New Wave for the New Week #10

It has always been a standard strategy in the Punk and New Wave scene to cover songs that were originally done in a style so removed from Punk or New Wave as to make one have to hear it to believe it. The Dickies built a career on hyper-speeding loping melodies like "Sounds of Silence" or "Nights in White Satin"; the Flying Lizards reduced classics like "Summertime Blues" and "Money" to minimalist clatter; Wendy O. Williams led the Plasmatics through thorough thrashings of "Stand By Your Man" and "Dream Lover".

This week's entry in the New Wave for the New Week series is another cross-genre cover, but in this case far less ironic than those I have listed. Strawberry Switchblade was a synthopop duo from Scotland. Rose McDowall and Jill Bryson got together in 1983, and within a year had scored a #5 UK hit with the single "Since Yesterday", a classic example of later-era New Wave. For our purposes here, however, we focus on their second-biggest single, which only reached #53 in the UK in 1985 (none of their singles charted in the USA), a cover of Dolly Parton's country tearjerker "Jolene".

Giving the song an electronic makeover, the Switchblade created a track that sounds almost happy on the surface, but McDowall's plaintive vocals quickly counteract the bubbly keyboards. Couple that with the manipulations of colorful and colorless visuals in the video clip, and it's a rather powerful take on the song.

Strawberry Switchblade didn't last long. They released one album and a handful of singles, and split up in 1986. Rose McDowall was the obvious star of the two, cultivating a mysterious, compelling and attractive persona that rode the line between cute New Wave chick and intimidating Goth girl. She would go on to work with bands like Coil, Nurse with Wound, and Psychic TV (playing up the Gothic side of her personality), then reversed course in 1988 by releasing a Switchblade-esque cover of "Don't Fear the Reaper" as a solo single. Then, in the late '90s, she formed a folk-rock group called Sorrow, who released a few records before disappearing. She continues to sporadically release material and keep everyone guessing.

No guessing about this week's New Wave for the New Week, though. Here it is, Strawberry Switchblade's "Jolene":

Happy Mother's Day!

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To my own Mom, and to all the Moms who are reading this blog, I wish you all a very Happy Mother's Day!

Cookout Time!

The first cookout of the year is my way of welcoming in the upcoming summer. It's a sign that the cold is now completely behind us (and hopefully much of the wet - we haven't seen the sun around these parts in almost two weeks!), and the time has come to be spending more time in the yard than in the house.

Today was that day.

I didn't realize today was the first cookout when I woke up this morning. In fact, I had considered cooking out yesterday, but it just never came to be. But this is how it must happen - the first cookout must never be planned in advance. It's sort of like how bears know when to come out of hibernation, how birds know it's time to fly back north; suddenly, I knew it was time to cookout.

The day was perfect for it, too. Bright sunshine and a cool breeze kept the temperature at a comfortable 68 degrees in my yard. The neighborhood was alive with activity. Kids speeding by on their bikes, skateboards, or other modes of transit; neighbors working on their yards or lazing on their porches; Mother's Day being celebrated along with the celebrations of the gorgeous weather.

As it happened, I had a couple of thick Delmonico steaks in the fridge, a fresh bunch of asparagus, and a mix of button, oyster, and shitake mushrooms ready to go. (Again, not planned, but by natural instinct I must have been preparing...)



Those who cookout often have their preferences when it comes to grills; for me, nothing beats a Weber kettle grill and a charcoal fire. Peace, my gas-grill friends: I know there are many of you out there, and a gas grill can indeed serve the purpose well, but to my palette a gas grill simply cannot mimic the scrumptiousness of steak grilled over charcoal. The Weber kettle has been around since 1951, and has stood the test of time. It is the perfect grilling aparatus, bar none.



The steaks were seasoned with a little garlic-infused olive oil and a sprinkling of Montreal seasoning. A little of the oil on the asparagus along with salt and pepper prepped them for the grill (and if you've never grilled asparagus, you must! Delicious!). A small metal grill pan would house the mushrooms which would cook down in butter to compliment the steaks - a meal fit for a king!



Wasn't long before the aroma of grilled steak filled the air, and noticed at least one neighbor poke his head out, spy the sizzling feast, and a moment later head across his yard to fire up his own grill. As I said, it was time.

As the summer goes along, there will be many a cookout in my backyard. The Weber gets a good workout each year. Some cookouts will see a yard full of friends, some will see cozy dinners for two or three, some will just be me and my Weber. Rest assured all will be enjoyed - but none as much as the first cookout of the year!

How Can You Beat The Ramones Singing About Beer?

Ramones
(via last.fm)

Wanted to bring to your attention today's post over on The Sailor Jerry Blog. Posted there for your listening enjoyment are three nifty radio jingles the Ramones recorded back in the last decade for Steel Reserve High Gravity Lager.

Never heard these before, but then again I never tasted Steel Reserve before (and, apparently, I should be glad of that based on the warning Sailor Jerry's post contains.) No new ground being broken here - it's the Ramones, after all - but a nifty find for Ramones fans like me.

New Wave for the New Week #9

Image via Wikipedia

Andrew Chinich and Pal Shazar formed Slow Children in the early '80s LA New Wave scene. Together they released two albums, a self-titled debut in 1981 and a follow-up, Mad About Town, a year later. Songs were apparently written and recorded for a third LP that never happened.

Their one great claim to fame was the wonderful single "President Am I", from the debut album, and its accompanying video. Those of you who, like me, religiously watched the early days of MTV will recognize the scene of Pal Shazar submerged in a giant glass of vodka - it was used in several of MTV's station promos during the first year or two the channel was on the air, and the clip itself saw light-to-medium rotation early on as well.

Pal's pouty delivery of highly literate lyrics and her ecclectic phrasing which focused more on the rhythm and sound of the words than on correct grammar or inflection bounced over bubbly keyboard and guitar that had not yet devolved into what would come to be known as synthopop or technopop, creating Slow Children's highly identifiable and enjoyable sound. It's a sound that may seem a bit dated today, but still never fails to put a smile on my face when their songs turn up on my iPod shuffle.

Pal Shazar has gone on to release five solo albums, in addition to being a painter, t-shirt designer, novelist, and blogger, and shows no signs of stopping - thankfully!

I give you this week's New Wave for the New Week, Slow Children's "President Am I":

Howard and Ibanez Playing the Grand (Slam) Old Game

April 28, 1921: Ralph Miller and Lee Meadows.
August 18, 1997: Billy McMillon and Mike Lieberthal.
Sept. 9, 2003: Tomas Perez and Jason Michaels.
April 27, 2009: Ryan Howard and Raul Ibanez.

In more than a century of Philadelphia Phillies baseball, today's 13-11 victory over the Washington Nationals marked only the fourth time that the club has hit two grand slam home runs in the same game. The wild game saw the Phillies continue their nail-biting habit of playing behind for most of the game until making the late-inning comeback.

Image by Dinur via Flickr

At first, it looked like it was going to be the Ryan Zimmerman Show, as the Nats third baseman connected for two long, looong home runs in the third and fifth innings, helping put Washington in front 6-2. Ryan Howard batted in the bottom of the fifth with the bases loaded, and connected for a blast to straightaway center field that tied the game.

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Phillies pitching has been haunted all season by the long ball, and that ghost raised its head again when Nick Johnson and Adam Dunn both blasted two-run homers off of Scott Eyre in the eighth inning, giving Washington an 11-7 lead. The Phils weren't dead yet, though. After plating two runs and loading the bases in the bottom of the eighth inning, Raul Ibanez continued to prove himself to be an outstanding addition to the team by parking the ball in the right field seats to cinch up the 13-11 win.

Neat to see this bit of Phillies history unfold tonight.

New Wave for the New Week #8

Image via Wikipedia

I have always thought it a great crime that, for most people, the only thing they see in their minds' eyes when they think of Wall of Voodoo is Stan Ridgway's face emerging from a pot full of baked beans as he warbles on about being on a "Mexican Radio." This band was so much more than just a one-hit wonder!

When you talk about Wall of Voodoo, you really should talk about two bands: Wall of Voodoo with Stan Ridgway and Wall of Voodoo without Stan Ridgway. WoV's history can be traced back to Acme Soundtracks, a mid-to-late '70s company dedicated to creating film scores, founded by Ridgway. The company did not do well, but the location of its offices - across the street from The Masque, a revered punk club in Hollywood - helped Stan drift into the New Wave scene. With a few changes in lineup from the musicians he employed at Acme, Wall of Voodoo was born.

Those film-score roots are audible in this first version of WoV: spaghetti-western guitars, moody effects, and Stan's knack for storytelling. However, herky-jerky rhythms and Stan's sing-speak vocal affectations saw to it that they were lumped into the "New Wave" category. Their songs were intelligent, witty, and oddly catchy; their sound was unique and earned them praise as "the thinking man's Devo." This version of the Wall released a fantastic self-titled debut EP in 1980, followed by two excellent albums, 1981's Dark Continent and the following year's Call of the West, from which their lone "hit" came.

Ridgway left the band in 1983 to pursue a fairly successful solo career, and it seemed that would be it for Wall of Voodoo. It wasn't.

In 1985, a revived version of the band released Seven Days in Sammystown with new lead singer Andy Prieboy. The album is incredibly good, largely because Prieboy was wise enough not to try to mimic Ridgway's style. The sharp angles in the band's music were now sanded off, although that spaghetti-western feel remained. The Devo comparisons no longer held sway; if anything, the sound now veered closer to the recently successful Athens, GA sound of bands like R.E.M., Pylon, and Love Tractor.

Sadly, this version could not keep up the quality of work of the original band. In 1987 they released Happy Planet, which had a cover of a Beach Boys' tune and not much else to offer. Two years later, a live album appeared and disappeared just as quickly, and the Wall crumbled.

For those who only ever knew "Mexican Radio," I recommend getting any of the three Ridgway-era records, as well as Sammystown. All are fascinating, challenging albums well worth your time. As a sampling, I present this week's New Wave for the New Week, a clip from each version of the band. From the Dark Continent album, "Call Box 1-2-3" features Stan Ridgway's yelping song-talk. Andy Prieboy leads the band through a dissection of assassins Mark David Chapman and John Hinckley Jr., the excellent "Far Side of Crazy." Compare and decide:

The Subtle Art of Misdirection

OK, OK, I know...been a full week with no posts. Mea culpa, mea culpa! The good news is, I've actually been busy with income-producing work!

Fear not, though, posting will resume shortly. In the meantime, perhaps I can distract you with something so you'll forget I haven't posted....

LIKE MAYBE A DRAMATIC HAMSTER!

New Wave for the New Week #7

Classix Nouveaux
(via last.fm)

One of the more popular sub-categories of early '80s New Wave was the "New Romantic" scene. Embracing both music and fashion, the New Romantics were direct descendants of the mid-'70s Glam rockers; indeed, Bryan Ferry, Marc Bolan, David Bowie and the like were the icons the New Romantics often aspired to replicate. Think of bands like ABC, early Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, Adam Ant and Culture Club as examples of the New Romantic scene who most successfully reached mainstream ears. But there were many, many more New Romantic bands flying beneath the radar.

One of the earliest was Classix Nouveaux. Formed from the Poly Styrene-less ashes of legendary punk wailers X-Ray Spex, Classix Nouveaux recorded three albums between 1981 and 1983; as is often the case, their debut (self-titled in the US, called Night People in the UK) is far and away the best of the three.

In fact, it was their first single, "Guilty," and the corresponding video that first brought them to the attention of the music world. The breezily danceable keyboard pop and nearly gothic vocal style were quite agreeable, but oh the visuals!

It's hard to take your eyes off of singer Sal Solo: tall, thin, pale and bald, Solo underscored his naturally odd appearance by presenting himself as a glammed-up version of Nosferatu. It's a not easily forgotten sight. The overall look of the video would be aped by many a New Romantic to come, from the colorful hazy soft-focus effects to the "Seinfeld's puffy shirt" costumes worn by the oh-so-serious looking extras doing their best Mummenschanz dances. All in all, it's giddy fun, and the song really is fantastic.

And here it is for your viewing pleasure. Your New Wave for the New Week, Classix Nouveaux's "Guilty":

The Tea Party Guests Who Aren't Being Served

Rolfe Winkler hit a bullseye with the article he wrote at Option ARMageddon about the recent Tea Parties, "CNN Misses the Tea Party Point."

Wasn't just CNN who missed the point, it was virtually all of the Left Wing. CNN just happened to have the most egregious example of "if it doesn't fit our view, we ain't gonna report it" party-line journalism - the type of unbalanced reporting I'd expect from either Fox or MSNBC, depending on the party line. (The video is included in the article, and it is a sad commentary on the state of journalism and news reporting today.)

But the point here isn't the obviously biased reporting - that's merely a symptom of a larger issue; an issue that many are not yet recognizing in their zeal to mock the Tea Parties. Winkler notes,

"The lefties and the righties are still so blinded by their hatred of each other, they don’t see the emerging super-majority in the middle. They don’t see (yet) that they are actually in violent agreement, incensed as they are with nonstop government spending, in particular the bank bailouts.

Anger over the bank bailouts unites virtually the entire country. And how very ironic that this inchoate union of right and left is forming in opposition to Mr. Post Partisan himself, Barack Obama."

This observation is supported by the first reader comment, which in part reads, "...there is a building of all the people in the middle that are sick of the business as usual regardless of Rep or Dems." Indeed there is - I know because I am certainly a part of that ever-growing political demographic.

The party that best addresses the concerns of this middle-ground group will have the strongest position gong forward - assuming either party gets their heads out of their behinds and begins to address these concerns instead of spending all their time and energy in this ongoing political pissing contest.