Category Archives: video

Night Music: Psychedelic Furs, “We Love You”

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Gene lumped the Smith’s with the Psychedelic Furs and Tears for Fears earlier today, which is maybe in the right time frame. Heck, could be the same cultural moment, but for me it’s all different.

I liked the beginning Psychedelic Furs music. I never saw them, but Richard Butler was a personality like Morrisey, with more of an attachment to Johnny Rotten. That isn’t bad.  And the Furs played rock music.

In other words, I own Psychedelic Furs vinyl, but not vinyl of the Smiths. I’m not sure that means anything, but it tells me what I was thinking at the time.

Today, the Furs still sound good, kind of like an Englishy Strokes. Lots of chops, lots of personality, but also lots of derivation. In any case, this is fun.

By Request: The Smiths

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No. 6 greatest rock riff?

When someone requests The Smiths, this is the one that came immediately to mind, which is in a similar vein. Thanks to Scott for the request.

Is this a good place for my two cents about the Smiths? Probably not. People love them, and I merely like them. I like the hardness of the drums and the ringing of the guitars. I like the quirky melodies, and Morrisey’s point of view. It’s all kind of shambly and personal and hooky, too. Still, I merely like them. I can’t really say why. The only thought I have about it that makes any sense is that they write half songs. I love the first half of Shoplifters, for instance, but by the time we’re halfway through I want to move on to something else. Bands and performers I really love, that doesn’t happen.

Night Music: The Sweet, “Ballroom Blitz”

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When I was in high school, when this song came out, we thought it was sooo stupid. And we were right. But it was a huge hit and plumbed some ideas about glam and rock and theater that were oh so courant in 1973. And, of course, it was out of these ideas that punk erupted, in its many forms, shortly thereafter.

And it was this song that bounces back in my head when I’m thinking, Hey Ho Let’s Go from the Ramones.

It is this song that reminds me that I’ve not ever seen Rocky Horror Picture Show.

No Music: The Clash and Undertones in Toronto 1979

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Evidence is evidence.

The Clash weren’t perfect, or even close, but as a band they hit all the marks.

This clip documents a somewhat awkward encounter between Joe Stummer and a Canadian interviewer. And brings the Undertones in for better comment.

Talking about the culture and business of rock, this is still terrible bullshit. And the Clash are implicated seriously.

But, as a video moment? Draw your own conclusions.

Link: 35 Years Today, the Clash at the Palladium

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I saw the Clash for the first time at the Palladium 35 years ago this day. I don’t keep track of such things, but others do.

This post at Dangerous Minds links to some film that was shot that night, synched to bootleg audio of the show. The effect is pretty cool, but like every live tape I listen to of a show I attended, it isn’t the same thing. The filters are all different.

But let’s say you’re not 35 years old and had no chance to be at this great show (and why doesn’t anyone mention Sam and Dave and the Undertones, who were also great?) this is what you’ve got.

Breakfast Blend: Friday On My Mind

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I first heard Jonathan Richman on the Beserkely Chartbusters album, which included some new Modern Lovers (not the original band) recordings with some of the other bands the Beserkely label were offering. This was the first recorded version of Roadrunner, in 1975, to be released.

In 1976 Beserkely licensed the John Cale produced Modern Lovers sessions and released them. I have no idea which version John Lydon heard before his audition, but the Cale version, titled “Roadrunner (Once)” was a hit in England in 1976. But some NYC record mavens were listening the year before, especially to the tunes Government Center and New Bank Teller, which were different.

But Beserkely was created mostly out of frustration that a Bay area rock band called Earth Quake wasn’t breaking large. The first single the label released was Earth Quake’s version of the Australian band the Easybeat’s 1967 hit Friday On My Mind.

This live version is less, um, concise than the single, but I have to say, for me this is rock ‘n’ roll and remnants, too. I love this band and the video. Less so the pants.

But if it’s Friday, we shouldn’t ignore the far more economical and Mod Australian Easybeats version.

It is a great song. Portugal. The Man should cover it. Or Lorde.