REKKID REVIEWS!
God I love rock 'n' roll. Really. I admit it. I'm a complete geek for it. Going to a cool record store is like an amphetamine rush for me. I'm like a little kid at Christmas waiting to open presents as I race home to put a new purchase on, or in, the stereo. I virtually wet my pants when the latest Norton Records catalog arrives in my mail box. Yeah it's a sickness, but I do not want to be cured. I love this stuff. That being said here's a couple of reviews of some stuff that I just recently picked up not too long ago.
THE CRAMPS-HOW TO MAKE A MONSTER
Yes, everyone's favorite Neanderthal noise makers have put out a new 2 disc set. The first disc is full of early demos and rehearsals. The Cramps have always been a band that have waved the primitive rock 'n' roll flag and some of this stuff is possibly the most raw stuff that these guys have ever recorded. You get a few versions of SUNGLASSES AFTER DARK, chock full of all the Link Wray riffs that poison Ivy and Bryon Gregory could think of at the moment. The song LOVE ME sounds like an amphetamine fueled rewrite of Rawhide. The song RUMBLE BLUES( of which you get four versions in a row on here) is Link Wray's Rumble with Lux Interior adding some manic satanic vocals. They do a cool version of Ricky Nelson's Lonesome Town, with a nice guitar that gives the song a hauntingly twisted, off kilter feel.
The second disk in this package is of two live sets. One being from an early CBGB's show and the other from Max's Kansas City. Both pivotal New York City bars that were more than a little instrumental in bringing the mid-late 70's punk rock to the space it held in the American cultural psyche.
What can I say, this stuff is good. This package has got all of that caveman goodness that you have come to expect from the Cramps. Its the kind of music those apes in the first scene of 2001: A Space Odyssey would have listened to while crushing the skulls of the enemy tribes.
This thing comes with extensive liner notes written by both Lux and Ivy. gives lots of info on the origin of the band and it's various line ups at the times of said recordings, as well as other various tidbits. (Did you know that Poison Ivy once had a job as a Dominatrix). All of the stuff is great and it's great to read These Guys' attitudes about rock 'n' roll. After reading the liner notes it makes me wish that Lux and Ivy were my neighbors. (Imagine how cool Halloween would be on your block?)
Go out and get this thing. The Cramps are an essential part of any rock 'n' roll collection and frankly they are one of the most kick ass bands walking the planet at this very moment. You can trust me on this one.
MASTER PLAN-COLOSSUS OF DESTINY
This is a super group of sorts. Most, if not all of the members hailing from some pretty good New York City bands. Keith Streng and Bill Milhizer were members of the Fleshtones, and Andy Shernoff was the mastermind behind the great and mighty Dictators. This is a kick ass rock 'n' roll platter, with incredible power pop sensibility, and even slight hints of bubblegum (this is not an insult).
The songs on this are great with the exception of one (Broken Arrow, frankly it just flat out sucks). This disc is great to play when cruising around in the car hunting down a good time, shakin' your ass, or just sitting around throwing back a few cold beers. Hell, it's good any time.
The disc starts of with Shernoff's WHAT'S UP WITH THAT, which was also done by the Dictators. This version is slightly different with a nice Eddie Cochran kind of feel. BETTER GET BETTER is one of those life sucks songs, job's a drag, relationship is going wrong, but, it better get better, RIGHT ON! The song I GOT LOADED is one of the best songs about getting drunk ever written, and I'm sure that more than a few of us can relate to it.
Everything on this disk satisfies and if you know what's good for ya you'll run out and buy this thing, blast it on the stereo and have a block party. So do it already.
THE CRAMPS-HOW TO MAKE A MONSTER
Yes, everyone's favorite Neanderthal noise makers have put out a new 2 disc set. The first disc is full of early demos and rehearsals. The Cramps have always been a band that have waved the primitive rock 'n' roll flag and some of this stuff is possibly the most raw stuff that these guys have ever recorded. You get a few versions of SUNGLASSES AFTER DARK, chock full of all the Link Wray riffs that poison Ivy and Bryon Gregory could think of at the moment. The song LOVE ME sounds like an amphetamine fueled rewrite of Rawhide. The song RUMBLE BLUES( of which you get four versions in a row on here) is Link Wray's Rumble with Lux Interior adding some manic satanic vocals. They do a cool version of Ricky Nelson's Lonesome Town, with a nice guitar that gives the song a hauntingly twisted, off kilter feel.
The second disk in this package is of two live sets. One being from an early CBGB's show and the other from Max's Kansas City. Both pivotal New York City bars that were more than a little instrumental in bringing the mid-late 70's punk rock to the space it held in the American cultural psyche.
What can I say, this stuff is good. This package has got all of that caveman goodness that you have come to expect from the Cramps. Its the kind of music those apes in the first scene of 2001: A Space Odyssey would have listened to while crushing the skulls of the enemy tribes.
This thing comes with extensive liner notes written by both Lux and Ivy. gives lots of info on the origin of the band and it's various line ups at the times of said recordings, as well as other various tidbits. (Did you know that Poison Ivy once had a job as a Dominatrix). All of the stuff is great and it's great to read These Guys' attitudes about rock 'n' roll. After reading the liner notes it makes me wish that Lux and Ivy were my neighbors. (Imagine how cool Halloween would be on your block?)
Go out and get this thing. The Cramps are an essential part of any rock 'n' roll collection and frankly they are one of the most kick ass bands walking the planet at this very moment. You can trust me on this one.
MASTER PLAN-COLOSSUS OF DESTINY
This is a super group of sorts. Most, if not all of the members hailing from some pretty good New York City bands. Keith Streng and Bill Milhizer were members of the Fleshtones, and Andy Shernoff was the mastermind behind the great and mighty Dictators. This is a kick ass rock 'n' roll platter, with incredible power pop sensibility, and even slight hints of bubblegum (this is not an insult).
The songs on this are great with the exception of one (Broken Arrow, frankly it just flat out sucks). This disc is great to play when cruising around in the car hunting down a good time, shakin' your ass, or just sitting around throwing back a few cold beers. Hell, it's good any time.
The disc starts of with Shernoff's WHAT'S UP WITH THAT, which was also done by the Dictators. This version is slightly different with a nice Eddie Cochran kind of feel. BETTER GET BETTER is one of those life sucks songs, job's a drag, relationship is going wrong, but, it better get better, RIGHT ON! The song I GOT LOADED is one of the best songs about getting drunk ever written, and I'm sure that more than a few of us can relate to it.
Everything on this disk satisfies and if you know what's good for ya you'll run out and buy this thing, blast it on the stereo and have a block party. So do it already.
posted by Shep at 9:02 AM
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