It's Friday, so let's kick out the funk, King Khan style! The hard-working garage titan is bringing out a soundtrack score to a film called The Invaders through his brand spankin' new label, Khannibalism (which looks to be focusing on unearthing unique albums such as a William S Burroughs spoken word album), and here is a great taster in 'Hurtin' Class'. The song features the mighty Ian Svenonius (Nation of Ulysses, Chain & the Gang). And if you don't start start singing along to "you belong to the hurtin' claaaaaaaas..." (even just in your head) and sliding around on the floor - then you might need your pulse checked. Grab the 7" here.
Haven't done one of these for a while, so why not? Here is a cover of 'All My Loving', a track first blasted out by supergroup The Almighty Defenders (AKA King Khan and the Black Lips) from Madrid punkoids The Parrots. It came out on Record Store Day through Lucky Number and Burger Records as a split 7" with fellow Spanish movers and shakers Hinds (AKA Deers). It is a fitting cover/tribute - their lo-fi garage contusions a fit for the slacker theatrics of Khan and the boys. They are bringing out an EP next month through Luv Luv Luv Records.
I'll always be a tragic for good, squalling, straight up garage punk rock. Aussie band Bad Vision is one that doesn't veer off this path one iota, and I love em for it. Sweden's Makeouts are the same, and their Back To Sleep LP is all the more great for such steadfastness. They are a tight yet shambolic tour de force who have played alongisde the who's who of the current upper echelons of the modern garage rock movement (Jay Reatard, Ty Segall, King Khan, Nobunny, Hunx & His Punx - the list continues to roll out unabated), and this album shows them as a dexterous, devastating atomic fuzz bomb of a band. Seriously, this is the kind of record that should garner a lot more accolades than its likely to get - because its perfectly measured and paced, with innumerable reply value. An album that is always going to pick you up and put you on the path to partydom - nothing more needs to be said. The straight-up rock of "Hamburger Hill' to the closing lurker 'Creeps', it is all solid gold. Time to make out.
You can buy Back To Sleep through Austrian label Bachelor Records here, and you really should, because this record KILLS.
It's been a shitty week to be on holidays. But all I've been up to is writing, editing, watching movies (Win Win and The Revenant were two pretty ace films) and TV shows (The Walking Dead, Being Human - the UK one, Boardwalk Empire), interviewing and (surprisingly) exercising, so it hasn't been too bad. But Im heading out into the last semblance of sunshine we may have for a while, and I want to give you drones at work something to hold onto. So here are four great vids for four great tracks. Enjoy!
It's sad to say that I'm not yet sold on the new Future Of The Left album The Plot Against Common Sense, although I have only heard it once so need to give it more time. Nevertheless, I always enjoy some Falco nonsense, and it goes without saying that his explanation of the video for single 'I Am The Least Of Your Problems' is full of it:
"[The video] is about a dual or split personality. We wanted something claustrophobic and full of movement, but most specifically, something that would weed out the epileptics in the audience. In all seriousness, I have an undue fascination with strobe lighting, much to my bandmates' extreme displeasure. When I was in college I bought a small one for 'personal use' and used to sit in my room writing songs to its largely similar patterns. They were great, if slightly disorientating, days."
Another dude up for a laugh is King Khan, here backed by the Shrines for 'Bite My Tongue', and this film clip is one of the funniest I've seen in ages. A bizarre homage to the 60s Batman television show and wholly religiously irreverent, it's worth watching just for the jogger in the park.
Now to get gritty. Washington's Regents have finally got a video for their great track 'Cinder Machine' (which you can still buy via Lovitt Records here), directed by the band’s singer/guitarist Drew Ringo, showcasing photographs that he had taken of 350 boarded up residences in Baltimore. The concept speaks to the housing crisis in the US.
Finally we have this ultra low budget offering for Brighton band Fear Of Men's 'Green Sea', the 7" of which came out on Sexbeat Records last week. It was made for 15 quid in one of the band members' flat. It's a woozy VHS effort, and I love it.
The next band to come off the Mere Noise Meltdown honour roll is...
The Horrortones. This behemoth of a Brisbane supergroup slash institution slash intermittent rockabilly raconteurs are currently working on a triple 7" box set, which is hugely exciting. The band revolves around ex-Vegas Kings frontman Pete, with a steady backing band and a revolving door of hangers on. The bands cover the gamut of ace Brisbane band - the aforementioned Vegas Kings, The Grates, Texas Tea, SixFtHick, The Stress of Leisure, Wiseacre, The Tremors, Gin Club, Giants Of Science, Butcher Birds...the list goes on and on. The membership is fluid, its all about drinking with buds and having a good time (space permitting). The M.O. is to funk the fuck out, have a hell of a time, systematically destroy everything and everyone in sight, and wake up the next day in a perpetual state of amnesia and pain. And seeing as they list King Khan, The Dirtbombs and Reigning Sound as influences, there isn't much else to do than ensure you catch one of their shows... (And due to their reticent nature to get things down, all I have is this not so great video of them covering King Khan & the Shrines' 'Saba Lou' from back in 2009. Still, as more about the box set comes through, I will let you know).
After the shenanigans that the world had in store for London miscreants Sex Beet at the end of last year, I was unsure how they would bounce back. But I should never have feared, for they are just as loud, shambolic and reprehensible as ever! They are prepping a single, are finally getting around to recording their debut LP (with the inimitable King Khan, no less!) and The garage trio have a demo out, 'Someday', that is pretty damn solid for a "work in progress" I must say. Plus they will ba all over the joint come summertime, including that 1234 Festival. Last year's version was pretty ace, even if I got stupid drunk, hated on the Dum Dum Girls and left before Fucked Up...
PLUS if you are in London tomorrow they will be playing in Shoreditch in El Paso's, the Mex restaurant there. I really suggest you get yourself some quesadillas, some tequila and a good earful of Sex Beet - it'll be well worth your time.
Mark Sultan is a demi god of the modern garage movement, both under his own name and as the 'BBQ' in King Khan & BBQ Show. His myriad releases on esteemed labels such as Sub Pop, Bomp!, Norton and In The Red have been all of at least good quality, and has spawned a great number of worshippers, some of which include Bradford Cox, Jon Spencer and the boys of Black Lips - the latter formed with him to create messed up shit as The Almighty Defenders (I really oughta dredge that up for y'all sometime...)
So Sultan is pretty big business...well, he fucking well ought to be! Therefore when the penny drops on the grapevine that he is to release new material, the hairs stand up on the back of my love handles. $ is being put out on Last Gang Records, and under his own name Sultan has managed to not only divulge in his love of doo-wop (which has now taken on credence in other, hipper circles), but in psych, country and noise. This is an album to be sought out, which you can do on Monday November 8th.
Until then, feast your eyes and ears on first cut 'Status'. Welcome to the weekend...
In what seems like a match made in heaven, I have fallen in love with the bizarre garage rock that is Tandoori Knights, a band that shares Sonic Masala's penchant for fun, rock and roll, and curry. Conceived by King Khan (what doesnt this guy do???) and Bloodshot Bill, Tandoori Knights have given irreverent, more than slightly racist garage rock a much needed (?) boost in the arm. Curry Up is the name of their newly released LP, out on Norton Records - buy it.
So what is Tandoori Knights all about? Ill let the clearly cuckoo (and awesome) Khan speak for himslef...
"It hit like frightnin' lightnin' - WE MUST BE THE TANDOORI KNIGHTS!...And paint our skins as red as possible...put the IN back into Indian rock'n'roll...just bend over and let the sun shine in!"
Uh-huh... It is good though. Especially the opening 10 seconds of 'Bandstand'...
