Generic Surf Band at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch, Oct 6, 2024

 This day was a special Sunday Brunch Day at Red Dwarf as our friend Nikki Ruffling was celebrating her birthday with her boyfriend's band, the Generic Surf Band. Cake, pizza, drinks, and lots of snappy drums, wanderin' bass lines and reverbed guitar with hip surf videos playing in the background!

The Generic Surf Band runs through several sets of traditional ("generic") surf music, with Mark Bartchi leading the way with his swingin', fast-paced drumming combining with the bass for a solid footing for Phil's great-sounding guitar work (usually with amazing, vintage guitars)! This day Nikki sat in for a tune (Phil and Thee Swank Bastards' Jesse Del Quaddro has been teaching her) and bartendress Daisy also played bass for a couple of numbers. (Second bartendress Sara did not sit in, but she did her magic behind the bar!)

Lots of friends and assorted folks in attendance and we even spotted a homemade Swamp Gospel shirt! Always a good time with the GSB and Red Dwarf!

King's Road - Max Decharne

 

Obviously, anyone who has been interested in pop culture in England knows that King's Road has been one of the epicenters of Britishness for decades, and once I saw a review of this in Ugly Things (possibly, although the book is almost 20 years old, so it wouldn't have been a very current review), I figured I needed to pick it up to learn a bit more about this area.

Decharne is certainly British himself as he writes as if everyone knows the ins'n'outs of the areas, people, politics and so on that he is referring to. So, that assumption can be problematic for someone who is not intimate with the workings of the country, as the references and often the slang'n'sayings are meaningless to a midwestern boy like me.

There are several chapters dedicated to the earliest of times of the area, which can be a little tedious, although they are certainly informative and lay the groundwork and Max tries to keep the reader involved by informing that the area that once was a part of a king's land later became Malcolm McLaran's shop or something similar. Of course, the street is named for the fact that a king (Charles, I believe) used to use it to visit his mistress(es), and there is plenty of history in the area as well as luminaries that have lived there over the centuries.

But naturally, the reason to want to read about the area starts in the 60''s, and Max gets to it as quickly as he can, although the 50's are really when the area revved up with fashion (Mary Quant opened a boutique there), theater (Look Back in Anger debuts) and music (with coffee houses and skiffle evolving into rock'n'roll). He devotes a bit of time to the 50's, but it all feels like a prelude to the swingin' 60's.

As Decharne tries to be all encompassing for the area, there are bits'n'pieces that are NOT going to be interesting to part of his audience, although everything does intertwine somewhat, and movies, theater, food'n'fashion, art'n'music all intersect by way of location, if not direct interaction.

Surprisingly for me, anyway, is that the 70's era is even more interesting than the 60's, as glam lays the groundwork for punk, and fashion, films and theater all follow along with the wild, androgynous looks and uninhibited, anything goes sexual escapades. Even though I lived through the times (as a youngster), I do sometimes forget how the timelines of different events overlapped and how early certain looks'n'sounds evolved. I assume the author must be around my age as he obviously remembers this era most fondly, as well. 

After the 70's punk era, the street takes a downturn, at least in Becharne's eyes, and he kind of ties things up fairly quickly from there.

Definitely interesting, but I had hoped for something a little more captivating. Not bad, but not great either, although those with an interest in the area will certainly find things to dig.

recommended gigs

          

Saturday 10-5-24 - Farewell party for Christy Larson with the Time Crashers and more at the Founder's Club

Saturday 10-5-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 10-6-24 - Generic Surf Band at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch for Nikki Ruffling's Birthday!

Monday 10-7-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 10-12-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 10-13-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch

Monday 10-14-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Wednesday 10-16-24 - Johnny Zig and the Force at Mr. D's

Thursday 10-17-24 - Dr. Phobic and the Phobic-Tones and the Unoriginal Unfits at Red Dwarf

Friday 10-18-24 - Big Sandy with Shanda and the Howlers at the Sand Dollar Downtown 

Friday 10-18-24 & Saturday 10-19-24 - Rayford Bros./BatBand at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 10-19-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Monday 10-21-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Wednesday 10-23-24 - Dion Lunadon, the Acid Sisters, Cromm Fallon and the P200 at the Usual Place 

Thursday 10-24-24 - Negative Nancys, Switch to Fakie and Mersa at the Triple Down at the Punk Rock Museum

Saturday 10-26-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 10-27-24 - Generic Surf Band at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch

Monday 10-28-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Thursday 10-31-24 - The Jackets and more at the Dive Bar

Saturday 11-2-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Monday 11-4-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Wednesday 11-6-24 - Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast at the Double Down

Friday 11-8-24 - Femaliens with Rhythm Ace and the Nu-Tones at Red Dwarf

Saturday 11-9-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Monday 11-11-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Wednesday 11-13-24 - Hillbilly Casino and Shanda and the Howlers at the Usual Place

Saturday 11-16-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 11-17-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch

Monday 11-18-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Friday 11-22-24 - The Implosions, The Ghostwood Murder and the Hideaway at Fat Cat

Friday 11-22-24 - Venomous Pinks, Minges, Femaliens, the Has Knots at the Griffin

Saturday 11-23-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Monday 11-25-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Wednesday 11-27-24 - Thee Swank Bastards' Basstravaganza At the Double Down

Saturday 11-30-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

RIP Kris Kristofferson

Kris Kristofferson, legendary singer-songwriter turned Hollywood leading man, dies at 88 

---

Crime SuspenStories Volume 2

 

Pretty much everything that I had to say about the first edition of these EC reprints goes for this second installment. These pre-comic code stories are fast, well-written, and filled with twists'n'turns, especially considering when they were released. The artists here include greats like Johnny Craig, Jack Davis, Graham Ingels, Jack Kamen and more and I just noticed that the colorist on many of these is none other than Marie Severin, who went on to do lots of art work for Marvel Comics.

Again, while the main theme here is "crime", there is plenty of overlap with horror - to the point of including EC's horror hostess The Old Witch in the introduction to some of the tales - due to the fact that most of the crime is murder! Usually for love, revenge or money and usually in some especially gruesome manner. but mostly with some form of retribution of justice at the end so that the bad guys don't get away with anything.

You probably already know if you dig EC, so not much that I can say, but these are excellent reproductions at a totally reasonable price. Well worth it!

recommended gigs

         

Thursday 9-26-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at Mickie Finns

Saturday 9-28-24 - Fuzz Solow at Fat Cat

Saturday 9-28-24 - Life is Shit Festival at the Dive Bar

Saturday 9-28-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Monday 9-30-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Monday 9-30-24 - Fuzz Solow at Fat Cat

Wednesday 10-2-24 - Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast at the Double Down

Saturday 10-5-24 - Farewell party for Christy Larson with the Time Crashers and more at the Founder's Club

Saturday 10-5-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 10-6-24 - Generic Surf Band at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch for Nikki Ruffling's Birthday!

Monday 10-7-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 10-12-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 10-13-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch

Monday 10-14-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Thursday 10-17-24 - Dr. Phobic and the Phobic-Tones and the Unoriginal Unfits at Red Dwarf

Friday 10-18-24 - Big Sandy with Shanda and the Howlers at the Sand Dollar Downtown 

Saturday 10-19-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Monday 10-21-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Wednesday 10-23-24 - Dion Lunadon, the Acid Sisters, Cromm Fallon and the P200 at the Usual Place 

Thursday 10-24-24 - Negative Nancys, Switch to Fakie and Mersa at the Triple Down at the Punk Rock Museum

Saturday 10-26-24 - Los Carajos, Gob Patrol, Femaliens, and the Shakewells at Voodoo Brewing Co

Saturday 10-26-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Monday 10-28-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Thursday 10-31-24 - The Jackets and more at the Dive Bar

Saturday 11-2-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Monday 11-4-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Wednesday 11-6-24 - Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast at the Double Down

Saturday 11-9-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Monday 11-11-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Wednesday 11-13-24 - Hillbilly Casino and Shanda and the Howlers at the Usual Place

Saturday 11-16-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 11-17-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch

Monday 11-18-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Friday 11-22-24 - The Implosions, The Ghostwood Murder and the Hideaway at Fat Cat

Saturday 11-23-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Monday 11-25-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Wednesday 11-27-24 - Thee Swank Bastards' Basstravaganza At the Double Down

Saturday 11-30-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

RIP Nick Gravenites

 RIP Nick Gravenites

---

I had no idea how much stuff he had actually done - I just knew him from his work with Janis. Another talent gone!

recommended gigs

        

Friday 9-20-24 - the New Waves at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 9-21-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Skinny Bar, Boulder City

Saturday 9-21-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 9-22-24 - Generic Surf Band at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch

Monday 9-23-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Thursday 9-26-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at Mickie Finns

Friday 9-27-24 - The Hypnotiques at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 9-28-24 - Fuzz Solow at Fat Cat

Saturday 9-28-24 - Life is Shit Festival at the Dive Bar

Saturday 9-28-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Monday 9-30-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Monday 9-30-24 - Fuzz Solow at Fat Cat

Wednesday 10-2-24 - Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast at the Double Down

Saturday 10-5-24 - Farewell party for Christy Larson with the Time Crashers and more at the Founder's Club

Sunday 10-6-24 - Generic Surf Band at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch for Nikki Ruffling's Birthday!

Thursday 10-17-24 - Dr. Phobic and the Phobic-Tones and the Unoriginal Unfits at Red Dwarf

Thursday 10-31-24 - The Jackets and more at the Dive Bar

Wednesday 11-6-24 - Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast at the Double Down

RIP Tito Jackson

Tito Jackson dies at 70. He was Michael Jackson's brother and co-founded the Jackson 5 

---

Loved the J5 as a kid and still do! They were much more than just Michael. RIP to the guitarist of the group, Tito.

recommended gigs

       

Saturday 9-7-24 - Bogtrotter's Union, Muertos Heist, Pure Sport at Red Dwarf

Saturday 9-7-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 9-8-24 - Fuzz Solow at Fat Cat

MOnday 9-9-24 - Fuzz Solow at Fat Cat

Monday 9-9-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Thursday 9-12-24 - Jenny Don't and the Spurs at the Golden Tiki

Friday 9-13-24 - The Peculiar Pretzelmen with the Implosions and the Hideaway at Red Dwarf

Friday 9-13-24 - the Minges, Those Poor Bastards, Big Like Texas at Cemetery Pulp

Friday 9-13-24 - Trevor and the Swingin' Johnsons at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 9-14-24 - the Minges, War Peggy, Femaliens at the Double Down

Saturday 9-14-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 9-15-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch

Monday 9-16-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Friday 9-20-24 - the New Waves at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 9-21-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Skinny Bar, Boulder City

Saturday 9-21-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 9-22-24 - Generic Surf Band at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch

Monday 9-23-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 9-28-24 - Fuzz Solow at Fat Cat

Saturday 9-28-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Monday 9-30-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Monday 9-30-24 - Fuzz Solow at Fat Cat

Wednesday 10-2-24 - Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast at the Double Down

Saturday 10-5-24 - Farewell party for Christy Larson with the Time Crashers and more at the Founder's Club

Thursday 10-17-24 - Dr. Phobic and the Phobic-Tones and the Unoriginal Unfits at Red Dwarf

Thursday 10-31-24 - The Jackets and more at the Dive Bar

Wednesday 11-6-24 - Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast at the Double Down

Willie Dixon - The Big Three Trio

 

Of course, I've been a fan of Willie Dixon's for as long as I've known who he was - well, actually, even before then, as I loved so many of his songs long before I knew who wrote them. Generally, his songwriting and bass playing were his (incredible) strong points, as he was not the strongest front person, but here he is part of a band and a damn good one!

Besides Dixon, the Big Three Trio consisted of pianist Leonard "Baby Doo" Caston and Bernardo Dennis (and later Ollie Crawford) on guitar and they all sang, providing impressive three part harmonies on many of their tunes. This late 40's/early 50's combo wasn't a strict blues band by any stretch - they happily played standards, pop tunes and whatever else struck their combined fancies. Their are jazzy boogies, stompin' instrumentals, novelty  numbers and pretty pop tunes, all done with superb musicianship and fine vocalizing. There's certainly a variety but it all works together and, according to the liner notes, they were hits with live audiences, as well.

That all said, this is a fairly bluesy affair, in a general sense, although with the other elements combined, for a smooth-blues kinda sound - with a bit of pop, a bit jazzy, plenty of harmonies, and, again, some impressive playing. Maybe sorta like Lonnie Johnson or Memphis Slim, in a vague way.

I dunno, i did quite like this, even if it's not the rough'n'tumble blues that I'm usually listening to. Worth checking out!

The Alligator Records 20th Anniversary Collection

 

This 20th Anniversary, 2-CD set was released over 30 years ago (!) in 1991 (!!) and gives a good overview of this blues-based record label that began in the 70's in a small apartment due to Bruce Inglauer's obsession with Hound Dog Taylor and became a Grammy-winning label a couple of decades later!

Hound Dog starts things off, appropriately enough, with his "Give Me Back My Wig" - trashy guitars, poundin' drums and Taylor's wacky sense of humor all on full display! From there, it ranges from the (formerly and sometimes futurely) famous blues acts to brand new, previously unheard-of folks. James Cotton, Albert Collins, Professor Longhair (showing off his whistlin' prowess!), Koko Taylor (still in fine voice on a slow-burnin' blues with moody organ and excellent guitar work), Elvin Bishop, Clarence Gatemouth Brown, Roy Buchanan (excellent, of course), Charlie Musselwhite (great!), Big Walter Horton, Clifton Chenier, Johnny Winter and a host of others share the set with folks that I had never known like Tinsley Ellis, Lucky Peterson, Kenny Neal and plenty more in between! (Like the Siegel-Schwall Band, that I've dug since seeing them on public TV in the 70's!)

Recorded in the 70's and 80's, much of this does not have the dirty grit that I love from much of my fave blues from the 50's and before, but regardless, the performances are strong and the playing is pretty top-notch. Not every tune is a winner, natch, and it sounds better with a bit of volume (I initially tried listening to this at work quietly enough not to disturb my office-mate, which is NOT recommended), and while this collection won't replace my earlier blues sets for repeated listenings, its still totally worthwhile and Inglauer certainly did a service by keeping the blues and these artists alive and in the public eye!

Mighty Marvel Masterworks Captain America Vol. 3

 

Obviously, I've ranted'n'raved about my love for early Marvel comics and their first heroes and Cap was right up there, fighting for the underdog as well as for our country - not "right or wrong" but fighting to right the country's wrongs. Of course, he didn't get overly political at first, but you knew that Cap was on the side of right, fighting oppression, racism and fascism in all of its forms.

In this collection Steve Rogers tries to give up the mantel of CA for the love of SHIELD's "Agent 13", but finds it impossible to stop being who he is. He gets called into action by the Black Panther and fights a faux Zemo, who is intent on taking over the world, natch, alongside Agent 13, who was coincidentally assigned to foil "Zemo's" plot, as well. The Red Skull also returns, and he unleashes the Fourth Sleeper, who literally wants to destroy the world he cannot rule and for the final battle of this compendium, Batroc the Leaper joins forces with the Swordsman and the Living Laser!

These stories are Stan Lee and Jack Kirby at their best - tons of escapist fun!

recommended gigs

      

Thursday 8-29-24 - the Implosions at Taverna Costera

Friday 8-30-24 - The Hypnotiques at the Golden Tiki

Friday 8-30-24 - the Minges, Dominick Muzio and Chemical Tribe, Decaying Tigers at Red Dwarf

Saturday 8-31-24 - VaVoom, It's Fine, Manicdotes, Post Noble at Red Dwarf

Saturday 8-31-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Monday 9-2-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Wednesday 9-4-24 - Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast at the Double Down

Wednesday 9-4-24 - the Speedways, Cromm Fallon, Nico Bones at Red Dwarf

Saturday 0-7-24 - Bogtrotter's Union, Muertos Heist, Pure Sport at Red Dwarf

Saturday 9-7-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 9-8-24 - Fuzz Solow at Fat Cat

MOnday 9-9-24 - Fuzz Solow at Fat Cat

Monday 9-9-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Friday 9-13-24 - The Peculiar Pretzelmen with the Implosions and the Hideaway at Red Dwarf

Friday 9-13-24 - the Minges, Those POor Bastards, Big Like Texas at Cemetery Pulp

Saturday 9-14-24 - the Minges, War Peggy, Femaliens at the Double Down

Saturday 9-14-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 9-15-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch

Monday 9-16-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 9-21-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Skinny Bar, Boulder City

Saturday 9-21-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 9-22-24 - Generic Surf Band at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch

Monday 9-23-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 9-28-24 - Fuzz Solow at Fat Cat

Saturday 9-28-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Monday 9-30-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Monday 9-30-24 - Fuzz Solow at Fat Cat

Wednesday 10-2-24 - Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast at the Double Down

Saturday 10-5-24 - Farewell party for Christy Larson with the Time Crashers and more at the Founder's Club

Wednesday 11-6-24 - Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast at the Double Down

Ugly Things #66

 

Of course, I always tell any lover of rock'n'roll to pick up Ugly Things as it is one of the best music zines out there these days. Tons of great stories of obscure (and not so obscure) bands, innumerable reviews of all types of media and general r'n'r trvia'n'gossip.

Heralded by original garage guru Mike Stax and his lovely wife Anja, they, with the help of multiple friends, delve into the inner workings of various r'n'r (and related) combos over the decades.

Obviously, the cover story is a huge interview with the beautiful and talented Michelle Phillips of the Mamas and the Papas and, boy, is there plenty of tales of sex'n'drugs'harmony vocals here! From there we get everything from 70's punkers the Subway Sect, to Detroit high energy purveyors the MC5 to 60's garage kings the Emperors and many other, more obscure combos.

Of course, there are reviews galore, so get your wish list ready to add books, records, films and what-have-you's, as you dig the rantin'n'ravin''n'recommendations!

Always essential - dig it!

recommended gigs

     

Friday 8-23-24 - Suburban Resistance, the Minges, the Last Gang and the Drowns at the Usual Place

Friday 8-23-24 - Shanda and the Howlers at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 8-24-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 8-25-24 - Generic Surf Band at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch

Sunday 8-25-24 - The Hypnotiques at the Clark County Library Theater

Monday 8-26-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Thursday 8-29-24 - the Implosions at Taverna Costera

Friday 8-30-24 - The Hypnotiques at the Golden Tiki

Friday 8-30-24 - the Minges, Dominick Muzio and Chemical Tribe, Decaying Tigers at Red Dwarf

Saturday 8-31-24 - VaVoom, It's Fine, Manicdotes, Post Noble at Red Dwarf

Saturday 8-31-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Monday 9-2-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Wednesday 9-4-24 - Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast at the Double Down

Saturday 9-7-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Monday 9-9-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Friday 9-13-24 - The Peculiar Pretzelmen with the Implosions and the Hideaway at Red Dwarf

Friday 9-13-24 - the Minges, Those POor Bastards, Big Like Texas at Cemetery Pulp

Saturday 9-14-24 - the Minges, War Peggy, Femaliens at the Double Down

Saturday 9-14-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 9-15-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch

Monday 9-16-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 9-21-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Skinny Bar, Boulder City

Saturday 9-21-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 9-22-24 - Generic Surf Band at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch

Monday 9-23-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 9-28-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Monday 9-30-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Wednesday 10-2-24 - Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast at the Double Down

Saturday 10-5-24 - Farewell party for Christy Larson with the Time Crashers and more at the Founder's Club

Wednesday 11-6-24 - Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast at the Double Down

Peter Case - A Million MIles Away (Documentary)

 

I never got a chance to see the Nerves and, in fact, didn't hear them until years later - this doc has some great early pix/footage - and I believe that the Plimsouls started a bit before I got to LA but they were still very much an underground band when I started hanging out on the scene. While they were very much a power-pop group (a genre that I always dug, but had moved away from somewhat by that time), they still had enough garage roots and plenty of hooks'n'energy to captivate. I distinctly remember a New Year's Eve show of theirs where Paula Pierce came up to me and said that I had to hear this new song of theirs, "A Million Miles Away", which, of course, didn't make them stars, but did give them a national profile.

This doc is particularly fascinating because it has actual film footage of Peter as a folk-singer/hippie teenager in San Francisco in the early 70's after running away from home. No idea how or why this footage exists as he was just another of a million long-haired folk singers in the town at the time, but it is pretty great. In SF he meets Jack Lee and Paul Collins and, in a disorienting fast-forward of a few years (which happens multiple times in this doc with no explanations), the Nerves are in LA and touring the country opening for the Ramones! 

But, the three personalities were too strong (each went on to their own bands) and they split up before they could hit it big (and Blondie recorded Jack's "Hanging on the Telephone" just after the split) and with another fast-forward, Peter has the Plimsouls and are playing big local shows. A lot of the footage simply says "LA" so I'm not sure where or when all of the gigs were, but they were still a club band when I arrived in mid-79 and it took a while before "Million..." gave them their big push, such as it was.

But, despite all of the breaks that they got, they couldn't hit the big time, they broke up and Peter, being the obstinate chameleon that he is, went back to being a folk singer. He was still on a major label, Geffen, but they weren't sure what to do with him and he floundered for a few years, but eventually found his way and became a reasonable successful folkie.

Of course, there is a lot more to the story and a lot of relationships, health issues (after the Plimsouls he seemed to stop taking care of himself), record company woes and lots'n'lots of shows, but at the end he is in a loving marriage with a supportive wife (who, funnily, recounts that she didn't care for him at all when they first met) and a reasonably successful folk career.

Definitely interesting, and goes to show that even the bands and songwriters that got plenty of breaks (that I was definitely jealous of at the time) didn't guarantee any type of true success and sometimes ya kinda gotta do it almost on your own. Worth watching, for sure!

Biography of a Phantom - Robert McCormick

 

Of course, I've been a fan of Robert Johnson and his legend since I first learned about him in the 70's. Besides the fact that his songs were even then covered by innumerable rock stars that I admired, the "sold his soul to the devil" mythos was a great hook! I've read a few books about him over the years and this one was recommended online so I picked it up to see what it was about.

Editor John Trautman's preface explains who McCormick was - one of the early blues documentarians who went searching for information on the blues artists and even discovering unheard artists in the process. Lots of traveling and knocking on doors, in a similar manner to people like Alan Lomax, who did discover some of the original artists. Troutman details some of McCormick's processes and some of the issues that hindered his work - everything from his undiagnosed (apparent) bipolar problems to hinderances due to money and being unable to hold down a good job, to the fact that a white man knocking on doors of black families was viewed with suspicion and outright fear in many cases. Troutman also discusses some editorial changes to the manuscript (McCormick never finished the book himself) to avoid offending or even to avoid legal challenges that have arisen.

McCormick approaches the tale as a mystery to be solved and writes in first person, describing the places that he visits and the people that he meets along the way, as well as the bits'n'pieces of information, which is all word-of-mouth, of course, and difficult to verify, if even he believed what he was hearing. So, the story is actually McCormick's search for Johnson, not really a story about Johnson himself - he is just the impetus for McCormick's tale.

Naturally, it was quite a daunting task to search for someone with a name as common as Robert Johnson, given that paper records were nowhere near as complete in those days, particularly with African-Americans. So, there are lots'n'lots of contacting people who had nothing to do with Robert and, again, the people who claimed to have known him had stories that were difficult to verify.

McCormick eventually finds a number of people who knew a Robert Spencer, who they verify (as best as can be verified, from knowledge of songs, and the little personal information that McCromick knew) was indeed Johnson. From what we know now, this all seems legit - again, as best as recollections can be - and was a veritable treasure trove of facts'n'family'n'fellow musicians.

This was pretty much the extent of his search for facts about Johnson's life, and he then tried to discover more about his death, which was less well-known back then, of course. Researching a 30 year old death of a traveling African-American man in the South was another difficult task that was generally stymied by officials whose records, such as they were, didn't go back that far, and, of course, records on events related to the Black population were even less regulated.

In any case, McCormick did a lot of sleuthing and came up with quite a bit of invaluable information and the book is also filling with his photos of the area 30+ years later, naturally, but still quite interesting. 

So, not exactly anything definitive, but a good, informative read, regardless, and well-written in a way to keep you hooked'n'entertained along the way.

RIP Greg Kihn

Greg Kihn, Who Scored Hits With ‘Jeopardy’ and ‘The Breakup Song,’ Dead at 75 

---

I don't listen to him as much any more but I was a big fan of his brand of power pop in the 70's. Sad to hear of his early demise.

recommended gigs

    

Thursday 8-8-24 - TV Party Tonight showing Grosse Point with live music by the Shakewells

Saturday 8-10-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 8-11-24 - Generic Surf Band at Red Dwarf Sunday Brunch

Monday 8-12-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Monday 8-12-24- Fuzz Solow at Red Dwarf with It and I

Saturday 8-17-24 - Angie's Fucking Birthday Bash at the Dive Bar with the Hard Pipe Hitters, Same Sex Mary and Fish Circus

Saturday 8-17-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 8-18-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch

Monday 8-19-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Wednesday 8-21-24 - Trombo’s Wheel of Fuckery at the Double Down with VaVoom and Wheelchair Mosh Pit

Friday 8-23-24 - Suburban Resistance, the Minges, the Last Gang and the Drowns at the Usual Place

Friday 8-23-24 - Shanda and the Howlers at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 8-24-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 8-25-24 - Generic Surf Band at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch

Monday 8-26-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 8-31-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Wednesday 9-4-24 - Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast at the Double Down

Friday 9-13-24 - The Peculiar Pretzelmen with the Implosions and the Hideaway at Red Dwarf

Friday 9-13-24 - the Minges, Those POor Bastards, Big Like Texas at Cemetery Pulp

Saturday 9-14-24 - the Minges, War Peggy, Femaliens at the Double Down

Wednesday 10-2-24 - Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast at the Double Down

Wednesday 11-6-24 - Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast at the Double Down

Franz Kafka - The Metamorphosis, In the Penal Colony and Other Stories

 

Another book that I randomly picked up way back at the Founders Club book fair and hadn't gotten to until now. Kafka is just someone who it seems like you should have read at some point and I don't remember doing so in the past so thought I'd give him a shot.

The introduction to this collection is actually very informative and certainly gave me more food for thought and made me consider the stories differently. I would probably have simply taken them as somewhat surrealistic tales, but apparently, while that is obvious, the point of the tales are metaphors for the assimilation of the Jewish people into other cultures. I am a white male, brought up as a Christian, and as open minded as I try to be, I still find myself surprised by the fact that I haven't acknowledged the variety of upbringings in the world and how people are forced to integrate into cultures other than their own or face ostracization or are considered inferior. If they can quickly assimilate and conform to the dominate culture, they are considered superior. 

Joachim Neugroschel does a much better job than I in explaining these concepts and, as he translates this edition, he also talks about how translations can vary due to the fact that often words cannot be literally translated, or have various meanings, which can be interpreted by the translator in various ways. Lots to think about and consider well before even starting the actual stories!

The first few stories are very short (a couple of pages of so), stream-of-consciousness, surrealistic prose that is not very coherent, to be frank. Not particularly poetic or linear, just kind of bizarre, which made me almost give up on the book before I had gotten very far. But then some of the actual tales started - still a little odd'n'ramblin', but lucid. The Metamorphosis is definitely surreal - a salesman turns into a human-sized insect - but is compelling, funny, and, yes, readable. The rest of the stories are generally more of this ilk - unusual but not so surreal as to be difficult. 

Certainly interesting and glad that I checked him out, but I can't say that Kafka's writings have drawn me in. As I said, the are odd without being particularly poetic and while the introduction gave me more food for thought in reference to the stories, they still didn't grab me. 

recommended gigs

   

Friday 7-26-24 - the Coffin Daggers and New Waves at Fat Cat

Saturday 7-27-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 7-28-24 - Generic Surf Band at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch

Monday 7-29-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Friday 8-2-24 - the Boss Martians with Bear Supply at the Double Down

Friday 8-2-24 - Surfers of Mercy at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 8-3-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 8-4-24 - CM Wolf, the Rifleman String Band and Acoustic Front at the Dive Bar

Monday 8-5-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Wednesday 8-7-24 - Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast at the Double Down

Thursday 8-8-24 - TV Party Tonight showing Grosse Point with live music by the Shakewells

Saturday 8-10-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Monday 8-12-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Monday 8-12-24- Fuzz Solow at Red Dwarf with It and I

Saturday 8-17-24 - Angie's Fucking Birthday Bash at the Dive Bar with the Hard Pipe Hitters, Same Sex Mary and Fish Circus

Saturday 8-17-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 8-18-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch

Monday 8-19-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Friday 8-23-24 - Suburban Resistance, the Minges, the Last Gang and the Drowns at the Usual Place

Friday 8-23-24 - Shanda and the Howlers at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 8-24-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Monday 8-26-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 8-31-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Wednesday 9-4-24 - Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast at the Double Down

Friday 9-13-24 - The Peculiar Pretzelmen with the Implosions and the Hideaway at Red Dwarf

Saturday 9-14-24 - the Minges, War Peggy, Femaliens at the Double Down

Wednesday 10-2-24 - Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast at the Double Down

Wednesday 11-6-24 - Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast at the Double Down

The Demon - The Longest Day - Book 2

 

In this installment, we learn the atrocities that the Demon has committed, which has been blocked from Jason Blood's mind for a thousand years so that he wouldn't go mad. Merlin (yes, that Merlin), who merged these two in the first place, has returned and brought Blood's memories back, which does nearly cause him his sanity. Of course, these memories literally come back to haunt him as the story continues.

Blood has also sired a human baby with his (human) girlfriend, but simultaneously, the Demon has sired a son with another demon and wants to merge those two souls, like he and Blood are merged. Everyone joins in this fight and there are many twists'n'turns and the souls of those murdered by the Demon come back to keep Blood from winning, but the unexpected, of course, occurs.

Blood eventually does manage to extricate himself from Etrigan, although the Demon is not happy about the situation. He mopes in Hell until the Heavenly Hosts themselves invade, which leads to an all out war, hence the book's title. Lots more unexpected trials'n'tribulations until the entire book has come down to a adolescent pun on one of the other demons' name.

This is definitely an improvement on book one, but it still is not a fave with me, even considering my blasphemous tendencies. Not bad, by any means, but certainly not the best by this team.

The Demon - Hell's Hitman - Book 1

 

This compilation of Garth Ennis and John McCrea's run on The Demon is compiled from early-to-mid 90's issues of this DC Comic, and this omnibus (along with the next installment) was gifted to me by my brother along with the Alias and Green Lantern comics that I've already mentioned. 

A literal demon from Hell, hence the unoriginal name, Etrigan enters our world through an unnaturally old human named Jason Blood. The process is quite vague, but one or the other recites an incantation and the other appears, which, naturally, wrecks havoc on Blood's attempt at a normal, human life. This is especially complicated by his pregnant girlfriend who he tries to cut all ties with in order to spare her and the child from the carnage that follows in the Demon's path.

The fact that Etrigan is a rhyming demon actually gets a bit annoying at times, as is the embellished font that is used in his soliloquies to highlight the fact that it is demonic speak, an understandable trope, but it makes it a bit more difficult to read - at least for this old man with bad eyesight.

There is plenty of fire'n'brimstone, gore, violence - both earthly and hellish - and depressing takes on humankind throughout. I don't know if it is simply the fact that the world today is so damn morose, but this is not a fun read, even with all of the overt exaggerations and the almost surrealistic artwork. Maybe it's just my current mood and I need to try again another time.

In any case, I was surprised to find that lyrics of mine (from years previous) were used in this series, although I"m sure it must just be coincidence, as it's not like they were totally original, but enough that I thought I swiped it from this book until I looked at the dates. Funny coincidence! 

Unlike today, though, there is a tale with a haunted tank taking on literal Nazi zombies and the Demon teams up with a ghost of a Confederate General to fight the Nazis, unlike today, when the Confederates would literally BE the Nazis - in fact, it's all very odd that he is fighting the Nazis instead of siding with them as they scream their prejudices. And, if this were written today, there would be plenty of the Cult that would be joining the Nazi zombies, instead of fighting them.

I was not overwhelmed by this series - an interesting concept that just doesn't click with me for some reason. But, the second installment is indeed an improvement...

Sister Rosetta Tharpe Live in France

 

I've been a huge fan of the Sister's since first discovering her a couple decades or so ago (although I can't find any post reviewing any recordings of hers, which is beyond bizarre, but might be due to blogger's terrible search function), and have searched out her works, although we don't have much.

I just discovered the existence of this CD of her live in Limonges, France in 1966 (I believe that it is a new release) and picked it up as soon as I could. It's a nice package with an extensive booklet that includes great photos and several essays describing her time in Europe and her importance as a musician and singer.

Tharpe is a fairly phenomenal guitarist (similar in style to Lonnie Johnson, I believe, although I don't know who might have influenced who) who has influenced innumerable later musicians, not the least being Chuck Berry and Elvis, as well as a soulful, gospel-fueled singer. She is primarily a gospel musician, although she has strayed into secular material and venues throughout her career, but her music has blurred the boundaries between gospel, blues and even rock'n'roll from the very start.

In this concert she performs solo, just her and her guitar, and fills the sound amazingly well, with deft licks interspersed with chords'n'runs, backing her powerful voice. There is one song, "Up Above My Head" which has piano backing and the liner notes say "pianist unknown" even though they say that she would play the piano for her hosts in private settings, which makes me think that this is her, although I was unaware of her proficiency on the instrument. If indeed it is her, she is a fine player!

This hour-ish long set is a superior collection of some of her best known numbers mixed with classic gospel tunes, as well as some songs that I had never heard before and she is terrific from start to finish. The sound quality if pretty superb, as well, so all-in-all, a fantastic package that any who love gospel, blues OR rock'n'roll should certainly own!

RIP John Mayall

John Mayall, pioneering figure of British blues, dies aged 90 

---

Eric Clapton - Eric

 

While I don't care for much of the man's solo work, I am a big fan of Clapton's earlier days, so when I found this book in a thrift store, I decided to go ahead and pick it up.

Eric writes pretty chronologically here and first thing we learn is that he was a bastard son - I had no idea! But, despite that, it sounds like he had a pretty good childhood - better than many his age, as he was fairly ok financially and somewhat spoiled by his grandparents who brought him up. Similar to a lot of his peers, he was interested in both art and music but became disillusioned with art when he mistakenly took commercial/graphic art lessons instead of the more creative fine art and was eventually booted out of school. That cemented his decision (ironic choice of words, as he worked with his grandfather as a bricklayer for a while in between school and music) to become a musician and, after a few missteps, he hooked up with the Yardbirds. Obviously, this time period is the most interesting of the story, as an up-and-coming musician playing in the same circuit as bands that became superstars. His disdain for the Yardbirds becoming "commercial" by covering "For Your Love" (written by Graham Gouldman, master songwriter at the time and later of 10cc) led to his departure from the group.

Eric is fairly well known for being a bit problematic and even in his own version of his story he comes off as a total pretentious twat (not that I haven't been guilty of that at times myself, and with far less success at the same time). His time with the Yardbirds is classic, but I think that they were actually better off letting him go. Of course, he wasn't without a band for long, as he soon joined John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and eventually formed The Cream.

Cream didn't last long, either, due to egos and tempers and while he was slowing working up what would become Blind Faith - and while he was in love with George Harrison's wife, Pattie - Eric had a 16 year old girl move in with him! In some ways he seems to know that this is sick and wrong, and that he was taking advantage of a literal child who was practically half his age, but he did it anyway. He really does not come off very well in any way in this book and this makes the Blind Faith album cover even creepier.

Drugs became a heavy part of his life at this point and it took him years to get over them, although he did some classic work with, among other projects, Derek and the Dominos and the Bangledesh and Rainbow concerts and even his first solo album. He eventually did get off drugs but turned to alcohol but still recorded one of his most financially rewarding (although far, far from his best - in fact, it is the start of his decline, artistically, from which he never recovered) records with 461 Ocean Boulevard and the hit single, "I Shot the Sheriff". He did finally split from the teenager and get together with Pattie Harrison at this point, after years of pining for her.

Par for the course for him, once he had her, she didn’t matter much to him and he didn’t work very hard in their relationship, as he traded his heroin addiction for alcoholism and generally made a mess of his life. The road to recovery is always a depressing story and Eric was pretty lost at this point, both musically and emotionally.

Also by this time, his music lost its appeal to me so a lot of the following story is much less interesting. He does clean up for good (funnily, his "rock bottom" was breaking a fishing pole! Hardly the rock bottom that most people end up at!), and after more dalliances, falls in love with another woman literally half his age, but at least he's old enough that it's not as creepy as his previous endeavors. They have children, they vacation, he plays some more music (I admit that I do like his Me and Mr. Johnson record of Robert Johnson covers), tours occasionally and not a lot is all that compelling.

As is his way, he complains continually, even as he is touring and recording successfully, comfortably, and with musicians he cares for and respects, it's never enough for him and he just wants to put it all behind him (and he is not particularly old at this point) while many would give anything for what he has.

But that is Eric, a complainer no matter what the circumstances, whether spartan or comfortable, but regardless, he's not a bad writer and at least half of the story is worthwhile. Seeing as I almost didn't even bother with the book, I suppose that's pretty good. Not great, but not bad.

recommended gigs

  

Friday 7-12-24 - Trevor and the Swinging Johnsons at the Golden Tiki 

Saturday 7-13-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 7-13-24 - The Minges, the Implosions, the Triadics at The Pass Casino

Sunday 7-14-24 Thee Swank Bastards at Red Dwarf’s Sunday Brunch

Monday 7-15-24 -Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki 

Tuesday 7-16-24 - The Minges, Crimson Riot, Kids on Fire at Red Dwarf

Saturday 7-20-24 - the Souvenairs at the Underground at the Mob Museum 

Saturday 7-20-24 - The Quitters at Red Dwarf for John Kirby's farewell to Vegas

Saturday 7-20-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 7-20-24 - VaVoom, the Flying Skacer, the Hideaway at the Double Down

Sunday 7-21-24 - Generic Surf Band at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch

Monday 7-22-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 7-27-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Monday 7-29-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Friday 8-2-24 - the Boss Martians with Bear Supply at the Double Down

Saturday 8-3-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Monday 8-5-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Wednesday 8-7-24 - Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast at the Double Down

Saturday 8-10-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Monday 8-12-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Monday 8-12-24- Fuzz Solow at Red Dwarf with It and I

Saturday 8-17-24 - Angie's Fucking Birthday Bash at the Dive Bar with the Hard Pipe Hitters, Same Sex Mary and Fish Circus

Saturday 8-17-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 8-18-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch

Monday 8-19-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Friday 8-23-24 - Suburban Resistance, the Minges, the Last Gang and the Drowns at the Usual Place

Friday 8-23-24 - Shanda and the Howlers at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 8-24-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Monday 8-26-24 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 8-31-24 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Wednesday 9-4-24 - Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast at the Double Down

Friday 9-13-24 - The Peculiar Pretzelmen with the Implosions at Red Dwarf

Wednesday 10-2-24 - Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast at the Double Down

Wednesday 11-6-24 - Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast at the Double Down

and on piano...Nicky Hopkins - Julian Dawson

 

Anyone who loves rock'n'roll knows Nicky Hopkins' work, even if they don't know the man himself. He has played with giants like the Beatles, Stones, Kinks, Jeff Beck and countless others over the years, all while maintaining sideman status and never looking for the starlight himself, even when he tried to be a solo artist. I became aware of him well after he began playing on countless hits that received continuous play in my bedrooms, most likely due to rock'n'roll zines like Circus or Creem. His legacy is beyond historic, having played on more hits than most people could even imagine, so I was certainly interested in learning more about the man himself.

The author, Julian Dawson, is apparently a musician himself - although I have never heard of him and he does not look the part (in my overblown critical viewpoint) - and, in fact, via a chance meeting, Hopkins did one of his last sessions with Dawson. This book was certainly a labor of love of his - started after Hopkins untimely death - and it is well-researched with lots of family and friends involved.

Hopkins was a sickly child but doted on by his parents and older siblings and was also a child prodigy on piano from an early age. Starting with classical, he became enamored with r'n'r as a teen as it raised its ragin' head, and his first real band was Screamin' Lord Sutch and the Savages. He went on to several other classic combos before another sickness sidelined him for literally a year and a half!

After that he took a reprieve from live shows and became a much sought-after session musician, playing on hundreds of cuts of all styles, but stand-outs were, of course, the Who and the Kinks and, a little later on, the Rolling Stones. Naturally, his time in the Jeff Beck Group is explored and, interestingly enough, there is an unusual animosity between Nicky and Jeff. From the tours of the USA, Nicky is enamored of the West Coast and works with the Jefferson Airplane (even playing Woodstock with them) and the Steve Miller Band, among others, particularly Quicksilver Messenger Service, in which he became a full fledged member for a short period of time.

The chapters are based on subjects - the Stones, Beatles, etc. - rather than necessarily chronological, so it can be slightly hard to follow the timelines, but the format is kind of understandable as Nicky went back'n'forth from England to the States and worked on his on solo records as well as innumerable sessions. He does leave'n'return some of these stars' orbits, and the amount of work in between - or even during - does mean that this format is logical for this purpose.

He did make a few solo albums with some major players but those essentially went nowhere and, per the descriptions here, probably deservedly so. Not a comment on his playing talent, but he is not a singer and his songwriting apparently fluctuated., particularly in the lyrics and also tending more towards classical than r'n'r. Having an incredibly overbearing (although quite attractive) wife (who is also interviewed by Dawson) probably both helped'n'hindered his career, as apparently she got work done but annoyed all too many (including a musician who had an affair with her while he worked with Nicky!). 

Being sickly to start with, the excesses of the 70's (in particular) were extremely damaging to Nicky's health, although most people say that he could play regardless of his inebriation - including a story of installing a "seat belt" on his piano bench so he couldn't fall off while playing!

Of course, the excesses eventually caught up with him and even affected his work - mostly due to unreliability - until he cleaned up via Scientology, of all things. By the 80’s, while he could still find work here and there, he was no longer a first call session man. Between this and the drugs and recovery, this part of the story inevitably is depressing. His death at an early age is incredibly sad, as he was by then clean and working to get his life back on track.

Dawson is a fine writer and the book is amazingly well researched with an incredible amount of anecdotes, from the mundane, to the historically interesting (Nicky made a total of 6 pounds for playing on the Beatles’ “Revolution “) to the laugh out loud hilarious. As I say, the 60’s and the 70’s are the most compelling, naturally, but a great story all around. Certainly recommended!

Alias - Brian Michael Bendis with Michael Gaydos

 

I got this series from my comic-collecting brother along with the GL/GA books and while I had watched the Jessica Jones TV show, I never read the comics and have been pleasantly surprised by the quality.

The name Alias is, of course, the ironic name of Jessica Jones' private investigation agency and with her background as a superhero known to anyone who cares, her cases vary from the basic "spouse is cheating" to searching for missing mutants to rescuing one of the several "Spider-Women" that inhabit the Marvel Universe these days.

Of course, Jessica's personal life is basically a wreck, she is a chain-smoker and a functioning alcoholic, she has had many bad episodes in her life, her love life is a shambles (she has affairs with Luke Cage, Hero For Hire and Scott Lang, the most recent Ant-Man, among others) and her business barely stays afloat. But, she gets an occasional good-paying gig from the likes of Matt Murdock (she knows he's Daredevil, but doesn't know if he knows that she knows) and J. Jonah Jameson.

While I'm not a big fan of Gaydos' artwork, I do think that Bendis does a great job with the storylines and the cameos abound, from Steve Rogers to Carol Danvers to Rick Jones (or is he?!) to Jessica Drew and plenty of others. These seem logical rather than gratuitous given her background and they never overwhelm Jessica's story. There are lots of twists'n'turns and bits that I never saw coming, for whatever that's worth, but it all kept my attention.

Definitely worth checking out, especially if you're a fan of the TV show, but even if not, it's a fine series.

PS - I just realized that the imprint is MAX Comics - I can only assume that this is an adult-themed offshoot of Marvel since all of the Marvel characters are referenced. I'll have to look into that....

Green Lantern / Green Arrow #76 - 89

 

My big brother, who is the one who got me started on comic books in the early 60’s, gifted me with a handful of books that he was ready to get rid of. These particular issues, dated between 1970 and 1972, show DC Comics learning from Marvel as they attempt to become more "hip and with it" in their storytelling. With Marvel’s marvelous artist Neal Adams and writer extraordinaire Denny O’Neil, they craft a series of tales aimed at the more politically minded young people of the day.

Green Arrow, having lost his millions, is now living in a rundown neighborhood and clashes with his old friend Green Lantern as the more conservative Lantern plays by the book and punishes those who break the law even if their reasons are valid. The more flamboyant Arrow tried to make him see that the world is not black and white - literally.

They tackle prejudice, wealthy corporate goons, they travel the country “looking for America” (sound familiar?), deal with Indigenous peoples’ plights, pollution, population growth, women and children’s rights, drug abuse, disabled rights and more, all within a couple of years of books! Yes, sometimes the stories are a bit heavy handed and sometimes they do go into more standard comic/sci-fi territories, but they meant well and they did bring concepts into comics and into young peoples’ minds, maybe for the first time for some folks.

Yes, Marvel tackled these issues years before - while DC was still having Jimmy Olson turn into a turtle, Batman wearing a rainbow costume and Superman having an insect head - but DC learned and put out some high quality work! I would assume/hope that this series has been collected somewhere, but search them out one way or another (or buy them from me and free up some space in my house! :) ).