"hi kids,

if you can pull yourself off the easter bunny and chocolate over the next couple of weeks come and see The Phobics roll away the stone for easter at Indie Spin on Wednesday 26 April 2006

it's at The Rhythm Factory , 16-18 Whitechapel Road, London E1 1EW. and only a fiver in for 5 (count em) doses of rock n roll. nearest tubes are whitechapel or aldgate east.

8pm start five bands plus DJ Wayne Bootleg. "An evening of alternative and new sounds" (dunno which we come under!!)

GNA ( Global Noise Attack )... industrial rock theatre.
The Phobics .......you know what we do.
The Spider House ...NW London songsmithquartet Glorious...delivering sharp 3 minute gems
Plus... an exciting act , come and find out for yourself !

we'll be checking your hands and feet for holes so make sure you have one of our fliers cos they'll pay us if there's enough of ya.

help the poor and needy, dance to the beat of the living dead and see us finish a set with all members concious

tom"

Just incase you haven't got the energy to go to Eric's site and follow the link to the World Cafe interview like Little Randy suggested in his comment then here's a direct conduit. A British (inter)National treasure on American Radio.

Kingly Books launch Val Lewton's "No Bed Of Her Own" at Mono this coming Wednesday 12th April at 8pm... more details here.

I should be outta here by now but the flesh is weak and the spirit is even less willing but needs must. Anyway, some info to convey...

As well as the Amy Rigby/Wreckless Eric show in London tomorrow night (Friday 7th), The Dirty Water Club plays host to Chris Wilson and those Groovin' Flames of his.

While over in Stockholm, Debaser plays host to the all star Link Wray tribute.

Dave from Gloria Club in Paris has relayed the news that The Remains will be shaking some of their particular action a week from tomorrow (Friday 14th April)...



And if you're heading for Madrid, then the Louie Louie bar is one hangout where they don't partake of anything but the finest musical entertainment.
So there you have it. For my sins I won't be able to attend any of 'em but feel free to rub in what I'll no doubt be missing.

RIP - Gene Pitney

An excellent obit by Dawn Eden, here.

(Link courtesy of JD King)

Catch one of these (Wreckless) Eric and Amy (Rigby) shows over these next few days (if you're about)...

April 5th St. Bonaventure's Club, Berkeley Road, Bishopston, Bristol

April 7th The Plough, Walthamstow, London

April 8th The Granary, High Street, Buckingham

April 10th The Prince Albert, Trafalgar Street, Brighton

Next weekend we have the gigundo record fair here in town once again. If you're headin' this way, you might wanna check the festivities at the dB‘s club on saturday night featuring London's mighty Blacktime trio and Jeff Conolly's Teringlyres...

Nick Vahlberg just gave me the heads up that another Swedish institution is selling up. Gunnar Johansson's WILD and WICKED has a blow out, closing sale that includes records, posters and other hard to get stuff at super bargain prices. Check it out!

Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die returns to the Rodeo Bar for more rootin', tootin' Tuesday shenanigans, friend, but shall we see YOU there? We hope the answer is a resounding "quite possibly". Sincerely, Michael

April 12: O'Ceallaigh in Groningen. Open 21:30, band on at 22:45.

So yeah, a few bits and pieces here that should keep you back from doing what you ought to be doing. Like chores, etc.

I recently discovered a guy called MC Lars who is playing at King Tuts in Glasgow tomorrow night. I was gonna roll along to see him but the show has been sold out for weeks. Seems like the bush telegraph still works. Anyway, it’s savvy, funny and completely irreverent. Punk flavoured Hip hop for people who don't necessary relate to that demographic as a rule. Hear him for yourself.

The great Richard Stim has been making his presence felt at YouTube. He has 4 films on there including one of his commute between Sutro Heights and Berkeley and also the clip for MX80’s “We’re An American Band”. Neither you or I are worthy of his genius.

Jeremy Gluck knew Buffalo Bill. Details here.

The long awaited second Yayhoos album is just about to come out on the Lakeside Lounge imprint. You can hear every cut on “Put The Hammer Down” at their site. The album will only be available via that portal and at shows. What are you waitin’ for?

The release date of this latest epistle is April 18th but if you’re lucky enough to be in the vicinity of their European shows then maybe you can score a copy upfront of that? The word that separates the DDR from the host of post-Cramps combos is undulate. Their mutant primal blues undulates like the former throbs. They’re possessed by a spirit of undiluted entertainment and this new album on Swami goes a long way to capturing what I imagine that they bring down upon an audience in the, er, flesh. “There Is A Difference” is a great title because it tells it like it is. This isn’t an easy strain of “music” to carry off but you know that these folks mean it. They pummel their Motor City gospel out and you can either go with ‘em or get the heck outta their way because they patently don’t care. There’s an inherent soul in what DDR do, “Lil’ Naked” is a brooding rough diamond of an anthem. It precedes a run through Donnie Elbert’s “Little Piece of Leather” which isn’t an easy song to treat right. There’s a glam transfusion at the intersection of where the NY Dolls headed up Devilgate Drive to the cross street marked Fleshtones. The production offers an olive branch to passers-by that are drawn to the ruckus. It’s cohesive and maybe even radio-friendly without sacrificing an inch of what makes them unique. They even offer up a version of “Amazing Grace" for chrissakes. Viva le “difference” indeed.

Whoa Dad! From The Count Bishops' French fan site: "Denis Vaughan is presently booking dates for The COUNT BISHOPS Tour in Europe for May and June 2006. The line up of band will be original including Dave TICE, Johnny GUITAR, Pat McMULLEN, Paul BALBI. Chiswick Records intend to release a new CD/DVD to coincide with the tour".

So as of today, NBT is another year older and not necessarily wiser. Actually definitely not wiser. Yesterday was of note for another reason entirely, and one that will have ramifications with regard to the BBC here in Scotland.

The one and the only Stewart Cruickshank hung up his senior producer bunnet at Queen Margaret Drive. Ask anyone, Stewart has been responsible for much of what we know as the Scottish music terrain. He's forgotten more than many of us ever thought we knew and leaves several individuals to carry the torch. I hope that doesn't get snuffed out by the corrie-fisted actions of what passes for the hierarchy there. Wish them luck. By the time that BBC Scotland relocates to the south side of the Clyde, who knows what shape it'll be in but all is not completely lost. It just feels like it is.

And wish the good Captain a big bucket of that luck stuff also as he continues to produce the ground-breaking Iain Anderson show for an independent company. The BBC family silver is being "sold" to bolster up the balance sheets. It's a sad indictment on this world we live in but wodjagaunnae dae? On the plus side for Stewart, hopefully he'll get some of his life back and maybe even get to sorting out his record cupboard(s).

If you've ever met Stewart then you'll know that his enthusiasm is infectious. If there were more people like him around then maybe, just maybe I could ease up on the pessimism. So here's to you chief, there's still a lot of rhythm in those auld rockin' bones. May that lum of yours shake, rattle and roll to the bridge.

The Last Record Shop

Link courtesy of Sid Griffin by way of Phil Dennison.

Be Wild, Not Evil - The Link Wray Story by Jimmy McDonough on Perfect Sound Forever

Thanks to Ben Gart for the heads-up.

Messthetics make the Guardian.

"..4 limbs! 3 chords! 2drums! 1busted up guitar!...yes misters 'n' sisters the buzz on the streets of old europa is true.Randy "CAPTAIN DYNAMITE" Hornocker of the world famous stage and recording outfit THE COYOTEMEN is headin' out yonder on his lonesome ownsome.The lucky folks of the european union will be the first to taste the sight and smell of this masked master of moron-o-phonic muck, when THE CAPTAIN treads the boards with his old sparrin' partners LOS CHICOS, in April, in the year of our lord 2006.takin' THE COYOTEMEN black 'n' blue print of masked lucha libre garage rock action to it's barest form CAPTAIN DYNAMITE throws in some illegal moves in the form of country/rockabilly and full on punk-ola'n' y'know it goes without sayin' the big.D. will be sportin' his trade mark wrasslin' hood 'n' fancy duds! "y'now son,"CAPTAIN DYNAMITE told BONGO BUTT magazine in an exclusive interview last month,"this is a test of just how far a brave man can go without a 3 man safety net.I guess i'm sort of a ROCK 'N' ROLL EVEL KNIEVEL, goin' out there in front of those crazy kids with just THE CAPTAIN 'n' his old guitar..but hell, it's easy to carry on churnin' out the hits with 3 other masked mooks.This time around i wannatake music down to another level and bring some razzle dazzle to the one man band arena and prove to the world that a simple wrestlin' man can reach his goals...oh yeah, it also means i get all the beer for myself!"

Catch the CAPTAIN DYNAMITE CAVALCADE OF CRUD at...

NL - UTRECHT : DB'S 12th April
NL - ROTTERDAM :WATERFRONT 13th April
F - PARIS tba :14th April
F - BORDEAUX tba :15tha April

Thanks to Tom Crossley for doing this at such short notice...

The Jacobites/ Mark Mulholland/Knox - 12 Bar London 29 March 2006

"Due to Nikki ‘s recent passing, a gig I was looking forward to, became one that I approached with a fair amount of dread. Lindsay had asked me if I would write a few lines about the gig and I anticipated a few paragraphs. Once I started, the memories came flooding back and as you can’t put your arms around them I thought I’d share them with anyone that cares.

First, a bit of background - I ’m lucky to have been a friend of Nikki’s since the early 80’s when I first met him at a gig at the Africa Centre in Covent Garden after being persuaded to check out a guy who had been described to me as a cross twix Johnny Thunders and Neil Young by an equally old friend of mine Mr Pedro Mercedes.

Being an obsessive Thunders fan I needed little persuasion, but we somehow managed to miss almost all the gig. Pedro and I sheepishly approached Nikki who called us over for a chat. Such was his easy going nature after a few minutes it was like we were long lost friends, not just fans.

We soon did become friends and had many weird and wonderful adventure,s meeting up at almost every Thunders gig in town and at the especially memorable Heartbreakers reunion gigs at the Hacienda and elsewhere. Pedro was also involved in the legendary Pipeline Club in Soho, one of our happiest nights was the time Johnny agreed to play there - more on that night can be found in Nikki’s book which I am sure will come out one day…

I got roped in to play drums (very badly) in a few ad-hoc line ups with Nikki in the mid 80’s, and in return he would often join my band (Bad Karma Beckons) on stage for the odd Dolls/Thunders/T. Rex cover, whenever we shared bills or if he was in town.

Ironically, I last spoke to Nikki after his recent 12 Bar gig and he asked me to email my recollections of us playing together way back then for his autobiography - emails and photos came back and forth and I was really looking forward to fine tuning my addled recollections in person. Unfortunately, I received a call from Nina (Antonia) about the tragic news from New York.

It was fitting that I met up with Nina and Pedro prior to last night’s gig and appropriate that we waited in a pub called “The Angel”, while Dave Kusworth, Darrell Bath and Paul Caton, tonight’s Jacobites were sound-checking.

Off now to the 12 Bar which was filling with many familiar faces of friends and ex band members throughout the years. As reported earlier , Dave decided to go ahead with the gig in memory of Nikki, who of course would have wanted the show to go on!

The atmosphere in the 12 bar was very strange, almost as though Nikki’s aura remained from the last show. All around people were talking about him, exchanging stories and tales in abundance. Without trying to sound like an old hippy, you could feel the love and affection in those four walls.

It was good to see old friends again, some I hadn’t seen for 15 odd years even though the circumstances were sad. I won’t bore you with names because I’m bound to forget to mention someone.

Sadly there were at least a couple of people that had seen Nikki play a only few days ago in the States and who were here to see him again unaware of what happened.

After being warmed up by a solo set by Knox (of the Vibrators) and Mark Mulholland, who someone informed me, has played with Nikki in the past, a good sized crowd squeezed it’s way in front of the tiny stage.

On the wall behind Dave, Darrell and Paul was a large black and white poster of Nikki playing on stage and by the side of it, a single (yellow I think) flower. The 3 Jacobites were seated side by side with acoustic guitars and Paul’s selection of mouth harps.

After brief intros the band took off and stormed through old faves like Big Store, Pin your heart, Kings and Queens, and Fortune and Fame it all seemed to be a bit of a blur but wasn’t at all a sombre affair. Everywhere people were smiling singing and shouting encouragement, banter and requests. I almost expected Nikki’s voice to somehow join in.

The band took it down a little for a touching version of Johnny Thunders’ You can’t put your arms around a memory, dedicated to Nikki, Desperate Dave and JT, which then segued into Lonely Planet Boy - now I had tears in my eyes.

The band requested and received refreshment in the shape of a glass of JD and ice each. And then surprised everyone by playing Peter Sarstedts’ 1969 hit "Where do you go to my lovely?" Slipping in a lovely touch by changing a line the 2nd verse as follows

"You live in a fancy apartment
Off the Boulevard Saint-Michel
Where you keep your Jacobites* records
And a friend of Sacha Distel, yes you do"

(originally *Rolling Stones )

The night finished off with "Silver Street" and "First cut is the deepest", "Bring it on Home" The Faces’ "Debris", "Shame for the Angels".

I said my goodbyes, liberated a poster from the door and bought the latest issue of Bucketful of Brains, which, to cap it has Nikki on the cover and an interview inside.

While writing this, I received an email from the New York Dolls Forum as follows:

Speaking of "old days", the fantastic NEW YORK DOLLS performed a hot 'n' nasty set of classic tunes as well as at least a half dozen new songs at the legendary CBGB's on Tuesday night...Overall, this was a perfect evening of "punk music", and it was nice to hear them dedicate songs to the likes of Nikki Sudden, Arthur "Killer" Kane, and of course, the late, great, Mister Johnny Thunders...

I think Nikki would have felt so proud to get a dedication from a band that meant so much to him.

He lived, breathed, ate and drank rock n roll 24/7. He’ll be sadly missed but thankfully leaves a fine legacy of written and recorded work that deserves your attention.

It’s a shame for the mortals now Nikki’s an Angel."

Tom