Friday, May 30, 2008

We're Not Like Everybody Else



Here's three different covers of the Kinks' "I'm Not Like Everybody Else".

The Chocolate Watchband (Los Altos, CA). Introduced to me by my friend Jesse as 'the most punk song ever', this version is certainly the hardest of the three.
The Sacred Mushroom (Cincinnati, OH). This version is much more subdued and laid back, but still holds a mean torch to the band's dark side.
The Finchley Boys (Chicago, IL). This version is similar to the Sacred Mushroom's attempt, but that ugly wah-wah guitar adds an urgency to the track. The vocals sound the most tortured of the three, naturally putting the lyrics to good use.

Which is your favorite?

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Long Song of the Week: Gracious

British prog group, Gracious, released This is... Gracious! in 1972. 'Super Nova' is a massive 22 minute long piece in 4 parts, with sounds shadowing King Crimson, Amon Duul II and even some of the weirder Beach Boys compositions.

Lots of MELLOTRON on this song! That in itself makes it important. Love it or hate it, ut the long song of the week!

DOWNLOAD SUPER NOVA

Monday, May 26, 2008

Walkin' Mix

This mix was made specifically for walkin' around.
Throw it in your walkman on your way to the public pool!

BANCHEE - I JUST DON'T KNOW
KAK - BRYTE 'N' CLEAR DAY
BLUES PROJECT - YOU CAN'T CATCH ME
THE FLAMIN' GROOVIES - DOG MEAT
BOB SEGER SYSTEM - TALES OF LUCY BLUE
BECK, BOGART AND APPICE - GET READY
GERONMIO - HANDS

DOWNLOAD MIX

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Organ Transplant

...and now for an Organ Rock mix!

TRACKLISTING:

PINNACLE - TIME SLIPS BY
DEEP PURPLE - FIREBALL
ATOMIC ROOSTER - GERSHATSER
ARMAGGEDON - ROUND
AZRACHEL - GARDEN OF EARTHLY DELIGHTS
BLOODROCK - MELVIN LAID AN EGG

DOWNLOAD ORGAN TRANSPLANT MIX

-Velcro

Monday, May 19, 2008

Long Song of the Week: Lemon Pipers

If you've only ever heard Green Tambourine, you'd think that the Lemon Pipers Would never be able to pull off a song like this.
Through With You is a bitter psychedelic behemoth featuring a pan-happy stereo mix, some classic tape delay moments, a Byrds-like melody and of course, that classic Lemon Pipers tambourine.

THROUGH WITH YOU - THE LEMON PIPERS

Friday, May 16, 2008

Novelty Record of the Week: Sex Ed For Kids!

Sex Ed For Kids (ages 7-13)!
There is nothing more disturbing and funny at the same time as hearing 8 year olds describe the process of "mating" in a dry scientific manner.
Below is the entire second side of Sex Explained For Children, released 1972 on Carapan Records.

Sex hasn't changed at all.

SEX EXPLAINED FOR CHILDREN



-Velcro

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Cover Songs



Posting the Euclid version of 'I Used To Love Her' as part of the Early Metal Mix got me thinking of other heavy Rolling Stones covers I had sittin' around.
I was able to grab this struttin' version of 'Jumpin' Jack Flash' by Texas' Jamul. And with that, I found a few COVER versions of songs by the Animals, Hendrix, Neil Young and the Buffalo Springfield.

The most endearing thing about these covers is that they weren't done 30 years after the fact for some made-for-TV-movie about the freedom-y 60's.

JAMUL - JUMPIN' JACK FLASH (ROLLING STONES)
VELVERT TURNER GROUP - FREEDOM (JIMI HENDRIX)
STEPSON - IT'S MY LIFE (THE ANIMALS)
FRIJID PINK - HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN (in the style of THE ANIMALS)
THE LITTER - FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH (BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD)
JOHN ENTWISTLE - CINNAMON GIRL (NEIL YOUNG)

I'll be revisiting this sunject now and then, next time focusing on the WHO

-Velcro

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Live Debut!

Photobucket
Steam Powered Man will be debuting a live 4 hour set May 28 @ Sonotheque 1444 W. Chicago Ave.

Lawrence Peters (Magic Donut) and Velcro Lewis are the two djs. This will be an epic record dork session featuring some obscure country rock, early heavy and psychedelic rock, psych pop, fuzzy soul and r & b, synth funk and krautrock classics.
The end result: a very weird party.
click for more info

8 STYLE: Let God Be Your Gardener

8 Revolutions Per Minute

With possession of an 8rpm turntable comes great responsibility. People need to know how screwed up their favorite songs sound at such a slow speed. Some songs sound great, others are disappointing, but most are just plain fantastic. One of the best examples of "how slow can you go" is the MELVINS. In general, their songs travel at a snail's pace. When played at 8 revolutions per minute... well, you'll just have to download the song and see for yourself.

LET GOD BE YOUR GARDENER - MELVINS


My first impression was that of a sword fight with a giant armor-plated worm. On second listen, I was able to pick out parts of the song.

What's funny with this song is that if you play it on 45, it sounds like RUSH.

-Velcro

Sunday, May 11, 2008

mix one: Early Metal

Steam Powered Man's first mix!
We will be posting a number of mixes for you to download in the upcoming months.
You can expect country, psych, rhythm and blues, noise mixes and more.

Here's our first one, the "Early Metal" mix:

My early teenage years were pretty typical. BMX, metal, zits, shitty McDonald's job, no girlfriend, beat up a lot at school, Ocean Pacific, etc. Since i mainly listened to thrash and death metal, I wasn't aware of any metal from the 70's & early 80's other than Sabbath and Maiden and Priest. People are still unaware of some of the absolute classics from that period, especially the more underground releases. That's why I made this mix.

EARLY METAL MIX or I DIDN'T HAVE A COOL BABYSITTER WHEN I WAS A KID

tracklisting:
DIAMOND HEAD - BLITZKRIEG 1982
ULTRA - MUTANTS 1978
RAINBOW - STARSTRUCK 1976
DUST - SUICIDE 1973
MAY BLITZ - FOR MAD MEN ONLY 1972
UFO - PRINCE KAJUKO 1071
WARPIG - ROCK STAR 1970
THE FLYING HAT BAND - SEVENTH PLAIN 1973
ICECROSS - NIGHTMARE 1973
COLOURED BALLS - HEAVY METAL KID 1974
BANG! - LIONS, CHRISTIANS 1972
EUCLID - IT'S ALL OVER NOW ( a rolling stones cover) 1970

now, this is a very long mix (45 mins) and I got a little carried away, so I have split it into 2 files for you.
DOWNLOAD PART 1
DOWNLOAD PART 2

enjoy!
-Velcro Lewis