The Ramones

RIP, Don Kirshner

Tuesday, January 18th, 2011 | musiX | 1 Comment

Don Kirshner—”The Man With the Golden Ear”—had his hands in all things rock ‘n’ roll since the ’50s, working with songwriters from New York’s fabled Brill Building, who in turn provided some of the early hits for The Monkees. He later helped provide the tunes for the Archies ‘toons.

But Kirshner, at least for me, will always be known as the driving force (if not the simply the name) behind Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert. The show, which ran from 1973 to 1981, shirked the typical pre-recorded lip-synced performances in favor of gritty live performances from a wide range of artists including Sly & the Family Stone, the Ramones, KISS, UFO, Ike & Tina, Sparks, George Harrison, Weather Report, Brian Ferry … wow.

Kirshner died yesterday from heart failure at the age of 76.

I leave you with this 1975 performance from Black Sabbath on Rock Concert, which you gotta think scared the bejesus out of America. Just listen to Tony Iommi’s guitar tone, for fuck’s sakes.

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It’s Friday …

Friday, December 11th, 2009 | musiX | No Comments

… and this just felt appropriate. And what can I say—sometimes I feel like posting random Ramones videos. Tied with Lindsey Buckingham’s “Holiday Road” for best song on the National Lampoon’s Vacation soundtrack.

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KISS WEEK! KISS under kover

Friday, November 20th, 2009 | musiX | 2 Comments

KISS has been covered by hundreds of artists in different languages from all over the world on dozens of tribute albums. The short list:

The Smelly Tongues, Garth Brooks, Freddie Frehley, The Melvins, Metallkvartetten, Anthrax, The Hard-Ons, Lenny Kravitz, Motörhead, Aced Out, The Lemonheads, Scooter, Pansy Division, Nashville Pussy, Megadeth, Skin Yard, Pantera, Iced Earth, The Replacements, Clean Cut Plan & the Mobile Whorehouse, Metallica, Ace In the Pole, Maki Nomiya, Skid Row, Hayseed Dixie,  Girlschool, The Donnas, Nirvana, Motorpsycho & Dag Ingebrigtsen, Spaceman Spiff, Death, Golden Showers, Dinosaur Jr., The Moog Cookbook, Kvikksølvguttene, Foo Fighters, Chamarras Negra, Red House Painters, Die Ärzte, No Use For a Name, Gin Blossoms, Good Riddance, Jonah, Metal Morfosis, Me First & the Gimme Gimmes, Hellacopters, Entombed, The Huckleberrys, Cher, Tony Gorilla, Hammerfall, Helloween, The Torpedo Girls, Extreme, Scary German Guy, Zeke, Cosmic Dropouts, Poison, Graceland & Dead Joe, and Redd Kross.

Mmm … love that last Kvikksølvguttene record. KISS has done a few covers in its day as well—tapping into some of the early British Invasion records as well as bubble gum pop and punk … even a Disney song. As part of the magic that is KISS WEEK, TDoL brings you all of the songs that KISS made their own … well, they definitely turned a few of them into something all right.

“Kissin’ Time” - Released in 1974 on debut album KISS
Original: Bobby Rydell, 1959
This little ditty didn’t originally appear on the band’s debut, but was added to later pressings when Casablanca Records founder Neil Bogart pushed the members of KISS—against their will—to record it in hopes of snagging a hit single. It peaked at No. 79. But it’s a hit single in my book.

“Kissin’ Time” - KISS

“Kissin’ Time” - Bobby Rydell

“Then She Kissed Me” - Released in 1977 on Love Gun
Original: The Crystals, 1963
KISS swapped genders for this cover of The Crystals’ 1963 hit “Then He Kissed Me,” a song that feels a bit out of place on a record that includes songs with titles like “Plaster Caster” and “Love Gun” (the latter of which, despite popular belief, is not about firearms). The Crystals’ version, of course, was produced by Phil Spector, who is all about firearms.

“Then She Kissed Me” - KISS

“Then He Kissed Me” - The Crystals

“Anyway You Want It” - Released in 1977, studio side of Alive II
Original: Dave Clark Five, 1964
This cover illustrating Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley’s proclivity for British Invasion bands. KISS stays pretty true to the original, which is not a bad thing—because the original is real good. I like the vocals on the KISS version, especially Stanley’s “It’s all right!” Should’ve played this one live instead of “Tossin and Turnin’.”

“Any Way You Want It” - KISS

“Any Way You Want It” - Dave Clark Five

“New York Groove” - Released in 1978 on Ace Frehley’s solo album
Original: Hello, 1975
What would begin a long relationship with British songwriter and Argent frontman Russ Ballard, who penned this song for UK glam rockers Hello in the early ’70s. Frehley’s became a hit and a live staple. He and KISS would go on to cover other Ballard songs in the future, including “Into the Night” and “God Gave Rock ‘n’ Roll To You,” which became a Top 10 hit for KISS in the UK and Germany.

“New York Groove” - Ace Frehley

“New York Groove” - Hello

“Tossin’ and Turnin’” - Released in 1978 on Peter Criss’ solo album
Original: Bobby Lewis, 1961
What, no Gene Krupa covers? Leave it to Peter Criss to take a great rock song and turn it into a funky R&B mess. KISS would later perform the song during the Dynasty tour, improving (slightly) on the cheesy studio version. Actually, let’s just pretend this never happened.

“Tossin’ and Turnin’” - Peter Criss

“Tossin’ and Turnin’” - Bobby Lewis

“When You Wish Upon a Star” - Released in 1978 on Gene Simmons’ solo album
Original: Pinocchio soundtrack, 1940
Gene Simmons will never live this one down—becoming perhaps the only rock star to ever cover a song by a talking cricket. I hear Jiminy tried to sue Simmons for skipping out on some royalty checks. And that’s just sad.

“When You Wish Upon a Star” - Gene Simmons

“When You Wish Upon a Star” - Cliff Edwards, as the voice of Jiminy Cricket (video)

“2000 Man” - Released in 1979 on Dynasty
Original: The Rolling Stones, 1967
One of my favorite KISS covers, peeled from the Stones’ Their Satanic Majesties Request. “2000 Man” is one of three Ace Frehley contributions to Dynasty, a record that showed KISS following the disco trend along with everyone else and their mothers including, coincidentally, The Rolling Stones.

“2000 Man” - KISS

“2000 Man” - The Rolling Stones

“Is That You?” - Released in 1980 on Unmasked
Original: Gerard McMahon, 1980
Although Peter Criss’ cartoon image appears on the cover, it was actually session/Dave Letterman drummer Anton Fig who played drums on Unmasked, one of KISS’ poppiest records. “Is That You?” kicks off the album, and was recorded after KISS heard the demo from an unknown British singer named Gerard McMahon, whose song “Cry Little Sister” would later appear on the Lost Boys soundtrack.

“Is That You?” - KISS

“Is That You?” - Gerard McMahon (video)

“Rock and Roll Hell” - Released in 1982 on Creatures of the Night
Original: Bachman-Turner Overdrive, 1979
Not many KISS fans know this is a cover, probably because the two versions sound completely different. Written by Bryan Adams (yes, the Bryan Adams) and Canadian producer Jim Vallance, “Rock and Roll Hell” appeared on BTO’s Rock n’ Roll Nights album and sounded very similar to the band’s hit “Takin’ Care of Business.” Three years later, Gene Simmons added a line, became a co-writer and threw it on Creatures of the Night, ironically one of KISS’ heaviest records.

“Rock and Roll Hell” - KISS

“Rock and Roll Hell” - BTO (clip from Jim Vallance’s website)

“God Gave Rock ‘n’ Roll To You II” - Released in 1991 on soundtrack to Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey; 1992 on Revenge
Original: Argent, 1973
This became a decent hit for KISS across the pond, originally appearing on the second (and, of course, best) Bill and Ted movie. “God Gave Rock ‘n’ Roll To You II” will always be a KISS song to me … just like Keanu Reeves will always be “Ted” Theodore Logan to me.

“God Gave Rock ‘n’ Roll To You II” - KISS

“God Gave Rock ‘n’ Roll To You” - Argent

“Do You Remember Rock ‘n’ Roll Radio?” - Released in 2003 on We’re a Happy Family: A Tribute to The Ramones
Original: The Ramones, 1980
This song works surprisingly well for KISS, and it’s actually one of the best covers on the We’re a Happy Family tribute. I love The Ramones. I love KISS. I love the song. I think KISS should do a cover of “I Don’t Wanna Go Down to the Basement.” And perform it live.

“Do You Remember Rock ‘n’ Roll Radio?” - KISS

“Do You Remember Rock ‘n’ Roll Radio?” - The Ramones

In memory of Mark Louis Arnone, Feb. 24, 1973 - Oct. 21, 2009

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I got gas

Wednesday, March 4th, 2009 | pdX, politiX | 1 Comment

[Note: The song "I Don't Wanna Go Down to the Basement" was playing while the following crime was being committed. For full effect, please click the play button below before reading.]

I was getting gas today—$1.89 a gallon in the quaint little town of Gresham—and as I sat there waiting for the attendant to fill ‘er up I noticed the truck parked in front of me. First I saw the Ruger sticker … no big deal, we all have the right to bear arms. I panned left, another sticker: “Palin 2012.” I threw up in my mouth, then panned further left. In the side rear-view mirror I could see the driver—a pink-faced, mustachioed man with a ball cap. He was looking off into the distance.

I looked down at my console. There so happened to be a black marker. I checked my surroundings. The attendant had gone off to help someone else. There was no one else around. And the man was still looking away. Calmly, casually, I grabbed the marker, opened my door and, slightly crouching, walked five feet to the rear of the truck. I acted quickly and bravely. With three adept strokes of my Magic Marker, “Palin” magically became “Stalin” and I was quickly back inside my vehicle.

[Note: The above act didn't actually take place. It did, however, run through my mind the entire time I sat there staring at that sticker ... and I was listening to the Ramones. Sub-note: I fully support people having their own varying political views. But a "Palin 2012" sticker reaches a whole different level of ridiculousness. Of course, this is coming from the grown man who just fantasized about vandalizing a Republican's truck.]

“I Don’t Wanna Go Down to the Basement” - The Ramones

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This band could be your neighbor: part 2

Wednesday, October 15th, 2008 | musiX, pdX | 1 Comment

I think I saw one of them.

My girlfriend told me she had once seen two of them from a distance—a man and a woman—skinny, with long, wiry hair, sporting retro garb that one wouldn’t consider normal streetwear … even by Portland standards: “It looks like they’re from a completely different universe,” she explained.

I like them already.

The other night, we were walking back to our apartment right by a small pathway that runs along the back of the complex …

“There he is … ”

I looked down the path, and about 50 yards away was a skinny man, clad head to toe in denim with a long mop of stringy black hair. A plume of smoke dissipated to the left side of his dark coif. He looked like Tony Iommi, or maybe a young Jerry Garcia, or … Joey Ramone?! Is this guy a member of a stoner doom-metal group? A ’60s psychedelic jam band? A Ramones tribute band? No matter. I am hell-bent on finding out. This might, indeed, be the greatest rock band in Portland, or even the world … or one helluva tribute to The Ramones …

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