Mr Duff is not long off the plane and has seen fit to deliver the
news on...

Ponderosa Stomp Day 2

The conference ran until 5pm, and under normal circumstances I would have
stayed until the bitter end. The last session however appeared to pretty much
be an opportunity for Dr John, Wardell Quezerque, and Bob French to tell each
other how great they all were. They’ve all put in their time and made some better
than great records so I guess there’s nothing wrong with that. I stuck around for
half an hour, didn’t feel I was learning anything much so took to opportunity to
head back to the hotel for a quick shower before night 2 of the Stomp started at 6pm.

I should maybe say at this point that although the House of Blues is a good venue
once you are inside, the security and the process for picking up your tickets is
immensely long, complex and for some reason they need to see your ID all the
time. That’s America though, I guess. It took me the best part of an hour to get to
the front of a fairly short queue on night one, so on night 2 I went early, about 4.30pm,
only to be told that the tickets wouldn’t be ready till about 5.30pm. Once you add
the queue to get in (yes, you queue twice, once for your tickets and once to get
in and be metal detected), I still didn’t catch the beginning of Jerry McCain’s set!
Moan, moan, grumble, grumble.

I guess it didn’t matter too much, Jerry made some of the greatest records for
Trumpet in the 50’s and some pretty cool ones for Jewel in the 60’s but that
all seems to have gone now. I’ve seen him a few times and he never fails to disappoint,
he was nothing if not consistent this time. After 10 minutes of slow blues (it could have
been one song, it could have been three songs, who knows?), I left. He may have
played that funny one he made in the 90’s where he warns the kids about the
dangers of drugs but it really wouldn’t have been worth the wait.

In the Parish Room, the Haunted Hearts revue had kicked off. I thought it was
Mike Hurtt’s rockabilly band, but they’d filled the band out with various checkmates
and others to include brass and electric piano. This was basically a South Louisiana
Swamp Pop review (taking a wide definition and allowing for Jay Chevalier’s inclusion
as a straight ahead 50’s rocker). When I went in, Jivin’ Gene was already singing.
This was a Ponderosa Stomp first and an acknowledged honour to get him to sing.
To be honest, I didn’t know that he was still alive. He was way better than I would
have expected too. Strong vocals, on the beat and a great groove from the band.
He did his own songs and a few swamp pop classics more associated with other artists.

The band really made it for all of the singers in the revue, perhaps Warren Storm’s
presence as drummer helped lock in the Louisiana groove, but we shouldn’t forget that
even the young guys have all been students of this sound for a long, long time.
That’s another reason why a lot of these artists seem a little stiff when they make
it over to the UK. They get matched up with limeys who may have spent a long time
perfecting their chops, that genuinely are good players but just don’t feel it like the
guys who have lived it.

Anyway, Warren is one of the real legends of South Louisiana, he never disappoints.
As a singing drummer he has a touch and sensitivity at complete odds with the
laughing, joking, cut-up he appears to be as a personality. The only other drummer
that comes to mind that has this sort of depth is maybe Levon Helm. Warren sang
‘Mama, Mama, Mama’, ‘The Prisoners Song’, ‘Rainin’ In My Heart’, like he had been
singing them for fifty years. Oh, wait, he has been singing them for fifty years - and
they’re still fresh as the Gulf Coast breeze.

I left Warren’s set to see Lazy Lester. Backed up by Lil’ Buck Sinegal and
the Top Cats with special guest Stanley ‘Buckwheat Zydeco’ Dural on the B3 Lester
played to his character and made it seem like he was just at home on the stage as
hanging out on his back porch. To be honest, he always sounds the same – great –
the only thing that changes is the backing band, and while Lil’ Buck and the Top Cats
are a world class combo, to my mind they are just too much as backing for what is
one man and his harmonica blues. They appeared to have the view that all of the
band had to be playing on all the songs – and there’s a lot of people – four or five
horns, piano, organ, guitar, bass, maybe more. It just created a big mushy noise
that didn’t allow the spare, economical quality of the Lester’s classic Excello sides to
come through. Add in the fact that every band member had to get a solo,
including Buckwheat, and it might as well have been my Uncle Frank playing
the moothy. A shame, in the right circumstances seeing Lazy Lester is like
having been there at the recordings.

Back upstairs and caught three songs from Jay Chevalier, including my favourites,
‘Billy Cannon’ and that other one about Fidel Castro, whatever it’s called.
He’s a big guy, wearing a red sequinned suit with a state of Louisiana embroidered
on the back of it, and that can’t fail to entertain.

There followed a bit of a break where they had a wedding on the big stage (really,
I kid you not! Not cool, IMHO) and there was a band change up the stairs.
Time for fresh air and to catch up with old acquaintances. Back indoors to realise
I’d missed the first song or two from Robert Parker, one of the other main reasons
I wanted to go. Again, he was in fine form, well dressed in a long white suit, fit for
Sunday Service and his voice hasn’t changed a bit. I don’t know what age he
was but given he was the band leader at Club Tijuana and played tenor for
Professor Longhair, he must be older than he appeared. He was a real highlight
and the backing by Lil’ Buck and the Top Cats (joined this time by Herbert Hardesty,
Mr Domino’s old sax player) was perfect for this style of music. I eschewed
Long John Hunter’s set up the stairs cos when I’ve seen him before he seems to
suffer from the same old man’s blooz as Jerry McCain. The New Orleans revue/
tribute to Eddie Bo down the stairs was where it’s at for the next hour or so.

First up Al Jackson singing “Carnival Time”. He’s been belting this one since it was first
a hit back in and he doesn’t seem to have grown tired of it at all. Neither he should,
it’s a great song and he performs it with infectious good humour. A joy to behold.

Little Freddie King came on and gave us the Bad Chicken, (a wee change
from the Swine Flu, I suppose). A radically different arrangement from the
more spare one he performs with his own band but not unwelcome at all.

I think Ernie Vincent came on next and gave us a workout on his classic
‘The Dap Walk’, one of the scores of late 60’s tunes that appear to be based
on Archie Bell and The Drells ‘Tighten Up’. I’m not going to list everyone that
came on and played as part of this revue, you can look it up yourself on the
Stomp website. Most of the performers did one or two songs, all were at the very
least good, most great. Coming and going before wearing out their welcome.
That should perhaps be a lesson to those who seem to think you need to squeeze
every last bit of time out of a perfomer. Less is very often more. Oh, Jean Knight
was on the bill but if she was there, I must have been tying my shoelace at the time,
cos I never saw her.

I went up the stairs at this point to check out another unknown name, this time,
one LC Ulmer, I hoped he was no musical relation to the aforementioned James ‘Blood’
Ulmer. He couldn’t have been more distant. What I heard as I walked in was the most
violent trebly screech of percussive guitar and when I got to the stage I couldn’t believe
it was one old guy in dungarees and playing an acoustic. That’s right, an acoustic.
It was obviously amplified somehow but I’ve never heard an acoustic tortured
like this. You know the guitar breakdown in John Lee Hooker’s Sensation Records
version of Boogie Chillen? Well, it was like that but he kept it up for at least a half
an hour and a lot of songs rather than for a 10 second breakdown. Apparently Dr Ike
discovered this guy by accident at some blues festival. I really must Google this guy
too, and see if he has any recordings available.

Guitar ‘Lightnin’ Lee is a similar artist, he normally plays with just guitar and
drums, but for this show he seemed to have drawn a band around him, made up
mostly of young local guys who clearly had a lot of respect for him. It’s difficult to
pull off a heavy blues sound and keep it rockin’ but they managed it. I’m just sorry
I forgot to pick up his new double 7” record before I left the country. Now, does anyone
know if it was him who I saw play Human Fly last year? Or did I just
dream/hallucinate that one?

Back in the Big Room, I listened respectfully to Dan Penn and Bobby Emmons,
however I wasn’t in the mood for sensitive songs sung without drums.
No disrespect to the guys, I took the opportunity to go take in some fresh air
and dance a little to the DJ, Matty from the Royal Pendletons.

Lots of people seemed to be excited about Wanda Jackson. The Big Room
seemed to fill up in anticipation of her hitting the stage. These people presumably
haven’t seen her before however. I’m sure she’s a lovely lady and that voice is still
there but she appears to have no idea why we want to see her and what we want
to hear. The first time I ever saw her at Hemsby, she refused to sing "Funnel of Love"
- despite a strong portion of the audience singing it to her - because God wouldn’t
like it. She sang the one about bombing Nagasaki and Hiroshima though.
Clearly the Lord had no bones with that one. Puzzling. Anyway this time I wasn’t
fussed about seeing her but when I ventured in, she was yodelling. No kidding,
she was fucking yodelling. I didn’t wait to see if it brought the goats down from
the mountain, I just scooted to catch whatever else was on offer.

(Colin - I think that she's been performing "Funnel" lately)

What was on offer was Wiley and The Checkmates. A stunningly good R’n’B outfit.
They played hot, sweaty, beaty and Herbert Wiley himself danced like he had came
to enjoy his own band. A welcome surprise up next, an appeareance from Lattimore
Brown. Those unfamiliar with his long, strange and downright scary story should
check out the excellent Soul Detective and The B-Side blogs. Suffice to say that he
too sung like a man a lot less than half his age and seemed to take energy from the
band. Great to see him. Bobby Paterson up next, another one I can’t claim to know
much about but, the soulies were getting excited about him too. I had no complaints
about what I heard but needed to leave because I had no intention of missing one
second of what was due very soon.

Every year the Mystic Knights of the Mau Mau (the organisers) pull something
out of the bag that makes my jaw drop in disbelief. This year, as I’m sure you
all know it was only the first appearance on stage ever since 1971 of ROY LONEY
and CYRIL JORDAN. Holy crap, if the Ledge wasn’t enough to sell it to me, this
certainly was.

The first thing that struck me as I edged my way to the from was the tiny
wee guy in the stripey top with a Dan Armstrong Plexiglass guitar. Surely that
wasn’t Cyril Jordan? He looked younger than me! It was Cyril however, he must
have kept that guitar in the attic since it was on the cover of the Teenage Head LP.
The other visually notable thing is that both Cyril and Roy are really small.
Neither can be more than 5 foot 5. Possibly the smallest set of front men outside of
Marriot & Lane. The energy level was huge, and if there ever was anything fractious
between Loney and Jordan there was no evidence of it on the stage. They both
seemed delighted to be there, and playing together again.

I tried to remember the set list, but I gave up after the third song – a cover of
"I Can’t Explain", something I really wasn’t expecting. Basically it was all Flamingo/
Teenage Head tracks with a few additions thrown in. Billy Miller came out
from the wings to sing "In The USA" the one track from the Chris Wilson era
(or as Billy calls it, the Sammy Hagar years). Yes, they did
"Shake Some Action" and announced that Ira Kaplan (sitting in on keyboards)
was going to sing it. He did but Cyril sang too. A clearly excited Roy Loney ran
on from the wings to join in on the ruckus.

Far too soon they ended up at "Teenage Head", Roy is one of Rock'n'Roll’s true
believers, a man totally possessed by the song. I wondered how they would
follow that. Billy announced there’s only one thing left to do and do that they did -
"Slow Death" turned all of our guts to clay. And then it was over. They DIDN’T play
"Heading for the Texas Border" or "Dr Boogie" and if they could leave these two greats
out, it only shows how much great material there is in the Groovies catalogue.
The A-Bones were perfect as backing, and now that they have rehearsed this set,
let’s hope this isn’t the last time it’s performed in public.

I hope to hell that they do - surely to Spain at least!

Ran upstairs to catch Roddy Jackson, former Specialty artist. He was a young ‘un
back in the day and he’s still pretty youthful now. He played the Rhythm Riot festival
in England's last year and there were good reports on that, although I wasn’t there so
can’t say for sure. I only saw one song which appeared to be his last. It was a lengthy
hard rocking piano led workout on something that appeared to be called ‘Let’s Rock
and Roll’ or something like that. I didn’t recognise it so I guess it’s not on the recent
Ace CD. I must have missed "Moose on The Loose", shame because on that evidence
he would have really rocked it.

Hard to imagine anyone following the Groovies/A-Bones show. In fact I think that
now Lux is gone there may only be one band left on the planet that could go one better.
Fortunately they were there. Having seen Question Mark and The Mysterians about
half a dozen times now, I feel confident in saying that as a live band, I don’t think
there’s anyone playing today that can touch them. Despite (or perhaps because of)
having a really simple sound they are absolutely riveting. As a front man, Q is unbeatable,
as he says himself “Why would I want to go see that Mick Jagger cat, when he knows
himself that I can do Mick Jagger a whole lot better than he can do himself”.
They must have played at least two hours, and there wasn’t a bit you would have
wanted cut. I was dancing the whole time too, but then again, so was everyone else
in the hall. Even with a two hour set, there was still tons of stuff in the Mysterians
catalogue they could have played. Highlights – for dancing to at least – the extended
‘Ten O’Clock’ and ‘Sally Go Round the Roses’. Q was eventually pulled off the stage
at 4.15am although I suspect that if he hadn’t been, he would have kept going til
the sun came up. After that, there was nothing to do but stroll back to the hotel,
clothes soaked in sweat and collapse, tired but happy.

I'm sure I've missed a few things out, but with such an embarassment of
riches, and the fact i'm writing this on the (first) plane home, that's all but inevitable.
I saw a few other bands over the next few days and attended a screening of the
documentary on the Swamp Pop supergroup Lil’ Band of Gold, but it all pales in
comparison to those three nights.

I guess that’s it til next year… Colin.

Post Script - As I got off the plane home, I noticed that the airport was covered in
posters and advertisement trappings for this Homecoming palaver that the ‘Big Cooncil’
at Holyrood are promoting. I never knew until that moment that this was a current
thing. I thought we were still preparing for it in a future year. Apparently not. There’s
(supposedly) a programme of over 300 events taking place as we speak. I never noticed
and I live here. Let’s hope it’s getting more attention overseas where it’s actually targeted.

(My thanks for Colin keeping us up to speed with this stramash,
quite the keeper of the faith his own self)

And don't forget - theres a PS event in NYC during the Summer. Details here.

This Bank Holiday Monday, I cut along to the recently re-opened
Hippodrome cinema in downtown Bo-Nyucks (Bo’ness). The original
intention was to attend the screening of "Forbidden Planet" last
Wednesday but that would have meant burning a leave day.
That’s a pretty heady currency.

It’s a cracking place and why anybody in this vicinity would
go to Cineworld again after being here would frankly baffle me.
There is a little question of the programming and what’s on when
however that’s obviously down to testing the water. I’m sure it’ll
all settle down into doing a roaring trade. It certainly deserves to.
The show I was at this morning cost £4.75 and included a large
coffee and a cake. Wey hey!

Unfortunately the film itself was a stinker. “The Boat That Rocked”
is not recommended. You’d think that Bill Nighy and Philip Seymour
Hoffman might be watchable in anything but not this. There are about
two laughs over the course of the whole thing and I may be being kind
at that. One involves an Incredible String Band album. Attention to
detail flies outta the window and many records appear to have been
harmed during the making of this debacle.

I urge everybody and a’body to visit the Hippodrome. You can get
the programme here. I clocked that they even have a special
“Tryst Ale” named after this nifty wee shelter from reality.

News just in from Sir B...

"Barney Hoskyns reads from his new Tom Waits
biography at the following New York events:

7 pm on MONDAY 11TH MAY
(with the great GARY LUCAS playing a set of Waits songs)
THE CENTER
725 Washington @ 11th St. NY, NY 10014

6.30 pm on TUESDAY 12TH MAY
PETE’S CANDY STORE
709 Lorimer Street, Williamsburg, Brooklyn 11211"

Go see him, buy him a beer and yourself a copy of the book

The Zim in Edinburgh - March 3rd 2009!

Searching the canyons of my napper, limited recall suggests that
The last time your reporter was in Edinburgh’s Playhouse Theatre
was either for Lou Reed’s "Magic and Loss" or that Velvet Underground
travesty. Both, for various reasons weren’t good. The latter compounded
by only catching one Luna song thanks to the stupidly early start time.

The surroundings haven’t changed much if at all in all these years. It’s a proper
Venue though and that matters. It is big in general terms but not stupidly so.
It holds 3056 according to various internet sites so let’s run with that.

My pal Angel once sang that she “wouldn’t wanna be Bob Dylan”.
It seems like he can just about handle it from his location in Bobland.
All the reviews and bush telegraph buzz on this prior to attending
was that it was a train wreck and it pleases me to report that it really wasn’t.

I’m no expert on the guy but thanks must go to Brother Tom Morton
who got me out of the house on a Sunday night to ostensibly tick a box.
Never having seen him before over the decades, it’s unlikely that one
Would get the chance to see him in this size of place again, if ever.

The shebang kicked off just five minutes shy of 7.30pm. A strange
pre-recorded intro rang out before the band spilled on to the Stage and
Dylan appeared behind the keyboard. “Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat” kicked
off this visit to the circus. You can find the setlist here.

“Lay Lady Lay” made it clear that the renditions would likely be
Croaked approximations. The faithful know all the words anyway so
the whole point is that they’re in the presence of an ongoing enigma. There
were very few people under a half decade old. Most were the converted queuing
up for church. I found myself being able to “sing” the words to “The Red
and The Black” while Bob mumbled “Rollin’ and Tumblin’”. That was fun.

The band was Tony Garnier - bass, George Recile - drums,
Stu Kimball - rhythm guitar, Denny Freeman - lead guitar and
Donnie Herron - violin, banjo, electric mandolin, pedal steel.
Google their cv's.

Highpoint for me was the mesmeric ”Tryin’ To Get To Heaven” from 1997’s
“Time Out Of Mind”. The fairground sounding keyboard was like Carnival of Souls
via Blackpool Tower. Very eerie and cool. I don’t think I heard this song before
still it felt familiar. When I got home, there was a facebook message from Gavin Martin
saying that he (Dylan) marked the regional location he was playing in during any
given set. It was suggested that a quick burst of the Andy Stewart chestnut
“Donald Whaurs Yer Troosers” might ensue. It didn’t but I think there was a
flavour of “Keep Right On ‘til The End of the Road” during “Blowin’ In The Wind”.

Never cared much for “All Along The Watchtower” but the band gave it plenty
of wellie and the BOCness made another foray. He started “Just Like A Woman”,
one of the few he played guitar on by seemingly doing a mini-version of “The Bug”
with his left foot. It was all done and dusted by 9.45pm and the 10pm train was
caught outta Dodge.

I’ll leave you with this. Maybe it’s not entirely Bob’s fault that some of the shows
have sucked. Maybe it’s down to places he’s booked to play. Last night may well
have blown too had it been in a hangar where the sound is never good.
Having left the auditorium with an inkling that maybe there is somethingto
the legend after all. Beyond having played The Skeletons and Laura Cantrell
on his radio show.

And as I near the publish button, BBC Radio Scotland is broadcasting an article
about his latest album making #1 in the charts this week. The one he played nothing
from. It's the power of Bob, I hope the force is with him as he heads back towards
another two stints at the O2 Atrocity Exhibition Centre "dahn the London".

The Bum Clocks threatened busk outside was in full swing by the time we got down
there. "A Tail o' Twa Dugs" is the real soundtrack to the "Homecoming" debacle.
Tam Dean Burn's suit looked like it had once belonged to Lee Brilleaux.
Watch out for this crew, they mean business.

Fiona Shepherd's review of Saturday's Glasgow show from today's Scotsman.

(Footnote Monday AM) Just as a companion piece, check out Innes Reekie's
Shane-athon over at Katie Camosy's Zoom In Online.

Click on the image to make it legible...

Chris Wilson
in Paris,
next Sunday...

(Thanks to
Brother Patrick
for the info)

Born Bad Festival in Paris...
these are images

I prepared earlier...

For further details,

head here...

From running the Flamin Groovies fanclub
to beatin' the traps on this belter at the
Ponderosa Stomp. Go Ms Linna!!

Footage and sound ain't great but it's
pretty damn great nonetheless...

The spirit of Spike Jones goes on the rampage in Lund.
I wonder if two of these guys are the characters from the
Hello Saferide song? Ha ha. Tip via Swedesplease.

Wonder if any of you folks can help me out?

I'm looking for some info on sprucing up this neighbourhood. Is there
anywhere I can get easy to follow info on changing the format
of a blog? How to add music, change the masthead, that kinda thing.

And what about maybe migrating to another host? I’m thinking
about the bigger picture here. Need to get to grips with the problems
that are aggravating this (old) system.

Any pointers, advice or whatever would be appreciated.

And them JD King stories just keep on coming... meet "The Gang"!

Take a look at this then high tail it over to Iain's myspace and
dig what he's done to "Blitzkrieg Bop".

I first heard his take on that in Monorail Music
yon past record store day. If Bob Dylan even comes close
tomorrow night then the Zim will have done good.

Still rasslin' with the shortcomings of this machine, just about to remove a
wheen of stuff but before I do...

Those Groovie A-Bones in Nola -

Report 1 (Thanks to Jim S)

Report 2 (Thanks Don)

I Imagine Mr Duff will file his findings in due course...

Fair amount of stuff to put up here today
so let's cut to the "cheese" as the phrase
is sometimes misinterpreted.

In Glasgow tonight, in addition to this
Hinterland thing that's going on there
are The Wildebeests at EWO...

... The Fabulous Ottomans
at The Winchester Club.

This evening out Stockholm way.
at the fabulous Debaser Gearclub,
The Fleshtones and The Twisteroos!

In that fine, self-same city tomorrow -

Bob Hund with RJaP and Pascal!

The 'tones are Scandanavia wide, including a return bout
at the House of Rock on Sunday!

Meanwhile, in NYC - Handsome Dick will "duet" with Iggy...

Can't make the Dead by Dawn scene at Filmhouse but thanks to the good offices of
Brother Tom Morton, I'll see one Robert Zimmerman at The Playhouse in
Auld Reekie on Sunday.

Too bad The Fleshtones and The Twisteroos won't be there but you've got to give
the old bloke a chance, right?

Is this formatting thing getting right on your tits?
It's twisting mine aff the scale...

Mr Duff’s Ponderosa Stomp adventure continued…

Whew, it’s been a helluva few days. Forgive me if I don’t get it all in the right order,
or if I miss something out. I've tried to keep it brief but even so...

Last report, I forgot to mention the Ponderosa Stomp conference.
Three days of films and discussion with artists, record producers, label
owners and generally interesting stuff. This is a new addition (they did it last year too,
but this year it really was fully developed). Like the Stomp itself, there are
two rooms and two different things going on at the same time so you have to
make decisions. I’m not going to cover it in detail other than the highlight for
me being Marshall Chess, what an entertaining storyteller. Remember Marshall
was just a teenager during the Chess Records glory years. When asked
“Who gave him the best advice on women, Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters or
Howlin’ Wolf” he replied, “I’ll tell you who gave the worst…Howlin’ Wolf used to
tell me, ‘Marshall, the best type a women is wino women, you know those wino
women, you can take ‘em in the back alley, have yourself a little fun and then get
back in and get on with the show...” He also mounted a lucid defence of record
company paying practices in respect of artist royalties, a side of the story rarely heard.

Question Mark, uh, interviewed by Miriam Linna was also incredible to witness.
Everybody reading this I presume knows that Question Mark is in fact from
the planet Mars – the ORANGE planet. Over the course of an hour of Q’s
stream of consciousness monologue, Miriam managed to ask him around half a

dozen brief questions and the audience a few more. This was of course unnecessary

because hes psychic and knew what questions he was going to be asked! Oh, and

look out for his autobiography and cookbook, 96 Ways with Peanut Butter

(in case you didn’t know – and I didn’t until he informed me – peanut butter

has a substance that makes you horny – it don’t matter if it’s smooth or crunchy).

OK, the music, the music…

Day 1 of the Stomp, a lengthy queue (sorry, I mean LINE) to get in to the

House of Blues means I only catch the last 15 minutes of Classie Ballou’s set.

Blistering guitar instrumentals including the classic ‘Classie Ballou’s Whip’ twice.

And Sweet Home Alabama to finish up – done like you never heard it before. Dr Ike

had asked him to only do his own material but I guess he did this one just to wind him up.

I missed all of Little Willie Littlefield first set and all of Alton Lott –

no matter, they both have another two slots over the Stomp schedule.

Dashed upstairs to the Parish Room (the House of Blues now has two rooms,

a ‘Big Room’ that holds maybe around 400 and the Parish Stage approx. 200)

and caught the end of Johnny Powers backed up by Deke Dickerson and the

Eccofonics. Didn’t hang around because I’ve seen him before and the

Hi Rhythm Section were warming up downstairs with an incredibly

grooving version of Time is Tight. If you haven’t seen them, I can’t

describe to you how tight, how immaculately intuitive and simple the

whole band grooves as a single unit. The kind of thing you can only get

if you have played every day as a band for 40 years. They followed this

up with an extended slow and spare version of Soul Serenade before

kicking it up-tempo and bringing in the horns to play an arrangement

of the same song reminiscent of the Beau Dollar and the Coins version.

After that they were joined by an unscheduled Percy Wiggins, who opened

with his version of ‘Sexual healing’, a song that has to be honest always given

me the boak, but this was sublime. The quality of the band and the voice of

a real southern soul singer making it somehow like I’d never heard the cheesy

original at all. Otis Clay followed Percy looking suave, he kept up the quality.

I nipped upstairs again to catch Carl Mann who I don’t recall seeing before

and he was good! Fit, healthy and singing with mucho gusto, actually

a lot better than the kinda poppy records he made for Sun would have you believe.

This was followed by Cowboy Jack Clement, a guy who seems to have had

something of a credibility overhaul in recent years. Never really liked his production

work didn’t care much for his singing either. I know Sam Philips put him in charge of

engineering sessions once he was too busy running the business but let’s not forget,

he handled some of the most dire stuff ever to have the Sun name on it.

He opened with a George Jones song that he probably wrote and it was as you

might expect, fairly straight country-pop. That actually makes it sound better

than it was because despite being clearly commercial country, he seemed

to believe it was the serious grit. Ho hum.

James ‘Blood’ Ulmer had come on downstairs. Another man whose work

I never quite got. Too turgid and constipated sounding for me and if he had anything

resembling a tune, I might be more interested. I know he’s basically the

Ornette Coleman of the blues but I could live without one of those.

That said, this was the best I ever saw him. Minimal between songs rap

about whatever these guys talk about and he seems to have changed his style a bit.

The three numbers I stayed for actually had a beat and his guitar seemed to be

playing the same song as the bass and drums! Maybe he’s sold out?

MUCH better however and in a similar vein was Little Joe Washington who

I’d never heard of and know NOTHING about. He was astounding! I’d spotted

this cat as he came in the door, a rough looking individual with short dreads,

a hat and a dangerous looking stoop. He played solo, him and his guitar, the most violent,

twisted blues I’ve heard in a long time. Sounds like a Fat Possum discovery but

it’s been a number of years since they introduced us to anything this good.

This was the first of two insane blues-punk discoveries this time around,

LC Ulmer the next night was at least as crazed, maybe more so.

Lil Greenwood was next up on the same stage, backed by the Bo-Keys

(who, as any fule kno’ is one of the finest R’n’B bands in the world right now

– the others being Wiley and the Checkmates and Glasgow’s own The Five Aces).

He opened with a few jazzy blues numbers, perfectly executed. Not for the hard rockin’

extremists but good in that way that just hits the spot. I had to disappear downstairs

again to catch one of the few sets that I needed to see from beginning to end.

Dale Hawkins backed by Deke and the Eccofonics AND the mighty James Burton.

This was apparently the first time since the 50’s that James and Dale have

played a full set together. I saw them a couple of years ago but James wasn’t

up there for the full set.

Again, probably the best I’ve ever seen Dale play. Hawkins is a bit of a character

and can sometimes start singing songs the band don’t appear to know, change his

mind half way though, stop the band and play something else He’ll generally talk

excitedly about pretty much anything that comes into his mind. I guess the bigger

stage, or maybe just his mood helped corral his individual approach and he rocked

through Little Pig, Tornado, My Babe/This Train, and of course the one with the

magical riff, invented by James Burton aged 14, Suzie Q. A word about James Burton.

It’s sometimes difficult for non-musicians like me to understand why someone

like James Burton is revered as being a greater guitarist than well, someone else.

The last time I saw him I could tell that he was adding that mush to the sound

until his amp malfunctioned and you couldn’t hear him anymore.

You felt the absence, but more importantly, when the amp came back on again,

you heard the roar and felt the rush from what he was doing. Even if he looked like

he was mentally re-arranging his sock drawer while he made the noise.

THAT’S why he’s better I guess.

Back to Lil Greenwood has gone a bit over funky for my liking,

and maybe she has recorded in that style but I never heard the tunes before.

Who cares, I was just killing time before The Remains.

The Remains have played Europe and the UK but I never saw them. I was interested

not so much because I really dig them but because their reputation as a live act

precedes them. I only ever spin one or two tracks (the big ones, Don’t Look Back,

Why Do I Cry, the Diddy Wah Diddy cover) in the house and haven’t really felt them

as a real garage punk band despite them being lumped into that.

Well, they’re not a real garage punk band, they’re too ‘accomplished’

(whatever that actually means) for that but they are damn good and

whole lot more rockin’ live than the records would attest.

They played them all, straight, no, ‘everybody sing along now’ shit

and had the crowd dancing their socks off. I’ll give them 5 stars.

Caught 10 minutes of Little Willie Littlefield’s remarkably tough piano blues.

He seemed really on fine form for a man who started recording in the first

half of the last century. Played stuff from the two Ace Records 10”s that

came out years ago, can’t remember the titles. If he came to the UK, you would

go see him, unfortunately maybe for him in this situation, a one-man piano blues

doesn’t hold the attention when there’s so much else to see. Back to the Big Room,

Howard Tate, one of the main draws for the soul set was just coming on.

I knew little about him but he looked and sung great. The soulies were in heaven.

Dennis Coffey with the Bo-Keys next, Dennis really ripped that guitar up, way

more than on the records. He seemed to really be enjoying it too. 15 minutes of

psychedelic wah wah guitar swirl before another mucho anticipated highlights,

Ray Sharpe backed by the A-Bones. I’ve seen him a few times too and he’s ranged

frompedestrian to pretty darned great (when backed up by the ubiquitous

Deke and the Eccofonics). This time however I hoped the addition of the

A-Bones meant he was really going to pull it out of the bag. I wasn’t disappointed,

I missed the first couple of songs so I’m not sure if he did ‘Help Me’.

I hope he did. As I got in, he was busy declaiming that ‘When I recorded

this song it was just plain old rock and roll. Now, they tell me its Rock A Billy.

Well, whatever!” and he charged into Monkey’s Uncle. Ray plays his own guitar,

some vintage Gibson thing. In the past I’ve seen him treat it like it was fragile as a

baby but this time he tore it up. Perhaps to compete with Bruce Bennett’s rhythm

mauling. He played everything else you would want him to play, including an

extended Mary Jane, where Lars Espenson got to blow hard on the sax,

and which he introduced as “About a girl, not about something you grow, y’catch

my drift, heh, heh.”

And so to one of the two real reasons I bit the bullet and made the trip.

The Legendary Stardust Cowboy. Oh boy, oh boy, was he everything

I dreamed he could be or what? The band came on first, Klaus Fluoride

playing a six string Fender Jaguar bass, the guitarist, whose name I didn’t catch

with a Jaguar too. A very good sign, nothing makes a racket like a Jaguar.

A hard and fast instrumental (the drummer was great too) and the Ledge danced

on stage swinging a towel, whip cracking it and pulling to between his legs like he

was riding a pony. Oh yeah, he had on a cowboy hat, boots and spurs and a denim

jacket embroidered on the back with the, um, legend,

“NASA Presents, The Legendary Stardust Cowboy” and a lasso rope.

A brief pause in the instrumental, the Ledge strides up to the mike

and “Hey you, woo hoo, arrghhh, PARALYZED! WOO HOO!”

Fast and loud and no let up from that moment on – even for bugles, good old

stardust bugles. Words fail me, this was the kind of thing I came to this planet for,

his dancing alone was worth the trip, and when he stripped to the waist?

Fuck all that hardcore shit, this is for real out there. We have to get him to

Scotland. He’ll blow half the country away with one toot of that bugle.

What’s left of night 1? Two disappointments but everything after the

Ledge was going to be just gravy, but still, we persevere.

Kenny and the Kasuals, I rather feared would be pretty bad.

I looked in as they had just begun and they were informing us with

less than astounding insight, that “Chuck Berry is quite good”. Oh really?

You don’t say? I must check him out some time. Harumph.

And then a pretty dreadful bar band intro into Carol. I left at that point.

I looked in again 15 or so minute later and they were murdering some other standard.

Then they stopped and bored us with how much they liked Cream (the band)

and played a Cream cover I didn’t know. Dull. I waited it out and then they played

some other dreadful hard rock cover I didn’t know. An acquaintance told me who it

was but I erased it from memory. When for the next song they told an unamusing

anecdote about the Animals (the band) and started the bass riff from

‘We Gotta Get Out of This place’ I took their advice and did so. Journey to Tyme?

Who knows. No doubt it was their last song. I couldn’t have stood it.

Lady Bo was last up and I was really tired at this point – maybe 16 or so hours on

the go. She took ages to get started, and in the manner of people who have been

largely passed over in the history books seemed more interested in telling us how

great she was than showing us. The first actual tune she played (and it took her a

long time to start, the 7 or 8 minutes or guitar noises beforehand sounding like

a bad space rock Grateful Dead bootleg). Was pretty good, a Bo Diddley medley

(less than great drumming), livened up with the fact she seemed to have every

effect possible running on the guitar, including this weird arpeggio thing where

every single note she played was repeated up and down the scale.

Sounded like Spiritualised, if they were actually any good.

Downhill from there though, when the bass player (her husband) started

playing with his thumb in that Level 42 style and then she

gave the drummer some, I left the House of Blues immediately, fearful of

the dreaded bass solo that was sure to follow the drums…

Report on day 2 to follow…

Colin.

From CulturaPop in Madrid last weekend.
A nice start to three days away from the coal face...



Don't think it's fixed the formatting problem though...

Here's the situation. Any posts made here over the next few days are unlikely
to be accompanied by images. Photoshop no workee y'see. No idea what's up
but it'll be in the air until this time next week (at the earliest). Other than the
jpegs I'll sort out tomorrow in lieu of the long weekend.

If you have something you need circulated in the near future then make
sure it's with me by noon GMT tomorrow and there's an outside chance.
End of public service holler.

Swine flu? Bring it on. I'm a little more concerned about getting my bloody
printer/scanner reinstalled after this carry on last weekend. It's a
huge inconvenience. Maybe not as big as croaking but then again, if that
happened then it wouldn't matter if I got the install done or not.
It's an ill wind... right? I'm not buying this bug thing anyway.
I wonder what it's been concocted to snow over? Dropping that into conversation
has caused much rolling of eyes and downright disbelief. Me and my daft
conspiracy theories... the naysayers think I'm half kidding but I've
managed to convince them eventually, that I am actually nuts. Actually now
I come to think about it, isn’t Swine Flu a punk band from Livingston?

Talk about unexpected. NBT gets the B2C treatment. Blimey. (Thanks Chris)

I'm wondering how Imants managed to copy those early issues? The quality of
the xerox was pretty iffy at best. I'm sort of out to graze now but I stll
gots sharp teeths if the need arises. Extra kudos for including the
word "toidy", an expression taught to me by the Lady ACC,
currently residing in SF. As for The Erasers, if I ever
get to "digitising" tapes, and I mean to then consider it
done. Think that one's a double header with Steel Tips.

As for swipes, yeah - I used to be quite the wind-up merchant. Some of it
stupid and childish to the point of puerile and some of it, well, not.
I'm a little less likely to judge and prefer to act upon my radar sense.
Such as it is. Anyway, I appreciate the retrospective.

It's Friday tomorrow and with one thing and another, I'm a tad behind with a
few things. At least it's a long weekend so who knows, I might even be able to
catch up. However, my photoshop seems to be on the blink too and that could
be what's futzing the scanner.

No bets are being placed, that would be tempting fate just a little too much.
And this fucked up formatting is driving me mental!

RIP - Vern Gosdin

Dependency on this box in the corner of the room here came into sharp focus this
past couple of days. Would it really be so bad if an enforced bout of seemingly dropping
off the face of the earth occurred. Well actually, from my worldview - yes.
Something that needs to be addressed but meanwhile it was pretty traumatic
not to be able to communicate and connect within a heartbeat.

So far so good with the fix. Couple of little hiccups such as the printer/scanner not
operating but I can live with that. Probably. It strikes me that I need to wean
myself off spending so much time on here. Sitting in front of a computer is
something I do day in day out for purposes of eating and what passes for a lifestyle.

Often by this stage in the day my napper is pretty mooshed (steady! - I know what you
blighters up the back of the bus are thinking). Sometimes it's pretty hard to muster
the energy to do anything far less attempt to string several sentences together.
However, there's a duty to fulfil. This is one of those blogs that requires to be
updated at least daily. So while I try to figure what's going on, Mr Duff sent in this
report from Ponderosa Stomp... quite the "Bonanza" of good gear!

Got into town on Saturday Evening and spent the evening and the next day with friends.
Chose to miss out on Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings at the House of Blues 'cos I knew
there was going to be plenty music over the coming days...

So Monday was the start of the whole shebang. There are in-stores every hour, all
day at the Louisiana Music Factory. Dropped in to see Henry Gray, Howlin' Wolf's
old pianist. I saw him a few times but this was maybe the best ever, only one slow blues in
a 50 minute set of rockers. He gave the first ever airing to his new song,
the Rock Obama Boogie - the first Obama song I've actually heard and
probably not the last. 15 minutes later, Rockin' Dopsie Jr took to the
stage although the band was so large - 12 members - not all of them would
actually fit on there.

Not everyone likes the generic zydeco sound, and I admit that sometimes it gets
a little samey to me too but Rd Jr is a charismatic and good looking performer
and there was more than enough variation in the sound to keep us interested -
and not one song in the bunch that wasn't a dancer. Hard on the heels of THAT
was Leo Nocentelli, one of my favourite guitarists although a lot of people
I know don't rate him. In a 50 minute set, he managed to play 4 songs.
The first one was new, from his first solo album only just released that day.
Then an extended workout on Cissy Strut, following which Dr John shuffled
through the crowd to join him to sing and play Piano on Hey Pocky Way.
Not bad for a free show in a record store!

That night was Ponderosa Stomp pre-party at One-Eyed Jacks, one of the
coolest venues in one of the greatest towns on the planet. I saw the Cramps
there on my first night ever went in New Orleans and I met a girlfriend there
another time so I have more than a few fond memories. Four bands on the
bill, first up, a German crew called Redondo Beat, I only caught their last
two numbers. Reasonable 6Ts inspired rock but there's a half dozen bands
sound just like them play in my local so I wasn't hugely impressed.
After that the Condo Fucks played. I didn't know them either and when an
acquaintance advised me they were they guys from "that band Yellow Tango"
I was still none the wiser. Turns out they are basically YO LA TENGO doing covers,
mainly NY punk and classic sixties punk covers and very good at it.
Ira had a seriously dirty guitar tuning and when the girl drummer (Georgia)
sang 'With a Girl Like You? Fantastic. I could have lived without two
Richard Hell numbers in a row but that's a minor point.

I went outside for a bit of fresh air and bumped into Miriam Linna
whose band was up next. I've never been a huge fan of the A-Bones
but as an infectious, funny, party band they are hard to match.
(I hope you’ve seen the light Colin) Ira Kaplan sat in with them on piano but
the REAL highlight was when a small figure clambered up on stage causing
Stomp organiser, Dr Ike, to ask, Hey, who's that guy? That guy was only Roy Loney.
Sporting a new and very suave moustache since the last time I saw him.
The band ripped into "Have You Seen My Baby" (appropriately enough for a NOLA show -
it was written by Randy Newman) and he danced like a man possessed.
It looked like that was all we were getting until Ira strapped on a second guitar
and Bruce Bennett kicked off THAT riff. The crowd went wild and Roy the Boy
screeched 'I'M A MONSTER, GOT A REVVED UP TEENAGE HEAD.'
like he had just written it.

I knew it wasn't likely to get any better but I stuck around despite the jet lag
kicking in to see a rare Royal Pendletons show. They didn't disappoint and
being on their home turf, probably made it make more sense than it had been
on their recent European tour. They are one of the few bands that manage to
remain authentic without being curatorial. And who clearly know and
understand the history of rock and roll as the Toussaint McCall and
Cookie and the Cupcakes covers attest. We thought it was al over when a
clearly inebriated King Louie kicked over the drums but someone set them
up again fairly quickly and they came back to give us their classic "Losing Hand".
Yes, the same one that the Oblivians (soon to hit blighty for the blast off festival)
made, um, famous.

So that was it. I'm off out right now for night 1 of the Ponderosa
Stomp proper. Further updates as I find the time...

Colin

A tip from Duglas Bandit... Magic Kids.

I hope that those good folks at Goner will have "Hey Boy" on a 45 before too long.

It's been a fraught couple of days but this thing is operating
for now at least.

It was touch and go I guess and the situation flags up the
need to have alternate means of getting on this danged internet.
It also indicates the need to get a life and spend less time online.

Normal service may or may not resume in due course...

A Fistful of Records is a 7” label based in The Netherlands. They’re responsible for a steady trickle of fab 45 sized platters (some of which spin at 33) that will reaffirm your faith in this rock’n’roll thing. In this disposable age, it’s easy to just stick out a track as a file. It takes a certain disposition to go that extra few yards and create something that you can’t just “delete”. To forge something permanent, dressed in captivating hand-screened covers, all numbered for your collecting pleasure if that’s what floats your boat.

The Hussy are from Madison, WI (hey, that’s Ben W country!). Bobby and Heather Hussy have concocted 6 short, sharp bursts of primo punk rock action on this perfectly formed format. Not an ounce of flab and maximum use of floorspace available, gotta be impressed with that. I guarantee that “Drinking Song” will hit the spot, as will the other 5.

The Griefs are a proto-beat 3 piece from Ohio and “Little Dutch Maid” is a noisy little bisom. Just goes to show that you can’t judge the proverbial book. Nice little Kinks-ish (as opposed to kinky) twist in there.

Polar Strong hail from Bordeaux and their “Young Virgin” EP is pressed on white wax and the cover recalls “Soldier Blue”. It contains the first recorded cover version of a Bassholes song “Platform Blues” which might hint at their trajectory. One of the new breed of French combos that dredge the more psychedelic, blues-ridded tar pits, the title track vocal sounds a little like Tom Verlaine. Murkier aspects of what Television might have sounded like if technology was in short supply. I imagine that these guys would kick up quite the stink in a club.

The Forbidden Tigers roam the plains of Nebraska looking for victims to pummel with their primal power pop yelping. And I’ll be darned if there isn’t a cut titled “Nebraska Plains” that sounds like The Black Lips might if they ever discover Johnny Horton. “Crab Nebula” sounds like a cut’n’shut Franz/Rezillos hybrid. Bracing stuff.

The Glow release has just 3 tracks and the first of these “Anthem No. 1” sounds like it was recorded in a submarine. Makes the first Panther Burns EP sound like a stereo sampler. From NY, there’s something a little Primal Scream-y about this and y’all know that such a thing is likely to rub yours truly the wrong way entirely. The closer “That Kind Of Feeling” is almost endearing in a kak-handed busking Velvets fashion but I think that I’ll stick with The Hussy. Maybe The Glow will be a grower?

When I woke up, I thought it was Monday.
Not for long but for long enough to discombobulate me.
It was a relief to find out it wisnae.
I'm writing sentences like this because something is awry with the formatting.
Probably because of yon big YouTube windaes...
Or maybe I just fancy pretending its a poem.

More through the course of today, meanwhile:

RIP - Bea(trice) Arthur

I'm a little perplexed that I more or less find myself in
agreement with Paul Morley about Camera Obscura
but it's for the greater good...


Camera Obscura: A band beginning with C from Iain & Jane on Vimeo.

(missed this the other night after I mislaid Mr Percival's message but found it via their website)

Inspired by a fb post from TJH...

Wow, Fleshtones and Twisteroos is Stockholm next Friday. maybe I should go out and buy a lottery ticket?

Just futzing about here, listening to new stuff - getting distracted by magazines and other bumf. Not sure if I'm into blabbing much today, we'll see as the day rumbles on.

Hope to have some info on next weekend's DEAD BY DAWN event in Edinburgh soon. Trying to clear the decks to do the all-nighter but dunno if I have the stamina.

Of course, ideally I'd be in Madrid. Having an aperatif or three and digging the CulturaPop extravaganza that includes The Wrigbys and The Quattros. But of course, this is real life and whilst it doesn't outright suck, the ability to gallivant is curtailed at the minute.

Might check in with you later, then again..

Den Finska Nikotintanten - 122 Hours of Fear - Fun for all the family....!

Murray just hepped me to this from this week's Popbitch, apparently following an appearance on "Family Guy"...

>> UK Top 40 <<

We predict this week's new entries/high climbers

++ Number One
LA ROUX In For The Kill

++ Top Ten
TINCHY STRYDER ft N DUBZ Number 1

++ Top Twenty
GREEN DAY Know Your Enemy
PINK Please Don't Leave Me
KERI HILSON ft TIMBERLAND Know Your Enemy

++ Top Forty
The Prodigy Warriors Dance
ASHER ROTH I Love College
TRASHMEN Surfin Bird
JACKSON 5 Who's Lovin' You
MARMADUKE DUKE Rubber Lover

Er.... WHAAAAAAT?! and PJ just sent the link to the cause of this siesmic activity...

I'll feel a little better this time tomorrow because the working week will be over. Talk about feeling like not being able to get outta the bit? No major gallivanting, can't muster the energy. A movie on Sunday will be the extent of that me'reckon although perhaps I haven't altogether ruled out the Gurf Morlix thing. No that's not some rhyming slang for something to do with horlicks before you ask... and now this is going off for the evening.

Goodnight or whatever part of the day it is as you're reading this.

Oh and, Ponderosa Stomp hits up NYC. (Thanks Tim!)

RIP - Jack Cardiff

(Thanks to Ben for the info)

This month's MONORAIL FILM CLUB screening! -
TUVALU, GFT, Sunday 26th April at 8pm.

Hey, check out Brother Joss having a good ol’ mump over at the Rock Backpages blog. There’s a lot of other neat stuff over there too.

Site visits are on the rise and it doesn't appear to be with regard to Stewart's encounter with "Blackburn's finest" either. The reportage in recent days with regard to YouTube views and that particular phenom makes one think that it's all perhaps a wind up. C'mon, it must be? It makes me wonder about these "hit" statistics and how they correspond with the "hitee" responds to what they find.

Here the mechanics are simple. I want you to check out the material and maybe act upon it as in spreading the news or maybe even buying something or seeing a movie. Website traffic is another tool in the arsenal of the professional snowjob artist as far as I'm concerned. As any attempt to join up any publicity for anything gets more fragmented by the day, it's difficult to get anybody to sit still for any reasonable duration.

I’m just listening to Dave Alvin cover “Dynamite Woman”. I’ll take this guy’s work over all your Dylan’s and Young’s anyday. Hearing him tear through this Doug Sahm tune is a joy right to the jews harp outro.

Let’s see, what else should you be checking out… oh – there’s an exhibit of the sterling photographic work of Stephanie Chernikowski at Morrison Hotel Gallery Bowery, 313 Bowery New York, NY 10009. Recognise that address?

(thanks to Randy and Martin for that info)

And there's The Couple - Pt. 2 over at JD's... (18th April entry). Epic writing. If this guy was properly published then I'd read books!

Two days, two great new videos. Not to mention a stew of amazing scopitones courtesy of Bedazzled TV. Who needs the fresh air when you can stay in and watch stuff of this calibre? Incidentally, the "explicit" here refers to a little swearing although those of a nervous dispoz should note that Adiam is messing about with ciggies and guns during the course of this video...

Possibly not safe for work... the new Matt and Kim just like nature intended!

I never met Sable Starr but vividly remember a photo of Lance Loud from The Mumps carrying her. It was in NME around '75/76 I think. I don't like to hear of people that are the same age as me shuffling off this mortal coil. Not because I fear the reaper myself or anything like that, it's just something that saddens me. There are more deserving candidates for some scythe action, surely? I've been hunched over a computer screen all day and don't feel much like a couple more hours of that tonight but I didn't realise that Eric and Amy's Spanish jaunt starts tomorrow.

If you're in the following locales, please go and see them. You won't be disappointed.

April 22nd - ZARAGOZA, Teatro De La Estacion
April 23rd - BILBAO, Colegio de Abogados de Bizkaia
April 25th - MADRID, Cultura Pop Festival (The Quattros are on the bill too!!)
April 29th - VALENCIA, Teatro Octubre
April 30th - TARRAGONA, Groove Bar

Wish I was headin' out that way with them. I'm outta here now... later folks...

Oops, one other thing ... here's the full timetable for Hinterland, Glasgow.

Fangs at 7pm on the Thursday anyone?

RIP - Sable Starr

"More sauerbraten, please!" Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co. returns to the charming Cafe Steinhof in Park Slope this week for more of that good ol' Viennese home cooking and tasty German brews: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22nd / CAFE STEINHOF / 422 Seventh Avenue (at 14th Street) in Park Slope, Brooklyn / Two teutonic shows, from 10:30 sharp until 12:30 / No cover! / Dining optional, but with a full menu until 11pm!

Plus, next week, on a more tropical note...

THURSDAY, APRIL 30th / OTTO'S SHRUNKEN HEAD TIKI BAR & LOUNGE / 538 East 14th Street (just west of Avenue B) in Manhattan / Two portly shows, from 8:00 sharp until 10:00 / No cover charge!

Auf Wiedersehen! Michael

Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co.

"Ballads, Boogies & Blues"

RIP - JG Ballard

At the end of the last episode, you'll remember that your reporter was not in the frame of mind to go to the big rock show. I've seen The Supersuckers a bunch of times, as it happens on occasions I didn't remember until my memory was jogged. They're a great band. Not as Eddie kept telling us, "the greatest rock'n'roll band in the world" but capable of opening a can of whupass when called upon. They've been hauling this particular circus around for two decades now and I'm wondering if Mr Spaghetti is sponsored by Gilleys? How many of those t-shirts does he have exactly? Anyway, you get what they give and the sound last night was horrendous. Worst I ever heard in a place where it's generally good. I have it on legit authority that it was the same in Malmo but that's another story.

Had never seen Nashville Pussy but was always underwhelmed with the records. Nine Pound Hammer on the other hand is something I'll never tire of, because they have songs. "This one is about going down" said Blaine C. "Not again" was what crossed my mind. It's all so 1974, but not in a good way. True, you wouldn't fancy the bass player in Black Oak Arkansas but they had hot and nasty down pat. (Of course, I'm talking about myself here, maybe YOU would and that's your beeswax.) I really wanted to be convinced otherwise but it fell a bit flat. A cover of Slade's "Why Why Why" raised the game slightly but by that time, it was too late. NP could be great with a little calibration but I doubt that's ever gonna happen

The addition of another opener was a mistake too because that was beyond awful. It's time the "rock show" as an art form - cut to the chase. Stop fannying about and give us your best 35 minutes. Leave us wanting more for fucks sake, not wishing it was over. Make us believe. It's like people will whoop and holler for anything at this point if it makes them feel like they've had their moneys worth. I saw a guy wearing a leather jacket with Forbidden Dimension on the back. That was pretty cool and there was a girl with some very impressive tattoo work standing just to the left of me at one point. Those shouldn't have been the highlights but they were.

If only Mr McLean's fb message had come in just a few minutes earlier yesterday evening...

THIS JUST IN...

Mr Duff informed me that Roky is playing in London at the HMV Forum (formerly T&C and most recently, Kentish Town Forum) on August 20th and also that the Shjips are at The Borderline the night before. Anybody know who RKE’s band will be?

RIP - Nancy Overton (The Chordettes)

Forget the special RSD releases of retread Stooges/MC5 and whatever, the big item of the day has to be Wooden Shjips "Dos" complete with mix cd compiled by the band. The roots of the Shjips are definitely showing on this limited edition. Vinyl is two weeks away but from what I could see, this was doing brisk business meantime. Not sure if the comp cd will be accompanying that. Probably not.

Anyway, I think that the leaking of this particular release didn't result in sinking sales. Anybody who heard it was babbling uncontrollably about how damn great it is. Track 5, "Fallin'" is quite simply the most hypnotic groove that I've come across in many moons.

Not much info on the packaging. Once again it's the music itself that's doing the talking. If you're in the market for some space rock with a bite then this is your "man" - man. And I use that term as a greeting to all and every gender. Peace? That's a different story, this is anything but peaceful but the perfect Neu/Suicide melding with a "dusting" (yo Tarq!) of Iron Butterfly, has kind of blown my napper innards. (S)h(j)ips don't lie...

I don't completely agree with this review but infowise it has a neat tempo.

"Muchas garcias" to for Dr H who made it possible to hear this several weeks ago.

This has been posted elsewhere I know but Russell and I were talking about it yesterday and decreed that it rules!

Another day, another ISP hassle. No blueyonder this morning but waht's the point of getting agitated. Plenty time for that later as the realisation of burning a weeks holiday kicks in.

Record Store Day was a hit in terms of the social aspect. I'll reserve my more cynical take on it all because even although every day is RSD for some people, it did stir up some very good vibes. I particularly applaud the "home baking" aspect and Katrina Pastel in particular for the scrumdiddleyumptious cheese sticks! I saw a couple of guys from a new signing - The Virgins - at Avalanche. Do the kids really want a new Doobie Brothers? Probably not.

The big story of the day though had nothing to do with RSD really. It involved the Boyle phenomenon that is seemingly sweeping the earth. True story, you couldn't make it up. A whole lot of you guys are familiar with the Rt Hon. Stewart Cruickshank, and you know his standing in the community not only locally but globally. So 10 years ago, the intrepid and selfless Captain Krunch finds himself in Whitburn Town Hall (look it up) judging a talent show. That was the self-same competition that resulted in this "Cry Me A River" track that's turned up. So there you go - the one and only Stewart Cruickshank gazumped Cowell by several light years.

The situation this woman finds herself in will hopefully provide her with the wherewithall to want for nothing anymore. the way her business has been dragged through te neighbourhood, she deserves it. Don't give me that crap about her sounding like Peggy Lee - she sounds like Lena Martell and I guess that she's taking one day at a time right about now. And it's true, she doesn't look anything like Julie London but as Jaki McDougall rightly pointed out, that's what wee wifie's from that part of the world look like.

Irrespective of the freakshow aspect, there's a John Waters factor here. Ultimately it doesn't matter what her background. Whitburn has been twinned with Baltimore by the sickness of this trumped up version of The Gong Show.

The Sexual Objects played as a duo at Mono and the Tyrannosaurus Rex vs Alex Harvey boded well for a full on electric assault. Would love to have stayed for Peter Parker, soundcheck was great but it had been a long, very cool shift. It's not often that you bump into a guy who's a mate of the great Roger Armstrong that you can reminisce about "Rock On" with.

At this point, I'm pondering whether to go to The Supersuckers/Nashville Pussy show. Not sure.

Elsewhere in Glasgow - Camera Obscura have an album launch in Mono tonight. They're not playing but the considerable djing skills of Traceyanne Campbell and Carey lander will be on display.

It's Record Store Day then... I had a thought, maybe there are some of you folks that don't have access to a real shop. It's pretty sick but I know that's a possibility. I'm not sure what the "limited" aspect of these special releases are but if there's anything you need then let me know before 10am (GMT) and I'll do what I can to hook you up. "Dos" by Wooden Shjips is to be made available today so I'm hoping to come back with that. OK, back at you much later...

Don't bother with the Susan Boyle 7" though. They're all sold out already...

GFT's birthday: 1974 film - you decide!

This is the elusive Per Gessle song... it's a little "Primitive", right?



Thanks to Carolline...

"Malcolm Tucker" onstage in Glasgow, February 2nd 1979.

No idea who took the shot...

... anyway, the subject's new film is out in cinemas today!

It’s been quite the week for anniversaries of people shuffling off this mortal coil.

Wednesday it was 8 years without Joey (Ramone), Thursday it was Johnny Thunders (18 years!) and today, it’s exactly a year since the great Chris Gaffney went to the great roadhouse. 49 today since Eddie Cochran. It occurs to me that this is worth mentioning...

Some shows this weekend...

Firstly, Shock and Awe in Edinburgh tonight.

"the world famous shock and awe are playing at henrys tonight - at the moment its a bit uncertain whether we're playing with our stand in drummer Barry Ands or our stand in drum machine Debbie Suicide, or you if you fancy it ! either way its going to be different from the gig we played the other week Either way we are on at 9pm sharp, so plenty time for a pint and a chat after - henrys cellar bar, morrison street at the lothian road end, I'll probably be playing my silver sparkly guitar because I broke my other one while kicking it round the stage the other week also performing tonight in a ear pleasing punk rock new wave frenzy are THE AXIDENTS + PLASTIC ADULTS + CHATEAU GREYSKULL + UGLY BABY so 5 bands for 5 quid and a free cd from me if you want onesee ye there ? Cheers, Murray"








Girls on Top in London and a reminder that The Phobics are in action dahn there also...

Tom, you want to take it from here?

"Call yourself my mates? - Further to my earlier begging missive, I STILL have tickets for our gig at the Dirty South in Lee High Road this coming Saturday 18th April and they are slower moving than the veg in a kebab. Come on guys and gals, 4 bands plus us for six quid - a recap - You will be entertained by: CATFIGHT / WONK UNIT / THE PHOBICS and THE BERMONDSEY JOYRIDERS featuring Garry Lammin from Cock Sparrer and Keith Boyce from The Heavy Metal Kids and - playing a rare London gig - PETER AND THE TEST TUBE BABIES. (Haud me back! - ha ha) Doors open at 7:30pm is and the bar is open til 2am so come early, stay late and spend Sunday saying hello to God on the big white telephone - you know it makes sense - It'll cost more on the door so act now save money and help the desperate old punk rockers - it's the gift that keeps on giving!! Thank you for your kind indulgence. TIGHTWADS!"

If you need to get in touch with Tom to take up his kind offer then do so via The Phobics myspace.

Record Store Day Happenings here and there…

Reverse the trend of driving the record stores into extinction. Stay the fuck away from your iPod or whatever on Saturday April 18th. Embrace the concept of leaving your billet and visit a record store. Here’s an example of what’s happening but if you go to the RSD website then you can zoom in on what’s happening near you.

I’ve already heard griping about it being an opportunity for record companies to cash in by releasing special items. Wake up you diddies! – there’s a full blown crisis going on. In these times, when the populace is more likely to vote for a crap singer or some drongo that puts their pants on their head during a so called reality TV show (because it's in the script) – instead of who runs the country then y’know, that concerns me a little.

Listen to what Joni said. “You never know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone”. I think that was a prediction of what might happen if the record stores vamoose.

So in Glasgow for starters…

Monorail Music just had a big Norton Records trove arrive…

Sir Sandy McLean in The Herald today on the subject with details of wha’appen in Dundas Street.

Avalanche Glasgow schedule for the day (could be subject to chopping and changing over the course)...

FRAN SCHOPPLER : 1PM
ROSS CLARK: 1:30
DANANANAKROYD DJ SET: 2 PM
THE VIRGINS: 3 PM
WE WERE PROMISED JETPACKS: 3;45
VERTICAL BUTLER SCHEME: 4:30
THE BRAKES: 5 PM
ALISTAIR ROBERTS 5:30

In Stockholm – A Rawk slant at Sound Pollution!

In Rochester, NY – New Math Now are doing an instore at Record Archive!

I bet that Plato in Utrecht are doing something and don’t forget the big bash that’s going down at the Record Fair there on behalf of NederGlam!!

If anything particularly tasty rolls in then I’ll post that later. If you want to blab anything special that’s going down on your watch, then send an e-holler. Operators are standing by...

With all the reportage of the vinyl single reaching a ripe old age recently and the fact that sales of these things are up, let's just keep these "special editions" out of the hands of the tossers that are out to fleece you on ebay. Let's flush those blighters out of the system. Re-live the days when you used to spend that well-earned pocket money on a shiny black thing that would provide hours of repeated pleasure.

Something you had to interact with that wasn't a mobile phone. It may take some convalescence but you can do it!

This just in from Mr McLean... (click on image to enlarge).