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Lyrics - Singles and more

ALL LYRICS BY JAKE STARR
© 1992 - 2004 Jake Starr

Singles and more

Thora's Hammer

I came down from the mountain
And fell asleep by the dawn
I woke up in a forest
Wondering what the hell was going on
And then I was on an iceberg
In the land of the viking sun
She came to me in a nightmare
Saying I was the chosen one

Thora's hammer, why are you calling me?
Thora's hammer, why are you dogging me?
Thora's hammer won't leave me alone

I ended up in Pompeii
Where the ancient volcanoes erupt
She sent her stone-cold bringer of death
My life to disrupt
She said Valhalla awaits me
As long as I played out the game
With a crack of thunder and a blinding burst
The weapon started calling my name

I don't want it
And soon she'll be coming for you
I don't want it

Alright already now, we'd already done a split 7" with the Hellacopters back in 2001 and it was a sold-out success. So why not do it again? The origin of this single goes back to Jake, Nicke, and Strings talking on the Hellacopters' tour bus traveling between Helsinki and Tampere (Finland) in November 2002. We all agreed to do another split but this time we would cover each other's tunes. Then we decided that each band would submit two songs. Then we decided it had to be a picture disc! So I gave the idea to our record label, People Like You, and they of course jumped at the chance to release it. Now it was February 2003 and it was time for us to go into the studio and record songs for the God's Gift to Women album, the "We've Got Cake" 7", and this split 7" with the Hellacopters. I chose "Ferrytale" as the Hellacopters song we should cover cuz it rocks and it's from their debut single. "Thora's Hammer" had only been a guitar riff from Steve before we went to record, but at the last minute we decided to record the two songs for the split 7" at Dan-o's studio at a later date (April 2003). Once the four of us got together to rehearse, I had worked out vocals and lyrics for "Thora's Hammer" and the whole group finished the song. Besides being an ode to actress Thora Birch, they're my best (or worst!) metal lyrics ever! The Hellacopters were busy most of 2003 but eventually recorded an awesome version of "I Get a Sensation," which was coincidentally on our debut single, and a cover of the old Larry Williams hit "Boney Maronie." People Like You then asked designer Vicente to come up with the incredible cover art of a raven valkyrie wielding Mjolnir, Thor's hammer. They used a b&w stage photo of Nicke and me shot by Stefan Peterson for the back side. PLU released the split in March 2004 limited to 1500 copies.

We've Got Cake

Loosy goosy
It's juicy
That's what you want
Tutti frutti
A big booty
That's what you want
They come from all around to sample our special fare
Our kitchen's always open so try some if you dare

We've got cake
We've got cock
And we just ran outta cake
We come on so strong
And it's more than you can take
We've got cake
We've got cock
And we just ran outta cake
Don't cross us, motherfucker
Cuz it's the last mistake you make

Fudge ripple
A hard nipple
That's what you want
Rocky road
A full load
That's what you want
They come from all around to sample our special fare
Our kitchen's always open so try some if you dare
And you say you're hungry now
Well we're never gonna let you down
Two special flavors I insist you try
Our menu's small but it sure got style

Paint It Brown

I see a pretty girl standing there
She's thin with long blonde silky hair
She's hot but something isn't right
This Barbie just ain't outtasight

Well she ain't no Christie Love
So I had to give her the shove

Went back to the small town where I'm from
Saw all the white girls I had done
I missed my chance many years ago
To have the dark meat on the bone

I awoke and this I what I found
They're all better when I paint it brown

Oh gotta paint it brown

I Left as a Lamb (But I'll Return as a Lion)

I had to leave you today
I had to get away
Cuz you were making mad
Made me oh so sad
You really thought you'd won
With all the things you'd done
But now I'm here to say
I'm gonna make you pay

Cuz I left as a lamb when I left you
But I'll return as a lion
So start your crying
I left as a lamb but I'll return as a lion

I really thought we were fine
I really thought you were mine
But when you cried out his name
You extinguished the flame
So soft did I bail
But now I'm onto your trail
And I'll come on with a roar
You'll never hurt anymore

We were asked by Sicko of Sleazey Records to do a split CD with his band, the No-Counts D.O.M., before we started recording the God's Gift to Women album, so we knew we had to have a bunch of extra tracks ready to go. So once we recorded the 16 songs in that session, we allocated these three songs for the Sleazey 7" EP and split CD. Steve wrote the music for "We've Got Cake" back in late 1999 when we were writing songs that eventually would become part of the Right On! album. It was never finished back then but when he resurrected it for this writing session, I came up with the melody and lyrics in a flash. It's basically about a story my boss told me about how when he was a chef on an aircraft carrier, the sailors used to stop by the galley over and over again right after breakfast and ask annoyingly, "What's for lunch? What's for lunch?" To which my boss would reply, "We've got cake, we've got cock, and we just ran outta cake!" Pure genius! Steve and I wrote "Paint It Brown" after we returned from our Summer 2002 European tour. It's a take on the Stones song "Paint It Black" and a lyrical continuation from our song "Hot Chocolate." I wrote "I Left as a Lamb..." as an Elvis/Danzig joke song that turned out much better than I had ever hoped! I even played the keyboards on the song having never played before. I'm proud of my vocal take in this one and since it started as a joke song, I knew it wasn't gonna make the final cut of the album. Anyway, Sleazey released the split CD and 7" EP in August 2003 to coincide with our European tour.

We're Inside b/w Cruiser

I guess I've always been a sucker for the female singing voice. To wit, I convinced my band to record a cover of Norwegian chick rock band Mensen "Cruiser" back in Summer 2000 for the "Hi-Balls Are Rolling!" 10" EP. And from the first time I heard Thee Ultra Bimboos from Finland, I knew I wanted to cover one of their songs someday. That time came in September 2002 when the band went back down to Steve Baise's studio in Virginia to record a Devil Dogs cover for an upcoming tribute on HeadDip Records in Germany. We figured we should at least record another song to make the trip worthwhile, so I chose "We're Inside" from Thee Ultra Bimboos 2nd album "Four Fans Can't Be Wrong." Swedish record label Bootleg Booze had contacted me that summer to do a single but we didn't have any exclusive songs lying around. So in typical Jake Starr fashion, I had a brainstorm to put both covers of Scandinavian chick rock bands on one 7" and call it "Adam West Digs Scandinavian Chicks!" Since there were only 500 copies of the "Hi-Balls Are Rolling!" 10" EP, I figured most people hadn't heard "Cruiser" yet. Bootleg Booze pressed 500 copies of the "Digs Scandinavian Chicks!" single on pink wax with a superb full-cover sleeve in February 2003. Out of those 500 copies, 52 were housed in a special "Hollywood XXX-Edition" film canister and exclusively available for sale from Hot Stuff mailorder. A few were also offered as contest prizes from the Grunnen Rocks and La Bruta webzines.

In the Back of My Hearse

I move on up
I move on down
I move you all around this town
But I always cum first in the back of my hearse

Pick up the phone
When you're alone
I'm on my way to pluck the seeds I've sown

I'll make you shake
And I'll make you quake
I'll keep you up so long for goodness sake
But I always cum first in the back of my hearse

Gonna make you move
Gonna make you groove
The sinbin's always on the move

Got loving style
That extra mile
I'll leave you satisfied and with a smile
But I always cum first in the back of my hearse

I wrote this song (and "Hotsy Totsy") right after we recorded "Right On!" in April 2001. But we didn't get a chance to learning it until a year later with Ben Brower on drums. We were approached by Bad Attitude Records in Finland and Lonestar Records in Germany at the same time to do 7" singles in time for our Summer 2002 European Tour. So I figured we go into the studio and record a couple originals and a couple covers and give one of each to both labels. For the flipside of the Bad Attitude single, Ben and I chose to cover "Find It!" from faux chick-rock band the Carrie Nations from the 1970 Russ Meyer film "Beyond the Valley of the Dolls." This is my favorite movie of all time and when Ben suggested that song, I was gleeful. Singing it, however, would pose a problem since the original was sung by Lynn Carey of the 70s rock band Mama Lion. Her range far exceeds mine and I really had to push myself to get a good vocal take. I think it turned out great, if I do say so myself! Bad Attitude released the 7" in July 2002 and pressed 523 copies with 223 on blue wax.

Sixth Son of a Seventh Son

I grew up thinking I was the only one
I couldn't be the sixth son of a seventh son

I'll live today
No matter what they say
I'll live today

Got ahead when the time came to overcome
I guess I am the sixth son of a seventh son

Well, my life has gone to shit right before my eyes
I had to make it on my own
Cuz they told me love was like a stone

This is one of my favorite Adam West songs of all time. The whole song is quasi-accidental in that Kevin played the riff out of nowhere once while we were recording some rehearsals. I was listening to the tape in the car and this riff came on and I just started singing whatever was in my head. Next rehearsal, I asked Kevin to play that riff and he had no idea what I meant since it originally came off the top of his head as an afterthought. Anyway, I gave him some of my structure ideas to go along with what I was singing and the song was 95% finished right then and there. Kevin commented that I was "singing something about a seventh son of a setting son" and "Yahweh today" and thus the title was born. I spoofed the Iron Maiden song "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son." One person commented that this is the best song Danzig never wrote! So we gave this to Lonestar Records to press as a 7". For the flipside, ol' Ben Brower came through again with the idea to cover Twisted Sister "You Can't Stop Rock-n-Roll." Phew, what a single! Lonestar pressed 500 copies on black wax in June 2002 with a great "Iron Maiden meets Dee Snider" cover. Unfortunately, 40 copies of this single were stolen from our van in Barcelona, Spain, so this single is even rarer.

Live For The Day

Another cover song from the "Right On!" recording sessions, this song was originally done by Rochester, NY, rock band Uncle Sam. This was Steve's choice as a cover song and I think we rocked it out very nicely. Originally, it was slated for a split 7" with Swedish band the Spacebitch on a Michigan-based record label, but when that label folded, we gave the song to a local DC compilation called "Rock School" to benefit victims of the 9/11 tragedy. When Carbon 14 magazine wanted an exclusive song for their free EP, we gave them this song cuz it was closest we got to an exclusive song at the time. Also on the EP are the Candy Snatchers, Stevie and the Secrets, and the Twin Six . . . all friends of ours. Issue #21 came out in June 2002 and I have no idea how many 7"s were pressed.

I Stole Your Love

When Kevin and Johnny joined the band in Summer 2000, we started learning a bunch of covers to do as encores and stuff. We ended up learning three Kiss covers: "C'mon and Love Me," "Deuce," and "I Stole Your Love." When we recorded the songs for "Right On!" we decided to record four additional cover songs, one of which was "I Stole Your Love." When Swedish label Zorch Records came a-knocking for a song for a split single, we gave them that. Zorch pressed 500 copies on black wax with a cool mock "Destroyer" sleeve in February 2002. Ironically, MarySlim did "C'mon and Love Me" on the flip side.

Flower, Fist and Bestial Wail b/w Beltway To My Heart (Beltway To The Starr) and Where Eagles Dare

Sometime in 2000, Steve Baise bought a recording studio down in Chesapeake, Virginia, and invited Adam West down to record a session. We had been invited to contribute a Dead Boys cover to the upcoming Dead Boys tribute CD on Reptilian Records, so we decided to record that and 2 songs for a future 7" single in case we were asked by a label. I had come up with my tribute to Charles Bukowski "Flower, Fist and Bestial Wail" in January 2001, so we scheduled a recording session for February with Steve Baise, who said he had written a song for me (Jake Starr) and wanted us to record it. Sounded fine to me! Well, Steve Baise didn't send us a demo of the song, so we had to learn it there on the spot. He had scribbled some lyrics out and quickly sung me the melody he had in mind. In other words, we had to rock hard and fast to get the song ready to record that afternoon! We did, obviously. Part 2 of this long story is when we were shopping around for a label to release "Right On!" in Europe to promote our upcoming tour. I had been working with Alfred at Green Hell Distribution in Germany for a couple years already and he has an in-house label called Stereodrive!. We ended up giving "Right On!" to People Like You Records in Germany, but Stereodrive! wanted to do a 7" single for us. So we sent them the original version of "Flower, Fist and Bestial Wail" recorded at Steve Baise's studio (the song was re-recorded at Phase for inclusion on "Right On!"), "Beltway To My Heart...", and "Where Eagles Dare," which Kevin had suggested we record during our "Right On!" recording sessions at Phase in April 2001. In addition to the 3 songs, I sent a fabulous photograph that was taken of me, Steve, and Steve Baise on Halloween 2000 as the back cover artwork. Stereodrive! released 471 copies of the record (with 65 of those on Halloween orange wax) in October 2001. Shit, that was a long story!

Psycho Therapy

Sometime in early Summer 2000, we were approached by a record label in Australia to contribute a track to a Ramones tribute CD. When I mentioned it to the band, Steve suggested that we do "Psycho Therapy" and we all agreed. When Kevin and Johnny joined the band in August 2000, we almost immediately went into the studio to record a bunch of covers songs for the "Hi-Balls Are Rolling!" 10" EP, assorted singles, and compilation tracks. We recorded "Psycho Therapy" at Phase Recording and sent the CD-R down to Australia for the Ramones tribute. Well, we never heard from that label again. When I invited German band Dogs of Lust to open for Adam West on our September 2001 European Tour, their singer Butch suggested we do a split 7" single to promote the tour. At the time, we only had "Psycho Therapy" unreleased, so I sent Butch the CD-R and he arranged the whole thing with Lixo Urbano Records in Spain. I believe Lixo Urbano released 500 copies on black wax in August 2001 in time for our tour. Since we had recorded the song back in September 2000, Joey Ramone passed away, so we decided to add "Psycho Therapy" as an encore in our set.

Neat Neat Neat

Most of this story is written by Dave Champion on the liner notes to this single. To summarize quickly, when I first met the Hellacopters, we agreed to do a split single together. Steve and I discussed which song we should do and we decided to record a cover of Thin Lizzy's "Cold Sweat." We recorded it and I told Nicke that we did a Thin Lizzy song. Nicke suggested that they record Thin Lizzy's "The Rocker" and I concurred. According to Nicke, they attempted it and it sucked. So they recorded "Stab Your Back" by the Damned. When I found that out, I decided that we should do a Damned cover too. So I chose "Neat Neat Neat" and we recorded it in September 2000. The Hellacopters have been extremely busy over the past 2 years but they finally delivered their 58 second version of "Stab Your Back" and I released it immediately. Fandango pressed 700 copies total with 666 copies with the regular sleeve and and additonal 34 copies with a special sleeve dedicated to my friend George Gelestino and his record store, Vinyl Ink Records. I took a picture of his two sons, each wearing an Adam West and Hellacopters shirt, respectively, and made that the special sleeve. Of the 700 copies pressed, 100 were on purple milkshake wax. Yeah, it's rare as fuck.

Hi-Ball

fill my cup now baby
fill it up until i'm down
prop me up now baby
don't cut me off until i'm drowned

hi-balls are rolling
and i think i'm gonna fall
hi-balls are rolling
and i won't stop drinking
until the morning call

lay me out now baby
ain't got no problem that's for sure

come and join me baby
i'll never know if i hit the floor

olè

After we recorded the "Mondo Royale" album in 1996, I believe this was the first new song that we wrote. James Marlowe came up with the riff and I came up with the lyrics. Basically, the song's about drinking and fucking... big surprise. When James left the band in late 1997 and Derrick joined in early 1998, we went into the studio immediately to record three songs for one side of a 10" EP to be released on Munster Records in Spain. Munster sketched out and passed the buck to Bang Records in Spain to release the 10". Bang also dropped the ball. So I decided to release the 10" on Fandango Records as our 4th fan club record. When Kevin and Johnny joined the band in August 2000, we went in to record some covers for various compilations and decided to re-record "Hi-Ball" for inclusion on the 10". The 10" was finally released in February 2001 as a limited edition of 500 copies on shit-brown wax.

Your Wish Is My Command

you won't see me on a magic carpet
but you got control
you won't see me bring a rose to your door
but you know that i will hit the floor
bring it on! ya socked it to me
had to let you know
i don't look like a genie in a bottle
but i always got a wiggle to go

lean back on your velvet lounger
while i'm on a roll
lean back with a stroke of motion
a gasp from you's my only goal
come on! come on baby
was it good for you
i don't look like a genie in a bottle
but i'll always have a wiggle for two

your wish . . . that's my command
three wishes and a kiss on the lips
that's my command
anything that you want in the world
is my command

Originally recorded for a possible Sub Pop Records singles club 7", Sub Pop delayed so long that I decided to take the song back and release it on the "Hi-Balls Are Rolling!" 10" EP in February 2001. I wrote the lyrics when young pop slut Christina Aguilera's first single "Genie In A Bottle" was popular. I wanted to write a song about MY perspective of a "genie."

Nine

broke down in the desert sun
with a 7-pack case to go
anything you want from me
all i have is what you see here

tripped out on a feline funk
with a desperate state of affairs
can't you feel me on my way
have you had a bitter stay

when i'm waiting all alone in my room
i can feel the hammer coming down it's my doom
eight lives are up it's almost time to burn
what waits for me at my final turn

low rent in the heart of town
my soul's purple metal flake
anything you have to say
i used up my fare today

Originally recorded for a possible Sub Pop Records singles club 7", Sub Pop delayed so long that I decided to take the song back and release it on the "Hi-Balls Are Rolling!" 10" EP in February 2001. One of the few songs that Derrick Baranowsky came up with, I wrote the lyrics about a cat with nine lives. In fact, the original title was "Nine Lives," but Derrick didn't like that, so I shortened it. It's kinda a different feel for Adam West, but I think it rocks just the same.

Cruiser

One of my current favorite bands is Mensen from Norway. Every single they've done has been incredible. Anyway, "Cruiser" is a b-side from their 2nd single on Bang Records. I decided to record a cover of it for the "Hi-Balls Are Rolling!" 10" EP in February 2001.

Sin City

Kevin wanted to record a cover of AC/DC's "Sin City" when he first joined the band... so we did and included it on the "Hi-Balls Are Rolling!" 10" EP in February 2001.

Cold Sweat

When the Hellacopters decided to do a split 7" with Adam West, Steve and I thought about doing this Thin Lizzy song that we both loved. The Hellacopters were gonna record a cover of "The Rocker" and it would be a mini-Thin Lizzy tribute. Well, the Hellacopters decided to record "Stab Your Back" by the Damned, so we decided to record a cover of the Damned's "Neat Neat Neat" and save our version of "Cold Sweat" for something else... namely, the "Hi-Balls Are Rolling!" 10" EP in February 2001.

Piece Of Ass

i'm heading down to sin city
that's where i feel so free
drink turpentine
i drink the liquor
it washes over me

and with a swig of snow i got the stars spinning in my head
now i'm going down into the underground
i always follow where i'm lead
and there's a piece of ass

north and south . . . karolinah
you know she's looking good
i see her down at salt and peppar
i always knew she would

Iron Chain

screaming down the highway
you'll never catch my tail
shifting into top speed
pistons pumping as i leave my trail

cuz i got the power
petrol burning in a 455 sd
superhydraulic engine
hitting that drag with a heavy duty iron chain

trailing down the asphalt
you know i made it my day
hightailin' and freewheelin'
rubber burning down a fiery way

Two of my favorite recent songs! "Piece of Ass" is written literally about my trip to Stockholm, Sweden, in March/April 1999. About as autobiographical as I've ever gotten. "Iron Chain" was inspired by the Norwegian rock band Gluecifer. Steve came up with this great riff and all I thought of was Gluecifer vocalist Biff Malibu singing about a hot rod. The Telegraph Company released this 7" in February 2001 as part of their singles club series limited to 1500 copies with the first 200 on gold wax.

Asteroid B-612

After Dave Champion and I completed the 2-volume Radio Birdman tribute CDs, we were looking for another tribute project to attack. After some consideration, we decided on a Sonic's Rendezvous Band tribute CD using most of the same bands from the Radio Birdman tribute. This idea eventually evolved into a Scott Morgan tribute. Scott, in our opinion, wrote some of the best material in Sonic's Rendezvous Band while most people only recognize Fred "Sonic" Smith's material. We wanted to change that. So we opened up the doors for bands to cover any Scott Morgan song from his many bands over the years. Adam West got first choice to pick a song and I chose my favorite Sonic's Rendezvous Band song... "Asteroid B-612." Dave got the lyrics from Scott himself and we recorded it almost immediately in September 2000. When HDP Records in Sweden approached Adam West for a split single, I figured that the Scott Morgan tribute would take even longer to complete than the Radio Birdman took, so I sent HDP the CD-R and they pressed a 7" single with Swedish band Rickshaw on the flip. I believe the single is limited to 500 copies on black vinyl.

Real Cool Time

Adam West was asked by John Stabb (of Government Issue/Betty Blue fame) to play a Stooges tribute gig at Phantasmagoria club with 10 other bands. We've always done "Search & Destroy" as an occasional encore, but we had to pick another Stooges song to cover. I chose "Real Cool Time" because I think Ron Asheton is a genius with his use of the wah pedal. It still makes me shiver when Ron starts hitting the wah and the drums kick in. Anyway, we played the show and went into the studio soon afterwards to record some new songs for assorted singles and such. Before all this though, I went to Sweden to hang out with the Hellacopters on tour and they had brought along their friends, the Powder Monkeys, from Melbourne, Australia. After seeing the Powder Monkeys perform their first show on the tour, I was an avid fan! I offered to do a split single with them if they sent me a song. Originally, Adam West had recorded a cover of Black Sabbath's "Supernaut" for the split 7" with the Powder Monkeys, but when Glazed Records wanted 2 songs for their 7" with us, I gave them "Supernaut" for the b-side. After almost a year of waiting with no new track from the Powder Monkeys, their guitarist John Nolan told me that they recorded a cover of Black Sabbath's "The Wizard" in 1995 for some obscure movie soundtrack on Sympathy For The Record Industry. He told me I could check it out with them and see if I could release that as a single. Sympathy agreed, I got the CD and took their Sabbath cover and pressed 500 copies with our Stooges cover on the b-side. If the Powder Monkeys had told me earlier about their Sabbath cover, our version of "Supernaut" would have ended up on the split. Oh well. I am extremely proud of my vocal performance on "Real Cool Time." When I was doing the vocal acrobatics at the end of my part, our producer Bruce said, "Nice work, Axl! Was that 'Sweet Child O' Mine'?" I consider that a compliment!

Sizzleen

strutting down the road with a pocket of sun
i got stars in my eyes like i fell from above
and everybody knows that i got the ride
i push the pedal to the metal when i slip inside
baby baby baby when you walk
i said you blew my circuits when you set off the spark
and then you turn around like you think you know
here's 13 dollars, will you put on a show?

i got sizzle
i got steak
gimme five minutes and i'll make your day

flapping my jets to the sound of a bell
i dropped an oversized load in the wishing well
raking you out like a rattail comb
i need a big muff pedal just to bring me home

early in the morning
late in the evening
why'd ya come for me?

A silly song with a silly title, but shit, does it ever rock!!!! I wrote the riff and lyrics in a matter of minutes. Another one of my braggart, overtly sexual songs. This song works great as a set opener. We even performed it on the "MegaHertz" television show. When Glazed Records contacted me about doing a 7", we went immediately into the studio and recorded this. We had the Black Sabbath cover "Supernaut" in the can already, so we thre that on the flip side. Glazed pressed 500 copies with 100 on purple wax. It sold out in under 3 weeks.

Yr Days Are Numbered, Motherfucker

falling fast out of hyperdrive
nothing better get in my way
there you stand looking all fucked up
you think that's it's your lucky day
hey hey hey

any way, any day, any way
yr days are numbered, motherfucker

mark my words like they're written down
read in the evening news
steel-toed boot going up your ass
I think that you'll be getting loose
got your box gonna dig a hole
torn-up flag run it up the pole
stole your face gonna steal your soul
and leave you to a rotting hell

Have Your Way With Me

i got the fever
burnin' inside of me
i wanna take your crêpe
and light you like a tree
hear what i say?

dirty brown
i'll knock ya to the ground
i wanna know if you'll have your way with me

don't wanna struggle
don't wanna fight
why don't you climb aboard
and show me all your might?

dirty brown
i'll knock ya to the ground
i wanna know if you'll have your way
lost and found
when you go to town
i gotta know if you'll have your way with me

Both of these songs were written very quickly, recorded very quickly, and sent to Safety Pin Records in Spain for an exclusive 7". Kike Turmix was cool enough to release the 7" with an awesome color sleeve. I couldn't have designed the sleeve better myself! I believe Safety Pin pressed 500 copies in July 1999.

SWLABR

Lisa from the Los Angeles-based group The BellRays e-mailed me to tell me that she dug the "Mondo Royale" CD. We began to e-mail each other and soon decided to do a split 7" together. Her label, Vital Gesture Records, handled the whole pressing deal.
We wanted to release something that was readily unavailable, so we decided on the Cream cover that we recorded during the "13 de luxe" sessions that wasn't going to be on the CD. I always wanted to cover "SWLABR" and when Derrick joined the band, he expressed the same glee, so we did it. The BellRays side has an awesome cover of the Saints' song "Nights in Venice." There were 1000 pressed on black wax in January 1999.

Vanilla

(See lyrics in "13 de luxe" section) Since I was friends with the Candy Snatchers from Virginia Beach, I thought it would be fun to release a split 7" with them. The only problem was getting a tune outta them that wasn't already promised to another label. I had their cover of "Picture My Face" on tape and I loved it. Dave Champion luckily had the song on DAT, so he gave me that DAT and I decided to release an early mix of "Vanilla" by Adam West on the flip side. "Vanilla" was later re-recorded with a different guitar track and a tambourine added for the "13 de luxe" version. Fandango pressed 510 total with 123 on marble wax in October 1998.

Platinum & Speedbump (live)

(See lyrics in "13 de luxe" and "Mondo Royale" sections) I wanted to put out fan club single #3 around Halloween 1997, but we were concerned about writing and recording the songs that would go our next CD, which turned out to be "13 de luxe." James Marlowe told me that he wanted to quit Adam West at the end of 1997 and that he didn't want to go into the studio to record. I really thought it was the end of the band at that point.
I had already made a connection with Stefan and Eric from Reanimator Records in Ann Arbor, Mich., and was eager to do a split 7" with them. Reanimator had already released two 7"s on their label and I liked both bands (Mazinga and Die Cruisin'). So when I suggested a split 7" with Fandango Records, Reanimator decided on some unreleased Mazinga material.
Since Adam West had no newly recorded material, I listened to a DAT recording I had from one of our shows at CBGBs in New York City from May 1997. It rocked, so I culled two tracks off that and pressed the damn record. We pressed 515 total - 201 on clear wax and 93 on lavendar swirl wax. Big Tony from Mazinga drew a killer comic book insert. The single was finally released in April 1998. By then, Derrick Baranowsky had joined as our new guitar player and had been gigging with us for a month.

Halloween/She b/w Search & Destroy

Fan club single #2 was put together very quickly cuz I wanted to release a 7" single for the summer. We had worked out our Misfits medley, Halloween/She, in late 1995 when Johnny Epiphone was still in the band, but didn't record it until James joined. This was done in one take and quickly mixed down. We put a woman's scream right after the Halloween part. After doing this live a few times, we decided we would only do it on Halloween nite or if we opened for the Misfits.
We also were doing the Stooges cover when Johnny Epiphone was in the band and this got recorded in late 1995 with nine other songs that were to be on our first CD. When Johnny left the band, we scrapped the whole project except for "Beauty," which we released in April 1996 as a 7" single. When it came time to record "Search & Destroy" with James, we decided that our original take was good and that James should just record a guitar track. Then we would remix it with his guitar.
We pressed 300 copies of this single with the first 200 on orange wax with an orange sleeve and 100 on black wax with a hand- numbered, black & white sleeve. These black wax singles went as promos to radio stations and as giveaways at gigs and thru mail order.

Beauty
when i run and i try to chase after you
well i love it . . . you're already here
and i call and i find you gave up the line
well i love it . . . you're already here
and i walk through my little door
well i love it . . . you're already here
and i try, i try to give you some more
well i love it . . . you're already here

and i'll fill you up
and i'll fill you up
i won't give up

got home, got six, got off on time
the city will light up tonight
i got you shimmering by my side
the beauty of an open eye
they wish they could pull down the shade
my lovin' will never fade
and when they look they try to avert their eyes
and it comes as no surprise
we could see through all their lies
and it comes as no surprise
i did it all for you

The first song that Johnny Epiphone and I wrote together back in January 1995. Johnny had the guitar riff, but needed to bring it all together. I was listening to the song "Try Try Try" by the Fluid in my car and I came up with "beauty of an open eye." The rest came pretty quickly. One reviewer wrote,"About a girl and lovin' her up!" That pretty much sums it up. This song has been compared to "Fireball"- era Deep Purple, which is an okay comparison by me!

I Get a Sensation
we could leave it all up to the weather
but the rain and clouds won't keep us together
no they won't
baby, baby it won't be long
don't you know my love is strong
every minute i get closer to you now

i see it all before my eyes
like a revelation
i see it all when i'm with you
i get a sensation

got a solid grip when i think of you now
picture of your face right here pulls me through now
gotta hold on hold on tight
if it takes all day and night

it's like a revelation
i get a sensation

Bill Crandall wrote the music to this one while driving, I believe. He called me and said that he had a song "about a sensation" and I had to come over immediately and write words to it. For some reason, I had the Who song "Pictures of Lily" in my head, so I stuck with Pete Townshend's lyrical inspiration: masturbation. No more, no less.

Little Sister
hey
you lady
later baby for you
driving all around to you

in and out and to and fro and upside down
and i'll see you later
back and forth for what it's worth
tripping on that mother earth away
check it on out with you and i'll see you later

give it up and put it down and spin into the ground
and i'll see you later
what to do to follow you, take it back and
have it through today
check it on out with you and i'll see you later

A very early Adam West song written in early 1992. Another one of my "have no idea what I'm talking about, just make it sound good and rhyme" type songs! Tom used to joke that the title of the song should be "Bill's Sister" cuz he didn't hear what I was whispering in the beginning.

Oscar the Grouch
i slither through the streets
through all the alleys i creep
people staring everywhere
laughing at my mocking stare

i'm walking all around
i don't know up or down
i need to find my ground
medusa's in your hair
black fire everywhere
poison sets you free
but keep it away from me

everybody knows what's right
try to force me with their might
what can i do now to dissuade
this ain't the world i would have made

The first Adam West song and the first song Bill Crandall and I wrote together. This one dates back to the summer of 1990 when Bill, a drummer friend of ours, and I practiced a couple times in the drummer's basement. When that summer ended, Bill and I didn't get together for a year and a half. In December 1991, we resurrected the song and eventually recorded it. I think it's about heroin. I really dig the Medusa line, even though nobody, especially my bandmates, had any idea what i was singing about.

Cough/Cool

A cover of the first Misfits single. I don't know why I love this song so much, but I do. My loyal friend and sometimes financial backer, Ray Brennan, suggested that I start the Adam West fan club and put out a super-limited pressing single. I think we practiced this song once and did it at the end of one of our studio ventures in one take. I remember doing the vocals and Geoff Turner, our engineer, stopped the tape cuz i was doing a perfect Glenn Danzig impersonation. He said I should use more of my natural singing voice. Of course, I had no idea what the real lyrics were--there was no website or lyrics sheets yet for the Misfits--so I sang syllables instead of words I couldn't identify. We pressed 108 copies of this single on green vinyl. 100 of them had the regular black sleeve and the remaining 8 had a special "collector scum" sleeve with a rip-off of the original Misfits sleeve. I put an ad in Maximum Rock and Roll magazine and they sold out pretty darn fast. I heard one sold for $30 a couple months ago.

Love Like a Stone
i'll take you far
so far away
i'll take you far down the ocean side
i'll take it all
oh all the way
i'll take you all and more this time

love like a stone
i get up and i keep you high
never leave you alone
i'll let you down when the time is right

i'm looking good
or should i say
i'm feeling like i could hit the sky
it's coming soon
maybe today
so part your clouds till i'm good and dry
hard as stone
all through the day
stick with me and you'll see the light
and now you know
just how i play
i play you out when my ace is high

When Bill played this song in practice back in 1993, I heard INXS. That wasn't necessarily a bad thing. I wanted to toughen it up a bit, so I turned it into a bit of Bad Company. When I recorded the vocals for this song, its was 98 degrees outside and the air conditioning was broken in the studio, so I was in the vocal booth only in boxers, sweating my ass off. It's pretty obvious what the song's about. Bill played a bit of keyboards in the last chorus, Tom played the congas during the break, and I played the maracas throughout the whole song. We submitted this song when we were asked by Cyclops Records to be included on the "Capitol Crisis" compilation CD.
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