Steve Albini + Andrew WK

A post of two half's. First a little ditty inspired by my recent time at work and then some partying for the New Year.
As a career musician ( I use that in the loosest sense when referring to myself) I have often been asked by fellow co-workers why I spend all my money and lose so much sleep over my chosen path. Why I continue to travel around playing gigs to 15 - 20 people for little to no money at all. The biggest one is always if I have albums available in shops and around the world, and I have played gigs outside of this wretched country why am I not famous.
You can never really answer this without the person thinking you are stupid or just plain "weird" for not giving up already. Steve Albini has probably been asked a similar question many times. Nowadays he loves online poker and recording bands but back in the early 90's he wrote a article for Maximum Rock 'n' Roll about the effect major labels have on the small, Indy band and where all that money really goes. Steve knows a thing or two about the music industry.

Steve Albini lays it down!

So onto the party. New Years Eve and all that rubbish. You mention Andrew WK and you immediately think of the word "PARTY" in massive neon lights and with fireworks blasting off around it. This is the album that most people remember him for and also his best really. Its a simple, one-trick pony of an album but does indeed make you feel like partying.



Andrew WK - I Get Wet

Happy New Year dickheads
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Gummo

Soundtrack to Harmony Korine's finest film. I know its an oldie and anyone with half a clue about what's essential will already have it. But for those that don't ( not cool! ) here it is.
For a (semi) mainstream movie it features a very surprising choice of artists.


Gummo - OST

Bethlehem, Sleep, The Electric Hellfire Club, Burzum and Spazz all on the same soundtrack! Its a bit silly.



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GZA - Liquid Swords

Not really festive in the slightest ( unless your a samurai I suppose) but a classic piece of hip-hop and one the the better Wu-Tang off-shoots.


GZA - Liquid Swords

Enjoy
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Predictions

Didn't quite get it right did they?

Filthy filthy Filthpact.

Once upon a time. I was in a band that played quite a lot of gigs and travelled around annoying folk with our racket. We used to play Scotland every so often and one of the best bands we played with while up there was Aberdeen's Filthpact. One time it was a club that was shutting down, Filthpact kindly fed us, put us up for the night and introduced us to the delights of Buckfast. They have split now, but in there short existence they toured Europe and the UK and did quite a few recordings. This is the only one I have. 6 tracks of aggro, crusty hardcore with some little metal touches. Nothing new I know but they did it so well.

Filthpact - The Watering Down of Hardcore EP

A few of the Filthpact boys have been sighted since playing noisy grind in Ablach and Uncalm. Go have a listen and that.

Charlie B has a Death Wish

Charles Bronson, actor, weather worn face of steely determination and laconic style. Micheal Winner made loads of cash of him. The reason why? Well Bronson starred in a film called Death Wish. Winner's greatest achievement. Adapted from a novel by Brian Garfield. This film went on to spawn some pretty shit sequels but the original 1974 version is still a favourite of mine. You can read all about it elsewhere on the Internet so I won't bother regaling the tale and plot.
The soundtrack is the main point of this post. Composed by Herbie Hancock, who got the job due to Micheal Wiener's girlfriend at the time ( Sesame Street's Marie) being a big jazz fan and going on about the Head Hunters album to the fat prick. This soundtrack perfectly suits the mood of the film, using the basic setup of The Head Hunters sound and stripping the wilder elements away he created a very sparse but striking accompaniment to the onscreen retribution.
So read the above wankery and download it below.




Death Wish - OST

on a related note, here is the discography of Charles Bronson, the awesome 90's power violence/hardcore band that pissed people off, had lots to say and made a right racket. Loads of samples from Bronson films and other things, lots of shouting and a nice snotty attitude to match.



Charles Bronson - Discography

Tons of Bronson fun can be found at the suitable amusing Don't Mess With Charles Bronson blog.

Ashbury.........again

Yes, again. This was up on the old blog a couple of times. Really just because I love it so much. Got into it about a year ago and has not been out of the transit music library ( car stereo) since then.
Ashbury, for what information I can track down on the internet, never really got that much notice. They existed for some years. This was recorded in 1983 but doesn't really sound very indicative of the times. Instead it recalls elements of Wishbone Ash, Fleetwood Mac, some gritty southern guitar and a tiny sprinkling of Led Zep. Which on paper sounds like a terrible concoction but to the ear works amazingly well. A well written, folk tinged, 70's rock record, made in the 80's.


Ashbury - Endless Skies

I will not take shit from anyone for liking this, it is an awesome album.

Black Cobra - The bad one and good one.

I watch a lot of films. Lots of films infact. Most of them are terrible or just bad, I don't know why. I just like them. I like to think I have pretty good taste in shit films.
So when the chance to purchase Fred Williamson kicking ass for less than two queen heads came up there really was no other option.
Black Cobra is plain terrible tho. Not even in that "so bad its funny" way that true-shit-classic White Fire ( there will be much more written about this later) is. Just look at the cover art......

( My copy does not look like this. )

See, that screams "massive macho action fun" doesn't it. Sadly, that above image is way more exciting than the actual film is. Its about a girl that witnesses a murder and is chased by this nasty bunch of bikers and only Fred Williamson can protect her. Bear in mind this is set in New York, but obviously the budget couldn't meet this important script requirment so they filmed it in Manilla. This is why there is a beach scene, but New York has no beaches does it? Stock footage of New York streets follow the opening credits but thats about it, during the film it could be set anywhere.

These sort of films cropped up all through the 80's, usually not to long after a similar Hollywood effort appeared. in this case, Stallone's "Cobra". Fred Williamson is pretty solid tho. That can be said and I can imagine that everyone involved knew what a huge turkey of a film they where working on. Single best scene is the bit where Fred slides across a hospital corridor while shooting. The light catches the patch of grease beautifully just before he makes the dive.
They also made 3 sequels to this as well. All filmed in Manilla but for those they had a hostage swap/police trade/interpol plotline that explained the surroundings.

The good Black Cobra is the band. Awesome 2-piece sludge/doom/rock featuring memebrs of Acid king. I really don't know how to describe them without using those terms. Been going some years and have about 3 albums out last time I looked. Saw them supporting The Sword and Saviours a few years ago. They absolutly destroyed, three full Orange stacks for one guitar! Superb.
This is the EP they released back in 2004 and alongside the first album Bestial is the best stuff they have done in my usual retarded opinion.


Black Cobra - S/T EP

Its an awesome little listen so do the right thing and go get the albums as well. Bestial followed by the others.

Get rockin with Black Cobra!
Listen to Black Cobra!

Sweet.