My, What Cute Lepers

August 5th, 2008 by Pete

Okay, well, this band hasn’t grabbed hold of my love handles like the Hawaii Mud Bombers, but the Cute Lepers (besides the catchy moniker) lay down a nice brand of retro pop-punk. Their debut album for their new label, Blackheart Records, just came out, and they’re in the midst of a tour across this great land of ours.

“Terminal Boredom” is their first single from the album. The affectations of lead singer Steve E. Nix - yeah, I said it - may remind you of Green Day’s Billie Joe. And if you’re like me, the verses will most certainly remind you of the Clash’s “Safe European Home” (which I listened to very loudly in the shower this morning - TMI? Perhaps).

Do you like? Do you hate? Is it crappy, is it great? You tell me. The comments have been a tad dead lately. Liven up the joint.

By the way, the band photo up there? The one on the left? Hands off. She’s mine.

Cute Lepers - Terminal Boredom (mp3) [thanks to Shorefire for clearing the mp3 with the label. I'm too legit to quit!]

Links: Official Site | MySpace | Buy Can’t Stand Modern Music

Posted in Pop, Punk | No Comments »

The Ramones in London: the spark that lit the fire

May 22nd, 2008 by Pete

The British punk explosion of 1976-77 can pretty easily be traced to one night in London: July 4th, 1976. That was the night the Ramones came to town. It was their UK debut, opening for the Flamin’ Groovies at the Roundhouse in Camden.

In attendance were current and future members of the Sex Pistols, the Clash, the Buzzcocks, and the Damned, among countless others I’m sure. The quality is pretty bad, but it’s still amazing to listen in on such an important night in music history. A 35 minute set that shaped the future of music. Pretty sweet.

The Ramones
Live at the Roundhouse, London
July 4th, 1976

Intro / Sound Issues
Loudmouth
Beat On The Brat
Blitzkrieg Bop
I Remember You
Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue
Glad To See You Go
Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment
53rd & 3rd
I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend
Havana Affair
Listen To My Heart
California Sun
Judy Is A Punk
I Don’t Wanna Walk Around With You
Today Your Love Tomorrow The World

Posted in Punk | 5 Comments »

The Sex Pistols’ Last Show

January 15th, 2008 by Pete

Thirty years ago yesterday, the Sex Pistols ended their ill-fated U.S. tour with this show at San Francisco’s Winterland - a venue which would close later that year (marked by a New Year’s Eve finale show by the Grateful Dead - available on CD as The Closing of Winterland).

In early January, the Pistols embarked on their first U.S. tour with a string of dates through the Deep South - purposely booked by their manager Malcolm McLaren to create an atmosphere of tension and hostility. Mission accomplished! Sid Vicious was deep into his heroin habit by then, and increasingly hostile to the audience. Fights would break out, people would attack him on stage. It was ugly. Johnny Rotten was increasingly disillusioned during the tour. He was disgusted by Sid’s behavior, and found himself more and more isolated from Steve Jones and Paul Cook (the other members of the band).

By the time they made it to San Francisco for their January 14th show, enough was enough. After the final song, a cover of the Stooges tune “No Fun” (not coincidental, it would seem), Rotten famously exclaimed: “Ever get the feeling you’re being cheated? Good night.” [youtube vid] And walked off the stage. That was it for the band - at least in that incarnation.

The Sex Pistols
Live at Winterland, San Francisco
January 14th, 1978

God Save The Queen
I Wanna Be Me
Seventeen
New York
E.M.I.
Belsen Was A Gas
Bodies
Holidays In The Sun
Liar
No Feelings
Problems
Pretty Vacant
Anarchy In The U.K.
No Fun

Posted in Punk | 3 Comments »

A Local Joe Strummer Tribute with Glass Heroes

January 4th, 2008 by Pete

I had December 27th marked on my calendar since early November. A Joe Strummer Tribute & Benefit in my own hometown? Yes please! I headed down to my favorite small club in Phoenix, the Rhythm Room, and caught the last two bands, the Jeff Dahl Band and headliner Glass Heroes. Keith Jackson is the lead singer and guitarist in Glass Heroes (that’s him with Joe Strummer above), and this is the fourth year in a row he has organized a local Strummer tribute to benefit Strummerville.

I was impressed by both bands. They’re both veterans of the Arizona punk scene, which is alive and well. Dahl’s four piece power combo tore through their set, the rhythm section of Jason Smith (bass) and particularly Russ Covner on drums laying down some ferocious punk beats. Really impressive. They kicked off the set with “Janie Jones”, then concentrated on their own material for the next 35 minutes or so.

Keith Jackson and his Glass Heroes were next. They offered up great versions of “What’s My Name”, “Tommy Gun”, another “Janie Jones”, and “Police on my Back”. Their originals definitely showed the Clash influence. One of my faves was “Kick Down the Doors”, which I grabbed off their MySpace page. Check it out below.

Kudos to Keith for keeping Joe’s spirit alive, and gathering the local Strummer faithful for a great evening.

Glass Heroes - Kick Down the Doors (mp3)

Links: Glass Heroes Official Site | MySpace | Jeff Dahl Band’s MySpace

Have you guys and gals checked out imeem yet? It’s a social music site where you can stream music & videos. The extra bonus is that they have licensing agreements with 2 out of the 3 major labels, so you can find and listen to full songs, make your own playlists, and basically waste several additional hours of your life on another music site. Here’s a lil’ Strummer / Clash mix I put together.

Posted in Joe Strummer, Local, Punk | No Comments »

Love Trilogy: to my CDs, it’s “see you later”, not “good-bye”

January 1st, 2008 by Pete

Well it was inevitable I guess. My 20-month old daughter, you see, had shunned modern technology, and had embraced the Compact Disc ®. So much so that every time she set foot in our loft where the racks of my CD’s were so meticulously displayed, she would stoop to her knees, and begin to explore the inner workings of these amazing jewel cases. Nashville Skyline, Exile on Main Street, London Calling, it mattered not to this inquisitive little person. She tore into them with unbiased fervor - removing the discs, removing the inserts, switching them around with each other.

Yes, for me - as proud I am of her for exploring this fading medium - it was time to pack them up in plastic storage bins. It is there they will remain for another 20 months, probably. Now, most of my CD’s (and a few cassettes and VHS tapes, as you can see) lie encased, merely a staging area for my little one’s adventures in Upstairs Land. Plastic drinking cups, snacks, sandals, a note pad… all play an important role.

Nostalgia paid a visit as I packed up the CD’s. Here’s one that brings back the memories… this album experienced heavy rotation in my first couple years of college (88-89). The Uplift Mofo Party Plan was the Chili Peppers’ third studio album, and the last Chilis’ album that included their original lineup: Anthony Kiedis, Flea, Hillel Slovak, and Jack Irons. It was released in 1987. In June of ‘88, Slovak died of a heroin OD, and Irons left soon after.

This song was a staple in my dorm room “pre-parties”. I can’t remember if it was this song that shook one of my three-foot speakers off of the ledge above and on to my head. May have been.

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Love Trilogy (mp3)

Buy Uplift Mofo Party Plan (also on )

Posted in Punk, Rock | 10 Comments »

American Idiots?

December 10th, 2007 by Michael

Saturday evening this little site popped up touting the new release from a group calling themselves The Foxboro Hot Tubs. By Sunday morning buzz was setting the internet ablaze that this was another one off side-project from Green Day (some of you may well recall the 2003 release by The Network). Brimming with 60’s inspired goodness this is either Billy Joe and the boys or the greatest hoax played on the internet this week. My personal favorite track is just below and you can get the entire EP entirely free at the official site.

The Foxboro Hot Tubs – Mother Mary (MP3)

Links: Official Site | MySpace

Posted in Punk, Rock | 1 Comment »

Blech! (with accompaniment courtesy of the Pogues)

November 26th, 2007 by Pete

This Thanksgiving, my family and I received an unwanted guest, in the form of a stomach virus. Evil shit, I tell you. If someone can tell me how it’s anatomically possible to puke motor oil, I’d like to know!

But worry not: inspired, witty, highly entertaining posts will return from my neck of the woods soon. But for now, Blech!

The Pogues - The Sick Bed of Cúchulaínn (mp3)

Posted in Irish, Punk, Rock | 4 Comments »

Pistols do Leno, Lose Cred?

November 12th, 2007 by Pete

This is a couple of weeks old, but worth a look for those who haven’t seen it. This is the Sex Pistols on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno singing “Anarchy in the UK” (Ron Paul was the guest that night).  It’s a good version, mind you, but isn’t this not supposed to happen?

Could appearing on the most homogenized, lowest common denominator late night show be considered any less punk? Yeah yeah, the Pistols are reunited, they need to sell some tickets - but still - at the very least, shun Leno for Letterman!

Posted in Punk, Video | 6 Comments »

Ickmusic Live: The Clash - Buy or Die!

September 3rd, 2007 by Pete

If you’ve been checking in with Ickmusic for a while, you know by now that I can’t go very long without a Clash or Joe Strummer post. So without much setup, here’s a great audience recording of a late 1978 gig at London’s Lyceum Ballroom. Find out a lot more background on the show at Black Market Clash (a fantastic live Clash / Strummer resource - click here for the home page with the frames).

RIP Joe. We miss you.

The Clash - Buy or Die !!!
The Lyceum
London
From the Sort It Out” Tour
December 29th, 1978

1. Safe European Home
2. I Fought the Law
3. Jail Guitar Doors
4. Drug Stabbing Time
5. Cheapskates
6. The City of the Dead
7. Clash City Rockers
8. Tommy Gun
9. White Man in Hammersmith Palais
10. English Civil War
11. Stay Free
12. Guns on the Roof
13. Police and Thieves
14. Julie’s Been Working for the Drug Squad
15. Capital Radio
16. Janie Jones
17. Garageland
18. Complete Control
19. London’s Burning*
20. White Riot*

* The last two tracks come from the 12/28/78 show at the Lyceum

Posted in Joe Strummer, Punk, Rock | 5 Comments »

The Sandinista! Project

July 3rd, 2007 by Pete

If London Calling was the Clash’s masterpiece, Sandinista! - a three-LP, multi-genre assault on the senses (and the follow-up to London Calling) - was its stoned out red-headed stepchild. Thirty-six songs strong, Sandinista! was their chance to completely let loose and record whatever it is they felt like recording. I like the way The All Music Guide review puts it…

The Clash sounded like they could do anything on London Calling. For its triple-album follow-up, Sandinista!, they tried to do everything, adding dub, rap, gospel, and even children’s choruses to the punk, reggae, R&B, and roots rock they already were playing…

As loose and scattered as it is, there are some killer tracks on the album: “The Magnificent Seven”, “The Call Up”, “The Leader”, and Eddy “Electric Avenue” Grant’s “Police On My Back”.

So music journalist Jimmy Guterman had a vision as a Clash fan: a tribute album. What he pulled together with The Sandinista! Project is pretty damn impressive. There are some well known names involved: The Smithereens, Camper Van Beethoven, Jason Ringenberg (Jason & the Scorchers), Katrina Leskanich (Katrina & the Waves), Matthew Ryan, Wille Nile, and the Mekons’ Jon Langford (who also designed the album cover).

Many of the artists I had not heard of: Sex Clark Five (great name!), The Hyphens, Haale, the Coal Porters, and many more. So I thought I would share a couple from the tribute album, paired with the Clash originals.

Two of my favorites from the album are “The Call Up” and “The Leader”. On the tribute, theremin - yes theremin - ensemble The Lothars take on “The Call Up”. This would fall under the category of totally and completely devoid of resembling the original. But there’s something very strange and alien about it that pulls me in. You want originality? Here you go…

The Lothars - The Call Up (mp3)

The Clash - The Call Up (mp3)

On Sandinista!, The Clash pack a whole lot of rock, urgency, and great lyrics into the minute and forty-one seconds of “The Leader”. Amy Rigby offers up a respectable version true to the original. Though there’s something about her “on a Sundayyy…” lyric that I’d like to tweak, but nice overall…

Amy Rigby - The Leader (mp3)

The Clash - The Leader (mp3)

I can’t really say that someone not familiar with Sandinista! and the Clash would really “get” or appreciate this tribute. But if you’re a Clash-ophile who worships at the altar of Strummer, as I am, you should hear this album. And if you’re new to both, why not pick up both?

I recommend getting the CD itself just for the DIY punk packaging. It’s very well done, and includes a booklet put together by Guterman called “2007 - The Armagideon Times Update.”

Buy The Sandinista! Project on Amazon.

Check out Jimmy Guterman’s blog / site devoted to the project. Included on the sidebar are PDF’s of the CD booklet and the packaging.

Buy The Clash’s Sandinista!

Posted in Joe Strummer, Punk, Rock | 3 Comments »