You can't expect to wield supreme executive power just because some watery tart threw a sword at you.
King Arthur:
I am your king.
Woman:
Well I didn't vote for you.
King Arthur:
You don't vote for kings.
Woman:
Well how'd you become king then?
[Angelic music plays... ]
King Arthur:
The Lady of the Lake, her arm clad in the purest shimmering samite held
aloft Excalibur from the bosom of the water, signifying by divine
providence that I, Arthur, was to carry Excalibur. THAT is why I am your
king.
Dennis:
[interrupting] Listen, strange women lyin' in ponds
distributin' swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme
executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some
farcical aquatic ceremony.
Every one of us geeks has got plenty of cover songs of our favorite bands. Out here on the internetweblands, are plenty of sites that actually feature nothing but covers.
In fact many of us have played in bands that paid homage to these bands. Of the 18 songs on here, I personally have been in bands over the years that have performed 7 of em.
A guy I see in the mirror every morning is playing bass on this one!
NO FUTURE (Released Emotions U.K.)
takes the approach of a “tribute” to the Big 3 of UK old school punk: The Clash, The Damned & Sex Pistols. On one hand you have the slavishly devotional, such as Sex Pistols Experience, with their riff cloning ersions of “Pretty Vacant” and “Anarchy In The UK”. The Pistols have turned into self parody, so why bother as a tribute to the originals?
Ladies and germs, the originals, 20 years past the point
The conflict to me is: Punk is spozed to be doing yer own thang, so I am far more impressed by the adventurous rather than the dogmatic. The techno-rappy “Submission” by The Blaggers ITA or the metallic “Silly Thing” with it’s AC/DC tease by Identity are the lure. Sometimes it backfires, ala The Bolsheviks rap of “Holidays In The Sun”, but respect for the attempt. I’d rather hear a car crash than a clone.
The concept works best on The Clash covers. Perhaps because the original band was so diverse and insistent in terms of wearing their influences’ on their sleeves. The versions of “Capital Radio” (Steve Drewett) and Attila The Stockbroker’s “Washington Bullets” take excursions into world beat- certainly something that mssrs’ Strummer, Jones, Simonon and Headon were no strangers to. These songs totally work- with logical and relevant reworkings. Again, on the covers of “English Civil War (my favorite cover on the album) and “Guns Of Brixton” the songs are re-imagined. “English Civil War” actually sounds like it should pre-date the Clash’s version, taking the song back to it’s 19th century roots.
The only tunes that fall flat are another clone- “Bankrobber” Anhern & One Steady MDV add nothing (except a Paul Simonon aping of the vox maybe). Bleach sounds remote on “Complete Control” (pun intended), a miscalculation, as the original is as pissed off a song as there ever was.
There are already couple of really good Damned tribute comps out there, and as the least familiar of the three classic bands, I was a little nervous that the Damned selections here would not be thought as out as well as the band deserved. Leatherface’s version starts off baroque of “Melody Lee” before going full force with Frankie Stubbs' whisper/gurgle vox.
I was blown away by the Malcom Owen lament “The Limit Club”… very compelling and different- totally no frills, compared to the lush original. Still, very moving. “Plan Nine Channel 7” is one of those “holy songs" to me. My only hope was that Exit Condition didn’t fuck it up. They don’t, but there’s nothing particularly adventurous here either. On the other hand, “New Rose” is done as a piece for strings by The Urchin String Quartet. Cool. “Love Song”… well, Adrenalin AOD did the definitive cover version about 30 or so years ago. So, I wouldn’t have even bothered if I was Red Letter Day.
“Thanks For The Night”, by Robb Johnson totally acoustic, serves as the coda to the album, a complete 180 from Captain Sensible's’ original.
All in all… more hits than misses on some of the greatest songs ever. Worth checking out.
I could care less if every Baseball player was taking steroids and HGH. If their heads exploded one day after they retired it would make no difference to me. As long as my team was successful (and The Yankees sure were), what do I care? Athletes have been cheating forever… whether it was corked bats, stolen signs, amphetamines or anything else they could do to get an edge. If someone gave me the opportunity to make millions of dollars playing baseball by shooting a needle into my arse, I’d do it in a heartbeat. And of course they were going to lie and plead innocence… wouldn’t you?
In tribute to these brave warriors… I humbly offer the Bleedin’ Out Baseball mix.
Toonage: Yo La Tengo – Baseball Altamont Weezer – We Are All On Drugs The Vipers – Cheated And Lied The Muffs – You Lied The Clash – Cheat Swingin’ Medallions – Double Shot Of My Baby’s Love Stevie Ray Vaughn – Cold Shot Sex Pistols – Liar (Live Atlanta – 1978) Rolling Stones – Don’t Lie To Me Ramones – Needles And Pins (demo) Queen – Liar Painted Ship – Little White Lies Irma Thomas – Cheater Man Husker Du – The Biggest Lie Hank Williams – Your Cheatin’ Heart Grateful Dead – Silver Threads And Golden Needles (live Chicago 1969) Funkadelic – Hit It And Quit It Face To Face – You Lied Dexy’s Midnight Runners – Liars A To E
The last couple of weeks have taken me on a journey of several Baseball stadiums. I offer these quick impressions of the parks...
NY Mets (Shea Stadium) - Aaah, my home stadium. Parking now officially sucks, as they are building the new stadium in the Centerfield parking lots. Shea is a not the most modern of stadiums (in fact at this point, at 44 years old, I think it's the third oldest in the Ntl League. However, the site lines are pretty good, the atmosphere is fun (Mr. Met shoots t-shirts into the stands, lots of music between batters and innings), there's a great food court and security is lax. No hassles bringing in food or drinks. My daughter and I were easily able to move from the upper deck into the lower mezzanine box seats with no trouble at all.
NY Yankees (Yankee Stadium) - Yeah, tradition is wonderful, The monuments are swell. It's living breathing history. The view from most seats is great (although the bleachers suck... and ya can't get booze out there anymore). However, the entire vibe of Yankee Stadium is awful. It's in a crappy neighborhood; it's a bitch to get there (the subways are packed and take forever); and the ushers are complete assholes. They practically give you a freakin cavity search to enter the stadium and check under your baseball cap and even check your cell phone. Forget about ordering food or beer there... it's hideously overpriced and you'd better count your change...many of the vendors will cheat you. Plus A-Rod plays for the Yankees and he's a giant Pussy. Which matches perfectly with the "YMCA" sing-along that the Ground crew performs. Yeccch.
Philadelphia Phillies (Citizen Bank Park) - Beautiful new stadium. Plenty of parking all around. Great sightlines, although many seats are in the outfield. However, no tail-gating. They have big fat pseudo redneck cops roaming the parking lots all too willing to slap you with a $300 ticket. The Phillie Phanatic does a fun between inning's show. Lots of diversions for kids. Tasty food. Former Phillie Greg Luzinski has a bar-b-cue pit in right field (excellent BBQ Turkey sandwiches). Micro-Brew beer only $6 for a big cup. Phillie fans did not appreciate my rendition of New York New York during the 7th inning stretch however.
Chicago Cubs (Wrigley Field) - Baseball Nirvana. It's Woodstock and Octoberfest all rolled into one. The area around Wrigley is loaded with bars. Everyone is drunk. The almost 100 year old Wrigley Field has been called the world's largest beer garden. It's just one giant party for nine innings, even if the Cubs lose. And then the party continues afterwards. I was there for a Cubs/Cardinals game and even though they are big rivals, all taunting was done with extreme good nature. Extra points for serving shitty Old Style beer right out of the can. Speaking of cans, the bathrooms feature huge piss troughs and you can wave across to the guy pissing opposite you. The Ivy lining the brick outfield walls is beautiful. Plus, we had a bonus. There was an air show in Chicago the day I was there and Bombers and Thunderbirds were flying overhead. Cool stuff. Wrigley is my favorite stadium in Baseball. In fact, the Cubs have become one of my favorite teams largely because I always have such a good time at Wrigley.
Whaddya expect? Bridgette Bardot? Hey it'sthe lady! It'sBastille Day tomorrow, which proves the French had the right idea when it comes to assholes in charge. So here are some songs to commemorate the day when the head's went a-rolling!
All files posted on this site are for educational, testing and entertainment purposes only.If you like what you hear, please buy recordings, t-shirts, dvds and other merch from these bands. This is a non profit site and is here to give some publicity to deserving bands and artists. If you’re in a band whose music is found on this site and you want songs removed, please let me know. Songs and other media will be up for only a short time. After that, just like our hopes and dreams, they're gone.
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