I’ve always been drawn to dark people and dark places. I don’t think it says as much about the person as it does the things they’ve endured over the course of time. I’ve always viewed life as a collage of the experiences we’ve gathered. A junkie doesn’t come out of the womb with a hypodermic needle in it hand. Sure, we can argue that genetics play a role in its future addiction, but I’m a firm believer that unless something goes seriously wrong in that person’s life they have the ability to rationally deal with that outcome.

The Gun Club’s Jeffrey Lee Pierce found a way of associating with his demons and creating something beautiful before his life spiraled out of control. The cocktail he served mixed equal parts of the blues, punk, voo doo, and inner turmoil. I’m not sure the euphoria felt after consumption has been reproduced in a similar fashion since. While the band never reached a level of success that would make then a household name, Pierce’s influence is still heard today. Artists like Mark Lanegan and Jack White have cited Jeffrey Lee and the Gun Club as influences. The White Stripes have been known to cover the occassional Gun Club song in their live performances.

If you’re in the mood to add an essential album from the 80s to your collection, I strongly recommend picking up a copy of The Gun Club’s debut album, Fire of Love. Here are a couple of tracks to persuade the purchase.

MP3: The Gun Club - “Sex Beat”
MP3: The Gun Club - “She’s Like Heroin To Me”

I was originally introduced to Chicago’s Green when my friend Terry’s band played a cover of their song “Gotta Getta Record Out” to open the set of their CD release show. Years later, a Green mix he brought on a recent road trip inspired me enough to contact songwriter Jeff Lescher to request an interview.

Who the hell is Green some of you are wondering? They’re quite possibly the best pop band you’ve never heard. Here’s what Spin Magazine had to say about the band’s 1986 breakthrough release (which I’m pleased to report I stumbled upon a vinyl rip of the song mentioned above from the website Little Hits):

“…the most thoughtful and infectious white-bread, pure-pop music to slide down the rock ‘n’ rock pipeline in eons.”

Jeff was kind enough to answer a few questions that Terry and I put together. He also sent me the band’s forthcoming album to digest (which I’ve been enjoying since I got home from work this evening). More information about the release of the new album as it unfolds. On with the interview…

For those unfamiliar with the band: What are a few albums that you feel shaped the band’s sound?
The first three albums (Green, Elaine MacKenzie, and White Soul) kind of set out the parameters of what the group was and is still trying to do: take a lot of different approaches to end up at a great song. I think that listening to those albums, you can distinctly hear rock and roll, metal, pop, punk, country, thrash, romantic ballads, grunge, and a few other musics as well. We have always kept that approach of trying to write and perform really well written music, with no limits on where it can come from or how it has to sound.
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Duran Duran’s Red Carpet Massacre may be coming to a close in the form of their US tour, but for those of you who missed the chance to sing ‘Hungry Like The Wolf’ at the top of your lungs while watching Simon & the boys strut on stage, then you might be interested in this:

“Duran Duran has created an exclusive video podcast series that gives fans a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the band’s latest album Red Carpet Massacre, as well as a glimpse of the creative process surrounding the video “Falling Down.” In-studio footage with Justin Timberlake and Timbaland launches this week and will be featured on the front page of MSN Music. Additional podcasts are being released throughout the entire month of May with 4-5 new episodes featured each week. Exclusive backstage interview footage with Nick Rhodes captured by Zune prior to the band’s first U.S. tour date in Seattle will be rolling out in weekly installments as well.”

I had mentioned in my review of the show that Nick Rhodes was taking a ton of pictures during the band’s performance on May 5th - perhaps some of those pics might end up on the band’s website or even incorporated into a future podcast? At any rate, you can check out the podcasts on the band’s Zune page (http://www.zune.net/duranduran). I think you have to have the Zune software installed for that, but don’t take my word for it. The podcast is free, though.

Remaining US Tourdates:
May 27 Columbia, MD Merriweather Post Pavilion
May 28 Boston, MA Agganis Arena
May 30 New York, NY Central Park Summerstage
May 31 New York, NY Central Park Summerstage

MP3: Duran Duran - Hungry Like The Wolf (Night Version)

- Sean

After Mick Jones was fired from the Clash in 1983, he formed Big Audio Dynamite (B.A.D.) one year later with video artist Don Letts (effects and vocals), Greg Roberts (drums), Dan Donovan (keyboards), and Leo “E-Zee Kill” Williams (bass). B.A.D. debuted on record with the single “The Bottom Line” in September 1985. The group followed the more experimental funk elements of the Clash’s Combat Rock, adding samplers, dance tracks, and found sounds to Jones’ concise pop songwriting.

Jones suffered from a near-fatal bout of pneumonia in 1988, but bounced back with 1989’s Megatop Phoenix. After that record, the band split apart at the end of 1989. Jones added Gary Stonadge (bass/vocals), Chris Kavanagh (drums/vocals), and Nick Hawkins (guitar/vocals) to form Big Audio Dynamite II, while Letts, Williams, and Roberts formed Screaming Target and Donovan joined the Sisters of Mercy. Releasing The Globe, the first full-length album with the new lineup, in 1991, B.A.D. II experienced their greatest success yet with the American Top 40 hit single “Rush.”

For 1991’s The Globe, only Jones remained from the previous assemblage, and the band was now called Big Audio Dynamite II. This new line-up, featuring two guitarists, was more “Clash-like” and, possibly as a result, often played heavier, more alternative rock-influenced music. The Globe produced the band’s most commercially successful single, “Rush” which hit ..1 on the US modern rock charts. B.A.D. II in 1991: Nick Hawkins, Mick Jones, Gary Stonadge, and Chris Kavanagh. The band later recruited keyboardist Andre Shapps (who co-produced all three BAD II albums), and Michael “DJ Zonka” Custance as DJ. Both appeared on the band’s 1994 album Higher Power, which was released under the shortened name Big Audio, which fans often called them. The album wasn’t as well-received as The Globe or previous BAD albums; there was a joke going around amongst fans about the removal of “Dynamite” from the band’s name (they claimed the group had “lost their ka-boom”).

After signing with Gary Kurfirst’s Radioactive Records in 1995, and releasing a less successful album, F-Punk, BAD found its proposed next album Entering a New Ride, in limbo — the record company apparently refused to release it. Coincidentally, the new line-up featured the inclusion of vocalist Rankin’ Roger (The Beat, General Public). In 1998, the band launched a new web site, primarily as a means to distribute songs from the Entering a New Ride album to the group’s fans. As of 2005, Jones is working on a project with Tony James (ex-member of Generation X and Sigue Sigue Sputnik) called Carbon/Silicon.

I am feeling a bit nostalgic this weekend, trawling through my collection and revisiting the 80’s. I think it’s a “recharging my batteries” exercise after going to three gigs in four days. Anyway, after playing Combat Rock this afternoon BAD came into my head. Although the early “E=MC2″, in my mind was their finest hour, they are worthy of a mention if only for this gem!!!!!!

- Mark

Monday night I heard a band sound check to “Killing Moon” by Liverpool’s Echo & the Bunnymen. This lead me to checking my collection and revisiting one of my favourite bands from the 80’s. I first saw them in 1980 touring the critically acclaimed Crocodiles album. The next time the band and I crossed paths was the Porcupine tour when they both enchanted me and opened my ears to something beautiful. They rivaled U2 at the time for my attention. The album Ocean Rain was probably their best known effort. They are still touring today and remain one of the defining artists of the 80’s.

Essential albums: Crocodiles, Porcupine, Ocean Rain

- Mark

MP3: Echo & The Bunnymen - “The Killing Moon”
MP3: Echo & The Bunnymen - “Nothing Last Forever”

First of all, I should clarify something. Japan didn’t technically come from the 80’s - they came from the 70’s. However, their 70’s incarnation was so completely transformed by the time 1980 rolled around, that they were essentially a different band. If you compare Quiet Life with Adolescent Sex, you’d be hard-pressed to convince a casual listener that it was the same band, let alone that the disparate vocal stylings were from the same guy.

You see, Japan started out - more or less - as a glam-cum-punk band. At a time, it should be noted, when both styles were starting to seem dated. Often accused of being nothing more than New York Dolls knockoffs, their first two albums were not exactly considered required listening. I have to admit, listening to them now it is difficult to excuse some of the weaker tracks, with their glam-lite feeling. On the other hand, it’s impossible to ignore gems like ‘Adolescent Sex’, as well as see how it might have served as a blueprint for bands like The Rapture (on the other hand, David Sylvain has more or less disowned both Adolescent Sex & Obscure Alternatives).

By 1980, Sylvain had abandoned his sneer for a baritone, and the result was Quiet Life, and a brand-new Japan. It seems like the boys threw away their NYD’s records and bought some Roxy Music. They even managed to invent New Romantic, though they hated the term.

So enough history, why exactly are Japan worth the time? Oh, may I count the ways! Sylvain sounds like Simon Le Bon & Bryan Ferry’s lovechild at his crooning best, backed with all the right 80’s touches - sax, synth & sex appeal. The band really expanded their soundscape on their 80’s albums, taking great effort to create atmospheric yet powerful records. Quiet Life, Gentlemen Take Polaroids & Tin Drum are something of a musical trilogy, each one picking up where its predecessor left off. I can’t honestly recommend one over the others, so do yourself a favor and pick up all three!

Listen:
Japan - Adolescent Sex [From Adolescent Sex 1978]
Japan - Halloween [From Quiet Life 1980]
Japan - Methods of Dance [From Gentlemen Take Polaroids 1980]
Japan - The Art of Parties [From Tin Drum 1981]

- Sean

Killing Joke is one of those bands that is so often overlooked in those tumultuous years between ‘79-’84 (the death of punk & the evolution to post-punk/new wave). It’s a crime honestly, as their ever-evolving sound has had far-reaching influence into modern music. It’s hard to believe that bands like Sons & Daughters, Ministry or even Liars could exist in their current forms without the building blocks that Killing Joke laid down.

Drummer Paul Ferguson famously described the band as ‘the sound of the earth vomiting’. I’m not sure I can get on board with that description, as I’m pretty fond of KJ, and I’m generally not a fan of vomit. If you’re a fan of Gang of Four, P.I.L or The Fall, you’ll probably find yourself in agreement with me. However, I wouldn’t want to limit the band’s musical palette or influences with those references (or their potential fanbase).

For example, a lot of the band’s early work was influenced by a love of metal music, so I think Kip could probably count himself a fan. While not quite as heavy as Sisters of Mercy, they could certainly be considered musical cousins, so I think Mark might just find himself a fan too. And Ceci could probably find a lot to like on the band’s mid-80’s albums like Fire Dances or Night Time. I think Todd may hear the harder edges of a lot of early emo in KJ as well.

So, a little something for everyone, right? As an interesting piece of side-trivia, Killing Joke famously sued Nirvana in the early 90’s for copying the riff from ‘Eighties’ for ‘Come As You Are’. They dropped the suit after Cobain died, and apparently made up with Dave Grohl as he played on their second S/T album (generally considered their ‘comeback’).

Recommended Albums: Both S/T albums, Night Time

Listen:
Killing Joke - Complications [From the first S/T album]
Killing Joke - Love Like Blood [From Night Time]

- Sean

Ah, the memories that music has a strange way of unfolding…

Like everyone else, I often wonder what my life would be like if I could go back and change certain things. Sure, I’d try harder in high school. Naturally, I would’ve gotten a degree sooner than later. I don’t think changes of this nature are what I currently have in mind though.

There was a period of time in the early 80s that a good portion of my weekends were spent listening to albums in my friend Cory’s basement. Cory and I met through our mutual friend David. I remember it like it was yesterday…the checkerboard ceiling, the Pioneer receiver, the Technics turntable, the ATS speakers. It was the calm before my own personal storm in a sense.

One of the albums the three of us listened to together was the self-titled opus from Canada’s Coney Hatch. Andy Curran and co. took a very different approach to making music…less talk, more rock in a sense. It wasn’t all about the hair and makeup to these rockers. Judging by the prices the album is fetching on Amazon, I’m not the only one who has fond memories of it.

Oh yeah, the rest of the story…David started spending his summers in Massachusetts working at a summer camp and the three of us slowly started drifting apart before we had a chance to see our first concert together. Come to think of it, I don’t think the three of us ever did see a show together.

As ridiculous as it might seem, going back and spending another weekend listening to records with these guys would be better than any couch session imaginable. Granted, the accumulation of baggage would have to be left at the door. I can’t help but wonder if the time spent in that basement meant nearly as much to those two as it did to me?!

Things sort of spun out of control for me after those days, but just like Gloria Gaynor…I did and will continue to survive. Hey! Hey!

MP3: Coney Hatch - “Monkey Bars”
MP3: Coney Hatch - “Devil’s Deck”

All this talk of Love and Rockets reuniting for Coachella inspired me to revisit their back catalogue, and further sparked my desire to write my very first ‘It Came From The 80’s’ segment.

Odd as it may sound, I actually DJ’d with Daniel Ash a few years ago. I remember he drove all the way from Los Angeles on his motorcycle (about a 5 hour trip) covered head to tail (no pun intended) in leather. October in many places is rather cold, but in Phoenix it’s still hot as hell, and the man had not a bead of sweat on him. That’s how cool he was, he actually had stopped his own sweat glands from producing they very thing they’re designed for! He didn’t play the sort of music a lot of people might have expected, and I recall more than one disco diva tune. Still, I thoroughly enjoyed it. He was nice enough to sign one of the posters we’d made to promote the night for me. Very cool customer. Moving on…

Danny is probably best known in hip circles for his work with Bauhaus, and in clubs for Tones on Tail. However, the majority of the population would likely recognize him from Love & Rockets. Ya know, that ‘So Alive’ song? It was kinda popular. So popular, in fact, that it hit #3 on the US singles charts - something Bauhaus or Tones on Tail never managed.

L&R were to Bauhaus what From the Jam are to The Jam. Peter Murphy decided to embark on a solo career, so the remaining members of Bauhaus decided to soldier on - first as Tones on Tail (minus bassist David Haskins), then as Love and Rockets (with Haskins). Ash handled most of the vocal duties, and the band explored sounds like pyschedelia, electronica, glam & even folk. You might think such diverse styles would lead to something that sounded more like a hodgepodge than a band, but L&R always managed to embrace the style and make it their own.

As I mentioned before, most people would probably know Ash from L&R, but few probably know L&R beyond ‘Haunted’ or ‘So Alive’, let alone realize the band released 7 albums during their time together. If you don’t know them beyond those hits, I would definitely recommend picking up some of their back catalogue or even their best of, Sorted (though it tends to ignore most of their 90’s output in favor of material off the first 4 albums).

L&R are a critical piece of the musical puzzle, with their far-reaching influence felt in bands as diverse as Jane’s Addiction, Primal Scream and B.R.M.C. Dig it!

Listen:
Love and Rockets - Haunted (When the Minutes Drag)
Love and Rockets - Ball of Confusion (Temptations cover)

- Sean

Oh, what the hell…let’s take a road trip to Norway for our next serving of 80s metal, shall we?! Where the hell is Norway anyhow, Ceci?!

The first time I heard The Darkness, I couldn’t help but wonder how they were receiving the attention they were when a band like TNT went virtually unnoticed. Tony Harnell had such an amazing range (which didn’t make me question my sexuality) and their guitar player had more chops than a butcher shop. We all know that life isn’t fair though, don’t we kids?!

MP3: TNT - “10,000 Lovers (In One)”
MP3: TNT - “Tonight I’m Falling”