The Hold Steady are on the cusp of perceived mass audience acclaim, A Kaiser Chiefs for the "auld yins" in waiting maybe. Extremely accomplished and flashing strands of skewed pop music history. The preaching style of the singer, Craig Finn, is both entertaining and grating. I haven't heard the albums and possibly don't need to. The throng in Glasgow seemed to be ready to sing and clap along in all the right places. Blimey, there goes Cheap Trick, The Replacements, pomp era BOC and wild and innocent era E-street, Thin blinkin’ Lizzy. Even George Castanza channelling TMBG. They're capable of throwing considerable rock shapes. Guitars skirl but the real deal-breaker is the keyboards. That's what pegs it above your standard shouty indie angst.

The choice of opening bands didn't help. Derivative, not bowfing but utterly unremarkable, laid out the stall for the all-conquering visitors. The New York Fund - terrible name, not altogether bad. had one approximation of Freebird that almost held my attention. The Checks - Dearie me... no bouncing jokes please. All the supposed music bibles tell us that this HS will be huge. My money is on another act with the same initials. But what these guys do have are the ingredients down pat like a high-end ready meal and are a reasonable diversion. I just listened to Craig Finn's appearance on Tom Morton's show from yesterday afternoon (Wednesday if you want to access the Radio Scotland play it again facility). He's on some kind of mission and his combo are like a big blockbuster movie waiting to happen. There's no lasting afterburn but it's kinda fun during it's running time.

Valentines Day then... named after a Hello Saferide song. My plans to post a bunch of stuff last night crashed and burned in front of the TV. Had a stint at the dentist and sundry other chores conspire agin me. But anyway, today won't be much more productive i'm afraid. But here's a couple of things you may care to attend this weekend...

But first, Duglas Bandit (along with Messrs Blake and Wells) have recorded a special song for your day. Check it out here!

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Thursday 15th February

THE DOUBLE-SIX CLUB - at the Jazz Bar, Chamber Street, Edinburgh. 12pm til 3am. Free admishun.

Ska, Soul, Mod-Reggae & Easy 60s - with DJ's from The GO-GO.

This will be a monthly event, with next one being Thursday 8th March, then every second Thursday of the month after that.

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Firefox AK at the ABC2 on Friday 16th

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Southern Tenant Folk Union (The great Pat McGarvey's CP side-project)

Saturday 17th at The Village, Leith...
Sunday 18th at Brel, Glasgow (part of El Rancho Relaxo)

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Meanwhile, the hot V day ticket is The Hold Steady at the Cathouse in Glasgow tonight. Will they cut the spread-on chocolate? Your reporter will clue you in (much) later.

How can you top this????

Bintangs - Café De Stad, Utrecht 11-02-07

Most of you garage fans probably know the Bintangs from their mid-60s recordings that are scattered over Pebbles-like compilations. Good as that stuff is I actually prefer the band's 70s work, when they finally found their own voice somewhere halfway 'tween Exile-era Stones and Wilko's Feelgoods (Try findin' their 1975 album Genuine Bull if possible) Anyways, it was probably 1979 or 80 when I last saw 'em and at that point they were one of the few truly powerhouse live-acts over here in the Netherlands, along-side the Rousers and Nitwitz. Durin' the 80s I kinda lost focus on 'em as most of their shows seemed either farewell gigs or reunions! So it was with some reserve that I accepted the invitation from my friend Jos to tag along and catch the Bintangs at a local bar earlier today.
The place was crammed with about 100 people (if that) and as soon as the band hit the stage all my reservations went straight outta the window. Poundin' out the Diddley beat like there was no tomorrow, they delivered again 'n again playin' nothin' but top notch material spannin' their entire career. Both hits (Ridin' On The L&N, Snake In The Grass) and cool surprises like Exciting Accident and Arthur Alexander's Burning Love. From the original 1961 (!) line-up only Frank Kraaijeveld remains but this current line-up rocks as hard as the one I saw a lifetime ago, never venturing into Stevie Ray Vaughn territory but playin' the R&B game as prophesied by the Pretty Things and/or Downliner's Sect. A lost art-form if ever their was one...
Thumbs up to those at Café De Stad who set this up. It was great to once again see a band like this play in such a modest setting and not in one of the over-sized, over-prized, over-organized soulless places that are the norm these days. A Pubrock-like experience in 2007, what a breath of fresh air...

I did have a mind to go see a couple of movies today but the weather is so godawful that didn't happen. So here are a few loose ends to tie up from the past couple of days...

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Some Youtube footage of Art Fein's annual Elvis Bash from January 8th 2007

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The Tielman Brothers as recommended by Kevan Aman.

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Roky plays Southpaw in Brooklyn on April 13th.

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From PJ @ Dirty Water Club... this offer is supposed to be for people on the DWC list but you can either pretend or better still join it if you fancy some of this action...

IN SHOPS AT THE BEGINNING OF APRIL...

Fortune Teller Records presents:

"SOMEWHERE BETWEEN HEAVEN AND WOOLWORTHS"

A 20-track compilation that includes The Dirtbombs, Mighty Caesars (Billy Childish from the '80s), Snatch (1st time on CD for I.R.T - a Sniffin Glue fave from '77), Minor Threat (who never normally contribute to compilations!), Robert Pollard (Guided By Voices), Television Personalities (two exclusives/covering Kelis and The Who), Schwab, Stewart Home (writer of Slow Death, Pure Mania), X Ray Spex (live at Rock Against Racism '78) and comedians Simon Munnery and Gary Le Strange.

Album is limited to 1,000 numbered copies only.

If you mention that you saw the album advertised here you save money on the shop price! E-mail info@fortunetellerpress.com

Yes, you get it for just £7 + £1 p&p (in the UK)!

Just one copy per address and the offer applies for a short time only so be quick.

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Maria Bartiromo (link courtesy of Mr Percival)

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From the opening chord of “My First Band”, the work of Ben Vaughn shot up the NBT charts and has cruised the top of those hallowed halls ever since. To me, this guy’s songs are up there with your Dylan, Young and Newman and in my book he’s been known to surpass all of those. “Vaughn sings Vaughn (Volume 1)” sees him revisit some old material. Dusting it off and giving it a fresh new coat of the lacquer that only he can give it. The Desert Classic era Vaughn has come a long away from the North Jersey days but the music still retains that inherent beach-music bounce that it always did. These songs breathe in all types of atmospheres. Just with a lone acoustic guitar or with a band in full flight. The liner note states that “the songwriter – longtime dealer in pop gems – has been perhaps overshadowed by Vaughn the composer.” Very possibly. If you’ve never heard these songs then prepare to be blown clean away. The version of “I’m Sorry (but so is Brenda Lee)” is pure E-Street band and swings like it came straight off Darkness On The Edge Of Town. There are four songs that I don’t recognise. “Beautiful People” is a ragtime paen to give a thought to those perfect individuals. I swear there’s a cheeky wee sliver of Brian Manson’s song of the same name in there but maybe it’s just me. “When?”, “Hotamighty” and “Dead Inside” are the others. Old favourites that get the spring clean are “On The Rebound”, “Shinglaling With Me” and “Lover’s Leap” and a good few more. Back to Peter Gilstrap’s liners… “It’s the first in a series of albums that will offer the complete and utter cataloguing of all songs Vaughn”. That has to be good news. Ben may well have a big house with a (desert) yard these days but he hasn’t lost anything in the process. That he’s able to re-present this material to a whole new prospective audience is indeed a beautiful thing. And if you didn’t pick up “Designs In Music” when you were asked to some moons ago then why not score both of these at the same time. Click here for the scoop or make contact via myspace.

The Sibleys “Tuesday” was recorded live on May 24th (a Tuesday – natch, 2005?) at The Palms Restaurant in 29 Palms. The neighbourhood that Ben calls home these days but that’s not the reason he ended up producing this, their debut album on Satisfaction Records. The facility was closed to customers that day while the band layed down their sparse, sprightly sun-kissed blues. There’s something about this stuff that reminds me of Beat Happening mixing it up with The Roches in terms of feel. It doesn’t sound like either. There’s a kind of Badalamenti score-mood quality to the material. “Shadows” wouldn’t have been out of place in the soundtrack to “Wild At Heart”, it has that grandiose simplicity. “I Don’t Smile (If I Don’t Want To)" has a “Velvets do Gloria” undertow. Seems like it could burst out full speed at any moment but never does. There’s a fractured displacement to “Tuesday” that is possibly down to the relative isolation of where it was recorded. There’s plenty of heart in the performance and this roadhouse spot will no doubt jump on occasion. The Sibleys display a Cowboy Junkies kind of malevolence that could endear them to a vast audience if they snuck in via something like All Tomorrows Parties. Someplace where people have an attention span.

Somewhere along the road to 2007, things have gotten snarled up. A game-show host type smarminess has been mistaken for entertainment. In essence, a true entertainer is a rare beast these days and one of the outright characters of this fraternity was the late, great Tiny Tim. Considered in some quarters as a novelty act by lazy, tunnel-visioned malcontents, his voice has been known to polarize. It displayed a richness and soul of a great orator. Of someone who interpreted classic and contemporary material with an otherworldly abandon.

These three recent releases of rare and unreleased material recorded in Australia are a timely reminder of this genius. They really don’t make them like this anymore. The project has been put together by Martin Sharp in a kind of Alan Lomax capacity, this Australian pop artist and co-writer of Cream's “Tales Of Brave Ulysses” (!) is ready to share his adventures with new generations who have yet to discover the greatness of Herbert Khaury’s alter ego. In the liner notes he declares that “it has been my greatest honour to march some miles with this ‘soldier of showbusiness’”. That last part is key to the whole phenomenon, this hippie Harry Lauder belongs to a great lost era before style was coached to overtake substance.


“Chameleon” is a reissue of the original, very rare album that came out in the early 80’s with unissued bonus tracks of takes from the same sessions. It must have been a total gas to have been there. With his renditions of “Stayin Alive” rubbing shoulders with relative standards like “The Great Pretender” and “Tiny Bubbles”. And how many people could tackle “The Mickey Mouse March” and come out unscathed.


“Wonderful World of Romance” was originally only available as a “direct-to-disc” album for promo purposes only. This only covered the second session until now and has an additional 11 takes and different cuts. WWOR is Tiny Tim somewhat “unplugged” along with piano, cello and trademark ukulele. performing material from the early 1900’s. “Wandering Down Memory Lane With You” is an amazing title. I imagine that some of this will sound plain weird in today’s wired world and it’s all the better for that fact. Solid, sonic uke.

“Stardust” is 26 previously unreleased tracks which includes an alternate take of “Highway To Hell”, with a vocal that sounds like Paul Rodgers on helium. His unique ability to cherry pick material from all eras and stamp them with that unbridled falsetto, sounds like. You get “Nobody Loves A Fairy When She’s Forty” sitting alongside “People Are Strange” on Planet Tim and it seems like the perfect fit.

These releases are all curated perfectly with extensive notes in very cool 16 page booklets printed on quality stock. Lovingly tailored to complement the recorded content. All three are available on the Zero Communications imprint from Japan.

(Many thanks to Susumu Hirakawa)

At the risk of any conflict of interest/stating of the obvious/preaching to the converted/other… I just need to convey that The Nomads double vinyl Nomadic Dementia is now available and it sounds totally immense, “16 Forever” is flying outta the speakers as I type.

The Beasts of Bourbon and Demolition Doll Rods have also been let outta the traps and are looking sleek in their digipaks. All of these are available via Munster now.

And also it appears that this Cramps book is finally available from Amazon. (info via Staysick)

The absolute apex of the weekend, for me, has to be driving away from work on Friday. The furthest point from having to my carcass back there. I'm weary of the treadmill but needs must but what better way to get geared up for "the weekend" (in the spirit of Friday night as befits the DFFD credo) than a swatch at three NEW YORK LOOSE videos on YouTube. Thanks to Pilly for the heads up. This should set you up nicely to snaffle the new NYL comp that's just about to be issued by Sleazegrinder and will be available via Cargo here.

If ever there there was a combo that deserved to go the whole road, it was this one. Exactly how Brijitte never ended up as a rock'n'roll icon is one of the great mysteries. Maybe they were just too good. That is so often the case... anyway, let's kick off your Friday night with the Loose... SPIT, RIP ME UP, BROKEN

Full details on the comp when I get a hold of it. I'll be back at some juncture but maybe not tonight. My eyes are like pissholes in the snow as it is (how topical!) and well, maybe I is sickening for something or even just plain sick. But not in a good way. The hatch is batoned down. Stay tuned for further bulletins.

The John Miller posse is headed for The Netherlands...

Heard the one about Johnny Ramone and The Mozzer? Mr Percival sent me this link.

I'm actually more concerned that the person who wrote the piece can't spell Bela.

Glasgow's Rhythm & Blues all stars The 5 Aces (formerly The Boogaloo Investigators) play 60's Beat dancefloor fillers and are ably supported by Twisting Surf Beat Instrumentalists and house band Preston Pfanz & the Seaton Sands at Beatsville - Henry's Cellar Bar, Morrison St. Edinburgh, Saturday 17th February. 11pm - 3am, £5/4

It’s an "adults only" weekend for Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co. – as we go from the bawdy to the profane in the borough of Brooklyn! We’ll keep you warm, alright, with back-to-back nights of patent-pending "ballads, boogies & blues" and highbrow humor decidedly not suitable for children.
Well, maybe just the special, very gifted ones...

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9th / WASABASSCO BURLESQUE at the Living Room Lounge / Hosted by GiGi La Femme & Nasty Canasta! / http://wasabassco.com/ /245 23rd Street (at the corner of Fifth Avenue) in Brooklyn, NYC / We start the show with a fully-clothed set at 9:00 / $5 cover /

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10th / HANK’S SALOON /
46 Third Avenue (at the corner of Atlantic Avenue) in Brooklyn, NYC / 10:00 – Greg Phoenix /10:45 – SIT & Die Co. /12:00 – Johnny Carlevale & His Band Of All-Stars! /
$5 "suggested donation" /

Ribaldly yours, Michael, Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co.
"Ballads, Boogies & Blues" http://SITandDieCo.com

Fancy seeing something with a little Mike Judge does Disney via a Kricfalusi twist?

Then clock this Säkert video...

Also Stacey has found out that Firefox AK are playing in Glasgow on February 16th as part of a tour with Junior Boys (?). No, me neither but if you fancy some choice electro pop then cut along. I'm expanding my musical horizons all the time me... innit.

RIP - Billy Kelly

from John Miller:

I received the sad news today that top Glasgow promoter and friend of mine Billy Kelly has passed away after a long battle with cancer.

I know many of my friends have had dealings with Billy when their tours hit Glasgow as he was the main man behind Soundsfine Promotions who ran the Big Big Country and Big Big World festivals as well as numerous top gigs in between. They also promoted gigs in other parts of Scotland.

Billy was also a frequent visitor to festivals like SXSW where he came into contact with many more acts and other like minded promoters.I had hoped to see Billy at the recent Dale Watson concert in Glasgow but it was not to be as he was in hospital but I did have some correspondence with him afterwards.

Billy gave me lots of work and the chance to open for some great acts including, Dale, Big Sandy, Slaid Cleaves and many many more. I also got to see many more class acts, most times for free as Billy wouldn't ever let me pay. I for one will miss the enthusiasm, nay passion, that he had for music.

My thoughts at this time are with his wife, Anne, and their children Billy and Vicky.

It is one hell of a sad day for roots music in Scotland.

John Miller

This was a shock and John is right. It’s a sad day for music of all persuasions.

In my opinion, this guy presented a level of service to music promotion and gentlemanly conduct that is rare in the trade he was in. His attention to detail and old school way of operating was an inspiration. He always had time for you, there was none of the self-important nonsense (I’m being diplomatic here) that so often comes with such territory. He built up the Big Big Country and Big Big World events that took place in May and October respectively. The difference was that he curated as well as promoted. That was the ace he had up his sleeve.

My last contact with Mr K was to try and get him to book The Bambi Molesters for BBW, some Croatian surf for the broad canvas. He told me he’d try and work it out. It didn’t but I’m sure it would have happened eventually.

Billy Kelly made a difference and I consider it an honour to have known him. I hope he’s riding those high plains and my thoughts are with his family at this sad time. Cheers Billy, thanks for everything...

This coming Friday at Debaser in Stockholm (Rock City!)

The Scientists and Alan Vega are part of The Dirty Three curated ATP festival in Butlins, Minehead this coming April...

Well, we've reported on a group called The Monks, a TV show called Monk so let me introduce you to Tommy Erdelyi's (nee Ramone) bluegrass combo, Uncle Monk.

(Thanks to Mr Percival for the link)

Using up the last remaining vacation days means trying to tie up loose ends... but there are so many which have unravelled to the point of no return. But anyway, some stuff that'll keep you amused for a wee while...

Mr H flagged up this Wooden Shjips article at Dusted. You can also listen to their shjotguntastic "Shrinking Moon For You" as a musical backdrop.

Mr Rafferty dropped me this link for the new Joan Jett video. And you figured they didn't make them like this anymore? So did I... did I ever tell you that I stood next to JJ at a Flamin' Groovies show once?

Ben ran these clips past the Staysickers... this version of "The Explosives" seem a little clunky to me in their attempt to bolster Roky but i'll let you make out your own mind. Mr Gart also reminded me about this New Bomb Turks dvd from their show at the Cas Rock in Edinburgh some moons ago. There's every chance i'm in it...

Bjorn provided this link to the Barracudas film available as bitesize chunks on YouTube some time ago but I only just found it (er, remembered) when i was looking for something else.

I was never what could be construed as a Clash fan but some of you might be, so check out Strummerville.

Songs The Nomads Taught Youse, J found this on ebay... and at the other end of the financial spectrum, Mr Percival hepped me to this.

So that'll keep you going meantime. Just heard that today is the day that people are most likely to call in a "sickie". Why don't they have pre-publicity for that type of event? I wasn't born to work or follow. Such is what passes for life.

Have you seen these Motown Complete Single collection things? Six volumes so far and quite possibly the best dressed bespoke items that i've clocked in some considerable time. Sort of pricey, supposedly limited (but it doesn't say to how many). Dropped by Capt. Crunch's this avo and got to have a good old rake through them all. If I had 3 hundred-knicker to spare then i'd invest in a set. One of them even has the Mynah Birds 45 that Neil Young played on amongst the contents. Also got my ticket for the Glasgow Film Festival.

Mr Arnoff just reminded me that there's an Alex Harvey doc, The Last of the Teenage Idols on BBC Radio 2 tonight at 8pm (GMT). Presumably it'll be on the listen again feature also for at least a week. Also, on the R2 front, Brian Matthews returns to Sounds of the Sixties at 8am (GMT) NEXT Saturday (10th) after a lengthy illness.

I received this forwarded message from my friend KP yesterday and while I wouldn't normally post something like this here, it's something I feel fairly strongly about so don't mump, got it?...

"I was just wondering if anyone watches what is posted on myspace videos? Shouldn't people be prosecuted for abusing animals if they're making videos of killing and torturing them and posting them on there? This petition requires Myspace to turn over abusive videos and their perpetrators to the proper authorities!"

Click to sign the petition to stop cruelty on myspace.

Personally, i'd cheerfully watch clips of the abusers being tortured but that's just the kind of person I am. Could be a treatment for a new TV phenomenon? You never know...

Time for a state of the (indoctri)nation address, such as it is. In a bid to keep this interesting for all of us. To turn up stuff that you want to hear, see and well - hear and see. The emphasis is on directing you to the source. This may sound like repetition but as time grinds on - it bears to be said now and again. Been looking at the stats and we get a little over 7000 hits per month. Not too shabby for something that divnae actively canvas for business or ads or any of that other shite this interweb floods we with. Periodic considerations of doing another print issue have pretty much been crushed completely. I'm constantly reminded to never say never but never is the most likely timeframe. Apart from when I’m totally delusional. Did a wee experiment on myspace to find out if I'd get bombarded with info to pass on and never got more than maybe a half-dozen responses. Maybe this "tool" isn't as sharp as it’s alleged on the packaging.

Away from the pulsebeat of music etc, (hey Art!) the town centre here is up for redevelopment. Or what passes for a town centre. In reality, any soul the place had is long since gone in any sense of retailing or anything else. People go to the stripmalls now. It saves putting the heating on. They trudge around those hanger-size, will to live draining places for hours ala dawn of the dead. Actually Romero’s crew were far more savvy. Last Saturday morning, I took my completed “regeneration” comment form to the local library and deposited it in the box that lies in front of the crap display board with the supposed layout. I bet that somewhere there's one of those terrible "Money For Nothing" type fly-through presentations too. Anyway, let's leave that consideration in the meantime. Came out, looked across the road and noticed that the bingo hall had an agent sign outside. I duly contacted said agent and as of today, no info has been forthcoming.

Turns out that, because of the smoking ban, the place has closed. Long before it became a place to yell "house!", it was the local cinema. The place we went on a Saturday morning and/or afternoon. Ultimately it was the place we managed to sneak underage into our first X rated picture. I think the first one I saw was called “Helga”, an, er, “documentary”. However, I remember “The Good Guys and The Bad Guys” better. Around 1970-ish when I was really wee. According to the Scottish Cinemas site, it ceased to be a moviehouse in 1971. So, a little digging turned up a local report that offered the useful tripe – “if it was knocked down it would allow greater access to the new Asda”. It looks like it’s attributed to a local councillor, but I have it on authority from that individual that it was not. The mentality that would even think about making such a bottom burp out loud far less in print is essentially what we’re up against. Not that opening it as an arts venue would be in any way sustainable but you’d think they’d want to retain some sense of history? You’d think. I’ve got a bee in my proverbial bunnet about this. It’s just another one of these symptoms. Maybe they should flatten the whole town, tarmac it. Make an even bigger car park for the supermarket wars to be fought out in. Maximum succour for the scumhordes. Some effort will be made to make sure that this building doesn’t come down without some noising up of Historic Scotland and whatever other organisation that is supposed to muzzle those idiots that are inclined to bow down before the almighty buck. If the Bo'ness Hippodrome can be redeveloped then surely at least some stops can be extracted to keep the old Empire Electric going for a few years yet.

So, more music stuff coming up soon. Meanwhile, check out Herbie...

If you're anywhere near the banks of the River Charles this weekend, then this is the hot ticket. A hopelessly oversubscribed moment in history. Wish I was there...

TONIGHT! SAT FEB 3 • QUESTION MARK BENEFIT

MAGNETIC FIELD, 97 ATLANTIC AVE, BROOKLYN -
7 PM DOORS • $10 DONATION

Join the A-Bones with Muck & the Mires teh Miscreants and the Great Gaylord (direct from Radio City!) and a slew of action packers and special guests at a no holds barred benefit for Q at Brooklyn’s fabulous Magnetic Field. Emcee con fabuloso for the event is LENNY "Nuggets"/"Doc Rock"/"The K" KAYE! Bands will blast, raffles will be held, peanut butter delicacies will be savored, and mayhem will reign supreme while MISS K (no relation to Lenny!, except in good
taste!) spins wild wax with none other than THE EMPRESS a bevy of boss jocks all night long. All proceeds from the door and raffles go direct 100% to Question Mark. As all Q’s mementoes burned, please bring copies of pix and clippings and we’ll send all to Q! Alice Cooper has donated his PANTS and an autographed picture for the raffle! How's about THAT! See you there! Doors at 7 PM!
www.magneticbrooklyn.com

"Veteran rocker Question Mark was devastated after his Michigan home of nearly 40 years was burned to the ground last week, killing five of his pets. Question Mark, who had a number one US hit with "96 Tears" with his band The Mysterians, also lost memorabilia dating back four decades, including a gold record and an organ thought to have once been owned by Pink Floyd."

The night -- emceed by the legendary
LENNY KAYE
will feature boss live music from
THE A-BONES
MUCK & THE MIRES
LINK CROMWELL
THE GREAT GAYLORD
THE MISCREANTS

DJ sets from Lynne K (Carnival Of Lost Soul) and Connie T. Empress (Empire State Soul Club), as well as rock'n'roll raffles throughout the evening (prizes will include original rock posters, photos, t-shirts, vintage memorabilia, and more). Full list of raffle sponsors to come, but so far they include Norton Records, Nights With Alice Cooper, Steve Ritsua, Abkco Records, Little Steven's Underground Garage, Mary Weiss (The Shangri La's), Dead Flowers, Guitar World, Empire State Soul Club, Magnetic Field, Coyote Recording Studios, Bumble & Bumble, Collectibles, and Theresa Kereakes. If you cannot make the shindig and still want to help, you can donate via the Magnetic Field page! All money will be added to what we raise the day of the event via the door, and various items that will be on sale.

News via e-mole... Roky headed for Europe this summer!!

THU MAR 1 / GREAT AMERICAN MUSIC HALL / SAN FRANCISCO / NOISE FEST
THU MAR 15 / THREADGILL'S SOUTH / AUSTIN / ROKY'S ICE CREAM SOCIAL
SAT APR 28 / POLO GROUNDS / INDIO, CA / COACHELLA FESTIVAL
WED MAY 2 / HOUSE OF BLUES / NEW ORLEANS / PONDEROSA STOMP
SAT JUN 16 / HULTSFRED FESTIVAL / SWEDEN
JUL 5-8 / ROSKILDE FESTIVAL / DENMARK
JUL 6-8 / RUISROCK / FINLAND
AUG 8-11 / OYA FESTIVAL / NORWAY

Long Gone John wishes it to be known that "my house is slowly being taken apart at the seams or so it seems...i'll be moving to olympia soon...a lot of my stuff has been shifted to the grand central art center in santa ana for a show called "pictures of the gone world" it opens this saturday (feb 3rd) and runs through march 18th...i went to see it today and all things considered it looks pretty cool...the film, "the treasures of long gone john" will screen twice saturday night at 6:00 and 8:30 (free to the public) also showing will be gregg gibbs new film, "the gone world" which i think is about anorexic penguins in the belgian congo or something like that...pass this along to concerned parties if you are able... thank you...thats it...like that...over and way the fuck out!!"

Mr H in Montana sez "Your future is before you unless you are turned around" and he's not wrong. And while you ponder that, consider this recommendation from the man...

"Acid Archives a book offshoot from LYSERGIA by site operator Patrick Lundborg with help from unindicted co-conspirators Aaron Milenski and Ron Moore is already in its second printing. The book covers the American and Canadian rock underground from 1965 - 1982 and if you are a regular reader of NBT, then you're going to want to check it out. The book, ostensibly a collector's buying guide, focuses on giving rarity and value ratings to over 4,000 (many hopelessly obscure) vinyl LPs from the aforementioned time and place, but functions as so much more. Plus, many of the vinyl rarities are easily obtainable in CD format. New light is shed on some familiar names--Music Machine, Chocolate Watchband, David Crosby (!)--by the authors who write from an enthusiast's rather than a collector's perspective, but the bulk of the book is given to things like this about Boyd McCoy of Rochester, NY and his band's live '72 rouser: ". . .a live example of prime drink-spilling lounge music made up of mostly hard rock and soulful funk cover songs. Instead of the usual homogenized, family friendly lounge act, Boyd and the boys are a trashy, grungy and out-of-control intoxicated whirlwind.!" I don't know about you, but my interest is piqued. AA can be divided roughly into five broad categories psych, prog, garage, folk and outer limits. Many of the records covered began as self-produced basement jobs (Stone Harbour, 1971 Ohio "Extraordinary . . . basement psych with songs fading in and out of the speakers, cavemen drums, primitive electronics and murky fuzz lurking in the background") or intriguingly unclassifiable--and often tortured--swipes at "art"(Robbie the Werewolf 1964 L.A. "Remarkable early private press that manages to be a folk LP and a parody of a folk LP at the same time. Half of it is monster-fan-piss-takes on standards such as . . ."Tip Toe Through the Tulips" the other half is Robbie originals hitting an unforgettable apex with the echo-laden Count Dracula track, "...watch out for those vampires some of them are QUEER.") Foreword by Mr. Mike Stax who gives the word, " ...englightened music listeners can separate the hip from the hyped, and begin to navigate their way more readily through the strange and fascinating world of Underground sounds." Oh, and lots of cool pix too. Check with SUBLIMINAL SOUNDS if you want to score a copy."

Is this thing on...? It better be, because The Raunch Hands are back and "Bigg Topp" just fell off the Licorice Tree!!

Can You Handle the Fireball??

"Once upon a time, The Raunch Hands were the best band in the world. Nothing has changed. MIKE MARICONDA, legendary producer and the most dangerous guitar player on seven continents, now living in Austin, Texas, had an idea. He began working on his latest Rock'n'Roll Blockbuster with a team of Texas players that came to be THE STEPBROTHERS. They had already destroyed every club in Austin. Now he had lined them up to record his Greatest Statement, a Powerhouse Odyssey of Rhythm and Soul!

But there was something missing... The grease, the action, the suave-as-all-git-out, kill'em all attitude of the RAUNCH HANDS!!!

Over twenty-years traveling the world with the Raunch Hands, Mariconda, with his team of MICHAEL CHANDLER on vocals and MIKE EDISON behind the drums, had developed a technique now known as THROWING THE FIREBALL. It was time to do it again.

Chandler was last seen in Brooklyn singing for his garage-gospel band CHANDLER AND THE CHASERS. Edison had been working in Manhattan as a pornographer, and traveling France and Spain with his outer-space blues band the EDISON ROCKET TRAIN. Mariconda sent them plane tickets and summoned them with these instructions:

Come to Austin. IT IS TIME TO THROW THE FIREBALL.

The result is THE RAUNCH HANDS' BIGG TOPP, a shocking dose of Rock'n'roll, Soul, Twang, and Power. It is more than a just a record, it is a Party Out of Control, a Biological Dirty Bomb, the The First Great Rock'n'Roll Statement of the 21st Century!!!

Says Mariconda: "There was no way I could make the best rock'n'roll record of all time without Chandler and Edison. Science has yet to find a substitute. Hide the women and children, The Raunch Hands are back."

Here is the Raunch Hands’ Bigg Topp new release- “Feel It”! Get ready for eleven tracks of uncensored, overwhelmingly filthy grooves! "Second Hand Man" rips and shreds with brutal slide guitar! "The Sophisticated Screw" twists and turns with criminal sex appeal! "Mojo Hannah" is Crescent City Second Line played with the ferocity of a hurricane!!!"

So we moved over to this new blogger thing and everything seemed fine. However, today i've had problems with posting in general and sometimes the photos are taking a while to appear. These things are presumably sent to try me. It's been giving me Henry Rollins neck all sodding day. But hopefully it's just teething troubles. Or perhaps it's just me? Myspace has been taking the piss too. If it weren't for these Tiny Tim cds keeping me relatively mellow it could all end in tears. After all that, this'll probably "publish" nae bother. To compound all this, it's back to the day penetentiary for me tomorrow. Oh joy.

Feathered Apple have collected the works of Swiss Punk combo The Bastards onto one footlong platter entitled “Schizo Terrorist”. A 9 song legacy complete with that customary excellent liner note information that we’ve come to expect from this imprint. I’d never heard any of this stuff before but it certainly puts a lot of what was passed as punk rock here into perspective. As time goes on, the case is made that Europe was awash with great music at the time. The UK serves as the focus but I’m sure we haven’t heard the half of what is actually out there. Thanks to guys like Rolf we’re able to find out. The story of The Bastards is really quite incredible and you have to read it for yourself, you couldn’t make this stuff up. As with many of the sounds from territories outwith the UK, the sound didn’t conform to the brit template. It has traces of Australian and American music clearly founded in rock’n’roll or sixties beat. Here’s one case where it’s perfectly legitimate to let The Bastards grind you down.

Distro in the UK by F-Minor, it’s also available here from Volcanic Tongue.

“The Spirit Girls sound has been described as something of a cross between Sonic Youth, King Crimson and 17th Century French Romantic paintings”, it sez in the blurb. Well I never heard any of The Paintings stuff but I don’t recognise a lot of similarity with the other two. “Forever Free” is a concept piece that floats these souls through the imaginary landscapes en route to their billet in the afterlife. It has a folky edge tempered with that LA-pop ethic. It’s actually pretty unusual and coming as it does in some nifty digi-packaging it looks like something on Sympathy. I think it sounds like Sandy Denny just found out she was Buffy and has to deal with it… no actually that’s bollocks but I’m not sure this thing can be pigeonholed. “Milk Maid” (track 2) recalls Angel CC, mainly because of the accordion. Otherwise it has an almost classical rock feel. Not classic rock dumbass, more of a symphonic afterburn. My other immediate favourite was “Small Town” with it’s Ministry type industrial segue into Burundi drumming and back to the gothosphere. I imagine that this section is breathtaking in a live situ. “Haunted Horse” is one of the great titles, so it’s an extra that it’s a cool song also with a kind of toytown Suicideness about it. “Song for the Spirit Girls” would be Abby from NCIS’s favourite I think. The Spirit Girls have been kissed with a little of that David Lynch soundtrack fairy dust. As a whole “Forever Free” has that detached void feel pretty much down pat while still selecting the odd heartstring to pluck. Peculiar but well worth the effort. Also check out lead SG Marni Weber’s arthaus!

Del Rey and The Sun Kings “Battleship Potemkin” is a homage to the silent Eisenstien movie. The director had stated that he hoped that a new soundtrack for the film might be composed every 10 years. The film is now 82 years old or thereabouts and I think that onetime Savage Republic man Jackson Del Rey was horrified that the most recent attempt was by The Pet Shop Boys. This somewhat ambient score somehow seems more fitting and I wonder if there have actually been public screenings with this providing the sonic backdrop. As composition goes, the kraut-rockish elements interweave with more traditional instrumentation. I don’t have the credentials to even begin to tell you how this guy has succeeded in such an astronomical task. But he has.

17 Pygmies were active in the 80’s but I don’t recall them at all. Their musical stylings have been dubbed “arcanica” by themselves. Apparently it means no-hit wonders. This "13 Blackbirds/13 Lotus" doublepack isn’t something you can stick on and instantly become acquainted with. It’s intricate and practically baroque. Folk but not as you reporter is familiar with the form. The pastoral piano shards of “Bley” other-world music are better soaked up in a peaceful environment. I tried playing it loud but it made much more sense at a more gentle volume. Maybe they could come up with some kind of pod for you to climb into for best results. Like a flotation tank.

Visit Trakwerx and check out these strange, NEW, sounds for yourself. The proof of the pudding after all…

Anybody out there got one of these for sale?

I just got a note from Murray which included a bit of a shock. Have checked it out and it's true. Jeez...

RIP - Charlotte Lesher

TV SMITH & THE BORED TEENAGERS

CROSSING THE RED SEA SHOWS 2007

Commemorating 30 years of THE ADVERTS "Crossing The Red Sea With The Adverts",

one of the most influential punk albums of all time.


"After a couple of singles in 1977 put them in the top 10 charts and on Top Of The Pops, seminal UK punk band THE ADVERTS released their first LP which confirmed they deserved a top spot on punk rock's podium along with their peers The Clash, The Buzzcocks, and The Damned . Though "Crossing The Red Sea With The Adverts" didn't reach the popularity levels of these bands, it has been a major influence on artists like Henry Rollins (Black Flag, The Rollins Band), Ian Mackaye (Minor Threat, Fugazi), Bobby Gillespie (Primal Scream), Ian Brown (The Stone Roses), as well as too many others to mention, and has been named " one of the best punk albums of all time " by some of the biggest music magazines on the globe, including MOJO, Q and UNCUT.

TV Smith, the Adverts' frontman and songwriter, continued his musical career after the demise of the band in 1979, playing solo shows all over the world, as well as frequent collaborations with other bands, like Die Toten Hosen in Germany, and Suzy & Los Quattro in Spain. After releasing a single with the Spaniards, a project named TV SMITH & THE BORED TEENAGERS was born, which toured for three weeks in Spain in 2006, receiving rave reviews. The high energy level of the shows and the great chemistry between the punk veteran and his younger but well experienced musicians - all of them die-hard Adverts fanatics - wasn't lost on the crowds, and was voted "Show Of The Year" by the readers of Gruta 77 magazine.

On the 5th April 2007, TV SMITH & THE BORED TEENAGERS will play a one-and-only small venue performance at the historic 100 Club in London, commemorating 30 years since the birth of The Adverts, and performing the whole of "Crossing The Red Sea" live from beginning to end for the first time since 1977, plus an encore featuring other TV Smith and Adverts' classics.

Shortly after that the band embark on a select series of performances throughout Europe.

Bookings are now being taken for Crossing The Red Sea summer dates between May and September, so be sure not to miss this unique chance to get the real deal..."

Thanks to Jonathan @ Producciones Barbudas for the info

TV Smith website... he also has a show with Kim Salmon next Sunday in Melbourne!

People have been asking what I make of the “new” Stooges track on their Myspace page. The answer is not much. I’m far more intrigued to hear Mike Watt’s contribution to the new Kelly Clarkson record.

Far more worthy of your dinero is the Eddy Current Suppression Ring on Dropkick Records. They’re making the kind of energised rock’n’roll that isn’t trading on anything but a jolt to the parts that don’t get too much fizz these days. Mr H first brought the band onto my radar some weeks ago and Glenn Terry of the fine Vicious Sloth Collectibles operation was kind enough to send it all the way from their native down under. As you know, the aussies have a way with this kind of thing. Imagine John Otway fronting a skewed approximation of Television, The Fall and maybe The Scientists. It’s punk rock but not as we conventionally know it. Or try this, Wreckless Eric duelling with Compulsion (remember them?) via the Feelgoods? By all accounts this is the closest the band has come to transferring their live jizz to the recording studio with anything approaching the intensity of a live show. The ECSR is an unexploded bomb and if they get closer to splitting their particular atom then stand way, way back or just bathe in that lovely noise. Quite what is being suppressed evidently isn't treatable by conventional medication. I get the impression that “Having A Hard Time” could last somewhere between 2 and 10 minutes depending on their mood swings, not to mention roundabouts. I’m thinking of adopting their “Insufficient Funds” opus as my theme song. It’s good that this particular incubation jar is out in Australia. That means it can gestate before the contents can be tampered with by what approximates a music press here. By the time they get here, the virus will be unstoppable. By all accounts of the cognoscenti in their part of the world, it’s pretty chuffing virulent as it is. Like the guy says "It's all square, even when it's round".

Available in the UK via Cargo.

Sitting here catching up on e-mail listening to The Sabrejets session on Radio Ulster’s Across The Lines. Just heard a track from the new Lucinda Williams album “West” and it’s really great. Sounds like it’s live or something and furthermore rankles me that I didn’t go to the Barras. Then they follow it up with a Jesse Malin track “Lucinda” which confuses me because I’ve resisted Malin’s solo work. Mainly because of the involvement of that twonk Ry*n Ad*ms. I actively dislike RA. There’s something totally disingenuous about his shtick. My good mate, the Rigrocker, always said that I oughtta give Jesse a break. After all, I was a D-Generation fan but Adams didn’t taint them. Anyway the gist is that this “Lucinda” cut is really very good so I’m gonna take a tip from Mr Tepper and check out the new long-player, I’ve no idea if the aforementioned bugbear is involved but by the sound of this he isn’t. This show complete with Sabrejets session songs (including the rockabillified "Blitzkrieg Bop") is available on the BBC listen again feature for a week from last night (Friday). Now they're playing the Tom Morton-tipped Hold Steady who will be in Glasgow at The Cathouse on Valentines Day (February 14th)... check out Tom's new "Bobland" song on his myspace... distracted? Who me??

RIP - RK Sloane

(Thanks to Stefan for drawing my attention to that. Never had a clue that he passed away in October)

Been having ongoing technical problems and other bullshit to contend with. Something resembling normal service is always a possibility but in no way certain.

The Nomads website is switching to a new URL so visit them and bookmark this new one. They are kings of rock and roll no matter how much they protest. Talking of which, Little Steven's "Coolest Song Of The Week" for w/e December 31st 2006 "Ain't No King Of Rock and Roll" will be available on vinyl courtesy of Devils Jukebox. A pink vinyl split 45 with Brighton's Sweet Zeros. Limited to 666 copies so get yer order in...

Sticking with Sweden, SOS kicked off this years antics with a show at Nice'n'Sleazy. It seems to have been refurbished since I was last there and was surprised not to be sticking to the floor. The name has connotations with The Stranglers for me and that's not good. Anyway it was a pleasant shindig with a decent turnout for Vapnet (pronounced Wapnet). They make a sound not unlike Bob Hund swapping blows with OMD. After a couple of bursts of a black metal direction courtesy of the PA, the evening settled down and the band laid their morricone-mariachi pop stylings upon us. Per-Olof and Jesper from the HS brass action combo (as well as Autisterna) were there and the singer in Vapnet, Martin (Hanberg) also duets with Annika on the Säkert album. Like that, all of the songs were in Swedish but it didn't matter a jot. Apparently the last song in the set was about all the people they hate but not done with a hateful sound. Hopefully they'll come back and play again. For longer. With a PA that hasn't been handled by some Norwegian church burners. Openers, Skeleton Bob weren't bad either. They did a cheeky wee version of "Mama Mia". Might have played a wee bit too long but when they get around to pacing their set then who knows, they could leave people wanting more.

I'm having trouble with this bloody thing tonight, think i've caught something on myspace that you can't buy cream to rub on.

Don't have too much time but in the spirit of trying to whap at least one new post on this blighter per day then here I am. Let's start by saying that both Angel Corpus Christi and JD King have myspace profiles. So flip those spam "friends" a hearty big DENY and gather a proper posse. You don't have to tell me... I spend too much time pissing about on there I know. And no i'm not practising my Burns for tomorrows Rabbie day... the day when we have haggis for breakfast, dinner and supper. With neeps and tatties. Anyway did you ken that The Double Agents have signed to In-Fidelity. Details here...

Getting to be a bit of a backlog here again... no excuses other than the weak flesh and zip attention span. I'm bored with the clatter of my own keyboard. A heckler at the back just shouted "about fecking time". Anyway, he, she or maybe you are possibly right. Maybe I shouldn't have bothered but never, um, let it be said... Fleshtones, Tiny Tim, Ben Vaughn, The Sibleys, Future Pilot Aka and Spirit Girls are all on the agenda for the days ahead. but "no' th' nicht"...

Hi-de-ho, kits'n'kittens! The Stripchords are set to kick-off 2007 with a real whap-dang of a soiree, playing with those tiger-wrasslin' cats The Fabulous Penetrators at their own swinging affair, the Saturday Night Beaver club, on Saturday January 27th. The 'Penetrators wowed a capacity crowd at the Not The Same Old Blues Crap/Dirty Water Club New Year's Eve shindig, with a marvy set of masked, besuited rhythm'n'beat - add in the Stripchords, guest DJ BigKegShandy, and Bear Family DJs, FOR ONLY THREE ENGERLISH POUNDS, and you've got a mutha of a night! "Zounds, what sounds!" as yer Brian Matthews woulda said ...
See you at the bar? Selah, The Stripchords
----------------------------
Saturday Night Beaver
The Fabulous Penetrators
The Stripchords
January, 27 2007 at

Saturday Night Beaver The Macbeth, 70 Hoxton Street, London, N1 Cost : £3 - Time: 8pm-2am
As ever, virtual vittles can be had via www.myspace.com/thestripchords

SUSQUEHANNA INDUSTRIAL TOOL & DIE CO. is "aces high" this week, friend -- exclusively at the happiest place on earth, OTTO'S SHRUNKEN HEAD: THURSDAY, JANUARY 25TH / (And the last Thursday of every month!) / Otto's Shrunken Head Tiki Bar & Lounge / www.OttosShrunkenHead.com /
538 East 14th Street (just west of Avenue B) in Manhattan's East Village / Two B-I-G shows, from 8:00 sharp until 10:00 / No cover / May Lady Luck be on your side!
Yours truly,
Michael
Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co.
"Ballads, Boogies & Blues"
www.SITandDieCo.com

As you’ll no doubt be aware, the anticipation of Annika Norlin’s Säkert! Swedish language project has been high since my swededealer told me about it. At this point, I should state that it’s almost nothing like Hello Saferide, other than the fact it’s chocka with sparkling pop thrills. Like the Pitchfork review of the Vapnet album (who are in Glasgow this coming Wednesday remember?!) it doesn’t matter a jot that you don’t speaka da lingo. Imagine if Petula Clark made an album with Pulp? There’s a decidely quality Eurovision pulse beating though all 11 magnificent tracks. It has hints of Carole King and Jackie DeShannon but most importantly it reinforces this woman's unique ability to nail a song. You can listen to the single over at myspace.

I wonder if it would be possible to record the English translation to these songs? In order for them to be heard by as many people as is possible although I doubt if it'd be half as poetic as it does in the native Svensk. The album runs the gamut from shimmering sombre folk to bouncing Nuevo motown and never misses a beat. There's even some whistling. “Det Här Är Vad De Säger” (“This Is What They Are Saying”) is almost choral or churchlike. That ticker of yours just might though. Säkert! means “sure” or “certain” and this is sure/certain to hit whatever spot that requires tweaking. “Allt Som Är Ditt” (“Everything That’s Yours”) is like Eno period Roxy Music channelling “Common People” and strangely the closest parallel in terms of a recent UK release would be the Jarvis Cocker record. However this is way more consistent. I’ve no idea what the individual groups that these musicians have been drawn from sound like but the investigation is about to begin. There are a couple of great duets (one with Martin from Vapnet) on here that have a particular Eurovibe. If the UK is set to have the Mozzer represent us then Sweden should secure the services of Ms Norlin. She’ll wipe the bloody floor with him. Visit the Razzia website to be directed as to where you can get your paws on a copy. (Thanks to Mr Ulf for the translations)

Been wading through Everett True’s whopping 630 page Nirvana – The True Story.

The title is a tad misleading (Seattle pun intended), being that the blast zone is far wider than just the Pacific Northwest’s (arguably) most famous export. It’s kind of told in a “Please Kill Me” format without being like that at all because it’s bonded by a commentary which connects the individual reflections and quotes. This gives the angles a dimension that just stringing together a bunch of statements could never relate. It features many peripheral players in the rise of the last big rock movement before the music industry started to implode.

It has Girl Trouble, The Fastbacks and a ton more. Reminded me of seeing Mudhoney’s first ever European show in Berlin, what was that - 1988? A few minds were blown that night I can tell you. I was never terribly interested in Nirvana as a band. There was a little too much roll missing from their ouvre but I saw a documentary about the making of Nevermind recently that kinda made me re-think my position. A wee bit. Anyway Mr True has been awarded the albatross of having globalised the thing called “grunge”. And he was never one to let the whole truth get in the way of a good yarn. "The True Story" is the best tackle of the subject since Gina Arnold’s Route 666 by a good country mile. When all is said, and the last brickbat has been jettisoned Mr Thackray is a believer. I know he has his detractors but for his sins he was in the front like when something that approximated “Punk” broke in the USA.

As you know, that particular country is made up of States that are bigger than UK. It’s a vast place and Nirvana rose at a time when the charts there were in a period of flux. Sort of like they are here with the advent of downloads. For a brief period, it was possible for a band to break through into the mainstream. Even something relatively underground. I recall Allan Campbell telling me that he called Geffen asking them about Nirvana and their press office didn’t even know that they had a band by that name. But anyway, “A True Story” is a exhaustive fly through by someone who was there and who soaked up more than he’d possibly care to admit. His proximity to the main character might alarm him but it’s not his fault that he was too close to the flame. In some ways it’s better that he was because his love of music protected him from being swamped by it. Some distance has now passed between him and those days in the trenches. Post traumatic rock stress disorder notwithstanding, this can be enjoyed whether you gave a hoot about Kurt Cobain or not.

You see, it was never just about him. Or the fact he killed himself. Or did he? The geography of the place Nirvana came from had as much to do with what they became as anything. For my money, Girl Trouble was the best band to come from that neck. I love that band and one of the best nights I ever spent was in their company at The Crocodile Café when I discovered that Bill "The Big Kahuna" Henderson and I shared an admiration of Sigue Sigue Sputnik while some totally shite hype called The Frogs was plying it’s questionable trade in the next room. At the height of the Nirvana boom, a TV show called Twin Peaks was quietly devouring people in their front rooms. I did and still do love the smell of them douglas firs in the morning… and look forward to snagging Part 2 on dvd this coming April so I can play the Heather Graham "Chickadee on a Dodge Dart" sequence over and over... but where was I.

But as it was the band seemed to conquer the world and Nirvana had a huge Scottish connection. Fast Forward via Stephen Pastel’s connection with Calvin Johnson of K, distributed “Love Buzz” in the UK. Kurt was a huge fan of The Vaselines amongst other Scots pop ensembles and wore a Captain America T-shirt on the cover of NME. Their tour manager Alex MacLeod was a former member of The Legion of The Cramped and Big John (Duncan) formerly of The Exploited was their guitar tech.

So anyway, it’s a massive tome and I took a while with it because I kept going back over things, surely a sign of a worthwhile work. No sign of the Young Fresh Fellows in there but Eddie and the Hot Rods make the cut, that puzzled me a bit but then again what the hell do I know. Susie Tennant is and that can only be a good thing. “The Aftermath” chapter is pretty poignant for me. Offering that it was pretty much about making a bunch of sub-standard bands and Courtney (Love) rich. Making it possible for them to have careers. I don't think that's Nirvana's fault per se, there's always an element of free-loading for the limited time that a particulardoor is "stuck" open.

I wonder what would have happened if Kurt was still around? I’m not sure if it’s possible to be as big as they were on the cusp of becoming anymore. Hell, look how “famous” The Ramones are here in 2007. And not one of the main protagonists around to see, far lest cash in on the situation. He’d probably be seeing ever-diminishing returns like everybody else. It’s an interesting conundrum to be sure and whatever was responsible for his exit, that was an end to it all. At least in tangible terms.

Everett True heads up the renegades at Plan B these days. A magazine devoted to a canvas of pop that’s almost and deep and wide as the Pacific Northwest itself. You might not always agree with him but he’s providing a service unsullied by the cut and paste culture that pervades what passes for “music journalism” these days.

Nirvana – The True Story is published by Omnibus Press. You can get it from Amazon or wherever. You can also go and pick it off the shelf and read random chapters if your local bookshop allows such a practice.

RIP - Pookie Hudson (The Spaniels)

RIP - Denny Doherty (Mamas and Papas)

Mary Weiss track at Reigning Sound myspace. This is what all music should be like. If it doesn't come up to this standard then yer out...

The detailed twang on Wooden Shjips SF debut last week. It's official, they're here to save the woild. Spelling intentional. Even the show poster rocks! (Thanks to Mr H for the heads-up)

You can listen to the Säkert! single "Vi kommer att dö samtidigt" ("We Will Die At The Same Time") here, it's out on Razzia on January 31st. The s/t album has been brought forward to February 7th. More about both soon... is she really in the lake? Crikey.

(Title translation by Mr Ulf)

All the chatter about who is in the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame. Who Isn't. Who should be etc. is utter tosh. In the grand scheme of things it matters less than nowt. What may have started out as well-intentioned has gone the way of all things. It gets taken over by elements that just can’t be trusted to be thrust into the stratosphere of scenes that celebrate themselves first and foremost. They think that’s gonna bump start “sales”? Forget it. As a symbol of recognition, it's like all awards. There are too many of them. Some may carry some faux prestige but ultimately being saddled with such a protracted accolade seems like more baggage. "Shorts don't matter" as Michael Palin quoth in Ripping Yarns "Golden Gordon. Some people are up in arms about Patti's induction. Much as I think she should tell them to stick it up their jacksy, it's her dime. But the peons yattering about the merits of her being in or out, of REM being in or out will not make one iota of difference to your existence, nor mine. It’s all tainted. Hall of Shite more like. Even if there are some of our own “in there”.

Today was the annual slight fall of snow, country grinds to a halt fiasco. It had been predicted for days but did that help? Course not. I'm probably exaggerating by saying there was two inches. Or 50mm if you're a stickler for metric but everything stopped this morning. Pathetic. It was much worse elsewhere in the UK, the borders and the South took a real hammering and a lot of people are without power and worse. However 2 sodding inches of snow was what snarled up the highways and byways around here. Just wait til we get independence….

(Stops typing. Stares at floor and clicks "publish post")

Just before I go get the dinghy out, Mrs Stim has discovered and posted the portal to the world of Mr Alan Vega. You can be transported by clicking here... might be yer lot for today, the way things have started out.

Out soon on Munster is a re-issue of the Nomads' first 45 Night Time/Boss Hoss "A homage to the almighty Nomads, the unrivalled Kings of european Garage-Punk for 25 years! This is a limited edition (1000) on hard-stock cardboard and original artwork of their second single, originally released in 1982, with two covers of classic garage-punk anthems: The Sonics "Boss Hog", and The Strangeloves "Night Time". These killer punk hymns might seem "popular culture" today, but 25 years ago NOBODY was doing stuff like this! And whats more... 25 years later these songs sound as fresh, powerful, and sincere as they did back then." Also be on the look-out for a vinyl edition of Nomadic Dementia on the same label (this was compiled of course by the chief hisself, so what more recommendation do you need?)

This bloody contraption is as slow as treacle tonight. Anyway, pictured here is another recent find. a ticket stub for what I recall as perhaps the very pinnacle of when I saw The Ramones. This was in the pre-Ice Cube days when the Barras could be packed to the rafters. Anyway, up and coming this April, our friends and fellow Ramoniacs from Barcelona - Suzy Y Los Quattro will be hitting up the sarf of England. Nothing up this way but maybe some enterprising person with taste out there could change that? Anyway, confirmed shows are: The Dirty Water Club in London on Friday 6th April and the Engine Room in Brighton on Saturday, 7th April.

I had some other info to convey but it seems to have disappeared for the time being. I'm too tuckered out to even start looking for it now, my eyes are like pissholes in the snow as it is. So with that graphic imprint, I bid you goodnight...

"Feeling a bit lacklustre in the new year, friend? Then why not let SUSQUEHANNA INDUSTRIAL TOOL & DIE CO. put a little pep in your step!

Our first offering for 2007... THURSDAY, JANUARY 18th / RODEO BAR / www.RodeoBar.com /
375 Third Avenue (corner of 27th Street) in ol' Manhattan, NYC /

10:00 sharp until 1:00 / No cover! /
And, for a recommended second weekly dose...
THURSDAY, JANUARY 25th /(And the last Thursday of EVERY month) /

OTTO’S SHRUNKEN HEAD TIKI BAR & LOUNGE / www.OttosShrunkenHead.com /
538 East 14th Street (just west of Avenue B) in Manhattan, NYC / 8:00 sharp until 10:00 / No cover! /

Yours truly in both vim AND vigor-
Michael

Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co. "Ballads, Boogies & Blues"
www.SITandDieCo.com

Info via Chip @ Videocrypt...

From: Dead Flowers Productions

Date: 1/13/2007

"A terrible tragedy has befallen our good friends ? & The Mysterians. This past Tuesday evening, the home of ? and his manager and manager's wife, burned to the ground. They have lived in this house for the past 30 plus years and everything they own, gold records, photos, everything was lost. They are uninsured. They raise Yorkshire Terriers and lost four of their seven dogs and other pets in the fire. They are now trying to survive by living in their tour bus parked at their farm. They were off the road so the bus was not stocked with anything at the time. No food, clothing, or any thing that will allow them to exist for long.

They are in need of everything. Also any photos or recordings anyone can supply them with as they were not able to save anything except the three of his dogs, two of whom are eldery and blind and one boot he could slip on before running out of the fire. Please help if you can. Any donations can be mailed to ? & The Mysterians at: PO Box 96, Clio, MI 48420.

If you can help in any other ways, please contact us at msswartz@chartermi.net and speak with us. We can put you in direct contact with ? if you would like to help him directly. We'd like to see about putting on a few benefits for them so they can rebuild. Anyone interested please please contact us quickly. If you'd like to put on a benefit for them yourselves, any and all help will be greatly appreciated."