The Big Band - I Think Of Demons

The Big Band have released another song! This time, it's a cover of the legendary Roky Erickson's 'I Think Of Demons'. We're all very proud of it and we want you to hear it.

Download from Mediafire

(cover image by Irina Ionesco)

'Like' The Big Band on Facebook

It's Hallowe'en Time Again!

Ah, it's that time of year again, when bloggers across the globe go Hallowe'en crazy!

I'm a little disappointed, as this year may be the first year I won't be going to a Hallowe'en costume party. For the past 8 years or so, I've been going to an annual party, held at a notorious house just south of Adelaide in South Australia.

Here's my past 6 years' efforts, along with the originals for comparison:

But I've just moved to London, and have only really just found my feet here, as such, I don't have anything planned. I've got ideas in mind, but as we're only 7 days away from the Hallowe'en weekend, I'm not really sure if I'll be able to pull it off. If worse comes to worse, maybe I'll just spend the weekend wearing my costume around the flat.

Regardless, as per tradition, here is my annual Hallowe'en compilation!

This year, I've taken inspiration from the 1996 stinker 'Werewolf'... or if you're an MST3K fan like myself (see above), you may know it better as 'Wharwilf'.

1. In the House/In a Heartbeat (28 Days Later) - John Murphy
2. Howling At The Moon (Sha La La) - Ramones
3. Wolfsbane - Adam WarRock
4. King Knight - SALEM
5. Dead Billy - Big Black
6. Skinwalker - The Big Band
7. The Siege and Investiture of Baron Von Frankenstein's Castle at Weisseria - Blue Öyster Cult
8. Thunder & Lightning - Thin Lizzy
9. Darkness Be My Friend - Bruce Dickinson
10. Ghost Shark - Rocket From The Crypt
11. Bat's Mouth - Bat For Lashes
12. Tomorrow Wendy - Andy Prieboy
13. Your Ghost - Kristin Hersh & Michael Stipe
14. The First Five Minutes After Death - Coil
15. Take Me To Your Leader - The Lancers
16. I Ain't Nuthin' But A Gorehound (Live) - The Cramps
17. Weird Ones - The Graytones
18. Dead Man's Stroll - The Revels
19. Country Skin - Michael Stanton
20. Buried Me Alive - The Frogs
21. I Think Of Demons - Roky Erickson
22. Hotel Lament (The Beyond) - Fabio Frizzi
23. The Black Dog Runs At Night (Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me) - Angelo Badalementi

(remember, support the artists and only buy from trusted vendors)

Download SKINDRIVING - A Hallowe'en Compilation From Ringo Stalin's Curios (rar - 130Mb - mediafire)

2010 Compilation - Something Bad Happened To A Clown
2009 Compilation - Meat For The Beast
2008 Compilation - One For The Freaks

The Big Band - I Understand And I Wish To Continue

The Big Band's album 'I Understand And I Wish To Continue' is now available to download for free via Bandcamp.

Note: only the first 10 tracks are available for download on the Bandcap site. The CD version has all 20 tracks and is available through asking any Big Band member... such as yours truly.

Download 'I Understand And I Wish To Continue' by The Big Band.

The Big Band - I Understand And I Wish To Continue - Grace Emily, 9 July 2011

Since September 1999, I've been a proud member of a band called The Big Band, with my friends Nigel, Spencer and Steev. This Saturday, we launch our newest album 'I Understand And I Wish To Continue' and we're playing a show to celebrate. This also marks our final live show in this line-up ever.

Here is a little taster of the album:

The Big Band - Team 3

The Big Band - Lean On Me I Won't Fall Over (Carter USM cover)

Home For The Def - Phat Phlex & Indisputable Proof That Life Sucks

I'm really excited about this.

Home For The Def has been a powerful force on the Adelaide music scene for over 15 years. The majority of his earlier output is on cassette; however, he tells me that he will eventually be making it available digitally.

In the interim, with help from Steev, I've ripped the albums 'Phat Phlex' and 'Indisputable Proof That Life Sucks' and, with HFTD's blessing, they are now available to you.

Lo-fi indie goth rock hip-hop beats for the discerning listener, ladies and gentlemen, Home For The Def:

Home For The Def - Indisputable Proof That Life Sucks.zip

1. Confusion Sets In
2. Mint Condition Target
3. Debbie's Thighs
4. I'm Blind
5. Johnny On The Beat (out looking for love)
6. Avril's A Waitress Now
7. Somewhere (Over The Rainbow)
8. Conversations About The Weather
9. Buff The Phone/Repercussionism
10. I'm A Do It Like This
11. Cease The Day
12. Jersey Lightning
13. Kick My Arse
14. Doubts
15. Rave On
16. The Girl With Elastica Hair
17. Obsessed With Ducks
18. I'm A Bird And You're A Cloud
19. Writing In Lightning
20. Oppenheimer
21. Last To Know
22. Feels Like I'm Winning (Feels Like I'm Raving Mix)
23. Everythings Not So Inside
24. You Sexy Thing (Sentridoh)
25. Alright
26. Baby, Baby
27. It's A Girl!

"Somewhere (over the rainbow)" originally by someone else, "You Sexy Thing" originally by Hot Chocolate, "Baby, Baby" originally by Ratcat.


Home For The Def - Phat Phlex.zip

1. New To This
2. The Hunter
3. Babs Has Icecream
4. The Bomb
5. I Have A Large Pianist
6. 64
7. White Chocolate
8. Mindful Of Cake
9. You're So Groovy
(99 Goth Millenium Mix)
10. Puttin' On The Ditz
11. I'm Coming Home
12. Loose Arse Plastic
13. 20 Something
14. Go Directly To Jail
15. Coppin' A Feel
16. Home For The Def Leopard
17. Activate!
18. 50 Different Ideas
19. Here We Go Yeah
20. I Want To Bereave

Heavy on the hip hop flavours, Phat Phlex will pound a hole from one ear drum to the other and then proceed to pace the path between, back and forth, back and forth.

Love Letter to London - An Anglophilic Compilation

I've been writing this one in my head for a while now. After visiting London in February, I haven't been able to shake the feeling that it's where I belong, moreso than Adelaide in any case, where I've always felt slightly out of phase. And so my significant other and I made the decision a few months ago to pack up all our stuff and make the big move to Blighty.

While it won't be for some time before we move, in celebration of this, I decided to make a compilation dedicated to the city that we fell in love with.

It was difficult to whittle down the countless songs about London (and England in general), so I took a personal approach, collecting songs that I associate with our time there. I guess there's a certain level of naivety and romanticism in my choices, but that's something I'm willing to wear.

Definitely, one of my favourite places during our visit was Hampstead Heath, where we spent a beautiful overcast afternoon, and where I took these photos. I couldn't decide which photo to use for the cover, so I just did two covers.

The tracks, in no particular order, some with explanations for their inclusion, some not:

Matt Berry - Lay Your Love On Me. Matt Berry, the star of The IT Crowd, Snuff Box, Mighty Boosh, and Garth Marenghi's Darkplace, has the honour of being the first genuine celebrity that we spotted in London (apart from a newsreader from Adelaide we spotted in Zara, which was weeeeeeiiiiiird). This track is from his album 'Opium', which I highly recommend.

Morrissey - Hairdresser on Fire. I could've chosen any number of Smiths/Morrissey songs, but: 'You are repressed, but you're remarkably dressed.' That seems to sum London up pretty well.

Roxy Music - Do The Strand.

Squeeze - Up The Junction.

Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - From Willesden to Cricklewood. After we arrived back home in Australia, I found a version of this track on YouTube put to visuals of Joe and of London throughout the years, and I confess, the tears welled up and I think it was the moment that I knew that I needed to go back (although, I will admit, we didn't visit either Willesden or Cricklewood). I miss you, Joe.

Helena Bonham Carter - The Worst Pies In London. From the soundtrack to Tim Burton's 2007 'Sweeney Todd: Demon Barber of Fleet Street'. I thought we had some good pies in Adelaide, but by god, they know how to make a pie in London!!! (and so do some certain French piemakers, but more about them in a future post). Note: I was going to use 'No Place Like London', but there was just far too much exposition of the plot

Janie Jones & The Lash - House of the Ju Ju Queen. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that The Lash are actually The Clash incognito on this paean to old school tie sexual repression and corruption. It also doesn't take a genius to work out that The Clash are one of my favourite bands.

Screaming Lord Sutch And The Savages - Jack The Ripper. We stayed in the East End, and I'm not a Ripperologist, by any means, but as we were walking through the streets, I was amazed at how many Jack The Ripper landmarks we'd suddenly stumble across: The Ten Bells, Christ Church (actually located right next to each other), etc. etc. There's definitely something humbling walking through streets with such a history, not just the Whitechapel Murders, but even further back in time, making the history of white settlement in Australia feel like yesterday.

The Social - Under Grey English Skies. This was a late inclusion, only having recently heard it. Thanks must go to my brother, for including it on one of his birthday compilations for me.

The Clash - This Is England. Oh, come on, you didn't see this coming from a mile away?

Luke Haines - Love Letter To London. The song that inspired this compilation. Again, like Morrissey, there were a lot of choices from Mr Haines, but this one gave me a title.

Ian Dury - My Old Man. My father was born in England, was fairly 'andsome, and smoked too many cigs. But he wasn't a bus driver.

Iron Maiden - Coming Home. From the album 'The Final Frontier', I could've chosen the 'Isle of Avalon', but I keep thinking about that moment of touching down in Heathrow.

The Pogues - A Rainy Night In Soho.

Bat For Lashes - A Forest. Bat For Lashes' cover of the Cure classic. It reminds me of the Heath.

Kate Bush - Wuthering Heights. I don't care if it's a touristy thing to do, I'm gonna go to the Moors and have a bit of a wuther.

Splodgenessabounds - Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps Please. I can't wait until I can say this with no trace of affectation.

Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine - Lean On Me, I Won't Fall Over. This song was a constant earworm for me, every time I read or heard the words 'Hammersmith and City line'. I'm gonna have to get used to that.

Enjoy!

Download the zip here: Love Letter To London - An Anglophilic Compilation

The Big Band + Avant Gardeners + The Monies + Old Mate, 14 August, Metro Hotel

The band I'm in, The Big Band, are playing a rare live show, 14th August, at the Metro Hotel, with Avant Gardeners, The Monies and Old Mate.

It's shaping up to be a corker of a show, and if you're in Adelaide, it'll be great if you could pop on by!

You might've heard The Big Band's version of 'Ballad of Serenity', aka the theme from Firefly, but we've recently finished recording track, 'Little Girl Gone', a death waltz (my favourite kind of waltz).

We're quite proud of it, and we'd be mighty appreciative if you gave it a listen:

The Big Band - Little Girl Gone

While we're at it, have a listen to Avant Gardeners too:

Avant Gardeners - Really Good In Theory

Booya! Home For The Def Tribute Album

Coinciding with the release of 'The Complete Home For The Def and Other Stories', a collection of reviews, short fiction and essays by Stan Mahoney, available through Format Press HERE, I rediscovered this little gem, which had been sitting on my shelf since 2002.

I've been espousing the genius of HFTD for over a decade now, and I was honoured to be asked to supply a song to this tribute album. While the other artists on the album have covered HFTD songs, I mashed a bunch of them together, and to be honest, I'm a little embarrassed by my effort, as the final mixdown of the track is not as good as I would've liked it to be. Ah well, the quality of some of the other contributions more than makes up for it.

It's interesting that on a tribute album to a man with over 50 albums under his belt, there are double-ups on certain tracks...

DOWNLOAD THE FULL ALBUM (320Kbps) HERE


I hope that I'l be able to post some more HFTD albums here soon, I just need to figure out the best way to transfer cassettes onto my hard drive.

Ringo Stalin - 3 Instrumentals

I've been sitting on these 3 tracks for what feels like ages. Generally, I'll put together the music of a song, and try to write some lyrics around it, and if need be, re-edit the music so the song is somewhat cohesive.

I sat with these tracks on repeat, on the way to work, at home, for hours, for days, just trying to think of some lyrics for them. I never could.

But I never got tired of listening to the music itself, so I'm happy to finally share them, as instrumentals.

Ringo Stalin - Bayou Exclamation
Ringo Stalin - Carapace Jazz
Ringo Stalin - Shattered Bone

By the way, I sourced the accompanying cover image from the Scandy Factory Tumblr (NSFW), who had reblogged it from where it originally appeared at Monster Movie Music.

Shame Spiral - The Image

I've introduced you to Shame Spiral before.

I've remixed her fantastic track, The Image, taken from her debut EP.

Here are both tracks for your consideration.

Enjoy.

Shame Spiral - The Image

Shame Spiral - The Image (Voracious Appetite Remix)

Ringo Stalin - A Case of Passion Exceeding Skill

Please excuse my self-indulgence, once again. Here is an album I recorded over 1998 to 2001, and locally released in 2002.

It's mostly sound collages, but there's the occasional original composition, created with some pretty primitive software, and some improvised guitar and bass tracks, done with The Red Man.

The quality of the recordings is sub-par, due to my inexperience and ignorance, as well as the tracks being created through a range of different platforms.

Still, if it's some short-attention-span nonsense you're after, this should scratch your itch.

Ringo Stalin - A Case of Passion Exceeding Skill (album)

Bonus MP3s:

Ringo Stalin - hatesong

Ringo Stalin - Thomas & Martha (pt. 1)

Ringo Stalin - Shucks No/I Blame Society

Meat For The Beast - Halloween Compilation '09

(cover photo by urbandavepics, found through Google Image Search)

Last year, inspired by some of my favourite blogs, I posted a Halloween compilation.

I wasn't going to do one this year, but then I saw some really dull compilations floating around the net (none from my favourite blogs, though, they all do stellar work). I mean, Boris Pickett's 'Monster Mash'??? Are you serious??? I swear, as soon as I see that on a Halloween compilation I know that the compiler has put no thought into it whatsoever.

I knew I could do better.

So here it is:

Meat For The Beast - Halloween '09

1. Danny Elfman - Meat For The Beast - from the Nightbreed score, and also a line from the film's dialogue. I love this film. Clive Barker did a great job in evoking a beautiful world in Midian. I'd love to see the extended cut, should it ever surface on DVD/blu-ray. It seems the film also affected someone else, because the photo used for the cover of this comp was taken in a tunnel in Glasgow, and features the character Peloquin, who speaks the line in the film.

2. Alice Cooper - Years Ago - My parents split up when I was quite young. I lived with my mother, but would often stay at my father's house. Dad had the better record collection of the two, and it included Alice Cooper's 'Welcome To My Nightmare'. I still think it's an amazing album, and this song, along with 'Steven' and 'The Awakening', are truly brilliant.

3. Roky Erickson & The Aliens - I Think Of Demons - I could've chosen any number of Roky's tracks, but I decided on one that I haven't seen as often on Halloween comps.

4. The Plasmatics - The Damned - Wendy O Williams = WOW. The video clip for this track also = WOW (see below).

5. Pop Will Eat Itself - Nightmare at 20'000Ft - Inspired by a Twilight Zone episode, and singer Clint Mansell's fear of flying. I recently saw the beginning of Final Destination, in which the lead character envisions himself in a plane to France that explodes in mid-air. I'll be heading to France next year. I've decided that I'm going by train.

6. My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult - A Daisy Chain 4 Satan - The song title comes from a 1950 novel of the same name (with 'For' being spelt correctly), by British pulp mystery writer Joan Fleming. I didn't know that. Thanks, Wikipedia!

7. Genghis Tron - Board Up The House - I'm not a huge fan of screamo type vocals, but Genghis Tron make them work so damn well, and they complement the amazing instrumentation. This is the title track from their 2008 release, the cover of which always makes me think of Evil Dead, as seen by Van Gogh.

8. Claudio Simonetti - Demon [Original Demo Version 1985] - I still haven't the film this is from yet, but it's sitting on my shelf, just waiting for the right moment. Maybe the right moment is this Halloween...

9. Einstürzende Neubauten - Halber Mensch - No Halloween is complete without a creepy Gregorian-esque chant. Also, has an uber-creepy video clip (see below).

10. Julee Cruise - Into The Night - The scariest song ever written. Angelo Badalamenti & David Lynch are Cruise's co-conspirators on this piece from Lynch's Twin Peaks era. I've recently started watching Twin Peaks from the beginning, only having ever caught snatches of it when it originally aired in Australia. It terrified me then, it terrifies me now.

11. Nina Simone - Pirate Jenny - From Kurt Weill & Bertholt Brecht's The Threepenny Opera, the song was originally called 'Seeräuberjenny', and only through the tranlsation into English did the ominous 'Black Freighter' get introduced to the lyrics (again: thanks, Wikipedia!). That doesn't change the fact that this foreboding ship and its terrible crew are about to slaughter the entire town. This was the basis for Alan Moore's 'Tales of the Black Freighter' supplement in the Watchmen series, and also makes an oblique appearance in Moore's 'League of Extraordinary Gentlemen' series (I knew that of my own accord, but thank you anyway, Wikipedia). Also: Nina Simone = freakin' AWESOME.

12. The Cramps - Big Black Witchcraft Rock - Again, I could've chosen any track from The Cramps catalogue, but I decided on something a bit more recent. RIP, Lux, I was very saddened when you left.

13. Gein & The Graverobbers - Transylvania - A cover of an instrumental by Iron Maiden, in a 'horror surf' style. Niiiiiiiiiice. I got this from The Manchester Morgue's 'I Got Erection' compilation.

14. Siouxsie & The Banshees - Candyman - I'll confess, I'm a big wimp when it comes to horror films. I can't stand surprises and my imagination oftens gets the better of me when left alone. The film Candyman scared me when I first saw it (about 15 years ago) and I refused to use the toilet down the end of a dark hallway immediately after the film. If you've seen the film, you'll know why.

15. Tom Servo (Mystery Science Theater 3000) - My Creepy Girl - Taken from the MST3K version of 'Catalina Caper', a diabolical piece of teen fluff from 1967. This inclusion of this track is particularly significant to me, as I will be going to a Halloween party as a Joel/Mike hybrid this year. I bought myself a green jumpsuit, and found a Gizmonics patch on eBay. If I could make the bots, I would, but I just don't have the requisite skills or those special parts. Fellow MSTies are encouraged to check out The Manchester Morgue (again!), because the curator, phelpster, will often put up full episodes, and other oddities, such as the Clowns In The Sky compilation.

16. The Count (Sesame Street) - The Batty Bat - Recently, Mr Fab, curator of Music For Maniacs, featured the album I compiled, The Dead Trilogy, which I was overjoyed to see. Also on that page was a write-up for Mashup Industries' Halloween '09 Mashup album, Mashed 'n' Slashed (to be in the same company of the likes of LeeDM101, Voicedude, and Clive$ter, what an honour!!!). DjNoNo samples the Batty Bat on his 'Batty Dub', so I thought it fitting that I post the original.

17. The Moontrekkers - Night Of The Vampire - Not a cover of the Roky Erickson classic, but a brilliant instrumental, produced by the legendary Joe Meek.

18. Geto Boys - Chuckie - The Bushwicken & co. namecheck the infamous killer doll. "You'd better murder me/Put me to rest/Cause if you don't, I'll come out shootin/With my head in a bird's chest"... Um.... what?

19. Necro - Beautiful Music For You To Die - You don't like listening to Death Rap? Well, I do. This was the first Necro track I heard, and it's still my favourite.

20. Oingo Boingo - Skin - Oingo Boingo fans will know what this track is doing here. And hopefully they will be able to help: in the film, Nightbreed, a 'countrified' version of Skin is playing when Lori... well, I won't spoil it. That version was performed by Michael Stanton, but I'll be damned if I can find that track anywhere on the net! I used to have a copy a few years back, but lost it in a hard drive crash. If anyone out there can help me out by pointing me in the right direction of a copy, I'd be eternally grateful.

11 Mar 10 - UPDATE!!! Porn Clerk from the awesome blog, Scene Kids In Pain, was kind enough to link me to a copy of the soundtrack, complete with the Michael Stanton track, both at the Curios and on the SKIP blog (read the comments sections)! Thanks, Porn Clerk! Also, on the SKIP page, you'll find an extra bonus in the form of the film itself!

Thanks for indulging me, and have a happy Halloween, everyone!

DOWNLOAD THE COMP HERE

Wall of Voodoo

Well, I've featured Stan Ridgway and Andy Prieboy, it's only fair that I feature the band that they both fronted, Ridgway from 77-83, Prieboy from 83-88 (if their wikipedia entry is to be trusted).

I was going to put the whole lot up as one big post, but at some point I must've changed my mind... Which is fine, but it's left me with nothing to say...

I owe a great deal to one particular album that opened my eyes to Wall of Voodoo: 'On the Charts: I.R.S. Records 1979-1994', which I picked up in a 2nd-hand record store, on the strength of 'Far Side of Crazy', which appeared as a bonus track on the version I have. And in looking for the link on Amazon, I've found that my version varies quite significantly from the one listed there.

Excuse me while I digress for a moment.

The compilation on Amazon's tracklisting is as follows:

1. Our Lips Are Sealed - Go-Go's
2. Mexican Radio (edit) - Wall of Voodoo
3. Only A Lad - Oingo Boingo
4. The Future's So Bright I Gotta Wear Shades - Timbuk 3
5. Save It For Later - English Beat
6. She Drives Me Crazy - Fine Young Cannibals
7. Mad About You - Belinda Carlisle
8. Tenderness - General Public
9. The One I Love - R.E.M.
10. Joey - Concrete Blonde
11. Rain In The Summertime - The Alarm
12. Dizz Knee Land - dada

The version I have in front of me right now has the following tracks:

1. Our Lips Are Sealed - Go-Go's
2. Mexican Radio (edit) - Wall of Voodoo
3. 68 Guns - The Alarm
4. The Future's So Bright I Gotta Wear Shades - Timbuk 3
5. Spirit In The Sky - Dr. And The Medics
6. Heartbreaker (At The End Of Lonely Street) (edit) - Dread Zeppelin
7. Camouflage (single remixe edit) - Stan Ridgway
8. Mad About You - Belinda Carlisle
9. Hey Matthew - Karel Fialka
10. The One I Love - R.E.M.
11. Joey - Concrete Blonde
12. Holy Cow - Jools Holland
13. Dizz Knee Land - dada
14. Far Side of Crazy - Wall of Voodoo (unlisted)

How very strange. That's quite a deviation. I can't seem to find any mention of my version anywhere on the net at all. If anyone has any further information, I'd love to hear from you.

Okay, back to the matter at hand:

I know it's a bit of a cop-out for me to post two of their most famous songs, but I'm hoping that people feeling nostalgic and looking for those particular tracks and will be inspired to take a closer look.

Here's what looks like the 'official site', but it seems to be currently under construction.

With Stan:

Wall of Voodoo - Lost Weekend
Wall of Voodoo - Mexican Radio

With Andy:

Wall of Voodoo - (Don't Spill My) Courage
Wall of Voodoo - Far Side of Crazy

Wall of Voodoo - Mexican Radio
by Kanun

Wall Of Voodoo Far Side Of Crazy
by R_P_M

Stan Ridgway

(photo from www.stanridgway.com)

Turnabout is fair play.

A couple of months ago, I posted an entry with a few tracks from Andy Prieboy, and I intended to follow it up promptly with a post featuring another former Wall of Voodoo frontman, Stan Ridgway.

So here it is, albeit somewhat later than intended.

There's something about Ridgway's voice that evokes the very essence of Americana, whether he's singing about burlesque houses ('Can't Stop The Show'), jaded couples ('Lost Weekend') or heavy machinery ('Pile Driver').

Ridgway is a king of narrative, and he joins the pantheon of great storytellers, alongside Tom Waits, Warren Zevon and Henry Wagons.

Official site

Stan Ridgway - Running With The Carnival
Stan Ridgway - The Big Heat
Stanard Ridgway & The Fowler Brothers - The Cannon Song (Kurt Weill)



The piano break in this song just kills me. So simple and so effective.

Italo Allsorts

(unfortunately, I can't recall where I originally sourced this image from, however, you could probably find it if you scoured thru the links on the left)

Last night, I was talking to a friend about giallo, italo, disco and arpeggios. I promised him I'd post some of my favourite tracks that loosely fit under the above categories.

Goblin - Jennifer's Friends (official site)

Claudio Simonetti - Demon [Live at Progwest Festival 2002] (official site - warning: annoying embedded sound fx on opening)

Stelvio Cipriani - Incubo (imdb)

Fabio Frizzi - The Last Zombie Remix (imdb)

Guido & Maurizio de Angelis - Yor's World (geocities page???)

Zombi - Challenger Deep (official site)

The Giallos Flame - House at the Edge of the Dark (last.fm)

Zed - Gom Jabbar (Mutant Sounds blog entry - get the whole album here)

Andy Prieboy

I recently got hold of some Wall of Voodoo albums, which are superb, and was reminded of former frontman Andy Prieboy's solo output. I tried to find as much as I could, only to find that the majority of it is out-of-print, which is a damn shame, as he has created some truly amazing songs.

Andy's site really doesn't give up much info, either...

There are one or two download options on Amazon though.

I did finally manage to track down a copy of '...Upon My Wicked Son', however, the file was incomplete. I was able to salvage these tracks though.

Andy Prieboy - Loving the Highway Man
Andy Prieboy - Tomorrow Wendy
Andy Prieboy - For Love

And I shall remember him forever, howling down that freeway in the sky, knocking over the angels

(image created by SomethingAwful Forum Goon 'Mr Pazzah')

Today, I heard the news that David Carradine had died. I liked 'Kill Bill', and I never really saw much of 'Kung Fu', the two bodies of work that have been cited the most in his obituaries, but I will always know him as 'Frankenstein'. Frankenstein, who lost a leg in '98, an arm in '99. Frankenstein, the champion of 'Death Race 2000', one of my all-time favourite films.

I tried to think of way I could pay tribute, and then I realised I already had: ten years ago, I released an album called 'A Case of Passion Exceeding Skill'. On that album were 2 tracks called 'Wrong Way, Go Back' (Parts 1 & 2), which were made up predominately of 'Death Race 2000' samples.

So here's to you, Mr. President Frankenstein.

Ringo Stalin - Wrong Way, Go Back (Pt. 1)
Ringo Stalin - Wrong Way, Go Back (Pt. 2)

The Big Band - The Ballad of Serenity

(photo by Elizabeth McClintock)

Recorded and mastered in under an hour*, The Big Band attempted to beef up 'The Ballad of Serenity', the mildly limp theme song from the brilliant and all-too-shortlived television show 'Firefly'.

The theme song, written by Joss Whedon and originally performed by Sonny Rhodes, is... not brilliant and it took me a long time to get over its distinct lack of awesomeness, especially when the show itself was so incredibly awesome.

The Big Band originally intended to Motorhead-ise their version but ended up channeling The Misfits instead.

The Big Band - The Ballad of Serenity

* and uploaded to the internet in under 3 hours. The quickest turnaround for a Big Band track thus far.

*YOUTUBE VIDEO REMOVED BY FOX*
Why??? Do I need to grab a copy of my legally-bought DVDs every time I get a hankering to hear the theme song???

Wagons - The Rise and Fall of Goodtown

(photo by Michael Collas-Smith)

Wagons are without a doubt my favourite currently active Australian band. Wagons offer an Australian country style without sounding like the hackneyed trite that's become so prevalent in 'Country' music.

At my former place of work, new employees would be grilled, as most new members of any social group are, about their taste in music. Too often, I heard this phrase "Oh, I like most stuff. You know, whatever... Except country." And I agree, for the most part, because their understanding of country is this vomitous sludge (just to clarify, in case the formatting isn't clear enough, that's a link to the Australian Country Music Association). But Wagons are an exception, a golden shining beacon, Henry Wagons' magnificent baritone the clarion call for seekers of truth, beauty and the occasional murder-revenge ballad.

At the time of writing, Wagons are currently undertaking a national tour, promoting the new album 'The Rise and Fall of Goodtown', which is available via the Wagons Myspace page.


(Goodtown video directed by Lucy Dyson)

Wagons - Never Been To Spain (from '... Goodtown') (written by Hoyt Axton)
Wagons - Eagle On The Hill (from 'Draw Blood')
Wagons - Samson (from 'Trying To Get Home')

Wagons 'The Rise and Fall of Goodtown' tour dates:
20 May 2009 Winsome Hotel, Lismore, NSW
21 May 2009 Hoey Moey w/ Claude Hay, Coff’s Harbour, NSW
22 May 2009 Hamilton Station Hotel w/ The Retreat & Gregory Page (USA), Newcastle, NSW
23 May 2009 Hopetoun Hotel w/ The Retreat & Gregory Page (USA), Sydney, NSW
24 May 2009 Brass Monkey w/ The Retreat & Gregory Page (USA), Cronulla, NSW
27 May 2009 Newcastle UNI - day time show, Newcastle, NSW
29 May 2009 Hotel Gearin w/ Claude Hay, Katoomba, NSW
30 May 2009 ANU Bar w/ Bonjah, Canberra, ACT
7 Jun 2009 Corner Hotel w/ Whisky Go Gos & Felicity Groom, Melbourne, Vic.
10 Jun 2009 The Moon Cafe (Henry Wagons solo), Northbridge, WA
11 Jun 2009 Mojo’s w/ Justin Walshe & Felicity Groom, Fremantle, WA
12 Jun 2009 Settler’s Tavern, Margaret River, WA
13 Jun 2009 Prince of Wales, Bunbury, WA
14 Jun 2009 Indi Bar w/ Fancy Brothers, Perth, WA
19 Jun 2009 The Alley Cat w/ The Native Cats, Hobart, Tas.
20 Jun 2009 The Royal Oak w/ The Native Cats, Launceston, Tas.
26 Jun 2009 Ruby’s w/ Cam Ewart and The Thod, Belgrave, Vic.
27 Jun 2009 The National Hotel, Geelong, Vic.
3 Jul 2009 Oakleigh Bowling Club, Oakleigh, Vic.
4 Jul 2009 Meeniyan Hall, Meeniyan, Vic.
10 Jul 2009 Wheatsheaf Hotel w/ No Through Road, Adelaide, SA
11 Jul 2009 Mojo’s, Hamilton, Vic.

No Through Road - Winner.

Adelaide's No Through Road write superb rock tracks; not overly pompous or bombastic but they're definitely not dumb 3-chord wonders. They're not affected by passing trends nor are they stuck in a limiting comfort zone. This is that good kind of rock: timeless, smart, interesting, engaging and fun.

Catch a NTR live show and you will find finely crafted songs, infectious energy, and most likely a good deal of friendly heckling, be it crowd/band, band/band and sometimes even crowd/crowd.



From 'Winner.' - No Through Road - Party To Survive.mp3



A VERY old track, back when No Through Road was just Matt Banham's solo project: No Through Road - Waiting To Die.mp3

And an older video, for 'I Want You':


Both videos directed by Steve Banham.


'Winner.' is being launched at Winnerfest, Details below.


(clickable)

No Through Road website
No Through Road MySpace