Show #122 August 16, 2014

Dedicated to Jennette and the great Tommy Ramone!

Jennette- Darlington Classics 2
She Was The Girl- The Wellingtons Keeping Up With The Wellingtons
Talkin' 'Bout Summer- The Britannicas High Tea
(I Feel Like A) Dictionary- The Trend Yellow Pills Prefill
No Excuse- Bracket Hold Your Applause
Going In Circles- Warm Soda Young Reckless Hearts
Vengeance- The Nips Gabrielle 7"
I Hope This Whole Thing Didn't Frighten You- The Hold Steady Teeth Dreams
^I Don't Like Mondays- The Boomtown Rats The Fine Art Of Surfacing
Shook Down Softly- The Bye Bye Blackbirds We Need The Rain
Nobody Loves Me- The Letters Nobody Loves Me 7"
Where There's A Will There's A Way- The Jeremy Band All Over The World
My Street Stinks- 999 999
Come Down and Rock- Librarians The Pathetic Aesthetic
*Sunday Gurl- Silver Sun Dad's Weird Dream
*Monday Morning- The Rooks Encore Echoes
*Groovy Tuesday- The Smithereens Especially For You
*Every Wednesday Night At Eight- The Innocents One Way Love 7"
*Thursday Night- Chixdiggit! Double Diggits!
*Friday Night- The Click Five Greetings From Imrie House
*Saturday Every Day- The Soda Pop Kids Teen Bop Dream
Take a Take a Me- The Muffs Whoop Dee Doo
Still Smiling Today- The Mod Frames Hit Records Single
Dream City- Free Energy Stuck On Nothing
>Pleasant Valley Sunday- The Monkees Listen To The Band
Lonely Boys Brigade- The Dahlmanns All Dahled Up
I Can Be- The Misstakes National Pastime
In the Back- Buzzcocks The Way
Take My Chances- The Laughing Dogs Meet Their Makers
Every Day's A Holiday, Every Day's A Party- The Saints Prehistoric Sounds

^Power Pop Peak: #73 Billboard Hot 100 2/2/80

*SacroSet:  Days of the Week

>Power Pop Prototype: 1967

With my Michigan trip in July and all the earthquake hoopla

Tommy in (rare) color

in August I haven't had a chance to pay tribute to a great man we lost recently.  Tommy Ramone died of bile duct cancer on July 11, 2014.  He outlived band mates Joey (d. 4/15/01 lymphoma), Dee Dee (d. 6/5/02 heroin overdose) and Johnny (d. 9/15/04 prostrate cancer). Less than 40 years after they first got together in 1974, all four of the original Ramones are gone, three of them losing a battle with cancer.  None of them lived longer than 65 years and three didn't see 55.  This REALLY sucks!

In the early days of The Ramones Tommy was the glue that held the band together (the metaphorical glue rather than the "Now I Wanna Sniff Some..." kind).  Born Erdelyi Tamas in Budapest, Hungary, his family emigrated to the U.S. when Tommy was four.  During his high school years in Forest Hills, Queens Tommy was in a band called Tangerine Puppets with bass player John Cummings, the future Johnny Ramone.  Picking up live sound and studio work wherever he could, at the age of 21 Tommy worked as an assistant engineer on the Jimi Hendrix

Tangerine Puppets (Tommy far left, Johnny far right)

live album Band of Gypsys.  (Shaving three years off his age while in The Ramones- listing a birth year of 1952 rather than 1949- caused more than a few rock critics to wonder if Tommy really could've had the Gypsys job at 18.)  Inspired by a New York Dolls show in the city, Tommy went back to Forest Hills to share his vision with Johnny as well as the newly recruited Jeffrey Hyman (Joey) and Douglas Colvin (Dee Dee).

As band manager, Tommy completely restructured the

Tommy's early 70's Marc Bolan phase

group because in his words singer Dee Dee was "hoarse after about three songs" and Joey "wasn't that good a drummer."  Joey took over lead vocals and though limited to bass duties, Dee Dee still got to start each song with his iconic "1-2-3-4!"  That left the drum stool open and Tommy had a very clear vision of the type of drumming The Ramones needed:

"eight-notes across, with the 'one' on the bass and the 'two' on the snare, fast and consistent."  

As is often the case with genius, this style of drumming is very simple.  Yet, after auditioning a ton of drummers who were either unwilling or unable to lay off the rolls and fills, Tommy himself ended up behind the drum kit.  He had never played drums in a band but like all his decisions regarding The Ramones, Tommy once again made the right call.

On debut album The Ramones Tommy wrote "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend" and the anthem "Blitzkreig Bop," originally titled "Animal Hop" until Dee Dee got his hands on the song and, like he so often did, gave it a German spin (Dee Dee grew up in Berlin).  Here's what Craig Leon who produced that first album, had to say about Tommy in a recent interview in LA Record:

Dee Dee, Joey, Tommy, Johnny

"Tom Erdelyi [aka Tommy Ramone] was the manager of the band and had the concept of the band which to me was very, very important, which is why I credited him as associate producer on the album because he actually came up with the concept for the band."

Rock critic Robert Christgau agrees: 

"Although Tommy may have faded from view, becoming the least vivid of the four Queens weirdos who invented punk rock, it was he who conceptualized them most clearly."

Tommy himself has said pretty much the same thing:

"It wasn't just music in The Ramones: it was an idea. It was bringing back a whole feel that was missing in rock music -- it was a whole push outwards to say something new and different." 

Tommy also won every belly-showing contest

After four years and three brilliant albums, all of which he co-produced, Tommy quit The

Johnny and Tommy

Ramones- life on the road with the domineering Johnny, OCD Joey and bi-polar Dee Dee was no longer tenable.  Far from abandoning the band, however, he trained replacement Marc Bell (soon to be Marky Ramone) and co-produced their next album, Road To Ruin, which includes the band's "hit" single "I Wanna Be Sedated."  Tommy returned in 1984, producing The Ramones' best post-70's album Too Tough To Die, and went on to produce major records for The Replacements (Tim) and Redd Kross (Neurotica).

The Ramones had an enormous impact on budding musicians all over the world.  I loved Kiss, Rush and AC/DC but in a million years I could never hope to play guitar that well. Listening to The Ramones, on the other hand, was a huge inspiration. As I've mentioned in this blog before, the first Ramones album separated Dee Dee's bass on the left and Johnny's guitar on the right (I like to think this was Tommy's idea).  When I learned to play fifths (the precursor to bar chords) I would turn down the right channel and figure out how to play the song.  Within about fifteen minutes I was playing along with Tommy, Dee Dee and Joey.  Talk about empowering- it was AWESOME!

Tommy back in the day and earlier this year

I'd argue that more than the name, the look and even the songs- the "back to basics" concept was the key in the early days of The Ramones, one of the greatest and most influential bands in rock and roll history.  We all, those of us who love punk rock and its antecedents, owe Tommy Ramone a HUGE debt of gratitude. 

Stream/download this week's show here (Right click and "Save Link As:")
Hour 1
Hour 2

Show #88 October 13, 2012

To Leilani... and the great 007!  

Leilani- Hoodoo Gurus Stoneage Romeos
Days- Television Adventure 
Sweet 16- Green Day Uno! 
Bitten By A Lovebug- The Revillos Attack of the Giant Revillos
I'll Get By- Swag Catchall
Is It Really Necessary- Radio Stars Songs For Swinging Lovers 
Round And Round- The Greenberry Woods Big Money Item 
Down To Love- Throwback Suburbia Shot Glass Souvenir 
^Manic Monday- The Bangles Manic Monday
Self-improvement?- Happiness Factor Self Improvement? 
Dream On- Shake Culture Shock 10" EP 
Head vs Heart- Shoes Ignition
Tell Me Now- The Keepers By The Same Name
Catholic Boy- The Jim Carroll Band Catholic Boy
*Sunday Afternoon- Numbers Add Up
*Monday- The Jam Direction, Reaction, Creation
*Waiting For Tuesday- Hundred Million Martians Marsbars 
*Wednesday Week- The Undertones Hypnotised
*This Thursday- The Scruffs Wanna Meet The Scruffs 
*Friday Night- The Krinkles 3 - The Mordorlorff Collection
*Saturday Sunrise- The Flys See For Miles (1978-1980) 
Into The Light- Soul Asylum Delayed Reaction
Runaway- Panic Squad Panic Squad 12" EP 
Shoot You Down- Birdland The Brit Box: UK Indie, Shoegaze and Brit-Pop Gems Of The Last Millennium 
>Sunday Morning- The Velvet Underground The Velvet Underground and Nico
Cynical Girl- Marshall Crenshaw Marshall Crenshaw
It Doesn't Matter- Boys When You're Lonely 7" 
Remember (Falling Off the Sky)- The dB's Falling off The Sky 
Never Should Have Told You- Slugs Problem Child 7" 
Melody Love- The Laughing Dogs Meet Their Makers
Leilani Pt 2- Hoodoo Gurus Stoneage Romeos 

^Power Pop Peak:  #2 Billboard Hot 100 4/19/86 

*SacroSet:  Daysongs

>Power Pop Prototype:  1967

When I was nine years old my father took me to see Live And Let Die.  It blew my young mind and started a life long love of James Bond movies.  A week or so after seeing the film I was shopping with my parents at the Westgate Mall in Brockton, Mass and passed by a record store window prominently displaying the Live And Let Die soundtrack.  In those days the record companies would pay people to go out to stores and create eye-catching window displays.  I dated one such person right after college, but I digress.  Back in 1973 as I stood looking at the display in the front of the Westgate Mall record store, I had a big decision to make. They had the single "Live And Let Die" by Paul McCartney and Wings which I already knew I loved.  Yet, should I commit five whole dollars and buy the LP?  I didn't have a lot of money- only what I'd managed to save from the $5 bills I got from my grandparents for my birthday and Christmas. Even so, I decided to go for it and spring for the LP. Turns out it this was a mistake music-wise. Today's soundtracks are greatest hits collections, but back then they were one or two songs and a bunch of score music. That said, I listened to the song "Live And Let Die" over and over and it was cool to own Monty Norman's James Bond theme, especially when playing that I was Mr. Bond himself.  (The 70's bongos and "whucka-whucka" guitar on the Live And Let Die version of the Bond theme are priceless.)

That's 7-Up guy Geoffrey Holder lower left!

While it wasn't a home run musically, I was still happy I bought the album because it has an awesome gatefold with cool pictures from the movie (I found half of the sleeve so you can see what I'm talking about).  I was probably born this way, but the Live And Let Die album is one of my earliest recollections of being completely enthralled with a certain aspect of the female anatomy. The actress in question in the amazing blue outfit standing in front of Roger Moore is named Madeline Smith.

Dangerous Weapon(s)

Here's a better picture in case you don't get what I'm talking about when I say "anatomy."  My word!  The funny thing is in this photo she is holding a Walther PPK (James Bond's weapon of choice) while he himself is holding a revolver in another photo from the sleeve (see below). That's one of many things that really bugs me about Live And Let Die today. Viewed as an adult, it plays more like a slapstick Pink Panther movie than a James Bond film- the redneck sheriff is especially annoying. The movie has also understandably been labeled racist- not surprising since it is essentially a bunch of white British guys trying to make a blaxploitation movie. My father hated Roger Moore's portrayal of James Bond.  Dad found Moore effete and prissy,

A REVOLVER!?!?!

often looking as if he'd just smelled some bad cheese.  After he took me to see Sean Connery in Diamonds Are Forever, which we saw at a theater in Ontario while on vacation that summer, I came to share my father's opinion of Roger Moore.  In fact, Live And Let Die wouldn't even be in my Top 10 Bond films today and I'd probably rate Moore last in the role, behind Connery, Craig, Lazenby, Brosnan and maybe even Dalton.

Back in my middle school years I remember telling Dad that my "perfect Saturday night" was a big bowl of popcorn and a James Bond movie on TV.  ABC network had owned the rights to the franchise since 1972 so it seems like I got my wish a lot.  Whenever my parents would take the backyard path over to our neighbors The Thomases to play cards on these movie nights, I'd tag along with my bowl of popcorn.  Dr. No, Thunderball (my all-time favorite), Goldfinger, From Russia With Love, You Only Live Twice (my favorite back in those days), I first saw them on ABC TV.  In retrospect I'm so glad

Daniel Craig and Fred Armisen on SNL

I've never had to watch Sean Connery, "my" James Bond, mug his way through a lame Saturday Night Live sketch with the latest annoying recurring character Lorne and his lazy-ass writers have decided to shove down our throat.  Nothing against Daniel Craig, he's my #2 Bond after all and my son loves him  (though Jack's favorite for years was George Lazenby in On Her Majesty's Secret Service- how cool is that!)  Jack saved up his own money to buy the Casino Royale DVD the day it came out and the movie soundtrack was his first ever purchase on iTunes.  The two of us will no doubt be queued up for Skyfall this weekend.  Nonetheless, Daniel Craig's recent SNL appearance got me thinking that whoever plays James Bond should have to sign some kind of "character integrity clause" legally preventing him from doing shoddy work elsewhere.  When you think about it, that's a small price to pay for playing one of the greatest characters in history.

Wow.... Sean Connery in Zardoz

On the other hand, it was only luck that prevented me from seeing Sean Connery's craptastic 1975 sci-fi film Zardoz until I was 20.  It would have been pretty devastating if I'd seen it when I was 12.  Seriously- what was he thinking!  His Zardoz costume makes the terry-cloth "playsuit" from Goldfinger look positively chic in comparison.  This baby blue monstrosity is one of the few widely acknowledged fashion missteps in the Connery Bond films- the color, the high waist, the wedgie-inducing design- it's pretty much a disaster, though I'd take it over the Zardoz ponytail, thigh-boots and red "suspendiaper" ("suspendepends?") look any day!

The Dreaded "Playsuit"

Here's hoping Skyfall rocks this weekend- LONG LIVE JAMES BOND!

You can download this week's show below (Right click and "Save Link As")
Hour 1
Hour 2