BLOG TO COMM

I'm assuming a fair portion of you BLOG TO COMM readers are all through with your Thanksgiving festivities by now, and if I like you I hope you had a swell time making what you could of it especially with all of the Chinese Gongo shutdowns plaguing us as of late. If I don't like you I hope you choked on your wishbone. Here at the abode we had a small to-do featuring a bone-in turkey breast (I was gonna get a boneless one but as usual mis-read the packaging), two kinds of dressing (reg'lar and cornbread for me since I am a big corn dog fan), fancy schmancy mashed potatoes with cream cheese and sour cream in 'em and steam-fresh corn along with a pumpkin pie and frankly without most of the heady festivities that go along with things. However, to give everything an old tymey atmosphere I did sit alone by myself eating my grub on an old card table---didn't mind it although I did miss the experience of kicking some younger relative in the shins. Not much to brag about given the quality food I'm sure you guys scarfed down, though at least I got Friday off to do what it was you were supposed to do during those pre-Black Friday times. Too bad it wasn't watching those ABC Saturday AM cartoons like they used to have way back when because hey, I can go for a FANTASTIC FOUR or SPIDER-MAN just about now.

But at least this Thanksgiving I can once again think back and ruminate about my life 'n all without falling to sleep due to the boredom, and frankly I can say that there are many things in my existence that I truly AM thankful for. F'rinstance, I'm really thankful that I hardly have any friends...oh yeah, I have a few "acquaintances" and people who I communicate with via the computer or phone, but I can't think of one person in my life I would consider a friend in the same way that Nancy and Sluggo or Leopold and Loeb 're palzy walzy with each other. Good thing too, because one thing I've learned over the years is that friends cost MONEY what with goin' out to bars and such with 'em plus they always wanna borrow dough from you'n all which can not only put a strain on the friendship, but the bank account. They also take up a good portion of your precious time, 'n after a day at the Salt Mines do you think I wanna spend my evenings being dragged to and fro when I could be home reading old fanzines 'n listening to music that really strangles your nerve nodes? No way in fanabla Mac!

I'm also thankful that I was born when I was. Actually I wish I was born a whole lot earlier so's I could have experienced the big Tee-Vee zeitgeist of the late-fifties to mid-sixties first-hand with a fully functioning and aware of my true surroundings mind along with the 1964-1981 rock (as opposed to hippie slop or giddy disco) generation as it blared forth from tinny transistors and cheap stereos when it was all new, fresh, and the soundtrack to any true suburban slob's lifestyle. At least I caught a good hunk of it via reruns and albums like NUGGETS 'n besides, somehow I get the idea that if I were born early enough to have been front and center for things like non-hippoid music and trash tee-vee my folks wouldn't have even dared let me outta the house or near a radio or television for that matter given their at-times zealous over-protectiveness! But still, that's what they have bedroom windows to crawl outta for!

I'm also thankful I was born a boy...sheesh, can you imagine what kind of mentally unstable wreck I'd be if I hadda go through that thing every month?

'n while I'm at it lemme tell ya that I am sure glad that I grew up inna suburbs. Wish I grew up in a rural area away from people (see three paragraphs above) but I'll take what I can and besides, when I was a kid I thought that late-fifties ranch houses were just as cool to look at as sleek cars or electric guitars for that matter.

And I cherish the fact that I have eyes to read old comics and ears to hear music that affects my inner core or whatever other dumboid jargon you'd care to come up with. And I'm glad I have taste buds and relatively good hearing and some moolah inna bank for future funtime endeavors and a roof over my head to protest all of the fun and meaningful to my life possessions from nature's ways. 

And next to me, what do YOU have to be thankful for? What else but BLOG TO COMM!!!!!

***

A meagre yet rather nicey-nice buncha records I got there if I do say so myself, and naturally Bill and Paul get hefty thanks for the handouts which I'm sure must assuage their guilty consciences because hey, why else would they send me these things! And while I'm at it why not give me thanks for my wonderful sense of musical appreciation and keen wordplay which makes these posts such a delight! Betcha never thought about that 'un before, ya doofs ya!

 

CALCIUM LP (Monster Melodies Records, France)

Now this a platter that I've really been looking forward to hearing for quite some time. Well not like for all eternity 'r anything, but it is the kinda record that I've been searchin' for even if I haven't even heard of Calcium until howdja say very recently. 

With my interest in the French rock underground growing stronger what with the arrival of not only a few books of interest but a number of recordings into my collection, it seems that there are more and more French groups of the under-the-protopunk counter that I feel should be earworming their way into my brain more sooner 'n later. And with the absolute dearth of these groups having been documented (other'n at least one hot side from Red Noise [the other a bit too Zappoid for my taste but eh!] and two oft-spun Mahogany Brain endeavors) its like well, when something does make its way into the record realm I just BETTER pounce upon it like Elton John upon an unsuspecting Cub Scout or his own "son" for that matter.

And Calcium seems just like the kinda act that was custom made for me pouncing upon, what with a good portion of the group's previous involvement with the Rollsticks of LES IDOLES fame (see earlier posts for reviews of not only the moom pitcher but the Original Soundtrack Recording album) but woodwind player Didier Malherbe's future role as a member of the Daevid Allen-helmed version of Gong. Sure sounds like a droolsome effort to this guy who still has that OCD attitude regarding rock of a FERAL variety, and with the usual references to various late-sixties high points in music being bandied about 'em I figure my precious lucre could be better used to purchasing this than it would to saving for a rainy day or some other old sayin' that the folks used to tell me when I'd come across some money and wanted to buy a Corgi Toy with it. Years later I figured that I woulda been better off had I spent it on that toy car since like hey, those rainy days were always something that eventually dried up ifyaknowaddamean...

But wait...Malherbe ain't on this but a whole buncha ex-Rollsticks are which makes it just as crucial and interesting to a Frogophile rockist such as myself. An' believe-you-me but the resultant spew is JUST FINE what with the fantastic music (imagine a late-sixties version of La Femme with elements of the early Jefferson Airplane during their sparse tho psychy enough better moments coupled with a continental sway a la Savage Rose) and loads of male/female harmonies that really add the proper elegance to what could have been an overblown and rather pompous effort. Some on-line wags mention the group reaching for Velvet Underground territory and I can see that especially on the platter opener which has a repeato riff worth remembering. Maybe yet another poor man's Velvets? Kinda hope so actually.

'n while this 'un coulda easily ended up as a progressive rock snoozeathon custom made for the sell pile thankfully Calcium stay on track with songs that could be considering punky while coming off prim and proper...sorta like some lost import bin filler of the seventies that you were wary of plunking any rare change down on but you did anyway and the thing turned out to be a pretty stable affair after all!

This issue (only two previously-released tracks here!) also comes in a gatefold sleeve as well as on see-through grey-ish vinyl for all you seventies kiddies out there, and between the driving sounds and the overall quality put into the package you got another spinner that'll adorn your collection in the right way. Not that showin' yer girl CALCIUM is the modern version of showin' her your etchings, but it'll get her hot and heavy on the turntable a whole lot more'n THE BEST OF JOHN DENVER ever could unless she's one of those backwoods types who stuffs herself up with cotton balls when it's tick-tock-time. Might be worth a few weeks of starvation once you readers get your next govt. handout check, and I do mean it!

***

Billy Bragg-LIVE AT UNION CHAPEL, LONDON CD-r burn (originally on Cooking Vinyl Records)

Never woulda thunk this eighties leftover'd be alive and well in the here and now but the old Bragg-ster was at least kickin' about in 2014 when this platter originally came out. An' boy is he just as sick as ever what with his new-unto-gnu wave stylings mixed up with a whole slew of extremely-lame topical music that even Pete Seeger (Kristy MacColl?) woulda felt fit to leave in the can. Somehow I can imagine MoeLarryandJesus listening to this nodding his head in knowing approval with that "I know the secrets of the universe" look on his face harboring that warm 'n toasty feeling that we are all safe in the hands of such relevant madrigals as Bragg...before he heads out to destroy the local Starbucks for not letting him urinate on the floor. Ah the price these Young Revolutionaries must pay in their quest to create The New Man!

***

James Williamson and Deniz Tek-TWO TO ONE CD-r burn (originally on Cleopatra Records)

Two Detroit rock veterans get together on this recent release making it the best meeting of saints since John 'n Yoko 'r something like that. Personally I don't think this is as high energy as it shoulda been but frankly TWO TO ONE is still firmly entrenched in the continuation of that bared-wire line of sound that began way back inna late-fifties of noise and musical charnel which lives on even today, albeit in mooshed down spirit. If you went for those nineties post-Detroit platters that Alive and Total Energy Records were tossing out you'll definitely go for this one.

***

Augie Meyers-THE FREEHOLIES AIN'T FREE ANYMORE CD-r burn (originally on El Sendero Records)

Sometimes I am jealous of some of the more "advanced" rockscribes out there whose heads aren't just stuck in atonal crass sounds made by people who would otherwise be locked up in those kind of group homes where you have to sing "Kumbaya" every night and memorize Bible verses lest you get a swift kick inna groin. Peter Laughner was one, and so were Charles Shaar Murray, Mick Farren, Lester Bangs and many of our other faves who made rock reading inna seventies such a fun respite from the usual hippoid going ons that certainly turquoised up that at-times dreadful decade. Then again I figure hey, life shouldn't be cluttered up by music that just doesn't get to ya in that down 'n deranged nerve-grating way, an' if you can't get into something definitely non-deep drone on the first spin maybe you will in a few years...if you live that long.

'n so here's this relatively recent (2006---HAH!) release from longtine Sir Doug guy Augie Meyers that's chock fulla that Texas accordion rockasomethin', an' although I would say it is "good" and "professional" with a few other accolades tossed in it just doesn't sway me the right way. Funny, because something like Johnny Allen's "Promised Land" single on Stiff/Oval which also has the Southern swerve to it (albeit more Cajun 'n TexMex) conked me out upon first spin ages back, but Augie and crew just don't creep their way into my brain the way other perhaps to-the-point acts have ever since I can remember. Maybe if I chomp down on more tacos and less battery acid they would affect me in that pure, unbridled way that they do with higher life forms like Bill Shute...who knows?

***

Sir Douglas Quintet- LUV YA EUROPA CD-r burn (originally on Sonet Records, Sweden)

Noted baseball savant Sir Doug kept his career goin' longer'n Methuselah, and this mid-eighties entry into the canon really ain't as gagster as some jaded types might be led to believe. Gotta say it starts out kinda wonky what with the tributes to Europe that I guess worked wonders with the locals there, but by the time side two hits this really does get into gear with a slew of slick yet to-the-heart-of-the-matter tracks that hearken back to the days of "She's About a Mover" with that straightforward Texas rock style that really does yuor spirit wonders. Really good especially when yer told about alla those encounters during Sahm's later days where he'd do nothing but rattle off various stats regarding rankings in the National League for the year of 1957.

***

Various Artists-SILENCE CONQUEST CIRCUS CLOWN CD-r burn (Bill Shute)

Once again Bill delivers on da goodz, this time with some pretty hotcha garage band efforts with some definitely non suburban oddities like circus music and cool jazz tossed in to spice things up so-to-speak. Of the local teenbo rock stuff ya get acts like Vat 66 who actually do their own theme song just like the Monkees and Fugs usedta not to mention an act called Silence who take the late-sixties portion of the decade and overdrive it without succumbing to the more bell bottomed aspects of youth culture. Of course things like Joy McCoy trying to cash in on the early-sixties gal singer game is also worthy of your lobes, though you will be surprised to find out that the Spirits of "So Sad" are probably not the same Spirit that was lighting up the charts only a few years after this local flop was recorded. And it all ends with a German act called the Stoke Set doing the Pretty Things with a high-pitched whiny singer who was probably conceived during the bombing of Dresden. Well, it sure SOUNDS like he was!

***

What do your guests find when they come over to your abode for a li'l chit chat anyway? Home decor mags and huge books on Frank Lloyd Wright piled upon the coffee table? Well, why dontcha stick a few BLACK TO COMM back issues in with the mix...that's guarantee they'll never come back 'n darken your door again! Do what countless dozen have done and de-intellectualize your reading material collection TODAY!