The latest Plastilina Mosh record came out just in time for my birthday a few weeks ago. After the first full listen of All U Need is Mosh I was stunned that is wasn’t the greatest record ever made, because I’m huge, huge fan. I guess it’s bound to happen, but it’s always a downer when a band seems to take a step backward. I know, it’s all in my head. After several more complete listens I do love more than at first. There are a large number of great tunes and the whole world should buy it. My favorites in general are the more electronic stuff, but the punk-pop single “Let U Know” is totally fun. Other standouts include the slow electro-funk “Paso Fino” and the pretty “Pervert Pop Song.”
This ain’t for everyone, but some will love it. The three Ds remind me of some of the ’60s garage punkers on the Back from the Grave compilations. All I know for sure is that “Dean Dion and Dan have a master plan.”
It’s my birthday, and I’m celebrating by posting one of my all-time favorite records, Tweet Tweet My Lovely by Snuff. It’s not even my favorite record by Snuff. I’m playing it as I write, I’m only on song number 6, and it’s given me goosebumps at least as many times. Snuff is the most soulful punk band that ever existed. These cats are the real deal, they know how to have fun, but they also know how to make some of the most poignant heavy music you’ll ever hear. And the details! Everything is perfect: the gang vocals, the crescendos, the speed, etc. Layer on some Hammond organ and trombone, and then seeing them live and it’s more exciting than I can describe. I’ll save the live show for the next Snuff record I post.
Surfer Rosa is a great, great record. It was the Pixies’ first full-length album, but it’s only 32 minutes long. Perfect. Pretty much everyone I knew at the time was digging this. A year or two later when their major label debut Doolittle came out they suddenly became huge. I had a friend at the time, Bill Rogers, who was introduced to the Pixies through Doolittle, and he loved it. Then he decided to pick up Surfer Rosa, because he was, as he put it, a “completist.” In fact, I’m pretty sure I learned that term from him. Bill was not happy with Surfer Rosa. He said it was “too loosey goosey.” Bill’s music taste was broad and deep, and I really respected his opinions on music. But I couldn’t disagree more.
I was recently reminded of this great when re-watched the equally great movie, Donnie Darko. The film ends with my favorite song from the album, “Where Is My Mind?” Double greatness.
This record is at the literal end of the line on the shelf. So, I’m always staring at it, but it’s been a long time since I’ve heard it. That’s too bad because Bird Wood Cage by The Wolfgang Press is a great album. Someone reviewed it on Amazon with the title “Industrial-Strength Bootie Quake.” In addition to being funny that’s also accurate. Sure, it’s late ’80s alt music on 4A.D., the record label synonymous with “gothic” music, and no self-respecting art school student at the time would be without it. But these songs are also a lot of fun, and dance-able! My favorite is probably the last one, “Shut That Door.”
Yes! Today we celebrate. I’m celebrating because Mary and I got a new site up today for Heavy Duty Incorporated at WeAreHeavyDuty.com, our art and home furnishings business. To celebrate I’m finally posting Judas Priest’s Defenders of the Faith.
This album contains a song that has become my heavy metal mantra, “Heavy Duty.” The song contains the lyrics “I’m Heavy Duty” in the first chorus and “We’re Heavy Duty” in the last one. The first line I mentioned is, of course, the namesake of this web site. You can read more about why I chose that name. “We’re Heavy Duty” happens to be the URL for Heavy Duty Incorporated. “Heavy Duty” is simple metal dirge with some silly metal lyrics, but it never fails to give me a boost when I most need it. I play it all the time, and I have two copies, just in case. Just in case.
Another sentimental reason I love this record is that on April 12, 1984, the night before final exams in my senior year of high school, Roger Williams and I went to see Judas Priest live at the Hampton Coliseum. Roger is/was sort of an intellectual metalhead. If I remember correctly, he was valedictorian of his class and went on to Notre Dame. We lost touch after high school, which is unfortunate for him because I’m pretty sure one of those albums in the picture in his. Sorry Roj. Contact me to negotiate visitation rights.
The show was fantastic in a completely over the top heavy metal way. The “Metallian” creature on the cover was the actual stage, with the drums inside the mouth and a huge mechanical arm that lowered to allow Rob Halford to walk out. At least that’s how I remember it. Halford also rode a Harley onto the stage at one point. The whole band played perfectly was locked into the driving grooves that made this middle period Priest music so great.
Some of the other great songs on Defenders are “Freewheel Burning” and “Some Heads are Gonna Roll.” While overall the lyrics are the usual tough guy silliness you would expect there are more than a few corny-but-inspiring metal moments like this from “Rock Hard Ride Free”:
No denying, we’re going against the grain
So defiant they’ll never put us down
Rock Hard Ride Free
All day, all night
Rock Hard Ride Free
All your life
But my favorite, of course, comes from “Heavy Duty.”
We’re Heavy Duty
So come on let’s tell the world
We are defenders of the faith…
Thanks to Matthew for hipping me to this site: The Che Underground. Featured are bands from the swinging San Diego music scene of the 1980s, including one of my favorites, The Tell Tale Hearts. I posted a their self-titled record here a good while ago. Outsiders are allowed, check it out.
Feldman , Goldstein and Gottehrer are rock and roll geniuses. (Scroll to the bottom and start playing the “videos”) I Want Candy is the only album by The Strangloves. My copy is not in mint condition but that just makes it rock harder. Most people have probably heard Bow Wow Wow’s version of “I Want Candy.” There have been tons of cover versions of the songs on this record. It’s hard to pick a favorite but “Cara-Lin” and “Night-Time” are definitely in contention.
These cats are connected to all sorts of great music from the The Angels’ “My Boyfriends Back” to War, Go Gos, Blondie, Circle Jerks, J. Geils Band, George Thorogood, The Fleshtones, and on and on.
The band’s amusing mythology from the back cover (I can’t believe I typed the whole thing…):
What are Strangeloves? Unusual combinations of romanticists? Or parted sweethearts?
Actually, a more logical question would be: Who are The Strangeloves?
Anyone who has had his ears tuned in to teenage radio in recent weeks would probably describe The Strangeloves as the swingingest trio to hit the music scene since the British invaded these shores two years ago.
The Strangeloves, oddly enough, don’t come from England. They hail from the backlands of Australia, a wild and uncivilized area of the continent from whence the trio acquired its earthy, hip swiveling rhythms so evident in their group’s potent recording of I Want Candy.
The same undulating beat so prominent in their hit single is multiplied to frenzied proportions as the boys showcase their best seller with 11 other swinging sessions tailored for the young-in-body as well as the young-at-heart.
This album is designed to get the crowd off their respective derrières and onto the dance floor. Sample the No Jive cut or the Just The Way You Are selection and you’ll hear exactly what this album is attempting to do–supply the most torrid sound around, the I Want Candy sound.
The Strangeloves acquired this untamed rhythm by studying the musical attributes of the natives in their own Australia. The boys were born on a farm in Armstong, Australia to Mt. & Mrs. Wilmot Strange who themselves obviously appreciated good sound. They melodically named their three sons Miles, Niles and Giles. While attending grade school and high school they assisted their father in raising sheep, learning the business of sheepherding better than Papa Strange had even anticipated. For it was at the young age of 16 that Miles, applying his vast knowledge of cross-breeding. developed the now famous breed of long hard sheep know as the Gotteher Sheep. The boys registered the breed with the Feld-Goldstein Company, Ltd. in Australia and have become independently wealthy from royalties accruing to them for each born into the Gottehrer breed.
But after completing high school, the boys turned their talents on a full-time basis to their first love–music. While on a safari in Africa, the group’s hobby, the boys acquired some unique Masai Drums and incorporated these tympany into their developing musical style. They worked intensively on creating an exciting dance sound and finally hit upon the rhythm they wanted in a tune called Love, Love, Love which went on to become their first big hit and one of Australia’s top hits of early 1965. The song was also responsible for changing the group’s name from the The Three Stranges to the The Strangeloves.
Then came I Want Candy which has documented the boys’ names on the pages the Record Industry history books both in American and throughout the world.
To give credit where credit is due the Masai Drums are under the control and supervision of Niles Strange. Miles supplies the lead voice and is an adept hand with a tambourine or almost any rhythm instrument. Giles’ contribution to the group is his very able management of the piano as well as extra drums when necessary–adding the the Afro-English beat conceive on their records.
Together the boys deliver a gross of mean sounds aimed at making your feet move.
Join in the fun and add The Strangeloves to your collection of albums. It’s music get a party moving!
This is the classic sound of first generation punk. The title track “hit” from Sham 69’s Hersham Boys frequently gets stuck in my head. Another favorite is the raucous, screaming live cut of “What Have We Got?” This cover is hilarious, with a gatefold that contains a great illustration by Brett Ewins of the band as the cockney cowboys, or “Hersham Boys.”
On St. Elsewhere, Gnarls Barkley did a great cover of the Violent Femmes’ tune “Gone Daddy Gone.” The Femmes are repaying the cover love, with their take on the Gnarls Barkley hit, “Crazy.” It’s crazy smooth is what it is, with sounds of surf rock guitar, mandolin, flute, and of course the Femmes’ trademark bass. They even rock the theremin on the chorus.
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.
