Kosmik Radiation Radio - Apr 13, 2012 Playlist

CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
Lou Reed "Street Hassle" 1978 (USA)

Lou Reed was a revolutionary figure in 20th century popular music -- as leader of The Velvet Underground, he was writing songs about hard drugs and kinky sex way back in 1966, which certainly didn't make him particularly famous or popular at the time, though by the "glam rock" era of the 1970's he had managed to become a bona fide rock star with million-selling records. And when "punk rock" came along a couple years later, again this caused critics to look upon Lou as one of the founders of yet another important trend. Lou's most important album of the punk era is Street Hassle -- indeed, I think it could be his best solo album. Though associated with "punk", Reed's music never really had anything to do with the styles of The Sex Pistols, Ramones or Clash -- in fact the oceanic guitar sounds laid down here sound more like someone has messed up some Crazy Horse tapes (Neil Young's legendary "goon rock" band). It was recorded using a "binaural" system which was meant to be listened to on headphones (similar to the kunstkopfstereophonie system used on a few krautrock albums earlier in the 70's) -- which makes it sound even muddier on a regular stereo. As for the lyrics? Lou never recorded such a sick bunch of filth as this -- he (proudly? sarcasticly?) refers to himself as a "fuckin' faggot" at the very beginning of the record, which sets the brutal and unflinching tone. The highlight is the titular 11 minute suite, which tells the tale of a guy picking up a girl at a bar, taking her to a party, watching her die of a drug overdose, and then leaving her body in the alley! This isn't rock and roll, it's more like a William S. Burroughs novel set to music.
I couldn't find any clips from the era of this album, so here's "Heroin" performed in 1972 by Lou and fellow ex-Velvet Underground member John Cale, and "Waiting For The Man" performed by David Bowie (who covered this song back in the glam days) with Reed joining in. Next, part of a documentary on glam rock which features Lou and is named after his biggest hit: Walk On The Wild Side. Finally, we're concluding the first series of "Two Thirty Theater" this week with the final side of A Lot Of People Would Like To See Armand Schaubroeck...DEAD. So here's the first side of Armand's Ratfucker album, which was released around the same time as this week's CAOTW and is the only record I can think of which might be even more sleazy and depraved than Street Hassle!

(N) = New Release

Artist	Song	Album	Year (label)	Country
Black Sabbath	Back Street Kids	Technical Ecstasy	1976	UK
Crime	Piss On Your Dog / Feel The Beat	San Francisco's Doomed (CD compilation)	rec. 1978, rel. 1991	USA
Killdozer	Take The Money And Run (Steve Miller Band)	For Ladies Only	1989	USA
Aguaturbia	Jailhouse Rock (Elvis Presley)	Volumen 2	1970	Chile
Blue Max	Prisoner	Limited Edition	1974	Canada
Jon Wayne	Texas Jailcell	Texas Funeral	1985	USA
Kack Klick (Armand Schaubroeck)	Lord My Cell Is Cold	A-side 7" single	1963?	USA

Armand Schaubroeck Steals	Side 6 of 6 Scene 18: Night Before Parole Board - "One More Day, One More Night" Scene 19: Parole Board Scene 20: Hack Talks To Arm On The Way Out - "Ex-Con" Scene 21: Dan & Armand Meet On The Streets While Going To See Parole Officer Scene 22: Warden's Circus	A Lot Of People Would Like To See Armand Schaubroeck . . . DEAD.	c. 1972-1975?	USA
Armand Schaubroeck Steals	Ex-Con (not really live)	Live At The Holiday Inn	1978	USA

Lou Reed	Street Hassle a. Waltzing Matilda b. Street Hassle c. Slipaway	Street Hassle CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK	1978	USA
The Velvet Underground	Waiting For My Man (by Lou Reed)	The Velvet Underground & Nico	1967	USA/UK
Lou Reed	White Light/White Heat (live - Velvet Underground remake)	Rock 'n' Roll Animal	1974	USA
Rocket From The Tombs	Life Stinks	Rocket Redux	2004	USA

Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso UFO	In C (For Unspecified Performers) (Terry Riley)	Terry Riley: In C	2002	Japan
Spoek Mathambo	Skorokoro (Walking Away)	Father Creeper (N)	2012 (Sub Pop)	South Africa
Black Dice	Spy vs. Spy	Mr. Impossible (N)	2012 (Ribbon)	USA
The Mars Volta	The Whip Hand	Noctournoquet (N)	2012 (Warner Bros)	USA
Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band	Floppy Boot Stomp (original version)	Bat Chain Puller (N - previously unreleased "lost" album)	1976 (2012 Zappa Vaulternative)	USA

The Phantom Family Halo	White Hot Gun	When I Fall Out (N)	2012 (Knitting Factory)	USA
Chuck Prophet	White Night, Big City	Temple Beautiful (N)	2012 (Yep Roc)	USA
Lee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth)	Lost	Between The Times And Tides (N)	2012 (Matador)	USA
Pond	Moth Wings	Beard, Wives, Denim (N)	2012 (Modular)	Australia
Wild Flag	Electric Band	Wild Flag (N)	2011 (Merge)	USA
Duchess Says	Narcisse	In A Fung Day T! (N)	2011 (Alien 8)	Canada (Quebec)

Baby Woodrose	Love Like A Flower	Third Eye Surgery (N)	2012 (Bad Afro)	Denmark
TS & The Past Haunts	Citrus Mistress	Gone & Goner (N)	2012 (No Sleep)	USA
Forest Fire	They Pray Execution Style	Staring At The X (N)	2011 (Fat Cat)	USA