pop creating a unique sound. With a voice similar to David Bowie and influences ranging from The Jam, The Clash, The Police, and The Smiths Arctic Monkeys formed in 2002. Alex Turner took on vocals/guitar duties, Jamie Cook took on guitar as well, and other school related friends Andy Nicholson (bass) and Matt Helders (drums) joined too; Initially Glyn Jones was the first singer he left and then was replaced by Turner. The band came from Sheffield, England and started playing gigs in 2003. The bands audience grew as they continued to play shows and pass out demos they recorded for free. The bands popularity grew even further when the songs started appearing on the Internet via their myspace page and other file sharing programs; A collection of the bands early demos can be found on the compilation Beneath the Boardwalk.

As popularity grew in England, the band released and EP titled Five Minutes with the Arctic Monkeys. The EP featured two songs "Fake Tales of San Francisco" and "From the Ritz to the Rubble". Both these songs would be featured on the bands first album, but were re-recorded. Unhappy with the offers they were getting from record labels (they wanted them to change their sound), the band refused initial offers. In June of 2005, they signed to Domino who gave the band more artistic freedom with their music. The bands first single was "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor", which came out in October of 2005. It went to number one on the UK singles chart as did their second single "When the Sun Goes Down". The bands album came in January of 2005 and was released one week early due to high demand for it and Internet leaks. The album was titled Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not. The title came from the 1960 movie Saturday Night, Sunday Morning; It is also a novel by Allan Sillitoe. The album set the UK record for most sales in one week selling over 306, 000 and obviously going to number one on the UK Charts. In the US it went to number 24 on the charts.

After a tour, the band released another EP in April 2006 titled Who the Fuck Are the Arctic Monkeys? Soon after the release of this five track EP, bassist Andy Nicholson left the group due to the pressures of touring and popularity; He was replaced by Nick O'Malley. A year later in April of 2007 the band released their second album Your Favourite Worst Nightmare. This album was a departure from the bands first album, the sound was heavier, faster, and louder. Examples of this can be heard on their first single from the album "Brianstorm", and on songs such as "Teddy Picker" and "Old Yellow Bricks". The album once again debuted at number one in the UK and number 7 in the US. Currently the band is said to have started recording demos for the bands third album. Some of the song titles are "Sandtrap", "Put Me in a Terror Pocket", and "The Fire and the Thud". The band has also said in recent interviews that they want to move away from the conventional album format and release the album single by single. Alex Turner is currently involved in a side project called The Last Shadow Puppets. Along with Miles Kane (The Rascals), and James Ford (producer/drummer) the band released The Age of Understatement in April of 2008. The Arctic Monkeys are set to record another album with Josh Homme (from Queens of the Stone Age) as producer.

In other news Chris White of the CJAM show I Am Collecting Beautiful Things has challenged other CJAM shows to complete a four week task of not playing the same musical artist twice. He is not going to play the same artist twice all year, so compared to that four weeks or four shows is nothing. This should make the next four shows (including this one) quite interesting. I will be playing a lot of the usual bands, but also some different bands in the process. This was week one of the four week challenge.

The Play List:

1. The Rapture - Pieces of the People That We Love
2. Arctic Monkeys - Old Yellow Bricks
3. Radio 4 - Packing Up Things on the Scene
4. The Quotes - She's Got Me
5. The Checks - Take Me There
6. The Griefs - Whenever You're Around
7. Tricky Woo - Fever
8. Marble Index - Everyone Else
9. The Pack A.D. - Stray
10. Mudhoney - The Straight Life
11. Subways - With You
12. Strokes - Soma
13. Buddy Holly - Ting-A-Ling
14. Dead 60s - Don't Walk Away
15. Action Makes - Charley and the CFF
16. Hot Hot Heat - Get In or Get Out
17. Mark Inside - Blacksheep (demo)
18. The Staggers - Out of My Mind
19. Exploding Hearts - Modern Kicks
20. Green Day - Take Back
21. Carbon/Silicon - The News
22. Libertines - The Boy Looked At Johnny
23. Satelliters - Unknown State of Mind
24. The D4 - Peepshow
25. Franz Ferdinand - What You Meant

I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor
When the Sun Goes Down (Music Video)
Teddy Picker (Live Music Video)
Flourescent Adolescent (Music Video)
Live on Jools Holland (Brainstorm, 505, & Teddypicker)
Take it or Leave It (Live Strokes Cover)