The Stones set list I saw for a fundraiser in Brooklyn showed only the two new songs as anything from the last 30 years.  Everything else (even if it wasn't that oddball except for I Wanna Be Your Man) was from Start Me Up and before but mostly concentrating on the Jimmy Miller years plus major hits from 1965-1967.  I laughed at an interview that promised the Her Satanic Majesty's Request album in its entirety but that goes to show that really do think about their past more than the Who really do.  It seems like Townshend only wants to talk about works he saw as triumphs after a lot of adversity.  He won't joke about Dogs.
 
John Battles said:

You're probably right. I just don't think The Who presented themselves with too many challenges these past 30 years , as far as throwing oddball songs into their set , the way The Stones have.

Rockin Rod Strychnine said:

I think it may have been part of their set in the UK for a short while but probably wasn't here.

John Battles said:

Think you've got something there with that medley idea , Rockin' Rod. "Call Me Lightning" ALWAYS GOT SWEPT UNDER THE RUG , even tho' it was a lesser US hit. I doubt it was ever in their live set , but , WHO NOSE , I MEAN , KNOWS?

You're probably right. I just don't think The Who presented themselves with too many challenges these past 30 years , as far as throwing oddball songs into their set , the way The Stones have.

Rockin Rod Strychnine said:

I think it may have been part of their set in the UK for a short while but probably wasn't here.

John Battles said:

Think you've got something there with that medley idea , Rockin' Rod. "Call Me Lightning" ALWAYS GOT SWEPT UNDER THE RUG , even tho' it was a lesser US hit. I doubt it was ever in their live set , but , WHO NOSE , I MEAN , KNOWS?

.....And that's saying nothing about "Had Enough" on "Who Are You".

John Battles said:

You're welcome , Dave. "Violence Girl" it's called . There was a thread that Lee Joseph put together , I believe , some time back , about the release party for teh book in LA.

 I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY WELL WRITTEN , BUT AS A FLY ON THE WALL , FOLLOWING THE PROTAGONIST'S DAY TO DAY LIFE , WHICH IS SOMETIMES A REAL KICK , AND SOMETIMES LIKE ....WELL , OUR REAL LIVES. HA HA HA. NO , WE ALL HAVE GOODSTORIES. Each paragraph is short , then you jump ahead a day , a month , years. Alice , much to her credit , lays it on the line about relationships , bandmates , an abusive Father , and , well , just being a Punk , and Latina , in LA at the time.  In no way does she convey that she feels sorry for herself.......I especially like "Sell Out" , "A Quick One'' and "My Generation". BUT , THEY HAD GOOD SONGS SPREAD OUT , EVEN INTO THEIR DECLINE. IT'S SOMEWHAT IRONIC THAT THE TWO BEST AND MOST WHO - LIKE SONGS ON "FACE DANCES" WERE WRITTEN BY ENTWISTLE.

You're welcome , Dave. "Violence Girl" it's called . There was a thread that Lee Joseph put together , I believe , some time back , about the release party for teh book in LA.

 I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY WELL WRITTEN , BUT AS A FLY ON THE WALL , FOLLOWING THE PROTAGONIST'S DAY TO DAY LIFE , WHICH IS SOMETIMES A REAL KICK , AND SOMETIMES LIKE ....WELL , OUR REAL LIVES. HA HA HA. NO , WE ALL HAVE GOODSTORIES. Each paragraph is short , then you jump ahead a day , a month , years. Alice , much to her credit , lays it on the line about relationships , bandmates , an abusive Father , and , well , just being a Punk , and Latina , in LA at the time.  In no way does she convey that she feels sorry for herself.......I especially like "Sell Out" , "A Quick One'' and "My Generation". BUT , THEY HAD GOOD SONGS SPREAD OUT , EVEN INTO THEIR DECLINE. IT'S SOMEWHAT IRONIC THAT THE TWO BEST AND MOST WHO - LIKE SONGS ON "FACE DANCES" WERE WRITTEN BY ENTWISTLE.

Thanks for that Alice Bag tip, didn't even know it existed!

As for Who material, the concept stuff is genius, but only gets played by me about once a year. The gold for me is, well, the MeatyBeaty stuff basically, plus the R&B stuff and odd bits like Silas Stingy (love Baroque Pop). And of course Quadrophenia is too cool, but Tommy put me off even as a kid.

John Battles said:

No , I have'nt. Heard it was good. i read about 100 pages of Keef'S BOOK , LOST IT , THEN , ONLY RECENTLY FOUND ANOTHER COPY. I'm not good with 400 page books. Took months to get thru Alice Bag's book , and it's very good.            

No to forget the "Thorns and their I want you" http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=kqs_bbwOZf4&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dkqs_bbwOZf4

The Knaves' "Leave Me Alone" was kind of atypical of their repertoirre , but , everything on that Sundazed 10" is good. Those guys came out of the Folk SCENE THAT WAS GOING ON IN Old Town , in Chicago (Once the heart of the counterculture. NOT NO DAMNED MORE!) . THE INFAMOUS STORY GOES THAT THE SINGER SANG "LEAVE ME ALONE " (WHICH ALREADY SOUNDS LIKE HE HAD HIS MIDDLE FINGER OUT FOR THE DURATION.)LIVE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS , BY CHANGING THE LINE"Why don't you choke yourself and leave me alone !" to "Why don't you FUCK yourself...".  Enough people who lived here , then , have confirmed this. One of my friends even saw him do an acoustic version in the early 70's , "F -Bomb" intact.

The other story goes that a High Schooler in Chicago was having an affair with a Teacher , and the Vice Principal found out , and was giving him Hell about it.....So , he decides to off the Vice Principal. The story goes that he bought a gun and a round of ammunition , and played "Leave Me Alone" over and over at a local teen hangout , while planning the kill , when he was apprehended by The Police. That story may or may not be true. bOTH STORIES WERE IN kICKS , BUT , SOME OF MY OLDER FRIENDS HAD HEARD THE LATTER TALE , ALSO. I met The Knaves' former Drummer a few years back. He also had an acoustic - based ,but angry , group called Yama and The Karma Dusters. i did'nt get a chance to ask if those stories were true.
b.kult said:

Hi,

For me there's nothing like "the aztex - said move", this was THIS 1st song who brought me down to find how many bands like them did have that sound, that powerfull feeling you get when you spin that record on and on, because it never cease to amaze you :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeUrVRpzoJA

Second, also maybe from the BFTG era, comes "just too much - she gaves me time", raunchy wild tune i can't stop still listening :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fj7LQDkAFXs

And recently, a more R&B one I just found AMAZING, from 1969, is that tune from "32nd turn off - used to be a tiger" :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zh7hwlWf2II

and last one, i promise, recently bought that Knave's LP repro from Sundazed, "the knaves - leave me alone", RAUNCHY tune ! :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDCXWsOCw6U

well, that's just my thoughts

http://paradiseofgaragecomps.blogspot.it/2012/09/older-posts-reupload.html Some of the links (all from 2009) don't work anymore, but most of them are still accessible...

I wouldn't call Duane Eddy country twang.....big bottom end guitar yes but not country twang.

The ones you mention are great. Louvin Brothers, great harmonies. All the artists you mention I love on vinyl. Play them alot. Junior Brown heck yeah. I love his "Guit-Steel Blues" song. Amazingly twangy.

Wayward mentioned Lefty. Gotta have Lefty.

Glad I found this thread. Hoping to meet others who love the ol twang of country.

Big fan of Sabbath here too. Love Kyuss, Overkill, Testament, Flotsam & Jetsom........witchfinder.......hell I could have just said "ditto"

Alex said:

This guy.  Big fan of the Sabbath, of course.  I also dig Saint Vitus (saw them live last year, and they put on quite a show), Kyuss, Sleep, The Sword, Buzzoven, Electric Wizard, Graveyard, Harvey Milk, Melvins, Monster Magnet, Orange Goblin, Pagan Altar, Red Fang, Witchfinder General, and Whores (more recent, album was produced by someone from Harvey Milk).

In a little more of a punk direction (and probably more appropriate for this website), I really like Lecherous Gaze (definitely a heavy Black Flag influence) and Witch (J. Masics plays drums in this punk/metal group).

Found this today:

"Think of a world where ART is the only motivation."
Rob Tyner , Liner notes , "High Time". 
dave said:

The music Business doesn't particulary like anything to be desperately dangerous. Popular taste is, ultimately, very conventional. And if you don't slot into that category, then you will find it fairly hard to survive in the music business.

- Geoffrey Haslam, producer, the MC5's High Time

YEAH. I know a lot of people don't like that song , but it's as much a descendant of "Louie Louie" as any of 'em. Plus , "?" DROPPED THE NAME "CHERIE" IN THE STILL - UNRELEASED SONG "( Let's Have a ) Party" , which has been in the band's set for more than 15 years.

THEIR NEW STUDIO ALBUM IS STILL SUPPOSED TO BE ON IT'S WAY......LET'S HOPE.

Oh, I know it's both real and tongue-in-cheek, but, like ya said, "the sheer hilariousness of such a statement is a reflection of a Rock ego". Who else would remake Suicide's 'Cheree' and make it sound as good?

YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND , This is Question Mark talking......Question Mark wrote the book on attitude , and Iggy read it until it was dog - eared. I think "?" admires Iggy , but , the sheer hilariousness of such a statement is a reflection of a Rock ego , comparable to Little Richard or Jerry Lee Lewis , that's part and parcel of the all - around entertainer. You have to love it.

Iggy. Ain't. Got. No. Attitude. Does-not-compute. Bzzzzt [reset]

Little Steven is a good cat. I met him , he was very down to earth. He did'nt even want to talk about "The Sopranos" , he wanted my opinion as to why The Creation were'nt huge. I'm no Springsteen fan , and would have written him off as a square , too , but the reason he got into this Garage thing was , Richard and The Young Lions invited him to see them at The Cavestomp in 2000 , as they were friends from back when Steve WAS in Garage bands in New Jersey. He later stated that he did'nt know there was a "Scene" for this stuff , and it turned his head around to find that there was one.

MikeL said:

Thanks for being you;)



brotherkyle said:

Johnny DumAss said:

One thing is for sure is that when I found out about Little Steven liking Garage music it was weird. I mean the Boss guitarist actually could possibly be kinda cool? No Way! I don't particularly like his music at all but whatever. I do wish they would make a movie about the Sonics or some band like that. Then they would have to deal with all the copyrights and stuff this way they can make all the money and who knows if they get a half ass popular song then they make even more.

A movie about the Sonics would be bad ass.

Little Steven is a square.

OK , YOU'VE KIND OF LOST ME , AND YET , I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU MEAN TO SAY. I'VE ALWAYS BEEN TOLD , BY ENGLISH PEOPLE , THAT PEOPLE THAT FAR NORTH , BLACK COUNTRY INCLUDED , WERE GEORDIES.  
IF (AND WHEN) THAT WAS A GENERALIZATION , IT WAS'NT MEANT AS ONE.

TO FURTHER GENERALIZE : YOU'RE LUCKY IF YOU MEET AN AMERICAN THAT EVEN KNOWS NORTHERNERS AND SOUTHERNERS  IN ENGLAND HAVE DIFFERENT ACCENTS , AND BOTH DIFFER FROM LONDONERS. THAT'S ME GENERALIZING ABOUT MY COUNTRYMEN , BUT , IT'S TRUE , UNLESS YOU'VE TRAVELLED BRITAIN , TIP TO TOE (MAYBE AUSTIN VINCE WILL LET ME DO A GUEST SPOT AS THE "OUT OF IT AMERICAN TOURIST"ON ONE OF HIS ROAD TRIP SHOWS !) , YOU WOULD'NT BE AWARE OF THAT. OF COURSE , IT'S THAT WAY , HERE , TOO , BUT , I THINK WE THINK OF OUR COUNTRY AS HAVING HALF A DOZEN ACCENTS , INSTEAD OF GOD KNOWS HOW MANY.....

SO , IS "BOSTIN'" A VARIATION OF BIRMINGHAMSPEAK , THEN ? IT'S AN INNOCENT QUESTION , I REALLY DON'T KNOW. I ONLY KNEW THAT EXPRESSION FROM THE (UK) FUZZBOX LP. AND , "MOXIE" ? IS THAT AN ABBREVIATION FOR A WELL KNOWN TOWN?

IN THE US , MOXIE MEANS BALLS , AND /OR A BRAND OF SODA THAT I THINK IS STILL MADE IN VERY LIMITED QUANTITIES.
Mark George Harrison said:

Bloody hell JB! you can't call someone from the 'black country' a geordie! Both as difficult to understand but a lot different. If you watch an old episode of 'auf wiedersen pet' to hear geordies (os, Dennis and Neville) and Barry (a brummie) you also get a scouser in Moxie and a 'cockney' in Wayne. A nice little mix of English dialects with a bit of German thrown in as well! 'Barry' (Timothy Spall) is actually a cockney in real life but his accent is really good, in fact its 'Bostin" as they say in Brum!

John Battles said:

Mark George , I almost forgot about the "Buddy Holly "album that turns out to be Richie Valens  !!!! THAT'S ALL KINDS OF WRONG . Maybe they could'nt get permission to actually use a Buddy Holly NUMBER (EXCEPT FOR A TITLE) , AND RINGO'S FORMER BANDMATE WAS A FEW YEARS AWAY FROM OWNING HOLLY'S BACK CATALOGUE. In any case , why not just show the record , but not play it , or say "Hey , This is the Richie Valens record I waited for."

It's not Rocket Surgery. I REMEMBER READING SOME REVIEWS OF "SLADE in "FLAME" " , complaining that it was'nt the latter day " Hard Day's Night" fans expected....But , maybe , it's that it WAS'NT what anyone had a right to expect that makes it a better film , today.

I just say , to anyone who's never seen it , look at it with an open mind. They were exposing their distaste with an industry that had opened so many doors for them , but , now, was showing them the door. They kept making good records. I'm not saying they were remarkably consistent , but their early 80's "All guns blazing" comeback with Reading , "Slade on Stage " , "We'll Bring The House Down" , etc., took no prisoners , I don't think even their hardcore fans saw it coming. They almost became stars in America soon after, too , with "Run , Run Away" , but were'nt able to tour, in earnest , to capitalize on it's success. Rather, they refused to , Jimmy Lea , I think , was in a car crash , and they refused to tour, with a stand -in ,  until he recovered. 

I think the movie flopped in America , not because Slade were unknown. I knew 'em , and I was 10 or 11 years old , but , they did have a limited audience , and they fought harder than Bolan or Sweet to get ahold of a US following and KEEP it. It flopped because we don't speak Geordie ! Of course , today , Viz comics have proven a great boon to me in that department.
Mark George Harrison said:

never seen the Roky film, shall have a look for it.

Stardust is ok for its time, took me a while to realise Ringo had been replaced with Adam Faith, with a limp from when he got beaten up in TBTD!

My favourite bit in TBTD is when David Essex picks up a Buddy Holly album and says he's waited ages to play it, puts it on the dansette and Richie Valens starts crooning Donna!

Slade in Fame was dark as you say JB, I remember it coming out at the time and Slade fans were really disappointed because it wasn't what they expected, it is as you say really well acted, might have a look on Amazon for a copy.

John Battles said:

The Stray Cats in "That'll Be The Day" was a fictional band built around Dave Edmunds. I know you knew that , but , it reads like you were referring to  the well known band of that name (SADLY , The Rockabilly Revival  pretty much began and ended in America with them .). I've never seen "Stardust " , though. "The Stray Cats " were credited on the soundtrack.

Setzer claims it was a coincidence that his future producer's movie band had the same name as his real - life band. If you liked that band, though , you'll love Nilsson's pub band in "Son of Dracula "- Moon , Bonham , Frampton and Entwistle or Voorman , I forget , they all go by so fast , except Keith , who gets , like , a minute - long drum solo.

You know , I've only watched "Slade in Flame", once. I was surprised that they could really ACT. It's got a very dark tone for a good - timey band like Slade , though they were about to enter their own Dark Ages. They were getting heavily into not - so heavy tunes , but , the soundtrack holds up well. You've got to love Noddy's Screaming Lord Sutch parody , too.

There was serious talk of a biopic on Roky , several years ago , but , it never came about. Perhaps it will , someday.....

It's true , if they really told his story , a lot of people would'nt believe it.

Roky's Son , Jegar , did a very good short film , in which he portrays his Dad. Even though he favors his Mom , Dana , he went to great lengths to make himself look uncannily like Roky.

Bloody hell JB! you can't call someone from the 'black country' a geordie! Both as difficult to understand but a lot different. If you watch an old episode of 'auf wiedersen pet' to hear geordies (os, Dennis and Neville) and Barry (a brummie) you also get a scouser in Moxie and a 'cockney' in Wayne. A nice little mix of English dialects with a bit of German thrown in as well! 'Barry' (Timothy Spall) is actually a cockney in real life but his accent is really good, in fact its 'Bostin" as they say in Brum!

John Battles said:

Mark George , I almost forgot about the "Buddy Holly "album that turns out to be Richie Valens  !!!! THAT'S ALL KINDS OF WRONG . Maybe they could'nt get permission to actually use a Buddy Holly NUMBER (EXCEPT FOR A TITLE) , AND RINGO'S FORMER BANDMATE WAS A FEW YEARS AWAY FROM OWNING HOLLY'S BACK CATALOGUE. In any case , why not just show the record , but not play it , or say "Hey , This is the Richie Valens record I waited for."

It's not Rocket Surgery. I REMEMBER READING SOME REVIEWS OF "SLADE in "FLAME" " , complaining that it was'nt the latter day " Hard Day's Night" fans expected....But , maybe , it's that it WAS'NT what anyone had a right to expect that makes it a better film , today.

I just say , to anyone who's never seen it , look at it with an open mind. They were exposing their distaste with an industry that had opened so many doors for them , but , now, was showing them the door. They kept making good records. I'm not saying they were remarkably consistent , but their early 80's "All guns blazing" comeback with Reading , "Slade on Stage " , "We'll Bring The House Down" , etc., took no prisoners , I don't think even their hardcore fans saw it coming. They almost became stars in America soon after, too , with "Run , Run Away" , but were'nt able to tour, in earnest , to capitalize on it's success. Rather, they refused to , Jimmy Lea , I think , was in a car crash , and they refused to tour, with a stand -in ,  until he recovered. 

I think the movie flopped in America , not because Slade were unknown. I knew 'em , and I was 10 or 11 years old , but , they did have a limited audience , and they fought harder than Bolan or Sweet to get ahold of a US following and KEEP it. It flopped because we don't speak Geordie ! Of course , today , Viz comics have proven a great boon to me in that department.
Mark George Harrison said:

never seen the Roky film, shall have a look for it.

Stardust is ok for its time, took me a while to realise Ringo had been replaced with Adam Faith, with a limp from when he got beaten up in TBTD!

My favourite bit in TBTD is when David Essex picks up a Buddy Holly album and says he's waited ages to play it, puts it on the dansette and Richie Valens starts crooning Donna!

Slade in Fame was dark as you say JB, I remember it coming out at the time and Slade fans were really disappointed because it wasn't what they expected, it is as you say really well acted, might have a look on Amazon for a copy.

John Battles said:

The Stray Cats in "That'll Be The Day" was a fictional band built around Dave Edmunds. I know you knew that , but , it reads like you were referring to  the well known band of that name (SADLY , The Rockabilly Revival  pretty much began and ended in America with them .). I've never seen "Stardust " , though. "The Stray Cats " were credited on the soundtrack.

Setzer claims it was a coincidence that his future producer's movie band had the same name as his real - life band. If you liked that band, though , you'll love Nilsson's pub band in "Son of Dracula "- Moon , Bonham , Frampton and Entwistle or Voorman , I forget , they all go by so fast , except Keith , who gets , like , a minute - long drum solo.

You know , I've only watched "Slade in Flame", once. I was surprised that they could really ACT. It's got a very dark tone for a good - timey band like Slade , though they were about to enter their own Dark Ages. They were getting heavily into not - so heavy tunes , but , the soundtrack holds up well. You've got to love Noddy's Screaming Lord Sutch parody , too.

There was serious talk of a biopic on Roky , several years ago , but , it never came about. Perhaps it will , someday.....

It's true , if they really told his story , a lot of people would'nt believe it.

Roky's Son , Jegar , did a very good short film , in which he portrays his Dad. Even though he favors his Mom , Dana , he went to great lengths to make himself look uncannily like Roky.

NOTHING dorky about making a list. I wish I couldthink of that many new albums I liked .

The Subsonics have a new one ? That's news to me. Seems I read it was in the works , a few months back.For that mattter, I did'nt know Tiger ! Tiger! (Buffi Aguerro's other band.) had ANYTHING out.
 
swt said:

I was a little disappointed with the new Oh Sees. I saw them live for the first time this year (on a bill with The Gories and Kid Congo Powers) and liked them a lot. But Putrifiers has too many slow ones for my tastes. I like Carrion Crawler/The Dream better.

Ty Segall was great on Letterman a few weeks ago:

 

 

I'm working on my own list for the paper. Will post it here when I'm done.

Alison said:

I'll be a dork and make a list:

1.  Ty Segall - Twins

2.  King Tuff - S/T

3.  Boomgates - Double Natural

4.  JC Satan - Faraway Land

5.  Ty Segall - Slaughterhouse

6.  Tiger! Tiger! - Cut Them Where They Bleed

7.  Digital Leather - Modern Problems

8.  Thee Oh Sees  - Putrifiers II

9.  Mind Spiders - Meltdown

10.  Ty Segall & White Fence - Hair

11.  Radar Eyes - S/T

12.  Subsonics - In the Black Spot

13.  Liminanas - Crystal Anis

14.  OBN IIIs. - S/T

15.  UV Race - Racism

2012 is the year of Ty Segall!! Best label: In the Red. Best State: California.  Best Country: Australia.  Best Videos: King Tuff.  Best Cover Album: The Velvet Underground & Nico by Castle Face and Friends. Best Blog: Get Bent!.  Worst Break Up: Bare Wires.  Most Overrated: The Men - Open Your Heart Lp. Biggest Disappointment: Gentleman Jesse - Leaving Atlanta Lp.  Biggest Weirdos: Goat.  Worst news: Norton Records Flood.  Best/Saddest Film: Better Than Something Jay Reatard. Most "punk" band: Pussy Riot.  Best Garage Fashion item: Pork Shop Buttons.  Most Anticipated Album Release: the Oblivians. Best Comic: Neil Hamburger. Best TV: BRGR TV.  Best Radio: Garage Punk Pirate Radio!!!

 

"Noooo-body dooooes it bet-ter..." It's true, can't think of a conventional rock & roll combo who will evarrr top the Cramps live. And it's nice to see a band in an interview who refuses to trash-talk about bands they've played with. A class act.

John Battles said:

THERE WERE DEFINITELY SOME CHANGES MADE IN THE GRUELING FIVE YEARS WE HAD TO WAIT FOR  THE CRAMPS TO PRODUCE A THIRD ALBUM , AND , WHILE I THOUGHT THE "SMELL OF FEMALE" EP CONTAINED SOME OF THEIR BEST MATERIAL TO DATE , I NEVER THOUGHT THAT THE CRAMPS EVER DID A BAD ALBUM .SOME WERE BETTER THAN OTHERS , BUT , "A DATE WITH ELVIS" AND "STAY SICK !", IN PARTICULAR , CARRIED ON IN THE SAME DIRECTION AS BEFORE  , THOUGH  WITH MORE HUMOR AND BETTER PLAYING , IN GENERAL. THE CRAMPS REJECTED THE PSYCHOBILLY MOVEMENT IN ENGLAND , WHO , IN TURN , REJECTED THE CRAMPS.    IT'S TRUE , THEY GOT INTO MORE JACKED - UP ROCKABILLY TEMPOS ON LATER ALBUMS , BUT , I WOULD'NT SAY WHAT THEY CAME UP WITH WAS COMPARABLE TO THE METEORS OR DEMENTED ARE GO , AND DEFINITELY THE MORE METAL - BACKBONED , VIRTUALLY FREE OF 'BILLY INFLUENCE , "PSYCHO" BANDS OUT THERE , NOW.    THE CLOSEST THING TO A BAD ALBUM , I THINK , WAS "LOOK , MOM , NO HEAD !" , AND THAT WAS MAINLY BECAUSE IT WAS OVERPRODUCED , AND THE LATTER DAY VERSION OF THE BAND HAD'NT BEEN GIVEN AMPLE TIME TO REALLY BECOME A BAND. JIM SCLAVUNOS WAS ALREADY GONE BY THE TIME THEY WENT OUT ON TOUR IN SUPPORT OF THE ALBUM. NICKY BEAT , WHO DID THE TOUR , IS A FINE DRUMMER , BUT , HARRY DRUMDINI MADE MORE SENSE AS THE DRUMMER FOR THE CRAMPS.   TO BE FAIR , PEOPLE LIKE NICK , BRYAN , AND KID DID'NT JUST SHOW UP AT THE DECIDEDLY LOW - KEY LUX AND IVY'S DOORSTEP (OK . KID THREW A ROCK IN THEIR WINDOW TO GET THEIR ATTENTION.) , PARTICULARLY NOT AFTER THEY MOVED TO L.A.     BUT , THEIR STRENGTH WAS ALWAYS THEIR LIVE SHOW , AND , AFTER WAITING NINE YEARS TO SEE THEM FOR THE FIRST TIME , I WAS GLAD THAT I STILL HAD MANY MORE CHANCES TO SEE THEM AGAIN. WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE SEEN THE EARLIER VERSIONS OF THE GROUP , BUT ,  THEY ALWAYS MADE AN ASS OF VIRTUALLY ALL THEIR CONTEMPORARIES AS A LIVE ACT.

 
Spencer said:

As much as I love them, I'd argue that the Cramps really took a nosedive after Smell of Female. At least to me, that's where they began to lose their "sound" and started to move closer to a typical psychobilly style.

THERE WERE DEFINITELY SOME CHANGES MADE IN THE GRUELING FIVE YEARS WE HAD TO WAIT FOR  THE CRAMPS TO PRODUCE A THIRD ALBUM , AND , WHILE I THOUGHT THE "SMELL OF FEMALE" EP CONTAINED SOME OF THEIR BEST MATERIAL TO DATE , I NEVER THOUGHT THAT THE CRAMPS EVER DID A BAD ALBUM .SOME WERE BETTER THAN OTHERS , BUT , "A DATE WITH ELVIS" AND "STAY SICK !", IN PARTICULAR , CARRIED ON IN THE SAME DIRECTION AS BEFORE  , THOUGH  WITH MORE HUMOR AND BETTER PLAYING , IN GENERAL. THE CRAMPS REJECTED THE PSYCHOBILLY MOVEMENT IN ENGLAND , WHO , IN TURN , REJECTED THE CRAMPS.    IT'S TRUE , THEY GOT INTO MORE JACKED - UP ROCKABILLY TEMPOS ON LATER ALBUMS , BUT , I WOULD'NT SAY WHAT THEY CAME UP WITH WAS COMPARABLE TO THE METEORS OR DEMENTED ARE GO , AND DEFINITELY THE MORE METAL - BACKBONED , VIRTUALLY FREE OF 'BILLY INFLUENCE , "PSYCHO" BANDS OUT THERE , NOW.    THE CLOSEST THING TO A BAD ALBUM , I THINK , WAS "LOOK , MOM , NO HEAD !" , AND THAT WAS MAINLY BECAUSE IT WAS OVERPRODUCED , AND THE LATTER DAY VERSION OF THE BAND HAD'NT BEEN GIVEN AMPLE TIME TO REALLY BECOME A BAND. JIM SCLAVUNOS WAS ALREADY GONE BY THE TIME THEY WENT OUT ON TOUR IN SUPPORT OF THE ALBUM. NICKY BEAT , WHO DID THE TOUR , IS A FINE DRUMMER , BUT , HARRY DRUMDINI MADE MORE SENSE AS THE DRUMMER FOR THE CRAMPS.   TO BE FAIR , PEOPLE LIKE NICK , BRYAN , AND KID DID'NT JUST SHOW UP AT THE DECIDEDLY LOW - KEY LUX AND IVY'S DOORSTEP (OK . KID THREW A ROCK IN THEIR WINDOW TO GET THEIR ATTENTION.) , PARTICULARLY NOT AFTER THEY MOVED TO L.A.     BUT , THEIR STRENGTH WAS ALWAYS THEIR LIVE SHOW , AND , AFTER WAITING NINE YEARS TO SEE THEM FOR THE FIRST TIME , I WAS GLAD THAT I STILL HAD MANY MORE CHANCES TO SEE THEM AGAIN. WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE SEEN THE EARLIER VERSIONS OF THE GROUP , BUT ,  THEY ALWAYS MADE AN ASS OF VIRTUALLY ALL THEIR CONTEMPORARIES AS A LIVE ACT.

 
Spencer said:

As much as I love them, I'd argue that the Cramps really took a nosedive after Smell of Female. At least to me, that's where they began to lose their "sound" and started to move closer to a typical psychobilly style.

It's one of the better tracks on that comp , and , this is just my opinion , you can take it with a grain of salt , that is'nt saying much. I'm not a fan of Barton's , but I thought their duet of "Starry Eyes" , in a better world , could have been a hit.

The recent "Sonic Cathedral" Roky tribute album had one outstanding track , and it's by ROKY !! I traded my copy back in , already. I mean if you love drum machines and slow - moving covers of your favorite Roky/Elevators songs , this might be for you. I know Sonic Boom is a big fan , but , I only ever had a passing interest in Spacemen 3 , and that was almost 25 years ago.
 
swt said:

My favorite Roky cover is LuAnne Barton's "Don't Slander Me." She's a Texas blues singer who later did a duet with Roky on "Starry Eyes."

Alison said:

Well, I just listened to the R.E.M. version of "I Walked with a Zombie" on youtube for the first time.  I think it sucks, but I rarely enjoy R.E.M. cover songs.  Also, I think derangement should be a prerequisite for singing any Roky song.

It's almost anathema to admit it, but in the early 80s, if you were lookin' for new music, R.E.M woulda been one of the groups you'd listen to. I even saw 'em live (reckoning, not bad, but). Nothing topped the Chronic Town/Murmur sound, but they changed mebbe a li'l bit too fast. I like yr quote that's in here, somewhere, John, from Rev. Horton Heat. After Murmur, everyone wanted to sound like them (if not jangle-y, then the rootsy-ness of Reckoning [ever notice from 84-87 how many folks did the Born In The USA bit? Ugh!])

John Battles said:

To be fair , REM , for me, jumped the shark after their first album. I admit , this is like an intervention , but , I liked the "Chronic Town" EP and the "Murmur " LP , but , that was 30 years ago.....They seemed different when they first came out.
Stipe's unintelligible drone was novel.  For a short time.

 
John Battles said:

That was early REM ? How many millions of albums had they sold when that appeared on the well - intentioned , but vastly disappointing, "When The Pyramid Meets The Eye".?...I guess it was right around that time that REM went from being huge in our eyes , to HUGE in the eyes of the whole goddamn universe , that early 90's turning point for them......I thought it was fair , I guess. I could probably name four or five tracks on that comp that I'd say were very good. I thought ZZ Tops' "Reverberation" was the best , and I have'nt been a ZZ Top fan since the late 70's.
 
IDON MINE said:

What did you all think of REMs version of Roky's "I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE"? I know, it's one of their earlier ones, but you know, it never hurts ta ask.

John Battles said:

Thank You !!!!! I always liked what Jim Heat (Horton Heat) said , "I liked REM , until they became a GENRE".  They were getting carbon - copied by 85 - 85 like Nirvana was by the early '90S.
 
Alison said:

Well thank god R.E.M. finally broke up.... dudes jumped the shark years ago, and now Peter Buck is finally unleashed...