Friday, March 29, 2024

Conan the Barbarian - The Life and Death of Conan Book Two

 


I thoroughly enjoyed Book One of this tale so picked this one up as soon as I had finished the first installment. This continues in the same vein - some previously untold tales of Conan's younger days mixed in with his "present day", when he has been captured in order for his blood (and his death) to revive an elder god. Conan does indeed die and faces Crom himself, finally, although who wins in that encounter is up for interpretation. 

But Conan returns to fight again and with the aid of his son and soldiers he defeats the gods and its servants and lives to laugh and love again.

I really enjoyed this mini-series and thought that the stories were well-told and kept the spirit of Conan throughout. Nice artwork and storytelling. Makes me want to dig out all of my various old Conan comix!

Thursday, March 28, 2024

recommended gigs

 Friday 3-29-24 - Suburban Resistance with Dio Rising at OYO Casino

Friday 3-29-24 - The Knee-Hi's with the Implosions, Indigo Fuzz and Deacon Hill at The Griffin

Friday 3-29-24 - Thee Hypnotiques at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 3-30-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 3-30-24 - Fuzz Solow at ODCFX Park

Sunday 3-31-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch

Monday 4-1-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Monday 4-1-24 - The Unwieldies with Noelle and the Deserters at Fat Cat

Wednesday 4-3-24 - Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast at the Double Down

Friday 4-6-24 - the New Waves at the Golden Tiki

Thursday 4-11-24 - The Hangmen at the Dive Bar

Saturday 4-13-24 - The Unwieldies, Pitchfork and more at the 2024 Bluegrass Festival in Centennial Hills Park

Wednesday 4-17-24 - pre-Viva show at the original San Dollar hosted by Shanda and the Howlers with the Blue Ribbon Boys, Rayford Brothers, Mozzy Dee and Angela Tini

Thursday 4-18-24 - Green Fuzz, Shakewells, the Sound Reasons at Artifice

Friday 4-19-24 - the Double Whammys at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 4-20-24 - VaVoom, Blvd Bullies, Project Skeleton at Red Dwarf

Wednesday 5-1-24 - The Monsters from Switzerland with the Implosiions and the Psyatics at the usual place

Friday 5-24-24 - Redd Kross and more at Backstage Bar and Billiards

Saturday 5-25-24 - Guitar Wolf, the Schizophonics, the Shakewells and Lords of Altamont at the Usual Place

Monday, March 25, 2024

Into the Void - Geezer Butler


 Of course, I've been a Black Sabbath fan since first hearing their doom-laden heaviness in the 70's (I think it was Master of Reality that I first heard) and continue to listen to them regularly to this day. Besides laying down the bass foundation for the tunes, Geezer also wrote or co-wrote many of their songs. Here he tells his own tale, although I sure wish he had picked a more flattering photo that represented the band's earlier days, rather than this horrible 80's metal pic! But, that's just me!

The obligatory childhood memories are not vastly different than other working class Brits around his age and, of course, the coming of the Beatles (and then the Kinks) changed his life, as they did with so many other kids around the world. Starting on guitar, he eventually moved to bass when his various projects eventually morphed into the lineup that we know as Black Sabbath.

Of course, the early days are always fascinating, with tales of Ozzy as a complete loon, Tony as domineering, and gigs with uninterested or even violent audiences. Interestingly, Geezer credited Holst's The Planets for the idea for their first original, also called "Black Sabbath" (which is what they named the band after once they realized that there was a pop band called Earth playing the same circuit). Funny how many 60's/70's musicians were impressed/influenced by that suite. Guess I have to give it a listen! Geezer says that his lyrics came from a combination of his chronic depression, his dreams (he would dream lyrics and basslines, apparently!) and supernatural occurrences that he would experience - not to mention the volatile politics of the time.

After the first album was surprisingly successful (although they had a shit contract, if they had one at all), they toured and worked on Paranoid on a farm in the middle of nowhere. Geez talks about his lyrical inspiration and claims that "Iron Man" is about Jesus Christ! Wow! I don't see it at all, but that's his story! (And he credits Ozzy for "Fairies Wear Boots" which is about skinheads and their Doc Martens!) Tony through together the title track at the last minute because they needed a little extra time on the album and, naturally, that became their biggest hit! Things were movin' fast'n'furious by now and the next couple of albums'n'tours just flew by. Of course, these are their best and most iconic, so there is something to be said for creating while you are young, hungry, eager and high!

But, the drugs - cocaine, especially - did start taking it's toll and while they were at the top of their game financially (even though Vol. 4 - how have I not written about that record?! -was not as successful as their previous records, but it's a personal fave), their creativity took a quick nose (pardon the expression) dive. From there, the drugs, personal issues, in fighting and more caused the chaos and instability of the rest of their career.

When Ozzy left the band, the rest of the guys kinda floundered but had some success with Ronnie Dio as singer, but no one stayed long, so there were multiple singers (even Ian Gillian for a short time), various drummers (they booted Bill due to alcoholism and instability) and even Geezer left (though he would occasionally return), leaving just Tony to carry on the name. Geezer would do some solo work and also played with Ozzy's band off'n'on, while there would also be the one-off reunion shows.

Eventually, they all decided that they were old enough and it was time to call it quits and so they have retired the band and Geezer is just a homebody now. Like the pre-music, early days, the post-retirement days, talking about watching soccer and his kids and grandkids, is not all that compelling and went on a bit long, but glad that hey, it's nice that he ended up in a decent space.

Good read, overall, lots of fun, weird, bizarre, depressing stories of rock'n'roll, fame, physical and mental health issues, addictions and more. Fans will certainly want to check it out!

Raspberries - Fresh Raspberries

 

With Eric Carmen's untimely death a couple of weeks ago, I pulled out the couple of Raspberries albums that I have on vinyl - surprisingly, nothing on the more easily accessible CD format - and have been giving a listen again. This 1972 release was their second album, where they unfortunately look like a bad wedding band on the cover, but the music inside redeems them!

Eric certainly had a way with melodies, as is readily apparent on the power pop classic opener "I Wanna Be With You" - jangly guitars, lots of harmonies, a rockin' backing and just a hip song. Bassist David Smalley takes lead vocals on some of the tunes here, such as the more mid-tempo boogie rock of "Going Nowhere Tonight", and then Eric returns for his highly melodic teenage love/pop ballad "Let's Pretend". David is back for "Every Way I Can" - assuming that David writes the songs that he sings, he is definitely more of a straight-forward "rock" guy, with less emphasis on the melodies, not that they are not catchy, just not the sweet pop tunes that Eric sings. Side one closes with "I Reach For the Light", another one of Eric's, a slower, orchestrated number which reminds me of a combination of the Beatles and Queen - lots of harmonies, a big build up and just plain enjoyable.

Eric's back for the acoustic-y, mid-tempo "Nobody Knows", again with lots of harmonies, but not as memorable as some of the others. David takes over again with "It Seems So Easy" which again is nothing too special, lead guitarist Wally gets to sing "Might As Well", a nice enough, Beatles-ish acoustic number, although it also isn't highly noteworthy, even with some superior harmonies. Eric's acoustic ballad (complete with strings) "If You Change Your Mind" continues with the "nice but not overly special" tunes, but they close with a strong, Beach Boys-influenced power-pop teen classic, "Drivin' Around".

Eric and the 'Berries were never perfect, but this is a fun one and worth picking up for fans of 70's power pop.

Raspberries - debut

 


Again, pulled these out after hearing of Eric Carmen's recent passing and wanted to review the two records that I have of his band. At least on this record they look fairly r'n'r hip on the cover, unlike the horrible leisure suits on Fresh!

This debut opens with the 70's power-pop classic anthem, "Go All The Way", a truly great pop tune with rockin' guitars that oddly is followed by a kinda calypso-ish tune from their lead guitarist, Wally, titled "Come Around and See Me", before we get a quiet ballad by Eric and Wally in "I Saw the Light", then the unimaginatively titled "Rock and Roll Mama", which is kinda their take on 70's guitar boogie, before side one ends with and Eric number, "Waiting", another piano ballad.

Side two starts off with some vaguely classical-styled piano in the power ballad "Don't Want To Say Goodbye", which apparently hit the charts at #86, but it was certainly eclipsed by the considerably more rockin' "Go All The Way". "With You In My Life" is a not very successful Vaudeville/Beatles bit of silliness, while "Get It Moving" sounds like Badfinger when they were boogieing (not a bad thing), and it all concludes with "I Can Remember", with Eric once again giving a piano'n'strings ballad that does pick up about half way through this 8 minute epic. His ballads aren't terrible but also aren't great - wish he had stuck with the power-pop guitar tunes!

Very uneven record and reminds me that I always thought that they were a very uneven band. Some excellent moments but all too much just doesn't work for me. Such is life!

Rasputin and the Monks

 

The 80's was the decade where 60's garage rockers that were previously totally unknown were getting reissued right'n'left, including this one-sided 12" of these snarlin', semi-psychotic, trashy garage rock'n'rollers.

Obviously, huge fans of the Rolling Stones, no less than 5 of the 7 numbers here were either Stones originals or covers that they performed. Opening with their trashy take on the Stones version of the Beatles " I Want To Be Your Man", they take the raunchiness of the Stones and turn it up to 11! They get a little quieter with "You'd Better Move On", Arthur Alexander's number that the Stones did, get sorta garage-y soulful with "Gotta Get Away" (another Stones song), they show their tender side with a take on the Lovin' Spoonful's "You Didn't Have To Be So Nice", then go a little mental for "19th Nervous Breakdown", do some 12-string action on "As Tears Go Back" before closing with raucous "Roadrunner".

Great cover with the guys posing in a graveyard - they were garage punks, for sure! - and lookin' pretty tough for a bunch of nerdy teens! Nothing earth-shattering here, but totally fun garage punk!

Sunday, March 24, 2024

Punisher and Bullseye

 


Another random grab from the Founder's Club Book Fair and the packaging of these two characters together makes sense in that they are both psychotic killers, although Frank Castle, the Punisher, generally kills those who he believes has escaped justice while Bullseye is a mercenary for hire. Both of these tales involve the killers taking a long-game view - particularly Bullseye's story - with a complicated and round-about way of getting to their targets. Some details evaded me, at least in a first read, in that I'm not quite sure that all of Castle's victims were deserving of his "justice" and I'm not sure that Bullseye even accomplished his end game, since is was so drawn out and somewhat vague.

Not bad, but not the best of the bunch or of these character's many stories.

Thursday, March 21, 2024

recommended gigs

 Friday 3-22-24 - The Unwieldies at Boulder Dam Brewery 

Friday 3-22-24 - Blvd Bullies and VaVoom at Rusty Spurs

Friday 3-22-24 - Fuzz Solow at Fat Cat

Saturday 3-23-24 - The Implosions and Freezing Hands at Red Dwarf

Saturday 3-23-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 3-23-24 - Big Barkin' Block Party at Cemetery Pulp with live music, food, vendors and pet adoptions 2PM - 9PM

Sunday 3-24-24 - The Out There, Evelyn's Casket, Dr Phobic and the Phobic-Tones at Red Dwarf

Monday 3-25-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Tuesday 3-26-24 - Fuzz Solow at Fat Cat

Wednesday 3-27-24 - Fuzz Solow at Fat Cat

Friday 3-29-24 - Suburban Resistance with Dio Rising at OYO Casino

Friday 3-29-24 - The Knee-Hi's with the Implosions, Indigo Fuzz and Deacon Hill at The Griffin

Friday 3-29-24 - Thee Hypnotiques at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 3-30-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 3-30-24 - Fuzz Solow at ODCFX Park

Sunday 3-31-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch

Monday 4-1-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Monday 4-1-24 - The Unwieldies with Noelle and the Deserters at Fat Cat

Wednesday 4-3-24 - Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast at the Double Down

Friday 4-6-24 - the New Waves at the Golden Tiki

Thursday 4-11-24 - The Hangmen at the Dive Bar

Saturday 4-13-24 - The Unwieldies, Pitchfork and more at the 2024 Bluegrass Festival in Centennial Hills Park

Wednesday 4-17-24 - pre-Viva show at the original San Dollar hosted by Shanda and the Howlers with the Blue Ribbon Boys, Rayford Brothers, Mozzy Dee and Angela Tini

Thursday 4-18-24 - Green Fuzz, Shakewells, the Sound Reasons at Artifice

Saturday 4-20-24 - VaVoom, Blvd Bullies, Project Skeleton at Red Dwarf

Wednesday 5-1-24 - The Monsters from Switzerland with the Implosiions and the Psyatics at the usual place

Friday 5-24-24 - Redd Kross and more at Backstage Bar and Billiards

Saturday 5-25-24 - Guitar Wolf, the Schizophonics, the Shakewells and Lords of Altamont at the Usual Place

Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Lex Luthor - Man of Steel - Brian Azzarello/Lee Bermejo

 



This is another random grab from the Founder's Club Book Fair (did you bring the graphic novels, Dave Parker?) and, again, it's something that I knew nothing about other than the traditional characters but I thought I'd see what DC was doing in 2005 (19 years ago! Sheesh!)

Here, Lex Luthor is a billionaire businessman who is respected and above the law, due to his wealth, not necessarily his practices - although he tends to have others do the dirty work. We get to know more about his hatred for Superman and while it sounds like maybe there's a bit of jealousy there, his obsession mainly is due to his concern that Supes has the power to literally take over the world if he so desired and no one could stop him - not unlike Batman's reasoning in the Batman v. Superman storylines. In fact, Bats and Bruce Wayne make appearances here and help Luthor.

Luther also creates his own superhero with the intent of making the Man of Steel look bad, and there are lots of other intertwined plots that are not always completely explained, along with an appearance by an old DC Batman villain, the Toyman, who is considerably creepier here than his previous incarnation.

Overall, I quite enjoyed this tale and Bermejo's artwork is quite nice, as well. Good job DC!

Kingpin - Born Against - Rosenberg/Torres/Sepulveda

 



This 2017 series follows Wilson Fisk as he attempts to clean up his image and become perceived as a legit businessman although, of course, not all of his business or his associates are anywhere near legit. In order to help improve his PR he hires a female reporter to write a book on him, highlighting the fact that his gangster days are behind him, all while she realizes that that is not even remotely true.

But, Sarah Dewey is at a desperate time, divorced, living in near-squalor, practically broke and with few options as her best journalistic days are behind her due to a drinking problem. The money is the initial draw, naturally,  but she learns that there are perks to befriending Wilson Fisk and her pride and her morals become somewhat more flexible as things escalate.

But at the same time she also learns that there is a good, legitimately philanthropic side to Fisk, and a human side, which is overshadowed by his more flamboyant and less pleasant side. She is warned by many - both heroes and villains - to keep her distance but she is soon at a point where she is no longer in control.

This was an enjoyable read - nothing really groundbreaking, but well done and certainly worth checking out.

Conan the Barbarian - The Life and Death of Conan - Book One

 


I've been a fan of the Cimmerian's adventures since Marvel first started featuring him, which lead me to investigate Robert E. Howard's original writings as well as many of the various other sword'n'socery titles that appeared in comics and paperback. Although an admitted barbarian, Conan was intelligent and imbued with his own code of honor - much more so that the "civilized" men he would encounter in his travels - and while he solved many a-problem by simply hacking at it, he also knew how to come up with legit solutions based on his knowledge and instinct. He could also be an intense hedonist filled with wine, ale and lust for women.

This collection is tied together by Conan's fight with a witch and her followers - actually the followers of the demon/god she served - through the years while also chronicling various adventures and misadventures from the time he was a teenage through his old age as a king. Author Jason Aaron does a fine job telling tales that we have not heard before of feats of survival, foul, sorcerous creatures, treacherous men and honorable Picts, among others. This book expounds on Conan's reputation and keeps the character true to himself.

I picked up this volume at a local book fair (thanks Christy and the Founder's Club!) and immediately after finishing it I ordered the next volume. Fans of the Cimmerian will not be disappointed!

Friday, March 15, 2024

The Immortal Hulk Volume One - Or Is He Both?

 


I'm been out of the loop on the latest incarnation(s) of the Hulk, as well, and here we find a new evolution. Apparently, it has been discovered that the Hulk cannot be killed and even when his alter ego, Bruce Banner, is victimized, when darkness comes, he still reverts to the Hulk (nightfall was the initial trigger for the Hulk in the beginning of the series) and all wounds are healed. 

But the Hulk is now reasonably intelligent, as well - again, something that has come'n'gone over the years - the Hulk would vary from a relatively dumb, monosyllabic brute, to a vicious, reasonably intelligent almost-bully (although he still had morals), to having Banner's intellect and pretty much everything in between.

He also seems to be trying to use his powers for some semblance of good, even if his punishment can overshadow the victim's crime. Added to the mix is a reporter dogging his trail and Walter Langkowski, Canada's Sasquatch, looking for Banner for some scientific assistance.

This is a interesting and well-written variation on the theme. Not sure if this theme has continued or not - this is from 2018 and I know that there are other Hulks around now - but this was handled better than some of the updates. Worth checking out.

She-Hulk - Deconstructed

 


Wow, I am really out of touch with the She-Hulk these days - this is a collection of 2017 stories and I have little idea of what the back story is that these are based on. She-Hulk apparently "barely survived the Second Civil War" (I missed that story line completely) and so she is no longer the fun'n'funny'n'sexy adventurer who preferred being the She-Hulk and she has returned to her Jennifer Walters identity. She also returns to her advocation as a lawyer, but here she is representing super-natural beings, including one who is apparently psychic, psychopathic and able to conjure deadly creations. 

Walters is severely traumatized and barely holding herself together when she is confronted by the manifestations conjured by her client, who misunderstands Walters' intent and attacks Jen. The She-Hulk who appears is monstrous, not the former heroic beauty, and is barely in control of herself.

This character has taken on many different facades, from the free-wheeling original to the outright goofy (that the TV show was based on, from what I understand - I have not seen that yet, either) to this trauma victim. Can't say that this is an enjoyable read, but it gives a different take on the character. Wonder how this turned out?!

Might Marvel Masterworks - Daredevil Volume 2

 


As I said in my review of Volume One, Daredevil was a fave due to the fact that he did not have extraordinary powers other than his heightened senses and mostly relied on the fact that he trained himself in gymnastics - as well as weights, boxing and the like, of course. But it was his athletic abilities that I was especially enamored of. 

Wally Wood had run his course for DD and this collection begins with the introduction of artist John Romita, who is another Marvel legend and is responsible for the hero's look that most people are familiar with. Of course, Stan the Man is still authoring the tales

In any case, here our blind hero encounters more classic heroes'n'villains, from the heroic'n'primitive Ka-Zar and his treacherous brother the Plunderer to the Ox to the Gladiator to the return of the Owl and, as the cover of this collection shows, a fight with Spider-Man, naturally due to a misunderstanding.

Since I grew up with these 60's comics, I will always find them enduring'n'entertaining and these are no exception. Great stuff!

Thursday, March 14, 2024

recommended gigs

 Friday 3-15-24 -  the Psyatics, the Way Outs and Fuzz Solow at Red Dwarf

Saturday 3-16-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at Mabels and late night at the Golden Tiki

Monday 3-18-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Tuesday 3-19-24 - IV and the Strange Band at SoulBelly BBQ

Wednesday 3-20-24 - the New Waves at Red Dwarf

Friday 3-22-24 - The Unwieldies at Boulder Dam Brewery 

Friday 3-22-24 - Blvd Bullies and VaVoom at Rusty Spurs

Friday 3-22-24 - Fuzz Solow at Fat Cat

Saturday 3-23-24 - The Implosions and Freezing Hands at Red Dwarf

Saturday 3-23-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 3-23-24 - Big Barkin' Block Party at Cemetery Pulp with live music, food, vendors and pet adoptions 2PM - 9PM

Sunday 3-24-24 - The Out There, Evelyn's Casket, Dr Phobic and the Phobic-Tones at Red Dwarf

Monday 3-25-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Tuesday 3-26-24 - Fuzz Solow at Fat Cat

Wednesday 3-27-24 - Fuzz Solow at Fat Cat

Friday 3-29-24 - Suburban Resistance with Dio Rising at OYO Casino

Friday 3-29-24 - The Knee-Hi's with the Implosions, Indigo Fuzz and Deacon Hill at The Griffin

Friday 3-29-24 - Thee Hypnotiques at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 3-30-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 3-30-24 - Fuzz Solow at ODCFX Park

Sunday 3-31-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch

Monday 4-1-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Monday 4-1-24 - The Unwieldies with Noelle and the Deserters at Fat Cat

Thursday 4-11-24 - The Hangmen at the Dive Bar

Saturday 4-13-24 - The Unwieldies, Pitchfork and more at the 2024 Bluegrass Festival in Centennial Hills Park

Wednesday 4-17-24 - pre-Viva show at the original San Dollar hosted by Shanda and the Howlers with the Blue Ribbon Boys, Rayford Brothers, Mozzy Dee and Angela Tini

Wednesday 5-1-24 - The Monsters from Switzerland with the Implosiions and the Psyatics at the usual place

Friday 5-24-24 - Redd Kross and more at Backstage Bar and Billiards

Saturday 5-25-24 - Guitar Wolf, the Schizophonics, the Shakewells and Lords of Altamont at the Usual Place

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Treat Me Like Dirt - Liz Worth


 Couple funny things about this one - it was published in 2008 but I just recently heard about it randomly and the author wasn't even born until 1982 so she's a researcher on this "old music" that was created before she existed! I guess kinda like the white blues researchers in the 1960's. Just seems funny to an old man like me who lived through it all.

Worth arranges the book as an oral history and opens quite randomly with no background information (a basic introduction would have been appreciated) as a few folks start talking about their time in Toronto. She gives a lit of everyone before the first chapter, so you have to look back to find out who this is talking, rather than explaining who the person is as she's quoting them. So, the format is a little strange, but the scene was strong, so I am definitely interested and you generally get used to it as you go along, although when new characters are introduced, you still go, "wait, who is this?".

We get firsthand accounts of the likes of Simply Saucer - who initially sounds very out there, especially for the time - Teenage Head, the Diodes (who I loved when their first LP came out and I got to see them open for the Ramones in Chicago! They mention that show as one of the best of their career.), Viletones and lots'n'lots'n'lots of much, much more obscure bands - like groups that played once but splintered into other factions. Of course, once a movie theater promoter decided to have bands play and brought in the Ramones, that changed everything for everyone. As with other college/art/ rock'n'roll scenes at the time, things started moving quickly after that.

Although everyone complains that Toronto was basically an uninteresting, small town, it had a college, a nearby bar that had live music, a happening record store/hangout, a hip movie theater (aforementioned that moved into having live bands) and lots more going on - way more than the truly small town that I grew up in that basically had nothing at all, including any like-minded people. Of course, the college helped bring artistically minded people together, which included music lovers. The scene continued to grow with more bands, more stores - underground record/clothes/more - more venues and lots of parties!

Like other scenes, the bands started getting more'n'more attention, especially after the main groups did a trek to NYC and played at CBGB's. Kinda ironic that Teenage Head was the band that everyone thought was going to hit and, while they're legends now, nothing major came of it, but a group like the Diodes, who apparently were mercilessly picked on in Toronto for no real reason, got on a major label and toured and played with the likes of the Ramones when I saw them in a ballroom in Chicago. Obviously, the Diodes simply worked harder than the other bands - they had their club, Crash'n'Burn, that helped all of the bands in town, they had management, they practiced, they wrote catchy songs and they simply did the grunt work. Not to say that bands like Teenage Head shouldn't have been signed, as well, but the Viletones, with a singer called Nazi Dog, was simply not going to get signed by a major, so stop being jealous of something that you could not possibly aspire to. It is kind of amazing the huge amount of jealousy there was because the Diodes got signed, although I suppose that happens in most any scene, but it seems like no one thought “maybe we could be next”, they just thought “fuck them for being more popular”. Of course, major labels had no idea what to do with punk bands and the Canadian affiliate didn’t think much farther than NY, so they didn’t capitalize like they should have.

Toronto seems to have had more than their fair share of complete assholes in the scene, as well - seemingly more than most of the other scenes - like, actual, real-life criminals and violent thugs and gangs. The pacifist in me never cared for the real life violence that the hard core scene brought with it in the States, but it seems like the original scene In Toronto had serious violence right from the start, and only escalated, which certainly didn't help the cause. And, as with a lot of scenes at the time, drugs started coming in heavily and, of course, that fucked things up even more. It really gets depressing at this point, but that's often the story - the early days and super fun'n'exciting'n'new and then all the shit starts coming into play - egos, violence, drugs, accidents, illnesses and all the rest. Kinda makes it difficult to read from this point on - wish that there were some tales of younger bands that were still having fun mixed in with the depressing shit.

So, unfortunately, it ends on a seriously depressing note, with lots of people dying - drugs, suicide, violence, and often some combination of these - while other people just got wasted, some went straight and Teenage Head kept rockin', touring the country and making money but never breaking the Canadian border. 

Certainly an interesting tale and glad that Worth put this together, although I still think that there could have been editorializing to help pull it all together, but even so, well "worth" reading, even with the melancholy ending.

Monday, March 11, 2024

RIP Eric Carmen

ERIC CARMEN Raspberries Lead Singer... DEAD AT 74 
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Sad to hear - the Raspberries had some great songs.