Happy Whiskey Ween!

I was all set to do a Halloween themed post. But I got invited to the New York Whisky Fest last nite. Holy crap. 200 whiskeys, bourbons, tequila's and other spirits. Some of the stuff was ridiculously rare. And some girls offering their wares (liquor that is!). I concentrated on the bourbons. An absurd amount of single barrel and "old enuff to be legal" (ie 18 year old aged) bourbons. I don't have that educated of a pallet for these types of libations, but it sure beats the $6 buck a quart garbage that I was raised on!
So, get yer pre- Day of The Dead fix somewhere else. The name of the game today is booze... and lots of it.


Toonage:
Dillinger Four - Double Whiskey Coke No Ice
Barrence Whitfield & The Saveages - Whiskey Wagon
The Doors - Whiskey, Mystics & Men
The Who - Whiskey Man
Minutemen - Jesus & Tequila
Kiss - Cold Gin (demo)

Here's To The Douchebags

Thankfully, the baseball season is finally over. The Boston Douchebags beat the Jesus loving Colorado Rockies and it wasn't particularly close or competitive. I guess better players trumps divine guidance. Or something. The last month of baseball has been a real bitch for we Noo Yawkers. Between the Met's crapping the bed at the end of the regular season and the Yankees taking it up the colon in Cleveland; it's been a real drag to open the sports pages.

Congratulations to Boston. You assholes.

Here's some toonage from that sphincter of a city:

Toonage:

DMZ - Cinderella

The Freeze - This Is Boston Not L.A.

Mighty Mighty Bosstones - Someday I Suppose (live)

J. Geils Band - Whammer Jammer (live 1972)

Standells - Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White

Dropkick Murphys - Jailbreak (Thin Lizzy cover)

Aerosmith - Draw The Line (live 4-07)

A Musical Train Wreck

We played a show last nite that was the musical equivalent of an abortion. And not just any old abortion. An abortion that would be performed in the backroom of a Tijuana bar, involving a drunken bartender and a rusty can opener.

On the bright side, if a rotting tree falls in the forest and there is no one there to hear it, does it make a bad sound?
It's a powerfully heady thing, knowing that you have fallen into the gaping maw of suckage and that there is no way out, save just finishing the show and skulking off the stage.

I suppose every band has those nights, but man, it was comically awful. But, I am very thankful to be able to play in a band even under the most absurd circumstances (and it was f#ckloads better than stayin' home and watching the G-Damn Red Sox play in the World Series).
Well, there was nothing left to do but smile smile smile afterwards. So we attempted to drown our sorrows.

And that made for an interesting drive home.
Good thing the cd player had one of those mixes on it that get's ya through the long lonely drive home. I didn't even remember when I made the mix, but one song after another, it kept me coherent and looking forward to what was gonna come on next.

So here is a selection of the toonage that kept me from doing a Ted Kennedy on the long ride home...

Toonage:

Misfits - Where Eagles Dare
X - Johnny Hit And Run Paulene (original mix)

AC DC - If You Want Blood (You Got It)

Buck Cherry - Lit Up

Chuck Berry - Little Queenie

Black Flag - Nervous Breakdown

To Sleep, Perchance To Dream

I am accustomed to sleep and in my dreams

to imagine the same things that lunatics imagine when awake.
~Rene Descartes
"Meditations on First Philosophy"

Having some real sleep related issues as of late. I have always been a very vivid dreamer. But lately, it's been a nite at the frikkin movies everytime I get shut eye. And the dreams are so intense that I'm more tired than ever when I wake up. As an added bonus, I am having trouble differentiating my dream state from reality with regard to my memories. There have been quite a few times where I think back to events and I am sure that things I dreamed about actually happened.
Whether is is stress related or brought on by a significant reduction in my consumption of intoxicants is up for debate.

But that's all my cross to bear, not yours. You benefit from my soporific albatross by getting access to the Bleedin' Out Dream Mix. You got to download the whole thang. While it won't incur slumber, it'll rock ya in yer pyjama's.

Toonage:

1. Roy Orbison - In Dreams
2. Aerosmith - Dream On (live 4-15-07)
3. The Barracudas - I Saw My Death In A Dream Last Nite
4. Black Sabbath - Tomorrow's Dream (live 1973)
5. Bob Dylan - All I Have To Do Is Dream
6. Cheap Trick - Dream Police
7. David Bowie - Moonage Daydream (demo)
8. Gang Of Four - We Live As We Dream Alone
9. Go Go Gorillas - It Was A Nightmare
10. The Hookers - Runaway Nightmare
11. Hot Tuna - Serpent Of Dreams
12. Husker Du - Reoccurring Dreams
13. Jawbox - Airwaves Dream (Buzzcocks Cover)
14. Mamas And The Papas - California Dreamin' (live Monterey 1968)
15. Pink Floyd - Julia Dream (live 8-11-1968)
16. Screeching Weasel - You'll Be In My Dreams Tonight
17. The Electric Prunes - I Had Too Much To Dream Last Nite
18. The Jam - Dream Time (live 1980)
19. The Jam - Dreams Of Children (live 1980)
20. The Stepmothers - Where Is The Dream
21. Weezer - I Just Threw Out The Love Of My Dreams
22. Yo La Tengo - Dreaming (Blondie Cover)

Bands My Wife Hates

In the wonderful give and take of marriage; one learns that there are certain "tastes" that are not shared by both spouses. Rarely is this more apparent than in what each participant considers acceptable music. Luckily, one of the things the missus and I have in common is an approximately 80% "hit rate" when it comes to our toonage. Over the years, together, we have enjoyed everything from the Ramones to The Circle Jerks to The Grateful Dead to Aerosmith to Tom Jones. Plus, she still loves Punk Rock (except whiny emo pussy bands, but I can't blame her for that).

Hell, she has even liked some of MY band's music! Now that's true love.

However, there are those certain bands that we don't see eye to eye on. She has veered over to alot of more popular bands over the years (probably as a result of being held captive by my teenage daughter's radio pre-sets). I can't even mention some of the bands she can tolerate (well- how about Evanescence and Lincoln Park for starters).

On the other hand, she makes me change the channel or skip the song whenever George Thorogood or Bob Dylan or (especially) Weezer come on.

Thank the lord that we both agree that Phish, Billy Joel and Phil Collins should all be burned at the stake.

So viva la difference (or somethin' like that).

Here's some stuff that I like but my better half considers aural torture.

Toonage:

George Thorogood & The Destroyers - I Drink Alone

Weezer - Undone (The Sweater Song) - Alternate Version

E.L.P. - Hoedown (live 1972 -Long Beach, CA)

Bob Dylan - Idiot Wind (alternate version)

The Pretenders - My City Was Gone (live from R n R Hall of Fame)

The Siren Calls

"At sea once more we had to pass the Sirens,

whose sweet singing lures sailors to their doom.

I had stopped up the ears of my crew with wax,

and I alone listened while lashed to the mast,

powerless to steer toward shipwreck.

Rock n roll is full of women with voices that would certainly lure Odysseus and his men to their doom. Here are some of my favorites from over the years. These voices ooze pure sex. I defy any man out there to listen to these without getting that weird tingley kinda feelin'.

Toonage:

Romeo Void - Never Say Never

Detroit Cobras - What's Going On

Bellrays - Zero PM

Neko Case - Rated X

The Carrie Nations - Look On Up At The Bottom

Kelly Clarkson - Breakaway

Aimee Mann - I Was Thinking I Could Clean Up For Christmas

100 Years of Punk Rock (sorta)

Wow-

100 posts. I am not real big on marking such portentous events, but wtf. It's been fun, and the cyber banter with you folks has been peachy keen.

I've put together a compilation with some of my favorite bands and tunes (plus a couple of tracks from crews I was in). It's all Punk Rawk, well, because I am so freakin' punk rawk.

Hope you enjoy em...

Toonage:

1. The Vandals - Jackass
2. Replacements - Gimmie Noise
3. The Rants - Big Mistake (live NYC 2006)
4. The Jam - Thick As Thieves
5. The Damned - Wait For The Blackout (live hollywood 2001)
6. The Damned - Dozen Girls
7. The Clash - Death Or Glory
8. The Clash - All The Young Punks (demo)
9. The Clash - Clampdown (live nyc 1981)
10. Stiff Little Fingers - Johnny Was (John Peel Show)
11. Soul Asylum - Never Really Been
12. Replacements - Another Girl Another Planet (live NYC 1986)
13. Replacements - If Only You Were Lonely
14. Rancid - Olympia
15. Ramones - Do You Remember Rock n Roll Radio
16. Ramones - All The Way (demo)
17. Ramones - Bonzo Goes To Bitsburg
18. Pennywise - Bro Hymn
19. NOFX - The Longest Line
20. Joey Ramone and Holly Vincent - I Got You Babe
21. Ism - I Think I Love You
22. Husker Du - Turn On The News
23. Husker Du - Celebrated Summer (live NJ 1985)
24. Generation X - 100 Punks , Kleenex (live sheffield UK 1978)
25. Dirty Pillows - I Won't F#ck Your Sox, Bugs (live NYC 2005)
26. Dead Boys - All This And More (live nyc 1978)
27. Circle Jerks - Put A Little Love In Your Heart

Click here for the whole kit and kaboodle!

And for one desperate moment...

Well she was an American girl

Raised on promises

She couldn't help thinkin'

That there was a little more to life somewhere else

After all it was a great big world

With lots of places to run to

And if she had to die tryin'

She had one little promise she was gonna keep

Oh yeah, all right

Take it easy, baby

Make it last all night

She was an American girl

Well it was kinda cold that night

She stood alone on her balcony

Yeah, she could hear the cars roll by

Out on 441 like waves crashin' on the beach

And for one desperate moment

There he crept back in her memory

God it's so painful when something that's so close

Is still so far out of reach

Oh yeah, all right

Take it easy, baby

Make it last all night

She was an American girl

Toonage:

Tom Petty - American Girl

Matthew Sweet - American Girl

Bikini Kill - Rebel Girl

Dead Milkmen -Punk Rock Girl

Husker Du - Girl Who Lives On Heaven Hill (Live 1985 Trenton, NJ)

Smells Like Alcohol and Mold

First off, if you happen to be in New York City tonight, I have rejoined my old band and we are playing at 8 pm at some place called The Underscore at 89th street and First avenue. We'll be playing garage nuggets and stuff from bands like The Heartbreakers and The Stooges. Should be interesting, as I have only practiced with them once!

End of commercial message.

So , I went to see Bruce Springsteen in New Jersey last nite. Talk about preaching to the converted, the entire arena hung on every word sang and note played. As expected, it was a great show and a whole lot of fun. The band is tight, Bruce is still Bruce and the beer flowed all night long. More details of the show can be found here.

We got lucky. A business associate is friends with the publisher of a very well known music magazine and they are doing a cover story on Springsteen. As a result, they had all access passes. We were still in traffic trying to get to the show when my buddy got a text message "where are you guys, I'm with Bruce". Well, we didn't get there in time to meet Bruce. However, we were able to upgrade our tickets from behind stage nosebleeds to 15th row, right off the floor in the first section. So that worked very nicely.

Plus, Bruce is nice enough to let his wife sing a song... I think it was called "Piss Break". Maybe not, but that's what I did during the song!

Here's one for you philosophers... the line for Guinness and Bass was non existent. Yet the line for Coors Lite was 20 deep. What the heck is wrong with people? Why would anyone drink crappy beer when they could drink Guinness (for the same price!). Fukkin Jersey-ites!

Anyway, hungover to hell this morning. My wife told me that I smell like alcohol and mold (and this was after I showered!).

When I am this hurt, I like to ease into the day with the smooth sounds of Black Flag. Here's your chance too!

Toonage:

Black Flag - Live in Tampa May 21, 1982

Black Flag - Wasted

Black Flag - Six Pack

Black Flag - Revenge

Black Flag - Police Story

The Yankees Were Slain By The Lord

"And so it came to pass that Andrew, the old warrior, the fabled left-handed slinger, was called upon to rout the Tribe of Cleveland, and it was good. But Andrew tired and and left in the heat of battle when Joseph, his chief, relieved him in favor of the young stalwart, Job-a.
"Now Job-a, true to form as the savior of the Yankees, quelled the charge made by the Clevelands, and he basked in the favor of his brothers and rested. But G-d was ill-favored by this turn of events. He set the locusts upon Job-A when he returned to the battlefront and the brash young warrior, the favorite of the people, suffered his first defeat. The battle belonged to the Clevelands, and the people were left to wonder why G-d had forsaken the Yankees, the Yankees He had loved so dearly and rewarded so handsomely for nigh on a century."

PS: A-ROD SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!

Toonage:

Descendents - Everything Sucks

Grateful Dead - Loser (live 4-7-72)

Detroit Cobras - Now You're Gone

Rancid - Lock, Step and Gone

Wire - I Am The Fly (live CBGB's 1978)

Ian Hunter - Cleveland Rocks

Springsteen's new album "Magic": It ain't no beauty, but hey it's alright

First off, I'm not a huge fan of Bruce Springsteen. He's got a few great songs ("Thunder Road", "Rosalita", "Badlands", etc); but overall, I think he's way overhyped. Maybe some of that is the whole New Jersey vibe (me being a New Yawker 'n all), and maybe alot of it is because I was a punk rocker for most of his crossover heyday (ie: Born In The USA) and despised that whole "Dancing In The Dark" tripe.
Yeah, I know he wrote "Hungry Heart" for the Ramones, but that's sort of a lame song anyway!
Plus, unless you're X, it's not so cool to have your wife in your band.

However, he is pretty anti-authoritarian and most of his tunes don't 100% suck. And Steve Van Zandt is mega cool (by virtue of his whole garage band touting) And, I have seen him live few times over the years and provided that the intoxicants are ingested correctly, he is a whole lot of fun. In fact, I'll probably end up seeing him again when he plays in my area later this month (if anyone has extra tix, let me know!)

I d/l'ed his new album Magic (available at corporate behemoths everywhere) and I suspect his old fans will love it but that few new fans will be lured in by it. It definitely harkens back to his late 70's/early 80's sound (many of these songs would feel right at home on The River or Darkness (especially "Livin In The Future").

However, that's also a flaw of the album. Everything sounds derivitive. If it doesn't remind you of HIS old stuff, it will remind you of some other band's old stuff. There's one tune that sounds like REM, one song that sounds like John Cougar Melonhead, another couple that sound almost like The Byrds.

Look, I think it's a decent album and a keeper. And at least when the critics start fellating him on how "The Boss" is back, it won't be utter bullshit (as when Bob Dylan releases new material which is unlistenable; and everyone says it's his best album since Blood On The Tracks!)

The lyrics touch upon the usual themes (loss, futility, anti-war)
sample lyric:

"Who'll be the last to die for a mistake

The last to die for a mistake

Whose blood will spill, whose heart will break

Who'll be the last to die for a mistake"

I count 4-5 songs that are noteworthy ("Gypsy Biker" being the best), the rest are fine but not very memorable. And the first single "Radio Nowhere" has the same rhythm in the verses as as Tommy Tutone's 867-5309!

I do have a problem with Springsteen's voice. It's even more affected than in the past. He sings like he's trying to take a wicked dump or something.

Anyway, I am not posting the album (Bruce's lawyers would be very angry!).

But here's the live rehearsal show he played in New Jersey on Sept 25, 2007. It's got several of the new tunes plus some classics. It's an audience recording but not bad at all!

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band
Rehearsal Night 2
Asbury Park Convention Hall
September 25, 2007

1. RADIO NOWHERE
2. PROVE IT ALL NIGHT
3. LONESOME DAY
4. GYPSY BIKER
5. MAGIC
6. NIGHT
7. SHE'S THE ONE
8. LIVIN' IN THE FUTURE
9. THE PROMISED LAND
10. TOWN CALLED HEARTBREAK
11. DARLINGTON COUNTY
12. BORN IN THE USA
13. DEVIL'S ARCADE
14. THE RISING
15. LAST TO DIE
16. LONG WALK HOME
17. BADLANDS
18. GIRLS IN THEIR SUMMER CLOTHES
19. THUNDERCRACK
20. BORN TO RUN
21. AMERICAN LAND

Have at it!

Meet The Mets, Beat The Mets

The greatest collapse in regular season history. A bunch of f#cking chokers. The team had no heart. Congratulations to the New York Mets. You are now the official laughing stocks of baseball.

Toonage:

Grateful Dead - Loser (live 4-7-72)

DOA - 001 Losers Club

JodyFoster's Army - We Know You Suck

The Hellacopters - Long Gone Losers

Furious George - Sorry Ass Suckers