Regards the song " Is there a better way" by S Quo, check out the version by an obscure band Detox When Dead.  There,s really goes Garage mental!!!!   I got them on a uk comp of 90,s garage/rock,n,roll from the UK.     Shorter/sharper and to the point!.  I liked SQUo as a kid, but really they are PANTS when you grow up!!! cheers!     PS. I was 13 years old when i bought the first 3 albums by them......

I AGREE, QUO HAS A VERY FAR -REACHING APPEAL , I JUST , PERSONALLY , THOUGHT THEY WERE UNFAIRLY LUMPED IN WITH THE METAL BANDS  ( "We're not just another STOOPID' Eavy Metal band !!!" - Vim Fuego.)....By saying they influenced much of Spinal Tap , I meant more their personna than their actual songs or stage productions (i.e "Stonehenge"). I don't doubt The Sabs influenced the concept of Spinal Tap , but , I saw an intervew with , sorry , I always forget his name , ol' boy from Lenny and The Squiggtones ,and he said Tap were a mixture of Quo , Jeff Beck , and The Troggs Tapes , speaking clearly from  a personality point of view.....

It pains me to say Slade sold out , but , you're right. IN '83 OR '84 when "Run , Run Away" was their only big hit here in the states , I realized , that's what  they had to do to get into the charts . I grew to like the song just fine in later years , it's just not the Slade we knew (And  I knew 'em , too. My Brother had most of their records in the early 70's , and they got nominal airplay in Chicago , so I assumed , at the time , they were pretty big in America.). They still had some good tunes after that , but , they largely went in for that HI - Tech Rock sounds .....Still , I have'nt seen any footage from say , their last ten  years as a band on You Tube or anything. The Reading footage and live 45s (nOT TO MENTION "sLADE ON sTAGE") are SAVAGE !!! Their live show was their strength . I don't doubt they still brought it ,live.

 

YOu're right about that version of "Roadhouse Blues". Quo almost made cover songs a second career , later , and they did some great ones , though it got out of hand. When I saw them , they did "The Wanderer' , the rest was all originals,.  No "Get Out of Denver"or "Crawling From The Wreckage" . So it goes. Not the song , "So It Goes" , just , so it goes.

Quo have that closed shop appeal, nearly all rock/metal fans I know LOVE Quo, from the heavy pop psyche of the 60s up until the mid 70s.

 

I remember John Peel describing (I think Down Down) as orgasmic, fine praise indeed. The problem with them is that they did go v v pop in the 80, although the last single I heard (One Way Street) was pretty rocking, to some they will never be forgotten for Margerita Time. Slade are a bit like this in certain respects, amazing early work, sold the fuck out in the 80s.

 

The thing with those bands was they weren't arty in any way, pure goodtime boogie n roll, part of the reason the rocksnob press hated them, and the reason the lumpen proles (like what I am) loved them.

 

And Tap wasn't largely based on Quo, it was largely based on Sabbath (ie the Stone 'Enge bit).

 

But nice to see the Quo getting a bit of revisionist attention. Check out their cover of the Doors Road House Blues from Pile Driver!

I think in a roundabout way , Quo was mentioned alonside Slade , T Rex , and/or The Purps , The Sabs , whoever was popular in England at the moment. Their image was decidedly not glam , with the denims and all , but , you're right in saying that should'nt matter.  I admit , my English friend I mentioned , he looked very much like Vyvian on "tHE yOUNG oNES" (Barring the metal studs on his forehead !). He could've been easily mistaken for a Punk , as the character , Vyvian , is , but , he called himself a Rocker- not a leather , bikes and raw 50's R'N'R Rocker , but someone who preferred Metal , but liked Punk and other relatively current sounds ( THIS WAS 1982)  AS WELL. I MET ANOTHER GUY WHO CALLED HIMSELF A ROCKER , AND LIKED Metal and Punk , before Crossover and Speedmetal TOOK OFF , and Motorhead's following in The US began to pick up steam. MY FRIEND from Sussex played ME STUFF LIKE SAXON , and , well , all I could say was , it was good for what it was. When he played Status Quo , ca. 77 , my otherfriend muttered "That's some primitive Rock'n'Roll.". He was trying to say something good about it without saying he LIKED it.......It's be years before I really appreciated them. Seeing them live really did it for me. I could'nt believe how tight they were.

It's a little difficult to get a foothold on how they figured into thelater  sounds coming up the pike , because they labelled themselves a Boogie BAND - WHICH THEY WERE , BUT , TO ME , THEYWERE MORE CHUCK BERRY THAN FOGHAT. THEN , they got lumped in with the Metal scene , why , I don't know......When I got to theshow , I saw several Mexican Metalheads. I thought ,maybe I had the wrong night. But , I was mistaken , to think I wasmistaken. The crowd was probably about 40% Mexican , 40% English , and , the rest , stray yanks , like me , and we all had a FUCKING goodtime , together.

Incredible points all around man!
I think what it comes down to (for myself) is that I never gave Status Quo much of a chance even though I've always saw the name and records. When I finally heard them (the early-mid 70's stuff, i mean) it floored me. I couldn't figure out why i never saw their name alongside names like Slade, Mott the Hoople, T-rex, etc.  I guess when I say "proto punk" too, i mean "pre-punk"...in that they predated punk with a sound that was structured very similiarly in terms of simplicity and energy.
 And maybe their name WAS alongside those aforementioned bands very often, and I just missed it. Nevertheless, I missed it!

i THINK "Is there a Better Way" rocks like fuck , but , I'm not hearing a lot of proto - Punk , exc.the chording toward teh end. ...Mind you , some of the more open - minded Punk bands like The Damned , or the who - gives - a fuck (For real)variety , like The Stranglers , might have secretly got it with The Quo. I don't know. It just was'nt acceptable to dig mainstream rock at that time. Even if it was as High - Energy as this. The only staunch allies I ever heard of , in the mainstream Rock camp , that Punk had were Marc Bolan and Phil Lynott. Maybe a few others. Pete Townsend , I suppose , though , he saw , plain as day , he was being usurped by these bands , at least in terms of credibility.

But , you're right , Glam and Pub Rock got more nods from the early Punk scene , if only because it was fresh in everybody's minds. Remember , also , Punk was influenced a great deal by Rockabilly ,but, the Punks could'nt go where the Teds hung out , they'd get "A right 'iding .", if you ever saw that interview at a Teddy Boy club. They go on to talk about how bizarre The Punks Looked , when The Teds SURELY FREAKED OUT A LOT A LOT of people in their day , and after their day , in the early 70's ,when they grew their hair out and wore exaggerated versions of the classic drape jackets (See "The London Rock 'n'Roll Show".).

I think you're on to something , but , when the Sex Pistols said "Kill YourIdols" , meaning the likes of Led Zeppelin , pINK fLOYd , AND , YEP , STATUS QUO , how could they not have forseen that THEY would BECOME IDOLS , THEN SACRIFICIAL LAMBS ?    Most Americans don't know the overrated (aT LEAST , COMPARED TO BAD NEWS.) Spinal Tap was based largely on Quo.

THIS IS THEIR LEGACY ,AND THEY'RE LAUGHING ALL THE WAY TO THE BANK.

It's because of bands like Flaming Lips that Led Zeppelin now have "Punk cred".

i could'nt tell you why it has'nt happened  with Quo. They had their own thing , and I still have'nt heard anyone try to copy it , maybe that's why.

Whatwave Dave , THANK YOU !!!!! I know people did'nt like them , and I know people still don't , for varying reasons , but , I seldom hear from any....Tho' they were from Oklahoma , in Dallas , where I lived at the time, you did NOT dare say you disliked them. People would jump all in your shit. I THOUGHT THEIR first LP was all right , at the time. I did'nt like it enough to BUY it , but , it was OK FOR SYD BARRETT - wannabe stuff , I thought , at the time. I'm sure I'd hate it , now. But , live, they were'nt Psychedelic at all. I don't remember a smoke machine , but , I do remember Wayne Coyne (?) , TWICE , wearing a pig's head on a chain , around his neck , while Jim Morrisson phoned in the vocal parts from Paris. If it'd been a Punk song , like Eater's "NO BRAINS" in "The Punk Rock Movie" or even some Black Metal SHISER , IT MIGHT HAVE MADE SENSE....

You were smart to keep the tape , if only to prove your point, that this is where Flaming Lips got their start.  I also saw Smashing Pumpkins about six months after they started. I paid three bucks to get in. I did'nt know they were playing. I STILL WANT MY THREE DOLLARS BACK . I'd met Corgan about a month earlier. I could not believe how pretentious and in love with himself he was , for someone with nothing to show. Well , they sounded like The Cure , Flock of Seagulls and THE CULT in a three way clusterfuck , honed down to Pink Floyd in 1972 SPEED.     THEY GOT WORSE , But , they were quickly becoming the band you did NOT say you disliked in Chicago. Of course , I said it , every chance I got.

AS I SAY , I LIKE THE 60's STATUS QUO (AND their embryonic band , The Quotations - No relation to the Walker Bros.' backing band.) stuff , but , there was no way they could have survived without drastically changing their sound....

Regarding it being more "proto-pub rock", I definitely get that. But it's just that....why groups like Dr.Feelgood and Eddie and the Hot Rods get very often associated with punk when a song like "is there a better way" sounds more punk to these ears than anything the hot rods did.  

3 chords, and downstrummed, 4/4 beat and 8th note drumming on a lot of those songs. I understand that they had ALOT of albums, and anything after that live '77 lp is pretty horrible, but even T-Rex, Slade and Sweet get nods from Punk more than Status Quo do, and those bands were pretty big in the UK too.

 

You're not the only one that hated Flaming Lips John....saw them in a little club here in sleepy London Ontario about 1987. Was all psyched up to hear some psyche rock of some sort, something out of the ordinary, like their early records led me to believe.

Let me emphasis it was a little club, called Key West.....maybe 80 legal capacity. As Flaming Lips started the show, their smoke machines were turned on full tilt... You couldn't see a fucking thing and the smoke remained there for the entire set! All you could see was the odd power light from an amp or something. And they were crunchng out these led zeppelin style guitar riffs! Fucking horrible!! I don't think there were many others to see them at that show, but you literally could not tell as the smoke was so dense! I have no idea what the members of the band even looked like....but i do have a live tape of the show that i made that night....hahahaha.   I've only played it a coupla times cause people don't believe they were a classic schlock metal band!

 

But back to Status Quo, i do have a double LP of their greatest hits, but it only covers the 60's stuff (including Matchstick Men, the reason i bought it) and is absolutely nothing like their 70's pre punk stuff!

Backwater , to me , is the kind of early Hard Rock that's now becoming popular , with kinda acidic lead breaks at the beginning......Then it picks up steam.....That two chord Chuck Berry thing always served them well , Gravelly SLATE-ish guitars. I'm reminded that they have a song that sounds like "Two Headed Dog"........Could have influenced pUNK , BUT Quo were'nt cool with that crowd. iN THE 80'S , THE WORST POSSIBLE HARD ROCK INFLUENCED WHATWAS CALLED PUNK. i SAW fLAMING LIPS two or three times ca. 86 -87. It was all bad , sloppy Zeppelin , Doors and Tommy - era Who. Horrendous. Everybody loved them. Everybdy but me.

"Down Down" is one of my favorites , but , to these ears , it's more like proto - Pub Rock. It was when Quo had found their identity. Good on ya , lads.  "Stir The Pot" is good and raw , like slate set to music (I thought Slade were "Slate" when I was a kid , because they sounded sharp and rough.).

Also , The Quo did a very good "Get out of Denver" , but , the only version I've heard that sucked was by Springsteen. "Flamingos " era Groovies could have NAILED it , if Bob Seger had written it , yet ! Roy Loney told me the Groovies were were big on The MC5 , but , when he saw Iggy , it was all over but the crying. They probably could'nt have forseen Punk , or being a direct influence on it , but , they knew what it was like to be handed bottom of the barrel status on a plate , in San Francisco. Roy said they were friendly with a lot of the bigger bands , but hung more with Quicksilver , The Charlatans and Country Joe and The Fish. They were'nt part of the social elite , and Bill Graham hated them so much , he had them banned from The Fillmore (However , he did let them run the old Fillmore when his base of operations moved.). Status Quo had already seen success , but , with an image and musical overhaul , they sky was , and is , the limit. They did have some albums that seemed watered - down , but , when they were ON. The classic four piece just toured , proving anything is possible . the Groovies had planned to reform the original lineup , several years ago , but , they got as far as one rehearsal. Of course , Roy and Cyril KILLED it , for a while , with The A- Bones , and the Sire lineup (Most of it)is touring as we speak.

.....The difference - as to why Status Quo were never regarded as a precursor to Punk , despite the blatant rawness of their better stuff , is because they were/are GINORMOUS. NO ONE WAS GOING TO ADAPT A BAND THAT'S SOLD IN THE SIX FIGURES and more , and , yes , dressed like The Quo , as Punk's true daddies. Even The Pink Fairies and Mick Farren were being called "Hippies" by some in the 70's.

I even had to explain to a kid why Blue Cheer were Punks ,not Hippies. Some even more misguided fucks have called  The MC5 "hIPPIES" , why? Because , just because it'd be hip to look like Richard Deacon 30 years later , did'nt mean they were going to jump on the bandwagon , early.

The thing about The Groovies was ,they had half decent distribution for a band who'd need almost 40 years to build up a sizeable following. I was still seeing "Teenage Head" and maybe "Shake Some Action" (A whole nuther band , by then , but , irrelevant to the Groovies vs. Quo discussion.) in the bargain bins in 1984.

It's difficult to fathom that Quo , AND Punk Rock WERE AS BIG In Britain , Western Europe and Australia , as compared to here. I READ about Punk ,HEARD ABOUT IT , WHEN IT WAS HAPPENING , but , apart from seeing "rOCK'N'rOLL hIGH sCHOOL" , i DID'NT HEAR any pUNK OR New Wave (If you will. Not all  New Wave IS Power Pop AND vice versa.) UNTIL 1980 . It was'nt on the radio , in record stores , scarcely ever on Television (Save for  TV news or documentary footage......or exploitation devices on forgotten sitcoms like "CPO Sharkey" (The Dickies !) and "Sugar Time".

I only knew Status Quo , beyond the one US hit , because I had a friend from Sussex , UK , who'd play the live '77 album in the car......HE told me how big they were. Punk was a blip on the radar in the states. Some bands were well - known , but , you had to BUY their records to hear them , and I was still gettingmost of my vinyl in pawn shops......In Britan , Quo COULD have been regarded as an influence on Punk , like The Feelgoods , The Pirates (Who were coming out of retirement in 76 - 77.), Hurracanes , Troggs , Downliner Sect , Slade , Crushed Butler , Stackwaddy , but, most of those bands did'nt approach Quo's Metal cred (Something I never understood.).......Even Black Sabbath influenced Punk , fer Chrissake . But , it was'nt cool to embrace mainstream rock. I only ever heard early Stones and early Who gettin' any love.    

GG Allin fucking rules. The Jabbers are obviously the best, but there are some incredible gems sprinkled throughout his career. 

Melissa Manfredi said:

Shonen Knife, The Primitives, Jesus & Mary Chain 

 

I think I am more knowledgeable about the 90s groups such as Lush.

I like Shonen Knife's cute vocals. They really add something to their indie pop'n' roll.

swt said:

I'd forgotten about "Santa Claus Has Got the AIDS This Year." Jesus! I need that for my next Christmas podcast!

As for Tiny and GG ...

 

http://www.discogs.com/GG-Allin-and-Tiny-Tim-Two-American-Legends/release/2842756

 

 

I bet Stuart MacConie's going to play this on the Freak Zone one day.

.....It's so strange that , when Santa Claus got "THE" AIDS , he announces that he'll be well within the year , and this was even before improved drugs , and means of better containing the virus. He IS sANTA cLAUS , THOUGH....iT'S BEEN SUGGESTED THE SONG WAS A PUN , REFERRING TO AYDS REDUCING CANDY , WHICH , OF COURSE, WENT OFF THE MARKET IN THE EARLY 80's.

BIG BUCKS BURNETTE , in Dallas , was instrumental in reviving Tiny Tim's recording career  . He may have even released this CD on his label (I only saw it , once.). He also bore the dubious distinction of presenting Jim Dandy at a promotional function for his 8 - Track Tape Museum in the same week that Chis Wilson fell on his ass while guesting at a Roy and Cyril gig.  The Dandy fell on his ass , too. But , only once. Both clips appeared on You Tube.

So , this was a real release , but of Tiny Tim  and GG Allin , each singing solo  , and no "Threat" of a collaboration. Hell of it is , GG's version of "Pick Me Up" is pretty good ! He was a great Country Music fan. I'm reminded of a mutual friend , Kevin, Jr. , from the REAL Mystery Girls (Chicago , '87 - ' 96, I think...), Chamber Strings and GG Allin and The Toilet Rockers......I asked Kevin if GG ever got to meet David Allan Coe. He said , "No , he really wanted to . But , he did meet Johnny Cash. He gave him some T-shirts and other stuff , and Johnny Cash laughed , so GG cussed him out. Would YOU cuss Johnny Cash out , even if HE were flinging excrement at you ? If you said yes ,you're lying.

I'd forgotten about "Santa Claus Has Got the AIDS This Year." Jesus! I need that for my next Christmas podcast!

As for Tiny and GG ...

 

http://www.discogs.com/GG-Allin-and-Tiny-Tim-Two-American-Legends/release/2842756

 

 

Playlist 04/05/14

Scared of Chaka A Lie and a Cheat
Dead Boys Sonic Reducer
Clash English Civil War
Legal Weapon No Sorrow
Magnapop Here It Comes
Husker Du Standing In The Rain
Jesus and Mary Chain Happy When It Rains
Lemon Drops I Live In The Springtime
Baby Woodrose Here Today Gone Tomorrow
Bleeding Rainbow Time & Place
Dum Dum Girls Rimbaud Eyes
Squires of the Subterrain Happy Ending
Flesh Eaters Miss Muerte
Fleshtones For A Smile
Cherrypops Ich wurde lieber ein Machen
Soviettes Mulitple and Divide
99ers I Wanna Surf Like The Apeman
Barbacoa Hang Em High School
Rebel Set Dropout
Men From S.P.E.C.T.R.E. Mercury Wall
Now Into The Eighties
Boys Brickfield Nights
Flys Love and a Molotov Cocktail
Rezillos Destination Venus
Sensible Gray Cells Tragic Roundabout
Hoodoo Gurus In The Echo Chamber
Launderettes Don't Look Back
False Poets You Are The Way
Warm Soda Going In Circles
Kaiser Chiefs Ruffians On Parade
Mozes and the Firstborn Bloodsucker
Len Price 3 Preying Mantis
PyPy Pagan Day
Sultan Bathery Satellite
Obits Operation Bikini
Maggots I Wanna Go Home
Godfathers Gone To Texas

I will be on the air and the web from 1:00-3:00PM EST on Saturday April 5th. You can listen at 89.7 WITR-FM in Rochester, NY or streaming live at http://witr.rit.edu.

I WISH THIS CYCLE WOULD STOP !!! - Gary Burger , Scott Asheton , Fred Cole (Who I heard is improving.) and Michael Haskins from The Nervebreakers (Also reportedly doing better,.), now , Scott Morgan , not just a fantastic talent , but a real gent. The Scott Morgan Band was basically Sonics Rendezvous Band , minus a still - living Fred Smith....But , the energy was'nt there when I saw 'em. tHEIR SECOND ALBUM , AS SCOT'S PIRATES ,"REVOLUTIONARY MEANS" KILLS ! Obviously Scott had checked out Wayne Kramer's recent stuff , and dusted off his wah - wah pedal. i MET GARY RASMUSSEN AT THE STOOGES' SHOW in Clarkston , Michigan. He was originally supposed to be their Bass player , had they reformed , as Iggy originally announced , in '96 or '97.

Thanks Ken.  Maybe I can make a station ID out of these?  We'll see.

Radio What Wave Playlist Apr 3/2014

 

1. DOA....Whatcha Gonna Do....recorded live at Fryfogles, London Ontario 1/24/83. This is our tribute to Dave Gregg, guitarist for DOA from 1980 to 1988. Fryfogles was located on Dundas St in downtown London, right about where the public library presently is.

 

2. DOA....Unknown....from the Hardcore 81 LP. DOA were among the first of the hardcore punk combos, and live, they were razor sharp back in this time  period.

 

3. DOA...Liar For Hire....from the War On 45 EP, the first DOA record that was easily found in stores.

 

4. DOA....The Prisoner....1985 live in Minneapolis....no idea where i got this live tape from.

 

5. Johnny Terrien and the Bad Lieutenants...Teachers Pet....from the Powerfist! CD that just happened to be in my mailbox at CHRW. Thanx guys!! JT plays on saturday night at Call The Office as part of the It's Trash Record Release Party.....8 bands (all of which are on the 7") for only $5 cover.

 

6. Steve Adamyk....High Above....from a brand new La Ti Da 7". They are coming to Call The Office April 25th with Sonic Avenues.

 

7.Bitchlove....Picket Fences....from the recent Stigma 7" lathe cut record.

 

8. Heart Attack Kids...Cold Hands....from the Hooligans download.

 

9. Graham Day and The Forefathers....Love Me Lies....from a recent 7". Graham Day was the singer/guitarist for The Prisoners, UK based 60's garage combo that moved in a mod direction through their lifetime.

 

10. The Prisoners...Better In Black....from the Skydog LP, A Taste Of Pink from 1983.

 

11. The Stranglers...Feel Like A Wog....from the 1977 No More Heroes LP.

 

12. Young Rival....Poinsonous Moves...from their debut CD. Young Rival plays Call The Office April 18th.

 

13. The Balantynes....Let It Rain...from the Liquor Store, Gun Store, Pawn Shop, Church EP. Brand new and on La Ti Da Records from Vancouver.

 

14. Sounds From A Room...Revival....2008 CD from this Toronto combo.

 

15. Sick Fits...New Fashion Kicks...from their self titled 2007 CD on Full Breach Kicks. Ottawa combo.

 

16. Nox Boys....I Don't Care....from their self titled debut LP on Get Hip Records. Pittsburgh teenagers who recorded in Detroit with Jim Diamond.

 

17. Vibrating Beds...What You Do...from a 7" EP on Transistor 66 Records outta Winnipeg

 

18. Kumari...Time Is Now...from a 7" on Lost In Tyme Records. UK combo with some ties to the excellent Shindig zine.

 

19. Marshmallow Overcoat....Knights Of Fuzz....from the 26 Ghosts CD. The best of double LP that we've been yammering about for weeks has just arrived at Marshmallow Overcoat HQ's and will be shipping out in the next little while. We'll be spinning that one when it arrives!

 

20. Neo Boys....Time Keeps Time...from the Sooner Or Later double LP on K records that just came out. Late 70's all girl combo from Portland.

 

21. Angry Dragons....Girlfriend....from their only 7" on Transistor 66 Records outta Winnipeg.

 

22. The Fleshtones...On Our Own....from the Fleshtones Vs Reality LP. The Fleshtones play This Ain't Hollywood in Hamilton on Thursday April 10th....where i'll be headed right after next week's show!

 

23. The Fleshtones...Hitsburg....from the Solid Gold LP. The Fleshtones are in my top 3 fave bands of all time.....The Fleshtones, Flamin' Groovies and The Cramps.....lots of others just behind, like early Rolling Stones, early Gun Club, The Government and so many others depending on my mood.

 

24. The Fleshtones...Feels Good To Feel Good....from the Take A Good Look LP.

 

25. The Fleshtones....Rats In My Kitchen...from the Brooklyn Sound Solution LP

 

 

Thanx for all the emails, phone calls, facebook messages and Heys!!! And thanx for tuning in to the madness each week! Back again next week with lots of new music and who knows what else...but definitely some Fleshtones!!!!   And don't forget the It's Trash Record Release party happening on saturday night at Call The Office!

You can listen to the podcast at:

http://chrwradio.ca/programs/radio-what-wave