If it happened or is happening in the Tri-State Area then you'll most likely find it on NEATNESS

Jim Fields' END OF THE CENTURY documentary about THE RAMONES will be distributed in Europe by Metro-Tartan. Stay tuned for more info as it becomes available.

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THE SECRET CINEMA

Prepare to enter a whole 'nother world... Planet LUCHA VAVOOM

Good news for our American readers: The fantastic Master Plan album is out now on Total Energy.

That makes young Vedder, HBV - King of Men Version 2.0! Keeping up the Dictators theme, Agent Heiko found this piece that I'd never seen before. Comes from a webzine called LITTLE CRACKED EGG that I think you'll like to dig around in.

While scannin' the below news on the Dictators site I noticed that MY SON SHARES HIS BIRTHDAY WITH THE HANDSOME ONE !. Hows about that for bein' "born under a good sign"?...

From Dictators.com...

THE HANDSOME ONE'S FULL PLATE

He's celebratin' half a century on earth this week and is father of an active 1-year-old, but Handsome Dick Manitoba clearly scoffs at the idea of taking it ease. The Dictators' Not-So-Secret Weapon and keeper of your favorite bar (Manitoba's, 99 Ave. B, NYC) fills us in on his goings-on: "I am working on a book with former editor of High Times, and Heeb ... It will be anecdotal, with stories about growing up Jewish, Bronx stories, food stories, recipes, restaurant reviews, plenty of photos, and drawings ... the first chapter will be done soon ... tentative working title? ... MANITOBA EATS NEW YORK! ... also the official MANITOBA'S website will be up soon ... www.manitobas.com."

Oh yeah... Steve has rightly pointed out the daftness of posting huge files agin the fact that not everyone has a broadband connection. I know how much of a pisser it was to wait for pages to load on a dial-up modem and apologise for any pissed-offedness caused. Please visit again and often. It willnae happen again...

It's been a heckuva week out here. Ever get the feeling that the country you live in is screwed? Heading it all up is what happened to the BBC. The organisation is in the throes of having all of its teeth removed to be replaced by a set of falsers called TBTV. One head that actually made a difference rolled and the staff there actually rallied to shout it out but ultimately it won't stop the rot. This government can and is damaging our collective health. They "let" Scotland have its own council to help it along or maybe even speed up the process. And Osama's mob are taking the piss again. More flights from the UK to the US cancelled due to "threats". One way or another, it's all very depressing because if it gets any worse we're gonna be back to where we were before the wheel was invented. It's very difficult to be enthusiastic about anything in such a climate. Life is sucking the will to live outta me but wadjagonnado? I don't think that even Finntroll will be able to save us!

"One night in march 1997 two men were sleeping in a rehearsal room in Helsinki. The other woke up and started playing the keyboards and came up with a folkish melody. Soon the other one woke up too. Liking the melody he asked the other guy to play the riff in traditional finnish "humppa" style (humppa is a variety of polka...). This sounded very mean and guitars and brutal vocals were added immediatly. Thus Finntroll was born.." (This picture just about sez it all...)
(Link c/o Tony Slug).

UK re-issue label RPM is set to release an interesting compilation called "'GLITTERBEST: 20 PRE-PUNK'N'GLAM TERRACE STOMPERS'. "Featuring HOLLYWOOD BRATS, ANGEL, DUCKS DELUXE, STREAK, HAMMERSMITH GORILLAS, FLINTLOCK, MILK & COOKIES, CHRIS SPEDDING & THE VIBRATORS, TREVOR WHITE, JOOK, LIPSTICK, HELTER SKELTER, TIGER LILY, DOG ROSE, FARM, AMERICAN JAM BAND, ENGLAND'S GLORY, CRUSHED BUTLER, SPUNKY SPIDER and ONE HIT WONDERS"". No idea if any of these bands' names ring a bell with you, but this documents something that is generally way overlooked in the "roots of punk" histories, and given the label's track record this look's to be well worth your while...

The all-new AMY RIGBY site is now available for your surfing pleasure. This photo of she and the one and only Wreckless Eric performing "Whole Wide World" in Hull oughtta give you an itchy trigger finger.

More important information to impart. Folks have been asking me where they can score the most recent ACC material on yonder Gulcher imprint. You can get it from there or from CD BABY , just so long as you load up. Stores can get their stash from Revolver by contacting this gennelman, arthur@midheaven.com

Accordion Pop is finally available on cd and should be the soundtrack to your life but you really ought to have the set. Any Eurotypes who are looking for copies can give me a holler here and we'll sort you out.

Take a handful of my favourite ingredients - Swedes, Country and Rockabilly. Mix 'em together and you'll get Eva Eastwood & The Major Keys!

Dude, it's a Dude! well J can give us all the stories about hospitals that he likes but the wee man obviously came to earth in a space capsule. At least that's what it looks like in the photo. Great to hear things are swingin' out there in dem Netherlands because these are good, good people who deserve nothing but the best.

Mille Grazia for all the kind words 'n best wishes from alla you guys 'n gals, both Alice 'n me really, really appreciate it...
To answer a whole bag o' questions at once: Yes, both mother 'n child are doin well. The whole thing took about 42 hours, and the hospital people tell us, somewhat bemused, that we made use of "all available options" when it comes to childbirth. I'll spare you the details, but suffice to say; I've acquired a fresh batch o' gray hairs...

That said tho', I'd like to switch back to music talk with the NBT readers, 'cause I noticed that within 24 hours I was discussin' parental pleasures/worries w/ some of you. No problem with that obviously, but mayhaps we'd better save such talk for the New Born Thing or Next Big Toddler log...

He's Here !.

Name: Bastiaan Vedder
Date Of Birth: Jan 29 2004
Weight: 8 lb
Parents: Tired but happy

That's oor (as opposed to our) Bush!

Cowabunga an' that. Visit the website of those long pipelinin' Surfin' Lungs...