mg196
07-22-2005, 12:01 AM
Artist - Johnny Thunders
Title - In The Flesh
Year of Release - 2001
Record Label - Triple X Records
Genre - Rock/Punk
Many of you here know of my deep love and affection for the music of Johnny Thunders. To me he represents everything Rock 'N Roll is supposed to be: Alive, Loud, Thoughtful, Bloody, Good, Evil, and Reverent. This CD hits 'em all with a swift punch to the gut.
There are dozens of live recordings of JT out there, most of which have him acting like a complete mess. It is very difficult for a hardcore junkie to perform a solid show, from beginning to end, with passion and fire. Hell, Clapton disappeared for the better part of the 70's so he wouldn't have to even try! "In The Flesh" captures JT on one of those ever-so-rare "good nights" in 1987, playing like a demon posessed...and like an angel. Let me explain.
There is no drunken babbling between (or during) songs. There is no stumbling through verses, forgetting words and just outright leaving the stage to shoot up. He plays with a fire and passion I havent heard on any other live recording of him. It helps that his longtime smack-buddy and NY Doll/Heartbreakers teammate Jerry Nolan is there keeping the beat like a human metronome.
You can break this CD into three segments:
Pt. 1 - The first segment has everyone performing at their peak. Arthur Kane (another NY Doll) is on bass and does a fine job. JT's mandatory show-opener, the Chantays' "Pipeline" is delivered with an immediacy and power that will have your windows rattling. Pipeline is followed by Blame It On Mom and a GREAT "Personality Crisis" which makes the listener ponder, "David Johansen WHO?!" Johnny then blasts through "I Can Tell," a Bo Diddley number, Dead Or Alive and Can't Keep My Eyes On You, both Heartbreakers tunes. Willie Dixon is thoroughly honored with a cover of "I Ain't Superstitious." Pt. 1 ends with the classic Too Much Junkie Business.
Pt. 2 - JT puts down the electric and plays a solo acoustic set: Can't Put Your Arms Around A Memory, Eve of Destruction (P.F. Sloan cover), Lonely Planet Boy, The Wizard (a T.Rex cover) and Play With Fire (The Stones cover). Each song is performed beautifully with honesty and love. The audience sings along with "Play With Fire."
Pt. 3 - This is where things break down a little bit, but not because of JT. Some people say that Kane's bass is a little "plodding" during the final stretch, which may be a little true. JT's guitar is still ploughing through songs like an M-60 on amphetamines, but Kane has a little trouble keeping up. That be as it may, the band still sounds great through Booker T's "Green Onions," an X-rated cover of Wilson Pickett's "Midnight Hour," followed by the Sid Vicious eulogy (oh, how 60's this one is!) "Sad Vacation," and Chuck Berry's "Little Queenie." The CD ends with a loose (too loose?) Born To Lose.
This is by far the best sounding live Johnny Thunders concert I have heard. If you love the Dolls, Thunders, and the Heartbreakers then you'll love it. JT always payed homage to the greats and never made any bones about his love for 60's Rock and Roll - even when it wasn't a popular thing to do (Punk-era, anyone?). JT and Nolan made quite a team.
For further proof of my love for JT, check out this thread: http://audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=37827&highlight=johnny+thunders
Title - In The Flesh
Year of Release - 2001
Record Label - Triple X Records
Genre - Rock/Punk
Many of you here know of my deep love and affection for the music of Johnny Thunders. To me he represents everything Rock 'N Roll is supposed to be: Alive, Loud, Thoughtful, Bloody, Good, Evil, and Reverent. This CD hits 'em all with a swift punch to the gut.
There are dozens of live recordings of JT out there, most of which have him acting like a complete mess. It is very difficult for a hardcore junkie to perform a solid show, from beginning to end, with passion and fire. Hell, Clapton disappeared for the better part of the 70's so he wouldn't have to even try! "In The Flesh" captures JT on one of those ever-so-rare "good nights" in 1987, playing like a demon posessed...and like an angel. Let me explain.
There is no drunken babbling between (or during) songs. There is no stumbling through verses, forgetting words and just outright leaving the stage to shoot up. He plays with a fire and passion I havent heard on any other live recording of him. It helps that his longtime smack-buddy and NY Doll/Heartbreakers teammate Jerry Nolan is there keeping the beat like a human metronome.
You can break this CD into three segments:
Pt. 1 - The first segment has everyone performing at their peak. Arthur Kane (another NY Doll) is on bass and does a fine job. JT's mandatory show-opener, the Chantays' "Pipeline" is delivered with an immediacy and power that will have your windows rattling. Pipeline is followed by Blame It On Mom and a GREAT "Personality Crisis" which makes the listener ponder, "David Johansen WHO?!" Johnny then blasts through "I Can Tell," a Bo Diddley number, Dead Or Alive and Can't Keep My Eyes On You, both Heartbreakers tunes. Willie Dixon is thoroughly honored with a cover of "I Ain't Superstitious." Pt. 1 ends with the classic Too Much Junkie Business.
Pt. 2 - JT puts down the electric and plays a solo acoustic set: Can't Put Your Arms Around A Memory, Eve of Destruction (P.F. Sloan cover), Lonely Planet Boy, The Wizard (a T.Rex cover) and Play With Fire (The Stones cover). Each song is performed beautifully with honesty and love. The audience sings along with "Play With Fire."
Pt. 3 - This is where things break down a little bit, but not because of JT. Some people say that Kane's bass is a little "plodding" during the final stretch, which may be a little true. JT's guitar is still ploughing through songs like an M-60 on amphetamines, but Kane has a little trouble keeping up. That be as it may, the band still sounds great through Booker T's "Green Onions," an X-rated cover of Wilson Pickett's "Midnight Hour," followed by the Sid Vicious eulogy (oh, how 60's this one is!) "Sad Vacation," and Chuck Berry's "Little Queenie." The CD ends with a loose (too loose?) Born To Lose.
This is by far the best sounding live Johnny Thunders concert I have heard. If you love the Dolls, Thunders, and the Heartbreakers then you'll love it. JT always payed homage to the greats and never made any bones about his love for 60's Rock and Roll - even when it wasn't a popular thing to do (Punk-era, anyone?). JT and Nolan made quite a team.
For further proof of my love for JT, check out this thread: http://audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=37827&highlight=johnny+thunders