The Streetwalkin' Cheetahs - Resurrection

Bear in mind, I've been friends with this band almost since its inception and have even played in the group

now and again, so take things with a grain - or a barrel - or salt.

This recording was done at the Knitting Factory in LA during the combo's 2005 brief reunion (and yes, they are back together again now in 2014), with lead singer/guitarist Frank Meyers joined by rhythm guitarist (and writing partner) Art Jackson, original bassist Dino Everett and the B-Movie Rats' excellent Andy Baker sitting in on drums (they are practically a Spinal Tap for drummers). The set starts out with some of their most fast'n'furious originals, one right into the other - "None of Your Business" (with the misogynistic chant-along "oh no, oh no, bitch!"), "What's Coming To Me" and "Future Lost" (with a steal from the Monkees' "Circle Sky", for those keeping track!), where Frank lets loose and pummels his wah-wah.

Showing that they didn't want to be locked into any single mold, they do a couple hyper punk-poppers in "Miss Teen U.S.A." and "Satisfy". A song combining droney ambiance simultaneously with punk rock, "No More", that gave them one of their album titles: "Waiting for the Death of My Generation". The set is jam-packed with some of the more fun numbers - "Shawna", "Motor City Rock'n'Roll", "Durango", "Disease", "Kick Me Down" and more. The ubiquitous version of "Looking At You" is included (yes, this had been covered by millions of bands before, but they do it justice) and their ultra-fast "Freak Out Man" before sax-man Vince Meghraouni joined them for their Detroit jam, "Built For Speed", which morphed into the Stooges "Funhouse", as it was wont to do for them. For their encore they pulled out the Flamin'-Groovies-by-way-of-the-Dictators' "Slow Death" and rocked it appropriately.

For those who know the Cheetahs, you'll want this to remind you of their crazy gigs. For those who don't - and you should - think of a Los Angeles-based version of punk'n'rollers like Gluecifer, Hellacopters, etc. Feedback, wah-wahs, wild solos, screaming and general wildness.

The Strypes - Blue Collar Jane

These Irish teenagers are taking over the world, it seems, and I still haven't gotten their debut album, but found this 4 song EP for a mere $1.99 on Record Store Day. This gives a good blast of what they are about - high-energy rock'n'roll/rhythm'n'blues in the style of bands like Dr. Feelgood, the Stones, Yardbirds, Eddie and the Hot Rods and Rockpile. The rhythm section is truly smokin', the singer has a cool, garagey voice and the guitarist gets the job done in a simple, but vicious manner - certainly not a virtuoso, but solid and with a great tone.

These lads would have fit in well in the 80's garage revival - right up there with hot acts like the Untold Fables, Tell Tale Hearts of Crawdaddies. Extra bonus points for being cool enough to cover "Heart of the City", where the guitarist does pull off some blistering leads - maybe not quite what Dave Edmunds did, but pretty damn close. 

Is it original? Hell no - but would it be entertaining if it was? But, if you want some danceable, 60's styled rock'n'roll, this is about as good as it gets these days!

Nina Coyote eta Chico Tornado

After being knocked out by this cat & kitten at the Huntridge Tavern last Friday, I made sure to get one of

their CDs before they left the States to return to their home in the Basque Country of Spain. This two-piece combo packed the power of a band twice their size as they blasted through their 70's styled riff-rock. While the gig really made these songs come alive, this CD is a great souvenir to rock out to!

Although they are simply a guitar/drum duo, guitarist Koldo augments his tone with an octave splitter running through a bass amp as well as guitar amp, which fills out the sound well. Ursula is a wild and awesome basher, which her small stature would never give away, and they create a monstrous, metallic sound between the two of them!

As I said in the live review, there are hints of Monster Magnet, Black Sabbath, Thee Hypnotics, metal, grunge, 60's garage and damn near anything else they could think of thrown in. While the first few numbers here - "Monster", "Lainda" and "Caballo Loco" (all sung in their native language) - sound pretty heavy-metal-ish, by the time they get to "Txaman" and the instrumental "Desert Tornado", the riffs sound a bit more Detroit punk'n'roll - though you'll still be banging your head! Amazingly, they manage to make the iconic Stooges song "Gimme Danger" their own (without losing the original coolness) with an original arrangement and then they slow things down a bit for the dark and broody instro, "Little Coyote eta Morning Star".

The rev things right up again for the Motorhead-styled madness of "Zaurirk Ez" and then go into a metal/hip-hop hybrid in "Ulehertu", where it sounds like the only words are Ursula yelling "fuck the police!" "Garaitezin" is a drivin', somewhat more melodic number (still with plenty of snaking riffs) while "Izardust" sees the band playing with an echo effect (not unlike "FX" from Sabbath's Volume 4) and then we have another cymbal-smashing, grungey instrumental in "Stuka" before the super-catchy progression that makes up "Hotsa".

If these two ever come back to the States, make sure you see them as they are a a blast live! In the meantime, try to find this rockin' record!

Nina Coyote eta Chico Tornado at the Huntridge Tavern, Friday April 25, 2014

A friend of ours (thanks Dave!) told us about this 2-piece rock'n'roll band from Spain's Basque Country and thought that we would appreciate them and damn if they weren't one of the more fun groups that I've seen in ages - and super nice people, as well! This night was the final gig of a short American tour where they hit NYC along with several West Coast dates, including a night in LA where they had some equipment stolen. Even using borrowed stuff, they had a fantastic sound!

Nina Coyote eta Chico Tornado consists of Ursula Strong, a powerhouse in a tiny, sassy woman's body, who pounds the drums with the ferocity of her namesake Coyote and Koldo Soret on guitar and vocals who moves like a tornado through the stage as he lets loose on heavy guitar riffs that are augmented by an octave splitter, making it sound like he's playing guitar and bass simultaneously!

The sound is high-energy 70's riff-rock with plenty of skill, dynamics and style, reminding me of stuff like early Monster Magnet mixed with some Sabbath and maybe a dash of Thee Hypnotics as they blasted through a set of mostly original numbers, along with a cool cover of Hendrix's "Foxy Lady" (they also do the Stooges' "Gimme Danger" on their CD). The crowd loved their brand of rock'n'roll and they put on wild, visual show - especially entertaining considering they are just two people!

All around great time at the Huntridge Tavern - one of the cooler - and older - stand-alone bars in town. So glad that this cat & kitten were able to gig in Vegas and got to experience some Vegas r'n'r hospitality. Be sure to check them out on Facebook and grab their self-titled record!

Dolly Parton - Ultimate Dolly Parton

For some reason, I have been having an incredibly hard time finding early recordings of Ms. Parton so ended up picking this greatest hits package in the hopes that it would have some good cuts. While it starts off strong, it quickly delves into her later, highly schmaltzy material, which is pretty forgettable. "Jolene" is, of course, one of her best and most iconic songs, and "Joshua" and "Coat of Many Colors" are good, but then we start going downhill. Although "I Will Always Love You" is better here in Dolly's original version (I did not know - or remember - that she was the one who wrote this - or "Love is Like a Butterfly") and "The Bargain Store" isn't bad, there are true stinkers like "Here You Come Again" and "9 to 5" and the rest of the tunes are pretty forgettable.

No denying that this is a talented singer and songwriter but most of this just ain't for me. Here's hoping I can eventually find some of her older works, as I think I'll appreciate that more.

Kitty Wells - The Best Of (20th Century Masters)

Kitty Wells rose to prominence in the country field while it was primarily a man's world with her pre-feminist

anthem "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels", opening the doors for those who followed, like Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette. Although she started performing as a teenager, it wasn't until she was in her 30's that Decca A&R man Paul Cohen brought her in to record her hit as an answer to Hank Thompson's "The Wild Side of Life". From there she became a country superstar with her solo work and her duets with Red Foley (these are represented here with "One by One" and "As Long As I Live").

The songs here range from 1952 to 1965 and all have a simple, effective, early country sound (with some great pedal steel playing) that highlights Kitty's sweet voice. As I've said before, this is the sound that I prefer in country music - where it was early enough to still be a bit raw and more folk/Americana/bluegrass influenced and not as slick and over-produced (and jokey) as some of the later sounds (though "Heartbreak U.S.A." comes close with the unnecessary backing vocals).

Everything here is strong, though highlights include "Makin' Believe", which I recognized immediately, though I'm not sure whether I've heard Kitty's or another's version in the past, and the classic "I Can't Stop Loving You", which she introduced. The shaming "Will Your Lawyer Talk To God" and "You Don't Hear" show how 60's C&W should be done.

I know that Kitty also delved into straighter bluegrass as well as country and definitely want to explore more from this early talent.

recommended gigs

Thursday April 24 - Crazy Chief and Leather Lungs at Velveteen Rabbit - Roxie's birthday!

Friday April 25 - The Swamp Gospel at the Huntridge Tavern with Nina Coyote and Chico Tornado (from the Basque country)

Saturday April 26 - The Psyatics at the Double Down
Saturday April 26 - The Unwieldies at Cardboard City at Holy Spirit Lutheran 6:00pm
Saturday April 26 - the Astaires at Triple Bs with David Haskins from Bauhaus
Saturday April 26 - Jinxy Bear - Downtown Beer Fest
Saturday April 26 - the Dashabouts at the Gold Spike

Monday April 28 - the Astaires at the Beauty Bar with Trevor and the Jones and Joel Gion

Wednesday April 30 - Swank Bastards at the Double Down
Wednesday April 30 - Jinxy Bear at Brooklyn Bowl

Sunday May 4 - Thee Swank Bastards at Artifice

Friday May 9 - Jinxy Bear with Prophet Greene and Fuzz Solow at the Hard Hat Lounge
Friday May 9 - the Unwieldies at the Dillinger

Saturday May 10 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Double Down

Monday May 19 - the Astaires at the Beauty Bar

Tuesday May 20 - Wayne Hancock w/Eddie Bear & The Cubs and Whiskey Breath - Dive Bar

Wednesday May 21 - the Astaires, Laissez Fairs and Rosalyns at the Dive Bar
Wednesday May 21 - The Standells at the Cheyenne Saloon

Thursday May 22 - The Psyatics with Peter Murphy and the Dickies at LV Country Saloon

Saturday May 24 - the Loud Pipes at the Double Down

Wednesday May 28 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Double Down

Friday May 30 - Jinxy Bear at the Hard Hat Lounge

Saturday May 31 - The All Togethers at the Pioneer Saloon

Tuesday June 3 - Supersuckers at the Dive Bar!

Thursday June 5 - Nashville Pussy at the Dive Bar! with the Loud Pipes and Black Jetts

Thursday June 19 - The All Togethers at the Gold Spike

What have I forgotten? Lemme know!

David Bowie - Aladdin Sane

As the sequel to Ziggy Stardust, this album is another of Bowie's best and most rockin' and this 30th anniversary 2-CD edition is again, well worthwhile.

If anything, this record might even be a tad better than Ziggy, at least to my ears, simply due to the increase in the heaviness, as with the opener "Watch That Man", where the entire band is truly smokin'. Which is not to say that there aren't parts that are a bit less intense, as in the piano-led title track, although there is a darkness here and the almost free-jazz piano break is wonderfully atonal. There's a bit of a 50's r'n'r feel to the futuristic visions of "Drive-In Saturday" and another hard-rock chord riff that drives "Panic in Detroit". One of the biggest, most feedback-laden, wah-wah drenched "E" chords opens the fantastically sleazy "Cracked Actor" - right up there with the best the man ever did.

Side two of the vinyl opened a bit quieter with "Time", but this, too, builds up to pounder with a sing-along ending and some super-cool guitar licks. Again, there is somewhat of an updated 50's/doo-wop feel to "The Prettiest Star" and here Ronson's melodic leads shine once more. There is a wildly chaotic, high-energy take on the Stones "Let's Spend the Night Together" and then a "I'm a Man" steal in "The Jean Genie", with just Bowie's idiosyncratic lyrics separating it from a Yardbirds-styled blues number - in fact, Jeff Beck was known to sit in with them on this tune on occasion. The album ended with the pretty piano/cabaret of "Lady Grinning Soul", complete with strains of classical guitar.

The bonus CD here includes yet another take of "John, I'm Only Dancing" along with single mixes of "The Jean Genie" and "Time". The version of "All The Young Dudes", which was given to Mott the Hoople as their first hit, seems more fleshed out than a simple demo - think maybe he considered releasing it himself at some point. Live versions from the Music Hall in Boston appear of "Changes", "The Supermen", "Life on Mars" and (yes,again) "John, I'm Only Dancing". "The Jean Genie" is a live take from the Santa Monica Civic Center and the set finishes with a live acoustic version of "Drive In Saturday" taken from Cleveland's Public Hall.

Again, fine extras means that this is the set to get of this terrific album!

David Bowie - The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars

There are some records that are so iconic that there hardly seems a reason to mention them, no matter how

much I dig them, but I am surprised that I never wrote about this 30th anniversary, 2-CD edition of this album. Besides the classic record, there is a full CD of outtakes, demos and assorted non-LP cuts.

The actual record opened with the fairly mellow attempt at prophecy that sets the stage for the concept, "Five Years", which supposedly led the Germs' Darby Crash to commit suicide - a terrible reason if there ever was one. This is followed by the syncopated rhythm of "Soul Love", a half acoustic/half electric number that shows off some of Bowie's soulful sax playing. But then we come to a truly powerful cut, "Moonage Daydream", with its huge, stop-time opening chords - Mick Ronson shines here with a great tone and a terrific echoed lead ending the song. The horns and strings here actually add to the song rather than detract, as is often the case. It is kinda funny how much the acoustic guitar dominates this album, as in "Star Man" - another string-laden, sci-fi ballad in the style of "Space Oddity" that tells the tale of aliens contacting the freaks on earth. The one cover of the album is another ballad, "It Ain't Easy" - I'm not familiar with the original by Ron Davies - with quiet verses and big choruses - a bit of a theme on this record.

Bowie's lyrics are always a bit oblique and while it is apparent that "Lady Stardust" is intended to tell the story of the androgynous lead character, it's hard to tell exactly what that story is! "Star" has some cool drum rolls, pounding piano and power chords and apparently is part of the "rise" of Ziggy to a "rock'n'roll star". This leads into one of his most potently rockin' tunes, "Hang On To Yourself", with a terrific chord riff, flying bass line and catchy chorus - along with a groovy, melodic lead break. Of course, the title track is a true classic, with more fine Ronson guitar work - highly melodic at times and monstrous at others. The third track of the heavy triumvirate is "Suffragette City", a pure rocker than nearly every cover band in the 70's had to do - if only so they could scream "wham, bam, thank you m'am!". The album closer is the dramatic "Rock'n'Roll Suicide" (certain to have influenced Darby, as well, unfortunately), that builds into a plea to "give me your hand!"

The bonus CD includes very different versions of "Moonage Daydream" and "Hang On To Yourself" - different arrangement and lyrics - and while the "official" versions are superior, these are quite cool to hear. Same with the "Lady Stardust" and "Ziggy Stardust" demos. The non-LP cuts here include "John, I'm Only Dancing", which must be one of the first openly bi-sexual r'n'r songs, that also happens to be a movin' rocker, with more cool guitar work from Ronson. Another tune that could easily have fit into the Ziggy album is "Velvet Goldmine", the tune the unfortunately inferior glam-rock movie was named after. Sounding almost like an outtake from the electric-guitar dominated The Man Who Sold the World, "Holy Holy" is practically legendary since it was hard to find, which is too bad, as it is a fine rocker. Jacques Brel's "Amsterdam" is a solo acoustic number that I've heard a number of times, but must be on odd compilations, though it would not have been out of place on Bowie's early albums. There is another version of The Man Who Sold the World's "The Supermen" and a cool take on Chuck Berry's "Round and Round" (think this is different from the one on the BBC sessions) before the literal cock-rock of "Sweet Head" and the finale of a new mix of "Moonage Daydream".

Of course, this is an essential album and the high quality of the extras here - besides the music, the packaging is great with a huge, full-color booklet - means that this 2-CD set is the one to get!

Mississippi Fred McDowell - Come and Found You Gone

This CD is the result of another fascinating story of a recording archivist sitting down for a private session and getting some incredible performances. Like the John Lee Hooker Jack O'Diamonds recording that I talked about recently, this captures McDowell at the height of his powers with a terrific set of tunes and with added contributions from his wife, Annie Mae, friend Napolean Strickland and an unnamed singer (on "Dreamed I Went to the U.N.").

The majority of this is Fred's standard, terrific, open-tuning, drone-y, bottleneck blues, interacting with his voice in a call-and-answer that was his trademark. But there are also some hymns with Annie Mae singing and, as I said, Strickland and another unnamed gentleman take the mic for a song each, which spices up the proceedings.

But, I love McDowell's stripped-down blues and have dug damn near everything that I've heard by him and this is right up there with the best! Check it out!

Devil's Jump - Important Indie Label Blues 1946-1957

It is somewhat amazing just how many blues compilations have been appearing over the last few years and

just how much good stuff there is yet to be discovered. This 4-CD set is another example. Taken from the archives of King and Queen Records, located in the Mid-West and recruiting artists from all over the area, owner Syd Nathan managed to collect a roster of high caliber artists in the blues, jump-blues and boogie arenas, among others.

Included here are some early recording of giants like John Lee Hooker (amazing tracks!) and Memphis Slim, along with cool cats like Lee Brown, Jimmie Gordon, Detroit Count, Country Paul, Smokey Hogg, Eddie Kirkland and plenty more. 100 sides with 20 previously unreleased cuts gives you lots of stompin' and smokin' blues, from individual, solo artists to full swing bands. Everything here is pretty damn cool and once again you get to hear the roots of rock'n'roll with cuts that could easily have crossed over, had they been given a chance.

The booklets, though brief, give an overview of the label's story and, when possible, gives the personnel on each recordings and a good story of the cats involved. Another really fun comp and well worth the price!

Green Day - Demolicious

I've been a fan of good pop ever since the 60's - they hey-day of pop - and it's reinventions as power-pop and punk-pop have had some great proponents, as well. And, hey, I was the co-founder of the Excessories with Melanie. So, since we always like to support record store day and since our old friend Tom Neely did the artwork for this, we picked up the two-record set.

I know there's been a lot of backlash over GD's popularity but I've got to say that, to my ears anyway, there's not a lot of difference between the songs included in this set and their old Lookout! releases. Sure, the production is a bit more high-end and here you get to play "where was that riff stolen from", but the energy, song structures, melodies and harmonies are all there, and this still sounds like all the basics (at least) were recorded live in the studio. Anyone whining about this stuff had better be a damn fine songwriter themselves, cuz that's what it all comes down to.

So, if you don't hate a band just because they've gotten popular and you dig high quality punk-pop, give this a chance.

recommended gigs

Friday April 18 - Swank Bastards at the Double Down
Friday April 18 - the Psyatisc and Chop Tops at LV  Country Saloon

Saturday April 19 - Crimson Balladers and Wayne Hancock at the Dive Bar
Saturday April 19 - Swank Bastards at Rat City Ruckus
Saturday April 19 - the All Togethers and Curse Words are Verbs at the Pioneer Saloon

Wednesday April 23 - Jinxy Bear - Cheyenne Saloon

Thursday April 24 - Crazy Chief and Leather Lungs at Velveteen Rabbit - Roxie's birthday!

Friday April 25 - The Swamp Gospel at the Huntridge Tavern with Nina Coyote and Chico Tornado (from the Basque country)

Saturday April 26 - The Psyatics at the Double Down
Saturday April 26 - the Astaires at Triple Bs with David Haskins from Bauhaus
Saturday April 26 - Jinxy Bear - Downtown Beer Fest

Monday April 28 - the Astaires at the Beauty Bar

Wednesday April 30 - Swank Bastards at the Double Down
Wednesday April 30 - Jinxy Bear at Brooklyn Bowl

Sunday May 4 - Thee Swank Bastards at Artifice

Friday May 9 - Jinxy Bear with Prophet Greene and Fuzz Solow at the Hard Hat Lounge
Friday May 9 - the Unwieldies at the Dillinger

Saturday May 10 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Double Down

Monday May 19 - the Astaires at the Beauty Bar

Tuesday May 20 - Wayne Hancock w/Eddie Bear & The Cubs and Whiskey Breath - Dive Bar

Wednesday May 21 - the Astaires, Laissez Fairs and Rosalyns at the Dive Bar
Wednesday May 21 - The Standells at the Cheyenne Saloon

Thursday May 22 - The Psyatics with Peter Murphy and the Dickies at LV Country Saloon

Saturday May 24 - the Loud Pipes at the Double Down

Wednesday May 28 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Double Down

Friday May 30 - Jinxy Bear at the Hard Hat Lounge

Saturday May 31 - The All Togethers at the Pioneer Saloon

Tuesday June 3 - Supersuckers at the Dive Bar!

Thursday June 5 - Nashville Pussy at the Dive Bar! with the Loud Pipes and Black Jetts

What have I forgotten? Lemme know!

RIP Marty Thau

Marty Thau, Manager in Early New York Punk Scene, Dies at 75
 ---
I knew about him and Red Star, of course, but damn, he was involved with "96 Tears", "Yummy Yummy", the NY Dolls, Suicide, The Real Kids, The Fleshtones, Richard Hell and Blondie?! Wow!

Blind Boy Fuller - Get Your Yas Yas Out

Subtitled "22 great tracks from one of the most popular and influential country bluesmen of the 30's", this compilation has some terrific blues, ragtime and song stylings - both religious and bawdy & secular -  from
this man, who was previously unknown to me.

Fuller is a fine, though maybe not exceptional, guitarist, and he is augmented on the recordings by various players throughout, from the great Rev. Gary Davis, to Oh Red on washboard to Sonny Terry on harp. The song styles vary from fairly traditional blues, to jumpin' rag ("Rag Mam Rag") to the holy ("Precious Lord") to "party songs" like "I Want Some of Your Pie" and "Sweet Honey Hole". Some highlights include the blues "Boots and Shoes" and "Homesick and Lonesome" (that uses a variation of the "Dust My Broom" lick - Fuller was a contemporary of Robert Johnson's - wonder who had this first?), the ragtime of the title track (not unlike "Hot Tamales and Red Hots" and obviously where the Stones got their album title) and the oft-covered "Step It Up and Go", which this attributes to Fuller, though I'll bet this is yet another song of ambiguous origin.

Assuming that these songs are presented in chronological order, Fuller does improve throughout his all-too-short six year career and does some pretty fancy finger-pickin' by the time we get to "Jivin' Woman Blues", "Sweet Honey Hole". and "Jitterbug Rag". But, all of the tunes are high quality and tons of fun. One of the better finds that I've found lately!

Step It Up and Go! Tearing Up the Roots of Rock'n'Roll

I think when I ordered this 2-CD compilation, I was thinking that it would be more blues-based, but it is far more than that - yes, there are some blues tunes (Arthur Crudup, Big Joe Turner, Big Mam Thornton, etc.) but also lots of country, jump/be-bop and early doo-wop.

This mix of styles does make the set interesting, but it also is a bit disjointed as you bounce from style to style. Though it is undeniable that these all were part of the roots of rock'n'roll and it is the melding of this variety that gave us our most exciting American music.

Besides the previously mentioned artists, you get plenty of early country and some bluegrass with people like Bob Willis, the Delmore Brothers, Jimmie Revard, Hank Williams, Rose Maddox and more, while Bill Haley and the Comets crossed over with country and r'n'b tunes and they are well represented here with some of their own numbers as well as songs of theirs covered by others. Doo-wop makes appearances with the likes of the Moonglows, Du Dropper, the Ravens, among others and jump blues is spotlighted with Big Jim Wynn, Johnny Otis, Ruth Brown, etc. Along with all this, there are greats like Ray Charles, Louis Jordan and Louis Prima giving there own brands of music.

This is a nice set of 54 (!) tunes of diverse, pre-rock'n'roll music that gives a good history lesson while it entertains.

The Tempest - American Repertory Theater productoion

I am far from a Shakespeare fan - or evenly overly knowledgeable about his works, other than his lines that have become part of the popular culture lexicon - but with magician Teller co-directing and Tom Waits' music providing the soundtrack, we were intrigued enough to check out the Tempest.

The story is typically Shakespeareianly (did I just make up that word - guess so) complicated and if you are not familiar with the play and haven't read the synopsis - and maybe even if you have - you will be mighty lost - especially considering that the backstory that gives you the basis for the tale takes place before the play starts! But, if you have the gist, it is enjoyable, especially with Teller's illusions and Tom Waits' songs - performed by an excellent live band that you can watch on a balcony above the musicians - dominating the program.

Waits' songs are more-or-less from his Rain Dogs-era and fit surprisingly well thematically as well as musically. The musicians and two female vocalists are dressed to impress and they are a joy to watch - some say they stole the show, even. Kudos especially to the percussionist(s) who managed to bring these rhythm-heavy songs to life, without overpowering the actors.

The acting and the costuming are all well-done, also, and it is all put together in a 510 seat "tent" (that feels more intimate than that) outside the Smith Center - albeit, an air-conditioned, sturdy-walled tents that could handle the Las Vegas winds and keep the clientele comfortable - although there was some noise leakage as nearby trains passed or helicopters flew by.

Overall, highly enjoyable and recommended for those who dig magic and Tom Waits - and who doesn't?

The Streetwalkin' Cheetahs and Cheetah Chrome at the Dive Bar, Las Vegas, April 10, 2014

Our old friends the Streetwalkin' Cheetahs have reunited (with LA legend Bruce Duff sitting in for Art Jackson, who has retired from r'n'r) and for their first tour they have joined forces with ex-Dead Boys guitarist Cheetah Chrome for their "Two Headed Cheetahs" attack of the west coast. Las Vegas was lucky enough to have them appear at our own Dive Bar, though due to having four bands (!) opening and a late start, the night ran so long that many could not handle the marathon and left before the rock had ended. I know that Vegas is a 24 hour town, but most people cannot stay out until 3:30 in the morning on a weeknight. OK, sorry for the rant - on to the rock!

This version of the SWC's has lead singer/lead guitarist Frank Meyer joined by original bassist Dino Everett, powerfully metronomic drummer Mike Sessa and the afore-mentioned Bruce Duff. The rhythm section is fast, tight and loud as Frank and Bruce trade licks (both are superb guitarists) on classic Cheetahs' numbers like "Waiting For the Death of My Generation", the new-wavey "Automatic", the poppy "Miss Teen USA", "Kick Me Down", the ode to Detroit "Motor City Rock'n'Roll", "Darla", "Freak Out Man" and their new single "Escape From New York".

"Built For Speed" was always a wild jam number that often included Stooges-esque sax wailin' so tonight local sax-man Gene Howley joined the crew for this audience-invasion craziness that melded into a version of "Funhouse" with Cheetah Chrome joining in on the action. The entire set was high energy punk'n'roll with manic stage presence throughout. Great time seeing these gents back in the r'n'r saddle!

After the SWC's, Mr. Cheetah Chrome took front'n'center stage for a a solo set (with Frank, Bruce - on bass - and Mike backing him) that relied on about half new songs and half Dead Boys tunes. There was a cool, rockin' instrumental opener with some twin guitar work and then several new songs that tended to be more mid-tempo, almost pop songs. Chrome's voice is a bit raw and seemed somewhat hoarse this evening, but his guitar playing was pretty exceptional during the whole set. Of course, the Dead Boys' tunes are what got the remaining audience movin', with songs like "What Love Is", "Ain't Nothing to Do", a spot-on "Son of Sam" and, of course, a stellar "Sonic Reducer" - a pleasure seeing the original man taking those much-covered leads! The band was smokin' behind him and Bruce's bass playing is always top-notch and he locked in with Sessa as well as Dino did.

A couple of high-profile and amazingly rockin' acts for the Dive Bar - just wish it could have been a bit earlier so that more people could have made it out. Regardless, a great night of punk'n'roll!

recommended gigs

Thursday April 10 - the Swamp Gospel with Cheetah Chrome and the Street Walkin' Cheetahs - the Dive Bar

Saturday April 12 - Jon Spencer with the Lucky Cheats - Beauty Bar

Monday April 14 - the Astaires at the Double Down

Friday April 18 - Swank Bastards at the Double Down
Friday April 18 - the Psyatisc and Chop Tops at LV  Country Saloon

Saturday April 19 - Crimson Balladers and Wayne Hancock at the Dive Bar
Saturday April 19 - Swank Bastards at Rat City Ruckus
Saturday April 19 - the All Togethers and Curse Words are Verbs at the Pioneer Saloon

Thursday April 24 - Crazy Chief and Leather Lungs at Velveteen Rabbit - Roxie's birthday!

Friday April 25 - The Swamp Gospel at the Huntridge Tavern with Nina Coyote and Chico Tornado (from the Basque country)

Saturday April 26 - The Psyatics at the Double Down
Saturday April 26 - the Astaires at Triple Bs with David Haskins from Bauhaus

Monday April 28 - the Astaires at the Beauty Bar

Wednesday April 30 - Swank Bastards at the Double Down

Sunday May 4 - Thee Swank Bastards at Artifice

Friday May 9 - the Unwieldies at the Dillinger

Saturday May 10 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Double Down

Monday May 19 - the Astaires at the Beauty Bar

Tuesday May 20 - Wayne Hancock w/Eddie Bear & The Cubs and Whiskey Breath - Dive Bar

Wednesday May 21 - the Astaires, Laissez Fairs and Rosalyns at the Dive Bar
Wednesday May 21 - The Standells at the Cheyenne Saloon

Thursday May 22 - The Psyatics with Peter Murphy and the Dickies at LV Country Saloon

Saturday May 24 - the Loud Pipes at the Double Down

Wednesday May 28 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Double Down

Tuesday June 3 - Supersuckers at the Dive Bar!

Thursday June 5 - Nashville Pussy at the Dive Bar! with the Loud Pipes and Black Jetts

What have I forgotten? Lemme know!

The Smell of Death - Bruce Duff

I should preface this review by saying that I've known Bruce for decades now and was even invited to his

wedding to the lovely Else, who was responsible for this book seeing the light of day. So, considering that we've shared innumerable stages over the years, this review might not be as objective as some. And consider that I know many of the characters herein and that I've played with Jeff Dahl (the man whose tour is chronicled in the book), as well. So, to me, this highly enjoyable book read like an old friend sharing road stories - which, essentially, it is.

Opening with a tale of playing a gig in San Francisco with the legendary GG Allin (I never knew before this where the Jeff Dahl album title Vomit Wet Kiss came from), Bruce uses the chaos, anarchy and wretched stink of that show as an analogy for life on the road. The bulk of the book is based on a Jeff Dahl tour of Europe in the early 90's (amazing to me that there is 90's nostalgia already) that included Bruce on bass, Ratboy (of LA glam rockers Motorcycle Boy) on guitar and Jeff Zimmitti (the Ultras) on drums and he does give a good representation of the touring life at this level. The poor accommodations, the cold (there are never summer tours of Europe – you only go while school is in session), the weird venues, the boredom, the frustrations, the flaring tempers, the lack of females (this seems exaggerated in the book – maybe my bands had more gender crossover), the tales of girlfriends back home having plenty of fun (and you wonder what else) without you, the general stir-craziness and doing things - like dancing all night long and making a general fool of yourself in public - that you'd never do at home because you're pretty damn sure that you'll never see any of these people again. Throughout the journey, there are plenty of memorable characters, from crazed fans, to small-town Satanists, to promoters like the legendary Kike from the Pleasure Fuckers, a totally insane but sweet man, who has since passed away.

I knew that this was the tour that my band, the Tommyknockers, met up with the Jeff Dahl Band on the night that we arrived in Germany and Bruce does give us a brief mention – mostly about making out with my bassist, Laura, though nothing more comes of it. Someday I’ll have to review my diary of this tour, as I'm sure there were some interesting events this night that Bruce was not aware of…

Without giving too much away, our heroes survive the tour and the story ends with familiar tales of broken friendships and relationships (I can't count the number of couples that have broken up after one goes on tour - for all kinds of reasons, not simply infidelity), but with some coming out stronger and wiser.

Any touring musician will easily relate to this book, as most have lived it, though I'm not sure what "civilians" will make of it all. But Bruce tells his story with wit, humor, and a highly personable style. If you're interested in discovering the "glamorous" life of a relatively small-time touring rock'n'roller, this is it. For me, this truly was one of those books that you can't put down.

Iggy Pop & James Williamson - Kill City

Originally recorded in 1975, these tapes were done in the hopes of getting Pop a new contract after the dissolution of the Stooges in a haze of drugs, bad management and assorted other r'n'r tragedies. In fact, rumor has it that the Igster recorded his vocals during leaves from the institution he was in for his heroin addiction. After The Idiot and Lust For Life garnered some attention, Bomp Records finally released this in 1977, gaining some serious traction as, while this was watered down compared to the Stooges, it was far more rockin' than those David Bowie-produced records.

The opener, "Kill City", is a true classic tale of the travails of drug addiction in Los Angeles. As I said, this is considerably cleaner than anything from the Stooges, but still highly rockin' and is the debut of the Sales Brothers (Tony and Hunt) rhythm section work with Iggy, along with Scott Thurston's keyboard's, which had otherwise only been heard on Metallic KO. There are a number of slower numbers here, as well, presumably to show record companies Pop's dexterity, such as the sax-driven ballad "Sell Your Love", which he sings in almost a stage whisper, as opposed to his more familiar animalistic bellowing. "Beyond the Law" is similar in feel to "Kill City", though the guitar is a bit buried under the sax and keys - still, a good r'n'r number. Another ballad appears in "I Got Nothin'", with some melodic guitar work from Williamson, but there's more edge and bit in "Johanna", which has since appeared in a rawer form on other compilations and while the sax somewhat dominates, James does get a good solo here, as well. This dissolves into the soundtrack-ish "Night Theme" which both closed side one of the vinyl record and opened side two.

There's a bit of synthesizer noise and then we get the upbeat "Consolation Prizes", with some cool slide guitar and licks galore before another ballad, "No Sense of Crime", this one with plenty of bongo-percussion. I think I had sorta forgotten how many slow songs there are on this record, as "Lucky Monkeys" is pretty mellow, as well and "Master Charges" kinda takes a refrain from "Night Theme" and closes out the proceedings.

Certainly not his best work, but this is still pretty cool stuff and stronger than much of Ig's solo stuff. Well worth getting. I understand there is a new, re-mixed version (and that the original CDs were recorded off of inferior vinyl) but I haven't heard that yet. Regardless, well worthwhile.

Creedence Clearwater Revival - Creedence Country

This compilation was originally released in 1981 in the hopes of infiltrating the country market after a producer commented on the C&W influences of some of Fogerty's work and apparently it succeeded as in

1982 "Cotton Fields" did hit #50 in the Billboard country charts.

Opening with one of their most country influenced numbers, "Lookin' For a Reason", we see that Fogerty wasn't just mining New Orleans' hoodoo for his material, as this is fully as country-fied as anything from the Byrds' Sweetheart of the Rodeo - complete with prominent steel guitar. "Don't Look Now" is a bouncin' country number, though a bit more of a fusion, as it has an obvious CCR feel, as well. The fantastically depressing tale of a roving musician, "Lodi", is an excellent example of how genres can be mixed for an original sound. They tackle rockabilly in the fairly traditional takes on "My Baby Left Me", "Hello Mary Lou"  and Roy Orbison's "Ooby Dooby", while "Ramble Tamble" is a high-energy Creedence stomper that slows down for a groovy Fogerty breakdown/jam, similar in feel to their "Walk on the Water", which then again turns into a high speed rockabilly romp. The afore-mentioned "Cotton Fields" (the Leadbelly tune) is also reasonably traditional take (with some terrific harmonies), considering that a r'n'r band is playing it. I don't know that I would normally classify Bo Diddley's "Before You Accuse Me" as country (it's certainly more blues/r'n'r), though lines were blurring at the time that it was written. Nor would I pigeon-hole the nice ballad "Wrote a Song for Everyone" or the mid-tempo "Cross Tie Walker", though the elements are there, although "Looking Out My Back Door" is pretty darn hillbilly-esque.

For the CD release, three more tracks were added, the ballady "Need Someone to Hold", more upbeat country stylings in "Tearin' Up the Country" and an organ-based slower, melodic number in "It's Just a Thought".

Nice idea for a comp and, naturally, there is some pretty stellar material here. Good times, though I would always recommend their standard releases.

The Unwieldies with the All Togethers at Velveteen Rabbit, Thursday April 3, 2014

I've written about the Unwieldies so many times now that I'm starting to run out of adjectives for them (or maybe I did a long time ago - I never said I was a writer!) but once again, their talent and terrific songs won over the crowd at this relatively new downtown bar. Danielle's voice always impresses and blends well with Rob's vocals and moving bass lines, while Jack's violin (don't call it a fiddle! :) ) keeps it classy! Of course, a good part of the set came from their CD, though these tunes were augmented by their take on Tom Waits' "Chocolate Jesus" and relatively new numbers "Wouldn't That Be Love" and "First To Tell You I Told You So". This was a good setting for their acoustic groove and they didn't disappoint.

Another combo that I have ranted'n'raved about innumerably is the terrific All Togethers and this show was the first I have seen since the addition of cellist Brenna, who also adds vocals, giving the group some lovely 4 part harmonies. Unfortunately, the cello was a bit muted through most of the set, though it did really stand out in their moody original "When the Night Comes' and on their closing cover of - believe it or not - "Baba O'Reilly". I also appreciated the choreographed cello/stand-up bass twirls in "Freight Train"! Always an overabundance of talent and a barrel of good times and you have no excuse for not seeing and appreciating them, as they play everywhere, all the time - they are probably performing mere feet from you as you read this!

The Velveteen Rabbit is a hip, comfortable bar with lots of lounging/seating areas and a nice little corner for bands to play. I do wish that they would have shows on more than just Thursday nights, though. Hopefully, as the weather warms up, this place will heat up, as well!

recommended gigs

Thursday April 3 - All Togethers and Unwieldies at the Velveteen Rabbit

Saturday April 5 - Swank Bastards at the Arts Factory
Saturday April 5 - the All Togethers at Triple B

Sunday April 6 - Swank Bastards at Artifice

Monday April 7 - Fuzz Solow, EON and Weed at HellPop!

Thursday April 10 - the Swamp Gospel with Cheetah Chrome and the Street Walkin' Cheetahs - the Dive Bar

Saturday April 12 - Jon Spencer with the Lucky Cheats - Beauty Bar

Friday April 18 - Swank Bastards at the Double Down
Friday April 18 - the Psyatisc and Chop Tops at LV  Country Saloon

Saturday April 19 - Crimson Balladers and Wayne Hancock at the Dive Bar
Saturday April 19 - Swank Bastards at Rat City Ruckus
Saturday April 19 - the All Togethers and Curse Words are Verbs at the Pioneer Saloon

Thursday April 24 - Crazy Chief and Leather Lungs at Velveteen Rabbit

Friday April 25 - The Swamp Gospel at the Huntridge Tavern with Nina Coyote and Chico Tornado (from the Basque country)

Saturday April 26 - The Psyatics at the Double Down
Saturday April 26 - the Astaires at Triple Bs with David Haskins from Bauhaus

Monday April 28 - the Astaires at the Beauty Bar

Wednesday April 30 - Swank Bastards at the Double Down

Sunday May 4 - Thee Swank Bastards at Artifice

Friday May 9 - the Unwieldies at the Dillinger

Saturday May 10 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Double Down

Monday May 19 - the Astaires at the Beauty Bar

Tuesday May 20 - Wayne Hancock w/Eddie Bear & The Cubs and Whiskey Breath - Dive Bar

Wednesday May 21 - the Astaires, Laissez Fairs and Rosalyns at the Dive Bar
Wednesday May 21 - The Standells at the Cheyenne Saloon

Thursday May 22 - The Psyatics with Peter Murphy and the Dickies at LV Country Saloon

Wednesday May 28 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Double Down

Tuesday June 3 - Supersuckers at the Dive Bar!

Thursday June 5 - Nashville Pussy at the Dive Bar!

What have I forgotten? Lemme know!

The Paragraphs - +/-

After catching this San Diego combo at the Double Down last weekend, I was impressed enough to immediately grab their CD. They have a pretty damn unique sound that is hard to put into words, with influences ranging from pop to punk to grunge to whatever. Led by Jesse Lee Hofbauer on lead vocals/lead guitar, they also include multi instrumentalist Adam Fielmeier, bassist Abel Perez and drummer Mike Hunt.

There are definitely some 60's influences here, but twisted up with some noise and new-wave tendencies and even power-pop. Damn, is this even making any sense? Somehow this blend really works - mainly due to the fact that the songs are quite well written. When they get into numbers like "Oliver Sunshine", it's a little easier, as this is like an updated Bobby Fuller Four song, complete with backing vocals that could have been in "Never To Be Forgotten". The jangly guitars and big vocals in "There Is Nothing You Can Do" give it a mellower, more serious power-pop feel and then "Algebra" is more abrasive and angular with some raucous screams from Jesse. There are quieter numbers like "Tongues" and "Gimme Back My Halo", which simply adds to the variety. There's lot more going on here, as well, with plenty of clever and innovative melodies, guitar lines and dynamics. Far from one-trick-ponies, this is damn fine and interesting and quite cool in a live setting.

Crimson Balladeers

I've caught these local cats live a couple of times now and dug their country/Americana sounds so I picked up this 6-song CD-EP. It seems like the personnel here include the guys I've seen over the two gigs - mainstays Ben Hale (lead vocals/guitar), Ross Lillebo (bass) and Erik Alesi (acoustic guitar/vocals) who are joined by drummer Joe Chudyk, lead guitarist Brian Bissell, pedal steel master Joel Ferguson and percussionist Brian Feston. Combined they make a late 60's/early 70's country-pop sound, not unlike, say, Ricky Nelson at the time.

The songs here will be familiar to anyone who has seen them, from the soaring "Western Sky" to the upbeat, lick-fueled "Can't Sleep Right" to the slow, pedal-steel dominated ballad "Better Luck Next Time" that highlights Ben's terrific voice to the high drama of "Brand New Path" (here Brian shines on lead guitar) to the huge soundscapes of "Joshua Tree" (with more terrific, creative lead riffs and huge vocals) to the closer, "Picture Perfect", which kinda reminds me of the feel of Nelson's "Garden Party", for some reason - as it doesn't sound like it at all.

In any case, good stuff all around and they are even better now in concert, so be sure to check 'em out whenever you can!

Iggy and the Stooges - More Power

This 2-CD 2009 Cleopatra Records release is a compilation of various demos and rehearsals from the Raw Power and later era Stooges, with James Williamson on guitar, the Asheton brothers (Ron on bass, Scott on drums) and keys by either Scott Thurston or Bob Scheff. There are essentially no liner notes to this pared-down package, so no info on any of the songs or the recordings, but a number of these will be familiar to fans. It's always good to compile things on one CD, though, as opposed to various 45's, boots and comps.

"Tight Pants" is an early version of "Shake Appeal" that had been released on a Bomp single, and I seem to think that I have "I'm a Man", an obvious rehearsal jam, on some boot, as well, though it's nothing too memorable. But then we get the fantastic, hyper-speed "I've Got a Right", one of Iggy's best, that has since been covered by innumerable bands, thanks to the previous 45 issue (this take seems to fade a lot faster than the single, though it's been a while and I may be thinking of one of the covers). Another filler track is "Money", that, while fun, quite frankly, is just the band screwing off, so nothing that you would want to go back and listen to regularly. "Scene of the Crime" has been available before, but is quite solid, and, of course, "Gimme Some Skin" is another stellar cut - this and "I Got a Right" came out as a single and is one of the most powerful releases that Iggy has ever done, though this tale of sex and drugs would hardly have been considered "commercial" by any record company at the time! The keyboard-driven "Rubber Legs" has also been seen in the past, but is another good rocker, though the sound is getting kinda iffy, as with "Open Up and Bleed", a number with some interesting progressions that could have been strong with some real production. CD one closes with a demo of "Johanna", a number that was "officially" released on Kill City, and it's kinda cool to hear this rawer take since the album was pretty slick.

CD two opens with "Cock In My Pocket", previously only known from the live Metallic KO bootleg - still plenty frantic here, with some rockin' keys that are really highlighted - Thurston, I assume. "I'm Sick of You" is the same, moody, dramatic cut from the 45, that revs into overdrive before reverting to the original speed for the finale. There's an incredibly silly and sloppy few moments of "Surfin' Bird" as an introduction to a legit "Louie Louie" with some filthy-ly updated lyrics from the Igster. Another number that appeared on Metallic KO shows up here as a studio cut, "Head On", but I had never heard the bluesy "Cry For Me" before and it's a pretty groovy tune, with some cool interaction between the guitar and keys - and Ron even gets to show off on the bass a bit. "She Creatures of the Hollywood Hills" and "Born in a Trailer" again seems more like jams than fully realized songs, though "Wild Love" seems a bit more fleshed out. The set finishes off with "Till the End of the Night" - not the Kinks "Till the End of the Day" - and slow, atmospheric, minimalist, minor-key piece - nice enough, though not very exciting!

Overall, pretty cool comp, though don't expect everything to be stellar - definitely for fanatical fans!