JEFFREY MORGAN’S
MEDIA BLACKOUT #650.307!
Them murderous master race ratzis may have been lousy at winning world wars and taking over the world,
but what they lacked in dictatorial smarts they more than made up for on the Krautrock ’n’ roll front lines—as
evidenced by these three formerly Verboten videos.
SIZZLING VIDEO OF THE WEEK #1: Ian Hunter and Mick
Ronson – Live At Rockpalast – Gruganhalle, Essen, Germany – April 19 & 20, 1980 (MVD
Video) :: First up we have everybody’s favorite deuce on the loose, that joined at the fret titanic tag team of Hunteronson
who separately and together did more for the advancement and preservation of beefy, but never beefcake, kick like a mule rock
’n’ roll than anyone else on the planet—especially Riki Monsoon, who shredded strings for such theatrical
mascara wearers as Lou Reed; David Bowie; Mott The Hoople; and Bob Dylan.
This one shows them on their Welcome To The Club
world tour wherein they plow through a number of Mott classics from “All The Way from Memphis” and “All
The Young Dudes” to a number of solo Hunter classics from “Once Bitten Twice Shy” and “Cleveland Rocks”
to a book ended beginning and end featuring Ronson soloing on “FBI” to begin the show and “Slaughter On
Tenth Avenue” to end it—both of which, frankly, are worth the price of admission alone.
SIZZLING VIDEO OF THE
WEEK #2: Roy Buchanan – Live At Rockpalast – Markthalle, Hamburg, Germany, February 24, 1985
(MVD Video) :: They’re still calling Roy Buchanan “the world’s best unknown guitarist” and
I have to agree, even though I was buying his records back in the ’70s. But if you’ve never heard of
him, let alone heard him play, let alone seen him play, then this performance, which was recorded a mere three years
before his controversial death at the age of 48, is essential viewing to put it mildly.
Buchanan is also the world’s
most visually unlikeliest guitarist you’ll ever see, what with his cocky beret and rummy whiskers and professorial
corduroy jacket. But once you’ve witnessed him effortlessly blaze through everything from Henry M’s “Peter
Gunn” to Booker T’s “Green Onions,” you’ll understand why Roy Buchanan will always remain the
guitarist’s guitarist. As always, the standout centerpiece of the show is his jaw dropping seven minute version of “The
Messiah Will Come Again,” which cleans everybody’s clock from James Marshall to James Patrick and literally
has to be seen to be believed—and even then you’ll doubt what your unbelieving eyes are beholding.
SIZZLING
VIDEO OF THE WEEK #3: Public Image Limited – Live At Rockpalast – Zeche Bochum, Germany, October
31, 1983 (MVD Video) :: Last, but certainly not least, is this quaint little full-length exercise in musical restraint
by that suave stylist Mr. John Lydon, who pulls out every stop to show all and sundry why PiL are one of the minimalistically
greatest—not to mention metronomically gratest—regressive art rock combos to ever hit the boards. Then again,
with a set list that impressively includes everything from “Public Image” and “Flowers Of Romance”
to “(This Is Not A) Love Song” and “Anarchy In The U.K.” how can you go wrongo, boyo? Bonus points
for including rehearsal footage of “Annalisa” and “Chant.”
Be seeing you!
