Doesn't pulling a muscle require some tangible evidence of exertion? I'd certainly have thought it would but that's the opinion of the medical expert I consulted at work. The discomfort is one thing but i'm a little more concerned about not being able to turn my head anymore than 20 degrees to the left. Not good for trying to observe what's going out at junctions and caution doesn't always pay dividends. But anyway, we'll see how it falls. At the minute it's all pain with no iota of gain on the horizon.

So I THOUGHT I’d scored a ticket for Roky. The sale of tickets for Meltdown caused just that at 9am this morning. This online thing is a racket but this is by far the worst experience of it that I've had. You can't follow anything up by phone or get through to a human to check if it all did go through and certainly not while you’re sitting in a sodding open plan office. So I had to wait until I got home tonight to find out that no, it hadn't gone through whereupon I got some scabby, slim-pickings. I’m trying to convince myself that it has to be better than attending a festival. Nothing is simple and straightforward anymore. Queuing wasn't an option being 450 fucking miles or however far from the epicentre. I hope you fared a little better if you were involved in the cyberfracas.

I broke my glasses today into the bargain so let’s just say that everything is turning to shit and leave it like that. Had a couple of days respite last week, what else should I have expected...

More details...

It's approximately 24 hours (at time of typing) until wir fabled Scotchland goes "indie". That's the same as independant, isn't it? Somewhere along the line it rallies as second grade and in many ways we're that already and en route to dropping further "doon the charts" with every passing minute. The concensus is the most people don't care and that could have dire consequences for the Scottish District Council, I mean, er, parliament. I'm determined to go and vote as early as possible on Thursday, before the crooks and comic singers or whoever else gets their canvassing heads on. It's all looking pretty ugly from where i'm sitting with regard to policies. Basically in that there are none. I think the blighters have even just decided to try and not even talk a good game anymore. After all what's the use when practically no-one is listening.
Anyway, I’m in some considerable discomfort here and on top of that, I have to go to work. Many drats. Now I just have to figure out what I’ve done to my back before somebody has to start wheeling me around in a bathchair. Those things will be quite the rage when we can’t afford petrol anymore. Which may well be soon at the rate it's going.

Thursday May 3rd will go down in history. Not for the election but as the day the Roky Erickson tickets went on sale.

Alan Vega at ATP (Photos courtesy of Tony Thewlis)

Otto's twice in one month? Is that legal? Well, dear friend, legalities be damned, for SUSQUEHANNA INDUSTRIAL TOOL & DIE CO. will be taking to the cozy confines of Otto's Shrunken Head Tiki Bar & Lounge twice in the merry month of May for a double dose of our patent pending "ballads, boogies & blues"... THURSDAY, MAY 3rd / Special bonus show! / Otto's Shrunken Head / 538 East 14th Street (just west of Avenue B) in 'ol Manhattan, NYC / Two mucho grande shows, from 8:00 sharp 'til 10:00 / No cover! / And, in our regular last-Thursday-of-the-month appearance...
THURSDAY, MAY 31st / With free prizes & Raffle Girl! / Otto's Shrunken Head / Two shows, from 8:00 sharp until 10:00 / No cover! Vaya con dios- Michael
Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co.
"Ballads, Boogies & Blues"
http://www.SITandDieCo.com

Taking a breather from his exhaustive gig schedule, Mr Duff has filed the following report. Cheers Colin.

"Lindsay mentioned his displeasure at not making the Scientists gig at the Spitz so here’s a brief report…

To be honest, I took the trip mainly to see T-Model Ford, but as he was on Saturday, Robert Belfour was on Friday and The Scientists were on Thursday, I decided to make it a long weekend. Of course, the fact that T-Model was sold out and I didn’t have a ticket added an element of risk but I’d never seen The Scientists so it wasn’t going to be a wasted journey.

I’d never saw anyone play at the Spitz before either and there’s a pretty good record fair in the Spitalfields market. I’ve had a drink downstairs but this was my visit to the actual venue. It’s a nice place, with sign urging people to be considerate in their conversations so you can hear the music. All the greater shame that it’s under threat.

Caught the last 10 minutes of Blood Safari. They’ve been trumpeted as making sounds like The Gun Club and The Gories, but sounded to me more like Eddie and The Hot Rods at 45rpm. All a little too macho to really be in that company. I popped back downstairs to quickly empty my bladder passing Kim Salmon on the stairs. Making my way back up, I heard the opening screech of Swampland and rushed in. The sound was fantastic, I always thought that the sound of the records would be difficult to recreate live but the noise of the twin guitar attack still cut through without sounding just like noise. I suppose these guys have been doing it long enough to get it right. The new drummer girl fits right in and has the touch to keep that unique bass/drum throb rolling. It’s difficult to pick highlights from a show where everything seemed so effortless, but Atom Bomb Baby and Blood Red River got the biggest cheers. I’m glad I saw them here with about 150 people in the room than at the mega-scale ATP over the weekend. Funniest moment? Kim trying to persuade the crowd to buy a live CD, then realising he was talking to a snooty vinyl crowd and turning it back on them by saying “I know you only buy vinyl but you don’t know what you’re missing until your hear Tony breaking all six strings at once” Seeing The Scientists, highlighted what had been missing from the Drones show in Glasgow a few days earlier. I thought the Drones had perhaps been a little tired when I saw them, but in comparison, it wasn’t energy that was lacking - it was the self-assurance with which The Scientists make the same kind of intense noise which made them the fiercer beast at close quarters.

It was a tough weekend in all. I had seen Einsturzende Neubauten in Glasgow the night before at the Tramway. A terrible venue for rock and roll where you could hear idiots talking about their plans for the weekend, even over the volume that Neubauten operate at. Robert Belfour was great, seemed in good health and played a neat focused set of distinctive country blues. I smiled sweetly at the girls on the door and eventually got a ticket for T-Model. I never saw him before, he played Edinburgh a couple of years ago but I was out of the country at the time. This was easily the highlight of the weekend. He played an absolutely perfect set of hard punk one-chord/no-chord stomping blues. The songs were mostly indistinguishable from one other and bore only a slight relation to the recorded versions. How he achieves this when the sound is so simple I don’t know but he played for almost two hours. Not a moment too long.

Back to Edinburgh on the Sunday and saw Ute Lemper at the Usher Hall, for a (slightly) different vibe. Perfectly played, very civilised Weimar Republic cabaret. A good way to wind down from a rock and roll weekend. I even caught the bus back to Glasgow without a hitch…"

Scientists photos from ATP by Vanessa Exton

It's always good to hang out with old friends. It numbs the daily erosion and general wearing down process. I'm not a team player but maybe could be if it were me picking the squad. Good vibes manifested themselves in a score of Bambi Molesters cds at a Jumble/Garage sale in Glasgow. Still shrink-wrapped, I’m curious as to how they got there and may well investigate further. However, that Roky news has distracted me somewhat… June 18th isn’t far away.

However, there are happenings closer to hand and tomorrow, May the bleedin’ 1st, is the actual release date of the Star Spangles “Dirty Bomb”. I know some of you early birds have done got this particular beastie already but with the £/$ exchange rate you can’t afford not to go and make a deal at CD Baby right now.

More Coyotemen eat The Stooges hijinks. Wee Jimmy and his crew are also part of the Jarvis thing.

Other sizeable news (courtesy of The Barman) is that the actual Saints and not an approximation have a show down under. Details at the I-94.

Alan Vega's "Station" is out today. Mr Thewlis tells me his ATP show was a triumph and may even have a couple of pictures to prove it.

Part of Jarvis Cocker's Meltdown...

Monday 18th June - Roky Erickson plus Clinic Royal Festival Hall, London.

Tickets go on sale this coming Thursday, 3rd May!

Headed for Glasgow in a wee while to hook up with the Goofenhaus kids. One last huzzah before they go back to NYC. Can't believe that yom month of May is on the horizon. After the election on Thursday (3rd), it's widely expected that Scotchland will be independant. On Friday we'll need passports to go over the border... er. If such a thing was ever to happen then they'd probably whap up a big wall and put a big padlock on the one way in and out. Can you imagine the sheer size of arse we'd make of going it alone? Oy and indeed nor'alf. But maybe I'd be pleasantly surprised? Or proved wrong?? I did think that we could maybe go to see The Pastels but that's in Edinburgh today so I've got my bearings scrambled in addition to the ongoing attrition of circumstances. However, if there is indeed a god, then my mitts will finally connect with the Mary Weiss album via Monorail. A visit to 78 (formerly Stereo) is also on the cards. A couple of things you may like to check out meantime if you find yourself in the hoose. I should add that is not a hip hop reference. It merely means your abode in this case. Apologies to any hipsters who were hoping for the latter...

The Coyotemen celebrating Jimmy's 60th with a surftastic take on "No Fun".

Les Wadbillys.

"Get your advance tickets. The show will sell out!

CINCO DE MAYO SHOWCASE

Saturday, May 5- Jensen Rec Centers
Curated by Ian Brennan
MusicPass accessible; tickets also available at the door.

Saturday, May 5 the Silver Lake Film festival celebrates the rich-history of Chicano rock music in East Los Angeles from Lalo Guerrerro to War to Los Lobos. The evening will feature performances by Dios Malos, Lysa Flores (1997 Independent SPIRIT debut-performance nominee for the film "Star Maps"), Ollin, The Revolts (featuring Jonathan Velasquez, star Larry Clark's "Wassup Rockers"), and culminating with the grand finale of 1970's punk-legend Alice Bag being presented with the MUSIC PIONEER AWARD and her performing a song by The Bags for the first time in decades.

Saturday, May 5: Cinco de Mayo showcase, Jensen Rec Center in Silver Lake, featuring Alice Bag, Dios Malos, Lysa Flores, Ollin, The Revolts. MUSIC PIONEER AWARD: ALICE BAG

http://www.ticketweb.com (put alice bag in the search) (yes, come after the fight!)"

The Black Lips first foray into these parts last night was a short sharp jag. Opening for some guy by the name of Bobby Conn who was a serious mis-match of the kind you hardly ever see anymore. So this meant that The Lips were onstage by 8 and off at 8.30. Their agitated Electric Eels meet The Fleshtones mercybeat is delivered with train-like percussion. Sometimes it swings, sometimes it heads off into outer space. Despite what seemed like the soundguy's best intentions to have it jump the tracks, they made it to the next station. Jed, the drummers big beat, no frills tub-thump really allows the sound to surf over the top. Like a particularly malevolent wave breaking on the shore into fuzzed, psyche shards. It’s all fairly chaotic, much like Cole Alexander's barnet. A Mary Chain by way of the Thompson Twins hedgerow, bordering on being a hair-don’t. They’re at The Classic Grand in Glasgow tonight so cut along and give them some moral support. They’re all over Europe like a rash and back in Glasgow on June 4th. An appearance at the very fine Debaser in Stockholm is coming up on Friday May 11th and also at the Malmo branch the next night. A full list of shows running into June is here. The Munster dvd should also be available any minute now.

Bobby Conn started his set with a movement that approximated a Gibb Brother (you decide which) being accompanied by Hawkwind but the resultant noise wasn't as interesting a canvas as that might suggest. We made it out into the night to grab a couple of haggis samosas, a little fusion cuisine fast food.

Due to continuing stuff and nonsense here, I haven't been in a position to file a report on the Danny and Dusty thing from last week. One of just three shows in the UK on their way to Europe. They do that bar-music pretty good and Dan Stuart has a kind of Hunter S. Thompson doing John Belushi thing going on. Wee bit of Phil Alvin too. Some “hobbit-rock” combo called Porcupine Tree was giving it big licks upstairs in the bigger venue. Every now and again the noise would emerge and try to engulf D&D. “Song for the Dreamers” is one of the great anthems and no amount of prog thunder can halt it. I haven’t heard their new Blue Rose release but the material they did from that sounded pretty good. The whole band was right on the money and sometimes it really soared. If they roll into a venue anywhere near where you are, then head along. This damn thing is still playing up but stay tuned as much keyboard rassling is on the cards.

And how's this for a segue... from Black Lips to Wooden Shjips...

RIP - Bobby "Boris" Pickett (he did the mash...)

There's an ongoing problem here. Some e-mail makes it out and some doesn't. And vice versa. If you've been sending messages and they bounce back or whatever then I've no idea why that's happening. By the time I've sat in front of one of these things day in and day out then the spirit isn't exactly willing to get all square-eyed at home. I don't want people to think that they're being ignored though so please bear with this glitsch. Seems there's no immediate known solution to what might be happening but the contact info via this thing seems to work. I've tried it myself from other terminals. Myspace has been kicking me out again too so it's difficult to get anything done with that flippin' carry on too.

Plus, tonight, I'd much rather be at The Scientists than futzing around here but them's the breaks. Hopefully we'll get a wee report on that. It's bound to be a blinder.

Sign the petition here!

"Psychotic Reaction Films presents
"Ghost on the Highway"
A portrait of Jeffrey Lee Pierce and the Gun Club@The Bernard Shaw, Portobello, Dublin 8
live performances by The Things and Friends
w/ Love Action Dj'sSunday 6th of May 8pm

"GHOST ON THE HIGHWAY"A Portrait of Jeffrey Lee Pierce and The Gun Club"Ghost on the Highway" is the provocative new feature documentary which examines and celebrates the late Jeffrey Lee Pierce in all his puckish, shit-stirring glory. The film is a two-fingered salute in honor of Pierce's legendary band The Gun Club, one of the most notorious and incendiary in the history of American popular music.

"Ghost on the Highway" boasts comprehensive interviews with ex-Gun Club members Kid Congo Powers, Ward Dotson, Terry Graham, Jim Duckworth and Dee Pop, as well as observations and revelations from Pierce intimates such as Dave Alvin ("Blasters"), John Doe ("X"), Henry Rollins ("Black Flag;" "Rollins Band"), Mike Martt ("Tex and The Horseheads") and Peter Case ("Plimsouls"). Lemmy Kilmister ("Motorhead") makes a special appearance with an aim to excoriate the record industry."Ghost" is directed by Kurt Voss and edited by Andrew R. Powell. Voss and Powell also act as producers on the highly anticipated film, which delivers new insights into the volatile psyche of bandleader Jeffrey Lee Pierce, who died at age 37 after a life of self-abuse which was, by turns, both riotous and tragic.Still criminally undervalued, the Gun Club were the first group to fuse punk and blues, thus paving the way for more high profile contemporary acts like The White Stripes.The release of "Ghost on the Highway" marks the ten year anniversary of Jeffrey Lee Pierce's death.This film showing also features live performances by The Things and Friends!!!!! Dont miss it!!!!!!!!!!!"

The Scientists (en route to The Spitz and ATP) will reduce Resonance FM to swampland between 7 and 8pm this very evening. You can listen to the stramash here. Not sure if it would be available as a stream later but y'never know...

"Influential 70’s art-punks, The Skids will be playing a one off headline show at the Glen Pavilion in their hometown of Dunfermline on Thursday 5th July 2007. Celebrating their 30th anniversary, this gig comes just days before The Skids take to the Main Stage at T in the Park. Before splitting in 1982, they released 4 albums and had 10 chart singles including, Into The Valley, Working For The Yankee Dollar and The Saints Are Coming (recently rerecorded by U2 and Green Day). Founding member Stuart Adamson went on to form the hugely successful Big Country before his untimely death in 2001 and Richard Jobson had a successful career as a writer and presenter before moving into film where he’s enjoyed success with films such as 16 Years Of Alcohol which he wrote and directed.

Jobson will be joined on stage by original bass player Bill Simpson, drummer Mike Baillie and Big Country’s Bruce Watson will fill Adamson’s role on guitar. Tickets are on sale today!

The Skids, Glen Pavilion, Dunfermline, Thursday 5th July

BUY NOW! (Please note: Tickets will be limited to 4 tickets per person.) "

For some reason, until I was at the SYLQ show in London a couple of weeks ago, I never heard of The Mockers. Los Mockers, the Uruguay 60’s mob yes, but not the American variety. It’s been my loss. Anyway, “The Lonesome Death of Electric Campfire” is a fine example of the intersection between superior power punk and NRBQ. And of course, the kids in Spain love them. They’re even on the same label as Nice Man and the Bad Boys. But let’s make up for lost time, “Real Enough For Me” chimes in with that guitar thing that does it everytime. “Doin’ Time” really reminds me of Guadalcanal Diary. So much so that I’d swear that Murray Attaway was singing.

This is a prime example of how roots rock can just bubble away in niche markets which of course is a great thing. It makes a nonsense of the “machine” and indicates that profile should never be confused with an actual hard and fast audience, irrespective of location. If MTV had any power any more then “The Emperor Strikes Out” would be all over it like mud on a pig, you can see the video here. Ever wonder what “Ca Plane Pour Moi” would sound like with a Fastbacks type rocket strapped to it’s arse? While you’re at it, check out “Highway Star”, that’s what really tipped me over the edge. You can always tell the calibre of a band by their cover versions and this to me signals the complete and utter genius of this band.

If you’re a long-standing NBT reader and you know what makes this tick then you’ll really get off on this record. They make the kind of noise that saves souls. At least while it’s flying out of the speakers. Teenage Fanclub types will find much to sooth the cravings also. Put simply, this is perfect pop music. The kind that will always be around to help us out of grave situations.

On the flipside of that is a group called The New York Loose that should have been a legend in their lifetime. Thankfully, even although they gave up, they never gave in. “Born To Loose” is a collection of rare and live sides that indicates just how great they were. It’ll hopefully provide those who never came across them with the smarts to petition a reissue of their fantastic “Year of the Rat” album that came out on Hollywood Records many moons ago. Brijitte West should have been a star. She should have been on the cover of all the magazines. However, the various powers that were, blew it. Imagine if The Dolls were The Sweet fronted by Suzi Quatro channelling Chrissie Hynde. Man. This lassie could pout and by all accounts still can. That’s why she’s giving this rock thing another roll of the dice. “Bitch” starts the whole ball rolling with that patented NY skirl that makes our eyes water every time. The kind that very few bands this side of The Star Spangles are capable of wrangling. “We are the monolith kids” goes the chorus of track two and they were so right. “Pretty Suicide” is THE glitter rock anthem in waiting. I could describe them all to you but wouldn't you rather bathe in the glam-deur yourself? There are 19 tracks and an added bonus of video enhancements. “Lord Won’t You Send Me A Devil” sends me spinning back to the Lower East side watching The World Famous Blue Jays bring down that amphetamine country which was much in its infancy at the time. Brijitte also had a band called San Dusky after the Loose called it a day which carried that roots sound into a more contemporary setting. It too should have put the lady on the map but they were gone almost as soon as they started. Look out for NYL shows to tie in with the release, check out their myspace page for details. You can bone up on the history and make like you were into them all along.
It's out May 14th but you can pre-order it here.

Better late than never after all. Just like me and The Mockers.

Sort of wanted to see The Drones tonight but the thought of three bands at Barfly is too much for a school night. Maybe I could go see The Choke on Tuesday instead and leave before Theatre of Hate. That could be a plan? Still smarting at not being able to see The Scientists on Thursday but what's a skint, burned out guy to do. At this point, The Black Lips seem like a poor substitute but let's give 'em the benefit of the doubt. Thinking about it is making my head nip so out into the fresh air I go...

SOS 1st Birthday Bash

Featuring live sets from wacky Stockholm minstrels,
THE MEXICOS and special secret guests,
plus SOS DJs spinning the usual mix of super Swedish pop!

Friday, May 11, 9pm to 1am, 4GBP entry

RAFA Club, 27 Ashley Street, G3 6DR, 0141-332 4465

SOS: Sounds of Sweden is celebrating its first birthday on Friday, May 11 and we're doing it in style, with a live set from wacky Stockholm collective THE MEXICOS and special secret guests! We've had an exciting first year, packed with spectacular live performances and fantastic floor-filling sets from both resident and guest DJs. We've played host to a diverse mix of artists in a variety of venues, from Swedish-language crooners Vapnet, who wooed a seated crowd at an intimate Sleazy's gig, to elusive underground electro producer Mr Suitcase, who set the dance floor alight at a packed Admiral Bar. For many of the musicians, it was the first time they had played outside of Sweden, and after the warm reception they received, most are already planning return trips. Founder Stacey Shackford has a nose for sniffing out new up-and-coming talent, and several SOS acts have gone on to be nominated for the Manifest Awards, Sweden's version of the Emmys, including Maia Hirasawa, Hello Saferide, Blood Music, Vapnet and Suburban Kids With Biblical Names. SOS has appeared in several publications and music web sites, both in Sweden and the UK, including a special feature on Swedish pop in the Guardian. We have worked together with other Glasgow venues and promoters (including Out To Play, El Rancho Relaxo, Dolly Mixture, Edinburgh University Indie Society, Pop Theory, Drunk At The Pulpit and The Winchester Club) to facilitate opportunities for Swedish acts we couldn't fit on our bill, and have also helped to build a network of other Swedish club nights across the UK. And we recently teamed up with Stockholm club Starfly to expand - and possibly export! - our operations. We simply love Swedish pop and our mission is purely to help the artists and promote it in any way we can, and to that effect we operate as a non-profit. This year promises to be just as exciting, starting with our birthday celebrations on May 11. We'll be returning to the place where it all kicked off a year ago (Friday, May 12, 2006 to be exact) - The RAFA Club on Ashley Street in the Woodlands area of Glasgow. With their crazy repertoire of cheesy yet genius electro covers of artists like Toto, Bryan Adams and Aaliyah, THE MEXICOS will surely get the party hopping. The Stockholm collective features Mikael Hall, Douglas Holmquist and an ever-changing motley crew of friends, including members of Oh Sweet Music and Suburban Kids With Biblical Names (who will also be playing a gig at Nice n Sleazy two days earlier, on Wednesday, May 9). It will be their first UK appearance.There will also be surprise guests doing their own covers of Swedish songs, and other special treats!

The Mexicos:

http://www.myspace.com/mexicos

additional MP3s: http://themexicos.blogspot.com/

Sounds of Sweden:

http://www.soundsofsweden.com

A full list of acts we have helped bring over in 2006/07:

Elias Akesson (of Elias and the Wizzkids)/Irene/Southside Stalkers/Moneyflight/My Darling YOU!/Blood Music/Fine Arts Showcase/Boy Omega/Suburban Kids With Biblical Names/Maia Hirasawa/
Hello Saferide/Vapnet/The Loveninjas/Bjorn Kleinhenz/Television Keeps Us Apart/Mr Suitcase/Sebastian Fors and the Ones That Got Away/A Smile And A Ribbon/Thomas Denver Jonsson