How the Decline of the CD is Killing Music

[lowend1]

I recommend:

That's why one should always keep an old car handy...

[uwe]

The Ramones' debut album. I had read so much about them (in magazines like "Rock Scene" that dwelled primarily on the NYC music scene) without actually hearing them that I ran out to buy a copy as soon as it came out. After all, they wore leather jackets, so they must be awesome, right? Mmmmm... no. I got through the first couple of songs before deciding that it was some kind of cruel joke - no lead guitar, the singer seemed to have some kind of weird vocal affliction and all the songs sounded the same. I looked at the album on my turntable and noticed that it was warped. Seizing the opportunity, I immediately hopped on a bus back to where I bought it, complained that it was defective and I wanted my money back. They obliged, and some 46 years later I still refuse to own a copy. I did see them live though (because The Runaways were opening).

That's a cute story. 

I bought the Ramones debut on the basis of the praises of the New Musical Express - and immediately liked it (more than any other Punk album that followed it). I liked the sonic characteristics of Johnny's bar chord onslaught and dug Joey's pop voice. No, it wasn't heavy rock, I immediately realized that, ingredients like lead guitar solos and riffs as well as drum breaks were missing plus Joey was evidently no hard rock crooner,  - but I always had a pop side too, hell, Francis Rossi of Status Quo didn't have a hard rock voice either and most of Quo's songs were in major keys as well. (And needless to say: As a Quo fan "all the songs sound the same" wasn't anything negative either!)

The Bruddahs had really found a lifelong convert in me by the time I heard them chanting "Ey oh, let's go" on Blitzkrieg Bop (what a title!), the track that opened the album (and according to Joey was directly inspired by BCR's S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y NIGHT). Actually, my very first band covered two Ramones tracks early on: Blitzkrieg Bop and I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend.

[gearHed289]

Here's a good, less than 15 minute video with some info on current trends. The guy obviously has an agenda, running a CD manufacturing company, but I think he's very honest about that and tries to present info in an unbiased way.

[uwe]

Sound quality, durability, independence from outside providers, availability of truly rare stuff and storage space economics (compared to other physical media) all speak loudly for the CD.

[lowend1]

That's a cute story. 

I bought the Ramones debut on the basis of the praises of the New Musical Express - and immediately liked it (more than any other Punk album that followed it). I liked the sonic characteristics of Johnny's bar chord onslaught and dug Joey's pop voice. No, it wasn't heavy rock, I immediately realized that, ingredients like lead guitar solos and riffs as well as drum breaks were missing plus Joey was evidently no hard rock crooner,  - but I always had a pop side too, hell, Francis Rossi of Status Quo didn't have a hard rock voice either and most of Quo's songs were in major keys as well. (And needless to say: As a Quo fan "all the songs sound the same" wasn't anything negative either!)

The Bruddahs had really found a lifelong convert in me by the time I heard them chanting "Ey oh, let's go" on Blitzkrieg Bop (what a title!), the track that opened the album (and according to Joey was directly inspired by BCR's S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y NIGHT). Actually, my very first band covered two Ramones tracks early on: Blitzkrieg Bop and I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend.

As punk albums go, I bonded much better with The Sex Pistols and The Dead Boys. Maybe a little bit of The Dickies, too (points for covering the Banana Splits theme song). I found much more comfortable (cultish) ground with rock bands like Yesterday & Today, Piper, The Godz, The Boyzz and Starz (the "z" thing was in vogue at the time).

[uwe]

Starz are great American unsung heroes. I recently had coincidental contact via ebay with Richie Ranno (the guy with the doubleneck Gibson), I first didn't believe it was him and that he was pulling my leg. But it actually was, really nice guy. I now own one of his picks.  He was chuffed that someone from Germany was a fan and even knew their stuff.





These guys were the New Jersey blueprint for Bon Jovi - little Jon was a fan too. When I first heard Living On A Prayer on the radio I thought Starz had reunited! 

Pieter Swevals bass sound with that Kramer was to die for. He was also responsible for Starz' strong pop ingredient - no surprise given where he came from (and that is also Joe X. Dube on drums already):



Of course, Michael Lee Smith (the Starz lead vocalist) had pop leanings too running in the family - plus a little brother called Rex ...





Sorry, I had to get those two vids out even if you all have now saccharine food poisoning! 

[lowend1]

Starz are great American unsung heroes. I recently had coincidental contact via ebay with Richie Ranno (the guy with the doubleneck Gibson), I first didn't believe it was him and that he was pulling my leg. But it actually was, really nice guy. I now own one of his picks.  He was chuffed that someone from Germany was a fan and even knew their stuff.
These guys were the New Jersey blueprint for Bon Jovi - little Jon was a fan too. When I first heard Living On A Prayer on the radio I thought Starz had reunited! 

Pieter Swevals bass sound with that Kramer was to die for. He was also responsible for Starz' strong pop ingredient - no surprise given where he came from (and that is also Joe X. Dube on drums already):

Of course, Michael Lee Smith (the Starz lead vocalist) had pop leanings too running in the family - plus a little brother called Rex ...
Sorry, I had to get those two vids out even if you all have now saccharine food poisoning! 

Richie is kind of a fixture around this area - he probably lives within 10 minutes of me and is still gigging regularly, whether it be solo or with a rotating plethora of local musicians under the Richie Ranno brand. I went to a local 4th of July parade some years back and he, Joe Dube and a female singer were playing on the back of a flatbed truck rolling down the street. Prior to COVID, Starz had done a "reunion" show nearby, opening for Angel. He, MLS and Dube were present from the original lineup (Peter Sweval is deceased and Brendan Harkin apparently persona non grata). A good time was had by all, myself included.

Sweval played a Travis Bean - the other metal-necked contraption - with Starz. He is also noteworthy for his inclusion in The Skatt Brothers lineup (I'll just leave a link here on that one - entertaining reading for Outpost regulars), as well as - according to Richie - coming up with the song title "Hell Bent For Leather", which was rejected by Starz, but passed along by Sweval to his friend Rob Halford.
https://www.talkhouse.com/book-excerpt-meet-skatt-bros-the-sleazier-more-extreme-village-people/

Surely you remember Rex Smith's hard rock band from the late 70s, appropriately called Rex. Two albums on Columbia. The bass player was Orville Davis, who later took over for Sweval in Starz.

[uwe]

Oh, this is lovely (and very catchy), finally some manly music at the L(G)B(T)O! Love the Ennio Morricone guitar! 





Pieter Sweval with a 'tache - I didn't know he was that close friends with Herr Halford.

I knew of his premature death, but not of the HIV cause - tragic.

https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/starzfanzcentral/remembering-pieter-sweval-t380.html

I'm one of those people that liked the original Starz line-up - with Pieter and Brendan, they were the pop ingredient in the Starz sound and I loved that. Even the lightweight Attention Shoppers! - that had great tunes on it.




PS: The first two Rex albums? I not only know them, I have them on CD! A boxed set with all his recorded work came out a while ago:


https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/rock-and-roll-dream-1976-1983-6cd-box-set/

[lowend1]

Pieter Sweval with a 'tache - I didn't know he was that close friends with Herr Halford.

I knew of his premature death, but not of the HIV cause - tragic.


PS: The first two Rex albums? I not only know them, I have them on CD! A boxed set with all his recorded work came out a while ago:

Here's a recent interview with Richie where he discusses Hell Bent... around the 9-minute mark. There's also the interesting tidbit that he was the first guitar player to jam with Ozzy's band after Randy's death - the initial auditions only included three players and he was the first one in. Awful audio levels.


I still have my original copies of the Rex albums on vinyl. Because my wife is a fan of the movie, we also have both the DVD and LP of Sooner Or Later.
"So what is it Jessie? Are you dyin' of leukemia or what?"

[gearHed289]

Typical Outpost fun tangent. 

I saw the Godz, opening for, of course - ANGEL - in 1978. The Boyzz (from Illinoiz) were local favorites, but a little before my time since they were mostly a club band. I imagine they probably opened for some nationals, but I never got to see them.

Gary Kramer worked at Travis Bean before starting his own metal neck company.

I saw the Angel/Starz show back in 2019 too. Next month - Angel and Zebra!