TV Party - S
SLAUGHTER AND THE DOGS - Manchester 101 {Secret} I kept having to rinse my ears out with battery acid as I watched this because, apparently, this is the same band the recorded the classic ‘Do It Dog Style’ album. All I saw was a rather ponderous, laboured band of blokes in a seemingly empty hall.
This was recorded live in Nuneaton, UK back in December 2005 and features 16 tracks. The picture quality is superb; the clarity is crystal clear and the visual mix has made the most of the multi-camera filming. The sound also is exemplary with a great balance. The problem lays in the band’s performance.
Opening with ‘Twist and Turn’, the performance promised much. It was snappy and energetic but then a version of NEW YORK DOLLS’ ‘Who Are The Mystery Girls’ killed it. I mean, a bunch of old British blokes doing a cloddish, pub rock take on the greatest 5-piece of glammed-up NYC cool ever was simply ludicrous. The version on ‘...Dog Style’ is one of the album’s weak points but here it is about as convincing as George Bush stating he has a CND tattoo on the inside of his eyelids. Things do pick up a little with a neat ‘Boston Babies’ but generally, the performance is stunningly sterile.
What’s more, there appears to be a large crowd cheering each song, but all you see are cameramen bobbing about - it could be a soundcheck even - until the band start ‘Johnny T’ (B-side of the ‘Dame To Blame’ single that is oddly absent here) when a single pogoer gets going. A spikey Punker joins him for the obligatory (but turgid) run through of ‘Where Have All The Bootboys Gone’ and set closer ‘Cranked Up Really High’. Mick Rossi proves himself to be a good guitarist still (check out the lead work on ‘Situations’) but Wayne Barrett really did not convince.
The only extra is an interview with both Rossi and Barrett which proved to be much more interesting than the actual live show. The pair - both of whom come across as guys it would be neat to share a few beers with - recounted the early days of the band, getting involved with Mick Ronson, seeing the PISTOLS and BUZZCOCKS and, best of all, how the pair met and their respective scally-wag school days. What did disappoint is that while talking about current bassist J.P and drummer Noel Kay, there was no mention of where original members Mad Muffet and Zip Baters (both of whom also played on ‘...Dog Style’) are today or why they were not involved in the reformation.
You’d have to be a die-hard fan to invest your time (let alone your money!) in this once watched rapidly forgotten effort.
SUPERSUCKERS - From The Audio/Video Dept., Live In Anaheim {MVD} Few bands rock out like the mighty SUPERSUCKERS and this double-whammy of a package proves it. Not only is this a 17-track live DVD + extras, but there’s a 12-track live CD also.
The DVD is an electric performance from around 2004 and kicks in with a blazing ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Records (Ain’t Selling This Year)’. From there, it’s pretty much the best of the ‘SUCKERS. Highlights are an obstinate, turbo-charged ‘Mudhead’, a wonderful ‘Dirt Roads, Dead Ends And Dust’, the sing-a-long-a-swing-a-long-a-Suckers coolness of ‘Pretty Fucked Up’, the always essential ‘Goodbye’ which is as frenzied as an electric sander going to work on a bare buttock, and the closing, exultant ‘Born With A Tail’. The SUPERSUCKERS being cracking live is something to put money on; it’s always an unrelenting and turbulent experience of rock ‘n’ roll adrenalin and this is no different. Besides the raucous electric groove, there are a few tunes from an acoustic, countrified show that are more intimate but no less thrilling.
The negatives of the DVD lay in post-production. Y’see, after each track the screen fades to black so we miss out on most of Eddie Spaghetti’s in between song banter. Worse is the fact that 75% of the show is filmed with either a red, orange, green or grey wash that sterilises the image, or a kinda electrified fuzz that distorts the whole screen. And it becomes as annoying as hell, detracting from the performance and the band. The tracks that ARE reproduced straight as the eye would see are superb - heaps of colour and animation from the band and the stage. These fail to kick in until track 11. Hugely disappointing.
Extras come in the form of some light-hearted interviews with the band members and assorted others conducted by Eddie Spaghetti (including one with himself!), 3 live acoustic tracks by Spaghetti at Amoeba Records and a fantastic, unexpected and unlisted hidden cover version that has to be heard to be believed!!
The CD is the ‘SUCKERS doing their country thang, recorded in San Diego and ably demonstrates the other side of the band. It’s really well produced; turn the sucker up and Eddie could be in ya living room brooding over ‘Killer Weed’ or wrenching out ‘Creepy Jackalope Eye’ which may just be the band’s very best track.
There’s no booklet or any kinda schmaltz - just greasy rock ‘n’ roll from one of the best around. What makes the ‘SUCKERS so great is the ability to rock so fucking hard but retain a tongue-in-cheek humour to all they do, be it the rock ‘n’ roll choreography or any number of lyrics and cliched dialogue.
This is probably a package for fans-only - for those who want a visual reminder of a band already witnessed live, already adored and who already know what makes for truly smoking rock ‘n’ roll.