Joan Jett: Light of Day

("Michael J. Fox has no Elvis in him...")

Joan Jett's career took another left turn in 1987, when she snagged a lead role in Paul Schrader's heartland-rock film, Light of Day. While the movie itself didn't amount to much, other than being the film debut of Trent Reznor, it did get Jett back into the Top 4o, with the song "Light of Day". The song came from the pen of Bruce Springsteen, who donated it to Schrader because he had borrowed the movie's working title, Born in the USA for a monster of his own. The song itself has a roaring chorus (and there's nothing Jett loves quite as much as one of those) and verses that rely a little too heavily on standard-issue Springsteen-isms.

The long out-of-print soundtrack, despite the inclusion of a particularly egregious Bon Jovi song, evinces a strong eighties roots rock feel with appearances by Dave Edmunds, Ian Hunter, The Fabulous Thunderbirds and of course, five Joan Jett tracks (four with The Barbusters and one with The Hunz).

1. Light of day by The Barbusters
2. This means war by The Barbusters
3. Twist it off by The Fabulous Thunderbirds
4. Cleveland rocks by Ian Hunter
5. Stay with me tonight by Dave Edmunds
6. It's all coming down tonight by The Barbusters
7. Rude Mood by The Barbusters
8. Only lonely by Bon Jovi
9. Rabbit's got the gun by Joan Jett and The Hunzz
10. You got no place to go by Michael J.Fox
11. Elegy by Rick Cox,Chas Smith,Jon C.Clark,Michael Boddicker

Light of Day OST link is in the comments

Speaking of comments, what do you make of this phase of Ms. Jett's career?


Support the artist!

Homepage

MySpace

Amazon

iTunes

Fanpage

Joan Jett & The Blackhearts: Live 1981!

Of course my first exposure to Joan Jett wasn't The Runaways or even "Bad Reputation", instead it was the song that will be stuck to her name long after her obituary's been penned, "I Love Rock N' Roll". Did we make sneering remarks as teenagers do about how insecure she must be to proclaim her love so loudly? Maybe. Did our bodies start to twitch, instinctively, when then that riff came on the radio? Hell, yeah.

This live boot, which sometimes trades under the title Jett Lagg, comes from a show at the Malibu Club in Long Island on 1981-05-01. It's a believed to be an FM broadcast due to the clear sound and was likely the first Joan Jett bootleg when it showed up in the racks as a double LP back in the early 80's.


Jett Lagg Live link is in the comments


Support the artist!

Homepage

MySpace

Amazon

iTunes

Fanpage

Joan Jett: 1979

Y'know I always half-suspected that people like The Runaways more for the idea of "Tough All-Girl Rock N' Roll Band" then the actual material that band recorded. The current Hollywood fascination with all things Runaway has not lessened this suspicion. If Joan Jett hadn't become a die-hard solo act of fierce power, would the band's memory be as strong? This "Runaways Paradox" seems to dictate that women who are willing to play along with macho ideals of rock n' roll get noticed quickly but respected rarely. Jett, however, earned her Bad Reputation not just for re-defining gender roles in The Runaways or by producing the Germs debut album or adopting a couple of the Sex Pistols but because of her fanatical devotion to gut-level rock n' roll.

This out-of-print Fan Club-only release compiles the the demos Jett recorded with Kenny Laguna after leaving the Runaways but before launching her solo career. Amongst the items herein is "I Want You", one of the earliest Laguna-Jett song which was written for a Runaways movie that never got finished but of which some footage survives:

1979 link is in the comments

So does Jett's solo career blow away The Runaways or what?


Support the artist!

Homepage

MySpace

Amazon

iTunes

Fanpage

V.A. Nobody Sings Dylan Like Dylan Volume Fifteen

Here's another dose of Dylan done differently, including a few MRML favoured-acts like John Wesley Harding, Peter Case and Richard Thompson (with the Performing Gibsons) and a heavy shot of classic rock (which fortunately includes early vintage Yardbrids and Joe Cocker but unfortunately also, Bob Weir's Ratdog) that will have varying degrees of interest to readers here, though hopefully many of us can unite against dreadful Was (Not Was) track.

From OH MERCI (Jul 4, 1993, KCRW, Santa Monica, CA)

01 Black Crow Blues – Peter Case
02 I Don’t Believe You – Cindy Lee Berryhill
03 Intro to Mr. Alice – Don Was
04 Mr. Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore – Was (Not Was)
05 Dear Landlord – John Wesley Harding
06 Tears of Rage – George Gerdes and John Wesley Harding

ODDS AND ENDS

07 Odds and Ends – Black Crowes (Sep 17, 2005, Dodge Theater, Phoenix, AZ)
08 Maggie’s Farm – Ratdog (Jun 22, 1997, Lakewood Amphitheatre Atlanta, GA)
09 Don’t Think Twice – James Taylor (May 16, 2006, Paramount Theatre, Denver, CO)
10 I Pity the Poor Immigrant – Planxty (Aug 1980, Olympia Theatre, Dublin, Ireland)
11 Down in the Flood – Fairport Convention (Jul 16, 1974, BBC Studios, London, England)
12 It Takes a Lot to Laugh – Performing Gibsons (Apr 1971, BBC Radio One, London, England)
13 Country Pie – The Nice (Jun 2, 1969, BBC Studios, London, England)
14 Most Likely You Go Your Way – Yardbirds (Apr 14, 1967, Stockholm, Sweden)
15 I Shall Be Released – Joe Cocker (Oct 19, 1969, Fillmore West, San Francisco, CA)
16 Meet Me in the Morning – Rainer Ptacek (Dec 5, 1983, KXCI-FM Studios, Tucson, AZ)
17 All Along the Watchtower – Jeff Healey Band (Sep 24, 1990, Hammersmith Odeon, London, England)

Nobody Sings Dylan Like Dylan V. 15 link is in the comments.

Speaking of comments, don't forget to leave some words about these volumes.

Thanks to Jeffs98119 for compiling these and to obatik for the images.

• For V.'s 1-14 of Nobody Sings Dylan Like Dylan go here
  

• For slugline's impressive spreadsheet of the whole series go here

• For stewART's excellent alternate cover art go here

Spunkstains (1977-1979) : Volume Fourteen

One of a fifteen-volume bootleg series from the early aughts full of raw punk noise from the likes of: Disco Zombies, Henry Essence, Stormtrooper, London Px, Steroid Kiddies, Buzz, Disorder, Fun 4 and The Proles:

Spunkstains Volume Fourteen link is in the comments

This little swill bucket of joy appears to be glitch-free...

Speaking of comments, is this the most obscure Spunkstains so far?

Kamala and the Karnivores: Girl Band

Kamala and the Karnivores (the Lookout catalog says, "East Bay pop band that featured Ivy, later of Sweet Baby, Kamala, later in Cringer, the Gr'ups, and Naked Aggression, Todd later of Spitboy and Matt from Operation Ivy. Sweet songs about being in love, killing boys, and black thumbs") sounded a little indie-rock in their tempos and melodies but they pulled it off with a punkish swagger.


Kamala, who got name-checked by both Screeching Weasel and Sewer Trout, wrote sharp and thoughtful little tunes, like this anti-anorexia ripper, "Bone Bouquet".



Their sole e.p., 1989's Girl Band, got tacked onto a gargantuan CD of Lookout also-rans, so if you like it - buy it.

Girl Band link is in the comments

Speaking of comments, I've upped this one before with little feedback, this is your chance to add some reaction to the short-lived Kareer of Kamala and The Karnivores!

The Goops: On the Road With (Plus this week's TOP TEN!)

For this week's top ten, please come visit The Big Takeover!

Thanks to Chris over at the Small Takeover (no relation) for always reminding me to re-listen to The Goops, whom I ignored back in the mid-90's. They put out two albums (one on NYHC label, Blackout Records, one on Warner Bros.) that aimed for a sorta Blondie-MC5 hybrid and came off like a sister band to Seattle's The Gits (or the East Bay's Tilt). The Goops were, very loosely, part of an early 90's punk revival in New York that emphasized the sleazy-yet-poppy side of punk (see also, the Devil Dogs, DGeneration, NY Loose and maybe The Vacant Lot).

While the word sleazy and New York are practically synonyms in some people's lexicons, one must be careful describing a female-fronted band that way. However, this sloppy performance below certainly suggest lead singer, Eleanor Whitledge to be more brazenly exhibitionistic than their album covers and publicity shots suggest:

So while the band pummeled they way though a pretty good repertoire, their greatest fame probably came from this single's B-side, a cover of The Foundation's "Build Me Up Buttercup" that Kevin Smith used for the movie Mallrats:

On The Road With The Goops 7" link (which includes the extra-sleazy definitely NSFW eight page comic that came with the record) is in the comments

Speaking of comments, pray tell what do you make of Eleanor Whitelage and her Goops?


Support the band


Goops' Myspace



Elanor's MySpace



Amazon

X: Live '83

Here are jut a few of MRML readers' X stories:

lucthedevildog said...
Growing up in LA. I saw X too many times to count. I've seen them as the country group The Knitters, John Doe solo, Exene and DJ Bonebrake together, Exene solo. Billy Zoom throughout many incarnations from angry and pissed because he wasn't in the band any longer to when he became born again. Reunions lately have seemed to give each member a new spark. Recently Exene has announced that she has MS, a good thought or prayer from everyone would be appreciated. Thanks for the memories, the driving beat of X, the smell of beer and my thoughts of my boots sticking to the floor at the Roxy bring a smile to my face.

fervorcoulee said...
Oh ROW! As a one-time Record On Wheels employee in Edm., I also have memories of the outfit. And I found your High Fidelity reference spooky as I not only had meaningless conversations about mix tapes and the like, but had a physical altercation in the store that Hornby and crew errily captured in their book and production. Throughout the movie, my wife giggled and pointed- over and over again my life was on the big screen. Looking forward to the X download- first time I heard X was in, you got it- ROW!

Anonymous said...First time I heard X- must have been the Decline soundtrack. Buncha pretty stiff competition, but man those dual vocals! I'll always love these guys.
Saw them in, what was it, 2008 already, on the Los Angeles 30th anniversary tour. Took a couple of my under-30 friends, who were suitably awed and/or RAWKED by it.
Don't have a dog in the Billy Zoom fight- I do love Tony Gilkyson too, he was great backing up Exene, too. But then again, Billy Zoom is like some kinda ageless/eternal incarnation of rock and roll. Didn't know about the born again thing- but it doesn't explain the permasmile- he's always been like that, as far as I can tell, he's like the audioanimatronic avatar of rock and roll guitar . Yeah, god bless X, and even though I don't pray, maybe I'll try to fire one off for Exene.

kennyhel77 said...
an amazing band that I have seen soooo many times. X are an American classic. Nice post. I loved this album when it came out and love the newer live one with Billy Zoom playing. Tony Gilkyson was a great player too. I saw them at San Jose St. with both Gilkyson and Dave Alvin playing guitar, right after Billy had left...how many people are jealous with that one!

Nazz Nomad said...
I was a budding college "journalist" (and I use that term very loosely)when the album came out. I got to go to a press conference with X and we all listened to the album around a big table. It was way cool.

Doug said
I once saw X at the UBC Sub Ballroom.One nasty mosh pit spitter landed a few on Billy Zoom.Initially Billy was going to bop the jerk on the head.Billy then suddenly exited I believe stage right.Oh! Oh! Billy did return in a foul mood but the show was great.

jbull49 said...
My friend had a copy of "Los Angeles" b/c Ray Manzerek was on it/produced it and my friend was rather taken with the Doors at the time. It scared us. A year later, braver, I heard "Wild Gift," bought it, and became obsessed with a lot of the LA scene, led by Exene and John. Dream Syndicate, Green on Red, Blasters, Minutemen, Black Flag . . . all disclosed to me thanks to X's mentoring. How's Exene doing, BTW? I heard she was quite ill (MS?) Thanks for the reminder of their sublimity.Another X memory: finally had something to talk to a rather attractive punk girl I knew thanks to them, as she'd seen X in NYC, walked til dawn the streets of lower Manhattan etc. My vicarious punk period, remembered warmly. Cheers.

Here's another raw live show from the deservedly-lauded Billy Zoom era, specifically February 21 st 1983 in West Hartford.

Live '83 link is in the comments

Speaking of comments, don't forget to add you voice to the X chorus.


SUPPORT THE BAND

Homepage

MySpace

Amazon

iTunes

X: Live at Club 88 (1981)

I X.

Live at Club 88 link is in the comments.

Speaking of comments, if you'd like to hear more X tell us why!


SUPPORT THE BAND

Homepage

MySpace

Amazon

iTunes

X: Live at the Whiskey-A-Go-Go L.P.

I bought X's Under the Big Black Sun for my older brother from Records on Wheels when I was 14. It was an intimidating experience walking down that dark narrow corridor of a room and purchasing a record that I couldn't justify if attacked by the staff (Ask any middle-aged Winnipeg music enthusiast about the belligerence of certain ROW employees, it'll make High Fidelity look all Disney). At home, I absorbed those off-kilter songs while I pored over the album and traced the inky illustrations that flowed across the lyric sheet, never realizing that X were covertly re-introducing me to country music!

To this day, It's hard to say X sounded like anybody. What echoes of others you could hear; Chuck Berry, the Jefferson Airplane, Patti Smith, The Ramones just showed how deeply American this "unheard music" of theirs was. This out-of-print double live L.P. (yup it had more tracks then the also out-of-print CD version), despite being minus rockabilly raver Billy Zoom, recaps the band's career very well.

Speaking of comments, please leave one telling us about your first time hearing X.


SUPPORT THE BAND

Homepage

MySpace

Amazon

iTunes

V.A. Nobody Sings Dylan Like Dylan Volume Fourteen

A mostly acoustic set, that includes more acts of middling interest for this blogger but hopefully that feeling will not be shared, especially when we've got Nick Drake, Todd Snider, Bruce Springsteen and Gillian Welch, amongst others, to keep things humming along


Dave Rawlings Machine (with Gillian Welch) - Wicked Messenger

01 I Don’t Want To Do It – George Harrison (Demo, 1970)
02 Tomorrow is a Long Time – Nick Drake (Tanworth-in-Arden, 1967-1968)
03 Blowin’ in the Wind – Bruce Springsteen (Jun 18, 1988, Anti-Racism Festival, Chateau De Vincennes, Paris, France)
04 My Back Pages – Todd Sheaffer (May 29, 2004, Ronquillo Ranch, Somerset, NJ)
05 All Along the Watchtower – Michael Hedges Feb 1, 1986, Ordway Theater, St. Paul, MN)
06 It Ain’t Me Babe – Lucy Kaplansky (Mar 30, 2002, Stone Soup, Pawtucket, RI)
07 Mama You’ve Been on My Mind – Peter Mulvey (Dec 10, 2004, College Coffeehouse, Fairbanks, AK)
08 You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go – Lori McKenna (Apr 18, 2003, Iron Horse, Northampton, MA)
09 Girl From the North Country – Bill Morrissey (Apr 9, 1992, WERS-FM, Boston, MA)
10 Don’t Think Twice – Of a Revolution aka O.A.R. (Apr 9, 2004, The Pageant, St. Louis, MO)
11 Boots of Spanish Leather – Black Crowes (Sep 17, 2005, Dodge Theater, Phoenix, AZ)
12 Wicked Messenger – David Rawlings Machine with Gillian Welch (Aug 30, 2006, Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar, Charlottesville, VA)
13 Cross the Green Mountain – Bob Walkenhorst (Feb 9, 2005, Molloy’s Irish Pub, Kansas City, MO)
14 I Shall Be Released – Warren Haynes (Jun 26, 1997, Atomic Studios, Clinton,NJ)
15 Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door – Todd Snider (Apr 15, 2005, Writer’s Room, Key West, FL)
16 Mr. Tambourine Man – The Byrds (Nov 7, 1970, Clark Memorial Gymnasium, Rochester, NY)
17 Simple Twist of Fate – Jerry Garcia and John Kahn (Jun 26, 1982, Warner Theatre, Washington DC)
18 Desolation Row – Chris Smither (Nov 2, 2002, Off Broadway, St. Louis, MO)

Nobody Sings Dylan Like Dylan V. 14 link is in the comments.

Speaking of comments, don't forget to leave some words about these volumes.

Thanks to Jeffs98119 for compiling these and obatik for the images.

• For V.'s 1-13 of Nobody Sings Dylan Like Dylan go here
  

• For slugline's impressive spreadsheet of the whole series go here

• For stewART's excellent alternate cover art go here

Spunkstains (1977-1979) : Volume Thirteen

One of a fifteen-volume bootleg series from the early aughts full of raw punk noise from the likes of: Billy Idol's Generation X, Robyn Hitchock's The Soft Boys, Shane McGowan's The Nips, and Patty Palladin & Judy Nylon's Snatch.

Spunkstains Volume Thirteen link is in the comments

This little swill bucket of joy appears to be glitch-free...

Speaking of comments, is this the best Spunkstains so far?

The Mods: If You Gotta Go, Go Now...(1980)

Even irregular MRML visitors know that Dylan and punk rock are the twin engines of this blog. Hence, when I can engage both obsessions - things go zoom! So that brings us to late seventies UK band The Mods who played a revved-up mod-punk/power-pop hybrid including an organ and hand-clap powered version on the too-rarely covered Dylan outtake, "If You Gotta Go, Go Now (Or Else You Gotta Stay All Night)". It's a rock-solid version but one so obscure it isn't even listed in the exhaustive Dylan Covers DataBase!


The Mods - If You Gotta Go, Go Now (Or Else You Gotta Stay All Night)

As with many of their fellow late seventies UK bands, The Mods learned a bit about what it was from The Jam. However, The Mods' seemed willing to pinch from a a greater array of sixties icon then Mr. Weller & co, who had really honed in on the The Who, The Kinks and The Small Faces.


The Mods - This is What it's All About


To download this wonderful piece of obscurica, go visit my friend Razor over at his great blog Short Sharp Kick in the Teeth.

Don't forget to leave a comment over there; being an archivist can be a thankless task.

The Bangles: Rarities 1981-1989 (plus this week's TOP TEN!)

For this week's top ten, please come visit The Big Takeover!

This one's for Mrs. CallPastorJerkface



Unlike The Go-Go's, The Bangles earliest phase got put on tape. The Bangles association with the other bands of L.A.'s so-called Paisley Underground (named for it's open fetishization of sixties-ness in defiance of punk's "never trust a hippy" doctrine) is fully justified by the swirling vocals and ringing guitars on these early tracks. This boot compiles up their first indie single from 1981 on Downkiddie Records, their debut e.p. from 1982 on Faulty Products and a few stray, uncollected B-Sides from later on.

Rarities 1981-1989 link is in the comments

Speaking of comments, tell us what you think of the early Bangles material


SUPPORT THE BAND!

Homepage


MySpace


Amazon


iTunes

Battle of the Comebacks: Bangles vs. Go-Go's

As the aughts dawned, both The Go-Go's (2001) and The Bangles (2003) hit the comeback trails, each with a famous man in tow.

The Go-Go's were first off with a roaring single (from the kinda flat album, "God Bless...") called "Unforgiven", which they wrote (and recorded) with Green Day leader Billie Joe Armstrong:

Not long after, The Bangles re-emerged with a rockin' cover of a (then) brand-new Elvis Costello track, called, rather awkwardly, "Tear Off Your Own Head (It's a Doll Revolution). While not the single (that was reserved for the more radio-ready ballad "Something That You Said") it was the title track of the album, the lead-off song and the one they debuted on this ABC TV show.

Weigh in with a comment MRML readers, who had the better comeback track - The Go-Go's or The Bangles?

The Bangles: Concert for MS (1986)

Y'know The Bangles hits (other that crap pap of the Dianne Warren-penned "Eternal Flame") lit up the radio in a pretty dark era and besides writing strong originals, they also showed pretty discerning taste in covers - Kimberly Rew, Prince, Alex Chilton and Paul Simon.

Concert for MS link is in the comments

Speaking of comments, give us your take on The Bangles and their songs.


SUPPORT THE BAND!

Homepage


MySpace


Amazon


iTunes

The Go-Go's: The Whole World Lost it's Head E.P.

"Beyond the Valley of the Go-Go's", the 1994 double Go-Go's anthology was a glorious mess that included, amongst the big hits, the rough early material and the witty liner notes, one of the best songs the band ever wrote, "The Whole World Lost it's Head" This here's the CD single with some otherwise-unreleased live versions of "Our Lips Are Sealed:, "Automatic" and "Lust To Love".

The Whole World Lost it's Head? E.P. link is in the comments

Speaking of comments, what do you make of this comeback attempt?

SUPPORT THE BAND!

Hompage


Amazon


MySpace


iTunes

V.A. Nobody Sings Dylan Like Dylan Volume Thirteen

This thirty-one volume series features artists covering Bob Dylan songs. All of the tracks are recordings of independent origin (ROIO) and hence officially unreleased.

Dive on in, there's the usual array of things your not-so-humble caretaker admires (Billy Bragg, Richard Thompson, Bruce Springsteen {a.k.a. Dr. Zoom}, and eighties L.A. cow-punk supergroup, Danny & Dusty) with only a bit of Jack Johnson to be removed before your hard drive hits critical levels of mellowness. It's worth repeating that this series does an excellent job highlighting more recent artists without neglecting the past.

01 Watching The River Flow – Steve Wynn
02 The Times They Are A-Changin’ – The Williams Brothers
03 Everything Is Broken – Will T. Massey
04 Pledging My Time – Russ Tolman
05 Just Like A Woman – Ronee Blakley
06 You’re A Big Girl Now – Dave Alvin
07 Girl From The North Country – George Gerdes
08 Tonight I’ll Be Staying here With You – Rosie Flores
NO MERCI (From the NSD Archives):
09 Last Thoughts on Woody Guthrie – Jack Johnson (Feb 11, 2002, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA)
10 Love Sick – White Stripes (Jun 9, 2002, Commodore Ballroom Vancouver, BC)
11 Up To Me – Roger McGuinn (Sep 14, 1976, WLIR Living Room, Glen Cove, NY)
12 Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door – Danny and Dusty (May 19, 1985, Club Lingerie, Los Angeles, CA)
13 Oxford Town – Tim O’Brien (Mar 27, 2002, Canopy Club, Urbana, IL)
14 Don’t Think Twice – Billy Bragg (Oct 1, 2006, The Triple Door, Seattle, WA)
15 Mama You’ve Been on My Mind – Jeff Buckley (Oct 11, 1992, WFMU, Orange, NJ)
16 Not Dark Yet – Mercury Rev (Apr 1, 2000, Zenith Cinerama, Tel Aviv, Israel)
17 Hard Times in New York – Cat Power (Jul 20, 2000, BBC Studio, London)
18 Medley: Tears of Rage/ Desolation Row/ Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues/It Takes a Lot to Laugh – Richard Thompson (Mar 4, 1992, Bottom Line, New York, NY)
19 I Wanna Be Your Lover – Blue Aeroplanes (Jul 3, 1993, Roskilde Festival, Denmark)
20 It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry – Dr. Zoom and the Sonic Boom (May 15, 1971, Newark State University, Union, NJ)

Nobody Sings Dylan Like Dylan Thirteen link is in the comments.

Speaking of comments, don't forget to leave some words about these volumes.

Thanks to Jeffs98119 for compiling these and obatik for the images.

• For V.'s 1-12 of Nobody Sings Dylan Like Dylan go here
  

• For slugline's impressive spreadsheet of the whole series go here

• For stewART's excellent alternate cover art go here

Spunkstains (1977-1979) : Volume Twelve

One of a fifteen-volume bootleg series from the early aughts full of raw punk noise from the likes of: The Rowdies, The Valves, Crisis and Martin & The Brownshirts.

Spunkstains Volume Twelve link is in the comments

This little swill bucket of joy's glitch is that it's missing tracks 15. Anyone?

Speaking of comments, whaddya make of this load of Spunkstains?

The Go-Go's: Punk Tarts (1979)

While I always wish this early version of The Go-Go's had made it into a proper studio, I'll take the pop albums over the raw stuff (which is not usually where I stake my claim). Nevertheless, this live show from 1979 says a lot about the the band came from.

Punk Tarts link is in the comments

Speaking of comments, whaddya make of the more punk version of the Go-Go's?

SUPPORT THE BAND!

Hompage


Amazon


MySpace


iTunes

The Go-Go's: Cherry Hills '81 (Plus this week's TOP TEN!)

For this week's top ten, please come visit The Big Takeover!

At first blush I did not love The Go-Go's, as I disdained much of pop radio by the early 80's. It to years for me to hone in on the great paisley-power-pop records these women made. Sure they were the "first all-female band that both wrote their own songs and played their own instruments to top the Billboard album charts" but more importantly those songs cooked.

Cherry Hills '81 link is in the comments

Speaking of comments, if you want to hear more Go-Go's tell us why!

SUPPORT THE BAND!

Hompage


Amazon


MySpace


iTunes

The Expressos: Promises and Ties (1979)

The Expressos (Rozzi vocals - Mick Toldi guitars - Nicholas Pyall guitars, keyboards - Milan Lekavica drums - Johnny Christo bass) used the New Wave Girl Group shtick so successfully employed by Blondie but never sounded derivative.

In fact, both the song-writing and the playing on Promises and Ties, on tracks like “Tango in Mono” and “My Yesterday”, equal a lot of Blondie’s late 70’s peak. The Byrds influence on “There She Goes” and “Promises and Ties” rings true and the spectre of Spector haunts it all. The album is without any weak spots and it's unfathomable how it (along with the contemporaneous Keys album) does not have a cult following and lavish re-issue. One day…

Promises and Ties link is in the comments

Speaking of comments, please don't let this unheralded masterstroke appear here without leaving some words behind to celebrate its existence!

MySpace

Also see Vinyl Goldmine for some unreleased Expressos tracks!

Richard adds...
Miki from the Expressos is currently very ill with a brain tumour. Please send your prayers and thoughts to Mik and his family

Blondie: Hammersmith Odeon, 1980

More Blondie!

Live at the Hammersmith Odeon link is in the comments

Speaking of comments, don't forget to leave some Blondie talk behind.


Support the band


Home page

MySpace

Amazon

iTunes

V.A. Nobody Sings Dylan Like Dylan Volume Twelve

This thirty-one volume series features artists covering Bob Dylan songs. All of the tracks are recordings of independent origin (ROIO) and hence officially unreleased.

Another slew of good names here like Lone Justice, John Lagnford (of the Mekons), Cat Power, Buddy & Julie Miller, Robyn Hitchcock, Bruce Springsteen, Cowboy Junkies, as well as, unfortunately (well for the well-worn biases of this author anyway), more Grateful Dead and more Black Crowes.

01 It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue – Grateful Dead (Apr 14, 1984, Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, VA)
02 Go ‘Way Little Boy – Lone Justice (Jan 25, 1985, The Stone, San Francisco, CA)
03 Wanted Man – Jon Langford (Mar 19, 2004, Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago, IL)
04 Mississippi – Donna the Buffalo (Sep 18, 2004, Neighborhood Theatre, Charlotte NC)
05 Blind Willie McTell – Tom Russell and Barrence Whitfield (Jan 25, 1995, Johnny D’s, Somerville, MA)
06 Senor (Tales of Yankee Power) – Calexico (Dec 8, 2006, Fillmore West, San Francisco, CA)
07 Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues – Robyn Hitchcock and the Minus 5 (Jul 10, 2006, Dingwalls, London)
08 Most Likely You Go Your Way and I Go Mine – Black Crowes (Oct 25, 2005, The Fillmore, Denver CO)
09 License to Kill – The Waterboys (Feb 19 1984, Batschkapp Club, Frankfurt, Germany)
10 Chimes of Freedom – McGuinn, Hillman and Clark (Sep 9, 1979, Calderone Theater, Long Island, NY)
11 Buckets of Rain – Phil Lesh and Friends with Joan Osborne (Feb 12, 2006, Beacon Theater, New York, NY)
12 Spanish Harlem Incident – Yonder Mountain String Band (Oct 6, 2005, Showbox, Seattle, WA)
13 Wallflower – Buddy and Julie Miller (May 28, 2000, Camp Mather, Yosemite, CA)
14 Paths of Victory – Cat Power (May 14, 1999, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA)
15 Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands – The Walkabouts (Jan 19, 2001, Experience Music Project, Seattle, WA)
16 Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door – Bruce Springsteen and Wolfgang Niedecken (Jul 9, 1995 Cafe Eckstein, Berlin, Germany)
17 If You Gotta Go, Go Now – Cowboy Junkies (Apr 30, 1989, Berklee Performance Center, Boston, MA)

Nobody Sings Dylan Like Dylan Twelve link is in the comments.

Speaking of comments, don't forget to leave some words about these volumes.

Thanks to Jeffs98119 for compiling these and obatik for the images.

• For slugline's impressive spreadsheet of the whole series go here

• For stewART's excellent alternate cover art go here