Last Words For This Year

 

 

Only 12 hours and the year 2014 is history. All in all it was a very good year and I wish all of you out there a big party to start into 2015. All the best to you all - see you next year at the same place.

Flatlining

Many people tell me that Rock Music is dead, no new good music is around. When I tell them they are wrong and ask me for some examples I try to tell them go out in the internet and start searching you'll find a lot of new fantastic music out there. The Amazing Snakeheads were recommended by Drew.
It's one of these bands that are really worth to give a listen to. The title of the album is their statement: Amphetamine Ballads. Hyper nervous and songs with good guitars and a singer that shouts out agressiv. The perfect music when you cruise through the city early in the morning.

 

Drop The Pilot

 

Found this little pop gem these days. Truely 80s by Joan Armatrading who was big in these days in Germany. Nothing special but I like this song and this video.

Merry Christmas

 

I moved away from all this Christmas business to relax miles away. What does not mean that I know, why this day is celebrated. I wish all of you, your families and friend a wonderful time throghout the Christmas time. May you all enjoy this time with peace, love and happiness.

Joe Cocker 1944 - 2014

While I was writing the post about Udo Jürgens the breaking news arrived that Joe Cocker died last night. When I have read this I was stunned at first and shaken. I remember ver well that 40 years ago I was in the flat of an older friend of mine checking out his records and found Joe's first record. I put the vinyl on the record player and what I heard hit me like a titan wave. Never listened to a voice like this. So broken, true and mighty. After I listened to the whole record I played it once more and finally grabbed my whole mney to buy this. This voice that sounds like he gargled with glass shards led me into Soul Music - first of all into Ray Charles to explore the whole sound of the black America in these decade. His story is well known : after success he turned into drugs and alcohol and was a wreck. Down and out. On his way back to an 'ordinary' life he spent some time in Jamaika, where he recorded together with Sly and Robbie on drum and bass one of the best white reggae songs in these times. For me a hero's gone and I miss him.

R.I.P. Joe and sing for the angels now.

Bye bye blackbird (with the young Jimmy Page on guitar):

 

He always interpreted songs from other artists in his very own way, like Randy Newman's Guilty

 

or Nillson's 'Don't forget me'

 

This one's are from his record 'Sheffied Steele'

 

The Foreign Corresondent Returns - Stories About German (Rock) Music # 45

 

Back with internet access after a few days travelling the east coast of Sri Lanka. When I was checking the daily news I heard that Udo Jürgens died at the age of 80. Not that he was a rock musician at all or that I'm a huge fan of him but he and his music accopanied many ofpeople from my generation. He started singing his own songs in the tradition of the great French and Belgium singer/songwriter what they called in this times chansons. As far as I know he was the first Austrian who won the Grand Prix de la chanson (waht now sadly knows as the European song contest). Starting his career with some beautiful love songs he turned into Schlager (some kind of easy listening songs without any intelektual lyrics) to show up in the late 70s/early 80s with some songs that had a social-critically meaning. He sung some songs agaist drugs and copmlaceny. Afterwords he had some hits about singing how homesick some Greece workers feel in Germany and about your own personal freedom to do what you want. That this songs have become neglected to hyms by drunken people yelling them at Carneval makes me sad.

R.I.P. Udo Jürgens

In this block of flats we live for one year and are well-known here
However, fancy what I just found under uour front door
It is a letter of our neighbours, stands in it, we have to go out!
They mean you and I we do not fit, in this honourable house

Because we live together as a pair and are still without marriage certificate
If one has met yesterday here and one has voted
And now the community of all tenants writes to us: "You get away from here!"
(hey, hey, hey)
Since a wild marriage, this does not fit in this honourable house

Everybody has signed it; look sometimes the long list:
The woman next door who can never keep her lies for herself
And those of the ground floor, spies out daily them everybody
Also this guy who hits his daughter speaks for this honourable house

And then the thickness which spoils the dog, however, her own child forgets
The old person who always explains to us what is forbidden here in the house
And that of the first floor, he looks all the time to the window out
(hey, hey, hey)
and he indicates everybody which parks sometimes wrong, before this honourable house

The grey Don Juan, that stares at you every time in the lift shamelessly
The widow who has prevented that here a black einziehn is able
Also it from above if the gasman comes takes off them the dressing gown
They all are ashamed for us, because this is an honourable house

If you ask me, I stand this hypocrisy no longer
We pack uns're seven things and zieh'n away from this honourable house!

Viva la Viv

I just finishd reading 'Clothes, clothes, clothes, music, music, music, boys, boys, boys' by Viv Albertine and enjoyed it very much. It brought back memories to a time long gone by but still worth to remember because it was one of the best ones in our life. But it was not only the fact that I was reminded to these times I like to book becaus her direct way to articulate and telling the stories of her life from her very own side.Especially the way se discribes her relationship to -the Clash's Joe Strummer and Mick Jones.  I was always a huge fan of The Slits and I bought her first record without ever heared any note of it (I think you'll know the reason). After The Slits disbanded she was still present on records by New Age Steppers and Flying Lizards. By the way: two weeks ago she turned into 60 and I don't know many women that look still quite cute.

And Mick Jones' answer to Typical Girls

Twanging Tuesday # 49

 

 I don't need to say much about Link Wray. Just the man with the classic twanging guitar. Together with his raymen probably the best in the genre.

Enjoy

Hang My Head In Shame

2014 was a good year in music. One record that accompanied all over the year was Theosophy by Pete Molinari. There are wonderful songs on it. It's a very retro recording. Influenced by the 60s singer/songwriters, 60s London music and a little bit of American Garage Rock.

Von Spar

 

Today's tracks are from a Cologne, Germany based band called Von Spar. Wikipedia tells that they should categorized under danceable electro-punk with elements of indi-rock. The tracks I know are more influenced by late Krautrock. Their newest single sounds like laid back House in a pop mood added with some piano parts and strings. It's worth to give a listen to.

This is an older one and more House. And there is more independent in it

The Foreign Correspondent Returns - Stories About German Rock Music # 44

Spliff (I know what synonym it is for) came from Berlin. What is in it so particularly? Berlin about which it is here does not deal with today's any more overmuch. Berlin an end of 1970s was, not least because of the island situation within the Western Germany, a special case. Crowds of the young men who wanted to escape the service in the armed forces moved there and by the geographical bulkheading quite an own cultural scene which worked magically engagingly on all kinds of outsiders also originated. Pop dimensions like David Bowie, Iggy Pop or Depeche Mode made this Berlin for for some time her native country. The band is very successful during those days in Berlin. Stylistically in the political rock the seventy-year-old roots, however, one cannot hold a candle overpowering Ton Steine Scherben (another German left wing band from the 70s). When Nina Hagen from the GDR is expelled, she joins the four one and completes the Line Up of Nina Hagen Band as the troop is called. After only two albums the combo separates. From the remains arise in 1980 on the one hand the solo artist Hagen and Spliff. They had their most successful years throughout the New German Wave but their were much better than this foolish stuff.

And as Nina Hagen Band:

And the German version of White Punks on Dope by The Tubes:

What Happened To Power Pop # 9

As mentioned, Ian McLagen died last week. He played keyboard in my favorite band from the early 60s. I don't have to tell you about their success and their hit singles. I am sure that this song fulfils all conditions for a song which is to be assigned to this genre.

Look What You've Done

This photo was taken in Milan, Italy in the 1950s and could be titles of the Italy way of life. Absolutely no more than one snapshot, however, one with a lot of mood. I would have been present with pleasure in. Todays song is from Karin Park, a Swedish singer and producer. She comes up with a kind of industrial disco that remembers me when I hear the main theme on the early Depeche Mode and Fat Gadget as well.

Twanging Tuesday # 48

During the past days I have rummaged in my old records and have bumped into the first album of CCR. It was released in 1968 and was one of my first records I bought. I'm still fascinated from these songs. As I think about this album, it will be told at another place. For today it must be enough if I emphasise Porterville, this demonstrates their ability of combining swamp rock with hooks and a good guitar.

Creedence Clearwater Revival - Porterville

100.000

I checked out my statistics today and I was surprised that since two years in those I done this blog pursues already more than 100000 clicks were counted. I owe for it to you all my mates. Thank you so much for following me. And I have to give some compliments to you: You showed me a lot of new music and I discovered sounds I never thought I would listen before. Hope to see you on this blog for longer.

4th and Roebeling

Guitar, bass, percussion, song – good old rock'n'roll, brewed by four very young musicians from Pennsylvania. Mangy garage rock with a lot of blues and whiskey aroma in the tank, can be well sorted between Black Keys, Kings of Leon, Arctic Monkeys and Strokes – besides, has more than enough own riotous mark. The Districts will release their first record next February. This is their single in advance.

Titan

Another cold and wet Sunday and I have to getting some things done until I leave next Thursday for vacation until next year. A hard year's behind me and I need a few weeks of it all. Just cruising round the country, sitting on the beach and reading some books. But don't worry - I try to keep this blog alive until I come back. I just listened to the new track from the London based band Breton (named after the French surrealist André Breton) and thought it is a good idea to feature their 2012 released sing Got Well Soon. This song has everything for a hidden gem: The basic scaffolding forms a made unfamiliar deep house rhythm added with some keyboards and a fitting voice to this song.

Have a good week, people.

Got Well Soon

Nick 'Gravenhurst' Talbot 1977 - 2014

Sadly heard the news that the Bristol based Gravenhurst died a few days ago. I like to listen to his very own mixture of folk, rock and electronic elements.

R.I.P.

Inflammable Material - First Records That Impressed Me Much # 6

This is the zero, the everlasting ice. In the whole history of the pop there is no blacker, harder, more desperate music. Unknown Pleasures is called the first album of Joy Division; it originates in northern Manchester in the years 1978/79, in the midst of the explosions of punk and New Wave, in the whirl devouring everything of nihilism and post-modernism, "no future" and "anything goes". Punk tells of the end of the history, from the arrival of the last judgement; postal punk wants to build a new empire: on the remains of the tradition. Everybody is in movement in the pop-musical revolutions of these years – Joy Division, nevertheless, give the time solidify: Their songs jangle in postal-historical cold; their singer Ian Curtis paints crystal pictures of an introspection which becomes nothing what she finds the native country. But he was a romantic as well. His desperation lacks every sweetness like the musicians of those years him are in habit to apply – but also that loudness of the self-overestimation, in the pop music generally her melancholy qualifies: to the passing confusion of pubescent. With Joy Division nothing passes. The pictures which they paint in her music are everlasting - dark, cold and full of suffering. Unknown Pleasures was produced by Martin Hannett, a brilliant sound farmer who has learned his technologies with the Dub reggae. With King Tubby and Lee "Scratch" Perry he has learned the use of the echo chamber and the endlessly delayed sound. However, nothing is here lulled to sleep or sweet-talked. Hannetts echo is sculptural and clear: he builds immense rooms, cathedrals in which the voices, the destinies look even smaller and more lonesome. He mixes guitar and bass far back in the background, until only the rhythmical scaffolding is left and Curtis' voice.

Joy Division - Disorder
Joy Division - New Dawn Fades
Joy Division - She's Lost Control
Joy Division - I Remember Nothing

Ian McLagan R.I.P

Sadly heard the news today that Ian McLagan died two days ago at the age of 69.

Farewell Ian

The Foreign Correspondent Returns - Stories About German Rock Music # 43

Today I like to feature a band that exists since 30 years. I don't know many German bands that exists this long time and being true to their ideas. One is Freiwillige Selbstkontrolle Dirk from Sexy Loser mentioned them weeks ago - the other one are Die Goldenen Zitronen (The Golden Lemons). They started as a punk rock band in Hamburg that are know for their entertaining and politically relevant style. When they formed in 1984 they were just another part of the Fun-Punk movement combined hard rock'n'roll with the 70th annual punk rock and humorous, partly bad, hit-like lyrics. Over the years the band added more experimental musical forms, with which different styles were combined. Their lyrics are political and take a critical view of society from a loft to left-radical perspective.

In 1994 they presented themselves with the album Das bißchen Totschlag (This to a little manslaughter) in a new musical style, to her usual power rock came elements from Garage-Trash, Electro beats, hip-hop and Noise rock pop. In the title song the band refers to the arson attacks in Mölln and Hoyerswerda, the politically motivated murders of blacks in Germany and the following increase of the asylum law as well as the murder of the squatter and anti-fascist Silvio Meier.In the course of the years they changed once more her music style and the instrumentation became more electronic. A certain slope to the avant-garde continued in theirs next works which was completed with Lenin one. There has come out once more, in the end, a collage of modern punk music off pop-cultural commonness. I love this band for being straight and going their very own way and not getting corrupted by the music industry like other nowadays still called punk bands like Die Ärzte or Die Toten Hosen.

Die Goldenen Zitronen - Für immer Punk
Die Goldenen Zitronen - Das bißchen Totschlag
Die Goldenen Zitronen - Lenin
Die Goldenen Zitronen - Der Bürgermeister

What Happened To Power Pop # 8

You see right - the boys in this picture are The Knack. A quartet formed in 1978 in Los Angeles. Inspired by the early Kinks and The Byrds they played in clubs like many others. But their fortune was that they was signed by Capitol Records. Their first record was produced by Mike Chapman who helped The Sweet and Blondie to reach high positions in the charts. If you expect from me to feature their chart-breaker My Sharona I must disappoint you. This song is too simple and played often enough. My favorite is Good Girls Don't because it's this kind of (power)pop songs I listened with pleasure long time back. In addition, they have accomplished the trick to express this at few minutes what probably every boy thinks and feels which is in the same situation like hero in this song.

She's your adolescent dream,
Schoolboy stuff, a sticky sweet romance.
And she makes you want to scream,
Wishing you could get inside her pants.
So, you fantasize away.
And while you're squeezing her, you thought you heard her saying...

"Good girls don't,
Good girls don't, and she be telling you
Good girls don't, but I do. "

So, you call her on the phone
To talk about the teachers that you hate.
And she says she's all alone,
And her parents won't be coming home til late.
There's a ringing in your brain,
Cause you could've sworn you though you heard her saying...

"Good girls don't,
Good girls don't, and she be telling you
Good girls don't, but I do. "

And it's a teenage sadness
Everyone has got to taste.
An in-between age madness
That you know you can't erase
Til she's sitting on your face.

You're alone with her at last,
And you're waiting til you think the time is right.
Cause you've heard she's pretty fast.
And you're hoping that she'll give you some tonight.
So, you start to make your play,
Cause you could've sworn you thought you heard her saying...

"Good girls don't,
Good girls don't, and she be telling you
Good girls don't, but I do. "

And it's a teenage sadness
Everyone has got to taste.
An in-between age madness
That you know you can't erase
Til she's sitting on your face.

Good girls don't,
Good girls don't, and she be telling you
Good girls don't, but I do, but I do, but I do, but I do...

The Knack - Good Girls Don't

Spanish Mary

Lost in the River was a band project by producer T-Bone Burnett. Together with Elvis Costello, Marcus Mumford, Rhiannon Giddens, Jim James und Taylor Goldsmith he recorded the songs of the legendary sessions from Bob Dylan and The Band originally recorded in the late 60s near Woodstock. I wasn't sure if it will work to record these old songs (most of them never released on a record) 45 years later but I was surprised how good they work today. The group plays the songs not only, but interprets this in her quite own manner. I am sure that Bob Dylan would have arranged these songs in another kind. But exactly this puts out the charm of this record. From good songs become still improves made. Seldom the interpretations of old songs have as taken in me as these relaxed and with feeling interpreted songs.

Lost in the River - Spanish Mary