Rudolf Dethu Showbiz

14/09/2024

The Ambon schoolchildren really know how to rock 'n' roll. Moluccabilly riot!

09/09/2024

Friendships must be built on a solid foundation of alcohol, sarcasm, shenanigans, and a dislike of the same people.

26/08/2024

Let's kick off Monday with this vintage 1983 anarchic comedy, a cover of The Who's "My Generation" by Rik Mayall and the Bastard Squad.

In 1983, Rik Mayall, already a rising star in British comedy, decided to team up with a group of punk musicians to form a band called The Bastard Squad. The idea was born out of Mayall's desire to blend his anarchic comedy with the raw energy of punk music, creating a performance that was as chaotic as it was entertaining. The band quickly became a vehicle for Mayall's sharp satire, and their cover of The Who's "My Generation" became a perfect fit for their rebellious spirit.

When they took the stage to perform "My Generation," Mayall was at his most ferocious, channeling the frustration and anger of a youth culture that felt ignored by the establishment. His delivery was electrifying, and the band’s raw sound amplified the song's original message of youthful defiance. The audience, already fans of Mayall’s comedic anarchy, was swept up in the chaotic energy, making it a performance to remember.

What made this cover stand out was Mayall's ability to infuse his comedic persona into the song while maintaining its rebellious edge. His exaggerated movements and facial expressions added a layer of satire that both mocked and celebrated the angst of the generation the song spoke to. The performance was a collision of comedy, punk, and rock ‘n’ roll, capturing the essence of Mayall’s unique style.

Mayall's style in the video, reminds me of The Damned's Captain Sensible :）

24/08/2024

RDS is here in Singapore at the moment with The Hydrant Bali for BREWNANZA Craft Beer Festival by Brewlander. The Pompadour Four perform for two nights in a row. Last night, Friday, as well as tonight, Saturday! So stoked!

17/08/2024

THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART are reforming for a 2025 tour that celebrates the 15th anniversary of their debut album. The Lineup will be Kip Berman, Peggy Wang, Christoph Hochheim, and Kurt Feldman, which will be that specific lineup's first shows together since 2012. The last TPOBPAH show of any kind was in 2018.

Kip says: “To celebrate the 15 year anniversary of our debut album, we’ll be touring Spain + Portugal in February/March 2025. Yeah, we know it’ll actually be 16 years by then, but… The Pains of Being Bad at Math.”

So far, those are the only dates. “I don’t know if we’ll be doing more (or less) of this in the future,” says Kip. “But for right now, we’re all excited to get this chance to be together and play these songs that, quite literally, changed our lives.”

The indie pop quartet from New York visited Indonesia in March 2012 and performed at Balai Sarbini in Jakarta; will they return? Hopefully.

The music video here, TPOBAH performing "Young Adult Friction" live at Pitchfork Music Festival in 2009.

19/07/2024

Weekend's here. Stoked for some space truckin' stoner rock? Well, then, welcome to the Sky Valley!

Considered as one of the pioneers of stoner rock, Kyuss formed in 1987 under the name Katzenjammer (German slangword for "hangover") before eventually deciding upon Sons of Kyuss. In 1989 the band recorded their eponymous debut EP, Sons of Kyuss (Josh Homme was only 17!). When Nick Oliveri joined the band, their name was shortened to Kyuss.

Kyuss' first line-up consisted of guitarist Homme, bassist Oliveri, vocalist John Garcia, and drummer Brant Bjork. The band gradually built a local following in Palm Desert, California, and frequently performed at parties in and around the isolated towns of Southern California's desert areas. These impromptu and predominantly outdoor shows, referred to locally as "generator parties", consisted of small crowds of people, beer drinking, and the use of gasoline-powered generators to provide electricity for the equipment. Homme commented that playing in the desert "was the shaping factor for the band" noting that "there's no clubs here, so you can only play for free. If people don't like you, they'll tell you. You can't suck."

Kyuss released several critically acclaimed albums, including 𝘉𝘭𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘦𝘥 𝘚𝘶𝘯 (1992) and 𝘞𝘦𝘭𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘬𝘺 𝘝𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 (1994), which are often cited as seminal works in the stoner rock genre. Despite never achieving mainstream success during their initial run, Kyuss developed a dedicated cult following.

Members of Kyuss went on to form or join other influential bands, most notably Homme, who founded Queens of the Stone Age. The band's use of low tunings and unconventional recording techniques contributed to their distinctive sound, inspiring many bands in the stoner, doom, and sludge metal genres.

The video here via f3r0m0n/YouTube, Kyuss performing "Hurricane" live at Bizarre Festival in Cologne, Germany, 1995.

Happy sludgy Friday!

18/07/2024

Stop posting your problems on Facebook. Go to a bar like everyone else.

15/07/2024

Shake, rattle an' roll.

"Music is the literature of the heart; it commences where speech ends." — Alphonse de Lamartine

11/07/2024

Effortless rhythm called grace.

04/07/2024

"Hope will never be silent." — Harvey Milk

20/06/2024

Good friends and bad decisions.

10/06/2024

Kim Deal turned 63 today.

Deal carved her niche in the alternative rock scene as the bassist for the Pixies and later as the frontwoman for the Breeders. Born in Dayton, Ohio, Kim and her identical twin sister Kelley were introduced to music at a young age; they grew up listening to hard rock bands such as AC/DC and Led Zeppelin. A friend of Kelley's living in California sent the Deals cassettes of artists such as James Blood Ulmer, the Undertones, Elvis Costello, S*x Pistols, and Siouxsie & the Banshees. "These tapes were our most treasured possession, the only link with civilisation," Kim later recalled.

In 1986, Kim joined the Pixies, contributing her distinctive bass lines and vocal harmonies to their groundbreaking sound. The Pixies' rise to fame was swift, and Kim's presence became integral to the band's dynamic, especially on iconic tracks like "Gigantic", where her voice took centre stage.

After leaving the Pixies in 1993, Kim focused on the Breeders, a project she had started with Kelley. Their album 𝘓𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘚𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘩 achieved critical acclaim, with the hit single "Cannonball" propelling them into the mainstream.

In 1995 Kim formed the Amps under the sobriquet "Tammy Ampersand". Their lone album, Pacer, was generally well-received but sold poorly. She also produced music for other groups, most notably fellow Dayton band Guided by Voices.

Kim has contributed her voice to numerous projects, including This Mortal Coil's 1991 version of Chris Bell's "You and Your Sister" (a duet with Tanya Donnelly); the 1995 Sonic Youth single "Little Trouble Girl"; and the For Carnation's "Tales (Live from the Crypt)" in 2000.

In 2018, the Breeders released their fifth album All Nerve, the first album to reunite the Deals, Wiggs, and Macpherson since 𝘓𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘚𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘩.

When asked if she had a "gay bone" in her body, Kim responded with "You know what? I'm just so ...asexual, I wish I had a gay bone."

I saw the Breeders in Sydney in 2011. Got goosebumps the whole evening!

The video here, Kim Deal with the Breeders performing "Cannonball" on Later... with Jools Holland on BBC Two, May 2018.

Happy birthday, Ms. Cannonball!

08/06/2024

I’m too busy working on my own grass to notice if yours is greener.

01/06/2024

In case you like the idea of meeting the Next John Travolta—in the daytime and sober, this is your eureka moment. Come and say hello tomorrow, Balinale International Film Festival, Sunday, 2 June, 1pm, at Cinepolis in Plaza Renon.

In case you don't, well, ease yourself at home and listen to lame-ass Eminem's new single, "Houdini" :)

from .nale:

World music documentary series, disc jockey/band manager Rudolf Dethu unpacks the history of Bali’s thriving punk scene. Marshello Aryafara leads a good-timing rockabilly band as a father of two and a hard-working lifeguard. Jakarta soul-singer Iqua Tahlequa defies social taboos and makes an impressive debut.

01/06/2024

An interesting talk. How Eno started ambient music thru this album.

‎Show The Pitchfork Review, Ep The Origins and Influence of Brian Eno’s Pioneering Album Ambient 1: Music for Airports - Jan 11, 2024

31/05/2024

RTB ATTRACTION ROSTER
Calendar of Events at .rumahtanjungbungkak - June 2024

03 Jun Songsmiths
04 Jun Soul & Kith EP Release Party (venue: Volx Records Store)
05 Jun Westside Wednesdays
06 Jun "Vibrations: Offerings" Film Screening (venue: Block D)
07 Jun Acoustic Affair
08 Jun Pop Hari Ini - Bincang Bising Kota
11 Jun Jazz Amphitree
12 Jun UK-ARAOKE (venue: Block D)
13 Jun Disco Not Disco
15 Jun Jangar Showcase (venue: Bunker)
17 Jun RURUradio - Electronox Tour 2024
19 Jun Westside Wednesdays
21 Jun Acoustic Affair
24 Jun Songsmiths
25 Jun Jazz Amphitree
26 Jun UK-ARAOKE
27 Jun Disco Not Disco

PS: All activities take place at .rumahtanjungbungkak Amphitree (front garden), except stated.

Photo: Ayyiex.

05/05/2024

Last night at Hammersonic Fest, I was pretty amazed by Madball, a New York Hardcore legend. Straight, solid, larger-than-life energy. A great way to spend a Saturday night: metallic and frantic.

But this Sunday morning, I'd like to talk about something more chill, soothing, sensual, and still related to New York: the Chelsea Hotel.

Leonard Cohen wrote a song about it titled "Chelsea Hotel #2". He used to stay there while away from his home in Montreal. The song describes how he met Janis Joplin, and how their meeting turned into a sexual relationship.

As the story goes, Joplin came to the hotel looking for Kris Kristofferson. When she joined Cohen in the elevator, the infamous casanova decided to tell Joplin that he was the Highwayman. “She wasn’t looking for me; she was looking for Kris Kristofferson; I wasn’t looking for her; I was looking for Brigitte Bardot,” Cohen once told 𝘙𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘦. “But we fell into each other’s arms through some process of elimination.”

Their affair was brief. The next morning, Joplin went on to find Kristofferson and record arguably her biggest hit, “Me and Bobby McGee.” The pair would only meet a handful of times after that.

The video here via Ladies Who Sing Leonard, Sophia Tuv gorgeously covers "Chelsea Hotel #2".

𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘦𝘢 𝘏𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘭
𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦
𝘎𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘥
𝘞𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘵

17/12/2023

On this date in 2010, Captain Beefheart died from complications from multiple sclerosis. He was 69.

Born Don Glen Vliet in Glendale, California, stands as a monumental figure in the music industry, celebrated for his avant-garde approach and influential style. His work, particularly with his band Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band, pushed the boundaries of rock music, introducing elements of free jazz, blues, and the avant-garde. His 1969 album 𝘛𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘔𝘢𝘴𝘬 𝘙𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢, produced by Frank Zappa, is often cited as one of the most significant examples of experimental rock.

Beefheart's influence extends beyond his musical output. He is revered for his distinctive voice, often compared to Howlin' Wolf, and his commanding stage presence. His lyrical themes, infused with surrealism and dadaist humor, set him apart from his contemporaries. Artists across various genres cite Beefheart as an influence, including Tom Waits, The Clash, Public Image Limited, The Kills, Sonic Youth, Talking Heads' David Byrne, Blondie, Devo, the B-52's, Throbbing Gristle's Genesis P-Orridge, and many more.

"If there has ever been such a thing as a genius in the history of popular music, it's Beefheart. A psychedelic shaman who frequently bullied his musicians and sometimes alarmed his fans, Don somehow remained one of rock's great innocents," said John Peel.

The video here via Mr Kleeg/YouTube, Captain Beefheart performed "Click Clack" live at 𝘉𝘦𝘢𝘵-𝘊𝘭𝘶𝘣, a West German music programme, broadcasted from Bremen, April 1972.

12/11/2023

It's always a good idea to engage with introspective folk on a Sunday.

Hailing from Seattle, Fleet Foxes first emerged in the mid-2000s, resonating with a unique blend of earthy harmonies and complex, yet accessible, songwriting. Formed by Robin Pecknold and Skyler Skjelset, the band's roots were planted in their mutual appreciation for eclectic musical influences, ranging from Bob Dylan to Brian Wilson. Their early days were marked by a fusion of folk and baroque pop, crafting a sound that stood out in Seattle's diverse music scene. As they honed their craft, their songs began to reflect a deep reverence for nature and a penchant for introspective lyrics.

The release of their eponymous EP in 2006 and the 𝘚𝘶𝘯 𝘎𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘵 EP in 2008 garnered critical acclaim, setting the stage for their breakthrough with the debut album 𝘍𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘍𝘰𝘹𝘦𝘴 in 2008. This album, with its lush harmonies and rich instrumentation, was a breath of fresh air in the independent music scene. Tracks like "White Winter Hymnal" and "Blue Ridge Mountains" showcased their ability to weave intricate vocal harmonies with storytelling that was both poetic and personal.

Their subsequent albums, including 𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘉𝘭𝘶𝘦𝘴 in 2011 and 𝘊𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬-𝘜𝘱 in 2017, saw the band evolving their sound and experimenting with more complex structures and themes. These records delved deeper into existential questions and emotional landscapes, reflecting the personal growth and changes within the band.

The song here, Fleet Foxes performing "If You Need To, Keep Time On Me" (from 𝘊𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬-𝘜𝘱) at Sydney Opera House in August 2017.

So looking forward to embrace my Dylan x Young's side and to get folksy tipsy with Fleet Foxes at JOYLAND FESTIVAL on Saturday, 25 Nov 2023.

PS: Dontchu love the song title? It's so Morrissey-esque!

27/10/2023

This month in 1987, Morrissey was in Somerset, England, at the Wool Hall studio to record his seminal studio album, his solo debut: 𝘝𝘪𝘷𝘢 𝘏𝘢𝘵𝘦.

It was released in March 1988 by HMV, six months after the final recording by The Smiths, 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴, 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘞𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘦.

𝘝𝘪𝘷𝘢 𝘏𝘢𝘵𝘦 had commercial success; it was certified gold by RIAA (sold more than 500,000 copies) in November 1993, indicating that Moz's appeal wasn't just tied to The Smiths. It reached number one on the UK Albums chart.

𝘙𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘦 called 𝘝𝘪𝘷𝘢 𝘏𝘢𝘵𝘦 "a tight, fairly disciplined affair", in comparison of its sound to that of The Smiths. While 𝘗𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘬 tagged it as "one of Morrissey's most interesting records, and certainly his riskiest", and that its "strange mix of pomp and minimal languor makes 𝘝𝘪𝘷𝘢 𝘏𝘢𝘵𝘦 the only Morrissey LP you'd consider listening to just for its music."

𝘝𝘪𝘷𝘢 𝘏𝘢𝘵𝘦 was listed by 𝘘 as one of the top 50 albums of 1988. The album was also included in the book 1001 𝘈𝘭𝘣𝘶𝘮𝘴 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘔𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘉𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘋𝘪𝘦.

The video here via Journeyman461/YouTube, Moz performing one of his most popular songs, the lead single from 𝘝𝘪𝘷𝘢 𝘏𝘢𝘵𝘦, "Suedehead", at 𝘓𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳... 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘑𝘰𝘰𝘭𝘴 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥 in 1992.

23/10/2023

On this date in 1995, the Smashing Pumpkins released one of the seminal albums of the 90s: 𝘔𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘯 𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘐𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘚𝘢𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴.

The album debuted at number on the US 𝘉𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘣𝘰𝘢𝘳𝘥 200 with first-week sales of 246,500 units. It was certified diamond by the RIAA, equivalent to more than 10 millions sold in the US. It earned the band seven Grammy Award nominations.

𝘌𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘞𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘭𝘺 gave the album an A rating, praised the group's ambition and wrote, "It is more than just a work of a tortured, finicky pop obsessive. Corgan presents himself as one of the last true believers: someone for whom spewing out this much music results in some sort of high art for the ages. He doesn't seem concerned with persistent alterna-rock questions of 'selling out', and good for him: He's aiming for something bigger and all-conquering."

𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦 called the album "the group's most ambitious and accomplished work yet", and wrote: "One gets the feeling that the band [...] charged ahead on gut instincts; the sheer scope of the album (28 songs) didn't allow for second-guessing or contrivance." Time selected 𝘔𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘯 𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘐𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘚𝘢𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 as the best album of the year in its year-end "Best of 1995" list.

The video here via nyuv02/YouTube, the Smashing Pumpkins performing "1979" on American Music Awards, 1996.

27/09/2023

On this date in 1980, David Bowie scored his fourth UK #1 album with his fourteenth studio album, 𝘚𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 (𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘶𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘊𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘴), featuring one of the main singles, "Fashion".

Co-produced by Bowie and Tony Visconti, it was the last song completed from the album. Originating as a reggae parody "titled" Jamaica", "Fashion" is a post-punk, dance and funk track structurally similar to Bowie's "Golden Years". King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp contributed lead guitar.

Lyrically, "Fashion" acts as both a celebration of fashion trends and Bowie's critique of the individuals who mandate strict observance to those trends, who are labelled fascists and the "goon squad".

With "Fashion", Bowie intended to update the Kinks' "Dedicated Follower of Fashion", as well as his own compositions "Join the Gang" and "Maid of Bond Street", to a 1980 setting. He explained: "When I first started going to discos in New York in the early 70s, there was a very high-powered enthusiasm and the scene had a natural course about it. It seems now to be replaced by an insidious grim determination to be fashionable, as though it's actually a vocation. There's some kind of strange aura about it."

"Fashion" charted at number 5 in the UK and number 70 in the US. 𝘙𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 said of it that "Bowie's vocal undercurrents are exotically hypnotic." 𝘕𝘔𝘌 ranked "Fashion" the eighth best song of 1980. Deemed by one of the finest songs on 𝘚𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 (𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘶𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘊𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘴) by 𝘈𝘭𝘭𝘔𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘤, publications who have ranked "Fashion" as one of Bowie's best songs include, 𝘔𝘰𝘫𝘰 (No. 18), 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘯 (No. 21), and 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 (No. 23).

London's Blitz Kids, who are credited with launching New Romantics subcultural movement, adopted "Fashion" as their anthem, unaware of the song's ironic dig towards them :)

The official music video for David Bowie - Fashion. Taken from Bowie's 'Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)' album released in 1980, which featured the singles...

09/07/2023

Bob Dylan: "Jack White...He's an explosion, he's dynamite. He can do so many different things, and he's so proficient and adept."

Jimmy Page: "He's an innovator, and that's very important."

Chris Martin: "Jack's like a magician. He can pull these incredible sounds out of his guitar."

Keith Richards: "Jack's got a real feel for the blues, and he knows his music history."

Neil Young: "I respect Jack. He's taken his love of early American blues and brought it to a whole new generation."

Robert Plant: "Jack's brought an integrity to rock music that was sorely needed."

Elton John: "I've always admired the rawness in Jack's music. He's a true original."

Dave Grohl: "Jack's got the spirit of rock n' roll in his bones. He's a legend."

Alison Mosshart (The Kills, The Dead Weather): "Working with Jack is like tapping into a well of musical knowledge. He's constantly inspiring."

Patrick Carney (The Black Keys): "We may have had our differences, but I can't deny Jack's talent and passion."

Happy 48th birthday the wicked whiz, the weird and wonderful Jack White!

_____

Video via Foxtel Arts/Later with Jools Holland, July 2015

08/07/2023

This month in 1981, the documentary movie 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘦𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘞𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯 𝘊𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘻𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 was released.

Penelope Spheeris directed the film, which was shot in 1979 and 1980 and chronicles the Los Angeles punk rock scene in considerable detail.

The film featured performances and interviews both with the band members, the publishers of 𝘚𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘩 fanzine, and with the punks who made up their audience, it provides insight into a subculture that was largely ignored by the rock music press of the time.

The promotional poster for 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘦𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦 (and the record cover of the soundtrack album) featured a close-up frame of Germs singer Darby Crash supine on stage with his eyes closed. Crash died from a heroin-induced su***de shortly before the film was released.

Black Flag, Germs, X, Alice Bag Band, the Circle Jerks, Catholic Discipline, and Fear are among the bands included.

The film's title is possibly a reference to music critic Lester Bangs' 1970 review of the Stooges album 𝘍𝘶𝘯 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 where Bangs quotes a friend who had said the popularity of the Stooges signaled "the decline of Western civilization". Meanwhile, Claude Bessy aka Kickboy, claims to have invented the title in 𝘞𝘦 𝘎𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘦𝘶𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯 𝘉𝘰𝘮𝘣, an oral history of the LA punk rock scene.

The video here, from the scenes of 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘦𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦, X performing "Nausea" and "We're Desperate".

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘶𝘯, 𝘸𝘦'𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦, 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘵, 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘬𝘪𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭!

08/07/2023

Forevermore.

01/07/2023

This month in 1987, Eric B. & Rakim released one of the most important songs in hip hop history: "Paid in Full".

Recorded at Marley Marl's home studio, "Paid in Full" innovative production and lyrical sophistication had a profound influence on the development of hip hop. It inspired a new generation of rappers and producers to experiment with complex lyrics and intricate sampling techniques.

British DJ and TV & radio presenter, Tim Westwood picked it as one of his favourites in 1995, adding, "This defines the sound of hip hop for years to come. Rakim was the greatest lyricist of all time. Incredible lyrics—they conjure up incredible imagery."

𝘙𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘦 magazine named "Paid in Full" the tenth greatest hip hop song of all time and number 123nd best song on their "Top 500 Best Songs of All Time". Rakim's wordplay was praised and comparisons were drawn to American jazz musician John Coltrane: "His [Rakim's] incandescent thought-bubble rap—barely a minute long—is all iced flow and sly beat-dodging, a good-vs.-evil meditation that calmly frames thug life inside real-life economics and a novelist's eye for detail."

𝘝𝘏1 placed the song at number 24 on their list of the "100 Greatest Hip Hop Songs".

Eric B. & Rakim - Paid In Full - 1987TOP OF THE POPS

23/06/2023

This is so Fleetwood Mac 🖤

After releasing four charming albums (at least for my taste), Rilo Kiley dissolved in 2013. Jenny Lewis, the young Stevie Nicks, went on to have a successful solo career as well as collaborations with other musicians.

Her debut solo album, 𝘙𝘢𝘣𝘣𝘪𝘵 𝘍𝘶𝘳 𝘊𝘰𝘢𝘵, was released in 2006, followed it up with 𝘈𝘤𝘪𝘥 𝘛𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘦 in 2008, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘝𝘰𝘺𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘳 in 2014, and 𝘖𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘯𝘦 in 2019. Each of these albums was well-received critically.

Jenny Lewis also established a duo with her then-partner, Johnathan Rice, called Jenny and Johnny, and released 𝘐'𝘮 𝘏𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘍𝘶𝘯 𝘕𝘰𝘸 in 2010.

In 2019, she formed a supergroup called Nice as F**k with Erika Foster (Au Revoir Simone) and Tennessee Thomas (The Like).

Despite her prolific output, Lewis hadn't broken into the Top 10 charts outside of the United States or won any major awards for her music. She was, nonetheless, widely respected in indie music circles, and her albums earned consistently excellent reviews from critics.

The song here, "Silver Lining", is from Rilo Kiley's last full-length studio album, 𝘜𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵. Blender named it the tenth best album of 2007, referring to it as "an album of classically sleek, apocalyptic '70s L.A. coke-rock, in the fine Fleetwood Mac and Steely Dan tradition."

Early this month, Lewis released her fifth solo album, 𝘑𝘰𝘺'𝘈𝘭𝘭. No plan to come to Australasia to promote the album, Ms. Lewis?

16/06/2023

UNKNOWN PLEASURES

On this date in 1979, Joy Division released its debut studio album, one of the most important records ever made, a seminal work that had a significant impact on post-punk, gothic rock, and the larger alternative scene: 𝘜𝘯𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴.

Initially, sales of 𝘜𝘯𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴 were slow until the release of the non-album single, "Transmission", and unsold copies occupied the Factory Records office in the flat of label co-founder Alan Erasmus.

Following the release of "Transmission", 𝘜𝘯𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴 sold out its initial pressing, with this prompting further pressings. By the conclusion of a critically acclaimed promotional tour supporting Buzzcocks in November 1979, 𝘜𝘯𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴 had neared 15,000 copies sold.

𝘜𝘯𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴 failed to chart on the UK Albums Chart. However, following the singer's, Ian Curtis, su***de in May 1980 and the release of their second album, 𝘊𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘳, it was reissued and reached #71. It fared better on the UK Indie Chart, placing it at #2 on the first chart to be published in January 1980 and going to top the chart following its reissue, spending 136 weeks on the chart in total.

𝘔𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘔𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘳 called 𝘜𝘯𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴 an "opaque manifesto" and musically described it as "Gary Glitter meets the Velvet Underground". 𝘉𝘉𝘊 𝘔𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘤 stated: "The genius of 𝘜𝘯𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴 lies within the sense of claustrophobia and despair achieved via Martin Hannett's production techniques." 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘯 said, "A groundbreaking work that sounds almost like a full-stop, its reverberations are still being measure." 𝘕𝘔𝘌 wrote that the album "may famously be just a picture of 100 consecutive pulses from the pulsar discovered, CP1919, but it's now as iconic as a logo for a band's music."

The music video here via FageOner/YouTube, Joy Division performing two songs, "Transmission", the single that helped increase the recognition and sales of 𝘜𝘯𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴, followed by "She's Lost Control", one of the most iconic songs from 𝘜𝘯𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴. "She's Lost Control" draws primarily lyrical inspiration from a young woman experiencing a violent epileptic seizure—Curtis also suffered from epilepsy.

Happy 18th anniversary, 𝘜𝘯𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴!

15/06/2023

GET BEHIND ME SATAN

This month in 2005, The White Stripes released their fifth studio album, 𝘎𝘦𝘵 𝘉𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘔𝘦 𝘚𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘯.

The album represented a departure from the more traditional garage rock sound of previous White Stripes albums. It saw the duo experimenting with new instruments and styles, including marimba and piano, resulting in a more eclectic and experimental sound. This departure marked a significant moment in the band's evolution and was seen as a bold move that broadened the scope of their music.

𝘙𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘦 ranked it the third best album of the year and it received the Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album in 2006. Also in 2006, 𝘎𝘦𝘵 𝘉𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘔𝘦 𝘚𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘯 was included in 1001 𝘈𝘭𝘣𝘶𝘮𝘴 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘔𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘉𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘋𝘪𝘦. It was voted the sixth best albums of the year in the 2006 Village Voice Pazz and Jop critic poll. 𝘕𝘔𝘌 placed it at number 38 in its list of the best albums of 2005.

While it didn't top the charts globally, it did reach #3 on the US 𝘉𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘣𝘰𝘢𝘳𝘥 200 and #2 on the UK Albums Chart.

The video here, The White Stripes performing the first track from the album, "Blue Orchid", on UK's music show From the Basement, November 2005. Although it was suspected that Jack White wrote "Blue Orchid" about his breakup with Renée Zellweger, he denied this claim.

Which is your favourite song from the 𝘎𝘦𝘵 𝘉𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘔𝘦 𝘚𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘯 album?

29/03/2023

See you in two days—Friday—at Made's Warung, Seminyak! 7pm onwards, free entrance!

What's buzzin' cuzzin? Let's shake, rattle an' roll again this weekend!

SEMINYAK NIGHT FEVER
Friday, 31 Mar 2023
7pm onwards
Made's Warung, Seminyak
Free entrance

So, slick up, Dandy! Put on your dancing shoes, Dolly! Let's fire up Made's Warung dance floor and start a rockabilly riot!