Friday, September 24, 2010

Randy Holden. Fruit & Icebergs. 1969.



Holy shit, this is so brutal. This is the guy that replaced Leigh Stephens in Blue Cheer. DOOMY!

"He's a good candidate for selection as the great unknown 1960s rock guitar hero. No other American guitarist was as skilled at creating the kind of sustain-heavy, snaky guitar lines pioneered by Jeff Beck in the Yardbirds. His recordings with the Fender IV, Sons of Adam, Ugly Things the Other Half, Blue Cheer and as a solo artist don't only contain some feverishly innovative playing."

'Nuff said.

Leigh Stephens. Another Dose of Life. 1969.



Leigh Stephens melted skulls for a little band called Blue Cheer before jumping across the pond and diddling with some well established Brits. Here's one with Mick Waller and Nicky Hopkins from the original Jeff Beck Group. This album has a lot more light and shade than you would expect from the Blue Cheer riff lord, but it rules nonetheless.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Beggars Opera. Raymonds Road. 1971.



Ricky Gardiner's skillful string slaughter sniffs of Moroccan couscous. Pretty worldly for a Scottish dude. So worldly he played for Bowie on the Low album and Iggy Pop on Lust for Life. That's a run worth a kilt lift or two. Riff on dude.

Be Careful With a Fool - Johnny Winter, 1970.

Friday, September 17, 2010

Ted Nugent - Stranglehold



Truthfully, Ted Nugent is the only man in the world who can get away with doing this. Not saying it's right or wrong, I'm just saying.

Enjoy this 8 minute epic hymn by way of Midnight Special.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

The Byrds-Chestnut Mare-1970. German Television.



If not for the drummer, this jam might have just completely fell apart. Nice rolling bass lines though. And way to get monstrously ripped before your appearance on German Television, dudes. That's how I roll, too.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Show announced! Crow / Uriah Heep - Medina Entertainment Center, Fri. Nov. 5, 2010.




The troglodytes emerging from their stalactated lairs will be lining up for double shots of molten lead. This show is going to be that heavy.

Dust. Thusly Spoken. 1972.



You dudes into Dust? You are now.

MAN-Daughter of the Fireplace. 1970.



I guess they had an entire album banned in the UK due to a "simulated" female orgasm in one of the songs. Judging by their desperado looks and dangerous licks, I'm betting that orgasm was as real as the itch in my crotch.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Atomic Rooster. A Spoonful of Bromide Helps The Pulse Rate Go Down. 1972.



Imagine for a moment that you're the hotel maid assigned to clean the rooms of the respective members of Atomic Rooster. After haplessly assessing the carnage, you compose yourself. You can do this. You wake the medicated groupies, you dump the mountainous ashtray, you pour out the last foul slosh of bong water. Miraculously, you're going to be just fine. You can actually see carpet through technicolor vomit and bile. You feel accomplished, if not a bit nauseous.

Then you find yourself face-to-face with a raccoon sized hair ball in the shower drain. You drop your dust pan, and solemnly admit defeat.

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Phil Lynott. Fool's Gold. 1976.



I'm not exactly sure why Phil is rocking without the the Lizzy's in this televised performance, but this song is probably my favorite TL songs and it's the only semi-live rendition I could find.

There's a weird Spinal Tap vibe in the opening that deserves extra face melter points.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Jethro Tull. Cross-eyed Mary. 1976.



There are only a few bands that can out geek Rush, and Jethro Tull is definitely one of them. The interesting thing is that if you shed the fruity frontman/busker/flute poof, this band really fucking shreds.