Die Neue Deutsche Welle

   I decided to celebrate Memorial Day in my own special way today.   That is, by scouring the cheap bins of local flea markets for some new records.    My only purchase today was this gem:

 

   "Die Neue Deutsche Welle Is Da Da Da" (The New German Wave is Da Da Da) caught my eye with its beautiful German flag sleeve.   I recognized a few artists listed, such as Yello of "Oh Yeah!" and Ferris Bueller's Day Off fame.   First listen revealed some great tracks such as "Scherbenlilli" by Claudia Robot and "Taxi" by Jawoll.   The internet has surprising little information about most of these groups.   I'm curious to learn more about Claudia Robot, although from I can it seems she(?) only released one single.    There is some really excellent material here for the lovers of quirky new-wave that brings to mind equals parts Flying Lizards and Lene Lovich.   

Breaking The Law

  I am not a Judas Priest fan, but I love this song.
I love it even more after watching the video yesterday morning, and then feeling the need to jump into storefronts and yell "breakin' the law, breakin' the law" for the rest of the day.





  More importantly, whenever I even think about this song, I flashback to this great moment in television history.

You Know I'm No Good (Volume 1)

  There has been a great deal of lazy writing about the career and life of Amy Winehouse since her death in July of last year.   These articles generally took one of two easy ways out; highlighting either her troubled personal life, or her sure-to-be-legendary status as a musician following her demise.   I'm not here to do either of those things.   Amy Winehouse was and is not in the discussing for greatest vocalists of all time.   What she did accomplish, however, is to create one fantastic record (2006's "Back to Black"), a throwback to sounds of the past when the music industry was dominated by dancefloor electronic pop, while managing to fuse in just enough of those modern touches to appeal to the younger set and top the charts in the United Kingdom and hit #2 here in the states.

   The "You Know I'm No Good" will hopefully become a running series.   After all, there is certainly no shortage of musical icons who led troubled lives.   The focus is intended to be on the music and the high points of the featured artists.   Enough has been already about the low points.

Death to the Pixies?

 We've all heard the horror stories of band reunions.   99% of them are shameless cash grabs, and the last few years of touring by the formerly fearsome foursome of underground rock PIXIES are absolutely no different.   The band reconvened in 2004 to much acclaim and many sold out shows, and produced a new single and waves of rumors regarding a new album in the making.   Sadly, instead of being revitalized and providing their incredibly loyal fanbase with their first new record since 1991's Trompe le Monde, Black Francis and company have done absolutely nothing but tour and tour again, the most ludicrous of all being the Doolittle 20th anniversary tour, which has somehow turned into a three year excursion.   I suppose it's the 23rd anniversary tour now.
   I don't mean to put the band down as musicians, and I still love all the albums as dearly as I did before the reunion.   The real bone I have to pick is that the band has steered clear of the working-class venues where they made their living in the 80's and 90's, and are now preparing for a tour of state theatres in places like Easton, Pennsylvania, charging upwards of $80 per ticket.   I expect the Elton John's of the world to charge such exorbitant prices, but from the real saviors of rock and roll in the post-hair metal era (sorry Kurt Cobain, the PIXIES were doing it first) it seems like a slap in the face. 

Sugartown

 I haven't gone.   I just needed a moment to collect my thoughts.

The Magnificent Jeff Mangum

   Well, this project isn't off to the most fabulous start so far.   Then again, I need to decide if I want to get it "out there" or just share my neurosis with a few close friends.
   It would please me to feature some music occasionally, and since this blog is quite frankly only in existence for my pleasure at this point, that is exactly what I would like to do today.
   I am very excited that my friend Joseph was able to acquire tickets for us to see Jeff Mangum at a very small church venue in September, and am forever thankful to him for the absurd amount of time he spent doing so.   Mangum was the frontman of the 90's band Neutral Milk Hotel, who released little material save for the spectactular album "In The Aeroplane Over The Sea".   Still something of a cult classic, it has been compared by the people who listen to these sorts of things to Pink Floyd's seminal "Dark Side of the Moon" record, not in style or substance, but because it serves as a touchstone for a very certain type of person who grew up in a very specific time period.    Mangum has a reputation as a recluse and has perfomed only a handful of concerts within the last decade or so, making the opportunity to see him in person all the more exciting.   I'll leave you with a video of Jeff Mangum performing the titular "In The Aeroplane Over The Sea" in 1998.  Apologies for the poor quality.