The Musical World of Rocky Horror

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PostPosted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 2:18 am 
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Was just adding a page for this 1998 recording (http://www.rockymusic.org/album/absolute-pleasure.php) and realized that not only is the Center of the World Records domain completely dead, but the album hasn't actually been available anywhere for awhile now. Some searching only turned up a few used copies in the $20-25 range (it sold for $10 brand new... postage paid). After some checking, it looks like the staff at Center of the World Records just kind of disappeared several years ago. Bands that appeared on their albums that wanted to get copies haven't been able to for some time. So I went ahead and posted sound files here:

http://www.rockymusic.org/mp3scat/absolute-pleasure/

As far as I'm aware, only one of the bands (Darlington) ever released their cover track on a proper album of theirs. This 1999 album ("Mess You Up") is itself out of print now also, though.

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PostPosted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 2:19 am 
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This was the original press release for the album, posted to the Rocky Horror newsgroup on January 12th, 1999:
Quote:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Justin Powers / jpowers@cotwr.com / www.cotwr.com
COTWR - 1760 Gross Rd., Dallas, TX 75228

CENTER OF THE WORLD RECORDS PRESENTS:
ABSOLUTE PLEASURE: A TRIBUTE TO ROCKY HORROR

Center of the World Records will release, "Absolute Pleasure: A Tribute to Rocky Horror," the first real musical tribute to the #1 musical motion picture of all time. "Absolute Pleasure" IS the Rocky Horror Picture Show soundtrack, re-recorded by a very strange collection of bands. So move over virgins, let's do the Time Warp again!

1. ROSS BEACH - "Science Fiction Double Feature"
Acoustic Folk singer from Louisiana on Chicken Ranch Records

2. THE WALLYS - "Dammit Janet"
Pop punk from Denton (yes Denton where Rocky Horror Picture Show Takes place).

3. THE EMMA PEEL ADVOCATES - "Over at the Frankenstein Place"
All-girl pop punk from Ohio.

4. DARLINGTON - "Time Warp"
Punk band from Dallas, TX on Last beat records. Formerly MESS, their drummer just finished a tour playing for the Queers. They also just recorded a cover of one of their songs with Joe King (Queers) and members of Green Day.

5. THE JEZZEBELLES - "Sweet Transvestite"
A real Rock and Roll band from Chicago, playing rock influenced by the New York Dolls and the Rolling Stones.

6. DYSASTER AREA - "I Can Make You A Man" & "I Can Make You A Man (Reprise)"
A sludgy side-project, courtesy of DYSTOPIA ONE, recorded live at the Knitting Factory

7. KUNG FU GRIP - "Hot Patuti"
Ska band from Fayetteville AR

8. CROATAN - "Toucha Toucha Touch Me"
Noise band from OH on Mans Ruin Records, Frank Kozik's label

9. THE MISTLETONES - "Eddie"
Ska from Ft Smith, AR has other releases out on Center of the World and Coolidge records

10. DYSTOPIA ONE featuring SQUATWEILER's Stacey - "Floor Show"
NY noise rockers, DYSTOPIA ONE team up with the NC-based SQUATWEILER singer Stacey

11. DARBY JONES - "Don't Dream It"
NJ alternative band featuring member Frank who is in the NJ cast of Rocky Horror

12. ILL REPUTE - "Wild and Untamed Thing"
The legendary punk band from Oxnard, CA, has been recording and touring since the early 80's releasing albums and 7"s on labels from Mystic to DR. Strange

13. THE NECRO TONZ - "I'm Going Home"
Gothic lounge from Dallas on Last beat Records

14. BLUE PETER - "Science Fiction Reprise"
Electronic music from Houston TX

For more info on the Rocky Horror Picture Show - http://www.rockyhorror.com
For more info on the tribute cd - jpowers@cotwr.com

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PostPosted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 2:21 am 
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And a detailed review of the album, courtesy of Ruth Fink-Winter also on the newsgroup:
Quote:
I got my copy of the Absolute Pleasure Rocky Horror cover CD (from Center of the World Records) last week. I enjoyed it, though I found many of the voices were kind of thin (many of the bands are punk, and I think that's traditional). It's well worth $10--it has some novel arrangements, my favorite being "I'm Going Home" which sounds like something they'd play on a cruise ship. I’d recommend this CD both to collectors and to fans who are just looking for some different arrangements of the songs. (It would help if you like punk. But I don't, and I liked the CD anyway.)

Here's a review, with descriptions of the bands taken from Center of the World's press release. To order the CD, please contact cotwr@mindspring.com or
just send your $10 to:
COTWR
c/o Justin Powers
1760 Gross Rd.
Dallas, TX 75228

(cash is acceptable or check or money order made out to Justin Powers).
http://www.cotwr.com/home.html

CENTER OF THE WORLD RECORDS PRESENTS:
ABSOLUTE PLEASURE : A TRIBUTE TO ROCKY HORROR

1. ROSS BEACH - “Science Fiction Double Feature”
Acoustic Folk singer from Louisiana on Chicken Ranch Records
Rather charming, simple arrangement.

2. THE WALLYS - “Dammit Janet”
Pop punk from Denton
They can’t really sing (the male vocalist is particularly tone-deaf), but that’s traditional for punk, isn’t it? An interesting idea; traditional speed guitar work.

3. THE EMMA PEEL ADVOCATES – “Over at the Frankenstein Place”
All-girl pop punk from Ohio
I hoped I’d like this group (what a great name). They sang most of it in unison. It featured nice guitar work; it was louder than the vocals (and I found it more interesting). The vocals were very monotone; the singers didn’t seem particularly interested in the vocals. I didn’t think whispering every other line of the chorus worked at first, but it became more compelling each time they did it. I hated the Riff solo; the harmonies here were very dissonant.

4. DARLINGTON – “Time Warp”
Punk band from Dallas, TX on Last beat records.
They took several liberties with the lyrics, alluding to the movie audience experience, among other things. I really liked this track. Using the cymbals to keep the beat during the chorus and periodically during the verses was a nice touch.

5. THE JEZZEBELLES - “Sweet Transvestite”
A real Rock and Roll band from Chicago, playing rock influenced by the New York Dolls and the Rolling Stones.
Frank’s voice was electronically distorted, and the vocalist played between his normal range and falsetto. It bothered me that they used a drum machine for the beats at the beginning. Lots of interesting distorted guitar work, though sometimes it seemed to hold back the song’s pace as the musicians got perhaps too interested with all the noodly bits they were doing around the melody. Brad’s and Janet’s bit was a guitar solo. One of the most interesting versions of this song I’ve heard.

6. DYSASTER AREA - “I Can Make You A Man” & “I Can Make You A Man (Reprise)
A sludgy side-project, courtesy of DYSTOPIA ONE, recorded live at the Knitting Factory
Spoken, not sung. The band played only one theme at once (a couple of measures, repeated over and over, two total); the music was more a background to the spoken word than a melody. I’d call this more a spoken reading with musical background than a cover.
Reprise: I liked the voices better here; they seemed more sensual (or at least more obsessive). It had better chord changes, too. Ended with a nice throbby bit.

7. KUNG FU GRIP – “Hot Patuti”
Ska band from Fayetteville AR
Starts with the “Say no more” bit from Monty Python. Fairly standard arrangement on the verses. On the choruses, an exuberant out-of-tune saxophone (think Opus playing the tuba) joined in.

8. CROATAN – “Toucha Toucha Touch Me”
Noise band from OH on Mans Ruin Records
Lots of heavy drumming, including the intro with drum solo. Janet sort of screamed, and the chorus was quite aggressive and fast. The guitars came in and helped speed on the chorus. Ended with barely audible electronically distorted voices and more drums.

9. THE MISTLETONES – “Eddie”
Ska from Ft Smith, AR has other releases out on Center of the World and Coolidge records

10. DYSTOPIA ONE featuring SQUATWEILER's Stacey - “Floor Show”
NY noise rockers, DYSTOPIA ONE team up with the NC-based SQUATWEILER singer Stacey
Standard arrangement with one guitar, drum and occasional sax. The chorus was all male, who sped through it. The “Columbia” (also male) was nicely frantic. The only creative bit was a guitar solo before one of the choruses. Good chord at the ending.

11. DARBY JONES – “Don’t Dream It”
NJ alternative band featuring member Frank who is in the NJ cast of Rocky Horror
I liked the Columbia, who had a nice wail over a solid guitar background. The guitars kicked in harder when Rocky came in (almost overpowering him). He had a pleasant, simple voice with some depth to it. The background changed to a spare, uneasy background for Brad with a guitar and drums which sounded like a ticking clock. The rock and roll guitars came in for Janet’s verse, sung with no melodic inflections by a man. There were deliberate disharmonies during the chord changes. There was a repetitive drum and guitar ending, ending on one final unharmonic note.
Frank’s entrance: Very nice speed guitar opening. When Frank entered, the guitars became mellow and harmonious, playing simple chords with lots of space between them for Frank’s voice. The speed guitars came back starting with “Give yourself over.” My only complaint is that the depth the singer revealed on “Don’t dream it” was totally lacking in the intro. (Guess mellow’s not his style.) The Dr. Scott did a nice job, too.

12. ILL REPUTE – “Wild and Untamed Thing”
The legendary punk band from Oxnard, CA, has been recording and touring since the early 80’s releasing albums and 7”s on labels from Mystic to DR. Strange
Speed guitars, speed vocals. I was more interested when things slowed down and the guitars went to work at Riff’s entrance. His voice lacked depth, and the song sort of trailed off.

13. THE NECRO TONZ – “I’m Going Home”
Gothic lounge from Dallas on Last beat Records
This has (I kid you not) sort of a maraca beat (drum machine). Had a nice tropical feel. The Frank had an interesting, full, lazy, sensual voice, and the sax work was dreamy, especially when it provided counterharmonies. I love this, though I had visions of tourists in straw hats and loud Hawaiian shirts waltzing the whole time.

14. BLUE PETER – “Science Fiction Reprise”
Electronic music from Houston TX
Very fast intro with good drums. The vocals were very distorted, to the point of almost becoming musical notes more than words. Sort of “Electric Café” and pretty well overpowered by the electronic noises and drumwork. Very interesting, though.

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Shawn McHorse
RockyMusic.org / AustinRocky.org


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