50 Rock Songs I Want Everyone To Hear

It was fantastic and I've been there 3 times before. We finally came face to face with a bear this time...definitely the highlight. We got in almost 40 miles of running in 2 days and took two other days only slightly easier.

 

This would seem a good time to remind folks that the fine LA reissue label Superior Viaduct has just released a really good version of Fire Of Love, complete with the original cover and sleeve notes by Chris D, who produced half the album. The mastering is Forum-friendly, so buy with confidence. Buy it right now and pick up the reissue by Chris D's band The Flesh Eaters while you're at it, you'll be glad you did.

And with that, here's a great fan-made video for "Sex Beat":

 

They have a pretty solid catalog. Give the albums Keep It Like A Secret or Ancient Melodies Of The Future for a bigger taste. They really are something special. Doug's guitar is magical.

 

Probably my favorite single track of theirs is the version of Preaching The Blues that's on this 2-disc Sympathy For The Record Industry comp I have. I THINK it's the same version that's on the Early Warning collection. It's borderline terrifying.

Local note: Memphis guitar great Jim Duckworth (ex-Panther Burns) replaced Ward Dotson after Miami and was in the band for about a year. That's him on the Death Party material.

 

I'd like to add Uptown Top Ranking Jeffrey Lee Pierce (the name he used when writing for Slash) to the list of artists who never got their proper due. He even wound up being a pretty formidable lead guitarist. Box set deserving, for sure.

 

oh man big Fire of Love and Big Bend National Park fan here , i was there last year on vacation in July
it was amazing , weather was not so hot so was ok but did not see any bear or mountain lions ...
Fire of Love is in my top 3 album of all time , Jack on Fire ( great lyrics) probably my favorite tune on it but they are all great really

 

[QUOTE="sixelsix, post: 10765212, member: 15123"

Local note: Memphis guitar great Jim Duckworth (ex-Panther Burns) replaced Ward Dotson after Miami and was in the band for about a year. That's him on the Death Party material.[/QUOTE]

and probably the most destructive period of the band with 3 junkies out of their heads 24/24 ( JLP , Jim and Dee Pop ex Bush Tetras )

 

i need to get this new reissue asap , are the sleeve notes comprehensive ? any new unreleased photos ?

 

A bit off topic but from the same neighborhood, this just got a re-issue on cd/lp and is every bit worthy of ownership as the Gun Club album.

 

yes and yes , Dudley mentioned it some posts above
I have the original vinyl and the rare Slash cd , what a great and terryfing album made by a a cast of local stars
Strangely enough , i am not a big fan of what the Flesh Eaters did before and after that album .
This is very unique

 

I think Forever Came Today is pretty great if not as swingin' as this one.

 

Great tune from one of my favourite albums, and yes, I also think it's stronger than "Sex Beat", but with an album like this, you're really spoilt for choice.

 

great cover by Congo Norvell ( Kid Congo with Mark Eitzel on male vocal )

 

I say Man or Astroman -'Maximum Radiation Level'


You did say Rock

 

Yea!!!


Man or Astroman? gets too little love around here!

 

How about Tav Falco's Panther Burns "Behind the Magnolia Curtain' one of my favourite albums!


LX Chilton rocks!
Not to mention the Ginsberg quote at the end...

 

Nah, the notes are on one of those folded 5"x9" inserts placed into the sleeve of a digipack. They're more of an impressionistic reminisce by Chris D on Jeffrey Lee Pierce and the album - nothing like scholarly, but for its brevity it's still a cool and interesting assessment by a guy who was right there at the time. Here's a pic of what the actual packaging looks like:



Certainly I agree with Ralph that this lot are more than deserving of a box set complete with the comprehensive narrative overview of which you speak. It's not like Pierce totally shot his load with this album, which just makes how the rest of his life played out all the more tragic.

 

Great list so far Synthfreak! You've introduced me to a lot of new stuff.

 

The Dickies – Killer Klowns (1988)

Here’s another fun one to close out the week. I’ve always thought that this was much more than a throwaway novelty track put together for a soundtrack. This is a tightly-performed song with great vocal and guitar work. I have been looking for a used copy of this CD EP for a while and snagged one at Half Price a few weeks ago for like $2…SCORE! I could be wrong but I think the version on their Second Coming albums was a re-recording. This one was usually hanging around near my number 4 song in this thread (The Last Word – Sleepy Hollow) on my Halloween playlist.

 

The Dickies are a band that I don't think about all the time, but when I'm reminded, I remember how much I dig 'em. The first two albums especially are as much fun as the first 3-4 Ramones albums, and "Stukas Over Disneyland" is a work of genius.

 

damn, that's a blast from the past!

 

Mission Of Burma - That's When I Reach For My Revolver (1981)

Here's some more ammo to use when people say that the 80s was the music world's nadir. Where are the dated synths, gated snares and other things people always complain about and say are in EVERY 80s production? Nothing like that here.

MOB did have a unique thing going on with their use of tape loops although it's so subtle in this song that I'm not even sure where they're used. I guess it's no secret by now that I like a catchy chorus and it's hard to top this one. I also love that fact that they "gave the bassist some." They were an obvious, huge influence on many bands to later emerge.

Someone mentioned upthread that they couldn't wait to see which Mission Of Burma song I would choose for my thread. I hope I'm not disappointing anyone by choosing most of these bands' most well-known songs. Once again, my main aim was not to try and pick a ton of songs that are so underground and inaccessible that a more casual rock listener wouldn't like them. On that note, I'm not sure exactly how successful I have been in getting some of these bands heard by ones unfamiliar with them.

 

I love the drum sound.

 

No worries. This is an absolute flat-out modern classic which should be heard by EVERYBODY. I envy those hearing it for the first time.

Must say, though, some days I think That's How I Escaped My Certain Fate is the best punk rock song ever.

 

Amazing song and band. Glenn Morrow at New York Rocker is the one who turned me on to the 45 when it first came out. There's a certain mystery and majesty to it that renders it timeless, and it's got a truly great hook/chorus.
The great thing is everything they've released since, especially the albums recorded since the reunion, have been up to this level. The lynch pin in the band is bassist Clint Conley, whose pop songs wrapped in barb wire approach (he wrote "...Revolver")to writing is so bracing and dovetails beautifully with Roger Miller's more experimental approach. His melodic bass playing takes the lead on some songs (see Peter Hook) lending them an almost soft beauty amidst the din. Miller is one of the best guitarists to come out of the whole post**** era. That ability to combine noise and melody is one that very few can master. Peter Prescot is more in line with Miller when they play, sometimes leading the song, much like Keith Moon used to do. All are hugely capable songwriters.They're also quite capable of pulverizing you in a live setting. I once spent an entire set watching Martin Swope manipulating tapes and feeding them back into the mix creating an aural hallucination of the highest order.
Sorry for going on, but this is a top ten band for me, moving both for the soul and the intellect, they are truly one of a kind and should be cherished. I'm thrilled they're still making music that looks to flatten you.
Oh, and sixelsix, I'm inclined to agrree with you about "...Certain Fate", although "Ballad of Johnny Burma" and "Nancy Reagan's Head" both run a very close second.