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Post by Mighty Jack on Sept 24, 2010 4:12:45 GMT -5
I’m getting a bit tired talking about myself so I’m going to try an experiment and break this blog up into weekly themes. 1. I, Me, Mine: Where I gab about my own songs and recordings 2. Pop Song of the Month: Continuing my exploration of power pops best 3. Music A-G-Go! A look at CDs, Books, Movies and Concerts 4. All Skate: A musical grab bag about whatever strikes my fancy Maybe I should have a theme song too? "Coo roo coo coo coo coo coo coo!"Not bad. Though I suddenly have to urge to start calling you all hosers and talk about back bacon. Rather than do that, I’m going to prattle on about the Runways movie Ah the seventies: It’s hard to believe but there was a time when people thought that girls couldn’t rock. Girls could be the Supremes or Linda Ronstadt or Olivia Newton John’s, but they couldn’t be the Rolling Stones or the Beatles. Suzi Quatro gave it a go with some success, but even she was kind of perceived as more of a novelty among the boys, hell, I guess even the Runways were seen as a novelty. But don’t tell my old friend John that, he loved the Runaways. John always knew the cool groups, even more so than I. He was into the Ramones first, he discovered Blondie first… it wasn’t until I found Devo that I got into the groove and started making my own cutting edge and odd ball discoveries. I thought the Runaways were okay; they had some great tunes… but also had quite a few silly trifles. (Over the years I found myself owning and enjoying Joan Jett’s solo LPs, but wasn’t too much into what the other gals were doing). At their peak the Runaways weren’t all too huge, outside of Japan, but they did pave a road for future acts like the Bangles and the Go Gos, and they were on the rock radar because of the tune, “Cherry Bomb” (silly lyrics, great rockin hook) Anyhoo, the movie. The movie mostly succeeds in capturing the era, the struggles women had being taken seriously and breaking into the biz as well as the seedy underbelly (sex, drugs and rock and roll). Mostly, but not completely - In total it feels like an underdeveloped snapshot. It fails to really delve into the group in full. It ignores the fact that they started out as a trio with Jett, Drummer Sandy West and Bassist/Singer Micki Steele (who would leave the band and later find success with the Bangles). And it focuses too much on Cherie Currie, which is understandable since it’s based on her autobiography. Dakota Fanning is good in the role (it can be disconcerting seeing the 15 year old in those skimpy outfits, even though that’s what Cherie wore at that age). That Joan Jett kind of slips away at times was a disappointment, considering that she was the heart and soul of the band. She gets a lot of screen time, but she should have had more. Kristen Stewart as Jett was amazing by the way. Hard to believe that, that stuttering, pale woman, who can be so irritating in “Twilight”, could be so good in this. With that snarl and hunched shoulders, she nails Joan’s mannerisms and style. Also at the top of the performance food chain is Michael Shannon as the insane manager Kim Fowley, who gets a lot of laughs but is also a disturbing presence as well. (The actresses do their own singing btw, and do a great job of it.) I thought this was a good flick. Hell, it’s probably worthy of entry on my top 20 rock n’ roll movies list. But it doesn’t reach greatness and all told I feel like I got just a taste of the Runaways, rather than the full experience.
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Post by Mighty Jack on Oct 5, 2010 2:30:19 GMT -5
Before there was Spinal Tap there was Lenny and the Squigtones. They were actually kind of funny, not Spinal Tap funny, but funny. The album (now out of print) even credits Christopher Guest on guitar as Nigel Tufnel, marking the first appearance of the character!
Lander and McKean met and worked together long before Lavern and Shirley, and I believe came up with these characters before the show. They also worked with Guest back in those early days.
So for the Halloween season let me offer up a bit of Lenny and the Squigtones and their rendition of “The Creature Without a Head” (My father thought this was a hoot, so you’ll get a sense of his sense of humor)
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Post by Mighty Jack on Oct 13, 2010 5:11:35 GMT -5
Pop song of the month! Halloween edition
Aquabats, Fashion Zombies This group has a long and storied history as interesting as Devo’s. They began doing ska, and evolved into synthpop and new wave. Wiki explains the storyline nicely, when they wrote… They are best known for their mythology, in which they claim to be superheroes on a quest to save the world from evil through music. As a part of this mythology the band members have adopted superhero pseudonyms and dress in matching costumes. Their eclectic live show often includes onstage "battles" with costumed foes, and the band has built up an elaborate and ever-changing backstory of their origins and adventures, along with a roster of allies and enemies
I can only take the bats in small doses, but they are fun and this is my favorite holiday appropriate tune, “Fashion Zombies”, from their most cohesive album, "Charge".
Though not pure pop, as an extra Halloween bonus, here’s a tune from the great Cramps. My first taste of the Cramps was with their classic track, "Garbage Man" - and If ever there was a band made for this holiday, it’s them. Their Rock-A-Billy tunes include titles like, “I Was A Teenage Werewolf” and this one, “Human Fly”…
Rest in peace, Lux.
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Post by mummifiedstalin on Oct 19, 2010 12:07:54 GMT -5
Aquabats, Fashion Zombies The lead guy also helped create and still writes for/directs Yo Gabba Gabba. The band plays on there every now and then, too. One of the reasons it's one of the best toddler TV shows out there.
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Post by Mighty Jack on Oct 30, 2010 5:52:37 GMT -5
I was planning an extensive Halloween blog about Alice Cooper, but the Halloween-A-Thon is taking up all my writing time. Instead I’ll leave this quick clip from his “Welcome To My Nightmare” TV special. It’s kind of cheesy (consider when it was made) but I remember when it first aired, I was pretty much thrilled by it.
Halloween rock will mean different things to different people, for my friend John it’s all about Kiss. For other’s it might be Michael Jackson’s Thriller. But for me it was all about the Coop. This year AC was nominated for the Rock and Roll HOF. I hope he gets in, he deserves it (and when none other that the master himself, Bob Dylan, praises your songwriting abilities, that’s a HOF endorsement that should not go unnoticed).
Here’s the clip, and a beautiful pairing. Alice with Vincent Price, performing “Black Widow”
Happy Halloween!
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Post by Mighty Jack on Nov 13, 2010 3:04:56 GMT -5
From the Wrinkled Sky CD (the title of this CD came after watching the 1966 Batman movie. When Bats and Robin are out in their Batboat, you can see the painted backdrop sky is wrinkled) I often play it safe. I don’t like walking in blind or making wild changes - but I once met a girl who played it all by ear, she was the kind of woman you (or The Cars) might call “The Dangerous Type”. Being with her was exhilarating, she made life unpredictable. This is a song about that woman. It was going to be called "The Girl in the Lime Green Beret" (and you can hear the background voices singing that in the chorus) – but the opening line was such a compelling one, that it took over. It fit the theme better, the dangerous type. Hydroplanes were a big deal in my home State. I watched them a lot when I was a kid. I pulled the opening 2 lines out of thin air as I was working on the music. I wrote this and recorded the demo in chunks. I had the first verses, recorded it, went back and wrote the second, and added to the recording. This is why it stops in each section. I was planning on re-recording it, but I could never match my vocals on the demo. I liked the quality of my voice and for some reason, have never been able to duplicate them to my satisfaction. So I just stuck with the demo. There are 2 nods to movies in the lyrics. I don’t know if its good commercial form to open a song with 2 verses, and then finish it with 1 each… but I do it a lot (though will sometimes add a lead guitar solo to balance it out) That’s all the poop on the pop I can think of, click on the title to give it a listen. The Girl in the Hydroplane 6/18/2010 Shawn DavidI’ll write a you love song about the girl in the hydroplane She went ‘zoom’ in a slash of blue and out ran a hurricane She wore a lime green beret that matched the color of her eyes And stood there just like Barbarella, so confident in her disguise. She emerged from her cocoon bathed in a sickly neon glow Said, baby your looking like a man suffering from a bad case of vertigo Lets get you out in that fresh air, where you can breath a sigh of relief Knowing that I took everything from, cause I’m your master thief But I see that you're the fashion, lit the fuse, lit the passion You're my escape rout out of this black hole Make my getaway with the girl in the hyrdoplane I often take the fall over things I can’t control When I saw her dancing in those go-go boots I new deep in my soul That she would be the tonic for what ailed my weary heart I knew damn well I’d happily let her rip my world apart Then I see that she’s the fashion, lit the fuse, lit the passion She was my escape rout out of this black hole Make my getaway with the girl in the hyrdoplane She said, baby, you’re a prophet, you foresaw the end of all But for one brief moment, didn’t we have a ball So write me a love song about the girl in the hydroplane Who went ‘zoom’ in a slash of blue and outran a hurricane But I see that you're the fashion, lit the fuse, lit the passion You're my escape rout out of this black hole Make my getaway with the girl in the hyrdoplane Chorus
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Post by Mighty Jack on Nov 23, 2010 4:03:24 GMT -5
I’m not much into jazz, but I am into great guitar playing. So when I was channel surfing and came upon some old footage of a guy riffing away on a guitar, I stopped to see what it was all about.
What it was about was Django Reinhardt, a gypsy jazz guitarist who changed the way jazz was played.
The thing that amazed me was his speed, the way he rattled off these notes in quick succession. What doubly amazed me is that he accomplished this with only 2 fingers and a thumb! Django other fingers were partially paralyzed in a fire (though he would use them when playing chords).
Losing the use of 2 fingers would have ended most guitarists’ careers, but it didn’t slow him, or his playing down a bit. I was watching the way he’d dart the thumb over the top of the guitar. I know other guitarists do this, but it’s not something I’ve ever done well. I’ve played around with the technique, but never was comfortable with it and eventually just stuck with my fingers (I bar with my index finger across the top fret). So I was fascinated watching him work that thumb on the neck of the instrument.
The piece also brought in modern players to represent Django’s group, and play a song he wrote. The guy playing the lead guitar amazed me. I was dazzled over the way his fingers danced like a water bug on the frets… but, he was using all of his fingers and thumb, Reinhadrt got the same sound using half that.
The mini doc mentioned how he did jazz different. He formed a group with French violinists Stéphane Grappelli - There was no drum - twin rhythm guitarist provided the beat, and the violin took the role traditional filled by the trumpet. With Django playing the lead. The sound was amazing, he was amazing - A free spirited guy, who marched to the beat of his own drum. He couldn’t read or write, he lost much of the use of 2 fingers but he forged ahead in his life and made that guitar sing. I can’t believe it took me this long to hear him play (he influenced many modern rock guitarists) but I’m glad I finally have.
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Post by Mr. Atari on Nov 23, 2010 19:13:10 GMT -5
Yeah, Django was something special. I got into him after seeing the Woody Allen & Sean Penn movie, "Sweet and Lowdown." Have you seen it? It's outstanding.
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Post by Mighty Jack on Nov 24, 2010 1:39:00 GMT -5
Nope, I haven't seen that one, but thanks for pointing me in it's direction. I'll check it out.
It's funny what can introduce you to a guiarist. Such as... Coleman Francis making me aware of Jimmy Bryant and Speedy West.
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Post by Mighty Jack on Nov 27, 2010 4:33:38 GMT -5
I’m having a “blah”, no nothing day. When I feel like crap and nothings going right with the day, music is a good quick way to escape from it all. Of course The Beatles are always great, always fresh. The Ramones first 4 albums, with their upbeat tempos and off kilter lyrics are another good fix for a bad funk. Alice Cooper has an expansive catalog to choose from, or if I’m more in the mood for something light, poppy and fun I can always hang with the Finn brother’s Split Enz (especially Frenzy or True Colors) or pop on Madness’ greatest hits. Speaking of Enz, remember this one, this is the tune that gave most American’s their first taste of the band. (Big brother, Tim started the band, but it was Neil who went on to bigger and brighter with Crowded House) Aside from that, there are 2 lesser known bands who I often go to when I wanna disappear. The first are the Shazam – A group that was popular in Nashville (and that’s where I discovered them) At their core, they are straightforward arena rockers – but for a time they dabbled with power pop rock and that’s the Shazam I loved best. “Rev 9” was an incredible 7 song EP, filled with groovy 60 style atmosphere (they even do a fascinating cover of the Beatles “Revolution #9” – hence the title) Before that was the full length, “Godspeed the Shazam” You can hear the arena rockers in this one, there a hint of 70s –Big Star- power pop – but there’s also a lot of Cheap Trick a little glam Queen and a dash of Beatles. Mellotrons, theremins and psychedelia (Chipper Cherry Daylilly) pepper the piece. I loved “Sparkleroom” – It’s surf music meets… I dunno how to describe it, but there are these big rumbling drums that underscore the whole thing and I thought it was one of the most different and cool pop songs I ever heard when they played it at the Exit/In – I immediately bought the CD after that song. There’s straight melodic pop “Some Other Time” and the fun, crunchy “City Smasher”, with lyrics about a giant –something- attacking a city (ala Godzilla). Songs like “Sweet Bitch” and “Calling Sydney” are rock solid and make the album one of my favorites. I can’t find any decent videos so here’s the sampler at Amazon www.amazon.com/Godspeed-Shazam/dp/B000021YFQ The other lesser known gem comes from the Muffs. The Muffs were born from the ashes of garage rockers, The Pandoras ( click to see video of them live) - after the Pandora’s lead singer sadly died of an aneurysm, Melanie and Kim Shattuck formed the Muffs (Melanie left after the first album). The Muffs were like the Ramones, fast a loud, with plenty of hooks. And like the Ramones they ran out of steam creatively. They had 2 good albums and one superb collection of outtakes and demos (Hamburger) in them - and at the top of the heap is “Blonder and Blonder” Blonder is pure escapism – it’s raucous, quick and catchy. One thing I loved about Kim was that she loved the scream... she’d let out a scream just for the fun of screaming. The first two songs on the album open with a scream and “Ethyl My Love” blasts away with one of her best, brain-searing, screams you could ever hope to hear. The record sags in the middle – the tunes are good but not up to what was offered at the start and finish. And what a finish - I adore “Funny Face” with its ascending guitar work, and the chorus is just Kim singing “OOOOOOOOOH” . With Roy McDonald's heavy drums and Ronnie Barnett expert bass playing, the Muffs were, for a short time, one of the best. Here’s Kim’s website with some music to be heard... kimshattuck.com/ (Play "Oh, Nina" to hear one of Kim's screams. lol) Videos for... "Lucky Guy" - from their 1st album, with original lineup"Sad Tomorrow" from Blonder and Blonder"Funny Face" from Blonder and Blonder Yup, that's the ticket to chase away those winter blues. I feel in a sunnier mood already.
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Post by Mighty Jack on Dec 4, 2010 6:59:36 GMT -5
In my review of the Runaways movie I spoke about the difficulties of an all female rock band getting the respect they deserved. The Runaways got some much-needed attention on women who rock, but as is usual in most anything, behind those who break a barrier are those who laid the groundwork.
The first all female rock band to be signed to major record contract was Goldie and Gingerbreads (1962-67) According to the autobiography of founder Genya Raven, The story of the bands beginnings goes like this…
In 1962 Genya Zelkowitz (who would eventually change her last name to Ravan -as she became better known as the lead singer of the band Ten Wheel Drive beginning in 1969) - the then lead-singer of Richard Perry's band The Escorts met Ginger Panabianco in a New York club. Ginger was on stage, performing as the drummer for one of Perry's friends. The discovery of a female drummer inspired in Genya Ravan the idea of an all-female rock band. The name of the would-be band was decided upon rapidly: Goldie was the name by which Ravan's mother chose to call her after their arrival in the United States from post-war Poland, while gingerbread was a play on Ginger's name
The duo were able to find an keyboard player, but at the time, finding a female guitar player proved near impossible and the band toured without one for about a year, when guitarist and singer Carol MacDonald joined the band.
The Gingerbreads never recorded an album, they did release a single –Can You Hear My Heartbeat- which did well in England (charting #25), but just as they were about to release it and tour in the States, Herman's Hermits undercut their chances by releasing a version of the song and making it a hit!
Fanny was the next all girl rock band to take their shot at stardom (1970-75), and they were good when they rocked it out. David Bowie was a huge fan and laments that the timing was not right for wide acceptance of a band of women who played their own instruments.
But they did make a mark. They were the first to record and full-length album and they managed a couple of top 40 hits ("Charity Ball", 1971 peaked at 40, and "Butter Boy" in 1975, reached #29… but I thought that one was pretty of crappy). They toured with bands like Jethro Tull, and the sisters Millington continued to play and produce music after the group broke up.
Of note, one of the bands future members was Patti Quantro, sister of Suzi. Take a listen to these two numbers and enjoy those pipes, the ladies could belt it out. (sorry about the quality)
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Post by Mighty Jack on Dec 8, 2010 6:34:54 GMT -5
They are playing Lennon songs on the radio all day. ESPN aired a show about the night Howard Cosell made the announcement on Monday Night Football, that he was shot and killed.
If you've been on this board for any length of time, you know what Lennon meant to me. I wont rehash it.
But I've been listening to "Instant Karma" play (one of his greatest songs ever) and feeling myself getting choked up.
I remember that Monday night - I didn't know John personally, but I felt like someone punched me in the stomach. I felt like I'd lost someone important in my life.
The outpouring of grief, the gatherings, the moment of silence. My father told me that he hadn't seen anything like it since Kennedy died.
I didn't go to School the next day, my mother brought me his new album (it was going to be a Christmas gift). My brother came into my room, put his arm around me and didn't say a word... he didn't have to.
The radio is playing an interview around the time he released "Walls and Bridges". John was off the bottle at this time (he was a bad drunk) and he was charming, funny... he did the weather report -I laughed- he was like a regular guy, someone you could pal around with. That's the Lennon I loved most.
John let it all hang out, the good and the bad. He could really be out there, he could be frustrating and stupid, he was human. Not perfect, not a God. He was just a guy who wrote really, really great songs. Song's that made my days a lot brighter.
This is a sad day for Lennon fans. I know we are out there in the world listening to the same tunes, hearing the same remembrances. We miss you John.
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Post by Mighty Jack on Dec 10, 2010 5:13:54 GMT -5
"Oh dad, we're all DEVO!" - Booji Boy, 1976 It all began for me on October 14, 1978. That’s when Saturday Night Live host, Fred Willard introduced an oddly named band called “Devo”. I watched these guys -garbed in yellow radiation suits, who moved robotically- tear in to a brilliantly fresh version of “Satisfaction” --- and in that instant they altered the musical landscape for me. On October 13th I was still stuck with disco on the radio, AOR mediocrity - music I hated was the rage and music I loved was tucked away, difficult to discover, in New York’s punk scene. But a day later my eyes and ears were opened. Devo was a breath of fresh ‘weird’ air . Devo was Dadaistic concept art with a social bent. And Devo had a lead singer with this wonderful nerd voice that blistered the air to my great delight. The next day I took a bus downtown to Eli’s (the only record store open on Sunday) and picked up a copy of Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! rushed home, breathlessly placed the needle on the groove and was swept away. I adored it. Critics on the other hand, were lukewarm. One guy wrote such an angry review, hell you’d have thought Devo murdered his dog, burned down his house and stole away his wife and children. It was that out of whack and out of proportion. The dumbest knock was that they were imitators, rip offs… they were stealing the “Talking Heads” act. The Heads had worked with Brian Eno first, the Heads were around since 1974, the Heads were the real deal, Devo were a novelty act. Balderdash!The truth was - the concept of De-evolution sprung from the mind of Gerald Casale and Bob Ford in the late 60s on the Kent State campus. In 1970, Gerald (The one who gave the band it’s socio-political slant) met Mark Motherbaugh (the avant garde artist) and by 1973 the band had been playing local gigs for quite a while. Jim Mothersbaugh joined the band as a drummer. He was heavily into the electronics and experimented with his drums, inventing all manner of strange sound. In May of 1976 the group released a well-received short film, The Truth About Devolution. In 1977 they put out the Be Stiff EP --- I knew none of this in October 14th, 1978, nor did most people it seemed. But to the criticism - no, this was no knock off band, no rip-off. Devo was in fact one of the founding fathers of electronic experimentation and the New Wave movement (though they themselves said they didn’t quite fit with New Wave. For me, the best description of New Wave was "art student rock", and Devo was certainly that) I remember the kids in high school could care less; they were all about Van Halen. Let them have ‘em. That lead guitarist was skilled for sure, but the music was the same old same old. I’d take Devo any day because they were different, and they were blowing my mind. I found something that fit me, fit my personality. I was always a square peg and Devo was music for square pegs. They made it okay for geeks to just be themselves, God bless ‘em! I wish I could embed the video, but if you’d like the see Satisfaction on SNL, click here… videosift.com/video/Devo-Satisfaction-live-on-SNL-in-1978I wet ‘em while watching that. Lol October 14th, 1978 – a night that changed my musical life. I’ll continue with more memories of Devo at a later date. (MTV, The concert and “Whip It”, Devo makes it on the radio)
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Post by Mighty Jack on Dec 11, 2010 3:34:19 GMT -5
I’ve been listening to my records and watching video and that’s what got me reflecting on the group. I had so much fun writing about them last night, I felt an uncontrollable urge to do another. Not so much a review, but a remembrance. "When Devo's first album was released, Rolling Stone magazine called the band "fascists." This, no doubt, would be discouraging for any band to hear upon their first release, but Devo were not like any other band in 1978. Playing mechanical, synth-oriented punk to back their theory of De-evolution (hence their name), the band were not only unique, but perceived as downright bizarre. And it's no coincidence that band member Jerry Casale witnessed the killing of student protesters at Kent state around the time that he began to form the band's theory that man was regressing into a civilization of thoughtless drones. The theory may have actually existed first, but the events at Kent, where the band was formed, began to shape the point that the band was to put across in their music." – Jeff Terich 9/7/2005 Treble Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! Release date: Aug/28/1978 - The classic lineup is in order – Mark Motherbaugh, Gerald/Jerry Casale, Bob 1 (Motherbaugh), Bob 2 (Casale) and Drummer Alan Myers. With expert production by the brilliant Brian Eno. I like making lists. Compiling one is a bit like putting together a fun, challenging puzzle. It also helps me process things (it’s my strangely wired brain). But I have a difficult time listing/ranking Devo albums. To my ear their records are simply different stages of de-evolution. I view most of the LPs as unique entities, each are special in their own way. Saying that, there’s no getting around the fact that this is Devo’s seminal work. Today it is generally highly regarded, but upon its release some critics took their shots and called it sterile, cold. I don’t see it. And frankly, if you can listen to the frantic cadences of Uncontrollable Urge, and not feel your blood racing. Check your pulse because you might be dead. I remember when I heard the album for the very first time it exhilarated me, but it also flummoxed me. I’d experience weird with the Beatles psychedelic era, but this was on a whole new level. It might have been an easier listen for say a fan of progressive music, with its unconventional structure or if I’d discovered the Bowie/Eno collaborations before hand. But this was my first real experience with staccato quirkiness of this type. The more I listened to it though, the better it got. (It still bothers some, Too Much Paranoias is often ranked as the worst song on the LP. Not for me, I find it a nightmarish joy) Until the release of the Hardcore albums (which featured out-takes and demos from their formative years), this was the only representation of Devo’s classic 70s sound. After this they would de-evolve into more electronics. Are We Not Men sizzles with organic sounds. Sure there were the beeps and pops of the synths, there were the stops and starts and unpredictable chord structures associated with New Wave… but they also rocked with good old fashioned bass, drums and guitars. Gut Feeling (Slap Your Mammy) in particular offered up a taste of Devo as guitar crunching punks. Alan Myers was a strong drummer, punctuating his heavy backbeat with quick exciting fills, but that was more evident in the live shows than on record. With GF(SYM) though, you feel him working those sticks for all his worth. Bob Motherbaugh’s guitars snarled aggressively during the transitions from Gut to Mammy and Gerald Casales’s bass playing is given its due. One unfortunate side effect to the Devo electronic sound was that Gerald’s bass got buried. So I’m thrilled that there’s a song (and album) that puts his talents on full display – we can clearly hear him dart and slide across those strings like a master, and it gives Devo’s sound a bit O’ muscle that would be lost in subsequent recordings. Satisfaction is another proof that DEVO does the best covers, ever. In fact I feel this version surpasses the original (and Mick called it the best cover of the song). Funny that Devo played this a week after the Stones performed on SNL. In addition to this, Devo draws from rocks past with a catchy sequel to Johnny B Goode (Come Back Johnnie) The album has aged well, it is still as relevant and fresh as it was the first day I heard it. I know most people wouldn’t dare compare Devo to the Beatles, but in those days in 1979 I felt like I did when I discovered the Beatles. Like I found something special. I’d sit there and listen to these wild songs, and stare at that ugly/wonderful cover, which was perfectly Devo. I’d pour over the pictures on the sleeve and read the lyrics as the music played - and rocked like Rain Man in my chair, with those 4 speakers surrounding me, just as I did when I’d listen to the fab four all those years before. Unlike the Beatles, who had a wide fan base, I was flying solo with these guys. I had no one to share this with - no one was interested. I’d try to get my band to play Mongoloid, but the song and the music in general, freaked them out too much. Devo, at least for the first 2 years (78-79), was pretty much mine and mine alone. To read a well-written review, click here… www.allmusic.com/album/q-are-we-not-men-a-we-are-devo-r5601/reviewGut Feeling (Slap Your Mammy) - Used so nicely in Wes Anderson's film, "The Life Aquatic"
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Post by Mighty Jack on Dec 13, 2010 10:45:57 GMT -5
“The American 12" album cover was jokingly dominated by the album’s Uniform Product Code. The colorful Janet Perr artwork satirized the new requirements for these bar codes. Until that time, album covers were seen as an entire art form unto themselves. Consequently, the new mandates for UPC codes splashed across every work of album art were a subject of much protest as an infringement upon artistic integrity and an Orwellian symbol of the impersonal modern age.” – WikipediaThe rectangular image of the band originally came perforated and could therefore be removed from the "offending" barcodes surrounding it. Duty Now For The Future Release Date: July 1979 After discovering Devo, the floodgates started to open. In my little town they began airing a late night radio show on Sundays, which introduced me to new breaking bands (The Police and Cars) as well as a couple of treasured oddballs (the Fabulous Poodles). Also in 1979, I got a taste of Beatlemania in the guise of a band called The Knack. Who exploded on the scene with the hook filled My Sharona. Music was making a big comeback in my universe and the summer of ‘79 brought the promise of a new release from Ohio’s favorite spud boys. Devo’s second album was initially not well received by fans or critics. Some folks suggested that Brian Eno was responsible for what made the band great, and without him they were lost. Years later DNFTF has found its devotees, and in hindsight the shift in sound wasn’t because Devo lost their way, it was simply the way they did things. The tracks were actually culled from the same gene pool as Are We Not Men? – Had you attended concerts from 75 to 77, you would have heard a mix of songs from both LPs. But the tone of Duty was decidedly different. While I didn’t agree with critics who said that AWNM Was cold… Duty would definitely give you frost bite. The freaky five were pulling away from standard rock and roll instruments and began pushing the electronics to the fore. Alan’s drumming de-emphasized the bass tones and zeroed in on the high-pitched snare and though Bob 1 continued plugging away on those guitars strings, they somehow came off sounding detached and sterile. Even the vocals have a strange remoteness, as if they were being transmitted from an alien planet. It took me a while to warm up to the album, though even today I find it’s frigid terrains exhausting (I always feel tired after listening to it) There are a few deviations from the robotic. The frantic Clock Out allows Jerry Casale to show off his slick bass playing and The Day My Baby Gave Me A Surprise is rather melodic and catchy. Smart Patrol/Mr. DNA had a driving tempo and opened with an underlying theremin sound straight from a 50s sci-fi flick. And Secret Agent Man is yet another stellar cover-song. I get the sense that Devo was cleaning out their musical closet on this release, ala the B-side of Abbey Road (without the trick of fusing the tracks together). Reflecting on it today, I think that Duty Now For The Future was actually a very good record that simply had the misfortune of being released after a truly great one. This was my favorite T-Shirt in 1979 In the late 70s we didn’t have the Internet, there was no music television to update us on releases and news. You could catch a band on SNL or Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert (Devo played on that show in 79, performing Blockhead, Secret Agent Man and Mongoloid). But back in the 70s we got our news from magazines. While the Rolling Stone had become a sad and tired old rag, out of step with the youth of the day - there was Cream Magazine and the Trouser Press to keep you informed on a monthly basis. Cream was sloppy, crude and irreverent. Trouser was more sophisticated, and covered the obscure. I read both religiously and was ecstatic when they’d do a piece on Devo. But in the 1980s? Well, as a wise man once said, “The times they are a changing” and Devo would be right there at the forefront of that change. Side Note: Devo was big on the Church of Sub Genius. To this day I have no idea what the Church is about, and I have never looked it up. But the reason I got the references on MST3K (like in Ring of Terror) was because of Devo and their involvement with the all mighty Bob.
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