TOMORROW ON OUTQ: GARAGE ROCK!

First off, to longtime readers and frequent visitors, sorry that I haven't been too prolific this month. Aside from the day job at SiriusXM, I've been taking classes at NYU. I have a lot of records and DVDs to review for you guys.  And by the way - as is usually the case - I buy them myself.  I don't write positive reviews because I got something for free - even when I do get it for free.  But these days, I get most of my music from iTunes or Amazon, just like you do.

OK, so tomorrow on The Morning Jolt with Larry Flick on SiriusXM OutQ, I return to a topic that I always love: garage rock!

First off is the new Foo Fighters album, Wasting Light, which was actually recorded in a garage, namely Dave Grohl's garage (which is probably nicer than most people's houses, but still).  I wrote about this last month, and having revisited the album today, I maintain that it is one of their best, and one of the best of the year so far.  I was discussing with someone how Dave Grohl is a guy who everyone loves, but you don't hear about Foo Fighters albums being listed as classics.  This one might be a classic (but I'd argue that the first one - really a Grohl solo project - and the second one, The Colour And The Shape, are excellent).

Another great garage rock band is The New York Dolls.  I wrote about their new album Dancing Backward In High Heels in my last post.  I came late to this band's party, but I would recommend their 1973 self titled debut to anyone. The three albums they've released since reuniting in 2004 are all really good. They couldn't have the impact of that first album, but they are good records. I maintain that the Dolls belong in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Frontman David Johansen was one of my favorite artists of the '00s, both because of the Dolls but also because of his great SiriusXM Radio show (yes I work there).

Also, the new album by The Strokes, which Larry gave me.  For some reason, they are just a band that I absolutely cannot get into. I remember reading all about them in the British magazine Q (I read about them there first, even though they are from New York), lots of hype.  When I heard them, I found them pretty boring. In 2004, I saw them "perform" at Little Steven's Underground Garage Rock Festival.  Maybe part of the problem was that they went on after The New York Dolls (playing NY for the first time in three decades) and before The Stooges.  They were so out of their league. I know people think their first record is a classic, but I just can't get into them. I don't "go negative" on No Expiration, but that is a band I just can't get with. But Larry and I will discuss some songs from their new album, Angles.

Other than that, this week I did the modern day equivalent of going to buy 45"s: picking garage rock songs out on iTunes. I have songs by: Spanking Charlene, a band that got signed to Little Steven's Wicked Cool Records after winning a contest. The Woggles (also on Wicked Cool) are a cool band - their singer, The Mighty Manfred, is a DJ on The Underground Garage. The Breakers from Denmark, have also recorded for Wicked Cool, I dig their new song, "The Jerry Lee Symptoms." Larry lent me some music by The Vaccines, they remind me a bit of The Smiths. And Dum Dum Girls are kind of big on the indie rock scene, and they actually cover The Smiths' "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out," but I also have one of their own songs, "He Gets Me High." People sometimes ask what the appeal of garage rock is: I don't know, I like the idea of a few people getting together with instruments and making short, great songs. I don't care if it isn't sonically innovative: sometimes it can make you feel good to be alive, and sometimes that's more important than anything else.

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.