"It's Nostalgia and its Riches"

Metal Rendezvous

2012-02-01T22:28:00.001Z

Pop Pickers, back in the heady days of 1980 I was plunging every meagre pocket-money penny I had into Heavy Metal vinyl. I would have sold my dear old granny and her cat if the currency permitted just to buy a Rush album. I was in the grip of a delirium of extraordinary magnitude. Most of the time the driver was the latest releases (and classic oldies too) sampled the previous Friday night via "TV on the Radio" on BBC Radio 1. I would scour the small ads in Sounds and the local record shop LP bins...I needed that regular audio fix...badly.

On a hot August weekend I painted every relatives' fence, washed every window and shifted every lump of peat possible so I could embark on a buying binge which hauled in AC/DC, Girlschool, Scorpions, Rush, Judas Priest, Whitesnake and Blue Öyster Cult. My ears were happily ringing as a result and my parents no doubt felt that they were losing their son to The Devil. I found out some years later that was exactly what the local Reverend told them, "Behold! A Sinner!".

One album in my sights back then was Metal Rendezvous by Krokus. The song Heatstrokes was played by Lord Vance on the Friday Rock Show and I was under starters orders the following day to get the Metal Rendezvous album.

I still like the LP, I know Krokus got a slagging by many a Metal Head for being AC/DC and Scorpions soundalikes but that's a raw deal in my view. Who cares, tracks such as Heatstrokes, Steamer and Tokyo Nights rock out.

The Krokus songs are full of 70s cliches, cringing lyrics that would be at home in the Gene Hunt School of Sexism and the band strut their stuff as you'd expect from a Metal ensemble from that era. Say what you want but the guitar work is superb and Krokus delight these ears with their musical ability.

Top notch!

Obi Strip

2012-01-30T10:55:00.001Z

'Morning Pilgrims,
Another week ahead at the Factory with car journeys, hotel stays etc at the end of the week.

Pop Pickers, many of you know I'm a big fan of Obi strips as they adorn Vinyl and CD albums, indeed your humble narrator keeps a wee collection of records imported from Japan here at the Dacha.

I've always liked the colour and the graphics of the Obi.
The first album I bought with a Obi strip was the Scorpions In Trance LP back in the early 1980s. I've added many to the haul since, including the Kate Bush 12" single below and a goodly number of Sabbath, Motörhead, Rainbow and Hawkwind releases bought through record stores, online pedlars or direct from Japan.
I've eased back on the purchasing pedal in recent years as I don't have right space (languishing in boxes, dans le grenier) or the Scots Pounds (imports from Japan are not cheap as a rule).

I should add, importantly, that not every album cover with obi strip illustrated on your caring sharing blog over the years are in my collection, I have my limitations in spite of my obvious wants. However, I do try to have my favourite albums in Obi strip form. Even after all these years my heart takes a flutter if I see a classic album in Japanese import form.

My ultimate want is an original Obi strip clad Satori by the Flower Travellin Band (I have the CD minilp version with Obi but the vinyl is the prize).

Breakfast Playlist for Champions...

Night Train To Tokyo - White Wizzard
Instinct de Mort - Trust
Yadokari - Kaji Meiko
(He Fell In Love With A) Stormtrooper - Tank
Back At The Funny Farm - Motörhead

If You Go Down To The Woods Today...

2012-01-28T12:04:00.000Z

Remember this classic?
Low budget super film!
Someone at work told me that they plan to remake the original Evil Dead film!
To use internet parlance WTF!?
I must have first saw this around 83/84 when it first came out (I think it was if memory serves me, one of the so-called video nasties which were denounced by the Moral Majority and Blue Rinse Brigade at the time).
It is a film which works so well, with its limited means it still stands out, a true cult film.
I didn't revisit the film again until around 1999, but I've seen it several times since. It has some, unintended I'm sure, but laugh out loud moments and toe curling stuff also. A great, great film.

Saturday Playlist

Black Horsemen - King Diamond
Well Well Well - John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
Zoom Club - Budgie
S.S. Giro - Fist
Still In Love With You - Thin Lizzy

Pin Up Part Deux!

2012-01-27T12:36:00.001Z

This blog-site is now 6 years old, serving nostalgianauts needs in all things Metal and for those of you like me like their album covers adorned by an Obi Strip, and as you know the blog posts act as a ready vehicle for your friend and humble narrator's ego.

Thank you to all commentators and contributors who have made all worthwhile!
There's more Metal to come!
I'm handing out pieces of virtual birthday cake if your not counting the virtual calories, it's Victoria Sponge.
Cheers!

Here's the Birthday playlist...

Bomber - Motörhead
Road Racin' - Riot (RIP Mark Reale)
This Love - Pantera
Where Eagles Dare - Iron Maiden
Satan's Children - Witchfinder General

Thanks for the contributions on the Pin Up debate - still time to share your choice...
I forgot my other long time pin up (above), and I don't even know her name as this beautiful lady, along with some others, remains as far as I know uncredited in the cast list.. she was one of evil Han's entourage in Enter the Dragon
A Bonnie Lassie!

Pin Up!

2012-01-26T15:36:00.001Z

It's Thursday!
It's lunch-time at the Factory. It's all Marmite & Cheese sandwiches washed down with mugs of tea...

Dear Readers, I mentioned the other day that I plastered my side of the sibling bedroom as a 9 year old with posters of Glam Rock stars and Bruce Lee as scarred by the evil Han. At this stage of life there was no room for, to use rock parlance, 'chicks'. That came later...

From ever I can remember I have 'desired' Mrs Emma Peel (Diana Rigg). The endless Avengers repeats on the idiot's lantern during my formative years the obvious culprit and the irrefutable fact in later years she reminded me of someone very special.

My early teens led me to Ingrid Pitt in the Hammer Horror classics, and "the iron hand of indurated habit plunged me once again into the mire of my vices".

During my journey through High School and Hawkwind enlightenment I discovered beautiful, celestial the queen, Stacia; a small picture cut from The Sounds or NME pride and place on my teenage bedroom wall.

Then, in during the era of VHS, I was in so captivated by Kaji Meiko 梶芽衣子 and her stare.

These beautiful women remain my "pin ups", even during this age when your humble narrator really should know better...

So Pop Pickers who are your ultimate pin up choices?
Male or female, animal, vegetable or mineral let's be having you!

Playlist utilised for the morning rush-hour:

Highland Farewell - Grave Digger
Evening Star - Tyr
Eyes On Fire - Blue Öyster Cult
Magic Touch - Kiss
Milky Way - Loudness

The World hath Need

2012-01-25T20:50:00.001Z

By the time you read this i'll have dined wi quines an loons in honour o the Bard. Haggis an clapshot. A wee dram to burnish the soul at the Factory slap up binge. Quite a night.

Auld Hugh (MacDiarmid) puts it better than I ever could...All the toasting toffs (Such a parcel of rogues in a nation!) in tartan trappings at Suppers should remember Rab's politics...

"Rabbie, wad’st thou wert here – the world hath need,
And Scotland mair sae, o’ the likes o’ thee!
The whisky that aince moved your lyre’s become
A laxative for a’ loquacity"

"Mair nonsense has been uttered in his name
Than in ony’s barrin’ liberty and Christ."

やさぐれ姐御伝総括リンチ

2012-01-24T23:04:00.001Z

Tonight I concluded my 3 night Teruo Ishii "in-house" film festival: Sunday I watched Horrors of Malformed Men (1969) last night Blind Woman's Curse (1970) and tonight Female Yakuza Tale (1973). I was owing myself repeat screenings and what better than to indulge in a 石井輝男 Ishii-San triple bill?
I got the Asahi Black Beer out and the DVD was on!

Earlier this was my breakfast & factory lunch menus respectively:

Yakult
Porage, cream and a sprinkle o Demerara
Mug of Twinnings 1706 breakfast tea
Orange juice

Peanut butter and jeely piece (pan loaf)
Strawberry yoghurt
Copious amounts of water

How's about that then?

As for today's bus route commute playlist...(what do you think of it Pop Pickers?)

Astra Wally - Rose Tattoo
Walking In The Shadow of the Blues - Whitesnake
Frustrate Me - SoundWitch
Angel Witch - Angel Witch
Sadman - Tytan

Monday

2012-01-23T23:16:00.001Z

I survived the first day back at the factory, now to maintain self-dignity through the rest of the week. I am not complaining as I like my job, and love my workmates. Just I'd rather be running a vinyl record emporium or leather jackets store (I love the smell of leather in the morning...'noon and night). In actual fact I'd rather have a time machine and live out a fantasy Japanese "Life on Mars", a la Tokyo 1972.

En route home from work tonight I thought I would toast my day with a cold Hoegaarden in The Green Man . Sated by the beer and complimented by the barmaid I decided to stride out into the chill night air with a spring in my step. I did only to slip and fall on the black ice outside the Co-operative Supermarket. I was on my feet quickly but my trousers were soaked giving the impression that I wet myself. C'est la vie!

Evening Playlist to pamper embarrassed humble narrator...

Queen of Spades - Styx
Tarot Woman - Rainbow
Victim of Changes - Judas Priest
Must Be An Officer's Daughter - Hairy Chapter
Dirty Women - Black Sabbath

Sunday Confessional

2012-01-22T15:21:00.001Z

Dear Readers, I'm about to embark on another year of work at the factory. The long shifts, the missed holidays, the indigestion etc. Tomorrow I will heed once more the Morlocks' siren call.

Now then, now then Pop Pickers things I usually avoid are the comments section beneath videos on YouTube, there lurks some of the most vile and ill-educated ever to boot up a computer. I also refrain from indulging in politics apart from the regular haranguing of my local MP in a manner not dissimilar to those aforementioned YouTube intellectuals. Furthermore, I am rarely able to resist the deteriorating but still ample charms of refrigerated Cadbury's Creme Eggs; such a giddy weakness.
And whilst we are partaking in this private parley, nay confession, I must confide that I prefer the soothing sound of classical music when late at night I lay my head down in a stuttering attempt to sleep. I recommend the internet accessible Japanese bite-size radio station Ottava.
Finally, the large mural image above is of very friendly and well-equipped guitar shop I came across, while 'way down Mexico way'.

And so on with the action, I need a fortifying playlist to steel me for tomorrow's commute in to work. To put some fantasy up against the impending dose of reality.

Suspender Love - Scorpions
Comin' Home - Deep Purple
Heart Like A Wheel - Black Sabbath
One Of These Days - Trespass
Death or Glory - Holocaust

At War With Satan

2012-01-21T14:37:00.001Z

I bought At War With Satan when it first hit the Record Shops, back in the very distant 1984. The previous album Black Metal was always going to be a hard act to follow. Venom decided on a complete A side concept theme At War With Satan. Fatally ambitious as it was delicious, a most flawed frenzy which at times sounded akin to prog rock dirge. On the B side is a continuation of what Venom did/does best, furious rip roaring songs such as the brilliant Women, Leather and Hell. However, it is the A side's fantastic concept album feel, the audio/lyrical treasure for which I always return to the album for. When it hit the record bins it was considered blasphemous and controversial, it is gentlemanly fare compared with the underground black/death metal etc nowadays. Venom are still plying their amazing wares, testament to the immortality of the early classic releases.

Virus

2012-01-19T23:11:00.001Z

I've been bombed out of the old laptop on account of a Trojan (as opposed to a Greek), so I'm scribing this via the most trusty iPhone
I hope your week is going well Pop Pickers?
I'm due back at the factory on Monday for another season. I miss my mates but I'm sort of feeling a lack of lust for the duties ahead. Still once more unto the breach etc.

I understand that Tony Iommi is battling cancer, get well soon Tony.

My old chum Toast informs me that Gary Glitter is now airing his thoughts on Twitter, whatever the argument about the merits of this are I for one cannot rewrite history Stalinesque, I did have numerous posters on my wall as a nipper, Bruce Lee, Slade, The Sweet, The Glitter Band and aye the Glitter Man himself.
The reason I say this is a mate of mine a few months back was trying to tell me (during a glam rock discussion) that he never was a fan of Glitter. I challenged him as it was patent lie, Blimey I remember his mam making him a Glitter suit out of bacofoil and masking tape one Halloween when we were in primary school!!

I'm attaching a gratuitous Meiko Kaji photo to warm the spirit this cold (and snowy) winter's night in the Dacha.
And things would not go amiss by elevating the mood with my evening playlist while I do battle with the evil Trojan...

Caesar '71 - Sir Lord Baltimore
Heavy Days - 2nd Face Ita-Roh
The Rocker - Thin Lizzy
Princess of the Night - Saxon
Lady of Mars - Dark Star

Back in Black (Almost)

2012-01-18T22:44:00.001Z

I'm not quite back in the swing of things following my return to the shores of Pictlandia but your humble narrator is getting there Dear Readers:

Playlist to aid your digestion:

Steel Maker - Voltax
Satan's Serenade - Roxxcalibur
The Devil's Answer - Atomic Rooster
Unleash the Dogs of War (Open the Gates) - Hirax
Red House - Jimi Hendrix

Enero

2012-01-11T03:30:00.001Z

Here is my Playlist from distant shores, should suffice until I return to Caledonia in a week or so. It is has been a crazy start to the year so far for your humble narrator. Nothing untoward of course just as I scribe this I have been exposed to the sun rather much today scrambling around a very old cemetery (long story and does not involve Burke & Hare antics or Necromantic perversions I hasten to insist). Some beers later have added to my dehydrated hot und bothered plight.

Any on to the music, the brevity of this post will surely be suitably rewarded with an even better post of extraordinary magnitude in the coming 10 days. ¡Adios!

Immigrant Song - Led Zeppelin
What's Next To The Moon - AC DC
Seduction - Eternal Elysium
Electric Grave - Cathedral
Captured City - Praying Mantis

Auld Lang Syne

2011-12-31T21:00:00.000Z

Dear Readers, as is the way on your soaraway family friendly blog, a New Year's Message is an enjoyable must. 2012 is upon us, but what a year 2011 has been for your friend and humble narrator. The pinnacle of the year passing is of course my Tokyo Nights and GENOCIDE nippon live. There was also another Motörhead tour to see and the year saw me bade farewell to Victory Mansions.

Anyway during the month of January this blog is heading towards its 6th anniversary, and I am rather surprised that it has survived as long as it has. I'm enjoying writing, albeit irregularly, more than ever. Whilst first and foremost it is a vehicle for my ego and thirst for nostalgia, the blog is a chance to introduce or remind likeminded readers of some interesting film or music stuff as well as a ever so brief glimpse at your humble narrator's obsessions and needs too. And we've built up the readership too over the last two years, principally in addition to the home market there's regular readers from the US, Japan and continental Europe. The lifeblood of the blog is not me however but the most welcome contributors who take the time and trouble to read my often amateurish wordsmithery and in return leave comments, suggestions and participation. Thank you especially then to the likes of Vintage Knitter, John (Medd), Steve, Toast, Mr H, Thumper, Classyjunkie, Jams O Donnell, Jerry Cornelius, OPOC, ib, Stu, Ace, brother MHB Shuhei-san, and last not least the Bright Ambassador.

And so to my Hogmanay Playlist:

Night From The Blue - Black Axe
Tokyo Nights - Krokus
Voodoo - Black Sabbath
Love Me Like A Reptile - Motörhead
We'll Burn The Sky (live from Tokyo Tapes) - Scorpions

Happy Hogmanay!
Happy New Year!
¡Feliz Año Nuevo!
謹賀新年

Haste ye back!

Bad Motor Scooter

2011-12-30T23:06:00.000Z

1972: Your humbleTime Lord aims to negotiate the hyper-traffic along the Chuo Expressway on a Kwacker Z1 with a nervous Kaji Meiko riding pillion*

I'm on the road again by the time you read this, I'll be asleep in a budget hotel en route, however I am pleased to share with you my iPod Playlist for this earlier today, something easy on the ear, something infectious...One For The Road as it were...

Motorway City - Hawkwind
Neon Knights - Black Sabbath
Highway Rider - Black Axe
Ride Like The Wind - Gorgon
Down The Road- Bitches Sin

*back to reality:
the above still is of Meiko Kaji (as Mei)in the excellent film 野良猫ロック Stray Cat Rock Delinquent Girl Boss (1970)

Come My Fanatics!

2011-12-28T21:00:00.000Z

I've been a GENOCIDE nippon fan since 1989, my collection began with the Black Sanctuary album on cassette and LP, look at it now...LPs, Test Pressings, Cassettes, CDs, Demos, Sample CDs, Patches, Buttons, DVDs, Bootlegs...It is special thanks to my very good friends...Genocide Takeuchi-San, fellow GENOCIDE maniac Kobayashi-San, and fellow Grumbleweed Amaya-San!
どうもありがとうございました！

There are always a few things to add but this is what I'm after next...Live音源／配布品（2003）

Is It Tuesday?

2011-12-27T13:00:00.000Z

Days never seem to be what they are or are supposed to be at this time of year Dear Readers;
This evening I shall be watching a Hammer Dracula double bill on DVD, Dracula (1958) and Dracula AD 1972 (1972).

In the meantime, work or not I need to shake off the nostalgic emotions of yesterday's music choice...and dip back into the fiery pit with some racy tunes...

All Along The Watchtower - The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Jack Luminous - Voivod
Day of the Jackal - GENOCIDE nippon
A Fool In Love - Gorgon
Satanic Rites of Drugula - Electric Wizard

I am now about to embark on a fresh read of Anno Dracula by Kim Newman, and later I will indulge in a feast down in old Chinatown here. Chinatown, it's a different scene*
I'm ready, are you?

*words by Thin Lizzy

Boxing Day

2011-12-26T23:30:00.000Z

Your humble narrator relaxes at home in between chores

Hello Pop Pickers, gale force winds are still angerly engulfing the area around the dacha here. I've been relaxing for the most part over the past 3 days and able as a result to engage in watching some movies, namely; Black Christmas (1974), The Wicker Man (1973), Vampire Girl v Frankenstein Girl, Dr Jekyll and Sister Hyde, Lady Snowblood (1973), Watchmen, The Lord of The Rings (1978).

I awoke at 9am to lazily enjoy breakfast, and attend to the household chores as is the must. I took the time to watch some episodes of Doctor Who story The Time Monster from 1972, it's all evil Kronos, evil Queen (played by Ingrid Pitt) and er, a TOMTIT. No, really!

I was later this afternoon to be found drooling at the vilest sorceress in the land, Katie McGrath on BBC HD...evil rules!

My Boxing Day Playlist (the iPod on a setting to kill me softly), gently takes me back to a bitter-sweet moment in time, affectionate yet very sad, une liaison, amour passager.

Sure Know Something - Kiss
Julia- Eurythmics
St. Swithin's Day - Bill Bragg
Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad - Def Leppard
More Than A Feeling - Boston

"The hottest love has the coldest end."

Many Happy Returns!

2011-12-26T11:10:00.000Z

"I'm a Capricorn. You wanna know some other Capricorns?
There's David Bowie, Joan of Arc, Marlene Dietrich, Isaac Newton, Janis Joplin . . . and...err . . . Lemmy."
- Stacia, September 1974 (NME)

Happy Birthday Stacia, wherever you are.

Nativity In Black

2011-12-25T11:01:00.001Z

Your friend and humble narrator awoke to the howl of a, er howling Gale this morning...there's a joke in there somewhere, alas old Saint Nick, as opposed to Old Nick has obviously not been to the country pile...

Here's Venom....Black Christmas

And this little 'Christmas' Venom clip from 1985 as they appeared on the Monsters of Rock TV show with Amanda Redington...I wonder if she was thinking, will this ever end...

Merry Christmas Pop Pickers

2011-12-24T13:40:00.001Z

Merry Christmas Pop Pickers, I wish you and yours a fine time whatever you are doing, wherever you are.

It Is Very Cold In Space...and in my house

2011-12-22T21:23:00.001Z

"He tasks me; he heaps me......Aye, aye! and I'll chase him round Good Hope, and round the Horn, and round the Norway Maelstrom, and round perdition's flames before I give him up."

Is there something wrong with me if I confide that I'm into women who dress in Star Trek uniforms?
I've been watching the excellent Star Trek: Wrath of Khan again courtesy of FilmFour. So I remember a cosplay pic of an Star Fleet officer Andorian, Oh yes, Pop Pickers.

Anyway, as the question is repeated in workplaces, street corners and bus stops throughout the grey and unhappy land..."done all your Christmas shopping yet?" Dear Readers...I now have. Which is just as well, as I am working right up to the evening of the Eve...

How about a playlist (my Thursday morning/evening commute companion)?

Don't Need Your Money - Raven
Ice Angels - Bitches Sin
War of the Ring - Arc
Throwin' In The Towel - FIST
If I Were King - Vardis

Ok so I was on the bus journey into the Factory this morning, unseasonally mild at 11C- yes you heard, anyway there was a guy on board drunk at half 8 what!?!
And here was your friend and humble narrator heading into work clutching his lunch-box of a Sticky Rib Pot Noodle, Full-On Yogurt, Banana and a portion of Goats Cheese & Sticky Chilli Jam crisps...aye, aye Captain the break-time sustenance is alternating from Cheddar & Marmite sandwiches to instant Noodles lately. I'm hardly the most healthy eater on this barren Space Rock but I'm not the worst. Now that's probably a segment of BlogPost that is not particularly interesting but I'm in a chatty mood tonight...I've a bellyful of Fruit & Nut stuffed Milk Chocolate that's why...probably.

I'm off to Andoria, I hope they are inclined to welcome a pot bellied Scot... And if I don't meet you no more in this world, Then i'll, i'll meet you in the next one and don't be late, don't be late.

Mid-Week

2011-12-22T01:03:00.001Z

Mid-week playlist

Keeper Of The Seven Keys - Helloween
Last In Line - Dio
I, The Witchfinder - Electric Wizard
Aqualung - Jethro Tull
Into The Storm - Blind Guardian

It Is Not Heresy, And I Will Not Recant!

2011-12-17T16:13:00.000Z

"Done your Christmas shopping yet?" Echoes the word on the snow encrusted streets...

Well back from Japan and it was back into work and things have not let up since then. The blogging has suffered and so has much of my rest & recreation plans of late. Nevertheless Dear Readers your humble narrator has managed to make some headway in catching up, visiting albeit briefly my old chum Toast and watching some rip roaring Hammer Horror films thanks to the Horror Channel.
Talking of which, surely Michael Ripper is the unsung hero of the golden age of Hammer?

I managed to read Tony Iommi's autobiography entitled Iron Man during the journey out to Japan. I have to say this, and it hurts me to commit, but it was a thoroughly average read. I mean Tony Iommi is Great but this book, oh, very disappointing. Is it because I've been reasonably knowledgeable in the life and times of Black Sabbath that much of the stories in the book lacked revelationary surprise?
About halfway through the book I was reminded why I generally don't like autobiographies or indeed biographies. The tales came across as laboured, the references to Tony Montana quantities of coke and on tour pranks repetitive.
As autobiographies go I have to say Lemmy's White Line Fever is an exception to the rule in my view, the stories pour off the pages in Mr Kilmister's own imitable way. So Pop Pickers, do any of you have a favourite autobiography/biography?

Now for your Saturday night Playlist, indulge if you will...
Can I Play With Madness - Iron Maiden
Stalker - Crowley
Satan- Bulbous Creation
When The Screams Come - Pentagram
Rock Bottom - UFO

And finally, further to my 大悪魔祭 2 review yesterday, nobody illustrates the night better than Tommy. Go see the absolutely brilliant photos.

I'm off to have my Horlicks and watch the Hammer Horror To The Devil A Daughter - Widmark, Nastassja, Elliott, Raffles, Honor and of course Lee!

A Feast Fit For The Devil

2011-12-15T23:32:00.000Z

Meguro Rockmaykan, Tokyo TOTAL GENOCIDE!
19th November 2011

As if some spectre of dark worldly forces was at work, a BLACK rising storm enveloped Tokyo that day with the dirtiest, doomiest grey skies spewing driving rain greeting fans as they converged on the venue. Even inside, backstage the walls as a result were heavy with a peculiar humidity. It is said that all GENOCIDE nippon shows incur such tempestuous climatic greetings, a sort of distorted Omen of good fortune.

I’ve been to a goodly number of gigs in my ill-spent time on this mortal coil but not one was match to the fullness of the Great Satan Festival 2 大悪魔祭 2 the Tokyo based celebration which featured altogether 5 live acts (the first-rate punk-metal guitar rich Doraid; the extreme oscillating feedback art of Hair Stylistics; the infectious melodic Gothic Metal pleasure of Sound Witch and the unique and exquisite fiery vigour of Sigh - and I love Sigh!), a live on stage video games discussion accompanied by big screen games footage and the fantastic DJ Veppy who filled the intervals with, to my absolute delight, NWOBHM classics!
Yes, Holocaust's very own Heavy Metal Mania was played!!!
Sealing the night's special feel.

The evening culminated of course with the headlining act, the band I’d come over from the edge of the world, from the Frozen Wastes to witness in all their Doomy Glory! So if the black weather was the overture to this performance then the doom laden Satanic Metal symphony was incarnate in GENOCIDE nippon. The now famous loaded instrumental intro declares the impending onslaught and it was straight into the classic song Doomsday, a heavy boisterous opening song that is signature GENOCIDE nippon. The crowd naturally go beserk and I'm in some surreal state of disbelief that I was there. Eh?Oh!
I was in my element, life like never before. The unbridled excitement coarsing through my veins like electricity, Welcome To Hell!

The band’s sound in the venue was bang on to these willing earholes. GENOCIDE is noted in Japan for being a superlative live act and I have now been witness to that valid claim. Lead singer Takeuchi-san is a brilliant animated showman who encourages and cajoles the crowd ably abetted by the gifted Amaya-san on guitar, the sensational rhythm dynamite from Noboru ‘JERO’ Sakuma-san on bass and Yutaka Yahata-san on drums. This is an exceptionally gifted mix of blistering drum play and classic Full Metal rasping bass empowered by the amazing versatile virtuosity of the lead guitar work and the unique incredibly energised range of vocals. The dynamics of GENOCIDE nippon is in the music and the current highly potent line-up is inch perfect in delivering the goods with a flawlessly (and enjoyable) balanced set. The band slipped in a new song - and I hope that I'm spelling this right - Garamawa-shi with its pulverising riff and bewitching hooks, and then they ignited the hall with the rousing Midnight (Come She Will).

I’ve heard quite a number of GENOCIDE live bootlegs but this particular recital gave out an especially magnificent invigorated performance. The set closer was the phenomenal ritualistic presentation of Living Legend, the doom laden classic which encompasses a demonic Wall of Sound from which there can be no escape. By the time the fan favourite encore of Bullet In The Wrong Heart finished I was left in reverence at the evening’s impressive atmosphere. For me, it was a perfect night of fulfilled and some very precious time with great friends.

And so with fading feedback ringing in their ears the crowd stepped out into the neon wonders of the Tokyo night and yes, the torrential rains had stopped…until the next time GENOCIDE take to the stage that is.

For his many Sins, your friend and humble narrator has been a Metal fan for going on 34 years now...and the week I spent in Japan was THE METAL moment of my life, nothing NOTHING compares to the amazing journey that I was fortunate to have travelled, meeting beautiful friends and enjoying.....finally.....22 years later....GENOCIDE nippon LIVE!!!!!

GENOCIDE nippon お疲れ様～！

Thanks goes to friend for life the one and only His Unholiness Lord Takeuchi, the beautiful and kind Mr"GRUMBLEWEED" Amaya (Dobby) and the beautiful and very lovely Mrs 'Kamelot' Amaya, Bass Hero and Guinness fan JERO, all round nice guy Mr DrumMasterGeneral Yahata-san, the stunning Chainsaw Diler, fellow GENOCIDE nippon maniac Keiichi-san, brother MHB Shuhei-san, the so very wonderful Love-Hamu, Mr Rock-Stakk Records!, The Shining Tama!, Yoshiki Takahashi, MAD K, David-san back at the Guesthouse (thanks for the Sausage, Bacon and Eggs!), Joe, and of course last but certainly not least, all the amazing GENOCIDE nippon fans I met that night.
I'll never forget!

And...

I'll be back for 大悪魔祭 3

DESTROY!
デストローーーイ!

Normal Service Will Resume

2011-12-10T11:44:00.001Z

Been very busy at work etc since my return, terrible storm damage earlier this week has added to my woes. Normal service will resume from mid-week - one hopes!

In the meantime, I am owing you a playlist

1. The Dark Lord - Sam Gopal
2. Rock Candy - Montrose
3. Race With The Devil - Girlschool
4. Sinklars Visa - Tyr
5. Ripper - Judas Priest

Satanic Metal!

2011-11-26T16:28:00.001Z

I've been back in Caledonia for a few days but it was straight back to work, what with that and some heavy duty jet lag I'm behind with blogging. I'll be back with a proper report on my Tokyo Nights, and most importantly the GENOCIDE nippon gig review...

...watch this space, as it were

Be Right Back

2011-11-12T11:45:00.001Z

Dear Readers, your friend and humble narrator will be unavailable for the next week or so, I leave for Japan on Monday, it'll be a fun week culminating in the DEVILPRESS 2 event in Tokyo. I'm shaking with nerves and excitement to be honest.

I've not had much chance to write of late, very busy at work. 12 hours yesterday and for some reason my back is giving me grief. Apologies in not responding to your comments recently, I'll put that right in December.

I Love This Poster...obviously

2011-11-08T23:35:00.001Z

Now, now the Pop Pickers, I hope your week is going well...I heard earlier that Lemmy has injured his hand and the Bristol show was cancelled. Get well soon Mr. K.

This is your humble narrator's 'Survive The Mid-week' Playlist...

Riff Raff (live from If You Want Blood..) - AC/DC
Be My Baby - Motörhead
Down Through The Night - Hawkwind
Cyanide - Gunslinger
Suzie Hold On - Saxon

「大悪魔祭2」

2011-11-04T00:02:00.001Z

11月19日（土）目黒鹿鳴館 DEVILPRESS×GENOCIDE nippon Presents!! 「大悪魔祭2」イープラスにてチケット発売中です。 d.hatena.ne.jp/Destory-666/

Just In Case...

2011-11-03T23:43:00.001Z

Pop Pickers should you wonder where the real fireworks will be this weekend...

...they play Rock'n'roll by the way!

Samhain

2011-10-31T00:30:00.000Z

Playlist for Halloween, on the night invented by us Pagan Celts! ;-)
What fearfu' pranks ensue!

Samhain - Pagan Altar
Magie Rouge - Cauchemar
Midnight (Come She Will) - GENOCIDE nippon
Demon's Gate - Candlemass
Into The Void - Black Sabbath

Barracuda Attacks!

2011-10-29T15:30:00.000+01:00

My good friend Shuhei kindly sent me a copy of his band Barracuda's 2008 recording and it deserves a good review right here, right now. It is a ferocious recording, raw and full on rock'n'roll. From the outset it electrifies like a, well, er an electric eel!
Opening song Motorcycle Men hits hard notably in the pile driving rhythm. You'd be forgiven for thinking that you were riding a Z-a-thou bareback and blindfolded such is the exhilaration of the track's energy here.
Satanic Drive is my favourite track on the EP in so many ways. It's dynamite, the guitar hook is classic stuff and the solo something that Fast Eddie himself would be proud of. The song Dead Cow has real punk roots and the likes of Black Leather continues to deliver a full on mid-seventies hellraising tone!
The CD has so many influences, Motörhead, Tank and Ramones overtones. Even a Venom growl can be heard. The biting axe work and the raw bass brutality are quite tasty.

It was a pleasant surprise on hearing this fast and blistering EP.
Anyone who likes their rock'n'roll rapid fire are sure to like this!!

Top notch!

Lead!

2011-10-29T15:18:00.000+01:00

The Neat Records Lead Weight compilation album which was originally put together in 1981 by those Newcastle-upon-Tyne Metal stalwarts at Neat. I know that I have shared details of this collection before but if you are sitting comfortably?
I'll tell you it all again, if only to bore and mentally maim...

Lead Weight is for me one of, if not THE, great compilation albums in terms of depth and variety and quite simply a taste of NWOBHM at its most exciting. What I mean is, the stuff on there even at the late NWOBHM stage of '81 was chock full of prime audio ingredients perhaps with only a wee bit of gristle - well even the best match-day pies have them right?

Raven - Inquisitor
White Spirit - Cheetah
Venom - Angel Dust
Axe - S.S. Giro
Blitzkrieg - Inferno
Aragorn - Noonday
Fist - Throwing In The Towell
Axis - Messiah
Bitches Sin - Down The Road
Warrior - Flying High
Satan's Empire - Soldiers Of War

I originally discovered this via a Neat Records small ad' in the pages of Sounds, it was a music cassette only release (although it was later reprised as a Castle/Sanctuary CD release in a cardboard sleeve and additional tracks). My cassette version has long given up its playback capabilities due to age & obsolescence.
There are still booted LP versions out there to be had (mainly sourced from Spain and Italy) or the CD effort or a grab opportunity online no doubt.

Recommended *****

DEVILPRESS×GENOCIDE nippon Presents!

2011-10-26T22:49:00.001+01:00

11月19日（土）目黒鹿鳴館 DEVILPRESS×GENOCIDE nippon Presents!! 「大悪魔祭2」イープラスにてチケット発売中です。
http://t.co/MkPjKNzc

Monday

2011-10-24T21:21:00.003+01:00

I've been working 9 days straight now, and I am at the end of my frayed tether Pop Pickers.
No holidays since January (save for the Easter Weekend and May Day). There are no bank holidays here to be had.
How has your week started then Dear Readers?

My sincere apologies for not visiting blogs of late, I write these abridged blog posts on the hop. The days are blurring in to one another - and to be honest by the time I consume my Horlicks and put the night cap on I ready to fade into sleep.

I blasting my ears at volume setting 11...it has been a while since we had a playlist...here it is

Runnin' With The Devil - Van Halen
Invaders - Judas Priest
Spiral Architect - Black Sabbath
Cheetah - White Spirit
Fight With The Devil - Hollow Ground

ありがとうございます。

2011-10-20T00:08:00.001+01:00

A big thanks again to my good friend and fellow MHB Shuhei for the tasty package of goodies! Pictured here is only a small proportion of the contents
ありがとうございます。

A full review of the Barracuda album will be on here soonest!

Tuesday

2011-10-18T23:08:00.001+01:00

Quick mention and Special thanks goes out to fellow MHB and good friend Shuhei for the amazing surprise package which arrived at the end of last week. Photos to follow as soon as I can get time this week.

It's all gone pear shaped when you find your humble narrator scoffing a Flake 99 ice cream at ten to eleven on a school night while watching Hammer House of Horror recorded from the Horror Channel. It is not at all easy at the Factory at the moment so I'm seeking solace in any consolation treats, of course give me any excuse for a gratuitous Mrs Emma Peel image..........

Toto I Have A Feeling We Are Not In Kansas Anymore

2011-10-17T22:56:00.000+01:00

I was dumbfounded when the Rainbow On Stage album was released for it did not carry the all-time favourite song (in these Rainbow Eyes - geddit? - anyway) Stargazer. I bought my copy on a wave of Rainbow hysteria during the 1978/79 period, when life appeared much simpler and I spent all my meagre pocket money on Heavy Metal/Rock albums, Action and 2000AD comics, and fizzy cola bottle sweeties and around then my eyesight started to falter and I had developed hairy palms from all those Ingrid Pitt images which wonderfully polluted my dreams. On Stage, is a classic example of those long...longgggggg playing songs which are a symbol of seventies live shows. You know the guitar solos and the ooooo-ing and ahh-ingggg vocals?
Right on Pop Pickers.

Of course, long after those halcyon days of Dio and Blackmore and Powell bestriding the world like the Hard Rock geniuses that they were, most definitely; a more complete live Rainbow package was released in the form of Live in Germany and even more so later - the super set Deutschland Tournee 1976 weighing at over 4 and a half hours of sound!
Arrrggghhh!
Love is made of this.

Stargazer played over and over and over again!

And if your need for more classic Dio era Rainbow continues then, then, then there is the rather novel DVD entitled Live In Munich 1977. It is truly the pot of gold at the end of this particularly noisy and colourful Rainbow. Despite the fact that Stargazer is missed from the set list captured here.
But wait, there is, among others, the promo footage for that beautiful song Gates of Babylon on the disc. Top Notch!

Demons Of The Night Gather To See

2011-10-16T16:14:00.004+01:00

I don't care much for Sundays, Dear Readers, I mean Friday evenings and most Saturdays when I am not working are perfect, I grab them as if it were the last but come the Sabbath a wave of resignation descends upon me as the unglamorous return to Monday looms and the crushing bosom of the Factory awaits. Nevertheless such is life and short of some miraculous windfall I am happy to play along with this routine - your humble narrator has little choice in the matter. In short, if I've had a difficult time at the factory which the passing Friday was, I am gripped by a unshakeable bout of nerves which threaten to disturb sleep and weekend recreation...bah!

Tomorrow sees the release of the very long awaited album by Black Widow entitled Sleeping With Demons. Initial pre-release reaction is very good indeed suggesting a welcome return to the former glory of their 1970 debut Sacrifice, and I can't wait to pick up my copy. I am particularly interested in the fact that Tony Martin is a guest on the album.

Of course, Black Widow retain deserved cult status due to their debut album and accompanying live performances, heavily laden with occult themes the band took stage shows to a whole new level. The band is a full on prog rock act, more Jethro Tull with Hawkwind overtones than Black Sabbath. And whenever I hear the folky jazz rock on Sacrifice I'm reminded in some ways of the musical soundtrack of The Wicker Man. Its stamp is pure 1970s and taps into the period interest in the occult. The album Sacrifice is a wonderful LP, a true cult classic, standout tracks for me include, naturally, Come To The Sabbat and Attack of the Demon.

Over ten years ago a tribute album came out called King of the Witches on the Italian record label Black Widow Records. The tribute features bands such as the top notch Eternal Elysium and Wuthering.

And if you want a taster of their 1970 live occult stage show then may I recommend that you access the CD/DVD set Black Widow Live. The show itself was performed sans audience on the Bremen based German TV show Beat-Club but nevertheless it is a fine example of early seventies prog and a captivating experience. The heart of Black Widow and the band's occult credentials seems to be back in the new album, I can't wait to sample the new music. Hold on to your cassocks Pop Pickers, a review of Sleeping With Demons will surely follow in the coming weeks...

Mrs Peel You Are Needed!

2011-10-15T00:07:00.001+01:00

I've had a thoroughly beastly day at the Factory. 12hr shift which deteriorated as it progressed. Such stressful episodes always leaves me exhausted and fretting.
It took a bit to shake off the unsettling frame of mind I can confess Dear Readers.
Time travel back, back, back for some distant beach in 1967, with Mrs Emma Peel - oh, a time box!...my kingdom for a time travelling contraption!!

I'm Gonna Lose My Way Tomorrow

2011-10-12T23:11:00.001+01:00

Jethro Tull and Toni Iommi by tigwenn

I'd say more on this post but I'll leave it to Mr Ian Anderson and God 'imself Tony Iommi (incidentally Pop Pickers...Mr Iommi's autobiography is out tomorrow...I'll let you know what I think when I read it - most likely saved for the flight to Japan).

Kaji Meiko Monday

2011-10-09T12:34:00.001+01:00

No excuse needed to post some gratuitous Meiko Kaji images on a Monday..stills taken from the film The Wandering Ginza Butterfly

Playlist for a Mawdling Monday;

I, The Witchfinder - Electric Wizard
Fangalactic Supergoria - Cathedral
Into The Void - Black Sabbath
Red Castle - GENOCIDE nippon
Witch Hunt - Rush

Raining Blood!

2011-10-09T00:29:00.001+01:00

Straight at the back of my interest in Venom came the discovery of Slayer, and this is a classic of Thrash Metal, and contains among the beautiful cacophony, two all-time classic Metal tracks namely Angel of Death and Raining Blood. When this album came out 25 years ago, it was a good year - a great year for me as I recall it. And this album comes out roaring, it is bloody heavy, and it'll blister the paintwork in your house if you're not careful.

As for the film Skyline which I watched last night, whilst it had its moments the feature seemed to be a cross between Matrix Revolutions (it terms of the 'creatures/machines' aka sentinels) Independence Day, Cloverfield.

Just When You Thought It Was Safe...

2011-10-06T23:02:00.003+01:00

What follows is a celebration of a chance meeting on the
Edinburgh train, British Rail at it's finest, hurtling south on a unseasonly mild early December afternoon in 1981 (I'm guessing the weather - I actually have no idea as I can't remember - it wasn't raining or snowing I'm sure of it). December the 4th, a Friday, to be exact.

The Ozzy gig ticket was £4.50 - I think!

Your humble narrator resplendent in denim and leather, reeking of Patchouli and sporting my Blizzard of Ozz T-shirt. En route to see Ozzy, the self-styled Prince of Darkness perform live that very evening in the nation's capital.

Further up the train were a rabble intent on either seeing the Ozzimosis himself or Thin Lizzy who happened to be playing in Glasgow later that very weekend (in fact Ozzy was due to tread the boards at the famous Apollo the following night of the Edinburgh show, and Lizzy would play the 6th - supported by Sweet Savage?).

As was a common occurence back then, Ozzy cancelled at the last minute, in fact I think he ended up cancelling the rest of the UK tour. I was less than impressed having travelled 12 hours to see the guy. As you might imagine I was rather disappointed. I mean I had seen Ozzy play earlier that year on the football pitch at of Port Vale, the celebrated HEAVY METAL HOLOCAUST but this was to be a better performance, more up close and noisy. Alas, not to be.

Still every cloud has a silver-lining etc as among the entourage was another big Ozzy fan called Mike who would become my best friend. In spite of his Kiss Army obsession he turned out to be a a jolly fine fellow who shared my interests of Metal and Hammer Horror and Guy N Smith and H P Lovecraft and Micheal Moorcock and Comic Books and Curries.

Here's to you Mike you ugly bastard!

Paul was there too Mike, but who was the girl in the US Army jacket and fantastic legs among the Thin Lizzy fans heading south?
My memory fades but I remember her looking really good?

Tuesday

2011-10-04T20:45:00.001+01:00

Iron Man has a T-shirt just like me!

Hope your week is progressing well?

Playlist for an October night:

Neon Knights - Black Sabbath
Princess of the Night - Saxon
Black Night - Deep Purple
Screaming in the Night - Krokus
Night Crawler - Judas Priest

Cornucopia

2011-10-01T13:31:00.001+01:00

Exquistely beautifully doom-laden is how I would describe this album, it is full of melancholy, anger, dirge and heavy, heavy riffs that will leave you in no doubt that you are in the hands of the Dark Princes of Downer Rock. Volume 4 is an amazing album. Again amidst it all, the Geezer Butler lyrics abound with reflection and social comment. Like so many of Black Sabbath's prophetic words it could have been written today not 39 years ago.

Freedom's yours, just pay your dues
We just want your soul to use

Even the drawn out weepy Changes does not halt this album's superiority, The tour de force for me has to be the album closer Under The Sun with its leadboots laden riff. In the depth of my teenage despair and hurt I latched on to the downer beauty of Wheels of Confusion. Tomorrow's Dream works wonders on my ears.

The futility and spiritual emptiness of Western Society is brought to the fore repeatedly in the songs. Back then I would have baulked at the idea but now I too am part of the very mainstream as denounced in the likes of Supernaut and Cornucopia

Let them have their little toys
matchbox cars and mortagage joys
exciting in their plastic place
frozen food in a concrete maze

Darkness Visible

2011-09-29T00:00:00.001+01:00

I am a helpless fan of the original Star Trek series (particularly the Mirror, Mirror story) have enjoyed the occasional Star Trek NG episode (the dark tale of Yesterday's Enterprise) and absolutely loved the two part story Mirror Darkly a triumph of storytelling from the oft criticised Star Trek Enterprise series. The latter story arc I have just watched again courtesy of Sky Atlantic. T'Pol in the Original ST uniform makes turns your friend and humble narrator into a babbling idiot...

Unrelated although at times it did feel like an alternate universe the week is finally hurtling towards another weekend...at warp speed as it were
Live Long & Prosper as they say.

Album on the CD Grinder now Hawkwind - Levitation

The Horrors of Malformed Men

2011-09-27T22:58:00.000+01:00

江戸川乱歩全集　恐怖奇形人間

No, the title of this post has nothing to do with a Tuesday at the Factory. It is in fact, the name of the 1969 Toei Studios film release.

I first discovered this cinematic wonder via Takeuchi-san and the GENOCIDE nippon website back in 2009. I had never seen or heard of this Teruo Ishii 石井輝男 film before, an adaption of Edogawa Rampo's The Strange Tale of Panorama Island. It would incorrect to suggest, although many have, that the picture is akin to Rampo meets Doctor Moreau. I can however see the association but stop right there, because this is a truly unbounded and uncanny story.

And little wonder I had not viewed it prior to 2009 as it was never released here in Blighty and indeed it was banned in Japan, my copy of the film is on the US based Synapse Films and Panik House 2007 DVD (region 1) - the picture has never seen the light of day as a UK DVD release.

My (dating back to the mid-eighties) love of the writings of Edogawa Rampo
江戸川乱歩 and the Teruo Ishii movie A Blind Woman's Curse 怪談昇り竜 was all the excuse your humble narrator needed to snap up a copy and experience for myself the mystique of this outlandish, hypnagogic cinema.

Recommended.

Monday!

2011-09-26T00:17:00.001+01:00

Dear Readers, I imagine that there are few things worth shouting about on a Monday...the music in the car to aid my commute today - UFO. The cheese und Marmite sandwich for lunch.
And any excuse to carry a gratuitous image of Michelle Rodriguez in Machete pose.

For it's been a terrible start to the week, the first hours at the Factory being enough to cause your humble narrator to splutter his tea, choke on the Kipling's almond slice and induce a weakening of one's bowels. Metaphorically akin to being hung drawn and quartered, and all before the sun is over the yard arm too. Cowardly chap that I am, I'll leave clearing up the mess until Tuesday - I like Tuesdays (usually). Or perhaps, Wednesday.

Playlist for a Wicked (Monday) World:

Rock Bottom - UFO
Sledgehammer - Sledgehammer
Vice Versa - Samson
La Villa Strangiato - Rush
Motorway City - Hawkwind

Keep Us on the Road

2011-09-25T00:14:00.002+01:00

"Achtung! This Band Takes No Prisoners"

Pop Pickers...Now that's what I call music, a raw, roaring rock n roll LP. The Motörhead debut on Chiswick Records, it is a favourite here in the Dacha. It is one of the few recordings that you can rely on to out volume the decibels generated by the cranky old Makita lawn mower. Such a test as I wound up the iPod, providing the soundtrack while I tore up the back garden yesterday.

Yes there you have it, it is a great debut with tracks like the Hawkwind classics i.e. Motorhead, Lost Johnnyand The Watcher - the 3 songs we have previously dissected at length here in your caring sharing blog. And there are the likes of Iron Horse/Born To Lose and White Line Fever. The album is gruff, growling and really quite special.
So, Motörhead versus noisy grass cutting apparatus - no contest really.

The Thing

2011-09-25T00:09:00.001+01:00

John Carpenter's The Thing I love this movie, seen it countless times over the years and still rank it as one of my all-time favourites. I understand that next month will see the release of a new version or rather a Prequel. Here's the Red Band trailer...

More The Thing (2011) Videos

Saturday

2011-09-24T23:30:00.000+01:00

The unique radio show SATANIC-NA-HIBI (Tannan FM) featured the work of Meiko Kaji during today's programme. Top notch I say, Lord Takeuchi has good taste!

The Intro Tape!

2011-09-23T22:37:00.002+01:00

In the previous post I made mention of Black Sabbath using Jerry Goldsmith's Ave Satani as their intro tape on the Headless Cross and Tyr tours. I also remember them using a taped E5150 the Geoff Nicholls keyboard led track from The Mob Rules during the Ronnie James Dio era.

So what else Pop Pickers?
Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow choosing Dorothy telling Toto that they must be 'over the Rainbow'.
Ozzy using Carl Orff's O Fortuna from Carmina Burana.
Motörhead tapping into the Morricone classic The Good, The Bad and the Ugly as I recall it for the Ace Up Your Sleeve Tour.
The GENOCIDE nippon favourite choice of intro music is the beautiful Goblin instrumental Profondo Rosso

Anything else, let's have some contributions...for the life of me I can't remember any others of the top of my head! And I know there are more.

The Gates of Hell

2011-09-20T22:39:00.001+01:00

How!
Regular contributor to your family friendly blog here, Vintage Knitter championed this album in recent comments on the divided Born Again post. And as we will find out, worthy of inclusion here.

However before we begin Pop Pickers, l'd like to establish a few truths. Regular readers of your soaraway blog will know that it Tony Iommi is God, and your humble narrator has a great deal of difficulty criticising their works over the years. Even the black sheep of the album family, Never Say Die and Forbidden have some redeeming features.

When Born Again initiatied a slide into unknown territory many long standing fans didn't follow. I must admint by the mid nineties I was not sure what the hell was going on myself. However, before we all become lost in the confusion of it all, there was the album which truly deserves a place on any Metal fan's album shelf and that is the brilliant Headless Cross. Vintage Knitter was right in her assertion that this LP puts Born Again to lower divisions, this, Mein Froinds, is Premier League.

Now before we lose ourselves in the often tainted Sabbath discussion Ozzy versus Ronnie, it is neither here this is John Martin's gig and on this work of the black arts the boy done good. Throw in the tub thumper bar none, Mr Cozy Powell and you have the ingredients of an unholy racket guaranteed to throw Heaven and Hell into raptures. Of course, only Tony Iommi was on board from the original line-up for Geezer's bass duties was taken up by Neil Murray (you know of Whitesnake etc). Last but not least there was regular Sabbath sideman Geoff Nicholls on keyboards.

When I first heard this album it was taking the surprisingly good previous album Eternal Idol to and new and refreshing level. It is malevolent, gloom laden and beautiful midnight blue all in one. Just soak up the shuddering When Death Calls, Kill In The Spirit World and Call of the Wild where all the unholy host of satanic riffs fall upon you. This is Tony Iommi at his very best, the man is a wizard with an axe. Make no mistake by the time the haunting Nightwing closes the album you have been witness to something quite beautiful. Enjoy this atmospheric album if and when you can.

I saw this Black Sabbath in 1989. The band was already using Ave Satani (Jerry Goldsmith's theme from The Omen) as the intro tape. I never did get to see them the following year, the show was cancelled due to poor ticket sales, I had a long wait for my next opportunity to see and hear Tony Iommi live, not until 2007 as Heaven + Hell came to town.

Total GENOCIDE!

2011-09-19T23:18:00.001+01:00

My coveted GENOCIDE nippon collection...

Only You Can Rock Me

2011-09-18T16:55:00.000+01:00

As live albums go this 1979 release is right up there in the best of well, er, live albums. We have talked in previous posts over the years about the live LP greats like Kiss Alive, Unleashed In The East, No Sleep 'til Hammersmith, If You Want Blood You Got It, Made In Japan, All The World's A Stage, and Space Ritual Alive and this is deserved of being among the top of the foregoing selection.

I think if you came from my era, that is to say your humble narrator being in his mid-forties, then UFO were part of your rite of passage. I've seen the band a goodly number of times over the years and to have the Strangers In The Nightdouble live album blasting through the stereo back in the day, well it was a Natural Thing.

There is not a bad bit on this beautiful live effort from one of THE rock giants from the mid to late seventies. And as we have previously discussed Pop Pickers, UFO are still around & letting it roll.

I use the word a lot here in the online pages of your soaraway blog but it is a bona fide CLASSIC!

Right from off and hurtling headlong to the end it is a refreshing celebration of the UFO at the very pinnacle of their prestigious power!

Michael Schenker is an amazing talent and the first rate song writing during his first stint with UFO brought all that beautiful guitar magic alive.
In truth it is the whole group here which makes the UFO experience quite the perfect "night out", virtually speaking.

It has everything; melody, pace, guitar overload and powerful rhythm. Songs such as Mother Mary, Too Hot To Handle, Lights Out, Let It Roll, Love to Love and Rock Bottom are triumphantly poured out of the speakers as glorious live versions of the classic studio originals.

If you haven't tasted this live album then pray do so for it will enhance you!

My Brain Is In Someone Else's Body!

2011-09-17T20:58:00.000+01:00

That was quite a storm last night Dear Readers, this country dacha is most surely exposed to the wildest natural elements. I indulged myself into the early hours watching The Curse of Frankenstein which then compelled me to turn to the ruthless tale that is Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969). The great Peter Cushing plays Victor who's a bit of a bastard in this one. He is obssessed with illicit medical experiments and the resultant horrors which unfold. Whilst the original fantastic Hammer outing for the Baron is The Curse... and its magnificent portrayal by the brilliant Christopher Lee, the much later effort that Terence Fisher directed 'Destroyed is an enjoyable piece of work.

Today UFO were featured on the Satanic-na-hibi Radio Show (Tannan FM), featuring a top notch live version of Rock Bottom. The very sound of which has inspired me to break out Strangers In The Night from the cupboard. Pop Pickers you can expect a review of the said live epic soonest, most likely tomorrow if there are any chocolate digestives left to aid my cause.

Meanwhile back at the Bat Cave, I intend to give the film Predators a required second viewing. Later I'm getting a first look at Burke and Hare with Pegg and Serkis. I'll let you know what I think when the moment arrives later in the week.

I've got to see the Bosses this week at work, oh heavens, it is a workload update and a preview of expectation for over the winter months...it is all going down at the Factory!

How's your Saturday gone then?
What have you been up to?
Let's be having you!

The Feeling's Back!

2011-09-16T23:53:00.000+01:00

Dear Readers, since your friend and humble narrator first punished his ears on this LP back in the dying days of the 1980s I have loved this album with a passion. Indeed, it would be not an exaggeration to declare that it features in my top ten LP plays of all-time. Utterly brutal Thrash Metal at its best, a rip-roaring white knuckle ride of truly extraordinary magnitude. It hits out like a falcon punch from Black Belt Jones. This is one of THE punchinist, kickinist albums ever!

Suicidal Tendencies released How Will I Laugh Tomorrow When I Can't Even Smile Today on the 13th September 1988. The band's third album and in my humble opinion a great leap forwards on what went before. I mean the preceding album Join The Army was excellent but bloody hell How Will I Laugh takes absolutely no prisoners, it obliterates everything in it's path.

The guitar solos on this are venomous vitriolic victorious acts of terror. Heart stopping, blood stirring sensations.
The title song is the master track, ably aided and abetted by The Miracle, Sorry?!, Too Many Times and The Feeling's Back. It's fast and loud and has not aged one bit in the intervening 23 years.

And it is blowing a Gale here tonight, terrible. I'm packing chocolate digestives in me like it's going out of fashion. Like a demented biscuit fiend or something. As if the scoffing of galletas will somehow curb the rasping howling wind outside. And now once I hit the publish button of this latest blog post, I intend to watch the movie The Curse of Frankenstein (1957).

Cue: peel of thunder and flash of lightning.

Have a good weekend whatever you are doing wherever you are...

Popular Playlist Preferences;

How Will I Laugh Tomorrow...- Suicidal Tendencies
Phantom Lord - Metallica
Don't Need Your Money - Raven
Down The Road - Bitches Sin
Inferno - Blitzkrieg

What Would You Xanadu?

2011-09-14T22:17:00.001+01:00

Pop Pickers, make no mistake this is a beautiful prog rock album. It was the first Rush album I ever bought and after that I was smitten by the whole Rush-esque experience. I followed up with grabbing the albums 2112 and Hemispheres. I have listened to Rush less of late but even the atmospheric song Witch Hunt from the Moving Pictures LP still features on my iPod playlist when the mood demands it.

But it's the epic tracks like that of Xanadu from A Farewell to Kings which still stirs the heart. The wonderful complexity of the tasty instrumental sections simply delights.
The great title track, the short and very popular Closer To The Heart and the album closer Cygnus X-1 Book 1
The deeper intellectual aspects were, I admit, lost on this teenage wally when sampling the prog masterpieces of Rush, but who could ever be disappointed with the brilliance of that early Rush period.

On now other news...

Dracula Resurrected: Following on from the short Hammer films season here's some great news

And harking back to a few posts ago, I made mention of Alan Burridge back catalogues of novels on Kindle, well not only are Kindle downloads suitable for Kindle but they also can make the leap onto iPhones, iPads and some Android phones I understand. So you can literally have a book in your pocket at all times!

And Now For Something Completely Different...

2011-09-13T22:16:00.002+01:00

Mexican Doom Metal band Majestic Downfall

You Know You’re Only Dreaming

2011-09-13T00:00:00.000+01:00

Pop Pickers, late last night I really did journey back to 1972. I did it with the aid of my CD Grinder, a pair of headphones and a room devoid of light. In a feeble attempt to stem the tide of the coming Monday I listened to the wonderful Hawkwind release Leave No Star Unturned. The live recording from The Cambridge Corn Exchange in January 1972, all 61 minutes and 28 seconds of it. An official release from the golden era of Hawkwind, a beautiful meander into deepest space. Tracks such as Master of the Universe and Born To Go in all their glory.
Relive it again, again and again.
Did the brief excursion to Cambridge 72 stop Monday?
No but it did lift the spirits, immeasurably.

Machete Don't Text

2011-09-12T00:02:00.000+01:00

For those with access to Sky, Freesat or Virgin then the Horror Channel are screening a handful of Hammer Film classics in October; Scars of Dracula, Frankenstein Created Woman, Blood From The Mummy's Tomb, Plague of the Zombies and Reptile. The latter two movies are particularly welcome for me, as it has been years since I last watched them.

Nice.

And I had a Michelle Rodriguez threesome (phnarr phnarr) over the weekend past consisting of Battle: Los Angeles, Machete and The Breed.

Battle LA had mixed reactions from cinema goers but I thought it decent enough for an Alien shoot 'em up. The Breed was my 2nd time watching the movie, it is pure pulp nothing more, nothing less, basically what happens if you feed dogs with enhanced Pedigree Chum.

As for Machete, however, it is my favourite, at times you think it could've been better but I'd always give it 8 out of 10 and I've seen it 5 times now. Trejo, Rodriguez and Alba...what more could you want or even need for some no holds barred action in the style of seventies low budget cinema.

In fact, Machete is set to return to theaters with two sequels (as have been teased since the very first Grindhouse faux-trailer). To be titled Machete Kills, the sequel will include fake footage for the third film, now titled Machete Kills Again... In Space!. Rodriguez promises that it will include space babes and a lightsaber style weapon.

Space Babes??!
Sign me up please!

Have a good week ahead Pop Pickers...if such a thing were possible.

Playlist for a gruelling week...

All Along The Watchtower - The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Dancing On Your Grave - Motorhead
Princess of the Night - Saxon
Damned For All Time - Blind Guardian
Four Horsemen - Gamma

Caviar and Meths

2011-09-11T21:30:00.000+01:00

I first saw this Judas Priest compilation album album as a Picture Disc release way back in the dark days of 1980 when I was barely out of reusable nappies. The album is a 'best of' from the first two Gull Records released albums; Rocka Rolla and Sad Wings of Destiny. The LP cover is quite beautiful in my view, I never did get the picture disc but I most certainly did buy a copy of the album...

Weekends have been proving as busy at during the week lately. This week at the factory promises to be rather fraught, there's a bit of furore going on midweek which for my part is unavoidable. I expect stomach churning nerves but that's all part of it. And to feel sorry for myself further, I am suffering from a heavy cold, blurrrrrrrrrrrghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. So there.

And to regular (and most welcome) readers extremely ugly Toast and the beautiful Vintage Knitter demanding mugshots of your humble narrator circa 1983 (see yesterday's post comments) - i.e. fading fujifilm snaps of my handsome (now long gone) locks and beefy sideburns (ala Mungo Jerry) must be somewhere in a biscuit tin amidst the chaos which transferred from Victory Mansions to the Dacha here. I promise should they come across my way over the winter months I will publish them here - in the style of the Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap album cover, naturally.

Dear Readers, I wish each of you a good week ahead whatever you are up to, wherever you are.

It's Sunday already and the week never really got going for me.

Playlist for Sunday Sorrow:

Satan's Fall - Mercyful Fate

Satan's Serenade - Quartz

Mavrock - Holocaust

N I B - Black Sabbath

Living Legend- GENOCIDE nippon

Metal Militia

2011-09-10T23:19:00.000+01:00

My album recommendation for the week is Metallica's debut album from 1983. Kill 'em All. It's a scorching sound and proved to be an instant leap forwards riding as it did on the back of Heavy Metal's golden era. Just like Mercyful Fate's classic debut in the same year, Kill 'em All captured Metal Heads' imaginations. In fact, 1983 was a pretty good year for heavy albums with the aforementioned and Motörhead's Another Perfect Day, oh and Dio's Holy Diver. What were you doing in 1983? I had a full head of hair and by then the proud owner of monstrous sideburns to match, my clothes reeked of sweat, sump oil and patchouli oil and my parents thought I worshipped the Devil. The latter still being the case.

As for Kill 'em All there is nothing in praise I can really say here that hasn't already been lavished upon the release by more worthy before me. It is a recording with NWOBHM written all over it but at speed, breakneck speeds. But what an album, listen to my choice cut Phantom Lord and I dare you not to be taken in by the ferocity of it. Other brilliant stand outs for me are the likes of No Remorse and Seek & Destroy. The album is crude, it is thrash, it is beautiful.

Friday Extra

2011-09-09T23:48:00.003+01:00

I never indulged in this particular tour back in the sordid days of 1984, alas I was too far away, were you?
Venom headlining and Metallica support, even today I'd still have it so

Talking of Metallica, it gives the perfect excuse to illustrate this post with an image of your humble narrator's favourite...Michelle Rodriguez...in her Metallica T. Beautiful.

Perfect Fate

2011-09-09T23:38:00.000+01:00

I've been promising to indulge you with this for a number of weeks (nay, months) now...so Dear Readers, here is your friend and humble narrator's appraisal of Mercyful Fate's classic album Melissa.
And what a beautiful album it is!

Now before I get started let me confess (for it is good for the soul they say), that when Mercyful Fate first came across my way, I was dubious about King Diamond and all that greasy corpse paint...that first introduction via Kerrang! I wondered what they were all about. I needn't have worried for The Friday Rock Show delivered a sample of their Metal pedigree that very week...amazing.

My favourite album by the band remains Melissa, and on it my favourite Mercyful Fate song Satan's Fall. The band went on to deliver an equally outstanding follow up album in Don't Break The Oath, this also is worthy of listening and all symptomatic of Fate's distinctive style.

This was the debut LP by the band, and what a revelation it proved to be as these years listened on the stereo, and even this evening listening as I am from a shiny disc on the CD Grinder - the album is a classic. For a start you've got that double axe riffery running through the tracks and Diamond's amazing vocals. For me Melissa give things such as shot in the eardrums upon release that its devilish tunes still work for me 28 years later. Standout songs are the full on favourite riffery album opener Evil, the brutal Curse of the Pharoahs and the aforementioned Satan's Fall. Of course as you might expect given the Diamond seal, the lyrics are laden with Satanic references. However, don't be afraid this is a good all round Metal album and if electric trickery with lashing guitars is your thing then you've got the complete package in Melissa. It is an album made of Diamond's vocals, the guitar riffs par excellence and a more than solid rhythm section. This is a defining moment in Metal music history, and I do not say this lightly. It is a combination of some wonderous heavy riffs and the powerful vocals which make this a must have album in any Metal Head's collection. Dark and Heavy just the way it should be.

I've been meaning to make a finish to this post all week but work has had the better of me, it's been a bit of struggle to reach Friday but here we all are. I sitting in front of that wonderful Internet with a bellyfull of (well two pints actually) of beer.

On to other news, do you have one of those Kindle gadgets?
Hands up?
I would be quite interested in one but at the moment I'm rather short of cash. Nevertheless if you are fancy reading some quality pot boilers then my good friend and all round good guy Alan Burridge has been busily putting his back catalogue into digital form on the Amazon Kindle shop. Try this link to see what Alan has to offer!

Sabbath!

2011-09-04T20:59:00.000+01:00

It's 1972 and I've got Meiko Kaji, Mrs Peel, Ingrid Pitt and Stacia comfortably ensconced in my time travelling contraption, hope you've had a good weekend too Pop Pickers?
Actually, I've been briefly in Glasgow (and it's 2011) but there's nothing like a bit of journalistic licence to titilate the mind as it were.
I'll be back online tomorrow or Tuesday at the latest - I've some of your earlier comments to catch up with. I'm behind with reviews too; in line for a quick word or two are ChthoniC, Cradle of Filth and importantly, Mercyful Fate.

Meanwhile back at the Bat Cave it's another Playlist for the Masses;

Saints in Hell - Judas Priest
Countess Bathory - Venom
Queen of Spades - Styx
Mr Crowley - Ozzy Osbourne's Blizzard of Ozz
Devil's Tower - Angel Witch

Running With The Devil

2011-08-29T21:52:00.000+01:00

Right then Pop Pickers...hold on to your cassocks it's a Mad Metal Monday, I'm not going to spare the eardrums this night...there is much to be rid of...for a start, the weather (for it being still August) was atrocious. Storm force winds, enough water to fill Odin's bath and flooding in all directions. I was tucked in my bed with listening the global wonder that is Internet Radio, i'll settle down to some classical music and a good book. It was all it took after watching the mediocre film that was Jonah Hex, not even saved by the delightful Megan Fox strutting about in her tasty choice of Victoriana.

Anyways, it is time to set this Blog back on the music/movies course that it must surely follow...enough house moving excuses to hold me back. Let's worship at the music we all love and lust for, right Dear Readers?

Today's music choice was the classic Metal effort from 1983, this is a rarity on these shores but something which has graced the musical apparatus in my wretched abode since around 1990. Satanic Metal is a forte of my favourite all-time Metal Majesties GENOCIDE nippon but there are the likes of Sabbrabells and Crowley from the same era when J-Metal was getting deserved acclaim across Europe and North America. Such praise was also getting much loud attention in my former former home and thereafter.

Anyway, if ever an album should be in your Top 100 then this is it. A fine full on self titled debut from Japan which blisters with noisy nuggets of gold. There are, in my opinion, without doubt heavy Sabbath and Blizzard of Oz influences going here and a homegrown, brilliant bitter sweet guitar rush aplenty. The searing inferno of Devil's Rondo with its Sympton of the Universe-ish hook and beautiful guitar solo, the guitar fury of Hell's Rider, and standouts Sokubaku and Kagamibari No Heya make this an amazing metal album. The album closer Black Hill, is also a laden piece of (black) magic mixing slow doomy intro and hurried pleading race guitar lead.

And finally, here is my other listen today. Your humble narrator has begun commuting home by public transport from the Factory at nights - the trusty iPod is the essential ally as I dodge my fellow Hoi Polloi and shed myself of the workday excesses and tribulations.

Here's today's iPod choice of ear massage...Sabbat's take on His (Satanic) Majesty's Voice...So, that's all we have time for this evening, so its Goodnight from me.And its Goodnight from Him.

Sunday Morning

2011-08-28T00:01:00.000+01:00

I discovered this black rum in my local boozer The Green Man, it is called Kraken, hehe, barmaid "release the Kraken if you please". I love it, stuff that will put additional hairs under one's arms. I feel compelled to fork out on a household bottle of the dark stuff just to bolster the Autumn defences.

Gale force winds are battering the country seat of your friend and humble narrator this evening, I am compelled once more to sit astride the Atco Time Machine and spin back to 1972. A final picture of Meiko Kaji 梶芽衣子 to finish the weekend on a high as it were.

I'll back tomorrow...

Thursday

2011-08-27T13:00:00.000+01:00

Your friend and humble narrator could do with a holiday. Dear Readers, I'm starting to feel somewhat jittery, akin to jetlag, that tired feeling, edgey. It's been a bit of a haul since I was last on holiday from the factory - end of January as I recall. In fact, I'm looking forward to a few weeks off around Christmas - when I plan to slouch, yea, slouch in front of the idiot's lantern and spend long mornings in bed reading some books and all those vintage issues of Kerrang!
In fact, I plan to have a back to back Hammer Horror film marathon too. I've been right in the mood for some Ingrid Pitt classics during the last few days...I've got the Vampire Lovers and Countess Dracula on DVD, long overdue a re-watch; i'll save these viewings until the dark winter nights...rather apt. Plus I have hankering to watch Blind Woman's Curse again.

Oh Pop Pickers, it's been a while since I broached the wanton nostalgia of regressing to the early seventies wouldn't it be nice to just to rev up that old Atco Lawn-mower aka Time Machine and hurtle back in time to 1972, hook up with Diana Rigg, Meiko Kaji and Ingrid Pitt for some frivolity. In fact, drop by the Tokyo Metropolis and take in some Flower Travellin' Band and ride a Z1 and just lap it up, perhaps call in on Bruce Lee on our World Tour which would surely ensue. No further excuse needed to post the attached Meiko Kaji fanzine cover...a self compensatory as it were.

This weekend's album playlist as follows:

Alive - Kiss
Sin After Sin - Judas Priest
Stained Class - Judas Priest
At War With Satan - Venom (Side 1)
Lead Weight (1981 compilation) - various artists: Neat Records

Monday Evening

2011-08-22T20:20:00.000+01:00

Playlist for the Monday Blues:

Patron of Hell - Diamond Lil
Fire Bird - Ethel the Frog
Storm Child - Trespass
Furniture Fire - Girlschool
Nightmare - Demona SpeedMetal

Sabbath Bloody Sabbath

2011-08-22T01:03:00.000+01:00

A big THANKS to Natalie and Gavin at Onslaught Radio for playing my request tonight - even going to the extent of playing my telephone message on air (I'd have thought my dulcet tones would have been more than enough to induce indigestion in listeners but there you go. And the track; Doomsday by GENOCIDE nippon, of course.

Next week, I plan to seek out that old classic by Judas Priest The Ripper
You too can be a part of the action by listening in to Onslaught Radio and the Metal Request show live on Sunday's at 8pm (Blighty time).

As I scribe it would appears that Col. Muʿammar al-Qaḏḏāfī may be (or maybe not) on the verge of exiting Stage Left, according to the BBC. Meanwhile, I am still on course for turning out at the Factory tomorrow, 8am. Sad to say, Pop Pickers, but Monday beckons once more! Bah!

And thank you to the comment made by the contributor 'Webminion' on the previous blog post about Ingrid Pitt, alerting me to the animated short film Ingrid Pitt: Beyond The Forest. It is a very interesting project indeed, and I look forward to being able to view it in some way - although this far north, the chance is remote; an official download or DVD is the best I can hope for. I wish this very important animated film the best of success.

Playlist for the masses (with a nod and thanks to Onslaught Radio's Metal Request Show):

When - Opeth
Angel of Death - Slayer
Symphony of Destruction - Megadeth
Doomsday - GENOCIDE nippon
The Ripper - Judas Priest

Ingrid Pitt Moment

2011-08-19T00:05:00.001+01:00

Dear Readers, you know that I have a thing for Ingrid Pitt movies and of course, an obssession about that 1973 film of excellence The Wicker Man. Anyway, I'm pressed for time this evening so no further excuse needed to illuminate the Thursday blogpost - Ingrid Pitt as the Librarian in The Wicker Man

Playlist for a Weekend's Eve:

A National Acrobat - Black Sabbath
Breadfan - Budgie
Sick Things - Alice Cooper
Mistress of the Salmon Salt (Quicklime Girl) - THE BLVE ÖYSTER CVLT
Rock Candy - Montrose

A Hard Road

2011-08-17T23:28:00.000+01:00

In the course of less than 12 hours it went from Wow to Oh, as the rumour of a Black Sabbath original line-up to tour and release an album spread across the internet like a bad dose of the pox on a 18th Century barge. Only for the said rumour being rightly quashed by God himself, Tony Iommi.

And so with the words "Never Say Die" ringing in the ears, regular commentator on these here blog pages and all round Metal Head; Toast asked if I would scribe an appraisal of the 1978 album release Never Say Die. I'll do it I said!
So before I take a deep breath and talk about that most controversial of LPs; let me just say that Toast's cheeky request for a particular blog post got me thinking...why not ask if any of other Dear Readers have a particular subject you would like to see put down on YOUR blog!?
Just get going on the comments page or em**l me at haggistopfATgmailDOTcom

Right then, Never Say Die
This is a bitter sweet album in many ways, it was the straw that broke the original line-up and was a recording which drew much derision. Let's face it the cracks were already appearing, even before the album was set in black vinyl Ozzy had taken a, ahem, a Sabbatical. The previous release Technical Ecstasy was hardly groundbreaking, a major disappointment when compared to the rapture of Sabotage. But listen Pop Pickers, for my sins, you'll never get me slagging an entire Sabbath album; I mean every cloud has a silver lining; Technical Ecstasy has the sublime Dirty Women and Never Say Die has the likes of Junior's Eyes.

Never Say Die offers a mixed bag of songs; the good, the bad and quite frankly the dire. You've got the interesting melancholy and fatalistic pessimism of Junior's Eyes, the decent title track and the saxaphone riddled Breakout. I can't abide Hard Road and when I first heard Air Dance ometime in the dark days of 1979, I was literally a-gog. You should also know where to stick Swinging The Chain and Over To You, preferably where the sun doesn't shine very often.

As I say, I've always looked on the brightside regarding Sabbath albums and will never deride Never Say Die for its entire vinyl grooves, for there are riffs to be admired within its flawed charms.

Hammer Night!

2011-08-14T23:50:00.000+01:00

I will leave my planned Melissa album by Mercyful Fate review post until next weekend, it will come out better that way. I am far too disorganised at the moment to do it justice.

It has been a busy weekend Pop Pickers, the Dacha requires unboxing, lip service to DIY and there is a garden of sorts too.
Thank goodness the recent transfer of goodies from Victory Mansions to the wilderness has uncovered some forgotten gems. I was therefore as able to watch the DVD screening of that 1967 Hammer film Frankenstein Created Woman. An oddity from the Peter Cushing portfolio of Hammer appearances, this time he plays Baron von Frankenstein who is bent (eh!? Oh!) creating a perfect woman - don't ask me I just watch 'em. A fine kitsch Hammer offering directed by Terence Fisher which plays out as a revenge movie catalysed by a tormented soul..literally.

Leather!
I've said this before but charging about the confines of the Co-operative Supermarket and Homebase today I am about to change the subject completely, I have to admit, Dear Readers, without a shade of shame or worry, that I am obsessed with the smell and noise which a good leather jacket displays - must be black. In fact Pop Pickers I am oft wearing one of my favoured black leather jackets as I make my way to work, the crack and stretching noises providing the soundtrack to the Factory journey. Mein Gott!
Tomorrow is Monday...what a 'orrible thought!

You can't get a better delivered Blog Post from your Humble Narrator than one laid out in all its finery, that is to say, dressed up in Leather...and Hell Bent For at that! I hasten to add that this leathery ramble is absolutely nothing to do with gender issues or SM alerts of a nefarious kind...but to paraphrase Jim Bowen, "you can't beat a bit of leather".
I love leather. Black leather. Is that wrong?
How about you what's your take on leather?

I tell you what when I hurtle back in time to the Tokyo Metropolis of 1972, Meiko Kaji will be wearing all-leather - I just know it.

Toodle Pip!

Friday Night

2011-08-12T23:17:00.001+01:00

Dear Readers, I ordered a great bargain the other day £11.99 for 5 UFO albums, it was about time I replenished my collection which consists of vinyl albums, some worse for wear cassettes and gone for a burton CD or two. So, naturally I'm excited!

Now then, now then. I was full of ideas for today's post but as the dusk descended upon the Dacha, I slumped into the leather armchair and succumbed to lethargy, the whole week's weariness was upon me in an instant. So instead of a wordy piece which will enliven us all as we enter yet another weekend, I was reduced to instant gratification by, influenced by Vintage Knitter's comments the other week about Lisa Dominique featuring in every other issue of Kerrang!

So here, for no other reason than it being Friday...is Lisa Dominque meets a certain Mr. Kilmister.

I was going to embed Ms Dominque fronting Marino on the greatest ever tv show ever ECT but it is not my cup of tea really, but see for yourself.

Personally I much preferred/prefer Doro Pesch. Just saying.

And before I sign off for tonight, let me just say...I am delighted with the contributors to the posts on this here family friendly blog. The comments to each and every post by you Pop Pickers makes this the goodly place that it is; I like it for we tend to shy away from politics, we don't dwell much on religion, I certainly have no time for xenophobia, ill-educated clap trap or Bon Jovi.

Watch out for those Perseids

Have a good weekend whatever you are doing, wherever you are.

The Reaper

2011-08-09T23:24:00.001+01:00

Good evening Nostalgianauts! Are you tucked up safely?
Far away from the madding crowds this summer's eve?
Have you switched off the television and its scenes of the hooligan element such as Cameron, Clegg et al?
Good!
Then sit back and join your Uncle Heinrich in this latest celebration of the halycon days of NWOBHM

Bleed 'em Dry by Grim Reaper - I bought this cassette tape only demo on a whim, well actually it was an occult driven whim. Way back in 1981 your fiend (heh) and humble narrator was engrossed in all things occult (ala Geezer Butler), so seeing the band name Grim Reaper I thought we're on to something. So I posted off for it from The Sounds ad and although I didn't get a Venom-style effort in return what I did get was a superior piece of NWOBHM metal all wrapped in a red cassette box. On the tape there are some real diamond tracks in my opinion. In fact the raw demo far outweighs some other studio releases by NWOBHM contemporaries.

Top notch is the doom driven The Reaper, even the repetitive turns of Ride Me, lays down reminders of classic BÖC. The title track; a classic slice of NWOBHM. There was an unwritten rule back in the late seventies early eighties that Metal albums must have at least one slow burning ballad, this triumphant demo release has two Maggy and the album closer Why Are You Leaving?
I don't mind one little bit, if it tugs the heart while the rest of the recording bashes the ears I'm happy to be at the receiving end of both.

Mid Week Playlist to Beat the Bad British Blues:

1. Lights Out - UFO
2. Maggy - Grim Reaper
3. Rolling Out The Dice - Waysted
4. Metropolis - Motörhead
5. Egypt (the Chains Are On) - Dio

Zero The Hero

2011-08-08T00:30:00.000+01:00

I'm officially knackered Dear Readers, I cannot get out of the transition from Victory Mansions to Country Dacha. There is so much to do, and I am not DIY proficient. Indeed, I could do with a holiday, January being the last break. Never mind, I will not whinge any further. Some weeks back I promised to make mention of the Black Sabbath album Born Again...Thumper you will permit me please in regurgitating the 2009 review I did...now enhanced with even more Born Again exhultation ooooh

So blind was I in 1983 that I refused to condemn the Black Sabbath album release Born Again. I mean I was still in pain over the parting of the ways with Ronnie James Dio. However I looked at it or what I spun, deep down inside I knew this was a busted flush for many fans, as much as I admired Ian Gillan this was not what I wanted to hear. In fact, I had the piss pulled out of me in the boozer; taunted and challenged to denounce Tony Iommi! My martyrdom held fast against the relentless ridicule. In spite of my inner misgivings, ever the Sabbath optimist I played along with the silly 'supergroup' pish.

It was only when erotically charged but bad tempered oddess 'Onibaba' hurtled me, at that time, the short sojourn south to see this funny incarnation that it dawned on me how warped this set-up actually was. I stood aghast on the clarty, overtrodden Reading in abject stunned disbelief as Mr.Gillan screamed and jazzed his way through Sabs classics, I'd have called it murder, if killing songs were possible. I mean it was Smoke On The Water that did it - although it was one of only 3 tunes I could squeeze out from my guitar at home (I mean who couldn't manage the riff from Smoke On The Water...?), but as a track, I hated it. And man, did your humble narrator detest it even more when I heard Tony Iommi crank out the opening chords...I thought it was a wind-up, a little taster, a spirited nod to the frontman's heritage but no, they delivered every bloody boring note and screech of it.

And then there was the Stonehenge stage-set; you would not believe me if I didn't set out the story word for word here...taken from The Guardian;

It has been widely claimed that Spinal Tap's Stonehenge set was taken from a notorious Black Sabbath live extravaganza, the 1984 Born Again tour. In BBC TV's Rock Family Trees, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, Ian Gillan (the then vocalist) recalls the meeting with LSD, the designers: "We were all going, 'Something earthy, maybe.' And Geezer said, 'Stonehenge.' The bloke says, 'That's a brilliant idea. How do you visualise it?' He said, 'Life-size of course.'"

The result was actually three times bigger than Stonehenge. Sabbath had to hire the Birmingham NEC for rehearsals as that was the only place it would fit - and that was without the stage. They assumed it would be all right in America, as "all the places are bigger over there". Then at the first gig they couldn't get it in the doors.

In the December 1994 issue of Mojo magazine, Gillan adds: "On the last day of rehearsal we're wondering what this dwarf is doing hanging around backstage. When we do the dress rehearsal, the dwarf emerges in a red leotard, long yellow fingernails and little yellow horns. He's going to be the baby [a diabolical baby is featured on the cover of the Born Again album]. Then we hear this horrendous [recorded] scream and suddenly we see this dwarf crawling across the top of Stonehenge. He stands up as the scream fades away and falls backwards off this 30ft fibreglass Stonehenge on to a pile of mattresses. Then - dong, dong - bells start tolling and all the roadies come across the front of the stage in monks' cowls, at which point War Pigs starts up."

At first this may seem like a case of the film being inspired by real incidents, but this is improbable - the tour happened the same year This Is Spinal Tap was released.

Back to the album itself, it really isn't too bad all in all, there exciting tracks like Disturbing The Priest, Zero The Hero which really do please. Pop Pickers I did then and still do now enjoy the album's rousing character - and here now my prized Japanese import slice of pressed black (exactly the same as the Snow Records image above) rests in the rustic confines of the Country Dacha vinyl cellar.
Indeed, to prove my continued optimism for Sabs, I forked out recently for the Born Again Deluxe Edition with its Reading coverage as captured by the legendary Friday Rock Show - it doesn't sound nearly as bad as my jittery mind recalls on the day, in fact I love it! - You see there goes that Black Sabbath martydom again. Boo!

Of course, you'd need a complex memory to relay the plethora of 80s vocalists and line-ups of Sabbath after that...answers on a postcard.

And finally, I honestly cannot be arsed going to work tomorrow. Bah!

Joe Yamanaka ジョー山中 rest in peace now

2011-08-07T09:08:00.000+01:00

Back In Black

2011-08-06T13:07:00.000+01:00

Well here I am sitting on a Saturday mid-day listening to my favourite weekly radio show on Tannan FM and scribing a long overdue post. I might not be fully back in the saddle as it were but getting there, still much to put together at the country dacha. Dear Friends I have missed the conversation here but normal service will be resumed in due course.

August 6th: I ask you to contemplate the enormous inhumanity that was unleashed on the civilian populations of Hiroshima and Nagasaki 65 years ago this month. Words of course could never express the barbarism of the acts but perhaps images depicted by the hands of the hibakusha themselves will touch us all. I am never convinced by the armchair generals and militarists who would have us all believe that The Bomb was the only way to bring the hellish war to an end, that it saved hundred of thousands of lives...perhaps the quotes from promient contemporary US politicians and senior military themselves serves to remind us that the reality was somewhat different. I attach here various links which use the medium of art to describe the horror of Atomic hell.

Wishing you alll a good weekend; wherever you are, whatever you are doing.

Playlist:

Jihad - D-A-D
Inquisitor - Raven
Devil's Rondo - Sabbrabells
Southern Cross - ChthoniC
Suspender Love (live) - Scorpions

Weekend

2011-07-29T20:04:00.000+01:00

7 月31日(日) 福井 CHOP
GENOCIDE nippon Presents "Satanicnahibi" Vol.1
「サタニックな日々」スペシャルイベント
OPEN17:30 / START18:00前売り￥2,500 当日￥3,000 (1drink order)
Act : GENOCIDE nippon / SURVIVE / HEAD PHONES PRESIDENT / TRITONE / BLCK BUNNY
福井市花堂東1-18-6. TEL,0776-34-3558.
http://www.fukui-chop.com/

I'm in the Country Dacha for the weekend, unpacking, hunting down missing items and generally indulging in manual dexterity to which much of my decrepit frame is unused!
I will of course be taking a break to listen to my favourite Radio Show 'Satanicnahibi' on Tannan FM, and the F1 GP such is my want. Unfortunately I will not be at the Satanicnahibi Vol. 1 gig on Sunday but wish GENOCIDE nippon and Tritone all the very best for the night's Metal MANIA!!!!

And finally, in this rather hurried post, thank you again to each of you who commented kind regards during my house move - the words actually kept me buoyant in spirit - and I do mean that most sincerely folks
I will reply in due course to all your comments.
Cheers you lot!

2011-07-25T22:25:00.000+01:00

Tony Iommi IS God!

2011-07-25T22:14:00.000+01:00

As promised many moons ago, your friend and humble narrator's letter that said it all to the World through the Letter page of Kerrang! Issue #7...a proper scan will surely follow but these hazy photos should suffice given the temporal rift which has settled above the chaos of the Country Pile.

And before I bid you goodnight Dear Readers, I wish to thank you, each one who passed on good tidings for my continuing limbo state. I will respond to individual comments on the last few posts as soon as normal service resumes.

Thank You

2011-07-24T16:03:00.000+01:00

Thank you to each of you who bestowed good wishes for my rather (and yet unfinished) move from Victory Mansions to the Country Pile. Yesterday was not as bad as it might have been thanks to the show of hands who capably assisted in moving the furniture etc.

After a brief break to listen to Satanic-na-hibi on Tannan FM, timing couldn't have been better. Then today a short interlude for the F1 GP.

Tomorrow the Broadband is supposed to seamlessly move (virtually) from the one abode to the other the proof will be in the pudding!

Playlist for Housewarming...

Satan's Seranade - Quartz
War Pigs - Black Sabbath
John Bull (live) - GENOCIDE nippon
Attack of the Mad Axeman - MSG
Light In The Black - Rainbow

I May Be Gone For Sometime...

2011-07-21T22:11:00.000+01:00

As I move from Victory Mansions (above) to my new abode, I will of course be offline for a while...there are the matters such as Broadband transition and available time.
However, like the proverbial bad penny...I will return

Let's have a home move Playlist:

Dreamer Deceiver - Judas Priest
Ride The Sky - Lucifer's Friend
Under The Sun - Black Sabbath
Lady of Mars - Dark Star
Angel of Death - Angel Witch

Heart Like A Wheel

2011-07-18T20:21:00.001+01:00

First up...Heh!
Congratulations to the Nadeshiko なでしこジャパン on winning the WWC yesterday!!

Right back to the music...
There's a forlorn looking Tony Iommi gracing the cover of the Black Sabbath album, Seventh Star, that wasn't really a Sabbath album. It's really a Tony Iommi solo vehicle but as I understand it the project went all marketing mad and forced into pushing it via the Sabs title. No Geezer, No Ward, No Dio, but up pops Purplesque Glenn Hughes on vocals for this 1986 release. As you can see your friend and humble narrator has leap frogged the 1984 Ian Gillan project for now, but we will return to this at a later post...have no fear...

Seventh Star is more hard rock blues than righteous heavy metal but Pop Pickers, there's a lot going on here, on the Sabbath album that's not a Sabbath album. I do like the album for the most part, it has a bleak bitter blues feel to it. I've always found its melancholic misery engaging, particularly through the ballad Angry Heart, and there is the standouts; the album opener In For The Kill and another grinding ballad No Stranger To Love. The title track sits up nicely, and also Geoff Nichols does the keyboards on the brief Sphinx (The Guardian).

In a bid to garner US AOR play, the song No Stranger to Love went for a moody video that oozes 80s posing and to add insult to injury a damped down mix for a more mainstream audience....WHAAAAAAAAAAAAT!?
Leave that to Heart/Aaron et al

I have to say much of the album works in no small part to the vocal range of Hughes, he plays the perfect associate to Tony Iommi's amazing (as ever) guitar work. In fact there are no bad songs on the album, even the less favoured by me Danger Zone is worthy of repeat plays. I thrive on listening to the ballad workouts of the aforementioned Angry Heart and Heart Like A Wheel.

I believe there is a deluxe version out as a 2 disc set now, featuring a live performance sans Hughes (featuring instead Ray Gillen).

Try Seventh Star for yourself, it will please the most sensitive soul.

RIP Taiji, gone too soon, rest now with hide.

Make Life Your Treasure

2011-07-16T13:49:00.018+01:00

Is there a bad song on this album?
Not on your proverbial nelly there is...
Yesterday I made mention of the use of the Geoff Nichols keyboard whirl E5150 leading into the raging storm of Mob Rules as used on the Heavy Metal movie soundtrack.

What a stunning collection of Metaltastic tracks ever to have graced the ears of your friend and humble narrator.
It's 1981 and the album Mob Rules is unleashed by Black Sabbath onto the world as a brutally tasty follow up to Heaven and Hell . Martin Birch once again as Producer, resulting in a slick result. The right balance of fast and slow, the winning formula from the Heaven and Hell.
From the electronic overture E5150 to the rabid Mob Rules to the demonic Voodoo and the spiralling Falling Off The Edge of the World this, fast and slow, shakes up the very being of the listener. I'll happily list every track on this album as much loved and repeated listens here in Victory Mansions. Stand back and blast out the dark heavy meanderings of The Sign of the Southern Cross and even the short blistering Turn Up The Night pulls you in for a Hellbound ride of extraordinary magnitude!
Vinnie Appice took over the tubs from Bill Ward, joining the unholy trio of Butler/Dio/Iommi to deliver a precise piece of perfection. Best of all, the output on this album still stands up today.

So Dear Readers what were you doing in late 1981 when Mob Rules hit the record bins?
I was in a teenage whirlpool of sin, sorrow, satifisfaction and headbanging like there was no tomorrow.

Next Up....Born Again

And now as it is Saturday and my last full weekend living in the crumbling edifice that is Victory Mansions; so here's my afternoon packing boxes Playlist:

Falling Off The Edge Of The World - Black Sabbath
Red Castle ～毒人形 - GENOCIDE nippon
One - Tritone
Highway Rider - Black Axe
Soldiers of War - Satan's Empire

Heavy Metal Mania

2011-07-15T23:59:00.000+01:00

Heavy Metal...I can remember my evening outing to see this animated film back in the heady days of 1982, when it finally reached my local fleapit, The Picture Hoose. It was originally released the previous year in the US making its way over to Europe in the Spring/Summer of '82 (but don't take my word for it because my memory has more perforations than a Tetley teabag). I was eager to see the film given the use of Black Sabbath on the soundtrack and, er more likely the movie's title oh and the promise of buxom women in Science Fantasy roles, even if they were cartoon women but when you are still 17 who cares what it takes right?

In fact the movie became a bit of a critical mass in my life as I had been hanging on to the hope in the preceding months to see the infamous and lo-quality Black and Blue film featuring the Blue Öyster Cult and Sabs live - ...The day I watched this movie I'd been right along the street and bought the Tytan Blind Men and Fools 12".

Rewind back a bit and I had already discovered that Heavy Metal was of course a magazine for 'grown-ups'. Offering tasty cover art with a mix of quality stories on the inside pages playing to the sword and fantasy audience of which I was one very soul.

Of course the film's animation looks somewhat dated now set against the talents of Studio Ghibli and at times it smacks of Thundercats - ho! but dear readers this was 1981 and it worked fine. The story is made up of different stories with one connecting feature the mysterious green orb Loc-Nar. A couple of stories by Dan O'Bannon were included in the 6 chapters notably the haunting tale entitled B-17. In another tale called Harry Canyon you'll see a taxi driver story start not unlike that of Besson's Fifth Element.

A pretty good AOR soundtrack backs up the film with the aforementioned Sabs (E5150/Mob Rules), the BÖC (with the superlative Mike Moorcock and Eric Bloom penned Veteran Of The Pyschic Wars) plus the likes of Nazareth, Sammy Hagar and even Trust and the excellent song Prefabricated.

Set aside the aging animation imagery and accept it for what it is then all is good, very good. What you get basically is Women having sex with robots, big breasted willing women, cosmic adventures, Taarna and oh yeah, the Mob Rules!

Thursday Night

2011-07-14T23:24:00.000+01:00

Playlist for Champions!!

A Black Town ［Live］ - GENOCIDE nippon
One - Tritone
Day of The Jackal - Kazuo Amaya
Satori, Pt. 3 - Flower Travellin' Band
Splendid, Selfish Woman - Eternal Elysium

Tritone and Amaya-San courtesy of their respective Myspace sites

I'll be back at the Weekend for a Post with a little more meat on it...anyone for Mob Rules??

Toodle Pip Pop Pickers!

Monday Night

2011-07-11T23:54:00.000+01:00

I'm not in the mood to say much tonight, I'm feeling a bit brittle - read, tired. I've slightly tender guts on account of the hotter than usual Bhuna I consumed earlier.

Anyway, I just thought I'd mention the great tagline which goes with the rather excellent radio station; Onslaught Radio
"...only playing metal, for the true metallers. None of this rock wank!"
Heh heh.
Love it!

Tonight's Playlist For Discerning Ears;

Snaggletooth - Motorhead
Blackwater Park - Opeth
Takao - ChthoniC
Raining Blood - Slayer
Phantom Lord - Metallica

Well If It Seems To Be Real, It's Illusion

2011-07-10T23:01:00.000+01:00

Dear Readers we talked about the famous Tommy Vance fronted BBC Radio 1 Friday Rock Show and the wealth of Heavy sounds with which he livened the airwaves. In the week before the Black Sabbath album Heaven and Hell hit the record bins, Tommy was played some songs; namely the heart thumping Neon Knights and the melodious Children of the Sea. Upon hearing it, I was instantly sold. Not to mention the fact that I had already been smitten by the amazing talent of Ronnie James Dio, the Black Sabbath were back suitably volumed up and quite obviously rid of the rotting stump that was Never Say Die.
Forget the fervoured arguments which dominated sections of the music press and fans alike, Ozzy versus Dio etc. I honestly didn't care for the discussion then, and care less now. Ozzy triumphed with the Sabs at the peak of their powers in the very early seventies whereas Ronnie James Dio simply delivered a new reborn Sabbath.

Oh this was (and still is) the album for the likes of your humble narrator, ok I am no longer fresh faced or sporting nasty sideburns but I still relish in a great LP when I hear it. Heaven and Hell is such a delightfully fresh collection of songs. There is of course, the title track which will go down in Metal history as one of THE great songs. The aforementioned, Neon Knights and Children of the Sea of course always please, there is also the likes of Die Young and the plodding melancholy of Lonely is the Word.
The fire which burned brightly with the creation of Heaven and Hell would spawn another triumphed studio effort by the Sabs a year later - the truly epic Mob Rules. I actually think Mob Rules out trumps the Heaven and Hell, but that is a whole other story - for another day!

Right then Pop Pickers, Monday beckons which tends to be more Hell than Heaven but before it hits me full in the chops I'm off to watch the Hammer film from 1969, Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed

Have a good week ahead whatever you are doing!

Oh before I go; I can reliably report that GENOCIDE nippon blew the roof off CLAPPER, Sunday night in Osaka. BIG BIG BIG Thanks has to go to truly amazing and kind Twitter friends for the wonderful photos and details which kept me updated before after and during the show!
Next best thing to being there.

Saturday!

2011-07-09T23:45:00.002+01:00

Dear Readers the preparations to move from Victory Mansions continue at a sloth's pace here; reluctance to dispose of many items - much of which are being uncovered as boxes are shifted from one corner to the next. I am however resolved to be somewhat brutal with my choice of what will stay and what will go. Necessary Evil.
As you see from the live picture above - the CDs are being packed away for transportation to a better world!
The start of a number of boxes worth of CDs, not counting the boxes of vinyl treasures which require uplifting. And nor does it include my shrine to all things Japanese which fills a large bookcase.

Rather aptly, there was Rolling Thunder renting the air above Victory Mansions providing a worthy background soundtrack to my Midday Saturday listening routine - as always you can find me plugged in to Tannan FM at 12 noon on a Saturday for my weekly treat of 『サタニックな日々』

I've been in a few scapes this week, it has been an odd journey over the past 5 days. Work has slowed to a more normal and as a result surreal pace, providing a welcome respite - I fully expect to be chained into the yoke again during the coming weeks...I'll get a day or maybe two off for the house move and the rest of the time will be spent bring order to chaos in the wee small hours on work nights.

As I type this I am exposed to reports that former Motörhead guitarist Michael "Würzel" Burston sadly passed away earlier today.

RIP Würzel

My Playlist For Saturday Bedways is Rightways...

Chaos And Brutality - Hirax
Dirty Women - Black Sabbath
Metal Gods - Judas Priest
Don't Need Your Money - Raven
Ride Me - Grim Reaper

And finally, if that drunken neighbour downstairs indulges in any further Stella Artois fuelled club music partying tonight I swear i'll retaliate with a lethal dose of Venom - the terrible three are sitting dormant in the CD Grinder ready to blister the neighbour's paintwork...

"Mr. McGee, don't make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry"

7月31日(日) 福井 CHOP
GENOCIDE nippon Presents "Satanicnahibi" Vol.1
「サタニックな日々」スペシャルイベント
OPEN17:30 / START18:00前売り￥2,500 当日￥3,000 (1drink order)
Act : GENOCIDE nippon / SURVIVE / HEAD PHONES PRESIDENT / TRITONE / BLCK BUNNY
福井市花堂東1-18-6. TEL,0776-34-3558.
http://www.fukui-chop.com/

Friday Rock Show

2011-07-08T23:51:00.001+01:00

We were talking about the wonders of Internet radio last weekend. It is certainly a revelation in terms of accessibility and choice. Of course back when men were men and NWOBHM ruled the airwaves, there was The Friday Rock Show courtesy of Tommy Vance. I would not be an exaggeration to state that if it were not for the selection of Metal played out on this radio show during my formative years I not be promoting such a diverse selection of seventies and eighties sounds right here in the 'pages' of your caring, sharing, soaraway Blog.

As for live music if you happen to be in the vicinity of any of these noisy locations over the coming weeks then don't just stand there - get going.

It's all too far away for me, but I tell you what I am this close - this close to indulging in a bank bursting trip to Tokyo the next time GENOCIDE nippon turn on the amplifiers there live!
Watch this space!!

It is the METAL that compels me!

Now then, now then Pop Pickers check out this tasty selection of wonders...

And before all that how about Osaka? In that neighbourhood this very Sunday (10th July)?
Get along to this evening out and enjoy beautiful NOISE!
■ Live
7月10日(日) アメリカ村 CLAPPER
RIVERGE Presents "CLOSS BREED DEVICE BEAT" Vol.9
"ROCK STAKK REC 5th Anniversary LIVE"
OPEN17:00 / START17:30 前売り￥2,000 当日￥25,00 (1drink order)
with : RIVERG / SABBAT / ARGUMENT SOUL / IMPALER / EVIL ASSAULT / GENOCIDE nippon
大阪市中央区西心斎橋2-10-34 心斎橋ウエスト363ビル B1F

. TEL, 06 (6213) 6331
http://www.clapper.jp/

OPEN/17:00　START/17:30 前売￥2,000(1D別)　当日￥2,500(1D別)

Sensitive to Light

2011-07-07T23:50:00.000+01:00

Back in the sultry days of 1978, I was discovering the great art of drawing Metal band logos on my school book covers, the ultimate revelation of Heavy Rock and all its wonders, and the discovery of the sinful bug eyed sensation of rapid hand movement in my darkened bedroom. I was a half-grown, ignorant teen and had only just discovered the likes of Thin Lizzy and Motörhead to please my ears. Added to that was the wonders of Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow and its rock supremacy. In just studio three albums (Rising being the pinnacle) Blackmore and Dio - in my unwarranted opinion of course - did more than Purple did in their entire catalogue.

It was shortly after the discovery of the magic of the album Rising that I purchased the follow-up release Long Live Rock 'n' Roll. There is a wealth of quality abroad on this delightful lump of vinyl. Standout songs include L.A.Connection, the hammer like The Shed (Subtle), haunting beauty of Lady of the Lake and the opener Kill The King. Follow up that clatter with the genuinely wonderful weepy Rainbow Eyes and sell your soul under the Gates of Babylon - a perma favourite of your friend and humble narrator.
It is an amazing package of mid seventies hard rock finery.

As the weekend approaches, it is time...time for my latest 'walk to work' playlist

Gates of Babylon - Rainbow
Rising of the Dark Lord - Pagan Altar
Gypsy - Dio
Eye for an Eye - BYFROST
Heavy Metal Mania - Gorgon

Saturday

2011-07-03T00:37:00.000+01:00

Dear Readers, I'm always on the look out for new noisy sensations as I go about my daily grind. So here is a shout out for Blighty based Onslaught Radio and Mexico's ADMM Metal Radio. You see that's the wonder of the Internet, no longer hampered by the crackling, hissing off tune of MW radio stations from afar but anywhere is accessible through your computer or iPhone/Android even!
There's even the interesting diversion of 413 Tracks hijacking FM Nirai for their very own radio show.

And talking of Radio, today's Satanicnahibi Show on Tannan FM was literally bulging with great music. Starting off the show in roaring fashion was a lively session on German Metal bands. The likes of Accept, Blind Guardian, Gamma Ray, Grave Digger!
Something about this wonderful radio show is that it just keeps getting better and better. So if you wonder what I'm up to at 12 noon every Saturday, then it's sitting on my backside, headphones plugged into the trusty old Sony laptop, volume at 11 and swigging from my mug of tea; listening to Satanicnahibi. Hooking up with friends far away via Twitter. My fantastic weekly escape.

And while I am in the mood of talking a lot this evening, the following was my Book of the Year back in 2009, and if you are into getting the pots and pans out and trying on some recipes you'll never better this particular Cookbook! Forget the likes of the risible cash-in Mosh Potatoes, the labour of love by Annick Giroux; Hellbent for Cooking: The Heavy Metal Cookbook is the ONLY Heavy Metal Cookbook worth having on the Kitchen worktop. A wonderfully colourful book full of band's very own contributed recipes which will suit every taste. Noisy cooks take note!
My only wish now is a VOLUME 2 in the future! Top Notch!

Finally, this weekend's playlist (let's be havin' yours in the comments box below)

This Love - Pantera
Rebellion (The Clans Are Marching) - Grave Digger
Rebellion In Dreamland - Gamma Ray
Lord of this World - Black Sabbath
It Must Be An Officer's Daughter- Hairy Chapter

Right your friend and humble narrator is off to contemplate a busy Sunday. Bah!

It's the smiles that keep us going. The bits of giggles and good cheer.

Toodle Pip

The Ritual Days

2011-06-30T20:08:00.000+01:00

For the GENOCIDE nippon completist such as your friend and humble narrator, I managed to lay my hands on a copy of The Ritual Days 2 years ago now. I say completist because it fills my GENOCIDE collection's glaring gaps in one fell swoop. And whilst I would love to get my hands on the individual demo items from where the recordings come from, I'm content to grasp this CD as the one volume record of the band's rarities.

Now a little word before we begin on where and when I first heard GENOCIDE, it was back in and around 1988 when I bought the album Black Sanctuary. The buy was essentially on the back of a Japanese Metal awakening, my good friend and comrade in arms Mike having introduced me that very previous year to Loudness, the album Thunder In The East. Naturally, I was subsequently on the look out of all manner of Heavy sounds from Japan, seizing on the likes of Earthshaker and Anthem.

I can remember exactly to this day first hearing the song Bullet In The Wrong Heart (on the old National Panasonic radio cassette player in the spare bedroom of a previous abode in a galaxy far, far away. I listened while I worked, actually while decorating - badly (emulsion - fail) - it's all rock n roll eh!).

The experience, of the music not the decorating, was akin to an electrifying attack of molten goose pimples. I played the album Black Sanctuary over and over and over again in the hours, days that followed. And long after the paint job was dry I was still engrossed in its Metal Might. It even enlivened the dashboard radio-cassette player in the old AtoB Datsun Cherry as I commuted through snow, hail, frost, 24 miles back and fore to the old Factory during the dark, desolate autumn/winter months. Amazingly, the music still has that exciting out of body experience feeling even these days, another age, another world apart.

The CD The Ritual Days is made up of GENOCIDE gems! The album cover is a bit tasty too suiting as it does the dark doomy flavours conjured up by the band's music.

First up you get the original GENOCIDE demo tape stuff from 1983! Oh!! I love it!!
This is the true beginnings right here, and I tell you what Pop Pickers - I can't get enough of these versions of the now fan favourites. They are here are in their earliest guise.
Gibakurei/Bullet In The Wrong Heart/Living Legend

And then from the demo extra from 1987, Zup, that genius instrumental.

Next up from 2001, the song Red Castle. Taken from the sampler CD which came with the magazine Kabbala, issue 27 which featured GENOCIDE on the front cover (see below).

Red Castle is quite a fantastic track, powerful stuff. This is a real favourite playback on the iPod and in the lathe & plaster lined quarters of Victory Mansions. Indeed, I like the combination of Zup and Red Castle to treat the ears. Top Notch!

And there was the two track CD from 2003: Ibitsu and Kuroi Machi (A Black Town). According to the official GENOCIDE website, this was a freebie with advance ticket sales for a show in Osaka. Nice promo!

So there you have it, a wonderous 7 track journey through part of the life of GENOCIDE.

The excellent Rock Emporium, WILD ONE in Osaka stocks some limited number of copies (the convenience of Paypal accepted). Fine to know there are specialist Record Stores still serving the discerning cravings of Metalheads!!!

The Ritual Days～邪怨転生価格￥1.800
製作発売 Captured Records ：CAP-006CD

1. 地縛霊～Gibakurei
2. A Bullet In Wrong Heart
3. Living legend
4. Zup
5. Red Castle～毒人形
6. 歪な太陽（Live）
7. 黒い街（Live）
------------------------------------
今作品は83年のデモ、87年に再発したデモ、
Kabbala誌サンプラーに収録したナンバー、
2003年に配布したCD-R等、貴重な音源を多数収録。
今回は更に日本Heavy Metal界の名門
Studio Nest にてリマスタリングを致しました。

Saints In Hell

2011-06-29T22:07:00.002+01:00

Good evening Pilgrims...

Need something to take the edge off...?

This morning as I walked over the bridge of broken dreams which straddles the river Styx separating the Satanic Mill and my humble abode, I got to thinking about what I should indulge in this evening. A hot mug of Ovaltine?
Perhaps some Judas Priest I suddenly, gleefully thought, the fourth album that mighty benchmark in the band's early career. I am talking of course about the 1978 recording Stained Class. This weighty piece of Metal has much to offer the demanding listener and proved to be just the right de-stressing cocktail to finish off the working day. Its wares are blaring out from the much used and oft abused stereo headphones as I scribble this missive. Standout tracks in case you have missed this triumph of metallic audio engineering are the likes of Exciter with its adrenalin rush riffery, the Spooky Tooth (greatest band name ever?) cover Better By You Better Than Me and the absolute tour de force, perhaps one of my all time favourite songs in the whole known universe...Beyond The Realms Of Death!

Along with Sad Wings Of Destiny and Sin After Sin, Stained Class is my choice of Priest listening. And if you were to throw in the exemplar live album Unleashed In The East then I'd probably never take the headphones off again, let alone return to the polluted grip of the factory floor...at least not until the Morlockian shrill of the shift klaaxon tomorrow morning.

Right, early though it may be, I am truly knackered so Bedways is Rightways....maybe, per chance to dream...about Meiko Kaji and an illegally parked Zed-a-Thou in downtown district Shinjuku, what a bad citizen I am....ZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Mid-Week Playlist

2011-06-29T00:03:00.000+01:00

Tonight's Late, Late Playlist: Music Thanks to the Tannan FM radio show「サタニックな日々」
Podcast!

Nowhere - Headphones President
Nothing Left On My Path - Survive
Room - Black Bunny
Those Alone - Tritone
Doomsday - GENOCIDE nippon

The Devil's Grip

2011-06-27T19:46:00.001+01:00

This one's for MHB and all round good guy Shuhei!

I never know whether to praise this album for what it is or leave it gathering dust in what is afterall a very dusty Victory Mansions. Iron Fist was released to a desperate world in April 1982, oh yes Pop Pickers that is 29 years ago.

Alas it one of the few Motörhead albums that is neither here nor there, depending on my frame of mind it can both excite and placate. It was all going pear-shaped at this time, and as a friend once told me, sidelining Vic Maile was akin to throwing out the goose that laid the golden egg (in this case 2 superlative free range whoppers Ace of Spades and No Sleep 'til Hammersmith) and instead Sir Fast Eddie took to twiddling with the studio buttons, the result was hurriedly incomplete but then it always was going to be after the dynamic duo of the aforementioned albums.

But it is not all doom and gloom, for a start the album retains the full flow of Philthy's manic drumming and on this record he doesn't let up...not for a second. And Eddie's outstanding (as ever) guitar hooks and searing solos proves that no matter the irregularity or quality of the material you can't keep a good man down.

This album despite the baggage it gathered around it at the time and the subsequent fall out, and for it be downgraded in value by some this remains a full on Motörhead effort. And I have been in the Devil's grip, the Iron Fist listening to this album the past couple of hours whilst under the cosh of (unpaid) overtime. I am not disappointed at its ability to entertain and enliven. In fact the Thrash factor is set to stun and maim, as a good Motörhead album should.

When this LP was originally released I was convinced that particular morning I had been the first to purchase a copy in my town. Having made a special boneshaking journey by bus to my record shop of choice (the only record shop) only to return around mid-day eager to break the vinyl in on the trusy stereo only to find as I walked along my street my Metal nemisis neighbour knocking at his frontroom window waving an Iron Fist sleeve as the IronHead punch of Sex and Outrage blared out from behind his grinning boat...but in spite of his gloating I didn't let 'im grind me down (geddit?)

Until tomorrow......as Hicks, I think it was, once said 'Stay Frosty'

"It's Nostalgia and its Riches"

Metal Rendezvous

Obi Strip

If You Go Down To The Woods Today...

Pin Up Part Deux!

Pin Up!

The World hath Need

やさぐれ姐御伝 総括リンチ

Monday

Sunday Confessional

At War With Satan

Virus

Back in Black (Almost)

Enero

Auld Lang Syne

Bad Motor Scooter

Come My Fanatics!

Is It Tuesday?

Boxing Day

Many Happy Returns!

Nativity In Black

Merry Christmas Pop Pickers

It Is Very Cold In Space...and in my house

Mid-Week

It Is Not Heresy, And I Will Not Recant!

A Feast Fit For The Devil

Normal Service Will Resume

Satanic Metal!

Be Right Back

I Love This Poster...obviously

「大悪魔祭2」

Just In Case...

Samhain

Barracuda Attacks!

Lead!

DEVILPRESS×GENOCIDE nippon Presents!

Monday

ありがとうございます。

Tuesday

Toto I Have A Feeling We Are Not In Kansas Anymore

Demons Of The Night Gather To See

Mrs Peel You Are Needed!

I'm Gonna Lose My Way Tomorrow

Kaji Meiko Monday

Raining Blood!

Just When You Thought It Was Safe...

Tuesday

Cornucopia

Darkness Visible

The Horrors of Malformed Men

Monday!

Keep Us on the Road

The Thing

Saturday

The Intro Tape!

The Gates of Hell

Total GENOCIDE!

Only You Can Rock Me

My Brain Is In Someone Else's Body!

The Feeling's Back!

What Would You Xanadu?

And Now For Something Completely Different...

Mexican Doom Metal band Majestic Downfall

Recommended

You Know You’re Only Dreaming

Machete Don't Text

Caviar and Meths

Metal Militia

Friday Extra

Perfect Fate

Sabbath!

Running With The Devil

Sunday Morning

Thursday

Monday Evening

Sabbath Bloody Sabbath

Ingrid Pitt Moment

A Hard Road

Hammer Night!

Friday Night

やさぐれ姐御伝総括リンチ