So, what have you been listening to lately?

[gearHed289]

Cruella de Ville, in a class by themselves - early - mid 80s band from Belfast, fronted by an American-born twin brother and sister

Well that was fun!

[uwe]

Those Cruella Twins are nicely frantic and sleazy, remind me of Mad Juana!

[slinkp]

Wow I've never heard Cruella de Ville before. That's criminal, they are right up my alley.
It's like demented new-wave circus ska with a bit of klezmer and something about the attitude reminds me of Sparks.

I wonder if Gogol Bordello heard them?

[Dave W]

Well that was fun!

Unfortunately they moved on to other pursuits. Not many recordings. They've had a small following for years. The Muinzer twins are still around, though not in a band.

The flip side of Drunken Uncle John became a Doctor Demento favorite.



More



The softer side

[Dave W]

Marc Bolan would have turned 75 today.

[uwe]

That a weird audio, the multi-tracked vocals are obviously not live (and Bolan moves away from the mike often while his voice can still be heard full force), but the guitar and Finn's hectic percussion certainly is. At those Musikladen Extra shows, bands always played live (unlike at the regular Musikladen shows which were canned like Top of the Pops), so Bolan obviously reworked the vocal track in the aftermath. The vocals sound like they were lifted off the original single.

Hearing Bolan's guitar live, you know why the punks loved him. He was a raucous player. And Mickey Finn (in contrast to his ousted predecessor Steve Peregrin Took) had no idea what he was doing on the congas! 

[TBird1958]

Marc Bolan would have turned 75 today.

I consider myself very fortunate to have seen Marc and T Rex, I had completely forgotten who else was on the Bill with him that night, after some digging around I find that it was Oct. 19, 1974, he opened for Blue Oyster Cult at The Paramount in Seattle. So glad I grew up in the '70s.   

[uwe]

I've read that on an US tour with Uriah Heep they gave him a hard time because their brand of heavy rock was more in tune with US audiences. Marc/T. Rex remained a coastal phenomenon in the US of A. He was a great stylist, but not a guitar hero for US audiences. You guys wanted flamboyance AND instrumental ability.

Relations continued to be somewhat strained ever after ...

https://geirmykl.wordpress.com/2014/02/14/article-about-uriah-heep-from-new-musical-express-april-15-1972/

[uwe]

Man, I would have loved to have been there, Alice is best when he does garage  ...

[uwe]

I'm listening to the CD just now and it's a dream. Alice/Vincent hasn't sounded as vibrant in decades. And the band kicks some real shit, but retains that unmatched elegance the Alice Cooper Group always had.

And Dunaway's bass sound is among the best produced/mixed bass sounds I've heard - ever. Absolutely majestic.

I bought the CD as a piece of whimsical nostalgia, I had no idea it would sound as good as it does and that the performance would be so strong. This was a raunch-fest like a New York Dolls- or MC5-gig, no less.

[uwe]

Kick ass version:

[Basvarken]

Went to The Black Crowes last night to see their celebration of the Shake Your Money Maker release 30 (+2) years ago.
The concert was postponed twice because of Covid.

The band was in optima forma.
Chris Robinson was energetic and his voice was excellent.
Rich Robinson was the stoic he's always been. Flashing a minimal smile every now and then.





Their support act was Dutch band DeWolff.
They were impressive as well.
The Robinson were obviously impressed too, since they gave them 15 minutes extra for their slot.

[TBird1958]

Kick ass version:

I've always loved the lyric "Stood on a ridge and shunned religion, thinkin' the world was mine, made my break and a big mistake stealin' when I shoulda been buyin" 

[Alanko]

That a weird audio, the multi-tracked vocals are obviously not live (and Bolan moves away from the mike often while his voice can still be heard full force), but the guitar and Finn's hectic percussion certainly is. At those Musikladen Extra shows, bands always played live (unlike at the regular Musikladen shows which were canned like Top of the Pops), so Bolan obviously reworked the vocal track in the aftermath. The vocals sound like they were lifted off the original single.

Hearing Bolan's guitar live, you know why the punks loved him. He was a raucous player. And Mickey Finn (in contrast to his ousted predecessor Steve Peregrin Took) had no idea what he was doing on the congas! 

They maybe recorded a unique version for the show? Bands mimed on Top of the Pops, but had to cut unique versions of their hits to meet Byzantine musicians union rules. There is a unique version of Black Night for this reason.

[Pilgrim]

Changing it up here...this may be the prettiest tune Neil Young has ever written, and I absolutely LOVE the video they did for it.  My band plays this one and it's a pleasure to practice and play.