Ram-a-lam-a-ding-dong

Endless Art 2011: The Stupefaction obituary round up

Don Mueller
Sam Rivers
Sean Bonniwell
John Chamberlain
Vaclav Havel
Bob Brookmeyer
Cesaria Evora
Dobie Gray
Hubert Sumlin
Howard Tate
Ken Russell
Barry Llewellyn
Shelagh Delaney
Ross MacManus
Andrea True
Laura Kennedy
Jackie Leven
Joe Frazier
Bob Forsch
James Van Doren
Andy Rooney
Matty Alou
Jimmy Savile
Barry Feinstein
Dan Wheldon
Roger Williams
Al Davis
Steve Jobs
Bert Jansch
Marv Tarplin
Bob Arihood
Robert Whitaker
Leonard Dillon
Sylvia Robinson
Richard Hamilton
Wardell Quezergue
David Honeyboy Edwards
Mike Flanagan
Nick Ashford
Jerry Leiber
Marshall Grant
Bubba Smith
Gene McDaniels
Skip Thomas
Frank Foster
Amy Winehouse
Lucien Freud
Joe Lee Wilson
Alex Steinweiss
Jerry Ragavoy
Rob Grill
Würzel
John Mackey
Dick Williams
Cy Twombley
Jane Scott
Ruth Roberts
Peter Falk
Eric Swenson
Clarence Clemons
Wild Man Fischer
Paul Splittorff
Carl Gardner
Jim Northrup
Benny Spellman
Martin Rushent
Ray Bryant
Andy Dunkley
Gil Scott Heron
Harmon Killebrew
Lloyd Knibb
Cornell Dupree
Bill Gallo
John Walker
Jackie Cooper
Poly Styrene
Richard Kulwicki
George Shearing
Kenneth Mars
Chuck Tanner
Gary Moore
Pinetop Perkins
Owsley Stanley
Tura Satana
John Barry
Charlie Callas
Gladys Horton
Charlie Louvin
Don Kirshner
Trish Keenan
Ellen Stewart
Cookie Gilchrist
Bobby Robinson
Gerry Rafferty
Mick Karn
Janine Pommy Vega
Pete Postlethwaite

The Music They Made

An excellent, if incomplete, tribute to those who have served.

Don Mueller RIP

 Don Mueller - RIP

Friday Epehemera - Bowery Ballroom

Patti Smith, The Bowery Ballroom, NYC, 12.29.11. Big thank you to RB for the photo.

Laura Kennedy memorial - Bowery Electric 12.28.11

Laura Kennedy RIP

As mentioned several times here, last night saw the NYC memorial for the Bush Tetras' Laura Kennedy at the Bowery Electric. It was a casual but touching affair which saw tributes from friends like former Mudd Club doorman Richard Boch, and writer Linda Yablonsky, as well as fine mini-sets from the Bush Tetras themselves (with longtime member Julia Murphy on bass), BT drummer Dee Pop's other band - the free jamming Radio I-Ching, Band of Outsiders, and Jean Caffeine. Beautiful black & white photos, like the one above were shown on a giant screen - many of them by Lisa Genet, and several by Laura Levine. DJ Delphine Blue spun some fine tunes throughout the evening, and the whole night was topped off with a couple of songs by Lenny Kaye.

Overall, a beautiful tribute to someone who meant a whole lot to all whom she met, and then some! Read a nice review by Weasel Walter here.

Bush Tetras

The Rolling Stones "I Got You Babe" on Ready Steady Go

I can't remember if I've ever posted this one before, but Godlis pointed it out last night, so here it is...possibly again: The Rolling Stones having some fun with Cathy McGowan, and Sonny & Cher's hit song, "I Got You Babe."

Shot By: Godlis, Bush Tetras at Bowery Electric 12.28.11

Cynthia Sley

All images ©Godlis - visit Godlis.com for more information. Thanks DG!

Pat Place

Bush Tetras

Dee Pop

Sam Rivers RIP

Sam Rivers - RIP

Before and After: Riffs, Pt. 29

Memphis Minnie & Kansas Joe - Can I Do It For You (1930)


Ed & Lonnie Young - Chevrolet (1960)


Donovan - Hey Gyp (Dig The Slowness) (1965)


The Animals - Hey Gyp (1967)


The Soul Survivors - Hey Gyp (1967)


Keith Shields - Hey Gyp (Dig The Slowness) (1967)


Mance Lipscomb - I Want To Do Something For You (1967)


Taj Mahal - Chevrolet (1971)


Foghat - Chevrolet (1978)

Sean Bonniwell (The Music Machine) RIP

Sean Bonniwell - RIP

Too Many Creeps at the Peppermint Lounge 1980

In honor of Laura Kennedy of the Bush Tetras (memorial service tomorrow night), here is a recently unearthed live video of the band performing the classic "Too Many Creeps" at the 45th Street location of the Peppermint Lounge in 1980. Prime! Thanks to NYC club video guy, DCortex, for posting it!

Godlis greetings 2011

Merry Christmas from Godlis, Astor Place, 2011

In the neighborhood

via Ork Posters and Transpontine

Elvis Digs Vinyl

NYNS - The Junky's Christmas by William Burroughs

A little claymation is always nice on a holiday: Be grateful...this could be you. It originally appeared in 1993, and was produced by Francis Ford Coppola. It's available on DVD. Photo above by me, Feb. 2008. Pay no attention to the part numbers - it's all here.

Movie of the Week - Forbidden Zone

Forbidden Zone is a 1982 musical comedy film based upon the stage performances of the Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo. The film stars Hervé Villechaize, Susan Tyrrell and members of the Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo, and features appearances by Warhol Superstar Viva, Joe Spinell and The Kipper Kids. Originally shot on black-and-white film, the story of Forbidden Zone involves an alternate universe accessed through a door in the house of the Hercules family. Directed by Richard Elfman, who co-wrote the film with fellow Mystic Knights member Matthew Bright, it was the first film scored by his brother Danny Elfman. The film was completed in twenty one days over a period of ten months with minimum production costs and Villechaize being the only actor paid for the film.

Forbidden Zone was made as an attempt to capture the essence of The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo's live performances on film, and also as a means for both Richard Elfman to retire from music to work on film projects, and to serve as a transition between Oingo Boingo's former cabaret style and a New Wave-based style. Amid negative reactions to content in the film that had been perceived as being offensive, the film was screened as a midnight movie, received positive notice, and developed a cult following. In 2004, the film was digitally restored, and in 2008, the film was colorized.

Enter the Forbidden Zone if you dare!

Silent night: A christmas card from a hooker in Minneapolis

NYNS - Merry Christmas (I Don't Want To Fight Tonight)

Presented without comment - the Ramones with Merry Christmas (I Don't Want To Fight Tonight).

Laura Kennedy Memorial next week

As mentioned about a month ago, the NYC memorial for the Bush Tetras' Laura Kennedy will take place this coming Wednesday, 12/28, at Bowery Electric. The Bush Tetras will headline with Band of Outsiders, Radio I-Ching, Jean Caffeine and Lenny Kaye, amongst others, making appearances.

The Bowery Electric
327 Bowery (between 2nd and 3rd Sts)

Wednesday 12/28 at 7:00PM
(212) 228-0228
theboweryelectric.com

A Christmas Card from Terry Gilliam

NYNS - Fairytale of New York

Thanks to Mr. Lee for posting this great version of this Pogues song by Christy Moore which Holly had posted a while back. A nice way to sign off on Christmas day.

Friday Ephemera - Rat Cage Records

Rat Cage Records mail order ad, circa mid-80's

If you build it

Heinz Hajek-Halke via FITA

Kyle's Cassettes: Skip Spence - Oar

Alexander “Skip” Spence
Oar
1969 Columbia

Usually when most folks start nearing the end of their twenties they start saying things like, “Oh, I would never take acid again. Maybe some mushrooms, but I just don’t think I could handle acid anymore.” And they’re probably right, their fragile psyches would crumble into a million shattered splinters on a healthy hit of clean window pane. It sucks that most people are a bunch of pussies, but then again what are you gonna do?

At any rate, what this kind of conversation begs to question is what exactly would happen if you did just keep on dropping tabs like it weren’t no big deal? Answer: Oar. This is the biggest, baddest, axe-murdering, double-barreled daddy of lost American classics.

A little back story: In 1968 Alexander Skip Spence disappeared into the New York City night with a black witch that filled his head up with an economy sized dose of high grade LSD. Subsequently he tried to kill one of his band mates and then got the padded cell treatment for six months in Bellvue. Upon his release from the hospital he rode his motorcycle down to Nashville in his pajamas and recorded this way-the-far-fuck-out piece of Americana. More than anything this album is about someone humping out past any sort of acceptable boundaries with no promise of return. This shit is no joke. And it sounds amazing too, all haggle toothed and grizzled, slightly panicked, but riding it out all the same.

Spence had founded the Moby Grape and had been in the Jefferson Airplane, but he never really put out anything after Oar. He died of lung cancer in 1999. At the time he was living in a trailer in Northern California all strung out on coke and heroin. Most people probably think this guy was a total loser, but I say definitely not. Most people work their nuts off so that their children will grow up to hate them and they can live in some retirement community on a golf course. Spence may not have been lunching on the back nine, but this dude did more than most fools even talk about doing. This is what paying the price sounds like. Forget about it.

Visit Kyle at Trustzine.

Pulsallama appreciation

Pulsallama, who we've featured here quite a few times in the past, get a nice look-see over at Dangerous Minds today. Have a look.

NYNS - These are the good old days

Anyone somewhat familiar with Broadway Theater will know the name of famed choreographer Tommy Tune. As the narrator mentions in the intro...these are the good old days. And they are...for someone out there.

John Chamberlain RIP

John Chamberlain - RIP

NYNS - Christmas At CBGB

From the Baghdaddios (currently filed in the "where are they now?" bin) comes a "Christmas At CBGB". Happy holidays everyone from all of us here at the New York Nobody Sings. Thanks for being an early adopter of this blog. We hope you keep coming back!

This One Goes Up To 11 (For '11)

1. The Vinyl District Record Store Locator app (The Vinyl District/Shoutem)


2. Tom Waits - Bad As Me (Anti)



3. Brian Olive - Two of Everything (Alive)

NYNS - Christmas Night In Harlem

Mr. Louis Armstrong most definitely recorded some of the more enjoyable and timeless Christmas music over many years. Here he takes us up to Harlem on Christmas night...

Daily Travels - Midtown

NYNS - Christmas In Hollis

Originally posted at The New York Nobody Sings: Merry Christmas everyone...over the next few days I'll be posting some NY-specific holiday music for everyone to enjoy. We'll start with this 1987 gem from Queens' own Run DMC. Artwork above courtesy of Tom Lambert.