Monday, May 22, 2006

Band Of Outsiders - Far Away in America (Live)

Thanks to Diamanda who kindly sent me a rip of this.
Band of Outsiders had already been performing in NY for a couple years when they teamed up with another of my favourites, Certain General, to record this Mini-LP. Originally on Sourmash in the US, it was picked up for release by "L'invitation au Suicide", the french label who would put out most of these 2 bands interesting work. The MiniLP is split in a studio and a Live side. The studio side brings nothing new: the songs would be released on the following studio albums. The Live Side is much more interesting: a ultra slow version of "Conviction" and a song that never (to my knowledge) made to vinyl: "Done Away".
I would need the cover of this LP, as all I find is the Certain General side of the MiniLP. Since the Lp covers are awkward to scan, the best is to shoot a pic with a camera, I can always retouch it to make straight.
I will shortly get into Certain General's first releases and start ripping them.
Again Thank you Diamanda!
Sometimes a lonely night is love itself to me.

Saturday, May 13, 2006

Band of Outsiders: A true forgotten Gem


This band appeared in Europe thanks to the IAS Label, one of the many Indie French labels who did much to broaden our musical Horizon at the time, along with Closer and New Rose. In 1984, after playing in NY under the Limits moniker, Band Of Outsiders joined up with Certain General to record Far Away In America (Sourmash). If anybody has that EP, I would be grateful for a link to it, I never heard it or even saw a copy at the time. They followed with three good EPs released in 1985 and the album Everything Takes Forever (L'IAS). Their sound, while being close to the Paisley movement, has a twang all of its own. As time went on, The Band of Outsiders introduced in an ever-increasing manner psychedelic elements, favoring atmosphere over melody. "Nervous" and "Skylight" are good examples of their style, but the entire LP is one solid piece of work, their best in my opinion. The song "Dutch Girl Concern" is very high in my All-Time 100 list.


The group burned out after Act Of Faith (Barclay, 1986). There is also a live album (Armistice Day, on the Nocturnal and Conviction Labels, 1989) and a Best Of (No Reflection, Repulsion Label, 1992) that I've never heard. They also recorded a Live album with the late Nikki Sudden. The pic below is from that gig. Maybe DorfDiscoBraunFeld has it?


I will post next the "Act of Faith" LP as well as 2 of their EPs. This music is timeless for me. I am looking for all material on this band as i only have the "Everything Takes Forever", "Act of Faith" LPs and the "Longer Than Always" and "I Wish I Was Your Kid" EP. Please HELP!

He's real good with his fingers
As always ripped from the original vinyl, remastered and cleaned @ 256kb, the music's really worth the effort. Here I go again…

Monday, May 08, 2006

The Triffids: How it started in the West


This is probably one of the first Aussie EP I ever heard, if not the first. My sister brought it back on a cassette compilation (remember them?) after a visit home. At the time in Europe we weren't listening to this, but we got primed and ready when they finally moved to Londn and started touring. For me, it was a shock, as their music typified the vision I had of Oz, or Western Australia at least… a parched, dry land, laid wide open for you. At the same, it is a terribly forlorn place. The song "Raining Pleasure" is probably the perfect aural postcard of Perth at that time.
This is also to follow RYP post of Treeless Plain. If I remember well, that Ep cost me something like AU$ 5.95 at that time, I'm pretty sure i bought at Rythm & Records in Perth… in 1985.
Property is not yet condemned. 256k, with both covers.

End of the Go-Betweens: devastating news & its cure: Liberty Belle & The Black Diamond Express


Grant Mc Lennan died yesterday at the age of 48… words fail me. I had the pleasure of seeing them playing in my secret location's world wide known club during the Liberty Belle Tour. I still remember them as the nicest artist I've ever met backstage. Genuinely kind with, of course, the well-known Aussie dry wit!
This may be the best way to remember him, after all he left us his music. This is my desert island record.
Let that spring rain fall and wash your tears away…

Thursday, May 04, 2006

On the fringe of the Paisley movement, there was True West


as posted by RYP here . but although they made a 2nd album ("Drifters"), a year later I think, their quirkyness and acid dazed sound petered out rapidly.
Their guitar player Russ Tolman pursued a solo carrer. This album, his first, is probably his finest moment.
If people really rave about, it I will rip the 2nd, although some of the magic is missing from it. Russ seems to have soldiered on untill the late 90's. Ripped from my vynil copy @ 256, with both back & front covers.
Cooking guitar work lies inside.

Wednesday, May 03, 2006

More Johnnies


This time it's the pony rider who drew his gun first. For the guys and gals who dig The Johnnies, here's 3 more songs pulled from their singles… You get "Cannonball", The Logan Girls" and "Don't put The Blame On Me". One single was the "Injun Joe, the other one I can't remember.

Yeaaaaaaaaah! Link has been REuped!

I've got a treat for you…

Chris the Twillight Rider had the good idea to branch into the Beasts Of Bourbon. Nice, I can enjoy them again.
When I first bought one of their LP on Red Eye (their German label), I got one of the first few hundred limited edition… with a bonus 45! You'll get only 0ne song sadly, as I forgot to record (or was it a disk crash?) the other side.
This is the aptly named "Fucked-Up Blues", puts Captain Beefheart to shame.

Blow that harmonica, boy!

Tuesday, May 02, 2006

A Must for all Aussie Music fans: The Eastern Dark 1st 45


I just couldn' resist… these were my fave (still are!).
The Eastern Dark first 2 singles… classic Ramones-enduced Wrack&Roll.
Ripped from their original Waterfront singles. I'v just omitted a song which you can find on dorfdisco post of their EP.
Can't remember the song's name though. Old Age?

Enjoy!

The Eastern Dark: Girls on the Beach (with Cars)

I used to call'em The Thin, The Fat and the Ugly One…
In response to Our friend the disco man Here's the post of The Eastern Dark's Live LP "Girls On the Beach With Cars", a testimonial to what they were able to conjure up on stage. Stay tuned.
This is for James.
Three guys and an audience. Enjoy!