A Fistful of Records is a 7” label based in The Netherlands. They’re responsible for a steady trickle of fab 45 sized platters (some of which spin at 33) that will reaffirm your faith in this rock’n’roll thing. In this disposable age, it’s easy to just stick out a track as a file. It takes a certain disposition to go that extra few yards and create something that you can’t just “delete”. To forge something permanent, dressed in captivating hand-screened covers, all numbered for your collecting pleasure if that’s what floats your boat.

The Hussy are from Madison, WI (hey, that’s Ben W country!). Bobby and Heather Hussy have concocted 6 short, sharp bursts of primo punk rock action on this perfectly formed format. Not an ounce of flab and maximum use of floorspace available, gotta be impressed with that. I guarantee that “Drinking Song” will hit the spot, as will the other 5.

The Griefs are a proto-beat 3 piece from Ohio and “Little Dutch Maid” is a noisy little bisom. Just goes to show that you can’t judge the proverbial book. Nice little Kinks-ish (as opposed to kinky) twist in there.

Polar Strong hail from Bordeaux and their “Young Virgin” EP is pressed on white wax and the cover recalls “Soldier Blue”. It contains the first recorded cover version of a Bassholes song “Platform Blues” which might hint at their trajectory. One of the new breed of French combos that dredge the more psychedelic, blues-ridded tar pits, the title track vocal sounds a little like Tom Verlaine. Murkier aspects of what Television might have sounded like if technology was in short supply. I imagine that these guys would kick up quite the stink in a club.

The Forbidden Tigers roam the plains of Nebraska looking for victims to pummel with their primal power pop yelping. And I’ll be darned if there isn’t a cut titled “Nebraska Plains” that sounds like The Black Lips might if they ever discover Johnny Horton. “Crab Nebula” sounds like a cut’n’shut Franz/Rezillos hybrid. Bracing stuff.

The Glow release has just 3 tracks and the first of these “Anthem No. 1” sounds like it was recorded in a submarine. Makes the first Panther Burns EP sound like a stereo sampler. From NY, there’s something a little Primal Scream-y about this and y’all know that such a thing is likely to rub yours truly the wrong way entirely. The closer “That Kind Of Feeling” is almost endearing in a kak-handed busking Velvets fashion but I think that I’ll stick with The Hussy. Maybe The Glow will be a grower?

When I woke up, I thought it was Monday.
Not for long but for long enough to discombobulate me.
It was a relief to find out it wisnae.
I'm writing sentences like this because something is awry with the formatting.
Probably because of yon big YouTube windaes...
Or maybe I just fancy pretending its a poem.

More through the course of today, meanwhile:

RIP - Bea(trice) Arthur

I'm a little perplexed that I more or less find myself in
agreement with Paul Morley about Camera Obscura
but it's for the greater good...


Camera Obscura: A band beginning with C from Iain & Jane on Vimeo.

(missed this the other night after I mislaid Mr Percival's message but found it via their website)

Inspired by a fb post from TJH...

Wow, Fleshtones and Twisteroos is Stockholm next Friday. maybe I should go out and buy a lottery ticket?

Just futzing about here, listening to new stuff - getting distracted by magazines and other bumf. Not sure if I'm into blabbing much today, we'll see as the day rumbles on.

Hope to have some info on next weekend's DEAD BY DAWN event in Edinburgh soon. Trying to clear the decks to do the all-nighter but dunno if I have the stamina.

Of course, ideally I'd be in Madrid. Having an aperatif or three and digging the CulturaPop extravaganza that includes The Wrigbys and The Quattros. But of course, this is real life and whilst it doesn't outright suck, the ability to gallivant is curtailed at the minute.

Might check in with you later, then again..

Den Finska Nikotintanten - 122 Hours of Fear - Fun for all the family....!

Murray just hepped me to this from this week's Popbitch, apparently following an appearance on "Family Guy"...

>> UK Top 40 <<

We predict this week's new entries/high climbers

++ Number One
LA ROUX In For The Kill

++ Top Ten
TINCHY STRYDER ft N DUBZ Number 1

++ Top Twenty
GREEN DAY Know Your Enemy
PINK Please Don't Leave Me
KERI HILSON ft TIMBERLAND Know Your Enemy

++ Top Forty
The Prodigy Warriors Dance
ASHER ROTH I Love College
TRASHMEN Surfin Bird
JACKSON 5 Who's Lovin' You
MARMADUKE DUKE Rubber Lover

Er.... WHAAAAAAT?! and PJ just sent the link to the cause of this siesmic activity...

I'll feel a little better this time tomorrow because the working week will be over. Talk about feeling like not being able to get outta the bit? No major gallivanting, can't muster the energy. A movie on Sunday will be the extent of that me'reckon although perhaps I haven't altogether ruled out the Gurf Morlix thing. No that's not some rhyming slang for something to do with horlicks before you ask... and now this is going off for the evening.

Goodnight or whatever part of the day it is as you're reading this.

Oh and, Ponderosa Stomp hits up NYC. (Thanks Tim!)

RIP - Jack Cardiff

(Thanks to Ben for the info)

This month's MONORAIL FILM CLUB screening! -
TUVALU, GFT, Sunday 26th April at 8pm.

Hey, check out Brother Joss having a good ol’ mump over at the Rock Backpages blog. There’s a lot of other neat stuff over there too.

Site visits are on the rise and it doesn't appear to be with regard to Stewart's encounter with "Blackburn's finest" either. The reportage in recent days with regard to YouTube views and that particular phenom makes one think that it's all perhaps a wind up. C'mon, it must be? It makes me wonder about these "hit" statistics and how they correspond with the "hitee" responds to what they find.

Here the mechanics are simple. I want you to check out the material and maybe act upon it as in spreading the news or maybe even buying something or seeing a movie. Website traffic is another tool in the arsenal of the professional snowjob artist as far as I'm concerned. As any attempt to join up any publicity for anything gets more fragmented by the day, it's difficult to get anybody to sit still for any reasonable duration.

I’m just listening to Dave Alvin cover “Dynamite Woman”. I’ll take this guy’s work over all your Dylan’s and Young’s anyday. Hearing him tear through this Doug Sahm tune is a joy right to the jews harp outro.

Let’s see, what else should you be checking out… oh – there’s an exhibit of the sterling photographic work of Stephanie Chernikowski at Morrison Hotel Gallery Bowery, 313 Bowery New York, NY 10009. Recognise that address?

(thanks to Randy and Martin for that info)

And there's The Couple - Pt. 2 over at JD's... (18th April entry). Epic writing. If this guy was properly published then I'd read books!

Two days, two great new videos. Not to mention a stew of amazing scopitones courtesy of Bedazzled TV. Who needs the fresh air when you can stay in and watch stuff of this calibre? Incidentally, the "explicit" here refers to a little swearing although those of a nervous dispoz should note that Adiam is messing about with ciggies and guns during the course of this video...

Possibly not safe for work... the new Matt and Kim just like nature intended!

I never met Sable Starr but vividly remember a photo of Lance Loud from The Mumps carrying her. It was in NME around '75/76 I think. I don't like to hear of people that are the same age as me shuffling off this mortal coil. Not because I fear the reaper myself or anything like that, it's just something that saddens me. There are more deserving candidates for some scythe action, surely? I've been hunched over a computer screen all day and don't feel much like a couple more hours of that tonight but I didn't realise that Eric and Amy's Spanish jaunt starts tomorrow.

If you're in the following locales, please go and see them. You won't be disappointed.

April 22nd - ZARAGOZA, Teatro De La Estacion
April 23rd - BILBAO, Colegio de Abogados de Bizkaia
April 25th - MADRID, Cultura Pop Festival (The Quattros are on the bill too!!)
April 29th - VALENCIA, Teatro Octubre
April 30th - TARRAGONA, Groove Bar

Wish I was headin' out that way with them. I'm outta here now... later folks...

Oops, one other thing ... here's the full timetable for Hinterland, Glasgow.

Fangs at 7pm on the Thursday anyone?

RIP - Sable Starr

"More sauerbraten, please!" Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co. returns to the charming Cafe Steinhof in Park Slope this week for more of that good ol' Viennese home cooking and tasty German brews: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22nd / CAFE STEINHOF / 422 Seventh Avenue (at 14th Street) in Park Slope, Brooklyn / Two teutonic shows, from 10:30 sharp until 12:30 / No cover! / Dining optional, but with a full menu until 11pm!

Plus, next week, on a more tropical note...

THURSDAY, APRIL 30th / OTTO'S SHRUNKEN HEAD TIKI BAR & LOUNGE / 538 East 14th Street (just west of Avenue B) in Manhattan / Two portly shows, from 8:00 sharp until 10:00 / No cover charge!

Auf Wiedersehen! Michael

Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co.

"Ballads, Boogies & Blues"

RIP - JG Ballard

At the end of the last episode, you'll remember that your reporter was not in the frame of mind to go to the big rock show. I've seen The Supersuckers a bunch of times, as it happens on occasions I didn't remember until my memory was jogged. They're a great band. Not as Eddie kept telling us, "the greatest rock'n'roll band in the world" but capable of opening a can of whupass when called upon. They've been hauling this particular circus around for two decades now and I'm wondering if Mr Spaghetti is sponsored by Gilleys? How many of those t-shirts does he have exactly? Anyway, you get what they give and the sound last night was horrendous. Worst I ever heard in a place where it's generally good. I have it on legit authority that it was the same in Malmo but that's another story.

Had never seen Nashville Pussy but was always underwhelmed with the records. Nine Pound Hammer on the other hand is something I'll never tire of, because they have songs. "This one is about going down" said Blaine C. "Not again" was what crossed my mind. It's all so 1974, but not in a good way. True, you wouldn't fancy the bass player in Black Oak Arkansas but they had hot and nasty down pat. (Of course, I'm talking about myself here, maybe YOU would and that's your beeswax.) I really wanted to be convinced otherwise but it fell a bit flat. A cover of Slade's "Why Why Why" raised the game slightly but by that time, it was too late. NP could be great with a little calibration but I doubt that's ever gonna happen

The addition of another opener was a mistake too because that was beyond awful. It's time the "rock show" as an art form - cut to the chase. Stop fannying about and give us your best 35 minutes. Leave us wanting more for fucks sake, not wishing it was over. Make us believe. It's like people will whoop and holler for anything at this point if it makes them feel like they've had their moneys worth. I saw a guy wearing a leather jacket with Forbidden Dimension on the back. That was pretty cool and there was a girl with some very impressive tattoo work standing just to the left of me at one point. Those shouldn't have been the highlights but they were.

If only Mr McLean's fb message had come in just a few minutes earlier yesterday evening...

THIS JUST IN...

Mr Duff informed me that Roky is playing in London at the HMV Forum (formerly T&C and most recently, Kentish Town Forum) on August 20th and also that the Shjips are at The Borderline the night before. Anybody know who RKE’s band will be?