RIP Marty Balin

Jefferson Airplane Co-Founder Marty Balin Dead at 76 
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The Airplane has been a big part of my life for most of my life. I still listen to them regularly. So sad to see so many heroes go, far too young.

recommended gigs

Thursday Sept 27 - the Psyatics with Ancient River at the Griffin
Thursday Sept 27 - Atomic Video Jukebox at the Double Down

Saturday Sept 29 - Negative Nancys, Laissez Fairs, Implosions, Stagnetti's Cock at the Double Down
Saturday Sept 29 - DomiNiki and Stereoglass at the Huntridge Tavern

Wednesday Oct 3 - Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast at the Double Down with Hi Fi Murder and more

Friday Oct 5 - Goddam Gallows at the Dive Bar

Sat Oct 6 - The Swamp Gospel, the Implosions, Water Landing, the Psyatics at the Double Down for Nikki's birthday

Monday Oct 8 - Thelma and Sleaze and Negative Nancys at the Bunkhouse

Tuesday Oct 9 - Shanda and the Howlers at the Golden Tiki

Tuesday Oct 16 - Water Landing with Pet Tigers and Bitches in the Beehive at Starboard Tack

Saturday Oct 20 - Billy Strings with the All Togethers and the Riflemen at the Bunkhouse

Friday Oct 26 - Negative Nancys, Shanda and the Howlers, the Pluralses, Cromm Fallon at the Double Down

Saturday Oct 27 - the Gentlemen of Four Outs at the Bunkhouse
Saturday Oct 27 - the Damned, the Darts at House of Blues

Wednesday Oct 31 - Nekromantix, Messer Chups, Los Carajos at the Fremont Country Club

Friday Nov 2 - the Rayford Bros at Clark County Library
Friday Nov 2 - the Meteors at the Beauty Bar
Friday Nov 2 - the New Waves at the Golden Tiki

Saturday Nov 3 - the New Waves live band karaoke at the Mint for Bikes 4 Brats

Thursday Nov 15 - Southern Culture on the Skids at the Bunkhouse
Thursday Nov 15 - Downtown Brown, Thee Swank Bastards, the Bitters at the Double Down

Friday Nov 16 - Billy Gibbons (solo) at Brooklyn Bowl
Friday Nov 16 - The Psyatics, North by North, the New Waves, Cromm Fallon at the Starboard Tack

Saturday Nov 17 - Ghost at the Joint
Saturday Nov 17 - the Heiz and the Implosions at Evel Pie

Wednesday Nov 21 - Delta Bombers, Shanda and the Howlers, Cherry Rat at the Beauty Bar

Friday Nov 30 - the New Waves at the Golden Tiki
Friday Nov 30 - 68 (the band) with The Devil Wears Prada and Fit For a King at Vinyl

Saturday Dec 1 - the return of the Holy Smokes with The Swamp Gospel  and No Que No at the Double Down

Mon Dec 31 - Tenacious D at the Joint at the Hard Rock

What have I forgotten? Lemme know

recommended gigs

Thursday Sept 20 - David Liebe Hart with the Time Crashers and Sheiks of Neptune at the Beauty Bar

Monday Sept 24 - Shonen Knife at the Beauty Bar

Wednesday Sept 26 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Double Down

Thursday Sept 27 - the Psyatics with Ancient River at the Griffin
Thursday Sept 27 - Atomic Video Jukebox at the Double Down

Saturday Sept 29 - Negative Nancys, Laissez Fairs, Implosions, Stagnetti's Cock at the Double Down
Saturday Sept 29 - DomiNiki and Stereoglass at the Huntridge Tavern

Wednesday Oct 3 - Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast at the Double Down with Hi Fi Murder and more

Friday Oct 5 - Goddam Gallows at the Dive Bar

Sat Oct 6 - The Swamp Gospel, the Implosions, Water Landing, the Psyatics at the Double Down for Nikki's birthday

Tuesday Oct 16 - Water Landing with Pet Tigers and Bitches in the Beehive at Starboard Tack

Saturday Oct 20 - Billy Strings with the All Togethers and the Riflemen at the Bunkhouse

Friday Oct 26 - Negative Nancys, Shanda and the Howlers, the Pluralses, Cromm Fallon at the Double Down

Saturday Oct 27 - the Gentlemen of Four Outs at the Bunkhouse
Saturday Oct 27 - the Damned, the Darts at House of Blues

Wednesday Oct 31 - Nekromantix, Messer Chups, Los Carajos at the Fremont Country Club

Friday Nov 2 - the Rayford Bros at Clark County Library
Friday Nov 2 - the Meteors at the Beauty Bar
Friday NOv 2 - the New Waves at the Golden Tiki

Saturday Nov 3 - the New Waves live band karaoke at the Mint for Bikes 4 Brats

Thursday Nov 15 - Southern Culture on the Skids at the Bunkhouse
Thursday NOv 15 - Downtown Brown, Thee Swank Bastards, the Bitters at the Double Down

Friday Nov 16 - Billy Gibbons (solo) at Brooklyn Bowl
Friday Nov 16 - The Psyatics, North by North, the New Waves, Cromm Fallon at the Starboard Tack

Saturday Nov 17 - Ghost at the Joint
Saturday Nov 17 - the Heiz and the Implosions at Evel Pie

Friday Nov 30 - the New Waves at the Golden Tiki
Friday Nov 30 - 68 (the band) with The Devil Wears Prada and Fit For a King at Vinyl

Saturday Dec 1 - the return of the Holy Smokes with The Swamp Gospel  and No Que No at the Double Down

Mon Dec 31 - Tenacious D at the Joint at the Hard Rock

What have I forgotten? Lemme know

R.I.P. Big Jay McNeely, April 29, 1927-Sept. 16, 2018 
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Last Girl Standing - Trina Robbins

Robbins grew up a voracious reader of books, comics and eventually science fiction, which led her to older social groups (that included the likes of musician Dave Van Ronk) who actually hung out with the popular sci-fi writers of the day (and she even dated Harlan Ellison at one point!). This led to anarchistic leanings which led to folk music, writing for the school paper, meeting and hanging out with gay men, and generally opening up to new experiences.

From the love of folk music came the fascination and friendship with the Byrds (who basically combined the new British Invasion sounds with Dylan), as well as many other musicians and friends, for which she starts making clothes. Through various encounters she travels back and forth between NYC and LA and lives in both cities at different times. Her clothing store in NYC becomes a hang out (where she meets numerous interests, including Jim Morrison), a winter trip to LA and Laurel Canyon and she becomes immortalized in Joni Mitchell's "Ladies of the Canyon", back in NYC she becomes entrenched in the new underground comic scene (where she also meets mainstream artists and writers like Wally Wood, Roy Thomas and Steve Ditko, among others) and partially because of the misogyny found in that scene, she becomes a feminist and not long afterwards, moves back west, this time to San Francisco, where she continues her work with comics and Women's Lib, which continues, in one form or another, to this day.

Sadly, due to gossip that others have levied against her, she feels the need to defend herself in print against their allegations. Of course, I have no idea who is in the right, but it's a shame that people write books simply to spread vicious rumors about others.

She puts the most detail into the 60's and 70's, logically, as those were the most exciting times, but she becomes more successful throughout the 80's and beyond with her own projects as well as working "above ground" for the likes of National Lampoon, Eclipse and even Marvel. Briefly, she talks of her more personal times, such as finally finding the right person to settle down with and a successful fight with cancer.

Overall, though, this is a fairly light-hearted romp (despite plenty of discrimination and some back-stabbing) through a pretty unique life of an artist living through some amazing times in exciting cities.

(Check out Vulcher #4 for an interview with Robbins by Kelsey Simpson (Jack Wild / Gizmos), which is actually what led me to buy this book.)

TV Party Tonight with the Psyatics and VJ Atomic at the Double Down, Thursday Sept 13, 2018

Hip, happening Haanson Myer hosts the Double Down's TV Party monthly, with one "classic" movie paired with a groovy live act. This time around we got Dudes, a 1987 flick directed by Penelope Spheeris and featuring the likes of Lee Ving, Flea, Axexel G. Rease and Mad Marc Rude. Very politically incorrect and low-budg, but a fun romp through a story of punk rock murder and revenge.

The Psyatics immediately followed and pummeled their way through their set of punk/garage/noise numbers, with their originals (ranging from the sultry "Evangeline" to the raucous "Gentlemen of Four Outs", which featured a particularly fine drum section by Mark Bartschi) interspersed with covers from the Hives, the Oblivions, Pink Floyd and more. Of course, the lovely Ivanna Blaize helped provide visual stimuli throughout the set, as well, as did Jack's particularly affectionate fan (seen below). Always dig this combo's twisted tales of sordidness and psychopathic mind trips that accompany their truly original wall of sound. Jack's sonic waves ride over Rob's loping bass runs and Mark's creative drumming, that somehow manages to pull it all together. See 'em when you can!

recommended gigs

Thursday Sept 13 - The Psyatics at TV Party at the Double Down

Saturday Sept 15 - the Unwieldies, the Riflemen, Whiskey Breath, Lawn Mower Death Riders at the Double Down
Saturday Sept 15 - No Que No, the Scoundrels, Red Seduction at the Hideaway

Wednesday Sept 19 - St Angus and the Blue's Angels at Mr D's

Thursday Sept 20 - David Liebe Hart with the Time Crashers and Sheiks of Neptune at the Beauty Bar

Monday Sept 24 - Shonen Knife at the Beauty Bar

Thursday Sept 27 - the Psyatics with Ancient River at the Griffin

Saturday Sept 29 - Negative Nancys, Laissez Fairs, Implosions, Stagnetti's Cock at the Double Down

Wednesday Oct 3 - Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast at the Double Down with Hi Fi Murder and more

Friday Oct 5 - Goddam Gallows at the Dive Bar

Sat Oct 6 - The Swamp Gospel, the Implosions, Water Landing, the Psyatics at the Double Down for Nikki's birthday

Saturday Oct 20 - Billy Strings with the All Togethers and the Riflemen at the Bunkhouse

Friday Oct 26 - Negative Nancys, Shanda and the Howlers, the Pluralses, Cromm Fallon at the Double Down

Saturday Oct 27 - the Gentlemen of Four Outs at the Bunkhouse
Saturday Oct 27 - the Damned, the Darts at House of Blues

Wednesday Oct 31 - Nekromantix, Messer Chups, Los Carajos at the Fremont Country Club

Friday Nov 2 - the Rayford Bros at Clark County Library
Friday Nov 2 - the Meteors at the Beauty Bar
Friday NOv 2 - the New Waves at the Golden Tiki

Saturday Nov 3 - the New Waves live band karaoke at the Mint for Bikes 4 Brats

Thursday Nov 15 - Southern Culture on the Skids at the Bunkhouse

Friday Nov 16 - Billy Gibbons (solo) at Brooklyn Bowl
Friday Nov 16 - The Psyatics, North by North, the New Waves, Cromm Fallon at the Starboard Tack

Saturday Nov 17 - Ghost at the Joint
Saturday Nov 17 - the Heiz and the Implosions at Evel Pie

Friday Nov 30 - the New Waves at the Golden Tiki

Saturday Dec 1 - the return of the Holy Smokes with The Swamp Gospel at the Double Down

Mon Dec 31 - Tenacious D at the Joint at the Hard Rock

What have I forgotten? Lemme know

The Holy Smokes - Live in the Garage

This 2004 release was "recorded live in our garage with borrowed mics and beat up gear", so it doesn't have the same fidelity as their terrific Never Give It Up, but it is another fun romp through their version of garage-based blues (or is that blues-based garage?).

Luke kicks things off with his garage-y singalong, "Cruel Cruel Love" and its hip dynamics and guitar/harp interplay. Jeffrey turns in a frantic cow-punk/rockabilly-ish number with "Know How To Use It" (great guitar and harp here), there's a hyper punk/garage/pop tune in "Scars Turn To Stars" and then they slow things down for a moody, minor-key, surf-blues, "Ripped and Torn Out Pages" - really nice riffage and writing here.

They pull out some country-fried, high-voltage, rockabilly-riffed blues for "Back Down the Road" (kind of a take on "Hot Rod Lincoln", sorta-kinda), then change gears for a Ramones/Real Kids bit of pop-punk in "I Got a Girl" (excellent, catchy, well-written tune - Luke can certainly create a pop classic when he wants to!), followed by a rough'n'ready, hard-edged garage riffer in "Born To Lose" (is that a bit of spooky organ in the background? Nice touch!) that ends with a wild rave-up and then for the finale, they pull out another poundin' bit of blues-y garage, "White Horse" - highly rockin' and a fun finish.

These cats really were top-notch all around - love everyone's playing (Jeffrey on harp, Luke on bass, guitarist Joel and drummer Jesus) and the songwriting is really a step above. Get the CD's if you can find them and be on the lookout for reunion gigs!

The Holy Smokes - Never Give It Up

I missed the Holy Smokes in their original incarnation in the mid-00's, but loved Luke (bass/vocals) and Jeffrey (harp/vocals) in their follow up combo, the Lucky Cheats (now also, sadly, defunct). The HS are planning on doing some reunion shows after wowing at a party a couple of weeks ago. Original guitarist Joel is back in the fold as well as new drummer Turbo replacing Jesus, who has moved on outta town. Luke was kind enough to dig up a couple of CD's for me since I missed 'em the first time around.

The band is definitely blues-based (as were the Cheats as well as Luke's current combo, Shanda and the Howlers) but with some more garage elements, some punk'n'roll and even a bit of pop (the good stuff) here'n'there.

This 2007 release opens with Luke's peppy and slightly poppy garage/blues, "Sydney", then Jeffrey steps in for his high-energy, rockin' blues, "Never Give It Up", with its great harp playin' and an off-time chorus, which makes it stick in your head (I specifically remember this one from the party). There's a stompin', soul/rock groove to "Gonna Take a Ride", with some cool dynamics and fine drummin' reminiscent of the Dictators! This blasts right into the fast'n'lewd "She's the Most" - powerful'n'rockin' but with some truly goofy lyrics - followed by "Walk Away", a cool groover with catchy guitar'n'harp interplay and call'n'answer vocals.

"Best I Ever Had" is a frantic, harp-driven, J.Geils-styled blues raver, "Something Pretty" is a chunky chord garage/blues with some hip guitar work and cool "heys!", then back into another high-paced blues rocker in "Ugly Lil Baby", Joel twists around a 60's garage riff to power another poundin' garager, "Wake Up In Love", and the whole shee-bang closes out with a old-school jump-jive number, "No One Can Do It".

This is a party record, to be sure! Great playing all around - always love Jeffrey's Magic Dick-like harp wailin' and Luke's walkin' bass while Joel pulls out some sweet sounds from his Tele and Jesus propels them all - along with fun tunes and no pretension - just good time rock'n'roll with a blues bent. Dig it and dig 'em when they return for some live shows!

RIP Johnny Strike of CRIME

Johnny Strike, Frontman of SF Punk Pioneers Crime, Dead at 70 
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The Unwieldies and the All Togethers at the Huntridge Tavern, Friday Sept 7, 2018

It's Huntridge Tavern's own proprietress/manager/bartendress extraordinaire (and all around cool kitten) Kate Alexander's birthday weekend so the All Togethers and Unwieldies reprised their happening from a few weeks ago to celebrate the event! Cakes, music, drinks and lots of good friends were on hand to partake in the festivities.

The All Togethers opened the night with their hep "hillbilly jazz" and were in top form with a great mix and balance showcasing their sounds. Everyone was at the right level to hear the interplay between all of the fine musicians as they swung through numbers from their various recordings and some new tunes. (Seems like it must be time for a new recording session!) Great response from the crowd as always, who joined them in their inebriated shenanigans.

Again, the fabulous Unwieldies accompanied the AT's with their own brand of acoustic melodies, maladies and torch songs. The lovely-voiced Danielle strums her acoustic as husband Rob (celebrating 21 years together!) adds vocal harmonies while keeping everyone grounded with his bass lines over which Jack adds sweet violin and Richard fills in dobro lines. Their many originals (they currently have three albums out) are augmented by their arrangements of songs as varied as the Haints "Never Gonna Die", BB King's "The Thrill Is Gone", Waits' "Chocolate Jesus", Elvis Costello's "Veronica", and Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean". More fine musicianship, songwriting and vocals - excellent stuff!

Thank you to Kate for being born and having a fun birthday celebration at the hip Huntridge! 

David Bowie - Heroes

It's become a cliche to use the word "chameleon" when talking about Bowie, but it is true that he "borrowed" influences from all around him to create his ever-changing personas. From Marc Bolan, to Lou Reed to Iggy to soul/disco to this era, his Eno/Kraftword-styled period. The is the second installment of his "Berlin Trilogy" (starting with Low and followed by Lodger), this was by far the most popular, with the success of the hit title track. Robert Fripp joined him here, along with Eno (production and keys) and their contributions make the album what it is.

While all of the songs have a Eno/Kraftwork-ian feel, they range from catchy, pop-oriented tunes to pure ambiance. Opening with a bit of sonic wavy-ness, the band settles into a groove for one of the keyboard dominated pop tunes, "Beauty and the Beast", "Joe the Lion" isn't quite as memorable, but the title track comes in with one of Bowie's more unforgettable melodies (both vocal and guitar, although the latter of which might be Fripp's doing) and performances. While lacking the power'n'edge of his guitar-monsters from his Ziggy period, this hypnotic number deservedly stands as one of his best. "Sons of the Silent Age" sounds somewhat like his early acoustic work set to synthesizers with lots of backing vocals and Side One of the vinyl concluded with the more upbeat and catchy/dance-y "Blackout".

Flip over the record and "V-2 Schneider" definitely benefits from his work with Iggy on The Idiot and Lust For Life (who influenced who, at that time, I wonder?), as does the dark "Sense of Doubt", atmospheric sound shapes similar to "Mass Production" without the beat. This continues in "Moss Garden" (with hints of Oriental melodies hidden in the waves) and "Neukoln" (name checking the band Neu, of course, as well as the town Cologne and adding Bowie's saxophone), before the finale, "The Secret Life of Arabia", which brings us back to a danceable, vocal pop number.

Not his best work, but a few classic songs and some interesting sound experiments. The finest from this period, I'd say.

The Bell Rays - The Red, White and Black

Combing several previous groups under the banner of Punk, Rock and Soul, the Bell Rays formed in the early 90's and quickly flipped out the jaded LA scene. Husband and wife team of Bob & Lisa (bass/guitar and vocals), who previously performed in relatively straight-forward (and superior) rock/soul bands, joined forces with guitar whiz/songwriting master Tony Fate and took things to a completely new level, while utilizing the best of their previous offerings. With Tony leading the charge with his frantic, noise-filled playing and Lisa terrific soulful voice (a rockin' take on the best of the 60's soul sisters), the band became a high-energy machine with influences ranging from the MC5 to Motown to Blue Note jazz to pop to No Wave and other supplemental wildness!

This 21 track (including "intermission" numbers) CD encompasses powerful garage ("Remember"), sing-along punk rock ("Street Corner", "Sister Disaster", "Black is the Color"), fantastic, hard-edged soul/pop ("You're Sorry Now" and "Making Up For Lost Time"), the MC5-ish "Revolution Get Down", dark funk ("Used To Be"), frantic pop ("Find Someone To Believe In"), chaotic noise/punk ("Some Confusion City", "Poison Arrow"), along with many more moments of musical mastery!

The band has gone through numerous personnel changes over the years but is still going strong and touring the world while Lisa guest stars with under-and-over ground stars. Dig 'em - you'll be glad you did!

recommended gigs

Thursday Sept 6 - Sunday Sept 9 - the Las Vegas Tiki Weekender at the Thunderbird Motel with Thee Swank Bastards, Durango 66, Franks'n'Deans and more

Friday Sept 7 - Hot Tuna at Brooklyn Bowl
Friday Sept 7 - the All Togethers and the Unwieldies at the Huntridge Taveern for Kate's Birthday!
Friday Sept 7 0 Los Carajos and No Que No at Broadacres Marketplace

Saturday Sept 8 - Stagnetti's Cock, Negative Nancys and more at the Double Down
Saturday Sept 8 - the Unwieldies at the Dillinger

Wednesday Sept 12 - Johnny Zig and the Force at the Double Down

Thursday Sept 13 - The Psyatics at TV Party at the Double Down

Saturday Sept 15 - the Unwieldies, the Riflemen, Whiskey Breath, Lawn Mower Death Riders at the Double Down
Saturday Sept 15 - No Que No, the Scoundrels, Red Seduction at the Hideaway

Wednesday Sept 19 - St Angus and the Blue's Angels at Mr D's

Thursday Sept 20 - David Liebe Hart with the Time Crashers and Sheiks of Neptune at the Beauty Bar

Monday Sept 24 - Shonen Knife at the Beauty Bar

Thursday Sept 27 - the Psyatics with Ancient River at the Griffin

Saturday Sept 29 - Negative Nancys, Laissez Fairs, Implosions, Stagnetti's Cock at the Double Down

Friday Oct 5 - Goddam Gallows at the Dive Bar

Sat Oct 6 - The Swamp Gospel, the Implosions, Water Landing, the Psyatics at the Double Down for Nikki's birthday

Saturday Oct 20 - Billy Strings with the All Togethers and the Riflemen at the Bunkhouse

Friday Oct 26 - Negative Nancys, Shanda and the Howlers, the Pluralses, Cromm Fallon at the Double Down

Saturday Oct 27 - the Gentlemen of Four Outs at the Bunkhouse
Saturday Oct 27 - the Damned, the Darts at House of Blues

Wednesday Oct 31 - Nekromantix, Messer Chups, Los Carajos at the Fremont Country Club

Friday Nov 2 - the Rayford Bros at Clark County Library
Friday Nov 2 - the Meteors at the Beauty Bar

Thursday Nov 15 - Southern Culture on the Skids at the Bunkhouse

Friday Nov 16 - Billy Gibbons (solo) at Brooklyn Bowl
Friday Nov 16 - The Psyatics, North by North, the New Waves, Cromm Fallon at the Starboard Tack

Saturday Nov 17 - Ghost at the Joint
Saturday Nov 17 - the Heiz and the Implosions at Evel Pie

Mon Dec 31 - Tenacious D at the Joint at the Hard Rock

What have I forgotten? Lemme know

The Holy Smokes at Luke's Garage, Saturday Sept 1, 2018

When we first moved to Las Vegas in 2003, we ventured out a bit to see what was happening musically in town but we mostly found mediocre punk bands and not much that caught our ears, so we stopped trying for a long time. Apparently, that was a big mistake, since there were some seriously terrific bands in town at the time like the Yeller Bellies, the Pickadillos and the Holy Smokes.

We now know Luke (bass/vocals) and Jeffrey (harmonica/vocals) from their time in the Lucky Cheats (one of our fave local bands that we met from playing together), but never knew guitarist Joel before now. Gerry (Turbo) Proctor sat in for this party/jam and they were indeed smokin'! This was meant to just be a fun time at a party, but the band was incredible as they blasted through some blues/ rock'n'roll not unlike the Lucky Cheats - in fact one of their songs became a Cheats tune. I believe that they are talking about doing some reunion shows and if so, I will certainly be there! Great band!