Elvis Elvis... is imminent!

Yesterday's Loog discussion with John Cavanagh was a fine thing and played out to a packed gallery space. He's quite a character and I would make a suggestion that Bill Nighy play him in any perceived film of his books. He mentioned that the publisher of the first two isn't interested in picking up the third. Perhaps they're mental?

What happened to the promise of fine weather, it's chucking it down so thankfully there's a showing of "Jaws" along the road. Look forward to reliving the moment when Bert McMillan yelled "oh ya bastard!!" when the head falls down in the bottom of the boat at the top of his voice at the ABC in Falkirk. A bunch of us queued for the very first screening on Boxing Day 1975. Followed by steak pie and chips in the long-gone Tudor Restaurant afterwards. Good times.

Wow, I was bestowed the honour of being the sixth Dahlmann this morning. That's one louder than a knighthood in this neighbourhood.

Hungry for hillbilly? Get your fill with Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co., currently offering up two servings!

SUNDAY, APRIL 25th / BRUNCH at SUPERFINE / With special guest BABY MARIA! /126 Front Street (at the corner of Pearl Street) in DUMBO, Brooklyn /Three hearty sets, from noon sharp 'til 3pm / Delicious food -- free music! /Reservations recommended: 718-243-9005 /
Plus, for those on a tiki-themed diet... THURSDAY, APRIL 29th / OTTO'S SHRUNKEN HEAD TIKI BAR & LOUNGE /Our long-standing last-Thursday-of-the-month residency continues! /538 East 14th Street (just west of Avenue B) in ol' Manhattan /Two big & bawdy shows, from 8:00 sharp until 10:00 / No cover!

Yours in service, Michael

Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co. "Ballads, Boogies & Blues

Tipped by Marty Thau, produced by Daniel Rey...

I'm not going to be on here for much of the day, certainly not until later in the evening...

So, just a couple of things. Alan has reminded me that it's the final OPTIMO tomorrow night. I imagine they'll be going out with a helluva bang, These guys don't do whimper.

Maybe see some of you at the ALO discussion in Glasgow?

The really exciting news is that Elvis, Elvis is on it's way!

This time next week, the destination will be "The London" for a big gathering of the clans. Some concert or other is on as an incidental.

Mark Hagen on Malcolm Mclaren

It was remiss of me earlier... meant to say that Penetration are in Perth tonight (Friday) at The Corinna and tomorrow at Stereo in Glasgow...

Further to my banging on about drinking water, I found some pills and was all doped up last night. As a result, I fell asleep just as the electoral debate kicked off. Mind bendingly dull is what I recall about what I did see although I did clock The Daily Show pisstake. Very funny indeed although reality in this case is way more twisted than any spoof. If one of them would just use “I’m Your Puppet” as their campaign song then I’ll vote for them. Or probably not, because that kind of integrity doesn’t exist in the wasteland that is politics here in the UK. If they spent as much time representing the public as they do on all this showbiz crap then maybe, just perhaps, everyone wouldn’t consider them a bunch of chancers.

Trust is a very important commodity. Once it’s broken then it can’t be gotten back. These sad sack parasites can’t be trusted because they’re surrounded by bobbers and weavers. Still, come May 6th something will have to give and I think that UK PLC will be in for a proper rogering on flipside of the dilapidated razzamataz.

It’ll get worse before it gets better but hey, it’s Friday. Let’s consider this on Monday.

In other news, The Batusis UK jaunt appears to have been postponed. In some respects this is good news because maybe I’ll be able to make the rescheduled show. But for those who were looking forward to it, maybe in light of not making it to either of the Suicide/Stooges gigs in London on May 2nd and 3rd, it’s likely to be a tad disappointing.

Iain had his advance tickets, numbers 1 (pictured) and 2 and he doesn't want to cash them in just yet...

RIP - Chuck Pulin

It’s not just Friday. It’s the NBT blog’s seventh birthday, as in the day that it went online. Still just a toddler with 4880 posts. Sir Jeroen Vedder set it up and despite him having seemingly gone away and gotten a life, he does tune in. Say hello to J via the comments facility. It was May 10th 2003 when I first put my fingers to the keys. I didn’t actually remember that but looked back in the archive and there it was.

This stuff lives forever, it’s pretty odd. A virtual version of yellowing newsprint that divnae discolour. Thanks for your continued indulgence and for linking/spreading the word, that sort of jazz.

I seem to have had an above average amount of colds this year and it’s getting to be a pain. My wee schnoz is bright red and me throat is giving me gyp. Without the sheer enjoyment of passive smoking in a some cool Spanish cabana. That’s worth doing a bit of suffering on the tail end of. I’m a believer in just drinking loads of water rather than any of these poxy alleged remedies. To my mind, these things just have to run their course but perhaps I’m feeling a wee bit hard done to because it’s awfy close to hayfever season. I’m not complaining, merely stating facts.

Before I forget, I should remind those of you around these parts about John Cavanagh’s discussion with Andrew Loog Oldham at the Street Level gallery on Saturday. It’s likely to be busy so it would probably be a good idea to get there before the 6pm start. It’s a piddling £2 entry and I’m hoping the sniffles will be history by then.

Oil City Confidential DVD out June 14th...

Matt and Kim trounce Coachella... the world can't be far behind!

It seems like things are moving again, however how long it’ll take for things to nudge normality is anybody’s guess. A little delay is one thing but as attractive a proposition of getting stuck anywhere but here – like Sweden or Spain – the reality is somewhat removed from that. The authorities revel in their jobsworthness and I wonder if there’ll be post traumatic travel stress disorder workshops for those who will have a fight on their hands insurance wise. Then there’s the mail backlog and all manner of other shenanigans. If this episode has taught us one thing, it’s not to get cosy with any system that seems to work.

Imagine the fun and games they’ll have if this other volcano decides to go off? I haven’t ruled out the possibility of it all being a bunch of Lord of the Rings outtakes or some CGI fest. However, whatever is going down – the disruption is all way too real. Where the means of communication with phones and everything else may be useful, the amount of disinformation seems to outweigh any actual hard and fast solutions. Other than those with the presence of mind to fleece the poor blighters that find themselves displaced. A little public humiliation for the perps is in order, don’t you think?

I’m still feeling a bit out of sorts... teetering around the brink of a cold. It’s pretty annoying.

More top flight rock'n'roll action headed for Spain next week... The Master Plan!

April

Tuesday 27th -
Santiago de Compostela/Coruña (Radio Club)
Wednesday 28th - Valladolid (Porta Caeli)
Thursday 29th - Burgos (Estudio 27)
Friday 30th - Bilbao (Kafe Antzokia)







May

Saturday 1st - Barcelona (Monasterio)
Sunday 2nd - Vila-Real/Castellon (Japan Rock Club)
Monday 3rd - Orihuela /Alicante (La Gramola)
Thursday 6th - Valencia (Matisse)
Friday 7th - Madrid (Rock Kitchen)
Saturday 8th - Vitoria (Hell Dorado)
Sunday 9th - Ponferrada (Cocodrilo Negro)

Guess it started yesterday evening when I was trying to put something together for this. The dry throat, the aches and eyes like peeholes in the snow. By this morning, it was a little worse but I managed to drag myself out the door. At this point, having just about made it through the day, there’s a couple of things that HAVE to be attended and then the idea is to go and lie in a heap over there (points).

I noticed that someone making a point with regard to RSD should be “Record Shop Day” here in the UK. Provided that we’re all still here, I think that’s a valid distinction and would certainly second that emulsion. By the same token, it is hoped that someone might have figured out a way to keep the “collectables” (absurd word in this day and age) away from the touts. I’m not sure that I even believe the figures that are bandied about with regard to how many are available. In these days of limited edition chocolate bars, the term is quipped to be stretched out of all recognition. I’ll tell you something though Paul, that Kit Kat was a wee stoatir!

I just realised that having sent a couple of packages by air mail this past few days has been a bit daft. Nothing will be moving until the volcanic action ceases. Big mama nature might have a taste for kicking our pasty arses. After all that, maybe a few of these will come to the surface...



From the new set of covers by The Iain Shaw. Contact him if you’d like a copy and tell him who sent you.

Brogues is putting on this show at Mono tomorrow. If you're there then why not truck a long for a Tuesday night adventure... I'll hand you over...

One of the truly great guitar pop singles bands of recent years (check for proof!), The Lodger make a rare trip north ahead of the release of their 3rd lp. Out on April 26th via Slumberland (US) and This Is Fake DIY (UK) 'Flashbacks' is guaranteed to be brimming with pristine melodies and finely crafted songs. If you like your pop pure you know where to be!

Also playing are the catchy as all hell Water Wolves. Rapidly becoming the band of choice to play with the new wave of US DIY pop groups (Box Elders, Real Estate, Hunx and his Punxetc.) with whom they share an approach, Water Wolves brighten their corners with some smashing Go-Betweens-y guitar lines. Ace!

Ok, let’s see – due to the general disarray that I exist in, I have neglected to mention the following items that you should be hip to...

Brother Don does the Paul Revere and the Raiders thing over at Caught In The Carousel

The new Bucketfull of Brains is out and includes a cool Nick Kent interview, Roland S. Howard remembered by Jeremy Gluck and the usual host of other stuff that they do so well.

Robbie Fulks has issued his celebration of the late Michael Jackson entitled “Happy” that’ll make you exactly that. Rad interpretations by any stretch of your fevered imagination and it’s a testament that I doubt anybody else could pull off. And once you’ve logged on and ordered go back and read his blog. It teaches things that should be taught in schools and any facet of further education.

If you go down to the North Fork Sound, you can hear a new Angel Corpus Christi song from today... the big red button is over in the sidebar yonder but just to encourage you, click here.

Norton news includes a summer Eurojaunt...

LCDD are wreaking havoc across the Eastern seaboard of the USA this week, air traffic control willing...

BBC4 will screen Oil City Confidential this Friday (23rd) and also a live show from 1977.

In closing, those “Parlophone” RSD singles look really low rent. Generic bags and labels always look pretty good to me but not these. Adds insult to injury with regard to how manufacturing of just about anything has taken a dive to passable quality at best. Looks like next year's bunfight will be Saturday April 16th. Wonder what investments will be coming your way then?

Just looking at ebay there and surveying what the RSD touts are up to. Pretty sickening to be praying on what is essentially an addiction. I’d like to see measures to be brought in to crack down on these people. I know it’s impossible to instill any conception of fairness but one lives in hope. Not often but sometimes. It was a good social yesterday, culminating in the Wooden Shjips show. Ripley Johnson dj’d for an hour at Monorail too. There was a story going around that Moon Duo would play there but this was a misreading of Moon Unit who made an agreeable enough extended racket.

My travelling companions weren’t impressed by Trembling Bells but I was. They’re a little unusual compared to most of this “new folk” kerfuffle. Main bone of conention seemed to be the singers voice but after I recalibrated it in my head.

The Shjips were less loose than last time and the constant touring has toughened up that groove muscle. The rhythm section is locked down tight and the velocity of the percussion below the groove is what really makes this rumble. Their version of “Vampire Blues” has been injected with a Scientist-ific sense of bludgeoning and an intensity of The Cramps doing a particularly wonky “Mystery Plane”. The Shjips ability to swing is what sets them apart and if, for some reason, you have any misgivings about the recorded work then see them live and the final part of the puzzle will fall into place.

You see the words “trance” and “drone” associated with them but these provide little more than a flavour because the band is way more than that. “Fallin’” was transformed into something that resembled a minimal symphonic scrambling of a “Virginia Plain” harmonic loop reinterpreted by Neu and re-programmed back into Phil Manzanera’s bugeye glasses . By that time, my soul had been psychedelicised and looking around the room, it seemed like everybody else’s had been too.

A solid mighty oak vessel, capable of some pretty snazzy manoeuvres.

Ripley told me that Moon Duo might be here in July. To me, this is an exciting prospect indeed because “Escape” has been on heavy rotation since the tracks became available. They’re in Scandinavia at the start of that month so keep your fingers crossed. Soon as the news breaks then it’ll be here.

What the discerning punter will be after this RSD...