BLACK FRIDAY

Morrissey’s new album of covers includes songs by the likes Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, Laura Nyro, Dionne Warwick and many more as well as having guests vocals by Billie Joe Armstrong (Green Day), LP, Ed Droost (Grizzly Bear), among others. As the lead singer of the Smiths, Morrisey’s theatrical poetic lyrics connected powerfully with a legion of youth. A few years after the break up Morrissey began his solo career (1988).

Coming up in the late 80’s in Los Angeles’ Silver Lake/Echo Park scene, L7 drew from a diverse set of influences: Motorhead, Ramones, feminist Bay Area punks Frightwig. They made fun of the Sunset Strip’s bouffants and machismo while playing the same kinds of flying-V guitars. They also had no patience for grunge’s gloom, even though their friends were in bands like Nirvana, Mudhoney and Soundgarden.

A raunchy punk stampede that predated both grunge and girlpower, L7’s self-titled debut is proof that chicks can rock just as hard, if not harder, as any guy. A surplus of rockin’ punk/metal guitars and driving drums equal 11 tracks to remind yourself that it?s ok to bang your head, HARD. L7 is the band’s debut album, released in 1988 and produced by Brett Gurewitz.