Thursday, December 31, 2009

Sparks - The Who, 1970.



Jesus Christ, will you look at that! Townsend can noodle out some pretty stellar solos! (albeit interjected with his signature windmills, yawn.)

Happy New Year - Mayor's Melters MP3 compilation



Suck it, 2009! Here's to a balls-out 2010!


Blister On The Moon - Taste feat. Rory Gallagher
Brontosaurus - The Move
I can't find you - Arthur Lee's Love
You're Gonna Need Me (live) - James Gang
Human Being - Coloured Balls
Freelance Fiend - Leaf Hound
Doctor Please - Blue Cheer
Black Coffee - Humble Pie
Black napkins - Frank Zappa
You Must Be A Witch - The Lollipop Shoppe
Cry In The Night - Q 65
Hot Smoke & Sassafras - Bubble Puppy
Big Eyed Beans From Venus - Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
Prince Kajuku - UFO
Acid Bean - Killing Floor

Download

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Shivers - Boys Next Door, 1979. (RIP Roland S. Howard)



Back in the 80's I danced with the dragon for a while. I'm not glorifying it. I went from a stupid looking pseudo-goth pussy to an even stupider (more mascara and hairspray) looking pseudo-goth pussy with a limp dick and trackmarks. Luckily I kicked the habit and the wardrobe.

One thing I didn't kick that I picked up during that time is a love of atmospheric twang guitar and The Birthday Party. I was lucky enough to see Roland S. Howard (guitar and composer of the Boy's Next Door track above) play live in Copenhagen in '88 (on the same night I saw Alice Cooper). He was a skinny dude with a heavy soul and whammy bar.

Thanks for indulging me. (RIP Dec. 30, 2009)




Tuesday, December 29, 2009

August - Love, 1970.



Had my chakras realigned by Love Lost last night. Here's Arthur Lee and the boys setting fire to Copenhagen, live.

Return to Forever. Sorceress. 1976.



Every time I try to turn Jake on to some crazy, spaced out Jazz fusion supergroup, he rolls his eyes and says "this shit is a little too out there for me, bro." I get it. It is an acquired taste. Nerdy even. Texas Instruments math calculator shit.

But here's the deal dudes. Any musician that spends this much time mastering a spaced out jazz fusion tune such as the Sorceress, has surely touched dicks with some dark, nebulous shit while under the influence of some amazing jungle psilocybin.

Either that, or they're just nerds.

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Monday, December 21, 2009

Santana. Live in Ghana. 1971



When my Dad was living on the Haight in the late 60's early 70's he used to see Santana play quite a bit. He always dug the band and Carlos' chops, but he never failed to mention the rough element that would show up at their shows. Lots of Hells Angels, gang bangers and speed freaks. Dudes that packed heat after dipping into a few too many tabs of blotter.

The tough crowd isn't much of a surprise considering how fucking badass these dudes were. I wouldn't be shocked if Carlos was stowing a boot knife for most of these shows.

Then again, he always had his axe.



Watch this clip of Waiting.

Consult a loved one and or psychiatrist.

Commence vision quest.

Note: This set features Neal Schon at age 17. He later went on to start a little band called Journey. Don't get any fucking ideas Whipps.

Cuby & The Blizzards, Live 1972.



If you can get by the dutch drug wookie 'fronting' this band (Harry Muskee - I'm not sure if that's his name or his genus & species), there's some pretty ample guitarwork by Meneer Eelco Gelling to be had.

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Subway - Quicksilver Messenger Service, 1970.



Fave jam from one of the most underrated West Coast cranium diddlers.

Sickle Clowns - Pretty Things, 1971.



This jam from L'Olympia in France in 1971 made me a convert to the Pretty Things Mach II. It also made my man bush thick and unmanageable.

Friday, December 18, 2009

Robin Trower. Too Rolling Stoned. 1975



Nice fucking touch, Trower. If that guitar was a pussy it would be dripping like a civ.

Buddy Miles. Texas. 1969.



So, a couple of Buddy's decided to get together to scare the fuck out of some British fops. Dubbed as the "last great jam of the 60's" this set features the likes of Buddy Miles, Buddy Guy, Jack Bruce and Dick Heckstall-Smith. Later they were joined by the likes of Roland Kirk and Eric Clapton. There's a ton of footage of this jam lingering about the tubes. I encourage you to rest your balls gently on some of it.

Buddy Miles is from another planet. Planet FUCKTRON.

Buddy Guy is very much from this Earth. America to be specific. By way of Lettsworth, Louisiana. You can tell because he just went Nagasaki all over the the Queen's England. Suck it.

Eric Burdon and WAR-Spirit, Denmark, 1971



WAR fucking rocks.

Walk Away - James Gang, 1969.



Hey, Look we got us an actual masthead. All Hail 'The Gang'!

Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac - The Green Manalishi. 1970.



The LSD (superior) version of the band. I dig this following piece for an explanation of what happened to them:

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Pink Floyd. Atom Heart Mother. 1970



When I was 16, this oft-forgotten epic masterpiece was my soundtrack to watching grass grow. By the time I was a freshman in college I could knee slap the entire drum part, often adding my own fills. All while my brain was a puddle on the floor in front of me.

The Floyd thought this track was too pretentious. I consider it some of their finest work. It will be featured heavily in my memoirs.

Commence tracers 3-2-1...

Hurricane - Larry Collins & Joe Maphis, Olden times.



Check out the double-rednecks on the double-necked Mosrites. That little peckerwood grew up to write Delta Dawn.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Procol Harum. Repent Walpurgis. 1971.



I heard some PH on KQ92's A-Z today (Conquistador) and dug up this dark canticle. Nasty, all the way around.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

David Bowie, Moonage Daydream, 1973.



How you upstage Bowie at the height of his fuzzy and freaky Stardust days is beyond me. But holy-balls-bulging-out-of-my-glittered-jumper if ol' Mick Ronson doesn't give him a run for his money right here.

Freak out, space invader.

DFA 1979 - Live on Conan


death from above 1979

K A W A N | MySpace Video

Scott McKenzie - San Francisco 1992



Just think of all the acid currently sitting idle in this dude's spine. Still awesome.

Beck, Bogert & Appice. Superstition. 1973.



Here's a super group trio taking a crack at Stevie Wonder's Superstition. It makes my balls feel like their resting in a bowl of warm clam chowder.

Untitled Solo, Shawn Lane of Black Oak Arkansas, 1979.

Friday, December 4, 2009

Cactus. Parchman Farm-Live Audio. 1971.


If Carmine Appice had his way, Beck would have been slaying and Stewart would have been on vocals. Fate said otherwise though and instead they got some Detroit muscle in lead howler Rusty Day and Motown axe stalwart Jim McCarty. They burn through this blues ditty like only 'merican's can. Set phasers to boogie.

Sidenote. Day howls like a man who just ripped a line the size of a Burmese python. No surprise he was shot up dead by his former guitarist in a coke deal gone bad.

Friday, November 27, 2009

Wishbone Ash. Jail Bait. 1971.



One of the first of many bands to wield two axes on stage at the same time, Wishbone Ash might be little more than a footnote if it wasn't for this riff.

Melody Maker described them like this in 1972:

"the most interesting two guitar team since the days when Beck and Page graced The Yardbirds".

Heavy company. Heavy rock.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Friday, November 13, 2009

All Your Love & Sam's Boogie - Magic Sam.



If your good enough to borrow Earl Hooker's guitar, you better be magic.

Black Sabbath. Children of the Grave. 1974.



Sometimes I avoid posting Sabbath clips here because it's so damn obvious that they melt our faces. Fuck that. This shit rips.

Today is dedicated to Geezer Butler.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Cradle Rock - Rory Gallagher, 1975.



I hate to see Slowhand get backhanded across this blog, but the dude constantly gets one-upped. There's no denying it. 1972, saw Clapton sucking a solid second in Melody Maker's top guitarist poll behind this Irish bloke, Rory Gallagher. Rory must have been proud. His tombstone is a replica of that very award.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Sly &The Family Stone. Medley. 1968.



Appearing on the Smothers Brother variety show, Sly and The Family Stone set out to disembowel those too prude to make their booty move. Here's a little medley of Everyday People and Dance to The Music. The man and the band were as tight as Mother Theresa's sphincter in this jam of jams. Check out the syncopation, and the call and response between band members. Way, way ahead of their time.

Larry Graham on bass always melts my face.

Friday, October 23, 2009

No Time - Halo of Flies, 1988.



What better news can a head-throbber get on his birthday than that his all time favorite Minneapolis band is reuniting for a show . . . TOMORROW NIGHT!

Non Consensual Post Dada Constructivist Cerebral Warts Art/Music/Film Festival 2009

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

When Something is Wrong with My Baby - Sam & Dave, 1967 & 1969



A guaranteed panty moistener of a song if there ever was one. Forget the backing by the incomparable Stax house band. The slow steady screw inflicted upon the ladies of the house by the tenderly sadistic pacing and tension of Sam & Dave, must have turned these arenas into baby making factories.

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Led Zeppelin. For Your Love. 1969.



Note: I hate it when I can't find an actual video recording of some amazing tune I fine on the interwebz, but alas this will have to suffice.

Here's Zepp stomping a mud hole into the bloated corpse of a Yardbirds classic. The riffs performed here gave my ears boners at first listen. That solo? Seriously? Why didn't they grudge fuck this song more often?

I'm not much of a Clapton fan, but Jimmy Page just took a steaming dump on Slowhand's legacy with this little ditty.

Friday, October 2, 2009

Anthem - Rush, 1975



I think the employment of windchimes and foot organs by later-years Rush served only one purpose, to try to suppress the atmosphere shredding licks of Alex Lifeson. Strap on your high altitude oxygen mask.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Boogie For George - UFO, 1970.



I speak of this with the pre-convicted tone of an adulterous lover. Superbeast, hear me out. I listened to UFO today. I plugged UFO into Pandora. I had my chakras realigned by the likes of Blackmore, Bolton & Shenker. Sorry that I broke our Steelydarity. But, brother, UFO is coming to the Medina Entertainment Center, Saturday October 17th and I gotta say. I'm stoked!

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Rise Above! - Black Flag, 1984



This one goes out to my old pal (getting older every day) John P. He's celebrating 20 years of his amazing King Cat Comics. Profiles in Courage indeed, my friend.

Monday, September 14, 2009

Jimmy Page. Prelude. 1983.



The 1980's were a treacherous time for Jimmy Page. He wandered aimlessly, reeling from the death of John Bonham and the loss of the greatest band in the world. As a player, he seemed to be a shell of his former self. As a human, he was a drug addled gnome spewing gibberish while getting pinched for blowing lines on trains in England.

The junk had aged him something fierce. He lost his chops and had a nasty case of the Jello legs. His spindly frame became almost freakish. You wondered if he could still wield that juggernaut of a double-neck around. Like when Beck and Clapton bailed him out of a particularly stinky rendition of Stairway to Heaven. Or when he and the boys got together for a horrific Live Aid performance. The one where Phil Collins crapped out a putrid, rotting corpse of a drum session. All while wearing a white fucking leisure suit. What a dick.

Then there was this gem of a Chopin cut off the Death Wish II soundtrack...

Yep, you heard that right. Jimmy Page wrote and performed the soundtrack to the most ridiculous movie about vigilante justice ever made. The movie where Bronson mowed down entire generations of street thugs.

Introducing Prelude No. 4 in E minor, performed in NYC in 1983. Prepare to have your epidermis replaced, because this one is a doozy. If it doesn't restore your faith in the dark knight, nothing will.

Friday, September 11, 2009

Mandrake Root - Deep Purple, 1970.


You know how much I love ugly drummers, and they don't come much uglier than Ian "Hideous Creeply" Paice. The only thing more frightening in this video is Blackmore's, um, licks. Wait for it. Wait for it. Wait for it. There it is.

Monday, September 7, 2009

Jethro Tull. My God. 1970.



The Mayor and I have had a few discussions about Jethro Tull in the past. I consider them a quintessential hub in that weird Tolkien, gypsy, peasant, wizard rock genre that Zep dabbled in for a few years.

The Mayor considers them a bunch of fruity flautists.

Whatever. I'll let the legions of Face Melters worldwide decide.

This song kicks all sorts of ass. Especially when dude loses his fucking marbles on that flute solo.

This is what I imagined everyone in England looked like in 1970. Little Peter Piper dudes with fucked up teeth, wearing leggings while sucking on gel tabs. Basically dudes you wouldn't mind sharing a camp fire with.

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Steely Dan - "Aja" The Making Of:



"When have you ever heard a song on a rock and roll record that absolutely can't be played on a guitar."

This song is a fucking heavy hitter. I don't care.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Zebulon Pike. Behold the Wizard's Fountain. 2007.



No blog about melted faces would be complete without a nod to the lords of Jazzdoom themselves, Zebulon Pike.

I'm going to let you guys in on a little secret. I completely abandoned rock and roll and metal for about 10 solid years. It just wasn't doing it for me anymore. It's hard to admit that now, but I would like to thank the boys in Zeb Pike for allowing me to see the light. They put me back on the path to bowel crushing riffage. They spread the good word through giant Orange amp stacks and down tuned guitars.

These guys are essentially the only local Minneapolis band that I give a flying fuck about, since like...

Prince? Bobby D? Dumpster Juice?

Monday, August 10, 2009

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Yes. Roundabout. 1973.



I run the risk of being flogged as a "Prog Nerd" for posting this one.

When I was about 12 years old I signed up for one of those "10 CD's for a Penny!" deals from BMG. My first shipment included these gems:

1. Suicidal Tendencies - Join the Army.
2. Circle Jerks - Wonderful.
3. Bad Company - Greatest Hits.
4. Led Zeppelin - Coda.
5. Parliament - Greatest Hits.
6. Kiss - Destroyer.
7. Ice - T - Power.
8. Dead Milkmen - Beelzebubba.
9. Pink Floyd - Momentary Lapse of Reason.
10. Yes - Claqssic Yes.

As you can see, this particular shipment was a perfect balance of skater rock and KQRS worship. I realized that I could rip BMG off by using a different name while ordering, so I continued doing this for about 8 years. I'm fairly certain that my premature criminal organization was a punishable offense along the lines of mail fraud, and very likely a felony. I was never busted. Suckers!

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Luther Allison. Little Red Rooster. 1975.



A Chicago transplant by way of Arkansas, Luther Allison is one of those cold-hearted dudes that shreds ear holes for nothing more than a simple selfish pleasure. He learned his chops playing behind guys like Howlin' Wolf and James Cotton before Muddy Waters gave him his big break in 1957. That's some pretty heavy company, and Luther Allison is one heavy player. Buy Love Me Mama and Bad News Coming Down. Commence face melting.

*This video is a poor edited mash-up of Little Red Rooster and what I think is a track entitled I Need Your Love.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Acid Bean - Killing Floor, 1971



Oh, Shit. Enter my old pal Eric who turned me onto this. Invitation sent.

Live - Love, 1970

Buddy Guy. Hoochie Coochie Man. 1970.



There is nothing more satisfying than watching a blues guitar master in his prime freaking the shit out of a bunch of whitey hippies in Canada.

Buddy Guy was the blue collar Jimi Hendrix.

This footage is from the documentary film Festival Express, the 1970 train tour across Canada featuring The Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, The Band, The Flying Burrito Brothers, and more. Check it out.

Monday, July 27, 2009

Mr. Crowley - Randy Rhoads, 1981



Yeah, I know it's an Ozzy track. Hail, Ozzy. I gotta toss the demon horns in the general direction of Mr. Roads on this one. I broke into hand to hoof conflict with a legion of insatiable succubi that appeared, blood-thirsty and cock-starved, in my cube after just 3 bars of his unholy fingerwork on this track.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Sunday, July 19, 2009

The Scorpions. I'm Going Mad. 1972.



Who would have thunk it.

If you can ignore the obvious Spinal Tap "Stonehenge" jokes, this early Scorpions shit is pretty badass. The Schenker brothers come off like an extension of Tony Iommi's pickin' hand in this epic tale of neurosis and paranoia.

Most Germans are inherently weird, but this video makes these guys seem like regular dudes. Sorta.

I love the footage of the band frolicking through the wilderness. A staple of early 1970's music video. "Klaus, I vant you to leap and jump for joy in dis scene, you are going mad...you are going mad"

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Blue Cheer. Summertime Blues. 1968.



In the late 60's, Blue Cheer was dubbed the heaviest band stateside. You can certainly understand why.

Acid.

They were named after the stuff that chemist Owsley Stanley was brewing up.

Led Zeppelin. Communication Breakdown. 1969.



There's something about early Zeppelin that was so good, and yet so fleeting. Before Jimmy Page was diddling 14 year olds in LA's Riot House. Before Bob Plant started talking about hobbits. And way before John Paul Jones donned pink satin with dangly hearts on the sleeve. Yep, early Zep was the epitome of raw, unbridled garage rock. This shit was tough. Like driving an Oldsmobile Toronado through a brick wall, whacked on ludes. Or cold cocking a bar keep because you didn't like his pour, only to continue with your drink with glass stuck in your forehead. This shit is dangerous.

Al Di Meola. Egyptian Danza/Race with the Devil on a Spanish Highway.



There's a point where guitar wizardry evolves into sheer nerdly masturbation. Al Di Meola crosses those boundaries on the regular. I mean, for christ sake, the dude is wearing mom pants, and what looks like a fake clip-on pony tail. I think he might even have a some weird buddhist charm dangling from his neck on an ox-tail choker. Real fucking "mystical" Al. And let's not even get into the shop teacher glasses.

All that said, let's not get lost in the minutia. This dude melts faces for a living. That's all he does.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Magic Man - Heart, 1976



The bad-ass-ness of a true bad-ass band comes through when they play small, not big. Case in point, this hard-on inducing run at Magic Man by Heart.

Monday, June 15, 2009

Big Chief - Dr.John , Professor Longhair , Earl King , The Meters



I think Armyguy summed it up best when he said:
Anytime I think of leaving this shithole, its stuff like this that keeps me home. ;)

Eric Burden and War. Spill the Wine. 1970.



When the dude that "rode the serpent" back in '66, starts tripping his balls off on the daily, you know that the outcome is going to be a bona fide face-melter. And seriously would you fuck with War? Those dudes are like the Latin Funk version of the Crips circa 1970. No brass knuckles. Just bongos bro.

Thin Lizzy. The Rocker.



Good buddy Ryan Falch in Singapore sent me this little ditty. Damn these dudes are good to listen to while playing pool.

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

BIG BOTTOMS




The pinnacle of Cock-Rock

Eddie Hazel & Michael Hampton. Maggot Brain. Maryland 1983.



The soundtrack of the apocalypse. The chords signaling the end of the world. The story goes that while in the studio, George Clinton told a 17 year old Eddie Hazel to "play like your Mamma just died." This is the end result.

Mind.

Blown.

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Paco DeLucia. 1976.



One winter about 13 years ago, I hiked 5 miles through 3 feet of snow to sit in the Petosi hot springs in Southwest Montana. Upon arrival I looked into the night sky and saw a comet navigating its way through the ether. I believe the comet was Hyakutake. I sat in the hot spring and stared at it until dawn, before a raging moose nearly trampled me.

Always thinking ahead, I packed my radio. It had this tape in it.

All This and More - Dead Boys, 1977



Yeah it's just a few chords, but Cheetah lends the right amount of sass. Plus, one of the best opening lines in rock history.

Extra Man - The Fucking Champs, 2006



Fade-free.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

The Bar Kays. Son of Shaft. 1972.



How cool would it be to have the Bar Kays follow you around, wiggling that wah wah strut, accentuating every motion you made? That's like my fantasy.

SPACEMEN 3 - Revolution




Drugs.

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY






Growing up, I would rewatch 'Wayne's World' over and over for that scene in Garth's 'merf-mobile.' Cliché but this shit is pretty epic.

Mountain. Mississippi Queen. 1970.



You know you're living large when you're a fat dude lead man in a band called Mountain. 'Nuff fucking said.

Lucifer's Friend. Riding the Sky.



Passport? Check. Sexy Stewardess? Check. Barf bag? Check.

Catch a jet turbine out of this town, one way ticket face down.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Jaco Pastorius. Santa Barbara County Bowl. 1979.



The underdog. The rhythm section. The backup man. The bullpen. A lot of names have been given to the under appreciated bass player, but only one was crowned JACO. Here's some bass sure to melt your face. Give this pot roast some time, it's just starting to cook.

Flight of the Phoenix - Grand Funk Railroad, 1972



Mark Farner let's Madison Square Garden know that B3 = balls cubed.

The Coming of Prince Kajaku - UFO, 1971



Pre-Schenker lineup. I gotta say I'm a pretty big fan of mick Bolton. Sorry Schenk. Still friends right?

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

The Song Remains the Same - Led Zeppelin



Let's bring it down a little bit from that previous post. Allow ZOSO to take your hand and shred your face by way of double-guitar.

LIGHTNING BOLT - HALLOWEEN PARTY



Let's all take a collective hit of acid, fast forward to 2:00 in and move to Providence.

Friends Forever

The Mysteries of . . .Hold Your Head up - Caustic Resin, 2000



I'm still getting skin grafts a and coughing up black tar. As if the name Caustic Resin wasn't enough, throw in indie-shredders from Dinosaur Jr & Built to Spill and release the choke.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

NITRO-FREIGHT TRAIN COMING



Ear-shattering vocals.
-
Eight way neon lighting effects.
-
Unstoppable hair.
-
Quad-fucking guitar similar to that of an X-Wing.

Friday, May 15, 2009

Frankenstein - Edgar Winter Group, 1973



What Edgar Winter is missing in mealanin, he makes up for in white hot genius! No one before him had leashed himself to a live synth for the sole purpose of battling it Spock and Kirk style on live television. Once he's left the rig in a spent smoldering heap, he takes all comers. Oh, shit, is that a frikking saxophone? BAM! A gang of toms? BAM BAM BAM. "Amazing"

FUCKING HOSTILE



Do you ever want to tear the face off of your fellow man?

Black Coffee - Humble Pie 1973



I was boogilitizing my soul on the Small Faces catalog yesterday, and slipped into this Ike and Tina cover belted away by Steve Marriott in his Humble Pie days. Holy Hannah, that cracker can sing.

ERUPTION



I might as well christen this blog's maiden voyage with a total metal ERUPTION by none other than Mr. Eddie Van Halen himself.

Load up your F-150, open the tailgate, scroll your iPod to your 'fucking awesome' playlist. Melt.

Let There Be Rock! - AC/DC 1977



I know this jam got rode hard by the Guitar Hero folks but, Christ almighty, wet or not this rocker won't be put away.

By AC/DC's fourth album, the transformation of Angus Young from a human with a guitar into Satan's hum-itar hybrid R&R jackhammer was complete.

Let there be ROCK!