World Wide Woozle episode #519

Hello enormous listening world,

I really hope that those of you reading this via the website can see it. Blogger, which is owned by Google, has been up and down all day and I really hope that it doesn't disappear into the ether.

As I write this I am waiting for the plumber to arrive. There's water gently seeping up between the floorboards at my front door. Who knows what this means but I imagine it's not a good thing. I haven't quite felt the need to build an ark yet but my swimsuit and goggles have been located.

The Muppets - In The Navy - https://youtu.be/MTwq1_9VH68

And before Weird Al made fun of everything, there was this....

The second part of AC/DC's history of Back In Black has been released on YouTube. This is worth a look if nothing but for Malcolm's description of how they decided to have a bell at the start of the album. Gold! Watch here at about the 2 minute mark. I'm still laughing and I've watched it about five times.

AC/DC - Hells Bells - https://youtu.be/etAIpkdhU9Q

I've listened to a bit of Nik Kershaw this past week. His album, The Riddle, from 1984, has a slew of great tracks and I guess a lot of it made up the soundtrack of my teens. Nik combines pop melodies with loud guitars and lyrics that range from dark to amusing. The whole album is worth a spin if you've got some time. I did find some cover versions of his tracks but to be honest, they didn't do much other than play the songs as Nik would have.

Nik Kershaw - Wouldn't It Be Good (live 2019) - https://youtu.be/A3ybtb2JEkA

Nik Kershaw - Wide Boy - https://youtu.be/dLcabC_osCo?t=137

From my list of Australian bands that should've been much more successful worldwide come the Hoodoo Gurus. Whilst their influences seem rather obvious, they manage to play songs that sound unique to them and quite Australian as well. I've been in bands where we've played, and thoroughly, enjoyed The Right Time and Miss Freelove but I've never quite managed to convince anyone to cover this next track. It's a bit rockabilly meets surf meets b-grade horror and, well, it's just great fun.

Hoodoo Gurus - Dig It Up (live 2012) - https://youtu.be/DBfHOoHAyO0

Last week I played a track by the band A Formal Horse. During the week I've had a good listen to their album and EP and it's been great. Their music is noisy, eclectic, rocky and proggy as well. That might sound chaotic but it's not. I found it surprisingly accessible despite the time signatures that hurt my brain. I was once told that I didn't need to count the beats, just feel them...but 15/8 time???

A Formal Horse - Made In Chelsea (Apocalypse in 15/8) - https://youtu.be/9NKFlLisISI

Bob Mould (Husker Du, Sugar) has a very successful solo career and another album coming in late September. I was fortunate enough to see him play live a few years ago in Sydney. H and DJManofHats witnessed a three piece band make an amazing amount of noise. Bob plays loud and fuzzy but the hooks, choruses and melodies are the key to his songwriting. I'll play one of his older tracks here and when I've heard some new ones I'll come back with a recommendation.

Bob Mould - Star Machine - https://youtu.be/fgHmTcYqWts

James Reyne hasn't released a studio album for eight years until a week or so ago. The Australian Crawl frontman and solo artist has a new record called Toontown Lullaby. If you like James' previous work then I doubt you'll be disappointed. Unlike many of his contemporaries, James' voice is still very strong and the songs are catchy and memorable. I've put the album on my playlist to spend more time with. Even after just a couple of spins I'm hooked with this one. Oh, and the cover of the CD reminds me of an early 80s surfing advertisement; all that's missing is the Quicksilver logo!

James Reyne - Trying To Write A Love Song - https://youtu.be/legWfCED61M

I have a new colleague who likes Slayer. He likes them a lot. I think he's listened to them every day this week in the car coming into the office. And after all that he's such a chilled dude. Slayer are not chilled, they are the opposite; angry, frenetic, aggressive and loud. If something has gone wrong then Slayer is one of my goto bands to help me feel better. If the plumber doesn't call soon then I'll be playing a lot more Slayer.

Slayer - Expendable Youth (live 1991) - https://youtu.be/C10ApktuaCI

And I'll finish this week with some fingerstyle guitar. I watch far too much random stuff on YouTube but sometimes it pays off. Recently I began watching some videos from the next artist and they are very. very good. Not only can Justin play very well, he obviously enjoys himself and makes it look oh so easy!

Justin Johnson - Joelene - https://youtu.be/EHb6rNsm-AA

Justin Johnson - Amazing Grace - https://youtu.be/cZ-M3dvw20Q

Still no plumber. Off to look for my flippers and snorkel.

Rock on,

Rob

"...he believes in God and Elvis...", Working Class Man, Jimmy Barnes, 1985.

World Wide Woozle episode # 518

Hello enormous listening world,

There's a lot of music this time as I've been busily writing stuff down in my notebook all week. Onwards!

DJ Macca reminded me to listen to Joe Henry. Joe recently recorded an album with Billy Bragg but he's very much his own man. I heard this version of the classic, You Are My Sunshine, and I'm undecided about it. See what you think but to my current way of thinking it doesn't quite work.

Joe Henry - You Are My Sunshine - https://youtu.be/CzMgj2HPxd4

Lime Cordiale are an Australian band with a new album now out. I've had a couple of listens right through and it's great. An eclectic mix of pop, funk, reggae and electronica. I was turned onto the band after seeing live footage from them and I certainly plan to keep listening.

Lime Cordiale - Money (live in the studio) - https://youtu.be/hSho0gV-uDU

SBS TV showed a documentary about the life of Kenny Rogers last night. It's funny how much the young Rogers looks like film star Chris Hemsworth; maybe it's the beard. The doco was very interesting and I was particularly interested in Kenny's early years and how he got to be such a huge star. How many of you knew that Johnny Cash recorded The Gambler before Kenny? Not me. Here's Kenny's first major hit as a solo artist. I remember this well as it's the first song I ever learned that had a barre chord in it!

Kenny Rogers - Lucille - https://youtu.be/Wvr5Z0NsDm8

I also took a look at the Queen & Adam Lambert biopic available on Netflix. It's a good look at the band as a whole and at Adam as a performer. I like Roger Taylor's sentiments when he says something like, if you want to moan about Adam not being Freddie then just don't ****** come to the show. Also very evident was how in awe Lambert is of Freddie Mercury and the pressure he feels to perform at his best. If you like Queen and you aren't stuck in 1985 then you'll probably enjoy watching this.

Queen + Adam Lambert - Don't Stop Me Now (live) - https://youtu.be/uJO3-W1xsGs

The Chicks have now released their new album, Gaslighter, which is their first studio album since 2006's Taking The Long Way. I took some time to listen to the whole thing this week. It wasn't a chore as I've been a fan of the band since I bought a live DVD of theirs in 2005. Well, Gaslighter is a hell of an album. Even if you don't know the backstory of singer Natalie Maines' fairly messy divorce, you can feel her pain and hurt in almost every song. At times it's simply gut wrenching. That artists like Natalie can channel that much distress into an album is amazing. Not a happy album by any measure but an important one I think. Musically it's a bit like The Chicks and Taylor Swift have been on a collision course. They've dialed back their country and western sound a little and are including sounds that you might remember from some 80s records. It works really well. It's emotionally heavy but it's well worth your time.

The Chicks - My Best Friend's Wedding - https://youtu.be/dMU0Pfn65lU

The Chicks - Tights On My Boat - https://youtu.be/ZLXZpQbO1mA

Nick Cave turned me onto the next recording. He writes a fairly regular email where he answers questions from his fans and he mentioned Nina Simone and this song recently. You can read what Nick wrote here about a protest song that he liked. Here it is. I thought it was 18 minutes that went by far too quickly and there's plenty going on to immerse yourself in.

Nina Simone - My Sweet Lord / Today Is A Killer (Live) - https://youtu.be/9NFfOB7a-Ak

Sometimes I listen to a band purely on the strength of a song or artist's name. That was the case with the next track. As a result, I've got a reminder in my notebook to go back and delve into A Formal Horse's back catalogue. The song name is what got me on this occasion and the band describe themselves as "avant-rock awkward".

A Formal Horse - Here Comes A Man From The Council With A Flamethrower - https://youtu.be/LdWKULgyC2I

In a few days now, AC/DC's album Back In Black will turn 40 years old. The band's social media accounts have come to life with the promise of some history and unreleased videos as well as the predictable merchandise. Regardless of any cynicism, this is an album to be celebrated. Only months after singer Bon Scott's untimely death, AC/DC recruited another singer, wrote an album, recorded it and it turned out to be the second biggest selling long player of all time. Healthy debate remains about whether any of the lyrics came from Bon Scott. Certainly a lot of them have his cheeky signature all over them in a way that the band have rarely replicated since. I'll probably spring for some kind of special edition merchandise because, hey, they're my favourite band.

AC/DC - Shake A Leg - https://youtu.be/ww40RmFNsNo

I'm still in a bit of a rock and roll mood so I'm going to finish with a great slab of rock from Lenny Kravitz. At times Lenny gets a bit quiet and I don't really enjoy that side of him but when he decides to play it loud then it's rip roaring! This is also a really well put together video clip. And for the guitarists out there, I really dig the flanged rhythm bit that Lenny plays just before and during the guitar solo.

Lenny Kravitz - Are You Gonna Go My Way - https://youtu.be/8LhCd1W2V0Q

That's all folks. Rock on at home.

Rob

"Turn the tables with our unity,

They're neither moral nor majority.
Wake up and smell the coffee
Or just say no to individuality..." Pretend We're Dead, L7, 1992.

World Wide Woozle episode #517

Hello enormous listening world,

In our last time together I finished the episode with a track from Garbage. DJ Dr then wrote to me with a not so subtle hint that I really should try out some of their other material. Well, he was kind enough to write and I don't think he's recommended a dud tune or band to me yet so off I went. It's now about a week later and I have devoured Garbage's back catalogue and watched quite a few live concerts. I think they are awesome. Why didn't I think this before? Who knows and it doesn't really matter. Garbage's mix of rock, pop, techno style beats, samples and a whole lot more has held my attention all week. The songs are catchy without being throwaway pop and they rock without being cliched. The only shame is that the wonderful Rockpalast gig from 2005 isn't available on DVD.

Garbage - When I Grow Up (live) - https://youtu.be/Z1H78Ttg3aw

Did anyone else spot the Malcolm Young signature Gretsch guitar in the above clip? You can bet I did. I played one of those in the mid-90s in a guitar shop and if I'd had $3000 to spend I would've brought it home in a heartbeat. There was another signature model released in 2017 as well. And on that note, here's Malcolm with his band....

AC/DC - Who Made Who - https://youtu.be/PiZHNw1MtzI

In 2002 a young woman called Avril Lavigne hit the charts with her album Let Go. Whilst many of you might only remember her for the singles Sk8er Boi or Complicated, the rest of the album (and the follow up) are great rock records. I'm not sure what Avril has been up to since but I'll have a look and find out. Let Go is a great album for in the car...I'll have to load it up so that I can listen to the whole thing tomorrow!

Avril Lavigne - Complicated - https://youtu.be/5NPBIwQyPWE

Weird Al loved Avril too...

Weird Al Yankovic - Constipated - https://youtu.be/yedbCfDL0yY

Paul Weller has a new single and album out now. The single is pretty laid back and Paul's voice has developed a little rasp which really suits the song. I'm also a sucker for the warbly tremolo guitar sound which is used a little bit; it's where the guitar sounds a bit wobbly. If that doesn't make sense come and visit and I'll plug one of my axes in and show you what I mean.

Paul Weller - On Sunset - https://youtu.be/HqtZcFrZDpU

If you like your rock music heavy and a bit weird then Monster Magnet might be worth a look. They're sometimes cheesy, a bit left field but always rocking hard. If Hawkwind and AC/DC got together with HG Wells then this might be the outcome. 

Monster Magnet - Powertrip - https://youtu.be/jE7Zv6d-HUA

As a child I had a cassette which had Cliff Richard's greatest hits on it. That's one reason that my first electric guitar was a red Stratocaster - that's what Hank Marvin played. The other day someone was trying to remember this song and I was able to sing far too much of it to them. Crazy clip too; who remembers going to the roller rink?

Cliff Richard - Wired For Sound - https://youtu.be/V57eqtN2K7E

I revisited one of my favourite albums this week. Foxy Shazam's 2001 long player, The Church Of Rock And Roll, always makes me smile. The Queen, Elton John and The Darkness influences are pretty clear but Foxy Shazam have a sound all of their own. They combine loud guitars, fuzzy and fat bass, horns and soaring melodies with a quirky sense of humour and a lot of fun. It's one of those albums I can go to if I'm not feeling so good. It's also one that I play air guitar to....how embarrassing!

Foxy Shazam - Holy Touch - https://youtu.be/kgBKS4JCsec?t=59

Foxy Shazam - Welcome to the Church of Rock and Roll - https://youtu.be/9DiNXH9Ov2k

This morning, riding in freezing conditions to meet DJ HighPants the next song got stuck in my head. It's from 1985 and so I very much associate it with AM radio. I did things a bit backwards, listening to The Commodores as a result of having a couple of Lionel Richie LPs. That's ok though, good music is timeless.

The Commodores - Nightshift - https://youtu.be/FrkEDe6Ljqs

I must say that taking a break from Facebook has been rather refreshing. I only pop in to publish this blog and it's been good for me. I got sick of everyone having to be right about everything and the hate and vitriol being spewed forth. Life's too short to waste all of it arguing with people. No matter how many memes someone posts it doesn't make them right (or wrong). The upside is my mood is much better, I'm reading more and my EP of songs is nearing completion. 

Manic Street Preachers - All Is Vanity - https://youtu.be/q-MEzpScIX0

I've been thinking about a future episode consisting of songs from films I like. I may have done this in the past but with this being episode 517 I'll admit I'm having trouble remembering! I'll play this one and hopefully someone will know the movie. It's a great song regardless. I love the hand claps and the Beatle-esque tune.

Boo Radleys - There She Goes - https://youtu.be/53Vh72O5CGA

That's it. Another episode done. It was a bit heavy on the rock music I guess. Next time will be different, maybe. A huge thank you to anyone who actually read this and virtual, socially distanced hugs if you listened to any of the tunes.

Rock on,

Rob

"S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y NIGHT!" 

Saturday Night, Bay City Rollers, 1973

World Wide Woozle episode #516

Hello enormous listening world,

Last week I wrote about rebels, what that might mean and a few songs related to the topic. Well of course as soon as I hit the send button, I thought of heaps more. So, without commentary, get a load of these...

Tom Morello - World Wide Rebel Songs - https://youtu.be/Hv0qQZ1qnis

The Clash - Career Opportunities (live) - https://youtu.be/MsE5NAAU39k

This week has been interesting. I decided to put my university study on hold for a semester. My work is busy (and awesome), I'm doing a course in mental health and trying to keep my cycling and fitness going as well as simply living. I think something had to give and a VERY average mark helped me make the final decision. I'll revisit how I feel about the whole thing in a few months but I can assure you that I feel no remorse so it must be the right thing to do at this point. Not quitting, just pausing.

WASP - School Daze (live 1984) - https://youtu.be/vBoF4MJJh-Y

Today I took delivery of a vinyl re-issue of Armoured Angel's 1989 demo release, Wings of Death. The original release was only on cassette although there was a limited overseas pressing I believe. Anyway, it's very cool to have what to me is a very influential recording on a shiny red platter. I'm sure my neighbours enjoyed it all afternoon.

Armoured Angel - Armoured Angel - https://youtu.be/A64Q8CPN6rw 

Haim are an American pop-rock band made up of three sisters. I've not listened to them before but a new release prompted me to check out quite a few of their other songs. If you're a Sheryl Crow fan then you're going to like this. Also, if NPR's Tiny Desk concerts are something you enjoy then you can check the band out doing their thing live right here.

Haim - The Steps - https://youtu.be/J2O_xa8cems

I returned to my dalliances with goth rock this week. Johnny Cash pointed me in that direction and soon enough I was immersed in the Sisters of Mercy back catalogue. As is always the case, something else shiny distracted me and well, here we are with the Finnish band, The 69 Eyes. This sounds a lot like the Sisters but it's cool....

The 69 Eyes - Jerusalem - https://youtu.be/zsSEhqrhIM4

Green Day are one of those bands that seem to polarise punk rock fans. You either think what they do is pretty cool or you think they are major label, stadium playing sellouts. I'm in the former category; they rock and they have a lot of fun. From the days when, in the 90s, their album Dookie made them more popular than they could probably have imagined, through their American Idiot rock opera and a bunch of other excellent albums they have continued writing catchy songs with often biting lyrics. I've chosen this particular clip on purpose. It's early on in their career (their first go on French TV) and highlights their ability to sound great in a sterile TV studio. Their harmonies are on point and Billie Joe is playing the guitar he got as a kid. Seriously, this is just a great performance.

Green Day - Basket Case (live 1994) - https://youtu.be/oOyaY46RorI

Debbie Harry from Blondie (I probably didn't have to tell anyone which band she is from) turned 75 this week. Blondie were always a bit of an anomaly to me. A band that came up through the punk scene but also found a place in the more mainstream music. In my opinion, this is a result of great songwriting, musicianship and Debbie's charisma fronting the band. 

Blondie - Union City Blue - https://youtu.be/Hvqgb1D6Opw

If you like War of The Worlds, Dungeons and Dragons, Pink Floyd, Dr Who, loud guitars and a bit of weirdness then Ayreon is for you. The band is more of a project that includes a wide range of well known people to produce what I'd describe as epic musical journeys. Seriously, there's something for everyone here. Ayreon's upcoming album features Tom Baker (Dr Who) as the narrator as well as boasting appearances from Joe Satriani and many others. I'm very much looking forward to Transitus being released in September. 

Ayreon - Everybody Dies (live) - https://youtu.be/9AAXtUdM7xE

People have been saying mean things about The Spice Girls this week. It's easy to forget that their music was a lot of fun.

The Spice Girls - Stop - https://youtu.be/5JD6ejmlpa8

We'll finish this week with a classic slab of indie pop/rock from Garbage. I've never managed to get into much of the band's other recorded works but it's probably time to revisit that. Oh, and if you've never heard Shirley Manson speak in her normal accent click here.

Garbage - Paranoid (live) - https://youtu.be/-mlriMIGIOk

And on that note; I'm out of here. Be nice to others, even when they're not being nice to you. Or at least be silent!

Rob

"He ate his own weight in coal
And excreted diamonds everyday..", CNR, Weird Al Yankovic, 2011.