One of the most devastatingly cruel and funny prank calls I’ve ever heard. This is obviously not a call conducted by Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits but by someone else using the name of Mark Knopfler. I’ve heard other “Knopfler” calls and none of them reach the heights (or depths) of this masterpiece.
“Wall of Death” is the closing song of Richard and Linda Thompson’s bleak album from 1982, “Shoot out the Lights.” For those who don’t know (and I didn’t know until recently), a “wall of death” is (according to Wikipedia) actually “a carnival attraction featuring a silo- or barrel-shaped wooden cylinder, ranging from 20 to 36 feet in diameter, inside of which motorcyclists, or the drivers of miniature automobiles, travel along the vertical wall and perform stunts, held in place by centrifugal force.”
I always thought “Wall of Death” was a metaphor for suicide or something equally dark. And for all I know, it could be. However, now that I know what a real “wall of death” is, I think the song has a different meaning in the context of the album (which many take as a song cycle about the Thompsons’ impending divorce). Since the Thompsons were still together when the album was completed (they didn’t divorce until the album was released), I now see the song in a more positive light. I think the song could be an affirmation of the importance to keep things going in an otherwise strong relationship, even though the going can be tough and scary at times. The song could also be an affirmation of how many people still seem to look for love, even though it can be a scary ride, because, as the lyrics say, “it’s the nearest to being free.” Again, given the context of what was going on with the Thompsons at the time, I could be completely wrong. But I’m also happy to believe there’s possibly a more positive meaning to a great song I always thought was unbearably bleak.
The accompanying video shows some classic stills from real “walls of death” over the years.
One of my favorite Runaways songs, “Take It or Leave It” features Joan Jett on vocals, a molar-loosening drum sound by Sandy West, and a twin guitar attack by Jett and Lita Ford. From the 1977 album “Queens of Noise.”
A favorite from the early days of MTV, circa 1982. Those were the days when there so few videos to choose from, MTV basically played everything. It wasn’t uncommon to see Adrian Belew mixed in with the J. Geils Band, Rod Stewart, Duran Duran, the Clash, etc.
The primitive computer graphics and high contrast shot-on-video look may seem cheesy, but I have a very soft spot in my heart for this kind of stuff. Also, that beautifully sick rhino guitar sound that Belew patented is always a wonder to hear. From Belew’s album “Lone Rhino.”
Arguably, the funniest anti-drug song ever written. But just because it’s funny doesn’t mean it’s any less tragic. A good example of how you can deliver an effective message without a sledgehammer. Admittedly, the video sends some mixed messages, though I do like the nod to “Cheech and Chong’s Nice Dreams.” Jay and Silent Bob (Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith) make the expected cameos.
Here is one of the coolest collaborations of the 1990s: the B-52s’ Fred Schneider mixing it up with noise-rock pioneer Steve Albini as producer. On the surface, this sounds like a recipe for disaster, but Fred proves he could have a great hardcore punk singer, more than holding his own against the slamming wind tunnel of sound behind him. From the album “Just Fred.”
Sorry to kill your buzz from “Silver Machine,” but this is Hawkwind’s trippy space-rock amped up to punk speed by the Pixies. From the wildly underrated 1991 album “Trompe Le Monde,” here’s “Planet of Sound.”
More Lemmy for a Friday morning. This is from Lemmy’s days with space-rock giants Hawkwind, recording the vocal for Hawkwind’s most famous song, “Silver Machine.” This is extremely trippy stuff. I take no responsibility if you start to hallucinate (or levitate for that matter).
Here’s Motorhead’s version of the stereotypical ’80s metal video. It has everything you would expect: a scantily clad woman, disapproving parents, home destruction, being chased by the police, motorcycles, etc. Except it has the great Lemmy Kilmister and company bashing it out. Given all that Lemmy has seen and done over the years, I’m not so sure he can be killed by death. In a battle to the death with Keith Richards, I’m putting my money on Lemmy for the win.
A pulverizing and intense cover of Queen’s “Get Down Make Love” by Nine Inch Nails that was sadly thrown away as a B-side of the “Sin” single. The original by Queen was weird and disturbing enough, but Trent Reznor smashes it to bits and amps the creepiness factor up to 11.
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