Monday, February 28, 2011

Saturday, February 26, 2011


Thanks To Jasmin for the link...


Where some people avoid and ignore, I mope and wallow and it’s not an attractive disposition. I’m not really too well versed in avoidance but I would dearly love to learn how to ignore. If these were Olympic events then I would be way up the table rankings. Presumably drinking can alleviate certain elements, at least briefly but that’s not my bag anymore, at least not here at home. Stimulation just isn’t forthcoming and as entertaining as tearing some lacklustre music a new one might seem, that’s not what this backwater is for.

Mr Stigliano should be aware that I did start some reviews and then got sidetracked. Really need to hook up the various players and replace some cables. In retrospect, seems that I’ve been avoiding doing that pretty good so maybe you ought to take that first statement with a pinch of salt.

The Monorail Film Club presents Blank City.

Tomorrow night (Sunday 27th) at GFT.

Mondo Morricone at The Arches in Glasgow tonight (Saturday 26th).

Listen to this.

The Primevals are set to journey south in April and then they’ll hop over to France for a few days to spread the word on Disinhibitor. Re-issued on Twenty Stone Blatt and available in blood red vinyl and on CD. I imagine you can “download” it too but who in their right mind wouldn’t want one of the more tactile editions? There are some landfill artefacts you just can’t do without. If you’ve sat through one of my sermons on de-cluttering and take issue with any of this, including the “right mind” stuff then please be informed that I have no idea where I’m at if truth be told so that's my get-out clause.

Here are the show dates...

9th April : London, 229 Club at The Water Rats (Kings Cross)
10th April : Brighton, The Hydrant club
12th April , Rennes, Le Sambre
13th April : Paris, La Féline
14th April : Dijon, Deep Inside Klub
15th April : Pagnier, Chez Paulette
16th April : Nîmes, Café Olive

Friday, February 25, 2011


Managed to drag myself out to attend a genuine world premiere screening last night but it didn’t take place at the Glasgow Film Festival, this one went down at the Bo’ness Hippodrome.

Northside is the first feature by a couple of local chaps (Bruce Strachan and Simon Beattie) shot in this area rather than being a documentary on the Factory Records post-baggy (?) band. Brought this far on what must be considered fumes as compared to a real budget, it hangs together pretty well. Like a darker aspect of Take The High Road intersecting Glen or Glenda with a rumour of Bill Forsyth. If The Broons ever made it to “the pictures”, the lady that plays Mrs McLeod would make a “braw” Maw.

It was the first time that the makers saw it on a proper (big) screen too and even though the date is 2009, this was the first time it had made it beyond family and friends DVD players. The venue really adds a sense of occasion to something like this. Not sure where it might be seen next but maybe you can find out here.

Brother David Alvin... Justified! (thanks to HT)


I’ve had to face the fact that I can’t head out for any the Palmyra Delran shows with Stupidity & The Cocktail Slippers!.

A mix of vacation time conflict and most damaging, the escalating over-budget of upgrading the bunker in recent times, means that I have to sit this one out. Guess the fact that I’m actually typing this rather than thinking it makes it all final.

While I’m not altogether relishing hearing about how I missed out on some real big fun – that’s just the way it goes sometimes. Anyway, that doesn’t mean that you can’t go. The shindigs start tonight!

Fri Feb 25: VIRUS, Örebro, Sweden (plus the Satans!)
Sat Feb 26: NEW BOWL HALL, Stockholm, Sweden (plus the Satans!)
Tue Mar 1: REVOLVER, Olso, Norway
Wed Mar 2: VERTSHUSET, Sarpsborg, Norway
Thur Mar 3: HOUSE OF ROCK, Moss, Norway
Fri Mar 4: BRYGGETAKET, Fredrikstad, Norway

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Wednesday, February 23, 2011



Mr Duff wishes it to be known... "Following from the February 4th Edinburgh celebration of the life of Lux Interior, we're doing it all again on the West Coast this Friday, the 25th February in Bar Bloc.

Some new bands, some repeat performances, all giving it up for Lux, the frontal lobe of the greatest rockandroll band ever to ooze over your record collection. Join us and throb to the Songs The Cramps Taught Us from...

• The (new) Pharisees • Iain Shaw • The Charles Randolph Rivers Slim Rhythm Revue • Acid Fascists • The Bastard Suits • Z28 • The Kosher Pickles • The Fnords • The Bucky Rage • Filthy Little Secret • Louise McVey & The Cracks In the Concrete •

All of this and extremely cool interband dancing tunes from the esteemed record collections of DJ Brydo and Mickey Rooney from the Primevals! Free badges and Cramps Family Tree CD for first 50 in the door.

Exclusive liner notes by Ian Johnston (author of the Wild, Wild World of The Cramps) and by me. £5.00 at the door and all profits to charity, www.dec.org.uk

Records on at 9pm, first band on at 10.30pm, close at 03.00am.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011


I don’t even switch the computer on before I go to work in the morning anymore, part of the regime change in this particular part of the world. There’s some bunker guff to contend with this evening so I’ll leave you in the company of Girls On Top. Ulf sent me the link yesterday with the message “bet you love this”. I’m pretty sure that I met the singer at DWC once and this 7” only release is possibly something that you won’t want to pass up. What's not to?

Good old fashioned punk rock daftness in all its glory. And it reminds me that there’s a Phobics around here someplace that requires my attention and subsequently yours.

Monday, February 21, 2011



The weekend went by in a blip. Mixed blessing but in my particular case, more of a mixed curse.

The soon to be released to cinemas restoration of The African Queen is cracking and perhaps proof that digital editing can be used for good. Seven years in the process and well worth catching if it plays near you. A sixty year old masterpiece. Angela Allen who worked as continuity girl and even Katherine Hepburn's stunt double here and there during the film. they don't make them like this anymore. Films nor Angela Allen.

The second part of the No Wave strand was a bit of a bust although there were aspects of “Letters To Dad” that I liked. Almost typed “that were interesting” there which would reveal too much of my advancing ADD. For some reason, I got it into my head that Wildgirl’s GoGo-rama was to feature in one of the films but that was delusional and I cut out before the final slice. Hopefully my leaving meant that it was bearable for the remainder of the audience but I wouldn't count on it. So I made my way past the Reel Big Fish queue at the ABC and just made it to the station in time for the train that would speed me toward home. Thankfully there were no stragglers from the bigots gala that took place earlier in the day.

And if there was, they were gye quiet.

And to box off this weekend of culture, the Nic Cage fracas that is Ghost Rider was on TV. Utter piffle and a missed opportunity to use the grandeur of Rev/Vega to sprinkle it with at least some memorable music. I fuh-fuh-faded away during it and woke up after it was all over

I don’t check spam very often. Mainly because I get hammered with it but just recently I found several legit mails in that howff and a lot more bogus messages in my regular in-box. ISP can’t stop it. There are bots generating cyber-reams of this crap to bombard us with and I don’t have the will or the mind to police it. So I just delete everything. Inevitably there will be (mail) casualties but that’s the line in the sand.

There are a dozen or so sites that I check pretty much daily even although they’re not updated regularly. The rest are totally random and even sites that purport to be about news aren’t refreshed to the extent that they used to be. Cutting to the chase, the sheer volume of crap has overwhelmed everything and I’ve pretty much decided that I’m not playing anymore. The scale of my disentanglement will be in direct correlation with my getting shorter by the minute fuse. Even I’m not sure what I mean by that but the general timbre is correct.

Winter doldrums?

Join Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co. this week for two hours of uplifting songs about bears, hot dogs and grandma! Um...feeling better yet?

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24th /
OTTO'S SHRUNKEN HEAD /538 East 14th Street (just west of Avenue B) in ol' Manhattan's East Village / Two neo-classical shows, from 8pm sharp until 10pm / No cover!

Most sincerely,

Michael

Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co.

"Ballads, Boogies & Blues"


A missive from Ericland.

Sunday, February 20, 2011


ATTENBERG (Trailer) from filmswelike on Vimeo.

"Attenberg" is a strangely compulsive piece. It combines some genuine heart with some toe-curlingly awkward moments to arrive at an downbeatly positive conclusion. Must admit to the hairs standing up on my neck when the credit music cut in. One thing I would say is that the main character Marina is more of an Alan Vega fan than outsight Suicide but many of you will enjoy the exchanges and the way that the music is cut in there, paricularly with regard to "Bebop Kid". I was hoping the director would be there to explain the connection but she wasn't.

There's another aspect to the soundtrack that is cool also but I won't spoil that. For those of you around these parts, the film will be screened again this afternoon at the Cineworld megaplex. Not sure where it stands with regards to distribution in any given territory. I imagine it'll make the rounds on DVD but would be best enjoyed on the big rather than the flat screen.

"The Blank Generation" programme afterwards took place in exactly the same room as the last Suicide show in Scotland. When the CCA opened. It's more of a lecture hall vibe than a proper cinematic experience but it was good to see "Punking Out" with other people. many of whom weren't even born when the material was shot. It was all running late so I left to make the traipse home. Through the war torn streets that is Glasgae on a Saturday night.

Today it's the restored version of "The African Queen" and then more no-wave shenanigans. Topped off with another run through the jungle on this an "auld firm" day.

Saturday, February 19, 2011


Taking some time out of getting nowhere with getting the bunker to some stage of normality. The Glasgow Film Festival is in full swing and although I don’t have the wherewithal to attend anything like the amount of screenings that I want to, I’ll be over there today and tomorrow. Before then I’ll be getting bombed on UPVC cleaner and paint fumes, trying to keep as far away from myself as is possible.

Gracias for the messages with regard to keeping this show on the road, it seems as though the idea of deep sixing all of this goes somewhat against the grain. Perhaps I’m over-reacting or then again, maybe what I’m involved with is past its sell by date? To try and explain without being terribly cryptic – when your faith in something/someone is shattered it can have a devastating effect. I don’t use that D word lightly but understand that even although one’s ticker is dead set on something then there’s no earthly reason that said situation will come to pass.

In addition, when someone says they’re going to do something then I expect them to follow through. Well people who I consider to be friends anyway. I know the planet is festooned with others that just blah their brains out and that this could be considered naive but it’s my one last olive branch to the human condition.

And - try as I might, the ability to unscramble eggs eludes me

Friday, February 18, 2011


RIP - John Strauss (info via Sam Elwitt's fb)

Tuesday, February 15, 2011


Will the new Wirelessnapper album be the soundtrack to the Big Society clambake that’s supposed to go down on this sceptic isle? And also in the news, the word that we’ll all be able to score our tickets to the 2012 Ollimpix soon – I typed it like that to give particularly inept spellers a chance when they’re googling.

As if I wasn’t down in the dumps enough, this is almost grist for outright killing one’s self. I dread to hear what’s next. The western world is unravelling at a rate of knots that far outstrips anything global warming is ever likely to achieve. Did you see that chump Cameron on the TV last night? I actually had to switch the box off just in case the Grundy effect got to be too much and I kicked the set in. We’re living in an extended, Rory Bremner-fied spoof only it’s for real. I’ve tried what Chance the gardener might have done with the remote control and it can’t be changed. It just rattles on.

Don’t think I’ll put the telly on at all tonight actually Because I’ll end up watching the Brits and getting wound up even tighter. Does the expression “hair trigger” ring any bells.

So there’s really only one avenue left for me this evening...

Monday, February 14, 2011


RIP - David F. Friedman

(info via Ian Johnston on facebook)

Hey Ho... Mets Go?

(link via Please Kill Me)

Sunday, February 13, 2011


Spent much of this weekend cleaning, sorting and trying to figure out what’s going on with all the framed stuff that’s got to go back up on the walls. Maybe some of it won’t. Anyway, it’s an ongoing project that’ll take some weeks to achieve. Where else is it going to go? Landfill? There’s some pretty nice stuff and I should tag some of it so that they go to good homes when I get hit by a bus or whatever.

In addition to everything else, I feel burned out. Like the constant banging of my head agin a brick wall is beginning to hurt. It feels like the antithesis of that "no pain, no gain" claptrap. I’ve had plenty of the former since 2011 came calling. I tried to listen to some recently received music today – no names, no pack drill – and was uninspired. Do you even like to read about music anymore? After all you can pretty much hear and decide everything yourself. In these “people have The power” times, the power in question is a shift. Do I like writing about music? Not when it feels like a chore or that I feel like I just recycle the same old guff time after time, which I’m convinced that I do.

I wade through what feels like review directories. Where the type is way too small to be processed and think to myself that I really can’t retain any more information. In fact, I seriously need to consider erasing some of what does seem to rattle about the canyons of my napper. I just read about The Ramones lifetime achievement grammy and think to myself what a peculiar world this has become.

“Look out honey ‘cos they’re using technology” never sounded so glib or indeed final. The “technology” in question has robbed us of our attention spans. The future may well be written on handheld devices that will control your mainframe but that doesn’t mean that we should just accept it. Does it? I patently don’t have any answers and generally have to be dragged kicking and screaming into any given situation. I’m not keen on having my comfort zone invaded and reconfigured. The fiscal turbulence will no doubt continue and emerging economies will manoeuvre themselves away from this 45th generation one-time nation.

Or not.

As Chris says... "finally, a proper Ron Asheton tribute show".

Saturday, February 12, 2011


My generally mundane idyll has been turned upside down of late. And although the disruption may not be of cyclone or life-threatening proportions, it has blown up a fair degree of disarray in one way and another. I could never be considered a risk taker but I elevated my head above the parapet and well, I shouldn’t have for want of a more full explanation. The reverberations of this are rough and will take some time to process.

Far as I can tell, there’s no "app" to deal with such turbulence. All I can hope is to emerge from the dank tunnel with the spiritual and domestic wreckage in some perspective at least. Contentment not containment, that kind of outcome.

You might have thought that this had become a repository for reporting RIP notices. I’m still considering posting one for the blog but when all is said and done, it’s time to resume sort of activity. I’m hoping that the disenfranchised feeling can be overcome.

I do appreciate the fact that some of you folks are wondering what the heck is going on? If I told you I’d have to kill me. I’m like Cher, looking for the solution of how to ratchet back time. On the more tangible aspect of these past weeks, the bunker has been spruced up and might even be in a position to resume the R&R B&B within a couple of weeks. Way overdue and even further over-budget, I’m having to face the cold hard facts that there won’t be much in the way of gallivanting anytime soon.

Did you look at this Google “art project” thing? All very clever and setting us up for the times when it will be impossible to leave your own midden heid. But you will be able to flounce “virtually” across the planet. People are having a hard enough time trying to differentiate what’s real and what’s not without all this malarkey. How much real is there actually left out there? Not much as far as I can tell. And then there’s the big news that The White Stripes have split. Something that troubles my parish not one iota other than the fact that such an event is considered news. The pulsebeat of the media machine is as weak as those vital signs of the industry(ies) that it purports to represent.

I do tend to be in a minority when it comes to an opinion on the work of Jack White. I preferred him when he was in Goober and the Peas. This new Wanda Jackson project is not a patch on “Heart Trouble”. It was a celebration of the fact the lady could still cut it.

Believe me, I know all about where good intentions can lead.

Wednesday, February 09, 2011


Thanks Marty... before Lenny and Squiggy there was The 3 Haircuts!

Monday, February 07, 2011

Sunday, February 06, 2011


RIP - Gary Moore




Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co.
celebrates presidential history this month with an appearance at the Rodeo Bar. Stovepipe hats optional, yet always encouraged.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9th / RODEO BAR / 375 Third Avenue (at the corner of 27th Street) in icy Manhattan / Two log-splitting sets, from 10pm sharp 'til 12:30am / No cover!

Historically yours,

Michael

Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co.

"Ballads, Boogies & Blues"

RIP - Tura Satana

(just read Brother Patrick B's message...)

Saturday, February 05, 2011


For your listening pleasure.
And be sure to read Kogar's instructions closely...

Friday, February 04, 2011



To mark two years since Lux headed on out of this world, a charity shindig in his honour will take place at Henry's in Edinburgh tonight. Mr D'uff is the social secretary and he'll be making sure things go with the proverbial bang!

Thursday, February 03, 2011

Tuesday, February 01, 2011


Crispin Glover at Filmhouse (Edinburgh) this coming Sunday (6th)

(Thanks to Adele for the link)

TFC on SVT (Thanks Kjell)