The Queers - "Back to the Basement" CD Review // Early Show at Mercury Lounge on Jan. 22nd

STREAM: The Queers - Back to the Basement (click through to Stereokiller.com)

Every Christmas season brings out some of the most saccharine and nauseating holiday music so it is refreshing to hear the "never-grow-up" three-chord punk of The Queers during this time of year. The Queers released their twelfth disc, Back to the Basement, on Asian Man Records last month.

On this new disc, The Queers minimize the Beach Boys/pop-song influences which have dominated their most recent discs and return to their core three-chord Ramones style punk. The band bounces through the disc's thirteen songs in just over 22 minutes and most of the songs are anthems to punk rock, girls and getting f*cked up. The Queers even include a cover of Black Flag's "White Minority". This disc was recorded in one marathon session and the music ranges from melodic punk ("Everyday Girl") to angry screeds ("I'm Pissed") and there is even a surf-rock instrumental ("Rollerdog"). Joe King said "[w]e recorded it in about 23 hours from start to finish. That included writing a few songs in the vocal booth when we took a coffee break."

Defying all musical trends, The Queers continue to mine the same musical vein that they have for years. Songs like "Back to the Basement" and "I Knew GG When He Was A Wimp" will likely become live set staples and this CD will sit well with any fan of The Queers and/or The Ramones. After reading too many rock bands complain (aka whine) about how one musical trend or another killed their career, it is refreshing to hear The Queers plow forward with the same pop/punk sound well into their third decade as a band.

The Queers are playing an early show at Mercury Lounge on Jan. 22nd. Tickets are $15 and The Apers are also on the bill. Doors are at 7PM and The Queers are scheduled to play at 8:30PM.

Links:
The Queers

Dee Dee Ramone: New Book (Book Signing Tomorrow - June 8th) and CD/DVD

Dee Dee Ramone's legacy lives on...

Vera Ramone King, who was married to Dee Dee from 1979 - 1995, will be reading from her new book "Poisoned Heart: I Married Dee Dee Ramone" tomorrow evening. The reading and book signing takes place at Barnes and Noble's Tribeca store (97 Warren Street) and starts at 7PM.

There is a in-depth interview with Vera posted to the Suicide Girls website.




The other new release is a re-release of Lech Kowalski's 2003 documentary "Hey Is Dee Dee Home" with two new short films and a bonus CD. The first of the short films, "History on My Arms", "captures Dee Dee's extraordinary personality in a way that has never been done before. Kowalski was struck by how playful and direct he was with the camera. How he wanted to connect with something inside of himself and expose his true nature."

In the second film, "Vom In Paris", Kowalski invited Vom Ritchie, currently drummer for Die Toten Hosen, to come to Paris to explain the Dee Ramone/Johnny Thunders feud as he remembers it. He was the drummer on those sessions and affectionately and vividly differs with what Dee Dee said, but somehow you get the impression that both of them are right. The bonus CD entitled "Dee Dee Blues" is a re-mastered collection of guitar recordings Dee Dee made in the early 90's.

Links:
Dee Dee Ramone's MySpace Page
(Most of the old Dee Dee Ramone sites are 'gone')

Marky Ramone's New Band "Blitzkrieg" Plays Maxwell's on March 27th

I wasn't a fan of the last/current lineup of The Misfits as it just seemed so cliche to hear Jerry (who has a terrible voice) sing Ramones and Misfits songs. Marky has avoided this 'lead vocalist' problem by recruiting Michale Graves (Misfits, Gotham Road, Graves) and Blitzkreig also includes Alex and Clare from the UK glam-punk band AntiProduct.

Michale has a phenomenal voice and should be able to do justice to Joey's vocals. Alex and Clare also have established chops playing the Ramones songbook as AntiProduct have played all-Ramones sets and Clare is part of The Ramonas, an all-girl Ramones tribute band.

Here is a live video of Blitzkrieg playing "Rockaway Beach"


The show at Maxwell's is Blitzkrieg's only NYC-area show. Tickets are $15 and old-school melodic punkers The Fiendz and Ape Fight are also on the bill.

Links:
Marky Ramone's Blitzkrieg