Featuring, Jah Wobble & the Invaders of the Heart, Fingers Inc., Patti Smith and more. Cheq out this black and white footage of Van Morrison performing "Into The Mystic" at the Winterland Ballroom inna 1974. The former San Francisco ice skating rink was converted to a music venue in 1971 by big time concert promoter Bill Graham and eventually closed it's doors on new years eve 1978 with a performance by local counter cultural heroes the Grateful Dead. It was also famous for hosting The Sex Pistols final performance before the group imploded. When I first saw the clip, I thought Van picked up a shaker and was providing some extra percussion but it was actually a harmonica. Another thing worth noting is how close the audience are to the stage. If that show were today (or a couple of weeks ago!) there'd be a crash barrier and a pit containing security guards and press photographers.
Black 2 Comm 15th March 2020
Featuring Larry Wallis, Maximum Joy, Max Romeo and more. Cheq out the latest offering from the brilliant Jimothy Lacoste. Last year the Comm fell out of love with the Soundcloud sensation. His tunes "Wearing Loafers" and "Wearing Burberry Socks" marked an all time low. He was also very nearly canceled for dropping the N bomb but he's now officially back with a bang! Just prior to Christmas he dropped the incredibly catchy "Fina Glow" followed by "Getting To Fly In The Sky" and now "Humble", marking a definite return to form. The production seems to have made a quantifiable leap. It no longer sounds like he's producing the tunes in his bedroom but don't worry, he hasn't lost any of his charm, in fact I think he sounds better than ever . . . and he's living the highlife too, yamming Nandos on the daily apparently!
I think he owes me some royalties though, as he's been blatantly biting my style. Keeping it this and keeping it that as well as the connective A to the B to the C are Comm copyrighted catchphrases after all . . . he'll be hearing from my lawyers imminently!
I think he owes me some royalties though, as he's been blatantly biting my style. Keeping it this and keeping it that as well as the connective A to the B to the C are Comm copyrighted catchphrases after all . . . he'll be hearing from my lawyers imminently!
Black 2 Comm 1st March 2020
Featuring Amy Winehouse, Killing Joke, Fantastic Freaks and more. Cheq out this video of the new sensation known as Ashnikko. The twenty four year old singer / rapper's track "Stupid" blew up on the video sharing app TikTok, gaining over 29 million streams. Born Ashton Nicole Casey, she grew up in North Carolina before her family relocated to Estonia then Latvia. The self confessed show off traveled to London town at weekends to perform at open mic nights and eventually moved to the capital at the age of 18. After signing to Warner Music Group last year she heading out on tour with another act called Girli and posted on her facebook page "I'll be masturbating in travelodges all over the UK this month"! She looks like a Japanese anime character, rockin' blue hair, ridiculous eye make up and outsized clothes while listing her five favourite tunes to whack off to . . . she'll go blind at this rate if she's not careful!
Black 2 Comm 23rd February 2020
Featuring David Bowie, Necros, The Crystals and more. I've posted it before and I'll post it again . . cheq out this classic footage of the hardest working man inna show-business, Mr. James Brown tearing it up on the TAMI show at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. It was filmed in 1964 which was the height of "the British invasion". The Rolling Stones were top of the bill, much to Brown's annoyance. He decided to pull out all the stops and put in an explosive performance, driving the crowd insane. The Stones had the unenviable task of having to perform after Brown's storming set. It's since gone down in history, that The Stones were blown off the stage by the Godfather and if you look at the footage, Mick Jagger's leaping about looks pathetic compared to Brown's incendiary moves . . . the lesson to be learned here is that nobody, but nobody follows James Brown!
Black 2 Comm 16th February 2020
Featuring Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers, Alicia Goku, Department S and more. Cheq out this early footage of Led Zeppelin performing "Communication Breakdown" in Denmark inna 1969. The song was one of the bands first compositions and it's main riff would inspire Johnny Ramone's trademark downstroke style. They play in front of an audience of long haired kids who are sitting on the floor. Devil worshiping guitarist Jimmy Page teases an impressive solo (discordant at points) from a customised Telecaster that was given to him by Jeff Beck when he joined The Yardbirds.
Black 2 Comm 9th February 2020
Featuring Nick Lowe, Big Mama Thornton, Pentangle and many others too. Cheq out this spellbinding performance of "...And The Rain" by John Maus, live in the KEXP studios in January 2018. The L.A. based former philosophy teacher's band consists of a cool looking, dancing keyboard player (which is a contradiction in terms!), a dork drummer and his brother Joe playing bass (who sadly checked out at the age of 30 from a heart disorder). The combination of instrumentation, topped of with John's echo soaked vocals has a unique and distinctive sound.
Black 2 Comm 2nd February 2020
Featuring Yellowman, Shonen Knife, Big Star and more. Cheq out this fine footage of The Edgar Winter Group performing "Frankenstein" live in The Old Grey Whistle Test studio inna 1973. It's notoriously hard to look good playing a keyboard but Winter's doing a pretty good job here. The albino multi-instrumentalist also blows a fine alto saxophone and rocks the timbales as well. He may be lacking in pigment but he's certainly not lacking in talent . . . makes you sick doesn't it?!
Black 2 Comm 26th January 2020
Featuring Snoop Dogg, Pale Saints, Theatre of Hate and more. Cheq out this footage of The Chameleons performing "Second Skin" at The Camden Palace inna 1984. The band had a unique atmospheric sound and style with singer / bassist Mark Burgess flanked by guitarists, Dave Fielding and (Ribina thief) Reg Smithies. The later, seen here rockin' a self customised Gibson SG also produced the groups distinctive artwork. Another thing worth noting is drummer, John Lever's unconventional set up. The right handed sticksman has his kick drum to the left, and his hi hat to the right of the snare, playing them with the opposite feet to the vast majority of other drummers.
It's strange to think that U2 would go on to fill stadiums, while this band would languish in relative obscurity until eventually breaking up . . . there's obviously no justice in the world!
It's strange to think that U2 would go on to fill stadiums, while this band would languish in relative obscurity until eventually breaking up . . . there's obviously no justice in the world!
Black 2 Comm 19th January 2020
Featuring Dr John Cooper Clarke, John Lennon, Baby Washington and much more. Cheq out this live footage of The Adverts taken from German director Wolfgang Blud's 1979 film "Brennende Langeweile" (Bored Teenagers) featuring reluctant punk pin up Gaye Advert. The most interesting part of the footage is at the beginning where the bass player is asked by a German reporter if there are any problems with her being a sex object. The not so shy Gaye had already posed for pornographic magazines by this point. The live footage is pretty unforgettable, though all you punk rock trainspotters will be excited to see ex Clash / Pistols roadie "Rodent" loitering in the wings. He played a part in the films plot line and would eventually bag more minor film roles and settle in Germany. The Passions 1981 hit, "I'm In Love With A German Film Star" was rumoured to have been written about him.
Black 2 Comm 12th January 2020
Featuring The Runaways, Huey "Piano" Smith, Dinosaur Jr. and more. Cheq out this footage of Blitz performing their rabble rousing single "New Age" on The Tube inna 1982. First off they play through the song but the clip really starts to get interesting in the second half when the band are taken to task during the interview. The inarticulate Oi stalwarts had recently changed their image and sound to appeal to a wider audience. They believed they were providing an alternative to the synth pop that was prevalent at the time. Half of the group are sporting bleach blonde crops and shirts with tucked in skinny ties, while the other two are still rocking the 'tache / leather jacket combo (but not in a Freddy Mercury way you understand). The interviewer looks equally ridiculous, with his bow tie, outsized glasses and woman's haircut!
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