Here at 1537, you know how we pride ourselves* on being dignified cultured sorts and a lone voice in support of high cultural pursuits in a dumbed down world. On a weekend I may well be found at the opera, catching a modernist dance troop perhaps, or attending a challenging art installation in a groovy loft, that is to say when I’m not to be found at home reading Ronsard and Proust in the original French. It’s not all balancing bits of Lego on top of LP covers you know.
Well imagine my surprise when I somehow inexplicably blacked-out at lunchtime and ended up an hour later back at my desk clutching a copy of Blood Orgy Of The Leather Girls, a soundtrack album to the film of the same name on Pimp Records. My cultural radar having been tweaked somehow by the four be-weaponed chicks standing atop the body of a supine dude on the cover, the lady on the left with the clear plastic pasties and Hitler moustache being a particular draw for me. The soundtrack itself has surf-punk, hillbilly and other garage-style delights from the likes of the Mummies, The Highlander 11’s**, The Pussyhounds, Three Stoned Men, the Troglodykes and the Phantom Surfers. The LP cover features nudity, spoof photos and swear words. I couldn’t leave it there, no-one else in Liverpool would love and cherish this LP the way it needs to be loved and cherished, well not unless John Waters happened to breeze into town.
After a bit of internet research I found it is a real film, made by a fictional director (it’s a long story) about four women going on a violent rampage against men after one of their number was assaulted. So sort of a bit Russ Meyer then, although with far smaller kazongas and less titillation intended. But how could I resist the soundtrack to a film advertised thus?
Assorted dissections, dismemberments, castrations, disembowelments, knife fights, cold-blooded shootings, drug hallucinations … and philosophical digressions.
As a big fan of philosophical digressions, particularly when coupled with near, or actual nudity and violence – then count me in!
I should explain, via a chum I discovered Liverpool’s best new second-hand record shop today Dig Vinyl, which carries a scarily wallet-lighteningly great range of stuff I want. I also snared a copy of the Led Zeppelin I 3LP remaster, which is the only one I want because of the live 1969 Paris gig, and my first ever copy of Deep Purple Made In Japan, which is a Canadian import with a little maple leaf stamped on the back cover.
Oh dear, so that’s sort of 6LPs really in one lunch hour; damn you Dig Vinyl! I was trying to be good this month!
I also had the 12″ of Mark Ronson Uptown Funk waiting for me when I came home – what a phenomenally great track, by far my favourite tune so far this year, my daughter and I have just been perfecting our routine to it. Look out world!
537 Down (still)
*please note egomaniacal use of word ‘we’ and worrying tendency towards talking about self in third person; not to mention somewhat alarming pronoun shifts.
**whom we are assured are ‘San Francisco’s leading Scottish hillbilly band’, they’re definitely in my top three.
Hmm…now I see what you were talking about. The vinyl is out of control, my friend. But damn, how could you not buy ‘The Blood Orgy of the Leather Girls’? It would have been a crime against 1537’s Code of Vinyl Conduct not to.
And a new record shop? You had no choice.
Exactly! The voices told me to do it … again.
Troglodykes, kazongas (and clear pasties), Led Zeppelin and Canadian Deep Purple and making it rain in a record shop.
Your work here is DONE.
Thank you, to quote Ice Cube, it was a good day. I think the Led Zep 1969 concert is brilliant, really great.
All hail the Troglodykes! (can I confess here that I haven’t listened to it all properly yet?)
“The soundtrack itself has surf-punk, hillbilly and other garage-style delights”. That’s gonna be ace. I’m particularly taken by the track title ‘Put Down Yore Shootin’ Iron, Pappy’. In my head I know how that sounds … and that’s how I imagine the whole thing sounds.
It has music? Bloody hell, you’re right! Still not spun it properly yet – I’m still (Deep) Purpling.
You’ve made me want to visit my favourite record store and buy more records. Urgh.
I’m going to have to hunt this one down. With a title like that it can’t be bad.
I haven’t listened to it yet … Last night was all about Made In Japan for me.
You know it’s going to scrappy, fun and furious though. What a title!
I want an album by The Troglodykes. I really really do.
PS. How come not 533 down?
Sorry – didn’t mean to be rude Bruce, this comment never showed up on my WP app for some reason.
I know, what a great band name! I suspect there’s no 9Lp Troglodykes boxed set retrospective for us Johnny-come-latelys.
533? miscounting is a recurring nightmare for me, it would take me days and days to go through and check all the numbering. Eek!
Cheers to uptown funk choreography with daughters – it’s a hit at our house too!
I really think it’s a great track.
“Too lazy to pee” had to have been a hit…right? lol
Yup, it was the first dance at our wedding!
Canadian import? Take off, hoser!
I got it on the way to a Kitchener Rangers game.
Wow. That’s impressive that you know that.
You know, wherever I lay my tuque is my home.
Don’t let him fool you, Mike, he can haz internets? Hahaha 🙂
Damnit, I’ve been rumbled. I would have gotten away with it if it wasn’t for you pesky kids!