New York

Lou Reed's output in the late 80s was fantastic. He made with Blue Mask a guitar-based record with a few great songs on it. And in 1989 he released his last masterpiece with New York. It's a bundle of great songs with lyrics you should listen to (if you didn't at least). It's his homage to the town he used to life and he loved - knowing the bad side of it. I remember when I drove home later at the evening from a business meeting and Alan Bangs (the very small version of John Peel in Germany) introduced this record. While driving I fell in love with this record and the day after I bought this record - and it was a very good decision. It's a record filled with recollections of his home town. Never heard a homage to his home town like tis before and after. The songs on this record are so full of power and political statements - and they are still actual. This record and the songs on it accompanied me for 25 years. And what can I say more to a record?

Lou Reed - Endless Cycle
Lou Reed - Hold On

Window

In my circle of friends there are only a few which are interested in new electronic music. Most of them compare this kind of genre with simple techno the way H.P. Baxxter aka Scooter does. But if you into into it is worth to have a look over the border to Austria. During the last years a scene has set up there and create new impulses over and over again. One of those I listen often is a band from Vienna called HVOB (Her Voice Over Boys). Musically the duet moves between House, electronic music and pop music and HVOB hold her songs rather minimalist and unfold a melancholy atmosphere.

It's Obvious

Finally, I have the complete Internet access in my flat again. It has lasted long and has cost me many nerves and time. As usual, a small cause has generated big effect. It was simply due to the fact that the first engineer has laid the connection with the wrong port. I would not like to complain too much of this what was happened the last week separate look forwards. Now that I am technically able to continue blogging you will get more comments to the posts you do.

In the 'old' days Saturday was reserved for many weeks to a series about old TV-series. I will continue but today I would like to feature a band from the days of post-punk. Birmingham gave us the Au Pairs, a band that often was compared to Gang Of Four and the Young Marble Giants. Of course, they played that kind of funk GOF did and they had female lead vocals like YMG. The Au Pairs had only a small output on records in the time they existed but most of them was superb. I bought their first album Playing with Different Sex in the early 80s and it had a heavy rotation on my turntable. I liked their sound with a leading bass, stoic drums and thrifty guitar licks combined with lyrics that played with a blinky look at gender relations.

Have a good weekend, mates.

Au Pairs - It's Obvious

The Foreign Correspondent Returns - Stories About German Rock Music # 41

In the course of the unspeakable New German Wave (NDW) a band became very successful, although they were not typically for this music direction stamped by kitsch. Nevertheless, Extrabreit was no typical NDW band, but made German rock music with also critical texts. They saw itself as a punk group which had to owe it only of the NDW that they were so successful. On her website in addition they said: „Yes, we have just taken part in the shit!“

For me they never were a part of the hype, but a classical punk / rock group which has sung on in her mother tongue. About all years away have remained Extrabreit to her style loyal and have played strongly from guitars stamped songs. Unfortunately, they could never again go back to the success of her first both long-playing records, however, they succeeded over and over again in publishing above-average records for German relations.

Extrabreit - Kokain
Extrabreit - Der Präsident ist tot
Extrabreit - Polizisten
Extrabreit - Junge, wir können so heiss sein

Jimmy Ruffin RIP

One more great voice in soul music is gone. He died last Monday at the age of 78.

What Happened To Power Pop # 7

Let's continue this small series with a song which is called by many for this genre typical. Cheap Trick were formed in 1973 and became famous as a support band for acts like Queen, Kiss and Santana. Their first album was not particularly successful in her native country - but they got big in Japan. During their tour through Japan they recorded their first live record and their single went straight to the top 10 worldwide. Many other bands covered I want you to want me but the original was never achieved. Curt Cobain once said about Nirvana: „We sound just like Cheap Trick only the guitars are louder.“  No more words to add.

Cheap Trick - I want you to want me

Cortez The Killer

Hi my friends, I'm back on my blog again. I moved tho my new apartment four weeks ago and no company was able to connect me to the Internet. It's horrible here in Germany. I got an Internet supplier who would like to connect me to the www. But German Telekom is also involved to this process. You need them because only they can connect to the net. So I had to figure out some problems over the last weeks and I decided to get me a prepaid card. It's not the perfect way to go online - but better than nothing. So I think I'll be back in the scene with some blogs and comments.

Throughout the last weeks I listened a lot to Neil Young again. I don't know why but his music made it easy to move into my new apartment. Listen in the background to his music made it much more easier to unpack the cardboards and to put away everything in the kitchen and everywhere else.

Hope you were all well and kicking.

Neil Young - Cortez The Killer