RIP - Larry Hagman

Mr Spence wishes to inform you about the return to Edinburgh of the 12-legged garage rock'n'roll party machine from Wigan/Liverpool that is the fantabulous SHOOK-UPS!!!! For one night only at the PARLOUR BAR, 142 Duke St., Leith. With support from Glaswegian trogglodytes, THE BRUTES.

https://www.facebook.com/shookups?sk=info

https://www.facebook.com/pages/THE-BRUTES/143472689012414?ref=ts&fref=ts

Entry is free. Drinking, dancing and jolly japes are encouraged. Music is 60s-style garage punk/R&B of a high standard. ....and you seem smart enough to know this is gonna be one damn fine night!!!

...and word-up to any rock'n'roll fanatics in the North-East! ...THE SHOOK-UPS and LES BOF! play upstairs at the Central Bar, Gateshead this Friday, 23rd Nov for free!!!! .....sounds like a bargain to Jim!

Grabbers never really grabbed me as a title and I deliberately never even watched the trailer until the screening at the Hippodrome’s Monster Day yesterday. The writer Kevin Lehane was there too and did a pre-show discussion/Q+A with Jon Melville. It suggested he has a healthy attitude to his craft and the film itself is one of the most genuinely entertaining and cool things I’ve seen in a while. He mentioned something about the main theme during the chinwag that was very funny and so true but contrary to it perhaps ruining the mood it only heightened it connecting this even more so to "Gremlins". It straddles that fine line of cool and stupid while remaining entirely engaging all the way through without ever appearing to be premeditated.

I don’t want to give anything away because this - to my mind - would appeal to the hardcore demographic of this portal entirely. Like Joe Dante directing "Rockets Galore" from a script by Graham Linehan, right down to the character Paddy who channelled Dick Miller pretty perfectly across the piece. Add a rumour of "Local Hero" and away you go. The film will have an absurdly stunted cinema release on Boxing Day here in the UK. I’m HOPING it’ll return to Bo’ness before it languishes in big telly hell on DVD so I can see it again on the big screen.

The disc will be available on December 31st. Grabbers is the antithesis of bollocks (not the Irish term of endearment) like Sk*fall and the fact that it was made at all suggests there are still surprises out there. And who in their right gourd wouldn’t want to get drunk with Garda Lisa Nolan?

All this and a Ronnie Self tune in the score. To find out which one you’ll have to see it. Or google it but fuck you if you resort to that. This is ultimately what a trip to the pictures is all about and last night we saw it in the ideal setting. Here's to the next Monster Day and all associated with it.

Double underlining the fact that there’s no such thing as a god, the situation over on the Eastern seaboard of the US is overwhelming. And that’s just hearing about it, not exactly how those that are living it are able to process what is going on. If there is a higher power then it’s time the bugger thought about focussing. And talking of higher power’s, seems to me typical that many of the “high heid yins” are putting undue strain by making unrealistic prognostications. It’s those that are at the coal face that have to carry out the work. This is something that just ratchets up more and more all the time. Like fucking targets set up in back rooms by arseholes who have not a scoob about how to do anything. These are not strategists, let me assure you.

It does seem like an outbreak of common sense to cancel the marathon though. I think that might have tipped the populace over the edge. As I understand it, while people are doing everything they can to maintain a Dunkirk spirit, there are cracks appearing in the edifice.

And let’s face it, much of the history of these areas has been washed away. No one can measure the structural damage and general condition of anything. It’s heartbreaking. Particularly for me, the Norton warehouse. Another example of people who are actually saints being dealt a terrible blow. They’ll overcome for sure though because of their bond with everyone who ever took rock’n’roll seriously and well because wat they believe in is stronger than any conventional religion. I have experienced this first hand over the course of these past 30+ years.

I’ve no idea how long the citizens of the area will have to experience this taste of the third world. Likely for longer than Bloomberg has actually considered. I think it’s important in such a circumstance not to play to the balcony. The real heroines and heroes of all this are the people who are trying to keep moving forward against seemingly insurmoutable odds.

The infrastructure over there was already creaking and I only hope that some kind of plan can be hatched to do the rebuilding of hearts and minds not to mention the stuff that makes New York, New York. For all the ways it became a theme park in recent times, let’s never lose sight of its significance and most importantly, it’s amazing people. I feel blessed to be connected to that part of the world.

This time last year we were on the verge of the Norton party. So get bejind these guys any way you can and help them beat this damn thing...

NORTON RECORDS EMERGENCY UPDATE
Thank you again to all the volunteers who have been helping Norton Records recover the near total destruction of our Brooklyn warehouse at the hands of Hurricane Sandy. We have been able to salvage some stock but the job is incredibly overwhelming. We will need able hands to help with the salvage effort here at Norton HQ in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. This is an indoor job, pulling records out of wet boxes, etc. If anyone has a vehicle of any sort to assist in getting wet boxes from the Red Hook warehouse to HQ in Prospect Heights, please call. No reception in Red Hook. Email is best bet at nortonrec@aol.com and the office landline (718) 789-4438 are the best bet for phone. Don’t leave a message. Call back til you get one of us. Messages are full.

Please do not respond with questions on facebook – we will not be following threads, but please repost if you can. We can use any help offered. We will give you the address.

Norton asked for help through the weekend but we actually will continue to need any help that we can get throughout the upcoming week. We are working from 11AM until 11PM every day. Anything that you can do to pitch in would be most appreciated. The folks who have helped so far have been simply incredible. Friends, neighbors, Norton artists and complete strangers – we thank you all for the work, the food and snacks you brought and the much needed support you’ve all shown through this ordeal.

WE WILL NOT GIVE UP ON YOU IF YOU DON'T GIVE UP ON NORTON. THAT'S A PROMISE.

We have gotten messages from people who live too far to get here. Thank you. If you are in our hurricane area, please direct your efforts to helping those who you can reach. Manhattan, Brooklyn, New Jersey, Staten Island, the entire East Coast needs a neighborhood effort.

Norton Artists!

We are heartbroken to report all of this destruction to you. We will do everything in our power to get your records back into print as soon as humanly possible. Please believe in us 'cause we sure do believe in you as musicians, friends and superstars!

STORES AND DISTRIBUTORS!

WE HAVE SEVERAL NEW RELEASES WITH NOV. 13 STREET DATE THAT ARE UNHARMED AT THE PRESSING PLANT, and KICKS BOOKS HAS THE NEW HARLAN ELLISON PAPERBACK "GETTING IN THE WIND" AND THE NEW KIM FOWLEY PAPERBACK "LORD OF GARBAGE" AT THE PRINTER. EVERYTHING ROLLS OUT WITH THESE TITLES ON SCHEDULE, GIVE OR TAKE. IF YOU ORDER BACK CATALOG, PLEASE BE AWARE THAT MUCH OF IT IS TEMPORARILY UNAVAILABLE. IF YOU OWE US ON ANY INVOICES WE ASK THAT YOU DO NOT DELAY IN SENDING PAYMENT NOW IF POSSIBLE. GOD BLESS YOU.

FAITHFUL NORTON CUSTOMERS!

BE AWARE THAT POSTAL SERVICE HAS BEEN NON EXISTENT SINCE THhE HURRICANE HIT. WE HAVE STACKS OF ORDERS HERE WAITING FOR THE POST OFFICE TO OPEN. RECENT ORDERERS, PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THINGS WILL BE DELAYED HERE AND SOME THINGS YOU ORDERED MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME.

email nortonrec@aol.com

Norton landline 718 789 4438

Norton HQ - THANK YOU EVERYONE!

with The Dahlmanns

Friday, November 2nd 2012

A night to remember for sure and I didn't even mention the Rock Boys Formation Dance troupe yet. It's all happening at Klubb Lennart. For a great guy, sadly missed.

RIP – Johan Lindsay Hutton

“I (we) always knew this day would come but that don’t make it better” –

“Don’t Fade Away” -by Andy Shernoff

I hope my friend doesn’t mind my using a slight twist on his lyric here but it captures the feeling around here pretty succinctly. My brother Iain and I finally lost our mum last night after months of her grappling with cancer. In the end it was some kind of infection that seemed to seal the deal and this is neither the time nor the place to ponder that.

Aside from the shell-shocked-ness of the actual event, my senses are working overtime. The anxieties of the past couple of weeks seem so futile now and I’ve no doubt whatsoever that we feel relief for her. Mum was dealt a bad hand in this game of life palaver.

Her god-bothering days never seemed to be taken into account at any time of her going through this. A good Christian, someone who would do anything for anyone, I guess she and my father did enjoy some glory days in their twilight years. When asked how they were I would often say that they gallivanted a lot more than me. Garden centres and cafes all over Scotland must be feeling the pinch in recent times in addition to the enforced austerity.

Mum loved animals and cats in particular. More than she did people.

I took her to the hospital on January 6th of this year and she hadn’t been back in her own house since then. Why she couldn’t have had a bit of quality life after dad passed away, I just don’t know. The urge to flavour that last sentence with an expletive is strong but I’ll try to retain some decorum.

One of her early jobs was in an electrical shop here in the town. It was called McLaughlins and they sold records. That’s where the first 45 I ever got came from – “Fireball” by Don Spencer. So I guess that maybe lit the blue touch paper.

At this point everything is kind of numb. I remember taking her to the Hippodrome for her birthday a year past last month. After that, the wheels well and truly started to come off. The positive aspect of her illness was that she seemed to be blissfully unaware of just how bad it was until this past two weeks. She was generally bright and she just let fly with whatever came into her head. Sometimes that was funny. Sometimes it was toe-curling. We couldn’t help thinking about how mortified she’d be to see herself like that.

But that didn’t stop us trying to wind her up to keep the engine running.

So Andy’s words really chimed with me. Ahead of the actual event they almost prepared me for the inevitable but that really doesn’t make it better.

Thanks to our extended family across the planet for their positive vibes at this peculiar time.

RIP - Michael Marra

RIP - Sylvia Kristel

It’s early Saturday and I’ve been fannying about with e-mail and stuff. Now SOTS has started and I’m thinking that maybe I won’t even venture over the door today. We shall see...

It’s raining outside (for a change – not) and the weather is similar in my heart. That Wunderle news yesterday was just the icing on a particularly crappy cake. Further bolstering the soul-searching that suggests one never knows when their number will be called.

Any which way – I’m stuck for the foreseeable but there are a couple of lights in the not too far distance that will provide incidental respite from the wearing down process. If we actually manage to stumble into 2013 then perhaps it’s time to take a different tack?

Reckon it would take a year to ebay the contents of my garrett for starters. There’s another can of worms ready to be kicked over.

RIP - Jim Wunderle

(Thanks to Stefan Nilsson for the link)

I couldn't believe it when I saw Stefan's facebook post and called Joe Terry who sadly confirmed that it was so. Deeply saddened about this and always looked forward to actually meeting J rather than having e-mail exchanges about haggis, etc. Amy and Eric just saw him with the gang when they had a show in Springfield just a couple of weeks ago.

Condolences to his friends and family out there at the buckle on the bible belt and beyond.

Brother Donald C caught the travelling salvation show that is Wreckless Eric and Amy Rigby in San Francisco - the lucky so and so. I talked to both Amy and Eric last night as they were about to leave Seattle for Portland and they were in great spirits so that was good to hear. Anyway, over to Don...

"What a show Amy & Eric put on last nite!! Not my fave joint -- the Hemlock. I go there so infrequently it took me and my buddy James a half hour walking up and down Polk Street trying to remember where it was. Finally spotted a street (more like an alley) sign saying "Hemlock" -- duh. What annoys me about this place is that it's a big oval bar with a tiny room in the back for music. Suppose that's better in some ways so you don't get the bar noise. Certainly defines the term "intimate setting".

Ran into Roy Loney and his girlfriend just as we got in and also spotted Wally of Wally Sound -- (where we recorded the Rue '66 demos, which I just happened to be carrying around with me).

Said hi to Amy just before they went on and got a big hug. She looked great in a black print dress with roses all over it, black tights and boots. Eric wore a brown cowboy shirt and brown cords and shades and looked very good-- much slimmer than last time I saw him. They had lots of guitars: Amy had her trusty beat up Gibson J-45 but started off with a really cool solid body Harmony with the same much loved pickups in the Harmony Meteor (famously heard on very early Stones). She also had a Dano 12 string as seen on the cover of “Favourites”.

Eric began with a white Mustang bass with flower stickers on it. He also had his Guild hollow body (like the one Dave Davies had on Kontroversy) and Japanese Rickenbacker copy that he didn't use. Traynor amp with 12" bass cab. Amy went thru a Roland Jazz chorus amp with a pair of 10" speakers. She also had a Roland keyboard hidden in a vintage looking cabinet. They both had numerous pedals.... echo, fuzz, tremolo among them.

They came on like gangbusters running through (by now) old faves like “Astrovan” and “Til the Wheels Fall Off” and some very old Eric tunes like “The Donovan of Trash” (that Amy says is being re-released). “Raising the Bar”, “Please Be Nice to Her“ (still gives me chills that one), PF Sloan's “I Get Out of Breath” and more including some great stuff from “A Working Museum”.

Eric finally got around to his greatest hit “Whole Wide World” (yes Amy, it is the best 2 chord song ever writ) followed by Amy's greatest “Don't Ever Change”. They each entertained the crowd in between songs with tales of the road and Eric said he was disappointed with the trip west as "it's all the same. I was expecting little brown men raping fetuses or something!". Amy, however, was not disappointed with their first day in Frisco as someone held a parking spot for her only to ask for a ten dollar reward for his effort. Eric introduced "Reconnez Cherie" by saying that he thought he was writing a song in French but found out later "it wasn't French it was rubbish".

Rubbish perhaps, mais magnifique -- this was always my favorite song of his. They also did both sides of the most recent single and “Bobblehead Doll” was just tremendous. What that would've sounded like if they had a band behind them!! Really if they had a band they would just tear the roof off the whole country with this material.

Easily the best I've ever seen them do as a duo. I must say that up til now, altho a big fan of each of them, I never felt they worked as well together as they did solo. This show totally changed my mind.

Amy bought us drinks afterwards. Roy downed a shot of vodka and smartly left to catch his coach before it turned pumpkin. James (who first turned me on to Amy) and I stayed and hung out for a bit which meant we had to wait over an hour on the human toilet bowl known as Market Street for the N-Owl. But it was well worth it and I'd do it again tonight. Lucky folks n Seattle can do so. 

And I think Portland is next and San Diego and LA after that". - Don

Please, if you're in NY or can get there - be at the Mercury Lounge tomorrow night. You have to be there for 7pm sharp or you'll miss The Dahlmanns and that'd be just plain daft. Meanwhile if you're in Cleveland tonight - Moss Rock City, Norway's version of Nigel Tufnel will be reciting the immortal words...

I've been preoccupied lately hence the silence. Some of you know why. It irks me that I don't have the time to keep this up to date and here's a prime example why.

Now I know you can't contribute to funding everything, we're all being squeezed, but a few shekels toward this Joe Meek documentary wouldn't go amiss. Really.

Can’t remember exactly but it’s usually about now that we get inundated by people looking for yon contest that hijacked our namesake. Maybe they’ve finally been shaken off? And while hat would be a turn up for the books, one had better not start counting that fowl just yet. Desperation makes folk do peculiar things at the best of times and having anything to do with such a beastie scores high on the desparometer in my book. Not to be confused with the despairometer you understand.


Went to the post office last week and eagle-eyed counter guy guessed that I was posting an “album”. The package was a dead giveaway and he immediately thought I was an ebayer. Of course, I put him straight but just lately I’ve thought about dipping my toe in those poisoned waters again. The consideration is to raise funds and get the chuff out of Dodge, away from the fading pulsebeat of wage slavery. I’ll be 55 soon and a lot of people haven’t been adding 10 to that too much lately, in the case of Nick Curran – WAY short of that. Actually, I got a message from a friend in PA earlier that's helping a friend sell a 45 collection but I think he wants it all to go at one time. If you'd like me to forward the list then leave your e-mail. Chances are though that you might be out to unload too?

So yes. Perhaps, maybe it’s time to consider taking a flyer? What’s the worst that could happen? I’m still sort of counting on those Mayans but a Rezilloshow in Edinburgh wouldn’t be too bad a location for an exit, right? To counter that, there are people and things worth sticking around for but there has to be more to this existence than having to tolerate situations and individuals that don’t fall into that category. There are people and things worth putting up with the bullshit - and a ton more livin’ to do should the absolute need arise. I’ve really had it up to yonder though – gestures at lamp post outside the window so woe betide those that are just posturing, serving up the jargon and hitching their sad wagons to the outright enemy.

There are two categories as I see it – problem and solution – it’s time to kick ‘em out!