Another great track from R.E.M.’s superior 1992 album “Automatic for the People.” This was a minor hit back in the early 1990s, but isn’t played that much these days. Apparently, R.E.M. didn’t like the mix on the album and … well … ignored playing this for several tours, until 2008, when they played it in Vancouver, BC on their “Accelerate” tour. R.E.M. is entitled to their opinion, but I always loved this song.
“Frankenchrist” was the Dead Kennedy’s 1985 long-awaited follow-up to their 1982 album “Plastic Surgery Disasters.” Nearly 30 years later, I can’t say it’s a better album, but it’s a lot better than I remember it. Of course, much of this reassessment has to do with all of the trouble that “Frankenchrist” whipped up back in the day.
A big part of the problem was the inclusion of a poster, a reproduction of Swiss surrealist artist H.R. Giger’s “Penis Landscape,” that was included with the album. If you want to see this painting, you can type in “H.R. Giger” and “Penis Landscape” into a Google image search and see what all the fuss was about. Please note that the artwork is not safe for work or little ones. Anyway, it caused the DK’s lead singer Jello Biafra to be arrested, along with other folks, and charged with “distributing harmful matter to minors” because the warning label on the album allegedly wasn’t big enough … or something like that. The reason why they were targeted (as opposed to a more high profile artist like Prince) was because the DKs were a smaller band on an independent label. As such, they were more financially vulnerable, more likely to plead guilty, which would then set a legal precedent so then, prosecutors could go after bigger artists. To Biafra’s enormous credit and foresight, he saw the big picture, decided to fight the suit and much to his financial detriment (and his band’s ultimate demise), wound up getting the case dismissed after a long and costly trial.
Biafra’s tale is most brilliantly told in his “High Priest of Harmful Matter” spoken word album, the track labelled “Tales from the Trial” that really needs to be heard by any person who appreciates free speech. Biafra’s speech on this album briefly inspired me to want to become a First Amendment lawyer back in college, a notion that was eventually disabused by my lack of public speaking skills. However, I do cherish the memory of dropping this career plan on my ultra-conservative attorney uncle back in the day and seeing him first turn white … then red … in fear and anger. His reaction was so extreme that even my conservative Dad chuckled and gave me a thumbs up for getting under my uncle’s skin so effectively. I gotta hand it to my Dad … he always went for the cheap (and funny) joke over principles. To paraphrase Ray Bolger in “The Wizard of Oz,” “If I’d only had a pair …”
The most bizarre footnote of this case was that Gene Simmons of KISS wanted to buy Biafra’s life rights to this story so he could produce a movie about the trial with Billy Crystal playing Biafra. As Ace Ventura would say, “Alllllrighty then!”
From the EP “Merry Xmas from X,” John, Exene, Billy, and DJ put their inimitable spin on a Christmas classic. I love the reference to their classic “Los Angeles” at the beginning.
From Nixon’s immortal “Horny Holidays” album from 1992, Mojo provides a swingin’ take on “The Grinch.”
The Ramones contribute a rockin,’ but sweet and sincere Christmas classic. From their pretty decent 1989 album “Brain Drain.” The video is a little corny, but worth a look mainly because, sweet lord, the clothes and hair on the actors (especially the female lead) is sooooo 1989!
One of the best music books of the last 10-15 years is Michael Azerrad’s history of American alternative rock from 1981-1991, “Our Band Could Be Your Life.” Released in 2001 and available in digital format within the next day or so, “Life” is the college radio version of “Easy Riders, Raging Bulls” (Peter Biskind’s exhaustive and stellar look at Hollywood of the 1970s). Azerrad devotes each chapter to a different seminal band of the period (Mission of Burma, Butthole Surfers, The Minutemen, Sonic Youth, Black Flag, Big Black, Hüsker Dü, Fugazi, Minor Threat, Mudhoney, The Replacements, Beat Happening, and Dinosaur Jr.). Some of the stories you may know … others you won’t. But if you have any interest at all in rock history (especially alternative / progressive rock), “Life” is a must. The chapter on the Butthole Surfers by itself is worth the price of the entire book. Seriously, the chapter reads like Hunter S. Thompson smoking angel dust with Monty Python with chaos, insanity, humor, and violence ensuing like a motherf–ker!
I’m not particularly religious, but I really love this collaboration between Jackson Browne and the Chieftains on this Christmas song. From the Chieftains terrific Christmas album “The Bells of Dublin.”
A tragic and funny Christmas classic. Pogues lead singer Shane McGowan channels his inner Tom Waits for this wonderfully down-and-out duet with Kirsty MacColl. Some politically incorrect language, so not safe for work or little ones. Look for Matt Dillon as a beat cop putting McGowan in jail.
Another great, soulful, holiday classic … this time from the Drifters. This version of “The Bells of St. Mary” is sublime and was used to chilling effect in Martin Scorsese’s “Goodfellas” when Joe Pesci’s character pays Samuel L. Jackson’s character a visit one morning.
Yes, I know I’m jumping the gun on this Christmas thing, but so are all the retailers this year, starting Black Friday sales on Thanksgiving evening. So, I’m getting the jump on them. Take that, retailers!
But I digress … This is my all-time favorite Christmas tune, especially towards the end where Love takes the vocals completely over the top. Puts a shiver up my spine every time. Say what you will about Phil Spector’s girl (as well as guns, drugs, and legal) troubles, he was a hell of a producer back in the day.
Dave's Strange World 