Rambling bout my Favs from the past: Velvets, Beefheart, Stooges, Beatles, Elton, Neil, Zappa

Beginnings of the Ramble

Roaming around the office singing along with my walkman cranked up, my mind wandered into the direction of my fav bands / musicians of all time.

Ultimate hi-fidelity!!!!
Rock on dude...so's I tried to think of my top 5 - in order. I kept changing my mind on the #1.

Beefheart? Les Rallizes (my recent favs)? Velvets?

in the past
long long ago
i would have
(probably)
had these as my #1
at some point in time.

Beatles - the first...I devoured Beatle books, listened to them all the time. I hate to say it now, but I may have had Paul as my #1 Beatle when I first got into them. Now it's either John or George. They have dropped way down my list, but I will still listen to them on occasion, and will still d/l Beatle boots. I'll admit it: I'm still a pretty big Beatles fan.

Elton John - overtook The Beatles around grade 8. Elton's 70s period was absolutely the best AM shit going around. I love his voice...I lost interest in Elton for a bit, but he's made a nice comeback, and I respect him more all the time. He sounds like a good bitchy egg...

The Velvets / Lou Reed - I probably got into Lou first, but not totally sure. That was many beers and doobies ago...Really got into the 1st album, then went totally apeshit playing air guitar to "I Heard Her Call My Name", from White Light / White Heat (1967), completely got into the quiet acoustics of the 3rd album (1969), and loved trying to dissect "The Murder Mystery"..."Candy Says" is still one of my all-time fav songs. And "Loaded" still sounds incredible. Every song = hooks, and Lou's Doug's voice sounds great. Incredible legacy...

The Stooges / Iggy Pop - obviously...still a fan of Iggy, but The Stooges were the best! The first side of Fun House (1970) always blew my mind...I love that fucking echo (or sterile...dry...whatever it is) sound!!! Raw Power!!!! I (still) love Raw Power (1973). I even ordered Iggy's autobiography drunk and depressed down and feeling low in Toronto, and when Ig's book finally arrived, it made that day shine a little bit brighter for that day anyway...

Frank Zappa - FZ was #1 for quite awhile. I got into his huge output and lost my selves in many different directions...so versatile, so intelligent, such an incredible guitar player...still a massive fan, but FZ is probably out of the top 5 now...too many bad albums, and some pretty embarrassing lyrics, but it's all part of the
project / object
and FZ is still a fav, and I'll still read any books that come out on him. Last one - Barry Miles: Zappa...also read FZ's auto many many times. Wasn't as disappointed as many others...

Captain Beefheart - discovered the Captain after getting into FZ, and the Beefer has now edged past FZ in Harvey Dog's Fav Musicians / bands hi-fidelity list. I am completely fascinated by Mr. Van Vliet, and find him quite impenetrable...always something to discover about him...the possibilities...did Beef have tons of acid trips as a teen??? mere gossip tmz-style???? I also love his art (hahahaha - I accidentally wrote "heart" instead of "art" - does that mean I have a crush on Beefheart???? Shut up Freud!!!!!!)....he could be my current #1...maybe....

Neil Young - Neil's always hovering in my top 5, if not top 3...and even #1. I find his output absolutely incredible, and he has a touch...that is MAGIC! I even find fav songs in his lousy 80s albums...loved Reactor...liked Hawks & Doves...but so many truly classic albums...fav? tonight's the night? rust never sleeps? after the goldrush? on the beach? even his recent stuff is pretty good. I did find Archives disappointing...there are so many boots out there with better unreleased stuff - BUT - hey, the music is still primo! Neil's still probably in my top 5. You could substitute "Neil Young" for "Bob Dylan" and it'd be about the same.
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up and comers....

Les Rallizes Denudes has made my top 5, most likely knocking FZ out...I love the sound of these guys with electricity buzzing through my brain and a soft gentle voice floating above the feedback fury...I listen to them very very regularly and when the guitars hit my ears I know I'm loving the next hour or so...awesome awesome
fucking AWESOME band!!!!!

Julian Cope - moving on up moving on up
love his books on krautrock & japrock!!! also his music is catchy as hell, and I love his voice.

Groundhogs - only recently got into them, and I think they're underrated, and Tony McPhee's guitar playing and singing brings a rock and roll shiver down my spine...split is my fav...

Fushitsusha - more electric guitar messy fury from japan courtesy of keiji haino, fushitsusha are moving on up out of nowhere...can't believe I only recently got into them, thanks to Tokyo Flashback!
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I Still Love You, Where ya Been???

Tim Buckley - really was into Tim at one time...read a book on him, love his singing...i'm a fan of the latter dirty funk albums...and his posthumous live albums rock!!

Kevin Coyne - like him even more than Tim...his voice eases into my head like an old drunken friend, and I want to listen to his words and what he has to say...and he's still probably top 15...like Mott the Hoople...huge Mott fan....

The Guess Who!!! How could I forget them? I was a huge Guess Who fan - still am! Burt's last album rocked pretty good...

The Who!!!??? They were prob top 2 at some points...maybe #1??? Maybe. Well down the list now, but they will always be a fav.

Miles Davis!!!! Someone else I have been super into for 3 decades now...still look for shows from the 70s online...Coltrane, not quite up to Miles, but pretty fucking close...

Bintangs are sounding pretty good in my ears right now!!!
There are so many!!! Time to listen to 20 albums at once now!!!

Can!!! What about Can!!!!

Bowie - was also really into Bowie -
can't stop!!!!

Ash Ra are up there --

The Doors (hey I was a high school male suffering from depression, so of course The Doors!)

The Kinks!!!! OM fucking GOD!!! The Kinks are probably top 5 of all-time!!!!! How did they slip my mind!!!!!!!!!!!

Jethro Tull ---- massive fan, especially in high school - still a fan!!!

Funkadelic!!!!!!!!!!!
That's it - I've lost my mind, I must go blow up my stereo!!!!
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Thin Lizzy & Springsteen not particularly liked, Oh What a Feeling discussed, Teenage Head on youtube!!!

Question: Why don't I like???

a) Thin Lizzy more? I'm listening to "Vagabonds" disc 3 right now, and it's good..."Parissiene Walkways" is fantastic - what's on right now...really good...but, there's something about his voice that just doesn't quite do it for me. I mean, I love non-singers...singers with no range...fuck, I'm one myself! It's like with...

b) Bruce Springsteen. No matter how much I've tried (and I've tried too hard) I just don't get it. I don't get all the hype...

I don't get all the praise...

I don't get it at all...I mean there are some songs of his I really really like, but when it comes to albums they leave me feeling cold. The River (1980) is probably my fav...I guess...Like Phil Lynott someone I can't get past the voice.

c) I would give the nod to Thin Lizzy actually.
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OK...I was going to edit the above, but fuck it.
Let it stand shouted the editor across the room buzzing flies lingering over shit looking for an edible...

let's move on to today...

driving to Masset and back, listening to Oh, What a Feeling! A Vital Collection of Canadian Music (1996)
4 cds of canadiana and i'm a proud canadian!!

of course, i recognize pretty much everything and it looked good at a glance
BUT
after listening to the first disc and a half
my verdict is: disappointment

I was all ready to travail in nostalgia, and for the first bit,
yeh
it was pretty good...a nice mixture of classics with cool one-hit wonders ("Roxy Roller"), but by the second disc...
well...i mean
Loverboy, Bryan Adams then Corey Hart????
That stuff sounded like shit back in the day to me, and...it still does! No revision for any of these guys! The Payola$ sounded pretty great coming after this unholy trifecta!

Then Honeymoon Suite came on with their 1 crappy hit, and I said to the Guru: "What's next? Glass Tiger?", and sure enough --- here came Glass Tiger with their slightly better lameass hit. We finished with Maestro Fresh Wes letting his backbone slide, and that was alright...looking at the songlist, it looks like disc 3 is "not bad", but disc 4 looks downright abysmal!! [aside: hey, did I ever tell about the time JK and I were almost in fights with Honeymoon Suite and Glass Tiger! Of course, on different nights. We might have been drunk...]

They should have gone back farther (pre-1968) and taken in all types of music - not just based on AM plays or sales...where's early Paul Anka? That happy Polish polka dude who's won 76 junos? No punk? No Canadian jazz? Is there absolutely no quality avante-garde, experimental shit from Canada? I'm listening to Harmonium's 1 st album from 1974, and it's sounding pretty beautiful to these ears and they're nowhere to be found, either.

Hahahaha...I just gave it 2 1/2 ** on Rate Your Music and it dropped it's rating from 4.11 to under 4 (3.97)...hahahahaha...the power of the internet!!
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Here's another band that didn't make it on to Oh What a Feeling! Teenage Head doing a great song: "Infected" in 1982. I saw Teenage Head tons of times growing up, and they were always great. thanks bobzmyuncle!

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Bootsy Collins just asked on "Live in Lousiville1978"...

"...can I drip on your lip
tonight baby?"


I know what he's talkin' bout.
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Music Mumblings: Plastic People of the Universe, Fushitsusha, Marble Sheep, Harm's Way & Arthur Lee and Love!!!

Music Mumblings from the past few days...

Plastic People of the Universe: Lazy Love (2001)
Wow and double fucking WOW!!!
I was rocking my ass off - I knew it was the Plastic People of the Universe - and thinking, hey, the sound on this one is pretty great...then I looked it up, and it's the 1st album of new material made by the 1997 reunited PPOTU...

They did not fuck around...
vital
dense
deep and rockin' avante garde jazz
going into some very
powerful dimensions...

The power of "Snake Dream" changes to the experimental spacey poetry recital of "Dear Mr. K"...these revolutionaries are incredible and are more than worthy of our respect!

--- oh yeh --- I really dug the drumming on this...

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Fu-shit-sus-ha are another Japanese "noise" band led by the mercurial Keiji Haino on guitar and vocals...that I absolutely think are - quoting Mel Torme - "the tops!"

What the fuck is a "noise" band you may ask?
A band that uses "noise" as it's driving force???
Using "noise" as an instrument????
Not really sure myself...

anyhow...

Besides Fushitsusha, I also loved the first Marble Sheep album. There's a lo-fi purity in this music. As a comparison, I'm digging Harm's Way: Oxytocin (2006) on the headphones now, and it's a pretty hard rockin' slab of retread (but the good parts!) metal. Well-played, heavy and rockin' crashing...not bad at all!

however...

it's so well played, and well produced that there's a "sterility" about it. Maybe, that means it's NOT well produced. I don't know - I would think these guys could be a driving force live, but modern recording techniques seem to remove the "earthiness" out of the recording. Is this the difference between analog & digital?????

Call Neil Young!!!!!

He seems to be up on all the technology...and he seems to think that blu-ray is the new thing. Is it? Until the next NEW technology?

Maybe...

Ya see....Harm's Way just finished and Pebbles, vol. 7 was cued up next, and immediately I appreciated the "earthy" production of these garage rock gems. It's not sterile...you can almost see the music and sweat bouncing off the concrete walls!!!
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Thoughts while listening to Love: Live at the Fillmore 1970:

"arthur lee was a true fucking punk!!"
"if only he and (maybe) sly could have kept it, just a little bit, more together...imagine..."
"this album keeps getting better as it goes along - or maybe I'm just getting more stoned?"
"now this is fucking earthy!"
"i wanna play live...right now...dammit!!"
"wow...wow...wow...signed d.c is absolutely blowing my mind right now - i mean - right now - dammit!!"
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Here's some youtubes of Arthur Lee & Love

1) This one is from 1970 Copenhagen and is really high quality...excellent! thanks tkskott!

2) This one looks like it's from the early 90s and shows that Arthur Lee was still a punk! And drunk!!...great performance...great energy...what a guy! thanks arthurlovelee!!

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Rant: BC Government, the 2010 Olympics, Corporations & the USA!!!

I left a “What’s on your mind” on facebook about
British Columbia politics
2010 Winter Olympics
22% cut to our library system
$50,000 grant to our island for a ½ day olympic torch relay party
…let me explain my thoughts in more detail…

My Perspective

I work with the mentally ill and severely addicted (usually from trauma – residential school survivors – fasd…etc…), so I see the lack of services available for my clients. We’re extremely isolated here, and unfortunately the money that does come in is taken by corrupt politicians (as is too common in politics) leaving a community inundated with sexual abuse, heavy drug use, extreme alcoholism etc…

The Athletes

yes yes…the olympic athletes are incredible, and their dedication and discipline is something to be admired…we can all learn from that determination…

BUT…

well, does that justify the government cutting back on social service programs and hobnob with the corporations to help pick up the olympic tab…do the olympics help the local economy? Ask Montreal, QC…anyway doesn't the old saying go something like this:
“A society is judged by how it treats it’s least fortunate,”

NOT

“A society is judged by how it treats it’s athletes.”

ALSO

what’s more important to our culture? Literacy? The Arts? Music? nope…
it’s fucking beer-sponsored sporting events…and hey, if these sporting events don’t have any government backing, then more power to everyone!
Go Cats Go!!
Have fun…but don’t ignore the least fortunate to satiate the middle to upper classes…

Politics and Politicians

The politicians talk a lot about the importance of education – but they don’t fucking back it up…if Coca-Cola (and I’m an addicted coke drinker) would donate more to the public education system, including libraries, maybe that would get the attention of politicians.
anyway...
politics shouldn’t be about money and profit…it should be about balance, smart finances, and allowing everybody (including the ostracized) an opportunity to better themselves…to reach their potential…whatever that may be…

it may mean going a day or two without booze

it may mean keeping an $8.00/hr job

it may mean taking your medication every day

it may mean running 20 miles a day and studying for your 3rd degree

…whatever…everybody’s potential is different…

so…

when I see a community that’s riddled with so many problems, and they cut library funds by 22% (which many clients & the community rely on) it angers me…have they cut politician expenses by 22%? have they removed bullshit tax loopholes that enable the rich to get richer?

Final Thoughts

I know there are rebuttals out there…

"oh, it’s good for the community"

"builds community spirit"

"brings tourist dollars in"

(I don’t believe that one for a minute)

"you think $50,000 really makes a difference?"

Well…it’s $53,000 – to be precise it’s $40,000 to our island communities from the province and another $13,000 from Gwaii Trust which is basically taking the money out of the same well...and it’s actually $2.86 million the province is doling out to communities for the fucking torch relay…

...yes, taken into account with 22% in library cuts I do think it makes a difference…

"libraries can’t expect the government to keep forking over money"

…well, they do get money from other sources, but it would be a shame to deny anybody the opportunity to use public computers or god forbid, to take a book out and read for enjoyment, because they can’t afford the new fees put in place…which is where I think this is heading…

I believe that there are so many more vital, important things the government could be spending money on –

in our community? let’s see???

a group home, a teen centre - the one here is in a building that should be condemned - if you want sports – how about equipment for the rec centre – a swimming pool – public transportation – a recovery house for people returning from treatment – a full-time psychiatrist (hopefully a good one - instead of coming on-island once every 3 months) – more services for sexual abuse victims...

This is my personal viewpoint, my gut feeling.
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Let's Talk About the U.S.A

and on a somewhat related note…this whole Acorn bizness in the good ol US fucking A…
alright, I’ll even grant you that it’s a crooked organization

(I don’t know and really don’t care, that’s not my point)

BUT

it’s "supposed" to be an organization that helps the least fortunate with tax advice

(I won’t pretend to know much about it, but they are “supposed” to be dealing with the people in the underbelly of it’s society),

YET

the rich corporations don’t go to an organization like Acorn for it’s tax advice on how to find tax loopholes…they hire high-priced fucking lawyers to find these loopholes and keep millions, if not billions of dollars in the hands of the mega corporations…

...and a network like FOX (Fucking Obnoxious Xenophobes) continues to perpetuate this myth of the US being a land for the working middle class…if they could show just a little bit of humanity and compassion for the fuck-ups in society,
well,
it would be a hell of a lot nicer and influential country than it currently is…

ALSO

there are fantastic big-hearted people who do try to change things for the better, but so many people are duped by the "news" they’re fed every night and the fears instilled into them that it’s hard for them to believe anything else…

Amen.
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Further Study

I didn't even talk about the homeless and the olympics!! Check out Megaphone Magazine (Vancouver's Street Paper) for more research.
http://www.megaphonemagazine.com/

Some more insight:
http://mostlywater.org/why_we_resist_2010_winter_olympics

And some scary insight:
http://oilsandstruth.org/topics/2010-olympics
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Quick Music Thoughts, Inglorious Basterds, youtube: Missing Link vs. Stan Hansen!!

Music Thoughts

My favorite Miles Davis period? The 70's dense funk jazz shit that blows my mind every time. Starting with "Jack Johnson" right through "Agharta"...awesome!!! Oh yeh...his earlier stuff is pretty good as well. Thanks for asking!

I just listened to Out of Focus: Not Too Late (recorded 1974 released 1999) and really enjoyed it's progressive jazz-rock stylings. This was their 4th album, but not released until 25 years later. Still sounds fresh!

I'm listening to Pekka Pohjola right now...1st time listen - more jazz-rock fusion stuff, & I'm in the mood for it right now...veddy interesting....

R.I.P Jim Carroll - dead at 60. Listened to "Catholic Boy" last week for the first time in years - then he's dead the next week. I also have read some of his poetry (which I liked, and originally found at Mills Library at McMaster) & "The Basketball Diaries" (which I really liked!)
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Movie: Inglorious Basterds

Saw Inglorious Basterds while in Prince George and here are a few thoughts - I ain't no movie critic!

a) Why the fuck do they crank up the volume so high for the trailers. I love loud music, but man this was ridiculous! I eventually went deaf so I could hear it a normal volume...sheeesh...

b) The acting was phenomenal.

c) I loved the first scene - very dramatic, very tense - excellent dialogue (which I guess Tarantino is noted for).

d) Then it went all comic book - I sorta wish it would have stayed in a more serious vein, cause the jumping back and forth between serious and comic diluted the power of both.

e) Yeh, Brad fucking Pitt was fine in his role.

f) If the "inglorious basterds" were supposed to be the heroes, then heroes are NOT nice people - to say the least!

g) There is no movie cinema on Haida Gwaii, so it's always fun to hit the movie show! Last year we saw Batman.

h) I would be more likely to re-watch "Pulp Fiction" or "Reservoir Dogs" again before I'd watch this baby again. In fact - I should watch "Kill Bill" next. Never seen it...I don't watch all that many movies anymore. Must be my atten...um...what was I talking about? Oh yeh, attention span. Is that a hummingbird I see outside my window?
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Good luck to my friend "Mole", "Big Bruce", or as he was named at birth: Bruce Farley Mowat...who is moving to Grande Prarie, AB. It'll be quite the change from Hamilton, but that's what the internet is for! And, I'm sure you'll get right back into the music scene there...if you want to!
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Here's something for the wrestling fans out there. From Puerto Rico in 1986: The Missing Link vs. Stan Hansen - I see that Link is with his wife at the time at ringside, Gail...whom I had the pleasure to meet [aside: many times! we trained in their backyard 1 great (and painful)summer!] and she is one super sweet lady. thanks honeybun138!!

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Prince George story: Bitchy Old Woman at the Raghu Lokanathan show...

Here's a PG story: ----

Having a great holiday...all going smoothly...

Raghu Lokanathan is playing at good old Artspace, so we decide to end off the holiday in PG listening to some great music.

We arrive at the show and it's set up in the most sterile way possible. This isn't the most friendly atmosphere for some reason. It's pretty full (what - maybe 75 people?), so we find some seats at the side near the back. I go to grab a chair for our friend who will be joining us shortly...

I put the chair down and remove a purse from my chair

setting it down

on the ground

thinking it was the Guru's...who put it there to save my seat.

A lady (stinking old bitch!) comes over and asks if her purse is there. I look down and see 2 purses - ooops...

"Oh, is this yours?"

"Yes."

"I'm sorry, were you saving these seats? We'll Move."

"That's alright."

So, she moves 2 rows back, more towards the middle...I can hear her muttering, so I turn to the Guru:

"I think she's pissed at us."

Guru is oblivious to what's going on. So, I drop it...whatever....and put it out of my mind.

About 10 minutes later she comes back from the washroom and sticks her bitchy face between Guru and me and says to Guru:
"You know you shouldn't have thrown that purse on the floor, " in the most cranky bitchy way possible and departs with Guru and I sitting there in stunned silence.

WTF!!!!!

Well, needless to say, neither one of us would ever throw another person's purse on the floor (it was an honest mistake), it wasn't the Guru who had anything to do with it (I put it down thinking it was Guru's) and we also politely offered her the seats back - it was no fucking big deal to us!!

Now - 2 years ago, that would have ruined my evening and my depression would have deepened to a dark unhappy place

BUT

I'm learning, so I thought:

"Fuck it - I hardly see any live music where I live, and I ain't going to let some fucking old Prince George bitch ruin my evening!"

I focused on the music and after a couple of songs I was able to put it out of my mind (until now!) and enjoy the music of a great entertaining songwriter who will probably become quite famous one day - he has 2 cds out, and is being played on CBC Radio regularly. I would bet a Juno will come his way one day...

I also had the opportunity to talk to Jeremy after the first set and get some great advice on home recording from him. Thanks Jeremy!

We had a great time in Prince George, but this lady also reminded me of why I did not care for Prince George - there were too many more just like her in that city!

Ahhhh - fucking closure!

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Facebook, Nunavet and Home Recording!!!

Well....

after all my put-downs of facebook, I have given in and joined. I'm sooooooooooo weak!
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Going to miss my friend and co-worker Mysti, who is leaving today for the eastern side of Nunavut for a 3-month contract. She was a great, supportive co-worker, but most importantly a good friend.

Good luck Mysti!!!
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Had a great, but short, time in Prince George. I'm looking for some info on home recording - I want to start cheap and basic, and my friend Jeremy Stewart helped give me some great advice to help get me started.

I'm going to be even more lo-fi than Jandek!!!!!
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Tuning with Les Rallizes Denudes...

Imagine...

after listening to Les Rallizes Denudes: "Double Heads"...
-----------------
a band comes on the stage...ready to RAWK!!! The guitarist strums a chord, then another chord...the drummer bangs a cymbal...the bass player hits a note then another...there is no vocalist...

they are tuning...

after a minute or two passes by,
it sounds like...
YES YES
they are ready to hit that BIG chord to get everyone m o v i n g
then the guitarist goes back to that original chord...
the drummer hits a tom...
the bass player fiddles with his amp...
they are getting ready to motherfucking ROCK the shit outta this place!!!!!
yeh yeh
i can hear it coming...
what the fuck?!
the guitarist is now fiddling with his amp?!?!
the bass player just walked off stage leaving his bass leaning against the amp...
a thick loud feedback erupts from the amp...
the drummer stands up and starts hitting the wall behind him with his fists
eventually
there is blood streaked against the piss stained wall...
what's that???
a FUCKING screwdriver!!!!
what the fuck is the guitarist up to now????
this is getting fucked...
he's drilling his fucking microphone!!!
now the bass player is back...
the guitarist stops the SHRILL drill
and then stomps on his guitar falling on his ass!!!
now he's crawling off stage...
the drummer stops smashing the wall with his fists
bows to the crowd and walks off...
leaving the bass player alone
standing at the microphone
...the feedback from his amp is slowly fading...
"good night"
the bass player says into the microphone
then walks off the stage...

leaving the crowd of
4
lying in a heap
soul upon soul
ears drained
brains fried
the crowd leave together in silence,
until one says to the other:
"That was fucking awesome!!!"
the other says to the one:
"That was fucked!!!"
The remaining 2 remain silent
digesting
the shards of pain they have experienced
and the anger they participated in...

meanwhile

the 3 bands members sit holding beers
passing joints
from one to the other
they sit
sweaty
bloody
agitated...
exhausted...
then one says to the other:
"We were fucking AWESOME tonight!!!"
the other says to the one:
"My hands are fucked!!!"
the remaining 1 sits silent
digesting
the pain suffered together for...
for...

still trying to figure that motherfucker out...
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Writing a lot, but not on the blog

Well - maybe not a LOT, but certainly more than I have in years. And doing it the old-fashioned way with a pen and a notebook...and less about music and more about...the human (or Harvey?) condition.

Maybe do something like this site? Jeff Bridges official web site. This is a cool, different web site. I like it!
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Summer's Still Here! Edge of the World Music Festival!! Facebook!!!

Edge of the World Music Festival

Summertime has just kept rolling along here on Haida Gwaii. Today's the first day, that is somewhat blah...hence the first post in a while! Hence!!!

Went to Edge of the World Music Festival and had a fun time. Took Charski O'Shea along for the ride. Smaller festivals are amusing, in the sense most people know each other, and you can see everybody checking each other out.
Eyeball
to
Eyeball
looking through their frenenemies
and never quite as ease
as they should be...
still working
still plotting
still planning
on being better than every other asshole around!
Me? I got "friendly", put on the shades and listened to some live music - a rare occurrence here on the islands.

The music?

Well, I guess we all put up with kids' acts cause - well, the kids like 'em and who wants to be a hater when the fucking kids are involved? First up was some acoustic chick, then some world music wannabes, then a jug band playing "Oh, Brother, Where Art Thou" kind of tunes, and it was fine...then your basic white blues bar band, and it was ok...then came Retro Sphere. Man, these guys were great! How to describe their music? Hard, Heavy Metal (even had V-neck guitars and studded spikes on their wrists! classic...) with occasional death metal vocals, yet still pretty hooky...ah, it was great cause they were loud, live and different enough to stand out and get stupid looks from the neo-cons in attendance.

Summary: Good time had by all, Retro Sphere saved the music, and yeh - the food was good too!
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Facebook

I finally understand Facebook! It's for enablers!!!

I mean, if someone posts that they had a fart that morning, people will write back saying what a great farter that person is and come look at my facebook and then you can tell me how amazing I am!!!!

Enablers!!!

each and everyone of YOU!!!!!

So sayeth Harvey Dog...
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Summertime: too hot for blogs

The weather has been so great here on Haida Gwaii the past couple of months, that the blog is taking a back seat to...ya know --- life, I guess.

Got back from taking a bunch of clients on a camping trip to Mount Moresby, which went well. Everyone made it back safe and sound, which to me, made it a very successful trip!

Forthcoming blogs will include:
Listening response and thoughts on Jandek's "Newcastle Sunday" and "Hasselt Saturday". Thanks to Big Bruce!
I'm thinking a bit more krautrock...maybe a page (1/2 done) on Satin Whale - and others.
And whatever the hell I feel like writing about. I've gone back to writing and doodling in a notebook, and I didn't think I'd go back to such a quaint format! Lots of fun!!
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It's too hot today! Get outside!!
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Music Babblings: Troggs, Ramones, Bintangs, LSD Connection, Nazca and Nucleus!!!

Music Babblings

The Troggs: Archaeology disc 1 of 2 - man, the incredible proto punk metal "I Want You" - later covered very effectively by MC5, but this version smokes even that - has an incredible, barely contained, intensity and Presley's (Reg) vocals suit the song perfectly and makes it fucking ominous.
Incredibly underrated! I'm just on disc 1, and it sounds like side 2 may get weaker
BUT
the first disc fucking rocks...[aside: just as I type this, "Any Way That You Want Me" slows things down a lot - yet - this is also rocks in a way, and i'm a sucker for the cello]...oh yeh..."I Can Only Give You Everything" is another stone cold classic. It reminds me of one of my fav Kinks songs - "I'm Not Like Everybody Else", which is classic punk done 1965 style.

Listening to The Ramones: "All the Stuff and More, vol. 1" reminded me of what a brilliant vocalist Joey Ramone was. The Ramones were awesome, and I highly recommend the dvd: "End of the Century: The Story of The Ramones" which I own and cherish and need to rewatch very soon.

I have a fondness for The Bintangs. To these ears, they epitomize what I think a good original bar band should sound like. These Dutch rockers have been around since 1961, and I just finished listening to "Alright" from 1991 - not expecting much...ya know, albums from 60s artists in the 90s don't usually yield too many positive results (Ian Hunter excepted), but this album was great...catchy, rockin', decent lyrics, 2 different style singers - one gruff, one smooth...short, economical songs that get right to the point. Man, these guys are great!!

For some reason, I've been enjoying Nazareth and Status Quo lately. I'm regressing back to grade 10...that's alright, isn't it?

Various: LSD Connection, vol. 7 (60s-70s released 2005) I already wrote about this series, and this is one of it's finest volumes. One heavy classic after another! Epizootic...Crank...Terry Brooks & Strange...Orion's Beethoven...one after another...classic after classic...I'm going to look up each of these guys. Here's the lineup:
Intro
Who's This Man - Utopia
Sinbad - Epizootic
Don't Push Me Away - Crank
Ruler of the Universe - Terry Brooks and Strange
El Nino del Tercer Milenio - Orion's Beethoven
Pain - Jenghiz Khan
Scarboro Fair - Ugly Custard
I Saw a Killin' - Josefus -
Demon and Eleven Children - Blues Creation
Children of the Universe - Banchee
Enjoy Yourself - Dragonfly
Stealer - Corporal Gander's Fire Dog Brigade
Gente - The (St. Thomas) Pepper Smelter
Whisky - Whisky David
Out of the Shadows - Clap
Man, Blues Creation!!! Awesome!!! Josefus...yeh, that was a fantastic song as well! A series I can't recommend enough...here's that damn link...here. Try any of them.

Nazca were quite the awesome band from the mid 80s. Very jazz experimental, with classical elements...always interesting...fascinating. From Mexico, releasing 2 albums in their too-brief lifetime. Nazca (1985) Estacion de Sombra (1986) and a live one released in 1988, but not sure when recorded.

The Pebbles series is even more brilliant than I expected!

I finally heard Ian Carr's Nucleus, and thought "We'll Talk About It Later" (1971) was great rockin' jazz. Harder than I expected. Definitely worth hearing more Nucleus albums. You can find Ian Carr's discography at Catasto Music Rarities.

[aside: man, I'm still digging The Troggs! "My Lady" just finished and I loved it! Another classic!!]
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Additional info on Les Rallizes Denudes

Hey bud....

keep it quiet, but if you're interested in hearing Les Rallizes Denudes: Volcanic Performance (4 cds with material from 1975-1979) or Double Heads (6 cds with material from 1980-1981), you may want to head over to this very cool blog.

L'ombre du son (Shadow of Sounds)

Don't forget to say: "Thanks dude!!"
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Les Rallizes Denudes, Mott the Hoople, Sand & 3 youtubes of Les Rallizes!!!

This and That about MUSIC

Les Rallizes Denudes: I just re-read the chapter on them in Julian Cope's "Japrocksampler", and these guys blow my mind! Mizutani is a complete original - master conceptual artist - guitar hero - visionary...all I can say is that if you haven't listened to Les Rallizes then do a blog search and find some (any) of their albums, crank up the volume, and take a mind-blowing trip through the galaxy and you will come out the other side a BETTER person.
Hijackings, reclusiveness, stubborn refusal to sell-out, politics, noise assaults...it's all part of their history! I've gots to find the Ethan Mousike DVD on Les Rallizes!!!!
Check out:
1) Unofficial home page of Les Rallizes Denudes - in Japanese! Oh well...
2) Get some, hear some, change your fucking life by clicking this motherfucking link to the incredible We Have No Zen, and grab yourself some Les Rallizes and LISTEN!!!
3) Julian Cope presents Japrocksampler.com for Les Rallizes and other great Japanese "refusenik" (to use Julian's terminology) bands.

Are there any more irritating fans than those of the "jam" bands like Widespread Panic or Phish? Just listen to one of their live albums (well - you don't have to - that's my job) and hear the fans mindlessly cheer farts from the stage.

Sand: Golem (1974) but get the 2 cd Ultrasonic Seraphim instead. Vulture II really stood out to me. Fantastic krautrock. My concise notes from May 29th: "wild wild shit!" Sometimes my perceptions and descriptions amaze me...sheesh!!!

The May 2009 issue of MOJO has a great article on Mott the Hoople. The original Mott are reuniting this October. It's just a few live dates, so it should be fun - but, I kinda doubt they'll be coming to Haida Gwaii. Is Ian Hunter the world's coolest 70 year old rock star ever? If you can, definitely check out the MOJO article. Some cool pics and some interesting tidbits. The most interesting to me was that Benazir Bhutto was a fan! She was Seadiver 262 (Mott's fan club) and her fav Mott song was "All the Way From Memphis". Wild...
Ian Hunter's great official web site.

Did you know that Paul Hoffert from Lighthouse fame actually produced the Flower Travellin' Band's: Made in Japan (1972)!!

Feast your eyes on some Les Rallizes Denudes awesomeness...thanks notcatfish


and even more sensory assault!!!! thanks ashtrayheart23


why stop now!!! thanks notcatfish

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