FRIENDS FOREVER - KILLBALL (LOAD 046)

LOAD 045 IS ANOTHER VERSION OF PINK AND BROWN'S SHAME FANTASY II SO HERE WE GO TO 46 AND A BAND TO WHOM I BRIEFLY ALLUDED IN THIS REVIEW OF THE LIGHTNING BOLT DVD. DENVER COLORADO'S FRIENDS FOREVER ARE LIKE-MINDED FOLKS IN THE ACID-DAMAGED PERFORMANCE-ART ROCK WORLD: FELLOW TRAVELLERS IN THE SAME PISS-SOAKED SPACES.

THEY'RE DIFFERENT IN A NUMBER OF CRUCIAL WAYS. WHILE THE FORT THUNDER LOT ENDED UP AT THE WHITNEY BIENNIAL THUS UNDERSCORING THE ESSENTIALLY ART WORLD NATURE OF THEIR ANIMUS, FRIENDS FOREVER ONCE DROVE 2000 MILES TO PLAY ONE SONG OUTSIDE OF THE TROMA STUDIO IN NEW YORK. THEIR WORLD IS MORE WILFULLY "TEENAGE BOY GONE WRONG" - VIDEO GAMES AND CULT HORROR AND AVOIDABLE SOCIAL MISFIT STATUS.

MUCH PAPER HAS BEEN MADE OF THEIR PERFORMANCE STYLE (ULTRA-MAXIMALIST CATHARSIS IN A VAN OUTSIDE THE VENUE WITH SMOKE AND LIGHTS PLAYING) BUT THIS IS A PROPER STUDIO VEHICLE WITH A PROPER OVERARCHING CONCEPT.

THE MOST RELEVANT SCENE IN THE DOCUMENTARY IS THE ONE WHERE THEY MEET A SINGER OF CHEESY UPLIFTING ANTHEMS WHOSE TAPES THEY ENJOY AT A PETROL STATION. THIS IS AVANT-ROCK INFORMED, BUT IT'S ALSO CORRUPTED FIGHT SONGS FOR A MUTANT FOOTBALL LEAGUE WHERE EVERY PLAYER IS LEGALLY ALLOWED TO TAKE DRUGS.

IS IT ANY GOOD? IT IS OKAY. THEIR CONCEPT IS EXECUTED WELL. IN THE DOCUMENTARY THEY ARE INEPT BUT HERE THEY SHOW THAT THEY HAVE SOME COMMONLY-ACCEPTED DEFINITION OF TALENT. IT REALLY DOES SOUND LIKE GUSSIED-UP SEGA GENESIS/MEGA DRIVE FOOTBALL SONGS WITH A PSYCHEDELIC DYSTOPIAN BENT. I AM GLAD IT EXISTS.