The Stooges gig at the Hammersmith Apollo was everything you would want it to be. Between bands they pumped 60s garage rock over the PA (inc. a track by the Iguanas, Iggy's first band) which was damn cool to hear. The support band were bogged down with that big 80s drum sound and the music rather lifeless in my estimation. I cannot remember their name, it was something silly like Dead Goth Kids on the Block, anyhow, they are from Poland and my conclusion is that Count Peter Zaremba needs to get over there pronto and teach the kids a thing or two about RnR. In contrast, the Stooges exploded onto the stage and within the first couple of minutes Iggy had climbed on-top of the bass players amp. Amazing stuff and he did not stop there. The band delivered a pretty damn tight version of the "Funhouse" album (inc. "LA Blues") and even threw in a few tracks from their debut album. Suffice to say that during "I Wanna Be Your Dog" Iggy invited half the audience onto the stage for some good natured dancing. Hell, Iggy could have stood for Prime Minster last night and been elected by a landslide. In short, the Stooges did their reputation no harm at all. Easily the best gig of the year so far. Sadly I did not spot any MoJo readers on the tube home but did bump into a colleague from work who had been at the show with her husband. A great show that confirmed my belief that what is wrong with 90% of bands is that they are unable, or unwilling, to plug into the primal rush that ignited Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard way-back-when.

Can't find any news items about this in English, but several Dutch newspapers reported today about a newly opened Ramones Museum in Berlin. Among the goodies on display are a pair of torn jeans as worn by Johnny. (Thanks to Selma and Jos for the tip-off)

link

So, things are still unravelling here. Reports may be sketchy for the next couple of days. No, I won't be at The Stooges "doing" Funhouse tonight in London. I find the whole concept somewhat reprehensible. I wonder if The Ramones would have performed "Ramones" or "Leave Home" and like to think not. Anyway, they must be getting quite a pot of green together for that old age so that's good I guess...

Yeah, today didn't pan out quite the way I planned it. Started out badly when I went for petrol (that's gas to you folks in the USA) and I found out it was up to 97.9p per litre. Anyways, the fucking refinery that it comes from is literally 100 yards from the station, you'd think we'd be ripe for a discount. But I digress, for one reason and another I didn't "get in aboot" the backlog like I had it figured...
The latest releases from the Licorice Tree imprint are two 7” items. Thee Fine Lines “Looking Everywhere” EP goes round at 33? and finds the Springfield, Mo. trio in typically rough house shape. All four songs are well up to scratch in that righteously primitive vein that you folks tend to lap up.

Thee Shams “Gotta Be Something” on the other hand is, as far as these ears can make out, not much of anything at all. Never to be confused with The Shams, this is yer distinctly average garage grade no-fi. Neither side did anything for me at all except wonder why Chad would put it out? There's a copy sitting here waiting to go to a good home at no cost to the foster parent.

There goes another weekend...

Billy Childish interviewed in the Independent. (link c/o Jan Kooi)

Ghetto Ways - Solid Brown. (Alien Snatch LP).
Been gettin' conflictin' reports on the shows this trio is doin' 'round these parts as we speak, but there's no denyin' the power within the grooves of their somophore offerin'. Less of a straight forward p-rock effort than their debut, this reaches out for a more Detroit kinda feel (think MC5, not Stooges), and hits the right spot straight away. Heck, I keep thinkin' about the 5 and the Users everytime I spin this, which should be recommendation enough...

I didn't realise that John Herald was 66 when he left us the other week there. The guy had an energy that many relative youngsters couldn't muster...

"There will be a service for John Herald at the Bearsville Theater just outside of Woodstock, NY on route 212 this Sunday, August 28 at 6pm. This will be the official funeral service. Everyone involved in putting this together would like it to be an uplifting celebration of John's life and music. Many musician friends will play music in his honor. It will be a beautiful place to join together and give John the send off he deserves.

Before John's death, he was working on a CD. Brain Hollander had been working closely with John on this project and is going to finish the recording as John wished. We will keep you updated on when it will be available. He hopes to have it completed very soon. Brian will have a three song sampler done to give out at the service. Thanks so much Brian. Please see the link on John's website to the beautiful article Brian wrote for John in the Woodstock Times, where he is the editor.

Please visit johnherald.com for more news and info. There is a guest book to sign and also a place to read wonderful stories about John from those that knew him and his music."

Some random stuff that you might care to investigate...

LYDON Vs PURSEY (Thanks Martin)

POWER POP BOOK.

Some nice SOUNDTRACK gear.

SAVE CBGB's film (Cheers Karen)

That oughtta keep you clickin' for a bit.

So that's it, the Film Festival shuttle engine is cooling. Much as I'd like to catch Gunner Palace tomorrow, I think it's unlikely. But anyway, Thursday I saw JUNEBUG. It's a nice little piece which travels at a slow pace but doesn't ever wander from the point. The score by Yo La Tengo is somewhat understated and maybe it's a tad "wumminey" (woman-y) but it's well structured. I settled into it just fine. Don't be put off by any references to Gus Van Sant in the promo blurb.





Last night seemed like it was gonna be a disaster. Stuck on a train because of a track power failure, the seconds ticked by and it looked like THE DEVIL AND DANIEL JOHNSTON would be screening without us. However, an effort was made to scoot up there and I guess I missed about 10 minutes of it. All I can say is that I'm glad that I did hightail it up there. It's a really insightful and entertaining film and you won't have to be too conversant with DJ's output to enjoy it. He's a troubled boy alright but I guess it's that which drives him further out than almost anybody. You'll be searching out those early tapes after you see it.

NBT regulars will be pleased to hear that there's an appearance by one Peter Zaremba and also music by Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips. It also includes a clip of an appearance in Hoboken's great, no longer with us, Pier Platters Record Store (with a Trigger and the Thrill Kings promo shot on the wall right behind him. There's actually another screening tonight (Saturday) so if you're in the 'hood then you should attend. I would if I could but I cannae but plan to see the entire film just as soon as is (humanly) possible. I think it's at the ICA in London this coming week (Tuesday 30th) also, so folks down there should check that out.

As I attempt to compose my napper and catch up on things, this latest LEFSETZ was somewhat timely. Having just come out of the end of the 59th EIFF it pretty much lays the whole shebang out from that line in the sand we need to work from. (Reprinted with permission, sign up for the newsletter.)

"They're fighting in the movie business. Bob Iger, impending head of Disney, committed a faux pas. He stated the truth. That people want to see the movie at home. On the same day it debuts in theatres.

The theatre owners FREAKED OUT!

But who should the movie companies be loyal to? The exhibitors or the public?

We already know what side the music industry is on. They side with the retailers. They don't want to do ANYTHING that might hurt the retailers. As if they were the end customer, as if every sale to them was final, as if they couldn't ship unsold product back.

Prognosticators have been talking about home theatre for over a decade. It's now here. Watching the flick on a plasma set with surround sound is BETTER than going to the multiplex. You don't have to drive, you don't have to endure ads, you don't have to mingle with the PUBLIC, with their pesky cell phone conversations DURING the movie, you can pop your own corn at a fraction of the price, why WOULD you want to go out?

We have the equivalent of the plasma set in the music business. It's called the iPod. The labels hate it. They want everybody to buy CDs. They're INCENTIVIZING them to buy CDs, you get more cluck for your buck at the brick and mortar retail outlet than you do at the iTunes Music Store, no copy protection, better sound and artwork. Why WOULD YOU want the file when you can have a DISC?

iPods hold collections much larger than almost every consumer ever acquired at a retail outlet. You'd think the labels would see a new business model was needed to satiate owners of the device. But no, in their minds an iPod should only hold a few albums, that were each paid for with a twenty dollar bill. Got to keep the old business model intact.

But that's what Bob Iger is questioning. The old business model. He LITERALLY said he didn't want to make the mistakes of the music industry, not giving consumers what they want.

The consumer does not want tethered subscriptions. They don't even want any device OTHER than the iPod. Not only because the iPod is cool, but it WORKS! Because of the ingenious software involved. But rather than see this as an advantage, the labels just carp there's no interoperability amongst stores. It's like arguing that Honda parts won't fit Yugos, NOBODY WANTS A YUGO!

And the reason they're freaking in the movie business, why Iger is proffering new ideas, is because business is off.

Oh, they've been through the parade of horribles. People are STEALING the product. There are entertainment alternatives. There are too many ads in theatres. But now, as the close of the summer season looms, there seems to be a consensus. The movies suck.

Funny how the movie men can admit the truth, but the music moguls can't.

But, true thinkers can't understand why this fact, this lack of quality, is causing a ten percent decline in theatre attendance THIS YEAR, after all, THE MOVIES WERE JUST AS BAD LAST YEAR! Actually, they've been bad for TEN YEARS! Such a long time that people have fallen out of the moviegoing habit. They've been overhyped and ripped off one too many times. They've ABANDONED the industry. FATIGUE has set in.

Fascinating concept if you think about it.

This was bandied about in the music business half a decade ago, when sales first started to tank. Napster traders said CDs were too expensive, they only contained one good track. Now, five years later, CDs have not come down significantly in price. But, it's worse. They still suck. They suck MORE!

Maybe it's got nothing to do with downloading. None of the ills the RIAA bandies about. Maybe it's the raw fact that the music has sucked for a very long time and people just don't care anymore.

And now here's where indie store owners from across America click return and rave at me, telling me all the GREAT product they're selling.

Now, let's be clear. The movie business is only off TEN PERCENT! That means MANY people are still going to the theatre. But, what's gonna happen in the future? MANY people are still buying CDs. But significantly fewer every year. The trend is going in the wrong direction DRAMATICALLY! What about the people who've stopped buying, shouldn't we worry about where THEY'RE AT?

Music's no longer cool.

Oh, don't bark back. I used to live to comb the record store bins. Now I don't go, I comb the Net. Why go to a store, which has such tiny inventory, none of the rarities I desire, most of which you can't buy at ANY price.

Still, I don't spend hours hunting down the new stuff. Most of what I'm looking for is OLD!

And, now we've got the naysayers saying it's my age. You get old and you want to stay home, you're not interested in new music. But talk to teens. They REVERE the classic rock acts. THEY think today's music is bullshit. OH, it's not black and white. OF COURSE people are buying 50 Cent and Destiny's Child and Hilary Duff. But question five teenagers, you'll be stunned when you hear them foam at the mouth about Zeppelin, Hendrix and the Who. They know what's good.

There hasn't been a good album, one that changed your life, since "Jagged Little Pill".

Oh, I've heard good music since. But I'm now more interested in technology than music. Tech is cutting edge and cool. Hell, have you USED Google Earth? It's better than anything the Strokes or Keane or the Killers or...ANYBODY has put out this year. Google Earth is what music USED to be. How did they COME UP with this? It's so cool!

So, first we need better music. Then we've got to convince people it's out there.

You'd think instead of paying for play on terrestrial radio labels would be supporting satellite radio and net radio, with their wide variety of options, with their unlimited playlists. God, sign up for satellite and get five CDs free. Isn't this how "Rolling Stone" built its business?

There are more records than ever. More shows. There's infrastructure, but a great faction of the public has tuned out. It's not that different from Atari. Suddenly, everybody decided that gaming console sucked. They used it up. It died. Almost overnight.

But video games didn't die. You just needed someone to reinvent them. Which NIntendo did. Bringing a dead industry back to the point where it now eclipses both movies AND music.

At the height of Napster sales were at their peak. Because there was an EXCITEMENT! EVERYBODY wanted music on their computers. But the industry killed Napster. Music wasn't being acquired the way they thought it should. And sales have declined ever since.

It's not about selling CDs at Starbucks. The labels killed vinyl, they could kill the CD overnight, bring everybody into the MP3 era. The iPod era. That's what Bob Iger is talking about. Forgetting tradition and entering the PRESENT!

This business is completely full of shit. Everybody knows music sucks. That's the PERCEPTION! And perception is reality. Until perception changes, this business is fucked."

Picked up a brochure for the INTERNATIONAL FORUM OF NEW CINEMA that will take place in Berlin between February 9th and 19th 2006. It includes the following statement which the organisers of the EIFF might do well to heed for future programming. The could add a line with regard to not submitting films that will be in cinemas before the cinema seats go cold after the Fest too. Anyway it reads…

“Films submitted for screening at the Forum must have been completed within the last 12 months before the staert of the festival; must be at least 60 minutes long; must not have been screened at any other German or European festivals; and with the exception of country of origin, must not have been shown in European cinemas or broadcast on television.”

I’d provide a link to their site but it doesn’t seem to be operating yet.

Meanwhile on the well-worn trail ‘tween here and Auld Reekie, there are two films to go and we’re done. The logistics have been something of a chore this annum, it feels like just a bunch of screenings. There have been no “events” involved with anything we’ve seen so far. There was a Q&A after the Brian Jones fiasco but that might have gotten ugly.

At this point in time and space, dropping off the face of the earth is an attractive proposition. Something to be working on…

So these two guys, Penn Jillette and his mucker, go into an film agents office. They tell him that they have this film which contains the filthiest, most convoluted versions of an "insider" joke imaginable. The pitch goes on for an indeterminite lengthe and the agent says, What's it called... (no, not Cumbernauld, daftie) - altogether now - "The Aristocrats". Boom boom.

So does it live up to the buzz? Well, when you see it in a packed cinema of people who would laugh at an egg boiling then hackles are definitley raised. The loud hee-hawing means that you miss some of the follow-up. That said, it definitley has it's moments and Larry Storch and Joe Franklin are in it fer chrissakes!

I want to see it again when it comes out on dvd, so I can properly listen to the craft. My favourite sequences out of the box was Sarah Silverman's take on it and also the special South Park animation. There was no Larry David but Jason Alexander, Susie Essman and Richard Lewis kinda represented that corner. Some of these guys were new to me, like Kevin Pollack's delivery in the style of Christopher Walken and although I'd seen Gilbert Gottfried before, I never knew who he was.

So, the material is pretty gross, disgusting whatever you want to call it and it's all down to the delivery. The infectious stupidity of the lengths it can all be spun out to is the trick. George Carlin explains that shock and surprise are the same thing and thereby hangs the tail. Robin Williams joke about the Rabbi at the end is a flippin' belter. Can I recommend it? Well, I think you folks are twisted enough to get some yuks. I'm pretty sure that you won't come across owt here that you haven't heard in real life. But then again... maybe not in one sitting.

As a footnote, important as this screening was - there was no introduction by anyone representing the festival or the film. The curtains closed before the final credits had finished. I guess they wanted us outta there, huh?

You Dutch NBT readers are strongly advised to check out the action at dB's studios right here in Utrecht in the upcomin' week. This Friday (August 26th) will see the Stilettos battlin' it out with the Ghetto Ways, and on Thursday (September 1st) the Black Lips will probably tear the place apart. How it compares to watchin' footage of the World Whistling Championships I don't know, but I suggest you give this rock 'n roll stuff a try anyways...

It struck me in the Filmhouse on Monday night that many of the titles on our viewing schedule don’t seem to come with posters let alone a website but I’m sure if you “google ‘em” you’ll find more. Time is kinda of the essence and I don’t have the time to do much digging. I will come back and provide links where possible when the opporchancity arises.

The documentary is a strange prospect these days. You’re never entirely sure if Christopher Guest is masterminding the direction. In these times of fake reality, it seems odd to observe people on screen who can’t possibly be real but actually are.

Pucker Up (The Fine Art Of Whistling) would perhaps be better viewed in the comfort of your own armchair. It was preceded by a short on gurning, Not Just An Ugly Face which in many ways worked better on the large screen. However, PU is a decent enough hour plus which centres around the World Whistling Championships. It features some great characters and some real creeps. The ending is great and kind of unexpected. One of the girls is pure Catherine O’ Hara.

Werner Hertzog’s Grizzly Man plays even more like a spoof. It follows a guy Called Timmy Treadwell that lived among bears in Alaska and ended up being eaten by one. His video footage punctuates the piece. Treadwell is like Crispin Glover channelling Robin Williams. A troubled soul not entirely devoid of entertainment value. It’s a pretty wild story and you couldn’t make this stuff up.

Contrary to popular belief there are still characters out there and thankfully people are making films about them. Tonight it’s “The Aristocrats”, let’s hope it lives up to its rep.

RIP - Dr Robert Moog

Killed By Death web radio. (link c/o Sander Bink)

Rowing against the tide that is the indifference of people in the central belt to embrace LIVE MUSIC, Jennifer Hunter and her crew have put together this line-up for the upcoming Octoberfest... Teenage Fanclub tickets are available via Tickets-Scotland for those outwith the central belt. Falkirk Town Hall for those who can get theirs locally.

I know with first hand experience what a thankless task rousing the rabble around these parts can be but go ahead and prove me wrong. Support (y)our local music festival...

Way to Blue Music Festival 2005 FALKIRK

Info Line: FTH (Falkirk Town Hall, West Bridge Street 01324 503741

Lomax the Songhunter' Wed 5 Oct 7.30pm £3.50/£2.50 concs
The great David Scott and Aberfeldy will open for the (not great) Trashcan Sinatras on Thursday October 6th.
Teenage Fanclub Fri 7 Oct 7.30pm £14
Dig' Sun 9 Oct 1pm £3.50/£2.50 concs

Rialto 28 Vicar Street, 01324 622344

Soul Starr Thu 6 Oct
Viva Stereo + Odeon Beat Club Fri 7 Oct
Pip Dylan + Mr Fairweather Sat 8 Oct 2pm
The Fence Collective Sun 9 Oct 3pm - 1am

Rene (Antonine Hotel) 1 Manor Street, 01324 624066

Northern Soul Night Thu 6 Oct 8pm
DJ Chris Bourne Fri 7 Oct 8.30pm Free
DJ Chris Bourne Sat 8 Oct 8.30pm Free

Comma Bar 14 Lint Riggs, 01324 611669

Robert Graham (Acoustic) Thu 6 Oct
DJ Miller Robertson Fri 7 Oct 9.30pm
Soul Kitchen Sat 8 Oct 9.30pm
Way to Blue Music Quiz Sun 9 Oct 9pm
The Wellington Bar 6 Manor Street, 01324 622701
Shanghai Ornaments Fri 7 Oct

The Boathouse 1 Burnbank Road

Malcolm Middleton Fri 7 Oct Free
Jo Mango Sat 8 Oct Free

Grubowski's 54 Bellsdyke Road, Larbert, 01324 570201

5 Park Drive + support Wed 5 Oct 9pm Free
Jondi Mac & Friends Thu 6 Oct 9pm Free
Mid Life Crises Fri 7 Oct 9pm Free
Mr Nice + Barry Price Sat 8 Oct 9pm Free
Back to the Future Sun 9 Oct 9pm Free

The Dobbie Hall 291 Main Street, Stenhousemuir, 01324 570201

The Falcons Sat 8 Oct 8pm £5.00 Seated

More info to be added including instores by BMX Bandits and Aberfeldy. I'll post that when it becomes available.

Not sure I have the stamina for watching three films in one day anymore. However, with the sheer unadulterated piffle of STONED still tugging at my angry strings – yesterday’s selection fared way better. I’ve read a couple of reviews of said rubbish that were way too kind and wonder how anyone could have found it other than shite.

Two Swedish movies, Fourteen Sucks (Fjorton Suger) and Popular Music (Populär-musik Fran Vittula) were connected because they appeared in the “certified” section of the festival. This is aimed at a “teenage” audience and on this showing the Scandanavians are shown once again to be way more, not sure if sophisticated is the right word – but it’ll do for now. They don’t gloss that’s for sure and the films resonate more as a result. Fourteen was very much a coming of age piece in the style of Lukas Moodyson and although good, I’m well wide of its target audience.

Popular Music, on the other hand is overwhelmingly recommended to visitors to this journal. Based on Michael Neimi’s Swedish bestseller, it’s much more than just their High Fidelity/Trainspotting/whatever. It recalls the early 60’s in the far north of Sweden when rock’n’roll began to take over the world but isn’t just about music. I hope people get a chance to see this because the pace, look and feel of it is all exemplary. A reminder of what a good film actually is.

The final film of the day was Sugar. This year’s programme entry that was compared to Eraserhead and also to Richard Kern. When I read that sort of thing then I figure it’s a challenge. The guy who “programmed” it introduced the screening and he said it had him on the edge of his seat. Maybe we should have had a scoop of whatever he was on? Anyway, it’s not bad but it’s at least 25 minutes too long. Visually it looks like b&w Lynch. The Foetus er, “music” throbs ambiently in the background and isn’t as unsettling as I’d hoped. I think I drifted off a couple of times during the 82 minutes and was somewhat relieved when it was over. It’s not the kind of thing I could recommend but it had something. An unhinged notion of menace that never quite paid off. But that’s what you expect from “experimental film-making” innit? Aye, really.

To be honest, I’m not big on interpretation and subtext. Irrespective of the genre, I wanna be entertained and when digging through the programme becomes a chore then I think to myself, why? The Festival Director, in my opinion, is a donkey. No disrespect to the four-legged variety but his smug, status-chasing demeanor really chafes me. This undertow serves to fuel my enjoying the event less with every passing year and makes me wonder, is what seems like too much of an effort worth it? When you see something like Popular Music then it is.

No films today, just a slide into the doldrums to celebrate my returning to work after a week off living the relatively high life.

Tomorrow night, a documentary about whistling (Pucker Up) and Grizzly Man. Tuesday, The Aristocrats, Wednesday, Junebug and Friday, The Devil and Daniel Johnston. Will they make it to the finish line?

While I'm pondering the second day at the EIFF, thought I'd draw attention to this Jenny Lens Punk Pix link that someone left as a comment on the Punk Turns 30 post. Lotsa good gear to dig through there...