Tales From the Mystic East (An Occasional Series): Okay, Okay, I Promise This is the Last One!

From 2014, please enjoy Asian Who tribute band Townzen -- get it? (heh) -- as they do to "Won't Get Fooled Again" what their countrymen earlier did to the prisoners in the Bataan Death March.

Hey, I think it's kind of cute that the bass player is a lady, but still -- they couldn't find a Japanese guy to stand in for Roger Daltrey?

In any case, on the basis of this performance I think we should call these guys The Huh.

Tales From the Mystic East (An Occasional Series): Special Radies and Gentermen, It's the RoVing Stones!

As I said yesterday, not only do words fail me, but language itself is hopelessly inadequate to describe the below.



I'll say this, though -- I don't know how it got to be Japan week around here. Probably something to do with the recent anniversary of Hiroshima.

See you all on Monday, with fewer filthy Eastern ways.

Tales From the Mystic East (An Occasional Series): Special The Blues Came Down From the Tokyo Delta Edition

Upon the recommendation from kind(?) reader Logan Waters yesterday, I checked out this 2013 performance of "Midnight Rambler" by a Japanese Rolling Stones tribute band.

More specifically -- an actual Japanese Rolling Stones 1972 American Tour tribute band.



Not only do words fail me -- in this case, the entire concept of language is inadequate to describing what you witness in that video.

That said, the guy doing Mick Taylor is actually really good, now that I think of it.

Tales From the Mystic East (An Occasional Series)

Please enjoy Tokyo Jihen and their sinisterly infectious "Una Nueva Civilizacion."

I know absolutely nothing about these kids -- I posted another of their videos back in 2013 -- apart from the fact that they are totally awesome. I particularly love the guitar player with the attitude.

In any case, there's obviously some kind of power pop thing in the water over there.

[h/t Tommy Stewart]

Closed Due To Henotheist Menace© Attack

Man, this chicken shit is really getting out of hand.

Seriously -- real life beckons today; regular posting resumes tomorrow.

Your Monday Moment of the Magnificence That IS Lucy Lawless

The Xena Warrior Princess star, skewering Stevie Nicks as she has always deserved to be skewered.




I'll never listen to "Rhiannon" the same way again, which I assume is a good thing.

Closed Due to I'm Fwicking Tired

Seriously -- this week (and its attendant disgusting weather) -- has just kicked my ass.

Regular -- and extremely peppy -- postings resume on Monday.

Wang chung for the rest of the weekend, everybody.

Keith's Record Collection (An Occasional Series)

The last time we visited Mr. Richards' vinyl repository, it was based on formative songs he referenced in his then current autobiography Life (that was the week of Jan. 4, 2011, for those of you too lazy to click on the link).

In any case, this time (courtesy of the most recent MOJO sampler) here's another tune that set the teenaged Keith's toes a tapping -- rockabilly demi-god Sanford Clark's 1959 surreal/sardonic "Son-of-a-Gun" (which may or have not been an influence on Steve Earle's "The Devil's Right Hand.")

Clark had another great song, "The Fool," which was memorably covered by Elvis Presley and later The Animals (on their unjustly neglected reunion album), but this one was heretofore unknown to me. Thanks, MOJO!

Your Wednesday Moment of I Can't Believe This is Us

In the studio last night; we edited the harmonies and added cellos on the ending.

\

Gonna try putting Phil Spector violins on the bridge and final chorus next time, but for now, this is basically finished, and words pretty much fail me over how good it's turned out.

My Other New Favorite Song

"Trouble." The first single from Keith Richards' forthcoming solo album Crosseyed Heart.



I should add that when the acoustic guitar and chorus vocals come in near the end of the song, the effect is almost chemical.

My New Favorite Song

Tim Wheeler and "Feels Like Summer" -- from the Shaun the Sheep movie.

I must confess I was heretofore unfamiliar with this guy, but as of now he's got my vote, I'll tell you that for free.

[h/t Dennis Lockard]

Roy Wood Week Part V: Big Lizard Stomp

From 1970, please enjoy The Move -- featuring the genius that is Roy Wood and some guy named Jeff Lynne (and whatever happened to him?) -- with a live version of their hilariously heavy "Brontosaurus."

That's nowhere near as good as the recorded version, which is one of the greatest singles of all time, but it's still pretty cool; in fact, I don't think I've ever seen live footage of this incarnation of the band before.

In any case, it's true -- YouTube really IS the most amazing research tool since the Library at Alexandria.

Roy Wood Week Part IV: Don't Let Rick Santorum Hear This One!

From 1973 and his solo (one man band) album Boulders -- please enjoy the genius that is Roy Wood and his melodic sci-fi masterpiece "Miss Clarke and the Computer."

A tender love song about a gal and a machine? I'm telling you, this non-traditional marriage thing may be finally getting out of hand.

Roy Wood Week Part III: Tears in a Bucket, Motherfuckit

From his 1973 solo (one man band) album Boulders, please enjoy the genius that is Roy Wood and the melodically breathtaking "Wake Up."

I should add that IMHO this is Wood's most gorgeous song ever, and that any hint of sentimentality is effectively neutered by its auteur's characteristically droll choice of percussion. If you know what I mean.

Oh, Hell -- Let's Make It Roy Wood Week!

From 1973, please enjoy the incomparable Wizzard and the funniest b-side instrumental of all time, "The Carlsberg Special."

Actually, today's title notwithstanding, Wood didn't write this one; it is, in fact, the work of Wizzard keyboard guy Bill Hunt. But you get the idea.

A Wizzard, a True Star

So I've been playing "Forbidden Nights" -- that new Darlene Love song (written by Elvis Costello and produced by Little Steven) -- somewhat obsessively since I first posted it last week, and at some point, my thoughts turned to other Phil Spector/Wall of Sound pastiches/homages.

And I decided that this is -- hands down -- the best one ever.

From 1973, please enjoy the incomparable Roy Wood (doing business as Wizzard) and "See My Baby Jive."

I mean -- wow.

I should also add that although I have no recollection of what b-side "Bend Over Beethoven" sounded like (assuming I ever even heard it, which I'm not sure about) I remain convinced that it is the greatest song title in all of human history.

Your Friday Moment of Sadly True

Have a great weekend, everybody.

[h/t Geo3rge]

Countess Elizabeth Bathory to the White Courtesy Phone!

Wow -- apparently when they started calling Goldman-Sachs a vampire squid it wasn't just a metaphor.

From last Tuesday's The Guardian:

Can we reverse the ageing process by putting young blood into older people?

A series of experiments has produced incredible results by giving young blood to old mice. Now the findings are being tested on humans. Ian Sample meets the scientists whose research could transform our lives

The whole unsettling story can be read HERE, but I think we can all agree this will not end well.

Fortunately, as always, The Coasters have the last word.

Arrested Development

OMG -- Look what I just snagged off of eBay!

I originally got one of these in 1967 thanks to an uncle of mine who worked at Columbia Records, and I wore it proudly till sometime in the mid-70s when it mysteriously vanished, an event I still consider the major tragedy of my adult life (hey -- I'm really shallow.) In any case, thanks to the miracle of the intertubes, it now reposes, proudly, on my guitar strap.

Sometimes, as the frogs say, "La vie est belle."

In the Presence of the Lord

Spent a wonderful day yesterday being interviewed on camera -- along with NY Mary -- for the forthcoming documentary The Power Pop Movie. Filmmaker Justin Fielding is as nice a guy as I've ever met, and I can't thank him enough for the opportunity to be involved with the project. (And also for the world's greatest Jewish joke.)

We'll keep you posted on developments with the film -- currently scheduled for release in 2016 -- as they develop.

Meanwhile, please enjoy "Forbidden Nights." The first track on the forthcoming (in September) Darlene Love album.

Produced (as is the whole shebang) and written by the great Little Steven.

Obviously, this is as retro as it comes, but Steven really has this stuff down, and Love's singing is nothing short of miraculous. I, for one, am grateful.

[h/t Dennis Lockard]

Power Chords and Pigtails

From 1979, on Stiff Records (motto: The World's Most Flexible Label), here's Angie (with Pete Townshend, for heaven's sake) and the quite amazing "Peppermint Lump."

This single's provenance totally baffled me at the time, but thanks to the miracle of the Google, here's a little background info from Angie's management updating the story to 1998.

Artist: Angie (real name: Angela Porter)
Formerly a pupil at the Corona stage school who appeared on numerous British TV programs, Angie Porter is no stranger to the singing game. As a child she worked with legendary producer Trevor Horn, providing backing vocals for The Buggles number one hit, ''Video Killed The Radio Star." Aged eleven, she teamed up with The Who's Pete Townshend and released a single, ''Peppermint Lump'', on the seminal Stiff label. It was Radio One''s Record Of The Week. Stiff's press release at the time read: " A blatant attempt to corner the market of pre-teen and post-punk singles buyers".

Another Google search revealed she was still singing professionally as late as the end of the previous decade, but of her recent activities I have so far found nothing.

Anyway, it's still not completely clear who who wrote the record, but it's amazing, and Townshend's arrangement is pretty much my favorite thing he did in his solo career up to that point.

I should add that I first posted this here in 2009, but given that it was even before I had discovered the now shuttered Divshare, the audio link has long since expired. So enjoy this new one, you ungrateful bastids.

[h/t Keith Kuhnel]