Last time we met near the ol' hi-fi, I was diggin' the likes of Patti Smith and the Bizarros. Predictably as it may be, my journey's next stop was Cleveland Ohio. Mucho Pa Ubu of course (I don't think I will ever tire of hearin' Final Solution or 30 Seconds Over Tokyo), Pagans and esp the age old triple 10" set Those Were Different Times featurin' the Mirrors, Electric Eels and Styrenes. From there on I've been diggin' a wide variety of mid 70s US underground stuff; Brats, Debris, MX-80 Sound, Simply Saucer, Imperial Dogs etc. The kind of thing Chris Stigliano at Black To Comm can write about so elongatly if he's not off on one of his socio-political rants. One of the joys in listening to this era's sounds is that you can hear avant-kinda rock that is not yet tarnished by either rap or metal. As much as I dig the earliest incarnations of said genres, I just can't stand all that watered down cross-over shit doin' the rounds these days ("fusion" anyone?). Random goodies: Elvis Costello's No Action, Mott The Hoople The Moon Upstairs, Dutch powerpop classic X-Ray Proved by the Princes Of Peace (issued on the horrid picture disc format), Dictators Stay With Me, Ramones Poison Heart, Sonic Youth's Pipeline (not the surf tune, tho' it, uh, "flows" just fine), Birds No Good Without You, John Holt Ali Baba (and all it's dozen or so versions!), Sound Magics Don't You Remember (Dutch six-0 Zombies-like minor chord masterpiece), Ultravox Young Savage (Peel Sessions version), fuck Midge Ure!, early Vox was just that; young and savage!. T. Rex Children Of The Revolution ("I Drive A Rolse Royce 'cause It's Good For My Voice"), Bob Dylan Ballad Of A Thin Man, Peter Hammill Nadir's Big Chance, Gaunt Jim Motherfucker (45 version), Spinvis Aan De Oevers Van De Tijd, Blondie Out In the Streets (demo), Headcoatees Ca Plane Pour Moi (anybody out there able to land me a copy of the Dutch language version by Rubberen Robbie Geef Mij Maar Drank?), Wipers Romeo (Suicide w/ guitars!), Ivy Green No Love Is Kind, ooh wee!, friggin' ace tune by T Mullens & Co. that 'll strike the right chord with alla you that have been cold shouldered too oft....
That's it for now...