Joe Strummer Day 2017: The Latino Rockabilly War & Chris Crossraods (Shows # 699, 700)

Following his time with The Clash, Joe Strummer worked on a variety of soundtracks, most notably for the Alex Cox films, Sid & Nancy and Walker. The Latino Rockabilly War was the backing band Strummer put together for music on the film Permanent Record, which starred Keanu Reeves. The band consisted of Zander Schloss (guitar), Lonnie Marshall (bass), Jack Irons (drums) as well as Willie McNeil on drums for select tracks. Five songs recorded during this time were featured on the Permanent Record soundtrack, “Trash City”, “Baby the Trans”, “Nothin’ Bout Nothin‘”, “Nefertiti Rock”, and the instrumental track “Theme From Permanent Record”. Three of these tracks were also released as Trash City, a three-track single that featured the title track, “Nefertiti Rock” and “Theme From Permanent Record”. The song “Trash City” is a hidden song within Joe Strummer’s post-Clash years. Often referred to as his Wilderness Years, this song is a rock song with world music rhythms, lyrically the song taps into a party type vibe, drawing on elements of American junk culture and the status quo.

This line-up was also featured on the Earthquake Weather, Joe Strummer’s first official solo album. Released in 1989, the album was initially not received well critically, but that has come to change with time, garnering more of a cult following. Earthquake Weather experiments with the influences of rockabilly, folk, funk, reggae, world music, and pop music. The album opens with Joe Strummer shouting, “Let’s rock again” before launching into the track called “Gangsterville”. The opening seconds of this song set the tone for this album, the first official solo album released by Joe Strummer. Musically the song brought into focus a reggae/rock style with added Caribbean music influences, while lyrically the song seems to reflect the frustrations Strummer was experiencing after his time with The Clash, and fans expectations of him. Lyrics such as “The revolution came and the revolution went/The chemical rain left a message on the tent” and other lines such as, “Wanted: one man to lead a crusade/Payment: a bullet on a parade” exemplify some of this, as a picture is painted of a time that was and a future that is beginning.

“King of the Bayou” is another strong rock song found early on this album, along with “Slant Six”, a song that recalls a Rolling Stones influence. “Shouting Street”, another rock song found on this release seems to pull in a rockabilly influence at times, but has its origins in the last days of The Clash. Apparently the song was late 1985/early 1986 and was intended to be worked up with Clash bassist Paul Simonon, but never was. “Island Hopping” is a more exotic tropical folk song of sorts, drawing in a mellow Caribbean/world music sound as lyrically it shows a changing world that is controlled by the people in power. “Dizzy’s Goatee” drifts into dub territory, while “Boogie With Your Children” brings funk music influences to Earthquake Weather. The song’s sound has drawn comparisons to Red Hot Chili Peppers musically. “Leopard Skin & Limousines” is a sparse arrangement, with flamenco styled guitar on top of piano and acoustic guitar. Lyrics such as “People only wanna Xerox you baby/They got a quota to fill” and “Suppose I should drag my stuff on out/But I don't like the memories/Found a pint of brandy on top of the fridge/And it's working like an antifreeze”, this song is one that is heartfelt, yet one that also seems to be dealing with a juxtaposition of past glories to a new, changed world.

“Jewellers & Bums”, a song cut in two takes, features drummer Jack Irons. He joined in the midst of the recording sessions for Earthquake Weather, but this track is the first one he recorded for this album. “Jewellers & Bums” portrays a searching lyrically, as musically it is an upbeat, yet melancholic track. “Ride Your Donkey” is a cover of 1966 reggae track of the same name originally by The Tennors. “Passport Detroit” drives along as the album’s 13th track before we end up at the song “Sleepwalk”. The last track on Earthquake Weather, “Sleepwalk” ends the album in a slower pace. It brings forth a theme of moving, in different directions, sometimes that occurs lyrically and musically through elements of transportation. This is a theme that runs throughout this album. Apparently written for Frank Sinatra, with its haunting melodies, tells the story of a lost love and the distance that is left between it.

The Latino Rockabilly War toured with Strummer as his backing band for his Rock Against the Rich tour in 1988/1989. After this the band played no more. When Earthquake Weather was released it apparently sold about 7,000 copies and was highly criticized (as mentioned earlier). It would be approximately ten years before Strummer would emerge with The Mescaleros, but this album is deep with hidden meanings, lyrical and musical discoveries, that might not be apparent upon a first listen. Only ever issued on vinyl and cassette, Earthquake Weather has still yet to be released on CD or reissued officially. But, like much of the content found here, it’s not easily explained. It is at times complex, at times not. Sometimes you don’t know what’s there until you take a look and find that bottle of brandy on top of the fridge.

Joe Strummer & The Latino Rockabilly War (Show # 699):

1. Theme From Permanent Record (Permanent Record Music From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - 1988)
2. Nefertiti Rock (Permanent Record Music From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - 1988)
3. King of the Bayou (Earthquake Weather - 1989)
4. Jewellers & Bums (Earthquake Weather - 1989)
5. Slant Six (Earthquake Weather - 1989)
6. Louisiana Turnpike (Permanent Record Outtakes - 1988)
7. Search Party (Permanent Record Outtakes - 1988)
8. Plymouth Roadrunner (Permanent Record Outtakes - 1988)
9. Punk Rock Blues (Gangsterville - 1989)
10. Viva La 15th Brigade (Island Hopping Single - 1989)
11. Don’t Tango With Django (Gangsterville Extended Mix - 1989)
12. Island Hopping (Earthquake Weather - 1989)
13. Sightsee MC (Live At Coasters Edinburgh, Scotland - 08.11.1988)
14. V.Thirteen (Live Green Wedge Benefit, The Tabernacle - Notting Hill, London 1988)
15. Straight To Hell (Live Green Wedge Benefit, The Tabernacle - Notting Hill, London 1988)
16. Dizzy’s Goatee (Earthquake Weather - 1989)
17. Boogie With Your Children (Earthquake Weather - 1989)
18. Ride Your Donkey (Earthquake Weather - 1989)
19. Cholo Vest (Permanent Record Outtakes - 1988)
20. Nameless (Permanent Record Outtakes - 1988)
21. Japanese Cars (Permanent Record Outtakes - 1988)
22. Trash City (Permanent Record Music From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - 1988)
23. Baby The Trans (Permanent Record Music From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - 1988)
24. Nothin’ Bout Nothin’ (Permanent Record Music From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - 1988)
25. Passport To Detroit (Earthquake Weather - 1989)
26. Shouting Street (Earthquake Weather - 1989)
27. Highway One Zero Street (Earthquake Weather - 1989)
28. Sleepwalk (Earthquake Weather - 1989)
29. Gangsterville (Earthquake Weather - 1989)

Download this episode here!

An Interview With Chris Crossroads:

Chris Crossroads busks and performs as a solo artist. He has released music under that name, some of which are on his Bandcamp page. These recordings take on a DIY, lo-fi aesthetic. The music is usually folk and country based, but with elements of punk and other genres. Described as gothabilly, glitch rock, punkgrass, Crossroads originates from Winnipeg. For several years he also lived in Windsor, Ontario. Currently, Chris is back in Winnipeg where he is part of a new group called The Dirty Dead. Crossroads has created several art/videos on YouTube that has earned him wide acclaim.

This 30-minute program features an interview with musician Chris Crossroads, who has performed music all over Canada and has busked everywhere from Windsor to Winnipeg. We discuss the issues of poverty and poverty prevention from the point of view of a busker. The songs featured on this program were all songs performed live on CJAM FM at different points over the last several years on Revolution Rock. One of which, is a cover of Johnny Cash's version of "One Piece At A Time".

Chris Crossroads:  Joe Strummer Day 2017 Playlist (Show 700):

1. Chris Crossroads - Lost In The 13th Dimension (CJAM Session)
2. Chris Crossroads - Monsters In The Cradle (CJAM Session)

CHRIS CROSSROADS INTERVIEW

3. Chris Crossroads - All In The Family (CJAM Session)
4. Chris Crossroads - One Piece At A Time (CJAM Session)

Download this episode here!

Cellos The Great Leap Backward & Shows # 698 & 701

In the summer of 2017, Cellos released The Great Leap Backward. Cellos are a noise rock band from Windsor, Ontario that have been creating heavy, riff oriented songs since 2011’s Bomb Shelter. The band consists of Kyle Marchand (guitar/vocals), Dave Allan (drums) and Vince Mazerolle (bass), who joined the band earlier in 2017 replacing bassist Joe Rabie, who played bass on The Great Leap Backward. The album was recorded at Sound Foundry Studios in Kingsville, Ontario by Brett Humber in the summer of 2016. The nine tracks found here were recorded consecutively and as a result, The Great Leap Backward has a unique cohesiveness to its overall sound.

“White Lines” opens The Great Leap Backward with its sludgy, heavy stop and start riffs. The song features distorted vocals throughout the verses, as melodic vocals occur at about the halfway point in this track, before heading into an apocalyptic breakdown featuring a hail of drums and distorted guitars. Lyrically, the song seems to question the unpredictability of what someone may think is right or wrong and the blurry lines of what’s in between. “Demagogue” comes in as the second track on this album. With its slithery guitar riffs, hard-hitting drums and creeping intense basslines, this song was inspired by the events of the most recent US election. With lines such as “I heard the Visigoths are coming/So you better build a wall”, “Demagogue at the throne” and “I hope you’re feeling comfortable/You get what you paid for”, Cellos paint an uneasy picture of a world of un-rational thought and its consequences.

“Delirium Tremens” starts off with drums and a heavy bassline before vocals and lead guitar lines, filter in and out, “Ghosts In The Sky” attacks with heavy riffs and drums that seem to float amongst the instrumentation and vocals. The breakdown of this song builds to a sludgy intensity before it drifts out into feedback. “Snake Charmer” lures you in with its heavy Melvins-meets-Kittens dynamic, “Out of Phase” broods with a balance of slow and heavy dynamics, pulling in elements of post-rock musically. Clocking in at just a little over six minutes, this song sucks you into its atmospheric, haunting void. This is also illustrated lyrically with words such as “Bodies floating in the Salton Sea/Dipped my head in, but I forgot to breathe” and “You were a ghost to me and if I chose to stay/Would I still be breathing?”. The short approximately two minute track “Bury Me On Highway 3”, showcases a Minutemen influence and was inspired by the long drive from Windsor to the band’s jam space in Kingsville, while “Shooting Star” picks up the pace further as it drags the listener down with its visceral guitar riffs.

“Stranger At The Door” ends the album, portraying a feeling of suspension musically and uncertainty, lyrically. At about five and a half minutes, this track encompasses elements of Cellos earlier sounds with a step out into something new. Lyrically, throughout The Great Leap Backward, Cellos employ an introspective method on several of the tracks. Musically, in terms of influence bands such as The Jesus Lizard, Melvins, and Kittens come to mind when listening to this LP. Cellos approach to this album maintains their heavy, aggressive sound, while at the same time incorporating more melody into some of the tracks, adding layers to their sound. The album may be titled, The Great Leap Backward, but on this album Cellos does the exact opposite.


Show 698 Playlist (Originally Aired On December 16th, 2017):

1. Lucille Furs - Thoughts & Words
2. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Poolygondwanaland
3. OCS - Memory of a Cut Off Head
4. Oh Sees - Drowned Beast
5. Julie & The Wrong Guys - Condescending You
6. Casper Skulls - You Can Call Me Allocator
7. Cellos - Snake Charmer (CJAM Session)
8. Fiftywatthead - Rock and Roll Killer
9. Motorhead - Dance
10. Flat Worms - Goodbye Texas
11. METZ - Dig A Hole
12. Gianna Lauren - Inn Keeper
13. Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile - Continental Breakfast
14. Jeff Rosenstock - Beers Again Alone
15. The She's - Ashes
16. Des Demonas - Does It Matter To You
17. The Diodes - Tired of Waking Up Tired (Demo)
18. Microdot - Atom Pentagon
19. Wolf Parade - Artificial Life
20. Laura Sauvage - Monkeys In Space
21. Klazo - This And That
22. Alex Chilton - Shakin' The World
23. Jonathan Richman - The Heart of a Saturday Night
24. The Brood - Chicken, Cheese & Beer
25. Mauno - Com
26. Little Girls - Concepts

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for December 16.

Show 701 (Originally Aired On December 23 is a repeat of my 2017 Joe Strummer Day Latino Rockabilly War Special.  Download that here and view the post here.)

The Replacements Live At Maxwell's 1986 & Shows # 695, 696, 697

On February 4th, 1986, The Replacements played a live show at Maxwell’s in Hoboken, New Jersey. It wasn’t a new venue for the band to play, in fact, they had played there several years before in 1983, during their first East Coast tour. This live show was recorded by Randy Ezratty on a multi-track mobile studio. The mobile studio that was used for this recording was the same New York-based Effanel recording unit that was used for U2’s Under A Blood Red Sky and The Unforgettable Fire album. This show captured the band in what many are saying is one of their last great live performances featuring original guitarist, Bob Stinson. Prior to this, the recording of this show had only been available in bootleg form.

In 1985, the band had signed to Sire Records and released their critically acclaimed album, Tim. This live show was recorded to capture and document The Replacements in their live element, it was intended to be used for some sort of promotional purpose. Head of Sire Records, Seymour Stein suggested a live recording of the band, he had seen them perform live in December 1984 at New York’s Irving Plaza, which led to them getting signed to Sire Records. This recording was set up by Michael Hill, the band’s A&R man at the time. It took place shortly after The Replacements infamous Saturday Night Live appearance in 1985, which earned them a lifetime ban from NBC.

For Sale: Live At Maxwell’s 1986, features 29 tracks made up of a collection of B-sides, covers and a mix of songs from all of the band’s albums up to that point in time. “Hayday” opens the album. Originally featured on 1983’s Hootenanny. This blistering take on this track shows the band starting off with high energy and in top form. Throughout this song and during various points of this concert, Westerberg can be heard shouting “Murder!” instead of the actual lyrics. This was done as part of an inside joke amongst the band, but also that warranted the title “Rock Like Murder” in an interview from Rolling Stone in 2012. It is followed up with a loose version of “Color Me Impressed”, “Dose Of Thunder” is a deeper cut from 1986’s Tim, while “Fox On The Run” is the first of several cover songs featured on this recording. Originally by The Sweet, this half-serious take of this song is cut short after about a minute.

The Replacements ability to balance their drunken reckless abandon with a seriousness and maturity in their music is exemplified perfectly throughout this album. They had a reputation live where they would sometimes play rowdy live shows in a drunken state, performing sets made up entirely of cover songs randomly, while on other occasions they would perform magnificently combining both originals and covers. “Hold My Life”, “I Will Dare”, “Unsatisfied”, “Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out”, and “Can’t Hardly Wait”, performed here before it was released as a studio recording, are some of the tracks on this release that exemplify this. This song had been part of the band’s live set since 1984, but wouldn’t turn up on a record until 1987’s Pleased To Meet Me. “Bastards Of The Young” and “Kiss Me On The Bus” featured here differ from the studio recordings found on 1986’s Tim. Lead guitarist Bob Stinson, as described in the liner notes by Bob Mehr, “Seesaws between pinpoint precision and reckless abandon” on this release. During the recording of Tim he began to withdraw from the band. The live performances of these songs originally found on Tim, arguably exceed the studio versions.

Songs such as “Takin’ A Ride”, “I’m In Trouble”, and “God Damn Job” rival the early recordings and for all intents and purposes may be superior to those versions. In addition to this, there are the other moments such as “Left Of The Dial” which is an excellent performance of the song until it falls off of the rails at the end and “Answering Machine” which begins in dissonance before the band launches into this track. “If Only You Were Lonely” captures an unpredictable spontaneity. This song Westerberg’s country lament was originally released as the B-side to “I’m In Trouble” and starts off as a solo Westerberg track as the band joins in.

The covers of The Beatles “Nowhere Man”, T.Rex’s “Baby Strange”, Kiss’s “Black Diamond” and Vanity Fair’s “Hitching A Ride” are injected with the band’s own brand of raucousness. The album ends with two tracks from The Replacements 1982 Stink EP. An EP that ventured into hardcore punk territory at times, “Go” provides a moody moment prior to the concert ending middle finger send off track “Fuck School”.

The only live recording that was released by the band prior to this was, the 1985 cassette only release, The Shit Hits The Fans. This recording features reckless versions of primarily cover songs. The Maxwell’s recordings sat in the Warner Bros. vaults for decades, until they were finally mixed in 2007 as part of a reissue campaign for the band. These tracks were mixed by Brain Kehw and Bill Inglot, but still it would be another decade until they saw the light of day.

Shortly after this concert and some tours in the US and Europe, Bob Stinson departed from the group. Paul Westerberg, Tommy Stinson and Chris Mars decided to regroup as a three-piece band and return to the studio. The result would be 1987’s Pleased To Meet Me, produced by Jim Dickinson. Seeing as how the band’s lineup had now changed, this live album was not released. The concert, a moment captured, was thought to be lost. Following the release of his New York Times best seller Trouble Boys: The True Story of The Replacements, this album was produced for release by author Bob Mehr. For Sale: Live At Maxwell’s 1986 may have taken 31 years to be released, but it captures The Replacements in a moment. Whether you were there or not when it happened, this moment that many thought had been lost forever, now lives again.

Show 697 (Originally Aired On December 9th, 2017):

1. The Iguanas - Wild Weekend
2. The Novas - Take 7
3. Mach Kung-Fu - Bamboosville
4. Jackie Shane - In My Tenement
5. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - Sail On!
6. Grassy Knoll & The Magic Bullit - Around Under Your Feet
7. Grassy Knoll & The Magic Bullit - Bonberry Blues
8. The Holy Gasp - Stomp Out The Man
9. Chad VanGaalen - Static Shape
10. King Krule - Slush Puppy
11. Angel Olsen - Fly On Your Wall
12. Husker Du - Diane
13. Husker Du - Do You Remember?
14. Husker Du - Chinese Rocks
15. The Replacements - Anywhere's Better Than Here
16. The Replacements - I Won't
17. The Replacements - Portland
18. The Minutemen - Self-Referenced
19. The Minutemen - Cut
20. Wilco - Monday
21. TUNS - Throw It All Away
22. Chang-A-Lang - Throwaway Litres
23. Paul Jacobs - Stay At Home
24. The Fuzzy Undertones - Empath Blues
25. Torres - Helen In the Woods
26. The Runaways - School Days
27. The Revelons - The Way You (Touch My Hand)
28. Richard Lloyd - (I Thought) You Wanted To Know
29. The Replacements - Kiss Me On The Bus (Live At Maxwell's 1986)
30. The Replacements - Baby Strange (Live At Maxwell's 1986)

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for December 9.

Show 696 (Originally Aired On December 2nd, 2017):

1. Link Wray - American Sunset
2. Link Wray - The Swag
3. The Velvetones - Doheny Run
4. The Scarlet Ribbon - Four in The Morning
5. Lucille Furs - The Fawn Of Teal Dear
6. (Those) Rogues - Wish I Could See You Again
7. Sultans 5 - You Know You Know
8. Link Wray - Son of Rumble
9. Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile - Outta The Woodwork
10. Craig Brown Band - Shoulda Been Fishin'
11. James O-L & The Villains - The Road In Between
12. Jerry Jerry & The Son of Rhythm Orchestra - Dumb Love
13. King Khan - It's A Lie
14. The Dirtbombs - Your Love Belongs Under A Rock
15. Flat Worms - Motorbike
16. The O Voids - Next Week
17. Pale Lips - Hiding From The Moon
18. Actual Water - Having Fun in 2001
19. The Diodes - Mercenary Flight
20. The Replacements - Fox On The Run (Live At Maxwell's 1986)
21. The Replacements - Takin' A Ride (Live At Maxwell's 1986)
22. The Replacements - Bastards of Young (Live At Maxwell's 1986)
23. Television - I'm Gonna Find You (1974 Ork Loft Rehearsal)
24. Television - Double Exposure (1974 Eno Demo)
25. The Neon Boys - That's All I Know (Right Now)
26. Ariel Pink - Another Weekend
27. The Chills - The Oncoming Day
28. Ancient Shapes - Public Hymns
29. Ancient Shapes - Ancient Shapes
30. Jack O & The Tennessee Tearjerkers - Make Your Mind Up
31. The Damned - I Just Can't Be Happy Today
32. The Lost Patrol - Blue's Theme
33. The D4 - John Rock And Roll Sinclair

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for December 2.

Show 695 (Originally Aired On November 25th, 2017):

1. The Traditional Fools - Davey Crockett
2. Dusty Mush - Ugly Buddies
3. Priors - Got in Me
4. Cold Warps - Sleepist
5. Century Palm - Echo Divide (CJSW Session)
6. Fake Palms - I'm Not There (CJSW Session)
7. Trout - Long Hair
8. The Sliders - The Lamb Shake
9. The Flamethrowers - The Knight's Caper
10. Bloodshot Bill - Outta The Rain
11. Carl Perkins - Boppin' The Blues
12. Doctor Ross - The Boogie Disease
13. Bloodshot Bill - Shick Shack
14. Tom Waits - Gin Soaked Boy
15. Jonathan Richman - You're Crazy For Taking the Bus
16. Diane Motel - Okemah
17. Chad VanGaalen - Host Body
18. Ty Segall - Cherry Red
19. Expedition To Earth - Expedition To Earth
20. The Fall-Outs - Alone
21. Wolf Parade - Valley Boy
22. Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet - What I Like About Grease
23. The Blazers - Beaver Patrol
24. Elevator Through - The Only See To Thought
25. The Makers - It's Hard To Be Human
26. The Adverts - I Will Walk You Home
27. Radio Birdman - I-94
28. Television Personalities - Look Back In Anger
29. Richard Hell & The Voidoids - Down At the Rock and Roll Club
30. Richard Hell & The Voidoids - Who Says?
31. Richard Hell & The Voidoids - Blank Generation

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for November 25.

The Famines Interview & Show # 694

The Famines formed in 2008 in Edmonton, Alberta as a two-piece band featuring singer/guitarist Raymond Biesinger and drummer Garrett Kruger. The band employs a minimalist approach to their music which draws on fuzzy garage sounds and 70s protopunk, and have described themselves as being “an art cult noise garage duo”. Now based out of Montreal and featuring drummer Drew Demers, who joined the band in 2014, The Famines released several seven inch singles via the Mammoth Cave Recording Co. and a variety of other labels from 2008-2011.  The singles were eventually collected on a full-length LP as The Complete Collected Singles: 2008-2011. A cassette was released in 2008 titled 14 July 2008, which captured the band in their first live performance. The cassette was released with a companion booklet that was 268 pages. All of the band’s artwork has been designed by Raymond Biesinger, who in addition to being in The Famines is an accomplished illustrator.

In 2014, The Famines recorded a full-length album that was to be released on Mammoth Cave Recording Co., but that label which started in 2009, announced they would cease operations as a label in February of 2015. Instead of leaving their album’s pending release in limbo, The Famines came up with the concept of a “paper LP”. They tested out this concept with a “paper single”, 2015’s “Stay Home Club/Who Wants Disarmament”. The idea was relatively simple, the release would be a digital download coupled with a large 20X30 newsprint poster. They applied this concept to what would become the full-length album Too Cool & Other Songs, which was released in July 2015. It was also released on their own label Pentagon Black.

Too Cool & Other Songs marked the band’s full-length album return after four years, it was also the first release that featured artwork that was in colour and not in black and white, as all previous Famines related releases had been. The artwork also features images on the cover that correspond with lyrics that are found on this nine-track album. Recorded at Drones Club in Montreal by Christian Simmons, Too Cool & Other Songs captures the band in a new re-energized state. The album starts off with driving drumbeats and moments of feedback before launching into a fuzzy riff driven tale inspired by the fashion industry. With lyrics such as “Put on your dark glasses so you can’t see shit”, “You got a capsule collection of tanks, tubes and tops/supernatural selection via pricey shops” and a chorus of “Too cool/Too cool/Under fashion rule/The way the world’s going/Too cool to live”, this song contrasts warlike imagery describing the battle of being involved with this industry, while at the same time contrasting it with the contradictions and problems found within it. This viewpoint could also be applied to other mediums such as the music industry, or to someone who views themselves as being really cool or hip by mainstream standards. “Hail To The Taxman” picks up the pace and intensity, as “Attack Machine Blues”, described as a dismal hop in the album’s liner notes, lyrically rallies for finding your own voice amongst values that are forced upon citizens in our everyday environment that come from political forces. “Five Ways” is even more frenetic while “Who’s Next?” brings the pace down a bit and drifts into Kraut-rock territory.

“Fast Times” fades in with a guitar riff sounding like a radio distress signal that gets louder as the drums shuffle towards the first verse of the song. This track takes a critical look of our modern culture dominated by the immediacy of the Internet. With lyrics such as “Dear the internet/Look what you’re doing to us/Making things so fast we cannot keep up” and “That feeling of inadequacy is spread around so well it can kill I can tell” and lines such as “Not check my email 700 times a day”, this song illustrates the quickness of technology and how we lose something in the process. “Zero Sum” is a hard hitting track with lyrics such as “If you want one thing/You cannot have another” that contrasts the theory of the zero sum game to life choices such as loans and being a home owner, while “I’ll Save My Sympathy” attacks in a barrage of drum fills and deep cutting guitar riffs in which Biesinger proposes saving his sympathies for someone worthwhile as opposed to someone who isn’t. With words such as “I’ve got plenty of tears/But I have none to lose” and “I’ve got plenty of tears/But where they go I choose”, this song bites and cuts deep into the listener’s subconscious with an undeniable conviction. The album ends with the six minute and twelve second epic, fiery song “The Rumour Mill (Has A Name and Face)”, which has been The Famines live set ender for many years.

In the liner notes found on the artwork it states: “Listen, enjoy, reflect and seldom stop.” This could take on many meanings not just in the context of The Famines, but in general. With Too Cool & Other Songs, The Famines question what surrounds them as the lyrics are expressed in vivid and engaging ways, finding space amongst the musical chaos that surrounds them.

Since the release of Too Cool & Other Songs, The Famines label, Pentagon Black has released three paper LP compilations. Pentagon Black No. 1 & 2, which compiles previously unreleased studio recordings by bands across Canada, were released in 2016 and 2017. Compilation No. 3 followed in June 2017, which was a compilation of rough sounding live recordings made by smart phones of bands from Canada. It was released on a postcard. An album was also released by the Montreal band Priors, featuring Famines drummer Drew Demers in March 2017.

For more info on Pentagon Black and The Famines, visit www.thefamines.ca

Check out my interview with Raymond and Drew of The Famines here:



Saturday Night Playlist:

1. !Action Pact! - Times Must Change
2. Chain & The Gang - What Is A Dollar?
3. LCD Soundsystem - Change Yr Mind
4. Laura Sauvage - You're Ugly When You Cry
5. The Courtneys - Mars Attacks
6. The Bad Signs - Love Lock
7. Thee Rum Coves - Tell Me Something I Don't Know
8. Les Wild Ones - Mon Amour
9. Simply Saucer - Bullet Proof Nothing (CJSW Session)
10. No Aloha - Sway (CJSW Session)
11. Psychic Void - Morning Anxiety (2017 Demo)
12. Cellos - Bury Me On Highway 3
13. The Famines - Attack Machine Blues
14. The Famines - Free Love Is A Sales Technique

THE FAMINES INTERVIEW

15. The Famines - The State of Music
16. Lee Ranaldo - New Thing
17. Gord Downie - Wolf's Home
18. Bonny Doon - Relieved
19. Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Fish N Chips Paper
20. Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Why Don't You Live Me (Like You Used To Do)
21. Nick Lowe - Cracking Up
22. Leonard Cohen - My Oh My
23. Howlin' Wolf - Moanin' At Midnight
24. Lou Reed - The Last Shot

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for November 18.

Fred Cole, George Young, Fats Domino & Shows # 691, 692, 693

We lost the following three musicians recently. All are different in their own way and left their imprint on rock music in different forms. Each of the three episodes of Revolution Rock included in this post features music from these artists in some way. They can be downloaded in the link after the playlists at the end of this post.

Fred Cole (Lollipop Shoppe, Dead Moon, Pierced Arrows):

Fred Cole was born in Tacoma, Washington, but lived in Las Vegas, Nevada while growing up. He began his career in music at a very young age playing with a band in Vegas called The Lords. They released a single in 1964, before Deep Soul Cole, his next band, released a single in 1965. The Weeds, formed in 1966. The band attempted to drive to the Canadian border in order to avoid the draft, but didn’t make it that far. Rumoured to run out of funds and or gas, the band found themselves in Portland, Oregon. It was here where the band gained a following and after signing to Uni Records, changed their name to The Lollipop Shoppe. The band recorded one album, Just Color and released their now well-known 1968 single, “You Must Be A Witch”. It was also here, where Cole met his future wife and band mate, Kathleen “Toody” Connor. After the Lollipop Shoppe disbanded in 1969, and The Weeds released one more single in 1971, Cole and his wife headed for Alaska to raise their children.

Cole re-emerged to form the hard rock band Zipper, who released an album on his and Toody’s label Whizeagle in 1975. Cole then formed and released music by a variety of other bands such as King Bee, The Rats, the country band Western Front, The Range Rats and Dead Moon. It was with the band Dead Moon, in which Toody played bass and Andrew Loomis played drums that Cole’s music would gain a devout cult following. Known as a garage punk band, Dead moon blended elements of garage, punk and country into their stripped down sound. They released ten full-length albums, not counting singles, live albums and compilations and lasted from 1987-2006. Many of the band’s early recordings were engineered and released on Fred and Toody’s own label, Tombstone Records. Their early recordings were mastered by Cole himself on a mono lathe that was originally used to cut The Kingsmen’s “Louie, Louie” in 1963.

Cole and Toody then formed The Pierced Arrows with Kelly Haliburton on drums and released two albums in 2008 and 2010. Recently, Cole and Toody had been performing acoustically. Fred Cole passed away at the age of 69 in November 2017 due to cancer. The music that he created spanned decades, and while it wasn’t a mainstream success, it is beloved amongst underground music communities in the US and Europe. When Dead Moon split up in 2006, Cole provided this quote which emphasizes the effect his music had on underground, DIY music communities and in general: "It's been a journey we will always treasure and feel that a worldwide family has emerged in its place".

George Young (Australian Easybeat, producer and songwriter):

At the end of October of this year, George Young passed away. An important figure in the Australian music history, George’s journey into the music world began in 1963 when he met future band mate and collaborator Harry Vanda at the VIllawood Migrant Hostel in Sydney, Australia. Young’s family, just relocated from Glasgow, Scotland at the time. George Young and Harry Vanda would be part of the Australian garage rock band, The Easybeats, who were Australia’s answer to The Beatles. Along with Stevie Wright (vocals), Dick Diamonde (bass) and Snowy Fleet (drums), the band had singles like “She’s So Fine”, “Sorry” and “Friday On My Mind” were charting hits in Australia, while “Friday On My Mind” was a hit in the US as well. Along with the Bee Gees, The Easybeats were among the first Australian artists to have international success. They split in 1969, Young and Vanda would then enter the production world writing songs for other musicians and taking on more of a producing role in music.

George Young and Harry Vanda relocated to London, England shortly after this and in addition to producing and writing songs for others and bands including themselves, they also produced music for George Alexander. His real name was Alexander Young, George Young's eldest brother, and when the Young family relocated to Australia in 1963, Alex stayed in London to pursue music. Signed to The Beatles, Apple Music Publishing Inc. label, Alexander was in the psychedelic rock band Grapefruit. They released two albums and some singles. After Grapefruit had broken up, Alexander joined Vanda/Young and collaborated on a series of releases under different band names and on one final Grapefruit single in 1971 titled “Universal Party/Sha Sha”. George and Harry returned to Australia in 1973 and formed Flash And The Pan in 1976, a synthpop band who had their share of hits from the mid 70s to the 90s.

In addition to their own musical efforts and in the production role, Young also had a big role in a band that featured his two younger brothers, Angus and Malcolm Young. The two would be a part of the band AC/DC and their first five albums were produced by George Young and Harry Vanda. It was George Young’s suggestion to have Bon Scott join the group as their singer, after Dave Evans exited the group. Scott’s previous band The Valentines had released some singles in the 60s that were written by Vanda/Young. In addition to this, George played bass on some of their early recordings and even filled in on bass for live gigs for the band in their early days. George Young retired from the music industry in the 90s, but would produced AC/DC’s 2000 album, Stiff Upper Lip on his own. George Young often refused interviews later in his life, but the imprint he left on music is vast. He helped shape and change Australian music and let the music do the talking.

Fats Domino (New Orleans Rock and Roll Music Pioneer and Icon):

Fats Domino was born Antoine Dominique Domino Jr in 1928 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He was one of the pioneering musicians in rock and roll music and has sold over 65 million records. By the age of 14, Domino was performing in bars in New Orleans. In 1947, he was invited to a backyard barbecue by New Orleans bandleader Billy Diamond. Domino was then asked to join his band, The Solid Senders where he was said to have earned $3 a week to play piano with them. He also earned the nickname “Fats” by Diamond because Domino reminded him of pianists Fats Waller and Fats Pichon. He was signed to Imperial Records in 1949 where instead of being paid a for each song he recorded, he would be paid in royalties based on sales for the songs he recorded. Joining up with producer and co-songwriter Dave Bartholomew, they wrote the song “Fat Man” which was based on a version of the song “Junker Blues”. The song featured Domino’s unique, rolling piano style, combined with his vocals over a strong backbeat. The result was what is widely considered the first successful rock and roll single. It sold a million copies.

What followed next was a string of successful singles, often both the A-side and B-side would chart. In 1955, “Ain’t That A Shame” became his first crossover pop hit, it charted on the Billboard pop singles charts. His biggest hit proved to be “Blueberry Hill”, a song written in the 1940s by Vincent Rose, Larry Stock and Al Lewis. It reached number two on top 40 Billboard charts where it stayed for two weeks and number one on the R&B singles charts where it stayed for eight weeks. Some of his other well-known songs include “I’m Walkin’”, “Blue Monday” and “Walking To New Orleans”. Fats hit streak came to an end in 1964 as the British Invasion took over. Domino continued to record until the 1970s. He left his record label in 1963 for ABC-Paramount Records. Imperial Records was sold in 1963 to Liberty Records. Fats famously said in a 1979 interview that “I stuck with them until they sold out”. 40 of the songs that he recorded for Imperial charted in the top 10 of the R&B charts of the day and 11 of them cracked the top ten in the pop charts. Fats continued to tour until 1995. He would intermittently make appearances in the time after this, but rarely ventured out to perform in public. His last public appearance was on May 19th, 2007 in New Orleans. The concert was filmed and played on TV as Fats Domino: Walkin’ Back To New Orleans. A documentary entitled Fats Domino and the Birth of Rock ‘n’ Roll premiered on PBS in 2016.

Fats Domino was an icon and pioneer in rock and roll music alongside others, such as Chuck Berry and Little Richard. He sold more records than any other 50s era rock musician, with the exception of Elvis Presley and his music contained an undeniable rhythm and groove. Dr. John had this to say of Fats Domino back in 2010 for Rolling Stone Magazine: “Anytime anybody plays a slow blues, the piano player will eventually get to something like Fats. I can't tell you the number of times I played sessions and was asked specifically to do Fats. That innocence is there in his music. He's a good man, and people respond to that goodness. I don't think it was about anything other than the tradition of working the house and what felt good to Fats."


Show 693 Playlist (Originally Aired On November 11th, 2017):

1. Lollipop Shoppe - It's Only A Reflection
2. Lollipop Shoppe - You Must Be A Witch
3. Dead Moon - I Hate The Blues
4. Pierced Arrows - Caroline
5. The Easybeats - She's So Fine
6. The Easybeats - No One Knows (Outtake)
7. Flash And The Pan - Welcome To The Universe
8. Thee Rum Coves - Behind Your Smile
9. Deja Voodoo - Lonesome Train (Live at The Backstage Club)
10. Tough Age - Me In Glue
11. Beef Boys - Drink=
12. Lost Durangos - Evil Town
13. Modernettes - I Can Only Give You Everything
14. Safe Word - You & Me
15. The Replacements - Red Red Wine
16. The Replacements - Alex Chilton (Alternate Version)
17. The Replacements - Can't Hardly Wait (Alternate Version)
18. Fergus & Geronimo - No Parties
19. Parquet Courts - Tears O'Plenty
20. Daniele Luppi & Parquet Courts - Soul and Cigarette
21. A.Savage - Phantom Limbo
22. Tea Leaves - Selfish
23. Rusty - Warm House (Demo)
24. Flip City - Exiles Road (1974 Demo)
25. Aron D'Alesio - Answer To A Question
26. The Stoves - Can't Slow Down
27. Chad VanGaalen - Pine And Clover

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for November 11.


Show 692 Playlist (Originally Aired On November 4th, 2017):

1. Deer Tick - Card House
2. Deer Tick - Look How Clean I Am
3. The Radiation Flowers - Sunrise
4. Rolling Blackouts C.F. - Wither With You
5. Andreas - November Gales
6. The Replacements - I'll Buy
7. The Replacements - Left of The Dial
8. The Replacements - Kiss Me On The Bus (Demo)
9. JD McPherson - Undivided Heart & Soul
10. Motorhead - Jumpin' Jack Flash
11. The Outcasts - Love You Never
12. Menace - Screwed Up
13. Alternative TV - Life
14. The Famines - Fast Times
15. Coufleur Dessin - The Bad Thing
16. Destroyer - Tinseltown Swimming In Blood
17. Wolf Parade - You're Dreaming
18. Prime Junk - Dreams
19. Snake River - Dear Franklin Gabriel McCrebee
20. Neil Young - Human Highway
21. Paul the Tailor - She Said
22. The 5.6.7.8.'s - Highschool Witch
23. The Black Lips - Time of the Scab
24. The Scientists - Nitro
25. Violent Femmes - Gimme the Car
26. The Replacements - Waitress in the Sky

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for November 4.


Show 691 Playlist (Originally Aired On October 28th, 2017):

1. The Tragically Hip - Blow At High Dough
2. Gord Downie & The Sadies - Budget Shoes
3. Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - Silver & Gold
4. Richard Hell & The Voidoids - I Live My Life
5. Fats Domino - Ain't That A Shame
6. Fats Domino - Don't Blame It On Me
7. Fats Domino - Before I Grow Too Old
8. Screamin' Jay Hawkins - You Made Me Love You (I Didn't Want To)
9. Kid Congo & The Pink Monkey Birds - Spider Baby
10. Dead Moon - Fire In The Western World
11. Mark Sultan - Let Me Out
12. Flat Duo Jets - I'm Sorry
13. The D4 - Evil Heart
14. Ornament & Crime - Academy of Birds
15. Ray Dafrico/Cait O'Riordan - Rejected
16. Sam Coffey & The Iron Lungs - Pressure
17. Cub - The Day I Said Goodbye
18. The Potatomen - The Beautiful & The Damned
19. The Courtneys - Virgo
20. The Courtneys - 25
21. Depruse - Caught Off Guard
22. Kim Gray - 90's Baby
23. Tough Age - Ghost
24. By Divine Right - Soul Shakedown Party
25. U-Men - Trouble Under Water
26. Ty Segall - Big Man
27. Revo - Too Much Paranoias (Live At The Press Club)
28. The Ride Theory - The Piper
29. Ricked Wicky - I'll Let You In

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for October 28.

CJAM FM 2017 Pledge Drive & Show # 690

Every year CJAM FM holds an annual pledge drive that runs for one week. Being a non-profit based campus/community radio station, CJAM relies on donations and support from the community to help make up 30% of their annual budget. It has been on the FM dial since 1983, and this website that you are currently visiting is for a radio program entitled Revolution Rock, that has been airing on the station since June of 2004. This year the station’s goal is to raise $30,000 to help update their website and general things in the studios we have there. In addition to upgrading the website and the online stream, there are plans to integrate the website site with a new app to make it easier for people to listen to the station on their mobile devices. CJAM has a large online listenership, in addition to the people that listen throughout the Windsor/Detroit areas at 99.1 FM on the FM dial. You can stream the station live anytime online and download program archives from any program that airs on the station, but as we move further into the digital age, there is a need for upgrades and improvements.

CJAM celebrates the alternative to the mainstream. In terms of music and spoken word content, there are things that are heard on stations like CJAM FM that you just won’t hear anywhere else. Revolution Rock in particular digs deep into the musical past often pulling up some very obscure gems that you may not know have existed, but it also blends that element of musicality with new music as well. This program provides a weekly mix of music from the garage rock, 70s punk/new wave, surf, alternative and indie genres. Whether you listen online via downloads/streams or on 99.1 FM in Windsor/Detroit, CJAM FM is a great station to listen to and to support.

If you would like to show your support for CJAM FM you can donate, here are the ways. We also offer incentives as a thank you for your support.

Any amount – CJAM sticker
$10-20 – music prize pack (CDs/vinyl)
$20 – vintage CJAM Pledge Drive t-shirt
$50 – CJAM 2017 Pledge Drive t-shirt
$100 – CJAM prize pack (including 2017 t-shirt and gift certificates)

Individuals looking to donate can call in during Pledge Drive week at 519-971-3630 (Windsor) // 1-855-344-2526 (toll free from Detroit and around the world). Donations are also accepted via a secure online at grouprev.com/cjampledge or through my individual page for the pledge drive at grouprev.com/revrock2017.

2017 Pledge Drive Playlist:

1. Protomartyr - A Private Understanding
2. Cawama - Belladonna
3. Beliefs - Swamp Core
4. Chad VanGaalen - Mind Hijackers Curse
5. Chad VanGaalen - Freedom For A Policeman
6. Julie & the Wrong Guys - I Wanted What You Wanted
7. Wolf Parade - Who Are Ya
8. Ariel Pink - Dedicated To Bobby Jameson
9. The Cramps - Five Years Ahead of My Time (Demo)
10. Tanz Der Youth - Mistaken (1978 Peel Session)
11. Dee Dee Ramone & The Chinese Dragons - Ace of Spades (Feat. Lemmy)(1992 Demo)
12. Mudhoney - Sonic Infusion
13. Mick Futures - Cold Emotions
14. Danny & The Darleans - Don't Get into The Car
15. Reigning Sound - Is It True?
16. Oblivians - Come A Little Closer

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for October 21.

Tom Petty Tribute & Show # 689

This episode paid tribute to Tom Petty, who passed away on October 2nd, 2017 at the age of 66. A selection of songs from Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers were featured on the program along with a selection of songs from Mudcrutch, who were the first band in which Petty played with. He reformed this band in 2008, decades after being with The Heartbreakers, recording two more albums with them. Born in Gainesville, Florida on October 20th, 1950, Tom Petty was a lover of rock music from a young age. He headed for Hollywood with Mudcrutch in the early 70s, in hopes of a record deal and he got one. In the process, despite making some recordings and releasing a single, the band dissolved. He joined a group of musicians shortly after this that included Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench (from Mudcrutch) and they became Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers. Their first album, a self-titled album, would be released in 1976. In addition to the songs that they produced, it was also the lyrics that attracted many fans to the band. For example, the lyrics on “American Girl”, the last song on their first album is a song about promises and the American dream. Words such as “Well, she was an American girl/Raised on promises/She couldn't help thinkin'/That there was a little more to life somewhere else” and “God, it’s so painful when something that’s so close is still so far out of reach” engaged audiences on many different levels. This occurred throughout the music he was a part of in some way. Petty had many hits during his career and continued to record music throughout his life, his way. The last recording he was a part of was Mudcrutch’s second full-length album, 2.

Here are some quotes from Petty that seem relevant to this post and reveal a bit more about the music that Tom Petty has made over the years:

“Music is probably the only real magic I have encountered in my life. There's not some trick involved with it. It's pure and it's real. It moves, it heals, it communicates and does all these incredible things.”
The Telegraph – October 2017

“Music really isn’t supposed to be perfect. It’s all about people relating to each other and doing something that’s really from the soul. It must come from the soul.”
Sound City documentary - 2013

The Playlist:

1. Mudcrutch - On The Street (Demo)
2. Mudcrutch - Don't Do Me Like That (Mudcrutch Version)
3. Mudcrutch - Six Days On The Road
4. Buick McKane - Downtown … When It's Dark
5. Looping - Disintegrate
6. Cellos - Shooting Star
7. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Rockin' Around (With You)
8. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Century City
9. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Even The Losers
10. Tom Petty - I Feel A Whole Lot Better
11. The Radiation Flowers - Colours
12. Parkay Quarts - Slide Machine
13. Ritual Howls - Perfume
14. Lychii - Perceive
15. The Fall-Outs - Worthless
16. NNB - Listen
17. Dynamos - Woh Woh Yeah Yeah
18. Wes Dakus & The Rebels - Sour Biscuits
19. Wes Dakus & The Rebels - Las Vegas Scene
20. The Mighty Swells - Runaway
21. The Surfaris - Point Panic
22. Atomicos - Don't Call It A Comeback
23. Paul The Tailor - She Said
24. Paul The Tailor - Hey Girl
25. Young Rival - The Haunt
26. The Barracudas - We're Living In Violent Times
27. Chain & The Gang - Devitalize
28. Chain & The Gang - Certain Kinds of Trash
29. King Khan - Winter Weather

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for October 14.

The 40th Anniversary of 1977 & Shows # 686, 687, 688

To celebrate two things, Revolution Rock did an entire show made up of albums that were released in the year of 1977. 2017 marks the 40th anniversary of punk, new wave, etc. Me and my co-host Adam decided to do an entire show focusing on the 40th anniversary of 1977 and played a large selection of mostly punk/new wave and garage albums from this year. 1977 was a year when several releases in the underground brought rock back down to its basics with a new sense of rawness and attitude. View the playlist below and the playlists for two other episodes that aired recently.

Show 688 Playlist - (40th Anniversary of 1977)(Originally Aired On October 7th, 2017):

1. Buzzcocks - Boredom (Spiral Scratch - 1977)
2. The Damned - Neat, Neat, Neat (Damned, Damned, Damned - 1977)
3. The Clash - Career Opportunities (The Clash - 1977)
4. The Real - Kids She's Alright (The Real Kids - 1977)
5. Elvis Costello - Blame It On Cain (My Aim Is True - 1977)
6. Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers - Roller Coaster By The Sea (Rock 'N' Roll With The Modern Lovers - 1977)
7. David Bowie - Breaking Glass (Low - 1977)
8. David Bowie - Joe The Lion ("Heroes" - 9177)
9. Iggy Pop - Funtime (The Idiot - 1977)
10. Iggy Pop - Sixteen (Lust For Life - 1977)
11. Kraftwerk - Trans-Europe Express (Trans-Europe Express - 1977)
12. Suicide - Ghost Rider (Suicide - 1977)
13. The Stranglers - Goodbye Toulouse (Rattus Norvegus - 1977)
14. Neil Young - The Old Country Waltz (American Stars 'N' Bars - 1977)
15. Neil Young - Winterlong (Decade - 1977)
16. Leonard Cohen - Fingerprints (Death Of A Ladies Man - 1977)
17. The Diodes - Red Rubber Ball (The Diodes - 1977)
18. The Viletones - I Hate You - Without You (A Taste Of Honey - 1977)
19. The Dishes - Monopolies Are Made At Night (Fashion Plates - 1977)
20. Ramones - Commando (Leave Home - 1977)
21. Ramones - Rockaway Beach (Rocket To Russia - 1977)
22. Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers - Chinese Rocks (L.A.M.F. - 1977)
23. Richard Hell & The Voidoids - Love Comes In Spurts (Blank Generation - 1977)
24. Television - See No Evil (Marquee Moon - 1977)
25. Talking Heads - Uh-Oh, Loves Comes To Town (Talking Heads 77 - 1977)
26. Brian Eno - Kings Lead Hat (Before And After Science - 1977)
27. Wire - 12 X U (Pink Flag - 1977)
28. Ian Dury - Sweet Gene Vincent (New Boots and Panties! - 1977)
29. The Saints - Kissin' Cousins ((I'm) Stranded - 1977)
30. Radio Birdman - Murder City Nights (Radio's Appear - 1977)
31. The Jam - In The City (In The City - 1977)
32. Sex Pistols - Liar (Never Mind The Bollocks - 1977)

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for October 7.

Show 687 Playlist (Originally Aired On September 30th, 2017):

1. The Modern Lovers - Modern World
2. The Pixies - The Holiday Song
3. The Side Eyes - Don't Talk To Me
4. METZ - Mr. Plague
5. Naomi Punk - Yellow Cone Hat
6. Protomartyr - Windsor Hum
7. Paul The Tailor - What Do You Want Me To Say
8. Paul The Tailor - Going Away Blues
9. Tea Leaves - Everybody and the Machine
10. Women - Black Rice
11. Chad Vangaalen - Faces Lit
12. Ariel Pink - Dreamdate Narcissist
13. Lounge Lizards - Do the Wrong Thing
14. Dan Rico - Flesh and Bone
15. Ray Condo & His Ricochets - Shadow My Baby
16. Dragsville - Suitcase
17. Hank Williams - Setting The Woods On Fire
18. Running From Daylight - Devil's Night Dance
19. The Replacements - Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out
20. The Replacements - Temptation Eyes
21. Fingerprints - Where The Beat Goes On
22. The Hypstrz - 6654321
23. The Student Teachers - Christmas Weather
24. The Idols - You
25. The Diodes - Time Of Your Life
26. Chris Stamey - The Summer Sun
27. No Museums - We had Museums
28. Down Town Boys - I'm Enough I Want More
29. Queens of the Stone Age - Domestic Animals

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for September 30.

Show 686 (Charles Bradley & Grant Hart Tribute Show)(Originally Aired On September 23rd, 2017):

1. Charles Bradley - No Time For Dreaming
2. Grant Hart - 2541
3. Chad Vangaalen - Golden Oceans
4. Nap Eyes - Night of the First Show
5. Rolling Blackouts CF - Heard You're Moving
6. The Safes - Disposable Outcome
7. By Divine Right - Stretch
8. Husker Du - Never Talking To You Again
9. Husker Du - Pink Turns To Blue
10. Husker Du - Books About UFOs
11. Papermaps - The Memory Song
12. Phono Pony - Tattoo of My Face
13. Alvvays - Your Type
14. Chain & The Gang - Certain Kinds of Trash
15. Charles Bradley - Changes
16. Charles Bradley - You Put The Flame On It
17. Prince Phillip - Another Fool Like Me
18. Obits - Machine
19. SpaceSlave - Yeah!
20. The Gruesomes - No More Lies
21. Atomicos - Zombie Vs Ninja
22. Leonard Cohen - The Captain
23. The National - Turtleneck
24. The Fall - I Feel Voxish
25. Husker Du - Green Eyes
26. Husker Du - Don't Want To Know If You Are Lonely

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for September 23.

Interview With DJ Bonebrake of X & Show # 685

DJ Bonebrake is perhaps best known as the drummer for the Los Angeles punk band X. Prior to joining X, DJ was in a band called The Eyes, who featured Charlotte Caffey (who would later join The Go-Go’s). He joined X in late 1977 and completed their classic lineup, which still performs today. In addition to X, DJ has been part of many recordings as a session musician, played briefly with The Germs, and was part of a group of LA musicians that recorded with Chris D’s band The Flesh Eaters on their second full-length album, A Minute To Pray, A Second To Die in 1981. In 1982, John Doe, Exene Cervenka, Dave Alivn, Johnny Ray Bartel and DJ Bonebrake formed The Knitters. This country and rockabilly oriented group released two albums, 1985’s Poor Little Critter On The Road and The Modern Sounds of The Knitters in 2005. DJ has a background in jazz as well, he played vibraphone in the Latin-jazz flavoured band Orchestra Superstring and in the Bonebrake Syncopators, who performed early era jazz.

Check out my interview with DJ Bonebrake below:



The Playlist:

1. The Fads - Tony’s Twang
2. The Eroders - Searching For You
3. Dusty Mush - Johnny Cactus
4. The Ape-ettes - Safety Strands
5. The Fuzzy Undertones - Le Voyage Du Soleil
6. Faith Healer - Might As Well
7. Bonebrake Syncopators - Three Little Words
8. X - Under The Big Black Sun

DJ BONEBRAKE INTERVIEW

9. X - Hungry Wolf
10. The Knitters - Someone Like You
11. The Sadies - Sunset To Dawn
12. Tire Swing Co. - Bridge Mic
13. The Monkeywrench - From You
14. Charlie Pickett & The Eggs - But I Didn’t
15. This Machine Kills Robots - Dry Land Is For The Dead
16. Cellos - Ghosts In The Sky
17. Shimmer Demolition - Let It All Go
18. So Many Wizards - Sic Boys
19. The Replacements - Hayday
20. The Replacements - Color Me Impressed
21. The Replacements - Treatment Bound (Alternate Version)
22. The Necessaries - You Can Borrow My Car
23. Al Brown & The Tunehoppers - Take Me Back
24. King Khan - Run Doggy Run

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for September 16.

The Black Lips SGOGA & Shows # 682, 683 & 684

In May of 2017, Atlanta’s The Black Lips returned with their eighth studio album entitled, Satan’s Graffiti or God’s Art? The album brings forth a new era of the band, which has gone through a shift sonically and within the band itself. In 2014, shortly after the release of Underneath The Rainbow, an album produced mainly by Black Keys drummer Patrick Carney, guitarist Ian St Pe left the band. He had been with the band since 2004, leaving at the ten-year mark. He went on to play/record with Diamond Rugs and with his new musical venture, Saint Pe. In addition to this, longtime drummer of the group Joe Bradley also left the band prior to the recording of Satan’s Graffiti or God’s Art? This would deter most bands, but The Black Lips moved forward adding guitarist Jack Hines back into the group (he was featured on the band’s second full-length album We Did Not Know The Forest Spirit Made The Flowers Grow), and completing their lineup with new members Oakley Munson on drums and saxophonist Zumi Rosow. Sonically, the band delves into a form of psychedelic garage rock that is both chaotic and apocalyptic at times.

SGOGA boasts 18 tracks (if you count, intros, outros and interludes) and was produced by Sean Lennon. The album really does tie in with the sounds that were first experimented with on 2004’s We Did Not Know The Forest Spirit Made The Flowers Grow, which also featured Jack Hines on guitar. On that album, which was originally released on Bomp! Records, the band explored, fuzzy, noisy landscapes blending in many psychedelic elements. What’s interesting to note is how that album ends and this one begins. Their 2004 release ends with a hidden jazz song entitled “Hope Jazz” with a looming fuzzy bass sound amongst other jazz and lo-fi ramblings. This album too pulls in some of that hope jazz, having the band project previous reflections of earlier sounds they experimented with, while at the same time mixing in what they have learned musically since then. “Overture: Sunday Mourning” comes in with a smoky Jazz groove before launching into the fuzzy crunch of “Occidental Front”. This song gallops with country grooves and apocalyptic fuzzy garage riffs. It also features guest-backing vocals (or screams might be a more appropriate title) from Yoko Ono and is sung by guitarist Jack Hines. The title is a reference to the early western world, so it is also appropriate that this song also attacks with an undeniable swampy primitivism. “Can’t Hold On” comes in next with psychedelic guitar arpeggios, organ, saxophone and hoarse-sounding vocals by guitarist Cole Alexander. The song is also undeniably catchy amongst its psychedelic musical acoustics with lyrics that reflect the song’s title, in which the songs character sounds as if their about to lose whatever they are holding onto. “The Last Cul De Sac” sounds as if it could be from an undiscovered mid-sixties garage band as lyrically the song tells of a desire to have no more dead ends. “Interlude: Got Me All Alone” has been said to have a Twin Peaks sound, as it features smooth, yet creepy saxophone like music that was found in the 90s cult-classic TV show.

“Crystal Night” sung by bassist Jared Swiley and saxophonist Zumi Rosow is a 50s rock and roll influenced ballad. The song transports the listener into a fictional tale of a forbidden love that takes place during World War II. This strikingly bittersweet song is one of the highlights of this album and one of the strongpoints found on SGOGA with a message of love conquers hate, regardless of the ending. “Squatting In Heaven” begins with trippy sounding guitar and haunting sounding saxophone parts. This song further establishes the band’s sound on this album as filthy, yet smart. “Rebel Intuition” blends garage rock with Bob Dylan Highway 61 rhythms. Sung by guitarist Jack Hines, with lyrics such as “I don’t like impositions/You can let me be”, “I ain’t striving for position”, and “I don’t waste my time wishing/You can let me be”, this song questions preconceived notions of what a person should be doing in their everyday lives. In the end it portrays a person doing what they want within their own means and on their own terms. “Wayne” is a more low key song found on this release reflecting an almost Sweetheart of the Rodeo-Byrds influence. “We Know” is a scuzzy, sludgy rock track, “In My Mind There’s A Dream” displays an unnerving creepy tone, while “Lucid Nightmare” is an unhinged, call and response track from another dimension.

“It Won’t Be Long” originally released by The Beatles in 1963 is featured on this album, however, it is re-imagined by The Black Lips. The song sounds as if it is from the mid-to-late 60s, rather than 1963 with added scuzz. “Loser’s Lament” is an acoustic based pop song that is the second last track found on this album. This song leans in a waltz influenced direction with a Beatles touch. With lyrics such as “He gave up everything/Just to hear his freedom ring/And he hoped for better things/For tomorrow”, this song evokes a tale of someone who risked everything in order to achieve his dreams, but one who got lost within the process before this could happen. The album ends with “Finale: Sunday Mourning”, which is the same musically as the overture that begins this album, however, the finale features a spoken word segment done by Saul Adamczewski (of Fat White Family) in which he talks of “magic beans” and “being a miserable man”, however it is done so with a nonsensical approach to end this album. Throughout SGOGA, The Black Lips venture into a more psychedelic world, while at the same time branching out into other directions sonically and lyrically. They also poke fun at the idea of a concept album, while treading in concept album waters to some extent. With Satan’s Graffiti or God’s Art? The Black Lips balance in-between two musical worlds, one of the past and one of the present. They may be a little bit different this time around, but The Black Lips sure haven’t lost their sleazy charms.

Show 684 Playlist (Originally Aired On September 9th, 2017):

1. King Loser - Surf Lost
2. King Loser - 76 Comeback
3. L.A. Witch - You Love Nothing
4. Mr. Elevator & The Brain Hotel - Right Where You Ought To Be
5. Suicide Commandos - You're Not The First One
6. The Suburbs - Urban Gorilla
7. Prime Junk - Dude
8. Strange Relations - Orbit
9. Mogwaii - Party In The Dark
10. Safe Word - Wasted Youth
11. Motorhead - God Save The Queen
12. The Replacements - Shiftless When Idle
13. Oh Sees - The Static God
14. Stompin' Tom Connors - The Hockey Song
15. The Yipes - The Ballad of Roy Orbison
16. Peter & The Wolves - Boy Who Cried I Love You
17. Tav Falco's Panther Burns - Bourgeois Blues
18. Deja Voodoo - White Sugar
19. Joe Strummer & The Latino Rockabilly War - Search Party
20. The Tarantulas - Tarantula
21. The Treasures - Minor Chaos
22. The Motions - Big Chief
23. Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet - The Last of My Hiccups
24. Sam Coffey & The Iron Lungs - Talk 2 Her
25. Mark Sultan - Calloused Hands
26. The Black Lips - We Know
27. Husker Du - In A Free Land
28. The Replacements - Takin' A Ride
29. The Replacements - Careless

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for September 9.

Show 682 Playlist (Originally Aired On September 2nd, 2017):

1. Outrageous Cherry - I Believe In Sunshine
2. A Passing Fancy - I Believe In Sunshine
3. Actual Water - Sleeping In The Garden
4. Neil Young - Ride My Llama
5. Radiohead - Lift
6. Waxahatchee - Hear You
7. Black Pudding - Sci-Fi Si
8. Thin Lizzy - Dancing In The Moonlight
9. Thin Lizzy - Southbound
10. Iggy Pop - Some Weird Sin
11. Iggy Pop - Neighborhood Threat
12. CAN - Don't Say No
13. Atomicos - Hotdog!
14. Aron D'Alesio - Long Way Gone
15. Trout - Easy Breezy Easy
16. Lychi - Meandering
17. Ryan Joseph Anderson - Molly The Flood
18. The Yawpers - Mon Dieu
19. Wooden Sky - All Apologies
20. Nirvana - Dumb (Alternate)
21. Teenanger - N.O.B.L.O.`
22. B-52's - Private Idaho
23. The Boys - Living in the City
24. Chrome - Chromosome Damage
25. Paul Jacobs - Quarter To Eleven
26. Duotang - Bastard Five
27. The Black Lips - Lucid Nightmare
28. The Black Lips - It Won't Be Long

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for September 2.

Show 682 Playlist (Originally Aired On August 26th, 2017):

1. Sam Coffey & The Iron Lungs - Voicemail
2. The Fresh & Onlys - Impossible Man
3. The Fresh & Onlys - Wolf Lie Down
4. Sunglaciers - H.C.M.
5. Slates - Yellowknife
6. Guided By Voices - How To Murder A Man in Three Acts
7. Reigning Sound - Stick Up For Me
8. The Detroit Cobras - (I Wanna Know) What's Going On?
9. The Dirtbombs - I Can't Stop Thinking About It
10. The Gories - You Don't Love Me
11. Danny & The Darleans - Can't Kill The Rooster
12. King Khan - Discrete Disguise
13. The Fuzzy Undertones - Sharks!
14. The Count Ferrara - Toxic Fog
15. The Black Angels - Grab As Much As (You Can)
16. Christian Bland & The Revelators - Diddley Stomp
17. The UFO Club - Bo Diddley Was The 7th Son
18. Bo Diddley - Rock 'N' Roll
19. Hurricane & Able - The Novel
20. The Hi-Fi's - Look What You've Done
21. Randy Rampage - Don't Be Afraid
22. Uubbuurru - Living In An Angel's Corpse
23. Dion Lunadon - Move
24. Cellos - White Lines
25. The Standells - Mr Nobody
26. The Standells - Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White


To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for August 26.

Revolution Rock: Radio Brain Drain - LA Punk Special & Show # 680 & 681

As part of CJAM FM’s Radio Brain Drain, a week's worth of programming devoted to punk rock and all its forms, Revolution Rock hosted a program featuring music made up from the early LA punk music scenes. The play list was also inspired by the book Under The Big Black Sun, a book written by John Doe with Tom DeSavia about the LA Punk music scene. In addition to playing a selection of music from the early LA punk music scenes, the show also featured part of an interview that I did with X’s John Doe in 2016.

You can listen to the interview that I did with John Doe here:



Radio Brain Drain 2017 (LA Punk Special):

1. The Descendents – Suburban Home (Milo Goes to College - 1982)
2. Bad Religion – We’re only Gonna Die (How Could Hell Be Any Worse? - 1982)
3. The Dickies – Paranoid (The Incredible Shrinking Dickies - 1979)
4. The Eyes - Don’t Talk To Me (The Eyes/The Controllers/The Skulls - Don't Talk To Me/(The Original) Neutron Bomb/Victims - 1978)
5. The Screamers - Vertigo (Demos 1977-1978 - 2013)
6. X - Los Angeles (Los Angeles - 1980)
7. X - Adult Books (Wild Gift - 1981)

JOHN DOE INTERVIEW

8. The Flesh Eaters - River of Fever (A Minute To Pray, A Second To Die - 1981)
9. The Blasters - She Ain’t Got The Beat (American Music - 1980)
10. The Gun Club - Sex Beat (Fire of Love - 1981)
11. The Alley Cats – Nightmare City [Nightmare City - 1981]
12. The Go-Go’s - We Got the Beat (Original 1980 Stiff Records Version) (We Got The Beat/How Much More - 1980)
13. The Weirdos – Destroy all Music (Destroy All Music - 1977)
14. The Dils – You’re not Blank (I Hate the Rich/You’re Not Blank - 1977)
15. The Zeroes – Don’t Push Me Around (Wimp/Don't Push Me Around - 1977)
16. The Brat - Attitudes (Attitudes EP - 1980)
17. Black Flag - Rise Above (Damaged - 1981)
18. Circle Jerks – Deny Everything (Group Sex - 1980)
19. FEAR – Let’s Have a War (Paradise Studios Demos - 1982)
20. Wasted Youth – Problem Child (Reagan’s In - 1981)
21. Germs – Manimal ((GI) - 1979)
22. The Nerves - You Found Out (The Nerves EP - 1976)
23. The Plugz – A Gain – A Loss (Electrify Me - 1979)
24. Suburban Lawns - Janitor (Suburban Lawns - 1981)
25. Black Randy and the Metrosquad – I Slept in an Arcade (Pass the Dust, I Think I’m Bowie - 1979)
26. Bags – Survive (All Bagged Up..The Collected Works 1977-1980 - 2007)

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for August 19.

Show 680 was a repeat of show 668, which was an episode featuring an interview with the drummer from Toronto's Teenanger. You can view that post here.

Teenanger Steve Sidoli Interview & Show # 679

Toronto’s Teenanger returned with their fifth full-length album, Teenager earlier this summer. The album’s title is a reference to the error from others when pronouncing their band name, whether in articles or on band posters, its something that has been happening since they first began as a band back in 2007. The album was created over a year period beginning in 2016 and produced by the band’s own drummer Steve Sidoli and guitarist Jon Schouten. The album pulls in a lot of elements of previous Teenanger albums, $ingles Don’t Sell and EPLP come to mind, but at the same time this album is different from its predecessors.

Teenager starts with the instrumental track “The Middle Fingers” perhaps titled this way as a jab to people who might want to criticize this track for going full synth. This track sounds like it was lifted from an obscure 80s B-horror movie soundtrack. The track creeps around, roams and infiltrates your speakers and/or listening devices with an undeniable mood. The track drifts into the album’s first track with vocals, “Dawn”. This song establishes a feeling with its steady, Public Image Limited influenced bassline, as watery guitar lines, filter in and out of the bass and in the pocket drum groove. Chris Swimmings sings a vocal that is more laid back, but one that is also tense with his trademark snarling attitude. On a lyrical level words such as “Lost days and I’m feeling awake/This town is gonna suffocate/Price tags are never going down” and a chorus of “A child at 4 AM/The streets are rather tame/At Dawn/Always at dawn”, the listener finds themselves in a reflective, contemplative mood, trying to pin down a feeling, that can’t really be defined by the eerie, empty streets at dawn. “Emoji Kush” brings together several emotional strands into a single musical output. Teenanger attack this song and its subject matter with a cynical look at nightlife, social media, vanity and the like with a mellow tempo juxtaposed with the track’s jagged Gang of Four-like guitars and 80s drum rhythms. “Just Drop It” ups the tempo with vocals from bassist Melissa Ball, as lyrically she addresses a situation, expressing a desire to move forward, despite the protagonist this song employs who has their own ideas, “Media Overload” follows with slower lucid tempos amongst lyrics such as “Hey Siri table for four”, and “Media overload/Taking Too much” that address the immediacy of social media, its many flaws and the sensory overload that can be caused from it.

“Wychwood Heights” starts off with creepy electronic rhythms before launching into an intense clanging groove. The song tells the story of a coward hiding out in this Toronto suburb, amongst its other subtle themes. It is one of a few songs found on Teenager that addresses urban/suburban themes. “It Works With My Body” is a drum and bass dominated track featuring twisting sounding guitar lines, “Weird Money” features biting vocals and heavy basslines, as “The Night Shift” offers up something else entirely. Dominated in industrial post punk sounds, with echoing drums and dominating synthesizers, this track features vocals from drummer Steve Sidoli. The lyrics reflect late night thoughts dealing with employment in a way similar to the song “Dawn”, found earlier on this album. This song employs a synthesizer induced otherworldly feeling. “Pay It Forward” brings up the intensity, while “Fun Forgot” is one of the strongest songs found on this album. With lyrics such as “I like a lot of stuff/But I’m not into much”, Swimmings tells the tale of an uninspired summer, that embodies a slacker rebelliousness and an unexpected realization amongst the songs sprawling guitar-lines that splash in between the crashing drumbeats and unrelenting, sunbaked basslines.

“N.O.B.L.O” ends Teenager. Standing for North of Bloor, Life Onwards, this track addresses the suburban dilemma of Toronto’s real estate situation and being an artist in that area of the city. Sidoli recently stated in Now Toronto: “Now, being forced to move north of Bloor is like a new frontier because you’ve been priced out or you want a bigger place. There’s an analogy there between having to do that and moving into adulthood and other phases of life.” This quote can be utilized to show the general consensus brought forth on this album, but with this album there are a lot of subtle layers that all add up to a greater whole. With the sounds found on Teenager, we see that Teenanger haven’t changed drastically into some unexpected, over-bloated version of what they once were that can be found at a shopping mall. Teenanger isn’t trying to be something that they’re not, but they’re also not repeating themselves here. With the album’s title, Teenanger poke fun at themselves. At the same time they mess with the people in the world that surrounds them on different levels that don’t read between the lines to see what’s actually there.

Check out my interview with Teenanger drummer Steve Sidoli here:



The Play List:

1. The Belle Isles - Summer Song
2. Greg Cartwright - Love Won't Leave You A Song
3. The Oblivians - Bad Man
4. The Stooges - Real Cool Time
5. The Yardbirds - Psycho Daisies
6. The Rolling Stones - Now I've Got A Witness
7. The Beatles - Long Tall Sally (BBC Session)
8. Teenanger - Dawn
9. Teenanger - Just Drop It

TEENANGER STEVE SIDOLI INTERVIEW

10. Teenanger - Fun Forgot
11. Teenanger - The Night Shift
12. Cellos - Demagogue
13. The Birthday Party - Sonnys Burning
14. The Psychic Alliance - I Saw An Aquatic Rat Today
15. Aron D'Alesio - Destroyer
16. Sprinters - What's Done Is Done
17. Dale Crover - Little Brother
18. Guided By Voices - Just To Show You
19. Paul The Tailor - Two Brains
20. Mise En Scene - Light In The Night
21. The Jesus And Mary Chain - Down On Me
22. David Bowie - Shapes Of Things
23. Daniel Romano - Sucking The Old World Dry
24. Johnny West - Spider Ventriloquist
25. Ramones - Ramona
26. Ramones - It's A Long Way Back To Germany


To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for August 5.