Basstravaganza at the Double Down, Wednesday Nov 24, 2021

 

(I came home, went to bed, and went on vacation immediately after this, so that is why it has taken me a week to do this half-assed review!)

As everyone in Las Vegas knows, Basstravaganza is an annual event (that got derailed last year due to the pandemic, of course) wherein Thee Swank Bastards - a band with revolving members - starts off the Double Down Saloon's anniversary weekend by inviting the same number of bassists as the number of anniversary years to join in the instrumental fun. Led by guitar whiz Jesse Del Quadro, there is normally a revolving number of drummers, also, but this year everyone was sick or unavailable so only the lovely'n'charismatic (and energetic!) Courtney Carroll was holding down the beat all night long (except when she moved over to bass herself and another bassist sat in on drums). The players ranged from the exceptionally talented to clowns like me who only pick up the bass for Basstravaganza,  and the instruments ranged from the standard to the unique to a banjo bass to a tuba! Of course for the finale, as with every year, every bassist gets up on stage (or the floor) for a rousing rendition of Spinal Tap's "Big Bottom" that inevitably becomes a massively crazy mess that eventually simply dissolves - in this case, something seemed to blow out and we lost a number of players, but pretty much just at the right time!

I was keeping away from the crowd as much as I could so as to not catch anything so I did not even attempt any photos this time, but the event is well documented on Facebook for those who are interested. Hopefully, next year will be less contagious but just as sick!

recommended gigs

 Wednesday 11-24-21 - Basstravaganza at the Double Down

Friday 11-26-21 - the Souvenairs at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 11-27-21 - Franks'n'Deans, Goldtop Bob. Lean 13, Soldiers of Destruction, Wolfhounds at the Double Down for the DD's 29th anniversary!

Wednesday Dec 1 - Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast at the Double Down

Friday 12-3-21 - The Psyatics with Crimson Riot and Twilight Atomiks for the Atomic Mayhem Toy Drive at the Double Down

Friday 12-3-21 - Dirty R'n'R Dance Party presents Cheap Tissue, Cromm Fallon P200 and Rhythm Ace and the Nu-Tones at the Usual Place

Friday 12-3-21 - Thee Hypnotiques at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 12-5-21 - Nekromantix and the Delta Bombers at the Fremont Country Club

Saturday 12-11-21 - Cromm Fallon and the P200 record release show at Berlin with the Lost Mynds and Margarita Boys from LA

Friday 12-17-21 - The Psyatics with the Bitters and Stagnetti's Cock at the Double Down

Saturday 1-15-22 - Deadbolt at the Dive Bar

Monday 1-17-22 - Jaime from Pine Hill Haints with Serious Sam Barrett and the Unwieldies and the Devil's Duo at the Double Down

Friday 2-4-22 - The Psyatics with Thee Swank Bastards and the Silhouettes at the Double Down

Tom Waits - Standing on the Corner - 10 CD Box Set

 

I took a chance on this set after getting an ad for it on Facebook - something that I almost never look at, but for $50 for 10 CDs of prime live Waits, I thought I would take a chance. Lo and behold, this is actually pretty great! Excellent quality - each CD is from a live radio broadcast - live material from 1973 - 1979, with a number of the performances being solo and some of the radio shows include interviews in between the tunes, with the first one, at least, including Tom on his (relatively) best behavior, not screwing with the DJ too much and actually being reasonably coherent!

I love this period of Waits' music, probably because that's when I discovered him, and the performances are all terrific, with him playing some excellent piano and guitar (apparently, he was more comfortable on piano, though, or, at least he thought it was more sonically filling for solo sets) and his vocalizing is always wonderfully Waits-ainly unique, especially on his acapella/rap-like segments - he truly was incredible with his narratives.

About half way through the collection a band joins Tom, which is a nice change of pace, although he does a fine job of accompanying himself - I just love the swing of the band. (Although he manages to do "Step Right Up" acapella and make it work! Wait - is there a bass there just almost audible? I guess so, but just barely.) By the '77 live show, there is a full live band - apparently touring the Small Change album - that is quite audible'n'swingin' and there's a raucous audience, as well. Kind of odd hearing him singing "I Never Talk To Strangers" by himself, but it does still work, and "Pasties and a G String" is given a new bump'n'grind that the crowd flips over. The rest of the CDs are all with some version of the band doing his material up through Blue Valentine. The musicians are always beyond top-notch and the performances are always varied, never doing any one song quite the same. There is an overlap of material throughout the CDs - he and his fans obviously had live favorites that he kept in the set - but I never tire of hearing them since each take is quite different as Waits ad-libs, improvises, throws in bits of other songs and scats through familiar numbers, changing up the takes. I had no issue listening to all 10 CDs in a row! I remember as a kid I wanted live versions to mimic the record, but now I really dig the variations that musicians put into their performances.

Here's the link to get the full set lists for each CD and, whoa! Apparently, the set is already sold out! I just bought this a few days ago - glad I was able to cop one! Actually, now that I compare, the link is not completely accurate as to the track listings, but you get the idea!

This is truly a terrific collection - really glad that I found it. If you dig this period of Waits, when he was still more of a beatnik/jazzbo, you will absolutely love this set! Highly recommended!

RIP Hank Von Hell from Turbonegro

 

He couldn't have been nicer when we saw them and without him the band lost it's edge. Still, Apocalypse Dudes is an incredible legacy.

The Last Temptation of Christ - book by Nikos Kazantzakis

 

Once again, one book leads to another - this time John Lurie mentioned being an extra in the film version of The Last Temptation of Christ due to how much he enjoyed the book, so I picked this up. As I'm reading it, I am sure that I have experienced it previously, although I can't remember whether it was back when I was a teen or more recently. Regardless, it is a tome worth revisiting. 

In this version of the well known tale, Jesus is a conflicted man haunted by dreams, visions, paralyzing headaches, a bed-ridden father, a mother who doesn't understand his compulsions, and the need to self flagellate in order to free himself of his (real or imagined) sins. He is a carpenter who betrays his people by making crosses for the Romans to crucify his fellow Jews until he can stand his life no longer and flees into the desert in order to join a monastery. 

Here he more or less comes to terms with his destiny and begins his preachin'n'wanderin'. Kazantzakis basically follows the Biblical story of Jesus, although the reader is never truly sure whether the characters are seized by holiness or madness. The apostle Matthew writes the Gospel as he follows Jesus, but he elaborates'n'embellishes in order to make his life fit in with the prophecies and in order to make miracles happen. There's also some hints that he might be mad. But, that could also apply to Jesus, whose message is confusing'n'contradictory and changes regularly and who certainly has a martyr complex.

The last temptation doesn't occur until Christ has been crucified, of course, when the devil tempts him with the pleasures of the real world that he missed out on throughout his life. Of course, he eventually resists this temptation and his destiny is fulfilled, but Kazantzakis ends the story with his death, so we never know in this tale whether he returns from the dead or not.

I always enjoy a tale that challenges the typical, accepted storyline, whether its the Bible or the likes of Dracula, and this is a well done take. Now that I think of it, there obviously have been a number of different interpretations of the Bible - I wonder if this is one of the first? 

RIP Mick Rock

Mick Rock, Legendary Music Photographer, Dies At 72

 ---

So sad to hear this - and so young, too! 

He's been active on social media and posting many of his iconic shots - and others from the same contact sheet. He is responsible for so many iconic shots, he's is truly part of rock'n'roll history.

recommended gigs

 Friday 11-19-21 - The Double Whammys at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 11-20-21 - Dirty R'n'R Dance Party presents Mystic Braves, David Turel, Laissez Fairs at Artifice

Saturday 11-20-21 - Dead at Midnight, No Que No, Muertes Heist at the Starboard Tack

Monday 11-22-21 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Monday 11-22-21 - Goldtop Bob at Founders Club

Wednesday 11-24-21 - Basstravaganza at the Double Down

Friday 11-26-21 - the Souvenairs at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 11-27-21 - Franks'n'Deans, Goldtop Bob. Lean 13, Soldiers of Destruction, Wolfhounds at the Double Down for the DD's 29th anniversary!

Wednesday Dec 1 - Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast at the Double Down

Friday 12-3-21 - The Psyatics with Crimson Riot and Twilight Atomiks for the Atomic Mayhem Toy Drive at the Double Down

Friday 12-3-21 - Dirty R'n'R Dance Party presents Cheap Tissue, Cromm Fallon P200 and Rhythm Ace and the Nu-Tones at the Usual Place

Friday 12-3-21 - Thee Hypnotiques at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 12-5-21 - Nekromantix and the Delta Bombers at the Fremont Country Club

Friday 12-17-21 - The Psyatics at the Double Down

Monday 1-17-22 - Jaime from Pine Hill Haints with Serious Sam Barrett and the Unwieldies at the Double Down

Friday 2-4-22 - The Psyatics and the Silhouettes at the Double Down

The Sparks Brothers - documentary

 

Directed by Edgar Wright, this documentary tells the tale of Ron and Russel Mael, the brothers who front and lead the group, Sparks, which at times consisted solely of the two of them, but more often is a full band. Growing up in the 60's in Los Angeles, the brothers put together various musical projects before Half Nelson caught the ear of Todd Rundgren, got a record deal and, at the behest of the label, changed their name to Sparks, abbreviating the label's suggestion of The Sparks Brothers.

Through many random contacts and enthusiastic fans, they eventually moved to London for a period, where they were teen idols for a while - I had no idea that they were that popular overseas, with screamin' girls and crazed fans - before returning to the States and beginning their first chameleon-like musical change by attempting to become their version of a more straight-ahead rock band with albums like Big Beat (the tour I saw them with where Ron, as sitting stock still the entire show, smashed his piano bench and the end and fell into the PA wires, almost taking down the entire huge speaker towers!). That didn't last long and they went into a more electronica direction and then into 80's dance music, with the help of the likes of Geiorgio Moroder! From then on, they continued in a more dance oriented direction, which wasn't quite as interesting for me, but kept them going, although their finances and popularity ebbed and flowed over the decades.

The documentary features extensive interviews with the brothers, who are both intelligent and charismatic, as well as band members, collaborators (members of the Go-Gos and Franz Ferdinand, to name a couple), producers, managers, fellow musicians and fans, giving a good overview of their lives and career.

The documentary is really well done and quite sympathetic to the subjects, although there is only so much of the music that I now what to explore that I didn't already know. Regardless, a fun watch!

recommended gigs

 Friday 11-12-21 - Shanda and the Howlers at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 11-13-21 - the Meteors at the Dive Bar

Tuesday 11-16-21 - The Rhyolite Sound with Dallas Moore at Soul Belly

Friday 11-19-21 - The Double Whammys at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 11-20-21 - Dirty R'n'R Dance Party presents Mystic Braves, David Turel, Laissez Fairs at Artifice

Saturday 11-20-21 - Dead at Midnight, No Que No, Muertes Heist at the Starboard Tack

Wednesday 11-24-21 - Basstravaganza at the Double Down

Friday 11-26-21 - the Souvenairs at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 11-27-21 - Franks'n'Deans, Goldtop Bob. Lean 13, Soldiers of Destruction, Wolfhounds at the Double Down for the DD's 29th anniversary!

Friday 12-3-21 - The Psyatics at the Double Down

Friday 12-3-21 - Dirty R'n'R Dance Party presents Cheap Tissue, Cromm Fallon P200 and Rhythm Ace and the Nu-Tones at the Usual Place

Friday 12-3-21 - Thee Hypnotiques at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 12-5-21 - Nekromantix and the Delta Bombers at the Fremont Country Club

Friday 12-17-21 - The Psyatics at the Double Down

Monday 1-17-22 - Jaime from Pine Hill Haints with Serious Sam Barrett and the Unwieldies at the Double Down

Friday 2-4-22 - The Psyatics and the Silhouettes at the Double Down

The Laissez Fairs - Curiosity Killed the Laissez Fairs?

 

After not playing for over a couple of years, the Laissez Fairs put on a fine show the other night at the Double Down, where I was graced with a copy of this, their latest (Fifth?! How did that happen already?!) release. 

Continuing with their psych-pop sounds, "Image" could easily fit in with any late 60's combo - big keyboard sounds, jangly guitars, harmony vocals, trippy lyrics and a groovin' beat! "Sunshine Tuff" keeps plenty of psych elements but has more of a rockin' pop edge to it - although that kinda comes and goes throughout the tune - and has some far out leads, "Tell You What It Means" kinda reminds me of later period Kinks in their more trippily melodic periods with, oddly, maybe some bits of Hermans Hermits-like melodies, "Somewhere Man" throws in so many influences that I can't even sort them out but it all melds into another hip piece of kaleidoscopic pop, "Sad Girl of the High Country" has nothing to do with the similarly named Dylan number, but continues with the dramatically hallucinatory themes, "Two Sides of the Same Coin" is a bit more straight-forward garage-y tune, but "Everything (I Ever Wanted)" is a more ominously melodic number in the style of Q65's moodier moments, "Sensation" is an upbeat bit of Byrds-ian jangle, I'm thinking kinda updated Peter and Gordon pop for "Drydenseek", maybe a little bit of a "She Said" vibe for "Crying City" and the album culmination is a bit of spoken word silliness over some psych meanderings in "Upside Downer".

John Fallon (ex-Steppes) has always specialized in pyched-out 60's-oriented pop and he has found himself a great foil in Joe Lawless (Trevor and the Jones) on guitar, vocals and keys and John's son Cromm on bass and Aaron Archer (yes, he is in Cromm's band, the P200, as well) keeping the time. If you are looking for a modern day band in the mold of Chocolate Soup For Diabetics, then look no further!

Down By Law - Jim Jarmusch film

 

I got this film for Xmas last year from my lovely wife, but since it's rare that we even turn on our TV's and its even rarer that we pick out a movie to watch, this has sat idle for nearly a year! But, after reading the John Lurie book (and after watching Jarmusch's Only Lovers Left Alive recently), and having an evening to kill, I finally pulled this out. I can't remember the last time I saw this, but it was probably not long after its 1986 release.

Besides Lurie, the film stars Tom Waits (most likely the reason that I saw it in the first place as I've been a fan of Waits since the mid-70's) and Roberto Benigni in an unlikely buddy pic. Taking place in New Orleans, Waits and Lurie are set up and arrested, ending up in the same cell as Benigni, who eventually helps them escape into the bayou. The film revolves around the interaction between the three in close quarters, conversing, playing cards, going a bit stir crazy and even fighting - a couple of pretty hilarious scenes with Lurie and Waits not even pretending their fisticuffs are serious.

Shot in black and white with Robbie Muller's beautifully emotive, slow-moving camera work, which shows the seedier side of New Orleans (really made me miss the city, though) through its unique and wonderful architecture, along with the interior of an even seedier jail and, eventually, the neighboring swamplands. 

Two of Waits' tunes from Rain Dogs appear in the film and the incidental music is all done by Lurie and the two Italian actors who fall in love in the movie got married in real life, making this all a kind of family affair (Lurie also claims that he is the one who got Jarmusch started in filmmaking). 

Nicely filmed, great locations, fun acting and nice chemistry between the actors make this a great flick all around. I'll have to revisit Jamusch's other films now!

Kilfeather - Island of Forgotten Toys

 

I was pretty knocked out when I saw this power trio last week at the Double Down, so I had to pick up some sounds while I had the chance. Led by Kevin Kilfeather (ex-Strange Mistress on guitar/vocals), who, according to Facebook, has released over 30 records since 2006 (!!), the band includes hard-hittin' beat keeper, Mike McGuiness, and rock'n'roll bassist Ben Doran, and has influences ranging from all kinds of punk rock to a wide variety of 70's metal to power pop. To my ears, they're kind of a harmony-driven, melodic 70's stoner metal combo like Priestess, although with their own twist, natch. 

The album kicks off with huge power chords and a head banging beat for an overture with hints of Alice Cooper and Roky Erikson before it moves into the riff-rockin', Danzig-ish rocker, "King Creep", with some wild soloing at the end. "Accuse" is a bit less heavy'n'a bit more poppy, but still fast movin' and with more neat guitar lines and a psyched-out mid section, "Bleeding Hearts" is a bit of an a-rhythmic riffer, but is melodic as heck with crazily layer vocals'n'keys for the Cheap Trick-ish chorus, back to the metal for the insanely lumbering "Never Stop" - really dig the multi-tracked, harmony guitar lines - and "Beneath the Silence" continues with massiveness but with highly melodic, harmony-packed vocals, "Goldminer" is a slower groove but still concentrating on the tunefulness, while "Sick" wails in a more punk rock fashion kinda like LA's Freeks, and "In Circles" is a true headbanger but catchy as hell with more groovy dual lead guitars. Frantic'n'furious, "Europa" is also a bit eerie while "The Veil" has a Danzig-like guitar hook and more horror-movie-like melodies, "Wasted Youth" is, appropriately enough, pop-punk (more or less), and for the grand finale we get "Cheers", more stun-guitar pop metal.

I'll be the first to admit that I don't know much about the modern metal scene in general, much less what is happening in Vegas, but these cats certainly cross over to the punk scene and fit in well at the Double Down and I look forward to hearing more from them. A great live act and this record truly rocks with great production, terrific playing'n'singing'n'songwriting and I really dig their concentration of both guitar and vocal harmonies!

Hallucinations From Hell - Confessions of an Angry Samoan - Gregg H. Turner

 

This is a collection of short stories chronicling tales of LA's seedy side'n'crazy characters, as well Turner's alter ego life as a member of Vom'n'the Angry Samoans and as a college mathematician. Turner initially made a name for himself as a rock'n'roll critic, then formed the aforementioned punk rock combos before turning to the life of academia, but still continuing to make music, just a little less...overly vile as those groups and a bit more 60's pysch oriented. I believe that this is his first book of fictional/fictional-ish stories and the subject matter varies as much as his life has, although he continues to write in his r'n'r critic style.

Considering that he lived in the LA area in the 70's and 80's, when there were innumerable unbalanced individuals inhabiting the city as well as the punk rock scene that he was a part of - part of the more extreme side of that scene, to be precise - it's difficult to tell where reality ends and fiction starts, or whether it's all just a bit blurred. Most of the stories are of random encounters but occasionally he'll talk of friends or of the music scene and at least once he gives a names-have-been-changed-to-protect-the-guilty accounting of the Samoans although, again, how much is true is up to the reader, I suppose. (There is a later chapter that more or less encapsulates the Vom/Samoans brief history).

I'm pretty sure that the chapter dedicated to Roky Erikson is as true as any part of Roky's mythos is true - and it is quite entertaining, as well! Wish I had been to that show at the Palamino, but I think I wasn't in LA yet. It seems that it must have been quite something to deal with Roky while running errands or having breakfast and lots of big tips were left at previously unsuspecting restaurants.

If you know his name then you probably already know whether or not you want this, but for those interested in the weirder side of LA, or are interested in the early west coast punk scene, or are a mathematician, you'll want to pick this up! Great writer and a damn nice guy, too! (And, I'm told, he's also a good and entertaining teach!)

The Bridge City Sinners - Here's To the Devil

 

Per what I'm seeing on the interwebs, this BCS album was released in 2019, although the accompanying photo appears to be the same band as on their 2016 (?) debut, and the singer, Libby, appears practically Amish as opposed to her current, heavily tattoo'd and scantily clad image. At least two of these songs, "Laugh While You Can" and "Satan's Song", are from that album, as well, although without doing a side-by-side comparison, I tend to think that these are new versions. Considering how little information they provide on their sites, it seems to be pretty easy to be confused about what's going on with this wacky, demonic combo! 

Although this combo is acoustic, they are by no means laid back, as evidenced in their intro, "Kreacher", a vicious tale of murder, fiercely delivered, although the melody is certainly influenced by a nameless older tune (nameless cuz I can't think of it!). "Virgin Sacrifice" continues the fast pace, with interesting half-step, minor key changes and haunting violin and practically death metal backing vocals! The aforementioned "Laugh While You Can" is a fun pirate-themed romp, "Song of the Siren" is a waltz-like number with a fine melody, although Libby occasionally falls into an unmelodic growl or yowl, and "Through and Through" is a catchy, Americana-ish number with melodic nods to the likes of "St. James Infirmary", a cool, gypsy-ish violin solo, and a neat acapella breakdown.

You'll recognize the creepy-crawly intro to "Run From the Sun" as it turns into a old school/old country/croony/jazzy boppin' number with hip melodies, "Ashes" has intricately flowing lines and harmonies, "Witches' Wrath" is again kind of a sea chanty-styled rant against religious hypocrisy (I think!) with more terrific fiddlin', "Here's to the Devil" is basically a half minute of manipulated, spooky vocalizing and the closer, "Satan's Song", is from their debut, and is just a minute and a half itself, but nicely written and performed, with more crooning than growling to the vocals. There is an uncredited bonus track with one of the gents singing to a sparse banjolele backing - actually a really fine change of pace and a good tune!

Besides Libby, the line up here - per the ever trusty internet - is Michael Sinner on resonator guitar, Scott Michaud on upright bass, Hunter Rukstad on banjo, Jesse Payne on acoustic guitar, and Lightnin' Luke on fiddle - all solid rhythm-makers leaving most of the soloing to Luke's strings. Their schtick is almost getting to the point where they'll need to take a break, but what do I know - I've done schtick bands, as well and people do like a good schtick! In any case, the songs and performances carry you past the enforced silliness and keeps you listening. They're a fun live band too - check 'em out!

credits

The Devil Makes Three - Do Wrong Right

 Our buddy Rob turned us on to this album by DMT (along with their debut) and it's another highly melodic, bouncy acoustic romp through early Americana-ish original tunes.

"All Hail" could be a cousin to "Hail Hail, The Gang's All Here", upbeat'n'harmonious, in a banjo-led, small-town Americana kinda way - sounds like something that would be played at a country jamboree - while the title cut is fiddlin; tune made for dancin', while "Gracefully Facedown" is another cautionary tale of the excesses of alcohol with a catchy, old-timey melody and backed by a boppin' banjo'n'acoustic guitar. "For Good Again" is somewhat Dylan-esque until it gets to the more harmonious chorus and some country guitar'n'fiddle pickin'n'strummin', they do an original (to me, at least) take on "Statesboro Blues" with banjo'n'blues harp, "Johnson Family" is an old country waltz, "Poison Trees" is a harmony-driven mover, "Help Yourself" is a bouncy religious moral tale with a sizzlin' slide break,  things slow down a bit for the sorrowful "Working Man's Blues" that has a verse sung by the woman in the band, which is unusual for this combo altho she has a fine voice, the rhythm starts swingin' again for the upbeat slide blues of "Aces and Twos" - some fine acoustic'n'electric playing on this one, "Cheap Reward" is a country-styled, complete with steel guitar, riff on Elvis Costello's "Lip Service", although changed around enough to be original, other than the tag line, and they close out with an acoustic folk tale in "Car Wreck". (Funnily enough, there's a bit of backwards masking after the last song concludes!)

I really dig these cats and their individualist acoustic sounds, fine songwriting and harmony vocals. Neat stuff!

The Schizophonics - People in the Sky

 

Surprisingly, I had not yet picked up this, the latest release by one of San Diego's finest, The Schizophonics, so I had to rectify this omission when I saw them the other night here in Vegas. This is a simple package - just a one sheet with the most basic info inside the CD case, but the sounds are what matters and this is another positively explosive package! 

They are sticking to their tried'n'true'n'terrific formula of high-energy, soulful garage rock'n'roll with Lety propelling the beat behind Pat's blue-eyed-soul vocals and wildly psychedelic guitar-wranglings (apparently, he plays bass here, as well - it seems that they pick up a bassist for whatever shows/tour they have going on at the time). "Something's Got To Give" is a frantic garage rocker with hip call'n'answer vocals, great dynamics and a tuneful chorus and, of course, Pat's crazed soloing.  Even more frenzied'n'ferocious fuzz starts off "Steel Eyed Lady" and never lets up with the guitar leads damn near literally bursting through the speakers while Pat woops'n'yelps'n'wails (and answers himself on his guitar) throughout. "Nine Miles" is a bit more of a staccato stomper with a Sonics/Kinks-like lead break, the title cut has an appropriately psychedelic intro but melds into a hip, infectious Hendrix-y garage raver, and the side one closer (for the vinyl, of course), The One I Want", is another 4 chord, start-n-stoppin' rocker.

The ceaseless stompin' continues with "Battle Line", a fierce number slightly reminiscent of "An Empty Heart" but with a hip singalong chorus, "Not Gonna Change My Mind" is a fast-paced riff-rocker/power chord monster, while "Long Way to Go" is another four chord garage rager with a melodic chorus (shades of "Boots Are Made For Walkin'"!), harmony leads and neat break down section. Back to over-the-top fuzz riffs in "Show Me Your Eyes", with yet another crazed lead break and another hiply melodic, singalong chorus, "Like a Mummy" has call'n'answer tag lines in a fired-up 50's/early 60's-styled rocker with vaguely Egyptian guitar lines, "Down and Out" is a garage fuzzer with backing vocals moving in'n'out of Pat's vocals, some truly groovy drumming, and melodic leads, and for the finale, "She's Coming Back", they deliver more fuzz riffin', nice backing vox, a key change, some sharp-edged chords and an infectious melody - great stuff!

Besides putting on an insane live show, Pat'n'Lety are great songwriters'n'singers, they have fab arrangements, great dynamics, terrific playing, and doing catchy call'n'answer numbers to draw you in and make ya wanna sing'n'clap along while you dance to the rockin' beat! Bands that I love rarely connect with the masses, but as I said before, after seeing them draw a big crowd on a Monday after a holiday weekend in Vegas makes me realize that they are destined for big things. They're on tour now - see them while you can still catch them in small clubs!

Cromm Fallon Presents the P200

 

Las Vegas' own garage rock'n'roller, Cromm Fallon and his newest combo, the P200, put on an especially incendiary set opening for the amazing Schizophonics earlier this week and while records can rarely capture the excitement of a a fiery, loud, r'n'r set, this latest release does its best!

"Breathe the Air" starts things off with pounding drums and choppy guitar chords for a hip garage rocker, then there's a bit more of a 12 string jangle for the poppier "Closer Distance", while "Two Stroke Smoke" is the best Hives song since "Hate To Say..."! "Taste" starts off with literally growling bass lines (played by Cromm - he loves his fuzz bass!) and turns into a noisy, punk rock semi-instrumental freak out, while "Hypocritical Mind" is reminiscent of a 4AD cut from a group like Joy Division (think this must've been the one that brought that band to mind when they played the other night), and "Skerp'd Out" (no idea where that title came from!) sounds like a Martin Denny Exotica outtake! 

They're back at the fast paced garage rockin' with "Modern Drugs" and the frantic riff rocker, "2689" (that includes some hip harp playing from Trevor Johnson), then there's some pure punk in "Disposable", and they finally take a breath - but just for a moment - in the groovy pop-pysch of "Senorita Murder" before moving into a more mid-tempo garager (with a bit of psych elements) for "Backseat Cigarettes", and the insanely overdriven guitar damn near literally jumps out of the speakers for the finale of "David Lee Roth Was an EMT" (hah!) - a hard rockin' but also fairly trippy instrumental.

Fallon is certainly not afraid to experiment and he definitely has a wide variety of musical tastes, which should serve him well so he doesn't get boring as his continues his rock'n'roll career! See the band live if there is any way that you can because they are explosive these days - they concentrate of the high energy spectacle in their sets - but in the meantime, this is a fine set of garage rock weirdness! 

recommended gigs

 Friday 11-5-21 - Thee Hypnotiques at the Golden Tiki

Friday 11-5-21 - Metalachi Nuclear Undead, Los Carajos at the Space LV

Saturday 11-6-21 - Dirty R'n'R Dance Party Presents Triptides, Trevor and the Jonses, Desert Island Boys, Poets of Mydnight at the Usual Place

Saturday 11-6-21 - The New Waves at the Golden Tiki

Monday 11-8-21 - Teenage Bottle Rocket with the Last Gang, Jerk! and Tightwire at the Dive Bar

Friday 11-12-21 - Shanda and the Howlers at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 11-13-21 - the Meteors at the Dive Bar

Tuesday 11-16-21 - The Rhyolite Sound with Dallas Moore at Soul Belly

Friday 11-19-21 - The Double Whammys at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 11-20-21 - Dirty R'n'R Dance Party presents Mystic Braves, David Turel, Laissez Fairs at Artifice

Saturday 11-20-21 - Dead at Midnight, No Que No, Muertes Heist at the Starboard Tack

Friday 11-26-21 - the Souvenairs at the Golden Tiki

Friday 12-3-21 - Dirty R'n'R Dance Party presents Cheap Tissue, Cromm Fallon P200 and Rhythm Ace and the Nu-Tones at the Usual Place

Friday 12-3-21 - Thee Hypnotiques at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 12-5-21 - Nekromantix and the Delta Bombers at the Fremont Country Club

Friday 12-17-21 - The Psyatics at the Double Down

Friday 2-4-22 - The Psyatics and the Silhouettes at the Double Down

The Schizophonics, Cromm Fallon and the P200 and the Implosions at the Double Down, Monday Nov 1, 2021

                                       

This show was one that I had been anticipating for quite a while - it had been postponed due to Covid and my band was going to play initially, but that didn't work out either, but that didn't stop me from seeing the might Schizophonics at LV's own punk rock dive, the Double Down Saloon. Thank you to Brian Moy's Dirty Rock'n'Roll Dance Party for hosting this event!

Starting off the night was our pals, the Las Vegas Historical Society of punk rock, the Implosions! Cool garagey punk mixed with sultry Crampsian swing with lyrics all based on LV icons'n'happenings. There were a couple of new tunes in the mix whose titles I did not catch, but otherwise the set was based on cuts from their self-titled CD, such as the crooned "Moulin Rouge" (with a great noise solo), "Million Dollar Photo", "Blue Angel", the ode to viewing explosions, "Atomic", and the rave up ending, "Ponies". Adrienne is quite the frontperson now, shimmying in her shimmery dress while moving from quietly sung tunes to shrieking wildness. The whole band concentrates on dynamics, with rhythm section  Clay'n'Denise (celebrating their 16th wedding anniversary!) locking in and Dave giving a wide variety of tones'n'effects on his guitar and literally wrenching out some wild solos. Great set!

Next up was another rockin' LV combo, Cromm Fallon and the P200. Cromm's a garage-rockin' youngster that has a talent for writing some hip, happening, high energy modern garage tunes, and will sometimes add guitar or, if the number requires a bit of manic madness, he'll simply sing lead so he can flail about all while snappily dressed! The set began with a bit of wildness, the MC5's "Kick Out the Jams", but it quickly became apparent that Cromm didn't know/forgot the words (although I'm not sure if anyone but me realized that) and after a short solo, they segued into their rockin' originals. The band is pretty smokin' these days - Trueland has a ferocious lead guitar, April is rock solid on the bass and musician-about-town, Aaron (yes he is also in Fallon's other band, the Laissez Fairs, among many others) is a hard hittin' powerhouse who adds harmonies to Cromm's Greg Prevost-ian (Chesterfield Kings) snarled vocals. Besides the obvious garage influences, I heard everything from Wire-like new wave bits to the Hives to the Count V (in their rave-ups, especially) to even slices of Joy Division! They closed with a crazed take on the Stooges "TV Eye" and while the Detroit high-energy thing had been done quite a bit in LA in the 80's and 90's, I don't know of anyone else doing anything like this is LV nowadays and it's pretty damn refreshing! Great band - see them any chance you can!

Of course, the stars of the night were San Diego's Schizophonics, whose appearance at Punk Rock Bowling wowed the crowd and most likely helped to pack the Double Down this evening. Seriously, it was fairly incredible how jammed the club was, particularly on a Monday night after a holiday weekend and the night after Halloween! I've loved this band for years, but I really think that they are going to really do something now that I've seen what they can do to the normally complacent LV audience. 

Their high energy, highly danceable sound immediately clicked with the audience as guitarist/vocalist Pat went flying through the club, knockin' over furniture, drinks and people, but all good naturedly and leaving everyone with a huge grin on their face! Somehow, he manages to dance non-stop, essentially a mix of James Brown and Jimi Hendrix, while singing lead and playing guitar basically one-handed! My shitty phone/camera could not even conceive of capturing the constant mania, but the crowd was thrilled to be a part of it all, dancin'n'clappin'n'rantin'n' ravin'! The set was a mix of old'n'new (I picked up their latest CD, so more on that in the fabled future when I have some time), with more established, sing-along numbers like "In Mono" and "Streets of Heaven", combining with cuts from their latest. Everything has a soulfulness, some garage textures, plenty of Detroit heaviness while all being damn catchy. Of course, Pat's other half, Lety, holds down the backbeat - she's a terrific drummer - and their latest bassist (sorry, I didn't catch his name!) added fluid runs around the rest of the chaos. Things ran a bit later than originally planned, so I cut out while they were cuttin' a rug on a frantic take on "Peppermint Twist" (which, at PRB, became a bit of a 50's medley), as I had to get up early for work today, but I'm sure they continued to wow the crowd into the early hours.

Once again, thank you to the Double Down and to Brian Moy's Dirty Rock'n'Roll Dance Party for a wild night and thank you to everyone who came out to show that Vegas doesn't always embarrass itself by ignoring amazing gigs that come through town!

The History of Bones - A memoir - John Lurie

 John Lurie is, of course, the guiding light and saxophonist for the no wave/jazz combo, the Lounge Lizards, whose debut album is among my top fave records. For some reason, I've never really researched any further Lizards recordings and I never knew anything at all about Lurie, so I picked this up to see what I could see.

Lurie's accounting of his youth is basically impressionistic images and brief anecdotes of his family and friends, meant to give you a feel for the time without getting into too many details, other than the time he was able to get onstage with Canned Heat as a teenager and play 2 songs on the harmonica for 20,000 people and details of the first time he took acid. His life's story is told in a series of incredibly improbable tales as he searches for enlightenment while ostracized from the general public but still interacting with innumerable people as he crossed the country and even the ocean in his quest of his nameless desire. He acquires a saxophone (another improbably tale) and spends his time playing (with zero training), doing drugs, experimenting with extreme yoga and listening to avant jazz and rock'n'roll.

The Lounge Lizards also come together in an improbably way, with Lurie accepting a gig without a lineup and throwing something together, buying a bunch of cocaine and instantly becoming a NYC sensation. Drugs continue to be a major part of his (and the band's) life as he tells of records'n'tours, successes'n'failures, sickness'n'(relative)health, and on and on. His writing style tends to make one feel nearly as f'k'd up as he is, but he continues to literally stumble into projects - musical and cinematic - that succeed against all odds.

(As a funny aside, he mentions a horrible gig at the Music Machine in Santa Monica and how horrible the place was and how terrible the sound was and, ironically, that was always one of the nicer places that I played in LA! Makes me think he must have been spoiled in NYC. Wonder how I missed the gig? Probably couldn't afford it.)

I gotta admit, there is a part of me that is irked that someone as f'k'd up and drugged up as Lurie - although obviously immensely talented - gets break after break, continually, while hard workin' little ol' me didn't get a fraction of his opportunities, but I guess that is what talent will get you! Reading his stories, though, it is fairly amazing that he is even still alive (unlike many of his contemporaries, such as his friend, Basquiat), much less that he accomplished as much as he did. I suppose I'm at the point in my life where it's no longer funny or even particularly interesting but simply depressing to read about people continually fucking up their life. I guess it's a good warning to those who are contemplating a life of drugs.

Besides the innumerable drug tales, Lurie also airs his many grievances and recounts an incredible number of slights, fights, ripoffs and more, real or imagined, and the amount of money he lost due to others' actions. Of course, it's hard to know how much of this is based in reality, but he is certainly carrying a grudge against a large number of people, despite his protestations of not caring. He also makes a point of repeatedly mentioning how he is described as incredibly handsome around the world, even when he is hated, which surprises me as I always thought he was odd looking, certainly not attractive, although I can't say that I know what is considered to be male attractiveness. 

Many more stories unfold until he randomly ends the book after new year's eve, 1989/1990. Obviously, with any living figure, you need to pick an ending spot, but I thought that was a bit odd, unless, of course, he is planning a second part to the tome. 

This was simultaneously really a great read and really uncomfortable - it's depressing how much harm he does to himself (and he only alludes to having Lyme Disease, which apparently manifests itself some time after the ending date of this edition), how many friends/band members he loses, and how life can be a fight, but at the same time, he has lived on his art pretty much his entire life - something that not many can say - and throughout he is given chances that many of us can only dream about and he often simply complains about them and belittles them. Still, it does make me want to explore more of the Lizards repertoire and learn more of his art - something that he picked up seriously after the book closes. I would still certainly recommend it.

Suck (movie)

 

Looking for something cheesy and fun to watch on Halloween (since we didn't make it out anywhere), we happened upon this rock'n'roll vampire flick and while it was definitely a cheesy B-flick, it was also better than we expected and plenty of silly fun.

The film follows a struggling band, ironically named the Winners, who are pretty gawd-awful, but then they encounter a vampire and as they each, in turn, become children of the night, the band gets better'n'better and the audience responses rapturously. Of course, this means that they end up feasting on their fans, which does not seem like a good business model, and they end up discovering how to reverse their situation.

There are numerous musicians of every level involved (you may recognize some of those that I did not) and the guest stars here are pretty insane - Alice Cooper (apparently as Satan, altho this is only implied), Iggy Pop (as an eccentric studio engineer/producer), Henry Rollins (in a truly fun role as a shock DJ - one of the better roles I've seen him in) and Malcolm McDowell as a somewhat goofy Eddie Van Helsing (that includes some cuts from O Lucky Man as flashbacks).

Far from serious cinema or anything of substance, it still was a good time and recommended for those looking for some light-hearted silly fun. 

The Psyatics, The Laissez Fairs, Kilfeather at the Double Down, Friday Oct 29, 2021

I always dig having something to do on Halloween weekend and this DD show was a great way to start off the weekend - even if it did kick my butt so that I couldn't do anything else!

Opening this evening was Kilfeather, an offshoot of Strange Mistress, who the Psyatics played with a couple of years back at the DD. I totally dug their brand of 70's hard rock/stoner rock/riff rock with fine musicianship (dug the hard-hitting drummer) and topical tunes like "Don't Touch Your Face"! Fitting in with the 70's-styled r'n'r was a cover of Led Zep's "Immigrant Song", which Strange Mistress covered, as well! Super fun stuff - I picked up their CD, so more on that when I have some time.

Next up was local psych-mongers, the Laissez Fairs, featuring John Fallon of the Steppes on guitar and vocals, Joe Lawless also on guitar and vox, John's rockin' son Cromm on bass, and musician-about-town Aaron Archer on drums and vocals. The sound is very much psych-pop with a healthy dose of Mod thrown in and Joe's ringing Rickenbacker git complements John's Epiphone Casino leads backed by Cromm's fuzz bass (his bass sounded particularly good this night) and Aaron's snappy, poundin' drums (the Psyatics' Ron Hudy's kit sounded great!). I hadn't seen them in literally years and they sounded damn good, despite the iffy DD PA system. They even managed to get some of the jaded DD crowd moshing for them, whether they liked it or not!

Unfortunately, as usual. I have no photos of the Psyatics, but we had a good time with a lengthy set of tunes from the various CDs along with some band, spankin' new numbers that we barely knew, but managed to rock thru them regardless. The crowd was a bit sparse by our set time, but we made the best of it and did a fairly strong performance, if I do say so myself!

As always, thanks to the Double Down for being one of the coolest clubs in town and for hosting yet another night of original, Las Vegas-based rock'n'roll!