Song Of the Day: May 12, 2006
Human Sexual Response - Pound (Dance Version)
Don't Fall Off The Mountain Records 45, 1982
Personally, I tend to run hot and cold on Human Sexual Response, but they're one of my wife's absolute favorite bands. (One of her fonder concert memories is a show at the Paradise, our neighborhood rock club, where they gave away a dish drainer set from Woolworth's as a door prize.) Even as a fan of odd voices, I find Larry Bangor's affected, theatrical vocals kind of irritating on some of their songs, and I don't find the lyrics as transgressive as I think they were supposed to be, but then, it's been a quarter century and writing a song called "Buttfuck" maybe doesn't have quite the same zing these days. "Pound" is one of the several HSR tracks I really like, though, because it works up a good post-punk dance groove that showcases what a great drummer Malcolm Travis was. "Pound" is from their second album, 1982's In A Roman Mood, which for some reason has STILL never been reissued on CD, but this is an extended dance mix taken from the b-side of the UK single of "Andy Fell."
-Stewart Mason
7 Comments:
where do you stand on the Zulus then!?
I saw them a bunch of times. Great live band. I especially enjoyed the Paradise show where they all came out wearing specially modified Donny and Marie pajamas. Plus exta love for "Land of the Glass Pinecones".
Love "Never Again," find the rest of the Zulus album kinda boring. They arguably made better use of Rich Gilbert, though.
"Land of the Glass Pinecones" is my favorite HSR tune too. I posted "Pound" as a special request from Jon.
Andrew/Stewart/Charity, I assume they were quite popular in the Boston area, although they sure seemed to have their share of detractors. I seem to remember the reviews at the time being pretty polarized, largely due to the vocals.
Their records were frequently found in cut-out bins/used record stores for $1.99 throughout the 80s, at least here in the Midwest, but then again that was true of many, many PVC label titles (Bongos, Polyrock, etc.). I seem to remember the reviews at the time being pretty polarized, largely due to the vocals.
I checked at work today, and yes, we still have a handful of copies of In a Roman Mood on LP.
I saw Rich Gilbert playing in Steve Wynn's band in about '96. He looked like an adult Danny Partridge in tight pants, and his stage moves were the source of some derision but the guy is just a monster guitarist, doing all the feedback/noise things you'd associate with the Dream Syndicate and then some. I'd go see any band he was playing with.
Jon
Travis and Gilbert were also in Concussion Ensemble, an early-90s all-instrumental outfit with four drummers. One CD and a 45 on Bob Mould's SOL label. Just amazing stuff—hypnotic, pummeling, about as tribal as "rock" music gets.
Thanks so much. Brought back a ton of memories - I went to Tufts in the early 1980s. Loved them from the minute they played "Land of the Glass Pinecones" with beer bottles. Wish I could find anything by them on CD.
Is there anyone out there that could possibly do my a copy(cd-r would be swell) of In A Roman Mood?..I have a cassette of it,but it has grown well worn and warbly over the years.
I wouldn't mind hearing The Zulus again as they were a great club experience (lived in Boston from 81 until illness forced me to move in the early 90's)
LOVE this blog/site..I've been in the hospital the last month so I've a bit o'catching up to do..Great stufffff though and always an enjopable read
swaldfogle at aol dot com
if anyone can accomodate ..thanks
(don't wnat to seem a mooch and will happily try to do something in return)
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