"Kick Out The Jams, Burning Woodsters!" THE WEEKEND MIXES PARTS 5 & 6"

 

"We'll meet again, don't know where, don't know when!"

Okay rockers, these two ass-kickers conclude the rockin' project.

Thank you everyone for participating. I enjoyed every minute and loved (almost) every suggested song.

 

KOTJ Part 5

California Man- The Move
Jealous- Robert Palmer
Baby Won't Ya- MC 5
Saturday Night- John Waite
I'm An Adult Now- The Pursuit Of Happiness
In Love- The Datsuns
If I Can't Change Your Mind- Sugar
Little Doll- The Peppermint Kicks
Crystal Ball- Utopia
Precious- Pretenders
Powerman- The Kinks
Precision Auto- Superchunk
Harmony In My Head- Buzzcocks
Long Tall Sally- Barbara Greene
Don't Burst My Bubble- Small Faces
She's So Modern- Boomtown Rats
Perfect Day- The Saints
4th Of July- X
Monkey With A Gun- The Yayhoos
Reach Out I'll Be There- The Jaded Hearts Club
Devil With The Blue Dress- Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels
Johnny B. Goode- Chuck Berry
California Man- Cheap Trick

It's HERE

KOTJ Part 6

Jailbreak- Thin Lizzy
Toys In The Attic- Aerosmith 
Kickin' My Heart Around- The Black Crowes
Happy- The Rolling Stones
Let It Rock- Bob Seger
Lovers' Walk- Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Anywhere's Better Than Here- The Replacements
Seven & Seven Is- Love
Jail Guitar Doors- The Clash
Parole- Todd Rundgren
Love Is The Law- The Seahorses
Heaven & Hell- The Easybeats
It Came Out Of The Sky- Creedence Clearwater Revival
Open All Night- Bruce Springsteen
T.V. Set- Spoon
Red Hot- Robert Gordon
Slow- The Reverend Horton Heat
Ugly Truth Rock- Matthew Sweet
Adam- Native Sun
Sweet '69- Babes In Toyland
Breadfan- Budgie
Revolution- The Beatles

It's HERE

 

 

The Strawberry Alarm Clock Is Back! (No, Really.)

 

There is a new Strawberry Alarm Clock record out featuring almost all of the original members. This wasn't particularly exciting news for me. I don't recall liking the "Incense & Peppermints" album very much, and I'm pretty sure I'd remember anything else that followed if it was worth remembering. Then, I saw that the new album, titled "Where's One?" was an ungodly 59 minutes long. I pretty much decided I wasn't going to bother.

But then I bothered. And I am glad I did.

First, "Where's One?" needn't be 59 minutes long. Two unnecessary Beatles' covers and two silly songs that close the album equal 20 minutes of time that ruin an otherwise very solid psychedlic pop record. Once I made my own personal edit, "Where's One?" sounded ever better than the first two passes. And truth be told, I forgot to remove one of The Beatles' covers, "Within You, Without You," and it's better than I thought.

I've been told that the first two records by the Alarm Clock deserve more attention. It seems the band was unfairly pigeonholed thanks to their one hit. From the sound of the new record, I think it's time to go back and give those records a chance. 

Neither the songs nor production here sound dated, or what I imagine the band's original albums might have sounded like. "Where's One?" could sit beside any current power pop band and occasionally kick some asses, to boot. And while there are a few sprinkles of trippy novelty, "Where's One?" will not leave you fishing for hooks. This is a very welcome return.

 

 

 

 

Chills

The song starts around the 1:15 mark.

 

Dolly Parton, 1946-2026

 

Ah, shit.

Holy Crap! It's The Who Live From 1967

 

This is how it all went down.

I decided to listen to Pete Townshend's "Scoop," the 1983 collection of demos and oddities. The first song on Side One is an acoustic demo of "So Sad About Us," one of my all time Who faves. I checked the liner notes to be sure this was indeed a demo from 1966 and not something Pete recorded years later while noodling in the studio. Yes, it was from 1966. Pete also mentions in the notes that the song was recorded first by The Merseys, something I was not aware of.

So, I dial up The Merseys' version on YouTube and I wasn't impressed. But the first YouTube comment I see is this, "There is a version of this song live from The Beat Club where it is introduced as a song by The Merseys."

Okay. What? A live version of "So Sad About Us" from 1967? Talk about not getting memos.

And now that we are all caught up, behold The Who, live in 1967, on The Beat Club. 

A Blast From The Past

 

From 1971, please feast your ears on this explosive piece of soul from Clarence Lewis Jr, doing business for legendary New Orleans producer Wardell Quezergue as C.L. Blast, this is "What Can I Do," a song heretofore unknown to me, but one that became an immediate favorite.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. They just don't make records like this anymore.

(h/t Blake) 

Songs Of The Week, 2026: 8/15-8/21

 

Mesopotamia- The B-52's
So Good To Be Back Home Again- The Tourists
Lover, What D'ya Put Me Through- Mansion Harlots 
Ice Cream Song- The Dynamics
The Bright Mississippi- Allen Toussaint
Rains Came- Sir Douglas Quintet
Pincushion- ZZ Top 

 

Something for everyone, I think, including a power pop gem from a young Annie Lennox, followed by another pop gem from the one and done Mansion Harlots. (The entire Mansion Harlots record is worth your time.) 

The Dynamics into Allen Toussaint is an inspired one-two punch, if I do say so myself.

It's here, if you want it.