#370 with John Di Marco: Razorcake Podcast
Here are some songs that have been rocking my garage door off its hinges. New stuff from Old Vices, LeBarons and School Damage, and a bunch of old stuff from Canada. Let's do the time warp again!
-JDM
Tracklisting:
Los Canadians, "The Song That Confused Bill" (This Here)
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Wonk Unit, "Guts" (Drunken Sailor)
School Damage, "See You Next Tuesday" (My Fingers! My Brain!)
Chronic Submission "Kill The Press/Pantyhose/Plastic Punk/Streetcar Windows/Baby Killer” (Equalizing X Distort)
M Blanket, "Fonz" (Fans Of Bad Productions)
Autonomy, "Library Of Alexandria" (Dirt Cult)
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Minnow, "Drizzle" (Fans Of Bad Productions)
The Tim Version "November [J Church]"
Hammerhead, "Anemia" (Amphetamine Reptile)
Alan Mills, "Anti Confederation Song [Canada]" (Smithsonian Folkways)
Beex, "(My Heart Goes) Beat Beat"
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Constantines, "Trans Canada" (Arts & Crafts)
Fifth Hour Hero, "A Map Within" (Yo-Yo)
International Dipshit, "Internal Dumbass"
LeBarons, "Trains"
Enablers, "Tomorrow" (Newest Industry)
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Ninja Gun, "Purification Ritual" (Barracuda Sound)
Dillinger Four, "A Pyre Laid For Image And Frame" (Fat)
Bayonettes, "Dead End Kids" (Art Of The Underground)
Old Vices, "Let The White Noise In"
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Drunken Boat, "Poison Whisper" (Snuffy Smile)
Vexx, "Strength" (M'Lady)
Here is a bit about each song:
Bill: I played in a band where every song felt like this, all fun and games until I got hurt.
Guts: Hanging out online helping Juice Man from England (who had been awake travelling for twenty-four hours) find a hotel after a cancelled flight on his way to Ottawa Explosion. He then ends up at my local in Toronto for four hours! City people, if you hate asshole transit riders, please watch the video for "Elbows." Alex Wonk plays a right bastard and comes very close to perfectly emulating the "Toronto Subway Leprechaun" Pales in comparison to the Toronto Ikea monkey, but not ZANTA.
Tuesday: Last time I hung out with School Damage, we commentated a dart tournament, exploded fireworks, then I broke my best man Cactus Vella's glasses to show him how much I love him.
Chronic: I missed the reunion shows, thankfully Equalizing X Distort on CIUT every Sunday night at 10 PM diligently documents the scene in their awesome studio sessions and archived shows.
M Blanket: I thought I didn't really know any M Blanket but it turns out that that I just don't know the names of songs and sometimes don't even know the bands that perform them. Maxell C120 tapes hold a lot of songs, and we're talking decades ago here.
Autonomy: Christine's Mom is from Alexandria.
Minnow: This was the sound at the time kids, and the groove has returned. Can you remember when absolutely nothing sounded like "Waiting Room"?
November: For years I didn't know this was a J Church cover. I once sang in a one night only Cringer cover band with some old friends and was very comfortable singing all those lyrics, though I almost passed out at the end of “Two Friends,” and I can even rap, bro.
….still waiting for the Tim Version secret tour to the north (oh yes I did!)
Anemia: This is a dark ride, love the conclusion.
Confederation:Newfoundland became a Canadian province in 1949, now the Newfoundland youth go out to Alberta to work the Tar Sands. Except for Brutal Youth, they came to Toronto instead and this one is dedicated to the one and only Mark Harpur.
Beex: Somewhere after the program Seven Second Delay on WFMU, this song kicks off the next show so I heard it in the background of my life for months before I tracked it down. Feels like a classic, brand new to me. Almost willing to shell out thirty big ones for the 7”. I'll bet Discogs ruins record nerds' lives daily.
Trans Canada: The name of the highway that runs across our vast country doubles as a pride anthem for the Toronto Trans Community.
Map Within: An amazing band I got to see several times during their run. I considered them and the Sainte Catherines to be the perfect tandem.
International Dipshit: That's it, free hugs for everyone!
Trains: Chris and Meg are on a mission to Gonerfest and the LeBaron tape deck plays only Steve Earle, The Sadies, The Constantines, and Exit Condition.
Tomorrow: I think I sang this to the neighborhood the other night with a bunch of cats on the roof.
Ritual: I need a new purification ritual! Ninja Gun drove to Canada in a Baptist church van, amazing how the years pass. I meant to play a Worthwhile Way song about that that goes "When can we see each other next in our lives?" because I get sentimental. Jacob plays in Made Ready and I have never seen a southern rock’n’roll band destroy a set at Fest like they did. But then again, I have never seen Billy Reese Peters.
Dillinger Four: After I bought a shirt at their Toronto gig and stupidly “moshed” and soaked it, Billy gave me a second dry t-shirt, enabling me to ride home in sub zero temperatures. I truly believe he saved my life that night as I was too stinko for common sense. To top it off, Frankie Stubbs made a surprise appearance that night and played “Not Superstitious.”
Bayonettes: Zoe is kicking Toronto slumlords asses straight up and down. Who the hell can afford to live here anymore?
Old Vices: The Dukes are not the Dukes without Travis, thankfully Dan Padilla the man brings his howl and fat bottom end to the sound of the defunct Tampa legends. Yep, now I'm a music writer, see that shit?
Whispers: There are so many things I love about this hypnotic track. I also loved Jane's Addiction when I was 14 and had pro skater Marc Ricciardelli sign my Ritual De Lo Habitual tape. He wrote “I don't really like Jane's Addiction.” I was such a grom.
Strength: I'm almost forty, and when I see bands I've never heard of in an all ages, DIY, safe space that is two blocks away from my home, I know the kids are alright. I am constantly surprised.