I got a little excited yesterday by the news of Bikini Kill’s “Rebel Girl” being included in the next iteration of Rock Band, even if the idea of reissuing a song via video game is probably something my 1993 self would have sneered at. But I’m all about embracing the new millennium these days (or at least tryingto), so I came up with an expansion pack that draws on the Kill Rock Stars catalog of that era. It has a slight focus on the three fantastic “Kill Rock Stars”-themed compilations that the label put out in the mid-’90s, because all of those albums are 100% fire. (And yes, the first track on it is kind of absurd, given that the band in question wasn’t exactly the greatest live act. But that’s part of the fun, no?) My list is after the jump; I invite you to take a moment or two out of your All-Star Parade watching to create an expansion pack of your own, around whatever theme you’d like.
Huggy Bear, “Her Jazz”
Bratmobile, “Kiss And Ride”
Calamity Jane, “Come On”
Slant 6, “Nights x 9″
Tiger Trap, “Supreme Nothing”
Cupid Car Club, “M.P. Skulkers”
Team Dresch, “Hand Grenade”
Mary Lou Lord, “Some Jingle Jangle Morning” (the 7-inch version, not the one on Got No Shadow)
Rancid, “Brixton” (to draw in the “casual” buyer)
Kreviss, “I.O.U.” (although you’d probably need to get an extra console for the multi-drumming action)
Kill Rock Stars [buyolympia.com]
Stars Kill Rock [buyolympia.com]
Rock Stars Kill [buyolympia.com]
Earlier: Rock Band To Breed A Whole New Batch Of Riot Grrrls (Maybe)
Don’t forget about Jackson’s Jukebox!
I’d like the “Reliving My Lost But Once-Beloved Radio 1 Sound City Leeds 1996 Memories” Expansion Pack:
You Love Us – Manic Street Preachers
Girl From Mars – Ash
Talk To Me – 60ft Dolls
Sale of The Century – Sleeper
Perseverance – Terrorvision
You and Me Song – Wannadies
Staying Out For The Summer – Dodgy
Bankrobber Sensi – Audioweb*
I Wanna Go Where The People Go – Wildhearts
Kill Yr. Boyfriend – Bis
Whales and dolphins, whales and dolphins, yeah.
(*This didn’t suck live, for some reason.)
I already blogged about my Funk Pack wishlist.
the Late 80s/Early 90s Christian Metal Expansion Pack is Risen!
Vengeance Rising “Human Sacrifice”
the Crucified “Mindbender”
Deliverance “Prophet of Idiocy”
Tourniquet “Ark of Suffering”
Believer “Nonpoint”
Bloodgood “Black Snake”
Scaterd Few “Kill the Sarx part I”
Detritus “Masquerade”
Mortal “Alive & Awake”
Die Happy “Temple of Your Soul”
@westartedthis: I love you.
I know it’s not necessarily Rock Band material, but holy hell do I love Kathleen Hanna’s version of “I Wish I Was Him.”
I pretty sick of all this Rock Band and Guitar Hero love. It was fun for a minute, but the people I played the game with got tired of me talking about REAL music and guitars.
Little plastic buttons my ass.
Don’t get me started on eBay’s insistence on putting the guitar-controllers in their “music” category…
the “i wish i had not been so cavalier about my vinyl collection when i went off to college” (early-mid 90s seven-inches) set in no particular order:
karate “cherry coke”
courtney love “highlights”
air miami “airplane rider”
veronica lake “when you smile”
tsunami “beauty pt. ii”
superchunk “100,000 fireflies”
the apples in stereo “touch the water”
scrawl “give up”
bikini kill “rah rah replica!”
the lilys “claire hates me”
the swirlies “sarah sitting”
the spinanes “suffice”
unrest “bavarian mods”
sigh.
@futurehorse: agreed.
@thearcanemodel: oh i forgot. (i’ve forgotten a lot, actually…)
black tambourine: “can’t explain”
i give you my junior high mixtape expansion pack (which bears striking resemblance to maura’s list):
slant 6: soda pop rip off
huggy bear: pansy twist
the motards: no no the girlfriend
dead boys: flame thrower love
elastica: smile
descendents: myage
pj harvey: sheela na gig
pulp: disco 2000
the cure: the exploding boy
unrest: cath carroll
devo: gates of steel
@thearcanemodel: A-fucking-men! I have lost so many of those 7″s to the sands of time.
And Maura, your list is so awesome I want a Muxtape made of it instantly! That original version “Some Jingle Jangle Morning” is still fantastic. And don’t even get me started on “Hand Grenade” – I screamed like a 12 year old when they played that at their reunion show here in SF.
Here would be my College Years Mix Where I Tried To Play Punk Rock Catch-Up But Couldn’t Deny My Love for Pop:
“Hate My Way” – Throwing Muses
“Hellbound” – The Breeders
“Strawberry Julius” – Bikini Kill
“Cath Carroll” – Unrest
“Words & Smiles” – Tiger Trap
“Transatlantic Telephone Call” – Lois
“Sunday” – The Spinanes
“Slack Motherfucker” – Superchunk
“Freewheel” – Team Dresch
“T-Shirt” – Huggy Bear
“Hey Bastard” – STP
“The Real Janelle” – Bratmobile
@narymary: right back at you! i’m going to have “freewheel” stuck in my head for the rest of the day now…and i’m pretty happy with that.
@thearcanemodel: Sweet!!
What, no Helium?
@narymary: “Transatlantic Telephone Call” – Lois
Yes, this. I know GH and Rock Band do not translate to real guitar playing, but if this song were ever included, the time I spent learning it would count for something. “In a way/There is always a slight delay.”
@MTS: good call. i was limiting my list to seven-inches, and also totally forgot that my choices were theoretically meant to be used for Rock Band. but i think that “pat’s trick” would be AWESOME in that capacity…
@narymary: oh ps, if you are looking to reclaim some of those lost 7″ songs, you should try here: youshallknowourdiscography.blogspot.com
dude totally owns half of my old record collection (and a lot of other stuff too). he just closed up shop, but i think a lot of the more recent entries/files are still accessible. it’s the reason why, i think, mp3 blogs were MEANT to exist. stuff that is OOP or hard to locate, with interesting/personal commentary.
now (finally), to the work that this thread has allowed me to avoid all day!
@Dan Gibson: knowing full well you’d be the only one to appreciate it, that only made me want to make it the best it could be.
I fully support this WITH ONE CAVEAT. No Runaways’ “Cherry Bomb”, no go.
Although Fuzzbox’s “Love Is The Slug” would be far more apropos just because the 3-D rock chicks they would have in the actual video game LOOK EXACTLY LIKE LATE 80S FUZZBOX!
Outsider-Esque:
Daniel Johnston, “Sorry Entertainer,” “Speeding Motorcycle”
Half Japanese, “Calling All Girls”
Jandek, “Nancy Sings”
The Shaggs, “My Pal Foot Foot”
Red Krayola, “War Sucks”
Syd Barrett, “Baby Lemonade”
Wesley Willis – let’s just pretend we can’t get the rights
Beat Happening, “Our Secret”
Although I do wonder what David “How To Play Guitar” Fair thinks of Rock Band. I’d guess he disapproves.