It's A Rainy Day, Sunshine Girl

---

It's raining here in S.F. on what is supposed to be the end of the world day.  I've got two parties to go to, so if the world does end I'll be leaving it the same way I entered it: confused, bloody and vomiting on myself.

Here's my third rain comp for this blog.  Mediajerks deleted my old ones from their server, but oh well.

---

Raniac

Best albums of 2012!

first off, Stereogum's top 40 Metal list. It's a pretty good list with a posted song per band (that automatically plays the next band's song once you start which is cool).

http://stereogum.com/1215082/stereogums-top-40-metal-albums-of-2012/franchises/listomania/

As for me, this is my top 10 list of 2012:

SWANS - the Seer
Guided By Voices - Let's Go Eat the Factory
(AND Guided By Voices - Class Clown Spots a UFO)
Occultation - Three & Seven
Dinosaur Jr. I Bet on the Sky
Windhand - Windhand
Aldebaran - Embracing the Lightless Depths
Owl - Owl
Taurus - Life
Blue Cross - I Am Death

Also been digging the UZULA , the Dawnbringer, and Golden Void LPs

Happy holidays, everyone!

The End

Seems like the glory days are behind us.  Googling album name + mediafire leads you to filestube and you're lucky to find a working link and half the time when you do it goes to some BS thing where you have to download a mysterious downloader onto your computer.  Many of my files have been taken down, and I don't re-up them (90% of the time) figuring it was breaking some kind of law. I'm not here to get fined or shut down.

If you're here for free mp3s, feel free to browse the back logs but don't report dead links. Otherwise, I'll just be posting some youtube and bandcamp links of stuff I'm digging lately from time to time.  I might not even talk about the bands, because I'm sure most of you don't read this crap anyway!

Cheers!
Mike.

Speaking of bands, my friends and roommate's band OWL (S.F.) is on a tour of the States!  check out their debut LP here:

OWL at Bandcamp

Another buddy plays in the Bay Area's Glitter Wizard and their upcoming 2nd LP sounds AMAZING!  Check it out here:

Glitter Wizard at Bandcamp

Happy MLK Day!

---

And to celebrate I've uploaded one of the most enjoyable records I can think of. Last Poets member Jalal Mansur Nuriddin takes on the persona of "Lightnin' Rod" and is backed by a slew of talented artists (including Kool and the Gang and session bass player Chuck Rainey, who played on Aritha Franklin's amazing "Amazing Grace").
Lightnin' "raps" about hustlers, cocaine, cards and dice. It's funny, soulful and both of the time and ahead of its time. If you don't DIG IT then go home and listen to your Don "No Soul" Simmons record, you jive ass turkey!

Spoon

---

Bang

---

The now legendary Bang started forty two years ago this month in Philadelphia, PA and since then not many have put out a record as good as their self-titled debut. I could go on about how they moved to Florida, opened up for (and supposedly blew away) their heroes, Black Sabbath...but instead here's a great link for those who want to dig deeper.
I will say that this "debut" is actually the second album Bang recorded and was all written within 2 weeks while their producer was away on vacation. Their first album, "Death of a Country" was a concept album shelved by Columbia out of the fear that people "wouldn't get it". For some reason Columbia assumed that everyone would "get" Mahavishnu Orchestra's debut, "Inner Mounting Flame", released that same year. Go figure.

Future Shock

---

Requiem

---

OK, I said no more metal for a while, but since I went to the Diamond Head-Evil Dead-Slough Feg show last night, I am making an exception.

Diamond Head was basically Brian Tatler, a younger singer and a band who looked they actually played "back in the day". Thanks to the ever-handy droid, it turned out the drummer Karl Wilcox played in the 1979/80 NWOBHM band Requiem/Rekuiem. This single doesn't sound much like Sabbath or Budgie as the internet searches claim; the A side sounds more like a mix of Caravan, Hawkwind, Blue Cheer's "Piece of Mind" and Moby Grape - with metal leads of course. I really dig the genre-bending title track, but things pick up steam for side B. A very Budgie riff gets hammered throughout and overall is far more a "NWOBHM" song. The singer's unique '60s style vocals make it almost sound like a precursor to the Lou Barlow songs off the first Dinosaur Jr record or later Meat Puppets though. If that's the bag you're in, don't miss it! Give it a couple spins...the songs really grow on you. History of the band with interview here

---

DL

Fact

---

Yeah I've been posting a lot of metal lately, but I just bought this LP and really love it, so after this I promise it'll get punker (or something) around here.

Anyway, Germany's Fact have everything you want in a '80s metal record: crazy screeching vocals, catchy riffs and solid soloing. Check out "Heavy Metal Powerplay", my favorite tune on the record and a pretty amazing song title if you ask me. If you like Accept, Priest and the first Crue record you'll probably dig this. In fact, if you can imagine Udo Dirkschneider never dropping down below his high pitched wails, you might be close to what Fact sounds like.

Without Warning

---

HAMMERSMITH

VINYL RIP - LP

---

Canada week concludes with the second LP from Calgary's Hammersmith. Hammersmith formed after the break up of Painter and kept the same kind of Guess Who sound (Listen to Painter's "West Coast Woman" — a pretty blatant copy of "American Woman") with most of it falling into the "we need a big radio hit" category. There's some great songwriting on this LP though, and then awesome 1-2 punch of "Kickin' Back" and "Hello, It's For You" followed by the slow and heavyish psyche number "Under The Sea". Unfortunately things end with Bass player Royden Morice's piano number "Mr. Las Vegas" that comes off sounding like bad/worse Barry Manilow. So, a half great record in my opinion (recorded in Edmonton by the way, where I just visited), and a must if you dig 70s rock a la Montrose, BTO, and April Wine

Be A Star

Moose Molten Metal vol. 2

LP Scans Included

---

Canada week continues...This here LP I scored at the Antique Mall in Edmonton and does it ever SMOKE! The bands are fairly NWOBHM sounding with very little trace of lame "Sunset Strip hair metal" (though a few of the photos definitely show signs of that scene emerging). All the songs are pretty damn solid but the last two tunes on the comp by Hateful Snake and Outrage and are my personal favorites — and the most shredding. I nearly ripped the record, but I found mp3s on Mediafire at the final hour. Any problems with them, let me know and I'll fix 'em.

Beaver Fever

---

Superconductor

CD EP

---

After spending the past 5 days in Edmonton, Alberta Canada it's gonna get pretty moosey around here this week at Blog the Jerk HQ. Before I post the couple used LPs I got in the land of poutine and beavers, I thought I'd rip one of my favorite Canuk releases: Superconductor's "Heavy With Puppy". I'd pretty much buy anything on Boner Records back in those days (is it time to rip some DUH and Milk Cult?) but this here is one of my favorite releases. Noisy, catchy, SEVEN guitar players and a cover of "Satori Part One" by Japan's Flower Travellin' Band. Good stuff! Laughing Hyenas, Steele Pole Bathtub and Pain Teens...but with more pop sensibility. That figures, since a quick google tells me that one of the 10 listed band members went on to form the New Pornographers...but which one is it? Delicious Warm, Dream Whip, or Flying Fist? Maybe it's Sweet Bitch...

Ride the Big Penis

---

Smitten Comp

---

Love comps...the '90s...to me that brings to mind Sub Pop's Afternoon Delight, but the warped, fucked up version of that bit of fluff was Beekeeper front man Ron Dulin's "Smitten" comp. The bands Karate Records chose to represent love? Aside from their track "Myrna Loy", I can't think of any Steel Pole Bathtub song I'd "bone down" to. The Cherubs? Aside from their name, the ugliest band since Stickmen With Rayguns. Slug? They were my favorite Los Angeles band, but "love" wasn't something I thought of when I played their records ‒ unless their song "Face down in the sand" had something to do with "From Here to Eternity"...

This comp is kind of the "film noir" of love song comps. Drugs, murder, lust, and fucked up relationships. Maybe that wasn't the intent, but aside from the opening Jawbreaker track this "love comp" is downright ugly. Par for the comp-course, some prolific bands phoned in a throwaway, but there's still plenty of great tracks by great bands - some long forgotten. Don't expect the sweetness of Tiger Trap or Bratmobile here; this is the kind of relationship that makes you punch a hole in your wall. When your clothes and records get thrown to you from a second story window, this is the love comp you want to hear...unless you're in Jawbreaker and you just drunkenly crawl into your basement and drown your sorrows crashing your model train set.

Kiss Me Deadly

---

New Uploads: VIDEOS!

---

So I've been really busy getting laid off, collecting unemployment and drinking myself to an early gave, but I've also managed to transfer a TON of stuff I filmed off old 8 and Hi-8 tapes!
Check out my youtube channel, but here's a few:
(new vinyl rips and MP3 posts soon!)

UNSANE in L.A.:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U81pmpfFyho

MELVINS in Indio:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkjh7qcKT7U

KYUSS in Palm Springs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5-EkuqOxm4

BAD POSTURE in S.F.:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9Da7kJYBVo

UNWOUND in Fullerton:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMBkzLJr9dE

BLACK QUEEN in S.F.:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YL4Lj3Ohm3M

other bands like godheadSilo, Mule, Rancid, Slug, Foreskin 500, Sandy Duncan's Eye, Hamerhead, ? and the Mysterians, The Dictators, The Real Kids, etc...

---

R.I.P. Scott Columbus

---

Sad news that longtime drummer of Manowar, Scott Columbus passed away. Saw the dude play with Manowar twice and man, he was a great drummer. He left the band again in 2008, but was set to release a solo record and do more dates with Ross the Boss playing old Manowar tunes. He will be missed. I was going to post "Today Is A Good Day To Die", but there's just not enough drumming and Scott said he liked the more rock and less operatic side to Manowar (and wasn't a fan of edits and digital recording - Amen!)...so here he is shredding on "Outlaw".

R.I.P., Brother of Metal

---

Thunderstick

Vinyl Rip 12" ep

---

I guess it's NWOBHM week here at Blog the Jerk! headquarters, and I don't mind a bit, especially when it comes to Thunderstick. Yes, you know him and love him as the adorable drumming gimp from Samson, but maybe not all of you have heard his self-titled female-fronted rock 'n' roll band. I honestly hadn't 'till I came across this EP recently. Since there's no real "NWOBHM sound" that I can tell (most bands sound either: metal, pub rock, prog, pop, punkish, or a combination of to me), I'd say Thunderstick sound like a new wave band with metal guitars and minus the synth (I could totally hear "Runaround" on the Valley Girl soundtrack) though the title song sounds a bit like early Golden Earring meets Sweet. It's a pretty interesting mix of styles and some hooky songwriting. Of course my favorite thing about Thunderstick is the band photos...

Head On

---

Silverwing

Vinyl Rip 7"

---

Holy Balls! This is one of my favorite NWOBHM singles and since I just got a new needle for my record player, I thought I'd share (not that my vinyl ripping abilities have gotten any better).
When Silverwing claims a "double A-side" single, they really mean it. Containing the best bits of Raven and Sweet, both tunes kick major ass and feature some hilarious lyrics if you can make 'em out under the wall of fuzz. If you haven't guessed by now, I don't know anything about the band but if you do, please leave a comment! 'Till then enjoy this 7 inch pink monster, while I hunt down more of their shit...

(I just fixed the link 4/1/11. Before I had the link to the Shiva 7")

Flashbomb Fever

---

Shiva

VINYL RIP 7"

---

Formed in Bristol, England in 1979, Shiva was a NWOBHM band that wanted to reach the top of the charts and rule the universe, even firing their original guitar player and drummer for more seasoned musicians to do it. While it may have helped the band's sound, they unfortunately never saw the success their music deserved. The band considers this single their best and it's easy to see why. It might be too proggy for some of you, but after a few spins I really started digging it.

Rock Lives On

---

R.I.P. Zoogz Rift

Repost from July 19 2009

What can you say about a guy like Zoogz Rift? He's a self-described DADA artist that flows like water; he's an ex-professional wrestling manager; he's written some amazingly catchy and complex songs -as well as some splendidly annoying ones. What ever you say about him, the sad truth is that after 30 years, he is only a footnote in rock history. In a world filled with Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen, it's a travesty to say the least.
My friend Nick and I drove down to Los Angeles to catch what I think may have been his last show some years ago at Mr. T's Bowl (check out the video I uploaded to youtube). He wasn't well enough to play guitar and his eyesight was failing him. He still put on a great, funny show. Unfortunatly, bandmate Richie Haas lost his battle with cancer recently, so Zoogz and the Amazing Shitheads are sadly no more.
From the psycho "Ostriches have sex too you know" to the mellow, but biting "What can we feed to the lions", "Idiots on a Miniature Golf Course" has been an album on permanent rotation since my high school days.

Liquid Maomo

D.I.

---

If you follow the goings on of the internets, you know that Japan had some bad weather recently, and Casey of D.I. ran into a spot of bad luck.
D.I. were a hugely important band for me as a kid, and my old (like 1991-92) band covered "Tragedy Again" off the 1989 album of the same name. Horse Bites Dog Cries is my favorite of their records though, even if a couple songs are recycled from Ancient Artifacts.

Someone's Got A Problem

---

Noir City

---

So maybe you're wondering what the severed penis scene in Street Trash has to do with film noir. Well, some time in 10th grade my mom walked in while I was watching that scene and in a moment of punishment-genius declared that for every violent, trashy horror movie I rented, I'd also have to rent and watch a "classic" film. Well, it was her credit card on the account after all.
Having already been a fan of The Third Man (I can still fake my way through Anton Karas' theme on piano) and D.O.A., many of the "classics" I rented were noirs. they're not trashy or violent, right?

Many years later, thanks to people like Arthur Lyons (RIP), Eddie Muller, Alan K Rode and others, these great — don't call them B-movies! — pictures have been preserved and projected in the theater where they belong. I've only missed one or two of the 11 Palm Springs Noir Festivals, have been to a few in Los Angeles, and try to go to as many nights as I can here in S.F.

This comp was made for the Noir City 9 festival and was compiled and given to me by my friend Ben who volunteered. The theme this year was "who's crazy now"? and the comp more or less follows the same. A couple tracks are a little out of place being newer than what most consider the latest noir — The Killing (1956) and Blast of Silence (1960) for example — and there's a couple really great old-timey songs that are maybe a little too early...but it's still a skillfully put together comp that'll have you pouring out a glass of whiskey and lighting up an unfiltered lucky before you can say "belly full of lead".

Gun Crazy

(down load track list here)

---

TAD

---

Remember when you didn't give a shit what color vinyl the record you bought was on? Hell, I'd even quit buying records and switched to those damn convenient cassette tapes (that got eaten, lost or magnetized over the years) but sometime 'round 1989 Sub Pop convinced me that I needed to be collecting records, not just listening to them. In fact I should buy more 7" records than I even have time to listen to. And on every stupid color of vinyl they felt like pressing.

Tad's "8-Way Santa" (with the original cover and on green vinyl of course) on the other hand wasn't just a "limited edition collector's item". This record WAS Sub Pop. Sure the Dwarves' "Blood Guts and Pussy", the self titled Mudhoney and Soundgarden's "Screaming Life/Fopp" comp were essential listening for me back then as well, but when I think of the classic late '80s/early '90s "Seattle Sound" — or just any heavy rock music from that time — I think of this record...and I think very fondly of it. In fact I'm playing it right now. Why don't you?

God's Balls

---