We're rolling quickly into THAT time of the year. New books, deluxe albums, etc...will be upon us before we know it. Here are three of note that you may find interesting.
The first is Keith Levene's memoir (pictured above), I WaS a TeeNaGe GuitariST 4 the ClaSH!. Funded by a crowd sourcing effort, check out the versions available, and place your orders at teenageguitarist76.com. The design is suitably teenaged fanzine paste-up 1970's style. Nice!
Next up is a related book of sorts, the second memoir/autobiography by John Lydon, entitled Anger is an Energy: My Life Uncensored. Available October 9, it's sure to be an interesting read. I always find Lydon interviews highly intelligent, articulate, relatable and entertaining. Pre-order here.
Last, but certainly not least, is a new book of photographs of Tom Waits as shot by Mitchell Rose, in Los Angeles in 1977 at & around the legendary Tropicana Hotel. See some examples, and order the book directly from the photographer here.
Those of you old enough might remember an album by Public Image called The Commercial Zone. It was to prove the final death knell for the partnership of the original foundation of the band between John Lydon and Keith Levene. Lydon went on to release a, well, more commercial version of the original album to the band's great benefit (retitled This Is What You Want...This Is What You Get), and Levene snuck out an "unauthorized" version of the album not too long after. Well, it seems Keith is back at it, after tackling Metal Box in recent years. The following hit my inbox a couple of days ago:
For immediate release – March 23, 2014: Clash/Public Image Ltd. founding member, Keith Levene will establish a crowd-funding project on Indiegogo to produce the “Commercial Zone 2014” initiative after three decades.
In 1982-1983, Levene composed what was intended to be PiL’s fourth album, the Commercial Zone. However, lack of support and creative differences over that album led Levene to leave PiL and abandon the project in the Spring of 1983.
“Finally producing the Commercial Zone my way will allow me to finish important unfinished business,” explains Levene. “I know there’s been a gap in time of thirty years. However, it seems like it’s coming right on time for a myriad of reasons. For instance PiL’s debut album First Issue from 1978 was released in America for the first time ever only last year by PiL Official. And now, they have released another repackaged album called PiL Gold which contains something like 24 of 28 tunes from the first three albums – which I composed.”
“So now with Commercial Zone 2014 you will get what the fourth album was supposed to be – and much more. It will be much better because it’s current, it contains the best of the original tracks, plus remixes, plus original material, and has the benefit of 30 years of my work. So it’s not another tired, old, re-release of stuff that’s been out since 1978 or 1981. It’s fresh. I’ve had time to reflect. So yeah, it’s better,” he states.
“Many people have not heard about Commercial Zone. In 1984, PiL saw fit to release a diluted version of my work and saw fit to call it This is What You Want, This is What You Get. I leave you to draw you own conclusions regarding that,” Levene says.
A 35 picture book preview of original artwork, photos, and words from Levene’s forthcoming book “Diary” will accompany Commercial Zone 2014.
This week's edition of the Stupefied Playlist is particularly special to me. It's from a gent who has been a huge part of my musical education, and has been there from the start: Mr. Keith Levene - a member of not one, but two seminal bands in the UK's modern era. Starting with the Clash (although he's been conveniently airbrushed out of their history) for whom he wrote "What's My Name?" which was included on their debut album by which time Levene was not in the band any longer. He was also, of course, a founding member of Public Image Limited. Along with John Lydon and Jah Wobble, they released two albums (First Issue and Metal Box/Second Edition) which are often cited on "All Time Best..." lists. After the second album, Wobble left the band, while Levene remained to make The Flowers of Romance with Lydon and drummer, Martin Atkins. He really should not need an introduction.
In 2012, Levene reunited with Wobble, and together they released the Yin Yang album on the Cherry Red label, as well as touring a live, and well received, dub recreation of the Metal Box album appropriately called Metal Box In Dub.
Most excitingly, Levene is currently working on an autobiography entitled This Is Not An Autobiography: The Diary of A Non-Punk Rocker. He'll be self-publishing the book, because as he says, "I don't do record or book deals!" Available soon for download, an excerpt can be read at one of Keith's websites, right here.
Besides that, Keith is self-releasing solo recordings as well. Absolute Zero Redux, The Search 4 Absolute Zero, and the Killer In The Crowd EP are all available on digital download only, and available directly from him here. A huge thanks to Keith for the playlist.
To keep up with all of his various doings, please visit the sites listed here:
And for those of us who dig the post punk vibe...whatever that may mean...we also have new albums out, or coming very soon from Mark Stewart (Pop Group), Public Image Ltd, and Killing Joke! Interesting year so far for releases...
Check out a sampler of cuts from the new Mark Stewart album, The Poilitics of Envy, here.
Order the new album here or on Amazon
Visit his official website - http://www.markstewartmusic.com/
John Lydon-penned response to a fan listing all of his favorite reggae artists - the man knows his stuff, and the PiL stationary was a nice touch. Click the images for a closer look. And revisit this old post to see & hear just how wide & surprising his musical taste was.
Dangerous Minds reminds us of the great BBC doc about Rough Trade Records, "Do It Yourself: The Story of Rough Trade Records." Some of you may remember me posting about this last year.
Dangerous Minds also points the way to "Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. Leonard Cohen" - a Canadian film from 1965.
Tommy Vance: So if you could start again, would you do it exactly the same way?
Johnny Rotten: Well, yeah. It's not as laid out as that, I mean we just did it, it was spontaneous. Everything we did was straight away. I think that's the only way you should do anything. It's the way you understand it, because it's honest. When you plan out your future it's not such fun.
Leave it to Dangerous Minds to beat me to the punch, I somehow missed this post from them in my RSS feed yesterday. A friend of mine sent me the same link to these recordings of a young Johnny Rotten guesting on Tommy Vance's show on Capital Radio in London on July 15, 1977. It may have been July 16.
What we get is a little over two hours of interesting talk & incredible musical selections from a young man who, at the time, was under what must have been quite some pressure - the Pistols were arguably at the peak of their notoriety, they had the white hot heat of the media spotlight on them, and as you'll hear, were the victims of random violence. Fascinating stuff. And in light of Malcolm McLaren's death, it seems like a good time to revisit this bit of "audio ephemera." Part One (1:10:36):
Part two (0:53:34):
TRACK LISTING
01. Tim Buckley - Sweet Surrender
02. The Creation - Life Is Just Beginning
03. David Bowie - Rebel Rebel
04. Unknown Irish Folk Music / Jig
05. Augustus Pablo - King Tubby Meets The Rockers Uptown
06. Gary Glitter - Doing Alright With The Boys
07. Fred Locks - Walls
08. Vivian Jackson (Yabby You) and the Prophets - Fire in a Kingston
09. Culture - I'm Not Ashamed
10. Dr Alimantado & The Rebels - Born For A Purpose
11. Bobby Byrd - Back From The Dead
12. Neil Young - Revolution Blues
13. Lou Reed - Men Of Good Fortune
14. Kevin Coyne - Eastbourne Ladies
15. Peter Hammill - The Institute Of Mental Health, Burning
16. Peter Hammill - Nobody's Business
17. Makka Bees - Nation Fiddler / Fire!
18. Captain Beefheart - The Blimp
19. Nico - Janitor Of Lunacy
20. Ken Boothe - Is It Because I'm Black
21. John Cale - Legs Larry At Television Centre
22. Third Ear Band - Fleance
23. Can - Halleluhwah
24. Peter Tosh - Legalise It
(For more track info, and a full interview transcription, visit Fodderstompf)
Following the broadcast performance of "Cavern" with the Roots, last Friday for the Jimmy Fallon Show, Liquid Liquid stuck around and performed another song, "Optimo," exclusively for the show's website. Here it is:
For a limited time, you can watch the broadcast performance as well right here. They come on at about 35 minutes in. Apologies for any commercials you're subjected to.
John Lydon and Public Image were on the Jimmy Kimmel show last night. View four different clips on the show's YouTube channel. There are two interview clips, and they perform "Rise" and "This Is Not A Love Song." North American tour dates for 2010 can be found here.
And finally, we have Spoon's early March appearance on Letterman. I love Spoon, and caught this broadcast completely by accident when it was on. Great stuff.
Perhaps not quite as momentous as the initial Sex Pistols reunion in 1996, but worthy of mention nonetheless, Johnny Rotten/Lydon's Public Image Limited have announced US tour dates for April & May this year. The recently reunited post punk legends have already played some shows in the UK to good reviews.
"We are pleased to announce that PiL will begin a North American tour – their first in 18 years – at San Francisco, Regency Center, Grand Ballroom on Saturday April 17th 2010. The day following their appearance at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival."
DATE CITY VENUE Fri 4/16 Indio, CA Empire Polo Field/Coachella Sat 4/17 San Francisco, CA Grand Ballroom @ Regency Center Tue 4/20 Seattle, WA Showbox at The Market Wed 4/21 Portland, OR Crystal Ballroom Fri 4/23 Salt Lake City, UT The Depot Sat 4/24 Denver, CO Ogden Theatre Mon 4/26 Kansas City, MO Midland Theatre Sun 5/2 Chicago, IL House of Blues Tue 5/4 Boston, MA Royale Boston Wed 5/5 Boston, MA Royale Boston Fri 5/7 Toronto, ON Kool Haus Sat 5/8 Montreal, QC Theatre L'Olympia de Montreal Tue 5/11 Baltimore, MD Rams Head Live Wed 5/12 Washington, DC 9:30 Club Fri 5/14 Pittsburgh, PA Club Zoo Sat 5/15 Atlantic City, NJ The Borgata Music Box Tue 5/18 New York, NY Terminal 5
You make me feel ashamed At acting attitudes Remember ridicule It should be clear by now clear by now Your words are useless Full of excuses False confidence Someone has used you well Used you well I could be wrong It could be hate As far as I can see Clinging desperately Imagining pretending No personality Dragging on and on and on and on And on and on and on and on I think you're slightly late Slightly late This person's had enough of useless memories Always remember Twisted amenities Could be wrong This person's had enough Of useless memories Always remember Twisted amenities Out of order Out of order It could be worse You're losing all the time I could be wrong Could be worse You're losing all the time I let you stay too long I could be wrong Could be wrong Whatever pass Could never last All in your mind Where it all began You're doing wrong It's not the movies And you're old
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