Thursday, August 31, 2006
Great to see a photo of Billy Miller, Mary Weiss and Greg Cartwright whilst perusing Mojo in the shop earlier. Can't wait to hear the results and just seeing that caused a small flash of optimism to course through my veins. Made me want to go to Spain next month to catch The A-Bones but the ol' bank account sez "perhaps not". And now The Monks will be playing at the DWC on the evening before The Fleshtones. Cor blimey... Also, I appeared in full snottery, hayfevered up mode on the last instalment of "Don't Start Me Talkin'" the other night. It's on the Radio 2 website until Tuesday but be warned, it's not pretty.
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
While it was good to be off work for a week, irrespective of the circumstances - there's always the going back and of course the dread that precedes it. However, being that one has to survive it's a necessary evil. I've even been thinking about buying a lottery ticket and that really goes against the grain. Anyway, my tribulations pale in comparison to that of many but it would be good if the Blogger site didn’t fall on it’s arse every time I tried to post something.
Anyway, some good news - I heard today that there’s been a reprieve for The Queens Hall in Edinburgh. There should never have been consideration about 86’ing it in the first place.
And what’s this about Harry Drumdini being “back in” The Cramps?? I could get all very Victor Meldrew but what, pray, would be the point?
Don’t forget – The Nomads, Kim Salmon and The Surrealists, NY Dolls, Big Star, Young Fresh Fellows and many more at Azkena this coming weekend. I heard that Redd Kross weren’t doing it now but it’s still on their site and the festival one. Anyways there are bigger (insert food of choice here) to fry so it’s time I was out of here.
Monday, August 28, 2006
News just in (Thanks Sal!)
Ross & friends close down NYC music venues*
"New York City is losing two of its greatest music venues within a few weeks of each other this coming fall, but at least they'll both go out in style.
For two special shows you'll get to see a *Near-Dictators-Reunion* with Handsome Dick Manitoba, Ross The Boss, JP Thunderbolt Patterson and Dean Rispler (Murphy's Law) to close down these historic bars which will always remain a part of Punk Rock history.
They'll play the last night at The Continental on Sunday September 17th and the last week at CBGBs on Friday October 6th."
Ross & friends close down NYC music venues*
"New York City is losing two of its greatest music venues within a few weeks of each other this coming fall, but at least they'll both go out in style.
For two special shows you'll get to see a *Near-Dictators-Reunion* with Handsome Dick Manitoba, Ross The Boss, JP Thunderbolt Patterson and Dean Rispler (Murphy's Law) to close down these historic bars which will always remain a part of Punk Rock history.
They'll play the last night at The Continental on Sunday September 17th and the last week at CBGBs on Friday October 6th."
Sunday, August 27, 2006
I am sick of this blogging lark. Particularly when you put something up and it doesn't appear. "There Were Errors" it blares but the bloody post appears in the listings. I always interpret such a situation as something that i've done. This all intensifies better times when I seemed to have a life. Just heard a track off the new Dylan album called "Rollin' and Tumblin'", it sounds like Dave Alvin. But anyway - perhaps a greater power is trying to tell me something? It is the sabbath after all... and I have to go back to the real world (work) tomorrow. Guess how thrilled I am about that on a scale of zero to, er, minus 10?
"Hello Friend, Following a summer of reasonable fun and frolic, SUSQUEHANNA INDUSTRIAL TOOL & DIE CO. goes native and returns to Otto's Shrunken Head all tanned and rested -- and ready to make with two solid hours of hillbilly action! THURSDAY, AUGUST 31st/OTTO'S SHRUNKEN HEAD / (And every last Thursday of the month) /538 East 14th Street (just west of Avenue B), Manhattan / Two BIG shows, from 8:00 sharp until 10:00 / No cover! / And, coming up... FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8th / RODEO BAR /375 Third Avenue (corner of 27th Street), Manhattan / Three hours, from 10:30 sharp until 1:30 / No cover! / Pretend you missed us, won't you? Yours truly, Michael, Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co. "
Some more Youtube goodies: Wreckless Eric (note the drummer!), Jilted John, Rezillos, Revillos, Undertones, Slaughter & the Dogs, Dr Feelgood on Dutch TV, Sex Pistols live at the Mafcentrum, Maasbree, Netherlands. (1), (2), (3). Dictators and the Pretty Things live in Holland. And you can't get more "gone" than the Tielman Brothers, R&R insanity from 1960 Dutch TV. Roky Erickson, 13th Floor Elevators. Motorhead, Cheap Trick, Blue Oyster Cult, Suicide,
Saturday, August 26, 2006
The Left snarled outta Hagerstown, Md during the eighties with a sound that was like Radio Birdman having a square-go with The Angry Samoans. They wrote songs with titles like "Fuck It" and "The Viet Cong Live Next Door". "Redneck 7-11" begins with a Skynyrd refrain and goes on to describe this "stupid fucking asshole heaven". So I guess that you never heard their wares on the radio? Bona Fide have collected their entire works (20 songs) and seared these into one of these shiny round disc things. They've done a good job of the mastering too. They sounded like they meant it then and the bile stands. "Jesus Loves The Left" according to the title. What's not to but don't be expecting no picnic. "CD release and listening party for our new Jesus Loves the Left CD on Sunday August 27 @ Lulu's Off Broadway, Baltimore MD. Meet and hang with Bona Fide and the Left at one of coolest spots in Baltimore. Hear the new CD as well as swell George Brigman tunes and lots of surprises. Plenty of CDs and our new "Real Rock, Real Loud!" Tshirts. Drink specials and freebies too! A fun gathering that is not to be missed! So Come on Down."
I’d never heard Dennis Most until a small packet arrived behind the door here recently. Turns out he’s a veteran of the rock’n’roll wars and even had a band called Punk in 1972. So he’s old enough to know better but is still cranking it out. If I’d heard the band back in the mists of 1976 then I would have been an avid supporter. The Dictators/BOC/Dead Boys axis would have snared me for sure and the Captain Trip release which captures Dennis Most and Audiolove at the El Cid at Ludlow, Mass. But as much of a time capsule as that piece is, the real gold is in the most recent recordings with The Instigators which will presumably made available in due course. This literally flies outta the traps and is at once fresh whilst harbouring all the fine old school rawk elements that separate the wheat from the chaff. What’s the point in covering The Stooges “Down On The Street” you might ask? Well if you strap on an AC/DC undercarriage it sounds like a whole new model. Titled “I’m Not Dead Yet”, I hope that someone will put this out on vinyl because that’s where this big fat sound belongs. Along with this, I received an Atomic Buddha disc and there are some good songs on there but the lo-fi ness, particularly after the assault of the Instigators, tends to sound a little blunt by comparison. I think that Keith Grave is the bass player in both groups. So yeah, plenty of air guitar practice to be had in the company of these babies. You may even develop blisters.
So yeah, somewhat rested from the closing bout of this year's Edinburgh Film Festival... I can get to rustling up a few words here. Air Guitar Nation (not to be confused with West coast of Scotland's Ayr Guitar Nation) is a great little documentary that works in spite of the obvious daftness of the subject. We've all done it. We've all caught that mighty riff and made that Townsend windmill at some point. You haven't? Your arse. So anyways, The USA decides to get in on the Annual Finnish World Air Guitar Championships and this charts that journey. Admittedly there are dubious sequences throughout the film which makes it look like a spoof. This Björn Türöque character seems like a "plant" but all turns out well in the end and like it's said. Finland rocks. And so does this film. By the end you'll be grinning like a loon and up for having a go at it yourself. One wee gripe is that they spell Roy Trakin's name wrong twice in the credits but hey, it was a surprise to see him up there. AGN is actually headed for Oulo in September where airaoke may well eat itself but it'll have a whole lot of fun in the process. Would have liked to have stuck around for the Q&A and maybe even the Mercat event but I had to make a quick exit and get to the Cameo for loudQUIETloud: a film about The Pixies. I was never a fan but they had their moments and it seems like Charles Thompson is something of a character. This documentary about their reunion doesn't offer much in terms of a reason why they became so huge but it holds together pretty well, even for a non-believer. Somebody should be writing a treatment for a Deal sisters reality show though. It could well be a new Osbournes. They are something else. Nothing much happens in between playing to packed houses, the old tensions are apparent and that's what probably feeds the urgency of their trademark sound as described by the title. It's probably better that they don't make another Pixies record but who knows. lQl offers up some some great live footage and while it maybe won't convert you, it's a reasonable way to spend a litle under 90 minutes.So let's see, this thing looks like it's working again. It wasn't before I went to catch Air Guitar Nation and loudQUIETloud: a film about the Pixies. More about these tomorrow, I just had the train ride from hell back from Edinburgh. Packed with pissed-up Snow Patrol fans and sundry other divots. Not pretty or clever. And people ask me why I don't like to go out, if you'd have been there then you would have seen a cast iron, maybe even titanium example. Wonder if the poor guy who had to go all the way to Stirling among this rabble and then change for Perth made it? First Scotrail really need to get their act together, the thought is making my neck pop. Time to calm down with some Bilko.
Friday, August 25, 2006
PCL Concerts present the New York Dolls at ABC 1, Glasgow... Thursday 26th Oct 2006 at 7pm - £15 Over 14's, under 16's must be accompanied by an adult.
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Did you hear the one about the chemical spill? I didn't. Not until I got up and discovered a message from Stewart Cruickshank about it this morning. Tis said to have taken place yesterday at 4pm or thereabouts but I heard nada. No sirens, nowt. Didn't have the TV or radio either and all of this was going on yards from the bunker here. The person quoted in this news report is my downstairs neighbour. I can see the road closure from my front window.
Divinyl Benzene on the loose allegedly, I thought to myself, isn't he that new folk guy? The one that sounds vaguely Bolan-ey. Hey you say Baloney, I say... no harm done - eh?
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
The very great Yo La Tengo are back in Scotland. Just over a year since they shook Edinburgh's Liquid Rooms to it's very foundations. They play on September 3rd as part of the Indian Summer bill in the Victoria Park. It's a two day event which includes The Fall, CSS and Camera Obscura. Much more of a curated bill than yer average festival line-up. Check out the full rundown here.
When you consider the amount of shite that's reissued week in and week out, can it really be possible that The Distractions "Nobody's Perfect" is out of print in any format? A quick "Google" would suggest that this is indeed the case. Pulled out my vinyl copy and it's a wee bit the worse for wear but it'll have to suffice. What a fine album it is, owing more to the spirit of The Undertones than their fellow Mancs that they're often compared to. Top, timeless pop gold surely ripe for resurrection?
Yesterday was crummy for various reasons and I was (makes tiny distance gesture between thumb and forefinger) this away from blowing out my Film Fest fix, "Walking To Werner". Well, i'm glad now that I dragged myself into town because it was easily the best thing I've seen so far. Maybe not something for everybody but there's a curious honesty about WtW which should chime with any driven soul. It doesn't come over as contrived which is another plus. The passages of Herzog dialogue sit well within the concept and the music by Turpentine Brother, Justin Hubbard is the proverbial frosting on the cake. A version of "I'll Be Your Mirror" by producer Dayna Hanson is cracking too. If you get a chance to see this, i've no idea if it has distribution or not, then take it. Take any tosspot diatribes against it with a pinch of salt (like the one that almost put me off going) because there's a naive charm here that's all too rare in this day and age. irrespective of how easy it is to "shoot" roadkill with DV.Tuesday, August 22, 2006
If you are a "musician" headed for the UK then you might want to consider this. Is there a sturdy enough product on the market to be baggage-handler proof? Perhaps not, such a vessel might be viewed as a challenge to their art... then there's the temperature/pressure issue? Who could blame you if you decided to cancel. Or maybe you could arrange to borrow an instrument? Of course, it's not the same as having your own but it beats the heck outta having your beloved guitar or whatever trashed. The very thought gives me the heebies...
Upcoming REZILLOS shows! Spanish dates with Suzy Y Los Quattro!!
SPAIN
14th September - Madrid - El Sol
15th September - Murcia - Lemon Pop
16th September - Durang0 - Kultural Platermina
17th September - Barcelona - Apolo
29th October - Glasgow - Academy
BRAZIL
17th November - Sao Paulo - Hangar 110
18th November - Sao Paulo - Hangar 110
SPAIN
14th September - Madrid - El Sol
15th September - Murcia - Lemon Pop
16th September - Durang0 - Kultural Platermina
17th September - Barcelona - Apolo
29th October - Glasgow - Academy
BRAZIL
17th November - Sao Paulo - Hangar 110
18th November - Sao Paulo - Hangar 110
No sooner is The Cameo "saved" than the burghers in Edinburgh are at it again. Now they want to close The Queens Hall... I only just found out about this. Please sign the petition. Also some background to the situation here. A waterfront Concert Hall eh? Oh that'd be handy... this utter stupidity needs to halted now. If I didn't have other stuff to attend to then I could really go off on one. Why not just flatten the Castle or at least scoop out the insides and make it into a mall? Then it could look down on the sorry-ass state of Princes Street from its primo retail position. I think the people that run the city need to be thinking about restoring the vital signs at its heart and doing everything in their hamfisted power to keep great OLD venues like The Queens Hall alive as a positive aspect of their acreage. These (insert term of abuse here) have no respect so why should we show them any. On the other hand, this for Bo'ness...
Check out Kitty Kowalski's pictures from last week's Nomads boat trip. If you keep going you'll find her shots from Gearfest also.
Monday, August 21, 2006
Saw this yesterday. Clerks 2 is out here on September 22nd and is the expected puerile smut with a good heart. Kinda thought Kevin Smith woulda been there for an introduction at least but nope. If you're not familiar with the franchise then I don't know what to tell you. It's no "Chasing Amy" or "Mallrats" but Rosario Dawson is great and Wanda from "Curb" is in it. People keep putting the boot into "Jersey Girl" too but as I recall, I liked it better than "Dogma". Anyway, there are no frontiers being broken down here but if some stupid entertainment is on your agenda then this'll do you just fine. Also, check out the View Askew website, some funny stuff going on in yonder.
Sunday, August 20, 2006
My shopping phobia is getting worse but sometimes needs must so I dragged my bahookie out early this morning. Driving through old 'hoods where the wrecking balls have been in operation only adds to my misgivings about even heading out the door. However, there was the bonus that it was raining and generally driech so this, plus my Hello Saferide soundtrack kinda made me impervious to what was happening "out there" beyond my environs. So anyways, I reach my destination and it's immediately evident that I struck out. No hanging about, back into the car and offsky. Foray two fared no better and other than managing to get shot of a bunch of bags into a recycling facility, nada. There's no choice anymore, stocks are cut and you either make do with the shite that they do have or you come away cursing. Let's hear it for the ol' potty mouth. So, "I still haven't found what I'm looking for" as Boner whined. We finally have something in common. Innit.
Another day at the film festival then... starting with Walter Matthau and Bruce Dern in The Laughing Policeman. Sounds like an Ealing comedy but it seems like the prototype which segued into shows like "The Streets of San Francisco". based on a Swedish novel and relocated from Stockholm, it almost seems like a TV pilot but that said it's a great snapshot and they certainly don't make them like this anymore. It has gone with an equally snappy (not) title of "An Investigation Of Murder" in a previous life. On equal billing with any of the players, the star is old SF itself. Something that added to the whole experience was the introduction by Eddie Cockrell of Variety who obviously knows his onions and cares enough to share them. This screening was at Filmhouse but it was off to the antiseptic "wheel 'em in" Cineworld for Gretchen. There's not much on this interweb thing about this except comparisons to "Napoleon Dynamite" and "Welcome To The Dollhouse". I never saw ND but it sure as hell isn't "Dollhouse". Anyway, it's like if Harmony Korine made a movie for Disney. The contrived dysfunction snuffs any humour in the uncomfortable crawlspace. It has it's moments but those are pretty few and far between. One of the characters, Marla (Yasmine Kittles), looks a little like Triche Boonaaara so that was a plus. I thought Courtney Davis (Gretchen Finkle) looked like Melissa Joan Hart so thatw as a little too much dibelief to suspend. There's no Q&A or director present, or even an EIFF representative on hand to try and buff up the premise. Perhaps because the previous screening in that room over-ran. I dunno. Anyway, I was kinda glad to get out of there because much grazing on popcorn and other processed foyer shit was going down. Can I recommend it? In all honesty no. Might try and catch more of the "They Might Be Giants" thread because at least some effort is being applied in this department and we're dealing with work that has trailblazed in it's time.
Saturday, August 19, 2006
THE CAMEO CINEMA HAS BEEN SAVED...
"The Cameo today (16/8) is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its Grand Reopening in 1986. Founded in 1914 as the King’s Cinema, it was bought by cinema pioneer Jim Poole under whose ownership it was refurbished and opened as The Cameo, Scotland’s first arthouse cinema, in 1949. He ran it until his retirement in the early 1980’s. It reopened on 16th August 1986 when it played ‘Heavenly Pursuits’.
Tonight The Cameo continues its tradition of championing independent cinema with screenings of the highly anticipated "Summer Palace" and "The Host" from the Edinburgh Film Festival in its glorious neo-classical Screen One. In Screen Three, Ken Loach’s "The Wind That Shakes The Barley" is still enjoying popular success in the eighth week of its run at the cinema.
The Cameo is also celebrating its future. The ‘for sale’ boards have come down from the front of the building and the business of serving the local community with the very best film from around the globe is continuing as normal. Recent plans to sell the site or to develop screen one into a multi-use venue have been shelved, and on the back of strong local support operators City Screen have now committed to keeping The Cameo.
A process of discussion with the local community and interested parties is underway to create a plan for safeguarding the cinema’s future. With public support, City Screen hopes to raise funds to implement a major refurbishment programme to improve Screen Two, the foyer and the toilets.
Ian Hoey, The Cameo’s General Manager commented: “On this, the 20th anniversary of the Cameo's rebirth, we are delighted at the news that we are to be removed from the open market and will continue as a key site in the Picturehouse network of classic cinemas. The Cameo has been functioning in an atmosphere of great uncertainty for many months and it is a credit to the staff and the support of the public that it has performed consistently well in the midst of the highly competitive market of cinema exhibition in Edinburgh. The Cameo is the historic heart of cinema in Edinburgh and should remain that way for many years to come."
Genni Poole, Jim Poole’s daughter and leader of the Save the Cameo campaign, added: “The Campaign is pleased that The Cameo’s vulnerable state of limbo has been removed. We very much hope that its operators will prove their commitment to the long term future of this very special cinema and build bridges with local people and cinema-goers who love The Cameo for the unique filmwatching experience it offers. It has a special role in the community of Tollcross and residents have been tremendously supportive. We urge people to vote with their feet and choose The Cameo to see films, to ensure that its future is safeguarded amidst the fierce competition of the city’s multiplexes.”
Local MSP Sarah Boyack has also expressed her support: “This is excellent news - the Cameo is no longer up for sale and City Screen have now committed to keeping the Cameo open. We want to thank the local community and the Cameo's fans who have stayed loyal. Without our campaign I don't believe we'd have today's announcement. I look forward to the discussions that City Screen have promised as there is clearly a need for investment in the Cameo if it is to remain an attractive venue and fulfil its potential.”
The cinema is enjoying its role as a central Film Festival venue and is looking forward to a great summer, with Pedro Almodovar’s highly anticipated Volver opening on Friday 25th August. Tickets for The Cameo are £5.90/£4.50 for cinema members and can be booked on 08707 551 231 or online at www.picturehouses.co.uk. Tickets for the Edinburgh Film Festival screenings (priced separately) can be booked on 0131 623 8030."
Friday, August 18, 2006
A missive from Stephen at Monorail Music in Glasgow...
"Just to let you know - our friends and landlords at Mono are hosting a very special evening with Howe Gelb (of Giant Sand) on Tues 22nd August (doors 8.30pm). Howe will be flying into Glasgow especially for an intimate solo performance on piano and guitar. This is his ONLY UK appearance.
Also, on Wednesday 23rd August (doors 8.30), Mono have the incredible destructo-pop unit, Quasi, from Portland, OR. In case you don't know, Quasi live are wild and brilliant - kind of like The Zombies meets Swell Maps. They feature Janet Weiss of Sleater Kinney and Sam Coomes (one of Elliott Smith's main collaborators) and, now, Joanna Bolme from The Jicks. They are joined by their old muckers, International Airport. I'm part of the association!
Tickets available from Monorail, Kings Court, King Street (0141 552 9458) and Tickets Scotland."
"Just to let you know - our friends and landlords at Mono are hosting a very special evening with Howe Gelb (of Giant Sand) on Tues 22nd August (doors 8.30pm). Howe will be flying into Glasgow especially for an intimate solo performance on piano and guitar. This is his ONLY UK appearance.
Also, on Wednesday 23rd August (doors 8.30), Mono have the incredible destructo-pop unit, Quasi, from Portland, OR. In case you don't know, Quasi live are wild and brilliant - kind of like The Zombies meets Swell Maps. They feature Janet Weiss of Sleater Kinney and Sam Coomes (one of Elliott Smith's main collaborators) and, now, Joanna Bolme from The Jicks. They are joined by their old muckers, International Airport. I'm part of the association!
Tickets available from Monorail, Kings Court, King Street (0141 552 9458) and Tickets Scotland."
Thursday, August 17, 2006
"Stripchords action this Sunday!All hail, kits'n'kittens! The Stripchords return to Dr Strange's swinging Sunday night sesh at revered East London venue Bethnal Green Working Mens Club this weekend, avec their customary tits'n'twang action, Mr Bishop's saucy flicks, and go-go honeys - Ms Lager-Shandy and Miss Stephanie. Plus, there's top 45rpm action from The Sonic Reducer Tag Team DJs. We're looking forward to a slight hiatus following this weekend's gigs, as it's been a heavy-duty bump'n'grind of a summer, so make sure you catch some of their saucy action, unless you want to wait until October! See you at the bar! The Stripchords
More info at www.ontherockslondon.com/theLargeClub/index.html
And, of course, tracks, vids & pics available via www.myspace.com/thestripchords "
This annum's film festival semester began last night with Art School Confidential, the new Terry Zwigoff/Dan Clowes feature. It's been out in the US since May and may well be on dvd by now. Anyway, it's an OK way to spend just under two hours. It feels like these are motion comic book frames and there's a certain Kevin Smith air about it all but it holds together pretty well. Steve Buscemi is in it being himself and that's never a bad thing. In terms of the Festival atmos, there was none. No director, no actors just a big barn-like cinema packed with punters. I guess everybody concerned is well into another project by now. More on Saturday...
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
As I tap away here, The London Astoria will soon be reverberating to a capacity throng getting their jollies to the strains of The Cramps. It's their 30th anniversary in November (!) Those of us who couldn't make it are sitting tight, waiting for the cyber-telegraph and in particular - YouTube to deliver us some (un)edited idea as to how it all went.
Forget all that shit about Snakes on planes. Surely all the added security means that you could never get the blighters on innit? You should concern yourselves more with regard to Nomads on a boat! Taking place this coming Thursday. Wish i wiz there!...Monday, August 14, 2006
Daundered into Glasgow yesterday to catch the post-Belladrum Medicine (music) Caravan. This was to feature Joe West, The Tom Morton Two, I See Hawks in LA and Tony Gilkyson. However, it is said that one part of the wagon train hit a bit of a snag and the latter two didn't make it. The on/off tosh with regard to the will they/won't they turn up malarky was bollocks. However, the West/Morton end was kept up well and they both made a valiant attempt to salvage the evening. Joe West has a great song called "Rehab Girl" and he knocks out a mean Townes song. His album is called "The Human Cannonball", no relation to Webb Wilder. Tom and his son James do a nice line in loud skiffle. They do the one about hating The Beatles and a new song "Gay Bomb" that sounds like a great lost 45 from 1977. They've got a neat wee combo going here and they rock (albeit acoustically). Some other guy came on and I left, he was awful. Well, maybe not awful but not good. Something about ping pong and bananas or some tiresome fnar,fnar bollocks like that. As for the no-shows, what the fuck is that about? Not something that a free drink will smooth over in my estimation. But the guys who did show up did good. Woulda been better suited to The State Bar in terms of numbers but that's Glasgow on a Sunday evening for you. Earlier, I walked past Beanscene and Chris Difford was doing a pre-Tuts warm-up. There weren't too many folks there either and it reminded me of the night Squeeze played Grangemouth Town Hall and only drew 90 people after having a Top 30 single. Simple Minds opened and it was the night I met the great Howard Thompson. Those were different times alright.
Sunday, August 13, 2006
Many thanks to Martin Percival for rustling this up in spite of his "on tour" status...
The Cramps - Lokerse Feesten - Lokeren Belgium - Weds Aug 9 2006
Many towns and cities in Belgium and the Netherlands have an annual festival, often subsidised by their local authorities. Can you imagine that?! The 32nd annual such festival in Lokeren in the Flanders region of northern Belgium this year featured the double headlining bill of The Cramps plus Bauhaus....all for 10 Euros! Remarkable value for money and it proved to be a very well organised and fun event.
I arrived in Belgium earlier in the day and headed to Antwerp by train to meet Dirk "Ungawa" Roeyen in his home town. Dirk is a hardcore Cramps afficianado and even wrote a book on the band back in 1996. He and I then headed out on the short drive to Lokeren with 2 of his pals.
The festival site holds 15,000 and, although not sold out, there must have been close to that number present by the time the Cramps hit the stage around 9pm. I've only ever seen the band play at a festival once before, Reading in 1990, and it was strange seeing them play in the light! As had been rumoured prior to the gig Lux has dyed his hair a sandy blonde colour and he's also lost a bit of weight since their last European visit back in September 2003. He was on very fine form, as were Chopper and Bill Bateman, and both Lux and Ivy were actually looking younger than they did 3 years ago. They must have a picture up in their attic somewhere!
The set opened with "The Mad Daddy" and was swiftly followed by "Rock on the Moon". Lux was stalking around the stage and clearly enjoying himself. His first quip for the crowd was "You come - they give me wine!" and before long he was slurping down his favourite red wine straight out of the bottle. As usual though a fair amount was spilt.
Jake from the Lords of Altamont was spotted stage side and it was good to see this long time Cramps fanatic working with the band again.
By the time "Caveman" was completed the first mike stand had gone to meet its maker and wine bottle number one was empty. "Let's Get Fucked Up" followed and Lux was well on the way to working himself up into the frenzy that we've all grown to love from a Cramps show. He made his way down to the pit in front of the stage and the TV cameras filming the festival for the stage side screens picked out a happy looking Dirk in the front row.
At the close of "Dames, Booze, Chains and Boots" Lux's PVC trousers were slashed and gaping, just in time for "TV Set". "That's a GOOD song!" was Lux's assessment of the classic from the first album, and I don't think anyone present would have disputed his opinion.
"Psychotic Reaction" saw some great harp playing and much rolling around on stage as the sun went down. The set closed with "Wrong Way Ticket" and the final song was introduced as "some bad advice straight from hell"
before going into "Tear it Up". There was no encore so the set did close in a rather frustrating fashion for long time fans. Only 50 minutes and everyone wanting more. However it was great to see that a lot of people at the festival, mainly there to see Bauhaus, had clearly really enjoyed what was, probably for the majority present, their first Cramps show. For a band to still be so hot live 30 years into their career is incredible. This was likely just as well as Bauhaus later had equipment problems and consequently only played 12 songs. They also gave a more than passable impression of a band falling apart in public..... but let's not dwell on that.
At the end of the evening I decided to pass on the local delicacy - horse meat sausages - and headed back instead to Antwerp a very happy Cramps fan greatly looking forward to the London gig the following week where maybe we'll be treated to some new songs and I'm sure a longer set. I also suspect that night will see Lux in a more "traditional" state of frenzy by the end of the show!
Just for the record the set list was:
The Mad Daddy
Rock on the Moon
The Way I Walk
Hanky Panky
Hang Up
Fissure of Rolando
Papa Satan Sang Louie
Big Black Witchcraft Rock
It Thing Hard On
Primitive
Caveman
Let's get Fucked up
Dames Booze Chains & Boots
TV Set
Psychotic Reaction
Wrong Way Ticket
Tear it Up
Martin (LOTC member 610.....oooops - that was 25 years ago!)
Many towns and cities in Belgium and the Netherlands have an annual festival, often subsidised by their local authorities. Can you imagine that?! The 32nd annual such festival in Lokeren in the Flanders region of northern Belgium this year featured the double headlining bill of The Cramps plus Bauhaus....all for 10 Euros! Remarkable value for money and it proved to be a very well organised and fun event.
I arrived in Belgium earlier in the day and headed to Antwerp by train to meet Dirk "Ungawa" Roeyen in his home town. Dirk is a hardcore Cramps afficianado and even wrote a book on the band back in 1996. He and I then headed out on the short drive to Lokeren with 2 of his pals.
The festival site holds 15,000 and, although not sold out, there must have been close to that number present by the time the Cramps hit the stage around 9pm. I've only ever seen the band play at a festival once before, Reading in 1990, and it was strange seeing them play in the light! As had been rumoured prior to the gig Lux has dyed his hair a sandy blonde colour and he's also lost a bit of weight since their last European visit back in September 2003. He was on very fine form, as were Chopper and Bill Bateman, and both Lux and Ivy were actually looking younger than they did 3 years ago. They must have a picture up in their attic somewhere!
The set opened with "The Mad Daddy" and was swiftly followed by "Rock on the Moon". Lux was stalking around the stage and clearly enjoying himself. His first quip for the crowd was "You come - they give me wine!" and before long he was slurping down his favourite red wine straight out of the bottle. As usual though a fair amount was spilt.
Jake from the Lords of Altamont was spotted stage side and it was good to see this long time Cramps fanatic working with the band again.
By the time "Caveman" was completed the first mike stand had gone to meet its maker and wine bottle number one was empty. "Let's Get Fucked Up" followed and Lux was well on the way to working himself up into the frenzy that we've all grown to love from a Cramps show. He made his way down to the pit in front of the stage and the TV cameras filming the festival for the stage side screens picked out a happy looking Dirk in the front row.
At the close of "Dames, Booze, Chains and Boots" Lux's PVC trousers were slashed and gaping, just in time for "TV Set". "That's a GOOD song!" was Lux's assessment of the classic from the first album, and I don't think anyone present would have disputed his opinion.
"Psychotic Reaction" saw some great harp playing and much rolling around on stage as the sun went down. The set closed with "Wrong Way Ticket" and the final song was introduced as "some bad advice straight from hell"
before going into "Tear it Up". There was no encore so the set did close in a rather frustrating fashion for long time fans. Only 50 minutes and everyone wanting more. However it was great to see that a lot of people at the festival, mainly there to see Bauhaus, had clearly really enjoyed what was, probably for the majority present, their first Cramps show. For a band to still be so hot live 30 years into their career is incredible. This was likely just as well as Bauhaus later had equipment problems and consequently only played 12 songs. They also gave a more than passable impression of a band falling apart in public..... but let's not dwell on that.
At the end of the evening I decided to pass on the local delicacy - horse meat sausages - and headed back instead to Antwerp a very happy Cramps fan greatly looking forward to the London gig the following week where maybe we'll be treated to some new songs and I'm sure a longer set. I also suspect that night will see Lux in a more "traditional" state of frenzy by the end of the show!
Just for the record the set list was:
The Mad Daddy
Rock on the Moon
The Way I Walk
Hanky Panky
Hang Up
Fissure of Rolando
Papa Satan Sang Louie
Big Black Witchcraft Rock
It Thing Hard On
Primitive
Caveman
Let's get Fucked up
Dames Booze Chains & Boots
TV Set
Psychotic Reaction
Wrong Way Ticket
Tear it Up
Martin (LOTC member 610.....oooops - that was 25 years ago!)
Wayne County - At The Trucks (Munster LP).What with Jayne County bein' in the news this very moment, it seems like as good a time as any to hip you to this explosive new footlong of archive material.
Truth be told, I've always thought of Wayne/Jayne as a fun "concept", rather than something I'd listen to on a regular basis. The only exception bein' the fab Things Your Mother Never Told You LP that, thanks to an amazin' David Cunningham production sounds as psychedelic as any Electric Prunes disc you'd care to mention.
This new LP however, firmly implants County's stake in the mid 70s pre-punk settings. Side one is a live set recorded in jan. 1974 while he was under contract with Bowie's Mainmam company. Somewhere halfway 'tween the New York Dolls and Lou Reed's Rock & Roll Animal without really touchin' either's majesty (good as it is tho'). But flip this disc over and there's a stellar take on the Yardbirds' Putty (again from 1974) plus wild, undated, early takes of Fucked By The Devil and Prostitute With A Parachute. To round things off, there's an early 80s version of Max's Kansas City, where, in the artist round-up, Jayne mentions everybody from Von Lmo to Madonna! Great stuff! Now roll on the long lost set that County apparently recorded for ESP way back when...
Ugly Things #24.The world's finest music publication returns with 208 jam-packed pages of arcane knowledge. Obviously way to much to digest in one or two sittings, but what I did read so far is up to the magazine usual high standards.
While the Mojos of this world can't seem to get past the handful of big names and have sucked these bands/artists dry of just about any life juice left in their respective corpses, Ugly Things, time and time again, comes up with vital information on the left-overs and footnotes of rock & roll's history.
The Bush, Flamin' groovies, Rubber City Rebels and Willie Alexander are just a few of the acts to appear in this issue. It also good to note that the contents seem to get more varied with each issue (excludin' the one reviewer who's journeys into different musical settings seem mainly inspired by the will to be offensive and/or eccentric) But with excellent writers like David Laing, Jeff Jarema, Doug Sheppard and the Stax-man himself aboard it's easy to overlook such minor quibbles. Get it straight from the source at Ugly-Things.com.
Flamin' Groovies - At Full Speed, the complete Sire recordings (Rhino 2CD). 
Released about two moths ago, and yet I still have to see the first mention of this in any publication (digital or otherwise). Heck, I couldn't even locate it on Rhino's own website!
I really hope all you NBT readers are familiar with the contents of these discs; some of the most powerful/touching rock & roll music ever. Shake Some Action, You Tore Me Down, I Saw Her, I Can't Hide, Take Me Back etc, etc... This is the stuff of legend, timeless beauty and (insert favorite adjective here)...
Forget the similar, but shoddy three CD set that came out last year. This is the way us fans always wanted it to appear. Handled by those who actually understand; Sound produced by Bill Inglot, package design by Phil Smee and (2002) liner notes by the late Greg Shaw who out did himself putting the band's saga in proper perspective.
Absolutely mandatory... (and if Rhino doesn't want to sell it, just head for Amazon)
Released about two moths ago, and yet I still have to see the first mention of this in any publication (digital or otherwise). Heck, I couldn't even locate it on Rhino's own website!
I really hope all you NBT readers are familiar with the contents of these discs; some of the most powerful/touching rock & roll music ever. Shake Some Action, You Tore Me Down, I Saw Her, I Can't Hide, Take Me Back etc, etc... This is the stuff of legend, timeless beauty and (insert favorite adjective here)...
Forget the similar, but shoddy three CD set that came out last year. This is the way us fans always wanted it to appear. Handled by those who actually understand; Sound produced by Bill Inglot, package design by Phil Smee and (2002) liner notes by the late Greg Shaw who out did himself putting the band's saga in proper perspective.
Absolutely mandatory... (and if Rhino doesn't want to sell it, just head for Amazon)
Been getting to grips with the JD King and The Coachmen thing entitled AMERICAN MERCURY and tis a mercurial beast to be sure. Just released on Ecstatic Peace, this is mood swing music that works at all volumes. It's swinging frequencies work equally enthrallingly as ambient Sunday am background textures and also unfathomably loud. And with the moods swinging pendulously you'll hear shards of Velvets and T. Rexian garageisms amongst the shimmering backdrops of crisp, burning tones. The polar opposite of noodling awaits anybody with ears open to something other than yer usual ramalama fare. there's a depth and soul displayed here that makes me wish they were on the bill for that Sonic Youth fest in December where The Stooges and DKT/MC5 will be going HiDeHi on the audiences collective ass. Now if these folks were playing, I'd be down there like mud on a pig. Read more about it at Blog to Comm. Get it in the UK from Volcanic Tongue.
Info via E-mole... I think the exclamations are warranted in this instance...
"From: Jayne County and THE ELECTRIC CHAIRS
Date: Aug 10, 2006 9:21 PM
"From: Jayne County and THE ELECTRIC CHAIRS
Date: Aug 10, 2006 9:21 PM
As many of you have probably already heard, CREEP Gene Simmons has stolen my band*s name and given to his son Nick Simmons! This is a dispicable act of greed and disgusting contempt! To not only me as a person, but as a Glam/Punk Pioneer and Trans artist! And quite frankly it is a tremendous INSULT to the entire PUNK WORLD!!! I thought up the name myself back in 1977 and have been recording and touring with this name since way back then!!! I have ALWAYS been WAYNE/JAYNE COUNTY AND THE ELECTRIC CHAIRS!!! And my first LP was called THE ELECTRIC CHAIRS. Everyone in the Punk world and othere knows that!! In fact I have a gig in London on Oct. the 28 with the DAMNED and I am billed as JAYNE COUNTY AND THE ELECTRIC CHAIRS! IT IS MY NAME!!!!! Creepy Mean Gene has even gone and copywrited my for himself!!! I will try to fight the best I can but Mean Gene is RICH and has top lawyers!!! He will try to shoot me down, like a dog!!! SO, I NEED YOU... ALL MY FRIENDS AND FANS TO HELP ME FIGHT THIS GREAT INJUSTICE!!! Do absolutely ANYTHING you can and can thinkk of to harrass and protest to Gene Simmons, that awful show called I think the Family Jewels or something!!! Also - protest to A&E TV station. Calll them. email them. fax them. harrass them and let them know that they are NOT GOING TO GET AWAY WITH IT!!! Here is some useful info about the show for you!!! The DIRECT PHONE NUMBER to the show is.... 323 468 2000. The company doing the show is called THE GREIF COMPANY .. A DAY WITH, INC,.. and their address is: 9233 W. Pico Blvd. .. Suite 218..... Los Angeles, Calif, 90035 Their num. is 310 385 1200 and the Fax. is 310 385 1207 ... OK TROOPS. MOBILIZE AND HELP ME FIGHT!! IF YOU LOVE ME AND MY MUSIC YOU WILL HELP ME!!!!!!!!! Love to you all. XXXXXXXX Jayne"
Saturday, August 12, 2006
(From Sara J.) "DJ'ing at The Abbey Lounge this Sunday August 13th...The Leather Uppers/Black Clouds/The Shemps
A late addition DJ affair....I'll be spinning more of the 'zee LOCK and LOLL this Sunday August 13th at the Abbey Lounge in between band sets. On stage that evening....The Leather Uppers (Goner Records) from Canada, The Black Clouds with their new 7 inch in hand, and The Shemps from New Jersey. Sunday cocktails, music, fun and some Jilted John....OH BOY!
A late addition DJ affair....I'll be spinning more of the 'zee LOCK and LOLL this Sunday August 13th at the Abbey Lounge in between band sets. On stage that evening....The Leather Uppers (Goner Records) from Canada, The Black Clouds with their new 7 inch in hand, and The Shemps from New Jersey. Sunday cocktails, music, fun and some Jilted John....OH BOY!
Also (sadly) not showing at the 60th Edinburgh International Film Festival...
Tales of the Rat Fink (link via Imants Krumins/E-Mole)
Ditto this article on Deniz Tek.
Didn't I tell you? (Thanks to Martin for the link)
and those links, they keep on coming... (cheers Björn)
and those links, they keep on coming... (cheers Björn)
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Dead Flowers presents
THE THIRD ANNUAL ATLANTIC ANTIC ROCK'N'SOUL FEST!
Sunday, September 17th
11am - 6pm. Rain or shine.
The Fleshtones / Reigning Sound / The Dansettes / The Fabulous Soul Shakers
Plus: More bands and DJs TBA, and a killer after-party inside Magnetic Field!
Magnetic Field
97 Atlantic Avenue
(between Henry & Hicks Sts.)
Brooklyn, U.S.A.
THE THIRD ANNUAL ATLANTIC ANTIC ROCK'N'SOUL FEST!
Sunday, September 17th
11am - 6pm. Rain or shine.
The Fleshtones / Reigning Sound / The Dansettes / The Fabulous Soul Shakers
Plus: More bands and DJs TBA, and a killer after-party inside Magnetic Field!
Magnetic Field
97 Atlantic Avenue
(between Henry & Hicks Sts.)
Brooklyn, U.S.A.
Today's word is "disruption". Certainly preferable to "destruction" but what a bloody to-do. Patience is the proverbial virtue and all that. Better just to stay at home and piss about on your computer or whatever. And hey, it could put global warming back, oh, at least an hour. Maybe two. It’s an ill wind indeed… Anyway, I hope Brother Thewlis made it to Edinburgh eventually.
And what about Lux’s new barnet? Any step away from that Hot Topic look has to be a good thing. And they’ve got Bill Bateman in tow, a man who knows a thing or three about the big beat. I look forward to hearing the reports. "Disruption" permitting.
Time I wasn’t here…
And what about Lux’s new barnet? Any step away from that Hot Topic look has to be a good thing. And they’ve got Bill Bateman in tow, a man who knows a thing or three about the big beat. I look forward to hearing the reports. "Disruption" permitting.
Time I wasn’t here…
The Cramps in Belgium last night. First photos of the "new-look" Lux.
In the fotos section, there isn't a direct link.
In the fotos section, there isn't a direct link.
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Tonight (9th August) Heavy Trash will play live on Radio Pula at 8 pm (CET), That's 7pm UK time I think - And they'll be interviewed by Lada from The Bambi Molesters. Tune in to http://www.hrt.hr/streams/index.html and click PULA. I just checked out the link and heard a "dance-ified" version of Free's "All Right Now"?
Thanks to BIGor for the tip off.
Normal service around here is not something that I have any control of at the moment. Thanks for bearing with it. Ditto e-mail. If you've e-mailed and haven't had a reply then you will eventually. Eggs cannot be unscrambled, what can I tell you?
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
As a fully paid up member of YouTube Anonymous who (presumably) used to have a life, I offer up another 20 minutes worth of entertainment should you be in pursuit of such a thing...
BMX/Evie Sands videos on YouTube
Anyway That You Want Me
Witchi Tai To
Long Rydin' Sid Griffin on YouTube
The Coal Porters - Final Wild Son
The Coal Porters - Little Cabin Home On The Hill
Sid Griffin - When I'm Out Walking with You
Monday, August 07, 2006
Been trying to figure out this new postage malarky that comes into play as of August 21st. Postage will be charged in line with size as opposed to weight and those behind this ruse are doing their utmost to say it's fairer but what is the actual likelihood of that? Not much... Just as well that i'm not physically mailing stuff at the frequency I used to or i'd be knocking on the poorhouse door. This, as much as anything, has put the kibosh on any further printed manifestation of NBT. Not that I could ever afford to do such a beastie anyway. Chalk it up to doing my bit for "the environment". Plus, all those flyers that are printed up for the Edinburgh Festival(s) have pretty much exhausted world paper supplies anyway. Used to be these things were like little pieces of art. Now it's just dtp'd bollocks. They'd be better just putting the pre-printed paper stock into the shredder because it's such utter waste that it nips my noggin just to think about it. There is no electronic format that can compete with hand pasted and xerox. Not to my knowledge. But hey, let's hear it for this misnomer called "progress". I hear about it but don't believe that i've made its acquaintance.
Sunday, August 06, 2006
As a means of escape yesterday I thought it might be an idea to lock horns with some “culture”. It wasn’t entirely successful but whats done, etc. Edinburgh is already hoaching with Festival goers and the "season" hasn’t really even started to kick in. Auld Reekie is also teeming with drunks who have od’d on the hot weather and being able to sit outside like they do in other European cities. It’s just that many of them aren’t up to the task. But anyway, irritating as these people may be, let’s not get into that debate that right now. The Notorious Bettie Page is a somewhat unadventurous endeavour. Looks great and the old NY footage works really well. Gretchen Mol is authentic and Lilli Taylor as Paula Klaw is a casting plus. This all went down just 50 years ago and we’ve ended up quite the way down the highway since then. However, it seems like no time ago at all and the mainstreaming of the fifties glamour/fetish material has diluted the myth somewhat. If the myth is gone then what the hell is left. This is gloss over substance and quite possibly premeditated as such. However, there are worse ways to spend a couple of hours. Isn’t there another Bettie biopic doing the rounds someplace? I wish she would tell her story from her angle. Now that might well be something. A wee amble through the densely populated streets then to my next encounter with the arts. Harry Shearer and his wife Judith Owen are appearing at the Assembly Rooms all through August. This Is So Not About The Simpsons (American Voyeurs) starts with Harry doing Montgomery Burns, Ned Flanders and a couple of others before presenting their view of the US circa now. To be able to see someone who was in Spinal Tap and The Folksmen up so close was great. I wish I could say that the show was wall to wall funny but it really wasn’t. There’s a short back projection of Robert Tilton and a section of Bush film (no, that wasn’t me referring back to the Bettie movie) but the rest left me thinking, er, is this it? His wife’s oeuvre is, to my chagrin, basically Vonda Shepherd channelling Richard Stilgoe with added scat singing. I’m not big on the latter and wasn’t convinced that the rest of the audience had been won over either so perhaps it wasn’t just me. Elsewhere in the building, Kylie Minogue was hanging out at some show with “Havana” in the title. Far as I know it has nothing to do with The Ramones.
Friday, August 04, 2006
Thursday, August 03, 2006
After Iggy caused some damage to a Dutch TV studio miming to Lust For Life (#3 over here in november 1977), the Dutch press turned up en masse when he returned to mime to I Got A Right. Too bad for them, Iggy refused (even after mucho pleading) to damage anything at all (he's good at posin' tho'..)
TEENAGE FANCLUB perform Bandwagonesque Certainly one of the best bands to come out of Glasgow, always seem to be around when you need them! And this time it’s to remind us of their 1991 album Bandwagonesque which, you may have forgotten, was voted the Best Album of 1991 by America’s Spin magazine beating Nirvana’s Nevermind and REM’s, Out Of Time. A travesty? Tickets on sale Saturday 5th August @ 9am.Glasgow, Barrowland - Friday 29th September. (Info from Gigs In Scotland.)
The Stripchords @ South London Pacific, August 11th!
The Stripchords are set to bring their patented mix of tits'n'twang to an Ooh, I Like A Bit Of ... club night at Londinium's esteemed tiki bar, South London Pacific, on Friday August 11th. In addition, Ooh, I Like A Bit Of ... features top notch turntablism from Nick Brown (Stag-O-Lee/Intoxica!) and KatManDude to keep you in a South Seas-type mood until the wee, wee hours (don't overdo the cocktails, folks!). The venue's a 5-minute walk from Oval tube on the Northern Line (even if you've got a wooden leg). See you at the bar!
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Ooh, I Like A Bit Of ... @ South London Pacific 340 Kennington Road London
SE11 4LD - £5, £3 b4 10pm, free before 9pm
AND!!!!
Tim Rogers @ Sonic Reducer, August 12th!
Hey kits'n'kittens
Muchos gracias for the wild reception afforded to the set by tits'n'twang aggregation The Stripchords at the last sweltering Sonic Reducer sesh. We've got summat even hotter than July (hmmm, heard that before ...) scheduled for the SR on August 12th, namely special guest DJ Tim 'Jolly' Rogers of You Am I, The Temperance Union, and now T'n'T, alongside the mighty Tex Perkins (The Cruel Sea, The Beasts Of Bourbon)! Tim'n'Tex (or Tex'n'Tim) are playing at Islington Academy on August 12th, showcasing their mightily witty collaborative album, My Better Half. After the gig, the estimable Mr Rogers of Kalgoorlie, WA will decamp to Sonic Reducer, joining BigKegShandy on the decks, for his second guest DJ turn at the club. Old Jolly's again expected to spin classics and nuggets by the likes of The Easybeats, AC/DC, yer 'Stones, da 'Ooo, The Raspberries, Big Star, and owt else that takes his fancy ... As per, we'll be raging until 1am, and entry, of course is FREE! Selah, BigKegShandy
-------------------------------------------
Sonic Reducer @ The Spitz (gallery space) July15th Spitalfields Market,
Londinium E1 8.30pm-1am, FREE ENTRY Tube: Liverpool Street
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
A couple of items you may care to take a wee swatch at...
Nick Kent realises the error of his ways (Thanks to Martin P for the link).
also, Ben Weasel tells it like it is on the subject of myspace.
Nick Kent realises the error of his ways (Thanks to Martin P for the link).
also, Ben Weasel tells it like it is on the subject of myspace.
Sunday, July 30, 2006
I was minding my own beeswax when a message from Kevan Aman came in which was titled "What Rock'n'Roll should be". This resulted in my sliding down the rabbit hole which is YouTube to a portal of Oblivians and Gories clips plus a ton more.
I've also been digging the Stereototal-tastic CSS from San Paulo, Brazil. They've got a new album out on SubPop.
Mr Spence has confirmed that The Grease Monkeys and The Dexateens will be opening for The Fleshtones at the DWC. It's gonna be quite the shindig.
Mr Spence has confirmed that The Grease Monkeys and The Dexateens will be opening for The Fleshtones at the DWC. It's gonna be quite the shindig.
Let's head for Sweden now... (if only) ... couple of reviews that are way overdue...
The cross-fertilisation of Kraftwerk and Bo Diddley has to be a good thing so Sci-Fi Skane are considerably ahead of their time. SFS is the fevered by-product of Bob Hund singer Thomas Oberg with help from some of his bandmates and the mysterious Solnafingret. Veering in and out of a cinematic groove, their take on Canned Heat's "Going Up The Country" is kinda like the spawn of The Silicon Teens older, sicker brethren. They're using technology (look out honey, etc.) as if the BBC Radiophonic Workshop had something slipped into their tea by some malevolent canteen lady. I imagine that they'll confound a good many people but that has to be a positive thing. They've been doing a club in London recently. Stick with this program.
Maia Hirasawa is a member of the Hello Saferide group and purveyor of cracking home recorded lounge pop gems in her own right. "The My New Friend EP" contains six quiet, reflective songs which you can sample at her site. The vibe reminds me of Sara Hickman and that's no bad thing. So, should you be seeking a wee diversion from ear-shredding rock'n'roll then this should sooth yon savage beastie. T'was just the business to calm the nerves after all those frantic clips I just ingested.And so to the final episode of Top of the Pops that's on tonight. I hope that the BBC are working on something authoritative to replace it? That's what we pay our sodding licence fee for. Kinda like Jools Holland but not irritating. I know there are people within that organisation that can put such a thing together so give 'em a bloody chance. Alright? Something not controlled by the self-appointed hipster mafia.
Saturday, July 29, 2006
The Treasures of Long Gone John. Coming to a multiplex near you in the fullness of time... nae doobt!
Also, check out the new SFTRI booty. Including a new album by The Fondas.
FREE MUSIC in Gothenburg NEXT WEEKEND and BEYOND!
Musikprogrammet på Frihamnspiren, EM-festen 2006
Friday 4 August - Stora Scenen
Sture Alléns Dansorkester
I’m from Barcelona
Hello Saferide
The Soundtrack of Our Lives
Tältscenen
The Slaves
Saturday 5 August - Where The Action Is - Stora Scenen
C.Aarmé
The Hellacopters
Backyard Babies
Millencolin
Tältscenen
Molotov Jive
The Animal Five
Sunday 6 August - Stora Scenen
Tiger Lou
The Embassy
Eskobar
Tältscenen
Firefox AK
Slagsmålsklubben
Monday 7 August - Stora Scenen
Asta Kask
No Fun At All CKY (us)
Tältscenen
Blindside
Satanic Surfers
Tuesday 8 August - Stora Scenen
Bloodbound
Burst
Arch Enemy (s/uk)
Tältscenen
Avatar Nine
Wednesday 9 August - Stora Scenen
SLS
Snook
Petter
Tältscenen Technics Swedish DJ Championship (DJ-SM)
Thursday 10 August - Stora Scenen
Henrik Berggren
The Twilight Singers feat. Greg Dulli and Mark Lanegan
Echo & the Bunnymen (uk)
Tältscenen
Howe Gelb (Giant Sand) (us)
Field Music (uk)
Friday 11 August - Stora Scenen
Sébastien Tellier (fr)
The Dears (can)
Lisa Miskovsky
Tältscenen
Scissors for Lefty (us)
The Rogers Sisters (uk)
Saturday 12 August - Stora Scenen
Whyte Seeds
Timo Räisänen
Looptroop
Tältscenen
Montys Loco
Hets
Musikprogrammet på Frihamnspiren, EM-festen 2006
Friday 4 August - Stora Scenen
Sture Alléns Dansorkester
I’m from Barcelona
Hello Saferide
The Soundtrack of Our Lives
Tältscenen
The Slaves
Saturday 5 August - Where The Action Is - Stora Scenen
C.Aarmé
The Hellacopters
Backyard Babies
Millencolin
Tältscenen
Molotov Jive
The Animal Five
Sunday 6 August - Stora Scenen
Tiger Lou
The Embassy
Eskobar
Tältscenen
Firefox AK
Slagsmålsklubben
Monday 7 August - Stora Scenen
Asta Kask
No Fun At All CKY (us)
Tältscenen
Blindside
Satanic Surfers
Tuesday 8 August - Stora Scenen
Bloodbound
Burst
Arch Enemy (s/uk)
Tältscenen
Avatar Nine
Wednesday 9 August - Stora Scenen
SLS
Snook
Petter
Tältscenen Technics Swedish DJ Championship (DJ-SM)
Thursday 10 August - Stora Scenen
Henrik Berggren
The Twilight Singers feat. Greg Dulli and Mark Lanegan
Echo & the Bunnymen (uk)
Tältscenen
Howe Gelb (Giant Sand) (us)
Field Music (uk)
Friday 11 August - Stora Scenen
Sébastien Tellier (fr)
The Dears (can)
Lisa Miskovsky
Tältscenen
Scissors for Lefty (us)
The Rogers Sisters (uk)
Saturday 12 August - Stora Scenen
Whyte Seeds
Timo Räisänen
Looptroop
Tältscenen
Montys Loco
Hets
Those of you in NY might like to know that this coming Thursday, August 3rd at 8pm - PUNKAPELLA - Slovene vocal quartet with Mike Pride & Fritz Welch. (Cafe Grumpy, Meserole Ave., Greenpoint, Brooklyn)...I didn't know they'd named a club after me in deepest Fleshtone territory?!... thanks to Bigor for the heads-up and the photo (via Dusan). The 'pella are in town recording ... Thursday, July 27, 2006
Went out for a hike around Hilversum today to check out the works of W.M. Dudok, the towns former planner/architect. The amazing townhall (pictured) is the obvious icing on the proverbial whatsis, but there are large numbers of schools, bridges and even entire neighborhoods designed by Dudok to enjoy. More pictures of the townhall can be found here, while other buildings can be viewed in this PDF file.
Mr Duff was going about his business this morning when he came a cross the news that those FLESHTONES will be playing at Dirty Water on October 20th. Support is said to include Glasgow's own Grease Monkeys but I haven't had confirmation of that. Seems like a good shout should it happen. The Super Rock troupe will also be at the fine Paris Maroquinerie on October 22nd. Could be a Eurostar adventure in the offing? Work is also progressing on the aforementioned VINDICATED....
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
'THE MASONICS' plus 'PRESTON PFANZ & THE SEATON SANDS' play 'BEATSVILLE'
at Henry's Cellar Bar, Morrison Street, Edinburgh.
Friday 4th August, 11pm - 3am £5/4
The Masonics, 'Medway Garage Beat', are Mickey Hampshire, ex of The Milkshakes, Bruce Brand ex of Milkshakes and Headcoats and John 'Lard' Gibbs (ex Kaiser). They play they're thudding mix of 'Punk Sea Shanties' and 'R'n'B Two Chorders' once more after a sell out show last January at 'Beatsville' and in support Edinburgh's own Preston Pfanz & The Seaton Sands purveyors of fine Beat and Surf Instrumentals. It's time to 'Shadoogie!'
Cardboard Compulsion "Record collecting included a compulsion to keep the mailers they were sent in. Here they are, along with the stories behind them."
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
From therunaways.com:"Hello Friends,
Many of you have written letters to Sandy West and have inquired why there is no new music or merchandise. It has come the time for us to address this issue. It has been a very hard year for Sandy.
In August of last year, Sandy was diagnosed with lung cancer. She has battled bravely and endured an extensive course of chemotherapy which is still continuing. We did not release this information as Sandy wanted her illness to remain a private issue, and to reemerge with new projects, cancer free.
Earlier this week, Sandy received some news that has made her reevaluate the issue of privacy vs her need for your prayers and support.
In addition to the existing lung cancer, Sandy was diagnosed with a brain tumor. She is currently undergoing radiation therapy in addition to the chemotherapy. It is a very hard time for her, and while we remain optimistic and hopeful, at this time we ask for your prayers and for you to please send out your positive and healing energy to Sandy.
We have set up a special e-mail for Get Well letters. Sandy won't be able to respond, but you can rest assured she will receive your letters. The greatest joy in Sandy's life is her fans. She considers all of you family and would sincerely benefit from your letters of encouragement at this time.
We have set up a Paypal account for Sandy as well. Even though she has some medical insurance, her bills are piling up alarmingly, and any amount you'd like to donate, no matter how small, would be greatly appreciated.
Please email your Get Well wishes to: lettersforsandy (at) yahoo.com
You can help Sandy here:
Donate here through PayPal.
For money orders:
Sandy West
c/o Rocket City Records/Times Square Productions
520 Washington Blvd # 199
Marina Del Rey, CA 90292-5421
Please add the insurance/registered mail option so if anything happens it can be tracked.
Money orders only. Please make them out to Sandy West
Please do not send cash!"
Sunday, July 23, 2006
Motivation. Now there's a word. Ambition is another and your reporter here is sadly lacking with regard to either. I have no pressing urge to take over the world or indeed anything. The simple art of peedling on has taken on something of a downward precipitation. A tailspin that has me, frankly, wondering if it is in fact possible to avert an almighty splat. I listened to a couple of things today but nothing of any consequence and a couple just plain stank. There are cool things lying around here and stuff I oughtta be filling you folks in on but let's just say that i've come down with a bout of "writer's (breeze)block". Not that I ever considered myself a writer in the first place but you probably get my drift? One pressing matter around my noggin is to figure out about taking some time away from the stalag. Anyhoo, I hope that the lack of activity around these parts won't put you off dropping by again. I'm listening to someone on internet radio banging on about Mercury Music prize nominees. What meaningless pish that is in the grand scheme of things. However, let's take things out on a positive keel - check out this Radio Stars website and don't forget Jeroen's Chiswick sideproject. The "auld yins" are the best right enough...
No sign of Mitch and Mickey unfortunately but Derek Smalls appears in his alter ego of Harry Shearer with his wife Judith Owen at the Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh during much of August.Also, tonight there's a BMX Bandits/Evie Sands session on Radio Clyde which you can stream live but I don't think there's a "Listen Again" function. It's on Billy Sloan's show which starts at 7pm and runs until 10pm.
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Upcoming Bambi Molesters shows...
29th July - Zagreb (CRO) - Muzej za umjetnost i obrt
4th August - Dubrovnik (CRO) - "Lazareti/Mora" with DJ Dinko
16th September - Kranj (SLO) - "Wave 2" Festival
29th July - Zagreb (CRO) - Muzej za umjetnost i obrt
4th August - Dubrovnik (CRO) - "Lazareti/Mora" with DJ Dinko
16th September - Kranj (SLO) - "Wave 2" Festival
Friday, July 21, 2006
MAXIMUM R&R - ART and MUSIC FESTIVAL in PULA, CROATIA, August 10th -12ththursday, 10th August -
At noon: presentation of croatian translation of Roni Sarig's The Secret History of Rock, with Lada in charge...
5 pm: ROCKUMENTARY GROOVE:
"Petrovaradinsko pleme" D. Pintarica (60 min.) www.pozitiv.si/petrovaradintribe/
9 pm: the concert
Petrol (Beograd)Fetisha (Ljubljana) www.myspace.com/fetisha and Goribor (Bor) http://www.goribor.co.sr/Sjekire (Rijeka)
11 pm: Deboto (Pula)
11.30pm: Jugoplastika (Spain) http://www.jugoplastika.com/
0.30am: Heavy Trash (Jon Spencer & Matt Verta Ray) (USA)
Friday, 11th August
at noon: presentation of cd compilation of bands from Rijeka, Croatia
5 pm: ROCKUMENTARY GROOVE:
1. "Divided States of America – Laibach 2004 Tour" S. Podgorsek (70 min.)www.laibach.nsk.si/divided_states.htmlwww.laibach.nsk.si/podgorsek.html
"When musicians shock" D. Jagati?a (52 min.) (Rock Cafe)
9 pm the concert
Gin Cooler Quartet (Zagreb) www.gincoolerquartet.com/
One Piece Puzzle (Rijeka) http://www.onepiecepuzzle.com/
Justin's Johnson (Split) http://www.myspace.com/justinsjohnson
Erotic Biljan & his Heretics (Zagreb) www.heretics.htnet.hr/
11 pm: Overflow (Koprivnica) www.overflow-tv.com/
12 pm: Bellrays (L.A. - SAD) http://www.thebellrays.com/
saturday, 12th August
at noon: discusion Is it rewarding to be in rock and roll in Croatia?
at 5 pm ROCKUMENTARY GROOVE:
"Geto 103" J.Altiparmakova (10 min.)
"Foltin" J. Altiparmakova (35 Min.)
"Ritam rock plemena" B.Modri?a (86. min.) http://www.film.hr/bazafilm_film.php?katx=6&film_id=1682
9 pm the concert
the final part of young bands
10.30 pm: Barrakuda (Pula)
11 pm: Eyesburn (Serbia) http://www.eyesburnmusic.com/
midnight: Muskat Hamburg (SLO) http://www.muskathamburg.com/
00:30 am: Kultur Shock (Seattle - SAD) www.kulturshock.com/
Thursday, July 20, 2006
It's overcast today, as am I. However, here are one or two things to check out...
RIP - John Macsween
RIP - Peter Hawkins
Sprung for a bunch of tickets to this year's Edinburgh Film Festival. Just heard that Hannah McGill will be taking over as Artistic Director from next year. Just the foot up the jacksy it needs.
Remembered something else that rankled me at the BOC show t'other night. They were selling Tyranny and Mutation shirts but on the backprint it bore a presumed typo that read "Tyranny and Mutations". Perhaps in testament to the hairstyles of some in the audience. I don't have to worry about such things, there ain't much left to sculpt.
RIP - John Macsween
RIP - Peter Hawkins
Sprung for a bunch of tickets to this year's Edinburgh Film Festival. Just heard that Hannah McGill will be taking over as Artistic Director from next year. Just the foot up the jacksy it needs.
Remembered something else that rankled me at the BOC show t'other night. They were selling Tyranny and Mutation shirts but on the backprint it bore a presumed typo that read "Tyranny and Mutations". Perhaps in testament to the hairstyles of some in the audience. I don't have to worry about such things, there ain't much left to sculpt.
There's a wheen of Youtube stuff to hep you to also but that will entail an inordinate amount of copying and pasting that i'm not at liberty to partake of now. Perhaps later...
And don't forget that THE RADIO THRIFT SHOP is on the airwaves again and this week's broadcast was a blinder. It includes a segment of Tammy Wynette on the Navy Hoedown programme and she does a version of "I'd Be A Legend In My Time". It was also great to hear Area Code 615 again too. Bravo lassie. If only all radio was like this...
And don't forget that THE RADIO THRIFT SHOP is on the airwaves again and this week's broadcast was a blinder. It includes a segment of Tammy Wynette on the Navy Hoedown programme and she does a version of "I'd Be A Legend In My Time". It was also great to hear Area Code 615 again too. Bravo lassie. If only all radio was like this...
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
One thing and another has postponed my blogging in recent days but being that it’s too hot to sleep, I figured that I might as well make it a late night. I’ve usually passed out in front of the TV by now…
Sunday night’s Evie Sands show was fairly well attended given the matinee nature of the timing. Those who took the opportunity saw a lady small in stature maybe but with a voice and persona to match any big hitter. Her set featured old, newish and yet to be recorded. “Anyway That You Want Me” was positively spine-tingling, anybody who didn’t get the chills is presumably clinically dead. I dug the song “Leap of Faith” and it’s “Sweet Home Alabama” undertow. Rounding things off with a rousing “I Can’t Let Go”, I don’t think she could even if she wanted to. Not sure what her band back home would be like but they’d have to go some to hold a candle to this combo. Check out the setlist, etc on the TFC message board.
The Bandits themselves followed through with a very nifty set. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to actually believe that some of these songs are coming from the man that brought us "E102" all those years ago. Tonight saw that song reborn as a burundified stomper and really, the dynamics of recent Bandit performances are a lesson in putting together the ultimate pop confection. What they do has guts, heart and soul. Rachel and Duglas trade off one another like they’ve been doing this forever and the music they make is equally timeless. BMX Bandits circa 2006 are real contenders.
The other reason for my late shift is that I just got in from seeing Blue Öyster Cult at “The Ferry” (formerly the Renfrew Ferry). First time I’ve been in it since the refurb and relocation. Don’t know if I care for the upgrade but let’s not dwell on that. The actual decision to go was only made today. Tickets 20 quid a pop, funds a tad on the boracic side but I figured that for old times sake, and to represent Kim Salmon, then I ought to make the effort. It was good but it wasn’t great. I never cared for “Shooting Shark” or even “Burning For You” for that matter and those should be ditched and replaced with “Astronomy”, “Baby Ice Dog”, “Mistress…” “ETI” - need I yatter on? The drum and bass solos during “Godzilla” simply don’t work. Not in a place where zero in the way of projection is remotely possible. There’s no lightshow, no pyro, because the place is like a mini-sodding-mall. But anyway, there were high points “Last Days Of May”, “This Ain’t The Summer of Love” (I wish The Nomads would resurrect this live!), “Harvester Of Eyes”, “ME262”. The encore was something of a misfire. “I Love The Night” followed by “Hot Rails To Hell”. The sound had gone for a burton by this point. Not sure how or why but I was mourning the lack of “Dominance” and this made things worse. They can still cut it but in small places like this they need to tailor the set but, at least there was no attempt to introduce new material. I wish they could play venues of a size that their best songs deserve and they have a trove more than most. Being on my feet for the whole set almost brought me to my knees. The spirit was willing even if the flesh has taken something of a tabering. I left feeling just a wee bit sad, thinking how the mighty have been side-stepped in place of many lesser acts. It’s verging on Tap-esque but that doesn't seem to have dampened their ability to rock.
Sunday night’s Evie Sands show was fairly well attended given the matinee nature of the timing. Those who took the opportunity saw a lady small in stature maybe but with a voice and persona to match any big hitter. Her set featured old, newish and yet to be recorded. “Anyway That You Want Me” was positively spine-tingling, anybody who didn’t get the chills is presumably clinically dead. I dug the song “Leap of Faith” and it’s “Sweet Home Alabama” undertow. Rounding things off with a rousing “I Can’t Let Go”, I don’t think she could even if she wanted to. Not sure what her band back home would be like but they’d have to go some to hold a candle to this combo. Check out the setlist, etc on the TFC message board.
The Bandits themselves followed through with a very nifty set. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to actually believe that some of these songs are coming from the man that brought us "E102" all those years ago. Tonight saw that song reborn as a burundified stomper and really, the dynamics of recent Bandit performances are a lesson in putting together the ultimate pop confection. What they do has guts, heart and soul. Rachel and Duglas trade off one another like they’ve been doing this forever and the music they make is equally timeless. BMX Bandits circa 2006 are real contenders.
The other reason for my late shift is that I just got in from seeing Blue Öyster Cult at “The Ferry” (formerly the Renfrew Ferry). First time I’ve been in it since the refurb and relocation. Don’t know if I care for the upgrade but let’s not dwell on that. The actual decision to go was only made today. Tickets 20 quid a pop, funds a tad on the boracic side but I figured that for old times sake, and to represent Kim Salmon, then I ought to make the effort. It was good but it wasn’t great. I never cared for “Shooting Shark” or even “Burning For You” for that matter and those should be ditched and replaced with “Astronomy”, “Baby Ice Dog”, “Mistress…” “ETI” - need I yatter on? The drum and bass solos during “Godzilla” simply don’t work. Not in a place where zero in the way of projection is remotely possible. There’s no lightshow, no pyro, because the place is like a mini-sodding-mall. But anyway, there were high points “Last Days Of May”, “This Ain’t The Summer of Love” (I wish The Nomads would resurrect this live!), “Harvester Of Eyes”, “ME262”. The encore was something of a misfire. “I Love The Night” followed by “Hot Rails To Hell”. The sound had gone for a burton by this point. Not sure how or why but I was mourning the lack of “Dominance” and this made things worse. They can still cut it but in small places like this they need to tailor the set but, at least there was no attempt to introduce new material. I wish they could play venues of a size that their best songs deserve and they have a trove more than most. Being on my feet for the whole set almost brought me to my knees. The spirit was willing even if the flesh has taken something of a tabering. I left feeling just a wee bit sad, thinking how the mighty have been side-stepped in place of many lesser acts. It’s verging on Tap-esque but that doesn't seem to have dampened their ability to rock.
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Sunday, July 16, 2006
The 30th anniversary of punk (if you're talking the 76/77 variety) continues to gather pace and today's Seven days section of the Sunday Herald spits is tuppence worth into the fray. I've been doing a lot of talking and thinking about it too which has unlocked memories but what sgnificance do such war stories have? Shouldn't we have grown up and moved on?? I appear to be cursed but what about all the others? Ben Weasel has relocated and is back in the Blogosphere. Murray sent me a link to the Dolls section of the Roadrunner site and there's an electronic press kit on there. Like I said before the album, due out next week, is better than anybody could have imagined it could be. Check out Shock and Awe Go Home also. Look at the time. I ought not to be here. More soon. Maybe.
“I’m From Barcelona” aren’t actually from Barcelona, they’re from Sweden. Don’t know if they’re all from Stockholm but I discovered them through the HS axis. When I got on to my “dealer”, he said they were like Belle and Sebastian and while I see the comparison, these folks are altogether more exotic. Like The Polyphonic Spree vs The BMX Bandits with some They Might Be Giants thrown in. There’s definitely a touch of the Glasgow Brill Building sound, one cannae deny that. There's also a jug band choir, adult version of the Langley Schools project going on. And - being that we're actually in the throes of one this year, this could be THE sound of summer, such is the breezy singalong nature but these tunes are marinated in strangely rich arrangements of skiffle type-orchestration punctuated with horns. And then there’s the Beach Boy type harmonies Get down with the videos and get with it. The actual effect is somewhat indescribable but if you hear it for yourself then you’ll get the gist. “The Saddest Lullaby” isn’t the kind of title that I’d normally go for but it has a kind of Spiritualized gospel swing to it. Like "From The Underworld" by The Herd infused with a slow-burning gospel brass ensemble. Just read on Swedesplease that Mute will release this in the rest of Europe this coming September. One appearance on the right TV or radio show and these folks will be heading for the megasphere. Chalk up another victory for those Scandanavians...
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