Cafe Racer Music?

Yeah, I get the inappropriate cover thing. My daughter is almost 13, so I'm lucky I have all my records at work, because you just want records with titles like "You Make Me Cum In My Pants" lying around. Hell, probably 50 percent of all rockabilly records have some sort of lewd picture on the cover and sometimes I find myself getting bored with it, do we have to become total stereotypes, or can we bring something new to the formula. Of course that's true with every subgenre of music, and motorcycles as well for that matter.
 
Well I was thinking I was tapped out but then Motorhead - Black Leather Jacket popped into my noggin'. Not strictly about motorcycles, but about what lots of us wear while riding. This song is hard to find but it is on youtube. I first heard it as the theme music of a documentary called Black Leather Jacket. Finding that led me to a band called the Rocking Scoundrels. I didn't care for their music much, but they are clearly riders so I will note their songs, Black Leather Jacket, I Wanna Ride, Motorcycle Baby, Sidecar Santa and Once A Rocker Always A Rocker. Also Martini Brothers - I Wanna Ride My Motorcycle, Sabrejets - Rockin' At The Ace Cafe, Johnny Trouble & the Razors - Rockin' At The Ace Cafe (same song as Sabrejets), and Foggy Mountain Rockers - Rockin' At The Ace Cafe (same title as other two, but different song.
 
Yet more motorcycle themed stuff. I'm making dinner last night and a song pops into my head, takes me until this morning to figure it out; the Oblivians - Motorcycle Leather Boy, which also happens to be done by the recurring Guitar Wolf. Going back to old stuff, a dude who called himself The Leather Boy (also sometimes known as Milan) did two songs in 1967, On The Go and I Am A Leather Boy, both with bike lyrics and engine sounds. Going to a pop soul sound the Hogs - Motorcycle Rider from 1969. Going to the blues, Brownie McGhee and Sonny Terry with Motorcycle Blues and lastly from the Elvis flick (I think) Roustabout - Wheels On My Heels. One of these days I suppose I should get off the music thing and actually do build post on the GS 750 I'm working on.
 
So some of my favorite music right now is Volbeat, its all new stuff but they draw heavily from alot of the genres posted in this thread, at least I think so. hell there video even has a cafe-ish bike in it, have a listen and decide for your self. Oh yea and the are Danish
Here is one of there newest songs
http://youtu.be/tR_-PAWM9es


This one has some heavy Johnny Cash influence
http://youtu.be/lV9ucjWBcZM


one of their other songs I like

http://youtu.be/D0TCBMusT8c


Hope you guys like it as much as I have come to
 
Well I'm siiting at work bored, baby sitting the board for a high school football game (the boss is being a glorified button pusher). So this post has come a ways from Flyin' Ryan's start. He just asked about music that captures the feel of riding and I went to music that specifically referenced motorcycles. For a radio show I will be doing soon I compiled all the oldies and then just because I'm a nerd I compiled the rest. Thanks to all those who turned me on to some good stuff I hadn't heard before.

Oldies
1. The Crestones - She's A Bad Motorcycle
2. The Crestones - The Chopper
3. The Hondells - Go Little Honda (album)
4. The Scramblers - Motorcycle Scramble (album)
5. Tico and the Triumphs - Motorcycle
6. Carol Connors and the Cycles - Yum Yum Yamaha
7. The Spats - Go Go Yamaha
8. Crazy Cavan and the Rhythm Rockers - My Little Sister Gotta Motor Bike
9. The Shangri-las - Leader of the Pack
10. R. Lewis Band - Get Off The Road
11. Davey Day - Motorcycle Mike
12. William the Wild One - (They Call Me) Willy the Wild One
13. Steppenwolf - Born To Be Wild
14. The Cheers - Black Denim Trousers and Motorcycle Boots
15. Brigitte Bardot - Harley Davidson (1967)
16. George Formby - Ridin' In the TT Races
17. Joann Campbell - Motorcycle Michael
18. Mike Sarne - Just For Kicks
19. The Storey Sisters - Bad Motorcycle
20. Charlie Ryan and the Timberline Riders - Sidecar Cycle
21. Davie Allen and the Arrows - Blues Theme (and others)
22. The Kickstands - Scrambler (album)
23. Elvis - Wheels On My Heels
24. The Leather Boy - On The Go
25. The Leather Boy - I Am A Leather Boy
26. The Hogs - Motorcycle Rider
27. Brownie McGhee and Sonny Terry - Motorcycle Blues
28. Iron Butterfly - Easy Rider
29. Arlo Guthrie - The Motorcycle Song

Modern
1. Guitar Wolf – Kawasaki ZII 750 Rock ‘n’ Roll
2. Guitar Wolf – Can-Nana-Fever
3. Meatloaf – Bat Out Of Hell
4. Vicious Cycles – I Love My Bike
5. Girl Trouble – Sister Mary Motorcycle
6. Hellcats – Wall Of Death
7. The Cramps – Get Off The Road
8. 5,6,7,8s – Motorcycle Go Go Go
9. Jasper Carrot – Funky Moped
10. Revillos – Motorbike Beat
11. Chris Spedding – Motorbikin’
12. Motorhead – Black Leather Jacket
13. Motorhead – Iron Horse
14. The Something Wild – Blue Motorbike
15. Huey and the Hobgoblins – The Motorbike Song
16. Social Distortion – Sick Boys
17. Richard Thompson – 52 Vincent Black Lightning
18. Suicide – Ghost Rider
19. The Gories – Ghost Rider
20. Robert Gordon – Too Fast Too Live Too Young Too Die
21. The Slanderin’ – B.R.M.C,
22. Vincent Razorbacks – Big Black Shadow
23. Nekromantix – Motorpsycho
24. Nekromantix – Ride Danny Ride
25. King Drapes – Teddy Boy Ridin’ Around
26. King Drapes – BSA
27. Gary Glitter – I’m The Leader Of The Gang (I Am)
28. Peter & the Test Tube Babies - I’m The Leader Of The Gang (I Am)
29. Peter & the Test Tube Babies – Moped Lads
30. The Pop Rivets – Lambrettavespamotorscoota
31. The Great Mongoose – She’s A Bad Motorcycle
32. Cyclepaths – Cyclepath ‘92
33. The Mummies – Food Sickles Girls
34. Los Marauders – Los Marauders
35. The Meatmen – War of the Superbikes
36. Martini Brothers – I Wanna Ride My Bike
37. Sabrejets – Rockin’ At The Ace Café
38. Johnny Trouble & the Razors - Rockin’ At The Ace Café
39. Foggy Mountain Rockers - Rockin’ At The Ace Cafe
40. The Oblivians - Motorcycle Leather Boy
41. Guitar Wolf - Motorcycle Leather Boy
42. Untamed Youth - Haulin' Honda
 
Just found another motorcycle tune from the 60s to add to the list: The Sudells - Suzuki.
Nearly all the motorcycle oldies listed above will be on the Buried Treasure radio show Tuesday 10/11/11 starting at 11:00 am West Coast time. Catch the stream at www.knnd.com.
 
Hey Von Yinzer, thanks for your continued contributions. The Rollins song is a slow droney cover of the song originally done by Suicide and also covered very well by the Gories. Personally not big on the Rollins Band, but I'm probably just old and still angered by the droney direction Black Flag went after he joined the band (with the exception of Damaged, but that was all pre-Rollins music).
 
Just unearthed another one while going through some 45s. Forgot about the Ventures original Kickstand, which is paired with a cover of the Theme from the Wild Angels on the flip.
 
Ya, Im not a huuuuuge Rollins fan. Hes always come across as a pretencious (sp?) ass to me. That said, some of his stuff is pretty cool. Thanks for the heads up about it being a cover. I had not known that.
 
You should definitely check out the original by Suicide. Suicide came out of the original NYC punk scene, but actually pre-date it. They were very misunderstood and maligned by many, probably because they were ahead of their time. In my estimation they probably represent what punk should have been (and was at its outset), rather than the rigid hole it forced itself into.
 
VonYinzer said:
Ya, Im not a huuuuuge Rollins fan. Hes always come across as a pretencious (sp?) ass to me.
fuck the rollins band but s.o.a. and black flag alone are enuff to save hank a seat to the right hand of god. Then if you get in to his spoken word and books forget it. He is a giant lol
Ive seen him five or so times on talking tours, and ill go every chance i get. How many people can talk for three and a half hours to you and still keep your attention. The last two time i seen him i had the same half warm beer that i bought three hours befor, i did not want to miss what the he said while i was in line for another. There is more to the man than the movie the chase and the rollins band. He has been in on the front lines of punk rock sence the earily 80s, and in my eyes his message has never changed. The newest spoken word ive heard still hits on the same shit his first bands songs were about. sorry to pull this thread off topic but i would get less excited if you talked about my mom. lol
 
RadioPaul said:
I'm probably just old and still angered by the droney direction Black Flag went after he joined the band (with the exception of Damaged, but that was all pre-Rollins music).
keith and dez are what they are but hank made that band imho
 
Gotta give Rollins respect. When I first heard Slip It In I was hooked and am still a big fan of Black Flag. Totally agree with bradj about Rollins and his spoken word stuff. Got to see one show in the late 80's and the stories were interesting enough but damn, the way he told them was really worth seeing.


Also think Life Time by Rollins Band is a great record...not quite sure about the later stuff.
 
I'm not sure what constitutes cafe racer music, I grew up on Screeching Weasel, The Riverdales, The Queers, and mostly anything on Lookout! Records.

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OpTiCz, I would say cafe racer music is whatever you want it to be, whatever puts you in the mood to ride or what you listen to to keep you motivated when you are working on your bike. I simply just started posting songs specifically referencing motorcycles in general because I like that stuff. If you think oldies, punk or modern rockabilly suck, then the stuff I posted ain't gonna be your cafe racer music. bradj, my statements in regards to Rollins Band was simply that I think the original Ghost Rider by Suicide kicks ass on his cover of the song, but I don't like slow drone grind music like Rollins Band. I respect Rollins as an individual and figure he worked damn hard to get where he has. I just like old school punk and after he joined Black Flag they changed. Pjed, you may like Slip It In and even though I don't, well shoot, you reference Naked Raygun and that clearly marks you as a man of taste. They are one of my favorites and growing up in Minneapolis, I got to see them multiple times as they made the trip over from Chicago. I still play Throb Throb aplenty.
 
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