The Worley Gig:
Music and Mayhem in
New York City
by
Gail Worley
A
Mosquito, My Libido
April
1998
If you were
holding your breath for the arrival of Norway's
answer to Oasis, you may now exhale. The new
import from the land of Vikings and lutefisk is
Libido; three cute boys who make psychedelic,
jangly guitar pop with a warped, European
English-as-a-second language flavor. Killing
Some Dead Time (Velvel) is Libido's second
full length 
recording and it has me
dancing around the Chick Pad like a school girl,
forsaking all other new releases as I enjoy
multiple playings of happy songs about girls who
intoxicate like supersonic drugs
("Supersonic Daydream") and the dual
meanings behind the tale of a world "where
everyone is Gay" ("Strange News").
Heavily influenced by 60's godheads such as the
Beatles and the Hollies, Libido did not
disappoint during a recent set at the Mercury
Lounge. Proving that a band can be pop and still
rock out, lead singer/ guitarist, Even Johanson,
practically invoked the spirit of Jimi Hendrix
during some of his inspired six string mayhem.
Surely it is no coincidence that their publishing
company is called Twist and Shout Music, as
"Overthrown" is as exuberant as the
Beatles' "I Feel Fine" and
"Blow" whips up a delirious sonic
undertow that I would willingly drown in. With
big, thick production that aids this record in
its run for 1998's top ten, Killing Some Dead
Time totally rules - rating up there with
The Verve's Urban Hymns.
Valhalla, I am
coming.
The Power
of Negative Thinking
Paradigms of
gothic metal and the best thing to come out of
Brooklyn since Peter Luger's steak house, Type O
Negative, have released their first home video,
entitled After Dark. Packed with sixty
minutes of non stop squealing fun, After Dark
consists of self-conducted interviews with all
four band members, back stage mayhem, concert
footage, toilet paper fights, food fights,
destruction of property, testimonials by fans,
music videos and assorted trivia in the tradition
of This Is Spinal Tap. Whether you have
been lucky enough to see Type O live or just know
their extremely kick ass records, you simply must
run out now and add After Dark to your
collection. Both the MTV-friendly and "Nail
Driver" versions of "Christian
Woman" are included here and you'll
appreciate the significant differences not only
in the visual moods but in the lyrics Peter
Steele actually changed to please the censors!
You also get their amazing cover of Neil Young's
"Cinnamon Girl," "Black No.
1," "Love You To Death," and my
nominee for best video ever made, "My
Girlfriend's Girlfriend." They could have
filled this tape with an hour of that video alone
and I would have been happy. I did notice that
the only member of the band who gets any female
action in any of the videos is Peter Steele. Gee,
I wonder why? Maybe because he's such a SEX GOD.
But After Dark
isn't all about sex. Endearing the boys to my
heart are moments of true comedy and candor like
guitarist, Kenny Hickey's home video footage of
his adorable baby daughter; singer/bassist, Peter
Steele's tongue in cheek philosophizing and
general hunkiness (oh, there I go again);
Keyboardist, Josh Silver's self-deprecation; and
drummer, Johnny Kelly's happy-guy answers to
questions like what it means to be a man in
today's society and the true meaning behind
"Black No. 1." Aside from a recurring
(unfunny) joke involving Josh Silver's inability
to take a dump, and the lack of any full frontal
nudity on the part of Steele, the video is
perfect. Sometimes I watch After Dark
with the sound turned off, lay on the floor in
front of my TV and pretend Peter Steele is my
boyfriend.
Gail's Dating Tips
Someone please
clue me in as to what new disease has rendered
men unable to use the phone. It would be a real
challenge to recall the number of "nice
enough" guys I've had first-and-only dates
with simply because they couldn't manage to make
that most necessary follow up phone call. In the
rare case that a sense of protocol overpowers a
seemingly innate fear of rejection/entrapment,
and they do call the next day, the responsibility
implicitly falls on the woman's shoulders to call
back and initiate a second date. This is
something that will never happen in any situation
where I am involved. The way I see it, if a guy
doesn't call back after a date, one of three
scenarios is in evidence: 1) He's not interested;
2) He's a coward, or; 3) He's an idiot. A lot of
my (single) girlfriends say to me "Well, why
don't you call him?," but I really have no
desire to pursue a man whom I have to chase after
or beg to like me. When the phone call doesn't
come, I chalk it up to experience. I'm not
interested in excuses.
Occasionally, a
lame duck flies in under the elaborate,
asshole-detector of a radar system I've rigged to
protect myself from involvement with
passive/aggressive men. With all my old-fashioned
girl standards and conservative approach to
finding Mr. Right, even a certain handsome,
charming, sexy Investment Banker who threw down
major cash wasn't above suspicion. When my last
date with "Mark" ended with us back at
my apartment (though it didn't end up the way you
might think), I took that as an encouraging sign.
And though his parting words to me were
"I'll talk to you soon," I never heard
from him again. Whether or not we had a
commitment is irrelevant: a gentleman would have
the courage to leave a message on my voicemail
saying "This isn't working out" or
"I've met someone else." You know, say
anything, but say something. Don't tell me you'll
call if you're lying and, for fuck's sake, don't
roll around on the bed with me if you have no
intention of ever calling again. Pick up the
phone and be a man. Asshole.
Next Month: Gail
shops for a vibrator.
(Be sure and check in next month for Gail's
adventures at the South By Southwest music
festival!)
The
Worley Gig regularly turns in The NY
Hangover.
E-Mail Gail Worley
Previous turns of The
Worley Gig:
The
Worley Gig #1--
Summer, The Rules
The
Worley Gig #2-- All Tomorrow's Parties
The
Worley Gig #3-- Weaselfest '97
The
Worley Gig #4-- How I Spent Summer
The
Worley Gig #5-- Random Excerpts From My
Ass-Kicking Life
The
Worley Gig #6-- Christmas Kicks Total Ass
The
Worley Gig #7-- She's About A Mover
The
Worley Gig #8-- The Goddess and Pig Watts
The
Worley Gig #9-- Outrageously Boss Records and
What Not to Do On a Date
The
Worley Gig #10-- Marilyn Manson: The Satanist in
Winter
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