Herbie Hancock - Death Wish (1974)

RIP Micheal Winner. A big man that said what he thought oblivious to how it would be construed. He made quite a few stinkers when it came to movies but also some pretty solid fare as well. The Mechanic, The Sentinel and the urban revenge classic Death Wish. Below is the score by Herbie Hancock. A fine example of Hancock's electric style showing restraint and being applied to tense, dramatic scoring.

Herbie Hancock - Death Wish OST

John Holmes - El Louso Suavo (1999)

I wrote about John Holmes and posted up their final album a while back here, so I am not going to patter on about this awesome bands legacy and lineage again. All you need to know is that El Louso Suavo is a monster of an album. A ugly, crust influenced monstrosity of hardcore smashing its way through Deadguy and The Jesus Lizard style noise rock with a suitably British sense of nihilism.

John Holmes - El Louso Suavo

This originally came out on Flat Earth Records who have recently put their entire back catalogue up for free download. This is a label that introduced John Holmes, Hard To Swallow, Manfat, Ebola, Sawn Off Drop Dead, Witchknot and tons more to my young ears. They made an impression on my musical education.

Flat Earth Records

Kiss It Goodbye and all the other good things.

By now you will have probably heard the news, despite being only half the original line-up, Kiss it Goodbye have reformed for some select US shows. The band responsible for one of the most important albums to my musical growth as a youngster. Even now, over 10 years since I first heard it I still get a buzz every time I listen to it. In honour of this and my love for the melodramatic howl of vocalist Tim Singer, I have posted up some choice cuts from the dudes discography.
She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not is still, to this day, one of the angriest hardcore records I have ever heard. Tim Singer sounds like he is going through a complete mental breakdown, his vocals a mixture of mumblings, shrieks and roars complemented by the berserk, twisted instrumentation. I still struggle to get my head around some of the ideas and riffs on this album. You can draw a definite line from Black Flag to the KIG, sonically and lyrically they both possess a crazy, wild anger that not many bands achieve. Stone cold classic.

Kiss It Goodbye - She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not

Prior to KIG Singer and guitarist Keith Huckins where part of the Deadguy line up responsible for Fixation On A Co-Worker in 1995. The New Jersey group, along with Bloodlet where the black sheep of the Victory Records roster. A superb album in its own right. Combining noise rock, hardcore and a ton of negative attitude.

Deadguy - Fixation On A Co-Worker

After KIG, the other members took part in Playing Enemy and Nineironspitfire. The demo below surfaced about 1999/2000 and whetted a lot of appetites for a future that never came. Family Man was KIG without Huckins and sounds for all intents and purposes like Black Flag smashing into Unsane's practise room. Sadly these two songs are all that ever seemed to exist.

Family Man - Demo

There was talk of other recordings over the years, internet gossip and so forth but nothing has come out yet.

P.S. My Mediafire account is on the fritz so the links on this page are courtesy of the awesome folk over at The Living Doorway and Counts Of Arson. Sweet stuff.

Ol' Dirty Bastard - Return To The 36 Chambers : The Dirty Version

1995 saw the release of this album, probably one of the most well known and commercially successful offshoots of the Wu-Tang empire. From then onwards, its creator, Ol' Dirty Bastard ( Tyrone Russell Jones to his mother) went on to have a fair few adventures :

Around this time, Jones gained notoriety when, as he was being profiled for an MTV biography, he took two of his thirteen children bylimousine to a New York State welfare office to pick up his welfare check; his latest album was still in the top ten of the US charts. The entire incident was filmed by an MTV camera crew and was broadcast nationwide.

In February 1998, Jones witnessed a car accident from the window of his Brooklyn recording studio. He and a friend ran to the accident scene and organized about a dozen onlookers who assisted in lifting the 1996 Ford Mustang—rescuing a 4-year-old girl from the wreckage. She was taken to a hospital with first and second degree burns. Using a false name, Jones visited the girl in the hospital frequently until he was spotted by members of the media

The evening following the traffic accident, Jones rushed on-stage unexpectedly as Shawn Colvin took the stage to give her acceptance speech for Song of the Year at the 1998 Grammy Awards, and announced that he had recently purchased expensive clothes in anticipation of winning the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album that he lost to Puff Daddy. As Colvin took the stage to a round of applause, he asked of the audience, "Please calm down, the music and everything. It's nice that I went and bought me an outfit today that costed a lot of money, you know what I mean? 'Cause I figured that Wu-Tang was gonna win. I don't know how you all see it, but when it comes to the children, Wu-Tang is for the children. We teach the children. You know what I mean? Puffy is good, but Wu-Tang is the best, Okay? I want you all to know that this is ODB, and I love you all. Peace!" This incident was widely covered in the mainstream media.


In February 1999, he was arrested for driving without a license and for being a convicted felon wearing a bulletproof vest (the first person arrested for this infraction under a new California law). Back in New York weeks later, he was arrested for drug possession of crack cocaine and for traffic offences. With multiple cases in the past and present, he was arrested with marijuana and 20 vials of crack. After his arrest, Ol' Dirty Bastard reportedly asked the police to "make the rocks disappear". During a court hearing, he once called a female prosecutor a "sperm donor."


Its a top class album. It has that East Coast dissonance that RZA's production always lends. Alongside Liquid Swords its my favourite Wu offshoot.

Ol' Dirty Bastard - Return To The 36 Chambers

Alejandro Jodorowsky - El Topo OST (1970)

Writing about the work of Jodorowsky is a task in itself. Everyone has varying opinions on his work. So instead of getting hung up on what its all about lets just enjoy the jazzy, funk, acid trip score to his Surrealist, spaghetti western classic, El Topo.

Alejandro Jodorowsky - El Topo

Koreisch - This Decaying Schizophrenic Christ Complex (1999)

I once listened to this album four times in a row. It was the only tape I had on me during a particular stressful and long winded public transport nightmare back from Sheffield after a Nile gig. Being the days when I had a Walkman, the batteries started going near the start of the fourth play, this album sounded even more horrific at half speed.
Koreisch sounded horrific to start with. A piercing wall of feedback, droned samples ( little girls reciting holocaust figures, extracts from Conquest Of The Planet Of The Apes and Naked) and then the ragged blasting and sudden tempo shifts into distorted dirges of ringing noise punctuated by the harsh screaming. This album is more a ritual or trial to listen to, something to better yourself with.
Originally this surfaced out of the north of England on Screams Of Salvation, I do have an original copy around somewhere, and got a repressing and remastering by Calculated Risk back in 2004. Neither pressing ever sold very well from what I gather and Koreisch disbanded and moved onto In The Clear and The Kervorkian Solution. The download below is the remastered 2004 edition.
In a similar way that Today Is The Day make horrific noise as a way of dealing with life and to reflect there world view, so do Koreisch. Its a world view of complete failure and misanthropy.

Koreisch - This Decaying Schizophrenic Christ Complex

Siege - Drop Dead (1984)

Another RIP post. Sad news when it reached me. Kevin Mahony passed on recently. Kevin, along with his band mates in Siege basically defined the parameters and direction of hardcore punk back in the 80's.

If it wasn't for Kevin and Siege I wouldn't be doing what I do now. Here is the only release they ever managed. Drop Dead compromises the 6 track demo recorded back in '84 and 3 more tracks that came to light on Pushead's Cleanse The Bacteria compilation in 1985.
Basically the foundations of any band, musically and lyrically, that parades under the banner of fastcore/grindcore/power violence/hardcore whether your aware of it or not.

Siege - Drop Dead

Some pretty awesome, public TV footage as well.

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David Hess - The Last House On The Left (1972)

RIP David Alexander Hess 1942 - 2011, a very dark and intense actor responsible for many villanous roles, his most important and commonly recognised one was for the 1972, Wes Craven classic, The Last House On The Left. Not only did he turn in a suitably nasty turn as the psychopathic Krug Stillo but he also composed and recorded the psychedelic, folk inspired soundtrack. Which is here......

David Hess - The Last House On The Left OST

For further David Hess viewings I would highly recommend Hitch Hike (1977), House on The Edge of The Park (1980) and despite its patchwork editing and plot, Swamp Thing (1982) for Hess pulling, a pretty much spot on comic book villain, out the bag.

RIP Krug

Movie sickness

I don't do being ill, but at least I can catch up on doing some movie viewing.

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Pete Postlethwaite 1946 – 2011 RIP

 

Learned this morning of Pete Postlethwaite's death after a long battle with cancer. Despite making a few solid gold turkeys in his time he had the same thing Morgan Freeman had in that he brought a level of class and professionalism to everything he did. RIP.

The Jesus Lizard - Peel Sessions (1991/92)

Its The Jesus Lizard. I shouldn't have to say anymore really. This is a mix of two separate sessions they did for John Peel (god rest his soul) back in 1991/92. A nice bass heavy mix. They don't have the Albini clarity to them but I love how you can hear Sims bass thundering away behind Denison's guitar screeching. Don't think these ever got officially released other than being passed around the Internet. The Peel sessions where good.

The Jesus Lizard - Peel Sessions

Armour Of God - 3 Tracks (2000)

There really isn't much more that can be said that hasn't already about the overwhelming loss of Johnny Morrow back in 2002. You cannot deny the power of Iron Monkey and you would have to be blind to not be aware of its influence still to this day. Armour Of God was a project that involved JPM and his ex-Monkey band mates Jim Rushby and Justin Greaves alongside Sean and Marvin from The Varukers. The best way to describe the sound would be Infest pumped up on steroids while throwing in huge Boston style mosh riffs. Completely untrendy, no frills, aggro hardcore with those vocals raging over the top.
These three tracks saw light of day as a split with 3rd Stone on the Threefold label back in 2000. I have only included the Armour Of God tracks as I don't like the 3rd Stone side. The above picture is courtesy of the jacket destroying madman known as Nabbe.

 Armour Of God - 3 Tracks

As far as I know, these are the only recorded evidence of Armour of God. I have heard things over the years but nothing has ever really come up. If anyone knows different then seriously, swing us a line.

Sam & Dave - Hold On, I'm Comin (1966)

Gritty, classic soul/R&B masterpiece. Allegedly the title track was written after being rushed to finish up having a whizz, song writer David Porter responded with "Hold on, I'm comin". One of the finest vocal double acts ever. Without Sam & Dave we wouldn't have no Blues Brothers. And where would we be then?

Sam & Dave - Hold On, I'm Comin

Leslie Nielsen 1926 - 2010 RIP

Surely you can't be serious? Police Squad, Naked Gun, Repossessed. The master of deadpan passed away yesterday. Provider of many laughs and certainly one of the key influences on my sense of humour. Rest in peace.

James Brown - Revolution Of The Mind : Live At The Apollo Vol.3 (1972)

The Hardest Working Man In Showbiz! Mr Dynamite! Mr Please Please Please Please Her! Minister Of The New New Super Heavy Funk! Soul Brother Number One, are just a few of the names he goes by.

James Brown - Revolution Of The Mind : Live At The Apollo Vol.3

One of the best live albums ever! Fact! But don't just take it from me.....

Robert Ginty remembered

November 14, 1948 – September 21, 2009

RIP

Famous for his Bruce lee like " art of acting without acting" style, Robert Ginty non the less carved out a little corner of cinema history during the 70's and 80's. I remember seeing the video cover for The Exterminator (1980) in a local shop when I was a child. The cover image of Ginty waving a flamethrower while wearing a motorcycle helmet sold it to me.
Years later I came across a VHS copy of White Fire (1984)  and slowly reacquainted myself with his work. Despite the success of some major TV roles and The Exterminator he followed it up with many gung ho action B-movies. You may never have seen or heard of Codename : Vengeance, Mission Kill, Cop Target, Warriors Of The Lost World, Programmed To Kill or any of the others but they do exist.
He went on to have a pretty successful career writing, directing and producing but its these classics people will remember him for. Rest in piece.

Hard To Swallow - Protected By The Ejaculation Of Serpents (1998)

Long gone but well missed by folk. Hard To Swallow where responsible for so much influence in UKHC. But only to people who knew about them. I came across this back in 1999 when buying some stuff from the Household Name distro. Got this album and the t-shirt because I heard it was some guys from Iron Monkey. Of course it sounded nothing like Iron Monkey and took me a few weeks of tentative listening before it clicked and I realised how awesome this band was. I listened non stop for months. Absorbing all the ideas and every twist and turn. As you do when young and when you discover something that grabs your interest.
Yes, it is hardcore. Its hardcore that veers towards power violence bug time. But never quite becomes it. HTS was this crazy, mangled beast of twisted riffs, dual screaming and some immense, inventive drumming. 
Basically this album became my constant companion on journeys to work and college and years later I ended up in a band with one of them.
Seriously, I urge anyone with a passing interest in hardcore, grind, power violence whatever to give this album a listen. It comprises of all the various 7" splits and comp tracks they put out as well as 11 new tracks written for this release. 25 tracks in total including some hidden live stuff.

Hard To Swallow - Protected By The Ejaculation Of Serpents

Once again its a mighty list of bands that have spawned from the remnants of this band. I really can't list them all so instead head over to HTS vocalist Bloody Kev's blog Keep It In The Family! He has pretty much everything he has ever done available there as well as links to the HTS family tree.

New Jack City - OST (1991)

Once upon a time this was the baddest film about drug dealers. I first saw this when at primary school. Having to pause it or turn it off every time my parents came in the room. Looking back its not really that bad. its still a great film. Wesley Snipes, Ice-T, Mario Van Peebles, Judd Nelson and a young Chris Rock are all pretty good in it. I really think it has a lot more in common with Blaxploitation than any sort of social commentary. You could draw a very definite line from this right back to Van Peebles father and his cinematic achievements.
Still the soundtrack has some good stuff on it. All that sort of late 80's hip-hop/R&B stuff where they have tons of jazz and double bass, midi keyboards and lots and lots of smooth vocals.
Plus it has Flavour Flav in it as well.

New Jack City OST

Harvey Lawrence Pekar October 8, 1939 – July 12, 2010 RIP

For someone who hated life he had a very good time I reckon. Do yourself a favour and start reading American Splendour, then Our Cancer Year and watch the film adaptation.
He's probably complaining to god about storage for his records in heaven right now.

RIP Harvey

The National Acrobat - For All Practical Purposes Is Dead (2000)

Any in the know hardcore kid nowadays could easily reel of love for Coliseum. Easily. Maybe some would mention Black Cross, Lords, Breather Resist (very soon) and Christiansen.  But not many could recall or claim to have heard of the very band that spawned all these musicians and laid the foundations for the rulers of the current Louisville, Kentucky indie scene. Criminally under appreciated by most hardcore kids during there far to short life span and still passing under the radar of most folk nowadays. Here we have a very important album for me, For All Practical Purposes Is Dead by The National Acrobat.

I remember hearing the name mentioned in a few magazines years and years ago when there second Ep, Can't Stop Caspar Adams was released. I really liked the description and stuff I was hearing about this band but could not for the life of me get hold of a copy. Obviously this was before the Internet was as wide spread as it is nowadays. None of the mail order distro's stocked it so I consigned myself to putting it on the list of bands I would never get to hear ( that was a mighty big list back then). Then browsing through Manchester's Vinyl Exchange one day a year or so later and to my barely contained surprise this Ep popped up for 6 sheets. That is what started my love for The National Acrobat.

I could waffle on for ages about the intricacy of the guitar work and forward thinking song structures. How its a nearly perfect fusion of DC math rock, snotty mid west punk and burly east coast muscle. How vocalist Caspar Adams voice draws a line across your opinion or even how cohesive while still pulling in every direction each track is. It would be doing a great disservice to them. You just need to hear it.

The National Acrobat - For Practical Purposes Is Dead

Besides the Ep's they released a couple of 7"'s and appeared on a few comps. Initial Records did put out a complete discography some years ago that as far as I know is still available. Its worth the tracking down.