Radio What Wave Playlist Feb 20/2014: Psychos and Other Unusual Canadians Part 1

Welcome to Part 1 of Psychos and Other Unusual Canadians....judging by the overabundance of phone calls this week, you people are either digging this show or you realize that you're as much of an unusual Canadian as I am. Hoping for the latter. Well dig in, this is only the tip of the iceberg of what's in the WW Archives!

1. The Gruesomes....Psycho....live at Larry's in Toronto, 3/29/1986. This was the Easter Og Weekend Special and the first time The Gruesomes were allowed out of their Montreal homebase. Also on the show that night were Deja Voodoo and Chris Houston, both of whom appear later in this playlist. And this was one of the few times I heard The Gruesomes play Psycho live...went through a ton of live tapes looking for another version and came up with nothing.

2. The Sadies... Black Sheep....from the Tales Of The Rat Fink Soundtrack CD. Ya, I've played this song on Radio WW many times as it sums up my life perfectly!

3. Nihilist Spasm Band....No Canada....1967 flexi and re-issued on CD 1996. 1967 was Canada's Centennial year, lots and lots of celebrations and this was the anti! Totally off the wall, artnoise combo who used to play weekly in London Ontario, that are huge in the world of noise. 

4. Orie Hitt Machine....Killer Inside Me....totally loony from London Ontario.

5. The Spoons...After The Institution....1980 7" from this combo who went mainstream new wave/synth/dance in the mid 80's. Remember seeing them at The Cedar Lounge here in London back in the late 70's and any song about being put away fit right into this episode.

6. Crash Kills 5....Special School....7" from this combo that morphed into Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet....songs about being special fit right into the late 70's/early 80's musical era.

7. Botched Suicides....Nuthouse Inn...from the Ottawa Gaga compilation. Another song about being put away...

8. Mainline...Brain Damage...from the Canada Our Home And Native Land LP. This one prominently features Joe Mendelson, presently an artist living, literally living on the fringes of society. We'll be hearing more from Joe on future episodes!

9. David Clayton Thomas....Brainwashed....from the Made In Canada Volume 3 compilation. David fronted Blood Sweat And Tears, a major band in the late 60's/early 70's and one of the first to do the jazz rock thing. This was before he became brainwashed, and was a struggling artist on the Toronto scene that also spawned Neil Young amongst others.

10. Chris Houston....Surfin' On  Heroin...from the Hate Filled Man LP. This is the only LP that i own that comes with one square foot of astro turf!! Ya, one square foot of plastic grass! Chris was in the Forgotten Rebels, where he composed this tune and has  been doing music ever since. Caught him live this past summer and his take on the world is totally hilarious!! We'll be hearing more from Chris in episodes to come.

11. Fridge Magnets...Hypodermic Beach...from a late 80's demo and this song also appeared on a WW cassette. If you only learn one thing from listening to Radio WW, it better be; Don't Do Heroin! I repeated that twice during this show and hope everyone got the message.

12. Deja Voodoo...Surfin' On Mars...from the Worst Of LP. Deja Voodoo were a duo from Montreal who invented sludgeabilly, formed their own record company that released some of the best music to come out of Canada, became stars of college radio and promptly broke up in 1990 when  they turned 30. And we still miss them after all these years! We'll be hearing more from Deja Voodoo as well as many of the OG Records stars!

13. Von Drats....Dratsylvania....from the Dratsylvania CD. From 2010, and these characters would dress up for every show (quite often in matching costumes) and play some of the wildest surf, monster and 60's garage punk you've ever heard! Quite often they had a character (The Canadian Wolfman) dressed up in costume to introduce them and invoke the crowd into a frenzy! If these guys had been around in the 80's, they would have been on OG Records!

14. Transylvania 500....Go 500!...from their only 7" on Wolf Beat Records. Count Suckula on the keyboards and Wolfboy on the drums...either a budget version of The Mummies or 2 totally whacked out individuals as they would run around the crowd when playing live shows and do just about anything for laughs! Another band that woulda been on OG Records if they were around in the 80's!

15. Transylvania 500....Death Drag...as above. Had to play both songs on this 7" as they are both equally stupid. Just the way i like my music!

16. The Dead Bolts....Torture Chamber...from a 7". This one is totally over the top whacko...just listen to those lyrics! And it's on  Coffin Records, outta Hamilton Ontario.

17. Cardboard Brains....Babies Run My World...from the And Now Live From Toronto, The Last Pogo. Aptly named band for this show and I've loved this song since first hearing it way too many years ago! This was the Cardboard Brains at their finest!!

Hope you dug the loonies tonite and we'll have more on part 2 in 2 weeks time! Next week we've gotta pay tribute to Marty Thau, who worked with ? and The Mysterians when they broke with 96 Tears, worked with the NY Dolls at the beginning, The Ramones at their infancy, early Fleshtones, early Real Kids, Suicide and sooooooo many others!! A true innovator in the music that we dig!  And a trib to Bob Devo who passed away this week, another highly influential band that we all laughed at when they first came out. Then after many listens of their first LP, most of us agreed, these guys are genius!! Yet, most probably know them as an insult to punk rockers back in the day. How many times did a carload of heavy metal mutants yell "Hey Devo" to you when you were minding your own business! Way too many times for me.

And thanx for all the phone calls....way too many times there was more than one call coming in at a time on this show, so I missed many calls, sorry, I'm just a one man show! And thanx for all the emails, facebook likes, facebook messages and Heys!!

You can catch the archived show at:

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

ha ha . that was pretty funny , Tyler. I DISAGREED THAT IT WAS "TERRIBLE" . i CHECKED OUT A CLIP ON THE SAME PAGE , AND IT WAS WORSE , THO'' IT WAS A LIVE BAND , TRYING......

yeah, it didn't link for some reason!

haha I wonder if Puke Spit and Guts were inspired by the same thing!

I'll try another!  Rokker- Who's a Punk? Your Mother! (1979) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxySV1Kp34Y

I could'nt access your clip , or maybe that's what you  were saying , above.....

You reminded me of something funny , tho' it belongs on another thread. When I was in Jr. High , my friends and I were brainstorming funny Punk BAND Names. One guy says , "How about....instead of "Blood , Sweat and Tears ..... Blood , Guts and Puke ?".

Dang...that was supposed to be Puke Spit and Guts- You ain't Never

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

THE TRIP! FEB. 16TH!!

Listen to this week's episode here:  http://cjamlog1.cjam.ca/mp3dirnew/381-The_Trip-20140216-0030-t1392510601.mp3

The Setlist! 

barrett strong- you knows what to do
the marvelettes- twistin' postman
tony sheridan and the beat brothers- ya ya
the beatles- cry for a shadow
the beatles- don't bother me
the beatles- little child
the beatles- one after 909
smokey robinson & the miracles- what's so good about goodbye
little richard- long tall sally
chuck berry- roll over beethoven
mary wells- i don't want to take a chance
bo diddley, muddy waters, howlin wolf- the red rooster
smokey robinson and the miracles- shop around
chuck berry- how high the moon
the crows & lorraine ellis- perfidia
charlie patton- a spoonful blues
sylvester weaver- guitar rag
buddy miles express- don't mess with cupid
buddy miles express- funky mule
return to forever- hymn of the seventh galaxy
sonny rollins- don't stop the carnival

RIP

I didn't see DEVO until 3 or 4 years ago. They played a free show as part of the NXNE Toronto thing - didn't have high expectations cause it was outdoors and these things are usually like an entire city block of people packed onto this pavilion…turns out I made my way up to the front and ran into some friends and had one of the greatest times ever. Great sound and stage presence. They played a crazy extended version Smart Patro/ Mr. DNA and had this incredible light show..I felt like I was tripping on acid… very intense. Saw them again the next day in some some small town, hungover as shit, around 2pm in 40 + degree heat (that's really hot in American temp) and it was also really incredible too.

DEVO has always been a favourite of mine. Terrinle loss.
r.i.p.

Thanks, Geek!

Someone asked the makers that very question on Facebook.
This is their reply...
"The film is still in production. The only thing holding us up is a few legal matters that are being worked out. It's funny, when I started this project, some of the people I thought would be the first to want to help turned out to be some of the biggest problems, yet, Hasil's family, fiancé, friends, fans & fellow musicians pitched in and have done all they could and gone out of their way to help. Fear not, MY BLUE STAR will see the light of day, it's just like Hasil friend Joe Coleman says, "Art takes as long as it takes." ... Hang in there, we are too. Thanks."

The Facebook page is here... https://www.facebook.com/MyBlueStarMovie

Do any of you know if this Hasil Adkins documentary was ever actually released?

mATT , tHAT'S THE ONE ! There must've been a KISS cup , but , I don't remember.

The most valuablepiece of Alice memorabilia is probably the "Whiplash" mascara , Alice's short - lived unisex makeup line. a sealed mascara wand went for a fortune on eBay , once.

[URL=http://s66.photobucket.com/user/Mattkillings/media/Unknown_zpse1602378.jpeg.html][IMG]http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h264/Mattkillings/Unknown_zpse1602378.jpeg[/IMG][/URL]

I googled it. There are cups for Jaws, Smokey Robison, Dracula...wonder if they did KISS? Too lazy to look now. Pretty cool.

Alice says : You'll be BACK !!    Yeah , 7 -11 had , in the 70's , maybe very early 80's, "Trading Cups", limited editon. First there were Baseball trading cups , later maybe other sports , I don't remember , Superhero cups (Marvel only , as I recall. Maybe DC ,too.), Monster cups (Which were based mainly on monsters in folklore ,that SOMEONE believed existed.....The Yeti , Bigfoot , The Golem , maybe Vampires , Werewolves , too , but not specific to any movie versions.). Eventually , they did the "Rock Star Cups'. Though , I remember seeing a picture of Johnny Cash with his 7-11 cup , calling it "The true mark of a man's success", so there may have been a line of C & W star cups , as well.... The funny thing is , these cups are SO small , it'd probably take FIVE of them to get you busted in New York City (I think that law was repealed , along with the "No Dancing" statute.). They were literally smaller than a "Gulp" size drink  , today. All these cups had pretty nice illustrations.When he got his cup , Alice was still riding high on the "Welcome To My Nightmare" album , TV special and concert film . But , despite good rockers like "Go To Hell" (Which I heard on the radio , ONCE.) , his only real radio action would be the likes of "I Never Cry" , "You and Me" , and , to a lesser extent ,"How You Gonna See Me Now". The game is called Survival , and Alice won.    "Clones" did break the cycle of hit ballads. I rememer the Rock stations trying to get behind Alice , after "Flush" , still promoting his shows , but , unable to find radio - friendly material.....

Or now...

Yeah man, this documentary should be cool. I’ve seen a pre-screening of it. The Banger Films guys have their office down the street and the director is my neighbour/ friend. I’ll keep ya posted on its release.

Alice Cooper 7/11 slurpee cup! Wow, never heard of that. That is the exact kind of kitschy stuff that I drool over and which clutters my apartment.

Yeah, Flush the Fashion isn’t the strongest album, but I feel it doesn’t get the credit it deserves. I rarely listen to it all the way through, in fact since my friends have been working on the Alice Cooper doc, I’ve become quite tired of all Alice Cooper—I’m sure after a years rest though it will be good to hear again.

This above comment makes no sense and was suppose to be a response to a different topic. I had typed some long winded shit about Alice Cooper here... I don't know what happned, sadly I am sober, yet still out to lunch. I will come back to it later.

Cheese , You're close.....Freddie , the current Bass player/Singer with The Sonics  , was in a band called Freddie and The Screamers , with ex - Sonics Bassist , Andy Parypa , and he was also in The Kingsmen from 1972 - 84. I TALKED TO HIM FOR AWHILE , RECENTLY , HE DID'NT SAY ANTYTHING ABOUT BEING IN THE WAILERS, EVER. It's 's possible he may have filled in for Buck Ormsby on occasion....

Work, what a bummer. Check them out if you ever get the chance again, Matt. I've been fortunate to see The Sonics a couple of times since the reunion and they are maintaining their cool, for sure. I also think the bass player from the Wailers is in there now, but i'm not too sure. Talkin' bout The Cramps, another mind-blowing original is Charlie Feathers truly breathtaking " I can't hardly stand it", how weird and wild ain't that piece? Just love it.
Also forgot to mention that as a very young kid i was fed some of the early Stones, stuff like "I just wanna make love to you", so when I later started to dig in on 60's Punk/Garage, something was already tuned in.
There is so much great stuff out there and I agree w.John that even though they're awesome, it is a pity so many people start and stop w the Sonics. Today I dig The Jim Jones Revue a lot, think they're very close to the truth.
Joined this site the other day, great place!

Matt , I just now saw your comment , was'nt ignoring it.....OH , NO !!!! well , the good news is , The Sonics are touring more , now , so , you may still get your chance. I hope so.....That sounds like fun , a Sonics /Wailers combo that plays house parties. I was especially lucky , I got to see The Wailers , once , too. i WAS FLOORED , THO' IN A DIFFERENT WAY THAN with the Sonics......It was the 50th  anniversary of "Louie , Louie", and my friend said , why are'nt they doing a big "Louie Fest" in Seattle with The Wailers , The Sonics , Mark Lindsay , The Kingsmen (Who were basically a bar band when I saw them in '86 , but I hear they have their ups and downs...), and , was Richard BERRY STILL ALIVE iN '06 ? I FORGET , sorry.....But , The Sonics had yet to reform . The Wailers' (And , later, The Sonics') Drummer told us they did do a show with The Kingsmen and Paul Revere , but there were no plans for a BIG show to honor the song that put Seattle on the map , and I don't mean "Smells Like Teen Spirit".

I could'nt imagine being tired of The Sonics , even when I meet people who waited 20 and even 30 years for them to become "Hip"before they'd actually listen to them. But , sure , Imight walk away for a while , though , every time I HEAR THOSE FIRST TWO LPs , NOT TO MENTION THE Vastly UNDERRATED Third LP , I think "THAT'S the band that raised the bar.", and they still ARE.

The Cramps had everything to do with me getting into Garage , Rockabilly and Instrumental Rock in the early 80's , tho' I already knew and enjoyed quite a bit of the obvious stuff. I bought the "Born Bad" comps , because , for boots ,they were nicely laid out....THE EARLIER " Songs We Taught THE CRAMPS" (0r vice - versa?) has better sound and artwork , but , it took me years to find a copy.

I'd heard some of The  songs The Cramps covered , like '' Surfin' Bird", "Psychotic Reaction" and "Muleskinner Blues" on "Oldies Radio " in the 80's and on life - changing compilations like "40 Funky Hits" in The 70'S , but , imagine my shock , hearing "Save It" by Mel Robbins on Oldies Radio , once , in the 90's ! It was about 10:00 pm , but , STILL ! I was shocked to hear how much wilder it was than The Cramps' version, as much as I love that....

As much as I love The Sonics , it's a pity so many people start and stop , there. I'm going to go see them in a little over a week. I aw them in October and they were INTENSE. Anyone that's too cool to give 'em a chance , now , can't be too cool.    I don't listen to The Nomads that much ,anymore , tho' I still like 'em. I first heard them in 1984 , and kept that name in mind, until I found their first LP , TWO YEARS LATER ,and bought it. I did'nt realize songs like "I'm Five Years Ahead of My Time" , "Don't Tread on Me"and "The Way (You Touch My Hand" ) were cover songs , too....But , I got caught up.

I saw The Nomads 3 times in the 90's. First two shows were great , third one was pretty awful , tho ' everyone else seemed to love it.

That sucks. His two Ramones demos from September '75 are incredible. I like his production on the Zeros "Beat your heart out" too. Very Phil Spectorish.

If I can say only one it must be The Ramones- It's Alive, but have to squeeze in Dead Kennedys- Fresh fruit for rotten vegetables and any of the Iggy albums The Idiot/Lust for Life/New Values as well.

God... I must have been smoking crack or something. I meant to say  "Thanks a lot Kopper. I will do that and it would be  cool to check out the Wray like Silvertone.

I love ska and reggae traditional, skinhead dub…

Found a nice cache of 45s at Goodwill a while back, all late 60s/ early 70s reggae.

This Jackie Paris single was in there…