Oblivians, Compulsive Gamblers, Contours & Show # 652

After a 16-year gap in releases, Memphis, Tennessee band The Oblivians released Desperation. Known for mixing garage, punk and solo in a wild and chaotic fashion, The Oblivians featured two guitars, vocals and drums. No bass. Also, all of the band members were writers and would switch instruments. The band is made up of Greg Cartwright, Jack Yarber and Eric Friedl. They have since 1997 all gone on to other bands. Greg plays with Reigning Sound, Jack with Jack-O & The Tennessee Tearjerkers and Eric has played with Dutch Masters, The Sons of Thunder in addition to forming/running Goner Records.

In between Desperation and the other projects that the members of The Oblivians have worked with, Greg and Jack reformed an early band they had been a part of, The Compulsive Gamblers. Originally forming in 1993, the band had quite a few changing lineups. They reformed as a three-piece band with Greg and Jack being the only constant members. They released Bluff City in 1999 and what is perhaps their best release, 2000’s Crystal Gazing Luck Amazing. The Compulsive Gamblers disbanded shortly after the release of Crystal Gazing Luck Amazing.

This week’s program featured two parallels. One track from Crystal Gazing Luck Amazing, the garage-blues track rendition of the 1961 Motown single by The Contours “Whole Lotta Woman” and two tracks (“You Better Behave” and “Pinstripe Willie”) from The Oblivians raucous 1996 release Popular Favorites.







Saturday Night Playlist:

1. The Feelies - Fa Ce La (Ork Records Single Version)
2. Eraser - I Won't Give Up
3. Cherry Glazerr - Instantgratification
4. Flipper - Ever
5. Subverts - TV Personality
6. Can - Tango Whiskeyman
7. Ty Segall - Papers
8. Skye Wallace - Not Ready For This To Start
9. The Evaporators - Candy
10. Japandroids - No Known Drink Or Drug
11. Could Nothings - Sight Unseen
12. Priests - Appropriate
13. Husker Du - Love Is All Around (Mary Tyler Moore Theme)
14. Ritual Howls - Bound By Light
15. Cellos - Swan Song (Pinball Sessions)
16. Nirvana - Seasons In The Sun (Alt. Mix)
17. Heat - Rose De Lima
18. Litterbug - I Spy
19. The Sadies (Featuring Kurt Vile) - It's Easy (Like Walking)
20. Link Wray - Mustang
21. The Fallouts - Some Fun
22. Young Canadians - Hullabaloo Girls
23. Monomyth - Drinking In Bed In E
24. La Conversion Des Sauvages - Vieil Ivoire
25. Compulsive Gamblers - Whole Lotta Woman
26. The Oblivians - You Better Behave
27. The Oblivians - Pinstripe Willie

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

Scavengers, Nerves, and a Police Reunion? Show #127

As my first show of the year 2007 I played a couple of bands I've never played on my show before. First was The Scavengers. The Scavengers were a band from Auckland, New Zealand in 1977. They were influenced by bands such as Sex Pistols, The Stooges, and The New York Dolls. They broke up around 1978/79, and never had any album released officially. They did record a 12 song demo, that finally saw the light of day in 2003 (they have had various songs released on compilations before hand). The band split up and would go onto other bands, Brendan Perry would later form Dead Can Dance.

The Nerves were a band formed by Jack Lee, Peter Case, and Paul Collins. The Nerves EP would be released in 1979, it contained four songs. "Hanging On The Telephone" was the song played on tonight's show, but most people mistake it as a Blondie song. Blondie did cover the very same song, but it was originally done by The Nerves. After the short Nerves career, Peter Case would form the Plimsouls, and Paul Collins The Beat;Jack Lee had a short solo career.

Compulsive Gamblers are a band from Memphis Tennessee. They formed in the 90's, "Stop & Think It Over" was the song played on tonight's show. I first heard the song being covered by the Swedish punk band, The Hives. The song is taken from the bands 2000 album, Crystal Gazing Luck Amazing. I also played songs from various John Peel BBC sessions form Buzzcocks, The Cure, and Madness.


Also it has circulated around the Internet as a rumour that The Police will be reforming for a tour this year. It is just in the rumour stage, but it looks likely that this will happen. Along with a tour, a set of releases are set to come out as part of the 30th anniversary of their single "Roxanne".

Here's the play list:

1. The Jam – Billy hunt
2. The Nerves – hanging on the telephone
3. The Scavengers – true love
4. Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers – flight (early demo)
5. Undertones – you’ve got my number (why don’t you use it)
6. Buzzcocks – what do I get (BBC session)
7. The Demics – the 400 blows
8. Teenage Head – brand new cadillac
9. The Saints – this time
10. The Clash – groovy times
11. The Clash – capital radio two
12. Iggy Pop – girls
13. The Cure – 10:15 Saturday night (BBC Session)
14. Talking Heads – who is it (1975 cbs demo)
15. Ramones – we want the airwaves
16. Ramones – you sound like your sick
17. The Police – someone to talk to
18. Hot, Hot, Heat – eyes ear mouth (demo)
19. Sloan – live on
20. The Rakes – retreat
21. Compulsive Gamblers – stop & think it over
22. The Specials – ghost town
23. The D4 – omerta
24. Madness - the prince (BBC Session)