7/31/2009

CRY BABIES - Elsewhere

CRY BABIES Elsewhere cd 1984 320 kbps
So easily / Lost / Child in the crowd / Inner life / As plain as me / Wild times / Glide / By the country lanes / Angel woman / TV Heroes / I want you by my side / Start with you.
Produced by H. Birrell.
Cry Babies :
L. Renard : drums / F. Marville : bass / E. Porcher : guitar, backing vocals / A. Lhuillier : guitar, backing vocals / L. Lhuillier : vocals.

The Cry babies were a french band from Orléans, influenced by the Barracudas, the Plimsouls & sometimes the Dogs .... "Elsewhere" was their third & last album produced by Harvey Birrell, the man behind Therapy?.
In the 90's , the guitarist L. Lhuillier will play in the Deltas Bonds & in Polaroid People with F. Moulin (Monotones, Cherokees & Motorbooty).

CRY BABIES - Running in the Outer Space

CRY BABIES Running in the Outer Space cd 1992 320 kbps
Catch Us If You Can / How Can You Lie / Losing A Friend / In The Middle Of Nowhere / I'm Still Dreaming / Big Brother / Out Of The Storm / Uncommon Girl / Wanna Get It Right / She'll Never Know / Be My Friend Again.
Produced by Z. Boukortt.
Cry Babies : L. Renard : drums / F. Marville : bass / E. Porcher : guitar, backing vocals / A. Lhuillier : guitar, backing vocals / L. Lhuillier : vocals.

The Cry babies were a french band from Orléans ... "Running in the outer space" was their second album produced by Zahardin Bourkortt (from The Shifters ) : an album influenced by the Barracudas, the Plimsouls & sometimes the Dogs .
Call it noisy or powerpop , call it what you want ... it's only rock'n'roll and we like it like that !

7/29/2009

THE SCABS - Dog Days are over

THE SCABS Dog days are over cd 1993 Play it again Sam 320 kbps
Fortune Tellers / Total Stranger / She's Jivin' /Let Him Whine / All You Ever Do / Government Rules / Four Aces /Mama Is It Normal /She's a Shark / Hold the Thief / The Party's Over / Anyway.
Produced by M. Vernon.
The Scabs : G. Swinnen : vocals & rhythm guitar / W. Willy : lead guitars / F. Saenen : drums / F. Sijmons : bass.
Belgian's band with the highest degree of "rock & roll".
Started as a bunch of angry young men in 1982 and made a smashing knock on the door debut with a few singles and the mini-album "Here's to you Gang". The group was at the time most often compared with The Clash. After a less well-received second album "For all the wolf calls", the group starts searching for a new direction. This is found on the album "Skintight" and in the person of W. Willy "the Sir Keith of Richards of Belgian Rock music". Ironically the Scabs find their way to a much broader audience with the muted singles "Stay", "Halfway home" and the beautiful "Crystal Eyes". The albums however contain loud rocking music. The next two records get a gold status even before their release and the hits keep coming : "Don't you know", "Robbin' the liquor store", "Nothing on my radio", "She's jivin'", "Hard times", "Hard to forget" ... and a whole bunch of brilliant other songs. This is the second golden period of the Scabs. In 1992, they finally get another place at Torhout-Werchter after another very good album "Jumping the tracks" .
After 1993, it somehow seems to get more difficult to get their act together on album. Their live-reputation however remains untainted, and is recorded for their offspring on the double live album "Live dog".
The band keeps searching for the right combination. The 1993 album, produced by Mike Vernon, gets received also received very well. "Dog days are over" is the best Scabs album !
Willy Willy steps out of the band in 1994 and is replaced by the former guitarist of Clouseau, T. Berghmans.
This move prolongs their career for a good year and another good lp "Sunset over Wasteland", but doesn't manage to revitalize the band. At the end of 1996, G. Swinnen decides to call it a day and Belgiums finest rock band : The Scabs is no more. Source
PS: In 2007, the Scabs were reformed to reinterpret their album "Royalty in Exile" on stage with the same line-up that had recorded it. It seems that the band is touring in Belgium this summer. Please check the song "She's jivin'"!

7/22/2009

CHRIS BAILEY - Casablanca

CHRIS BAILEY Casablanca lp 1982 New Rose Records 320 kbps
Home again
/ Rescue / It's only time / Insurance on me / Wait till tomorrow / Curtains / Look at me / Junko partner / Always the same / Follow the leader / Why does it make me feel this way / Country boy.
Produced by Chris Bailey.
Chris Bailey : vocals & guitar.
Australian singer/songwriter/guitarist Chris Bailey is the leader of punk rock/alternative band the Saints. He made his first solo album,"Casablanca", for the French New Rose label in 1983 and his second " What we did on our holidays", in 1984. Throughout the '90s, he recorded for labels like Mushroom and Last Call (a later incarnation of New Rose), releasing albums like "Savage Intertainment" , "54 days at the sea" and "Encore". Allmusic

Great tray by Max !

SMACK - State Of Independance

SMACK State Of Independance cd 1988 320kbps
1 Criminal /2 Some Fun /3 Cemetary Walls /4 Good Morning Headache /5 Run Rabbit Run /6 Somewhere Out Of The Day /7 Blank /8 Walkin' On the Wire /9 Stepping Stone /10 Shade Of The Blade /11 Paint It Black /12 Rattlesnake Bite /13 (I Think I'm Gonna) Buy This Town /14 Roses Have Faded /15 Nearby The Hangingtree /16 Black Bird /17 Pass That Bottle (live) /18 Ten Foot Cell (live) /19 Maggie McGill (live) /20 Search And Destroy (live) /21 Wishing Well (live).
Songs originally released on albums "Smack on you", "Rattlesnake bite", "Live desire" and the maxi singles "Walkin' On The Wire" and "Paint It Black".
Smack : Claude : vocals /Manchuria : guitar, vocals / Kinde : drums / Kartsa : guitar, 1-5 / Rane : guitar, vocals, 6-21 / Cheri : bass, 1-16 / Jimi : bass, vocals, 17-21.

Intensely focused, firey, livewire rock and roll with an insolent Finnish accent. Smack effortlessly filtered classic hard rock, garage, psych, glam, and punk sounds through Jim, Ig, Lou, and the Five back in an era when that wasn't at all hip or trendy or safe or bankable. At the time, NO ONE sounded like them. Hard as nails and raw as hell, but somehow hooky and tuneful amid all the ass kicking. The occasional mournful, haunting ballad was more like a funeral dirge. They wore their hearts on their sleeves, while bleeding all over you, your girlfriend, and your bathroom tiles. Smack is the early Rolling Stones to Hanoi Rocks' Beatles. Ugly and tough, but in a very sexy, very cool way. Smack had absolutely nothing in common with the bad-smelling elements of the LA hair-metal scene. Zero cheese factor. -darerock- (Smack Myspace)

7/17/2009

THE SAINTS - All Fools day

THE SAINTS All fools day cd 1986 Mushroom 320 kbps
Just Like Fire Would / First Time / Hymn To Saint Jude / See You In Paradise / Love Or Imagination / Celtic Ballad / Empty Page / Big Hits (On The Underground) / How To Avoid Disaster / Blues On My Mind / Temple Of The Lord / All Fools Day.
Produced by Hugh Jones.
The Saints : C. Bailey : lead vocals, guitars with A. Larriza, R. Burgmann, I. Hay ...

Call this the second coming of the Saints, but the only thing this record has in common with previous Saints recordings is Chris Bailey . Still, it's a sharp, tuneful, and (ahem) mature work that shows Bailey's increasing confidence as a singer and songwriter. One listen to songs as grabbing as "Celtic Ballad" or the great "Just Like Fire Would" (which is kind of a neat pun) will convince you that despite the differences, the new Saints were a good band for completely different reasons than the old Saints. Allmusic

THE SAINTS - A Little Madness To Be Free

THE SAINTS A Little Madness To Be Free lp/cd 1984 New Rose/Mushroom 320 kbps
Down The Drain / Walk Away / Photograph / The Hour / Angels / Imagination / It's Only Time / Someone To Tell Me / Ghost Ships / Heavy Metal (New Rose lp) / Wrapped up and blue (Mushroom lp + cd).
Produced by Lucas Debris.
The Saints : Chris Bailey : vocals, guitar with C. Burnahm , P. Bayly, M. Charles, A. Hamilton, S. Schinkle, F. Morphett, E. Kiss, I. Hay, R. Daniell & J. Hall.

On this album, the Saints shift gears yet again. A Little Madness to Be Free takes the band (which is actually just a vehicle for singer Chris Bailey at this point) in a denser more layered direction. This time, brass and strings dominate with lush acoustic guitars underneath. Obviously, any trace of the punk band that was, is gone. The power, however, remains. Like it's follow up, the devastating "All Fools day" this record explores the depths of irony, and the ironies of depth. Through exploration of the soul there is (musical at least) redemption. From the incredibly beautiful photo of a bay at sunset on the album cover, to the opening track, "Down the Drain," the tone is set. "Still I think it's better to stand out in the rain/ then go slipping on down the drain," Bailey sings. A melancholy rainy day vibe so damn gray it's vibrant.

You can't help but be transported by it. This is the kind of album that makes you think about stuff. Stuff you'd rather not think about, like, "what the hell have I done with my life." Somehow there is catharsis, so the end result is not an overall bummer. The somber and powerful, "Photograph" tells of a lost love, and the beautiful, "Angels" will leave you singing along ("we can't waste another day") to the point of wanting to play the track again.

The album concludes with one of Bailey's all time classic songs, "Ghostships," a track so amazing he went and put it on several more albums, re-recording it twice. While electric guitars are not the centerpiece of the sound here, the layers make for an equally powerful experience. Suprisngly, there are really no keyboards to speak of, which is very unusual for a non-guitar rock album. By this point in his career, Chris Bailey had come into his own as an arranger and it really shows. Certainly one of their most obscure discs, but ultimately as rewarding as the classics, "I'm Stranded", "Eternally Yours" and "All Fools Day". Allmusic

7/15/2009

VA - Guitar Ace - Link Wray Tribute

VA Guitar Ace : Link Wray Tribute cd 2003 320 kbps
MYSTERY ACTION : Raw-hide / BLEED : Ain't that loving you babe / SPY-FI : The shadows knows / THE HELLBENDERS : The outlaw / THROW RAG : I'm so glad I'm so proud / THE LEDGERS : Friday night dance party / THE FLESHTONES : Soul Train / THE SPACE COSSACKS : Mustang / DAVE WRONSKI : Ace of Spades / FIFTY FOOT COMBO : Slinky / HYPNOMEN : Rumble mambo / THE WOGGLES : Deacon Jones / BOSS MARTIANS : Fire and brimstone / CALEXICO : Fallin' rain / THE DOWNERS : Genocide / SOUTHERN CULTURE ON THE SKIDS : I'm branded / GORE GORE GIRLS : Baby doll / EVAN FOSTER : The girl can't dance / POLLO DEL MAR : Jack the ripper / THE VOLCANOS : Comanche / JACKIE & The CEDRICS : Run chicken run / DEKE DICKERSON & THE ECCOFONICS : Run boy run / THE BAMBI MOLESTERS : Rumble / FOUR PIECE SUITE : Roughshod.
This long overdue homage to Link Wray, inventor of the power chord, gets it right. 24 scrappy garage,surf, and punk artists from across the globe contribute versions of popular and obscure Link Wray nuggets, proving that his music transcends cultures, ages, genres, and trends. With a sufficiently primitive approach and more vocals than you might expect from someone best-known for his instrumentals, ringers like The Fleshtones (blitzing though a minute-and-45-second, raucous beach party rave-up of "Soul Train"), Southern Culture on the Skids (grinding out "I'm Branded" with lo-fi raw power) and Calexico (the lovely "Fallin' Rain" is this album's least-frantic cut) rub elbows with lesser-known yet talented bands; all of whom deftly capture Wray's eclectic musical personas. From the reverbed, spaghetti western twang of The Hellbenders "The Outlaw," The Space Cossacks "Mustang," and Boston's Four Piece Suit "Roughshod," to variations on the "Rumble" theme courtesy of an international crew featuring Belgium's Fyfty foot Combo ("Slinky"), Finland's The Downers ("Genocide"), and the Scandinavian ad-hoc group Spy-Fi ("The Shadow Knows"), Guitar Ace leaves few Wray guns holstered. Excursions into surf (San Francisco's Pollo Del Mar's frantic "Jack the Ripper") country (Deke Dickerson & The Eco-Fonics finds his inner Ricky Nelson on "Run Boy Run"), and poppy garage rock (The Gore Gore Girls run "Baby Doll" through the Shangri-Las' tough but tender wringer) show how Wray was far from a one-chord pony. A solo acoustic rendition of "Ace of Spades" from guitarist David Wronski even captures Wray's spooky power in an unplugged setting. By the time "Rumble" rumbles around -- a full 23 tracks into the album -- Croatia-based The Bambi Molesters' surf-heavy version seems nearly anti-climactic. Meticulous liner notes from G. Nicholl, an expert on the early history of rock & roll guitar, summarize and organize Wray's confusing career and label affiliations. Detailed track-by-track song capsules review the specifics of both the original version and this album's cover. The only element missing is the lack of specific personnel information. Regardless, this is a rousing, provoking, and successful tribute that not only sheds light on its subject's catalog, but spotlights international bands infused with and inspired by Link Wray's unique vibe. Allmusic
Please note that the S.O.T.D. blog will not close during the summer holidays (july & august) but the posts will be less frequent because we will post from cybercafes !

7/11/2009

THE VICEROYS - Back in the U.S.A.

THE VICEROYS Back in the U.S.A. mini lp 1982 Sounds Interesting Rds 320 kbps
Strange blondes / Two insane / Jailbeat / Dance my life away / Tell me / Breathless / 7 come 11(bonus track).
Produced by Eso Teric.
The Viceroys : C. Keyes : Rhythm guitar / E. Teric : lead guitar, vocals / Sam G. : bass guitar / M. Bannister (RIP): drums.
"Not only their debut mini lp on Sound Interesting Records attract a hard rockin' following for this Buffalo band but their shows with the Blasters, Ventures & the Chesterfield Kings also earned them new fans . The Viceroys' sound is a blend of rockabilly and surf except for the last track (taken from "The rebel kind" compilation also on Sound Interesting records & Lolita
records for France : get it on the PPC blog !) : a pure Yardbirds-styled garage rock ! Source : "The Rebel Kind "
PS : Note that Mike Bannister , the drummer has played with a lot of bands , often with his friend Peter Case . Read what Peter says about him on his pcblog !
Thanks to Max for cleaning the covers !

7/09/2009

VA - Trash On Demand vol. 3

VA Trash on demand Vol. 3 cd 1999 Ultra Under Rds/Amsterdamned Rds 320 kbps
THE BEAT ANGELS : Liquor pig boyfriend / CRYTAL ECSTASY : Crossroads / THE 440's : Let's go / CUBAN REBEL GIRLS : Dead eyes / THE BULEMICS : Blood orgy / JOE ALCOHOL & THE HONG KONG KNIFE : The passenger / DATE BAIT : She done moved / FREDDY LYNXX : Nancy Queen / THE KILLER DOLLS : Same old way / THE SABREJETS : Wine wine wine / TEXAS TERRI & THE STIFF ONES : If looks could kill / SHAKE APPEAL : Number one / BLACK JESUS : Live forever / THE CROOKS : Be a shock / THE SNATCHERS : Johnny / CHINESE TAKEAWAY : Nothing special / THE COSMIC GOBLINS : Ghost train / BLACK MARKET BABIES : Fucked from the start / JEFF DAHL : You ain't so cool / DAVE KUSWORTH : Sympathy for the devil.
"Hey all you poser punx and miscreants, hold on to you hats and strap yerself in ! Here comes 20 of the hottest, raunchiest, rockinest doses of feral scree out there.
Welcome to THRASH ON DEMAND VOLUME III !!!"
"With The Beat Angels , Phoenix coolest , sleaziest trash rockers. They've been kicked around and abused for ages and just keep getting better. It called "paying dues". This is new and unreleased.
Crystal Ecstasy from Finland who're carrying the Hanoi/Smack torch and doin' a damn sweet job of it . Glampunk deluxe ! This is from a cd-ep which never got outside Scandinavia.
The 440's from Philadelphia : Tatoo'd guitar gal Wendy and the boys are straightup, goodtime trash n burn and bgring to mind R. Birdman on this exclusive cut.
Cuban Rebel Girls : a Berlin allgirl combo. Dig that sexy, hypnotic riff action and smoldering vocals. This track come from their German only cd.
The Bulemics from Texas , kings of beer-swilling venom an' bile punk. Gerry and his band of merry psychos are currently in the midst of a maelstrom of attention that'd make ol' GG proud. Decide for yourself ! This is only available here.
Joe Alcohol & the Hong Kong Knife from Japan . Joe was bassist in the Tokyo Jet Boys , a legendary unit if ever there was one. Here he smokes a classic Iggy tunes in the Shinjuku glampunk fashion. And you ain't gonna find elsewhere..." Source Jeff Dahl (cd booklet)

7/07/2009

THE GYROS

THE GYROS The Gyros mini lp 1984 wav
Non-stop holiday / For you / Big deal / Be my baby tonight / Willy womanly ways.
Produced by D. Young.
The Gyros : S. Nyhoff : vocals / S. Fonseca : guitars, vocals / J. Wallace : bass, vocals / K. Christensen : guitars, vocals / D. Irvin : drums.
The Gyros was a straight ahead rockabilly band from New york formed by S. Nyhoff who also created , with friend N. Johnson (the Delphobics) , the label Fake Doom Rds , home of the Whyos , the Delphobics , the Cucumbers, J. Burdette ...

7/06/2009

JIMMY & THE MUSTANGS

JIMMY & THE MUSTANGS Jimmy & the Mustangs mini lp 1984 320 kbps
Bad Detective (Dolls cover) / The pressure's on / I'll steal for your love / Justine / Stomp / It's all over now.
Produced by M. Lloyd
Jimmy & the Mustangs : J. Haddox : vocals, guitar / M. Rohner : lead guitar / T. Mack : drums percussion / J. Cranford : upright & electric bass.
Formed in 1980 by vocalist J. Haddox , guitarist M. Rohner, bassist Jeff Cranford (R.I.P.) and drummer T. Mack, Jimmy and the Mustangs played blues- and roots-rock on their 1981 debut album, "Hey Little Girl". Two years later, MCA/Curb signed the band and released their self-titled major-label debut. Allmusic
"Hollywood california rockabilly band they were energetic talented and popular in the hollywood rockabilly scene of the early eightys..." WikiAnswers
M. Rohner (R.I.P.) also played guitar in TSOL, The Cruzados (2nd album) , Kenny Brown and Dino's Revenge.
Check the excellent cover of the Dolls song :"Bad detective"!

7/04/2009

V A - POSITIVELY ELISABETH STREET

V. A. Positively Elisabeth Street cd 1989 Citadel 320 kbps
DIED PRETTY : Everybody moves / SACRED COWBOYS : Hell sucks / HAREM SCAREM : So jealous / PORCELAIN BUS : Driver / THE NEW CHRISTS : Headin' South / THE DUBROVNIKS : Fireball of love / THE BAMBOOS : With which to love you / THE MOFFS : Touch the ground / THE WRECKERY : Good to be gone / LOUIS TILLETT : Trip to Kalu-Ki-Bar / PLUNDERERS : Dying / STEVEN SMITH : Don't you wish / THE WHIPPER SNAPPERS : You never look / THE NEPTUNES : Julianne / WET TAXIS : Sailor's dream / MINUTEMAN : Voodoo Slaves.
This post does not need comments ... This is Australian rock at his best level on a fabulous label !!!
PLAY IT LOUD !

7/03/2009

ROCK CITY ANGELS - Rock City Angels

ROCK CITY ANGELS Rock City Angels cd 2000 320 kbps
Teenage Lipstick Boys / Dark Angels / Glitter Queen / All Alone / Need Some Luv / Born to lose / Let's Go! / Cinderella In Black! / Pitbull Blues! / Cherry Street / L.A. Woman.
Produced by A. Panik & B. Durango.
Rock City Angels : B. Durango : vocals / A. Panik : bass / M. Barnette : guitar / R. Jukes : drums.

The Rock City Angels started out in the early 1980s as the punk band "The Abusers", the product of singer B. Bondage and bassist A. Panik's chance meeting at a late night showing of the movie "The Decline of Western Civilization".
Later evolving into the Angels, their hair got longer, "B. Bondage" became "B. St. Valentine," and the band began wearing eyeliner, lipstick and nail polish. It was during this time that they developed what would become their signature "glam" sound. The music was an aggressive mixture of punk and glam rock, which spoke of rebellion, failed relationships, and the underground culture that they epitomized. Songs such as "Cinderella in Black", "Hush Child", "Dark Angels" and "Teenage Lipstick Boys" were power chord driven and defiant, yet also hook centered and melodic. However, the band regularly suffered setbacks in their pursuit of becoming a known quantity, as they developed a reputation of having a revolving door when it came to membership. According to B. St. Valentine , "The true Rock City Angels that became popular in South Florida, opening for out of town bands like T.S.O.L., Tex & the Horseheads, and finally headlining our own shows, was me, A. Panik, D. Lightning, B. Shaw and B. Starr."
Although the band developed a large local following in South Florida, they were ready to call it quits by the mid-80's. At what was to be their farewell show, New Renaissance Rds offered the act a recording contract. The band then relocated to Los Angeles where they quickly rebuilt the kind of loyal fan base they had enjoyed in Florida. B. St. Valentine changed his name to Bobby Durango, and actor J. Depp, also from So. Florida, joined the band and played with them before getting a part on "21 Jump Street".

After signing with Worldwide Media, and under former manager G. Reinbold, Geffen Rds took notice and bought their contract from New Renaissance Rds in 1986. Geffen offered The Rock City Angels a 6.2 million dollar contract and sent the band to Memphis where they spent the next two years in seclusion. Stories about this time period vary depending on the source. Journalists in publications such as The Cutting Edge, Hit Parader, and RIP have theorized that the Rock City Angels were signed by Geffen to thwart potential competition with Guns 'N Roses.
Eventually "Young Man's Blues" was released in 1988. The band toured in support of the album with such acts as J. Page, J. Jett, and the Georgia Satellites, and recorded a wealth of material for a second album. At one point they recorded with Thin Lizzy guitarist B. Robertson. The band’s second album never saw the light of day as Geffen decided to drop the band. Many theories abound as to why they were dropped including drug use, a desire to keep Johnny Depp in acting, as well as fear of lawsuits concerning wrongly credited songs. According to the band's own web site, the song "Hush Child", which allegedly got them their deal with Geffen, was written by former lead guitarist D. Lightning, but was not so credited on the album.
New Renaissance Rds released Rock City Angels (often referred to as “the glam cd”) in 2000. This would have been the Angels’ first release if Geffen had not bought out their contract. In 2001 the band reunited and recorded a third CD titled "Use Once & Destroy" (buy it here!), which is said to be a return to the band’s more punk roots. The album remained unfinished for several years, but was finally completed in 2007 and released in November 2008.
After releasing "Use Once & Destroy", B. Durango put a new version of the band together. The 2009 version of Rock City Angels began playing live in June 2009 in both Memphis and Nashville, TN. Source