Weisse Wände by Nichts (1982)

This Dusseldorf post-punk band put out three long players between 1981 and 1983 before calling it quits shortly thereafter. Here they are with a track off of their sophomore release, Tango 2000.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDrD8XPRdPc

I'm Five Years Ahead of my Time by The Third Bardo (1967)

What a great song for 1967, bridging the gap between garage and psych. I loved Monster Magnet's version which I featured here a year ago, but there is something about this early version. New York's Third Bardo only lasted for one single, but would end up getting a lot of mileage out of their semi-hit once it was included in the Nuggets compilation, released years later.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16_9mBUCf_c

Love Song by The Au Pairs (1980)

The Au Pairs were a post-punk band out of Birmingham(England). They were together for about five years and released a couple of albums of quality music. Here they are from a John Peel session in the year before their first LP was released.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfSvR6CDCa4

Advice by Sandy Coast (1969)

Sandy Coast was a Dutch rock band that managed to release four albums and a number of singles between 1968 and 1974 before calling it quits. The band would reform periodically, starting in the 80's, but the magic of this band was it's first incarnation. Here they are off of their second LP, Shipwreck. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qd_hE-EpZM

Too Much Rock n Roll by Rabbit (1976)

I don't know if it gets much more arena rock than this, but here is Australian hard rockers Rabbit sounding a lot more like Kiss than their down under compatriots AC/DC.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_l81xKYCjpQ

Cookbook by Damnation of Adam Blessing (1969)

Damnation, as you can probably imagine, was quite a popular name for a rock band. There has been the 90's Polish death metal Damnation, California punk rock Damnation, and an Argentinian power metal Damnation, just to name a few. Today, I'm featuring a song from, perhaps, the original Damnation, a Cleveland hard rock outfit from the late 60's/early 70's. Actually for their first album, they were known as the Damnation of Adam Blessing, but later shortened it. In any case, here is the opening track from their debut album.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmxDRnkdtpQ

Mother Fuyer by Dirty Red (1947)

Today, I'm really dialing back the wayback machine to 1947 for a nice, wholesome blues song from Red Nelson's alternate persona, Dirty Red.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_m6FfoV-gA

Endangered Species by Pat Metheny/Ornette Coleman (1986)

This is probably not the music you want to use to initiate a friend into jazz music. This is hard and heavy and demands active listening. Aside from the two legendary headliners for this 1986 release, this collection of free jazz improvisations also includes Jack DeJohnette and Charlie Haden. There is no shortage of fire power here. Like it or not, it is easy to appreciate that these musicians are working on another level. See if you agree.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=no4nepUkn94

So Boot If At All by Soft Machine (1968)

Originally from Australia, Daevid Allen, moved to England as a young man in the early 1960's. Eventually, he formed Soft Machine with Canterbury native, Robert Wyatt, and a psych/prog legendary band was formed. The band would go on to records dozens of albums over the years, along with many line up changes. The music was always interesting. Here is a nascent prog number off of their first album.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1ddtL2Y6Kc

Freedom of Information by Ausmuteants (2014)

These Australians really have the neo-post punk vibe down pat. Sounds like they were influenced by Devo in only the best ways. Here are Ausmuteants from their 2014 LP. Order of Operation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdbiWzaoZv4

Turn Around Baby by Question Mark & The Mysterians (1969)

While 96 Tears is the unequivocal big hit by Question Mark & The Mysterians, the Saginaw, Michigan band released dozens of singles and many compilation albums. Here they are from 1969 with a still very garage feel to their music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7v-Yeouz04

I'm Crazy by Headstone Circus (1968)

I don't know much about this band except that I think they were from the New York area and recorded a bunch of material(some heavier stuff, some lighter), but it never was released until 2004. Here a  brooding heavy track with some nice lead guitar work.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rE46_a__lQ

Funny Funk by George Duke (1974)

George Duke, keyboard maestro, first learned to play piano at age four. He went on to have a storied career playing with Jean Luc Ponty, Cannonball Adderley, and spent a few years playing with Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention before releasing a bunch of fusion releases in the mid to late 70's. The second half of his career producing music for a number of R&B bands. He died in 2013, but left quite a catalog of music to explore. Here he is from his 1974 LP, Feel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yyj7NV6imms

Mr. Midnight by The Huntington Cads (1995)

And now from the neo-surf wave of the mid-90's, here are the Huntington Cads with an instrumental track that sounds like it should be on the soundtrack to Pulp Fiction.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcabF-FCoHc

Do That Thing by The Halo Benders (1998)

The Halo Benders started out as a side project for Calvin Johnson of Beat Happening and Beat to Spill's Doug Martsch. They ended up releasing three albums. Here is swinging little track from their third and final LP, The Rebels Not In.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMW1lPzqXUA

The Hardest Part by Blondie (1979)

Blondie's albums often show up in Punk bins when I'm shopping local used record stores. This is probably due to being associated with other punk acts in their early days playing the likes of the CBGB. However, their music is decidedly different than punk. They were probably closer to post punk that any other genre, but also featured some reggae, rap, disco, and pop influences. In any case, they were always interesting to listen to. And to look at. Here is a video that I didn't know existed until recently. Enjoy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEjCDriXwnI

Cellophane Symphony by Tommy James & The Shondells (1969)

I feel bad for those poor tweeners back in 1969, who rushed out to buy Tommy James & The Shondells' newest effort, Cellophane Symphony, expecting the next Hanky Panky, I Think We're Alone Now, or Crimson & Clover to fulfill their bubblegum dreams. Instead, the first track(the title track) was a nine-plus minute instrumental psychedelic journey. They must have been so confused. But I must, these many years later, be thankful for Tommy James and the gang taking a risk to create some super interesting music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qNQXb18l8g

Metal Melts the Ice by Jag Panzer (1983)

Jag Panzer, hailing from Colorado Springs, was another U.S. heavy metal band that was inspired by the NWOBHM, but with a slightly darker feel. Here on their first EP the production value may not be the highest, but you get a sense of the band's power.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfTmVq_LLbI

We Are Rolling by Medeski Martin & Wood (2000)

This is not your grandfather's jazz! Medeski Martin & Wood cranked out some weird, wonderful avant-garde jazz(with a beat) from 1992 to 2014. These guys are musician's musicians. Hopefully, they'll get back to releasing some more stuff soon. Here they are from the turn of the century with a track off of their LP, The Dropper. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6Og0txQdrw

Out of Uranus by Killing Floor (1970)

British blues rockers, Killing Floor, managed two release a couple of rockin' albums before calling it quits in 1972. Here they are off of their second release with the title track.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-LZUqmkHWQ

Ne Me Laisse Pas L'aimer by Brigitte Bardot (1963)

Brigitte Bardot was a supermodel before the term was coined. She was also an actress who appeared in dozens of movies in the 60's and 70's. Many people under the age of 50, though, don't know that she was also a singer with numerous albums and singles to her credit. Here is one of her earlier tracks, a chanson number called Ne Me Laisse Pas L'aimer, translated at "Don't Let Me Love It". BTW, I linked to a lyrics Youtube video of the song as most of the fan compilation videos were a bit creepy...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zkdips1Fceg

Get It Together by The Jackson 5 (1974)

The late Joe Jackson sure kept his kids working. The Jackson 5 released twelve studio albums between 1969 and 1976. Their first two albums have a lot of soulful gems, but my favorite would be their 1973 LP, Get It Together. It was definitely their funkiest output. Here is the title track.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoGmudmpmDs

Lookalikes by The Drones (1977)

Originally a glam rock band called Rockslide when this Manchester group formed in 1974, the band members astutely changed their sound to punk by 1976 and changed their name to the Drones. A year later, they recorded their debut EP, Temptations of a White Collar Worker. Here is a track off of that release.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8mTNKPz6p0

The Comb by The Waitresses (1978)

Known either for their big hit, "I Know What Boys Like" or their holiday classic "Christmas Wrapping", The Waitresses were more than just a two-hit wonder. These Akron, Ohio natives made a lot of interesting music in the late 70's/early 80's. Here they are with an interesting, funky number from a Stiff Records 1978 LP featuring the music of the Rubber City.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZStD7uI37k

Hearts & Flowers by Groundshaker (1971)

Groundshaker was an early 70's L.A. hard rock outfit that actually started out in San Francisco. They recorded an album's worth of material, but it never got released. Not until 2007 anyway. Here they are with one of the powerful tracks from that album.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-ZALMIBGTc

High Tension Wire by Dead Boys (1977)

Dead Boys were one of those punk bands that I just assumed were from England for several years after I first bought the CD. You can't really blame me, though. Their debut album includes the word "Snotty" and the lead singer was Stiv Bators. It all sounds very British. Only years later did I realize that the band was from Cleveland. Another interesting fact, their debut album that I referred to, Young Loud and Snotty, was produced by Genya Ravan. In any case, here is one of the lesser known songs from that LP.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmV6mdsCHN0

Night Rider by Pagan Altar (1982)

Pagan Altar was an interesting band. They were a NWOBHM band that included a father and son(Terry and Alan Jones). The band formed in 1978, but would only get around to record their debut LP, Volume 1, as an unofficial non-label release. This wouldn't get a proper release until 1998! The band re-formed at that point with a decidedly more doom sound. Here they are from that first LP. As it wasn't an official release, the vocals are a bit muddy, but the power of the music is not lacking.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sWorrUe8n8

Unionize by Redskins (1984)

Sometime in the mid-90's, I picked up Agitprop The Politics of Punk. This CD set got a lot of airplay in my car. For me, the standout track is today's featured song. And what better day to play it than on Labor Day...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsNvH9dBYUY&feature=youtu.be

Changes Coming by Gypsy (1971)

Not to be confused with the American prog rock outfit that was also around in the early 70's, this Gypsy was a British band that played some proto-arena rock. Not sure I love the harmonies, but I like the sound of this band. The band would record two albums before calling it quits. Here they are from their 1971 self-titled debut.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBfZJrLCFGw

Mental Astronaut by The Liverpool Scene (1970)

Today's track is not for everyone...It is a fusion-y psych music and that descends into noise. It's definitely not background music! These free rock/art rock musicians managed to release a few albums in the late 60's/early 70's. Here is a track off of their 1970 long player, Heirloon. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIWHunwM_KI&feature=youtu.be