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RIP: Don Kirshner has gone to the big rock concert in the sky
01.18.2011
10:18 pm
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Rock impresario, record producer with the Midas touch and the unquestionably the most boring and wooden TV presenter of all time, Don Kirshner, known to millions as the host of late-night 70s TV show, Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert has died at the age of 76 of heart failure.

In the 1950s, Don Kirshner was co-owner of Aldon Music, a New York-based music publishing company that employed or had under contract, many of the most important songwriters of the “Brill Building” school, including Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil, Carole King, Gerry Goffin, Neil Sedaka, Howard Greenfield and Jack Keller. Throughout his long career Kirshner was most closely associated with Bobby Darin, Neil Diamond, Carole King, Kansas and of course, The Monkees and “The Archies.”

In 1973, he produced and hosted Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert, a 90-minute syndicated show that featured bands that you never would have seen on American television otherwise. On Rock Concert, America first saw acts like Sparks, Queen, Marc Bolan and T-Rex, Kiss, Cheap Trick, The New York Dolls and many, many, many others. It ran until 1981. Kirshner’s notoriously uncharismatic stage presence was mercilessly lampooned on Saturday Night Live by Paul Shaffer.

Below, the Ramones on Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert in 1977. Where ELSE would you have seen this on American TV at the time?
 

Posted by Richard Metzger
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01.18.2011
10:18 pm
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Iggy Pop: The new Fat Elvis?
01.18.2011
05:20 pm
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Five foot one and 240 lbs.

Shocking video of a grossly overweight Iggy Pop performing “Lust For Life.”
 

 
Actually, this is Dutch actor Frank Lammers doing a spot on imitation of what Iggy would look like if he morphed into late period Elvis.

Posted by Marc Campbell
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01.18.2011
05:20 pm
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‘The Words That Maketh Murder’: PJ Harvey’s new single
01.18.2011
03:42 am
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“The Words That Maketh Murder” is the single from PJ Harvey’s new album Let England Shake which will be released on February 15. Of what I’ve heard of the album so far, this is sounding like Harvey’s best work in years. I do so want to love it.

Rough Trade has released “The Words That Maketh Murder” on 7 inch vinyl. Got a turntable? Get the single here.
 

Posted by Marc Campbell
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01.18.2011
03:42 am
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Rap’s golden era: 1986 documentary with Schoolly D, Doug E. Fresh, Grandmaster Flash and more
01.18.2011
02:37 am
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Shot in New York City in 1986 by Dutch filmmaker Bram van Splunteren, Big Fun In The Big Town contains a motherlode of amazing footage of Schoolly-D, DMC, Grandmaster Flash, Biz Markie, Jam Master Jay and more.

Check out Doug E. Fresh beat-boxing Kraftwerk’s “Tour de France” on a Harlem street corner.

I look at the new rock ‘n rollers…it’s a shame what they did to it, and I hope that rap don’t go that same route – where they take the rawness away…just then make it too pretty! I don’t think rock ‘n roll was meant to be pretty. Rock was meant to be bad – just like rap” - Schoolly-D

In English with Danish Dutch subtitles.

This shit is golden.
 

Posted by Marc Campbell
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01.18.2011
02:37 am
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Los Angeles City Council honors Captain Beefheart
01.17.2011
08:51 pm
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Well, well, well, at long last the LA City Council has actually done something I can respect: On January 5th, they adjourned a meeting early in honor of the passing of Don Van Vliet, AKA Captain Beefheart and presented this certificate of (??) at the recent Beefheart symposium in Los Angeles.

I guess any excuse to get off early with that lot, but the sentiment is appreciated (and at least they weren’t at work further messing up the medical marijuana situation in the city!)

Via Michael Simmons/Gary Lucas

Posted by Richard Metzger
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01.17.2011
08:51 pm
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‘Chance’: Joy Division’s early version of the classic track ‘Atmosphere’, 1979
01.17.2011
05:13 pm
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This track “Chance” by Joy Division popped up on You Tube today - it’s listed as an “Unofficial Release - from the Piccadilly Radio session 4th June 1979.” “Chance” is an early version of the song that would later become “Atmosphere”.

According to Shadowplay a website dedicated to all of Joy Division’s recordings, the lyrics to “Chance” vary from “Atmosphere”:


“Chance”

Walk in silence
Walk away in silence
See the danger - always danger
Endless talking - life rebuilding
Don’t walk away - face the danger

Walk in silence
Don’t walk away in silence
See the danger - always danger
Rules are broken - false emotions
Don’t walk away

People like you find it easy
Always in tune - walking on air
They’re hunting in packs
By the rivers, through the streets
It may happen soon
Then maybe you’ll care
Walk away
Walk away from danger


“Atmosphere”

Walk in silence
Don’t walk away in silence
See the danger - always danger
Endless talking - life rebuilding
Don’t walk away

Walk in silence
Don’t turn away in silence
Your confusion - my illusion
Worn like a mask of self-hate
Confronts and then dies
[or on the Effenaar live version:
  Corrupts and then dies]
Don’t walk away

People like you find it easy
Naked to see - walking on air
Hunting by the rivers
Through the streets, every corner
Abandoned too soon
Set down with due care
Don’t walk away - in silence
Don’t walk away

The Piccadilly Radio also version has the following additional words:

I’m - I’m just crossing the line - just crossing the line
Trying to get back - right where I was
Back where I was - see me crossing the line
Don’t walk away—

Peter Hook allegedly claimed “Atmosphere” was Joy Division’s best song, not surprising then that it was voted the Greatest Song of the Millennium by listeners to the late and lamented John Peel’s BBC radio show.
 

 
Bonus clips of ‘Atmosphere’ and ‘Digital’ after the jump…
 

READ ON
Posted by Paul Gallagher
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01.17.2011
05:13 pm
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Martin Luther King Jr. in roots
01.17.2011
03:24 pm
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In terms of political philosophy, reggae has leaned largely towards Marcus Garvey, Paul Bogle, Malcolm X and the Black Panthers. Here are a couple of exceptions, salutes to the man who we celebrate today in the U.S.

First, “Martin Luther King” by Max Romeo from Reconstruction, his 1979 follow up to his landmark album War Ina Babylon.
 

 
Here’s “Martin Luther King”, one of the tracks on studio wizard Scientist’s 1983 album International Heroes Dub with the Forces of Music band. Other track titles include “George Jackson”, “Ho Chi Minh”, “Malcolm X” and “Desmond Tutu”...
 

Posted by Ron Nachmann
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01.17.2011
03:24 pm
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Post-Pistols, pre PiL: John Lydon interview, 1978
01.17.2011
01:44 pm
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In 1978, at a time after the end of the Sex Pistols, but before Public Image Ltd. was formed, John Lydon gave an actual friendly interview to Janet Street-Porter. Cheerful, not at all rotten Mr. Lydon—seen here looking even more Dickensian than usual in a top hat he says he purchased at Disneyland—discusses how he’d like to see Malcolm McClaren dead, how he made no money whatsoever from the Sex Pistols and he touches ever so briefly on his recent trip to Jamaica, where he’d been scouting reggae talent (and meeting some musical heroes) for Richard Branson’s Virgin Records.

Lydon also reminds us that tickets for the USA Sex Pistols tour cost two bucks!
 

 
Via Flaming Pablum/Glen E. Friedman

Posted by Richard Metzger
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01.17.2011
01:44 pm
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Jim O’Rourke sings Enka
01.17.2011
12:39 pm
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I echo the sentiment of my friend and label-mate, Shannon Fields when he asks, “Will one of my Japanese friends please tell me what this is all about and what Jim is doing? Thanks!”
O’Rourke is one of the most consistently interesting and talented composers of the last few decades and it’s inspiring to see the way he’s constantly learning and branching into potentially uncomfortable new creative situations. Check out the fluent Japanese on this guy !
 

 
With thanks to Shannon Fields

Posted by Brad Laner
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01.17.2011
12:39 pm
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The Theme to ‘Jurassic Park’ Slowed Down by 1000%
01.17.2011
08:27 am
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The theme music to Jurassic Park slowed down by 1000%, as created by Birdfeeder.
 

 
 
With thanks to Steve Duffy
 

Posted by Paul Gallagher
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01.17.2011
08:27 am
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