IT'S A LIVING… BUT IT'S NOT A LIFE #13.93
J Church / Honey Bear / Some Hope - Peak Travel Time - Death is a star...
MY DAD IS DEAD
And while I do love that band, I just found out the other day that my
Dad did in fact die.
It's been sort of weird. I wasn't very close to him. My parents split
when I was 4 or 5 years old. He went born again sometime when I was in
high school and we completely lost touch after that. We had just started
to email recently. But I hadn't actually seen him in over a decade.
That side of the family has always been a little strange to me. I didn't
get invited to the wedding when my Dad re-married. I didn't find out about
my Grandfather dying until a year or so after the fact. They didn't know
how to reach me when my Dad died on Thursday morning. The only reason
I found out was because a friend of mine from back in high school was
in my Dad's church group. He tracked me down via the J Church website.
Pretty crazy.
So now I've gotta find a way to get back to Hawaii for the memorial service.
It's been set for about a week and a half from now, so I have a little
time to figure out how I'm gonna get there and how I'm gonna afford it.
I'm thinking I should plan to go back for at least five days. Man, flights
to Hawaii and a week in a hotel in the middle of summer...
Anyway, that's where I've been lately. That's why nobody has heard anything.
Like I said, we weren't super close. But he was my Dad and it is fucking
weird...
I keep thinking about Pennyroyal Tea. I think that might
be my favorite Nirvana song. The line "I'm so tired I can't sleep"
feels like my theme. I can't sleep. Anxiety. Stress. Sorta tired of talking
about my Dad's death. But not really bothered either. I'm really dreading
going back to Hawaii for the services... It's like I've got a final exam
in the next two weeks. I've skipped class all semester and now I'm cramming...
Not much to add at the moment, so here are a few older record reviews
I've been meaning to use for something…
IN THE J CHURCH LISTENING ROOM
BLUE HUMANS, THE - Live N.Y. 1980 LP
Not only is this record and excellent example of what the great Beaver
Harris was doing towards the end of his life, it's one of the only clear
examples documented actually combining the `60s avant-garde with experimental
electric guitar. There has been so much talk of people like Hendrix jamming
with Rahsaan Roland Kirk, you can only fantasize that that would be like.
Today, there are so few possibilities in finding appropriate musicians
who wouldn't come off as either self-indulgent or insulting or both to
the point of racism.
Formed by ex-Red Transistor guitarist Rudolph Grey, the initial band
was a two-piece coming up with No Wave cool kids Mars and DNA. But having
seen Tenor great Arthur Doyle on a few occasions and having miraculously
secured a one off duo with Harris, the official version of the Blue Humans
was born. Seeing as jazz clubs wouldn't book this type of band, they wound
up at old stand-bys like CBs and Hurrah. Recorded at the later, this document
is crucial in both giving people a chance to see these great players really
stretch out in a live situation as well as the groundbreaking and unique
meeting between the No Wave guitar skronk and the expressionistic and
experimental playing of the true avant-garde. The recording is as good
as it needs to be and untitled tracks are complete and distinct thoughts
capsulated in accessible segments.
(Audible Hiss)
BUDGET GIRLS - On A Tight Budget LP
Who has met Christen that didn't love her? She's great. She's the Busy
Beaver button girl. She's also 50% of the Budget Girls. There's a bit
of a Headcoatees thing going on, as I really don't think the girls play
any instruments despite the provocative poses with guitars. In fact, I'm
pretty sure that they simply sing their sweet poppy garage punk over the
amazing Cee Bee Beaumont even though the credits claim to be the Morton
Knights.
Recorded at the legendary Toe Rag in London, this is a great little garage
pop platter with really tuneful upbeat songs with euphemistic songs like
We're Tight, Two-Cheek Sneak and Master
Cobbler. I know it was never a serious project. But I really
hope they someday muster up the energy to do a follow-up LP.
(Damaged Goods)
CHRISTIAN DEATH - Only Theatre Of Pain LP
CHRISTIAN DEATH - Deathwish 12"
I really loved Bauhaus when I first heard them. While I was never a
goth, and I think it's worth remembering that Bauhaus were a punk band
and existed long before goth, I did like a lot of bands related to that
scene. I also liked Alien Sex Fiend and Sex Gang Children. I even dug
that first Sisters single for Anaconda. So, I thought
it was really cool reading about how Rikk Agnew of the Adolescents had
split to start Christian Death, SoCal's first serious death rock band.
Only Theatre Of Pain has an amazing guitar sound. Without
using a synth, Agnew finds tones reminiscent of Keith Levine's classic
work. What otherwise might have been identified as experimental punk was
further obscured by the thick and almost campy vocals by Rozz. The highlight
of this totally unique record was the melodic Romeo's Distress
with its Kids Of The Blackhole type guitar work.
What betrays the creepy lyrics and the dark mood of this album is the
cover art. The elements are in place but come off more like a Creepy Magazine
version of death rock rather than a truly pagan effort. That was conquered
on the Deathwish 12" released by L'Invitation Au
Suicide in France. The eerie face painted on the cover is matched by the
insert booklet with more unnerving images.
His last record with the band, Agnew plays some of his heaviest and most
inspired guitar parts. With three new versions of tracks from the previous
LP including a rocking version of Romeo's Distress, the
title track starts with a huge riff worthy of Sabbath.
(Frontier Records, L'Invitation Au Suicide)
Back to Article Index
|
