Sunday, March 09, 2008
Friday, March 07, 2008
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Coming June 10th on the 00:02:59 imprint from Scott "Top Ten" Kempner. Some info here. Some Del-Lords reissue details too.
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Another day closer to oblivion... if you find yourself in NY tonight then cut along to Banjo Jim's and check out this Carter Family tribute. Nothing much going on here on this end. I think I've just about convinced myself into "downsizing". We'll see. I'm also a little closer to icing my farcebook thing. To try and reclaim a small corner of my life back, such as it is. Of course, things could be humungously worse... there is The Sonics shindig close to the immediate horizon though so that should provide some sensory gratification if nowt else. And Brother Patrick tells me that Mary Weiss is headed for Europe. More when I scare up all the tour dates.Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Billie The Vision and the Dancers
I Was So Unpopular In School and Now They’re Giving Me This Beatuiful Bicycle
The World according To Pablo
Where The Ocean Meets My Hand
(all Love Will Pay The Bills)
Well I’ve been playing these constantly since I saw the band a few weeks ago. That title on the first one may well be a typo but that’s what it sez on the sleeve. But anyway, these three albums feel like 3 seasons of an ongoing drama. Maybe something on HBO with all the thrills and spills and heartache such a thing would be peppered with. There are themes and characters popping up all over the three albums. It’s unusual to say the least and some of this deals with adult subjects which you don’t often hear in such a hip, bossa nova setting. Some of the stuff reminds me of the time I saw The Wannadies in Berlin during BID1990.
BTV have concocted some kind of twisted wild, not entirely innocent shuffle on a Malmo boardwalk. Is there such a thing? I don’t recall seeing one but whatever inspired this, I’m glad it did. The narrative nature of the songs is telling the story of Pablo, a cross dresser who gets into all kinds of scrapes because of “his” lifestyle. All set in this amazing folk pop tapestry. As I make my way through the various episodes, I discover that the exquisite “Overdosing With You” on Series 3 recalls the intrinsic theme of “I’m Pablo” from Season 2.
Maybe some enterprising Scandanavian film director could piece together this thing and make the Billie guys and girls into full-fledged stars, because that’s what they deserve to be. After seeing them play, there’s so much more to get. They’re almost outrageous in some sort of way but not because the singer dresses up in women’s clothes. More because the flavours they dare to put together probably shouldn’t be so addictive. So anyway, they’re looking for a label or distribution here in the UK so do you know of any such thing that’s looking for a genuine phenomenon? Let me know and I’ll put you in touch.
Meanwhile, in lieu of the world catching up, order their albums direct. If you’re not sure then check them out at their myspace where you can hear their heartbreaking ode to Andy Sipowicz. If that doesn’t move you then nothing will. Their striking visual presence is one thing but it’s matched by their interplay. These people are having a ball and they want you to join in. Please consider doing so. The rewards will be far greater than those to be gleaned by hitching a ride to the likes of them Arctic Fires or Arcade Monkeys. If you saw The Brits recently then you just know that the entire business is due a considerable dose of salts.
Monday, March 03, 2008
From Juke Joint Jonny his'self...Greetings music maven;
Clear the decks next Thursday for a very special Wang Dang Doodle. The Phast One has asked little old me to join him on this outing with a mind to spin some classic swing. It's kind of like Hank Aaron asking the peanut vendor to bat clean up, but I have a few choice cuts up my sleeve. If you make it you will hear some quintessential swinging from the Jimmie Lunceford, Don Redman, and Claude Hopkins organizations, a little boogie from Freddie Slack and Will Bradley, maybe slip in some Diz for you boppers. And we'll try to answer the musical question:
Whose band rocks harder, Lucky Millinder, or Hamp?
Honest, Jackson, it'll be all reet.
Thursday, March 6, 9:00 at The Royale, 506 Fifth Avenue, Park Slope, Brooklyn, USA, and wear your dancing shoes, you will want to move.
Saturday, March 01, 2008
Ok folks, so some catching up here on some culture you may care to indulge in...The Pankrti documentary "No Fun" has been released on dvd. It's on Continental Films out of Zagreb, Croatia. I can't find a mail order contact but will pass on info when it becomes available.
Damir Avdic now has a myspace profile.
Coming up on Perpetrator Records - of New Zealand - a brand new Jeremy Gluck three track 7" comprising "I Am Time", "Breaks Me" and "Anybody". Myspace crashed so I don't know if those songs are up there or not. There's an album coming together too so watch this space and his myspace too for all the info.Vampisoul is to release Ben Vaughn's "Designs In Music" on vinyl in April. (Brother Patrick spotted this on the SR mailout.)
The Duffy conspiracy thing caused a small ripple of excitement and I'm wondering what it would take to convince her to record Amy Rigby's "All I Want". Of course, Bernard Butler could just remix - or rather re-record the Ronnie Spector version using his industrial strength fairy dust.
There was some other news to impart but I can't figure out what I've done with it. i imagine it'll turn up in due course. Meanwhile, whilst we're with the "Wall of Sound" motif, let's head out with some sartorial leisure wear...
Friday, February 29, 2008
Haven’t really rallied from the lurghi totally but nonetheless ventured out on Tuesday night…
To my mind, The Cathouse is perhaps the worst venue in Glasgow. It's a dank, dark and - despite the Rawk vibe - it's a disco where bands of said variety, at a certain level, are cursed with playing when they come to the city. Making the trek on a driech night and getting there while SohoDolls go through a semblance of a soundcheck was never the idea but really, if they hadn't been playing then I'd have "stayed in the hoose". So eventually, at about 8.30-ish, they come on, do a short, sharp set and depart. I can't figure out if this is a good career move or not but they went down OK. Their marriage of “Empires and Dance” type electrocrunch and glam is sweet in the Eric Cartman sense but how do you get a prospective audience to notice. I spoke briefly to their guitar player Toni who says they're about to concentrate on their next album. Let's hope that offers up the necessary options.
And I like Hanoi Rocks but the sound was absolutely fucking awful. Mike Monroe mentioned something about the bus breaking down and making the best of them not soundchecking but this was beyond the pale. We left to catch a train out of Dodge. On one hand to get away from the racket but also to evade Hot Chip and Editors fans who were also packing into town.
The live music cattle market is someplace I have no desire to be anymore. Save for a few excursions to catch acts that I've supported my entire tenure, I'm exiting stage left from the whole sorry shebang. Sod it, some semblance of spiritual fortitude may even ensue. Then again, probably not, but even I wasn’t the oldest codger in the audience and one or two had gone dressed as their grandmother done up like a burst couch. It's unfortunate that we don't have anything akin to the Dirty Water or Debaser experience anywhere around here but them -as people are so fond of telling us - is the breaks.
And woah, you know that things are screwed when it's deemed newsworthy that The Black Crowes and Nas were the victims of bogus reviews in a lifestyle rag. The world has indeed ended. These bastards should be glad that their names make it into print anymore at all far less bleat about it not being cricket. All publicity these days is simply that, it doesn't work because the very nature of much of it is cut and paste advertorial. There's no soul in it. The further up the flagpole it runs, the less use the information actually is. It’s all bollocks. Everything is overloaded, on tilt. The only important filter is your own ability to smell shite when that particular aroma is wafted in your direction.
Can’t you just taste the desperation as the ever-depleting buck slides into the sea?
If the strategy of directing prospective audiences to the show, or to buy the t-shirt is indeed the future then count me the heck out. Who can read the type on cd booklets anyway? And, as for downloads, the only positive thing I can muster about that malarky is at least it doesn’t create landfill. A round of applause for that chill, inclement wind then...
To my mind, The Cathouse is perhaps the worst venue in Glasgow. It's a dank, dark and - despite the Rawk vibe - it's a disco where bands of said variety, at a certain level, are cursed with playing when they come to the city. Making the trek on a driech night and getting there while SohoDolls go through a semblance of a soundcheck was never the idea but really, if they hadn't been playing then I'd have "stayed in the hoose". So eventually, at about 8.30-ish, they come on, do a short, sharp set and depart. I can't figure out if this is a good career move or not but they went down OK. Their marriage of “Empires and Dance” type electrocrunch and glam is sweet in the Eric Cartman sense but how do you get a prospective audience to notice. I spoke briefly to their guitar player Toni who says they're about to concentrate on their next album. Let's hope that offers up the necessary options.
And I like Hanoi Rocks but the sound was absolutely fucking awful. Mike Monroe mentioned something about the bus breaking down and making the best of them not soundchecking but this was beyond the pale. We left to catch a train out of Dodge. On one hand to get away from the racket but also to evade Hot Chip and Editors fans who were also packing into town.
The live music cattle market is someplace I have no desire to be anymore. Save for a few excursions to catch acts that I've supported my entire tenure, I'm exiting stage left from the whole sorry shebang. Sod it, some semblance of spiritual fortitude may even ensue. Then again, probably not, but even I wasn’t the oldest codger in the audience and one or two had gone dressed as their grandmother done up like a burst couch. It's unfortunate that we don't have anything akin to the Dirty Water or Debaser experience anywhere around here but them -as people are so fond of telling us - is the breaks.
And woah, you know that things are screwed when it's deemed newsworthy that The Black Crowes and Nas were the victims of bogus reviews in a lifestyle rag. The world has indeed ended. These bastards should be glad that their names make it into print anymore at all far less bleat about it not being cricket. All publicity these days is simply that, it doesn't work because the very nature of much of it is cut and paste advertorial. There's no soul in it. The further up the flagpole it runs, the less use the information actually is. It’s all bollocks. Everything is overloaded, on tilt. The only important filter is your own ability to smell shite when that particular aroma is wafted in your direction.
Can’t you just taste the desperation as the ever-depleting buck slides into the sea?
If the strategy of directing prospective audiences to the show, or to buy the t-shirt is indeed the future then count me the heck out. Who can read the type on cd booklets anyway? And, as for downloads, the only positive thing I can muster about that malarky is at least it doesn’t create landfill. A round of applause for that chill, inclement wind then...
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Edinburgh Live bootleg available now!Friday tomorrow... not before time... should be able to play catch up then. All outta antibiotics, still barking at the moon. The episode of The Wire I just watched had a Fleshtones song in it, I take that as a decent omen...
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Care to check our specs, friend? Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co. *guarantees* its workmanship to meet or exceed minimum industry standards. We welcome you to come and inspect for yourself...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 large shows, from 8:00 sharp until 10:00 / No cover! Need further proof? Boy, tough customer...
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5th / CAFE STEINHOF /
422 Seventh Avenue (at 14th Street) in Park Slope, Brooklyn / Two teutonic shows, from 10:30 sharp until 12:30 / No cover!
THURSDAY, MARCH 20th / RODEO BAR & GRILL /
375 Third Avenue (at the corner of 27th Street) in ol' Manhattan / Three thirst-inducing shows, from 10:00 sharp until 1:00 / No cover! Industrially yours, Michael
Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co.
"Ballads, Boogies & Blues"
Well-Rounded Radio: Episode 044 features an overview of the Fleshtones and an interview with Peter Zaremba. The interview is illustrated with several clips from "Take A Good Look" and offers a fascinating insight into the recording of the band's latest album. A Podcast is available for downloading on the Well-Rounded Radio website.
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