Musings of a Punk Rock Father

Treat Me Like a King - Los Ass-Draggers: Mostly obscene Spanish hardcore. Actually, since this record was on Crypt Records, I don't think I can really call it hardcore, but it's pretty close. The songs are all played very fast, and are very short.

The Sore Losers - Jack Taylor Experiment: From the soundtrack of a really lousy B-movie called "The Sore Losers." The movie starred members of the Oblivians, Guitar Wolf and the Makers. THe soundtrack is quite good, however, featuring a lot of really cool garage bands like all of the aforementioned.

Midnight (Acoustic)- Blindside: I think this came from the CD for the single "Pitiful" from their 3rd album, "Silence". I quite like the song, even in its acoustic form, but I always have troubles with the line "I've gotta take a leak." No, they're not talking about peeing; they're talking about your heart being so full and over-run with emotion that some of it is bound to leak out, if if you try to contain it.

Falling Away - Halo Friendlies: From their EP "Acid Wash". An all-girl punk band, and they are really quite good. Their first album leaned more toward pop-punk, but they are more mature in their song-writing than a lot of pop-punk bands.

For Once In My Life - Stevie Wonder: I don't even listen to Stevie Wonder, so I cannot comment on this song. It's here because Melanie likes him.

I Was A Modern Prometheus - Electric Frankenstein: Not really a song, it's the intro to their album "How to Make a Monster". It warns you that they are about to tell the story of Frankenstein, and has ominous sounding percussion in the background.

Past the Mission - Tori Amos: I cannot tell you why, but I like Tori Amos. I have tried to deny it, but since high school I've been drawn to her music. I found some Tori Amos discs in Melanie's collection and secretly rejoiced.

Rend It - Fugazi: Fugazi is simply one of the greatest bands of all time. I've only seen them once, and it was one of the greatest live shows I've ever attended. The band played in a roller rink in Chicago with fellow Dischord band the Make-Up and with Chicago's own Shellac. It was really cool because the show was put together by a guy I talked at shows who went by the moniker Bernie T. Fan. Actually, some friends of mine and I interviewed him along with John Mohr of Tar when Larry Damore of Pegboy blew us off. It turned into one of the greatest interviews of all time.

Ludwiggin - Flat Duo Jets: Just like the White Stripes, Flat Duo Jets are only a guitarist and a drummer. I'm not the biggest fan of this particular album, though.

Hard - The Dragons: A fantastic high-energy rock n' roll band with former members of the Zeros, known as the Mexican Ramones. I love this album, "R.L.F."

And since the Electric Frankenstein track isn't a real song, I added the following:

Whiskey and Women - The Clone Defects: I don't know anything about this band, but a friend of mine sent me their album "Blood On Jupiter," and it's a really great punk rock album. I tend to forget I have it, and when I put it on I get a pleasant surprise.