Gene Loves Jezebel
"Dead Sexy"
Nickel And Dime/Triple XXX Records
By Geordie Pleathur
(SugarBuzz Nation)
SugarBuzz Magazine
"Give me your hungry, your tired, your poor, I'll piss on 'em. That's what the Statue of Bigotry says... Your poor huddled masses, let's club 'em to death, and get it over with, and just dump 'em on the boulevard..."
(-Lou Reed; "Dirty Boulevard")
"When we blindly adopt a religion, a political system, a literary
dogma, we become automatons. We cease to grow..." (- Anais Nin)
"The first stage for our immigration policy is stop supporting oligarchs, dictatorships,and authoritarian regimes that drive people to leave their native lands, out of economic desperation, or political repression. Lots of people from Mexico and Central America would now be in those countries, not in this country, if they had a decent chance, in a democratic society, to have an adequate standard of living."
(-Ralph Nader)
"We want to stand upon our own feet and look fair and square at the world -- its good facts, its bad facts, its beauties, and its ugliness; see the world as it is and be not afraid of it. Conquer the world by intelligence and not merely by being slavishly subdued by the terror that comes from it. The whole conception of a God is a conception derived from the ancient oriental despotisms. It is a conception quite unworthy of free men. When you hear people in church debasing themselves and saying that they are miserable sinners, and all the rest of it, it seems contemptible and not worthy of self-respecting human beings. We ought to stand up and look the world frankly in the face. We ought to make the best we can of the world, and if it is not so good as we wish, after all it will still be better than what these others have 
made of it in all these ages. A good world needs knowledge, kindliness, and courage; it does not need a regretful hankering after the past or a fettering of the free intelligence by the words uttered long ago by ignorant men. It needs a fearless outlook and a free intelligence. It needs hope for the future, not looking back all the time toward a past that is dead, which we trust will be far surpassed by the future that our intelligence can create."
(-Bertrand Russell, extract from "Why I Am Not A Christian")
"Loving You Is The Best Revenge...."
(-Michael Aston)
SERFDOM U.S.A.
While many of my macho, Motorhead cronies were always utterly appalled by my unremorseful affinity for goth, and eighties new wave, I came of age in the MTV era, and only discovered seventies glam bands like T.Rex, Iggy, and Bowie, via, their mutt-progeny, Sigue Sigue Sputnik, Sisters Of Mercy, and Love And Rockets. With all due respect to Siouxsie, Severin, and company, if ever a band shoulda been called, "The Banshees", it was probably the tortured elves of Gene Loves Jezebel-okay, sure, Diamanda Galas out-banshees all these black clad boys, by miles, but 
you get my point.
They were wailing apparitions-dueling mewlers. Howling tree sprites. Both of 'em, poncing 'round, like less masculine Michael Monroes; vogueing their Elvis Presley-style, Kung Fu Poses, and shrieking, like Black Francis from the Pixies, X2. Swanning around in Chinese silk pajamas, like the hairdyed Hugh Hefners of gloom. I betcha Allistarr Liddel owned his share of Gene Loves Jezebel vinyl, twelve inch dance remixes, at some point. I know I did. Along with Tones On Tail "Pop", and Psychic TV's "Godstar", were a whole slew of Dead Or Alive, and Gene Loves Jezebel wax pizzas.
I Dunno why the brothers Aston have divided their fan base with private money squabbles, mandating their fans oppose one, or the other. Has NO ONE learned anything from the agonizing antics of Classic Van Halen, Guns N Roses, or Dead Kennedys? Their decade long split probably has something to do with "creative differences" (money, drugs, a chick...?), but it can't be easy having an identical twin, Narcissistic rockstar reflection, competing with you for camera time, or the microphone, y'know? Zillions of aging Vampiras will always love these two, like death rock royalty, though it would seem that
Brother Jay's incarnation is "winning" the tug of war for legitimizing the brand name, and more-privileged, secure spot on the eighties-circuit, because his version's bolstered by the hard rockin' guitar heroics of punk legend, James Stevenson, from Chelsea/The Alarm/Gen X.
It would seem that both of these scarf draped ghosts are a bit out of time. What are they supposed to do, now? In the days of video-games, "reality" TV, and endless war? Haunt the Hollywood goth circus, and get upstaged by Marilyn Manson? They're probably both wise to stick to the big, new wave, goth, and nostalgia bills. I believe their legal agreement states that Mike owns the brand name trademark, in the U.S., and Jay's version owns it outside the U.S., and when Jay's gang tour the West Coast punk clubs, later this month, they'll have to be billed as Jay Aston's Gene Loves Jezebel. I suppose some sports people like to pick teams, but probably most of their fans like them both. Two versions, a bit confusing, but okay.
I first got into GENE LOVES JEZEBEL way, way back in the early eighties, when they still looked just like Hayzi Fantayzi, and sounded like a cross between, Bauhaus, the Cure, and Southern Death Cult. Diet Cult. Cult Lite? That was before their crassly commercial, insipid MTV turd, "Motion Of Love", and short-lived perch, straddling the worlds of spooky college rock, and Bon Jovi pop-metal. This is a band that probably never should have strayed from their gothic roots. Imagine if Boy George, and his pal Marilyn, suddenly, tried to convince you they were brainless, Bon Jovi, cock metal-merchants. It wouldn't really work, would it? They seemed silly, trying to woo the Poison/Ratt chicks. I would have preferred they stayed in a more tribal, Bow Wow Wow/Adam Ant/Flesh For Lulu/Spear Of Destiny vein, rather, than
attempt the money making crossover. Who could really blame them for two slick, fluke-hits, though? I mean, even the swirling, psychedelic soul-men of THE CULT turned into Zodiac Mindwarp, for an album, or two, in the Metal Years. Sadly, I couldn't find their "Little Bit Of Heartache" video on Youtube, the other night, which was unfortunate, cos that vid really captured them both, at their coolest.
At their zenith, Welsh immigrants, GENE LOVES JEZEBEL, excelled at poppy, danceable, mystical, make-out music for all us pretentious, young gypsies, with foo-foo haircuts, and bony, teenaged Vampirillas, in velvet capes, patchoulli, and watermelon flavored lipgloss....Ahhhhh, the good old daze! "DEAD SEXY" finds Brother Michael channeling his inner-Robert Plant, as a golden tongued lyricist, peddling his soothingly crooned, Doorsy, lullabies for the damned, to the darkwave crowd, and the important question here is, would Princess Farhana be able to belly dance to his newer songs? Could the tattooed Suicide Girls of today groove along to his new sounds on their I-Pods, while cruisin' their local Hot-Topic, for more Tim Burton swag? Go ask Allistarr, but I'd say, yeah. The Boston band SCARCE already made a classic album called, "DEAD SEXY", years ago - one of the only "nineties alternative" offerings I ever liked.
In this neo-feudal era, all of our laws have been unfortunately altered to reduce both immigrants, and so-called, American "natives", to powerless serfs-in the service of evil, murderous corporations. They've devalued music, and even former stars are struggling to survive in the shadows of the war-machine, while cable 
news, infotainment-whores continue to program the masses to obediently accept the corrupt rule of the crooked few, by misguiding them into fearing, and blaming people of color, from different countries, the usual scapegoats. Divide and conquer never fails. Where I work, all of my fellow slaves watch Glenn Beck, and are totally brainwashed by his populist racism. There's this one seemingly sweet, hard-working, old Italian/Irish lady, who says she "hates all these immigrants", but particularly, Mexicans ("the drug cartel"), Jews ("the liberal media"), and Muslims ("terrorists") and does not mind that the U.S. is bombing peasant families in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Yemen, because she believes all these "foreigners" hate us for our "freedom" (not our brutal and imperialist foreign policies), and are coming across our Southern boarders, to steal her eight dollar an hour, service industry, retail/big-box baking job, as we speak. In spite, of having been abused, for years, by her military ex-husband, with post traumatic stress disorder, she still can't bring herself to be critical of the military, union-busting strong-arm cops, our corporate share-holders, or the grandfatherly, salaried members of management, so instead, she misdirects her frustration, fatigue, and anger at all her fellow peasants. She'll gladly sacrifice her way of life, and Constitutional liberties, so long as the banker elites, and media assassins, insist they're protecting her from faceless, vaguely defined, "foreign" boogeymen. Somewhere 
inside her, I'm certain there is a compassionate, decent, human being, but as she is now, she's just too poisoned with hate, and paralyzed with exaggerated fears, to want to interact with, very often. It's sad how FOX TV has her absolutely convinced that our scary, (gasp!) BLACK president has somehow broken with Bush policies. She doubts Obama was born in the U.S., and thinks he's somehow(?!) broken with the neo-con policies of the last administration, when it should be painfully obvious to all, by now, that no real "change" is forthcoming. The oil baron corporatists will continue to reign by secrecy, fear-mongering, covert terrorism, and big media-rule. The big Wall Street corporate elites have been using these same old divide and conquer tactics, forever. But like former GENE LOVES JEZEBEL producer, the outlaw singer, STEVE EARLE, reminds us, this is a NATION OF IMMIGRANTS. Her very own parents, and grandparents were hated, and hassled, when THEY first came here!
In this new world dysfunction, even former mainstream celebrities release their music on tiny independents, and it's got to be a struggle to employ musicians, too, cos while much of the eighties goth, and dance music, was obviously, really driven by producers, who were savvy with echo, and all the latest drum machines of the day, to achieve that ambiant, exotic, Middle-Eastern flavored, post-apocalyptic boom, and gloom, nowadays, most real
musicians only want to play the big festivals, for top dollar, and expect to be kept on a steady payroll. Fewer and fewer guitarists can afford to continue playing for art, glory, chicks, and beer, anymore. Having to rely on mercenary musicians can be a real spirit-killer for graying front men, I can assure you.
GENE LOVES JEZEBEL'S "DEAD SEXY" is a heartening throwback to the more song-oriented, guitar-friendly, rock'n'roll side of goth, which is a welcome relief for many of us who are so tired, and bored senseless, with all that last century, "industrial", noise hammering. All you voodoo dollies with access to strong opiates, and heavy incense, who live in big houses full of candles, with velvety tapestries on all the walls, will surely love the swanky, and sensual, ethereal sounds of Michael Aston's "DEAD SEXY". All you gutter punks and whiskey swillers will probably prefer to stick with your regular Motorhead, Rose Tattoo, and Lower Class Brats. Myself, I'm pleasantly amazed by how much I've been enjoying "Dead Sexy".
Apparently, "Dead Sexy" is a "best of", compiling Michael's favorite tracks from '93-'03, Michael has expanded and developed his moody repertoire. Familiar flights of fancy, and otherworldly processions that sound both ancient and post-post-modern. He's written excellent songs, you get value for your money, here. This was a monumental undertaking-eighteen 
songs, on two discs. His voice has matured-there's far less keening and preening, and more importantly, his songwriting has continued to advance.
While searching Youtube for those old "Heartache", and "Desire" vids, I was initially, unimpressed by some of his unplugged, live improvisations, even accompanied by an excellent guitarist, but this CD is so strong. "DEAD SEXY" far exceeded any of my expectations. SOMEHOW, he's assembled a really top-notch, world-class, rock band, certain to appeal to diehard partisans, or really, anyone who ever liked anything like Peter Murphy, 39 Steps, "Love" era CULT, or the Mission U.K. The lyrics are thoughtful, and poetic. The guitars are epic, enchanting, magically delicious. It's a spell-binder. Clearly, he invested a lot of real passion into the making of this work, which is a bit shocking, because so few of our American artistes can even be arsed to create anything that resonates with authentic emotions, or the ring of truth, or moral courage, anymore. This album's soulful and shamanic. Welcome to the States, Michael Aston. It's
only, ever, been peace loving, gentle-spirited, creative and talented, hard laboring, good hearted souls like yourself, who have ever made this melting pot worth living in. I strongly reccomend this L.P. to all Gene Loves Jezebel Fans, and any others inclined towards melodic, melancholy music. Good Listening. Nice job, lads.
www.myspace.com/genelovesjezebelofficial
www.myspace.com/genelovesjezebeluk
http://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/
(-Geordie Pleathur)