Searching For The Perfect Riff

Back in 1989 Spaceman 3 released their third record Playing With Fire an outstanding record in this time for this music. When all the other music drifted away mostly in singer-songwriting or club-sounds these guys took a walk back into psychedelic areas with heavy guitars and riffs galore. It is still a pleasure listen to the sound of a record that was released almost 30 years ago. I remember the first time Spacemen 3 got on my radar was when Alan Bangs, one of the only radio-DJ's played their songs on his late night show. He produced his show for a greater radio station in Germany and as well for BFBS. Some folks called him as an epigone for John Peel but for me he introduce me to the music of Lucinda Willams and Cowboy Junkies. He was always contrarian to mainstream and they stopped his show when he offered the music of Frederic Chopin in his two hour show. I remember when he made his last show playing all the music he agreed with and one of the songs was Revolution a highlight of the upcoming psychedelic sound. Another story I heard was that he had a record collection of 11.000 albums. At one time he announced that he will go for holiday for a couple of weeks and some guys caved into his home stolen more than 3.000 of his albums. What a loss for him, because I am sure they stolen just one of the records he loved much.

Bonus Post: Tecumseh Valley

Cruising through my records I got back once again to one of the greatest singer-songwriter of all time. Townes Van Zandt probably made the most intimate songs ever. Telling stories about the lost and forgotten ones and made them a memorial. This song was so sad that it touched my heart whenever I listen to it and I have to hide my tears behind this story. What more can I say about a great song? Certainly nothing than a big respect to Towns. And I still love the pure and uncut version.

Heat

It is too hot during the last days to do everything else than sitting in the shade drinking some cold drinks. And the forecast tells us that they expect more heat at my place. So just another track by Leyya, an Austrian electro-pop duo I featured at this place before.

Mapache

It is time to feature another band from our neighbours in Austria. Cari Cari describe them with thiese words:

They are based in Europe, having lived  in London, Hamburg & Vienna. The duo has been baptised "the lovechild of The Kills and The XX" (IndieShuffle) "with a pinch of Morricone" (FM4) and "the raw grit of Cat Power" (BestBefore). Their songs “White Line Fever” and “No War” were used in the Hollywood productions “Shameless” and “The Magicians” while their single 'Nothing's Older Than Yesterday' gave them some significant recognition in Austria, Germany and around Europe leading to excessive touring and performances at renowned festivals such as “The Great Escape” (UK), “Eurosonic Noorderslag” (NL) and “Nova Rock” (AT).

I listened to their newest song Mapache on my way to the office a few days ago and was surprised by a sound melange like The Shadows working on a Morricone soundtrack. Just a great single from their upcoming album. 

It Is Just A Great Song, Isn't It?

The recent days I crawled through the internet for a couple of old songs and suddenly Tom Paxton appeared. It is a song I knew for ages but I didn't listen to it a long, long time ago. But this is a timeless song - like many others. Much Country influenced of course and probably not nowadays music bur I still come back to this kind of music from time to time. The next step in this genre will surely be Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris.

Does Anyone Remember Oi-Punk?

A few days ago I got the news that the albums by Cock Sparrer was released in a box-set of their albums released almost 40 years ago. As I read the news I got a flashback into the late 70's/early 80's when this band released songs that was on heavy rotation in my house and I played their songs while I was DJ-ing long time ago. All right - some of them will categorize them in a fascist way because there songs were hymns to skinheads and football hooligans. But for me they were nothing more or less perfect combinations of punk, pub rock and hooligan attitude. Formed in the mid 70's they had the chance to support the early Sex Pistols but Malcolm McLaren wasn't willing to spent them a couple of beers they declined to support them. Probably their biggest mistake ever. After decades it is still fun listening to urban hymns by West Ham United supporters. Bands like Boomtown Rats and The Undertones learned from them.

Cock Sparrer - Take 'Em All
Cock Sparrer - We Love You
Cock Sparrer - Runnin' Riot
Cock Sparrer - Riot Squad

German Post Punk Revisted

Abwärts were one of the first punk bands formed in the late years of German punk revolution. Their first album AmokKoma is one of the classic records that stamped German punk and was on heavy rotation on my turntable in the late 70's. After their masterpiece they released several albums that wasn't that successful at all. Their self-titled third album is less punk-influenced and Gothic than the ones before and they tried to sing sometimes in English. For me it is an album that is very underrated because it is manifold to the ones before. One of the reasons was that they covered Hotlegs' (10 CC's) first chart appearance as well as a chanson by Charles Aznavour. Great stuff from my very younger days - even for you all.

Abwärts - Neandertal Man
Abwärts - Alkohol

Golden Ghosts

Like every month SA lead us to Andrew Weatherall's latest show for Music's Not For Everyone. And like always there was a lot to explore in new music. One of those songs in his set that made me want to investigate for more are from Seahawk. I know only that they are from England and they might be a collaboration from DJ's or sound explorers. But I can say that they make a very peaceful music that you can relax by. Their album Eternal Beams is full of them moody, laid back compositions. As they say about them self: Travel agents for inner journeys that take us on a voyage ever deeper into the new age vortex.