QUASI AT THE QUACKADERO - SAY GOODBYE TO YOUR MIND

Sally Cruikshank's classic psychedelic cartoon from 1975 featuring music by Bob Armstrong and Al Dodge. You can purchase a DVD-R straight from http://www.funonmars.com/po... which includes more cartoons featuring Quasi, Anita, and Rolo! While you're there be sure to see what else she's been up to lately. http://www.funonmars.com/

WHAT A THING to throw on your buddies at 4 am in the morning after a night of frat fueled angst and rebellion. This cartoon popped up one night many years ago.... and I was in no frame of mind to appreciate or make sense out of it. Sort of like now.......

There is a story here, I'm sure of it,....right?

This music brings back some strange memories. The never ending strolling pan of images is easily the weirdest sequence in this "thing". No wait I take that back, the big melon headed guy is more disturbing, no wait..... the monkey woman is more disturbing.... no wait...
Oh .... forget it.

What are YOUR thoughts?
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Ted Cantu is the creator of http://www.beautyloungestore.com he has contributed to several blogs and podcasts such as…..http://911copywriters.podomatic.com. He served as a top rated art director for Interactive Web Marketing groups in Chicago and New York City.

QUASI AT THE QUACKADERO

THE HUMAN LEAGUE - SYNTH HELL

1983 - THE AGE OF TOLERANCE

Its amazing how many UK pop acts saw the light of day in America. This was partly due to MTV and partly due to the fact that we didn't have any of our own rock videos to put on. This was before we pumped 40 million dollars into forgettable Whitesnake fanfare and Guns and Roses remakes of Wings songs etc.

The videos that did infiltrate our airwaves were low budget but full of style. The music seemed very foreign to me. In a lot of ways I felt assaulted culturally. But this song in particular used to embarrass the hell out of me to no end - especially around members of the opposite sex. They used to blare this tune when I went rollerskating. YES. Exactly, what the hell was I doing rollerskating in the first place ... right kids?

I didn't understand it, I didn't want to understand it I just knew this wasn't a manly rock song of any sort. SO as a kid I wanted nothing to do with it whatsoever. Later I realized that this song was somewhat likeable and I would grow to miss it. Unfortunately for me this song is anchored to some bleak years when I lived in the Virginia countryside where I would get warm wind gusts of fresh cow manure and get attacked by five inch long flesh eating dragonflies in my backyard swimming pool, (my only oasis in such a desolate place).

Other than all that.. I DIG THE HUMAN LEAGUE...... (MAN !!!)
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Ted Cantu is the creator of http://www.beautyloungestore.com he has contributed to several blogs and podcasts such as…..http://911copywriters.podomatic.com. He served as a top rated art director for Interactive Web Marketing groups in Chicago and New York City.

THE HUMAN LEAGUE - FASCINATION

DEXYS MIDNIGHT RUNNERS -- WOT IS THIS?

When this first came on in 1983 my buddies howled with laughter. Why?

Because it wasn't "HEAVY METAL !!!!"

YEAH NO KIDDING.... !!!!


I have to admit I was a little intrigued. What curious music. This was before, "The Cure" stamped their seal of approval over anything that was "different" or "goth" etc. In other words, this was before the alternative movement bored the crap out of everyone. Had this come out during all that hypey rant and rave hoohah this may have been ignored.

I was glad Kevin Rowland showed up when he did. I was suffering through American radio with Leo Sayer and Kenny Loggins....... I was ready for anything. Not necessarily this... but I gave it a fair shake....

I even bought this album. I don't remember a whole lot about it but something traumatic must of happened to the singer. Side two of this tape bummed me out for some reason. So I only played this song and the classic, "Im In Heaven, (Whenever You Smile). That song was featured on BBC's THE YOUNG ONES..... and it fit in nicely.

They had a manic impulse to them that anchored them to that era, and the Young Ones show in general. It was fun music even if I didn't completely understand it. I remember when the singer was warbling about Johnny Ray ... (I had no idea who he even was) one of my metal buddies goes.. "OH MAN.. WHO IS THIS FRUIT?". I was curious who this band was or what they were trying to accomplish. I mean... It couldn't have been world domination.... could it?

They released another album after this that basically tanked. Then it went back into the vaults. This track got some air after it was released by Time and Life records.
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Ted Cantu works out of Detroit, MI and Chicago, IL

DEXYS MIDNIGHT RUNNERS - COME ON EILEEN

STUMP - THE LUXURY OF BEING DERANGED...

LIVE FROM LONDON

From London. Led by Mick Lynch (vocals) with Kev Hopper (bass), Chris Salmon (guitar) and Rob McKahey (drums). A quirky group, known mostly for the anti-American hit "Buffalo". 1986-88.

From the album, "A Fierce Pancake"
Was this song ever loved? By Anyone?

Well it was by me but I haven't heard it being talked about by too many people. It was odd. But the dancing was divine. What funky movements..... the lyrics, nonsensical which is appropriate for any pop band. The hair cuts scream 1987 -1989. THOSE WERE NECESSARY.

I particulary like how the camera is not very stationary throughout the whole video. I like how the band seems to be mismatched fashionwise. The singer is not concerned that he is somewhat of an odd ball in his ripped up T-shirt. I like his toothy grins and he seems to be oblivious whether he gains any fans or not...... Note to self, I never bothered to see if these guys ever made it to Top of the Pops. My guess is that they probably didn't.

But adore them just the same.
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Ted Cantu works out of Detroit, MI and Chicago, IL

STUMP - BUFFALO

THE CHARLTANS UK - MADCHESTER

SPROSTON GREEN (sigh)

its stood the test of time and is still fantastic. The split second shot of singer Tim Burgess looking all bummed out and contemplative is identical to Andy Partridge of XTC on the Skylarking inner sleave as if to say..... "When will my genius be discovered or realized?"..... or to put it another way... the nervous cover shot of the Smiths release, "THE WORLD WON'T LISTEN".

Either way, a substantial effort all around.

Its hard to be super critical of this band when every day people contribute so little. These guys have given their fans a lot of "meat" over the years. Every once in a while this band will crank out some drizzley forgettable garble but not very often. Their normal speed of operendi is KICKED UP ROCK OVERDRIVE.....

This video is early from what I can tell. It could be their first introduction to the US. The haircuts are kind of a give away. I never knew what the singer looked like and was somewhat stunned to find out he was very elfish in appearance. Then I was further stunned to find out that he was so depressing. They had something to say about their glum view on life - they didn't hide from anything and what they delivered was very real.

This is from the album, Some Friendly.... and its still very good. I got the tracks memorized.
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ed Cantu works out of Detroit, MI and Chicago, IL

THE CHARLATANS UK - SPROSTON GREEN

THE WHO - LIVE ON THE SMOTHERS BROTHERS SHOW - 1967

THE WHO - LIVE ON THE SMOTHERS BROTHERS SHOW

What a disaster. I mean its a great show but its a miracle anyone didn't get seriously dismembered or killed! Keith Moon put a couple of kegs of dynamite into his bass drum.... literally. When it went off Pete Townshend lost part of his hearing and his arm was pelted with tiny shards of
cymbol. Depending on who you talk to its still lodged
into the flesh of his arm. John Entwistle, the bassist, seems bored while all of this is going on or maybe he's just used to it.

Roger Daltrey is doing his best to look like either Florence Henderson or Mrs. Reed Richards, (The Invisible Girl) from the Fantastic Four comics. That hair is unmistakebly from a 60's astronaut housewife who holds Tupperware parties and serves powdered Tang. Its odd, its kooky..... its.... THE WHO.

This was as close to a Hannah Barbara cartoon as I could get. Besides looking totally goofy and gangly they were all sexually frustrated. As a kid I clung to them for dear life because they became heros of mine. I could somehow relate to them -- that is -- when I could figure out what they were ranting about.

The other song they did on the Smothers Brothers show was, "I Can See For Miles". This was their first television appearance in America. From here they went on to play the Filmore and do a mini tour. These shows were little more than 2 1/2 minutes of about 5 songs and they would smash up their gear and leap off the stage.

This is the opening scene for the newly restored dvd release, "THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT". That movie features all the television spots, videos and some live performances. They left out all the tracks from, "Quadrophenia" which is a shame because that is their most prolific project.
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Ted Cantu is the creator of http://www.beautyloungestore.com he has contributed to several blogs and podcasts such as…..http://911copywriters.podomatic.com. He served as a top rated art director for Interactive Web Marketing groups in Chicago and New York City.

THE WHO - MY GENERATION - 1967

ARCTIC MONKEYS - HEH

FROM THE GONZO TOUR IN 2005

I must admit when I first heard of these guys in the NME I didn't have much hope. The pictures of the band looked like cheeky high school pics. But yet they were grabbing a lot of headlines with the Babyshambles. IN FACT, I accidently thought that, "Certain Romance" was actually a Babyshambles tune. WRONG.

This is excitement on another level. This is the Arctic Monkeys.... WHOOPS. I made that error after I listened to a handful of their tracks and this was the only one that didn't quite fit in. Hey, it can happen to anyone... right?

This song - and video - have a multi-layered feel for different styles of music. It goes from unbelievably hard, to ska, to Beatles, to an all out thrashy throw down. Its got a blend of Quadrophenic overtones to this entire thing that makes it quite irristible to me.

The lyrics slay me......
"....over theres broken bones, but theres only music so that theres new ring tones....."

"...theres boys in bands, and kids who like to scrap with pool cues in their hands...."

Man... this is brutal stuff but its NEEDED.

We get layered styles of music too in American bands. They start out boring, with two chords, mumble some depressing lyrics, then it gets hard, then it goes back to the quiet part, and the craps out like a diseased fart.

I seriously stopped remembering the names of a lot of todays, "TOP TALENT" in American rock radio. I'll only offer the effort of remembering them if they are in the least bit intersting like the Arctic Monkeys.
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Ted Cantu is the creator of http://www.beautyloungestore.com he has contributed to several blogs and podcasts such as…..http://911copywriters.podomatic.com. He served as a top rated art director for Interactive Web Marketing groups in Chicago and New York City.

ARCTIC MONKEYS - A CERTAIN ROMANCE

THE TRUTH - PLAYGROUND ON IRS RECORDS

THE TRUTH - PLAYGROUND
ON IRS RECORDS......

Let the graphics roll... the video is in here, I promise.
Its from 1985.

Whenever I heard the words .. NOW ON IRS RECORDS.. that was a cue for me to grab whatever money I could find and head down to the record store and blow it.. PRONTO! And did I buy this R & B classic ? YES MA'AM.

I remember this video and I didn't think I would ever see it again. But this is a clip from Back Porch Video from my Ann Arbor days..... so thank God it existed. This band was a formulation of some left over guys from Ten Below Zero.

Does this type of sound work? I can't speak for everyone but I personally loved this album.... which was named PLAYGROUND after the single. This thing is good for a number of reasons... its got a WHO type sound, it pounds, it rocks and its got this great rolling drum solo in the middle. Its strong enough to stand on its own. The rest of this album is worth it too, every song on here is really good, if you can find it.

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Ted Cantu is the creator of http://www.beautyloungestore.com he has contributed to several blogs and podcasts such as…..http://911copywriters.podomatic.com. He served as a top rated art director for Interactive Web Marketing groups in Chicago and New York City.

THE TRUTH - PLAYGROUND

THE SEX PISTOLS - PERFECTING THE SWINDLE

"ALAS.. IT WAS NEVER MEANT TO BE
But for what it was -- I considered the whole damn thing pretty fantastic."

You're going to laugh but Ten Pole Tudor was my favorite singer in the Sex Pistols. I know he only sang on the title track and some of the demos and only played with them.... twice? But still he was my favorite. I liked the line up... Sid Vicious, Steve Jones, Ten Pole Tudor and Paul Cook ... that was a good one....

Still, better yet I liked Cook and Jones with the Nazi singer and the Ronnie Biggs,.. the Great Train Robber..... Thats some good entertainment kids......

I felt somewhat ripped off that these strange ensembles couldnt have recorded full albums and went on tour. By this time the joke was completely over and there was no chance for a tour after that San Francisco gig. By 1978, the joke was over.

Ten Pole Tudor was crazier looking than Sid Vicious which was pretty hard to do at the time. He was scary. I had listened to the soundtrack hundreds of time but to see this all unfold visually for the first time was completely explosive. I had no idea this is how they really looked. Seriously, since the Pistols there hasn't been another group of young ruffians with much shock appeal. We're not talking heavy make up or big theatrics. They just looked like malnourished schizophrenic psychopaths.

Here's the Interview:
Was the audition as it was portrayed in the film?
Pretty much. The Sex Pistols weren't there on the initial day. They whittled it down to the final four or something, to do it the next day with the Pistols. The Pistols were miming, with each of us doing (singing) a version of the Rock 'n' Roll Swindle track, and they spliced it up. The audition is as seen in the film, but all cut together.

I was intrigued as to when the lead vocals were recorded. Were they recorded the day before?
They were recorded live over the backing track that was already recorded. When we turned up, they gave us all a cassette to listen to a recording of the song, Rock 'n' Roll Swindle, with just Steve singing it. We had to learn it, we all had a sheet with the words on it. They gave us an hour or two to swot up on it, before we actually did it on stage.

Who auditioned you the day before? Julien Temple?
Yeah. We had to do that. This was the first day, the opening gambit. I'd been at drama school and the audition was in a theatre, therefore I went in through the stage door. All the other lads piled in the front and they were sitting around in the stalls waiting their turn. A man with a clipboard was saying "What's your name, who's next?" So I went in at the stage door and found my way to the stage and made a massive entrance! If you're on stage you've got the attention of the entire theatre.
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It would be the last time Vicious, Cook and Jones would ever see eachother again. Sid left for America right after this was shot. When he came to New York City with Nancy Spungeon the two of them spiraled down lifes ladder on a heroin binge that ended up finishing them both.

On a far lighter note, "The Swindle" takes a big part of what made the punk movement fun in the first place. The opening shots of Picadilly Square were just weeks after the mayhem settled down. I like it because its got kind of a documentary - (you were there....) kinda feeling to it. Even if it was manufactured culture its got an Andy Kaufman approach to it. The joke was on the record companies and the stuck up crowd.

This film stands up even today as a monumental achievement. Especially for the burst of creativity for what it created years after, (not including the 90's of course).
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Ted Cantu is the creator of http://www.beautyloungestore.com he has contributed to several blogs and podcasts such as…..http://911copywriters.podomatic.com. He served as a top rated art director for Interactive Web Marketing groups in Chicago and New York City.

SEX PISTOLS - GREAT ROCK AND ROLL SWINDLE

DANDY WARHOLS - if you can get past the name.....

The Dandy Warhols are an alternative rock band formed in Portland, Oregon by Courtney Taylor-Taylor (formerly Courtney Taylor) (vocals, guitar), Zia McCabe (keyboard), Peter Holmström (guitar), and Eric Hedford (drums). When Hedford left in 1998, Taylor-Taylor's cousin Brent De Boer replaced him as drummer. The band's name is a play on the name of pop artist Andy Warhol.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

ANOTHER GREAT EXPORT FROM PORTLAND

I thought Portland was just known for great independent beer. Turns out these guys are also known for kicking out a great tune or two from the Dandy Warhols. I didn't know Portland had the imagination to crank out a band like the Warhols. I must admit I've admired these guys as soon as I got a hold of their second album.

They are fairly prolific too. They have been turning out an album every year on the average throughout the 2000's. And thats a great thing because these guys have a lot of musical fuel built into their songs. I never get tired of listening to them.

The WB network seems to agree with me on this one. The "Bohemian Like You" song has been featured on a lot of promo clips where it serves as the music bed.
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Ted Cantu is the creator of http://www.beautyloungestore.com he has contributed to several blogs and podcasts such as…..http://911copywriters.podomatic.com. He served as a top rated art director for Interactive Web Marketing groups in Chicago and New York City.

DANDY WARHOLS - BOHEMIAN LIKE YOU

GARBAGE - MISERY

Watching this video of Garbage is kind of like making Jumbalaya with all the wrong ingredients. This is a perfectly good rock song ruined by a terminally ill video. Its got great elements but its mixed together somewhat unevenly.

Its a 1995 song, and for its theme it serves as somewhat of a bright spot.

The 90's were a pretty miserable decade all around. This is a notch up from Hole thematically. But what saves it is the great musical sensibility. The sound is uniquely their own. Unfortunately for the rest of the bands from this period they failed to take note of what makes the Garbage sound -- enjoyable?

Garbage... II... aptly named Garbage 2.0. was actually a pretty decent effort as well.

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Ted Cantu is the creator of http://www.beautyloungestore.com he has contributed to several blogs and podcasts such as…..http://911copywriters.podomatic.com. He served as a top rated art director for Interactive Web Marketing groups in Chicago and New York City.

GARBAGE - IM ONLY HAPPY WHEN IT RAINS

HOT HOT HEAT - MORE PLEASE

Hot Hot Heat is a band from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. The band currently comprises Steve Bays (vocals and keyboards), Paul Hawley (drums) and Dustin Hawthorne (bass). Luke Paquin (guitar) is currently touring with the band.

Hot Hot Heat Split The Red Light Sting (2000)
Scenes One Through Thirteen (2001)
Make Up the Breakdown (2002)
Elevator (2005)
EPs
4 Song 7" (1999)
3 Song 7" (2001)
Knock Knock Knock (2002)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Another amazing band from Canada. Besides Sloan and the Superfrenz I think these guys "GOT IT". Sure its repetitive, over the top and a bit irritating but so is a lot of pop bands on the market. They are a Sub Pop band and I find this second wave of acts far more fulfilling than the first wave, (Nirvana, Mudhoney, 8 Way Santa etc. Tad, you know what I mean).... its almost as if these guys actually have something on their minds...... I even liked Seaweed, another minor bright moment in the Sub Pop history.
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Ted Cantu is the creator of http://www.beautyloungestore.com he has contributed to several blogs and podcasts such as…..http://911copywriters.podomatic.com. He served as a top rated art director for Interactive Web Marketing groups in Chicago and New York City.

HOT HOT HEAT - BANDAGES

GENE GENE THE DANCING MACHINE - LIVE ON STAGE

"KNOCK YOURSELF OUT CHUCKIE BABY !!!"

They don't make television like this anymore. Maybe thats a good thing. In 1976 - 1979 -- THIS WAS IT. Game show host, Chuck Barris, led a total sham on network television called, "The Gong Show". The early years were great. The acts were goofy and there was this great void of seriousness.

Gene Gene was always brought back on the show right before they would cut to commercial.

The later years had a lot of people doing soul songs. Then this thing turned into an elevated talent show. It lost its goofy edge. And in that I think it lost its innocence.

Later after the Gong Show had long faded into memory Barris came back with a shocking revelation. He claimed he worked as an international hit man for the CIA. His book and film, "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind" is just as weird as the show. It was strange for another reason because his claims just didn't seem plausible.
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Ted Cantu is the creator of http://www.beautyloungestore.com he has contributed to several blogs and podcasts such as…..http://911copywriters.podomatic.com. He served as a top rated art director for Interactive Web Marketing groups in Chicago and New York City.

GENE GENE - THE DANCING MACHINE - 1977

CRANK YANKERS - WE NEED YOU

MAKE WAY FOR THE CRANK YANKERS.......

This show had a short run - a couple of years - but it was the bright spot of the millenium. They should have kept this one going for a while. This Comedy Central show featured a lot of real prank phone calls and a variety of twisted muppet type creations reenacting the mayhem.


The clips featuring Special Ed are repetitive but are worth watching. Tenacious D was featured on this program and so were Gilbert Gottfried, Dom Irera, and the guys from the Man Show.
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Ted Cantu is the creator of http://www.beautyloungestore.com he has contributed to several blogs and podcasts such as…..http://911copywriters.podomatic.com. He served as a top rated art director for Interactive Web Marketing groups in Chicago and New York City.

CRANK YANKERS - SPECIAL ED WANTS TO GO TO HAWAII

THE BUZZCOCKS - UNCOMPROMISING

"..ever fallen in love with someone you shouldn't have fallen in LOVE WITH !!!???"
PETER SHELLEY

What a question.... what a song! Yeesh. These guys still got it. Its raw, its raucuss unrelenting sound drives into your subconscious brain and won't let go. Its just as big now as it was then in 1977. These guys still tour although when they got back together in 1988 I thought it was a fluke. As late as 2006 they are still touring and the sound is tremendous.

But the good news is that these guys seem as though they are here to stay. To prove my point check out the live DVD. A word of caution. Take it easy if this turns into a TV party and you are serving drinks. You'll get so caught up with listening to the old songs like, "Ever Fallen In Love", "Noise Annoys", "Orgasm Addict" and "Give It To Me" that you will end up with a wicked hangover........

Its more than just reconstituted teenage angst... this stuff will move you.
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Ted Cantu is the creator of http://www.beautyloungestore.com he has contributed to several blogs and podcasts such as…..http://911copywriters.podomatic.com. He served as a top rated art director for Interactive Web Marketing groups in Chicago and New York City.

THE BUZZCOCKS - EVER FALLEN IN LOVE

THE CLOSE LOBSTERS -

An unfortunately short-lived but utterly wonderful neo-psychedelic jangle pop band, the Close Lobsters only managed two albums and an EP in their brief career, but all three releases are brilliant, some of the best music of the late-'80s U.K. indie scene.

The Close Lobsters were formed in the Scottish village of Paisley (prophetically enough, given the band's psychedelic tendencies) in 1985 by singer Andrew Burnett and drummer Stewart McFayden. The pair couldn't decide between the names the Close and the Lobsters and simply combined the two for their nonsensical but evocative handle. Adding guitarists Tom Donnelly and Graeme Wilmington, plus Burnett's brother Robert on bass, the Close Lobsters gained some early notoriety when their song "Fire Station Towers" showed up on the legendary New Musical Express cassette C-86, which lent its name to an entire movement of post-punk guitar bands.

The Close Lobsters had a greater commitment to melody than most of the C-86 bands, though, as shown on their first single, "Going to Heaven to See If It Rains," which was released in November 1986. A second single, "Never Seen Before," appeared in April 1987, with a superior re-recorded version of "Fire Station Towers" and a cover of the Only Ones' "Wide Waterways" on the flip.

Source AOL Music
==============================
I liked the track, "What is there to Smile About?". I wish I could feature the video for THAT song instead of this release. But no worries, this one is pretty good. The visuals work really nice and there is some thought put into this.

I remember seeing these guys on 120 Minutes and I ran out to PJ's Records in Ann Arbor and pulled out one of their EPs. The video inspired me because of the clothes they wore and the singers hair looked very angular.. very geometric, (think Anvil).

"Going To Heaven To See If It Rains" is another great track thats worth hunting down. These guys have an incredibly good sense of imagination with their sound.
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Ted Cantu is the creator of http://www.beautyloungestore.com he has contributed to several blogs and podcasts such as…..http://911copywriters.podomatic.com. He served as a top rated art director for Interactive Web Marketing groups in Chicago and New York City.

THE CLOSE LOBSTERS - NEVER SEEN BEFORE

AMAZULU - OUT OF PRINT BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

This album is A RARE TREAT!

It goes for about $200 bucks online because it is so rare but dont worry .... I found a place where you can get it for $12 bucks!!

This UK Reggae sensation was a bright spot in the mid-80s. They were featured on THE YOUNG ONES on the BBC, (the wild comedy show of that era). What a band and what an uplifting sound. The song MOONLIGHT ROMANCE is a personal favorite because it is so charged and full of life.

This sound is kind of the soundtrack to The Young Ones over all presence. There is a jazzy reggae type of rythym to the show and Amazulu was a perfect fit. Reggae was the REAL soundtrack to the Punk Rock movement when the bands weren't playing.

WHY? You might ask?

There weren't any punk albums when the scene broke wide open. The scene was too new and none of the bands were signed. It was a very explosive time and an exciting one. The film, "Sid and Nancy" kind of acknowledges this by featuring reggae songs in the early scenes when the bands weren't belting out their rampage on stage.

It all seems very natural -- and uplifting.

Get it here.... the whole album.. CHEAP !!!
Album Amazulu by Amazulu - AOL Music
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Ted Cantu is the creator of http://www.beautyloungestore.com he has contributed to several blogs and podcasts such as…..http://911copywriters.podomatic.com. He served as a top rated art director for Interactive Web Marketing groups in Chicago and New York City.

AMAZULU - TO GOOD TO BE FORGOTTEN

THE RAMONES - RIP

ITS AMAZING WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS AND SOME CHANGE

You may even become Imortale.. like the Ramones. The song, "Rock and Roll High School" was also a film in 1979 and got the attention of Roger Corman. The song is listenable, the film is unwatchable and only kicks into high gear when the high school blows up in a fury of flames and explosions.

The Ramones started their entire recording career with a six thousand dollar investment. Pretty amazing.
Whats more amazing is that Phil Spector produced the album, "End of the Century". You can find Rock and Roll High School on it. I found the album so 60-ish that I actually thought it was a bunch of out of work Broadway actors trying to score a few quick bucks. I didn't think that an authentic gritty punk band had the smarts to pull off a 60's type sound. If you have ever seen footage from their film they didn't look very smart. "End of the Century" has a strong 6o's feel to it that the other Ramones albums seriously lack.

But they did look like some of the guys I grew up with in the east coast.

Oddly, this song didn't appeal to me when I actually attended high school. I couldn't relate to owning a GTO, etc. This outdated view on teenage life was like a message from another decade.... try the 1950's. I didn't grow up on the set of, "Happy Days". What were these guys babbling about?

I had to get into a certain frame of mind to enjoy them. I liked seeing them play live though and I finally got a chance to see the orignal line up at the Michigan State Fair of all places where yours truly lost a shoe in the pit.
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Ted Cantu is the creator of http://www.beautyloungestore.com he has contributed to several blogs and podcasts such as…..http://911copywriters.podomatic.com. He served as a top rated art director for Interactive Web Marketing groups in Chicago and New York City.

THE RAMONES - ROCK AND ROLL HIGH SCHOOL

THE NEW YORK DOLLS - THE REAL THING

THE NEW YORK DOLLS - TRASH

Trash, wont pick it up
Take them lights away
Trash, wont pick it up
Dont take your life away
Trash, dont try to take my life away
And please dontcha ask me if I love you
(Lyrics)

These guys were the real reckless deal. Before Punk Rock even had a name these guys were the New York City scene. They snarled, wore makeup, were cross gender friendly, ugly, tough and they were doing all of this before KISS.

Sid Vicious, of the Sex Pistols, adored these guys. So did Morrissey of the Smiths. Morrissey was the president of the New York Dolls fanclub in Manchster England at age 14. And all of this gained the attention of Malcom McLaren who was looking for a band to manage. McLaren was really interested in fabricating a band of his own in England that were even more outrageous than the Dolls. The American rock scene soured on the Dolls after Malcom had them dress up like communists and drape the hammer and sickle flag over the backdrop of their stage show. The band fell apart on its own shortly after. Malcom hopped the pond back to England to begin his version of Punk Rock with Vivienne Westwood, (fashion designer and artist).

Dolls guitarist, Johnny Thunders, would delve further into Heroin. Frontman, David Johanson would still crank out loud rock music with , "Live it Up" and appear on the Uncle Floyd Show. His other incarnation, and one of his best, was Dexter Poindexter and his hit song, "Hot Hot Hot". After that he appeared in a few movies over the years in, "Let It Ride" with Richard Dryfus and "Car 54 Where Are You?".

The band has reformed. Minus Thunders, (he OD'd). The Dolls also spawned some imitators, most notably, The Trash Brats in Detroit. The New York Dolls have appeared on the IFC network on The Henry Rollins Show.
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Ted Cantu is the creator of http://www.beautyloungestore.com he has handled the marketing for such innovative groups like http://www.WindsorBeauty.com and contributes to several blogs and podcasts such as…..http://911copywriters.podomatic.com. He served as a top rated art director for Interactive Web Marketing groups in Chicago and New York City.

NEW YORK DOLLS - TRASH

THAT DOG - EVERYBODY OUT OF THE CLOSET

THE 90'S WAS A WEIRD TIME

Nothing happened much in music, nothing much happened in art and I was glad to get out of campus. Then a few gems would pop up a few times during this very bleak time in pop culture.

That Dog, was one of them. This song is interesting but it was also very common to what was happening. A lot of people were coming out of the closet or becoming Bisexual. Girls kissing girls in clubs, guys being with other guys. All of this coming to the forefront of the corporate America scene, (IBM handing out benefits to gay couples etc.). Plus it was all coming up to the end of the century and 911.

What a way to end the century.

This song sort of captures all of that in a nutshell. Its got the lathargic crunchy guitar in the middle as if the band had run out of creativity and its got melodic undertones. The violin is nice because it captures the narrative of the song but also it reminds me a bit of XTC.

That Dog was featured as the Catch of the Day on 89.X and from there I never heard it again. I dug this out of a dollar bin and this song really stands out on it. I don't recall the other ones as nearly as much as this track. I was surprised it was featured on 120 Minutes and that a video was made.
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Ted Cantu is the creator of http://www.beautyloungestore.com he has handled the marketing for such innovative groups like http://www.WindsorBeauty.com and contributes to several blogs and podcasts such as…..http://911copywriters.podomatic.com. He served as a top rated art director for Interactive Web Marketing groups in Chicago and New York City.

THAT DOG - HE'S KISSING CHRISTIAN

LENE LOVICH - SERIOUSLY SCARY STUFF MAN

LENE LOVICH
"Did anyone know she was from Detroit?"

Lovich was born in Detroit, Michigan to a British mother and a Bosnian father, but after her father became mentally unstable her mother took her and her three siblings to live in Hull, England.

I found this woman very disturbing as a kid. She didn't fit into anything that was going on in commercial radio at the time. She didn't really fit into ANYTHING I had ever seen before and I was a huge fan of the Gong Show. The time that this was shown on television didn't help me out very much either. I saw this video at 2 in the morning. I was traumatized.

Discography

Stateless (1978)
Flex (1979)
New Toy EP (1981)
No Man's Land (1982)
March (1989)
Shadows and Dust (2005)

Source - Wikipedia
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This video seriously scared the crap out of me as a kid. I was on the couch at 2 AM, and this freakin thing comes on my tv. My mom is upstairs with the door closed. I am alone in the living room which was two levels down. It looks corny now BUT MAN.... this scared me.

Three things bothered me about this video. The pool ball rolling and coming to a complete stop to the screen freaked me out. The weird eye movements of Lene Lovich in the back of the car was strange. Her voice scared me too. The normal progression of the guitar by the bald headed guy was the only normal part of this whole performance.... but even that bothered me. Nobody was bald back in 1979. The only bald guy I ever knew was Curley from the Three Stooges.

Honestly? This video and song still bothers me.
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Ted Cantu is the creator of http://www.beautyloungestore.com he has contributed to several blogs and podcasts such as…..http://911copywriters.podomatic.com. He served as a top rated art director for Interactive Web Marketing groups in Chicago and New York City.

LENE LOVICH - LUCKY NUMBER

FLIPPER - THATS THE WAY

MUSIC FOR THE ULTRA HIP

This was made for the kids who couldn't wait for the songs to be officially released into the commercial CD release. I used to hear about Flipper spoken about in hush hush fashion and with a lot of speculation. The truth was nobody really knew too much about them. Major rock magazines only hinted at their existence.

Then before anything could really be released the lead singer OD's. The band becomes infamous.

"John Lydon's Public Image Ltd was widely accused in the US of stealing the cover art and concept of Flipper's album, Album. Consequently, Flipper entitled their 1986 double live album, Public Flipper Ltd. The album unfolded into a board game complete with a cutout spinner and game cards with Subterranean once again providing extra covers through mail order.

The original lineup began splintering after a long debauched period of touring, and singer and core member Will Shatter eventually died in 1987 of a drug overdose after forming A3I (Any Three Initials, a punk outfit whose title mocked the prevalence of acronymic band names). Subterranean packaged the band's most popular recordings in a greatest hits collection titled "Sex Bomb Baby" released in 1987. The initial release featured several different hand drawn covers and the cassette edition and later CD rerelease featured three bonus tracks."
Source Wikipedia

By 87 there were a ton of bands getting much attention thanks to independant labels getting college airplay. Still, even though new music was getting lots of praise, Flipper fell between the cracks and is only remembered by those who really followed Indy Music.
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Ted Cantu is the creator of http://www.beautyloungestore.com he has contributed to several blogs and podcasts such as…..http://911copywriters.podomatic.com. He served as a top rated art director for Interactive Web Marketing groups in Chicago and New York City.

FLIPPER - THE WAY OF THE WORLD