I SHOULD'NT HAVE BEEN SO HARD ON THE YUPPIES.....
IN THIS CASE !!!!....THE FRATBOYS WERE A LOT WORSE.
John Battles said:

 When my Brothers , and our friends , and I , were kids , we used to listen to 45s down in our basement playroom. We'd turn the lights out , and listen to "Fire". It'D scare the piss out of us ! I thought he was a Black man at the time. He had a lot of Soul and R'n'B in his voice. Somebody called him a cross between Tom Jones , James Brown and Screamin' Jay Hawkins. I'D GO ALONG  WITH THAT , PLUS SOMETHNG OF HIS OWN THAT NO ONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO TOUCH , SINCE..... I had the pleasure of seeing Brown perform in Dallas in 1986. He was living in Austin at the time , recording and painting houses with his good friend , the late Jimmy Carl Black. I learned , much later , that Black was there , but , not performing with the band. The very poorly promoted gig was attended by about 30 people. A good percentage of them left after he did "Fire" . Morons. Brown dragged himself across the stage , in a straight - jacket , one eye blacked out , and proceeded to sing the opener ,  "The Tell - Tale Heart" , probably the only reason you need to own an Alan Parsons album. Nahhhh , there were some other good songs on that Poe "Tribute" album ("Tales of Mystery and Imagination"). The macabre mood was already set , and , while he did nearly all of his first album , he was quick to point out , "This is not a nostalgic night. It is a creative one". He also performed some of his later "Speaknotech" - era Electronic music , possibly some Kingdom Come , and a powerful "Eyesight To The Blind " , which should have been given entirely to him ,the vocal spot , I mean , in "Tommy".

He proved a masterful dancer , as well as singer , and , yes , when he did do "Fire" , he stood on stage in a top hat , no longer a helmet , that burst into flames. Can't do that , today. The Fire Marshalls would probably ban him for his singing , alone , today. Bear in mind that midway thru the set there were probably 12 or 15 people in the audience. But , he delivered an unforgettable show. A few months later , Arthur Brown did another , lowkey , show , at a much  smaller venue in a complex called The Dallas Alley. The assembled jocks , rednecks and yuppies that had basically claimed that territory for their own put me off the idea of ever going there again. I did'nt mind them being there , if they left me the Hell alone , but , that , in itself , was an impossibility. Rumors of tolerance in that town in the 80's , in particular , are greatly exaggerated.

I agree. Great photos. Looks like Arthur has returned to the traditional fire helmet. He's one of those people , like Little Richard , for instance , who uses his voice as an instrument. A weapon of mass destruction.

Check out The Pretty Things' 40th Anniversary DVD , if you can . Arthur and Phil May toast each other , each trying to outdo the other , not bragging about themselves , but , each other , on the otherwise done to death "Hoochie Coochie Man".  When Arthur goes into his Evil Tom Jones bit , telling you just how bad this man , Phil May , really is , he looks like he's about to go up in flames.....The Glastonbury Fayre film features his underrated Space Rock BAND , Kingdom Come , playing a top a steep hill. Three crosses (Representing Christ and the two thieves.) are literally set on FIRE !!!!!

It did'nt mean what it would have , here.        The cancelled Pretty Things / Arthur Brown /Malchicks US tour was such a vast , vast disappointment. I did'nt even return my ticket . I HOPED IT'D SERVE AS A REMINDER THAT THE TOUR WOULD HAPPEN , SOMEDAY.

sleazy said:

I can safely say, after listening to music for eons, that take any Arthur Brownsong and you won't be disppointed with his personal brand of psychedelic music:). But you must be vry open-mnded whn listening to AB!!!):)

 

Nightmare...the song that started this discussion is pretty great.

Ben Simon said:

What would you say are his best songs other than "Fire?"

I can safely say, after listening to music for eons, that take any Arthur Brownsong and you won't be disppointed with his personal brand of psychedelic music:). But you must be vry open-mnded whn listening to AB!!!):)

What would you say are his best songs other than "Fire?"

So bizarre that somebody picked up on this discussion today of all days.  The Classic rock station (groan) in my area was having a "British" weekend and played this song this morning (somehow it didn't get on the Psychedelic Saturday hour that happens every week, so the DJ that came after played it not long after the show ended) but it was also my song of the day of a countdown (of 100 songs) I'm doing on my facebook page.  I only do one song a day on my countdown (started last week and goes until December 31) unlike last year where I did 10 songs a day for the last week of December and today, it was FIRE!

Rockin' Rod , You're right about that , but , so many peoople still think The Kingsmen's version is saturated with four - letter words. Even when I first heard it , I was going "Where are all the dirty words?!".

On a related note , Paul Revere and The Raiders had the outrageous "Crisco" , which did'nt have and did'nt NEED dirty words. George Washington and The Cherry Bombs covered it as "Crisco Party " (The actual chorus) , with giggled , spoken , references to "Get the large economy size...sells for 69 CENTS!" "wHAT'S cRISCO? iT'S THIS STUFF i GOT , VASELINE !" and so on....But , again , PR and Thee R's were there , first , on national radio , making the musical statement : I AIN'T SEEN A WOMAN IN SIXTY - NIIIIINE YEARS , BAYBEH !!!" on "Steppin' Out".

Rockin Rod Strychnine said:

I've never bothered to listen to the Raiders version with headphones but now I'm gonna have to.  But the Kingsmen's version did indeed have the f word (the drummer yells Fuck! for thinking he messed up during the take) and it's really plain as day once you realize that's what he yells.

I've never bothered to listen to the Raiders version with headphones but now I'm gonna have to.  But the Kingsmen's version did indeed have the f word (the drummer yells Fuck! for thinking he messed up during the take) and it's really plain as day once you realize that's what he yells.

iT'S VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO FUCK UP "LOUIE , LOUIE" , BUT , A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE (NO ONE MENTIONED , HERE.).

Of course , The Kingsmen , Wailers , and Sonics rate high with me , but , there's also a matter of The Raiders' version to be taken up....Not only did it introduce "Stomp , Shout , Work it on Out" , but it was the ONLY version at the time to drop an "F" BOMB ( lISTEN TO THE GUITAR SOLO WITH HEADPHONES - "DOES SHE FUCK ? THAT PSYCHS ME UP !!!").

OTHERWISE , i LIKE -UM SWAMP RATS , MOTORHEAD (Amazingly , one of the more intelligible versions !!!) , TRAVIS WAMMACK , SANDPIPERS (I'M KIDDING !!!) , NERVEBREAKERS , STOOGES , SOLO IGGY , FLAMIN' GROOVIES , MC5 , OTIS REDDING , AND , OF COURSE , RICHARD BERRY.

I have one of their records :)

sleazy said:

THE SHIRTS:)

http://www.last.fm/music/The+Shirts

Yes, that's the one.

Dead Boy said:

Is it "Upside Down"?

Chris Henniker said:

When I was in Rough Trade on Brick Lane, I heard these awesome songs. Going over to the counter, I asked what it was. The girl on the counter said it was the new compliation of the Creation Records documentary soundtrack. Anyone seen the film yet?

THE SHIRTS:)

http://www.last.fm/music/The+Shirts

Is it "Upside Down"?

Chris Henniker said:

When I was in Rough Trade on Brick Lane, I heard these awesome songs. Going over to the counter, I asked what it was. The girl on the counter said it was the new compliation of the Creation Records documentary soundtrack. Anyone seen the film yet?

When I was in Rough Trade on Brick Lane, I heard these awesome songs. Going over to the counter, I asked what it was. The girl on the counter said it was the new compliation of the Creation Records documentary soundtrack. Anyone seen the film yet?

It definitely counts , but , The Phantom's original scream on "Love Me" mk 1 , is utterly horrifying , as is all of "Paralyzed" by The Legendary Stardust Cowboy , as much as I love it !

Andy Climax said:

Does Lux Interiors Bloodcurdler at the start of 'Love Me' count??? Me'thinks it does, people!

My favorite:

Alice Bags - We will bury you

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwE8WJw0jNk

Muffy Kroha's intro to The Sirens' version of Sweet's "Hellraiser" (And she IS a sweet hellraiser, too.)

Noddy Holder's intro to "Cum on Feel The Noize"  or the way he says "WAAAAAAALLLLLL RIIIIIIIGHT!!!"

ON "gET dOWN AND gET wITH iT". I grant you , both are James Brown cops , but , still....

Wayne Cochran.

Roky Erickson.

Little Richard.

Chris D.

Fred Cole.

Roy Head.

Phil May.

Mitch Ryder .

David Johansen. 

Wilson Pickett.

Suzi Quatro.

Wanda Jackson.

Ann - Margret (Look up "It's a Nice World To Visit (But Not To Live In) ", and thank me later.).

Tom Jones .

Arthur Brown.

Alice Cooper (Moreso with age!).  

Mark Lindsay . YES , Mark Lindsay . Morrill and Rosalie were'nt the only White Devil Screamers to come out of the Northwest.  

New October shows have started streaming - on the Pete Jackson show this month there's psych and garage from The Lucid Dream, The Blue Giant Zeta Puppies, Cave, Eternal Tapestry and Sun Araw, The Human Trash, GG King and so much more!

Next play is midnight tonight (BST) - see www.dandelionradio.com/schedule for details.

Let me know if you get the chance to hear it!

Pete

I've got a 67 Gibson EB2 bass. It's essentially the same instrument as the Epiphone Rivoli. They were made in the same factory in Kalamazoo Michigan.  When Gibson first acquired Epiphone, they had to honor distribution contracts with certain National music stores that had signed agreements with Epiphone, so they made the same models & some were badged as Gibson & some as Epiphone.

It is a great bass, but keep in mind, it's very limited. The pickups are very boomy & often you can feel the bass more easily then hear it. It works best in a band that does not play very loud, & you really need strong speakers for these. I blew out a lot of speakers with my EB2. I used mine in The Fuzztones because I was going after the Yardbirds/Animals sound.  But I soon switched to Rickenbackers.  I found the best use for my EB2 was in a low volume, Chicago Style Blues band. That's when it sounded the best.

John Spokus said:

Epiphone Rivoli Bass, sunburst finish
Fender Duo Sonic
Farfisa Compact Duo organ

I'm two ways about the Ghost Rider movie. The story was nearly spot on to the original Ghost Rider series with Johnny Blaze but they hadda make it a bit too PC or preachy. Nick Cage wasn't really great in it but the fact that it stuck to the old motorcycle daredevil carnie plot lines counts for something. Talking about using tunes in super hero movies, I kinda enjoyed hearing Black Sabbath's "Iron Man" in the first movie even though I never really thought the song was about the Marvel character.

John Battles said:

Marty , It seems like somebody did mention Suicide's original. It's almost shocking it did'nt make the movie , but , I heard the movie was pretty awful....Ahhh, how I remember seeing The Gories open for The Gibson Bros. in 1990 , and being the only person standing in front of the stage. Everyone else was about a mile back. I opened for The Gories last year ,and , fortunately , most of the audience was only 1/2 - 2/3rds of the way back during my set.

Marty Shane, Pacifiction Records said:

Surprised nobody's mentioned Suicide's "Ghost Rider" maybe a bit obvious, not really garage, but The Gories do a great cover!

 It's possible to all play together in the same room and keep the instruments isolated,(if the studio has enough sound proof rooms). This way you get the correct feel. We record altogether, in the same room at the same time as the drummer, however the bass amp is in another room, so is the guitar amp. Sometimes I record the bass direct  through a sans amp bass driver.The keyboard sets up in the control room & plays direct, the vocalist is in a vocal booth. When recording in studios with no vocal booth, we will have the singer sing "scratch vocals" at a lower volume which we use for reference, and then overdub later. This will minimize any bleed, but we still have the vocals to keep us in place.  We all hear each other through headphones.

 I've even recorded in a one room studio where the engineer had a home-made isolation box for the guitar to play through. It was a brilliant contraption. He built a soundproof box with a ten inch speaker inside the box & a microphone. The guitar player could blast as loud as he wanted & there was no bleed whatsoever. He just needed to plug his amp head right into the box. I went direct & played in the same room as the drummer. With each instrument on it's own track, you will get a fuller sound and certain items can be brought out more in the mix or brought down. For example, cymbals. Nothing can ruin a song like over-ringing cymbals. If cymbals are not mic'd properly they can create a wash of white noise. If you play altogether, with no separation, you're stuck with it. Another trick, for studios with little isolation, and this takes some practice, is to learn the songs thoroughly so you can play them instrumentally with no vocal track at all. Then the band is all playing together, getting the correct feel, and the only thing needed to overdub, is the vocal track.

Rest in Peace, Harry

Damn!

Anyone have an idea of how likely these are to sell out? I was hoping to just get the tickets at the door but don't want a repeat of the Mummies (still bummed that I missed them at the Knockout).

This slab of wax came out earlier this year, but I just found out about it through a friend who lives on the east coast.  I've got to say this is one bad mutha of an ep.  5 songs of trashy garage punk clocking in at a little over 6 minutes.  The catchiest song for me is "You Can Stay Over My House Tonight".  What I love most about this 7 inch is its primitive rawness and drunken desperation not often found on many releases these days.  They have a bandcamp page if my word isn't good enough for you.  Check it/them out - then pour, drink & swallow.