Documentary: Dogtown and Z-Boys (2001)

Dogtown and Z-Boys is a documentary that takes you through the history and lives of the legendary Zephyr surf and skateboarding team. The film, directed by Stacey Peralta and narrated by Sean Penn, is full of vintage surf and skate video footage, photos, and interviews with the Zephyr team. Based on the book Dogtown - The Legend of the Z-Boys and featuring a killer soundtrack (Jimi Hendrix, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Stooges, etc.) this is a ride not be missed.

Documentary: American Hardcore - The History of American Punk Rock 1980 - 1986

Paul Rachman's feature documentary is a chronicle of the underground hardcore punk years in the US from 1979 to 1986. Generally unheralded at the time, the early 1980s hardcore punk rock scenes in Washington D.C., Los Angeles or Boston gave birth to much of the rock music and culture that followed.

Hardcore back then was more than music - it was rather a social movement, created by alienated Reaganomics-era kids . A movement which could be self-destructive and nihilistic, but just as reassuring and positive at the same time.

American Hardcore traces this lost subculture, from its early roots in 1980 to its sudden decline in 1985. Recent interviews and great live footage from Black Flag, Bad Brains, Minor Threat, SS Decontrol and Gang Green make this a real gem. Intelligent retrospective.

Check it out.

http://www.american-hardcore.de/

From the Vault #21: Van Halen - I (1978)

Think of the recent reunion what you want, this is a true classic.

Track List:

1. Runnin’ With The Devil
2. Eruption
3. You Really Got Me
4. Ain’t Talkin’ Bout Love
5. I’m The One
6. Jamie’s Cryin’
7. Atomic Punk
8. Feel Your Love Tonight
9. Little Dreamer
10. Ice Cream Man
11. On Fire

From the Vault #20: Corrosion of Conformity - In the Arms of God (2005)

Tracklist:

1.Stone breaker
2.Paranoid opioid
3.It is that way
4.Dirty hands empty pockets (already gone)
5.Rise river rise
6.Never turns to more
7.War
8.So much left behind
9.The backslider
10.World on fire
11.Crown of thorns
12.In the arms of God

From the Vault # 19: Fu Manchu - California Crossing (2001)

Tracklist:

1. Seperate Kingdom

2. Hang On

3. Mongoose

4. Thinking Loud

5. California Crossing

6. Wiz Kid

7. Squash That Fly

8. Ampn'

9. Bultaco

10. Downtown In Dogtown

11. The Wasteoid

From the Vault #18: Gang Green - Another Wasted Night (1986)

Let´s Skate to Hell...

Tracklist:

1. 19th Hole
2. Alcohol
3. Another Wasted Night
4. Voices Carry
5. Protect And Serve
6. Eight Ball
7. Evil
8. Last Chance
9. Fuck In A
10. Tonight We Rock
11. Sold Out Alabama
12. Have Fun
13. Crocadile Rock
14. Hate
15. Skate To Hell
16. Voices Scary
17. Untitled

From the Vault #17: Bad Religion - Suffer (1988)

Still their best album to date.

Tracklist:

1. You Are (The Government)
2. 1000 More Fools
3. How Much Is Enough?
4. When?
5. Give You Nothing
6. Land of Competition
7. Forbidden Beat
8. Best for You
9. Suffer
10. Delirium of Disorder
11. Part II (The Numbers Game)
12. What Can You Do?
13. Do What You Want
14. Part IV (The Index Fossil)
15. Pessimistic Lines

From the Vault #16: Black Flag - Damaged (1981)

Tracklist:

01. Rise Above
02. Spray Paint (The Walls)
03. Six Pack
04. What I See
05. T.V. Party
06. Thirsty and Miserable
07. Police Story
08. Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie
09. Depression
10. Room 13
11. Damaged II
12. No More
13. Padded Cell
14. Life of Pain

From the Vault #15: Sublime - Sublime (1996)

Tracklist:

01. Garden Grove
02. What I got
03. Wrong Way
04. Same in the End
05. April 29, 1992 (Miami)
06. Santeria
07. Seed
08. Jailhouse
09. Pawn Shop
10. Paddle Out
11. The Ballad Of Johnny Butt
12. Burritos
13. Under My Voodoo
14. Get Ready
15. Caress Me Down
16. What I Got (reprise)
17. Doin' Time

From the Vault #14: Social Distortion - Somewhere between Heaven and Hell (1992)

Tracklist:

1. Cold Feelings
2. Bad Luck
3. Making Believe
4. Born To Lose
5. Bye Bye Baby
6. When She Begins
7. 99 To Life
8. King of Fools
9. Sometimes I Do


10. This Time Darlin'
11. Ghost Town Blues

Album Cover: New KT Tunstall

Not exactly my kinda music, but one hell of an album cover. KT rocking a Gibson Firebird. Drastic fantastic indeed.

From the Vault #13: Supersuckers – The Evil Powers of Rock'n'Roll (1999)

Tracklist:

01. The Evil Powers of Rock'n'Roll
02. Cool Manchu
03. I Want the Drugs
04. Santa Rita High
05. Dead Meat
06. Stuff 'n' Nonsense
07. Dirt Roads, Dead Ends and Dust
08. Fisticuffs
09. Gone Gamblin'
10. My Kickass Life
11. Goin' Back to Tucson
12. I Can't Hold Myself in Line
13. Hot Like the Sun

From the Vault #12: Monster Magnet – Dopes to Infinity (1995)

Tracklist:

1. Dopes To Infinity
2. Negasonic Teenage Warhead
3. Look To Your Orb For The Warning
4. All Friends and Kingdom Come
5. Ego, The Living Planet
6. Blow 'em Off
7. Third Alternative
8. I Control, I Fly
9. King Of Mars
10. Dead Christmas
11. Theme from Masterburner
12. Vertigo

From the Vault #11: Queens of the Stone Age – Same (1998)

Tracklist:

1. Regular John
2. Avon
3. If Only
4. Walkin' on the Sidewalks
5. You Would Know
6. How to Handle a Rope
7. Mexicola
8. Hispanic Impressions
9. You Can't Quit Me Baby
10. Give the Mule What He Wants
11. I Was a Teenage Hand Model

From the Vault #10: Kyuss – Blues for the Red Sun (1992)

Tracklist:

1.Thumb
2. Green Machine
3. Molten Universe
4. 50 Million Year Trip (Downside Up)
5. Thong Song
6. Apothecaries' Weight
7. Caterpillar March
8. Freedom Run
9. 800
10. Writhe
11. Capsized
12. Allen's Wrench
13. Mondo Generator
14. Yeah

From the Vault #9: Suicidal Tendencies - Suicidal Tendencies (1983)

Let´s skate...

Tracklist:

1. "Suicide's an Alternative / You'll Be Sorry" – 2:44
2."Two Sided Politics" (Muir) – 1:03
3. "I Shot the Devil" – 1:51
4. "Subliminal" – 3:08
5. "Won't Fall in Love Today" (Muir, Mayorga) – 0:59
6. "Institutionalized" (Muir, Mayorga) – 3:49
7. "Memories of Tomorrow" (Muir, Mayorga) – 0:59
8. "Possessed" – 2:07
9. "I Saw Your Mommy..." (Muir, Mayorga) – 4:52
10. "Fascist Pig" – 1:17
11. "I Want More" - 2:28
12. "Suicidal Failure" - 2:53

From the Vault #8: DOWN - Nola (1995)

Tune down, Sabb out.

Tracklist:

1. "Temptation's Wings"
2. "Lifer"
3. "Pillars of Eternity"
4. "Rehab"
5. "Hail the Leaf"
6. "Underneath Everything"
7. "Eyes of the South"
8. "Jail"
9. "Losing All"
10. "Stone the Crow"
11. "Pray for the Locust"
12. "Swan Song"
13. "Bury Me in Smoke"

http://www.down-nola.com/

From the Vault #7: Dag Nasty - Can I Say (1986)

Dag Nasty were a hardcore/punk band formed in 1985 by Brian Baker (guitar) of Minor Threat, Colin Sears (drums) and Roger Marbury (bass), both of Bloody Mannequin Orchestra, and Shawn Brown later of Swiz and Jesuseater (vocals). Their style of melodic hardcore was influential to hardcore as well as being an influence on post-hardcore or Emo. Shawn Brown was the first vocalist with whom the band recorded (until recently) previously-unreleased versions of most of the material that later made up their first release, "Can I Say," with former roadie and new singer Dave Smalley of DYS. If you dig bands like Jawbreaker, Samiam, or Jimmy Eats World, this one's for you.

Tracklist:

1. "Values Here"
2. "One to Two"
3. "Circles"
4. "Thin Line"
5. "Justification"
6. "What Now?"
7. "I've Heard"
8. "Under Your Influence"
9. "Can I Say"
10. "Never Go Back"

From the Vault #6: Metallica - Master of Puppets (1986)

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of this masterpiece‘s release, Metallica played Master of Puppets in its entirety on their Escape from the Studio '06 tour, for the first time ever at the Rock am Ring festival on June 3rd, 2006. Good old Metallica days….

Tracklist:

1. Battery
2. Master of Puppets
3. The Thing That Should Not Be
4. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
5. Disposable Heroes
6. Leper Messiah
7. Orion
8. Damage, Inc.

Artwork Abominations #1: Booty Covers

In this little series I will, on and off, feature some of the most atrocious and ungodly album artwork in music history. Hold on tight, some of these are not for the fainthearted, especially when they´re from the 80‘s. Todays installment deals with a recurring topic in album art history: The Ass. Yes, booty, bum, behind, you know, the ass.

How many album covers have mooned right in your face, while browsing the stacks at your favourite record store? Here are some which might be remembered for ever, and some, well… see for yourself.

The Velvet Underground (with Lou Reed) – Live
Butt-ugly…













Rolling Stones – Sticky Fingers
A classic which only starts mooning at you once you turn it around…. but the limited edition came with a real zipper…







Whitesnake – Lovehunter
I want this as a tattoo!!!













Scorpions– Animal Magnetism
The Scorpions are a reliable and seemingly never ceasing wellspring of hideous cover artwork. From their early stuff like Virgin Killer and Taken By Force to the bubble-gum chest cover of Lovedrive, they have never failed to deliver bad taste. And this one makes you wonder. Can´t he really make up his mind between the beer, the dog and the chick? Easy one, I´d say….
I could actually dedicate an entire edition of Artwork Abominations to the Scorpions‘ back catalogue. Thank God they left Germany for the US soon enough to do some real damage….





Bruce Springsteen – Born in the USA
Bruce made me wear Levis 501s in the first place….














The Strokes – Is This It
Artsy, kinda and just a side-shot. Is this it?














Eagles of Death Metal – Death By Sexy
One of the coolest band names and covers of all time. An instant classic.













The Donnas - Bitchin
The Donnas have substituted denim for leather.