Its a Jerzy Thang...

And for all of you insomniacs...

Everything is Bigger In Texas.

Before reaching lasting fame as "Tres Hombres", there were two Caballeros by the name of Billy Gibbons and Dan Mitchell who hitched their wagon to the Lone Star state in the form of The Moving Sidewalks.



Best known for the infectious, organ-driven stomper '99th Floor', the group originally released two singles on the local 'Tantara' label - 99th Floor/What Are You Going To Do (1967).I Want To Hold Your Hand/Joe Blues (1968)- before laying down a full length by the name of 'Flash'. Eventually their were picked up by 'Kingmen' benefactor 'Wand' records who redistributed the '99th Floor' single in addition to licensing album cuts 'Need Me' and 'Every Night a new Surprise' for release under their own imprint. Read on...



"Gibbons founded the Texas psychedelic group in the mid-1960s and quickly drew a large following, especially in the Houston "Teen Scene". Their single "99th Floor" was a hit and topped the charts at #1 in Houston for six weeks. The success of this record led the Sidewalks to sign with Wand Records which then released "Need Me" which also became a Top 10 Hit. The group was asked to open for many legendary rock tours, including Jimi Hendrix and The Doors. After Tom Moore and Don Summers were drafted into the U.S. Army,Billy Gibbons and Dan Mitchell added Lanier Greig and formed the original ZZ Top. They recorded the first ZZ Top record "Salt Lick" which was released on London Records."

Enjoy!

99th Floor - The Moving Sidewalks

'Sin & Soul'

Rolled out of bed in the P.M. and got me some Dunkin' Donuts before takin' a trip to New Brunphis (AKA. New Brunswick) for a haircut and a trip to the friendly neghborhood junk store. Lo and behold, they're in the record racket now. Less steller is the fact that everything is priced to sell to the freshmen crowd, hence the $20 dollar price tag for a 'Flaming Groovies' LP. That said, I did managed to sneak a couple of good cuts by. Scores include:

Cherry People - self titled (Heritage)
Sneakers & Lace - Skate Boardin' (Arth)
Alex Keack - Surfer's Paradise (Crown)
Leonard Cohen - Songs From A Room (Columbia)
Bauhaus - Bela Lougosi's Dead (Small Wonder)
T-Bones - Shapin' Things Up (Sunset)
Oscar Brown Jr. - Sin & Soul (Columbia) p.s. Thanks for the heads-up Devil.
Gospels in Rythhm - N/A (Coronet)
Wings Over Jordan Choir - Amen (Gusto)

Et Tu, Brute?

Perhaps DC should regulate knives in the back...

In a time when Turtles ruled the earth!!!

In honor of Devildick and his addoration of all things 1-4-5 and 'Twangy'...



Long before Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman rode the White Whale to Frank Zappa's doorstep, these two 16 year old gawkers teemed up with classmate and all around ace guitarist Al Nichols to kill the So-Cal Surf competition as the Crossfires. A local smash in their neck o' the sand, these kids were so tops that they managed to kill famed ax-hanger Eddie Bertrand in their Battle o' the Bands, no small feat considering Bertrands tenure in the Bel-Aires (Mr. Moto) and later Eddie & the Showmen (Squad Car). Though they recorded about a dozen killer tracks, only two singles ever saw the light of day during their lifespan, the hen's tooth above and a bonified snotty punker that goes by 'One Potatoe, Two Potatoe' (Not to be confused with the 'Elite' song of the same name). Enjoy.

Jekyll & Hyde - The Crossfires

Fiberglass Jungle - The Crossfires

Love it to Death Live...er Dead...Whatever!

If you, dear reader, do not appreciate the genius that is the Alice Cooper band, then I am afraid we have reached an impass. Might I suggest you continue on to greener pastures. Now, for all those in the know, dig this live footage circa 1971' in Asbury Park NJ (Popular consensus places the venue as the Sunshine Inn). I love the part where the Coop cues Buxton out of the solo. Rock!

You Don't Know Dick # 1

Chapter One: Loomings

"What of it, if some old hunks of a sea-captain orders me to get a broom and sweep down the decks? What does that indignity amount to, weighed, I mean, in the scales of the New Testament? Do you think the archangel Gabriel thinks anything the less of me, because I promptly and respectfully obey that old hunks in that particular instance? Who aint a slave? Tell me that. Well, then, however the old sea-captains may order me about - however they may thump and punch me about, I have the satisfaction of knowing that it is all right; that everybody else is one way or other served in much the same way - either in a physical or metaphysical point of view, that is; and so the universal thump is passed round, and all hands should rub each other's shoulder-blades, and be content".

-Herman Melville

"Reason Flows From My Fountain Pen"

Courtesy of the Raritan Center Record Expo - I couldn't dig up much on the above platter sufficed to say that it's a psych comp darling (most notably pebbles # 2), and these Texas teens definitely have a mind for Manzerick. Distributed by Buddha records Cobblestone subsidiary, this 1969 cut by the Crystal Chandelier b/w 'Your Land of Love' is so fuzzed out it's in danger of being shotgunned by Randy Alvey. Enjoy!

Suicidal Flowers - The Crystal Chandelier

The Devil & the Ding, Dong, Ditch

1. Lude Boy - Social Distortion
2. Telling Them - Social Distortion
3. Daddy's Gone Mad - Legal Weapon
4. Puss 'N' Boots - Red Cross
5. Out of My Head - Modern Warfare
6. Street Fighting Man - Modern Warfare
7. Deception - Secret Hate
8. New Routine/Suicide - Secret Hate
9. Suburban Bitch - Conservatives
10. Just Cuz/Nervous - Conservatives
11. Evil - 45 Grave
12. Concerned Citizen - 45 Grave
13. 45 Grave - 45 Grave
14. Dogs - Christian Death
15. Reject Yourself - 100 Flowers
16. Marry It - Rhino Thirty Nine
17. Death on the Elevator - Superheroines
18. Embalmed Love - Superheroines

Here is one for my crushed-velvet peeps. This seminal Cali-punk complation features alt. cuts of several '45 Grave' tunes (A highly undrerated band) off the 'Sleep in Safety' lp in addition to the vinyl debut of Death Rock/punk pioneers Christian Death (pre- 'Only Theatre of Pain')and The Super Heroines (featuring future Christian Death / Shadow Project guitarist Eva O). I'll let 'Alt. Music Guide' fill in the blanks:

"Recorded in 1981 for $550, this Southern California punk compilation (featuring one of the earliest performances of Redd Kross, here as the pre-lawsuit Red Cross) has been known to command prices in excess of $100 for a good vinyl copy. Well-known and obscure bands are represented side by side -- Social Distortion, .45 Grave and Christian Death rub shoulders with 100 Flowers (the serious side of punk comedians the Urinals), Secret Hate and Conservatives, amongst others. As a quick profile of the Los Angeles, Long Beach and Orange County scene circa 1981, this collection is hard to beat. ~ Steven McDonald"

And now for something in the Jugular vein...

Labels don't get no sweeter than the figural outing of this 1958 ode to hunchbackery. Pretty much the same cut on the flip, though it's a good cut to begin with. Comped a billion times, I think it bears repeating.Boo!

Igor's Lament - Tony & the Monstrosities

Saturday Night Special

New to the fold, this stealth-trigger, factory engraved Hopkins & Allan is pretty smart lookin'. Chambered in .38 rimfire, I don't think I would have risked firing this little pepper brandy new, much less 100+ years after the fact (though the people's republic of New Jersey does not recognize it as an antique), less it blow my hand clean off. Durability aside, it need only be true for one shot (the one that counts). Lets say "Strictly heirloom".