From the Jim Brown blaxploitation classic “Slaughter” (and more recently, from Quentin Tarantino’s 2009 Oscar-nominated revenge thriller “Inglorious Basterds”) comes this kick-ass hard-funk song from Billy Preston. Hearing those guitars that slash like razor blades against that organ that rocks harder than the guitars, my advice to you is this: if you shoot at him bruthah, you betta not miss!!!!
Cash does a superlative cover of Steve Earle’s classic about loving guns a little too much. I love Earle’s original, but I prefer this much tougher, rockin’ arrangement.
In 1997, a group of famous and talented singers and musicians got together to sing a cover of Lou Reed’s “Perfect Day” for the BBC. It was such a hit with viewers that it was released a single to promote the charity Children in Need, and went to #1 in Great Britain for three weeks, raising over 2 million pounds for the charity. Among the amazing artists here: Lou Reed, Bono, Suzanne Vega, Elton John, Burning Spear, Emmylou Harris, Tammy Wynette, Shane McGowan, Dr. John, Robert Cray, Evan Dando, Tom Jones, Laurie Anderson, Joan Armatrading, and many many others. A wonderful cover.
Here’s a terrific B-side from The Jam that really should have been an A-side or at least included as a track on one of their original albums. One of my favorite songs by the group. This sounds like a lot Lou Reed’s “Sweet Jane” if it had been recorded by the Who circa 1967. Available on the Jam box set “Direction Creation Reaction” or as a bonus track the UMD Deluxe Edition of “All Mod Cons.”
A rare quiet moment in the otherwise infamous documentary about the Stones’ tumultuous and tragic 1969 US tour. Nothing much happening here but the band grooving on an early take of “Wild Horses,” one of my 5 favorite Stones songs.
More insanely terrific garage punk from the Pacific Northwest, this time from Oregon’s Paul Revere and the Raiders. I love the fact that all of these verses degenerate into screaming by the end, but please get that vocalist some lozenges quick.
The Sonics’ “Psycho” is an insanely wild kick to the head from the mid-1960s that needs to be played extremely loud. I don’t know what it is about the Pacific Northwest that produces such incredibly insane music. Maybe nine months of rain makes people a little edgy.
A great song by Nine Inch Nails that was in heavy rotation for about 6 months back in 1999 and then disappeared. I always loved the wall of noise on this song and this video (directed by Mark Pellington). A completely stunning track that was allegedly inspired by David Bowie’s “Heroes.”
In my earlier tribute to Tony Scott, I forgot to mention his stunning first film as a director, “The Hunger.” I remember seeing this on HBO late one Saturday night around 1984 or so and this opening sequence was so mind-blowing, I remember running into people at my junior high who saw the same thing (“My God, did you see that weird vampire movie on HBO?”) and were as flabbergasted as I was. So flabbergasting, that when I heard he was directing “Top Gun,” a needle went off the record in my mind. Well, he definitely found his commercial niche and while Scott made some wildly entertaining and commercial films (“Last Boy Scout,” “Crimson Tide,” “True Romance,” “Domino”), it would have been interesting to see if he had continued in this artier, less commercial mode. This isn’t the full sequence that features the seduction / sex / murder sequence afterwards, but you can find the longer version on YouTube if you so desire. You can see a lot of influence on Gaspar Noe in this clip. Highly recommended.
One of my favorite instrumentals of all time, from Neutral Milk Hotel’s “In the Aeroplane Over the Sea.” The combination of strange and near-obsolete instruments performing together in a Phil Spector-like wall of sound is a wonder to behold. It’s even more amazing when you’ve heard all the songs before it on the album. I’m surprised (and pleased) this hasn’t been used in a trailer for some indie film. I don’t think Jeff Magnum would ever release the rights, but if I ever get off my ass and make a film (yeah, THAT’LL happen), this is going on the trailer, regardless of the subject matter.
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