I was thinking this record was on the Delicious Vinyl label, but this is the original release which came out on Rick Rubin’s Def American. Turns out Delicious signed Masters of Reality and re-released their eponymous debut a couple years later. It’s better than I remember. There’s a weird vintage rock and roll vibe, but that’s how it sounded 20 years ago when it was new. It reminds me of Cream with a dash of Queens of The Stone Age. And there are in fact real connections to those bands. Ginger Baker would later play with the group, and singer Chris Goss has a side band with Queens front man Josh Homme.
Delicious Vinyl has one of the coolest logos of all time, but I dig the industrial looking Def American graphic on the liner pictured below.
That’s one cool dude on the cover. And speaking of cool dudes, this album was a birthday present from my Dad, a/k/a “Mr. Cool.” Just ask my Mom. I had some singles, you know, vinyl seven inches, that I had accumulated, but this was my very first full length album. That’s right, the first of thousands of records. And I can’t think of a better album or artist to start a record collection. I’m eternally grateful for my father pointing me in the right music direction. I liked Hendrix from what I heard on the radio, but this record was not something I asked for. It was his idea.
For me, Hendrix brings together everything I love most about music. Art, innovation, guitar mastery, blues, funk, acid rock, and the moments of cathartic heaviness that I just need to survive. Smash Hits by the Jimi Hendrix Experience is one of the most played records I own, and the vinyl shows the wear and tear. But it still sounds great. I did a decent job maintaining it for a 13 year old.
My favorite from this collection is a song I think was less of a hit than the others, “Stone Free.”
Acquired: 1989 – At a record I owned with my brother
Keeper: No
Here’s another record that’s really “for fans only.” I only have it because I was running a record store with my brother when it came out. I’m a big fan of Jane’s Addiction and even I don’t want to keep The Shocking E.P. As you can see from the cover it’s a “limited edition” and I’ll tell you why. The only thing “shocking” is Perry Farrell’s larger than life face on the cover. There’s another pic on the back of the whole band, you know, for fans. The only non-album cut is “Had a Dad – Live!” and it’s pretty forgettable. “Mountain Song” and certainly “Jane Says” are rock classics, but all of us fans already have those tracks. This is an import from Englandia.
I want to be in The Hives! The suits alone are enough incentive for me, but the music on The Black and White Album makes the dream of band membership irresistible. I like all their records but this is the best one yet. The Hives have that essence rare that reminds me of The Fleshtones: familiar but fresh, fun but not dumb, and always rocking even when the music is low key. At times this record is more punk than punk rock and more funky than funk. I can’t get enough of it. I’m probably playing it, in its entirety, at least five times a day. It’s hard to pick favorites but one standout is the fast rocking “Won’t Be Long.” It has a glockenspiel riff that is a perfect layer of icing atop a multilayer rock and roll cake, like the recorder solo in “Wild Thing” by The Troggs.
Everyone’s a loser in the modern world
Look at all the sad and gloomy little boys and girls
I know all you got is troubles all you got is woes
Shake the chips off your shoulders here’s how it
goes…
Whoooo Hoooo!
Acquired: 2005 – Another one I got from Bob Bobala
Keeper: Yes
Fastway was a hard rock/metal super group with members from Motörhead, Humble Pie, and UFO. Believe it or not, the then-unknown singer Dave King went on to found Flogging Molly. Believe it.
I have always loved the song “Say What You Will” but I never got around to getting the album. Bob Bob’s record collection to the rescue again. (I guess it’s just the luck of the draw but it seems like his old records are popping up more than my own lately.) Some of the songs are highly mediocre, but when they’re good they’re great. Another favorite is “Another Day.” Included with Bob’s copy of Fastway is a one-sided 7 inch with a Zeppelin-style dirge titled “Far Far From Home.” I don’t know what the story is with that song, but I dig it.
And so begins my favorite ZZ Top song, “Waitin’ for the Bus.” Growing up I loved hearing it on the radio. All the AOR stations would also play “Jesus Just Left Chicago” right after it. That’s also how the songs are ordered on this best of. It’s hard to believe ZZ Top had a “best of” out in 1977. Also, after non-stop listening to this compilation over the last couple days I’m amazed how funky these cats are, or at least were. There are many other great ones here: “Tush”, “La Grange”, “Heard it on the X” etc. They’re still rocking live shows with these tunes, but their later period work doesn’t really compare.
To my everlasting regret I never have been able to find their records. And I do want records. Whenever I’m in a proper record store I always head right to the Zs, but no soap. At least I scored this one from my friend Bob when he moved West.
I found a great, recent video of ZZ Top playing “Waitin'” and “Jesus” live. Check it out below. Billy Gibbons has such a huge, nasty tone. I read a long time ago that he uses something like an old silver dollar for a pick. Once I started watching these videos I couldn’t stop. After about six I said to myself “you’re spending too much time on music.” I know, that’s crazy talk.
I was surprised to read this went Gold. Not because it isn’t excellent, it truly is, but when I got it Jane’s Addiction were not well-known. Surely all these sales came after the success of their major label debut, Nothing’s Shocking. But this self-titled live album is their real debut. I believe my friend Ron Spencer first played this record for me. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. How could these guys be so original, smart, and maybe a little weird and still rock so hard? Perry Farrell does not have a typical rock and roll voice, and he often uses all those effects, but he is incredibly intense. I can’t imagine a different voice sounding so right. And the impressive guitar heroics of David Navarro have never had a better home.
Most of the shredding is on side one. When I heard the opening bass line for “Whores” for the first time in a long while I got goose bumps. They eventually turn things upside down with some semi-acoustic songs. The best known is “Jane Says”, and this version is better to me than the later studio hit. Being real men, they throw in some great covers: “Rock & Roll” by The Velvet Underground and “Sympathy” by The Rolling Stones, with nary a pause in between.
Etched is the vinyl margins:
Side 1 – “It used to be secrets! I couldn’t give them away”
Side 2 – What made you look here?
Acquired: 1987 – When I worked at Mother’s Records
Keeper: Yes
Hey, I know I’ve been slacking, especially on the records. But it was my birthday this weekend, and if you’re ever going to be slack that’s the time.
The Nosedive EP by Gaye Bykers on Acid only has three songs, but they are all excellent. The Grebo-metallic-psyshedelic-dance track “Nosedive Karma” is my favorite. That’s also the song that singer Mary Mary got me to sing the chorus on when I saw them at the 9:30 Club way back. The flip has “Don’t Be Human Eric – Let’s Be Frank” and “Delerium.”
Acquired: 1987 – Promo when I worked at Mother’s Records in Hampton, VA
Keeper: Yes
The Bags put the rawk in punk rock, and there’s a trace of Motorhead-style metal in there too. There is a great review excerpt of Rock Starve from Playboy at Wikipedia. This is the only Bags record I have, but I also have a record by them under the name Swamp Oaf. I got this one as a promo and it included something like a media kit, really just a copy of a few articles about the band.
I never got to see The Bags live but I’m sure they tear the roof off at every show. The good news is, despite some extended breaks, the band still exists. I just came across their page at MySpace. Lyrically, they seem to have moved more in the direction of Spinal Tap and I can’t say I like the new songs quite as much as the now 20 years old Rock Starve, but they’re still rocking it. I like all of the songs on this record but my favorite is “Spread It Around.”
I’m gonna pass it on to strangers
And give it to my friends
Lay low for a little while
Until it comes my way again
Why-y-y-y-y-y should I keep it to myself
When I could be sharing it with someone else
Acquired: 1987 – When I worked at Mother’s Records in Hampton, VA
Keeper: Yes
Not surprisingly, Gaye Bykers on Acid’s music is not for everybody, but it is for me. I have fond memories of Drill Your Own Hole and the time it came out, half my life time ago. Despite that, after posting the last GBOA record I was not expecting to like this as much as I still do. Drill Your Own Hole is excellent, starting with the first track “Motorvate” all the way to the end.
Mary, my wife, not the singer, and I were only dating when we drove up to D.C. one weeknight to see them at the original 9:30 Club. When we got there we found out the opening band, Pop Will Eat Itself, were denied visas due to “lack of artistic merit.” Whatever. Mary was pretty bummed. Since there was no opening act some of the Gaye Bykers were killing time out on the floor. Nobody was paying them too much attention so I started talking to Mary Mary, the singer, not my wife. When I told him we traveled three hours to see them play he seemed genuinely flattered. Later, during the show, when he saw me up near the stage he stuck the mic in my face and got me to sing along during one chorus. Pretty funny, and pretty fun.
For some reason the band was billed as “Gaye Bykers on Parade.” You can see that on the ticket stub below. Maybe having a drug reference in your band name wasn’t conducive to getting visas, or bookings, or something. I forgot to ask Mary Mary about that.
Want to know what it's like to have brain surgery? Well here's the long version of my experience. Complete with pictures and videos! Read all about the Brain Surgery Experience.
