Lou Reed makes a film

I love it when my heroes get a little sentimental. I watched the "making of" DVD that comes with the Raw Power Deluxe package last night, and saw Iggy get a little teary when discussing the length & journey of his career. Here we have Lou Reed, now nearly 70 himself, doing a documentary with a cousin of his, Shirley, who is about to turn 100. Fantastic. Dare I say sweet. Oh, and in case you're wondering, Lou provides the music with his Metal Machine Trio.

Daily travels

Saugerties, NY, March 2010

Television - 1974 loft rehearsals

ADDENDUM, 6.25.10: I had a video playlist of 10 tracks posted here from the available footage. Unfortunately, it's not available anymore, so I've replaced it with what you see below. I wonder how long this one will last? I also wonder who the fucking cry baby is who put the take down into place to have the videos removed from YouTube?
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Once upon a time there was a man named Terry Ork. He managed Television, and according to some folks was extremely responsible for getting CBGB off the ground in the direction that brought the club eventual success & notoriety. Here is some very interesting footage (10 clips in all) of Television practicing in Ork's loft in Chinatown, circa 1974, with Richard Hell on bass. In certain respects, this is some sort of ground zero.



As Richard Lloyd said over at Perfect Sound Forever:

RL: I was living downtown in Chinatown with this guy who worked for Andy Warhol...

Q: Terry Ork?

RL: Terry Ork. I had been playing guitar for a number of years. I never played with anybody. I wasn't the kind of guy who ran around playing with everyone on the planet. So, one day Terry says "I know another guy who does what you do" and I said "What do I do?" He said "Well, you play guitar." So I went down to see Verlaine play. So Tom played these three songs. Instantly, watching this fellow, I just knew something was going to happen. Richard Hell was his manager, and we convinced him to learn the bass. In came Ficca, who had been a drummer in some blues band from Chicago. Terry Ork offered us rehearsal space in his loft, and even offered to buy us the necessary equipment. It was an offer Tom couldn't refuse. So we started the group. We called ourselves GooGoo for three weeks, then we all went our separate ways to find a name. Richard Hell came up with Television. Tom liked it because TV was his initials. We were more like the Sex Pistols back then, in a way...

Herb Ellis RIP

Herb Ellis - RIP

135 Grand Street, 1979

This just in from Soul Jazz: 135 Grand Street is a stunning filmed document of New York's post-punk/No Wave scene, made in a downtown New York loft in 1979. Featured bands include Theoretical Girls, The Static, Ut, Rhys Chatham and more.

This is the first time the film has ever been released on DVD. The film has only ever been screened as part of Sonic Youth's 'Sensational Fix' touring art exhibition and before Glenn Branca's recent live shows.

Soul Jazz Records are releasing the DVD on a single double-sided NTSC/PAL region-free format. There is also a budget-priced CD to the film available (with extra tracks). Get more info and buy it here.

Ericka Beckman’s film captures the driving energy and posturing of early No Wave bands’ performing live in a sparse downtown loft. Featured bands include Theoretical Girls, UT, A Band, Rhys Chatham, Chinese Puzzle, The Static, Morales, Youth in Asia, Morales, Steven Piccolo and Jill Kroesen.

‘135 Grand Street, New York, 1979’ is a unique film capturing both the aural and visual aesthetics of New York’s No Wave scene in its ascendant. Punk rock and non-musicianship fight it out with art world attitude. Garage band line-ups in varying degrees of musical destruction sit alongside post-everything poetry and experimental noise terrorists. Ericka Beckman’s film matches the rawness, minimalism and radicalism of the music - a fitting document and visual statement of new forms created out of New York’s anti-everything musical nihilism, circa 1979.

‘135 Grand Street, New York, 1979’ is history. It includes the only known footage of the Theoretical Girls, The Static and a number of other No Wave bands of the period. This is a film about bands filled with painters, filmmakers, actors - and occasionally musicians - thriving and thrashing in the pulsating, vibrant post-punk world of New York where high art met low culture, where Glenn Branca, Rhys Chatham, Wharton Tiers, Taro Suzuki and the others featured here made the connections between John Cage and Joey Ramone, between the questioning of art and ? and the Mysterians.

The film is currently showing as part of Sonic Youth’s ‘Sensational Fix’ touring art exhibition as well as being screened before Glenn Branca’s most recent shows in New York City (Sep 2009).

"If you wanna see what the Soho side of No Wave looked like this is the only place you're ever gonna find it" Glenn Branca

Lost and Found at the NY Nobody Sings

Be sure to visit the New York Nobody Sings to hear Alec Baldwin's compelling reading of Colson Whitehead's Lost and Found.

"No matter how long you have been here, you are a New Yorker the first time you say, ''That used to be Munsey's'' or ''That used to be the Tic Toc Lounge.'' That before the Internet cafe plugged itself in, you got your shoes resoled in the mom-and-pop operation that used to be there. You are a New Yorker when what was there before is more real and solid than what is here now."

Randy at SxSW

I haven't been able to attend the annual musical orgy that is the South By Southwest Festival in the last couple of years. Thankfully I have friends like Randy who usually get to go, and then write about it. Here is Randy's report for SxSW 2010.

"BEST OF THE FEST" – RANDY’S PHOTO SET: http://www.flickr.com/photos/worldofrandsom/sets/72157623723952696/

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CHERIE CURRIE OF THE RUNAWAYS CARVES WOOD: http://www.flickr.com/photos/worldofrandsom/4464079391/

BEAUTIFUL AUSTIN WEATHER AT THE LEVI’S/FADER PARTY: http://www.flickr.com/photos/worldofrandsom/4464085401/

WANDA JACKSON, JAMES BURTON & RAUL MALO: http://www.flickr.com/photos/worldofrandsom/4465607625/

MICHAEL MONROE OR KLAUS KINSKI?: http://www.flickr.com/photos/worldofrandsom/4460934987/

GWAR INVADE THE STREETS OF AUSTIN : http://www.flickr.com/photos/worldofrandsom/4466367306/

RANDY WITH KEITH MORRIS OF CIRCLE JERKS & BLACK FLAG: http://www.flickr.com/photos/worldofrandsom/4464079391/

RANDY WITH STEVE McDONALD OF REDD KROSS / TATER TOTZ: http://www.flickr.com/photos/worldofrandsom/4463871568/

OFF!’s FIRST-EVER GIG (with Keith Morris & Steve McDonald): http://www.flickr.com/photos/worldofrandsom/4463860178/

SATANA THE GO GO DANCER AT LORDS OF ALTAMONT: http://www.flickr.com/photos/worldofrandsom/4462488028/

HUNX & HIS PUNX DRESSED AS PUSSYCATS: http://www.flickr.com/photos/worldofrandsom/4461754096/

YAY! IT’S THE MUFFS: http://www.flickr.com/photos/worldofrandsom/4459219797/

HARDCORE PUNK WITH THE SPITS: http://www.flickr.com/photos/worldofrandsom/4459241966/

I'm not sure how many people attended the SXSW music festival this year. Reports differ, so I'll just say A LOT. So many that I had trouble getting food. If you wanted to go to a restaurant, you needed to expect an hour-long wait for a table. Even if you were just willing to settle for a slice of pizza from a street vendor, the lines were still about 40-people deep. Luckily I had stopped at a grocery store on my way into downtown Austin and stocked up on food for my hotel room. Lots of bananas.

I saw 30 bands out of 2000. Most folks are impressed that I caught 30 bands in 3.5 days but it seems lackluster to me. In my best year, I think I caught 45. I heard about some people who were gunning for 100.

Before I get to the gigs, it's worth mentioning that I worked on two Sony Legacy-related panels. One celebrated Elvis Presley's 75th birthday on January 8, 2010. I was chosen to collect Elvis' 30-lb. peanut butter cake from the bakery delivery truck on the street, and then carry it up the escalator and down the hall to the opposite side of the convention center. I was relieved not to drop it. I sustained a shoulder injury from a fall last November, so my left arm was feeling wobbly. But I didn't let The King down. In the presence of this regal cake, it was also a treat to hang with music legends Wanda "The Queen of Rockabilly" Jackson and James "The King of the Telecaster" Burton . My father met and had Wanda Jackson sign his concert program in the '60s, so meeting her felt kind of "full circle."

The second panel focused on the 40th anniversary of the release of Miles Davis' ground-breaking Bitches Brew album. We had a great lineup of talent on the panel including Miles' son, Erin Davis; Miles' nephew, Vince Wilburn Jr.; and legendary jazz drummer Lenny White. Lenny was quite funny and told many awesome stories.

Rather than discuss at length all 30 acts that I witnessed, I'll just hit you with some highlights and insights.

SMOKEY ROBINSON – You've gotta give it up for Smokey. He's written so many songs that are indelibly imbedded in the global consiousness. At 70, the Motown legend proved to be in fine form, flirting with the females, thrusting his hips, and cooing in his velvet glove of a voice. The adoring crowd was treated to a stroll through his backpages which included "Tears of a Clown," "Tracks of My Tears," "Get Ready," "My Girl," "Ooh Baby Baby," "Goin' to a Go Go," "Quiet Storm," "Being With You," and perhaps my favorite, "Cruisin."

SMOKEY ROBINSON at Austin Music Hall , 3/18/10: http://www.flickr.com/photos/worldofrandsom/4466387904/

VIV ALBERTINE – After 25 years, the former guitarist returns to rock action. The Slits were a first-generation female British punk band, and their cred is unassailable -- they featured on the UK 's 1976 "White Riot" tour alongside the Clash, Heartbreakers, Buzzcocks and Subway Sect. In the years since giving up music in 1981, Viv's angular, idiosyncratic style of guitar playing has established itself as massively influential, with its signature stylings appearing in reggae, post-punk, and the riot grrrl movement.

I managed to catch Viv twice at SXSW. On Friday she played an Ecstatic Peace showcase at Red 7. During the course of her show, Viv proclaimed that "I've done my time in the straight world and now I'm back to being an artist." She revealed that her 17-year marriage ended badly, and that being back in the dating scene at age 55 (she looks marvelous!) well and truly sucks. She's now the mother of a 10-year-old daughter, which makes her eligible for her self-acce pt ed "MILF" status (look it up online). As a result of the travails of her personal life, and a strong affinity for the music of Neil Young, Viv's new songs are nakedly confessional. Her ex-husband has obviously played a large part in the relaunch of her career, providing grist for songs like "I Don't Believe In Love," "The False Heart" and "Never Come." Musically, it was miraculous to experience the logical continuation of her signature Slits sound after such a long time away.

The next day, Viv played the "day stage" at the Hyatt Hotel. The "day stage" basically amounted to a stage erected in the hotel's lobby, next to the check-in desk and a pair of working escalators packed with a never-ending cycle of clueless people staring at Viv. This is the kind of SXSW gig that must leave lifetime scars on an artist's psyche. Alone with her guitar, Viv courageously told the hotel guests of her difficulties as a middle-aged mother back in the dating scene, and tried not to swear too much in front of the little grey-haired couple sitting at a table directly in front of her. After each song, the little grey-haired husband would turn to his wife with a smug glance that said "Can you believe what she JUST SANG?" When Viv introduecd a hilarious new tune called "Couples Are Creepy," she made sure to mention that it wasn't dedicated to the little grey-haired couple. But everyone knew it was!

Check out Viv's new EP, Flesh, on Ecstatic Peace.

VIV ALBERTINE at Red 7, 3/19/10: http://www.flickr.com/photos/worldofrandsom/4467426070/

DEMOLISHED THOUGHTS – This was a case of being in the right place at the right time. I wasn't aware of the name of the band playing the Red 7 patio after Viv, and I certainly wasn't aware of the band's "superstar" lineup. But the buzz soon reached me that Demolished Thoughts was a new sideband featuring the talents of Andrew W.K., Thurston Moore (vox), J Mascis (bass) and Don Fleming (guitar). Andrew was a no-show, but the rest of the guys were definitely on stage, ripping through a set of old school hardcore cover songs, including scorchers from Gang Green, Section 8, Deadline, and more. Thurston screamed all the lyrics from handwritten pages he held throughout the set.

Bill Murray watched from about 8 ft. to my right. I guess John Belushi wasn't the only member of SNL to love hardcore punk (he famously invited Fear to play SNL).

MICHAEL MONROE – Warming up for Motorhead at the Austin Music Hall , former Hanoi Rocks frontman Michael Monroe proved to be a glam rock lightning bolt, strutting the floorboards and pursing his lips like prime Jagger. I'm not familiar with Monroe 's deep back catalog, but this gig definitely made me want to do research. After wowing me with his theatrics, I was struck by how much Monroe has morphed to look like Klaus Kinski. In the '80s, he looked liked his namesake Marilyn, but watching him now is like seeing Aguirre or Fitzcarraldo in a platinum-blond peacock hairdo! Monroe received rock solid support from an amazing band comprised of Sami Yaffa (Hanoi Rocks, New York Dolls), Steve Conte (New York Dolls), Ginger (Wildhearts) and Karl Rockfist ( Danzig , Chelsea Smiles).

MICHAEL MONROE BAND at Austin Music Hall , 3/17/10: http://www.flickr.com/photos/worldofrandsom/4460910989/

DARKER MY LOVE – On Jack Rabid's advice, I checked out Darker My Love's second album, 2008's appropo 2, and became a fan of this band for life. That album's heavy psych flavor has been traded for a country rock sound reminiscent of the Byrds and Paisley Underground acts like Rain Parade. These new tunes should be surfacing soon on Dangerbird Records.

DARKER MY LOVE at Longbranch Inn, 3/19/10: http://www.flickr.com/photos/worldofrandsom/4467438322/

CHEW LIPS – Toiling under the awful name Chew Lips (apparently a character in Brendan Behan's novel Borstal Boy), this electrop trio is already a sensation in the UK , thanks to their striking female vocalist Tigs regularly appearing in the NME. Best part of their set at the Longbranch Inn came when Tigs jumped off the stage to steal my pal James Stockbauer's safari hat, wearing it for a second before tossing it over the audience like a frisbee.

CHEW LIPS at Longbranch Inn , 3/19/10: http://www.flickr.com/photos/worldofrandsom/4467474826/

IN THE NURSERY – In existence since 1981, In The Nursery finally got around to playing their first-ever gig in the U.S. The gig happened at long-running goth club Elysium on the final chilly night of SXSW. Surveying the sparse audience, I got the impression that most of the black-clad crowd were out-of-towners who had traveled far to catch this rare appearance. Featuring twins Nigel (keyboards) and Klive (percussion) Humberstone, the group also included vocalist Dolores Marguerite C and a drummer whose name I didn't catch. In the '80s, In The Nursery was lumped in with the industrial music movement, but these days the group creates neo-classical compositions scored with synthesizers and percussion. One of their most recent projects was creating a new score to Carl Theodor Dreyer's 1928 film, The Passion of Joan of Arc.

IN THE NURSERY at Elysium, 3/19/10: http://www.flickr.com/photos/worldofrandsom/4467496060/

CELEBRITIES I SPOTTED AT SXSW 2010: Bill Murray, Zooey Deschanel

WORST NEW BAND NAME: "Best Fwends." This awful monicker follows previous winners "Get Cape . Wear Cape . Fly." and "We Were Promised Jetpacks."

FULL ROLL CALL OF BANDS I SAW THIS YEAR: Awesome Color, The Spits, The Muffs, Voivod, Michael Monroe Band, Motorhead, Hunx & His Punx, The Russian Futurists, Lords of Altamont, The Walkmen, The Fresh & Onlys, Cockpit (an all-girl band – genius name!), OFF! with Keith Morris and Steve McDonald, The Batusis with Sylvain Sylvain and Cheetah Chrome, The Jim Jones Revue, The Dum Dum Girls, Golden Triangle, Harlem, Japandroids, Metric, Raphael Saadiq, Smokey Robinson, Pierced Arrows, True Widow, Viv Albertine, Demolished Thoughts, Darker My Love, Chew Lips, The Middle East, In The Nursery.

SXSW 2010: “THE FULL HORROR” (10 pages) PHOTO RECAP: http://www.flickr.com/photos/worldofrandsom/

See you in 2011!

Before and After: Get Carter

Roy Budd's 1971 Get Carter soundtrack has been a long time fave ever since hearing the original version of it maybe a dozen years ago. I had first heard the haunting yet catchy melody when The Human League had covered the main theme on their epic Dare album in 1981 - track one, side two. It segued perfectly into "I Am the Law." Most recently, Jah Wobble released a version of it on the ever wonderful Pressure Sounds label.

Thanks to PCL LinkDump for pointing the way to the film of Budd himself performing the piece.

Before:



After:

Audio fixed on the last Friday Ephemera

For anyone, like me, who had trouble with the audio of Ted Nugent in the last Friday Ephemera post, I've fixed it. Check it out here. It's worth it - the Nuge is a hoot.

Don Letts documentary

Don Letts has long known about the DIY aesthetic. He worked at Acme Attractions on the Kings Road in London, and was the first, and main, DJ at the Roxy Club in London (where he cemented the connection between UK punk & Jamaican reggae). Around the same time he shot "The Punk Rock Movie." He then went on in the 80's to be a main member of Big Audio Dynamite with the Clash's Mick Jones, has shot countless music videos, DJ'd some more, and produced some more cool films...and all of it was pretty much self taught & instinctive. No history of the Clash, or UK punk, is complete without him. My kind of guy. And in the "it's a small world" department, he ended up marrying a woman named Grace who I hung out with in the 80's when she lived in NYC.

Here's a trailer on a somewhat new film about him. Visit the film's official website here.

Chicks dig vinyl

Via

Attention vinyl fetishists

To Have & To Hold is a film about vinyl, for people who live for vinyl. Thanks to Dangerous Minds for the tip, via Nerdcore. I was not able to locate a website or release date, but I gather it will be somewhat available sometime this year.

"Add this one to your list of must see vinyl inspired documentaries and movies. Director Jony Lyle gives a quick teaser of his upcoming film entitled To Have & To Hold, which Lyle describes as “a ‘musicmentory’ to celebrate the age of vinyl records.”

The film promises enough archive footage, records rooms, music collections, pressing plants, and rare vinyl to satisfy even the most die hard physical music addicts. In addition to its irresistible collectible eye candy, To Have & To Hold, which is scheduled for a 2010 release, features interviews with such notable vinyl aficionados as Questlove, Chuck D, Bobbito Garcia, DJ Amir, Bruce Lundvall, Christian Marclay, and Paul Mawhinney."

Just Because - Speedy West & Jimmy Bryant

Upcoming events

Tomorrow, March 27, in Brooklyn - Kid Congo Powers celebrates his 51st birthday with some help from the kids over at New York Night Train.


Ron Cooke, A Detroit bass-playing legend, celebrates his birthday on April 10, in Detroit, with the help of some fellow degenerates. Over the years Ron has played with the likes of of Detroit (w/Mitch Ryder, Jim McCarty, Johnny 'Bee' Badanjek, Steve Hunter, Steve Dansby, and Rusty Day), Cactus (w/Rusty Day), Gang War (w/Johnny Thunders & Wayne Kramer), Sonic Rendezvous Band (w/Fred 'Sonic' Smith), and many more. These days find him making trouble with the Dead City Prophets. Visit their website for more info.

Friday Ephemera - Grand Royal Magazine

For a short time in the 90's, the Beastie Boys entered the print media world with Grand Royal magazine. It was typically funny, and irreverent, and was often a good indication of where the youth culture of the time would be headed throughout the decade. It was basically a peak into the world according to the Beastie Boys. It also only lasted for 6 issues, 5 of which are pictured here. Somehow I'm missing issue #1.

Issue #2, with Lee Perry on the cover, was probably the best one. Not only did it include an amazing interview with Scratch, it also included perhaps my all time favorite interview, by Bob Mack, with the one and only Ted Nugent. Seriously, it pretty much rivals any of Lester Bangs' famous confrontations with Lou Reed. I only wish I could locate a transcription online to share here. It was laugh-out-loud funny. Thanks to the Beastie Museum, we do have a couple of audio excerpts from the interview which I present here, for your enjoyment.



Ted responds to "What was up with the Damn Yankees, they were pretty lame, huh?" and manages to explain why he's a bigger nigger than Russell Simmons will ever be, followed by the claim that he's not a racist "by any stretch of the imagination":

Ted explains how he invented short skirts before Bob had figured out which tit to suck on.

Ben Vaughn remembers Alex Chilton

Our friend Lindsay, over at the Next Big Thing, has posted Ben Vaughn's remembrance of Alex Chilton. It's a nice companion piece to the Westerberg piece that ran in the NY Times a few days ago.

"I met Alex Chilton in the early Eighties in New York City. We were introduced by our mutual friend Mike. I was just starting my music career and Alex was the guy who produced the Cramps and I needed a producer so I handed him a demo of my songs. He took it, examined it from all angles as if he’d never seen a cassette tape before, looked me in the eye and asked, “Is this original material?” I nodded yes and in a very blasé voice he said, “great” and put it in his pocket. My friend Mike and I shrugged at each other. We assumed the tape would be tossed." Continued here.

Here's a track from the vastly overlooked album recorded by Vaughn, Chilton & Alan Vega in the mid 90's, Cubist Blues, and released by the Thirsty Ear label.

Blank Generation

The always enjoyable Dangerous Minds blog recently pointed out yet another punk film entitled Blank Generation. This one was produced by the BBC as part of a bigger series on rock history called Seven Ages of Rock, and originally aired in 2007. I've collected all six parts into a handy playlist which I now present for your viewing pleasure.

John Robb talks to Patti Smith

UK writer/musician John Robb Patti Smith recently spoke with Patti Smith at the Sheffield Library Museum. Hopefully there will be some sort of transcription or recording made available at some point.

"At one moment she wells up, the next she is hilarious, the next she speaks with a powerful wisdom that so few of her male counterparts have managed in a similar timespan. I sit there and realise that I am talking to the very core- the very epicentre of where rock n roll and poetry, emotion and art clashes- it’s powerful stuff, the dark magic that is at the heart of what makes rock n roll so great- this is the very place and she is do damn modest with it." Read his heartfelt description here.

Jim Marshall RIP

Jim Marshall - RIP.

Marshall was one of the first superstar rock photographers and a real legend. I had been hearing his name lots lately as he & Godlis had recently traded prints, and Marshall was supposed to be appearing at the Varvatos store tonight for a party celebrating & promoting his latest book, Match Prints. Visit his official website here.

Even more Stooges

Just when we were getting ready for the Raw Power deluxe reissue, the following showed up in my inbox. Rhino Handmade will be reissuing the first Stooges album in a Collectors Edition on April 19:

* Features 6 previously unreleased tracks
* Features previously unissued studio track "Asthma Attack" on 7" single
* Issued in a 7" x 7" hardbound booklet
* 26 tracks

Available only online, you'll need to visit Rhino Handmade for more info. I've been so broke recently I won't be buying this or the Raw Power Deluxe issue...if anyone out there is feeling generous...(hint hint).

Ron Banks RIP

Ron Banks - RIP. I'm a wee bit tardy with this one, but it's really never too late.

Record Store Day 2010

Well, it's almost that time of year again...Record Store Day, 2010. I believe this is the third one, right? Anyway, in case you're the type of person who wants to plan ahead, it falls on April 17 this year. I wanted to direct your attention to a couple of lists of the special releases in store specifically for the day.

US releases for US stores - click here
UK releases for UK stores - click here

Personally I'm not as stoked about the special releases this year compared to last. Although there is a Fela 10" that looks pretty good. To stay up to date, sign up for the official Record Store Day mailing list here.

Just Kids, Sunday reading

I can't recommend Patti Smith's Just Kidshighly enough. I finished it last night and absolutely fell in love. I have too many thoughts about it to get into here, but I will say that it touched me in many ways. And I've never been the biggest Patti Smith fan, but whenever I've given her the time, I don't regret it. For anyone interested in a post-Exploding Plastic Inevitable/pre-CBGB New York City this is a must-read.





I also wanted to point out several good articles that appear in today's edition of the NY Times:

- The T.A.M.I. Show is finally available legally again this Tuesday, and here's why you should make an effort to see it.
- Paul Westerberg shares a laugh with Alex Chilton.
- Charlie Gillett's obituary.

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductions

Andy Schwartz, long associated with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, takes a close look at this past Monday's induction ceremony. Above, that's him with the Stooges' James Williamson. As Andy says in his photo caption, James is oddly enlarged. That's a good way to put it. Below, Iggy Pop makes his acceptance speech.

"On Monday, March 15, I attended the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductions at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York. This was hailed as “the 25th anniversary” although the first induction dinner was held in 1986. I did not attend that inaugural event but have attended the majority of inductions since 1987 including events held in Los Angeles (1993) and Cleveland (2009). I’ve never paid for a ticket — a tablemate told me the price was three grand apiece this year — but rather have earned admittance either through the largesse of my former record company employer or (more often) as an editorial contributor to the program book distributed to all attendees." Continued here.

Going outside today? Visit an indie bookstore!

Join EV Grieve and go support an independent bookstore before they go the way of the record store...I know they're headed in the same direction, but at least in NYC, bookstores are easier to find. Let's make sure they remain easy to find.

The Stooges assault continues

Remember, the deluxe version of the Raw Power reissue is only available here.

Lastly, something I've been meaning to post for a while is some simply mind bending film of the Stooges, live in NYC in 1973, shot by Ivan Kral. There are four very short clips, but it's astounding footage, and not to be missed. Unfortunately embedding has been disabled, but you can view all four of them here. I encourage you to check out the rest of Ivan's cinema verite, you-are-there video clips by clicking here. It's real treasure. Thanks to Retro Kimmer for the reminder to post these.

Godlis remembers Alex Chilton, so does the US Congress

Chilton hanging out with the Cramps, 1977, by Godlis

Obviously the response to Alex Chilton's death has been overwhelming. I hope it's some sort of comfort to his family. Like yesterday's Charlie Gillett remembrance by Paul Gorman, I'm happy to link to Godlis' memories of hanging out with Alex Chilton. His famous shot of Chilton taken on a rainy Bowery, with a drop of water on the lense, is the one being used most often (uncredited) with online posts about Chilton's death:

"We didn't talk a lot about music on most nights. We talked a lot about photography. His friend William Eggleston's color show at MOMA had just shaken up the photography world. Alex, who was working with the Cramps was well aware of my low-light photography style, and made me do a shot of him and the Cramps by candlelight - a nearly impossible task that amused him to no end." Continued here.

Also, a somewhat surprising event was the short memorialization of Chilton on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives by Tennessee's Steve Cohen. Very nice. I'm happy to see that some sensible events do take place in that institution.

Friday Ephemera

Liquid Liquid to appear on Jimmy Fallon

In an interesting turn of events, I just received word that our buddies Liquid Liquid will be performing on the Jimmy Fallon show on April 2. They will be accompanied by Fallon's "house band," the incomparable Roots. We must be living in some sort of weird time vacuum or something.

LIQUID LIQUID links:
- Listen to & buy Liquid Liquid
- Liquid Liquid on myspace
- Liquid Liquid on Facebook
- Liquid Liquid website

The Descendents

Joe Carducci & the New Vulgate strike again with a great remembrance of the Descendents whose Milo Goes To College has to be one the great albums of the 80's. Apparently, it's edited from an essay that will appear in the forthcoming book, Party With Me Punker, by Dave Markey and Jordan Schwartz slated for a spring 2011 release.

"In 1980 I wasn’t aware of the first 45 by The Descendents, “Ride the Wild/It’s a Hectic World” (Orca 001). It was recorded by Spot at Media Art in Hermosa Beach in September 1979 with help from Dave and Joe Nolte of The Last. The 45 was released in early 1980, though undistributed anywhere but stores in Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, and at Zed in Long Beach. The first Descendents I heard was the track, “Global Probing” on the second New Alliance compilation, Chunks. SST had turned Mike Watt onto Systematic Record Distribution, where I was, which was easy enough since he and D. Boon were working for Greg’s SST Electronics company, assembling his tuners. Later in 1981 The Descendents Fat e.p. came out on New Alliance and I ordered it immediately for distribution around the country. It was one more idiosyncratic masterpiece of what was coming to be known as L.A. hardcore." Continued here.

Paul Gorman remembers Charlie Gillett

Yesterday proved to be some sort of red letter day as far as the grim reaper goes. In a small bit of comfort I take from recognizing symmetry, I realized that both Ron Lundy & Charlie Gillett probably played & enjoyed Alex Chilton records at some point. At the very least when Chilton fronted the Box Tops and had a hit with "The Letter."

My friend Paul Gorman, accomplished writer & blogger, and one knowledgeable dude, left the following comment in response to the passing of Charlie Gillett. I thought it too good to hide away in the comments, and have decided to run it here. Thanks for sharing Paul.

Charlie was a very important figure in music and also an incredible footballer - that's how I first got to know the silver fox (skinny as a rake, swift down the wing) 25 years ago kicking around on Thursday evenings on Clapham Common.

Out walking the dog, my wife and I bumped into him last year; he'd fought like a bastard against his condition in his determination to return to match fitness.
Charlie removed his timeless herringbone coat (which some believe he wore back when managing the Kilburns) and trotted off for a kick around with some Sierra Leone-ians. Charlie was the epitome of (much overused this but entirely appropriate here) cool.

When Johnnie Allan's The Promised Land came out on Oval-Stiff in 1978 I'd buy copies and give them as presents - he inspired that kind of zeal. Honky Tonk was way ahead of the game as was Another Saturday Night - he made landmark moves in record compilation and broadcasting effortlessly. He also used to tell the story about how he visited Lennon in LA during the Lost Weekend phase for a Radio One series he was working on.
The crew pulled up outside this mansion and even Charlie confessed to feeling nervous. Then the door burst open and Lennon cried: "Aha! The famous Charlie Gillett!"

Remember watching Dr John play Clapham Bandstand in the early 80s just knowing that this wouldn't have happened without him and his gasp of glee and surprise when Denise Roudette took the stage during the Brixton Academy Ian Dury tribute gig.

He told me that my book In Their Own Write was OK but I should have written it as a narrative rather than oral history. "I wanted to hear what you thought," he said. I was momentarily incensed and then realised: Dammit! He's right!

One final thing: I DJed for an aftershow last May and he came over and told me how much he loved my set. Then he mailed me the next day and repeated the accolade. No higher praise can I ever expect. And when I played Delroy Wilson's I'm In A Dancing Mood he leapt up and raved about how it was one of the first songs he got into when he moved to London in the mid-60s. That was Charlie; he never lost his passion and love for music and that informed and enriched the lives of, I'd say, millions...Sayonara Charlie.

Alex Chilton RIP

Alex Chilton - RIP. Wow...enough already! It's been a bad day.

“Children by the million / Sing for Alex Chilton / When he comes ’round / They sing, ‘I’m in love / What’s that song? / I’m in love with that song.'"

Photo by Godlis. Lyrics by Paul Westerberg.

Charlie Gillett RIP

Charlie Gillett - RIP.

I highly recommend checking out Charlie's 1970 book, The Sound Of The City: The Rise Of Rock And Roll, which according to Wikipedia, was originally written as his masters thesis at Columbia University! It's an excellent book recounting the history of rock 'n roll up to that point. Visit his website here.

Herbie Cohen RIP

Herbie Cohen - RIP. Thanks to the Eyeball Kid for the tip. For those of you who might not know, Cohen managed both Frank Zappa & the Mothers, and Tom Waits, in the earlier phases of their respective careers. He also helmed Zappa's Straight, Bizarre and Discreet record labels. The photo above is courtesy of the Tom Waits Library.

Ron Lundy RIP

Ron Lundy - RIP

“Hello, Love — this is Ron Lundy from the greatest city in the world!” I consider myself lucky to have grown up in the late 60's through the 70's in the NYC metro area for one reason - I was fortunate enough to enjoy the tail end of real top 40 AM radio. And Ron Lundy was a big reason to enjoy it. Watch the beginning montage of New York City in Midnight Cowboy - that's Ron's voice you'll hear (see below). Visit MusicRadio77 for more information on Ron including airchecks.

This WABC aircheck, from December 1969, courtesy of MusicRadio77, is a great place to start.




(Courtesy of FadingAd.com)

The Subject Is...Jazz

Courtesy of Classic Television Showbiz. Originally aired in 1958, it features Bill Evans, Tony Scott, Art Farmer, Jimmy Cleveland, Doc Severinsen, Ed Thigpen, Mundell Lowe, Eddie Safranski and George Russell.

Nick Kent - Apathy For the Devil

The New Vulgate is a blog/e-zine edited by Joe Carducci & Chris Collins. Joe used to be one of the main guys at SST Records, and is also a writer (Rock & the Pop Narcotic being his best known book). They publish lengthy posts once a week or so which include various stories of cultural interest. Last week's issue included this piece on Nick Kent's new memoir, Apathy For the Devil - out now in the UK, but not due for US publication until August.

From the London desk and Steve Beeho…

Nick Kent was the closest that the English music press came to producing its own Lester Bangs in the 70s. Each possessed a distinctive voice that hooked you from the outset, both of them ruinously pursued lives of excess at their peak and both created their own pantheon of artists which ironically seem like the conventional wisdom nowadays. And as the decade ended both branched out to front their own bands when the urge to practice what they preached became irresistible. (Kent had earlier been in an embryonic version of the Sex Pistols but was excommunicated by McLaren who thought he might contaminate them).

But unlike Bangs, Kent pulled himself out of the nosedive his life had taken and turned away from self-destruction. He has now found God and is a clean-living house-husband living in France. Sixteen years after his classic collection of journalism, The Dark Stuff, Kent has finally published his '70s memoir, Apathy For the Devil, although at least one ex-NME colleague has been less than gushing.

It's a great read but I do wonder though if the, er, oxygen of publicity hasn't made him temporarily take leave of his senses, as he declared in one interview: "I owned the 1970s. Okay, David Bowie owned them too, but he spent a lot of time with his people, just making his music. My job meant I was everywhere."

Such modesty! I wonder if David Bowie broods about how he'd've enjoyed the '70s more if only he'd been Nick Kent. It's kind of ironic though that the dead Lester found himself sanitised for posterity by Cameron Crowe in Almost Famous (2000) when the very-much-still-with-us Nick Kent's '70s descent into self-destruction and subsequent religious epiphany feels like pure Abel Ferrara (!). I'm not quite sure what the moral is there.

Further related & recommended reading:
- Nick Kent - The Dark Stuff: Selected Writings on Rock Music
- Charles Shaar Murray - Shots from the Hip (Penguin originals)
- Mick Farren - GIVE THE ANARCHIST A CIGARETTE (PIMLICO)