Customer Reviews

Last Call: Memorial Rarities Collection

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Brilliant band, pure genious, and a very sad lost for music. Some interesting alt versions and the live stuff sounds good too. Bianca has an excellent rock voice and the band play very catchy rock in support. Great fun. not for those who are easily affended but thats not me. Play it loud and enjoy, (but don't annoy the neighbours)

...to co-produce this record, remaster some of the old recordings, some live stuff, etc. It wasn't easy, believe me: many of the live sources were crappy cassette tapes or audio ripped from a camcorder video!

I'm glad I was given a forum to be able to finally present tracks like "Teenage Whore" to the light of day. The live version of "I've Been So Mad Lately" I do not believe was mentioned in the liner notes as such--is the very first time Bianca ever sang it. We just happened to be recording that day, and I blew my voice out before we got to "Mad" (I wrote it, used to sing it live and I do sing it on the first single). After arguing with Bianca for about 15 minutes where she was screaming "I'm not a singer, leave me alone!!" we finally convinced her to try the song, tape rolling. It was her song ever since. The "take" on Last Call is the second take. The first take is still in my archive, we couldn't include both due to CD-length constraints, but read below...

So many stories to tell on this record that didn't make the liner notes... believe me.

Also know I am working on hopefully releasing my own Bianca tribute in the form of another CD that will be packed with even more interesting stuff than you'll find on "Last Call". My release isn't meant to "trump" "Last Call" but is meant to complete it--to turn it into the 2CD set it should have been in the first place. On this disc I hope to present, among other things in the archive, that first tale of "Mad", the very moment she stepped up to a microphone and started taking prisoners.

I also plan to donate the net proceeds of it to a charity Bianca and I used to do a lot of work for back when we lived together. I'm merely trying to find the initial resources to manufacture it. Wish me luck!

Peace.

Thom Bone

Butt Trumpet

I discovered these girls to late in the game, and I kick my [self] for it. When I finally heard Are You Man Enough? Bianca had passed, and so had my shot at seeing 'em live.

If you are reading this, and debating whether or not to buy the cd, I don't think you can call yourself a fan of rock 'n roll if you dont own this slab of rock.

These girls for an all too brief period, were the definition of ROCK!!! No other band came close. Period. If you are a fan of great rock and roll, ... buy this bad Oscar, and obtain any Betty material you can. You are not rock until you do.

I can see being moved by this high energy/big attitude band when seen live, but, in a recorded context, this sounds really silly. I'm all for angst and emotion to be channeled through music but this is way too contrived. Some of these songs are utterly ridiculous. From the beginning, pop music has alway embraced lust, libidos and decadence but this band uses no artistry to address it.

I was attracted to this band because of the documentary made about them. When interviewed, the band members sound well-spoken and intelligent. Therefore, the gutteral lyrics are all the more an indictment on the laziness of them not trying to produce art rather than just muttering stupid sophmoric lyrics.

I am glad I followed the advice of all the + reviews for this cd. It is well worth every cent payed! A mixture of great live music, excellent sounding demos, kick ass music from all the girls and funky radio clips; much more than I expected. Bianca left us too soon, and Betty Blowtorch left us too little music. I hope Thom Bone comes through with his promise of giving us fans more of Betty. (Please Thom!) If you have not got this cd yet, get it. The production may not be as crisp as "Are You Man Enough", but no complaints here. One last note. Get their DVD story, you'll love it too.

BB was one of a kind. If you have their other albums you know what to expect from this cd. It has nice clips from radio interviews and things like that to accompany the songs. The music is its own animal, but if you have to describe it, I'd say L7 meets Joan Jett. Once of the great tragedies of rock is the death of Bianca.

After seeing the short film about this band & it's formar lead (may she rest in peace), I knew I was onto something great. This album has it all. Tracks from the best selling one (Get Off), as well as outtakes, & demo's that put the listener into what made the band so raw & great.

If you like punk & chicks that rock, this is your disc.

THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS HARD ROCK AND PUNK WHAT MORE COULD YOU ASK FOR WHAT A SHAME BIANCA DIED SO SOON AND BECAUSE OF A DRUNK DRIVER JUST WISH THERE SCEEN IN BUBBLE BOY WAS LONGER. A MUST FOR ANYONE WHO LIKES GIRLSCHOOL ,L7 MORE HARDER THAN THE RUNAWAYS