A few beers and a couple of bruises later, the aftermath of an adrenaline-fueled, lightning-charged date with the World’s best rock n’ roll band leaves this humble fan grinning ear to ringing ear. Friday, January 30th, 2015 came, went, and brought with it one of most enjoyable concert going experiences I have, and will ever experience. Last night was the 7th time I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Rocket from the Crypt, and unlike this aging and pit-riddled walking corpse, it never gets old. Let’s do it all again tonight!
Monthly Archives: January 2015
It’s Been Nearly a Decade…
I haven’t seen them since they said goodbye, the first time, back on Halloween of 2005. Ever since seeing them in 1996, they’ve always held the title of “best live band, ever.” Tonight, then again tomorrow night, at the luxurious Alex’s Bar in Long Beach, I’ll experience adolescence in the form of the greatest rock n’ roll band of my generation.
Long live the frenzy, of Rocket from the Crypt.
Yeah Yeah Nahs
I’ve never “really” been a fan, so much so as to mention it. Quality? Yeah. A heads’ length above the rest? Yeah. Groove tunes demanding of a listen? Nah.
Stone Cold After Dark
Cool hand Lōc struck it big with his, and Delicious Vinyl’s 1989 album, Lōc-ed After Dark. Securing the coveted #1 spot on the Billboard 200, and brandishing three, yes, three knockout singles (Wild Thing, Funky Cold Medina, and I Got It Goin’ On), Anthony Terrell Smith and his alias, Mr. Lōc would only release one more album after this commercial, chart-slappin’ debut, the hugely unsuccessful Cool Hand Lōc.
For a few years, Lōc was on top, and his highs are all here on Lōc-ed After Dark. Warning: not to be played before sundown.
Assisted by Bernie Krause
1969 Beatles-inspired electronic music should sound a juicy-ton better than this Zapple Records, Electronic Sound release. Was track / side two’s No Time or Space in fact a casual demonstration from Mr. Krause to Mr. Harrison, or was it actually a composition intended for, albeit, avant-garde, reception?
Only the Moog III knows…
Outrageous
Mr. Pryor was certainly that, and we can all be thankful that such an accomplished comedian, and general observer of life, lived during a time of recorded material. How many Richard Pryors lived in the 19th century, and how would they compare by today’s standards? This man, his time… it was outrageously perfect.
Here a Kink, There a Kink, Everywhere a Kink-Kink
I’ll place here, a lovely little 1970 promotional blurb about the almighty Kinks from the Warner Bros. / Reprise Records comp, (yesterday’s) Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies. Featured amongst the comedically informative booklet that accompanied this amazing comp, The Kinks are fashioned with great respect, and chuckle-heavy-esteem. It’s fun to see Kink-day adverts.
Looney Twos (AKA Happy 2nd Birthday, Prudent Groove!)
This exceptionally deceiving, unusually vivacious three record comp by Warner Bros. Records titled, Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies features not the usual cast of characters you’d typically expect based on the Fudd-y duddy cover. You won’t find Speedy Gonzales, Foghorn Leghorn, or even Daffy & Bugs, but instead, a hearty helping of Frank Zappa, Arlo Guthrie, Captain Beefheart, Jimi Hendrix, Black Sabbath, Van Morrison, Little Richard, Randy Newman, The Grateful Dead, Alice Cooper, James Taylor, and The Kinks, among others.
Chosen as more of a symbol than a Saturday listen, this diverse compilation, in a way, represents the eclectic nature of the Prudent Groove which, today, turned two years old.
Happy 2nd birthday, Prudent Groove! You weren’t expected to survive, and there were several days when you narrowly escaped angry extinction. Thanks to everyone who stopped by for a photo for their iTunes metadata, left a comment, or got a chuckle out of this nonsense. 730 days is a hell-of-a long time, and 730 posts is exactly 730 too many. Thanks for stopping by!
Teen Beat Treasures
Not unlike the London / Parrot / Coliseum advertinsert from last April, this London / Parrot / Deram insert features, once again, Them, the Stones, and The Zombies under the “teen beat” umbrella, but this time around sporting a seasonably fashioned blue trim. My SO mentioned the other night how I hadn’t done an insert post in a while. Truth be told, I’m desperately running low on inserts, so… off to the local brick and mortar I go for another blaze orange hunt for early Kinks, late Hardin, and vibrant record inserts. Happy Friday, kids!
‘mentals
Pharcyde’s Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde is perfect in every way humanly, or robotically imaginable. Obvious statement. With perfect albums comes countless repeated listens… then a lull, then another listen, then an even bigger lull, then another nostalgic listen, then a lull lasting close to five years. What’s great about this 2004 Instrumentals version, apart from its radiant highlight of J-Swift’s well, swift production is the resounded (uh) freshness it gives to a well-worn (and thoroughly played) album.
I’m becoming an avid fan of instrumentals or show vinyl versions of classic albums (Paul’s Boutique, Abbey Road, Renegades, Music to Make Love to Your Old Lady By, Deltron 3030, Check Your Head, Dr. Octagon, and so on). Strip that shit down to its core, and enjoy the purest of prudent beats.
Post-O-Rama
If you haven’t noticed, we’ve been swimming in the urine-infested pool of pop punk lately, and even though our fingers are beginning to prune, we’re not ready to towel off just yet. Released in 1994 by Epitaph Records, this first of (so far) 10 comps in the Punk-O-Rama series features early 90s classics by NOFX, Pennywise, The Offspring, Rancid, Bad Religion, and SNFU, among others. As the only version release on vinyl (then again in 2014 on limited green), Punk-O-Rama (vol. 1) stands alone, kicking the dirt with its boots, desperately waiting for his brothers, volumes 2 – 10 to come out to play. Punk-O-Rama is a pure, pop punk classic.
Wednesday 1/21
Although I’d love to hitch my wagon to tomorrow’s neighborhood festivities with the circus-punks of yesteryear’s pizza-driving soundtrack, (the Mad Caddies), mid-week shows are a bit of a luxury these, head-down days. If you’re in the LA area, and know the Troub, you should mos def check out the Mad Caddies tomorrow night.
MLK
Happy MLK Day, kiddos. I don’t have any documentary-like records commemorating the great MLK, but if I did, I’d certainly display it proudly, and with fervent esteem. It certainly (at least, it should) goes without saying, but equality, in its simplest and rudimentary form, is to be extended to literally everyone… small-minded bigotry to be checked at the door.
Man, That’s Hoss!
Man, I’ve got to say, with an honest heart, that Lagwagon was absolutely fuggin’ amazing last night, er, at least from what I can gather. Today was painful, if ya know what mean. Anyway, Hoss was the first Lagwagon album I owned, and remains a personal classic. Check it out, Hoss!
Saturday, January 17, 2015
I’m off to see the Wagon tonight. I’ve listened to these guys for nearly 18 years… I was only 16 when I’d first heard them, and until tonight, I’d never seen them. Let’s say I’m a little excited… have a good weekend, kids!
Joe
It’s big! It’s pink… it’s the 2012 vinyl release of Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros’ debut album, Rock Art and the X-Ray Style. Hot pink never looked so sexxy.
’82
1982 was a good year for several, obvious reasons. The Dukes of Hazzard saw a bit of a ruckus when Warner Bros. refused to pay actors Tom Wopat and John Schneider their due royalties. This resulted in the Duke brothers’ 17-episode hiatus / protest. Warner Bros. finally struck a deal which finally ended the Vance and Coy era (“cousins” filling the lead rolls left vacant by two smart actors speaking up when they weren’t being paid what was contractually theirs).
Let’s see, what else happened… Tron, E.T., Tootsie and Blade Runner were released… The stupid-ass St. Louis Cardinals beat the Milwaukee Brewers in game 7 of the World Series… Grace Kelly, John Belushi and Ingrid Bergman died… I moved from sunny Southern California to the frigid tundra of Wisconsin… OH! And the Beastie Boys released their first record, a hardcore EP titled Polly Wog Stew.
8 tracks released on both 7” and 12” formats, the Polly Wog Stew E.P. would be the first, last, and only official release from the band as a hardcore unit, next releasing Cookie Puss which saw the Boys Beastie bow more towards a new form of hip hop (well, at the time).
Yeah, ’82 was decent, and oh so long ago.
See You in Magic
Gearing up for my double date at the end of the month with San Diego’s finest, Rocket from the Crypt, tonight’s gem is 2008’s debut from The Night Marchers, See You in Magic. Arguably the most pop-oriented of anything offered by Mr. John Reis (save, maybe for Rocket from the Crypt’s 1998 major label killer, RFTC) SYiM is lover’s garage rock on two pots of coffee, with that sweet aroma of genius-Reis-guitar, perfect for wiping the worried sleep from your morning eyes, and great for that little get-me-the-hell-out-of-the-office-if-only-in-my-ears, afternoon pick-me-up.
SYiM is John Reis music for your significant other, if submersing them into the paradisiacal world of Mr. Reis is your number one music objective, and believe me… it damn well should be.
Radio Days
It’s time! No, not time to hate the Swiss*, but instead it’s time for that rich hour of both visual and audio stimulation with Remember the Golden Days of Radio (Volume 1). Jack Benny and Frank Knight present a glimpse into yesteryear’s prized idiot box (the original), with amazing snippets from comedians Fred Allen, Jack Pearl and Mel Blanc, as well as vintage commercial from the unforgettable and timeless products as Crisco, Lava and The Longines-Wittnauer Watch Company. It’s a great little comp with unexpected laughs and cheers around every groove. Check it out.
* Kids in the Hall – Sick of the Swiss (Season 1, Episode 4)
‘Round the World
Ska may suck… Ska revival may not be cool, says this stupid schmuck* (smuck**), but this comp, 1988’s Skankin’ ‘Round the World – The International Ska Compilation – Vol. 1, unveils itself under a dusty cloud of pleasure-toned, reggae-influenced, Caribbean-minded melodic good-time, happy-go-skankin’ Monday evening mood-music, that’s perfect parts nostalgia, groove, and global badassery. It’s a pleasurable head-bobbing, foot-tapping comp. Check it out.
* Propagandhi’s 1993 track, Ska Sucks off their debut album, How to Clean Everything.
** Ishtar, you know, the 1987 comedic masterpiece?! One of my personal favorites.
The Prudent Groove 