The Black Album is fourth album by The
Damned. Released by Chiswick Records in October of 1980 (just in time
for Halloween), it was a double album set that obviously references
The Beatles' White Album. However when it was released by their US
label I.R.S. Records it was trimmed down to just a single disc. Which
is fine because what was omitted (a side of live versions of past
hits) and a seventeen-minute composition (“Curtain Call”) are
both on the skippable side.
The album contains a few Damned classics
“Wait For The Blackout”, “Hit Or Miss”, “Dr. Jeckle &
Mr Hyde” and the stand-out “Drinking About My Baby”.Musically
there's a subtle change in direction from the full-throttle punk rock
of their first few albums. There are elements of jangle pop, power
pop and goth rock. Some of the songs aren't that
successful, while others certainly are. It's definitely one of the
Damned's last great albums and worthy of at least a listen or three.
The Fleshtones - originally from Queens, now of Brooklyn - and Nashville's luchador-masked Los Straitjackets (featuring Deke Dickerson) were the bands performing this year at Brooklyn's The Bell House Halloween show. And there were many costumed-patrons there to celebrate the festive holiday as well. I've been a fan of both Los Straitjackets and The Fleshtones for many years and the thing that these bands share: their blends of surf and garage rock stylings with various other elements unique to the individual bands. Neither bands ever fails to deliver an entertaining performance and both make it look all too easy.
I'd seen these two bands (along with Southern Culture on The Skids) perform last Halloween-season at Brooklyn Bowl, so I'd come to know what to expect. The Fleshtones deliver solid, dependable 60's styled R&B-infused garage rock: "Super Rock", as they've long dubbed it. And the fully-formed fourteen-song set they delivered was excellent, and I believe, took more than a few audience-members by surprise. The band casually strolled onto the stage from the side of bar, while playing one of their Halloween standards, "Dance With The Goulman" via wireless bass & guitar. Lead singer Peter Zaremba walked around with a bucket of candy and distributed it to the crowd. The band then launched into their big should-have-been hit from the original motion picture soundtrack (and title-track) I Was A Teenage Zombie.
The band performed songs from their newest album - their twentieth in all - Wheel Of Talent ("What You're Talking About", " Remember The Ramones" & "Veo La Luz"), as well as songs from their last few Yep Roc releases - the band's label since 2002 - from 2008's Take A Good Look ("Feels Good To Feel"), 2005's Beachead ("Pretty Pretty Pretty") and from 2003's Do You Swing? (a cover of the Coastliners' "Alright"). Despite a fan gripe that The Fleshtones rarely venture into their wonderful and woefully-overlooked I.R.S. Records catalog of material, the band's choice of material was satisfying.
I've yet to see a band more forthcoming in their performance without grossly overstating things than The Fleshtones. Bands half their age (their average mean-age for the band members is 50) have much to learn from these guys. Bassist Ken Fox, Drummer Bill Milhizer and Guitarist Keith Streng are still as vital as ever. They've been preaching the word since 1976 and show no signs of slowing down. If these guys are in your town, by all means check them out!
The Fleshtones, above, in mock-heroic pose. And the band in human-pyramid mode.
Before exiting the stage Fleshtones lead singer Peter Zaremba reliably informed the audience that "only the Fleshtones know how handsome Los Straitjackets are".
Los Straitjackets performing above, in perfectly-synced surf guitar pose.
Instrumental surf rock masters Los Straitjackets are currently on tour supporting their newest album Sings The Great Instrumental Hits!!! with special guest vocalist Deke Dickerson. The album tackles instrumental hits such as "Pipeline", "Miserlou", "Popcorn" & "Theme From A Summer Place". However these songs had lyrics all along and Dickerson is here to reinstate them back to the public consciousness. Deke Dickerson is an excellent surf rock guitarist, but he is a just an okay vocalist.
So, to have one of the great modern-day surf rock bands perform with a just-okay vocalist is anti-climatic to say the least. I overheard someone behind me mumble "uh-oh, it's the show killer" when Deke, dressed like a Dracula Elvis, gamely sauntered out for his first song.
The band performed only three instrumental songs, the last being a spooky version of "Theme For Halloween", before being joined by Deke (who overall put on a pretty good performance). If you've ever seen Los Straitjackets perform and are a fan of their instrumental greatness, you can only imagine their set being tainted by a vocalist, let alone an average one. If the band are on tour without a guest vocalist, they must be seen to be believed.
A very special Halloween edition of Talk About Pop Music: Vinyl Views. I'll be reviewing four Halloween-themed vinyl. recordings
Mondo Zombie Boogaloo: 100 Years of Roc is a Yep Roc Records Halloween-themed various artists compilation. It contains four tracks by The Fleshtones, five by Los Straitjackets, five by Southern Culture On The Skids and one track ("Que Monstrous Son" - "Monster Mash" en Espanol) featuring all three bands. All three bands are also signed to Yep Roc records as well. The album holds-up surprisingly well with tracks by The Fleshtones ("Dracula A Go Go" & "Ghoulman Confidential) and Los Straitjackets ("Ghostbusters" & "Theme From Halloween") as the big winners here.
There's satisfying flow of consistency in surf, garage and rockabilly that has always suited Halloween or Horror-themed rock. It's a nice modern addition to this tradition. The double-vinyl is colored green and purple. The vinyl also comes with an enclosed CD copy of the album too!
Halloween Horrors: The Sounds Of Halloween (A&M 1977) is a nostalgia-placeholder for many a thirty-something. It's not a terribly good release, however it could also be a lot worse, I suppose. Side one is an ostensibly would-be scary story that doesn't add up to too much (I guess it can't be too scary). And side two is a collection of seemingly-synthesized sound-effects. Some of these are quite nice; the "Pipe Organ" track is excellent. Most of them are run-of the mill sound-effect tracks.
Recommended if it's very cheap or very free.
Monster Rap - Bobby (Boris) Pickett Featuring Bobby Paine (Easy Street Records 1984) is a cheesy stab at exploiting the Halloween market via the hip-hop genre in the mid 80's. Aside from it being Pickett's last release (famous for his 1962 novelty release "Monster Mash") there's virtually no redeeming qualities to this curiosity. The claymation artwork on the sleeve resembles the hologram figures in the chess game played in Star Wars.
Not really recommended for lovers of even the most dire kitsch.
Last but not least is "Screamin' Skull" (I.R.S. Records 1983) by The Fleshtones. The lyrics are basically about amphetamines and living fast in Los Angeles, as the band was doing at the time. It's set in a faux-horror garage rock setting, complete with honking saxophone and spooky organ intro.
It's the second single release for the band's amazing Hexbreaker album. Despite it's very "American-sound" the label made the possibly wrong-headed decision to only release this (and the first single from this album) only in the U.K.. The B-Side is a nice cover of the John Lee Hooker atheist rave-up "Burning Hell", which also nudges the single into Halloween/Horror genre. An excellent should-have-been-hit-single from Queens New York's finest purveyors of "Super Rock".
