R.I.P. Stooges guitarist Ron Asheton. He was found dead today at the age of 60.

Read more at the Chicago Tribune and CNN

Back “live”. I trust everyone had a satisfactory holiday season and is now back in their normal grind. Here is the first show of 2009. Thanks to all of you who left a comment or sent me an email with condolences regarding the recent death in my family, it was much appreciated. The show’s a little longer than usual this week by about 10 minutes, so the file size may be larger than expected. Sorry about that!

Right Click To Download

Time: 69:00
File Size: 94.8MB

Tracks played:
01. Sham 69 - Borstal Breakout (Singles Collection)
02. Jon Cougar Concentration Camp - Reason For The Season (Hot Shit)
03. The Dickies - Banana Splits (single)
04. Zany Guys - Ballroom Blitz (More Coffee For The Politicians comp.)
05. Dee Dee Ramone - Beat On The Brat (Greatest and Latest)
06. Insane - Why Die (single)
07. Death Sentence - Die a Hero (Death and Pure Destruction)
08. Raw Power - State Oppression (You Are the Victim)
09. Rosemary’s Babies - Talking To the Dead (Blood Lust)
10. Fartz - Is This The Way? (Because This Fuckin’ World Still Stinks)
11. Bang Gang - Dickhead (Cottage Cheese From the Lips Of Death comp.)
12. Ill Repute - President (What Happened Then)
13. Saigon - Anti-Vogue (Annihilation)
14. Rude Kids - Charlie (single)
15. Sick Pleasure - Three Seconds Of Pleasure (Dolls Under Control)
16. Deep Sleep - Lost In Space (You’re Screwed)
17. Chronic Seizure - Sleepwalker (Brainsick)
18. Cloak/Dagger - J.C. Pays The Bills (We Are)
19. Shirkers - Drunk & Disorderly (single)
20. Graveyard Girl Scouts - Roach Motel Hell (Bat in the Box)
21. Rock Bottom And The Spys - Deathtrap (single)
22. The Not - Stop It (unreleased)
23. Cracked Actor - Nazi School (single)
24. Falsh Prophets - 7 Deadly Sins (Blind Roaches and Fat Vultures Phantasmagorical Beasts
of the Reagan Era)
25. Minutemen - Little Man With a Gun in His Hand (Buzz Or Howl Under the Influence Of Heat)
26. The Chumps - Fuck You, I’m Rich (Invent Rock ‘n’ Roll)
27. Angry Samoans - My Old Man’s a Fatso (Unboxed Set)
28. Electric Frankenstein - A Singers Blood (single)
29. Scurvy Dogs - Botoxicated (Relieve Yourself)
30. Virus Nine - Generation Hexed (What Are You Afraid Of?)

Mike E’s Top 10 Bassists

Number 10
Sid Vicious

Sid couldn’t play worth a shit, he could sing OK; but his claim to fame was his image as a bass player – which inspired a generation of bassists. Hell, I knew about him before I really had a grasp on punk.

Number 9
Jean Beauvoir

Most people only knew him as the black dude with the white Mohawk from The Plasmatics. He also played in Steve Van Zandt’s band, and wrote and produced for The Ramones, Kiss and many others, as well as a truck load of sound track work.

Number 8
Flea

From his early days with Fear to his current Chili Pepper status, Flea has always been a strong supporter of the “scene.” I remember seeing him pop up at all the old L.A. shows.

Number 7
Mike Watt

On some people’s list Mike would be at number one. His ex-wife Kyra would be at two. Though I not a huge fan of his musical output, I can’t deny his talent.

Number 6
Paul Simonon

What would the Clash be without Paul’s solid playing?

Number 5
Chuck Dukowski

What I always dug about Chuck D’s playing was it seemed like he played lead guitar on the bass, not a typical rhythm section. He was damn good.

Number 4
Mike Roche

From his hardcore playing on the early TSOL EP to his Death Rock playing, Roche’s bass work was always on the money.

Number 3
Glen Matlock

Even if you’re not a fan, you can’t dismiss the songs he wrote, all classics.

Number 2
Lemmy Kilmister

Next to Geezer Butler, nobody played a more punk style in the “heavy metal” world. The only minus in Lemmy’s career was his duet with Wendy O. Williams.

Number 1
Dee Dee Ramone

What can you say about Dee Dee? He set the standard for punk bass playing.

Honorable mentions: Jay Bentley, Billy Sheehan, Stuart Hamm.

Due to a death in the family there will be no show this week. Sorry all, see you next Sunday.

Mike E.’s Top 10 Pre-Punk Albums

Number 10
The Who – Who Are You

This album came out in 1978; I think I got it at that time. Pete Townshend said He wrote this album to bridge the gap between progressive rock and punk. The song I continually played was 905, a song written and sang by bassist John Entwistle. It was about a man who was cloned in a lab, and struggling with not having his own life. I think I identified with the feeling of isolation, I was 12, and what did I know.

Number 9
Billy Idol – Don’t Stop EP

This was a great pop album made by one of England’s original punks. I loved the song The Untouchables. I just listened to it last week for the first time in 20 years.

Number 8
Surf Punks – My Beach

I’m not sure why I bought this; maybe it had the word “punk” in it. I listened to it last week, and, sadly, it blows donkey dong. I vaguely remember liking it.

Number 7
Human Hands – Trains vs. Planes

I met David Wiley at Moby Disc in Sherman Oaks when I was a kid, and he was always real cool to me, so I became a fan. Saw them open for Romeo Void at the Country Club in Reseda. And Wiley came by and talked to me and my Dad for a while. Good single.

Number 6
Secret Affair – Glory Boys

Again with The Country Club, my Dad took me for my thirteenth birthday to see Edgar Winter (the albino keyboardist), but highlight was Secret Affair opening. I was probably one of five people who liked them. Actually, I loved them. The rest of the crowd yelled obscenities, and did the finger at these guys. I still play this album. Unlike the Jam, Secret Affair just played good, fun music. They weren’t trying to change the world.

Number 5
Joe Jackson – I’m the Man

Unfortunately, I never liked anything else he did after this. Lyrically, he reminded me a bit of Elvis Costello. A lot of fast tongue twisting phrasing. Tackling commercialism, extramarital affairs, stuff I had not heard in songs prior to this. Still a pretty good album.

Number 4
Elvis Costello – My Aim Is True

I loved the energy and the attitude. I bought about five or six concert bootlegs of his at the old Capitol Records swap meets back in the late 70’s, early 80’s. His stuff was a perfect gateway to punk for me.

Number 3
Times Square - OST

This soundtrack (I never saw the movie) has everybody you want to hear as a young pre-punk: Suzi Quatro, The Pretenders, Roxy Music, Gary Numan, Marcy Levy & Robin Gibb, Robin Johnson & Trini Alvarado, The Ruts, D.L. Byron, Lou Reed, Desmond Child & Rouge, Talking Heads, Joe Jackson, XTC, The Ramones, Garland Jeffreys, The Cure, Patti Smith Group, and David Johansen.

Number 2
Devo – Be Stiff EP

This was an eye-opening experience for me. My Uncle Rick played this for my Brother and me when I was 12 and my Brother was 8. I loved it, and it seemed like most adults hated it. Just like when we discovered Kiss, it was ours.

Number 1
David Bowie – Diamond Dogs

Besides Rebel, Rebel being a great rock song, the opening lines of Future Legend was enough for me to dig this album for the last 34 years:

And in the death
As the last few corpses lay rotting on the slimy thoroughfare
The shutters lifted in inches in Temperance Building
High on Poacher’s Hill
And red, mutant eyes gaze down on Hunger City
No more big wheels

Fleas the size of rats sucked on rats the size of cats
And ten thousand peoploids split into small tribes
Coverting the highest of the sterile skyscrapers
Like packs of dogs assaulting the glass fronts of Love-Me Avenue
Ripping and rewrapping mink and shiny silver fox, now legwarmers
Family badge of sapphire and cracked emerald
Any day now
The Year of the Diamond Dogs

“This ain’t Rock’n’Roll
This is Genocide”

This written and recited in a real cool William Burroughs style; I still love the album.

These were the albums I had as I was starting to get into punk, my gateway crap. You have had the same albums, hell, you may hate them all – that’s OK, I hate some of them now. Leave some comments; list your top ten pre-punk albums/singles/EP’s.

It’s Christmas yet again on this weeks podcast, and a longer show than usual to boot. Another 30 seasonal ditties, including the always popular Fear and Ramones tracks, plus a band with the charming name “Cuntsmacker”. What more could you want? Oh, a 31st bonus song as well.

Happy holidays and all that from Strange Reaction!

Right Click To Download

Time: 77:22
File Size: 70.8MB

Tracks played:
01. Fear - Fuck Xmas (single)
02. Impact - Punk Christmas (single)
03. The A-Team- Christmas Claws (Clusterfuck EP)
04. Maniax - Xmas Drones (The Lost Tapes)
05. Throwdown - Jingle Bell Rock (split with Good Clean Fun)
06. F - White Christmas (Mess You Up EP)
07. D.I. - Mr. Grinch (Punk Rock Xmas comp.)
08. Jingle Punx - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (Discomfort and Joy)
09. The Dwarves - Drinking Up Christmas (www.thedwarves.com)
10. Dead Milkmen - Christmas Party (Someone Shot Sunshine)
11. 4 Skins - Merry Christmas Everybody (Bollocks to Christmas)
12. The Ravers - (It’s Gonna Be A) Punk Rock Christmas (single)
13. Barbed Wire - The Christmas Song (The Age That Didn’t Care)
14. Pennywise - Christmas In Hell (Rare and Unreleased)
15. Atom and His Package - What We Do on Christmas (Hair: Debatable)
16. Tiny Tim - Santa’s Got the Aids This Year (single)
17. Wesley Willis - Christmas
18. Yobs - We Wish You a Merry Christmas (Christmas Album)
19. Cuntsmacker - Jesus Christmas! (XXX Mas: Harvesting the Christmas Spirit)
20. Phantom Pregnancies - Gee Whizz It’s Xmas (The Compilation That Could Have Been)
21. Murphys Law - Santa’s Got a Brand New Bag (The Best of Times)
22. Wild Billy Childish And The Musicians Of The British Empire - Christmas Hell (Christmas 1979)
23. Stiff Little Fingers - White Christmas (Live) (Anthology)
24. MDC - Black christmas (Hey Cop, If I Had a Face Like Yours…)
25. Bantam Rooster - Let’s Just Fuck For Christmas (Surprise Package)
26. The Dickies - Silent Night (single)
27. Lemmy - Run Rudolph Run (We Wish you a Metal XMas and a Head Banging New Year)
28. Bad Religion - God Rest You Jerry Mentleman (Holiday Sampler)
29. Weston/The Bouncing Souls - Do They Know Its Christmas? (split single)
30. The Ramones - Merry Christmas (I Don’t Wanna Fight Tonight) (Brain Drain)
Xmas Bonus: Husker Du - Christmas Greetings 1986 (bootleg)

Punk Attitude
2005 – IFC Pictures
Directed by: Don Letts

K.K. Barrett
Roberta Bayley
Jello Biafra
Glenn Branca
Bob Gruen
Mary Harron
John Holmstrom
Chrissie Hynde
Jim Jarmusch
Darryl Jenifer
David Johansen
Mick Jones
Wayne Kramer
Glen Matlock
Legs McNeil
Thurston Moore
Tommy Ramone
Henry Rollins
Captain Sensible
Paul Simonon
Siouxsie Sioux
Pat Smear
Poly Styrene
Ari Up

With Christmas coming up, I started trying to remember my best holiday memory. I’d have to say my best was when I was three or four years old. How or why I still remember this I have no idea. My Folks decided to take me to see Santa, but I was going through this, about, two year freak-out when it came to costumes. I freaked every time I saw a clown or Santa or anything like that.

As soon as I came to terms with costumes, I saw the Talking Tina episode of the Twilight Zone. I was right after all; these damn toys can kill you.

Anyway, my Folks pack me up and take me to my Grandfather’s Carpentry Union for my visit with Santa. Mom and Dad thought I would be jazzed to find that my Grandfather was the Santa Claus for this occasion. Everything was cool until I saw Santa; I spun on my heels and ran a good two blocks before anyone realized I was gone. As I rounded the first corner I spotted a sign in front of a pizza joint, I don’t know what you call these signs – they look like upside down V’s. So, I tuck myself in between the boards and stay. I see feet running past me, and people yelling my name, but I stay hidden and silent for about twenty minutes. Santa, sorry fat man, you’ll to find another kid to kill – I got you figured out.

As time went by I kept hearing my Dad calling for me, and I started getting nervous. Would he be happy once he found me, or would he be pissed that I put him through all this shit? So, I sheepishly came out and announced “Here I am.” Now, my Father, like his Father, and me and my Son was blessed with a fiery and sometimes insane temper. He was, in his own way happy to find me, but it was more like mumbling behind teeth that were gritting. He swoops me up, and explains that Santa is Grandpa, that he was going to surprise me. I’m not convinced.

We get back to the Union Hall, wait in line and when we get to “Santa,” my Grandpa pulls his beard down and says: “It’s me, Mikey!” I was blown away, how did Santa pull my Grandpa into this madness?! Grandpa gave me a candy cane, and we went on our way.

My Grandpa passed away in 1991, he was a funny guy. He hated everyone except for my Brother and me – and of course his Wife, my wonderful Grandmother.

Once he and my Grandmother got too old to live alone they moved in with my crazy Aunt. Anyway, my Brother and I come by for a visit one weekend and we come in through the backdoor, my Grandfather doesn’t see us. Just as we’re coming into the living room where my Grandpa is, our younger cousin Tommy (named after my Father) walks up to my Grandfather and asks if he would like some water, he’d get it for him. My Grandfather, not missing a beat, starts swinging his cane and yells “Get out of my way you fat fuck!” My Brother and I just look at each other and shake our heads. We walk into the living room and ask our Grandfather if everything is OK in here. And he turns to us and says “Could you get me some water, they won’t do shit for me here?” For my English readers, my Grandfather was a senior citizen version of Lenny McLean. Have a great Holiday!

On to the review . . .

Originally shown on IFC, which I missed, this was released on DVD soon afterward. This has become one of my favorite films.

The film begins showing the roots of punk music with many views on various artists and genres who accentuated the beginning of the genre, like the MC5 and the Velvet Underground. Punk: Attitude then proceeds chronologically to sort through the various artists and alumni who were central to the movement, drawing light on the general idea or “Attitude” of the punk movement, which spoke out for a generation. Bands such as The Ramones, The Stooges, The Clash and The Sex Pistols feature prominently throughout. The movie offers a canvas of praise and respect given from many interviewees as these bands are heralded commonly as the beginning of Punk progressively through the movie. Rare footage of concerts and personal accounts of gigs and band meetings highlight the aggression and destructive entities with surprising accuracy. The movie wraps up by emphasizing the influence that punk has on modern music.

If you get the chance to get a copy of this, it’s worth watching.

Rating: ***** Five out of five stars.

Currently:
Reading: Hell’s Angels: A Strange and Terrible Saga by Hunter S. Thompson
Listening: Stepmothers – You Were Never My Age and More
Watching: This Is England directed by Shane Meadows

After a depressingly awful and long work-week, Christmas shopping for two kids and 7,249 other things, I ran out of time before compiling a show last week. Sorry! Christmas is here this week, and while there are some repeats from previous years, I tried to mix it up with some new tracks as well. Before someone asks, yes, The Ramones “Merry Christmas” song was left out intentionally.

Right Click To Download

Time: 64:23
File Size: 88.4MB

Tracks played:
01. Sloppy Seconds - Hooray For Santa Claus (Lonely Christmas)
02. The Business - Step into Christmas (Bollocks to Christmas)
03. Mr. T Experience - Merry Fucking Christmas (Big Black Bugs Bleed Blue Blood)
04. TVTV$ - Daddy Drank Our Xmas Money (Punk Christmas)
05. 88 Fingers Louie - All I Want For Christmas (Up Your Ass)
06. Born Against - Xmas Eve (The Rebel Sound of Shit and Failure)
07. Bloodsausage - Fuck Christmas, Fuck Santa, Fuck You (Hardcore Holiday)
08. Crucial Youth - Santa Claus Is Coming (Singles Going Straight)
09. The Clap - Christmas in a Bodybag
10. Johnny Hobo & The Freight Trains - I Want Cancer for Christmas (Love Songs For the Apocalypse)
11. Shitbirds - Christmas Is A-Comin’ (May God Bless You) (Happy Birthday Baby Jesus)
12. Mr. Garrison - Merry Fucking Christmas (Mr. Hankey’s Christmas Classics)
13. Lepers - Christmas In Reverse (God’s Inhumane)
14. Showcase Showdown - Merry Christmas I Fucked Your Snowman (single)
15. Casey and His Brother - Christmas Wish (Uncle Muscles Presents: Casey and His Brother)
16. UK Subs - Hey Santa (Bollocks to Christmas)
17. The Macc Lads - Jingle Bells (Live At Leeds)
18. The Snivelling Shits - There ‘Aint No Sanity Claus (I Can’t Come)
19. Peter and The Test Tube Babies - I’m Getting Pissed For Christmas (Alien Pubduction)
20. Alan Milman Sect - Punk Rock Xmas (Stitches)
21. Poison Idea - Santa Claus is Back in Town (Hardcore Holiday)
22. Bad Lieutenants - Christmas Time Bomb (Bad Lieutentants)
23. The Vandals - A Gun for Christmas (Oi to the World)
24. White Flag - Death Under the Christmas Tree (Feeding Frenzy)
25. The Sonics - Don’t Believe in Christmas (Here Are the Sonics)
26. Descendents - Christmas Vacation (I Don’t Want To Grow Up)
27. Wards - Santa’s Cadillac (The World Ain’t Pretty And Neither Are We)
28. The Fall - Jingle Bell Rock (Complete Peel Sessions)
29. Voodoo Glow Skulls - Feliz Navidad (Baile de los Locos)
30. Vindictives - Nuttin for Christmas (Curious Oddities And The Bare Essentials)

Top 10 Punk Drummers

Number 10
Charlie Quintana

Charlie has been at this for a long-ass time; his time with the Plugz, Cruzados, and now Social Distortion. Charlie’s style meshes with every band he sits in with.

Number 9
Topper Headon

Topper performed great drumming for the Clash; his heroin addiction got him booted from an otherwise flawless career with the band.

Number 8
Tommy Ramone

Innovator and guru to the Ramones. Tommy created the blueprint sound that the Ramones used for twenty plus years.

Number 7
Casey Royer

Whether Casey was drumming for Social Distortion or the Adolescents he has always been great. The “Blue” album stands the test of time.

Number 6
Lucky Lehrer

The Circle Jerks Group Sex album has some of Lucky’s best drumming ever recorded. Great shit. He also drummed for the Darby Crash band.

Number 5
Nicky Beat

One of the first L.A. punk drummers, Nicky brought the Weirdos to notoriety, and contributed to early Germs material as well as sitting in with the Darby Crash Band.

Number 4
Don Bolles

The oddball of the Germs (is that possible). Don played for the Germs, 45 Grave, and Vox Pop – which he posed nude for. Odd, but damn good.

Number 3
Paul Cook

From his punk defining work with the Sex Pistols or his slowed down stuff with the Professionals Paul Cook has always been one of the best, often overlooked, but freaking great!

Number 2
Robo

From his classic stuff with the mighty Black Flag to his drumming with the Misfits (with and without Danzig) Robo’s sound has always been very distinctive, one of my first favorite punk drummers.

Number 1
Todd Barnes

Todd Barnes played great hardcore on TSOL’s classic Posh Boy EP, and helped introduce L.A. to Death Rock with their ultra-classic Frontier released, Dance with Me!! He could play it all, and well. I think he sat in on a Vandals reunion about twelve years or so back.

Honorable Mentions: Marky Ramone, Terry Chimes, Bill Stevenson, DJ Bonebrake, Chris Wahl, etc.

These are my choices, I’m sticking to them, but I’d love to see some feedback, the comments section doesn’t get enough action or debates, let’s hear something. I know some will whine that I included three drummers that worked with Darby, well, maybe he picked great drummers.

Top 10 Punk Front Men

Number 10
Darby Crash

Darby had charisma, but was always loaded. If he was sober, I would’ve bumped him up a notch or two.

Number 9
Lee Ving

Lee fits into that category of love or hate. The stage presence was definitely there. The whole insulting the crowd was a fairly new thing and Fear did it well.

Number 8
Mike Ness

Whether wrapped in toilet paper, or Alice Cooper make-up under his eyes, Mike has always given great performances.

Number 7
Mike Muir

I haven’t seen Suicidal since the early ‘80’s, so this is based on S.T.’s early days, and based on that Mike controlled his audience. Once they were announced a hundred or two “gang-members” would charged the pit. It was something.

Number 6
HR

Love him or hate him, HR is a madman on stage. The flips and acrobatics, crazy stuff.

Number 5
Glenn Danzig

If the voice (Jim Morrison meets Elvis) didn’t get you, the East Coast attitude with the “death-lock” hairdo was something to behold. The body-building added to the Misfits overall appeal.

Number 4
Tony Cadena

Back in the early ‘80’s Tony never stayed still, whether he was flying into the audience, or rolling around on stage, he was a performer.

Number 3
Jack Grisham

He was truly an original, and the guys from TSOL could really play. Like Mr. Brett said, “Jack was the Iggy Pop of L.A.”

Number 2
Henry Rollins

Love him or hate him, over twenty-five years on and people can’t stop discussing him. He had great stage presence, and he is one of the most recognized “punks” in the world.

Number 1
Johnny Rotten

Nobody epitomized the angry punk the way Rotten did. The distain in his voice. He was the mold of a punk singer.

Honorable Mentions: Dave Vanian, Wattie, John Macias, etc.

Thanks to “theonlytruepunk” for this idea. These are my choices, I’m sticking to them, but I’d love to see some feedback, the comments section doesn’t get enough action or debates, let’s hear something. Come on, whine for me, and tell me “why isn’t Canada represented?” Tell me “Joey Shithead was the greatest front-man ever?!” Awww, go powder your behind.