Monday, April 06, 2009

ELEANOR RIGBY'S FUNERAL

Hi again people, sorry for the delay in getting this post to you, life just got in the way a bit there, you know how it goes.
To make up for my tardiness in getting some fresh sounds to you, i've added a few extra items to expand tonight's selection in the style of the old posts.
Hopefully this will see me forgiven for keeping you all waiting.
Up first, TEAZER were a five piece Hawaiian band formed in the late '70's, who played good time Hard Rock with some similarities to RIOT, BLACK OAK ARKANSAS, THE BOYZZ and AC/DC. They released one album, 1980's "Hard As A Rock", on the independent Roko Records label. Featuring very strong vocals courtesy of the excellently named Tookie Dauzat, the record had a good all round sound for an indie release and it's gutsy groove and catchy songs helped it stand out from the crowd. It also features, guesting on backing vocals, MICHAEL FURLONG, who went on to some success, recording three solo albums before joining with WILD DOGS for the "Reign Of Terror" album. "Hard As A Rock" is now a rare and much sought after album, expect to pay around $200 US to secure an original copy.

TEAZER - Hard As A Rock (1980) USA

http://rapidshare.com/files/217067966/TEAZER_-_Hard_As_A_Rock__USA-1980_.rar

Nextly we're delving waay back for some odd odd music. DEMIAN were a five piece Hard Rock band with very strong Prog Rock and occassional Fusion elements who hailed from East Moline, Illinois. Their sole album "Rock Star Farm", was recorded in Austin, Texas and released on the Starburst Records label in 1974. A bizarre quasi-concept album, it's distinguished by sudden time changes, and the quirky vocals of Shahe Skinner, who alternates between a sonorous baritone and the occasional passage where he sings in a pitch so high that only dogs can hear. Musically, it comes off as an unlikely marriage between BLOODROCK, PHANTOM'S DIVINE COMEDY and THE VIOLA CRAYOLA. Honestly, you've never heard anything like this before. A true one off, expect to pay between $100-$150 for a vinyl original. Not to be confused with the Texan band DEMIAN which featured former BUBBLE PUPPY members and released a self-titled album in 1971.

DEMIAN - Rock Star Farm (1974) USA

http://rapidshare.com/files/217054461/DEMIAN_-_Rock_Star_Farm__USA-1974_.rar

Up next, a renowned force on the New York club scene, New Jersey's TT QUICK impressed many and soon built up a sizable cult following. Guitarist David Dipietro's skills were especially singled out, as a guitar tutor, the man had taught both ZAKK WYLDE of OZZY OSBOURNE/PRIDE & GLORY/BLACK LABEL SOCIETY and SKID ROW's Dave "Snake" Sabo. Demonstrating arresting chops, vocal prowess and solid writing, the band were quick to land a major label deal with Island Records just two years later. Their debut record, the 1984 five song 'TT Quick' mini album on Avalanche Records, featured a rendition of CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVALs 'Fortunate Son'. As drummer Glen Evans left to join NUCLEAR ASSAULT, former HELLCATS man Erik Ferro replaced him for the 'Metal Of Honor' album, which surprisingly included a cover of the DAVE CLARK FIVE's 'Glad All Over'. Internationally, TT QUICK peaked with the crunching 'Metal Of Honor', the album landing many commendable reviews, wide ranging media coverage and healthy sales. Touring saw TT QUICK opening for such major acts as ACCEPT, METALLICA, MEGADETH, MOTORHEAD and IRON MAIDEN.
The band hit a major stumbling block when Ferro was forced out due to family illness. Unable to replace their drummer TT QUICK disbanded. Dipietro also later joined NUCLEAR ASSAULT. TT QUICK would reform with the original line up sporadically over the intervening years, these reunions resulting in the 1989 'Sloppy Seconds' album and the live 'Thrown Together Live' opus recorded in 1990. The band, retaining the classic line up, reformed on a permanent basis in 2000 for the tattoo themed 'Ink' album.

T.T. QUICK - T.T. Quick Mini LP (1984) USA

http://rapidshare.com/files/217087680/TT_QUICK_-_TT_Quick_Mini_LP__USA-1984_.rar

M-80 was an American Heavy Metal trio formed in 1982 in Los Angeles by ex-SUN & VENDETTA guitarist Niki Buzz (aka Darrell Young). Early members would include ex-WHITEHORSE and AVALANCHE bassist Harry Clay and drummer Louis McCorkle. However, in 1983 the bass position duly went to Don Costa whilst Sam Mann took over on drums.
Costa was hot property at the time, as the man freshly thrown out of OZZY OSBOURNE's band for being too outrageous. Before his infamous stunt of shredding his knuckles with a cheese grater mounted on his bass, which he did nightly whilst onstage with Ozzy, Costa had been in formative versions of W.A.S.P., DAMIAN and the Jack Russell fronted DANTE FOX, who subsequently evolved into GREAT WHITE. Costa's stay in M-80 was short-lived, appearing only on 1984's six song "M-80" Mini Lp, released by Roadrunner Records, but the trio made a lasting impression on the Los Angeles club scene with their live appearances at the time, with Costa donning mummy costumes and straight jackets onstage. By 1985 and the recording of "The Maniac's Revenge", album, Niki Buzz had recruited the British rhythm section of erstwhile SAMSON bassist Chris Aylmer and L.A. SECRETS drummer Ian Roberts. The record would be M-80's last, with Aylmer and Roberts returning to the UK and Buzz joining CURTIS KNIGHT.

M-80 - M-80 Mini LP (1984) USA

http://rapidshare.com/files/217076626/M-80_-_M-80_Mini_LP__USA-1984_.rar

You should, of course, know legendary Bruges, West Flanders band ACID. If not, consider yourself an uneducated oaf, and rectify the situation immediately. Pre-dating the thrash scene by a couple of years, ACID's simplistic yet effective uptempo Heavy Metal was a breath of fresh air in the metal scene at the time. Neither complicated nor revolutionary, they were lead heavy and great fun to listen to. Originally known as PREVIOUS PAGE, they changed their name to ACID in 1980, releasing their debut 7", "Hell On Wheels", the following year. They followed this up with a couple of demo recordings before their self-titled debut album came out in '82. It was a real revelation, heavy riffs, wild guitar, double bass drums, a thundering sound, together with the powerful voice of excellent front woman Kate. "Maniac" was their second album, and was released at the end of '83. "Lucifera" was taken as the single from it. 1984 saw the release of the great 4 song 12" EP, "Black Car". Arguably one of the best bands ever to come out of Belgium, their third and final album "Engine Beast", was released in 1985, but changing musical tastes and trends conspired to rob the band of their impetus. After this release the band gradually disintegrated, although a few reunion gigs over the years have led to rumours that the band may reconvene at some point in the future for a new album.

ACID - Black Car EP (1984) Belgium

http://rapidshare.com/files/218197931/ACID_-_Black_Car_EP__Bel-1984_.rar

1982's "Nightland" 7", appears to have been the only release by UK band THE CHILDREN.
Stylistically it straddles the area between NWOBHM and what would later be called Goth Rock, a strange amalgam that almost, but not quite, comes off for them. The A-Side is probably the pick of the two songs, coming in on a driving insistent riff, but retaining a commercial edge, and the ACE FREHLEY styled lead break is a nice surprise. Flipside "Demon Blues", is a harder sounding affair, with the vocals reminding of A.N.L.'s Animal, and the song (which is not a blues at all), appears to be about the legend of ROBERT JOHNSON, you know the one, how he sold his soul to the devil at a crossroads at midnight in exchange for being given his guitar skills. Interesting stuff that takes a few spins to adjust to, but is well worth the effort. As for information about the band, i got nothing i'm afraid, any further info would be much appreciated.

THE CHILDREN - Nightland 7" (1982) UK

http://rapidshare.com/files/218199743/THE_CHILDREN_-_Nightland_7____UK-1982_.rar

To finish with this evening, DUMPY'S RUSTY NUTS were an infamous London based band formed in 1981 by ardent biker "Dumpy" Dunnell, a character who had previously been a member of THE RIVVITS. Renowned over the years for their many appearances at biker festivals, the group was originally titled DUMPY'S DIRT BAND and the transition to DUMPY'S RUSTY NUTS came in 1981 when the frontman was joined by Mac McKenzie on bass and drummer Chris Hussey, both previously members of NUTHIN' FANCY. Unbelievably the band had to change its name to DUMPY'S RUSTY BOLTS to secure airplay for the debut 1982 'Just For Kicks' single when DJ's deemed the original band name too lewd. Sometime afterwards, Mac McKenzie left to rejoin NUTHIN' FANCY (much later ending up as manager of THUNDER). Dumpy & Co. stuck with the "BOLTS" version of the name for the "Boxhill Or Bust" 7", before reverting back to the "NUTS" name. There have been many releases from the band since then and an almost constantly fluctuating line-up with Dumpy still the lynch pin at the centre of it all. In 1991 the band released a cover version of JO JO GUNNE's 'Run, Run' Run' as a single, but while DUMPYS RUSTY NUTS are still a going concern, no further product has surfaced since. Dumpy is also now a sometime member of the venerable psychedelic institution we know as HAWKWIND.

DUMPY's RUSTY BOLTS - Boxhill Or Bust 7" (1982) UK

http://rapidshare.com/files/218205698/DUMPY_S_RUSTY_BOLTS_-_Boxhill_Or_Bust_7____UK-1982_.rar

And that's it for another week. Thanks very much for all your thoughts and comments last time, espescially from you ron...the cheeb, i enjoyed reading your in depth thoughts on the last few weeks worth of posts very much. Despite your putting down my native country in your thoughts on the PALLAS album! Hopefully i'll find the time this week to get some more stuff up on the other blog, if you need more vintage tuneage check there later. Hope you enjoy this weeks material and i'll look forward to finding out what you thunk of them in due course. Be excellent!