Song of the Week #256

Last week you learned about hexadecimal numbers with episode FF (255). This week, therefore, is number 256. That's an important number to IT geeks like me as things like banks of memory have it as a multiple. You know, 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024 and so on. Think megabytes, or kilobytes like me if you're old enough.

256 is also a special number as it was my "Employment Category Number" a long time ago in the Army. Each job has a number and Computer Operators were 256. That's probably all changed now.

But enough of that, let's have some tunes.

Zoë turned 17 and got her driver's license today. She promptly dropped Alison at home and drove away into the distance! I was a lot older when I finally got my license but the sense of freedom is no doubt just as exciting. I'll be waiting at home slightly nervous this evening as she drives herself to and from youth group – no passengers for a while I think. Here's a track from a band that I first saw when was just older than 17 and no more.

The Radiators  - 17 (I wish I was) - http://youtu.be/ohxD8bpFFEA

DJ Al-Eeeee and I are pretty lucky to have kids that have turned out (so far) reasonably sensible. This week it transpired that Angus had removed himself from the sports programme at school. I'll admit that it was a bit of a shock given his religious fervor attached to anything remotely sporting! But, when questioned he revealed that they really didn't do much and he was sick of having to catch up on schoolwork. Not a bad decision for a 15 year old. I wish I was that sensible sometimes!

Chuck Berry – School Days - http://youtu.be/Xt7Y2aNxvzM

I recently played a song by Living Colour. As a result I went back and listened to their albums that I have. What a fantastic band. This is the song of theirs that made me sit up and take notice. One of my Geography lecturers introduced a session about the sense of place using it, you can probably work out why.

Living Colour – Open Letter (To A Landlord) - http://youtu.be/6V5VkMqM07s

"Audrey Horne" is a Norwegian rock band. They're named for the character on the TV series "Twin Peaks" – I had to use a search engine to find that one out. If they'd have been called "Laura Palmer" I would have spotted the reference immediately. Initially I thought it was just an odd name. Anyhoo, I've heard a couple of their tracks on sampler CDs as well as on the internets and they aren't half bad. Good solid melodic rock.

Audrey Horne – Redemption Blues - http://youtu.be/8FRHn5tRzl8

I could rant, rave, swear and generally bemoan the latest cycling doping revelations but I'm not going to. I was burned by the Armstrong saga having been such a huge fan and now I'm just sad about Stuart O'Grady. Speaking up because you did something wrong is difficult and takes courage. Speaking up because you're about to be revealed as a cheat isn't really quite the same.

Love/Hate – Why Do You Think They Call It Dope? - http://youtu.be/HtAxLs7nmiU

Few artists seem to be as polarizing as Marilyn Manson. Having seen him interviewed a few times I'm really not convinced as to how outrageous he is, he's just another actor. But, he does it well and sells a lot of records. Putting all that aside I listened to a few tracks of his recently and was surprised at how strong and recognisable his voice is. That's probably half of his success. Here's a cover that really works for him.

Marilyn Manson – Working Class Hero - http://youtu.be/kfsLZIh34yI

While our politicians, lawmakers, refugee advocates, the UN and media continue to speculate about refugee processing there are people drowning in a desperate attempt to get to our country or at least away from theirs. And now there are calls for a Royal Commission. Have you ever had to wait for an interminably long time at the hospital emergency room in pain…amplify that a thousand times. There isn't an easy solution but I'm really starting to feel that reducing this problem to numbers, laws and commissions only allows us to forget that regardless of their motivation, it's people we're talking about.

John Lennon – Instant Karma - http://youtu.be/EqP3wT5lpa4

My Granny, Daisy Marshall,  turns 90 on Saturday. I reckon that's a pretty fair effort! I remember when she was "younger" and she ran meals on wheels for people even younger than her. My family in Scotland seem to be allergic to the internet so she'll probably never know about this but I want to play a song for her anyway.

Gerald Adams – Daisy - http://youtu.be/8EfGuzUZB3k

And that's the end for another week.

DJ Rob

Song of the Week #FF

It's raining, it's cold and it's grey this morning in Canberra - that's fairly unusual. It's also a bit of a shock as we have spent the last week in tropical Cairns where it was warm and sunny.

For those reading from outside Australia, Cairns is in Far North Queensland beside the Great Barrier Reef. Now this isn't going to be a travelogue but let me just make a few observations:

• The Great Barrier Reef involves boats. If you get seasick then consider the quickest way to an island rather than a day on a boat and floating pontoon. It doesn't matter what anyone tells you, people are going to vomit. The Reef is spectacular, beautiful and amazing but if you're spending 7 hrs on the water feeling queasy it detracts from the experience. Happily, Alison, Zoë and Angus were all OK on the pontoon and had a ball. We stopped in very rough seas to look at a whale on the way home - pretty neat to see it flip its tail (from quite a distance).
  
• There are tons of great places to eat in Cairns. Filipino was my favourite - a real treat.
• Crocodiles are very, very scary. Get close to one.
• Too many gorgeous young people smoke. Filthy.
• Far North Queensland is always abbreviated to "FNQ". Sounds like someone's swearing to me!
  
• Cairns is a great holiday for adults and / or kids - there's plenty for everyone to do.
• A week away from Facebook and Twitter is almost as good as a cleansing diet - ha ha!

Whilst up north we took a train ride to Kuranda. It's a train track that opened in 1891 that travels through dense rainforest. We don't have trains in Canberra so it was pretty cool to be on one. What made me prick up my ears was the music playing quietly in the background; someone had put together an inspired playlist of songs all about trains and travel. You could only hear them when the train stopped to look at the surrounds but it was cool nonetheless.

Rod Stewart - Downtown Train - http://youtu.be/q6yk9wWNB08

The Pogues - Navigator - http://youtu.be/Fh0F41AvO_Q

I would've played Bob Dylan's song, "Slow Train Coming", but I guess Mr. Zimmerman and his record company are scouring YouTube removing all evidence of his body of work.

Big news in our house this morning is that Zoë passed her final driving assessment even after getting home from holidays at 2:30am (thank you very much Virgin airlines for nothing). She can actually go and get her license in a few days when she turns 17. Time flies.

Weddings, Parties, Anything - Wide Open Road - http://youtu.be/8nz34RTSJRs

Here's one that DJ KelC introduce me to...

Broken Social Scene - Anthems For A Seventeen Year Old Girl - http://youtu.be/ZwQuZp7sl4Q

You may have noticed that this is episode number FF. FF is 255 expressed as a hexadecimal number. I'm very much far removed from being any good with numbers and I remember the pain of any number of teachers at school trying to teach me how binary numbers worked - I never got it. Fast forward to 1994 and my Army computer training at the School of Signals. They took a group of individuals, some of who'd left school at 15, and taught us that kind of stuff in about 5 minutes. I always tell my students that if we could do it then so can they. Anyway, binary and hexadecimal numbers are important for any number of reasons but for me they just seem elegant and pretty damned nifty. Remember there are 10 types of people who understand the binary system; those that do and those that don't. If you need a quick lesson then pop over and see me sometime - you'll be amazed how easy it is.

Lene Lovich - Lucky Number - http://youtu.be/kGoEmhQP774

In downtown Cairns yesterday there was a busker playing his way through the entire Back In Black album from AC/DC. For one guy with a guitar he was doing a pretty good job. Often the problem with such a popular and probably overplayed LP is that I rarely play it. No doubt it's a while since I got the vinyl out and played it from start to finish. I'll find time to do that this weekend!

AC/DC - Shake A Leg - http://youtu.be/sAiOKBIk8NE

I've been reading a very strange book. It was recommended to me a while ago and it has taken me a while to manage to get into it. "White Noise" is by American author Don DeLillo and was published in 1985. On purpose I have avoided any reviews or commentary about it. I'm really struggling to be able to describe what it's all about but it's definitely worth a read. In my opinion it's a bit like a commentary on our modern world told in much the same way that Arlo Guthrie told us about Vietnam in "Alice's Restaurant". "White Noise" is almost like listening in to three or four family conversations at once and having to pick out the important bits. I'll probably read a review now and find that I've got it all wrong. I suppose that's why I am not an English teacher! With all that's going on in America, especially in Detroit, it's not a bad time to read this. Thanks Helen!

Living Colour - Which Way To America? - http://youtu.be/VufacXIcHuA

Zoë made a remark the other day that I'm going to direct to our major political parties who are continuing to turn refugees into political footballs. "Take your head out of your arse, it's not a hat". That says it all to me. As an immigrant I'm left wondering about what it means to live in our "lucky country".

The Pogues - Thousands Are Sailing - http://youtu.be/gc1G7aCpSsI

Steve Earle - City of Immigrants - http://youtu.be/75H8J6lURZc

Redgum - Killing Floor (If You Don't Fight You Lose) - http://youtu.be/LKHLBqFi37w

DJ Rob

--   Rob  Not sent from my iPhone  Blog: http://www.robwoozle.blogspot.com  Twitter: @robwoozle

Song of the Week #254

Last week I mentioned the band Pearl Jam as a band I've always wanted to
like. Every time I put one of their albums on I get bored though. It
isn't that they don't have great songs, it's the level of "sameness"
that gets me every time. What I hadn't realised last time is that the
band is about to release a new album. "Lightning Bolt" will be out on
October 15th but the first single was uploaded to the internets by the
band this week. "Mind Your Manners" is very reminiscent of how the band
sounded on the album "Vitalogy" which is a good thing. Pre-release
commentary would have us believe that the LP will be more punk than
rock. I'm certainly keen to hear it but October is a looooooong wait.
Here's the single which I have road tested on DJ FatRollins and it got
his seal of approval. He's always a good judge of a tune and a great
sounding board.

Pearl Jam - Mind Your Manners - http://youtu.be/DhODYyZVL6Y

During the week ABC TV aired a piece about M. Yunupingu**. Mr Yunipingu
was the singer for Yothu Yindi. He was also a school principal, father,
husband, role model and the 1992 Australian of the Year. Mr Yunupingu died
from renal failure not long ago. I wrote on Facebook that I watched the
show in "abject misery" and I'm still aghast at what happened to him.
You can watch the piece on ABC Australian Story via the internet -
hopefully our politicians watch it too. DJ Al-ee-sun and I were
fortunate enough to see Yothu Yindi play twice here in Canberra. The
first show was an intimate affair at the ANU Refectory where one of the
support act was a group of kids from Arnhem Land. Mr Yunupingu asked the
entire crowd to sit while they did their thing - and we all did. The
second show was a larger affair at the Royal Theatre with bigger
production. Both were fantastic shows. For those of you from overseas or
unaware of the impact that Yothu Yindi had then consider this; at the
first "Big Day Out" concert they headlined the show above a little band
called Nirvana!

Yothu Yindi - Djapana - http://youtu.be/L7luUI7nnmE

** note that there is debate about whether Mr Yunupingu's first name can or cannot be used as a result of cultural reasons. I'm erring on the side of caution and respect).

Recently I was surprised to see Shirley Manson from the band Garbage
with a lead role on a TV sci-fi show. However, after the initial shock
it was pleasing to see her act well as a robot! It was also very cool
that, unlike as happens to actors on many shows, she was left to use her
own accent. She's from Edinburgh.

Garbage - Stupid Girl - http://youtu.be/1N29vkIT3eo

Shirley starred in Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles which,
although it only lasted for two seasons, was pretty good viewing.

For me, one of the cool things about MP3 players/phones is that you can
carry a heap of tracks around in your pocket and therefore listen to
songs that you might not throw on the CD player. I tend to load up a
different range of stuff every few weeks and just set it to shuffle. As
a result, this one which featured on a CD sampler years ago was thrown
up. See what you think...if Sir Paul is grooving in the control room
then it's worth a listen...

Smokin' Mojo Filters - Come Together - http://youtu.be/IK0sMC5ntpc

Johnny Marr is most famous for his work as the guitarist in The Smiths.
For me, it's his work on four Billy Bragg albums that piqued my
interest. He has a great, and varied guitar style that always adds to a
song rather than overpowering it and that's cool. Here's the title track
from his latest album.

Johnny Marr - The Messenger - http://youtu.be/d2W8aVDxeBY

I listened to a lot of Gary Moore's music this week. Whether it be his
work with Thin Lizzy, hard rock solo outings or his later efforts
immersed in the Blues he has a great guitar tone and feel. Watching his
live work reminded me that the neck pickup on most electric guitars is
where to go for a smooth sound rather than always trying to punch
through the mix! I'll play three tracks featuring Gary because I like
them but also to highlight his range of playing.

Thin Lizzy - The Rocker - http://youtu.be/JZ7UJom4asE

Gary Moore - Over The Hills And Far Away - http://youtu.be/DkL7niHy1-4

Gary Moore - Still Got The Blues - http://youtu.be/0qouQRmWzqc

This next tune is for my Dad. He's somewhere in Central America at the
moment having been to quite a range of countries. The tune is from one
of my favourite movies...

Theme from The Motorcycle Diaries - http://youtu.be/JQdZFWV_TE0

If you're following me on Facebook or Twitter then be advised that I'll
be very quiet next week. I'm taking a holiday from being online. And
while it may be akin to cutting the umbilical cord, I'll still be
listening to heaps of new music. Song of the Week #255 will be out next
Saturday.

To finish this week here's something a little different but cool
nonetheless.

The Dead Weather - I Cut Like A Buffalo - http://youtu.be/ImbW-p4c4gQ

Be awesome to each other...

DJ Rob


--
Rob
Not sent from my iPhone
Blog: http://www.robwoozle.blogspot.com
Twitter: @robwoozle

Song of the Week #253

Let's do things differently this week and have a tune first. Everyone remembers Dexy's Midnight Runners for their smash hit, "Come On Eileen". It was a great track. But check this one out. Not only is it a fantastic song that's full of energy but the clip shows off their "Oliver Twist" meets street urchin fashion sense. All we need is Fagin to walk into shot at some stage.

Dexy's Midnight Runners - Jackie Wilson Said - http://youtu.be/k3SdCQ5Ns8w

In case anyone out there in blogland doesn't remember Jackie Wilson here's one of his best. It's worth watching the movie "La Bamba" as he's featured in there as well. Not only that, the movie is pretty awesome in my opinion. Surely Jackie has one of the smoothest voices in rock 'n' roll.

Jackie Wilson - That's Why (I Love You So) - http://youtu.be/9POh4ATtuBw

Of course, the band Los Lobos had mainstream success when they recorded the Ritchie Valens tunes for the "La Bamba" movie and soundtrack. It should come as no surprise therefore that they are an excellent rock 'n' roll band. Here they are playing a Grateful Dead tune...

Los Lobos - Bertha - http://youtu.be/1CDuQmhTyD4

R.E.M. are a band that, a bit like Pearl Jam, I always feel that I should like a lot and then end up changing the CD for something else. Years ago whilst on holiday in New Zealand I purchased their then new album "New Adventures in HiFi" and after a couple of listens relegated it to the bottom of the CD stack. I put it on the other day for another listen and was pleasantly surprised. If you believe all you read on the internets it was a critically acclaimed LP that flopped commercially. Given that it took me almost 17 years to enjoy it then it would most likely qualify as a "sleeper"! This song is probably the rockiest of the lost - they're a moody bunch after all. It has one of my favourite ever lyrics in it..."practice my T-Rex moves and make the scene".

R.E.M. - The Wake-Up Bomb - http://youtu.be/9JAP15fXKXE

The search for a new guitar has ended. Zoë and I played many, many guitars and ended up with something most unexpected. None of the Stratocasters really did anything for me and we were ready to call it a day. I decided though that since we'd made the effort to go to the guitar shop that we should make the most of it. As a result I tried a Gibson "LPJ" model Les Paul which, apart from weighing a metric ton, sounded like a dream. The neck wasn't too bad either and considering that it was heavily reduced I was seriously tempted. However, I had a guitar to trade in so I thought I'd try a more expensive Les Paul just in case it felt and sounded as good. Wow...I picked up a Les Paul Studio Deluxe which apparently has a "60s style neck". It was the slimmest neck I'd ever played on a Gibson - remember from last week that the fat necks were what always turned me off these guitars. Anyway, to cut a long story short, the crew at "Davis-Wheeler Music" here in Canberra offered me an awesome trade on my guitar and I'm now the proud owner of the Les Paul (click here for a picture). Every guitar has songs that just beg to be played on them. For my green Burns it's anything by Billy Bragg as well as "Joelene" by Dolly Parton! For this new axe the song that keeps rolling around is this next one. DJ Al-ee-Sun says that I can't have her as well as a guitar called Alice. So, we'll call the guitar Vincent - some of you will know why.

Alice Cooper - School's Out - http://youtu.be/XbNEOJMGFAo

DJ SAB and I went along to see Alice Cooper play a few years ago now. If you ever get the chance then take it. It's so much more than a concert, he's the consummate showman and always has a first rate band.

I've ranted and raved (and grumbled) about our politicians on any number of occasions and I can't see that stopping anytime soon. But I'll be brief here. We elect them to represent us, not to line their pockets, grandstand or act like children. In my humble opinion it is time that they got one with the job. I've already been fairly clear that I refuse to vote for a political party that plans to strip funding to tertiary institutions to pay for primary and secondary school education reforms - my local member and senator have been told! But the alternative side fills me full of dread as well, they have no policies other than disagreeing with just about everything the Government has to say. What's the solution? Don't vote? That really doesn't help - it's the democratic equivalent of putting your fingers in your ears and saying, "la-la-la". Generally amusing at the ballot box but not a good way to make a point. Former Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser may indeed have the answer. You can read all about what he has to say here. Personally, I'd love to be a politician but there are a couple of things holding me back. One is the reality of giving up your job for what may only be 3 or 4 years - it's hardly a stable occupation. And another is that I think I'm too honest - even bending the truth makes me uncomfortable. So, you won't be able to "Vote 1 Woozle" anytime soon.

Ho, ho, ho - here's another Alice tune. It fits in nicely.

Alice Cooper - Elected - http://youtu.be/Fs6AExtcNEQ

DJ FatBoy and DJ Duck sent me a few Aussie tune suggestions recently. Of course, listening to them meant that I ended up with a whole lot of other ideas. First up is a song from 1984 that I loved when I was at school. Does anyone else think that the singer looks a bit like Mike Myers?

Dynamic Hepnotics - Soul Kind of Feeling - http://youtu.be/gk0tkZrPxks

One of the suggested bands was "Mental As Anything", an Australian rock music institution. DJ Al-ee-Sun and I saw them many years back at Uni of Canberra. I remember being unimpressed that they didn't come on until midnight!

Mental As Anything - Too Many Times - http://youtu.be/2bC3ppyJgSk

I was never much of a Mentals fan, too pop for me at the time. Martin Plaza, one of their guitarists released this track in 1986 and it's always appealed to me. Today I found out it is a cover version!

Martin Plaza - Concrete and Clay - http://youtu.be/I83nc2IlSKg

I don't normally push websites here but this is one you should check out. "No Sweat Fashions" is a Canberra based organisation working to assist newly arrived refugees and migrants. Have a look through their website and if you like their idea then buy something to support them. I reckon it's a great cause and it's local too.

The other website that I found out about this week is SANE Australia. I checked it out as a result of hearing a rather good piece on the radio. SANE is an organisation that helps people affected by mental illness. Statistics tell us that 1 in 5 people will have some kind of mental health issue in their lifetime. Get four of your friends in a room - if they're all fine then it's you. Reducing the stigma attached to mental illness, managing it at home, in the media and in the workplace are all things that SANE does. Have a look sometime.

Well, that's been a reasonably eclectic mix of songs. Just to keep you all on your toes I'll finish with three more to keep your toes tapping...

Laura Branigan - Gloria - http://youtu.be/355Fk8drgZE - for reasons that were unknown to me at the time, my entire Year 8 class at high school decided that this song was about me.

Gorky Park - Peace In Our Time - http://youtu.be/eTf7WlH4xBk - much underrated Russian metal band (similar style to Bon Jovi)

Glasvegas - It's My Own Cheating Heart That Makes Me Cry - http://youtu.be/fR-g4ZfuNQs - this is a band I need to listen to a lot more, they're moody and noisy in all the right ways.

That'll do.

DJ Rob

Song of the Week #252

This week I got to see Angus singing, dancing and generally having a ball in his school production of Grease. I have to say that it was one of the best high school productions I have seen in a very, very long time. They were blessed with kids who had strong voices, a great band and pretty good work by the sound crew too.

The other really great thing this week is that Canberra has had very little wind. This makes cycling a real treat. Crossing the bridge yesterday at about 1pm and seeing the lake looking like glass doesn't happen all that often. People from out of town often seem surprised at our weather here. Getting out and about in single digit temperatures is a lot different here as usually the sun is out during the day and the sky is clear. It's very different to a dark, damp winters day elsewhere.

It would be most unlike me not to talk about politics given the debacle that happened in the Australian Labor Party this week. I mean, who in their right mind would mount a leadership challenge on the night of State of Origin Rugby League?? All I'll say is that it's only a matter of how much the ALP loses the election by. It could be a large landslide or a massive one. Idiots. It seems to me that both sides of politics have forgotten that they are there to serve the country and the people, not themselves. As Billy says, "...is there more to a seat in parliament than sitting on your arse?"

Righto, let's talk about music before the ACCC speaks to me about "Song of the Week" not being about songs.

I had a good discussion this week with DJ DJ and DJ FatRollins about the merits of various Metallica albums. While we all have our favourites we agree on at least one thing and that is that no-one should be subjected to having to listen to the "St. Anger" LP ever again. Seriously though, the discussion was about audio quality and the dreadful mix of the classic 1988 release, "And Justice For All". The issues are well documented; a distinct lack of bass, terrible snare sound and a harsh mix. If ever an album was begging to be re-mixed (as opposed to re-mastered) then this is the one. What I did discover after reading a lot of really nerdy internet fora was that there is a Japanese version which is significantly different. Well, I like a challenge so I tracked it down and had a good listen on headphones, in the car and on the stereo. There is generally more definition in all of the sounds - it's the audio equivalent of looking at a sharpened photo. For fans, it's worth the effort to get a hold of.

Metallica - And Justice For All - http://youtu.be/lfg0_FbIqqw

After reading far too much about Metallica I strayed in a couple of fora and read even more about audio mastering and different versions of a number of albums. It's safe to say that you vould go blind AND cross-eyed reading all that. If you really like an LP then maybe it's worth searching out some information but other than that, just listen and enjoy. Luckily DJ TimTheSoundMan was on hand to steer me in the right direction about all this before I was brainwashed into believing that a $3000 CD player was a good idea.

For those that read me writing about the band Ghost last week you may be interested to know that I picked up their album "Infestissumam" on red vinyl during the week. I really like LPs that come with a free download of the tracks as MP3s. It saves me either ripping them from the LP or finding them by some other means. And yep, the album sounds great.

With the band having a bit of a hiatus I've turned to playing a range of songs to see if I can manage them all by myself. I have my doubts but a couple of hours every now and then bashing away on the guitar in the spare room is fun. Here's a couple of tracks that I've been trying out...

Kris Kristofferson - If You Don't Like Hank Williams - http://youtu.be/HHyVnhYJagg

Billy Bragg - Levi Stubbs' Tears - http://youtu.be/I4v8VJ0LRgA

The other thing I've been doing is investigating a new guitar. After years of being disappointed with every Gibson I've bought I've decided to move on. The necks just don't suit my hands. Of course, the green Burns (as seen in the above Bragg clip) remains my firm favourite but, like bicycles, you can never have too many. My hands seem to feel at home on a Stratocaster so I'm looking at those. The issue is that there are just so many options. Do I save for a USA made one, compromise with one out of their excellent Mexican factory or look around for an 80s Japanese model. Aaarrrrgggh. In the end I'll probably lug my amplifier to the guitar shop next week and annoy them by playing everything in the shop before I choose! My first guitar was (is) a red Stratocaster copy. Why? Here's why...

Jimi Hendrix - Hey Joe (live at Winterland) - http://youtu.be/RKZ2n--8DP8

Dire Straits - Sultans of Swing (live) - http://youtu.be/8Pa9x9fZBtY

In the mid 90s DJ SAB turned me on to a singer called Andy Prieboy and his album, "Upon My Wicked Son". Andy was in Wall of Voodoo if you've heard of them. The album is a great listen and is one that never gets old for me. You might have heard his song, "Tomorrow Wendy" which was also recorded by Concrete Blonde. Try this...

Andy Prieboy - Montezuma Was A Man Of Faith - http://youtu.be/4zZn-faHgSk

And while we're talking about Concrete Blonde (and not about Joey)...

Concrete Blonde - Bloodletting (The Vampire Song) - http://youtu.be/sLABwwmKdyc

It's not a far stretch from that song to the movie that Zoë recommended to me. Yesterday we sat down to watch "Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters". Apart from my questioning why medieval witch hunters would drop the f-bomb all the time it wasn't a bad film. Amusing, plenty of action and blood and guts without being overly gory. I've seen much worse.

That's it for another week folks. Look out in the next few days as I've been working on a full review of Clutch's latest album, "Earth Rocker" which is a gem. Other than that, I better go and find my kilt as I'm going out tonight as DJ Al-E's handbag! Ha ha.

Andy Stewart - Donald Where's Your Troosers? - http://youtu.be/4yw0bLHTOb0

Extra points if you can name the sci fi TV show that featured that song.

http://youtu.be/zCrT96QJBfQ

DJ Rob

Song of the Week #251

Seems like the Don McLean tune really struck a chord with a lot of people. It's a tune that I've known as long as I can remember. I've got the original LP from 1971 (a German pressing I believe since we lived there for a bit). And whilst it is a beautiful song it really isn't my favourite on the album. This one is...

Don McLean - Everybody Loves Me Baby - http://youtu.be/XG6SCDUiFZs

I started learning to play the guitar in 1978. I was lucky in that my lessons were far from traditional. All that really happened was we sat around in a circle and played songs off a chart, learning a new chord or two every week. The teachers must've been pretty much a bunch of old hippies when I look back on the tunes! However, this one was one of the hardest for our group - too many chords!! But it's a great song and I still play it.

Roberta Flack - Killing Me Softly - http://youtu.be/O1eOsMc2Fgg

I sat down yesterday and played through a stack of old 45s. It was a lot of fun even if there were a few cringe-worthy moments. Vinyl certainly doesn't sound as crisp or clear as CD or a quality digital track but there's something warm and organic about letting the needle down on the plastic. This song gave me a laugh...

Timbuk3 - The Future's So Bright I Gotta Wear Shades - http://youtu.be/8qrriKcwvlY

That novelty hit made me think about this one...

The Timelords - Doctorin' The TARDIS - http://youtu.be/Adk1ujjmguo

Yesterday I watched an old Dr Who four part series. "The Face of Evil" is where Leela comes into the story as Tom Baker's companion. I've had the paperback and read it many times since I was a kid. The TV series was rather average - not one of the greatest! But it did have what I consider to be the best version of the theme track; this one...

Dr Who (Tom Baker era) Theme - http://youtu.be/Omm16abxjYI

If the Dr Who theme is of interest to you then check out this video from the BBC about the making of it.

Queens of the Stone Age have a new album out. Normally this wouldn't even rate a raised eyebrow from me. I have a couple of their previous efforts and for some reason they just don't excite me in the slightest. I think it's all just far too similar sounding for my taste which is amusing given that I'm an AC/DC fan. However, I happened upon this little gem and it had me nodding in a rather goofy fashion in my headphones. If the new album is all this good it should be a cracker. This track really has a Roxy Music vibe going on.

QOTSA - Smooth Sailing - http://youtu.be/OxMDDVin4FQ

Ghost's new album is out in stores now and the band is touring. Their schtick is hilarious. Fortunately their musicianship and singing is also really good. Again, you might not like their lyrics but the sound and groove is excellent. The album is called "Infestissumam" which is apparently Latin for "hostile". Someone please ask the Socceroos coach if he can confirm this. For a band that had problems getting their CD manufactured and distributed in the USA they're doing OK at #7 on the Billboard Hard Rock Chart. It went to #1 in their native Sweden. It's so refreshing for a heavy band not to scream, growl or bark.

Ghost - Secular Haze - http://youtu.be/vyQZ13jobIY

I found out today that there are some deluxe editions of Thin Lizzy albums doing the rounds. Normally this means a dodgy remaster and a couple of cheesy demo versions if you're lucky. We may be in luck however as the reviews I've read rate the remastering highly as well as the extra tracks. This version of "Cowboy Song" from a BBC session certainly sounds excellent. I'll shoot off an email to Henry Rollins, the expert in all things Thin Lizzy, for an opinion. This particular version has some great bluesy guitar at the start and then the classic Lizzy swagger.

Thin Lizzy - Cowboy Song (BBC session) - http://youtu.be/uOwWXumlSgU

I've finished watching Season 1 of Lilyhammer now. It's only 8 episodes and really, it may be the best thing I've watched in years. It's well written, quirky, amusing and thoroughly enjoyable. There wasn't a dud moment in any of it. Do yourself a favour and watch it now.

With weather being rather cold here in Canberra I've had to get creative to stay warm on my bicycle. Although I've had the luxury of riding in the middle of the day the temperature has still generally been in single figures. Whatever I've tried I just can't stop my left foot turning into a solid ice block after about 30 minutes. Now, short of riding intervals around my suburb and stopping for a foot spa every lap I needed a solution. Today I think I cracked it. 75km with feet that felt normal the whole way. What's the secret I hear you cry! Well, a plastic sandwich bag over my socks inside my shoe! Hilarious but it worked a treat. I advise not using bags that have contained sandwiches unless you want your feet to smell like cheese and salami.

I like hearing new bands. I like it even more if they are good! Here's a group that have been around a while but have just popped onto my radar. I don't know much about them yet other than the fact that they're from Maryland in the USA and they like beards. Zoë showed us the sign language for "my beard's on fire" which I imagine is very useful. But, this band has a song called "Burning Beard" which popped up on YouTube when I was searching for a video to see if Zoë was telling the truth or pulling my leg! Clutch are pretty heavy and to me sound like a cross between Rage Against The Machine, Soundgarden, Rollins and Black Sabbath. See what you think while I order one of their albums...

Clutch - Burning Beard - http://youtu.be/2eepsCXpLY4

Clutch - The Regulator - http://youtu.be/Ia0HUBWdDkU

OK, it's been a rather rock 'n' roll episode this week and I see no need to change that just yet. Here are a couple of tracks that you might be able to see and hear the link between. One is a classic and one is brand spanking new.

The Rolling Stones - Bitch (live 1972) - http://youtu.be/3N0A2b7nbdM

Vintage Trouble - Pelvis Pusher - http://youtu.be/ZMCutWGTHSU

I'm still enjoying the new Black Sabbath album. But, I grew up with Ozzy as a solo artist and even though it may be a form of blasphemy that's what I prefer. During the week I saw that he was a guest star on an episode of CSI - I need to go back and watch that. However, I jokingly wrote on Facebook, "will there be subtitles?" We all know that Ozzy is almost unintelligible these days whether it be as a result of drugs or just because he's contrary. Anyway, hats off to DJ Laff for his reply; "...of course there will be f&*^ing subtitles. Remember I'm the Prince of Darkness...Sharon?" Too funny. Here's Ozzy at his best.

Ozzy Osbourne - Rock 'n' Roll Rebel (live 1984) - http://youtu.be/ikL_ZdMXUoE

This song is a hoot and I'm playing it for a couple of reasons. One is that it makes me laugh, and the other is that Angus is performing in Grease next week - very cool indeed!

Less Than Jake - Greased Lightnin' - http://youtu.be/tzAmA0AmYFI

And just before I call it quits have a listen to this.

Me First & The Gimme Gimmes - Somewhere Over The Rainbow - http://youtu.be/Ymx8bHBigek

Righto, that should be enough music to keep some of you going all week. If not, email me for more.

DJ Rob

Song of the Week #250

Hi everyone and welcome to this week's ramblings.

Last week I promised some reviews and while they may be brief, here we go!

Iggy Pop has been making great music for a long time. His first outing with The Stooges was in 1967 but of course "Raw Power" released in 1973 is their seminal work and a classic. There are a couple of different mixes of that album doing the rounds - one by Bowie and one by Iggy. However, the new album is what I'm here to talk about. They last made an album in 2007 and before that in 1973. For fans of the "Raw Power" album you won't be disappointed.  The music is loud, abrasive and appropriately sloppy. Iggy's voice sounds great - almost ageless. Personally I think that some of the lyrics, in fact a lot of them, are just plain dumb and crass but that's part of the band's schtick I suppose. Is this a good starting point if you haven't listened to the band before? Not really. Spend your money on "Raw Power" and then come back to this one. I'd give it 7 Iggys out of 10.

Iggy and The Stooges - Burn - http://youtu.be/RDGG2k3tbIw

It's no secret that I think Baby Animals were one of the greatest Australian rock bands never to crack it really big. They had it all; great riffs, top tunes, great band, fantastic singer, good videos...but it didn't last for a number of reasons. They're back though, well 1/2 of them are. Suze De Marchi and David Leslie return on their LP, "This Is Not The End" with a new bassist and drummer. What ensues is a solid rock and roll album that isn't a far cry from their self-titled, magnificent, debut. I'm really hoping that this CD does well and a tour including Canberra appears. Suze's voice is still strong and Dave's swirling tasty guitars still float my boat. You should buy this album now.

Baby Animals - Bonfires (live) - http://youtu.be/eB2CtZVAE5w

Finally Ozzy Osbourne has reunited with most of Black Sabbath (Bill Ward - drums is unwell and also there are arguments about contracts...) for a killer album. Ozzy last recorded with the Sabs in 1978 before getting the axe. Black Sabbath carried on with a variety of band members over the years and some is great but most was average. Ozzy carved himself a niche as a great solo heavy metal singer and put together some great live bands. His recorded output has been pretty good for the most part; especially for a guy that struggles to string two coherent words together. This album, with the same title as the latest release from Suicidal Tendencies (which confused my iPod) is classic Black Sabbath. In fact if you played any of the tracks in a 70's Sabbath mix perhaps only the recording quality would give them away as being new. But is there anything new? Not really. Does this matter? Not really. The album is as Sabbath fans would've hoped for; heavier than a heavy thing, doom laden and atmospheric. Standard lyrical themes abound and while it isn't a literary triumph, it's far from terrible. Black Sabbath are the original heavy metal band - the group that launched a thousand clones and influenced almost everyone in the hard rock and metal genres. The track I've chosen is very like Planet Caravan, not a bad thing at all. I love this album for its sonic boom, big bottom end, beautifully driven guitars, bodacious bass, sens of space and even the cheesy vocal effects. It's the soundtrack to the apocalypse. Get it now.

Black Sabbath - Zeitgeist - http://youtu.be/EmbEQcuGUQ4

Sticking with the heavier stuff for a moment, I went back in time and had a good listen to Megadeth's "Countdown To Extinction". Why? Why not. The truth is that other than their covers of "Paranoid" and "Anarchy In The UK" I'd really not listened to them at all. A while ago I was at Chez Laff watching "The Big 4" concert on Blu-ray and Megadeth were playing...I filed it away in my brain that they weren't nearly as horrid as I'd decided they were and vowed to have a better listen. And then I forgot all about it. That was until last week where a review of their new album popped up. The new single sounded OK but with the album unreleased (I think it's out now) I went looking for some good stuff. A quick fly through some reviews on Amazon led me to this album from 1992. Well, I was pretty impressed. The guitars are razor sharp rather than the throaty drive of say Metallica. The drumming is solid too. But the riffs are the real winners and make this a great LP. Lyrically, Dave Mustaine is pretty annoyed with almost everything. Add to that a voice that sounds like he sucks sour lemons while he records and it's a mean, angry record. And I liked it. Try this...

Megadeth - Symphony of Destruction - http://youtu.be/67bTpVQfB6U

I spoke about the TV show Lilyhammer last week. Well, thanks to MC Grandma the DVD is here. We've watched 4 episodes so far and once you get used to the dialogue going in and out of Norwegian and English it is a real hoot. Steve Van Zandt is awesome as a grumpy old gangster. I couldn't recommend the series more highly.

This song is especially for my little brother.

The Hooters - And We Danced - http://youtu.be/zB1Q-PfUvN0

Let's finish with something truly beautiful.

Don McLean - Vincent - http://youtu.be/dipFMJckZOM

DJ Rob