MEDICATION: A BUDDYHEAD BLOG

I ain't posting mp3s anymore, so I'm just gonna start bragging about shit...

Last week ruled. I saw Pete Townshend play at my friend Marko's Hotel Cafe (some Billy dude from some Pumpkins band played too, someone said he was big in the 90s), saw The Who play The Hollwood Bowl from the very last row in the place but the tickets were free (thank you to the people who gave them to us, you're rad) with Oasis' drummer (and Ringo Starr's kid) Zach Starkey on drums (KILLING IT), got see the Los Angeles premiere of the new Oasis movie "Lord Don't Slow Me Down" and afterwards we saw Noel Gallagher and Gem Archer play every Oasis song you wished they'd play but never do (check the photo on the left BIOTCH)... "Talk Tonight", "The Masterplan" , "Whatever"... it was awesome. If someone can find a bootleg of that show, let me know (it was on November 9th, 2006) cuz you'll hear Aaron and myself "positively heckling" them. Check out this quote from this Post Chronicle article.

Noel was also in fine humorous form when he told a fan to "f**k off" after he requested to hear a drum solo.

He quipped: "You're obviously on some very serious drugs. Someone should take them off you and put then in my dressing room."

As the night was coming to an end, Noel announced he was "going to get absolutely hammered after this" and signed off saying, "Thank you for coming but you should be thanking me , because I'm not getting paid and it cost me money to get here!

Oh and afterward we went to a bar called the "Liquid Kitty" (get it, WET PUSSY) and pounded beers and whiskey shots while Aaron told Noel we were the ones yelling "SHIT YEAH", "FUCK EM UP NOEL", "DRUM SOLO" & HELL MOTHERFUCKIN YEAH" in between every song and takled to him about drugs, chicks, guitar pedals and Rammstein. Shit went off!

Seeing as how this post is just me bragging for the most part... Might as well brag about a band that just put out a really good record on my label... The Cassettes - "Neath The Pale Moon" hits stores on November 28th! Make sure you check the songs they have for your "streaming pleasure" on their fancy pants myspace website. Aside from all that, the band has posted a bunch of live videos on youtube from their show @ The Knitting Factory in New York City. They've also posted the second episode of their ongoing pod-cast, this one features them in Italy playing live... nothing like foreign interviews! Check out the action by click here for the pod-cast. Also check out their fancy new website @ http://www.thecassettes.com/cms/. I must warn you, it looks like a newspaper. And if you haven't read The Cassettes' wikipedia page, it's a must read... yes, it's all true.

Oh... and by the way, I'm not posting mp3s on here anymore cuz people were complaining that our host was SLOW AS BALLS and I don't have time to waste your time.

The Cassettes - Lady Faire (Live, Knitting Factory 2006)


The Cassettes - Sweet Virginia (Live, Knitting Factory 2006)


The Cassettes - Burglar (Live, Knitting Factory 2006)


The Cassettes - Small & Tired (Live, Knitting Factory 2006)


The Cassettes - Invisible One (Live, Knitting Factory 2006)


The Cassettes - Muja Achi (Live, Knitting Factory 2006)


The Cassettes - Our Whispers (Live, Knitting Factory 2006)

Best & Worst Records of 2005

Buddyhead's Best & Worst Records of 2005 list is up finally (So is a tiny bit of Gossip as well), it was compiled by Aaron North, Tom Apostolopoulos, Josh Homme & myself.  I hope you dig it, but if you don't then just know you're totally a douche-drinker.  Plain and Simple.  While you're reading away, you should listen to one of our "best picks"... The Gris Gris doing their little number, "Down With Jesus". Check out the crazy part at the end where they totally jam it out dude, shit rips like my bong.

(CLICK HERE TO READ BUDDYHEAD'S BEST & WORST RECORDS OF 2005)

(Download - "Down With Jesus")

Coast Ghost

I dunno, but I suspect that this type of post could be viewed as inappropriate nepotism or even self-aggrandizing boosterism. But regardless, I think it's worth it if this stuff gets heard and it spurs his endeavor further... Coast Ghost is the nom-de-tune of Andrew Rothbard, former singer/keyboardist of Pleasure Forever and bassist/keyboardist of The VSS. I also played drums in those bands (if you want to call me out for promoting my own former bands, so be it), but I have nothing at stake in Coast Ghost, a project that Andy started as a 4-track-based solo acoustic thing during the miserable time we'd spent living in a small house in Portland writing the Pleasure Forever album Alter in 2002. They were bleak and trying times for us and the seething spirit of Andy's own tempest is glaringly apparent in these great, albeit inchoate songs. At one point during a visit to Colorado, he paired up with multi-instrumentalist and longtime friend Jeb Bows (who also lent his violin mastery to the first two records by pre-Pleasure Forever incarnation SLAVES) for a live radio session in which he debuted a handful of new songs. The first track is a somber and sober waltz called "Candy Cane and Lemonade" that truly reminds me of everything that I love about Andy's songwriting and lyrics -- it's simple and catchy like a nursery rhyme, but the words lovingly bespeak an ambivalence about the gray area between living and dying. More importantly, it reminds me of a time that I thought none of us would escape with our lives (and there are a few I know who didn't) and that if somehow we'd be able to reclaim our innocence, it would cost us everything we had. The words themselves seem almost nonsensical and trite, but they evoke powerful images of deathly finality: "candy cane, lemonade and a sleep for a thousand years/Spend your last dime on a cigarette." The palate is cleansed, the chalkboard erased, the pockets emptied. The second song is an early version (with very different lyrics) of the song that later became "Czarina" by Pleasure Forever. In comparison, I really like the hushed desperation and restrained hostility of this version of the song much better. "This is my ghost town/ And if you think you'll take it back..."
  Please bear in mind, the "official" Coast Ghost songs and recordings -- which are far more twisted, esoteric and transcendent -- have not yet been released, although Andy has certainly painstakingly worked them over repeatedly on his 4-track and in his mind. I know that at some point he plans to release an album, but nothing is clearly set in stone at this juncture. These recordings are not officially sanctioned by him, but I wanted to share these songs and I hope we can all expect further Coast Ghost outings in the near future.

(Download - "Candy Cane and Lemonade")

(Download - "Czarina")

Lavender Diamond - the Calvary of Light

Lavender Diamond embodies that truly rare and often-hijacked notion called "art-rock" -- in which ideas informed of a broader reach and range than a simple retro-revision of the prior decade's pop culture adapt the forms of popular music in order to present a challenging, thought-provoking and esoteric distortion of the commonplace. That is a complicated way of saying that it sounds as much classic as it sounds definitive of a new era. Despite the increasingly tiresome freak-folk flag flying that has caught this Los Angeles quartet in its breeze, Lavender Diamond's renaissance ballads are epic and simple, flowingly Baroque and transcendently surreal, gloriously melodic and monolithic. Its debut 4-song EP, The Calvary of Light is just about the best new release I'd heard all last year.

Vocalist Becky Stark's cherubic voice and mantra-like lyrics simultaneously convey an innocence and cynicism, as if each song arose from the primordial murk in which words like "dream the kind of life that you will find/ the kind of love that lasts forever" take on an entirely new meaning. She sings with a wounded hope similar to Sandy Denny and the tarnished charm of Nico, while the band -- guitarist Jeff Rosenberg (formerly of Tarentel and Young People), keyboardist Steve Gregoropolous and percussionist/visual artist Ron Rege Jr. -- provide the perfect collision of Fairport Convention with the Velvet Underground.

Lavender Diamond has unfortunately been tagged as part of the freak-folk scene, and its recently released split single with Devendra Banhart's backing band Queens of Sheba on the visionary Cold Sweat label (who are also rumored to be re-releasing the limited-release 4-song EP this spring) adds further beard-by-association. However, unlike the new grunge (sported by the myriad shaggy neo-hippy "Beardharts" you can spot on any casual stroll through Williamsburg or visit to the Little Joy in L.A.), Lavender Diamond's music is much more chamber pop and neo-classical Wagnerian 21st Century psychedelic-opera than anything else. Regardless, I'm sure it's only a matter of time before this band transcends such narrow definitions with its lush and intelligent songs.

(Download - "YouBrokeMyHeart")

(Download - "In Heaven There Is No Heat")

(Download - "Rise In the Springtime")

Jaco Pastorius - "Jaco Pastorius"

When I start to think about all of the tragic figures in music, it's not long before the image of Jaco Pastorius begins to float on the horizon. Best known for his stint in Weather Report, even in death, Jaco continues to be the bellwether for all of those who crave exploring the outer limits of an electric bass guitar. Growing up in Florida, Jaco was originally a drummer, and a damn good one at that. However, after breaking the wrist of his snare hand playing football, he switched to bass. His immediate grasp of the instrument was unheard of at the time. Within a matter of weeks, he was turning heads with his ability on the four string. Eventually, he would straight out proclaim himself as "the world's greatest bass player." CBS execs heard about this phenom from the Sunshine State and signed him. The result was Jaco's debut, simply entitled "Jaco Pastorius". Listen to Jaco himself talk about some of the tracks on this record ('The Real Deal'). Yes he's cocky but homesqueeze can back it up. Check out the funky-ass, rapid-fire finger attack on the chorus of 'Come On, Come Over' (featuring the vocals of Sam & Dave - the dudes who sang 'Soul Man'). Lastly, his complete mastery of bass harmonics is displayed on the beautiful track 'Portrait Of Tracy', a tune written for his old lady (headphones recommended). This shit made my hair stand up the first time I heard it. In his 20's and at the peak of his powers, the ugly signs of mental illness began to appear. Combined with all the booze and blow of the Weather Report days, Jaco's sickness sent him into a downward spiral. He would be seen wandering the streets of Manhattan, disheveled and homeless, carrying a copy of Weather Report's "8:30" under his arm. One 4th of July, he set up his amp in the middle of a NYC park and blasted out a completely undecipherable version of 'The Star Spangled Banner'. Friends tried desperately to help him out but he kept them away with his completely unpredictable behavior. The end finally came on September 21, 1987 at the Midnight Bottle Club in Ft. Lauderdale, Fl. Jaco was allegedly out of his mind drunk and in a real belligerent mood. An altercation with a bouncer at the club left Jaco in front of the joint with a fractured skull and lying in a pool of his own blood. Dead at 35. We miss you bruddah.

(Download - "Come On, Come Over")

(Download - "The Real Deal")

(Download - "Portrait of Tracy")

Personality Crisis

OK, you want weird, but oddly cool and unique vocals? Personality Crisis was a short-lived band from Winnipeg, Manitoba -- hey, that's Canada! -- who won the dubious honor of helping to introduce metallic guitar riffs, focused musicianship and (ack!) solos to hardcore punk in 1983. Their singer had a distinctive, deep voice that sounds like he's got a mouthful of Canadian bacon and ought to weigh about 400 lbs (or, roughly 200 kg... those Canucks use the metric system, bra.) But, in actuality he was a svelte lumberjack at the time of this recording.
   Of course, several other bands really ran with the metalcore thing, and Personality Crisis weren't really "metal" in many senses of the word, but at the time its guitar sound was far beefier than most hardcore groups, the songs were slower, weirder and tighter. Hell, there's even a cool little drum/bass breakdown with a nasty little vocal soliloquy in the middle of "Piss On You" that's equal parts hard rock pomp, Vegas showtune swing and punk vitriol. The drumming is powerful and precise, thanks to future DOA and SNFU pugilist Jon Card. The guitar riffs are meaty and expressive. But, again, my favorite part of this band is the utterly perverse character of the vocals. Listen to his oddly placed squeals and yelps on "Case History" and the forceful delivery and sleazy slurring on "Piss On You."

"Case History" comes from the great and sadly long out-of-print Rat Music For Rat People Vol. 2 compilation released by CD presents. A "best of" disc was issued a while back, but it's equally difficult to locate.

"Piss On You" comes from the BYO compilation Something To Believe In. The vinyl version is still available from BYO, as well as a CD compilation adding on the Someone Got their Head Kicked In collection.

For a thorough band history, and great overview of the Canadian punk scene, visit CanadianPunkHistory.com

(Download - "Piss On You")

(Download - "Case History")

Two Gallants - "Nothing To You"

I think this is my favorite new drinking band.  Hailing from San Francisco, Two Gallants play a very interesting take on 30’s era acoustic blues, interpreted by two early 20s white boys.  1 electric guitar/vocalist/harmonica player and 1 drummer.  Unique, yet oddly familiar.  “Nothing To You” is one the best tracks off their full length, “The Throes,” and is always a crowd pleaser.  The guitar playing in this band is really awesome.  Really good finger picking, slides, capos, all that jazz.  Not to mention the lyrics, which often read like short stories.  All backed up by very intricate drumming, that is at times jagged and chaotic, perfectly fitting the guitar playing.  I must say, the best songs I have heard from these guys are their new tunes that have not been recorded yet… I am looking forward to their next record.  Pick this up, or better yet, catch them live.

(Download - "Nothing To You")

The Red Crayola - "Transparent Radiation"

The Red Crayola, who later changed their named to The Red Krayola to avoid a lawsuit with those people who make crayons, is Mayo Thompson. He's the only original member and he wrote all the songs to boot. From what I hear "they" are still a band and Mayo is a teacher somewhere here in LA (anyone know where or what he teaches?). "Transparent Radiation" appears in a very bizarre (and borderline annoying) arrangement on the first Red Krayola album "Parable of Arable Land", but this is a stripped down demo version that's 1,000 times better and actually the one that Spacemen 3 covered. The part where Mayo laughs on this song is the best! You can find this with four other Red Crayola demo songs on the label comp "Epitaph For A Legend" along side tracks from 13th Floor Elevators (which for once don't have that retarded jug instrument all their other songs have), Spades (Roky Erickson's other band) who do a version of "You're Gonna Miss Me" that's pretty out of tune, an interview with Roky Erickson (which makes little to no sense and makes it crystal clear why the dude spent time in an insane asylum), Inner Space (who butcher my favorite Led Zeppelin song "Communication Breakdown" in a beautifully punk way), and a bunch of other shit in the same vain that's worth checking out.

(Download - "Transparent Radiation")

(Download - "Roky Erickson Interview 4/1/78")

The Electric Prunes - I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)

I don't know much about The Electric Prunes except that they were from Los Angeles in the 60's, they were on the Nuggets boxset, they made a few descent albums (this one, "Underground" & their "Stockholm 67' live"), they didn't write most of their songs (songwriters did), and they had a song on the Easy Rider soundtrack. Speaking of Easy Rider, the documentary on the making of that's on the DVD of the movie is fucking amazing if you haven't seen it yet. It talks about how Dennis Hooper was tripping balls on acid the whole time he was trying to direct the movie, how Peter Fonda was banging everyone in sight, how the whole crew was stoned outta their gordes the whole time, & how the scene where Jack Nicholson smokes pot around the campfire was totally unscripted (he was just that baked)... anyways, check it out.

(Download - "I Had To Much To Dream (Last Night)

John Lennon - "Plastic Ono Band"

Plastic Ono Band is John Lennon's first official and (by far) my favorite solo record. Heck, I listen to this record more than I do any of The Beatles records. If I ever get stranded on a desert island I hope this is one of the records I have with me. This album plays like a self-help record to me. Whenever I'm feeling down, depressed or just unsure about life, I throw on "Plastic Ono Band" and John tells me how it is, that he's been through the same fucked up shit and that everything's gonna be alright. And if anyone knows about that shit I'm guessing it’s him, because homeboy had more issues than anyone I know. The Beatles had just broken up and John has just completed what he called 'Primal Scream' therapy (hence the reason he’s screaming his brains out on “Well Well Well”) with Dr. Arthur Janov. He used this album to exorcise allot of his demons and basically purge everything there was to purge. This is the unveiling of the "real" John Lennon as he lashes out at the world and lets loose a lot of his pain, which in turn sounds like the punkest folk record I've ever heard. Although the whole album is great, these two tracks are my favorites (“Working Class Hero is a close third). "I Found Out" is about his disgust for religion (Christianity – “There ain’t no Jesus gonna come from the Sky” & Krishnas - "Ole Hare Krishna got nothing on you, just keeps you crazy with nothing to do") and an ironic encouragement to say no to drugs (“Don’t let them fool you with dope and cocaine, no one can harm you feel your own pain"). And I love how "Remember" takes what seems to be forever to get to the cheerful bridge of “Don't feel sorry 'bout the way it's gone, Don't you worry 'bout what you've done”. Oh and if you buy the cd, ignore the bonus tracks “Do The Oz” and “Power To The People”, they’re total bummers.

(Download - "I Found Out")

(Download - "Remember)