Mickey & the Milkshakes “Talking ‘Bout – Milkshakes”

sfilzen — Wed, 26 Feb 2020 01:21:53 +0000

Mickey & the Milkshakes “Talking ‘Bout – Milkshakes” 1981/1995. Reissue on Hangman’s Daughter (originally on Milkshakes Records). Garage rock, a spot-on nod (almost spoof-level) to 60′s British garage rock, down to the mono recording, black and white photos, font and liner notes (“They learned their trade the hard way – peddling their songs around the dusty docks of Hamburg and their native Medway Towns…”). Mickey & the Milkshakes was fronted by (Wild) Billy Childish who’s been in about a million bands but probably most known for Thee Headcoats. It’s classic garage rock: plenty of Bo Diddley beats, rockin’ rhythm and blues, rough guitar tinged with a bit of surf instrumental (like “Shed Country” which even has a bit of sax thrown into the mix). Link Wray-ish for sure. Childish’s vocals, though, belie the decade of Talking ‘Bout Milkshakes’ recording. His is definitely a voice that went through 70′s rock and punk (a bit raspy and worn like on the down-beat and almost heart-breaking “Don’t Love Another”). My top track is “Can’tcha See” which is catchy, groovy, rough-edge perfection. Allmusic says about Talking ‘Bout Milkshakes “It’s pure freakbeat/garage action from 1965 or so smack-dab in 1981, but the thing is, it’s so fresh sounding that it neatly sidesteps the whole nostalgia issue. Indeed, it actually sounds better technically speaking than a lot of the material that inspired it, for all that the group was clearly aiming for that sound and presentation in the first place.”

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Thee Headcoats “Knights of the Baskervilles”

sfilzen — Thu, 29 Jun 2017 21:15:46 +0000

Thee Headcoats “Knights of the Baskervilles” 1996. Birdman Records. Today’s pull from one of the many – over 50 releases! – Billy Childish projects (most of which are no-frils blues-based garage rock, including Pop Rivets, the Milkshakes, Thee Mighty Caesars, the Delmonas and the Natural Born Lovers but also include solo music releases, visual art, poetry…he’s a “punk-inspired Renaissance man”). Allmusic says about him, “Childish occupies an artistic role somewhere between mad genius and bratty goofball. Unfailingly sure of himself and his vision, his music is as honest and emotionally direct as one is likely to hear.”

Knights of the Baskervilles veers toward heavy on the blues end of garage revival for part of the album, including classic blues beats and harmonica on “Meet Me,” “She’s Fine, She’s Mine” and the title track “Knights of the Baskervilles.” There’s also spoken (shouted) poetry backed with a minimalist beat (that is vaguely reminiscent of “They’re Coming To Take Me Away”) on “What’s Wrong With Me.” But my favorites on the LP are the raw and trashy punk tracks like “I’m Unkind” and the hilariously lo-fi, ass shakin’ “By the Hairs On My Chinny Chin Chin” which sounds like Childish sang into a 50 year old mic coated with years of bar grime and psychobilly swagger.

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Mickey & the Milkshakes “Talking ‘Bout – Milkshakes”

Thee Headcoats “Knights of the Baskervilles”