THIS MONTH IN ROCK 'N ROLL HISTORY - CHEAP TRICK RELEASE THEIR FIRST ALBUM - BY SCOTT CARR

February 27, 2015 Scott Carr

February, 1977 - Cheap Trick Release Their First Album

Nothing I write will justify how great Cheap Trick's 1977 debut album is and will fall short on relating my love for it. It is a perfect blend of catchy power-pop hooks and raw punk rock attitude. The combination of Rick Nielsen's frantic Pete Townshend-esque guitar riffs, the golden voice of singer Robin Zander and the booming backbeat of drummer Bun E Carlos and bassist Tom Petersson creates a sound that hints at their influences but manages to carve out an identity that is all Cheap Trick. Ten perfectly crafted songs with a bare bones production provided by Jack Douglas. No other studio record in the Cheap Trick discography captures the way this band should sound like their debut.

Concert ad for my first Cheap Trick show

My first brush with Cheap Trick was September 20, 1978 when I saw them in concert opening for AC/DC at the Huntington Civic Center in Huntington, WV. At that point, I had no idea who Cheap Trick were but had recently became a fan of AC/DC. Prior to that, KISS was all I cared about. I was barely ten years old at the time and always tagged along with my older brother to rock shows. I felt like a concert veteran as I had already seen Kiss twice as well as Heart, Rush, Blue Oyster Cult and a few others but the AC/DC - Cheap Trick show was a game- changer for me. I remember the lights going down and seeing Bun E Carlos enter the stage looking like an out-of-shape bank teller with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth sitting down behind the drum kit and begin bashing away in a Keith Moon fury.... the band kicked in and I was instantly hooked. I didn't know any of their songs at the time but it didn't matter, they rocked and I loved every minute of it. Even though I was a huge AC/DC fan and they were the reason I attended the show, I left the concert with a Cheap Trick poster, bow-tie and a huge Cheap Trick logo button. The next day I promptly headed to Davidson's record store in downtown Huntington and spent my allowance on two Cheap Trick albums, “In Color” and “Heaven Tonight.” Having no knowledge of the band's history I assumed they had only released two records. Cheap Trick broke big in the USA a few months later in February 1979 with the release of their live album “At Budokan.” The live record featured songs from “In Color” and “Heaven Tonight,” plus a couple new songs. The debut album was not represented at all on Cheap Trick “At Budokan,” so I was still in the dark about its existence.

"Elo Kiddies" Netherlands 7" single — *"Elo Kiddies" Netherlands 7" single*

This would all change in May of 1979 when I saw the movie “Over The Edge.” "Over The Edge” is a coming-of-age film about delinquent teenagers living in a small town with nothing to do, which leads them to teenage rebellion in the form of drug & alcohol use and healthy doses of rock n roll. The soundtrack features songs by The Cars, Van Halen, Ramones and Cheap Trick. After seeing the movie I went out and picked up the soundtrack and it featured a Cheap Trick song I had not heard called "Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace." I thought it was a new song but with further investigation I learned it was on Cheap Trick's debut album that came out in 1977. I was ecstatic and needed to get this record immediately. After a bit of searching I eventually tracked down a copy of the elusive album and in my ten year old mind I thought I had found the Holy Grail. I rushed home to give it a listen, quickly opened the album and put on side one. The drumbeat to "Elo Kiddies" came blasting through my stereo speakers and it sounded so good. The album managed to capture Cheap Trick the way I remembered them sounding in concert, loud and melodic, every song a winner. After side one finished I turned the record over and realized that the flip side was labeled "Side A." Initially I thought there had been a printing mistake, but in reality the band was so confident in the material that they put down on their first slab of wax that they felt there was no "B" material, so this record has no B side. Some may say that's a bit arrogant, but after one spin of the record I could hardly argue with their reasoning. After all these years I still listen to side one first, although I think it was meant to go the other way around.

Recently someone asked me to list my Top 10 Cheap Trick songs and I replied by saying all the songs from their debut record. Of course there are plenty of songs I could have picked from the bands' great catalog of music, but the '77 debut album is pure magic from start to finish and sounds as important and relevant today as it did when it first came out.

"Elo kiddies, elo kiddies, What ya gonna do when the lights start shining?

Elo kiddies, elo kiddies, What ya gonna do when your head's exploding?

So you missed some school? / You know school's for fools

Today money rules and everybody steals it"

Check out Colin Gawel's ranking of EVERY Cheap Trick song here

Scott Carr is a guitarist who plays in the Columbus, OH bands Radio Tramps and Returning April. Scott is also an avid collector of vinyl records and works at Lost Weekend Records. So...if you are looking for Scott....you'll either find him in a dimly lit bar playing his guitar or in a record store digging for the holy grail.

*Bio included with promo copies of the first album*

Cheap Trick - ELO Kiddies - Night Gallery 1977

Cheap Trick - Oh Candy - Night Gallery 1977

Cheap Trick - Hot Love - Night Gallery 1977

Matt Dillon makes his screen debut in director Jonathan Kaplan's 1979 film Over The Edge about a group of teens in a suburban community who turn to crime after being neglected and bored. Also starring Vincent Spano.

Studio version of the Live At Budokan classic. I do not own any rights to this song. All rights property of Cheap Trick and Epic/Sony Records I assume.

Willie Phoenix Tribute Machine Listening Party and More!

February 27, 2015 Colin Gawel

Hey everybody, the Willie Phoenix Tribute Machine is off and rolling. Just a quick update and a reminder that YOU can help us by spreading this music around and telling people about the great Willie Phoenix.

Click here to get the FREE music or here to read the original article

We will be having a Willie Phoenix Tribute Machine listening party at Little Rock Bar (corner of 4th Ave and 2nd St) Thursday March 5th. The event will be 6-8pm and admission is FREE. There will be no live music but a mix of Willie Phoenix tunes will be spinning. All the guys from the Tribute Machine will be hoisting beers and prepared to talk all things Willie.

WE NEED YOUR HELP! In addition to this being a party, we need Willie superfans to bring out your old Willie records, tapes, CDs, articles, pictures and the like. We will be taking pictures of all this stuff so we can begin working on a proper Willie Phoenix Wiki page listing his full discography. This is a huge task and we cannot do this without your help. If you cannot make it, please email your Willie P. info williepproject@gmail.com

Radio Update: Jon Peterson is planning on spinning a cut this week on his fabulous Shakin' It Radio program which airs in Columbus on WCBE 90.5 Saturday night so tune in and check it out. Maggie B has a copy as well so call in and request. Studio Line - 614 821 9223

CD102.5 has been given a copy to spin and is waiting to hear from you. Text: Request Willie P to the # 68683 and let them know you want to hear it on the radio. 0r call 614 221 1025

Last but not least, the actual Willie Phoenix will be playing Eldorado's Bar (Morse and High) Saturday February 28th. Go check it out or click here to visit Williephoenix.com for all things Willie and more dates. This site also has all the latest Willie music. It never stops.

Thanking you in advance for helping us spread the word about Columbus' own Willie Phoenix - Colin G.

They're Tearing Down Vet's Memorial, part two - by Ricki C.

February 24, 2015 Ricki C.

They’re Tearing Down Vet’s Memorial is a continuing series in Pencilstorm. It will run once a month throughout 2015. For an intro and explanation, please see They’re Tearing Down Vet’s Memorial, part one, January 2015.

Triumph and Brownsville Station / February 24th, 1979

In February of 1979 I was working 40 hours a week in the warehouse of the K-Mart store on West Broad Street in Columbus, Ohio; serving as a roadie for Willie Phoenix’s then-current band, The Buttons; and writing for Focus magazine, Columbus’ bi-weekly music publication. (Ahhh, the 1970’s: when every decent-sized city in America could support its own music magazine.)

The Focus job was a pretty easy gig. It didn’t pay that great, but there were perks: you got a lot of free records and occasionally got paid to go to rock concerts. This Triumph and Brownsville Station show was one of the latter. In February of ’79 I was already well-aware that Triumph was beneath contempt, but the Focus editor pitched the show by dangling a chance for me to interview Cub Koda of Brownsville Station after their opening set. And here’s the deal: I had WORSHIPPED Cub Koda and Brownsville Station since the first time my best friend Dave Blackburn and I laid eyes on them back in high school in 1969 or ’70, when Brownsville played the old Agora Club on High Street.

Brownsville Station was Dave’s and my own little local version of The Who: Brownsville hailed from Ann Arbor, Michigan, and played Columbus like a local band. Dave & I must have seen them six or seven times in 1970 alone – at the Agora, at the Valley Dale ballroom, opening for the likes of Ted Nugent and Alice Cooper at Vet’s or other venues – and without fail Brownsville Station were a spark-spitting, incendiary rock & roll organism of the highest order. They had a sense of humor, they put on a rock & roll SHOW, they dressed great, and they rocked like fever. They were kinda like The MC5 if you substituted rock & roll FUN for radical hippie politics & heroin.

So, to make a long story short (editor’s note: as if that’s possible in a Ricki C. piece), by three minutes into the between-sets interview Cub Koda and I were laughing along like old friends: reminiscing about past Columbus shows, reiterating that “The West Side Is the Best Side,” commiserating over the then-current dismal, post-punk state of rock & roll, etc. At some point I was vaguely aware that Triumph had started their set, but Cub and I were at that point deep in discussion about the finer points of Bo Diddley vs. The Sex Pistols and couldn’t just stop right then, ya know?

Anyway, about a half-hour after we had started hearing the leaden thump of Triumph’s set thudding through the concrete Vet’s Memorial dressing room walls, Cub said to me, “Aren’t you supposed to be reviewing this show?” “Yeah, yeah, I’ll get out there pretty soon,” I replied, “those Canuck lunkheads aren’t going anywhere, literally or figuratively” Koda and I laughed, toasted whatever we were drinking at that moment and kept talking. (By the way, you know you have seriously punted your professional journalistic standards when the opening act starts calling you out on missing the headliner’s set.)

I caught the last twenty minutes of Triumph’s set, tolerated the encore, confirmed with some of my West Side reprobate rocker buddies that I hadn’t missed anything in the previous hour, and went home happy with the memory of hanging out with Cub Koda, one of my genuine rock & roll heroes. I slept late, then kicked back Sunday afternoon and knocked out however many words on the Brownsville Station and Triumph show on my trusty Smith-Corona manual typewriter. My best line of the review was “These guys wouldn’t know rock & roll if it fucked ‘em in a closet.” (In time, it came to be the only line the Focus copy editor took out of the piece.)

Never in a million years did I think Focus would actually run the review. By then the paper had gone bi-weekly on its way to going out of business, depended mightily on record company advertising to pay the bills and was largely pretty booster-istic in its coverage of local & national acts. (NOBODY got a bad rap in Focus.) I turned the review in basically because you were expected to pay for your ticket to the show if you didn’t do the absolute minimum and at least COVER the event.

Tuesday March 6th I was at work at K-Mart and one of the kids from my warehouse crew came in from lunch with the new issue of Focus. He was laughing and said, “This review you wrote is great.” I thought for a second and said, “I don’t have anything in this issue.” “This review of Triumph and Brownsville Station isn’t yours? They put your name on it.” My stomach dropped, “THEY RAN THAT REVIEW?” I said, grabbing the paper away from him. “Oh my God, I was just kidding, I never for one minute thought they would actually run this.”

A couple of nights later the Focus advertising manager called me at home and said that RCA Records – Triumph’s label at the time – had called and threatened to pull all of their ads from Focus permanently if the paper didn’t apologize for the review and run a retraction. “Well run a retraction,” I said, “I have no ego invested in this. I can’t believe you ran the review in the first place. I only turned it in so you wouldn’t charge me for my ticket. I’m not gonna write an apology, but you can disclaim all knowledge of the review. Put it all on me. I have no problem with that.”

Rather spunkily – given his usual junior-league Rupert Murdoch Mr. Businessman leanings – the Focus editor wrote back to RCA, saying “We stand by our story.” RCA pulled their advertising from the next three issues and then it was back to business as usual. So, to summarize: I missed 80% of the show, still reviewed & badmouthed it, got our advertising pulled, and I still got paid. I miss the 1970’s. I miss Vet’s Memorial. – Ricki C. / February 22nd, 2015.

Honorable mentions, February Vet's Memorial shows attended by Ricki C.

Blood, Sweat & Tears and Canned Heat / February 19th, 1969 (Ricki's first date, ever)

Alice Cooper, Ted Nugent and Brownsville Station / February 7th, 1976

Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band / February 16th, 1977

Ray Davies is the Best Songwriter: Exhibit J

February 22, 2015 Colin Gawel

Click here for previous Ray Davies is the best..

Ray Davies is the Best Songwriter: "Days"

A couple of winter's back, I was lucky enough to spend a pleasant day walking around Sarasota, FLA doing nothing but soaking up the warmth and listening to random tunes on my Ipod. I was standing on the John Ringling bridge staring at the water when "Days" by The Kinks suddenly came on. Now, by this point in my life I had probably listened to this song over a hundred times but at that moment I was struck by its power and blurted out to a couple of seagulls standing on the rail near me, "That might be the most beautiful song ever written. If something happens to me, tell somebody to play that at my wake. And all of Dream Police, with the bonus live tracks. "

But seriously, you can play this when I go.

Uploaded by Kassandra Rackham on 2009-12-06.

(a little Ricki C. interjection here: Since there are precious few Kinks Kovers floating around in rock & roll land - and even fewer successful ones - I wanted to throw in this version of "Days" by Flo & Eddie. Flo & Eddie were Mark Volman & Howard Kaylan, first of The Turtles in the 1960's, later the front-men of the early 70's version of Frank Zappa's Mothers Of Invention. I can't really say Flo & Eddie ever made a great album - they were singles guys - but this Bob Ezrin-produced track is "super-pop" of the highest order, as is their cover of The Small Faces "Afterglow." Check 'em out.)

"Days"

Thank you for the days,
Those endless days, those sacred days you gave me.
I'm thinking of the days,
I won't forget a single day, believe me.

I bless the light,
I bless the light that lights on you believe me.
And though you're gone,
You're with me every single day, believe me.

Days I'll remember all my life,
Days when you can't see wrong from right.
You took my life,
But then I knew that very soon you'd leave me,
But it's all right,
Now I'm not frightened of this world, believe me.

I wish today could be tomorrow,
The night is dark,
It just brings sorrow anyway.

Thank you for the days,
Those endless days, those sacred days you gave me.
I'm thinking of the days,
I won't forget a single day, believe me.

- Ray Davies, 1968

It's a Good Day To Listen to "Cold Weather" and Watch "Superior" - Colin G.

February 20, 2015 Colin Gawel

The only thing better than cold weather is knowing one day it will be warm again.

Click here for the full song.

Official music video for Colin Gawel's "Superior". The single was released on the EP-CD "Superior" by Mike Landolt's Curry House Records label. More at www.colingawel.com. Video produced by Palestra Creative (www.palestracreative.com).

THIS DAY IN ROCK 'N ROLL HISTORY - KISS RELEASE THEIR FIRST ALBUM - BY SCOTT CARR

February 18, 2015 Scott Carr

February 18, 1974 - Kiss: Kiss is released.

"Hey world, we're Kiss and we want everyone here to come along with us......" were the first words that came from Paul Stanley's mouth after he strutted his way up to the microphone when Kiss made their national TV debut on Dick Clark's "In Concert." With that statement, Paul summed up the way Kiss envisioned themselves from day one. Coming from the same New York City streets that were walked by the likes of the New York Dolls and Ramones, Kiss were not content with being the kings of lower Manhattan or being the house band at CBGB's or Max's Kansas City, they had their eyes set on Madison Square Garden and beyond.

Practicing at Bleecker Street loft as a trio.

This month marks the 41st anniversary of Kiss' debut album, an album that introduced Kiss to the world but didn't exactly set that world on fire. Kiss emerged from the ashes of a band called Wicked Lester, which had featured Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons. Wicked Lester recorded an album for Epic records at Electric Ladyland Studios in 1972, but Paul and Gene split up the band shortly after the album was finished and the project was shelved. Wicked Lester was a hodgepodge of musical styles with no true vision or direction. Listening to the Wicked Lester recordings you can hear glimpses of what Kiss would become but it's buried underneath flutes and congas, sounding more like a Jethro Tull record than anything related to Kiss. Initially keeping the name Wicked Lester, Paul and Gene found drummer Peter Criss and began rehearsing as a trio, formulating a sound that was straightforward and in-your-face rock 'n roll. Guitarist Ace Frehley was added and in early 1973 the band officially changed it's name to Kiss.

First promo shot after Ace Frehley joins.

Kiss made their live debut on January 30th, 1973 at a small club in Queens, NY called Popcorn. From the beginning the band knew they wanted to have a theatrical show but at these early performances at the Popcorn club they wore very little face make up and had not incorporated any stage effects into their show. The band experimented with their image during these early shows eventually going from a New York Dolls androgynous look to a streamlined black leather and studs look with full face paint. By the time they played The Daisy Club in Amityville, NY in March of '73, the band were well on their way in developing their iconic alter egos.

Paul and Ace at the Popcorn Club (Coventry)

In March 1973 the band recorded a five song demo at Electric Ladyland Studios with Jimi Hendrix producer Eddie Kramer. This demo was a calling card to help the band secure management and a record deal. TV mogul Bill Aucoin approached the group in October with an offer to manage the band and a promise that he could obtain them a record deal within two weeks.. Bill made good on his promise and on November 1, 1973 Kiss became the first act signed to Neil Bogart's new label Casablanca Records.

Kiss quickly recorded their debut album at Bell Sound Studios in New York City. The recording and mixing of the record took less than three weeks and was produced by Kenny Kerner and Richie Wise. The original pressing of the album features nine songs including what would become some of the groups best known songs including Deuce, Strutter, Firehouse, Nothin' To Lose, Black Diamond and Cold Gin. Lead vocal duties were split between Stanley and Simmons with drummer Peter Criss also contributing lead vocals on a few songs. "Nothin' To Lose" was issued as the first single from the album in February 1974 but failed to receive support from radio. With initial sales of the album being sluggish it was decided by the label that the group should record a cover of Bobby Rydell's song "Kissin' Time" and release it as the next single. "Kissin' Time" was added to later pressings of the album and the single was promoted by a nationwide kissing contest dubbed "The Great Kiss Off" sponsored by local radio stations. On April 29th the band appeared on The Mike Douglas Show with the winners of "The Great Kiss Off" and performed the song "Firehouse." "Kissin' Time" did not improve album sales but the band continued to be a big concert draw. "Strutter" was released as the last single from the album in August at which time the band had already entered a recording studio in Los Angeles to begin work on their second album "Hotter Than Hell". At this point Casablanca lost their support from Warner Brothers distribution and the label was on the brink of bankruptcy. Kiss continued touring and making records and in September 1975 Casablanca released Kiss Alive as a last ditch effort to save the label and the gamble paid off. Kiss Alive was a huge success and Kissteria was officially in full swing.

Bell Sound Studios recording the first album.

Kiss has been through many changes in the forty one years since their debut album was released including several changes in the bands line up, different musical directions, taking their make up off in 1983 and then reuniting the four original members in 1996 and putting the make up back on. The reunion did not last long but Kiss has forged on with replacement members for Ace Frehley and Peter Criss and are currently touring the world on their 40th Anniversary tour. The original four members of Kiss were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last year but to the disappointment of long time fans the band did not perform together.

Even with all the changes the one thing that has remained consistent over the years are the songs the band created in a little studio in New York City in 1974. Over half the songs from their debut album are still performed in concert and remain fan favorites to this day. For an album that was considered a flop when it was originally released, it has certainly left its mark on the music scene and is a true testament to the strength of the bands early material.

Click here for the 12 Best Pencilstorm KISS Stories

Billboard ad promoting "Kissin' Time" single

This is all audio from KISS in 1973, includes the 1973 demos, the rehearsal from May and the show at Amityville, NY in June, The 1973 Demos have been released for quite some time now (featured on The KISS Box Set from 2001), Was produced by Eddie Kramer, The May 1973 Rehearsal was recorded on Gene's 2-Track Tape (according to some sources), The Amityville Show was recorded from an audience member, All tracks are in pretty good quality, I also added pictures from 1973 (and some of 1974 are in there as well).

Just a little something, something.

This is one of the earliest possible audio recording of a KISS concert! This is KISS as raw as you could get! Until now only Acrobat was available from the show, but the full show, 2 sets, appeared in the bootleg scene in the end of the 2013!

an alternate source from kissology Deuce 2. Cold Gin 3. Nothin' to Lose 4. Strutter 5. Firehouse 6. Let Me Know 7. 100,000 Years 8. Black Diamond 9. Let Me Go, Rock 'N' Roll

KISS performs for the first time on national television in 1974. As guests on Dick Clark's IN CONCERT!

KISS made their second TV appearance on 3-29-1974, they where only asked for a performance, but than their manager ask them if one of the members would like to be interviewed, so before Gene knew it he was in the studio being interviewed by a amazed audience and guests...

Blog

Ray Davies is the Best Songwriter: "Days"