I quite literally just received this (Thanks Laura!). The long-awaited follow up to "Go Get Goo Goo" is "Five Steps Ahead" and it's gonna be walking all over us courtesy of Sounds of Subterranea in March!! More info as it becomes available...

Mr Helsing wishes it to be known that...

THE THANES - A NIGHT IN GREAT KING STREET 10" LP - LARSEN (LZ079) It's here...NOW! The new 10" live LP by Scottish garage-beat purveyors THE THANES - A NIGHT IN GREAT KING STREET - issued on fabulous French label Larsen (LZ079). Features never before issued tracks, such as the group's urgent cover of the Q65 nugget "I Despise You", plus many on-stage favourites, including "The Lovely Laura-Anne", "It's Just A Fear" and "The Next One". Start bugging your local record shoppe to order your copy, like now!"

Other news... Got an e-mail from Tony Blair this morning. Me and 1.8 million+ others. It had to be rescued from my junk mail. This was because I signed the road pricing petition that's been in the headlines. And actually, I'm not so much against road pricing as I am agin the tracking that it would allow the all-enveloping surveillance industry to undertake. Lord knows, is the mobile phone epidemic not hellish enough. Not that there's much to glean about my comings and goings but it's the principle. Actually, if there was a halfway decent public transport infrastructure then I wouldn't even have a bloody car. However, the likelihood of such a thing in this backwater is slimmer than a very slim thing on the proverbial slim-athon slimfast diet.

Taken to yon logical conclusion, if I didn't have to earn a crust then I'd seldom leave the house at all. But anyway, all this guff with carbon footprints, etc., until our co-habitees in burgeoning economies start screwing the napper then there's little or nothing our hapless attempts to restrict climate change can do. We're on the rocket people, but what you can do is resolve not to waste energy for your own self. Nobody else. Just you. I also had to listen to some bollocks about "ethical trading" from someone who gets printing done in China rather than here in the UK where the triple standard and creative accountancy reign supreme. Pity about my fellow travellers who are just trying to get by. Anyway, I guess Tony didn't catch any of the Hold Steady shows because there was no mention of them in his message. Or maybe they're not britpop enough. That could be it. I'm tempted to make a sinking shjips crack but I can't be arsed.

Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co. says "hail to the chief" this week with a presidential performance worthy of William Henry Harrison -- all within the ever-stately confines of Otto's Shrunken Head, naturally!

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22nd / (And the last Thursday of every month)

OTTO'S SHRUNKEN HEAD TIKI BAR & LOUNGE / http://www.OttosShrunkenHead.com /
538 East 14th Street (just west of Avenue B) in ol' Manhattan, NY / Two BIG shows, from 8:00 sharp until 10:00 / No cover! /
Yours in the oval office- Michael, Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co.
"Ballads, Boogies & Blues"
http://www.SITandDieCo.com

Lindsay's Alice Cooper ticket reminded me of this bizarre little item that was reprinted in a Dutch music mag way back in '71; a pet registration card from the Amsterdam Hilton...

For one reason and another, I don't have the energy or the inkling to rabbit on the keyboard tonight. Found some old ticket stubs yesterday and thought we'd go for a little nostalgia instead... Article #1 - my first REAL rock'n'roll concert... November 1972.

Article # 2 - In honour of the wee frisson that ran through J's YouTube post of last week...

And finally - Article #3 - a certified classic, another example of a CBGB's bill hitting up the UK.
Cheetah Chrome was toting Glen Buxton's guitar at the time...

Thankyou and Goodnight...

If it wasn’t for Mr H then christ knows how long it would have taken me to discover "Unknown Passages – The Dead Moon Story". Of course, I was aware of the band and the rabid passion with which people who had seen them had for this Northwest trio. Never having had the luck to catch their live thing, DM was something I appreciated from afar. For me, their recorded output never did them justice and was a factor i never considered re-addressing until I clocked this. Go ahead and disagree if you want to but there’s something about this documentary that adds that all important fourth dimension and I can’t recommend it highly enough. Dead Moon has achieved success far and beyond material sales or the conventional trappings of what passes for it day to day. Dead Moon Heads who have been baptised at one of their shows have every right to be protective because this combo was a real treasure.

If they’d ever made it to this part of the world there would be a faction of Deid Moon Heids here also but they didn’t and sadly the band is no more. This testament to them exists though and it will only help stoke the legend. As cool people go, I don’t think they come any more groovy than Fred and Toody Cole. And Andrew Loomis their drummer helps propel the whole thing with a singular abandon. A long-haired, often bevvied diplomat of the first water with quite the collection of Nomads t-shirts. It’s made me listen to the records with fresh ears. Now I can flesh it all out. If the people who program the Edinburgh Film Festival had been doing their job circa 2004/5 then I’d have seen this and maybe been able to rectify the fact that I never saw them before it was too late. Dead Moon is a singular example of something that will live on forever because the fire that fuelled it comes from deep within the souls of real believers. This film is the "It's A Wonderful Life" of rock docs. Maybe they could come back as the George Bailey Trio?

This is available in the UK from Volcanic Tongue and in the US from Magic Umbrella. If you come outta the end and you’re not a fan then there’s something wrong with you.

When it comes to stretching a cross-cultural pop canvas then nobody can extend it to the limits of the Pilot.

Taking in literary and musical landscapes of every imaginable type and blending them to come up with something like "Secrets From The Clockhouse" takes a specific ability. So step inside the world of Sushil K. Dade, a man that would seem to apply the laws of film direction to create cinematic music that will provide a soundtrack to your wellbeing. A concept? Not sure but it’s thematic heart beats with a collective spirit bound to a consciousness which covers as many bases as I’ve ever heard co-existing comfortably in one setting. From psychedelics through folk to free jazz. It's all part of the beat that belongs to Future Pilot AKA.

There’s a rendition of Sun Ra’s “Nuclear War” that brings together Thurston Moore, Kim Gordon, Davy Henderson from The Fire Engines, Mike Watt and wir ain Stewart Cruickshank. I didn’t believe it either until I heard the evidence. Sounds weird, right? Well it couldn’t be more un-weird if it tried. This is a deeply commercial exercise that’ll reward repeated visits. The skewed-ska of “Eyes of Love” should have been a hit already, being that it features Stuart Murdoch and Sarah Martin from Belle and Sebastian. Karine Polwart’s one-minute long “Lights Of The City” ushers in the recurring theme of the piece which acts as the cement between the various movements.

"Secrets from the Clockhouse" is on the Creeping Bent imprint. Distributed by Cargo.

The first festival of rock documentaries from former Yugoslavia

Jeffrey Lee Pierce on Dutch TV: Pt 1 & 2...

Last night I managed to drag myself out of the house and into Glasgow. Firefox AK was opening for a Canuck combo called Junior Boys and you have to take your superior electro-pop action where you can find it. Firefox AK is the alter ego of Andrea Kellerman. Her album "Madame, Madame!" came out on Razzia last year and she also dueted on the HS “Long Lost Penpal” cut.

When she took the stage, the JB crowd was beginning to trickle in. Unfortunately the laws of economics dictated that it was a solo performance. With some of the backing tracks on ipod and augmented by guitar and vocal, the material from the album sounded a good deal gutsier at a volume you can’t really achieve at home. A rock edge was evident that perhaps isn’t definable in the studio stuff.

The music comes from a place on the corner of Neu and La Dusseldorf. There are elements of Kraftwerk but this trans-european expression has a warmth that rarely emits from the man-machine ouvre. There’s also a sense of the OMD sensibility with a hook. She’s quite a compelling performer even in this possibly nerve-racking situation and every inch a proper pop star in waiting. The room was a bit more full by the end of her set. This is the curse of the pre-club gig circuit and the bane of support act life. “What’s That Sound” has hit pre-programmed all over it and if there was still such a thing as Saturday morning pop shows then “All Those People” would connect with the kids and they’d all run out to buy the single. Now I guess they just run to their keyboard and download it. Doesn’t seem the same somehow. Check out the songs on her myspace page, suspend the requirement to rock out in a conventional sense. You might like it. I know I do.

Velvet Tinmine Radio

"This is Ben and I host (what I'm pretty sure is the only radio show) that plays nothing but 70's Glam Rock. Get 'yer boots, put 'yer lipstick and eyeliner on and tune in to 91.3 FM WBNY every Friday from 12 to 1pm in Buffalo, NY or to WBNY.ORG anytime!!!!" (Velvet Tinmine blog)

Link c/o Jos de Groot.

The Hold Steady are on the cusp of perceived mass audience acclaim, A Kaiser Chiefs for the "auld yins" in waiting maybe. Extremely accomplished and flashing strands of skewed pop music history. The preaching style of the singer, Craig Finn, is both entertaining and grating. I haven't heard the albums and possibly don't need to. The throng in Glasgow seemed to be ready to sing and clap along in all the right places. Blimey, there goes Cheap Trick, The Replacements, pomp era BOC and wild and innocent era E-street, Thin blinkin’ Lizzy. Even George Castanza channelling TMBG. They're capable of throwing considerable rock shapes. Guitars skirl but the real deal-breaker is the keyboards. That's what pegs it above your standard shouty indie angst.

The choice of opening bands didn't help. Derivative, not bowfing but utterly unremarkable, laid out the stall for the all-conquering visitors. The New York Fund - terrible name, not altogether bad. had one approximation of Freebird that almost held my attention. The Checks - Dearie me... no bouncing jokes please. All the supposed music bibles tell us that this HS will be huge. My money is on another act with the same initials. But what these guys do have are the ingredients down pat like a high-end ready meal and are a reasonable diversion. I just listened to Craig Finn's appearance on Tom Morton's show from yesterday afternoon (Wednesday if you want to access the Radio Scotland play it again facility). He's on some kind of mission and his combo are like a big blockbuster movie waiting to happen. There's no lasting afterburn but it's kinda fun during it's running time.

Valentines Day then... named after a Hello Saferide song. My plans to post a bunch of stuff last night crashed and burned in front of the TV. Had a stint at the dentist and sundry other chores conspire agin me. But anyway, today won't be much more productive i'm afraid. But here's a couple of things you may care to attend this weekend...

But first, Duglas Bandit (along with Messrs Blake and Wells) have recorded a special song for your day. Check it out here!

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Thursday 15th February

THE DOUBLE-SIX CLUB - at the Jazz Bar, Chamber Street, Edinburgh. 12pm til 3am. Free admishun.

Ska, Soul, Mod-Reggae & Easy 60s - with DJ's from The GO-GO.

This will be a monthly event, with next one being Thursday 8th March, then every second Thursday of the month after that.

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Firefox AK at the ABC2 on Friday 16th

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Southern Tenant Folk Union (The great Pat McGarvey's CP side-project)

Saturday 17th at The Village, Leith...
Sunday 18th at Brel, Glasgow (part of El Rancho Relaxo)

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Meanwhile, the hot V day ticket is The Hold Steady at the Cathouse in Glasgow tonight. Will they cut the spread-on chocolate? Your reporter will clue you in (much) later.

How can you top this????

Bintangs - Café De Stad, Utrecht 11-02-07

Most of you garage fans probably know the Bintangs from their mid-60s recordings that are scattered over Pebbles-like compilations. Good as that stuff is I actually prefer the band's 70s work, when they finally found their own voice somewhere halfway 'tween Exile-era Stones and Wilko's Feelgoods (Try findin' their 1975 album Genuine Bull if possible) Anyways, it was probably 1979 or 80 when I last saw 'em and at that point they were one of the few truly powerhouse live-acts over here in the Netherlands, along-side the Rousers and Nitwitz. Durin' the 80s I kinda lost focus on 'em as most of their shows seemed either farewell gigs or reunions! So it was with some reserve that I accepted the invitation from my friend Jos to tag along and catch the Bintangs at a local bar earlier today.
The place was crammed with about 100 people (if that) and as soon as the band hit the stage all my reservations went straight outta the window. Poundin' out the Diddley beat like there was no tomorrow, they delivered again 'n again playin' nothin' but top notch material spannin' their entire career. Both hits (Ridin' On The L&N, Snake In The Grass) and cool surprises like Exciting Accident and Arthur Alexander's Burning Love. From the original 1961 (!) line-up only Frank Kraaijeveld remains but this current line-up rocks as hard as the one I saw a lifetime ago, never venturing into Stevie Ray Vaughn territory but playin' the R&B game as prophesied by the Pretty Things and/or Downliner's Sect. A lost art-form if ever their was one...
Thumbs up to those at Café De Stad who set this up. It was great to once again see a band like this play in such a modest setting and not in one of the over-sized, over-prized, over-organized soulless places that are the norm these days. A Pubrock-like experience in 2007, what a breath of fresh air...

I did have a mind to go see a couple of movies today but the weather is so godawful that didn't happen. So here are a few loose ends to tie up from the past couple of days...

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Some Youtube footage of Art Fein's annual Elvis Bash from January 8th 2007

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The Tielman Brothers as recommended by Kevan Aman.

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Roky plays Southpaw in Brooklyn on April 13th.

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From PJ @ Dirty Water Club... this offer is supposed to be for people on the DWC list but you can either pretend or better still join it if you fancy some of this action...

IN SHOPS AT THE BEGINNING OF APRIL...

Fortune Teller Records presents:

"SOMEWHERE BETWEEN HEAVEN AND WOOLWORTHS"

A 20-track compilation that includes The Dirtbombs, Mighty Caesars (Billy Childish from the '80s), Snatch (1st time on CD for I.R.T - a Sniffin Glue fave from '77), Minor Threat (who never normally contribute to compilations!), Robert Pollard (Guided By Voices), Television Personalities (two exclusives/covering Kelis and The Who), Schwab, Stewart Home (writer of Slow Death, Pure Mania), X Ray Spex (live at Rock Against Racism '78) and comedians Simon Munnery and Gary Le Strange.

Album is limited to 1,000 numbered copies only.

If you mention that you saw the album advertised here you save money on the shop price! E-mail info@fortunetellerpress.com

Yes, you get it for just £7 + £1 p&p (in the UK)!

Just one copy per address and the offer applies for a short time only so be quick.

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Maria Bartiromo (link courtesy of Mr Percival)

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From the opening chord of “My First Band”, the work of Ben Vaughn shot up the NBT charts and has cruised the top of those hallowed halls ever since. To me, this guy’s songs are up there with your Dylan, Young and Newman and in my book he’s been known to surpass all of those. “Vaughn sings Vaughn (Volume 1)” sees him revisit some old material. Dusting it off and giving it a fresh new coat of the lacquer that only he can give it. The Desert Classic era Vaughn has come a long away from the North Jersey days but the music still retains that inherent beach-music bounce that it always did. These songs breathe in all types of atmospheres. Just with a lone acoustic guitar or with a band in full flight. The liner note states that “the songwriter – longtime dealer in pop gems – has been perhaps overshadowed by Vaughn the composer.” Very possibly. If you’ve never heard these songs then prepare to be blown clean away. The version of “I’m Sorry (but so is Brenda Lee)” is pure E-Street band and swings like it came straight off Darkness On The Edge Of Town. There are four songs that I don’t recognise. “Beautiful People” is a ragtime paen to give a thought to those perfect individuals. I swear there’s a cheeky wee sliver of Brian Manson’s song of the same name in there but maybe it’s just me. “When?”, “Hotamighty” and “Dead Inside” are the others. Old favourites that get the spring clean are “On The Rebound”, “Shinglaling With Me” and “Lover’s Leap” and a good few more. Back to Peter Gilstrap’s liners… “It’s the first in a series of albums that will offer the complete and utter cataloguing of all songs Vaughn”. That has to be good news. Ben may well have a big house with a (desert) yard these days but he hasn’t lost anything in the process. That he’s able to re-present this material to a whole new prospective audience is indeed a beautiful thing. And if you didn’t pick up “Designs In Music” when you were asked to some moons ago then why not score both of these at the same time. Click here for the scoop or make contact via myspace.

The Sibleys “Tuesday” was recorded live on May 24th (a Tuesday – natch, 2005?) at The Palms Restaurant in 29 Palms. The neighbourhood that Ben calls home these days but that’s not the reason he ended up producing this, their debut album on Satisfaction Records. The facility was closed to customers that day while the band layed down their sparse, sprightly sun-kissed blues. There’s something about this stuff that reminds me of Beat Happening mixing it up with The Roches in terms of feel. It doesn’t sound like either. There’s a kind of Badalamenti score-mood quality to the material. “Shadows” wouldn’t have been out of place in the soundtrack to “Wild At Heart”, it has that grandiose simplicity. “I Don’t Smile (If I Don’t Want To)" has a “Velvets do Gloria” undertow. Seems like it could burst out full speed at any moment but never does. There’s a fractured displacement to “Tuesday” that is possibly down to the relative isolation of where it was recorded. There’s plenty of heart in the performance and this roadhouse spot will no doubt jump on occasion. The Sibleys display a Cowboy Junkies kind of malevolence that could endear them to a vast audience if they snuck in via something like All Tomorrows Parties. Someplace where people have an attention span.

Somewhere along the road to 2007, things have gotten snarled up. A game-show host type smarminess has been mistaken for entertainment. In essence, a true entertainer is a rare beast these days and one of the outright characters of this fraternity was the late, great Tiny Tim. Considered in some quarters as a novelty act by lazy, tunnel-visioned malcontents, his voice has been known to polarize. It displayed a richness and soul of a great orator. Of someone who interpreted classic and contemporary material with an otherworldly abandon.

These three recent releases of rare and unreleased material recorded in Australia are a timely reminder of this genius. They really don’t make them like this anymore. The project has been put together by Martin Sharp in a kind of Alan Lomax capacity, this Australian pop artist and co-writer of Cream's “Tales Of Brave Ulysses” (!) is ready to share his adventures with new generations who have yet to discover the greatness of Herbert Khaury’s alter ego. In the liner notes he declares that “it has been my greatest honour to march some miles with this ‘soldier of showbusiness’”. That last part is key to the whole phenomenon, this hippie Harry Lauder belongs to a great lost era before style was coached to overtake substance.


“Chameleon” is a reissue of the original, very rare album that came out in the early 80’s with unissued bonus tracks of takes from the same sessions. It must have been a total gas to have been there. With his renditions of “Stayin Alive” rubbing shoulders with relative standards like “The Great Pretender” and “Tiny Bubbles”. And how many people could tackle “The Mickey Mouse March” and come out unscathed.


“Wonderful World of Romance” was originally only available as a “direct-to-disc” album for promo purposes only. This only covered the second session until now and has an additional 11 takes and different cuts. WWOR is Tiny Tim somewhat “unplugged” along with piano, cello and trademark ukulele. performing material from the early 1900’s. “Wandering Down Memory Lane With You” is an amazing title. I imagine that some of this will sound plain weird in today’s wired world and it’s all the better for that fact. Solid, sonic uke.

“Stardust” is 26 previously unreleased tracks which includes an alternate take of “Highway To Hell”, with a vocal that sounds like Paul Rodgers on helium. His unique ability to cherry pick material from all eras and stamp them with that unbridled falsetto, sounds like. You get “Nobody Loves A Fairy When She’s Forty” sitting alongside “People Are Strange” on Planet Tim and it seems like the perfect fit.

These releases are all curated perfectly with extensive notes in very cool 16 page booklets printed on quality stock. Lovingly tailored to complement the recorded content. All three are available on the Zero Communications imprint from Japan.

(Many thanks to Susumu Hirakawa)

At the risk of any conflict of interest/stating of the obvious/preaching to the converted/other… I just need to convey that The Nomads double vinyl Nomadic Dementia is now available and it sounds totally immense, “16 Forever” is flying outta the speakers as I type.

The Beasts of Bourbon and Demolition Doll Rods have also been let outta the traps and are looking sleek in their digipaks. All of these are available via Munster now.

And also it appears that this Cramps book is finally available from Amazon. (info via Staysick)