I seem to have caught some kind of virus. Of the type that skews the ability to use time wisely and with it the art of prioritising. Maybe it’s because there’s nothing hard and fast happening. All of a sudden, I’ve gotten the feeling of drifting. Not always good, never really bad but listless nonetheless. Having located my blood donor card, I decided that I should make the effort to go and use it. To give back for the cool surprise of some new tracks by by The Dahlmanns in my e-mail this morning. More on that as and when the signal for the word to go out is given.

The autumnal streak continues and it’s definitely a bit fresher. Kind of impossible to have as much rain as there’s been this past few days and it not to be. Ran into some local worthies on my daunder. One of 'em gave me some information that was a little rough concerning another. There are some rotten cards being dealt and this makes me think that i should probably keep my face shut when it comes to complaining.

It’s a sair fecht and the vibe has been pretty autumnal today. The leaves aren’t falling off the trees or anything but it just seems as though yer average daytime scenery has gone from blue to grey. Forecast is for more dampness to ensue which is something that really shouldn’t be on the agenda for a good 6 – 8 weeks yet. Conversely, I believe that the Tri-State area is melting.

Folks in the Scandinavian countries should be on the lookout for Moon Duo, Stockholm tomorrow, Malmo Friday (look out for 4-eyed Thomas in the moshpit) with Oslo in between. A good hard kick up the arse to whoever decided the routing on this one. You should go here and check. The Glasgow show later this month is at Stereo, not Sleazy's. The A-Bones are on this side of the big puddle too and I’m pig sick that I’m gonna miss ‘em.

Do you visit So Many Records every day? Or do you let it build and just gorge yourself on the music and commentary once a week. If you don’t attend with such a rabid frequency then you should.

Now I have to go try and find my blood donors card. Goodnight.

I’m not entirely sure if the weekend went according to plan or not. Certainly, some progress was made along the way to try and restore a sort of order to the bunker. Not a lot but some. It was good to spend less time in front of the computer screen and the rather meagre number of posts here is something you might be becoming accustomed to over the next wee while. There’s not a lot of urgency on anything right now and maybe it’s just reflecting the same sort of silly season that you get with traditional newspaper media. They get thinner at this time of year to the point of anorexia.

Mr Spence has been in touch about an Eruption that’s about to take place but don’t worry, there will be no ash cloud preventing your globetrotting. This particular rumpus is exclusive to Glasgow’s West End. Here’s his pitch...

"The legendary ERUPTION is back for a one-off show of the usual high standard of rock'n'roll in Glasgow this Friday - and it's FREE, just like the good old days!! THE BRUTES; THE REVERSE COWGIRLS and CHARLES RANDOLPH RIVERS' SLIM RHYTHM REVUE at the WISE MONKEY (formerly Hubbard's), 508 Great Western Road, Glasgow G12, nr Kelvinbridge underground. First band - 9.30; and did I mention it's FREE?!!"

In its former guise, this place did the best sticky toffee pudding in town

In other news, the very Rev. Niklas Vahlberg has alerted me to a show that will see the mighty Nomads and Problem get together to rattle the rafters of Kulturbolaget in Stockholm. This will go down on August 21st and will be a momentous night. I’ll be reminding you of this in the run-up but you should go. Really.

And as the Nortonians head for Europe, here's what they're cooking up for us over the next few months. All the rock'n'roll you could ever need and they're even branching out into gospel, but definitely not as you know it! Here's the scoop!

Wishing all our friends across the big puddle and wherever, a damn fine Dave Alvin Day to y'all... (I never saw this before, thanks to Ralph for posting it on facebook.)

Jerry Blavat is 70 today and he'll be celebrating that and the fact that he's been broadcasting for a half century on WXPN today at 5pm EST.

He and Ben Vaughn take a trawl through his record collection, considered to be "the eighth wonder of the world". Some of this stuff is just mind-boggling and is not for the faint hearted. Don't say you weren't warned.

Happy Birthday to The Geator With The Heater!

The best made plans… (I was going to type laid but that seemed inappropriate ahead of the watershed) ... have a tendency to get skewed. I never made it out last night for a couple or reasons. Further to that, just before I left the bunker this morning, a minor calamity ensued that was thankfully easier to solve than I anticipated. Of course, it could be way worse but already there are hurdles when I all I wanted to do really was veg out whilst trying to restore some semblance of order to this pit.

Who knows, I might even be able to listen to some music. Whether I actually do or not will become apparent in due course. Ben Vaughn’s tribute to commemorate The Geator (who is 70 tomorrow) is something you HAVE to tune into tomorrow or when it’s archived. A lot of bullshit is thrown around about how music can save you but take it from me, some of the stuff that goes down during that two hours actually can. The link and info will be with you bright and early tomorrow.

True to form, July arrived with torrential rain and terminal dampness. We’ve been spoiled this past few weeks but today, looking out the window it’s been as grue grum grey as a November day. Not that I have anything agin that month but the way the light is tricked me into thinking I had longer to get myself together than I actually did this morning. My mind isn’t really on facebook updates and blog posts right about now. In fact, I’ve no real idea where it might have wandered off to. It’s slipped down the back of the sofa for all I know. I’m pretty sure it hasn’t been kidnapped though because no ransom note has been forthcoming.

I’m not about to put up “Missing” posters just yet.

Advanced plans are in place not to have to leave the bunker over this weekend. Of course, if a really good offer was to appear then maybe I could be tempted but methinks that a wee spell of “shut-in” (rhymes with…) will be in order. My idea of a brief hit and run on Utrecht for The A-Bones have been scuppered sadly but that’s the scale of event that might elicit my stepping over the threshold.

Meanwhile, the plan, as it stands, is to head into Auld Reekie tonight to raise a glass to Mr & Mrs Happy G at the Voodoo Rooms. Congratulations kids.

HELLO THERE.

THIS SUNDAY, JULY 4TH 2010, THERE IS A VERY COOL LITTLE FESTIVAL HAPPENING AT MONO, KINGS COURT GLASGOW. 10 HOURS OF MUSIC INDOORS AND A COVERED BEER GARDEN OUTDOORS.

TICKETS ARE STILL AVAILABLE AT MONORAIL (0141 552 9458) & TICKETS SCOTLAND

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

REGARDS, MONO. :)

There goes June and with it the summer. Dark clouds are gathering and we’re expecting a bid daud of rain tomorrow. The old “the nights are fair drawing in” can be resurrected too because it’s a good week now since the longest day. Not to be confused with most days during a working week. However, looking back over 2010 thus far – things haven’t been too bad so I shouldn’t mump too much. Maybe I’m actually smiling somewhere deep inside. Ha ha.

My listening habits have been hijacked by this Ben Vaughn tribute to Philly legend, Jerry (The Geator) Blavat. Two hours of solid gold that'll knock you the heck out. If it doesnae then you must have already been pronounced deid. Coming your way on WXPN this impending weekend.

There are plans and schemes afoot that require my concentration/attention and this means that blogland draws the short straw. Make the best of this weather where you can head outside, you'll be back to being cooped up soon enough.

Still a bit raggedy today and the logistics ain’t helping. Having to go into town for the dental biz is a little inconvenient but such is the nature of such things. If you cancel it takes months to get another one. And that in turn is generally inconvenient too. Do you understand this ramble? I’m not entirely sure that I do. I tried to clean my specs today but the result wasn’t too Johnny Nash. I think it’s my actual peepers that could do with a burnishing. As grand as it would be to have perfect sight, like everybody had before the advent of these damn things – it severely unlikely that I’ll ever have the readies to pay for such a luxury.

Somebody should liberate this baby. Not only does it include Amy Allison’s “Cheaters World”, there’s a bing of other great stuff on there too. Plus the price is most definitely right so I figured one of you folks might consider grabbing it.

There’s a distinct possibility that there’ll be a week coming up that this thing will go into suspended animation. We could all do with a break and even although I’m not going anyplace (fast or otherwise), I feel like forcing myself not to be trapped in the cycle of updating every day. Who knows, it could do us all good. This is likely to be sometime in July or August, I haven’t entirely decided and maybe I won’t have the self-control to pull it off given the habit/addiction that blogging has become. What if something important happened during such a hiatus? I imagine that remains to be seen (but not heard).

The best way I can describe my mode (not mood) today is “struggling”. Based on today’s experience it’s going to be a long week and I’m considering posting a “closed” notice over next weekend. Maybe I’ll be over the hump by then but we’ll have to wait and see. It’s about as much fun as a visit to the dentist and that’s where I’m bound tomorrow. To the hygienist actually which, in the grand scheme of things, ain’t so bad if sparkling gnashers are the only outcome.

I thnk I might be suffering from sensory overload too. Hearing too much music, watching too many films. The information junkie aspect can be overwhelming and it creates a skewed perspective. I’m lucky to be able to check out all the stuff that I do but maintaining that objectively subjective demeanor can be a strain. It’s hard to keep up, even when you care so what must it be like for the ADD crowd?

There has been some good news... Minus Zero lives, info at BoB.

Just came off listening to a two hour celebration of The Geator with The Heater that Ben Vaughn put together to celebrate 50 years of the man on Philly radio. The show will be broadcast on July 3rd and I’ll post the link then, incidentally Jerry Blavat (The Geator) will be 70 that same day.

Which bring us to the House of Rock, an establishment situated in Moss, Norway and they’ve just started a label, the first release of which is just about the only credible way I could think about following what I just heard. The Twisteroos could be considered to be the Scandinavian Detroit Cobras but they’re actually much, much more than that. For a start they have the one and only Ms Vibeke Saugestad on board. When they request you to jump on board and head for “Where The Action Is” you just do it. “Twisted” is the party album of this or any other summer. Mr Henriksen, Mr Dahlmann and Mr Frehley Jacobsen let fly with a brew that leaves their Michigan cousins standing. Effervescence is the key and this is the veritable creamola foam. Cool covers and credible originals nuzzle together in a completely unbreakable embrace. They’re serving up “Chills and Fever” and I urge you to grab some.

You always wished that The Rezillos would make another record, right? Well this is as close as you’re likely to come to that with a whole lot of cream on top.

HORR2 is Caroline and the Treats “Bad All Over” and I’m pretty sure that The Dave Clark Five never saw this coming. Girl-powered pop punk never goes out of fashion and this revitalises all of the parts that were killed off after seeing The Runaways movie. A direct descendant of that, Caroline Andersen is Joan Jett to Morten H’s Kenny Laguna knocking off the short sharp nuggets bang bang style. “Make Out With You” is where the Ohio Express take on “I Wanna Be Sedated” to create a monster. Wah-ooh!! There’s that Ramones/Riverdales wallop running from front to back here and I do know that you kids, like me are suckers for that. There’s a couple of songs here that I could hear The Boonaraaas!!! doing too. I like the way the rock aesthetic rubs up the sixties and seventies garage disease. That angle keeps things fresh rather than just authentic. Something like the harmonic guitar “solo” that slides in on “It’s Cool To Rock” underpins the message of the song and straddles that fine line without any degree of chafing. Excellent rip-roarin’ version of The Angels “Wow WowWee” here too.

And with the adage that things happen in threes, HORR3 is a domestic release of “... Whatever Rhymes With Baby”, an album for all seasons that contains at least three songs of inordinately huge proportions. If there was such a thing as joined up Rock’n’Roll Radio where consensus could drive a tune into an international breakout hit then The Yum Yums would be stadium rockers.

They make music that is twice as infectious as any of these idiots that you might have seen on Glastonbury this past weekend. I saw something called The Cribs that are supposed to be some great shakes but there was something missing. Oh, I know what it was now, songs. Anyway, this version of the album is different to the Wild Punk version in that 4 numbers have been re-recorded with recently acquired drummist – Ulf Bendiksen.

All 12 songs here pretty much define the art of the pop song the way I like to hear it. They have a chemistry that has taken years to perfect but if this stuff was any more potent then it‘d be downright dangerous. This here is for teenagers of every vintage and it may well contain some sonic elixir for eternal youth as it's been known to make grumpy old bastards punch the air. And smile even.

Courtesy of Angel Aparicio Trujillo via facebook... this is a GREAT 45!

RIP - Tommy Hoehn

(Thanks to Dr H for the link)

Welcome to blogpost #5000. That’s it for me, film festival over for another year. Haven’t seen as many movies at this one and have missed a couple of things but that couldn’t be helped. I imagine that my peepers are relieved.

Been a Mississippi kind of week, starting off with the John Michael McCarthy stint. He’s from Tupelo originally. Last night I saw a show by a guy who has been called “The Sage of Tippo”, Mr Mose Allison. I was a little wary having only found out he was playing two weeks ago. Turns out that it’s been in the Jazz festival programme since Spring, talk about a communication breakdown.

Anyway, it’s a testament to the city that there was a sizeable, attentive crowd. Billed as The Mose Allison Trio, it turned out to be the man and a double bass player. Took an instrumental workout to get the sound right but by the time the singing started, it was crystal clear. What followed was an abject lesson in the blues drawing on originals and standards. I’d say he was pretty much at the top of his game and the audience was with these guys all the way. He even cracked out “My Brain” from the new album, I certainly didn’t expect that from this “Certified Senior Citizen”.

I think it was recorded by the BBC so I’ll try to find out when that might be broadcast, so that you can hear that I’m not telling porkies.

Today, I managed to haul my tuchus into Edinburgh a wee bit early thinking I could pick up a 45 that had been spotted in a charity shop. Turns out it wasn’t what I thought it was. Then I did a kind of good deed on my way to Filmhouse so maybe I’m not overdrawn at the karma bank.
“Soulboy” is about Wigan Casino. It’s always been a regret of mine that I never went there. A couple of friends did but I guess I was deep into the punk rock thing. That was really about 5 years before there was an actual commodity called that. In those days it would have been Stooges , Dolls, Groovies, Alice Cooper etc. I didn’t really come to appreciate soul music properly until maybe 1976. There's a record store in it that reminds me of the one I used to work in apart from the listening booth.



Anyway, it’s good. A bit of a crowd pleaser that’s kind of like if Bill Forsyth directed The Full Monty and shot it on the same film stock as “On The Buses”. It has a beginning, a middle and an end in addition to a great soundtrack. There’s not much that can beat The Marvelettes “When You’re Young And In Love” ringing around a theatre. Solid entertainment and a loving reconstruction of the times with a happy ending. No sign of a sequel and all the better for it.

All going well, I’ll be back to the music tomorrow but of course I will be dipping into Glasto just to see how low it can go. The Editors are on right now, how heinous are they on a scale of one to quite?

RIP - Alan Plater

Just a little fried still from the activities of the past few days. Stir in a dash of the “back to work” shakes and you can imagine that your reporter here might be toiling a tad. I did a google search on the movie from the other day and was a little surprised to see a couple of really pointless barbs. Of course, everyone is entitled to their opinion, however wrong or misguided but in these cases, the individuals seem deluded and just out for a bit of cybergum bumping.

The intention of getting on here last night fell by the wayside. Whys and wherefores are unimportant, it just didn’t happen. As it happens, time is off the essence again today but at least it’s the weekend and things are slowing a bit but there’s a Mose Allison show tonight and one more film at EIFF tomorrow (“Soulboy”) and I’m done for a while. The Memphians have done gone and returned to Gracelandland and I hope Mike managed to get a Nick Cave souvenir for Cori.

In these days when contrivance is everything, it’s kind of refreshing to come across something that’s pretty much unreconstructed. I’ve been reading reviews of “Cigarette Girl” and I’m wondering if there are actually two films of the same name and these divots saw the other one. I’m considering the possibility that these are the kind of people that would have complained about Suicide or The Cramps, even The Ramones as not being able to play let alone be conventionally musical. Irrespective of whether one enjoys the film or not, some of these maroons evidently operate at a much more highbrow level than me.

Been an eventful month all tolled, started off with the glamour of Barcelona. I did think about calling it a “bang” but figured that could be misconstrued. Furthermore, chance would be a fine thing. It’s likely to end with a whimper and a diet of bread and water but I’ll be darned if that might not be the nature of show business, particularly at my lowly level. It’s been a short week at the salt mine though and if there are any higher powers out there at a loose end then, anything that could be done to delay the onset of Monday would be greatly appreciated.

I wouldn’t be averse to praying if that might help.

RIP - Pete Quaife