Who was that masked man?

Growing up part of the TV generation, my attention span is such that it's hard to focus on any one thing for too long a period of time. Hell, I can barely get through one of these postings without being totally distracted and losing all interest.

Hence, my love and appreciation for the three minute pop song. Satisfying bite size chunks of music. Yummy.

But there is more. There is 'important' music. Music of substance and intellect that demands more of the listener. Some call it avant-garde while others call it experimental. What it usually is is interesting, obscure and often times terrible.

Although I do consider myself versed in a wide range of musical genres, I don't know a whole lot about the Residents, except what most non-Resident fans know. They are an anonymous, avante-garde group of musical and visual artists who have sustained a long career creating a wide variety of project, garnishing critical, if not commercial success.
Yeah, and?

After some online research (what other kind is there?), I was directed to their 1980 release 'Commercial Album' as an introduction to the band. What I discovered was a collection of abbreviated musical excursions that are both beautiful and perplexing. I'm not sure I get it yet. Maybe I'm not smart enough, too lazy or just not paying attention.

Since I'm not yet entirely decided on the Residents, it's hard to make an assessment as to whether I like them or not. When I think of avant-garde and experimental, I think Zappa. I get Zappa.

This is becoming a lot of work.

So lets switch gears to a more current, somewhat comparative band, one I happen to be currently digging, Liverpool's Clinic.

The quartet, started in 1997, has quietly hovered just under the mainstream of the American Alternative music scene, while amassing a substantial European following with a string of interesting and accessible albums.

More musically structured than the Residents, Clinic's sound is awash in swirling organs and driving tribal beats. I would go so far as to say their sound is akin to the post-punk, no-wave sound of the early 80's. (see: The Contortions, the Fall, The Birthday Party and Throbbing Gristle.)

If any further connection to the Residents can be made, it would be in the band's presentation. Not unlike the eyeball masked members of the Residents, Clinic maintains a certain anonymity behind the guise of surgical masks.

If I can pay attention long enough, I'm certain I will grow to appreciate the Residents as much as I already like Clinic.

Now lets go ride our bikes.

Kaw-Liga-The Residents (H.Williams)
Hamburger Lady-Throbbing Gristle
Free Not Free- Clinic
Walking With Thee-Clinic


The Residents- One Minute Movies


Clinic- Walking With Thee

MonkeyMix3

A fresh look at a familiar subject, seen from different perspectives.

Monkey Mix Tape Vol.1 No.3-Monkey Love

Heartbeat-Tahiti 80
F-cking Boyfriend-The Bird and the Bee
Think I'm In Love-Beck
Weird Fishes/Arpeggi-Radiohead
Everything Hits at Once-Spoon
One Evening-Feist
God Knows (You Gotta Give to Get)-El Perro del Mar
You're The One-Black Keys
Part One-Band of Horses
I Am Trying To Break Your Heart-Wilco
Can't Ever Sleep-Saturdays Look Good To Me
Left Behind-Aqualung
If Looks Could Kill-Camera Obscura
Where Did The Good Times Go-Dick & Dee Dee
Like U Crazy-Mates of State
Bookshop Casanova-The Clientele
The Dark Of The MatinÈe-Franz Ferdinand
The Rat-The Walkmen
Lately-The Helio Sequence
Baker-Ivy

link

Spoon- Everything Hits At Once

The Cruelest Month

Just heard Gordon Lightfoot's 'The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald' on the radio while driving from my brothers house in Pennsylvania the other day. Haven't heard that one in long time. Great song. One of those epics that draw you in. Not unlike Don McLean's 'American Pie', but not half as sentimental, or overplayed.

You might know the tale. On November 10th, 1975, an iron ore freighter went down in a nasty storm on Lake Superior. 29 men perished. How the boat sank still seems to be a bit of a mystery.

What resulted was a Newsweek article which provided the inspiration for the heroic ballad. With 14 verses and no chorus, it stretched over six minutes, not your typical Top 40 song. Nonetheless, it reached #2 for Lightfoot in November 1976, exactly one year after the tragedy.

So 33 years later, Actual Monkey takes a moment to honor those 29 who still reside 'In the ruins of her ice water mansion', as well as one of Canada's best living singer/songwriters.

The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald (original)
The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald (Dandy Warhols cover)
Line by line explanation of the lyrics

Gordon Lightfoot- The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald- 1979 Soundstage


The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald- edited by Joseph Fulton

Turn and face the strain

Life on Mars?

It's a God awful small affair
To the girl with the mousey hair
But her mummy is yelling, "No!"
And her daddy has told her to go
But her friend is no where to be seen
Now she walks through her sunken dream
To the seats with the clearest view
And she's hooked to the silver screen
But the film is a sadd'ning bore
For she's lived it ten times or more
She could spit in the eyes of fools
As they ask her to focus on

Sailors
Fighting in the dance hall
Oh man!
Look at those cavemen go
It's the freakiest show
Take a look at the lawman
Beating up the wrong guy
Oh man!
Wonder if he'll ever know
He's in the best selling show
Is there life on Mars?

It's on America's tortured brow
That Mickey Mouse has grown up a cow
Now the workers have struck for fame
'Cause Lenin's on sale again
See the mice in their million hordes
From Ibiza to the Norfolk Broads
Rule Britannia is out of bounds
To my mother, my dog, and clowns
But the film is a sadd'ning bore
'Cause I wrote it ten times or more
It's about to be writ again
As I ask you to focus on

Sailors
Fighting in the dance hall
Oh man!
Look at those cavemen go
It's the freakiest show
Take a look at the lawman
Beating up the wrong guy
Oh man!
Wonder if he'll ever know
He's in the best selling show
Is there life on Mars?

MonkeyMix2

I made number two.

Monkey Mix Tape Vol.1 No.2

Merrymaking At My Place- Calvin Harris
And I Was A Boy From School- Hot Chip
It Never Entered My Mind- The Embassy
Nantes- Beirut
Life On Mars- Sue Jorge
Otis- The Durutti Column
Via Chicago- Wilco
Perfect Circle- REM
Fallen Snow- Au Revoir Simone
Tin Man- America
Queen Bitch- David Bowie

Get out the vote. Kick out the Jams.

No matter what your party affiliation. Enough already. Blue. Red. Whatever. I say get out the vote and kick out the jams. To that end, Actual Monkey presents the first Monkey Mix Tape. Like mix tapes back in the day, it's features a seamless collection of songs loosely threaded by a common theme. I thought it fitting to use Election Day.

And remember if you're still undecided, vote along Monkey Party lines. I'm just sayin'.

Monkey Mix Tape Vol. 1 No. 1
Tear the whole thing down- The Higsons
Transmission- Joy Division
Careering- Public Image Ltd.
What more can I say- DJ Dangermouse (Jay-Z/Beatles)
In the meantime- Spacehog
One of these things first- Nick Drake
The funeral- Band of Horses
Light & Day/Reach for the sun- The Polyphonic Spree

Saints and Singles

The red-headed stepchild of Halloween is the rarely celebrated and all but ignored All Saints Day. But we here at Actual Monkey want to change all that. It is time to repent, see the wrong of our ways, and say "Devil, get behind me."

All Saints Day follows All Hallows Eve (Halloween) on the Christian calendar, and celebrates the select few, known and unknown, who have achieved beatific vision in Heaven. It always falls on November first. Also known as Samhain, this three day event is one of several Pagan holidays that have been adopted into the Christian calendar over the centuries.

In acknowledgment of this lesser known but equally important holiday, I present a collection of saint-themed songs, from the known to the not so known.

The first is one of the most recognizable songs in the history of popular music, especially in regards to the genres of Jazz and Inspirational. It is the toe-tapping, hand waving, Sunday go to meetin' opus, 'When the Saints Go Marching In'.

This Dixieland classic has seen innumerable recordings, featuring countless renditions and dozens of arrangements. First and foremost though, it is the signature song of Satchmo. No one can say where it came from, but Louie Armstrong owns it. Everyone else just borrowin' it.

The lyrics are directly attributed to Revelations. Filled with doom and gloom, they possess the hope that we too, can be in that number when the saints go marching into heaven.

A tough act to follow, but the good Lord will give us strength.

On an all together different, and equally mystic vibe we have The Dead with their signature song, 'St. Stephen'. I think he was the patron saint of flashbacks. Not much to say about this classic, except it is still an amazing anthem from a band and a time that now seems like a million trips away.

Before this all gets too heavy, We have a proper helping of fluff, beginning with the Indie dance trio Saint Etienne. Named after the French futbol team, these kids had a few minor hits during the whole 'madchester' movement back in the early 90's. Best known for their catchy cover of the Neil Young classic 'Only Love Can Break Your Heart', they also scored with 'Nothing Can Stop Us Now'.

Last but certainly not least, we have St. Elmo, who I believe is the patron saint of Brat Packers. 'St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion)', John Parr's hit from the 1985 coming-of-age classic of the same name, was not nearly as famous as 'When the Saints', but equally uplifting, albeit in an archetypical 80's, self-absorbed sorta way. Was I the only one who despised Rob Lowe? Can I get a witness?

I'm just sayin'.

When The Saints Go Marching In
St. Stephen
St. Elmo's Fire
Only Love Can Break Your Heart
Nothing Can Stop Us Now
I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine
Something Good

Louis Armstrong- When the Saints Go Marching In


Grateful Dead- St.Stephen (Playboy After Dark 1969)


Saint Etienne- Only Love Can Break Your Heart (1991)


Saint Etienne- Nothing Can Stop Us Now (2006 Bestival, Isle of Wight)


John Parr-St.Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion) 1985



Bonus Beatification:

Bob Dylan with Joan Baez- I Dreamed I saw St. Augustine (Unreleased Hard Rain Show 1976)


Utah Saints- Something Good

Ghouls Night Out

Next to the Jersey Devil, and possibly Bon Jovi, the scariest thing to ever emerge from the depths of the Garden State are the Misfits. Formed in 1977 by high school buddies in Lodi, the Mistfits would become the biggest Horror Punk act ever. Combining thrashing, three chord punk with schlock-horror lyrics and sing-along style choruses, their music has forever ranked these Jersey boys in the upper echelon of Punk Rock.

I can remember the first time I dyed my hair with Clairol Nice-n-Easy blue-black and styled my own devilock. A certified member of the 'fiend' club, the Misfits were, and still are, one of my favorite bands.

Having a fractured career spanning over 30 years, the band, in it's different incarnations, has spent more time in the courtroom than O.J., yet still manage to satiate their fans with incredible live shows.

Aside from the Misfits, no Halloween post would be complete without a few of the old standbys. First we have the original Monster of Rock, Bobby 'Boris' Pickett performing 1962's novelty hit, the 'Monster Mash' backed by the infamous Crypt-Kicker Five. In this ghoulish classic, Mr. Pickett poses the question 'Whatever happened to my Transylvania twist? I Googled it and unfortunately there are no easy answers.

Next up there's 'Werewolves of London', the perennial AOR FM staple from the late rock genius Warron Zevon. Seems like classic rock radio has never been able to let go of this one, yet never delved any further into the tremendous musical legacy he left us. Pretty scary, but typical.

I've also included a personal favorite from the quintessential hippie/flower child, Donovan. 'Season of the Witch', originally released on his smash 'Sunshine Superman' LP in 1966, was later the inspiration and title for horror director George A. Romero's 1971 low budget flick about a suburban witch. What's scary here is just how unscary a horror movie can be.

What follows is the penultimate music video by the King of Pop. Michael Jackson's still thrilling 'Thriller' from 1983's album of the same name. As it turns out, his real life is far more frightening that any video.

What may be the most horrifying, yet amazing clip comes from the inmates at the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center in the Philippines. Check out over 1500 inmates in lock-step, flawlessly performing the dance sequence from Thriller. Did I miss a memo? What happened to cons making license plates?

I'm just sayin'.

Ghouls Night Out
Horror Business
Halloween

Monster Mash

Werewolves of London

Season of the Witch


Bobby Pickett- The Monster Mash (1973)


The Misfits- The Monster Mash (1999)


Original WPIX 'Chiller' Opening

Warron Zevon- Werewolves of London (1978)


Donovan- Season of the Witch (1966)


Michael Jackson- Thriller (1983)

Thriller lyrics - Michael Jackson lyrics

eight: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">Thriller Video - html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Michael Jackson Music Videos

Music Videos by VideoCure

CPDRC inmates- Thriller (2007)

One Sick Monkey

Nursing a nasty head cold.
Back soon.
Until then, some appropriate tunes.

Company In My Back

I'm Only Sleeping

Feeling Gravity's Pull

Whistle Down The Wind

The Beatles- I'm Only Sleeping

Same Chimp, New Bananas

Last week I was discussing the frenetic and indiscriminate nature of Actual Monkey with a regular visitor, (Yes, they exist). They commented that my musical tastes were so diverse, they were borderline schizophrenic.

Nonsense, we exclaimed.

To quiet the voices in and out of my head, I've decided to add a few new features to AM. The first is Audient Monkey. Every so often I will highlight my five favorite songs from one of the countless artists I rely on to get me through the day.

The second is the Monkey Mix Tape. In this day and age of the click and drag playlist, the art of threading a narrative through song has somehow been lost, I will rectify this.

The goal, if there is one, is to provide some semblance to the strands that comprise my musical DNA. That and the ability to haphazardly throw one up and be done with it.

I'm just sayin'.

To get this party started, here are my top 5 favorite Talking Heads songs, in no particular order. I am prompted to start with the Heads, after repeatedly hearing 'Once In A Lifetime' in the trailer for the new Oliver Stone biopic 'W.' In hindsight, they could have just used the following.

P.S. What happened to David Byrne? Guess he believed his own hype. A shame really.


Audient Monkey Vol. 1 No.1- Talking Heads

Crosseyed & Painless
I Zimbra
Burning Down The House
Once In A Lifetime
This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)

Ambrosia? Sounds Delicious!

A staple of the Lite FM diet and personal guilty pleasure of mine, this marshmallow-soft rock quartet perfected the recipe for the sappy love song:

Mix one part sentimental schmaltz with a dash of falsetto harmonizing, let simmer.

Fold a generous helping of feel-good electric piano into two cups of easy listening groove.

Whip ingredients into a fluffy froth. Add saxaphone to taste and serve.

The result: the most saccharine sweet treat you'll ever hear. They don;t call it food of the gods for nothing.

I'm just sayin'.

You're The Biggest part Of Me

How Much I Feel

Ambrosia- You're The Biggest Part Of Me

Cansei de Ser Sexy - Translation: Lucky Break

CSS, abbreviated from Cansei de Ser Sexy, is the Brazilian Electroclash troupe that enjoyed explosive overnight global success just weeks after the spot broke in 2007, propelling the song to a level of international recognition not seen (or heard) since Los Del Rios scored with the hip-gyrating, wedding-reception staple, the Macarena.

The iPod Touch ad has been viewed over 112 million times, subsequently pushing 'Music Is My Hot Sex' right up the charts. It reached #63 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it the highest charting song ever for a South American act.

But who are these guys and gals? The name of this San Paulo band, formed in 2003, translates literally from 'tired of being sexy', a quote from R&B diva Beyonce. Not unlike their nomenclature, the band is steeped in pop culture references. Driven by infectious beats, their music is unpretentious and fun. A killer live act, their innocent, juvenile approach translates well onstage. They also sing in both English and Portuguese. Bonus.

Fortunately, CSS isn't another international fluke (read; Bay City Rollers). They haven't fallen prey to the sophomore slump and their latest release 'Donkey' is filled with the acerbic wit, frivolous lyrics and shake-your-booty groove that has become the band's trademark.

With so many 'important' bands around, it's refreshing to hear some good old mindless pop. Reminds me a lot of the stuff I listened to in the 80's.

I'm just sayin'.

Lets Make Love And Listen To Death From Above
Alala
Rat Is Dead
Bay City Rollers- Saturday Night

iPod Touch Ad (Original Nick Haley)

CSS- Lets Make Love And Listen To Death From Above

CSS- Alala

Bay City Rollers- Saturday Night