Mike Watt: Ball-Hog or Tugboat (Columbia)

Kevin: on Big Train, Mike Watt sounds like Tom Waits, but he should smoke some more.
k: Eddie Vedder, J. Mascis, Dave Grohl...
Derek: these are all-star line-ups
d: frank black, joe baiza
k: what was he in?
d: he was in Saccharine Trust.
d: beastie boys, sonic youth guys, flea, bernie worrell
k: well, so far I'm unimpressed (with the song)
k: oh no, it's "against the 70's", this song is on 24 hours a day in Seattle. I can't stand it.

d: I don't know, I can't recall hearing it on the radio here (in San Fran). I can see it becoming annoying.
k: I think it's only on so much 'cause Vedder is singing on it. Eddie Vedder taking a shit would go to #1 in Seattle.
K: kira's not on here at all
d: maybe they're not married anymore, or they couldn't work together
k: they put out two albums together...
k: wow! they do maggot brain!
d: that was the only song I stood up to get the case for to figure out who was on it the first time I listened to it.
k: "drove up from pedro" kinda showcases Mike Watt on bass a bit, but it kinda sounds like Led Zeppelin or King Crimson.
d: I can see that.
k: Piss-Bottle Man sounds like something straight out of 70's pop
d: it's got those choruses. It's Evan Dando.
k: I hear DOS influences, but not really minutemen or fIREHOSE influences so far.
d: hmm... It's certainly not minuteman-ish, but I haven't heard the last couple fIREHOSE records. Intense Song for Madonna to Sing is somewhat sacharine trust-ish
d: There's 3/4 of sonic youth on Tuff Gnarl sounds like Daydream Nation kind of stuff.
k: definitely
d: I guess that this is sort of like buying a compilation.
k: every song does sound pretty different. Let's skip ahead to Maggot Brain.
k: cool. Any final comments?
d: let's listen to the Kathleen Hanna thing for a little while
k: This is a bassline from a DOS song. it is!
k: this kathleen Hanna thing is totally cool. Mike Watt is so nifty for including this. She slams him, but then she ends parodying herself, which is too bad.
d: I guess it makes you think why someone would want to create a record like this, that is, what kind of decisions you have to make (or not make).

Corduroy/The Meices split 7"

Volta Records (PO Box 460338, SF CA 94146)

Courduroy (94K WAV 10sec 8Bit 16000MHz)

Courduroy (184K AIFF 10sec 8Bit 16000MHz)

The Meices (162K WAV 11sec 8Bit 16000MHz)

The Meices (162K AIFF 11sec 8Bit 16000MHz)

k: before we begin, let me tell you that Corduroy is one of my favorite San Fran bands and if you say anything bad, I'll hit you.
d: there's an acid jazz band called Corduroy. I don't have their record, but they're supposed to sound more 70's than "modern jazz."
k: Just My Way is ok, not their best, not their worst... Live, they are really good
k: Volta is a pretty new label I guess. This is the third release.
k: so what do you think?
d: well, neither track seemed too distinctive, they're both sort of uh, guitar-noisy kind of stuff and some guy wailing.
k: yeah, this isn't blowing me away, like I was hoping. Nice breakdown on Sump 'n Good
d: that's what I was going to say. The end part is nice, it's more energetic

k: before we being, let me tell you that I don't feel one way or the other about the Meices.
k: I like this better than the corduroy side so far. Very driving.
d: it's got the big rock sound
[kevin and derek bob heads]
d: ah, the classic scream at the end
k: it's I Ran from Flock of Seagulls!
d: I didn't recognize it.
k: I didn't either at first and I knew it was. I always thought were more jazz-core-y. Maybe I was getting them confused with some other band. This is pretty straightahead punk rock.
d: yeah, itwas very straightahead punk rock.