 Since I generally ignore MTV, I've never indulged in viewing their ultra successful Jackass series, though I have been warming to The Osbournes of late and hoping to hell I can still respect Ozzy for the madman performer he's been rather than the head of the weekly sideshow circus family at the forefront of today's pop culture craze . . .
So Johnny Knoxville and his case of 80 proof Jim Rose rejects of the self-destructive variety put themselves through extreme forms of inhuman torture to the delight of countless fans, all of whom must've come away from the big screen with either a serious mental condition or criminal record . . . but the soundtrack's a kick in the ass for damn sure!
Party Hard was most people's introduction to hard rockin' newcomer Andrew WK. Here, his We Want Fun - another great party song, similarly synonymous with everday lunacy - is the detonator to some seriously hard, fast and noisy ol' school style punk rock and underground theater.
Flesh Into Gear comes compliments of one of the more talented groups to come along in a while, CKY, who've somehow managed with their last two records to reinvent the face of real rock music without selling lollipops in the process . . . shows you what good guitar work'll get ya. Most of the tunes that show up here have got at least five or ten good years under their stretched belts. Corona starts things off; the ol' Minutemen stab at 1990's C&W, where if you didn't know the song already, you'd know from the opening of the show, each and every time . . .
Somebody's Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In comes compliments of The Rezillos and dates all the way back to when Jaws 2 first appeared in theatres . . . read, it's old. While The Rezillos aren't your everyday average household word in street punk circles, anyone who doesn't know this song and considers themselves a fan of early American punk/core needs to hear this and see why it became the perfect compliment to Knoxville's off-beat family entertainment.
The Ramones' California Sun was a big timer back in the day, but no one really gives two today . . . still it's The Ramones and their music's suitable for any occasion, mournful or majestic . . . and where else might we hear Slayer's Angel Of Death and Sir Mix-A-Lot's Baby's Got Back ass to ass on the same album? Most of these tunes are either old, or soon to be underground classics that sit nicely with the hardcore juvenility of Jackass. There are also a few newer ne'er do wells that make a decent first impression - bands like Sahara Hotnights and Smut Peddlers - before Roger Alan Wade closes the curtain going from Lyle Lovett to Donna Summer in five unusually odd minutes.
It'll be fun to see where each of these tunes actually does turn up in the individual scenes, but till then, the thought of crushing your own skull and setting fire to your genitals never sounded so appealing! :: Vinnie Apicella |
