Recorded during their “Kiss of Death” tour in 2007, Motörhead‘s previously unreleased Live at Montreux Jazz Festival ’07 is another powerful live recording of Phil Campbell (guitar and backing vocals), Mikkey Dee (drums), and Lemmy Kilmister (bass and lead vocals) firing on all cylinders.
The set list include lots of bangers and some cuts you didn’t hear often during some other sets. Opening with “Snaggletooth” for example, is a nice touch. It wasn’t a common opener for them, and they unload it with the subtlety of a flamethrower. “Stay Clean” doesn’t give you time to breathe, as you’re too busy holding onto your face to keep it from being blasted onto the wall behind you. “Be My Baby” is thick with sludge and reveals how much Motörhead influenced early Nirvana records.
“That was kind of jazzy, wasn’t it?” Kilmister jokes after “Killers.” “One Night Stand” swings and shreds. Speaking of shredding, Campbell does a lot of it on “I Got Mine” with a solo that might sear your ears. Kilmister dedicates “Sword of Glory” to soldiers “fighting in Iraq for no good reason.”
“Who likes Thin Lizzy?” Kilmister asks, and then talks about how Phil Lynott was one of his heroes, before they rip in to a cover of Thin Lizzy‘s “Rosalie.” He gives a warning before the epic version of “Sacrifice”: “If you dance to this, you won’t have children later in life.” It is brutal and unforgiving. The mosh pit during this version must’ve been like the Battle of Helm’s Gate, only stopped by everyone’s jaws hitting the floor during Dee’s drum solo. It’s hard to tell what’s moving faster, his hands on the snares, cymbals, and toms, or his feet on the double kick drums. “Just ‘Cos You Got the Power” isslower, “So Phil can show off his new guitar,” Kilmister says. He does. Quite well.
“Going to Brazil” blasts by you in a heartbeat, followed by the always-sinister, always-heavy “Killed By Death.” “Iron Fist,” appropriately, pummels you. Kilmister’s bass on it is as relentless as a belt-fed machine gun. The acoustic “Whorehouse Blues” is a refreshing bit of fun after it, and a moment to inhale, exhale, and then go nuts when they finally get to “Ace of Spades.” The closer, “Overkill,” is over eight minutes of raw power. Dee’s double-bass kick-drumming alone will make your jaw drop.
It’s another fine live album in an already impressive catalog. Don’t miss it.
A master of playful sonic whimsy, electronic pioneer Mort Garson spent a lifetime quietly pushing the boundaries of synthesis. The latest track to his name, “Zoos of The World,” is baroque and unpredictable. Centered on warm keyboard patches that come together to replicate the tonalities of a retro-futuristic orchestra, the springy cut was taken from a 1970 National Geographic special. The track follows “Moon Journey,”the soundtrack to the live broadcast of the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing, as first heard on CBS News. Nearly in tandem with the release date, July 20th will mark Garson’s 99th birthday, and the anniversary of the moon landing. Both taken from the forthcoming archival release Journey to the Moon and Beyond, out July 21 via Sacred Bones.
Journey to the Moon and Beyond advanced listening parties have been announced at the following locations for July 20, 2023:
Amoeba, San Francisco, US
Balades Sonores, Paris, FR
End Of An Ear, Austin, US
Family Store, Brighton, UK
Monorail, Glasgow, UK
Newbury Comics, Boston, US
Rough Trade, New York, US
Seasick Records, Birmingham, US
Stranger Than Paradise, London, UK
It’s hard not to use plant terminology when discussing the long, strange career –and subsequent renaissance– of Mort Garson. Like a seed buried deep and left to germinate for months (or in this instance, decades), his great body of work was scattered in record bins and tape closets and all but forgotten in pop culture. A classically trained musician and electronic researcher with a tireless work ethos that led to nearly over a thousand writing and arranging credits, Mort Garson’s music got buried in the topsoil of time.
When Sacred Bones first began their Mort Garson reissue project in 2019 with a proper reissue of Plantasia, the Garson-naissance began in earnest. Soon after, you could hear Mort Garson and his Moogs bubbling up on TV shows, documentaries, podcasts, hip-hop tracks, or anywhere else, the man a cultural phenomenon once more. (And naturally, just playing the vinyl reissue of Plantasia at home made every single plant in your house thrive.) Like a perennial that returns with each new spring, the Mort Garson archives have brought to bear yet another awe-inspiring bloom. Journey to the Moon and Beyond finds even more new facets to the man’s sound. There’s the soundtrack to the 1974 blaxploitation film Black Eye (starring Fred Williamson), some previously unreleased and newly unearthed music for advertising. Just as regal is “Zoos of the World,” where Garson soundtracks the wild, preening, slumbering animals from a 1970 National Geographic special of the same name. The mind reels at just what project would have yielded a scintillating title like “Western Dragon,” but these three selections were found on tapes in the archive with no further information.
The crown jewel of the set is no doubt Garson’s soundtrack to the live broadcast of the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing, as first heard on CBS News. That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for Moogkind. But for decades, this audio was presumed lost, the only trace of it appearing to be from an old YouTube clip. Thankfully, diligent audio archivist Andy Zax came across a copy of the master tape while going through the massive Rod McKuen archive. So now we get to hear it in all its glory. Across six minutes, Garson conjures broad fantasias, whirring mooncraft sounds, zero-gravity squelches, and twinkling études. It showcases Mort’s many moods: sweet, exploratory, whimsical, a little bit corny, weaving it all together in a glorious whole.
Maybe at the time it scanned as crass and opportunistic for Garson to apply his keyboards to subjects like astrological signs, the occult, hippiedom, houseplants, or the moon landing. But more than most other electronic music pioneers of his ilk, Garson foresaw the integration of such electronics into our daily lives, how they would allow us to engage with the world –in small daily things, popular trends, and big historical events– with our tweets, posts, reaction videos, and the like. In that way, Garson lived such history and then added his own little spin on things.
L7 have announced two upcoming tours that will include shows in small venues.
Seeing L7 live is always a good choice, and seeing them in a small venue is a no-brainer. If you’re on the other side of the planet, check out this tour in December.
As you can see, the last two shows of that tour in Melbourne, Australia are already sold out. Bricks Are Heavy is a great album, and hearing all of it live would be a blast.
They’ve also announced a new single will be released soon, so keep your ears open for it.
I didn’t hesitate to buy my tickets when I found out that Love and Rockets were touring for the first time in about fifteen years. I’d wanted to see them since I was in high school. I almost got to see them as Bauhaus with Peter Murphy, but the pandemic cancelled that. The closest I’d come was seeing bassist and co-vocalist David J do a solo acoustic show at Levitation Austin.
Opening for Love and Rockets was Vinsantos, a friend of David J who played an interesting mix of torch songs and gothic synth-rock. I described him to a friend as “a drag queen scarecrow who sang piano ballads about death.” So, yes, really interesting.
Vinsantos (right) and a friend who played guitar and sang backing vocals for him.
Love and Rockets came out, looking like the rock stars they are, and proceeded to level the place. They were smart to start with the mellow “I Feel Speed” before launching into the heavy, sexy “No Big Deal.” They then stomped the gas for “The Kundalini Express” and had the place jumping.
All aboard!
They sounded great. Daniel Ash still shreds on guitar and Kevin Haskins did a great job of handling both percussion and synths (often played on drum pads on his kit while putting down beats).
The raw power of Ash’s guitar work was evident on “Judgement Day,” and things got psychedelic on “An American Dream” before they rolled into “No New Tale to Tell” and the audience went nuts.
Then, they played “So Alive” and the place really went crazy.
Hearing “The Light” live nearly caused me and others to transcend. It felt like being inside power lines stretched across the Mohave Desert. “Mirror People” crushed it, and my friend, Leimomi, and I headed into the pit for the first encore, which included their great cover of “Ball of Confusion,” which was as stunning as I’d hoped it would be.
Rap on, rap on, brother.
The second encore was “Sweet F.A.,” sending us out the way we came in – with a mellow track to float us to the ceiling.
It was a stunning show and worth the wait. Thanks for giving us this gift, Love and Rockets. We all missed you.
Tinariwen, the pioneering, Grammy-winning Tuareg collective, unveil their enthralling new single, “Anemouhagh,” from their forthcoming album, Amatssou, out next Friday, May 19th on Wedge. “Anemouhagh” continues along Tinariwen’s electric trail of singles — the “anthemic” (Paste) “Kek Alghalm” and lead single “Tenere Den,” which was praised by The FADER as “a continuation of both the desert blues sound they pioneered and the revolutionary message they’ve always held close” — and offers another captivating glimpse into Amatssou.
Later this month, Tinariwen will embark on their first US tour since 2019, beginning on May 27th at Chicago’s Old Town School of Folk Music and including stops in Los Angeles, New York and more. A list of full dates are below and tickets are on sale now.
For decades, Tinariwen have remained ambassadors for the Tuareg people, a way of life in tune with the natural world, which is under threat as never before. Throughout Amatssou — the legendary collective’s ninth studio album — Tinariwen set out to explore the shared sensibilities between their trademark desert blues and the vibrant country music of rural America. Recorded in Djanet, an oasis in the desert of southern Algeria located in Tassili N’Ajjer National Park, with additional production on two tracks by Daniel Lanois (Brian Eno, U2, Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris, Peter Gabriel, Willie Nelson), Amatssou finds Tinariwen’s signature snaking guitar lines and hypnotic grooves seamlessly co-existing alongside banjos, fiddles and pedal steel.
Though Tuareg culture is as old as that of ancient Greece or Rome, the songs of Amatssou speak to the current and often tough reality of Tuareg life today. Unsurprisingly, there are impassioned references to Mali’s ongoing political and social turmoil. Full of poetic allegory, the lyrics call for unity and freedom. There are songs of struggle and resistance with oblique references to the recent desperate political upheavals in Mali and the increasing power of the Salafists. Tinariwen’s message has never sounded more urgent and compelling than it does on Amatssou.
Tinariwen Tour Dates Sat. May 27 – Chicago, IL @ Old Town School of Folk Music Tue. May 30 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom Wed. May 31 – Seattle, WA @ Showbox Fri. June 2 – Berkeley, CA @ UC Theater Sat. June 3 – Los Angeles, CA @ Fonda Theater Mon. June 5 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall Tue. June 6 – Boston, MA @ Sinclair Wed. June 7 – Washington, DC @ Lincoln Theatre Sat. June 10 – Hilvarenbeek, NL @ Best Kept Secret Festival Mon. June 12 – Rubigen, CH @ Muhle Hunziken Wed. June 14 – Florence, IT @Ultravox Thu. June 15 – Milan, IT @ Triennale Garden Fri. June 16 – Turin, IT @ Hiroshima Mon Amour Sun. June 18 – Dublin, IE @ Body & Soul Festival Thu. June 22 – Berlin, DE @ Festsaal Kreuzberg Sat. June 24 – Glastonbury, UK @ Glastonbury Festival Mon. 26 – Lille, FR @ Splendid Wed. June 28 – Paris, FR @ Salle Pleyel Thu. June 29 – Brussels, BE @ Ancienne Belgique Sat. July 1 – Roskilde, DK @ Roskilde Festival Sun. July 2 – Stockholm, SE @ Slaktkyran Tue. July 4 – Oslo, NO @ Rockefeller Fri. July 7 – Bilbao, ES @ BBK Live Festival Tue. July 11 – Arles, FR @ Les Suds Arles Thu. July 13 – London, UK @ Somerset House Sat. July 15 – Bristol, UK @ SWX Mon. July 17 – Glasgow, UK @ St Lukes Wed. July 19 – Bermingham, UK @ Institute 2 Sat. July 22 – Cheshire, UK @ Bluedot Festival Tue. 25 – Vigo, SP @ Terraceo Festival Sat. July 29 – Luxey, FR @ Musicalarue Festival
Tinariwen—the legendary GRAMMY-winning Tuareg collective—present their new single, “Kek Alghalm,” from their forthcoming album, Amatssou, out May 19th on Wedge. Following lead single “Tenere Den,” an “understated tribute to the desert and to the Tuareg revolution in the highlands of Mali” (WNYC), “Kek Alghalm” opens Amatssou as a call to the Tuareg tribes to unite against present threats, its lyrics calling out complicity in silence: “So where are the Touareg? // And why do they remain silent // In the face of so much disrespect // Perpetrated shamelessly with uncovered face.” Featuring Nashville’s WesCorbett on banjo, “Kek Alghalm” is a longtime live favorite amongst Tinariwen fans and it’s presented here in its recorded form for the first time.
Tinariwen, composed of founding members Ibrahim Ag Alhabib, Touhami Ag Alhassane and Abdallah Ag Alhousseyni, plus bassist Eyadou Ag Leche, percussionist Said Ag Ayad and guitarist Elaga Ag Hamid, single-handedly invented a guitar style that has captured the world’s imagination. They call it ishumar or assouf (“nostalgia” in Tamashek) but the rest of the world has come to know it as the Tuareg or desert blues. It is music that is imbued with sorrow and longing but it’s also music to dance to, to forget our cares.
Throughout Amatssou, the band’s ninth studio album, they set out to explore the shared sensibilities between their trademark desert blues and the vibrant country music of rural America. Recorded in Djanet, an oasis in the desert of southern Algeria located in Tassili N’Ajjer National Park, with additional production by DanielLanois (Brian Eno, U2, Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris, Peter Gabriel, Willie Nelson), Amatssou finds Tinariwen’s signature snaking guitar lines and hypnotic grooves seamlessly co-existing alongside banjos, fiddles and pedal steel. Lanois’ haunting pedal steel and crystalline production add a soaring ambience to Tinariwen’s trance-like desert blues.
For decades, Tinariwen have remained ambassadors for the Tuareg people, a way of life in tune with the natural world, which is under threat as never before. Amatssou is Tamashek for “Beyond The Fear,” and it fits, as Tinariwen have always been characterized by their fearlessness. Though Tuareg culture is as old as that of ancient Greece or Rome, the songs of Amatssou speak to the current and often tough reality of Tuareg life today. Unsurprisingly, there are impassioned references to Mali’s ongoing political and social turmoil. Full of poetic allegory, the lyrics call for unity and freedom. There are songs of struggle and resistance with oblique references to the recent desperate political upheavals in Mali and the increasing power of the Salafists. Tinariwen’s message has never sounded more urgent and compelling than it does on Amatssou.
Beginning May 27th at Chicago’s Old Town School of Folk Music, Tinariwen’s US tour will see them bringing their cherished songs to cities including NewYork, LosAngeles, and more before they head overseas for a run of EU/UK dates. All shows are on-sale now with tickets available here.
Tinariwen Tour Dates Sat. May 27 – Chicago, IL @ Old Town School of Folk Music Tue. May 30 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom Wed. May 31 – Seattle, WA @ Showbox Fri. June 2 – Berkeley, CA @ UC Theater Sat. June 3 – Los Angeles, CA @ Fonda Theater Mon. June 5 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall Tue. June 6 – Boston, MA @ Sinclair Wed. June 7 – Washington, DC @ Lincoln Theatre Sat. June 10 – Hilvarenbeek, NL @ Best Kept Secret Festival Mon. June 12 – Rubigen, CH @ Muhle Hunziken Wed. June 14 – Florence, IT @Ultravox Thu. June 15 – Milan, IT @ Triennale Garden Fri. June 16 – Turin, IT @ Hiroshima Mon Amour Sun. June 18 – Dublin, IE @ Body & Soul Festival Thu. June 22 – Berlin, DE @ Festsaal Kreuzberg Sat. June 24 – Glastonbury, UK @ Glastonbury Festival Mon. 26 – Lille, FR @ Splendid Wed. June 28 – Paris, FR @ Salle Pleyel Thu. June 29 – Brussels, BE @ Ancienne Belgique Sat. July 1 – Roskilde, DK @ Roskilde Festival Sun. July 2 – Stockholm, SE @ Slaktkyran Tue. July 4 – Oslo, NO @ Rockefeller Fri. July 7 – Bilbao, ES @ BBK Live Festival Tue. July 11 – Arles, FR @ Les Suds Arles Thu. July 13 – London, UK @ Somerset House Sat. July 15 – Bristol, UK @ SWX Mon. July 17 – Glasgow, UK @ St Lukes Wed. July 19 – Birmingham, UK @ Institute 2 Sat. July 22 – Cheshire, UK @ Bluedot Festival Tue. 25 – Vigo, SP @ Terraceo Festival Thu. July 27 – Sines, PT @ FMM Sat. July 29 – Luxey, FR @ Musicalarue Festival
