BlogRoddus: December 2011

Friday, December 16, 2011

Murder Junkies - Feed My Sleaze (USA 1995)

An Uncle Roddus Album Review

I had been aware of Bomp Records for many years, mainly through their distribution of the "Pebbles Series" 60s Garage Compilations, but later through the excellent "Straight Outta Burbank" 25th anniversary double set which I had got from Emusic several years ago. Recently checking out their web site and online shop, I found that they were selling 5CD bundles of CDs for US$10. They picked the CDs, so their was a chance that they might be pretty crappy, but as I knew some of the artists and types of music in their roster I thought that for the price it was worth the risk and I might pick up some real gems. They had several different bundles covering different styles covered by the Alive Label, which they distributed and well as one actual Bomp bundle and so I ordered 5 Bundles for a total of 25CDs for just over $100NZ incl. package and post.

Murder Junkies is my first review of this bundle of CDs and as the name implies this definitely ain't easy listening and with song titles like "Stiff Cold Fuck", "Waking up in a Pool Of Piss" and "Jism On The Cross", these guys aren't to serious. Balls out Garage Rock/Punk, think "A Fistfull Of Rock N' Roll" and Zodiac Mindwarp crossed with Anti-Nowhere League. Pretty coarse vocals and average riffs but some nice solos and a couple of stronger songs in "Stiff Cold..." and the closing track, but otherwise fails to really captivate me. Clocking in at just over 18 minutes for 7 songs pretty much makes this an EP. Rating 2.5/5.

I almost forgot to mention that these guys were originally a backing band for the extremely sick and twisted GG Allin and so have dwelt in the very lowest pits of Rock N' Roll depravity and they truly sound like it.

Paul McCartney - Back In The World (2002)

An Uncle Roddus Album Review

Had this playing on the ipod for a couple of weeks, a couple of months back and must say that I really enjoyed it. And why wouldn't I, as I really dig the Beatles and I also have enjoyed some of Paul's solo stuff as well as Wings. Pretty much a hits set with the later excellent "Calico Skies" thrown in as well. All the songs are played pretty straight by an excellent band and being the first Live set I have heard of this material, it was a most enjoyable experience to hear these songs that I grew up with and are etched in my subconscious. Hearing probably 30,000 Mexicans singing along to "Hey Jude" in the 21st Century brings a lump to my throat for the shear power and longevity of that song. I would love to see Paul and band play a concert of this material in person, even though it is very polished and commercial but the songs, especially the Beatles material, is just so awesome. Who else would we want to see playing this stuff in the 21st Century. A Rolddus rating of 4.5/5

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Lucretia Tarn 10-11December 2011

Uncle Roddus Tramping Dairy:Tramp No.111

Lucretia Tarn 10-11December 2011

The Tops above the Lewis Pass offer stunning views with fairly easy access and great camping spots, making for great summer overnight trips. The forecast was very promising as Uncle Roddus met the other seven in the party at Amberly on Saturday Morning, led by the easy going Gareth Gilbert. Arriving at The St James car park just before 11am and while preparing ourselves for departure for our weekends adventures, Uncle Roddus found the mysteriously missing expensive tramping sock, in his tramping boot, that he had hasseled Mrs Roddus about the night before. He seriously considered not returning home after the weekend, but decided instead to just slip it in with the rest of the washing and keep quiet about it.

The track up to the Lewis tops and Lucretia Tarn starts just across the road from the car park and winds its way up through some beautiful mossy beech before clearing the bush about the 1300M mark. The travel along the tops follows a well used track through short but lush snow grass passing several lovely tarns and offering excellent views of Trovatore, Zampa, Freyberg, Mueller and also down to the Lewis Highway and Maruia Springs.

Heading West along the tops, Uncle Roddus, Craig and Lovisa, decided to bag The Apprentice, as we were passing by so close to it, with the rest of the party happy to just womble over the saddle to the tarn. After admiring the views from The Apprentice, the three dropped directly down the southern face 100m to the Tarn and beat the rest of the party there and thus nabbing the best waterfront real estate. Time from cars about 5 hours. Uncle Roddus was quite keen to have a crack at Mt Technical, as there was still plenty of daylight hours left and at only another 300 odd meters height gain from our camp, was just too tempting to let pass. After pitching tents and refueling, he conned Craig and Lovisa to accompany him.

They quickly made the top of the ridge, passing under the first two rocky outcrops before scrambling over more rocks to where the ridge changes direction. From here the ridge looked pretty difficult but it looked like others had been along this route before and so they carefully battled on until the last bit that looked a bit too technical, but were able to slip below and under before climbing up a gut to about the 1820M mark. With only a short distance to go to the radio mast things started to get much more difficult and two of the party decided they weren't comfortable with the terrain here. Uncle Roddus Had already navigated this bit and called back that he would see if he could get along any further. He was only about 100M from the summit, but after careful consideration decided it was too technical to safely traverse this last bit and had to settle for taking a photo of the top from his vantage point. He rejoined the others and they returned to camp for dinner and rest.

Sunday dawned to a very early rising and the sight of mist in Lucretia valley. Our three intrepid explorers from the night before were today joined by Andrew, as the loop party who wanted to continue down to the Lucretia Biv and out down the Nina to the highway, while Gareth and the rest just wandered back out the way they came in and picked up the cars to meet the rest at the NZDA Hut. The loop party left about 7:45am and carefully dropped down the steep col of Lucretia Stream and then struggled along the patchy but well ribboned track to the Biv. After negotiating some flood damage to the Nina Valley Track, the loop party arrived at the NZDA hut in about 6 and a quarter hours.