Behold the Spiegeltent! Yes, the Spiegeltent's the thing this week, friend, as Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co. takes its brand of "Ballads, Boogies & Blues" to downtown Manhattan's South Street Seaport for a rare treat: an in-the-round show within a hundred-year-old traveling cabaret palace known as the Spiegeltent! Imported from Europe for a mere two months, the "tent" is a marvel of stained glass doors and inlaid wood floors, all under a canvas big top -- with an outdoor beer garden competing the setting. Naturally. And, after this month the Spiegeltent will be but a memory! THE SPIEGELTENT / THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21st / South Street Seaport, Pier 17 in Manhattan / One BIG show at 6pm / With special guests Rosalie Morris and The Baby Maria! / $10 / www.SpiegelWorld.com / Spiegelly yours, Michael - www.SITandDieCo.com

Trying to upload pictures and info but keep getting a "page not available" message. "Page not available" my arse. If this uploads then, the page, is quite obviously available. Just not to me. As if things weren't fraught enough... Myspace is the same, fanny about with it for 10 minutes - think to myself "it's working" then the status light flickers and goes out. Presumably that song about the light that never goes out isn't about my modem connection. Thanks for dropping by though, sooner or later there may well be something worth clocking...

Synopsis: In 1966, an all-girl garage rock band is on tour. Their van breaks down in a small southern beach town at the same time as a huge mass of mysterious debris washes ashore. Mangled bodies start showing up on the beach. Could it be the Skunk Ape, the Everglades' Bigfoot?

The film looks like compulsory viewing for all fans of horror B movies and teen exploitation trash if the synposis is anything to go by. More information, including video clips, details of cast members and reviews, is available on the Stomp! Shout! Scream! website.

The Radio 2 documentary 40 years of Monkee Business is worth a listen, should you be that way inclined.

NORTON AUTUMN ALMANAC • WILD WAX • STAR-STUDDED STOMPS!

...dig all things past, present and future when you clicks NEWS on the top menu bar at http://www.nortonrecords.com... and just up for you kiddios... www.myspace.com/nortonrecords

HI-OCTANE NORTON REVIEWS ON THE STAND NOW!
• ROLLING STONE (Sept. 21) David Fricke picks THEE MIDNITERS- IN THEE MIDNITE HOUR!!! (Norton 315) as one of his favorite releases, dubbing the group "classic garage rock in sharkskin' and declaring their live 1964 Land Of A Thousand Dances "...true east L.A. anthropology..."
• MOJO (October) Sylvie Simmons spills on the top secret MARY WEISS sessions underway now. Dig a boss snap of Mary with her producers Billy Miller (a/k/a Shadow NORTON) and Greg Cartwright (Reigning Sound)! We're sworn to silence, psst... but I guess it's safe to declare Mary the best singer in the whole wide world and to blab that this shebang sounds fantabulous!! March release, kiddios!

NEW RELEASES DUE OCTOBER 10 • SEVEN INCH MAYHEM • SIX PACK TO GO!

• ARTHUR LEE & THE AMERICAN FOUR Stay Away/ARTHUR LEE & THE GRASS ROOTS You I’ll Be Following (45-7N7) Unissued 1965 demos from Arthur’s pre-Love gangs!
Dig this posh package (interview notes w/Johnny Echols!) of surly unknown bad mood anthem plus early pre-Elektra version flip! THis black wax version will be available at Norton! Super limited color vinyl version still available exclusively at www.thelovesociety.com
• THE ALARM CLOCKS Marie/Gloria (45-129) Yeah! Cleveland’s wildest rock n’
roll no-counts are back with their first record since 1966-- two snarly fuzz-fledged originals that defy all odds! A-side is from upcoming album THE TIME HAS COME, B-side unavailable any place else!
• FIGURES OF LIGHT It’s Lame/I Jes Wanna Go To Bed (45-130) First time re-ish of totally unknown supa-rare 100-press local NJ teen snot home dub dud blows the doors off the garage and into the viaduct with this pair of total thud get-lost anthems! Essential! Sadistic? Natch!
• THE SONICS Busy Body/The Witch (45-133) Brutal unissued live recording
burners from Nov. ‘64 Tacoma Sports Arena battle of the bands blast! Dig this tease from scorchin’ upcoming live Sonics full-length-- clear a path!
• BUNKER HILL Hide & Go Seek Pt. 1/Hide & Go Seek Pt. 2 (45-134) Killer ‘62 noggin smashin’ 2-part whomp from poundin’ DC area pugilist turned R&B shouter backed by Link Wray & the Ray Men! Neither side is on Missing Links sets!
• THE JADES Surfin’ Crow/Blue Black Hair/Little Marlene/Shake Baby Shake
(EP-135) Two-pair 1964 Minneapolis double shotters hit hep hi-fis by popular demand! Wailin’ Trashmen style tempo-tramplin’ wild ones-- The Bird is the word but you’ll have it made with the Jades!

COMING IN NOV! TWO FRANTIC FOOTLONGS (PLUS ONE POCKET ROCKET!)

• THE ALARM CLOCKS – THE TIME HAS COME (CD/LP 321) Unreal NEW recordings – that’s right – gotta hear this to believe it! Fourteen flipped hits including a dozen tough originals inked by Mike Pierce, the genius behind the immortal No Reason To Complain! Dig It’s About Time/More Money/Don’t Get Left Behind and a snot filled Like A Rolling Stone and more! Recorded in true Nortofonic sound in Freddy Fortune’s basement studio. You wanna hear a sixties band actually come back from the grave? Yeah!! Wake up to the Alarm Clocks! NOW!!! 'Twill be available on footlong LP and also handy CD pocket rocket!
• THE BIG ITCH VOLUME 8 (Mr. Manicotti 347) Just when you thought it was safe to go near the speakers – the Loyal Order of the Howlin’ Banana convenes once again! Spend some quality time with Radioactive Flip Flop/Hairy Lumpty Bump/Time Machine/Zoola Zooky and many mo’! Can your heart and stomach stand it?!
NORTONVILLE • NEIGHBORHOOD • NEWS
• GO GO GO LITTLE QUEENIE! Rambunctious Norton canine Little Queenie is doing well after being hospitalized Friday! Successful midnite emergency surgery went well and she should be barking out orders here at HQ very soon.
• SUN. SEPT. 17 ATLANTIC ANTIC ROCK & SOUL SHOW (Brooklyn NY) Free annual daytime show features a bandstand set up in the street outside Magnetic Field!
Non-stop shows start at 11 AM ! Check out (in order of appearance) Boss Tweed, the Coydogs, the Fabulous Soul Shakers, the Dansettes, the Reigning Sound, and the Fleshtones! Plus, party inside the club afterwards! Magnetic Field, 97 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn NY (www.magneticbrooklyn.com)
• SAT. SEPT. 23 ALLENTOWN 45 RECORD FAIR That’s the night/day/weekend to howl! 45s and 78s only! Swing by the Norton/Telstar stockade, load up and help Billy and Todd offset their spending on rare records they probably already have! Free earplugs to first 45 customers. See you bright and early at Merchant's Hall on Vultee Street in scenic Allentown, PA.
• SAT. SEPT. 23 LYRES AT DING DONG LOUNGE (NYC) Local lads Chandler and the Chasers join Boston's most-excellent Lyres for an Uptown showdown at the Ding Dong Lounge, conveniently located at 929 Columbus Avenue, NY NY 10025 (212) 663-2600. www.dingdonglounge.com
• WED. OCT. 11 NORTON ALL-STAR REVUE! ANDRE WILLIAMS/A-BONES/GREAT GAYLORD AT UNION POOL (Brooklyn, NY) Join in a star studded night at Union Pool as the Norton All-Star Revue prepares to vacate the state for sunny Valencia, Spain!
Special guests, the sensational and legendary ANDRE "MR. RHYTHM" WILLIAMS and local fan fave THE GREAT GAYLORD (a/k/a THE SULTAN OF SQUAT) join THE A-BONES in making a farewell ruckus- A-Bones back the stars, too! ID required- seventeen and a half is still jailbait, people! 9 PM- Midnite at Union Pool, 484 Union Ave, Williamsburg Brooklyn. See ya there!
• SAT. OCT. 14 NORTON ALL-STAR REVUE ATTACKS ESPANA! Help! Murder! Policia!
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! Dig all the details at: http://www.funtasticdraculacarnival.com
• FRI. NOV. 3- SUNDAY NOV. 5 WFMU RECORD FAIR Dig all the new Norton
releases and much more! Supreme holiday stock up event! It don’t get bigger than this, friends! Start ya engines-- forty-seven days and countin'! Metropolitan Center, NYC Info at: http://www.wfmu.org
• THURS. NOV. 9 NORTON RECORDS 20TH ANNIVERSARY RADIO SHOW! Dave the Spazz hosts a live broadcast featuring THE REAL KIDS at WFMU with the Norton crew on tap with special guests and tons of call ins! Join the party as it happens with the miracle of the worldwide internet! Tune in manually on your Motorola at
91.1 FM or krank ya keyboard over to http://www.wfmu.org on Nov. 20 from 8-11 PM EST!
• FRI. NOV. 10 REAL KIDS AT MAGNETIC FIELD! One night only! Welcome John Felice and the Real Kids at this rare appearance in New York City! It's the anniversary of the invention of the phonograph people- dig the fact that the Real Kids are the only Norton combo to have releases on all available phonograph
dimensions-- seven inch, twelve inch, and most recently, their earliest material on, what else, ten inch! All hail the Real Kids! Magnetic Field, 97 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn NY (www.magneticbrooklyn.com)
• May 16-20th 2007 ROCKIN' FIFTIES FEST III This is three seasons away, but we thought we'd mention it now and often 'cause this is gonna be a week to remember, with just about every rockin' artist on tap in one place- the rockin'
Oneida Casino in exciting Green Bay, Wisconsin! You have plenty of time to find tix, plan a honeymoon, buy a car, and saddle up for some quality time with Little Richard, Jack Scott, the Five Keys, Marvin Rainwater, the Collins Kids, Wanda Jackson, Dale Hawkins, Johnny Powers ... oh man, just check out the cavalcade of stars at:
http://www.oneidabingoandcasino.net/?page_id=94&parent_page_id=28
...see you there!

NEW! Check out Norton Records at www.myspace.com/nortonrecords
and always click the news link at http://www.nortonrecords.com

THE COME-ONS are headed for Europe to hep you to their latest album, STARS on MO-POP. Make it worth their while wontcha?

Thursday, October: 5th: Hull -The Lamp
Friday, October 6th: Glasgow -Barfly
(Part of Funhouse Club night - Band onstage approx. midnight allegedly)
Saturday, October 7th: Coventry -Colosseum
Sunday, October 8th: Liverpool - Korova
Monday, October 9th: London -93 feet east
Tuesday, October 10th: Amiens -Lune des Pirates
Wednesday, October 11th: Kortrijk -The Pit's
Thursday, October 12th: Groningen -Vera (woo-hoo!)
Friday, October 13th: Venlo -The Perron
Saturday, October 14th: Amsterdam -Paradiso
Sunday, October 15th: Koln -Sonic Ballroom
Monday, October 16th: Karlsruhe
Tuesday, October 17th: Strasbourg
Wednesday, October 18th: Winterthur -Gaswerk
Thursday, October 19th: Chambery -Cite des Arts
Friday, October 20th: Marseille -Le Poste a Galene
Saturday, October 21st: Lyon -Rail Theatre

I think some of you folks will have fun with this between now and the end of the month... over to Sir Barney of Hoskyns....

"I'm writing to let you know that Rock's Backpages is celebrating its 5th birthday this autumn, having recently added its 10,000th piece to its library of seminal rock interviews and reviews from Aaliyah to ZZ Top.

As a valued contributor to and/or friend of the site, I am hoping that you might help us to get the word out about the anniversary by placing a story or a news item somewhere in the media, on- or offline.

RBP continues to be a labour of great love and dedication, and we need all the help we can get.

Below is a press release with additional information and tributes to the site from both great and good.

For those without subscriptions to RBP, I hereby extend the following courtesy username and password.

Take a free tour on us at any time before the end of September 2006!

Username: visitor@rocksbackpages.com Password: trial

Best regards,

Barney

ONLINE ROCK JOURNALISM LIBRARY CELEBRATES FIFTH BIRTHDAY BY ADDING 10,000th ARTICLE!

Online rock journalism library Rock's Backpages at www.rocksbackpages.com has just uploaded its 10,000th article. This makes it by far the largest database of rock journalism online.
Rock's Backpages has just been voted one of the Best 25 Music Sites by the Observer Music Monthly, who call it "a cultural resource for students, a tool for journalists, and a great way of whiling away a wet afternoon", and one of the Best 40 Music Sites by The Daily Telegraph, who invite their readers to ""marvel at the pre-PR days when writers could hang out with Keiths Moon and Richards…"
Launched five years ago, Rock's Backpages features interviews with and reviews of thousands of artists from Aaliyah to ZZ Top, covering Rock, Pop, Soul, Alternative, R&B, Folk, Dance, Blues and Jazz. It was co-founded five years ago by author and former Mojo US editor Barney Hoskyns. Rock's Backpages features the work of many of the world's best-known music journalists past and present, including Lester Bangs, Lenny Kaye, Carol Cooper, Dave Marsh, Ben Fong-Torres, Charlie Gillett, Penny Valentine, Robert Greenfield, Jon Savage, Richard Williams Charles Shaar Murray and Simon Reynolds. The archive is fully searchable by artist, genre, writer or keyword (allowing search by album or single title, date etc). Articles can be used for academic research, journalistic background or just browsed for fun.
Rock's Backpages also features a growing library of audio interviews for podcast, including classic conversations with Morrissey, Little Richard, Joni Mitchell, Johnny Cash and Tom Waits.
Subscribers to the site include the BBC, the Experience Music Project and universities such as NYU, Penn State, UCLA, Wesleyan and Berklee College of Music in the USA and the Universities of Central England, Leeds, Liverpool John Moores and Gloucester in the UK.

"There is nothing out there that is even remotely like it for exploring the past 40 years of rock music history or the culture that rock music helped to shape," says ALEXANDER STREET PRESS. "Be cool. Subscribe."

"As comprehensive as a Google search, but with less insane liars." LAUREN LAVERNE

"There's no finer website for the Archivalist Snob than Rock's Backpages." SNOBSITE.COM

"Rock's Backpages is as important to my research in writing my books as Graham Greene."ANDREW LOOG OLDHAM

"Rock's Backpages is an invaluable tool to remind me of what was really was going on in the '60s and '70s when I started out in this wonderful business." DAVID ENTHOVEN

As well as offering visual access to its content, Rock's Backpages also provides a range of business services, from syndication to editorial development. Its Rock Magazine Archive is an indispensable tool for both media and academia. Books produced by Rock's Backpages include The Sound and the Fury: A Rock's Backpages Reader (Bloomsbury) and Into the Void: Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath (Omnibus). Says Hoskyns, "Before we set up this site, journalists, researchers and music fans had to trawl through hundreds of different sites to find the information they needed. Now they can find them all on Rock's Backpages with just a few keystrokes. It's also made it easier for publishers and website owners that want to find and use great music content to do so." For more information, contact

info@rocksbackpages.com

The fabulous HOODOO GIRL have upcoming shows at:

September 20th Romer, Bremen
September 21st Drei Königskeller, Frankfurt a. Main
September 29th White Trash, Berlin
September 30th Hedi / Landungsbrücken, Hamburg

You can check out their wares via their MYSPACE site,
what's not to dig?

Thanks to you folks who have indulged my aforementioned myspace presence. I can “add” requests but still don't have much luck with it not poleaxing my system for a reboot. My reputation in the "nae patience" department goes before me and any attempt to cool it and work through any such problem leaves me with steam coming outta my ears and every other orifice. Whilst I utilise this technology, I'm too reliant on it and would like to control this as well as reduce my carbon emissions. I’d also like to customise the page, if only I could remain logged in for any length of time, is there anywhere you can get (idiotproof) details of how to do that? Any tips that could be levelled in the direction of daftie would be appreciated…

Rock Mania #1

Now here's a nice surprise. A new, professionally printed, music magazine that deals exclusively with vintage powerpop, glam and the pop-end of punk-rock. Features on Milk 'n' Cookies, Nikki & the Corvettes and lesser knowns like Justin Love, The Cold and The Wind, reviews of original LP and 45 releases only (no re-issues), all done in a style that is very reminiscent of Bomp magazine. Nice clean lay-out thankfully lackin' all the flames 'n dice shit we've been showered with for the past ten years. It's actually great to read about bands like the Revelons or the Zippers and pull their records from the shelves after all those years, and I'd happily subscribe to this for the next century if it was possible.
This magazine is one that really deserves your support. Check the website here or Myspace page here.

REIGNING SOUND IN BROOKLYN!

Dead Flowers presents:
THE THIRD ANNUAL ATLANTIC ANTIC ROCK'N'SOUL FEST!
The Fleshtones / Reigning Sound / The Dansettes / The Fabulous Soul Shakers. Plus: More bands and DJs TBA, and a killer after-party inside Magnetic Field!

Sunday, September 17th, 2006
11:00 AM - Magnetic Field, 97 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11201,US -
(between Henry & Hicks Sts.)

Music from the second season of Twin Peaks due before the end of the year. Hopefully including the contributions of a certain D. Alvin Esq. Info at Angelo Badalamenti's Myspace page... (information via Dugpa)

The Thanes are at Dirty Water in London tomorrow night. Cut along there if yer can...

Roky headed for Canada!

(info via e-mole)

I’ve taken the plunge and rather than do anything useful I've been futzing around with myspace. Practically anytime that I go near it, the bugger crashes my system but hey, everybody’s doing it. What you say? Picking their nose and chewing it? No daftie, firing up a myspace presence. If you want to be my “friend” then please feel free to check in and do whatever it is you gotta do. I’ve no idea what that amounts to at this point but then again, I never was the sharpest tool in the box. Nor did I ever claim to be guv'nors and guv'nesses.

Mr Percival has been busy scanning cyberspace and flagged up the following...

Lenny Kaye on CBGB's, etc.

DKT/MC5 shows elsewhere in the UK around the time of their holiday camp shindig

Apologies for the ongoing erratic nature of posting. The road is a little bumpy right now. Normal service may well be resumed at some juncture but only time will tell. That old commodity known as time is in short supply at the minute. Radio Birdman in London tonight with those Groovin' Flame chaps. Nomads and Problem in Malmö this coming weekend. Boonaraaas in Essen, Germany also. Anybody attending any of these sermons is invited to trot out a report...

My buddy Duane has updated his 9/11 gallery. Thought you may care to take a look...

One of my very favourite combos on this earth has two shows coming in their native Pacific Northwest... GIRL TROUBLE.

Their myspace site keeps crashing my 'puter but maybe you'll have a little more luck in that department. Anyway, don't miss them if you're in the vicinity of Tacoma or Bellingham.

Look out for the king of night train...

THE LAST TOWN CHORUS' "Wire Waltz" is released here on October 2nd by Loose Music. LTC will be on tour later that month with the popular music group The Guillemots so that should introduce them to a whole new strata of potential appreciation. Show dates and info here...

I'm From Barcelona in the UK...

Thursday 14/9
Hoxton Bar and Grill, 2 Hoxton Square, London
Phone Bookings: 0044 870 243 4455£7 LiveNation.co.uk

Friday 15/9
The bush telegraph is buzzing with the info that IFB will appear at
Jamm, 261 Brixton Road London SW9 6LH as part of the How Does It Feel comp launch for "The Kids At The Club".

Saturday 16/9
Rough Trade Shop @ 2.00pm, 16 Neals Yard, Covent Garden, London. SE1 7AX Read more

Sunday 17/9
End of the Road Festival, Larmer Tree Gardens, Dorset/Wiltshire, England
Phone Bookings: 0044 871 230 2605 ticketmaster.co.uk£95 (for 3 days, includes camping)

"The first new issue of PUNK since 2000 will be available soon - possibly at this party!"

BE STIFF

Saw The Bottle Rockets last night in Glasgow. They're here punting their new Evangeline release, "Zoisia". Theirs is top notch Americana hootch and I'd swear that Brian Henneman was chanelling Lou Whitney at one point. They're in Newcastle tonight (Saturday) and have a few more shows including Amsterdam coming up before they head back stateside. It was somewhat reassuring that they seemed to draw a bit of a crowd also. Obviously the bush telegraph can work because I saw nada in the way of posters for the show. The Sundowns and Stewboss opened. The former locals are OK for two or three songs. Until the one with the James Blunt hair sings. Stewboss are agreeable if unremarkable purveyors of familiar sounding noises. Good, tight but ultimately kind of forgettable. The Rockets have it down and when they're motoring then you better get outt the way. If you want to see what you missed then check the clip for "I'll Be Comin' Around" available via their site.

As I was tapping away here, Mr McLean called with some rotten news. Our friend Gary Barrett passed away yesterday of a heart attack at 42 (!). Gary was a mainstay of Sandy's Avalanche oupost in Glasgow and I never knew him real well but he was a nice guy. And a rabid rock'n'roll fan. He really wanted to find a way to get The Scientists up here when they were over earlier. Alas it didn't happen. One imagines that his spirit will be rattling about the rafters of this week's Radio Birdman show in London though. Things like this create something of a perspective and i'm sure his family are in shellshock.

Photos courtesy of Dean J Barr (Gary's nephew)

Brother Patrick shook some action t'other evening and here's his report...

CHRIS WILSON & his Groovin’ Flames, Paris-Paris,

Paris, September 6th, 2006

Paris-Paris is the name of the club and Paris is ... Paris.

Chris Wilson & his Groovin’ Flames were in town for two private shows and was told by a member of the group that PP was the better place, so I asked Marijo, Chris’ ex wife, to put my name on the guest list. She kindly put “Patrick + 1”.

The Flamin’ Groovies are family favourites at home. My wife and I had the chance to see them in 1976 and 1978, but my son Jonathan didn’t – so he was the “+ 1”. I also saw a group called “Flamin’ Groovies” in 1990 : Cyril Jordan and George Alexander were great but their FM rock singer didn’t fit.

Joe Presedo, Tony Thewlis, Rob Coyne, Yan Quellien (ex-Scientists, Barracudas, Silver Chapter), accompanying only one ex Groovie – our man Chris Wilson - is the closest to the Flamin’ Groovies mark 2 you could figure and Mr Bassman really helped.

Cool venue, reminded me of the Magnetic Field in New York : good music before the show, giant screen playing an old movie ... The audience was composed mainly of rock critics and members of groups – probably including (for the older ones) the whole bunch of people who bought the 50 copies of “the Groovies’ Still shakin’”sold in France at the time (at the time the album was reported to have been bought by rock critics only : all the reviews were positive but the public didn’t buy it).

With your eyes closed or only focused on the still groovin’, enthusiastic and mesmerising Chris Wilson, you could imagine yourself back in the 70’s – not that “it was better before” kinda crap, just that it recalled the emotion of magic moments stuck in your mind (like when I saw the Stooges 2 years ago, I know that Mr. Martin Percival exactly knows what I mean). The set was composed of some highlights of the Sire 1976-79 trilogy “Shake Some Action / Now / Jumpin’ In The Night” and some older favourites : “Slow Death”, “Let Me Rock”, “Teenage Head” and “When I Heard Your Name”. Nothing more to say...

The Groovin’ Flames are currently touring France and will be back in Paris on October 6. They’re also scheduled to perform on Friday, September 22 at the Popxiriapop Festival in Carballo, Spain and Roy Loney & the Longshots will also be performing the day after on Saturday, September 23, 2006 at the festival. Could a special event be in the works??

Some Groovin' video on YouTube... Chris’ myspace page

"All hail kits'n'kittens
And, lo, it came to pass that a great plague of fake-assed rock'n'roll covered the city of Londinium, and all of the little iPod-hugging kidlets did tremble with anticipation in their overpriced Ramones tees, at the thought that all they would have to listen to for the rest of their lives was Coldhay, Pete Dickherty and Stink records, while being fed piffle-rags such as the eNeMEy, Moho, and Kerplunk! Righteous vinyl spinners BigKegShandy and TeenSlain, having had more fun than most, did consider the situation (at the bar), and decide that it be time to call last orders at the venerable institution known to all and sundry as Sonic Reducer. In addition, it be true that BigKegShandy and the lovely Mizz Nadia be relocating to Bath at the end of September, to avoid Londinium's bumper crop of art-rocking nincompoops, cokehead yuppies, drinkers of overpriced (and rotten) coffee, fizzy lager afficionados, Primal Scream fans, and other modern ills. To this end, BigKegShandy and TeenSlain would like to invite you & yours to the final Sonic Reducer club night, at the Spitz on Saturday September 16th. They're set to be joined, on the decks, by all-round good egg Ben Olins (Stag-O-Lee/The Hideout), for one last bop'n'stroll (inna Chuck Willis stylee). But fear not, those of strong hearts and clear(ish) minds, for the Sonic Reducer Tag Team will liveth on, populating only the finest rock'n'roll events that Londinium has to offer, including DJing at forthcoming 'gigs' by:

* Radio Birdman / Chris Wilson & His Famous Groovin' Flames

(September 13 @ The Dirty Water Club, upstairs at The Dome)
* You Am I

(October 14 @ Islington Academy / October 15 @ Village, Dublin)
* The New York Dolls

(October 22 @ The Forum)
* The Stripchords / The Creepy Morons / Honkeyfinger

(November 4 @ Gutterball, Bloomsbury Bowling Lanes)

Sonic Reducer would like to thank all of their wonderful patrons, guest DJs and hosts over the years, apart from Gerry O'Boyle (ask him why). See you at the bar, for one last time!

Selah!
Roger Spong
-------------------------------------------
Sonic Reducer @ The Spitz (gallery space), September 16th, Spitalfields Market, Londinium E1
8.30pm-1am, FREE ENTRY. Tube: Liverpool Street Info: http://www.spitz.co.uk/"

All showing at the FILMHOUSE in Edinburgh during the next week. Check the website for times... also, a rare screening of HYPE! which, as far as I recall, features GIRL TROUBLE and Dave (Estrus) Crider amongst many others on September 14th at 9pm.

RIP: Joseph Hill

Only just got word of the passing of Joseph Hill, lead singer in reggae trio Culture.
Two Sevens Clash, the band's debut album, is one of my all time favorite records. The well worn copy that I've had for nearly three decades is a perennial stand-by.
The tunes, the lyrics and the vocal inter-play coupled with Joe Gibbs' amazing production job makes this one of the most spiritually uplifting records ever. Even with it's message of impending doom. I've seen the band live several times, and even tho' they were always deliverin' the goods, a 1986 (or thereabouts) show here in Utrecht really stands out in my memory, with the band performing a stellar set of goose bumps inducing proportions.
Culture have released many records over the years, and all have at least some merit, but nothing tops Hill's vision on Two Sevens Clash, and it's sad to learn that we will never be able to hear him sing those songs in person again.

Obit in the Guardian and some Youtube links (1) (2) (3)

RIP - Steve Irwin

It’s been a weekend of documentaries for me. Apart from 2 minutes of that X Factor shit which confirmed all my worst fears for the 2006 (in)human condition. First was a film entitled "Dreaming In America" about a Memphis band called Lucero. I hadn’t heard of them either until Mr Hagred flagged it up (Thanks Per). Anyway it’s about their struggle to exist in the shifting, all engulfing quicksand of the music industry. Can’t say that the music is too special to these ears (Sorta like DBT/Wilco americana/rock) but the logistics of the piece are way more interesting that that “Dig!” shite that people rave about. Made by Aaron Goldman, it reflects the band members persistence to make a living doing what they love to do.

Today, I went to see “An Inconvenient Truth”, which essentially conveys that if we don’t start rowing in the opposite direction to the way we're headed then, to use an expression Al Gore's missus won't like, we're fucked. It’s quite a powerful considering that it’s based on a lecture and powerpoint presentation. Al (Mr Tipper) is the man who wants us all to sit up and take stock. Don’t let his wife’s PMRC shenanigans make you lose sight of this. He comes over as sincere and driven to try and save the planet. Both this and the Lucero film are about taking a message to people a piece at a time. Town by town, person by person if need be. It’s not clear from AUT how people attend these lectures, do they BUY tickets like going to a concert? Is it in an academic context? But anyway, “Truth” is out here on September 15th. Try and catch it at an independent cinema rather than a multiplex. As an ardent recycler and hater of waste in any shape or form, I don’t have a lot of faith in much of my fellow denizens but they should feel free to do whatever it takes to prove me wrong.

The redux version of the Naudet Brothers 9/11 footage that aired on Channel 4 last night was an incredible piece and rightly disturbing. It hardly seems like five years since all that and it still doesn’t seem real when you see it. That line in the sand, the erosion of rights right, left and straight down the central reservation. Probably just as well we can’t see where it’s all headed but you just know it ain’t anywhere upbeat.

Why do I get suckered into these things? Why do I end up in some godforsaken place listening to music I don't like every other year or so?
The set-up is like this: first, I forgot how bad it was last time. Second, "hey, free tickets. And you know, I really should keep up with what's happenin' more often and the line-up ain't too bad...".
But only a few minutes after arrivin' it's obvious once again: drinkin' beer in a field of mud just ain't my thing. Especially not with three stages close enough together so there's no way one can listen to just one band.
We're talkin' a local festival here with no signs of crusty and/or metal acts, nope just you're average well-meaning, late 20s/early 30s crowd, slightly arty, you know the type, nothing wrong with that. So what made grandad grumpy once again?
Well, for starters, If you didn't want to stand in line for an hour or longer, the only food option was fries 'n burgers of the worst pre-processed kind. Then, of course, there was the pretentious prog-rock, sorry, "indie" band from Belgium.
But what really did it for me was walkin' into this tent where two guys had set up their laptops on stage and switched on some generic beat, which is bad enough in itself, but when a girl jumps on stage yelling something along the line of "Hi there party people! Do you wanna dance?" I'm off... Fuck that shit! I ain't no party people! And I certainly don't wanna be addressed that way. Plus, any audience that willingly pays money to see some dork switch on his computer and does little else than stand around and look funny for over an hour, is beyond salvation. Did I mention the marketstalls with their overpriced artcraft and massage offers?
Heck, I think I need to lie down for a while before this vision of "Woodstock+Camdenmarket=the future" takes hold of my brain. Please say it ain't so...

Chances are that you may have heard of the Swedish combo Problem but you may not have actually heard them. If you have then you’ll be in awe of their fried pop thrills but if you haven’t had that pleasure then check out Central Stimulering = Problem. A 2cd 40 song retrospective of this fine Malmö ensemble on the National imprint. You can get it from Bengans or Cd On (see sidebar). And later this month, the band will be appearing at KB with the mighty Nomads (Saturday, September 16th). Having had the honour of catching them (both) in full flight at Gearfest, this return match is not to be missed. Problem were a huge influence on our friends from Solna and this collection goes some way to showing just why. Their organ-driven, sometimes 60’s kissed psych-pop sounds as fresh today as it did all those moons ago. If anything, it’s stood the test of time far better than most of that 70’s punk racket. I’ve no idea why Sweden isn’t globally fetéd in the way that the UK is for music. There are more great bands per cubic centimetre than there ever has been here but anyways, there go those scrambled eggs again. The Rubinoos-like “Ja Vill Inte Ha” is a tune of NRBQ’s “I Want You Bad” proportions. Miss any chance to gorge yourself on these guys ouvré at your peril.

Well, this new Legend Killers cd (on What Wave? Hello Dave and Rena!) looks unassuming but don’t be mistaking that for any shortcomings in the sonic department because this baby flies. This Ontarian (is that a word?) combo deliver hard and heavy but never lumpy. Imagine Rob Younger fronting The Dictators maybe and you can just tell from this that they be digging all the great stuff. Hell, there’s even a wee burst of Spinal Tap riffage in “Hittin’ The Road”. There’s a Wild Kingdom song and also two Groovies covers. Sounds like they had a ball thrashing it out as you will consuming "We're Workin' On It" at home with the volume set on stun.

The Knuckleheads are a high octane Croation garage-soul amalgam with a rough-arsed charm that just doesn’t quit. Not unlike The Fleshtones rassling with the J.Geils Band. Listen to their "Soul Flame" and "Yes To All" recordings and you’d swear they were from the Motor City. Check them out for yourself if you reckon I’m joshing.

Hey everyone, We have some great news to share. The first every public screening of It Came From Detroit will be shown at the Detroit Film Theater at the Detroit Institute of Arts on Friday, October 27th at 8pm! The Dirtbombs will start out the evening playing in the Rivera Court at the DIA (free with admission to the museum). Our film starts at 8pm and is $10. Directly after the show, The Witches and Outrageous Cherry will be rocking it on stage in the theater. We’re very excited to have the opportunity to show our film at such a great venue, and to share what we’ve been working on for the last four and half years. We sincerely hope you all can make it. It’s going to be a great night! Purchase Tickets at this link: http://www.dia.org/dft/item.asp?webitemid=843
Thanks! - James and Sarah

Image from the TFC message board.

I swear that there is more entertainment in one microsecond of any clip that J posted below than the audience at the big "Game Show Host" concerts are likely to get in however long the sorry event runs. 100,000 people will pack into Hampden Stadium over the next two days for this travesty. I know that I shouldn't care but really...? As if things weren't depressing enough. Anyways, it's the weekend, time to "coorie doon" in the bunker.

Next Friday (September 8th), The Bottle Rockets are at Barfly in Glasgow - now that's infinitely more like it. Check out their website for other UK shows. While you're at it, scroll down to the videoclips and play "I'll Be Comin' Around", it'll jumpstart that roots rock heart.

Even more Youtube goodies:
The Raconteurs play the Flamin' Groovies!
Plimsouls - A Million Miles Away,
Hoodoo Gurus - I Want You Back,
Nick Lowe - Cruel To Be Kind,
Dave Edmunds - Girls Talk,
The Syndicates play Howlin' Wolf,
The Shangri-las (1), (2), (3),
Ronettes - Be My Baby,
Shocking Blue (1) (2) (3) (4).
Box Tops - Soul Deep check this!.

This from Sara J. at WMBR radio: I will have an interview with Deniz Tek, guitarist for legendary 1970s Australian rock n rollers Radio Birdman on Gorilla Got Me Wednesday, September 6th from 2:00PM-4:00PM EST. Its been over 25 years since the break up of Radio Birdman, they now reunite and tour the United States for the first time. Also, they released a new album Zeno Beach on August 22nd. Tune in to WMBR 88.1FM in the Boston area or listen live at www.wmbr.org.
Yeah Hup!!!! and Aloha Steve and Dano!

This one's for Dutchies only! Jan & Jan at Primetime magazine have gone the bloggin' route as well. God knows where they find the time doin' this besides the weekly (!) four page mag and their dayjob managing a recordshop... Dig it right here.

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.

RIP - Glenn Ford

RIP - Jumpin' Gene Simmons

(link courtesy of Ben via Staysick)

"The Christopher Columbus of Punk Rock" Andy Shernoff has his own myspace page where you can listen to two new Master Plan recordings, a demo for the upcoming Mary Weiss solo record and an unreleased song he wrote with Joey Ramone.

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.

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."

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?