The great fashion crimes of the Irish Republic...

Back in 1975, when Northern Ireland was up to it's eyeballs in blood and thunder, it seems the fellas in the Irish Republic were fighting their own heroic struggle, only their fight was with the twin evils of prog rock and glam fashion!!! Looks like the bass player has lost his particular battle...it's The Horslips of ...course. The snakes were obviously frightened out off Ireland by the flute players trousers and platform shoe combination! A nice piece off music and all that...

"Room Full off Mirrors" Jimi Hendrix Experience...

Not the widely known version from the Rainbow Bridge soundtrack. This version, which to my mind is far superior, is a lot darker with a real sense of brooding and malevolence. Jimi's vocal are on top form, and the guitar break is searing and concise. Hope you enjoy this one from the vaults. The film was made as a tribute to the great man, and in honour of the 40th anniversary of his parting with this life.

billy childish - sunday painter

Documentary look at the world of the multi talented Billy Childish...Let the film and the man speak for themselves. Far too prolific to sum up at this time of night...

Billy Childish Documentary...

Captain Beefheart - I'm Gonna Booglarize You Baby

Great footage, great band, great tune, great moves, great outfits...Captain gives me the willies!

Beatle Bob...

Beatle Bob (real name Robert Matonis, born 1953) is a well-known figure in the St. Louis,
Missouri music scene. He has been seen doing his characteristic dancing at a wide range of concerts including Ani DiFranco, Less Than Jake and Chuck Berry, both in the crowd and onstage with the performers. He is known for his arrhythmic dance moves and Beatles-inspired "mop top" hairstyle and '60s attire. His constant presence and dancing is welcomed by some concertgoers and an aggravation to others, but even his detractors admit that his presence signals that one is seeing the best music event in town on that particular night. He has allegedly been to at least one live show every night since Christmas Eve 1996, and seen over 10,000 bands over the last decade.

According to a 2000 article in the Riverfront Times, Beatle Bob's real name is Robert Matonis. He is a vegetarian and states that he does not smoke or drink.

Contrary to popular belief, the nickname "Beatle Bob" did not originate from his Beatles style hair cut. In fact, it's quite the opposite. The name was given to him while in school in St. Louis. Typical to many children in St. Louis, Bob went to Catholic schools while growing up in St. Louis. One day during class, he was reading a Beatles magazine that was concealed within an open text book. When the nun caught him, she snatched the magazine from him and stated, "That will be enough of that, Beatle Bob!" The name has stuck.

He has contributed to the now-defunct music publication Jet Lag Magazine and wrote a monthly "Top Ten" of local concerts for Sauce Magazine. He also used to produce an annual Phil Spector Christmas Special for local community radio station, KDHX, although members of the local music scene have disputed rumors that Beatle Bob was ever a DJ or owned a radio station.

Beatle Bob has also attended music festivals around the United States, including Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival(an annual Manchester, Tenn. music festival),City Stages , SXSW, Lollapalooza, the Ponderosa Stomp, Sleazefest, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and Austin City Limits Music Festival. He holds the distinction of emceeing the final Guided by Voices show at Metro in Chicago, December 31, 2004; and introducing Sleater-Kinney at their last touring show during Lollapalooza in 2006. He introduced Camper van Beethoven and The Flaming Lips at Wakarusa Music & Camping Festival in Lawrence, Kansas in June 2006. He also emceed the "Last Call at the Nights" on January 19, 2007, the final show held at Mississippi Nights on Laclede's Landing in St. Louis. On August 3, 2007, Beatle Bob was seen at the Lollapalooza Festival in Chicago, Ill., dancing onstage with The Polyphonic Spree and introducing a Mississippi band, Colour Revolt. Beatle Bob also introduced the Sam Roberts Band onstage on August 4, 2007 and spent their set dancing offstage. He was seen again on August 5 at Lollapalooza introducing the rock band Dios and dancing with them onstage, and later introducing indie rock band Yo La Tengo.

Beatle Bob and his dancing are featured in the Guided By Voices video for "My Kind of Soldier" [1] and in Lit's DVD "All Access." He is the subject of an upcoming documentary entitled "Superfan: The Lies, Life and Legend of Beatle Bob."

"My Kind of Soldier" Guided by Voices, featuring Beatle Bob...

The Misunderstood - Children of The Sun

Killer track by "The Misunderstood", psych masters, championed by the late great John Peel who brought them to London, recorded their first LP and even put them up at his mum's house. Unfortunately  their music career was cut short by the American Vietnam war draft and the rest as they say is history.

The wild lap steel guitar is played by Glen Ross Campbell who strangely enough now lives in Auckland, of all places. Strange world...A

The Groundhogs – Split

Just thought I'd sing the praises of this much overlooked classic slab of English guitar madness by the mainly unknown British blues/psych band the Groundhogs. The Groundhogs were (and possibly still are) a three piece, formed in New Cross, London in 1963. I'm not going to write a whole biography of the band and members, for that go to:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Groundhogs

Their album 'Split' is possibly their most well known and in my humble opinion their best. The single 'Cherry Red' is a true lost guitar mayhem, buzzsaw, fuzzbuzz, mania, distorto, gonzo, psych, three piece blues masterpiece. Check it out, you won't be disappointed.

End of the Century...

Great Documentary about the equally great Ramones.

It's still hard to imagine, watching this, the sheer impact they must have had on the stodgy music industry of the early seventies. Well no, I take that back because they didn't have a massive impact on the music industry, but they did on the few at the time and the many legions of fans who came later. Like The Velvet Underground before them, at the time their records sold next to nothing, but seemingly, everyone who saw them, especially early on went on to form a band of their own such was their impact.

It's easy to write The Ramones of as three chord wonders who followed a simple plan throughout their career, but their is a depth to The Ramones music that at first isn't evident. Joey for one was a gifted and brilliant singer, not just some punk yelper. The melodies matched anything The Beachboys (who were a huge influence) came up with. Dee Dee who was the bands main song writer delved deep into personal experience to come up with some completely raw and emotive rock lyrics, and Johnny's guitar style was completely his own copied by many but bettered by none.

At the end of the film we see them being inducted into the Rock 'n Roll hall of fame. Afterwards there's a cocktail party. Johnny is predictably missing, but it's Dee Dee who stands out. Welling up with pride but equally looking lost in all the attention. As he walks away alone down the hall tears filled my eyes, knowing of course that he died of a drug overdose only a few months after the film was finished, but that's Dee Dee I guess and that was The Ramones.

Though Joey, Dee Dee and Johnny aren't with us anymore, they of course live on through their music and through this brilliant and touching documentary and, the three dearly departed are probably in rock n roll heaven having a massive punch up as we speak.

If you haven't seen it, see it today. Go out and by their first album, the self titled The Ramones,  and revel in the energy and joyousness of being young, dumb and beautiful again. If you're still young, turn off your blips and beeps, trash your 'My Chemical Romance', burn your 'Fall Out Boy' and 'Green Day' and stick this on your turntable instead, you'll be doing your self a great favour.
God bless you boys...

The Who – The Seeker.

Despite the dodgy  sound quality..this is a great clip from 1971 of The Who at their hairiest best. The Seeker is a bit of a lost Who classic in my mind. I mention it in conversation and people tend to look at me blankly, I mean they do that anyway, but more blank than usual! Anyway. It's a great track, love those sarcastic lyrics... Strangely for The Who, they all look really fit and healthy here, even Keith. Great seeing the boys doing their thing. Enjoy.

Free Interview and "Mr Big" live...

Free in Australia wayyyyyy back in the seventies, 1970 to be precise. The boys looked tired and emotional, shattered.
One of the most overlooked bands of the era,  known predominantly for the single "All Right Now", Free had a totally unique soulful sound, minimalist at times when compared to the zeppelins and deep purples of the time.

Guitarist Paul Kossoff was a master, rightly spoken of in the same breath as Peter Green, Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton. His playing was tight, full of feel, fire and bite, but could be beautifully mournful and understated. His use of vibrato and sustain was beyond compare, just listen to the title track from there 1970 album "Fire and Water" or the later track "Come together in the Morning" from the album "Heartbreaker". His untimely death from a heart attack at the age of 25 was a complete tragedy.

The rhythm section made up of Simon Kirke on Drums and the incredibly talented Andy Fraser on bass were like none other of the time. Kirke's playing was heavy but, again deceptively simple sounding. Fraser's bass playing was intricate, melodic and powerful, building a solid foundation for the guitar, drums and vocals with huge, resonant, fat  sounding chords. Rather than filling up the sound with unnecessary noodling he relied on feel and sustain, although he could play a mean solo when called upon, (check out the clip below).

Singer, Paul Rodger's was unique also for the time's. His voice was bluesy, coarse, gimmick free, clear and natural sounding, filled with soul power. He wasn't a screamer like say Robert Plant, and could belt it out all the same, draining emotion from the song. In the quieter moments his voice is beautifully bluesy filled with sorrow, with out being put on. He was a natural..

Their career may have been short, but what they left behind more than makes up for there lack of years. The band were a perfect fit, all four members coming together with an incredible understanding of each other musically. And, let's not forget how young they were. I think Fraser was only 16 when they recorded the first album and the rest barely 18!! Roll on...


Free..."Mr. Big" live on T.V.broadcast. 1971



Free Interviewed in Australia, 1970

Whipping Post...The Allman Brothers Band

Crazed guitar extravaganza from The Allman Brothers Band in 1970. Some hell fire cross guitar exchanges between Duane and Dickey Betts. Duanes Les Paul and Dickey's SG. seem to bounce of each other into the stratosphere. Beautiful dual lead interplay with Greg's Keys. But  why oh why have two drummers? Isn't one enough?

Duane died 29th. October 1971 aged 24 in motorcycle accident. A real loss to the guitar world. So, take it away boys, give us some of that southern rockin boogie...

Alman Brothers Band. "Whipping Post" live at the Filmore East, 1970.