Just some Christmas Pixies

Pixies Live In Chicago (1990)

I don't know if this picture is the actual front cover of this release. It's the picture eyesore.com put up. The tracks are:
1. Bone Machine
2. Cactus
3. Debaser
4. Gigantic
5. Gouge Away
6. Holiday Song
7. Nimrod's Son

The Breeders "Title TK"

The Breeders Title TK (2002)

The Breeders have had a mixed-up life. They started with Kim Deal and Tanya Donelly. Kelly Deal joined and TD left though they overlapped on the EP Safari.

From what I understand, the original plan was KD & TD would alternate records; one would write the songs on one album, the other would write songs for the next. Pod was Deal's record. The demos that Donelly made ended up being the first Belly LP Star (you can download those demos at Tanya Donelly's website).

The Breeders second full length Last Splash was a hit along with the single "Cannonball".

After that things got spotty. Kelly Deal got busted after signing for a UPS package of heroin and that put the Breeders on hold for a while.

Under the name The Amps, Kim Deal put out Pacer with some new band members. Pacer had some good songs but the sound was a little blurry.

There were some EPs and the occasional soundtrack song during the nine years leading up to 2002 and the release of Title TK.

When it comes to Breeders albums Title TK and Pod are probably tied for first place. the songs are very cool. Any weak tracks? Yeah, "Put On A Side", but even it's OK, no need to skip it.

And it's got some awesome songs:
"The She", "Forced To Drive", "Son Of Three", plus there's a new version of the Amps "Full On Idle" (I think I like the original better overall, but Kelly's backing vocals are cute on the new one).

Above are some pictures from the CD sleeve, which unfold into a mini-poster (or two).

Merry Christmas

I want to wish a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all the readers of RJ Battles. Thank you for coming here and leaving the occasional comment; I hope you've enjoyed it so far- there will be a lot of new things coming in 2010 and you won't want to miss them.

Tonight I was looking back at the posts that I put up this year. I'm pretty happy with them, or most of them. I think I've collected some pretty cool images here at RJ Battles and I think if someone were to stumble across this site and wasn't even familiar with the 4AD artists or the Sugarcubes or Aimee Mann they could still enjoy the pictures.

Plus, I think my writing is getting better. I'm not a writer and I don't plan on being one ( except for my childrens book that I'm working on and maybe a play that I've started ) but I still wan to write well and clearly so that this blog is enjoyable to read.

*****

I remember going to Tower Records in Boston ( must've been December of 1995 ) and looking through their imports section ( or maybe it was just their CD single section and seeing Kristin Hersh's The Holy Single. I didn't buy it- my interest in KH/TM had cooled since I'd first heard the Muses in 1994- and I never did buy it though a few years ago I downloaded the songs.

Four tracks:

KH does a Alex Chilton song "Jesus Christ"- I don't like it; a churchy folk song;

"Can The Circle Be Unbroken" which I think is pretty sad;

"Amazing Grace" ( you may remember TM played this on the Counting Backwards EP- I love the Muses version; it's long and drawn-out in the same way that "Hook In Her Head", from the same era, is. It's one of the rare Muses songs where it sounds like they really enjoy playing, like they just wanna go on and on ) KH's solo version is beautiful with strong guitar work.

Probably the most Christmassy song is the new accoustic version of "Sinkhole" ( it's the sleighbells, I think ).

Pixies "Dig For Fire"

In 1994, not long after I bought Bossanova, the last of the records I bought to catch up on the Pixies, I found the Dig For Fire EP. I know Frank Black says Bossanova is his favorite Pixies record but it isn't mine. I think it's uneven and I don't like the track order. I think changing the order of the songs would've improved the album a great deal. Sometime I'll post my idea for a proper track sequence. In the meantime, let's talk about the Dig For Fire EP.

I love it because it has a remix of "Dig For Fire" and I like remixes (not dance remixes) of rock songs, like Belly's "Slow Dog" or the Breeders's "Safari".

"Dig For Fire" is mostly the same except the beginning is much shorter.

This EP also has "Velvety Instrumental Version"- OK; also a cover of Neil Young's "Winterlong" which Frank Black says is his favorite Pixies song. But my favorite, at least from this EP, is "Santo"- it has a cool sound, it's catchy, I think it represents every aspect of the Pixies sound. Also it reminds me of the scene in "The Exorcist" novel right after the spiderwalk.

I found this image on the 4AD website and I like the tint of the photo so here it is.

Will The Pixies Record Again?

There were small signs leading up to it from 2000 on so it wasn't a huge surprise to me when the Pixies got back together in 2004. Frank Black was reaching back to early solo material ("Surf Epic" into "Dog in the Sand"), then "Velvety"- the Pixies's instrumental B-side got words on Devil's Workshop, and finally the Pixies started to rehearse together and did a bunch of warm-up dates in Canada.

It was exciting, not only because they were finally playing together again, but because they recorded two new songs: "Bam Thwok" written for potential use in a Shrek sequel, and "Ain't That Pretty At All" for a Warren Zevon tribute album.

I got to see them in Lowell, MA in December of that year, and as good as it was, it wasn't the thrill it would've been for me a few years back. It's hard to say exactly why.

Throughout the reunion there were a lot of rumors back and forth; FB was willing but Kim Deal wasn't interested- she said she'd sooner record a record with her mother before getting back into the studio with Black, causing one poster on the Frank Black Forum to comment, "She didn't rule out a new Pixies album, she just said she wants to do a record with her mom first".

Now it's 2009 and the Pixies just did a tour celebrating the 20th anniversary of the release of Doolittle, playing the whole album and the related B-sides. And by the way, that's part of what I think would've made the 2004 shows better- for the most part, the stuck to songs you'd expect, the ones like "Where Is My Mind" and "Debaser" and "Wave of Mutilation". People want to hear "Build High" and "All Over The World" and "The Navaho Know" and "Santo".

Someone pointed out something in their review of the Doolittle tour: the Pixies reunion has lasted almost as long as their original run, and still there've been only two new songs and one was a cover. Meaning: If something was going to happen it should've happened by now.

That's the disappointing thing.

I love this sleeve

Belly Now They'll Sleep 12" vinyl EP
Track one: "Now They'll Sleep"
Track two: Thief"
Track three: "Baby's Arm"
Track four: "John Dark"

In 1995 I snagged this EP on CD at Tower Records in Boston and on the way back visited my friend Paula at Regis College ( I bought the Seal My Fate EP that same day ).

As you can tell, for the 12" cover they used a layout of the entire CD package. All four images look so good together along with the extra white. It was a very good idea.

Today I was a dishwasher

One of the dishwashers at the place I work, my friend Josh, sprained his ankle this afternoon and my boss texted and asked if I would like to fill in.

I rushed right over. I'd just spent $18 on a Christmas present for my father so I figured 3 & 1/2 hours would balance things out and while i had things to do, they could wait. After, I had some errands to run, so that's why I didn't put any time into my Lifetime horror movie script today. And right now it's twenty after ten and I'm working in the morning so I'll have to do it tomorrow night.

The thing is: here, in the early stages it's a real chore- a friend walks in, "Hi", "Hi", "How are you?", "Good, how are you?". It's fucking boring. Buty I can't punch up the diologue till the diologue is written, so it's gotta be done.

I wish I had a writing partner, but then, there are a lot of things in my life I wish I had a partner for.

The childrens book is on hold for now

Actually it's been a while since I did any work on the childrens book- I want it to be a Bunnicula style book with pictures. What I'm working on instead is a horror movie that i want to write and direct for Lifetime. In the old days, TV showed movies like Dark Night of the Scarecrow- there were real made-for-TV horror movies.

Now there's really no limit to what you can see in horror movies on TV. I always think it's funny when they play a movie like Vacation a lot of stuff, really tame stuff, is still cut out- they're playing the movie the way it was editied for TV back in the mid-80s.

But I don't want violence or gore, just suspense and excitement. I wonder if I'll somehow make the movie and then bring it to Lifetime or if I go to Lifetime with the idea and then make it for them. I'll worry about that later.

"Bunnicula"

I want to write a childrens book so I re-read one of my favorite books from when I was younger. What I liked was the mood that it set. Reading it you got the feeling and the the excitement of being in this house, which is very much like your own, and having all these things happen. I like that it shows pets having a secret life.

And I like the scene where the dog is spending Friday night with one of the sons while he reads and eats chocolate cupcakes. It sets a mood, which I think is the best thing a book or a picture can do. It isn't the entertainment, and it isn't any message, it's just the mood.

Re-reading it I found it was a much simpler story than I'd remembered, very brief. I'd thought it was a little longer.

Now I'm just posting cause I'm bored

There must be some task or chore i'nm avoiding because here I am, posting again. I like to think this is a pretty fun blog, but, come on. Even if I had one reader before my 8 month vacation we can assume he's moved on, found another record sleeve site. That's only natural.

Really though, could it be that there is someone or a bunch of people out there who put RJ Battles in their Favorites folder and have been checking for new posts every morning before they scan their email? Yeah, I think so too.

Let's do an RJ Battles Year in Review, that has to be fun...

January- Was lonely and did nothing but work and go on the computer.

February- Spent a lot of time watching West Wing reruns on Bravo and the West Wing season 4 DVD.

March- Kristin Hersh's "Strange Angels" on headphones and I barely like that record; I sold most of my better CDs.

April- Moved into a horrible, shitty apartment building. Turned one year older.

(Note: This really has been a good year. It doesn't sound like it, I know.)

May- Got settled into my new position- got a little better every day.

June- It's December, I can't remember.

July- Celebrated the 4th of July, watched fireworks display.

August- Found out my cavities are growing.

(Note: I swear good things happened this year)

September- I was really looking forward to the falltime, it's my favorite time of year. I really thought I'd get to be in a relationship again.

October- I got my hopes up bigtime. Oops. Misunderstanding, sorry.

November- Hidden cameras show, made plans to move, had a great Thanksgiving

December- we'll see.

Tanya Donelly

I hope Tanya Donelly has something new coming out soon. It's been too long.

Throwing Muses "In A Doghouse"

Last week I bought "In A Doghouse". Listening to it made me think about how well a lot of those songs would do on a movie soundtrack. "Hate My Way", "Fish", "And a She-Wolf", "Rabbits Dying", "Cry Baby Cry", "Lizzie Sage"- they'd all be good in a movie, especially a horror movie. Someday a smart filmmaker will figure it out.

Pixies "Minotaur"

This fall 4AD put out this huge box set of all the Pixies albums with new photos and while i wouldn't mind flipping through it, I'd never buy it, unless i happened to strike it rich. From what I understand, it's all new artwork and that's not what I'm looking for. I'd rather photos and graphics that were maybe considered at the time. Alternate album covers, shit like that.

Frank Black "Teenager of the Year"

I read somewhere that the Pixies are gonna record some new songs in 2010. I can't say I'm excited- I think it'll be interesting. I think it'll be a challenge because so much time has gone by and the pressure's on.

I like the Pixies. When I first heard their songs in 1994 I loved them. i couldn't get enough. I bought everything and played it over and over, then I started buying Frank Black records.

To be honest, I wouldn't even think of listening to the Pixies now. Aside from "The Purple tape' and the two songs they did in 2004 I've listened to everything else- B-sides included- so many times. The same thing goes for the first two FB albums. In fact, I'll probably never listen to them again.

I can't believe it's been 15 years since TotY came out. It's crazy.

One thing i'd love, though, is a remix album with songs from those albums- minus the keyboards. Just straight rock songs. That would be interesting.

New computer

So I got this new computer for Christmas from my best friend. I really wasn't expecting it.

When I moved to this new place I set up my old computer and the monitor stayed black and the green light faded to orange and when I told him I thought my monitor was dead he said he thought my computer was fried.

He was right, because when I plugged my new computer up to the old monitor everything was fine.

There's a lot that's happened pver the past few months but i don't know how much of it I'm going to go over here; I might just stick with new things and tell the occasional story.

Hidden Cameras show

The first week in November I got to see the Hidden Cameras play at the Iron Horse in Northampton. It's my first time seeing them- I'd definitely go again- and i have to say: I've been to a lot of shows and I think this one was special. The music was very exciting. I thought it was too bad that the crowd was so small. You'd think that in Northampton more people would know about the Cameras but in the weeks leading up to the show, and since- no THC cds at the local record store.
I have none of their albums though i'd like to change that and I know a few of their songs, my favorites being, of course, "AWOO" & "Death of a Tune".

An interesting sidenote: I first heard of THC through the myspace page of John Barleycorn, who used to run a blog that I followed. When I originally stumbled onto his myspace page, I thought he had taken his name from a Frank Black song. Nope. Anyway, we got to talking, I became a regular reader of his blog, and then found out later that he's actually from this part of the state and went to high school with my best friend. Anyway, he was at the show- he must've made the trip from Boston. I almost said hi but decided against it. I don't really know him.

I'm online again

It's been a long time- 8 months- without the internet but now I'm connected again and I can update on a regular basis. Will the old magic still be there? Of course.

So anyway, a couple nights ago I started reading one of the new Ayn Rand bios that came out this year, Ayn Rand and the World She Made by Anne C. Heller. I'm halfway though, after skipped through a few boring sections. Years ago I read the Branden books: Judgement Day & The Passion of Ayn Rand; it's a lot of the same information. having read those two and seeing the cable movie of The Passion I read this book knowing what some of the diologue would be before it was spoken.

And one thing that is always mentioned and then glossed over is how Leonard Peikoff is is bannished to the University of Denver for two years. That's huge and couldn't at least get its own paragraph, come on.

Anyway, we'll get into all of this in detail later. It's just so good to be back.