Five By Five -- Fire/ Hang Up 45'

  Garage Punk outfit Five By Five ... there aren't too many surprises here, a career 60's cover band.  For example their A-side is a cover of Hendrix's Fire, which is passable but not something to write home about.  Now the B-side is a full on Psych'd out 60's Punk number a la Music Machine.  You should have seen my face of astonishment the first time I heard it ... I literally had to pick my jaw up from off the floor, like I had just seen the most bodacious babe ... I found this bad boy at the local pawn shop, thinking it's on Paula records, it might have some merit, but had no idea I was on the verge of finding a total gem!

Jane's Addiction -- Nothing's Shocking

  These guys were my teenage band.  I was totally obsessed with every word, every note and every picture, there was to see, hear and read about this band!!  I remember I even had to rip the album covers off so my mother wouldn't discover the nudity, she went as far as tossing my favorite Jane's Addiction t-shirt in the garbage, you know the one with the chick in the fire, like on the back cover of the first Leonard Cohen album.  I always found that Jane's Addiction, especially Nothing's Shocking, was like the anti-Guns and Roses, sounds like they may have had allot of the same influences, but took it in different ways.  At the time, and from then on, "nothing was shocking, anymore!"

Brenda Holloway -- Every Little Bit Hurts/ Just Look At What You've Done 45'

  Ok, let's start with the B-side, because it's just a run of the mill Motown number, not that it's bad, it's just regular.  The A-side is where the real meat and potatoes are at.  This song is the way I can be to a tee, being a sensatron, we all have our moments -- c'mon admit it!  Every word in the tune pierces right into the jugular of our heart strings, and every note Brenda sings throbs into our tear ducts, 'cause Every Little Bit Hurts ...

Blind Melon -- S/T

  Total f*ckin' bullsh*t hippie wanna-be jock Rock band, album and entire career.  Sorry but I have a complete distaste for this mindless tripe.  And somehow I never liked dudes with nose rings and a beards ... just seems wrong ... pick one ... nerdo!  If "there's no rain," then I wish it would!

Fun Fact: Hoon sang background on Use Your Illusion I & II; even worse!

Canned Heat -- Going Up The Counrty/ One Kind Favor 45'

  Yeah man!  What a perfect pre-fishing trip tune to write about.  Every time I hear this song I can't help but think of the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers during their epic psychedelic cross-country road trip.  The number is simple, with a perfect riff and easy to listen too.  The B-side on the other hand is a kinda unoriginal hard Rock 60's Blues out, a total juxtaposition to the A-side ... pack your bags and get your ass up the country!! 

L7 -- S/T

  Man!  I totally had a crush on all these girls ... wait ... had ... more like have, since I was a teenager.  This is their first album, which I proudly own on cassette.  It sounds like the same old L7 but a little sludgier and more Hardcore, but virtually the same as the rest ...

The Shangri-Las -- I Can Never Go Home Anymore/ Bull Dog 45'

  Tough as nails girl group The Shangri-Las.  I Can Never Go Home Anymore reminds me of when I was 18 years old, moved out, and caused some serious trouble, just to discover ... once you're out you're out!  The song has a Phil Spector feel, big loud arrangements and lots of dramatically momentous vocals.  The B-side, Bull Dog is a harp driven Garage Rock number, about a "big bad bull dog," meaning asshole.  These girls might mostly sing ballads about love and heart break, but you'd be nuts to go toe to toe with The Shangri-Las!