Sunday, May 19, 2024

Who ARE These Clowns?

Not for the coulrophobic!  Stinky and I have been trading pictures for awhile of some of the rock bands and singers who have painted their faces over the years.  Some are famous, others less so.  Some had a moment in the spotlight but may have been forgotten by all but their devoted fans.  Some constructed elaborate personas with costumes, stage names, and back stories.  Others just put on clown makeup for an album cover or music video.  We'd send each other an image of one of these strange (and sometimes creepy) album covers with the caption, "Who ARE these clowns?"

One idea for a mix (shared here today) was to feature some of these singers and groups, from far back (Leon Russell, Leo Sayer, Alex Harvey, and The Hello People), far afield (Secos & Molhados), far out (Fad Gadget, Klaus Nomi), and far-fetched (Clownvis Presley, Mac Sabbath, Yeastie Boys).

As mentioned, some of them only donned greasepaint or clown masks for an album cover (Gary Lewis, Frank Sinatra, The Armed), while others have made a career out of it (Puddles Pity Party, Slipknot, various juggalos).  Oh yeah, forgot to mention: there be juggalos.

Our other idea for a mix (coming up soon) is songs about clowns.  Like-minded music fans such as yourselves will have no trouble thinking of clown songs, but hopefully we've found a few surprises.  Stick around and see for yourselves!

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39 comments:

  1. jonderMay 19, 2024 at 12:19 PM

    https://tinyurl.com/ClownRock

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    1. jonderJune 8, 2024 at 9:16 AM

      NEW LINK (fixed): https://tinyurl.com/ClownsV1

      Delete
  2. jonderMay 19, 2024 at 12:23 PM

    Do you have a favorite clown-themed album cover or artist? Or one that's particularly strange?

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    1. pontyboyMay 19, 2024 at 3:30 PM

      Randy Newman's Born Again was a bit of a shock...

      Delete
    2. jonderMay 19, 2024 at 5:31 PM

      Randy Gets $aved! A classic cover image (for those who haven't seen it):

      https://www.discogs.com/release/864496-Randy-Newman-Born-Again

      Delete
  3. steVeMay 19, 2024 at 3:49 PM

    Nektar - Down To Earth - 1974

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    1. jonderMay 19, 2024 at 5:28 PM

      They look like Clown College students on a field trip! https://www.discogs.com/master/25995-Nektar-Down-To-Earth

      Delete
    2. steVeMay 19, 2024 at 10:10 PM

      OK, they were prog rockers, hence the college look. But on this album they were joined by Robert Calvert. So for this album they could have really been clowns. Nelly The Elephant was a favorite song.

      Delete
  4. AnonymousMay 19, 2024 at 5:35 PM

    I completely overlooked BORN AGAIN! Good one pontyboy! - Stinky

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  5. Farquhar Throckmorton IIIMay 20, 2024 at 12:06 AM

    Pousette Dart Band?

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    1. jonderMay 20, 2024 at 6:48 PM

      Peut-être. I won't pooh-pooh the suggestion.

      Delete
  6. Art58KoenMay 20, 2024 at 12:55 AM

    No wonder clowns are having such a bad reputation these days! Right now I can only think of the classic Tears of a Clown...
    This post is so scary: https://dangerousminds.net/comments/the_horror_of_clown_themed_album_covers

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    1. jonderMay 20, 2024 at 6:51 PM

      "Relax With My Horns"? No, thanks! I will never. Relax. Again.

      Delete
  7. Viacomclosedmedown on youtubeMay 20, 2024 at 7:46 AM

    My friend from high school (first punker) wants to play your game as last week he posted this one last week that is thee best 'clowns' tune done in symphonic perfection!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_W3v2RC8PcY love this theme guys!

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  8. AnonymousMay 20, 2024 at 1:38 PM

    Man, those ARE some scary clowns, Koen. - Stinky

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  9. Fanny BlancmangeMay 21, 2024 at 7:07 PM

    Om - Cerberus (CH avant-fusion 1980)

    https://www.discogs.com/release/2257922-OM-Cerberus

    Musically disappointing compared with their previous three, and with that cover.

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  10. steVeMay 22, 2024 at 12:44 AM

    I had a cassette by Insane Clown Posse.

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  11. One Buck GuyMay 22, 2024 at 4:53 PM

    Dude, if you want a scary-looking clown-themed cover, look no further than this:

    https://www.discogs.com/fr/master/298947-Cheap-Trick-Woke-Up-With-A-Monster/image/SW1hZ2U6Mzg3ODg2OQ==

    I'm not even sure the clown is the scariest thing on there, might be the ladies' ass cheeks...Jeez, what the hell were they thinkng when they cooked this up. Did the Trick want t compete with grunge bands?

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    1. jonderMay 22, 2024 at 7:54 PM

      Yikes! Reminds me of Bobcat Goldthwait's movie "Shakes The Clown". I was listening to a lot of Stranglers records recently, and realized that their visual image had a duality similar to Cheap Trick. JJ was dark and handsome, and Hugh was reasonably good looking. On the other hand, Dave Greenfield had a pudding bowl haircut, and he and Jet Black used to wear mechanics' coveralls. Cheap Trick had an album called "In Color"... and The Stranglers had "Black And White"!

      Delete
  12. AnonymousMay 23, 2024 at 9:06 AM

    ONE BUCK GUY has found the one I can't believe I missed (as a CHEAP TRICK fan.). Well done! I feel like the joke is that both the clown AND the stripper may have WOKE UP WITH A MONSTER! - Stinky

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  13. One Buck GuyMay 24, 2024 at 3:54 AM

    Songs about clowns:

    "Something Bad Happened To A Clown" immediately comes to mind. Personally, I think it's one of Warren Zevon's weakest songs, musically and lyrically, but it definitively fits the bill...

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    1. jonderMay 25, 2024 at 10:57 AM

      “That’s just weak songwriting! You wrote a bad song, Warren!”

      Delete
    2. One Buck GuyMay 25, 2024 at 2:32 PM

      You know, for years, I was on the Warren Zevon message board and any suggestion that he wasn't a total genius 100% of the time and all of his songs were totally awesome was usually not taken well...obvious is probably the word that most comes to mind...

      Delete
  14. steVeMay 25, 2024 at 10:10 PM

    Death of a Clown by The Kinks - 1967

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  15. AnonymousMay 26, 2024 at 9:51 AM

    O.K. got one finally for ewu clownekneeze … Johnny Dee And The Rocket 88s have one member in an alien mask and costume complete on their 1980 self titled album. Viacom

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    1. jonderMay 26, 2024 at 5:00 PM

      https://www.discogs.com/release/7020781-Johnny-Dee-And-The-Rocket-88s-Johnny-Dee-And-The-Rocket-88s

      They sure do!

      Delete
  16. AnonymousMay 26, 2024 at 10:27 AM

    I Am A Clown - David Cassidy

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  17. MrDaveMay 28, 2024 at 4:36 PM

    Might not fit the mood of most Jon-Ky comps but Mingus' "The Clown" is a great one with improvised narration by Jean Shepherd: https://youtu.be/f-b9I_UrRe4?si=EgCpeSXkn--qPXw1

    Cheating I found more "clown" songs than can fit in the proverbial clown car and eventually gave up trying to sort through them.

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    1. jonderMay 29, 2024 at 7:02 PM

      Would you say, then, that clowntime is... over?

      Delete
  18. AnonymousJune 7, 2024 at 4:11 PM

    I just downloaded volume 2 and then came here for volume 1, but there's nothing in the zip file for volume 1

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    1. jonderJune 8, 2024 at 9:15 AM

      You're right -- sorry about that! I just zipped the songs again, re-upped the file with a new link. Tested it, and it works fine now.

      NEW LINK for Vol. 1: https://tinyurl.com/ClownsV1

      Delete
    2. AnonymousJune 11, 2024 at 11:00 AM

      Yes! It worked. Thank you again!

      Delete
  19. RichardJune 19, 2024 at 6:50 AM

    A very nice text from Stinky there on volume 2, so I pass my comment here.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MLer2ID-dg BZN - The Clown. Am I right in thinking that this Clowneske idea is 1) a title, 2) an artist 3) reference in the lyic 4) artist appearance. And maybe more. Is The Sensational Alex Harvey Band clowny enough. Kiss certainly are clowns, and Alice Cooper? You mention Klaus Nomi. There is this tear-jerker Ben Cramer who sang De Clown, and as done back then, the dutch text has got nothing to do with the original text.
    What about Jester https://www.discogs.com/release/866148-Marillion-Script-For-A-Jesters-Tear .

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    1. jonderJune 19, 2024 at 8:23 PM

      There's a heavy metal band that has a clown mascot on their album covers (sorta like Iron Maiden's Eddie) which I pointed out to Stinky, but I had forgotten about Marillion and their Jester. Good one!

      You are correct: the clown can be part of a song title, an artist (especially one who wears face paint like Alex Harvey or the members of Kiss), or the clown can be referenced in the lyric. Thanks once again, Richard!

      Delete
  20. AnonymousJune 19, 2024 at 7:06 AM

    Just listened to Nothing Sacred and FUCK ANETA BRYANT is just brilliant. If you can't take a joke, don't make one. If you are easily offended, don't have an opinion, for it may offend someone else. However: tolerate, and you may tolerate the intolerant, who in turn don't tolerate the tolerant.

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    1. jonderJune 19, 2024 at 8:37 PM

      I think I follow you. The intolerant don't return the courtesy of tolerating the tolerant. One could also be intolerant of the intolerant -- Anita Bryant was a poster girl for intolerance, and I always found her intolerable.

      Delete
  21. MrDaveJune 20, 2024 at 10:03 AM

    Speaking of clowns, I find the lack of Thrilla Killa Klowz "Magical Mysteries" shocking!! https://youtu.be/alI12mhWZ2Q?si=FHxd1cGRYEN-0a0Q&t=29

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    1. jonderJune 20, 2024 at 7:18 PM

      Clowny daggers, MrDave! https://youtu.be/7TOnyBHnZdY?si=vENoq_nP8r0RrnzO

      Delete

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