It was good that J got that Patti thing together yesterday. It made up for my inability to post which was down to my trying to keep away from the computer. That meant a wee stint in the garden and a longer one hunting for stuff. Why the hell have I been horde-ing all this stuff? The first thing would be to hold an ebayathon but I don't really trust that anymore, too many chancers. But what other way is there? Sure there are other "auctions" and plenty of "dealers" but this crap is somewhat specialised and some of it's not actual "crap" but good gear that really ought not to be hiding in boxes and cardboard tubes.

And to add to all this, I just watched the last Sopranos episode and am somewhat dumbfounded. In many ways the ending was perfect but it's over. This will do for Journey what South Park did for Styx. The "music beds" also included "You Keep Me Hangin' On" by Vanilla Fudge, good score. Of course, the perfect song to have rolled over the closing credits would have been Parlor James' "Hell To Pay" but I guess you can't have everything...

Patti Smith @ Paradiso, Amsterdam June 10, 2007

As much as I admire Patti's 70's output I never actually got to see her in action back in the day, 'cause by the time I got aware of her she was already playin' the arena sized places I've always refused to attent. The 80's comeback, the 90's comeback, I never really felt the need. But a couple o' years ago I figured that I had to see her at least once. I missed out on the first opportunity as it was sold out in minutes, but got lucky this time around. Lucky that is, before I found out her latest disc featured nothing but versions of songs by (a.o.) Paul Simon and Tears For Fears... I've been very close to selling off the much in demand ticket at a serious profit, but in the end decided to go anyways and try my luck... Of course I shouldn't have worried, mere seconds into Kimberly and I was caught hook, line and sinker. Six decades on this planet and Patti still commands plenty more stage presence than just about any contender you'd care to mention. Free Money was next, and dealt the fatal blow. The adoring crowd lapped it up without any reservation and for once they were right. From the new album her take on Are You Experienced was the absolute highlight w/ a long intro where she played some fine Coltrane-like clarinet. But just about anything paled next to the stuff we all know and love: Gloria, Set Me Free, Pissing In The River, Ain't It Strange and an absolutely scorchin' Rock & Roll Nigger as a final sign-off. She did two long wordy improvs on Amsterdam's most famous citizens; Rembrandt and Anne Frank, that would have been beyond cheesy in the hands of just about everybody else, but she pulled it off with such a honest to God sincerity I had actually trouble holdin' back the tears at one point... Somewhere in between all this Lenny Kaye got to sing Pushin' Too Hard (that seemed to go over most of the crowd's head) and durin' the encore they were joined by Peter Buck for an unrehearsed Everybody Hurts. She easily captivated the crowd with a set that lasted for well over two hours, w/ no lettin' up... Go and see here if you get the chance, 'cause Patti Smith live is one of those life affirming propositions you can't afford to miss....

You know how it is, you're looking for something specific that you know is around but it doesn't want to reveal itself. Then you find a bunch of other stuff and all of a sudden an hour is gone. Sort of like going on YouTube but better for your vision...

As an ideal accompaniment to this (freak) So Cal weather, The Beat Poets appear as part of the Glasgow West End Festival tomorrow (Sunday 10th). they'll be on the Church Street/Byres Road stage at approximately 2.45pm.

El Rancho Relaxo is at Brel from 6pm so that all sounds like the logical conclusion to the day.

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And talking of California, those in LA will surely be taking in the event at KingKing on June 25th.

"THE BLUE SHADOWS feat: Bill Bateman, Javier Matos, Johnny Bazz & friends. This show is going to be filmed & recorded for an upcoming documentary following the legendary career of Bill Bateman."

The Cramps inability to realise when they're on to a good thing is everybody else's gain...

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Wonder what "Seven Arse Ups of Rock" has in store for us tonight? The latest instalment will cast its less than detail specific eye on the wonderful world of heavy metal. Wish them luck...

As the post Sopranos stress disorder builds, check out "Faller isär" (Falling Apart) on the Säkert! myspace page. Be nice to catch their warm-up show next week in Stockholm for festival season but alas, tis not to be. Did a final Stripes sweep around a bigger radius and was shocked to find that they'd all been scooped up. There are a ton on ebay at prices from OK to utter robbery so I guess it depends on how much you want it. I'm afraid I exhausted all possibilities. Actually looking through NME these days and all the sponsorship and bollocks that go along with their courtship of an act is sickening. Makes the old Smash Hits seem like the last word in edgy journalism. But anyway, that's for the youngsters to fret about. I couldn't give one.

GEARFEST 2007

The idea to post a couple of reviews came to nowt last night. The reason? Why The Sopranos of course. Final episode Sunday night so after that there'll be plenty time to play catch up.

Everything or at least something comes to those who wait. I agree that waiting is a pain but what can I tell you. There's a free White Stripes 45 with NME this week that apparently makes up a double etched set os some such carry on. If any overseas readers want one then then me know and I'll try to scare up copies from aound the local shops. Yours for cost plus postage.

A bit early in the morning for a public service announcement but there you go. Now I have to try and wake myself up.

Update @ 6.41pm:

Scratch that WS 45 thing, I just did a reccy to try and get some and they're all gone. Probably snapped up to be ebay'd. A couple of early birds got lucky but other than that I'm afraid you're clean outta luck. If I do come across any then I'll grab 'em but it's unlikely...

While I drift aimlessly waiting for The Sopranos penultimate episode to turn up. Special guest Metal Mike has something to bestow... (originally a myspace post via The Angry Samoans friends compound.)

Holland's CHIPZ on the dutch TOTP show for One Day When I Grow Up, just last fall 2006 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDXUvnsJhZY (Dutch TOTP, One Day When I Grow Up / CHIPZ, 2006) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gErEAyoR97Q (the original video for the song, also sublimely retarded in a great way)

the TOTP clip = this is absolutely fucking insane, almost dada-esque. the 2 guys in CH!PZ (it's a 2 girls/2 guys pop group that formed barely a nanosecond after the A*Teens broke up, but without any real singer(s) unlike the greatest pop group ever next to ABBA, the duhhh A*Teens) -- are REALLY into it. i mean they're like fucking crazed on pep pills or something. are they gay? straight like the 2 guys in the A*Teens were? (and therefore w/a subtext of hustling or impressing the opposite sex). i now really need to know the "back story" on the personalties on this band. they can REALLY fucking dance, too. my eyes bugged out when I realized this group is doing = a 4-person version of the old MTV Say What Karoke HALL OF FAME ROUND (all seasons' winners, head to head against each other) champions, the greatest MTV SWK act ever, the lunatic LeeJay, Ernesto, & Christine from long beach (two of them executed more or less planned/choreographed stuff, while the third member/second guy just went nuts/crazy like a lunatic, breakdancing or just rolling around and/or making wild movements around the perimeter).

if you do not know who LeeJay, Ernesto & Christine are/were, you know nothing about the highest level of performing arts and you should probably go back to Summer School 101, aka "Rock And Roll = It Was DANCE music!!" but anyway the 2F/ M singing/dancing quartet in Holland's awesomely awesome CHIPZ all DO DIFFERENT STEPS/MOVEMENTS when dancing. and they're reallly fucking good, ie athletic. so it looks WILD (4 people not in one bit duplicating any 1 of the other 3's steps/movements), but at the same time extremely energetic and professional.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5Hmw0gB1RA&mode=related&search= http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hFBXyqLnUE&mode=related&search=

(TV clips of CHIPZ, One Two Three) more TV clips of CH!PZ dancing like loopy madmen fucking genius. the guy with the long--ish hair (a beatles haircut) is insane. he is REALLY INTO THIS SHIT, ie the performing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UabqZJhoZm8&mode=related&search= (store promo) should you doubt my "insane" theory, here is a record store promo (on clip) with "Mr Insane" on camera offstage i need to see his astrology chart! need to talk to his mother! his brother! his schoolmates! how did such a one of a kind human male mutant come to exist? oh wait.

HOLLAND. both AQUA (the amazingly great "barbie girl" album AQUARIUM) and their great clone TOY-BOX (the equally great FANTASTIC album from 1999) were based in Denmark. (and Lene of Aqua was a Norweigan transplant) wow, the CHIPZ Greatest Hitz album (16 songs) is not only the greatest pop/dance album of the last umpteen years, and a mandatory item for every pop/bubblegum/bubblegumdance fan ever but it's like Holland's refraction of the old Aqua/Toy-Box precursor and the DJUMBO album JUMP is even better (all their songwriting/production/playing/recording for DJUMBO, is done by a two-man writing/playing/production team = auteur theory at work at its highest!)

their "dancing" is so bad as to be hysterical/cute but that's a different story. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PE0w_UfpNmc (Djumbo Jump video) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtIm2umbOKc (the Eyahe single, great hit song when played with full stereo volume)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQCaOEKUtCc (supermarket in-store) omg good lord the dancing is so godawful it's almost cute. skinny white chicken arms flailing -- euros living up to their "worst dancers in the world" rep, yep.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcTTyci3Pa0 (Undercover but not the orig video, a pastiche live-candid thing) all of this pales compared to the coolest pop/rock song ever, a No. 1 hit in Year 2000 Germany http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usSlUG3jvBM Skaterboy / JUNIA (long BEFORE avril dork's song)

-- metal mike 6/ 1 / 2007

Some new blog action you should check out...

The ARChive of Contemporary Music featuring Mssrs Hammer and Phast.

Robert Barry Francos (of Ffanzeen fame) is now online.

Lost-in-Tyme (thanks to Mr H for this link, if you figured YouTube was a rabbithole...)

Time for some air I reckon...

Checking out stuff here and there and keep getting distracted. I'm anxious about how The Sopranos is panning out. I read something that kind of disturbed me which I won't share because it may irk you also. So I put on the Au Revoir Simone album "The Bird Of Music" not expecting much of anything. I saw them when HS was on a co-bill at The Water Rats last November and never really got it. It was too loud and too monotonous in that room, a pity because the soundcheck sounded pretty darn groovy. Plus it's not realistic to expect anyone to follow Annika + co, as you know...

Anyway, this is a cool little summer breeze not unlike an altered Strawberry Switchblade. It's also like Martin Rev programming The ShangriLas. A couple of weeks after that London show they got in tow with David Lynch when he was doing a book signing. This also recalls his "Floating Into The Night" Julee Cruise period. Not as haunting but similarly hypnotic. I can hear now how he'd be smitten. So i'm not sure it works live but I think I'm gonna be coming back to this over the weeks to come. Christ, it might even make it out to the car tomorrow morning...

What was with that "Punk" Seven Ages of Rock travesty that aired on BBC2 last night?

Not only chronologically deficient, the whole thing was just a mess. History being reduced to bite-sized misinformation and yet another example of The Voidoids being mistaken for Television. This series has been "critically acclaimed" but in actuality does the documentary form an extreme disservice. And Charles Shaar Murray, I can't believe that he's indicted in the morass. But anyway, what the heck. It was good to see Joey and Johnny on TV for an instant but not to even mention the Dolls and The MC5 was utter sacrilege. The Stooges got one mention via the Pistols. Dearie feckin' me...

And loosely related to several ages of something or other, I found a tour itinerary book for Television among a pile of other stuff. I didn't realise that the band's first UK show was in Glasgow. I'm fairly sure they hadn't played in London prior to that but could be mistaken.?There's also a Verlaine autograph on NBT paper... I remember him being somewhat obnoxious but he was a punk, right? Ha ha. Also found a couple of Christmas cards from 1979 and 1981 from one Steven Morrissey and also postcards from Jim Kerr as Simple Minds made their way around the world. One from New York and another from Berlin from whence Young Jim claims he drew Noddy on the Berlin Wall with lime green chalk. Now that's rock'n'roll...

Sounds in the Suburbs present

VIC GODARD & the SUBWAY SECT + BRICOLAGE

at

GLASGOW ACCIES CLUB

23 June 2007, 8pm - Helensburgh Drive, Jordanhill, Glasgow, G13 1RR

Cost : £10

Tickets available from Alan -0780 444 7511

Email: soundsinthesuburbs@hotmail.co.uk.

VIC GODARD & the SUBWAY SECT
The 7th of May, 1977: This is the date when everything changed forever, as the Clash’s “White Riot” tour hit Edinburgh. However, it wasn’t the Clash that connected with a bunch of teenage punks in the audience who would go on to form the fulcrum of “the Sound of Young Scotland”; it was Vic Godard & the Subway Sect. Their ramshackle grey-glare/treble-to-the-max guitar sound was THE major influence on Postcard Records’ Orange Juice & Josef K, and Fast Product’s Fire Engines. In recent years, Vic’s output has been more sporadic. 2002’s “Sansend” being his last release. However, a new recording of the tracks that were scheduled to appear on the original debut Subway Sect album, is about to be released. This album was scrapped by Vic’s then manager, the notorious Bernie Rhodes, and has remained in the vaults ever since. In the 1990s, Vic Godard reignited his Scottish connection when he signed to the rescusitated Postcard Records for the Edwyn Collins produced “End of the Surrey People”. This Scottish connection continued when Vic hooked up with the Creeping Bent Organisation in 1999 to release a 7”, “Place We Used To Live”. Vic started working with Creeping Bent outfit The Leopards around this time, this resulted in some of his best recordings and gigs. His 1998 performance at Glasgow’s CCA, where he headlined a Creeping Bent event that also featured Adventures in Stereo and The Secret Goldfish, was truly legendary. More detailed information at http://www.vicgodard.com/

BRICOLAGE
Bricolage released their debut limited edition 7”, “Footsteps”, on the Creeping Bent label in June 2006. Since then, a further limited edition 7”(“Looting Takes The Waiting Out of Wanting”) has been released, this time on the Fantastic Plastic label in March this year. The group is now signed to the Memphis Industries label, July sees their first fully flown single release, “The Waltzers”. Bricolage are the latest in a lineage of Scottish pop groups influenced by the genius of Vic Godard. Live excursions have seen Bricolage support an eclectic array of artists (1990s, Long Blondes, Fire Engines, Sun Ra’s Arkestra), however anticipation in the camp about supporting Vic is reaching fever pitch. www.myspace.com/bricolagetheband

That's this Tuesday coming and a week tomorrow (Sunday)... book here!

So, this seems to be working again... once again dependancy on this sodding box in the corner of my living room has given me cause for concern. On a more upbeat note, my Roky ticket arrived.

Check out this short tribute to BBC Radio Scotland in Queen Margaret Drive by Tom Morton. I think the move to all purpose hell-hole on the south side is complete. I know a lot of you folks that read this have been there, some have worked there and some have some damn good memories from there. There's even a shot of the "Geezer Butler" courtyard but not one of the big studio where they did orchestra recording etc. The first time I was ever in there was in 1967 or something, with my father when he was recording with Muirhead and Sons Pipe Band. I wonder what will happen to that and sincerely hope it becomes a soundstage as was mooted.

The end of yet another era is upon us and Byres Road may never be the same again...

Damn. I can't access the posting page on my home pc but it works here... the investigation will continue but there seems to be no obvious reason as to why this would be.

Anyways, Tom Phobic has kindly supplied the following and I'm off to wreck a computer...

New York Loose - Dirty Water Club London 18th May 2007

"Oh Yeah! Make some calls - I'm going out - put some lipstick on my mouth and if you snub me - well, I don't care you can't tell me where to go, I'll go anywhere - and they say I'm a BITCH - well go on call me a BITCH -I guess I'm a BITCH if you say so.. "

So begins a gig I've been waiting for the best part of a decade for, the memory is spluttering trying to remember. It feels like a fucking decade tonight just waiting for the support bands to get on and off, and, as sometimes happens at the Dirty Water Club, the night overruns to the extent that people have to leave before they get to see the band they came out for. I'm not moaning, I know the drill and the odd hour between friends makes no odds to me. However, bass player Tommy Spencer (ex Yo Yo's) has recently broken up with his girlfriend and has filled the time apparently drinking the entire rider single handedly to ease his broken heart, and coupled with the ever delaying stage time all is not ticketyboo in the NY Loose camp.

A preamble ramble ... The current band comprises founder member and native New Yorker, Brijitte West on vocals n battered white SG and baseball boots, who should need no introduction to NBT readers as Mr Hutton has been flying the NYL flag for some time. On guitar, another former Yo Yo, Rich Jones, whose CV and reputation goes before him. (All you need to know is Rich was a founder member of Canadian Uber Glamsleazepunks The Black Halos). Finally, squaring the magic circle, on drums is the mysterious Laura Fares, 24 years old and all the way from Buenos Aires! Brijitte reckons she's an amazing drummer and that is tonight's understatement!

Those in need of a history lesson should immediately (you can finish this later) click this link http://www.myspace.com/nyloose and check out NYL in their glory, maximum rock n fucking roll guaranteed and a few choice videos to boot. Back to business, BITCH, the debut 45 from the 90's is as fitting a set opener as you could wish for, beautifully bastardized Personality Crisis riffola, smart lyrics (see above) and more attitude than a South London Comprehensive School. Walk Out quickly follows - brave choice as it's a brand new song, but it fits in seamlessly. My first (addled) impression is it tells of Brijitte jumping off the industry image focused rock n roller coaster, tired of LA hogwash and heading for these septic isles for repair. Luckiest Girl is dispatched with gusto and Tommy's availability is announced from the stage, to which he responds by trying to gee up the crowd. Mess of Myself, the second debut of the night never misses a beat and seems a companion song to Walk Out Brijitte writes from the heart and the guts, base emotions and feelings, with and about love, hate, kicks, betrayal, disillusion, confusion, and pain, we all wanna be 16 forever, but sometimes growing up is a box worth ticking. Life's short got that pen ready? Detonator and Broken from the Year of the Rat album ring familiar, and smiles increase in the vicinity, the latter coulda bin writ up in the confession box an a more hook laden toon you’d be hard pressed to find. Tommy is still trying to work the crowd as Long Island Lolita the third and final debutant, chugs out of the PA and the requests come thick and fast. Rip me up does what it says on the label and the band return for Pretty Suicide which, if there was any justice on this planet would have been one of THE biggest hits of the last decayed decade.

Writing this and looking back, I must have dreamed that they played Monolith Kids, but I got the set list from Brijitte and it aint there so blame it on the booze. 9 songs whizzed by, I woulda been happy for another half hour, but for openers this left the punter wanting more, which after all is a good thing. When you take into account the years of ring rust, new line up, late running and poor Tommy's achy breaky heart, tonight the New York Loose were flawed, but not floored! I stole that line from an old review of Johnny Thunders So Alone album by the way, only steal from the best, kids! With a few gig under their collective belts this outfit are more than capable of smoking most, if not all punk pretenders, and I'm fucking glad people are giving due respect to one of the most influential and overlooked bands of their era. NYLoose kicked the doors down for femme fronted classic punkrawk/pop but unfortunately never benefited from it themselves, while a host of inferior watered down copycat bands gained chart success.However, the desperate hopeful can find solace and succor in the long awaited recently released retrospective album aptly entitled Born To Loose which covers pretty much everything you'll need from the first 7-inch singles, the Loosen Up EP, rare tracks and a slew of unreleased stuff. And you DO need this. Get ya card out now and click here! www.fwmusicstore.co.uk

THE GO-GO makes its 4th comeback on Saturday 2nd June, upstairs at Studio 24, Calton Road, Edinburgh. DJ's Tall Paul Robinson and Angus are itching to get back on the decks to unleash as much 60's and retro-riotous-rocking'n'rolling-rippin'it up-records as will fit in between the hours of 11pm and 3am.

Expect 60's garage, mod, beat, soul, ska, sleazy-listening, groovy soundtracks, psychedelia, girl groups, French pop, and punk (Ramones, Buzzcocks, Cramps, Fall - kinda thing).

£5 which also includes entry to Retribution Rock Club

Been thinking about ways to keep this interesting for me as well as you folks. To remain as some sort of filter to hopefully separate the wheat from the guff is paramount. However, as my attention span disintegrates daily, it's been a chore lately. Perhaps it's an age thing. Maybe it's the sheer volume (as in quantity, not decibel level) of rubbish that one has to navigate through on a minute by minute basis. Chances are it's a cumulative total of a whole raft of evils that come together to suck the will to live right out of one's being but then a song like "Overdosing With You" comes along and for the 2.41 running time, all the nonsense fades into the background. Click here to hear it for yourself on the BTV myspace.

Another day, another dollar. Almost literally. And no new Sopranos episode this week to glint away at the end of the long, dank tunnel today. Are you familiar with the expression "I can't be arsed" ? I'm pretty sure you are. More later if this thing isn't so slugglish. I'm talking about the computer now, not me. Although it's a photo finish surely.

Greetings Friend,
Please join Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co. this week at Otto's Shrunken Head for a large helping of near-patented "Ballads, Boogies & Blues" -- not to mention a free drawing of near-fabulous prizes, conducted by the mysterious and alluring Raffle Girl! On hand, as always, will be your barkeep Pam, DJ Scratchy ("He's Square...He's Yellow...He's Solid State!") and snack bowls brimming with salty goodness. And, believe it or not, no cover charge. Crazy, huh?
THURSDAY, MAY 31st /

OTTO'S SHRUNKEN HEAD TIKI BAR & LOUNGE / http://www.ottosshrunkenhead.com/ /
538 East 14th Street (just west of Avenue B) in ol' Manhattan, NYC / Two B-I-G shows, from 8:00 sharp until 10:00 / No cover!
Yours truly- Michael, Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co. "Ballads, Boogies & Blues".

Friday seems like an eternity ago, particularly because it was a day off. A precious commodity that tend to become soured because when you go back there’s always some petty, snidey interference stinking up the place.

Anyway, the Robbie show in Glasgow was a masterclass in everything that’s good and pure and right about music in general. To paraphrase Cher’s mate, Meat. The songs, the stories and the chutzpah are just three of the things that make this guy top notch, with or without a band. This solo show ran nigh on two hours and felt like 10 minutes (or indeed 5 if you read this Herald review) I think that pretty much says it all in my advanced stages of ADD. If you aren’t lucky enough to be located close to an upcoming show then grab his “Revenge” doublepack because it is indeed “sweet” in the Eric Cartman sense. And never sickly. If anybody who was there is looking to get a hold of the song “Godfrey” then this link will take you to it.

Saturday was the second day of Le Weekend in Stirling, Bill Wells/Norman Blake etc. had played on Friday night. It kicked off with a screening of two episodes of “This Is Our Music” introduced by Andres Lokko. The first of these was Maher Shahal Haz Baz and was followed up by another about Little Wing. The bizarre world Tijuana brass of Mahar is always worth a drop-in and they have a show in Glasgow at Mono on June 6th.

I’m not convinced the “Little Wing” episode wasn’t some elaborate hoax, a grizzled beardy surfer “dude” of the slacker folk variety channelling both Mark and Mike from “American Movie”. These were commissioned my MTV Europe that makes the concept even more peculiar. Caught a couple of songs by Richard Youngs who seemed enthral the audience but not me. What he was attempting to do went over my napper at some considerable altitude. It was short ordeal but fairly traumatic. Tour managing the Swedish cultural attaché, I was relieved when he decided he’s had enough also, possibly thanks to the Tolbooth’s not exactly comfortable auditorium seating. Got home in time to catch “The Station Agent” which nullified the new age heedrum hawdrum.


Incidental music in the bar was provided by Mr McRobbie. This added some depth and pop shade to the experimental nature of some of the beast. Prior to hitting the venue we stopped by the Design It Yourself exhibit. Pretty good with some Marc Baines and Aggie Wright stuff on show as well as examples of Raymond Pettibon stuff from the collection of Dep Downie. There a facility for kids to get some hands-on DIY going and this runs at The Changing Room in Stirling until June 9th. Didn’t make it in time to catch the Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra so today’s shot of culture began with a film about Cornelius Cardew’s Scratch Orchestra by Luke Fowler. The main event for much of the people there was the debut UK performance by Nagisa Ni te from Japan. I never heard their records but was pleasantly disturbed by their Galaxy 500 augmented by Dave Gilmour sonicisms. It was clean as a whistle and at points very loud. I had been told to expect some Neil Youngisms, those were presumably the few grungier guitar breaks. Get these folks onto Jools Holland watch them go. The many millions who would dig this have no pipeline to even knowing they exist. I especially liked the touch of the necklace on the cymbal that made the percussive element shimmer. Very cool.

Which brings us to Justice Yeldham. Normally I’d be at home half asleep after the Emmerdale/Coronation St action or possibly in front of this bloody computer. However I’m watching an Australian guy with a passing resemblance to Lester Bangs making farting noises with a piece of amplified, unburnished glass in the shape of a sharks fin. Let’s consult the programme for a second… “a not to be missed contortion of the idea of physical noise music”. Er, well this antipodean government funded extremism is only really dangerous to the extent that the guy appears to draw blood as he creates pedal-induced noise from his “instrument”. It’s like hip-hop percussion, some fearsome noises but ultimately, really, how do you arrive at the fact that this is what you want to do with your life? It’s part Jim Rose, part dearie me. I decide that I don’t know about art and decide to leave because I thought there was another 15 to suffer. As it is, the performance only lasts for as long as the glass holds out which on this occasion was a further 5 minutes. Ever get the feeling you were cheated?

And finally, tired and emotional is perhaps not the best way to approach an encounter with The Thing + Zu. A 6 piece scando-italian fusion of brute energy that includes Mats Gustavsson who as you may know has appeared on records by The Nomads. This is more formative avant extremism with a free jazz slant and Electric bass duels with stand up bass. Drums vs drums whilst the saxophones wail as only those beasts can. The resultant howl is as visceral as you’d expect. Not pretty and not conventional but it’s so tight as to be like a display by the red arrows. Provided the pilots were way over the permitted decibel level. There was something distinctly military about the deconstruction of proven musical paths. Evidently two drummers doesn’t necessarily mean that it’ll make you sound like the glitter band. Particularly when both guys sound like a proverbial drum corps on their own. Just before we head out into the night, they burn down “The Witch” like Big Jay McNeely being cloned and jamming with Teenage Jesus. No wave skronk seldom comes as cleansing as this, particularly out of a tunnel that often recalls Morricone crime jazz. Not sure how this would sound on cd, I doubt if your building would withstand the necessary volume but live it’ll strip paint and I unreservedly recommend a tussle should you get the opportunity. I’ll close this on the tip I came in on. Robbie Fulks once said that Country Music isn’t pretty. Well neither was this but, as you know, cosmetics are far from being everything.

Woah, I imagine this clocks in as being Monday now in blogtime? I'm running on fumes here and just don't have the energy to file a report at the minute. Some of us have to work tomorrow and the Swedish cultural attache returns to Stockholm. Wish I could figure out some way to make a swop but somehow I don't think I'd pass for him and would be rumbled sharpish. Just got back from the last night of Le Weekend and will ponder that and get back to you in due course...

Robbie Fulks played a thrill-packed 2 hour show last night at the ABC2 in Glasgow. If you're anywhere within a hundred mile radius of The Cluny in Newcastle tonight then get yourself down there. All 360 degrees of entertainment and then some await those who enter...

Short and sweet today... just a reminder that Robbie Fulks is in Glasgow tonight at the ABC2.
Nothing much else to report except that all doing well, I'll pick up my Hello saferide 7"'s today and not having to schlepp across to the stalag is deffo a bonus. Divnae plan to be back in front of this thing until at least the wee small hours but you never know...

The latest news courtesy of Mark Hagen...

ALAN VEGA

Live at the Roundhouse 16th June

New album – Station - out now
The legendary Alan Vega plays a rare UK solo date on June 16th at London’s Roundhouse.
There cannot be many artists about whom it can be said that, after 37 years on the musical frontline, they are making their most vitally impassioned and fiercely radical music to date. Such is the case with Alan Vega and his new solo album, Station. Five years in the making, Vega’s 10th solo release is a blistering statement of intent from a rock’n’roll shaman whose work has always stretched parameters, managing to defy expectations at every turn.

As Vega himself says, “Station represents a kind of culmination point for me. It gathers up many of the elements that have been in my previous work and takes them all the way. In some ways, it’s my most truthful record in that I’m now at the age where it’s easier for me to listen to my own heart-beat and act on it creatively.”

Vega presents Station Live at Roundhouse Freedom Room, Camden, London.
£7 - No Advance tickets
8pm - 11pm
Support from HTRK & Special Guests + DJ's

Not much time to blog tonight. Too busy trying to get things in order for the arrival of the Swedish Cultural Attache tomorrow. However, Mondosean has two spare tickets for the Roky show in London and is looking to hook them up (No Evil Wildlife pun intended) with someone who hasn't scored theirs yet at face value. Located in the front section of the upper stalls, state your intentions to Sean via trashisneat@yahoo.com

BEN VAUGHN... TONIGHT IN LA

05/22/2007 - 9:00PM sharp! 21+

Town & Country Tuesday@ EL CID in Silverlake 4212 Sunset, Silverlake
Ben Vaughn's Desert Classic/The Neighborhood Bullys/Jay & Bosco from 50 Cent Haircut

06/09/2007 - 9:30PM

BRENNAN'S PUB4089 Lincoln Blvd.Marina Del Rey, CA 90292(310) 821-6622
Ben Vaughn Desert Classic

EVERY FRIDAY!

WEEKLY WEVL RADIO SHOW... THE MANY MOODS OF BEN VAUGHN

Listen to 89.9FM WEVL in Memphis, TN.& LIVE ONLINE www.wevl.org
7:00-8:00PM EAST COAST (online only)6:00-7:00PM CENTRAL TIME (89.9fm WEVL & online)5:00-6:00PM MOUNTAIN TIME (online only) 4:00-5:00PM PACIFIC TIME (online only) CLICK HERE to access the audio archive & playlists!

Today started off badly and maintained a plateau until approximately 4.30pm. I was ready to get up at 5am but for some reason fell back asleep. This meant that my customary guddle about with e-mail, breakfast, etc. was unceremoniously truncated. In amongst not being entirely awake I was bemoaning the unavailability of The Animal Five's "We Will Die At The Same Time" by any other means than download.

Whilst I may relent and get it that way, it's still a pain and marks the first real break with tradition. Not that I care about cds but at least that was a vessel. A track itself is not and no matter how fandabbi any particular song is, the way to really have it hit home it to provide some kind of tactile information with it. I don't want that on a computer screen to print anything out on my home printer. I hear a whisper of "well, sod you then". You see, I don't have an iPod or a phone that doubles as one. I do have a walkman mp3 player but that's about it. Or I can play music over the crummy speakers from my desktop but neither of those would do it the justice that a stereo could. The quality of a download is not up to scratch, even at the high end. Sonically it doesn't cut it. It's OK as a guide, to cajole you into wanting it but it doesn't follow through. These buggers that tell you these "docking stations" are great have a vested interest. Or maybe they're deficient in the lug'ole department? I'm old, cranky and I want the sensory gratification of the hardware. It's the only tangible nod to landfill that I'm willing to make so let me head off into the sunset harbouring these beliefs.

"It's the future" my sage old mucker told me when I protested. "Bollocks to the future", was my retort. The master of wit and repartee rests his wobbly, battered case.

Säkert! on Swedish TV show "Stina" performing the new single live. Click on the link that says "Program 8 - Stina!". When the view browser appears, shove or push (whichever you prefer) the wee slider along to approximately the 53rd minute and you're there. (Thanks to Mr Ulf for the link)

BMX Bandits headline day one of NYC Popfest 2007 this coming Thursday... 24 May @ 98-104 Meserole Ave., Brooklyn, NY11222. New album "Bee Stings" out in Japan now on PVline, due for Euro-release on Revola during the summer.

Having a little bother with the motivation at the minute. I’ve been watching Season Two of Entourage and The Sopranos when I should probably be blogging. E2 I got from Mr H as a loaner, what a great show. Still having problems with e-mail and non-delivery or whatever. I don’t have the means of investigating the condition any further. I’m burned out on it. Truth be told I’m burned out on a lot of things but let's make inroads into what’s been happening sonically inside the bunker of late.

Missing The Scientists recent shows around Europe was a bit of a pisser. Still, you cannae always get what you want and all that. I found some solace in the mini-album by Boris Sujdovic entitled "Fuzz Machine" just released by the Basque Country based Bang imprint. If Philip Spector produced the aforementioned Rev and Vega with sundry Scientist and Cramp flavourings then this could have been the result. It out Stooges "The Weirdness" by a muckle mile and beats The Mary Chain at their own game. Absolutely relentless. Doktor Avalanche evidently has a cousin down under yonder and ol’ Boris is David Essex from the darkest side imaginable. Bang has also issued Salmon, a mega-slab of guitar orchestration which should be played loud enough to strip paint.

Hanging in with Australia, Capital City’s “Bad Money” kicks off with a glammish stomp that recalls The Reigning Sound in “Let’s Throw Our Love Away”. This latest In-Fidelity crew tweak all the right nipples and I bet these songs really fly when performed onstage. They’re almost too big for just a tiny cd. “Come On and Work For The Lord” conjures up a Gun Club vibe in a way that you’ll have to hear to believe. Want to hear the ides of “Heroin” turned into a folk-rocker? Then check out “Beggar Please”. The Capital City moniker really hides these folks light under a bushel and they swing with that considerable charm that made Stoneage Romeos so special to us.

My Buddy Moose are from Croatia and their album on dancing Bear was produced by the great Dalibor Pavičić of The Bambi Molesters. It’s like Lloyd Cole fronting Loaded era Velvets channelling some Greg Cartwright sound-craft. There are several folk elements and also accordion also and it all combines to create a somewhat unique yet familiar stew. Any group that has the balls to call an original song “Heartbreak Hotel” and better yet pull it off, has to be doing something right. Check ‘em out on myspace if you feel you’re having your chain yanked. (Thanks to Bigor for hooking me up with this)

The Micragirls “Feeling Dizzy Honey” will feed any ongoing jones for gal garage kicks. It drives long like a three-wheeled jalopy with a primal thrust you just don’t hear too often. Organ charged, fuzzed up and frugging ready for anything – these three Finnish ladies look like butter wouldn’t melt. But, looks can be deceiving and whatever they’re taking to work up this frenzied ruckus probably isn’t available on any prescription. “My My Micraboy” would have made Joey Ramone smile, can you think of a higher accolade? Low on fi but big on spirit and heart, check ‘em out on Bone Voyage Recordings.

Similarly no frills is Thee Fine Lines “Set You Straight” which sounds like it was made to be blasted out of a transistor radio. Not one of those digital things that are becoming all the rage. Once again, I don’t recognise the comparisons with Billy Childish. There’s not a whiff of the impressionism that pervades much of that guys work. I feel kind like BC is the opposite side of the Paul Weller coin, this 3-piece on the other hand deliver short sharp jolts of primo garage-punk not unlike our own Thanes. Based in Skele-country - Springfield, Mo – they have that extra edge that evidently comes from whatever is put in the water there. Lou Whitney once told me it was “the buckle on the bible belt”. If that’s the case they sure have a way with the devils music. Available now on cd and vinyl from Licorice Tree.

By this time next week it'll be all over. I'm talking about Robbie Fulks visit to Glasgow. Folks in Newcastle can catch him at The Cluny the night after but that's it. The man is flying in specifically to exact "Revenge" on Northern Britain, thanks to Kevin Morris, the man that's flying the "Billy Kelly Services To Americana" flag in these difficult times. The visit will coincide with the release of the man's double live set on Yep Roc. You'll be able to buy a copy from him in person at either show. Provided stocks last of course. Check out Robbie's notes on the material from the record. Hear Cher's "Believe" like you never heard it before! Lumps in the throat don't come any more choking than the version of "The Buck Starts Here" captured here and then there's "Let's Kill Saturday Night", a song that should be raking in airplay royalties in Eagles/Tom Petty-sized vanloads. " I like Being Left Alone" is one of a handful of new tunes that get an airing and looks set to become a crowd pleaser as only RF can stack 'em up.

I don't urge people to do much but don't miss this rare opportunity to catch one of the real greats in full flight. Friday (25th) in Glasgow and Saturday (26th) in Newcastle. Some music really can transcend and this guy has all your bases covered. If you reckon different then you really shouldn't be reading this.

So it's Joey's birthday. Can it really be 6 years + since he passed? Jings.

I'm sure all of the folks that attend the shindig at Irving Plaza tonight will have a high ol' time. An event even more poignant because of his mother joining him earlier this year.

Was going to try and catch the 12.40 screening of Zodiac but can't really find the energy. Maybe tomorrow or then again... might be an opportunity to catch up on what I've been meaning to blog. I'm kind of sick of the sound of my own keypad but we'll see how it goes.

Meanwhile, here are a few links to keep you amused...

Shock and Awe vs Paul Research = Chinese Rocks

Wonder how the NYL show went last night... meanwhile check out the Ferriday Fireball's ("the world's best forgotten boys") shakedown of "Loose".

Ex-Shadowy Man Don Pyle's photo exhibit

Los Coyotemen do The Ramones

Tulsarama (link courtesy of Art Fein)

Every home should have this (link courtesy of Tony Thewlis)

That'll keep you going for now. Some review action coming up sooner or later.

THE STAR SPANGLES will be at Fontana’s, NYC

(105 Eldridge St. between Broome and Grand)

on Thursday, May 24th, 10pm

Tickets: a mere $6

Their second album, “Dirty Bomb” out now on Tic Records

CD available at CDBaby

Downloads available at Amie St. and Myspace

and don't forget the good ol' NY rock of The New York Loose at the Dirty Water Club tomorrow night (Friday 18th) and tell Brijitte + Co we sent you!

Gary Lucas @ Tivoli De Helling, Utrecht 16/052007

Just got back from catching Lucas & Co. playin’ only two blocks away from HQ.
Truth be told it was the “& Co.” part that made me venture outside once again, as Mr Lucas backing band consisted of Jerry Harrison (Modern Lovers/Talking Heads), Billy Ficca (Television) and Ernie Brooks (Modern Lovers).
As for Gary, I’m only familiar with the stuff he did with Captain Beefheart, but just one Google search makes it obvious that the guy has been very prolific over the years.

Upon entry it was sad to learn that Harrison wasn’t there, since he apparently lost his passport and was still stuck in NYC... Still, two out of three wasn’t too bad. Ficca bein’ one of the best skin beaters I’ve ever witnessed, and Brooks fully able to anchor whatever rhythms with his fluid bass playin’. So it was too bad that Gary Lucas turned up his guitar histrionics at least twice as loud as the rest of the band (bad enough for the rhythm section, but there was absolutely no audio on the saxophone guy that seemed to pump a lot of air around durin’ their set) Highlights were few ‘n far between, and generally appeared when Lucas took a break from playin’ as many notes as possible, most notably in their take of Abdullah Ibrahim’s Bra Joe From Kilimanjaro. But I also dug the moment where some Jack Johnson-era Miles Davis tune gave way to Suicide’s Rocket USA via a short twist and that same duo’s Cheree... Anyways, I guess they’d be more organized with Harrison in tow, so Dutch readers might wanna check 'em out in Amsterdam tomorrow night...

Hey nana!
The Stripchords return to the stage this Friday, May 18th, at Paul Ronney-Angel's massively popular Gypsy Hotel club, situated at Barden's Boudoir, on the Dalston/Stoke Newington borders... The Flaming Stars will be headlining on Friday, dishing up a heavy fug of noir beat exhalations, with The Stripchords party - including hula go-go queens Mizz Lager Shandy & Mizz Stephanie, plus Mr Bishop's saucy flicks - following close behind (as it were)... Fresh from a swing across Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia and Arkansas, our own BigKegShandy will also be dishing up some flighty blues, soul and R&B discs, including Ruby & The Party Gang's immortal "Hey Ruby (Shut Your Mouth)", and Johnny & The House Wreckers' "Johnny's House Party Part II"...
See you at the bar-re-bar?!?!?!?!
Selah
The Stripchords
------------------
The Gypsy Hotel
18 May
Barden's Boudoir
38-44 Stoke Newington Road, Londinium, London N16 Cost : £6.66
Time: 8pm
More info from www.myspace.com/gypsyhotel

Hello Saferide marked the release or the Regal single with two shows in London on Monday and Tuesday. Douglas Firs has filed the following report about Monday night. There are also great photos from the show here.

“Four band bills. Does anyone have the attention span for such a thing? Thinking that Maia Hirasawa was on first I got down there early but found out she wouldn’t be onstage until 9pm. The first lot were ok and harboured some agreeable enough Americana leanings. No idea what they were called though. Second up was Raymond and Maria, not a duo but a group. Also from Sweden even although they look (and sound) like they might come from Glasgow. Very well and good but the kids (me) are getting a jones for the two acts that I’m here to see.

Maia’s set was augmented by her being joined onstage by Jeanette Lindstrom on keyboards and exquisite harmonies. Ms Hirasawa commands a respect that means that people don’t talk when she’s playing. She should find a way of bottling that because it’s a real art. The new single “Gothenburg” was especially hymnal. By the time it got to “And I Found This Boy”, she owned the audience.

Annika Norlin had spent the day playing the role of a trappist monk. She didn’t talk for 10 hours in a bid to save her voice for the show. HS offer a much needed and heartfelt rush of adrenalin to the pop bloodstream. Now I understand what the guy who usually writes on this thing is on about. Even with the lurghi, this girl gives 150% in between swigs of straight olive oil. I mean Peter, Bjorn and the other fella make perfectly good music but this is on an entirely more elevated plateau. Two youngish guys were just to the side of me and they clapped and hollered their way along with the HS express. One was wearing a Blue Oyster Cult T-shirt and the other one a replica of the Pistols cowboys apparel. That made a statement of potential to me as it might to regular readers of this thing. When all is said and done and all the pigeonholes in the world have been nailed up there is only good and bad music. HS deal in the finest quality in times when reality isn’t even real anymore. From rambunctious to stately quiet, this band is capable of it all and they’ve barely started. To become obsessive about them will become compulsory.”

Some guys, like Robert Palmer once said, have all the luck. All of this took place on the day that marked the 31st anniversary of my scoring the first Ramones album at Harlequin in Dean Street. "Introducing Hello Saferide" is capable of inducing similar symptoms albeit in a different format. Annika Norlin's lyrics propelled by this band or just played gently in acoustic mode are equally potent. Hopefully they'll come back to Scotland soon.

Cyberforces are conspiring to cause further problems and I've exhausted all possible avenues of being able to fix it for now. I'm getting e-mail via the blog here from people who are wondering why they never heard from me via the regular channel. The answer is that I have no idea. It's not ending up as junk, the filter is set to medium to try and block as many viagra/stock market messages as possible and it doesn't seem to be bouncing.

If anybody out there knows what the cause and indeed cure might be then please, clue me in.

Check out The Bantams (tip courtesy of JD King)

Dave Davis' Vox Ac30 on Ebay! (Collection only in London)

Imagine the surprise of going into the paper shop this morning and finding out that there's a free Punk cd with The Sunday Times? Anyway it's a taster thing for the Babylon's Burning box (more of which another time) and contains Pistols, Damned, Blondie, an acoustic version of Wreckless Eric's "Whole Wide World" and Jonathan Richman's "Roadrunner". It also has The Stranglers and X Ray Spex but you can't win 'em all. If any overseas readers want a copy of this thing then e-mail me before 2pm GMT and I'll see if I can scare up a copy. The cost of the paper is £1.90 so it'd be that plus whatever the postage works out as. there's a Part 2 next week! Society is crumbling but it might as well do so to a decent soundtrack I suppose.

The same publication also sez that the Hello Saferide 45 out tomorrow is "Sublime scando motown". That it is. Order your copy here...

Still having intermittent connection problems and it appears that this is something we'll all have to live with for now.

JAY REATARD on TOUR!

wed - May 16 Amsterdam -- VPRO
23:20 -- 23:45 CETLIVE on internet radio and tv!
http://3voor12.vpro.nl/speler/tv/11998947

thu - May 17 afternoon: Hellendoorn -- Dauwpop
thu - May 17 evening: Hoorn -- Manifesto
fri - May 18 Kortrijk -- the Pit's
sat - May 19 Rotterdam -- Waterfront
sun - May 20 Haarlem -- Patronaat (w/ Heartattacks + Makeouts + Quotes)
mon - May 21 Munster -- Gleis 22 (w / Clorox Girls + Feelers)
tue - May 22 Esslingen -- Komma
wed - May 23 Munchen -- Monofaktur (w/ Heartattacks + Makeouts)
thu - May 24 Graz -- Veilchen
fri - May 25 Beograd -- SKC sat
sat - May 26 Crvenka -- Izletiste Potok sun
sun - May 27 Zagreb -- Teatar &TD
tue - May 29 Fidenza -- Taun
wed - May 30 St Etienne -- tbc
thu - May 31 Perpignan -- El Mediator
fri - June 1 Barcelona -- Primavera
sat - June 2 Madrid -- La Pequeña Bety
sun - June 3 Gijon -- Savoy Club
mon - June 4 Bordeaux -- Heretic
tue - June 5 Tours -- Donald's Pub
wed - June 6 Orleans -- Le Marais
thu - June 7 Koln -- Sonic Ballroom
fri - June 8 Eindhoven -- Altstadt
sat - June 9 Speyer -- Flaming Star
mon - June 11 Konstanz -- Contrast
tue - June 12 Darmstadt -- Oetinger Villa
wed - June 13 Utrecht -- Ekko
thu - June 14 Groningen -- Vera
fri - June 15 Kontich -- Lintfabriek
sat - June 16 Paris -- Point Ephemere
sun - June 17 Venlo -- Perron 55
mon - June 18 Klazienaveen -- Sparrow
tue - June 19 Aarhus -- German Jazzchamber
wed - June 20 Oslo -- Kosher Music @ Last Train
thu - June 21 Gothenburg -- Henriksberg
fri - June 22 Stockholm -- Vieille Montagne
sat - June 23 Helsingor -- Elvaerket
sun - June 24 Hamburg -- Beat Club
wed - June 27 Cagliari -- Corto maltese
thu - June 28 Guspini -- Sleepwalkers
fri - June 29 Alghero -- tba
sun - July 1 Rotterdam -- Metropolis

Look out honeys', ' cause he's making a corrie-fisted attempt at dodging the slings and arrows of alleged technology. Expectation is low but cautiously optimistic, so much blogging could conceivably be on the cards for this weekend.

Was sad to hear that Goldrush Records in Perth (here, not the 'stralian one) has closed. It was a great shop and almost singlehandedly carried the torch for Americana and country, etc. in recent years. I hope that whatever John and Barclay end up doing suits 'em down to the ground. I certainly appreciate the services they did to this NBT palaver when the printed version was doing the rounds.

Back after the Tesco run...

To all and anybody within travelling distance of Dusseldorf, tonight's hot ticket!

More info.

So I'm not sure how long this is all gonna stagger along for. Intermittent bouts of terminal sluggishness and just plain frustration can be an explosive combination. What can I tell you?

There's info to convey but the hardware hasn't been playing ball. What worries me more is that when it wasn't here the other evening, it was like somebody had cut off my life support. That's not healthy. Even somebody as blinkered as me can figure that out. Back later. Perhaps.

"we often went to the movies. the screen lit up and we trembled. but more often than not, madeleine and i were disappointed... this wasn’t the film we dreamed of. this wasn’t the total film that each of us had carried within... the film that we wanted to make, or more secretly no doubt... that we wanted to live."

monorail film club presents
jean-luc godard’s masculin féminin
and tout les garcons s’appellent patrick
gft, rose street, glasgow
sunday 20th may 2007, 7pm

introduced by stephen pastel with after film discussion and music in cafe cosmo

I'm off the air blog-wise and can only periodically check e-mail. Not sure how long for.

End of what passes for a public service announcement.

NEW ISSUE OF UGLY THINGS COMING YOUR WAY SOON

225 PAGES THICK THIS TIME, ALMOST A BOOK!

UGLY THINGS - ISSUE #25
224 pages! Perfect bound & full-color glossy cover. The big cover story this time is on THE MUSIC MACHINE, a lengthy feature including interviews with once-silent members Keith Olsen and Mark Landon, plus tons of amazing photos, many previously unpublished. Also a major feature on California garage-psych group THE LIGHT, plus stories on Swedish R&B hooligans THE NAMELOSERS, South African acid rock pioneers FREEDOMS CHILDREN, British freakbeat icons THE ATTACK, Chicago garage rockers THE DIRTY WURDS, Ohio rock & roll punks THE RUBBER CITY REBELS, and mysterious acid folksters PAT KILROY & THE NEW AGE. We also investigate the Latino garage and R&B scene in Colton, California, featuring THE PEASANTS and THE PREMIERS, and the greatest 60s productions of BRIAN ROSS. Also featured are the concluding installments of stories on SWEETWATER and MIKE & THE RAVENS, and exclusive, insight-laden interviews with ROB YOUNGER of RADIO BIRDMAN, DON GALLUCI of THE KINGSMEN, JACKIE DeSHANNON, and writer JON SAVAGE. Plus LOTS MORE, including hundreds of music reissue reviews, plus music-related books and DVDs. Last issue was the biggest yet-this one is EVEN BIGGER!

After many weeks of unseasonably good weather it seems as though we're spiralling back towards winter. I guess that's where "ne'er cast a cloot until May is oot" comes in. At least the waterbeds on legs will go back undercover so it's not all bad. Then there's the mutating viruses. Anyway, I'm still dealing with a dodgy shoulder and have been hunting for stuff in this indisposed state. Did I find what I was digging for? Well no, but I did unearth mucho other stuff and I'm sure what I was looking for will turn up. I believe there was a programme on TV about hoarders last week and wonder why I wasn't asked to appear. Might have a flutter on ebay if it means that some of it could be paired up with folks that might appreciate it enough to free it from a box every now and again.

Then there's the case of the puff candy frankensteins. It's not some group, although maybe it oughtta be. No, this was a chocolate-coated confection made by MacNab Confectionery in Larkhall, Scotchland. They were great and the little newsagent up the top of Foundry Loan in Larbert sold these delicacies. I used to buy them by the box and I found the address of the company with a phone number. So naturally I tried to contact them but they're John (long gone) it seems. "You must have the wrong number" was like a dagger to the heart. I wanted to score some of these sweeties and dust up some memories of a positive variety. To share them with folks across the planet that never had the pleasure. You know whaur good intentions end up now don't you? Must have been a crime to love such frankensteins which leads me to the news that The Dolls are playing Joey's Birthday Bash on May 19th. There still seems to be ticket availability so if you can go along and play tribute to the great man.

I seem to have difficulty getting mail through to aol addresses, they keep bouncing back. Hopefully this is just temporary but its a pain in the hindquarters alright.

The new Spinal Tap "short" is here for your viewing pleasure...

And... THE NEW YORK LOOSE are at the

Dirty Water Club on Friday May 18th

and the day after that...

It’s been a week of peaks and troughs. It’s ended on the former because I now have confirmation of my Roky ticket but I’ll be fidgety until it’s actually in my paw. That’s how it is. And the Scottish election has been the prime example of not being able to organise the proverbial piss-up. For now though we don’t need passports to go over the border. The SNP won by one “seat”. There are some places where that means arse. I heard one guy on the radio refer to the shambles as a “Florida”. That may create a perspective for our overseas readers. Meanwhile we have to live here.

Wish I could get to the bottom of availability on the Hello Saferide 45 that’s due out next week. You can stream it here but it seems to be the best kept secret in pre-sales ever. If you’re in London or Brighton you can see them play then also. Maia Hirasawa will be there too.

And a duet between Annika Norlin and Roky Erickson might seem far-fetched but Säkert is playing Hultsfred so if there really is a god… Can you imagine those voices together? Crikey. So let’s leave it on that upbeat note for a Friday night. It’s all downhill from here.

Doesn't pulling a muscle require some tangible evidence of exertion? I'd certainly have thought it would but that's the opinion of the medical expert I consulted at work. The discomfort is one thing but i'm a little more concerned about not being able to turn my head anymore than 20 degrees to the left. Not good for trying to observe what's going out at junctions and caution doesn't always pay dividends. But anyway, we'll see how it falls. At the minute it's all pain with no iota of gain on the horizon.

So I THOUGHT I’d scored a ticket for Roky. The sale of tickets for Meltdown caused just that at 9am this morning. This online thing is a racket but this is by far the worst experience of it that I've had. You can't follow anything up by phone or get through to a human to check if it all did go through and certainly not while you’re sitting in a sodding open plan office. So I had to wait until I got home tonight to find out that no, it hadn't gone through whereupon I got some scabby, slim-pickings. I’m trying to convince myself that it has to be better than attending a festival. Nothing is simple and straightforward anymore. Queuing wasn't an option being 450 fucking miles or however far from the epicentre. I hope you fared a little better if you were involved in the cyberfracas.

I broke my glasses today into the bargain so let’s just say that everything is turning to shit and leave it like that. Had a couple of days respite last week, what else should I have expected...

More details...

It's approximately 24 hours (at time of typing) until wir fabled Scotchland goes "indie". That's the same as independant, isn't it? Somewhere along the line it rallies as second grade and in many ways we're that already and en route to dropping further "doon the charts" with every passing minute. The concensus is the most people don't care and that could have dire consequences for the Scottish District Council, I mean, er, parliament. I'm determined to go and vote as early as possible on Thursday, before the crooks and comic singers or whoever else gets their canvassing heads on. It's all looking pretty ugly from where i'm sitting with regard to policies. Basically in that there are none. I think the blighters have even just decided to try and not even talk a good game anymore. After all what's the use when practically no-one is listening.
Anyway, I’m in some considerable discomfort here and on top of that, I have to go to work. Many drats. Now I just have to figure out what I’ve done to my back before somebody has to start wheeling me around in a bathchair. Those things will be quite the rage when we can’t afford petrol anymore. Which may well be soon at the rate it's going.

Thursday May 3rd will go down in history. Not for the election but as the day the Roky Erickson tickets went on sale.

Alan Vega at ATP (Photos courtesy of Tony Thewlis)

Otto's twice in one month? Is that legal? Well, dear friend, legalities be damned, for SUSQUEHANNA INDUSTRIAL TOOL & DIE CO. will be taking to the cozy confines of Otto's Shrunken Head Tiki Bar & Lounge twice in the merry month of May for a double dose of our patent pending "ballads, boogies & blues"... THURSDAY, MAY 3rd / Special bonus show! / Otto's Shrunken Head / 538 East 14th Street (just west of Avenue B) in 'ol Manhattan, NYC / Two mucho grande shows, from 8:00 sharp 'til 10:00 / No cover! / And, in our regular last-Thursday-of-the-month appearance...
THURSDAY, MAY 31st / With free prizes & Raffle Girl! / Otto's Shrunken Head / Two shows, from 8:00 sharp until 10:00 / No cover! Vaya con dios- Michael
Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co.
"Ballads, Boogies & Blues"
http://www.SITandDieCo.com

Taking a breather from his exhaustive gig schedule, Mr Duff has filed the following report. Cheers Colin.

"Lindsay mentioned his displeasure at not making the Scientists gig at the Spitz so here’s a brief report…

To be honest, I took the trip mainly to see T-Model Ford, but as he was on Saturday, Robert Belfour was on Friday and The Scientists were on Thursday, I decided to make it a long weekend. Of course, the fact that T-Model was sold out and I didn’t have a ticket added an element of risk but I’d never seen The Scientists so it wasn’t going to be a wasted journey.

I’d never saw anyone play at the Spitz before either and there’s a pretty good record fair in the Spitalfields market. I’ve had a drink downstairs but this was my visit to the actual venue. It’s a nice place, with sign urging people to be considerate in their conversations so you can hear the music. All the greater shame that it’s under threat.

Caught the last 10 minutes of Blood Safari. They’ve been trumpeted as making sounds like The Gun Club and The Gories, but sounded to me more like Eddie and The Hot Rods at 45rpm. All a little too macho to really be in that company. I popped back downstairs to quickly empty my bladder passing Kim Salmon on the stairs. Making my way back up, I heard the opening screech of Swampland and rushed in. The sound was fantastic, I always thought that the sound of the records would be difficult to recreate live but the noise of the twin guitar attack still cut through without sounding just like noise. I suppose these guys have been doing it long enough to get it right. The new drummer girl fits right in and has the touch to keep that unique bass/drum throb rolling. It’s difficult to pick highlights from a show where everything seemed so effortless, but Atom Bomb Baby and Blood Red River got the biggest cheers. I’m glad I saw them here with about 150 people in the room than at the mega-scale ATP over the weekend. Funniest moment? Kim trying to persuade the crowd to buy a live CD, then realising he was talking to a snooty vinyl crowd and turning it back on them by saying “I know you only buy vinyl but you don’t know what you’re missing until your hear Tony breaking all six strings at once” Seeing The Scientists, highlighted what had been missing from the Drones show in Glasgow a few days earlier. I thought the Drones had perhaps been a little tired when I saw them, but in comparison, it wasn’t energy that was lacking - it was the self-assurance with which The Scientists make the same kind of intense noise which made them the fiercer beast at close quarters.

It was a tough weekend in all. I had seen Einsturzende Neubauten in Glasgow the night before at the Tramway. A terrible venue for rock and roll where you could hear idiots talking about their plans for the weekend, even over the volume that Neubauten operate at. Robert Belfour was great, seemed in good health and played a neat focused set of distinctive country blues. I smiled sweetly at the girls on the door and eventually got a ticket for T-Model. I never saw him before, he played Edinburgh a couple of years ago but I was out of the country at the time. This was easily the highlight of the weekend. He played an absolutely perfect set of hard punk one-chord/no-chord stomping blues. The songs were mostly indistinguishable from one other and bore only a slight relation to the recorded versions. How he achieves this when the sound is so simple I don’t know but he played for almost two hours. Not a moment too long.

Back to Edinburgh on the Sunday and saw Ute Lemper at the Usher Hall, for a (slightly) different vibe. Perfectly played, very civilised Weimar Republic cabaret. A good way to wind down from a rock and roll weekend. I even caught the bus back to Glasgow without a hitch…"

Scientists photos from ATP by Vanessa Exton