I came home tonight with every intention of trying to get caught up on stuff I think you oughtta know about. However, this has proved to be another bum steer for a number of reasons which I'll spare you. The continued lack of activity will be rectified eventually. Possibly later rather than sooner but willing as the spirit is, that nasty ol' flesh is verging on comatose. Meanwhile, thanks for dropping by. There's a ton of stuff in the ol' sidebar for you to peruse while we here get to grips with the day to day. There's so much I want to tell you about the new Hello Saferide EP, there really is, but it'll have to wait just a wee bit longer.

Primal Scream were on Top of the Pops playing their latest identikit, cut and shut “single” last night. This one reminds me of, I think it’s “The Shape I’m In” by The Band, and also The Faces playing “Cadillac Ranch”. I always saw them as nothing more than the result of a curated record collection. There’s never been any passion involved in their fare (for me). Like that tosser from The Brian Jonestown Shenanigan.
The Scream have also appropriated Shirley Ellis’ “Nitty Gritty” and grafted on a call to “shake some action”. Unlike The Cramps who provided source material to be mined which educated many generations, The “Scream” just galumph through a perceived “cool” footbath. Utter bollocks. As is the fact that it’s Monday morning, NOT a holiday here so it’s time I was hauling my carcass outta here. Both the flesh and the spirit are at a very low peep. When is (inter)national call in sick day?

Stockholm this coming Friday (June 3rd)... Check out the Gearclub site for further info on this and upcoming shows...

RIP - Desmond Dekker

CBGB's Hilly Kristal for the NYC Hall of Fame

Go here and nominate Hilly for the NYC Hall of Fame

After the ordeal he went through trying to keep his club open last year, it would be a nice tribute...

**Hollywoods Premiere 6t's Psych Club!**
$5 B4 11pm, $8 after, Under 21 $10. The Ramada Inn @ 1160 N. Vermont
Dee Jays: Tony the Tygerr, Jason Ringgold, Leenda Karina, Lord Albert Cozzette III
oh yeah, wear your dancing shoes cuz this is a dance party!

I dunno, maybe the world is finally catchin' up with me. But besides the Jesse Hector CD mentioned below, there's also a new CD-single out by the mighty Count Bishops with two previously unreleased tunes. No word yet on the promised Euro tour, but rest assured you'll be the first to know as soon as any news reaches HQ.

Update: Oh well: "The COUNT BISHOPS tour in Europe for May and June 2006 is cancelled"...

Gorilla Garage is the title of a new Jesse Hector CD anthology on the RPM label. Haven't seen a copy yet, but the tracklistin' and RPM's general high standards in packagin' makes this one a must have anyways... If you're unfamiliar with this stuff, be prepared to be blown away into some previously unimagined distance...

"Auld age doesnae come itsel'" is an expression that's used around these parts. Just recently my powers of recall and indeed organisation have taken a real dive. Even dealing with e-mail and simple tasks. Earlier today, I forgot Steve Earle's name. No big deal I hear you say but in the context that I was trying to remember, it bloody is. It gave itself up eventually but not without much racking of the canyons. There are a number of governing factors in all this and this lapse really gave me a jolt (I ain't talking cola here). Whether this is temporary or a descent further into the recollection vacuum remains to be seen.

Some shows this week, happening around the UK and further afield that I'd attend if I could but I cannae. Other than the MLC Glasgow and Edinburgh gigs.

Mary Lee's Corvette around the UK, dates here.

Suzy Y Los Quattro at The International Pop Overthrow in Liverpool this Sunday (28th). Two shows in one day. Anybody who can is encouraged to cut along there.

The Bambi Molesters have a bill topping headline appearance at a festival in Llubljana next Friday, June 2nd. I'll try to get some more info on that for those of you who live near Stansted and fancy a wee break.

Things are slow, verging on static. Circumstances prevail that I'm not venturing too far from the ol' "midden heid" and have no real desire to either. That’s what’s passing for showbusiness hereabouts.

Now here's the kinda radio show we could use more of Gorilla Got Me by Sara J. on WMBR 88.1 FM Radio (also available on-line).

Cool new webzine: trakMARX.

Ever felt like you were going no place fast? Jeroen might have given in to the magnetic pull of myspace but not me. Anyway, I can't get into it anyway. Tried to access the Hello Saferide page five times over the past couple of days and it no workee. I also tried J's which I presume has no music on it(?) but the browser freezes and I have to shut it all down and reboot. Message to self. Stop trying to access myspace...

So Lordi won the ESC eh? It's only right, I mean anybody that can walk on those platforms should be rewarded? The radio reports and newspapers are crawling with stories about their "day of rockoning" and "arockalypse". The actual performance was nothing compared to the video and it's "Faculty"-like setting. Still the cod-Def Leppard riffage and Gwar suits were entertaining for a few minutes at least. In the grand unravelling, I guess that has to count for something.

The Tom Morton Two –
A Complete and Utter History of Rock ‘n’ Roll

Lo-fidelity folk tales of High Fidelitesque obsessive type antics all the way from The Shetlands. A couple of them would make fine high octane fare for any self-respecting rock’n’roll band to work up into a full-bloodied onslaught. As it is, the simplicity gives the songs an endearing charm that a proper production might have choked the life out of. Funny and poignant, a song called “Learning To Hate The Beatles” was a racing certain to strike a chord with me. Like “I wish Sergeant Pepper never taught the band to play” did. “The Ballad of Johnnie Notions” is like an Alan Vega song being played by Robin Hall and Jimmy McGregor. Oor Wullie fans will get quite a charge from “That’s Braw”, about Mrs McGlumphie and her haggis quiche. You can check out some of these wares here (scroll down to the April 23rd entry) prior to any prospective purchase.

And if you find yourself in or around Shetland next weekend… The TM2 have a big gig next Friday (26th May) in the Eshaness Community Hall - a benefit for a local CT scanner appeal. The evening will incorporate "The Vinyl Choice: remember those 45s and 33s if your loft? The ones you haven't played for decades? Bring them along and have them spun at high volume on the wheels of steel by DJ Tom Morton....50p contribution to CT appeal per side! No Sydney Devine!"

A Steak and Kidney free zone? The European Court of (in)human Rights might have something to say about that. And it’s unlikely to be “jings, crivvens or help ma boab”.

Done 'n did it; In an attempt to keep up-to-date I'v joined Myspace...