Cyborgs Revisited was an album released by Simply Saucer in 1989. The Hamilton, Ontario band lasted from 1973 to 1979 and only ever released one single officially when they were together. "She's A Dog/I Can Change my mind was released in 1978. The bands style was a mix of bands such as Alice Cooper, MC5, The Stooges, Velvet Underground, and Hawkwind.
The song "Electro Rock", featured on today's program can be found on the album Cyborgs Revisited. The album was made up of two sides, the first being a demo session that the band did with Daniel and Bob Langlois and the second was a concert recorded in 1975 from Hamilton, Ontario. When the album was released in 1989, it was hailed as a lost Canadian classic ranking on top Canadian album lists. Most recently it was ranked # 36 in the Top 100 Canadian Albums book by Bob Mersereau. In 2003, Cyborgs Revisited was re-released with nine bonus tracks. The band has reunited and plays with a different line up.
Play List:
1. The Cure - Plastic Passion
2. The Passions - I Radiate
3. The Scars - Everywhere I Go
4. The Fall - Stepping Out
5. The Horrors - Who Can Say?
6. Little Girls - Tambourine
7. The Secretaries - Hey Girl
8. Jook - Aggravation Place
9. The Arkells - Deadlines
10. Laughing Clowns - Lucky Days
11. Dirty Pretty Things - The North
12. The Flaming Lips - Unconsciously Screamin'
13. Simply Saucer - Electro Rock
14. 63 Monroe - 99th Floor
15. Young Rival - Got What You Need
16. Devil Eyes - Noctilucent Ghost
17. The Flashing Lights - The Flashing Lights Are On
18. The Zeros - Mainstreet Brat
19. Deja Voodoo - Surfing On Mars
20. The Yauchts - Secret Agent
21. The Government - Real Computer
22. Dead 60s - Red Light
23. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Albert Goes West
To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for October 27th. Or subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.
Its hard to believe that forty years ago in 1969, The Kinks first released their album Arthur (Or The Decline of The British Empire). It was released following their album The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society, that upon it's initial release sold poorly. Since then Village Green has gone on to become a cult classic and many Kinks fans favourite Kinks album, but people often overlook Arthur. It is based upon a concept revolving around Arthur and his son, who moves to Australia from England with his wife after World War II. The album originally had its first inception by Ray Davies as the soundtrack for a television play. When the play was cancelled, Ray used the themes and ideas he created and transferred them into album form via The Kinks.
The album was recorded from May to July at Pye Studios in the UK in 1969. Another interesting fact about this album is that it was produced by Ray Davies (as was Village Green). The albums concept was based loosely on Rose (Ray's Sister) and her husband Arthur Anning, who moved from England to Australia. This was also the very same Rosie that the song "Rosie Won't You Please Come Home" from Face To Face was based on. Themes on the album are addressed such as war, British oriented nostalgia, and the boringness of suburban life. The album opens with "Victoria", a Hard Rock based song that lyrically addressed the British Empire in a satirical way. The ballad "Some Mother's Son", addresses the horrors of war, while the song "Shangri-La" is in a world of its own. It addresses what seems to be a paradise, but as the song carries along the listener finds out that what Arthur thinks is his paradise is actually his own prison as well. Musically, the song mixes elements of Folk, Hard Rock and has been said to be one of Dave Davies favourite Kinks songs that his brother, Ray Davies has written.
"Mr. Churchill Says" references the effects of World War II on the British people. Musically the song picks up from a slow Blues influenced Rock song to being Hard Rock once again. The song actually features paraphrased parts from the speeches of Prime Minister Winston Churchill and a siren in the middle of the song that is supposed to represent the air-raid siren heard during World War II. The album also features many other songs playing into this over aching concept. There are other interesting songs such as "Brainwashed", "Arthur", "Nothing To Say", and the six minute "Australia" which features excellent guitar work from Dave Davies. Overall, the album musically is an exciting Rock album.
The album sold poorly in the UK, but in the US it received greater acclaim and reached #105 on the US album charts. Singles released for the album were "Drivin'", "Shangri-La", and "Victoria". Only "Victoria" would do well on the singles market (with the exception of "Shangri-La" in the Netherlands). It went to #62 on the US Billboard Hot charts and #33 on the UK singles charts. Arthur would also mark the beginnings of The Kinks return to mainstream success and a return to the bands Hard Rock style. Arthur was reissued in 1998 with several bonus tracks.
1. The Kinks - Nothing To Say
2. Supergrass - Never Done Nothing Like That Before
3. The Black Hollies - Gloomy Monday Morning
4. The Flaming Groovies - Teenage Head
5. One Way Street - I See The Light
6. J.B & The Playboys - Leave My Woman Alone
7. The Count Five - Double Decker Bus
8. Dr. Feelgood - Riot in Cellblock No.9
9. The Dishrags - Sold Out
10. Ex-Boyfriends - Special Occasions
11. Lost Patrol - Outta My Mind
12. Dream Dates - Search and Destroy
13. Ramona - A Way Over
14. The Goodamn Goodamn's- Steel City Livin'
15. No Age - You're A Target
16. Islands - Vapours
17. The Raveonettes - Bang!
18. Carbon/Silicon - What's Up Doc?
19. Young Executives - Ice Age
20. Mando Diao - Go Out Tonight
21. Van Morrison - Everyone
22. The Clash - Every Little Bit Hurts
23. The Kinks - Shangri-La
To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for October 13th. Or subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.
In addition to my feature on The Kinks album Arthur, I also played a new song by Carbon/Silicon. Here is the music video for "What's Up Doc?"
CJAM is now 99.1 FM. That being said, Revolution Rock aired for the first time on 99.1 FM this Tuesday October 13th. The show has been on CJAM since 2004 and this week marked my 269th program. If you are a visitor of this blog, it is a good idea to check out the new CJAM website. You can subscribe to individual programs and even subscribe to an RSS Podcast by going to the programs section.
The downloads from CJAM's site are now a bit different, but are easier to get. To download the show you can visit the Revolution Rock page , all of the files will be listed in this link if you'd like to download a particular show from a particular week. Also if you click the Podcast RSS button, you will be able to subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.
99.1 FM Play List:
1. Almighty Defenders - All My Loving 2. BBQ - Outta My Mind 3. BBQ - I Wanna Be the Only One 4. Black Lips - Boomerang 5. The Scruffs - This Thursday 6. The Real Kids - Rave On 7. The Poles - CN Tower 8. The Reaction - The Kids Arrived 9. Spiral Beach - After Midnite 10. Rick White - Belief 11. Speaking Tongues - Run To My Door 12. Nirvana - School 13. Tank - Storm Trooper 14. Julian Casablancas - 11th Dimension 15. Devo - Mongoloid 16. Peace - I Forget 17. Turbo Fruits - Trouble! 18. Generation X - Anna Smiles 19. XTC - Wait Till Your Boat Goes Down 20. Gang of Four - Love Like Anthrax 20. The Saints - This Perfect Day (Single Version) 22. Undertones - I Don't Wanna See You Again/I Told You So 23. Modernettes - Barbra 24. Pearl Jam - Gonna See My Friend 25. Buzzcocks - Operator's Manual
To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for October 13th. Or subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.
