Deep Cuts: Experimental

Death In Vegas, a psychedelic/electronic duo based in the U.K., are a group that broke right before the Millennium in the US. Their success came in the middle of a mostly tired electronic scene that was busy making hyper elevator music and gleefully worshiping acts like Moby. Like disco in the 1970's it was mostly the drugs driving the scene and not the music itself.

Enter Death In Vegas and their album, Dead Elvis. The record went the opposite direction of the scene, never neglecting substance over style and channeled a darker, more raw version of American pop culture. For example, lead single from 1997's Dead Elvis titled "Dirt" samples from the MC at the Woodstock addressing the crowd, as well as "The "Fish" Cheer / I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die Rag," by Country Joe & the Fish.

The band is still actively touring the world, fostering new bands like Dark Horses and has 5 original albums and 2 "Best of" to their credit to date.

Death In Vegas - Dirt

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References:

• Wikipedia, Dead Elvis
• Death In Vegas, Official Site

Deep Cuts: Punk Rock

A Happy Christmas to you happy campers with something real special for this fine Christmas season - The Clash's fourth studio album, Sandinista originally released in 1980. The album was named after a grass-roots revolutionary party formed in Nicaragua that eventually became the ruling government after many years of struggle. The album was released while the Sandinista were actively fighting in the hills for power against the remnants of the previous regime.

The 36 song collection was re-released in 1990 as contemporary bands that The Clash toured with in the 70's and 80's had begun fading away due to bitter in-fighting and sheer exhaustion. By 1990, The Ramones had played nearly 2,000 shows and the lead singer for DK, Jello Biafra, was being sued by his own band for a quarter of million dollars plus legal expenses.

This three-disc collection collects some of the best and most over-looked anthems inspired by Combat Rock and London Calling including: Career Opportunities, Silicone On Sapphire and The Police On My Back, a searing political song originally by punk-reggae outfit The Equals in 1965.

The Clash - Police On My Back

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Deep Cuts: Punk Rock

The Clash were definitive of rock's evolution away from trippy, folkie, hippie jam bands that dominated 1970's rock culture. Instead of cheap moccasins or blue suede shoes they rocked the scuffed combat boots and sung about survival in the DMZ of urban England. Turns out, a lot of kids could relate.

London Calling laid out ignored social troubles, a sense of being a helpless individual caught in the rusty gears of society, dirty politics and living in the middle of drug epidemics. Joel Strummer, the driving force behind the group, reacted by forging real anthems against any and all of these urban obstacles.

For a great many people - this was the story of their lives. The Clash's landmark London Calling album from 1977 turned these untold stories of struggle against local and international corruption (The Guns Of Brixton, Death Or Glory) over sometimes overly glossy production techniques but always with raw emotion. Songs like Lost In The Supermarket are fun and witty while also looking at widespread, crass commercialism or modern consumerism as societal means to temporarily satisfy deeper human needs.

The Clash - Death or Glory

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