The Dictators - "Bloodbrothers" (Asylum Records, 1978)

"Miami" Steve Van Zandt once said about them that they really were "the connective tissue between the eras of the MC5, Stooges, New York Dolls, and the punk explosion of the mid to late 70s". 
What I like most about the Dictators is the fact that they were a true rock n’ roll band. I don’t have problems with tags but hey, if you wanna tag something do it right, OK? You can’t count the VU or the Talking Heads as rock n’ roll, cause if you do what in the hell then the ‘taters were/are? Here again many label them as the first/perfect mix of punk rock and heavy metal… C’mon gimme a break. I heard in my life (and I mean it) many heavy metal records and not a single note played by them have elements of this genre. I guess all this came due to the fact that Ross the Boss (guitars) and Mark Animal Mendoza (bass on 2^nd album) had a pass from bands like Manowar (i fuckin' hate them and their zincky panties) and Twisted Sister in correspondence. But then again, were the Sister ever a metal band…?

They loved every single little pop, R&B or rock n' roll masterpiece of the 50s and the 60s decades and that’s showing a lot on their stuff. I mean, “Cars & Girls” must be the first and the best surf revival song and compared to this whatever the Barracudas did (a band that I LOVE truly to fore run the suspicious minds),  is just a sha-la-la popper or Beach Boys mimic. Throughout their boisterous career, they attracted the public’s eyes unfortunately for the wrong reasons. The infamous incident with Wayne/Jayne County or songs like “Back to Africa” on their first album, got them some publicity but for the wrong reasons. A lot of people and because of the aforementioned happenings, thought of the Dictators as racists and homophobic. Of course no such thing existed. Many Dictators members are Jewish but irony, humor and no hold barriers fun wasn’t (and still isn't) many people’s stronger point.

Bruce Springsteen was and still is a huge fan if that says something to you. Actually, you can hear him count like another Dee Dee Ramone on the very first seconds of this record. That’s the third and my favorite if I had to pick just one cause I dig them all the same.  They used for some reason Blue Oyster Cult’s production team and the result’s simply superb!  If you ever heard Blue Oyster doing “Kick out the Jams”, maybe you’ll be able to understand what’s happening in here. Evil, dark humorous and “Faster & Louder” punk rock, delivered with just one purpose, to have fun! I'm pretty sure the Nomads (from Sweden) when they tried some "different" things on that Screaming Dizbusters single, had not only the Blue Oyster Cult on their minds, but also the Dictators. "Borneo Jimmy" and " Minnesota Strip" are two more standout and well covered tunes that almost every newbie likes to sing and oh, the last track it's Flamin’ Groovies masterpiece “Slow Death”. Many tried to cover it, almost all failed. Well, not the "taters"…
320Kbps 

Bloodbrothers 

The Sid Presley Experience - "Cold Turkey" (SPE, 1984) & "Public Enemy No.1" (I.D. Records, 1984) Singles

I guess most of this blogs' visitors probably know who the Godfathers were/are, right? Well, to those not in the know, the Godfathers were the last true rock n' roll outfit that came out of Britain. Perhaps a punkier version of Dr. Feelgood or a rhythm & blues edition of Sex Pistols. Anyway, I must do and say more things on these lads in the near (hopefully) future. The Coyne brothers (Peter - guitar, Chris - vocals) always were the core of this terrific gang. But before the gangster suits and band name, lead a more (!) aggressive and passionate group, the Sid Presley Experience. Obviously, a three word tribute to some iconic figures of rock n' roll. Still sharp dressed, still rough and most importantly, in a more high octane state than their later “famous” effort. On their short lived "career" as far as I know, put out only two singles (“Public Enemy No.1” and “Cold Turkey”) and even though had numerous fans and cool/good coverage from the English music press (not the best lads in the world, especially for a rock n' roll band) for some reason unknown to me, they disbanded.

Due to my age, I discovered them many years later and of course the reason why was the Godfathers. I always liked their version on John Lennon’s “Cold Turkey”. It was rougher and rawer. One day some record store owner played me Sid Presley’s version and from that specific day, this early incarnation of Godfathers became something of an obsession to me. Last night got down to my basement to dig up an old Zig Zag magazine (January 1984) with the Sid Presleys inside. On a small piece of the interview you can actually read and understand the reason why these guys were Britain’s last chance to rock n’ roll (see last picture)…

320Kbps


Tracks:


"Cold Turkey"

A Side: "Cold Turkey"
B Side :"Firewater", "F For Fake"


"Public Enemy No.1"
A Side: "Public Enemy Number One"
B Side : "Hup Two Three For"

The Singles

Ducks Deluxe - "Ducks Deluxe" (RCA, 1974)

It's hard to pick up a favorite record among so many others and twice as hard is to pick up a band as your fave among all those out there. True as it is from all the so called 'Pub Rock' scene for me at least,  it's not hard at all to pick on on Dr. Feelgood, the Count Bishops and Ducks Deluxe.
And you can't do no wrong with a band that had Sean Tyla (at the time ex Help Yourself) and a bunch of ex roadies (Martin Belmont road-ed for Brinsleys, Nick Garvey for the Flamin' Groovies!). I strongly believe that Ducks should have been bigger! I'm sure i read somewhere sometime, that Keith liked them so much that offered them a record deal with the Rolling Stones Records but... they were too punk rock even for an opportunity like this! On a good night Ducks were a "straight ahead hard driving punk rock band, drawing on the uptempo drive of the MC5, the true street drawl of Lou Reed, and the precocious teen angst of Eddie Cochran!" (source: Mojo magazine, May 1996). They sure not invented anything. A friend once moaned about them as a Chuck Berry recycling band... OK. I agree. But i can't see a bad thing on this statement! And that's what they were. A great band with a strong loving on American rhythm & blues and boogie! Dave Edmunds produced them (I'm pretty sure you might guess the end results, huh?), the Stones tried to grab them and the fans (what else?) adore them. They put out three classic albums, and when they finally split out, they transformed into great outfits like the Tyla Gang, the Rumor and the Motors! A couple of years ago re-united and still plow every little city across  Europe. An 'odds and sods' album is out there ("Side Tracks & Smokers") if anyone's interested.
That's their same name debut. Still the best, still the strongest of the three. Give a shot a lemme know...
320Kbps

Ducks Deluxe 

Ian Dury - "New Boots and Panties!!" (Stiff, 1977)

I always had a thing for unusual people. I trust 'em. I like the way they looked weird at least for most of the other people. I like people too that have a "problem" that makes them unique. From a small child still, i was unable to follow the other kids on school and make fun of them and their uniqueness. I didn't pity them. I pity people that's racists, money hunters and liars. I have no bad word for all the others, and especially those with kinetic problems.
Gene Vincent was one of my ultimate heroes. And he had a "bad" leg. That didn't stopped him to be thee Gene Vincent we all like and admire. The first time i confronted Ian Dury was in a club. Not in person. "Wake Up and Make Love to Me" blasted through the place's speakers and i left there stunned! No dance! Go figure, with a track like this i remained something like a statue. And that incident took place about 15 years ago. Still this sucker on his late teens. There was no internet and there was not much money in my pockets. So i had to wait for years to catch this long play.
Ian Dury had a "bad" leg too and he liked Gene Vincent at least as much as me (i still believe I'm No. 1 fan on most of my favorite artists - so i believe i can make a compromise here and let Billy Miller & Ian Dury be on the same table with me on this)! And that's a great coincidence! On a second thought this must not be a coincidence, it's fate. So i bought sometime later "New Boots and Panties!!" and from that moment never really recover. A bizarrely energetic amalgam of Pub Rock, Rock & Roll, Funk and Calypso... Brilliant lyrics and danceable beats to make a thousands assholes under an artist name that starts with a "D.J", sample him and cash on his back.  C'mon, span classics here: "Wake Up and Make Love With Me", "Sweet Gene Vincent", "Sex & Drugs & Rock N' Roll", "Blockheads", "Razzle In My Pocket"... You won't be wrong if you count this as a "Best Of" record.... One of the most underrated artists ever, just like our idol, Gene.
320 Kbps

New Boots and Panties!! 

The Ramones - "Live, January 7, 1978 At The Palladium, NYC" (Sanctuary, 2004)

Well, i haven't realize until seconds ago and before this words you reading now being typed, that in its eight month life, this blog didn't include yet my favorite band ever, my teenage years companion and the reason for what i was known mostly in high school... The Ramones!
Funnily enough, and for some strange reason da brudders slipped away from this blog's pages. I was sitting with my son and looking on my record collection for something that i haven't touched and listened to for a while and i came across the Ramones almost complete discography (complete if you not count the boots). At first wanted to hear the ultimate live record of all time time (for me even better than "Kick Out The Jams" or "Live at the Apollo"), "It's Alive" but right next to it was sitting its cousin. A record that came out first at 2003 (re-released a year later) but recorded weeks after (if i remember correctly) than "It's Alive". Many referred to "Live, January 7, 1978 At The Palladium, NYC" as a semi-official release but i still think it's a boot. A very fine though, capturing the Queens' bad boys at its absolute peak era, both in studio and on stage! This show originally recorded for a King Biscuit Flower Hour Radio Show and taken from a very good stereo sound board mix.
The original line up of Joey, Johnny, Dee-Dee and Tommy shines, rips and runs through a 27 song list in less than an hour (as usual) delivering the goods! High energy rock n' roll (a.k.a. punk rock) from the mighty four that save it! The ''no time for solos'' Mosrite of Johnny, the ''steady ready go!'' beats of Tommy, the surf bass-lines and of course the "1-2-3-4s" of Dee-Dee plus the highly entertaining fake Brit accent of Joey are all here in the best shape and form!
Pay some respect to the band that saved our favorite music, the ripped jeans kings of NYC, the 3-chord (maximum!) and 3 minute heroes of our own, the Ramones!
320 Kbps

NYC 1978