Part Of The Problem

Hey! We're recording our album. Actually, do you even call 'em albums anymore? We're doing it on the budget plan of course. Our tech savvy lead gee-tar-ist has set up his basement as a recording studio. Guitars and drums are down and it's about time for l'il ole me to "contribute" my bass lines.

It seems all of our toonage is family oriented. That is, if you're in the Manson Family!We've got songs about mass murderers, fecal matter raining from the skies, systemic overthrow, and of course dope, guns and fucking in the streets.

We're all pretty psyched for this. We recorded one tune last fall (The Love Theme To Kids Go To The Woods, Kids Get Dead); and that was a blast- but we did it in a real recording studio and while it came out great, we were aware that it was co$ting us $$$ (not that we minded that much, since the best Punk Rock engineer/studio did it!)

And... this time, I'll be sober! Because time is money. Even when it's not costing money! Or something.

It's been old Brit music day today at the Spahn Ranch- Have at 'em!

Toonage:

The Stranglers - No More Heroes
Wire - I Am The Fly
The Saints - This Perfect Day
The Damned - There Ain't So Sanity Clause
Gang Of Four - Armalite Rifle

Pilgrim's Pride?

We return thanks to our mother, the earth, which sustains us.
We return thanks to the rivers and streams, which supply us with water.
We return thanks to all herbs, which furnish medicines for the cure of our diseases.
We return thanks to the moon and stars, which have given to us their light when the sun was gone.
We return thanks to the sun, that has looked upon the earth with a beneficent eye.
Lastly, we return thanks to the Great Spirit, in Whom is embodied all goodness, and Who directs all things for the good of Her children.

...Iroquois Thanksgiving Prayer, adapted

About 400 years ago, religious fanatics became such pains in the arses that they were thrown out of their country. They sailed across a mighty ocean. Starving and in an unknown land, they were befriended by the natives of their "new world". After a "Thanksgiving" celebration, the descendants of these immigrants systematically destroyed the natives and claimed the continent for their own.
Today we celebrate the original meal by gorging ourselves on tryptophan laced poultry and football.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Toonage:
Lemmy & Friends - The Trooper (Iron Maiden cover)
Iron Maiden - Run To The Hills (live)
Bob Dylan - This Land Is Your Land (live)
Sleater-Kinney - The American Ruse (live MC5 cover)
Hoodoo Gurus - Turkey Dinner
Gang Of Four - Anthrax (original 7 inch version)
Van Morrison - TB Sheets

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)

GANG OF FOUR - not great men

Combining funk bass lines, angular scratchy guitars and lyrics that sometimes bordered on Socialist and Marxist dogma; the Gang Of Four were among the originators of “Post Punk”.

Forming in the aftermath of the “summer of 1977” UK Punk revolution, Gang Of Four (reportedly the band was NOT named after the Mao era Chinese Political cabal and was instead named after a bunch of philosophers) came to prominence with their first single “Damaged Goods”. Behind Jon King’s disaffected vocals and a great dance beat, "Damaged Goods" became a #1 indie hit and gained the Go4 many U.S. fans. The single also featured a couple of great songs on the flip side, "Armalite Rifle" and "Anthrax". "Anthrax" featured dual vocals… in one channel was the song (comparing love to disease) and the other channel had a spoken word diatribe. The vocals weave in and out, supplemented by Dave Allen’s almost dub-like bassline; creating something dissonant and spectacular. All the while, guitar player Andy Gill meshes feedback to the beat.

Their first album Entertainment is a classic. Featuring songs such as “At Home He Feel’s Like A Tourist”, "I Found That Essence Rare", and "Not Great Men", Gang Of Four became vastly influential tolater Post Punk bands such as Fugazi and The Minutemen.

Their next album Solid Gold (1981) and the live Another Day/Another Dollar (1982) are essential pick-ups as well. “What We All Want”, “Paralysed” and “He’s Send In The Army” are all stand-outs. “Another Day” shows that the Go4 were a solid live unit.

Sara Lee replaced Dave Allen (who left to form Shriekback) on bass for 1982’s Songs Of The Free and 1983’s Hard. Songs Of The Free became a huge hit due to a more blatant dance (even overtly Disco) sound on songs like “I Love A Man In Uniform” and “Call Me Up”.

After that, Gang Of Four essentially disappeared as a band until 1991’s Mall.

After year’s of watching lesser bands get rich and famous on their sound, Gang Of Four reformed in 2005 to release Return The Gift, which inexplicably featured the band rerecording and remixing songs from their first three albums. The cd package actually included money (“Return The Gift” – get it?)

Official Gang Of Four Site

Buy Gang Of Four music

Toonage:

Gang Of Four- Damaged Goods
Gang Of Four - Anthrax (7 inch version)
Gang Of Four - I Found That Essence Rare
Gang Of Four - Not Great Men
Gang Of Four - To Hell With Poverty (live)
Gang Of Four - What We All Want (live)
Gang Of Four - Sweet Jane (live)