LeeMail- 1/28/2000

LEEMail

This is a public service announcement. With guitar.

Out this week - The Clash catalog [Epic]. Reissued, repackaged, remastered. Sweet Jesus. In addition to a fold out 'Armagideon Times', restored original art & lyrics, new photos and the return of "2000 Flushes" you get PHENOMENAL sound. I thought I knew 'London Calling' inside & out. Apparently, I didn't. 'Sandinista' is a revelation. The double issue of the first album (US and UK versions) may be a little silly & excessive, but - people, buy these CDs. Truly a amazing catalog from the only band that matters. (Don't worry, 'Cut the Crap' didn't get reissued.) Revolution rock, indeed!

Remember how much I hated last year's Clash Tribute 'Burning London' [Epic]? Well I hate the new Jam Tribute 'Fire & Skill' [Epic] almost as much. Luckily there are less songs on this one, but the percentage of shit is still as high. The Brothers Gallagher turn in respectable solo turns here, Paul Weller check in with a hidden track and Garbage shines like they do. The real winner is Buffalo Tom and their striking version of "Going Underground". If you're a fan of The Jam, maybe you'll want this to complete the collection. I am. I don't.

Happy Birthday To Thee From LEE This Week©:

01/30/47 Steve Marriott

01/31/51 Harry Wayne Casey

01/31/56 John Lydon

02/01/37 Don Everly

02/02/37 Tom Smothers

02/02/42 Graham Nash

02/03/47 Dave Davies

Isn't it weird to think that K.C. is older than Johnny Rotten?

Favorite Album Of All Time This Week©: 'Performance - Rockin' The Fillmore' - Humble Pie

Kiss Me DeadLEE Last Year This Week©:

Lili St. Cyr, 80. Premier stripteaser. Jan. 29

Huntz Hall, 78. Star of the "Bowery Boys" & "Dead End Kids" films. Jan. 30

Gwen Guthrie, 42. R&B singer/songwriter ("Ain't Nothin Goin' On But The Rent"). Feb 03.

Saw the Kids In The Hall live last week. Hot ticket. Wish I'd have know how hot it was so I could have scalped it. Maybe the show was funny (I've never really seen it). I mean, Python's live shows were never that great. But, not knowing these "classic" bits shouldn't have kept me from laughing - which I didn't. Oooo, guys in dresses. Hell, Terry Sweeney did dresses. I felt like I was witnessing something that was, at one time, funny & revolutionary - and now was just plain unfunny and pathetic. Maybe you can't go home again. Even in a dress.

As long as we're on the subject... I know you're all nuts about 'Freaks & Geeks", but I just don't see it. Some humorous stuff, but never as funny as it should be. And that lead kid is so hard to look at/listen to. Yeesh. Plus, the music choices drive me nuts. This week, they kept using Queen's "Keep Yourself Alive". The show takes place in 1980, that song was released in 1973. 1973. If you're going to place a show in a specific time and try to maintain the illusion of that era, you need to be consistent. It's like using "Another One Bites The Dust" in 'Braveheart' - it doesn't work. (Well, actually...) Anyway, it's sloppy TV making by a creative team that isn't very creative and obviously can't think an idea through. I think it's popular simply because it IS set in 1980 and a new generation of viewers are longing for a show they think they can relate to or feel reminiscent about; even if it's mediocre.

Speaking of mediocre (or whore, whichever you'd like to use) I'd like to think that Courtney Love has placed the final nail in her coffin of talentlessness after Sunday's Golden Globe Awards. Anyone who thinks she's even remotely worth of anything: defend THAT performance. The dress, the asthmatic/epileptic laugh, the making Phil Collins seem respectable. She is really a waste of all things earthbound. I hope Geffen wins their lawsuit, too. The last thing I'd like to hear would be another Hole platter, but I'd like to see her humiliated. Although, since Cobain's dead and Corgan's going to be busy with 'Machina', who would Geffen pay to write Hole's next album anyway?