Monday, September 20, 2010

Killer (Low Budget) Queen

From 1976, and a dank basement in Teaneck, NJ, please enjoy unsung DIY pioneers The Weasels (featuring some guitarist whose name rhymes with Sleeve Nimels doing a passable Brian May impression) and "Coral Reef," a recorded-on-four-track (perhaps unintentional) homage to you know know who.

From their second homemade album, the aquatically-themed Endless Bummer.




Written by keyboardist Glenn Leeds (I think the toy piano at the end is an especially nice touch), sung (with some falsetto flourishes that he's been unable to duplicate since) by David "Heavy D" Hawxwell, and with McCartney-esque bass fretwork by Allan Weissman. Oh -- and with the participation of Mike "The Drummer" Sorrentino, who despite his deeply held conviction that "rhythm is an outmoded Western concept" nonetheless graciously consented to keep something approximating the beat for the occasion.

What can I tell you -- despite the evidence of the above, we all had rich inner lives. I should also add, once again, that we were doing this kind of low-fi stuff before Robert Pollard had his first beer hangover, so Guided By Voices can frankly bite me.

11 comments:

pete said...

I suppose you'd rather he frankly bit you than that he did it insincerely.

steve simels said...

Nobody likes a wiseguy, pal.
:-)

Tierra Madre Horse Sanctuary said...

Was there a little "In Held 'Twas I" guitar solo thing in there?

steve simels said...

You are a very perceptive young man.
:-)

Tierra Madre Horse Sanctuary said...

Thank you, Robin.

Sal Nunziato said...

Sorry, but GBV couldn't produce a piece of pop this sweet if their lives depended on it. Nice.

Wendy said...

Nice.

Cool cover, too.

:-)

TMink said...

Real fun. Brian would be pleased. Thanks!

Trey

Anonymous said...

More Weasels!!!!
More Hounds!!!
More Floor Models!!!

ROT(Plumber)

Anonymous said...

I agree with ROTP ... and please forgive this digression, but I only have barely finished watching every Literal Video track on YouTube, and making members of my family watch them, in the aftermath (no pun intended) of the Stones video from last week.

Back to the agenda: Where can I get a poster of the Weasels cover?

word verification: minonbbl, which I think is an electronic form of Hebraic worship. Very seasonal.

AP

shrimplate said...

Not bad, sir. Not bad at all. I rather liked it.