Pffffff… you might well have noticed that activity here has been limited over the last wee while. There are reasons rather than excuses and pretty dreary ones at that, not all associated with trying to spend less time in front of a computer.
And then there’s all the crap about the catalogue that’s suddenly available on i-Tunes. WTF are these people thinking about? Haven’t they ripped their CDs by now if they do need to hear that rubbish? I really despair and doubly so when I see the marketing exercise cleverly tied in with the other big blight on the music business front that has legitimised karaoke in recent times. Are these just signs of the apocalypse? Did Nostradamus predict the Echh Factor?

I don’t think that I’ve ever felt so out of step with what is alleged to be popular culture on any level. No style. Even less substance. That’s the order of the day if you want to make it in the UK. However, there is evidence of a god at work in other territories. Matt and Kim continue to make headway in the USA and Annika Norlin shifts albums in good old Sweden.

This weekend I plan to be busy. To can the procrastination and achieve something. That means in terms of the bunker and some impending “improvements”. That means catching up with music. Things are a bit wobbly and could be subject to change though. I did manage to get a haircut though such as it is. So that could be construed as a start.

RIP - Dino De Laurentiis

(Just saw this on Ms Marlowe's facebook)

If you're anywhere Albany, NY then stop what you're doing and make sure you go and see Eric and Amy tonight. Their latest US sweep will be underway, taking in Asbury Park and NY over the course of this week.

The latest hit and run on “the London” entailed the usual whirlwind of activity. When will I learn about not trying to pack to much in on such a trip? Sometime never mayhap but in the interests of survival, this could be an avenue that warrants exploration. Maybe in time for the next sojourn on December 11th…

Got to town around 2pm and made for the bustling Lie-chester Square. A teeming hedgerow to be sure and the peaceful bolthole known as the Phoenix Artists Club wasn ‘t opening until 5 but a suitable alternative was found that allowed the afternoon’s social to proceed. Mr Thewlis is deeply pissed off with the PAC though and we may have to enlist a potential alternative for future soirees. I’ll tell you something though, their pizza and chips is pretty damn good.

From there to meet the Rev. Nick West at Kings Cross in order to head for the uncharted territory known as Stoke Newington. It’s a nice area of town but a bit of a bastard to get to although the buses are a skoosh when you get a beat on the inside track. Things were running a wee bit late at The Drop and it was around 9.30 when The Boonaraaas!!! Took the stage. It’s always a pleasure and they were top notch as always. I expected Tine to be back and the “No Blokes in The Boonaraaas!!” lobby grumbled a bit but on the whole were very pleased to have Trich, Christina and Laura “in the house” as they say in the dance music subculture. Of course the Boonaaas are practised in real dance music and not the disco annexe. Photographic evidence is presented here and Christina has been charged at looking into how we can make a visit to Scotland happen.






Thee Vicars seem to be introducing a younger element into the pleasures of garage beat and this is a good thing. The fact that I find it all a bit underwhelming is neither here or there. I salute their crusade and what they’re doing in league with Dirty Water. Good to see PJ and thanks to him for assembling the evening. It got pretty damn busy in that room. Los Explosivos are a primo live act that mixes a savage punk rock flavour with a couple of dashes of The Hellacopters sieved through Grand Funk. This Mexican combo more than live up to their name and detonate on a number of occasions. They have a great entourage too and a night in Madrid at the Wurlitzer with this crowd would likely be quite the concoction.




From there, back into town and a wander over to The Betsey Trotwood. A very groovy Clerkenwell hostelry that played host to the first stay behind in the capital that I’ve attended in a very long time. A cool crowd (Hey Amy, Hey Gurbir) supped and danced into the wee small hours and it was somewhat reassuring to have an autographed poster for the BMX Bandits “Down At the Hop” hanging on the wall at the end of our table.

I’m keen to return there in the daytime to sample their pub nosh. From there, a further wander through the deserted streets of that area of London where urban foxes of the furry variety went about their business. Stopped off at the BOB HQ for literally 4 hours before it was time to once again head north. Pretty much died upon returning to the bunker. Hoping that the Boonaaa gals made it safely home to Germany.

And then, it was Monday again…

RIP - Sonia Pottinger

(Thanks to DS for the link)

What does the future hold? Why, Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co. at the Rodeo Bar this Wednesday for its monthly residency! Read on, palmists, if you please...

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10th / RODEO BAR /375 Third Avenue (at the corner of 27th Street) in ol' Manhattan /Two telling sets, from 10pm sharp until 12:30am / No cover!

Plus, peering further ahead...

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20th / DANCES OF VICE'S "JUNGLE ROCK" /Room Fifty5 Lounge / 210 West 55th Street in Manhattan / Voodoo rhythms, burlesque, swing dancing -- and SIT & Die Co.!

Handily yours, Michael

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

Not long back from London and don't have the wherewithall to file a report tonight.

Jerker found an Amy Allison clip I hadn't seen and in turn from there, that song led me to this one. "Why must it be" indeed.

I'm having a night off, could be a bumper crop of guff here tomorrow but then again... Until then, then.

Yowza, Yowza! It's a Saturday night swing extravaganza with Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co. and the high-steppers at Swing Remix -- featuring dance lessons for all levels of hoofers, vintage dance scene movie clips, and all the live hillbilly boogie a body can handle!

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6th / "SWING REMIX" / in the Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Auditorium at the JCC /334 Amsterdam Avenue (at 76th Street) in ol' Manhattan /Three solid SIT & Die Co. sets, at 8:30, 9:30 and 10:30 -- plus dance lessons all night!

The Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Auditorium is a state-of-the-art theater at the JCC, featuring a beautiful wooden interior and dance floor, multi-media projection and sound system and a fabulous balcony for those who prefer to view from above. The JCC is conveniently located on Manhattan's Upper West Side, accessible by the 1, 2 or 3 subway lines and the M7 or M11 bus lines.

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

This clocks back/forward nonsense is irritating. It all ends in being dark when you go to work and likewise when you return. An hour is neither here nor there. And then there’s the excuse about it being for kids going to and from school. Generally they’re ferried there by their mollycoddling parents.

Fat lot of good that extra hour did me… I was ready to get up a little after 3.30am. Of course, if I was in Madrid – I’d more than likely still be up at that time. Looking forward to heading south on Saturday for a rendezvous with those Boonaraaas!!! They’re at The Drop in Stoke Newington and PJ tells me that they’ll be on around 8.30pm so make sure you’re there in plenty time. Last time they were here, at Ryan’s Bar – there was a traffic mishap that meant I missed most of their set. That will NOT be happening this semester.

Today is the most depressing day of the year according to the news. I’m not sure what the unit of measure is. Used to be meechs (pronounced like loch – provided you know how to say that) but I imagine there’s some kind of euro alternative. Mondays are generally pretty sore, just in terms of having to throw one’s lot in with the chain gang. If you don’t do the lottery or if you’re not independently wealthy then you’re,um, er, what’s the word?

Oh aye… "fucked". That’s the one.