Hello Y'all,
"GIMMIE INDIE ROCK!" This Friday I'll be spinning a batch of 7-inches before and in between some fine young bands making a racket and shaking the walls with their Rock-&-Roll music and Electric Twangers. This happening all goes down at the stunning Moonlight Mile Studios located in the heart of Hoboken's flood lands. Moonlight is the exceptional studios manned by the extremely talented Mike Moebius. He spends his days and nights slaving over microphones, wires and fragile musician egos. So, occasionally he needs to actually make some money to keep the studio afloat (remember the flood zone... bad joke, sorry). Donations are accepted and in return Mike lets you draw a cold brew (or two, or three) from a freshly tapped keg. So come by and enjoy the music, the beer and the fine Hoboken property people pay millions to live on.
- pat.
Primitive Sound System
VINYL RULES!
"Audio Visual Triumphs and Disasters" - http://primitivesoundsystem.blogspot.com
$7 donation for bands/beer for the night. don't be a cheapskate.
FRIDAY, MAY 16TH 9pm doors.
MOONLIGHT MILE RECORDING
http://www.myspace.com/moonlightmilerecording
123 Harrison Street (between 1st & 2nd Street)
Hoboken
10PM - EASTERN ANCHORS - myspace.com/easternanchors
(former Aviso Hara/Clydesdale)
11PM - NO PASARAN - myspace.com/pasaranno
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Some records in the box:
The Bongos - "Telephoto Lens" b/w "Glow In The Dark" (Fetish Records cat. Fetish-003)
"Glow In The Dark" is a perfect song...to me. A raw aggressive recording with a messed up intro, strong drumming, jangly guitar, and nonsense lyrics that clocks in at about two minutes. The Bongos were always the most aggressive band that looked like they could be taken out by a good gust of wind. Of course they were dethroned by the Violent Femmes, whose name said it all so perfectly. One of the hardest things to do is pick "favorites" amongst a wall of thousands of records but there is rarely a moment that I am not in the mood to hear this.
Fred Brockman - "Drive, Drive, Drive" (self released in 1991)
The run-out groove says "It's 1969 OK." and "It's 1969 Baby." on the B-side. I like that. The intro to this song could never prepare you for what is coming. This is Fred Brokman singing his heart out and Ron Metz (Human Switchboard) tapping out a slightly Country groove. The whole thing is slathered in angst and pure emotion giving it a genre wrecking sound and feel. You are unlikely to shake this from your mind just like a great Horror Movie. Fred sounds genuinely hurt and pissed and his lyrics pretty much confirm this. Try swallowing this, "Why should I care where we're going, when I don't expect to find, anything that would be different than the life I left behind." Followed by, "See I can still hear her crying, see her falling to the floor. See I can still her the silence as I was backing out the door." Or this little beauty, "Drive, drive, drive cause you're never going back to the man I left lying alone on the tracks." "Drive, drive, drive, like your finally free; for better or worse your driving with me." If I remember correctly Fred designed copy centers or some shit; which would seem to be the least defining thing he did. Obviously he was a great song writer who wasn't afraid to let it all hang out. Maybe that is why this record means so much to me. Few artists can really open up in such a way that is also repeatedly entertaining. Fred was also an Engineer at a studio in Hoboken gleefully called Snack Time and told some great stories about Ohio. (I am still hoping to see the Super 8 footage he shot one afternoon with George Clinton). Did I mention that he also edited Psychotronic magazine, maybe he still does? Or that he designed the cover of The Human Switchboard 45 described above.
Das Damen - "Bug" (SST cat. PSST 190 7")
By 1988 Hardcore was a thing of the past and some of the early players matured, for lack of a better word. Das Damen definitely had a sound I was into following the end of Hardcore and this single in particular always stood out in their live shows. They certainly went on to write better songs ("Noon Daylight" for Twin Tone," Sad Mile" for Sub-Pop) and of course with practice comes perfection. They unfortunately called it quits before they ran their course and probably at their peak of creativity. There is something to be said for that because we never saw them become shitty. They were a great band that left behind some great records. "Bug" combines a sense of Psychedelia, Pop Music and even throws in a moshy little break. Many bands soon followed with this sound but few could combine the elements and sound so unique.
The Feelies - "Original Love" (Stiff Records cat. BUY 65)
Few bands deserve the praise their fans bestow on them. Fan praise can come from too many places and is always subjective. Sometimes though a band or artist comes along that is so worthy of that praise that critics and fans alike seem to agree as one. The Feelies were such a band. "Original Love" opens with a haunting guitar which opens up into a more positive strumming but still maintains its ghostly quality. This of course is in sharp contrast to the love gone wrong lyrics that never seem positive. If you have seen the movie Smithereens you have heard this song used to perfection throughout the film. If you have never seen Smithereens you need to turn off your stupid computer and find a copy NOW! There are no stand out elements of any one Feelies songs as there are never any weak parts or moments. Their song writing and execution is flawless. Though they were never CRAZY on stage for some reason I have seen them more than any other band. Maybe it was the desire to see something so wholly together possibly fall apart. Mindless, drooling NASCAR fans wait for a crash and I guess so was I.
The Human Switchboard - "Prime Of My Life" (Square Records cat. sq-one)
Breakneck drums kick off this two minute and twenty five second tornado. Human Switchboard definitely fall on the more experimental side of things and unfortunately are not everyone's cup of tea. Hell, I'd rather drink what they are having anyway. The "Prime Of My Life" seems to be over before it even gets started but isn't that the way it is? Frantic guitar and indecipherable lyrics seem to fly out of Bob Pfeifer and his only tether is Myrna Marcarian's backing vocals and pounding Farfisa. Ron Metz continues his assault only slightly holding back during the chorus.
Peter Holsapple of The H-Bombs - "Death Garage" (Car Records cat. CRR-5)
Raw and a little soulful, Peter Holsapple leads The H-Bombs, which he is apparently only a member of along with forrner Hobokenite Chris Stamey and Pop engineer extraordinaire Mitch Easter, into the far corners of his garage after night fall. What they seem to find there is quite horrifying regardless of how benign some of the goings on seem to be. Fashion seems to concern them most, "There's nothing quite like going out of style" gets repeated throughout the song. Upon exiting we discover we are bloodied and bruised so it is probably best to heed his warning. The whole thing is recorded perfectly murky and one of my favorite moments is when Mitch Easter almost loses it during one of his rolls. Truly precious.
Too tired to continue but I wanted to write about these as well...
American Standard - "Really" (Maggadee Records cat. MD-007)
Cell - "Cross The River" b/w "China Latina" (City Slang cat. EFA 04921-45 (blue vinyl))
Dr Janet - "Starry Eyes" (Ringers Lactate cat. RL01)
Earthpig - "Sweet Chocolate Brown" (Sol cat. SOL-909)
Hypnolovewheel - "WOW" (Alias Records cat. A018)
Jad Fair - "Books" (Smells Like Records cat. ?)
Mosquito - "Oh No, Oh Yes, Oh No" (Erl Records cat. ERL-009)
Sleepyhead - "Punk Rock City USA" (Slumberland Records cat. SLR 018)
Sonic Youth - "(Over)Kill Yr Idols" (Forced Exposure cat. FE-001 (hand colored cover))
Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - "Train #1" (In The Red cat. ITR 019 (with jukebox card))
Television - "Marquee Moon" Part I & II (Elektra Records cat. K 12252)
Vineland - "Unfreindly" (The Matt Label cat. 004)
Vitapup - "My Abortion" (Thrill Jockey cat. Thrill #018)
Yo La Tengo - "Cast A Shadow" (Bar None Records cat. AHAON-4502)
etc,
etc,
etc...
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