THE COSMIC DROPOUTS - Sonic Circus

THE COSMIC DROPOUTS Sonic Circus cd 1993 Kicksville records 320 kbps

Too cool for you / Come back baby / New generation / I feel alright* / You 've got me / Can't get you outta my mind / It's alright / High on you / Consider me gone / Purdy Patsy / Try me / Dizzy / The beast in me / Rock 'n' roll all nite (bonus track).

Produced by The Cosmic Dropouts.

The Cosmic Dropouts : Morten Karlsen : vocals , maraccas & tambourine / Morten Henriksen : guitars , backing vocals & lead vocals on */ Pal Andreassen : organ & backing vocals /Stig Joraholmen : bass / Rune Johnsen : drums.

"...Back in 1990 when I was writing Noise For Heroes as a print fanzine, I used to get piles of promo records to review ... One day I was going through the pile and out comes a record by a band called the Cosmic Dropouts. They were from Norway. Imagine my surprise when the needle dropped into the groove and this blast of garage punk roared out. I figured it had to be a mistake…this must be the Nomads recording under alias or something. Except the Dropouts played with a turbocharged style that’s faster and more energetic. Fabulous! And so their "Groovy Things" lp entered hot rotation in my house, and when it subsequently was released on CD, I snapped that up, too... In 1996 I went to Norway and found that there were two more Cosmic Dropouts lps that had only been released there: "Hoolabaloo" and "Sonic Circus". I snapped them up, and say, hey! they’re every bit as good as "Groovy Things". Maybe even better, especially "Sonic Circus", which totally smokes... "

"...The final Cosmic Dropouts lp 1993’s "Sonic Circus," is the best sounding of their three releases. It looks like an album that should have gotten the band a much wider audience. Kicksville, the label on which it appeared, had a distribution deal with Sony, and the CD had a great packaging job on the outside, with great songs and sound on the inside. The thing is loaded with raving energy, featuring all the tricks in the book…great stop-start songs, well placed "wow!" screams, a rich, fat mix, and everything you could want. But it vanished without a trace. Morten Henriksen (Yum Yums ) says :" "Sonic Circus", which I consider our best album, sold the amazing amount of 475 copies one year after its release. It was only released in Norway. The band split up not long after the release so there was never made any effort to market it outside of Norway. A damn shame!" Eventually Sony sold most of the original run of 2,000 copies, but it took a few years..." S. Gardner - Noise For Heroes - 1998

Thanks to Gildas for music & scans !

HANOI ROCKS - Back to Mystery City

HANOI ROCKS Back to Mystery City cd 1983 320 kbps

Strange Boys Play Weird Openings / Malibu Beach Nightmare / Mental Beat / Tooting Bec Wreck / Until I get You / Sailing Down the Tears / Lick summer Love / Beating Gets Faster / Ice Cream Summer / Back to Mystery City / Ice Cream Summer (demo) / Until I Get You (demo) / Back to Mystery City (demo).

Produced by Dale Griffin and Overend Watts.

Hanoi Rocks : Michael Monroe : vocals, sax, harmonica / Andy Mc Coy : lead guitar / Nasty Suicide : rhythm guitar / Sam Yaffa : drums / Razzle : drums.

Finland's major export to the world of heavy metal, Hanoi Rocks, drew much of their sound and inspiration from '70s glam-rock and were thought by some to have fused the two styles more successfully than similar acts such as Mötley Crüe. Hanoi Rocks was founded in 1980 by singer Michael Monroe and guitarist Andy McCoy ; after some lineup changes, the rest of the group consisted of guitarist Nasty Suicide, bassist Sam Yaffa, and drummer Gyp Casino. All members except M. Monroe had previously played with Finnish punk bands. Their debut album, "Bangkok Shocks, Saigon Shakes, Hanoi Rocks", was released in 1981, and the band soon went to London to promote themselves and record "Oriental Beat". The band signed to CBS in 1983 and their remake of Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Up Around the Bend" became their only U.K. chart single the next year, from the album "Two Steps From the Move". The group broke up in May 1985 after the death of Razzle , in a tragic automobile accident while a passenger in Vince Neil's car. In 2002, Monroe and McCoy reformed Hanoi Rocks, releasing three albums :"Twelve Shots on the Rocks"(2003), "Another Hostile Takeover"(2005) & "Street poetry"(2007). Hanoi Rocks will break up after a serie of farewell gigs in April 2009. A "definitive compilation" a 2-CD retrospective " This One's For Rock'n'Roll" was out on November 26th 2008. This package includes 33 songs, encompassing both distinctive parts of their career, the 80's and the new millennium. - From Allmusic

Having so obviously worshipped at the altar of Mott the Hoople for much of their career, it's little surprise that for their fourth album Hanoi Rocks went straight to the source, getting both Dale Buffin Griffin and Pete "Overend" Watts to produce "Back to Mystery City". Whatever else they brought to the sessions, the duo makes Hanoi Rocks sound like a much more powerful band than before; compared to "Self Destruction Blues", the riffs are more explosive, the drumming pounding, and Michael Monroe is in full swing. The aura of '50s rave-up, '70s glam party, and '80s hard rock chaos that the band made their own sounds even better than before, but the production duo also made even more room for intriguing experiments within the songs themselves. Thus, the full-on glam stomp, mock-Burundi drums, and animal noises during the merry romp "Tooting Bec Wreck" (one of many Hanoi Rocks songs paying homage to home-away-from-home London), or the clearly obvious "Mony Mony" steal from the title track, with reverbed vocals working wonders. One thing's for sure: calling the first song "Strange Boys Play Weird Openings," and having it be a mock rustic folk song -- with acoustic guitars, flutes, and chirping birds -- is a great way to have fun. More so, admittedly, when things suddenly kick into the brilliant rocker "Malibu Beach Nightmare." Other songs, like "Beating Gets Faster" and "Ice Cream Summer" (gratuitous misogyny aside), may be more Hanoi Rocks by-the-numbers, but it's a good enough pattern to follow. In their own way, they weren't so much pioneers as followers of a style that not many attempted at the time. They get extra points, as well, for having one of the more entertainingly crude song titles around: "Lick Summer Love." - Allmusic

BUY IT HERE !

SECRET 9 BEAT - Secret 9 Beat

SECRET 9 BEAT Secret 9 Beat cd 2007 Ignore Orders Alien Records 128 kbps

Hey Johnny / Pure projection / Seduce this nation / New song / Donna / Sunny side / Down in the dirt / Blue horizons / Dressed in black / Motorcycle boy / Ruby's room .

All songs writen by Komarek / Vanek .

Produced by Phil Shöenfelt .

Secret 9 Beat is : Tom Komarek : vocals, guitars / Lukáš Vanek : guitars, vocals / Marko Ziza : bass / Z. Belohlavek: drums .

Secret 9 Beat are a Prague (Czech Rep.) based garage-punk-rock´n´roll gang formed in the late nineties by long time friends Tom Komárek and Lukáš Vaněk being obsessed by Velvet Underground, Stooges, Nuggets-era garage bands. After several line-ups, numerous famously raw, energetic gigs they finally have settled with ol´ pal Marco Žiža on bass who got back from Japanese exile and darling Ondřej Bauer on drums. Their first CD was produced by English singer/songwriter/writer Phil Shöenfelt (Khmer Rouge, Fatal Shore, collaborater of the late Nikki Sudden…).

Their influences are : Johnny Thunders, Suicide, NY Dolls, Jesus And Mary Chains, The Fall, Girl Groups, The Seeds, Richard Hell, Jonathan Richman, Birthday Party, The Clash, Early Stones, Fleshtones, Robert Anton Wilson, Uptown RNB, Burroughs, Alex Chilton, Ramones, The Cramps and many more...

"... In their lyrics they use dadaistic pirouettes, cut-ups and B-movie lines. Some hipster Antonin Artaud meets the Avengers in Akham asylum in some Gotham city zone in East European bunker bar after midnight. Like in that ol´tune by Jim Lowe: "... All I wanna do is join the happy crowd behind the green door ...". – Press Clip

More: www.myspace.com/secret9beat

Secret 9 Beat are alive as ever, constatly performing and actually working on a new album ...

Thanks to Tom Komarek for music & scans !

Support real rock'n'roll & buy it here !

DIG IT ! N° 45

ABONNEZ-VOUS !

ICI

THE CRAMPS - Big beat from Badsville

THE CRAMPS Music from Badsville cd 1997 320 kbps

Cramp Stomp / God Monster / It Thing Hard-on / Like a Bad Girl Should / Sheena is in a Goth Gang / Queen of Pain / Monkey With Your Tail / Devil Behind That Bush / Super Goo / Hypno Sex Ray / Burn She-devil , Burn / Wet nightmare / Badass Bug / Haulass Hyena.

Engineered by Earle Mankey - Produced by Poison Ivy & Lux Interior.

The Cramps : Poison Ivy : guitar , theremin / Lux Interior : singer / Harry Drumdini : drums / Slim Chance : bass guitar .

The Cramps' major-label period proved to be brief, with Cal-punk indie label Epitaph inking a deal with the group to release 1997's "Big Beat from Badsville", which featured the same lineup as "Flamejob". In 2001, Lux Interior and Poison Ivy Rorschach celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Cramps by taking the matters of record-making into their own hands; they revived the long-dormant Vengeance label and reissued their entire post-I.R.S. album catalog (except for "Flamejob") on expanded and remastered cd's and colored vinyl lp's. A new Cramps album followed in 2003, "Fiends of Dope Island", which (of course) featured yet another personal change, with Chopper Franklin becoming the band's latest bassist. And with the Cramps continuing their unholy mission well into the 21st century, they offered their fans a look back with 2004's "How to Make a Monster", a collection of rare live material and demos. Allmusic

As the Cramps approached their 20th anniversary, they showed no signs of changing their signature kitschy psychobilly style. In so many ways, "Big Beat From Badsville" is no different from its immediate predecessor, "Flamejob", or any of the group's other records -- it's a collection of campy songs about sex, horror, violence, leather and perversion. Sonically, it's slightly rawer than "Flamejob", and the group's performances are as inspired here as they are on any of their other '90s albums. And the songs are uniformly good, even if there aren't any standouts. So, "Big Beat From Badsville" is the kind of record that fans will be pleased with, but newcomers will just wonder what the big deal is. Allmusic

THE CRAMPS - Ultra twist !

SINGLES THE CRAMPS Ultra twist ! cd EP 1994 320 kbps

Ultra Twist / Confessions of a Psycho Cat / No Club Lone Wolf.

Produced by Poison Ivy & Lux Interior.

The Cramps : Lux Interior : vocals / Poison Ivy : guitar / Slim Chance : bass / Harry Drumdini : drums.

In 1981, the Cramps filed suit against I.R.S. Records over unpaid royalties; the court case prevented the band from recording new material for two years, and when they returned to America's record racks, it was with a live album, 1983's "Smell of Female", recording during a pair of dates at New York City's Peppermint Lounge. Kid Congo amicably parted ways with the band shortly afterward, and the search for the right record company kept the Cramps out of the studio until the U.K.-based Big Beat label released the ultra-lascivious "A Date With Elvis" in 1986; while several guitarists had come and gone since Kid Congo, for these sessions Poison Ivy ended up overdubbing herself on bass. In 1987, the group finally found a simpatico bassist in the form of tough gal Candy Del Mar, whom Lux and Ivy met in the parking lot of a liquor store. Del Mar made her recorded debut on the live album "Rockin n Reelin in Aukland New Zealand", and she was still on board when the Cramps finally signed a U.S. record deal with Enigma Records and recorded the fine and full-bodied "Stay Sick!" in 1990. Only a year later, the Cramps were back with a new studio album, "Look Mom No Head!", but in a surprising move Nick Knox had left the band, and was replaced by Jim Sclavunos; after Jim's short tenure with the group, Nickey Beat (aka Nicky Alexander, former timekeeper with the Weirdos) took over the drum throne before one Harry Drumdini signed on. Less startlingly, Candy Del Mar was also out of the lineup, replaced by Slim Chance, a one-time member of the Mad Daddys. Harry and Slim joined Lux and Ivy in 1994 for the Cramps' first major-label album, "Flamejob", released by the Warner Bros.-distributed Medicine imprint. As usual, much touring followed, and the band even made an appearance on the popular youth-centric soap opera Beverly Hills 90210 in 1995 ...

THE CRAMPS - Off the bone

THE CRAMPS Off the bone cd 1987 320 kbps

Human fly* / The way I walk* / Domino* / Surfin' bird* / Lonesome town* / Garbage man* / Fever* / Drug train* / Love me* / I can't hardly stand it* / Goo goo muck° / She said° / The crusher° / Save it° / New kind of kick°/ Uranium rock° / Good taste (live)°.

*Produced by Alex Chilton - °Produced by The Cramps.

The Cramps : Lux Interior : vocals / Poison Ivy : guitar / Bryan Gregory : guitar / Kid Congo Powers : guitar / Nick Knox : drums.

Conjuring a fiendish witches' brew of primal rockabilly, grease-stained '60s garage rock, vintage monster movies, perverse and glistening sex, and the detritus and effluvia of 50 years of American pop culture, the Cramps are a truly American creation much in the manner of the Cadillac, the White Castle hamburger, the Fender Stratocaster, and Jayne Mansfield. Often imitated, but never with the same psychic resonance as the original, the Cramps celebrate all that is dirty and gaudy with a perverse joy that draws in listeners with its fleshy decadence, not unlike an enchanted gingerbread house on the Las Vegas strip. The entire psychobilly scene would be unthinkable without them, and their prescient celebration of the echoey menace of first-generation rock & roll had a primal (if little acknowledged) influence on the rockabilly revival and the later roots rock movement.

The saga of the Cramps begins in 1972 in Sacramento, CA, when LSD enthusiast and Alice Cooper fan Erick Purkhiser picked up a hitchhiker, a woman with a highly evolved rock & roll fashion sense named Kristy Wallace. The two quickly took note of one another, but major sparks didn't began to fly until a few weeks later, when they discovered they were both enrolled in a course on "Art and Shamanism" at Sacramento City College. These two lovebirds were soon sharing both an apartment and their collective enthusiasm for the stranger and more obscure sounds of rock's first era, as well as the more flamboyant music of the day. Their passion for music led them to the conclusion that they should form a band, and Kristy picked up a guitar and adopted the stage name Poison Ivy Rorschach, while future vocalist Erick became Lux Interior, after short spells as Raven Beauty and Vip Vop. Ivy and Lux hit the road for Ohio, and after living frugally in Akron for a year and a half, they made their way to New York City in 1975 in search of stardom. While working at a record store, Interior made the acquaintance of fellow employee Greg Beckerleg, who had recently arrived from Detroit and also wanted to form a band. Beckerleg transformed himself into primal noise guitarist Bryan Gregory, and even persuaded his sister to join the nascent combo as a drummer. However, Pam Beckerleg didn't work out on traps, and so Miriam Linna (the Zantees & co-found frantic cultural journal Kicks Magazine and exemplary reissue label Norton Records ), an Ohio transplant who had gotten to know Lux and Ivy during their sojourn in the Buckeye State, finalized the first proper lineup of the band they called the Cramps. Between Ivy's twangy single-note leads, Bryan's shower-of-sparks reports of noise, Lux's demented banshee howling, and Miriam's primitive stomp, the Cramps didn't sound like anyone else on the budding New York punk scene, and the foursome soon began attracting both crowds and buzz with their shows at CBGB's and Max's Kansas City. After about a year of gigging in and around New York, Linna left the group, and another former Ohioan, Nick Stephanoff (known to his fans as Nick Knox and previously a member of infamous Cleveland noise terrorists the Electric Eels) took over behind the drums, and this version of the Cramps released the group's first recordings, a pair of 7" singles recorded in Memphis with Alex Chilton as producer and issued by the band's own Vengeance Records label. In 1979, Miles Copeland signed the band to his fledgling new wave label I.R.S. Records, and their first 12" release was an EP featuring the material from their self-released singles, entitled "Gravest Hits". That same year, the band traveled to Europe for the first time, playing as opening act for the Police and stealing the show from the peroxide-addled pop stars many nights. The Cramps returned to Memphis with Chilton to record their first full-length album, 1980's masterful "Songs the Lord Taught Us", but what should have been a triumphant U.S. tour following its release was scuttled when Gregory unceremoniously quit the band by leaving unannounced with a van full of their equipment; at the time, a story circulated that Gregory left the Cramps to pursue an interest in Satanism, though in later interviews Lux and Ivy said there was no truth to these rumors and his actions were more likely the result of his addiction to heroin. Lux, Ivy, and Nick opted to move the band to Hollywood, CA, and recruited Gun Club guitarist Kid Congo Powers to take over as second guitarist in time to record their second long-player, "Psychedelic Jungle". val and the later roots rock movement... Allmusic

A Cramps compilation : "Gravest Hits" which is two singles and a bonus track, material from both the Bryan Gregory and Kid Congo Powers lineups. Kid plays on “Goo Goo Muck” and “The Crusher” from "Psychedelic Jungle", “Save It” and “New Kind of Kick” from "The Crusher" 12 EP, the unreleased versions of “She Said,” “Uranium Rock,” and a pre-Smell of Female live version of “You Got Good Taste.”

The 3D cover version ... did you always have your glasses ?

THE WAY I WALK ...

The way I walk is just the way I walk
The way I talk is just the way i talk
The way I smile is just the way I smile
Touch me baby, and I'll go home wild!

The wat I love is just the way I love
Come on and be my little turtle dog
Touch me baby, it feels so goodI feel it though
I wanna be, I don't know if I should

Dee-oo-bee-oo-bee
Doo-bee-doo-bee-doo-waoh!
AAH! AAH! AAH!

The way you love me got to sour my stile
Oh! Little baby, I would say good-bye
Love me baby, love me right
Love me morning, noon and night

LUX INTERIOR - R.I.P.

ADIEU L'AMI ...

THE INMATES - True live stories + Five

THE INMATES True live stories + Five cd 320 kbps

Sweet lovin* / Unchain my heart* / Love me two time* / Let's move* / Hearbeat* / The walk* / Shaking* / Sister Sara* / Dirty water* / Denver* / Let's move / I'm think I'm getting over you / Just like Romeo & Juliet* / Rumours* / Lonely hearts / Back on the streets / Baby say yeah / Take a heart* / Sister Jekyll and Hyde / Love's for losers / Heartache / Sweet lovin' / Back on the streets (Alternate take).

Produced by Vic Maile.

The Inmates : Ben Donnely : bass guitar / Barrie Masters : vocals / Eddie : drums / Tony Oliver : guitar, vocals / Peter Gunn : guitar , vocals / Paul Turner : *drums.

The Inmates were formed in North London in 1977 and soon established themselves as one of the capital’s most popular live groups. Their influences included The Animals, The Pretty Things and The Rolling Stones. They arrived at the tail end of the pub-rock movement, but still managed to find success with their mix of originals and covers of classic R&B and Rock & Roll tunes. Of the latter, a version of the Standells' "Dirty Water," included on the band's 1979 debut First Offence, became a hit on both sides of the Atlantic. Capitalising on chart success throughout Europe & North America, the early Eighties saw the band confirm their international status. Bill Hurley left The Inmates in 1983 through illness and was replaced by long-time friend Barrie Masters from Eddie And The Hot Rods.

The Inmates have recorded two excellent lps with him : a live album (one of the best live ...) "True live stories" & "Five" , both produced by THE producer : Vic Maile !