Iron Claw "it's like Black Sabbath with Syd Barret on vocals..."

Classic Rock's "Lost Pioneer's of Heavy Metal" feature unearth's Iron Claw, and brings the band back to life after 30 years.
Initially active between the years of 1969-1974, Iron Claw brought about a havoc like no other to Dumfries, Scotland, save for the likes of Black Sabbath. Formed by Alex Wilson in 1969, who then recruited Jimmy Ronnie (guitar) and Ian McDugall (drums), they were joined by singer Mike Waller in early 1970. Wilson, the groups founder and bassist, decided to go about forming a band after witnessing a Led Zeppelin gig in 1969. The band lifted their name from the opening lyric to King Crimson's classic "21st Century Schizoid Man." (Cat's foot/iron Claw/Neuro-surgeon's scream for more). Wilson and McDugals attendance at Black Sabbath's performance at Dumfries (which Wilson recorded, representing Sabbath's earliest live recording) convincing them to not only cover their entire first album and single live, But to conciously constuct their sound around them.

In 1971, Willson had to replace Mike Waller (when he left to take up the guitar), and so two new members (Wullie Davidson/vocals/harmonica/flute, and Donald MacLachlan/guitar) were recruited by Wilson and this changed the sound of the band to a more structured twin harmony guitar direction. However in 1971, when new recording sessions were looming, Donald MacLachlan was asked to leave the band as Jimmy Ronnie was unhappy with his presence. After the recording sessions, drummer Ian McDougal left in May 1972 and was replaced by Neil Cockayne. The group broke up in 1974.

In 1993, Iron Claw played a one-off show for charity. And in the late 90's, a German bootleg CD of some of the early recordings resurfaced. And in 2009, 16 recorded songs from the 70's were remastered and released on CD on Rockadrome Records from Texas. In response to the critical success the band reformed in 2010 and began working on an album of new and unreleased material. New vocalist Gordon Brown was recruited by the three remaining members of the band to finish the album. Alex Wilson (bass), Jimmie Ronnie (guitar), and Ian McDougal (drums).

The resulting highly acclaimed CD "A Different Game" was released internationally by Ripple Music in 2011. In November Gordon parted company with the band and following his departure Gary Hair was chosen from Brown to take over as vocalist. March 2013 saw the final disbanding of Iron Claw.

In anticipation of Lee Van Kleef: "Holy Smoke" Vinyl release date:11/25/2016

Thank the maker for youtube. I believe all of us have sang that praise many times over, with it came the capability of finding hundreds of bands we wouldn't have ever had the slightest chance of being exposed to. Bands so obscure and localized that their name wouldn't have normally carried further than a hundred miles of their hometown now have the capability of reaching the furthest corners of the globe, thus the potential for greater audiences. Or so you'd think.
Along with the unlimited distribution capabilities also came an infinite supply of every flavor of music, along with any and all sub-divisions of sub-genres and any and all combinations there of, you would need to be a very special kind of boring not to have more than a hundred times your own lifetime's worth of new material to sift through.
If one could do that. Humans need time to eat, sleep, shit, you get the picture.
What follows is just another one of those examples.
Don't know how I got there, wouldn't even be able to speculate, but I recently stumbled upon a stoner-rock/70's kinda wah-pedal guitar jam type outfit (I think that's a valid summation) going by the name of Lee Van Kleef. Normaly by the time shit finds it's way to my desk, it's been around for a bit (at least a year or so), but this time, I happened upon it before it's release! (vinyl is due Nov. 25th, 2016. Download is already available from Bandcamp:
https://leevancleefjams.bandcamp.com/album/holy-smoke
The vinyl will be released by White Dwarf records in an extremely limited edition of 165 copies on purpel vinyl, another 350 on black.

From the White Dwarf website: "The project Lee Van Kleef was born as a joke at the end of 2015 and is the result of long jam sessions between Marco Adamo, guitarist (La Povere de Bodele), Guido Minervini, drums (Efesto, Lamark) and Petro La Tegola, bass (Whiskeycold Winter). Influenced by bands like Earthless, Black Bombaim, Harsh Toke (to name a few) the first work: "Holy Smoke" was recorded, mixed, and mastered in Godfather Studio of Naples. The artwork was done by Robert Gnista."

"When I read the press release with its mention of Earthless, Black Bombain etc I'll admit to bit a bit skeptical - those are big names to throw around. However, on listening it soon became evident that these guys know how to rock! The musicianship is superb and the sound they create is huge. They have taken the general structure of heavy psych and jammed around the theme to create a monster of a record. I think that Lee Van Cleef can be added to the roster of the best acid bands around."
Dayz Of Purple And Orange

"Fuck you I'm in the mood for it" - Crime, "Piss on Your Dog"

Get Crazy 1983

Hot on the heels of "Rock and Roll High School", "Get Crazy" was the followup film from Alan Arkush. Arkush: "when we made 'Crazy', 'Rock and Roll High School' was still an obscure midnight movie." "Get Crazy" is an homage to the legendary Fillmore East, Bill Grahm's rock venue on 2nd Avenue near East 6th St., now referred to as the "East Village" section of Manhattan, N.Y.C. It was open from March 8th, 1968, until June 27, 1971, and featured some of the biggest acts in rock music at the time.
The movie takes place a decade later, at the final show of the "Saturn Theater" on New Years Eve of 1982, and is peppered with all kinds of fictitious musical acts, some based off real artists. (Lou Reed's "Dylan-esque" character Auden, who is summoned to play the show as a 'deathbed request' of theater manager Max Wolfe (Alan Garfield as Alan Goorwitz).
The movie also stars Daniel Stern (Neil Allen), Malcolm McDowell (Reggie Wanker), Gail Edwards (Willy Loman), Ed Begley Jr. (Colin Beverly).
The premise: Mega promoter Colin Beverly plans to sabotage the New Years 1983 concert of small time concert promoter Max Wolfe. And the crew of the venue basically saves the sex, drugs, and Rock and Roll from Beverly's schemes.
What makes the movie great, is the spoof bands, and, the cameos.
Nada, one of the main acts, features a character named "Piggy", a dangerous, psychotic, rock n' roll animal housed in the trunk of the bands car. The role of Piggy is played by Lee Ving of LA punk band FEAR.
Another member of FEAR, Philo Cramer, makes a cameo as well. When Bill Henderson's character "King Blues" (based off Muddy Waters) asks for a Blues band, there is a communication problem and he receives a "Jews Band."

Auden, Lou Reed's character is the metaphysical 70's songwriter, and antisocial recluse, who hasn't been heard from in six years. Auden answers the phone in a shot that mimic's perfectly the cover of Bob Dylan's Bringin' it All Back Home. Except that everything, even the woman lounging in the background, is full of cobwebs.
Reggie Wanker (Malcolm McDowell) "20 years of Rock n' Roll and still on top" is a Mick Jagger spoof with his own private jet, a countess for a girlfriend, and mountains of cocaine. Wanker has his own rock and roll animal in his entourage, a maniac called "Toad", and he's played by John Densmore of The Doors.

There's also a throw-back to the 60's with the arrival of "Captain Cloud" (played by Howard Kaylan a.k.a. "Eddie" of  Flo & Eddie & Turtles fame) and his busload of hippies. Who show up with a pass from Dec. 31, 1968.
The soundtrack contains some excellent moments as well (along with the typical spoof-band goofyness) The Ramones contribute a tune called "Chop Suey", FEAR contribute a song to the Nada set, with their version of "Hoochie Cootchie Man", a song that King Blues recognizes as his own, and comments: "who said a white boy can't sing the blues!", and Lou Reed closes the movie with a touching rendition of "Little Sister."
Best viewed on VHS, 'cause that's how we rolled back in the day.
Awesome flick for an 80's nostalgia night or for a double feature with Rock and Roll High School. I'll leave you in charge of your own "party favors."

The Coathangers

"Sure, great bands ascend beyond basements and handmade demos all the time, but the best acts start with little consideration for the outside world. The groups are their own insular world, where the reward comes from the process, not accolades and riches." The opening statement on the Coathangers official webpage, a blurb taken from the Suicide Squeeze records page. The label of which The Coathangers appear to hang their coats. (No pun).
March 2014 saw the release of the band's fourth full length album for Suicide Squeeze, the most critically and commercially received to date, and the band embarked with fellow Atlantans The Black Lips on the heels of this release , and continued on in 2014 with festival appearances and headlining dates. In 2013, they released their third album: Larceny and Old Lace (also on Suicide Squeeze) to positive reviews.

The band performed in 2006 as a joke. After playing a house show, they were asked to open for The Hiss based on the strength of their performance. The name was chosen for it's vulgarity, an irreverent take on abortions, though all the band members are pro-choice.
Their playfulness continues into their songs, with titles like "Don't Touch my Shit", "Nestle in My Boobies", and "Shut the Fuck Up."  They released a 7" record on Atlanta's Die Slaughterhaus" records, and their first full length self-titled on Rob's House records.
After taking time to tour, and putting out another 7" on Seattle based Suicide Squeeze Records, the Coathangers put out their second full length Scramble in April 2009. In 2011, the band released Larceny and Old Lace.
In 2013, it appeared the quartet became a trio, with Bebe Coathanger (Candice Jones) noticeablt absent from shows towards the later half of the year, or from their fourth album Suck My Shirt.

Official Webpage
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Suicide Sqeeze Records

Self released CDr in hand sewn CD holder.

Exploding White Mice 1983 - 1999 Australia, Punk

 

Formed in Adelaide, Australia in 1983 when Paul Gilchrist on vocals played a one off gig as a covers band at a party with Andy MacQueen (former The Deviants, Crunch Pets) on bass guitar, Gerry Barrett on guitar (Del Webb Explosion) and Craig Rodda on drums (Screaming Believers). The bands name was taken from a scene in the 1979 film Rock and Roll High School, where a laboratory rat spontaneously explodes upon exposure to music by The Ramones. Aside from the Ramones, other major influences include Radio Birdman, MC5,The Stooges, Johnny Thunders, and 1960's American garage punk. The party gig went so well that the group decided to play regularly. One show was attended by Giles Barrow, who joined on rhythm guitar. In 1984, they started a residency at the Cathedral Hotel. Barrett left near year's end and was replaced on guitar by Jeff Stevens (Firm Grip, Spitfire, Tombstone Shadow).  In 1985, Rodda was replaced on drums by David Bunny.
The group released four studio albums: Brute Force and Ignorance (Aug. 1988), Exploding White Mice (1990),  Collateral Damage (1992), and We Walk Alone (1994). The band toured Europe twice before disbanding in 1999.

"A Nest of Vipers" E.P. 1985

Originally a covers band, "the Mice" began working on original tunes. In 1985, after adding David Bunny on drums, (Zippy and the Coneheads), they released a six-track E.P.: A Nest of Vipers on Australia's Greasy Pop Records. It was produced by Kim Horne. Also in 1985, their track "Down on the Street" appeared on the label's compilation album: An Oasis in a Desert of Noise.
In 1986, Sydney rock publication: RAM, named Nest of Vipers as the best Australian record of the year. The record was issued in the U.S. on Bigtime Records and renamed In A Nest of Vipers. But despite selling several thousand copies,the group received no  royalties as Bigtime became insolvent soon after. During 1986 & 87, the group regularly toured major Australian cities and released a few 7" singles. In March of '87, the group released the single "Blaze of Glory" with the B-side being a cover of John Kongo's hit "He's Gonna Step on You Again" and in August of 1988 released their debut L.P.Brute Force and Ignorance which had been recorded and engineered by Cran Wilton at Soundworks studios in Kent Town. Shortly before it's release, Barrow left and was replaced by Dave Mason, formerly of Primevil's. In 1989, Jack Jacomos replaced Mason in turn.

In 1990, the group toured Europe and released a half-studio, half-live self titled L.P. on Germany's Normal Records. Shortly after, Gilchrist left (effectively changing the band's classic sound) and Stephens took over on lead vocals. In early 1991, they began recording Collateral Damage again at Soundworks Studios. However, when the Greasy Pop Record Company went out of business that year, they could not find a local distributor, and released it on Popular Records in Germany and NKVD Records in the United States. David's brother Andrew Bunny joined on rythm guitar. The groups final album was 1994's We Walk Alone on Au Go Go Records. Lucky Records (U.S.), Subway (Europe), and 12" Rock N Roll Inc 008 (Spain).
In 1994, the band had a cameo appearance in John Winters' 1994 film "The Roly Poly Man" as a "Punk Rock bar band from Hell."
In 1995, they re-released A Nest of Vipers with bonus tracks ("Blaze of Glory" and The Stooges' "Down on the Street") on Bastard records (CD) & Popular Records (LP).
In 1996, they issued a single: "Prepare to Die", and toured Europe with German band The Richies. They disbanded in 1999.

"Fear (Late at Night)" b/w "Without Warning" 1988

One of 10 copies of the "Fear (Late at Night)" 7" with this label on the B-Side
http://www.45cat.com/record/k539

"The black label with broken mouse image was created for the band by me [coodercat] while I was at Festival Records. There were only 10 of these pressed on red vinyl. Six went to the band and I kept the rest. One copy was given to the late "Rockin'" Ronnie Smith who unfortunately died much too early and took with him so much Rock & Roll history info. Heaven is a much better informed place now Ronnie is there!"
-cootercat 2 April, 2003

"Breakdown Number Two" b/w "Bury Me" 1988

"I just Want my Fun" b/w i "First Time is the Best Time" ii "Do the Crunch" 1990

"In A Nest of Vipers" E.P. (U.S./U.K/ Netherlands)

(Germany)

Ltd. Ed. Colored Vinyl

"Brut Force and Ignorance" Ltd Ed.

Normal Records (Germany)

Greasy Pop Records (Australia)

Colllateral Damage L.P. 1992

"Prepare to Die" b/w 1. "51 St. State"* 2. "Zero" 1997

"Brut Force and Ignorance" L.P. + ""A Nest of Vipers" E.P. - CD

Cassettes

Promo posters and flyers

Sometimes dubbed: "The Australian Ramones", The Mice with the REAL Ramones.