I'm a little pissed off with the whole Ebay phenomenon right now. A large proportion of this is down to the spoof mails that arrive two or three times a day from parasites eager to get bank, credit card or whatever details. A victim of its own success, the TV advertising and general media boom created round the site now is squeezing the pus out of the boil in terms of the lengths that thieving scum will go to. Anyway, that said - there are still bargains to be had. Classics that have yet to enjoy the status of being so and PARLOR JAMES "Dreadful Sorry" EP and "Old Dreams" album fall into that category. There are copies on there now for virtually nowt. As you may or may not know, these discs feature the early works of Amy Allison. The production could be described as iffy but "Hell to Pay" on the ep in particular is more than worth the entrance fee. Just go to ebay, search on Parlor james and take a wee flutter. It'll be fun.

A missive from Mr Spence... it's a GREASE MONKEY world!

"Howdy Folks! I know it's late notice, but we only found out today that we were playing...

THURSDAY 7TH APRIL- KING TUT'S WAH WAH HUT, ST VINCENT ST., GLASGOW Tickets - £11(!!!)*; Doors - probably 8pm
TH' LEGENDARY SHACK SHAKERS - seminal roots rockabilly from Kentucky, rated by Hank Williams III, Jason Ringenberg, the Reverent Horton Heat, and Jello Biafra! - and - THE GREASE MONKEYS we're getting tickets to sell for it tomorrow (yeah great - thanks Tuts!) which we can sell to you at a cheaper price. So drop me a line back if you want tickets kept by on the door for you at Monkeys discount price.

(If you want to do this e-mail NBT and I'll pass the info to Jim)

Also, later this month we've got the (sorta) Bronx Cheer Fest.....

MONDAY 25TH APRIL - THE BARFLY, CLYDE ST., GLASGOW
Tickets - £7; Doors: 8pm

THE BELLRAYS - maximum rock'n'soul from LA - current LP, "The Red, White & Black" is out on both Poptones and Alternative Tentacles...
SUNSHINE - nope, me neither. Probably a corporate buy-on w/ a name like that! - and - THE GREASE MONKEYS

TUESDAY 26TH APRIL - NICE 'N' SLEAZY, SAUCHIEHALL ST., GLASGOW
Tickets - (probably) £7; Doors: 8pm (I think)

THE IMMORTAL LEE COUNTY KILLERS III - the essential fucked-up blues, all the way from Auburn, Alabama w/ releases on Estrus & Sweet Nothing - now w/ additional keyboards! HIGH PLANE DRIFTERS - nope, me neither - but they're playing the Barfly this Weds w/ the Soledad Brothers, Kain, etc, if you wanna preview - and - THE GREASE MONKEYS

Anyways, hope to see y'all at a show this month.

All the Best....................Jim 'n' the Grease Monkeys!"

The Jason Pierce curated event, a kind of Meltdown in the North (Meltdoon even) in Newcastle Upon Tyne in May goes as follows... Thanks to Mr Campbell for the info...

Tav Falco Sat 21st May w/ DJ Andy Weatherall
The Dirtbombs Mon 23rd May w/ DJ Jason Pierce
Daniel Johnston Thur 26th May w/ DJ Jason Pierce
The Flaming Stars Sun 29th May

also showing Robert Gordon films on the afternoons

and of course SOUTHERN CULTURE ON THE SKIDS on Sat 14th with Los Coyotes.

All of this action takes place at

The Head Of Steam At The Cluny
36 Lime Street, Ouseburn, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. NE1 2PQ