I'm Heavy Duty!

• Artist: Jimi Hendrix
• Title: Smash Hits
• Year: 1979
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 10
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1979
• Keeper: Yes

That’s one cool dude on the cover. And speaking of cool dudes, this album was a birthday present from my Dad, a/k/a “Mr. Cool.” Just ask my Mom. I had some singles, you know, vinyl seven inches, that I had accumulated, but this was my very first full length album. That’s right, the first of thousands of records. And I can’t think of a better album or artist to start a record collection. I’m eternally grateful for my father pointing me in the right music direction. I liked Hendrix from what I heard on the radio, but this record was not something I asked for. It was his idea.

For me, Hendrix brings together everything I love most about music. Art, innovation, guitar mastery, blues, funk, acid rock, and the moments of cathartic heaviness that I just need to survive. Smash Hits by the Jimi Hendrix Experience is one of the most played records I own, and the vinyl shows the wear and tear. But it still sounds great. I did a decent job maintaining it for a 13 year old.

My favorite from this collection is a song I think was less of a hit than the others, “Stone Free.”

A little something different from Jimi.

New music to start the new week… Is this music “psychedelic”? I suppose. Either way I like it because it sounds fresh, and maybe a little like Kaiser Chiefs. I recently read something that described their music as “dance rock.” Maybe that’s accurate too. I also read they had trouble getting visas to tour in the US thanks to our ridiculous immigration rules, but it appears that has been straightened out. They are coming to the 9:30 Club in DC. Mary just reminded me we don’t live there any more. But if you do I recommend checking them out. They are supposed to be great live. I love both of these songs. The first video is for “Gravity’s Rainbow” (they have two different vids for this song), the second is for “Golden Skans.” You might like the latter more if you don’t watch the video, just listen, or at least watch it with a sense of humor. See the Klaxons site for more.

• Artist: Gaye Bykers on Acid
• Title: The Nosedive EP
• Year: 1987
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1987 – When I worked at Mother’s Records
• Keeper: Yes

Hey, I know I’ve been slacking, especially on the records. But it was my birthday this weekend, and if you’re ever going to be slack that’s the time.

The Nosedive EP by Gaye Bykers on Acid only has three songs, but they are all excellent. The Grebo-metallic-psyshedelic-dance track “Nosedive Karma” is my favorite. That’s also the song that singer Mary Mary got me to sing the chorus on when I saw them at the 9:30 Club way back. The flip has “Don’t Be Human Eric – Let’s Be Frank” and “Delerium.”

• Artist: Gaye Bykers on Acid
• Title: Drill Your Own Hole
• Year: 1987
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1987 – When I worked at Mother’s Records in Hampton, VA
• Keeper: Yes

Not surprisingly, Gaye Bykers on Acid’s music is not for everybody, but it is for me. I have fond memories of Drill Your Own Hole and the time it came out, half my life time ago. Despite that, after posting the last GBOA record I was not expecting to like this as much as I still do. Drill Your Own Hole is excellent, starting with the first track “Motorvate” all the way to the end.

Mary, my wife, not the singer, and I were only dating when we drove up to D.C. one weeknight to see them at the original 9:30 Club. When we got there we found out the opening band, Pop Will Eat Itself, were denied visas due to “lack of artistic merit.” Whatever. Mary was pretty bummed. Since there was no opening act some of the Gaye Bykers were killing time out on the floor. Nobody was paying them too much attention so I started talking to Mary Mary, the singer, not my wife. When I told him we traveled three hours to see them play he seemed genuinely flattered. Later, during the show, when he saw me up near the stage he stuck the mic in my face and got me to sing along during one chorus. Pretty funny, and pretty fun.

For some reason the band was billed as “Gaye Bykers on Parade.” You can see that on the ticket stub below. Maybe having a drug reference in your band name wasn’t conducive to getting visas, or bookings, or something. I forgot to ask Mary Mary about that.

• Artist: Gaye Bykers on Acid
• Title: Everythang’s Groovy
• Year: 1986
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 6
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1986 – When I worked at Mother’s Records in Hampton, VA
• Keeper: Maybe

Live from Fayetteville, NC… where Gaye Bykers on Acid were hugely popular in the late 1980s. Who remembers Grebo? Raise your hands. OK, well I do, and GBOA was one of the first bands on the scene. The scene was possibly more about visual style than sound. The GBOA sound was a mash up resulting in a type of psychedelic punk rock. For a time I was really into the band. I think this three song record was their first noteworthy release. When I played it again the other for the first time in a long while I have to admit that I wasn’t that excited by it. After a couple days though, the lead track, “Everythang’s Groovy”, is still stuck in my head. I have a story about seeing them live that I’ll save for later.

More about Gaye Bykers on Acid and Grebo.