Well, I made it outta Easter alive. But just barely. Even bought some half-off Cadbury Creme Eggs to suck on giving me at least a hint of holidayze past. And the "social distancing"---sheesh, that's an idea I hope never goes away since I've had more than enough social intercourse my entire life to sour me on the human race for good!
Still, I'm taking the "Chinese Gongo" situation rather badly. Not that """""I""""" have it, but with the way this epidemic is wreaking havoc on my wallet I do have to go without a few nice things that I probably could not "use", but wha' th' hey??? Against my better judgement I have ordered a few items like the much-desired ME 262 album which I can argue would be indispensable in my collection, but otherwise I sure ain't splurgin' on recs 'n such like I would like to. Between you, me and the parole officer I don't have that much moolah left to splurge with considerin' how the last month or so has wiped out a good decade of investments I was hoping to have on hand during my even more declining than usual years! So naturally a lotta things that I "might" like but don't consider "save the world" recordings or books will definitely have to go by the wayside. That's an unfortunate given and you can just bet that I am in "woe is me" mode because of it. At least I have a good four or so plus decades-old stash to keep me occupied, but fresh booty will surely have to wait until I can get on my feet again, buckskin-wise that is.
But is that gonna stop ME from having fun? Sure it is. I think Sir Paul McCartney (and maybe even Sir Paul McGarry!) might have once said that money can't buy him love, but who cares about love when money can buy you tasty food and fun music to listen to! So struggle on I must, and I know that you faithful BLOG TO COMM readers will be struggling along with me as well because well, some of you guys (and I know who you iz!) are STOOPID enough to do just that!
***Hope you dig what I have been able to scrape up this week! Not what I'd call "mucho" to use some Sud of the Border habla but enough to keep your toes tingled. Thank go to Bill Shute, Robert Forward and Sir Paul for the freebees which I hope keep on comin' cuz really, I need some brain stimulation these days and FUN WITH DICK AND JANE just ain't cuttin' it!
I already have at least three other vinyl copies and two Cee-Dees of this 'un so just why did I buy this particular reissue? For the rare enclosed booklet, that's why! Rather silly considering the above schpiel regarding the use of money on items not necessarily mandatory, but I preordered this long before the big crackdown and well...sometimes I do forget to cancel things until it's way too late...
***
Here's one from the archives, a disc that I got for who knows what reason since I never was one to drool over JOHN LENNON/PLASTIC ONO BAND like some of you readers do. But got it I did and well, I must say that I find this one rather interesting if not downright entertaining in spots!
The early solo demos, tremolo'd outta control, really aren't that hot in my book. They sound like any wimp that you can think of with his tape recorder and guitar mewling about the mental anguish he and every other suburban slob on the face of this earth goes through thanks to forces seen or not. Still these tracks can be funtime enough in a historical sense when you hear the development of a track like "God" through various takes as the lyrics grow and new ideas are snuck in slowly. By the way, I gotta admit that Don Fellman does an excellent impression of Howdy Doody singing not only "God" ("I don't believe in Buffalo Bob, I don't believe in Clarabell, I don't believe in Chief Thunderthud, I don't believe in Wonder Bread"...) complete with bicycle horn but "Mother" with a wooden scream that will shake you to the core! But I think I told you that already...such news as that can not be suppressed!
Things change for the better when the Ono Band jump in with early versions of the songs eventually heard on the real deal. These sound raw, a bit intense and just right for the kind of rock music that I prefer spending my ever-expanding free time listening to. The real topper jsu has to when Lennon and crew plow into some primitive-sounding rockabilly covers that come off as if everyone involved was having fun dropping that phony peacenlove cover for once in their dad-blamed lives. I'll bet the "serious" Lennon fans who see the guy as some sorta prophet for the better-than-thou generation of the sixties really hated seeing their idol step outside his beardo bed-in persona doing basic rock 'n roll. But don't worry goofs, IMAGINE was just around the corner...
The closing version of "Love" with Phil Spectre on piano ain't anything special (in face it's dippy) and ends the disque on a bad note, but if you like Lennon at his "punk rock" rawest (as minds as diverse as Bill Shute and Charles Shaar Murray have alluded to) you might just enjoy this boot. I think it's all been released legitimately on one of those Lennon box sets, so consult your Beatlemaniac record source who hasn't listened to anything else since 1971 for more information.
***
I used to go for this slowed down just-a-tad sorta hardcore (even the stuff that wasn't slowed down a tad) back when the remnants of what was punk were making a valiant yet failed attempt to save rock 'n roll from the forces of Pantsios. These mid-eighties Canadian bands do it rather swell, reminding me of that last shards of excitement that the rock 'n roll idiom was able to eke out years after the whole thing shoulda collapsed into the sea (an' I mean it!). Surprises abound, like a guitar solo here and DISCERNIBLE LYRICS there! Not bad, considering just what a pus pool of hippie doo the hardcore scene eventually became thanks to the addle-minded followers of MRR..
***
Brazil never seemed as if it could sustain itself as a rock 'n roll capitol of the world or a rock 'n roll fiefdom for that matter, but these late-sixties popsters sound hokay to me. The overall cornballusness works in that late-sixties way that keeps me from turning off many a seemingly "commercial" effort, plus the female vocals fit into the beat rock concept work just as well as they did in the Clefs of Lavender Hill! Cover of such old chestnoogies as "Can't Judge a Book" and "Farmer John" might not exactly tickle your tootsies like the originals, but just imagine what they woulda sounded like if Lady Caga sang 'em!
***
The concept of the "put on" was really big in the sixties, but can it survive in these times? It's hard to say, and it's also hard to know if this thing is indeed a put on or an actual honest to goodness work of art like the Mona Lisa or Chris Burden's "Trans-Fixed". Electronic squeals and squalls are to be found here might make this indistinguishable from about a few thou home-produced efforts dating back to the days of the "cassette culture", but if you think that Marcel Duchamp really had a thing goin' back when entered that urinal at the 1913 Armory Show then you'll really think wonders of ON A STRING. I better watch it...I'm already deep in dutch with some more traditional readers for tellin' 'em that there are some days I think that art BEGAN with Duchamp!
***
Canadian punk rock trio (who got a rave in these "pages" about a good six or so years back) does swell on these late-seventies/early eighties radio broadcasts filled out with some studio tracks, playin' punk rock the way it sounded way before it all became punque thus ruining the entire nerve-splice. Elements of the upcoming eighties pop movement can be felt, and a cover of the Balloon Farm classic "A Question of Temperature" is performed proving that punk rock did have roots deeper than Andy Secher ever would have admitted. Makes a lotta what came in its wake sound pretty pallid in comparison.
***
I dunno who this "Street" group is, but it seems as if they're trying to merge the AM early seventies pop sound and the avgarde with startling results. If this ever got any airplay I'd be surprised! The rest is the usual "Virtual Thrift Store" mishmosh from Lou Donaldson's lounge r&b (for a minute I was expecting BO Donaldson!) to Tom Swift and the Electric Bag's cover of "Are You Experienced" (much better'n the original due to the preferably primitive guitar lead). Four Roses and a Thorn's double-sided "Gran'ma Doing the Bird" might be one "bird" song that Michael Weldon never heard of but I can't be sure! In all a good way to wast a good fortysome minutes of yer life but sheesh, whoever did that Leappo the Frog Christmas single shoulda "croaked", pun intended!
***"Never let a crisis go to waste". How many times have you heard that simple yet eloquent motto bandied about lo these many years? Well, considering the on-going "Chinese Gongo" hoo-hah we at BLOG TO COMM are sticking by that tried and true adage by offering for sale reams of BLACK TO COMM back issues to keep you occupied during these difficult yet fun times. Of course you're going to have to make your way to and from the mailbox to obtain these (or you can get in contact with me and do it the safe way...just read the instructions) but I doubt you'll get anything worse than cooties in the process. However I'll be taking a great risk gettin' these to the post office so if anyone'll keel over it's gonna be ME!!! And I just KNOW that most of you reg'lar readers wish you had an opportunity to spur me on to do just that, so get ordering
Duchamp was a chimp.
ReplyDeleteME 262? LP reissue on Buttercup Productions 2017 Australia maybe? Tell me more...
ReplyDeleteAs soon as I review it you WILL find out!
ReplyDelete