RECORD REVIEW BY BRAD KOHLER! THE FLESHEATERS-I USED TO BE PRETTY DOUBLE LP SET! (Yep Rock Records)
The Flesheaters cast a large shadow among the giants of the early LA punk scene. Byron Coley once called them the greatest American rock band when interviewed in the crudzine forerunner of this blog. One listen to 1982's FOREVER CAME TODAY and you'll know the man wasn't just blowing bong smoke up your skirt.
As with most bands, the law of diminishing returns applied. The last thing i heard by them was a borefest called ASHES OF TIME, a CD that somehow seemed to last longer than eighty minutes.
The main reason the band didn't have a higher profile back in the day is that the core musicians were doing double or triple duty in other bands. Now that John Doe, D.T. Bonebrake, Dave Alvin et al are in their dotage I assume lead (and only constant) Flesheater Chris D. found them all taking advantage of senior discounts on coffee at McDonalds and pitched a "one more for old times sake" deal.
Old times indeed...and for a band that was on the shelf for thirty five plus years, this release is quite frankly better than it has any right to be, The new material is pretty snat (some of it helped along by backing vox by Divine Horseman's Julie Christensen), the reworked material is worthy of the original Ruby Records imprint, and a few well selected covers are trotted out. (This band was meant to do "She's Like Heroin to Me".)
Chris D.'s trademark howl may have been tempered a bit by time, but when he reaches down deep for it you'd still think the lid was remoed from hell.
Despite the recording not quite having the bite of the classic early 80s records, I USED TO BE PRETTY will have original fans of the band throwing down their canes and walkers and rejoice as surely as if they'd made a pilgrimage to Lourdes.The reconstituted band is even playing somes elect dates, so if you get the chance, go forth with thanks and praise. If only Kickboy Face didn't smoke his way into the grave and Catholic Discipline could open for them.
The Flesheaters cast a large shadow among the giants of the early LA punk scene. Byron Coley once called them the greatest American rock band when interviewed in the crudzine forerunner of this blog. One listen to 1982's FOREVER CAME TODAY and you'll know the man wasn't just blowing bong smoke up your skirt.
As with most bands, the law of diminishing returns applied. The last thing i heard by them was a borefest called ASHES OF TIME, a CD that somehow seemed to last longer than eighty minutes.
The main reason the band didn't have a higher profile back in the day is that the core musicians were doing double or triple duty in other bands. Now that John Doe, D.T. Bonebrake, Dave Alvin et al are in their dotage I assume lead (and only constant) Flesheater Chris D. found them all taking advantage of senior discounts on coffee at McDonalds and pitched a "one more for old times sake" deal.
Old times indeed...and for a band that was on the shelf for thirty five plus years, this release is quite frankly better than it has any right to be, The new material is pretty snat (some of it helped along by backing vox by Divine Horseman's Julie Christensen), the reworked material is worthy of the original Ruby Records imprint, and a few well selected covers are trotted out. (This band was meant to do "She's Like Heroin to Me".)
Chris D.'s trademark howl may have been tempered a bit by time, but when he reaches down deep for it you'd still think the lid was remoed from hell.
Despite the recording not quite having the bite of the classic early 80s records, I USED TO BE PRETTY will have original fans of the band throwing down their canes and walkers and rejoice as surely as if they'd made a pilgrimage to Lourdes.The reconstituted band is even playing somes elect dates, so if you get the chance, go forth with thanks and praise. If only Kickboy Face didn't smoke his way into the grave and Catholic Discipline could open for them.
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