Keith Sykes - I'm Not Strange I'm Just Like You

Name: Keith Sikes
Album: I'm Not Strange I'm Just Like You
Year: 1980
Style: Americana, Oldies Rock, Roots Rock
Similar Bands: Fabulous Thunderbirds, Walter Egan, Marshall Crenshaw, Steve Forbert, Blasters
"One-Word" Review: Buddy Holly Updated
Based Out Of: Memphis, Tenn.
Label: Backstreet Records, MCA Distribution

Cover, Sleeve, Record

Back, Lyrics & Credits, Record

I'm Not Strange I'm Just Like You (1980)

1. B.I.G. T.I.M.E 3:09
2. Love to Ride 4:15
3. Smack Dab in the Middle 2:38 (Charlie Calhoun cover)
4. Ain't That Some Lovin' 4:31
5. 928 2:07 /
6. I'm On A Roll 2:45
7. Maybe I'm a Mockingbird 3:58
8. Makin' It Before They Got Married 3:37
9. When My Work Is Done 2:57
10. I'm Not Strange (I'm Just Like You) 3:12

Album Rating (1-10): 7.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Keith Sykes - Writer, Vox, Lead & Rhythm Guitars (Jimmy Buffett, Kris Kristofferson, Rita Coolidge, John Prine, Billy Prine, )
• John Hampton - Drums, Backing Vox, Percussion, Engineer (Todd Rundgren, Hard Rain, Todd Agnew, Mylon Fefevre, Tommy Keene,  many more)
• Mike Brighardello - Bass, Backing Vox, Percussion (Giant, Steven Curtis, Lydia Miller, Amy Grant, Michael W Smith, Imperials,Glen Campbell, Jummy Swaggert, Alabama, Kenny Rogers, Anne Murray, Neil Diamond, Dolly Parton, Travis Tritt, Oak Ridge Boys, Billy Ray Cyrus, Emmylou Harris, Shania Twain, BJ Thomas, Jeff Foxworthy, Barry Manilow, Corey Hart, Toby Keith, Tim McGraw, Eddie Rabbitt, Lee Ann Womack, Clint Black, Van Zandt, Faith Hill  many more)
• Mike Crews - Guitar, Backing Vox
• Joe Hardy - Bass, Backing Vox, Engineer (Alice Cooper, ZZ Top, Ry Cooder, Georgia Satellites, Replacements, Jim Corcoran, Mylon LeFevre, Deborah Conway, CJ Chenier, Degarmo & Key. Siniestro Total, Marie Wilson, Cross Canadian Ragween, Loud Machine, Damn Quailes, Billy Gibbons, Tommy Keene, Tom Cochran, Jeff Healy Band,   many more)
• Ed Degarmo - Organ, Engineer (Degarmo & Key, The Cause)
• Jerene Sykes - Producer
• Greg Ladonyi - Mixing
• BACKING VOX/AUDIENCE ON TITLE TRACK: Terry Dane Adney, Redbeard & Sandy, Walter Dawson, Suzanne Phelps, Kay King, Trish Mitchell, John Kilzer, Stacey Parks, Bobby Grace, Harry Chittenden, Jamie Chittenden, Bobby Lane, Sky King, Jody McCarthy, Bobby Maupin, Lynn Yates, Luis Scholes, Robert Donahue, Mark & Debbie Jowers, Gerry Haas, Mary Tillerson, Tommy Jackson, White Heart, Steve Camp, Ace Cannon, Stacie Orrico many more)
• Doug Sax - Mastering
• Mike Reese - Mastering
• Tom Corcoran - Photos

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this singer/songwriter. I'm guessing he's gonna be your average storyteller, unpretentious singer, that is part bar room open miker (miller lite can), part musician's musician (photo on back in the studio) trying to break the mold (based on the album title) but won't.

Album Review: The album is part Americana, Roots rock, and part revival of the style of Buddy Holly- pretty much the formula of any singer song writer trying to sound different. The only stand-outish track- and not really for good- is the album ending title track. It features what sounds like a live audience of folks with background conversational ambiance to a Blasters-like song with some yelps, whistles and claps. The audience also does a bit of  call and response with the chorus, reminding me of Chuck Berry's My Ding-a-ling live recording.

Sykes has had a long career in the music industry rollercoastering between performing and writing. He has performed solom accompanied many famous musicians, and was even in Jimmy Buffett's Coral Reefers. He has also written many songs recorded by others like The Judds, John Prine, Jerry Jeff Walker, Rosanna Cash, Guy Clark, George Thorogood, Sissy Spacek, Mitch Ryder Rodney Crowell, and he co-wrote Volcano with Jimmy Buffett. He started out in 1968 after hitchhiking to the Newport Music Festival and was inspired by Arlo Guthie's perfomance of "Alice's Restaurant Massacree." He even performed the single B.I.G. T.I.M.E on SNL in 1980, in support of this album, which was released on Tom Petty's record label.

Stand Out Track: B.I.G. T.I.M.E

Links:

Youtube (9/10 tracks, missing Mockingbird)
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Trop Rockin

American Songwriter

Swinging Pistons - I Love the Sound of Machines

Name: Swinging Pistons
Album: I Love the Sound of Machines
Year: 1986
Style: Punk, No Wave, Industrial Techno
Similar Bands: Quintron & Miss Pussycat, Gang of Four, Crash Course in Science, En Vogue, B-52s
"One-Word" Review: Dance-Funk-Industrial-Punk in Synergy
Based Out Of: New Jersey
Label: RD3 Records

Cover, Record

Back, Record

I Love the Sound of Machines (1986)

1. (ever since i was young) I Love the Sound of Machines 3:21 /
2. (ever since i was young) I Love the Sound of Machines (Mechanized Mix) 4:28

Album Rating (1-10): 8.0

Members & Other Bands:

• E. William Tucker - Vox, Guitar, Bass, Writer (Ministry, My Life With Thrill Kill Kult, Pigface, Chemlab, Chris Connelly, Regressive Aid, KMFDM, Revolting Cocks, Foetus, Darling Kandie, Hyperhead, Scornflakes, Thanatos, Final Cut, 16 Volt, Everplastic, Chainsuck, Illegal Teenage Bikini,  )
• Andy Gomory - Backign Vox, Keys, Programmer, Engineer, Writer (Groceries, Dennis Young)
• Judy Jones - Vox (Soul Train Gang, Mandrill, Charles Jackson, Pattie Brooks, Munich Machine, Brooklyn Dreams, Jeff Kutash & Dancin' Machine, Twennynine w/ Lenny White, Stacey Lattisaw, Allan Anthony, Lou Rawls, Najee, Paulinho Da Costa, Earth Wind & Fire)
• Greg Frey - Engineer

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band, but I got this because i liked the homemade nature of the cover. I didn't realize when i bought it that this was only a one song single with a remix on the back, but I was interested to see what this record, with the industrial sounding name and song title, would be like.

Album Review: Barely an album review, as it is just one song, but there is a lot of depth to the song. It is part kitchen sink-industrial  with a cold wave dance beat that comes off a punk, but more approachable, perhaps because the chorus is a soulful & sexy woman singing the title (think En Vogue). Maybe a little playfulness too like B-52's minus the surf aspect as well.

There is not much out there about this record/band, except for the information surrounding William Tucker. After this release, Ministry's Al Hourgensen picked him up to play on tour. He's from Jersey, so he has ties with Ween where he was in a band with their early producer/bass/keyboard player Andrew Weiss, and he gave guitar lessons to Deaner, AKA Mickey Melchiondo. He unfortunately took his own life in 1999.

Stand Out Track: (ever since i was young) I Love the Sound of Machines

Links:
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Wiki- William Tucker

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Allmusic - William Tucker

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elvis pelvis obit

Steve Swindells - Fresh Blood

Name: Steve Swindells
Album: Fresh Blood
Year: 1980
Style: Pub rock, Power Pop, New Wave
Similar Bands: Dire Straits, A's, Graham Parker, Elvis Costello, Bruce Springsteen, 
"One-Word" Review: Unpolished Americana Wave
Based Out Of: London, England
Label: Atco, Warner Communications Company, Atlantic

Cover, Sleeve, Record

Back, Lyrics, Record

Fresh Blood (1980)

1. Turn It On, Turn It Off 3:12
2. Fresh Blood 3:36
3. I Feel Alive 3:47
4. Low Life Joe 4:16
5. Bitter and Twisted 3:50 /
6. Don't Wait on the Stairs 3:22
7. Is It Over Now? 4:08
8. Down on Love Street 5:37
9. Figures of Authority 5:12
10. Show Down in the Night 5:12

Album Rating (1-10): 7.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Steve Swindells - Producer, Writer, Vox, Keys (Squidd, Pilot, Hawkwind, Hawklords, Danmingo, The Plastic Surgeons, Sacrosanct, Spirits Burning, Bridget Wishart, Dave Evans, Capdevielle, Robert Calvert, 
• Huw Lloyd-Langton - Guitars (Hawklords, Widowmaker, 2001 A Space Rock odyssey, Broken Bits band, Cosmograf, Hawkestrel, Hawkwind, Robert Calvert, Nic Potter, Dr Brown, The Meads of Asphodel, Sacred Geometry Band)
• Nic Potter - Bass (Van der Graaf Generator, Pool Sharks, The K Group, The Misunderstoods, The Noise, The Tigers, Unkestra, Henry Schifter, Colin Scot, Peter Hammill, Rare Bird, Chuck Berry, Guy Evans, Magna Carta, Steve Hyams, VDGG, Huw Lloyd-Langton, )
• Simon King - Drums (Hawklords, Hawkwind, Captain Lockheed & Starfighters, Michael Moorcock's Deep Fix, Opal Butterfly, Brian Eno, Robert Calvert, The Bunch,  )
• Simon Fraser - Engineer
• Bill Price - Mixing
• Jerry Green - Asst. Engineer
• Bob Carlos Clarke - Photos
• Richard Evans - Graphics
• Bill Curbishley - Mgmt & Direction
• Pete Fountain - Mgmt & Direction

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this dude. From the cover and back, it looks like he's trying to be a scummy version of Billy Joel...a harder edge and if the back has any say, it looks like the model for the film They Live. 

Album Review: The album starts out strong, the first two tracks are fun and bouncy, with calm focused vocals similar to Mark Knopfler, but the rest takes a dive into darker territory mixed with blue collar Americana. Don't Wait on the Stairs has a little Elvis Costello / Graham Parker sound in his voice. A couple songs, like Bitter and Twisted embrace electronic synth effects, which were en vogue at the time. Figures of Authority brings in an extra layer of Goth, sounding a little like Sisters Of Mercy, or one of the early record reviews Bay of Pigs. 

So apparently, he's English, from Ipswich, Suffolk. And after music didn't pan out (to which he considers being "out-gay" might have been a contributing reason in 1981), he shifted it to a hobby and worked as a party/concert promotor and later a journalist. He then returned to music, and is still active self-releasing old and new material. A couple of his songs were recorded by Roger Daltrey.

Stand Out Track: Turn It On, Turn It Off

Links:
Wiki
Discogs
Allmusic
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Steve's Wordpress
Second Songs
Record Collectors Mag

Surf Punks - My Beach

Name: Surf Punks
Album: My Beach
Year: 1980
Style: Punk, Rock
Similar Bands: Dead Milkmen, Surf MC's, Ramones
"One-Word" Review: Silly Juvenile Surf-Topical Tunes
Based Out Of: Malibu, CA
Label: Epic, CBS

Cover, Record

Back, Record

My Beach (1980)

1. My Beach 1:48
2. My Wave 2:27
3. Teenage Girls 3:06
4. Shoulder Hopper 2:42
5. The Dummies 2:32
6. Beer Can Beach 1:54
7. Surfer's Nightmare 1:43
8. I Live For the Sun 2:17 (Sunrays cover)
9. Meet me At the Beach 2:44 /
10. Big Top 2:46
11. Somebody Ripped My Stick 2:50
12. Letter From Hawaii 2:13
13. The Surfmen 3:27
14. Can't Get a Tan 2:44
15. The Surf Instructor 3:55
16. Punch Out at Malibu 1:58
17. Bird Bathroom 1:41

Album Rating (1-10): 6.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Dennis Dragon - Drums, Vox, Percussion, Producer, Engineer (Beach Boys, Byrds, Neil young, Rick Springfield, Captain & Tennille, Farm, Joyous Noise, Protein Bros, Dragons, Marc McClure, Ron Elliott, Heavenz, Scott Goddard, Eliminators, Royal Philharmonic Orch, DJ Food & DK, Apokaful, )
• Drew Steele - Guitars, Vox, Synth, Keys (Crowbar Salvation, Scott Goddard)
• Johnny Malibu - - Guitar, Vox
• Richard Arrindell - Photos
• Rat (Tommy Steele) - Art
• John Hunt - Bass
• Spino Urchin - Guitar
• Jeff Ray Ban Eyrich- Bass (Roadrunners)
• Jo Hansch - Mastering
• The Hulk - Harmonica, Guitar

Unknown-ness: Never heard of the Surf Punks. Just having listened to the Surf MC's, i can't help but feel this will be another terrible niche version of a particular musical genre. Where the MC's were bad hip hop, this, I fear will get bogged down at trying to fit all the surf vernacular into short punk songs...maybe it will be surprisingly good?

Album Review: As the music is, it is not very punk rock...it is silly, short, and eccentric at times, but it does not embody the sound or spirit of punk. It is kinda close to the Ramones at times, particularly on the power-pop-punk "Teenage Girl," and the song "My Wave" has a great punk bass line, but the majority is flawed. They also use a lot of surfing jargon like tubes for waves, stick for surf board, and they mention beaches and girls an awful lot...one song is all about a largely endowed woman walking on the beach. They also have a song about not being able to  get a tan- a trait shared with the other surf themed band, Surf MCs. 

It is a long album full of short songs, and most of the tracks were previously released before they got signed to CBS/Epic on Shelter Records. Dennis Dragon basically put the whole thing together being drummer, singer, engineer and producer. The two punk kids came from rather established entertainment families. Dragon's dad was a symphony conductor, and his brother was Captain in Captain & Tennille. Steele's step dad was Gavin MacLeod: McHale's Navy, Mary Tyler Moore, Love Boat. They apparently had a wild live show and were locally loved. They started in 76, and self released their first album, which was re-released with bonus tracks via Epic in 1980.

Stand Out Track: Teenage Girls, My Wave

Links:
Spotify full album

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Allmusic

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Dragon's Obit 2017

Why it Matters

Encyclopedia of Surfing

Logo'ed Surf Shorts

Surf MC's - Surf of Die

Name: Surf MC's
Album: Surf of Die
Year: 1987
Style: Hip Hop/Rap-Rock
Similar Bands: Beastie Boys, Run DMC, MC Hammer
"One-Word" Review: Embarrassing Surf Centric Rhymers
Based Out Of: LA, CA
Label: Profile

Cover & Record

Back & Record

Surf or Die (1987)

1. Surf or Die 5:15 (single)
2. Gotta Get Air 4:45
3. Big Wednesday 4:44
4. Rock That Beach 4:50/
5. That's Cali For Ya 4:09
6. Ths Surf is Live 3:13
7. Boomin' It 4:26
8. Can't Get a Tan 3:22
9. You Will Be Served 3:46

Album Rating (1-10): 4.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Paul "Sidewalk" Rodriguez
• Ivan "MC IVE" Mumm
• Tony "Kool G" Gilmour
• Phil Kettner (Laaz Rockit)
• Norman Kerner - Producer, Mixing, Surf Guitar (Paul Collins, The Grassy Knoll, Suzanne Little, Tara MacLean)
• Scott Roberts - Co-Producer, Backing Vox (Bill Summers, Con Funk Shun, Kevin Toney, Pete Escovedo, Wayne Shorter, Zero, Charlie Hunter, 3X Krazy, Demolition Men, Headhunters)
• Carl Herlofsson - Engineer, Mixing
• Jacob Hellner - Co-Engineer, Mixing
• Howie Weinberg - Mastering
• Tom Sherry - Brilliant Crew Cheif
• Mark Holzinger - Surf Guitar (Steve Carr, brent Brace, Groove.Org, Victoria Blyth)
• Tierney Muscatelli - Surf Guitar
• M Bomb - Surf Guitar, Sax
• Chris Atchison - Rock Guitar, Backing Vox (Ruffians)
• E-Rock - Bass
• Joel Smith - Bass
• "King James" Cassimus - Photos
• Paul Randolph Haven - Art Direction

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band. I'm guessing their name says it all: Hip Hop MCs that love to surf. I guess it could be really ok or really bad. It's probably terrible.

Album Review: The album is quite embarrassing, like a lower, bottom shelf Beastie Boys. Their songs are about catching air, scoping girls out on the beach, not getting a tan, Wednesdays, and one classic line about one man's "monster in his shorts, stood up like a sword" when seeing a huge wave. The beats are simple, the guitars and bass are minimal, and the vocals follow a pre-set Beastie Boys template of styles and pitches. At the very least, the music will employ elements of surf rock, perhaps most obviously in This Surf's Live. But I wouldn't say they are like the Ventures, the Raybeats or Man or Astroman? at all. Also the single, Surf of Die (reached #90), uses samples from The Peter Gunn Theme and Sugar Hill Gang's Apache amongst others. They also sample the B-52's, and were in the right place at the right time to open shows for the Red Hot Chili Peppers with Faith No More.

Stand Out Track: This Surf's Live

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