8/30/2010

THE CHESTERFIELD KINGS - Next One In Line

SINGLES: THE CHESTERFIELD KINGS Next One In Line 7'' EP 1991
Next One In Line / Talk Talk / You Drive Me Nervous.
Produced by The Gutter Twins.
The Chesterfield Kings: A. Babiuk: bass, fuzz, backing vocals / B. Reynolds: drums / P. Rocco: Gibson Firebird, piano, backing vocals / G. Prevost: lead vocal, generator, ju-ju hex doll + D. Lauria: saxaphone.
Upstate New York's Chesterfield Kings landed upon the growing punk/new wave scene in the late '70s with an unbelievably raw '60s rhythm & blues sound that borrowed heavily from pre-1966 Rolling Stones. The group, so unlike any other underground sensations of the period, arguably kickstarted the entire '80s garage rock revival, which flourished in small circles until the end of the decade.
After releasing two scene-defining LPs, "Here Are the Chesterfield Kings" and "Stop!", the combo changed its lineup and sound. With only singer Greg Prevost and bassist Andy Babiuk remaining from the Kings' 1979 incarnation, the band rescinded its promise never to sound like anything from rock's post-1966 history, and began to generate a '70s Rolling Stones/Flamin' Groovies hard rock image and sheen, which culminated in its 1994 LP, "Let's Go Get Stoned", a sendup/tribute of post-Aftermath Rolling Stones. Still, the Kings have never drifted too far from their garage band roots, and the group's subsequent albums, which include "Don't Open Til Doomsday" (1997), "Where the Action Is" (1999), "The Mindbending Sounds of the Chesterfield Kings" (2003), Psychedelic Sunrise (2007) and "Live On Stage... If You Want It" (2009) have all been cut from the same fabric.
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8/20/2010

HUXTON CREEPERS - Keep to the Beat

HUXTON CREEPERS Keep to the Beat 1988 cd
Skin Of My Teeth / Rack My Brains / Edge Of Darkness / When You Sleep / Visually / This Day Is Mine / Better Days / Nights Become Your Days / Keep It To The Beat / Slow Attack / Time Heals All Wounds.
Huxton Creepers: R. Craw: vocals, guitar / P. Thomas: (guitar, vocals / M. Eddy: bass / A. Law: drums.
This quartet from Melbourne, Australia plays gritty Stonesish rock and harmony-laden Byrdsy folk-rock on their first American LP, which might easily be mistaken for the work of an American "heartland" band. The Huxton Creepers could use a more mellifluous singer than Rob Craw — gruffness when he strains is a problem — but his guitar interplay with Paul Thomas, supported by a fluid, strong rhythm section, makes "12 Days To Paris" an unfailingly engaging record. Guest Hammond work (on one song — a second, indicated on the back cover, was somehow omitted from the US LP!) by ex-Procol Harum organist Chris Copping is more eyebrow-raising than ear-opening.
The follow-up "Keep It to The Faith"is an equally inoffensive collection, highlighted by the high-spirited and eminently catchy "Rack My Brains" and "Visually." Craw's vocals tend to venture into perilous adenoidalism, but the rest of the band is still sharp, the material fresh. Though these two albums are hardly essential, Huxton Creepers traffic in the kind of commercial rock that has made stars out of lesser (and less-talented) mortals. Trouser Press

The Huxton Creepers were an Australian rock band from Melbourne. They formed in 1984, three years after they left high school, and split in 1989. Their notable Australian hits were "My Cherie Amour", "I Will Persuade You" and their version of Manfred Mann's "Pretty Flamingo".
The Huxton Creepers recorded seven singles, two lps, one 12'' EP & a mini lp (discography here)
You can read where they are now here !

8/17/2010

WEAK - Back From Gooch

WEAK Back From Gooch cd 2005
Motherfucker / Get The Hots / Wasted Time / So Tired / Dope Taking Girl / Much Better / Get Outta My Way / Sick Of You / Blow Myself Away / Gone / Devil Dance / Nasty Nympho.
Produced by Weak.
Weak: W. Weak: drums / K. From The Crypt: vocals, guitar / N. Menardo: bass / J. Ped Jr : vocals, lead guitar.
Weak, an improbable yet monstrous cross between Lemmy Kilmister and Eddy Spaghetti, will tickle more than just your tastebuds.
"Back from the Gooch" is the band's 4th album hitting the scenes back in January 2005. Calmer than their previous sounds yet much more dangerous, this latest release chucks out a nasty scabby feverish punkrock with bloody screaming guitars and a rythm that will make even your gooch tremble. You know who to blame for the buzzing in your ears !!!
Weak played with the Supersuckers (German Tour 2003), Turbonegro, Nashville Pussy, Gluecifer, New Bomb Turks, Sweatmaster, Speedball Baby, the Peepshows, the Bellrays, the Queers, Sin City Six, Burning Heads, Neurotic Swingers, Sonny Vincent, the TV Killers, Dead Pop Club, Hawaii Samurai, TV Men...Source
Buy it here!
Weak was a real rock band from La Rochelle, France. They recorded four albums before disbanded. "SuperTramp" in 1997, "Speed Freaks Speed Weak" on year later in 1998, "Gay Truckers Highway" in 2001 and then "Back from the Gooch" in 2005.
Check it, it's real stuff!

8/08/2010

MANIACS - Can Also Use Fruit

MANIACS Can Also Use Fruit cd 1988
Adult World / It Means Hate / A Way Of My Own / Sometime, Somewhere / Don't Come My Way / I Can't Tell / Nobody Knows / Motorcycle Baby / Sad Sunday / Going Home / I Watch You / Apologize / From That Day / Times Of Indecision* / Dusty Night* / Get Away* / Evil Ways* / Careless Guessing* / Bionic Babe*.
Produced by 4-eyed Thomas except bonus tracks* produced by Robin Wills.
Maniacs: A. Jacques: vocals & guitar / A. Croubalian: vocals & bass / T. Sartoretti: guitar & backing vocals / Stéphane: drums / Patrick: harmonica & backing vocals
"The Fruit lp features a big drum sound, some good fuzzy guitar work similar to the Nomads' Hardware lp and a batch of rock pop songs that draw heavily from Detroit rock tradition, but also blends in some r'n'b feel, a feeling that's accentuated by the presence of Patrick on harmonica. The record sports two guitar players, Thierry and Alex, who also sings, and has Stephane on drums. But despite the live and punchy sound, Les Maniacs wanted to go a step further with their next record. "It's very hard to get even near what we do on stage, and that's why we've recorded a live album this May which may come out in September; it's a live album recorded in a radio studio in fact, and we brought the guy that recorded the album in Sweden, Mickael Herrstrom, who is a swell engineer around 20 or 25...quite young, and really a hell of an engineer as far as guitar sounds and drum sounds. He recorded a lot with 4-Eyed Thomas, and we got along well with him so we asked him to come use the studio we had at our disposal in that radio show to record the concert, and in August he took it up to Sweden and mixed it over there, so it might come out in September as a live album with around 15 songs on it with covers and stuff, and we'll see how that comes out." Source: NFH # 18

"So is Maniacs, spontaneous and Rock and Roll. They consider that the first quality of the man is to have a soul and the means to express it in a the most urgent way which is. Musicians who execute their composition with ardour, "... As if it was the last time.. ". No artificial attitude, no praised chapel. Only roots and expression which, from Cochran to Husker Dü, did not change.
Musician bought their first discs in the punk storm. The time to understand that their place was on the scene and not front ; the time to assimilate thirty years of Negro and white music, the group formed in 1982, with Alain Croubalian, Thierry Sartoretti, Hafid Zerhouni and Alex Jacques. It is during hot one concert, that a faithful friend of the group suggested them the homonym, Maniacs, representative name of their wild music!
In 1986, Maniacs releases their first disc: the maxi 4 titles "Maniacs", produced by Robin Wills (Barracudas).
In 1987, the second disc "Bring Back The Night" is also produced by Robin Wills.
In 1988 the year is Swedish and European Maniacs : Four-Eyed Thomas (producer of the Nomads) takes Maniacs to record "Can Also Use Fruit" in Stockholm. Stop It Baby (a division of Bondage Records) releases the disc.
In 1989, they record their first disc live : "Live at Budokan". Finally, all the truth on the magic of a concert of Maniacs is accessible to everybody..."
In 1991, the album "69" is recorded in the afternoon and mixed by producers as different as prestigious (Robin Wills, Al Comet, Christophe Sourice, Dave-ID)...
In 1993, Maniacs flies away for Memphis in the American state of Tennessee and locks itself thirteen days to the Sam Phillips Recording. James Luther Dickinson, the former pianist of the Stones, Ry Cooder and producer of Green On Red, Replacements, Toots, Albert King (among others) is the technician of the sound of the new album "Hog Wild".
In 1994, Maniacs laid "Choose", rock par excellence, without any reason, except that they like that.
In 1997, Maniacs passes two weeks in Cairo to record ten songs with an Egyptian group : Sharkiat. Source
The Maniacs disbanded after the release of "Maniacs vs Sharkiat" but they have recorded some fine real rock'n'roll albums like "Can also Use Fruit" or their great "Live At Budokan"!
Grab this one & you won't be disapointed ... trust me!
Part 2 here!
NB: The six bonus tracks are taken from the mini lp "Bring Back The Night" recorded in 1989, produced by Robin Wills & never available in cd alone! Only the title song "Bring Back The Night" is missing...

8/04/2010

DENIZ TEK - 444 The Number Of The Beat

DENIZ TEK 444 The Number Of The Beat 2 x 7'' 1995
Hondo's Dog / Mesozoic Cave / My Wall° / *Not Right.
Produced by Deniz Tek.
Deniz Tek: guitar & vocal / J. Dickson: bass & harmonies / K. Steedman: guitar / N. Rieth: drums + °P. Hoyle: keyboards / *R. Younger: guest vocals.
"...Encouraged by his friend and ex-Birdman compadre Chris Masuak, Deniz Tek came back to Australia in 1991, intent on renewing himself musically. He began extensive touring in 1992 and, following a near career destroying disaster on the "Take It To The Vertical" tour of 1992 initiated a line-up that became known as The Deniz Tek Group. This line-up spent the next few years touring Europe, Australia and the USA, while releasing an EP and several albums ("Outside", "444 The Number Of The Beat", "La Bonne Route") Geographical difficulties became untenable in late '96 and the group split up. Deniz then continued with US based lineups and recorded albums with Wayne Kramer (MC5) (Dodge Main), skateboard stars Art and Steve Godoy (Golden Breed, The Last Of The Bad Men), a Montana based trio (Equinox), an experimental electronic duo with Jimi Hendrix's sidekick and amplifier designer Dave Weyer (Glass Insects), east coast hard rockers (Deep Reduction and DR2 featuring Rob Younger), and live work including tours and live albums with the Rationals' Scott Morgan ("Three Assassins", "Powertrane") and surviving members of Sonic's Rendezvous Band ("Getting There Is Half The Fun"). Deniz and wife Angie Pepper (Passengers) recorded her album "Res Ipsa Loquitor" in 2001. Deniz continued to record and tour extensively in the late '90s, while Radio Birdman reunified and began to work again..." Source

Deniz Tek has a great blog check it out here !

8/01/2010

LES PLAYBOYS - Les Playboys

LES PLAYBOYS Les Playboys lp 1985
Tête de bois / Elle m'attend / Ce soir / La tête à l'envers / Prends ma place / Loin des yeux / C'est pas facile / J'ai tout donné / L' homme de Marrakech / Tu devrais avoir honte / Telstar III / Ailleurs.
Recorded by Michael Karoli & produced by Jean William Thoury.
Les Playboys: F. Albertini: vocal / F. Martinez: guitar / M. Nègre: guitar, organ, piano / F. Durban: bass / P. Lejeune: drums.
Après 2 eps et un bootleg officiel de reprises, les Playboys de Nice ( ex Dentist pour certains) sortent leur premier vrai LP en 1985.
Produit par Jean William Thoury (manager, parolier et 4ème homme du groupe Bijou, écrivain et journaliste à Rock'n'Folk, Juke Box Magazine...) l'album est enregistré à Monaco par Michael Karoli (le guitariste défunt du groupe allemand Can?). Les Playboys seront un des premiers groupes français des années 80 à revendiquer le son des sixties, le garage rock à la Nuggets mêlé à l'héritage de Ronnie Bird et de Jacques Dutronc. Le choix judicieux de J.W. Thoury pour produire l'album confirme une certaine filiation avec un rock énergique chanté en français sur les traces de ... Bijou ? Par manque de promo et de visibilité, l'album passera malheureusement un peu inaperçu. Il n'a toujours pas, à ma connaissance, été réédité en cd et c'est dommage !
After two ep's and one bootleg of 60's covers, the Playboys from Nice (France) recorded their first real album in 1985.
Produced by Jean William Thoury (manager, lyricist of Bijou, writer & rock critic) and recorded in Monaco by Michael Karoli, "Les Playboys" is a good lp, sung in french, a mix of J. Dutronc, R. Bird & the Fleshtones.This lp has never been released in cd.
Cd covers by Max!
Buy It HERE !