December 30, 2006

Chirp Your Enthusiasm

My friend Miles who introduced me to the Welsh band Budgie always had a theory that they missed out on the sales and success of Black Sabbath (who sometimes had a similar sound - tight but sludgy guitars, falsetto singer - and who shared with Budgie the services of legendary producer Rodger Bain) because, looks-wise, Sabbath had medieval castles, graveyards and spooky crosses in their album art, while Budgie went with Roger Dean and that cute li’l parakeet.

In other words, Budgie neglected certain trappings of serious badass-ism (scowling, strutting, shirtlessness and pyrotechnics) in favor of monster rock riffs and finely-crafted psychedelia. Not that they don’t have a loyal following, but when you peer through the coke-bottle lenses of Burke Shelley’s proto-nerdcore spectacles, it’s easy to reach the conclusion that these guys weren’t overly image-conscious. (I mean, look at ‘em. They’re just having fun playing music. That’ll never do.)

Check out this awesome 1973 film of “Breadfan” (a classic tune later covered by some lesser lights) that I bagged from YouTube - sporting better fake-sync sound than yer average 2006 rap video:

(The direct URL is here.)

If you’re not into the hard rock, it can difficult to explain what’s so charming about Budgie. They aren’t over-the-top or chaotic sounding (their songs are sometimes absurdly mannered and precise) or emotionally distraught like metallish bands are “supposed” to sound. They make a “big” noise that somehow seems like it’s trapped in a small, dark room. They easily slip into sweet, folksy, pretty interludes - check out “Rolling Home Again” from the second LP, below - that might alienate a few Judas Priest fans (the two bands toured together in the early days). There’s a humble, wry sense of humor in the lyrics that imply it’s not to be taken all that seriously.

But man, what riffage! (Sorry, you have to use terms like that when you’re writing about this stuff.) When guitar demigod Tony Bourge starts chugging out one of his stadium-ready hooks, and drummer Ray Phillips dictates a slow, heavy groove, it’s too much trouble to fight the rhythm. Go with it. Somehow, the combination just works.

The original three-man lineup of those spry young whippersnappers is now gigging again, and of course they have a website. Marvel at the photos showing how well they’ve physically held up, compared to the shuffling, jiving walking corpses of most of their contemporaries. Despite my normally strict policy against fogey-rock reunions, I’d definitely go see the ol’ birdies if I got the chance. This band deserved way more than they got.

From Squawk (1972):
Budgie - “Whisky River”
Budgie - “Rolling Home Again”
Budgie - “Hot as a Docker’s Armpit”
Budgie - “Drugstore Woman / Bottled”

From Bandolier (1975):
Budgie - “I Can’t See My Feelings / Rock Climbing”
Budgie - “Napoleon Bona-Part One & Two”

Rick at 10:36 pm

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December 26, 2006

Experiment

I’m trying a little internets test: A little something about Britney Spears’ pussy (NSFW). Carry on with your lives and please forgive this crude interruption.

Rick at 12:17 pm

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December 23, 2006

Fucked It All Up

Merry Christmas, goddamn it! Holidays mean nothing to me except for an unwelcome disruption, and this year, a long drive to Fresno to visit with the family. At best, it’s an opportunity to do some xmas shopping at Wacko and ogle that gorgeous Asian girl with the multiple lip piercings. Anyway, it’s not too late to buy me a present, if that’s what you’re into…

The Black Diamond Heavies are a neo-bluespunk duo that play a gimmicky but irresistible, stripped-down, raw, swinging kind of music that’s a little less highbrow than the Black Keys and a lot more cultured than Blues Hammer. They were apparently a three-piece until last March, when the guitar player quit the band, but have honed their crowd-rousing skills (before & since) by relentlessly touring everywhere, except where I live. I’ve never heard their earlier first record, but I aim to.

The first thang about the Heavies‘ sound that grabbed me was the booming, overmodulated Hammond bass drone that is a signature of their best tunes. It’s just a kick-ass blast of unrefined low-frequency sugar that makes John Wesley Myers’ precision burbling rhythmic organ riffs sound fresh. The drummer, Van Campbell, plays straight-ahead rock stomp with a twist of swing, except when it’s time to tone it all down for a quiet number. Some songs work better than others, but I can attest to the entire album’s solidity and staying power (i.e., you can listen to it more than twice without getting bored). It’s not often that I get hold of a band’s advance material (thanks, Patrick!), and like it, and get a chance to share it with my loyal 14 web readers. The two songs here are taken from a CD called Every Damn Time that will hit “the streets” in five weeks. Have a taste.

Of all the latest roots-punk singers that fall into the Captain Beefheart cookie-monster blues shtick, Myers is “one of the good ones.” There’s soul up in there. He’s also a member of the Immortal Lee County Killers. Sure, if you reflexively hate the crazy cool modern phenomenon of white boys playing a kind of reverse race card - something that falls between old-negro-worship and self-parody - why then, you’ll hate this too. But then, y’all probably hate punk rock, the Gories and the Oblivians. Fuck y’all. The rest of us will definitely be picking up this choice nugget at the end of January.

Black Diamond Heavies - “Fever in My Blood”

Black Diamond Heavies - “Leave It in the Road”

UPDATE 2-6-07: The lovely Rick Saunders has uploaded some YouTube videos of a stellar Heavies in-store performance last week in St. Augustine, FL. Check out parts ONE, TWO & THREE!

Rick at 9:34 am

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