So much to report after the Grammies. Give me a day or two. But in the meantime, feel free to answer this open-ender. Of course, the list is providing that you actually SAW the Grammies. Me? I saw him on a Jumbotron directly over me. I think I threw up in my mouth a few times…
Post answers in the comments section….
So I swore off going to SXSW this year. Just too much work, too much hassle, not enough "enjoyment"….. Then I get an email in December asking if I wanted to be on a panel about Music and Comedy on Friday March 16 from 12:30 to 1:45. So I was shocked to find out that it’s all my buddies, and hey, I get a free badge.… That’s a refreshing change of pace!
David Cross
Patton Oswalt
Jon Wurster (Superchunk, The Best Show on WFMU)
Andy Earles (Just Farr A Laugh, "Where’s the Street Team?" feature in Magnet)
Zach Galifianakis
me
and as moderator Bob Mehr
Could somebody please film this? I think this could actually be quite funny*.
*I won’t be funny.
First it was Venom, and most recently Paul Stanley was given the honor, but now it’s Jimi Hendrix’s turn to step up to the mic for nuttin’ but raw stage banter! It’s right at thirty minutes and (as somebody who doesn’t do drugs) I felt absolutely intoxicated by the end of this.
In an attempt to "relax" the next few days, I think I’m gonna post a couple more weird esoteric mp3s like this before I leave for LA on Thursday. Oh, and did y’hear that The Police are gonna do a "wacky impromptu jam sesh" at the Grammies? Yeah, me and the wife have to endure that bit of commercialism. I’m sure I’ll survive. Anybody know where the cool coke parties at?
Jimi Hendrix – Spoken Word Tape
Decline of Western Civilization changed my life. Period. In 1983, on a whim similar to inexplicably purchasing Rat Music For Rat People Volumes 1-3 with my paper route money that same year, punk rock filtered into my parent’s basement when I was 13 and there was never the opportunity to look back. Seeing the Chavo fronted Black Flag completely blew my mind. The Circle Jerks were captivating. The Germs were a gorgeous slow-motion train wreck. X made me entertain the idea of getting a "FTW" tattoo until I was well out of high school. And Claude Bessy (from Catholic Discipline) was my first glimpse into fanzine culture. This documentary made me declare "Sign me up!" for what I was only beginning to understand from my parent’s suburban Colorado house.
Flash ahead several years and Decline 2: The Metal Years is released. At this point in my life, metal (specifically glam metal) was a glaring punch line to me. I was immersed in college radio, and the decadent hair metal scene was the chosen enemy. But even though I continue to distrust the legitimacy of many of the bands in the movie (Poison, London and Faster Pussycat), the inclusion of metal’s greatest yucksters (Ozzy, Lemmy and those douchebags in Kiss) made me come to the stark realization that Decline 2 continues to be one of the landmark comedies released in the 20th century. I will openly fist fight anybody that disagrees with me.
Jump ahead again to 1997 and to the release of Decline of Western Civilization Part III. This movie barely was mentioned in the national press (Vice ran a feature as I remember) and never even stepped foot inside the indie cinema in Atlanta. And just as quickly as I heard of it, it disappeared from sight. That is, it disappeared…..until now. For a limited time, director Penelope Spheeris is offering this movie for the cost of a self addressed stamped envelope. Get a copy right now and witness homeless people masquerading as punk rockers…
The movie focuses on the gutter punk movement of the mid-90’s which, if you haven’t figured out already by 2007, is an irrelevant vanilla reiteration of punk. "How do you get to gutter punk?" you ask. Take punk. Make it dumb. Toss out the ambition. Remove the showers. Add squaters. Add face tattoos. Let a hobo shit on it. Let it dry. Set it on fire. There, that’s gutter punk for you.
Fortunately, Spheeris clings tightly to the aesthetic of the first Decline (read: low budget production) which works quite well. However, Decline 3 (unlike the other two) doesn’t seem to really have a very strong narrative and instead just follows the dead end hobos masquerading as nouveau punks in Los Angeles. Think I’m wrong? Wait until you see them in front of Mann’s Chinese Theater getting their photos taken to buy 40 oz. bottles of malt liquor. Not that I don’t feel sympathy for the homeless and/or poor, but the people in this movie make it difficult to feel even remotely sorry for them. It’s almost akin to seeing Eddie Murphy going around on a skateboard at the beginning of Trading Places asking for money when he clearly can walk and/or work.
It would be far too easy to make fun of Spheeris’ filmography. Television-reruns-turned-cinematic-abortions abound (The Beverly Hillbillies, The Little Rascals) alongside groan worthy "comedies" (Senseless, Hollyweird), but amidst it all, I have to give it up to Ms. Spheeris for sinking her money from those wastes of celluloid into creations like the Decline series. Get a copy of Decline 3 right now before they’re all gone and see what the fuss is about.
I’ve included video footage of Chavo-fronted Black Flag and a handful of mp3s from the first Decline to further galvanize my case that the first movie might be one of the greatest documentaries to ever be released.
Black Flag – Revenge
Alice Bag Band – Gluttony
Fear – I Love Livin’ In The City
Circle Jerks – I Just Want Some Skank
Germs – Manimal
X – We’re Desperate
Black Flag – White Minority
Post answers in comments.
And hey, you know they have connex to the religious right? Funny, innit?
A great idea. A great show. No doubt about it. Now, allow me to start by saying if you don’t own Hannibalism! by The Mighty Hannibal, I’m going to urge that you go and get it. Not that you won’t be able to enjoy the mp3s I’ve included, but I think it’s all about context. And for further reinforcement, you should also purchase the outstanding Bear Family DVD of The !!!! Beat (clip attached). Not only do you get to see The Mighty Hannibal in all of his glory on one of the great unsung R&B shows of the 60’s (he’s on Volume 3 in case you’re wondering), but you get to see an absolute arsenal of greats. Sure, they’re a bit expensive, but they’re totally worth it.
So I’m sure you’re wondering how the 68 year old Hannibal was. It was incredible. Plain and simple. Plus, seeing as how The Black Lips arranged the entire show, it was only natural that they were also Hannibal’s backing band. And man….did they surprise me. I never thought I would use "technical proficiency" in the same sentence as "The Black Lips," but you can color me impressed. Showing both restraint and some modest musical chops, you can hear on this recording that The Black Lips took this show quite seriously. And for that, I tip the hat to them. I should also add that (rather fittingly) Atlanta upstarts Gentleman Jesse and Asheville transplants The Reigning Sound opened. Of course, both bands unquestionably smoked. Before The Reigning Sound started, however, Michael Julian Bond (son of civil rights leader Julian Bond) came out and decreed that it was Hannibal Day (complete with all the necessary proclamation paperwork) and the Man of Honor said a few words. Overall, my only criticism of the entire night was how short Hannibal’s set was. It topped out at 25 minutes, and appeared to be cut short by Hannibal’s health. In fact, The Black Lips said three songs were to follow, but instead came out and performed a few of their own songs before sending everybody home. What am I saying? Just listen to the show. You’ll get the idea pretty quickly. After the show, I immediately purchased a 4" square dye-sub ceramic tile of Hannibal standing in front of a Starbuck’s. Not too shabby. I only wish I got one of the ceramic plates which practically disappeared before the night began.
I think it’s great that some of these soul legends are being appreciated by a whole new generation of fans. Birmingham’s own Neal Hemphill just had an excellent collection of his recordings released. Then there’s the fine (no, just plain incredible) reissues that the folks at Numero Group have culled together. And hell, now Mary Weiss of the Shangri-Las has The Reigning Sound performing with her and an album on the way! Pray tell, could this be a trend? If it is, count me in.
As an mp3 blog obsessive, I’ve been asked where are a few soul/R&B mp3 blog sites worth recommending. If you’re looking for obscure tracks, or to perhaps be turned on to some old artists, here’s a whole mess of places to start.
Soul Shower
Soul Sides
2 Minutes of Bliss 2
Get On Down With The Stepfather Of Soul
Funky 16 Corners
Funk & Soul
Feel It
The "A" Side
The "B" Side
The Soul Detective
Now go out and buy Hannibalism! right now!
Thanks to Curt for the outstanding recording.
The Mighty Hannibal – Hannibal Day Induction
The Mighty Hannibal with The Black Lips-tk1
The Mighty Hannibal with The Black Lips-tk2
The Mighty Hannibal with The Black Lips-tk3
The Mighty Hannibal with The Black Lips-tk4
The Mighty Hannibal with The Black Lips-tk5
The Mighty Hannibal with The Black Lips-tk6
The Mighty Hannibal with The Black Lips-tk7
It’s with great sadness that I report that Uwe Nettelbeck has passed. Uwe is well known as the founder and recording engineer behind German titans Faust. In honor of Mr. Nettelbeck, I’m bumping a post from back in November back to the top regarding the unreleased Faust V record. And while you’re browsing the local record store, purchase the Faust reissues that are on Collector’s Choice. Strongly recommended.
This bootleg has been making the rounds on the internet, so I thought I’d post 7/8 of the release for all y’all out there. It’s funny, I saw Faust back in ’93 or ’94 here in Atlanta at a Table of the Elements festival and found them to be insufferable. This "insufferable" opinion of mine has been recinded, but I still don’t think it was anything to write home about. Of course, being the terrible nerd I was at the time, I was more interested in seeing Thurston Moore and Jim O’Rourke feedback their guitars for an hour. Wow, I was such a dope.
Good ‘ol Brian Turner over at FMU wrote an eye-full and instead of cuttin’ and pastin’, why not go over and peep what he has to say. Damn, this is why I love mp3 technology over that rickety old tape trading mind-set I was in back in my early 20’s.
Faust – track 1
Faust – track 2
Faust – track 3
Faust – Baby Rock Out
Faust – Duck A’l’orange
Faust – Warble Up
Faust – Triump-ent
Not only is Jim making me laugh, but damn, I love when the religious right really comes down so definitively on something so remarkably trivial. Then again, that’s their calling card, right?
I guess I’ll have to stop getting the fruity-assed Golden Bowl at the Grit now, huh?
Give me a fucking break. It’s bad enough that they exist, and it’s even worse that they have hoodwinked kitch/gimmick rock enthusiasts into going to their shows, but The Dresden Dolls are now complaining about poverty!? Now I’ve seen it all. Please go and read this pathetic, blathering piece of spew right now….I’m serious.
In an article that almost exclusively gives The Dolls a platform to bitch about how they only make $1,500 a month, am I supposed to feel bad for them? I don’t get it. Their crew gets paid four times what they do, they pay $1,000 a day for a bus and at no time has it never occured to them that they’re being fleeced? I’m sorry, but I feel zero sympathy for any band (let alone a two-piece) that buys into the crew/tour bus myth without earning it thru years of being in a van. Absolutely delusional.
And am I the only one that finds an NPR interview with The Dresden Dolls talking solely about how broke they are in shockingly bad taste?
I’m getting the sneaking suspicion that somebody should slip a printout of this under the door of their tour bus so they can get a real sense of (if they’ve not already) how truly up shit creek they really are.
I should also add that the fact that I’m spending time to hate on mimes is making me angry.
"Mime Cabaret"? Please guys, seriously, go get fucked.
Well, then Superdeluxe is for you! I’m 99% sure that Chunklet’s going to be doing something with them in the next month, but I’ve gotta clear a few projects off my plate before I even consider it. Go check it out. It launched today and yes, you heard it here first!
