Ending Movie Soundtrack Week #2 with a bang — here’s Hard Core Logo.
HARD CORE LOGO – Music from the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1998 BMG)
Hard Core Logo are one of the greatest fictional bands of all time. Right up there with Spinal Tap, Strange Fruit and Wyld Stallions, Hard Core Logo are legendary. Fronted by Joe Dick (Hugh Dillon of the Headstones), Hard Core Logo are so fucking good that you only wish they were real. This soundtrack CD is the one to get. There is a much more common “Tribute” to Hard Core Logo CD out there, and it’s even included with the DVD of the film. For some reason, the actual songs from the movie as performed by Dillon (and Swamp Baby) were much harder to find. It was Aaron at the KMA who pointed me in the direction of this CD on the Discogs.
(By the way, there were two Hard Core Logo alumni who later moved on to Battlestar Galactica — Callum Keith Rennie, and John Pyper-Ferguson*.)
The guy on the far left is a Cylon.
Hard Core Logo’s material is a mixture of originals and covers. The monster riff of “Who the Hell Do You Think You Are?” commences the soundtrack with Hard Core Logo’s signature tune. Dillon’s snotty vocals perfectly nail the vibe of the movie. It’s dangerous sounding punk rock, pissed off but simultaneously fun. Equally dangerous is “Rock and Roll is Fat and Ugly”, and let’s not forget the Canadiana of “Edmonton Block Heater”. For some serious pain and heart, check out “China White”. Headstones fans are automatically going to want this whole soundtrack, because Dillon’s voice and the sound of Headstones are so closely associated. Dillon is 100% genuinely the real deal. Always has been.
While the original songs are all strong throughout, there are two tracks in particular that stand out. These are “Blue Tattoo” and a cover of the Dead Boys’ “Sonic Reducer”. I’ve heard the original, Pearl Jam’s version, and Hard Core Logo’s. It’s damn hard to pick a favourite. Dillon absolutely owns it. It’s like he put his foot down and said, “This one’s mine now, fuckers.” The anger is palpable. But it is “Blue Tattoo” that is forever inked on my brain. This punk ballad bleeds heart and soul. All the ingredients mix just so, and it becomes the consummate combination of sentiment and edginess.
Most people are going to buy this CD just for the Hard Core Logo tracks, but there is some excellent additional music after that. Swamp Baby without Hugh Dillon provide a cover of “Hawaii” by the Young Canadians. Short n’ sweet, and then on to some actual punk classics: Teenage Head (“Bonerack”), the Ramones (“Touring”), and Chris Spedding (“Wild Wild Women”). I can always go for some Teenage Head, and you can hear a lot of Teenage Head in Hard Core Logo’s tunes. As for the Ramones, Joey had a brief cameo in the film, lending it some extra authenticity sauce. Although I find many Ramones tunes to have a sound-alike quality, “Touring” just makes me smile.
It’s rare to find a soundtrack so perfectly composed of original music and classic tunage. It’s one of the things that made Hard Core Logo, the movie, such a triumph. See it, and get this CD.
4.5/5 stars
*Oh all right, I’ll go on. Rennie played guitarist Billy Tallent in Hard Core Logo, and Number Two in Galactica. Pyper-Ferguson nailed the role of John Oxenberger in Hard Core Logo, and played the asshole-ish Captain Cole ‘Stinger’ Taylor on Galactica. He returned to the franchise on the prequel series Caprica, playing the villain Tomas Vergis.
mikeladano.com 
1000/5, film and soundtracks.
Classic.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What’s your rating for 2 and 3?
(People. I just pushed one of Aaron’s buttons. Hard Core Logo 2 and 3 don’t exist in his world. (Nor mine either actually.)
LikeLike
Haha Mike, asking questions to which he already knows the answers.
LikeLike
Nice write up.
I have the tribute cd but not this one. If anyone finds a cheap copy let me know.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Will do!!
LikeLiked by 2 people
:)
LikeLike
Was just thinking, I dunno how rare this is – should it be a Grail List item?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Maybe. I have never submitted a list. I just may
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dude, if there are items you want but have never been able to find, the KMA Grail List is there to help you! It sends your impossible items out to everyone in our Readership, and who knows, they may find your item in their shops! Exponential awesomeness.
By all means, make yer list and send it to us!
LikeLiked by 2 people
How long can it be?
(Cue Aaron)
LikeLiked by 2 people
Haha too easy, man, too easy.
Your list can be as long as it needs to be. The Grail list covers all of your impossible to get items!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Life is better with a list submitted.
LikeLike
Agreed!
LikeLike
Pre-Grail List, it was an item I wanted and you knew I wanted it, you saw it on Discogs and it was in my hands a few days later! Today we have the Grail List!
LikeLike
I have a memory of that… glad it got found, and we’ll find it again for Mr. Bop!
Yup, the Grail List is for all, to hope others find our impossibles, and to help others find theirs!
LikeLike
Nice to see a Kingston boy acting & owning the songs too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh yeah! I forgot he was from Kingston.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I liked in the headstone’s version of Tweeder & the monkeyman they changed the lyric to “in Kingston anything’s legal!”
LikeLike
Cool, but can we add Steel Dragon to the list of fictional film bands? I know the film it came from was a bit of a disappointment but the band was cool.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes. Yes we can.
Also Blues Brothers.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Definitely the Blues Brothers although you could say they were a real band. I loved their “Briefcase Full of Blues” album.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oooft. I should have mentioned the Blues Brothers.
LikeLike
Yeah, dang, I forgot them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Shit I forgot Steel Dragon too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad I reminded you then.
LikeLike
Great movie …great soundtrack…..fantastic read!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I thank you Mr. Deke my friend.
LikeLike
I have never heard of this at all. Nice.
LikeLiked by 1 person
As I said to J, please do see it. It’s funny, it’s gritty (very) and it’s sentimental and beautiful. It’s a must-see for any real music fan.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What the actual what! I’ve never heard of this flick, soundtrack, or fictional band! And Callum Keith Rennie is one of my favourite actor chappies! This sounds boss ace!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hey that’s cool! Did you follow him on Galactica?
This IS boss, J. See the movie. Seriously! See it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I did – and even watched Californication!
LikeLike
And Mike please, could u review the movie Airheads? Can’t remember how many times I’ve seen it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Boy it’s been a long time for me! I don’t actually own Airheads and it’s not on Canadian Netflix.
LikeLike
My friend Jenn and I used to go see the Headstones live, so of course when this film came out we had to go see it. It was a very long time ago, and admitedly, I barely remember much about it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
So here is the question! Has Hugh Dillon ever spat on you?
LikeLike
Scrapnel…got some spittle from him spitting on the jackasses next to us .
LikeLike
Just like the Blue Man Group. The people in the first few rows should be warned and provided with rain ponchos
LikeLiked by 1 person
Or the Evil Dead live has the splatter zone. One of Jen’s friends went in her bridesmaid dress to get splattered.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I knew enough to stay back out of trajectory range
LikeLiked by 1 person
I would like to see one of Geoff’s graphs on the safe vs. danger areas at a Headstones concert.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Eww. Wedding dress???
Did the wedding did not work out?
It may make for an interesting wedding years later if she has a daughter that wants to wear it.
Maybe a zombie theme wedding.
LikeLike