The uncut "Jerusalem", recorded at Kingdom sound as the centerpiece of the "The Pet Clams" album. It was cut in length for dubious reasons. This is the complete song. When the lyric is heard in full, the song changes from a unusual love song, to the precursor of Applegate's "songs about death and destruction".
There is no good reason this song was not on the Handshake recording. "The Love" is a sophisticated finished piece that easily matches some of the album songs in quality. Gary thinks that the lyric was slightly forced and a little too punny for everyone's taste. He remembers a " we know this is good, but it's a little embarrassing " sort of feeling about the tune. Twenty years later it's hard to hear what he's talking about. Lyrics were always a work in progress and had the love made the cut, it certainly would have been touched up a bit. This is a live version recorded at CBs just before the album was recorded, probably in august of '80. Listen for Gelb's extra-extravagant Antony Newley delivery.
Two really unknown songs, these were done as demos for"my true story" in Gary's home studio, but did not make it onto the recording. "Spinning" has a Lennonish flavor, which is highlighted by a very Harrison-like guitarpart from Dave."Way down upon the Mekong Delta" is another of Applegate's "Vietnam" lyrics, it's story runs from a Bob Dylan interview in 1961 about the release of his first album, through "Eat This Document", and ends with an american pilot going MIA circa 1972. It's played, fittingly, in the loose "Dylan with the Band" style.
Way down upon the Mekong Delta
An unusual slow ballad from '81/'82, (the Fernandes/Beringer incarnation of the band) this is a very VH1 sounding lite FM cut, that demonstrates how hard Gary and Gelb were working to save the Handshake, or secure a new, recording deal. Gelb still does this song in a goofy, ska/polka version. Applegate is not sure if Richie even remembers this, the original version of the song.
Gelb had always wanted to do a" procol harum " type of song. This was recorded in late '81 by the Fernandes band at CBs. It was supposedly written, learned, recorded, and played for the only time live, all in one week. It has some striking Applegate images."Actium tempts us toward oblivion", what the hell is he talking about?
There are two recorded versions of this song. The first was a Fernandes/Beringer rocker. This one is the Mandell/Graf/Attardo version of the clams. Eddie Manion produced this for the boys in '82 or 83. The Song itself is from the "Student of Love" cycle of songs. (see elsewere on the site) It is a take-off of "not fade away". (at least lyrically). Applegate often does that if you haven't noticed, he replies to the songs he has listened to his whole life with his own songs. Very good keyboard work from Larry. Listen to Applegate's guitar in the bridge. Gelb talk sings the lyric and Gary plays the melody he should be singing.
The show closer based on Jimmy Beringer's synth riff and Vachel Lindsey and of course (as always) William Blake. Death and life, light and dark, Paul Newman or James Dean?
Recorded about the time of OLPB but not included for some reason. This is a first generation, pre-Handshake song redone a few years ago in Gary's studio. Gary on e-bow (it isn't a synth)
One of Dave's from the "ten song tape" re-done for "MTS".
While working on "a wasted life"; Applegate again went through volumes of old tapes looking to digitally "clean" them. He was pretty successful with the blue rock demos; although the one he used for the recording had been done for years. ("Cheater") He gave me these two to post so that you could hear the first couple of recordings the band did back in'78. Listen to how "commercial" they sound. Maybe mainstream is a better word, but compare these to "Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams" (recorded the next year); or even to "why did you leave me" (below, recorded just a couple of months later), and you can see how quickly the band was diving into the east village underground.
Another beneficiary of the "wasted" project was the recording done a few months after Blue Rock at Trod Nossel in Ct. Appelgate managed to get"apathy" and "all for you" good enough for the record; but "why did you leave me" was too far degraded to get up to cd quality. So he gave it to me to put here. This was recorded just after their termination from the Stone Pony, and just days before the audition at CBGB. "Why did you leave me" was the song Hilly wanted for his record. It remained the mainstay of their set almost up to the album. This then is the song that really got things started for the band. As to the quality... this might be as good as it gets; thirty years can be rough on 1/4 inch tape.
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