A short note on a trio o' discs you kids might enjoy: First up is the Boonaraaas Go Get Goo Goo LP, Lindsay was raving about these girls after witnessing 'm in Kassel, and I was happy to finally nail a copy of this disc in Paris last week. It's a keeper alright; poppy p-rock w/ class basic production that has everything turned up to just/near distorto level. You know the feeling of seeing a band play live and they just get better 'n louder durin' their set, to the point that by the final encore you're sure you've just seen one of the best shows ever, smile on your face, ears ringin' ?. Well, after spinnin' this about a dozen times over the past week I'm pretty sure the Boonaraaas bein' able to deliver just that. The entire disc spells out just one thing: F-U-N !, remember that?. Great choice of covers as well; Oblivians, Carol Kay and, uh, Cliff Richard. A bit less consistent, but still very much worth your while is the Sirens debut full-length. Great garage/glam/teen metal that relies on outside material only, but you can't fault their taste; Hollywood Brats, Gary Glitter, Suzy Quatro and Roky Erickson to name but a few. I've been spinnin' their take on Glycerine Queen at levels way beyond 11 in recent weeks and figure I'll keep on doin' so for some time to come. Imagine what would happen if Joan Jett would make an album backed by the Dirtbombs w/ Mick Collins at the controls. Speakin' of which: there's a limited edition Dirtbombs LP doin' the rounds entitled Live: North of 8 Mile (MFIC Records), it has all the touches of a boot, but what do I know. It sounds like some live-in-the-studio kinda thing. Good, but not essential...

2004's Scariest Halloween Costumes.

Long-lost final Ed Wood film found.

Ben, I hope you're on commission, Amazon just made a sale... however, the tracklist, etc can be found on the Barnes and Noble site.

Of all the stuff that I've read on what's goin' down come 11/2, I think this one really hits the spot. Do I think it'll make a blind bit of difference? Well no, but waking up and smelling the coffee might be a good idea right about now.

Thanks to Teresa for the link...

Last Saturday at this time, we was enjoying the great Roy A. Loney and a tipple or three in Paris. This weekend it's a 5.30am rise to go work as a mercenary and I'm fighting an inner battle with my psyche as to exactly why I signed up. But anyways, that's between me and me. Lotta catch up on music to be doing, I got the new Voladoras booty more of which later when I get titles, etc. As I type, I'm listening to a recording of The Cramps recent Nashville Show which sounds pretty good (merci Patrick!). Having Bill Bateman on drums has made a heckuva difference. He even makes those recent songs swing. No mean feat. Anyways, the Post Office still hasn't stumped up the Suzy Y Los Quattro album which I know was sent more than a week ago so I'm a little peeved about that but the "improvement in service" means that the actual office is never open to drop into anymore. A watched pot never boils and a' that.

I see the world's biggest bogeyman has turned up just in time for Halloween. The newspapers and media is reporting that OBL be cutting into the US elections but if you look closely to the LH side of the picture you can see the glow of his turnip lantern. They were all outta pumpkins this year.

Anyhoo, a grand Halloween to all of you folks, the real guise-ing starts November 3rd. The good lord (or whoever) bless we all.

Ever one to be attempting to elevate the mood, Joss has found some rock-writing entertainment for you. If this photo really is the guy then he could be that "next big thing", whaddaya reckon?



Discovered: the world's best AND worst music writer?

"Things have been pretty bleak lately if you're an NBT kinda perce, so why not cheer yerself up by checking out the wisdom of the world's most unintentionally hilarious rock scribe, namely Michael Donahue of Memphis newspaper The Commercial Appeal. Donahue's way with words would shame even those assholes at the NME, Q, Mojo et al... He's a riot! And he looks like Mick Farren's dumbass cousin! These articles were posted on the ever-entertaining Goner Records message board by the wonderful Ms Andria Lisle, who knows a slice of pie-eyed jounalism is worth its weight in chikken! Enjoy!"

Donahue rediscovers big bands!

Donahue rediscovers rockabilly!

Donahue interviews Chained Angel!

Donahue goes power pop!

Happy Halloween, campers!

Selah!

Joss Hutton
Sonic Reducer

Been a woolly kind of a week or more and we ain't out of the forest yet but please, stay tuned. Much as I'd like to be bashin' away at this all day and hanging out - the day to day wear and tear divnae half rain on that particular parade.

Meanwhile, if you find yourself to be fortunate enough to be in the Stockholm locale this coming Sat'day night then here's where you oughtta be headed for...

Crypt Kicker Five
Live at the Popcorn Filmfestival Party.
Saturday, October 30th @ Sodra Bar, Stockholm.
(CK5 on stage 21.00)

No, it's not some dyslexic take on a new strain of mad cow disease, we're talking the amazing Slovenian combo Center za dehumanizacijo (CZD) and satellite projects of it's creator, Dusan Hedl, are now on-line for your investigation and appreciation. Bone up now because they're comin' for all of you.

Brother Joss weighs in with this Great news fer vinyl addicts!

"Pissed-off that the latest CD reissues have loadsa kool bonus tracks that'll never see the inside of yer jukebox, or be spun at 45rpm, like they oughta? Pissed off that the way-kool 45 you really, really want is outta yer price range? Missed the vinyl boat on yer current fave album?

Bottom line is: you gotta feed that habit somehow, right?

Well, guyz & gurlz, help is finally at hand! You must ken that ya can get one-off dub plates (metal covered with a soft vinyl layer) cut at most mastering studios, but they wear out after ten plays-or-so, making 'em next to useless (unless you're King Tubby or summat) ... HOWEVER, you can now get kool, clear vinyl singles (7", 10" & 12") cut off'a CDR or even MP3, which last as long as regular rekkids! GREAT birthday or Xmess presents! Or maybe just to treat yerselves, like ...

Check out VINYLCARVERS, where there's info, and links to reviews o'their custom wax ... Me? I've just ordered three jukebox 45s (with large centre holes, no less!) ... Stay tuned for a proper, NBT-friendly review ..."

Huzzah!

Joss 'BigKegShandy' Hutton, Sonic Reducer Tag Team

Jacques Ball kindly gave me the OK to post his ROY LONEY story, and he sent photos. What a guy! ... merci Jacques. This should start you on an upbeat note for today...

"OK, I was at the Roy Loney acoustic gig on Saturday, I was flabbergasted ,
here is my review... as from the audience.;

It's 2 PM, I am climbing up rue de Menilmontant... because Roy Loney is in town and I cannot miss the acoustic show he is going to do in one hour from now at La Maroquinerie. As I am going nearer to the place I am surprised because I can't see any ad for the show, no crowd around... is it still happening ?



First time I have been in this spot which consists of a concert room and a cafe around a small terrace where sellers have put out stalls to sell records. I see faces which are familiar though I have not seen them for twenty years… the old Open Market team indeed. This was the place where the whole legend of the Groovies in France actually started. Marc Z. is there of course (Skydog records et al.) There is a photo exhibition inside the cafe, pictures from Roberta Bayley and Leee Black Childers. Roberta is famous for the cover of the first Ramones album, also for the pic on LAMF and for the first Richard Hell and the Voidoids LP. Leee has covered the whole NYC scene from the NY dolls to the Stooges and Lou Reed among others. Leee has just come inside, he looks like a Johnny Rotten clone with his spiky hair, day glo yellow shirt and leopard styled creepers. Roberta is more discreet but seems older than in my memories. Then I realize the whole house is from my generation and apart from a few chicks everyone is over forty five... I see Robin Wills and Jeremy Gluck from the Barracudas coming inside, they look relaxed and are smiling. Jeremy goes to the bar, his mandatory cap on his head.



Then it's Roy... black shirt, black slacks, middle ages haircut - man the guy has got hair ! He sits down on the chair which has been prepared for him, put on his glasses. The organizers of the event introduce Roberta and Leee and also Roy who has
been invited specially by Roberta. An Roy starts... "Panic to a manic degree"… from the very beginning he wins the whole room which is actually filled up with die hard Groovies fans. Applauses are bursting enthusiastically and Roy goes on with something which starts like a walking blues before evolving into "Comin after me" Waow, that man with his acoustic guitar is incredible ! The next song is a ballad which starts with "Love is a spider", it rings a bell but I cannot remember the actual title. Then Roy announces an old song , it is " Love times" from Sneakers ! It is a marvelous song which I rediscovered then. Roy moves along songs mainly from his solo career and everyone around me is smiling. A young guy next to me is drawing Roy on his sketchbook and asks me "who is this singer ?" I write below his drawing, Roy A. Loney , Flamin' Groovies. This one will have learned something...

Roy waves towards Robin Wills then , and everybody starts to scream.. but Robin, in French, asks for a couple of seconds during which he introduces Tony from the Scientists who apparently is looking forward to play with Roy. As Robin wrote, they covered "She's fallin' apart" , tony looks very impressed but , man , he knows how to knit those licks... Then is the moment I have been waiting for, Robin grabs a crimson Telecaster, plugs it to a Fender amp kneels down nearby Roy and both stomp their feet .. oh my, they are doing "Yesterday's numbers" !! I get goose bumps , bodies around me are hovering and the two guys on stage are smiling to each other. They are doing a fantabulous version of one of my favourite Groovies songs and this lasts, Roy is making faces around the mirophone. Robin is impressive and will be even more in the next song, "Teenage Head", he stands up and does all the chords of theTeenage head album and even more, the bridge crossing in the middle of the song is masterfully executed... while Roy is singing like he was thirty years ago and emphasizes on the "Teenage love machine". This was the best version ever of that song for me... When it's over, everybody is feeling hilarious and totally excited, it has been unbelievably great. The young lady in front of me turns round, she is very moved, everyone can notice how her nipples are pointing through her jumper.. rock'n roll ! The lad next to me nearly swallowed his pencil.

Roy asks then Chris Wilson to join them on stage, but Chris is nowhere to be seen, probably wandering in the Paris streets under the sun. The encore will be, on request, "Rockin from the graveyard" from "Out after dark", a perfect ending.

It is so hot in the room, everybody rushes to the bar and the beeeeeers .. Roy stays alone on stage, he removes his glasses, looks pleased and smiles, I go to him and congratulates him for this terrific show, he thanks me in French .. Then I go to meet Robin who is giggling while I reach him. He certainly is one of the most friendly musician I have met. He acknowledges me for the guy from the Flamin Groovies list who sent him a mail two weeks ago about that very concert. To his request we discuss in French and again I write here that this "Teenage head" version I heard that Saturday afternoon was a killer !"

It was a monster. Revved up in every way...

For Peel, I know this was one of his favourite songs. Search it out and spin it for the guy... He was a legend in his time.

ORIGINAL DON GIBSON LYRICS
© 1960 Acuff-Rose Publications

If heartaches brought fame in love's crazy game,
I'd be a legend in my time.
If they gave gold statuettes for tears and regrets,
I'd be a legend in my time.
But they don't give awards, and there's no praise or fame
For a broken heart that's been broken over love that's in vain.

If loneliness meant world acclaim,
Then everyone would know my name --
I'd be a legend in my time.

Download Laura Cantrell's version as performed at Peel Acres HERE!

So nothing else for it. Bite the bullet and get back to some semblance of what passes for reality. I’m not a big fan of reality and realise full well that I’ve had more than my share of too much fun recently. Hanging out in Paris, where the sun shone, the beers flowed and the company was topper is something I could easily get used to. Being able to stand outside with a glass, where people dig good music and aren’t pondlife is something of a treat. This little corner of the city was positively buzzin’.



Friday’s scene took a brief dip when some opportunist scum nicked off with various Barracudas items that were a souvenir too far. They rose above it though and delivered a set peppered with those great songs that underline the fact that they’ve always been contenders as opposed to one hit wonders. I hope that Jeremy takes some time out from his work as a George Clooney likealook (George C. Looney) to get back with his gang on a more regular basis. Having Rob and Yan in the band to bolster Robin and Chris adds a wealth of power. The new album is all set to be a cracker. Of course the finale, on the day that we’d just heard of Greg’s passing, was even more poignant. He had mentored both The ‘cudas and The Flamin’ Groovies and when Roy (Loney) took the stage for the Yesterdays Numbers/Teenage Head/Slow Death triple whammy then we all felt the force. It was one of these great historical meldings that actually worked on all levels. Something that just takes on another dimension because of the sheer energy involved. I get the impression that this isn’t the last time Roy will take a stage with these guys. Let’s just leave it at that for now. Roy Loney has never gone away but he's gonna be coming to getcha.



La Maroquinarie is an excellent spot with good air conditioning to get shot of that smoke. The folks from Gloria that organised the shindig really know how to throw a party and Paris should be bloody glad that they’ve got people like that in their corner.

Roy Loney was actually in Paris to “open” the Roberta Bayley/Leee Black Childers photo exhibit in the café area upstairs from the club. His acoustic set was a revelation and theres a fabulous review on the Groovies Yahoo board that the author has kindly given me permission to share with you so watch this blog. Leee was great and is a huge Star Spangles fan so how exactly could he be any cooler? I met Roberta briefly and she says there’ll be a much bigger exhibit with a big rockin’ show to go along with it next May, so stay tuned for the poop on that as and when it comes together.



You’d think The Nomads played every night of the week. The fluidity and sheer rock chutzpah that they exude is always a revelation to me. I mean I know to expect a good show but they always raise the game. Anybody reading this in Norway should check out their local listings cuz they’re headed your way.

It was a heckuva couple of days with only one real downside. Being in chief pillock mode, I forgot to take Ms Stevie Gomez’s phone number with me and ergo couldn’t contact her. Head like a sieve but wodjagonnado… as it turns out we must have been within feet of one another both nights.

And now a further bombshell to follow Greg Shaw and Dave Godin. John Peel is the latest in a line of decent upstanding individuals that have shuffled of this mortal coil. I never knew Peel or had any personal contact with him really but he was someone you never even considered wouldn’t always be around.

Our friends, Laura Cantrell and Jeremy Tepper were just at his 65th Birthday Party when they were over at the end of August and the Glasgow band Camera Obscura played at the event. It was great to hear him introduce our other NY bud, Jon Graboff when he and Laura did the New Year thing with him last year. The chasm he will leave in terms of what he did in campaigning for “real music” is simply unfathomable. He was a true champion that played by gut instinct and this is the end of an era, the like of which there can never be again.

What a week... now JOHN PEEL!

Punk rock made even simpler: Dirty Punk Fuckin' Anarchy Machine.

Finally regained enough energy to post a few words on the Paris trip, 'cause wanting to include as much as possible in three days sure takes it's toll at my advanced age... But what the heck, it was well worth the bother. Highlights aplenty; Roy Loney joinin' the Barracudas on Fridaynight for a three song encore including a stellar take on Teenage Head, a moment that's sure to become the stuff of legends. The 'cudas own set was no slouch either, tho' a bit shaky in the vocal dept at times, but the guitar interplay between Chris Wilson and Robin Wills was amazing, a big chimin' Byrds/Groovies-styled wall of sound. Loney's acoustic set on Saturday afternoon was equally grand, tho' the hothouse temperatures drove me outside after a while. Roy still commands a lotta presence on stage, and finally seein' him in action for the first time connected some loose ends in my understanding of the what 'n whys of the Groovies eternal, uh, groovienes. Leave it to the Nomads to finish the festivities in truly fine style. Hell, they damn near tore the roof off playin' hit after hit to a (capacity) crowd of adorin' frenchies. Having seen the Nomads a number of times in recent years I'd say that they're currently way better than in their 80s "heyday". What else was up?, oh yeah, the Lee Black Childers/Roberta Bayley photo exhibit which was as cool as expected tho' could have used some more thought on the way the pictures were displayed. My long held believe that Paris is a wasteland when it comes to scoring 2nd vinyl was shot to shit as I discovered shop after shop offering the most amazing stuff, but with prices bein' equal to a petite bottle of Channel #5 I only brought back a modest stack of longplays. On a completely different cultural level I also visited the Musée d'Orsay for the wonderful New York and Modern Art. Alfred Stieglitz and His Circle exhibit. That, walkin' around endlessly in the autumn sun and shakin' hands and hangin' around with a large number of both new and familiar faces is the 'cause of my current zombie-like state, so I'll leave it at that and sign off with a tip of the hat to all those responsible for truly a memorable stay...

Miriam Linna, Billy Miller, Tim Warren and Dave Brown pay tribute to Greg Shaw on the Crypt Records site.

Jeremy (Gluck) posted this as a comment but I think it deserves a more prominent platform so apologies if you're industrious enough to pour over the commentary and this might be repetition to you...

"Dear NBT

I posted this on the Barracudas Group. It hasn't really hit me until now what a great creator and character we have lost. God gets it wrong again :( Post follows:

On the morning of our departure for Paris, Robin told me about Greg's sudden passing. From the time I was maybe 15 Greg Shaw and BOMP signified a very important part of rock'n'roll to me. I rememeber my friend's treasured copy of the Groovies single. I met Greg in 1982 when we played a show in Paris. He'd already released Drop Out on VOXX and I kept the letter he sent me about Drop Out for years, because for Greg to like my band was quite astounding and a validation of the highest order. I recall Robin and I rapping with Greg, his telling us about his mammoth record collexion. We kept in touch, he was always warm and very receptive and a true believer of the kind that is now in short supply. Few people have done as much for or meant as much to makers and lovers of real rock'n'roll. I'm proud to have counted Greg as a mentor and friend and am glad The Barracudas are still BOMP/VOXX artists. It's fair to say that Greg left a tremendous legacy and many are saddened by his passing. I know our feelings are with his family and closest friends. As Dylan said, Death is not the end. But sometimes, for a moment, that isn't much comfort. Jeremy"

Unbe-bloody-lievable. You have to look at all the pictures. Thanks to KP for the tip off. I might even buy a lottery ticket this week...

Great room. Fine music. Go get it...

It's been a peculiar few days. Got up at 3.30am on Friday 22nd to go catch a flight to Paris and caught J's post about the passing of our friend and utter inspiration, Greg Shaw. I knew he hadn't been well but I never exactly expected an exit so soon. It was made all the more poignant because we were about to be part an international breach of the peace keeping force heading France-ward to see The Barracudas and The Nomads. With the inclusion of Chris Wilson playing with the former and Roy Loney in town to play an acoustic set at the Roberta Bayley/Leee Black Childers photofest, there was heightened Groovies activity expected in the area. More about which later.

It's been a heady few days and I'm not in the condition to make much sense of any of it right now. It's 6.30am Monday and although I got up to go to work, I can't face it so I'm gonna bum around and try to make sense of what has gone down. I can tell you this though. There would have been no NBT if it hadn't been for the example and constant straight down the line enthusiasm that this guy breathed into his love for rock and roll. This is no time for the psychedelicized psoap opera that might have made up part of his real life but which ultimately made him the great man he was. With weaknesses like we all. When Andy Shernoff and I were in Kassel recently we talked about how Greg was really the catalyst of it all. The guy that took zinedom from a Sci-Fi thing into music writing. I just read Billy and Miriam's testament to Greg in The Norton Newsletter and had just been recalling the "Berlin Incident" myself. So more later, I'll try to make sense of all this when I'm a little more compus mentus. Needless to say we've lost a true Commander and Keeper of the Faith and that's not something that fills me with any confidence at all. I can tell you that his spirit was looming large in Paris this weekend though and I'll be pouring over those Bomps today when I should be working. It's the very least the man deserves...

RIP: Dave Godin.

Hate to be the bringer of sad news, but word is that Greg Shaw has passed away. No official confirmation yet, but...

If you find yourself in Milan this coming Saturday night, then Jimmy Dropout suggests the following entertainment...

LIVE @ C.S. GARIBALDI (CORSO GARIBALDI 89)

LEECHES
HIGHSCHOOL DROPOUTS
ANNA & THE PSYCHOMEN
TV LOBOTOMIES

info: 347 3114411

"Just confirmed! Lux and Ivy of The Cramps drop by Fool's Paradise with Rex this Saturday for some Orangeade and a round of platter chatter. Mad Daddy, Ghoulardi and the Flamingos will be discussed at length. Learn about the sleaziest motel the Cramps ever stayed at...the names of their cats...and Lux's favorite new gown. It all happens this Saturday at 6 PM EDT on WMFU".

Our ratings are on the up folks. Not sure why exactly but ‘tis a good thing. It means we’re building our demographic and might soon have to get into the territory of the reader survey. Aye, right. Just keep visiting and we’ll keep servin’ it up.



Hadn’t heard about GHOUL A GO-GO until I noticed Ben’s post on the Staysick board about The 5678’s upcoming appearance. Sure seems like it’s up your alley.

While Rhino is set to release an "alternative" 80s box-set entitled Left Of The Dial, we here at NBT are more eagerly lookin' forward to the long promised Children Of Nuggets set, tho' there's some serious head scratchin' goin' on over some of the more dubious selections that made it to the set's shortlist. Comments on this?.

"Eddie Shaw from the legendary Monks answers Poptones.co.uk's Questions Of Doom about being in thee first legendary proto-punk band of the sixties, being in an American feedback freak-out band in ''66 Germany, inventing noise music, the album 'Black Monk Time' and well ... the history of one of the most important punk bands ever. This is a fantastic interview from an amazing band".

Snarky Ramone sent in this link for The Village Voice...

Last Ramones Standing by John Piccarella... Marky and Tommy discuss Joey, Johnny, Dee Dee, the documentary, the stage musical, the DVD, and drumming.

Not necessarily in that order...

I have no idea how many shopping days it is until Santa comes but what i do know is that this audiobook crew specialize in wares that make fine gifts for the discerning so and so that has pretty much everything...

Joss "Memphis" Hutton wishes it to be known that...

Artprojx and Victoria Miro Gallery presents



UK premiere of William Eggleston's legendary experimental film, in the presence of the artist on Sunday 21 November 6pm - 8pm at the Prince Charles Cinema · 7 Leicester Place · London WC2

This one-off film, true cinéma vérité, was shot in the 1970s on early handicam and captures the beginning of a profoundly disenchanted decade. Drawing on intuition and ego Eggleston's scathing study of Memphis's shady underground exposes a world of wild nights, hard liquor, rock, drugs and firearms, of which he was a principal hell raiser.

Born in Memphis in 1939, William Eggleston has, for almost fifty years, photographed American life and in particular the southern states. Hailed as the father of colour photography, his ability to find beauty in the banal has changed the way we look at the world.

Stranded in Canton will be released on DVD later this year. Tickets £10 from Prince Charles Cinema Box Office 020 7494 3654 Further information & ticket discount ARTUPDATE.COM/LONDON

Another cool picture gallery featurin' many NBT faves: Mindless Music Photos.

While I'm unable to attent myself, please note that the mighty Nitwitz are doin' four shows here in Holland this weekend: Fri. 22 - Simplon, Groningen. Sat. 23 - Dystopia, Den Haag. Sun. 24 - Cafe De Pits, Amsterdam. Mon. 25 - De Bliksem, Den Helder. All, except the first show, together with Sweden's Sewergrooves.
A full scale European tour is in the works for spring 2005, hopefully coinciding with the long promised 2nd full-length...

A message this morning from Gary Gold suggested that Jandek had played the Instal Festival in Glasgow. I figured that if he did then one man would know. He did and here's a front line report from Mr David Keenan...

"Lindsay

Yeah, it's true, I didn't get to speak to him, no one did except my friend Barry who booked him and Richard Youngs and Alex Neilson who played with him. He never once said he was Jandek, just a rep of Corwood Industries. Said to Alex afterwards that the live show was the first time he had ever felt truly alive. Smiled on stage once. Looked very emaciated. Apparently in rehearsal, he told the group he had three types of songs and he would signal by the way he played guitar what type each one was, either Blues, Ballad or Brutal(!). He had been in Glasgow for a week, flew over on his own money so that he was under no obligation to play if he didn't feel like it. The venue was emptied while he practiced and no one was allowed to announce he was playing or he would pull the show. I knew he was thinking about doing it for a while and finally over the last few days realised it was happening but was unable to tell anyone. We have about 70 pics in all. The concert was filmed with Jandek having the option of releasing it as a DVD on Corwood(!). Everyone here is still in a daze, can't believe it happened, the concert was everything you could've hoped from a Jandek show, crazy heavy Velvets spiked blues guitar, Richard playing Holger-Czukay style bass throbs, Alex playing heavy and free and that fucking voice sounded like it was straight from the void, set of blasted blues, Haino said afterwards "Jandek *is* the blues." Jandek looked like he was realy enjoying it and pulled a few good shapes too, never said one thing though, took his time packing his guitar but no one approached him and he left the venue as abruptly as he had arrived. All the songs were of heartbreak and abandon, few funny lines too, like when he suddenly exploded "I made the decision to get real wild!" and everyone began screaming. Apparently he loved the screams, looks like he wants to do it again, maybe even announce it next time. Anyway, still trying to piece it all together. Who could've thunk it? Dx"

Now that's what you could call a world exclusive I believe.... thanks David...

The Susquehanna Industrial Tool and Die Company site is up and atcha.

It’s Monday again. Yippee, (not). So how is it? All though the week at work it’s like somebody threw “The Magic Boomerang”? How many of you are old enough to remember that 60’s Australian show or have even heard of it?? Anyway, time stands still all during the day, Monday to Friday, and accelerates in the evenings and at weekends. Can’t some of these quantum physicists or something get this sorted.?

That was quite a rant I “inspired” Mr Stigliano to let loose after posting the freeway blog thing yesterday. Shemp, Jesus, they’re all the same to me chief. After November 2nd we’ll all (that’s the collective global village and beyond) have to live with the backwash of what’s gonna go down (United) Stateside. I think we should club together and get Chris one of those “cuddle cross” things to keep him safe in his cabin in the woods. Enough with the flippancy, reality will bite, as sure as eggs is eggs…

From 60sgaragebands.com: The next issue of UGLY THINGS (#22) is tentatively scheduled to hit the streets by the end of October, and it again looks like another stellar issue: "First of all there is the epic - and we do mean EPIC - third installment of The Misunderstood story. Co-headlining is the story of 'The Other Them': The Belfast Gypsies by Richie Unterberger. We have also eye-opening exclusive interviews with Ace Kefford of The Move and Chris Youlden of Savoy Brown, and features on The Wild Cherries and The Twiliters. Plus 'The Prehistoric Pretty Things': the scoop from their pre-Viv Prince drummer, Viv Broughton, complete with drop-dead cool, never-before-seen prehistoric photos. As with every issue we trip around the world to uncover stories on bands like The Matadors from Czechoslovakia, The Checkmates from Singapore, The Speakers from Colombia, Nigeria's Fela Kuti and France's own Plastic Bertrand."

In other exciting news on The UGLY THINGS front, currently in the very early planning stages is a CD compilation of The Bush / Bushmen. According to Mike Stax, "So far there are four acetate tracks, all from 1966. The Bushmen tapes are probably from 1965, and there may be more Bush stuff from 1966-67, plus of course the three singles on Hiback." We'll provide more information as it becomes available.

No Elvis, Beatles or the Rolling Stones in the November issue of Mojo but look out for an eight-page farewell to the Ramones comprising of an appreciation of the band by Charles Shaar Murray, an eyewitness account of the sessions for End of the Century, and one of Johnny’s last interviews. Add an article about the proto-punk significance of the Saints, complete with a side-bar that cites Rocket from the Tombs, Dictators, Radio Birdman and the Hammersmith Gorillas (inc. picture), plus a short feature about the One Hit Wonder status of the Barracudas and you have something worth visiting WH Smiths for ... apart from gawping at male “lifestyle” magazines. Hey, not me mister!

Talking of El ‘Cudas, the boys were on fine form the other night at the Borderline just off the Charring Cross Road in London. Their hour-long set began with thirty minutes of surf/punk material while the second half hour added a primed Chris Wilson with the emphasis on later period tunes. How old is Wilson? 53? 54? 55? ‘cause he sure is looking fit and well for someone who has done a lot of rock’n’rolling and imbibed the odd dram of whisky. Bounding onto the stage wearing a big shirt and an even bigger semi-solid guitar he tore into “I Can’t Pretend” and in so doing brought the sort of perfectly balanced twin-guitar attack that you rarely witness but often dream about. While Wills concentrated on chords, Wilson added tasteful fills and would occasionally hit the neck of his guitar or the whammy bar for sheer devilment. Jeremy Gluck was on great form too and made the occasional foray into the decent-sized crowd while the two guys from the Scoundrelles built the musical foundations upon which Wills and Wilson launched themselves effortlessly. Pure magic for those of us who still believe in this kinda stuff. If someone had said to me at the Hope & Anchor in ’84 that “…in twenty years time you’re gonna see this band again and they’re gonna be every bit of good, if not better,” I would have demanded a pint of whatever they were drinking. Paris, are you ready?

Joe Bonomo, the chap researching and writing a book about the Fleshtones, has tipped us to a nice little photo gallery that contains lots of moody black and white shots of acts such as the Chesterfield Kings, Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet, Tav Falco, Gun Club, Per Ubu etc taken by Derek von Essen. With regards to his book, Joe is still working away and has now interviewed such revered figures as Andy Shernoff, Handsome Dick Manitoba, Billy and Miriam at Norton Records, Marty Thau and dozens of other people that readers of NBT will be familiar with. Unfortunately, Debbie Harry put the phone down on Joe but what would you do if were an international sex symbol and someone rang up saying : “Hi, Ms. Harry, it’s the guy who’s writing the book about [the] Fleshtones.”? Whatever, Joe remains on the look-out for a publisher and would dearly love to hear from any interested media moguls. If one doesn’t come forward soon then it might have to be another case for NBT International Publishing, so be warned. The text holds a wider message than simply being the account of yet another obscure RnR band and will slot nicely alongside your growing collection of books about the Ramones.

So you’ve grooved to the Nuggets boxsets and now want to delve deeper into 60s garage punk but have heard all kinds of rumours about the bootleg quality of Boulders and Pebbles. Then why not head over to the MP3 section of the Garage Rock Radio website and dig into approximately 50 prime cuts by the likes of the Paragons, Romancers, Zakary Thaks, Bad Seeds, King’s Ransom, Starfires and all? The files are free and your work colleagues will thank you.

So long Rockin' Granny. Cordell Jackson dead at 81...

Ace/Big Beat is about to unleash a revamped 25th anniversary edition of the Damned's Machine Gun Etiquette album w/ truckloads of extras.

Rob Jovanovic's Big Star: The Story of Rock's Forgotten Band will be published on November 1st.

Talk about NOT having one's finger anywhere near the pulse... how can one of yer favourite bands of all time have an album come out on Evangeline Recorded Works and do a show at The Borderline in London and you not have a scoob about it until three weeks after the bloody event? Well that's the situation I find myself in regarding The Blasters 4-11-44 which allegedly came out on 4-10-04. Anyway, more on that when I get to playing catch up... you can however do that now by hitting the Blasters listing in the sidebar yonder.

I'm gonna play on the Freeway Blog now... (thanks for the tip off Marty!)

The Master Plan (with Andy Shernoff (Dictators), Keith Streng & Bill Milhizer (Fleshtones) and Paul Johnson (Waxing Poetics) will be out and about on
19th November @ The Continental , NY, NY w/ The Waldos
20th November @ Arties Bar, Troy NY
21st November @ Ottos Shrunken Head , NY, NY

Thanks to Adam for pointing out that this was for November and not October... L

From the wonderful world of eBay we bring you Rock n' Roll panties.

"Garage music is not bad,
because Christ was born in a manger,
which was probably like a garage of that time."
Sky Saxon - The Vintage Years: Long but interesting piece on Sky in the 70s.

RIP: Cordell Jackson

Thursday, October 28th, 8pm - 11pm Music to Spazz By with Dave the Spazz on WFMU with Arch Hall Jr., Nathaniel Mayer & Miriam Linna.
"An incredible line-up of superstars! Rock & Roll movie star Arch Hall, Jr. (Wild Guitar, The Choppers, Eegah, The Sadist) chats with Dave about movies, his band The Archers featuring Dobie "The In Crowd" Gray, and all things related to Konga Joe. Soul legend Nathaniel "Village of Love" Mayer will also be on hand to discuss his brand new release on Fat Possum Records and his upcoming area appearance. Add Bad Seed Honcho Miriam Linna to the mix and you've got one heck of an insane show!".
(with thanks to Jan Kooi for the tip-off on both this and the the entry above).

There's a 4 hour(!) show on the Kassel Punk Kongress comin atcha from my buddy BIGor on Radio Student in Slovenia tonight. Seems like so much longer ago than three weeks I can tell ya.

CD Universe is offering the MC 5 - A True Testimonial DVD at $11.89 a pop and claims a street date for Dec 31 (?!).

The 48th London Film Festival will host the first European screening of Edgeplay: A Film About The Runaways on October 24 and 25.

A footnote... you can find Edgeplay clips here.

The output of Captain Sensible's first post Damned outfit King only amounted to one John Peel session that was recently issued on vinyl in the US. However the BBC got word of this project and immediatly threatened with legal action, but those interested might wanna keep an eye out on eBay...

Utrecht was hardly Beat-Central in the 1960s but did produce a small number of cool bands (a basic introduction can be found here).
One of the top-draws in the local scene back then, The Mods, are doing a reunion show on November 7 at the Veemarkthallen along with the Driftin' Five. No guarantees from this end about this turnin' out to be either an oldies yawn fest or that the fire's still burning, just figured some of you might like to check it out.

The Japanese Wizzard In Vinyl label has released two CDs documenting the complete early works of Ohio legends the Rubber City Rebels: "The Akron Years - Features the '77 Clone sessions, plus live from The Crypt and awesome video content, and The Hollywood Years - Digitally Re-mastered Re-mixed '79 Capitol sessions plus bonus tracks and 1980 KROQ interview".

To view the flyer in its full size glory, click HERE!

Wish it wasnae such a long way to Germany. Agent Heiko has informed me of the imminent happenings...

"Friday in Berlin is some kinda Ramones exhibition with films, memorabilia and Dee Dee paintings but I dont have much info yet. We're playing with our mates Commando Berlin and than saturday and sunday in meißen with the Melones."

Good to hear that HANK RAY is still shakin', rattlin' and rollin' the way that only he can lay it down.



Big John Bates will be blazing a trail across Europe in December, bypassing the UK, but hitting up clubs in more deserving parts of the world. Take a look at the website and there's no way you'll want to sit that one out.

Enter the world of Rockin' Jelly Bean!

Robert Quine Memorial event 12/4.
From the Richard Hell board:
"The Robert Quine event is confirmed. It's being organized by Hell, Jody Harris, Ivan Julian, Marc Ribot, and Jim Marshall. It will take place Saturday afternoon, December 4th, at CBGB's Gallery (next door to the club), approx. 3:00-8:00 PM. The format will be that people who knew and/or worked with Quine will each get up to ten minutes (I think) to do or say something in tribute to or memory of Quine. There will be musical equipment on stage for anyone who wants to perform, but many will just speak. I don't know yet who's going to participate except obviously the organizers. Many people have expressed interest."

Fezwrecker are co-ordinating a European Invasion for The Bonniwell Music Machine. Shows are as follows...



12 Nov 2004 Mestre, Italy – “Hazy Shade of Winter” Festival, The Jam Club
13 Nov 2004 Munich, Germany – Atomic Café
16 Nov 2004 London, UK –Islington Academy (Marquee Club)
17 Nov 2004 Amsterdam, Netherlands – Paradiso
19 Nov 2004 Benidorm, Spain – “Wild Weekend” Festival
21 Nov 2004 Berlin, Germany – Roter Salon, Volksbühne
23 Nov 2004 Paris, France – Mains d'Oeuvres

"Regarded as a founding pioneer of “garage rock” in 1966, and often called “the godfather of punk,”legendary songwriter Sean Bonniwell and The Bonniwell Music Machine is performing in Europe for the first time ever this November, in a series of limited engagements of “The Turn On Europe Tour.”

Seems like we're getting a slow but steady increase in the number of visitors to this THING. Good. We try to update and add regularly to keep the flow of information going. Nothing worse than visiting an alleged resource that is seldom, if ever updated.

What about the comments facility? Should we retain it? I'm not sure that this is adding anything to the "experience" and would appreciate any angle on that subject that you, the readers, might have. Other than that, keep doing what you're doing. Spread the word on our existence and hep us to anything you reckon that we should be putting the word out on.

It's time for the nose to go back to the grindstone that just about pays for my habit. Later...

Wikipedia includes a definition of garage rock with links to entries for key 60s garage bands and contemporary garage revival bands. This impressive online encyclopedia also includes definitions for related genres such as, rockabilly, surf, psychedelia, pub rock and punk.

PLAYLIST. Here's another rundown on what's doin' the rounds on NBT's (Dutch) HQ's hi-fi: The new Blues Explosion LP is still on heavy rotation as is the Hives' latest, a disc that seems to get little to no kudos from the hipster crowd but is A-OK in my book. Been raving enough about the Reigning Sound's Too Much Guitar, but being handed a CDR of the scrapped 3rd LP that holds sufficiently less guitar but similar songs I once again have to bow down to the sheer genius at work here. Let's hope this will become available for one 'n all someday soon. Does anyone out there remember the Godfathers?. Their I Want Everything 45 fell from the shelves recently and thus instigated a spin on my trusty Thorens which in turn lead me to pulling out the excellent Hit By Hit comp and the Sid Presley Experience's Hup,2,3,4. If, god forbid, you are connected to some P2P kinda deal like Soulseek our whatever, try to locate the demo by the Germans, a post-Godfathers outfit that was also home to Rat Scabies. Their War Machine is a fine original, but what completely knocked me out was their take on Kraftwerk's Autobahn. Too bad this band came to nothing. Jumpin' back a couple o' decades, I'm also, as always, groovin' to vintage R&B; current faves include Champion Jack Dupree's Red Robin recordings, Tiny Bradshaw on King (he's the guy that wrote Train Kept A Rollin'!) and the rather obscure Carter Brothers who recorded for Jewel in the 60s (all of these spun off old Charly comps). 70s p-rock this go round comes from White Boy and the Alan Milman Sect, both recent bargain-bin finds that have me overjoyed w/ their wild-ass sounds and potential monetary value!. Also; American Ruse, Bad Moon Rising, Crystal Ball and Rock Pusher by the more obvious offenders.
So there you have it, please keep me posted on your flips 'n digs...

Rumor has it that the Screaming Dizbusters will be playing at Debaser in Stockholm, on the 14th.

Heavy Metal belly dancers.

Yeah, I was somewhat overcome with emulsion yesterday but now I'm a little more rested. I'm not exactly qualified to enter the political arena but sometimes the ol' perspective gets skewed. Reading the Sunday Papers and listening to the radio suggests that what went on "over there" the other day could even have ended up as a "turkeyshoot" type situation. Eight wrongs don't make a right and when the old electoral counting lark happens in November it's almost certain gonna signal even blacker days for Black Rock. That's the collective name for the global village not a musical pigeonhole.

So anyways, back to more pressing matters. That of good ol' rock and roll and a tip of the hat to some recent acquisitions, first of which is the aforementioned Demolition Doll Rods "ON" released on Speedo's Swami imprint. They've stuck to their guns and deliver that now trademark undulating burlesque rattle we've come to cherish with a fearsome blues bruising. Lesser denizens of Detroit may get the press acreage but these folks will slink by the bloody lot of them on that final stretch. The f'nar f'nar titles and bump and grind innuendo might strike a casual browser as novelty smut but scratch below the surface and face the facts. This is a far, far more true to it's school record of its blood type than that last Cramps travesty was. You can always count on the DDR. All the way.

Woah, the tour has started I know but please go pay homage to THE DEMOLITION DOLL RODS. Touring Europe in support of their Swami release, ON - somehow they aren't coming to the UK. That's Blighty's loss, not the Doll Rods...



October 12th @ I Candelei, Palermo, Italy
October 13th @ Zo, Catania, Italy
October 14th @ Init, Rome, Italy
October 15th @ Charles Bronson, Ravenna, Italy
October 16th @ Transilvania, Bassano di Grappa, Italy
October 19th @ Club Pauk, Zagreb, Croatia
October 20th @ the Orto, Ljubjana, Slovenia
October 22nd @ L'Usine, Geneve, CH
October 23rd @ Festival, Strausburg, France
October 24th @ NU Bahnhof, Ulm, Germany
October 25th @ the Mudd Club, Berlin, Germany
October 26th @ the Underground, Cologne, Germany
October 27th @ the Dreikonigskeller, Frankfurt, Germany
October 28th @ Gloppe, Leuwaarden, Holland
October 29th @ De Engel, Den Helder, Holland
October 30th @ Hoeske, Gierle, Belgium
October 31st @ Nevers a Vif Festival, Nevers, France
November 2nd @ La Maroquinerie, Paris, France
November 3rd @ CAT, Bordeaux, France
November 4th @ L'Abordage, Evreux, France
November 5th @ Mondo Bizarro, Rennes, France
November 6th @ the Pit's, Courtrai, France

From Mr Martin Percival, in NY...

"Spirit is a relatively new club on 27th St in the Chelsea district of New York City. It was chosen by Arturo Vega, the Ramones Artistic Director and live stage lighting man, as the venue for tonight's very special show due to its intimate atmosphere and a great choice it to proved to be, despite a few teething problems.

The proceeds of the event were going to cancer research but it was without the usual morbid associations that these things so often have - this was mainly the Ramones 30th birthday party and, in particular a celebration of what would have been Johnny's 56th birthday and what was C Jay's 39th.

It was clear from the off that the venue staff were more used to club goers than a gig crowd. I first dropped by the venue around 4pm in the afternoon of the show. The impression created at that time was of somewhat organised chaos. Hardly surprising I guess with so many top draw bands playing, each with their own guest list, lots of special appearances to be catered for and so on. I chatted with Clem Burke at the stage door. He seemed really pumped up by the occasion and gladly signed autographs for fans as "Elvis Ramone".

By the time I got back to the venue at 7.15pm, the organized chaos impression became even stronger, with people unsure of where to queue for ticket holders or will call tickets. Still, once inside, the first "Ramones Museum" exhibits were to be seen and any earlier inconvenience was immediately forgotten. More Ramones badges and back stages passes than could be imagined in a lifetime, original hand written lyrics, the early promo baseball bat for the first album and the letter opener for the second album plus stacks of rare and unusual photos including some great ones taken by Bob Gruen and Adrian Boot at the Rainbow on 31st December 1977 at the "It's Alive" show. The most classic of these being a "Happy New Year" sign in the same style as the "Gabba Gabba Hey" signs.

Sonic Youth came on stage just after 8pm. Introduced by Mickey Leigh, he mentioned that he first met Johnny Ramone at the age of 11 in Forest Hills and that it was Mickey who later introduced him to Joey. Sonic Youth played 7 songs in total, opening with "Burning Spear", followed by "Unmade Bed", "Plastic Sun", "White Cross" & closing with "Kool Thing". Sonic Youth are an acquired taste and clearly had their followers in the audience but they were in the minority. Their in between song chat was limited but Thurston Moore did talk about the time he was walking down the Bowery when he saw Johnny Ramone just sitting on the top of a US mail box, as if it were a perfectly normal thing to do. Thurston greeted him with "Hey, how it's going?, Johnny replied "Howaya?".and that was the end of Thurston's story, you had to be there I guess!

C Jay & Friends were on just after 9pm after an introduction from Rob Zombie. Daniel Rey on guitar and C Jay on bass were accompanied by a drummer whose name I didn't catch and a variety of guests. They opened with "Durango 95",what else?! "Wart Hog" followed and on "Strength to Endure" the first guest, Mark Sheehan from C Jay's current band, Bad Chopper, joined the band for the one song. Next up was Alan Vega to sing on "I don't care" and "I remember you". Now Mr Vega is one of my all time front men but he's erratic even with Suicide and tonight he really seemed unsure of what was going on. The (pretty simple) lyrics evaded him for the first song and for "I remember you", well the least said the better! Fortunately, in traditional Ramones style, the song was over soon enough and the next front man up was Andrew W.K. He's not someone I'd previously rated too highly but tonight to his credit he put a lot into "53rd & 3rd", "I believe in Miracles" and "I wanna be your Boyfriend".

Next up was Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age for "Teenage lobotomy" and "Here Today, Gone Tomorrow". His voice was great - C Jay sang along too to "Teenage Lobotomy", not into the microphone, just for his own entertainment. This is something I remember he often did with the Ramones, even at times having to rescue Joey when he had either microphone or voice problems. For me C Jay was the under appreciated Ramone and I was really sad when he missed out on the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame induction. If it wasn't for C Jay they simply wouldnt have survived from 1989 to 1996 to enable them to be inducted!

After "Here today Gone Tomorrow", Josh Homme left to be replaced by what proved to be the star turn of the evening, Joan Jett! Looking and sounding terrific she tore into "Judy is a Punk", "Cretin Hop" and "Rockaway Beach", complete with low slung guitar. Next it was time for Elvis Ramone aka Clem Burke to join on drums for "I wanna be sedated". Initially it seemed no one was going to sing, there were even calls to the audience for people who knew the words! Eventually Tommy Ramone was persuaded on stage for what turned out to be the set closer. A great set of songs and an inspired choice of very special guests!

Next it was time to look at more of the memorabilia on display. Arturo really pulled out all the stops and Andrew D Gore, a friend of Johnny's, loaned a lot of items he'd received from John. These can be viewed soon at www.ramonessideshow.com. These included John's Forest Hills High School graduation certificate from June 1966, his draft card from March 1967 and his very first passport June 1976, issued to enable the band's UK visit the next month.

Next up after quite a break were the Strokes. Not my favourite band, but for the younger generation New York audience, they were clearly a popular choice as the hall was rammed solid whilst they were on stage.

Blondie didn't come until after midnight with the event running an hour late by this time. "Atomic" opened the set with Debbie Harry struggling to hit some of the higher notes, although this problem quickly resolved itself. "X Offender" and "Hanging on the Telephone" quickly followed plus a song written for Joey Ramone. "Maria", "Heart of Glass", "The Tide is High", "Rapture" and "One way or Another" Led into "Pet Sematary" where Debbie duetted with Mickey Leigh, "Havana Affair" then closed the evening at 1.30am.

All in all a great night, one I'll certainly never forget, especially Joan Jett playing "Judy is a Punk", "Cretin Hop" and "Rockaway Beach" and a really fitting way to celebrate Johnny and C Jay's birthdays."

Just wanna wish all da best from all of we here to our sister in rock'n'roll, Ms Karen (DFFD) Winter and Mr John Lanza on the event of their marriage today somewhere in Connecticut. Hope it all goes bigstyle! Catch you kids on the flipside...
Posted 11:01 AM by Jeroen Vedder
I have this vision of Karen and John walking up to the altar while the church organ is playing I Got You Babe...
Best of luck to the both of you!.

Another week down, the days are getting short and the nights long. Worn down, I think that's how it's best referred to. But anyway, today is the grand opening of the Scottish District Council, oops sorry Scottish Parliament building in Edinburgh. It's official opening is being hailed as some big event but is probably acually somewhere on a par with a new Tesco or Ikea opening. I'm not sure what the prize will be for being first over the threshold today though, maybe an item of furniture, who knows and, more specifically, who cares?

It's small potatoes in a world where complete mindfucks can take hostages and cut off their heads in the name of some half-assed cause. Remember, here - we don't believe in anything and we don't stand for nothing - how can we hope to understand the mindsets of people who think they're getting vouchers for a better deal in the next life. We can't. Give this lot what they want and another nest of crazies will come outta the woodwork. It's like being overrun by vermin is what it is and that's the pigeonhole this utter scum belongs in. How can anybody, other than those living it, begin to know what it must be like for the families and the people they leave behind? The endless autopsies (forgive the expression but I reckon it's pertinent) by alleged experts etc. on what might happen, did happen, whatever. We'll never know but you can bet that it's possibly worse than anybody's craziest idea of what may have gone down. I bet Billy Connolly is feeling pretty shaken up right about now. A little consideration can go a long way and whilst it's a good thing to stick your head up above the parapet now and again, there's a time and a place. Back to the Brownies to learn a bit of decorum for you Billy...

How did I get on to this...? Well, there's a sort of music festival going on in this area at the moment. Part of that saw my bud, John Miller perform in a place called The Beancross last night. This "venue" is basically a restaurant with no provision for live music whatsoever. Good of them to try and all that but utterly inappropriate. The "act" is tucked into one corner while said entertainment valiantly attempts to connect with the individuals who are far more into necking the contents of the dessert menu. Anyway, I'm sitting at the bar and there are two screens showing Sky News with the sound down. Not only are the gabbers a distraction but these TV's were extolling the fact that Mr Bigley had in fact been executed. At this point the whole thing went beyond "inappopriate". It actually made me quite sick to the pit of my stomach. Life goes on and all that but to have this stuff flashing away in the background was just plain over the score, I didn't stay long because my blood was boiling. Like I said back there, there's a time and a place but I had to get the hell outta there. Hopefully next year the "Way to Blue" festival organisers will consider the error of their ways and get to arranging such events in more suitable venues. It takes time to build these things and mistakes have been known to be useful somewhere down the pike.

The previous night, I saw Mary Lee's Corvette open for Laura Veirs at Tut's in Glasgow. Grand set but why do people gab and text when an act is on. The reception was OK but what is it with people pay for a ticket to a show and won't shut the fuck up while it's on? Even during the headliner. That and the third act on the bill scenario. Life is short as it is and there's only so many mediocre openers to the proper support that one can stand. This was brought to stark attention at the recent DKT/MC5 debacle. An update on which later. I ain't finished with that baby, oh no...

So, wodjagonnado indeed. One overtly positive point this week was that I got a replacement copy of Andy Cameron's "I Want Tae Be A Punk Rocker" from Ebay following a tip off from Agent Rolf in Germany. As Mr Whitney said, "it's the little things".

It Makes You Want To Spit by Sean O'Neill and Guy Trelford (Reekus).
A to Z guide to the early (77-82) punk scene in Northern Ireland. Excellently researched and put together, no two ways about it, but the ongoing parade of pug ugly people w/ spiky hair and Exploited t-shirts is a bit "too much" for me. That said, there's still enough focus on, for instance, the Good Vibrations label and all the bands who called it home (Undertones, Protex, Victim, Rudi etc.) to make this a worthwhile purchase. Best of all tho' is that fact that I get a mention in the "thank you" list and get mistaken for a representative from Chiswick Records!. All I ever did was be too lazy to answer an e-mail from the authors about a Count Bishops show in Belfast!. Who ever said fame doesn't come easy?.

Robert at the Kiss 'n Run agency, who's setting up the Leg Hounds tour (mentioned below), has plenty more on offer in the upcoming weeks/months: check here for more info.

The Dutch Poster Museum in Hoorn is currently hosting an exhibition of work by Martin Kaye, who was the in-house designer for the Paradiso club in Amsterdam from 1972 to 1983.

Nervous Eaters - Eaterville #1 (Penniman LP).
Beantown alsorans get the redcarpet treatment w/ this solid set of mostly unreleased mid 70s recordings. I hope you're all familiar w/ the Nervous Eaters two late 70s 45s (Loretta and Just Head, both included here), 'cause they easily rank alongside the best work of fellow Bostonians DMZ and the Real Kids. And even tho' there's nothing here that equals those efforts, this set offers a surprisingly good peek into the band's formative years (73-75). You've Heard These Chords Before sounds like a long lost Raw Power outtake while She's Gonna Be My Baby would've fitted nicely on the Groovies' Grease EP and their take on Beautiful Delilah is a parallel universe cousin' to the Count Bishops equally ferocious version from the same year. Housed in a gatefold sleeve with four more pages of liners inside that traces the band's history back to 60s garage combo the Cobbwebs, this comes highly recommended.

Muchos gracias to Black To Comm's Chris Stigliano for voting NBT "best blog" in his current list-to-end-all-lists...

The mighty Leg Hounds will hit Euroland in November/December. Check here for dates.

Scotland's One and Only FrightFest wants you! The tastefully curated DEAD BY DAWN 2005 has just been announced!

"Dead by Dawn 2005 will run Thursday through Sunday, April 21st - 24th, 2005.

Full Weekend Passes priced £40 all-inclusive will go on sale in the last week of January.

Films, guests and all other good stuff will be announced in the New Year.

For anyone not sure, the weekend format is that we kick off with Horror Story Readings on the Thursday evening (usually around 7pm) and then go on the Opening Movie late on Thursday night. Movies start at around 12.30 on Friday and go on throughout the day until the wee hours of the morning. On Saturday, movies start again around 12.30 and go right through the day and evening, and the all-nighter kicks off at midnight and finishes at some ungodly hour on Sunday morning. Sunday movies usually start around 3pm and go on until the wee hours of Monday morning, and if the 3am licence every night doesn't do you in, there's the superb after-show party between 3 and 6am, held in the most spectacular venue and licenced, too :)

An updated accommodation list is available on request as is extensive information on travel arrangements for getting to and around Edinburgh.

Take a couple days off work, get a cat-sitter, get a baby-sitter, save your pennies (there'll be good shopping to do here), get your liver in training, prop your eyes open and get ready for four solid days of the best the genre has to offer!"

BigKegShandy has just sent in this link regarding one Richard Blum having to get territorial about his moniker, like. Cook it out baby daddy, etc.

This month's releases from Ace Records.

I just got this press release from Jamie at Rough Trade Records. It's not like most releases I get these days though because it actually tells the whole truth. Testify then to a fine bit of writing and to a group that's worthy of such words...

"Rough Trade Records are delighted to announce the birth of ‘Baby’, the new album from The Detroit Cobras. Weighing in at an extremely healthy thirteen tracks in thirty one minutes and forty seconds, it is the third release from this exceptionally fertile quintet. Those of you fortunate enough to witness their recent blistering UK shows, might have noticed a particularly rosy glow about the band, and wondered why they were restricting their on stage alcohol and nicotine intake to one drink and cigarette at a time. Now you know why. As with their previous two albums ‘Life, Love and Leaving’, and ‘’Mink, Rat or Rabbit’, The Detroit Cobras remain coy about paternity, although tests might discover traces of DNA from Percy Sledge, Bert Burns, Lowman Pauling and er..Irma Thomas. They were also spotted doing the ‘Cha Cha Twist’ with Hank Ballard, and ‘Slippin’Around’ with Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham. But, let’s forget about petty morality. We don’t care who the father is, just as long as Baby is healthy, happy and strong. It certainly sounds like they had a lot of fun making it. Anyway, it is now up for adoption - so here’s the sell.

The album starts with four hi hat hits before exploding into life – like the ignition kicking over on a stolen motorcycle in a backstreet garage. Recorded in Detroit by Greg ‘the Memphis Mastermind’ Cartwright, the sound is classic, vintage valve warmth. As raw as neat tequila or as sweet as molasses. The only pro tools in evidence here are called Gibsons and Fenders. There’s a ballad, a love song and numbers you can do the Twist, the Shake, and the Hully Gully to. What more could any sane person require? The recent single ‘’Cha Cha Twist’ was employed by the Coca Cola Corporation of America to help sell it’s popular whisky and vodka mixer – Coke. ‘Hot Dog ( Watch Me Eat)’ proves that the band are capable of writing their own great material when they feel like it.

The Detroit Cobras have taken a collection of songs, customised them, chopped them down, chrome plated them and given them an exquisite new paint job. All serial numbers have been filed off, and the engine super charged to out run the self-righteous, pious covers cops. If the original owners ever did turn up they’d be thrilled. Like reporting your old bicycle missing from the shed, then discovering it’s been used in a bank heist. You’d be proud.

The Detroit Cobras are Rachel Nagy - Vocals, Mary Restropo – Guitar, Steve Nawarra – Guitar, Joe Mazzola – Bass, and Kenny Tundrick – Drums."

The Staysick group throws up many a wee gem and today's include Joey Ramone Underwear, A 50's Rockin' Fest in Green Bay, Wisconsin next April and a cool inteview with IVY. With thanks to Ben and Mike...

Superior europowerpoppunk action from Stuttgart… THE POPZILLAS!

Mmmm…. Chris Wilson in Paris with The Barracudas, Roy Loney also set to rock the joint on the Saturday afternoon… could there be more Groovie type action set to ripple through Paris than our Spanish friends got lately??

Dana's Virtual Museum of Unusual LP Cover Art. (link c/o Dubbelmono).

Janet Leigh has gone to that big Motel in the sky...

TJINDER & BEN (CORNERSHOP) Vs. SONIC REDUCER! THE TAG-TEAM FACE-OFF OF 2004!



From DONNA SUMMER to THE STOOGES, and far beyond ...

Having swung avec surprise visitor RAY DAVIES in July, rocked August away with special guest DJ MICHAEL DAVIS (MC5), and hip-shaked thru September in the company of our pal TIM ROGERS (YOU AM I), the Sonic Reducer crew are pleased to announce that October 15th will see those beat'n'groove merchants par excellence, TJINDER SINGH and BEN AYRES of CORNERSHOP, spin their own righteous mess of sounds at GERRY O'BOYLE's ever-welcoming BOOGALOO...

Not content with dishing-up the turntablist face-off of 2004, which promises an unprecedented amount of needle-burning vinyl action, we'll be lurching into view again on October 29th with a HALLOWEEN SONIC REDUCER SPECIAL. Yer ever-lovin' BIGKEGSHANDY and TEENSLAIN are set to exhume current SEEDS and BARRACUDAS stickman YAN 'L'Homme' QUELLIEN, to spin a three-handed mess of horrible HALLOWEEN SOUNDS, including all yer faves from Screaming Jay Hawkins, Screaming Lord Sutch and anyone else who grunted, groaned and gurgled their way into our hearts ...

So come on up, let your backbone slip, and have a ball, y'all ...

Selah!

Joss & Joe

Sonic Reducer
October 15th & 29th
The Boogaloo
312 Archway Road N6
Highgate Tube
7.30-11pm
FREE

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At this point in time, we'd urge you to immediately purchase the following
recent discs, which we can wholeheartedly recommend for 101% shake appeal:

The Soundtrack Of Our Lives - Origin (I)
The Beat-Up - Messed Up
Clinic - Winchester Cathedral
Tim Rogers & The Temperance Union - Play ... Spit Polish
The Solution - Communicate!
Reigning Sound - Too Much Guitar
The Detroit Cobras - Baby

To answer the ongoing requests about the I'm Sure We're Gonna Make It CD I compiled a couple o' years back: It's been out-of-print for some time now but does pop up on eBay regularly and can still be picked up for peanuts. The vinyl (bootleg) version that was put out by MRR's Tim Yohannan (who died shortly after putting it out!) entitled Killed By Epitaph ain't too rare either, so beware of rip-off dealers charging mega bucks for common wares. The accompanying book Het Gejuich Was Massaal (done together with Jerry Goossens), is harder to nail these days. But for alla you out there lookin' for this stuff: Don't go overboard spending big bucks. It's out there in quantities, so don't pay "limited Edition" prices. Capito?.

Blues Explosion - Damage (Mute LP).
When the JSBX first arrived on European shores about a decade ago they played some of the most jawdropping/exciting shows I have ever witnessed, but good as their early records are, they never really captured the on-stage insanity, and after a couple of years the band seemed to have burned out and started a somewhat unsatisfactory flirt with dance-music.
So surprise, surprise, when this one landed on my doorstep and turned out to be not only a stonkin' return to form, but easily their best record yet. A kaleidoscope of sounds that incorporates just about every musical by-way of the past 50 years into a, for want of a better word, "organic" whole. And yeah, the dance influx is still there as well but now adds instead of distracts, whether it be a Chuck D rap or a DJ Shadow mix, it all fits perfectly into the BX's original gameplan of mixin' Charley Feathers with Hound Dog Taylor.
Think of this as their Exile On Mainstreet without the excessive baggage of a 2 disc set. Yep, it's that good...

November, Dusseldorf, 2005 - the world!

Loudmouth! presents The Return of the incredible legendary Punkrock-Parties - the authorized celebrating of the Ramones' 30th Anniversary and Loudmouth!'s 10th Anniversary

November 5, 2004 Düsseldorf, AK 47, Kiefernstrasse

The MELONES (Hannover)
Cave 4 (Solingen)
The Pro-Tones (Düsseldorf)
Supabond (Düsseldorf)

November, 6 2004 Düsseldorf, Kulturschlachthof, Rather Strasse 25

Möped Lads (Luzern/Schweiz)
ZZZ Hacker (Bielefeld)
The Boonaraaas (Düsseldorf/Solingen)
Zwakkelmann (feat.Schlaffke, the Voice of Schliessmuskel)

According to this info I just got from the Rev. T. Rafferty, Newcastle will be the place to be in May 2005.

I just discovered on my friend Amy Rigby's site that SKEETER DAVIS passed away... guess I've been outta the loop.

Don's been oot and aboot in 'Frisco again...

"full house at tommy's joynt - baseball games downstairs, prez debate upstairs...(we stayed downstairs)...then over to the music hall for nick lowe. opening guy geraint watkins was already on. burly welshman sitting at a digital piano doing some boogie woogie. seen him before(with dave edmunds. when i asked dave about nick he said, "he stole my keyboard player!). seen him playing accordion but not piano and certainly not singing. quite good. he did an almost fats domino version of "heroes & villains"! also did some songs that would not have been out of place on a nick lowe album.

lowe came on soon after... no band. uh oh. last time he had no band and he was boring. but that was slim's. nobody's ever good at slim's. again just like that show this was solo acoustic. he wore a shiny new gibson j-45 over nice red and grey dress shirt. looked older but good (aging gracefully). started same as last time with the exquisite gospel tune, "there will be no peace until god sits at the conference table" (and you couldn't help but think of those 2 jokers in the "debate"). he said this was the last show of a tour "thru hurricanes, earthquakes and a locust plague in milwaukee". well, i made that last part up. it was supposed to be the last show but apparently we're doing what looks to me like a hoe-down". he was referring to the bluegrass fest in the park this weekend. he promised to "trawl thru my back catalog, do some new ones, and some covers i hope you think are my own". he was great. sang great, played great. did more recent things like "indian queens"("closest i get to folk music") and "lover don't go" as well as old faves like "half a boy" and "i knew the bride" --joined by watkins on the latter two). they also did a great song by watkins called "only one rose". another highlight was john hiatt's, "she don't love nobody". and of course nick's own pop gem, "cruel to be kind". crowd loved every minute of it. he closed with "what's so funny bout peace love and understanding". amen. back for a great encore: "without love" and "heart of the city". house lights went up but nobody was leaving. he must've heard them pounding the floor (dressing rooms are downstairs) -- i mean these people were going nuts. lights went back down and he came back for yet another. i didn't recognize it but it was great -- a typical country rocker he does best. surprisingly great show. see him in golden gate park this saturday -- free."

Just been checking out the action for our upcoming Parisian jaunt following the receipt of the website info from the one and the only Niklas Vahlberg. You can do so also right here. Further to this, The Demolition Doll Rods and The Scientists will be at LA MAROQUINERIE on November 2nd... ye gods and goddesses!! Those French folks always did display good taste!

Just in from Mr Martin Percival...

Marky Ramone + John Cafiero

"Thursday, October 7th, 8pm - 11pm on "Music to Spazz By" with Dave the Spazz. Join Dave the Spazz as he welcomes Marky Ramone and "Ramones Raw" director John Cafiero.

Marky Ramone and John Cafiero will appear for a radio interview in support of the Ramones DVD on WFMU from 8 - 11 PM EST on Music to Spazz By with Dave the Spazz. Tune in to WFMU via 91.1 FM in NYC/NJ and 90.1 in Mt. Hope & upstate NY & N/E. Pennsylvania. Visit www.wfmu.org for more info or to listen online."

Crocus Behemoth came from Outer Space and PERE UBU will provide the soundtrack that proves it.