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Local Guitarist Vincent Sims asks the question "Is That Jazz?"
CD Reviews: Dirty Dozen Brass Band "Medicated Magic"
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Various Artists "Porn to Rock "
Various Artists
Porno isn't what it used to be. While the overall quality of adult films has
been steadily declining since the advent of the VCR, the stigma of watching
porn has largely evaporated. You don't have to be a dirty old man in a
trench coat anymore to watch sex vids. The stars of adult video aren't as
stigmatized either. Ron Jeremy pops up fairly regularly as a character actor
in mainstream film. Traci Lords has done film and television work and Alisha
Klass has done straight film work and has a recurring role on cable TV.
There is nothing strange about sex and music being paired. Sex has always
been lurking in the
background or brazenly flashing its wares. Disco diva Andrea True, with hit
single "More, More, More," was the first big time porn-to- mainstream
crossover act. "Porn to Rock" and "Suck It and See" are two recent releases
celebrating the link between porn and music, with varying degrees of
success.
"Porn to Rock" is a compilation of tunes performed by real-life porn stars.
Anytime you have a compilation that is based on some shared characteristic
(geography, political cause, record label), you're likely to come up with
mixed results. The surprising thing about "Porn to Rock" is not that there
are duff tracks, but how many are really pretty good.
The first three tracks are great. 80's screen siren Madison kicks things off
with a neo-psychedelic ramble called "Man in the Moon"; and Johnny Toxic
steps up to let us know all the goofy things that make him glad on the
ridiculously catchy "Happy." Then comes what really should be the strippers'
national anthem, "5, 10, 15, 20." This is Midori's hip-hop tale of
extracting cash from a club patron's wallet with titties and tease. It's
absolutely true to the strip-club scene and a good song too. Other
highlights include "The Meat Song" by current roots-rock diva (and former
porn star) Candye Kane and the scatological swing of Vinnie Spit's "Asshole
Man."
As with most compilations, there are some poor selections and embarrassing
moments."Fight Back" is a well-meaning anti-censorship anthem, but Hyapatia
Lee has recorded better songs. Ginger Lynn's "Fantasy World" is exactly the
sort of lightweight ear candy you'd expect under the opening credits to a
porn video, and Geoffrey Karen Dior's "Little Red Riding Hood" is just plain
awful. I'd be interested in hearing more from several of these artists.
Hell, I already have CDs by Candye Kane and Hyapatia Lee.
"Suck It And See" is something entirely different. The English electronica
label, Pussyfoot, scored big with their spy-themed "Pussy Galore"
compilation. After you've raked over and remade the likes of James Bond,
it's not that big a jump to pornography. With sex on their minds, the roster
of Pussyfoot artists turned their attention to creating a soundtrack
suitable for a Seka extravaganza.
"Suck It and See" is amazingly cohesive for a multi-artist compilation. The
overall feel is laidback lounge exotica. Most of the artists decided to go
down easy with slow-burning electro-funk sounds. Love TKO set the mood with
their sensual instrumental "Love Thong." Much of what follows is ideal make
outmusic for the 90's. But just as not all pornography is couples-friendly,
there are a few tracks that get pretty freaky.
Three Wheels Out contribute a compelling slice of NYC street life in "Live
>From the Clermont Lounge"; The streetwalker narrator is straight out of
"Street Hassle" - a hooker who specializes in rough trade. The song ends on
a false note with our heroine announcing she's starring in a snuff film.
Naked Funk's "Jenny Cum Lately" takes us a little too far into the world of
phone sex. It's the sort of thing that's amusing once, but doesn't hold up
to repeated listening.
Palm Pictures has released Suck It and See in both standard CD and DVD
formats. The DVD version includes a 30-minute erotic fantasy built around
several of the CD's tracks. The story is presented without dialogue, but is
more inventive and entertaining than 90% of mainline porno put out these
days. The movie follows a young woman through a night of sexual adventures
in London town while she is stalked by an older man enraptured by her
beauty. Our heroine has erotic encounters in a limo, a steam bath, at a
party and on an airplane. Her stalker (it's probably not fair to call him a
stalker. He means no harm. He just wants to get laid) follows and observes
from a distance. He comes close to making contact once, but settles for a
joyless encounter with a streetwalker instead.
As I said, this short film is more erotic than most of the hardcore features
that are being released these days. The photography is sharp and the
settings are sensual. The sex is softcore, yet it still generates a good
deal of heat. The story lacks dialogue but has a clear and (somewhat)
realistic plot. The only adult film producer to lavish this kind of
attention to his work in recent years is Andrew Blake, and even he isn't
able to put as much life into his work as the director of this video. I
rather wish that the folks at Pussyfoot and Palm Pictures would go all the
way and make a hardcore version of Suck It and See. Then they would really
have a tribute to pornography.
- BOB POMEROY
Bob Pomeroy is writer, publisher, editor and inkwell engineer for Moe
Magazine, published whenever he feels likes it. He's also a contributing
editor for Focus Magazine and a former disc jockey for
WMNF, 88.5 FM
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