Friday, June 07, 2024

La Fin de La Semaine Essay Question: Special "In Search of Leo Gorcey” Edition

Okay -- this is just too cool for words.

The short version: Cherry Red Records -- pretty much the hippest rock reissue label on the planet -- is assembling a three CD box set whose theme is Stuff and Records Having to Do With People Who Played at CBGBs in NYC in the Mid to Late 70s.

And somehow, the people putting this project together had not only heard of the 1976 indie single my old band The Hounds -- who did in fact play at CBs a couple of times, including opening for a pre-stardom Blondie -- put out back in the day...

...but they figured it was catchy/historically important enough to include in said forthcoming package.

They're using the A-side, thankfully...

...which was recorded at Electric Lady Studios circa 1975. Attentive readers will recall that story, which involves a cameo by Ron Wood of The Rolling Stones.

In any event, said CBGBs box set is apparrently scheduled for release sometime late this year, and I'll keep you posted.

In the meantime, that leads to the business at hand. To wit:

...and your favorite (or least favorite) Bowery band (or album track/single by an artist associated however tenuously with the CBGBs New York downtown scene of the '70s) is...?

In case you're wondering, my favorite folks from out of that gestalt is/are, hands down, the great Mink DeVille. If you don't know from them, I'm not going to get into their history right now, but there's a new documentary about them that should be available for streaming momentarily. (Also, get me drunk and I'll tell you an amazing story about my encounter with frontman and auteur Willy DeVille at the offices of Atlantic Records in 1981. It's hilarious and creepily terrifying.)

But my favorite single track, however, (and yeah, yeah, I know about Talking Heads, Ramones, etc etc) has got to be this power pop gem -- from the unjustly critically pooh-poohed Live at CBGBs album -- by the unjustly forgotten Laughing Dogs.

God, I love that song. It's like the Brill Building meets the Lovin' Spoonful and Steely Dan and then they all go to Schrafts for lunch.

I should add that the Dogs also get points for having had the funniest album cover of all time.

Discuss.

I.e., rant away while I'm gone.

And have a fantastic weekend, everybody!!!

10 comments:

  1. HEY STEVE:

    Blonde opened for The Hounds!!!

    That is a true statement as I was there! We booked that gig together. Negotiating with Hilly was always a trip!!!

    Captain Al

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  2. I second that emotion regarding Cherry Red Records. Their clam shell box sets have provided me with endless hours of pleasure. Teensville Records also does a nice job with reissues of fairly obscure pop songs from the 60's and early 70's.

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  3. Patti Smith's debut single - Hey Joe/Piss Factory
    Television's debut single - Little Johnny Jewel Pts. 1 & 2

    One of my fave obscurities from that era, though, is a single by The Heat, Instant Love b/w High School Sweater. I can't find High School Sweater anywhere, dammit, even though it was the better song and catchy as hell.

    Here's the A side, which is plenty catchy on its own.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UYCKExiyXY

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  4. Weren't Lance Loud's Mumps part of that scene?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ume63Bf2mKU

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  5. Alzo -- yes. He and they were.

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  6. having forgotten what CBGB stood for, Wikipedia tells me

    "The letters CBGB were for Country, Bluegrass, Blues, Kristal's original vision for the club. But CBGB soon emerged as a famed and iconic venue for punk rock and new wave bands, including the Ramones," etc etc

    where I live in the DC area you can get Bluegrass Country on your FM radio unless it's an old radio - 88.5 HD2 - and it's worldwide on the web at https://bluegrasscountry.org/

    admittedly there's not a lot of overlap with powerpop

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  7. Hey Gummo -
    check this out:
    https://www.reverbnation.com/thebandtheheat/song/19630388-high-school-sweater

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  8. John K -

    Agree on the Cherry Red and Teensville labels. Also, Ace Records in the U.K. has been doing great reissues for years.

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  9. Congrats Steve on the Cherry Red comp.

    As far as CBGB stuff:

    Mink Deville - She's So Tough

    Blondie - Rip Her to Shreds

    Television - Friction

    Patti Smith - Her whole 1975-76 set.

    re: The Mumps

    They camped out in Hollywood a lot in 1977-1978. Saw them a bunch of times because they were a frequent opener. Don't recall them ever topping a bill. Off the top of my head I remember them opening for Devo, the Quick, Dead Boys, Runaways, Dickies etc. Even an odd billing with pre-deal Van Halen, who had a huge club following.

    VR

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  10. Other Music for Uplifting Gormandizers

    Blank Generation - Richard Hell & the Voidoids

    Chinese Rocks - The Heartbreakers

    Blitzkrieg Bop - Ramones

    See No Evil - Television

    X-Offender - Blondie

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