New York Junk – ‘Dreaming’ (Tarbeach Music)

New York Junk – ‘Dreaming’ (Tarbeach Music)

Nailing that quintessential NooYawk rock and roll sound but doing it in the Czech Republic is some feat but New York Junk nailed it.  It’s fair to say these cats are vets of the scene and been in the thick of the Bowery scene since its inception back in the ’70s and survived to tell the tail.  Getting Tarbeach Records to release the record of seven tunes recorded in the Czech Republic at the tail end of 2019 and mixed pre-pandemic these seven tunes are coming out on red vinyl.

It’s a simple formula.  Guitar, Bass and Drums and play from the heart, make it Rock and Roll – sing about what you see and believe in yourself then everything else is gravy.  You either have “it” or you don’t.  We know whos fakin’ it and who isn’t and on this evidence, you can take the people out of Noo Yawk but you can’t take the Noo Yawk outta the people.

New York Junk have released three previous records starting with ‘Passion of the 10th St Blues’ (2008), ‘Doing Time in New York City’ (2014), and ‘7 Train’ (2018). Their sound is somewhere between Thunders and The Stones with a bit of Lou Reed creeping in on some of the melodies but there are some real gems in here. I love side two from the more aggressive ‘Scared’ with a cool thump on the floor toms and strained vocals it’s fragile yet looking for trouble great opening tune to side two. The albums best track ‘Passion’ with its rather splendid Thunders dripping guitar solo the songs got a tonne of passion and it shines through.  They’re not reinventing the wheel here they’re just writing great tunes and relying on what’s pouring out of their hearts and spilling into the grooves of the record. Let’s stay with side two and the title track which is a repetitive riff that’s moving slowly and gently, for the most part, meandering through the cracks of the recording towards the solo sure it’s like a VU moment in time but that’s always going to be cool.

Anyway, Let’s continue as we flip flop back to side one and the opening blast of the ‘Gutter Angels’.  Like a poem to the Lower East Side leaning on the Voidoids or something Lou Reed might have penned. ‘She Don’t Care’ could have been borrowed from Walter Lure whilst ‘Walk My Dog’ is some Thunders homage and fairly standard. Closing off side one is ‘Don’t Cry For Me’ which sounds like we’ve just been dropped off in the early ’70s after finding out this time capsule is captained by Sylvain Sylvain and the cabin crew consists of Johansen and Killer Kane. Pure nostalgia done with care and a big smile – whats not to like?

All in all a really enjoyable seven tracks from New York Junk and for anyone who hankers for a slice of that time when giants walked the earth and strutted their stuff. Check it out if you’re smart enough and start ‘Dreamin’.

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The Speedways – ‘Radio Sounds’ (Alien Snatch Records, Snap!! Records/Hurrah Musica and Beluga Records)

The Speedways – ‘Radio Sounds’ (Alien Snatch Records, Snap!! Records/Hurrah Musica and Beluga Records)

Is this Power Pop?

A question that is often all caps shouted across screens by keyboard warriors defending their record collection decisions.

Power Pop. A holy grail whose contents are loudly proclaimed obvious (depending who ya ask) and essential.  Apparently sacred (yet neverendingly argued) since the storied days of Peter Case losing his Nerves to then lace up his Plimsouls. Somehow important yet almost impossible to achieve… one wrong move, a drink too far, a chord eschewing a jangle and you’re “just rock n roll”.

Or so it seems…

The Speedways. The members languidly lean on the bars of darkened London pubs or float like spectres in corners of Some Weird Sin and Garageland gigs. Striped shirts and leather jackets. Dirty street-tamed Chucks and scuffed Thunders boots carry them from one late night heartache to another.

They are true believers who take their turn on stage with hearts outshining the Cheap Trick badges.

Heart.

How do you capture it? How do you?

This album is a stellar example of doing just that. It is the emotion, the essence of love (lost and yearned for) that makes special songs, damn the torpedoes and neat classifications.

This is their second full-length album and the growth since ‘Just Another Regular Summer’ is apparent right off the opening track. ‘This Ain’t A Radio Sound’ opens with a playful ‘80’s Cars ‘Heartbeat City’ keyboard that is somehow right at home alongside the dirty street jangle of Mauro Venegas’ guitars. Then Matthew Julian saunters in, his vocals accomplishing a feat in common with that of my favourite singers. It is instantly recognisable. Equal parts world-weary and up to the fight. Like how Phil Lynott would somehow whisper your thoughts back to you. At once like a friend and someone you wish you had the nerve to approach. A very rare and special dichotomy that gains trust from the listener. People will say you’re born with that. I can see here that you can earn it.

‘The Day I Call You Mine’ shakes off the skinny tie and gets tough. And sweet. The rhythm section of Kris Hood and Adrian Alfonso are like a modern day Mike Joyce and Andy Rourke of The Smiths. Taking the gorgeous songcraft and walking it home like schoolyard best friend bodyguards. In fact, every melody and arpeggiated chord on this long-player is kept safe in their scrappy hands.

“Daydreaming’ opens with razor-sharp back alley chords and a streetwise snarl that has me all of a sudden thinking, “Is this ROCK N ROLL???”

Speaking of that… ‘Your Brown Eyes Look So Blue’ comes dangerously close to sounding like a forgotten outtake from the soundtrack to “Grease”. High School dancing itself right to the edge of the parking lot of kitsch to puke, but teetering there and miraculously feeling much better, thank you! It was a close one boys, but then again, some imminent peril makes albums and nights out exciting.

The track order on this album has a great arch to it. The way it builds to a cinematic centrepiece starting from the dreamy fade into focus intro of ‘This Is About A Girl Who Loves The Sun’. It builds wonderfully into widescreen guitar pop. The song takes you off the dusty and noisy summer city streets and into the cinema to catch your breath and “to stop taking it out on yourself” as Matthew reminds you in the lyrics.

The exuberance of ‘Number Seven’ kicks the cinema doors wide open and the sunlight comes streaming through. We’re in The Speedways’ neighbourhood now, and there’s a place they know that’s perfect for an afternoon drink. Matthew puts his arm around you on the walk and lets ya know that you’ll get by… it doesn’t matter who believes you.

Another standout track is the band next door sound of ‘Empty Pages’. Effortlessly cool and just the right riff for just the right lyrics (“On Halloween I couldn’t hide”… who hasn’t felt that way? Vulnerable and surrounded by Pound Shop devils and clowns) The song is the sound of hanging out. Pure and simple.

The whole set does an excellent job of establishing a recognisable sound while crossing gang lines into territories that may feel like defection. The early Petty and almost ‘50s stomp intro of ‘Had Enough This Time’ giving way to a sun shower of cascading guitar shimmer and a riff that steps right off a beach to join in? Really? It works. Really well.

The album closer, the rather magnificently titled ‘In A World Without Love It’s Hard To Stay Young’, is a perfect bookend. A pocket symphony of guitars that shine like the afternoon sun reflected off a Camaro’s dashboard. Its harmonies sonically answer Julian’s proclamation, “I thought I was the only one to feel this way, until…” with the easy embrace of a close pal.

No. You’re not the only one who does, Matthew. You just have a timeless way of expressing it. Your band is right there with you bringing these songs into brilliant focus as well.

Pretty happy that a band like this exists, making albums to this calibre.

It sounds awfully good with a cold one or a double too!

OH! Power Pop?

I ain’t getting’ into that! Whaddya think, I’m crazy?

 

Buy Beluga Records Here / Speedways Bandcamp Vinyl Here

Author: Rich Ragany

Rainy Days & Mondays

Rainy Days & Mondays

As we enter week god knows what of this Lockdown we thought we’d go through the gears and begin with this wonderful rendition of ‘High As Johnny Thunders’ from the awesome Chuck Prophet.

Always messing with your head Hank Von Hell is back in the room with ‘Disco’ and here’s the official video

45 RPM – its the singles club round up

45 RPM – its the singles club round up

The Kopek Millionaires – So Alone (Bandcamp Self Release) Gotta love Johny Skullknuckles when he drops a single without fanfare I always think to myself – what a tune! and being a massive fan of Soho Roses and knowing Mr Skull Knuckles this was always going to be a bit of a banger and so it would prove to be.  If you haven’t got a clue who or what I’m chundering on about then this is a great time to educate your ears and marvel in a bit of punk rock n roll before it was even a thing.  Mixing up the make up of Hanoi Rocks n the Dolls and drinking special brew with the Buzzcocks Soho Roses were a couple of singles and an album then crash and burn in a blaze of glory one last night in the Astoria never to be seen or heard of again.  Let Johny and his Kopek Millionaires remind us all of their splendour with this trashy take on their classic ‘So Alone’.  Enough waffle from me just clck the link and head over to bandcamp for a blast done exceedingly well.

Bandcamp track Here

Johny Skullknuckles – ‘A Face Made For Radio’ (Self Release) If one release wasn’t enough Johny turns in his second offering. ‘A Face Made For Radio’ is four tracks of snotty power-pop-punk rock n roll (and breathe) ‘Turn My Day Into Night’ is a rapid couple of jabs followed by a wild haymaker and if it connects then whamo! you’re done.  Its snotty ragged punk rock with melody and a hook. Then he follows it up with something a little punkier ‘Cheap Night Out’ is the sound of a cheap night out great guitar licks around a banging backbeat.

‘Overattached’ is a ’70s agony aunt dedicated to kinda song.  Like The Boys meets Buzzcocks with a punchy bass run it’s my pick of the four. then to wrap it up there’s the trashy ‘Cool Christine’ and whilst she might be cool shes not as cool as the tune about her.  Keep on Rockin’ Skullknuckles we need more trashy punk n roll in the world and this will tide us over nicely.  pick up a copy here

Chuck Prophet – ‘High As Johnny Thunders’ (Yep Roc Records) With a distinguished career in one of the 80s best alt-rock bands Green On Red and a solo career since that’s produced dozens of great songs why would this latest single from Chuck not be on our radar? with his sultry late-night vocals and amazing guitar skills, Prophet sees the first release in two years and is about to hit the road  ‘High As Johnny Thunders’ is a mellow laid back affair led by acoustic guitar and strings its a beautiful number and anything singing about the Dolls and Thunders gets a huge thumbs up from me especially when its this good.

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Calva Louise – ‘Interlude For The Borderline Unsettled’(Ditto Music) an EP featuring Five tracks that are really three-track because Calva goes old school and does a clean and non clean mix as well as a remix of the lead track ‘Belicoso’ sees the band deliver some of their CyberPunk racket on the public. With a heady mix of dance and breakbeats its a confusing sound it’s not quite the prodigy but the spirit is there.  ‘Sleeper’ is more pop noise if there’s such a genre (there is now) this manchester three-piece are causing a stir on mainstream radio stations with a Radio 1 jock hailing their sound as ‘Face Melting’ so not too shabby praise. the band mix it up further with ‘Adelante’ channelling their inner Depeche Mode with a decent slice of electronica. Facebook

 

The Young Gods – You Gave Me A Name (BUONASERA Productions Sàrl) Available on all digital platforms the Young Gods have been pushing the limits of sound for more than thirty years. They began as pioneers of industrial punk who flirted with surreal cabaret, and as sonic wizards they moved on to shamanize electro/techno music, all the while forging their own unique sound. Some genres for you to explore right there.  this release is a trippy slice of experimental rock it comes with a remix of ‘Tear Up The Red Sky’  by Gaspar Narby. Check it out, space cadets.

Jay Allen & the Archcriminals – ‘Beautiful Chaos EP’  (Rum Bar Records) The fact that Jay Allen is truly Neil Diamond’s Cousin isn’t something you hear every day and who are we to argue? but there is where any comparisons might begin and end as Jay rocks with a roots ragged slice of rock and roll maybe had they had Cous Neil singing the BVs that would really have been something. Its a rock solid single is ‘Beautiful Chaos’ and the fact its part of the Rum Bar stable is good enough for me to want to give it a play and some.  The second track ‘Big Lie’ is from the same ragged rock n roll that bands Like The Replacements fell outta.  Just check em out on their Bandcamp page you might just surprise yourself – Bandcamp

Belladonna – ‘Astronomer Of Life’ (Belladonna Records) The video of Astronomer Of Life is synced to a scene of a pre-existing movie, the last scene of the Russian director Andrej Tarkovsky 70s movie Stalker. It is a one-take-only video, but it has an overwhelming starkness, otherworld-ness and emotional power.  That’s what the press release said me I’d say its an acoustic atmospheric number that doesn’t particularly go anywhere and is just kinda’ there. A band for a late-night chill out I’d imagine and maybe not what a singles club is looking for at this time.  but we’ll let you be the judge of that

 

 

Beat City Tubeworks – ‘Rat Race’ (The Sign)  You wanted the best you got the best Beat City Tubeworks channel their inner Kiss meets Imperial State Electric and come up with ‘Rat Race’. Action rockers everywhere will wet their dirty denim when they get down n dirty with ‘Rat Race’ Jönköping Sweden birthed these rockers and they’ve sped along ever since.  you know the drill by now it’s 70s Rock mixed with some dirty attitude and this is taken from their soon to be released album ‘I Just Cannot Believe It’s The Incredible…’ which originally came out in 2016 but the Sign Records are rebirthing the beast so check em out. Facebook

Lazybones – Trash Talk (Say Something Records) “That moment when you know you’re about to say something you’ll regret, when you’re right on the edge and you just can’t stop it,” vocalist Candi Underwood explains. this thumping track has boundless energy as the song is driven by that wild fuzzed guitar and the big vocals that spit the lyrics all over the track.

It’s fresh and commercial enough to have wide-reaching appeal and no surprise that Radio has been playing this track Facebook

Cabinet Of Millionaires – ‘Stop The Coup’ (Chocolate Fireguard Records) Politically charged electronica much like Chumbawumba of yesteryear.  Cobbled together speeches fro the likes of Corbyn and Jones reciting some of Johnson’s lies and foul-mouthed diatribes that seem to pass the general population by without even a raised eyebrow.  Many people say you shouldn’t mix politics with music but we say bollocks to that if it needs saying then say it and Cabinet of Millionaires pull no punches as they say it as it is. With three mixes coming out early December to coincide with the election this should soundtrack everyone old enough to vote as they enter the room to put their cross on the ballot paper.  No more austerity and Tory rule We’ll have some of that! Bandcamp

 

The 1865 – ‘John Browns Gat’ (Mass Appeal) NYC residents kick up a storm with their groove-heavy track.  Taken from their forthcoming album ‘Don’t Tread On We’ there’s a tonne of attitude and punk happening here but it’s mixed with something altogether different siting Husker Du and Rage against the machine as influences will probably tell you nothing about where they’re coming from. Maybe not as hard-hitting as some of the other songs on the album its a brief glimpse into what they are about and Honeychild Coleman has a captivating vocal style. Check out ‘Get Out’ for a mash-up of styles in a very listenable sound. The 1865 have something to say so we suggest you listen up!

Bandcamp

 

 

 

Gone But Not Forgotten – Johnny Thunders

Gone But Not Forgotten – Johnny Thunders

John Anthony Genzale would have been 67 today.  Who knows what really happened at St. Peter House New Orleans I guess we’ll never ever know.  What we do know is the former New York Doll and leader of the Heartbreakers was a unique legend who influenced so many and continues to touch the lives of so many through his music HEre at RPM Online we will never forget Johnny Thunders – Happy Birthday Johnny Wherever you might be cheers!

Gone But Not Forgotten – Arthur Killer Kane

Gone But Not Forgotten – Arthur Killer Kane

Arthur Harold Kane Jr.  Born February 3, 1949  was best known as the bass guitarist for the Legendry New York Dolls. Kane was an integral part of the band until he was kicked out in 1975., Following the departure of Johnny Thunders and Jerry Nolan.

In 2004, Kane rejoined the surviving Dolls (Johansen and Sylvain Sylvain) to rehearse and play a reunion concert in London, which was the subject of the 2005 documentary New York Doll.

After leaving the Dolls Kane collaborated with Blackie Lawless in Killer Kane, which resulted in the single “Mr. Cool.” Lawless was an old friend from New York City and had replaced Johnny Thunders during the ill-fated Florida tour in 1975.

After the Dolls, Kane was involved in several bands that included: playing bass in the band formed by Sid Vicious, The Idols (with Jerry Nolan), and The Corpse Grinders (with Rick Rivets); and joining Johnny Thunders on a few tours in the 1980s.

In the early 2000s, Kane met filmmaker Greg Whiteley through his work with the Latter-day Saints, and the two became friends. Whiteley commented that all Kane ever talked about was how he wished that he could somehow get the Dolls back together.  The idea of doing a film on Kane’s life followed. Coincidentally, in 2004 Morrissey a high-profile fan of the Dolls—offered Kane an opportunity to perform a reunion show with the surviving Dolls (David Johansen and Sylvain Sylvain) at the Royal Festival Hall in London as part of his Meltdown Festival.

 

When Kane called Whiteley to ask for a ride to the pawn shop to retrieve his bass guitar, Whiteley asked if he could bring along a camera. From there Whiteley filmed Kane’s experiences preparing for the reunion, rehearsing with the Dolls in New York, and reconciling with Johansen, culminating in two sold-out shows in London; which for Kane was all a fulfillment of a nearly thirty-year dream. Whiteley’s footage resulted in the 2005 Sundance featured documentary, New York Doll.

On July 13, 2004, just 22 days after the reunion concert, Kane thought that he had caught the flu in London and checked himself into a Los Angeles hospital, complaining of fatigue. He was quickly diagnosed with leukemia and died within two hours. He was 55 years old. Johansen described Kane as “nonjudgmental, bawdy and holy.”

In 2009 Kane’s autobiography was published entitled, I, Doll: Life and Death with the New York Dolls, with the foreword and epilogue written by Barbara Kane.

Kane met Barbara when he was with the Dolls, and they were married in 1977. Although they were separated for many years, their divorce never became finalized. She was interviewed for the New York Doll documentary, portions of which are interspersed within the film’s narrative.

In 2005 the documentary, New York Dolls: All Dolled Up, was released on DVD. The directors, rock photographer Bob Gruen, and his then-wife, Nadya Beck, owned an early video camera and shot many hours of footage of the Dolls in the early 1970s. Edited down to 95 minutes, the black and white film shows the Dolls in different locales, such as backstage or at an airport, and documents several of the Doll’s live performances in New York City and California. Kane appears in some of the footage wearing a plaster cast on his left arm. This was the result of his volatile girlfriend Connie attempting to cut off his thumb so that he would be unable to play bass anymore. In his autobiography, fellow bass player and Dolls fan Dee Dee Ramone mentioned Kane when discussing Connie, whom he himself later dated. Dee Dee and Connie’s similarly violent and tumultuous relationship would inspire the 1977 Ramones song “Glad to See You Go”. Kane passed away on this day in 2004.  If you’ve never seen the Documentary then go see it its funny, enlightening, sad yet uplifting.  Arthur Killer Kane RPM salutes you.  One of the good guys Gone but not Forgotten.

RPM at the movies Episode 3 – The Johnny Thunders Files Madrid Memory & Room 37 The Mysterious Death Of Johnny Thunders

RPM at the movies Episode 3 – The Johnny Thunders Files Madrid Memory & Room 37 The Mysterious Death Of Johnny Thunders

Seeing as we’re at the movies today we indulged in a couple of releases firstly the Cleopatra double of Johnny Thunders ‘Madrid Memory’ that’s a special edition audio Cd and DVD is taken from when Johnny played Spain in 94 at La Edad De Oro with his band of capable players Sylvain, Rath, and Nolan (not a bad bunch to have playing with you I’m sure you’ll agree)

Firstly this seventeen track show isn’t surround sound crystal clear quality some might expect and the mix right from the start goes from bootleg quality to poor desk mix as Raths bass thumps through the mix on pipeline maybe its an idea to get in the mood first by downing a bottle of jager and jumpin’ up and down just for old times sake.

Right sorted, we can begin. slamming into a chaotic ‘Personality Crisis’ the mix doesn’t improve much but that was always part of the reason we got into this pirate Rock and Roll and then thunders vocals booms into the mix over the skin tight beat of Nolan who really was the glue that held it all together and I guess Thunders knew that – as out of it he might have got Jerry always held it together and it was always a credible sound coming from the band Rath and Nolan were a formidable rhythm section and by the time they ripped into ‘Junkie Business’ they were firing on all cylinders.  Hearing Johnnys guitar wail out of tune might be funny now and quite endearing looking back but fuck me Johnny sort it out fella.

The set is excellent and the inclusion of Sylvains ’14th Street Beat’ is most welcome.  Having three Dolls playing or three Heartbreakers, either way, it still excites me and my God I wish I paid more attention to what was happening in front of me at the time and I had taken more notice when seeing these guys play all those years ago.  When this band were in sync they were breathtaking and when they were a little sloppy (cough cough) (‘Don’t Mess With Cupid’) they were exhilarating and the air of danger was evident – real Rock and Roll played by real Rock and Rollers God I miss them.

To finish off there are four tracks of Johnny playing with an unnamed flamenco player and rehearsals were clearly not on the agenda and the car crash makes me smile unlike the amount of reverb Johnny has on his vocal ‘Eve Of Destruction’ makes this worth buying on its own.  Not just for the shambles but when Johnny’s voice cracks its hilarious and Johnny acknowledging that it can only get better shows he wasn’t a total fuck up – God bless him. things do improve (slightly) for ‘Diary Of A Lover’ I emphasize Slightly. as for the echo on the closer ‘Memory’ maybe it’s not reverb and Johnny has left the building.  God loves a trier and trying with flamenco was admirable one of the weirder recording no question about that.  Completists will be all over this – the curious will also check it out. Like or loath all the posthumous releases at times they are bloody good and this is no exception.  As for the video, the intro being left in shows its age with the presenter yapping for four minutes whilst the camera roams the room it’s a bit weird.

As for the video performance Man, this line up would have been something had they gotten into the studio and Jerry looks dashing in his hat bullfighting get up as does Johnny.  So the picture quality isn’t 4K but who’d want to see what Syl is wearing in 4K anyway it looks like he just left his painting and decorating crew round the corner whilst he held down this moonlighting job with his old pals.  Listen it is what it is and considering its been saved from a mid 80s tv recording in Spain I’ll take it every day of the week.  Bollocks to smooth transitions between the songs when Rock and Rollers looked this cool even when they were off their tits isn’t something everyone could do.  God bless the three Heartbreakers here for they inherited the earth or something like that. I hope they keep uncovering shit like this for the next twenty years I’ll never ever get tired of it – Just buy it!

Buy Madrid Memory Here

Author: Dom Daley

 

Room 37 the Mysterious Death Of Johnny Thunders (MVD Visual)  We all know what happened but really nobody knows what happened. Well, Johnny knew but he can’t say.

The movie begins with ‘Alone In A Crowd’ blasting as Johnny turns up saddlebags n all wandering into St Peters Guest House room 37.  The film portrays Johnny as a shaking jittering jaundice junkie on his last legs.  whilst he’s talking business with Sylvain on the blower then taking his medicine.  the bar band is none other than Kevin Preston then playing on the jukebox is Walter Lure wow it’s making me smile as I nerd out. Johnny telling his own story about why he was in New Orleans stressing he’s clean then getting up to play ‘Born To Lose’ yeah right. The collapse n all that follows is weird and about to get a whole lot weirder.  Leo Ramsey does a decent enough job as Johnny but how accurate this is we’ll never know.

Johnny looks unwell from either the comedown or leukemia (most probably both) we’ll never get the truth the Police fucked that up in their investigation but the shamanic beast that follows Johnny through his jibbering last days is hard as is his wheezing sweating shaking demise.  It’s sad to see and for a fan, a massive fan to think he spent his last days alone suffering in pain and traumatized and when he was robbed it’s tough to take.  I believe Johnny had good intentions when he went to New Orleans and knew he was ill.  Johnny took the secrets to his grave of what happened in his final days/hours sadly we’ll never know the truth – the whole truth and whilst films like this keep the memory of Johnny alive for us its far fetched and a sad dramatisation of his last days.

 

The throw away comments like too much junkie business’ are a bit cringy when he’s trying to buy some methadone in his dreams it portrays well his state of mind and how troubled he might have been the studio hallucinations are disturbing and quite a good horror jump scare. The vomiting isn’t nice and the tone is dark as fuck as he vanishes down that wormhole inside the hospital those scenes are disturbed.  All I can think of is poor Johnny I just wanted to hug the guy.  I still find myself thinking he was way too young and illness or not he went way too young and in such tragic circumstances.

 

The film seemed keen to push the leukemia angle and Johnny carries himself around on pure momentum and a will not to die rather than being able to move and walk normally.  It’s certainly a trip of a movie at times really hard viewing it doesn’t really offer much in a way of explaining what really happened just gives a very dark drug-addled view as to what could have happened.  Poor Johnny I miss the guy’s music but felt after watching this that I’d rather he was still alive and well more than anything.  His friend Iris is the main character who spent time with him before his death before his horrible tragic death.  This isn’t a film to put a smile across your face that’s for sure, you won’t remember him because of his music if this were your introduction to the world of JT – Me I’d take Looking For Johnny and remember his fantastic musical legacy.  No matter how he finally passed away New Orleans was his resting place and a dark horror flick that passes for entertainment makes me sad, poor Johnny he never got the justice he deserved.  I’m not even sure I enjoyed the film perhaps I’ll watch it again when it doesn’t leave me so cold.

Buy Room 37 Here 

Author: Dom Daley

Alvin Gibbs – ‘Your Disobedient Servant’ get Blood Red Re-press

Alvin Gibbs – ‘Your Disobedient Servant’ get Blood Red Re-press

One of the albums of the year gets a re-press on Blood Red vinyl for those who missed out on the initial press.  RPM  reviewed it Here and we urge you not to sit on your hands a second time as this will sell out as the first run did.  Go Go Go!
Alvin says, “For all you vinyl junkies that missed out on obtaining my solo album ‘Your Disobedient Servant’ on 12 inch vinyl earlier this year due the initial 300 being sold out in short order, Time & Matter Records have manufactured a new batch of 300, this time on blood-red vinyl and minus the accompanying CD and download code. This release will, therefore, be sold at the lesser price of £17 (the first pressing was priced at £22) and can be ordered from this Here”

It features twelve songs written by yours truly and an array of very talented guest musicians that reads like this: Brian James – The Damned / Lords Of The New Church; Leigh Heggarty – Ruts DC; Mick Rossi – Slaughter & The Dogs; James Stevenson – Generation X / Chelsea / The Cult / The Alarm; Barry ‘Barrington’ Francis – The Saints; Timo Kaltio – Johnny Thunders band/Hanoi Rocks / Cheap ‘N’ Nasty; Mel Wesson – Keyboard player & Ambient music designer – TV Smith’s Explorers/The Verve ‘Bittersweet Symphony’ / U.K. Subs ‘Diminished Responsibility’ LP / Films Mission Impossible 2, Batman Begins, Hannibal etc; Steve Crittall – The Godfathers; Jamie Oliver – U.K. Subs.

“I would advise interested parties to get their orders in sharp to avoid what occurred last time, which was a lot of people missing out due to the speed that the original batch sold at. In fact it was due to so many people voicing their disappointment at not being able to get a vinyl copy in time that persuaded T & M Records to go with this colour-altered second run. For those of you that are not so disposed to a bit of vinyl, there is also a CD version of the album available from the same link. Ta! A x”

Gone But Not Forgotten – Johnny Thunders

Gone But Not Forgotten – Johnny Thunders
Mandatory Credit: Photo by Ray Stevenson/REX/Shutterstock

John Anthony Genzale (July 15, 1952 – April 23, 1991) Otherwise known as the legend that was Johnny Thunders.  What could possibly be said that hasn’t already been said.  He was the lead guitarist in the New York Dolls.  He fronted possibly the finest of all American ’77 punk bands and went on to have varying degrees of success in his own rite with some amazing backing bands and releasing some of the best records ever from any decade. ‘Que Sera Sera’, ‘Hurt Me’, ‘So Alone’ do I need to go on?  If you don’t own them why don’t you own them?.  His solo shows ranged from car crash but amazing to religious experience and amazing to simply just being out there one of a kind guy and amazing.

 

There have been several films about Johnny from the aborted and dark ‘Born To Lose’ The Last Rock And Roll Movie with its numerous cuts to the wonderful ‘Looking For Johnny’, with a fantastic array of stars talking about their friend and fellow musician to the recent drama about his last days in New Orleans that’s yet to hit the shops.  Johnny met a tragic end on this back in ’91 and I can remember where I was when I heard the news that almost broke my heart.

An autopsy confirmed evidence of advanced leukemia which might just have finished Thunders off anyway but to go the way he did was an absolute tragedy and at such a young age as well, he seemed to cram so much in such a short space of time.  Leaving behind a couple of Dolls records – One Heartbreakers classic – a couple of solo records and a covers album along with a plethora of bootlegs and demos and who could forget Gang War a much-underrated record he co-wrote with Wayne Kramer.

 

We can argue and debate all day and night about what period of his career was best; was it the Dolls and their trailblazing crossdressing rock ‘n’ roll or was it the Noo Yawk swagger of the Heartbreakers who didn’t give two flying fucks and lived every day like it was their last leaving behind one of the finest albums ever put to tape in ‘L.A.M.F’.  I loved Gang War and I loved his acoustic balladeering of ‘Hurt Me’ as much as I loved his rock and roll excess of ‘So Alone’ with its cast of Rock and roll legends from Marriott to Lynott to his comrade in Rock n Roll Gerry. What about  ‘Que Sera Sera’ (it just had a fine RSD make over). Some of those covers on ‘Copy Cats’ were superb interpretations of what made Johnny tick at the time and a bunch of tunes that were coursing through his veins.  I only wish the Oddballs had gotten to record their album with his as those demos they were working on could have eclipsed everything that went before it but sadly we’ll never ever know.  I miss going to his shows which when he played the Marquee were more like events than shows wondering which Johnny would turn up but he never let me down and was always memorable and backed by some amazingly talented people that he always surrounded himself with no matter what the situation he found himself in.

Thunders should have been a huge huge superstar but circumstances and choices probably meant this would and could never happen but he will always be my favourite and if I’m happy or sad feeling up or down Johnny Thunders always had a tune for me from that incredible back catalogue.  Johnny rest in Peace and today raise a glass to his brilliance and if you ever picked up a yellow Jr and curled your top lip or flicked your head because you wanted to be as cool as Johnny Thunders well done and always keep his memory alive.