THE VELVET UNDERGROUND ON THE LAWRENCE WELK SHOW, 1968

Link c/o Chris @ BTC.

"NEXT Saturday (April 15th) - come and see the world famous Shock And Awe for FREE to celebrate the release of "SHOCK AND AWE GO HOME" with the added bonus of some audio/video live action from Paul Research.

Come along, bring your friends, free night in the subway, doors open at 7:30 first band on at 8 - has to be over by 10:30 (at the latest - I plan to finish playing by 10). The plan is to play the whole of the new album from start to finish and then play some of our older songs, so if you've got any requests, let me know ? hopefully see ye there ? Cheers, Murray"

A missive from Duglas T Stewart....

"Here's some info about a show we have coming soon in Glasgow. A special club night, presented by the wonderful ladies of Dollymixture. We'll be playing something like a 45 minute set and as you'll see below there are plenty of other good things on the bill... this is from their myspace site...

We're extremely excited to announce the lineup for the Dolly Mixture 1st Birthday bash at Mono on Sunday, April 16 (8 - 12.30pm). Hold on to your hats as here's the full details: Live we have *drum roll* : BMX Bandits (need no introductions I'm sure) Popup (Just signed to Chemikal Underground and will do fabulously well this year) Johnny and the Debutantes (Only band to play Dolly twice. Selecting spesh outfits for the party but we hope it's not their birthday suits!). Our guest DJ for this momentous event is Emma Pollock from the Delgados. Emma has been gigging on a solo basis for the last wee while but for the birthday she'll be setting her guitar aside to play her selection of lady sounds. We'll of course be handling the decks at various points too. Tickets for the birthday are £5 and available from Tickets Scotland and Mono from Wednesday, March 29. Subject to booking/cc fee of course. Your £5 also buys you free badges, balloons, easter treats (mini eggs, dolly sweets lala whatever we can find), games (diplomatic hats mibs for Jen n' Ross, big style pass the parcel, god knows what else), perhaps a slice of the birthday cake too! Oh, and there's a few other surprises we're keeping schtum on."

Well, the bird flu is here. Or is it? The media has come down upon the east neuk of Fife like a virus this week and the news bulletins look like they're being directed by Bill Forsyth. Cellardyke (or Sillardike as my Granny used to say because she came from just along the coast) looks like the reporters are on the set of Local Hero. Maybe The Fence Collective will appear in the remake of the ceidlidh scene? Have you taken your poultry inside?. No? Me neither.

Another big news story this week has been that "single" that made it to the top of the charts on downloads alone. Before it was even "released". Isn't that prone to the very apex of chart rigging? Surpassing the days when retailers had to write sales down and people who worked in chart return shops had cart blanche to list their fave at every turn. Of course in these days. The good old days before computerised stock checking and god knows what else, this was carried out in good faith. I'm not saying that a mass download was planned or even undertaken but isn't it distinctly possible that this placing was gotten through subterfuge? Couldn't I just sit here and download something again and again for it to register? Like sending your family and their family and a slew of other people to buy copies of an actual single you made in a bid to secure chart notoriety? It strikes me that this is a system open to abuse. They haven't got to the point where it's limited to one download per household. And what if every member of said household just has to have that "track" on their bloody iPod? Preferring to support the artist rather than just cop a dub of their old fella or wummin (delete as applicable). More power to 'em if that's the way they pulled it off because the Top 20 is such a mire that they're welcome to it. One of the only pleasures I get is to sit and watch Top Of The Pops (on whatever night they switch it to) and seeth. That's how fucked things are around here. If it weren't for the prospect of The Sopranos (cheers H) then I dunno what I'd do.

Go outside? You can forget that... i'm feart of catching that bird flu if I walk past a refrigerator o' chicken or whatever. You can't take any chances, like, ken?

"hi kids,

if you can pull yourself off the easter bunny and chocolate over the next couple of weeks come and see The Phobics roll away the stone for easter at Indie Spin on Wednesday 26 April 2006

it's at The Rhythm Factory , 16-18 Whitechapel Road, London E1 1EW. and only a fiver in for 5 (count em) doses of rock n roll. nearest tubes are whitechapel or aldgate east.

8pm start five bands plus DJ Wayne Bootleg. "An evening of alternative and new sounds" (dunno which we come under!!)

GNA ( Global Noise Attack )... industrial rock theatre.
The Phobics .......you know what we do.
The Spider House ...NW London songsmithquartet Glorious...delivering sharp 3 minute gems
Plus... an exciting act , come and find out for yourself !

we'll be checking your hands and feet for holes so make sure you have one of our fliers cos they'll pay us if there's enough of ya.

help the poor and needy, dance to the beat of the living dead and see us finish a set with all members concious

tom"

Just incase you haven't got the energy to go to Eric's site and follow the link to the World Cafe interview like Little Randy suggested in his comment then here's a direct conduit. A British (inter)National treasure on American Radio.

Kingly Books launch Val Lewton's "No Bed Of Her Own" at Mono this coming Wednesday 12th April at 8pm... more details here.

I should be outta here by now but the flesh is weak and the spirit is even less willing but needs must. Anyway, some info to convey...

As well as the Amy Rigby/Wreckless Eric show in London tomorrow night (Friday 7th), The Dirty Water Club plays host to Chris Wilson and those Groovin' Flames of his.

While over in Stockholm, Debaser plays host to the all star Link Wray tribute.

Dave from Gloria Club in Paris has relayed the news that The Remains will be shaking some of their particular action a week from tomorrow (Friday 14th April)...



And if you're heading for Madrid, then the Louie Louie bar is one hangout where they don't partake of anything but the finest musical entertainment.
So there you have it. For my sins I won't be able to attend any of 'em but feel free to rub in what I'll no doubt be missing.

RIP - Gene Pitney

An excellent obit by Dawn Eden, here.

(Link courtesy of JD King)

Catch one of these (Wreckless) Eric and Amy (Rigby) shows over these next few days (if you're about)...

April 5th St. Bonaventure's Club, Berkeley Road, Bishopston, Bristol

April 7th The Plough, Walthamstow, London

April 8th The Granary, High Street, Buckingham

April 10th The Prince Albert, Trafalgar Street, Brighton

Next weekend we have the gigundo record fair here in town once again. If you're headin' this way, you might wanna check the festivities at the dB‘s club on saturday night featuring London's mighty Blacktime trio and Jeff Conolly's Teringlyres...

Nick Vahlberg just gave me the heads up that another Swedish institution is selling up. Gunnar Johansson's WILD and WICKED has a blow out, closing sale that includes records, posters and other hard to get stuff at super bargain prices. Check it out!

Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die returns to the Rodeo Bar for more rootin', tootin' Tuesday shenanigans, friend, but shall we see YOU there? We hope the answer is a resounding "quite possibly". Sincerely, Michael

April 12: O'Ceallaigh in Groningen. Open 21:30, band on at 22:45.

So yeah, a few bits and pieces here that should keep you back from doing what you ought to be doing. Like chores, etc.

I recently discovered a guy called MC Lars who is playing at King Tuts in Glasgow tomorrow night. I was gonna roll along to see him but the show has been sold out for weeks. Seems like the bush telegraph still works. Anyway, it’s savvy, funny and completely irreverent. Punk flavoured Hip hop for people who don't necessary relate to that demographic as a rule. Hear him for yourself.

The great Richard Stim has been making his presence felt at YouTube. He has 4 films on there including one of his commute between Sutro Heights and Berkeley and also the clip for MX80’s “We’re An American Band”. Neither you or I are worthy of his genius.

Jeremy Gluck knew Buffalo Bill. Details here.

The long awaited second Yayhoos album is just about to come out on the Lakeside Lounge imprint. You can hear every cut on “Put The Hammer Down” at their site. The album will only be available via that portal and at shows. What are you waitin’ for?

The release date of this latest epistle is April 18th but if you’re lucky enough to be in the vicinity of their European shows then maybe you can score a copy upfront of that? The word that separates the DDR from the host of post-Cramps combos is undulate. Their mutant primal blues undulates like the former throbs. They’re possessed by a spirit of undiluted entertainment and this new album on Swami goes a long way to capturing what I imagine that they bring down upon an audience in the, er, flesh. “There Is A Difference” is a great title because it tells it like it is. This isn’t an easy strain of “music” to carry off but you know that these folks mean it. They pummel their Motor City gospel out and you can either go with ‘em or get the heck outta their way because they patently don’t care. There’s an inherent soul in what DDR do, “Lil’ Naked” is a brooding rough diamond of an anthem. It precedes a run through Donnie Elbert’s “Little Piece of Leather” which isn’t an easy song to treat right. There’s a glam transfusion at the intersection of where the NY Dolls headed up Devilgate Drive to the cross street marked Fleshtones. The production offers an olive branch to passers-by that are drawn to the ruckus. It’s cohesive and maybe even radio-friendly without sacrificing an inch of what makes them unique. They even offer up a version of “Amazing Grace" for chrissakes. Viva le “difference” indeed.

Whoa Dad! From The Count Bishops' French fan site: "Denis Vaughan is presently booking dates for The COUNT BISHOPS Tour in Europe for May and June 2006. The line up of band will be original including Dave TICE, Johnny GUITAR, Pat McMULLEN, Paul BALBI. Chiswick Records intend to release a new CD/DVD to coincide with the tour".

So as of today, NBT is another year older and not necessarily wiser. Actually definitely not wiser. Yesterday was of note for another reason entirely, and one that will have ramifications with regard to the BBC here in Scotland.

The one and the only Stewart Cruickshank hung up his senior producer bunnet at Queen Margaret Drive. Ask anyone, Stewart has been responsible for much of what we know as the Scottish music terrain. He's forgotten more than many of us ever thought we knew and leaves several individuals to carry the torch. I hope that doesn't get snuffed out by the corrie-fisted actions of what passes for the hierarchy there. Wish them luck. By the time that BBC Scotland relocates to the south side of the Clyde, who knows what shape it'll be in but all is not completely lost. It just feels like it is.

And wish the good Captain a big bucket of that luck stuff also as he continues to produce the ground-breaking Iain Anderson show for an independent company. The BBC family silver is being "sold" to bolster up the balance sheets. It's a sad indictment on this world we live in but wodjagaunnae dae? On the plus side for Stewart, hopefully he'll get some of his life back and maybe even get to sorting out his record cupboard(s).

If you've ever met Stewart then you'll know that his enthusiasm is infectious. If there were more people like him around then maybe, just maybe I could ease up on the pessimism. So here's to you chief, there's still a lot of rhythm in those auld rockin' bones. May that lum of yours shake, rattle and roll to the bridge.

The Last Record Shop

Link courtesy of Sid Griffin by way of Phil Dennison.