In 1985, I was introduced to the Jazz Butcher Conspiracy. I was 15, in high school, and already making near weekly trips to downtown Milwaukee to Ludwig von Ear (before they became Atomic Records) to search through the import records to find the new and latest thing.

The Jazz Butcher, fronted by Pat Fish and accompanied by guitar legend (if there was any justice) Maximillian T. Eider, was one of the original alternative guitar pop bands. What set them apart was Fish's whimsical and entertaining lyrics, combined with Eiders jazz solos and penchant for writing songs about drinking (some of the best drinking songs around).

For example, check out "Drink"... or the treatise on "Partytime."

Aside from an entire catalog of music that I think is just fantastic, that Jazz Butcher also motivated me to my first bar.

On Saturday, August 4, 1986, we learned the Jazz Butcher was going to play at the Underground in Milwaukee. Confronted with the disbelief that we wouldn't be able to go, me and a few friends decided that we had to do something. So we got in the car and drove down to Chicago to get fake IDs.

Not sure why we knew where to go in Chicago, but we walked into this pawnshop-type place and lined up to get our pictures taken for the IDs. 30 minutes later, and we were now 21-year-old Indiana residents.

So, we drove back up to Milwaukee and went downtown to see the show. Nerves didn't really kick in until we stood outside, looking at the front door of the bar. Would this really work?

Like most fake ID experiences, it didn't really come down to how convincing our IDs were, or how well we carried ourselves, so much as what kind of mood the bouncers were in. Fortunately, they didn't care, so we entered without incident.

After making it through Blowtorch, the opening band, Pat, Max and the rest of the band delivered on an excellent two hours of music. The night ended with us breaking into our friend Mike's house (he and his family were on vacation) and staying there.

The Jazz Butcher was later partly responsible for my going to school in Coventry, England for a year. One of my main goals of going there was to find all the out-of-print Jazz Butcher CDs that I didn't buy when they first came out (due, in large part, to my adherence to the warm sound of vinyl).

The Jazz Butcher have had a very long career and are still going at it. Check out their old catalog of songs like "The Jazz Butcher vs. The Prime Minister" or "When Eno Sings" from Illuminate, one of the more recent albums.

Finally, I leave you with their promotional video for "Girl Go" - proving that you can actually put a saxophone in a pop song and not have it sound entirely cheesy.

In 1995 we all got down to the sound of No Doubt, nice, quaint little alt pop, slightly punkish band from California. Now its 2007 and all the kids are into Gwen Stefani all over the world, ask any kid who is No Doubt and they wont make the connection. But hey, that's rock n roll innit? And good on Gwen i say, not many rock acts can last more than a few years and she has been performing since '87.

With the return of the punks in the mid-'90s came a resurgence of their slightly more commercial rivals, new wave bands. No Doubt found a niche as a new wave/ska band, on the strength of vocalist Gwen Stefani's persona -- alternately an embrace of little-girl-lost innocence and riot grrl feminism -- exemplified on the band's breakout single, "Just a Girl." Formed in early 1987 as a ska band inspired by Madness, the lineup of No Doubt initially comprised John Spence, Gwen Stefani and her brother Eric. While playing the party-band circuit around Anaheim, the trio picked up bassist Tony Kanal, born in India but raised in Great Britain and the U.S. Hardened by the suicide of Spence in December 1987, No Doubt nevertheless continued; Gwen became the lone vocalist and the group added guitarist Tom Dumont and drummer Adrian Young.

No Doubt's live act began to attract regional interest, and Interscope Records signed them in 1991. The band's debut a year later, an odd fusion of '80s pop and ska, sank without a trace in the wake of the grunge movement. As a result, Interscope refused to support No Doubt's tour or further recordings. The band responded by recording on their own during 1993-94; the result was the self-released The Beacon Street Collection, much rawer and more punk-inspired than the debut. Eric Stefani left just after its release, later working as an animator for The Simpsons. By late 1994, Interscope allowed recordings to resume, and Tragic Kingdom was released in October 1995. The album served as a document of the breakup of Gwen Stefani and Kanal, whose relationship had lasted seven years. Thanks to constant touring and the appearance of "Just a Girl" and "Spiderwebs" on MTV's Buzz Bin, the album hit the Top Ten in 1996. Stefani, who has made no secret of her pop ambitions, became a centerpiece of attention as an alternative to the crop of tough girls prevalent on the charts.By the end of the year, Tragic Kingdom hit number one on the album charts, almost a year after its first release; the record's third single, the ballad "Don't Speak," was the band's biggest hit to date. No Doubt's much-anticipated follow-up, The Return of Saturn, was released in the spring of 2000 and "Simple Kind of Life" and "Ex-Girlfriend" were both critically successful at the mainstream and college levels. A year later, Stefani also hooked up with rap chanteuse, Eve for the single "Let Me Blow Your Mind" (it went on to earn a Grammy for "Best Rap/Sung Collaboration" in 2002), however Stefani also joined her band for the release of fifth album. The ska-revival and new wave sounds of Rock Steady was issued hot on the heels of debut single "Hey Baby" in December 2001. ~ John Bush

In December 1995, Stefani met Bush guitarist and lead singer Gavin Rossdale at a No Doubt concert, and the two became involved in a long distance relationship. The couple has kept details about its relationship private, avoiding talking to journalists together. They married in 2002, with a wedding in St Paul's Church in Covent Garden, London. A second wedding was held in Los Angeles, California two weeks later. According to Stefani, it was held so that she could wear a custom-designed wedding dress by British-Gibraltarian fashion designer John Galliano. The couple discovered in 2004 that Rossdale had an illegitimate daughter Daisy with model Pearl Lowe when Rossdale took a paternity test. In December 2005, Stefani and Rossdale announced that they were expecting their first child together. The pregnancy was first reported by Us Weekly, and Stefani confirmed the pregnancy by shouting "I want you to sing so loud that the baby hears it" during a concert in Fort Lauderdale, Florida after her press agent stated that it was untrue. On May 26, 2006, their son, Kingston James McGregor Rossdale, was born via caesarean section at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.[66] Kingston weighed 3.4 kilograms (7 pounds, 5 ounces). Stefani plans to have another baby. (Anyone wager the child will be a pop star in 2025? Has to be with that pedigree)

For Madness see Number 794

What does Rolling Stone think about No Doubt?

It's the rhythm, stupid. Oh, and in No Doubt's case, a platinum-blond peach of a female singer, Gwen Stefani, who breaks up the asexual baggy-shorts-and-balloon-pants monotony of alt-nation guy rock (311 included). Both Tragic Kingdom and 311 are ear candy with good beats, not just bludgeon-by-numbers guitars, and both bands are remarkably adept at genre juggling. No Doubt have a spry, white-suburban take on ska and Blondieesque pop; 311 have a tight, sinewy sound that for all of its obvious Beasties-cum-Chili Peppers traits has a potent reggae undertow. So why snipe at either group for lack of depth? Because power ballads are irritating swill, and No Doubt's "Don't Speak" is no exception (the high-pitched rippling in Stefani's voice, more effective with fast songs and sunnier hooks, doesn't help). And you have to wonder about the substance beneath the sweat when 311 fire off lines like "I reserve the right to be as trite as I want." Hey, it's a free country. DAVID FRICKE(RS 750/751 - Dec. 26, 1996/Jan. 9, 1997

Rolling Stone Top 500 Songs ranked this song at Number (Its like this, see....) and the Album ranked at Number (Whats that behind you? *poof*)

This song has a crowbarred rating of 71.6 out of 108 pts

Lyrics to the song

Previous Song 613 ..... Next Song 615

Tags:No Doubt, 1995, Alt Pop, Gwen Stefani, Madness, Bush, Gavin Rossdale, The Simpsons, YouTube, Music Video, Rolling Stone Magazine, Crowbarred, New Zealand, Crowbarred Unleashed, The Definitive 1000 Songs Of All Time, Mellow Mix Volume 1

Cruise down any old road in West Auckland on a Friday night (Just watch out for the "West Family on Outrageous Fortune you never know where Van & Munta are) and you will here this song pumping out of a house, oh say around 1.00 am'sh and i would care to bet on anybodies house that you will hear this song. This song is as New Zealand is Weetbix, Goodnight Kiwi, Marmite, Buzzy Bee, Telethon 1985 & Jonah Lomu running over someone is. Now Number 671 Split Enz "Message To My Girl" i started Part One about Split Enz and the entry Number 618 will carry on.... (Ps Did ya like me "Glam" look picture just for Split Enz? No? OK, no need to be rude :p)

By the end of 1974, their following in New Zealand was strong and dedicated, but the chances of further progress there were obviously limited — the only logical place to go was Australia. In March 1975, the band issued its third single, "No Bother To Me", on the independent White Cloud label, and a few weeks later, Split Enz left for Sydney. The initial response from Australian audiences was mixed, and their music and image was at first simply too "out there" for many Australians.
At the time, Skyhooks and Hush were probably Australia's most overtly theatrical rock bands, and the influence of the "glam" period could also be seen in acts like Hush, who used costumes and makeup. Even Sherbet and AC/DC had briefly toyed with glam rock stylings, but they had dropped the idea before long. Split Enz were in a league of their own however, and most Australian audiences had seen nothing like them before. They got a frosty reception in Sydney, although they had a slightly warmer welcome in Melbourne, where local bands and other performing groups had more of a history of blending experimental and theatrical elements with rock music. It was around about this time that all members of the band except Phil adopted the use of their middle names.

Mental Notes

The Enz soldiered for nine difficult months although, as at home, they quickly amassed a small fiercely loyal cult following which endures to this day. Their immediate future was assured when they were spotted by Michael Gudinski, who recognised their potential and signed them to a management and publishing deal and a recording contract with his Mushroom Records label. Their reputation as a top-notch live act and their association with Gudinski gained them several very important support slots to local bands like Skyhooks and with major overseas acts in 1974 – 75 including Roxy Music, Lou Reed, Flo & Eddie and Leo Sayer.
The association with Mushroom was fortuitous. The company had struggled to survive for its first few years but had recently hit the big time with the record-breaking Living In The Seventies album by Skyhooks and the company was now on their way to being a major player. Mushroom's staff were young, keen, aggressive and willing to take risks — exactly the kind of company Split Enz needed. Although he is often criticised (with some justification) for the treatment of other artists on the Mushroom roster, it is to Gudinski's credit that he stuck by the Enz through thick and thin, and in the long run his faith in them was richly rewarded.

In two weeks during May/June 1975 they recorded their debut album Mental Notes at Festival's Studio 24 in Sydney. It was produced by David Russell, who was also their tour manager in 1975 – 76. Russell had been the bass player with legendary NZ rockers Ray Columbus (1962 – 65), and went on to play with Ray Brown (1966) and Max Merritt & The Meteors (1971 – 74). The engineer was Festival staffer Richard Batchens, whose credits includeThe Cleves, Lobby Loyde, Chain,  Blackfeather and Sherbet. The Enz were reportedly unhappy with the result at the time, and Tim still regards the album as "deeply flawed" although he acknowledges that time has revealed its unique qualities.
It was a moderate success on its release in July, selling a respectable 12,000 copies in Australia, reaching #35 on the album chart for one week, and peaking at #7 in New Zealand. It was also a critical breakthrough and along with a handful of other '70s Australian classics, like The Dingoes' debut LP and Madder Lake's Stillpoint, it remains one of the most original and accomplished Australasian debut albums of the period.
Much of the material derived from Tim and Phil's fascination with the work of the renowned English writer and artist Mervyn Peake — notably Spellbound, the epic track "Stranger Than Fiction" (their concert centrepiece) and "Titus", named after the hero of Peake's Gormenghast trilogy.

Lyrics to the song

Previous Song 617 ..... Next Song 619

Tags:Split Enz, 1977, Alt Pop, Skyhooks, Hush, Sherbet, AC/DC, Roxy Music, Lou Reed, Flow & Eddie, Leo Sayer, Ray Columbus, Ray Brown, Max Merritt, The Cleves, Lobby Loyde, Chain, Blackfeather, The Dingoes, Outrageous Fortune, West Family, Jonah Lomu, Music, Weetbix, YouTube, Music Video, Rolling Stone Magazine, Crowbarred, New Zealand, Crowbarred Unleashed, The Definitive 1000 Songs Of All Time, Mellow Mix Volume 1

Jesus Jones' murky mix of samples, pop, dance tracks, and techno resulted in one huge international hit single, "Right Here, Right Now" (taken from their second album, Doubt), that pretty much sums up all of the band's virtues -- a strong melody and hook, with a flair for making the dance club overtones mesh with the rock guitar. For their flaws, turn to their first album, which suffers from muddy beats, shapeless melodies, and intrusive samples, all of which plagued sections of Doubt. But when Doubt

Based on the platinum success of Doubt, Jesus Jones' leader guitarist/vocalist Mike Edwards decided it was his mission to make techno palatable for the pop masses and recorded their follow-up album, 1993's Perverse, almost entirely on computer. The result was neither good pop music nor good techno; Jesus Jones' subsequent fall from the top of the U.S. and U.K. charts was as fast as their rise to the top. After a long layoff, they returned in the summer of 1997 with Already. Initially, the album was only released in the U.K.; it was released in the U.S. during the spring of 1998. Three years later, Jesus Jones returned to form. With new members Alan Doughty (bass) and Tony Arthy (drums), Jesus Jones inked a deal with Koch and issued London in fall 2001. ~ Stephen Thomas

Rolling Stone was to busy that year to know Jesus Jones existed, however they did realise Madonna was indeed a woman and Kurt Cobain didn't own guns, nothing gets past these guys, they are on the case.

This song has a crowbarred rating of 71 out of 108

Previous Song 637 ..... Next Song 639

Tags:Jesus Jones, 1990, Alt Pop, Music, YouTube, Music Video, Rolling Stone Magazine, Crowbarred, New Zealand, Crowbarred Unleashed, The Definitive 1000 Songs Of All Time, Mellow Mix Volume 1

Onehunga

The Flying Lizards were a British experimental rock group that recorded several albums. Formed by and led by David Cunningham, the group included avant-garde and free improvising musicians like David Toop and Steve Beresford as instrumentalists and Deborah Evans and Patti Palladin as main vocalists. It also boasted the late Michael Upton.

Eddie Cochran's "Summertime Blues" 1978, "The Laughing Policeman" 1980 (which was not featured on an album, but was released under the name The Suspicions),"Move On Up" 1981, "Sex Machine" 1984 and "Dizzy Miss Lizzie" (1984) and several originals. Their cover of Barrett Strong's "Money" remains popular, and is used in The Wedding Singer, Empire Records, Nip Tuck, the first Charlie's Angels and Lord of War. Their album Top Ten consists entirely of covers, done in a deliberately emotionless, harsh and robotic style. After the band's break-up, a posthumous album of dub instrumentals, The Secret Dub Life of the Flying Lizards, appeared.

Rolling Stone Top 500 Songs ranked this song at Number (We liked the Barret Strong better @ #288) and the Album ranked at Number (Yea Right)

This song has a crowbarred rating of 70.5 out of 108 pts

Previous Song 648 ..... Next Song 650

Whakaari

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