OK, I am not sure if the protagonist (antagonist?) in this video is a mutant ‘Deer Man’ creature or just a guy wearing a Deer head mask. It does make difference in the way that you look at the clip, but ultimately it makes no difference in the way things work out. Anyway, I dig the absurd yet menacing indie flick Bag Head vibe of this high-concept-meets-performance video by Destroy This Place, a pretty rockin’ band from Detroit that channel all of the best sonic aspects of The Flamin’ Groovies, The Posies and The Jam for their fun, anthemic song called “Graves.” Check it out!
Joseph Arthur’s tenth (tenth!) studio album dropped this past Tuesday (June 11th) and it is once again proof that the New York-based, wildly prolific musician and multi-media artist never runs dry of engaging ideas. Joe performed The Ballad of Boogie Christ front to back (with a few old favorites thrown in at the end) at the Bowery Ballroom last evening, and fans came out to pack the room despite a cold and windy rain working up a frenzy on the streets outside.
For a fan like me, who’s been following Joseph’s career since his 1997 debut, Boogie Christ is a bit more of straightforward “rock” album, bolstered by strong Bob Dylan influences, that still dips into the arena of Arthur’s gorgeous, subtly nuanced ballads.
The Ballad of Boogie Christ Cover Art
Although it’s always a kick to experience Joe’s one-man-band performances, last night he was accompanied by a full band – including a saxophone! – which allowed him to rock out a bit more, being freed up from carrying the entire evening on his nevertheless very musically capable shoulders.
Joe will be touring nationally througout the month of June and you can find tour dates in your area at This Link. He’ll also be performing on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Friday June 21st, so be sure to tune in or set your DVRs!
See the setlist and more photos from last night’s show, plus check out an awesome HD video of Joe performing the title song from the album, at This Link. The Ballad of Boogie Christ is available from Joseph Arthur Dot Com and wherever fine music is procurred.
Earlier this week, I attended a party at The Cutting Room and ran into my friend Billy Amendola, who I got to know during my 13 years spent writing for Modern Drummer magazine. Billy is not only a fantastic writer and editor, but he’s also quite an accomplished working drummer, having racked up a couple of dance hits during the 70s with the band Mantus, as well as playing drums on many of Debbie Gibson’s hits. Billy told me about a project he just completed called Influenced, featuring a song he wrote with a couple of his industry friends called “She Does.” He turned me on to the video, and I was instantly blown away by how much this track sounds like The Beatles.
Actually, The Beatles comparison is not at all surprising, when you consider that they recruited producer Mark Hudson for lead vocals. I remember having a ridiculous crush on Mark Hudson when I was probably 13, and he and his two brothers, Brett and Bill (father of actress Kate Hudson) had a summer replacement television series, The Hudson Brothers comedy variety hour. I even owned a couple of the Hudson Brothers excellent albums, which I absolutely adored because all of their songs sounded so much like The Beatles.
In his career, Mark has worked with huge hit makers including Ringo Starr, and I know Billy is also a hugeBeatles fan, so, again, the similarity is no surprise. What’s also a standout on this track is how guitarist Vinnie Zummo (formerly with Joe Jackson) completely channels George Harrison’s Elmore James-influenced slide guitar.
The track was produced by Billy’s son, Matty, who I used to fondly refer to as “Matty’s Fro,” owing to his impressive Afro hairstyle! Matty has gone on to become quite adept producer and multi-instrumentalist in his own right, and it’s fantastic to hear father and son working together on such a solid track. Please enjoy!
Neal Smith, drummer for the original Band called Alice Cooper sent me the link to this video a couple of days ago and told me it was a clip he had never even seen before. Knowing how many fans of that awesome band I have as readers, I knew I had to post this as soon as I could get it together. This clip is especially great because you get to hear Neal and guitarist Michael Bruce have a very candid conversation about whether Neal or bassist Dennis Dunaway will provide the voice of the little girl in the song’s introduction. Neal twirls his sticks a lot and Kachina the snake also makes an appearance! Enjoy!
“You are the classiest of the Housewives, which is sort of like saying You are the Smartest Kardashian.”
Last night on Conan, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog visited the Real Housewives of Atlanta and hilarity ensued! I laughed my ass off for seven minutes. Favorite line of many: “It’s amazing how much you can get done when you don’t take the time to feel deeply ashamed.” Check it out, above.
Well known on the NYC rock scene as the guitarist and primary songwriter behind retro garage-pop quartet The Friggs, Palmyra Delran is a bit of a local music icon. While The Friggs never broke commercially, they opened for legendary bands such as The Ramones and Cheap Trick, earning a devote regional following as well as solid professional props for being an “all-girl” band that could rock as hard as any group of guys. In her second solo venture, Delran stays close to the layered pop sound she helped to hone in The Friggs, while continuing to demonstrate innovation with regard to arrangements and intriguing personal storytelling in songs that draw the listener into her very relatable world.
If Palmyra Delran isn’t the coolest chick on the block, I don’t know who is. Seamlessly blending the guitar rock grit of Joan Jett with the pop sensibilities and subtle humor of Blondie, You Are What You Absorb will feel instantly familiar to fans of the classic Girl Groups, Sixties Psychedelia, Surf Rock and the very best of the early eighties New Wave movement. There’s not a lot of timeless music being made today, but the twelve memorable tracks on You Are What You Absorb certainly qualify as such, being packed with lyrical hooks sharp enough to draw blood and retro musical flourishes, such as sitar and organ, that establish Palmyra’s reverential connection to the past while bringing her music into the present.
A favorite track among many is the single “Shy Boy” – an endearing love song to a reluctant wallflower that will melt the coldest heart. I also dig the way that the propulsive drumbeat and furious guitar outtro of “Lies For You” dig deep to fondly recall the Nick Lowe-penned Elvis Costello classic, “(What’s So Funny About) Peace, Love & Understanding.” Bringing other unexpected influences the forefront, Delran’s expert guitar playing on “Never to Be Back Again,” especially, recalls Jeff Beck’s distinctive riffage on The Yardbird’s “Heart Full of Soul,” and I don’t think there is much higher praise to give than that. Palmyra also shows her stylistic versatility on “The Turtle,” which successfully flirts with sixties lounge jazz.
Although it’s still pretty chilly on the East coast, as New York fights hard to break into spring, you need to grab a copy of You Are What You Absorb right away, so you can get ready to take it to the beach with you, add it to Party Mixes and slap it on the car stereo for long drives with the car top down as these songs become the soundtrack to your Best Summer Ever.
Palmyra Delran’s You Are What You Absorb is out now and available for purchase on iTunes, Amazon.com and wherever quality rock is procured.
Grade: A
View the acclaimed video for “You’re My Brian Jones” Below:
Fans of the late great Nickelodeon cartoon series Ren & Stimpy will recall with great fondness the character of Powdered Toast Man. Check out the video clip below to see how right on this tattoo is. PTM!
Do you like Aquariums? I sure do. So, I wanted to let you know that Friend of The Worley GigVince Kelly and his amazing custom aquarium business, GoFish Aquariums (located near Chicago) will be featured on an upcoming episode of the Animal Planet series Tanked this Saturday, August 25th! Aquarium lovers especially should check out the show or set your DVRs, because Tanked is an unbelievably cool program. You will not believe the outrageous home Aquariums these guys design and build!
In this Saturday’s episode, the Tanked crew work with GoFish on the installation of a 3,000 gallon tank! Holy Mackerel! All I know is that the tank was designed for and installed in a business and required some architectural restructuring to get it in place, so you will have to watch the show to get the lowdown. Tanked airs Saturdays at 9:00 PM Eastern and Pacific, 8:00 PM Central. Check your local listings for the channel in your area. See a video preview of the episode below!
In Honor of Shark Week, we present a video of the Shark Bite Cocktail from Joe’s Crab Shack Restaurant. The drink consists of a Blue Curacao based fruity cocktail with Red Grenadine poured into it from a Shark-shaped vial, thus simulating blood in the water post-Shark Attack.
