This month's releases from Ace Records.

An Evening With Plan B: Talking About The White Stripes: Borders, Oxford St, London on Wednesday 18th August @ 6.30pm - Legendary music journalist Everett True (ex-NME, Melody Maker, VOX, author of Live Through This: American Underground Rock Music In The 90s) leads a panel of young enthusiasts and seasoned contributors from his new magazine Plan B through a discussion on the state of the music press. Featuring Dirtbombs drummer Ben Blackwell talking about all things White Stripes.

Sky Saxon at The Dirty Water Club, London, Friday 6th August - Apparently resident in London since the end of his recent UK tour in the spring, it was fantastic to see Sky stood at front of the stage and enjoying the Punkles set of Beatles covers. Though a great idea to tackle the Lennon/McCartney songbook in a 1-2-3-4 Ramones-style, the joke becomes stretched over 45 minutes. I still thought the Punkles were gabba-gabba-fab even if visually they reminded me of some unholy meeting between the Three Stooges and the Rutles. More "beer" than "gear" then. Fact fiends will be interested to learn that Sky's UK band comprise of the rhythm section from the re-actived Barracudas, a chap from the Scoundrelles/Scientists on guitar and two blokes from Spacemen 3 fiddling about on organ, theramin and assorted electronica. To begin with the garageniks kept the acid-niks (inc. Sky) pretty much on course as the band dug out such nuggets as "No Escape", "Evil Hoodoo", and "Can't Seem To Make You Mine". Sky looked and sounded great, although I had no idea what he was singing, as the boys in the band created a fair old noise worthy of the original Seeds. For thirty minutes we were cruising down the strip and digging the acid-punk vibe of Little Richie Marsh, that is until we invited us "Up In Her Room" and the songs became longer and unfocused. Not to worry though, the first thirty minutes were top-hole and one of the best live experiences of the year. Fact: Robin and Jeremy "Barracuda" are so lucky to have those young fellas on bass and drums. As for Sky, look out for a new album recorded over the last few days in London and should you get the opportunity, ask him about the real meaning of "Dirty Water" by the Standells. Clue: It’s about drugs.

RIP RICK JAMES

Before that horrible 80's thing called KING with yon hockey frilla'd freak with the doc martens, there was an altogether more punk-rockin' ensemble by the same name. Agent Heiko laid the details on we...

Christina Agui-bleedin'-lera vs The Velvets. Right here...

Some Barracudas action from Mr Robin Wills...

"It's time for some garagetastic psyched up tuned in and dropped out celluloid action. Yes folks London's own subway surfers The Barracudas premiere their documentary 'Surfers Are Back' as part of the Portobello Film festival later this month. Next year sees the 25th anniversary re release of The Barracudas perfect debut album Drop Out. Renewed interest in the band has prompted Geoff Mann - who released The Barracudas first single 'I Want My Woody back' and Award winning Film Director John Wheeler of Clean Break productions to make this film. 'Surfers Are Back'features a blistering live performance at the legendary Dirty Water Club, behind the scenes footage and interviews with the band. It provides a 100 mile an hour distilled trip around the cult that is The Barracudas. Throw in an appearance from Flamin'Groovie Chris Wilson and you've got an instant police presence. This is a one off screening and seats are limited ( 80 free seats)."

The Barracudas in 'Surfers Are Back' the 25th Anniversary
Wednesday 18th August 2004 @8:25 @ The Portobello Film Festival
Westbourne Studios, 242 Acklam Road, London W10

"August 9 is the release date for Shock Records’all-killer 2CD set called THE ROCK’N’ROLL DISEASE!. With 47 tracks and over two and a half hours of rockin’ noise, the album places the best of the new generation of hip rock’n’rollers side by side with many of their biggest influences. The list of artists reads like a Rock’n’Roll Who’s Who, and includes JET, THE DATSUNS, THE MC5, VON BONDIES, RAMONES, IGGY & THE STOOGES, HIVES, DONNAS, BLACK KEYS, YOU AM I, EASYBEATS, RADIO BIRDMAN, SAINTS, BIG STAR, BLACK REBEL MOTORCYCLE CLUB, VELVET UNDERGROUND, SPAZZYS, CRAMPS, MUDHONEY, SLADE, SUZI QUATRO, ALICE COOPER, HELLACOPTERS, NEW YORK DOLLS, BO DIDDLEY, POWDER
MONKEYS, TURBONEGRO, WARLOCKS, DIRTBOMBS, YOUNG HEART ATTACK, FLAMIN’ GROOVIES, ROCKET SCIENCE, PAYBACKS and many more. Lavishly packaged with a 24 page full-colour booklet, artist-by-artist liner notes and a whole bunch of rare photos and memorabilia, the album was put together by former Dog Meat Records boss Dave Laing, who a couple of years ago was behind Shock’s super successful collection of ‘70s and ‘80s garage and punk rock, ‘Do the Pop!’. A celebration of rock’n’roll’s return to prominence, a calculated cash-in on a recent popular trend, or an excuse for a crusty old rock fan to finally put all his old favorites together on a comp? You can be the judge of that. But whatever you call it, ‘The Rock’n’roll Disease’ is a high energy blast of fun from start to finish, and anyone who loves rock’n’roll will dig it."

The 5,6,7,8's on the cover of The Sunday Herald Festival review and also inside. Who'da thunk it?

Flushed with success at breaking into the thing called "THE CHARTS" with The 5,6,7,8's, SWEET NOTHING records continues to kick back the frontiers of rawk. As you know, Simon has had the good graces to bring down the wrath of many combo's upon an unsuspecting and often uncaring UK bound rabble. This missionary work has been carried out on behalf of THE HELLACOPTERS and a band that should similiarly rule the planet called MAGIC DIRT but as you know, the "kids" are too stupid to bite. Anyways, not content with having put out THE SOLUTION's COMMUNICATE in recent weeks, here's some more SN booty you should keep a shredded eardum out for.



THE STARLITE DESPERATION ep VIOLATE A SUNDAE could do much to rid the world of the sell by date way up Strokes. Their sinewy, undulating not unlike The Scientists spacerock is gloriously non-retro and as anthemic as this kind of fare is ever likely to get. Part of the Southern Ca Smog-Psych movement (according to Skyscraper Magazine), methinks these blighters and their Conga Line could catch on.



LION FEVER, who take their name from a non existant ailment are in comparison, a more tame proposition but only in the sense that it has a kinda grounded smokey basement element to it. LUSTRE is the most outright punk-related of these three products with the singer Jennifer pearl sounding like both Patti Smith and Grace Slick but neither. They get extra points for covering The Gun Club's "For The Love Of Ivy" and can muster a fair ol' ramshackle groove. There's a mention that they were influenced by The Stranglers on their site but I won't hold that agin 'em.



"If Exuma, Blue Cheer, Albert Ayler, Mitch Mitchell, Nanjo and the zombie of John Cippolina all met on the blue highway, wasted on golden whiskey and cocaine, there they would throw on Field Recordings From The Sun on a trashed boombox while shooting pistols at their tracers. This is West Coast Psychedelia, hang onto your eardrums". That's how the Alternative Tentacles blub goes for Santa Cruz, Ca's COMETS ON FIRE,'s FIELD RECORDINGS, add a cut and shut between Hawkwind and MX-80 via MONTROSE (the band not the Scottish seaside resort) and some vibes beamed up from the underbelly of Detroit to that pot and you'll be no closer to describing the ugly yet strangely satisfying web of sound they've fashioned. Free-form freak outs seldom come much more entertaining than this. Available in Europe via Sweet Nothing, AT in the US. Photo from AT website.

I don't have cable or satellite TV hence, when ART FEIN sends me a tape of some of his recent shows, we're on it like mud on a pig. The show is always something of a revelation to me and some of the people I subject to it. This is the equivalent of somebody showing conversations with footballers or rugby players to me, I know. But the guys that Art has on there have, to me, really lived. It is the opposite of dull on a grand scale. The most recent VHS has a double header with IAN WHITCOMB and JIM DAWSON on it and, t'is inspirational. It also reminded me that Art must be in the need of some PG Tips... e-mail him and ask how the heck you can get in on the POKER PARTY action.

Brother Randall, I just heard that Tejas has been taking a battering from the elements. Hope all is as well as it can be when an "act of god" is in full swing. Can't find your e-mail address, please check in, as and when...

At the opposite end and beyond of the musical rainbow is the Robbie Fulks produced Johnny Paycheck tribute "TOUCH MY HEART". A staunch collection of the man's songs by the like of one-time Girl Trouble Go-Go Girl Neko Case, Dallas Wayne, Dave Alvin, George Jones and Mavis Staples to name but a few. Beautifully curated and performed with a whole lotta heart and soul, coming at you on August 10th from the Sugar Hill imprint.

Seems like there's a "Glam" thing goin' on. What with these great RPM comps and glitter beats on Goldfraap and even Rachel Stevens records, the 70's teen sound that fueled the Punk explosion is definitely in the water. Anyway's that allows me to segue into a link for an animation clip to an ATOMIC SWINDLERS song that also recalls that era. Takes me back...

The always up-to-date S.J Bink was kind enough to point out yet another festival in Rotterdam: the Rotterdam Rumble 2004, featuring ao: the Ghetto Ways and the YumYums.

In amongst today's inbox full of how to steal passwords, boaby enlargement and the usual pharmaceuticals was this RADIO CAROLINE blog you may care to check out.

"It's time for the Nitwitz to do our yearly show in in our homecountry Holland PLUS throw a release party for not one, but TWO releases !. July 31st, MELKWEG AMSTERDAM. With UK street urchins SICK ON THE BUS, the RIOTS and the REMAINS".

"More punk than anything you can name this side of 1978" was the verdict of J. Hammer Esq., a man more than qualified to make it after witnessing The Rigbys (Hazel and Amy) shake down Otto's in New York. "Endearingly Scrappy" said The Scotsman review of their short set in Glasgow recently. Amy Rigby's recently completed latest UK visit saw many highs and lows with one of the highs being Hazel getting a snare drum to use by one Dee Generate (of Eater) in (I think) Wellingburgh - (where dat? I dunno). Anyways, those who did turn out to the shows were trated to the usual high standard of songfare which included the mother/daughter Domino (Big O,Cramps), I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts (X), Mannequin (Wire) and having finally got the chance to hear Amy's Joey Ramone song, I think we can safely conclude that the big guy will be diggin' it up there. Photo of Hazel and Amy in action at the "Meet The Folks" do in London by Tony Thewlis.