Another bunch of Christmas 45s arrived this week in my mailbox or in one of my local record stores: 45s by CJ Ramone, Clownvis Presley, Jr. Juggernaut, Old 97’s, Unwritten Law and William Shatner - coincidently almost all rock or punk rock 45s.
CJ Ramone: Christmas Lullaby
(Fat Wreck Chords, FAT332, US, 45 rpm, small hole, black or tri-color vinyl)
Last year, we had a re-release of Joey Ramone's solo version of the Ramones' 1987 Christmas hit 'Merry Christmas (I Don't Want To Fight Tonight)', this year we have another member of the Ramones family offering up a Christmas 45: CJ Ramone. CJ Ramone became the bass player of the band in 1989, replacing original bass player Dee Dee Ramone, who left the band (although continuing to write songs for them) and staying in the band until they broke up in 1996. C.J. Ramone, born as Christopher Joseph Ward in Queens, New York, was in the US Marine before joining the Ramones, and played in several bands while still in the Ramones and after the end of the band. CJ released his first solo album in 2012. The A-side of his Christmas single on Fat Wreck Chords, 'Christmas Lullaby' had already been released last year, as part of the benefit compilation ‘Santa’s Got A GTO Vol. 2’. Of course, one can't expect a punk rocker to really do a lullaby, but with a piano intro and midpaced speed, it is definitely more rock than punk; for the B-side CJ recorded one of the favorite Christmas songs for punk rockers to record (in recent years also released on a 45 by Bad Religion, for example), The Kinks' 'Father Christmas'. There are two versions of the 7": a limited one on dark red/red/white tri-color vinyl, and a regular one on black vinyl.
Listen to ‘Christmas Lullaby’ on Youtube
Listen to ‘Father Christmas’ on Youtube
Clownvis Presley: A Very Clownvis Christmas
(Failure Records And Tapes, FRT037, US, 45 rpm, small hole, green, red or black vinyl
Clownvis Presley is the alterego of Mike Leahy, better known as the vocalist of St. Louis, Missouri punk/psychobilly band 7 Shot Screamers. The self-proclaimed 'The King Of Clowns' is a strange mixture between a clown and an Elvis Presley imitator, his face painted white, like a clown (including a fake red clown's nose) and sporting a massive Las Vegas-era Presley-style grease crest. Clownvis Presley's way of singing is in the style of the later Elvis, although you do hear it's not the real thing. The A-side gives an important warning to all people who are not nice to others: 'Don’t Be A Bitch (Of You Won’t Get Stuff For Christmas)'. It is sung using the melody of 'Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town', and most of that song’s lyrics are re-used. In fact, it’s a cover of 'Don't Be A Bitch For Christmas' of Leahy's band 7 Shot Screamers, that appeared on the 'A Very Bert Dax Christmas Volume 6'. The version of 7 Shot Screamers sounded quite punk. Clownvis Presley's version of the song was already released digitally in 2017, when he also did a video for the song last year. B-side 'Baby, I'm Comin' For You On Christmas' is done in the same Elvis-Las-Vegas-style. On the website of the label, Failure Records And Tapes the single is unfortunately already sold out.
Watch the video on Youtube
Jr. Juggernaut: Xmas Is For Everyone
(Nickel Eye Records, 0003, US, 45 rpm, small hole, lathe cut, limited to 30 copies, black vinyl
Los Angeles alternative rock band Jr. Juggernaut was formed in 2003 by guitarist vocalist Mike Williamson, the only member of the original line-up still in the band. The band debuted in 2005 with the EP 'Cut It Brighter' om their own Nickel Eye Records, and folllowed it up with the full length album 'Ghost Poison' on Suburban Home Records, following it up four year's later with 'Wake' on Paper + Plastick, the first vinyl release for the band. In 2016, Jr. Juggernaut released their third album, 'Witch's Hand', again on vinyl and this time on Nickel Eye. With Wal Rashidi on drums and Mario Framingheddu on bass, the band recorded two Christmas songs at Loud House in La Verne, California. A-side 'X-Mas Is For Everyone' is an energetic and catchy alternative rock Christmas song. For the B-side they recorded 'Silent Night', slow, with a heavy distorted guitar and a girl's voice who tells about her family Christmas - I can't really figure out what she is saying, but the music make it sound quite scary - definitely not your usual 'Silent Night' cover (but we have already plenty of those), it is really original, I lik it a lot! A single that will be a regular visitor of my turntable this Christmas. Thirty copies were cut of this record, 10 for the band and friends and 20 to be sold to their fans. The singles come with a personalized front cover and a small polaroid of the band. There are still a few left, but don’t wait too long, as I expect they will be gone soon! You can order a copy through the Bandcamp of the band.
Listen to both tracks, and as an extra, an instrumental version of ‘Silent Night’ on Jr. Juggernaut’s Bandcamp site
Old 97’s: Blue Christmas
(ATO Records, ATO0438, 45 rpm, small hole, blue vinyl
Dallas, Texas alternative country band Old 97's released the Christmas album 'Love The Holidays' this year, one of the best new Christmas albums of the year, I think. It's their second Christmas related release, after the 2007 (digital) single 'Here It Is Christmas Time'. Most of the songs on 'Love The Holidays' are originals, (co)written by lead singer and acoustic guitar player Rhett Miller - only the album's closer, 'Auld Lang Syne' is a classic, but, of course, more of a New Year's Eve classic than a Christmas classic. The band did record two more (Christmas) classics, but decided to keep those for the single that was part of the special edition of the album (that also came with a signed Christmas card): 'Blue Christmas' and 'Up On The Housetop' - housed in a blue sleeve with blue labels on blue vinyl, in case you were wondering what the A-side of the single is. Judging from the label, it was intended that the single had a big hole (as the middle of the label is white), but something probably went wrong at the pressing plant, as the record has a small hole. As for the two songs, 'Blue Christmas' is mainly acoustic, apart from the electric guitar soloing in the second part of the song. 'Up On The Housetop' is faster paced, and mixes the usual alternative country rock sound that the band is known for, with bluegrass. Without doubt my favorite of the two songs. Besides Miller, the band consists of Ken Bethea (lead guitar), Murry Hammond (bass) and Phuilip Peeples (drums). If you only want to order the single, go to Discogs, as there are some sellers who sell the single separately from the album. It also seems the special edition of the album, including the single, is sold out at the ATO Online shop.
Listen to ‘Blue Christmas’ on Youtube
Listen to ‘Up On The Housetop’ on Spotify
Unwritten Law featuring Sum 41: Unwritten Christmas
(Interscope Records, B0029014-21, US, 45 rpm, small hole, black vinyl, limited to 2500 copies)
'Unwritten Christmas', whicb saw California punk rock band Unwritten Law being joined by Canadian pop/punkstars Sum 41, was first released in 2001, in Australia, that is, as a promo CD, that people who bought the new albums of Unwritten Law or Sum 41 received. The song was also included on the benefit compilation 'Kevin & Bean Present Swallow My Eggnog' the same year, released by radio station KROQ 106.7. Two years earlier, Unwritten Law had already contributed 'Please Come Home For Christmas' (a cover of the Charles Brown song) to the 1999 benefit compilation 'Kevin & Bean's Last Christmas', part of the same series. In 2002, 'Unwritten Christmas' was included on the Soundtrack album of 'Santa Clause 2'. And in 2015, 'Please Come Home For Christmas' was included on the Cleopatra Records compilation 'Punk Rock Christmas'. Now the two songs are for the first time paired on a 7", released on the occasion of Record Store Day Black Friday. Of the two, the oldest, 'Please Come Home For Christmas' has the most straight forward punk rock sound. 'Unwritten Christmas' has some pop influences, and is more accessible - reason why it could be included on the soundtrack of a Disney produced movie. You can find the single in your local record store all over the world.
Listen to ‘Unwritten Christmas’ on Youtube
Listen to ‘Please Come Home For Christmas’ on Youtube
William Shatner: Jingle Bells
(Cleopatra, CLO0959SP, US, 45 rpm, small home, green vinyl)
One of the most strange Christmas albums of 2018 is without a doubt William Shatner's 'Shatner Claus – The Christmas Album'. William Shatner is best known as Captain Kirk in the legendary science fiction series Star Trek. Shatner recorded his first album fifty years ago, in 1968, and now, 87 years of age, tries his hands on a bunch of Christmas classics, helped out by a range of well-known musicians, mostly from the alternative rock scene; two of the songs of the album were also released on a 7" single - with 'Jingle Bells' in a different version than on the album - out go the violins, in come the guitars; this is the punk rock version and who better to help Shatner out than Henry Rollins, vocalist for legendary hardcore punk bands S.O.A. and Black Flag. The single version is totally different from the album version, and much better, if you ask me. On the B-side, that is taken straight from the album, Shatner is joined by another alternative rock icon, Iggy Pop. In the last few years, Iggy Pop’s album are more in more influenced by the vocal pop music of the 1950s and early 1960s than by his Stooges days or work with David Bowie and that experience comes in handy as Iggy Pop helps Shatner out while he croons his way through a piano ballad version of 'Silent Night'.. You can still get the record in the webshop of Shatner's label Cleopatra Records. They even lowered the price (but with $ 12,98 it’s still not exactly cheap).
Listen to the punk rock version of ‘Jingle Bells’ on Youtube
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