I have had several copies of Erasmo Carlos' excellent 1972 lp "Sonhos e Memórias." It has that great early 1970's Polydor Brazil production quality and this track, "Bom Dia, Rock 'n' Roll" has got the Creedence hoodoo down to a science along with some great early rock/Beatles stylings with late tropicalia filtered in there. It also has one of my FAVOURITE early 1970's gatefold covers (Elvis, Lennon, Jagger, Dylan, Hendrix, Warhol, Monroe etc). Somebody rolled a few too many on my "nicer" gatefold copy. While Jovem Guarda may not be your thing, and Erasmo has some weaker moments in his early catalogue, he struck gold in 1970-1972. Why do I bring this up? Although I doubt that Stars in the Sky ever heard "Bom Dia, Rock 'n'Roll," it has that same Fogerty jog where I expect the Kessel Brothers (like Erasmo) to start name checking Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry et al in Portuguese inflected English. Why do I bring up Stars in the Sky? Does the comparison below of Stars in the Sky make "Bom Dia" a proto "Shake Some Action" styled track?
Moonlighting from his own Back Door Man, Phast Phreddie penned the "Pharmaceutically 45" columns in the early Radio Free Hollywood. What jumps out to me in this column from #2 in June 1977 is his inclusion of Radio Birdman's "Burn My Eye" ep - you could probably count on one hand the number of copies of that ep floating around the US at that time. Obviously, the U.S. release of "Radios Appear" on Sire changed the likelihood of RB sightings and I found my used copy in the bins at Rhino in the early 1980's. But a compilation of just the then-new tracks he reviews in this single monthly column could make a best of the 1970's lp hands down: Devo, Roky, Radio Birdman, Droogs, "I Got a Right/Gimmee Some Skin." - and just think of all of the amazing records still to be released from June 1977 though December 1979!
The best version of "Burn My Eye" other than by Radio Birdman itself for me hands down is the version by Monoshock on the S-S comp. I saw them play it at a practice followed by an equally unwound version of the Pink Fairies' classic "City Kids." Maybe they will play them in Portland in March. Who knows? Given that neither is available as a split single, here is a pretty hot 50's styled live take (with equally awesome 1980's aussie hairdos) by the Girlies:
Digging in the barn I came across the first two issues of the great Radio Free Hollywood from April 1977 and June 1977. Cover stars the Dogs ripping into "Slash Your Face" no doubt. June 1977 at the Whisky? In 2013, it is a no brainer to see all three multi night shows. Wasn't quite the case back in 1977. Yeah, I am enjoying "Two Sides to Every Story" (in parts) and that picture of Gene could be a portrait of me in front of my barn today in a vintage Swandri. Just listened to the Van Halen boot "Demo Daze" with the world premier of "Running With the Devil" and "House of Pain" live on Rodney on the Roq December 14, 1976. Great covers by Van Halen circa 1974 of James Gang, Bad Company and Sugarloaf with Mark Stone on bass. Sweet! The Rodney/Fowley THREE night TEN New Wave Bands? That dear friends, is the source of GERMICIDE by the Germs with the great Belinda intro. Where were you? Waiting in line to see Star Wars again that month. Hah! Also dig (cut-off) Shock without Kip and before "This Generations on Vacation." Lookin' far more Dubrow than Masque at that point. More RFH here soon . . .
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Finally, the Dogs back in 1971 at Lansing Catholic Central High School, in Lansing, MI caught on super 8 with a dub over of "John Rock":
Now if only Clark had included Monoshock's "Walk to the Fire," the Dead C, Claw Hammer, the Dirty Three, Royal Trux, Haino, "Torch of the Mystics" and the Nephews and ya got yerself a 1995 party mix. Optional copy of the Blackjack Records catalog on top of a case of Lucky Lager. Located in a box in the barn and destined for recycling. From around the time of the press junket for "Kids" in 1995.
“It sounds like one of those records that should’ve been made years before, and will undoubtedly be admired for years to come.”
"Eddie Cochran meets Freddy Cannon meets the Shadows of Knight meets the Strangeloves meets Richard Hell . . . a composer, lyricist and vocal eccentric of tremendous verve and capability”
Alan Betrock on witnessing the recording of Richard Hell and the Voidoids “Blank Generation” at Electric Ladyland’s Studio A, March 1977.
“It’s like fuckin’ Little Richard” - Quine
Certain recording sessions are of such historical import that they need to be released in their entirety for research purposes. Scholars and independent historians demanded for over 25 years that the Stooges “Funhouse” sessions be released in their entirety. Market pressures be damned and Rhino Handmade stepped forward to fill the void. Now generations will be able to debate and parse the merits of the various takes of “L.A. Blues” for all time. I have been listening to the “Funhouse” box set for over ten years now and it rewards the listener with a richer experience as one gets deeper into the various takes, certain details unfurling at most unexpected places. Are these the equivalent to another generation’s big band airchecks directed straight to shellac and then traded reel to reel? Anyone say Dean Benedetti and Charlie Parker?
We have written before of both Richard Hell and Alan Betrock on these pages. That the late Betrock chose to briefly document the behind the scenes of the makings of one of the best lps of the 1970’s, nay, the last three plus decades, “Blank Generation,” well, we can only thank him. Robert Quine, as time has shown, is and was the equal of any of the various guitar greats he emulated from Ohio to St. Louis to San Francisco and back to New York again. What we need are the entire “Blank Generation” sessions released. Read on . . .
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