SID VICIOUS - MORE ALIVE THAN DEAD IN NEW YORK CITY

"TELECAST OF THE DEAD"

I have no idea who the girl on the right is.... she is known only as Cynthia..... But Sid, Nancy and Stiv Bators are all deceased.

This was created within stumbling distance from the Chelsea Hotel within weeks of Nancy's horrific murder on 9/18/1978. This was before terrorism hit state side and when the real enemy of the streets was cocaine cowboys and heroin junkies........

Makes you kinda miss the good ol days.

There is a funny comparison to THE SEX PISTOLS sounding like THE WHO... which is hysterical. This guy who calls in is a typical nosey new york jerk.... hes babbling onward about political statements...... The Who was a political band? lol..... OKAY......

I remember the WHO quite fondly since i used to really relate to them. The only thing about THE WHO being political may stem over who rules the streets at night .... ala mods and rockers. Aside from songs about masturbation and violence there weren't a whole lot of international politics going on there......

Politics wouldn't really hit the front page until the Clash.. and the Pistols too ... well, to an extent. It is somewhat difficult to watch this video because I find Nancy nausiating. Chrissie Hynde from the Pretenders said that she was really that bad in real life. Punks actually nicknamed her Nausiating Nancy. She claims she is a music manager and is alligned with the big players like Virgin and Warner Brothers which is pretty funny......

The major labels knew the name SEX PISTOLS.... but they did not know the players. In fact when the band broke up nobody knew who Johnny Rotten was. ROtten called up asking for money and the record company hung up on him.

These outrageous claims started to take life a good 11 years after the band broke up. The Pistols took on a much more larger prominence in America due to many licensing deals. Many T-shirt companies and record re-issues pumped new blood into the franchise. Otherwise when you look at what happend during the ANARCHY tour you will find that very few Americans even raised their eyebrows to the entire thing.

I was able to get inside the Chelsea Hotel out of morbid curiosity. I got into the lobby and found that it was very small. I looked down the hallway where Sid and Nancy lived in room 100... or 101 etc. The bellman asked. CAN I HELP YOU? and I said.. hmmmmmm yeah.. i just popped in to take a better look at that BOtello over there... (there was a large Botello painting on the wall). He cheered up a bit. The Chelsea will toss you out if they think you are a gawker and looking for the Sid and Nancy room. That room is supposedly haunted and it is sealed up now.

On the outside of the Hotel is a plaque where all these famous people stayed. Malcom... or Sid.. painted the name SID over it for an album cover shot. It was pink lead paint. You can still see traces of the letters on it and where the hotel had it sandblasted off. I think Malcom got someone to vandalize that sign. I think Malcom was too cowardly to do it himself and I think Sid was too much of a junkie to care one way or the other........

This entry was posted at 6:19pm, 2007 by ted cantu, creator of the fascube network

SID AND NANCY - LIVE ON NEW YORK TELEVISION

ROBYN HITCHCOCK - NICELY DONE

"Loosen your spine... bury your television.... and welcome to a
GLOBE OF FROGS......"

This is a double dose of Hitchcock. NOT SILLY ALFRED... but hypnotic ROBYN.... Mr. Hitchcock if you please.... or more fashionably... HITCH as he's favorably known.

What would a pre-Spring advance waiting be without a bit of the ol Soft Boys and Hitchcock tunes. These tracks are a deliberate throw back to the sounds of Syd Barrett. Maybe thats what is where the rooftop shots came in from.....

These songs are beautifully executed and stand up to challenge listeners everywhere. Still, they can really only compete with themselves. They are in a class all their own. This is where they belong... in the hands of the surreal.

It is where they are best appreciated.

They have surfaced on NPR from time to time and Hitchcock is a favored guest on KCRW. I have to give this man a lot of credit over the past several years. He went on this feverish touring mode and never stopped creating. I was there for the Soft Boys reunion with Kimberly Row in New York City -- and was lucky enough to attend 7 shows in all.

This has only solidified his artistry and cemented his place as a major contributor to eclectic sounds. I've grown to like his artwork over the years. Not because I understand it but because I find whimsy in it. I actually like his illustrated traffic cones. I liked his sense of placement with lyrics, shapes and forms and his use of them. These elements come into a delicate sense of arrangement. Whether itis words, 3d forms, or sounds these are all used inter changeably.

Cantu writes for the fascube network, this entry was written on Feb . 23, 2007 at 7:51 pm.

ROBYN HITCHCOCK - SHE WAS VIBRATING

ROBYN HITCHCOCK - ADVENTURE ROCKETSHIP

xtc - a good time had by all those fans at the hop

REQUIRED LESSONS IN ENTERTAINMENT.....

after two miserable decades of American pop culture. Its obvious we are incapable of creating anything with any lasting endearment. We have to keep re-inventing the wheel at every turn. We have no Hollywood which to speak of, that is to say, its nothing like it once was.

We have no pop scene. The one we have is filled with excessive no shows lining up to jump head first into a cemetary plot..... this week its Lindsy Lohan and Britney Spears...... last decade we had Kurt Kobain..... last week it was Anna Nicole Smith. Everyone wants to be a victim . And then the ones who carry on their legacies line up to victimize the victims once they have taken a full dirt nap......

But thats America.

XTC could never ever become American pop stars. First of all they fail the criteria on all accounts. They are not from this country, they are all alive, and are talented and have been around for years and are completely brilliant.

So sorry boys, but you do not qualify to become American entertainment. You simply aren't disposable enough.

Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding know how to belt out solid tunes and make them entertaining. They jumped on Virgin records and Richard Branson knows how to take a chance.... its a winning combination. Plus XTC are upbeat and smart with their lyrics and arrangements so they are always doing something interesting.

This video should be watched for educational purposes. Its fun to watch. Mostly because its seriously UNAMERICAN.

Ted Cantu writes for the fascube network, lives in walled lake, MI and does sereral podcasts. This entry was created on feb 22, 07, at 11:07 pm

LIFE BEGINS AT THE HOP.... BOYS AND GIRLS - XTC

SHUT YER DIRTY LITTLE MOUTH - The Review

Its been..... well......

Lets just say its been a VERY long time since I first heard about these recordings. Yes I thought they were hilarious. I listened to these real life roomates argue and bicker and threaten eachother. The drunken siloquoys read off like drunken Shakesphere.....

It was sad, depraved and hilarious.

Its the long soap opera of Raymond and Peter, two slugs living in San Francisco in the slum district. They were recorded by their neighbors.. one.. Eddie Lee Sausage.

These arguments became somewhat of a sensation and a SINsation. The bold statements that come out from these tapes includes...... I AM THE HUMAN RACE.... I RESPECT THE HUMAN RACE.... NOT. QUEERS LIKE YOU.... and of course..the ever famous..... YOU KILLED DINNER.. YOU CRUCIFIED MY DINNER.... and the countless arguments where they tell eachother to GO TO BED....

The movie came from the hit underground play, comic books and CD that were based on the actual recordings. There is really only so much of this one can take. The movie tones it down a bit and makes it seem somewhat whimsical. Sadly, this will be the way the two characters will be portrayed instead of the creative curse filled geniuses that they were in real life.

Sausage was pissed because the film was created without his consent. I noticed a few flubs in the film myself. The part where he says. .KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF THE GIRL... is wrong. It should be.. YOU TRY TOUCHING ME... OR THE GRILL.. AND YOU WILL BE KILLED YOURSELF... as he is refering to a bowl of soup... and the correct passage should read...... YOU TRY TO TOUCH ME OR THE GRILL YOU WILL BE KILLED YOURSELF... I AM COMING OUT THERE WITH A BOWL OF SOUP... I WILL KILL YOU SO.. FRICKEN FAST.. YOU WONT EVEN KNOW WHAT HIT YA... I WILL KILL YOU IN ONE FRICKEN MINUTE.. NO.. NOT ONE MINUTE... 30 SECONDS..... I AM COMING OUT THERE NOW.. I AM COMING AND I AM READY... WITH A BOWL OF SOUP... !!!

Not that it matters or anything. But that is what it sounds like. Without the use of the word fricken though, you know what I mean.

This entry was made by cantu at 10:44 pm, feb 22, 2007. Cantu is the creator of the Fascube network.

SHUT UP LITTLE MAN - THE MOVIE

WWF - LAND OF A THOUSAND SCARY DANCES

This was on MTV a lot around 1985. I remember when it came on I would watch it -- and barely raise an eyebrow. I was never a big fan of wrestling. I used to get furious whenever WWF would come on once a month on NBC and take the spot of Saturday Night Live....... Now it doesnt matter if it comes on or not.... As I watch neither of the shows....

Little did I know I would end up working for the WWF in Stamford, CT in the late 90's. I got a gig there as a web guy and worked on Internet web sites.

This video is good for what it does. I liked the song actually......... Its diffiult to discuss this video clip intellectually as we all know what they do for a living.

Its a blast from the past - enjoy it for what it is.

WWF - LAND OF A THOUSAND DANCES

THE MAGNETIC FIELDS -- BRILLIANCE FROM BOSTON?

When I first heard Stephin Merrits music I thought he was from Dublin or possibly from New Zealand..... seriously. I had no idea he was from Boston.

In either case this music has its own textural edge to it. When I first heard this song I was hyptnotized with it. I also thought that this particular song was eerie and introspective but I liked it.

This version is sped up quite a bit but it still works. There are a lot of emotional levels in it that I feel get lost in this fast version.

Now, for here is what the AOL music chanel has to say about the band.....

The Magnetic Fields are a bona fide band, but in most essential respects they are the project of studio wunderkind Stephin Merritt. Merritt writes, produces, and (generally) sings all of their material, as well as plays many of the instruments, concocting a sort of indie pop synth rock. While the Magnetic Fields may draw upon the electronic textures of vintage acts like ABBA, Kraftwerk, Roxy Music with Eno, Joy Division, and Gary Numan, Merritt's vision is far more pointed toward the alternative rock underground. His songs are also far warmer and more pure pop-oriented than the above reference points might lead you to believe, sounding at times like late-20th century equivalents to Phil Spector or Brian Wilson.

-------- eeek GASP... Brian Wilson? Really? Sure I bet this guy spends a heck of a lot of time by himself ala Wilson but I don't get the doo wop happy go lucky beach surf sound of the Beach Boys.... do you ?

I first found these guys in a box of singles around the late 90's and I gotta admit I found them fascinating then. I find them even more fascinating now with these incredible arrangments.

This was posted on FEB 21, 2007 at 8:49 am by Cantu for the fascube - fashion culture beauty network.

THE MAGNETIC FIELDS - I DON'T BELIEVE YOU

XTC - Peter Pumpkinhead Defined

"MY OGGGHHHHH MY DON'T IT MAKE YOU WANNA CRY!!???"

This video has a strong JFK thing about it. I never saw this when it came out. I was off running around having adventures instead of being glued to the tube watching life zip by. In many respects this video is painful to watch. Not because of the murder of JFK.... but becuase it tries too hard to center around this theme.

After Andy Partridge spoke out in the book XTC I gotta wonder who really pulled the strings in the creative look of this piece. The band was always butting heads with creative people and record company execs EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.

There is never any mention of JFK on the album NoneSuch.... which is odd how this comes about. If you want a clue about what this song is REALLY about check this out.....

lekkermeisje78757 (1 week ago)
The truth is, the only one who'll ever really know what this song is about is Andy Partridge. I recall seeing him on 120 Minutes about the time that this came out and he told this long story about his children carving a Jack-O-Lantern and how it rotted and he wanted to immortalize it. :-)It doesn't matter--I'm a huge XTC fan and I've been really enjoying seeing their old videos and (especially) live performances here. I wish I could have seen them.

This review is a little closer to what I think the song is really about... more or less. I too had a character who literally had a pumpkin for a head... who .. takes on the Roman Catholic church and gets... crucified of all things.. I even drew illustrations for it -- and then later abandoned the entire thing altogether. This thing really stuck close to me for years.

Although I admire this song deeply I feel the song is a bit long and could have been shortened up a bit. I crawled through the entire XTC catalog and often got very lost in it.

Cantu writes for the fascube network - This entry was published on Feb. 20, at 10:50 pm.

XTC - THE BALLAD OF PETER PUMPKINHEAD

JULIANA HATFIELD - Forgotten Audio Gold

"This Album is 16 Years Old -- But Its
Completely Brilliant Effort"

After watching a brief television appearance of the reluctant Juliana Hatfield I have to wonder why she never ended up with lloyd Cole. Seriously. I call her reluctant becuase she is indifferent to fame...... She has to create... and I admire that deeply.

Comedianne Jeanine Garafalo once talked about a group of people who come from the 80's who... for whatever reason... absolutely refuse to grow up. They approach 40 and do not want any of the trappings that hold the previous generations. They do not necessarily want the typical jobs, SUVS, children.... and want to live life on their own terms.

From a certain stand point these people are dangerous. They are dangerous to those who want to define themselves and the world they live in by conventional methods..... the boring prisons they put themselves in. Anyone who lives in a box, (apartment) or works in a cube, and eats out of a box, and drives home in another box, (be it a car, SUV or bus perhaps)..... are actually considered the NORMAL people..... Hmmmmm

So by that rational people like Juliana Hatfield, and Lloyd Cole and a whole host of others that number now in the millions are street tough, smart and unpredictable at best. These are a generation of free thinkers.... in a way more dangerous than even the Beat Poets -- minus the drugs.... You get that from Juliana when you see her interviewed -- she is a free spirit.

I have to admit that admire this woman for where she stands with her music. She doesn't care if you like it or that if she will ever get famous. She took realistic pot shots at the current music scene with the likes of Christine Aguelera and Gwen Stefani where their acts resemble something of a strip tease. Juliana is all about the music -- her music -- nothing else. There is nothing self centered or selfish about this ---- if anything its pure art with no compromises.

Thats insulting and dangerous to the recording industry really. Its the kiss of death to big number accounts and large corporate endorsements. Forget beer commercials, cola commercials or retirement fund ads on television. This music is for the musicians and the fans.... nobody else is allowed to go near it really -- not even critics.

Not only that, but its brilliant music -- and it hasn't aged. If anything these tracks were too brief and fell between the cracks of recent memory. And thats a shame. Juliana Hatfield, is amazing to listen to -- I never get tired of hearing these songs.

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This post was created on Tuesday Feb. 20. 07 at 10:24 pm by Ted Cantu - Fascube - Fashion Culture Beauty Network

JULIANA HATFIELD - EVERYBODY LOVES ME BUT YOU

DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE - Greatness

"A Rare One...."

This is one of those songs that you want to play and enjoy.... and get into. And EVERY SINGLE TIME. someone will start stirring around in the other room ... stumble in and go....

"Oh.. were you busy? what were you doing? what music is this?"

Someone will always come and investigate, "whats going on" and will listen to the music out of morbid curiosity. This of course completely destroys the eerie inquisitive and curious mood one has set up for oneself.

Don't get me wrong.... no matter how many times I hear this. I want to replay it again and again..... Only I don't need an audience when I do it.

Ted Cantu writes for the Fascube network. he can be found at SEO Search Quest

DEATHCAB FOR CUTIE - I'll Follow You Into The Dark