Claudine Longet – Jealous Guy/ Don’t Let Me Down

Transfered directly from vinyl.

There are certain things my family has to live with.

One of those things that I imagine are included in the ‘or for worse’ clause of our (as yet unspoken) vows is my fascination for Claudine Longet.

Who?

Claudine is a French singer who was on the edge of international stardom in the seventies, after rising to European fame in the sixties. He most famous peformances are in ‘The Party’ with Peter Sellers and on the soundtrack of ‘Rosemary’s Baby’, the horror epic by Roman Polanski.

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Legend has it, Rosemary’s Baby was cursed. The director’s pregnant wife was killed by Charles Manson, the score composer Komeda fell and died shortly after the film was finished, and the building where the movie was shot, the Dakota building, was later to become famous as the scene of John Lennon’s murder. So what happened to Claudine? She was convicted after accidentally shooting her husband (Olympic skier “Spider” Sabich) to death in the shower. She retreated to Aspen, where she continues to live out of the spotlight. She has never spoken to the press since the incident in 1977 (whith is my birth year, coincidentally).

There is something so intensely haunting about the combination of the innocence of Claudine’s voice and looks, her almost-famous-linked-with-legends status (she was a good friend of Bobby Kennedy) and her eventual, violent downfall that makes every Claudine Longet record a prize to be cherished for me. Whenever I’m in a record shop, I ask if they have any Longet in stock. Most of the shop owners look bewildered when I mention her name, but others, especially the Parisian diggers, nod slowly and say: “Ah, Claudine. Quelle tragédie!”

Over the years, I’ve collected a few Longet records and I’ll share one song with you today. It’s from the ‘Let’s Spend The Night Together’ LP from 1972. The album was recorded to break the US market, rebranding Claudine as a more serious singer of her age, covering the likes of Neil Young, The Beatles and The Stones instead of her usual poppy brand names.

The Stones actually wrote a song about Claudine, which was never released officially.

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Lyrics:

Claudine’s back in jail again
Claudine’s back in jail (again)
Claudine’s back in jail again
Claudine

Claudine’s back in jail again
Claudine’s back in jail (again)
She only does it at weekends
Claudine
Oh, Claudine

Now only Spider knows for sure
But he ain’t talkin’ about it any more
Is he, Claudine?

There’s blood in the chalet
And blood in the snow
(She)Washed her hands of the whole damn show
The best thing you could do, Claudine

Shot him once right through the head
Shot him twice right through the chest
The judge says (ruled) it was an accident
Claudine
Accidents will happen
(In the best homes)

And Claudine’s back in jail again
Claudine’s back in jail again
Claudine’s back in jail again
Claudine

(Claudine’s back in jail again
Claudine’s back in jail again
Claudine’s back in jail again
Claudine) [additional chorus]

I’ll tell you something
Now Claudine’s back in jail again
Claudine’s back in jail again
Claudine’s back in jail again
Claudine

Tell you one more
Claudine’s back in jail again
Claudine’s back in jail again
Claudine’s back in jail again
Huh Claudine?

Oh Claudine…

Oooo …
What about the children, baby?
Poor, poor children

Now I threaten my wife with a gun
I always leave the safety on
I recommend it
Claudine

Now she pistol whipped me once or twice
But she never tried to take my life
(What do you think about that)
Claudine

The prettiest girl I ever seen
I saw you on the movie screen
Hope you don’t try to make a sacrifice of me
Claudine
(Don’t get trigger happy with me)
Don’t wave a gun at me
(Claudine)

I said Claudine’s back in jail again
Claudine’s back in jail again
Claudine’s back in jail again
Claudine

I said Claudine’s back in jail again
Claudine’s back in jail again
She only does it at weekends
Claudine

Keith, will you put that weapon down?

Oh Claudine

Oh Claudine

Ed Banger’s bad boy SebastiAn is set to release his mammoth full-length debut ‘Total’, years and years in the making, featuring the likes of Justice, M.I.A. and Mayer Hawthorne, who provides the vocal for the latest leak: ‘Love in Motion’. It’s very straightforward, swampy electro funk. You might even hear it on your radio soon.

LISTEN TO ‘LOVE IN MOTION’ AT TRENDLAND

While you’re waiting for the album, I’ve dug up the legendary 2009 Sebastian Mix for Kissy Sellout: 28 minutes, 41 tracks, no mixes.

SebastiAn – Kissy Sellout Mix

Quote from me, version 2009:

“28 minutes. 41 tracks, no mixes: all tracks are glued together by counting. If you ever wonder what it sounds like to be in the KNOTORYUS offices (or in my head, for that matter…), this one comes pretty close with an eclectic mix of Lightning Bolt, Jay-Z, Frank Zappa, Ed Banger, Penderecki and much more.”

I might have changed a lot since 2009, but this is still the closest thing to a soundtrack of my mind.

DOWNLOAD SEBASTIAN KISSY SELLOUT MIX

See the X-Rated trailer for ‘Total’.

So Arabia Mountain, produced by Mark Ronson, might to launch The Black Lips into mega-selling orbit. Wonder what they’ll do with the money. I’m expetcting Michael Jackson-esque shopping sprees (“This sarcophacus is beautiful! It will go great next to my gold life-sized sculpture of Marlon Brando wrestling a Zebra!”) and seriously exuberant hospital bills. Here’s the first single: ‘Modern Art’ and it’s very very good and for free (for now).

DOWNLOAD

Can’t wait to see them live again.

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Yes, two of them. First, the official mixtape feat. M.I.A and Diplo and everyone else that’ll make your hipster glands swell to dangerously large proportions.

After the jump: the official prequel mix for FACT Magazine: less names, no less fun.

DOWNLOAD THE BLAQSTARR FACT MIX HERE

(Available for about two more weeks…)

Seventies babies probably know this one best  in D’Angelo’s version. It wasn’t until a couple of years ago that I found out it was a cover myself. For those of you who only know Smokey Robinson from “Tears of a Clown”: I strrrrrrongly urge you to pick up ‘Quiet Storm’, which is definitely on my ‘Desert Albums’ list. It’s a damn near perfect mix of love, sex, melancholy and total bedroom jams.  It’s really easy to find, too. Anyway, back to Cruisin’. Smokey’s  original 1979 version is to be found on the lesser known album “Where there is smoke …”. Admittedly, a pretty dumb title and the album itself is .. well.. a lesser album. Except for “Cruising”, which made it into the Top 10 at the time of its release but has since dropped from most ‘soul classic’ collections. Shame. Oh, and apparently there’s a Gwyneth Paltrow version, too. Not posting that one.

Smokey Robinson – Cruising (transferred directly from vinyl)

DOWNLOAD THE MP3 HERE

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I’d be lying if I said I was specifically digging for an Ambrosia album. Never heard of them. You? Thought so. But that cover! At first I thought “Cool, a pyramid flap thingy.” I love thingies. Then I discovered this liner note:

“This pyramid, when assembled, has been designed in accordance with The Great Pyramid. Use as desired!”

Assembled, ey? Let’s see what we can… *folds* Whoa! A genuine rainbow pyramid vinyl.

As much as I like the cover, the music itself is another story altogether. ‘Produced by Alan Parsons” should give you a clue: progressive, over the top 8-minute rock anthems with a full orchestra and about one thousand chords for every single song.

The most awful (or awesome, depends on your point of view I guess) example being “Danse With Me George”, a symphonic power ballad and rag-time dance hoo-ha about Chopin’s love for his wife, George Sand. Now, if there was some kind of elitist judging panel handing out pompous points, this song would win some serious prizes. It starts with a tinkling piano (Chopin, piano… geddit?) and finishes with a symphonic grand finale, but not before making some ragtime and prog rock detours along the way.

Just… listen.

Or download HERE.

Transferred directly from the ‘A.m.b.r.o.s.i.a.’ debut album vinyl.

Now that we’re back from L.A. L.A. Land and almost fully decompressed, I’ll start the new year by sharing some of the stuff I’ve picked up along the way. (Don’t thank me yet. The list I’ve compiled so far includes a dead writer’s collectible and a psychedelic anthem about Chopin’s wife dancing a jig…)

First up: not very rare, but a happy find for me personally: a reisssue of ‘Nervous Breakdown’ by the legendary Black Flag in their most iconic setting, with Keith Morris on vocals. Los Angeles is where Black Flag played their first breakthrough gigs in the beginning of the eighties, so I felt I needed to hunt down some of their work now that found myself in their hometown. ‘Nervous Breakdown’ is their first EP and features two of my favourite Flag anthems ever: “Fix Me” and “Wasted”. Both are short, intense bursts of raw energy, but “Fix Me” has always been at the top of my playlists, thanks to the amazing lyrics.

BLACK FLAG – “Fix Me” (transferred directly from vinyl)

DOWNLOAD IT HERE

FIX ME

Someday
I’ll feel no pain
Someday
I won’t have a brain
They’ll take away the part that hurts
And let the rest remain
Fix me
Fix my head
Fix me please, I don’t wanna be dead

Someday
We’ll all be rich
Someday
I won’t listen to you bitch
I’ll turn up the volume
And you can hear all the shit we play just for you
Fix me
Fix my head
Fix me please, I don’t wanna be dead

Someday
I’ll feel no pain
Someday
I won’t have a brain
They’ll take away the part that hurts
And let the rest remain
Fix me
Fix my head
Fix me please, I don’t wanna be dead

Fix it!

I’m not that fond of reissues, normally, but back at home in Brussels, Black Flag vinyls are hard to come by, vintage or no vintage. SST, the reissue’s label is the same one who housed the original pressing (of 300 copies). It is also erstwhile label of Sonic Youth -if I’m not mistaken- and was originally founded by Black Flag mastermind Greg Ginn … so I don’t mind putting money in their pockets. Keeping the original vinyl format (punk songs = short, so vinyl = tiny) is a nice touch, too.

Artwork by Raymond Pettibon.

Nothing beats the original version, but Iggy Pop did a fantastic job on the ‘West Memphis Three’ tribute album ‘Rise Above’ in 2002 (check it out, it has Black Flag covers by Ween, The Mars Volta and Motörhead).

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Hova does the power clap and drops a verse on Swizzee’s beats. It’s whatch’all been waitin’ for ain’t it?

Download after the jump.

DOWNLOAD KANYE WEST “POWER” FEAT. JAY-Z (REMIX)

Dutch band ‘Palmbomen’ just released the “Moon Children” EP, which will be classified as ‘chillwave’ by your local snobby record dealer: muted synths, lo-fi vocals and a chill vibe. Think Human League, played by Ariel Pink.

Here’s the single: “Moon Children”

Press play. Or Download HERE

After the jump throwback bonus: download the Palmbomen Mixtape for Vice Magazine (Tom Tom Club, Kraftwerk, Carly Simon, Breakbot, etc.)

Palmbomen Mixtape exclusively for Vice by nonrecords

Tracklist:

Tom Tom Club — Genius of Love
Washed Out — Feel It All Around
King MC — What Have I Done For You Lately
Yazoo — Situation (Dub Mix)
The Flirts — Passion
Renkas — Interstellar
Human League — What Dreams Are Made Of (Instrumental)
Polarius — Apollo Park
Seb & Seb T & Oizo — Ringardos
M83 — Run Into Flowers (Jackson Remix)
Jan Turkenburg — In My Spaceship (Breakbot Remix)
Neon Indian — Terminally Chill
Rocksteady Crew — (Hey You)The Rocksteady Crew
Grauzone — Eisbär
Moses — We Just
Kraftwerk — Spacelab
Tom & Ien — Apendans
Carly Simon — Why?
Palmbomen — Dark Stuff (Demo)

I was watching a documentary on Front242 the other day: same old mishmash of old footage and talking heads, really. One of those talking heads belonged to Luc Van Acker (a true raconteur: a man of a thousand stories – someone give this guy a book deal already!). In between anecdotes (“Front 242 said they wanted to kill the audience. I didn’t know it was a metaphor so on my first gig with them I jumped into the audience and started whacking people with my guitar. I didn’t look up until I stopped at the PA, where the sound guy was looking at me, stunned by confusion and fear.”) he started naming good Belgian bands playing in the post-punk era. Turns out there’s a lot of them. Good stuff, too. And as it turns out, there’s a growing scene hunting those lost tracks down. Brooklyn label SoftSpot has just released “We Live in a System” by the short-lived Belgian band Kebab. You can have the cult classic ‘Life, it’s a joke’ for free. Press play or hit the jump for the download.

DOWNLOAD HERE

If you’re digging the post-punk cult: check out this gem: ‘The Wake – Give Up”, dug up by none other than Parra.