Jersey Beat Columns - Wowie Zowie

WOWIE ZOWIE : pSyCHeDeliA aNd BeyOnd by RICK KUTNER

It's that time again to crawl inside your favorite yak gullet, get comfy and hibernate. But while yer at it ya might as well nuzzle up to hot cup coco and read this winter's installment of Wowie Zowie. As always I've spent a zillion hours listening, reading, and watching various CDs, books, and DVDs just to give you music fan and consumer an expert's (ha ha) insight on the coolest shit out there in world of entertainment. So forget for a minute the rotting smell of stomach and guts and read on why don't ya.

Stylemasters Soundtrack (Defend Films)

Snowden - Anti Anti (Jade Tree)

Black Mountain - In the Future (Jagjaguwar)

Eddie Vedder - Into the Wild (J Records)

Goon Moon - Licker's Last Leg (Ipecac)

Blaqk Audio - Cexcells (Interscope)

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE - Era Vulgaris (Interscope).

Era Vulgaris is more of the same dark and dangerous schitck from Josh Homme and co., which I can honestly say I've grown a tad tired of these days. The original mystery that surrounded the shadowy gang of mercenary musicians has long but faded for me. But if you are one of those folks who can't get enough of QOTSA this is probably the best batch of tunes they've released in quite a while.

THIS HOLIDAY LIFE - The Beginning of the End of the World (7Spinmusic)

This San Diego foursome play heart felt emotionally driven pop-rock. Take the sonic string bending and idealism of early U2 (October/War), the moody melodic dissonance of Echo and the Bunnymen (Porcupine), the vulnerable and earnest wide-screened pop of Brits Travis and Coldplay, then add some California sunshine and you've got my pick for album of the year. Each track on The Beginning of the End of the World is so well crafted and radiating with enthusiasm that they simultaneously get stuck in your head and lift your spirits. Call it a hunch but I have a feeling these north county boys will become a big deal in the near future.

GASOLINE HEART - You Know Who You Are (Monovsstereo)

I caught these Florida rockers open for Hollywood party boys Whitestarr last spring. And while Whitestarr clearly brought the party Gasoline Heart brought the heart and great songs. Its doesn't happen too often these days but its always special when you get to a show early and stumble upon a band that blows you away. Gasoline Heart took me right back to the late 80's when the Replacements' Tim and Soul Asylum's HangTime were permanently stuck on my combination turntable cassette system.

COHEED & CAMBRIA - No World for Tomorrow (Columbia)

This is the first CD of Coheed that I have ever dug into. A buddy of mine played them for me a few years back when they were more or less a pop punk band with some minor prog leanings. But time has been good to these guys they've matured into one hell of a rock band taking those pop punk and emo roots and infusing them into their arena sized riffs to come up sounding like Rush's punk kid brother. Not many bands today can sing or play this well. Stand out track without a doubt is "Radio Bye Bye", which should serve as a benchmark to all post-hardcore and emo kids who want to aspire to greatness. I recently caught these guys live and they sounded as good as the record now they just need the 70's light show and they'll be complete.

Angra - Aurora Consurgens (spv.de)

These Latin American power-metal add little to the power metal mystical stew but what they lack in originality make up for it in enthusiasm and great hooks.

Antler- Nothing That a Bullet Couldn't Cure (smallstone)

Give Me Back My Bullets it ain't but I do give these Boston boys points fer tryin'. Like Zydeco Southern Rock is best practiced by folks indigenous to the region ala Blackfoot and more recently The Black Crowes. But weirder things have happened, maybe before they record they're nextin' they'll move below the Mason Dixon and the swagger these songs lack will seep its way in like hickory into a good bourbon.

Be Bop Deluxe Reissues- Axe Victim/ Futurama/ Sunburst Finish/ Modern Music /Live in The Air Age/ Drastic Plastic/Post Cards From the Future (astralwerks.com)

Some folks liked to call em' Glam but man were they more than just that. An unbelievably unique and talented group featuring guitar virtuoso/vocalist Bill Nelson, Be-Bop forged a beautifully crafted flamboyant brand of space-age pub rock that is still unparalleled to this day in terms of originality and songwriting. Yeah bands have ripped off Bowie and T-Rex but the fact is most musicians these days can't dream of playing and writing songs like "Crying to The Sky", "Sister Seagull", "Ships in The Night", "Fair Exchange", and "Life in The Air Age". Now thanks to Astralwerks, who've got the distribution rights here in the states you can add the entire Be-Bop catalog to your CD collection. They are all amazing in their own way; my personal favorite though is Sunburst Finish-an absolute flawless record that will blow your mind and have it spilling out ears. While the live album and greatest hits collection PostCards From the Future are are good places to start. And each disc features three bonus tracks!

Blind Guardian - A Twist in the Myth (nuclearblast.com)

I always thought Blind Guardian vocalist Hansi Kirsch sounded like 80's Welsh pop crooner Chris Debergh ("Don't Pay the Ferryman") which is cool as long as they bust into "Woman in Red" during their live set. On A Twist in the Myth Germany's classic power metal unit charge through eleven spellbinding and mega-produced power metal anthems. If you dig the uber-metal onslaught of Dragonforce, then give these krauts a try.

Col. Knowledge & The Lickity Splits- Fall In Love All Over Again With. (alive-totalenergy.com)

Heavy on the organ and hooks with a vocal style akin to Elvis C. and a more garage rock Attractions that any lover of the two will no doubt lap the fuck up.

Cosmic Ballroom - Your Drug of Choice (locomotiverecords.com)

What ya have here is 2nd generation Scandinavian rock ala Turbo Negro/Glucifer with a bit of a slicker pop-punk approach. Not bad, but certainly nothin' new.

Crash Kelly - Electric Satisfaction (liquorandpokermusic.com)

LA 70's flavored power pomp pop rock in the vein of Enuff Znuff/Cheap Trick with some Thin Lizzy licks thrown in for good measure. The lyrics are a little cheezy and on the cliché side but there's a enough good catchy hooks here and some fun moments to make it a keeper.

Daft Punk - Human After All (Virgin)

The Parisian disco duo have finally gone and done it. They've gone completely robo and taken on their robot persona to the max. But it's not the wacky robot rock that stands out instead its the minimal moody loops of "Make Love" and "Emotion" with their hypnotic My Bloody Valentine meets Kraftwerk feel that get stuck in your head for hours and sometimes even days.

Diamond Nights - Popsicle (kamando.com)

Brooklyn's Diamond Night's know exactly what they're doing with their sly brand of late 70's early 80's FM rock. Like Beck pilfering through his favorite records Diamond Nights concocts their own indie take on their favorite songs and records from days gone by. Some critics have compared them to the Darkness, which esthetically speaking may be true but musically they cover different ground. Where as the Darkness play a more grandiose arena rock ala Queen and early Def Leppard, Diamond Nights have more in common with say Rick Springfield covering Thin Lizzy tunes. Popsicle is some how creative in its derivativeness, which although makes for some serious déjà vu moments is a good enough time you can let it slide.

Deadsy - Phantasmagore (immortal records/deadsy.com)

LA's Deadsy exercise the spirit of old Gary Numan records, but also inject a bottom heavy groove that when its on target is the shit. Opening track " Razor Love' is worth the price alone with its 80's FM cool-headed delivery and eerie synths and riffs that kick you in the teeth. The rest of Phantasmagore has some decent cuts including the Bowiesque " Carrying Over", "Health and Theory", and the title track. Their previous release Commencement they killed it with their version of Rush's "Tom Sawyer", but this time around Elijah and the guys take on The Stones' "Paint it Black", which doesn't quite work. But over all Phantasmagore is a solid effort but fails to be as consistent as Commencement. I just hope Deadsy doesn't take another 4years to release another LP.

Dragonforce - Inhumane Rampage (roadrunnerrecords.com)

Dragonforce is a Brit power metal combo that sounds as slick and clean as any Boston album. The duel lead fretwork of Herman Li and Sam Totman is so fast and over-the-top it makes Van Halen's "Eruption" sound like Sabbath. While frontman ZP Theart vocals are reminiscent of Hansi Kirsch of Blind Guardian. If the current barrage of cookie monster vocal screamo bands who try to pass themselves off as metal these days is starting to finally grind on you and the concept of melody and Ritalin fast hammer-ons sounds like a good time then Inhumane Rampage will satisfy your classic metal fix.

The Flaming Lips - At War with The Mystics (warner brothers)

The Okie pop mavericks are at it again this time combing their more recent orch pop sounds with the experimental past of their early releases. At War with The Mystics includes some memorable cuts including "The W.A.N.D. " and the chirpy "Yeah Yeah Yeah Song " that brings to mind the fun but annoying "She Don't like Jelly". If you haven't tired of these guys by then you're probably a devout follower in which case you already own it. If you are not yet a fan, start off with 92's Hit to Death in the Future Head which never gets old and will have yer head spinning for days with its ominous vibes and infectious druggy punk spirit.

Greater California - Somber Wurlitzer (earthlingrecords.com)

What we have here is an entire disc of downer organ fueled cabaret style pop tunes that fans of Harper's Bizzare and The Zombie's will gladly add to their 60's pop collection.

Guapo - Black Oni (ipecacrecords.com)

These limeys are a perfect fit for Mike Patton's Ipecac Records. By that I mean they are anything but conventional. Playing a sort of sprawling heavy avant prog rock Black Oni is one track separated into five parts. Combining organ, electronic sounds, mellotron, and piano Guapo makes Mars Volta sound like a pop band. The disc in general has a consistent ominous vibe through the disc which brings to mind Magma or the more out there Miles stuff. Adventurous types only need apply.

Steve Hackett Reissues - Defector/Please Don't Touch/Spectral Mornings/Voyage of the Acolyte (astralwerks.com)

After Steve Hackett defected from Genesis in the mid 70's he went on to release some wicked prog rock records that not only included amazing songs but also allowed him to showcase his mind-melting fretwork. Lightening quick and as agile as a cat, Hackett knew his craft well and how to wrap it around a hook. Astrelwerks have again having great taste have decided to distribute these great LPs. My fav's are Spectral Mornings and Voyage of the Acolyte. Prog geek er not if you enjoy celestial ear fuckery and inventive tunes that take you for a ride I seriously suggest you pick these up.

Hail Social (polyvinylrecords.com)

These Philly boys are pretty good, and I pretty much loathe all of this new new wave crap a la The Killers and Hot Hot Heat. It's probably how some old greasy long hair feels about most of the retro rockers these days copping the same songs and vocal style with very little variation or progression. This nine-song disc goes beyond the 'I wish it was still the 80's' posturing. It certainly is steeped in that period (early 80's new wave) but it sounds fresh and new. Kinda the way Rocket from the Crypt gave punk a makeover. It doesn't hurt either that singer Dayve Hawk has a great voice and doesn't pull any of that annoying hiccup shit.

The Hellacopters - Rock N' Roll is Dead (universal)

This statement couldn't be farther from truth when it comes to these Swedes. And this record once again confirms my belief that these guys are getting better with age. Pulling it back a notch or two in terms of pace from the flawless By the Grace of God. But what they lose in speed they make up for it in hooks and killer melodies. Of course there are a couple high-octane rockers on here including "Everything is On TV", which in typical Copters fashion kicks ass from the first note to the last. But it's really the more mid-paced and mellow tunes that make the record what it is. And what it is, is classic heart-on-yer-sleeve bar rock that fans of the Stones, The Faces, and Rory Gallagher will instantly appreciate. Other stand out cuts include "Make it Tonight", "Murder on My Mind", and "Leave it Alone".

The Illuminati (liquorandpokermusic.com)

This Canadian trio play a burly melodic brew- one part Thin Lizzy mixed with one part Husker. This is a fine debut in its one-dimensional way. They've got all the ingredients to be a great band; just hopefully on their next release they take it to the next level.

Man Man - Six Demon Bag (acefu.com)

These Philly kooks get off on playing a nutty circus Beef-hearty grab bag of well. of you guessed it! - Nuttiness! This shit reminds of some of the wacky bands I was privy to back in the mid 80's Baltimore art-punk scene like Kneeling on Beans or Cloaca. Fun stuff if ya don't care for hooks or a great song. Personally if I wanna get weird-I'll just throw on some Zappa these days, but its cool to hear that there are some freaky dweebz out there getting crazy for who ever wants to listen.

The Mars Volta - Amputechture (universalrecords.com)

This is the art rock duo's third full length venture into their John Gallagher and Steve Howe inspired jazz-psych-prog-freak-out music that they have seemed to corner the market on these days with 20-something crowd. De-Loused was a little too close their emo past, I missed out on Frances the Mute but I gotta say Amputechture completely shreds and leaves the whole emo-prog thing in the dust, even if I still have a hard time listening Bixlers' whiney wail. At this point these guys have graduated and could easily play at any one of the big US or British prog/art-rock festivals.

Pama International - Float Like a Butterfly (asianmanrecords.com)

Comprising of members of The Specials, Madness, Special Beat, and the Paul Weller Band, Pama International play a catchy blend of reggae pop that fans of their earlier work will appreciate. Not bad but a little too vanilla at times. If your looking for new bands that do reggae right check out Ithica NY's John Brown's Body, they're the shit.

Parchman Farm EP (jackpinesocialclub.com)

This SF Bay Area foursome certainly have the early 70's blues-rock vibe down on this five song EP. Now if they can just start writing some memorable tunes that aren't so consistently down beat they'll hold my interest.

Phoenix - It's Never Been Like That (astralwerks.com)

The Paresian popsters have lost the retro kitsch and focused on writing a straight up guitar pop record Phoenix style of course. Intact are the infectious hooks and breathy vocals. It's Never Been Like That is less moody than the group's previous efforts but just as heart-felt and stays up beat throughout the 10 tracks. It's the perfect disc to brighten up any dreary day.

Placebo - Meds (astralwerks.com)

Placebo like The Mars Volta are one of those bands that if you are able to get past the super whiney vocals than you've great tunes to listen to. In Placebo's case Getty Lee comes to mind fronting a post 90's art damaged pop group. When they hit their stride with catchier than fuck tunes like "Drag" and the title cut it makes it all worth it.

New York Dolls - One Day it Will Please Us to Remember Even This (roadrunnerrecords.com)

It's a pretty weird to think that David Johansen is back on his whole rock n roll trip after hamming it up for so long as lounge lizard Buster Point Dexter. But he and Sylvain Sylvain (the two only surviving Dolls) offer up this spirited come back with such rollicking numbers as opener "We're All in Love, the groovin' tribal beat of "Dance like a Monkey", and the rugged melodic hooks of "Dancing on the Edge of a Volcano". The sound and production is certainly slicker than their earlier works and gone is the sloppy Thunders style guitar blaring through each track. But what is present are great hooks and boundless energy, which helps avoid tarnishing the Dolls great legacy.

Raspberries - Greatest (capitol/hollywoodandvine.com)

It's only recently that this 70's seminal power pop band is getting paid their respects as being an influential force in pop music through the last thirty odd years. Making an impression on everyone from Motley Crue to Bruce Springsteen. The Raspberries took their deep love of the Beatles and spit it back out and made it American, 70's style. This best of comp features all the classic including "I Wanna Be With You", "Go All The Way", and Tonight " just to name a few. For all you youngins who like your Weezer and Fountains of Wayne these guys were doing it first.

Scott Reeder - Tunnelvision Brilliance (liquorandpokermusic.com)

Holy shit! Either those Kyuss guys way back when made a pack with the devil or drank from some magic fountain that gave each one the power to create their own musical universe. Specifically Josh Homme-QOSTA and Brant Bjork, but who would have thunk that second bassist Scott Reader may be the most talented maverick to emerge of the Kyuss camp. While Homme stumbled upon the minimalist Can meets stoner grooves and Bjork threw down his synth lowrider rock, Reeder lands somewhere between the epic vision of Pink Floyd and the California desert. What Reeder avoids is the sludgy generic riff rock so many of his peers has relied on and creates a wide-screen sweeping melodic work that David Gilmore would notice.

Terry Reid - Superlungs (astralwerks.com)

Known to some as the unluckiest man n rock n roll due to the fact he was Jimmy Page's first choice to sing for Zep but opted to continue his own career of soulful blues rock. A humble guy with an amazing voice and a gift for writing above average tunes Superlungs is some of Terry's best work. This disc also features previously unreleased tracks as well as updated versions of 'Without Expression" and "Highway 61 Revisited". If you love Traffic, Savoy Brown, Humble Pie, and of course early Zep you've gotta pick up Superlungs.

Samiam - Whatever's Got You Down (hopelessrecords.com/gosamgo.com)

It's been a few years since these seminal E.Bay emo rock stalwarts have released new material. In fact it looked as if they had called it a day. But what do ya know? They're back with a new batch of tunes and a new bassist. Their old bassist Sean moved over to guitar taking the place of longtime guitarist James Brogan. Whose unmistakable melodic style was developed while playing in early 80's Bay area punk outfit Social Unrest, which subsequently had a big part in shaping the Samiam sound. So even while vocalist Jason Beebout still retains his killer pipes, and guitarist Sergie Loobkoff still shows he has a knack for writing memorable hooks, with the absence of Brogan something seems amiss. Or maybe it's the production, which is a much more raw and even murky at times compared to their last five records which I guess is what I'd come to expect. Still, the majority of cuts on Whatever's Got You Down sound like classic Sam and are way better than most of the crap that passes for emo these days.

Skullflower - Orange Canyon Mind (cruialblast.net)

Kinda like dub for the doom crowd heavy ambient sound pioneers Skullflower is shining example of less is more. And like 30 ft waves of white noise Orange Canyon Mind drags you in whether you like it or not. Not since Monster Magnet's 25..Tab has a disc come along to melt yer brain in such a beautiful way.

Slugnut - All The Splendor And Rot (slugnut.com)

This Raleigh, North Carolina trio plays a nasty kick ya in the teeth brand of punk metal. All The Splendor And Rot brings back the days of when punks and metalheads first started banging their heads in unison at shows in the mid to late 80's. Slugnut fuse the punk edge of 80's thrash metal with the dark and acidic sound of 90's death metal into a rabid aural assault. So if you think the current crop of "scary" bands with their Hot Topic gear on are evil sounding you ain't heard shit. This is the kinda music that if you hear blasting outta some longhairs muscle car you walk by quickly and make no eye contact.

Snatches of Pink - Stag (morisen.com)

Fuck.thank God these N. Carolina rockers crawled out from under their scuzzy rock one more time. They look and sound like they haven't showered since the early 90's. Hell opening track "Judas" could literally destroy every metro-sexual pussy rock band like The Killers and their pathetic ilk on fuckin' contact. Stag is all dirty guitars, slurred vocals, and ragged melodies that will make ya wanna kick a hole in yer TV set and start a real rock n roll band.

Shooter Jennings - Electric Rodeo (Universal South)

Ol' Waylon would be proud to see his son Shooter following in his foot steps by trying to kick the country music establishment in the nuts once again. In the wake of his father's death Shooter dropped the metal and started playing southern rock/outlaw country his debutPut the O' Back in Country had some great moments like "Born on the 4th of July" and "Busted in Balor County", but doesn't come off nearly as natural as these eleven cuts. Electric Rodeo finds Shooter sounding more like Shooter and getting more comfortable settling into the Outlaw meets Zep style. We can only hope Shooter will have southern boys and girls torching their copies of Kenny Chesny's latest lame attempt at aping Jimmy Buffet.

Stone Age Hearts - Guilty As Sin (alive-totalenergy.com)

Pretty decent punk garage rock from Australia with slashing guitars and seedy psyched-out vibe ala the Stooges or more recently the Hypnotics as well as more 60's Sonics styled tunes.

Thunder Express - We Play For Pleasure (razziarecords.se)

Thunder Express is the side project from Hellacopters' chief axe slinger Robert "Strings" Dahlqvist which doesn't fall very far from the Copters Stonesy garage rock tree. We Play For Pleasure is pure pleasure with it's warm 70's blues-rock guitar tones and undeniable hooks. After listening to these 10 cuts it's easy to see the scope of Dahlqvist's influence on the Copters sound. For fans of Dahlqvist period Copters this disc is a must have. And after you hear tracks "In My Mind", "Believe In You", and "Stupid Lies" you quickly that this guy's got a bright future Copters or no Copters.

T-Rex - Born To Boogie/The Soundtrack Album (sanctuaryrecordsgroup.com)

If the 2-DVD set of the live concerts and movie isn't enough Sanctuary also released the soundtrack to this long lost music flick. There's a cool alternate version "Children of the Revolution", nutty banter between Marc and Ringo, a couple of Marc's poems, and a live BBC interview with Marc from 1971. There's no way after you listen to this that you could go without and picking up the DVD. The 2 CD set also includes T-Rex live in concert from 1972.

VHS or BETA - Le Funk (astralwerks.com)

If you missed out on this classic disco rock EP from Louisville's VHS or BETA a few years back your in luck. Astralwerks has re-released this spotless mix of French house ala Daft Punk and the silky smooth spunky funk of Nile Rodgers' Chic. The pure magic of Le Funk makes the new wave dance rock on Night on Fire seem a little forced is why I originally went nutzo for these guys. Bonus tracks feature three remixes of "Solid Gold" one by non-other than Mr. Bob Mould.

Valient Thorr - Legend of the World (volcoment.com)

These N. Carolina boogie-core dudes serve up another southern fried cosmic platter of 70's style riff rock with their punk-political bent. For those unfamiliar with the band's sound they land somewhere between the burly brash riffs of newer acts like Nashville Pussy and such classic rock of greats as Thin Lizzy and AC/DC.

Vander Graaf Generator Reissues - The Quite Zone/The Pleasure Dome-World Record-Still Life-Godbluff-Vital Live (astralwerks.com)

Van Der Graaf Generator is one prog-art rock group that somehow flew under my radar until I heard GBV''s Robert Pollard site as a influence back in the mid 90's. Luckily Astralwerks has the distro rights here in the states so anyone who may not have been able to find their releases easily available can explore the experimental sounds of eccentric music visionary Peter Hammill and company. After listening to each of these releases I understand how VGG were a such large influence on post punk artist The Fall and PIL and later indie rockers GBV. Their throbbing rhythms, angular hooks, and lyrical approach was way more avant garde and edgy than the fairies and wizards of their "prog" contempories. I found Godbluff and The Pleasure Dome to be particularly jarring.

COMPS

The Big Gundown/Reggae Inspired By Spaghetti Westerns (Trojan/Sanctuary)

These 60's ska classics were inspired by the spaghetti westerns of the 60's which would sound great oozin' outta some old jukebox in some Kingston saloon where rastas hang and drink their Guinness. 26 tracks in all and every one of em' is a winner. I especially dig the The Crystalites "Undertaker's Burial" with it's warm sax and organ playing off each other. Other memorable tracks include "Clint Eastwood" by Lee Perry and The Upsetters, as well as "Savage Colt" by the Eldorados. These tracks make me want to rent A Fist Full of Dollars and smoke a doobie.

Dub Massive Chapter I &II (Trojan/Sanctuary)

These two Dub comps are the real deal. I highly recommended these for Dub beginner as well as the hard-core dub fan. Dub Massive Chapter I &II is the genius project of producer Bill Laswell who essentially took some of the best Dub from the Trojan vaults including The Upsetters, Augustus Pablo, King Tubby, The Crystalites, Sly and Robbie, Scientist among others and re-dubbed these dub masters. If you thought the originals were tripped-out then Dub Massive Chapter I &II will have you floating in orbit.

Rouge's Gallery Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs, & Chanteys. (anti.com)

With the popularity of Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean II-Dead Man's Chest now swashbuckling and everything that surrounds it has seeped back into the popular conscious due to the over advertising and merchandising. Its the Star Wars of the 00's so far with Pirates Monopoly fer Christ sakes! But hey ever since I've been a frequent visitor the that region below the equator going back some years now I myself have been fascinated by such lore of sea dogs and scalawags. Now thankfully Pirates director Gore Verbinski and its' star Johnny Depp both have enough taste that they did not have Beyonce or Nickleback in sailor garb rocking out or doing some hanious choreographed dance routines on a beach. Instead they put their heads together and produced this interesting collection of chanteys. Included are such popular artists as Bono, Sting, Lou Reed, Lucinda Williams, Gavin Friday, Rufus Wainright, Louden Wainright III, Jarvis Cocker (Pulp), Bryan Ferry, and Richard Thompson. There are also some great gems from Stan Ridgeway, Baby Gramps, actor John C. Reily, actor/magician Ricky Jay, and Van Dyke Parks. Great packaging to booty that includes the timeless maritime art of Howard Pyle. Overall one could search out a more authentic collection of sailor songs but for a buncha cool and hip songwriters this is a noble effort and pleasure of a listen.

BOOKS

Laurel Canyon- The inside Story of Rock N Roll's Legendary Neighborhood - Michael Walker (fsgbooks.com)

Journalist Michael Walker through solid research and interviews with various key players and artists in So. Cal's famed Laurel Canyon including: Graham Nash, Pamela Des Barres, Gail Zappa, and the Byrd's Chris Hillman has brought to life the tale of the 60's hippie utopia that gave way to the decadent 70's and eventually the grizzly Wonderland murders in the early 80's. Any one who loves 60's or 70's folk rock or Hollywood Babylon in general will find this to be serious page-turner.

Marley Legend- An Illustrated Life of Bob Marley - James Henke (chronicalbooks.com)

Marley Legend is a painstakingly put together multi-media book that includes a 50 min CD w/ interviews and music from Bob and well as reprinted rare memorabilia, hand-written lyrics, and set lists. This is a truly unique format for a book and will have any Marely fan occupied for more hours than a kid with a new box o' Colorforms.

Heavy Metal Thunder - Kick Ass Art from Kick-Ass Albums - James Sherry and Neil Aldis (chronicalbooks.com)

Talk about cool coffee table book, Heavy Metal Thunder collects all those wicked metal album covers you remember thumbing through back in the 80's. The album artwork is organized chronologically and by metal sub-genre. From NWOBHM to Black metal and beyond Heavy Metal Thunder is eye-popping candy that will have digging out those old Mercyful Fate records and wailing along in no time.

Dark Side of The Moon - John Harris (De Capo)

Writer John Harris gives fans a an close up in depth look at the 70's space rock master piece that was Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. A record that has gone on to sell 30 million copies and stayed on the Billboard charts for a record fourteen years there no doubt has taken on a life of its own. And through new and old interviews with Waters, Gilmore, and Mason helps demystifies of the most listened to and loved rock albums of all time. The book also includes great photos of the band as well as original album artwork.

Rainbow - English Castle Magic -Martin Popoff (metalblade.com)

If you dug Blue Oyster Cult- Secrets Revealed! and are a fan of Richie Blackmore and Rainbow, and then English Castle Magic then by Canadian music journalist Martin Popoff will have you equally as riveted. In the same design as the BOC book Popoff breaks things down LP by LP. Starting out with former Elf front man Ronnie James Dio, then the James Deanish bravado of Graham Bonnet, and finally Jersey's own crooner Joe Lynn Turner. Popoff manages to capture it all from the drama, the personalities, and the music itself English Castle Magic is as comprehensive your gonna find on these mystical metal trailblazers.

UFO -Shoot Out The Lights - Martin Popoff (metalblade.com)

I gotta hand it to Popoff for taking on another classic hard rock/ heavy metal group that's been as influential as any great 70s' band but somewhat overlooked by such bogus "institutions" as Rolling Stone or the Rock N' roll Hall of Fame. So like English Castle Magic and BOC- Secrets Revealed! Shoot Out the Lights is broken down LP by LP and is chock fulla great stories of these much beloved British hard rockers. From their early experimental beginnings to their glory years with Michael Schenker and then into the 80's and beyond Popoff captures the grit and rough n' tumble world of these metal blues rock vets.

DVD'S

Blackmore's Night-Castles & Dreams (spv.de)

For a guy that often wore a large black pilgrim's hat during the early years in Deep Purple as well as delved into mystical medieval themes with Rainbow, it seems quite natural that riff wizard Richie Blackmore is now playing full-blown renaissance folk with Blackmore's Night. He and his beautiful wife Candice Night (think a young Stevie Nicks) are true to traditional Celtic music using instruments of that period (lutes, flutes, etc.) as well as a full drum kit, keyboards, bass, and electrified acoustic guitar. This DVD features a full live concert, a documentary, videos, an acoustic set, slide show, interviews, etc. So if you find yourself regularly quoting the Lord of the Rings trilogy or counting down the days till your town's next renaissance fair this DVD collection is probably for you. Tights not included.

The Harder They Come Film & Soundtrack Special Edition (xenonpictures.com)

If you missed out on the Criterion version, which apparently has been out of print, then you'll be stoked to know that Xenon Pictures have just re-released the classic reggae flick with a ton o' extras. This Special edition version not only includes a CD of the original motion picture soundtrack but also includes a documentary of the film, interviews w/ Jimmy Cliff, and director Perry Henzell. As well as a slide show and music video not to mention the filmed has been restored to a new high definition transfer, new improved audio, and 20 missing shots which haven't been seen in many a year. This is a serious must have for any reggae fan's movie collection.

Hong Kong Phooey - The Complete Series (warnervideo.com)

If you were a kid in the early to mid 70's then you no doubt were hooked on Hanna-Barbera like myself. And the police station janitor-turned kung-fu crime-fighting pooch Hong Phooey was my favorite (I had the lunchbox fer Christ sakes). Hong Kong's voice was supplied by the one and only Scatman Cruthers and every Saturday morning he and Rosemary the Fran Drescher sounding mini skirted secretary would have me glued the tube with my Banana Spits cereal bowl over-flowing with the vitamin-packed Boo Berry cereal. All 31 episodes are included here as well as documentary "Phoo-Nomenom", a complete storyboard, and expert commentary on three episodes. One can only hope that The Laugh Olympics and Hair Bear Bunch are next.

Manowar - HOE IV (spv.de)

The kings of cock-rock metal NY's Manowar are revered as gods in Germany. This is their fourth DVD installment of the Hell of Earth series that features an entire live show as well as a behind the scenes bonus disc were the band hams it up on German television, meet up their hardcore fans, groupies, and road crew. Whether you take these oiled up he-men seriously er not Manowar know how to deliver the metal goods and HOE IV proves it.

MC5 - Creem Presents: Kick Out The Jams (musicvideodistributors.com)

Not to be confused with the MC5 documentary that was released a year prior Kick Out The Jams is more of a video collage of live performances and not much more. This DVD is only for the must have MC5 collector or rock n roll DJ who has access to a large TV/movie screen. That would be the ideal setting to watch this cool footage of the boys rockin' out to hippies whirling around like dervishes in the park.

Phillies World Champions -25th Anniversary Collector's Edition
(Hart sharp video)

Hey I grew up on the Yankees, the O's down in Baltimore, but who the hell could forget the 1980 Phillies team -Pete Rose, Tug Mcgraw, -it's what legends are made of. Real guys you could root for. This 3 DVD set is chock extras including: two documentaries: The Team That Wouldn't Die, which relives all the unforgettable plays of a once in a lifetime season and features the unequaled talents of Steve Carlton, Mike Schmidt, Pete Rose and Tug McGraw. Glory Days: The Story of the 1980 World Champion Phillies takes the viewer back to the magical year of 1980 when the underdog Phillies took the baseball world by storm. Disc 2 contains the complete National League Championship Series Game 5. While Disc 3 contains the complete World Series Game 6. Also included is a Tug McGraw & Paul Owens Tribute, Game Six - The Ninth Inning, The Parade, 20th Anniversary Reunion, And for the first time ever on DVD interviews with such Philly greats as Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton, Tug McGraw, and Pete Rose. Now if somebody would just release the made-for-TV sports documentary Rebels of Oakland: The A's, the Raiders, the '70s they could keep each other company on my shelf.

Rainbow - Live In Munich 1977 (eaglevision)

If the renaissance folk of Blackmore's Night leaves you scratching yer head and you still yearn for the days when Richie and Ronnie James rocked the masses with their mystical metal brew via Rainbow then Live In Munich 1977will have you glued to your TV. The concert was filmed in the Munich at Olympialle Oct 77' and features such classic Rainbow tunes as "Man on the Silver Mountain", "Long Live Rock n' Roll", and "Sixteenth Century Greensleeves". This is the Long Live Rock n' Roll lineup featuring bassist Bob Daisley any keyboardist David Stone, gone is keyboard wizardry of Tony Carey. Also included is a miniature version of the original show program complete with advertisements. This is a top-notch release and is worth any fan's hard-earned bread.

Thor - An-Thor-Logy (smogveil.com)

This DVD is without a doubt a must have for Thor fans as well as anyone who loves a good spectacle. An-Thor-Logy spans Jon Mikl Thor's entire bizarro career from 1976 on the Merv Griffin show, through his Glam rock and metal phases, to his current work. This DVD has it all including videos, live appearances, interviews, and even a Thor-u-mentary. I can't recommend this enough for fans of Glam, metal, and campy shock rock action. All hail Thor!

T-Rex - Born To Boogie (sanctuaryrecordsgroup.com)

Finally unearthed is this tripped-out rock n roll masterpiece from the Glam rock juggernaut that was T-Rex. The 2 DVD set includes the legendary original motion picture featuring Marc Bolan good pal Ringo Star, and Elton John amongst others having a twisted good time. The set also features two hour-long concerts, a documentary by Marc's son Rolan, rare footage, interviews with Tony Visconti and Bill Legend, as well as all sorts of extras, outtakes, deleted scenes, early TV performance, hidden extra features, and a 32 page booklet. After viewing Born to Boogie it really sinks in how one-of-a-kind and important Marc Bolan was to rock n roll in terms of style, sound, and attitude. Highly Recommended.

Zombi (anchorbayentertainment.com)

Horror fans listen up! Anchor Bay has just released Zombi, which is actually George A. Romero's classic Dawn of the Dead. Zombi is the European version, which was edited by Italian horror master Dario Argento who manages to remove the campy American edge by simply replacing the generic synth score with the creepy Italian prog of Goblin that not only rocks but also makes the film a more jarring horror experience.

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