*** Soul of Liberty, the most famous rockabilly band ever to come out of Nagoya, Japan have a new CD out titled Lover S.O.L.
Visit myspace.com/soulofliberty.
*** From Andrew Perry of London’s The Telegraph: Stewart Copeland, former drummer of the Police, has turned his old Super-8 movies into Everyone Stares, a feature-length film. Out now on DVD, it's an intriguing parrot's-eye view of the trio's ascent to the biggest band in the world, and the war of ambitions – particularly Sting's – that led to their split. Shot between 1978 and 1982, its wobbly, fuzzy images evoke a pre-camcorder age, when not everybody knew how to comport themselves when a lens was pointed at them.
Copeland says that he FedEx’ed Sting the finished movie, to his palazzo in Italy, but he hasn’t watched it. “He doesn't watch himself on film any more, or look at photos, or read reviews. Which is new. Back in the day, we used to tease him, because he couldn't walk past a mirror. He's over that now, but then" – Copeland smiles again, this time perhaps hiding a tinge of anger – "he doesn't have any hair left to primp."
*** Inside Out, the new CD from Santa Barbara’s Stomp Rocket is available at stomprocket.net.
*** Here Lies Love, a musical about former Philippine first lady and shoe collector Imelda Marcos, will debut next March at Australia’s Adelaide Festival. It’s being written by DJ Fatboy Slim and former Talking Heads singer David Byrne.
*** The Dont's are: Jonny Don't (vocals), Joey Don't (guitars), JJ Don't (bass), and Ken Don't (drums). They have a new CD out titled Inside El Camino. Go to thedonts.com for more info. I remember writing about Ken Shelf, uh, I mean Ken Don’t, back in the old San Francisco Herald, during the dot com days of 1999. Ken had a courier business, and two bands, and he was also putting on experimental plays (including one where a character orders a pizza and a real pizza delivery guy showed up without realizing he was on stage in front of an audience). Ken made a movie with a real professional crew called Humans Being. I think that was the title. He offered City Lights Books founder Laurence Ferlinghetti a part, but the old man turned it down, so he offered it to me and I took it. However, I was so busy with putting out the Herald that I showed up for the shoot without knowing my lines. (No excuse, I know). Ken was understanding, regardless, and talked me through it. I’ve been told by more than a few people that I would make a good actor, but I ran into Ken a couple of years later and he said that I was so bad that he only kept the shots of the back of my head and dubbed in a new voice. O h well. I heard the film is available at Four Star Video in San Francisco’s Bernal Heights. I never bothered to find out.
*** This from Howard Hallis at HowardHallis.com:
Really getting into Caninus, that death metal vegan band with an actual dog for a lead singer. Very challenging music to karaoke to.
Check out myspace.com/caninus
*** I was flicking around the car radio dial recently and heard some interesting music which I found very hypnotic. Kind of like Sarah McLachlan on Quaaludes. I called KZSU, the station at Stanford University which was playing it and asked what it was. They said it was Clouds Electric, a CD by Seattle-based songstress Johanna Kunin. Some of the musicians on her album have played with Tori Amos and Fiona Apple. Recommended. Check out JohannaKunin.com and myspace.com/johannakunin
*** Well, another Christmas has passed, and no doubt you’ve heard that early 80s “modern rock” hit, “Christmas Wrapping” by the Waitresses, played on the radio numerous times. I never knew this until now, but sadly, lead singer Patty Donahue (who also sung the Waitresses’ other hit “I Know What Boys Like”) died of lung cancer at age 40 in 1996.
*** This from Opprobrious Mike at opprobriousmike.blogspot.com (now invite-only, by the way):
C.B.G.B.'S Curtain Call & T-Shirt Emporium
As I type this out, I'm listening to the last show at the "legendary" C.B.G.B.'s on Sirius 24 (Disorder) and the only woman that Robert Mapplethorpe laid pipe into, Patti Smith, is the closing act. Bring down the curtain and get over IT, people!
Smith, as usual is full of herself. The band is sloppy. She told punk rock paparazzi to fuck off and demanded that Gitmo be closed (and in a nifty media savvy moment she also happened to unveil a new song about *surprise* said prison called "Chains").
After a break (old folks need their rest you know) I was assaulted with the WORSE cover of "Sonic Reducer". EVER.
Think of your mom singing it DRUNK and karaoke style. It's that bad.
Stiv is rolling in his grave right now (and sadly not over a teenage Brooke Shields).
So, all of this mishegas to move some T-shirts and other tacky souvenirs? I guess so.
I always was under the impression that "punk" was in rebellion to all of the forced phony youth culture that was soul robbing and a way to make a quick buck off the gullible who believed in such things.
Well, I got the sucker part right. CB's closing is proof.
Besides, punk’s not dead –it’s in a mall near you for $ 20!
*** “Are We Feeling Safer Yet?”, a new book of cartoons by San Francisco self-syndicated cartoonist Keith Knight (who has a great drawing style) is out now. Visit kchronicles.com for more info. That site should also have some info about his rap group, the Marginal Prophets.
*** Don't miss the new art "Mecca" in west LA: The Venice Contemporary Gallery of Art, 12222 Venice Blvd., Los Angeles.
*** March 22: See Groovy Judy and others at the Starbucks Music Showcase, 2727 Mariposa St. at Bryant in San Francisco . All Ages, FREE. 6:00pm
*** I’ve always wanted to see James Brown live, and I got my wish a few months ago when I saw what turned out to be his final San Francisco show. I forgot the exact line from Stewart Copeland’s eulogy to his brother Ian last year, but as I recall it went something like this: “Heaven’s either gotten more exciting or Hell’s gotten more fun.”
I’ll bet you’re having the same effect, James.###
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