From Alien Snatch HQ: "Get down on the git down"! Spread the news, after the successful debut album the GHETTO WAYS are ready to perform their second bash of which we are damn proud here. Solid Brown is a soul trash rock´n´roll deathbeam album full of nitty-gritty, dirty soul and and proto-punk rawk titles by our favourite Brooklyn, NYC crime family. Their constant switching of the lead vocals, their luv & fights makes the live show an experience of the anarchic GHETTO WAYS adventure. What is this three piece all about? Treated like outcasts in their hometown, the old world celebrate them as a hot act right on their first tour in 2004. Entertainment-madman Harry Warwick III on the drums alone draw enuff attention with his raucous bashing breaking ranks drumming. Not able to sit tight for a minute it´s his boundless energy and filthy punk rock vocals delivering the steam. On the opposite, Captain Shane Konen got the talent to do an outstanding job on the bass, responsible for the undeniable rhythm. Again he´s the mastermind getting the merits for recording/producing this album. Yes, THIS is a blackly, yet brown garage rock record in its primal sense! The gospel-fervour, the roaring guitars, the stunning soul lead vocals and heartful screams is Jenna Young. The way she sings and rocks her way through "Say Yeah" and "Get Up" is pure class. On Solid Brown she takes the Solomon Burke classic "Home in Your Heart" to a new level. Suspected of poaching in the STAX records box, getting OBLIVIANS, STOOGES, CRIME, DEAD BOYS on the one and DIRTBOMBS, BELLRAYS references on the other hand it´s not possible to steer the GHETTO WAYS too far in any direction, which solely speaks for them. Witness the raw power making the audience sweat like galley slaves, listen to "Way Too Late" and imagine sold out clubs in late august! Those who've shared time with slick soul men and women with polished shoes and Austin Powers behavior might check their friends and rather bang on the trash cans with the wild ones. It´s a kick in the balls. It´s naked and real. See european tourdates below, GHETTO WAYS rampaging thru your city in September 2005. Be there as often as you can and change undies with the band! A US tour is planned for 2006, for those who not believe yet. Suprisingly professional video of the new dance in town "The Na Na" is available for download! Check out the black dude jamming with the band! Find out some more of Harry´s multiple personalities! Wonder why Jenna still isn´t on the album cover! LP is on 180g vinyl, first couple hundred come with a large poster.

2nd Primitive Festival, The Waterfront, Rotterdam – recollections by Lenny Helsing

Thursday 30 June

I missed the first group to appear, Fury 161, from Rotterdam, as we were still getiin' it together to get ourselves down to the Waterfront so I can't tell yez anything cept that in the photo in the programme they wear black, one has on a single black glove and they cite The Monks, The Standells, and Miracle Workers as an inspiration…

The Unchayned are a ramshackle, garage-a-holic type group with cool girl lead guitar player, and a diminutive dynamo of a drummer called Graham who takes care of the bulk of lead vocals/screams. They're from around the Wiltshire area of England, and what they lacked in finesse they made up for in snot-encrusted ineptitude. Amongst other things they did 'Wildman' of The Tamrons fame. Once their set ended it was outside for some much needed fresh air…and fresh beer …and to catch up with some old pals that were here somewhere.

Then came The Rapiers…well, our hearts went out to them as they’ve just experienced the tragic death of their rhythm guitar player, and his wife, in a horrific road accident earlier in the month in London when their motorbike was in collision with a learner-driver in a car…anyway they gallantly got themselves a stand-in and gave the show as a tribute. Well-executed renditions of Shadows’ material and other instro’s was the main order of the day, and their best moment, for me, was a cover of the old Johnny Sandon and the Remo Four vocal track 'Lies'.

The Phantom Surfers were the final act of the first night, a masked surf combo from San Francisco with the esteemed Russell Quan (Mummies, Flakes, Bobby Teens…) on drums. Mucho twang was in evidence here, and a lot of humour to boot. Three-quarters of the way into the set, Mr Quan chucked his sticks for a go at being the singer…Jeeeeez! no disrespect to the other guys, but this stole the show no contest, with pure maniacal romps through The Shakers' awesome beat stomper 'Break It All', 'Cara-Lin', complete with floor-tom out front and 'Don't You Just Know It', Russell going all over the shop, flailing his arms and demolishing mic stands in his wake. The crowd were now just putty in their hands and shakin' and flakin' for all they were worth…proceedings ended with a fine surf-o-rama version of 'Sheena Is A Punk Rocker'; the first in a mini-series of '66 into '77 style proclamations this event heralded as we shall see… Of course the party didn't end there as there was much merriment and dancing to be found on the floor and over at the café, and outside on the entrance walkway too, yeah! Though there were some (hello Viking man Jens from Copenhagen) that were dissing this whole first night as piss-weak bloody surf music with not enough testicles.

Day Two, Friday 1 July

Things kicked off with the record fayre in the early afternoon and live entertainment in the café by way of Dutch garage 3-piece ET Explore Me, apparently they were cool and fierce, but again we weren't around to catch them. Also at the café were The Hare-Kee-Rees from Germany, I must admit I didn't actually see these guys either, but I heard some of their set from a distance… First on in the hall were Norway's The Indikation. Expectations were running high. I love their singles - having not heard the LP until after I got home - but have to say I was somewhat underwhelmed by their live show. They have all the correct gear, vintage clothes etc, but it just seemed like they didn’t utilise what they had to gain the maximum advantage - way too timid, and too close to stuff like The Prisoners for my liking…hey, they weren't bad, it's just that they didn't float my boat as much as I thought they woulda done. But their singles are real strong…and the LP ain't half bad either, having given it an initial spin once I got home.

The Thanes were onstage next and since I play in the group I cannot say anything with any objectivity, except that I'd guess we were the first group to salute the late, and very great Wally Tax, lead singer of the finest Dutch '60s combo, the Outsiders, who died a couple of months back. As we (Angus and I especially) have been big fans for nigh on 22 years, he/they have been a great inspiration to us, so of course we were gonna do something; we were always gonna do 'Touch' anyway as it featured on our first EP as The Thanes way back in early '87, but we also decided to play CQ LP fave 'You're Everything On Earth' as our special tribute. As we were in Rotterdam we played a bunch of other Dutch beat covers too, surprise surprise.

The Masonics, who comprise ex-Milkshakers Mick Hampshire on git/vox, and Bruce 'Lord of the bish, bash, bosh' Brand on drums, alongside Wildebeests bass man John Gibbs, took the stage after us and let fly with a barrage of keenly felt rhythmic beat-punkers, the first few of which I only heard, but didn't see, as I was still recharging the old batteries back in the dressing room, miles from the stage…Anyway I finally made my way to the hall after their first coupla numbers and could see that the Masonics were without their famed aprons, but were nevertheless cavorting about onstage like the ne'er do wells they are. 'I'm Your Conscience Baby' was maybe one of the best, or was it ‘Silently By Night’ (?), huh, can’t remember, probably too smashed by now…but they sure excelled themselves by covering The Damned's cooler than cool 'New Rose' at the end. A few of us were beginning to make our way towards the exit just then to grab more beer, but could only stand near the stairs, rooted to the spot goin - wow! Phew, it's bleedin' hot in here man, gotta get out again…and get some…fresh air…ahh that's better!!!

I'd never seen King Khan and the Shrines before, KK himself is from Canada, but they are all based in Germany. They are a big band ensemble of rollicking soul-beat with brass, played out with just a tinge of garage-psych grooviness here and there to give it that extra edge. Unbelievably, they encored with a neat cover of The Saints' perennial favourite 'Know Your Product', Excellent stuff indeed let me say. Lucy Dee's Angels and the International Go-Go Go-Go Girl Galore ably assisted in the visual department throughout most of the evening.

The final day’s action began again with the record fayre…and then in the café in the early evening, where Dutch group The Stilettos played while folks like me were still wandering around the flea market looking for small round black things and drinking beer with pals, yeah I know, how lame, but so what! I think it was around then that folks like Erik Meinen were blasting out some vinyl 7”s to anyone listening inside the café. Then came the main Primitive organiser Dave Andriese’s crazy beat outfit The Nederbietels, who were holding court for, get this, a garage karaoke session. They started off playing a few cool tunes in their own right with Dave on vocals and guitar. The Haigs’ ‘Where To Run’ got things off to a great start, before the lists of songs went round the packed audience so they could pick their fave and get up and do their thing, which many folks did. Q65, Het and The Motions, alongside renditions of ‘Have Love Will Travel’ were belted out in earnest by punters and crazies alike…then legendary Outsiders guitar player Ronnie Splinter joined the group for a thrashing ‘Won’t You Listen’, closely followed by another legend, The Zipps’ frontman Philip Elzerman, who of course did ‘Kicks and Chicks’ complete with his solo on the flute. Both Ronnie and Philip contributed greatly to the upbeat vibe that was by now whirring around the café and outside…then Jeff ‘Monoman’ Connolly arrived and shook up the place even more with a furious ‘You’re Gonna Miss Me’. All this and the main hall event hadn’t even kicked off yet. After Nederbietel Dave came offstage and got himself refreshed, we exchanged bottles of spirits (Isle of Jura Whisky from Scotland for Zeer Oude Korenwijn from Holland) and some choice 7”s. After a salutary dram it was off to have dinner at the backstage area with Dave and his wife. As luck would have it, The Lyres’ Jeff was already lurking there drinking iced coffee, so he joined us too which was great for me as I’d not spoken face-to-face with him in years. He was on fine form, with lots of humourous anecdotes and vinyl tales.

Swedish beatsters The Dee Rangers were the first band of the night – these days the group features renowned Londoner Parsley (from Dutronc) on organ/vocals. He likes a bit of the limelight does Parsley, so he got changed into his groovy stage togs during the first number. Already releasing two LPs with former singer, the group now have a relatively new frontman Per (and maybe even a new drummer too?) joining stalwarts Nicke on guitar and Johnny on bass/vocals – remember The Maryland Cookies anyone? It’s the first time I’ve seen their live show, and it has to be said that The Dee Rangers created a real tangible buzz at this event with their tough, yet soulful garage-beat style. I can’t remember any song titles but I can tell you that, to me at least, they sounded much fuller and actually much stronger than on their records.

I’d never heard of The Cool Jerks before, from Germany, but from what I caught of their set, the last 5 songs or so, they had a rockin’ beat sound and a shouty, energetic lead singer who also played guitar, and got the crowd jumping along with them. Can’t remember now if it was these guys or The Dee Rangers that did a version of The Golden Ear-rings’ classic debut LP mover ‘No Need To Worry’ but whoever it was has class.

To be honest with you, I’d never even heard of The Black Lips from USA either, even though they seem to be gaining a lot of attention with the record buying public. Anyroad, they were next on and, I guess, the most different, not to mention the youngest, of all the combos who were booked for this 2nd Primitive festival. Not strictly garage or beat, they play modern age rock’n’roll with nods to Pebbles and BFTG ‘60s style, and have riffs and vocal melodies that recall some of the 2nd wave of UK punk-into-new wave groups…and then they have this big fuzz-out attack that sounds like a collision between The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Von Bondies (yeah I know they played last year and it is kinda lazy journalism to say so but…) and maybe in parts something like, I dunno Sonic Youth or similar, due to an unnerving rumbling, a sub-sonic bass heavy undercurrent that made you prick up your ears and take notice. There were a few dissenters within the audience but I and a lot of others dug them quite a bit. Certainly way better than Strokes, Vines and their horrible ilk.

I probably shoulda stayed where I was but I went back outside for a swim in the air and more beer and…and shockingly missed the first song of the much anticipated headliners The Lyres. As I descended into the hall they were already into ‘Don’t Give It Up Now’. I later learned that they started off, unbelievably, with the other side of that astonishing debut 45 ‘How Do You Know?’ OUCH! Imagine missing that, me a fan too! I thought they woulda kept that one for later. Anyway, there was no turning back now, and there would be plenty more killer cuts to come for sure, as these LYRES were definitely and most defiantly ON FYRE! Vocalist/organist/tambourine smasher Jeff ‘PokoMonomaniac’ Connolly was joined by the group as they were during their 1983-86 heyday, Dan McCormack on guitar, Rick Coraccio on bass/vocals and one of the best and most solid drummers, the astounding Paul Murphy. The last time I had seen them like this was here in Holland over 20 years ago. As then, they were really ultra-special now, attacking their classics with pure verve and an undying rock’n’roll passion. Obvious highlights had to be ‘Don’t Give It Up Now’, ‘Help You Ann’ with its urgent tremolo-driven rhythm; the feel-good frug of ‘Soapy’, ‘I Really Want You Right Now’, and ‘No Reason To Complain’. These merged effortlessly with cool renditions of Mal and the Primitives’ ‘Every Minute Of Every Day’, and The Stoics’ ‘Enough Of What I Need’, to say nothing of the magical double-whammy of Swiss beat kings The Sevens’ ‘Seven’ and ‘Talk About Her’…and by way of a tribute to their long-time friend and collaborator, the recently deceased Wally Tax - who was booked to play a set with The Lyres - they did ‘Touch’, bringing on Outsiders guitar hero Ronnie Splinter in the process and lifting the crowd even higher. But, like all great things, it seemed like it was all over far too quickly. Thankfully the group came back on for an encore of ‘She Pays The Rent’, but alas, no ‘You Won’t Be Sad Anymore’, or ‘The Only Thing’, or ‘Teach Me To Forget You’. No matter, this show will definitely go down as one of the best live shows I’ve seen in years, and one which bodes well for the future of primitive rock’n’roll.

The rest of the night was spent in a haze of stumbling around, drinking beer, talking to all and sundry, catching snatches of dee-jays Tony the Tyger Sanchez, and Primitive Dave blasting out garage and psych-beat faves as I wandered thru the big hall…and trying not to think about the 10 O’clock hotel reception curfew The Thanes had to meet to get to Amsterdam Schipol airport to make our flight home.

Whatta great rock’n’roll bash…and if you’re reading this: thanks Dave, Charlie, and all at the Waterfront for making this such a cool and happening event!

BEATSVILLE

SATURDAY 23RD JULY

IN THE CELLAR OF THE TRON, HUNTER SQUARE, EDINBURGH

doors open 9pm - £4 on the door

live on stage:

PRESTON PFANZ & THE SEATON SANDS

Surf and Beat instrumentalists

plus Guest Disc Jockey: Mr. Lenny Helsing

BOMBSITE BOUDICCAS - Ken Russell's 1955 Photo Essay on London's Teddy Girls.

(from the Staysick board)

Mr. Percival's Close encounter with The Rezillos at the altG8 gig... Pictures by Ross McIntyre... These gents run the 'zillo website, get with their program.

The Rezillos at the G8 Alternatives Benefit – Bongo Club Edinburgh - 8th July 2005



The G8 Summit at Gleneagles attracted not only the worlds’ political leaders but also what has now become the traditional accompaniment of many protesters traveling in from all over the world to demonstrate against ever encroaching globalization. In the months before the conference, internet sites of anarchists and extreme anti-globalisation and environmental activists had spoken of "bringing Scotland to its knees." As a result police presence was understandably heavy and many of the visitors were prevented from getting anywhere near the summit - therefore Edinburgh had had a fairly tense feel about it for several days by the time the “G8 Alternatives” benefit gig took place.



Police had been very much in evidence all along Princess Street, the main shopping street in the city, since the previous weekend. Many of the police had been drafted in from English forces and vans had even had to be rented from van companies to transport them to the potential flash points around the city. The combination of all of this resulted in an atmosphere in Edinburgh that reminded me, uncomfortably, of Yorkshire during the 1984/85 Coal Miners strike – the very worst period of “Thatcher’s Britain” from my personal perspective. I’d anticipated that the gig that night might even have to be cancelled upon Police advice, especially with the Scottish Parliament situated literally just a few hundred yards down the road from the venue and ringed by dozens of Police. All in all this was far from the usual setting for a Rezillos gig – an event that is normally an excuse for a great time to be had by all in a light hearted atmosphere.



After sets from other local Edinburgh bands Aberfeldy, the 55s, Saint Judes Infirmary and Peanut, the Rezillos hit the stage around midnight in front of a packed out venue and went straight into “25 Miles”, the Edwin Starr song and a really rousing set opener. It was clear from the off that they were totally unaffected by the events locally of the previous days.

Due to the nature of the event the audience was far from a hard core traditional Edinburgh Rezillos audience, a challenge they clearly relished. Rarely does a band in an intimate indoor venue have the chance to win over an audience consisting mainly of people who have probably been previously relatively unaware of them, and the band set about winning over some converts.



“Destination Venus”, “Top of the Pops’ and “Cold Wars” were up next, to leave the hardcore Rezillos fans in the crowd breathless and gasping for air after subsequent live airings of 3 of the bands classic singles in the very warm venue. It was so hot that the band’s “Purple Gang” rhythm section, drummer Angel Paterson and bass player Johnny Terminator, did not wear their traditional stage wear jackets – an event previously unheard of!

The as yet unreleased new song but live favourite “Number One Boy” was up next and after a few more of the bands classics the set closed with the band’s 1977 debut single, “I can’t stand my baby”. Much debate took place over the encore with Fay suggesting “Somebody’s going to get their head kicked in tonight” - Eugene decided that that choice was maybe a little inappropriate under the circumstances! “2000 AD” was an audience suggestion but it’s not a song that the band have performed live in over 27 years – one for the next rehearsal maybe? In the end “No” and “Mystery Action” were chosen to round off the night.



Another really terrific performance, leaving the audience wanting more after the compact 45 minute set and with the band having gained many converts from the younger than average audience. Anyone who has not seen the band should grab one of the opportunities to come later this year. Two dates for diaries that have been confirmed already are at Wolverhampton Wulfrun Hall on Saturday 10th December and at the London Astoria the next night – both gigs are co-headliners with the Dickies. These should be really CLASSIC nights, so don’t miss them!!

Postscript

R.I.P. Jo Callis’s kilt – RIPPED & TORN

Purchased in 1977 and adjusted from a ladies full length kilt by Jo’s girlfriend of the time who shortened it for him, the kilt has since done sterling service as Jo’s preferred live stage outfit ever since. During the bands recent G8 Alternatives appearance, a mysterious rip appeared in the kilt toward the end of the bands set leaving it probably unserviceable in future.

Stop Press!

Lothian and Borders Police have just confirmed that a local woman, who will only identify herself by the name “Agnes” but who is believed to hail from Fife, is helping them with their enquiries into the above kilt ripping incident………….

Set List

25 Miles/Destination Venus/Top of the Pops/Cold Wars/Number One Boy/Getting me Down/ Good Sculptures/Flying Saucer Attack/Yesterday’s Tormentor/Can’t stand my baby/No/Mystery Action

The news from our pals at Norton goes like this...

Summer's here and the time is right for Devil Dancing in the street! Yes, the A-Bones will be on a ten day tour in Spain. Upcoming New York dates to be announced....

Spaniards take heed:

Wednesday July 20 Valencia * Red Shoe Club (with Los Borbones)

Thursday July 21 Madrid * Gruta 77 (with The Stepbrothers and Los Chicos)

Friday July 22 Gijon * Crossroad Festival

Saturday July 23 Gijon * Crossroad Festival (opening for Little Richard!!!!!!)

Sunday July 24 Baracaldo * Edaska (with The Estheticiens)

Monday July 25 Leon * Gran Cafe (with The Stepbrothers)

Wednesday July 27 Alicante * Coyote Ugly (with Jesus Racer)

Thursday July 28 Barcelona * Sala Sidecar (with Born Looser)

It's un-naturally hot here. Nothing to rave about for a lot of you guys in other countries mayhap but something of an abnormality in these parts. This means that one has to take advantage of such a situation and paint the unsightly wall outside the HQ here. Not exactly rock'n'roll I know but a necessary evil and my wee break is over. Back to the brush then...

Update at 8.33pm... the dilapidation has been averted but there was a price. A bit of sunburn, a visit to the dreaded home improvement emporium and it seems like turps don't work on masonry paint. Who knew? Got indoors to see the very shite Kasabian peddle their dross to the kids at T in The Park just over the river...
the song they're doing sounds like the Happy Mondays indulging in a bit of Morriconecide but without the charm. Crossing O*sis with The Flaming Lips and a couple of Primal Scream genes does not a palatable (for me) mix make. To the paint remover then...

New MORELLS album on HIGHTONE this coming Monday!

From Brother Don in SF...

"just got back from laura cantrell's show at cafe du nord. good crowd.
she had 3 backup players...mandolin, stand up bass, acoustic guitar. no drums. no amps. everyone went thru the p.a. she played a gorgeous old gibson southern jumbo. casually dressed, as was her band.
she was very warmly received...she said she hadn't played here before which surprised me. what didn't surprise me-- after seeing her last summer in scotland-- is what a good show she put on. she did a lot from her new album - which is probably her best yet. in a way it's good she hasn't been here before because there's a certain confidence now in her voice that i wasn't hearing on her earlier albums. the songs from the new record-- only out 2 weeks now -- went over as big as the old ones. she gave little spoken intros to each song... for instance, explaining that "14th street" was about new york's but "you probably have a 14th street here". to which someone shouted, "it's a block away!". a great great great song it is but it sounded more like a demo (without the benefit of her overdubbed vocals) in a live setting. charming nonetheless. speaking of which...talk about southern charm...
glad to see all her yrs in nyc haven't made a dent in that tennessee disposition.
one good song after another... new ones like "khaki and corduroy", "california rose" and old faves like "not the tremblin' kind", "two seconds" (my fave), and "queen of the coast". she also did that song lucinda williams wrote but never cut. whatever that one is. killer. encore included "yonder comes a freight train" (my friend said, "everyone has to have a train song, i'm glad she does too"). all thru her set people were yelling for amy allison's "the whisky makes you sweeter" and she finally did it at the end of the night. as her bandmates started to pack it in, she kept them on to honor one more request, "the early years".
really fine performance. the stand-up bass sounded wonderful. that guy also played an ancient harmony hollow body bass (which laura said was borrowed) on a few songs. the mandolin player got more than one round of applause mid-song for some tremendous solos. and her guitarist, altho grouching constantly about the monitor sound, really kept the whole thing together nicely. he reminded me of gillian welch's david rawlings but without the sour notes.
very successful gig. hope we don't have to wait another 5 years or go all the way to scotland to see her again!"

It's in times like these that we need to remember that we (maybe) shouldn't take anything for granted. Take a load off with this soothing poster art!

Hey, this is a shout out to all our London crew, you guys all OK and not involved in the carnage that's unfolding I hope...?

Update at 9.10pm - Well no news is good news and the G8 disruption hereabouts is, it seems, winding down. This morning I drove past at least 100 riot police in full regalia surrounding the "Eco-Village" that was set up by protesters. They kinda pished on their chips yesterday morning when some of their number, or maybe infiltrators, trashed Burger King and a few other stores down there. Who could have known that maybe an hour later, London would be the scene of a long expected attack?

And the TV and Radio has been reporting ala 9/11 all day long. Speculation and "credit" for the atrocity citing possible suicide bombing, the usual suspects but the worst aspect is that there was no warning, no nothing. It could have been anybody, the frontiers are all blurred, me personally? I don't believe bloody anything anymore. We're numb to the expression "terrorist attack" and lets face it - so far - the UK hasn't suffered as many fatalities as Spain or The USA. Of course, that's no solace. Driving past those guys in the riot gear this morning was surreal. Like some kinda virtual reality. Certainly an alien landscape for these here parts.

R.I.P. Big Al Downing.

Trashy Ashell sent this info to the Staysick board and it seemed like you'd want to know...

"Well this friday you can see a screening of "Rock 'n Roll High School" in the cemetery where Dee Dee is buried and Johnny has his big statue!

HOLLYWOOD CEMETARY TO SCREEN "ROCK AND ROLL HIGH SCHOOL"

The Hollywood Cemetery has once again started regular movie screenings - On July 8th, they'll feature "Rock 'N' Roll High School" at the site of Johnny's
monument! The flick will be introduced by its director ALAN ARKUSH, hosted by LINDA RAMONE, with guest speakers P. J. SOLES, CLINT HOWARD, MARY WORONOV, MARKY RAMONE, DEY YOUNG, VINCENT GALLO, LARS FREDERICKSON, ROB ZOMBIE, and MICKEY LEIGH.

There will be a minimum donation required, and all proceeds will be split between Prostate and Lymphoma Research."

THE ATOMIC SWINDLERS "Coming Out Electric" harks back to the days of glam and packs a hefty power pop punch. As 21st Century combo's go, this one is a multi-faceted package that actually projects. Like Transvision Vamp Vs. The Spiders From Mars. An act that savours the art of performance and music not one or the other.

Aloha from Fortress Scotland. Centre stage for the world's media and scene of a massive overtime boost for the UK's Police. Did you see the "ugly scenes" from Edinburgh on Monday? Well anyway, three more days and it's all over. The massive waste of money that's put us on the map. Mr Percival is heading for the city's Alt G8 shindig tonight where The Rezillos will inject some much needed rock action to the landscape. He'll report in due course.

Meanwhile it's all kicking off, the roads between here and the stalag are closed according to road reports. It's also pissing rain.

Update - 6.37pm: Well, the hope that the radio reports brought was shortlived. I made it to work in double quick time. There was serious disruption for traffic headed the other way but there was a surreal calm as I was the only car going past a retail park that had been trashed just an hour before. Listening to reports and looking at information on the web would have suggested that tonight's journey home would be a tad fraught. Nope. Again a couple of logistical changes and I was back on home turf a good 10 minutes earlier than normal. The moral of this story is - if I'd taken the advice of the "meeja", I would have stayed home today. Even in the thick of something you can't trust what you see, hear or read.

Wee Georro and his chums are now holed up in Gleneagles. They made it and I'm not sure they and theirs give a rat's ass about the waste they've incurred or the injustice they continue to reign over. Jacques Chirac has put the boot into Scotland's national dish and that wee Texan galoot has said he won't touch it. Let's hope somebody in the kitchen puts something unspeakable in their food and they end up with a dose of "scottish tummy".

The events in Scotland today were somewhat overshadowed today when the news of London hosting the Olympics in 2012 broke. Anybody could have bulldozed and tarmac'ed this whole northern plot of land to make a big car park to service the huge audience this will bring to the UK. I sincerely hope to have emigrated by then.

Out soon: UGLY THINGS - ISSUE #23 "featuring a huge cover story on those 60s punk R&B savages the BELFAST GYPSIES, aka the 'OTHER THEM'. Also the continuation of the epic saga of the MISUNDERSTOOD along with feature stories on New England rock'n'rollers MIKE & THE RAVENS, garage maniacs MOTT's MEN, Ken Kesey's MERRY PRANKSTERS, and the CHECKMATES from Singapore. Exclusive interviews with 60s Brum beat heroes MIKE SHERIDAN & RICK PRICE, French beat icon RONNIE BIRD and a previously unpublished conversation with the late KEITH RELF. Plus dig the Sacramento's 60s punk scene, Argentinian beat chicks LAS MOSQUITAS, CHUBBY CHECKER's lost psychedelic album, Swiss beat mayhem with the DYNAMITES and LES SAUTERELLES, a tribute to Charlie Crane (CRYIN' SHAMES, GARY WALKER & THE RAIN), a Phil Milstein essay on NERVOUS NORVOUS and the afterlife of the one hit wonder. Plus a gigantic review section"

Somebody left a comment that suggested that I stick with what I know. Well if I do that then I might as well down tools right now because the jury is out on what I know. I can’t legislate for Jeroen or Steve but as far as I’m concerned you may well read about anything here. It reminded me of an accusation that was made in the good ol’ days of print that went along the lines that the stuff covered in the mag was there for effect. To celebrate some kind of smartass elitist sensory gratification. I’d like to think this thing is pretty open ended. But hey, I cured an addiction. The complainant will have more time on their hands now. That’s positive, right?

To paraphrase Mark P, if you don’t like or agree with what you read here or anywhere then start your own soapbox. Take the initiative and potentially bore the arse out of prospective readers like I do. I thought the Live 8 populist commentary was a bit more valid than my rather introspective posts about the trials and trib’s of life’s coal face but what can I tell ya?

It’s been (slightly) controversh. Some people liked it, some didn’t. Ain’t that the proverbial revelation. I’m still reeling at thinking that Pink Floyd were good and not just in the context of the event. Am I being punished?

Spent most of yesterday in Rotterdam for the final day of the Primitive festival and was thus not only able to avoid the Live Aid hoopla, but also had myself a keg of a time. Came in just too late to witness local heroes the Stilettos who were part of the afternoon show, but I'm glad to report that by all accounts they delivered the goods. Skipped the "garage karoke" in the overcrowded/hot bar, and instead stood outside of the club enjoying the spectacular view over the river Maas and Rotterdam's skyline, sippin' beers 'n meetin' up with friends both old and new. After a quick dinner in the company of the esteemed Tony Slug, it was back to the club for the evening's festivities. First up were Denmark's Dee Rangers whose records I like but they disappointed somewhat in a live setting. And it must be pretty harsh on the band that special guest Parsley the Lion easily stole the show with the two songs he sang. Next up were Germany's Cool Jerks who played a solid set of Hamburg era beat tunes. Good as it was, it was no match for what was to come next. Leave it to the Americans to do this garage stuff in a much more convincing way. It's in the blood I guess. The Blacklips' two LPs are fine enough, but nothin' prepared me for the surprise hit 'n run they delivered on stage. Young, energetic and with an off-beat vision that makes 'm hard to categorize, they sounded like Tim Warren's wet dream come to life. By all means check 'm out if you get the chance. If there was any doubt about the current abilities of Jeff Conolly, he made sure there was absolutely no reason for those concerns from the git go. Backed by real Lyres (Rick Coraccio on bass, Danny McCormack on the guitar and Paul Murphy on drums) , he started with 'How Do You Know' and things went up hill from there on. Monoman may not be the nicest guy in the world at times, but his vocal delivery still holds more soul than the entire "urban" section in your local record emporium. These Lyres could destroy southern Europe, we're talkin' scorched earth here. Outsider Ron Splinter joined them for two songs and especially during 'Touch' got the heroes welcome from the crowd he so obviously deserves. Two encores, loud 'n sweaty, and it was over. No better way to close the festival. Monoman rules!

Now that's what you call a find

The biggest, er, "music" event the world has ever seen is over. I haven't clocked the US portion yet and get the feeling it may have stunk but you can't help wondering what the hordes out there reckoned to The Kaiser Chiefs '77 propelled pop. But anyway here - the 'big acts' that opened because they had to hightail it to destinations elsewhere for proper shows were all pretty much cruising. Macca's performance of Sargeant Pepper with U2 was every bit as lame as expected. It made ME, of all people, think that even O*sis could have made a better fist of it. A consideration that has disturbed me since I thunk it. And so it went, Coldplay made me pine for Dire Straits and fetching Richard Ashcroft from the freezer didn't help. And what was with Elton John dragging Pete (I'll Never Be Shane McGowan) Doherty out to kick "Children Of The Revolution" around the park. Product placement like this was something that the show didn't need. It all trundled along with Ricky Gervais' dance being decidedly more rock'n'roll than much of what preceded it. REM were an exception to this rule, they performed a perfect three song set and made me wish I'd caught them in Glasgow just a couple of weeks ago.

The serious aspect of the reason for all this remains to be vindicated. Maybe these G8 leaders will have to take notice but do you trust any of them? Obviously if you could go and help the people that they make these "films" between the bands about you would. If you could go direct to them but there's something lairy (to quote The KC's) about the process. But anyway, it's those intentions and that road to the burny fire again. Nobody can question or sully Geldof's intentions but the event itself is hijacked by it's apparent scale. The wheeling on and off by industry-sanctioned success stories at various degrees on the ladder of perceived popularity all becomes a tad too much. Nobody is more cynical or more jaded than I am but there was the odd flicker of humanity that suggested, despite and in consideration of all odds, this campaign might bear fruit.

It was a long haul. The Pistols reunion never happened and nobody was there to represent that era of Punk. Green Day were in Berlin and it made me consider that maybe, if they were still around, somebody would have had the good sense to involve The Ramones. 29 years ago tomorrow, my buddies and I were larking about in Hyde Park just prior to their Roundhouse debut but there I go digressing again.

A short burst of The Red Elvises from Moscow would have been welcome but wasn't to be. By the time Robbie Williams came on, the game show host turned entertainer or is it the other way about, rolled out his cheeky chappie schtick and the crowd went berserk. This is the problem right here and his crowd are the mobile phone toting, attention deficient solution. No point in mithering about it.

Peter Kay came on and did what the former Take That donkey did single handed. The crowd buoyed by their RW fix went bonkers and did a 200,000+ impromptu redition of Amarillo. Kay is a genius and if the world was in his hands then the story might be different. I wonder if he was beamed to the US? If he was, I wonder what the US unconciousness thought was going on. Something entirely alien to their culture I expect. The came The Who. They were fantastic. Did the CSI Theme and "Won't Get Fooled Again" and left. The energy of their performance lit the whole planet up.

And Pink Floyd. Bloody hell. I saw them on the "Wish You Were Here" tour and was singularly unimpressed but there was an almost folky quality to their ambience which really worked. When Roger Waters dedicated "WYWH" to Syd, the emotional undertow to this short burst out of retirement was palpable. Maybe they'll save the world from Radiohead after all. I'm no fan but they were good by any stretch of the imagination and credit was most definitley due. And similarly McCartney, my Beatlephobia is legend but his band pulled him through. Where his trawl through his back catalogue at Glastonbury last year was embarassing, these guys were tight an proficient an made him look good. Not an easy task in these eyes and ears I can tell ya.

And that was it, possibly not the outright train wreck one might have expected. And, if it does raise awareness of what it was arranged to do then that's grand. However, if the sensory gratification of the event does little more than increase sales for the people who "gave their services" then that would, to put it mildly, suck. Let's see how the land lies a week from now...

Late extra - Just finished fast forwarding through the Philadelhia segment and it was beyond excrecable. I'm tempted to say lamer than US foreign policy but that would be damning it with faint praise. Maroon 5 tickling "Rockin' In The Free World" to death. Stinkin' Park plus Jay Z futzing though some rock/rap fiasco, had they been granted the chance, The Star Spangles could have taken the whole bill with one hand between them. When will their "Gangland" save the world? No wonder the music biz is headed down the dumper. As for the "urban" quotient, this stuff patently doesn't work live. To me, much of it doesn't fly at all but these gimps can't even mime.

I'm now in recovery, using a mix of Mose Allison's "My Backyard" and The Groovers "Undergroove" to ease the trauma of what I witnessed in the pursuit of my, um, "art". Serves me bloody well right you're probably thinking and I cannae disagree. Still if this cosy, cosetted world of make believe can act as a stepping stone to ridding the planet of the poverty blight then so be it. I can't help thinking that it'd be a tad more swallowable if there was some substance behind it but I'm a contrary SOB at the best of time.

RIP - "Obie" Benson

Take a look at this SUBWAY MAP

And don't forget these West Coast USA shows this coming week...

July 6 - Cafe Du Nord, 2170 market Street, San Francisco, CA. Tel: 415 861 5016

July 8 - KCRW'S Morning Becomes Eclectic, Live Radio Appearance, Santa Monica, CA
KCRW 89.9 FM, kcrw.com, 11:15 a.m. PT

July 9 - KCRW presents McCabe's Guitar Shop, 3101 Pico Blvd. Santa Monica, CA Tel: 310 828 8037

July 11 - Easy Street Records, 20 Mercer Street, Seattle, WA. In Store Performance 6:00 p.m.

July 12 - Triple Door, 216 Union Street, Seattle, WA. Tel: 206 838 4328

I googled the name Bob Lefsetz after reading something by him that was posted on The Star Spangles board and subsequently signed up for his newsletter. If you appreciate the minutae of a very opinionated rant on the state of the so-called music biz circa 2005 and many stations before then maybe you should too. Spirited, as far away from info-torial as you could possibly get.

Murray has a message for you if you're in Edinburgh next weekend...

Howdy folks,

Sunday the 10th of July (not this Sunday, but the next) is the final Full Moon Club at Bannermans and probably the last chance to see Shock and Awe for a while (unless you fancy a trip to Falkirk)

I dont know what time we'll be playing (sometime between 6pm and midnight - more details next week hopefully), but theres some other quality acts playing (including Paul Research from the Scars, Arturo Bassick from the Lurkers and ex-Rezillo, William Mysterious and many many more - see below) so it should be a good night

Totally free to get in and we'll have some cd singles to give away (a taster for the forthcoming album with real live drums which we're mixing at the moment, let me ken if you can think of a good title)

Bound to be busy as we've been receiving heavy airplay on Radio Leith (aye, I couldnae get any reception either) and the Watt from Pedro show in California where Mike Watt (Bass player for the Minutemen / fIREHOSE / Iggy and the Stooges) has been playing us (you can get it over the internet, so I did hear it)

More details here

Further info on the Bannermans show...

'Allo Kiddies,

Just letting you know about the final Full Moon Music Club.

Usually we have it on the first Thursday of the month, but everyone wants to play the ultimate one, so we switched it to the following Sunday, the 10th of July.
It's also a much earlier start, as there are so many acts to get through. We're keeping the running order secret so that people come along and see everything, not just their pet faves, but we are pleased and proud to present ex-Scars guitarist Paul Research performing his multi-media show, Arfur from the Blubbery Hellbellies giving us a country-tinged set (though some of you will be more familiar with some of his other bands, like 999 & The Lurkers) and William Mysterious among many others.

Regulars like Electra, Norman Lamont & The Innocents, Zen Transmission and The City will all put in sets, as will newer acts Etrangere, Tam Lin, and our favourite punksters Shock & Awe. The mighty Z/28 will be burning up the joint with their hi-octane-nitro-injected punkahootenanny, and local hero Lee Patterson will no doubt be beating hell out of a mic stand with a pair of sticks. All this, as well as poetry from Gaz Death, Frank, and Audrey Witherspoon, not to mention the surprise guests, and you can see why we're starting at 6p.m.!

So, that's Sunday 10th July, Bannermans, 6 til late, free, what more can you ask?
What? a free c.d. too? Oh, all right then! See y'all down there!

Cheers, Fritz

Ms McBurnie has checked in to alert we all to the fact that David GODLIS is selling 8 x 10 prints from his NY Rock portfolio. Check 'em out.

Also tonight, in good ol' Madrid...



Meanwhile here in Scotchland, we're gearing up to be hit over the head with the baton emblazoned "Make Poverty History". Wee George is headed for Gleneagles where The Del-Lords were once flown in for an EMI convention. Presumably "Judas Kiss" isn't something that figures on the Bush iPod. Anyway, maybe Geldof will threaten to "do a set" if they don't stump up. "Make All These Sorry-Ass P(l)op stars History" is an alternative event that will take place this weekend within these here walls. I shall tape the TV coverage and fast forward through it on Sunday because, I can't put the boot into something I haven't suffered now can I?

Edinburgh City Council buttcheeks are firmly clenched in anticipation of Seattle style riots but such activities are somewhat unlikely methinks. All Police leave has been cancelled and the barricades are up just itching for a spark to ignite the expected fuse. Apparently this event is a great advert for Scotland, well by this time next week we'll know if that's the case.

"Deluxe editions of the Stooges' first two albums due"

THE GREASE MONKEYS "whip it" up for their imminent recordings with Tim Kerr by appearing at tonights DEVO Tribute in Glasgow...

WEDNESDAY 29TH JUNE - STEREO, KELVINHAUGH ST., GLASGOW £2.50 on the door; Doors: 9.00pm

with UNCLE JOHN & WHITELOCK, LUMMOX and another
coupla bands still tbc.

And as Scottish airspace and our general civil liberty is about to be squeezed for a few days because some wee chancer from over the pond is this way bound, anybody who is in or manages to get to Edinburgh might want to take in this diversion...

G8 ALTERNATIVES BAND NIGHT

The best bands Edinburgh has to offer come together to raise funds.

THE REZILLOS, ABERFELDY, THE 55's, SAINT JUDES INFIRMARY and PEANUT

BONGO CLUB, EDINBURGH... Time:8pm - 1am

Where else but LOUIE LOUIE in Madrid...

Brother Patrick has been out and about again and true to form he caught something that you probably won’t read about anywhere else… here is his story…

"There was a festival in Evreux (west of Paris) last weekend. The big plus point of the event is that you get the choice of 3 acts at any one time. There are 2 main stages, a place with groups from the neighbourhood and also The Banana Club, where you can expect to be surprised (Electrocute played there 2 years ago). So I left a set by a “used to be great group” to go to see what was going down in the BC and I don’t regret it.

David Rockmore is composed of a DJ, I-Dol and a performer by the name of Tomokomik.
I-Dol started, mixing 50’s / 60’s garage rock’n’roll a la Lux & Ivy favourites, Las Vegas Grind , Jungle Exotica with songs like “New Intern Watusi” and “Midnight Limbo” There were 2 screens showing people dancing that reminded me of The Cramps “Ultra Twist” clip (uncensored version!).

Suddenly, a girl dressed in a bunny outfit appeared and offered drinks to the audience along with a folded page with a bunny girl on it and also a ribbon. The music turned to dub and the bunny, a beautiful Asian girl turned up buck naked on stage, dancing lasciviously, sometimes talk singing stuff like “My name is Tomokomik/I’m a little fat these days but some men like that/how do you spell French?/I know about cooking and washing/I’m out of work for 2 days/We’re mammal, I’m a mammal”. When she didn’t speak, she sat down and applied her make up and dressed slowly. I-Dol was part of the “dancing performance” as one of the two girls dancing, more or less sans clothing, on the screens.

The note that Tomokomik gave to the audience explains the idea behind the performance. Here’s a brief translation (by the way: the girls speak French) : “Life is a never ending repetition : eat, work, fun, sleep, eat again - I think that every moment in life is important but repetition creates habits - since the second world war, everything goes fast but human beings haven’t changed, I call that sentimental crisis generation. This chronic stress has resulted in the mind working less, apart from during working time. As an example, take the ordinary day of a woman: goes to work at 8.30am/finishes work at 6pm/dinner at 8pm at a friend’s, so she went in 2 shops, as usual/gets back home at 11.30pm/before sleeping, she tries to remember what she did today/nothing special comes to her mind/that’s the effect of habits/that’s why I want to influence peoples' minds with regard to time. That’s where Tomoko’s Bunny goes into action … for example - dressed as a bunny, working in a shop.” “Now imagine the same woman in one of the 2 shops she went into. When it’s time to sleep, she’ll remember that bunny girl and burst out laughing. So now, a moment of her normal life stays in her mind. That’s how it works. My aim is that my performance might influence stressed people and help their unconsciousness to become conscious. I think that our generation’s disease is stress, chronic stress for some, deep stress for others – I belong to the second category”.

Not only that woman, I’ll certainly remember Tomokomik too!"

The wait is over folks! This Reigning Sound release has been in the works for some time now but I'm here to tell'ya, it was worth the wait and it'll be hitting the streets in July! The bulk of this fine disc consists of outtakes and alternates from last years "Too Much Guitar" album on IN THE RED. You'll notice a few songs titles that you're already familiar with. But before you start thinking these might not vary much from the versions you've heard, THINK AGAIN!!!! These arrangements are lush and moody, simmering at medium heat with deadly amounts of country soul! I think some of these versions are even better than the ones we already knew. So drastically different that you might not even recognize them at first, thinking you've discovered you're newest favorite Reigning Sound tune! Besides the two alternates there are 4 unreleased tracks from this session as well. All top shelf Greg Cartwright originals. Including the track that kicks off side A of the LP, "Find Me Now". This song's fantastic Byrds meets Big Star vibe will leave you wondering why it was only played by the band for about a month in their live sets before disappearing...until now. The albums title says it all. These are songs that were forgotten or misplaced and have finally found a home. Two songs from the bands first 45 are also here, for the first time on CD. Their version of "The Collector" comes from a very nice soundboard recording of the band live. This show was the only time this particular little nugget was ever performed live by the band. Writtin by the great Sonny Curtis. The other real oddity on the album is an alternate version of the A Side to the bands Christmas single from last year.You need this record. Your record store needs this record! -Bobby Century

Lenny Kaye recounted The Story of Nuggets in the second hour of Shake Some Action on BBC London last Saturday night. You can access an archived copy of the show (7 days only) by clicking on the above link.

And what about this fantoosh new blogger feature? It allows yer to position graphics, albeit woodenly, in relation to the text. Not bad. It should be a boon for review type purposes and there are plenty of those coming up but probably not today.

I've been procrastinating with regard to garden duties and being that it hasn't pissed down for at least two days, I'm duty bound to go mow the lawn and execute the weeds that are squatting in the drive. This will facilitate the intake of "fresh air" and get my arse out of the house for a few hours. I'm not what you could call a keen gardener. I'm neither "keen" nor "a gardener" when it comes right down to it but one has to keep the 'hood tidy so that's just what I'm 'bout to do. It's unlikely that I'll be back on this contraption afore the morning. By the time I'm done, there'll be more Glasto to consume and grind my teeth to. This will be fueled by the inevitable dark clouds of the Monday schlepp to the stalag but who knows, there could be a bizarre gardening accident with my name on it lurking in the shed. So, on that positive note...

Ben sent me this link to the ALICE BAG site the other day and I just got around to checking it out. Like he says, "a wealth of history" awaits... as does all the poop on what she and her crew are up to here in '05.

Also, talking 'bout history... check out this Marty Thau interview.

Been meaning to provide a link to this DAVID LYNCH info site for a while. They've got their finger on the pulse and they update regularly. Seems like there's an ANGELO BADALAMENTI site to become active soon too.

The Boonaraaas are about to embark on recording the follow up to GO GET GOO GOO. So labels, get your cheque books ready. Thanks to Tine for this photo of Trish and her (just visible in the background) from the recent Berlin show they did with Stereo Total.

In these times of the bite-sized attention span, a 7" red vinyl 33 (not 45) by a Canadian duo by the name of Fuck Y'all is enjoying heavy rotation around these parts. The contemptorary ramshackle racket these two girls make is nothing short of total entertainment. Four punk rockin' songs under the banner of "Dumb It Down" and leading off with their theme song which goes "Fuck You, Fuck Me, Fuck Her, Fuck Him, Fuck Y'all". Sheer potty mouthed poetry and no Parental Guidance logo on the cover. That's the ticket. The other three cuts are "I Wanna Dog", "Beaver Fever" and "I Don't Wanna Beg". The duo are Paula (Tiberius) and Tina (Cooper) and they're based in Toronto. FYA perform material that their other groups, Sticky Rice (Paula) and The Freckles (Tina) aren't down with. These lassies were also behind the film GOLDIROCKS which I believe will be available on dvd soon with pots of extras. Prospective members of the Fuck Y'all Army can also score a T-shirt to pledge allegience to the cause. The EP is $10 (canadian) to Europe. Shirts are (I think) $15. Contact the girls at sluttyrecords@hotmail.com and encourage their enterprise.

Andre Williams, zZz, Devil Dolls, Black Lips and more. Sunday, September 11th at the Patronaat in Haarlem.

Release date for the new Dictators live disc is July 12...

"Compelling" was the verdict of Mark Radcliffe and Jo Whiley with regard to The White Stripes Glasto Set last night. I agree with them on the first four letters but my description is that it was "compost". How the fuck 70,000 people in a mud filled field can enjoy this cod zeppabilly gurning is beyond me. Lets face it, most of them are watching it on a giant screen if at all. Two tiny figures an ocean away from them bashing out a hastily scrabbled noise that sounded like a rock opera tantrum. Meg White is no Miriam Linna and Jack, he's all dressed up like Slash and caterwauls like Axl. One of the songs sounds a little like The Groupies "Primitive" and another hobbles dangerously close to Bad Company's "Feel Like Makin' Love". I've never seen the point to them but this and all the recent fawning for their "Get Thee Behind Me Satan" or whatever it's called has confirmed to me that today's masses will eat up yum whatever they're fed. Can anyone explain what the story is? Why they're supposed to be so cool? From where I was sitting it didn't look cool and it sounded like chopped liver. Or at least what I expect that commodity to sound if it did indeed make such a thing. Glastonbury has become something that seems like an exercise in survival. The punter pays a hefty wad to rough it to a soundtrack by the stinkiest acts on the planet. My contribution is paid through my TV licence fee so at least I have the option of changing the channel but I don't. There must be something wrong with me. I'll watch Live 8 too and it's guaranteed that I won't like it. Consider it my strain of suffering for my art.

Update at 3.58pm... I just saw Jack and Meg hang, draw, quarter, stick a banger up it's arse and light the fuse number on Dusty's "I Don't Know What To Do With Myself". OK, so I know they have good taste but that taste doesn't translate - por moi - into anything other than a shriek like Russell Mael with a clamp on his nadgers. Absolutely bastarding woeful. I second my original emulsion.

I made it to the final cut of Radio Scotland's Gigs That Shook The World. The latest episode was about the boat trip made by J. Rotten and Co. back during the punk rock wars. You can listen to it until Tuesday by going to the RS website, selecting the programme title and when that comes up there's a wee speaker thing on there that you click on and you can hear me gibbering at a safe distance.

Still kinda playing catch up on the week here. More in due course...

Aye... the nights are fair drawing in right enough. This year's finest Midsummer celebrations take place in Stockholm tomorrow (25th) when those fab FLESHTONES play Gearfest at the Debaser club.

Update at 23.35 UK Time. Between being out late on a school night (Stereo Total), some "home improvement" and a wee e-mail hiccup, things haven't exactly gone to plan over the last few days but attempts are being made to rectify this situation. There's nothing really urgent to report but watch out for some action regarding some sweet recorded works and other gear. It's coming but that's about as specific as I can be.

Sometimes dread has a habit of working out positively. It’s a mindset that has served me well and during yesterday, the longest day of the year – the napper was in overdrive. It was the day that Stereo Total brought their unique brand of everything cool you ever heard over the past thirty years put through the mincer. Add a few grains of dodgier substance and you’ve got a magical elixir which works on multiple levels. The whole thing is gift-wrapped in a charm which could sell snow to the Eskimos.

Anyway, way across town - Boner and his chums were holding court in Hampden Stadium. The thought of having to travel in a train packed with U2 fans wasn’t very thrilling but very occasionally it’s worth making a sacrifice. It’s not like sharing airspace with O*sis fans after all but I hate crammed spaces more with every passing day. Anyway, this was all misguided as we managed to body swerve the hordes all the way. It meant some tactical bobbing and weaving but paid off.

The basement of Oran Mor was crammed and up for the event. Way busier than the SCOTS show but equally good-natured. The opening band was awful, can’t remember their name but they were too loud and entirely inappropriate as was 99% of the “mood” music that played between sets. Adventures In Stereo had to pull out at the last minute due to some health problems that I hope will be resolved. I think that Glasgow could do with some of their breezy pop action. Their intervention would have complemented ST perfectly.



So anyway, The Stereo Total experience and audience reaction was again heartening. For such a diverse crowd to bond to the strains of this frankly odd music suggests there is hope for us all. Their last two albums have seen the recorded work become less Spartan but no less punk rock savvy. There are some mighty noises coming from this French/German two headed groove machine that can evoke Suicide cruising with The ELO then rattle out a jaggy Charles Trenet cover. Now that’s not something you can hear and see every day. Hopefully they’ll come back to Glasgow soon and capitalise on this excellent west end reception. It was all over too soon and we beat a hasty retreat to try and dodge the stadium, er “rockers” as the ones that obviously left during the encore trickled into Queen Street Station with their U2 swag bags filled with lord knows what overpriced swill. A guy sitting in front of us had recorded portions of the show on his moby and it sounded like mush. Ha Ha serves him right.

In my opinion, Stereo Total make music that is better suited to world peace than the big stroboscopic Dublin corporation that blew into Glasgow and shook down umpteen thousand willing victims. But it’s their choice.

"Step right up, ladies & gentlemen, and witness the spectacle that is the first ever Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co. Revue! A veritable circus of stars will take to the back room of exotic OTTO'S SHRUNKEN HEAD (538 East 14th Street, Manhattan) on THURSDAY, JUNE 23RD, for four, count 'em, four hours of three-ring fun, all starting at 8:00 sharp! Why, who needs a barrel of monkeys when you've got...

*ANGELA JAEGER -- The little blonde with the big voice!
*BABY MARIA -- Can you resist this gypsy's curse?
*KATHLEEN O'MALLEY -- The debut of the Irish lass with the bossanova sass (and special guest Riley McMahon)!
*DJ GAYLORD FIELDS -- Rotating discs for your listening and dancing pleasure!

And, of course, the SIT & Die boys will be providing the patented "ballads, boogies & blues" all night long, with the two complete shows beginning at 8:00 and 10:00 sharp. Plus, it's all FREE!

Hope to see YOU under the big top!

Sincerely- Michael"

Mr J. Roehm of St Louis, Mo. filed this Skeleton sighting...

Brian Capps and the True Liars (Lou Whitney and Donny Thompson) this Friday, followed by a screening of the Marx Bros. Night at the Opera, all free, at the Gazebo in Old Orchard. That's Webster Groves, as in St. Louis, MO.

Bring a blanket or bring a chair, we're hoping there will be BBQ.

Woke up this morning... and found a message from Mr Percival which went something along the lines of "Good grief!" I certainly never saw THIS coming but if it's true, it'll certainly stir up the ol' pot.

Managed to stay away from the computer for most of yesterday and did no, that's nada, e-mail. That big muckle Italian capital wasn't built in a day, the longest journeys - small steps and all that... The world, it seems, didn't end so I'll be rolling this practice out to reclaim that precious commodity called "time".

Excellent piece on the Bay City Rollers in yesterday's Guardian. (link c/o Gros de Jood)

Don't forget... this coming Tuesday (21st June), The West End of Glasgow welcomes the ubiquitous STEREO TOTAL to Oran Mor for a gratis parading of their substantial repertoire - plus, Mr Cruickshank informs me that ADVENTURES IN STEREO will be joining them. The first show by this fine local combo in what seems like forever.

With ST currently providing their version of The Plastics "I Love You Ono" as the soundtrack to a Sony Camcorder TV ad, they could be about to break on through to whatever is on the other side of such a beastie. Hopefully massimo popularity...

News just in from Mr Percival, always the first on the block...

RHINO GETS WEIRD WITH THE RAMONES

Comic Book-Styled Ramones Boxed Set Arrives August 16

LOS ANGELES--Hey kids! Tired of that bully kicking sand in your face?
Quit being a 98-lb. weakling! The Ramones will show you how! Now one of the hardest working bands ever gets a boxed set befitting its legendary status as Rhino releases WEIRD TALES OF THE RAMONES, a three-CD/one-DVD package featuring an amazing comic book, on August 16. Created at Johnny Ramone's request, the box is available at regular physical and digital retail outlets and at www.rhino.com for a suggested list price of $64.98.

Drawn from 16 action-packed albums, the 85 tracks on WEIRD TALES OF THE RAMONES' three CDs tell the whole musical story--from 1976's "Blitzkrieg Bop" to 1996's "R.A.M.O.N.E.S." The DVD gives fans the complete Ramones music video collection--Lifestyles Of The Ramones, making its digital debut, consists of all of the Ramones Sire Records videos laced together with interview footage and other interstitial material. Also included on the DVD are all six of the videos the band made while on the Radioactive record label.

How much would you pay now? But wait! There's more! While all of those Ramones songs and videos should be enough to make anybody happy, the super cool thing about WEIRD TALES OF THE RAMONES is the book that comes in the box. A groundbreaking band deserves something special, and this book is unlike any ever created for a music box set.

Rather than beat on a dead brat with some stuffy liner notes recounting the band's history and importance, Rhino has commissioned 25 top graphic novel/comic artists (who also happened to be Ramones fans) to create new works for the book, including Rick Altergott (Doofus), Sergio Aragones (Mad Magazine), Mary Fleener, Bill Griffiths (Zippy The Pinhead), Xaime Hernandez (Love And Rockets), John Holmstrom (Punk magazine, Ramones album covers), Carol Lay (WayLay, Story Minute), John Pound (Garbage Pail Kids, Wacky Packages, Mad Magazine), Scott Shaw, William Stout, and Jim Woodring.

Included are comic book style ads for Ramones wigs, Ramones rubber masks, and "Sea Markys," as well as a 3-D comic complete with the necessary glasses. Words really can't do this book justice--one look and you'll want to be sedated.

Establishing themselves from the get-go with an unmistakable sound and a look that became iconic, the Ramones proved they had strength to endure. There are only a few groups who can truly claim to have changed the course of music history, and the Ramones are one of them. With WEIRD TALES OF THE RAMONES the original punks are immortalized in a manner befitting juvenile delinquents turned rock royalty.

Marek J spotted this on the Bomp Mailorder List...

BARRACUDAS, The - What you Want is What you Get
Ltd ed of 100 copies with signed photo! Jeremy Gluck and Robin Wills are back in action, this time with the addition of ex-Flamin' Groovies Chris Wilson. This is their first recording in more than a decade, three minutes of squalling, screaming and kicking garage punk genius, flipped by "Somebody '05", the reinvention of their
timeless "Drop Out With The Barracudas" classic. A brand new album is planned for the summer. Surfers are back! 7" $8

The album should be available at the end of this month. Soon as I know - you will...

Greetings this Saturday morning from Discombobulated Central. Things be still awry but I guess that's how such a fluid situation can inhibit a creature of extreme routine. Maybe I'm suffering from a mild form of depression because I never got any tickets for the Live 8 shows. And why? Because I never entered the lottery to win any. And why (the sequel)?? Because I have no interest at all in being "part of history". So thereby hangs a tale... I am so devoid of any kind of ambition that I've been wondering lately why? As others jockey and crawl for some crumb of "status", for some tangible link to what they conceive as normal or acceptance - I'm rowing frantically in the opposite direction, out to sea, lunch, wherever. As far away from what i consider to be a sickness as is humanly possible, hoping that a wave will knock me out of my wee boat and either drown me or wash me up on some distant shore, out of the all-enveloping bollocks once and for all.

The slide toward Scotland's lockdown is gathering pace as the world leaders of the apocalypse ride toward Gleneagles. The toothless call for a humungous number of people to descend upon this daft wee country gets more shrouded in stupidity with every passing moment. There isn't an infrastructure to deal with the possibility and we ain't talking Woodstock here. Fuck's sake, there aren't even litter bins in most rail stations because don't ya know there are terrorists waiting to blow our sorry arses off the main line between Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Tomorrow (Sunday 19th) is No Computer day. I ain't even switching it on, no matter how it begs and pleads. It's time to revisit the days before these things took control of my existence, I might even get to a casual schlepp through that pile of cds that are gathering dust over there just out of vision. My e-mailholism is out of control and isn't helping cod-fisted attempts to stabilse the day to day chaos. The turbulence continues and it's at times like this you need all the Fuck Y'All records you can get. But more about that down yonder road...

Tickets for the Count Bishops reunion show at the 100 Club on September 23rd are available now from Bang Bang. Latest word is that Boss Goodman will be spinnin' the discs that night!.

...Wanna do something useful and rock at the same time? Join The Star Spangles at The Mills @ East Falls, 3502 Scotts Lane, Philadelphia, 8pm, June 25th for part of Scooter Week, a series of events benefiting The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. It's an all ages show on a Saturday evening, the Walkmen are headlining and your $20 goes to a very good cause, so now you have no excuse... Click here for further info

The new AMY RIGBY album LITTLE FUGITIVE is out on Signature Sounds this August 23rd. Mixed by Don Dixon, it contains the "if there's any justice" smash "Dancing With Joey Ramone" and 11 other top compositions delivered in customary splendor (note - US spelling). Amy also has a songbook, with lyrics and illustrations available now.

The one and the only Karen McB sent me this link to a D-GENERATION clip today. In 1994 even, everything seemed possible and the performance is great. They were the missing link between Aerosmith and The Dead Boys that got away. The albums aren't wall to wall great but they have their moments and you can probably score them for a buck off Ebay. Anyway, they knew how to use a stage and this wee snapshot proves that conclusively.

Received quite a few messages today about the "too much stuff" malaise. Seems like it's a pretty common ailment. It also reminded me of the 100 records concept. Essentially you can have 100 records, that's total. In order to get a new one you have to let an old one go. I've heard stories about people who could live with such a discipline but I never met anyone who actually practices this dark art. Could such control really be possible?

There's a piece in the latest issue of WORD magazine that really hit home with me. David Hepworth is writing about there being too much stuff out there and very candidly states some names that he hasn't ever heard. Some of these names are very obvious but he's managed to distance himself from the feeding frenzy where on top of hearing stuff there's room to appreciate it more because there's room to breathe.
Just lately I've become a binge listener, because somehow I've been robbed of all the time I seemed to have had. I gorge myself on album after album. Sometimes something comes along like Angel CC and that occupies heavy rotation but then I get back on the treadmill. Hepworth has pointed out the error of my ways but it remains to be seen if I can discipline myself out of this habit. I like his message about not having to hear EVERYTHING. It's simple and it's obvious but is it workable?

Mr Vahlberg tells me that SATOR will be playing at the Hultsfred Festival in Sweden this coming weekend. Chips K will also be conducting an ensemble of rolling vocalists throughout a set to mark 20 years of the event and Nick Nomad is one of these. I hope they get the weather.

It's official. Absolutely NOTHING is sacred or indeed safe from reinterpretation... an "urban" version of perhaps the greatest sitcom of all time. Couldn't they at least have called it The Homeynooners? The trailer does not inspire confidence but maybe some of our US readers could expand upon the subject. What the hell is next?

Angel's Louie Louie is up and at ya available now. It's a fabulous thing in a svelt card sleeve and it deserves to deliver a marked increase in status for our SF based lassie. Ad executives, soundtrack compilers and even people with ears should be able to recognise the shimmer that this stuff gives off. What's not to license...? Moby is so back in whatever day.

She has also entered the blogosphere and you can track down her music there, direct from the source. But beware, this is a sonic elixir of substance - not some casual mis-use of style so approach this material with that in mind. It will sooth the savage beast and then kick your ass. It's time Angel got her share of the limelight, she's not going on tour and she's not gonna be in all the magazines. This medicine is to be administered as a slow drip and you're being offered the privilege of getting in on the basement. It's an album like this that makes me remember why I bang my fucking head against the brick wall that claims to be the mainstream. Hoping that my napper will open up a fissure that'll let a little of the good stuff trickle in...

I know, this shindig was last night but Nuria's artwork - as always - is a wonderful thing to behold. So behold already...

So it's Fathers day next Sunday and the TV advertising is in full swing. A three CD Deep Purple box is the ideal gift apparently and to be honest I'm not knocking that as a concept. I always think of FD being a kinda Matt Monro or Max Bygraves vinyl album or slippers kinda day. Sometimes I forget that this is the 21st Century. We've made progress and the fact that you can pick up the new Cauldplay album with your muffins and Bran Flakes is supposed to underline this. Perhaps not. Another fact that's been widely reported this week is that practically every high street in the country has exactly the same shops. That'll be a revelation to anybody with eyes that's ever walked down one then, right? We are being bombarded with shite. Bloody big lumps of it. In every way imaginable. Even something as important as wiping out poverty has all these abysmal acts involved with it. Tis almost G8 time and the country is getting ready to party like it's 1999 to the most talent starved has-beens imaginable. Its not like any of them need the money that they'll undoubtedly make on the back of it. There are trains and boats and planes full of people headed for Edinburgh on July 6th apparently. The capital doesn't have enough toilet facilities on a regular day so it could get a tad stinky over there. It'll be Hogmanay Celebrations plus and probably pissing rain. And to get a ticket for the thing, you have to text. There is a provision for snail mail but the main mode of getting to see this terrible bill is to use your moby. I don't know how to do that so I can't go. Big shame I know, but I feel the sacrifice is worth it.

News on the upcoming new Fleshtones album 'Beachhead' can be found here.

The Rhythm Hive presents...
Saturday 11th June - downstairs at the Marquis of Lansdowne (aka Barden's boudoir Room 2), 48 Stoke Newington Road, London N16 7XJ (Dalston Kingsland top train or 67, 76 ,149, 243 buses)

THE MAKEOUTS
teengenerate-style garage-punk snottiness from Stockholm City!!!! 45 out soon on P.Trash Records!

BLACK TIME
sunglasses after dark punk rockers mainlining the Cramps and Huggy Bear!
VENOM SEEDS

geisha girls wrestling YYYs and Sonic Youth!!

DIRTHOLE
double drummer bursts of bruised and anguished garage-punk!!

8 til midnight. £4 on the door.

This coming Friday, June 10th ... 8:30pm - 3:00am

GOLDBLADE
There’s a lot of indie kids out there who thought it was something new and exciting when the Detroit garage scene exploded - no bandwagon jumpers, Goldblade anticipated that sound years earlier. Their soul-flecked rhythm’n’blues überdelic rock’n’roll may near enough be matched by their US counterparts but you won’t see a more inspiring and enlivening show from any of those. No one else delivers the testifying rock’n’roll gospel like John Robb – his restless spirit courses through the urgency of their glam-drenched strut, giving you a sense that every moment of your life should be an all-or-nothing, doing it to the utmost, that rock’n’roll can be your salvation, your reason for living. He’s a rock’n’roll Billy Graham, bug-eyed and wild on adrenalin – you will have no choice but to howl out your devotion to his band. A shamelessly fundamental collision of The Ramones, James Brown, The Stooges, backed by the tribal thump of two drummers, the song with which they open their set !
says it all: "Do You Believe in the Power of Rock’n’Roll?"

ELECTRA
Though being sharp and well-defined, this band is not about concept – it’s about good songs, the kind that remain hard to find. The songs in question are a fabulous blend of sixties soul and seventies punk – a unique blend of sweet melodies wrapped in loud, edgy guitars, songs that are direct and warm as any real pop anthem should be and yet also complicated and angry as the soul of a true teen rebel. In the couple of years since this power trio formed they have gained a devoted local crowd around the Tel Aviv area, with Time Out Tel Aviv calling them "the most kicking band in rock’n’roll". Following their debut single in the spring of 2004 the band signed a publishing deal with the Israeli branch of EMI and put out their second release. Now it’s time for Israel’s most happening band to head for the UK!

DANGERLUST
"Fancy some female-fronted dirty rock and roll with perfect pop choruses? That's the MO of this Sheffield band. Think the Pixies fronted by an uber-cool rock chick rather than a bald lardo..." says NME. Lurching, rhino-fart basslines, spiralling, bitten off guitars reminiscent of the Pixies/Breeders with effectively sneery vocals, Dangerlust are menacing, knowing and snide in equal measures, awesome riffage and fun solos , they show a honed sensibility for what it takes to get a club full of kids leaping around! As a Leeds Music Scene said about them: "Sleazy, filthy rock and roll. Just slap it in your CD player, sit back and nod your head in admiration 7/10" Meanwhile, the Sheffield Star says, "Personality, an appetite for riffs and a welcome dollop of scuzz." And we say you can't go wrong with a bit of scuzz!

GENERAL KHAKI
It was but a year ago that The General left the forces in disgust and assembled an elite fighting unit: on lead vocals and Fender Telecaster, Wing Commander Tommy Mack; on vocals and bass, Lance Bombardier Kat Stevens; on vocals and drums, Grenadier Dan McKennan. Their Mission: Clad in razor-sharp matching uniforms, to rendezvous at the barracks in London's fashionable East End and prime their primitive yet deadly weaponry for a sonic assault of their elusive leader's design – jagged Beefheart meets Buzzcocks bubblegum hooks, detonated with the breakneck speed and free-wheeling energy of the music the kids call 'hardcore', a manic swingpunk two-step and the raw guitars of that which they call 'garage-rock’. With a debut single out this summer on 1234 Records, and the majors sniffing around their sweaty hides like so many rabid hounds, General Khaki are on a mission to bring the brains and the beauty, the fun and the fury back to the fore, to put a dip in your hip and a glide!
in your stride - everything all together, everything all at once! www.generalkhaki.com

15.00 - 03.00 at Debaser, Stockholm... Tickets are 160 SvKr + service (a bargain really) at http//www.ticnet.se or at the door (18y)

15.00 The Midsummer pole is raised, Dj's are playing music and food can be bought in the big outdoor area. The party indoors starts at approx. 19.00hrs.

The Line-up: The Fleshtones (us), Los Plantronics (no)
Hipbone Slim & The Kneetremblers (uk), Dee Rangers, Tiny Teasers

Dj's Brock Sternberg (dk), Måns Månsson, Baby Diamondback, Mike Barbwire and more.....

The latest from Ace Records.

Although I try to update this thing at least once daily, the recent upturning of my routine suggests that this might not be the best way to go from here on in. Likewise, responding to and dealing with messages. I'm spending too much time in front of computers and in many ways achieving less. So I plan to try and regulate this. My napper feels like it's about to explode and that i'm headed for the rubber room if I don't reign things in. Maybe I'm down for a berth anyway but in any case... All's I'm saying is that there could be a lull coming up.

Priorities Pt. 2 4.11pm ... The healing sounds of the Hacienda Brothers have beaten off the demons for now. As has the threat of Mrs Stim's wrath. This ipod kicking is pretty funny and I'm not sure I subscribe to it 100% but it does raise a valid point. Of course there are many males who aren't interested in music either. Not "proper" music anyway and no amount of landfill gadgetry will halt the onslaught of these bastards so let's just try to steer around this veneer-deep temporary obstacle. Shall we?

The Plimsouls Reunion Show

(first shows since 1997!!)

with special guests Magic Christian feat. Cyril Jordan

Sunday, July 17, 2005

Cafe Du Nord
2170 Market St.
San Francisco,CA.
(415) 861-5016

Doors: 7:00pm - Show: 8:00pm promptly $15

Y'know - it's not really necessary to own a music collection anymore. However much we try, we can't have EVERYTHING and when you think about it, there still gazillions of things out there that we haven't heard. This is either depressing or empowering, depending on my mood. With the advent of stations like WFMU and shows like BBC London's Shake Some Action, we can just log in, hit the archive and to quote "The Great One" - "Awaaaaaay we go"...

Those of you with the means should hit up the SOA link there, it'll only be available until Monday but it's a belter, the second hour in particular because it features the one and the only Kevin Patrick spinning records and telling tales as only this one can. Follow the links to the show title, tucked away under "classic rock and pop" and simply play it again... and again...

Can anybody out there provide tips as to how to "capture" such broadcasts or what software is required to do so? Also, if you know of a show or a station we should maybe compile into a resource in the side bar there then let we know.

And on the subject of BBC output there, the Soul Deep episode last night was frustrating. Its surely should have been split into four. You can't pack all those bite size chunks in to tick the boxes marked James Brown, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and Bootsy/George Clinton. What the P-funk? The last part is next Saturday and threatens Mary J. Bilge (I spell it the way I hears it). That crap might be hip but it don't hop around here amigo. And don't get me started about what some deranged twallies call r&b in this sorry day and age.

Who woulda thunk? A Zakary Thaks Website...

Latest news from Slugrock central:
"ACHTUNG YOUSE PUNK ROCKS !!!!
We are pleased to announce that Mikey "Offender" Donaldson will be rocking with
Amsterdam's unstoppable stalwarts the Nitwitz soon. Mikey played with legendary Austin, TX hardcore heavy hitters such as the Offenders, D.R.I., M.D.C., and Sister Double Happiness. Adding these credentials to the illustrious pasts of the other members (B.G.K., Loveslug, No Pigs, to name but a few) the Nitwitz are now packed to the hilt with bona fide trailblazing old school hardcore legend goodness AS WELL AS unbound talent! Better recognize, crackas. Cause it's about time all you biscuit-headed bozos stopped greeting the Nitwitz with screaming indifference, and got wise to the bowel-bursting Hurricane Power of Slugrock Riff-o-rama instead of jerking off over your Offenders/B.G.K.bootlegs and paying 200 bucks for old releases on Ebay. That's right : get your gelatinous, nostalgic, pringle eating retro-hardcore posterior off that sofa, and pick up the new Nitwitz CD "Sex Lies and Duct Tape" on Rocketdog Records from Clear Spot distribution.
Check the webpage to see what's up with live shows and freeload some mp3's while you're at it"

Check THIS Out!...

THE BEATSTALKERS - "Scotland's No. 1 Beat Group" is a collection of their 7 singles featuring the A + B sides plus two other cuts "Ramble On" and "St Louis Blues". The cd has been exquisitely curated to bring together this long lost material with a booklet containing plenty of great clippings and liner notes by Beatmeister, Lenny Helsing of The Thanes.

STRAMASH! blared the Evening Times, reporting the 'stalkermania that ensued at an innocent "boutique" opening. 2 of these 14 songs were written by one D. Bowie and to my knowledge have fallen off the face of the earth until now so maybe the more rabid of his fans are about to encounter some real music for the first time in a dogs age when they discover this.

Assembled by Alan Mair, the sound is great - particularly when cranked up. I would imagine that this is gonna create quite the stushy when the global beat fraternity get their paws on it. A vinyl edition would be something else entirely. I think the band would probably be up for some Cavestomp, Wild Weekend, Las Vegas Grind, Rotterdam Rumble type action when the blue touch paper is lit, meanwhile you can snag a copy this very instant by clicking HERE!

Ben Vaughn's DESIGNS IN MUSIC will be his first domestic (US) release in 8 years. I'll let you ponder the criminal nature of that fact while you test drive the wee mp3 samples and duly place your order thanks to the wonders of Paypal. More about the album when I get my hands on the whole entchilada...

Practically at the last act of my first week doing the (almost) 9 'til 5. I am nothing if not a creature of routine and said activity has been somewhat shaken up this past few days. Service will be resumed slowly as I morph some kinda groove around these latest developments.

Oh yeah, if you're in NY this weekend...