Playlist for Oct 13/2011
This is part 1 of our special on The Fryfogle Years (has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?). Bands that played at Fryfogles Tavern here in London approx 30 years ago to help celebrate CHRW's 30th birthday this month. A TON of cool bands played Fry's (as we used to call it) and this is just a small sampling.
1. The Ramones...I Just Wanna Have Something To Do...from their Ramones Mania LP on Sire. The Ramones did NOT play Frys, they played at Centennial Hall on May 5/80 with The Demics opening. Probably the last show i attended at Centennial Hall.
2. Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels...Rock'n'Roll....the single (and shorter) version from the Rhino Greatest Hits LP. OK, so my buddies and i were HUGE Mitch Ryder fans back in the 70's and we just had to venture into Frys to catch this guy. His Rock'n'Roll was a pretty big hit on the AM radios back then (early 70's) and none of us had been to Frys. It was a legendary venue even back then as people like Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters had both played shows here. We got as dressed up as we could (back then venues had dress codes...ie no jeans, no shorts, no running shoes etc and ya, it sounds archaic by today's standards but that's the way it was back then) meaning cords and dress shirts (just have a look at That 70's Show and see how those characters dress) and it was SOOO amazing to see this guy doing his drop kicks and kicking it out like a REAL rock'n'roll show. Not like those boring cover bands we'd see at The Ridout and Ye Olde City Hall. Ya, Mitch was the real deal and i'm just so glad we went to see this guy that even The Cramps held in high esteem as our intro into Frys.
3. Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels...Sock It To Me...from the LP of the same name.
4. Eddie And The Hot Rods...Teenage Depression...from the LP of the same name. Eddie and the Hot Rods have the honour of being the first of the so called punk bands from the UK to come to London Ontario on Nov6/7 1977. I had NO idea who this band was at the time and did not go to see them. Yes, i'm still kicking my ass 34 years later, but i do have a live tape of one night's show as consolation.
5. Eddie and The Hot Rods...Quit This Town...from the 1977 LP Life On The Line. Fitting tribute to the many who have quit this town over the years...
6. Teenage Head...Picture My Face...recorded live at The Spoke the fall of 1980 and broadcast over CHRW's airwaves and i stayed home and taped it. Still remember seeing Teenage Head when they first played Frys, it was a wed night in the summer, probably 78 or 79 and one of my buddies got booted out for puking his guts out in the downstairs can of Frys. The one club in London that it was REAL easy to get kicked out of...can't say i've ever had the 'honour' but know many that were.
7. Teenage Head...You're Tearing Me Apart....Frankie we miss you!
8. The Bopcats...Lose My Cool...from a 7" and this band had Londoner Cam Marshman (son of Judge GG Marshman) on bass. Cam is still playing to this day and did a few songs at the Uranus/Sci-Phonics reunion show (Press CLub here in London) back in May of this year. Bopcats always put on a great show when they had original guitarist Duane Wayne shredding up the strings and grinning so stupidly at his guitar. Then he was replaced and the band was never as good.
9. The Bopcats...Bop A Lena...from the same 7" as above and this song always made me go nuts when they played it live! Thanks to Kicks magazine for letting me know about the original by Ronnie Self.
10. The Bopcats...I Can't Help It...another 7' again with Duane Wayne on the strings.
11. Shakin' Pyramids...Let's Go...from the Skin 'Em Up LP from 1981...yep, Rena and i went on one of our very first dates to see The Shakin' Pyramids at Frys. Just a coupla years back and we're still together to this day. Rockin' Rob who was the rockabilly DJ at the time on CHRW said he got kicked out of this show because he wouldn't stop dancing on stage with the band! Rob's calmed down a bit and he retired earlier this year.
12. Shakin' Pyramids...Wash Machine Boogie...from the Reeferbilly Blowout CD.
13. Shakin' Jake and the Rattlesnake Jakes...Ice Cream Man...from the Domestic Animals cassette of local bands. This was Perry Pucket's rockabilly combo who opened for many of these bands at Fryfoges. Perry is currently in the Pink Cadillac Scat Cats.
14. Panther Burns....She's The One Whos Got It...from the Behind The Magnolia Curtain LP from 1981. Now this is the REAL deal as far as rockabilly goes. This band got played a lot on the show Young Fast and Scientific here on CHRW, that Al Cole did (he's the originator of What Wave zine). After hearing them on the radio, we HAD to see Panther Burns. Their name was getting tossed around with The Cramps in zines like NY Rocker and Trouser Press so this was a must see!! And Panther Burns did not disappoint...stand up bass, simple drum set up, and Tav Falco looking OH SO COOL!!!! And he still does to this day! This LP has just been re-released and it's one of those LP's that you can play over and over and still hear something new each time! Former Boxtop Alex Chilton guested on guitar under the name L. X. Chilton.
15. Panther Burns...Train Kept A Rollin'...from a live 7".
16. Panther Burns...Bertha Lou...from the Blow Your Top EP. Legend Killers recorded this song as part of their first or 2nd demo session. We got to interview Tav Falco a couple of times when they used to play the Silver Dollar in Toronto somewhat regularly. He used to send us a Christmas card each year after that...
17. Carl Perkins...Her Love Rubbed Off...from the Greatest Hits LP. Carl played in the summer of 82, same night The Forgotten Rebels played at The Cedar Lounge. I went to see the Rebels and was talking to lead singer Mike and he gave me shit for going to see his band when Carl Perkins was just up the street! And i'm still kicking myself to this day for missing Carl as he never came back to London.
18. Carl Perkins...Boppin' The Blues.
19. Demics...Talk's Cheap...from the Animals Fight Back cassette of local bands and recorded live in 1979. Once saw The Demics play on the same bill as Our Daughter's Wedding, an electro pop combo at Frys. It was a week night and there weren't many people there.
20. The Demics...Factories...from the NYC CD.
21. Blue Peter...Factory Living...from the Test Patterns For Living EP on Ready Records from 1979. Blue Peter came from Toronto and started playing pretty regularly at The Cedar and once they started to really draw, went over to Frys. I still remember seeing them sound check at The Cedar on their first visit here, and the band was playing while singer Paul jumped off the stage and started dancing all over the dance floor while the band was playing and then jumped back on stage to sing! The things we remember.
22. Blue Peter...Neon Girls...from the Radio Silence LP. Mana once grabbed me at Fry's and said you're coming with me to Toronto tomorrow to see Blue Peter open for The Jam. So she drove us to Toronto and we went to The Edge to see The Boyfriends and Blue Peter play and the next night we saw Blue Peter open for The Jam and the Concert Hall! 2 great shows!!
23, Nash The Slash...Moon Curse...from the Dreams and Nightmares LP on Cut Throat Records. Saw Nash at Frys and somewhere i have pictures from that show.
24. Nash The Slash...Dead Man's Curve...from the 1981 LP Children Of The Night. Nash played London fairly regularly as his brother owned The Madrigal Record shop here in town. Last time we saw Nash, was when he played a few songs with DOA at Call The Office. Randy Rampage was back on bass and Nash jumped on stage in full costume (rolls of white tape covering all visible skin, ancient suit, top hat and dark glasses) and he jumped around like a madman while playing with DOA...shoulda had my camera that night.
That's it for part 1 of The Fryfogle Years. Come on back next week for part 2 where you just might hear The Stranglers, 999, Joe King Carrasco, The Zellots, John Cale, Certain General, DOA and who knows what else.
And all of this is to help celebrate CHRW's 30th Birthday.
And, next week give us a call (519 661 3600) and you can donate to our annual fund raiser! The money is used to purchase new equipment and to keep CHRW onair. Where else are you going to hear music like this???????? Remember, every little bit helps.
And thanx to The Pack AD for playing London last friday night and then coming onair with me on saturday at 12:30 for an impromptu interview....it was fun and we talked about all of the venues here in London that they've played at! And who knows what else...i had no idea i was doing the interview, but it was fun.
And thanx to Lou Molinaro of Lose Control on indi 101 at Mohawk College for having me onair this past wednesday to talk about CHRW's birthday and all things What Wave. Thanx Lou, it was a blast!
And thanx to Beat Magazine (and especially Robert Pegg) for profiling me in the latest, October edition that is available free here in London Ontario.
Here's the link to listen to the archived show:
http://chrwradio.com/podcasts/94-9CHRWThu1900.mp3