Verlaines / New Zealand

Last Thursday I was playing records with my friend Brian at The Tower Bar here in San Diego. I was outside hanging out when heard the jangliest piece of pop ever. Well, not ever, but it felt that way. It was "Death And The Maiden" by Verlaines. Fuck this shit is good. They are from New Zealand and this single came out in 1983 on the indie Flying Nun. I got this cd called Juvenilia with all the early pre lp singles and it's so ridiculously jangly and good. Fucking kiwis. I'm obessed with this shit now. All the that Flying Nun crap: The Chills, The Bats, Verlaines and The Clean. All that shit. Check the god damned bunny hopping all around in the video. It's just cool to have a perfect song and then top it off with a bunny. It just IS.

Nicolle Meyer : Nowhere Bei Mir

A couple of years ago, I bought a really cool record called GRLZ. It's an import 2xLP compilation of post punk / new wave songs fronted by gals. It's really good. It has Delta 5, The Slits, New Age Steppers, Ludus and a bunch more. There really isn't a turkey on it. But one that's always stood out especially for me is a song called Nowhere Bei Mir by Nicolle Meyer. It's dark and haunting new wave. A slow build with all these instruments like accordian and horns playing along with synth and drums. In short, it's perfect. For the most part she's a mystery to me. I know she played drums and sang in a band called Fred Banana Combo, in fact I think that might even be who the song's by actually. Anyway, this shit's from 1982. Oh, and that comp is still available if you want to get one. It's on Crippled Dick Hot Wax (And you thought Art Fag was a bad name.).





Oh!! And if you youtube "Fred Banana Combo" you can hear more amazing songs from this gal. Lastly, if you want to gimme some fun facts, feel free. I want to know more about the band, the gal and their releases.

Television Personalities Documentary

Here's a pretty cool TVP's documentary. The first part is especially cool, but it starts to go a little downhill from there. It would have been better if they focused more on Dan Treacy the Musician, and not Dan Treacy the Drug Addict, but oh well. It's also weird that Dan Treacy likes the Killers, considering they suck hard, hairy cocks. The final part of this doc wasn't working, so I didn't post it, but if you dig this documentary check youtube once in a while cuz I'm sure whoever uploaded these will put that one back up too.

No On Prop 8, No Homo

Has a nice ring to it. They should use it!! Anyway, that's how we roll over here. C'mon California.


Read More On Prob 8

Psycho Stick

When I was a kid I skated for like 3 months. I just didn't get into it like everyone else did. But for that one summer that I wanted to be in Bones Brigade, I got this eyesore. The Psycho Stick by Vision. Dude. I got it with all the amenities too. Clear grip tape with "Slimeballs" sticker underneath, rail guards, tail guard and even those weird guards that went on the trucks. I had Gullwing trucks and Slimeball wheels. Ha, how embarassing. And that shit was expensive. My poor parents...it's in their garage looking brand new. The only wear on it came from leaving it in the rain. And don't get me wrong, I loved skating...from the couch and via videos. Does anyone have that 1989/90 Zorlac video? I loved that video.

Rad, 1986

Last night I watched Thrashin'. That movie rules, sure sure. Everyone knows that. But it got me thinking of the Holy Trinity. The Holy Trinity of movis, to me, is Thrashin', Rad, and North Shore. Fuck, I loved those movies. I got my parents to take me to see North Shore on my birthday. What a day. But Rad I think was my favorite. It is so bad it's good. It's got the gal from Full House, Adrian from Rocky, that bitch Bart Conner from the 1984 U.S. gymnastic team, that old man that used to be in My Favorite Martian, and who could forget Bill Allen (?) as Cru Jones. I love you Cru Jones, you're a bad ass.

Ulysses Speaks!

So yesterday, I tossed the ol' Nation Of Ulysses "13 Point Program..." long player. Few records hit the spot like this ol' magic piece of work. So I was like trippin' and having a good ol' time and all these memories and fun facts were swirling around when, BANG, I remembered reading about the Ulysses Speaks! zine that NOU used to make. Unfortunately I never got/read one so I thought I'd peruse the ol' webmac to see what I could find. BANG, I found some cool shit. If you're not familiar with NOU, then you're fucked because this is not learning time...it's fun time. But you have, right? Oh dear. If not, then pretend. So NOU put out this zine and it's wonderful. Super cool. Well, there's a blog up dedicated to it and it's creatively called..uh... Ulysses Speaks!. Whoever runs this thing has scanned a bunch of the original zines. You can click 'em and like magic they grow to a reading type size. So go!! Go be cool for a minute. And when you're done, come back over here and watch the vid below and see why Nation Of Ulysses has always been so dear to my heart.



Nation Of Ulysses "Cool Senior High School (Fight Song)" 3-4-91, In DC

Willy Graves 1980-2008

Over the weekend, a dear friend passed away. Willy Graves. He was the bass player for The Plot To Blow Up The Eiffel Tower and The Prayers. To anybody who ever had the privilege to spend any time with him, he was FAR more. A funny, lovable, kind, talented and beautiful person. We spoke too little toward the time of his death, as he moved away a bit ago. But when we were together things were so great. We spent so many great times together. So many. I'm going to miss laughing with him. I'm going to miss the times he listened to a problem and really saw a positive I could feel good about. I'm going to miss his sometimes CRAZY driving in the van. I'm going to miss giving him a hug and saying, "What's Up Bill.". I'm going to miss him playing music. I'm going to miss seeing his kind and warm face. Willy did not have a mean bone in his body. Really. He never ever did a messed up thing to anybody. That's rare right? Somebody's always bustin' on somebody. Not Willy. He was just nothing but sweetness to anybody he met. Willy was a big part of our lives here, and we're really going to have a hard time and we'll always have a hole in our hearts.

I'll always love you Willy. And so will so many others. xoxo.

The F'n Kinks

There was a time about a year ago that ALL I would listen to was The Kinks. The late 60s period. God it is so addictive. This lil' gem here is one of my faves. Sung by Dave Davies (and actually originally as a solo single), it's from the 1966 lp, Something Else. Probably one of the best lps of all time. I think I've reverted to that trend from a year ago.






Ok fuck it. Here's a bonus jam cut. Autumn Almanac. The fuckin' Kinks right? RIGHT?

Video Rewind : Am I Demon By Danzig

I go back and forth between deeming this shit as hilarious crap and just plain ol' bad ass. I mostly think it's funny though. The drummer beating his drums like a big gorilla cracks me up. These fucking guys. John Christ, Eerie Von, Chuck Biscuits and Glenn Danzig. Get the fuck OUTTA here. Hey, anybody know what in the hell Danzig says between 2:16 and 2:28?





Editor's Note: Sorry for posting Twist of Cain by accident. I had shot up a ton of heroin and made a mistake. Enjoy Am I Demon.

The Strange Boys / Crystal Antlers In San Diego Tonight

I just got back from San Francisco where this tour stopped off on Tuesday. Let me tell you these bands are ridiculous. The Strange Boys are perfect rock & roll but completely warped and completely and oddly perfect. They cover a James Brown song. Not only does that take balls, but to make it sound bad ass is a quite the accomplishment. And Crystal Antlers? Hard to describe but their freaky and loud prog blew me away.

So if you're in the greater San Diego area tonight, come to see this most special show!! It's only 5 bucks. And there will be dick jockeys all night long in addition to the groups. Don't you just love groups?

In Light Of The Attacks

Our annual opportunity to hear Delfin Quishpe's take on the whole "USA attacks" debacle. (USA attacks is how Martin Lawrence referred to 9/11 so eloquently on his masterpiece, Runteldat.)





And f it, here's our annual round up of rididculous "patriotic" and anti Osama Bin Laden bullcrap.



























Can you imagine? Here's last year's round up.

blackblack Played And It Was Special

So blackblack played in San Diego this past Saturday. It was great! I was really looking forward to this show. So when Diva called me to tell me that her drummer was sick I was bummed, but then she worked it out and I was all, "whew!". I'm always a nervous wreck at the beginning of things that I book. I want them so badly to work out well that I can't relax. So I hurriedly greeted them and showed them in. We had introductions, met the drummer replacement...nice dude from the UK. Met the guitar player...nice dude from Ariel Pink's band, Haunted Graffiti. Met the nice friend. And met Diva for the first time in person. Ok. So now it's time to start drinking and RELAX. People started coming in and the place was getting packed. GOOD. Brandon, Chuck and all the dudes were getting there and me and Brandon decided to go urinate. We're all chatting side by side and that drummer comes in and wer're all like. "zip the lips". You know? When we leave Brandon was like , "Dude that's her dad.", and I was all, "Oh DUH." I was so nervous and stressed when I met the band that it didn't dawn on me that her dad, Kevin Haskins from Bauhaus, was filling in. You know? The "guy from the UK"? Well they practiced once that day only. And you know what? They were PERFECT. Funny nobody knew. He's the one in the photo with the goat skull mask.

Man On Wire

I've been wanting to see this movie for WEEKS. It was well worth the wait. This eccentric Philippe is inspiring. No I don't want to walk on wires, but to do what he did and plan and perservere is amazing. Unfortunately nothing like this could ever happen again, what with all this 9/11 security and shit, but if you're not inspired to do SOMETHING after watching this documentary, maybe you are a dead, boring and dumb son of a bitch. Chinga te.

Video Rewind : Arnold Layne By Pink Floyd

Dannng. It's been a week since I've wriiten on here. So I'm going to ease my way. How 'bout one of these lazy "Video Rewind's"? Ok, sounds good. One thing I've done since I last was here, was watch the dvd, Under Review: Syd Barrett. If you have a chance to check it, do it. It is a great look into this genius, and his genius music with Pink Floyd. His first single with Pink Floyd was this pop morsel of psychadelic perfection. It was released in 1967. But everyone knows this crap right? Well, anyway, it's the shit that's on my mind right now.