Monday, March 1, 2010

Okra Pods Album of the Month


HAMMER OF THE PODS - The Okra Pods sixth album from 1988.

Weeks before production began on this notable, Nitro suffered his first nervous breakdown, leaving the band with no songs and with no leader. This album introduces us to the lineup we all know and love. Deric Zimmer performs Drums, Vocals and Kazoo. Dave Jones performs on Bass and Vocals. Derik Hamm performs on Guitar and Vocals. Paulzey Ford performs on Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals.

Frantically, Dave took control and came up with the idea to write a Led Zeppelin tribute parody. A total of thirty songs were rumored to have been written during a four week roundtable writing session. The band locked themselves into room number 69 at the Days Inn on Route 12 just outside of Okrapolis. The room was stocked with enough food, liquor, toilet paper and women to last four weeks. The doors were locked from the outside by the band’s manager of the time, Jerry Kerl, and the band began there four week writing session.

The band had a lot to prove. Nitro had been the backbone of the band writing most of the material to this point. With Nitro gone, not only did the band have to prove to themselves that the Okra Pods could continue, but they had to prove this fact to their growing number of fans and a skeptical record label. After four long weeks, the Okra Pods emerged from their motel room with a ton of songs and a recharged state of mind.

The landmark album proved that the Okra Pods were as creative as ever. Some fans argue the album would have been better if it included a parody of Stairway To Heaven. Derik remarked in a 1990 interview that they decided the song was too sacred to parody. Dave later stated in a 2007 interview that the band tried most of the day on day four and just could not create a funny song based on the rock n roll anthem.

01. Drop and Roll (aka Rock N Roll)
02. Kristi’s Mountains Rock (aka Misty Mountain Hop)
03. Grandpa’s Moles (aka Gallow’s Pole)
04. Listerine (aka Tangerine)
05. Nobody Likes A Mime (aka Nobody’s Fault But Mine)
06. Hazed and Contused (aka Dazed and Confused)
07. Procrastination Rebound (aka Communication Breakdown)
08. The Potion (aka The Ocean)
09. That Won’t Fit You Baby (aka I Can’t Quit You Baby)
10. Pap Smear (aka Kashmir)

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