Bad Trip

Richmond, VA’s Black Cash could not have picked a better time to drop into the city’s local music scene. It was 2005 and the recently-deceased Johnny Cash was basking in massive posthumous career success; not only with his American album series but the huge (and eventual Oscar-winning) crossover box office from the Walk The Line biopic. A completely new generation, tired of the godawful pop country so prevalent on present day radio, was beginning to revisit and appreciate the outlaw country legend’s vast musical catalogue; and Black Cash and the Bad Trips were there to, well, cash in on the hype. Less of a bandwagon grab and simply the result of good timing, Black Cash played a respectable setlist of career-spanning Johnny Cash covers, along with a few Nick Cage and Ween songs if stage time allowed. The brainchild of members from local nü-ish metal acts Eyeshine and Atomizer, the group quickly achieved quite a modicum of national success far outside the River City borders, satisfying the growing demand of the public to hear the classic songs live. The group avoided studio recordings as the Cash estate’s copyright prerequisites were simply too involved to justify anyone’s extended effort towards the thing; as a result one of the few demos that does exist is a promotional 6-song setlist recorded by the original lineup at Richmond’s now-defunct Alley Katz. My clear favorite of the set is “Rusty Cage,” starting off straight-Cash then devolving into the Soundgarden-esque grunge version most of us MTV-generationers are familiar with. The metal roots of the band clearly shine though. Black Cash’s lineup began to change after a few years and eventually show dates began to wane, with the group dissolving in late 2009. Enjoy.

Walk The Line

Look Out Fresno

First off, I fucking hate country music. That being said, it's been far too long since I have seen a decent rip of this seminal lo-fi classic anywhere so I decided it was time to grit my teeth and reintroduce Jon Wayne's half-assed attempt to cut a C&W record to the world. And who am I fucking kidding, the album absolutely rules. A Texas ('natch) friend of mine enlightened me to its existence - according to Austin urban legend the band is actually the Butthole Surfers drunk as fuck in a recording studio playing some improv material. And if you listen closely... it's not too far-fetched imagining a drunken Gibby slurring his way through the setlist and the picture on the back cover kinda looks like Gibby as well. Yet, I've heard from someone who actually saw the band play live definitively state that it was in no way the Surfers, although "I wouldn't put it past those guys to hire a bunch of half-assed musicians to play for them while they stood in the crowd and had a laugh." And shit - there's been a couple live vids on YouTube since then to snuff out all the mythology as well. Regardless, sit back and prepare yourself for a strange trip down a tired, dusty, whiskey-soaked road of off-key, out-of-tune, primitive cunt-ry music that only gets better as the band gets drunker. I'm amazed the pissed-off engineer (who bitches at the band the whole fucking time) actually saw this one through. "Texas Wine" is easily the standout but nearly every track holds its own - the title track, "Mr. Egyptian," "I've Got Texas"... an amazing 50 minutes. Just don't let your truck end up in the drink... Yip.

No Go Diggie Die

Layin' Up With Ledney

I'll be perfectly honest, I'm not a huge fan of GG's country stuff. It's not the production values or the fact that it's acoustic or anything that sadly specific; it's just... fucking... country. I'd rather it was goddamn folk like the shit Charlie Manson churns out on a regular basis (mental note... upcoming post...) Regardless, compared to most of the godawful shit out there today GG's outlaw C&W is still perfectly listenable and his lyrics easily transcend the genre he's slumming around in. Which brings me to his postumous 1993 single with the Carolina Shitkickers. Basically a one-off recording session (truthfully yet slyly advertized as his final original recorded work) with ANTiSEEN, GG does what he does with an arguably tired panache that was (to me) quickly becoming stale even back then. "Layin' Up With Linda" is the selling point - a black-humored ditty about a female who was around just a little too long. "I Wanna Fuck The Shit Out Of You" is a forgettable take on some David Allen Coe tripe. And the B-side is a passable (thanks to the breakdown in the chorus) acoustic "Outlaw Scumfuc" recorded the previous year. Interestingly, however, this 7" was released on 'Genocide fave TPOS Records and producer/bassist Malcolm Tent had plans to record a hardcore E.P. with the scumfuc upon his release from prison. Sadly "GG lost interest and then died" according to Malcolm. Pity too since Tent's band recorded the music and all the guy had to do was phone in a vocal track - it would be interesting to know if Allin had any finalized lyrics (they had song titles so who possibly?) Oh well, one can only guess. So Malcolm did what any record label with too much spare time would do and compiled all the stuff they recorded onto a limited 8-track with the original 7". The tunes would have really been a nice addition to the GG archives had they ever been completed - very Suicide Sessions feel to them. In a last coincidental note, drumming was performed by Connecticut black metal icon Paul Ledney of Profanatica and Havohej fame - his signature double bass is a dead giveaway. No pun intended. Tracks are from the original digital source so no vinyl skips or 8-track imperfections here. Check out some pics of the cassette here. Enjoy.

P.S. I just found out (June 2015!) that the name of the band was intended to be GG & The Connecticut Cocksuckers, 'natch.

I Eat Your Flesh

One Last Post. Really. Last One. Ever.

Jesus, I feel like a band announcing its umpteenth "farewell" tour. Anyways, I liked doing the Metallica cover song compilations a few months ago and thought I would amass something similar for everyone's favorite scumfuc. I've written previously on the wealth of material GG Allin covered, lifted, adapted or simply plagiarized; I thought a comprehensive "greatest hits" was due. There are a few tracks I've left off. Bulge may or may not be able to take credit for writing some of the tunes on Freaks, Faggots, Drunks & Junkies (see my Second Cummin' post for more info) - I'll just never really know who's version was recorded/written first. Additionally, if you can believe it, "Eat My Diarrhea" was originally written by obscure Sacramento punkers The Vacant. Can't verify that claim with an actual song so we'll leave that one out. Finally, "Louden Boomer" (from the execrable Live Fast Die Fast 7") is supposedly a cover of Steppenwolf's "Earschplittenloudenboomer." I don't really hear the connection and since both songs suck I skipped 'em. Other than that, I think you'll get a kick hearing the virginal versions of songs GG inaugurated into scum rock history. I've tried to make them somewhat career-chronological. Here we go:

1. I Like Marijuana (David Peel & The Lower East Side) - Covered throughout GG's career; appearing as early as Jabber bootlegs down to the I Was A Murder Junkie soundtrack.

2. Pills (New York Dolls) - Covered live by GG and the Jabbers, appearing on several bootleg albums from that era. 

3. Up Against The Wall (The Ohio Express) - Showed up on GG's No Rules 7". Pure bubblegum pop nonsense. Strange slow down near the end of the song, GG makes this one a lot more listenable.
4. (She Got A) Nose Job (Mike Russo, Jeanne Hayes & The Dellwoods) - Yep, I couldn't believe this one either. Only just learned about the existence of this - a fucking MAD Magazine cover tune! Of course it morphed into Eat My Fuc's "Blow Jobs" - I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall when ol' Geeg heard this one for the first time and the gears started churning...
5. Women I've Never Had (Hank Williams Jr.) - In my opinion, GG's Hank covers are his best homages. The Scumfuc era was a real high point for me.
6. Family Tradition (Hank Williams Jr.)  - As above.
7. Bad Habits (Joan Armatrading) - Who would have thought GG listened to UK jazz pop singers? From side B of her 1983 The Key (Joan's biggest US album up to that time), Allin's version is a true cover, not a whole lot changing on this one other than a few obligatory "fucks" here and there. I'm sure this track was a contribution from one of the 'Sluts as I just cannot imagine this LP actually spinning on GG's turntable.
8. Kids In The City (Candy) - Another obscurity, Ohio's Candy was actually the launchpad for Gilby Clarke who years later would have some success with Guns 'N' Roses! But this is terrible mid-80's power pop which GG would re-envision as "Sluts In The City".
9. Sorry 'Bout That (Nancy Sinatra) - For the longest time I thought "Tough Fuckin' Shit" was a quasi-cover of "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'". Seems a LOT of Nancy Sinatra's songs sounded exactly the same and after a quick listen it's apparent this was the catalyst. I still think she was pretty hot though...
10. Ball Me Out (DMZ) - I gotta say, to me the Cedar St. Sluts stuff is some of GG's weakest material but if I had to pick a favorite it would be "I Wanna Suck Your Cunt." Classic scum that I was surprised to learn was lifted from Boston band DMZ. Not sure if there's a studio version out there, this is a live version from 1976. I'll always wonder how GG stumbled upon this pretty rocking tune.
11. Beer Picnic (Bad Tuna Experience) - I wrote about this tune a few months ago.
12. Garbage Dump (Charles Manson) - Good ol' folk from our favorite San Quentin resident. Recorded for what became the infamous LIE album.
13. You're Gonna Die (Destroy All Monsters) - Another obscure punk band rescued from the bowels of obscurity by a GG Allin cover. GG's "Die When You Die" is light years superior but still neat to hear the original.
14. Longhaired Redneck (David Allan Coe) - The impetus for GG's classic "Outlaw Scumfuc." I find the original really tough to listen to - I can't fucking stand country music (especially with steel guitar) and this is a perfect example why.
15. I Want To Kill You (David Peel & The Lower East Side) - Strange proto-punk from 1970 - the only tune in this compilation I actually prefer over GG's. Just has a cool space-age vibe to it. Admittedly GG lifted the best choral parts to create his own lo-fi masterpiece but Peel's version kills.
16. Knoxville Girl (The Wilburn Brothers) - I almost didn't include this one. Evidently it was the basis for "Watch Me Kill (The Boston Girl)" from his Murder Junkies 7". I guess I can see the comparison. Or maybe it's the impetus for the Carnival Of Excess version. Either way what is more surprising to me is that this was a relative "hit" in 1959 - some pretty dark shit for the beatnik 50's. Sounds like Unknown Hinson on a good day.
17. Dead Flowers (The Rolling Stones) - Few need an intro to this one. From the Sticky Fingers album and a live GG staple in the dirgy late 80's shows.
18. Carmelita (Warren Zevon) - GG did this one justice with his Hated impromptu cover, Zevon's original reeks of too much flamenco. I'm not exactly sold on the over-produced Carnival Of Excess version, I think it works much better as a bare-bones acoustic
19. Pick Me Up On Your Way Down (Patsy Cline) - obscure Cline recording from 1956 well-covered by GG on the Carnival Of Excess album.
20. Fuckin' In The Butt (David Allan Coe) - Not much else to say other than it's the basis for "I Wanna Fuck The Shit Out Of You" from the cash-in posthumous Carolina Shitkickers 7".

Say what you want about GG but to his credit he had some pretty varied tastes in music. Of course he would claim it tended somewhat towards the obscure and underground but shit, even my parents had a fucking Warren Zevon record. I tried my best to get quality versions, bitrates are a little all over the place but all in all I think they sound pretty good considering. Enjoy before the link disappears!

12/16/14 update: Thanks to nogoodbastid's essential YouTube channel I learned the obscure origins of "Bad Habits" (among previous others) and added it to the list!

Ball Me Out

 
Currently watching: Basket Case 3

Currently listening to: Trainspotting - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Texas II

I was going to call this post "Texas" but then realized the almighty Cosmic Hearse had already used that title for Jon Wayne's first album, Texas Funeral. Oh well. And like most sequels, while the anticipation may be higher, production better, etc, etc... you can never quite attain the accidental greatness of Part One. Such is the case of Two Graduated Jiggers, Wayne's uneven sophomore effort. I salivated when I first got this relatively elusive album in my hands... 21 tracks! And then I listened to it. It's the same Wayne, sure, just not as brilliantly bargain-basement, funny, or catchy. While the first album is an alcoholic unrehearsed country one-take dirge in front of a confused and irritable sound engineer, the second is... carny music? There is so much going on, so many overdubs, inserts, effects, skits and samples that none of the songs ever get a chance to develop a hook. Especially with the vocals... all of Wayne's "yips" and cackles that made you guffaw on Funeral are done ad nauseum here to the point where it actually gets annoying. There are a few stand outs, "Las Vegas Audition" for the most part is untouchable and "Texas Jackin' Ledge" is probably the closest thing to a radio hit he'll ever have. For these tracks alone this album is worth it, for the rambling Wayne-isms it gets a little long in the tooth. I'd rather listen to Funeral all over again. Twice.

Abu Dhabi Dumb