“Whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” (allegedly). I’m settling at the minute for the fact that recent events haven’t in fact killed me. Waters and wells and Joni Mitchell songs reverberate in my noggin. Driving to and from the stalag today, I got re-aquainted with “Nights of Forgotten Films” in anticipation of the Edinburgh Film Festival programme dropping through the door. I need to give it the full forensic treatment tonight but a quick skip through the site, and said print, doesn’t look like I’ll be holing up in Auld Reekie too much over the two weeks. No Monks, no Pankrti, nothing terribly musical at all except maybe The Pixies documentary - "loudQUIETloud". If you aren’t down with that album by The Strange then I’d advise you to spring for that before you even think about film festival tickets. Because it evokes the kind of pictures we WANT to see. It’s The Bambi Molesters + Chris Eckman. What’s not to like for chrissakes!?

Meanwhile, coming up on the horizon sooner than said movie fest – Evie Sands show at the ABC2 this coming Sunday (16th) should be on your radar. Time to pick over that programme then to plan the festival schedule whilst listening to Amy Rigby and Marti Jones. There’s nothing good on TV (anyway).

"STOP F+CKIN PRESS

Well the rumour merchants continue to decypher what was said to the great Zidane by his fave italian Matterazzi, and we at Phobics HQ can reveal what drove Zid Vicious to Head Butting crazy man mode...... " Hey Zinedine, can you get my effin' phobics cds back from your sister and mother cos now we've won the world cup I wanna celebrate you loser!"

Expect to see both in the crowd for this Saturday's gig - but be nice gentlemen or we'll be flashing our red cards!

Yessir our last minute reminder for Saturday 15th July. Barnets birthday extravaganza at the 12 Bar in Denmark Street - THE PHOBICS are on at 10:30 and will be signing autographs and body parts all through the night.

Aiding and abetting will be TOXIC SLUT, LAY OUT THE TRAPS, VACANTS and APB and headlining are the mighty evil-elvis-tastic VIVA LAS VEGAS. It's six quid in with a flyer which you can download from the photos section of www.myspace.com/thephobicslamf

those of you who like candid entertainment should make your way to the punk photo exhibition in west london which has some fab heartbreakers shots by leee- it's free and at the redferns gallery in bramley road near to latimer road tube.

....and those for a likeing of great punk journo overload should check the latest edition of trakmarx which is a new york dolls special edition.

All this in the same weekend of Johnny Thunders Birthday and the Anniversary of Arthur Kane's death so lots more reasons to raise a glass or three. see you at the (12) Bar!

tomx"

monks

the transatlantic feedback

a play loud! documentary film by dietmar post + lucia palacios

(100 min - usa/germany/spain 2006)

two screenings at FILMFEST MÜNCHEN on Wednesday July 19 and Saturday July 22 at 10:15pm The filmmakers will be in attendance.

MUSEUM LICHTSPIELE MÜNCHEN press screening July 22, 2006 at 12:00 AMat Maxx 5

Visit the play loud! site to see reviews and get news of the upcoming Monks tribute album.

Hollywood Reporter review

RADIO BIRDMAN have their new album "Zeno Beach" released by Yep Roc in August and they'll be embarking on a global trek to promote it. The monster lands in the UK at the DWC on Wednesday, September 13th so none of this "onstage at 6.30pm" malarky that hampered their last visit. Word is that there's a pretty nifty line-up in the works for that Dirty Water evening. Full details if, as and indeed when. They're also playing at the great La Maroquinerie in Paris during their schlepp. Click that global trek link for full details.

RIP - Syd Barrett

I heard that divot Gary Robertson on Radio Scotland say “Have The Who had a hit since ‘My Generation’?” Only slightly rising to the bait I managed to quell the urge to send an e-mail rocket. What would be the point? And what difference does it make in the grand scheme of things?? You just expect people to know, y’know? Particularly those who aren’t exactly spring chickens themselves. Anyway, Pete and Rog are getting much media mileage out of closing P in the Dark tonight. The “hope I die, etc” is on a constant loop. I know who I want to die and those two aren't even in the pecking order. The tossers that reckon this constitutes “news”on the other hand... And also the popularity of some of the others on the bill. Watching some of the performances on TV last night perplexed me. The Zutons aren’t too bad but The Ordinary Boys? Calling themselves that is surely damning themselves with faint praise. Terrible tuneless pish. Wolfmother’s Jack White/Zep via Deep Purple heavy rock codswallop – dearie me. And Paul (F) Weller (to quote those Voladoras) , I had to switch over at that point such was the scale of utter averageness. The Kooks are pretty mind-numbingly awful too, it has to be said. Why do I bother? Well, I like to try and find out about what’s popular and make up my own mind. Rather than just jump to any conclusions. But no wonder sales are down. The stuff they’re pushing to the kids is, at best and for the most part, tripe. In the end I voted by pressing the off button to ponder whether or not I’m prone to over-reaction. It's true, I do have more pressing matters to concern me and I don't need any cranking up of the irked-ometer right about now. But it's not all doom and gloom. there are still events being organised in this world that offer a ray of hope. In Spain, this approaching September there’s a festival that includes some GOOD bands at least. Check out the AZKENA bill then. I'm not sure if they're certain of good weather but you wouldn't mind getting a bit wet in the presence of some of these...

Brother Patrick's US Tour Reports sounds like it was a blast! parking and speeding tickets notwithstanding...

June 22 – July 5, 2006

"The only thing I knew is that we (my son, Jonathan and I) were starting out in Boston and leaving from Chicago. Well, I also had a book that Ben gave me, “Rock’n’Roll Traveller USA”, it was very useful (and the GPS that helped to find records shops and other cool places).

In Boston, Chuck and Jim (aka Nimereht, theremin backwards) were waiting for us at the airport – they took two days off to show us around, cool guys. They’d planned to go the Crypt shop opening that was supposed to happen on June 23rd but was postponed to early July. We stayed at Chuck’s place and they drove us to all the cool places. Record shops (Stereo Jack’s on Massachusetts Ave, is the only one that I remember the name of), the place where The Rat (then Ratskeller) used to be, their favourite restaurants (Mexican) or clubs - the Middle East, where the MC5, Dirtbombs, the Monkey Butlers have played, the Museum of Fine Arts ( we saw sthe great paintings mentioned by Jonathan Richman in his song “Girlfriend”, but there was also this special and great exhibition called “Americans In Paris 1860-1900”. We probably visited the whole downtown Boston (New England), beautiful place.
And they wanted to pay for everything! Chuck even stopped in the first record shop to buy the new Demolition Doll Rods CD (I already had an advance copy but this new Swami record on seems not to be that well distributed) and Jim gave us T-shirts, pins, records of his own group, The Monkey Butlers. By chance I had brought some records and Champagne for these generous guys. Talking about records, we finally all found copies of The Coachwhips vinyl – Jim “you’re member of every garage forum ... and a guy told you, did you go to see the Coachwhips show the other day, they’re a kinda mix of Mummies/Gories/Oblivians – Who ? the Coachwhips! they issued 3 or 4 albums (I found 3) and you even never heard their name!”. The guy we met who saw The Coachwhips show is called Pip. He first saw the Cramps in Boston (1984) and that show changed his life; he said that Lux got into a fight after 3 or 4 songs and that Nick Knox came to the rescue, jumping on the guy Lux was fighting with. He said it was the wildest show he ever saw, and that included a Lords Of The New Church show during which Stiv got a blow job from 2 girls while singing! Another great story is when Chuck and Jim were in Philadelphia to see the Cramps. They went to Rich Lustre’s place, he is one of the greatest people they ever met and had said, “too bad I couldn’t reach you on the phone, Lux and Ivy were looking for someone who could drove them to the venue ...” – Jim told him “stop, I don’t want to hear that”. In Boston, I also bought the Volcanoes “Into The Psyche” LP, probably one of the best Cramps sounding album, along with Art Phag’s “Instant Ventriloquism”.

After another rest in Chuck’s beautiful house (he’s an architect), we went with Kim, his sweetheart, to have a marvelous breakfast at Joey’s Diner, a 100% Fifties place with parts of vintage cars and a great jukebox ... then we went to visit Porthmouth, a beautiful port. We got our first ticket (fine) there but Kim said she’ll take care of that.

After a quick visit and sleep in Providence, we headed for the big apple, where we got our second ticket (the main problem in the USA with the prohibited parking places – sometimes up to $ 15 for the 1st hour). Even a New Yorker parked just behind us couldn’t explain why we got it. Jim told me it happened to him too. After a few difficulties with finding a hotel room, we finally found one at The Newton on Broadway). It was time to go to the special Bar-b-q show at Magnetic Field in Brooklyn. The bar-b-q was cancelled due to the weather but the show was the most important part. A special Canadian set with Imaginary Icons, BBQ and Demon’s Claws. The 2 others were pretty decent but BBQ one man band was the real deal, awesome - what this man can do with just a drum kit and a guitar (sometimes played with just one hand!) – during the last 3 songs, he was accompanied by 2 guys from the Demon’s Claws. I chatted with Pierrot who told me that he just left The Fatals and Mighty Go Go Players to play organ with The Demon’s Claws (my advice : not a good choice). I noticed this beautiful girl with a bag designed with the Rolling Stones “Aftermath” (English edition) LP cover, and asked her if she was Miriam : she was – and Billy was there too – I told her all the good things I think about Norton records, the Cramps, A-Bones etc. She’s a real cutie, very kind – she really enjoyed BBQ show and also told me that she was born in Canada. Our second day in New York was visiting – from uptown (Harlem) to downtown, we must have walked around 20 miles. I noted all the record shops addresses for Sean, a few good ones, too bad Bleeker’s Bob doesn’t exist anymore. After a visit at CBGB / CBGB Gallery (313-315 Bowery) where I bought the CBGB book, featuring a cool photo of the Cramps in 1977 (with Miriam), lotsa Ramones. Went for a giant dinner at The Carnegie Deli – we couldn’t finish the whole thing but we impressed the other clients and even the crew considering the amount of what we ate (I was ashamed when I remembered that some people are starving). The World Trade Centre was a strange place to see too, very emotional (by chance I went to NY before 2001), the only thing that sucks are those guys selling postcards or books with the planes crashing into the towers. We also went to MOMA museum – special Dada exhib (Marcel Duchamp...), fantastic. I wanted to visit Passout Records in Brooklyn, probably the best garage shop in this part of the USA said Jim, before heading for Philly, but it seems those guys needed to rest (shop not opened at 2 PM!).

Philly is a cool city too. We went to The Philadelphia Record Exchange, very good shop, a la Born Bad, with cool new stuff (I bought the brilliant Leather Uppers LP on Goner) and also tons of old stuff (I bought the Drifters “Under The Boardwalk” LP for Ben). The shop owner told me that Hasil Adkins played in the street in front of the shop the 1st time he came in town. He also saw Lux and Ivy once in the 80’s, freezing in the street. Maybe they were visiting the Sickidz.

By the way, the only bad thing during our trip is that we couldn’t meet Rich Lustre of Sickidz fame. I called him on his cell phone and he asked me to call his house later. But due to my bad English or rather (I hope) because of the noise on the street, I misheard one of the numbers, and the cell phone wasn’t answering (some some reason, I had other problems calling from hotel rooms and other places). So we missed Rich but caught up over a couple phone calls since – a very very cool character. I asked him about a new Sickidz album: maybe in a while; here’s hoping.

Hotel in Newark, then Baltimore. Rather boring city except for those houses in the suburbs that make us think of John Waters’ movies. So we spend a long time at the public library to check our emails. Met a great character by the name of Groucho Magic, he showed us a few tricks with coins, traded euros vs. $. He’s a dead ringer for Groucho Marx (it’s his job) and he told us that two of his uncles were members of the Three Stooges.

Hotel in Somerset, Pennsylvania (just before the flood), then Pittsburgh and visited the best record shop I’ve ever seen, Jerry’s Records with probably more than 500,000 records including thousands of 50’s and 60’s unsorted singles, all $3 a piece or $5 for the most recent arrivals (if they don’t sell within 2 months they go in the $3 boxes !). I found tons of incredible stuff like Fortune label (Diablos - Nolan Strong, Nathaniel Mayer), Ted & The Young Lions “Open Up Your Door”, the Poets “Dead” (a monster song as good as Zacherle “Dinner With Drac”, lotsa stuff from Lux & Ivy’s favourite and other ones, just because of the label (Checker : Bo Diddley, Dale Hawkins) or the name of the group (Tim Tam and the Turns On ...) / the songs (I’m A Nut” ...). And this day was a special 16 % minus on prices ! Eyde’s used to be a good shop too (3 floors), but it’s so so now.

Akron (Ohio), Lux’s city is rather small but it looks good. We got our card from the Akron-Summit County Public Library and had dinner in a cool Japanese restaurant there and the beautiful waitress who took care of us was called Ivy ! (don’t believe me ? I’ve kept the bill ...).

Cleveland – well, rather than going to the Rock’n’Roll hall of Fame, we tried to find batty bucks for Chuck – those shoes with bat laces that Mad Daddy used to wear – and also visited record shops (15 closed within a few years) : Royal Garden Records with something like 100,000 records, most unsorted, and the best ones : My Mind’s Eye (13727 Madison), lotsa new stuff but also oldies (bought some singles, “Hungry” by Paul Revere & The Raiders ... and Nolan Strong & The Diablos CD, among others). The guy was so generous that he gave me a special box to put all my singles. I showed what I’ve already found and we religiously listened to the Diablos “The Wind” (Fortune, blue label), his Grail – I promised to buy a copy for him if I saw one in Detroit, but no luck. I was in a hurry to get to Detroit : drove at 80mph instead of 65 and got a $105 fine, the price you pay to visit a police car.

Detroit looks like no other city, and I love it : Hitsville USA, the Magic Stick, the Michigan Theatre is now a parking lot ... Almost all the buildings are abandoned, except for a few downtown. A guy told me that this city and the people living here are fucked up, but I loved it anyway. There’s no subway, just the Detroit People Mover on a rail, which only serves a small part of the city – it was built with the idea of bringing factory workers in to spend their money in the bars or to shop downtown.

We visited 2 record shops recommanded by Danny Dollrod : Peoples (615 W Forest) with lots of unsorted singles (bought 15 singles – Fortune ... and a Wilson Picket LP for a total of $20) and Mays (on 8 Mile street), more expensive ($ 10 for Ray Charles “I Don’ Need No Doctor” on ABC records, but only $5 for this fantastic other 7” by the Poets “She Blew A Good Thing”, ...), but it’s worth the visit just to see this tall 70 year old guy who knows exactly where everyone of his records is (and they’re mostly unsorted).





Then it was time to go to this Comerica Tastefest free festival. We saw Cat Power, Ray Davies – show mostly composed by Kinks songs, a great moment, he speaks a lot of his brother Dave who, I guess, is very sick, and DEMOLITION DOLL RODS. It was great to see them on their home turf, with more people than usual : their public, of course, but also little girls dancing with hula hoops, just in front of the scene. The master of ceremony announced “after Dan playing solo 2 years ago and Margaret last year, now here are the Demolition Doll Rods band, the one in Detroit”. DDR played a short but intense set of 10 songs, featuring a new one called “Dream It Or Leave It”. As usual, they were cuties and they accept one photo before leaving in their 60’s cars.

A guy who distributed his free fanzine “Inflame Media” told me that DDR will be on the cover of next issue, that he’s gonna send to me (I wore a Gories T shirt, his all time favourite group). We also visited The Henry Ford Museum (my son likes cars) and I was glad to see “Rosa Parks Bus”, where the Martin Luther King movement began, a piece of history. There’s also Kennedy’s car and other cool stuff, the biggest train I’ve ever seen ...

A quick trip to Ann Harbor, Iggy’s place, saw the Stooges Manor, now a bank. Then to a beautiful beach, Benton Harbor on Lake Michigan – we decided to stay there that night.

Our last destination was at Ben’s in Chicago. After a visit downdown by ourselves : 2120 S Michigan Avenue = Chess studios, now Chess Museum – Vee Jay studios are located W Michigan; Ben drove us to cool places: the alley where Dillinger was killed, the Metro (the Cramps and lotsa punk groups played there), record shops (found Archie Blyers’ “Ernando’s Hideaway” and the Novas’ “The Crusher” on Parrot records). Ben made me hear some of the awesome new stuff he recently discovered (a show by the Cramps featuring “Hungry”, in 1978!). We were lucky that Gobo, his lizard wasn’t too cranky, he didn’t bite our toes. We also visited some Chicago suburbs - just because this damned GPS took us at the wrong place – or with Ben, to see the very first Macdonald’s in Des Plaines (1955: hamburgers for 10 cents), Lake Michigan and other great places. We spent July 4th (I bought the new Johnny Cash “American V”, issued that special day) in Kankukee, with Ben’s friend’s and family – we were received like kings and our trip finished with a big fireworks party, surrounded by bats and glow in the dark insects (lucioles).

The USA is a beautiful country, the people we met were very kind to us and we can’t wait to go back. "

So does CBGB’s heading for Vegas signal the apocalypse (or A-rock-alypse as Lordi call it)? Or is it just a logical outcome for the “brand”? Between hard rockisation and a hard place, I really don’t know. The increasing fragmentation of what the “music business” is morphing into makes it difficult to comprehend any bigger picture. I mean a Ramones “musical”? Who coulda seen that coming? Not me from “doon the front” at the July 4th 1976 Roundhouse show that’s for sure. There are so many distractions, so many angles that subtract from the enjoyment of the actual commodity. Ignorance is, most, definitley bliss. But, whatever happens to CB’s down the line, nobody can takeaway what it was or indeed still is at the original location. Urinals notwithstanding.

So what do you, er, "kids", um, think about this then?

RIP - Paul Nelson (link courtesy of MT). Interview at rockcritics.com

also RIP - Tom Weir

and finally... RIP - Kathy Wood (Widow of Ed)- link courtesy of Ben Gart via Staysick.

SWEDESPLEASE Scandanavian mp3's of all shapes, sizes and persuasions.

Regular stoppers-by will have noticed that my posts of late have been a bit spotty. This is because of stuff beyond my control labeled "real life" or what passes for it.

Anyway, some things that I've meant to run by you folks in the Glasgow locale...

Volcanic Tongue have a store at 1129 Argyle Street, G3 8ND. Tel: 0141 204 3322...
OPEN TUES-SAT 11AM-6PM

Picked up a free tabloid thing calle THE SKINNY which provides a comprehensive "Whats' On" guide sorta like The Village Voice for Central Scotland and beyond. In there I discovered some info on the upcoming Evie Sands/BMX Bandits show at the ABC2 on July 16th. Evie's band will include Norman Blake and Davie Scott. You can pick this up almost anywhere so check availability if you're jetting in from wherever.

On the subject of the Scottish Music Scene, folks are invited to check out Martin Kielty's BIG NOISE and pitch in should you see fit.

Was just talking to Sir David of Arnoff who caught the Gun Club movie in LA. There's no bloody music in it. Just talk. Interesting as that could be, what the heck is up with not including the whole point of such a beast in the first place? Wasted opportunity or rough cut awaiting finishing touches? Lets hope for the latter. Wonder what's coming up music-wise in the EIFF programme due July 12th. The Monks? Luna? The Upper Crust? Probably none of those but a guy can dream, right? And coming in September...

The Stripchords @
Sonic Reducer, London, Saturday July 15th - FREE!

All hail, sweaty kits'n'glowing kittens! Well, the summer is well and trooly upon us, and with temperatures hitting the early 30s in Londinium, what better way to make yer weekend special than with a Saturday night at Sonic Reducer? Saturday July 15th will see instro twang sleazemeisters The Stripchords play the 'Reducer, soundtracking their acclaimed selection of vintage 8mm burlesque flicks, with the addition of live go-go dancers! As one patron of the 100 Club put it: "That's not jazz!" And who are we to argue?

The Stripchords will take to the stage at 10.30pm.

Videos, and downloadable tuneage is always available via www.myspace.com/thestripchords ... As per, BigKegShandy and Teenslain will be spinning platters that may or may not matter, and if the first 'Reducer at The Spitz is anything to go by, the place will be jumping madly by the witching hour ... So expect the seasonal mix of soul, funk, garage punk, beat, R&B, ska, mento, calypso, reefer jazz, and any other kool trash we can gets our greezy pawses upon! Plus the new Jack Oblivian 45, of course ... See ya the bar!

Selah, BigKegShandy & TeenSlain
-------------------------------------------
Sonic Reducer @ The Spitz (gallery space)
July15th, Spitalfields Market, The London E1
8.30pm-1am, FREE ENTRY Tube: Liverpool Street

Belgium in November anyone? More info on this when their site goes live...

A guid Dave Alvin day to our friends out there in the US of A. I meant to put type to screen this morning but a series of mishaps which has pretty much been ongoing during the day put paid to it. More later (perhaps)...

RIP: Robbie Watts (Cosmic Psychos).

NORTON NEWS NOW • EXTRA • EXTRA • READ ALL ABOUT IT

• NEW RELEASES!

• SHOW TIME - HEP SUMMERTIME BASHES

ARTHUR LEE - STAY AWAY/YOU I'LL BE FOLLOWING (Norton 7N7) Norton announces the release of never-issued 1965 pre-Love demos Stay Away by the American Four b/w You I’ll Be Following by the Grass Roots, two pre-Love combos that included Arthur Lee and on guitar, the great Johnny Echols. Johnny contributed boss interview notes to our 45 which boasts an insanely cool unknown photo of the American Four (sportin’ Beatle wigs). This limited first pressing is on wild marble colored wax- no two records the same- THEY COME IN COLORS that run a swirly rainbow gamut! These colored wax singles are available only at the tribute show or at the benefit website, with all proceeds going directly to Arthur.

NEW FROM NORTON: RELEASE DATE JULY 25:
THEE MIDNITERS - IN THEE MIDNITE HOUR!!! (Norton 315) Pounding 1964-67 East LA rock n ‘roll! First time ever collection of the original Whittier stompers n’ slammers- killer after killer of loud, tense, massively attitudinal teenage howlers! Dig the unstoppable assault of this legendary West Coast combo-- guaranteed to sprain yo’ brain! Instant party never had it so good! Whittier Blvd./Everybody Needs Somebody To Love/Jump, Jive And Harmonize/Gloria/Love Special Delivery/Thee Midnite Feeling/I Found A Peanut/Never Knew I Had It So Bad/Down Whittier Blvd.*/Empty Heart/Looking Out A Window/Do You Love Me*/Dragon-Fly*/Hey Little Girl (previously unissued)/Money/Welcome Home Darling/Devil With A Blue Dress/Good Golly Miss Molly*/Land Of A Thousand Dances (extended live version)/Down Whittier Blvd. (Godfrey vocal) *=CD only CD $12/LP $9
THE KING KHAN & BBQ SHOW FLIGHT 505/THE FLAKES STUPID GIRL (Norton 45-9653) Yes, the label with the able stable has finally landed the in-demand duo for our Rolling Stones trib series, in which we try to alert the inert public about the essential excellence of this relatively unknown English combo by having the hottest names in entertainment today interpret their bucolic chart bubblers. THE KING KHAN & BBQ SHOW's version of Flight 505 is flip-sided by the fabulous FLAKES rendition of the introspective Stupid Girl on this AFTERMATH twin spin ripper! $4 (Coming soon in the Rolling Stones 9600 Tribute Series: The Alarm Clocks/tba plus Black Lips/tba!)
THE U-TURNS - THE DEATH OF GARAGE ROCK (Norton EP-131) Celebrate the death of Garage Rock with the only band that matters! This four song unissued (you'll hear why!) tape of 1966 teenage hi jinx includes a truly demented 1:10 version of 7 And 7 Is, Dedicated Follower Of Fashion, Get Off My Cloud and a stunning take of the Beatles' I'm Down. Makes Green Fuz sound like Green Day! $4
___
SUMMERTIME AND THE LIVING IS GREASY!
MIND THE MAYHEM:
• July 27 -29 DOT DASH FESTIVAL Tom Dash’s annual weekender runs three big days at Brooklyn’s fab Southpaw nitery (125 5th Avenue, Park Slope Brooklyn). Norton icons (Midwest division) THE ALARM CLOCKS (Cleveland) and THE HENTCHMEN (Detroit) sock the Friday lineup, while old Ohio pals ROCKET FROM THE TOMBS and local geniuses THE LITTLE KILLERS topple the Saturday nite blasteroo!
• July 30 NORTON PRESENTS REIGNING SOUND AND THE A-BONES! Cap things off Sunday with a pre-dog day Union Pool dunker starring the Reigning Sound (only Northeast show!) and the A-Bones with boss deejays DAVE THE SPAZZ (WFMU) and ANDY THE MAZZ (LITTLE KILLERS) spinnin’ sevens all nite long! http://www.nortonrecords.com
• AUG 19 A-BONES/LITTLE KILLERS Saturday nite double-barrel blasteroo at Brooklyn’s most happenin’ hide-a-way MAGNETIC FIELD sets the block afire with a pair of Brooklyn combos headin’ up one heckuva maulin’ ball!
• OCT 14 NORTON ALL-STAR REVUE ATTACKS ESPANA! Help! Murder! Police! One night only…and only in Spain! Star-studded all night Valencia romp n’ stomp boasts Norton legends Andre Williams, the A-Bones and the Great Gaylord! This is a soopah exclusive and extremely greasy engagement-- one mad, mad night in Europa and then jet propelled back to Stateside hubs in Joliet, Brooklyn, and Jersey City, USA before they knew what clobbered ‘em! Whatta way to say OLE! Pre-show ravin’ rev-up bash on Friday the 13th celebrates the Norton label’s big 20th Anniversary with a record hop blasteroo to end all record hop blasteroos with Miriam and Billy blastin’ spinnables all nite long at the usual maximum voloom at 45 RPM! Book ya tix! This is the A-Bones stomp to Spain-- dig the Norton site for a foto of the A-Bones working hard during their last Valencia junket! Dig all the details at: http://www.funtasticdraculacarnival.com

Norton News In A Nutshell…. The ALARM CLOCKS official website is up, kiddios! Take the last train to Clocksville for up-to-the-minute Yeah gang knock-downs and goings-on at http://www.alarmclocksyeah.com …the guys have recorded nineteen superb songs in Detroit with Michigan mastermind Freddy Fortune at the wheel for their new Norton album… composed largely of fabulous Mike Pierce originals including anthems like Don’t Get Left Behind, More Money and It’s Been Too Long… also recorded is a knockout version of The Last Time for Norton’s Rolling Stones split single series. New York City will welcome the Alarm Clocks for their first show here ever on July 28 at the Southpaw… excitement is building like crazy for the recording for the first solo album by original Shangri-Las lead singer MARY WEISS, backed by the REIGNING SOUND, which begins on July 24. If you haven't checked our interview with Mary yet, DO IT, right now and not later, baby… it’s on our website… famed Las Vegas/Hollywood filmmaker RAY DENNIS STECKLER of RAT PFINK A BOO-BOO fame… will be feted this fall in his hometown of Reading, Pennsylvania where his films will be screened, along with his brand new autobiographical roadtrip feature, with all music by the A-BONES… speaking of film meisters, RUDY RAY MOORE has been hospitalized with a diabetes-related illness. The bad, bad Dolemite asked that we relay a thank you to his many concerned fans, adding, "Don’t nobody try to steal my crown. I was through with it before the others knew what to do with it!"… hep director DAN ROSE announces the release of WAYNE COUNTY RAMBLIN’ with a massive bevy of stars including Nortonians NATHANIEL MAYER, JEFF CONOLLY (Lyres), BILL PEITSCH (Church Keys), MICK COLLINS (Dirtbombs), CUB KODA (Del-Tinos) and JAMES OSTERBERG (Iguanas)… big release party June 24… http://www.waynecountyramblin.com/ …just in! Get ready to rip it up with a newly unearthed set of live SONICS circa 1965 featuring roarin’ deliveries of Busy Body, Tough Walk and Ooh Poo Pah Doo… Goodbye and RIP to A-Bones’ pal Freddy "Stinky" Kreiss of the Mad Daddys… roll on…http://www.nortonrecords.com

'SIXTIES FRENCH POP DISCOTHEQUE'
BASTILLE DAY SPECIAL LIVE ON STAGE - Les BOF!
Scotland's only French language garage band

HENRY'S CELLAR BAR, MORRISON STREET, EDINBURGH - FRIDAY 14TH JULY, 11PM-3AM £5/4

Featuring D.J's Le Marquis De Jardin & Le Pape du Pop


gainsbourg - B.B. - jacques dutronc - claude francois - ronnie bird

'Beatsville' presents (after a 3 year absence) the return of the one and only French Sixties Pop Experience!

'Where else can you dance to the Ye-Ye hits of 'France Gall' and 'Johnny Halliday' of an evening?'

"Everybody I know has a big but..." sez PeeWee Herman in Pee Wee's Big Adventure. Saw that tonight for the first time in years. And he's right. But anyway, everybody has to make their way. They may also have "to pay and pay". Hustle(s) notwithstanding. I have a deep seated foreboding gnawing at my will to exist this past couple of days. In complete and utter contrast to the positive place that I found myself last Saturday night. Here's what I think could be one of the most disturbing album covers of all time. Courtesy of Captain Crunch who spied it in the Byres Road Oxfam shop and gifted it to me. When I worked in Orbit Records, here in the early to mid-70's we used to sell bings of this. The "Night Of The Hunter" vibe of the sleeve didn't click back then but it'd probably be banned outright now. I don't think it's been reproduced in any of these dodgy album cover books but it must be a candidate. Today has been a bust. Chores and general bollocks have decreed that any sort of attempt at blogging has been foiled. Had a few enquiries as to "reviewing stuff" and the criteria remains. I do get sent stuff and if I think our readers will dig it or whatever then I'll write about it. As I'm sure will the other guys. If I think something is guff then I won't. It's not difficult (I don't think) to get a beat on what we like around here and what we don't. This thing exists for information purposes. To direct people to stuff that might just make the schlepp that teeny bit more bearable. End of sermon.

THE VIDEO BEAT (link courtesy of Steve Hesske)

RIP - Johnny Jenkins (info from Phast Phreddie)

August 4th, 5th 6th 2006: Ace’s friends at Club Bang! Bang! www.bangbang-live.com kindly tipped us off about a new festival they’re involved in this summer featuring a stellar line-up including Ike Turner & His Kings Of Rhythm.

The Rhythm Festival is a new kind of music festival. In Club Bang! Bang! main man Jim Driver’s own words, “Not that we've got anything against the likes of Glastonbury, Cambridge Folk Festival or Guilfest (we love Cropredy) – we've been known to attend them ourselves! – it's just that we want to do things differently. Differently as in smaller, friendlier and even more geared towards the audience. For a start, we've picked the sunniest weekend of the year. And just in case the weather falls a teeny bit short of our expectations, we're organising plenty of indoor areas and entertainment, plus masses of marquees.”

With a self-imposed capacity of under 5,000 the aim of the event is to offer a family festival for people who like festivals but who don't like rip-off burgers, one-minute-wonder bands and indifferent booze. The event will also include a funfair, an alternative therapy field, literary events, a wine bar, real ales and ciders, cream teas and children's entertainment.

It’s all sounds good to us, for more details, see the festival website: www.rhythmfestival.net

The Rhythm Festival
August 4th, 5th 6th 2006
Tinwood Arena
Clapham, Near Bedford

Confirmed artists (in alphabetical order):

AMY RIGBY, ARLO GUTHRIE (USA), THE BLUES BAND, BLURT, CARA DILLON, CHAS & DAVE, CULTURE CLASH (SCO/ZIM), DON MESCALL, DONOVAN, THE DYLAN PROJECT, FASTLANE ROOGALATOR, GENO WASHINGTON & THE RAM JAM BAND, HUGH CORNWELL (BAND), IKE TURNER & HIS KINGS OF RHYTHM (USA), JAH WOBBLE & THE ENGLISH ROOTS BAND, JERRY LEE LEWIS & THE KILLER BAND (USA), JOHN COOPER CLARKE, LITTLE GEORGE SUEREF & THE BLUES STARS, JOHN OTWAY, NINE BELOW ZERO, PAMA INTERNATIONAL, PAUL THE GIRL, THE ROLLIN' STONED, ROLLO MARKEE & TAILSHAKERS, ROY HARPER performs Stormcock with FRIENDS, SETH LAKEMAN, SMASHING TIME, THE STORYS, THE TROJANS, WILKO JOHNSON, WRECKLESS ERIC

Doing radio is an odd thing. Particularly in a small cupboard sized studio at an hour when i've generally passed out in front of the TV. It's fun and I get a little nervous when I think about the gibbering. I do try to process some general form before it blurts out but am painfully aware that there's a lot of "y'know's" or whatever. My excuse is that I don't do it too often. So gracias to the folks that tuned in and said they dug it. It was a late finish so I headed over to Fortress Cruickshank where we shot the shit and played records into the wee small hours. A very welcome to the day to day bullshit and backstabbing. I could happily exist inside such a bubble from here on out. To have been on the show that was first to present Annika Norlin to the UK (and beyond) was something of an honour.

Boll and indeeed ocks. Amy Rigby and Wreckless Eric tomorrow at The Half Moon in Putney for those of you in London and then on Friday, Amy will be back in NY at the Seaport Music Festival with Robbie Fulks! You lucky blighters in the vicinity of either of those better cut along.

Well, it was back to earth with an almighty thud and a clip around the ear'ole for good measure today. I told Toto that we weren't in Stockholm anymore. Anyways, life is short and filled with stuff and tomorrow night (Wednesday) i'm going to be on the The Late Tom Morton between 11 and midnight or thereabouts. The show runs from 10.30pm to 12.30am. I hope those who tune in will find it entertaining. I think you can e-mail when we're on air and all that. Tom will be in Shetland, I'll be in Glasgow and it'll all be comin' atcha via Aberdeen. The music is guaranteed to include Hello Saferide (our collective new favourite "band") who hit the Swedish Pop Charts at #4 this week. You can see the video for "The Quiz" via that link. See that you do.

A pretty funny link regarding tattoos c/o Tony Slug. Not sure how many of you NBT readers are into shares, options and all that. But investing in companies developing ways to remove tattoos is the way to go IMHO... Just think how all that tribal or flamin' dice shit 'll look like 20 years from now...

RIP - Arif Mardin

This is pretty good. Check it out.

I started to try and piece this together last night. Sitting wondering when (hopefully not if) SAS will find my luggage. Mainly because there’s stuff in there like the Sci-Fi Skane cd that I’d hoped to have listened to by now. Just to sustain a certain level of Stockholm-ness before everything fades back into sharp focus with that steel-toecapped boot spraypainted “reality”. It will come as no surprise to regulars of this parish that I have something beyond a fondness for Sweden and its citizens. The fact that I can’t get on to myspace to listen to Nicke Hellacopter’s Death Breath is a further pain in the arse but what can you do. Having had the chance to catch up with the man in person, I know that the connection with his return to death metal will be a napper-rattling pleasure when it does come.

Stockholm at Midsummer is an even bigger gas than usual. The city more or less evacuates. It’s so quiet. But not at Gearfest. Descending upon the fine Debaser club at 3pm for a Nomads “album-release” event, the cities rock and roll fraternity gathered to pay homage to Scandanivia’s finest celebrating their quarter century with Nomadic Dementia. Curated by myself and titled by Dave Champion. The inclusion of “Skolsången” seems to be controversial but if you ever wanted to know what a Eurovision Sex Pistols song might have sounded then this is the cut for you. Also, most fans of the band never heard it so this will sate the completists. Anyway, this comp will hopefully introduce many to the pleasures of this unique combo but more about that later. Plans are underway to make this available in YOUR territory but you can get it direct from Bengans or CD ON now.

Had a brief stop-off at the recently opened Pet Sounds Bar. Nifty place, just across the street from the shop so there’s something of a Monorail type vibe going on. Actually there are a lot of Glasgow type parallels with the Stockholm music scene in terms of cultural exchange. I find the Scandanavian strain more exotic but then again, I would. However, maybe more about that in a future blether. We’re here to rock, and also to walk many miles of this fabulous place.

Gearfest 2006 was kicked off (no saddo football pun intended) by The Doits. This is pronounced Do Its. They throw great rock shapes and they have their moments but 35 minutes is too long at this juncture. Sometimes less is more and sometimes it’s not enough as we’ll come to learn throughout the duration of this marathon. The Gearclub team pull out all the stops and I doubt you’ll find a better organised event anywhere. A slight runover time accumulates but that’s only to be expected. Problem (from Malmo) are celebrating 30 years and provide a perfectly formed set. In this instance, more would have been justified because the intensity and all-round pop-heartedness was utterly riveting. The Do Its could have donated 15 minutes but ain’t hindsight a wonderful thing. The interests of fairness perhaps have to be considered. Anyway with Problem, the expression of it all turning out beyond alright on the night was never punctuated with such gusto. But anyways… The Last Vegas seem to have a show booked in Dingwall in Scotland this coming week. Attempts to find out exactly why aren’t forthcoming but it seems like an odd shout. The band could do with constraining some of the kinetic energy and replacing it with more of a burn. For all of the aerobic Buckcherry (slightly GNR) action their schtick veers too close to the wrong side of metal. The enthusiasm is not lost an a section of the audience but they’d consumed more alchohol than I had presumably. Eva, Hanna and I provided counselling for one another outside. DM Bob was pretty good and provided some ramshackle blues in the back-room. I think this was prior to TLV but don’t completely recall. Not through any altered state, perish forbid…

However relief is at hand in the shape of Robert Johnson and Punchdrunks. Why this guy isn’t feted across the globe is a gross miscalculation on the part of alleged music fans. Robert is a visionary and an amazing guitar player. His cinematic electronica with shards of surf drags music into the 22nd century and one can only hope that folks will have the gumption to get on board. This was a triumphant performance and he banished the rock demons from next door into abject redundancy. If you haven’t heard this guy then check him out now. Don’t even read the rest of this now just go to his site. We aren’t going anywhere, here’s a passout – I’ll wait here until you come back…

With hardly a pause for breath, The Nomads are on and while it’s no secret that I consider this to be one of the greatest bands that ever was. Their chemistry and ability not to overplay is always refreshing. Their 35 minute set was over way too quickly. First time I saw them play “Ain’t No King of Rock’n’Roll” as well as a well chosen selection of their canon. The set closed with the world debut of their version of “American Beat” with a twist of “nomadic dementia”. Imbibing the Red Star version with a crackle. The mark of a great band is that they always leave you wanting way more.

Catching up with a lot of familiar faces and meeting folks that you’ve known for almost forever but never met is a good tonic for the blues. It was great to finally meet Greg and Barbara from Get Hip and we’ll hopefully get a chance to actually hang out somewhere down the line. The Maggots and The Cynics closed the evening’s program of entertainment with lashings of that garage rock stuff. Providing a sonic buffer for the legions of bottled-up Gearfesters to vent their collective spleen. In the end we’d been at Debaser for 12 hours and walked off into the sunrise to find a taxi.

Five hours later, I was in the airport wondering what the hell had just happened. If indeed it had happened at all but I had a stamp on the back of my right hand so I guess it must have. “Nothing lasts forever”. Certainly nothing that you’d want to. Time to cash that reality check before it expires then. Gearfest is a tremendous event, long may it burn rubber during the Stockholm summer. And don’t forget the Gearclub nights that pepper the calendar, treat yourself to a weekend in a city that really doesn’t sleep and take in the rock thrills.

mono presents

Club Beatroot 22

Baby Jane + Nutmeg City plus your usual hosts....... Beatroot

Wednesday 28th June 2006
at mono, 12 Kings Court, King Street, Glasgow t: 0141 553 2400

Doors 8pm Entry £4

'baby jane' are a creepy blend of blues/post-punk/sleaze/rockabilly/baroque 'n' roll.
Check them out at www.myspace.com/babyjanetcb

'nutmeg city' are the occasional band of ex primevals drummer rhod 'lefty' burnett, released cd 'moments intime' in 2002, now expanded to a 5piece, including primeval buddy michael rooney, a theramin, and the cross fertilization of buddy rich and sky saxon, holycow!'!

'beatroot' are the planet's leading purveyors of postindustrialsurfrock !!! 'words are for wimps'

So I'm back after my lightning raid on Stockholm for Gearfest. I did harbour the notion that I'd go into work today in order to save a precious vacation day. However, I can't face it.

Also, the airline managed to forget to put my luggage on the bloody plane so hopefully that will turn up at some point. There are materials that I need from there before I can "file my report". Time flew in so fast that I'm not entirely sure at this point that it wasn't just a vivid dream. I'll get back to you on that when I establish wha' 'appen...

If it seems I've been rather quiet on this here NBT blog lately, this might be due to me setting up yet another blog: The Chiswick Records blog. Probably my favorite record label for the past three decades. It's just random stuff; whatever turns up while I'm diggin' thru the "archives" here at HQ. Picture sleeves, sheet music, badges, promo shots, you name it. Feel free to dig around and please drop me a line if you've got any additional thingies that might fit...

("I used to have a life... Really!... I swear!... But I think I mis-filed it, 'cause it's no longer there inbetween the Jerry Lee Lewis box-set and the Lime Spiders mini-LP").

Ok then, coupla things to help you while away the minutes you spend in front of this thing. Me, I’m being surgically removed from the keyboard to plunge headlong into that pool called “a life”. But anyway, don’t expect any posts from me until Sunday at the earliest. As an experiment, it might fall flat on its tush but it’s worth a try? So for those of you in the NY area...

"Yes, dear friend, SUSQUEHANNA INDUSTRIAL TOOL & DIE CO. has finished its spring residency at the Rodeo Bar -- but that doesn't mean we can't return this Friday, June 23rd, for a rehashing of hillbilly-styled hi-jinx, with the ever-mischievous BABY MARIA as special guest...

FRIDAY, JUNE 23rd / RODEO BAR 375 Third Avenue (corner of 27th Street) in Kips Bay, Manhattan / Three colossal shows -- promptly at 10:00, 11:00 and 12:00 / No cover! / Should you prefer something Brooklyn way (and are of a reasonably strong constitution), Sunday, June 25th finds SIT & Die Co. at Hank's Saloon for the first ever "Heavy Rebel Northeast Kickoff BBQ" -- a musical marathon of 12 bands, cheap beer and free barbecue...
~
SUNDAY, JUNE 25th / HANK'S SALOON 46 Third Avenue (corner of Atlantic Avenue) in Borum Hill, Brooklyn / Starting at 2pm, with SIT & Die at 6:00 / $8 "suggested donation" / Again featuring special guest Baby Maria! / Finally, not least, but definitely last -- as in our LAST SHOW of summer...

THURSDAY, JUNE 29th / OTTO'S SHRUNKEN HEAD538 East 14th Street (just west of Avenue B), East Village, Manhattan / 8:00 sharp until 10:00 / With DJ Scratchy ("Yellow, square, solid state"), a free raffle, snacks -- and special guest ROSALIE MORRIS! / No cover / Yes, it's all too much, I'm sure. But seeing you would still be a pleasure, as always.

Yours truly, Michael, Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co. "Ballads, Boogies & Blues" .

And tonight, Hello Saferide is playing in Paris but you can catch LONG LOST PENPAL and THE QUIZ on Youtube.

And while you're at YouTube, check out SUZY Y LOS QUATTRO from The Cavern in Liverpool. Sound isn't great but damn those kids are having fun.

I'm sure there was something else but I really can't recall what it was. I'm gonna watch the Pankrti documentary now. I'll tell you about that down the road apiece. There was also a satisfactory outcome to the stylus quest. I had one delivered superfast by mail order. Next time I don't even have to leave the house. Now that, is what I call, er - progress!

RIP - Top Of The Pops

And the results are in, the Pula Art & Music Festival roster looks like this!. 10th - 12th August 2006:
1. Goribor (Bor, Serbia)
2. One Piece Puzzle (Rijeka, Croatia)
3. Sjekire (Rijeka, Croatia)
4. Petrol (Beograd, Serbia)
5. Justin's Johnson (Split, Croatia)
6. Gin Cooler Quartet (Zagreb, Croatia)
7. Erotic Biljan & His Heretics (Zagreb, Croatia)
8. Fetisha (Ljubljana, Slovenia)
Confirmed headliners are:
- Bellrays (LA, USA)
- Kultur Shock (Seattle, USA)
- Overflow (Koprivnica, Croatia)
- Jugoplastika (Spain)
special guests:
- Muskat Hamburg (Maribor, Slovenia)
- Barrakuda (Pula, Croatia)

Sell your P in the Dark tickets and get yourself over to Pula instead!

(Thanks to Bigor for the info...)

The Clorox Girls are from California and are on a huge european tour. Sort of Black Flag with pop hooks? A really hard working band that put on one of the best shows you will ever see! (Aram Delgado) - 7pm - 10pm £5 AT THE DOOR!

HooDoo Girl LIVE!

Saturday June 24th in BERLIN at "White Trash Fastfood"

Sunday June 25th in HAMBURG at Westwerk

Whilst in STOCKHOLM... don't forget GEARFEST!

Proving that there’s a chasm of difference between groups that walk and talk it and those that posture. The Phobics are firmly in the “they mean it” category. The “Down And Out in Deptford” EP should really be a great lost 7”. Like Stiv fronting Sham 69 blurring the line between punk rock and teen glam thunder like the fabulous Newcastle ensemble 16 Forever. This East London combo deliver a stonking line in faster and louder. Keep yourself in check during the title track, the urge to throw beer around the immediate vicinity will be great. Prepare to get your hearing gear around something that is both authentic AND good.

Max Greene is the alter ego of Rod Hohl, sometime collaborator with Mary Lee Kortes (she appears on the track “Images Of You” and many other NY based musicians. “Visiting Hours” is a solid, understated collection of songs that flit between a folk and country vibe. His voice reminds me a little of Paul Simon and these are Sunday morning tunes to be sure. Gentle but memorable. Check out the info, etc. at Surprise Truck.

Keeping up the MLC connection, Mezzrow is the project of Smash Palace drummer, Anthony Bezich and not to be confused with Japanese noiseniks, Merzbow. If you send your mum to pick up an album by either then depending on which you're after - you could be in for a fright. Anyways, this is latter day Anglophilia from South Philly. Pretty accomplished and already lauded by the Not Lame seal of approval. All original material too which further goes to show that those Americanos can still twist that Brit blueprint into something eminently more interesting. Anybody who ever had a thing for those Dwight Twilley albums could do a lot worse than check these guys out. “Pictures” might nick the general harmonic of “Let’s Spend The Night Together” but what the hey. These is youngsters enjoying themselves in the good old fashioned sense not trying to be urban or any of that pish. Apparently this is to be released in The Phillipines sometime soon.

1001 Real Apes isn't an oddity or a novelty. It's composed of monologues based on the stories gathered by David Greenberger during his work at the Duplex Nursing Home in Boston. These have been set to music by Birdsongs of the Mesozoic and this adds a cinematic feel. Like they should be accompanied by film. Maybe film of the people who told them, or situations that they fit but this is a pretty moving experience no matter how you call it. Real life is like that but this isn't an outsider project. The contents "meander, as minds tend to do" and David has been careful to present these verbatim. Maybe some of you aren't familiar with his publication which is 25 years old right about now, "The Duplex Planet"? If not, then check out the site and you'll get a feel for where this all comes from. You have to experience it and react to it yourself, I don't think the figurative clout around the head can really be described in words, particularly on a screen. It's very tactile and this kind of "stream of conciousness" conversation sure makes a lot more sense to me than all the soundbite bullshit that we're presented with on a daily basis. BOTM present the perfect mood backdrop to Greenberger's rich oratory in every case just like it was scored by Bernard Hermann moonlighting with MX80. Please investigate this, it'll take you on an unexpected journey where life might not be beautiful all the time but where the warts and all are part of the landscape. "Obstacles of life" indeed.

When the package that had “Introducing… Hello Saferide” in it arrived, the rest of the contents kinda went by the wayside. Not that they were bad by any means but let’s just say I got distracted. FIREFOX AK’s “Madame Madame!” is on the Razzia imprint also and is futuristic (in the classical sense) scandanavian pop. Checking out the background info, I see that she has played shows with the likes of Stereo Total and this 10 song album (+ videoclips) are definitely related to that strain of electro. However, this Kraftwerkian synth swing really creeps up on you. Like if Ralf and Florian had bounced Bjorn and Benny out of Abba and hotwired their commercial undertow. It’s not robotic in the slightest though. There’s a warmth to the automation, like Simple Minds circa “Reel To Reel Cacophony” or “Empires and Dance”. FIREFOX AK is the pseudonymn of Andrea Kellerman who also features on HS’s “Long Lost Penpal”. There’s some sort of Swedish masterplan to rule the outright pop world going on and "Madame Madame!" is a hypnotic throb which uses frequencies that’ll make sure her sounds ring in your noggin long after you remove the cd from the player tray.

T’was something of a surprise and an honour to receive a message from Fur Dixon recently. Since then I’ve become acquainted with her most recent music project but let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. A recap for those who might not know, prior to her becoming the rather striking Mohican bass player with The Cramps, Fur had always dabbled in the art of country music. Way before the advent of those “new country” or “Americana” pigeonholes, she was in the Screamin’ Sirens (with Rosie Flores) and then The Hollywood Hillbillys. Someone should release their album.

Anyway we’re down the road apiece now. She hid her light under a bushel during that time with Lux, Ivy and Nick. She has a fabulous warble of a voice which is perfect for the smokin’ folky bluegrass that is “The Pearl and the Swine”. Fur's companion is a guy by the name of Steve Werner and together they’ve crafted a beautiful set of travelling songs and there are 12 of on the album. It’s unashamedly good natured and the two trade off one another effortlessly. The perfect soundtrack to ride a station (or any other kind of) wagon through yer actual and metaphorical desert landscape. They're hauling plenty of liquid to keep you hydrated.

“Where Are We Going?” asks track 8, well hopefully in the direction of Europe at some point. Check out some of their songs at the FUR and STEVE website. It’s addictive stuff. Steve Werner’s voice compliments his female accomplice perfectly and the music they make is utterly uncomplicated and all the better for it. If you like pickin’ that’ll make you grin then stop off in these folks company for a while. They appear to exist in a world that revolves at a different pace. I for one chums, am down with that!

Crypt Brooklyn store OPENS FRIDAY JUNE 23!

I can't recall if I posted this already or not. Such is the state of the "heid" department around this 'hood. Anyways, in the probable chance that I didn't, BARRACUDAFFICIANADOS should note that MEANTIME and ENDEAVOUR TO PERSEVERE (with the requisite bonus cuts et al) are being reissued by Japanese label Airmail Recordings in July. The Rt. Hon JEREMY GLUCK has his BUFFALO BILL album reactivated by Diesel Motor as a double-CD with a disc of bonus material including two new tracks. He has also "knocked out a cover" of The Dogs' immortal "Terminal State" for a forthcoming French tribute to their finest rock'n'roll sons.

the chesterfield kings

VIERNES 23 de JUNIO - Sala LA BOITE - MADRID
C/ Tetuan 27 - (Semi-esquina Pza. del Carmen) - metro SOL
APERTURA DE PUERTAS - 12:00 NOCHE
ENTRADA ANTICIPADA: 18€ (ESCRIDISCOS) - TAQUILLA: 20€

ALERT FOR METELKOVA

"On Wednesday, June 14th 2006, at 6am, the government Inspectorate for the Environment and Spatial Planning brought an excavating machine to the Autonomous Cultural Zone Metelkova, Ljubljana, to tear down one of the buildings of the converted ancient army barracks which they consider to have been erected illegally. The cultural workers and supporters of Metelkova prevented the action. This attempt to destroy one of the liveliest cultural and intellectual locations in Ljubljana was the third in these past few months. Various inspections have recently intensified their interventions during cultural events at Metelkova.

The government of Slovenia is acting in accordance with a recently passed law on catering industries. Under the cover of its strict provisions regulating commercial activities, which cannot be fulfilled by the non- profit associations and NGOs of Metelkova, the executive might as well put an end to the largest agglomeration of alternative cultures in the country. Metelkova provides 40% of the non-commercial music events in the city.

Its attendance can favourably be compared with that of the established Ljubljana Festival. It is the second largest provider of cultural events in Ljubljana. Metelkova is the only location in the city, and one of the few in the country, where youth cultures and alternative cultures are systematically produced and presented to a large and active audience. It is also a forum of impressive intellectual irradiation. During each academic year, it organises the Workers' Punkers' University where the most urgent dilemmas of the contemporary world are discussed by competent international speakers.

Metelkova recently hosted the annual meeting of TransEuropeHalles. During the 13 years of its existence, projects at the Autonomous Cultural Zone Metelkova have been supported by the Ministry of Culture and by the City of Ljubljana, as well as by many international sponsors. Producers from Metelkova have been participating to Documenta, Manifesta, Sao Paolo Biennial, Venice Biennale, Wiener Festwochen? Many international festivals held in Ljubljana locate part of their activities at Metelkova: The City of Women, The Other Music, Jazz Festival Ljubljana, Trnfest? Metelkova has been presented as an outstanding phenomenon by international media: ARD, Arte, BBC, Belarus' State TV, Die Zeit, Falter, Feral Tribune, Los Angeles Times, ORF, Russian State TV, Seattle Times, ZDF? Metelkova is a squat initiated in 1993, when a group of alternative producers and activists occupied the ancient barracks of the army headquarters near the centre of Ljubljana in order to prevent its illegal destruction, which was launched by still unknown agents presumably led by speculative real-estate interest. Although it has never succeeded in achieving a proper legal status, the location was registered as national cultural heritage in 2005. ACZ Metelkova is under attack. Its people are ready to defend it. They need support. Please circulate this information.

If you want to express your support, please write to the Prime Minister: Janez.Jansa@gov.si and to the Minister of Culture: vasko.simoniti@gov.si"

(Thanks to Bigor for the info)

FREE PHOBICS GIG SATURDAY 17th JUNE at THE PLOUGH INN,
173 Wood Street, Walthamstow, London E17 3NU

"They say Charity begins at home and thank gawd you lot didn't stay at home for our last gig at The Dublin Castle - huge thanks to everyone who turned out despite the heat, the Portugal match being on TV as we were hitting the stage and the £5 entry fee. The Cancer Charity made a few hundred quid thanks to you so well done. Cheers to Steve for setting it up and to everyone who played, came along, and helped .

Down to business again, gentle reader and as a reward for your charity work our gift to you is a FREE gig this Saturday. Yup, thats right FREE!!! England have qualified for that World cup thing so put down those worry beads come along and be entertained at the mind expanding rovers return that is the Plough in Walthamstow. We'll be on stage around 9ish.
We've been invited back to play with ED TUDOR-POLE by special request! We musta done something right at the first gig, or we owe someone money - come on down and find out! Hey if we're lucky he'll get us to join him at the end of his set like last time to rip through the classic "Swords of a Thousand Men" now ya wouldn't want to miss that fer nothing would ya. A word about Ed - he is a true national treasure and will entertain you throughout and hit you with a bunch of ace tunes too.

The Plough Inn is located directly opposite Wood Street British Rail station, one stop from Walthamstow Central or about 15 minutes from Liverpool Street mainline.Bus 230 (from Wood Green) and W16 (from Leytonstone underground) stop outside the venue. Bus 56, 257, 357, W12, W15,W19 also stop nearby at Whipps Cross Hospital, a short walk away.

So an entertaining night is in prospect and it won't cost you nuffink mister or mistress, watch this space for news of upcoming gigs and other fine events too"

tom

Here's something that gets my goat. The use of the word "excellent" as a platitude, generally used by arseholes to convey a faux positive response to whatever pointless drivel that might spew forth from the "person" on the other end. Scoring a fat zero on the sincerometer. It was fine in Wayne's World. It's like the expression "dude". UK dialects can't deliver these words. Why can't your average gimp give some consideration to what comes outta their trap? Particularly if they're within my hearing range? Is that too much to ask?? I personally and actively loathe the spurious nature of general conversation these days because it rarely gets past the loop mentality. They only have a number of standard phrases and repeat them ad nauseum. I'm sure that your average talking toy would present more in the way of variety. I make like a trappist monk (complete with tonsure) rather than get into some bogus dialogue with someone who I'd rather not be around let alone talk to or confide any of my business however meaningless. Call it my inner (and outer) Larry David taking hold, it rarely steers me wrong. Anyway, it's Friday night. I nearly went into Glasgow but decided to hole up in the bunker instead. This time next week, i'll be doing something altogether more fun, with people that I like to be around - so energy and funds require to be conserved. I'm slowly making my way through a pile of cd's and must go and make a note to go get a stylus tomorrow. Not sure from where but that's an important quest. Wish me luck.

If you're on the West Coast (USA) then you won't want to miss a minute of this. Except for the Roky film. Actually no, go along and ask the "director" what his problem is? They have a Gun Club film and tribute performance, The Monks and Long Gone John also appear on screen plus a ton of other great stuff. And to top it off, Redd Kross live. Why can't somebody organise a happening like this here?

Don't Knock The Rock,

June 29th - July 3rd 2006

Any of you folks fancy being involved with a Nikki Sudden tribute album.
(Thanks to Trevor for the heads-up).

Brother Patrick has taken time out of his hectic schedule to hep you to a couple of shows coming up in the UK. I can’t find the venues or confirm the dates on any listings but anyway… listen to the man. (Have a blast Stateside chief!)

"If the Flamin' Groovies are he most underrated rock'n'roll group ever, then Viva L’American Death Ray Music, of Memphis fame, are challengers for the second place.

All four of their albums are killers (no filler) and each is different Welcome... is a mix of the Velvets, the Modern Lovers debut and Roxy Music (get the picture?). The latest, "In The Meantime" is the kind of record that can change your life, really. The song "Same Suit, Different Tie" is my favourite track of the year so far.

The side projects of this trio are worth seeking out too : Nick Diablo, singer/guitar, former 68 Comeback, is also a member of The Limes (with Jack Oblivian). Bass player - Harlan T. Bobo’s solo album, "Too Much Love" features members of the Reigning Sound - and the album equals the quality of Greg Oblivian group. The drummer is also a member of Polyphonic Spree.

American Death Ray played in Paris yesterday (June 14), they're gonna hit the Pit's tonight and you can catch them in London June 21 and Glasgow June 22. So don't miss the NEXT BIG THING (well if there was any justice in this world)." - PB

You know all these soothsayers banging on about "the great satan" and all that? I think the reportage was misheard and what they were actually foretelling was the great "Sator". As rock-tastic returns to form go this one flies out of the starting blocks and hardly takes a breather. They even make a brief stop at Pig Valley Beach along the way. "Basement Noise" is exactly what you get. The perfect blend of Redd Kross-type pop crunch with all that Ramonic buzzsaw riffola we've come to expect across the years. All topped off with a sprinkling of teenage heavy metal thunder that'd put the collywobbles up combos many years their junior. The strength of this album lies in the fact that they made it for themselves first and foremost. The fact that it turned out to be a pedigree champion is the proverbial icing. Sator pack a sizeable wallop and remind me of a hopped up Teenage Fanclub. Acres of fine tunes, coming at you one after another. What Chips Kiesbye doesn't know about primo punk rock isn't worth knowing and if you ever get a chance to see them hammer it out in person then you should take it. Imagine if (The) Status Quo was born of CBGB's then they might well have come up with "The Ghost Of My Control". "Goodbye Joey" is the latest in a line of fine songs that namecheck the great man. Thirteen cuts of bespoke rock action, straight outta Stockholm. Where else?

Barrow Square, Clarendon Dock, Belfast June 30th - July 2nd 2006

As the 30th anniversary of their UK debut looms, Those Ramones continue to infiltrate every strata of our daily existence with their version of "Baby I Love You" being used for the latest KFC ad. The ever vigilant Martin Percival found reference to the brudders in the Financial Times and also at the other end of the spectrum, this Ramones name generator(?).

The Hello Saferide ep is out today (June 14th) and Joey is namechecked (along with Audrey Horne) in an Esquivel-flavoured tune called "The Best Night Of Your Life". Make this cool breeze the sound of your summer.

PUNK Magazine Is Coming Back..!...

Hello Friend,
Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co. is going uptown this week -- all the way uptown! Indeed, please join us this Saturday in the lovely Riverdale section of the Bronx for the monthly "Riverdale Round-Up" at An Beal Bocht Cafe, an Irish bar that defines the term. (Umm, "Irish bar", that is.) Your "Round-Up" host, Karen Hudson, promises trivia, prizes and song, and we have no reason to believe that Karen would fib. Oh, and there'll be shepherd's pie, to boot!

SATURDAY, JUNE 17TH / "RIVERDALE ROUND-UP" / An Beal Bocht Cafe /
445 West 238th Street (between Waldo and Greystone) /

Show starts at 9:30, with SIT & Die Co. sets at 10:00 and 11:00 / No cover charge!

Truly yours, Michael
Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co. "Ballads, Boogies & Blues"

Sonic Reducer returns, Saturday June 17th!
All hail kits'n'kittens
Yer ever-lovin' Sonic Reducer crew returns to the fray, armed with the finest 45rpm ammo on Saturday June 17th, at a spiffy new venue! As per, your hosts BigKegShandy and TeenSlain will be spinning only the finest soul, garage, punk, funk, country, rock'n'roll, analogue synth, and mutant blues platters in the well-appointed gallery space at the justifiably celebrated Spitz venue in Londinium's Spitalfields Market, on Saturday nights, once a month. Entry is FREE, there's a lovely terrace to relax on, a seriously well-stocked bar to quaff from, and we now run from 7pm-1am! So hoist up yer drawers, check yer change, and make ready for a gratis sesh of backbone-slipping thrills at the all-new, everso-improved Sonic Reducer! Guest DJs to be announced shortly ... See ya at the bar! Selah The Sonic Reducer Tag Team
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Sonic Reducer @ The Spitz (gallery space) June 17th & July15th & August 12th & September 16th Spitalfields Market, Londinium E1 7pm-1am, FREE ENTRY , Nearest Tube: Liverpool Street.

The Darling Downs – How Can I Forget This Heart Of Mine?

Kim Salmon and Ron Peno cast as an antipodean latter day Louvin Brothers? Well, this is about as far away from “Swampland” and “Mirror Blues” as you’re likely to get. Bridging a gap between folk and country with a spare, plaintive air. I think there’s always been an affinity with country music in Australia, in much the same way as there is in Scotland. It’s locked into the dna. It’s only fitting that an Appalachian mood could infect a simple acoustic format such as this and the result is an accomplished feat of beating the Americana subculture at its own game. Kim cast as a different type of backwoods man as he sings about with The Scientists. Maybe. Anyway, this is available outside Oz on The Handsome Family’s Carrot Top imprint. Dark and foreboding but with all hope not quite abandoned. Play after twilight.

I interrupt my heavy rotation of the Hello Saferide EP to bring you this info on what’s hot on the HQ stereo from Slovenia…

Stirje Pravi Dedci translates as something approximating “gang of four” but in a more spiritual team sense. Not the Chinese communist angle that informed their UK forebears. Anyway, this posthumous release presents a discordant funk bridge between The Fun Lovin’ Criminals and The Screaming Blue Messiahs. Muscular and rhythmic crime jazz that rocks. The songs are told like stories over a distressed guitar bass and drum attack. One of ‘em is a CZD cover recorded for a tribute to that unique combo which has still to see the light of day. SPD included the great Igor (BIGor) Basin in its ranks and the bass player is now with Crazed Farmers.

Crazed Farmers “Because” continues their unabated fusion of influences to create an organic fusion of sound that’s practically unclassifiable. Eastern European Cajun Hardcore is just one facet of their oeuvre. This one was produced by Tim Kerr who has had to rope these rogue wildcards to harness a focussed direction for the noise. The version of “Psychotherapy” here is virtually unrecognisable except for their glowing eyes. Sounds like it was recorded by people who’d just been given a double dose. Whereas Gershwin’s “Summertime” is positively baroque. You always know that you’re on to something when an accordion is thrown into the mix and there are cool sprinkles of that here. Žiga and his band of reprobates aren’t afraid to break eggs on their quest to take their noise to the next level. This is a cohesive experiment which will be ongoing, so don’t say you weren’t warned.

Pankrti 06 is a tribute compilation to Llubjlana’s most notorious punk rock combo who have just reactivated in recent weeks. I’m not familiar with the source material but judging by these songs they were more than a match for many of the Western exponents of that ’77 sound. This includes versions of Pankrti songs by the aforementioned CZD and Crazed Farmers as well as surf intonations by The Bitch Boys and some risqué triphop from Gušti and Polona. A broad canvas. I think that it’s worth pointing out here that the youth in this territory were way more at risk of having the authorities cart them off than any spotty oik here in the UK. Eastern European punks were a far hardier breed because they risked being locked up for their beliefs. These kids were prepared to take on the authorities and what they’ve got going now is a testament to that. They made a difference. I’m not sure that punk did here, not the way it’s been absorbed into the mainstream and homogenised. We tend to take things for granted here on this sceptic isle.

“One Day It Will Please Us To Remember Even This”, the upcoming New York Dolls comeback is way better than any of us could have hoped for. However, having seen the NYD movie about Arthur, the fact that it stands up maybe isn’t so much of a surprise. When you think of the shite records that Iggy has made since The Stooges – and I tend to lump The Idiot and LFL among those, and "Skull Ring" – this is all the more remarkable. Of course, Johnny. Jerry and Arthur are gone but Dave and Syl still have the chops. They’re not afraid to send themselves up either. “Evolution is obsolete” is the message in “Dance Like A Monkey” and well, now that the truth is out then we might as well make like the apes. The band sound good without coming on like a carbon copy of the original, untouchable and unstable ingredients. The spirit is intact. That’s what matters. That’s all that ever fucking mattered.

(Thanks to Brian for the copy of this – that’s one guy that never stopped believing)

Just heard something on the news about “intelligence” and that big police raid in London last Friday or whenever it was. Talk about leaving yerself wide open… Anyway, it’s the 11am bulletin because Wreckless Eric was on Jonathan Ross. The "play it again" feature is a real godsend for situations where you just can’t be in front of the radio. Of course, you WANT to be but it isn’t possible sometimes. Even the most seasoned shut-in has to venture outdoors now and again. I had to go and have an eye test. Some would say I should have had my napper checked at the same time but the offer wasn’t made. I’m sure the relevant authorities are keeping tabs on the situation. But anyway, I’m safely back indoors. Not basking in the sun here, in Florida or anywhere else. This is just a hobby for me, etc. Got a bunch of music to tell you about. Eventually.

So this is working again now? I hope the "migrating databases" angle works because it's been a right royal pain the arse trying to post stuff this past couple of days. Not that I'm complaining exactly but one expects these newfangled addictions to be available as and when necessary. On top of that, it's abnormally hot so you're getting the picture. I doubt if there's anybody less interested in this tournament over in Germany that will take over much of the media for the next month than me. If there is then I salute you.

Anyway, will try to play catch up with the e-mail and news backlog over the weekend. You've heard that one before I know. It's like the postal order from Australia. But you never can tell. David Johansen is on the Janice Forsyth Show on BBC Radio Scotland tomorrow at 10am. It's a funny ol' world and no mistake. When we were basking in the glow of watching The Dolls on the Whistle Test all those moons ago, who woulda thunk it?

Wreckless Eric's pension plan (I hope)... (with thanks to Joris for the link)

All the fun you can stand... Midsummer in Stockholm!

MONDO A GOGO @ LAST NIGHT OF THE VENUE. The Edinburgh Nightclub Institution opens its doors to close them for the last time, and we are very honoured to be spinning the tunes on the top floor for this very special night. This will be part of a 3-floor (one door entry) event. Entry £10 on the night. Tickets £8 available from Ripping Records, South Bridge, and Ticket Scotland. Would advise being early if you've no got a ticket. DJ's Tall Paul Robinson and Angus will be there - playing 60s, Garage, Mod, Soul, Beat, and Ska.

Saturday 10th June, 11pm til 3am, in The Loft @ The Venue, Calton Road.

Neil Young busking outside Glasgow Central Station in 1976. Only on Youtube! You can clearly see what would become the entrance to the Shoeshine/Spit and Polish Empire in the background as the camera pans around. Where do the folks that post on YT find this stuff? Thanks to Paul Kerr for the link.