Dirt Bike Annie

Back in '04 and '05, I went to a lot of shows. Part of the reason was that I was introduced to a few really excellent bands - specifically, True Love, The Kowalskis, and Dirt Bike Annie. The other reasons was that I secretly was planning to move to Japan, and I wasn't sure I'd be coming back. So I had to see shows because the clock was ticking.

I saw Dirt Bike Annie a number of times - maybe five? Six? Every show I could make, from one at Uncle Joe's in Jersey City (my first) to a few places in NYC, I went to. Sadly they broke up, first losing one member and then the whole band came apart shortly after a second member left. I saw their next-to-last show in NYC, playing with The Ergs and MC Chris.

My friend A.V. had seen them open for True Love and told me about them, and I went to their website and saw this video (or at least, the grainier original), and I was hooked:



Just the day before yesterday I was reloading my USB key of songs for my commute and piled all of my DBA on it. Then I took a look - maybe the first time in 8-10 months? - to see if there was anything new up about them. Turns out they're back to together. Way to fail me, internet. Subscriptions on YouTube, news alerts, etc. and somehow I still missed one of my favorite bands getting back together . . . well, I'll keep track of them now, and I just bought the split reunion album they made with The Unlovables.

I Like the Cover Better: Little Red Corvette

I was thinking about posting this earlier in the week, while listening to this song and then some Warren Zevon covers from "Enjoy Every Sandwich." I didn't. Today I am, as a memorial to Prince.

I wasn't a big fan of Prince's music, although it was inescapable when I was growing up. I liked 1999, Little Red Corvette, and a few others. I didn't really seek him out to listen, but I liked what I heard on the radio. I deeply respected his name change to deal with a contract issue, too.

But like I said, I like Little Red Corvette.

I love the cover by Hindu Love Gods better, though.

I can't link either, both are not available online because all of Prince's work is locked down to a couple of services. But I can talk about the cover.



Hindu Love Gods is, basically, REM headed up by Warren Zevon. REM really isn't for me, three songs aside. But I love Warren Zevon and miss him every time I hear one of his songs. It's worth finding their cover of Prince's song and giving it a listen. To me, it's better, just in that it's stripped of the R&B drum machine snap of the 80s and played as a straight-up rock song. Plus it's Warren. Can't go far wrong with Warren.

God Save the Queen

Thanks to WFUV for reminding me, with this song, that it's the Queen's birthday day.

Some songs change your life. This is one. I remember hearing it playing from my sister's room when I was a young teenager. I snuck into her room when she wasn't home (sorry, sibling - but also, thank you) and looked for the album with the song on it. I found The Great Rock and Roll Swindle and listened to that, but it wasn't what I was looking for. Eventually I'd get my own copy of Never Mind the Bollocks and listen to it (and many tapes of it) repeatedly. To this day, this song gets me going. I blast it, I play it once and then again a second time. I crank the radio all the way up. I sing loudly along with it, because there's no future for you, no future for me. We're the flowers in the dustbin, we're the poison in your human machine.

Enjoy, but enjoy LOUD.

Kitty Kowalski on WFMU (Postponed)

(Nevermind, the interview has been reschedule to next Thursday, 4/28. Enjoy the tunes anyway!)

Just a public service announcement:


Lindsey Anderson, aka Kitty Kowalski of The Kowalskis, will be on Diane's Kamikaze Fun Machine on WFMU today. The show runs 12-3 pm, but guests normally get on at 1 pm. The shows are archived if you miss them - she had Richard Hell of Television/The Voidoids on last week.

Diane's Kamikaze Fun Machine


You can listen online at the website:

WFMU

and if you aren't familiar with The Kowalskis, you should start with this playlist of their first album:

All Hopped Up On Goofballs

The Jam: In the City -> Sex Pistols: Holidays in the Sun

Same riff. I never realized it until I read this article on Diffuser.


The Jam: In the City


Sex Pistols: Holiday in the Sun

(video is the album track, but set over concert video)


Great artists steal, they say. I love both songs - that song by The Jam really rips. It has a very The Clash-like feel to it, more than other Jam songs. And I love how abruptly it seems to end.

Holidays opens up with that same riff but it's powered up. It really sets the tone for Nevermind the Bollocks.

It's hard to not hear the In the City riff and I'm kind of surprised I didn't notice all these years.