Hi, there! After three months plus of “guest blogging” for Idolator, I’m afraid my time here is drawing to a close. (I’d tell you where I’ll be writing next, but then I’d have tequila!) Rather than wax poetic about the cultural events we’ve experienced together and the whimsical fantasies I’ve shared with you every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday since late March, I’d rather voice a regret. A regret I must rectify now or let haunt me til my dying day: I have never posted a single item about Electric Six on Idolator. No one has posted a single item about Electric Six on Idolator.
Even though they’ve made four outstanding albums since 2003 (with a fifth on the way this fall), nothing exceptionally noteworthy occurred to or came from the band during my brief but memorable sojourn on this holiest music blog of holy music blogs. “Why the fuck are you talking about that Gay Bar band, Anthony?” shouts the peanut gallery. “Are you gay?” ‘Ask your mother!’ I could respond, but instead I’ll explain that in the years since their heaving pair of UK hits, the band has continued to mine a rich vein of surreal, post-apocalyptic glam-rock that has only grown more lyrical and beautiful with the passing of time. The video posted above, “Randy’s Hot Tonight!” from 2007’s I Shall Exterminate Everything Around Me That Restricts Me From Being The Master, is only a taste of the magic you’ve been ignoring. Here are some more, equally scrumptious, tastes.
“Radio Ga Ga,” from 2005’s Senor Smoke
The band originally hoped for a Christmas no. 1 with this bombastic Queen cover. As you can tell by the phrase “Pop Disaster! 20 Amazingly Bad Cover Versions” in the upper right corner of the YouTube and the “no. 11!” in the lower left, you can see that they failed. The band refuses to play this live, but I think it’s just dandy.
“Mr. Woman,” from 2006’s Switzerland
When trying to find bands to compare Electric Six to (”they’re like Tenacious D if a full-band actually made them funnier and if they were funny in the first place!” doesn’t quite cut it), I’ve frequently settled on “they’re like a crunk Roxy Music.” In which case, this song is their “Editions Of You.”
“Infected Girls,” from 2006’s Switzerland
This is song is quite appealing to me as well.
“Dance Commander,” from 2003’s Fire
The least famous of the three singles from Fire, which still makes it more famous than anything they’ve done since. People who were introduced to the song by the film Stick It should know that the original edit of the track is infinitely superior.
“I Buy The Drugs,” from 2006’s Switzerland
Now you know what they look like!
If you seek more text about the group, check out a rather pretentious, if definitive article about the group I wrote for the Seattle Weekly a few years ago. As for me, feel free to read my blog, google my name and expect the unexpected. Thanks for paying attention and continue to support your local Idolator.
Electric Six [Official Website]
ELECTRIC SIX AND TV CARNAGE PRESENT: RANDY’S HOT TONIGHT!! [YouTube]
Electric 6 - Radio Ga Ga [YouTube]
Mr. Woman [YouTube]
Electric Six - Infected Girls [YouTube]
Electric Six - Dance Commander [YouTube]
Electric Six - I Buy The Drugs [YouTube]
Y’had a great run, sir — and you did pick a very ‘you’ group to bow out with!
Bye. U will be missed!
bye anthony! and thanks!!
Bye bye!
That ‘Gay Bar’ riff is absolutely titanic. They were pretty awesome at Lollapalooza but I only hung around for a few minutes because Against Me! are infinitely awesomerer.
*at Lollapalooza last year. They might not have been awesome the other times, if there were other times, but they also could have been awesome. I wasn’t there is all I’m saying.
Surprised you didn’t have a link Down at McDonnelzzz as it’s nu metal style fits well with your “Limp” opening post.
Fare the well sir. And I did google you - which is convenient because I’ve been looking for a family practice physician in the greater Flanders, NJ for quite some time now. best of luck in your pediatric practice, and whatever else you do on the side.
Like Fred Durst, you did it your way or the highway. Best wishes.
@KurticusMaximus: Yes. I try to catch them every time they’re in town, which thankfully seems to be every 6 months or so.
Three months? Feels like you’ve been here forever. (I mean that in a good way.)
A million thanks for making our flophouse a little more flippy-floppy and a whole lot funnier.
I wish this post was louder.
Fare thee well, dood.
Awww, I always liked your posts. You will be missed, sir. Best of luck!
Hooray Electric Six.
They’re so much fun live. Ridiculous.
@DrWorm: Was that off some Polish TRL?
And yes, love, love, LOVE some Electric Six.