0 The Cannibals - "The Submarine Song/Paralytic Confusion" (HIT together with Bucketful Of Brains Magazine, 1984)

Morning lads! More trash by our favorite Cannibal here at White Trash Soul headquarters! Possibly a rarity (I'm not sure though, cause every time i write something for something 'rare', record collectors hit on me on how much this may cost or how many slices pressed, so i really don't know!). As a big fan of Mike Spenser's 'work' you 're getting me unlearnt this time...! I mean, i knew the existence of the single but i never saw it or heard it before. But i don't feel bad cause there's virtually NOTHING on the net for this, anywhere! Not on the Count Bishops sites, nor on record collectors'... And we are offering this thanks to JP who wormed it out perhaps from a trash pail! It doesn't really matter though cause what we are talking about here is rock & roll, and on these two sides is plenty and raucous! As you read on the title, this 45 rpm came out with some Bucketful of Brains issue back in 1984 but that's too a mystery! Whatever, if anyone of you guys and gals knows more, we're here to put our pince-nez and teach us a lesson.
Later!

Detail: The Cannibals - "The Submarine Song/Paralytic Confusion" (HIT together with Bucketful Of Brains Magazine, 1984)

0 The Cannibals - "Christmas Rock 'N 'Roll" (HIT, 1986) / "Good Guys" (Big Cock Records, 1977) / "Nadine EP" (HIT, 1978)

Hi again. I really struggle to keep things going on in here too. You really have no idea what it's happening in this small place of the world called Greece, onetime cradle of civilization... But i don't want and i won't let those bastards grind us down as my beloved Motorhead used to say! You know, with two little fellas 'round the house it's kinda easier to get in the mood for Christmas and that's what I'm going to do!  I tried with my faithful partner in crime/buddy from a long distance, Jean Philippe to catch up the holidays with a brand new WAX CD but too much work for both of us... Maybe it's better this way, cause with a new year rising on our heads and some new hopes together, hopefully we will be ready to introduce our new essay along with the celebration of this blog's existence for two years now and stalking/heading for a third, in the same vein, with the same guts and the same rock & roll energy! I had prepared something else for the occasion but I'll save it for a little later cause some hours before, came to my mail this Christmas present for all you White Trash Soul-sters out there! Of course the reliable mind behind these rips is Jean Philippe and i like to thank him one more time in public for being a patient fellow traveler and a very good friend behind a computer screen. Yeah, they do exist such friendships! I'd like to thank you one more all you guys and gals for keeping our flame alive with your (daily?) presence, leaving comments, sharing thoughts and sometimes links but most of all your love. Jean Philippe and me want to express our gratitude for making this page a cool meeting place and we're giving a new rendez-vous for the next year. Have fun with your families, your friends and all the persons that making your lives worthy, throw parties, make sex, drink loads of booze and enjoy every minute of the holidays are coming. For the history these are three mighty ass rock & roll singles from the gang of Mike Spenser, the one's on the days spirit. Run Run Rudolph!
See ya next year!

Detail: The Cannibals - "Christmas Rock 'N 'Roll" (HIT, 1986) / "Good Guys" (Big Cock Records, 1977) / "Nadine EP" (HIT, 1978)

0 The Cannibals - "The Rest of The Cannibals" (GMG, 1985)

Oi! What's up? I'm writing you these lines outta home for business, from a low limit access wi-fi connection of a semi-good hotel, here in Thessaloniki. Not much time for babble and not in a good cheer either. So, what we got here's maybe thee best 'album' of Mike Spenser's Cannibals. Or for better, the logical next step for someone looking for an expedient for the first Count Bishops line up. I wish Mike had done more with the Bishops but hey, that's a mighty fine kick ass rock & roll record too! The punkish R&B we all like here, with a more 60s garage approach on this. And that means sloppy fun playing by the band and its countless members, tons of beer cans (of course empty!) and disposal for savageness! Something like the Inmates in a possessed Motorhead state! 'The Rest of the Cannibals' is a compilation, probably never re-released on digital format with all the groups singles circa 1977 - 1979, "Good Guys" included (yep - the Standells classic), which is their first and John Peel's favorite. Cheers!
*A Jean-Philippe rip and offering

Detail: The Cannibals - "The Rest of The Cannibals" (GMG, 1985)

0 The Cannibals - "Bone To Pick" (HIT Records,1982)

There are two kinds of legends in rock & roll. Those who had make it big (commercially or artistically acclaimed) and those who didn’t.

Mike Spenser sadly belongs to the second category. He was the original vocalist of the Count Bishops and I LOVE the Bishops as a few bands in the world. I do understand why so many fans of the band or the music press dug the second singer, Dave Tice cause he had a hell of voice but sorry, I go for Mike all the way! Dave had a gutsy gravel throat but Mike was the caveman here! The Bishops on “Speedball” were the true sons of the Pretty Things! I have never heard such rawness since the early days of the Sect and the Pretties (always talking for UK).

With Mike behind the mic, Bishops were the garage punk version of the Pretty Things. And there’s not much really more to say cause what I’ve already wrote, I believe strongly speaks for itself!

There’s a big confusion for what Mike did and what not after the Bishops. There must be one or two bands before the Cannibals but that’s a mystery to me. I have searched over the internet countless times and still no complete bio or discography for Mike. I guess when I found the time, should I try to track him for an interview.

The Cannibals are what the name exactly pronounced. The most primitive thing came outta England in the late 70s and all the 80s. They were the originators of ‘Trash’. For some strange reason, only a small amount of compilers around the world include them in the so called ‘Garage Revival’ thing, but the Cannibals were more garage and definitely more punk than say, the Fuzztones or the Chesterfield Kings of this world! They had great originals (I mean GREAT!) and they preferred to cover Bo or Chuck just like the Sonics & the Stones did, than “Psycho” or “99^th Floor” as most of the other like minded used to. And although I adore toons like these, sorry but I go better for a cool rendition of “Nadine” than “Dirty Water”! Oh and the Cannibals really did justice better than others on cover songs of 60s punk bands like the Standells “Good Guys” for example. I know that you may be a little bit suspicious on what I’m writing now but like all other times here, I’m for sure a jubilant fanatic but no blind man to not spot you on the bad things even from the ones I really have a taste for. And the Cannibals were and still are the shit! It’s often mentioned that the B side of  the “Good Guys” single (on Cock Records), was one of John Peel’s favorites. The famous (now) Black Box of 142 with his all time faves, secured them a place in the pantheon of rock & roll publicity for ever. With a credit like this you simply can do no wrong, right? Prepare the cauldrons and put fire above...it is time to feed the Cannibals!

A Jean Philippe contribution exclusively for White Trash Soul! 

FLAC

Bone to... Pick!

Detail: The Cannibals - "Bone To Pick" (HIT Records,1982)