Some loose ends you might like to click on as opposed to doing what you oughtta be doing...

LA gig flyers on Ebay. Pricey but worth a look.

Another cool looking book, Punk Love

Real Kids European tour in May scuppered.

Sometime Skeleton, Nick Sibley has a book out...

(Thanks to PleaseKillMe forum,Ben, Patrick and Bobby Lloyd for the info)

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY GIRL TROUBLE!!

"Bon here.We’re not usually ones to brag about our negligible achievements but I just thought I’d share our anniversary with everybody. We’ve been thinking about it a lot so...Today, 23 years ago, and even on a Friday!, we played our first official show. Even though we’d practiced for several months before this (and even played a small house party to a couple people while everybody else went across the street to the Safeway to buy beer) we mark this day as the real beginning of Girl Trouble. It was a local community college Battle of the Bands. This wasn’t the scammy corporate, pay-to-play ticket selling contest. This was hosted by the ASB of Ft. Steilacoom Community College.

There were 6 bands, each band played 30 minutes, a whopping $3.50 to get in and every audience member got one ballot to mark their favorite band and put it in the ballot box. Nobody went on to other rounds, got a million dollar contract, played in Germany or the Warped Tour or was awarded any other pie-in-the-sky prize package. The winning band got 50 bucks and the chance to play a 45 minute victory set at the end of the “battle”. That was it. We luckily drew the fifth slot of the night. None of the other bands could figure us out. Those bands had barely heard of the Ramones, let alone The Cramps or the The Gun Club. Our guitar amp speaker was made out of plywood, Kahuna’s Ouija guitar was made in his high school shop class, Dale had an extremely cheap plywood Japanese “Fender” bass called a Vogue, and my little drumset was purchased for $70 at the Sears Surplus Store. We were quite a sight.

One band called 4-Play had more money invested in their bizarre leather chest harness vests than we did in all of our equipment. They brought all their nice new expensive amps in on custom-made plexiglas hand-carts. Mostly I remember being absolutely petrified (which of course, now is a big laugh!). I didn’t even know if I could get up on stage, let alone play! The wait was almost unbearable and all the bands seemed better than us (even though I now realize they were probably shakier than we were). We started off with the instrumental “Out of Limits” and Dale went completely out of tune. He got it back together and we didn’t let it phase us. All our friends showed up and that made all the difference in the world. Tim and Deb Olsen were there to help us. Tim didn’t know it would turn into a 23 year “career”, okay, volunteer job of producing records, taking band photos, printing Wig Out magazine and doing whatever else we didn’t know how to do. We wouldn’t have made it that first night without him, or probably for the next 23 years for that matter. Other Tacoma friends we could always count on were there, like Rose Alexander (RIP), Jim May (owner of Community World Theater - you know, where Nirvana first played), John Grant (our scary punk rock roadie), KP’s Dad Ray Kendall (a great GT supporter), several of his sisters, Dale’s twin sister Gale, and all the many 56th Street House alumni.

At practice the week before, KP came up with the idea that we should throw cans of root beer (!). This was a bold move that I was against, but he thought nobody would heckle us (aka beat us up) if they were enjoying a delicious beverage that we’d just thrown to them. It worked (although we never did throw cans of anything again) and started our tradition of bribing the crowd into liking us by giving them free prizes. We still do that today. Hey, it’s worked so far...The half hour we were required to play went so fast it was over before I realized it. We played all covers: some Cramps songs, “Tell Us the Truth” by Sham 69 and “White Girl” by X. The crowd was great, even the people that didn’t know us acted like they liked us! After the votes were counted we ended up coming in second. I was secretly relieved because I knew we didn’t have 45 minutes of additional material. We barely had the 30 minutes we’d just played! We didn’t win the battle but we still felt we were winners. Well, that’s what we were doing 23 yeas ago today. We’re still together, still doing shows, still friends, oh who am I kidding, we’re still family. Our great friend David Duet filled in for a year when KP went temporarily insane back in 85, but other than that it’s always been us four. I don’t think many bands can make that claim. We mostly want to thank each and every one of you, and you all know who you are, for years of support and continued fun. We really couldn’t have done it without all of you! We'll treat you to a root beer next time we see you..."

Your friends, Bon, Dale, KP and Kahuna

Time stands still during the working day and then goes all fast forward on my bahookie in the evenings and at weekends. I'm sure you have the same problem. This weekend will see some lame attempt at catching up with myself in terms of chores and outstanding commitments. Somewhere in there there'll be The Eric and Amy Show and maybe even Inland Empire too.

There are two expressions that I've heard too much in the last couple of days that get right on my tits. These are "can do attitude" and "centre of excellence". Both scream the opposite of what the actual word form means in my opinion. It's another facet of the faux-professionalism that pervades our existence.Call me old-fashioned but good old resourcefulness on the part of an individual or a business or person that provides a good service is paramount. I don't any buzz phrase to suggest they're "thinking outside of the box". Because the bastards that permeate this shite simply aren't. Put those responsible for these heinous phrases in the box and nail it shut. The mail said box far, far away to a place that is incommunicado that we never never have to listen to that pish again. Of course, it'll never happen but it's that optimistic time on a Friday night when anything seems possible. But don't worry, "It Won't Last Too Long" to quote a song by some German ladies that I'll be clueing you folks in on shortly...

The Greatest Scottish Gigs of All Time (from The Scotsman)

BLACK TIME have woken up bleary-eyed and sleepy from our winter hibernation and got some stuff happening. What was that dream all about??

Thursday 15th March we play home-from-home the Corn Rocket Club at the Macbeth, 70 Hoxton Street, London N1 with D30 (portugese garage-punk ex-Tedio Boys) + THE HARTES (rocking duo). Plus handsome hosts Eric Baconstrip and Victor Torpedo spinning some hot 45s. £4. 8 til 11.

Then we're off to America for our long-delayed tour, with the fantastic HUSBANDS (Swami Records):

Tuesday 20th March - SANTA ANA CA (THE CLINIC)* All Ages Show plus SHOOT IT UP and AUDACITY
Thursday 22nd March - ARCATA CA (JAMBALYA)
Friday 23rd March - PORTLAND OR (TOWNE LOUNGE)
Saturday 24th March - SEATTLE WA (THE FUNHOUSE) plus THE HANDS and THE BUG NASTIES
Sunday 25th March - VANCOUVER BC (PUB 340) plus LADIES NIGHT
Tuesday 27th March - OAKLAND CA (STORK CLUB)*
Wednesday 28th March - LOS ANGELES/GLENDALE CA (SCENE BAR) plus STATIC STATIC and THE GUILTY HEARTS
Thursday 29th March - LONG BEACH CA (ALEX'S BAR)
Friday 30th March - SAN DIEGO CA (TOWER BAR) plus THE CORVINAS
Saturday 31st March - SAN FRANCISCO CA (THE KNOCKOUT)

*No Husbands

We have a split tour 7" with the Husbands out on Show&Tell Records of Chicago - I'll try and bring some back with me for Europeans that want one.

Then we're off to Sweden for a couple of days:
Friday 4th May - BOOGIEFEST, Gothenburg with NIKKI CORVETTE, LOCAL OAFS, M.O.T.O, HIDDEN CHARMS and more
Saturday 5th May - SAVAGEFEST, Stockholm with the MOJOMATICS and our pals THE MAKEOUTS

Then I reckon we'll spend the rest of the summer hiding indoors from the evil sun rays...

Amy and Eric kick off a short tour of the UK tonight. Try to see them or rather miss them at your peril. Actually there's no conceivable peril involved, you'd just be daft to miss 'em...

I spend a lot of time these days mithering over whether all this cybergubbings is working. Then there's the perrenial myspace (i've been kicked out three times in the past 40 minutes) and also the e-mail falling on it's arse. I'm sure this pc is about to peg it but I don't have the wherewithall (or owt else) to upgrade. Addictive as this computer lark has become, it would be nice to just consign it. Somewhere that it won't taunt me.

Of course, whenever something doesn't work, then I naturally assume that it's my fault and work backwards. Anyway, there seems to be more awry with all this than usual at the minute so if e-mail is bouncing or you can't reach the blog or if you're expecting to hear from me then I don't really know what to tell you except that it's a pisser.

It could all slide off the radar completely at any given second. The will to live is being sucked out of me just thinking about how dependant I seem to have become on this sodding technology.




NBT "official merch" is now available through the good offices of the Rt. Hon Ben Weasel and his new Monona Merch operation. The T-shirt made famous by Joey and Mr W. himself circa The Riverdales was considered punk rockin' enough to meet the criteria and the proprieter certainly has the credentials to call that. Guys shirts available soon, girls T's available now. It would be very cool if any starlet out there could do for this design what Jennifer Aniston did for the MC5. Pretty please?

The original 60's French Pop Discotheque!
Djs Le Pape Du Pop & Le Marquis De Jardin play
Serge Gainsbourg, France Gall, Jacques Dutronc, Brigitte Bardot and many more
plus special guests:
Scotland's only French language Garage Punk band
les BOF!
SATURDAY 10th MARCH
HENRY'S CELLAR BAR
MORRISON STREET, EDINBURGH
11pm - 3am £5/4

I'm not altogether sure what's going on. My ability to deal with e-mail and the day to day seems to have eroded to the point that the old premise of there not being enough hours in the day was a self-fulfilling prophecy. As was the premise of a "new" Stooges album. I've been quite bemused by the fact that anybody expected it to be any better than just average. I think it's total tosh but my opinion isn't important. It's an Iggy record with some Stooges on it. It'll help them pad out their set with some more guff that nobody needs to hear. Until they deem to play "Raw Power" they should be boycotted. Pure and simple. The world's forgotten boy is taking liberties en route to getting his bus pass. He's nearly 60 you know... and the old age fund must be shaping up nicely.

What's up? What's up? is the question that's constantly turnin' up in my virtual mailbox. Well, truth be told; nothin' really... It's just that the usual day-to-day seems to take up 99% of my time, and in the 1% left I actually prefer enjoyin' stuff rather than writin' about it. Capisce?

But right now I've got some spare minutes to tell you all 'bout what I've been diggin' as off late. A bottle of Norton Cabernet Sauvignon is sittin' half empty to the right of me, and a stack-o'-wax is on my left...

Dyke & the Blazers' We Got More Soul 2 CD/LP set (B.G.P.) is an amazing collection of 60s party music that sorta crosses the bridge 'tween soul 'n funk. Compiled 'n annotated by Alac Palao, so you know you're in for a quality package... Only slightly more "current" is Rough Trade Shops: 1976 a fine selection of (just) pre-punk goodies, includin' obvious offenders like the Ramones, Nick Lowe and Blondie, but also some fine reggae and long lost D.I.Y. goodies by the likes of the Slickee Boys and Radio Birdman. Speakin' of D.I.Y., Soul Jazz has just put out an album documenting the early days of just that. A pretty solid selection (Swell Maps, Kleenex!) coupled with a very informative booklet that spills the beans on Porky Prime cuts, Delga Press and the Pathway Studio... From the same label comes the excellent Studio One Rub-A-Dub, probably the finest reggae comp they've put out in ages, and one that's sure to even lift the spirit of non-smokers... From B.G.P. Comes the ace 1987 comp by the James Taylor Quartet. Fine, fine instros that'll take you back to the Flamingo in '65. Post Prisoners 'n somewhat mod-ish, this stuff is way beyond such categorisations tho'... Finally there's the Peel Sessions CD by pub rock legends Ducks Deluxe. From the very early (and very primitive) takes on Fireball and Coast To Coast to the later good'uns like Amsterdam Dog and Something's Going On, this gets both thumbs up from this end of the bar... Over 'n out...

Roky Erickson to tour Europe?

These dates are rumored to be confirmed:

06/16 - Hultsfred Festival, Sweden
07/05 - Roskilde Festival, Sweden
07/06 - Ruisrock, Finland
08/11 - Oya Festival, Norway

Somewhat closer to home would be nice tho'...

Anybody got more info on this?

Order your copy now!

The Munster lads are headed for the Windy City, en route to SXSW...

Available now from their myspace page for download, The Star Spangles "Dirty Bomb".

Stand by for news on the more traditional form of availability that we "auld yins" rely on....

A trip through the hearts and minds of today's most uncompromising artists! Includes exclusive 70-minute CD!

Midnight Mavericks features the most eclectic assortment of artists ever gathered between two covers. From angry stand-up comedians and cutting edge exploitation filmmakers to hardcore crime novelists and controversial cartoonists, the book casts a bright light on underground culture. Featuring four dozen artists whose work is significant in its purity and uncompromising attitudes, this heavily illustrated book features comes with a FREE CD, featuring interview excerpts and rare tracks from The Kills, Lydia Lunch, The Flesh Eaters, Sturgis Nikides, Steve Wynn, Jim Goad, Simon Stokes and many more!

Filmmakers interviewed include: JOHN WATERS, JÖRG BUTTGEREIT, STUART GORDON, NICK ZEDD, RICHARD STANLEY, BUDDY GIOVINAZZO, ABEL FERRARA and more...

Musicians interviewed include: THE KILLS, SIMON STOKES, STEVE WYNN, ANDREW W.K., JOHNETTE NAPOLITANO, RENNIE SPARKS, STURGIS NIKIDES and more...

Other noted underground figures interviewed include: JOE R. LANSDALE, LECH KOWALSKI, MARY WORONOV, J.K. POTTER, ROCKETS REDGLARE, DAVID PEACE, RON ATHEY, JACK KETCHUM, MIKE DIANA, NICK TOSCHES, JIM GOAD, LYDIA LUNCH and more...

Click here for a full list of contents, and to order this ground-breaking book, which is in stock and shipping now!

DIRTY WATER RECORDS

The new release on Dirty Water Records will be in the shops at the end of this month.

The first on our new "Excavated Archives" series, this is a re-issue of the debut Lyres single from 1979 - "Don't Give It Up Now" c/w "How Do You Know?"

The original recordings have been re-mastered so the new release will sound loads better than the original, which was issued back in '79 in a pressing of just 200 copies. The sleeve comes with a never-before-seen photo of the band playing live at The Space in Boston around the time this single was recorded.

A number of other releases are planned for the coming year, including other bands from the USA, plus one South America and Europe, as well as some home-grown British talent of course.

International distribution has been set up so you will be able to buy it in dozens of countries (including the USA, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, Scandinavia, the Benelux countries, Spain, Germany, Italy and France - and with new countries being added all the time) as well as good record shops in the UK.

In fact, so many copies of this new record have been ordered by shops already we've just called the factory to tell them to increase the amount they're making for us!

Copies will be on sale at the club, naturally, on the Friday before its release date.

I'm not altogether sure where all the time is going? There must be a leak someplace because it's pissing away something wicked. Anyway tomorrow is the first Friday of the month, and in Stockholm, that means GEARCLUB!

BOOGIEFEST

Even with the preventional shot in the arm from the doctors the flu still caught up with me this season... so here I am, sittin' bleary eyed, fever-ish an unable to sleep, tryin' to find some joy in these Youtube Nuggets; Amboy Dukes, Barbarians, Castaways, Chocolate Watchband, Electric Prunes, Knickerbockers, Nazz, Seeds, Shadows Of Knight, Standells, Strangeloves, 13th Floor Elevators.