World Wide Woozle #385

Many bands seem to have endless and ongoing farewell tours. How many times have KISS said goodbye? Not that I mind KISS playing a heap of concerts because they still manage to put on an excellent show. The reason I mention final shows is because Motley Crue have apparently played at least their last live show - there's some kind of legally binding agreement to prevent them going out again. Personally I won't be upset if they release new tunes but after checking some recent live footage there's an argument for them giving that side up. Motley are (were) a fantastic band who put out very few duds despite what they did to themselves. Imagine if they'd stuck with John Corabi (listen to him in the link next up) instead of going back to Vince Neil who patently hasn't been able to sing live for years.

Motley Crue - Power To The Music - https://youtu.be/ZMQJIJXEq5k

DJ Z-Boots and I braved sweaty fanboys, whispering pensioners and small children to attend a second viewing of the new Star Wars film today. There's plenty of love out there for the movie as well as a whole swag of whingers. Without spoiling it for anyone....it's tons of fun, there are a few good laughs and it looks and feels like Star Wars should. It's the best Star Wars film since The Empire Strikes Back came out in 1980. I'm ready for it to come out on Blu-Ray now however, twice was enough with annoying cinema patrons.

Who remembers Dr Hook? No, not Captain Hook's medically inclined and little known brother, but the American band? I was shuffling through some tracks this week and came across a cover of one of their better know tunes...it certainly made me laugh. These days I'm not sure that the cover of Rolling Stone magazine is quite as coveted as it may have been in the past!

Poison - Cover of the Rolling Stone - https://youtu.be/pU_0OhJ7Oq4

My musical education continued this week with the realisation that one of my favourite Clash songs is indeed a cover version! Here are both versions for you to try out; both equally awesome.

The Equals - Police On My Back - https://youtu.be/WXJxYNUoJKs

The Clash - Police On My Back (live) - https://youtu.be/2rZY9W8tg5E

If you spend any time reading about punk music you run into this next artist. The influence of reggae and ska are very, very clear in the discographies of any number of punk artists.

Desmond Dekker - 007 Shanty Town - https://youtu.be/ZqgWuMcHc3g

And here's a fine piece of music that name drops Desmond as the ultimate mark of respect. A minority of bands adopted punk as a vehicle for racist and fascist messages which is a shame. Bands like Rancid, The Clash, The Ruts and Black Flag are very much the opposite and deserving of your listening time.

Rancid - Roots Radicals - https://youtu.be/DqCucCMbnPo

Sometimes I despair at what passes for music on the charts these days. So much of it seems devoid of soul, auto-tuned, air-brushed and contrived. Listen carefully kids...reality TV music shows aren't real life. Talent, ability, perseverance, hard work and luck are the pre-requisites for being a successful recording artist. Here's an example of what good music is. At the time this band caused a huge fuss with MTV and retailers refusing to stock and play some of their music. Needless to say they went on to be huge and their back catalogue is still worth listening to.

Jane's Addiction - Jane Says - https://youtu.be/Z0hFQdEUQKM

I'm sure that there are some Quentin Tarantino fans out there. I sat down this week and finally got around to watching 'Django Unchained". It's classic Tarantino and all in all a pretty good (and very long) film. What surprised me was quite how good Leonardo Di Caprio was at being completely evil. If you like westerns, Tarantino and good music then set aside a couple of hours and watch this.

Jim Croce - I've Got A Name - https://youtu.be/zKvGZyF7PlE

Johnny Cash - Ain't No Grave - https://youtu.be/o0MIFHLIzZY

Let me finish this week with a bit of a rant about guitar shops. Given my exposure to sheet music recently, this rant will be in two movements! Firstly; what's the point of having guitars hanging up so high that no-one could ever reach them, or more importantly see the price tag? That may have been a very cool Fender Bullet I saw on Saturday but who knows as I left my binoculars at home. If I was to have leaned back far enough to get a good look I may have fallen over backwards into a wall of amplifiers. Secondly; let's talk about the price. Not everyone is comfortable haggling for a good deal. Case in point....I was looking at an acoustic guitar weeks ago that had a sticker price of about $7,000 which is so far out of my league that it isn't funny. Next thing I know I hear that someone bought one for about $1,500 less. Recommended retail price means nothing. These days I'm reasonably confident about asking for a deal but I really do wonder how many people walk in with a budget in mind, see the sticker price and just leave. Just put the actual selling price on them and I'm sure sales will boom! The Springsteen style Telecaster I was thinking about is still on the rack by the way...I'll save up for another 12 months and then probably find out I could've afforded it months ago. Grrrrr......

Here's one for all of the guitar store employees out there - ha ha!

That's it...Happy Birthday DJ HammerTime!

Rob

"I do not feel pain.
I wont be back this way again, 
and anything is possible tomorrow..." - All Alone On A Rock, Ian Moss, 1996.