As I'm typing it's pouring down with rain outside so grunge from Seattle is an appropriate post. Imagine if South of Heaven Slayer slowed down to 16.75 rpm. Willard trample you to dirt like a herd of slow running heavy and then they became heavier by bringing in Tad for some guest vocals. While the name Willard is about as interesting as listening to a monotone speaker's fifteen minute monologue; the producer's name, Jack Endino may pique your interest. Not that many grunge bands can have been signed to Roadrunner Records. Whether or not these guys were grunge is up for debate.

Squashed under foot..

RIP John Hicks

Last month an ex-member of Flesh D-Vice died aged 39 from a huge epileptic fit. John Hicks joined the band and played bass in one of the post Gerald Dwyer carnations of the band. In the comments in the Flesh D-vice video I posted not that long ago, John wrote:

"They've been playin on and off throughout the years without Gerald... and Dwayne sometimes.... I was bass player for a bit and Steve Andrews (Vas Deferens) was singer when I played with em. I Think they currently play as a 3 piece (Brent, Eug, Dwayne) with Eug handling vox. Still a fuckin mighty live show..."

Before moving to Wellington, John was a prolific Palmerston North musician. He played in many punk bands. John either sang, played bass or drums. At one of the early Stomach music centre shows he drummed and sang for a shortlived band called Death Bastard Scum Crawler (DBSC). John was in my Sixth Form history class for about a week way back in 1986.
The previous year his brother, Jeremy was in my French class. I remember John wearing a Peter and The Test Tube Babies patch and some girl commenting that he could do a bath. I found this on John's blog.

9) Nostagic - a song which reminds you of when you were younger.
Jinx by Peter And The Test Tube Babies, off The Mating Sounds Of South American Frogs. I had janola'd jeans, I had Doc Martens, I had no hair and usually a black eye. No one had died yet, no marriages or friendships were dissolved, there seemed to be an endless Flagon of Beer in my hand, all the girls wore fishnets and leather minis....*sigh*

Over the years I saw a few of John's bands. Some time in the late 90's State of Hate playing at the Wild Horse Saloon with Hideously Disfigured stands out in my memory as I remember John moaning from the stage about the paying Palmerston North punters all standing at the back with their arms crossed. A week before or so they'd played New Plymouth to a more appreciative audience.

A few of John's bands: Snus, State of Hate (The long haired drummer, Ham was previously in Wildfire, who were more of a glam metal band. Ham commited suicide which prompted the Manawatu Evening Standard to run a full page spread on youth suicide) and Sick66.

Wardance

Playing Killing Joke's debut was one of those things that made me think of other connected things. Wardance made me think of Anthrax back when they all wore silly shorts, carried skateboards and talked about all the hardcore they listened to when by hardcore they actually meant Journey. I swore Anthrax also had a song called "Wardance". They don't as it was part of the song "Indians". It has been a few years.

Also with rugby season in full swing the haka also came to mind. This had me illogically searching for the Spice Girls' version but coming up empty and a better man for that.

Killing Joke



Anthrax - Indians

Oscilator in Distortion

Japan's Mad Capsule Markets were another band I discovered whilst living in Asia. However, it wasn't from seeing the band or even from the Asian media. A copy of London magazine Rock Sound, which contained a free compilation CD, is responsible for the fact that this band ever reached my ears. The band could be considered cyberpunk as they combine elements of punk, electronica, metal and hip-hop sucessfully. Oh, there's also chirpiness (although it may be tongue in cheek) and anger.

Who didn't always want to be a stormtrooper?

Bansai!

Tizzy Bac - 2006

Tizzy Bac are a hugely popular band in the Chinese island or nation, depending on where you stand on China's politics. Tizzy Bac play piano rock not unlike Ben Fold's Five however unlike Ben Fold's Five, they have a female on piano who also sings.
The one time I saw this band was in a small club in Taichung on a Sunday night and the place filled up quickly. In fact, I saw people being turned away due to overcrowding. In a world where bland Mando-pop rules, Tizzy Bac was a pleasant find.

Here.

Questions that demand answers

As the text on this blog grows some people find this blog by typing full questions into search engines. These questions clearly need answering.

1)What age do you need to be to go to a bath house?

The ridiculously named wellington live music venue, San Francisco Bath House will let you in if you have reached eighteen. Other than that, I have no idea.

2) Who is Kurt Cobain?

The singer/guitarist from Nirvana, a great marksman and a lousy father.

3) Is Pearl Jam still relevant?

If you listen to them, then yes. Yield was their best album and 10 and Vitalogy were really only OK.

4) Is rock dead?

Tap on the one you live under. If it wakes up, no, it isn't dead.

5) What is the difference between a big drill and a small drill?

They're different colours which is the only way you can tell them apart.

Do people really expect to find answers by typing whole questions? If you have a blog, what questions have driven traffic in your direction?

Uncut Blanks - Zombie

This band come close to living in the bottom of the word hailing from the South Island town of Dunedin which could be the reason that they flew under our radar. Uncut Blanks started in the rock 'n' roll busy-ness for about three years and do the Dwarves and Turbonegro punk and roll thang.

Despite the songs being old checking out their myspace site is encouraged.