Columns are going to be few and far between for the next five or six weeks as my workload increases, a move on the home front is imminent, there seems to be BBQ’s and events every weekend and there are a lot of shows coming up. Better than not being busy. Music helps me get through the days and nights and here are several songs that I am currently enjoying.
I have confused myself with the damn alphabet as I seem to find a way every week to work whatever artist or song into a column in some weird fashion. Right now there is a lot on my plate as we hit the homestretch of the planning for NXNE and I don`t have time to deal with the damn alphabet or whether or not I have confessed my love for `Candy`s Going Bad` by Golden Earring. Plus my s key snapped off the computer and my keyboard keeps shifting and screwing up punctuation.
No it’s not a hashtag; it’s the number sign (or pound sign). Since we have gone A-Z over the last 26 weeks I thought I would end this round with numbers. Speaking of numbers, thanks to everyone who has been reading us. Latest reports had us over 50,000 unique hits. Pretty impressive and we all appreciate it.
Was (Not Was)
There might not be a more eclectic album in my collection than 1983’s “Born To Laugh At Tornadoes” by Detroit’s Was (Not Was). I mean tell me another record that has a list of guest vocalists such as Ozzy Osbourne, Mel Torme, Mitch Ryder, Doug Fieger (The Knack), Marshall Crenshaw and Sweet Pea Atkinson? Throw in some guitars by the likes of Vinnie Vincent (Kiss) and you have a stew of rock, pop, funk and torch songs. Although they had their biggest hit with “Walk The Dinosaur” in 1988 this is the record that defines David Weiss (Don Was) and Donald Fagenson (David Was).
And now back to our regularly scheduled column.
Television
There are very few albums that come out of New York in the seventies that can hold a candle to Television’s “Marquee Moon” and I could argue that they A-side of the original record is the strongest side on vinyl to ever come out of the seventies scene. I started reading about the band in the mid-seventies in Rock Scene Magazine. Rock Scene was half fanzine and half magazine and the likes of writer Lisa Robinson and photographer Bob Gruen covered the New York underground and gave ink to bands like The New York Dolls , Television, The Ramones and Talking Heads before they ventured past north of Houston Street.
Next week I will return to the T’s but right now I have a few…..
Thoughts
Seems to be a theme with most of those this week. I wrote this on Monday morning.
I couldn’t let this week go by without a few thoughts about both Whitney and the Grammy awards.
Suzi Quatro
Michigan’s Suzi Quatro, part of a very musical family including her father Art, brother Michael and sister Patti (she was in Fanny), moved to England in 1971 to find her fame and fortune. Standing just five feet tall and playing a bass that weighed half of what she did Suzi found a new musical family, Mickie Most, Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman. Most was a well know record producer with credits that included The Animals and Jeff Beck and Chinn/Chapman were writing hit after glam rock hit for the likes of The Sweet and Mud. It was a match made in heaven.
This week’s episode goes out to my boy Jay Sparrow. He is currently working on new material on the west coast and will have a couple of great things coming out shortly. You can check out some great music and videos here http://www.myspace.com/jaysparrowpage.
“I, I, I, I”
(Pretend you are listening to “Crazy Train” by Ozzy Osbourne.
“I, Shithead – A Life In Punk
Joey “Shithead” Keithley is a Canadian punk rock legend, social activist, poet, political animal, hockey player, Dad and all-around good guy. In this 2003 book Joey recalls his roots and the still ongoing history of DOA. Formed in the late seventies the band defined the west coast punk rock scene and are the source of the term “hardcore”. If it wasn’t for them constantly travelling to California in the late seventies, that whole scene would not have developed the way that it did.
This is one for my friend GGGarth Richardson. One of Canada’s best producers, biggest Maple Leafs fan in the world and an all around great human being.
Genesis At The Gardens
December 16, 1975. It was a night of firsts and a night of lasts. It was the first time Toronto’s Maple Leaf Gardens configured their seating plan to a “Concert Bowl’ setting. At that time the venue held about 18,000 for hockey and concerts but for a show too big for Massey Hall and too small for the full Gardens they draped half of the venue for a more intimate vibe.
Bullseye Records of Canada
Segarini: Don't Believe a Word I Say 