Ruts Reunion! Paul Fox...

I'm a few days late in posting this since I found out, and Tony Fletcher's post yesterday prompted me to get a move on it. Anyway, some really bad news came through recently that former Ruts guitarist, Paul Fox, has lung cancer. The Ruts (and Ruts DC) have long been one of my favorite rock bands of all time...this has never wavered. My very first tattoo is of their triangle logo which I like because only people who really know the Ruts know what it is.

Anyway, my first exposure to the Ruts probably came via some Virgin Records new wave/punk compilation back in the very late 70's or early 80's, and was probably the song Babylon's Burning. From the very first time I heard them, I knew these guys had "it," whatever that "it" is. They had a depth & soulfulness that most (if not all) of the other second wave UK punk bands lacked. A lot of it had to do with charismatic lead singer Malcolm Owen (RIP). In 1984 or so, I was living with Jack Rabid of Big Takeover fame, and he had given me a live tape of the band. I loved this tape/performance/band so much, I remember actually walking to work at Bleecker Bobs with a cassette playing boom box just so I could listen to it. Funny...And while I was living at Jacks, Paul Fox came and stayed with us for about a week. I don't remember why he was in New York at the time, but I remember what a nice guy he was (and I'm sure he still is). One of my favorite memories of living at Jacks is Paul teaching me how to play Babylon's Burning on guitar. Incredible!

So now it turns out that life has happened, and many years later now Paul has lung cancer. In order to raise some dough for him, the three surviving Ruts (including Paul) will be playing on July 16 in London. I've been searching like crazy all morning for a suitable flight but it's beginning to look like I won't be able to afford it. The only other time I went so far to see a show was back in'93 for the Velvet Underground reunion. If anyone has any suggestions on getting an inexpensive trip from JFK to Heathrow please let me know...any airline employees or relatives out there?


Sorry about the funky layout that follows - having trouble getting Blogger to cooperate.

First album - The Crack (1979 with Malcolm Owen)

Second album - Grin & Bear It (1980, a singles and odds & ends comp released after Malcolm Owen's passing)

Third album - Animal Now (1981, as Ruts DC, with bassist Segs Jennings on vocals)

Fourth, and last, album - Rhythm Collision (1982, with the Mad Professor)

There have been nights when I'm DJ'ing, and I've played all 8 cuts on Rhythm Collision throughout the course of the night - that's how good it (and they) are!