Hello,

We are extremely pleased to announce that the Monorail Film Club this Sunday features Tim Hunter's cult thriller, River's Edge. River's Edge is a story of blank youth and confused morality set in a drab looking Sacramento suburb. It features an incredible barnstorming performance from Crispin Glover (playing lead over Keanu Reeves!), Dennis Hopper, and music from Slayer and The Wipers. It will be introduced by Mark 'Horror' Hiller.

As ever we recommend booking tickets in advance from the box office on 0141 332 6535.

River's Edge
Tim Hunter, US, 1986

GFT, 12 Rose Street, Glasgow G3 6RB @ 7.30pm

RIP - Ingrid Pitt

As a died in the wool info junkie, the experiment of trying to process less of that particular drug isn’t having the life-affirming effect that one might have expected. And as for spending that time wisely then that’s simply never come to pass. I have started on the bunker improvements though so I imagine the heid nip of that is a substitute of sorts. It takes SO DAMN long to get stuff done. A staunch believer in sensory gratification should have options, right?

Did take some time out yesterday though, to catch the first two-thirds of The Millennium Trilogy at GFT. The six hour shift of a Sunday afternoon was a good investment (I think) and primes me to catch the final third this coming weekend. Probably.

I’m a little sick of the interweb. Nothing updates quick enough and even the BBC seems to be sluggish. My inability to function in terms of being able to write reviews or just compile a simple post isn’t terribly up to snuff either. I do lapse in and out of a feeling of guilt if that’s any consolation? Better out than in, right?

Peter B. Kaufman was kind enough to send me the link to this and from there I found the Amy/Eric clip. I'm very privileged to be able to call three of these performer's friends. These videos really brought that home to me.



The guitar in this is heartbreaking... nice one Young Eck!

Another facebook tip, I forgot all about this...

Via Christer Warholm on facebook... quite the rabbithole of clips on the sidebar too...



and Mr Percival flagged this one up...

I didn't make it out the other night but Murray did so here's his report...

First up in Henry's, The Murderburgers - if you like your pop punk like Screeching Weasel then go no further, you dont need to hear these songs twice to like 'em, tighter than my bosses wallet on a night out and all the usual lyrical ingredients.

Second on is a last minute addition to the bill of the world famous Shock And Awe with Paul Research - Robert King was meant to have been the secret special guest, a little live practice for them both before the xmas bash at the picture house, but he's been sick all week. So it becomes jazz night with one song featuring one chord and one lyric "why dont you kiss me" and sounding like something stolen from the stooges when ron and james were both in the band then up steps the legendary Paul Research for a hugely extended version of "yesterdays kids" complete with sax and an improvised jam through the velvet undergrounds "what goes on" with the lyrics stuck up on the wall - they treat playing music like kids playing in the playground, its all about having fun for themselves and its infectious

Next up its The Plimptons who'd originally booked the gig as an album launch night and its difficult to know where to look, a non stop skattish soundtrack where everybody moves and every available mic in the house is used. I couldnt make out the words and wondered if the songs would be more fun or just more annoying if I heard them on cd. They'd forgot to bring them anyway ....

Coming in at the very last minute were SPECTORBULLETS, they'd played a showcase gig in Edinburgh at the voodoo rooms already on tuesday and for Swedish singer Gustaf Heden this was a late night alcohol laced party. Theres something about them that remind me of Mike Watts old band fIREHOSE and I loved them. off kilter song structures, full scale drumming, guitar and bass following their own paths in unusual ways. And the singings got that same sort of tone. This maybe makes them sound like a difficult band to get into, but their not. Gustaf was in full on rock and roll front man mode which I personally found entertaining and thats the reason I go to gigs and seldom listen to music in the house these days.

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…