Managed to drag my backside to Edinburgh for the Wild Japan screening of “Blue Film Woman” and it was a good move (No, I didn't mean to type movie - smartarse). It’s set me up for my schlep to the Glasgow Film Festival tomorrow. “BFW” is something of a curio, being a mix of very soft porn and a mildly twisted psychedelic revenge goes awry.
Might be a bit po’faced to flag up the look and composition but some of this is stunning, particularly the scene in the square with all the pigeons. This was a newly made print by all accounts which looked amazing. Although hardly recommended as fun for all the family, some of you folks would get a kick out of this. Admittedly it drags here and there but a cool lounge version of “La Mer” compensates. Seems to be precious little info available via google but perhaps this elaborates a little more.
Coming soon, the verdict on Anvil and Not Quite Hollywood…
Friday, February 13, 2009
I am grateful to Art for letting me post this here...
My Cramps Year
I first saw the Cramps when they opened for the Boomtown Rats at the Santa Monica Civic. It was quite impressive, especially the vigor with which Ivy kicked pit dancers off the stage. Then I met them in the early 80’s when Phast Phreddie brought them to my apartment when they first moved to L.A. Earlier that night Lux had sung one song with the Blasters at the Whisky, his first and last ‘guest shot’ I believe.
One afternoon a year later I saw Lux and Ivy walking on Hollywood Blvd near Graumann’s Chinese and signalled hello. I joined them for ice cream at CC Brown’s, where they told me about the difficulty they were having finding a manager who understood their music. “Really?” I said, and asked for the hot fudge they hadn’t used. After three more meetings I realized they were asking ME to manage them.
Life Is Short
I said yes and immediately left with the Blasters to go to europe. This was propitious because there I could gauge whether any overseas labels wanted to sign them: they didn’t. I thought the Cramps were widely known ‘over there,’ and they probably were, but not at the record companies, some of whom said they never heard of them. This was in the spring of 1982.
Plus there was a big snag, which I discovered after a second, solo, trip to London. The band considered themselves free from I.R.S. because certain provisions of their contract had not been fulfilled. However, disentanglement from a record company was not that simple. For a year I tried to get something going at American record companies. All the time, the cold shoulder and also “Are you SURE they’re not on I.R.S. anymore?”
The tragedy of this is that they could have “owned” MTV in its early, content-short years. The field was wide open and they certainly had the visuals to match the music. But no professional video or record company was there for them.
My friend Pat Faulstich, an executive at CBS Television, had me bring them into the building: he wanted to pitch them to the network for an Addams Family type rock & roll tv series. Nick Knox was smoking, and the anti-smoking guy whose office we visited seemed too frightened to tell him to stop. But nothing came of this. The session I booked for them at Gold Star never came to pass because Nick Knox got sick. Shel Talmy came to their Roxy show to consider producing them, but left shortly into it, his ears ringing.
When we parted it was without rancor. It was Xmas, 1982 and they weren’t on a label so they said it was over. I agreed.
Full Of Stuff
I played Lux “Louisville Lodge Meeting” by Louis Jordan during a thrift-store trip to Downey. In that song there’s a fracas at a fraternal lodge and the Most Exalted Potentate gets knocked in the head. It led him to write “The Most Exalted Potentate of Love.” I stood silent at the demo session: they were extremely not open to suggestion: their sound was theirs alone.
I took a publicity photo of them on the corner of the roof of the laundry room behind my apartment bldg. I recently saw a photo of Mario Lanza lifting weights on that same rooftop; he must have lived there in the 50s. This is, I believe, the only link between these two acts.
The band made all their money on shows. When I became manager they cut me in for 20% as a fifth member, which was very generous. After each of their Friday and Saturday night shows at the Peppermint Lounge in NY I collected $7500. (This was not a typical ‘take.’ In-between towns paid far less.) I couldn’t put it in the house safe at the Lexington and no banks were open so I carried it around New York in my BOAC flight bag. I didn’t wear an ascot or a diamond stickpin so I didn’t look worth holding up.
I enjoyed working with them. As in other reports, Lux was a pussycat when not onstage. We had interests that overlapped, but my expertise in rockabilly and weird things is only 3 on a ten scale so around them it felt more like zero. I introduced them to Mopar man Rip Masters, who advised them on keeping their 1956 Dodge running, and to Jimmy Maslon, who later directed their videos for Ultra Twist, Like A Bad Girl Should, and Naked Girl Falling Down The Stairs.
The band had a clear philosophy. Though horror movies, garage rock, rockabilly and other things are commonly noted as their ouvre, Lux said it forcefully more than once: “We are about one thing. Sex. S - E- X.”
Six or seven years ago in my monthly column (sofein.com) I postulated that Steve Martin based his dentist character in ‘Little Shop Of Horrors’ on Lux. Some people wrote back that they felt the same.
The last time I saw Lux & Ivy I was in a throng. It was 4 years ago, outside a Disneyland-annex concert hall, waiting to get in to see Jerry Lee Lewis. I was just another ant in the colony as the two of them arrived, gliding through the crowd like a knife through butter, Lux looming overhead in a black and white striped sport coat and black buttoned-up shirt, Ivy wearing a veiled black hat the width of a car grill.
Their whimsical splendor made me smile.
Even now.
Art Fein
Hollywood, CA
My Cramps Year
I first saw the Cramps when they opened for the Boomtown Rats at the Santa Monica Civic. It was quite impressive, especially the vigor with which Ivy kicked pit dancers off the stage. Then I met them in the early 80’s when Phast Phreddie brought them to my apartment when they first moved to L.A. Earlier that night Lux had sung one song with the Blasters at the Whisky, his first and last ‘guest shot’ I believe.
One afternoon a year later I saw Lux and Ivy walking on Hollywood Blvd near Graumann’s Chinese and signalled hello. I joined them for ice cream at CC Brown’s, where they told me about the difficulty they were having finding a manager who understood their music. “Really?” I said, and asked for the hot fudge they hadn’t used. After three more meetings I realized they were asking ME to manage them.
Life Is Short
I said yes and immediately left with the Blasters to go to europe. This was propitious because there I could gauge whether any overseas labels wanted to sign them: they didn’t. I thought the Cramps were widely known ‘over there,’ and they probably were, but not at the record companies, some of whom said they never heard of them. This was in the spring of 1982.
Plus there was a big snag, which I discovered after a second, solo, trip to London. The band considered themselves free from I.R.S. because certain provisions of their contract had not been fulfilled. However, disentanglement from a record company was not that simple. For a year I tried to get something going at American record companies. All the time, the cold shoulder and also “Are you SURE they’re not on I.R.S. anymore?”
The tragedy of this is that they could have “owned” MTV in its early, content-short years. The field was wide open and they certainly had the visuals to match the music. But no professional video or record company was there for them.
My friend Pat Faulstich, an executive at CBS Television, had me bring them into the building: he wanted to pitch them to the network for an Addams Family type rock & roll tv series. Nick Knox was smoking, and the anti-smoking guy whose office we visited seemed too frightened to tell him to stop. But nothing came of this. The session I booked for them at Gold Star never came to pass because Nick Knox got sick. Shel Talmy came to their Roxy show to consider producing them, but left shortly into it, his ears ringing.
When we parted it was without rancor. It was Xmas, 1982 and they weren’t on a label so they said it was over. I agreed.
Full Of Stuff
I played Lux “Louisville Lodge Meeting” by Louis Jordan during a thrift-store trip to Downey. In that song there’s a fracas at a fraternal lodge and the Most Exalted Potentate gets knocked in the head. It led him to write “The Most Exalted Potentate of Love.” I stood silent at the demo session: they were extremely not open to suggestion: their sound was theirs alone.
I took a publicity photo of them on the corner of the roof of the laundry room behind my apartment bldg. I recently saw a photo of Mario Lanza lifting weights on that same rooftop; he must have lived there in the 50s. This is, I believe, the only link between these two acts.
The band made all their money on shows. When I became manager they cut me in for 20% as a fifth member, which was very generous. After each of their Friday and Saturday night shows at the Peppermint Lounge in NY I collected $7500. (This was not a typical ‘take.’ In-between towns paid far less.) I couldn’t put it in the house safe at the Lexington and no banks were open so I carried it around New York in my BOAC flight bag. I didn’t wear an ascot or a diamond stickpin so I didn’t look worth holding up.
I enjoyed working with them. As in other reports, Lux was a pussycat when not onstage. We had interests that overlapped, but my expertise in rockabilly and weird things is only 3 on a ten scale so around them it felt more like zero. I introduced them to Mopar man Rip Masters, who advised them on keeping their 1956 Dodge running, and to Jimmy Maslon, who later directed their videos for Ultra Twist, Like A Bad Girl Should, and Naked Girl Falling Down The Stairs.
The band had a clear philosophy. Though horror movies, garage rock, rockabilly and other things are commonly noted as their ouvre, Lux said it forcefully more than once: “We are about one thing. Sex. S - E- X.”
Six or seven years ago in my monthly column (sofein.com) I postulated that Steve Martin based his dentist character in ‘Little Shop Of Horrors’ on Lux. Some people wrote back that they felt the same.
The last time I saw Lux & Ivy I was in a throng. It was 4 years ago, outside a Disneyland-annex concert hall, waiting to get in to see Jerry Lee Lewis. I was just another ant in the colony as the two of them arrived, gliding through the crowd like a knife through butter, Lux looming overhead in a black and white striped sport coat and black buttoned-up shirt, Ivy wearing a veiled black hat the width of a car grill.
Their whimsical splendor made me smile.
Even now.
Art Fein
Hollywood, CA
Thursday, February 12, 2009
After the spurt of activity over the past week I'm keeping this trim.
Tonight I shall watch the "Young At Heart" episode of The Honeymooners in celebration of the Miller's 20 year Anniversary! Atomic passion indeed!!
And on that note, I bid you goodnight...
Oh, Mike Purkhiser remembers his brother "Rick". (link via StaySick, where else!)
Tonight I shall watch the "Young At Heart" episode of The Honeymooners in celebration of the Miller's 20 year Anniversary! Atomic passion indeed!!
And on that note, I bid you goodnight...
Oh, Mike Purkhiser remembers his brother "Rick". (link via StaySick, where else!)
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Kid Congo Powers' Lux post (link via Staysick)
Roy Trakin obit (Roy was the guy that said "The Cramps will either be Kiss big or Trashmen obscure" in NY Rocker) (link courtesy of Randy Haecker)
Roy Trakin obit (Roy was the guy that said "The Cramps will either be Kiss big or Trashmen obscure" in NY Rocker) (link courtesy of Randy Haecker)
WILD JAPAN:
SEX IN JAPANESE CINEMA FROM THE 50s TO THE 70s is now in full swing at Edinburgh Filmhouse!
SEX IN JAPANESE CINEMA FROM THE 50s TO THE 70s is now in full swing at Edinburgh Filmhouse!
The inimitable Maia Hirasawa makes her US debut tomorrow night (Thursday 12th) at The Hotel Cafe in LA. Onstage at 11pm, a wee bit late but she's worth staying up for.
Maia's debut album is available in the USA on Thrive Music as of this week. Her follow up, is released in Sweden on March 25th. Watch this portal for more info.
I wrongly thought that this was Matt & Kim from the Bowery Ballroom in NY last night... in all the excitement I didn't check the date properly... you should watch it anyway... photos from last night here.
and from Portland...
and from Portland...
Dundertåget translates as Thunder Express. It’s the post Hellacopters domain of Robert "Strings" Dahlqvist so you’ll have some high hopes registering on the monitor there. Well, prepare for those to be surpassed because the band’s debut is what you rock-starved kids have been waiting for. Forget all those identikit losers, and I include Primal Scream in that. "Skaffa Ny Frisyr" is "Get A New Haircut". I remember Peter Zaremba saying "If you can't let it down then baby, take it off". I'm not sure if one's barnet material falling out qualifies but..."SNF" is several shades more fun in every department than the latest AC/DC. When that guitar kicks in during “Ifrån Mej Sjålv” (“From Myself” – thanks Ulf) you’ll be reminded of the majesty that this maligned genre can conjure up. It’s almost as exciting as seeing Alice on the OGWT in 1971. “Lika Som Bår” extends a Big Star type pop sensibility into an arena rock setting and makes me thing they should cover The Box-Tops “Soul Deep” in their native tongue. Full scale lighters ahoy for “Vi Ses Nog Aldrig Igen”.
Not that is sounds like a museum piece. I get pelters for claiming that this stuff sounds fresher than The Clash. I believe it does so get the fuck over it. The events of the past week have taught me not to compromise any belief system, however flawed it might be.
Produced by the swingin' triumvirate of Mattias Bårjed, Konie and Robert himself, the only downside against 'em sweeping the planet is that it’s all in Swedish. In many ways however, its a strength too. It’s a commanding language to present this music in. Scandanavia in general has an inherent rawk gene that most cultures bred out long ago. They imbibe it with a glamour that pretty much fled the UK and replaced it with pantomime hairy bikers. And that's just the women. Actually I'm half-kidding but only half mind. The band also includes Jens Lagergren (I Are Droid/Hello Saferide), another guy that you can guarantee will be synonymous with quality. Not content with knocking out a great sound, they’re also sporting a “Starz” type logo that is begging to be stencilled and spray painted on every conceivable garment and surface you can find.
Go listen now, lose yourself for a bit. I wish I still had the hair to do them justice… people always called me a dunderheid anyway so maybe it was affectionate, who knew. Oh yeah. It’s on Razzia, natch. Home of the hits!!
Rock Trauma. Not a Flintstones character but the online bi-product of Happyland.
(Some of it this ain't work-safe but what fabulous writing - thanks to HT for the heads up)
(Some of it this ain't work-safe but what fabulous writing - thanks to HT for the heads up)
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
LE BEAT BESPOKE 5
(The Wildest Weekender of the year returns for its fifth year!)
Easter 09 (10/11/12 April)
TICKETS ARE NOW ON SALE AND CAN BE BOUGHT ON LINE FROM WWW.229THEVENUE.CO.UK
In the four years since it started, Le Beat Bespoke weekender has built an international reputation for being the wildest party of the year. Combining the very best live bands old and new – previous acts have included Arthur Lee and Love, The Sonics, The Chocolate Watchband, The Horrors, The Remains, The Buzzcocks, The Fuzztones to name a few – with DJs from across the globe playing records until dawn, it's the thee-day party tailor-made for all lovers of the '60s underground and beyond. 2009 marks both the fifth instalment and the best one yet. Over three nights and days on Easter Bank Holiday weekend, DJ Dr Robert (compiler of the renowned compilation album series also titled Le Beat Bespoke) and his New Untouchables team have assembled a killer line-up that'll be unmatched anywhere else all year.
Since it was first released in 1968 The Pretty Things' 'SF Sorrow' album has grown in stature and reputation to the point where it's now a regular fixture on magazines' Greatest-ever albums lists. Recorded at Abbey Road in in 1967 at the same time as 'Sgt.Pepper's…' and 'The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn', 'SF Sorrow has inspired everyone from The Who and Blur to The White Stripes, MGMT and Oasis. This Easter The Pretty Things will be performing the album in its entirety for only the third time ever and seven years since a sold-out show at London's Royal Festival Hall back in 2001 - not to be missed.
South Carolina soul sensations The Flirtations have long been idolised by soul fans for peerless '60s singles like 'Change My Darkness Into Light' but they've recently won a new audience when their Northern Soul classic 'Nothing But A Heartache' was featured on a KFC advert. Headlining on Sunday evening, expect the main ballroom to be treated to soul music that's as danceable as it is heartfelt.
As usual, LBB is as much about new bands as it is old, and the NUTS team have trawled the world to bring some of the best new talent to London this easter. Two German bands make their British debuts: German fratrockers The Montesas and Cream-style power trio Louis Lament have both built up a reputation on the continent for being unmissable party bands. On Saturday afternoon legendary garage club Dirty Water will be showcasing some of the bands on its new record label, including Ireland's The Revellions, Scottish beat act The Wildebeests and London's King Salami & the Cumberland 3.
Live music is only part of what makes LBB so great, though: it's a party planned by people who like good music for people who like good music, so when their international DJ line-up does their thing, you can expect to hear the very best in everything from Garage to Rockabilly, Folk to Funk, Psych to Soul, Freakbeat to Britpop, Ska to Club Jazz and all points in between. Plus there's the most beautiful go-go girls, the trippiest eye-candy visuals, the freakiest cult cinema, guest club nights, an all night bar, art exhibitions and a huge retro market selling choice vintage furniture, clothes, vinyl and pop artefacts.
Easter 09 (10/11/12 April)
TICKETS ARE NOW ON SALE AND CAN BE BOUGHT ON LINE FROM WWW.229THEVENUE.CO.UK
In the four years since it started, Le Beat Bespoke weekender has built an international reputation for being the wildest party of the year. Combining the very best live bands old and new – previous acts have included Arthur Lee and Love, The Sonics, The Chocolate Watchband, The Horrors, The Remains, The Buzzcocks, The Fuzztones to name a few – with DJs from across the globe playing records until dawn, it's the thee-day party tailor-made for all lovers of the '60s underground and beyond. 2009 marks both the fifth instalment and the best one yet. Over three nights and days on Easter Bank Holiday weekend, DJ Dr Robert (compiler of the renowned compilation album series also titled Le Beat Bespoke) and his New Untouchables team have assembled a killer line-up that'll be unmatched anywhere else all year.
Since it was first released in 1968 The Pretty Things' 'SF Sorrow' album has grown in stature and reputation to the point where it's now a regular fixture on magazines' Greatest-ever albums lists. Recorded at Abbey Road in in 1967 at the same time as 'Sgt.Pepper's…' and 'The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn', 'SF Sorrow has inspired everyone from The Who and Blur to The White Stripes, MGMT and Oasis. This Easter The Pretty Things will be performing the album in its entirety for only the third time ever and seven years since a sold-out show at London's Royal Festival Hall back in 2001 - not to be missed.
South Carolina soul sensations The Flirtations have long been idolised by soul fans for peerless '60s singles like 'Change My Darkness Into Light' but they've recently won a new audience when their Northern Soul classic 'Nothing But A Heartache' was featured on a KFC advert. Headlining on Sunday evening, expect the main ballroom to be treated to soul music that's as danceable as it is heartfelt.
As usual, LBB is as much about new bands as it is old, and the NUTS team have trawled the world to bring some of the best new talent to London this easter. Two German bands make their British debuts: German fratrockers The Montesas and Cream-style power trio Louis Lament have both built up a reputation on the continent for being unmissable party bands. On Saturday afternoon legendary garage club Dirty Water will be showcasing some of the bands on its new record label, including Ireland's The Revellions, Scottish beat act The Wildebeests and London's King Salami & the Cumberland 3.
Live music is only part of what makes LBB so great, though: it's a party planned by people who like good music for people who like good music, so when their international DJ line-up does their thing, you can expect to hear the very best in everything from Garage to Rockabilly, Folk to Funk, Psych to Soul, Freakbeat to Britpop, Ska to Club Jazz and all points in between. Plus there's the most beautiful go-go girls, the trippiest eye-candy visuals, the freakiest cult cinema, guest club nights, an all night bar, art exhibitions and a huge retro market selling choice vintage furniture, clothes, vinyl and pop artefacts.
Getting a mini-Friday afternoon feeling because I'm off tomorrow. It won't last but the plan is to try and deal with stuff that I left at my bahookie in the wake of last weeks seismic loss. There is a new message on The Cramps website which provides a link that donations can be made to the animal charity, Best Friends. (Thanks to Mike for flagging that via Staysick)
There's an East coast celebration of the man at Henry's in Edinburgh this coming Saturday. Don't think I'll be able to get there because I'll be in Glasgow but maybe. Anyway, here are the details.
There's an East coast celebration of the man at Henry's in Edinburgh this coming Saturday. Don't think I'll be able to get there because I'll be in Glasgow but maybe. Anyway, here are the details.
Monday, February 09, 2009
Brother KP on Lux at So Many Records...
Some radio stuff, I was out last night so I missed Dirk's show, anybody know if it's archived?
Anyway, the great Howie Pyro hosts a special INTOXICA tonight... here's a few links...to listen live it is http://www.LuxuriaMusic.com at 9pm california time... there is a chat room & a webcam...there are archives in 2 places... on my myspace page in the top right corner (sorta) in a white box. http://www.myspace.com/intoxicaradio but way simpler & easier is the actual archive here: http://jellsmayhemsgarage.podomatic.com/ the lux show won't be a stretch at all from what the show usually is, as you might imagine...thanks - howie
The 150% pot success that is Robert Johnson tells me that there's a Cramps special on P3 Rock at 22.03 Stockholm Time (That's 21.o3 in the UK) on Thursday.
I know, I said I'd draw a line in the virtual sand and here it is
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unless something I think you need to see or hear comes up.
Some radio stuff, I was out last night so I missed Dirk's show, anybody know if it's archived?
Anyway, the great Howie Pyro hosts a special INTOXICA tonight... here's a few links...to listen live it is http://www.LuxuriaMusic.com at 9pm california time... there is a chat room & a webcam...there are archives in 2 places... on my myspace page in the top right corner (sorta) in a white box. http://www.myspace.com/intoxicaradio but way simpler & easier is the actual archive here: http://jellsmayhemsgarage.podomatic.com/ the lux show won't be a stretch at all from what the show usually is, as you might imagine...thanks - howie
The 150% pot success that is Robert Johnson tells me that there's a Cramps special on P3 Rock at 22.03 Stockholm Time (That's 21.o3 in the UK) on Thursday.
I know, I said I'd draw a line in the virtual sand and here it is
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unless something I think you need to see or hear comes up.
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