Another Friday, another raft of good intentions at this point in time. Saw “The Skin I Live In” last night and was a wee bit underwhelmed. I heard it was “uncomfortable to watch” but really it was an extended episode of “Tales of the Entirely Expected”. They yardstick being that if I can see the “twist” coming then it must be pretty bloody obvious.

Still, it’s well-assembled and Elena Anaya is hubba plus so no real harm done. Almadovar is a master craftsman to be sure but this lacked atmosphere despite the components themselves being exquisitely composed. I don’t know about art but I know how many beans make 10 when I start to fidget.

Been making a lot of stupid mistakes this last week or so. When I went to donate blood the other night I made a total horses arse of filling the form out. Things like this irritate the beejesus out of me. I’m jonesing for The Wurlitzer and a general dose of Spain methinks. Who’s going to the Norton bash? Please advise…

Got a bit of a deadline going for an important upcoming cultural artefact that I'll tell you about in due course. Also the scoop on "All Dahled Up" is just about ready to roll.

RIP - Charles Napier

RIP - Bert Jansch

(Thanks to Brother Don for the link)

Viv Albertine

Thursday November 3rd – The Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh (with The Tango Rhums)

Friday November 4th – Beat Generator Live!, Dundee
(with The Creeping Ivies, more support acts to be announced)

Saturday November 5th – Secret Show, details to be announced closer to the time

Sunday November 6th – Mono, Glasgow (with Aggi Doom)

Viv Albertine, ex-guitarist and main songwriter for highly influential, all female punk, and indeed Post-Punk band, The Slits, plays her first ever Scottish solo dates in November. A founding member of The Flowers of Romance with Sid Vicious, a band of legendary proportions in the punk scheme of things, but who never wrote a song or played a gig; and latterly of The 49 Americans, and Adrian Sherwood’s Dub-influenced collective, New Age Steppers. Viv retreated from Rock’n’Roll to study film-making in 1982 after the demise of The Slits, then working mainly as a director, mostly for television, throughout most of the 1980s and 1990s. Her freelance directing work included stints with the BBC and the British Film Institute

In 2009, she began performing as a solo artist, playing venues around London showcasing new material.. In March 2010 she released a four-song debut solo E.P. titled Flesh on Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore's Ecstatic Peace! label.

She additionally recorded a cover version of David Bowie's Letter to Hermione for the Bowie tribute album We Were So Turned On: A Tribute to David Bowie which was released on September 6, 2010.

Viv Albertine's debut solo album is scheduled for release in 2012, her first major recorded work in 25 years, and she is currently writing a book, to be published in tandem with the album release.

I'm having some computer problems so it seems like a good time to leave you with the latest David Lynch protege... I guess that it's not particularly safe for work either visually or sonically. Ain't them the breaks.

Maybe a wee recap is in order. The weekend disappeared faster than one would have hoped but the twisted turns weren’t completely devoid of entertainment.

Saw a couple of movies… “Fright Night” – a remake – isn’t too bad and is savvy and stupid enough to entertain. Mid way between an episode of Buffy and True Blood lite. It’s pretty good Saturday afternoon mind candy. Not a classic but neither is it an utter waste of two hours.

Which is more than can be said for “Cowboys and Aliens”. True tripe but not of a very high order. Liked the premise but is there some kind of union agreement where all monsters are modelled on a cross between Stripe and “Alien” (a la the original Ridley Scott-fest). Gave that guy Daniel Craig a chance and he blew it – unless his part was playing a lump of wood. In that case C+A is oscar material. Even as mindless pish goes, this was pushng it. Shame really because of the two, I didn’t expect this to be the clunker.

RIP - Sylvia Robinson

I just noticed this on David Scott's fb...

RIP - Bobby Henry

Thanks to Stefan for reminding me about this top notch blast from the past outta Norway... not safe for work probably.

Stream of unconsciousness… I need to be out that door soon and will undoubtedly collapse on the sofa when I return. Not because of strong drink or any other kind of stimulant I hasten to add.

Anyway it occurred to me that one of the few saving graces of “One Day” was the inclusion of Derek Amitri’s “Roll To Me” in the soundtrack. In some ways, they were Glasgow’s version of The Smithereens. I also like the one about “Always The Last To Know”.Is that the title? Can't recall.

Anyway yes – afore I go, the fifth birthday of a favourite haunt is coming up. Really hope that I can stop off for a visit soon but in lieu of that… here are the details of this years shindig.

RIP - David Croft

Say what? Say hey! It's a double dose of Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co. this week with a return to Otto's (complete with free raffle prizes!) and a final visit to Hank's Saloon for the Brooklyn Country Music Festival...

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 29th / OTTO'S SHRUNKEN HEAD / 538 East 14th Street (just west of Avenue B) in ol' Manhattan /
Two prize-winning shows, from 8:00 sharp until 10:00 / No cover / This month featuring a *free raffle* of semi-fabulous prizes!

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1st / HANK'S SALOON / It's day two of the eighth annual "Brooklyn Country Music Festival"! /46 Third Avenue (at the corner of Atlantic Avenue) in Brooklyn / One SIT & Die set at 11pm -- and no cover!

See the full lineup at:
www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=195691533824971/

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