Go to Hell Songs

Ah, the go to hell song. The public rebuke of one once loved. We’ve all listened to these songs after an ugly breakup, am I right? Hell, “Already Gone” by the Eagles got me through many a night after a love gone bad back in the day, and that song didn't make this list. Here are my top songs that are an arctic blast at an ex, a cold shot of bristling hate at the one who did ya wrong. And the best thing is, it was a public put-down at it‘s highest form - on the acetate and over the airwaves. Here are just a few of my favorites ...

"Evil Woman" - ELO

Here's Jeff Lynne laying into an unfortunate ex . . .

Ha Ha woman what you gonna do

You destroyed all the virtues that the Lord gave you,

It's so good that you're feeling pain,

But you better get yourself on board the very next train.

Evil woman how you done me wrong,

But now you're tryin' to wail a different song,

Ha Ha funny how you broke me up,

You made the wine now you drink the cup,

I came runnin' every time you cried,

Thought I saw love smilin' in your eyes,

Ha Ha very nice to know, that you ain't got no place left to go.

"You Oughta Know" - Alanis Morissette

This one almost made me feel sorry for the tool it was written about, that cat from Full House ...

Did you forget about me, Mr. Duplicity?

I hate to bug you in the middle of dinner

It was a slap in the face

How quickly I was replaced

And are you thinking of me when you fuck her?

"I See You" - Hoodoo Gurus

No clue who this is about, but it fits fits several people I know . . .

You're a sad malignant loser, why do you continue?

I can't tolerate your self-righteous views.

I see you, I see right through you. I see you.

Monumental load of shit, it's beaming in loud and clear.

C'mon give my ears a break, hell I've had you up to here,

I know who you are, I know what you do, I see you I see right through you.

"How Do You Sleep?" - John Lennon

Ah, John's brutal missive to Sir Paul. Nasty . . .

Those freaks was right when they said you was dead

The one mistake you made was in your head

You live with straights who tell you you was king

Jump when your momma tell you anything

The only thing you done was yesterday

And since you're gone you're just another day

Ah, how do you sleep? Ah, how do you sleep at night?

Whaddaya got fellas?

Silversun Pickups

What do you get when you cross a dude that sounds like Kim Deal (Pixies, Breeders), a bassist you want so bad be Kim Deal or Kim Gordon (Sonic Youth), a drummer that bangs like Dave Grohl (in Nirvana days), & a rich Smashing Pumpkins-esque influence? Well of course, you get Silversun Pickups - one of the best bands around that some folks have not yet heard of. They've been around going on three years now, but I had not heard of them until I caught "Well Thought Out Twinkles" on XM Radio a couple of months ago. That's when I exclaimed, "The Pixies are back...or is the Breeders?!" because I could have sworn that voice was that of Kim Deal coming from my speakers. However, it is guitarist/vocalist Brian Aubert laying down the same dry, dead-pan style vocals. This confused the hell out of me because the Silversun Pickups do have a female bassist in Nikki Monninger, so I assumed it must be her singing. Anyhow, I loved the song as well as the previously released "Lazy Eye" which are both from their 2006 release Carnavas.

They are just starting to get a little airplay - I heard "Lazy Eye" on the radio the other morning. They've made some TV appearances, most notably a stint on Carson Daly's show. They've toured with the likes of Snow Patrol, The Shins, Modest Mouse, & even Foo Fighters. Catch a look on the magic TV below...

Why These Songs Suck (or Not)

Fellas,

I recently read an article that named (according to Blender magazine) the 50 worst songs of all time. If you haven't read Blender - dont; just look at the pics of the hot chicks. Now I must admit, having to hear most of these songs again would rank right up there with hearing Fran Drescher sing the national anthem, but I'm not sure they hit the mark on every selection. Here is the top 10:

10
The Heart of Rock & Roll
Huey Lewis

9
Don't Worry, Be Happy

8
She Bangs
Ricky Martin

7
Party All the Time
Eddie Murphy
6
Breakfast At Tiffany's
Deep Blue Something

5
Ice Ice Baby
Vanilla Ice

4
Rollin' (Urban Assault Vehicle)
Limp Bizkit

3
Everybody Have Fun Tonight
Wang Chung

2
Achy Breaky Heart
Billy Ray Cyrus

1
We Built This City
Starship


Ok, my first gripe is putting Huey Lewis on the list. They even put The News on the list! Perhaps I'm too close to the "Back to the Future" generation, but when did Huey stop being cool? The dude wore a white t-shirt and jeans when every other rocker at the time was wearing eye shadow and tights. He even named one of his albums "Sports," and sports are cool.

The Eddie Murphy classic made the worst list?? All he wanted to do was party. All the time.

I also protest "Ice, Ice Baby." Technically, the music behind those Dylan-like lyrics is David Bowie. He was cool - I mean she was cool, right? Well, Ziggy was cool.

By the way - number 20 on the worst list was Toby Keith, "Brought to You Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue" I think this says it all about the Al Quieda-friendly Blender magazine list. 'Ol Toby just wants to put his boot in terrorist's asses. My favorite part of that song is when the statue of liberty engages in violence against the evil-doers. I bet this is Bush's ringtone.

At any rate, check out the list and see if those judgmental pricks over at Blender named one of your faves. As a man who has seen more jr. high dances than the law should allow, I'd like to add that "Cha Cha Slide" song to the list. Any song that shouts out directions sucks. Unless its telling you what to do to your ho.

Weigh in fellas . . . .

Random Rock Encounters, Part 2: The O'Jays and Me.

O.K., technically not a rock encounter, but an R & B/Pop encounter nonetheless. My late best friend Jigger and I were heading to Vegas back in the early '90's. You've got to remember that back in the day I went through quite the Motown/Philly Sound phase and was pretty knowledgable about a lot of the groups of that genre. I'm still an unabashed fan. Anyway, Jiggs and I had a few Bloody Marys while waiting for our flight out of C-Bus (it was an early flight, so breakfast was in order) and I was feeling quite chipper if you will. We'd been in the air for about half an hour when I thought I recognized a guy a couple of rows in front of me as one of the O'Jays. Eddie Levert, in fact. What the hell, I thought. I went up and sat by him (keep in mind there were only about 30-people on the plane). Sure enough, it was Levert and the rest of the group along with about eight roadies sitting here and there. Being a tad tipsy (and by tipsy I mean smashed) I started singing "Love Train" and begging the guys to join in. Long story short, in a few minutes all three O'Jays were singing backup to yours truly on lead vocal. One of the guys (Walter Williams possibly) actually got up in the aisle and was doing the dance moves as I stood and sang beside him. Surreal. About halfway through I forgot the words and Levert took over. I then attempted to join the guy dancing but failed miserably to the delight of the crowd. Anyway, I then took a theatrical bow with the O'Jays as the crowd went wild (at least in my mind). I believe I even followed up by trying to start a rousing rendition of "Backstabbers" but my moment had passed. The group got off at our stopover in Minneapolis, we shook hands all around, and they went on their way. To this day I can't watch that Coors commercial and hear "Love Train" without getting a big grin on my face. If only camera phones were in existence back then. Damn.

By the way, my buddies The O'Jays were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004. I wonder if they remember me . . .

True story.

DJ's Random Thoughts For The Week

It's been a pretty hectic week for me, so I really haven't wrapped my arms around any one topic for this week's Rock Hard Times blog. Basically, when I get scatter-brained (which is often) I one, have a hard time sleeping due to the monatages of sight & sound going through my head and two, can't carry on a coherent conversation due to being interrupted by commercials for the aforementioned montages. I'm sure their are ways to chemically either enhance or discourage these random thoughts, but I'm still eyeballing those Callaway hybrid-irons at Golf Galaxy and will not part with a spare dime, so get out of my face already with that crap. Anyways, I'll try to keep this as close to music as I can...

• Can you imagine what music would be like today if MTV had been around in the late 60's & early 70's? There were some ugly suns-a-bitches that made some great music back in the day (some who still are, some that are pushing up daisies).


• Along the same lines, can we start a grass-roots effort to have MTV & VH1 pulled from the airwaves due to false advertising? Sorry, but shows that pimp out strippers & 'hos for has-beens like Flava-Flav, Bret Michaels & never-was's like Tila Tequila make me nauseous, & I'm not forking over the extra cash to DirecTV for VH1 Classic either because, you know...I gotta have those Callaways!


• Over time, George Harrison has become my favourite Beatle. Gotta watch out for the quiet one, ya know? His vision for what became the Love project was pure genious. He was also one of the most loyal and caring people ever, too. Just ask Eric Clapton...


• Recently I finished reading Clapton's autobiography. It is a highly recommended read that deals with his discomfort around the women in his life, and his addictions to booze & drugs. Also he delves into some of his relationships with other rock icons, such as Harrison. Little is it known, but Pete Townshend is probably the sole reason Slowhand is still alive, convincing him to seek treatment on two different occasions (drugs & alcohol). Oddly, they were never really that close - just fateful meetings that put things in perspective, kind of like having a guardian angel.


• Got my tickets to see Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers along w/ Steve Winwood in July. What would be better than seeing a jam with Winwood & Petty doing Dear Mr. Fantasy? A boy can only dream...


• I started working on a blog about background vocalists, but got caught up on two guys: Mike Mills of R.E.M. & Michael Anthony of Van Halen. Neither has gotten the bug to go solo, but are to me the signature sounds of their respective groups (although Anthony got the boot from the increasingly-insane Eddie Van Halen a couple of years ago). Mills chimes in along behind Michael Stipe grounded in reality, not even trying to harmonize but seemingly trying to call Stipe back in from his daydream. Check out Can't Get There From Here or It's The End Of The World As We Know It to see what I mean. Anthony, on the other hand has been charged with the daunting task of enhancing the vocals of David Lee Roth & Sammy Hagar, the latter of whom he befriended to the point it cost him a place in VH & landed him in the Waboritas. His distinctive sound is plainly evident on early VH recordings, but he really came to the forefront as the group's production values were increased in the late 80's with the addition of Hagar. Check out Summer Nights & Cabo Wabo from The Van Hagar years...


• On that note, I'm outta here. But first I have to give huge props to Shoe for starting this website. I'm pretty much a homebody & don't get to hang out with the boys as much anymore, so being able to log-in every day and see all these different takes on music has rekindled my interest greatly. It's great to see the contrasting styles of our contributors exemplified & has given me some new sounds to try out. By the way Shoe, Eels are a hit the second time around for me - thanks man. I was always undecided until I saw the video the other day through your youtube link for Novacaine for The Soul. Awesome...

DJ

The Legend of James Taylor's Jacket

As many of you know, there's a jacket hanging behind the Black Hole Bar in my basement that once belonged to James Taylor. Here's how it got there.

I went to see JT at Blossum Music Center back in '78 with friends Tom Elliott and Chris Benner. After the show we ambled down to the side of the stage, just getting a look at the setup really. The roadies were tearing down the set, wandering around doing this and that. At some point I look up and say, "Hey, look. He left his jacket hanging on the mike stand." He'd worn it onstage and had taken it off during the show. Anyway, one of us (probably Tom) gets the bright idea to try and grab it. Nice plan but the place was crawling with security and roadies. I turn to Chris for ideas, turn back around, and Tom has already jumped the railing and was halfway across the stage. He was just casually walking like he belonged there. A couple guys glanced at him but didn't say a word, either because he looked like he belonged or because he's 6'-3", 280 lbs and looks like he could kill you in a heartbeat (which by the way he could but that's another story). He casually grabs the jacket, throws it over his shoulder, and hops off the other side of the stage as Chris and I run frantically around to meet him. We walk away without looking back, expecting at any moment to hear, "Stop them! Thieves! Thay have James Taylor's jacket! For God's sake stop the bastards!" Except it doesn't happen, and we make it to the car. At that point Tom tries it on. Obviously too small. Chris grabs it. Too big. Heh-heh. Fit me perfectly. And that's how it came to be hanging in The Black Hole.

By the way, later I woke up wide-eyed in the middle of the night, realizing I hadn't checked the pockets. The possibilities were mind-boggling. Alas, nothing.

Random Rock Encounters, Part 1

I've had several requests for these, so here goes.

So I'm in Cleveland, staying at the Ramada Renaissance downtown. I get up early one morning to go grab some breakfast. I hop into the elevator and head downstairs by myself. The elevator stops and a guy walks in and leans on the wall opposite me. He has on shades and looks really familiar. Here's the conversation:

Me: "Man, you look just like David Crosby."
David Crosby: "Yep."
Me: "You are David Crosby aren't you?" (I'm quick like that)
David Crosby: "Yep."

What I really wanted to ask was, "How the hell are you still alive?"

At that point I basically talk about everything he's ever done, inquire how his son is doing musically and even throw in a question about him providing semen so Melissa Etheridge can have a baby. All this on a flight down 4 or 5 floors. He signed something for me in the lobby, patted me on the back, and shook my hand. I said thanks, he said no problem at all, and was off.

True story.

Why Karaoke Sucks

In the spirit of bitterness and malcontent, I would like to introduce my new jaded blog entitled Why _______ Sucks. As a man who knows everything, I welcome controversy and arguments of all kinds. It merely provides me with opportunities to showcase my superior wit and demean those who dare cross me. Blogs are all about posting crap that pisses people off. At least that's my motivation. So in the spirit of this narrow-minded notion I introduce a blog that is sure to draw scathing responses, ridicule and misguided criticism. I challenge any RHT members or fans to dispute my righteous claims in any way shape or form. Here goes . . . .
Karaoke sucks. It sucks to listen to, it sucks to participate in - it even sucks to spell. I know, I know after a few beers who cares, belt it out, sing louder! I'll tell you who cares - me. When I go to a bar/club I don't want to here a 10 minute rendition of "The Ballad of Curtis Lowe" by a chain-smoking grandma. Nor do I want to hear 7 women (who are all too scared to sing by themselves) chime in on "It's My Party and I'll Cry if I Want To." Any activity that requires drunkeness to be enjoyed must not be worthwhile. (wait, i take that last statement back). At any rate, Karaoke is killing the live band scene (real motive for blog) and a cheap Karaoke machine is a much more economical choice for bar owners than paying people who actualy practice a song a couple of times before the performance.
When by chance you do hear a good Karaoke singer, it only makes you wonder how good they could really be if they sang in a real band. I know what you are thinking, "Supervesey hates Karaoke cause he can't sing." Partially true, I'll admit. But neither can 75% of all Karaoke singers. I even have to listen to Karaoke singing at my family dinners. "Please sing that Merle Travis song again, Jim" I don't know about you but I can't take this anymore. If we have to have Karaoke, can we at least do away with a few tunes we have to hear sung every freakin' time?? Free Bird, Secret Agent Man, Sweet Home Alabama, arargaggh!!!
But I digress . . . . are you with me? Or agin' me? Hit me with your best shot. (another Karaoke gem!) Oh yeah - and if you were at Senoir Frog's and heard your's truly doing Love Shack - don't hold that against me. It was Jose Cuervo singing.

PS Before Wills posts it, I've already thought of the Why "Supervesey's Blog" Sucks as a future topic.

Vampire Weekend

first blog here... way to rock out shoe and friends.. you've got a real classy place here.. already feel at home.. i've spilled red wine on the floor, drank all the scotch from the mini bar and my blog couch has a burn mark on it, from what i don't know..

i have to say i love the new Vampire Weekend cd.. i, like most people i've spoken with over the last couple months, have listened to this thing quite a bit and i'm impressed.. i have to say i know very little about where the band came from or what they are all about, but i dig it..

the songs are short and to the point.. musically, it is interesting as hell.. all sorts of instrumentation (strings, keys, harpsicord for christ's sake.. if you can make a harpsicord sound cool, you've got a good thing going).. i love the way they play around with their rhythym and cadence on each song.. sometimes on the beat, sometimes lagging all around it.

songs 2-4 are definitely the power plays on the record but it's the other songs on the record that do it for me.. "The Kids Don't Stand a Chance" is a hidden gem at the end of the record... it's hard for me not to think of Paul Simon - Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes when Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa comes on either.. love the playful bass and keys on "One (Blake's Got a New Face).. the production value is damn good too.. great dynamics on the background instruments, and lots of little things hiding and coming through right when you need it..

they've got some good stuff going on all over this record and for that, i give them a 4 Banana rating on my 1-5 Banana scale that i just made up..

ez

Greatest Guitar Riffs, Ever!

OK - so the guitar solo is perhaps the "sexiest" thing about rock 'n roll, but did you ever stop & think of that riff that drives the song? Can it hold your ear, take you to peaks & valleys, around twists & turns, yet never steer you off course? Riffs are not quick-fix solutions to otherwise mediocre songs, a shot of ego compromise, or filler when the words just don't fit. Riffs are the glue, the melody, the backbone of rock 'n roll. Here are a few of my all-time favorites, plus a few from recent years that I just can't get enough of:

All - Time Greats:

First of all, homage is due to Bo Diddley & Chuck Berry, whom are the godfathers of riff-laden rock music.

You Really Got Me - Dave Davies (The Kinks)

Revolution - John Lennon (The Beatles)

Can't You Hear Me Knockin'? - Keith Richards (The Rolling Stones)

Voodoo Chile (Slight Return) - Jimi Hendrix

Purple Haze - Jimi Hendrix

Over The Hills & Far Away - Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin)

Immigrant Song - Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin)

Bring It On Home - Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin)

The Wanton Song - Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin)

Crossroads - Eric Clapton (Cream)

Won't Get Fooled Again - Pete Townshend (The Who)

Mississippi Queen - Leslie West (Mountain)

La Grange - Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top)

Paranoid - Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath)

Tie Your Mother Down - Brian May (Queen)

Rockin' In The Free World - Neil Young

Barracuda - Nancy Wilson (Heart)

Cold Shot - Stevie Ray Vaughan

Some of My Recent Favorites:

Monsters In The Parasol - Josh Homme (Queens Of The Stone Age)

Mexicola - Josh Homme (Queens Of The Stone Age)

Green Machine - Josh Homme (Kyuss)

Fell In Love With A Girl - Jack White (White Stripes)

Black Math - Jack White (White Stripes)

Circus Envy - Peter Buck (R.E.M.)

Teenage Riot - Lee Ranaldo/Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth)

Jane Says - Dave Navarro (Jane's Addiction)

Shoe's Top 30 Alt Songs of the 90's

Wow. Couldn't narrow it down here. Too many good songs. Here ye be:

1. Church of Logic, Sin and Love - The Men
2. Last Stop: This Town - eels
3. We’re the Same - Matthew Sweet
4. Milk and Honey - Fury in the Slaughterhouse
5. Ballad of Peter Pumpkin Head - XTC
6. The Globe - Big Audio Dynamite
7. Waiting for the Great Leap Forwards - Billy Bragg
8. Birdhouse in Your Soul - They Might Be Giants
9. MamaDaddyDid - Paul Westerberg
10. Happy Birthday to Me - Cracker
11. God Shuffled His Feet - Crash Test Dummies
12. Some Other Sucker’s Parade - Del Amitri
13. Work for Food - Dramarama
14. Nowheresville - E
15. Troubled Times - Fountains of Wayne
16. Follow You Down - Gin Blossums
17. 1000 Miles Away - Hoodoo Gurus
18. There She Goes - The Las
19. Big Gay Heart - Lemonheads
20. Turn My Head - Live
21. Half a Life - Love Spit Love
22. Severed Goddess Hand - Meat Puppets
23. Sorry - Nerf Herder
24. Flavor of the Month - The Posies
25. Curious - Sandbox
26. Megan - Smoking Popes
27. Story of My Life - Social Distortion
28. Discolite - Teenage Fanclub
29. Crowing - Toad the Wet Sprocket
30. Army - Ben Folds

Let the eternal debate begin.

Amen, SuperVesey!!!!

Thanks for bringing that up - also I move to have Fleetwood Mac stricken from the poll because 3 of the 5 members of the 70's "Big Mac" version of the group are indeed British (Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, & Christine McVie). Obviously Shoe has his mind under the flowing skirts of Ms. Belladonna herself, the beguiling Stevie Nicks...

Don't Forget Your Roots

Greetings men. Since this is my first blog, I wanted to start with something positive and yet a good rant seems more in order. After taking the "greatest rocker" quiz I must say that as the resident history teacher, I must take it upon myself to make sure we must not forget where it all came from. Shoe, if you compiled the list, I must take this opportunity to file a grievance against Rock Hard Times management. You see kids, back before Pearl Jam and The Band, there was this dude name Elvis Presley. Who was this joker, you ask? - well he has another name - KING. As in King of Rock and Roll. He also had a buddy known as The Killer. Less one 14 year old Lolita cousin, ol' Jerry Lee would be known as the King II. While we're at it, lets throw in Carl Perkins and Chuck Berry for good measure. But I digress, just trying to give credit where credit is due, boys. Can I get an amen? Long live Rock Hard Times.

The Old Grey Whistle Test

The Old Grey Whistle Test - 2003


My first official blog entry - might as well keep it simple & down the middle of the road so as not to be embarrassed by the music "veterans" that contribute to the Rock Hard Times! I would consider myself an old soul anyhow, at least musically speaking. I've always been intrigued more by the origins of rock & roll, stripping it down to its core. All music evolves; it has its roots and has sprouted numerous branches (many of which need pruned - but I digress). Which brings me to my first topic, a review of a DVD I stumbled across a couple of years ago at the "Mecca of Pop Culture" (that's right, WalMart) - The Old Grey Whistle Test.


I knew of The Old Grey Whistle Test previously as being the anti-American Bandstand in that it first, was British, and second, it did not cater to sugary-sweet pop acts from either side of the pond. Therefore, I knew it was an institution to be revered. Much to my delight it has been preserved on now which is a series of DVD's issued by the BBC. Beginning in 1971 until taking its bow in MTV-stricken 1987, the Whistle Test was "the essential showcase for non-mainstream acts." The presenters on the show were most knowledgeable & esteemed - many are included on the DVD giving insight & back stories on the performances which aired live. Aside from the occasional live concert footage, there was no live audience - it is just you and the musicians, one on one.


Most of the charm of the offerings on the DVD are that they are pre-fame presentations by the artists. The Whistle Test was a proving ground, underground if you will, for cutting edge acts to display their talents & to be taken seriously by those they wanted to reach. The running order begins with a stripped-down, pre-glam Alice Cooper performing "Under My Wheels" and ends with R.E.M., a long way from Athens, GA, performing "Moon River/Pretty Persuasion." Sandwiched in between is a who's who of what was important in the 1970's & 80's. Social awareness of course was a theme early in the decade, as exemplified by performances by Curtis Mayfield, Randy Newman, & The Wailers. Roxy Music & Edgar Winter previewed the coming age of technology in music. The American South, combining blues, rock, & country is represented by Lynyrd Skynyrd, Little Feat, & Emmylou Harris. The punk movement from the mid-70's is spotlighted with different interpretations by Talking Heads, Iggy Pop, The Ramones, Blondie, & The Damned. The DVD also is also packed with powerful performances from icons & legends such as Elton John, John Lennon, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, The Police, & U2. Also included are interviews with Elton John & Bernie Taupin, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Robert Plant, Lennon, & Springsteen.


The highlights for me would have to be my first real visual introduction to artists like Roxy Music & The Specials, and a reaffirmation of the greatness of those such as Springsteen, Talking Heads, The Wailers, R.E.M., etc. Tom Waits cannot be truly appreciated unless you watch him sing in person. Springsteen's live 1975 concert footage performing "Rosalita" (from Hammersmith-Odeon..?) absolutely blew me away, and will leave you exhausted & wondering how The Boss can generate that much heart & soul not only from his own being, but from The E-Street Band as well.


This is only Volume 1 of a series like I said, but the other volumes can only disappoint after viewing the first. The Old Grey Whistle Test is a treasure - we need that much commitment from today's "stars." If you are a fan of the purest forms of rock, this DVD is a critical, must-have.


Running Order:

Alice Cooper - "Under My Wheels"
Elton John - "Tiny Dancer"
Curtis Mayfield - "We Gotta Have Peace"
Randy Newman - "Political Science"
Bill Withers - "Ain't No Sunshine"
Rory Gallagher - "Hands Off"
The Wailers - "Stir It Up"
Roxy Music - "Do The Strand"
The Edgar Winter Group -"Frankenstein"
Captain Beefheart - "Upon The My O My"
Little Feat - "Rock 'n Roll Doctor"
John Lennon - "Stand By Me"
Lynryd Skynyrd - "Freebird"
Emmylou Harris - "Amarillo"
Bonnie Raitt - "Too Long At The Fair"
Tom Waits - "Tom Traubert's Blues"
Talking Heads - "Psycho Killer"
XTC - "Statue Of Liberty"
Blondie - "(I'm Always Touched By Your) Prescence Dear"
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - "American Girl"
The Police - "Can't Stand Losing You"
Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band - "Rosalita"
Iggy Pop - "I'm Bored"
The Specials - "Message To You Rudi"
The Damned - "Smash It Up/I Just Can't Be Happy Today"
The Ramones - "Rock 'n Roll High School"
U2 - "I Will Follow"
R.E.M. - "Moon River/Pretty Persuasion"

William Tell (not to be confused with the William Tell Overture)

Album: You Can Hold Me Down

When I first listened to him about a month ago, I was instantly intrigued with the song, “Trouble” (thanks Dave). It seemed that I played it repeatedly. The lyrics resonate and the song has a smooth flow. It gives you a fresh feeling, sort of like jumping in a swimming pool in the summer after a night that brings on an intense hangover in the morning. I instantly decided to do some research and looked him up on Myspace.

http://www.williamtell.com/

When I saw that he was from Orange County, I instantly got notions of surfboards and a garage band sound (probably, my own stereotypes). This didn’t seem to gel with the song I heard. I wondered if this song was a blip on the radar screen. I listened to the songs present and wasn’t overwhelmed but decided his voice was enough to give it a try. Within the first twenty four hours, I was convinced. I must say that I like all the songs on the album, a rarity for me. Most of them are ballads that start out slow and crescendo into a medium tempo.

A couple individual song reviews

Fairfax (You’re Still the Same): A jumpy sound, nice beat, by far the fastest pace of any song on the album.

Jeannie: A little bit heavier in the guitar than most of his tracks. When I hear this song, I think Toadies.

Just for You and Young at Heart (also listed on his Myspace page): Basically give you an overall impression of his general sound.

Panic at the Disco - The new album doesn't suck.

In fact, it's quite good. It's nothing like their last one, and it's so Beatlesque it's frightening. This, from Spin Magazine:

Pretty. Odd. is a big-budget Beatles love letter right down to its Abbey Road orchestra playing as loudly as the band over nearly every lysergic lyric. The results could've been embarrassing, but Ross and crew have stepped up their songwriting skills to such an extent that they begin the album with a reassurance that they're "still the same band"—though the evidence is utterly to the contrary. Centerpiece "When the Day Met the Night" volleys a sunshine pop sing-along that's as blindingly bright as most screamo/metalcore bands are dark, but the 14 other cuts are nearly as dazzling.

So there you go. I had to give it a listen and I must say I was quite pleased. That's rare since I usually skewer any band who dares try and emulate my heroes. Highly recommended.

Shoe's Top 10 Alt Songs of the 80's

Here's my first playlist and it was a tough one. I had to leave off some great songs. Here's your chance to post a playlist of your own. Any kind, any genre, any decade, does not matter. It could be your Top 10 Songs to Take a Crap To for all I care. No rules, brothers. Have at it.

1. Like Wow - Wipeout - Hoodoo Gurus


2. Can’t Get There From Here - R.E.M.


3. 68 Guns - the Alarm


4. These Important Years - Husker Du


5. Color Me Impressed - The Replacements


6. Put Your Hand Inside the Puppet Head - They Might Be Giants


7. Take the Skinheads Bowling - Camper Van Beethoven


8. Goo Goo Muck - The Cramps


9. Dance, Motherfucker, Dance! - Violent Femmes


10. Anything, Anything - Dramarama

Honorable Mention:

Sitting Still, Gardening at Night, Pretty Persuasion - R.E.M.

Dear God - XTC

Always Saturday - Guadalcanal Diary

Jane Says - Jane's Addiction