Pure Garbage

Recent finds..

subculturedbrooklyn@gmail.com — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 15:34:00 +0000

In addition to totally bailing on this blog over the past few months, I've been taking it real slow on record buying. Was out of work for about a month and had money tied up elsewhere.

Anyway! I got a good job now and made some finds over the past few weeks!

LP's:
Devil Dogs - Bigger Beef Bonanza! (Crypt, 1996)
Devil Dogs - Self-Titled (Crypt, 1989)
Devil Dogs - Saturday Night Fever (Crypt, 1993)
Fireworks - Set The World On Fire (Crypt, 1993)
Zodiac Killers - The Most Thrilling Experience (Rip Off, 1999)

The Hellacopters - “Hey” b/w “Her Strut” (White Jazz, 1998)
Thee Headcoats - “Hatred, Ridicule, and Contempt” b/w “Neither Fish Nor Fowl (SFTRI, 1991)
Teengenerate - “Get Me Back” b/w “Get Stuffed” and “One Way Ticket” (Wallabies Records, 1993)
Ex-Humans - "Mai Tai" b/w "Reckless Eyes" (Colonel, 2010)

I'm terrible at this..

subculturedbrooklyn@gmail.com — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 20:05:00 +0000

I know. I been away for FAR too long.

It's been a lot of things really.. The podcast hasn't been getting too much play (at least judging by the counters), I've moved back to Atlanta with my wife (huzzah!), and I've been without a home internet connection for nearly 3 months now.

That said, here's the scoop!

I WILL be continuing with Thee Pure Garbage Podcast, although probably not as frequently. I'll figure out a way of getting it out there. The return episode WILL be the previously announced Pure Garbage Sessions featuring THE ARKHAMS.

In live gig news....

I'm pleased to announce that I will be doing a one-off guesting gig in NEW YORK CITY on NEW YEAR'S EVE!

That's right. I'll be returning to where it all started for me, the world-famous OTTO'S SHRUNKEN HEAD, on December 31st for a special New Year's Eve edition of the longest-running shindig for rockin' garage and 'billy in NYC... THEE MIDNITE MONSTER HOP!

C'mon down, have Nell make you a cocktail, and melt your brain to some guaranteed POUNDERS!

Hosted as always, by thee Ill-ustrious Mike Mortician! Bands TBA!

Thee Pure Garbage Sessions!

subculturedbrooklyn@gmail.com — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 02:07:00 +0000

Hey folks!

Dropping in real quick to give you a heads-up on Episode #7!

Lucky #7 will be the first installment of Thee Pure Garbage Sessions!

"What is THAT?", is what you're probably screaming at your screens RIGHT NOW!

Well, I'll tell ya.. It's a simple idea. One band, one crowd, one microphone. Lo-fi, stripped down, and raw.

Our first Pure Garbage Sessions is from none other than NYC's almighty ARKHAMS!

For those of you who don't know, The Arkhams are arguably the finest American psychobilly band out there today. They sort of picked up the torch where bands like The Kings of Nuthin' left off, and have been blowing minds for the past 5 years. They have 2 full length studio albums ("The Road To Arkham" and "The Valley of the Arkhams"), a live album ("Fuckin' Live Bud!"), and a 45 ("Single Best Served Cold EP").

This episode will feature studio tracks from their 2 full-lengths, as well as a full length, live-and-uncut performance from the Masquerade in Atlanta, GA on June 6, 2011!

Lineup for this gig is:
Matt The Knife - Upright Bass, Lead Vocals
Bobcat Arkham - Lead Guitar, Vocals (Lead Vocals on "Next Time You See Me")
Seanzi Dirtbag - Drums, Vocals
Wolfman Dave - Rhythm Guitar (filling in for Johnny Beernuts)

Hopefully I'll have this up for you folks by the end of the weekend!

See ya then!

-just derek.

THEE PURE GARBAGE PODCAST EPISODE 6!

subculturedbrooklyn@gmail.com — Mon, 23 May 2011 00:08:00 +0000

Here it is you turkeynecks!

The SIXTH episode of THEE PURE GARBAGE PODCAST!

This is an all-pounder with face melters from;

CHARLIE FEATHERS
UNTAMED YOUTH
SLIM HARPO
WYNONIE HARRIS
THE MUMMIES
TEENGENERATE
THE WAILERS

and MORE!

Check it out on the player below, and don't forget, if yer in a band and wanna hear yer stuff, drop me a line at:

subculturedbrooklyn[at]gmail[dot[com

BLAMMO!

-just derek.

Evil Spirit? That's affirmative, Ghost Rider.

subculturedbrooklyn@gmail.com — Thu, 12 May 2011 02:56:00 +0000

Alright kids. This is a repost from my other blog for the business I run with my wife SECRET MISSION. I figured it would be relevant here, seeing as how many of you are probably GORIES fans.

Repost begins below:

So about 8 or 9 years ago, I was exposed to a band called the Gories. They had broken up long before I had heard of them, and I wasn't old enough or in the right location to have caught them while they were still around.

Anyway.. On the back of their 1992 release, "Outta Here!" on Crypt Records.. Gories member Dan Kroha is wearing an AMAZING crew/work shirt for a drag racing car named EVIL SPIRIT. I have coveted this shirt from the moment I laid eyes on it..

The photo in question:

Obviously, you can see why I wanted it. Simple. Effective. Evil.

Flash forward to 2009. The Gories had re-formed to play some shows in Europe with The Oblivians. They did some warmup gigs in the US (Memphis, Detroit), but I was unable to attend.

Luckily.. They played the Bowery Ballroom in NYC in August 2010, and IT WAS ON. It was to be my last gig outing in NYC before moving to Tennessee. I was STOKED.

So we get there. Openers were good (CHICKENSNAKE!). The Gories gear is set up by the union stagehands, and then its on..

The band takes the stage, and Dan is wearing THE EVIL SPIRIT SHIRT! Holy shit!

18 years had passed between the taking of that photo and the gig!

Here's a shot, you can't really tell it's the shirt, but you can barely see the edge of the lettering:

So I had a slow day here at the shop and decided to finally nip it in the bud and print my own EVIL SPIRIT shirt..

Here's a shot of the artwork on vellum.. This is what we use to burn the screens for printing. The image is taped to a photosensitized screen, and then exposed to light. This "burns" the image into the screen and it is developed by spraying it out with a hose.

The original shirt looked like it was probably made using iron-on lettering instead of being screenprinted, so I left the kerning a little off to try and get that "hand-set" look. The E in "EVIL" is drifting a bit. I've had to hand-set lettering like this before, and its super fun.

Here's a shot of the screen after its been burned:

I had the wife pick me up a Dickies work shirt on the way to pick me up at the shop. They were outta black, but navy will do. Here's the finished shirt!

Two hits of white did the trick!

And just as a little eye candy for you folks, I printed the wife one on a women's shirt. FEAST YOUR EYES!

So there you have it. A custom, one-off job from Secret Mission. Doing It Ourselves because that's the only way we know how.

We'll leave you folks with a little song that's like a stick of dynamite in a Dixie cup! Grok this video of the Gories with "Nitroglycerine" from 1990!

THEE PURE GARBAGE PODCAST EPISODE 5!

subculturedbrooklyn@gmail.com — Fri, 06 May 2011 00:49:00 +0000

Here it is, as promised! Episode 5 of THEE PURE GARBAGE PODCAST!

I know, I know.. We took a little break, but I was getting married and goddamn TORNADOS hit my town.. SO LAY OFF!

We got ass-rippers from:

FEAR
ZOUNDS
THE ARKHAMS
LARRY HALE
THE BOYS
THE CIRCLES
LEE PERRY AND THE UPSETTERS

Check it out!

Click on the gott-damn player below, you Luddites!

-just derek.

Back in the saddle!

subculturedbrooklyn@gmail.com — Wed, 04 May 2011 15:12:00 +0000

Alright you kids!

Hope you had a nice vacation from my nonstop chatter-hole.

It's been a busy coupla weeks in the life of Just Derek!

My beautiful girl Christina and I got married on April 23rd at the Starlight Six Drive-In in lovely Atlanta, GA! I'm the luckiest dumbass ever! My thanks to the wife, our friends and family, Turbojugend Atlanta, Mr. Jim Stacy, and the staff of the Starlight Six.

The Wednesday following our wedding, our area was devastated by supercell storm systems and dozens of tornados. We lost power for three days, and we were lucky that's all we got. Our neighborhood has several damaged homes, and the neighborhoods to the south and west of us have many destroyed homes and businesses from the tornados.

After that, the US killed some guy we been after for a while and the world lost its mind over it.

IN THE MEANTIME. I've been compiling tracks for the FIFTH episode of THEE PURE GARBAGE PODCAST! I should have it up tonight or tomorrow!

Holler at you in a bit!

-just derek.

Delayed and Waylaid.

subculturedbrooklyn@gmail.com — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 23:16:00 +0000

Listen up!

There won't be a new Pure Garbage Podcast until May probably.

The missus and I are getting hitched next weekend, so that is occupying most all of our time and energy outside of work!

Rest assured the PGP will be back with more tunes for you wimpering simps!

See you in May!

BLAMMO.

-just derek.

Thee Pure Garbage Podcast Episode 4!

subculturedbrooklyn@gmail.com — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 04:20:00 +0000

Here's episode #4 of THEE PURE GARBAGE PODCAST!

All-killer-no-filler cuts for you ungrateful, simpering nurds!

This time around we've got songs from:

KING TUFF!
JUDGE DREAD!
FURIOUS!
EX-HUMANS!
BEAT BEAT BEAT!
BATMAN and ROBIN!
NOBUNNY!

PLUS! A Pure Garbage premiere from RETARDED COP!

And if you think that's all, then you are WRONG!

Grok it with the player below!

-just derek.

Thee Pure Garbage Podcast Episode 3!

subculturedbrooklyn@gmail.com — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 23:59:00 +0000

Now with 90% more alcohol!

That's right kids. Dad got a little drunkski before he recorded this episode, so bear with me.

A little more aggressive with this one, but I threw in some dancers and prancers to keep things on an even keel.
We got some killer cuts from: The Big Boys! OFF! The Chips! The Gories! fIREHOSE! White Wires! Davila 666! and more.. more.. OH GOD MORE!

Bands! If you wanna hear your songs on Thee Pure Garbage Podcast, send me some tracks and info to:

subculturedbrooklyn[at]gmail[dot]com

AND NOW FOR THE SHOW! Click on the player below!

Thee Pure Garbage Podcast Episode 2!

subculturedbrooklyn@gmail.com — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 22:52:00 +0000

Hey you jackwagons!

Up now for yer listening pleasure is THEE PURE GARBAGE PODCAST EPISODE TWO!

The best episode since the last one!

We got greasy chunks served up nice and saucy for you from The Quakes, The 101ers, Ex-Humans, The Syndicate, and more more more!

Grok the player below to have a listen! Episode 3 comin' at ya in 2 weeks!

Episode 2 by Pure-Garbage

PS! You can download this file for listening to on yer favorite Walkman product via the "down arrow" button on the right side of the player! BLAAAAMOOOO!

Happy Valentine's Day and PGP#2!

subculturedbrooklyn@gmail.com — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 02:02:00 +0000

You know you've hit the jackpot in life when the woman you are going to marry is totally stoked that you got her tickets to see the CRO-MAGS for Valentine's Day.

Hope all of you are as lucky.

THEE PURE GARBAGE PODCAST EPISODE 2 will be up before the end of the weekend with songs from the Ex-Humans, Quakes, Gone Bad, and more more more!

-Just Derek

THEE PURE GARBAGE PODCAST!

subculturedbrooklyn@gmail.com — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 01:37:00 +0000

Alright folks.

This has been a long time in the making! Since the lady and I moved from NYC down to Tennessee, I haven't been playing in a band or DJ'ing at all. Sooo... As a new creative outlet, I sold all my recording gear and bought a nice USB microphone to start work on the podcast version of this here blog!

After a week or so of figuring stuff out, I sat down and got to work! Wrapped up the recording and sequencing early this afternoon and spent a while adjusting levels and whatnot.

The result is this! The very first episode of the PURE GARBAGE PODCAST! We've got songs from THEE OH SEES, THE BUSY SIGNALS, PEANUTS WILSON, NATHANIEL MAYER, and a whole other mix of stompers and shakers!

If you're in a band and wanna get yer song on the PGP, shoot me an mp3 to subculturedbrooklyn[at]gmail[dot]com and I'll have a listen! Be sure to include some info on your band (city, label, other useless facts).

A special thanks to Michael Kaiser of RADIOBLIVION for his tech help!

Click on the player below to get 'er goin, or if yer the kind that likes to put this stuff on yer iPod, you can download it with the button to the right of the player!

Thanks!

-Just Derek

Episode 1 by Pure-Garbage

THE PURE GARBAGE PODCAST.

subculturedbrooklyn@gmail.com — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 22:09:00 +0000

Alright you numbskulls!

Coming soon is the first episode of the PURE GARBAGE PODCAST! We'll be featuring all the best of underground sounds past and present. If it's a pounder, stomper, mover, or shaker, then we'll be blasting it for your listening pleasure! Under the radar and off the charts!

If your band would like to submit some tracks to the show, please drop me a line at:

subculturedbrooklyn@gmail.com

Make sure to give me some info about your band and the songs you've sent over.

I can't guarantee that I'll play all the submissions, but if it's a good'un, you'll be hearing it!

Look for the first episode here within the next couple weeks.

BLAMMO!

-Just Derek.

Hometown Gold.

subculturedbrooklyn@gmail.com — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 20:24:00 +0000

Heya creeps and cretins!

Here's another bi-monthly post from yours truly!

The lady and I are in our hometown of Pensacola, FL for the Thanksgiving holiday! We've had a great time so far!

In Pensacola record news, our good buddy Eric Jones has opened a new record store in the old Subterranean Books space downtown. You folks know Eric for his old shop, East Hill CD, which provided many a snot-nosed kid with great records! His new shop is called REVOLVER Records and you should definitely check it out if you're in the area! Great selection of LP's and 45's both new and used, along with CD's and DVD's!

I stopped in earlier today to check it out and made my first record buys in a couple months. I been working a lot and not spending a ton of money, so it was nice to pick up a few platters!

Just a short stack of 45's!

The Gories - "Here Be The Gories EP": "Telepathic" b/w "Hate" (In The Red Records, 1991)
The Rip-Offs - "Now I Know (It's You)" b/w "Can I Come Over" (Rip Off Records, 1993)
DOA - Positively DOA EP: "Fucked Up Ronnie" and "World War Three" b/w "The Enemy", "My Old Man's a Bum", and "New Wave Sucks" (Alternative Tentacles, 1981)
Count Five - "Psychotic Reaction" b/w "They're Gonna Get You" (Double Shot, 1966)
Thee Headcoats - "I'm A Confused Man" b/w "Now Your Hunger's Gonna Be A Coming" (SFTRI, 1993)
The Special AKA/The Selecter - "Gangsters" b/w "The Selecter" (original pre-Chrysalis Two Tone pressing, 1979)

Ba ba ba booooom!

Friday Pickups!

subculturedbrooklyn@gmail.com — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 22:19:00 +0000

Hey kids. Picked up a few 45's at little drinking/listening party last night at Moccasin Bend Brewery.

The Piranhas - "Tom Hark" b/w "Getting Beaten Up" (Hansa/Sire, 1980)
The Selecter - "Three Minute Hero" b/w "James Bond" (Two Tone/Chrysalis, 1980)
The Specials - "Ghost Town" b/w "Why" and "Friday Night/Saturday Morning" (Two Tone/Chrysalis, 1981)

Just checking in! Talk at you later!

Not me!

subculturedbrooklyn@gmail.com — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 01:25:00 +0000

Hey hey hey there!

Back in action here on Pure Garbage with another 7-incher for you!

Well well well. Here at Casa De Garbage, we don't try and pigeonhole ourselves with only a single genre of music. While I lean heavily towards the garage punk/r'n'b shouter/soul pounder sounds, I have a secret past.. Well.. Not so secret.

This is the confession of a former punk rocker. Y'know.. Leather, spikes, dumb haircuts, all that mess!

From my mid-teens to my early twenties, I was heavily into (and still really love) UK Oi! and streetpunk from 1980-1985. If it's on Riot City, No Future, Rondelet, or any of those great labels, I was pretty psyched on it. NOW when I listen to it, I'm pretty embarrassed by at least 50% of it.. THAT SAID.. If it's a good record, it's a GOOD RECORD.

Which brings us to this post's 45! It's always a crowd-pleaser when I DJ for the spiky-haired types.

THE EJECTED
"Have You Got 10p?" b/w "Class of '82" and "One of the Boys"
Riot City Records - RIOT14
1982

Personnel:
Jim Brooks - Vocals/Guitar
Gary Sandbrook - Vocals/Bass
Mick Robinson - Drums

Front cover:

Back cover:

The Ejected were a punk band from Dagenham, Essex UK. This is their debut single from 1982 on Riot City Records. It went to number 8 on the UK indie charts with help from an interview in Sounds magazine by streetpunk's champion journalist, Garry Bushell.

Everyone loves a good shout-a-long, and this single delivers in spades! The A-Side is a classic. "Have You Got 10p?" is a little ditty about the asshole that signs on for his dole check and still spares for change outside the show. We all know him, we all hate him. You know he's got the money to get in, but he's still asking you for it. When the song was originally released, fans at Ejected shows would rain 10p coins on the band whenever they played it.

And a little Ejected discography for you:

Singles/EPs:

Have You Got 10p? EP (1982) Riot City (#8)
Noise For The Boys EP (1983) Riot City (#28)
Press The Button EP (1983) Riot City (#32)

Albums:

A Touch of Class (1983) Riot City
The Spirit of Rebellion (1984) Riot City

ANYWAY. Great bouncy punk song here! The chorus of "HAVE YOU GOT 10p?! NO! NOT ME!" is catchy as hell, and when you're slightly drunk, it sounds like they're hollering "HAVE YOU GOT TO PEE?! NO! NOT ME!"

Here's the song for you via YouTube!

Catch you cretins on the B-Side!

-Just Derek

Getting hitched. You should read about me doing that.

subculturedbrooklyn@gmail.com — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 12:35:00 +0000

We've set up a blog for Christina and I's wedding stuff and life things in general..

Check it out!

NEW YORK/OLD SOUTH

First Tennessee harvest!

subculturedbrooklyn@gmail.com — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 20:47:00 +0000

Heya creeps.

Had an awesome day today in Chattanooga! Beautiful weather. The lady and I both have jobs now, so a lot of stress is gone!

My pal George Cee AKA DJ Shimmy and his lovely lady Diane are in town for a wedding and we did some record shopping! Tennessee is a music state, and there are gems out in the wild here!

It was my first trip doing some record buying since we moved here a month and a half ago, and I found some great deals!

Today's haul are all 45's, and there's some POUNDERS:

Rusty Isabell - "Firewater" b/w "The Blast" (Brent, 1959)
David Seville - "Witch Doctor" b/w "Don't Whistle At Me Baby" (Liberty, 1958)
Dave and Ansel Collins - "Double Barrel" b/w "Double Barrel (Instr.)" (Big Tree, 1971)
Johnny and the Hurricanes - "Red River Rock" b/w "Buckeye" (Warwick, 1959)
Robert Parker - "Barefootin'" b/w "Let's Go Baby (Where The Action Is)" (NOLA, 1966)
The Fendermen - "Mule Skinner Blues" b/w "Torture" (Soma, 1960)
The Astronauts - "Hot-Doggin" b/w "Every One But Me" (RCA Victor, 1963)

Also scored some awesome screenprinted gig posters for FREE, including Gentleman Jesse, Gestapo Khazi, and Pierced Arrows!

BLAMMO!

Holler at me!

- Just Derek

R.I.P. King Coleman

subculturedbrooklyn@gmail.com — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 00:25:00 +0000

We lost one of the obscure good'uns on Saturday, September 11, 2010.

Carlton "King" Coleman passed away in Miami, FL at the age of 78.

Coleman was probably best known for singing the vocals on James Brown's "Do The Mashed Potatoes" in 1959. At the time, Brown was going through some legal problems with his label, so the King stepped in to do the minimal vocals on the track.

For those of us that spend our spare moments digging through dusty 45 crates, Coleman is loved for his 1967 POUNDER, "The Boo-Boo Song".

HERE IT IS (please excuse the writing on the sleeve, it makes it easier to find in the dark.. no really):

King Coleman
"The Boo-Boo Song Pt. 1" b/w "The Boo-Boo Song Pt. 2"
King Records - K-45-12301
1967

And here's the King doing the Boo-Boo Song for you to enjoy RIGHT NOW!

So long King, hope yer Boo-Boo'in it somewhere in the great beyond..

New Locale.

subculturedbrooklyn@gmail.com — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 21:43:00 +0000

Hey kids.

Now transmitting from Chattanooga, TN! Love NYC, but couldn't afford it anymore. Getting married in April, so that was a factor too.

Now living in the land of Wal-Mart, mountains, pickup trucks and BBQ!

Check out the new blog that Christina and I have for our fledgling business:

http://secretmissionhq.blogspot.com

Holler!

Yes yes yes!

subculturedbrooklyn@gmail.com — Thu, 20 May 2010 14:14:00 +0000

Heya kids! Long time no see! I know! I've been a bad dad.

Anyway, I'm here now and that's what matters!

Lotsa news on the OTHERMEN front! The record is d-u-n! We're shippin' this baby off to the pressing plant before the end of the month! We should have a hot slab o' wax for you kids just in time for.....

THE 4TH NYC PSYCHOBILLY LUAU!

That's right! Mark yer calendars, July 10th and 11th at the Bell House in beautiful Brooklyn, NYC!

We're playing Saturday the 10th along with the legendary GUANA BATZ, The Goddamn Gallows, the Hypnophonics, The Arkhams, Memphis Morticians, and some other awesome bands!

We're also playing June 11th at Maxwell's in Hoboken with the great Nick Curran and the Lowlifes! It's a Friday night Todd A. "No Glass" Production!

Working a lot, staying busy, the usual.

Other big news that I've neglected to post up here is that I'm getting hitched in April of 2011! Proposed to the girl a couple months ago and she said yeah! Big plans in the works for all that.

More soon, promise!

Stay sick! Turn blue!

-- Just Derek

subculturedbrooklyn@gmail.com — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 00:52:00 +0000

Hey folks! Just a quick update on the band front!

THE OTHERMEN can be heard on the current episode of RADIOBLIVION WITH MICHAEL KAISER! Check it out at http://www.radioblivion.com ! We're on there by request, playing "I Dunno Why" from our forthcoming LP, "Just Pallin' Around With: The Othermen!" on KILLER DILLER RECORDS!

We have some big shows coming up! If you're in the NYC area, come hoot and holler with us!

Peep these flyers!

The April 23rd show at Public Assembly is being filmed for a Killer Diller Records DVD! We have some surprises up our sleeves, so be sure to make it, shake it, and/or break it!

That's all for now folks!

Stay sick! Turn blue!

-- Just Derek

Just tilt your head back, cause this is a high.

subculturedbrooklyn@gmail.com — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 01:31:00 +0000

Here's one outta left field on a lazy Thursday night.

The 'Tone
Wide Eyes and Nonsense
Broken Rekids
1999

Personnel:

Dan Bernstein: Vocals, Guitar
Ben Corrigan: Vocals, Guitar
Bob Butler: Vocals, Bass
Paul Ayriss: Vocals, Drums

This album is somewhat of an anomaly.. It's a late 90's ska-influenced, punk record that DOESN'T SUCK! Go figure!

The 'Tone are a hard band to get any info on.. They put out 2 records.. This is their first.. I can't recall the title of the second one, but it doesn't matter cause it's crap. Ex-Thatcher on Acid frontman Ben Corrigan also fronts this band.

I bought this album on recommendation from the landlord of my local record shop when I was in high school (East Hill CD in Pensacola, FL: Thanks Elvis!) He said if I liked the Clash, the Jam, and the Specials, I should love this record. Guess what! I did! And here I am blogging about it 11 years later!

I somehow get the feeling that the 'Tone are the subculture version of dad rock. They know their roots, and it shows on this recording. Lots of heavy 2-Tone influence along with big nods to the Clash, Stiff Little Fingers, and the Ruts. Good dual vocals from Bernstein and Corrigan on many of the tracks and some fine fine lyrics.

Standout tracks are "Pauline" (a heartfelt ode to Selecter frontwoman Pauline Black) with the great line "A thousand pin badges on junior Chas Smashes, we must've looked a sight..."

"9 to Life" is a great working man song... "They say that life's a lottery and if I were to win it, I'd fill my bath with G&T and dive headfirst right in it.. I used to stay in bed til 5, now I'm signed up 9 to life.."

Two really good covers here as well.. A fantastic version of the Golinski Brothers' "Bloody" and the Slickers' "Johnny Too Bad".

Listening to it now as I type, there's really not a bum track on the whole album. It's a great record to put on at 4AM when you've been on a bender. It's got the reggae hooks to get you dancing, and the punk snarl to keep you kicking holes in the sheetrock. Some songs even have a post-Britpop (whatever that means) feel. I keep being reminded of Blur's "Parklife" album when I put this disc on. I dunno why.

I really have no idea how many copies of this CD-only release are out there.. I see it going for $30 on eBay, which seems high. If you can find a cheap copy, don't hesitate to pick it up, it's really great.

Do you like good music? That sweet soul music?

subculturedbrooklyn@gmail.com — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 02:46:00 +0000

Alright creeps and cretins, this entry is not of a record, but of a sensational DVD for you to grok!

STAX/VOLT REVUE LIVE IN NORWAY 1967
Reelin' In The Years DVD
2007

Tracklisting:

Booker T and the MGs
1. Red Beans And Rice
2. Green Onions

The Mar-Keys
3.Philly Dog
4.Grab This Thing
5.Last Night

Arthur Conley
6.In The Midnight Hour
7.Sweet Soul Music

Eddie Floyd
8. Raise Your Hand

Sam and Dave
9. You Don't Know Like I Know
10. Soothe Me
11. When Something Is Wrong With My Baby
12. Hold On! I'm Comin'

Otis Redding
13.Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song)
14. My Girl
15. Shake
16. Satisfaction
17. Try A Little Tenderness

Well...

What we have here is a true gem of archival footage from Stax Records' heyday. You've got Booker T and the MG's/Mar-Keys as the house band. Those two open the show and then stick around to back up Arthur Conley, Eddie Floyd, Sam and Dave, and Otis.

Booker T. and the MGs were the core of the Stax powerhouse during this time period. You've got Steve Cropper and Donald "Duck" Dunn on guitar and bass, respectively. This duo played on some of the greatest hits of the era. Cropper is credited as co-writer on "In The Midnight Hour" with Wilson Pickett, "Knock On Wood" with Eddie Floyd, and "Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay" with Otis Redding. Duck Dunn played as a session musician not only with the Stax label, but also appeared on tracks with Muddy Waters, Freddie King, Clapton, and countless others.

The MG's section of the footage is great. A good starter with "Red Beans and Rice", and then right into that groove with "Green Onions". They get the Norwegian crowd warmed up in no time.

About the Norwegian crowd... You've got a bunch of good looking kids here who obviously copped their look from Maynard G. Krebs off of the Dobie Gillis show. Pretty wild beatnik goatees and lots of go-go boots. They really start to get wild, and I'm sure this was the first time that any of them had experienced a show of this magnitude. I mean, it's a package tour.. With Otis Redding, and Sam and Dave, and god-DAMN Arthur Conley. In OSLO NORWAY. They had their Scandinavian minds blown big-time with this one, kids.

Onward and upward with the Mar-Keys (the MGs with a horn section). Their classic single "Philly Dog" is the stand-out here.

Then it happens. Arthur Conley bounds onto the stage and completely DESTROYS Norway. The man goes from excited to downright SWEATY in about thirty seconds. He only gets 2 songs worth, but he's stripping off his jacket one song in. By the way, those two songs are his version of Wilson Pickett's "Midnight Hour" (which POUNDS) and his classic, classic single "Sweet Soul Music" (how often do artists these days write songs giving props to bands/singers they like?). "Sweet Soul Music" absolutely tears it down, folks.

Next up is Eddie Floyd (who was technically on Atlantic at the time), doing "Raise Your Hand". Floyd enters here as a dark horse and has the crowd in a frenzy by the time he's done. Unbelievable.

Sam and Dave. Jesus H. Here are two men that hated each other for most of their years together as one of the greatest soul acts in history. Offstage, they wouldn't speak to each other, onstage, they were magic. This performance is ridiculous. Coordinated dance moves, frenetic footwork, and some of the best soul shouting ever put on tape. Every song is incredible, and it would almost have to be, because goddammit.. You're the act that leads up to....

Otis Redding.

This is where I find myself in a dilemma of epic proportions. Otis is one of those acts that is incredibly hard to write about. I've hit the same brick wall when trying to write about Lux and Ivy, Joe Strummer, or any other act that has made such a mark on my life. What can you say that hasn't been said already? There are no artists today that can compare. This footage was shot on April 7, 1967. Just a little over 7 months before Otis' death on December 10, 1967. When he poured out the five hits on this DVD, he was TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OLD. Ladies and gentlemen... I am 29 years of age, and it makes me feel like I've wasted my entire life. Legendary. That's all that can really be said.

And there's a special treat with this entry...

The near-complete footage has been put up on YouTube by some kind soul.

Here it is, as a 6-parter in vivid black and white. Enjoy.

And that's my super-soul Monday mash-up for you ingrates!

I promise to be more timely with my posts (yeah, yeah.. we've all heard that before).

Stay sick, turn blue!

-Just Derek