9/28/2009

THE BANGSTERS - Escape from Bubblegumland + The Scarlet Plague

THE BANGSTERS Escape from Bubblegumland & The Scarlet Plague 2 x mini lp 1984/85 New Rose 320 kbps
Hunting Party* /Johnny's Free* / Lonesome Banjo* / Demented Sounds* / Gore Darlings* / Trash Brain* / Escape from Bubblegumland° / I Can't Handle this Dream° / Strangers° / We can only ...° / The Heat° / Disappointed°/ Call Me Tonight° / Bermuda (bonus track) / Electric Fields
(bonus track).
*Escape from Bubblegumland - ° The Scarlet Plague
Produced by Swasse.
The Bangsters: Swasse
: guitar & lead vocals / Rolf Rock : drums & vocals / U.B. Moore : bass & vocals.

Formed in 1984 as a three-piece garage/psyche/punkrock-band The Bangsters were signed by french label New Rose that same year and released two mini albums. "Escape From Bubblegumland" (nov -84) and "The Scarlet Plague" (jul -85). Like the Nomads or the Sinners , the Bangsters were a sweden band from the same period.


Cd artwork by MAX !

9/27/2009

VA - Play New Rose For Me

VA Play New Rose For Me 2xlp 1986 cd 2004 New Rose 320 kbps
TAV FALCO & PANTHER BURNS : Oh, how she dances / MUD BOYS & THE NEUTRONS : Bo Diddley / ALEX CHILTON : With a girl lke you / THE BEATNIK FLIES : Double 6 / DIVINE HORSEMEN : Voodoo Idol / DEAD KENNEDYS : I fought the law / BLOOD ON THE SADDLE : Rawhide / IMITATION LIFE (With Eddie Munoz) : I will dare / THE BANGSTERS : Bermuda / SKY S. SAXON : Don't slander me / DINO LEE K.O.W.T. : Pushing too hard / THE COUNT : Radio Heart / DRAMARAMA : Hitchiking / WILLIE ALEXANDER : Don't give it up now / THE FORTUNE TELLERS : Bo Diddley put the rock in rock'n'roll / MAD DADDYS : New kind of kick / REPTILES AT DAWN : Chinese Rocks / WARUM JOE : Sex Beat / CHRIS BAILEY & FRIENDS : Me & my uncle / THE SLICKEE BOYS : Misunderstood / THE PRIMEVALS : Diamonds, Furcoat, Champagne / SIRENS OF THE 7th AVENUE : Ultra Violence / CHARLES DE GOAL : I wanna hit you.
"...To celebrate the 100th release of his label, P. Mathé asked its artists to cover songs done by the others New Rose artists. Among the label's few various artists releases , "Play with New Rose" shows how coherent and how close the artists signed on the label were, with the feeling of being part of a large family based in Paris but spreading as far as New Zealand, Australia, Sweden, the U.K. and the U.S..." Source : cd booklet

MUD BOY & THE NEUTRONS - Negro streets at dawn

MUD BOY & THE NEUTRONS Negro streets at dawn cd 1993 New Rose 320 kbps
Dear Dad / Split Pea Shell / The President / Money Talks / Summer D Slum / Land of 1000 Shotguns (part 1 & 2) / Dark End Of The Street / Carl's Blues / Power to the people.
Mud Boys & The Neutrons : L. Baker : lead guitar, vocals / J. Crosthwait : washboard , percussion, vocals / J. Dickinson : keyboards, guitar, vocal / S. Selvidge : rhythm guitar, vocal.
+ J. Carstein : drums / N. Watson : bass / J."Junior" Markham : harmonica / J. Segerson : guitar / J. Baker : additional percussion / J. Spake : sax / Al "Fish" Herring : trumpet / W. "The Fox" Brown, J. Johnson & J. Reddick : backing vocals.
One of the unheralded MVPs of rock, soul, and blues music, James Luther "Jim" Dickinson (who died August 15, 2009) was a gifted songwriter, musician, and producer who helped shape some of the most important music of the 20th century. A Memphis native who thrived in the city's melting pot of blues, R&B, rockabilly, and gospel, Dickinson took it all in, and not only managed to impart this distinctive musical flavor to his own infrequent recordings, but also to those that he produced. His sons Luther and Cody Dickinson inherited their father's musical gifts, forming the influential blues-rock outfit the North Mississippi Allstars.
Born in Little Rock, Arkansas Dickinson moved with his family to Memphis, Tennessee at an early age. Attending college at Baylor University, Dickinson dabbled in music while at school, but upon returning to Memphis in the early-1960s, he planned a career as a history teacher. His part-time performances with Delta bluesmen like Furry Lewis prompted his wife to urge him to pursue music as a career. Dickinson would become an in-demand session player, playing with early rockers like Bill Justis and the Jesters.
Dickinson formed the Dixie Flyers in the late-1960s with a group of Memphis musicians, becoming the Atlantic Records house band and performing on recordings by blues, soul, and roots-rock artists like Aretha Franklin, Billy Lee Riley, Albert Collins, and Sam and Dave. The band was encouraged by the label to record an album, which would instead become Dickinson's 1972 solo debut, "Dixie Fried". A curious mix of raw Delta blues, country twang, and Southern boogie-rock, Dixie Fried accomplished little commercially, but would become a cult favorite in the years to follow.

During the 1970s, Dickinson moved behind the board and began working as a producer. His work on the Memphis cult band Big Star's final album, "Third", would make Dickinson a cult figure himself, and he would also producer Big Star frontman Alex Chilton's "Like Flies On Sherbert" album in 1979. Any band that wanted a bit of Dickinson's Memphis magic would sojourn to the Bluff City, and Dickinson would produce albums by Jason & the Scorchers, Willy DeVille, Mojo Nixon, Green On Red, the Replacements, Chris Stamey, The True Believers, Mudhoney, Rocket from the Crypt and Screaming Jay Hawkins, among many others.
Dickinson remained a sought-after session musician also during the 1970s as well, and you can hear his piano work on songs as varied as the Rolling Stones' "Wild Horses" and the Flamin' Groovies' "Teenage Head" . During this time J. Dickinson also began a collaboration with noted slide-guitarist Ry Cooder, contributing to 1971's "Into The Purple Valley", the first of several albums and soundtracks that the two artists created together.

During the late-70s, J. Dickinson formed the band Mud Boy & the Neutrons with bluesmen area Sid Selvidge, Lee Baker, and Jimmy Crosthwait. Pursuing a unique idea of swamp-blues, folk, country, and gospel music, the band recorded three albums during the 1980s for France's New Rose Records. Dickinson stayed busy throughout the late-80s and 1990s, releasing a second solo album, Free Beer Tomorrow in 2002, and producing albums from such diverse artists as Seattle's Mudhoney, Doug Sahm's Texas Tornados, Mississippi bluesman T-Model Ford, and acoustic bluesman Alvin Youngblood Hart. He also lent his distinctive piano sound to Bob Dylan for his 1997 "comeback" album, "Time Out Of Mind".

Through the years, Dickinson contributed to his son's North Mississippi Allstars project as both a producer and piano player, often under the pseudonym "East Memphis Slim." In 2006, J. Dickinson was backed by his sons for this roots-rock and R&B set, Jungle Jim and the Voodoo Tiger, and he released a collection of pre-rock standards called Dinosaurs Run In Circles in early 2009. Working virtually right until his hospitalization for heart problems, Dickinson performed with the band Snake Eyes, which included several younger veterans of the Memphis rock scene. Dickinson died August 15, 2009 of heart complications in Memphis, TN at the age of 67, closing out a varied and impressive musical career that had lasted over four decades. Source here & here.

Thanks to Alexandre for this one !

GREG KIHN BAND - Live at the Paradise Club

THE GREG KIHN BAND Live at the Paradise Club Boston 1985 192 kbps
Stage And Radio Intro / Route 66 / Go Back / Land Of 1,000 Dances / Lucky / The Boys Won't Leave The Girls Alone / Thunder Road (Intro) / Twist And Shout / Can't Stop Hurting Myself / They Rock By Night / Jeopardy / I Can Only Give You Everything / Gloria / Reunited / The Break Up Song / Radio Announcer Encore Break / Lucille / Announcer Wrap Up.
Recorded live at the Paradise Club, Boston MA, May 21 1985.
The Greg Kihn band : Greg Kihn : vocals , guitar / Greg Douglass : guitar / Pat Mosca : keyboards / Steve Wright : bass, vocals / Tyler Eng : drums.

Greg Kihn began his career in his hometown of Baltimore, MD, working in the singer/songwriter mold, but switched to straightforward rock & roll when he moved to San Francisco in 1974. The following year, he became one of the first artists signed to M. Kaufman's now-legendary Beserkley Records. Along with Jonathan Richman, Earthquake, and the Rubinoos, G. Kihn helped to carve the label's sound (a melodic pop with a strong '60s pop sensibility) a refreshing alternative to the bloated prog rock of the time. In 1976, after his debut on the compilation Beserkley Chartbusters, he recorded his first album with his own band. Through the '70s, he released an album each year and built a strong cult following through constant touring, becoming Beserkley's biggest seller. In 1981, he earned his first bonafide hit with the Top 20 single, "The Breakup Song (They Don't Write 'Em)," from the "Rockihnroll" album. He continued in a more commercial vein through the '80s with a series of pun-titled albums: "Kihntinued" (1982), "Kihnspiracy" (1983), "Kihntageous" (1984), and "Citizen Kihn" (1985). He scored his biggest hit with 1983's "Jeopardy" from the "Kihnspiracy" album. One more single broke the Top 40, 1985's "Lucky," but by the time "Love and Rock and Roll" was released in 1986, the puns had run out and so had the hits. Kihn kept a relatively low profile throughout the '90s, releasing "Mutiny" in 1994 and "Horror Show" in 1996. "All the Right Reasons" followed in mid-2000. Allmusic
Thanks to Seph for this one !

9/25/2009

VA - Brace Yourself !

VA Brace Yourself ! A Tribute To Otis Blackwell cd 1994 320 kbps
GRAHAM PARKER : Paralyzed / C. HYNDE & C. SPEDDING : Hey little boy (little girl) / PAUL RODGERS : Home in your heart / FRANK BLACK & THE STAX PISTOLS : Breathless / THE SMITHEREENS : Let's talk about us / TOM VERLAINE : Fever / JOE LOUIS WALKER : On that power line / DEBORAH HARRY : Don't be cruel / JON SPENCER : All shook up / FRANK BLACK : Handyman / JOE ELY, SUE FOLEY, SARAH BROWN & MARCIA BALL : Great balls of fire / RONNIE SPECTOR : Brace yourself / WILLIE DEVILLE : Daddy Rolling Stone / DAVE EDMUNDS : Return to sender / KRIS KRISTOFFERSON : All shook up.
Produced by J. Tiven & T. Visconti.
The band : Steve Ferrone : drums & percussion / Jimmy Destri : organ & piano / Kenny Aaronson : bass / Chris Spedding : guitars + The Uptown Horns
Otis Blackwell (1932/2002) was an American songwriter, singer, and pianist whose work significantly influenced rock 'n' roll. Born in Brooklyn, and died in Nashville. He learned piano as a child and grew up listening to both R&B and Country music.
He first became famous by winning a local talent contest ("Amateur Night") at the Apollo Theater, Harlem, New York in 1952, led to a recording contract with RCA and then with Jay-Dee. His first release was his own composition "Daddy Rolling Stone" which became a favorite in Jamaica where it was recorded by Derek Martin. The song later became part of The Who's "Mod" repertoire. Enjoying some early recording and performing success, he found his first love was songwriting and by 1955 had settled into the groove that he would ride for decades. His first successes came in 1956 when Little Willie John's R&B hit with the sultry "Fever" was an even bigger pop success for Peggy Lee. Then, "All Shook Up" began a highly profitable association with Elvis Presley, who was credited as co-writer.
Blackwell was one of the leading African American figures of early rock 'n' roll, although he was not well known by the public. His own records never cracked the Top 40, yet he wrote million-selling songs for Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Dee Clark and others. He also recruited other songwriters to write for Presley such as Winfield Scott.
Wikipedia

Most tribute albums fail because the interpretations are too diverse to make the album consistent. "Brace Yourself: A Tribute to Otis Blackwell" sidesteps that problem by having the artists record with a house band well-versed in the material of the legendary rock & roll/R&B songwriter. Thankfully, the approach works; none of the artists turn in a bad performance, and the disc rocks (albeit rather gently) from start to finish. But then again, it wasn't that hard to make a good album when the artists included are W. Deville, D. Edmunds, G. Parker or K. Kristofferson ! Allmusic

9/23/2009

UN SYMBOLE INDETOURNABLE !

Ils étaient vingt et trois quand les fusils fleurirent ...

BEBE BUELL - Retrosexual

BEBE BUELL Retrosexual cd 1994 320 kbps
1 Gargoyle /2 Lust never sleeps /3 Cosmic kiss /4 Bored baby /5 Top of the pops /6 Little bit o' whore /7 Jacuzzi jungle /8 13 wrong turns /9 Claw bite /10 I'll be your sister.
1 to 6 produced by Mr Ratboy & C. Shivers - 7 to 8 produced by C. Andersen - 9 to 10 produced by T. Mc Laughlin & B. Buell.
Bebe Buell : all vocals / 1 to 6 :C. Shivers & Mr Ratboy : guitars / L. Avondet : bass / J. Rizzo & Mike Z : drums // 7 to 10 : S. Marshall : guitars / C. E. Hall : bass / M. Dank : drums (7 & 8) / T. Bricker : drums
(9 & 10).
It's not the smattering of records that former model/groupie Bebe Buell has issued that she's best known for, but rather her stormy affairs with a variety of rockers, as well as being the mother of actress L. Tyler. Born on July 14, 1953, and raised in Virginia, Buell was smitten by rock & roll at an early age, first by Elvis, before the Beatles and the Rolling Stones invaded the U.S.. Buell's mother encouraged her daughter to pursue a career in modeling, and when she was 18-years old, she relocated to New York City and began a career as a Ford model. Shortly thereafter, Buell began a relationship with Todd Rundgren, who had just begun one of the most commercially successful periods of his career. It was through Rundgren that Buell met rock photographer L. Goldsmith, who convinced the model to take some test photos for Playboy magazine. The plan worked, as Buell became a Playboy Playmate in 1974. Besides Rundgren, Buell subsequently dated some of rock's biggest names -- Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page, Iggy Pop, Rod Stewart, Stiv Bators, and Elvis Costello. Buell also had a whirlwind romance with Aerosmith's Steven Tyler during 1976 -- which ended when Buell was alarmed by Tyler's drug abuse. But the brief fling resulted in Buell giving birth to daughter Liv in 1977. Despite Rundgren knowing that he wasn't the father, the pair reconciled and Rundgren supported the baby . Having been around the rock & roll scene for a long time by now, it was only natural that Buell would eventually put together her own band, as 1980 saw the formation of the B-Sides. The group issued an EP in 1981, "Cover Girl", which featured contributions by the likes of Rick Derringer and the Cars' Ben Orr and Ric Occasek (the latter two of whom guested on readings of Iggy Pop's "Funtime" and the obscurity "Little Black Egg," both of which would turn up years later with Orr's vocals replacing Buell's on 1995's "Just what I needed"). By 1985, Buell was fronting a new band, called the Gargoyles, which only resulted in an obscure self-titled single (on the Jeff Dahl's Ultra Under Records label) several years later. Buell was interviewed extensively for the superb book, "Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk", as well as for Aerosmith's tell-all bio, "Walk This Way". Buell decided to pen her own tell-all bio shortly thereafter, resulting in the release of "Rebel Heart: An American Rock N' Roll Journey" in 2002. Buell has also issued solo albums on a sporadic basis, including such titles as "Retrosexual" (with covers of Johnny Thunders' "Little Bit o' Whore" and Motörhead's "I'll Be Your Sister," along with originals) and "Free to rock" .

Bebe Buell's great blessing -- that she's a beautiful woman attractive enough to enjoy success as both a fashion model and a Playboy centerfold -- has also been something of a curse as far as her musical ambitions are concerned. Yeah, she's sexy and she's dated a whole bunch of rock stars, but while models who think they can sing are a breed most reasonable folks fear, Buell also seems to know and love rock & roll, and judging from Retrosexual, she's a hard rock belter of no small ability. No, Buell won't make you forget either Chrissie Hynde or Joan Jett on any of the album's ten tunes, but she does merit a not-unfavorable comparison to both of them, and she lets loose with some attitudinal swagger that might draw a grin from Iggy Pop or David Johansen on "Lust Never Sleeps" or "Bored Baby." The album's production is a bit too loose for its own good, some of the material is kinda cheesy, and Buell's band could use a dash more garage punk sneer and a jigger less metal crunch (though the guitarists ape Johnny Thunders more often than Eddie Van Halen, thank the fates), but overall this is a solid and enjoyable piece of rock action from a tuff girl who deserves more props than she gets -- she's cooler than Avril Lavigne, rocks better than Courtney Love, and has more fun than both of 'em put together. Points added for "Claw Bite," the best song about being attacked by mutant humanoid lobsters of recent memory. Allmusic

9/20/2009

MIKE WILHELM - Mike Wilhelm

MIKE WILHELM Mike Wilhelm lp 1983 Fan Club 320 kbps
Junko partner / Make me a pallet on your floor / Goin' to Canada / Styrofoam / Black mountain / Me and my uncle / Slow blues* / Dust my blues / Hear the people / Bad news / Phonograph blues.
Produced by R. Olsen & * recorded live on the air, July 25th 1971 KSAN-FM, San Francisco.
M. Wilhelm : lead guitar, vocals, harmonica / G. Rymer : drums / K. Streight : bass / Chris Wilson : rhythm guitar, vocals / Dennis Wilson : back up vocals / R. Kunstler : rhythm guitar , vocals + P. Mintun : piano / J. Bethards : trumpet, percussion, bass / S. Page : violin / D. Corso, R. Paden, C. Reynolds & J. Illy : vocals.
Mike Wilhelm was an important member of two San Francisco Bay Area groups, in two different decades. In the 1960s, he was a guitarist and songwriter for the Charlatans, often identified as one of the very first San Francisco psychedelic groups, although they were more appropriately described as mixers of blues, folk, jugband, and nineteenth century saloon music. In the late 1970s, he joined the Flamin' Groovies on guitar for a while. There is also some solo material by Wilhelm in which he comes across as a hippie Old West cowboy of sorts, just as he looks in those old Charlatans photos. His low scaly voice delivers tunes that wander across the blues, vaudeville, and folk landscape with some rock thrown in on his Michael Wilhelm album.

"... Anyhow, Fan Club (a division of New Rose Records) is nuts enough to to re-release this spellbound blues album (the bum groping king) . Listening to it , you discover an aristocratic red-neck , one of the saltiest guitar ever heard, a shootist. For the rest of it , the song remains the same. Always the same old story of honky tonks and Gents Roms graffitis. Wilhelm sings like an open fly and the guitar sounds like a three days hangover. Put a pinafore on before you play it. The intro of "Styrofoam" is gonna spit greasy stains on your tie. It's not genuine country music, it's not genuine blues. It's not country blues either. It's just another bottle smashed on your face, a corny crack & a splash of muddy poetry that sang lullabies to one another. Picture this ! You 've just wasted five bucks on that ! Serves you right." L. Chalumeau (Sleeve notes).
Cd artwork by MAX !

THE BACKSTABBERS - To Eleven

THE BACKSTABBERS To Eleven cd 2001 320 kbps
Crash And Burn / The Thrill Is Gone / Full Throttle / Mile High / Keep On / Long Gone Blues / Joke's On You / Saturday Night Shootout / Live It Everyday / You've Been Had
Produced by The Backstabbers & P. Gray.
The Backstabbers : Willie : lead vocals / Jiancarlo : guitar / Griff : bass / Chris : guitar /Elie : drums.
"Debut here from Seattle hellions the Backstabbers. Not your typical broken bottles in a bar fight rock band. The guitars are still loud as fuck, and the vocals are nasty as hell, but their approach is a bit different. 10 storybook anthems about their undevoted love for the finer things in life: women, bottles and pills. The sound track from a fucked up band about your fucked up life. Willy the singer in the 'Stabbers is currently the front man for Midnight Thunder Express. fans of the Saints, Sonic Rendezvous Band or Radio Birdman will dig this one." Source

THE BACKSTABBERS - American Teenage Rock'n'Roll

SINGLES THE BACKSTABBERS American Teenage Rock'n'Roll EP 2000 Fandango Records wav
Thunder Brothers / Full Throttle / Saturday Night Shootout / American Teenage Rock'n Roll.
Produced by J. McCollough.
The Backstabbers : Willie : lead vocals / Jiancarlo : guitar / Griff : bass / Chris : guitar / Le Gorilla : drums.
Killer debut 7" EP from Seattle, Washington's punk rock meisters the Backstabbers on Fandango Records home of Adam West (R.I.P.)

9/17/2009

LORDS OF THE NEW CHURCH - The Method to our madness

LORDS OF THE NEW CHURCH The Method to our madness lp 1984 320 kbps
Method to my madness / I never believed / Pretty baby scream / When blood runs cold / Fresh flesh / Murder style / The seducer / Kiss of death / Do what thou wilt / My kingdom come / Dreams & desires° / A gun called justice° / Good to be bad° / Mind warp° / My alibi° / S. F. & T. / Never be another one° / Wine women & song° / Like a virgin°.
°Bonus tracks
Produced by The Lords.
The Lords Of The New Church : Backing Vocals, Guitar : Brian James / Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals : Dave Tregunna /Drums, Backing Vocals : Nicky Turner / Lead Vocals : Stiv Bators.

...The Lords Of The New Church continued to record sporadically including an amusing single where they violated Madonna's "Like a Virgin" and two excellent new tracks for the best-of "Killer Lords", but by 1985, the Lords had slowly begun to disintegrate. Dave Tregunna left, was replaced for a time by Grant Flemming, and then returned. A second guitarist, Alistair Simmons, was added and then sacked. Nick Turner quit and was replaced by Danny Fury. After 1988, Stiv Bators back injury led Brian James to advertise for a replacement singer -- a temporary one, he claimed -- the Lords split acrimoniously, but not before Stiv Bators played the encore of his last show wearing a T-shirt that bore an enlargement of Brian James' newspaper ad. Possibilities of any future Lords reunions were quashed when Stiv Bators died in 1990 of injuries sustained when he was struck by a car in the streets of Paris.

Although it was the Lords' third release, "The Method to Our Madness" sounds more like a debut. The band is bursting with energy and the production, by Chris Tsangerides, is much rawer than that on "The Lords Of The New Church" or "Is nothing sacred?" The opening salvo is "Method to My Madness," a four-on-the-floor rocker with a vocal contribution by I.R.S. Records impresario Miles Copeland, who admonishes Stiv Bators, "Now don't go tellin' secrets/This record's gotta sell!" After that, the aggression level stays pretty high, dipping only for a couple of ballads, "I Never Believed" and "When Blood Runs Cold" (the latter of which uses a string section; Stive Bators and strings -- who whould have thought it?) "The Method to Our Madness" contains some of the Lords' best non-hits: the sinister, sexy, bass-driven "Murder Style" and "The Seducer," the tale of a figure who might be a messiah, might be an antichrist, probably not too far off from how Bators saw himself. The closer, "My Kingdom Come," sounds like an ending, and it was; the Lords would never again record at full power before their split in 1988.


Cd artwork by MAX !

BACKSLIDERS - Rock'n'roll Heretics

BACKSLIDERS Rock'n'roll Heretic cd 1993 Spliff records
Overture / Glamorize me / Utopia Airways / Crucial days / Waitin' to be served / Logical nonsense / You drag me down / Somebody save me / As it stands / Struck dumb / Rock'n'roll heretic / My own free will.
Produced by B. Michel & the Backsliders.
The Backsliders :
F. Lebas : guitar, lead vocal /E. Vaubourg : drums, vocals / E. Goument : bass,vocals.
The Backsliders (Le Havre) , fronted by Francois Lebas, who also headed up the late 80s group Fixed Up, is a tough rock'n'roll trio influenced by Detroit and australian rock .They have recorded five albums : two for Spliff records (Clermont-Fd) "Impose the worst" (1991) & "Rock'n'roll Heretic" (1993) , three for RATC records : "Rock against the clock" (1997), "Bend or stand" (1998) and "No way" (2001).
"...Prior to this formal introduction, my knowledge of the Backsliders was limited to their cover of the Fun Things' "Savage" on "Storming the Citadel" tribute and "Sex My Soul On Fire" on Steve Gardner's excellent "The Violence Inherent In The System" compilation of European bands on NKVD Records (which track, by the way, is from the aforementioned, unobtainable "Impose The Worst").
Subsequently I was able to get the other two albums direct from the band. When those two albums arrived in the mail, their manager had included a couple of press releases which, being in French, weren't as much use to me as they might otherwise have been, but the accompanying photos did show that the band's appearance is as hard as its sound. The band consists of the core of Francois Lebas (guitar and vocals) and Eric Goument (drums) with a different bass player on each album (?? Vaubourg, Laury Picard and Christophe Paillette respectively). In the words of a bloke I used to work with years ago, they're a bunch of real tough lookin' eggs.
Of the three albums, it's probably not surprising that I'm most taken with "Bend Or Stand'. After all, it's the one I heard first; it's the one with the most mature song writing; and it's the one with the most polished sound. However, the other two are certainly far from being devoid of interest.
"...Taking them in chronological order makes "Rock 'n' Roll Heretic" the first cab off the rank. After the short instrumental "Overture" (no don't panic, this isn't going to turn out to be one of them there self-indulgent concept albums), comes one of the standout tracks: the morose, belligerent "Glamorize Me", after which "Utopia Airways" picks up the pace and from there the album rarely lets up. A few of the songs which follow are a little lightweight or not fully realised, but there are also some gritty proto-classics like "You Gotta Love Me", "You Drag Me Down", "Somebody Save Me" and the closing "My Own Free Will". I don't think it's any accident that these statements are all in the first person...
Although this is a guitar band (and the guitar work doesn't ever let up), Monsieur Lebas doesn't take much in the way of actual solos so most of the songs come across more as ensemble pieces than as singer/guitar star with rhythm section in the background, which gives the whole album a more coherent feel than many comparable power trio efforts..." J. McPharlin I-94 Bar

9/16/2009

HONEST JOHN PLAIN - H.J.P. & friends

HONEST JOHN PLAIN Honest John Plain & friends cd 1996 320 kbps
That's not love / Thinking of you / Operator / Vaya con dios (May god be with you)/ Messed up / Song for me / Thin ice / Marlene / Horrible woman / Sad souvenir / Tune up the violins / It's like this / Sorrows.
Produced by Honest John Plain.
Honest John Plain : guitar, lead vocal, backing vocals / Darryl Bath : guitar, lead vocal, backing vocals / Campino : lead vocal / Matt Dangerfield : lead vocal / Mel Harris : keyboards / Ronnie Rocker : bass / Vom Ritchie : drums / Robbie Rushton : drums /Mark Duncan : bass / Jools : bass / Ginger : bass.
After the demise of The Boys in 1981, H. J. Plain joined the Dirty Strangers and recorded an album with Keith Richards and Ronnie Woods of the Rolling Stones, although after Plain left the band they removed his guitar from the recordings! In August 1984 he replaced Brady as lead guitarist in The Mannish Boys. Managed by Denny Laine’s wife Jo Jo they quickly built up a live following and interest from several record companies before agreeing a deal with Motown. Unfortunately the band were dropped as soon as Motown found out they were white! Plain went on to form Brat Boy with Brady (the Hollywood Brats). By this time German punk band Die Toten Hosen were beginning to make an impact across Europe and their lead singer Campino made it known that his favourite band of all time were The Boys. He offered a support slot to the Tower Block Rockers on the proviso that they could persuade Plain to join the band. Plain quickly came to realise that he and Tower Block Rockers guitarist Darrell Bath formed a formidable writing/performing partnership and they formed the Crybabys who were voted ‘Best New Band of 1991’1n 1993 Plain recorded his first solo album “Honest John Plain & Friends”, which featured guest appearances from many of his friends including Dangerfield, Bath, Robbie Rushton, Campino and Vom. Plain’s second solo album “Honest John Plain & Amigos” was released on 12 May 2003 to great critical acclaim and consequently Plain formed a new band to promote it. His old mate Robbie Rushton (Crybabys, Mannish Boys, The Gunslingers) was brought in on drums with Mat Sargent (Sham 69, Chelsea, Splodge) joining on bass. They made their debut as headlining act at the Punk Is Dead Festival in Holland on 17 October 2003 followed by a European tour. Honest John Plain & The Amigos debut album “One More And We’re Staying was released on 10 April 2006 with a French tour lined up to promote it. Unfortunately Sargent was unable to make the tour because of his commitments with Sham 69, who had a Top 10 UK hit with “Hurry Up England”, and they disbanded.Plain recorded a new solo album in Spain in January 2007 with Antonio Arias (Lagartija Nick), Steven Esteban (Ovni) and numerous other well known Spanish musicians. He also laid down some guitars and vocals on Largartija Nick’s forthcoming album.At the beginning of 2007 Plain and his old friend Casino Steel agreed to form a new punk supergroup to play Ramones-influenced rock’n’roll with a hint of Dolly Parton. The result was “The Last Rock’n’Roll Band” featuring Plain’s Amigos Mat Sargent & Robbie Rushton alongside Petter Baarli (Backstreet Girls) and of course Steel & Plain. The band are currently recording an album in France and are hoping to promote the album with a world tour in 2008.
A new album on Unbeatable Records " Untuned lp" will be out very soon !

9/14/2009

CHRIS BAILEY - What we did on our holidays ?

CHRIS BAILEY What we did on our holidays ? lp 1984 New Rose 320 kbps
In the midnight hour / Ghost ships / Cherokee dance / I`m drinkin' / Bring it on home to me / Careless love / I heard it through the grapevine / Amsterdam / All night long / Walk on / Another saturday night.
Recorded live in Australia. Produced by C. Bailey.
Chris Bailey: vocals, guitar + ?
"The album was recorded all over the place-and sounds like it! It is definitely not recommended to Hi Fi buffs! The original intention was to do what the title suggests : capture the rawness of what Bailey was doing in his sabbatical year from the Saints in 1983.The result is a mixture of acoustic performance and raucous "soul & blues"covers with his "fun"band captured during that year. An interesting collection...!" Source
This lp was only available through New Rose Records and has never been released like that in cd ... but you can find it on the "DM blues" a double cd with songs from the albums "Casablanca " ,"Savage entertainment" and the EP "Do they come from you ?".

Cd artwork by MAX !

9/13/2009

ROY LONEY & THE PHANTOM MOVERS - Scientific bombs away

ROY LONEY & THE PHANTOM MOVERS Scientific bombs away lp/cd 1988 320 kbps
1 Chicken Run Around /2 Bip Bop Boom /3 Ruin Your Shoes /4 Deviled Eyes /5 Nervous Slim / 6 Boy, Man! /7 Bad News Travels Fast /8 Your Best Friend's Number /9 Here Comes Curly /10 Cry Like The Wind /11 Nobody /12 Feel So Fine .
Produced by Roy Loney.
Roy Loney & The Phantom Movers : R. Loney : lead vocals, rhythm guitar/ L. Lea : lead & rhythm guitar, backing vocals / D. Mihm : drums & percussion / P. "Buzz" Miller : bass, lead guitar / B. Berman : piano + C. Jordan : backing vocals on 3,11,12 / J. Ferrell : slide guitar on 1,4 / M. Wilhelm : lead guitar on 5,6 / R. Estrin : harmonica on 1,5 / S. Blank : piano on 2,11,12.
Interestingly, this record was released in Australia a few months before it was released in America, which gives you an indication of the peculiarities surrounding Loney's career. Nevertheless, this is a fine and funky record, drenched in echo and with a crude, instantly likable rockabilly feel that puts the pedal to the metal and doesn't back down. After all these years, Loney can still crank it out and kick up a fuss. Just listen to "Bip Bop Boom" and "Boy, Man!" and you'll see what I mean. Allmusic


Cd artwork by MAX !

THE MARTINETS - Love ! Hate !

THE MARTINETS Love ! Hate ! cd 2000 Scooch Pooch Rcds 320 kbps
I don't follow / Treasures / Die everyday / Imperfect goddess / Monopoly / Air conditioner / Falling / A fan's heaven / A moment of silence, please / I can't pretend / Better man than I / Hallowed ground / Next time.
Recorded by B. Goggin, mixed & mastered by J. M. Smith.
The Martinets : Eamonn Bowles : vocals, guitar / Daniel Rey : guitar, vocals / Roger Murdock : drums, vocals / Dave Rick : bass.
The Martinets formed in New York in the mid-'90s, with a lineup consisting of Eamonn Bowles (guitar, vocals), guitarist Dave Rick (formerly with Yo La Tengo), Roger Murdock (drums, vocals), and the renowned Ramones producer Daniel Rey (guitar). Offering furious themes of punk rock, essentially inspired by bands like the New York Dolls and the Heartbreakers, they led crews of the punk movement during the late '70s. "Love!Hate!", the group's debut album, hit record stores in February of 2000, enjoying reasonable results and attaining significant reviews from the media. Two years later, the New York squad recorded what turned out to be their second major recording, "New stories for men", again through the Scooch Pooch record label.
If the Replacements had managed to stay together into the new millennium, reducing their alcohol intake but creating a more mature and stable version of the wild-eyed intensity of "Let It Be" and "Tim", they would undoubtedly eventually have recorded an album like the Martinets' debut. "Love! Hate!" sounds surprisingly like the Mats, with a hint of their Minneapolis homeboys Soul Asylum and the Hang Ups, as well, but an older and wiser version. (All of the members of the band, particularly guitarist Daniel Rey and bassist Dave Rick, have lengthy resumés on the New York indie scene going back well into the '80s.) As a result, the album lacks the immediacy that a younger, hungrier band might give it, but, to their favor, the Martinets invest the songs with enough cool sonic touches -- like the Revolver-style chiming guitars on "Imperfect Goddess" -- to draw in the listener... So "Love! Hate!" isn't an all-time classic, but it's entertaining enough to be a promising debut. Allmusic
Note that The Martinets will have their triumphant third cd, "Comeback Tour", out soon from Nicotine Records (Walter Lure, The Mochines, The Lime Spiders,The Lustkillers ...).

9/11/2009

THEE STASH - What's My Name

SINGLES THEE STASH What's My Name/48 Thrills sp 1994 Damaged Good wav
Thee Stash : B. Childish: guitar, vocals /J. 'Tub' Johnson: bass guitar, backing vocals / B. Brand: drums, backing vocals
Thee Headcoats have released cover versions of Clash songs under the name Thee Stash. Here's their second single parodying "What's my name" & "48 hours".

Thanks to Fabien for music & scans !

THEE STASH - Should I Suck Or Should I Blow?

SINGLES THEE STASH Should I Suck Or Should I Blow ?/ We're Selling Jeans For The USA sp 1991 Get Hip wav
Thee Stash : B. Childish: guitar, vocals /J. 'Tub' Johnson: bass guitar, backing vocals / B. Brand: drums, backing vocals
Thee Headcoats in disguise covering songs by The Clash !!!

Thanks to Fabien for music & scans !

THE VACANT LOT - Almost Summer

SINGLES THE VACANT LOT Almost summer/Cyclone sp 199 Chaos Rrds wav
The Vacant Lot : P. Ciccone : guitar, vocals / P. Corio : drums / B. Wilder : bass / J. Mitro : guitar.
"New York band The Vacant Lot are still fairly much an unknown commodity, but that's bound to start changing pretty soon as they begin to get some records out and people outside of the city get a chance to hear their fabulous brand of punk rock flavored power pop. The Vacant Lot favor the energetic side of punk and the melodic side of sixties garage pop and blend them together in a way that produces the kind of tunes that stick in your head all day if you play their stuff once in the morning. The best indication where they're coming from perhaps comes from the fact that they cover the Real Kids' great "All Kindsa Girls" and play it a little faster than the original while hanging onto the same feeling of melody..." Source NKVD
Thanks to Fabien for music & scans !

9/10/2009

THE VACANT LOT - She gotta leave

SINGLES THE VACANT LOT She gotta leave/All kinds of girls sp 1991 Baylor Rds wav
Any way you approach them, the Vacant Lot punch out sharp, loud pop songs. Clean melody lines and tight harmonies show their ties to the Power Pop sect, while loud guitars and full production lean towards Noise Pop. Infused within it all is pure Punk shrapnel.
The b side is a cover of the Real Kids song "All kindsa girls" & the single is dedicated to the Boston boys !

Thanks to Fabien for music & scans !

9/09/2009

WILLY DEVILLE - Love & Emotion

WILLY DEVILLE Love & emotion (The Atlantic years) cd 1996 320 kbps
1 Harlem nocturne /2 Love and emotion /3 Demasiado corazon /4 Each word's a beat of my heart /5 Around the corner /6 River of tears /7 Lilly's daddy's cadillac /8 The moonlight let me down /9 Stand by me /10 Maybe tomorrow /11 Teardrops must fall /12 She was made in heaven /13 End of the line /14 So in love are we /15 You better move on /16 Let me dream if I want to (Amphetamine blues)*/17 Change it comes* /18 Cadillac moon* /19 The moonlight let me down ('96 radio version) /20 Stand by me° /21 Empty heart /22 Dust my room" /23 Angel eyes°.
*Live at CBGB'S - °Live at the Olympia, Paris - "Live at the Bottom Line
Songs : 2,10,11,12,13,14 & 15 produced by W. DeVille & J. Nitzsche - 3,4,5,6,7 & 8 produced by R. Albert, H. Albert & W. DeVille -21 produced by J. P. Shenale & W. DeVille.
Mink DeVille : Willy DeVille : vocals, rhythm guitar, slide & lead guitars / K. Margolis : keyboards, accordion, & vibraphone / R. Borgia : rhythm guitar, lead guitar / L. Cortelezzi : saxophones / J. Vasta : bass guitar / T. Price : drums.
On a good night in the New York underground around 1976 or '77, the band led by Willy DeVille (New York native William Borsay, who had arrived back in the city via London and the Bay Area) could be the coolest cats on the scene. Willy dressed like a pimp and played a guitar covered in leopard skin; swagger and soulful strut was a brisk rejoinder to the sloppy punk and wimpy power pop bands they preceded and followed on stages.
When the independent Omfug label included three of their songs on the multi-artist compilation "Live at CBGB's", recorded at the influential New York punk club, their punk connection was assured. With Atlantic acquiring national distribution rights to the album, Mink DeVille became one of the country's top punk bands.
After the band was discovered, producer Jack Nitzsche got them on the lean, tough R&B beam for a first LP "Cabretta" that sweats and smokes through and through as a classic of such fully and lovingly assimilated music should.
"Return to Magenta" is more of the same but less. On the first LP, a cover of Moon Martin's "Cadillac Walk" was one of many highlights; here, Martin's inferior "Rolene" is pretty much it. "Le Chat Bleu" 's arrival ended a prolonged absence from recording, but it confirmed that stagnation had set in. The band was, by then, a couple of Minks plus sessionmen; it seemed Willy was looking to become the soul crooner of his dreams without providing the songs to fuel ours (despite some collaborative songwriting with Doc Pomus, hitsmith for Joe Turner, Dion, the Drifters, etc.). "Savoir Faire"(see Eternally yours blog) collects tracks from those three albums.
Evidence that DeVille had lost touch with the trash/sleaze aesthetic (not to mention Louie X. Erlanger's lowdown guitar) is even plainer on "Coup de Grâce". Despite a new, young band and a reunion with Nitzsche (Mink saxist Steve Douglas produced the third LP), the magic is still largely absent. Tracks like "Maybe Tomorrow" offer traces of the old bite almost as a concession.

"Where Angels Fear to Tread", produced by the hitmaking team of Ron and Howard Albert (who ruined a Gang of Four album that same year), is a fine record of new DeVille originals, starting with the soulful and sweet "Each Word's a Beat of My Heart." This uncluttered and uncomplicated tribute to DeVille's chosen forebears — Sam Cooke, Phil Spector, the Drifters, Joe Tex, James Brown — also includes forays into Spanish Harlem and other wondrously nostalgic time warps. DeVille's songwriting and singing have returned to top strength, and the record burns with sincerity and warmth. Simply, elegantly excellent. Trouser Press
On this cd the 13 tracks from the two original Atlantic albums are complemented by live recordings from the CBGB's , the highly atmospheric "Harlem nocturne" (instrumental opener at countless DeVille gigs ) and Ben E. King's classic "Stand by me". Both of these songs originally appeared on the mini-lp "Each word's a beat of my heart" (& on a single) and were previously unavailable on cd worldwide.

Don't forget part 2 here!

9/08/2009

LORDS OF THE NEW CHURCH - Is nothing sacred ?

LORDS OF THE NEW CHURCH Is nothing sacred ? cd 1983 320 kbps
Dance with me / Bad timing /Johnny too bad /Don't worry children /Night is calling /Black girl, white Girl /Goin' downtown /Tale of two cities / World without end /Partners in crime /Live for today* / Opening nightmares° /Sorry for the man° /Lord's prayer° /Real bad time° /Things go bump°/ Bang bang baby maybe° /Follow°.
(°bonus tracks)
Produced by The Lords except* by Todd Rundgren.
The Lords Of The New Church : Backing Vocals, Guitar : Brian James / Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals : Dave Tregunna /Drums, Backing Vocals : Nicky Turner / Lead Vocals - Stiv Bators.

The shadow of the Rolling Stones, the classic role model for bands who embrace rock's scuzzy, dangerous, vaguely satanic side, looms large over Lords of the New Church's second album. The influence of Mick Jagger on Stiv Bators' lippy, sneering delivery has never been more apparent. Brian James emulates Keith Richards' rhythm-oriented guitar parts, leaving Dave Tregunna's bass as the lead instrument. Nicky Turner may not be Charlie Watts (who is?), but he provides a dependable backbeat.
"Is Nothing Sacred?" even offers such Stones-y song titles as "Black Girl/White Girl," "Goin' Downtown," and "Partners in Crime". You'd hope this was a conscious homage, but it sounds more like the Lords were having trouble deciding on a direction and fell back on old habits. Still, if "Is Nothing Sacred?" were a Stones album, it'd be a pretty good one, well played and entertaining throughout. "Dance with Me" -- funky, slinky, and goth-tinged with lyrics that invoke voodoo and bondage -- is one of the Lords' best songs and, coincidentally, one of their biggest hits. "Live for Today," a surprisingly straight cover of the Grass Roots classic with slick production and keyboards by Todd Rundgren, closes the album on an uplifting though incongruous note. As a follow-up to the Lords' promising debut, "Is Nothing Sacred?" isn't a disaster, but it is a small step backward, rather than forward.

Artwork by Mr MAX !

9/06/2009

V/A THE MOST FUN YOU CAN HAVE WITH YOUR CLOTHES ON !

V/A The Beserkley story cd 2004 320 kbps
1 - Earth Quake : Friday on my mind / Greg Kihn : The break-up song / The Rubinoos : I want to be your boyfriend / The Modern Lovers : Government centre / Spitballs : Let her dance / Tyla Gang : Tropical love / Greg Kihn : For you / The Modern Lovers : Roadrunner (Chartbusters version) / Earth Quake : Lovin' cup / The Rubinoos : Gorilla / Greg Kihn : All the right reasons / The Smirks : Rosemary / The Rubinoos : Wouldn't it be nice / Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers : Ice cream man / Earth Quake : Don't wanna go back / Mrs Green : Hurry / The Modern Lovers : She cracked / Tyla Gang : Fireball (live) / Earth Quake : Tin soldier (live) / The Modern Lovers : The morning of our lives (live) / Greg Kihn : Jeopardy / The Rubinoos : Hard to get / Spitballs : Neanderthal man .
2 - The Rubinoos : Rock'n'roll is dead / Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers : Egyptian reggae / Greg Kihn : Madison Avenue / Earth Quake : Hit the floor (single edition) / The Modern Lovers : Pablo Picasso / Tyla Gang : Did you hear it on the radio ? / The Rubinoos : I think we're alone now / The Smirks : Ok U.K. / Spitballs : I can only give you everything / Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers : New England / Greg Kihn : Sorry / Earth Quake : (Sittin' in the middle of) Madness / Tyla Gang : Whizz kids / The Rubinoos : Jennifer / Greg Kihn : Any other woman / Earth Quake : Rear view / Spitballs : Boris the spider / Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers : Abdul & Cleopatra / The Rubinoos : I never thought it would happen / Greg Kihn : Rendez-vous / Tyla Gang : Dust on the needle / Earth Quake : Ma ma belle (live) / Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers : It will stand.
A complete overview of the influential U.S. power pop label Beserkley Records. 41 tracks, on two CDs, from such artists as Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers, Earth Quake, The Rubinoos, Greg Kihn, The Smirks, The Tyla Gang, & more. Includes numerous tracks never available before on CD.
Part 2 - Part 3

9/05/2009

16 FOREVER - Too much too late

16 FOREVER Too much too late cd 1995 1+2 Records 320 kbps
Shooting gallery / Highschool 17 / Told you / Fan club / Teenpunks / Got no wheels / Way out baby / California man / Rockin' time / Will I see u again ? / Bop boys* / I need a reaction* / So long, see you, goodbye*/ Loyola.
16 Forever : R. Campbell : guitar / B. Gilbert : guitar, vocals / P. Burn : bass / J. Gilbert : drums / Nellie : drums on *
16 FOREVER located in Newcastle were formed in June 1988 & released the much acclaimed, self-financed "Rockin' time" 7" & the 10"mini-album "Here come the bop boys".
"Timeless...outright rock 'n'roll: the catalogue ... "Chunky, streetwise, brat-punk pop played with dedication, energy & attitude: PAINT IT RED ... "Too much, too late" Melody Maker
"Reputed to be Newcastle's hottest pop export since Rick Spangle, 16 Forever live in the same glampop rockaboogie time bubble as did the Boys , the Genocides and more recently the Soho Roses, their wired and wide awake compositions staggering through a musical autter in a likeable yet laughably obvious manner. Songs are peppered with all the vital trash buzzwords "fantasy", "cadillac", "James Dean", "Fan club", guitars gunsling in the usual mannerand it's '77 ,'79 and '84 all over again..."

9/04/2009

LOS HORRENDOS - Los pros & los contras de ser horrendo

LOS HORRENDOS Los pros & los contras de ser horrendo cd 2008 Lado b Records 320 kbps
Chau / Glitter Doll / Contradiction / Tumba / Maldito / But She's Always Sad / Lucky / Es La Enfermedad / Back in time / Hazme Resplandeciente / No Podes Ganarla (Esta Vez) / Be my drug.
Todos los temas compuestos por Los Horrendos.
Grabado , mezclado y producido por Diego Fernandez
Los Horrendos : Carly: guitar / Chimpa: guitar / Pablo: vocals / Claudio : drums / Flaco : bass.

Los Horrendos is a young punk rock band from Bahia Blanca , Argentina. It's a band influenced by the best punk & glam rock from the Ramones to J. Thunders. They sended me their 2nd album & I loved it ... There are good songs here like "Glitter Doll" , "Chau" or "She's always sad"!
Take a walk on the wild side with Los Horrendos please and have a look on their Myspace!

9/01/2009

LORDS OF THE NEW CHURCH - Lords Of The New Church

LORDS OF THE NEW CHURCH Lords Of The New Church lp 1981 I.R.S 320 kbps
New church /Russian roulette / Question of temperature / Eat your heart out / Portobello / Open your eyes / Livin' on livin' / Li'l boys play with Dolls / Apocalypso / Holy war / Young don't cry* / Girls girls girls* / I'm not running hard enough* / Hey tonight* / Substitute*(*bonus tracks).
Produced by the Lords.
Lords Of The New Church : Steve Bators : lead vocals / Brian James : guitar / Dave Tregunna : bass / Nick Turner : drums.
Formed in 1981, the Lords of the New Church had a formidable intercontinental punk rock pedigree. Singe Steve Bators and guitarist Brian James were founding members of Cleveland's Dead Boys and London's the Damned, respectively, both successful and influential punk pioneers. (Note: Much like Keith Richard(s), Stiv spelled his surname both with and without a terminal "s" at various points in his career. Throughout his time with the Lords, however, he was billed as Bators.) Bassist Dave Tregunna and drummer Nick Turner were veterans of Sham 69 and the Barracudas, which were less seminal but still well-known. But while the Lords' music had elements of punk, it was more melodic, better-produced, and played with a higher degree of professionalism. This alienated some of the hardcore punk audience, but brought the Lords a much wider and more diverse fan base.
The genesis of the Lords was in 1980 when Bators and James, having split from their previous bands, renewed an aqcuaintance that began when the Dead Boys opened for the Damned on CBGB dates and an English tour. The two experimented for a time with different rhythm sections, rehearsing briefly with ex-Generation X bassist Tony James and ex-Clash drummer Terry Chimes (how's that for a punk rock supergroup?). A lineup of Bators, James, Tregunna, and Damned drummer Rat Scabies played a single 1980 gig as the "Dead Damned Sham Band." But by the time the Lords' self-titled debut album appeared in 1982, Turner had replaced Scabies to form the lineup that would remain fixed throughout the band's most productive years.

Though the album was well-received, the Lords became more notorious for their live shows, or more specifically for Bators's crazed abandon as a performer. A devotee of Iggy, Bators had in his Dead Boys days developed a reputation for being unafraid to risk his life in pursuit of rock & roll glory. He suffered innumerable on-stage injuries during his career, the most famous being the time he reportedly nearly hung himself during a Lords show. As the story goes, a favorite stunt of Bators' where he looped the mic cord around his neck went awry, resulting in his being clinically dead for several minutes.

Although their roots were in punk rock, their debut album announced to the world that the Lords of the New Church were not your average punk band. They had ambitions: they would be the last beacon of truth in a world nearing its end. And while you can't call The Lords of the New Church entirely successful -- for every high point like "Open Your Eyes" or "Russian Roulette" there's a clunker like "Portobello" or "Eat Your Heart Out" -- you can't fault their effort. Guitarist Brian James and the rhythm section provide a wide-screen setting, with guest musicians adding synths and horns to the guitar bass, and drums foundation. But the face, mouth, and heart of the Lords was Sitv Bators, who casts himself here in the role of rock & roll poet/preacher/prophet. He was no Bob Dylan, to be sure, but on "The Lords of the New Church" he demonstrates lyrical maturity surprising to anyone who ever heard Dead Boys songs like "I Need Lunch." Consider these few lines from "New Church," which may not be high art, but make their point and also serve as a neat summary of the Lords ethos: "Truth can't be found on the television/Throw away youth ya gotta take a stand/Music is your only weapon/Spanners in the works go start your gang..."Lords of the New Church" is very much an artifact of the Reagan era and somewhat dated in its approach, but Bators' core message of personal freedom, and the fervor and sincerity with which he delivered it, have retained their resonance across the years. B. Cassel - Allmusic
Cd covers by Max !