August 20, 2009

New Them Crooked Vultures - "Dead End Friends" (Live In Amsterdam)

Josh, Dave, and John Paul didn't make it easy for us to attend their first-ever live show: midnight on a Sunday in Chicago, which happened to be just hours after three days of the muggiest Lollapalooza to date, at the 1,100-capacity Metro rock club. Which had a broken air conditioner, as if the 1,100+ Zep/QOTSA/Foos/Nirvana superfans needed any help overheating. Still, it was a first look at a surprisingly good mindmeld, far from the undercooked vanity project years of similarly high-powered but ultimately directionless collabs have made it fair to expect.

And as it goes, Them Crooked Vultures didn't make it any easier for us to attend their second-ever live show: at Melkweg in Amsterdam last night. Once again, longtime Homme-budsman Alain Johannes joined on guitars as the low-pro fourth Vulture, and I'll bet the 12-song setlist was identical. Only this time there's actually some serviceable YouTube that came out of it. (Relatively serviceable.) This is "Dead End Friends," which helps demonstrate how Josh-centric Them can be, opening with a flash of their stoner-rock impulses and served with plentiful looks at Grohl's whiplashing drums and chemistry with JPJ.

Sorry for that shit quality. In contrast this official 30 second preview clip is pristine, and is of the song that hit hardest at the Metro: "Nobody Loves Me And Neither Do I," that night's set-closer and what will likely be their album's first single.

There was some misinformation floating around about TCV's first album back around the time of the Metro show; as of now, there's no title announced, nor is there a release date, but that footage from the studio suggests that yes there is at least an album to expect. In the meantime, the band has two more appearances scheduled, for considerably more fans than the first pair: Belgian music festival Pukkelpop on 8/21, and the Lowlands festival a day later in the Netherlands. Book your tix.

UPDATE: Try this "Dead End Friends" for better audio...

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10 Comments

i"m super excited for these guys to have an album.

Posted by: cpb at 08/20/09 11:05 AM | Reply
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I was there in Amsterdam and it was an awesome show. It rocked from start 'til end. Brilliant musicians playing one of the best rock shows I've ever seen. And I get to see them again this weekend on the Lowlands festival!

Posted by: RonaldSays

at 08/20/09 11:36 AM | Reply
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...everything's cell phone commercial these days...except Jon Stewart and Radiohead...I mean as far as the Major Leagues go....

Posted by: Tornado Longing for Freedom at 08/20/09 12:09 PM | Reply
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i gotta admit...that live footage sounds insane

Posted by: Harry at 08/20/09 12:14 PM | Reply
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These guys ROCK... god damn this album will kick some arse

Posted by: steve at 08/20/09 1:14 PM | Reply
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So glad to see that John Paul Jones is doing something new and interesting with like minds and skipping out on Jimmy Page's straw-clutching, not-quite-a-Led Zeppelin reunion (Percy Plant is also wise to know his strengths his middle age strengths by sticking with Allison Krauss).

J.P.J. was always the underrated underdog in Led Zeppelin. I always liked that he worked with Diamanda Galas and the Butthole Surfers. These clips with Mr. Homme and Senor Grohl sound great. The enthusiasm and vitality in these videos seems to indicate that this is the band Grohl and Homme have been waiting and rehearsing for all their lives.

Speaking of John Paul Jones, a friend was telling me that while Pagey was cutting his teeth as a teenage session guitarist, at the same time, a fresh-faced John Paul Jones briefly interned as an assistant engineer for same sessions that yielded many of Jacques Dutronc singles from 1967-1968. I haven't been able to find any info confirming this, but if true, it kinda makes sense. Anyone have any information or insights about this?

Posted by: Sir Terrence Tuppins at 08/20/09 2:04 PM | Reply
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