Does anyone recall during the gulf war how the fighter pilots responsible for carpeting the designated target with so many bombs had actually chosen a particular theme song that they all favored and apparently would transmit to the cockpit of the bombers at some point during their mission for the pilots listening pleasure? I was kind of shocked by this little human interest segment on the news when I saw it because I thought the business of launching airborne death from above was a very precise and technically complex affair, one calling for a clear and heightened awareness of so many details like radio communication, reading gauges, maps, hitting the right targets, etc. You’d hardly think there was any time to spare for ones listening enjoyment, and if so maybe it would be the national anthem or The Ballad of The Green Berets or some similar patriotic morale builder or battle cry. Well, I cant remember what the particular song title was, my guess would be “High Enough,” but I can very distinctly recall the band who performed it and it was Damn Yankees, the, ahem, “supergroup” made up of Ted Nugent (the animal hunting bigot and rocker most likely to become Charlton Heston), Tommy Shaw formerly of Styx (think slow dances at your high school prom), Jack Blades of Nightranger and some drummer who currently tours with Lynrd Skynrd. I’d likely fly off course or even drop bombs on myself listening to that crap—in fact I’d rather hear bombs. I had to wonder what the pick hit of the Top Gun-ners is for this new war. Perhaps something by John Mayer or Norah Jones would be lovely, or perhaps a selection from “Chicago” for all those show-tune loving soldiers. Then again, Eminem might really fire them up too; his Oscar-winning song is pretty powerful anthemic stuff.
Here on the home front I’d like to point out a few new musical selections that have absolutely nothing to do with providing any soundtrack or theme song for dropping bombs, death by friendly fire or other spoils of war. Quite to the contrary, these bands and their recent releases are fine examples of everything about rock and roll music that is transformative and brilliant, music worthy of celebration, with enough modern angst-ridden swagger, indelible respect for tradition and skill, and a spirit
that reaches forward and grabs at the future like they know it belongs to them. The proof is in the product and these three releases breathe much life into the ever-changing terrain of Rock and Roll.
I went to the Eagle Tavern last Thursday to catch San Francisco’s very own rock and roll wunderkind, Dirty Power who were celebrating the release of their eponymous debut CD out on Dead Teenager records. Since I work with vocalist/guitarist Patrick Goodwin, I’ve been privileged with having a copy of this disc for several months now and it’s great to finally be able to tell you readers that it is indeed a kick-ass mother-fuckin’ heavy metal rock and roll celebration, and it’s actually available in a store near you. The same goes for the inquiring head-banging minds that ask me, “Who is this?” whenever I play them while deejay-ing, and there are many because what we’ve got here is one pretty extraordinarily powerful, well-constructed and fresh sounding group of songs that shamelessly nod to each and every influence that ever prompted anyone to thrust the their fist in the air, pinky and forefinger extended. That’s what is so cool about Dirty Power; you know beyond any doubt that these guys have a great knowledge of rock music and a distinct love for some of the more classic eras and icons of hard rock and screaming metal. Somehow this fact comes through in their music but not in a way that seems derivative, and they don’t really emulate any particular era in Rock history like many bands seem to be doing these days. The influences are there, the time references are too but these songs are as fresh and new and tough as all get out, complex arrangements that almost approach the noodle-y guitar wizardry of prog-rock but just in time make a quick return to the word assault, never letting you forget that guitars can sting, burn, rip, shred, crunch, blast, spray, explode and shatter, just like weapons. Now there’s a firing squad I’d gladly face anytime, one that makes you feel more alive! “His head wont stop moving, fire again!” Dirty Power evokes major head banging, both live and when I listen at home. There’s a little of everything on this record, the anthemic muscle of “Hey Superman,” the epic Sabbath meets Thin Lizzy arrangement of “Asthma Pimp,” and the full force manic intensity of “Drag You Down,” my favorite cut on the disc in which all band members seem to play so fast you fear meltdown, Patrick’s high pitch metal scream repeats “I’ll drag you down with me,” as it ascends towards the level of white noise and the band shuts it down with a sudden stop-on-the-dime close. It’s a scary, dark and awesome moment, and I thought twice before asking Patrick what inspired that song. End to end I cant spot a weak cut on this disc. This band is set and ready to rule. That night at the eagle they encored with my favorite Motorhead song, “I’ll Be Your Sister.” So bitchen.
Dirty Power was produced by Jack Endino of Sub Pop Records fame, a very gifted producer whose credits include Nirvana, Mudhoney, Soundgarden, Zen Guerrilla and about a million other great bands. He really did an amazing job, guitars all sharp and shiny and clean and discernable, hard throbbing rhythm section and the vocals are very up-front and unburied in the mix which is very smart because when Patrick Goodwin stepped out of Pansy Division and started this project I don’t think anyone had a clue that he possesses a tremendous screaming rock and roll voice to be reckoned with. It’s true, his voice stands up to and evokes a number great rock vocalists like Bon Scott, Rob Halford, Mudhoney’s Mark Arm and more. Endino was the ideal producer for Dirty Power really, and to quote him from his website, “A San Francisco band called Dirty Power came up and we made my favorite record of the year. Every time I play it for people in the studio they go “Wow… Who is that?” Three months later and I’m still humming their songs… They just slayed me. “Watch for ’em” is all I can say.” Go buy this record immediately, is all I can say, and look for more merch at shows or on their website http://www.dirtypower.net/. They have the coolest rock and roll t-shirt I’ve seen in ages.
The next great disc you need to rush out and buy is the fourth full-length release from The White Stripes, entitled Elephant. After just one listen I can tell that it’s a shoe in for the upper reaches of every best of 2003 list worldwide and easily could be the record of the year. They were such a simple and brilliant idea when they came onto the scene in 1999, you’d think that three albums later after achieving massive international popularity, touring with hardly any breaks save for a few months for Jack White to make his acting debut in a major motion picture about the civil war alongside Nicole Kidman and Jude Law, that success and fame and their rapid ascent to superstardom might have some adverse effect on their music. Not a chance. Elephant is amazing. The Detroit-based duo of Jack and Meg White have managed to keep their wide-eyed awe and respect for seminal American Blues music, and presenting it in an unusually passionate yet natural way, a way that if some of those legendary blues men like Leadbelly or Blind Willie Mctell were alive and the white stripes played for them they would probably find their musical legacy had fallen into the right hands, unusual that these hands would be so young and white but nonetheless, they’re doing the blues an uncanny justice. It kind of reminds me of the way that Led Zeppelin, four guys from various spots in the UK suddenly took the blues influence and ran with it and it seemed like they mastered the style like it was second nature or like they were channeling spirits or like Jimmy Page really did have some kind of pact with the devil because they didn’t just play it