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  • … showboating with vocal friends: High tide with the Bad Job Boys!

    … showboating with vocal friends: High tide with the Bad Job Boys!

    The Hamburg lot tends to dig regular fixtures. Be it the Razors with their year end “Burn Down The Baum” at the Knust, be it the Punk Rock Hamburg Fest at the beginning of the year … and now it looks like the Bad Job Boys giving the lot another annual event: The October Showboating on the MS Hedi.

    Last year they set sail early in October and gained plenty of critical acclaim, most likely also for the idea to not enlist a support band but have friends from other bands jumping in and sing with them.

    This year was 2nd verse, same as the first: A first trip on the Hedi with only their songs, followed by booze replenishment and a 2nd trip with a mixture of own and covered songs, up to and including guest singer choices.

    Rounds One thus gave the lot the following set:

    Bad Job Boys – Setlist (M/S Hedi, Hamburg, 23.10.2024 (c) gehkacken.de 2024)

    Different songs compared to last year and also slightly different in presentation: Much more together, much more coming through that they have made steps forward on the mu-sick-al front. And this includes new songs too, though sometimes the songs seem a wee bit too long, a wee bit too much extra bridge/verse etc. thrown in.

    Bad Job Boys (M/S Hedi, Hamburg, 23.10.2024 (c) gehkacken.de 2024)

    But that complaint comes from an ignorant who likes it hard & fast and below the 2:00 minute mark by definition, so do not trust my judgement necessarily.

    Bad Job Boys (M/S Hedi, Hamburg, 23.10.2024 (c) gehkacken.de 2024)

    Round Two, just like last year, was looking to be the fun one, upon gazing onto the setlist i was already thinking about who would join and what song he/she would be taking – some obvious choices, others not so obvious.

    Bad Job Boys – Setlist (M/S Hedi, Hamburg, 23.10.2024 (c) gehkacken.de 2024)

    Babro from Demolition Girls made the first stance jumping in for Faye Fife with an all-time favorite sing-a-long and a song that lends itself perfectly to a male-female back/forth singing.

    And the use of sunglasses after dark.

    Watch the skies above the horizon
    For the spies who have no flies on
    When they appear through the stratosphere
    Better lock yourself inside

    Flying Saucer Attack
    I'm never coming back
    Oh, oh oh
    Until it's over

    And here is that Scottish beauty back in 1978 on TV:

    Perfect start into even more fun to come.

    And this time round they fast forwarded into the mid-80s, covering Dag Nasty and giving the lot another all-time favorite sing-a-long that the audience was able to get into, single-handedly.

    And making perfect use of Arne (of Nasser Hund, C³I and Perfect Cousins fame).

    Twelve ounces of courage
    Makes the world look better
    You love the attention
    You never had it
    You never had it before

    Under your influence, right goes wrong
    Under your influence, crossed my mind
    Under your influence, right goes wrong
    Under your influence, you crossed my mind for the last time

    Dag Nasty, in the almost brief period with Dave Smalley, did it like this:

    Boy, that was a fun one indeed! And a stark reminder that once i have my DeLorean fixed up D.C. in 1986 is worth a visit.

    Not all invited to sing with the boys could make it: Sabine from Bullshit Boy was off sick, Diggen from Slime had conflicting commitments. But Yannik from The Haermorrhoids, who also does sound on the Hedi, jumped into and did a short & fast song with them.

    Bad Job Boys (M/S Hedi, Hamburg, 23.10.2024 (c) gehkacken.de 2024)

    For the final Mike, old Buttocks pale of Stéphane, joined in. And surprised us big time not only with his outfit (a cool The Unknowns shirt scored just the other week at the Komet) but also with his choice of a one-hit-wonder:

    1, 2, 3, 4!

    I don't read sounds or NME
    I know what I like, it's good enough for me
    You say you just wanna be free
    I say bullshit anarchy

    It could be me, it could be me
    It could be me, it could be me
    It could be me, it could be me, it could be me, it could be me, it could be me

    The Killjoys, sporting soon to be Midnight Runner Kevin Rowland in his 2nd attempt to get famous. I’ll fated, but leaving behind a great single on Raw Records.

    And just another all-time favorite sing-a-long of the lot. Here it is in a staged setup (remember, 2nd attempt for fame):

    Sure thing Mike topped it up with another class redemption of the Buttocks classic Kill The Pigs, much to the liking of the audience – who was close, upfront and dancing along.

    Perfect Showboating trip again, though the contrast between the two sets almost was too big. But the open question from last year (“How the heck will the Bad Job Boys ever top this night?“) was answered with ease: By just doing it again, slightly different.

    Well done Bad Job Boys, you pushed the mark to high tide – next year you will need to flood!

    PS: Big hugs to Frosch for the videos! Enjoy the Spanish sun!

    PPS: Thanks for all those checking back with me re. my loved ones – they are out of hospital but it is still a struggle. Hopefully uphill.

    Next show for the Bad Job Boys is on 16th of November over in sunny Osnabrück at the Trash:

  • … surprised down in the cellar: 4×4 and The Unknowns!

    … surprised down in the cellar: 4×4 and The Unknowns!

    Still suffering from the sadness of having loved ones in Hospital i choose again to get my head blown free, this time down in the cellar of the Komet. Where The Haermorrhoids were sure a receipt for success, The Unknowns … indeed the unknown in the formula. Too much hype around them sharing members with The Chats and – for my liking – too much of an Australian annotation if that makes any sense.

    But as ever, in order to form an own view you got to see a band live.

    The Haermorrhoids kicked off late, as it is more or less normal custom down at the Komet. They had shrunk their setlist for the support slot and arranged it into a near perfect 4×4 run.

    Pity though that a fan favorite like Overdose did drop out!

    The Haermorrhoids – Setlist (Komet, Hamburg, 18.10.2024)

    On the positive side: The 4×4 gave the lot Degenerator, a new song!

    As most of the times at the Komet the light was shite and the sound varied from where you stood. But sure thing that did not stop the 4 Haermorrhoids the slightest – full on #ramonescore delivered to an almost full house.

    The Haermorrhoids (Komet, Hamburg, 18.10.2024 (c) gehkacken.de 2024)

    A very crisp set, little talking on stage (though news were shared that there soon will be another dad in the band) and simply delivering a well rehearsed set. The have come a long way by now and i sincerely hope that their way will be so much longer and further uphill! Next stops i believe are Flensburg (23.11.) and Berlin (20.12.), followed by a short tour with no good intentions next year.

    Go and see them!

    After a short (and from the outside a wee bit chaotic) changeover The Unknowns took the stage and surprised me big time, from the start.

    In an interview Josh (Singer, Guitar) confirmed the references that they triggered in mu-sick-al mind:

    Q: I love that you write love songs. That’s a big reason I love Eddy Current Suppression Ring too. A lot of power pop is about love also.
    
    A: That’s the thing. I didn’t even know the actual genre term of power pop until, to be honest, a lot later because people started calling it that. It was a bit ditzy of me [laughs]. I just thought they were the best rock and roll bands. Look at the Beatles and the Kinks, all the British Invasion,  they brought back the whole resurgence in rock n roll and got kids listening to that stuff again. A lot of those songs were love songs.
    
    From: Gimmie Zine
    
    Great drive, heavy guitar work and all around great singing by all on top. From the start they were together, tight and pushed forward like well rehearsed and stage-hardened unit.

    Which i guess they are, as they exists since 2014 and all seems to play in a multitude of bands.

    In front of the stage they had by now an almost overcrowded room, loads of dancing and (wild bet: drunk) Swedish Turbojugend party crashers (that either fell into/onto the tiny stage or tried to to use the bass drum as jump point for stage diving).

    They also had female fans up front that acted like … screaming 70s rock fans. Or groupies.

    The Unknowns (Komet, Hamburg, 18.10.2024 (c) gehkacken.de 2024)

    I feared the worse (that would have been boring Australian Indie stuff) and i got the best (and that is powerful Australian Pub Rock and Power Pop, in a near perfect mix). To that extend i can only urge that you check out their stuff but trust me – live, on stage (even in a tiny, dark cellar with too much smoke) you will get the best of them.

    Here is their stuff, go figure!

    Happiness for me, forgetting the pain of loved ones in Hospital, and surrounded by Friends, who equally enjoyed them. That is how it should be, period.

    And speaking to them after the show and congratulating them on surprising me … gave me the opportunity to also learn that they are very humble and very friendly people.

    I want them back, on a bigger stage!

  • Bücher, schnell gelesen: 1.734

    Bücher, schnell gelesen: 1.734

    James Ellroy – Die Bezauberer (Ullstein, 2024)

    Gelesen: 08. – 20.10.2024 (netto 643 Seiten)

    Aus dem Amerikanischen von Stephen Tree.

    Kurz nachdem dieses Buch erschien enthüllte James Ellroy das er seine früheren Pläne, ein zweites “L.A. Quartett“ zu schreiben, aufgegeben hatte und es stattdessen umdrehen würde zu einem Quintett, wobei „Die Bezauberer“ damit das dritte von fünf Büchern der Reihe wäre.

    Inhaltlich kommt es quasi gleich nach Allgemeine Panik (2022), wieder ist Fred Otash der Kern der Geschichte.

    Wir sind in den 1960ern angekommen und im August 1962 ist Freddy gerade damit beschäftigt einen Verdächtigen einer Entführung zu killen – als der Eheman von Patricia Kennedy sich bei ihm meldet: Marilyn Monroe ist tot.

    Genau die Marilyn Monroe, die Freddy im Auftrag von Jimmy Hoffa (Mafia), Chief Bill Parker (LAPD) und Bobby Kennedy (United States Attorney General und Head des United States Department Of Justice) abgehört hatte. Und über die er Dreck rausfinden sollten – aus ganz verschiedenen Gründen.

    Und damit sind wir beim typischen Ellroy Setting: Reale Welt (Hollywood & seine Stars sowie seine dunklen Seiten) vermischt mit Fiktion und einer Story, laut Ellroy, für “Peepers, Prowlers, Pederasts, Panty-Sniffers, Punks and Pimps“.

    Im Gegensatz zu Allgemeine Panik ist das Name-Dropping hier aber nicht so nervig, sondern fügt sich gut in die Story ein (wenn sich der Leser auch die Zeit nimmt alle Namen mal bei Wikipedia abzuchecken – denn alles hat hier das richtige Körnchen Wahrheit).

    Und die Story bringt Ellroy auf seine so typische Art voran: Keine Aufwendige Szenerie, Charaktere die einen ehr verwirren (weil sie so Komplex sind) und wenige Kommas. Kurze Sätze, die zustechen wie ein Messer. Das ganze in einem hektischen Rhythmus. Ordentlich Tempo.

    Am Ende gibt es jede Menge Überraschungen über Hollywood, Monroe und die Kennedys und nichts neues über das korruptes, brutale und eigennützige LAPD.

    Und Fred Otash, den gab es wirklich. Und er hat es bis 1992 geschafft!

    Besser als das letzte Buch, aber irgendwie weiterhin nichts Neues. Wer aber alles andere von Ellroy gelesen hat, der nimmt das zurecht mit.

    Wann wird der gute James nur fertig?

    Soundtrack dazu: Misfits – Who Killed Marilyn, was sonst?

    PS: Und James Ellroy so?