If you like the previous post and you’ve never listened to Let’s Wrestle, well now’s the time, especially when I reveal the name of the producer of their latest album, Nursing Home (2011 Merge Records) Steve Albini has teamed up with this most recent project of post-punk pastiche to record and produce a raw, tastefully ironic pop record, and I just recently got it on Vinyl. Here’s the video to the album’s opening track, “In Dreams Part II”:
Let’s Wrestle is a three-piece indie rock group from England that formed in 2005. They began releasing singles in 2007 and have recorded 2 full length albums since; the first release I listened to was their Ep, In Loving Memory Of... (2008 Stolen Records), thanks to a friend from OK. I think that Ep is my favorite of their discography, and it reminds me most of the early TV Personalities sound. Here’s the video to the track, “I Won’t Lie to You”:
That’s some really good, stripped-down Lo-Fi rock’n’roll!! But my favorite song of the release is the song, “Man with Pica Syndrome.” They made a video for that track as well:
Let’s Wrestle is a lot of fun. It’s raw, ironic & humorous, while at the same time, heart-felt & real. They’re good for any party as well; definitely add to the library, and start with the ep...
So the story begins at the discount bookstore. I was flipping through records and came across the popular Teenage Filmstars album Star (1992 Creation Records). The price was right, so I purchased it. I’ve always been a fan of Dan Treacy’s and Ed Ball’s post-punk project, Television Personalities, but so far, the later reincarnation of the artists’ side project (Teenage Filmstars) has proved disappointing, but why?? I like loud, fuzzy, textured psychedelia as much as the next person, and the band explores such aesthetics to the point of sheer fetishization. The obsessive fetishizing of 60s culture isn’t what bothers me, however; in fact, I probably participate in this social practice. I think the problem is I’ve listened to the Television Personalities for many years now, and I love their campy, minimalist take on post-punk rock. And that’s what’s missing from their later project...
Here’s my favorite track on the later Teenage Filmstars album; it’s entitled “Kiss Me”:
It’s good psychedelia for sure, ahead of its time in relation to the recent, neo-psychedelic revival. But it doesn’t have the enduring quality of their previous, more kitschy approach to Lo-Fi, garage-style post-punk. Their more known project, Television Personalities, began releasing singles as early as 1978. Their debut album, And Don’t the Kids Just Love It, was recorded in 1980 and released in 1981 on Rough Trade. It’s rawness, minimalism, and irony is almost too much, and as a result, it’s an awesome album!!! Check out the opening track, “This Angry Silence,” of their debut full length:
It’s like early Beatles-y Brit Pop mixed with the irony of post-Sex Pistols music culture. In other words, it’s the songs of innocence and songs of experience all in one pop song formula.... Incredible!
The Television Personalities were (or are... I think they’re technically still together?....) the brainchild of Dan Treacy and Ed Ball. They were an English group that was very much part of the emerging Punk (and later Post-Punk) music scene. In the early years, they released singles under several varying band names: Television Personalities, Teenage Filmstars, The Times, The O Level.... By the time of their debut album, they seemed to have settled on 2 names for separate projects: TV Personalities and The Times. Later, they re-formed under the name previously (but briefly) used, Teenage Filmstars. I have always preferred the early material of their project, TV Personalities. Here’s another great track, “Geoffrey Ingram,” from the 1st album:
The band continued to release more albums through the 80s, each release moving more and more away from their post-punk roots, exploring instead sounds of the previous decade: namely the psychedelic 60s. My favorite moment in this transition of sound was captured beautifully in the following video, a clip I recently discovered when surfing the ole net. The song is called “The Painted Word,” and it’s from their 1985 album of the same name (Whaam! Records):
Oh my God! That video just made my day when I discovered it. 21st century hipsters eat your heart out. You can’t get more ironically pastiche or self-consciously campy than that! Davie Crocket hats are as hip as it gets! (Ricky, you know what I’m talking about.... sorry, inside joke for a friend of the blog....) In fact, this video (and not the aforementioned record purchase) is what really inspired this post; I had to share it with my small world; hope it warms your heart as well.
Here’s one more track from the debut TV Personalities album; it’s called “Silly Girl”:
If you like raw, Lo-Fi post-punk - like recent acts such as Let’s Wrestle or Art Brut - early TV Personalities albums are for you, especially the first one. Check it out and feel free to comment.
When referencing Detroit's influence on Rock music, one immediately thinks of 2 other industrial centers that rivaled the motor city as the hot bed of Rock'n'Roll angst: New York City & Cleveland, OH. Like Detroit, Cleveland also witnessed a kind of hard rock renaissance that seems intimately tied to the city's "rust belt" economy & history. Like Detroit there is so much material from the Ohio state to explore, but I will focus on a trinity of interconnected projects: Rocket from the Tombs, Dead Boys, & Pere Ubu. But before that, let's look at a short-lived, legendary project that later influenced Stiv Bators, frontman of the band Dead Boys:
electric eels
In terms of irony, negation, & disorderly conduct, Cleveland's the electric eels were as punk rock as anything else circa 1975. They were a short-lived project that only played 5 live shows, but apparently the live antics of someone like Anton (of Brian Jonestown Massacre) had nothing on the electric eels; they were known for fighting each other or the audience and often had run ins with the police. In spirit of Punk, they were uncompromisingly offensive. (For example, examine the free usage of swastikas on the album art below. This is something the Dead Boys will model in their image as well. Stiv Bators obviously got many ideas by watching eels' frontman Dave "E" McManus.)
(Dave "E" McManus of the electric eels on right)
Although the electric eels are cited as one of the early Proto-Punk bands of the Cleveland Rock scene, their music explores more than sped up, stripped down bluesy rock'n'roll. McManus was said to be influenced by Ornette Coleman and other Free Jazz performers. The electric eels definitely experiment with song form, and one can hear anticipations of what later becomes noise rock in their material. They never recorded a full-length album, but many of their songs have been collected on the CD release, The Eyeball of Hell (which collects recordings from 75-76; don't know year of release nor the label, however. If someone knows, please comment!). The recordings are raw single takes of some rowdy garage rock free jazz with some punk rock attitude. Check out the track "Agitated":
It's pretty raw & rowdy. Like stated before, McManus & the eels were a great influence on another young Cleveland rocker, Stiv Bators. You might hear it in the above track. They're a great addition to any Proto-Punk library. Definitely listen to the whole collection.
Rocket from the Tombs were contemporaries of the electric eels and had a similarly short-lived career. Like the eels, they were only together for a couple of years, and they too never recorded any studio albums during that time. Many of their recorded songs have been collected on a CD release as well: The Day the Earth Met the Rocket from the Tombs (Smog Veil Records 2002). Unlike the electric eels, the members of RFTT went on to form other much more successful projects, most notably the Dead Boys and Pere Ubu. Stiv Bators, however, was not in this band; the most notable lineup was Cheetah Chrome, Johnny Blitz, Peter Laughner, and David Thomas.
Here's a track off the above mentioned collection:
Their recordings are pretty raw as well, but that's what is to be expected from 70s underground Proto-Punk. Definitely check out the entire collection; Dead Boys & Pere Ubu fans will recognize some of the songs. Both bands re-recorded selections from the RFTT catalog.
Dead Boys: When Cheetah Chrome and Johnny Blitz left RFTT, they joined singer Stiv
Bators to form the group Frankenstein. They later renamed the band Dead Boys and eventually moved to NYC. The Dead Boys are considered one of the major 1st wave American Punk bands. Stiv Bators took much from the live antics of Steve "E" McManus and Iggy Pop and performed many memorable (and controversial) shows at clubs like CBGBs. He was known for cutting himself on stage, for instance. (I would have just stuck to the peanut butter personally...) Like the electric eels, Stiv and the crew would often make us of provocative forms of pastiche, sporting swastika signs for instance. When I first discovered them as a 13 year old pimply kid with a skateboard, I naively thought: "Holy crap! these guys are skinhead nazis!" So I never explored their music for a brief period of time. I wasn't too keen on semiotics and the creative signifying practice of negation at that point in my East Texas experience.
Dead Boys released their 1st studio full length, Young Loud and Snotty, in 1977 on Sire Records. On that album, they re-recorded the song "Sonic Reducer" (as well as other RFTT songs), which became a favorite pick for classic Punk Rock mixtapes.
Here's a great clip of Dead Boys performing at New York's CBGB's:
Dead Boys released a 2nd album from Sire Records in 1978 called We Have Come For Your Children. The recording experience supposedly caused the band to break up. There was pressure from the Corporate label to tone down their "disturbing" image to make possible more marketability in the mainstream. Sound familiar? So they called it quits soon after the album's sessions. Despite its history, it's a punk classic as well. Both albums are great for any classic Punk collection.
When Cheetah Chrome and Johnny Blitz left RFTT eventually to form Dead Boys, Peter Laughner and David Thomas started a new project as well: Pere Ubu (David Thomas still performs as the act today...). Like their source's name, their artistic vision directed them towards the more experimental side of things. (Their name comes from the avant-garde play Ubu Roi by French proto-Surrealist Alfred Jarry.) The group formed in 75, and over the years, their music has explored genres such as new wave, post-punk, electronica, and noise. Their discography is overwhelmingly large, but their early period has gained the most attention from critics and popular listeners alike. Their first album, The Modern Dance (1978 Blank Records), received much praise from various rock critics. It's definitely an essential for Post-Punk & (even) Garage Rock enthusiasts. Here's the track "Street Waves":
Pere Ubu immediately released their 2nd full length, Dub Housing, in 1978 on Chrysalis Records. One can hear the band's departure from Garage-like sounds towards more experimental elements of Post-Punk & New Wave. Check out the track "Navvy":
The band continued to release albums, and like stated before, David Thomas (the only constant member) is still active today. An earlier post made mention of Mayo Thompson & Red Crayola/Red Krayola of Houston, TX. In 1980, Mayo Thompson joined Pere Ubu to record the album The Art of Walking (Rough Trade Records). If you liked Mayo's material and the above videos, you should definitely check out this album as well.
Once again, there are so many other bands one could mention in this posting. Perhaps later I'll post something on the super-group Lords of the New Church. But for now, Happy Labor Day and enjoy the music!
It’s common knowledge that many seminal figures of Psychedelic Rock have repeatedly cited Roky Ericson and the 13th Floor Elevators of Austin, TX as a major influence. Texas had a thriving garage/psychedelic music scene throughout the 60s & early 70s, and it was not limited to the Austin area. In fact, a good amount of Texas Psychedelic music was recorded and released by the independent Houston label, International Artists. Gorki’s last post got me digging deeper into my collection of underground Texas music, so I’ve decided to post some random gems of Texas 60s music. Enjoy!
Houston’s The Red Crayola:
So let’s start with Houston and Mayo Thompson’s The Red Crayola. An art student in the mid 60s, Mayo Thompson started the psychedelic rock group with Steve Cunningham and Frederick Barthelme, and yes, Red Crayola’s original drummer is related to the celebrated writer, Donald Barthelme (they’re brothers I believe....). Although the band is no longer together, M. Thompson still performs under the name Red Krayola (and I believe Jim O’Rourke plays with him...). Their music was ahead of the curve to say the least. One hears the roots of punk, noise rock, no wave, and other avant-garde genres of the more recent past. They released their debut, Parable of Arable Land, in 1967 on the Houston label, International Artists. On the album every song begins with what has been described as a “free form freak-out” where the band, along with their “Familiar Ugly” friends (which includes cameos of Roky Ericson), play whatever they wanted. Ahhhh yes, the roots of noise rock. Check out their song, “Hurricane Fighter Plane,” as it was released as a single:
Now listen to the same song as released on their 1st LP (with “freak outs” and all):
Gotta love the psychedelic imagery that compliments the 2nd video. Their album, Parable of Arable Land, is a must have for all noise rock & no wave enthusiasts. Check it out.
Mayo Thompson recorded some great solo material from this period as well. Some have described Thompson as the “Texan Syd Barrett,” and I hear that in his solo work for sure. Roky Ericson, however, seems to be better suited for that designation for obvious reasons. Thompson released the album Corky’s Debt to his Father in 1969 (Texas Revolution), and the record probably appeals to a broader listenership than that posted above. Truthfully, I listen to this record much more than any Red Crayola material; the music reveals Thompson’s folkier sensibilities. The music still experiments with eccentric arrangements, and Thompson’s lyrics are often playful & non-sequitur. He rocks here as well, and when he does, it’s more bluesy than anything Crayola.
Bubble Puppy were a Psychedelic Rock group that formed in mid/late 60s in San Antonio, TX. They eventually moved to Austin, signed with Houston’s International Artists, and released their sole full length, A Gathering of Promises, in 1969. This is a great album, lots of Cream-influenced fuzz rock with progressive changes all viewed through the lens of Southern rock & blues. Their name was taken from Huxley’s A Brave New World (seems appropriate for the period...). The band never had much success beyond the release of one single, “Hot Smoke & Sassafras” (gotta love that name), so they eventually moved to L.A., signed to a new label, and changed their name to Demian (named after the writings of yet another author celebrated by the rock’n’roll 60s generation..... geeks!) Oh, and they hired the manager of...... guess which band? That’s right, Steppenwolf! I wonder if they all got together for Herman Hesse book discussions? Anyways, check this out:
Everyone’s knows of Austin’s contribution to psychedelia, namely the 13th Floor Elevators. A lesser known but similar sounding act was Austin’s short-lived group The Golden Dawn. (They have reunited in recent years...) They released one full length in 1968 entitled Power Plant (on International Artists as well). (I know, the reunited Golden Dawn has now released a 2nd album....) One can’t help but think of that classic “You’re Gonna Miss Me” garage-psychedelic sound. To illustrate listen to their track “Starvation”:
Sure, it sounds just like Ericson’s Elevators, but why complain? Garage rock by nature all sounds similar, and some of us just don’t get tired of hearing it. I really like George Kinney’s vocals as well. If you like that Austin psychedelic sound check out their album Power Plant.
So one more post and then I'll call this one quits.
Tyler’s very own Mouse & the Traps:
So I have to add Mouse & the Traps. Not too often does one come across Psychedelic Rock from the buckle of God’s favorite belt: East Texas! Mouse & the Traps were from Tyler, TX, and being from that small, conservative town, I thought it appropriate to conclude this posting with a band from the old neighborhood. Mouse is hit and miss; the music’s garage frat-rock at times, fuzzy and progressive at other moments; some of the songs are very bubblegum psyche-pop while some tracks lean more towards bluesy folk rock. It’s kind of all over the place. The below video makes a comparison between Ronnie (Mouse) Weiss’s vocals and that of Bob Dylan. (Is that good or bad? not sure...) So all East Texans, here’s your psychedelic heritage:
So the previous post made reference to "garage rock" sensibilities. No band did garage punk better than Houston's The Jewws. They were a short-lived project of the late 90s and only released one Lp: L'Explosion du son de Maintenant (2002 Demolition Derby/Nitro! Records). Yes, their name falls short of achieving the clever payoff obviously intended by its founding members, but their music consistently delivers above and beyond. The band could have gone places; well worth checking out. Here's a track from the sole full length:
Recently, I came across Junior Varsity's 45, Go to the Ice Cream Social. 2 of the members of the above mentioned group were previously in this 50s/6os style garage rock band. They too were based in Houston, Tx. It's some pretty stripped-down, raw garage pop; it's not for everyone. Check it out:
One member of the Jewws & Junior Varsity, Rebecca, now plays in the garage rock group, The Hex Dispensers. If you like the Jewws, check them out as well.
