The more eagle-eyed browsers of this portal will have noticed that CAKE has mutated into NORTH FORK SOUND. However, I know there are sleepier, less alert individuals out there that may not have gotten the memo, so here's another honk on the horn. A more diversely solid playlist is virtually impossible to find. Expertly curated, it's an encyclopedic journey through the entire history of all good music, irrespective of alleged pigeonhole. And there's also the NOFO blog to dig into while you're groovin'. With this and So Many Records... you folks are being spoiled but hey - you're worth it, right?

Suicide’s Alan Vega 70 This Year
Limited Edition EP Series - 4th Aug
Live Box Set - 4th Aug

Uncompromising solo artist and legendary front man of the band Suicide, Alan Vega celebrates his 70th birthday this year. To mark this occasion, blastfirstpetite is conducting a yearlong series of monthly limited edition releases.

Each release includes:
• an established recording artist paying tribute to Alan by covering one of his songs,
• a previously unreleased Suicide/Vega rarity from the archives, and
• proving that Vega's work even now continues to inspire, a cover version by a young up and coming band.

Major artistes will include Bruce Springsteen, Primal Scream, Peaches, Grinderman, Spiritualised, The Horrors, Klaxons, Sunn 0)) + Pansonic, Julian Cope, Lydia Lunch,Vincent Gallo and Liars . Upcoming bands include Beat The Devil/Shilpa Ray, No Bra, HTRK, X-Vectors, Nik Void (ex-Kaito), Effi Briest, S.C.U.M., and Stephen Burroughs (ex-Head Of David).
The sleeve images are all by contemporary visual artists who have been inspired by Vega, including Edward Mapplethorpe, Alex Rose, Cary Kwok, and Colter Jacobsen.

The series kicks off on 23rd July with two editions of 4000 each (catalog number PTYT 017), in both 10" vinyl & a limited download. Featured on the A-side is Bruce Springsteen’s cover of "Dream Baby Dream" (a live recording from The Boss's 2005 "Devils & Dust" solo tour). The sleeve is by Edward Mapplethorpe.

Any of series can be pre-ordered via links at blastfirstpetite.com and alanvega.com. Physical distribution is by Cargo (UK), Forced Exposure (USA), and digital distribution by State5.

Suicide Box Set Live 1977 – 1978
Out Aug 4th

Blastfirstpetite have released a six CD 3000 limited edition box set featuring thirteen live Suicide sets from the early New York performances and their legendary first European tour supporting The Clash & Elvis Costello. Entitled Live 1977-1978, the recordings are culled from the archives of Howard Thompson, the man who originally signed Suicide to Bronze/EMI outside of the USA.

Howard Thompson's archive, of which this box set largely comprises, consists of recordings made by himself and others who shared tapes so as to keep up with Suicide’s latest live adventures, and was originally intended purely for personal use. Captured on small handheld non-professional cassette machines of the era, tapes run out mid-performance and all the clunks, clicks, chatter and blather of amateur recording are captured fully intact, an audio-verité of Suicide performing in the flesh in clubs and halls of the time.

The gigs are presented in the order in which they happened, all the better to hear how the Suicide live experience evolved, to glean which audiences failed to grasp the implicit freedoms of Punk and which small bands of hardy souls rallied to Suicide’s brave new vision.

This set of recordings is not for the faint hearted. Nor is it the ideal starting place for uninitiated listeners seeking an easy introduction to Alan Vega & Marty Rev's dark and decidedly queasy proto-futuristic, low-tech sci-fi music, first unleashed on a mostly uncaring world under the banner Suicide many years ago.

Paul Smith
Blastfirstpetite (2008)

July 1 - Liquid Room - Edinburgh
July 3 - The Audio - Brighton (NOTE VENUE CHANGE!)
July 4 - Forum - London
July 5 - Guilfest - Guilford
July 8 - Open Air Free Concert - Town Square of Palma, Mallorca, Spain
July 9 - Kafe Antzokia - Bilbao, Spain
July 10 - MadridEl - Madrid, Spain

Finally some downtime to recharge these virtually unrechargeable batteries. Much as I'd like to see The Dolls tonight, I don't do the place they're playing. Perhaps I'll have to re-think that somewhere down the line but not today. Never say never.

Re-assessment does happen y'know, despite my overwhelming ability to cut my nose off to spite my face. Glasvegas are sort of an example of this. One of the main things that put me off them was the fact that Alan McGee was/is so keen. They tend to attract O*sis worshipping meathead fuckwits as a result.

It is rowdy, there's a lot of cussing and it sounds kinda exotic in the Scots brogue. That's one thing we're very good at. Swearing. We do it better and more expressively than any race on earth. Even the French. However, this "Geraldine" single is great, like Slik vs JAMC, and there are no swearies in it so it's radio-friendly. There's no question that they have a great sound. Founded on many of the things I (and you folks) hold dear so we'll see how it pans out. Maybe the music will do the talking in the end.

Glasto gets hip hop karaoke, Peace and Love gets something a little more god-like. It really happened and Björn kindly sent this link to prove it. I know photoshop can make anything possible but this was for real. While we're waiting for visual and audio action from the event, go to Roky's myspace and listen to "Wait For You". I'm keeping my fingers crossed for "I Have Always Been Here Before". Anybody out there up for filing a report?

Kjell just sent me this review and my limited command of the language suggests that our team played a blinder.

Woah, first photographic evidence! (I guess you have to be logged in to view 'em)

Got back too late last night, plus it felt like Saturday for some reason. Edinburgh seems to be a haven for packs of drunks way worse than I ever noticed before. However, as long as they keep themselves to themselves…

So let’s rewind to Thursday. My friends Valerie and Greg run Music4Games which is involved with pretty much what it sez on the packaging. They’re great kids and 150% immersed in the medium. They fixed it for me to go see the Video Games Live extravaganza in Glasgow. I’d never played a video game in my life until two weeks ago. If you read my Stockholm report then you perhaps remember that I was trounced by a 6 year old Vincent Vahlberg at Wiii (how many i’s?) Bowling. Anyway, getting the chance to hear the RSNO and choir perform the soundtrack to these alien forms (to me) seemed like a good idea.

The Royal Concert Hall is the perfect venue for a show like this. Where electric, bordering on rock shows can sound a bit tame, the orchestra sounds full and crisp. Plus its very civilised, the polar opposite of the Barra’s. Being unfamiliar with the material, it peaked and troughed in terms of the visuals but the sound was phenomenal. Some of this gear is very John Williams in terms of grandiosity. Very nice but quite bland. It was the stuff that hinted at Mancini or maybe Percy Faith that I got a kick out of. At one point, I even detected a little Esquivel maybe?

This is composition like soundtracking a film. Built to evoke emotional ties to the visuals and my problem with a lot of the graphics is that they have the same effect on me as your average costume drama. It’s not the same as anime or straight animation. It also has that Lord Of The Rings vibe which I’m not down with. This ain’t a hobbit for me anyone? A couple of earlier games looked like Hanna Barbera cartoons, those I could get a beat on.

Essentially, I never felt quite so out of my depth since I nearly drowned in the pacific. It’s a pretty slick affair and while I dug some of the pieces, the rendered nature of the stuff going on with the screen just began to blur. It impeded being able to watch the players. That’s the musicians not the “gamers”. One person I did see during intermission whilst trying to scope out the M4G banner which wasn't there was the writer, Ian Rankine. I'm sure his creation, Rebus, would share my trepidation for the format being celebrated. All the evangelical zeal in the world probably won’t snare me into going anywhere near a console anytime soon. I am curious about these "Guitar Hero" and "Rock Band" things though. I might well take another spin with the RSNO though.

So, Friday (the day that felt like Saturday)… back into film festival mode and an early start. How do you feel about the smell of Truffaut in the early afternoon? Well the practically full house for “The Bride Wore Black” at 2.30pm were certainly eager. It’s a pretty good period piece and said to be the kernel of the idea seed that was "Kill Bill". Tarantino apparently claims to have never seen it but what the hey. It’s these stories that give it all a little mystery. Closing the Jeanne Moreau season, it hit the spot, great Bernard Herrmann score too. Thinks were looking up as Artistic Director Hannah McGill introduced it, finally it seemed like an effort was being made.

Couple hours to kill before Werner Herzog’s “Encounters At The End Of The World” in a very wet Auld Reekie trying to keep out of the rain. So, back into the red with regard to effort, no intro, no nothing lights down and away. I like Herzog but this is too long and his dry, piss-taking style sort of started to grate. Some of the underwater photography is mind-blowing and turns out that this footage was shot by Henry Kaiser. I think it’ll look pretty good on your flat screen TV. The soundtrack is by Kaiser and David Lindley who also did “Grizzly Man”.

Once more into the pissing rain and down to Haymarket, missed a train by two minutes and had to wait a half hour for the next one. This is the back arse end of beyond in terms of public transport but it’ll all be different when we become indie-fucking-dependent. At this point, I’m about 50/50 not going to the Bill Plympton screening tonight. There’s a noon screening of "The Cool World" tomorrow and those Hoodoo Gurus at The Liquid Rooms on Tuesday. I think I’ve had enough of the cinema for now though. I’m all cultured out.

But hey, the sun just came out so who knows. My spirit is in Borlänge, what can I tell ya...

It's PRIMITIVE weekend in Rotterdam and I don't know if J is headed that way or not? Maybe there'll be a report if he is. But I DO know that Lenny Helsing will be performing with The Outsiders so you'll be hearing about all this one way or another. Don't let Graham Day and the Gaolers put you off, get along there if you can.

Meanwhile in Borlänge, The Roky & The Nomads show draws ever closer. That's where my spirit will be trying to gain entry without a ticket tomorrow evening. Who could ever have perceived that these generations would come together like this? It's a pretty cool thing... makes a guy think that there could be a grand plan after all. God was perhaps not an astronaut then, judging by this weekend's events - he's a garage rocker. Pray then that he's not a scene hopper.

Me, I have two more film festival days to go and I'm done but my heart just isn't in it. Innit?

I did have a wee adventure, aff the beaten track last night though. More about that later...

Caught a whiff of ganja on my way into Filmhouse last night... a couple obviously limbering up for the movie.

The Upsetter is as good a summing up of Scratch’s work as could probably be achieved in a little over 90 minutes. Mostly narrated by the man in his thick, bordering on martian rather than Jamaican brogue, it's thankfully subtitled so you can get at least a scoob about what he's saying.

Best bit for me is the clip of him performing "Daniel Saw The Wheel" in his alias of Piecock Jackson (?). It's quite simply mental. The years of ingesting the weed and everything else has created quite a monster. He's in the country because he has an Edinburgh show tomorrow, why wasn't he paid whatever was necessary to bring him to the film festival? Again there was no introduction or owt. I know it was the second screening but c'mon, this is supposed to be a special event.

The closing encounter with a Canadian in a San Francisco gift shop is funny to a point. It feels like a bit of a set up - irrespective of whether it is or not.

The Upsetter is certainly worth a look and I imagine that when it comes out on dvd there'll be a ton of extras to wade through. Strange that the clip of Junior Murvin is from TOTP2 and not the original film but maybe there's some kind of presentation reason for that. Who knows. Anyway, the best way to watch this would probably be at home. Where the only person(s) rustling bags of whatever might be you and yours.

It played with a short film called "Made In Queens" about some kids in the NY borough that build huge sound systems on to their bikes. Pretty sharp.

Been feeling below par since Monday so a mixture of that and needing to deal with sundry guff has resulted in my having to make an executive decision. The all-out fun fest that was Stockholm was sure to catch up with me eventually. I'm hankering to catch this Roky/Nomads action but alas tis not to be.

So no Harlan Ellison doc, my needle is nudging empty and I can't face another schlep into Edinburgh. No. Not tonight. Catching up with Season 4 of The Wire it is then.

Thanks to Larry Shell for the link

The first year I can actually recall attending the EIFF was 1979. In particular, the premiere of Alien, that's where I caught the bug and when I got the buzz. Uncle Lou is in the capital this week and like he said, "those were different times".

I'm not sure that I'm going to make the 30th anniversary scene next year. I might just sit it out and go with its smaller Glasgow cousin instead. Maybe I've just had my quota but I remain adamant that there's nothing better than watching something, maybe anything on the big screen. Not a costume drama though mind, I draw a line at those.

The Best of the Fest has been announced for Sunday and it seems decidedly calculated, even by recent standards. Maybe the switch to now has worked, maybe it hasn't. There were certainly plenty of people in FH last night to see the "Stone of Destiny" film and punters talked excitedly about seeing Robert Carlyle there.

So anyway, I’m feeling a little bit under the weather tonight, sort of relieved that there are no films. However, here are my findings on yesterday’s sojourn.

Ornette - Made In America was the first of the Shirley Clarke retrospective screenings. I’d love to see all of those but scheduling doesn’t permit it. As documents go, this is primo stuff. The free jazz aspect is one thing but there’s way more to it. Ornette Coleman is one of the few still living legends, now in his late 70’s I guess. During the film he tells us that Buckminster Fuller was his big hero. His “There is no up and down – only out!” is a credo his art has pushed the boundaries of at all times. Charles Williams of the Smithsonian talks about his “attack on the reed”. I’ve no idea who Chutney Dugan is, the name comes up in the credits, but it’s one cool moniker alright.

Next up was the international premiere of Strange Girls. I’d love to be able to tell you that I discovered some great new thing to recommend but in all honesty can’t. It’s not bad. There are echoes of Lynch and Waters but mainly it just made me want to see Eating Raoul because it’s more Bartel than anything else. The strangeness is pretty contrived but not without a certain charm in places. The security guard part (Max) would have been a great Dick Miller role. The guy who introduced the film reckoned that they’d coined the new “Under The Radar” strand to show films like this. I think this might be hovering there for a wee while yet and it registered a “meh” from where I was sitting. Would have liked to have hung around for the Q&A but it was a school night.

Tomorrow, I’m supposed to go see the Lee Perry doc but we’ll see. I’m feeling kind of weary. Like I’m coming down with something. Maybe I’m just od’ing on culture when all I really want to do is watch The Wire Season 4.

RIP - George Carlin

Birthday salutations to the one and only Alan Vega for today! You don't get many of those to the pound (or kg if you prefer).

Remember those days of very cool label compilations? Like The Age Of Atlantic, or The Rock Machine (Turns You On) or even You Can All Join In? Well here's the 21st Century equivalent. Weighing in as a sampler and also a damn fine selection of now music (as opposed to junk like That's what I Call Cannon Fodder Vol whatever). There's A Razzia Going On Vol 1 (with Wee Vega on the front there) collects the label assets and presents their store front as it means to go on. HS needs no introduction but Adiam Dymott's "Memory Loss" is very Sparks-like and just an utterly amazing cut. I'm not sure where they find them. Tripoli's "Walk On" was another new one on me. Like Sharleen Spiteri taking some time out in the black lodge. Other faves like Firefox AK, Konie and the Droid fellas are here too. You might have missed Svenska Kürkan's "Besatt" with it's Westworld meets The Stooges skiffletronica. Well here's another crack at scoring it. Their garnering quite a stable here. All pure thoroughbred pop for every occasion.

It's all too easy to become jaded with the state of music but this is the proverbial shot of jolt cola or even mountain dew. As refreshing as it is entertaining, the Razzia hit machine will turn you on. Lang may it's lum reek!! New Hello Saferide album, title TBA on September 24th. Blimey.

So finally, it's ready for action. Kevin Patrick's So Many Records, So Little Time is a brand new blog that'll have NBT regulars (and anybody else with the bug) burning many hours on 'ternet.

The tracks and the stories provide seamless entertainment that will thrill music nuts to the core. Prepare to discover new gems and be acquainted with old standards that you've perhaps forgotten. Might as well plonk it into your favourites right now.

Keeping and restoring faith in one fell swoop!

So to the first EIFF to take place out of the context of Festival City in August. There are several opinions and counter rumours as to why this actually happened. None of which I feel like dragging through the neighborhood right now. I approached the programme this year with the outline that I wouldn't go to anything at Cineworld. First up was Louis Malle's Viva Maria. You can't go far wrong with some very safe burlesque positioned within an extended episode of "The High Chapparal" with "Wild Wild West" tendancies. The fact that Jeanne Moreau and Brigit Bardot are involved don't hurt none either. Of course, it's utter tosh but pretty good fun with the girls coming on like the Morecombe and Wise film, "The Magnificent Two" which came out around the same time as this did originally.



Good to see Mr McKay so we retired to a local pub between screenings. By the time we left there, the heavens had opened and things got a bit damp. Patti Smith: Dream of Life is a documentary which meanders in alternative chronology but on the whole is very good if you dig Patti. I'm sure that there's a double length version someplace and that it was probably difficult to shoehorn into just over 90 minutes. I particularly liked the bits where she went to visit her parents and also when she and Flea shared peeing on the hop stories. Her son's Jackson's likeness to Fred Smith is uncanny. It also features Benjamin Smoke on stage with the PSG group just before he died. Actually I thought he was dead by that time. There was no introduction or appearance by the director or Ms Smith. That sucked. If the film maker isn't up for attending then their film shouldn't be in the programme. Simple as that. So I still don't have the answer to my Geator dilemma but the quest goes on.

From there, it was on through a horrible, drunk strewn Edinburgh which seems to be under construction. The grassmarket is something of a maze to be negotiated. Packs of stag party fuckwits roaming with their pointy faces toward Burke and Hare's strip joint. There was a pertty bad vibe in town and there were little posses of police trying to keep a lid on it. It was the polar opposite of my experience in Stockholm the previous week. And these people could drink the scumhordes from here under the table twice still there was no overbearing nastiness.

So I finally made it to the Liquid Rooms just as The Five Aces were closing their set. It was underattended to the point of Phoenix Nights. The Primevals were their usual stonking selves and it seemed to by in a heartbeat. If you can make it to the show in Stereo tonight then do so.

More packs of ugly, pished idiots were negotiated on my way to the station and sitting on the train I was thinking to myself, fuck this for a game of soldiers. Ostensibly I have another couple of films today but I'm not altogether sure that I can get it together to drag myself into town. We'll see, loathe as I am to waste the tickets - the flesh and spirit are competing for the accolade of weakest.

I hope Amy doesn't mind me swiping this picture off her site to convey that the word is out. The Wreckless (Eric)/(Amy) Rigby album will be coming your way on Stiff Records. Yes, you read that right. Back where it all began where it was semaphore signals we used, not the internut. Anyway - the full bhoona on that in due course. It's also the Grangemooth Gala Day (which means the rain won't be far away) and my mother called me last night to tell me about this. Who could have thunk it'd make the news today.

OK, if I'd switched my phone on last night then I'd have known but you know how I am with these things. Anyhoo - The Nomads will perform with the very Rev. Roger Kynard Erickson at the Peace and Love Festival next Saturday (28th @ 8pm). A very, very special event, I hope it will be recorded/broadcast for posterity. Maybe I should spring for a lottery ticket? Or better yet, move to Sweden.

If you're at a loose end in Glasgow tonight, check out this Raymond Scott celebration at the Panopticon.

All of last night and for much of today my mind has been on the restaurant we visited in Stockholm last Friday. Whoa, those meatballs. That monster mash, with a gravy that well, quite simply was beyond any mere gravy by a wavy mile. The place is called Tranan (thanks M) and if you ever find yourself in that fair city and if you're not of the veggie or vegan persuasion then you have to have these. This dish isn't on the regular menu but you have the inside track here. I rarely get that excited by food but by crikey, this made an impression.

Truth be told, I've been wishing it was last week all day today however, the weekend is finally here and it's a busy one. As for the news I mentioned yesterday, it's not absolutely set in stone but it is said that a certain Swedish rock'n'roll combo with credentials and a Texan legend will be taking to the stage together at Peace and Love - next week!? Of course, when it becomes available, the whole enchilada will be here. Still awaiting the nod on two new exemplary blogs too. You've got a lot coming up so fill your boots with fresh air while you're still able to tear yourself away from the computer. Or maybe you're mobile with all this stuff? There's a scarey thought.