BLOG TO COMM

As we used to say way back during those dark days of childhood, boy do I have the creeps! Not just any sorta runna the mill everyday creeps mind you, but those kinda creeps that really bug the tarnation outta ya when you realize the plain ol' stinkin' fact that it's 2021 and the world, for the most part, has bypassed ya (or in this case me) for a good fortysome years. That's fortysome years without true happiness, pleasure, success and those other things that I'm sure most alla you reg'lar readers take for granted but come in pretty short supply around here because well, I always was the kinda guy who hadda try twice as hard to get half as far. 

You might say that I am wallowing in the depths of a self-pity worthy of any liberal poster child with a despair that stops off one step short of the ultimate solution but really, I've been wallowing in that for decades already, and despite what the starry-eyed say there's no light at the end of any tunnel and no recourse for that matter. The "no future" that John Lydon predicted happened not too long after he predicted it and let's face it, at this point in time I am pretty much spiritually dead only I keep walking around like a zombie waiting for the big bolt of lightning to strike and turn me into the pile of dust. That pile that I pretty much shoulda been ever since I finally saw what really was at the end of the fork. Reality sandwich anyone?

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As you can tell I am experiencing more of that weird nada funk in my existence that's brought upon due to that strange affliction known to many as REAL LIFE. (Won't get into too much detail other'n to mention the current upper rack disaster regarding the dishwasher and spending hours on the phone tryin' to get a repair man over here which has kinda tipped me over the edge into miasmaville. And over a week later nobody showed up to fix the thing and I feel even more ignored than when I was a child!) Y'might know what I'm talkin' 'bout but if you don't its something that's popped up here and there in that miserable thing called livin' and breathin' o'er the years which has generally resulted not only in my capsizing of mind but gettin' yelled at a whole lot. 

This unfortunate set of circumstances usually results in a muddled feeling of merely being in the here and now causing a cloudiness in the ol' memory bank to the point where you just can't tell reality from your nighttime dreams anymore. But the dreams do seem a whole lot more fun. In all, where I had felt like a pile of dried out tinder just waitin' for a match these past few months now I kinda feel like that dish cloth inna kitchen that has either been wrung out a li'l tighter 'n usual or is ready for the rag bag. 'n dollars to doughnuts I have the feelin' it's gonna be the latter fer me. Hope that all of you readers who hate me get loads of joy and pleasure outta the way I feel --- I just know you will and maybe I will get some strange satisfaction of doin' my good deed for you! And please, if you do hate me let me know because NOTHING could make me happier.

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Maybe some fairly recent current events will cheer this post up a bit, but I doubt it. Well, I'll still give it the ol' junior college try --- howzbout we talk 'bout the recent fall of the nation of Afghanistan to those ragtags who, by merely staying the course and sticking to their pea shooters, managed to drive the United States outta their area with tail between legs and probably for good at that! Then again, with President Quinlan in charge what else would be expected, a strong response just laden with self-respect and pride? I get the feeling the guy couldn't even handle a Romper Room rebellion let alone a Middle Eastern imbroglio but hey, isn't that the way those people who know better'n all of us combined and keep reminding us of that really want it? To be truthful maybe the USA shoulda gotten outta that fracas long ago, but the way this exit's been pulled off has alla the markings of a right royal you-know-what that only goes to show you that if you prop up inefficient rulers who are merely the veneer for a whole buncha woke and amoral powers behind the scene well, what else would you expect when it comes to that big stage known as the world?

Once again I gotta credit Colin Liddell for hitting the bullseye (and here's a usually broken clock that gets it right this time!) and really, although some of you out there are bound to get upset over this neo-disaster and evoke memories of the 1975 fall of Saigon if yer old enough in twenty years who's gonna know the difference? But for now, all I gotta say is LET THAT DEEP WOUND STING...

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An' while we're on the subject of current events howzbout something from the depths of my mind or bowels (what's the diff?) regarding the recent passing of none other'n Rolling Stones drummer and real life Piltdown Man Charlie Watts. I will say that I'm surprised the guy had lasted so long on this earth given his proclivities for self destruction (not as bad as those of his bandmates but wha' th' hey...), but I will mention that the general lack of notice, or even garment-rending angst that his bye bye seems to have elicited from the people who churn out the news day in and day out did puzzle me, if only a tiny bit before the whole truth of the matter gonged me into reality.

Yeah, for bein' a member of such a hotcha 'n important group as the Stones there was no real bigtime to-do at all about his passing unlike there was with Brian Jones which sure got a lotta front page coverage even if in my single-digit mind he was just some guy the big kids liked. I guess back then the press was hungry enough to cover anything so they jumped on that 'un with a passion, unlike today when the stories seem to get picked and tossed like the vegetation being sold at Cash Market.

Perhaps I can see just why...after all, these Stone guys mighta been rollin' a whole lot 45/55 years back but today well, they're just another example of everything that was detestable about the culture that surrounded that generation that was offered alla the goodies that people of not only the previous but the oncoming generations would have died for .To makes matters worse, them boomers with their suburban ranch house upbringings and options no one else had threw it all away like a buncha spoiled brats who were so upset over the fact that they weren't allowed to walk down the street inna nude 'r something equally ridiculous. Bein' a tail-end boomer myself (missed out on the dirty things) I can agree with the hatred that current generations have not only for that entire hippoid line of thinking but for the Stones, as well as to all of the vitriol that is directed against those back-patting boomer dweebs who still feel oh-so SUPERIOR over people who have to work three jobs and struggle with all sorts of problems these well-off types can merely shrug off because, well, they are better creatures or something like that. Think I'm kiddin'? Just tine into some of those on-line comment boards and just see how myopic and starry-eyed those aged revolutionaries continue to be even this far down the ol' intestinal track we call existence.

I'm sure you brighter readers know exactly what I'm talkin' 'bout. You probably remember when it all came to respectable fruition in the early-eighties --- the sanctimonious world-saving zeal of the upper-middle class pampered pooch of a kid that got birthed during the antiwar/civil rights days ending with the self-righteous smarm of WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE CLASS OF '65 and alla that SECAUCUS SEVEN jiz people actually paid attention to in their own sick masturbatory way. "Classic" rock sopor jamz and flashy glitz taking the place of high energy. Tweedy Gary Trudeau types with virtue signaling self-importance who're still puzzled (even as they casually dismiss their detractors) as to why they are loathed because they gave the world oh-so much. The Stones might not have been part of that whole hippoid wet-nightmare other'n the fact they lent their name to a rather dismal publication, but guilt by association is always big among the lumpen conscientious objector/social worker do-gooder types so why not work some of it into this particular schpiel?  

Hell, in many ways the Stones as they stand in the here and now are about as relevant to the post-eighties generation and their shared musical gropeschnortle as those aging big band singers you used to see hawking nostalgia collections on early-seventies television were to the armchair rabblerousers who were buying Stones albums back when the older generation of the day was so puzzled by just what jerks their kids turned out to be.

BFD 'n all that, because once you get down to brass tacks the Rolling Stones had, for all intent purposes, become the establishment dahlings that one never woulda thought they'd be back when they were pill popping through those old Chuck Berry tunes. "The World's Greatest Rock Band" that unfortunately earned their title long after songs like "Angie" garnered them a flock of fans who probably still sneer at those early platters that Bobby Colomby one deemed "out-of-tune". Yeah, the Stones mighta been extremely boffo in the mid-sixties back when kids still had some shard of decency and wholesome ideals to live by (and of course needed a li'l break from alla that) but once the mid-seventies rolled around weren't they just nothing but flashy decadent fodder for PEOPLE magazine profiles? Not to mention something for utter shits who actually believed Jann Wenner to look upon as the apex of hotcha stardom and alla those things that pretty much ruined that crazed rebel yell called rock 'n roll as time crept on? They weren't your daddy's, or older brother's more likely, Stones anymore. They were in fact now a solid part of the establishment and the fact that these geezers were still fillin' up alla those amphitheater seats long after their initial power and drive shriveled up was quite puzzling if you ask me.

Yeah, those old Stones recs I do own will get enough of a workout as time rolls on, but nowadays does the world really want to bother? Now, when Jagger croaks the archival film and slobber accolades will be coverin' the loogiepresse wall to wall, but as far as Watts goes, eh. At least Jagger still has some ember of hipster cred as far as the powers that be to care, 'n Watts was but a mere stooge (not in the Iggy sense unfortunately) of his so why bother.

Well, at least I thought his drumming was hokay. And while I'm at it, Don Fellman totally disagrees with the above assessment, Go figure.

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A bit hunkerin' THANK YOU goes to French reader Thierry for his contribution to the BLOG TO COMM cause in the form of three unsolicited disques featuring some fine music both French and not. The package arrived nice 'n intact and not only that bit it contained some pretty fine sounds that I will be reviewing not only in this but future posts. Keep up the good work Thierry but man, any way you can score some Crouille Marteau efforts for me???? Also kudos to Bob Forward even tho I loath those SCG disques and Bill Shute of course. No thanks to Paul McGarry because well, I think I ran outta everything he sent anyway...

Les Rythmeurs-F.I.N.I. CD-r burn (originally on SMAP Records, France)

Les Rythmeurs are what had become of the French punk rock group Les Olivensteins and if this release is any indication the spirit of Les O's shines through and bright. Hokay, maybe Les Rythmeurs are somewhat poppier in approach but the energy and all 'round fun attitude of their forbearers is still quite evident on this downright fun release that shoulda gotten out a whole lot more than it obviously did. Sounds early-eighties-ish, like just before the big plunge into no fun at all put a big kibosh on all the promise the seventies never quite delivered on. Really worth the effort to find, and there just HAS TO be copies just lyin' 'round somewhere for eager readers like you to pick up.

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Various Artists-VAMPIRE CLUB CD-r burn

Another Thierry burn which fits in swell with the swerve and style of what was once called punk rock inna seventies and something else once the years dwindled on. Being of an eighties vintage some of these tracks do have that sorta well-scrubbed feeling that ruined many a fair attempt at capturing the bile that rock 'n roll was known to spew, but even with the usual rock video quap that can be found there are a few gems here/there. Like this one track that sounds like a spiffy rehash of "Mother of Pearl", the cover of Alex Chilton's "Free Again" not to mention two from the Dogs who were still goin' strong at the time they for all intent purposes shoulda been dead 'n buried. Not a total winner but it's a got the same sorta spark and feeling that we got from alla those Skydog platters that really changed more'n a few kiddies' impressions regarding French rock and the continual bad rap it used to get.

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White Heaven-OUT CD-r burn (originally on PSF Records, Japan)

It's nice true, but not outstanding. Whatever, it's a fine scrunching together of various late-sixties/early-seventies hard rock pastiches that always seemed to get swept under the rug thanks to the likes of Bobby Sherman. OUT does have the same sort of primitive pounce to it that might remind you of some fringe-jacketed bad boy inna neighborhood who your mother hated because of his long hair (just barely touching the collar even!), and its post-Stones approach should give this a wide berth of appeal stretching into areas you might be surprised it would stretch into! Of course it ain't gonna worm its earwig-like way into your mind the same way various similar-minded efforts from those days of leather and sleaze did, but you gotta give it credit for the general greasiness of it all.

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Fushitsusha-LIVE 1 DISC 1 CD-r burn 

The first from the series mentioned a coupla weeks back sounding just as cool and as Rallizes-esque as the second. Whether it be stoner blues or reconditioned psychedelic ideas that sure woulda sounded great at the time this particular platter's a great switcheroo from the usual dull that gets passed off as innovative and speaking to one's inner being or whatever hippie type of jargon you care to come up with. A group definitely worth looking into and getting hold of (there's a massive discography out there to ponder) courtesy Keiji Haino, a guy who was also responsible for one of the greatest avant garde jazz excursions of the early-seventies with Lost Aaraaff which features Haino's strangulated wails of pain emulating the horn action of alla your ESP faves.

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SCG-RADIO ONE/RADIO TWO CD-r burns (CFR #'s 11 and 12 respectively)

Did my durndest lookin' for some background information on these two burns but to no avail. Too bad, because I really would like to know more about these weird radio mooshes which present mangled Far Eastern radio broadcasts and strange instrumentals meets some mercenary talkin' 'bout his travails to a jazz backdrop (and I mean jazz the way Leonard Feather would like it!). I give up. Bob, don't you ever put me through this again (although I know you will...).

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CB (PT. 3)/FUGS/CABARET VOLTAIRE cassette tape

Since there ain't gonna be any cassette cagas for quite awhile I figured why not review this Bob Forward tossoff in the here and now! After all, I gotta get some fresh music into my system lest I spend the rest of this post re-re-reviewing the same ol' slop much to yours and my ever retching disgust!

Can't for the life of me fathom what happened to the first two parts of the Captain Beefheart tapes but he's all over before we get into the Fugs live at the Psychedelic Supermarket in Boston show that's been making the rounds for quite awhile. Never heard it before but it's a pretty solid and good sounding show with tracks from the recent TENDERNESS JUNCTION album and early ESP-age sounding even better'n GOLDEN FILTH. 'n sheesh, I coulda heard Micky Dolenz warbling these tracks on a whole slew of Monkees albums (with minimal lyrical tidying up) so I dunno what those liner notes were hintin' at anyway.

Dunno where the Cabaret Voltaire material emanated from but it definitely is of the earlier, non disco douche variety. As would be expected from these cassette recordings of echo-y hall performances the resultant spurt fits in swell, reminding me of just what promise and power the 70s/80s cusp held for this breed of snarl --- before it all tumbled into the horrid glitz of eighties "expression" that ruined things for more'n a few of us. But quibble about the past I will continue to do until I just can't!

A pretty solid listening experience true, but why did Bob hafta fill up the ends of the tapes with NPR twaddle???

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Various Artists-BACK SCRATCHIN' QUEEN JANE CD-r burn (Bill Shute)

Bill should be notched a few for puttin' some rather familiar tunage here such the the Daily Flash's "Queen Jane Approximately"/"Jack of Diamonds" single and the Everly Brothers' "Walk Right Back", but this obvious mistake is made up for by the like of such fairly obscure efforts such as the Bostonian band Neats' "Six", the Chain Reaction's "Ever Lovin' Man" single and some soul jazz sides that always seem like a nice change o' pace. Other sparks of ingenuity include Prince Buster's "Dance Cleopatra Dance", the Shirelles (doin' "Ooh Poop Ah Do"!) and James Brown sides. Of course you might think that certain tracks such as Ananda Shankar's sitar-laden rendition of "Jumpin' Jack Flash" have about as much relevance in your life as Anastasia Pantsios, and you'd be right!

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For those of you who prefer not to know there are back issues of BLACK TO COMM still anxious to get their pedigreed pages into your hairy clams, and for a reasonable price you can get a whole stack to keep yourself occupied especially during their extremely trying times. Come on, you have done worse --- after all someone out there is buyin' up all those tattered issues of MAXIMUM ROCK'NROLL that're lyin' about!