I Can't Say I've Seen The Dead Boys play "Sonic Reducer".....But I HAVE Seen The Next Best Thing.

Batusis. Dumb name actually. From what I've gathered...it's named after the dance that Batman did on the old 60's tv's show, modeled after the watusi. It's actually pronounced "Ba-too-see".....with the last "s" being silent. I know I know....who cares...right? Anyway....I found out about this show not long after it was booked. I was curious about how good it would be, having 2 surviving members of some of the greatest rock-n-punk bands of all time: The New York Dolls and The Dead Boys. Reguardless, I was excited to see Sylvain Sylvain and Cheetah Chrome rock out. Even if it was bad...it'd be cool to see a couple of bonafide rock legends up close. These cats have done so much and......well....I'll get into that later. Anyway.....like probably every other audience member in attendance.....I tried to get booked on the show as the local support opening act. Me and my wretched Hive woulda made a good fit I thought, but so sould probably a couple of other bands. Ehh...big deal. In a way I was glad we weren't playing. I didn't have to hassle with that aspect of it..and could just enjoy the show. Actually....I almost did NOT go, as I was tired and feeling a little guitly about leaving my girlfriend moving into her new place to go see a show. But she knew how important it was to me and urged me to go have a good time.

So, with enough arm twisting, I show up about half hour after the doors open. And I'm the 2nd person there. Ouch. Is this a sign of things to come? I'm talking with Lisa, the main cat over at Tremont Music Hall, and she asks if I think it will be well attended for the show. I quickly tell her "no". She said their guarentee (how much money they are to be paid) wasn't too high and didn't seem to worried. She then told me that left over 80's has-beens Faster Pussycat and LA Guns were both JUST booked for a future show coming up. Sadly, I expect that show to be packed. Anyway.......the local band starting the show a was rather new band here in town called The Mangles. I first got introduced to these guys the night that their bassist showed up at my house to buy my old beat-up Rickenbacker bass last year. Their drummer, Ty, has been around for some time in the area and honestly is one of the best rock/punk drummers in Charlotte. Their main frontman/guitarist must be fairly new to town, as I've not seen this particular Johnny Thunders protege'.......except for the first time I saw them as a 3 piece. Tonight, they have in their services a local mainstay, and rockabilly godfather, Mike Hendricks. Much to my surprise, he's not actually in their band, as he got added on for this show just a week earlier. It's been my opinion for some time that Hendricks is actually enjoying playing more harder driven, solid body guitar rock-n-roll, rather than the trebley rockabilly that's he's known and paid for. I could be wrong. Anyway...I think the addition of a 2nd guitarist was a good move. The crowd seem to really dig them and they put over a pretty solid performance. As a casual observer, it seemed to me that there are actually 2 bands within one. The first writes and plays 2.5 minute punk rock songs, not too far removed from the greatest band ever, The Ramones. The second is far more musical and thought out, and "jams" to longer compositions. I prefer the first. But reguardless, if any band was gonna open this show (besides Biggy Stardust and his Wretched Hive...plug plug plug), I'm glad it's them.

Next up is what I like to refer to as a "professional opening band". They're together, on the road, probably paid next to nothing, and PRETTY good, but not good enough to be a threat to the band that people actually care about. I've seen tons of them open for established bands. Sometimes they are friends of the headliners, sometimes they are on the same label, and sometimes even, they are the road crew. This band was called Prima Donna. They actually open themselves up to alot of verbal attacks with such a name, seeing as how it fits them and their frilly image. But then again, that might all be by design. Their image: mid-60's British invasion. You know the look. Skinny, Keith Richards hair style, bright red jackets with military stripes on the arms. Boring and unoriginal. And to make things worse....their music (I'm being kind) was bland and without substance. This is a case where the Happy Meal box is WAY more exciting than the actual burger inside. Looking like The Faces works for The Black Crowes...not these guys. I stomached a few minutes of a couple of songs. Not good....not terrible....just "there".

After Prima Donnas mercifully stops playing, I get up front for a good spot. Not really sure why. This show probably has an embarassing 40 to 50 people. Getting upfront would be easy if I went up halfway though the set. You know....that annoys me. I mean, I didn't expect anyone to be there. I don't even expect for the average self proclaiming music fan to be aware of the existence of Syl and Cheetah. For the un-informed...I'll give an extremely brief overview. Sylvain Sylvain is one of the few surviving original members of the groundbreaking 70's blues based rock-n-roll band, The New York Dolls. A band that simutaneously influenced and spawned the 2 most important forces, and diametrically OPPOSITE, in 70's rock: Kiss and The Sex Pistols. Without Syl and his NY Dolls, rock-n-roll would not look and sound the way it did soon after 1976. 70's punk and 80's cock rock owe a huge debt to the Dolls. Then we have Cheetah Chome, lead guitarist for probably the second hardest hitting band from the CBGB's NY punk scene: The Dead Boys (The Ramones taking the number one spot.) The soul the Dead Boys resides in their late singer Stiv Bators and the aforementioned Cheetah Chrome. Great and terrible bands for the past 30+ years have been playing "Sonic Reducer", the Dead Boys' signature anthem. Of their contemporaries, I think the Dead Boys were more accomplished technicians of their respected instruments. On this particular night, we have these 2 legends performing on the same stage, in the same band. It's real hip for some musicians and bands to refer to themselves as "troubadours". In this case, these guys are the real deal. I doubt either one have ever had a big house or made any real money, yet being a direct influence on some of the biggest bands of the last 30 years. Chrome probably made the MOST money of his life when he received royalties for the terrible Guns-N-Roses version of his song, "Aint it Fun". I'd like to think that it would be standing room only. But for 2 guys responsible for so much....we have MAYBE 50 enthused fans to show their adoration. I'll restrain from going further with my point. I could write BOOKS on my contempt for the music listening public.

Batusis really reinforced a strongley held belief that real rock-n-roll just happens. That it can't be forced, AND, that all the practice in the world won't help if you're not meant to do it. These 2 old farts laid down the real deal, that their traveling opener FAILED to do. Not only did they plow through an hour's worth of extremely raw, edgy, guitar rock, but they managed to give the appearance of enjoying the execution of their craft, despite the lack of appreciative fans. I was told that they would not be playing any of their previous bands' songs. They did the smart thing and did include well-known classics such as "Sonic Reducer", "Jet Boy", and "Trash". Plus they surprisingly covered The Heartbreakers (Thunders...not Petty) classic "I Wanna Be Loved" and the a novelty version of the Batman theme song. Plus....they played all 4 songs from their 4 song ep they were selling at the merch stand (of which I bought, had signed, and am listening to as I write this).

I appreciate their willingness to hang out, sign stuff, pose for pictures, and chat. Sylvain seemed to be a little bothered at times, unless you had a vagina....then he was all smiles. I scored a set-list and got to talk to their bassist, who has spent time in the Joan Jett's Blackhearts over the recent years. Everyone, except for me, seemed impressed with their drummer being a member of The Cult during their important years (Electric, Sonic Temple). I was just glad to of witnessed an actual rock-n-roll show, a product that is almost always the exception, but never the rule.

All news is good news...

Yeah......I've been lax in my blogging. And I have no excuse to be honest. Lot's-o-great stuff going on in my world. But at this moment, I'm leaving to go spend the weekend with my wonderful lady. So.....until I return with a vengence....I'm leaving a few random facts that I've come to realize about myself! Enjoy and discuss amongst yourselves!

10) I NEED to have roadtrips every so often to retain some sanity. NC/GA coast 2 weeks ago. Memphis/Stax/Graceland/Sun Studios in about 6 weeks.

9) I can't wait another year until I have another Scotch egg in Savannah.

8) I am so glad I went with the decision to play lead guitar myself in my band, rather than get a better guitarist. Anything better than me, and we'd lose the raw edge I'm happy we have.

7) I actually LIKE some Clash (First 2 records)!

6) I actually LIKE a Dead Kennedys song (Let's Lynch The Landlord)!

5) I really miss being visually artistically productive. After I get through with my current commissioned piece, I'm going to start painting.

4) I don't like Rick Rubin era Johnny Cash.

3) The girl I'm with is probably as much of a smart ass as I am...and that's a good thing!

2) I'm increasingly becoming more disgusted with the cottage industry within the entertainment industry of force male subservience.

1) I've come to realize that ALL factions of political ideology just LOVE debate and compromise......when they happen to NOT be in power.

Biggy Stardust's Top 10 Greatest Guitarists of All Time (Part 3 of 3)!

3) Michael Bruce (Alice Cooper). Of all the 70's American rock lead guitarists, Coop had one of the best. Bruce's guitar tone was as recognizable as, say, Ace Frehley's and Buck Darma's. I've always felt though that he approached his leads with a little more subtlety. His solo's weren't quite as big. He rarely pulled out a "barn burner". His lead work actually was more rhythmic and flowed within the spirit of the songs he was playing. Some of that was probably by design, but also out of necessity. Bob Ezrin produced both Kiss and Coop's records. Kiss's records were far more pure guitar/bass/drums.....where as Coop's incorporated brass, keys, and strings in addition to the standard gutar/bass/drums formula. An Ace Frehley type solo probably would of been out of place on an extremely orchestrated record like "Killer". A good example is my favorite Michael Bruce moment, when he comes in (almost underneath) the brass solo on "Under My Wheels".

2) Dave Davies (The Kinks). Davies created the guitar riff and the power chord. Period. End of story. This trandscends punk or metal. That alone makes him as important to guitar and rock-n-roll as Les Paul or Chuck Berry. There are 2 reasons why he is so important. For one, the chunky way of playing to make a harder, more defined guitar part, the riff. But "the riff" wouldn't have been as effective without the distortion that he pretty much single handedly created by getting the tubes hot, turning up the volume much louder than normal, and cutting slits in the speaker cones to get that unique sound. Favorite Dave Davies moment? The riff for the underrated Kinks number "Till The End Of the Day".

1) Johnny Ramone (The Ramones). I can say without hesitation, Johnny Ramone is my #1 favorite guitarist of all time. He played NO leads. He had NO flash. But his rapidfire, machine gun downstroke is probably the greatest sound to these ears. The Ramones, minus Joey, were nothing but a perfect rhythym section. People can argue the inception of "punk", and point to Dave Davies, Ron Asheton, Pete Townsend, or Johnny Thunders. All of which contributed. But without Johnny and the rest of the Ramones (and that first album) "punk" as we know it wouldnt have been the same. And rock-n-roll for the following 30 years (post 76) would have been far different. They way he used his guitar as a jackhammer sets him apart from any guitarist before him. Johnny's created way of approaching guitar has probably spawned more bands than any other guitarist in history. My favorite Johnny Ramone moment? EVERYTHING he played on "Ramones", "Leave Home", "Rocket To Russia", and "Road To Ruin".

Alright...that's it. A top 15 or top 20 list would of most definitley included Ace Frehley, Tony Iommi, Johnny Thunders, Pete Townsend, and Larry Parypa. Now back to the regular blogging fare!

Biggy Stardust's Top 10 Greatest Guitarists of All Time (Part 2 of 3)!

7) Elliott Easton (The Cars). The Cars get no respect. They're dismissed simply as another 80's new wave pop band. Starting in the 70's in Boston, The Cars were a great ROCK band with GREAT songs. Sure......they had rode the New Wave when it was happening. But the band had a great song writer and a distinctive sound. Easton's guitar had a unique compressed lead sound that sticks out. I always thought he was the "rocker" of the group who probably would of fared well in a more overtly "hard rock" band at the time. Favorite Easton moment? The over indulgent whammy bar tinged solo in "Tonight She Comes". No other guitarist could of pull it off in THAT song without me cringing.

6) "Fast" Eddie Clark (Motorhead). It's really cool to love Motorhead. Correction...it's really cool to say you like Motorhead and have their patches, although most people only own a "best of" and could only really sing you one or 2 songs. But most people atleast know them by name, and their equally (if not more) infamous leader Lemmy Kilmister. Lemmy is worthy of the hype for sure. But I've recently formed the opinion that WITHOUT Fast Eddie....the Motorhead "sound" doesn't exist. Motorhead has always been called HEAVY. But I don't think they were NEAR as heavy as they are now, and sadly so. What has recently struck me is the way he acheives such a great metal/rock guitar tone with a single coil strat. Ofcourse that was probably a hold-over from his previous blues background. Yeah...Fast Eddie was no metal or rock guitarist....just a bender in a blues band in England. I think his lack of hard rock upbringing was a huge benefit to the group. Favorite Fast Eddie moment? His opening lick in "Fast and Loose".

5) Jerry Reed. I grew up a fan since I was a kid. In fact, the first three 8-track tapes I knew as a kid were Kenny Rogers, The Statler Brothers, and Jerry Reed. Now, don't get me wrong, I am no authority on Jerry Reed. My knowledge of his music exists in my memories, and a few "best of's" that I've bought/downloaded over the more recent years. But as far as 6-string country "pickers" go, Jerry Reed was the guitar-hero of the landscape for that era of the genre'. My favorite Jerry Reed pickin'? His aptly titled song "Guitar Man" (Later covered by Elvis, w/ Jerry Reed playing session guitar on that version as well!).

4) Steve Jones (Sex Pistols). Enough can not be said about the unknowing genius of Jonesy. That sort of brillance only comes along once in a lifetime and it only lasts a mili-second. The "Bullocks" record would not of been AS good if it were recorded 5 years later with a slightly more seasoned and confident guitarist. His "solos" werent proper..or clean....or credible. But they were great and they were the only kind of solos that would of fit on those songs. Favorite Jonesy moment? His "solo" on "EMI".

dunnn.dunnn..dun dun dun....danananana dun dun dun: The greatest guitarists in history (Part 1 of 3)

Ok...I've been inactive with the blog and have been WANTING to write. But...this 2nd shift gig is kicking my ass and making me lazy the other 16 hours of the day that I'm NOT at work. However...today is Friday and I have a little burst of energy before I punch that clock. And..I've been wanting to do my own list of favorite 6 string slingers to combat those other bloated lists that always end with Jimmy Page and Jimmy Hendrix. Some of my pics may be obvious...but several probably have never shown up on ANY list. Anway....without further a do.....

BIGGY STARDUST's TOP 10 GUITARISTS OF ALL TIME (part 1)!!!!!

10) Deniz Tek (Radio Birdman). RB were a a wonderful Austrailian punk rock band from the early 70's that combined the sonic attack of Detroit's MC5, along with the surf rock reverb of the Ventures. Tek was actually FROM Detroit and brought that sound along with him to Birdman. I have always thought that he should part of that group of guitarists that included Wayne Kramer and Ron Asheton. Sadly, his name isn't as recognizable as their's. Favorite Tek moment? His solo in the Birdman tune "Snake".

9) Eddie Ojeda/Jay Jay French (Twisted Sister). Yes...I put 2 guitarists in one spot. I group them together because they are really one....kind of in the same way Tipton and Downing are thought of. Anway, I imagine alot of people would say "Uh...you mean those guys from that We're Not Going To Take Anymore video?" But yeah, I highly admire this band along with these 2 guy. TS provided the soundtrack to my youth. But upon further investigation, Twisted Sister had alot more to offer than a few campy video's. First off, of all the bands of that time...I'd say their obvious competetion would be Motley Crue and WASP. However, they lacked the fake L.A. feel to their music. Originally and always from Brooklyn, Sister actually retained a certain level of danger. I always thought Quiet Riot and Ozzy were a joke...but Dee Sinder and the boys could, and would, kick your ass up and down the street. And probably still would today. Also, I've also recognized that Eddie Ojeda, despite his nickname "Fingers", never feel into the trap of having to churn out meaningless Randy Rhodes/EVH finger tapping nonsense. He stuck closer to a blue structure and never really deviated. Favorite moment? The controlled feedback that runs underneath most of the song "Stay Hungry".

8)Brian May (Queen). I'm a Queen fan. But I really think I'm a BIGGER fan of Brian May. Queen songs that feature less Brian May interest me very little. I enjoy the multi-instrumenalist aspect of the whole band. But it's Brian's guitar sound that holds them as a unit and binds them and keeps them constant. A unique guitar sound is something not found everyday. His sound is SO unique that he can be recognized with the plucking of ONE note on his self-designed/constructed guitar. Favorite Brian May moment? His solo on "Stone Cold Crazy".

Anyway....3 down, 7 to go. To be continued soon....

Dap Sugar Willie

I have this little hobby that sometimes becomes very informative. I like to find someone on a show, in a movie, or on an album that had a small part and see what else they have done....and whatever happened to them. Often these auxillary participants have a story of their own. Sometimes they remain a complete mystery. But usually I end up learning SOMETHING cool in the process of research. And research in today's world is as simple as typing this blog. Infact, this blog itself could possibly end up in a search for today's spotlighted subject: Dap Sugar Willie!

Dap comes from North Philladelphia and was an X-rated comedian of the 60's and 70's. He run in the same circles as Rudy Ray Moore, and his good buddy Red Foxx (who subsequently got him involed in the limited about of tv work he end up doing). Eventually releasing material on Philladelphia International Record, he got his break nationally on "Sanford and Son". But his biggest break came when he became a semi re-occuring character on "Good Times" in the form of Lenny.

Now, I'm a "Good Times" fanatic. My first crush was Thema...I wanted to be JJ....and I wish James Sr was my dad. And I loved the other characters such as Bookman, Wilona, Alderman Davis, Carl Dixon, and Sweet Daddy Williams. But Lenny was my favorite.

So I researched him and found little info. He didn't do much past Good Times. The only real name I can find associated with him MIGHT be "Anderson". His biggest payday probably came in his supposed small role in the 1986 movie "Wildcats". And that he may of passed away in 1995. Sad.

Well, if you read this whole blog...then your life is just THAT much more enriched with more useless knowledge! And my life is also enriched with the same knowledge....plus the Dap Sugar Willie 45 vinyl record I just bought on e-bay!

To be Continue........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-mHrk1TMik

Put Another Dime In The Jukebox Baby

I miss playing music. I miss playing an instrument along with other bassists or guitarists. I miss playing music with a beat behind me. I miss the feel of backing my van into the loading area. I miss people asking me when we go on. I miss trying to find the venue in some god forsaken town. I miss having to kill half a day with my friends in that god forsaken town. I miss playing in front of new people in that town in that club we've never been in. I miss sound checking. I miss the hum of my towering amp between songs. I miss running my mouth to folks from behind the microphone. I miss the roar of the band around me making all that racket. I miss the comradery of "us against the world". I miss doing something very unpopular, only to be smoking shitty radio rock bands who are doing what's really popular. And most of all, I hate seeing bands doing what I want to do....playing rock-n-roll music.

It's been over 3 months since The Dead Kings decided to stop for, well, however long we stop for. It's been 6 months since we played a show...anywhere. And it's been almost a year since we got in the van and hit the road. But it may as well of been 10 years it feels so long. I can go longer without fornication than I can playing music I think. I miss everything about it, as stated above. Alot of that stuff I've taken for granted over all the years of playing music. I had a band that stayed very active and that people really like. Now I have a living room full of amps and intrustments.

Last night Antiseen, local punk legends for the uninformed, played a really good show here in town with Vanguard and The Pier Six Brawlers. Good show. No.....GREAT show actually. And it was killing me. I had more than a dozen folks coming up and asking when the Kings were gonna get it going again. Some being honestly very emphatic. And the answer is...I have no friggin clue what so ever. We stopped because the formula just wasnt' working. Me and Steve didn't wanna go through another period of trudging forward, on the verge of embarrassment because it was falling apart. If/when we get it going again, there will be some changes. Those changes involve some new people. And I hate it. The most recent line-up was one of my favorites, as far as personality goes. I enjoyed that particular group of band members because we all liked each other and we had fun. But not everyone was on the same page and it just can't happen....with that configuration of musicians. So....I don't know what's going on with that. I know for a fact there will be atleast 1 more Dead Kings show...but I suspect there'll be more. Just no clue WHEN.

However, one glimmer of hope is that my other band, Biggy Stardust and his Wretched Hive, might be waking up from a nap. No details worth confirming....but we're (me and my partner the Manwhore) are talking with 2 guys, a drummer and a guitarist who have shown interest in revving up again. This makes me happy and has me joyously optimistic. The Wretched Hive band is the side band I started in order to play sloppier, more raw rock-n-roll, that doesnt jive with The Dead Kings style. We had a good thing going, recorded a good record, and stole some shows. People had other obligations.....so half the band became toast. But it's looking like something might be happening on that front and all I need right now to sustain me is alteast a little glimmer of light.