Jan 102012
In this corner, Australia’s Madder Lake, doing “12-Pound Toothbrush”…
And in this corner…
…another 1970s Aussie band, Chain, performing “Black & Blue.” And yes, the lead singer is the Edge’s father.
In this corner, Australia’s Madder Lake, doing “12-Pound Toothbrush”…
And in this corner…
…another 1970s Aussie band, Chain, performing “Black & Blue.” And yes, the lead singer is the Edge’s father.
Blimey, I watched The Third Man with our eldest the other night and Madder Lake’s singer looks just like Harry Lime looming out of the shadows, or rather Benny Hill doing Orson Welles looming doing Ian Anderson. And is that Queen’s John Deacon on bass?
I particularly liked the bit in the Chain clip where Ol’ Pa Edge plays the mouth organ while it’s still in its box.
It’s a tough one, but if I had to choose which one I’d prefer to hear another song by then I’d probably have to go with the Chain. Even though Madder Lake are more compelling visually, it’s not exactly one you’d find yourself humming, is it?
I didn’t realise until just now that it’s possible to play two of these clips simultaneously; it’s more interesting to listen to both of them at once, with the bonus of sounding like an out-take from Trout Mask Replica.
Very funny description of the Madder Lake singer!
GREAT call on the boxed mouth organ! I was wondering why that didn’t look right.
Madder Lake gets points for committed miming. The singer adds facial mugging to accompany the vocal mugging, and at around 2:27 adds elbow and full body mugging. But I nominate the guitar riff at 1:17 as the wimpiest guitar riff in rock history.
The Chain clip makes me wonder if Australia’s history as a penal colony gives it its own chaingang/worksong tradition. I do like the singer’s thumbs-in-jeans-pockets stance. It’s very “I’m the lead singer, but I’m still just a dude.” But is the couplet at 2:50 really what it sounds like?
You broke my head ’cause I sat on a guy
Sure don’t make me no better, it just made me high
Despite help from the huge cutout of the spanish guitar, the rest of the band is too faceless to win this Mach Schaudaun. The vocalist doesn’t even bother with miming the second harmonica break after the box disaster the first time.
Madder Lake wins purely based on the genius of the song title “12 Pound Toothbrush.”
I love the drummer in Madder Lake. I can’t tell if his style/form is advanced or the opposite. Is there a drummer in the house?