Fan mail/Correspondence
Tim Shepard
I wish Kevin (Ayers) wasn't so modest -- or distant from his accomplishments. Take it from me -- there was a very full on 5 day a week for a month rehearsal schedule during which Kevin got the Ladybugs playing the songs the way he wanted. The guys were great though and no doubt about it. Following that there wasn't a single session that Kevin was not present at (apart from the Bridget one). oh well. Great guys never take credit for what they do.
also just to clarify -- it wasn't Kevin who used the Cale story in his press release. Kevin does not write his own press releases. That was the New York publicist and I must say I was a bit disappointed -- I am sure Kevin would be very distressed if he knew that story had been used. It came from a Cale biography. Would it be possible if the into didn't say that Kevin wrote that -- it goes so against his very shy and private nature.
ED NOTE: Shepard is part of Ayers' management
Paul Sears
Subject: Muffins
Thanks so much for the nice article!!!!!
ED NOTE: Sears is a member of the Muffins
nikki hansen
Subject: lester bangs life
I had been a fan of Lester's for a long time. And since Almost Famous, I have read all or his articles,WOW. I do need to be specific, NOT because of the movie. Because of the fact he had such a way with "the words". And to think that I am now 6 years older than him when he checked out kills me!! I do not get it. Just like soo many others... What a waste!! Trying to think of the words he would use for the crap that is let out today would be, well, his own. I didn't get to enjoy the thoughts that he had going on 24-7. Just like the best, days before my years....
What I would give to hear what he had to say.
Alan Strickland
Subject: Ryan Settee's Material Issue article
Just wanted to pass along thanks for the factastic article.
I remember seeing them on some MTV program - a spring break or beach house type of thing in 90 or 91. They played "Diane" next to a swimming pool. I ran out and got International Pop Overthrow and fell in love with the sound!
They ended up rolling through Los Angeles as the opener for Simple Minds and I picked up tickets just to see MI. And they were a great live band! I went on to collect their releases on cassette when they came out - later finding cds in used bins for a couple of bucks.
Jim's passing was truly a shame - a real loss for music. I stumbled across and internet article about his death about a year after the fact. Sadly, Material Issue, like the Replacements, were ahead of their time.
Thanks for great insight!
Jay Podolnick
Just a small change might be needed on the page on Roky and Doug. I don't recall the studio was a pet project just my friends or for just personal use. Back then, as I recall, I remember that I was out trying to drum up business, while learning as much as I could in the studio by bringing in people like Eric to record. Which was by the way the beginning of Seven Worlds. Vince... well that was another story in it's self. Do you recall when you sold his drums? I also don't remember anyone else but Michael buying me out of my share of the studio.
Anyway, I'm doing well, still here in Austin.
Take care,
Jay
Bruce Hauser
Subject: Re-listening to Touch
Just a brief and belated note to say thanks for the kind words about our group Touch and it's music. I also want to say that when Wally said "These guys wholeheartedly embraced the tacit message of the 60's: that there is something beyond - you can touch it, you can experience it, you can express it" is exactly what we were aiming at when we created the music. I recently emailed the link to this article to Don Galucci - Keyboardist and Jeff Hawks - Lead Singer, then subsequently talked with them after they read it. We were very pleased because WALLY GOT IT! We hope that many others did and will continue to get it.
harold
Subject: The Real Godfathers Of Punk
Hi my name is Harold I’m from Holland and I've just finished reading your article on Punk and Jazz.
As I am both a fan of Punk and Jazz acts like Sun Ra I’d like to say I really enjoyed it but I also had some thoughts on the subject.
You’re right when you say that most of the second wave of punk acts like The Sex Pistols didn’t have any firm links with Jazz with the exception being the X Ray Specs and James White (Chance) but I believe there also strong jazz links with acts like Pere Ubu, The Ex (from Holland), Flipper and Crass.
When we get to the third and fourth wave of punk (I’m not talking about bands like Green Day or Blink 182 cause no matter how the companies try to sell it to us that just isn’t Punk for the simple reason that it’s not dangerous or trying to break new ground) with bands like No Means No (who do a great version of Bitch’s Brew) and At The Drive In (now called The Mars Volta)you get a much stronger sense of being influenced by Jazz.
But I think that the strongest Jazz influences can now be found in a genre called Post Rock with bands like Oxes, Erase Errata, Karate, Rien and Godspeed You Black Emperor.
I think you can even find it in bands like Akron/Family, Cerberus Shoal, Animal Collective and Jackie-O Motherfucker not by using saxophones but by their willingness to experiment and by the free flow which develops during their concerts.
Isn’t it a bit of an conservative idea to think you need horns to play Jazz, as you said the link between Punk and Jazz in the fist place is the mind set of the musicians who play it, their willingness to break the rules so why should we abide to rules of which instrument you need to play a certain kind of music.
I mean look at Rufus Harley he play’s a bagpipe or Dorothy Ashby who play’s a harp and Larry Young who play’s an organ, that are not the most standard Jazz instruments but they’ve all made great albums.
The last thing I wanted to get of my chest is the comment of punks not being able to play, O.k. some of them maybe couldn’t play at first (a lot of them actually already could)but a lot of them developed an unique style of playing all there own.
You can’t say that they are not abele to play they might not be abele to play in a standard conventional sort of way but they are able to play in a way most educated musicians hadn’t thought off.
But I guess it’s easier to break the rules if you’re not aware of the fact that there are any rules.
I think it’s a bit of an elitist remark which is a bit sad, especially if you look at the number of Jazz musicians ( Ornette Coleman, Sonny Sharrock, John Coltrane and Archie Shepp just to name a few) who had that same remark thrown at them at a time when even a lot of other Jazz musicians didn’t under stand what they were doing.
It’s a bit the same as the discussion in the Cry Of Jazz about Jazz being dead because of the white’s that start playing it.
That is a stupid remark because in my humble opinion things start to develop in a new and exciting direction as soon as people start doing things or music that society thinks they shouldn’t.
One of the greatest guitarist is a black man who started playing a style of music which until then was a white man’s game (Jimi Hendrix), or a white boy who started playing a predominantly black style of music (Rap) is now one of the most inventive and best selling artist in this genre (Eminem).
Free Punk, Punk Jazz, Jazz Punk what ever you want to call it already exists (so slowly but surely Punk is becoming Jazz and Jazz is becoming Punk until neither of them is known under either of the two names and it is transformed in something completely new and exciting) but it will never trouble the charts because most people want music like wallpaper something to make the silence and emptiness go away.
They don’t want music to challenge them on any level not by the sound of it and not by the lyrical content of it, they want happy songs for happy people with happy problems.
Well any way that’s just a few of my thoughts and comments on the subject and thanks for the informative read.
Zech J Baumhover
Subject: Stooges: Greatest Rock N' Roll band ever?
Although the article was written almost ten years ago, I just stumbled on it today. This article is maybe everything I could say about them, and maybe even more. I am 18 and I have shared this opinion for maybe a good year. They are not a band you grow into. They are frantic and raw and even basically the essence of good music stripped to its bones, from the first time you hear them. They take all of the useless shit and just leave it behind.
I just wanted to thank you for writing this article and leaving it on the web to be seen by any stumbling stranger as myself.
Mike Hudson
Subject: pagans
hi....came across this and it's pretty much spot on except for the fact that the line in the song "eyes of satan" actually refers to god rather than satan. the thought behind it is that the protagonist comes to the realization that he's been living under a malevolent influence, attempts to reach out to the good and finds nobody home. i wrote this with tim allee in about five minutes late in 1979 and perhaps should have made myself clearer.
Simon Favre
Subject: Pearl Harbour
Nice review of "Don't Follow Me, I'm Lost Too." I should probably pick up a copy of that one.
Having seen Pearl Harbor & the Explosions live a few times, I think I should point out a few things.
You are correct in saying that the Explosions album was eminently forgettable. There is a reason for this. It was all original material. For whatever reason, egos, cost of licensing perhaps, the first album did not include any of the great covers they used to do on stage. They were playing rockabilly before it was in fashion, and even before Brian Setzer. Their live shows were high on energy and long on cover songs. They would play a few original songs, during which most people would take a break from dancing. "Shut Up and Dance" would keep people dancing, but not the others. The energy of the live shows did not come across on the record. One cover that I vividly remember was "Black Slacks" which usually brought the house down. That's why, when the Explosions album came out, all their fans went, "Huh?" and the album went nowhere.
As to why she used a couple of "potentially offensive" Asian-themed songs on Don’t Follow Me, she is half Filipino, so she gets away with it. Fujiyama Mama had already become a #1 hit in Japan long before PH sang it. That's one of those things you just can't explain.
Pearl Harbor & the Explosions were voted the SF Bay Area's Best Club Band one year at the "Bammies" (Bay Area Music Awards), then the Explosions album came out, then she moved to the UK to be with Paul Simonon and the band broke up.
C.J. Wilson
Roky Live Date INFO (early eighties)
I was reading your timeline. I saw Roky (with the Explosives?) perform in the early eighties. I'm guessing 1981 or '82. This was in Oklahoma City, OK at a place called Charlie's Chili. It was a club and eatery located just off May Avenue and 63rd Street. The building still stands but is no longer a club. They had many live bands at that time.
There wasn't a large crowd. Most people didn't really pay any attention, so me and my friend sat out in front of the band and urged them on! Roky gave me a timid raised fist as we cheered. The LeRoi Brothers played around that same time period there at Charlie's if that helps, and i saw another band there called The Fast as well as many local groups. I don't remember much detail other than that.
It could be the missing gig you have listed:
1982
1/1 GREMLINS HAVE PICTURES (recorded live 1975 - 1982) released (month unknown)
3/25 live at Faces, Baton Rouge
3/26 interviewed on WTUL-FM radio, New Orleans
3/26 Beat Exchange, New Orleans
4/2 Beat Exchange with the Aliens
6/25 & 6/26 Island Club, Houston (Beauty & The Beast LP)
>>>>>>>>>>>>>7/3 performs live, location unknown <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
9/4 live at Tupelo's, New Orleans
Maybe this'll help fill in the timeline.
kcowl
Subject: Dutch Rock
Someone please do a profile of Golden Earring - the unsung Dutch-rock heroes whose only US hits "Radar Love" and "Twilight Zone", unfairly put them amongst the one hit wonders of the world, but who have almost 40 albums, are older than the Rolling Stones, have been together as long as or slightly longer than the Rolling Stones, still touring, still vital and not even close to being considered a novelty act or touring geezers.
Aside from a couple questionable 80's albums, they have rocked consistantly since the early 60's. Kudos and recognition are long overdue.
Just a suggestion...
David Johnson
Many bad songs on the list. However, just because a song rose to popularity does not automatically make it bad. If an artist is unknown and unsuccessful, that does not give them an inside track on greatness of artistry? To debate the merits of any one song would be fruitless. Fortunately you listed Muskrat Love and Afternoon delight. Cheers from Abilene
dlsilbaugh
Subject: Great Stuff!!!!
You have many right and some way off base, love it......
BTW - Chicago "Color (sic) My World" is "Colour" and obviously Wes never got laid in high school.
Will share this site with many of my friends, hours of debate and listening coming. Thanks.
Rory Mulholland
Subject: Passed Ray (Davies) on GGB SF 5-06-08 1400Hrs.
I was on pedest.walkway just above Ft. Point waiting 2 view the Golden Princess leave Pier 35 at 2000Hrs. ( the SF port sched. said 1800Hrs.) ( I had hoped 2 book and was on the wait-list but it was sold out) when and odd event occured . I was leaning on the rail , mind in my own , when and a Man and a young couple ( the girl a blond w/ straight hair ) passed by what was odd was they kept looking back the man in part. so I glanced to my right 2 the north and twords the south twr. and another yng couple was looking back and I wondered if an incident had occured. I was going 2 ask them what had occured , perhaps some slight, but strange behavior is an everyday occurence up there , so said nothing. I then headed back 2 the parking lot and saw the 1st. party returning . I kept inboard on the traffic side and The Man dressed in black jogging outfit w/ yellow ball cap and mod wrap around sun glasses gestured that leering gap tooth smile and instictitvely I knew who it was. I should have sung "have a Cuppa-Tea" but these responces dont come automatically and I thought he is probably still on tour and unlikley 2 be in SF so soon . I had just purchased WMC and had been listening 2 it and Gerry Rafferty's "Baker Street" album . Lots of VIPS come through SF but 2 see most of them is no big thrill but if U R a big KINKS fan u know its a thril 2 see RD in everyday life ( his real element) and also know and my long held belief that RD KNOWS who ALL of his fans are. Navajo Logic ???? any how the GP passed under in what turned out 2 be a SPECTACULAR departure w/ just the right combo of cinematic effects of setting sun , fog, swirling mist, deck lights just comming on and passing underneath glowing and into the off shore fogbank. I wonder if Ray beheld it.
rgbethany
Subject: John Lennon and Hair
Hi, I just saw a woman on tv who owned many of John Lennon's lyrics. There was a picture of him next to a sign that read "Peace" and "Hair" This made me very curious. The musical and possibly the movie really may have moved him. I only saw the movie but was incredibly impressed with the shocking psychological twist at the end of the movie. I'm sure he would have loved it. It was a very strong anti-war message designed to keep people from enlisting in the military. The fact that this great movie is completely unknown now, also makes me curious. Actually suspicious. The only negative review of the movie was because the song "HAIR" was performed in a prison scene. Is someone keeping this movie from the public?
Alex
Subject: Songs
I am 17 years old and I think you taste in music sucks. I Think rap is crap and so is everything else like rap. heavy metal is another one that sucks. Whats so special about a bunch of people yelling and making shitty noise? You need to Grow the fuck up and relize that u are the probably one of 30 people who hate the same music as you. its really pathetic that a 17 year old has better tase in music than you. I think most people would agree.
ED NOTE: Thank you for the constructive criticism but your English teacher should be flogged for having failed you so badly.