October 31 "Voyage to Infinity"

October 31
The Fire Awaits You
CD
(R.I.P. Records, 1997)

So, I debated what songs I could post for Halloween. The first that came to mind were "It's Halloween" by The Shaggs or "Halloween" by The Dream Syndicate. Too obvious, I thought.

A Fir-Ju Well "Queen Tracy King"

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A Fir-Ju Well
The Dangerous Life of an Insect
CD
(self-released, 2001)

Now known as Gringo Star . . . more info to come

Electric Blue Peggy Sue and the Revolutionions from Mars "Right Feel"

Electric Blue Peggy Sue and the Revolutionions from Mars You Tell Me That It's Evolutionion LP (Gaga Goodies, 1987)

That band name is a mouthful, eh? Their record titles were lengthy, too, at least the three I have: You Say You Want A Revolutionion? You Tell Me That It's Evolutionion But When You Talk About Destructionion

Rockabye Baby! "War Pigs"

Rockabye Baby!
Lullaby Renditions of Black Sabbath
CD
(self-released, 2010)

The spirit of Martin Denny lives! Wait . . . is he dead? Rockabye Baby! has released bunches of CDs of "lullaby renditions" of music by popular bands. I bought this one recently, and it sounds like Martin Denny covering Black Sabbath. The only thing missing, really, is a photograph of a smokin' hot babe on the cover.

After Dinner "Glass Tube"

After Dinner
Souvenir Cassette
cassette
(RēR Megacorp, 1988)

My longest-running roommate back in my college days, Brian, bought the eponymous After Dinner LP released by Recommended Records when we were on a record buying trip once, most likely with our friend Mike. The local stores were OK, but one generally had to drive to Richmond, VA or Washington, D.C. to get the good stuff, and to Manhattan and Hoboken for the even better stuff. Brian thought the packaging for the album was really cool, and I agree. Unfortunately, he decided after a while that he just didn't much care for the music, so he passed the LP along to me. I wasn't sure what I thought at first, but it quickly grew on me. Very quickly.

Richard Leo Johnson "More Than All the Stars in the Sky"

Richard Leo Johnson
The Legend of Vernon McAlister
CD
(Cuneiform Records, 2006)

I was enticed into checking out Richard via a rave review of his first album, Fingertip Ship, in a Wayside Music catalog. They often get music at insanely cheap prices, and I've discovered many excellent artists for small monetary risk. I'm fairly certain Fingertip Ship set me back all of $4.

Tom Jones "The Sun Died"

Tom Jones
Till
7" single
(Decca, 1971)

write-up shall arrive soon . . .

Angel Rot "Screw Drive"

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Angel Rot
Screw Drive
7" single
(Fuck Records, 199?)

After guitarist Tom Five was unceremoniously booted from White Zombie in the late '80s, he started a new lil' trio that took all the ugly, metallic edge of WZ and amped it. Now, don't get me wrong, WZ continued to be a great band, but in a very different direction than before. In effect, we ended up with two killer metal bands where previously there had been just one.

This single was Angel Rot's first release, and I think it's close to perfection. The song rocks, the guitar work is stellar, the vocals are nice and raw, and it sounds like it was all recorded with one microphone dangled over the band while they played. A second 7" followed, Necrostrangle, then they seemingly vanished. Seven or so years passed, and all of a sudden there was a CD, finally, and they were touring, even! I saw them twice here in Atlanta, and they kicked some major posterior. Then, they vanished again. They were allegedly working on a new EP at the time, and the new songs they were playing totally slayed.

T_T

Both this song and Necrostrangle were rerecorded for the album, Unlistenable Hymns of Indulgent Damnage, so I decided to go with this track.

By the way, White Zombie's two releases with Tom on guitar, Psycho-head Blowout and Soul-Crusher, are compiled in the Let Sleeping Corpses Lie box set, which spans their entire career, and all 78 gazillion different guitarists they had. It destroys!

The Jetsons "Moon Madness"

The Jetsons
First Family on the Moon
LP
(Hanna Barbera Records, 1965)

Calling the artist for today's song The Jetsons really is a misnomer. It's on my First Family on the Moon album, but there's no artist listed. I can tell you it's not that ham Jet Screamer, though!

I'm not sure when I got this album, but I remember taking it to school in first grade, so I've had it since at least 1969. I found it while looking through old stuff when I was in college, and took it back to school with me. This song was so great, my old hardcore band decided to cover it in the early/mid-80s.

One thing I find really interesting about this tune is it's a rocker and is pretty genuine sounding for the time. Usually, any time rock'n'roll was presented on a kids' show back then, it was all horn charts and sounded fake fake fake. Like, for example, when Jan Brady would run with her little transistor radio to play some great new tune for the rest of the Bunch . . . and it would SUCK.

30 Windswept Dimes "Nestor's Carbuncles"

30 Windswept Dimes
Light Bulb Magazine Number Four:
The Emergency Cassette
2 x cassette compilation
(Los Angeles Free Music Society, 1981)

I love this song. I know nothing about the group, other than it was Ken Patricia and John Rodriguez, according to the liner notes. This was likely a one-off for this compilation. Regardless, it's great!

The Peanuts「幸せを呼ぼう」

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The Peanuts
Best of Mothra
soundtrack compilation CD
(Nippon Columbia, 1997)

The tiny girls who sang for モスラ (Mothra), and communicated with her telepathically, were pop stars in non-monster reality as The Peanuts. I've always loved their singing (they sound like a Japanese version of The Barry Sisters, to my ears), and finally found a CD with quite a bit of it from various films featuring モスラ. Today's song is from the 1964 film 『三大怪獣地球最大の決戦』(Ghidrah, the Three-Headed Monster was the US title, and it was not a translation of the Japanese title, Three Giant Monsters: The Greatest Battle on Earth). Totally badass movie poster after the jump!

S.V.E.S.T. "Homo Fragilis"

S.V.E.S.T.
Inkisitor/S.V.E.S.T.
split 10"" EP
(End All Life, 2007)

Ah, France! Wine, cheese, pastry, and raw, hateful black metal.

^_^

S.V.E.S.T. is allegedly an acronym for Satanas Vobiscum Et Spiritum Tuo. I hated Latin class, so I prefer the short version.

House of Large Sizes "I Ate the Painting"

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House of Large Sizes
I Ate the Painting
CDR EP
(The Tyros Label, 2003)

House of Large Sizes helped put Cedar Falls, Iowa on the map. Seriously. They led Lewis & Clark right there and did it.

Boxtops "Sugar Creek Woman"

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Boxtops
Sugar Creek Woman
7" single
(Hi Records, 1972)

What to do when a popular group has disbanded? How can one take advantage of the situation? Perhaps, one could slightly alter the name and get a singer that sounds like to the real one? Supernatural? Perhaps. Baloney? Perhaps not!

Split Enz "Shark Attack"

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Split Enz
History Never Repeats
7" single
(A&M Records, 1981)

I bought Split Enz' fifth album, True Colours, when I was in high school, 'cause it had this awesome laser-etching thing going on. I'd long been aware of them, thanks to magazine adverts for their third album, Dizrythmia, but had no clue what they sounded like. Nonetheless, the laser thing was more than I could resist!

Ferrante and Teicher "Alternating Current"

Ferrante and Teicher
Dynamic Twin Pianos
LP
(Ultra Audio, 1960)

I bought this LP on a trip. I think it was when my friends Virginia and Sharon and I made a pilgrimage to the Precious Moments Chapel in Missouri, around a decade ago. Me being me, I made them stop at record stores, and I found this little gem. It was part of a series of releases on the United Artists sub-label Ultra Audio, almost all with similar cover art featuring big, colorful dots. Ferrante and Teicher have been better known the last several decades for saccharine-dipped easy listening, but this album is downright fun. There were apparently several albums of "prepared piano," but I have only one other, Blast Off! ('tis a fun ride, as well).

Selected liner notes, including a play-by-play description of techniques used for this piece, one of the few originals on the LP, can be found after the jump.

The Corries "Peggy Gordon"

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The Corries
The Very Best of The Corries
CD
(EMI, 1990)

So a few months ago I was taking a shower whilst listening to the most recent Melvins album, The Bride Screamed Murder, for the first time. All of a sudden, as it approached the end, I heard a melody I knew I knew. Luckily, I was in the dry cycle by then and was able to listen more intently. After a few more moments, it hit me . . . it was a Scottish folk song that I knew via The Corries, whom I knew via my mother buying me a cassette of the above pictured CD when my 'rents went to Scotland for a trip eons ago. Yes, I loved it so much I bought it on CD and gave the tape back to my mother. Ain't I sweet?

Union Made "Save the World"

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Union Made
Save the World
7" single
(Anti-Trust Records, 1999)

After The Outer Limits, vocalist Snake decided to leave Canadian cyber/thrash metal warriors Voïvod and strike out on his own. After a few years, he emerged with his new combo Union Made and released this limited edition (500 copies) 7" single. There was allegedly also a CDR with the two songs from the single and, I think, six more, but I never found a copy.

Pam Gilbert "I'm Movin' On"

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Pam Gilbert
Overloaded Diesel
various artists LP
(Power Pak, 1973)

I found this one a few weeks ago, and the cover art compelled me to buy it. I could be wrong, but it looks like the work of cartoonist Charles Rodrigues, who did hilariously disgusting cartoons for the National Lampoon back in the 20th Century.

Walkingseeds "Marque Chapman"

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Walkingseeds
Marque Chapman
12" single
(Moral Burro Records, 1987)

Out of town guests here . . . insufficient time for write-up at the moment :-(

ONO "Were You There When They Crucified My Lord?" "Roll Away" "Mass of the Angels"

ONO
Ennui
LP
(Thermidor, 1986)

I first heard these guys on the Starving Dogs compilation cassette back in 1983 or '84. it was Chicago0-area bands and primarily hardcore, so ONO really stuck out like a sore thumb. A really cool sore thumb, though.

This triptych of overlapping pieces is from their second album, which followed the delightfully entitled Machines That Kill People.

The Young Antiques "On a Planet" "Holiday"

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The Young Antiques
Clockworker
CD
(Two Sheds Music, 2003)

I once read in the local press that these guys were Led Zeppelin wannabes, so I ignored them. A few years later, I saw them live and discovered they weren't anything like LZ. Sure, they obviously like The Replacements, but what sane person doesn't? This spunky pairing of tunes comes from their third full length album. Since then, they've released a fourth and just recently did a limited edition (300 copies) little single, "Fucked Up in Public," that kicks booty.

The Downsiders "Mudslide"

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The Downsiders
The Downsiders
LP
(Black Park Records, 1987)

write-up to come . . .

Subculture "All My Love"

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Subculture
I Heard a Scream
LP
(Fartblossom Enterprises, 1985)

My old hardcore band drove down to Raleigh, NC to play a show at the invite of Corrosion of Conformity way back in 1985 or '86. In addition to CoC, Subculture were also on the bill, and I thought they rocked mightily. As far as I know, this was their only release, and it was pressed on beautiful, clear green vinyl. Well, my copy was. ^_^

Thee Speaking Canaries "Toblewee Uslywus"

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Thee Speaking Canaries
The Joy of Wine
LP
(Mind Cure, 1992)

It's been a few years since the most recent (and hopefully not final) album by Thee Speaking Canaries, so here's a song from their near two-decade old debut. The covers were generic white sleeves with the artwork pasted on each side. So, either the person who pasted mine was lazy, or they're all off-kilter. I've never seen another copy, so I've no way of knowing, really. In the interest of fairness, I'll blame Dave Martin, since Mind Cure was his label, and because he's a super nice guy so my accusation is most likely completely without merit. Or is it?

Maureen Tucker "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?"

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Maureen Tucker
Around and Around
7" single
(Trash Records, 1981)

Maureen (Moe) was, of course, the drummer for The Velvet Underground (as the sleeve proudly proclaims). By the early 1980's, she was a mom and living in Phoenix, Arizona. In 1981, she released a delightful album of mostly cover songs called Playin' Possum. Recorded in her living room "between diaper changes," it presented Moe singing and playing everything; she even released it on her own label, Trash Records. As is often the custom, a song was culled from the album for release as a single: Chuck Berry's "Around and Around." The Shirelles' 1960 smash hit "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?" was the non-LP b-side, and I actually like it more than everything on the album, which I also happen to love.

Erik Hinds "Angel of Death"

Erik Hinds
Reign in Blood
CD
(Solponticello, 2005)

Today, we continue with heavy metal cover songs, specifically acoustic versions of Slayer tunes.

Athens, GA guitarist Erik Hinds, who now goes by the name Killick, plays this badass thing called the H'arpeggione (picture after the jump), built for him in 1999 by master instrument designer and builder Fred Carlson. I've seen (and heard, of course) him play it a number of times, and it's really something to behold.

In 2005, Erik decided to record his own version of Slayer's classic Reign in Blood album, on solo H'arpeggione. Today's track is the leadoff track, Angel of Death. Please, commence headbanging.

The H'arpeggioneMore photos here

Böhm ohne Köb "South of Heaven"

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Böhm ohne Köb
South of Heaven
7" EP
(Nur Sch. Rec!, 1990)

Some people are so talented, they probably oughta be thrown in jail. Hans Platzgumer is one of those people, and he sings and plays guitar on this record.

RTX "Vampyre Love"

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RTX
Vampyre Love
one-sided 7" single
(Outlaw Recordings, 2010)

RTX is Jennifer Herrema's post-Royal Trux venture. Former band mate Neil Hagerty went the more esoteric route while Jennifer went almost, but not quite, straight-up metal. This tune was released as a limited edition (200 numbered copies), one-sided 7" single, with an etching on the obverse. It was originally written and recorded by Pentagram, and appeared on their kick ass third album, Be Forewarned.

Wards "Weapon Factory"

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Wards
The World Ain't Pretty and Neither Are We
7" EP
(self-released, 1983)

Back in the early/mid-1980s, hardcore was spreading all over the USA, wherever there were angry teens and twenty-somethings (and olders) with access to musical instruments and electricity. I made it a goal, of sorts, to collect stuff from every state. There were the big hotspots, of course, like Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and Boston, but it also seemed like almost every state had at least one band with a tape or a record out. For Vermont, that band was Wards.

This lil' EP, pressed on pretty, transparent, blue vinyl was their debut, and Weapon Factory has always been my favorite track on it. They released a second 7" EP then disappeared from view. Well, my view, at least, as, according to their MySpace, they've been around the whole time. I think.

Solbakken "Our Saint"

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Solbakken
Zure Botoa
CD
(Hooverflag, 2000)

Solbakken burst forth from the rotting corpse of Lul in the late 90's. That makes 'em sound like a goregrind band, huh? HA! Actually, Lul is Dutch slang for penis. After four pretty darn excellent albums (Inside Little Oral Annie, Autolocation, Hail the Frisians Free, and Bless Their Tiny Sums), Penis Lul decided to rechristen themselves Solbakken and dial back on the more metallic elements of their sound, in favor of a more emotional approach.