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With rockabilly, the Stray Cats wrote great songs. Most bands just had that "1,4,5 Go Cat Go". They didn't break out of that. - Brian Setzer

This article's a few months old at this point, but its always great when musicians interview other musicians. Here, you have THE LIVING END's Chris Cheney interviewing his childhood hero, Brian Setzer about the end of the STRAY CATS and his next moves.

One of the most interesting bits is a discussion about how to be true to rockabilly, but not a slave to it. To a certain extent, the entire scene is about "authenticity", but using the past as a springboard for self-expression is just as important. The Living End left rockabilly behind a long time ago. Their early EPs rate as some of the best 90's era rockabilly, approaching REVEREND HORTON HEAT in energy. As they matured, they seemed to reach for 80's UK power pop influences and the rock/punk melange of the Clash. Now, you can barely hear the rockabilly in their increasingly complex sound.

Setzer crumbing on people's desire "to make it sound like it was done in 1955" is rich, considering the Stray Cats have always relied heavily on covers with similar arrangements to the originals and Setzer produced two albums consisting entirely of covers (STRAY CATS ORIGINAL COOL and solo effort, ROCKABILLY RIOT: A TRIBUTE TO SUN RECORDS - both are great!) Still, it's worth thinking about: is retro lifestyle really liberating our imaginations or is it a crutch... a uniform... that allows us to lazily avoid originality while still donning the cloak of "alternative" and "outlaw"?

Thoughts?

Hat tip to JIMBO

Jerry Finn, producer of albums by Blink 182, Green Day, Rancid, The Offspring and Morrissey, has been taken off life support after suffering a brain haemorrhage last month.

A posting at prosoundweb. com announced the news, stating "the doctors have done everything possible for Jerry. Even though he did make snail like improvement these past 31 days he is not any better for words and has not had any consistency in the tests that the medical team have done for him. At his time the hemorrhage has done massive damage to his body, which will leave him severely disabled, and in need of acute care for the rest of his life. We know Jerry wouldn't want to live like this in a vegetative state. The family has made the decision to speak Jerry's wishes and withdraw life support. I am truly devastated don't know what else to say. Thank you all for your support through this terrible time. Please keep Jerry in your prayers".


The 38-year old producer is regarded as one of the best in the business.


Albums he has worked on include 'Dookie' and 'Insomniac' for Green Day, 'The Living End' by The Living End, blink-182 'Untitled' and 'Take Off Your Pants and Jacket', AFI's 'Decemberunderground' and 'Morrissey's 'You Are The Quarry'.


Jerry's last piece of work will be Morrissey's next album 'Years of Refusal' that will be released in early 2009.


Discography:

* Green Day - Dookie (1994) (mixed)
* The Muffs - Blonder and Blonder (1995) (engineered and mixed)
* Pennywise - About Time (1995)
* Rancid - ...And Out Come the Wolves (1995)
* Jawbreaker - Dear You (1995) (mixed)
* Green Day - Insomniac (1995) (mixed)
* Fastball - Make Your Mama Proud (1996)
* The Daredevils - Hate You (1996)
* Smoking Popes - Destination Failure (1997)
* Coward - Self-Titled (1997)
* Superdrag - Head Trip in Every Key (1998)
* Rancid - Life Won't Wait (1998) (mixed)
* The Vandals - Hitler Bad, Vandals Good (1998) (mixed)
* The Living End - The Living End (1998) (mixed)
* blink-182 - Enema of the State (1999)
* Madness - Universal Madness (1999) (mixed)
* Fenix*TX - Fenix*TX (1999)
* blink-182 - The Mark, Tom, and Travis Show: The Enema Strikes Back (2000)
* MxPx - The Ever Passing Moment (2000)
* The Marvelous 3 - ReadySexGo! (2000)
* Fenix*TX - Lechuza (2001)
* Sum 41 - All Killer No Filler (2001)
* Alkaline Trio - From Here to Infirmary (2001) (mixed)
* blink-182 - Take Off Your Pants And Jacket (2001)
* Green Day - International Superhits! (2001) (co-produced)
* Bad Religion - The Process of Belief (2002) (mixed)
* Box Car Racer - Box Car Racer (2002)
* MxPx - Ten Years and Running (2002)
* Sparta - Wiretap Scars (2002)
* Vendetta Red - Between the Never and the Now (2003)
* AFI - Sing the Sorrow (2003) (co-produced and mixed)
* Alkaline Trio - Good Mourning (2003) (co-produced and mixed)
* blink-182 - untitled (2003)
* Morrissey - You Are the Quarry (2004)
* Marjorie Fair - Self Help Serenade (2004)
* The Vandals - Hollywood Potato Chip (2004) (mixed)
* Eisley - Room Noises (2005) (mixed)
* The Offspring - Greatest Hits (2005)
* Alkaline Trio - Crimson (2005)
* blink-182 - Greatest Hits (2005)
* AFI - Decemberunderground (2006)
* +44 - When Your Heart Stops Beating (2006) (co-produced and mixed)
* Tiger Army - Music from Regions Beyond (2007)
* Morrissey - Greatest Hits (2008)
* Morrissey - Years of Refusal (set for September 2008)