Ain't no stopping that Bgrrrlie...

RIP - Wardell Quezergue

(Thanks to Ulf for the link. I noticed this yesterday but clean dang forgot)

Don’t have much time this evening. Heading into Edinburgh to meet up with the Oslovian Cultural attaché.

Important matters of state will be discussed such as when The Dahlmanns album will be ready to go, stuff like that. It’s a school night though so no disorderly conduct is likely.

Hi Kids,

September is upon us and apart from it being the month of my birth we've got 3 hot gigs to celebrate it with you all. My official Birthday is on the 6th but you can choose any or all of these fine nights out to raise a toast to my arrival on this sceptic Isle, no need to buy me an expensive gift, your mere presence will suffice!
Wednesday 7th September at The legendary 100 Club, Oxford Street, with The Bermondsey Joyriders + John Sinclair (60’s counter culture revolutionary/ex MC5 Manager) and guest DJ Jeff Mundy. + Exotic Burlesque from Luna Rosa too all for £8 in advance or £10 on the door or contact us for £5 tickets (be quick) 7:30 til 11:00pm not to be missed!!! https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=233535206678475

Saturday 10th September at the New Cross Inn, 323 New Cross Road SE14 6AS with The Television Personalities and The Electric Cocks 8pm Start, tickets/details from http://www.newcrossinn.com/event.php?id=240

Friday 23rd September at The Grosvenor, Sidney Road, Stockwell SW9 0TP; with Wonk Unit, The Bucha Effect, and The Electric Cocks and this one is FREE! https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=250633868294226

Our new LP Deptford Calling will be on sale on CD and limited 12” pink vinyl at all gigs along with whatever T Shirts and badges we have left

If you need any more Info just send me a message and I will be delighted to help.

Make September Phobic!

Tom

So here’s something you won’t want to miss. A super-limited (250 - numbered) slab of scarce live Cramps material that is only up for grabs to members of the Staysick board. It’s like one of those things they advertise on TV as not being available in stores or from anywhere else. So if you want one then you have to line up over there (link down the page a bit).

As if documentary evidence was required, this act provided one of the most comprehensive rock’n’roll visions of any popular music group ever. The fact that they never reached megastardom is moot. They didn’t care. The tail’s raison d'être was never to wag the dog – merely to see justice done. And ultimately to make this world a better place.

So anyway, the folks behind this are continuing what the LOTC wrought back some 25+ years ago. This is their biggest project to date and quite likely their last because the penny has dropped as to just how much effort goes into putting something like this, or the video comp, or – in the olden days – a fanzine and whatever - together. This is for the fans and not to be hawked on any auction sites or any such shennanigans.

What’s on it? Enquire at the desk but don’t be wasting Mondosean’s time or I’ll set Professor Von Bainée about ya.

I never heard this yet so beat me to the punch why dont'cha...

Happy Americans by mxrich

SÄKERT! på engelska (Razzia)

Regulars will be entirely aware by now that I consider Annika Norlin to be one of the very greatest artists that I ever discovered during my long time doing this. Pure and simple.

That said, she remains a mystery to much of the world. The indictment of this album not having a scheduled UK release underlines why the music business is dying here - the blighters involved are largely deaf or worse. The US (Minty Fresh) and Germany have indicated that they lead the field while poor old Blighty is malingering under the delusion that it still means something.

The strange thing is that it took a number of plays for me to actually hear this in English. My familiarity with much of the material meant that I heard it in default Swedish. Her accent is very much present and the words sound to me to be delivered in a different way than with Hello Saferide. I’m not sure that makes sense now that I’ve typed it but I believe this to be true. ‘tis my understanding that these translations are literal? Maybe that’s why it took me so long to acclimatise.

The whys and wherefores are not important, all that matters is that you hear it. There’s one new song (“November”) and the other 10 are from the recent “Facit” and the debut. (“You’ll Be On Your Own).

The lyrics are one thing but never underestimate the power of this band, a whole different wall of sound that so perfectly complements the mood. The Arcade-freaking-Fire? Don’t make me laugh. Those Oja-delic guitars and the sense of space in the arrangements captivate a grandeur that you simply won’t find anywhere else. Take the omnichord on “Can I” for example – it haunts the song to punctuate the words, making them all the more poignant.

So, for now you can order it on this internet contraption. A few savvy stores will carry it too. How you get a copy is entirely your business just so long as you do.

... Hold the presses!! THE TRASH SHACK has g-g-g-gone global and it's shippin' in the super swank sounds for none of yer pounds! That's right,swingers 'n' sinners, Sunday 4th September sees C.B.G.H. (CENTRAL BAR GATES HEAD) open its door to all you rockers,rollers 'n' right out of controllers for a tip-bound sounds 'n' dumpster-dive decor free for all! 'n' when we say free for all we means FREE FOR ALL! The price of admission sure do be... nada! zilch! nowt!!

Top of the shop's Boston U.S.A. garage beat buzz bombs MUCK AND THE MIRES. Signed to E Street band guitar slinger Little Stevens' WICKED COOL RECORDS in the States and Dirty Water on this side of the pond, The Mires blast forth a cool mix of pre Sgt. Pooppers Star club Fab 4 'n' Nuggets garage rockin'. You want 6 fisted, double twisted, oriental super mental rock 'n' roll? Thee Shack got it by the sack!

MINNESOTA VOODOO MEN are a 3-man Japanese juggernaut of treble-oid trouble in the Link Wray/Guitar Wolf mould. THEE MUMMIES CURSE (the world's only tribute/insult to bandage clad 90's lo fi losers THE MUMMIES) bring some SONICS style screech 'n' twango agro to the party.

Glasgow's very own CHARLES RANDOLPH RIVERS' SLIM RHYTHM REVUE sound like quite the crew but this aint no brass 'n' backin' chanter big band, it's a one man rockabilly riot! Ol' Chuck lays on the limbs for his whack-oid whirlwind of country, blues, rockabilly real, real gone rockin'.

1st out the trap o' crap are local lads made bad THE HANDSOME DICKS (currently under summons for breakin' the trade descriptions act) with their Flamin' Groovie garage beat. Hell if you don't dig the Dicks you don' dig Diddley....There you have it, misters 'n' sisters, a full card o' kwality for nothin'. Not enuff you say? O.K. Let's throw in the Trash Shack double o' D.J's spinnin' PUNK JUNK! MOULDY MOD !RANCID ROCKABILLY! ROTTEN ROCK 'N' ROLL! OUT OF CODE ODDITIES!....kick off at 4pm. BE THERE!

INFO:
rufusrexx@aol.com or urbanandeastern@gmail.com

BAND PICS 'N' SOUNDS:
http://www.muckandthemires.com
http://www.myspace.com/theminnesotavoodoomen
http://www.themummies.com/
http://www.myspace.com/slimrhythmrevue
http://www.myspace.com/thehandsomedicks

TRASH SHACK SUNDAY SHAKE
THE CENTRAL BAR
HALF MOON LANE
GATESHEAD
TYNE AND WEAR
NE8 2AN
SUNDAY 4TH SEPTEMBER
START 4PM
ADMISSION FREE

MUCK AND THE MIRES (USA)
MINNESOTA VOODOO MEN (JAPAN)
THEE MUMMIES CURSE (EGYPT)
CHARLES RANDOLPH RIVERS' SLIM RHYTHM REVUE (SCOTLAND)
THE HANDSOME DICKS (ENGLAND)

DECOR: TRASH
DRESS CODE: TRASHIER

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIm3l8vwDqs

A missive from Murray Ramone...

Gig this Sunday - September 4th - Henrys Cellar Bar

35mm DREAMS - poptastic 80's veterans reform for 30th anniversary gig !
MY-T-Hi - all the way from Japan !
SHOCK AND AWE - the world famous !

classic 3 band lineup this sunday at henrys cellar bar at the top of morrison street
doors open 7:30, first band on about 8, all over by 11pm so you can be nicely tucked up in bed before midnight

In between bands we'll be playing the forthcoming "Vic Godard and Subway Sect Live in Glasgow" album and some other tracks completely unavailable anywhere else in the world at the moment including one that cant be named! ... trot along and find out !

Sublime, as always... album review coming soon. I promise. (Thanks to Robster for the link)

Had some folks ask how to make contact via this blog now that I removed the link. If you make a comment below any post then I can get back to you. The reason for removing said link was because I was inundated with guff mp3s and wannabe’s that were looking to parade on this “Next Big Thing” circus that takes place here and there. It’s actually quite alarming to consider that so many minimal to no-talents would consider that they might compete with anything but that’s human nature for you.

I just delete anything like that which does make it through the defences but even that can take time. And time is a precious commodity that I'm very not into wasting.

"Tuesday night at the Lakeside Lounge in NYC: the "Elvis Club" plays a warm up show before heading to Spain. 9pm $20 suggested donation. No advance tickets, no reservations."

I’ve been preoccupied with the East Coast USA hurricane stuff and the sheer scale of the disruption. While obviously it’s best not to take any chances – let’s hope that that with everything being shut down that it can all start up again. Safety first indeed but with so much importance being placed on the economy – consider the money that isn’t going into it via businesses, etc this weekend and the insurance one way and another. Boggles the mind. This will be considered an “act of god” for sure – in many cases they’re home free. The supermarkets were however cleared in that plague-like hoovering mechanism that always kicks in in such circumstances. I think that TP might be the least of your worries if everything actually does go all armaggeddon.

So anyway, as I tap away the bisom has pretty much just breezed into the tri-state area. Sincerely hope that the destruction and flooding comes to nothing for all my peeps out yonder. The way news works these days, it’s not easy to get a handle on what’s happening unless you’re plugged into the mainframe that is those affected themselves. So far no news is no news and therefore could be construed as good news.

COMING SOON!

Heartening to witness a decent turnout at Tuts for some honest to goodness homegrown rock’n’roll last night. Looking at the upcoming gig listing, I never heard of any of them. Perhaps that says more about me than the booking policy but let’s leave that open. Oh there was one – G Love. I presume that’s the “Special Sauce” guy? Not Gerry??

Anyway, The Reverse Cowgirls make a reasonable racket and opened the night. If I were being objective then I’d say they’d make a better impression at this point if they trimmed a couple of songs from the set but my ADD isn’t their problem. The Brutes were something of a revelation and delivered just the right amount of genetically enhanced garage pummel. The gear shift in “Real Gone Gasser” especially hit the spot.

And what about The Primevals? This was evidently a dry run for a time when they can fill the Barras. Some cool stagecraft involved and proper lighting plus a proper stage. They were having fun up there and I really hope that they get to do it all again soon. I believe that London in for a pounding on Saturday October 8th at The Water Rats, Kings Cross.

A certain London combo that enjoys an overt amount of ass-kissing for way, way less might like to check out how it oughtta be done.

Many thanks to Ms Linna...

It's been a hell of a week one way and another. Not a lot of time or notion to futz about on here but there's a brace of fine rockin' releases coming up so one way or another, it's time the digit was extracted. Obviously you're thinking - "I'll believe that when I clock it". Abso-fecking-lutely squire (or squire-ette).

Is that a light at the end of the 2011 tunnel that I see before me? One reserves the right to figure it's a false alarm. Only time will tell.

The Primevals at King Tuts in Glasgow tomorrow with The Brutes and The Reverse Cowgirls (Friday).

I've lost the jpeg poster but if you can get there then do just that.

Mr Hagen sent me this link - you'll dig it...

RIP - Nick Ashford

RIP - Jerry Leiber

There are still tickets available for BLAST OFF!

Be cool! So says Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co. with its monthly, air-cooled appearance at the ever tropical Otto's Shrunken Head...

*THURSDAY, AUGUST 25th / OTTO'S SHRUNKEN HEAD /
538 East 14th Street (just west of Avenue B) in ol' Manhattan /
Two refrigerated sets, from 8pm sharp until 10pm / Salty snacks -- and no cover!

And, please kindly note that SIT & Die will not be appearing at the Rodeo Bar in September for our monthly residency, but should you find yourself in the vicinity of our neighbour to the north over Labor Day Weekend:

*FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2nd / "RED HOT & BLUE" WEEKENDER /
Montreal, Quebec / SIT & Die returns for the seventh annual rockabilly festival!

*SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 4th / "GREAT CANADIAN BURLESQUE" at Cadillac Lounge /
Toronto, Ontario / SIT & Die's first visit to the Queen City!

Chillingly yours,
Michael
Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co.
"Ballads, Boogies & Blues"

Encore by mxrich

I need to compile a complaint form to First Scotrail. They’re useless. They can’t cope with demand for their services and yesterday was the proverbial straw that broke the big hairy spitting creature’s back. A rugby game and the world’s biggest festival on a very sunny day – droves heading east to spend their hard-earned in Edinburgh and the infrastructure can’t cope. It can’t bloody cope under normal conditions.

Still that aside, the David Sedaris show was great. I was always a big fan of his sister Amy but my pal Fiona gave me one of his books last Christmas and I actually read it. My info junkie demeanour doesn’t often grant me that patience but I did. So to catch his reading was a great opportunity and it’s the coolest thing of its type I’ve seen since David Lynch at the GFT. He is a little DL-ish to my mind. At the signing, he told me that he’d never heard an accent like mine and Mr Shaw – who went to the show last night, I went Friday – he said he mentioned what could have been me. Alluding to the fact that I had the strongest Scots accent he ever heard. Which kind of counters what Brother Don reckoned when we spoke last week, ha ha.

I did drop by to get another book signed yesterday evening so that was another mission accomplished.

Today I’m gonna take a walk up to the “set” for World War Z that’s taking place close to the oil refinery. Brad Pitt is apparently in town and until now that’s always been Glasgow rhyming slang for something a bit unsavoury. I’m sure you can figure it out. Anyways I’m only going because Gry said I should.

This has been a weird day, could be about to get weirder but I just transferred an important new pop opus to my mp3 player and I’m heading out the door. Laters...

Finally - a semblance of justice for the West Memphis Three...

More than halfway through the thing called August… took in a small corner of the Edinburgh festival by seeing John Otway’s power point presentation. Maybe a tad overlong but he seems like such a good geezer and of course the price, gratis entry, is entirely right. I’m not sure if it runs for the entire festival but if you’re in town then you could actually pay to see a much lesser performance.

And then there was Shonen Knife. In a crammed Sneaky Pete’s the j-pop-punk triumvirate belted it forth as only really they can. Defying all pop clichés and employing the wattage of pyramid power, the set itself maybe wasn’t as great as last time at Tut’s in Glasgow but it was still a hoot. I put this down to them maybe not including “Barnacle” this time. Although their ode to sushi came mighty close.

The place was rammed so there was no way the girls could get offstage to do the encore ritual. So they stayed and played a medley of Ramones songs as can be found on their Osaka Ramones tribute that has just been released. The version of KKK would bring tears of joy to a glass eye and well, it was just magic.

Great show = great merch and Murray noted how it seemed like the audience just turned around and queued for the gear. It might have been a school night but it didn’t matter at all because a visit by these girls is still an occasion. Like Otway, they occupy a special place that’s damned cool to connect with. The Knife are making their way across Europe in the coming weeks. If they can kick my spirits into life then chances are they can jump start yours too.

Guess I wasn't on here yesterday? In some ways that's progress because it suggests a semblance of a life - ha ha. And today, we're heading for Edinburgh and all the hoo-hah that festival time bestows. Not for anything in particular but maybe John Otway at 3pm in The Voodoo Rooms.

Ballroom @ Voodoo Rooms from 15:00 - 16:00, August 7-17 - Otway on Otway [Music]
Rock and Roll's greatest failure's hysterical romp through 35 years of being a pop star with 2 hits and 25 flops. Soon to be a major movie.

Might be back later. Much later. Shonen Knife tomorrow. It's all go.

Ben Weasel is back and not in the business of taking prisoners...

Pffffff.... I've tried to make a link to Lola Dutronic ten times and each bloody time, this thing has frozen up. Between the gas and pedal powered PC and blogger taking the piss. I might be about to take my rage on to the streets. Either that or have another round of thai red chilli crisps...

I was wondering what to post because my head is elsewhere. One of these places is a boat in Stockholm. Anyway, The Chairman literally just sent me this this link. You all love Lola Dutronic right? Well this version of The Fast's classic will rev you up for sure.



LOLA DUTRONIC is an Electronic Pop duo that divides its time between Berlin and Toronto. Vocalist Stephanie B. and producer/composer Richard Citroen combine elements of French Pop, Lounge, Electro, Bond Themes and Euro Disco, often within the same song.

Their latest digital release, “NEW YORK STORIES”, contains 5 cover versions of songs from the fabled CBGB/Max’s era – Suicide’s “CHEREE”, Blondie’s “IN THE SUN”, Johnny Thunders’ “YOU CAN’T PUT YOUR ARMS AROUND A MEMORY”, Alan Vega and Martin Rev’s “KEEP YOUR DREAMS” and the single, “KIDS JUST WANNA DANCE”, originally performed by New York legends THE FAST, written by the late Miki Zone.
More on this when I hear the entire thing...

Can’t dilly dally here for too long as I have a houseguest but a couple of things to flag up in the interim.

Tomorrow is The Nomads annual Blidosund Blitzkrieg and I am very jealous of those who will be clambering aboard.

Kopper dropped me a line about The Garage Punk Hideout comps. I haven’t had time to investigate those but it sounds like something that would be up your alley. So scoot the heck over there.

“They’re mad as hell and they’re not gonna take it anymore”.

Can’t you just see the bye-line of the upcoming computer game Social Unrest 2011?

Filched from Network it could easily be applied to what’s going on in the inner cities. The undertow is that authorities are tied down by red tape and health and safety regulation. How do you deal with marauding sociopaths when it will just end in form-filling. Or on YouTube.

Attempts at levity aside. This latest twist on tensions isn’t hurting the authorities. It’s trashing the lives and livelihoods of people that are just trying to make it through the days and weeks. Many of them haven’t got homes, or businesses or jobs to go to today. All because a pack of twonks wanted to nab ugly tracksuits and/or a flatscreen TV. Insurance will have a field day and our already absurd premiums will spiral ever upward. It’s sickening and I sincerely hope that you folks out there aren’t affected directly by any of this?

While I fully understand that no-one in their right mind has much respect for what passes as the authorities, this should not be confused with having no respect for how others may choose to conduct their lives or their property. Don’t piss up my back and tell me that it’s raining and I’ll leave you and yours alone. As a credo goes, it's pretty simple. This is almost certain to get worse before it gets better and we’ll all have to pay through every orifice for it. That’s the only certainty in all of this. Do you think that Cameron will be able to get his holiday leave back after having to cut his break short?

This is the best piece I've read about what's going on. As of right now there are 16,000 cops on the beat down London way. Chaos reigns, even in town as I understand it although there are no actual altercations. when something like this results in the cancellation of Mose Allison's final night of his Pizza Express stint then, well, that's just not on. This Solidarity Federation statement is also worthy of your attention.

And what about the Sony/PIAS thing? As if music wasn't suffering enough - a lot of labels and bands simply won't be able to wear what was happened.

Let's hope that things can calm down. Why don't the police just make like they're dealing with terrorists? The actions are certainly terrifying the people that have got to live in these areas so can't they just shoot them?

Oh soz, I forgot. The form-filling.

Fun for all, and all for fun. It's Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co. at the honky tonkin'est joint in town, the Rodeo Bar!

(Oh, and this will be our last Rodeo Bar show until October, so best catch the fun whilst thou can. Just sayin'.)

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10th / RODEO BAR /
375 Third Avenue (at the corner of 27th Street)
in ol' Manhattan / Two *guaranteed* fun sets, from 8:30 sharp 'til 11pm or so / No cover!

Yours in merriment,

Michael

Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co.

"Ballads, Boogies & Blues"

I haven't read this but enough people whose opinons I trust have (cyber)doorstepped me about "B-Sides and Broken Hearts" so I'm pretty sure it' a goer. The original title was "Joey Ramone Is Dead".

There's a Brooklyn, NY launch on the 25th of this month.

RIP - Conrad Schnitzler

Via Kenne Highland and Miriam's fb...

Fur Dixon and Steve Werner are back with episode three of their ongoing folked up Americana. Entitled “Songs Of The Open Road (Volume One)” these West Coast troubadours have collected another 10 songs that indicates that they can sure pick ‘em in more ways than one.

Crystal clear and expansive in sound panoramic, you’re with them all the way down those byeways. “I Like How I Feel” is luscious. “I‘ve been over the hill and around the bend” sez Fur but it sounds like she’s comfortable in her skin now. “Do Re Mi” is a hymn for these stock-market plummeting times, penned by Woody Guthrie way back thataway – precious few of us ever will be troubled with having bucketloads of that particular commodity. It’s time wealth was measured in a more spiritual currency and this couple could teach us a thing or two about that demeanour.

The slow burn tex-mex marinade of “De Colores” is a soothing concoction also. There are two tunes penned by a lady by the name of Mary McCaslin who I’ll be “googling” just as soon as I’m done with this. “The Dealers” is a mid-paced swinging western tale presented by both parties. Old timey but never trite. The steel on “Prairie in the Sky” haunts the song beautifully without ever being overplayed. (Update - 7.12pm: Was I ever outta the loop on the Mary McCaslin thing...?)

Dan Janisch’s “I Cannot Settle Down” brings the curtain down and it pretty much covers their reason to believe the way they do. I just hope that they make it out this way soon to state their case in person. Go play on their website.

Billy McBarbie gave me a copy of Sugar Louise's “Everything’s Better With Sugar” when I was in Moss. It encompasses that grand Scandinavian tradition of being able to channel several generations of glam, punk and pop into anthemic daftness. How the fuck could you not love a song entitled “Be My Demi Moore”? Seriously. And I played “Down By The Lake” during my disc-n-spinnering without knowing what it was and said tune fitted the mood like a glove. Sometimes you just get a feeling.

I don’t know what is in the water there but I’m addicted to it. And while we’re on an H2O Aqua better get ready to redo their biggest hit as “It’s a Billy McBarbie world”.

Sugar Louise is where The Riverdales collide with Backyard Babies (circa Total 13) at a Smashed Gladys tribute evening to The Sweet. In a perfect world, Sugar Louise would be packing ‘em in with their rambunctious take on a musical form that not easy to get right. One slight quibble – I could a done without the calypso bits in “Wastin’ Summertime” but will let that slide because of the sentiment in the gloriously juvenile “U2 Sucks” (“not a single decent song – after playing for that long”).
This wee treasure is on the Naked Hollywood imprint.

The postal service between Australia and here has conspired to keep me and Dollsquad’s “Lethal In Leather” apart until just recently. The latest copy that Joey sent made it over the obstacle course. Keeping their garage fuzz credentials intact they’ve rounded out the sound with a glam crunch. And what other band do you know has pez dispensers as part of their merch. I was well impressed with the one I saw in Casa Arnoff.

Six gals in leather pummelling out cave beat, what the hell’s not to like in the first instance but when it’s performed like this then the result is a genuine twist-off.

These Melbourne lassies deal all the right frequencies. The keyboard action is especially frisky and the overall result is not unlike the latter day Pandoras. The Friggs fandabbidozi “Bad Word For A Good Thing” is given the D-squad treatment and “Rock’n’Roll Boy” is crying out to be struck in 7” vinyl. A double “A” with “Dreaming” perchance?

The duet with (Oz) X singer Steve Lucas (who also manages them) is cool in a Hazlewood sense but the real gold is in “Everything” a ballad that pitches in a little Suicide-ish piano flourish, not unlike yon version of “Heart and Soul” that appears in the movie “Big” when Tom Hanks is fooling around in FAO Schwarz. A quiet but perfect high upon which to close.

A cut above your common or garden identikit authenticity then, Dollsquad possess both style and substance in abundance. See for yourselves...

Thanks to Mr Duff for the heads up on this. Proper Friday afternoon tuneage and no mistake.

Never saw this before - Courtesy of the SLQ fb...

S&LQ in the house...


Suzy & Los Quattro "Freak out" by BCore Disc

I was reading about a certain band that I cannot abide being embarrassed about what went down at their show in Dallas. This instance of the human condition notwithstanding – they’d be better employed being mortified about their alleged “music”.

Still tussling with this lurghi. Can't remember if I linked this before. If not then I meant to.

Rough. That just about covers the demeanour about now. Can’t seem to shake off this sore throat so it’ll just have to run its course. So yeah – Sheffield, way different to the last time I was there to see Springsteen when he toured “Tunnel of Love”. Getting there by train is a wee bit of a palaver but not much and it’s further down than I thought. Hence the urge to get off at Darlington.

Amy and Eric played The Greystones. A nice full room in the back of a bustling pub that seemed to serve a neighbourhood. There’s a full programme of stuff on there and while being in a residential that might not sit right with any major degree of sound volume – I haven’t been to many UK venues of late that are this well appointed. It was great to see them in good spirits. We hung out prior to the show and a bit afterwards. Highest highlights in a top calibre set included “Do You Remember That?”, “Kilburn Lane” and first time in a while – “The Trouble With Jeannie”. Andre filmed several clips that he’ll use to drum up attendees for the London show on November 26th at Union Chapel. Put the date in your diary folks.

And the fates smiled upon us in the accommodation department also. Plumping not to go down the Premier Inn route because it was too expensive – we went to Number Fifteen. A B&B that’s run by the promoter Simon’s wife Judith. Nice people, perfect place. If you’re heading to Sheffield then I unreservedly recommend that you stay there. An excellent breakfast with Sounds of the Sixties playing out in the background and no hangover. Result.

The train back to Edinburgh was cross-country so no changes. Not as comfortable as the East Coast mainline but it does the job. Hit the town a little after three and met Joss and Nadia with Yan and Steph at The Beehive down yon Grassmarket. Always a pleasure and it would have been even more so if the loutish packs of stag party scum could have been shepherded someplace else. Not drinking because I had to drive later perhaps heightened the low threshold of being able to zone out the incessant Neanderthal yelping but it was a small price to pay to watch the youngsters at our table having a good time.

From there it was a dash back to the station to get home and catch the vibes from Risør via a live stream. Imagine the frustration when this was interrupted and our homegal and her crew (Reine Laken) fell off the gas-powered PC radar for a bit. The only thing for it was to head for Tesco in order for A to stock up on tunnocks comestibles and a visit to the chippy. Most of my visitor's culinary jonesing was addressed this past few days methinks including the phenom known as the “crunchy pizza”. Then when we got back, we caught the rest of the RL set and the mission was indeed accomplished.

The drive in the wee hours to Edinburgh airport went without incident on autopilot to some degree. The remainder of Sunday is a blur and it's not a whole heck of a lot better now. Car insurance - that's what I needing to attend to now but the spirit and the flesh are very much in cahoots on this one.

RIP - Gene McDaniels (info via Al Chan's fb)

Hit the proverbial brick wall after a few days of big fun and am too fried to even consider collecting my thoughts and spilling them here. All in due course. My fellow traveller is back in Moss Rock City and I'm staring over that precipice referred to as Monday. In addition to it being August.

Regarding Thursday - The Primevals were swingin' as only they can at Cabaret Voltaire. I was in a minority that didn't really get The BellRays but nothing new there. I stand by my belief/opinion that it's great voice/all dynamic/no songs.

Don't waste your time by trying to convince me otherwise because I prefer The Twisteroos.

Anyway...

So has this damn fezbook real time, rolling update malarkey gone for good? I hope so. Although there are plenty more wee niggles to do with the place where a lot of us spend way too much time these days. Activity here will be limited ‘tween now and Sunday with the exception of maybe Friday.

Still… some stuff happening around that you ought to attend if you’re within gittin’ there distance.

The Surfin' Lungs 30th Anniversary bash on Friday night (29th) down the Brighton.

Eric and Amy are making with a short burst of shows starting tonight ahead of their heading US-ward. But don’t worry, they’ll be back in November.

The Wee Stramash is happening in Edinburgh seeing as it’s Uncle Big has been postponed.

And last but by no means least – Reine Laken will rock Risør in Norway on Saturday as part of Fyrjam 2011.

Big news came today!

Coming up this Thursday!

Looking to break into the lucrative Hillbilly Boogie market? Let Susquehana Industrial Tool & Die Co. show you how!
A no-obligation, two-hour tutorial is all it takes -- salty snacks included!

THURSDAY, JULY 28th / OTTO'S SHRUNKEN HEAD / 538 East 14th Street (just west of Avenue B) in ol' Manhattan / Two instructive shows, from 8pm sharp until 10pm / No cover! /

Successfully yours,
Michael
Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co.
"Ballads, Boogies & Blues"

PANTHER BURNS return to Belgrade on the Danube after their first theatre performance there in 2002. As part of the AUDIO VISUAL 21st CENTURY - AV 21 FESTIVAL BELEF 2011, Panther Burns will appear live before a psychedelic backdrop on Aug 6th at 9pm in the Kalemegdan Fortress on the plateau behind the Gallery Natural History Museum.

Via Eddie Flowers fb...

Sunday morning already. I kind of feel like buying a paper but really don't want to encourage the feeding frenzy. There are TWO BIG STORIES now, during a period of the year when almost nothing ever happens. And there's the other one that's gurgling away in the background - the one that might topple empires and govenments or both.

However, Norway is hurting pretty bad. And that makes me feel rotten. In addition to having many friends there, when I was there last month - the country pretty much helped me to remember that there there might be a purpose to this life malarky after all. I mean that sincerely and honestly. The people I met there were so gracious and cool and they really don't deserve this kind of action being visited upon them so what gives? The "religion" smokescreen. It's time that pigeonhole was reconsidered or even outlawed. It's several leagues more dangerous than drugs and booze ever were. It consumes idiots and makes them think that they have a purpose. They don't.

And after leaving "The Party" yesterday afternoon, I got the message about Amy Winehouse. Now I wasn't a huge fan of her music, I liked the stuff that reminded me of The Detroit Cobras. However, she was a proper pop star and however much she sometimes looked like she'd been dragged back and forward through a hedge multiple times, she exuded a beauty that was real. We can't legislate for her demons and nor should we. Whatever actually killed her is really none of our business. I keep reading about this "27" thing. That it has some significance. What bollocks.

Anyway, Everett True's piece here is pretty great and pretty much says all that needs to be said. It's not forensic, picking over her foibles. It's personal and I think that her character deserves that. And John Robb's is good too.

Your Fragile Mind by mxrich

I've no idea if this is on today or not but if you're in Oslo then you should go.

RIP - Amy Winehouse

Another Morten tip...

Some considerable time prior to punk rock being co-opted into the mainstream, it embodied an attitude and sense of worth. There was no software that could transform any old cak-handed twaddle into something worth listening to. My old mucker, Tom Phobic and I fought in the trenches of the punk rock wars and although we should rightly be looking at retirement with a nice pair of slippers each and a reasonable standard of upkeep, we’re really a bit like those individuals that were never informed that the war was over. Actually this one isn’t though so there’s a modicum of right on our side.

Anyway, that’s a long pre-amble into letting you know that The Phobics ”Deptford Calling” is now out and about. It contains 12 short, sharp kicks up the jacksy in the manner to that which you have come to expect from this fine Lahndunn combo. As honest as the day at your place of employment is long.

As always they combine the finer aspects of both US and UK varieties to arrive at something called “rock’n’roll”. Of the type that has no sell by date. Sadly you probably won’t read about how great this band is in the pages of Mojo but take it from me, they kick a sight more bottom than many of those who will be damned with some degree of praise.

This blighter is also available as a limited vinyl pressing so don’t muck about if you want one of those. No frills, even less nonsense noise of this type is to be nurtured, who knows, it could even kick something off.

You can thank Morten for these...

That should read "Cabaret Voltaire"... see you there.

“13 Songs For The Rodeo Grrls” by Decline of the Reptiles kicks off with a curveball of Doobie Bro-esque proportions. The mature white soul Americana kind of sounds good on them actually but fear not, the remainder returns to the more familiar terrain of BOC-tinged meets Glasgow’s Primevals eminent rockology.

“Respectfully dedicated to James Darroch and Allan Marr” – this latest I-94 Bar release indicates there’s plenty of life in these old dogs and for my moolah, this baby trumphs the last Birdman album at its own game. Nobody infuses those spiritual Detroit stylings like the Australians. Sweden does pretty good but there’s an edge present down under. Even something like “I Confess” that sounds like Don Henley channelling Kill City period Jimmy O.

“13 Songs...” is some grandiose rock action that isn’t too far away from potential stadium variety. I imagine that the term veterans could be applied here but this is anything but a tired attempt at putting a bunch of songs together for the hell of it. The length and breadth of the album is vast, I mean - nobody could have predicted the mutant Acker Bilk shapes of “Penelope”.

Could they?

Via Mr Tepper on facebook...

RIP - Jerry Ragovoy

(Thanks to Mr Ulf for the info)

The Primevals are opening for The Bellrays in Edinburgh on Thursday July 28th.

Onstage 7.20pm sharp at Cabaret Voltaire. Everything done and dusted by 10pm.

And in August...

The trials and tribulations of searching for car insurance continue. Yesterday evening, I succumbed to using a “comparison” website. I dislike these things a great deal but it was a moment of weakness. The consideration that maybe it could scratch the itch and come up with something was an attractive proposition I suppose. So anyway, I go through the soul-sucking job of “form-filling” and had only just had the results come up when the phone rang.

One thing that rattled through my noggin was good, I can divert my attention from this for a bit but it was the “top quote” insurer eager to make a sale. In terms of efficiency I should have folded there and then but I haven’t heard of hardly any of these people and this one in particular could be the best deal on earth but I’m very sceptical at best. I’m not entirely sure why I’m sharing this on here but I was quite shaken by the audacity.

So, pre-occupation with several non-essential escapades like this are hampering my good intentions to start writing about music again. Ideally, I'd have someone to deal with all this bollocks but I don't. One of these days, things will go according to some kind of plan but until then...

RIP - Sherwood Schwartz

Good intentions were the order of the day when I came home but a couple hours of scouring for car insurance has pretty much put paid to that. And Monk just came on so I’m out of here.

There are two really great pop records headed your way this late summer/autumn. “HANK” courtesy of Suzy & Los Quattro and the as yet untitled but imminent debut by The Dahlmanns. These will be available from discerning dealers and download outhouses in due course and as soon as I know exactly when then you will too. There’s also a Nomads album in the works for a wee bit later in the year so you need to budget for that also.

Go visit Nortonville...

The taste that always refreshes? Why, Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co. , of course! And the refreshment is all the more carbonated at the Rodeo Bar this week, with an 8:30 start time and no cover...

WEDNESDAY, JULY 13th / RODEO BAR /
375 Third Avenue (at the corner of 27th Street) in ol' Manhattan / New show times! Two early bird sets, from 8:30 sharp 'til 11pm or so / No cover!

Always yours,
Michael
Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co.
"Ballads, Boogies & Blues"

Via Miriam Linna... this is TOO much!

Via Hasse Isaksson's facebook post...

If you're in LA or thereabouts... you'll be getting all hopped up about DON'T KNOCK THE ROCK. I hope that the Rhino film can be shown out there sometime...

RIP - Wurzel

As things take a turn for an attempt to get things moving here, another fine record that’s been languishing is this debut 4 track 10 inch by It’s A Bird!, It’s A Plane! on the never less than wonderous Razzia imprint.

“All These Things You Are” and “Elephant” are two melancholic, near-orchestral gems that remind me of “Something, Anything” period Todd Rundgren without actually sounding anything like him. The opener clocks in at 5 minutes plus but certainly doesn’t feel like it. My general attention deficit condition seems to abate in the immediate proximity of this act. The whistle-laden (Roger Whittaker variety, not the flute-y wind instrument), piano-powered “Looking Out For Mr Right” extend the stellar scandic pop envelope ever further by dealing in simple high calibre arrangements, the kind that you might have come across in bygone times but without resorting to blatant app-like nostalgia.

And here’s another cut that’s come out since this release and it has a slightly “Queen of the Coast” refrain. I’d imagine the album can’t be far off.

If festivals here would program artists like this then maybe I'd think about attending them...

For some reason I can't embed this but you need to see it. Your faith will be restored in something, At least for the duration of the clip.

Them weekend tickets for the Blast-Off festival are going like the proverbial off the shovel. Better get yours now...

Let’s see, there’s a bunch of great things happening everywhere but here. Death By Unga Bunga are playing in Moss, Norway tonight and over in Hamilton, Ontario -there’s a Memorial Show in honour of the late, great Imants Krumins.

Hereabouts, it’s pissing rain and the torture in the park over in Kinross is in full swing. The annual survivalist weekend with a bill that truly must be their most wretched yet but hey, it’s an institution. Maybe they could just build a big wall around it then. I’ll try to watch a wee bit on TV later but I fear it’ll bring on the Glastojeebies.

If they was a House of Rock stage with Morten and Caroline curating then maybe I’d have a rethink but being that it’s unlikely then I’m probably safe enough. It was touch and go this year though as Matt + Kim were alleged to play some tent or another. If The Dahlmanns end up headlining the main stage one night and Eric and Amy likewise then I’ll relax my embargo for that particular year but until then and hell, who knew that The Arctic Monkeys still existed?

Disregard all and any previous versions of this poster...

The Dahlmanns - a couple more short clips to whet your appetite...