Thursday, December 31, 2009

Stax / Volt Tour - 1967 - Norway


Happy New Year everybody!

Enjoy some truly remarkable performances
from a 1967 show in Norway
featuring
Booker T and The MGs
The Mar-Keys
Arthur Conley
Eddie Floyd
Sam and Dave
Otis Redding

1/6


2/6


3/6


4/6


5/6


6/6


Wednesday, December 30, 2009

The Boys Next Door - 1978 - Melbourne


As a small example and in commemoration of the music
created by Rowland S. Howard (1959-2009) the following clips present
The Boys Next Door.

"Alternative Animals"
Preston Institute of Technology
Melbourne 28 April 1978

Boy Hero • Big Future • Success Story


Roman Roman • Andy Warhol • Friends of My World • Secret Life


Earthling in the Orient • Somebody's Watching





November 1999 Australian ABC tv show - Studio 22
Interviewer Clinton Walker.
Musicians:
Rowland S. Howard - Vocals, guitar
Brian Hooper - Bass
Mick Harvey - Drums
Edward Clayton Jones - Keyboard


Sunday, December 27, 2009

My Ten Favorite Albums of 2009


2009 offered a most happening selection of musical treats in both recorded (mainly cds) and live venues.

It seems fitting, that the same year in which I turned 40, many of my favorite live shows were delivered by long time rockers who refuse to limp away quietly and still have the chops to thrill an audience. Chicago hardcore heroes Naked Raygun played an incredible set this past summer and provided me with a chance to see them for the first time since 1989. The Butthole Surfers reconvened their classic touring lineup as did one time fellow Touch n Go label mates The Jesus Lizard. The JL show at the Paradise in Boston is easily my favorite of 2009. Also got a chance to see the Brazilian Os Mutantes not only touring, but releasing new, vital music. Never thought I'd get an opportunity to see them live, much less have them play right down the street from me in support of an album of entirely new material.

Os Mutantes - Hai or Amortecedor is the first of my favorite 2009 musical releases listed below, but there really isn't any order to the ten...


Os Mutantes - Hai or Amortecedor


The Flaming Lips - Embryonic


Slayer - World Painted Blood


Neko Case - Middle Cyclone


Mastodon - Crack the Skye


Dinosaur Jr- Farm


Air - Love 2


Bebel Gilberto - All In One


Sonic Youth - The Eternal


Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion

Friday, December 18, 2009

What's Happening!! - a Christmas minisode


Rather loosely based on the somewhat more seriously minded 1975 film Cooley High, the television show What's Happening!! presented a family centric sitcom throughout it's run from 1976 to 1979. During it's tv tenure the What's Happening!! crew had more than a few memorable and funny adventures, such as the botched bootlegging escapades at a Doobie Brothers concert.

Presented below is a condensed episode, set during Christmastime. Raj and Rerun deal with the Grinch-like theft of not only their tv and stereo, but also all their Christmas presents!


What's Happening!! - Positive Identification - 1978



Sunday, December 13, 2009

Great Toy Robbery (1963) Christmas cartoon


Recently discovered this rocking Canadian Christmas cartoon from 1963. Animated and scored in a very swinging, early 60s manner, this short incorporated Santa into a wild west theme and is a Christmas treat. Also created by Jeff Hale (as well as Norman McLaren, Gerald Potterton and Grant Munro) in 1963 is the second bonus cartoon - Christmas Cracker.

The Great Toy Robbery


plus
Christmas Cracker


Saturday, December 12, 2009

Donny & Marie - 1976 - Christmas Special - Paul Lynde


Posted this mainly for the skit in the first five minutes with Paul Lynde as Santa Claus. The Donny and Marie Christmas medley is curious as a period piece, but to catch the always entertaining Mr. Lynde in his mid 70s television appearance glory makes this clip worthwhile for yuletide yuks.



Saturday, December 5, 2009

The White Stripes - Nov. 2001 - Detroit Institute of Arts



The White Stripes
2 November 2001 at the Detroit Institute of Arts
from Detroit Rock!!! VPRO Dutch documentary

Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground


Let's Shake Hands


Do


Let's Build a Home
Goin' Back to Memphis (Henry & June cover)


I Fought Piranhas


Screwdriver


We're Going to Be Friends


practicing Rated X w/The Dirtbombs' Mick Collins
I'm Bored




interview at Jack's house


Jolene (Dolly Parton cover)


interview w/Dave Buick owner of Italy Records
Baby Blue (Gene Vincent cover)


Rated X (Loretta Lynn cover)


I'm Finding It Harder to Be a Gentleman


The Carpenters - Sept. 1971 - Live at the BBC


The following description is from hushhush112's Dailymotion posting for Part 2:
"Live at the BBC was a live, videotaped studio concert performed by The Carpenters. They lip-synched some tunes, like "Help" and the Burt Bacharach Medley, but most of the songs on the BBC Concert were live. It was performed and aired on BBC on September 25, 1971. VH-1 has televised the concert for American audiences, however in order to fit it into a half-hour time slot, (with commercials), they left out "And When He Smiles", "I Fell in Love With You", "That on the Road Look", and "Lust for Earl and the Married Woman". In addition to singing, Karen also plays the drums during some of the songs."

-Track Listings-

1. Help! (pre-recorded)
2. Love Is Surrender
3. Superstar
4. And When He Smiles
5. Rainy Days and Mondays
6. That on the Road Look (Tony Joe White)
7. I Fell in Love With You (Karen Carpenter and Doug Strawn)
8. Bacharach/David Medley (pre-recorded)
9. For All We Know
10. Lust for Earl and the Married Woman (Tony Joe White)
11. Sometimes
12. (They Long to Be) Close to You
13. We've Only Just Begun

The clips below present most, but not all, of the footage.







Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Butthole Surfers - Sept. 2009 - Boston


The original, powerhouse 1980s lineup of the Butthole Surfers (Gibby Haynes, Paul Leary, King Coffey, Teresa and Jeff Pinkus) regrouped and toured again earlier this year. They brought their traveling road show to the land of "high stepping seafood" and hit the Paradise stage in Boston on September 30th. Sounding mighty good, they also projected horror movies and other assorted eye candy behind them as they performed to the delight of the sold out crowd. Thanks to daiseemeadow for posting some clips from the show on Youtube.



Something


100 Million Dead / Fast / Suicide


Pittsburgh to Lebanon


BBQ Pope / Cowboy Bob


Dum Dum / Negro Observer


Saturday, November 28, 2009

The Jesus Lizard - Nov. 2009 - Boston


Below is a collection of choice clips of The Jesus Lizard performance on Saturday, November 14, 2009 in Boston, Massachusetts. Had the extreme pleasure of attending this incredible show, my party arriving just in time for everyone to order some refreshing beverages minutes before The Jesus Lizard throttled the Paradise with the opening salvo "Puss" accompanied by some crowd surfing from David Yow.

Setlist
Puss
Gladiator
Seasick
Killer McHann
Glamorous
Mouth Breather
Destroy Before Reading
Nub
My Own Urine
If You Had Lips
Then Comes Dudley
Boilermaker
Blue Shot
Chrome
7 vs. 8
Monkey Trick
Bloody Mary
Thumper
Fly On The Wall
Wheelchair Epidemic
Thumbscrews
Dancing Naked Ladies
Blockbuster

Puss


Gladiator


Seasick


Nub



7 vs. 8


Monkey Trick


Thumper


Wheelchair Epidemic


Thumbscrews


Blockbuster


Monday, November 23, 2009

The Point (1971)


With initial viewings on 70s television and the last day of elementary school, 1971's cartoon feature The Point now provides me with colorful nostalgia. Narrated by Ringo Starr (the first televised version had Dustin Hoffman taking this role, while Alan Thicke and others voiced this for subsequent broadcasts) with the lead role of young Oblio voiced by The Brady Bunch's Mike Lookinland. The whole package comes together with the under-rated Harry Nilsson providing the original fable preaching tolerance while also writing and performing the musical numbers.





Saturday, November 21, 2009

Dinosaur Jr - 1986 - UMASS Amherst



Here's an edited/slightly revised version of a blog I posted on MySpace in March 2009.

Through the years the classic Dinosaur Jr lineup (J. Mascis - guitar, Lou Barlow - bass and Murph - drums) has provided some of my favorite live shows chock full of their unique brand of feedback drenched rock. In Michael Azerrads' book Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes from the American Indie Underground, 1981–1991, Lou Barlow states that "We loved speed metal...and we loved wimpy-jangly stuff." This is also a fairly apt description of a big chunk of my preferred music, so it's no surprise they've been a favorite of mine since 1987.

Below is some footage from 1986 when they played a show at the University of Massachusetts - Amherst.


Tarpit




Raisans




Gargoyle




Lose




Kracked





Saturday, November 7, 2009

Robert Williams art and interviews

Robert Williams is an incredible artist working a hyper colorful palette of fluid surrealism. I've enjoyed his artwork for years, although I could never afford an original painting the closest I've reached is having a framed print of a January 1987 exhibition at New York City's Psychedelic Solution. He is a contemporary of other mind blowing underground artist's such as R. Crumb, Spain and S. Clay Wilson.

Working in oil painting, comics and other mediums, Robert Williams has published many trade paperbacks of his extensive selections. Titles such as: The Lowbrow Art of Robt. Williams, Tortured Libido, Visual Addiction and Zombie Mystery Paintings are a few of these collections and feature introductions from twisted notables like Lydia Lunch, R. Crumb and Dr. Timothy Leary. His artwork has also graced cd and record covers of multiple musical acts, most notably the original cover to Guns'n Roses Appetite for Destruction or Ludichrist's Powertrip.




Below are two interviews with the man himself, the first from 1987 and the other more recent but of unknown date.

from Impact Video zine #1 - 1987



interview from sunsetstrip.com








Thursday, November 5, 2009

B.B. King – 1968 – Ralph Gleason's Jazz Casual tv show


Here's about 20 minutes of vintage blues delivered by
B.B. King on a 1968 television show.


Musicians:
B.B. King - guitar
Sonny Freeman - drums
James Toney - organ
Mose Thomas - trumpet
Lee Gatling - sax





Sunday, November 1, 2009

Rich Kids - 1978 UK tv footage


The Rich Kids were formed after Glen Matlock (vocals / bass) parted ways with the Sex Pistols. Frontman Midge Ure (pre-Ultravox) handled lead vocals and guitar, Rusty Egan played drums and Steve New provided additional guitar and vocals. They put out one album, Ghosts Of Princes In Towers (produced by Mick Ronson), and three singles during their brief time together as a band from 1977 to 1978. Their sound owed much to the influence of driving power pop like The Who and to the rapidly burning punk movement.


Rich Kids (TOTP 1978)


Ghosts of Princes in Towers (Revolver 1978)
Introduction by Peter Cook.


12 Miles High (Revolver 1978)
Vocals from Steve New


Saturday, October 31, 2009

The Exorcist cast reunion on GMA - 1984


When it comes to Halloween horror shows, director William Friedkin's 1973 film The Exorcist still stands out amongst most fright flicks. Caught the reedited version a few years ago and viewing the film in a theater was a hell of a memorable experience. Below is a Halloween treat featuring a 1984 segment with Linda Blair, Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Jason Miller and William Peter Blatty reuniting for an appearance on Good Morning America.





plus 1973 audience reactions




and trailers









Sunday, October 25, 2009

Voivod videos...



Based out of Quebec, Canada, Voivod always displayed musical growth with their powerful sonic creations. They began with a predominantly heavy metal vibe but quickly moved into a more thrash/crossover sound and continued with a dynamic style in other progressive and heavy directions.

From 1981 to 1991 the line up was: Snake (Denis Bélanger) - lead vocals, Piggy (Denis D'Amour) - guitars, Blacky (Jean-Yves Thériault) - bass, and Away (Michel Langevin) - drums. Drummer Michel Langevin contributed his artwork for Voivod record covers, following the Voivod creature through wars, into dimensional travel and beyond. Voivod has continued to record and tour with membership changes along the way and when guitarist Denis D'Amour lost his battle with colon cancer in 2005 they finished the Katorz (2006) record with additional music and riffs contributed from files saved on his computer. Much respect goes out for his incredible contributions to the world of music.

Discography
War and Pain (1984)
Rrröööaaarrr (1986)
Killing Technology (1987)
Dimension Hatröss (1988)
Nothingface (1989)
Angel Rat (1991)
The Outer Limits (1993)
Negatron (1995)
Phobos (1997)
Voivod (2003)
Katorz (2006)
Infini (2009)


Voivod (1984)




Ripping Headaches (1986)


Ravenous Medicine (1987)





Tribal Convictions (1988)


Psychic Vacuum (1988)


Astronomy Domine (1989)


Intro/The Unknown Knows (1989)


Clouds In My House (1991)


Tuesday, October 20, 2009

The Incredible Two-Headed Transplant (1971)


Bruce Dern, Casey Kasem, an altercation with a biker gang, Pat Priest aka Marilyn from the Munsters and a whole lot more early seventies atmosphere are all over this schlock-science horror feature from 1971. This movie takes an "Of Mice and Men"esque scenario on a sideways skewed trip into b-movies as the plot follows the grafting together of a criminally insane psychopath with a mentally challenged, but warm hearted fellow.

Anthony M. Lanza was the director. Aside from the The Incredible Two-Headed Transplant, the only other directing credit of his I'm familiar with is the 1968 biker movie The Glory Stompers. The soundtrack of 70s groovy, light rock is another "jewel" in the crown of this film and I continue searching the soundtrack sections at local record shops for a decent copy.

the trailer




the feature