The Flamin' Groovies - Interview with Cyril Jordan, Nov. '13 / Show at Warsaw in Brooklyn on Nov. 15th

Having just completed a successful tour of Japan and Australia this year, and then dates in June and July in London, NYC, San Francisco and LA, The Flamin' Groovies have returned in full force. The Cyril Jordan, Chris Wilson, George Alexander line-up that rocked the UK, Europe and the US from 1971 - 1980 are back in action. With the addition of Victor Penalosa on drums, they continue to present their own unique and infectious style of rock n roll with such cult classics as "Slow Death," "Shake Some Action" and "You Tore Me Down."

Mike from BrooklynRocks talked with Groovies founding member Cyril Jordan earlier this week about the band's new single ("End of the World"), forthcoming disc and the impetus behind the reunion of the Shake Some Action lineup. They also went back into the Groovies' history as Cyril talked about his encounters and friendships with rockers Jimi Hendrix and Cream and how the Groovies were the house band for the 1968 Democratic National Convention. Cyril is documenting his memoirs in a column in Ugly Things magazine.

This Friday night, the Groovies are playing the Norton Records Bash at Warsaw in Brooklyn on Nov. 15th. Tickets are $35 and the other bands on the bill are old-school garage rockers The Sonics and Daddy Long Legs.

Links:
The Flamin' Groovies

The Flamin' Groovies Premiere "End of the World" (first new Cyril Jordan/Chris Wilson cut in 32 years) / Show on Nov. 15th at Warsaw in Brooklyn

STREAM: The Flamin' Groovies - "End of the World" (hosted on RollingStone.com)

Having just completed a successful tour of Japan and Australia this year, and then dates in June and July in London, NYC, San Francisco and LA, The Flamin' Groovies have returned in full force. The Cyril Jordan, Chris Wilson, George Alexander line-up that rocked the UK, Europe and the US from 1971 - 1980 are back in action. With the addition of Victor Penalosa on drums, they continue to present their own unique and infectious style of rock n roll with such cult classics as "Slow Death," "Shake Some Action" and "You Tore Me Down."

This incarnation of the Groovies played their first US show this past May at The Elbo Room in San Fransisco and the show sold out in less than 24 hours. The Flamin' Groovies came through town in July for a show at Bowery Ballroom which was followed by a sold-out show at Maxwell's.

This time around, the Groovies are playing the Norton Records Bash at Warsaw in Brooklyn on Nov. 15th. Tickets are $35 and the other bands on the bill are old-school garage rockers The Sonics and Daddy Long Legs.

Here is the set list for the show at Maxwell's - I can't imagine the band will switch things up too much this time around:
 - Yeah My Baby
- Tallahassee Lassie
- You Tore Me Down
- I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better (The Byrds cover)
- Yes I Am
- I Want You Bad (NRBQ cover)
- I Can't Hide
- First Plane Home
- Please Please Girl
- Don't You Lie to Me (Tampa Red cover)
- Married Woman
- Between The Lines
- Slow Death
- Shake Some Action

Encore:
Teenage Head



The Flamin' Groovies story goes all the way back to 1965 when the band began as the Chosen Few in their hometown of San Francisco, California. After a name change and a self-released 10 inch album called Sneakers, which sold amazingly well, the band caught the attention of Columbia who signed them up and sent them into the studio with a big budget to record their first real album, Supersnazz, on the Epic label. Their next two albums were on Kama Sutra (home of their heroes, The Lovin' Spoonful): Flamingo and the now revered classic Teenage Head.

Lead singer Roy Loney left the band right after that and lead guitarist Cyril Jordan moved the group to England with Chris Wilson (formerly of Loose Gravel) taking over as front man. They continued their style of straight ahead guitar driven rock n' roll but this time with a more 60's rather than 50's influence. A few singles on United Artists, recorded at the legendary Rockfield Studios in Wales with Dave Edmunds producing, followed in the early '70s. In '76 they signed to Sire Records, who released three true gems of power pop: Shake Some Action, Flamin' Groovies Now and Jumpin' In The Night.

Another lineup change ensued in the next decade with Wilson moving to England and joining the Barracudas. The Groovies continued on thru the 80's and into the early '90s touring Australia and Europe, putting out a fine but overlooked album called Rock Juice and then finally calling it quits. Jordan formed a new band called Magic Christian while Wilson released solo albums in Europe.

Now in 2013, Jordan, Wilson and original founding member and bass player George Alexander, have reunited for the first time since 1981. They're joined by drummer Victor Penalosa, a fine musician in his own right who faithfully recreates the style heard on the classic recordings while at the same time adding his own flavor. The foursome has gone back into the studio to finish up long lost recordings as well as cutting brand new material. They recently toured Japan and Australia, returning home to San Francisco to do a show that sold out in less than 24 hours. Fans have been delighted with what is being called "a dream set list", including original songs the band has never performed before onstage. Newcomers are asking, "Why haven't I ever heard of this group?" It's hard to say just why the group hasn't gotten the attention they deserve (at least in the USA) but they're back to give everyone another chance at hearing and seeing just why those in the know consider them one of the greatest rock n' roll bands ever.

Links:
The Flamin' Groovies

Repulsion - Live Photos and Video from Power of the Riff Festival East, Warsaw, Brooklyn, NY 9-2-12

"Repulsion were an early grindcore / death metal band from Flint, Michigan. Their innovations were significant to the development of the death metal and grindcore genres...By 1986 Repulsion's trademark style had matured; characterised by raspy shouted vocals, extremely distorted down-tuned guitars, overdriven punkish riffs, absurd rambling solos interjected as if only as an afterthought, rumbling bass lines, and machine-gun drumming. Repulsion was experimenting with a hammering, static clouded, lo-fi sound that was on a level of extreme that had been touched on by few bands before. To complement the band's sound they penned gruesome lyrics; focusing on fantastic apocalyptic themes ranging from zombie epidemics to nuclear war."

I don't think Repulsion has done a national tour in a few years so it was a real treat to see the band at the Power of the Riff East Festival. In a pre-show interview with BrooklynVegan, Scott Carlson said "We don't want to play too much. The shows have to feel special for us. So, our acceptance of a gig offer is based as much on where it is, who's playing and who's paying rather than how much they're paying. I don't have the stamina for gigs that are just death metal for 12 hours. Events like Power of the Riff are very carefully curated and the acts are chose for other reasons than just 'well, this shit fits together'."

Repulsion were probably my favorite band of the night. Greg Anderson also seemed to share my opinion as I got a big kick out of watching him come out from between the speaker columns during the later half of Repulsion's set - clearly having fun banging his head to Repulsion's last few songs.





Repulsion is back in the area on January 19, 2013 for Decibel Magazine's "100th Issue Celebration Show" at Union Transfer in Philadelphia. Pig Destroyer, Municipal Waste, Tombs and Evoken are also on the bill for this show. Repulsion is also playing Maryland Deathfest XI (along with Carcass) on May 23, 2013.

Links:
Replusion

Poison Idea - "The Fatal Erection Years (Pick Your Kings)" CD Review (Southern Lord)

Portland hardcore stalwarts Poison Idea are the beast that will never die. While guitarist “Pig Champion” died in 2006 and one-time drummer Steve "Thee Slayer Hippy" Hanford was arrested for a string of pharmacy robberies in 2008, the band continues to soldier on under the leadership of vocalist Jerry A. Poison Idea made their recorded debut in 1983 with “Pick Your King”, a 7” (which was issued with a two-sided cover showing Elvis on one side and Jesus on the other) that blasts through thirteen song of hardcore fury in sixteen minutes.

As part of Southern Lord’s reissue program, the second in a series of Poison Idea titles, The Fatal Erection Years (Pick Your Kings), comes out on August 14th. This new 45-track disc contains the “Pick Your King” EP, the band’s 1984 follow-up Record Collectors Are Pretentious Assholes 12”, “Laughing Boy” (from the "Drinking Is Great" compilation 7”), “Typical”, “Die on Your Knees” and “I Got a Right” from the impossible to find 1985 Cleanse the Bacteria compilation LP. The disc winds up with a 19-track live set that was recorded for a previously unreleased live album at The Met in Portland, OR circa 1983. The audio has been remastered and restored by Jack Control (World Burns to Death, Severed Head of State), and the poster/booklet contains liner notes from Poison Idea vocalist Jerry A, and tons of photos, flyers and more from the band’s early days.

The thirteen tracks on “Pick Your Kings” are predominately old-school hardcore numbers that are dominated by Jerry’s hoarse bellow and Pig Champion’s speed/thrash riffs. Beneath all of this – the drums pound away but there is no sign of a bass in the mix. The only track that breaks from the full-out hardcore assault is “I Hate Reggae”. The band seems to have more of a metal edge on the Record Collectors are Pretentious Assholes tracks. Pig Champion’s riffs are more ‘metallic’ and Jerry’s voice is more balanced and his vocals are more controlled. On these tracks, the bass is audible and an integral part of the band’s attack (check out “The Rich Get Richer”). Songs like “Time to Go” and “Thorn in My Side” show how the band’s songwriting abilities has grown by leaps and bounds. Taking things one step further, the four compilation tracks show the band moving into Black Flag territory.



The 19-track live show captures the sound of the punk sound of the early 80’s perfectly. The recording is reasonable and supposed to be from the soundboard but one has to remember that many soundboards at punk venues were held together by string and bubblegum. (I remember a Husker Du show that had to be stopped when the band blew out the board.) The band reminds me of Black Flag’s live show – and they do a similar deconstruction of “Louie Louie” along with scathingly funny “My Hard-On Withers in Your Face”. There isn’t a lot of dialogue between Jerry and the audience but Jerry introduced the punk-rock putdown “Slam Dance Jam” by saying “By the way, we are Adam Ant”.

While the video that follows is a different show than the bonus live show - it is a good representation of how Poison Idea sounded live in 1983.



Poison Idea is back on the East Coast (I think this is the band’s first NYC show in 10 years) to play the Power of the Riff Festival at Warsaw on September 1st. Fans of old-school hardcore (like Negative Approach, who is also playing the Power of the Riff East show) owe it to themselves to give this disc a listen.

Links:
Poison Idea