D
Benjamin
Horrendous website index
DAMNED
Had their moments. Saw them in Brighton at the
university, but they seemed more interested in starting a fight than playing.
Essential
"New Rose" and "Neat Neat Neat" singles.
MILES DAVIS
The man with the horn. Serious stuff. Listening to Miles can take you
to a higher level of awareness. His best stuff features magical improvisation
from his musicians. Miles coaxes and bullies then on with short phrases
or even a single note from his trumpet. Saw him at the I.O.W. festival
1970. Can't remember much about it, except that he was brilliant.
Essential
"Bitches Brew" and Live Evil" l.p.s
Miles Davis
DESPERATE BICYCLES
D.I.Y.punks whose message was "We made a record
for £153, so can you".
DEVO
Wacky American future - pop absurdists with short
hair.
Essential
"Jocko Homo", "Come Back Jonee" and "Satisfaction"
singles.
DR FEELGOOD
In their early years they were really exciting.. They kinda opened
the door for punk, in that they were the first band for ages to have short
hair, and play fast, short, adrenalin fueled 3 chord songs.
Saw them several times, always exciting. The best, and most surreal
time was very early in their career at the Paradiso Amsterdam. I was a
teenager, and there on a smoking holiday with my mate Dutt. As we were
walking down to join the queue to go in, my path was blocked by 3 black
guys. 2 of them stood either side of me, and the biggest one in front.
"You wanna buy?", he drawled. "Er , no thanks", I replied,
and went to move past. Dutt had disappeared. They closed round me , impeding
me. The big guy pulled out a knife, and began sharpening it on a lamppost.
"You SURE you don't wanna buy?", he asked menacingly. I made a sudden
lunge and managed to get past them , and walked quickly away. Luckily they
didn't follow.
Inside, the place was full of stoned hippies listening to the Grateful
Dead on the PA, and watching a psychedelic light show. The air was thick
with smoke, and everybody was lolling about. When the band came on, it
was so deliciously incongruous. They were all wearing suits for a start.
The Big Figure, inscrutable behind his shades. Lee Brilleaux, tense, coiled,
punching the air aggressively, and snarling out the lyrics, and Wilco with
his wild eyed stare and jerky movements. "Thank you very much, ladies and
gentlemen", Lee would say to the wasted, faded flower children between
songs. Then Wilco would start one of his intricate rhythmic guitar riffs
and they'd be off again.
Essential
The first 3 albums
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/dr_feelgood_info_service/feelgood.htm
DR JOHN
Aka the Night Tripper, aka Mac Rebbenack .
Did some extremely spooky, voodoo gumbo music early on. His later stuff
featured more of his wonderful New Orleans piano playing, which was fine
by me.
Saw him once in the spooky stage at the Dome Brighton. He was sprinkling
Goofer Dust around the stage, and wearing an elaborate feathered costume.
It was a great show. Another time was in Eastbourne, with the Chris Barber
Band. He did a solo set, then sat in with the band, and they played some
of his stuff. His walking stick was more like a branch.
Essential
"Gris Gris", "Sun Moon and Herbs", "Gumbo" "In the Right Place" l.p.s.
http://www.drjohn.com/search.html