Armitage Shanks on the Drastic Plastic Program on CKUT FM for January 28, 2007

This week’s selections were influenced by my trip over New Year’s to party in Manchester to ring in 2007. Acquired about 40 CDs of smashing new hits: these are a sample of what’s to come in a promising musical year.

1. “Purple Prose” — Mystery Jets (MAKING DENS / 679 Recordings)
2. “Annie, Let’s Not Wait” — Guillemots (THROUGH THE WINDOWPANE / Polydor)
3. “So This Is Great Britain?” — Holloways (SO THIS IS GREAT BRITAIN? / TVT Records)
4. “War of the Worlds” — Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly (THE CHRONICLES OF A BOHEMIAN TEENAGER / Atlantic)
5. “Low Happening” — Howling Bells (HOWLING BELLS / Bella Union)
6. “Kingdom of Doom” — The Good, the Bad & the Queen (THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE QUEEN / Parlophone)
7. “Let’s Get Out of this Country” — Camera Obscura (LET’S GET OUT OF THIS COUNTRY / Merge)
8. “Starz in Their Eyes” — Just Jack (OVERTONES / Mercury)
9. “Sexy in Latin” — Little Man Tate (ABOUT WHAT YOU KNOW / V2)
10. "Fa-Fa-Fa” — Datarock (DATAROCK / Yap)
11. “Death at the Chapel” — The Horrors (STOLEN TRANSMISSION / Loog)
12. “Recover” — The Automatic (NOT ACCEPTED ANYWHERE / Polydor)

Smog Veil Records’ Ultra-Cool Green Building

Besides being a very cool indie record label, Chicago-based Smog Veil Records have recently unveiled their plans for a very cool green headquarters. "I really want to be an example of sustainability in our business," Smog Veil Records owner Frank Mauceri recently told a Chicago Tribune reporter (feature ran October 16, 2006). According to a recent press release:

Smog Veil Records will unveil the all green, all sustainable building they have been working on since 2006 in July of this year. The building features a revolutionary design for a green roof with power-generating wind turbines. In order to implement the design Mauceri had to get the City of Chicago to pass an ordinance allowing such a structure on the roof. With the use of sustainable construction, the building is designed with numerous eco-friendly features. This live-work space will be the centerpiece of the company’s efforts to be greener. The building is designed so that about 40 to 45 percent of the structure¹s electrical needs will be wind and solar generated. The building may in fact end up selling electricity back to the cities power grid if these numbers are exceeded. The structure’s Green Strategies include 80% recycling of demolished materials; three Wind Turbines and 30 solar panels on roof; Geothermal Heating and Cooling; Terrazzo floor containing recycled glass and owner supplied (Smog Veil) vinyl albums. The building has been selected to be one of the City of Chicago¹s Green Building Case Studies by the City of Chicago Green Permit Program.

Very cool and similar to efforts that labels such as SubPop are pursuing. Once again the indies are leading the way!

Later.

30 Days of Sloan

To celebrate the U.S. release of Sloan’s “Never Hear the End of It” on Yep Roc they have started a 30 Days of Sloan video Podcast on YouTube that started January 30th, 2007. You can view the podcast at the following links:

Podcast: http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=213783808

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/group/30daysofsloan (Group)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiknjOWO0M8 (Video of the Day)

Sloan will also be appearing at SXSW during the Yep Roc Showcase on March 16th at The Dirty Dog and March 17th at the Chunklet Magazine Party.

Check them out. A great Canadian band.

Later.

“Baby 81″ by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club to be released May 1, 2007

Always a favourite of mine, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club will be releasing their follow-up to 2005’s “Howl” on May 1st, 2007. Called “Baby 81″ the full track listing is as follows (courtesy of Aversion):

Took Out a Loan
Berlin
Weapon of Choice
Window
Cold Mind
It’s Not What You Wanted
666 Conducer
All You Do Is Talk
Lien on Your Dreams
Need Some Air
Killing the Light
American X
Am I Only

Later.

British Music At SxSW Announces Expanded Program For SxSW 2007

(Press Release) James Blunt, The Kaiser Chiefs, Editors, The Darkness, Jamie Cullum and KT Tunstall are among the internationally successful British recording artists that have been introduced to the United States through British Music at SxSW showcases in recent years.

The heritage continues at this years SxSW with a new look, feel and creative concept plus an increase in official networking events and parties to enable UK acts and delegates to make the most of the event.

The UK will be presenting four separate receptions under the British Music at SxSW umbrella as well as nations and regions parties and showcases from Wales, Scotland and the regions of England, plus showcases from British music brands such as BBC Radio and NME. The official UK artist line-ups will be released in on February 12th.

This year’s event is branded with The Duke, a character created by renowned British DC Comics graphic artist Jock (Batman, The Losers, Judge Dread). The Duke will be seen on the SxSW delegate bag and in the trade show hall marking a new bespoke stand for British delegates and their guests.

Read more

Audities Top 20 of 2006 Poll Results

(Straight from the always entertaining and informative Audities list)

113 ballots this year, which is more than last year, and a mix of old faves and few new bands make for a nifty list. Without further ado (with point totals beside each entry):

1. The Nines – Calling Distance Stations (536)
2. Roger Joseph Manning, Jr. – Land Of Pure Imagination (455)
3. L.E.O. – Alpacas Orgling (431)
4. The Feeling – Twelve Stops And Home (365)
5. The Format – Dog Problems (356)
6. Cheap Trick – Rockford (348)
7. Chris Brown – Now That You’re Fed (344)
8. Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs – Under The Covers, Vol. 1 (323)
9. Pernice Brothers – Live A Little (313)
10. Jon Auer – Songs From The Year Of Our Demise (274)
11. Belle And Sebastian – The Life Pursuit (264)
12. Neko Case – Fox Confessor Brings The Flood (242)
13. Bob Dylan – Modern Times (236)
14. Sloan – Never Hear The End Of It (212)
15. The Winnerys – Daily Urban Times (211)
16. Cloud Eleven – Sweet Happy Life (198)
17. The Raconteurs – Broken Boy Soldiers (188)
18. Wisely – Parador (185)
19. Lindsey Buckingham – Under The Skin (179)
20. Josh Rouse – Subtitulo (178)

and the rest of the Top 50:

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RARE PUNK ROCK AUCTION on eBAY Let the Bidding Begin! Bid now and Bid

Dirk Dirksen "The Pope of Punk" Memorial Auction on eBay sponsored by H.E.A.R.- Hearing Education and Awareness for Rockers at http://www.hearnet.com/auction.html

San Francisco, CA January 26, 2007

Musicians and music fans who love the roots of PUNK will want to check out this eBay auction sponsored by H.E.A.R. Rare photos, posters, artwork, books, rare punk mags and vinyl from the Mabuhay Gardens and other important venues when Devo, Blondie, Dead Kennedys, Avengers, The Tubes, Ramones, SVT, Crime, Black Flag, Social Distortion, Vktms, The Contractions, Flipper, Mutants, Roky Erickson and others were baby bands circa 1977-1984. No telling what rare piece of PUNK history you will find.

Historic Punk bands, artists, photographers, friends and fans of the late Dirk Dirksen have gone into their personal rare roots PUNK collections to contribute to Dirk’s Memorial Auction on eBay.

New items are posted regularly. Here are just some of the rare collectibles you will find:

- Original Dead Kennedys artwork by Winston Smith "Winnebago Warrior" the illustration that accompanied song "Winnebago Warrior" on Dead Kennedys album "Plastic Surgery Disasters".
- Autographed Ramones poster circa 1979 donated by Prairie Prince of the Tubes.
- Autographed copy of the The Tubes’ "White Punk" on Dope" single.
- Original copy of the famous First Issue of Rolling Stone Magazine, featuring John Lennon on the cover.
- Original B/W art photograph of the Avengers band circa 1978 by Marcus Leatherdale handprinted in 1978 (aprox.11"x 14") and signed by Penelope Houston and Greg Ingraham. This is a very rare item.
- Original copy of the PUNK GLOBE w/ Dirk Dirksen on the cover.

Auction held during the month of January 2007.

Auction page: http://www.hearnet.com/auction.html For more information contact: Kathy Peck: mailto:hear@hearnet.com phone: 415-409-03277

We are excepting contributions for Dirk’s Memorial Fund and auction items. Send to : H.E.A.R. 1405 Lyon St. San Francisco, CA 94115.

For more info on Dirk Dirksen events and auction photos: Dirk¹s message online board: http://fuzzmonsterrecords.com/dirk/

About Dirk Dirksen: LA Times: Dirk Dirksen, 69, a punk music impresario who ran San Francisco’s Mabuhay Gardens "Fab Mab" nightclub during its heyday in the 1970s, died Monday November 20,2006 in his sleep. Considered the godfather of the city’s punk rock scene, Dirksen presented a who’s who of punk acts in his more than 10 years of running the club. Acts included the Dead Kennedys, the Mutants, Flipper, the Contractions, Mary Monday, Vktms, Nuns, Crime, Avengers, Devo, Blondie, the Ramones, Pearl Harbor, Black Flag and the Go-Go’s. After leaving the club business in the early 1980s, Dirksen operated a video production firm Dirksen Molloy Productions with partner Damon Molloy producing local TV shows " "Positive Spin and Comos San Francisco", as well as, music videos and documentaries. Dirksen was born in Braunschwig, Germany, in 1937. His family moved to Southern California after World War II and settled in Downey. Dirksen served in the Army and briefly attended San Jose State before dropping out to open a surfing business in Santa Cruz. He found his way into the entertainment business as a tour manager for Ray Charles, the Supremes and Iron Butterfly and worked as a TV producer for famous comedians, Red Skelton "Red Skelton Show" and "Rock to Stardom" with a young Lenny Bruce. Continuing a pattern of helping to break new ground in the arts, Dirksen also works closely with the San Francisco based "Unity Foundation","Recreation Center for the Handicap" and the "H.E.A.R. ­ Hearing Education and Awareness for Rockers, Inc. "

About H.E.A.R. : The online eBay auction is managed by H.E.A.R. (Hearing Education and Awareness for Rockers (http://www.hearnet.com/) a nonprofit dedicated to informing musicians and the public about the prevention of hearing impairment in the music environment and providing hearing services. The auction homepage is http://hearnet.com/auction.html

Source: 2007 Punmaster’s MusicWire  http://www.punmaster.com

Record Review: Robyn Hitchcock & the Venus 3 - Olé! Tarantula (Yep Roc)

Robyn Hitchcock is without a doubt a genuine rock and roll character and I say this in the nicest possible way. From his days fronting the Soft Boys and the Egyptians he has always managed to embrace rock and roll’s history in a truly reverential yet slightly eccentric fashion, much to his credit I might add.

Olé! Tarantula sees Hitchcock return with yet another band, the Venus 3 which is essentially the Minus 5 minus two members but the results are again some incredibly finely crafted pop songcraft with lyrics that will have you scratching your head consistently throughout. There is no denying that sometimes he can be a bit…..obtuse in his approach to rock and roll but that only makes the end result so satisfying. Whether the soaring jangly Byrds-like pop of “Adventure Rocket Ship” or “Underground Sun” are more to your liking or you tend to side with the lilting country-tinged songs like the title track or “(A Man’s Gotta No His Limitations) Briggs” this album has enough variety to keep any aficionado of true pop songwriting coupled with meticulous production happy. For some reason I have always considered Robyn Hitchcock to be the rightful heir to Syd Barret and that is truly a supreme compliment in my book. A really enjoyable listen for me. It’s nice to see that Robyn is still mixing it up in the new millennium.

Later.

Progress on The New Rock and Roll Report

Well after what seems like years of talking about it the redesign of The Rock and Roll Report has begun in earnest. The new design is quite simply stunning and it should make a real difference in the geeky parts of running the site since it is built on the WordPress platform which has become the gold standard for serious bloggers. Together with a new podcast set to debut sometime in the first half of 2007, The Rock and Roll Report looks like it will take some big strides ahead this year both in content and in style.

If you feel like getting involved with the site by all means give me a shout at info@rockandrollreport.com and we’ll see what we can do. There is a ton of great rock and roll out there that people need to hear. That is the essence of what The Rock and Roll Report is all about.

Turn it up!

Later

Record Review: Dollar-Sent - S/T (Ampwitch Records)

I have had the EP from Brighton, England based band Dollar-Sent in my posession for a couple of weeks now but hadn’t really had the chance to get to listen to it until last week. The perfect opportunity finally presented itself and man was it a revelation. I was stuck on the runway in a 737 during an ice storm in Toronto waiting for de-icing so I started writing about Lester Bangs on my laptop in the meantime. While sitting there I put on my iPod and started scrolling through my playlist and came across Dollar-Sent. As I sat there in this airplane tapping away furiously about Lester Bangs and the MC5, “Girl From St. Mary’s” came blaring over my headphones and I had to stop writing. With Chris Rizzanski sounding like Lemmy after a hard night of drinking, these guys blasted away like it was their only chance to blow people’s eardrums out. But the song that got to me was “Hey Yeah” which had such an effect that I immediately rearranged my playlist for my upcoming Rock and Roll Report Radio show to slot them in as the last song of the night.

Their EP is pretty cool and features six studio tracks and two live cuts (”Mess of Me and Girl From St. Mary’s”). While their brand of rock and roll is pretty heavy theyhave a great sense of melody amongst all that hard rock swagger. And there is substance behind all those Marshall stacks. Take a listen to the lyrics of “Hey Yeah” for proof (you can listen to it on The Rock and Roll Report’s MySpace page).

Great CD. Another keeper. Rock ‘n Fucking Roll indeed!

Later.

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