NOTE : DEAD LINKS We'd like to thank everyone for preventing us of dead links. For the moment, we are note able to re-up them.
Feel free to keep on preventing us of those dead links. We will update them when we (I and Jeb-E-Diah) have more time to (understand : from september). Some of them will be partially or completely repacked considering albums which would have been issued thereafter and surely with new and improved artworks.
I feel The Clash needs no introduction so I'll just give you the way this selection has been compiled:
- Every album (including 1985's controversial Cut the Crap) has been fully considered and the tracks selected for their quality.
- Double (London Calling) and triple (Sandinista) albums have respectively been considered as 2 and 3 albums hence the number of tracks from each of those two.
- There is no rarity nor live cuts in this compilation. However, a few of these tracks have only been released as singles.
- 39 songs may seem like an awful lot when considering the brief history of The Clash. I feel that's how much was needed to accurately describe The Clash's evolution on the bumpy road to hype, fame, stardom and fall.
Enjoy "Straight to Hell" for what it is: an honest work from an honest blogger that have no other ambition but to share his passion from one of the most important acts of the last 40 years.
Triumph is a Canadian hard rock band that was popular in the late 1970s through the 1980s. Eight of the band's albums were certified gold or higher, and Triumph was nominated for multiple Juno Awards, including Group of the Year Award in 1979, 1985, 1986 and 1987. Like their fellow Canadians Rush and Saga, Triumph began building their reputation across North America as a live band, peaking in the early to mid 1980s. The band was formed by Toronto music veterans Gil Moore (drums, vocals) and Mike Levine (bass, keyboards, producer), after meeting guitarist, singer, songwriter Rik Emmett in a manager's office in Toronto in 1975. Often called the 2nd best power-trio from Canada (Rush being first) Triumph, despite the commercial success, never got the artistic reputation of their country mates. Starting as a hard roc/blues/progressive band, they slowly turned to a more AOR sound allowing them an ever bigger success and a lesser reputation. In 1988, singer/guitarist Rik Emmett left the band to pursue a solo career and got replaced by Phil Xendis for a final album (Edge of Excess) which hardly matched up expectations. The three original members have since got together for concerts in 2008. No album is scheduled to this day. Enjoy "Magic Powers", a compilation spanning the 17 years of activity of this much underrated Canadian piece of rock.
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Lay It on the Line
Magic Power
My TRIUMPH Top 3 1 - Allied Forces (1981) 2 - Just a Game (1979) 3 - Thunder Seven (1984)
My TRIUMPH Bottom 3 1 - Edge of Excess (1993) 2 - Surveillance (1987) 3 - In the Begining (1976)
Best known for their alternative radio classic "Mexican Radio," Wall of Voodoo formed in Los Angeles in 1977, originally as a soundtrack company. Led by singer/songwriter Stan Ridgway and rounded out by guitarist Marc Moreland, bassist/keyboardist Bruce Moreland, keyboardist Chas Gray, and drummer Joe Nanni, the group issued their self-titled debut EP in 1980. With the additions of bassist Bruce Moreland and his brother Marc on guitar (replacing Noland), the band's sound crystallized on 1981's full-length Dark Continent, which couched Ridgway's highly stylized and cinematic narratives — heavily influenced by Westerns and film noir, and sung in the vocalist's distinctively droll, narcoleptic manner — in atonal, electronically-based settings. In 1982, following the exit of Bruce Moreland, Wall of Voodoo released Call of the West, which featured "Mexican Radio," their biggest hit. After an appearance at the 1983 US Festival, Ridgway left the group for a solo career. The remaining members enlisted singer Andy Prieboy, and resurfaced in 1985 with the LP Seven Days in Sammystown which contained the minor hit "Far Side of Crazy". Happy Planet followed two years later, while 1988's live effort The Ugly Americans in Australia* (the asterisk denoting that a few tracks were recorded in Bullhead City, Arizona) effectively closed out the Wall of Voodoo story.(allmusic) And so here's a compilation retracing the short history of one of America's most peculiar acts. Often compared to Devo, and Oingo Boingo in their later years, Wall of Voodoo remains a cult band more of today's kids should take notice of. Let's hope this Last Banquet will find a way to their ears and repair the injustice of seeing this awesome band summed up to his biggest hit and his Johnny Cash cover (Ring of Fire), they're worth much more than that.
Van der Graaf had 4 lives in their 40 years life, and with a gap of 27 years ! That band created by Peter Hammill made an unusual progressive for so many reasons. First because it was one of those rare rock bands to play either without a bass player nor a guitar ! The bass was played by the keyboard player with his feet, a bit like a church organist. The guitar was however sometimes played by Hammill, but it wasn't the true spirit of the band. Second, because it is one of the only bands not to be banned or hated by the punk era, Hammill being a great source of inspiration for members of the Sex Pistols. The first life of Van der Graaf lasted from 1968 to 1971. A very short first life where the band managed to record 4 LPs. That first era is the most uneasy one as can witness Pawn Hearts (1971) which is the hardest-access album VdGG ever made. The second life is a softer period where you can see the dream team, as pictured on the back cover of this compilation. During a much shorter life (1975-1976) the Graaf also made a great job with 3 studio albums. Then everything turned wrong and arguments made everyone go seperate ways, at the exception of Hammill who wanted to go on with a new line-up : the band would be called Van der Graaf (without "Generator"). In 1977 was issued The Quiet Zone/The Pleasure Dome which is more a Hammill-sounding album, but really great one! Saxophonist David Jackson joined back for a live LP to take place on older tracks violonist Graham Smith couldn't play. Then, the Graaf disbanded and everyone thought it was for good. But in 2005, the Graaf was back again with a great double CD called Present and featuring the Dream Team! In 2008, was edited a new album, Trisector, called so maybe to accentuate the absence of David Jackson who was fired because a participated to an unothaurized bootleg. Sad affair... Thanks for great job to Pierre who cooked this Graafology "d'une main de maître".
Pierre's VdGG TOP3 : 1 Still Life (1976) 2 Godbluff (1975) 3 Pawn Hearts (1971)
Pierre's VdGG BOTTOM3 : 1. Aerosol Grey Machine (1968) 2. The Least We Can Do Is Wave To Each Other (1970) 3. Present (2005)
This high priestess of celtic music is much more known for her name than for her work and is so often compared with low-quality artists like Enya or other New Age people. Although she belongs in that New Age movement, Loreena's music isn't as poor as her so-called neighbours. Because she travels through different worlds, from non-homeland ireland (she's canadian!) to arabic landscapes in her later job, she brings this easy-listening music to a higher point. One of the major celtic singers and one of the marvellous voices ever heard, McKennitt knows what she sings and sings what she likes, even if it has to last more than 8 minutes, which is, for (too) many people, a problem... rubbish !
My LOREENA McKENNITT TOP : 1. The Mask And The Mirror (1994) 2. The Visit (1991) 3. To Drive The Cold Winter Away (1987) 4. The Book Of Secrets (1997) 5. Songs For Winter Gardens / A Midsummer Night's Dream (1995/2008) 6. Elemental (1985) 7. An Ancient Muse (2006) 8. Parallel Dreams (1989)
So okay, here's another compilation for a legendary metal band. We've had Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Metallica... Indeed, something was missing in the list. Here are the self-proclaimed Metal Gods in all their majestic grandeur! 34 years and 16 studio albums needed us to offer a massive display of the band's art hence the triple cd. What we've tried here is to not let any big classic out, add a few more obscure songs to capture Judas Priest's musical substance. It's not as easy as it seems, I tell you. We hope you'll enjoy the ride and will want to give Priest's discography the attention it deserves. And now: METAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL!!!
Beyond the Realms of Death (1978)
Touch of Evil (1991)
My JUDAS PRIEST Top 3 1 - Screaming for Vengeance (1982) 2 - Sad Wings of Destiny (1976) 3 - Stained Class (1978)
Morphine was an alternative rock group formed by Mark Sandman and Dana Colley in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, in 1989. The band ceased to be in 1999 after frontman Mark Sandman died of a heart attack. Morphine combined blues and jazz elements with more traditional rock arrangements, giving the band a very unusual sound. Sandman's distinctive singing was described as a "deep, laid-back croon," and his songwriting featured a prominent beat influence. When asked by reporters to describe their music, the band created the label "low rock". One critical appraisal suggests that "Morphine immediately established a minimalist, low-end sound that could have easily become a gimmick: a 'power trio' not built around the sound of an electric guitar. Instead, with sly intelligence, Morphine expanded its offbeat vocabulary on each album." Although Morphine was critically lauded throughout their career, it is difficult to measure their success commercially. In the United States the band was embraced and promoted by the indie rock community, including public and college radio stations and MTV's 120 Minutes (which the band once guest-hosted), but received little support from commercial rock radio and other music television programs. This limited their mainstream exposure and success in their home country, while internationally they enjoyed mainstream success and support, especially in Belgium, France and Australia.
Buena (1993)
Early To Bed (1997)
My MORPHINE Top: 1 - Cure for Pain (1993) 2 - Like Swimming (1997) 3 - The Night (2000) 4 - Yes (1995) 5 - Good (1992)
When I was a young man, I used to think that Valentine's day was the ugliest day of the year because it reminded every single people what they were... what I was... Now married, I haven't changed much my opinion... except that, from my new point of view, I also think that it's silly to commemorate love during only one day. What about the 364 or 365 other days ? should we commemorate hate, like some anonymous silly people ? absolutely not. However, if this day should be the day for love, this baistophe, made of (very) different versions of the cult song "I Just Want To Make Love To You", is just what Valentine Day's needs. 16 wonderful songs to remind you that love is what you make it!
Notorious for his laid-back, rootsy style, J.J. Cale is best known for writing "After Midnight" and "Cocaine," songs that Eric Clapton later made into hits. But Cale's influence wasn't only through songwriting — his distinctly loping sense of rhythm and shuffling boogie became the blueprint for the adult-oriented roots rock of Clapton and Mark Knopfler, among others. Cale's refusal to vary the sound of his music over the course of his career caused some critics to label him as a one-trick pony, but he managed to build a dedicated cult following with his sporadically released recordings. And so, here comes Baistophe's comprehensive introduction to the man's work. 27 tracks browsing 35 years of the loner of recording industry's career. We hope you'll enjoy it.
After Midnight
My J.J. CALE Top 3 1. Troubadour (1976) 2. Naturally (1971) 3. Really (1972)
My J.J. CALE Bottom 3 1. Closer to You (1994) 2. Shades (1981) 3. #8 (1983)
For more than 25 years, Midnight Oil raged and rolled as the antinuclear, pro-environmental conscience of Australian rock. At the height of the band's international fame, in the 1980s, Midnight Oil was favorably compared to the Clash, with good reason: The Oils' U.S. debut, 10, 9, 8 is a stunning, sunbaked answer to London Calling. Midnight Oil's ferocious jeremiad against corporate greed and American military imperialism is powered by the apocalyptic delivery of bald singing colossus Peter Garrett and the twin-guitar assault of Jim Moginie and Martin Rotsey. But the Oils were never punks; they were heavy-melody activists, pressing their politics with the seductive writing and vocal harmonies of mid-'60s Beatles and the classic Aussie ferocity of AC/DC and Radio Birdman.
Formed in Sydney in 1976, the Oils quickly became favorites of the hard-drinking, pub-brawling surfer communities on the city's North Beaches. Midnight Oil and Head Injuries crudely bottle the force and fire of early Oils shows. The band's earli-est records also reveal a poetic nationalism that bloomed on the outback-tour diary, Diesel and Dust. At a time when many Aussie bands sought world approval by slavishly emulating American and British songwriting, the Oils made explicit geocultural references to their pride in Australia and fear for its future in songs like "Lucky Country" and "If Ned Kelly Was King," on Place Without a Postcard.
10, 9, 8 was the first Oils record to truly bring out the pop in their pow. Moginie and drummer Rob Hirst wrote much of the Oils' music, and their tuneful instincts made the argumentative drama of 10, 9, 8 torpedoes -- "Only the Strong," "Read About It," "The Power and the Passion" -- both compelling and convincing.
The Oils' explosive growth on 10, 9, 8 and the nuclear-nightmare followup, Red Sails in the Sunset, climaxed with their worldwide commercial triumph, Diesel and Dust. Recorded after a pioneering series of shows in remote aboriginal settlements in the Australian desert, Diesel and Dust is a vivid exami-nation of Western sociocultural failure and indige-nous suffering and spirituality, set against a punishing landscape and including the Oils' finest, tightest writing: the folk-rock strum and foreboding locomotion of "The Dead Heart" and the muscular R&B surge and soaring chorus of the Top 20 hit "Beds Are Burning."
After fighting their way to the top from the bottom of the globe, Midnight Oil hit alternative rock's brick wall in the 1990s. Although sales and airplay fell, their later albums deserve, and reward, rediscovery. The title song of Blue Sky Mining is a righteous, garage-band stomp in the local spirit of the Easybeats. "My Country," on Earth and Sun and Moon, and Breathe's "Surf's Up Tonight" capture Garrett in dark, magnetic ballad form. Redneck Wonderland shakes and snarls with Black Sabbath--like distortion and outlaw rage. In December 2002, Garrett -- a former law student who ran for a seat in the Australian senate on the Nuclear Disarmament Party ticket in 1984 -- announced that he was leaving Midnight Oil to pursue full-time activism, leaving the group's future in doubt. He now is Minister for Environment, Heritage and Arts of Australia's Labour Government.(Rolling Stone)
Best of Both Worlds
My Country
My MIDNIGHT OIL Top 1 - Diesel and Dust (1987) 2 - 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 (1982) 3 - Head Injuries (1979) 4 - Earth and Sun and Moon (1993) 5 - Red Sails on Sunset (1984) 6 - Capricornia (2002) 7 - Place Without a Postcard (1981) 8 - Redneck Wonderland (1998) 9 - Blue Sky Mining (1990) 10 - Midnight Oil (1978) 11 - Breathe (1996)
Obviously, this compilation is just an introduction to the quirky/weird world of The Cramps. For their massive influence on the garage, punk, and rocka/psychobilly scene, the hard working force The Cramps have always been became an icon. Their live performances were of the explosive kind and if their urgent redefinition of classic rock'n'roll may seem a tad simplistic to some, it still is nothing short of essential. Through the years, they've had commercial and judiciary ups and downs but remained artistically uncompromised, true to the gang of misfits that once roamed the club scene spilling blood, spit and attitude like no others did. Not only The Cramps were a terrific rock'n'roll assault group, they also perfectly personalized a certain sub/counter culture made of sex, 50s horror movies and good clean aggressivity. For all these reasons, and many more, they have gained a well deserved place in the History of "pop" (as in popular) music. Now that Lux Interior has passed away, the adventure, that covered over three decades, is over. May the music stay... Forever.
Ozric Tentacles was born at the wrong time. Emerging in the 80s, when music had to be simple, soft and meaningless, Ozric took the place Gong had left half a decade earlier. But,unlike Gong, OT didn't put either jazz or progressive sounds in their space cake, but dub and electronica... Except that big difference, the filiation is an unarguable evidence. For example, the spacey sounds emanating from the synthesizers are a clear heritage of Venux Deluxe. Of course, OT were/are much more than just a reincarnation of Gong, they have a sound and style of their own but one can find them to be the most fitting equivalent to Gong's trippy sound for the modern age. Damn, Steve Hillage even played with them Beginning in the midsts of the brit underground, using the good old D.I.Y. to release their material and selling it to people attending their concerts, Ozric Tentacles slowly became an iconic figure of the popular non-broadcastable music. Their last album, a live one, is one of the best things they've released in a handful of years... None of its tracks will appear here because, as we usually do, this baistophe essentially features studio tracks with the notable exception of Aumriff which is, as you might have already guessed, an adaptation of Gong's Om Riff. Take a trip in the Tentacles of Ozric, you will not regret it!
It's universally agreed that the originators of the doom metal genre are Black Sabbath, but there were several bands of the '80s/early '90s who kept the style alive (during Sabbath's "lean years"), such as Saint Vitus, Trouble, Candlemass, and, especially, the U.K.-based Cathedral. When singer Lee Dorrian jumped ship from grindcore godfathers Napalm Death during the late '80s, he sought to form a new outfit that would focus on the plodding sounds of Sabbath, rather than the all-out assault of his former band. As a result, Cathedral was formed in early 1990, with a lineup consisting of Dorrian, guitarists Mark Griffiths and Gary Jennings, plus drummer Andy Baker. Almost immediately, however, the new group experienced some personnel fluctuation (a sign of things to come). Baker was replaced by Ben Mochrie after only several rehearsals, Griffiths switched over to the bass, and a second guitarist was added, Adam Lehan. 1991 saw the release of a self-produced demo, In Memoriam, issued via Dorrian's own label, Rise Above Records (the album would be reissued on CD almost ten years later, with an expanded track listing).Cathedral was signed by renowned U.K. metal label Earache shortly thereafter, resulting in the release of their full-length debut, Forest of Equilibrium, in 1991. With many figuring that grindcore would become the next globally preferred sub-genre of heavy metal, U.S. major labels began signing such outfits as Entombed, Carcass, and Napalm Death. As a result of their ties to the genre, Cathedral signed on with Columbia Records, even though they displayed little resemblance musically to the aforementioned acts. Lineup instability failed to derail Cathedral, as they delivered arguably the finest album of their career, The Ethereal Mirror, in 1993. A year later, Cathedral got to open a European tour for their heroes, Black Sabbath (albeit the Tony Martin-fronted version).By this time, Dorrian and Jennings were the only members left in attendance from their early days, but more importantly, the group was dropped by Columbia after only a single album. The group has persevered nonetheless -- returning back to the Earache label, and throughout the remainder of the '90s and early 21st century issued such strong releases as 1995's The Carnival Bizarre, 1996's Supernatural Birth Machine, 1998's Caravan Beyond Redemption, and 2001's Endtyme. 2002 saw Cathedral sign on with Spitfire in time for the release of their seventh full-length overall, The VIIth Coming. Despite all of their ups and downs, Cathedral can be credited for opening the door for other subsequent doom bands, as countless groups (who had obviously studied Dorrian and company) cropped up during the mid-/late '90s: Orange Goblin, Electric Wizard, Spiritual Beggars, and more.(allmusic)
Midnight Mountain
Voodoo Fire
My CATHEDRAL Top 1 - The Carnival Bizarre (1995) 2 - Caravan Beyond Redeption (1998) 3 - The Garden Of Unearthly Delights (2005) 4 - Forest Of Equilibrium (1991) 5 - Supernatural Birth Machine (1996) 6 - The Ethereal Mirror (1993) 7 - Endtyme (2001) 8 - The VIIth Coming (2002)
Richard Gotainer is one of those underrated talents that everyone in France knows. This eccentric singer likes to play with words and deal with subjects that no one would expect him to... Because his most popular songs are just kiddy funny songs, he was rapidly stamped as a "singer for children". That's a big mistake if you pay a closer attention to the remainder of his discography, you'll realize it. There are a great number of examples such as Rupture de Stock, Le Béquillard Des Bois, also the often sex-oriented but never gross Femmes A Lunettes, Quéquettes Blues, Tout Chez Moi L'Habite. All these songs, and a lot more, manage to make fun of each and every everyday subject in a subtle and humourous way. After 1997's Tendance Banane and a 8 years silence, 2005 saw his triumphant return. After a so-so musical called La Goutte Au Pépère, 2008 witnesses a new album called Espèces de Bonobos that is nearly as good as the good old time! Be curious, try this one of a kind artist that allies, with his ô so peculiar voice, the melodic talent of a pop artist and the writing talent found in the best of the French chanson.
My Richard Gotainer TOP3 : 1. Le Forgeur de Tempos (1977) 2. Chants Zazous (1983) 3. Espèces De Bonobos (2008)
My Richard Gotainer BOTTOM3 : 1. C'Est Pas Beau La Vie ? (1994) 2. Tendance Banane (1997) 3. La Goutte Au Pépère (2005)
BAISTOPHE is a collection of home-made compilations as those available in store are, most of the times, unsatisfying. We make our own artworks (front & back) so that everything can be burnt, printed and look nice in your CDs collection. Also, we are always looking for new people to help us achieve a quasi-encyclopedic collection. If you think you can help, feel free to contact us. And don't forget to leave a comment, it's always gratifying to see our hard work pleases people!
NB: It goes without saying that these compilations are meant to be introductions to artists we enjoy. If you like what you hear,BUY THE ALBUMS!
NOTE: Artists and labels who do not wish their music to be available on Baistophe can ask us to remove it. Please contact: baistophe{at}gmail{dot}com
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