Nervous Eaters — Hot Steel And Acid

• Artist: Nervous Eaters
• Title: Hot Steel And Acid
• Year: 1986
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1986 – Bought it when I worked at Mother’s Records in Hampton, VA.
• Keeper: Yes

How many times have you said to yourself “I feel like hearing some Nervous Eaters”? Never? Seriously? OK, I admit I kinda forget they exist, but almost every time I see “Hot Steel And Acid” in the collection I give it a spin. The Nervous Eaters are hard, fast rock and roll with dashes of punk and blues. I didn’t know anything about the band when I bought this and I still don’t. I think the cool die-cut album cover and the fact that they were on the label Ace Of Hearts with other good bands like the Lyres prompted me to check it out. (UPDATE: NervousEaters.com no seems to be owned by the band.)

Madness — One Step Beyond…

• Artist: Madness
• Title: One Step Beyond…
• Year: 1979
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 10
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1981 ? – Unknown origin.
• Keeper: Yes

Madness in general, and the album “One Step Beyond…” in particular is at the top of everyone’s list of favorite music in our house. Everything on here is a hit in some way. “One Step Beyond”, “Night Boat To Cairo”, “The Prince”, the greatest ska version of “Swan Lake” ever recorded, and my favorite, “Bed & Breakfast Man.” B&B is a complete tease with verse after verse until they finally give up the chorus one glorious time at the very end. Excellent album and we play it all the time. More about Madness.

Laibach — Let It Be

• Artist: Laibach
• Title: Let It Be
• Year: 1988
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 9
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1988 – Bought it for myself at our store RIP Records in Norfollk, VA.
• Keeper: Yes

More Laibach! Ja! Ja! Laibach is my all-time favorite Slovenian band. This collection of songs from the Beatles “Let It Be” makes me deeply regret not having all of their music. There’s still time!

The album is titled “Let It Be” but the title track itself is missing. The other songs, in a new order as per Laibach, are all insanely original interpretations. I could go on and on, but someone has already done a great article on the band at Wikipedia. Read more about them.

Paul Kelly and The Messengers — Under The Sun

• Artist: Paul Kelly and The Messengers
• Title: Under The Sun
• Year: 1988
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 6
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1988 – Ordered for her at our store RIP Records in Norfolk, VA.
• Keeper: Maybe

This falls into the decent-music-that-I’ll-probably-never-play-again category. It’s sorta roots rock with steel or pedal steel guitar thrown in occassionally. I could listen to all day and it wouldn’t bother me, but it doesn’t excite me either. Should we keep it?

Joe Jackson — Body and Soul

• Artist: Joe Jackson
• Title: Body and Soul
• Year: 1984
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1984 – Unknown origin.
• Keeper: Yes

Uh… When I first played this yesterday I told Mary it sounded more like Billy Joe(l) Jackson than I expected. I got the stink eye put on me for that comment. Just sayin’…

That said, “Body and Soul” has one of my all-time favorite songs on it: “You Can’t Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Want).” Once that gets stuck in my head it’s there for a long time. “Cha Cha Loco” is another winner; I had forgotten about that one. Some of the other songs are just a little too “grand” or something. too fancy, too Lawrence Welk. I rated it high with an “8” because the great songs are just so great. This is not rock and roll, it’s a collection of sophisticated songs and arrangements. Am I just too unsophisticated to get it?

Paul Green School of Rock All-Stars With Adrian Belew

THE SCHOOL OF ROCK ALL-STARS represent the very best of what the Paul Green School of Rock is about. Comprised of the best, brightest, and hardest working students from our various branches the All-Stars have but one mission: TOTAL ROCK DESTRUCTION.

If you’ve seen “School of Rock” starring Jack Black and enjoyed it I recommend also watching “Rock School” the documentary about the real deal. “School of Rock” was loosely based on Paul Green and the school he has built to teach kids how to really rock, and to be the best musicians they can.

He has a number of Schools of Rock Music around the US. (Now, they are planning to open one in the DC area right after we move away. Curses!) Anyhow, the All-Stars periodically they go on short tours. Friday night I took my 12 year old daughter, Paris, to see the All-Stars performing with Adrian Belew at the State Theatre in Falls Church, VA. It was the second night of a four night four city tour. The house was packed and there were tons of kids there, which, ironically, I think helped keep things civilized. That said, I doubt Adrian Belew attracts the kind of knuckleheads you find at almost any “rock” show.

I knew that these kids can really play from watching the documentary. What really suprised me was the absolute joy projected and total confidence, not cockiness, of the kids. I was also pleasantly surprised to see so many girls in the band of about 40. The musicians changed for almost every song, and girls rotated in and out on most instruments including drums, bass, vocals, and guitar. Many kids played more than one instrument and also sang. How cool is it for my daughter to see a 14 year old girl up there playing lead guitar?

Adrian Belew was awesome. I have to admit that I’m not that familiar with his solo work, but I really enjoyed his playing, singing, and interaction with the kids. He seemed to be having a genuinely good time. Belew was on stage much of the time and though he sang quite a bit often he just played guitar.

Below the pic of my natural-born-rocker daughter Paris is a set list of the show.

A set list that was posted on the School of Rock forums:

February 10, 2006
Falls Church, VA
State Theater

** = with Adrian Belew

FIRST SET:
Introduction By Paul Green
Opening Music –>
Guitar Solo (featuring an Eruption excerpt)
The Magical Mystery Tour –> (Beatles)
outro to: She’s So Heavy (Beatles)
Elephant Talk ** (King Crimson)
@ ** (Adrian Belew)
I Remember How To Forget ** (Adrian Belew)
“Follow The Leader” ** ( Paul Green leads the ensemble in a cacophonous improvisation based on his hand signals ala Frank Zappa) –>
King Kong ** (Frank Zappa)
America (Paul Simon / Arrangement – YES)
Apache (Sugarhill Gang)
Purple Haze ** (Jimi Hendrix)
Madness ** (Adrian Belew)
Three Of A Perfect Pair ** (King Crimson)

SECOND SET:
Introduction By Paul Green
Glad (Traffic)
Writing On The Wall ** (Adrian Belew)
Heroes ** (David Bowie)
Big Electric Cat ** (Adrian Belew)
Frame By Frame ** (King Crimson)
Paul Green Talks
Sleeping Village –> (Black Sabbath)
Warning (Black Sabbath)
Relax ** (Frankie Goes To Hollywood)
Dinosaur ** (King Crimson)
Beat Box Guitar ** (Adrian Belew)
City Of Tiny Lights ** (Frank Zappa)

ENCORES:
I Am The Walrus ** (The Beatles)
Happy With What You Have To Be Happy With ** (King Crimson)
Orion (Metallica)
Paul Green does band introductions and Goodnights

Billy Idol — Don’t Stop

• Artist: Billy Idol
• Title: Don’t Stop
• Year: 1981
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 5
• Owner: Tracy / Mary – We both had copies.
• Acquired: 1981 – Unknown origin.
• Keeper: Yes

Please, do stop. Actually, this is a reasonably listenable pop record. It’s hard to think that Billy Idol was in Generation X, not that they were really all that punk, but still… “Don’t Stop” is a four song EP that includes a cover of “Mony Mony” and the hit orginal “Dancing With Myself.” This guy definitely turned into a clown, but like any decent clown he’s always good for some laughs. More about that later…

Slim Harpo — The Best of Slim Harpo – The Original King Bee

• Artist: Slim Harpo
• Title: The Best of Slim Harpo – The Original King Bee
• Year: 1983
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1983 – I think I mail ordered this directly from Rhino Records.
• Keeper: Yes

I file Slim Harpo under “H” but I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that neither of those are his real names. I bought this record in one of my many blues phases; I was still in highschool during this one. The thing is Slim is not all that bluesy. Many pursists don’t like his stuff because he mixed it up with everything from rock and roll to country. That eclecticism didn’t keep him from having fans in the highest echelons in rock. Many bands from the Rolling Stones on down have recorded covers of his songs, “I’m a King Bee” and “Hipshake” in particular. The Moody Blues even named their band after one of his songs. My favorites are “Baby Scratch My Back” and “The Hippy Song.”

Game Theory — The Big Shot Chronicles

• Artist: Game Theory
• Title: The Big Shot Chronicles
• Year: 1986
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 6
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1986 – Mary bought it when she was working at Plan 9 Records in Richmond, VA.
• Keeper: Yes

OK, I’m logging Game Theory’s first album second since the their second album was first due to ongoing alphabetizing challenges. Never let the movers move your records. It takes years to undo their mess.

I just can’t get into this band. Lately I’ve been stuck on this Buddy Guy record from the 1960s and I’ve been playing it every day for the last couple weeks. So, I guess I’m not being fair. No buncha white kids playing arty pop can follow that. Anyhow, Mary rates “The Big Shot Chronicles” a 6.

The Faith — Subject To Change

• Artist: The Faith
• Title: Subject To Change
• Year: 1983
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1983 – Probably Olsson’s in Georgetown, DC.
• Keeper: Yes

Did this come out after the band had broken up? I asked Mary what she would rate “Subject To Change” and she said “I’d give it a 7.” I said “7, that’s a pretty good review” and she replied “it’s a pretty good hardcore record.” I agree and enough said.

Etched in the vinyl margins:

• THIS SIDE: PULL YOURSELF TO PIECES
• IVOR SIDE: TOO STUPID FOR WORDS

And speaking of the vinyl, check out the sweet blue vinyl below. What color are your MP3s?

Dischord No. 11 people. My wife is so punk rock!