Thursday, September 22, 2005
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
I can't remember if I posted this before or not but the new season of CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM starts this coming Sunday on HBO in the US.
Something else I found comedywise is the trailer for Sarah Silverman: Jesus Is Magic. She was one of the best things about "The Aristocrats" and shows no signs of letting up. Be warned though, this clip is "age verified" and most definitely not office friendly. Put mildly it could well cause offense to just about anybody, so bear that in mind. Out in November, the film is directed by Liam Lynch, presumably the "United States of Whatever" guy?
Something else I found comedywise is the trailer for Sarah Silverman: Jesus Is Magic. She was one of the best things about "The Aristocrats" and shows no signs of letting up. Be warned though, this clip is "age verified" and most definitely not office friendly. Put mildly it could well cause offense to just about anybody, so bear that in mind. Out in November, the film is directed by Liam Lynch, presumably the "United States of Whatever" guy?
"A date for your diaries...Friday, October 14th 2005 at The Subway, Cowgate, Edinburgh
Doors open 7:30pm, gig over around 10pm when the Subway reverts to its usual glamourous friday night self.
A free gig of short sharp songs from the world famous Shock And Awe to promote their new album "School For Scoundrels" with the bonus of a rare set of multi-media art/punk/disco interface from Scars mainman Paul Research. (onstage 8pm)
Come on down, it's free to get in - if you want, you can buy a cd to help us pay for the night (14 songs!, professionally recorded! with real drums!, available at a special bargain offer price on the night!), tell all your friends and anyone else who might be interested.
Cheers, Murray"
"The SUZY Y LOS QUATTRO website has been updated and here are the tour dates for the LIPSTICK TO JAPAN TOUR 2005:OCTOBER
10/29 Tokyo - Shimokitazawa MOSAIC
10/31 Saitama - Ohmiya HEARTS (Halloween party)
NOVEMBER
11/02 Aichi - Nagoya SONSET STRIP
11/03 Osaka - Fukushima LIVE SQUARE 2nd LINE
11/04 Ishikawa - Kanazawa VAN VAN V4
11/05 Tokyo - Kichijoji PLANET K
Japanese fans can contact Wizzard in Vinyl for tickets and further details about this tour.
Before heading to the land of rising sun, we'll be opening for our vocal surf godfathers, THE SURFIN' LUNGS at their shows in Barcelona at the incredibly cool Apollo club on Friday 7th October and also at their gig at the Ricoamor club in Castellon on Sunday 9th."
From Gary Gold...
"LITTLE STEVEN'S KEYNOTE ADDRESS RADIO & RECORDS CONVENTION 2005 - JACOBS MEDIA SUMMIT
Date: Thursday, July 23, 2005 Place: Renaissance Hotel, Cleveland, Ohio
Audience: 250 Program Directors
Fred Jacobs introduces 4-minute video bio. At its conclusion the Dovells' "You Can't Sit Down" explodes from the speakers as 5 Go-Go girls come out of the wings surrounding Fred, much to his discomfort. Little Steven enters to thunderous applause. He cuts off the music with a wave of his hand, leans into the microphone and says "Ladies and Gentlemen, Fred Jacobs."
The music returns as the girls exit. A stunned audience applauds wildly as Fred, very uncharacteristically, dances off with them.
Little Steven: Well that was worth the price of admission alone. (more applause and laughter) (paces with the hand held mic for a minute, and then . . . )
I Love Radio! (applause once again erupts) And I feel nothing but love in this room because as I look around, I see only two kinds of people. Our beloved affiliates . . . and future affiliates. (laughter) So now matter what happens in this next half hour, remember what I just said. It's just family talking. And without any further disclaimers let me ask the only important question that is on my mind, and I'm sure you've been thinking about it also, especially lately.
(pause)
WHEN DID THE F*CKING PUSSIES TAKE OVER?
(applause and laughter)
When? Don't you look forward to the day when your grandson is on your knee and he looks up and says, "Grampa weren't you in radio once?" "Yes, Grandson," you'll reply. "Could I ask you something," he'll say. "Of course, my love, anything," you'll say. "Grampa where were you WHEN THE F*CKING PUSSIES TOOK OVER?" (more laughter)
Where were we? What happened? Things are out of line and we're not leaving here today until we straighten it out.
(applause and laughter)
Now I was going to wait for this but we might as well get right to it since it is all everybody's talking about. I have come to praise JACK not to bury him. (laughter - uncertain applause) The guys at Infinity are friends of ours, as is everybody else, we got nothing but friends you all know that. And I've gotta say I'm proud of these guys for having the balls to shake things up. Things needed shaking up. And history will remember them in a very positive way when looking back at this world changing moment. Having said that...
Replacing 33 year old New York oldies institution CBS-FM with JACK is like replacing the Statue of Liberty with a blow-up doll.
(eruptions of laughter and applause)
But again, change is good. And necessary. With a little bit of luck JACK will last 10 or 12 months because it is obvious people want something different, they are hungry for something, anything. So it could be 6 months before anybody actually listens to JACK. Once they do it is doomed for 3 obvious reasons. At the moment it is replacing oldies formats but it is not an oldies format in the true sense of the word.
It's mostly 80's, some 70's, some 90's. Now it must be said that the oldies format is vulnerable because over the last 5-10 years it has, in a word, sucked. It has sucked for a very simple reason, somebody had the brilliant idea to eliminate the 50's and replace it with the 70's. This was done by somebody uniquely stupid and deaf and ignorant and a bad businessman on top of it all. So naturally, everybody copied it and the 50's disappeared virtually overnight.
Now let's digress and examine this oldies thing for a minute. Assuming you accept the fact that those overseeing the oldies format these last 5 years - 10 years - are, in fact, stupid, deaf, ignorant, and bad businessmen, let's deal with it. As far as stupid, deaf, and ignorant, when it comes to decades that matter, that matter historically, in terms of influence, importance, and never-to-be-heard-again-quality - that is the 50's and 60's. Everything we do, everything we are comes from those two decades.
You're gonna throw one away? You're gonna replace Elvis, Little Richard, Gene Vincent, Eddie Cochran, Johnny Burnette, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Buddy Holly, Lloyd Price, and Fats Domino with, all due respect, Donna Summer and the Bee Gees? You're gonna replace primal, vital, timeless, forever cool rock and roll pioneers with disco? Disco?
You wanna know what disco is good for? Disco is for when you're drunk at a wedding with your old lady and you want to act like an idiot and be John Travolta for an hour or two. That's where it belongs. Not on radio.
And to the issue of oldies being bad business - all you hear - I'm assuming from sales people - is we must lower our demo's. The oldies demographic are getting too old - that's the rationale for replacing the 50's with the 70's.
Now if all there was to sell in the world were Fruit Loops, Play Stations,and sneakers - they might have a point. But I got a little secret to share. You know that age group - 35 to 65 - that nobody in sales seems to care about?
THAT'S WHERE ALL THE F*CKING MONEY IS!
(laughter, applause)
I mean ALL the f*cking money.
35 to 65.
Memo to sales team - SELL THEM SOMETHING!
And, by the way, if you want younger people listening, you can get that done. And I mean kids, if you want them.
Who is cooler? Early Elvis or Elton John?
What appeals more to kids, Gene Vincent's black leather attitude, Eddie Cochran's teenage frustration, Little Richard's cry of liberation, and Dion's total Soprano's coolness - or the Eagles?
You want wild? Put together the Sex Pistols, Audioslave, and the Wu-Tang Clan - they aren't as wild as Jerry Lee Lewis in his prime.
But you have to explain that. Show it, illustrate, educate, sell it.
Alright - digression over - so JACK isn't oldies so it must be some kind of classic rock/pop hybrid. But JACK doesn't address the two biggest problems of classic rock. 15 years ago I said we're chasing all the personality out of rock radio and into talk and sports. And the ratings went with it.
We need more personality, not less, and JACK has none.
No DJ's means no personal relationship with the audience. Eventual apathy is inevitable.
The other big issue classic rock must consider is it must start playing new music again.
I've suggested it to my own affiliates and I'll keep saying it every chance I get. We've got a big problem.
Look around. Pearl Jam does some business. Dave Matthews - if he's rock at all - does well. Maybe Oasis breaks this year in the U.S. Maybe Coldplay - if they're considered rock.
But in a real sense, the last big band through the door was U2. That's 25 years ago."
"LITTLE STEVEN'S KEYNOTE ADDRESS RADIO & RECORDS CONVENTION 2005 - JACOBS MEDIA SUMMIT
Date: Thursday, July 23, 2005 Place: Renaissance Hotel, Cleveland, Ohio
Audience: 250 Program Directors
Fred Jacobs introduces 4-minute video bio. At its conclusion the Dovells' "You Can't Sit Down" explodes from the speakers as 5 Go-Go girls come out of the wings surrounding Fred, much to his discomfort. Little Steven enters to thunderous applause. He cuts off the music with a wave of his hand, leans into the microphone and says "Ladies and Gentlemen, Fred Jacobs."
The music returns as the girls exit. A stunned audience applauds wildly as Fred, very uncharacteristically, dances off with them.
Little Steven: Well that was worth the price of admission alone. (more applause and laughter) (paces with the hand held mic for a minute, and then . . . )
I Love Radio! (applause once again erupts) And I feel nothing but love in this room because as I look around, I see only two kinds of people. Our beloved affiliates . . . and future affiliates. (laughter) So now matter what happens in this next half hour, remember what I just said. It's just family talking. And without any further disclaimers let me ask the only important question that is on my mind, and I'm sure you've been thinking about it also, especially lately.
(pause)
WHEN DID THE F*CKING PUSSIES TAKE OVER?
(applause and laughter)
When? Don't you look forward to the day when your grandson is on your knee and he looks up and says, "Grampa weren't you in radio once?" "Yes, Grandson," you'll reply. "Could I ask you something," he'll say. "Of course, my love, anything," you'll say. "Grampa where were you WHEN THE F*CKING PUSSIES TOOK OVER?" (more laughter)
Where were we? What happened? Things are out of line and we're not leaving here today until we straighten it out.
(applause and laughter)
Now I was going to wait for this but we might as well get right to it since it is all everybody's talking about. I have come to praise JACK not to bury him. (laughter - uncertain applause) The guys at Infinity are friends of ours, as is everybody else, we got nothing but friends you all know that. And I've gotta say I'm proud of these guys for having the balls to shake things up. Things needed shaking up. And history will remember them in a very positive way when looking back at this world changing moment. Having said that...
Replacing 33 year old New York oldies institution CBS-FM with JACK is like replacing the Statue of Liberty with a blow-up doll.
(eruptions of laughter and applause)
But again, change is good. And necessary. With a little bit of luck JACK will last 10 or 12 months because it is obvious people want something different, they are hungry for something, anything. So it could be 6 months before anybody actually listens to JACK. Once they do it is doomed for 3 obvious reasons. At the moment it is replacing oldies formats but it is not an oldies format in the true sense of the word.
It's mostly 80's, some 70's, some 90's. Now it must be said that the oldies format is vulnerable because over the last 5-10 years it has, in a word, sucked. It has sucked for a very simple reason, somebody had the brilliant idea to eliminate the 50's and replace it with the 70's. This was done by somebody uniquely stupid and deaf and ignorant and a bad businessman on top of it all. So naturally, everybody copied it and the 50's disappeared virtually overnight.
Now let's digress and examine this oldies thing for a minute. Assuming you accept the fact that those overseeing the oldies format these last 5 years - 10 years - are, in fact, stupid, deaf, ignorant, and bad businessmen, let's deal with it. As far as stupid, deaf, and ignorant, when it comes to decades that matter, that matter historically, in terms of influence, importance, and never-to-be-heard-again-quality - that is the 50's and 60's. Everything we do, everything we are comes from those two decades.
You're gonna throw one away? You're gonna replace Elvis, Little Richard, Gene Vincent, Eddie Cochran, Johnny Burnette, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Buddy Holly, Lloyd Price, and Fats Domino with, all due respect, Donna Summer and the Bee Gees? You're gonna replace primal, vital, timeless, forever cool rock and roll pioneers with disco? Disco?
You wanna know what disco is good for? Disco is for when you're drunk at a wedding with your old lady and you want to act like an idiot and be John Travolta for an hour or two. That's where it belongs. Not on radio.
And to the issue of oldies being bad business - all you hear - I'm assuming from sales people - is we must lower our demo's. The oldies demographic are getting too old - that's the rationale for replacing the 50's with the 70's.
Now if all there was to sell in the world were Fruit Loops, Play Stations,and sneakers - they might have a point. But I got a little secret to share. You know that age group - 35 to 65 - that nobody in sales seems to care about?
THAT'S WHERE ALL THE F*CKING MONEY IS!
(laughter, applause)
I mean ALL the f*cking money.
35 to 65.
Memo to sales team - SELL THEM SOMETHING!
And, by the way, if you want younger people listening, you can get that done. And I mean kids, if you want them.
Who is cooler? Early Elvis or Elton John?
What appeals more to kids, Gene Vincent's black leather attitude, Eddie Cochran's teenage frustration, Little Richard's cry of liberation, and Dion's total Soprano's coolness - or the Eagles?
You want wild? Put together the Sex Pistols, Audioslave, and the Wu-Tang Clan - they aren't as wild as Jerry Lee Lewis in his prime.
But you have to explain that. Show it, illustrate, educate, sell it.
Alright - digression over - so JACK isn't oldies so it must be some kind of classic rock/pop hybrid. But JACK doesn't address the two biggest problems of classic rock. 15 years ago I said we're chasing all the personality out of rock radio and into talk and sports. And the ratings went with it.
We need more personality, not less, and JACK has none.
No DJ's means no personal relationship with the audience. Eventual apathy is inevitable.
The other big issue classic rock must consider is it must start playing new music again.
I've suggested it to my own affiliates and I'll keep saying it every chance I get. We've got a big problem.
Look around. Pearl Jam does some business. Dave Matthews - if he's rock at all - does well. Maybe Oasis breaks this year in the U.S. Maybe Coldplay - if they're considered rock.
But in a real sense, the last big band through the door was U2. That's 25 years ago."
Monday, September 19, 2005
Sunday, September 18, 2005
Out now on A Fistful Of Records a new 45 by London's Blacktime; I Hate The World And The World Hates Me c/w Sleepwalking and Chinese Mechanics. Lo on the fi, these kids still manage to come up w/ the kind o' racket that not only touches all the right lounchin' pads, but also escapes any obvious comparisons. Hit the above link for ordering info, you won't regret it.
No sooner had I typed the expression "Girls in the garage" then this teaser poster for Dollsquad landed in my inbox from the other side of the world (Australia). Fear not, these ladies are prepared to go further for the party than a couple of dabs of the ol' carbon monoxide for effect."Are you ready for the fast action feline frenzy that is DollSquad? Well slide on down to the following boss shows:
Friday 23rd September "Girls in the Garage" @ Pony (68 Little Collins Street) with four killer all girl bands plus the fabulous Man's Ruin Burlesque steamin' up the stage and escape artist extraordinaire Dr El Suavo who will act as the MC for the nite and engage in some impromptu straight jacket antics! Plus a buxotic bevy of gogo dancers, stalls and door prizes.
Saturday 8th October "Kaleidoscope Klub" @ Cobra (Upstairs - The Tote, Johnson St) Pay homage to the heyday of the playboy and playgirl in hedonistic style at Cobra Bar. Dress for the occasion and receive a door prize. The Kaleidoscope Klub features hotter than hot dj''s, live bands, gogo girls in cages no less and grinding burlesque acts.
In other news, DollSquad have finished recording a brand new stack of songs at Preston Studios with Graeme Thomas. We recorded the old fashioned way with all vintage equipment on reel to reel with just two tracks - one for the music and one for the vocals. We were joined by Peter Rechter from the TolPuddle Martyrs and Peter and the Silhouettes (original Aussie garage punkers) on organ!
Been nursing a headache of varying proportions for about a week now. While it's still evident it isn't making me feel nauseous now. I can only assume that's down to the amount of paracetamol that I've popped since last Tuesday. However, needs must and in the area of fighting fire, I thought to myself that some loud music might actually quell the old nip. Not sure about the science part there but it kind of made sense at the time.
Anyway, the soul-tinged stylings of THE SLOW SLUSHY BOYS "LOVE AND AFFECTION" ten inch mini album seems like a good way to start. 10 cuts crammed into this svelt groove with a warmth and grace seldom experienced in recent times. These SSB fellas have their art down-pat and this B-Soul release is something of a revelation. The hammond-fueled antics are as infectious as all get out and like all good hootch, the originals sit effortlessly beside the covers. The title is derived from the Nathaniel Mayer penned "I Want Love and Affection" that kicks this wanton stramash off. Stand out is the unstoppable "Slush Puppy" that would set any worthy dancefloor on fire. Their slide on through Arthur Conley's "I'm Gonna Forget About You" is worthy of The Skeletons themselves. Prepare to get shivers and shakes in equal measures.
LES GODZILLAS appear on that SSB slab but also have their own 250mm (approx) diameter platter available. "GREEDANGELAMENTO" is made up of two group originals and covers of The Seeds, Wanda Jackson, The Pandoras and The Fall (!). The thing that sets it apart from being just another "Girls In The Garage" type thing is its overt Frenchness. It has that Gallic cool which packs a distinct feel to the delivery as opposed to just bashing a songs brains out.
No prizes for guessing where THE DELTABONDS "GOT FUN IF YOU WANT IT" is coming from but it's Fleshtone-powered rambunctiousness short circuits the authentic nature of the garageness. It isn't stuck in the rut of any one era and is somehow recorded as an open ended party invitation. If they can cut it like this live then it'd be quite a hoedown.
Gotta hand it to these French kids. They've been beavering away at rock'n'roll's coal face for years. There was a time when the only place that a US band could get arrested would be in France. Since those days, Spain has come along to offer refuge to the real mccoy in terms of similar mania but if it wasn't for our European brothers and sisters, real music - like real ale - would be in serious trouble. It might well have become extinct by now.
Be a putz and reckon that the UK is the place to be if you want but it's all happening just over yonder horizon. The LARSEN department is ready to help you with your requests for their timeless catalogue staples. A fine place where familiarity could never be construed with contempt.
Anyway, the soul-tinged stylings of THE SLOW SLUSHY BOYS "LOVE AND AFFECTION" ten inch mini album seems like a good way to start. 10 cuts crammed into this svelt groove with a warmth and grace seldom experienced in recent times. These SSB fellas have their art down-pat and this B-Soul release is something of a revelation. The hammond-fueled antics are as infectious as all get out and like all good hootch, the originals sit effortlessly beside the covers. The title is derived from the Nathaniel Mayer penned "I Want Love and Affection" that kicks this wanton stramash off. Stand out is the unstoppable "Slush Puppy" that would set any worthy dancefloor on fire. Their slide on through Arthur Conley's "I'm Gonna Forget About You" is worthy of The Skeletons themselves. Prepare to get shivers and shakes in equal measures.
LES GODZILLAS appear on that SSB slab but also have their own 250mm (approx) diameter platter available. "GREEDANGELAMENTO" is made up of two group originals and covers of The Seeds, Wanda Jackson, The Pandoras and The Fall (!). The thing that sets it apart from being just another "Girls In The Garage" type thing is its overt Frenchness. It has that Gallic cool which packs a distinct feel to the delivery as opposed to just bashing a songs brains out.
No prizes for guessing where THE DELTABONDS "GOT FUN IF YOU WANT IT" is coming from but it's Fleshtone-powered rambunctiousness short circuits the authentic nature of the garageness. It isn't stuck in the rut of any one era and is somehow recorded as an open ended party invitation. If they can cut it like this live then it'd be quite a hoedown.
Gotta hand it to these French kids. They've been beavering away at rock'n'roll's coal face for years. There was a time when the only place that a US band could get arrested would be in France. Since those days, Spain has come along to offer refuge to the real mccoy in terms of similar mania but if it wasn't for our European brothers and sisters, real music - like real ale - would be in serious trouble. It might well have become extinct by now.Be a putz and reckon that the UK is the place to be if you want but it's all happening just over yonder horizon. The LARSEN department is ready to help you with your requests for their timeless catalogue staples. A fine place where familiarity could never be construed with contempt.
Saturday, September 17, 2005
45s 'n 33s
In these days of MP3s, podcasts and whatnot, it's good to see the 45 is still around, the ultimate quick-fix when it comes to diggin' new sounds.
Slovenly Recordings outta Reno has a nice pair of 7 inches available by the Black Lips! from their first ever recording sessions way back in the year 2000. Good, good R&B influxed garage sounds w/ wailin' harp. By the time someone rounds up their best stuff for a comp, the world is gonna wonder why it never investigated these guys in the first place.
The D4's 6Twenty LP is one of the finest full-lengths in recent years, holding up easily along such classics like L.A.M.F and Saturday Night Fever. So yeah, yeah, yeah, I was really lookin' forward to their follow up. What I Want is the first 45 taken from their second album Out Of My Head and it's, well, OK-ish. And that's about all I can say about it. One of these days I'm gonna give OOMM a spin (it's been waiting next to HQ's hi-fi for weeks) but judging by this it still might take a while. NYC's Astralwerks has put out a great twin spin with archive material by Joe Strummer's 101ers. Both tunes (Letsagetabitarockin' and Motor Boys Motor) have been around before but this band's stuff works surprisingly better in short doses. Do I give a shit about the latest Rolling Stones 45? Well, in fact I do. At least in the flipside that is tho'. Rough Justice is as good a Stones tune as you're gonna get these days. Dig Keith's slide parts! From Warner come two very authentic lookin' Stooges singles with material taken from the recent CD re-issues of their first two LPs. John Cale's original mix of Real Cool Time and the original mono 45 mix (w/ organ) of Down In The Street are the main attraction here and deserve whatever amount it takes to nail 'em. The good news is that double-disc vinyl sets of the above mentioned CDS will be out anyday soon. So there you have it. And to round things up, here's a couple o' longplays to be on the lookout for.
1. Reigning Sound - Home For Orphans (Sympathy)
The long promised acoustic set and serious contender for disc of the year. (and while you're at it, don't forget the new Live At Maxwells, less essential, but would you wanna be without any of their stuff?
2. v/a - Soul Power (Trojan/Sanctuary)
Amazing set of early 70s English/Jamaican funk/reggae. Get in the groove!
3. v/a - Return Of The Funk Soulsisters (BGP)
Mucho anticipated follow up to the initial Funk Soulsisters full o' top drawer material once again.
In these days of MP3s, podcasts and whatnot, it's good to see the 45 is still around, the ultimate quick-fix when it comes to diggin' new sounds.
Slovenly Recordings outta Reno has a nice pair of 7 inches available by the Black Lips! from their first ever recording sessions way back in the year 2000. Good, good R&B influxed garage sounds w/ wailin' harp. By the time someone rounds up their best stuff for a comp, the world is gonna wonder why it never investigated these guys in the first place.
The D4's 6Twenty LP is one of the finest full-lengths in recent years, holding up easily along such classics like L.A.M.F and Saturday Night Fever. So yeah, yeah, yeah, I was really lookin' forward to their follow up. What I Want is the first 45 taken from their second album Out Of My Head and it's, well, OK-ish. And that's about all I can say about it. One of these days I'm gonna give OOMM a spin (it's been waiting next to HQ's hi-fi for weeks) but judging by this it still might take a while. NYC's Astralwerks has put out a great twin spin with archive material by Joe Strummer's 101ers. Both tunes (Letsagetabitarockin' and Motor Boys Motor) have been around before but this band's stuff works surprisingly better in short doses. Do I give a shit about the latest Rolling Stones 45? Well, in fact I do. At least in the flipside that is tho'. Rough Justice is as good a Stones tune as you're gonna get these days. Dig Keith's slide parts! From Warner come two very authentic lookin' Stooges singles with material taken from the recent CD re-issues of their first two LPs. John Cale's original mix of Real Cool Time and the original mono 45 mix (w/ organ) of Down In The Street are the main attraction here and deserve whatever amount it takes to nail 'em. The good news is that double-disc vinyl sets of the above mentioned CDS will be out anyday soon. So there you have it. And to round things up, here's a couple o' longplays to be on the lookout for.1. Reigning Sound - Home For Orphans (Sympathy)
The long promised acoustic set and serious contender for disc of the year. (and while you're at it, don't forget the new Live At Maxwells, less essential, but would you wanna be without any of their stuff?
2. v/a - Soul Power (Trojan/Sanctuary)
Amazing set of early 70s English/Jamaican funk/reggae. Get in the groove!
3. v/a - Return Of The Funk Soulsisters (BGP)
Mucho anticipated follow up to the initial Funk Soulsisters full o' top drawer material once again.
Actually, sticking with the "memory-man" theme, I drove past Grangemouth Stadium and the fence there has been replaced by one of those fantoosh jaggy type impaler deals. You can see straight into the grounds and on to the area where I worked in the Record Tent at the Grangemouth Pop Festival. I seem to recall this being in August 1972 or thereabouts and that Uriah Heep didn't turn up amongst other things. Anyway, I can remember selling alot of copies of the first Roxy Music album too for some reason. And Lindisfarne's "Dingley Dell" getting some kind of advanced availabilty specially for the event. Anyway, it was possibly the most ill-conceived bill ever put together in terms of appeal. I remember Billy Connolly, Sunshine, Lindisfarne, Status Quo, The Everly Brothers and Beck, Bogert and Appice. The Average White band may have been involved as might The Sleaze Band. Anyway, there's not much on this worldwide web beastie to help me jog those fried braincells but I did find the very entertaining FALKIRK MUSIC SCENE portal which will whisk anybody who wishes to be back to certain points and persons in the history of this area's "scene". It comes right up to date and offers current happenings too so it's not just a place for daft auld duffers like me to "fouter aboot" in.
As my memory gets more fragmented by the minute, I'm prone to bursts of recall. While these don't happen as frequently as I'd like - one of these flashbacks came to me this afternoon. I don't think that I intimated that the long running rock and roll bible published in Toulouse, France put out DIG IT 34 some months ago.
Though they publish in French, the spirit is very much international and Gildas and his crew have been flying the flag for fine music for longer than any of us possibly care to remember. They are tireless and passionate and if you "reada da lingo" that can only serve to make you enjoy this print more. Like J was saying a wee while ago, there aren't many printzines left. We need to support folks like this crew that are prepared to go that extra mile.
Ben (Gart via the Staysick Board) flagged up the problem of having been connected to a blackjack/poker site when he tried to visit us yesterday. Far as I can tell things are all operating fine now but it's hard to keep up with all the "rapidly spreading threats". If you were in the same boat then apologies but I "divnae ken" what happened but will keep an eye on it. This kind of bollocks makes me hark back to better times when communications were less prone to the interference of fuckwits who basically exist to put a spanner into whatever works that they can. Several recent occurrences have made me consider just retiring from the whole shooting match. If it weren't for Jeroen and Steve then I probably wouldn't be in this virtual fracas anyway but it is fun. Sometimes. Particularly when you make contact with a long, never heard from amigo, or when you discover something really great that you just have to share. But with all that, there's the spam and similarly irritating pish to contend with. All sent to try us I know, but when you consider how far down the pan the human race is in general, isn't it feasible that enough people would realise that and at least attempt to pull us out of the whole big tailspin. Wouldn't it be great if you heard on the news that there were no suicide bombings today anywhere? Anyway, it's not likely and that kind of optimism has been sparring with my mostly dark mood of late.
I'd like to take this opporchancity to wish the great Long Ryding Sidney Griffin all the best for his impending half-century. More geezers with that sorta chutzpah if you please. If you're in London, go help him celebrate...
I'd like to take this opporchancity to wish the great Long Ryding Sidney Griffin all the best for his impending half-century. More geezers with that sorta chutzpah if you please. If you're in London, go help him celebrate...
Thursday, September 15, 2005
Been a quiet few days hereabouts, taken advantage of that to keep the mitts off the old keyboard, and the peepers "aff" the screen. Maybe if I stay away long enough I'll get my eyesight back? Then again...
Euro-based Dictators afficianados should be able to score VIVA DICTATORS via the Escapi Distribution network. It can also be procured via the band website for $15 along with back catalogue cd action for just $10 a pop. So if you've been holding off on giving that vinyl of yours some respite, this is the time. And if you're feeling flush you could direct some of those savings to a worthy cause.
Euro-based Dictators afficianados should be able to score VIVA DICTATORS via the Escapi Distribution network. It can also be procured via the band website for $15 along with back catalogue cd action for just $10 a pop. So if you've been holding off on giving that vinyl of yours some respite, this is the time. And if you're feeling flush you could direct some of those savings to a worthy cause.
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
For a limited period, order a copy of AMY RIGBY's LITTLE FUGITIVE album direct from SIGNATURE SOUNDS and you'll get a limited edition 45 of "Dancing With Joey Ramone" thrown in with the deal.
If you already have the album and need to score the 45 (flip is a cover of Wire's "Mannequin" performed live with Hazel) then contact Amy via her website and she might be able to hook you up.
If ever a song deserved to be in that good ol' 45 format then it's this one.
"Hello Friend, The lads of SUSQUEHANNA INDUSTRIAL TOOL & DIE CO. cordially invite you to join them on THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH for the company's lone date this month at OTTO'S SHRUNKEN HEAD, located at 538 East 14th Street in Manhattan's Eastern Village. Why, it promises to be a fine night of entertainment, what with our special guests ROSALIE MORRIS and DJ REX DOANE of WFMU -- plus, as is the custom, a free raffle! Two shows are on tap, beginning at 8:00 and 10:00. And you betcha it's all FREE.
Sincerely, Michael, SIT & Die Co., "Ballads, Boogies & Blues"
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