Song of the Week #372

Straight into the music this week. Here's one for you fans of grungy indie pop. This isn't all that far from what I was playing in bands in the mid 90s!

Black Honey - Madonna - https://youtu.be/Hra4KwZCViU

I can't tell you anything about Black Honey other than they are from Brighton in the UK and there seems to be 4 people in the band. They do have more songs available here though and after I'm finished writing all of this down I may just head back for a listen. I will admit that when this song came around on Spotify Discovery I saw the title and thought Madonna had finally remembered how to rock!

Did I mention that this week's episode is rather late? You may have noticed that it's been becoming a bit of a habit. Sorry. Having a new job has changed up the way I think, do my cycle training, my mental health and lots of my world view...all in a good way. I think you can expect this blogging thing to continue as I'm hardly likely to stop after 370 plus episodes. I imagine that delivery could be anytime from Friday to Sunday. I continue to take notes the old fashioned way, in a notebook, through the week that are ideas, songs and thoughts to include here. Sometimes getting them into a coherent form takes a while!

DJ ZedBoots is in Romania at the moment. And as it's Halloween she's stocked up on garlic. Romania as I'm sure you know if where Vlad the Impaler hailed from. Bram Stoker made the link between him and vampires in a rather famous book...Dracula!

Iron Maiden - Transylvania (live) - https://youtu.be/tDTzwvLkDgg

This time next week Angus and I will be heading out on a bit of a pilgrimage. We've had the tickets booked for months now and it's almost time for us, along with a few thousand other screaming fans to go along to see AC/DC. To say that I'm excited is an understatement. This will be the third time I've seen them. The two previous occasions were on the Razor's Edge Tour (1991) and the Stiff Upper Lip Tour (2001). Both of these concerts were a lot of fun and I'm sure next week will be no different.

AC/DC - Rock Or Bust / Highway To Hell (live August 2015) - https://youtu.be/s34-fpwspJA

It's quite amazing, in the above performance, that Dave Grohl stayed offstage.

Some bands bring rather average support acts with them...cough, cough, Iron Maiden. AC/DC aren't making that mistake. They've included these next two bands and I'll be more than happy to be there early to watch them both. It's fantastic to see a newer Aussie act get a spot as well as something a bit left field.

Kingswood - She's My Baby - https://youtu.be/UlEZ1H9fFfk

The Hives - Walk Idiot Walk (live 2014) - https://youtu.be/AfJboH9E6Qw

The Hives always remind me of a cross between Iggy Pop, The Beatles and Slade,

We'll dial it back a little now with a song from Cat Clyde. Hailing from London, Ontario this is a bluesy, jazzy, country, folky tune that got my toes tapping almost instantly. They've got an album called "Ivory Castanets" that was released a couple of weeks ago and is available here . 

Cat Clyde - Like A Wave - https://youtu.be/xjlTyiSN-rg?t=20s

A book I was reading this week mentioned the author's mid-90's mixtape. The selection was rather good (better than the book) and this band came up. I'd forgotten how good they were. If you like Weezer then you'll probably like them. Quirky in all the right ways...

Pavement - Cut Your Hair - https://youtu.be/QTTgpTeb0Z8

I like it when musicians show their influences and aren't ashamed of them. This next track is from a guy called Zakk Wylde. He's one of the best known heavy guitarists getting around. Zakk played with Ozzy Osbourne for years and now fronts Black Label Society. The next track is some of his earlier work. You can hear the country and southern rock influences clearly...

Pride and Glory - Machine Gun Man - https://youtu.be/pXe3yyvmmbY

An Australian band I never tire of are Painters & Dockers. In High School someone gave me a copy of their live album, "Bucket" and I played it to death. They've got a uniquely Australian and dare I say it, Victorian sound. It's an eclectic mix of social commentary, punk, rock, brass and way too much energy. TISM were watching closely I imagine when they were coming up with some of their songs.

Painters & Dockers - You're Going Home In The Back of a Divi Van - https://youtu.be/R5Cw043lPCE

Painters & Dockers - Soul Child (live) - https://youtu.be/Ys7TXrO7P5w

Painters & Dockers - The Boy Who Lost His Jocks On Flinders Street Station - https://youtu.be/ym2bvFrpQ6E

It's been a tough week for quite a few people that I know with two deaths...one long and protracted and another quite unexpected. You really do need to live your life whilst you have the opportunity. Don't put things that you really want to do off forever...

Billy Bragg - Wishing The Days Away - https://youtu.be/A9ujF7YVyyg

Finally, a huge shout out to DJ HB. She was at the Fleetwood Mac concert in Adelaide this week and sent me some great photos and videos. It looked like a really good show. I have to say that she has a very steady hand! What also made my day was the story about car trips as a kid and her parents love of the band. Those connections are priceless.

Fleetwood Mac - Tusk - https://youtu.be/InjF8xj93LU

There you have it....plenty of music. Get listening!

Rob

"...you can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant", Alice's Restaurant 30th Anniversary (The Massacree Re-visited), 1995.

Song of the Week #371

Treat your ears this week with my hand picked, super-duper, extra special and perhaps interesting collection of tunes!

First up is a band called Palma Violets from England. To be frank, I thought this was a Clash song that I didn't recognise the first time I heard it, all the elements are there. However, it's a new track and it bubbles along rather well. I envisage a sweaty and enthusiastic crowd singing along to this one!

Palma Violets - English Tongue - https://youtu.be/3GjMW2n4v9s

While we're with bands exhibiting a clear punk influence let's go back a little while to the mid 80's and a ripper of a track from one of my favourite bands, The Pogues.

The Pogues - Sally MacLennane - https://youtu.be/fvV5mryQF1I

If you've never listened to The Pogues then start with the album that the above song comes from, it's called "Rum, Sodomy & The Lash".

For some reason it looks like I'm on a bit of a punk trip this week. It always amuses me that Blondie are referred to as a punk band. I guess they are one of the links between punk and new wave. American Punk is also quite different to that which came out of the UK. So how did Johnny Rotten fit in post Sex Pistols? Just fine thanks very much.

P.I.L. - Rise - https://youtu.be/Vq7JSic1DtM

The Dead Weather have a new album out (Dodge and Burn, September 25th). They are an interesting band and even though I'm not a huge Jack White fan I like what this band comes up with. Here's a track from their previous album which I have permanently on my music devices and then a new track.

The Dead Weather - I Cut Like A Buffalo - https://youtu.be/RYDhw8_lAn0

The Dead Weather - I Feel Love (Every Million Miles) - https://youtu.be/98oMvKF-78Y

My turntable is in the throes of giving up the ghost. Every now and then it just stops in the middle of a song and whilst the slowing of the track is mildly amusing it's mostly annoying. It happened the other night during a live recording of ZZ Top and I'm sure that's some kind of sacrilege. I may have to admit defeat and look for a new one. Old ZZ Top albums are always good and "Fandango" is no exception. The A side of the LP is live and the B side contains some great studio tracks. It's a great place to start if you want to avoid the synthesizer driven tunes of the 80s.

ZZ Top - Thunderbird (live 1975) - https://youtu.be/ytZrzwfJn1g?t=1m15s

Coming up next is a tune from an American singer called Mark Lanegan. I heard the song thanks to the "Discover" setting on Spotify. Mark was in a band you may have heard of called Screaming Trees who were contemporaries of Alice In Chains, Mudhoney, Pearl Jam and other Seattle grunge acts. This next song is more indie rock than grunge. I'll take some time to listen to the full album I think which is called "Phantom Radio". If you liked Andy Prieboy's "Upon My Wicked Son" then you should enjoy this. Everyone else should listen anyway. It starts with that wavy, wobbly guitar sound that I like so much. Judicious use of a tremolo pedal!

Mark Lanegan Band - Harvest Home - https://youtu.be/9QfALT4nbvU

It wouldn't be a week on the World Wide Woozle without one heavier track. Veteran Brish band Saxon have a new album out called Battering Ram and it was released last week. For a band that has been around since 1976 and the "New Wave of British Heavy Metal" they sound fantastic. They have had the same singer and guitarists for pretty much the whole time.

Saxon - Battering Ram - https://youtu.be/2oLC0nOfWGc

We'll finish this week with an indie-pop hit from New Zealanders, The Mutton Birds. Almost the perfect pop song in my opinion...

The Mutton Birds - Dominion Road - https://youtu.be/PfdvAVkg1X0

Yeah, this week was all about the music. Maybe I'll have some angst next time!

DJ Rob

"So what's the plan, brother man?
We're waiting on your cue.
There's nothing new, to listen to, we heard it through and through.
We know you're playing the best you can,
The truth is we don't give a damn...." - Foxy Shazam, Welcome To The Church of Rock & Roll, 2012.

Song of the Week #370

Welcome back dear listener.

DJ AB and I survived 28 hours straight of standing up, commentary, giveaways, interviews and general mirth and mayhem! Huge thanks to DJ Guz for his magic touch on the sound system and to DJs Hammertime and BeanzMeanz for coming out to make sure we weren't flagging! The weather was fantastic for the 24hr mountain bike race and the event was a roaring success. Next year, assuming they want us back, we're taking a couple of beanbags and a wider range of food! As well as the commentary and music being on the speakers in transition and around the immediate area, there was a speaker system out on the course at one point and that proved quite popular. We might try for a couple more next year as a result of competitor comments. AB also did some remote broadcasting from different parts of the course.

Gnarls Barkley - Crazy (live) - https://youtu.be/G4alVGKuM0I

DJ ZedBoots is in Berlin for a few days. Apparently the hot water is good and the Germans are very well organised!

Nena - Rette Mich - https://youtu.be/itqTWqu7pLA

I hope you watched that video...all keytar players need studded leather gloves in my opinion!

Listening to Ryan Adams' version of 1989 has meant that Spotify has started suggesting I try some of his other songs. This seems like a fair thing...I did...and this one sounded pretty good.

Ryan Adams - Gimme Something Good (ive) - https://youtu.be/e0zjpJNhC0M

Last night I watched a documentary about Keith Richards on Netflix called Under The Influence. He's a pretty funny guy who seems under no illusions that he's having a very fortunate life. I'm not sure how his gnarled up hands still manage to play the guitar but the footage with just him and an acoustic shows that he can! It was interesting to hear about the two records that he and Mick loved that basically got the Rolling Stones started (Muddy Waters and Chuck Berry). Well worth a look. I just wish that he'd give up the ciggies. Here's a track from his brand new solo album...

Keith Richards - Trouble - https://youtu.be/_btCZWi1jkg

Suze Demarchi (Baby Animals) has a new album out. It's a solo affair with a ton of guest artists. Thematically, every song is about "home". Look, I love her voice and she's a great singer. This album...well...it's a little slow, or maybe it's just laid back! Perhaps a good lazy summer afternoon listen.

Suze Demarchi - Home - https://youtu.be/s253Rzo2M0w

And for all you heathens who read that and wondered, "Baby Animals? Who?"...

Baby Animals - Working For The Enemy (live) - https://youtu.be/ZQBftw4ixeY

I wonder how long brick and mortar record shops can survive? Yesterday I had a quick trundle around one and walked away empty handed. The financial realist in me said that I could listen to anything I wanted pretty much online and then order a physical copy for a lot less. Add to that the fact that some new releases still aren't in stores here when they've been available for a few weeks and I'm less and less inclined to walk in. The price of vinyl is just silly as well. I do wonder why there were no copies of the new Cold Chisel CD in their area on the rack and just a stack at the checkout...that seems dumb.

Midnight Oil - Know Your Product (live Saints cover) - https://youtu.be/JFFj3h1PqmA?t=3m10s

Peter Garrett is on a national book launch tour. Personally I wish he'd get back to singing and his version of dancing. 

Yesterday I helped out at a charity fun run for my work. After cycling about 60km in the morning, riding around as the safety bod at the race and then cycling home I managed to rack up almost 110km for the day. Any job that lets me cycle whilst working has to be good! As a result though I was pretty wiped out. There's nothing better sometimes than sitting down to a great live music DVD. Last night it was this...absolutely superb:

Gary Moore with Scott Gorham - Cowboy Song / Boys Are Back In Town - https://youtu.be/4QJl67JwktA

Here's a guy that's playing locally pretty soon. Ticket prices are insane though. As H remarks, you can buy many full back catalogues for less than a price of a concert ticket. For some bands I'll suck it up and pay the cash but I must admit that the $160 + for Iron Maiden tickets is just too much.

Chris Cornell - Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart - https://youtu.be/KhJ9IwYc5NU

To finish...a punk version of a great song....click to reveal! It's a hoot and it's also not an easy tune to sing.

Have a great weekend,

Rob

Muddy Waters, The Blues Had A Baby & They Named It Rock And Roll, 1977 live recording

Song of the Week #369

Neil Young sang, "I used to be in a rock and roll band, but they broke up..." This song got me thinking recently about all the bands I've played in. From the early days of blues and rock covers with Mr. Walker, the original indie pop of Lovesmudge, Oz rock stylings of Push Grunt Shove and of course the Gothabilly chaos that was The Dark Violence of Beauty. They are all very, very different to what we do in Junk Sculpture. The thing is, all of those bands were (and Junk Sculpture still is) heaps of fun. I can see that every band allowed me the opportunity to learn new things, try new sounds and play with musicians who were a lot more proficient than me. At our most recent show in Coonabarabran I had a terrible time for the first set because I couldn't hear my own guitar very well (luckily DJ Guz worked his magic and all was well in the second set). There were bum notes everywhere and I totally murdered the intro to one of my favourite songs. Maybe it's time to invest in some "in ear monitors". When I think about all of the songs I've played live I know that either my memory isn't as good as it was or that we just do more challenging stuff; certainly this is the first band that I've ever used a cheat sheet with. There are so many changes and variations in some tunes that I just can't quite get them to stick in my mind and a prompt every now and then is a real relief! Last night I was practicing the riff from Neil Young's "Powderfinger" for an upcoming gig. Plugging the guitar into my phone and rocking out through headphones is pretty cool. You don't bother anyone with volume and there are tons of different sounds on tap to muck around with as well. My rambling message here is if you play an instrument get out and play with other people. Don't worry too much about how good (or not in my case) you are...just have fun.

Neil Young - Buffalo Springfield Again - https://youtu.be/JL1OtfCTqnc

This is episode 369. I got a bit confused with some lyrics a few weeks ago and almost played this song. But now the number is right...I'm sure you'll work it out.

The Belle Stars - The Clapping Song - https://youtu.be/8A2u5vMBcEo

DJ ZedBoots has been in Oslo, Norway this week. After surviving a cyclone, rats eating her shoes, Air Vanuatu flight scheduling dramas and the Italian train network you'd think she'd be pretty robust; and she is. However, ZedBoots managed to fall out of a tree and end up at the hospital. All is well and we assume that the Norwegian hospital staff now refer to her as that "Crazy Tree Hugging Australian girl!"

Cold Chisel are an iconic Australian band. Arguably one of our best. I was interested to see them play live recently on the TV because, well, I have their most recent live DVD and it's a bit pedestrian in places. I was hoping for something special. Given that they only got to play 3 of their big hits I thought that they did a great job. At this point DJ Will "still sorry for running you out in cricket" pointed out to me that Chisel have a new album. So I had a listen and I must admit my expectations weren't that high. Wow! I was so wrong. It's a great listen. The band sounds energetic and focussed. The songs are the right mix of Oz rock and rockabilly that you might expect and the production is first class. Well worth a few dollars and another listen.

Cold Chisel - Alone For You - https://youtu.be/FLY3YC2q4Yw

This weekend DJ AB and I are out at the Scott 24hr Australian Mountain Biking Championships. We're not riding but will be providing commentary and music for the entire race. In effect that means we'll be talking for probably around 28 hours straight. We must be mad. If you're in Canberra please feel free to come out and visit us...especially in the middle of Saturday night when we might be struggling! It should be a hoot. We've doubled our appearance fee from the last two year's overnight shifts. It was $0.00 to start with and it still is. It's a great event run by a fantastic crew of volunteers. I think they feed us...I hope so! If you're located close to Stromlo try tuning in on 99.5 on the FM dial.

Elvis Costello - Radio Radio -  https://youtu.be/pG-Lq6Kc-rQ

Queensryche have a new album. This is the version of the band without the original lead singer but that includes pretty much everyone else. It's complicated. The album sounds really good. If you liked Queensryche pre-Empire then this is for you. Great guitar work, soaring vocals, interesting lyrics and of course the classic almost prog-metal sound and feel.

Queensryche - Guardian - https://youtu.be/Ra1TSmmUY90

Staying with Heavy Metal just for a moment, Death Dealer have a new album out as well. I had a listen to it yesterday as I drove to and from Goulburn for work. It's an interesting band made up of players from all over the world including an amazing Sydney guitarist called Stu "Hammer" Marshall (no relation but I'd love an ounce of his talent!) Very much for fans of classic metal bands like Manowar, Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force and Iron Maiden. It's on Spotify so have a listen and then buy a copy. I believe they are touring here in early 2016 so keep an eye out.

Death Dealer - Break The Silence - https://youtu.be/LyZmHD3hqAM

In band news, we have a show in the works for New Year's Eve at Vivaldi's so watch this space. It'll be a little different but a lot of fun and I've got a ton of new songs to learn.

The Beatles - Mean Mr. Mustard / Polythene Pam - https://youtu.be/lpGbx7nwWBw

When I saw this old cover of a Creedence track pop up in my Spotify "Discovery" list I was pretty sure I'd hate it. I was wrong...

Hanoi Rocks - Up Around The Bend (Creedence Clearwater Revival cover) - https://youtu.be/iEYtUcIKHTM

I try to call my "brother" Michael in Vanuatu once a week. Michael was Zoë's host father at Level which is where she was during the cyclone. I am able to have email and snail mail contact with our family at Atavtabanga but for Level it's the phone or nothing! Today we had a good line for the first time in ages and Michael and I could actually almost understand each other. The fantastic news is that we're going to be able to help out sending his eldest daughter to secondary school in 2016. Education in Vanuatu isn't free and for secondary school a large proportion of students have to board. When Alison and I were trying to work out the best way to help people in Vanuatu in a long term sense we thought about education and this is our first step. We don't intend to set up a charity or anything but helping in this small way just seems like the right thing to do. Hopefully I'll be able to hear all about how school is next year when I return. I'm saving up my pennies and my leave days!

Rock on Brothers and Sister,

Rob

<intentionally blank, like my stare>

Song of the Week #368

I woke this morning to news of yet another mass shooting in the USA. Will it ever end? What a waste of life.

Alice Cooper - Lost In America - https://youtu.be/8g6zV-FIxGU

A while ago I mentioned that I'd ordered a reggae CD by Stan & The Earthforce. Sadly it never arrived and the person selling them doesn't want to answer my emails. Fortunately I paid using PayPal so we'll see how good their dispute resolution process is. It's a bummer though, all I wanted was a rather cool LP of laid back tunes.

Stan & The Earth Force - Better Days - https://youtu.be/3jSgO0iMke4

Local purveyors of doom, Witchskull, have now released their debut LP. If the three track teaser CD that came out earlier in the year is any indication then it'll be loud, sludgy and very, very good. Buy a copy through witchskull.bandcamp.com and support local music.

Witchskull - Swim The Abyss - https://youtu.be/gsiQvrUJH6I

I've been listening to a lot of old FM radio live concerts via Spotify. Zappa, Arlo Guthrie, Mellencamp, Bowie and KISS have all had a spin. The quality ranges from "recorded with an old potato" to awesome but it's worth it. I like live recordings that I can be fairly sure have had no overdubs. Mellencamp and his band prove themselves to be superb musicians...KISS prove how much overdubbing must be on their live records! But in terms of energy KISS can't be beaten unless you cue up some Ramones.

KISS - Cold Gin (live 1975) - https://youtu.be/TxfUAxkJosk?t=1m44s

The Ramones - Sheena Is A Punk Rocker (live 1978) - https://youtu.be/snAO0KQpIKk

It's been a while now since I stopped drinking coffee. It doesn't faze me now...I dealt with the week of caffeine headaches and moved on. I don't mind a cup of tea but paying the same, or more, for a tea bag and some hot water is pretty bad I reckon. There's an art to making a good coffee but throwing the Dilmah bag into a cup is very much unskilled labour. 

Rival Sons - Black Coffee (Humble Pie cover) - https://youtu.be/9XpmD_fjt6I

Thin Lizzy is a band I just keep coming back to. It's the twin guitar attack, the vocal delivery, the swagger and the fact that they sound like they are having the time of their lives. I've been working on learning a couple of their songs but it's taking a while! So many songs, so little time!

Thin Lizzy - Rosalie - https://youtu.be/j1lPuWg-Rpg

Thin Lizzy - Emerald (live Peel Sessions) - https://youtu.be/9Qp9wPvcJwM

Getting guitar practice in isn't always that easy. After all, electric guitars are loud! Sometimes you just need to sit in a corner and strum some quiet songs. The problem is usually thinking what to play - this is always a huge problem if someone wants you to play something cool. I can never remember anything until everyone has gone! I'm not much of a singer anyway so maybe that's not so bad. Here's two tracks I'd like to be able to whip out at a moment's notice!

Archie Roach - From Paradise - https://youtu.be/Al8KtXvzmhM

Elvis Presley - In The Ghetto (live) - https://youtu.be/2Ox1Tore9nw

I've had a pretty quiet week at home with DJ Al-ee-Sunshine and Bogus away on holiday. Well it would've been quiet if the stoopid cat and dog had behaved. They are more needy than any toddler. After a week of Xena waking me up at about 5.15am, demanding food and being otherwise antisocial, Sparky had to top it off by escaping. He's back, in disgrace and with the hugest smile on his cheeky face. Pets? Who needs them? Apparently we do.

The Fauves - Dogs Are The Best People - https://youtu.be/rQ-fvr2qLc0

The good thing about being awake early is that I just threw the cat outside and then went cycling. The sun is up ridiculously early (until daylight savings kicks in) and it's been pretty mild as well this week. Australian cyclists will understand the necessity of a magpie free route at this time of year. I hate getting hit by those black and white feral bombers and I've only been hit twice so far this season. When you realise that magpies can keep up with motorbikes then you realise that trying to out run them is probably futile.

Iron Maiden - Aces High - https://youtu.be/Xg9aQvjMS60

Wow, that was a pretty loud episode. My apologies if you were looking for some soothing tunes. Not this time.

If you need to calm down then maybe this is the track for you...

Driving to and from Coonabarabran last week we saw an amazing amount of canola fields in full bloom. It was as if the sun was coming out of the ground. Anyway, it made me think of this song.

Lenny Kravitz - Flowers for Zoë - https://youtu.be/7fu0971-mVM

Watch this space for a New Year's Eve gig announcement....hopefully!

Peace,

Rob

"...take to the streets, kill everyone you meet...", Painters and Dockers, "Kill, Kill, Kill", 1985.