The Norton Records 25th Anniversary Rumble took place at The Bell House in the fine borough of Brooklyn over four days last week. No-one that attended will ever forget it. Since then I hit reality with a bang and a sack full of whimper but let’s try and recapture the flavour of this hysteric event.

4 nights of Nortonian hootch that covered their chequered service. Even although he’s long gone, the spirit of Hasil was present throughout and the clan was treated to the largest collective “hunch” that the world has ever known. Billy and Miriam, ably assisted by Todd Abramson built it and the people came to worship. Many of the locals couldn’t get tickets because the place was to be invaded by furriners. One of which was me.








The Nor-tones kicked things off each evening with a short set composed of nuggets from the annals of the label. They did a great job, the very best of which was a dreamy saunter through Roky’s “Wait For You”. Nick Lowe’s “I Love My Label” sprang to mind too because these kids clearly do.

A mix of head lag and lack of space constricts my ability to cover everything that went on over there but it reached saturation at some points. It got to be a bit much to process. Perhaps a little foaming from the mouth was also evident.








The outright highest highpoints for me was being able to watch the guy that started me out on all this deliver two acoustic sets in the lounge on the Saturday and Sunday nights. Andy Shernoff - ably assisted by Brian Hurd of Daddy Longlegs and the fab Tricia Scotti - delivered the songs that brought a lot of us together like we never heard ‘em in person before. A total honour. Andy also joined Untamed Youth for a rattle through “Cars and Girls” that quite literally made some of us cry like little bitches.

The Yout’ set was also something to behold, effortlessly showing that they were never nostalgia driven to the point of novelty. They might hark back to the bygone but they turbo-charged the goods and delivered something circling perfection.

The A-Bones set and it’s culmination with Roy Loney and Cyril Jordan was beezer too. I had a lump in my throat and something in my eye during much of it. “Questions I Can’t Answer” booted me right over that brink.



Worthy of a shout out also as I run out of space were The 5,6,7,8’s who headlined the first night. No they didn’t it was The Black Lips you might say but trust me. The R&B Soul Revue was utterly unbelievable as Melvin Davis, Andre Williams, Dave “Baby” Cortez and The Mighty Hannibal indicated that age is immaterial. And that their material is solid gold. Jaw droppingly entertaining. The Great Gaylord ably assisted by The Condo Fucks – tore “TV Eye” a new one far beyond The Stooges current cabaret fayre.




I saw Reigning Sound twice. Maxwells was slightly better because they did “High School Time Bomb” but the pace of the set was better at Nortonpalooza. Patrice took me over there on my first night in town, she is a trip. Caught The Sonics two times too. One during the afternoon in NJ with my homies Nancy and Fiona and again closing the four day rally. Blimey, I nearly forgot about The Randy Fuller Four. Who could ever have dreamed of such an occurrence? Never to be forgotten for sure.




There are clips all over the interweb that allow you to hear and see nearly each and every performance. I’m not sure words are enough. It was also and opporchancity to get reacquainted with good friends and to notch up a few more. At least I got to see a wee bit of Susquehanna Industrial Tool and Die Co. I can never get enough of those Goofballs kids. It was an extreme pleasure also to meet Ms Palmyra Delran. They broke the mould when that one was made. And also Brother Mark Hershberger of the Pop Detective imprint who has recently brought The Dahlmanns to the world. So many great folks, so little time. Karen, Sal, Joe, Ken + Vibeke, Roy, Cyril, Jimmy + Gretchen, Joss + Nadia, Scott, Mr & Mrs Kogar, the list just goes on and on... Howie flippin’ Pyro too. First time since the “dog incident” in Glasgow.

Aside from everything else, making the exit up on to Union Square, the first time I ventured into Manhattan on the Thursday was pretty overwhelming. It had been so long. I made for one of the first place that I ever went back in 1983, the Strand Bookstore where I first met Miriam. Then just walking somewhat unconsciously I found myself outside Joey’s old apartment on East 9th. My heart jumped into my mouth at the realisation. It had been a long time and being able to make peace with it all has been a welcome respite to how this year kicked off.

Recent events at home have also served to create a perspective and although the coming months are likely to serve up some primo bullshit on the personal and fiscal front, I feel better prepared to deal with it after this. .

HT came in from up North Fork way and just a couple hours with KP and he did this grizzled old heart good. Likewise Duano. My pal Paul (Lukas) came out even although he had the lurghi, I hope the doc was able to fix you up young fella, me lad.

Anyone visiting the borough should make a bee-line for the Canal Bar (Hey Althea!). A home away from home during “the ordeal” (ha ha). It has the Ulf Ramone seal of approval, who could ask for any more. But wait, all bars carry his approval - right? Ha ha.

My final day in town was really something as I headed for Destination Greenpoint to Chez Zaremba then into town to meet the one and only Caryn Rose. A reminder to anyone who wants to get a cool book for anyone this Chrimbo, “B Sides and Broken Hearts” is the bizzo. From there I saw KP, then Amy joined us before she and I headed toward the Flea Market Cafe farewell nosh that Mary Lee organised. All a bit overwhelming to be honest. Amy Allison, Eric Ambel, Laura Cantrell, Mary Lee Kortes all in attendance prior to the Lakeside Lounge antics. And to have Fiona and Rinda there just iced that bloody cake.

And to top it all off – the great Andy Shernoff Esq. and Ms Delran also turned up. Karen, Jon, Ross and I hit up Manitoba’s. I’m sure that I’ve neglected to mention a host of folks and I could rabbit for acres more but what’s left of my mind is mush really. It’s unlikely that any of us will recover.

Could there perhaps be a 30th anniversary? The attendees of this stramash wait with baited breath to see if those Millers would be prepared to go through anything like this ever again.

When I was wandering around Newark Liberty Airport waiting on fate to deal its mortal blow, pining for them Tri-state urban fjords – Dave “Baby” Cortez’s “Happy Organ” was blaring from the fake fifties diner. For a few seconds, I was transported back to the weekend and all was momentarily well with the world.

If I could just do last Sunday afternoon like Groundhog Day then my disposition would much improve but all is not lost - a rather agreeable weekend lies in store in just a matter of days. I'm gonna visit google maps now to see if there's a route there that doesn't involve the usual rigmarol. Probably not.

Just prior to heading off to NY, a little bit of that state came to Beith in North Ayrshire. In The local Masonic Hall no less. The great Willie Nile made a return to that airt for a Sunday afternoon show that should surely be the template for gigs to come. A cool room, a great crowd untarnished by the spectre of hipster indifference and a very cheap round of drinks. OK, so it’s a bit off the beaten track – that just makes it even better.

In fact this is perhaps the future. Where an act doesn’t fall in with “the circuit” and goes back to old principles. Of course there’s internet and all manner of media gubbins but there’s no substitute for intimacy and if you’ve got the songs then this type of thing is gonna be a skoosh. There has to be a venue like this every town in the UK.

Playing this type of place, you’re gonna be taking your message directly to the people who need it like Willie did. So you get "Can’t Stay Home", "House of a Thousand Guitars" and "The Singing Bell" alongside "I Wanna Be Sedated" and "People Who Died". Authentic NY rock’n’roll thrills and spills transplanted to North Ayrshire.

Opening up the show was Adam Smith, a local youngster who put the Kevin Coyne into Paulo Nutini and then Micky Kemp, a man with transatlantic connections to the boardwalks of NJ and Austin to name but two outposts of the stuff that makes all this tick.

Kudos to Billy Crawford, the man who put this all together and here’s to many more such events out there on the moors.

Willie Nile will be part of a charity event in Glasgow on December 11th or 12th. Can't find details but it's supposed to be at the O2 ABC in Sauchiehall Street.

RIP - Laura Kennedy (Bush Tetras)

Info via Palmyra's facebook page

Until I come back to earth, take a wee rake around here.

Via Sir James Sangster's fb, THE highlight of some very lofty moments.

RIP - Jackie Leven

Marty Thau on The Fleshtones... "and away we go!"

It's available!

RIP - Joe Frazier

Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co. takes to the wild & wooly Rodeo Bar this week -

and later this month returns to Otto's a day earlier than usual for a

special Thanksgiving Eve hillbilly holiday! Dig?

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9th / RODEO BAR / 375 Third Avenue (at the corner of 27th Street) in Manhattan /Two hearty sets, from 8:30 sharp 'til 11pm or so / No cover!

And, getting a day's head start on our regular monthly residency...

*WEDNESDAY*, NOVEMBER 23rd / OTTO'S SHRUNKEN HEAD / 538 East 14th Street (just west of Avenue B) in ol' Manhattan /Two fully stuffed shows, from 8:00 sharp until 10:00 / No cover!

Seasonally yours,

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

Get Nortonised!

Thanks to Denis Devlin for this link via fb...

Tomorrow afternoon in Ayrshire!

RIP - Sir Jimmy Saville

Many thanks to The Chairman for indicating that the ongoing, long term pisser that was viewing this claptrap in Firefox or Safari appears to have been rectified. Gracias to those of you that persevered during this, would love to take credit for the fix but I had less than nothing to do with it. Perhaps a big boy or girl did it and ran away? Whatever happened, it hopefully makes the browsing experience a little less irritating. This weekend is one hour longer. Praise be.

Will you use yours wisely or just fritter it away like I probably will?

Hello,

This Sunday's Monorail Film Club is perfect creep you out cinema.
David Greene's "I Start Counting!" has in recent times become become so underground we didn't think the GFT would be able to source a print but they've somehow managed to get their hands on it. It's part mystery, part horror and has Jenny Agutter pre-Walkabout in it. The score is by Basil Kirchin and the title song is completely amazing.

Wynne (Jenny Agutter), is an adopted schoolgirl who has a growing crush on her older foster brother George (Bryan Marshall). At the same time a series of local sex attacks on young women is haunting the town and becomes the main gossip in Wynne’s school. Wynne’s obsession with George intensifies with the discovery of a bloodied jumper and his unexplained trips out in the evening, which she suspects relate to the sex attacks.

Introduced by Stephen Pastel.

Café Cosmo will be open for drinks and informal chat after the screening. As ever we recommend booking tickets in advance from the GFT box office on 0141 332 6535.

I Start Counting! - Director David Greene - Cast Jenny Agutter, Bryan Marshall

UK 1969, 1h45m, 15 - Sunday 30 October, 7.45pm.

Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co. gets creepy! Well, more creepy, at least – with a Halloween themed fright fest at Otto’s Shrieking Head!

*THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27th / OTTO'S SHRUNKEN HEAD / 538 East 14th Street (just west of Ave. B) in Manhattan, land of the undead /Two blood-curdling shows, from 8:00 sharp until 10:00 /With DJ “Son of Scratchy”, salty snacks from beyond the grave – and no cover! /And, in the slightly less grisly future...

*WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9th / RODEO BAR / 375 Third Avenue (at the corner of 27th Street) in ol' Manhattan / Two seasonal sets, from 8:30 sharp 'til 11pm or so / No cover! /

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

The Yazoo Squelch Audio Society has released Andy Shernoff's "Are You Ready To Rapture". Cub (at least I think that's what it sez) reported A. Dahlmann broke the story during his first night out in NYC where the lucky blighter also caught the man's Lakeside Lounge show with Scott Kempner.

Flipside is an unreleased cut with Joey on the song "Make Me Tremble".

It's available in Europe here. If anyone closer to home needs one then let me know and I'll get them direct from the man himself during Nortonpalooza.

Join Line and Andrè live on Radio New York International at 7.30pm (EST) with Pop Detective head honcho Mark Hershberger, Dave the Boogieman and Barry Dreyfus!

Them Dahlmanns will be talking about "All Dahled Up" and DTB will play tracks from it!! Hit this link at the specified time and you'll be transported to Planet D.

Photo: Line + Darlene Love at Underground Garage 500 just the other night.

RIP - Edmundo Ros

The bunker is in partial disarray. As is my heid.

Still, one of the main things to steam my bean is the reportage of a certain shite band selling out 150K tickets and getting ready to hoover up another 75K with a third steee-rike. And of course, Eblurt is already awash with tickets. I hope the sellers clean up because I have less than nada sympathy for anyone that would consider spending a penny(bathroom reference is a handy coincidence) on these bastards. None of this is good for my blood pressure.

Of course I'm also cranky that I'm not waking up - or still up - In Madrid.

There's a Veronica Falls instore at Monorail tonight. Think I might toddle across there to a place where the mention of a certain Mancunian band is worse than the worsest curseword.

Friday again. The big event draws ever closer and there is a happening of great magnitude going on today too.

Those Quattros are pulling up at the Wurlitzer in Madrid to shake up that veritable rock’n’roll church in celebration of “Hank”. I can feel a big black cloud gathering over this napper of mine as stage time approaches. I’m sure BB mentioned something about a beautiful, rich woman adopting me when I put together the bio blurb but I realise these things take time… ha ha. So they’ll just have to enjoy themselves without the old dweeb hanging round this time.

The normal end of the week high has been put on a peep with various guff that's going on here but I'll bounce back. There is good reason behind that statement but let's not tempt fate.

Someone should be going after the Las Vegan promoter by all accounts but ahead of our Nortonpalooza funfest here's a little Jordan/Loney action. With wir very ain Brother Don on bass (or is it Larry David?) - praise be!!

I never heard this before... thanks to Ritchie via fb. And while you're at it - make a line at Screaming Apple to score The Dahlmanns vinyl.



And another clip for a cut from MacCon2 - details soon...

Well, it was to have been a big surprise. October 29th was to have heralded a return to the ring by Ben's new turbo-charged version of "The Weasel". However, Amazon UK let the cat out of the bag so punish them by ordering your copies directly from Recess.

The tracks are...

Carnival Of Schadenfreude
Fox News
Queen Kong
Muscle Mary
The Parasite Murders
No Reason To Lie
Under The Bus

A short, sharp boot up the jacksy to those who threw the guy under the mode of public transport namechecked on the EP closer.

Integrity intact, Ben has emerged bruised but somewhat unscathed from the brush with unbridled stupidity that set his plans back after SxSW. Everything happens for a reason, or so they say. His ex-bandmates really should have stuck by him - instead they provided the fuel for him to pick himself up to pen a couple of middle finger anthems that may otherwise never have been written. It's an ill flippin' wind people...

At the time of writing, word of this release having a "hidden track" based on Katy Perry's "I Kissed A Girl" were unsubstantiated.

The Quattros are playing at my favourite-est venue on earth on Friday and I can't attend.

But maybe you could attend and represent me?

Premiere coming up at GFT in December. Full details soon.

I never heard this before but it's frickin' tops. Thanks to Mike Buck via the facebag. At least it's been good for something today.

Most likely not safe for work

RIP - Betty Driver

The Barracudas in Madrid on 2nd December. Another one that'll have to go ahead without me. Dammit. But hey, Wreckless Rigby will be here so I'm VERY happy about that. This is all based on surviving Nortonpalooza of course.

Under any normal circumstances, I would have deigned to attend one or both of these Los Plantronics shows in Englandshire but this is not possible. If you're in the vicinity then please roll up and represent me. Cheers.

Support this habit!

Crazy Clown Time!

Recent and ongoing events are making me re-evaluate stuff. Whether or not it’ll be possible to action any of these findings remain to be seen but we’ll see. I was recently made aware of this by Sir Francis Macdonald and hadn't heard it before but it seems very apt.

RIP - Donna Rose (Reeves)

I'm stunned to learn of the passing of my friend Donna.

Luckily for me. I got to see her for an hour or so last October in Camden when she was over visiting Barney Koumis and seeing Mack Stevens at Hemsby.

Qina, Tony and Vanessa and I hooked up with her for an aperatif. She joked that her husband - the one and only Brother Randall - would be jealous that she was meeting "a Scientist".

Donna was a trooper and not one for taking prisoners. She and Randy were - shit ARE - one of those great couples. They used to send me videotapes that I treasure to this day as I do the Robert Tilton T-shirt they did when they ran his "fan club". To top it all off, the road trip we did from Dallas to Springfield, Mo via Memphis and Black Oak (Arkansas) is indelibly stamped on my heart and soul. My brother just reminded me that my nephew Jamie was born when I was out there on the "In Search of Elvis" tour in August 1992. After that leg, I made my first visit to San Francisco to that historic meeting with another great rock'n'roll couple.

Randy recently told me to get my arse on a plane for the premiere of "Spinal Tape" in Dallas. Sadly I couldn't due to circumstances on this end but here is another example of how you should never hold back.

So long Donna. You made a difference to everybody you ever came into contact with. Not too many people can pull that one off.

Photo: Donna and I outside Elvis' gaff - August 1992

Once upon a time, well a little over two years ago, I met two kids in Spain that were about to set out on an adventure entitled “The Dahlmanns”. You know that I’m not one for expectations but the bar for this one was set ludicrously high but why wouldn’t it be? I mean, all the signs from the shows to the demos and the bush telegraph action suggested that big things were possible.

However, I was way less than prepared for what they’ve actually delivered.

Why what is left of the record business isn’t chasing them and pelting them with wads of money begging them to come on board and help save its sorry backside is beyond me. This isn’t some poxy indie scratchings assembled in a spotty youth’s room. Nope, this one harks back to a time when making a record was an event or rather when an album was a clunker free zone.

Eleven songs, each a teen pop anthem that weaves through stellar pop to glam punk with essence of folk rock and even country. Everything but the kitchen sink boiled down to create an effervescent classic that is capable of instilling genuine euphoria in a grizzled, cynical old Hector like me. Maybe you won’t recognise what’s happened to your face but that expression that will crack across yours is undoubtedly a smile.

“All Dahled Up” isn’t a record that requires to be accompanied by a thesis, or that should be explained. My f-f-fascination with Lines lyrics is my problem. On the face of it she writes like Jackie DeShannon and sings like a punk rockin’ Helen Shapiro. Blimey is right.

The cadence of Line’s voice is really quite exceptional. There’s a velvet clarity verging on being folky reeling around the ability to belt it out. Not once over the course of this piece does she bellow like one of those caterwauling over-singers (Expression © David Scott) that seem to plague us.

If something this plain good and pure and true can’t catch fire then there is simply no hope. End of. However, whatever... the pop thrills that radiate from “ADU” at least attest to the fact that it is still possible for rock’n’roll of this calibre of to be made.

So it appears that fine pop produce is making like the proverbial corporation bus (do they still have those?). Nothing for ages then two rattle along in unison and I can see a third a little way in the distance but I can’t tell you about that just yet.

Recently on farcebook, I alluded to the fact that I believed that this is equal to, if not better than the first Blondie album and I stand by that claim whether you agree or not. Actually, between this and the new Quattros opus – I’m finally getting the inkling of what it might feel like to be a proud parent or maybe doting grandfather is closer to the mark. But without any of the mess.

“All Dahled Up” will be available on CD from Pop Detective and on vinyl from Screaming Apple by the end of this month and hopefully shows in support of this momentous occasion will be forthcoming also. As soon as I know, you’ll know.

Photo by Pål Andreassen

I finally got to read Caryn Rose’s “B-Sides and Broken Hearts”. It’s an excellent snapshot of a world that quite possibly doesn’t exist anymore. Or if it does then sadly there’s all too little evidence of it doing so. In this case, familiarity does not breed contempt other than the fact that whenever these kind of obsessions are covered in print they seem to be compared to “High Fidelity”.

Dunno about you but I always preferred the film which is sacrilege in some quarters. I can reason this not least because it starts out with “You’re Gonna Miss Me” and MX-80 Sound’s “Hard Attack” appears in the front of one of the shop racks. We know these people is what I’m trying to say.

And I know exactly when I got the news about Joey and that sets the scene for this entire thing. Luckily I was with people that did understand the enormity. Lisa Simon wasn't so lucky. Some of this is pretty moving. I’m less inclined to go along with the premise that Pearl Jam ever made a listenable record. But hell, she even includes references to The Replacements version of “Black Diamond”. “B-Sides...” really is a superb haven and I wouldn’t be surprised if Santa is toting a number of these for lucky girls and boys that might enjoy a stay in this particular kind of universe.

It’s all about the passion that somehow seems to have gotten lost in recent times. The best book about music since JD King’s as yet criminally unpublished “Like A 45 at 33”.

All the details you need to snag a copy (or indeed copies) are here.

Groovie goings-on. A prime example of the inevitable.

(thanks to Brother Don for the link)

Another Friday, another raft of good intentions at this point in time. Saw “The Skin I Live In” last night and was a wee bit underwhelmed. I heard it was “uncomfortable to watch” but really it was an extended episode of “Tales of the Entirely Expected”. They yardstick being that if I can see the “twist” coming then it must be pretty bloody obvious.

Still, it’s well-assembled and Elena Anaya is hubba plus so no real harm done. Almadovar is a master craftsman to be sure but this lacked atmosphere despite the components themselves being exquisitely composed. I don’t know about art but I know how many beans make 10 when I start to fidget.

Been making a lot of stupid mistakes this last week or so. When I went to donate blood the other night I made a total horses arse of filling the form out. Things like this irritate the beejesus out of me. I’m jonesing for The Wurlitzer and a general dose of Spain methinks. Who’s going to the Norton bash? Please advise…

Got a bit of a deadline going for an important upcoming cultural artefact that I'll tell you about in due course. Also the scoop on "All Dahled Up" is just about ready to roll.

RIP - Charles Napier

RIP - Bert Jansch

(Thanks to Brother Don for the link)

Viv Albertine

Thursday November 3rd – The Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh (with The Tango Rhums)

Friday November 4th – Beat Generator Live!, Dundee
(with The Creeping Ivies, more support acts to be announced)

Saturday November 5th – Secret Show, details to be announced closer to the time

Sunday November 6th – Mono, Glasgow (with Aggi Doom)

Viv Albertine, ex-guitarist and main songwriter for highly influential, all female punk, and indeed Post-Punk band, The Slits, plays her first ever Scottish solo dates in November. A founding member of The Flowers of Romance with Sid Vicious, a band of legendary proportions in the punk scheme of things, but who never wrote a song or played a gig; and latterly of The 49 Americans, and Adrian Sherwood’s Dub-influenced collective, New Age Steppers. Viv retreated from Rock’n’Roll to study film-making in 1982 after the demise of The Slits, then working mainly as a director, mostly for television, throughout most of the 1980s and 1990s. Her freelance directing work included stints with the BBC and the British Film Institute

In 2009, she began performing as a solo artist, playing venues around London showcasing new material.. In March 2010 she released a four-song debut solo E.P. titled Flesh on Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore's Ecstatic Peace! label.

She additionally recorded a cover version of David Bowie's Letter to Hermione for the Bowie tribute album We Were So Turned On: A Tribute to David Bowie which was released on September 6, 2010.

Viv Albertine's debut solo album is scheduled for release in 2012, her first major recorded work in 25 years, and she is currently writing a book, to be published in tandem with the album release.

I'm having some computer problems so it seems like a good time to leave you with the latest David Lynch protege... I guess that it's not particularly safe for work either visually or sonically. Ain't them the breaks.

Maybe a wee recap is in order. The weekend disappeared faster than one would have hoped but the twisted turns weren’t completely devoid of entertainment.

Saw a couple of movies… “Fright Night” – a remake – isn’t too bad and is savvy and stupid enough to entertain. Mid way between an episode of Buffy and True Blood lite. It’s pretty good Saturday afternoon mind candy. Not a classic but neither is it an utter waste of two hours.

Which is more than can be said for “Cowboys and Aliens”. True tripe but not of a very high order. Liked the premise but is there some kind of union agreement where all monsters are modelled on a cross between Stripe and “Alien” (a la the original Ridley Scott-fest). Gave that guy Daniel Craig a chance and he blew it – unless his part was playing a lump of wood. In that case C+A is oscar material. Even as mindless pish goes, this was pushng it. Shame really because of the two, I didn’t expect this to be the clunker.

RIP - Sylvia Robinson

I just noticed this on David Scott's fb...

RIP - Bobby Henry

Thanks to Stefan for reminding me about this top notch blast from the past outta Norway... not safe for work probably.

Stream of unconsciousness… I need to be out that door soon and will undoubtedly collapse on the sofa when I return. Not because of strong drink or any other kind of stimulant I hasten to add.

Anyway it occurred to me that one of the few saving graces of “One Day” was the inclusion of Derek Amitri’s “Roll To Me” in the soundtrack. In some ways, they were Glasgow’s version of The Smithereens. I also like the one about “Always The Last To Know”.Is that the title? Can't recall.

Anyway yes – afore I go, the fifth birthday of a favourite haunt is coming up. Really hope that I can stop off for a visit soon but in lieu of that… here are the details of this years shindig.

RIP - David Croft

Say what? Say hey! It's a double dose of Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co. this week with a return to Otto's (complete with free raffle prizes!) and a final visit to Hank's Saloon for the Brooklyn Country Music Festival...

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 29th / OTTO'S SHRUNKEN HEAD / 538 East 14th Street (just west of Avenue B) in ol' Manhattan /
Two prize-winning shows, from 8:00 sharp until 10:00 / No cover / This month featuring a *free raffle* of semi-fabulous prizes!

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1st / HANK'S SALOON / It's day two of the eighth annual "Brooklyn Country Music Festival"! /46 Third Avenue (at the corner of Atlantic Avenue) in Brooklyn / One SIT & Die set at 11pm -- and no cover!

See the full lineup at:
www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=195691533824971/

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

Things are a wee bit out of my control in these parts of late, hence the erratic nature of content.

It’s gone from seemingly having all the time in the world to well, not having that. There’s a whole bunch of things I need to get to and will do when the gittin’ is possible. Finding the time to just listen to and read stuff has been engulfed.

Did get to the pictures these past two afternoons though, saw "One Day" which isn't so great - a bit wummin-y but I don't mind staring at Anne Hathaway for a bit. Also wondered if the director had clocked Matt and Kim's "Lesson's Learned" video.

On the other hand today's offering "The Guard" is really, really good. I would have made one small change to the outro but other than that - excellent. It's like Bill Forsyth directing a bizarro world "Rush Hour" scripted by Graham Linehan. Trust me on this one, it's cool and twisted. pity it's not a pilot for a TV show.

The news that REM split doesn’t really trouble my world. They had a few good songs but I never saw them. There were peripheral aspects to them that have some resonance though. Such as getting Murmur through the mail from Field Marshall Peter Zaremba when those Fleshtones were on IRS. My friend Scott McCaughey toured with them for many moons and most recently I guess the tie up with The Bambi Molesters on Sonic Bullets. They were fans of great music and supported it, even although their own fare was often a tad “meh”. It’s not their fault they shifted a lot of records. Damn, look at the time, gotta split again.

It's that time again...

Hello,

We are extremely pleased to announce the return of the Monorail Film Club.

First up, this Sunday we have Billy The Kid, Jennifer Venditti's powerful coming of age film. ‘I’m not black, I’m not white, not foreign, just different in the mind. Different brains, that’s all,’explains fifteen-year-old Billy. Intuitive commentary and intimate verite footage reveal a unique attitude as he responds to a painful childhood, first time love, and his experience as an outsider in small town Maine. By turns humorous and disturbing, this portrait challenges the viewer to understand a triumphant teen on his own terms.

The screening will be preceded by a short film The Waltzer Boys (20 mins), directed by Martin Clark. The Waltzer Boys is a charming documentary about the magic and lure of fairgrounds in small towns in the north of Scotland.

Martin Clark will be introducing the screening. He is a Glasgow- based photographer and filmmaker. Join the film club after the screening in Café Cosmo.

As ever we recommend booking tickets in advance from the GFT box office on 0141 332 6535.

Billy The Kid - Venditti, USA, 2007 - Sunday 25 September at 7.50pm.

Death by Unga Bunga - Nudist Beach from Rolf K Bang on Vimeo.

Woah. Talk about turning a negative into a positive.

On March 9th 2009, Suzy and BB Quattro’s friend HANK was murdered. This catapulted them into an episode that they’ve captured like an audio movie. I hesitate to use the expression rock opera because this includes the roll part too. In addition to the fact that they had to deal with the loss of a dear friend, the healing process took many twists and turns. All of those are documented here in terms of a collision between the finest shards of East Coast US punk and glorious Californian pop.

I put my hand up – I am undeniably biased but sometimes one has to be objective. There are times when in order to retain any sort of credibility then such bias has to be set aside.

As much for the acts sake as for the individual who is testifying.

So, I solemnly swear that this album plays out like a great movie. It has a beginning, a middle and an end. Sequenced to be listened to in order but the individual songs stand tall in their own right. Be it the Diddley crunch that hits you like John Wayne pummelled Victor McLagan in “The Quiet Man” or an anthem like “In My Dreams Again” that literally reduced me to rubble. “Freak Out” and “Kick Ass” are power rockers that’ll have you bouncing and punching the air like you thought you’d forgotten how to. The latter not unlike a tag team guitar rassle between Brian may and Ross The Boss. Phew!

It’s been a pure pleasure to watch the band get here. It’s not fake, it’s not forced and their version of the Zim’s “You Angel You” is as jaw dropping as how The Who interpreted Mose Allison’s “Young Man Blues”. Suzy’s vocal on “Still Mad About You” is pure Minnie Ripperton, a soul/doowop hymn to their departed amigo that manages to convey hope for the future in addition to declaring their allegiance to HANK.

Wherever he is at this point, I bet H is damn proud of what his old friends have assembled in his honour. He must have been a heck of a guy to warrant this standard of remembrance. Though I never had the pleasure of meeting him, I reckon we would have gotten along just (Jim) dandy.

That’s my pitch – if you don’t like this then I really can’t help you but if you do then savour it because they hardly ever make blockbusters like this anymore. As a double feature with the upcoming Dahlmanns opus “All Dahled Up” the outcome could be terminal.

But what a fucking way to go.

SHOW DATES



Most up to date listing, click here!

Oct 07 - La Lata de Bombillas, Zaragoza
Oct 08 - Apple Pop Festival, Villaviciosa
Oct 09 - Osaba Taberna, Zumarraga

Oct 11 - Oct 16 - ITALIAN TOUR

Oct 21 - Wurlitzer Ballroom, Madrid
Oct 22 - Quatre Estacions, Pedreguer
Oct 28 - Sala Circus, Cerdanyola
Oct 29 - La2 de Apolo, Barcelona

Nov 18 - 12 y medio, Murcia
Nov 19 -
Four Seasons Club, Castellón de la Plana
Nov 25 - El Loco Club, Valencia

Jan 12 - Jan 21 - JAPANESE TOUR 2012

Image by Ran-el Cabrera

A previous engagement meant that I was unable to partake of Panther Burns action. Saturday saw me head South Coastward to the climes of Brighton. A first for me and I’m wondering now why it took me so long. Echoes of Norway I guess.

A flight at just after 6am meant that I was cast in among the package holiday brigade at Edinburgh airport. Not ideal at that time in the morning but sometimes there are things that have to be endured for the greater good. The actual journey was a relative dawdle and I arrived at Brighton Station a little after 9am in the pissing rain.

The event? The Bambi Molesters were making a welcome pitstop to play the half century birthday bash of Los Fantastico’s Django Deadman at the legendary establishment that is The Prince Albert.

Brother Clive was unceremoniously disturbed after some frenzied liquor action the night before and took me to his very well located and ubercool pad for some coffee and do dump my bags. The crew that met up for breakfast held it together very impressively after details of the antics of a few hours before came to light and I can’t recall the name of the joint but the sausage sandwich and espresso went down pretty darn well.

From there, it was time for some shopping and pub crawling with my Croatian compadres in a part of town that was like an expanded Haight Ashbury. Dozens of cool clothing, record, book and comic stores completely different to any other town centre I’ve been near in recent living memory, a really nice, boho vibe with plenty of groovy shop fronts. A couple had robbed the Ren and Stimpy font for their signage, can’t go far wrong with that. Our first aperitif of the day was taken in the William the Fourth hostelry where base camp was set up for a wee while.

A most agreeable afternoon was spent wandering around and it’s certainly a place I’d like to spend a bit more time exploring. It was grand to be able to visit the Punker Bunker and to see Buz again. T’was getting close to sound check time and those Bambi’s needed to get back to the hotel in order to prepare. I think that The Sussex was the name of the pub we were in just prior to that.

The Prince Albert is a great, great place. The band room itself is one of those places that is just steeped in history. Great stage facilities, excellent sound and to have such a place on your doorstep must be fantastic, though perhaps not for your liver.

Opening the proceedings was Sin City, I missed a couple of songs because of the need to eat something but this local duo served up some Americana standards as the place began to fill up. Los Fantasticos were next and started with a version of “Lady Grinning Soul” that is to appear on a surf tribute to Bowie. The appearance of brass to punctuate their sound also allows them to veer clear of your average instro band.

In recent years, the “instrumental music” canon has been pretty much redefined by The Bambi Molesters. They operate to an almost orchestral degree, so imagine the surprise when the penny drops that there’s a combo not unlike them operating outta Brighton.

Los Fantasticos were an unknown quantity to me this time last year. Indeed it was only when I travelled south to see the former that their existence was made known to me. Indeed Django had organised gear for The Bambi’s London debut at The Luminaire last November. Long story short, he told me that The B’s would play his birthday party next September and lo and behold – it came to pass!

This, the band’s second appearance on this sceptic isle was as the blueprint four piece. Not augmented by horns or keyboards – just the raw materials that make them a pulsating joy. They have an album called “Intensity!” and that is what they brought big style. The sound in the place was crisp and magical with an interplay of instro-dental (that’s a form of cinematic sounds with teeth) virtuosity and even some beach standards replete with vocals such as “California Sun”.

This is one of the very best beat combos on earth – Hrvoje keeps the whole thing on a primal roll with Lada. This is the foundation that provides the 360 degree squall that Dinko and Dalibor weave around it. Like strychnine-flavoured candy floss (hey we were at the seaside after all). You can keep all that brooding quiet loud indie guff because this is one behemoth that just keeps on evolving. The new concert film that’s coming out in November (or maybe sooner) will validate any claims made here and then some. Any film festival out their worth their salt should be begging that the band and film come as a package to make their event truly count.

A truly great night in a wonderful venue. By all accounts they gave the garage rockers a right royal dose of salts at the Blast Off Festival in Nottingham. I wish I could have joined them but sadly I was booked on a plane back to someplace called reality. Hungry for the next encounter, anyway – anyhow – anywhere.

Had a wander on Sunday prior to leaving that took in the horrors of the remaining pier in all it's tourist-fleecing glory and the seafront. The skeletal remains of the torched boardwalk has way more charisma. I was wondering if they can't project some kind of holographic illusion on to it from the shore. Without the aid of stimulants I may add.

Brighton is one damn cool town. Further adventures are planned there. Oh yes.

While yours truly was in Brighton and otherwise disposed Mr D'uff was on the trail of Tav Falco... I just noticed that all the links he put in here have disappeared on the transfer to blogger. Bugger.

Sugar Ditch (and more) Revisited

Possibly the first record I ever bought by mail order – back in the days when you went to the post office, bought a postal order and sent it off with a letter to your chosen dealer was "The World We Knew" by Tav Falco & his Panther Burns. I already knew them by reputation and their track on the "Rockabilly Psychosis" compilation plus it was on the esteemed and reliable New Rose label so it was an informed investment. “The World We Knew” was a great package, gatefold sleeve, each track had a photo and an annotation by Mr Falco and it sounded like no other rock’n’roll record I had ever heard then or since.

Shortly thereafter I bought Fan Club’s reissue of “Behind The Magnolia Curtain”. When it arrived in the post it had a 12” EP titled "Blow Your Top" in the package with it that I was not expecting. This month sees the 30th (!) anniversary of the first ever release of these two records and to celebrate this happy event, a reissue on Stag-O-Lee records and a tour of sorts by Tav Falco and the current incarnation of the Unapproachable Panther Burns.

I had looked into booking the band to play my hometown of Edinburgh, but things being what they are, and my pocket book being unable to sustain the risk of such a venture, I decided it was less costly, and less hassle to see the two UK dates, last Thursday at London’s 100 Club and Saturday at The Cluny in Newcastle.

As I enter the 100 Club, first band (and Stag-O-Lee label mates), Miraculous Mule are already on the stage. One of those heavy, swampy, yowling blues-punk (there, I think those are the standard adjectives for these bands – CD) combos that either catch fire or don’t. In this case they didn’t. Too loud – perhaps because the venue was near empty, too leaden and I couldn’t really hear anything that sounded like a song. On another night, they may be great. Just not tonight.



I use the time to say hello to Giovanna, the Panther Burns drummer – who I vaguely know from the last time the Panther Burns played Newcastle in, I think, 2005 and meet Tav, who I’ve never met before but had corresponded with on the aborted Edinburgh gig.

The 100 Club gig wasn’t a ‘professionally’ promoted thing, more the result of a bunch of friends and associates of the band pulling together to put the show on. As a result, it’s a fairly busy bill and next up is Mr Sterling Roswell himself, I think a former occasional Panther Burn (Sterling, am I correct?). Due to time constraints - the gig has to end by 11pm-, Sterling only sings two songs, aided by acoustic guitar and effects. There’s a new spooky lonesome ode to something and the big hit (or at least a song I’ve heard him play before) ‘Nobody Loves The Hulk’. Both great and entirely in keeping with the main event.

If you don’t know Sterling’s sterling work, do as he suggested from the stage and Google him, he’s made some great records. He may also have Glasgow/Edinburgh shows very soon. Watch this space for details.

Now if I could have picked a band that I ‘took an interest in’ back at the time I bought “The World We Knew” that was quite unsuited to supporting a Panther Burns show, I may have easily alit on say… King Kurt . When I was 14/15 years old King Kurt actually played the Club Nightspot in Falkirk, two streets from my home. But… my mum wouldn’t let me go. To paraphrase another great Scot, I wanna be a psychobilly but my mammy willnae let me.

But to my great surprise, some 20-odd years later, I finally get to see King Kurt in the somewhat more historic setting of the 100 Club. And, to my greater surprise, they are not actually that bad at all! It’s a short set (perhaps mercifully) but with the exception of the absence of a barbers chair offering King Kurt haircuts, a spinning wheel to which band/audience members may be tied, and the kind of mess they are known for then it’s pretty much as I imagine they’ve always sounded. Songs included "She’s As Hairy", "Zulu Beat", "Ghost Riders" and of course "Destination Zululand". I should at this stage perhaps point out that this is the ONLY gig I have ever attended where there were signs around the hall saying

“NO THROWING OF FLOUR, PIG’S HEADS, INTESTINES, ETC. ON STAGE TONIGHT. ANYONE CAUGHT DOING SO WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE PREMISES.”

I would normally consider this simply part of the implicit contract between venue and punter but suppose if King Kurt are playing, it doesn’t hurt to make it more explicit. (thanks to PJ for the photo of the sign, I wish I’d stolen one).

Thankfully no one chooses to flout the instruction and the stage stays clean for the approach of the wholly unapproachable Panther Burns and their chief shaman Tav Falco. Mr Falco has by this time changed into an electric blue peak lapelled suit with a black velvet collar and leopard print cuffs. It’s a two part show, a sort of Panther Burns then and now I suppose. The first set comprised of songs from “Behind The Magnolia Curtain” and “Blow Your Top” and opens with "River Of Love" (I think?) smartly followed by “She’s The One That Got It”, “Snake Drive”, “Rio De Rosa”, “Pantherman”, “Oooeee Baby” (which we find out they learned from The Cramps - surprising considering it is a Memphis record), “You’re Undecided” and more.

Not one of those ‘play the classic record from beginning to end’ shows, more of a fluid and informal look through the back catalogue. The four piece was relaxed and sound like a band that possibly had never played together before at all but like a band that has always played together at the same time. No mean feat and testament to their unique sound. I recall a Ralph Traitor review of a Panther Burns show in the late 80’s which he opened with “If you have ever curiously regarded a pile of toenail clippings and wondered what they might actually sound like…” and that’s as obscure and as clear a description as I could muster.

There are a couple or three points in the schedule where I get the distinct impression from the confused glances between the musicians that someone in the band, Tav probably, is going their own way with the songs but it all somehow, gloriously works.

Tav leaves the stage and the band lock into a weird instrumental that has something of a tighter groove than the previous numbers and in a few short minutes, their leader is back on stage in a new and shinier suit for the second part of the show, the newer material. Although Tav refers to the newest record "Conjurations: Séance for Deranged Lovers” a couple of times, it’s not by any means wholly drawn from that record and contains a selection of hits from the whole history of the band. They’re joined on stage by a keyboardist (from Rome, I never caught his name) who adds some weird high pitched hidden melody to the sound. Even so, with the exception that these tunes leave the rockabilly references a little further behind and bring the Southern (and old European) gothic romance fervor of the band to the fore, there’s little to distinguish the two sets in style. As Lux Interior would say, I never bought the myth of musical progression anyway, if it ain’t broke (or indeed, baroque) why fix it, huh?

I’m going home on the 11.15pm so I had to leave around 10.50 as Tav is writhing on the floor pulling feedback and distortion out of his Hofner during an extended "Gentleman in Black". Never mind, second verse same as the first, we’ll do it all again in Newcastle on Saturday.

The Cluny website, like that of the 100 Club, asserts that “the curfew for gigs is usually 11pm”. If it weren’t for that weasel word ‘usually’, I would be having words myself with the Cluny promoters. The Panther Burns weren’t even halfway through by 11pm. I had booked my train down from Edinburgh to get me into the toon at 6.30, met up with pals (including the only two other people from Scotland to make the trek) for a great Greek feast and had a seat booked on the 23.10 Megabus home.

We strolled into the Cluny about half past 9 and saw the band sitting across from us enjoying a glass of wine. They graciously ask us to join them and when they order substantial desserts, I get the distinct impression that they are not likely to be on stage any time soon. After they head backstage to prepare, I take a listen to the support band but it’s another sub-Birthday Party squalling noise and I’m not impressed enough to actually bend my head round the door to look at them. I later bump into old acquaintances Russell and The Wolves and realise that it’s basically them under a new name.

Next up, Brian Coyotemen (who deserves plenty respect for arranging this thing), does a one-man rockabilly band type thing. I’ve seen a lot of these one-man-band things now, and it’s a little difficult to care that much. He certainly wasn’t the worst I’ve seen, and a good deal better than several who have records out and a degree of status, so fair play to him. I was, however, biting my nails to hear the howl of the Panther Burn.

I’m in the bar when I hear the opening rumble and me and North-East homies make tracks for the main hall where the band have already taken the stage. I can’t remember what they played first, my attention being almost wholly taken up with the rather eye-catching outfit sported by Giovanna, but after that it’s into “She’s The One That Got It” and a similar set to the 100 Club show. Despite persistent pestering from me and the possibly more persuasive Inge Johnson, we did not get to hear “I’m On This Rocket”, probably the standout track from “Blow Your Top”. Tav surely heard our pleas but the backward steps he took every time we spoke to his feet indicated that he was choosing not to.

The band were on better form, perhaps loosened by the later performance or just more settled in and there are none of the confused looks at the opening of the songs. There were fewer breaks and more urgency or maybe I had just had more wine. Tav doesn’t change outfit during the break this time, just hovering offstage while the band play the instrumental that signifies the change from then to now.

I suppose I ought to mention the other highlight of both shows, the appearance during “Drop Your Mask” of the most fetching apparition of a young lady name Thea to perform a Tango dance recital with Tav himself. It’s hard to explain if you weren’t there but it seemed as normal and as weird as you can imagine.

By this time I have more than missed my bus home but don’t worry, I wasn’t stranded on a dateless night, I had a pal to stay over with. The show probably didn’t end until at least half past 12 so I took the view that I need to just deal with it and see the whole thing through. Geting back the next day was a travel nightmare, I won’t bore you with the details but don’t try to use public transport in the North-East on the morning that 40,000 people are headed for the Great North East Run.

In any case, whining aside, if you want to see a band that truly understands what is great and special and plays it like it was a feeling expressed in sound rather than a set of sounds and motifs to copy and reference, then this is it. Possibly the truest rock’n’roll band to play this country since… ooohhh… the last time Panther Burns played here.

Lindsay, I hope the Bambi Molesters in Brighton were worth it.

Mr D’uff

I heard an expression today, “Too much history”. This implied that someone who was very familiar with a particular organisation would not be able to take hard decisions. While the actual phrase resonated with me to some degree, it made me consider loyalties in general. And in that area there can never be too much history. Of course opportunists will come and they will get the out of dodge but I think loyalty is important. Especially in these times when it regularly seems like it’s a forgotten art.

And this also made me think of this 10,000 hours premise. That to be any use at something, that’s the minimum tenure to gain any sort of expertise. Hell, that’s just over 416 days. I considered the amount of slog that I’ve put in with regard to this NBT shenanni and at a small c – conservative estimate – then I reckon maybe just shy of four times that. If I’d committed armed robbery, or even murder, that I’d be out by now. But anyway, that’s fine. Low expectations and a general disdain keep me grounded. It could be worse.

Are you going to the 100 Club tonight – or The Cluny tomorrow? I’m a little peeved that I’m missing a rare visit to these shores by Tav Falco and his eminently unapproachable Panther Burns. However, Mr Duff will be in attendance at either one or both of these and he’ll be making us all wish we’d been there in due course. The reissue program of the PB oeuvre is underway now in league with the good offices of the Stag-o-Lee imprint.

And talking of which, The Fuzztones are set to drop into Englandshire too in the not too distant future too. Me, I’ll be taking in the immensely, sensurround-tastic Bambi Molesters and Los Fantasticos with Surfin’ jam-master Clive G down “the Brighton”.

This has The Nomads "Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White" in the soundtrack... and echoes of "Kick Ass" plus Ellen Page. That pretty much spells "hoot" to me". (info from The Nomads fb hangout)

The winds have died down. Bit of damage here and there but compared to what some folks have to deal with, not a lot. Who really gives a flying one whether all this weather guff is down to “global warming” or whatev?

It’s bloody happening so we’re just gonna have to get used to it.

These are peculiar times hereabouts in any case and serious consideration of what stacks up is going on. In addition, it’s real busy - so I’m not entirely sure which day is which at the mo’. It sez Wednesday on here so that's wher we must be. Hope to get a beat on that before Saturday to some degree – would hate to miss me flight to Brighton.

Click to enlarge...

Feels like I made progress today. Even have 90% of my OX column done for filing tomorrow on schedule. Joachim will believe that when he receives it of course but it's almost there.

Did you see "Super 8"? If not then you should because as old school hokum goes it's really great. never really got "Cloverfield" but JJ Abrams and Spielberg have crafted a blinding slice of entertainment that's worthy of the master, Joe Dante himself. S8 works on SO many levels and you have to stay right until the end of the credits to get all of the benefits.

Seek it out at a cinema. As I often say - I don't care how big your TV is - just trust me. It reflects an America that simply isn't allowed to exist anymore and I miss that aspect.

The Shotglass Killers “Ghost Of An Empty Bottle” (Devils Jukebox) has the lowest fi cover art that I’ve ever seen (maybe). It ain’t giving much away about the content at all so to that end this is hiding their light under the proverbial punk rock bushel. It has to be said that the vinyl/CD combo sports altogether more inviting sleeve art and if you’re gonna score it, that’s the one to plump for. (I scanned this image from it but the scanner bed wouldn’t play nice)

Once inside – you’ll find high octane rock’n’roll action of the style one might arrive at if Nine Pound Hammer collided with The Boys. With great anglo-girl vocals.

I guess that a “selling point” might be that Brian James plays guitar on “He’s Got Style” and that he produced this but the actual attraction is that hardly anybody does this kind of thing this well these days. It’ll fairly rattle your cage unless I’m mistaken which I have been known to be but not about this, trust me. There are some nice wee guitar harmonics amidst the general melee that save it from becoming sludge by cut 3.

Barry White is back. But you know him better as Barrence Whitfield. “Savage Kings” on Munster sees a regrouping of original Savages (Peter Greenberg and Phil Lenker) with some newer recruits on drums and sax.

For those who don’t know, Barrence was the original Cee-lo Green . In terms of soul shoutin’ then the first two albums are pretty much unsurpassed. You know what Mojo mag keeps telling you the JJR are? Well, these guys were doing it way deeper several generations ago.

And it seems like rubbing at that same old thing (“It’s Mighty Crazy”) has paid off because I think the band is due in Europe right about now. “SK” kicks off the jam with a version of “Ramblin’ Rose” like Otis Redding might have performed it. Their take on “Shot Down” hits a cool groove too by being brought down a gear from the way it’s often hammered out. This restraint really resonates with a big phat bangeroonie!! The set was recorded in Cincinnati as a homage to King Records for that label’s lasting inspiration to the band.

One of the last things I have to do on this earth is to catch these guys do this in person, somewhere in the wondrous climes of Madrid preferably.

Annika Norlin on SVT's "Tack for Musiken" last night.

If for some reason you only want to see the music bits, these occur at approx. 15.33, 30.51, 44.15 and 54.04.

(Tack Mr Ulf for the link... I couldn't find an embed code)

RIP - Cliff Robertson

RIP - Clives's Record Shop

(Not gone yet but soon...)

The Sabrejets “Sin-Sational” (Raucous) isn’t gonna be nominated for no mercury or any other planet music prizes anytime soon and that’s a good thing. Their fare is “greasy rock’n’roll” like it always was. Ideally enjoyed at blood-curdling volume live in a bar, these Belfast geezers have a long track record of delivering the goods. The notion of authenticity or conforming to a purist notion doesn’t fly here because this music is in these guys dna. Rockabilly in general exists in a backwater these days. The form has been pillaged every which way and like burlesque it has crept into areas of the mainstream. This double edged sword means that there are a lot of toothless perpetrators out there but this ain’t one of those.

17 songs maybe a little too much to digest in these ADD-addled times but the 13 originals and 4 covers include runs through “Ultra Twist” and “Blitzkrieg Bop”. “Sin-Sational” is guilty as charged and a Friday or Saturday night in the company of these guys down the pub would be a hoot indeed. Hope there’s an opportunity to road test that theory one of these days.

I didn’t actually plan for this to turn into a thread that would deal with up to the minute takes on sounds from yesteryear but next up was The Breakers self-titled debut (but actual third album) for Wicked Cool. Harking from Denmark, these guys apparently opened for Bon Jovi in Europe during the time period known as Summer. I say that because there was precious little evidence of the big yellow ball anywhere around here. So anyways, theirs is a big sound that crosses The Fleshtones with their gaffer’s Disciples of Soul. Is there a boardwalk in Copenhagen?

Crowd-pleasing stuff then and while not exactly Henning Staerk-tastic, these guys actually have tunes to back up the moves with the possible exception of “New York City” that reminds me of Hipsway or Love and Money. Shudder. The singer, Toke Nisted, sounds like Chris Farlowe moonlighting as Rod Stewart and there’s not a damn thing wrong with that. I notice that there’s Van Zandt writing credit on many of the tracks too. He’s a shrewd guy and evidently not without taste because he loves The Dahlmanns.

I was talking back yonder about authenticity and the late 60’s ambience is all about that. If The Breakers cut it live then they could find themselves in demand. Like The One-ders in “That Thing You Do”. And I can certainly hear Southside Johnny Lyons singing “Soulfire”.

Sticking with Scandinavia – this time in Sweden, Dee Rangers “Down In The Playground” (Suckers Choice) is also channelling the past but in an altogether more organic and warm way. I’m not sure if there’s any “hot concrete” involved but I think this is their best sounding record to date.

Those keyboard swirls are definitely hitting the spot and where that last album conjured up memories of groups I’d rather forget, The DR’s reminded me of The Creeps rather than gave me them. There’s a Ramonesness to the artwork concept too that works on a subliminal level. Understated even. The mix of jangle and farfisa strikes a cool balance over the course. Mans did a great job with this.

The instro “Powerslam III” takes a flavour of Toni Basil’s “Mickey” and extends it into a hopped up Graham Bond extravaganza. DITP also includes the best cover of “First I Look At The Purse” since the J Geils version on “Full House”.

The Munster reissue of Eskorbuto’s “Eskizofrenia” is nothing like any of these previous three. An influence on the Spanish and Latin American punk scenes, it sounds like it came out of Eastern Europe. They came from Santurtzi in the Basque Country.

Intensely political and designed to rouse the rabble – these short, sharp bursts don’t make for easy listening but the energy level is intense. I’m listening to this on CD but I’d imagine that the vinyl would resonate with a deeper, cleaner rage. This is very much analog music that should be attached like an unexploded device to downloads of whatever tosh the NME is flying the flag for this week. This stands up a damn sight better than any record by The Clash I’ve heard in recent times.

Actually, I heard “Rock The Casbah” this morning and just about brought up my haggis roll. Combat rot. (Munster is distributed in the UK by Shellshock)

RIP - Tom Hibbert

(Thanks to Kris Needs via fb)

Ain't no stopping that Bgrrrlie...