While diggin' around at Amazon.com, I noticed a upcomin' new book by the mighty Nick Tosches; 'King of the Jews: the Arnold Rothstein Story'. (An extensive bio on Rothstein can be found here).

Just got word that there's a new issue of Black To Comm magazine out 'n about; "170 jam packed pages of a special New York Rock issue feat. The Dolls, Dictators, Max's, Punk magazine, etc. Plus tons of reviews and bonus cd w/ Simply Saucer, Coachmen, Ruby And The Rednecks". If you've never caught BTC, better make sure you do this go round. For well over 20 years it's been documenting the 70s pre-punk punk scene in great detail, wavin' the flag for bands like the Electric Eels and Rocket From The Tombs long before anybody else cared... Bomp hasn't yet listed the mag on it's site, but I know they carry it, so go bug Suzy for a copy.

If you dug those What Wave tape compilations from years back then do yourself a favour and grab the "Whole Lotta Shakin'" CD comp-pile-ation on Garage-Pop Records. Put together by Mike Murray of the Whole Lotta Shakin' radio show, it boasts an identical mix of styles (surf, rockabilly, psych, garage) but with the emphasis, 'cept for the occasional international gatecrasher, on bands from Rochester, NY (Hi-Risers, Quitters, Isotopes et al). Interestingly, the Chesterfield Kings are not included although Greg Prevost and Walt O'Brien (remember him?) do receive a "thank you". Of the 26 tracks on offer there are too many winners to list although "Surfin' to forget about you" by the Surfin' Lungs and "I can't understand" by the Riviera Playboys are currently floating my boats. For a preview, of sorts, log onto Mike's show on a Sunday evening [8 - Midnight GMT] at the WITR website and dig the mix of new and "classic" sounds that he regularly spins. One listen to Whole Lotta Shakin', via the web or on compact disc, will reassure you that life is indeed still "rockin' in Rochester".

How's your French? "Not so good," then book a revision class 'cause you're gonna need it for latest edition of Larsen, a one-off doo-wop, rhythm'n'blues, soul, boogaloo, and funk extravaganza called: Guide B-Soul. It features the lowdown details (inc. discogs) on various sepia-toned "greats" including: Andre Williams; the Contours; Gino Washington; Nathaniel Mayer; Jerry-O; Alvin Cash; the Five Du-Tones; Harvery Scales 7 the Seven Sounds; and King Coleman. The latter, sadly, is not a relation of this contributor. A small, compact, publication but one that drips soulful hip-dom and which also comes complete with a cracking three track 45rpm from the Sweet Things (the Godzillas + Stompin' Harvey and his Fast-Wreckers). For more information, email Benny Gordini at: slushyruin@larsen.asso.fr

DANGER: Men on a mission. Here's a round-up of the forthcoming Euro moves for the Fleshtones, the hardest working men in rock'n'roll. Masters Vedder and Hutton, DO NOT even try to make a case for the Dictators 'cause those boys have had more sabbaticals than George Best (famous Irish soccer player). We're talkin' year-on-year real-time action and a sizeable quality-driven discography to back it all up. Anyhow, here are the details you need before heading for the Ryan Air website:

Scandinavian Tour (February)

Feb 5 Tavastia - Helsinki (Finland); Feb 6 Debaser - Stockholm (Sweden); Feb 7 The Wild Bunch Rock'n'Roll Club - Moss (Norway); Feb 8 Last Train - Oslo (Norway); Feb 9 Last Train - Oslo (Norway); Feb 11 Sticky Fingers - Gothenburg (Sweden); Feb 13 Rytmeposten - Odense (Denmark); Feb 14 Loppen - Copenhagen.

Spanish Tour (March)

Mar 5 Gruta 77 - Madrid; Mar 6 Pequeño Diablo - Valencia; Mar 7 La Guarida del Angel - Jerez; Mar 9 Tarari - Ponferrada; Mar 10 Rock Club - Orense; Mar 11 Albeniz - Gijón; Mar 12 Indian - Santander; Mar 13 Hell Dorado - Vitoria.

Dates in the UK (April) and France (June) are currently in the planning stage. Polite note to the ever-faithful Italian fans: The 'tones played several dates in Italy before Christmas so back-off with those email requests.

A further explanation about this WWSR&R thing...

WWSR&R is, or rather will be a special edition NBT which drags we back to the days of DIY zinedom. It’ll be a limited edition of 300 copies in a red 2-ring binder which is approx. 210mm square with cover insert. It's limited because that’s the number of binders I’ve got and let's face it, print distro ain't what it used to be. Content will probably run to 40 pages. If I decide it’s worth it then I’ll mail a monthly newsletter thing to whoever buys a copy and that can be added to the binder. Like those magazines that get advertised on the telly every January then promptly disappear. What I’d like is for you folks to pitch in and provide an angle on what the title suggests. The broader based the better. Something else I’d like to do is give some of the proceeds (if there turn out to be any) to Joey (Ramone's) Lymphoma Charity. Being that we’ve never managed to organise that UK version of his Birthday party yet. So if you’d like to compile something to be included then please do so. It’s all pretty sketchy at this point but it’ll doubtless fall together (or not)…

All that and I'll be darned if the ol' phoneline ain't just done gone got fixed. Perhaps normal service can resume after all?

The wonderful world of Jack Pedlar is but a click away... thanks to Pat Taylor for the tip.

OK. So I need to get this Who Will Save Rock'n'Roll thing moving. An actual print THING as opposed to this blog type blethering. If you have something that oughtta appear in there then please hit the contact button and give we the skinny. A deadline of 15th February (2004) seems as good as any to drop outta thin air so let's see action. Spare everyone from an extended rant from yours truly and pitch in. subject matter could even be What Will Save Rock'n'Roll, the blighter needs all the help it can get in these decidedly un-rockin' times.

Saw Lost In Translation also and it's a kinda slow burn. The karaoke scene is great though and Tokyo just looks like another world. The use of the J&M Chain's Just Like Honey is very effective. I used to hate them based on the fact that they were a bunch of little oiks. Made some fantastic records though...

Ordinary Life is pretty complex stuff alright. American Splendor anyone?

"In 'Kill Bill,' Japanese garage-rockers The 5.6.7.8's dripped cool as the blood splashed. But that was just a scratch on the surface of a thriving girl-band scene." - Simon Bartz of The Japan Times gives you the chick picks of 2004.

The Killer (not to be confused with Krazee Eyes Killah) and a band that reportedly includes James Burton, rocks on in Perthshire at £299 a scud. There's an additional bizarre aspect to this story but more about that later... Oh yeah, and it's sold out. TAKE A LOOK! Thanks to Mr Rafferty for the link.

Steam nothing, I'm approaching full Four Mile Island Meltdown mode. That's one louder kids. Saw American Splendor the other day, maybe that rubbed off?

Sometimes I wish Lindsay would buy one of those web-cam thingies, so we could watch steam comin' out of his ears while he types in these short messages...

Now my bloody phoneline is knackered... what the hell next?

Attention Berliners... Agent Heiko has provided this screening info for End Of The Century - The Story Of The Ramones

08.02.04 CineStar 7 20:00
09.02.04 CineStar 7 22:30
10.02.04 CineStar 7 14:30
14.02.04 CinemaxX 7 22:30

The film will be presented in the PANORAMA DOKUMENTE within the Official Programme of the Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin 2004. The press is invited to the premiere and a press talk with the audience will be held directly after the screening in the cinema. European distribution info should be available soon.

Just a quickie this Monday am, while I'd love to have a "den" like the one in the photo. That one belongs to Cap'n Jeroen Vedder. My den is more of a "howff". The other thing is that it's J and Alice that are about to have a wee yin and not we here. I appreciate the goodwill messages and all but...

While listenin' to the Master Plan's 'Colossus Of Destiny' disc earlier tonight I was again amazed at what a fine disc it is, and at the same time at how just about nobody has noticed so far!. The take on "What's Up With That?' beats the 'Tators version by a mile. 'Kickin' It Old School' is one of Andy's finest tunes ever, no two ways about it. And damn if Keith Streng doesn't blasts even more life into 'Walking' than the Eastern Dark ever did...
The good news is that Bomp is gonna issue this one in the US some time soon....

Caught a couple of stripped-back three piece combos at the Dirty Water Club last Friday and while neither was terrible they got me thinking about the near lack of showmanship on offer these days. Gin Palace include members of Penthouse and deliver reverbed Rockabilly-Blues slop that is competent enough but which failed to hold my attention after a couple of numbers. Not only were there few memorable songs but there was also a lack of charisma to compensate for said problem. Suffice to say that the punters did not ask them to play an encore. The headline act, Jimmy & The Teasers from North Carolina, similarly struggled. Despite the visual eye candy in the drum'n'bass department, all of that raging from the fellow playing guitar became wearisome after ten minutes. Yup, you guessed it, these guys were not asked back for an encore either. Now after witnessing the Woggles shred both audience and stage at the same venue before Christmas I refuse to believe this is a "hip-Londoner-cool-as-cucumber" issue. Maybe it's down to reading about the late Graham Bond this last week and also the anticipation of catching-up with the Fleshtones in a couple of weeks time. Whatever, it's still a shame that 98% of bands do not know how to entertain a crowd with more than their music. Now of course The Graham Bond Organization is a classic example of a band capable of breaking down the barrier between audience / musician and it would be foolish to expect every band to "groove" but by my estimation, not to mention extensive research, I reckon that the ratio of bands who could "make show" was a damn sight higher in the pioneering days of RnR. Then again I guess that we, namely the Brits, really got the ball rolling in the angst-rock stakes what with certain British Invasion bands such as the Zombies and KinKs. I dunno, maybe Sgt Pepper should have given the Beatles dancing lessons instead of teaching them how to play? One thing is for certain though, he would never have got away with his music theory lessons with the bands working the Reeperbahn in the early 60s 'cause the punters would have beaten the shit out of him at the slightest hint of boredom. How times change?

"Heya horndogs! We posted the January Reviews at www.x2rr.com. Read about the NewTown Animals, Street Walkin Cheetahs, Morticia's Lovers, Dennis Most, the Winks, Chopsakis, Kamikazes, Transfusions, Radio Reelers, Black Jetts, Detonations, Union 13 and more. And if that aint enough look for more new photos comin soon." - Mark Giddens

"Following a show in Phoenix on April 26, 2003, acclaimed singer-songwriter and playwright Alejandro Escovedo (The Nuns, Rank and File and The True Believers) collapsed and was hospitalized due to complications from Hepatitis C. He is currently at home in Canyon Lake, Texas, resting and undergoing treatment to alleviate the effects of his condition. Alejandro's rigorous touring schedule and recording sessions for a new album that had begun the week before are both on hold as he recuperates. There is no health insurance to cover the mounting medical bills and loss of income as Alejandro continues to pursue treatment. In response to an outpouring of concern from friends, fans, and associates from across the nation, a trust has been established to handle donations on his behalf. You can make donations here.