The Foreign Correspondent - Stories About German Rock Music # 28

Robert Görl, Gabi Delgado-López, Kurt Dahlke, Michael Kemner and Wolfgang Spelmanns formed in 1979 a band that made history. Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft (or only DAF) was known as the pioneers and inspiration of electro-punk, electronic body music and house music. Their synthesizer bass-lines were also a kind of blueprint of the later acid house music. Deeply based in the late 1970s Düsseldorf punk scene they created their on do-it-yourself thing. Very new was that they used mainly synthesizers instead of classical instruments. Also their songs are very different to the ones that played in this scene. Based on a constant rhythm they put a bass-line to push the song forward.

They are till this day probably the only ones which accommodated not only dictators, but also the Messiah in a pop song: They sang in her biggest hit about 1981 the lines "dance Mussolini, and then the communism, and now Adolf Hitler, and now Jesus Christ". The republic stood on the head: Two musicians gave concerts on which one was hidden behind a technology and keyboard tower and the other in the stage edge German slogans nagged in the mike whose provocation degree reached his high point with the hit single "Mussolini".

They pull their interest in musical energy and the joy in provoking from the punk movement. When Robert Görl and Gabi Delgado become acquainted in 1978 in Dusseldorf, the music bacillus has struck them already both. Though the Görl born in 1955 is not yet a member of a volume, however, can look back at a classical education in the inhabitant on the jazz college of music in Graz. Delgado, three years younger, is Spaniard by birth and also eager follower of the growing English punk wave. The meeting place of the hour for the new punk scene of Düsseldorf is the Ratinger Hof. There some of the first German punk groups already appear like Charley's Girls, Male, ZK and Mittagspause, from which to itself later among other things the Fehlfarben which form of croup and Die Toten Hosen. After a short time Dahlke was substituted by Chrislo Haas on keyboards when he moved to Der Plan. 

The quintet also wants to break out spatially and, hence, decides to move in the punk metropolis London. There is a risqué step for five impecunious Jung's musicians who know the English scene up to now only from magazines. However, already after few club shows Daniel Miller discovers the gang and binds them as the second Act to Fad Gadget to his young courage label. There appears in March, 1980 the single "Kebab dreams" and in August with the "little ones And The bad persons" the second DAF album which is at the same time the first courage album publication. A successful starting signal for during the following years as a pointing the way setting up electronics label.

Although on the "Die Kleinen und die Bösen" still guitar and bass are for hearing and the tape attains her pioneer's status only with the following album, the electronic store which soon characterises the tape becomes evident already here. There comes a cover which provides with his Soviet propaganda motives just in England for some sensation, particularly as it comes of a German volume. However, DAF still sound organic enough to go as a pregroup with The case on tour. After bassist Kemner who leaves the troop already before the album admission and joins in Germany to the false colours Haas also has enough of the wild life on the island and founds with Beate Bartel (Ex-Mania D.) the Liaisons Dangereuses.

Some of the songs Which Mussolini („dance Mussolini“), for example, the homoerotic piece of Der Räuber und der Prinz (the robber and the prince), Greif nach den Sternen (grabbing after the stars), die Götter sind weiß (the gods are white) or Ein bischen Krieg (a little war) were textually provoking. Suitably to the songs was also her image. Just Mussolini and her appearance in the leather outfit and short, shaven haircut as a kind „Germanic counterpart of Grace Jones“ introduced reproaches in them over and over again to be fascists. Also the texts didn't shrink back which before worn vocabulary from hit kitsch, home films and NS mythology , did not strengthen this reproach. DAF have never defined her political position in the media clearly. They mentioned merely that her stylistic range reached „at least, from the Anarcho-Skin to disco Nazi“ and that they are „simply too with relish for fascists“.

It's a band you ought to listen to - real pioneers in their genre.

Enjoy and have a good weekend people.

DAF - Verschwende Deine Jugend (Waste your youth)
DAF - Die Götter Sind Weiss (The gods are white)
DAF - Der Räuber und der Prinz (the robber and the prince)
DAF - Kebabträume
DAF - Der Mussolini

What Happened To Pub Rock # 14

Todays band hasn't reached to the big names in the pub rock scene but they were quiet good at these times. This is what Wikipedia knows about them:

Roogalator played their first live show in November 1972, at a talent night staged at the Marquee Club in London to muted response. Adler, killing time between the Irish C&W circuit and jam sessions with Ginger Baker's African drummers, spent time in Paris studying jazz theory. He returned to London to form the second line-up of Roogalator with drummer Bobby Irwin, pianist Steve Beresford, and keyboardist Nick Plytas.

The band recorded a demo which resulted in a booking agency deal. Neither Beresford nor Irwin wanted to proceed. With their first live shows ahead, Adler and Plytas rebuilt the line-up. Drummer Dave Solomon, a bandmate of both Plytas and Beresford in a Motown cover band, replaced Irwin. Irwin, noting the band was still minus a bassist, gave a copy of the demo to Paul Riley, a member of the successful pub scene band Chilli Willi and the Red Hot Peppers. Riley joined Roogalator just before their September 1975 debut, and, for a time, it was his fame that attracted the band's first press notices.

They became one of the fixtures on the mid-'70s London pub rock scene, establishing themselves as unique on the pub circuit. Drawing from Adler's experience on theCincinnati club circuit of the late '60s, Roogalator offered an angular, minimalist funk sound which was at odds with the standard country, blues, and early rock sounds and created a distinctive blueprint for what would become the Britfunk explosion of the early '80s.

In November 1975, the band recorded demos for United Artists Records and met Robin Scott, who would become their manager, producer and record label chief. In January 1976 they supported Dr. Feelgood at the Hammersmith Odeon in London. The show was by their own consensus a disaster and marked the end of the classic line-up. Within weeks, Solomon quit, to be replaced by the returning Bobby Irwin. Riley also departed. Adding bassist Jeff Watts, Roogalator recorded a John Peelsession on 13 May 1976 and embarked on a European tour. The tour was marred by the theft of all their possessions from their van. Watts and Irwin departed to reunite with Riley in The Sinceros, which he was now managing.

Encouraged by Scott, Adler recruited a new rhythm section; bass guitarist Julian Scott (brother of Robin) and drummer Justin Hildreth. In early summer '76, Roogalator signed a one-off single deal with Stiff Records and released "All Aboard" / "Cincinnati Fatback". The band continued gigging returning to the BBC for a second Peel session on 28 October 1976.

I always tried to get their Cincinati Fatback album but the price I have to pay now is too high. So enjoy these little gems of these era.

The Roogalators - Cincinnati Fatback

The Roogalators - I Feel Good

Songs The Lord Told Us # 7

In the early days when I begun to run this blog I started a series about songs they were fantastic and mean a lot to me. I don't know why I stopped it but I think it's worth to continue this series during the next months. There will be no default concerning temporal classification or music style in this series. Load to you surprise what will soon appear.

Back in 1979 is was for a lot of month in the army. I remember very well what's new at this year. Dire Straits released their first record and Pink Floyd released their double record The Wall. But I fell in love with Ska and Two Tone when I saw the first time The Specials on German TV. A bunch of black and white boys dressed up like 60s mods made a performance with some reggae influenced music. I didn't knew much about this music than it's origin was in Jamaica. And A Message to you, Rudy was my song of the summer and I will always love it. But if anyone would ask me for my favorite Specials song I would say: Listen to the song below.

To understand this song you've got to go back in history:
On the 4th of May, 1979 a woman assumes with Margaret Thatcher for the first time in the history of Great Britain the office of the prime minister. She stands for a hard conservative course friendly to economy: She wants no social state, hates the trade unions and attacks migrants. Before the parliamentary elections she stated: »It is no question from the left or on the right, but an objective statement that we too a few do not separate rather too many foreigners have.«

Hardly in the government the »iron lady prescribes« for the social system a rigid shortening programme and makes worse the stay rights for migrants. In the course of her reign she privatises virtually all state enterprises – from the dockyards and ironworks about the coal pits and airports up to the local drinking water care and the public local traffic. After not even two years in the office the Thatcher's government is one of the unmost popular in the British history. No wonder: In Thatcher's Great Britain the empires celebrate, the arms become poorer. In 1981 more than twice as many people are without job like with Thatcher's assumption of office: All together there are 2.7 million unemployed people. The economic crisis meets the British cities in the heart. The formerly flourishing commercial towns of London, Glasgow, Liverpool and Manchester shrink: Empty warehouses, neglected docks, neglected railway area, boarded up stores and unoccupied houses.

The Specials these impressions process in "Ghost Town" musically. The song starts with howling sirens, jangling wind whistle and a dim organ sound: Welcome to the ghost town. The transverse flute breathes the song subject by the boxes. At the latest now everybody thinks of desolate streets, collapsed houses and clattering shutters. However, then charged blowers interrupt crashing the scene as if the Specials wanted to say: »Awake on! Here this is no dream. You are not in any desolate Wild-West-tourist-ghost tows: Here this is the reality.«

The band plays a classical reggae dub: The bright guitar counters the dark bass. The unmistakeable basic rhythm of the reggae originates from the stress of the second and fourth tact part. The percussion, the blowers and the organ come, however, the sound remains minimalist. The Specials work with contrasts. About the "good-mood-riddim" the singers propagate her serious message: »In this country there are no jobs« and »The government leaves the youngsters« in the sting a voice shouts. »The people become furious«, another roars.

The Specials - Ghost Town (12 inch)

Twanging Tuesdsay # 28

In this series I featured many artists from the Rock 'n' Roll era but I never mentioned Elvis Presley. I was never a big fan of him and his music and when I remember him I have still the picture in my head when he appeared in Las Vegas as a clown. If you maybe remind these pictures it was often forgotten what he made when he recorded his first songs for the Sun label. These songs are still great and sometimes very raw. They were very new for these times and showed us all a new way music could be. Based on simple country music and added the spirit of black peoples blues he made something great. I can remember when I was a young kid my parents watched Elvis' comeback. Dressed in black leather he played an acoustic set with his well known songs. This was very new for my kids ears but I saw the first concert - even as it was only on TV.

Elvis Presley - That's Alright Mama

Blue Caravan

I was always a huge fan of the Hull based band Red Guitars. They made some great records and I enjoyed there mixture of punk, blues, reggae and African rhythms. This is from their 1986 12-inch single and it makes still fun to listen to it again.

Enjoy and have a good week people.

Blue Caravan (Acoustic)

That's What I Watched On TV Years Ago # 1

When I have worked my last series and have investigated the single years I am up so many series pushed with which I have become big. Some weeks ago I have sat with my brother together and we have come with some beers on this subject. We have enumerated ourselves mutually the series which we could remember and with which we are connected in a way at all. Presumably this was the occasion that slowly the thought has matured in me to bring to life over here a series.

Let's start with one of my favorite - The Rockford Files. It is an US-American crime film series from the 1970s. Central figure is the detective Jim Rockford who is played by James Garner. James Scott Rockford, mostly briefly Jim, spent five years innocently in the prison of San Quentin. After his rehabilitation he sits down as a private detective. He lives on the beach of Malibu, Paradise Cove Road 29, in a caravan which serves him at the same time also as an office. In the solution of his cases often help him his father Rocky, his friend and lawyer Beth and his former co-prisoner Hinge. Access to police acts gets him his friend who procures policeman Dennis Becker, which – although always reworks irritated and around his job – however, over and over again explains suitable "services" for Jim Rockford. Rockfords fee amounts to 200 dollars per day plus expenses which remain his clients, however, often guilty to him. As a detective Jim Rockford distinguishes his ingenuity, empathy and speech talent. With the help of a small, mobile printing press he can get fast a calling card and therefore a suitable camouflage for his activities and receives with it as a rule the desired information. He seldom bears arms (for which he anyway no permission owns). He keeps this in a coffee tin in his kitchen. The coffee would protect the weapon well against the salty sea air as Rockford often told jokingly.

I like to see James Garner playing a detective that was far ahead from the ones that was shown us before. Not too many action or shooting in the story it was the blueprint of many series that followed. In addition, I have always loved his humor with those he his cases has solved. What should also not remain unmentioned one is the soundtrack of Mike Post which has also improved other series.

And additionally a song from 1976 while this series was running successful:

Patti Smith - Because The Night

40 Records In 40 Years (40/40 - 2013)

Every series has an end. So also this. Thanks to all of you who have accompanied me during the last months on my trip by the last 40 years. It has given big pleasure to me to let pass these years once again me and to remind me of things which have stamped my life. Looking back I must say that I just made everything again. Without heights and depths I had I would not be the personality I am now. So what happened last year: Christiane's falling in love with Sri Lanka and trying to based to touch. As some of you know I traveled to this country several times and I can understand why she loves this country. I met there a few people that I call really friends now and I fell in love with Sri Lanka as well. But my future will be in Germany as long as I have to work. For how long I must still work still I can not finally say. It depends on how the basic conditions will be around in in a few years to get retired. But I am sure that I don't work until I am 67. My basic plan is to get retired in seven years and then spent some time of the year anywhere else than in Germany. But this is far ahead - because I got my 55th birthday last Thursday.

So enjoy your time mates and follow me as you did since that time.

The records that impressed me much this year I've listed here.

And for the last time - some songs that I listened to last year:

On many long-distance flights during the last years had I could watch at many new movies

• 12 Years As A Slave: Seems like the history of slavery is the main theme in Hollywood
• Gravity: Wonderful pictures with a great soundtrack
• Dallas Buyers Club: Another drama about being HIV positiv
• World War Z: One more movie about zombies ruling the world
• The Butler: Much better than 12 years as a slave
• Nebraska: Nice and funny road movie
• Mandela -  Long Walk To Freedom: Good bio-pic
• The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty: Great story about finding out yourself

It was a year that brought us a lot of fantastic records. In my opinion the best one came from Andrew Weatherall and the Ashpodels. A lot of words were spoken about this record and therefore I only would like to say: It still is a record that I listen often right now. If you don't know it - give yourself a favor and get it.

The Ashpodells - Beglammered
The Ashpodels - Never There
The Ashpodels - Late Flowering Lust
The Ashpodels - A Love From Outer Space

What Happened To Pub Rock # 14

Today I would like to lose some words about a band which has become a firm institution in the pub rock scene. Nevertheless, looking back for many people only the fact that Joe Strummer has left the group to join The Clash will remain. I won't tell you some new facts that The Sex Pistols supported the 101ers. Therefore some statements by Joe Strummer himself:

"5 seconds into their (the Pistols') first song, I knew we were like yesterday's paper, we were over."

" know the 101ers were good. In fact, as far as sound and excitement went we were much better than Eddie and the Hot Rods. The other guys in the group were twenty-five and twenty-six and they played good because they'd spent a few years getting that far. But they were just too old. What I really wanted was to get in with some young yobbo's who I was more in tune with."

Anyway, this band should be named in this series.

Enjoy

The 101ers - Sweet Revenge
The 101ers - Gloria
The 101ers - Motors Boy Motor
The 101ers - Keys To Your Heart

Fifty Five

Seems that a couple of mates out there celebrated birthday throughout the last weeks. It's my birthday today and I am fifty five. Another one year older, however, wiser? I don't know and it's not necessary to know it. This song is one of my all time favorites. Released in 1981 Flying Lizards version of Barret Strong's Money is a classic masterpiece of the past-punk and New Wave era. Reduced to the minimum with a steady rhythm the vocals tells us what money can stand for. They did many more excellent cover versions but this one is the best in my opinion.

And, by the way - happy birthday Morrissey!

The Flying Lizards - Money (that's what I want)

Up The Junction

There are many songs telling dramas that are told at the kitchen sink. One of the best I know is Up The Junction by Squeeze. It's one of these songs that have no refrain and just telling a whole story in three minutes. Other ones make a movie out of it that runs more than two hours. I think the story is located in south-west London in Clapham but it's not necessary because things like these could happen everywhere in the world. Up The Junction has been covered by many artist but beside the original I like the acoustic version by Glenn Tillbrook and Chris Difford most.

Difford and Tillbrook - Up The Junction

Twanging Tuesday # 27

It is partly unbelievable on which treasures one can bump on the Internet. I found these American band whilst I searched for some rockabilly tunes. Here are some words from the bands homepage:

Reckless Ones are rock 'n' roll, plain and simple. Just trying to make an honest statement in this phony world, their sound is from the heart and doesn't apologize for anything. They say what they mean, they mean what they say, and put a back-beat to it. As a three-man gang pitting themselves against the world, and doing it all since forming in early 2009, this Minneapolis band has paid its dues. They continue to be the muscle, brains, and heart of the whole operation. 

Enjoy!

The Girl Who Waves At Trains

Today my bosses sent me to a workshop to Nürnberg. I had to go there by train and for the fact that it starts at 09:00 a.m. I had to catch the earliest train. Getting up at four o'clock in the morning to start this fucking journey that will take me 3 1/2 hours one way. Thinking will be back at ten o'clock in the evening. Hoping that it will be worth to bare this. Todays song is from The Lilac Time a less successful band formed by Stephen Duffy and his brother Nick.

Enjoy.

The Lilac Time - The Girl Who Waves At Trains

40 Records In 40 Years (39/40 - 2012)

This year could become only better than the past. And it was. Christiane has stabilised and looks again more optimistically into the future. This also means that from me a lot of load was taken away from m my shoulders. In fact that she still wasn't able to regular work she moved with her girlfriend and their daughter for a few weeks to Sri Lanka to travel around and to recreate. I was still working in an unspectacular life. My brother in law is working as a civilian for the American army. Therefor he has to go often for exercises to the United States. One day he told me that he will combine the next exercise with a few weeks staying with his family. He invited me to join and so I took the chance to explore Florida. It was a wonderful time there spending the day and be a little part of the American way of life. When we had to wanted to check in to the return flight I find out that I have made a mistake in the takeoff day and fly back only one day later. So I sent them back to Germany and I had to decide how to spent the day. I deposit my bag at the airport hotel and went downtown Tampa and bought me a day ticket on the street car. Finally I stranded in Ybor City and it looked awesome. Thus I fancy a classical American town. Split in squares with wide streets and brick buildings, not higher than two floors. Finally I came to the Cuban quarter. There I stopped and bought me a handrolled cigar and swing to bar, listening some Cuban musicians. Not the worst way to spent the last day.

As always - some records I remember which was published this year:

• Michael Kiwanuka - Home again: Fantastic voice and great songs
• Flying Lotus - Until The Quiet Comes: Spectacular sounds
• Frank Ocean - Channel Orange: The new definition of R&B and Hip Hop
• The xx - Coexist: Another great record by The xx
• Django Django - same: New psychedelic art pop
• Mumford and Sons - Babel: Because my brother gave it to me

And these are some songs I remember as well:

This is what I saw, when I went to the movies:

• Django Unchained: Tarantino goes western
• Lincoln: A movie that shows how politics works
• Skyfall: Because Mr. Craig is the best Bond
• The Dark Knight Rises: Just a good popcorn movie

With certainty the best record this year was Dexys One Day I'm Going To Soar. We had to wait 27 years until Kevin Rowland released his next masterpiece. I was a huge fan of them since they released their first record Searching for the young soul rebels and I really didn't expected to hear something new again. Kevin takes us with on a musical trip and shows us once more as nicely soul music can be if up-to-date he is interpreted. You can have on this record everything what you can wish. Miraculous and timeless songs musically primes with blowers and string players. And then the songs become by this miraculous voice in the itself still tenderness and longing unite and performed with an unbelievable force. As on her first record one can approach the songs while one allows to work the music on himself or while one argues with the texts. Here speaks a man who has seen during the last years obviously a lot and has experienced. Many of his words sound after age wisdom - but they have incredibly appealed to me. Sometimes comes to me the thought that many of his sentences have arisen from my thoughts.

Hoping that the fucking DCMA doesn't call me to replace these track like they did last week.

Dexys _ Me

Dexys - I'm Thinking Of You

Dexys - Incapable of Love

Dexys - It's O.K. John Joe

What Happened To Pub Rock # 13

After my last post the question arose whether this series with it is finished. I can assure that I will keep this series alive still some time. I think it's time to feature The Flamin' Groovies. The band never attained big commercial meaning, however, fans and critics showed coming group always enthusiastically to themselves from the works from the environs of San Francisco. A reason for her stubborn failure was possibly the fact that the Groovies always played against the ruling music trends. At the beginning of her career they preferred a wild mixture of rock'n'roll and Rhythm & blues, in the 1970s they turned to the Sixties pop after classical coinage and were celebrated as a pioneer of the power pop and even by punk rock and New Wave. Maybe they were how many other groups simply at the wrong time at the wrong place. I have become attentive to The Flamin' Groovies as their album Shake Some Action produced by Dave Edmunds was published. It was a record that is still timeless combining the best of the rock history. So I looked out for their former released albums and was not disappointed to get them. Following songs are from their 1971 record (and probably their best) Teenage Head.

Flamin' Groovies - High Flyin' Baby
Flamin' Groovies - Teenage Head
Flamin' Groovies - 32-20
Flamin' Groovies - Evil Heared Ada
Flamin' Groovies - Whiskey Woman

Swords Of A Thousand Men

The average rock fan wouldn't remember Tenpole Tudor but I am sure that the ones who was addicted to punk music would remember very well. They were close to the Sex Pistols and had their first appearance in the movie The Great Rock and Roll Swindle. In the early 80s they had some chart success with songs like Three Bells In a Row and Wünderbar. I found a review at allmusic that says everything about the band:

This was a band, after all, that came across as a gang of rockabilly toughs decked out in medieval garb, led by a gangly, goofy drama student that could sing but not carry a tune. This was a band that reveled in silly antics and sillier songs, stealing from old-time rock & roll, punk, novelty pop, and country, turning it into a joyous, catchy cacophony. They were misfits, classic British eccentrics making music that was a jumbled mess of American pop music, filtered through wry British humor and punk. If they were a footnote, at best, to rock history, some may wonder why the hell anyone would want Swords of a Thousand Men...

So enjoy and sing along to this little gem.

Tenpole Tudor - Swords Of A Thousand Men

Twanging Tuesday # 26

Back in 1980 a band from NYC brought us back the classic rockabilly style. Produced by Dave Edmunds (who else) The Stray Cats played a dynamic one mix from Eddie Cochran and Gene Vincent like they today could sound. They were so hot these days that me and some mates went to Cologne to see them live. Three guys with a lot of pomade in the hair and skintight jeans has given a fantastic concert there.

The Stray Cats - Runaway Boys
The Stray Cats - Rumble In Brighton

Reach For The Dead

For the start into the new week I picked out tune from one of the best records last year. It's from one of my favorite Scottish duos playing fantastic electronic music. Boards of Canada didn't made any record I know that was not very good an full of ideas and experiments. Reach for the dead starts with some sample loops that may rush for themselves alone put and crack, before carefully synthesizers spread on them , single beats start, condense tact for tact to a rhythm and help the track after just three minutes to develop in full blossom. Always worth to listen.

Have a good week people.

Boards Of Canada - Reach For The Dead

40 Records In 40 Years (38/40 - 2011)

This year has started the way the last has ended. After we had buried my father we received the news that my father-in-law has fallen ill with cancer. Then after a short suffering time he has passed away at the beginning of the year. This and the whole annoyance and the difficulties in the job were for Christiane probably too much. Everything what she has moved over quite too long before herself and has not solved leaded to a heavy nervous breakdown. The result was a clinic stay for many months in them again strength could scoop around again in the life is based to touch. It was hard for me to see my wife suffer and not being able to help her. Looking back I must say that I have no more recollections to the year, because have turned most of my thoughts on her recovery. For these reasons no vacation this year. In a way at all I have got over the year. If I was able I would become this year and the things they happens are by my memory extinguish. Anyway life goes on - more next time.

When I look back which records was released this year I just remember this two ones:

• PJ Harvey - Let England Shake: Great songs and a great independent records
• Bon Iver - same: Beautiful songs and a great voice

The same was with the singles released this year.

But I remember some movies we've seen this year:

• Hangover II: As good as the first one, filmed on many locations I've seen
• Unknown: Another great movie with Liam Neeson
• White Irish Drinkers: Very good drama
• The Tree of Life: Another great drama with Sean Penn
• Contagion: Perfect medical thriller by Steven Sonderbergh
• The Iron Lady: Meryl Streep plays well again in this Biopic

The rest of the world was still turning round:

Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak resigns after widespread protests // 9.0 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami hits the east coast of Japan and killing more than 15.000 people // Arab spring and Syrian  Lybian civil wars starts // Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton // Osama Bin Laden was killed by American Special Forces

Although it was a hard year I remember that I played this record a many times this year. I was into this music for a long time but this record came close to my heart this days. Not only that it made fun listening to. It's more: it gave me back the power to stand the check of life. Nothing more and nothing less.

Dropkick Murphys: - Hang Em High
Dropkick Murphys: - Going Out In Style
Dropkick Murphys: - The Hardest Mile
Dropkick Murphys: - Cruel
Dropkick Murphys: - Peg O My Heart

The Foreign Correspondent - Stories About German Rock Music # 27

When I started this series I thought it will end after a couple of weeks, not expecting that it last this long. In # 2 of this series I introduced you to Neonbabies a band that was well known in the beginning of the so called German New Wave. In the beginning two sisters, Inga and Annette Humpe was heard on vocals. Both of them were part of the Berlin punk scene in the late 70s. There were many rumors why Annette has left the group. Anyway, it was a good decision. Because if she didn't go her own musical way we would have missed another band in this era. Ideal was a band which hit the nerve of the time and they combined classical punk attitude, short riffs and a forward going rhythm with lyrics which act from the life and also the boredom of young people in Berlin at these days. Their self titled debut record from 1980 was nearly the start of a lot of other bands to catch the bus to Hitsville Germany to do it the same way. This record was played at these times in so many pubs in my town because a lot of people could agree to this sound. The band split in 1983 announcing it to the media with an telex: „The group Ideal resolves. Ideally was planned from beginning as a project, a study group which should insist so long, how the differences of the single members made the work exciting and creative. Our music was always a result of the discussion of four different personalities, find not around compromises, but around songs to (him) on which everybody could stand. In three great years we have got out of this constellation the best.“

Enjoy and have a good weekend people.

Ideal - Berlin
Ideal - Blaue Augen
Ideal - Hundsgemein
Ideal - Luxus
Ideal - Roter Rolls Royce

What Happened To Pub Rock # 12

The story wouldn't be complete if I did not mention the ex-servicemen of pub rock. Brinsley Schwarz with the guitarist after they itself have named were the old cell of a lot of following bands. Indifferently whether they have played solo or have helped on countless records as a studio musician, the members were always a component of the British music scene. I mentioned Nick Lowe a few weeks ago but Bob Andrews and Billy Andrews played on a lot of records in this era. The bands style is hardly to explain. In the early times they tried to play pop songs with psychedelic influences and turned later into poppy country style. That they could play as a backing band as well is shown on Frankie Miller's first record Once In a Blue Moon. Unfortunately I've never seen them live but when I read something about them I think it would be awesome. Looking back at the days of pub rock I think this was one of those bands that stood the test of times. Their songs might be simple at the first moment but if you exactly listen you are able to hear so many facets which make single songs wonderful.

Brinsley Schwarz - Ballad Of A Has-Been Beauty Queen
Brinsley Schwarz - Ever Since You're Gone
Brinsley Schwarz - Feel A Little Funky
Brinsley Schwarz - Funk Angel
Brinsley Schwarz - Hymn To Her
Brinsley Schwarz - The Look That's In Your Eye Tonight

Burning Down The House

The last week my colleague has kept free himself some days. Because our musical taste is completely different I have perceived the opportunity and alongside have heard music. Usually I start work earlier than him and I listen to my music until he comes. Sometimes he asks me who's playing and I tell him. Sometimes he can agree with the music that was playing and some times he don't. Most of the time I switch of my player after the song is over to get him a chance to hear different kind of music. But it's like cast pearls before swine when he told me to switch off  the fantastic mix Hazienda by Andrew Weatherall. Anyway, this song appeared on the shuffle and I thought I ought to post it these days. It's the live version of Burning Down The House by Talking Heads. And this song is still brilliant! I loved this band since they released their first record in the late 70s. A perfect combination of funky rhythms and a new way of performing them. I seldom heard a bass player using his instrument like Tina Weymouth did. And the vocals of David Byrne fit accurately to the songs. And the movie Stop Making Sense is a milestone in this genre. I remember this movie very well and for many people it was new, if with every song a band member comes more on the stage. I first saw it by Joe Jackson in the very early 80s. This song is the first song that the entire band played in the movie.

Enjoy.

Talking Heads - Burning Down The House

Twanging Tuesday # 25

Today we have one with the 25th post a small jubilee which I would like to commit with one of an American rockabilly band. The Moonlight Howlers are a family unit out of Williams, Arizona with brother Raffael “Bones” Weatherly on stand-up bass, sister Ariel “Siren” Weatherly on drums, and cousin Tory “Lee Terror” Putman on guitar. Each of these kids are in their early 20s, yet they’ve put together a strong resume that includes appearances at county and state fairs throughout Arizona, New Mexico, California, Wyoming, and Montana. Not too bad for three kids who credit their grandfather for their love of old 50s rock and roll and honky-tonk.

Run Daddy Run

Weekends over and another working week ahead. This week C. will come back from Sri Lanka to watch out what's to be done in the next weeks. For me it's just another busy week ahead in which I don't know what problems in our projects I should be work. Anyway, let's start this week with a song from Fun Lovin' Criminals a New York based band who plays a fantastic mixture of alternative rock, hip hop, funk, blues and jazz. As a band, they cover such issues as organized crime, recreational drug use, violence, poverty and politics. Their songs are often gritty or existentialist in nature, but are just as often humorous or satirical. One of my favorites is Run, Daddy, Run which shows their abilities maybe the best. It's a very good mixture of the styles I described.

Have a good start into the week people

Fun Lovin' Criminals - https://app.box.com/s/7kmlzin7r1mxxd86y297

Slip Away

It's Sunday again and I'm going to do my personal accountancy and post of the last weeks. Although I am very exact in my job and work on documents fast and put away, I do not get it on the row, to do this resembles with my personal things. That's why I collect everything and pull it from the drawer if it cannot be moved over any more longer before itself. So now is the time to spent one or two hours to get these things done. I made me a coffee, selected some songs from the 60s soul era and hope that this work will be done soon.

Have a good weekend people

Clarence Carter - Slip Away

40 Records In 40 Years (37/40 - 2010)

Update notice: Fucking DMCA prohibits me from providing the songs as a download. That's why I have made available the songs about Youtube, so that everybody can make to itself a picture of my image.

What year with so many heights and depths. I have come back better and better in my occupation. And the better I have managed this, the worse it goes for my wife in her occupation. Not only that she a lot of problems has to do to herself in her position, but there are colleagues whom have worked against her. I do not know how many evenings we have maintained us and looked for solutions. At last the best solution might be that she gives up her job and searches for herself something else. This was also the time in which we have gone away on from ourselves and did not have any more the same aims which we want to pursue. Nevertheless, we have done everything to give ourselves a new perspective and to gain control of our life again. Then something happened what I would not have held for possible. My father got cancer and has passed away after a short time of the suffering peacefully. I would never have thought, how much I would lack him, because he was there fifty years for me and my brothers always. This is why all other things that happened to me made no difference. Anyway - life goes on. More next week, people.

Seems like I turned more and more into electronic music:

• LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening: If only for Dance Yrself Clean
• Caribou - Swim: Fantastic record
• Four Tet - There Is Love In You: Good like everytime
• Warpaint - The Fool: What a great band and what a great record
• The Gaslight Anthem - American Slang: Influences of Springsteen, Waits and The Clash made a great record
• Arcade Fire - The Suburbs: Another alternative rock that sounds good
• Panta Du Prince - Black Noise: Electronic music that I played often since then

And here like the weeks before, some songs from the start of the topical decade:

And again: some movies from this year:

• The Kings Speech: Excellent historical drama
• The Social Network: A true story how to get a billionaire
• Black Swan: Wonderful pictures and a great drama
• Shutter Island: Very good novel and a very good movie
• Inception: Di Caprio again - what a great story
• Soul Kitchen: Fantastic story about how to run a German restaurant

Some headlines again from the rest of the world:

Heavy earthquake in Haiti devastating the capitol Port-au-Prince; more than 300.000 people died // Airplane crash in Smolensk kills the President of Poland Lech Kaczynski // European finance crises starts with the support of Greece // Ethnic riots in Kyrgyzstan // 2010 FIFA World Cup is held in South Africa and was won by Spain against the Netherlands

He has it still - this rat-catcher's voice; though she sounds different, more fragile, taken, but also a little age-wise and more conciliatorily, but not less reproachfully, only less deploring. 16 years after Spirits that reports back of drugs, alcohol and the destiny sieved Heron, finally, again with a new collection from poems and songs, and knows how as to fascinate as at times from winter in America.

The special in this record is above all that he has found a sympathetic musical partner, or in Richard Russell also again better: this has found Heron and has reactivated directly from the prison. Differently than Brian Jackson in the 70s, however, Russell offers a wide spectrum of styles with those he Heron's texts puts under which have all one common denominators: the bandaging of traditional instrumentations with highly topical modern genres like hip-hop and electronics. The fact that here stretching frictional surfaces should prove is clear that this succeeds, however is, also to be ascribed to the aerial and partly fragile arrangements which Russell sketched here thus capably and absolutely freely of currying favour. How he made from Robert Johnson 's classic  Me And The Devil an artistic hip-hop, is as astonishing as the quite clear power station loans in Your soul And mine. Blues is celebrated on I'll take Care Of You and Heron's own (and fantastic) New York Is Killing Me and above all to this piece a rhythmically like orchestrated gruff Extravaganza sticks which one has never heard thus. Soonest comparably this is still with blues an explosion, only never overload so and crudely. Heron's gospel song-like song does his remaining around these songs to let get under skin.

And if he proclaims guitar accompanied his lyrics with the title track only from accumulator tables, one also thinks without fail of first (and possibly best) American Recordings album of Johnny Cash. If one of the big old men should walk on such a way for his late work, then Heron. A short, but big and extremely exciting album which connects Old and newly brilliantly. Heron has never taken up bad albums, but I'm New Here counts definitively to his best.

The Foreign Correspondent - Stories About German Rock Music # 26

Let's cross the border to Austria today. Wolfgang Ambros is a well known singer/songwriter in the German and Austrian scene. He got famous by his song Schifoan, telling us about what fun it could be driving in a fresh snow downhill. This song is very popular at the hot spots in the alps when you finish skiing at your your local bar. Lot's of people singing along to his song - especially the refrain. Sure, it is some kind of freedom that you can have when you are driving in a fresh snow. But Wolfgang Ambros was more than a one hit wonder in the skiing scene. He has made an album about the mountaineering and has made clear like the mountain dwellers think and feel. It was very local and no one out of Gemany/Austria would ever recognized it. Anyway it was a record I grew up with. In the late 70s he made a record with songs from Bob Dylan in Austrian language. He didn't translate his words one to one into German - he tried to transfer Dylan's meaning and intentions into my native language. And I have to say it was a very good job. Many songs on this record have a deep melancholy in it. This is typical for music made in Vienna these days. It is nearly 40 years ago that I listened to this songs and I forgot how wonderful they are. Wolfgang Ambros had a feeling for the meaning of these songs. And I don't know anyone better to sing these songs in German (maybe Wolfgang Niedecken from BAP - but this is another story to be told). A few years ago he made another record with cover version in Austrian language. This time he interpreted songs by Tom Waits - a very good record as well.

Wolfgang Ambros - Des Sandlers Flucht (Drifters escape)
Wolfgang Ambros - I bins ned (It ain't me babe)
Wolfgang Ambros - Früher oder Später (One of us must know)
Wolfgang Ambros - Denk net noch (Don't think twice)
Wolfgang Ambros - Da Mensch in mia (The man in me)

Bring It Down

Today's bank holiday in Germany and many other countries celebrating the International Workers Day. In my younger days I used to got to political rallies organized by local unions at this day. I don't really know when and why I stopped it. Maybe it was at these days I got in conflict with some leading members of the union. It was in the mid 90s when some organized members of our workers council in the bank tried to install the unions ideals more than they should. I remember big discussions when I was a member of our working council. For me the fact was decisive that I have dissociated myself from the trade union that consciously the untruthfulness was said. There was clear for me that it is for the trade union not about the workers, but therefore her aims to realize. Another fact might be that in 1933 the Nazi government declared May 1 as the 'Day of National Work' an official state holiday and announced that all celebrations were to be organized by the government. Any separate celebration by communists, social democrats or labour unions were banned. Deep in my socialist heart I feel a little pain, seeing that this day was occupied by lots of group for their own aims and ideas and that they forgot what ideas originally stood behind this day.

Redskins - Bring It Down (These Insane Things)