"Ignore it, and it'll go away", or at least that's what I figured. My right hand ringfinger had been hurtin' like hell over the past two weeks, so I finally went to down to the doctor's today. Various knifes and hypodermic needles were apparently used (heck, I certainly didn't wanna see what was goin' on!), and because of this my typin ability is down a serious number of levels. Please be patient if you're waiting for a response to your e-mail, I'll get to it, it just takes some extra time...

I have to say that I'm with Angel Corpus Christi on the "I wouldn't Want To Be Bob Dylan" thing. And likewise Bobby presumably wouldn't want to be us either as the lady's song goes. But what about No Direction Home then? Pretty goddamn groovy stuff even for a relative non-believer like myself.

Scorsese did a great job getting Dylan to open up like he did. Great as the way this appeared on TV was, I wish I'd seen it first in a cinema. As iconography goes, and if you dug nothing else about it those old photos and clips indicated what a world of possibilities existed then. Of course, living in it would never have seemed like that but nothing nowadays is ever not stage-managed. Almost nothing that makes it through that "sophisticated filter" to any manner of mainstream appeal that is.

It kinda fizzled out before I expected it to but I guess too much of a good thing would maybe make people think that something like this could happen again. Not many things live up to even the slightest hype but this did.

Howdy Cowpoke!
Please join SUSQUEHANNA INDUSTRIAL TOOL & DIE CO. on FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30TH as we saddle up for the RODEO BAR, nestled in Manhattan at 375 Third Avenue, on the corner of 27th Street (www.RodeoBar.com). Sure as shootin' we'll be playing three sets, at 10:30, 11:30 and 12:30 sharp -- and you bet it's FREE, as are the peanuts.

Your pardner, Michael "Ballads, Boogies & Blues"

P.S. And we return to our Thursday night residency at OTTO'S SHRUNKEN HEAD, starting on OCTOBER 6TH, just so you know.

Would you believe?... Agent 86 dead at 82. RIP - Don Adams (Sad news from Chief Thewlis)

Update at 6.15pm... Couldn't do much earlier but surreptitiously post something from work. I was sorry to hear about Max. When Channel 4 started here they broadcast a whole bunch of the original series. Pretty sure that's where my habit of addressing people as "Chief" came from but anyway, when Tony broke the news to me, I tried to find a story. The BBC ran a small piece but that was all. It's much bigger news in the USA and Australia where they take this kinda culture a bit more seriously. I imagine Agent 99 is fairly devastated right about now... Time to rake for those VHS's.

"Hey hey! 8 years after the sad closing of our beloved record shop in September 1997 we are very pleased to announce the RE-OPENING of COOL & CRAZY!! LPs, 7" singles, CDs, books, zines, etc. Specializing in WILD shit of the 50s & 60s (and recent practitioners of r&r wildness). Julius-Leber-Str 20, Souterrain 22765 Hamburg
hours: Monday to Friday 12 pm to 7 pm RING THE BELL LOUD & OFTEN!!!".

Count Bishops, Eddie & the Hot Rods. 100 Club, London, Friday Sept 23.
Thirty years ago this line-up would have probably been the hottest ticket in town, while hardly a year later both of these bands lost their place in the limelight thanks to the arrival of the Sex Pistols, Clash and their ilk. Not that they didn't soldier on without any success, but they never became as big they once seemed destined to be. So was it worth flying off to London to catch 'm in action once again all these years down the line you ask?. The answer is a resoundin' "YEAH!". The Hot Rods had only been added to the bill as special guests after I booked a flight to see the Bishops so that was a nice extra, and they certainly didn't disappoint. Even with Barrie Masters bein' the only original member, his current Rods are thus relatively young and still very energetic. Three new songs and a drumsolo stop me from givin' 'em both thumbs up, but with a setlist that included solid renditions of Telephone Love, Teenage Depression, Quit This Town, Life On The Line, and of course Do Anything You Wanna Do there's hardly any reason to argue against 'em. While Barrie & Co. are still somewhat of a going concern, The Count Bishops re-united especially for Ace Records' thirtieth anniversary party. For whatever reason I've been somewhat obsessed by this band for ages, but sadly never caught 'm live in their heyday. So when news of this on/off get together reached these shores all was set aside to make sure I'd be there this go 'round. Up on stage this Friday were Johnny Guitar, Dave Tice, Pat McMullen and a Australian drummer who's name I failed to catch (apparently both Mike Spencer and Steve Lewins were in attendance as well but neither went up on stage. Original rhythm guitar player Zenon de Fleur, who passed away in 1979, was represented by a large photo on top of on of the amps). Any doubts about dropping some serious coin to see these guys were quickly wiped out as soon as Tice opened his gravel throated yapper (Kenny Loggins hairdo or no). And when Johnny Guitar finally shifted into third gear a couple of songs into the set things couldn't have been better. The sound was perfect and there were thankfully no attempts to "update" their sound/looks with lengthy solo's, flying v's and ponytails. Just pure rockin' sounds with Johnny's razorsharp guitar attack bein' the absolute highlight for me. He also took over vocal duties for Train, Train (originally Zenon's tour-de-force), a brave attempt that brought on mucho goosebumps. Other highlights included a poundin' I Want Candy and a powerhouse take on Taste 'n Try. All 'n all this was a perfect night (and let's not forget Dave 'Boss' Goodman spinnin' many a Nugget for the rest of the evening). What with the Bishops spreaded all over the globe these days I don't think they'll repeat these kind o' thing anytime soon, but if so; do make sure you'll be there. In the meantime, be on the lookout for Ace Records upcomin' CD re-issues of the Bishops 2nd and 3rd LPs for some hi-octane Brit R&B.

I have to admit it. I'm no Dylan afficianado. However, I'll be tuned into the Scorsese doc on Monday and Tuesday like everybody else. I recognise his place in the musical firmament and am prepared to be blown away by this event. It's funny, with all the furore around it, this is a real happening. There'll be a huge TV audience all watching the same thing at the same time. That almost never happens anymore and that in itself is something tangibly reassuring. I know some hipsters have viewed the thing already and that the dvd is actually available but simply the notion of folks all tuning into the same item at the same time is huge. Well as huge as anything gets these days. Anyways, re Bob - what I like most about him is that he recognises Dave Alvin as the ace guitar player he is. I like Mary Lee's "Blood On The Tracks" more than I like the real thing. I'm hoping I can be swayed into discovering the secret that the man's rabid followers riff over. There's a piece in the Sunday Herald here today where "important figures" pick their favourite Dylan song. Jim Sclavunos is in there alongside Scotland's first minister Jack McConnell. Odd is perhaps the best word to describe such an undertaking. Have a look for yourselves... I have to split, more Status Quo coming up on Corry.

Last night’s Laura Cantrell show at The Queens’ Hall in Edinburgh was a real triumph, even by her own high standards. Packing the “acoustic” format, the bulk of the set came from the most recent album but there were plenty of chestnuts from the previous two also. The version of “Whiskey” where she had the crowd sing along was positively spine-tingling.

For the extended encore, Frank Macdonald joined his friends onstage to deliver several tunes from the albums he released that put the lassie on the map in the first place. There was a review in the Times on Friday that gave a tepid line on the performance in London but I don’t think I’ve ever seen the show appear so tight whilst retaining that element of loose that let’s things breathe. This wasn’t just a note-perfect run through the material, it was practically countryphonic soul.

Opener, Holly Williams came out to join them for a rousing version of Gillian Welch’s “Orphan Girl”. I was pretty underwhelmed by her own set but this showed off her sizeable vocal talent in no uncertain manner. Laura and Mark Spencer will be back in the UK briefly in a fortnight to appear at the Keeping It Peel Celebration at The Queen Elizabeth Hall on October 12th.

These are busy times for Ms C alright but she’s hitting all the right buttons and like previously intimated, last night took that craft to a whole ‘nother level.

FTC Bars Export of the New MX-80 Release - How American is "American"?

San Francisco -- The Federal Trade Commission has announced its preliminary ruling barring export of the new MX-80 album, "We're an American Band." The ruling, one of the first under the recently enacted "Made in America" Act will remain in place unless the band, or its record label, Family Vineyard, can provide "demonstrative evidence as to the national origin" of band members. So far, the band and its label have refused to participate in the FTC proceedings. Under the legislation, effective June 1, 2005, companies advertising products with the term "America" or "American" must file certification documentation with the FTC and U.S. Customs demonstrating that "all or virtually all" of the product-including processing and labor that go into the product-must be of U.S. origin. In this case, since the band is claiming "We're an American Band," as its album title, the FTC is requiring proof of national origin of each band member. "This is so incredibly surreal," said lead singer Rich Stim, "that I can't even classify it as surreal." Problems developed for MX-80-the eclectic avant rock band based in the Bay Area-when the Family Vineyard label sought a UPC bar code for the new album, scheduled for November, 2005 release. Under the new law, the organization managing bar codes (the Associated Code Council) must report any product names using the words "America," "American," "US," or "USA." Companies then have 90 days to provide certification to the FTC. "Did Grand Funk Railroad have to send in their passports?" asked Stim, referring to the Michigan rock band that popularized the song used as title track of the MX-80 album. "What about Scientific American, American Airlines or American Idol? I find it disingenuous that the U.S. government needs proof of my citizenship in order for me to sell records in Holland. My guess is that they're only going after so-called subversive artists."

The FTC has denied that the agency is targeting artists and claims that enforcement of the new law is mandatory.

A missive from Mr Tom Phobic...
"Hi Kids,
It's that time again....summer has packed it's bags and buggered off somewhere else, it's getting darker earlier, the kids are back at school (or not, according to figures) petrol keeps going up, politicians keep lying and killing and not giving a toss......dontitmakeyafeelsick?
.......afraid we can't offer a cure (or a final solution) but why not forget about your troubles for one night and drag your hides out to our spiritual (and i don't just mean liquor)home in Deptford for an evening of primo guitar slinging punk rock slop served just the way you like it!
As ever, it's FREE and we'll be playing stuff from our "Down and Out In Deptford EP" which is picking up rave reviews here, in Europe, over in the States and OZ, and EVEN in Argentina where we are radio stars! (yeah, we know - most of us have a face for radio!)
Anyway, enough ramble, here's the skinny -

SATURDAY, 1ST OCTOBER:
The Birds Nest, Deptford Church Street, Deptford SE8 FREE!!

9pm onwards, The Phobics play 2 sets - plenty of surprises, guests and the usual mayhem.

Anyone need directions, more info, whatever drop me a line. Tom"

A year ago, this very “noo”, I was attending the Punk Kongress in Kassel. Tis presactly 365 days since I saw CZD and The Boonaraaas in the Lolita Bar in that cool German town. Hopefully there’ll be some news on the next one soon…

Ms Laura Cantrell is back in the ‘hood and has a show at Edinburgh’s Queens Hall tonight. We caught up with her and Mr Jeremy Chatzky for a pleasant evening in Glasgow along with Sir Francis of Macdonald. Always great to catch up but Ms C had some bad news to lay on us. There’s no way to gild this so I’ll come straight out with it.

WFMU is taking The Radio Thrift Shop off the air. For reasons best known to the programmers of the NJ station, they’ve decided to remove the RTS from the upcoming Fall schedule. If you’ve got a mo’, maybe you could drop them a line and ask what they expect to gain from this plainly daft action. All good things and everything taken into account, this is an open and shut case of them not knowing what they’ve got ‘til it’s gone. I think the last show is on October 10th but I’ll get back to you on that. I think The proprietress is disappointed and maybe bloodied but absolutely unbowed. She’ll take the format to another station mayhap? One that understands the meaning of community in the terms that I always thought the WFMU did. I’m sure there are politics involved but that means less than F all to we - the listeners, it's more like a betrayal, in my er, humble opinion. A worthy programme, Rex's Fools Paradise will be brought forward into the RTS slot but that's not the point. Not having Laura on their roster isn't the sharpest decision that's been taken in Jersey City methinks.

Mr Chatzky, who plays with Ronnie Spector also, tells we that the new album by the lady is due for release soon and it contains her version of Amy Rigby’s oughtta be smash, “All I Want”. Things appear to be shaping up nicely for Ms Rigby who will hopefully be packing a band on her upcoming UK jaunt. More about that as the info becomes available.

On a loose Teenage Fanclub related point and having been out on the town last night, I set the VCR for “The Status Quo” appearing on Coronation Street. Absolutely brilliant stuff which reminds me of how great TV can be but seldom is. A national institution appearing on another national institution. Not quite at the lofty heights of Uncle Junior watching Larry David but pretty darn groovy nonetheless. It made me think about the time that "The Quo" were playing The Fillmore during a vacation in San Francisco and we didn’t go. Of course they haven’t made a decent record in forever but that’s not the point. I saw them many times in their heyday. They always had great support acts too, like Montrose and Savoy Brown to name but two. The memories are flooding back of late, I remember more about thirty years ago than I do about the past month.

Anyway, I’m heading for Edinburgh now. If you’re anywhere about these parts then you should consider a jaunt there also. There are tickets for the Laura gig to be had at the door… treat yourself.

RIP - Willie Hutch

Chris Bailey (The Saints) is guest DJ @ Sonic Reducer this Saturday!

"Hey folks

Our first night at the wonderful Filthy MacNasty's in Amwell St EC1 earlier this month was a great laff, and we collected £130 for the Goner Records Hurricane Katrina Fund. Thanks to yer good selves the dosh is already helping displaced New Orleans-based musicians such as Alex Chilton, Peg O'Neill (Gories), King Louie Bankston, The Persuaders, and many more with rebuilding their lives! So far, benefits in New York, Memphis, and around the US have raised over $4,000 dollars for clothes, food & shelter. Log onto www.goner-records.com for further info.

This Saturday (24th), we'll be honoured to have Saints frontman Chris Bailey along to spin some of his fave vinyl, and have a few swift halves, plus there'll be primo big screen action from the Sonic Reducer archives!

A big shout out to Tim 'Jolly' Rogers (You Am I) & Nick 'Smelly' Barker, whose sold-out gig at the Borderline on Tuesday was a blast and an' arf, to which the Sonic Reducer Tag Team contributed some 45rpm ammo - and gladly!
Dig the boys' new albums, Tim's Dirty Ron/Ghost Songs double set, and Mr Barker's C-Side retrospective, you wont be regretting it ...

Anyhoo, back to the bar ... See ya Saturday? Selah Joss & Joe."----------------------------------

Sonic Reducer At Filthy MacNasty's - Twice A Month - Saturdays - 7-11pm
Free - 68 Amwell Street EC1 - Tube: Angel - Tel: 020 7837 6067

Dates: Sept 24th, Oct 15th & 29th ... More special guest DJs to be announced ...

Just Say Sire: The Sire Records Story, a new box set on Rhino is a bit of a mixed blessing. I don't mind Madonna, and I can forgive the non inclusion of the lable's early Dutch roster. But lookin' at the tracklist I figure I seriously need to re-arange my view on the label...

Mr Wall informs me that this is finally available frae LAST CALL

I can't remember if I posted this before or not but the new season of CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM starts this coming Sunday on HBO in the US.

Something else I found comedywise is the trailer for Sarah Silverman: Jesus Is Magic. She was one of the best things about "The Aristocrats" and shows no signs of letting up. Be warned though, this clip is "age verified" and most definitely not office friendly. Put mildly it could well cause offense to just about anybody, so bear that in mind. Out in November, the film is directed by Liam Lynch, presumably the "United States of Whatever" guy?

"A date for your diaries...

Friday, October 14th 2005 at The Subway, Cowgate, Edinburgh
Doors open 7:30pm, gig over around 10pm when the Subway reverts to its usual glamourous friday night self.

A free gig of short sharp songs from the world famous Shock And Awe to promote their new album "School For Scoundrels" with the bonus of a rare set of multi-media art/punk/disco interface from Scars mainman Paul Research. (onstage 8pm)

Come on down, it's free to get in - if you want, you can buy a cd to help us pay for the night (14 songs!, professionally recorded! with real drums!, available at a special bargain offer price on the night!), tell all your friends and anyone else who might be interested.

Cheers, Murray"

"The SUZY Y LOS QUATTRO website has been updated and here are the tour dates for the LIPSTICK TO JAPAN TOUR 2005:

OCTOBER
10/29 Tokyo - Shimokitazawa MOSAIC
10/31 Saitama - Ohmiya HEARTS (Halloween party)

NOVEMBER
11/02 Aichi - Nagoya SONSET STRIP
11/03 Osaka - Fukushima LIVE SQUARE 2nd LINE
11/04 Ishikawa - Kanazawa VAN VAN V4
11/05 Tokyo - Kichijoji PLANET K

Japanese fans can contact Wizzard in Vinyl for tickets and further details about this tour.

Before heading to the land of rising sun, we'll be opening for our vocal surf godfathers, THE SURFIN' LUNGS at their shows in Barcelona at the incredibly cool Apollo club on Friday 7th October and also at their gig at the Ricoamor club in Castellon on Sunday 9th."

From Gary Gold...

"LITTLE STEVEN'S KEYNOTE ADDRESS RADIO & RECORDS CONVENTION 2005 - JACOBS MEDIA SUMMIT

Date: Thursday, July 23, 2005 Place: Renaissance Hotel, Cleveland, Ohio

Audience: 250 Program Directors

Fred Jacobs introduces 4-minute video bio. At its conclusion the Dovells' "You Can't Sit Down" explodes from the speakers as 5 Go-Go girls come out of the wings surrounding Fred, much to his discomfort. Little Steven enters to thunderous applause. He cuts off the music with a wave of his hand, leans into the microphone and says "Ladies and Gentlemen, Fred Jacobs."

The music returns as the girls exit. A stunned audience applauds wildly as Fred, very uncharacteristically, dances off with them.

Little Steven: Well that was worth the price of admission alone. (more applause and laughter) (paces with the hand held mic for a minute, and then . . . )

I Love Radio! (applause once again erupts) And I feel nothing but love in this room because as I look around, I see only two kinds of people. Our beloved affiliates . . . and future affiliates. (laughter) So now matter what happens in this next half hour, remember what I just said. It's just family talking. And without any further disclaimers let me ask the only important question that is on my mind, and I'm sure you've been thinking about it also, especially lately.

(pause)

WHEN DID THE F*CKING PUSSIES TAKE OVER?

(applause and laughter)

When? Don't you look forward to the day when your grandson is on your knee and he looks up and says, "Grampa weren't you in radio once?" "Yes, Grandson," you'll reply. "Could I ask you something," he'll say. "Of course, my love, anything," you'll say. "Grampa where were you WHEN THE F*CKING PUSSIES TOOK OVER?" (more laughter)

Where were we? What happened? Things are out of line and we're not leaving here today until we straighten it out.

(applause and laughter)

Now I was going to wait for this but we might as well get right to it since it is all everybody's talking about. I have come to praise JACK not to bury him. (laughter - uncertain applause) The guys at Infinity are friends of ours, as is everybody else, we got nothing but friends you all know that. And I've gotta say I'm proud of these guys for having the balls to shake things up. Things needed shaking up. And history will remember them in a very positive way when looking back at this world changing moment. Having said that...

Replacing 33 year old New York oldies institution CBS-FM with JACK is like replacing the Statue of Liberty with a blow-up doll.

(eruptions of laughter and applause)

But again, change is good. And necessary. With a little bit of luck JACK will last 10 or 12 months because it is obvious people want something different, they are hungry for something, anything. So it could be 6 months before anybody actually listens to JACK. Once they do it is doomed for 3 obvious reasons. At the moment it is replacing oldies formats but it is not an oldies format in the true sense of the word.

It's mostly 80's, some 70's, some 90's. Now it must be said that the oldies format is vulnerable because over the last 5-10 years it has, in a word, sucked. It has sucked for a very simple reason, somebody had the brilliant idea to eliminate the 50's and replace it with the 70's. This was done by somebody uniquely stupid and deaf and ignorant and a bad businessman on top of it all. So naturally, everybody copied it and the 50's disappeared virtually overnight.

Now let's digress and examine this oldies thing for a minute. Assuming you accept the fact that those overseeing the oldies format these last 5 years - 10 years - are, in fact, stupid, deaf, ignorant, and bad businessmen, let's deal with it. As far as stupid, deaf, and ignorant, when it comes to decades that matter, that matter historically, in terms of influence, importance, and never-to-be-heard-again-quality - that is the 50's and 60's. Everything we do, everything we are comes from those two decades.

You're gonna throw one away? You're gonna replace Elvis, Little Richard, Gene Vincent, Eddie Cochran, Johnny Burnette, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Buddy Holly, Lloyd Price, and Fats Domino with, all due respect, Donna Summer and the Bee Gees? You're gonna replace primal, vital, timeless, forever cool rock and roll pioneers with disco? Disco?

You wanna know what disco is good for? Disco is for when you're drunk at a wedding with your old lady and you want to act like an idiot and be John Travolta for an hour or two. That's where it belongs. Not on radio.

And to the issue of oldies being bad business - all you hear - I'm assuming from sales people - is we must lower our demo's. The oldies demographic are getting too old - that's the rationale for replacing the 50's with the 70's.

Now if all there was to sell in the world were Fruit Loops, Play Stations,and sneakers - they might have a point. But I got a little secret to share. You know that age group - 35 to 65 - that nobody in sales seems to care about?

THAT'S WHERE ALL THE F*CKING MONEY IS!

(laughter, applause)

I mean ALL the f*cking money.

35 to 65.

Memo to sales team - SELL THEM SOMETHING!

And, by the way, if you want younger people listening, you can get that done. And I mean kids, if you want them.

Who is cooler? Early Elvis or Elton John?

What appeals more to kids, Gene Vincent's black leather attitude, Eddie Cochran's teenage frustration, Little Richard's cry of liberation, and Dion's total Soprano's coolness - or the Eagles?

You want wild? Put together the Sex Pistols, Audioslave, and the Wu-Tang Clan - they aren't as wild as Jerry Lee Lewis in his prime.

But you have to explain that. Show it, illustrate, educate, sell it.

Alright - digression over - so JACK isn't oldies so it must be some kind of classic rock/pop hybrid. But JACK doesn't address the two biggest problems of classic rock. 15 years ago I said we're chasing all the personality out of rock radio and into talk and sports. And the ratings went with it.

We need more personality, not less, and JACK has none.

No DJ's means no personal relationship with the audience. Eventual apathy is inevitable.

The other big issue classic rock must consider is it must start playing new music again.

I've suggested it to my own affiliates and I'll keep saying it every chance I get. We've got a big problem.

Look around. Pearl Jam does some business. Dave Matthews - if he's rock at all - does well. Maybe Oasis breaks this year in the U.S. Maybe Coldplay - if they're considered rock.

But in a real sense, the last big band through the door was U2. That's 25 years ago."

Those good ol' Sonic Reducer boys are on the campaign trail! Part 2 this coming weekend! Click on the photo to read the piece if your eyesight is anything like mine.

Out now on A Fistful Of Records a new 45 by London's Blacktime; I Hate The World And The World Hates Me c/w Sleepwalking and Chinese Mechanics. Lo on the fi, these kids still manage to come up w/ the kind o' racket that not only touches all the right lounchin' pads, but also escapes any obvious comparisons. Hit the above link for ordering info, you won't regret it.

No sooner had I typed the expression "Girls in the garage" then this teaser poster for Dollsquad landed in my inbox from the other side of the world (Australia). Fear not, these ladies are prepared to go further for the party than a couple of dabs of the ol' carbon monoxide for effect.

"Are you ready for the fast action feline frenzy that is DollSquad? Well slide on down to the following boss shows:

Friday 23rd September "Girls in the Garage" @ Pony (68 Little Collins Street) with four killer all girl bands plus the fabulous Man's Ruin Burlesque steamin' up the stage and escape artist extraordinaire Dr El Suavo who will act as the MC for the nite and engage in some impromptu straight jacket antics! Plus a buxotic bevy of gogo dancers, stalls and door prizes.

Saturday 8th October "Kaleidoscope Klub" @ Cobra (Upstairs - The Tote, Johnson St) Pay homage to the heyday of the playboy and playgirl in hedonistic style at Cobra Bar. Dress for the occasion and receive a door prize. The Kaleidoscope Klub features hotter than hot dj''s, live bands, gogo girls in cages no less and grinding burlesque acts.

In other news, DollSquad have finished recording a brand new stack of songs at Preston Studios with Graeme Thomas. We recorded the old fashioned way with all vintage equipment on reel to reel with just two tracks - one for the music and one for the vocals. We were joined by Peter Rechter from the TolPuddle Martyrs and Peter and the Silhouettes (original Aussie garage punkers) on organ!

Been nursing a headache of varying proportions for about a week now. While it's still evident it isn't making me feel nauseous now. I can only assume that's down to the amount of paracetamol that I've popped since last Tuesday. However, needs must and in the area of fighting fire, I thought to myself that some loud music might actually quell the old nip. Not sure about the science part there but it kind of made sense at the time.

Anyway, the soul-tinged stylings of THE SLOW SLUSHY BOYS "LOVE AND AFFECTION" ten inch mini album seems like a good way to start. 10 cuts crammed into this svelt groove with a warmth and grace seldom experienced in recent times. These SSB fellas have their art down-pat and this B-Soul release is something of a revelation. The hammond-fueled antics are as infectious as all get out and like all good hootch, the originals sit effortlessly beside the covers. The title is derived from the Nathaniel Mayer penned "I Want Love and Affection" that kicks this wanton stramash off. Stand out is the unstoppable "Slush Puppy" that would set any worthy dancefloor on fire. Their slide on through Arthur Conley's "I'm Gonna Forget About You" is worthy of The Skeletons themselves. Prepare to get shivers and shakes in equal measures.

LES GODZILLAS appear on that SSB slab but also have their own 250mm (approx) diameter platter available. "GREEDANGELAMENTO" is made up of two group originals and covers of The Seeds, Wanda Jackson, The Pandoras and The Fall (!). The thing that sets it apart from being just another "Girls In The Garage" type thing is its overt Frenchness. It has that Gallic cool which packs a distinct feel to the delivery as opposed to just bashing a songs brains out.

No prizes for guessing where THE DELTABONDS "GOT FUN IF YOU WANT IT" is coming from but it's Fleshtone-powered rambunctiousness short circuits the authentic nature of the garageness. It isn't stuck in the rut of any one era and is somehow recorded as an open ended party invitation. If they can cut it like this live then it'd be quite a hoedown.

Gotta hand it to these French kids. They've been beavering away at rock'n'roll's coal face for years. There was a time when the only place that a US band could get arrested would be in France. Since those days, Spain has come along to offer refuge to the real mccoy in terms of similar mania but if it wasn't for our European brothers and sisters, real music - like real ale - would be in serious trouble. It might well have become extinct by now.

Be a putz and reckon that the UK is the place to be if you want but it's all happening just over yonder horizon. The LARSEN department is ready to help you with your requests for their timeless catalogue staples. A fine place where familiarity could never be construed with contempt.

Ooh wee, old school hip-hop posters 'n Party Flyers.

45s 'n 33s
In these days of MP3s, podcasts and whatnot, it's good to see the 45 is still around, the ultimate quick-fix when it comes to diggin' new sounds.
Slovenly Recordings outta Reno has a nice pair of 7 inches available by the Black Lips! from their first ever recording sessions way back in the year 2000. Good, good R&B influxed garage sounds w/ wailin' harp. By the time someone rounds up their best stuff for a comp, the world is gonna wonder why it never investigated these guys in the first place. The D4's 6Twenty LP is one of the finest full-lengths in recent years, holding up easily along such classics like L.A.M.F and Saturday Night Fever. So yeah, yeah, yeah, I was really lookin' forward to their follow up. What I Want is the first 45 taken from their second album Out Of My Head and it's, well, OK-ish. And that's about all I can say about it. One of these days I'm gonna give OOMM a spin (it's been waiting next to HQ's hi-fi for weeks) but judging by this it still might take a while. NYC's Astralwerks has put out a great twin spin with archive material by Joe Strummer's 101ers. Both tunes (Letsagetabitarockin' and Motor Boys Motor) have been around before but this band's stuff works surprisingly better in short doses. Do I give a shit about the latest Rolling Stones 45? Well, in fact I do. At least in the flipside that is tho'. Rough Justice is as good a Stones tune as you're gonna get these days. Dig Keith's slide parts! From Warner come two very authentic lookin' Stooges singles with material taken from the recent CD re-issues of their first two LPs. John Cale's original mix of Real Cool Time and the original mono 45 mix (w/ organ) of Down In The Street are the main attraction here and deserve whatever amount it takes to nail 'em. The good news is that double-disc vinyl sets of the above mentioned CDS will be out anyday soon. So there you have it. And to round things up, here's a couple o' longplays to be on the lookout for.
1. Reigning Sound - Home For Orphans (Sympathy)
The long promised acoustic set and serious contender for disc of the year. (and while you're at it, don't forget the new Live At Maxwells, less essential, but would you wanna be without any of their stuff?
2. v/a - Soul Power (Trojan/Sanctuary)
Amazing set of early 70s English/Jamaican funk/reggae. Get in the groove!
3. v/a - Return Of The Funk Soulsisters (BGP)
Mucho anticipated follow up to the initial Funk Soulsisters full o' top drawer material once again.

Lez Zeppelin? Read all about 'em.... maybe they'll consider next year's Edinburgh Festival?

Actually, sticking with the "memory-man" theme, I drove past Grangemouth Stadium and the fence there has been replaced by one of those fantoosh jaggy type impaler deals. You can see straight into the grounds and on to the area where I worked in the Record Tent at the Grangemouth Pop Festival. I seem to recall this being in August 1972 or thereabouts and that Uriah Heep didn't turn up amongst other things. Anyway, I can remember selling alot of copies of the first Roxy Music album too for some reason. And Lindisfarne's "Dingley Dell" getting some kind of advanced availabilty specially for the event. Anyway, it was possibly the most ill-conceived bill ever put together in terms of appeal. I remember Billy Connolly, Sunshine, Lindisfarne, Status Quo, The Everly Brothers and Beck, Bogert and Appice. The Average White band may have been involved as might The Sleaze Band. Anyway, there's not much on this worldwide web beastie to help me jog those fried braincells but I did find the very entertaining FALKIRK MUSIC SCENE portal which will whisk anybody who wishes to be back to certain points and persons in the history of this area's "scene". It comes right up to date and offers current happenings too so it's not just a place for daft auld duffers like me to "fouter aboot" in.

As my memory gets more fragmented by the minute, I'm prone to bursts of recall. While these don't happen as frequently as I'd like - one of these flashbacks came to me this afternoon. I don't think that I intimated that the long running rock and roll bible published in Toulouse, France put out DIG IT 34 some months ago.

Though they publish in French, the spirit is very much international and Gildas and his crew have been flying the flag for fine music for longer than any of us possibly care to remember. They are tireless and passionate and if you "reada da lingo" that can only serve to make you enjoy this print more. Like J was saying a wee while ago, there aren't many printzines left. We need to support folks like this crew that are prepared to go that extra mile.

Ben (Gart via the Staysick Board) flagged up the problem of having been connected to a blackjack/poker site when he tried to visit us yesterday. Far as I can tell things are all operating fine now but it's hard to keep up with all the "rapidly spreading threats". If you were in the same boat then apologies but I "divnae ken" what happened but will keep an eye on it. This kind of bollocks makes me hark back to better times when communications were less prone to the interference of fuckwits who basically exist to put a spanner into whatever works that they can. Several recent occurrences have made me consider just retiring from the whole shooting match. If it weren't for Jeroen and Steve then I probably wouldn't be in this virtual fracas anyway but it is fun. Sometimes. Particularly when you make contact with a long, never heard from amigo, or when you discover something really great that you just have to share. But with all that, there's the spam and similarly irritating pish to contend with. All sent to try us I know, but when you consider how far down the pan the human race is in general, isn't it feasible that enough people would realise that and at least attempt to pull us out of the whole big tailspin. Wouldn't it be great if you heard on the news that there were no suicide bombings today anywhere? Anyway, it's not likely and that kind of optimism has been sparring with my mostly dark mood of late.

I'd like to take this opporchancity to wish the great Long Ryding Sidney Griffin all the best for his impending half-century. More geezers with that sorta chutzpah if you please. If you're in London, go help him celebrate...

Been a quiet few days hereabouts, taken advantage of that to keep the mitts off the old keyboard, and the peepers "aff" the screen. Maybe if I stay away long enough I'll get my eyesight back? Then again...




Euro-based Dictators afficianados should be able to score VIVA DICTATORS via the Escapi Distribution network. It can also be procured via the band website for $15 along with back catalogue cd action for just $10 a pop. So if you've been holding off on giving that vinyl of yours some respite, this is the time. And if you're feeling flush you could direct some of those savings to a worthy cause.

For a limited period, order a copy of AMY RIGBY's LITTLE FUGITIVE album direct from SIGNATURE SOUNDS and you'll get a limited edition 45 of "Dancing With Joey Ramone" thrown in with the deal.

If you already have the album and need to score the 45 (flip is a cover of Wire's "Mannequin" performed live with Hazel) then contact Amy via her website and she might be able to hook you up.

If ever a song deserved to be in that good ol' 45 format then it's this one.

"Hello Friend, The lads of SUSQUEHANNA INDUSTRIAL TOOL & DIE CO. cordially invite you to join them on THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH for the company's lone date this month at OTTO'S SHRUNKEN HEAD, located at 538 East 14th Street in Manhattan's Eastern Village.

Why, it promises to be a fine night of entertainment, what with our special guests ROSALIE MORRIS and DJ REX DOANE of WFMU -- plus, as is the custom, a free raffle! Two shows are on tap, beginning at 8:00 and 10:00. And you betcha it's all FREE.

Sincerely, Michael, SIT & Die Co., "Ballads, Boogies & Blues"

THE SAINTS are back for a short UK tour in-between re-conquering their home soil of Australia this autumn.

SUNDAY - SEPTEMBER 25TH, THE UNDERWORLD, LONDON

TUESDAY - SEPTEMBER 27TH, JOSEPH’S WELL, LEEDS

WEDNESDAY - SEPTEMBER 28TH, ROCK CITY, NOTTINGHAM

FRIDAY - SEPTEMBER 30TH, THE CROFT, BRISTOL

Now slimmed down to a fiery three piece (Marti is taking a holiday) THE SAINTS hit the road to re-establish their reputation the one of the premier punk bands still at their peak. Re-promoting their album “Nothing Is Straight In My House” (Cadiz) and new single BANG ON available on Itunes/HMV Digital and Virgin Digital. They'll be ably supported by Billy No Mates (featuring Dominic Redmonds from Snuff) on all dates. Beyond Reasonable Doubt on all dates except for Bristol and Mr Shiraz in Leeds.

"The Shooting Gallery & Tiki News magazine present "Tiki Art Two: The Second Coming of a New Art God," a group show of new work inspired by Tiki including Bosko, Kirsten Easthope, Niagara, Isabel Samaras, Shag, and more.

Tiki Art Two

Opening: Friday, Sept. 16, 2005 - 7pm - 11pm, 839 Larkin St., San Francisco, CA 94109

This unique array of neo-primitive images is also captured in a 112 page full color catalog available opening night!

Images: “Gone Native (Joseph Vialetes de Mortarieu)" and “Gone Native (Princess Albert de Broglie)”. Oil on wood -20 x 16 inches (each) by Isabel Samaras.

GONERFEST

RIP - Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown (link provided by MT)

From Barney Hoskyns...

"Hi there, Forgive the shameless advance (self-) promotion, but I wanted to let you know that my new book, HOTEL CALIFORNIA: SINGER-SONGWRITERS & COCAINE COWBOYS IN THE LA CANYONS 1967-1976, is being published in the UK in November by Fourth Estate. US publication by Wiley & Sons follows in the spring.

The book is about the Los Angeles music scene after the Monterey Pop festival and before punk, focusing on the relationships between the artists represented by managers/label-owners David Geffen and Elliot Roberts: Neil Young, Crosby Stills & Nash, Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, JD Souther, the Eagles, Warren Zevon, Judee Sill and others. Simon Reynolds was kind enough to write the following:

"One of our finest pop historians reappraises a neglected and often maligned milieu, the soft-rock and singer-songwriter superstars of Southern California, that FM radio aristocracy who dominated almost the entirety of the 1970s. Barney Hoskyns deftly evokes not just the decadence but the sense of discovery, rooted in Sixties idealism and fostered by a gaggle of record industry mavericks who for a brief period managed to make art and business co-exist."

BMX BANDITS are at MONO in Glasgow tonight at 9pm and it costs exactly no money to enter those hallowed portals. And whilst we're on the subject of Bellshill... Davie Scott's excellent programme on TEENAGE FANCLUB's BANDWAGONESQUE is on Radio Scotland's LISTEN AGAIN feature for the whole of the coming week from today. Just click on the Classic Scottish Album feature and follow the wee audio (star) sign beside the title...

Join Pat Todd & The Rankoutsiders as we Rock San Diego & Long Beach

Where: The Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd., San Diego, CA 92101. The Woggles, Pat Todd & the Rankoutsiders (ex-Lazy Cowgirls), The Loons, DJ Tony the Tiger!!! When: wednesday, Sept. 14th 9:00pm. How Much: $8
AND we'll be in Long Beach the following Friday, Sept 16th: Where: Que Sera/Club Strychnine 1923 East 7th Street (at Cherry Avenue), Long Beach, CA 90804. Pat Todd & The Rankoutsiders will Rock Out Long Beach Yet Again!! w/ The Loons & Harbortown Saints (ex-Humpers/Lords of Altamont)

Mr Vahlberg kindly sent me the heads-up on whats happening ala ROBERT JOHNSON and PUNCHDRUNKS. The soon-to-be released "Taste The Whup At Old Dog" is quite a departure from the futuristic surf. This is more a polysymphonic spree kinda like John Carpenter getting it on with Yellow Magic Orchestra while they figure out some Joe Meek chops. The electronica-fied programmed drum throb might be alarming on first entry but stick with it. The pulsating backbeat isn't as much of a jump as the initial jolt would suggest. There are only two members in RJaP now and they've got 14 different producers on the 14 cuts that make up the album.

The cinematic sweep of the sound makes me wonder if this'll ever be performed live. I can't see these guys hamming it up amidst a battery of stadium lighting like The Chemical Brothers or Orbital. Robert is too steeped in rock'n'roll for that, to my mind. When I visited their site, I saw there was a 2cd collection of previously released material available with plenty of rare and unreleased gear on there too. Having had the privilege of witnessing the raw power of RJ in action, I've got the bug. I could see where this new direction could flummox people. However, when the surprise - or even shock - has quelled, this bold jump is oddly satisfying.

There are obvious Kraftwerk and Suicide comparisons to be made and lazy bastards might be inclined to write off "Old Dog" as such. However, there are many subliminal riches in these seams and aided/abetted by serious volume - there's a lotta life in this strange twist in the road that our Swedish chums have taken.

Dirty Water and Club for Losers get together for DIRTY LOSERS - TONIGHT! It's at Clockwork, 96 Pentonville Road, Islington (five minutes walk from Angel, seven minutes from Kings Cross) with live sounds from:

TITS OF DEATH – Five women, two bass guitars, two synths, one guitar. And the dirty box! T*ts of Death was borne out of not much more than the simple desire to jump around and act out the deepest, darkest, most Spinal Tap-esque of rock fantasies. And yet the beast has grown to become the dirtiest, s*xiest girl rock’n’roll group in town. If you’ve been wanting a band with the Runaways/Suzy Quatro/Girlschool kind of spirit then this is the group you’ve been waiting for!

BONAR LAW claim that "...in these bitter climes of boring, two dimensional, cut and paste pretension the eclectic nature of Bonar Law and her offspring of intense modern pop songs threaten to bring all adversaries to their knees or sweep them off their feet. One more aphrodisiac for the road!"

Doors open at 8:30pm, just a fiver to get in. Three for a fiver on some lines of bottled beers, draught beers also available. DJs till 3am.

Anybody who can, oughtta make it a priority to get to the shindig in Brooklyn tomorrow. Details below. Great people getting together for a great cause who will get the funds raised directly to the people who need it.

It's been a quiet week in terms of anything happening around here. Our old mucker, Mr David Snyder has made the hop from from Philly to Glasgow for a few days so we'll be hanging out with that wildman. He'll have copies of his new BOB pamphlet with him so if any of you folks want one then just let me know and I'll mail you one. At no cost to your bad self.

Those Boonaraaas are heading for the studio this weekend somewhere in Germany to start work on the follow up to Go Get Goo Goo. That made me wonder what's happened to the Voladoras album. Isn't there a label out there that needs some primo gear to release instead of the slop that's served up on a daily basis?

Just heard a great song by someone called Linda Cumbo on Brian Matthews so I'm off now to track that down. It's on a President Records comp.

Nothing to do with Wee G I imagine, so we're all set...

From Mr Spence... fresh from his tussle with those DRIVE BY TRUCKERS...

"Greetings Brothers, Sisters, and relatives of varying/dubious degrees of separation!
It doesn't look like the promoters for these shows have done much promotion (the
Edinburgh one has a poster advertising the show for Tuesday!) ...so I'll do it for them! There's a coupla impending kick-ass shows in Glasgow & Edinburgh....

SUN 11th SEPT - NICE'N'SLEAZY, GLASGOW doors - 8.30; £7(?) admission

THE IMMORTAL LEE COUNTY KILLERS 3 - Auburn, Alabama's finest exponents of the essential fucked-up blues return w/ a new LP to punt called "These Bones Will Rise to Love You Again" on Funhouse Recs. Check 'em out at...
www.leecountykillers.com

BLACK DIAMOND HEAVIES - tour support 3-piece from Nashville ...dunno much
about them - but if the 'ILCKs rate 'em, they should be good! More info at...
www.blackdiamondheavies.com

MON 12th SEPT - THE SUBWAY, EDINBURGH doors - 7.30; £6 admission

THE IMMORTAL LEE COUNTY KILLERS 3
BLACK DIAMOND HEAVIES (...see above for web-pages)
THE GREASE MONKEYS - well, you know what we do!

....if you can't make it along, please still spread the word - 'cos no-one else is, and the ILCK3 are a damn fine band. Hope to see y'all there.

All the Best..................Jim & the Grease Monkeys"

Somebody shoot 'em; Scam 69: " Playing all the classic Pop, Punk & New Wave top twenty hits from 1977 - 1982". (Link c/o Michel Fenderwoods)

Hey Folks,


Big benefit for victims of Katrina this Sunday in Brooklyn!!! Know that the money raised at this event will go directly to people from the rock and roll community who are in need...

Sun 9/11

at Magnetic Field - 97 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn

$10 cover (more if you can afford it!)

Doors 4PM

Bands start at 6PM, DJs all day and all night long!!!!

Bands to play:

A-BONES (Norton Records)

KID CONGO and the PINK MONKEY BIRDS (ex-Cramps, Gun

Club, Bad Seeds)

INSOMNIACS (NJ Mod-Garage Rockers)

SPITTOONS (Brooklyn 50s and 60s rock n rollers)

Plus DJs all day and and all night long:

TIM WARREN (Crypt Records)

TODDOPHONIC TODD (Telstar Records, WFMU)

KARI KROME (from the Runaways!)

DAVE THE SPAZZ (WFMU)

THE GREAT GAYLORD (WFMU)

JOSH STYLES (Smashed Blocked)

THE THING WITH TWO HEADS (Penetration Party),

PADDY BULLOCKS (Penetration/Shop Fronts)

TOMDASH (Dot Dash)


Raffles from: Crypt Records, Sympathy for the Record Industry, Get Hip Records, Telstar Records, Norton Records, as well as local merchants and community members!

Baked Goods for Sale, Special CD comps for Sale

All proceeds will go to The Rock n Roll Community Fund and New Orleans Musicians Clinic. For more info on these funds, please see below...

Since this was done on the fly, please spread the word!!!

The rock and roll community fund

This fund was put together to aid members of the garage and punk rock communities who have lost everything due to Hurricane Katrina. Most recipients identified are currently in Memphis and Austin, however we are taking names of those in need from wherever they have established temporary homes. Thanks to DJ Paddy Bullocks, whose father is a minister there, funds are being administered by Trinity Parish Church. Due the high concentration of those in need who have fled to Memphis and Austin, funds are being distributed by Goner Records in Memphis and Rocks Off Records in Austin.

Trinity Parish Church Episcopal Discretionary Fund, 200 N Elm St, Searcy, AR 72143-5271 put Katrina Fund in subject line of check, paypal to: trinityparish@yahoo.com

New Orleans Musicians Clinic (NOMC)

This is a fantastic hands on organization who has the names and addresses of so many great musicians because they have them all coming to their FREE health clinic all these years and now, they are the ones who are tracking down the local musicians and finding them shelter. They are the New Orleans Musicians Clinic and know the whereabouts of the local musicians down there.

Send donations to:

NOMC Emergency Fund

funds will be distributed by:

SW LA Area Health Education Center Foundation, Inc.

103 Independence Blvd.

Lafayette, LA 70506

desk: 337-989-0001

fax: 337-989-1401

Contact: Kathy Richard directly at 337 989-0001

email: finance@swlahec.com http://www.swlahec.com/

musiciank@swlahec.com

The New Orleans Musicians Clinic is determined to keep Louisiana Music Alive! We want to relocate our New Orleans musicians into the Lafayette/ Acadiana community where they can remain a life force! But most of them have lost everything... we must help them rebuild their lives.

(Thanks also to Buzz Nutter and Eric for forwarding this info also...)

(From 60sGarageBands.com). "Coming soon - finally - is the long awaited release of an official and legitimate compilation by Question Mark & the Mysterians. ABKCO has announced a 27 song Best Of featuring all their best known songs ("96 Tears", "I Need Somebody", "Girl [You Captivate Me]", "Can' Get Enough Of Your Love") and at least one previously unreleased track, an alternate version of "Midnight Hour". ABKCO has announced multiple titles since the release of the Cameo-Parkway Story boxed set, but so far this is the only one that will interest regular readers to this website".

Gilligan is gone... RIP: Bob Denver.

Friday 11th November, Chris Wilson & his Groovin' Flames at the Dirty Water Club.
"Chris Wilson joined The Flamin’Groovies to replace the departing Roy Loney as lead singer and spearheaded their proudly Anglophile masterpieces, including Shake Some Action, Flamin’ Groovies Now! and Jumpin’ In The Night before going on to form The Sneetches. Bringing things up to date, Chris has now moved to London and joined the resurrected Barracudas. With appreciation for the Flamin’ Groovies as high as it’s ever been, Chris figures that there are enough people out there wanting to hear the songs he recorded and played on during his time with the Groovies. So with the most rabid of fans on board, including members of The Scientists, Barrracudas, Scoundrelles and Silver Chapter, be prepared to hear note (and attitude)perfect renditions of such favourites as the aforementioned, as well as Slow Death, You Tore Me Down, Between The Lines, When I Heard Your Name and many more classics besides".

I just had somebody reply to my wee rant about Bush that called me a “gloating euro-leftie”. I was speechless for a few seconds then replied. Never realised that I could pass myself off as such a beast, maybe a career in identity theft beckons? Or maybe not. Sometimes US friends apologise for their president but they don’t need to. He’s not their fault. Like Blair isn’t mine. The blame culture is in full swing and that’s what’s wrong with our countries'. The finger pointing, the need to apportion the albatross of “It wis him/her mister/missus” clouds everything. I think the people at the coal face should be helped irrespective of who fucked up at this point. Having said that, that little smirking goon just constantly acts out in "That's My Bush" style. Are Trey and Matt directing him. He can't look sincere as far as I can tell. What happened to that show anyway? Why hasn't it come out on DVD?? Let me bask in my "authority" willya? When faced with pish like that, I wonder to myself - what is the point?

The South of the place they call North America has taken a bit of a pasting this past week or so. First its cultural capital is practically wiped off the face of this sorry earth and then The Dukes of Hazzard movie came out. Daisy Duke was never a skank like that Jessica Simpson? – Discuss. Anyway, that section of the country has gotta rise again and with representatives like The Drive By Truckers then they’re in with a shout.

Monday nights’ packed to the rafters show at King Tut’s in Glasgow was evidence of a combo on the upward trajectory. Even when the sound took a turn for the hairy, the sheer power of their ouvre came in loud and clear. They made the very mature audience very happy and it’s unfortunate that the auld Glasgow Apollo can’t be rebuilt to host the next time they breeze though these parts. Though it harks back to a specific niche, the delivery never comes across as being dated. It’s a testament to their sickness that it transcends parody to become a moonshine-embattled enclave in this world of shite we have to tholl. Like the Mike Rep and George Brigman sounds, the honesty of their toil shines like a stream of bat’s piss. No crappy support bands, just two hours plus of what people paid to see, it stretched my attention span a wee bit but I wonder if that concept could catch on? Mr Spence commented on the way out that it was “a bit Jon Cougar Mellencamp” . Ah, these spirited young punk rockers…

The winner of the Mercury Music Prize was the indescribably awful Antony and the Johnsons, sheep will now score said album and wonder WHY? Dinosaur Mahaffey will be sharpening his literary pitchfork when he finds outs about this methinks…

If you wanna keep posted on what's new on the music front, just check the monthly updates at the Dangerhouse Record Store in France who obviously know their stuff...

To quote the below "During this Saturday's shindig, a voluntary collection will be made for the Trinity Parish Church Episcopal Discretionary Fund, a non-governmental organisation which is already helping the younger members of New Orleans' rock'n'roll community who have lost their homes, pets, jobs, musical equipment, computers, and maybe more than one loved one. In conjunction with the good folks at Goner Records in Memphis, and members of the Goner Message Board, the fund is helping folks like your good self at street level, with food, clothing, and shelter. No admin costs are being deducted from the amount collected, save a 3% PayPal transaction fee.

You can also send money directly to: Trinity Parish Church Episcopal Discretionary Fund. 200 N Elm St. Searcy, AR 72143-5271. put 'Katrina Fund' in subject line of check. paypal to: trinityparish@yahoo.com. checks are preferred... paypal takes around 3%, but whatever you can give is appreciated and needed. This money will be dispersed through Goner for those in need of funds.

This month's releases from Ace Records.

Just in from Amy Rigby... Alex Chilton has been airlifted to Houston!



Sonic Reducer @ Filthy MacNasty's - New Orleans hurricane relief benefit!  
"Like millions around the globe, Sonic Reducer club honchos Bigkegshandy and Teen Slain have been left "shocked, and stunned" by the devastation wreaked by hurricane Katrina upon the beautiful city of New Orleans.

Saturday September 10th will see Sonic Reducer hold its first night at new home Filthy MacNasty's, and will feature a hefty dose of the finest New Orleans/Louisiana-spawned funk and soul 45s, in tribute to the indomitable spirit of the Crescent City. Fats Domino, Allan Toussaint, the Nevilles, Dave Bartholomew, and other New Orleans music greats have (thankfully) survived this disaster, but other Big Easy notables (including Bobby Charles, Chuck Carbo, Cosimo Matassa, Frankie Ford, and local resident Alex
Chilton) remain missing at the time of writing.

During this Saturday's shindig, a voluntary collection will be made for the Trinity Parish Church Episcopal Discretionary Fund, a non-governmental organisation which is already helping the younger members of New Orleans'
rock'n'roll community who have lost their homes, pets, jobs, musical equipment, computers, and maybe more than one loved one. In conjunction with the good folks at Goner Records in Memphis, and members of the Goner Message Board, the fund is helping folks like your good self at street level, with food, clothing, and shelter. No admin costs are being deducted from the amount collected, save a 3% PayPal transaction fee.

So come on down to Filthy's, have a drink, a dance, check out the vintage footage on the big screen, and drop some change in the bucket. After all, it don't cost owt to get in ...

See you at the bar ...

Selah

Joss & Joe"

Two books that might be of interest to NBT readers are Grit, Noise and Revolution: The Birth of Detroit Rock 'n' Roll by David A. Carson (University of Michigan Press) and Sin-A-Rama (Feral House). The first offers a very detailed history of rock 'n roll in Detroit, startin' off with the likes of John Lee Hooker and Hank Ballard via Fortune records, Del Shannon, Jack Scott, Motown, Gino Washington and Hideout records to the main focus on the MC 5, Stooges, Detroit Wheels, Alice Cooper etc. It rounds up an incredible amount of information, so much so that at times it clashes somewhat with the actual "flow" of the story. But hey, the subject bein' what it is, I can't think of any reason you folks out there would not want to dig into this. The story ends in the early 70s so there's plenty of room for a second volume on stuff like the New Order, Sonic's Rendevouz band, Gories and, yes, Detroit's Acid House scene. The second is an equally (maybe even more so) well-researched history of sleaze sex paperbacks of the sixties. Co-edited by Miriam Linna, this set rounds up all kindsa arcane knowledge on writers, publishers and cover artists. Not to mention the incredible selection of reprints of original cover artwork that'll keep your peepers busy for hours on end. Both books get the thumbs up, no two ways about it. And yep, seein' the picture of the Pleasure Seekers in the former, I figure it could have once inspired a story easily suited for the latter...

Mo Pitkin's House of Satisfaction

Trash comes in many forms these days. In my experience it always alluded to a certain quality, a romantic notion not shared by conventional society. It's become synonomous with a putdown in terms of social class but when applied to music these boundaries are still unbreached. Of course there's calculated trash but that will never measure up to the beating organ of the stuff that comes from within. So there's CANDYE KAYNE's "White Trash Girl", the latest album from that Big lassie of the blues. Her voice is as big as her person and a warm breeze of bar-room r&b. Lovingly laid down in the climes of Austin, TX - the record reeks of character, the like of which the Universal Musics of this world could never understand. This is something that could really be cultivated. Both in terms of building up a justified celebrity and also in terms of the music. She wouldn't be a "novelty" after the first coupla verses because this is an artist that genuinely has talent.

A big, dirty rasping ability that doesn't require airbrushing or smoothing out. This collection of originals and standards is the kinda thing that should be travelling around these alleged shindigs like the Edinburgh Festival. I'd be right there in Princes Street Gardens if there was the prospect of hearing her holler Bull Moose's "Big Fat Mamas Are Back In Style". Candye isnae fat though, she's just big-boned and she can swing like a highwire gymnast. Contact Ruf Records in Germany for availability details.


And (honestly, I didn't do this purposely) that brings us to HEAVY TRASH. Jon Spencer and Matt Verta-Ray's rockabillious side project that's currently blowing through Europe. Like the CK album it comes in a fabulously art-directed digi-pak. Though these things will never match a record jacket, these two items are very well dressed. And they're less likely to get totalled in the mail.

Anyway, HT is likely to have your average Cramps fan salivating and owes a lot to that hiccuping vanguard while being altogether cleaner and more countrified. Their self-titled Stones-kissed twangfest is available on several imprints worldwide. Check their website for your closest harbinger. This Trash augments their irresistable rattle with a certain degree of style in presentation that offers a formidable prowess in terms of concept. The only fault I can see with all this is that they spelled Jon Graboff's name wrong on the jacket. A daft oversight really being that it's the same as Spencer's. But anyway, I bet this is a whole lotta yuks in a club so hopefully the circus will head this way eventually. I think we could use some of their tomfoolery right about now. I'm a sucker for songs that celebrate the great Jim Dandy. HT recall the America that we love, not the one that's dragging everybody to hell in a handbasket. A wise man recently likened the state of the nation out there to be "the shuffling of chairs on the deck of the Titanic". Iraq presumably playing the role of the iceberg.

And on that sustained chord with a smidge of echo...

Mr Wills tells me that the new BARRACUDAS album should be available in the more discerning Euro outlets. It is also gettable from Not lame and direct from NDN. One way or another you should all be able to procure a copy in order to learn the words for the arcane singalonga'cudas that will take place at the hallowed Dirty Water Club this coming October 7th. There are also 2 Spanish shows confirmed...

Friday 30th September - Tomelloso (Beat)

Saturday 1st October - Madrid (El Sol)

If you haven't had the pleasure of a blast from this recently issued marvel then prepare to have those cobwebs sonically removed. For a wee while at least, you'll feel strangely optimistic about the world without the aid of medication.

If you’re as frustrated as I am with all The Stooges repackaging that’s going on then maybe you’ll find some solace in Mike Rep and The Quotas. As important as those Elektra artefacts are to me, I almost never have to hear them again. Would I go to see The Stooges? Yes, if they played Barrowlands – but I wouldn’t really travel to see ‘em. Truth is I can’t even really look at Iggy any more. He’s become a caricature and before you wade into me for this sacrilicious slur, I’m entitled to my opinion. If I could go see the guys without him, playing instrumental versions of the songs then I’d buy into that. Wee Jimmy I can live without, I guess it’s actually been that way since "The Idiot" and "Lust For Life" when he went eurodisco. The only time I saw him that he was any good - in my opinion - was the time when Andy McCoy of Hanoi Rocks was in his band.



Anyway, Mr Rep deals in that kinda blistering dirty rock that the Stooges spirit begat. One day he may benefit from his back catalogue being milked but for now he’s blasting out some primo riffage from his Ohio silo. "Black Hole Rock" is the title and may well serve as a billet to hang a name on his particular brand of rockist hootch. “Rocket Music On” kicks off the set to reach quite an altitude. Spartanly recorded, the imbibing of this should involve maximum volume wherever possible. You’d never be able to tell that it was recorded in 2004, I believe - according to the good offices of Dr Hesske - that it's "lovingly fucked with" to achieve this compressed, potentially dangerous energy. It’s like some great lost artefact from the wastelands of 1974 delivered like the Rocket From The Tombs gear that Smog Veil/Glitterhouse laid on us. Mike looks like Kris Kristofferson’s evil twin on the cover and his combo’s smokin’ scuzz rock is an example of what can be achieved when something is quite obviously delivered from the heart. The lyrics to “HM My Mind” are bleedin’ sublime and you get the feeling that he means it “Maaaan”. There are also elements of MX-80iness which makes it even cooler. I know Goner in Memphis has copies and Volcanic Tongue also (probably). Write to MIKE if you have any problems in tracking it down.


Likewise retro but making scary sense here in the wilds of 2005 are George Brigman and Split’s “I Can Hear The Ants Dancin’” and his “Jungle Rot” on the specially reactivated for the occasion Bona Fide imprint. Expanded and improved to counteract some nasty bootleg version of Brigman’s guitar slingin’ exploits. Chris Stigliano has covered both volumes at length but it remains to be said that these cd’s could eat up the faux-70’s output of boy-band prog like those Kings Of Leon for the first meal of the day. “Ants” was mostly recorded in 1977 and was somewhat at odds with the punk explosion that was happening around it. It sounds more like it was made in maybe 1972. Like Zappa or Hendrix footprints being found in Tom Verlaine country, some of this comes dangerously close to being noodly but there’s a psychosis evident that makes it seem somewhat dangerous. “Animal Dope” is like Nirvana dipping into some Stalk Forrest Group chops. The spliffmungous sounds of this Groundhogs fixated Baltimorian could make for some uneasy listening if you aren’t in the right mood.

“Jungle Rot” is billed as “the original fuzz-fried acid blues punk classic!”, if anything it sounds even more contempt-orary than “Ants”, it has a peculiar compression that stunts the overt ugliness of the blues-rock that perhaps offered up some sacrificial influence to the altar/mixing board that captured it. Sit right down and make yourself purposely uncomfortable. It’ll be worth it.

I'm somewhat relieved to have heard from Amy Allison that her sister and family made it out of New Orleans. Less relieved to hear that no positive indication of Alex Chilton's managing to bodyswerve the catastrophe seems to be in evidence. Of course, the reportage is that the evacuation of the area is stepping up but the horror stories just keep on coming. This is an area that's as big as the whole UK that's been totalled! I just heard a report on the radio to the effect that what's left of the city will have to be flattened. The water damage on its own will result in toxic mould being present which would render structures unusable. Such an important cultural location has simply ceased to exist. All that history, all those people's lifetimes work snuffed out in a fingerclick. Fucking heartbreaking. Meanwhile Condie and Donut Rumsfield are going down there today and Wee Smirko tomorrow. That's not gonna do much for the old lady who's body was dumped at a door to that astrodome place though is it.

"The president is facing real problems over his handling of the situation". Well, well...

Printed 'zines are few 'n far between these days, so it's good to see that there's still people out there willin' to dive head first into the wonderful and exciting world of DIY publishing. Rock & Roll Poison is the latest contender from over here in Holland, and features stuff on the Bassholes, Lost Sounds, Dirtbombs, the No-Goods and Springsteen. Good ol' cut 'n paste graphics, and besides the comics it's all in English. Done by an actual "kid", this deserves your support. Contact Teun for ordering info...

The Whiskey Daredevils are “a natural extension of The Cowslingers” and being a modest bunch they’ve called their full length debut “Greatest Hits”. As country-smoked Garage punk goes it’s not half bad and it should entertain you folks who sport a penchant for such a strain. These Daredevils know their limitations and they aren’t afraid to exploit that. They run the gamut from Southern Culture all the way to Nine Pound Hammer and blaze that trash trail with a cheeky knowing smirk. They’ve got it down and there’s nothing wrong with that. Feeling Merle Haggard and short of Johnny Cash indeed, That’ll be the Lakewood, Ohio rhyming slang.



Rock ’n’ Roll Monkey and The Robots “Detroit Trauma” reminds me of a fuzzed-up Black Vinyl Shoes. Quite overtly poppy but twisted with a claustrophobic Mary Chain-ness. Built around the trio of Craig Campbell, Jackie Herman and Ken Seech, this combo isn’t just another Motor City garage band. Their fare is a little more open ended and even veers into DIY indie territory. I’m not sure how the media grades something like this nowadays, as far as I can tell this could be the next überhipster thing. It has those trappings but kids who discover their musical intake via computer games probably wouldn’t get it at all. “Toss It Back Like Kerouac” and “James Dean Was A Jerk” served up on a 7” 45 would have almost definitely floated John Peel’s boat to my mind. There’s a lot going on over these 12 songs, each repeated play will draw you deeper into the R’n’R Monkey domain. These people deal in a peculiar concoction that could well catch on but what the heck do I know? Now, there's an invitation if ever there was one...

and finally... the ENCYCLOPAEDIA FAKEBANDICUS!