Cerebros Exprimidos (as Squeezed Brains) - Another Day (Sympathy for the Record Industry, 1990)

Sqeezed Brains was the war name of our beloved Cerebros Exprimidos beyond the Spanish borders. Another Day was a three-song EP released by Sympathy for the Record Industry (nicknamed as "Simpatía por la Industria Discográfica", in Spanish) in 1990, the very year the band from Mallorca started their relationship with Munster Records releasing Más suicidios. The side A is for "Another Day", a punk rock blast with the band's name stamped on it, is sang in English, which only happened in their overseas releases —like Kill the Pope was going to be, but finally wouldn't. The side B is quite cinematographic, with "Gritos en la noche", the Spanish tittle of the first Jess Franco's movie, and the instro "Heater O'Rourke's Nightmare", dedicated to Poltergeist's child actress. And it's curious that the O'Rourke's sister Tammy acted in Pennies from Heaven, and the F.U.'s had a song of the same title which Squeezed Brains covered in Bonzomanía (1991). The loose ends close themselves!

The Left Banke - Walk away Renee b/w I Haven't Got The Nerve (Smash, 1966)

If you read my old blog, you'll probably remember the awesome records the Misterioso Sr. X shared with us. Now he has his own blog, the highly recommended El chico pasa y pilla, which was a direct inspiration for this new blog, by the way. And to contribute to this new project, he has sent us a psychedelic pop gem. The Left Banke's "Walk away Renee" b/w "I Haven't Got the Nerve" (1966) has all what is wanted in a pop nugget: great vocal harmonies, catchy organ lines, and baroque string arrangements.

Guilt Party - Bassement Church (Bummer Tapes, 2012)

If you remember the Bullshit Compilation I posted a few months ago in the old Down 'n' Roll, you'll probably recall Guilt Party. These guys, along with Secret Prostitutes, were the best of the 7", in my opinion. And to say "were", in past tense, is talking properly, 'cause after two demos these hardcore rats disbanded. Bassement Church (2012) was the first of them, a 4-song tape that will make you feel in the right mood to put your cap on, take your skateboard table, and go to the ramp while listening to Concentration Summer Camps, Minor Threat or the first Suicidal Tendencies' in your old Walkman.

Desechables - Buen ser-vicio (1985) (Munster Records reissue, 2002)

They were called the Spanish Cramps, but they did succeed first nor in Spain, but on the other side of the border: in France, after they played at Rock de Lyon in 1983. Definitively, the Barcelona-based band Desechables wasn't the typical Spanish band. After their first 7", the guitar player Miguel died trying to hold up a jewelry store carrying a fake gun. Bad luck; the owner had a real one. Desechables disbanded, but the success of Golpe tras Golpe (1984) —a kind of posthumous LP made of live recordings— encouraged the band mates to look for a new axeman. The good feelings with, nor just one, but two new guitar players led the band to record their second album in concert, again, during a show at Rock-Ola —a mythical concert place located in Madrid. Buen ser-vicio (1985) was born, with a killer cover, by the way: a photo of Tere Desechable herself, who by then was eighteen years old, in a lustful pose serving us her own tits on a plate. The sound of the record is not the best in the world (hey, this is Spain in the early eighties), but we don't want a clearly, vivid sound. This is Cramps-like shit, and what we want is dirty and raw sound.

Otis Redding - Hard to Handle b/w Amen (ATCO, 1968)

I have to admit it, "Hard to Handle" is a song the Black Crowes taught me. It's not unusual that the first cover I listen, that'll be my favorite. But sometimes... it's just not in that way. Dear friends and subscribers, Otis Redding was the man. Crap, he IS still the man. Originals or covers, it doesn't matter, this man appropriated every song he put his hands on. Listen to his "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" cover and dare to say me no —by the way, when the cover came up there were a lot of jokes about who was covering who, and we are talkin' about the fuckin' Stones in their most glorious era! So, screw the Crowes, guys, this is the real material! This one was one of the multiple posthumous recordings that appeared after Redding's death in 1967. "Hard to Handle" b/w "Amen" was released in June 1968 and reached the #51 in pop US charts. Don't forget to listen "Amen" too; if you think that sacred music is boring, just look what a real good performer could do with it. Awesome.

Thee Spivs - It's True b/w Taped up (Almost Ready Records, 2011)

You fall in love with someone, with something. You know, that sometimes happened, and as the Who sang, "you can't explain". You just let it be. Why this particular song, why this very band, why this specific record? Who cares? The thing is that you just love it. And that's how I felt in love with Thee Spivs. Since the first time I listened one of their songs. It was "I Don't Wanna It", and thank to Goddess the day my mate Critical + posted it in his Rock 'n' Roll Saved My Soul. Since then, I became a fan. The "It's True" b/w "Taped up" 7" (2011) contains another two catchy, terrific songs to add to their own list of catchy and terrific songs. Their mixture of punk '77, new wave, power pop and ramonesque sound is not new. Not even original. But they're fuckin' good. Why they? I just... can't explain. Let's enjoy; the new three-chord wonders are here!

Paul Revere & the Raiders feat. Mark Lindsay - Just Like Me b/w Kicks (Columbia, undated)

You guys probably know who are Paul Revere & The Raiders, not in vain they were one of the most successful American garage bands in the mid sixties. It's a pity that their joke costumes and appearances at Dick Clark's Where the Action It's could erode their wildness and rawness. Ok, they weren't the Troggs nor the Sonics, but give 'em a little respect: this band was in the place when the Animals collides with  the Kinks —in fact, the former band rejected "Kicks", and then the song was offered to the Raiders. The both "Just like Me" (November 1965) and "Kicks" (February 1966) hit the US pop charts, reaching #11 and #4, respectively. This 7" is one of those Columbia double A-side reissues that includes two hits by the price of one —by the way, I couldn't date the record, if somebody knows the release date, please talk!

Solomon Burke - Maggie's Farm b/w Tonight's the Night (Atlantic, 1965)

When I start bothering my wife about what Bob Dylan did, what Bob Dylan means... —you know the kind of crap I'm talking about—, she always cut the conversation with this conclusive assertion: "I always like more the covers other musicians do than his originals". Crap, folks, that kind of categorical shit always drive me crazy! I do love Dylan! But regarding the cover I'm presenting you today, I just can say yeah. Because the Solomon Burke's cover of "Maggie's Farm" blew my mind the same instant those horns star blowin'. Back in 1965 Dylan was turning over the electrical sound that would make him a living legend. And "Maggie's Farm" was the first single that came out from Bringing It All Back Home, so, it was kinda the song which started all! And this very same year, the Reverend Burke came out with this catchy cover that will made you jump from your coach and start dancing in front of your stereo. And if you just wanna chill out and start wooing your couple, friend, pet or whatever, turn over onto "Tonight's the Night" and light some candles. It'll work, that's guaranteed.

Black Lips - Party at Rob's House (Rob's House Records, 2006)

Before they signed with the super-terrific-cool-Vice Records label and started to succeed, Black Lips had left us the 7" vinyl Party at Rob's House EP (2.006). One more for the count of live records we can found along the band's discography —their first release on Vice was precisely a live record: Los valientes del mundo nuevo (2.007). The sound is noisy, fuzzy and scrappy, and that's one of the main reasons I love them. It is remarkable that Party at Rob's House contains the first recorded version of their future hit "Oh Katrina!", plus a crazy cover of Link Wray's "Five & Ten" and "Sea of Blasphemy", hit that opened their third (and best) record: Let It Bloom (2.005).

Siouxsie and the Banshees - Mittageisen b/w Love in a Void (Polydor, 1979)

Founded by Susan Janet Ballion (a.k.a. Siouxsie Sioux) and Steven John Bailey (alias Steven Severin, in homage to "Venus in Furs" by you-know-who), Siouxsie and the Banshees has been one of the most important post-punk/pre-Goth rock bands. They started in the middle of the English punk rock scene (vg. they first drummer was Sid Vicious) but they quickly evolved towards these dark sounds that influenced the future generations of the Goth rock bands (vg. Robert Smith was one of the band's guitarist). "Mittageisen" b/w "Love in a Void" (1.979) is they fourth single, and contains two non-LP tracks. The front cover is the John Heartfield's photo-collage Hurrah, die Butter ist Alle! ("Hurray, no more butter is left!"), which shows a family at a diner table eating metal pieces, an acerbic turnaround of the words of Luftwaffe Major and later Nazi Minister Hermann Göring: "Iron has always made a nation strong, butter and lard have only made the people fat". Turning back to the Banshees, "Mittageisen" is the German version of "Metal Postcard (Mittageisen)", included in the band's first LP The Scream (1.978). The song is an ominous post-punk theme, driven by the martial rhythm and the fine bass line of Mr. Severin. "Love in a Void" is a little more punk rock-esque with its noteworthy bass line (again) and the kickin'-ass guitars.

Siniestro Total - Sexo chungo b/w Me pica un huevo (1983) (Munster Records reissue, 2004)

Julián Hernández and Miguel Costas, members of the Spanish punk band Siniestro Total, composed "Me pica un huevo" ("My ball itches") and "Sexo chungo" ("Bizarre Genitals") after TVE —the Spanish public TV— had invited the band to perform at the music program Caja de ritmos two new and unreleased songs. But the fate was quite different. After the band could appear at the program, it was canceled due to the performing of Vulpess' "Me guta ser una zorra" ("I like being a bitch"). That was a national scandal, and Manolo Tena, the show's director, resigned. So the band never played at the show but fortunately they recorded the new songs and "Sexo chungo" b/w "Me pica un huevo" was released as a 7" in 1983. It was also the last record with German Coppini on vocals. No doubt, this is one of the most jocund 7" in the history of Spanish punk: the lyrics, the parody of London Calling's cover, the "Double B side" printed on the cover... hilarious. Originally released by D.R.O., the single was reissued in white vinyl by Munster Records as a facsimile: gatefold sleeve and a complementary poster.

Psychosurgeons - Horizontal Action b/w Wild Weekend (1978) (Crypt Records reissue, 2012)

Let's start this Club well. The Psycho-Surgeons or just Psychosurgeons were a seminal band of the Australian punk'n'roll scene. They were Radio Birmand's partners in crime, and as a lot of legendary bands their musical legacy were quite little, as little as one 7". "Horizontal Action" b/w "Wild Weekend" was released by the local label Wallaby Beat. Two punk rock kicks influenced by Stooges, of course, but also by the weird punk of NY. I can even taste a subtle flavor of power pop. The mates of Crypt Records reissued this fuckin' milestone last year, with an entirely new artwork and meaty liner notes. Now you have no excuse to not know them.