If you’re not aware of The Plasmatics don’t say you haven’t
been warned. The band was a combination of punk and heavy metal music that felt
the best way to greet an audience was with confrontation. To say their sound
was raw is an understatement. It was an uncooked steak bleeding on the floor
and trampled underfoot by the power and energy of the group.
Started by conceptual artist Rod Swenson and his partner in
crime Wendy O. Williams, the band had a number of members over the years with
only one other remaining from start to finish. The band began with leanings
more towards punk but as their popularity grew so did their sound. Performing
at the legendary CBGBs the band took off like a rocket on the underground
scene.
Soon they began making videos as well and that drew the
attention of the media. I for one can remember seeing them on the late night
show FRIDAYS where they performed and ended the performance by cutting smashing
a TV set and taking a chainsaw to it. That was the Plasmatics.
Perhaps the two most notable items about the band visually
were the Mohawk haircut that Williams had for a number years and her choice to
display her breasts as to draw attention. She often use black electrical tape
to make Xs to cover her nipples and little else. Other times, as see in this
DVD, she wore a cupless bra and clothespins on her nipples. Having performed as
a stripper and in live sex shows this may have been something she carried over.
Fans of the band remain to this day, long after their
breakup and the passing of Williams in 1998 from suicide. With her passing so
went the life of the band and no efforts were made to regroup of find a new
lead singer. It never stopped fans from seeking out their performances though.
Which brings us to this DVD. The disc is a compilation of
live performances, many never seen before. Swenson shot tons of footage of the
band performing live but never put the footage together. During a move of files
for archival storage producer/director Randy Shooter discovered, relabeled,
performed additional editing and restoration as best he could with the material
he found to create this DVD. Yes it is raw, and not quite on par with the
professionally made concert videos we’ve come to expect but that was the way
the band was, completely raw.
I could list all the songs included but only die-hard fans
will recognize those. A few included are “Fast Food Service”, “Sex Junkie”,
“Lunacy”, and “Black Leather Monster”. Performances included take place in
locations including CBGBs. Calderone Theater, Bond’s Casino, Perkin’s Palace,
Sunshine Park and the Dr. Pepper Festival.
Music lovers who feel the need to collect all things music
will add this to their collection. More discerning collectors will take note
but pass it by. Fans of the Plasmatics will make this a must have to include in
their collections. It is definitely worth looking at just to see what came from
that period in time. Here we are some 19 years after the band has ceased to
exist and still talking about them. So time has shown that there is a fan base
for this group and their music. To be able to experience them as they were is
just an added bonus.
Click here to order.
No comments:
Post a Comment