To mass debate, or not? That's the question!

That Great British bastion of televised democracy Question Time is coming to town. In a what seemed like a good idea at the time moment, I applied to be part of the audience and maybe ask ‘The Panel’ a question. Now I’m not so sure. What motivated me to fill in the application and click on the send button? My ego; get my face on TV and voice my opinion to the nation. I dunno. Something to do on Thursday, maybe. To listen to and try to participate in some honest debate, I doubt it, there’re politicians involved. Anyway there’s no guarantee I’ll be chosen to be part of the balanced cross section of society audience. Cross certainly balanced…umm! Anyway I’ll just have to see what happens should know early next week if I do get selected, then it’ll be a case of do I really wanna do this??!! I’ve no real questions to ask any politicians, cos the answers are always the same…Lies. So perhaps as the program is being aired on April 1st April Fools Day no less, I should question them as to whether the British public are being taken for fools, and treated like fools, or are they just being fooled! I think we all know what the answer is, and deep down so do they, and what do they say about the camera never lying.

NIKKI SUDDEN - The Last Bandits Last Gig.

Four years have passed since that fatal morning of March 26th when in New York, hours after playing a gig Nikki Sudden was found dead in his room. His music has been a constant, through the ups’n’downs of my life his music and words have always been there to escape and get lost in. From the ramshackled DIY punk of the Swell Maps and the lovelorn laments of The Jacobites, to his Rolling Stonesy solo stuff. He could hit a typewriter with a quilt and I’d still love it. So I was quite excited to find a recording of his final gig.
I liberated/lifted/leached it from The Lemonheads forum. No permission was asked, I make no apologies for this, as I wouldn’t have been prepared to take no for an answer with this one, not when some of you guy’s’gals are into yer Nikki Sudden, and may not have heard it, this poignant show needs to be out there and not just left to rest where only Lemonheads ‘fans’ are gonna get a chance to hear it.
I’ve listened to it many times since I procured it. At first with sadness, because in one sense it’s not his finest, in another it is; as at sums up the total Rock’n’Roll attitude and abandon. This is Punk!
The last shows Nikki, the travelling troubadour played in New York City, were either him with just his Guitar or with Drummer Danny Hole. For the gig at The Knitting Factory Tap Bar on March 25th 2006, as well as Danny he invited along Bass player Alan Merrill, who’d previously played in 70’s PopRocksters The Arrows, a band Nikki loved. For some numbers he was joined by a rock star fan; Evan Dando from The Lemonheads, a pop-grunge outfit who’d had their 15 minutes in the 90’s, when Evan would often be photographed in a Swell Maps T-Shirt. Alan Merrill had never played with Nikki before, and had previously shunned live appearances. Evan on the other hand was no stranger to jumping up with geniuses from across the pond, having played with Dan Treacy’s Television Personalities at a gig in Berlin, doing a few Johnny Thunders numbers. I digress. Back to Nikki’s gig, which isn’t a perfect performance, but it’s pure, real and unpredictable. Flawed and frail in places but a compelling and consuming listen. Whether Nikki was high and lonesome we’ll never know, but he was dead and gone at the break of dawn. A sad, sad loss. You can put your arms around a memory! here and here. (I’ve split it in two; The first part before Evan joins him, and the second after.) Gone but never to be forgotten. NIKKI SUDDEN 1956 - 2006.

Here are a few eye witness accounts of the gig that I found on t’internet:

“At 11 PM we took the stage and launched in to "Treasure Island," and it seemed to be working, in a loose, sloppy sort of way. Drummer Danny Hole was great, keeping the solid back beat. I was watching his hands, finding his style so I could get the right bounce on bass, and we locked in as the rhythm section fairly quickly. The songs ran by, one after another, and I was lost in total concentration, doing my best to get the songs right. About halfway through, Evan Dando of The Lemonheads got up on stage with us. I had never heard of him before, but it seems he was a media star with a record deal at some point or other. He has a decent voice and got through a few numbers with us. Then we finished the show, and it had gone quite well, in spite of my initial fear of playing totally unrehearsed music.” - Alan Merrill
“According to reports, he fittingly spent the final hours of his life playing a free, ramshackle, loose show, covering T. Rex and the Velvet Underground, climbing a stage to live his rock star dreams and channelling his heroes, and asking nothing from his audience in return.” - Skunkeye blog
"And I guess this is as good a place as any for me to offer a review of Saturday night's show at the Knitting Factory tap bar. The band, Nikki, Danny Hole (the Warlocks) and Alan Merrill (the Arrows, the man who wrote I Love Rock-n-Roll?) started out a bit shambolic and raw, and it was quickly pointed out that the bass player hadn't even rehearsed with them. Considering that, his/their improvisational abilities were pretty impressive and when they got it together it was quite rousing. They played some old songs, some newer songs and some covers to a small but dedicated and appreciative crowd, myself included. Then halfway through a cover of T Rex's Bang a Gong, Evan Dando of the Lemonheads came on stage and tried to get his guitar to work. It didn't. Only at the end did they get it sorted out, just in time for Bang a Gong to turn into Sister Ray. At this point, I realized I was watching something very special! The rest of the show went along like that. Things would fall apart, they'd pick up, they'd rock out, Nikki would sing some heartfelt tunes, then delve into a classic Swell Maps number, which would somehow morph into Sympathy for the Devil. They also covered The Stone's Dead Flowers.” - Anon

THE PARKINSONS - A Long Way To Nowhere.

In the wake of bands like The Strokes and The Hives at the beginning of the noughties Britain rocked once again to the sound of loud guitars. This time the influence came from the 70’s rather than the 60’s. The Parkinsons were one such band, who became infamous rather that famous with their full frontal Punk Rawk attack on their audiences. Three Portuguese fells who’d relocated to London and hooked up with Chris Lowe, a drummer who’d previously bashed the skins with anarcho agitators The Apostles. A Long Way To Nowhere was their first release in 2002, a 7 track mini-album that smashes into yer skull before exiting as quickly as it hit. A magnificent catchy, rowdy racket. No frills but plenty of thrills and spills. Hear it here! Think The Ramones, The Heartbreakers, or The Lurkers. Punk Pastiche it isn‘t, thanks in part to the production by Jim Reid and Ben Lure from The Jesus and Mary Chain. The band also released a single; Streets Of London in 2002 before a couple of members left and then Blip, Blip, Blip……………………………….......... off the radar they went, as quickly as they’d arrived.

Rights'n'Wrongs

Human Rights/Human Wrongs! Without human wrongs things might be alright. Greed, Intolerance, Prejudice, violence, to name but a few. Addressing the wrongs would protect the rights, but this aint happening, it’s all about the rights of individuals against the wrongs of others. I mean why should people who’ve done wrong be afforded the same rights as those that haven’t.
There needs to be a response and ability by government and communities to understand that with less human wrongs there would be less need for human rights, without recognising this and doing something about it we will continue to be ruled by the Fascism of Human Rights legislation, which causes as many problems as it solves.

ALEX CHILTON - R.I.P

Alex Chilton went from chart success in 1967 at the age of 16 in The Box Tops, to cult and underground status with Big Star and his solo work. Alex’s song writing was Pure, raw and emotional. He produced The Cramps, influenced people like Bobby Gillespie from Primal Scream, gives a nod to Johnny Thunders in his song Bangkok, Pauline Murray from Penetration covered Holocaust with her band the Invisible Girls, that track is from Big Stars 3rd album Sister Lover. What a brilliant but bleak album, second only to Lou Reeds Berlin as one of the most depressing albums I own. Live in London was recorded at Dingwalls in May 1980, Alex’s backing group included Knox from The Vibrators on Guitar. It was probably due to this, that Live In London was my first introduction to Alex Chilton. The album was poorly received when it was released, and to Chilton purists it might not be the best way to remember the man. But it’s my way! and I aint that pure. Alex Chilton; another good ’un is gone.

Ohwell.

NO! HE LIED!! More ‘newspeak’ How much Longer? The blurring of the reality between Fact+ Fiction=FRICTION!

TELEVISION PERSONALITIES - Live in London & France

I mentioned Dan Treacy in dispatches when I posted Dave Kusworth recently. Dan’s another unique songwriter who like Dave hasn’t received ‘commercial success’ but is seen as a’cult figure’ a success but without the financial reward; a musician with a honesty and integrity. Asked by Kurt Cobain to support Nirvana, a song covered by The Futureheads and now 32 years since their first single 14th Floor. US freaky psychedelicers MGMT have recently recorded a tribute to their hero; Song For Dan Treacy. So I thought it’d been a while since I’d posted any of the only Personalities on Television worth listening to that it was about time I did, but I wasn‘t sure what to post. While I was humming’n’ahhring about it last week in a strange sort of synchronicity the TVP’S have appeared in this weeks NME at Number 20 in The Greatest Cult Hero Chart, he was also mentioned in an interview with MGMT in the same issue. So here you go, a double whammy of the Television Personalities, on account of I couldn’t decide which one to post. Paisley Shirts and Mini Skirts was recorded at The Clarendon, London in 1980,one of the bands early gigs. It finds the band in a playful post punk 60’s pop kinda way, and features Part Time Punks, I Know Where Syd Barrett Lives amongst others. Camping in France, which was recorded in….yes France sometime in 1985 on the other hand finds the band on a slightly darker psychedelic sixties pop trip, and includes 2 of the best anti-war songs written King and Country and Back To Vietnam and features Jowe Head from Swell Maps on Bass and Backing vocals. One reviewer felt that Camping In France “Caught the band on a bad night” True it is rather loose and sloppy, but that’s the charm and magic of it ; like all good rock’n’roll it’s unpredictable, which is why Dan Treacy’s a cult and others are ****’s
So if you fancy putting on a Paisley Shirt or Mini Skirt click here, or for a bit of Camping click there. Whatever you do, Enjoy!

Target of the week!

Why?
For her fake and phoniness, and because the media have airbrushed out the fact that she attacked/assaulted a women in a nightclub a few years back, and now she’s promoted as the image of perfection. These people need to be reminded of who they are, and so do the people reading about them. Nobody’s perfect!

WAKE UP! (A Few Thoughts)

Someone asked me this week about what I’d do if I were Prime Minister. Their question stemmed from a conversation they started with me about the state of the nation. They weren’t happy. This post develops on some things I ranted on to this guy about.
“Don’t get me started about immigration “ they said, “yeah” I said, “don’t get me started about it either“, then off they went about how it’s all the immigrants fault, taking the jobs, houses etc. Then I got started about how, no it wasn’t the immigrants fault, it was the systems fault, and how if stories about a government plan to encourage mass immigration were true, it was because they knew full well that the future generation of workers, just wouldn’t be up to doing the jobs that needed doing. They were a something for nothing generation, with no incentive to work for a meagre minimum wage, and why was/is the minimum wage so low anyway? Was it because there was also a generation of get rich quick bosses who continued to prosper under New Labour Thatcherism economic policies, that kept prices high and wages low. Then you had the cult of consumer credit; buy now pay later…well we’re paying the price now for these cunts. I hope it was worth it for ‘em with their flash cars high tech gadgetry and the rest of the shit that they didn’t need. An Economic clampdown is what’s needed on the production (not that Britain produces much anymore) import and export of things like luxury cars, new gadgetry that’s supposed to improve lives, but which just ends up enslaving us.
Call me a Marxist/Commie mutha fucker if you like, but the way I see it is that so long as money is the driving force of a social system then there will never be a fair and just society, just individuals seeking instant gratification, like they seek an overpriced cup of coffee to keep them going during another shopping trip. The Costa coffee shops that pollute our High Streets, are called Costa, cos a cup of coffee costs a fortune. I was thinking of opening a series of shops that only sold tea based drinks and call the chain Tossers, because that’s what these people are with their fucking European coffee shop culture that invaded our towns during the 90‘s, just like McDonalds did in the 80’s ahh! The great smell of globalisation…..It makes me fucking sick!
Immigration can enrich the culture of a nation were would British football teams be without it. Well they might be able to charge a reasonable price to get in at the turnstiles, one the working man can afford. Just like The World Cup Immigration is a global concern. There’s plenty of room in the world, it’s just a matter of dispersal. Economic migrants go where the money goes, so if all those models of capitalism that baulk at the thought of paying more tax fucked off with their entrepreneurial enterprises to some of the worlds ‘developing’ countries and helped develop their capitalist economies, then that’s maybe were the workers would go. It’s a shame that capitalism seems to be a system that countries have to go through in their development, before some sort of Socialist/ Marxist/Anarchistic society can evolve. From out of the ashes… We need Localised economies, networks of producers and providers of necessary goods and services, working with each other, not against each other. A balance between the Local the National and the International, not a competition.
Education. Children should go to schools that are local to them, taught by teachers who live in the area. Cuts down the need for commuting and reliance on that symbol of freedom; The Car. But no, under capitalism and Labours obsession with bureaucracy our education system is based on competition, were league tables define the quality of education our kids get, and the amount of financial support the state gives to a school. The state? That omnipresent force that maintains the capitalist/power relations in a country. Why else were banks bailed out and financial support given to the car industry. It’s the same with the National Health Service, were life depends on where you live.
Law and Order. There’s lots of laws, but very little order. Punishments are often punitive compared to the crime, the guilty go free and the innocent are locked up behind closed doors, scared to walk the streets, if you believe all that’s written and broadcast about it in the media.
Benefits. Tighten up the system. If capitalism wasn’t king, then money wouldn’t be as important to people as it is, if there was no surplus in production, then there’d be less consumption, if people were satisfied with what they had, then they’d settle for less rather than strive for more. In the interim towards achieving this state of mind, wages should be increased, benefits lowered and an incentive to work established. Off set wages with cheaper housing, health care etc.
Public Transport. Governments talk about New high speed rail links. Is quicker better? How about the existing networks improve their reliability and quality of service? Do we really need to scar the landscape with more veins of mobility, just like road widening schemes that just make more space to get filled up by more cars, another railway line to run late.
Some of these ideas to idealistic and simplistic? Maybe, but at least it would be change and not continuance. Here’s a couple of final thoughts. The so called social breakdown we are seeing is nothing new, there have always been problems with crime, unemployment etc it’s historical. Britain’s never had any real social revolution, other than the Civil War, and some say that wasn’t a revolution as such. So Vote No! to their system, by not voting. Bring on a hung parliament and let the fun begin, but lessons of the past mustn’t be ignored. Workers so conditioned and used to instant gratification need to wait, once the elections over with and if there is no majority party, then industrial action should stop, until then go for it. The Postal Workers have got what they wanted, let the British Airways cabin crew bring down the company, that’ll be a few less planes polluting the atmosphere. In a hung parliament
Power would be shared, which leaves little vacuums of power were with organisation these could be filed with ideas that may not have got taken on board by a party with a majority mandate. Whatever happens I think/feel that there may be a rough ride ahead for some people. We need to stand united, because divided we are ruled.
If we were living in a natural world, then any job losses downward social mobility would be seen as pruning or coppicing the vegetation, which would grow back eventually over the years, but if it were a tree, the branches would not grow exactly the same way as they had been before, as the environment it was growing in would have changed, we need to establish an environment were Capitalism is no longer the base of our social structure, so when growth starts to happen again it will be different. Hopefully
people would have become less motivated by money and power and developed a more collective approach to thinking rather than the individualistic thinking that has prevailed for the last 30 years, and that’s what we need to be thinking about; what British society will be like 30 years from now, or rather what sort of a world do we want our children/grandchildren living in? One where perhaps people have a real say and the state has been devolved by the people themselves who have realised what’s important and what’s not. Anyway enough ranting, that’s me finished……

Prose and Cons.

A women comes out of the newsagents, she’s coughing and spluttering with laughter. She’s just won £2 on a Lottery scratch card. Some people are easily pleased. The security camera outside the shop creaks as it turns round. The women feels safe and secure as she walks home with no fear of getting robbed by some young joker. Some people are easily scared.

"I Like To Play Games"

HEAVY METAL KIDS - BBC In Concert 1977

What can I say about the Heavy Metal Kids that I didn’t say when I posted their Live and Loud album? Fuck knows can‘t remember it was a while ago. Apologies if I sound like a stuck record, but here we go…. The band weren’t Heavy Metal, more like Prog-Punk, not long drawn out beasts of songs about mystical fairies, theirs were short sharp tales of Sex, Drugs and Rock’n’Roll. Fronted by the charismatic and theatrical Gary Holton who found fame after the band split with Casino Steel from The Boys releasing several albums (posted elsewhere on this blog) then as an actor in British comic drama Auf Wiedersein Pet, before dying of a drugs overdose in 1985. During the early 70’s The Heavy Metal Kids were a huge if often overlooked influence on the Punk scene; The Damned were taking notes at The Roundhouse Mick Jones and Tony James first met at a Heavy Metal Kids gig at The Fulham Greyhound. Their influence wasn’t just limited to the 70’s Mick Monroe from Hanoi Rocks has covered a couple of their tunes; She’s No Angel and Delirious, he shouldn’t have bothered in my opinion, but hey it’s all rock’n’roll. The darling of this years Brits music award Lady Gaga is said to like the bands Hey Little Girl, a track from their last album 1977’s Kitsch. This recording dates from August 1977, the band were on the verge of splitting up after the toils of constant touring and drugs abuse. This is an electric performance, far better than the Live and Loud one. From the “wide eyed sniffing boys” of Chelsea Kids, tales of sex and squalor at the Squaliday Inn, the honky tonk pop of On The Street, to the haunting passionate ballad of self obsession that is Cry For Me, then there’s a dose 70’s sexism with She’s No Angel, before this short 30min set finishes with the Fuck You! anthem of mental breakdown that is Delirious. High octane stuff with guitars played like Russian Roulette a thumping rhythm section and Gary’s distinct cockney yobster vocals. Anyway that’s enough said, here’s what it’s all about. Enjoy!

MASS-DEBATING AND DEMONSTRATING.

So there’s gonna be live General Election mass debating on television. The three wankers from across the political divide are gonna put on the performances of their lives as they fight for our vote with their policies and plans to lead the country….. Lead! …..Lead the country like a dying dog where? To put it out of it’s misery? No just a chance to inflict more pain on the people. How they are gonna do this is what we’ll find out over the three live Britain’s got Politicians/X-Fucter debates. “Phone lines will close in 15 minutes….add 01 for more of the Brown stuff, 02 for some of Cameron’s new class con, and 03 for the other one. Now lets go over and hear what the judges think” Well I for one won’t be voting for any of ‘the acts’ as I don’t believe in the system the winner will be governing over. They talk of change but all they offer is continuation, it’s like karaoke cabaret, except it’s after they’ve won that they forget the words.
While Britain prepares for it’s election with endless propaganda the people sit back put the kettle on and wait….wait for what! In Greece the birth place of democracy, their economy is crumbling like the architecture, the government is under attack, people have taken to the streets to let out their anger against the system. Greek leaders are accusing Germany of being ‘Economic Nazi’s” for wanting them thrown out of the EU unless they sort out their finances, there are historic antagonisms over Greek gold that was stolen during WW2 by the Germans. Much the same as Britain really, our economy is fucked and we are at war in Afghanistan and Iraq over oil. Some have fears that unless there is a majority party after the election Britain’s economic crisis will worsen and its credibility as a nation will be damaged, pretty much like Greece’s has. So if everyone who doesn’t believe in the politicians lies and double standards of them and their liberal capitalist democracy doesn’t vote the chances of a hung parliament would become higher, as would those of the BNP I suppose, but that might be a risk worth taking, because I for one quite fancy seeing what would happen if there was a hung parliament. The good ship Britain might have to change course in order to survive the stormy waves it once ruled, or could it be a step toward a New European super state. None of the politicians seem keen on the idea of a hung parliament, why what have they got to fear...lose of power maybe? Anyway enough of this shit. Stay tuned! Respect to all my virtual Greek friends for fighting a real fight. Here in Britain many people are too complacent and compliant about the democracy they perceive to be living in. Freedom is a satellite TV dish and the choice of 150 channels of shit!

LOL

Looks like the Tory's are just Fascists in disguise then!

CHELSEA - Live @ The Bier Keller. (Audio)

Chelsea were always a good night out in London town around 1983 - 85. This was recorded at The Bier Keller in Blackpool some time during that period, I don’t have the exact date. It’s the audio from the Cherry Red DVD/Video release, and captures the band in a typical confrontational performance some real in yer face rock’n’roll. Gene October knew how to get the kids going, a real showman, never given the credit he deserves. All the classics are here; Right To Work, Evacuate etc, some with added crowd contributions. The flyer that accompanies this post comes from 1985 and was used to promote the bands Valium Mother single. It’s nice to see that the record company spared no expense in the promotion department, unlike the band, who always gave 100%.