Exploring unheralded rock songs from many genres including classic rock, hard rock, psych, garage, metal, proto-punk, punk, post-punk, and the occasional blues tune...
What better way to end the year than with an epic psych rock track off of the only original album by San Francisco's Fifty Foot Hose. If you ever get a chance to pick up this album, Cauldron, do it. Good stuff.
I always like it when I can stumble across great rock music that was created outside of Europe or North America. Earlier entries have featured music from Zambia and Indonesia. Today's entry is from early 70's Nigeria. It's a nice mix of rock and the percussion of world music.
For today, let's just enjoy some straight up rock n' roll out of the rich early 2000's Detroit garage rock scene. Here are the Paybacks with a track off of their second full length release, Harder and Harder. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phqtNSpBGWk
Ann Arbor's Rationals rode out the 60's garage rock genre right to the end of the 60's before calling it quits. Here they are from one of their last singles. You can hear the band trying to get a bit psychedelic, but it probably wasn't first nature for them(not with a name like The Rationals, anyway)
Pretty Maids are unique in that they are a Danish band playing New Wave of British Heavy Metal music, but gained most popularity in Japan. Still, the band has been going since 1981 to this day with varying lineups. Here they are from their debut self-titled 1983 EP.
2016 was a pretty ugly year. We lost a lot of great musicians(David Bowie, Prince, Glenn Frey, Mose Allison, Paul Kantner, Keith Emerson, Greg Lake, Leonard Cohen, Leon Russell, the list goes on and on). So this year, I'll be crying Christmas Tears, courtesy of the late, great Freddie King.
Frumpy was a nice little German prog rock band(with an emphasis on the rock). They were only around for about three years in the early 70's, but they made a mark in Germany(less so in the rest of the world). Here they are from their third and final studio album, By They Way. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inch4xW4qQA
The Headhunters were a funk band comprised of jazz musicians. So, this means that you get funky rock played extremely well, with lots of changes. Bandleader Herbie Hancock led this band through different lineups for over thirty years. This track off of their third LP, Survival of the Fittest, reminds me a bit of Zappa's The Gumbo Variations, which is high praise.
Rocket from the Tombs, featuring future members of the Dead Boys and Pere Ubu, was one of those bands who never actually released their recorded music during the time of their actual existence. In this case, the protopunk band was only together from 1974-75. They wouldn't see any official release of their music until 2002, though. And what a revelation it was. The band sounds more like proto psychobilly than protopunk, but that's just splitting hairs. Here is a track that sounds like it is coming off the rails. Enjoy.
Name a guitar hero who has released 37 solo albums since 1976. If you were thinking Toronto-born Pat Travers, you'd be correct. He was/is quite the workaholic/virtuoso. Here is a little track off of his 1982 release, Black Pearl. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1okEzEymmdo
Rock fans from Boston hold a special place in their hearts for the Modern Lovers. They recorded the most Boston rock song, Roadrunner. For years though, I knew nothing more about this band. I knew that Jonathan Richman was the driving force behind the band, but did not know that future Talking Head, Jerry Harrison, played keys for the Lovers. The band existed between 1970 and 1974. They recorded most of their original album in 1972 with John Cale producing many tracks. They couldn't decide which record company to sign with, though, and the project got shelved. They would then break up. Their debut release did not come out until 1976. Here is the first track on side 2.
1977 was probably the best year for punk. It was just widespread enough where you could hear a bunch of new bands on a regular basis, but not yet overdone. Today's song is from an English band who only managed a couple of singles, but still were able to capture that pure punk feel. Here is the B side off of their first single.
French arena hard rockers were around for nearly twenty five years before finally calling it quits in 1998. Here they are from their sophomore effort, Full Speed Ahead. Ganafoul was a mixed bag in my opinion, but they could rock when they wanted to.
Okay, here's a first for this blog, an unknown band. This tune showed up on a recent Back From the Grave compilation, and is worthy of being a song of the day despite knowing nothing about it. I guessed that it would have been originally recorded in about 1967(maybe 66).
If Beavis and Butthead were around in the mid 70's, they would have loved today's featured band. Keeping that in mind, Nutz' music was never intended to be high brow think pieces. Here they are performing on the Old Grey Whistle Test with the first song off of their second album, Nutz Too. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVZieQMSL3s
Right as Ron Wood was getting accustomed to his new life with the Rolling Stones, he managed to record an underknown LP with his old Faces' mate, Ronnie Lane that produced some interesting results unlike their previous work. Here they are with an instrumental number. This track also features horns by the late Bobby Keys.
Born in Toronto, Shawn, Mark, and Adam Stern moved with their family to L.A. in 1970. It is safe to say that this move had a profound effect on the boys. They formed a band in the L.A. hardcore punk scene and managed to release a number of albums. Here is one of their early tunes, Fight to Unite. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVBDH790ioo
Long before Eddy Grant was rockin' down to Electric Avenue, he was part of one of the first bi-racial rock bands. Eddy formed the Equals back in 1965 and they had a string of pop/garage hits over the next several years. Here they are with an infectious little number from 1970.
Originally known as Hell Razor, Exciter was one of the first "speed metal" bands around, forming i the late 70's. It would be 1983, before they released their first LP, though. Here are the Ottawa headbangers with the title track off of their debut album.
Most of Lulu's career has been in the softer, poppier realm. Not really my cup of tea. However, this Scottish songstress could really belt it out when she wanted to. Here is a funky version of Traffic's Feelin' Alright. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNqa8go0fXc
Okay, this might be the longest combined song title/band title that I featured in nearly two years of daily blogging. Today's song is from a one-off Italian prog rock LP, Canti D'Innocenza - Canti D'Esperienza. Those of you who hate prog rock, will definitely hate this tune(and vice versa) as it is firmly in the genre.
Houston Express was the tenth album(over over 60) that jazz saxophonist Houston Person recorded as a a band leader. And you've never heard of him. This particular album was more of a soul funk album than straight up jazz. Keeping with the Houston theme, here is the track The Houston Express. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1TTA3DjAPM
Johnny Moped was a British proto-punk/punk band that for a brief period featured Chrissie Hynde before the Pretenders were formed. Here is the band from their 1978 long player, Cycledelic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6dDkpFI_dg
How about some early 80's German fusion to kick off your weekend? Brassy Brew only made one album, 1981's Bus Stop. Here is the first track off of that LP.
Canadian psych fusion band, Mashmakan, was mostly known for appearing on the 1970 Festival Express train tour of Canada with the likes of the Band, Janis Joplin, and the Grateful Dead. They managed to release a couple of albums of quality stuff. Check them out!
