The Curios have been gathered from near and far. They may be common-as-muck or one-of-a-kind. They may be worth a pretty penny or a dime-a-dozen. They may be horrifying, captivating, loathsome, or scintillating.
Whatever the cause of their creation, hopefully they bring enjoyment to someone out there.
(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.
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.
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.
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.
A glorious film, a fan's dream. It's great to see a music documentary without anyone being a vainglorious prick, or the cliched disasters that usually befall bands on tour (no crowds, wrong venue, no rider etc. etc.). It's a heartening celebration of a band that never compromised to fashion, or the whims of the maddening music industry machine.
To be a fan of Maiden is to be part of a worldwide family, and this film is a love letter to the family.
In 2001-2002, I had completed three songs that I wanted to release. Not wanting to release an EP, I thought I'd ask various friends if they could remix the originals, by providing them with the individual bits n' pieces that I used to make the originals. The remixers never heard the originals and were allowed to do whatever they wanted to do. The only thing I told them about the songs was that they were very loosely based around the concept of 'Night' (Force of Fear), 'Dawn' (Sunrise) and 'Day' (Wake Up!), and obviously referencing the original George A Romero 'Dead' films.
Eventually I received all of the submissions and compiled them onto two discs. Then numerous factors conspired to delay the release (poverty, third-rate computer equipment, laziness) and the compilation was essentially lost. After discovering it again recently, and re-listening to it, I think it still sounds great and people deserve to hear it.
Thanks to the artists that contributed:
Barbarian Rep., Belittle League, Blanche Devereaux & the Miserable Whores, Groverling, Home for the Def, Horrahedd, Matt's Little Brother, Matte Black, No Through Road, Onaka, Spencer Webb and Toit.
And especially those that don't even know they did. These unknowing participants include:
Siouxsie & The Banshees, Danny Elfman, Einsturzende Neubauten, Front 242, New Order, Faith No More, Buzzcocks, The Easybeats, Public Enemy, Pop Will Eat Itself, Aaliyah & Timbaland, and the composers of the following TV themes: Gimme A Break, The Muppets, Unsolved Mysteries. There are probably more.
Extra special thanks to Vincent Price and George A Romero.
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.
