Insignificance

Just a few days into my new blog and I'm already completely over it. Shame floods my being, as I think of the 3 wasted hours (it was actually way more, but I'm saying 3 just to trick myself in feeling less SHAME) that I've already spent to write my other posts. This blog was my big chance to introduce myself to the world of big-time international globetrotting blogging superstars. By now (and based solely on my first post alone) I'd be getting emails all the time from super-interesting net celebrities, and seemingly hot girls with links to facebook/myspace pages (ah...the life). But thus far not to be. Where is my spotlight? Come on internet, I wanna be the next Tila or Perez, a real relevant superstar!

I might as well press on, even without my entirely deserved following of internet lemmings. Maybe posting up a cool italo track will get me the fame that is rightfully mine (why else would I exist, right?). Feel the Drive (Instrumental) is by Doctor's Cat, which is a cool name to have if you make music. They could have simply named the group Cat, which is pretty cool. I mean cats are quite loveable but also unpredictable and vicious at times, and really annoying in the morning when you are trying to sleep. But the cat that belongs to the doctor...hmmmmmmm...at least that is somewhat more mysterious and dignified than a regular cat. These guys have upped the ante slightly. Also, using the same letters, it could read "Doctor Scat", which translates (for all you non zoology majors) to mean "Doctor Animal Shit". That's pretty cool too. Aldo Martinelli and Fabrizio Gatto (Gatto means cat too, WOW) are the main members of the crew, and they started putting out italo-disco tracks on Il Discotto Productions in 1983, which is when Feel the Drive first dropped. That label is in its own right a pretty awesome obscure italo label, with tendencies toward the italo-electro feel; they also put out great 12"s for Cerrone and Gino Soccio a little later on.
Doctor's Cat - Feel The Drive (Instrumental)

Stoned and Dethroned

Today, as soon as I entered my job, I was given a free carrot cupcake. Not only was it delicious, but it uplifted my perspective of my office comrades. I thought they were all weird introspective, egotistical, timid losers; all on a passive agressive power trip and "out ta get me", and in reality, some of them (or at least one of them) wanted to give me a cupcake. So selfless! On top of all that I got a random spam email letting me know that the Kottonmouth Kings are coming to San Francisco, so I'm SUPER EXCITED and will devote the next couple of days to securing tix for me and my posse. Generally, I'm feeling good and I hope that my mood translates into my post.

I'll keep it short and sweet and a bit off the beaten disco/funk path. Instead, lets go into some psychedelic pop territory.

Del Shannon recorded Home and Away with longtime Rolling Stones Manager/Producer Andrew Loog Oldham in 1967 in London. At this point Del Shannon's teen rebel icon had entirely faded, and he was an old dog trying to be relevant in a psychedelic world. He wrote some amazing heartbreak pop in tunes for these sessions a la the Beach Boys or the Zombies around the same period, but the label decided to shelve the album, and it never saw an official re-release until a couple of years back.
Del Shannon - Mind Over Matter
Del Shannon - He Cheated

Next up, The Pretty Things, who among psychedelic obsessives are pretty well know for most of their early material/singles, and their landmark (and horribly recorded) album SF Sorrow. Seriously try to listen to SF Sorrow with headphones on; the panning alone, will make you want to throw up in your ears. I think I even got vertigo from listening to it once whilst tipsy on the liquor (regardless there are some great and innovative songs on that album, I don't want to come off as a total dick). However, it seems that they are not too well known for the Parachute album that followed, which I think is their ultimate masterpiece. Rolling Stone magazine actually prized it as the album of the year in 1970, and I guess its the only time that a Rolling Stone "album of the year" has undersold gold status. Another factoid to include is that this album was made in the same studio where the Beatles recorded (Abbey Road in London), and it was produced by Norman Smith, who was the Beatles' engineer.
The Pretty Things - Grass

I'm The Best

All I have to drink at home right now is kombucha and liquor. One is really good for you, and the other is really bad for you. Since -1 + 1 = 0, I know that this is actually a super drink! I can have as many as I want and everything will turn out peachy, I totally won't be hung over at work while I spend an hour putting up another post behind my bosses' back.

Enough with the sarcasm, I'm putting up three hot ass tracks with out too much description. I'll give a little teaser though, I just don't wanna blow my creative load too early.

First off we've got The Flirts with a cut called You and Me. If a girl sang this to me I would probably be all excited at first, but then I'd feel super creeped out after the second chorus. But no girl would ever sing this to me, at least not the whole way through, unless she was in the band (which would probably make her at least 45 now), and even then, its obviously for the sake of the song, which is totally transient in expressing the sentiment of the composition. So it'd be okay.
The Flirts - You and Me

Next up, Roger Troutman of Roger and Zapp fame, with Max Axe, a cut about his new instrument, a guitar/sax combo (likely just some new effects box he got the day before). Talk about homo-erotic, the chorus is "I need a freakin tool to freak to". And don't take that wrong way, it was meant as a compliment. Wax Poetics recently did an article on Roger which has way more intellegently thought out dialogue and correspondence that I couldn't even dream about accomplishing in my dumb blog, so check it. Truly a slice of pure dancefloor funk, which I found on Joey Negro's new comp, Locked in The Cellar. Very worth checking out (as all his comps tend to be)!
Roger - Max Axe

Lastly, the one that's been the most in my head, Danger Zone by Midnight Express. Look up the video on Youtube, I don't have the time or desire to post the link right now. Catchy as shit with the hottest, funkiest, dirtiest bassline I've heard for the early 80s, this is an absolute monster! Nothing says its the 80s like Danger Zone. Say it out loud. Asking for an edit (maybe if I ever get my shit together).

Midnight Express - Danger Zone