GREAT SONGS FROM 2007 - part 5 (UNDERGROUND GARAGE EDITION)

Although I do check out other music blogs, I don't discover too many bands that way. So many blogs seem to be about discovering stuff first, instead of discovering the best new stuff. Little Steven, on the other hand, tirelessly searches for the best new rock and roll music. I always read his Billboard column, I occasionally visit his (very 1995-looking) website, and I often listen to his channel on SIRIUS Satellite Radio. His enthusiasm for great, new rock and roll bands is inspiring. I doubt he makes too much money from his ventures - I really think he does it for the love. So, here's a list of great songs from 2007 that I probably (or definitely) wouldn't have heard if it wasn't for Little Steven.



Black Rebel Motorcycle Club: "Weapon Of Choice" and "Lein On Your Dreams" OK, I knew about BRMC before this year, probably from reading about them, but I don't know that I would have paid much attention to the fact that they have a new album if not for the Underground Garage.

The Black Lips: "Stranger" These guys got some amount of hype from the mainstream press, but I heard them first on the Garage (I think). Listening to this song again makes me want to pick up more of their stuff.

The Contrast: "Perfect Disguise" Great British band that put out a bunch of records on Rainbow Quartz Records before Little Steven signed them to Wicked Cool.

The Shake: "She's My Girl" and "Oh No" These guys rock like it's England in 1965. Needless to say, a good thing.

The Grip Weeds: "Salad Days" Cool New Jersey band, one of the guys in the band worked on The Smithereens' latest. Another former Rainbow Quartz band.

Hell On Heels: "I'll Come Running" one of my favorites of this whole bunch. The name makes them sound like goofy hair metal, but when you hear them, you get it.

The Launderettes: "What Would Joan Jett Do?" Who doesn't ask themselves that, from time to time? A great band from Norway who I want to hear more from.

The Morlocks: "Teenage Head" Sort of a psychedelic punk band, you could imagine them on the soundtrack to a (Rob) zombie flick.

The Breakers DK: "Dance The Go-Go" More bands should promote dancing.

The Red Button: "Cruel Girl" Classic power pop. I read that one of the guys from the band, Seth Swirsky, is a songwriter by trade, and that he penned "Tell It To My Heart" for Taylor Dayne. I'd love to know if that's true.

Cheeseburger: "Tiger" Good tune. I may not have heard this on the Underground Garage, but I think I did.

There's a bunch of other bands that I still need to wirte about, including The Charms, The Len Price 3, The Chesterfield Kings, KO & The Knockouts and The Woggles... all bands that I would never have heard if it wasn't for The Underground Garage. The point is, even for someone like me, who isn't impressed with too much recent music, there's still a lot of fun stuff out there to check out. Despite my tendency to listen to older bands, rock and roll isn't a museum, it's an ongoing thing, as many of these bands prove.