Further information Right Here!

The south is getting the inclement weather now apparently but it’s still bleeding cold. I went out at lunchtime to clean the windscreen of the car and as soon as the water was applied it froze. Still it was good to be able to drive a hundred yards before the spray from other vehicles restricted my view again.

Managed to get into the driveway again too with only a little crunch courtesy of the the hard packed snow. I hope that's all it was anyway...

This was a picture taken out of the office window at about 10.20am this morning. There were no deer running across the field. You might think – wow – what a view. However, we (most of my colleagues and I) associate driving toward the hills with work. If you were to do so for rest and/or relaxation then yes - it’s pretty damn picturesque. On the low end of spectacular even, but those of us who are in there seldom get the chance to look up. Which of course is exactly why it’s called work and not “the place where you can gawp at the pretty countryside all day”. Incidentally it’s still dark at 9am, what’s up with that?

Now that there’s a little respite in this part of Scotchland, the bright blue skies pretend like it’s still light on the journey home. Aye the days are fair drawing oot….

Step this way and catch up with Super Rock activities in Harrisburg and Brooklyn over the New Year on Peter Zaremba's Busy Buddy blog.

His appreciation of Roky Erickson is most definitely worth your time.

RIP - Willie Mitchell

(Info courtesy of Mr Sangster via facebook)

I woke up at 02.57AM this morning thanks to the "Back To Work" internal alarm clock. Subsequently I've been awake since then. First day back sucked but could have been worse.

Yes you read that right but this might just be because I was so tired. But the cold during much of the morning primed a modicum of alertness. I could use a snooze now but I have to do a bunch of chores that just can't be put off for no longer. Well, they could but I've convinced myself they won't be. So with that in mind, and to ease us into this as yet young year - check out JD's latest instalment.

If you're new to it then just go up to the sidebar on his site and pick off the chapters. If it was a book - and it should be - then it'd be the proverbial page turner!

M E T A P H O R S - Chapter 7

Not much chance of me getting there because of public transport problems but if you're anywhere around New Haven in Connecticut tomorrow (January 5th) then Andy Shernoff is in town...

.. 8 pm, Café Nine, 250 State St. $5. 203-789-8281, cafenine.com.

I saw The Len Price 3 open for The Boonaraaas!!! once. Whilst not outright bad they were just taking up valuable time and I haven’t given them a second thought until now. They always made pretty decent records but the new one “Pictures” is leaps and bounds ahead of the others in terms of punch. You’ll be aware that I’m not a “Medway” fan. Whilst I appreciate the devotion to analog, a lot of those bands just don’t do it for me. It’s not them, it’s me. Obviously.

But irrespective of who’s to blame the new LP3 is a power-poppin’ miracle that is meaty, beat-y, big sounding and rambunctious to the point that it’s likely to have you bouncing in any and all directions. Talk about upping the game? Really concise nuggets of hit-parade worthy songs that owes as much to The Records or the Brinsley’s as it does to the ‘oo. The title track clocks in at just under two minutes rendering it virtually Ramone-like in terms of snappiness.

This is their first release for Wicked Cool, although Little Steven’s label has issued their 2nd album in the USA. That kind of storefront could really work to get the word out. Nobody is reinventing the wheel here but at this stage of the game where a gazillion acts are fighting for your attention, this is one example of something being familiar that need not breed contempt. On this showing, I’d definitely give them another chance live. If they’re half as good as these songs then it’ll be a result.

The downside is that there’s a possibility that some of it might appeal to O-arse-Is fans because there are a few shards of phoney Beatle-ness. I have to qualify this though as being more akin to a US garageband take on the British invasion. The LP3 also have a cheeky monkey sense of humour too. “Mr Grey” could easily be sneaked on to “Sounds Of The Sixties”.

I wonder if Brian Matthew would be up for such a jape?

Just found this on the Hot Rods myspace...

"Hello people and a happy new year to one and all . Some of the shall we say older Hotrods fans will remember back in the late 1970's Eddie and the Hotrods toured with Squeeze and The Radio Stars as the support acts, now some 30 odd years later the Radio Stars are once again playing alongside the Hotrods at the 100 club in London on Friday January 22nd.

If all goes well a UK tour may well be booked.It will be great to see you all there for what looks like being a really good night".

And what with the Dr. Feelgood documentary opening on February 2nd then maybe we can expect some kind of music explosion to happen this coming Autumn? Prob'ly not though but it's sometimes good to display misguided hope, right?

So we’re what? A month away from a whole year since Lux departed the earth? Hard to fathom. And even more confusing if you’re lucky enough to get your hands on Trash Is Neat 4. A fan-made challenge that compiles clips in celebration of the band that altered the course of so many histories and an amazing time capsule with a 170 minute run time split across two discs.

When (or most likely if) - an actual documentary is ever made, it quite possibly won't hang together half as well. Watching this was an emotional rollercoaster. Assembled with the same mentality as I tried to bring to the LOTC all those moons ago, if the technology had been available, this would have beed a dvd edition of Rockin' Bones. The time, effort and spirit of the enclave responsible is as “tireless and passionate” as the big guy once said that the fan club was. I should drag that out and scan it one of these days. Is it just me or does that sound like a line from Ultra Twist?

It was odd seeing the later shows, the last one I ever saw was at The Paradiso in Amsterdam and it wasn't, in my opinion, great. Especially when sandwiched between two of my other favourite groups of all time, The Fleshtones and The Nomads. Of course, the reason was Slim Chance and Harry Drumdini. I wish I’d seen them with Bill Bateman, the only man who could actually follow Nick Knox and who is arguably much more practiced in the art.

The flame is well and truly burning here and if you want to try and score one of these beasties then I believe instructions to do just that will be available at the Staysick board later tonight. You need to be a member of this hallowed community and you should be warned right now that it’s a staunch church. Not populated by flakes like so many of these other “groups” you might have signed up for on the interweb.

TIN#4 is both celebration and tribute. Much of which I hadn’t seen – some that I had, but it’s been put together with a lot of love and understanding. Peace too maybe. Unless Ivy decides to commission and steer the definitive story then this is the closest you’re likely to come.

This will NEVER be commercially available for sale and it’s an enormous credit to all concerned. Nothing at all to do with yours truly before anybody asks. The staysick hardcore took up the baton and have come up with something that could only have been but together by true believers. To be enjoyed by those who understand that this band that gave the world far more than The Beatles, The Stones and Dylan combined.

http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/staysick/

Update @10.48am on Monday 4th January... they're all gone.

Yes, you've heard this one before but groundhog day has become groundhog year. I just spent some time on the phone trying to figure out what's up with the e-mail and the closest I came to a resove was that the guy told me that there are so many people sending information. That's probably what the problem is.

He somehow managed to send me a message that appeared right in the inbox. After I got off the phone I tried to send me a message from my hotmail (which is seemingly working and zero - zilch - nada). So bollocks to it. Perhaps it'll work out, or maybe not. At this point I give up. If you need to get a hold of me meantime, use facebook maybe. It seems to work more often than not.

I always get a bit antsy on days like today. It just seems like things need to fast forward now. Not that I haven’t liked being off or anything but let’s face it, another set of numbers is unlikely to change anything is it? However much we want it to. But we can help one another through the shit storm. There will be casualties but that’s life. It’s the greed that needs to be brought into check. I have no idea how that could be achieved because it’s those that are alleged to be running the show who are the worst offenders. The populace is so punch drunk (and presumably stupid) that they’d rather vote for some sub-karaoke bilge than an actual government. How do they engage the public to take an interest? They can’t because of their creepiness and greediness and general inability to do anything of value. But anyway, sometimes things do take an unexpected turn. But would or will anybody notice?

The first Lefsetz letter of 2010 – or was it the last one of 2009 (not sure because I turned in before “the bells”) – is full of his same old bullshit. Your reporter almost went off on one when he read it but then realised that the guy only services a scene that celebrates itself. Some of them might throw their toys out of the pram if he begins to get close but thems the breaks. His taste in music is closer to the great unwashed than he seems to perceive. I really should unsubscribe but actually enjoy the incessant whining. The same old mantra. The next revolution will sweep all of that away. It’s fermenting someplace. It has to be.

Meanwhile, there are things dotted on the horizon that will pepper this coming year with some relief. The first major happening being a trip to Stockholm for a very special event on March 5th, full details in due course. And there’s the Glasgow Film Festival in February which includes a Pere Ubu show at The Classic Grand on February 20th. In a film related subject, Ben brought to my attention that a major figure in horror fandom died the week before Christmas...

RIP – Chas Balun.

Kogar is serving up some Forbidden City Dog Food... Yum!

Stefan is taking time out from his non-stop celebrating of a new year to provide some internet radio company for you. This is good news from anti-social types such as myself. Bear in mind that this is between 6 and 8 UK time, I've no idea at this point how that equates to elsewhere further afield. It would be worth your while to find out.

The archaeology of rock’n’roll is much like any other form of digging. Significant finds demand the re-addressing of previously considered certainty. Such chicken and egg semantics are entirely dependent on the consumer’s entry point. Fuck the chin stroking.

I’d never heard Los Saicos until my recent trip to Madrid. I had heard Wau y los Argghs version of “Demolición” and while I could appreciate the inherent wildness, never for a minute considered that the original would have been even more deranged. More importantly this snarling maelstrom of nihilism was cut in Lima when the rest of the world was wetting itself over The Beatles.

Hear and believe direct links to both The Stooges and The Cramps, indeed the track that kicks it off is not unlike something they might have come up with as a James Bond theme. It’s customised. The latter spawned several generations of individuals who would dig deep to previously (mostly) unheard seams of music that just radiated. A strong case in point to my mind that preceded the much vaunted “punk” explosion of the 70’s was Cleveland’s Rocket From The Tombs. If they’d have released an album and stayed together instead of fragmenting then who the hell knows how things would have turned out. Maybe we could have avoided U2 altogether? I was a little perturbed by the claim on the Mickey Leigh/Legs McNeil book jacket that Boner blames his existence on Joey but what can you do. I guess that was meant as a compliment and we should assume it as being so.

Anyway, this would be a wild ride whenever it was construed and this is your first must have of 2010. I can’t conceive of any NBTolyte that won’t be enthralled with this.

The unhinged nature of the song titles is one thing but after you become acclimatised to the inherent strangeness, other aspects become apparent. The rhythms and the way the guitars chime and twang to offset the howling are no mere approximations or interpretation. Chemistry is a far more important factor in the gestation of sound than proficiency or ability. There’s a point where nature takes over and in kicks the call of the wild. I don’t know about you but I have an intense dislike of artists that are nothing more than a modular, cookery book approximation of what somebody reckons might be a hipster record collection.

I asked Erwin how aware he and his friends were of what was happening in Britain and the US at the time and here’s what he had to say.

“We knew the Beatles, they were our idols. We heard the Rolling Stones after recording “Demolición” and also Bob Dylan and others. The primitive nature of our songs is something that came spontaneously out of my head. The band had no problem with assimilating and arranging it. The titles and themes are more humorous than violent and actually, the only song that talks violence is “The Cats Funeral” (El Entierro De Los Gatos). However, we thought of ourselves as bad boys and that must have been a driving force. After Los Saicos - I wrote some really violent stuff, but I would not play it now and I don’t think I was comfortable playing it then either.”

Primitive to the point of primordial, Los Saicos were an important benchmark. Who ever thought there could be a combo out there in Peru that would make The Sonics sound like Simon and bloody Garfunkel? There is quite possibly some other music out there that could well make us re-address this and I look forward to hearing that.

However, in the meantime, take this short course of saicotherapy and rejoice that artefacts like this can still turn up. Such tempo tantrums are precious and prove to us once again that there is nothing new on this earth. Why would there be?

RIP - Rowland S. Howard

If you're venturing out in Glasgow, this new years eve...

Hogmanay at 78

We would like to invite you all to bring in the new year with us at The 78 with Golden Grrrls (live) and Pastels, Teenage Fanclub and Foolin' Around djs. We did this last year and it was a brilliant start to the year. This year with added snow, ice and Golden Grrrls it will be a sensation. No charge, free. This is on us!

The 78, Kelvinhaugh Street, Glasgow G3 8NU. 0141 576 5018

I spent much of today compiling a list of 78RPM records. Primarily to send to a friend in Spain that provides a home to waifs and strays of the shellac variety. The remainder will be found a berth where they’ll be used and won’t stay on a shelf year in, year out. On closer inspection of some, they’re cracked, broken and in bad shape. I should have checked them before but I was more interested in saving them from being thrown in a skip. Thing is that some of them should have been.

I’m learning about the pragmatic nature of being able to let stuff go. I seem to be good enough at it where people are concerned but “stuff”... being a pack rat is an illness. But I’m doing what I can to get better. After my dental hygienist appointment tomorrow morning, there’s a whole lot of other recycling gonna be going on of the old music paper variety. I’ve promised myself that a few pounds of clutter will be lost over these holidays and well, it shall be done.

RIP - Tim Hart (Steeleye Span)

AN UNCENSORED ORAL HISTORY OF THE 1977 TORONTO PUNK EXPLOSION AS TOLD BY THE BANDS WHO WERE THERE...

Treat Me Like Dirt is the first book to document the histories of the Diodes, Viletones, and Teenage Head, along with other bands (B-Girls, Curse, Demics, Dishes, Forgotten Rebels, Johnny & The G-Rays, The Mods, The Poles, Simply Saucer, The Ugly, etc) and fans that brought the original punk scene to life in Toronto and beyond (Hamilton and London).

TREAT ME LIKE DIRT: An Oral History of Punk in Toronto and Beyond (1977-1981) by Liz Worth.

ISBN 978-0-9813694-0-2

This is a limited edition book (first printing: 500), 384 pages and fully illustrated. Contains an extensive index at the back.

Front cover by Don Pyle (Shadowy Men on A Shadowy Planet) who is also in the photo.

It is the ONLY book on the 1977 Toronto punk scene; an indispensable reference work. A wealth of previously unpublished photographs including The Dead Boys, The Ramones, The Nerves in addition to The Viletones, Poles, Diodes, Dishes, Teenage Head, etc. The book offers an extensive history of: The Diodes, Teenage Head, Forgotten Rebels, The Viletones, and also Simply Saucer in addition to B-Girls (Bomp Records), The Ugly, The Curse, the clubs, the drug use, murder, sex and all the adjacent highlights. It is an oral history told by the bands themselves (in the style of Please Kill Me). Includes one of the last interviews with the late Frankie Venom (singer, Teenage Head).

An incredible document of a self-contained world that was influential in its time but never documented until now. A lot of this music is already known internationally thanks to bootleg compilations like Killed By Death and various punk blogs.

The book was written by music journalist and author Liz Worth (Exclaim), edited by pop musicologist Gary Pig Gold, and designed by Ralph Alfonso. Gary Pig Gold and Ralph Alfonso are veterans of the Toronto 1977 scene; Gary ran the legendary Pig Paper zine and released the first single by Simply Saucer; Ralph ran the Crash'n'Burn club that the scene revolved around, manages The Diodes, and is a former rock journalist/photographer (Bomp, Cheap Thrills, New York Rocker) in addition to his current role as owner of Bongo Beat Records (and Books).

More about this tome early in 2010 - meanwhile - assuming that you can't wait... order it at Bongo Books.

M E T A P H O R S - Chapter 6