from 2001 - Kids, It's The Nerves!

The Nerves

25th Anniversary

Penniman Records PENN10002 (6 tracks)

www.pennimanrecords.com

You had to buy this record when it came out in 1977.

With their short hair and tidy graduation suits The Nerves at least looked interesting. Once the vinyl was on the player it was apparent that this talented three-piece (Peter Case, Jack Lee and Paul Collins) had a lock on some kind of neat, pop and roll excitement that was hard to find in those early days. As punk rock roiled on both sides of the Atlantic it was bands like the Nerves that whittled out an existence plying their brand of Beatles-informed, high energy “new wave”. The band eventually lost steam, but the single that turned so many heads now lived on in the hearts of true believers everywhere-giving support to a re-issue at this late date. This pink vinyl, ten inch 45 r.p.m. slab of wonder released by Penniman Records in Spain will allow any Nerve neophytes the joy of hearing one of the great lost singles of any era. Blondie covered opening track “Hanging on the Telephone” back in the day, if that gives you the validation you need to immediately buy this slice of gold. The rest, as they say, is history-and it couldn’t be sweeter.

Jeff Monk

the MONk 2009 view - Six tracks include:
(Side A) Hanging on the Telephone, When You Find Out, Give Me Some Time
(Side B) Working Too Hard, Paper Dolls, One Way Ticket
I just listened back to this extenda-single and holy arfin heck is it good. Two thirds of this combo went on to greater successes in music (Jack Lee, where are you?) and for the short time that this trio were together they really represented the whole power pop verve oh so well. You would be hard pressed to find a sweeter set of songs from any era, although those first few Dwight Twilley Band albums are way up there in my view. Don't hesitate to try and find this or at least get some of these songs in to yr life. It's feelin' good music that will lift yr spirits and get you dancin'! That can't be bad. Yow!

Happy Halloween Tomorrow!

"Halloween" by The Dead Kennedys

So it's Halloween
And you feel like dancin'
And you feel like shinin'
And you feel like letting loose

Whatcha gonna be
Babe, you better know
And you better plan
Better plan all day

Better plan all week
Better plan all month
Better plan all year

You're dressed up like a clown
Putting on your act
It's the only time all year
You'll ever admit that

I can see your eyes
I can see your brain
Baby, nothing's changed
[repeat]

You're still hiding in a mask
You take your fun seriously
No, don't blow this year's chance
Tomorrow your mold goes back on

After Halloween

You go to work today
You'll go to work tomorrow
Shitfaced tonight
You'll brag about it for months

Remember what I did
Remember what I was
Back on Halloween

But what's in between
Where are your ideas
You sit around and dream
For next Halloween

Why not everyday
Are you so afraid
What will people say
[repeat]

After Halloween

Because your role is planned for you
There's nothing you can do
But stop and think it through
But what will the boss say to you

And what will your girlfriend say to you
And the people out on the street they might glare at you
And whadya know you're pretty self-conscious too

So you run back and stuff yourselves in rigid business costumes
Only at night to score is your leather uniform exhumed
Why don't you take your social regulations
And shove 'em up your ass

Garnet...one word says it all...Garnet, from 2002

Garnet Sweatshirt
Curse of the Canadian Rockstar
AudioMonster.com
According to this new conglomerate of self-proclaimed Canadian rock stars the bane of their existence (and all other touring CRS’s apparently) is the godawful, raggedy, van-stanky, Garnet amplifier sweatshirt with the sleeves cut-off. Or that’s the theme of this nine track disc anyway. The core of this group are fairly well known, but if you exclude Guess Who, Cancon godfather Randy Bachman (Sinclair and Hartford-Garden City, Winnipeg),they are hardly stars. This Vancouver-based group centres around the aforementioned guitar-god Bachman, the always-twisted Chris Houston (Forgotten Rebels, Evil Twang), former DOA/Subhumans shit-disturber and part-time bomb expert Wimpy Roy Goble, monster timekeeper Jon Card (DOA, SNFU, Personality Crisis-yay!) as well as upscale drum guy Adam Drake (Art Bergmann, Grapes of Wrath). The album is a very listenable mixed bag of mostly Goble or Houston penned, mid-tempo rockers that stand up to repeated listenings. Goble seems to be the cat that is the most topical lyrically and doesn’t shy away from revealing his distaste for the current state of the music biz. Houston too, never a shrinking violet, offers many pointed stabs at scene poseurs, sex and drug-a-holics and lead singers! The album is dedicated to “The Musical Genius of Kurt Winter” and that seems wholly appropriate for these maple leaf proud thugs of Canuck rock. Guests include Basil Donovan, Mary Margaret O’Hara, Robbie King, James Gray, Herald Nix and more. This is very old school and is pleasantly unpretentious and smart. Watch for them at a seedy bar near you soon.

Jeff Monk

The Monk 2009 view - I tried contacting this band at the time to check if I could get an interview but even back in 2002 it wasn't possible. They remain an enigma. Of course you can find rich old man Bachman blathering on CBC radio with his wife any Saturday night about how he knew or knows just about EVERYONE in the music business (really, it's true, he knows EVERYONE) as he plays golden oldies for all the yuppies that can't wait for the next piece of shit Stuart McLean book, dvd, cd or recipe blog to be released. Sad really, can u tell I am not a fan of these cats and their ilk? Send me an email if you agree...it would be appreciated. If you DON'T agree and LOVE Randy and Stu well, you need to give yr goddamn head a shake and start looking someplace new for yr entertainment. But what do I know? You'd be surprised....

Top Ten Lists are dumb, but righteous!

hey you mothers...another blast from the past (2000) but if yr looking to flesh out that collection and some of these are not yet in yr sweaty hands yet then thank me in the usual fashion, that is, send the unemployed guy some frigging cigars!! peace, jmo

Jeff Monk’s TOP TEN OF 2K
I don’t claim to have heard everything of worth this year. It’s just too damn expensive keeping your life running on course without the nagging pull of the record store. Suffice to say that I received what I was meant to and everything else is a gift, right?

1. The Big Bang! The Best Of The MC5 (Rhino): A big fat slobbery wet one to the fine folks at Rhino for having the collective nuts to release a record by a group that exists more as a legend than anything else. Maybe some new youngsters had their heads twisted around correctly by this necessary set. You need this disc.
2. Patti Smith/Gung Ho (Arista): Every female artist in rock must bow down to Ms. Smith. She may be a fame hog at this point in her career, but hey, at least she ain’t Cher. Still very relevant.
3. Neil Young/Silver and Gold (Reprise): Powerful in his idiosyncrasies, Young never stays in one musical groove long enough for critics to completely write him off. Fill in your own favorite aging well analogy here.
4. The Rendezvous Band/ Live at the Magic Stick September 11, 1999 (Real O Mind): File under unjustly under-appreciated. Graying Detroit rawk gods prove once again that it doesn’t have to be lightning fast to tear your head off. Morgan? Asheton? Tek? Fucking awes0me.
5. Mojo Magazine Maximum ‘65 Sampler: It came with the magazine that digs so deep into the past glories of rock it’s frightening. There’s even a band from Winnipeg on this incredible 20 track exposé of the year rock began.
6. The Makers/Rock Star God (Sub Pop): Never heard it right? If you were musically inclined in the 1970’s (these guys were not) this true-to-best-form concept album brings back all the aural glories of the time. A career defining chunk of gold.
7. Be A Caveman/The Best of the Voxx Garage Revival (Voxx/Bomp): Twenty seven uncut jewels. This music is so snotty you need a box’o’tissues at the ready while you shake and wiggle. Watch for further updates. Boss plus!
8. The Swingin’ Neckbreakers/The Return of Rock (Telstar): When someone starts raving about about some weakass shoegazer band and how necessary they are I mentally play One Potato Two Potato in my head while they blather and then they go away. To be played at loudest volume possible.
9. Twilight Circus Dub Sound System/Dub Voyage (M Records): White guy-black music, white guy-black music. Ryan Moore you are the shit man! File under ORGASMIC!
10. Forbidden Dimension/A Coffinful of Crows (Fuzzwarp/Reanimator): Jackson Phibes call home. Twenty tracks of fuzz burned, trash horror felch. Ghosts, bad girls, skeletons, Mars and bloody graves. Fuck the Blair Witch. Gack!

Honorable Mentions from the Electrophonic Tonic Playlist:

1. The Searchers/The Pye Anthology (Castle)
2. The Pets/Love & War (Independant)
3. The Datsons/See! (Stomp/Tyrant)
4. The Superfine Dandelion/The Superfine Dandelion (Sundazed)

From 2000, it's fun and greasy and made for rockin'

The Racketeers
Mad for the Racket
(Track Records)
File under “formerly”. What do you get when you cobble together a gang of uglies like Wayne Kramer (MC5), Brian James (Damned, Lords of the New Church), Stewart Copeland (Police), Duff McKagan (Guns 'n' Roses, Neurotic Outsiders) and Clem Burke (Blondie)? Well, a mixed bag of delights and turds. The album sounds about like you would imagine this crew would...guitar heavy, sometimes sloppy and mostly pretty great. James and Kramer have split the songwriting duties and guitar chores throughout. Kramer of course comes up the winner in the solo guitar category edging out James’ sometimes muddled fretplay. Kramer ups the brainy thug ante by using his song time to contiinue his chastisement of any agency of conservatism that falls into his nasty purview. Check out "Czar of Poisonville" and "Prisoner of Hope" for examples. James, more often than not, is an old school schwing rocker, flashing his guitar and attitude at any feathered femme that comes to mind. There are throwaway tracks to be sure, just like in the old days. Kramer and James balance each others’ gnarlier tendencies and in the end this is simply low-slung bully rawk at it’s best. The recording is superb and is made to be played loud. Thanks to the folks at Track Records for keeping these players in the mix. It would be mad to miss this racket.

Jeff Monk

MONk 2009 view - Well Brother Wayne is still around and personally I am thankful for that. He has the unerring ability to maintain his relevance after all these years and his rejuvenation of the DTK/MC5 juggernaut a few years ago proved that the old guys still had it. Wayne travels all over the US making music with some pretty cool and still relevant political rockers. The work he does in this regard makes him much more than "ex-MC5-er" brother Wayne Kramer. I spoke to Wayne (interview ran in Stylus mag in 2001) a week after 9-11 and he had some fairly cogent thoughts on what had happened and perhaps why it happened. The guy is no dummy ex-rockstar. Not sure if he supports any of the conspiracy theories so Wayne, if you read this...let's discuss. Remember, I remain unemployed as of this writing, and would love to talk, or skype or sumthin. Kick out the jams motherfuckers!!
Collector's Note: this album came out in 2 versions. Apparently after Track released it as "The Racketeers" - Mad for the Racket (TRK1004CD) someone realized there was another band with the same name. The band became "Mad for The Racket" and the album name became "The Racketeers" when it was released on Wayne's own Muscletone imprint in 2001. Any questions?

From a 2001 Re-Issue Review for Scene Magazine, It's The New Rhythm and Blues Quartet (originally Quintet)

NRBQ
Scraps
(Rounder Records)
www.rounder.com

Have you ever been told an album is essential or so-called five stars and been sadly disappointed when you finally hear it? This classic release by the 1971 in-a-state-of-flux line-up of the critically esteemed U.S. rock and roll group NRBQ has not only stood the test of time it may even be better now than anyone imagined. Since so much time has passed it seems obvious that this band was so far ahead of it’s time they were behind it. With their laconic blend of toe-tappingly good uptempo numbers mixed with tongue-in-cheek ballads this group apparently could do no wrong. Unfortunately the music world at the turn of the decade was probably not ready for players with such a high level of songwriting and playing talent unless they were the Band or something. Some of the absolute gold tracks here are the wry Magnet (I’m like a magnet, you’re like a piece of wood, hanging together, don’t make me feel so good), the toy piano-charged beauty Only You, the questioning Boys in the City, an early take on laterally rocking Ain’t It All Right and the brilliantly stupid Who Put The Garlic in the Glue? Future mainstays of the group Terry Adams, Joey Spampinato and Al Anderson are here and are clearly enjoying themselves while laying down some of the groups soon-to-be most popular concert tracks. For the time, these guys stood out so much they were virtually invisible to the record buying public.What was a consumer oversight then can now be easily remedied by everyone immediately purchasing the album. Current fans should note there are three cool previously unreleased tracks here. Necessary.
Jeff Monk
The MONk 2009 view - No such luck, I'm taking the weekend off. Keep watching this space you mothers!

Electrophonic Tonic Playlists

...I'll be tossing in one of these every now and perhaps may even get some kind of new playlist happening...what do you think?
From 2003 - here is what all the fancy kids were listening to, if they actually had been listening...I was deejay on CKUW (University of Winnipeg) and this show's action plan (besides playing the requisite CanCon) was to rock yr pantses off and get all psych((((0))))delic on the listeners collective asses. In my mind and in my view...ack. I think the choice of music speaks for itself. Do you dig? I knew that you did.
Listen to "The Tonic" every Monday night (730-9pm) on CKUW 95.9fm or tune in online...(ckuw.ca)

ELECTROPHONIC TONIC

Monk in the chair this week kiddies and happy to be there.
Last week new E.Tonic dj Erin J. presented a wonderful two hours as the newest member of the team. Thanks E. We shall enjoy watching you get in the 'Tonic groove.
This week some old stuff (!) and the usual Canuck Con malcontents. Next time we'll bring in some new stuff and keep you all up-to-date with the street. N'est çe pas, yes?
peace
MONk


Electrophonic Tonic Playlist September 29, 2003
artist/track/cf
1. Sonics Rendezvous Band-Electrophonic Tonic-Motor City's Burnin Volume 1 (Total Energy)
2. The New Pornographers/Letter From an Occupant/Vancouver Special (Mint)
3. The Fast/T-Shirt & Tight Jeans/The Best of the Fast 1976-84 (Bullseye)
4. The Guess Who/Use Your Imagination/Shakin' All Over (Sundazed)
5. The Driving Wheel/Fast Retreatin' Female/Private Ear Sessions (Mohair Records)
6. Blackie and the Rodeo Kings/Stoned/BARK (True North)
7. Neil Young/Life in the City/This Note's For You (Geffen)
8. The Barrymores/Up The Bum/ The Barrymores (Bacteria Buffet)
9. The Datsons/I Am The Eye/See! (Tyrant!)
10. The High Dials/Fields In Glass/A New Devotion (Rainbow Quartz)
11. The Frantic Flintstones/Jimmy Jazz/This Is Rockabilly Clash (Raucous)
12. Geoff Edmunds/Green Onions/Best of Geoff Edmunds (Pacemaker)
13. Disappearing Floor/Kolbassaga/Haunted Wallpaper (DisCorporate)
14. The Pets/Light-Hearted Love Song/Love & War (Endearing)
15. King Beez/Gotta Move/CDN 6ts Rock (BBoys)
**************the nine-o-clock DUB break**************
16. Toots & The Maytals/No Difference Here/Pass The Pipe (Island)
17. Max Romeo/Blood of the Prophet 1&2/Open The Iron Gate (Blood & Fire)
***********************************************************
18. Power Station/Harvest for the World/Power Station (Capitol)
19. The Who/I'm Free/Tommy (MCA)
20. The Kinks/I'm Not Like Everybody Else/Face to Face (Castle)
21. Echo & The Bunnymen/Villiers Terrace/To The Shores of Lake Placid (Zoo)
22. Al Stewart/Turn to Earth/The Psych Scene (Deram)
23. Television/I See No Evil/Marquee Moon (Elektra)
24. Big Star/Thank You Friends/Story (Ryko)
25. Big Star/Back of a Car/Story (Ryko)
26. The Heartbreakers/Pirate Love/LAMF Revisited (Freud)
27. Johnny Winter/Silver Train/Still Alive & Well (Columbia)
28. Scott Morgan and Guests/Dangerous/Ann Arbor Revival Meeting (Real-0-Mind)

Funeral Fun, from Monty Python

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsHk9WC7fnQ

Today's Uptown...

...has a few current Monk reviews right there near the center of the magazine,including a feature review on a newly released Rory Gallagher compilation. Enjoy. also here: http://www.uptownmag.com/

And now to California and a Bomp Records release... from 2001, ahhh.. California, where I'd rather be....

Brian Jonestown Massacre
Bravery, Repetition and Noise
(Bomp Records)

Website: www.bomp.com

Independent Los Angeles record label Bomp! Records has a few favored bands that they take great care in nurturing. One of them is the groovy, modern psychedelic music merchants that are the BJM. Actually, the band is pretty much the idiosyncratic spawn of one Anton Newcombe and whatever colony of inventive insaniacs he brings along to roll out his prevailing musical vision. Parts of this album were released earlier in 2001 as an e.p. entitled “Zero”. Like a lysergic Robert Smith, Newcombe and crew create thick fogs of elegant, mid tempo burble with plenty of weird sounds emanating from beneath the mix. It makes sense though, driven as it is by a good measure of warm acoustic guitars and layered organ swells that anchor the spacier elements. “Let Me Stand Next To Your Flower” with it’s “You’re like candy to me” refrain hypnotizes rather...hiply. Don’t be afraid to repeat this noise often.

Jeff Monk
rating: 3 stars

MONk...the 2009 view: Brian Jonestown Massacre are still collectively dragging themselves around stages I believe. There was a film...controversy, Dig? I like these guys in small doses but there are those of a certain age and drug-intake level that scream this band's name out whenever they have taken a bellyfull of peyote and driven out into the desert in Nevada somewhere. Remember kids, it always looks much better on paper...or typed, or when Tony Soprano does it. There will be puking.

And since he just played here two weeks ago and was pretty awesome...from 2005 here's Adrian Belew

Adrian Belew
Side One
Side Two
(Sanctuary)

Website: www.adrianbelew.net

Calling Adrian Belew a “guitarist” is like calling Lance Armstrong a “cyclist”. The Kentucky native has added his brand of intelligent six-string thrak to classic albums by a stylistically broad range of artists such as The Talking Heads, Frank Zappa, Nine Inch Nails and his regular gig with progressive rock titans King Crimson. “Side One” and “Side Two” are two distinct albums. For the first, Belew uses Primus mainman and fellow traveler Les Claypool on bass and busy drummer Danny Carey to create a few songs worth of heavily prog-centric, power trio mayhem. Like Crimson, Belew and his pals throw down a kinetic blast of thinking-person’s hard rock. It’s dense and above all electric and exciting. For the balance of the tracks expect the typical mathematically advanced time signatures and sonic wall of sound that Belew seems to wrench out his axe effortlessly. Great stuff.
“Side Two” is another short listen and features Belew in a less frantic setting. The more subdued palette of sounds he uses are as familiar to his fans as his visceral wall-of-noise antics. Lush, moody and no less intense it provides a perfect set piece to “Side One”.
Jeff Monk
rating: Both A

MONk...2009 view
What I have always liked about Adrian Belew is that, gosh darn it, he seems like such a happy fucker doesn't he? I mean he's one of those players that doesn't "do" guitar face...he just smiles and gets on with his business and that business is doing fine thank you. Now his brand of wailing sounds may not be yr particular slice of the guitar shredding pie but if you pay close attention to his soaring melodies you can't help but smile. He is really that good. If I play one of his tracks for someone that has never heard the guy they are always completely floored by the richness of his voice and his audio trickery in aid of creating a wonderfully uplifting bit of tune-age. He is one artist that I will always strive to keep track of. Take my word for it. Or don't. see also: King Crimson, also, I think Adrian may have some personal thoughts on this guy - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gurdjieff

What the hell is he doing blogging...?

Well folks, it comes down to this...i am currently {and unexpectedly by the way} "not in the workforce" and decided that i would spend time between job applications making myself useful by publishing some of my classic cd reviews from days gone well by. If yr a Winnipegger you may have read some of these in a multitude of groovy publications, but I really doubt it. Even I haven't read some of them! Jes kideen! I guess that's just being truthful, but fuck me - some of the reviews I may throw up here are so well, old, that I hardly remember them. These were all published somewhere but they are mine to BLOG so here we go...

From 2004 it's John Cale!

John Cale
Hobo Sapiens
(EMI)
Website: www.john-cale.com
Former Velvet Underground-er John Cale has, over the course of his now decades-old musical career, always made music that at least challenges convention. For “Hobo Sapiens” Cale has made a pretty accessible set of songs that are equal parts quasi-ambient, artnik rock and peppy euro-pop. “Reading My Mind” and “Things” burble along wonderfully proving that Cale has the journeyman’s touch when it comes to writing a memorable hook. The songwriting perspective he offers is definitely skewed to an older demographic-one that has the patience to let this album present it’s full character over many listenings. Cale’s best work may be 25 years behind him, but that doesn’t disallow him the right to bold creative statements like “Hobo Sapiens”.
Jeff Monk
rating: 3.5 stars

MONk...the 2009 view:

John Cale needs no introduction to most anyone that considers themselves a fan, with depth, of "alternative" music. He continues to compose and create oddball music that really doesn't rock, but in his own way, he composes brainy music for brainy people.I kind of get it, and like what he does in small doses. Good for you if you are a card-carrying Cale-O-phile. You probably have a higher IQ than I do and I am at peace with that.