Hmm. Seems these guys have a new album out. No video yet, but from the review I read in yesterday's Times, the new single sounds a lot like their older stuff. For instance:
Food for thought: 40 years ago, there were no songs this angry or explicitly political coming from influential rock bands, with the possible exception of Country Joe and the Fish. Seriously, everybody thinks protest songs mobilized anti-Vietnam sentiment, but if you actually remember 1968 it's just not true. Protest? Cream? The Youngbloods? The Doors? The Grateful Dead? Traffic? Creedence? Hendrix? Get real....
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Monday, April 07, 2008
They Walk Among Us
Well, here's an astonishing piece of rock archaeology, and still more proof that YouTube is the greatest thing since blah blah blah.
From 1967 (on Halloween) it's the Box Tops (with a teenaged Alex Chilton) from a presumed lost episode of Zacherley's Disc-o-Teen.
You youngsters may not remember Zach, AKA The Cool Ghoul, but in the late 50s and early 60s he was without question the funniest and hippest of the various TV horror movie hosts (Vampira? feh!!!) then the rage on local TV around the country. Later, as you can see here, he reinvented himself as a sort of Dick Clark for the Chiller Theater set (Disc-0-Teen ran for two years on a Jersey UHF station that went Spanish a short while after this eppy) and in the 70s he had yet another career as perhaps the smartest progressive FM disc jockey in New York radio history. Film/sleaze buffs will also recall Zach's hilarious turn as the (uncredited) voice of the monster in Frank Henenlotter's 1988 cult classic Brain Damage, which is highly recommended.
To say that Disc-o-Teen loomed large in my formative years would be a major understatement; I watched it religiously (especially in the summer of '66, when kids from my high school performed on Zach's Battle of the Bands) and it really was amazingly cutting edge for its time; where else on local television could you watch Jersey babes dancing to a song so underground -- the Who's "Substitute" -- that it wasn't yet airing on NYC radio?
In any case, seeing this clip -- which I actually remember from back in the day -- for the first time in decades has been a beyond Proustian experience. For more information on Zach and the show (which just had a 40th anniversary reunion, including a performance by PowerPop god and Zach fan Richard X. Heyman) check out all the cool stuff here.
Have I mentioned that YouTube is the greatest thing since blah blah blah?
Update: Commenter reddyrooster is holding out for Cleveland's Ghoulardi as the definitive horror host. To which we say -- fat chance.
Exhibit A: Zach's classic hit "Dinner With Drac."
Good night, whatever you are...!!!!
From 1967 (on Halloween) it's the Box Tops (with a teenaged Alex Chilton) from a presumed lost episode of Zacherley's Disc-o-Teen.
You youngsters may not remember Zach, AKA The Cool Ghoul, but in the late 50s and early 60s he was without question the funniest and hippest of the various TV horror movie hosts (Vampira? feh!!!) then the rage on local TV around the country. Later, as you can see here, he reinvented himself as a sort of Dick Clark for the Chiller Theater set (Disc-0-Teen ran for two years on a Jersey UHF station that went Spanish a short while after this eppy) and in the 70s he had yet another career as perhaps the smartest progressive FM disc jockey in New York radio history. Film/sleaze buffs will also recall Zach's hilarious turn as the (uncredited) voice of the monster in Frank Henenlotter's 1988 cult classic Brain Damage, which is highly recommended.
To say that Disc-o-Teen loomed large in my formative years would be a major understatement; I watched it religiously (especially in the summer of '66, when kids from my high school performed on Zach's Battle of the Bands) and it really was amazingly cutting edge for its time; where else on local television could you watch Jersey babes dancing to a song so underground -- the Who's "Substitute" -- that it wasn't yet airing on NYC radio?
In any case, seeing this clip -- which I actually remember from back in the day -- for the first time in decades has been a beyond Proustian experience. For more information on Zach and the show (which just had a 40th anniversary reunion, including a performance by PowerPop god and Zach fan Richard X. Heyman) check out all the cool stuff here.
Have I mentioned that YouTube is the greatest thing since blah blah blah?
Update: Commenter reddyrooster is holding out for Cleveland's Ghoulardi as the definitive horror host. To which we say -- fat chance.
Exhibit A: Zach's classic hit "Dinner With Drac."
Good night, whatever you are...!!!!
Can Blue Men Sing the Whites?
This has very little to do with the mission statement of the blog you're reading, but we offer it simply as a way to clean your palate, as it were. Ladies and gentlemen, the great Otis Spann.
'Nuff said.
[h/t Eric C. Boardman]
'Nuff said.
[h/t Eric C. Boardman]
Friday, April 04, 2008
Weekend Listomania (Special They're Gonna Put Me in the Movies Video Edition)
Well, it's Friday and you know what that means. Yes, my Oriental rentboy amanuensis Hop-Sing and I will be shuttling between Hollywood, London and southern Florida on some sort of Medicine Cabinets of the Stars tour. I'm not really sure what this is all about, concept wise, but apparently we'll be visiting the actual bathrooms of Robert Downey Jr, Amy Winehouse, Pete Doherty and Rush Limbaugh (hey -- what's he doing in there?).
In any case, as a result, posting by moi will necessarily be somewhat fitful for a few days.
But until then, as always, here's a fun project for you all to contemplate:
BEST POP/ROCK SONG THAT PROVIDED THE TITLE FOR A REALLY CRAPPY MOVIE!!!!!
Just to make this clear -- the song has to predate the movie. Title songs written specifically for films, like "A Hard Day's Night" or "Jailhouse Rock" don't count. Conversely, a song that provided a title for a good movie -- "Peggy Sue Got Married," say -- is off limits as well. Try to sneak any of that crap by me and I swear to god I'll take a hostage.
Okay, that said, here's my totally top of my head Top Eight:
8. Satisfaction
Justine Bateman stars as an extremely lame 80s indie rocker. There's a word for this, and I believe it's "Ack."
7. Message in a Bottle
From this year, actually, although it came and went pretty quickly. Basically, it's like a very damp version of an old Rock Hudson/Doris Day sex farce. Biggest laugh is Kate Hudson wacking Matthew McConaughey in the face with a golf club, which should tell you all you need to know.
6. Pretty Woman
I know a lot of people like this movie, and Richard Gere and Julia Roberts are obviously easy on the eyes, but really -- she's not some high class courtesan, she's an LA street walker. The idea that anybody would attempt to glamorize such a life, even in a romantic fairytale, just strikes me as moronic, if not downright morally reprehensible.
5. Can't Buy Me Love
"Ronald Miller is tired of being a nerd, and makes a deal with one of the most popular girls in school to help him break into the "cool" clic. He offers her a thousand dollars to pretend to be his girlfriend for a month. It succeeds, but he soon learns that the price of popularity may be higher than he expected..."
About as bad as it sounds, although it's kind of amusing to see Patrick "Dr. McDreamy" Dempsey as a zygote.
4. My Blue Heaven
Steve Martin as an Italian mobster in the Witness Protection program in some whitebread suburb. Yeah, sure, I'll buy that.
3. Jumpin' Jack Flash
Whoopi Goldberg, mugging shamelessly, gets mistaken for a secret agent in a film that recalls "North By Northwest" if it had been directed by a moron. The pic's video promo, featuring Aretha Franklin and Keith Richards, is better than anything in the movie itself, but that's not really saying much.
2. She's the One
I like Edward Burns, but he earned numerous demerits from me for turning Springsteen's grandest ode to romantic obsession into a sentimental meditation on immature dorks with relationship problems.
And the number one, hands down, it's not even a fricking contest for crissakes, best song whose title was appropriated for a really awful flick is -----
1. Soul Man
Spoiled brat white teen dons blackface to get a scholarship to Harvard. Racist swill, obviously, and easily one of the top ten appalling films of the 80s (and that's not even taking into account that its star is C. Thomas Howell).
Alrighty now -- what would your choices be?
In any case, as a result, posting by moi will necessarily be somewhat fitful for a few days.
But until then, as always, here's a fun project for you all to contemplate:
BEST POP/ROCK SONG THAT PROVIDED THE TITLE FOR A REALLY CRAPPY MOVIE!!!!!
Just to make this clear -- the song has to predate the movie. Title songs written specifically for films, like "A Hard Day's Night" or "Jailhouse Rock" don't count. Conversely, a song that provided a title for a good movie -- "Peggy Sue Got Married," say -- is off limits as well. Try to sneak any of that crap by me and I swear to god I'll take a hostage.
Okay, that said, here's my totally top of my head Top Eight:
8. Satisfaction
Justine Bateman stars as an extremely lame 80s indie rocker. There's a word for this, and I believe it's "Ack."
7. Message in a Bottle
From this year, actually, although it came and went pretty quickly. Basically, it's like a very damp version of an old Rock Hudson/Doris Day sex farce. Biggest laugh is Kate Hudson wacking Matthew McConaughey in the face with a golf club, which should tell you all you need to know.
6. Pretty Woman
I know a lot of people like this movie, and Richard Gere and Julia Roberts are obviously easy on the eyes, but really -- she's not some high class courtesan, she's an LA street walker. The idea that anybody would attempt to glamorize such a life, even in a romantic fairytale, just strikes me as moronic, if not downright morally reprehensible.
5. Can't Buy Me Love
"Ronald Miller is tired of being a nerd, and makes a deal with one of the most popular girls in school to help him break into the "cool" clic. He offers her a thousand dollars to pretend to be his girlfriend for a month. It succeeds, but he soon learns that the price of popularity may be higher than he expected..."
About as bad as it sounds, although it's kind of amusing to see Patrick "Dr. McDreamy" Dempsey as a zygote.
4. My Blue Heaven
Steve Martin as an Italian mobster in the Witness Protection program in some whitebread suburb. Yeah, sure, I'll buy that.
3. Jumpin' Jack Flash
Whoopi Goldberg, mugging shamelessly, gets mistaken for a secret agent in a film that recalls "North By Northwest" if it had been directed by a moron. The pic's video promo, featuring Aretha Franklin and Keith Richards, is better than anything in the movie itself, but that's not really saying much.
2. She's the One
I like Edward Burns, but he earned numerous demerits from me for turning Springsteen's grandest ode to romantic obsession into a sentimental meditation on immature dorks with relationship problems.
And the number one, hands down, it's not even a fricking contest for crissakes, best song whose title was appropriated for a really awful flick is -----
1. Soul Man
Spoiled brat white teen dons blackface to get a scholarship to Harvard. Racist swill, obviously, and easily one of the top ten appalling films of the 80s (and that's not even taking into account that its star is C. Thomas Howell).
Alrighty now -- what would your choices be?
Thursday, April 03, 2008
An Earlier Than Usual Clue to the New Direction
Off to Gomorrah on the Hudson for a mysterious pre-weekend assignation. In the meantime, from 1966, here's some Nuggets-era garage band called the Rolling Stones(?) on some local TV show from somewhere performing their super obscure b-side "Satisfaction."
As is customary, a coveted PowerPop No-Prize will be awarded to the first reader who divines the clip's relevance to tomorrow's Weekend Listomania.
And frankly, if you get this one you're really good. And I mean really. In fact, I'll fricking hate you, you bastard.
As is customary, a coveted PowerPop No-Prize will be awarded to the first reader who divines the clip's relevance to tomorrow's Weekend Listomania.
And frankly, if you get this one you're really good. And I mean really. In fact, I'll fricking hate you, you bastard.
More Jeebus Related Shit
Got the new album by Christian rap metalheads P.O.D. in the mail this morning.
Apparently, on the basis of songs like this, the kids love 'em.
Me, I haven't decided whether I'm going to take off the shrinkwrap. What do you guys think?
Apparently, on the basis of songs like this, the kids love 'em.
Me, I haven't decided whether I'm going to take off the shrinkwrap. What do you guys think?
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
The Sockpuppet Inside Me
This has absolutely nothing to do with music whatsoever, but I chanced across this clip today and, given that Shari Lewis was one of the great sex symbols/crushes of my adolescence -- to me, she was right up there babe-wise with Diana Rigg and Barbara Feldon -- I thought I might share it with you.
Apparently, she was a wee bit nutso, which in retrospect explains much.
Apparently, she was a wee bit nutso, which in retrospect explains much.
Flogging a Deceased Equine
So I've been noticing -- and I realize that this is an insight that's occurred to everybody else on the planet considerably earlier -- that when discussions about the pop music of the last ten years take place these days it is now all but obligatory to mention that Creed, in fact, suck. I mean, it's almost a reflexive thing at this point. Sort of like, "Hi, nice to see you, and by the way Creed suck."
As I said, I'm late to the party about this, but I find the phenomenon particularly amusing since Creed is one of those bands I went out of my way to avoid back in their day, apparently out of some sort of critical instinct that told me that they would, no question, suck more than even some other really sucky bands that I hadn't had the foresight to avoid. I'm not kidding about this. Although I probably did hear a Creed song on the radio or in a commercial without meaning to over the last decade, I can state categorically that I was never consciously aware of it or them; in fact, apart from their name and the fact that they were sort of famous, absolutely nothing about them had impinged on my consciousness in any meaningful way. Until, that is, our current moment, when decrying their suckitude has reached the status of cultural signifier.
Anyway, I was thinking about this the other day, and so I decided to bite the bullet, get on the bandwagon (however belatedly) and finally listen to and watch one of their hits on YouTube. Which led me to this Lovecraftian horror, live on Leno.
Ye cats, what an unlistenable song. Guess what -- Creed really do suck, probably more than just about anything else has sucked in the history of the universe. Jeebus -- the guitar player alone (don't even get me started on what he's wearing) is enough to ensure them a prominent place in the Trans-Dimensional Things That Completely Suck Hall of Fame.
Man, do they suck.
I could go on about exactly why, of course, but since this kid lays it all out for you in such laborious detail, I've decided I don't have to. In any case, I would like to state for the record that -- in recognition of his invaluable service -- I would like to meet him someday, if not quite shake his hand.
As I said, I'm late to the party about this, but I find the phenomenon particularly amusing since Creed is one of those bands I went out of my way to avoid back in their day, apparently out of some sort of critical instinct that told me that they would, no question, suck more than even some other really sucky bands that I hadn't had the foresight to avoid. I'm not kidding about this. Although I probably did hear a Creed song on the radio or in a commercial without meaning to over the last decade, I can state categorically that I was never consciously aware of it or them; in fact, apart from their name and the fact that they were sort of famous, absolutely nothing about them had impinged on my consciousness in any meaningful way. Until, that is, our current moment, when decrying their suckitude has reached the status of cultural signifier.
Anyway, I was thinking about this the other day, and so I decided to bite the bullet, get on the bandwagon (however belatedly) and finally listen to and watch one of their hits on YouTube. Which led me to this Lovecraftian horror, live on Leno.
Ye cats, what an unlistenable song. Guess what -- Creed really do suck, probably more than just about anything else has sucked in the history of the universe. Jeebus -- the guitar player alone (don't even get me started on what he's wearing) is enough to ensure them a prominent place in the Trans-Dimensional Things That Completely Suck Hall of Fame.
Man, do they suck.
I could go on about exactly why, of course, but since this kid lays it all out for you in such laborious detail, I've decided I don't have to. In any case, I would like to state for the record that -- in recognition of his invaluable service -- I would like to meet him someday, if not quite shake his hand.
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Apotheosis Now
Well, this is beyond remarkable -- a video celebrating the greatest surf song of them all. The absolute highest achievement of the genre. The ne plus ultra, the Michelle ma belle, if you will, of the California Sound.
Ladies and gentlemen, from 1964 it's "The Anaheim, Azuza, and Cucamonga Sewing Circle, Book Review and Timing Association."
Apparently, there's a Jan and Dean tribute album/project that I either missed or is in the works. I'll see if I can find the details...
Postscript: Okay, there's a lot more going on with this than I realized (for starters, the music above is apparently a remake from said tribute project, which is amazing in itself).
You can get the lowdown on this long overdue piece of cultural/historical revisionism here. Frankly, I'm speechless.
Ladies and gentlemen, from 1964 it's "The Anaheim, Azuza, and Cucamonga Sewing Circle, Book Review and Timing Association."
Apparently, there's a Jan and Dean tribute album/project that I either missed or is in the works. I'll see if I can find the details...
Postscript: Okay, there's a lot more going on with this than I realized (for starters, the music above is apparently a remake from said tribute project, which is amazing in itself).
You can get the lowdown on this long overdue piece of cultural/historical revisionism here. Frankly, I'm speechless.
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