Movie of the Week: Your Mind and We Belong Together (Love, 1968)

Zombie Dance: The Cramps at Club 57 (Irving Plaza), 1979

Club 57, NYC, August 18, 1979
01. Mystery Plane 2:53
02. Domino 3:09
03. Twist And Shout 2:44
04. Weekend On Mars 2:36
05. Voodoo Idol 3:35
06. Zombie Dance 2:08
07. Rockin’ Bones 2:39
08. Human Fly 2:26
09. Garbageman 3:34
10. Teenage Werewolf 3:33
11. Sunglasses After Dark 4:02
12. TV Set 3:56
13. The Way I Walk 3:46

Studio demos, June 1977
14. Love Me 2:11
15. Teenage Werewolf 4:07
16. Sunglasses After Dark 4:31
17. TV Set 3:21
18. What’s Behind The Mask 3:11

Studio demos, February 1979
19. Twist And Shout 2:37
20. Rockin’ Bones 2:28
21. Mad Daddy 3:11
22. Teenage Werewolf 3:08

Grab it here.

New Documentary Alert - The Seeds: Pushin' Too Hard

Here's a cool doc to keep an eye out for over the next few months. The Seeds: Pushin' Too Hard appears to be produced by their old, and still in business, record label, GNP Crescendo, and looks promising.

GNP Crescendo on Facebook / Website

Ray Manzarek RIP

Ray Manzarek - RIP

Make Yourself Uncomfortable (1981)

Promo poster for The Cramps' Psychedelic Jungle, IRS Records, 1981. Source.

On the scene: Black Angels, Webster Hall, NYC, April 8 by Liz Maher

On a stage sprayed with galactic swirling lights, the Black Angels opened their Webster Hall 4/8/13 gig with the heralding humming vocals of Vikings from Directions To See A Ghost. “Gonna bommmb you tiiillll Tuuuessday” Was this a clarion call to psych the hoi polloi, or just an attempt to persuade NYU Carlyle Court sophomores to buy fanboy merchandise? Maybe both. All those distortion devices cost money, and the BAs have tons of them. God knows how they move about onstage without tripping on a Maestro Fuzz fuzz pedal, Big Muff or something-they do look like so many mousetraps after a few shots. The paradox is it now takes high-tech digital processors to recreate low tech psycho grunge – like playing in a $5 million garage.

BAs are psych rockers hailing from Austin, Texas. Forget Portlandia, Austin is America’s permanent college town; so no wonder they prefer everything distorted. Predictably, our little Bad Asses met in college about ten years ago, probably in a Sabine Equation study group, and parodying the old joke about a second date, a U-Haul and a 40 oz., all moved into the same house. The result was their own mini-psych cult/band which reincarnates the less frightening elements of those other Texas psych band of yore, the 13th Floor Elevators, and Billy Gibbons' old band, Moving Sidewalks, who in some quantum magic afterlife, actually have been reincarnated. This new jangle fuzz (I invented this genre: main guitar is a Rick!) group are hosting Psych Festival - Year 6 in Austin at the end of April just in time to be bombed into obliteration by North Korea’s Kim Jong Un where everyone can look up and like really dig those cool missiles and the sense of temporality they portend. How ironic this makes all their anti-war songs: After the last t-shirt is sold there will be eternal peace. Continued after the jump.

Movie of the Week: The Wild Angels (1966)

 

Here's another Roger Corman-directed treat. This time in partnership with Peter Bogdanovich, and starring Peter Fonda, Bruce Dern, Nancy Sinatra, and Diane Ladd. Most of the psych/surf soundtrack was done by Davie Allen and the Arrows, and has become something of a cult hit in itself.

Movie of the Week: The Trip (1967)

Produced & directed by Roger Corman. Written by Jack Nicholson. Starring Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, Susan Strasberg and Bruce Dern. And music by The Electric Flag. Who could ask more? Well, I could, but I won't harsh your mellow...Groovy, man...

Shot by: Kate Simon

Kevin Ayers in the Seventies in London by Kate Simon

After hearing about Kevin Ayer's very recent passing, Kate Simon was kind enough to send me this beautiful shot of him from the 1970's. She said, "I photographed him innumerable times, and was at the historic June 1, 1974 show he did at The Rainbow with Cale, Nico, and Eno.  He was a stunning musical and personal presence."

Thanks Kate!

Kevin Ayers RIP

Kevin Ayers - RIP

Soft Machine: Robert Wyatt, Mike Ratledge, Kevin Ayers, and Daevid Allen

Shuggie Otis at the Highline Ballroom

Shuggie at the Highline Ballroom by Marnie Joyce for Depth of Field

"...an amazing show, a triumphant return from a long-lost master.  And yes, he played ‘Strawberry Letter 23′ as the encore.  And yes, it was everything you could hope for." Read Patrick's full review of the recent Shuggie Otis show at the Highline Ballroom, as well seeing a whole bunch more terrific photos, here.

Pre-order the new reissue of Inspiration Information/Wings Of Love here. It will be released on April 16.

Friday Ephemera: The Cramps business card

Shot by: Stephanie Chernikowski

The Cramps as they appeared in the September 1981 issue of New York Rocker. 

Shot by Stephanie Chernikowski.

Movie of the Week: Love Live In Copenhagen (1970)

The Four Sail-era line-up of Love in Copenhagen, 1970. Wow! This line-up was comprised of
Arthur Lee, Gary Rowles, Frank Fayad & George Suranovich

Download here, info here.

Hat tip to Dangerous Minds

Seasonal Playlist: The Purple Knif Show by Lux Interior (1984)

I first heard this a few years back, and its always worth revisiting. Especially this time of year. Thanks to Aquarium Drunkard and Doom & Gloom From the Tomb for reposting. Grab the entire thing here.

01. One Way Streets, The – Jack the Ripper
02. Swamp Rats, The – Louie Louie
03. J.J. Jackson – Oma Liddy
04. Trashmen, The – Bird ’65
05. Sparkles, The – Oh, Girls, Girls
06. Link Wray – The Fuss
07. Bill Carter And The Rovin’ Gamblers – Baby Brother
08. Tides – Midnight Limbo
09. Earl Hagan & The Interns – New Interns Watusi
10. Mad Mike And The Maniacs – The Hunch
11. Billy Strange – 007 Theme
12. Ted Weems & His Orchestra – Heartaches
13. Ray Anthony – Dragnet
14. Grady O’Neal & The Bellatones – Turkey Neck Stretch
15. Enchanters – Cafe Bohemian
16. Jam Space & The Cadets – Take Me To Your Leader Chachacha
17. Archie Bleyer – Fernandos Hideaway
18. Vic Mizzy – Addams Family Theme
19. Spark Plugs – Chicken
20. Frantics – The Whip
21. 5 Blobs – The Blob
22. Unknown Artist – Miller Beer Commercial
23. Ward Darby And The Raves – Safari
24. Cozy Cole – Topsy Pt. II
25. Deadly Ones – It’s Monster Surfing Time

Friday Ephemera: Songs The Lord Taught Us (1980)

The Cramps Songs The Lord Taught Us LP/Tour Ad from NME, March 1980 via Zombies En El Ghetto

The Rolling Stones 2000 Light Years From Home video (1967)

Movie of the Week - The Cramps Live at Napa State Mental Hospital

This classic has been around for years. Recorded in 1978 (yes, at a real honest-to-god mental hospital), and originally released by Target Video back in the netherworld of 1981, its not exactly a rarity, but it certainly could use more exposure. Recently located online...hat tip to DM for the post.

Beat Jazz movie of the week - Grind Mix #1 (NSFW)

An amazing collage of film, and garage/psych/go-go/R&B. The last cut, by the Hollywood Persuaders, is one of my "go to" tracks when DJ'ing. Great stuff:

01. Congawa - The Zirkons
02. Jibba Jab - Tic & Toc
03. Groovy - The Groovers
04. Thunderbird - The Casual-Aires
05. Little Girl - John & Jackie
06. Take It Off - The Genteels
07. Crackin’ Up - Famen
08. Elevator Jam - The 13th Floor Elevators
09. Mr. Man - The Lyrics
10. Gotta Find Her - Pat Farrell
11. Why - Dirty Wurds
12. 1523 Blair - The Outcasts
13. Don’t Lose Your Mind - The Galaxies IV
14. Generation - The Jelly Bean Bandits
15. Joustabout - The Triumphs
16. Trashcan - Ken Williams
17. Drums A-Go-Go - The Hollywood Persuaders


via DM

The Artist Formerly Known As Captain Beefheart

Here's a nice little flick for the weekend - The Artist Formerly Known As Captain Beefheart - a great BBC documentary from 1997, narrated by John Peel, featuring the good Captain, Frank Zappa, Ry Cooder and others. Playlisted in 6 parts. Dig it.