There's a lot of information to process during "A Life In The Death of Joe Meek".

The success of such a venture is largely down to access. Not only to people who were there but also to individuals with a passion for the subject. Short of digging out the old ouija board and doing the Captain Howdy with Meek himself, the filmmakers have amassed a wealth of material. Of course, it gets to the stage that it's perhaps all too much but this "work in progress" cut set out the stall very well. It was good to see George Miller and Mike Stax in there with Chas Hodges and an array of the musicians who recorded with him during his short tenure on this earth. The Edwyn Collins clips are kind of precious too. Would it benefit from having your Jimmy Page or Richie Blackmore and the like in there? In my opinion, not much - other than status but I imagine it would be easier to make people who need crowbarring take notice. The freedom of ownership of the film means that this could actually be customised to any specific audience that sees it. There could be a template that ranged from informative introduction all the way through to a marathon nowt left unsaid. This one clocked in at 119 minutes which went in a lot faster that I expected it to. LITD doesn't pander to the usual stream of alleged experts and professional talking nappers. It went further and deeper.

I'm not sure what Alex Kapranos added to the debate. Evidently a fan but with nothing tangible to bring to the table - we are in Glasgow after all -Franzdabbidozi, all well and good but however, it's quite possibly just me... NBT readers will find a lot to love in this film and to that end, expect a nod to it's whereabouts as screenings gather momentum over the weeks and months. I think that Howard S. Berger and Susan Stahman have come up with a unique slant on a profoundly British institution. Not an easy thing to pull off in any case but pull it off they indeed have.

RIP - Joe Gibbs
(Thanks to Duane Sherwood for the info, can't find a news story about it.)

The disruption of the biggest part of last week has really thrown me. I'm a little jarred at how knackered I feel after doing pretty much nothing but sleep for longer than I have in recent living memory. Shouldn't I feel more refreshed? I guess these batteries are more or less unchargeable at this point. And I just "discovered" that the Joe Meek thing runs for over 2 hours, blimey... it's also sold out so let's go find out if it's any good.

Not over-confident about making a stop-off on this ol' keyboard later but stranger things have happened. Maybe the fresh air will invigorate but I'm not extending any false hope of such.

RIP - Bobby Lee Tramell (via Staysick)

Sometimes I feel like I'm making progress of the recuperation front. Then I try to up the pace and end up feeeling like I've been kicked down a flight of stairs. Very peculiar. But anyway, stopping by at Amy Rigby's diary today - it was great to catch a new posting there about their latest adventure. Every one a maserati...

Firefox AK – If I Were A Melody (Razzia)

The follow up to “Madame Madame” has been assembled in Berlin and the electro-stamp of that environment is the cornerstone here. There are echoes of the dreamier moments of Suicide amongst a Kraftwerkian smorgasbord. Glistening and pulsating in equal measure, this type of sound used to be employed to evoke the future. I’ve been reading a lot of positive reviews regarding Gary Numan recently and there are elements of Tubeway Army about this too. “Winter Rose” must sound pretty mighty pumping out on a high-spec club PA.

At one time, such synth driven things were considered cold or remote, but now machines can emote warmth. It’s no longer just about bpm in this post-Moroderist age. fAK is about 3000 times better than anything New Order ever even hinted at and Andrea Kellerman’s voice is an integral part of what sets it apart. The heart of which is pure analogue, the placement of the vocal within the electro-mentation strike me as finite. The guy who put this together evidently did that by design and not accident. This ain’t remotely rock’n’roll but it does verge on soul, albeit of an android-gynous variety. But hey, why read my gibberish when you can listen and make up your own mind.

Niccokick – The Good Times We Shared, Were They So Bad? (Startracks)

Well, these Scandanavian kids have conjured up a noise that welds an Aha type commerciality to Pixies QuietLoud staple. But in addition to that, they’ve employed the secret weapon of a crack horn section plus some serious orchestral grandeur. I don’t mean brass players that are addicts stupid, I’m talking top notch players.

These Söderlund brothers are only youngsters but they’ve crafted another collection of real quality pop here. “The Art Of Doing Nothing” swings like The Skeletons Vs The Herd and there are acts that have been hauling their carcasses around the earth for decades that couldn’t muster that.

Here in Blighty, this could be lumped in with “Indie”. Niccokick’s sound is overwhelmingly optimistic bordering on stadium rocktastic. I’m not sure it has any place in this world because things have become so cynical that their oeuvre could be mistaken for something that it isn’t. I honestly believe that this could rid the world of yer Coldplays and Snow Patrols given a smidge of a chance. It won’t whet the whistle of some NBT readers but even they would have to recognise the luxurious musical fabric these guys have woven.

And whilst we're in the manor of sound, don't forget the screening tomorrow of "A Life In The Death of Joe Meek" at the GFT. See you there...

If you should find yourself in NYC tonight...

Having spent a lot of time staring at the ceiling, sweating, this week – and not in a good way – it was something of a relief to even feel like listening to music and going through the dreaded e-mail backlog. Lot of cackle on the wires about two “hotly-tipped” female artists – Adele and Duffy and I’m compelled to air my tuppence worth. Adele emits a formless, shapeless style to me. Apparently a graduate of the dreaded Brit-School, it’s like Michelle McManus goes lite Jazz. I spelled it that way purposely. Jeez, at least Kate Nash has a whiff of Kirsty MacColl about her however... And Duffy – well this “Mercy” thing is fine if you like pastiche. “Rockferry” was better in my opinion in its MacAlmont and Butler sort of swooping pop way but really – this is saving the beleaguered music business? Well if y’all say so. There’s something very calculated and maybe even cynical about both of these artists swift rise to “popularity”.

It’s not their fault, they’re doing a job. They’ll jump through hoops for their respective imprint but the way all this appears to work makes any kind of longevity unlikely. I keep hoping that Mari Wilson would just come back and be done with it. The concept of being groomed to be a pop star or whatever must surely cause advance precipitation of the dry boke followed by the full on heave. At least Duffy didn't go to class to come up with her Bonnie Tyler goes Dusty faux beat. Give "The Brits" their own TV Station where the sheep can subscribe and be kept up to speed and maybe free up some other areas for acts with no such tacit connections to the sad mafia that seem to have a grip on the what passes for entertainment industry. Did you see poor old Ozzy on that awards shit the other night? He deserves better than that surely.

I think it’s maybe time to wrap up (warm) and go outside. I must be recuperating because this shit is winding me up.

Ghost On The Highway dvd coming soon...

Did they ever sort out the music licensing for this? Either way it's a must see...

The Fleshtones return Europe in May for a series of dates in France. As usual, the men who added "Super" to "Rock" will zigzag across The Hexagon while performing strategic sorties on Holland, Italy and Germany. How do they do it? Do not attempt these dangerous manoeuvres at home, simply head for one of the following destinations and join in the fun!

May 12 - Locomotive, Paris, France
May 13 - Vauban , Brest, France
May 15 - Bikini, Toulouse, France
May 16 - Poste à galene, Marseille, France
May 17 - Nikea, Nice, France
May 18 - Garage, Milan, Italy
May 19 - Cafe Atlantik , Frieburg, Germany
May 20 - Le Fil, Beauvais, France
May 21 - BBC , Caen, France
May 22 - Aknathon, Amsterdam, Holland

Needless to say, further dates will be added. Why, there is even talk of a stop-over in Geneva. How the hell are they gonna fit that in?

RIP: Jim Jones

News just reached HQ that the Fleshtones will end their next Euro tour in Amsterdam on May 22! No details yet on pre-sale tickets or anything but we'll keep you posted. In the mean time start making travelling arrangements and book those cheap flights!

Apart from the ongoing headaches and gut considerations, I generally get by on the health front. However, this past few days has caused me to make a doctors appointment. Being laid out and having to just peg out in the old scratcher until it kind of passes was my only option. Plus I've got this nagging stitch "pain". It's not really pain but rather irritation. I have no faith in doctors really but there's enough going on to require some kind of check. Have to say that it goes 100% agin the grain but these things seem to happen sometime.

You'd think that being forced into taking days off work would be a relief but not really because I've had no energy to do anything. I don't like that. I don't like wasting time languishing but there was nothing else for it. Hardly seems possible that it's a week already since The Nomads. What is that Cher was on about about turning back time? I'd definitley bodyswerve the connection with the lurghi bug.

Forget the cast of "Heroes", these folks COULD actually save the world!

"No, the birthday boy won't be there to celebrate his 76th, but we will be -- it's the annual "Johnny Cash Birthday Bash" this Saturday at Southpaw! Alex Battles and his Whisky Rebellion will be joined by a pantheon of stars to perform Cash classics, including "Live At Folsom Prison" in its entirety -- with a set by SIT & Die Co. to open the show!

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23rd / "JOHNNY CASH 76TH BIRTHDAY BASH" at SOUTHPAW / Presented by Alex Battles' Whisky Rebellion / with guest SIT & Die Co./ 125 Fifth Avenue in Park Slope, Brooklyn / Doors at 8pm / $12 in advance (tickets are very limited!) /
And next week, for something a bit more intimate...

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28th / OTTO'S SHRUNKEN HEAD TIKI BAR & LOUNGE /
And the last Thursday of every month!
538 East 14th Street (just west of Avenue B) in Manhattan / Two big shows, from 8:00 sharp until 10:00 / No cover!

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

I'd like to be able to tell you that the shivering and shaking that's going on here was induced by some finite rock'n'roll record but alas no. The symptoms are down to some damn virus that made it's presence felt on Sunday and finally laid me out today. It's a pretty miserable interlude to be sure but anyway, hopefully it'll pass to feed on some other mope sooner rather than later.

Hot on the heels of their festive exhumation of "Dead By Christmas", SohoDolls will be opening for Hanoi Rocks on their tour which kicks off next week. Bear in mind that they'll probably be on stage by 7.30 most nights too so get there early.

I'm off to partake of some more fluids...

RIP - DD Meanie (from Bruce Milne) Click on the image to enlarge.

Lou Molinaro interviews Mary Weiss.

RIP - Joaquim Costa

Not long back from "the london". Train wasn't as mobbed as it was on the schlep down so that was good. Arrived back pretty close to schedule and caught the connection with just about a minute to spare. Result. I imagine it's all downhill from here...

Anyway, if you are within travelling distance of Brighton then I hope you'll be heading for The Nomads show. It's the second of a quick UK hit and run and their first gigs here in 6+ years.

So last night's DWC stint went spiffingly. Unfortunately The Cannibals couldn't open with a short set like they were supposed to because Mike had to fly back home to the US. So that meant that The Sweet Zeros were first to bat. They bang out a nice line in teen punk that is far more multi-faceted than the "Motorhead with tits" description would suggest. it would be fair to say the none of 'em are teens, or even punks but they embody the spirit and the fun that make this stuff run. By the time they finish with their brudder-ified version of "Rehab", I think they made a lot of friends. I'll be watching their progress closely.

Next it was The Fugitives, who in my opinion were flat out lumpy. An "oldies" band that slung out patently lukewarm versions of songs that deserve better. "A Question of Temperature" had me pining for Brownsville Station and that's about the only positive thing I can say about their set. It seems unlikely that they'll be getting chased anywhere and I'm sure they're doing it for fun but it simply isn't from my side of the fence. You know the one about the road to heck and the main ingredient of that particular asphalt.

So finally it's time for The Nomads and the relief, not to mention the anticipation, is palpable. I'm incredibly biased when it comes to this band. They are dear, dear friends but they'd expect me to be honest if I thought they sucked. And they never, ever do. They set the bar for the perfect measures that all I hold dear about this rock'n'roll lark. they even rolled out a version of "Who Dat?" which I don't recall them ever doing when I seen em before. The kids, as they say, dug it and were baying for more for some time after the last strains of "16 Forever" reverberated through our noggins. I'm always inspired when I leave the Dirty Water. It's my kinda people who go there. We can but dream about having a shindig like that up thisaway.

Missing in action but attending in spirit were Ms Hermansson and Ms Zetterberg. And also Field Marshall Vedder and the very Rev. M. Percival. It was a cracking night of the type that trouble us all too rarely. I oughtta be in Brighton, that reality is burning in my napper but t'was not to be. like I said if there's any way on earth you can make it then cut along now. I think it'll be stowed.

On a related note, The Sonics are now playing on the Sunday night also with The Horrors and another support tba. So if you didn't score tickets for the Friday then all is not lost.

So, I made it to Friday. The weather doesn't suck and all eyes are on tonight's show by The Nomads in (uptown Nigel) Tufnell Park at the famed DWC. More info by clicking on the sidebar, just to the left of this. Catch you on yonder flipside hillock...