Want to know what the classic line-up of Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers sounded like live? Most of us missed them the first time around and with three of them no longer with us there’s no chance whatsoever of them reforming - at least in this life.
So you’ll just have to settle for listening to “Live At The Village Gate”.
Glad you asked.
“Live At The Village Gate” is a newly-minted album on Los Angeles label Cleopatra Records. It’s out on LP and CD. It was recorded at the legendary jazz venue, The Village Gate, in New York City in 1977. Our review is here.
To many ears, it represents the ultimate recording of the infamous Heartbreakers at their highest peak. No slop, no pop. Pure power and energy that’s powerful enough to level a New York City block. It captures the notoriously drug-addled quartet in clear-eyed form and totally on their game. Out to impress and definitely Down To Kill.
Radio Birdman's 2015 European tour made enough successful noise for them to gain spots this coming June on several European festivals, most notably Spain's Azkena Rock Festival and Belgium's Sjock Festival.
The impact of their sold-out London show was such that they have been invited back to the UK with Manchester and Leeds added onto the itinerary and several other shows being slated.
The good news for Australian fans is that prior to their return to Europe, the band will play a limited number of local shows over the first two weekends of June. These are expected to be the band's only Australian shows for 2016.
Tickets go on sale Monday, 1st February from 12PM AEDT:
RADIO BIRDMAN AUSTRALIAN TOUR Friday, 3rd June 2016 The Factory, Sydney NSW Tix: http://bit.ly/1JDGYd7
Here we have Javier Escovedo's new release, "Kicked out of Eden", courtesy of Saustex Records in San Antonio, Texas, and it's a good one.
We probably all know Javier from his work with The Zeros and The True Believers. He co-founded The Zeros (the so-called “Mexican Ramones”) and was a leading light in the West Coast punk scene. Surprisingly, "Kicked Out of Eden" is only his second solo recording.
Here’s the exclusive debut of “Cheer Squad”, a non-album digital-only single and taster on Conquest of Noise for Leadfinger’s forthcoming album “Friday Night Heroes”.
“Cheer Squad”is a high-energy bolt from the zeitgeist...it's a song about social media and not fitting in with the crowd, with an attitude that harks back to the ‘70s punk era. “Cheer Squad” is backed up by “The Man I Used to Be”, from the upcoming album. Buy and download the single over the next month and you’ll also get an amazing non-album bonus track called Three Brothers. Three great songs for $A4 and they’re all available here.
Leadfinger will play "Cheer Squad" this Friday night at an I-94 Bar show at Sydney's Marrickville Bowling Club with special guests Simon Chainsaw (with an all-star band of ex-New Christs, Hell Crab City and Filth members) and the garage groove of The Escapes.
I’ve played this CD several times since I received it, and the reason it gets only three bottles is that while it’s really good, it just doesn’t seem to get up and grab me. Maybe that’s me, maybe that’s the production, or the recording on the day. Call me a bastard, feel free, but to me the pace seems just a little too slow, lacking in attack… or something. I can’t quite nail it.
It seems that the imperative a band like this should have has not come out. This happens far too often with recordings (several favourite Adelaide bands who I absolutely loved have released CDs and LPs which seem sheepish rather than roar like a bull buffalo in Kakadu; the worst part is, when a band know the record isn’t up to snuff, they know it and feel bad. The next step should be to determine to do better next time).
Zurich-based Henry Hugo has been in Melbourne for a few weeks, playing with a variety of Melbourne talent so glittering it fairly takes your breath away. I believe there might be a couple more gigs to come, so I suggest you get your hat and coat and wallet and get out the door right now.
Before I go on, I missed opening act the St Morris Sinners. I have heard endless good things about them and I must catch them soon. But it wasn’t to be tonight.
Listen up, punks and noiseniks: The Canadian band’s fifth album in 17 years is inarguably their best. It rocks like fuck; It scratches like a rabid kitten. It’s tuneful and noisily offensive at the same time. All of which should tell you something about The Ex-Boyfriends even if you’ve never heard of them.
The Ex-Boyfriends come from Calgary and I’m willing to bet they’re the best-in-breed in that neck of the woods. If Calgary’s music scene is half as fractured as anywhere else, it takes a lot of balls to be a rock and roll band. Big ones if you play noisy punk rock. Shamefully, I’d forgotten they were around until a notice about this heavy-diuty chunk of vinyl landed in the post box.
Men Of No Shame: Earl Slick, Glen Matlock and Slim Jim Phantom
Sweat is pouring down my neck and back. Rob from the C-Bombs is dangling pictures of his empty pool at me on facebook and I suddenly remember to start dialling.
I’m calling Glen Matlock in London. It will be something like 8.30 in the morning there. He’s organised, sounds quite sober, matter-of-fact and down to earth. Which is pretty good, cos if you’ve never heard the bugger’s name you’ve certainly heard at least one of the bands he’s been in, and helped write the songs for: The Sex Pistols.
Glen is coming to Australia for the ‘Men of No Shame’ tour with Earl Slick and Slim Jim Phantom.
Onetime Richard Hell and the Voidoids guitarist Ivan Julian is battling cancer, his record label has revealed.
“The prognosis looks good for Ivan, but for the next six months or more, flexibility to do his work will be greatly diminished, which means a direct impact on his income,” Plowboy Records said in a statement on its website. Julian was diagnosed almost immediately after writing and recording The Fauntleroys’ new single, “Wait For Me” b/w “All The Way Down (In The City Of Angels).
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Plowboy Records and The Fauntleroys are offering the new singles in digital, vinyl and CD formats with all profits going to Ivan Julian. Go here to score the new single or the band's debut EP and help a punk rock icon.
Plowboy is also home to ex-Dead Boy Cheetah Chrome.
With the late Robert Quine, Julian was one-half of one of the most innovative guitar combinations on the New York punk scene and more recently had worked with Matthew Sweet.
MoshPit Bar8th Birthday @ MoshPitBar, St Peters NSW Aria Nova + Jupiter 5 + Pocketwatch + Blurters + Jacques Levy Desire - May 16 (free) The Strike-Outs + The Stallers + Gary David + Toy Saints + Slack Punks + Whateva + VICTA & The King Street Horns + Dirty Mack + Josh Shipton & The Blue Eyed Ravens + And Laments + Asaiah Riley - May 17 (1.30pm – free)
The Cruel Sea "Straight Into The Sun Tour" MAY 16 - Anita’s Theatre, Wollongong NSW 18 - The Tivoli, Fortitude Valley QLD 31 - City Recital Hall, Sydney NSW JUN 5 - The Regal Theatre, Perth WA 7 - Mandurah Performing Arts Centre, Mandurah WA. Tickets
I-94 Bar Records and Promotions presents The Johnnys "Live in Lyon" CD launches MAY + Van Ruin Old Manly Boatshed, NSW -24 Tickets + Van Ruin + Dave Favours & The Roadside Ashes Sydney Crowbar, Leichhardt, NSW - 25 (5pm) + Australian Beefweek (public bar) Tickets + Murray’s Bay Country Club + Traumaboys St Kilda Bowls Club, VIC - 30 Tickets + Penny Ikinger’s Marbles + The Vibrajets - 31 The Tote, VIC Tickets
The Mick Medew & Ursula 4 w/ Painters & Dockers + Sunny Coast Rude Boys The Triffid, Brisbane - May 24
Los Monaros + Men From UNCLE + Flippin’ Kick Outs MoshPit, St Peters, NSW - May 25 (3pm)
ZOOMBOMBS (JP) Australian Tour MAY 29 – The Crowbar, Brisbane + The Unknowns + Ben Ely and The Mango Fungo Band 30 – The Crowbar, Sydney + The Unknowns + Liquid Zoo JUN 1– The Evelyn, Fitzroy w/ The Meanies + The Vovos 2 – Kindred Studio, Footscray w/ Rocket Science Tickets
The New Christs + The On and Ons Marrickville Bowlo - Jun 9 w/ Tumbleweed Hamilton Station Hotel, Newcastle - June 21
The Blowers MAY AUS 9 - Adelaide - Grace Emily Hotel w/ HAGO + Juliette Seizure & The Tremor-Dolls 10 - Adelaide - TBC w/ Street Legal + TGRX EU 21 - GER – Leipzig, Zwille, Germany 22 - GER – Dortmund, Maschinerie, Germany 23 - BE – Liège, La Zone, Belgium 24 - NL – Den Haag, Sniester Festival, Netherlands 25 - BE – Menen, Boegie Woegie, Belgium 27 - GER – Karlsruhe, Alte Hackerei, Germany 28 - CH – Basel, Quarterdeck, Switzeland 29 - GER – Köln, Bumann & Sohn, Germany 30 - GER – Hamburg, Hafenklang, Germany 31 - GER – Berlin, Loge, Germany JUN AUS 20 - Shotkickers, Melb 21 - Trash Cult, Bendigo 09 - Grace Emily, Adelaide 10 - The Cumby, Port Adellaide
The Johnny Batchelor Pary Golden Barley Hotel, Enmore - Jun 14 (free)
The Mezcaltones Marrickville Bowlo - Jun 15 (free)
The New Christs Europe Tour AUG 13 - Night ´n Day, Manchester UK 14 - Stereo, Glasgow UK 15 - Oslo, London UK 16 - Edonè, Bergamo IT 17 - Flog-On Plen Air , Firenze IT 19 - TBA Bologna IT 21 - Shake Club, La Spezia IT 22 - Molotov, Marseille FR 23 - Secret Place, Montpellier FR 24 - Le Moulin du Rousseau, Perigueux FR 28 - Relache, Bordeaux FR 29 - Festivalle Tobalina, Quintana Martin Galinde ES 30 - 16 Toneladas, Valencia ES 31 - Stereo, Alicante ES SEP 2 - Sala Upload, Barcelona ES 4 - Sala El Sol, Madrid ES 5 - Sala Milwaukee, El Puerto de Santa Maria ES 6 - Hogaza Rock, Alfacar ES
Cherie Currie Australian Tour with Hot Machine SEP 5 - Rosemount, Perth 6 - Crown and Anchor, Adelaide 11 - The Corner Hotel, Melbourne 12 – Sydney Crowbar 13 – Brisbane Crowbar Tickets
Dead Kennedys Australia and NZ SEP 16 - Auckland, Powerstation 17 - Wellington, Meow Nui 19 – Melbourne, Northcote Theatre 20 - Brisbane, Tivoli 24 - Perth, Astor Theatre 26 - Adelaide, The Gov 27 - Sydney, Metro Theatre Tickets
The Jesus Lizard Australian Tour OCT 15 - The Croxton, Melbourne, VIC 17 - Liberty Hall (ex Max Watts), Sydney, NSW 19 - Crow Bar, Brisbane, QLD