Video Four-Pack V.5 (Gun Club, GOD, Pee Chees, Githead)

Somehow, we wound up with lots of 'G' bands for this spin through the internet's video playground, but I can assure you that it wasn't intentional. These weekly posts seek nothing more than to offer a visual component to whatever music happens to be stuck in my head at the moment, most often influenced by my previous week's radio show. There's information ahoy regarding all of these bands online, lest you think my goal here extends anywhere beyond creating simple talking points. So if you've got opinions on any of these acts, please speak up in the comments section!

Our first fuzzy relic from the VHS age comes from the aptly named ensemble, GOD (below, left). This Australian proto-grunge band released a quick string of amazing records between '87 and '89, during which time most of the group's members were barely seventeen years old. The song "My Pal", which this clip from Aussie TV spotlights, was their most beloved track and even helped inspire the name for a top-shelf NJ indie label. Also straight from the VHS vaults comes a solid clip of The Gun Club performing "The Lie", as originally seen on Dutch TV in 1983. (Below, right). There's a new Gun Club 2xCD of live and demo recordings out now on Sanctuary Records which even casual fans would do right by investigating.

 

 

Accelerating back to the present day, I am floored to present a video from Githead, who feature Colin Newman (Wire) and Robin Rimbaud (Scanner), and who have a brand new album out called "Art Pop". This fish-eyed promotional video (below, left) for the song "Drive By" is alleged to have been shot entirely on digital and mobile phone cameras, with heavy reliance on fan submissions. In spite of the song's vague similarities to modern-day Wire, don't call it a side project, ok? Left coast party-starters The Pee Chees have earned countless hours of turntable time in my apartment, especially their "Do the Math" LP on Kill Rock Stars. Raging guitars, an utterly martial rhythm section, and some of thee most obnoxious vocals ever to hit my eardrums. All this, and strangely danceable. From the Kill Rock Stars Video Fanzine #1, I leave you with their performance (below, right) of the song "Mad Doctor".

 

 

Comments

[Zach in Philly]

I'll take two of whatever the Gun Club's bassists is on. Wow, what presence! What a trip down if-you-can-remember-it-you-weren't-there lane. So good I had to watch it twice.

'Love your eloquent description of the PeeChees. While only my first listen, I'm nodding along emphatically.

Choice stuff~

[E-Man]

Mellbourne band GOD also spawned great Aussie bands like Hoss, Powder Monkeys, Freeloaders, Pattersons Curse and a bunch of others. Sadly 2 of the 4 members of GOD have died in the last few years. Hoss and Powder Monkeys are two bands definitely worth checking out. Powder Monkeys, in particular, were one of the greatest live bands you could ever hope to see but never quite attained the levels of international recognition due them. RIP Tim Hemensley.

[E-Man]

Oh yeah, the guys in GOD were like 16 and 17-year-olds at the time My Pal came out.