A Century Removed: The Yardbirds

While eating at Tacos A-Go-Go (amazing queso) this week while on business in Houston, I heard The Yardbirds' "Heartful of Love" for the first time in years. When I was about 15, one of the first singles I ever bought (7" vinyl was the only option then) was an oldies reissue of "For Your Love" / "Heartful of Soul". I loved it but strangely never pursued anything else by the band.

About ten years later, a kind mod from the band Tapestry Drive took me deeper into the Yardbirds archives (not to mention The Easybeats, The Eyes, The Action, ahhh...). "I Ain't Got You" and "A Certain Girl" proceeded to rock my stereo for years on end after that. The best tracks ever by this stellar band. Total stiff-backed mod goodness oozing pure personality ("Well one day I'm gonna wake up and say 'I'll do anything just to be your slave'..." and "I've got women to the right of me, I've got women to the left of me, I've got women all around me, but I ain't got you..."). Play them loud and these songs sound as tight as ever.

The Yardbirds - "A Certain Girl".
The Yardbirds - "I Ain't Got You".

Anamanaguchi - "So Bored" (Wavves Cover)

I'm jealous of this Anamanaguchi cover of the Wavves tune "So Bored" (and so catchy). More info here and here.

Anamanaguchi - "So Bored" (Wavves Cover).
Wavves - "So Bored".

Anamanguchi Muxtape.

Helen Love - Calm Down Dad...

I first heard this song about three months after my now four-month old daughter was born (who's my total BFF these days). It made me feel old and somewhat terrified. Fortunately, it's amazingly catchy.

"Calm down dad, I'm growing up real fast. I know what I'm doing, I'm a teenager in love...". I just don't look forward to being on the receiving end of that comment. Argh. "I don't care what you've been told, I'm still young and you're still old - and The Clash were thirty years ago!".

This song is impressively clever (love the Kate Nash reference) but it's the end that is especially poignant ("White Riot, I want a riot of my own..."). Can you blame the kids?

Helen Love - "Calm Down Dad".