Sonny Vincent - Three Covers

Here's a small update as an excuse for a couple of advertisements.

One, Sonny has a new album coming up and a record release show that I would love to attend, as it features the wonderful Guitar Gangsters as the opening band - one of the three criminally underrated British punk rock bands (alongside The Crack and The (Newtown) Neurotics - you really should check out all of these bands).

Two, the Testors are reuniting for a couple of American shows, one in NYC and the other at the Atlanta Mess Around festival. Some more gigs I won't be attending!

Finally, here's the short EP I made out of the three cover songs released on various compilations. The originals are by Johnny Thunders, the Ramones and Chuck Berry, respectively, but you knew that. The Chuck Berry cover utilises the talents of the late, great Mr. Arthur "Killer" Kane, whose unlikely life story was made into a beautiful and poignant documentary which you absolutely need to see. The movie is called "New York Doll" and here's its trailer. From playing bass for the world's most outrageous rock'n'roll band to employment at a Mormon library and back - wow.

Track listing:

1. Sonny Vincent & the Safety Pins - Chatterbox (2:06)
2. Sonny Vincent - I Just Want to Have Something to Do (2:37)
3. Sonny Vincent, Arthur Kane & Clem Burke - Carol (2:25)

Download

Sonny Vincent's Shotgun Rationale - Cocked

Sonny Vincent was the singer and guitar player for the New York punk rock band The Testors back at the tail end of the '70s, a participant in the original CBGBs/Max's Ramones-Television-Talking Heads scene, who never got a break in the mainstream - not even the punk rock mainstream these bands had created. Unstable lineups, disagreements with record companies, rock'n'roll lifestyle and jail time had all affected his unfortunate career, although his music alone should in my opinion be considered nothing less than classic. The Testors' material (mostly unreleased during the band's tenure) has been compiled several times over the years, most recently by Swami Records on an amazing double-CD/double-LP compilation which is still in print, meaning you really should buy it. After the break-up of the Testors he has led a long solo career, playing with probably every great punk rock musician ever (they are too numerous to list here, but we're talking members of the Velvet Underground, the MC5, The Stooges, The Dead Boys, The Voidoids, Hüsker Dü, The Replacements, The Devil Dogs, The Damned, Television, Black Flag, Rocket from the Crypt, Sonic Youth, The Lazy Cowgirls, Dumbell, etc., etc.), and released a number of albums on various record labels, some still in print, some not. This CD came out back in 1995 on a German label whose name is on the back of the CD case which is all the way on the opposite side of the room, but anyway, it's not in print anymore and you can only find it second hand, and with a hefty price, too. I couldn't find it on blogs or torrents either, so I'm uploading it here for your potential enjoyment. The material is two thirds re-recordings of old Testors tunes, with great playing and sparkling clean production, and one third then-new songs written for the then-current band. It varies from poppy ballads to almost hardcore scorchers, and is in my opinion one of his most consistent collections. Download it below and then go to Interpunk.com, type "Testors" in the little search box and buy the Swami compilation and/or the more encompassing 1972-2002 anthology which covers almost his whole career.

That's me with Sonny and his next-to-last band, uploaded here for your ridiculing pleasure.

Track listing:

1. I'm Allowed (2:35)
2. You Don't Break My Heart (2:22)
3. Don't Tell Me (1:16)
4. Full Circle (2:21)
5. She's Not Changed (1:49)
6. Detention (1:31)
7. No Changes (1:44)
8. I See (1:14)
9. Very Loose Screw (4:01)
10. California Day (3:08)
11. One Friend (2:27)
12. Candy Girl (3:21)
13. Primal Call (1:45)
14. Primitive (1:15)
15. Lonely Nights (3:10)

Don't Download, buy it from the man!