Tsar-The Drugboy Tapes
Point in fact, Tsar was the best band to come out of Los Angeles in the 2000’s! They are one of the greatest power pop bands to come from the Los Angeles area, ever!!! Period!
They usually put out an album every five years, their debut in 2000 and Band-Girls-Money in 2005 and now this release, The Drugboy Tapes. This release is a compilation of pre-debut demos of 6 songs off the debut record (Afradio, The Girl Who Wouldn’t Die, Ordinary Gurl, Kelly Fong Is The Bomb, I Don’t Want To Break Up, and Silver Shifter) plus a unheard gem and a retitled song and two live cuts.
I always assumed that the songs and production on their debut masterpiece album were a product of the “big” producer and “big” expensive recording studio. The debut record had lush production, killer hook after hook, in the form of cool little guitar riffs and vocal melodies, inventive vocal delays, and memorable chorus after chorus!!! I was dead wrong, these demos (90% of the debut record) show that the singer and guitar player had the songs all ready to go, so it makes sense that they got a record deal and put it to wax, as is!!!! They used drum machines, cheap keyboards, digital delays, and acoustic guitars on rented and returned home recording gear to get their dream rolling, and the song structures are intact, and in some cases more interesting. The amazing thing about these demos is that the riffs and little hooks and sweeteners were already in place, showing just how genius singer/guitar player Jeff Whalen and guitar player Daniel Kern truly are.
The one demo song that did not make the debut, “Son of Light” sounds like it fits in nicely with the rest of the power pop hits on the debut record and the two live songs on the Drugboy Tapes, are taken from the first ever live performance of the classic debut line up, from a live show on KXLU radio station (A local Los Angeles taste maker indie radio station). Only 3 songs from the debut are not represented by this demo release, “Disappear“, “Mono Stereo” and “Teen Wizards” and “The Glower” was renamed “Calling All Destroyers” from the debut record. This release is highly recommended, as well as their Debut record and Band-Girls-Money, and if you are ever in the Los Angeles area, check www.tsar.net for current gigs. In the 2000’s they toured with the likes of Duran Duran and Towers of London and they recreate their catalog of songs live and are very high energy must see live act! Get this release from CD Baby or Itunes.
http://tsarmy.com www.tsar.net www.cdbaby.com/cd/tsar1
If you want me to review your music or write about your event, send it all to:
Teddy Heavens
27750 Firebrand Dr.
Castaic, Ca. 91384
Ftwrecords@aol.com
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Down To Rock June 2011
Down To Rock June 2011
D.T.R. WITH TEDDY HEAVENS
My name is Teddy Heavens and I’m bringing you the latest Sleaze/Glam/Punk and Trash rock and roll news from the Golden State and the streets (and gutters) of Hollywood, California (and beyond!) From the Valleys to the alleys, I’ll find the coolest bands to report on and let you know what’s up from the Rock and Roll capital of the world!
CD Review
Sister-Hated
This band is the bastard sons of WASP (Kill, Fuck, Die era), and Motley Crue (Dr. Feelgood era)!!! Hailing from Sweden, with origins in straight up glam rock, this band is set to explode onto the stale rock and roll scene in a big way. I only write about music that I enjoy, and I really like this record. It has all the elements that I like; heavy leather and make up image, loud guitars and good songs, mixed with a punky aggressive approach. They started with a 3 song demo, and now they unleash a full length via Metal Blade Records no less, with an 80‘s hard metal sound. Hated is equal parts Murder Dolls/Motley Crue/WASP/Wednesday 13, and it rocks the whole way through, with stand out tracks “Body Blow”, with a Dr. Feelgood vibe that progresses into a MuderDolls sing a long anthem, and the ballad “Would You Love A Creature”, which gives you a nice respite from the rest of the Hated onslaught. Good to see Metal Blade giving sleaze a chance, which last came with the Starwood release. Keep an eye on Sister, they are young, hung and full of scum!!!! www.sisteronline.net
Live Review
Wayne Kramer (MC5) Live
Seeing one of your musical influences live and up close is always a treat, and this is one of the reasons Los Angeles rocks so hard. You get to see your hero in an intimate situation like this, an acoustic show special appearance at a Rhino Records pop up store promotion! Wayne is the guitar player for the MC5, and I had never seen them play, I missed a show in Amsterdam awhile back due to it being sold out, and they don’t play in L.A., but Wayne lives down the street from the record store, so there you have it! He started off with the MC5 classic “High School”, with the audience singing along with the chorus, then he went into a new original “Running From Myself”, which was sung in a Neil Young style. He then introduced the next song which recants a conversation he had with an 80’s hair band member, who was describing his “Great Big Amp”, which Wayne realized encapsulated where he was at mentally! This song was also delivered in a Neil Young style, and he finished his set with the Clash song written about his own jail stint, “Jail, Guitar, Doors”. This is also the name of Wayne’s charity organization that provides instruments to prisons and jails, to allow inmates to have a musical outlet while they are incarcerated, as a form of therapy! Overall, a cool close up look at a man that has helped shape my guitar playing, and I was able to add to my collection of autographed items from my personal influences. I Love L.A. www.jailguitardoors.org
New Bands
The Crazy Squeeze
Los Angeles based glam punk rockers that have been tearing it up regularly at the Redwood Bar in downtown L.A. (the new happening punk rock joint in town) with the likes of Eddie and The Hot Rods, Kevin K., Texas Terri and other trashy punk bands that drag themselves to L.A. For fans of “77 Punk Rock ala Johnny Thunders!!! www.myspace.com/thecrazysqueeze
Dirty Eyes
Los Angeles based dirty punks in the vein of the Heartbreakers and the Dead Boys! They have been hitting the boards around town with the likes of the Mau Maus, The Stitches, The Zeros, Sorrows (NYC), The Billy Bones, The Joneses, Crazy Squeeze, Nikki Corvette, as well as playing skateboard legend Tony Alva's 53rd Birthday Party! Good clean 50’s influenced street GlamPunk, just the way we like it in Los Angeles!! www.myspace.com/dirtyeyesrockandroll
Butcher Babies
Hollywood based shock rockers who are flying the Plasmatics flag!! This band is tearing up stages from the Valley to Hollywood proper, featuring hot naked chick singers and a flashy stage show that almost rivals Rebel Rebel’s notorious stage messes!!! Catch them before they get banned and exiled. Alice Cooper meets Wendy O.
www.myspace.com/butcherbabiesmusic
If you want me to review your music or write about your event, send it all to:
Teddy Heavens
27750 Firebrand Dr.
Castaic, Ca. 91384
Ftwrecords@aol.com
www.myspace.com/ftwmanagement
www.rebelrebel.org
www.myspace.com/losangelesdeathdolls
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