Real World Real Time (#003)

[ZS]
(RE-UPPED 10/30/13)

There's no official theme to this collection (again), but it's certainly the most eclectic selection thus far. If you thought I was kidding about the "and whatever the hell else I feel like including" over there on the left, here's your proof that I wasn't. I imagine it will be the only compilation you'll ever hear where Pere Ubu, Wire, and the Gun Club appear alongside Bob Dylan, Black Sabbath, and Mojo Nixon.

1. "Reverberation" by The 13th Floor Elevators
From their stunning 1966 debut (although, if you ask me, their real masterpiece is the album that followed). Did they invent psychedelic rock? Who knows, and who cares? It appears they at least coined the term. Whatever the case, the music they made is legendary, and this track is as great as anything else from their catalog.

2. "Sigh & Explode" by The Undertones
From their third LP, that found them breaking from the pop-punk mold executed so well on the previous two. It's still a strong record though, and in some ways superior. Not one of their most popular songs, but I find that it has a tendency to get stuck in my head for hours at a time (not a bad thing).

3. "My Baby Digs Graves" by Easter Monkeys
Early/mid eighties garage flavored post-punk from Cleveland. Deserves a wider audience.

4. "From The Nursery" by Wire
Word is, Wire doesn't play anything from their first few records live anymore. That's a real shame. I can certainly understand the desire to move away from material that isn't necessarily emblematic of the music you've made since, but I don't think outright ignoring your beginnings is the right move either. And that's especially true when your early work is so goddamn incredible (like this classic, from 1978's "Chairs Missing"). That's my two cents on the subject, anyway.

5. "Pushing The Extreme" (Live) by Wipers
So, last week's collection had a solo Greg Sage song, and if you're a long time reader of the site you'll recall that several Wipers albums were provided for your perusal back when I was doing full album posts. Yeah, I like these guys a lot.

6. "Hey There Little Insect" by Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers
Mr. Richman at his silliest, and pulled from an album high up on my list of favorite recordings ever made. I know the Modern Lovers LP is supposed to be the classic (and it is in its own right, don't get me wrong), but I'll take the follow up any day of the week. I intend to force this LP on my daughter, just as soon as she's old enough to appreciate it.

7. "Gloria" (Live) by The 101ers
Ah, the often-covered Them staple. This version is one of the better ones, but then it's Joe Strummer belting it out, so that's to be expected. The stage banter is an added bonus ("I say fuck the discos").

8. "Masters Of War" by Bob Dylan
If you're wondering how a Bob Dylan track winds up on a blog so heavily devoted to punk and hardcore, I'll tell you. Aside from the simple fact that Bob Dylan just happens to be one of those music legends that it's damn near impossible to dislike if you have any interest at all in the history of rock and roll (see also The Beatles), this particular song is one of the most confrontational, scathing attacks on warmongers I've ever had the pleasure of hearing. Anarcho/peace punks only wish they could come up with lyrics as effective as these.

9. "Run Through The Jungle" by The Gun Club
Part of me said I should include a Gun Club original, especially since there are so many great ones to choose from, but this cover track just seemed too appropriate in the context of this week's post. Pulled from their sophomore LP, "Miami".

10. "The Wheel" by Spear Of Destiny
The first track from the first album by Kirk Brandon's post-Theatre Of Hate project, Spear Of Destiny. As is often also the case with ToH, the emphasis on saxophone tends to date the music, but if you can get past it (or learn to embrace it like I have), you'll find some rather excellent goth-tinged post-punk lurking underneath.

11. "I'm In Love With Your Girlfriend" by Mojo Nixon & Skid Roper
If you thought the Jonathan Richman song was a goofy side-step, get a load of this one.

12. "What We All Want" (Live) by Gang Of Four
It seems that I've mentioned the greatness of Gang Of Four quite a few times over the course of my tenure running this little blog. And now I provide you with some proof. This is the "Another Day/Another Dollar" version.

13. "On TV" by Crisis
Truly one of the most unique bands to emerge from England's late seventies punk heyday. Their plodding, almost militaristic, approach is unequaled. I really think there should be a great deal more attention paid to the short recorded legacy they left behind. Chilling.

14. "Real World" by Pere Ubu
And speaking of unique, how 'bout some Pere Ubu? This is from their 1978 debut.

15. "Junior's Eyes" by Black Sabbath
I saved this one for last because I need to rant a little. If you are one of those people who only listens to the first four Sabbath records, I pity you. I really do, because you clearly don't grasp the earth-shattering awesomeness that this band represents (and don't even get me started on people who don't like them at all). Sabbath, as far as I'm concerned, were incapable of recording a disappointing song during Ozzy's tenure. I am always taken aback when I hear so-called-fans complaining about "Never Say Die". These people simply cannot be hearing the same album I have in my collection.

Look, all of their stuff is gold, and on some level I can understand having a preference for the "classic" style. Their last record with Osbourne is certainly a departure. But FUCK what a way to go out. In some ways, it's my favorite of the bunch. It's definitely the one I pull out and listen to in one sitting most often.

The rest of their catalog hangs together nicely, with the songs from the first four being a virtually interchangeable bunch - a complete blur (albeit a complete blur of eardrum melting greatness) for which I probably couldn't tell you which song comes from what album. But when a song from "Never Say Die" comes on, I know it.

I'll concede that the album's sound might very well be the result of the band tearing apart at the seams, but where some bands would falter as they break the mold they've become synonymous with, Sabbath proves they just didn't have it in them to record a sub-par record. The worst thing you could say about "Never Say Die" is that it feels more like a collection of songs rather than a cohesive record, and even that's an exaggerated statement.

I say it's time for a revival for those unfamiliar - and a re-evaluation for old fans that wrote it off. "Junior's Eyes" is a great track, and the one that I included here, but really I think any of the album's nine tracks would have capped this week's compilation off just as well.