Divisive rock criticism and the Ramones

Rockcritics.com is one of the most entertaining blogs on the Web. And it's Canadian, for shit's sake. Here, blogger Scott ponders the divisive nature of some reviews with reaction to the Ramones' first opus a prime example.

Beasts in Bilbao (R.I.P.)

Yes, it's true. The Beasts of Bourbon have almost certainly shuffled off their mortal coil in a collective sense, breaking up on the eve of their final European tour show in Germany. The outlook for another reformation is grim although no-one seems to be saying anything officially. Here's some footage from a happier leg of the tour in Spain, some hotel hi-jinks from the band we thought might not die.

How Clear Channel Programs America

Clear Channel only owns the music business in America? Think again and have a look around in your own backyard after you read this thoughtful piece about the lengths some people go to to establish and retain market dominance.

Drinking with Drunk & Disorderly

The latest I-94 Bar Podcast (number 13, if you're counting) is chockful of songs about drinking. Download/play/subscribe via the interface at right. Here's the playlist:

I Wanna Drink - The Deviants (This CD Is Condemned - Total Energy/Alive)

Drunk - Alcoholics Unanimous (20 Years of Tanked Up Tunes - Steel Cage Records)

Good Morning, Headache - Dark Carnival (The Last Great Ride - Sympathy For The Record Industry)

Two Days Off, Five Days On - Hell To Pay (Two Days Off … EP)

Super Fucked-Big Drunk - The Me-Thinks (The Make Mine A Double E.P. - Indian Casino)

Drinking Alone Under The Moon - Sour Jazz (Rock & Roll Ligger - Acetate Records)

This Bar - Hitmen D.T.K (Moronic Inferno - Zeus Records)

BBQ Liquor - The Pink Fits (Fuzzyard Gravebox - Off The Hip)

Booze To Blame - Ian Rilen & The Love Addicts Ian Rilen (Passion, Boots & Bruises - Phantom Records)

Drunk On a Train - The Painkillers (Drunk On a Train - Blazing Strumpet)

Broke, Drunk & Stoned - The Hangmen (Metallic I.O.U. - Acetate Records)

Pub - Cosmic Psychos (Go The Hack - Survival Records)

Drive Thru Bottlo - The Veebees (Crack Us Anotha! - Ocker Records)

Half Price Drinks - The Deviants (This CD Is Condemned Rock - Total Energy/Alive)

The Stems in London last month

Playing at the Dirty Water Club:



Apr 25 - Annandale Hotel, Sydney
Apr 26 - The Northcote Social Club, Melbourne, Victoria
Apr 27 - Apollo Bay Festival, Apollo Bay, Victoria
May 2 - Settlers Tavern, Margaret River, Western Australia
May 3 - The Leopold Hotel, Perth, Western Australia
May 4 - The Indi Bar, Scarborough, Western Australia
Jun 28 - Primitive Festival, Rotterdam, Noord-Holland

But where do they stand on Japanese whaling?

Spotted by Ken Shimamoto of the Stashdauber blog and I-94 Bar editorial fame: Vision of French band The Holy Curse on their Japanese tour of a couple of years ago.

Another one of those Podcast things

Episode 12 is up and you can find it streaming via the player at right or get it here. Playlist as follows:

Gravybillies In The Sky - The Band Who Shot Liberty Valance (Outlaw Death Laser Drinkers From Hell - Turkeyneck Records)

Show Me Your Tits - Stinky Lou And The Goon Mad With Lord Benardo (12 Roots ‘n Boogie Blues Hits - Voodoo Rhythm Records)

4 Flights Up - Screamin’ Stevie And The Credit Union (Four Flights Up - Turkeyneck Records)

Cut You Loose - Digger & The Pussycats (Let’s Go To Hospital - Spooky Records)

Dick Shake - The Juke Joint Pimps (Boogie The House Down Juke Joint Style - Voodoo Rhythm Records)

Baby Jane - The Hydromatics (The Earth is Shaking - Suburban Records)

Frustrating Sound - Radio Moscow (Radio Moscow Blues - Alive Records)

The Colour Of Her Eyes - Laurie Wade’s Cavaliers Pretty Ugly - Incessant Noise Recording)

I’m a Liar, Play With Fire - Sonic Assassin (State is Enemy Forever! - Freakshow Records)

Red Glare -Brimstone Howl (Guts of Steel - Alive Records)

I Am The Light - Even (Even - Rubber Records)

The Sky Belongs to Us - Nunchukka Superfly (If Ya Not Careful With Electricity It Will Kill Ya - Chatterbox Records)

The Devil - The Hangmen (In The City - Acetate Records)

Statistical read-out on Meatloaf

Apologies to whoever I stole this from.

Visitors live 2008: Living World

From the revived Radio Birdman-outgrowth's recent support spot to the BellRays in Brisbane. Pity you can't hear Pip.

X: Mother

The (Australian) X's cover of John Lennon's "Mother" has long been a set highlight, a cathartic mid-set primal scream. Few people have seen the filmclip the band shot to go with it. Now you can.

It's not embeddable to go here to watch it on YouTube.

Another Drunk & Disorderly podcast

It's streamable from the interface at right or downloadable from here.

Onetime punk toilet is now truly disgusting

Thanks to NESB Hallucinate for the heads-up: NY Press drops by the former site of CBGB - now a home to $750 Cheap (sic) Trick T-shirts and Doobie Brothers (puke) clothing. Read it here. Weep.