(Image via NYCDreamin Archives)
Now in our 5th year of doing...whatever it is that we're attempting to do here!
Saturday, December 31, 2011
One From The Archives: 12/31/80 The Suburbs/ Curtiss A/ The Wallets @ St. Paul Civic Center Theatre, St. Paul, MN
(Image via NYCDreamin Archives)
One From The Archives: 12/31/85 Metallica/ Exodus/ Metal Church/ Megadeth @ Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, CA
(Image via NYCDreamin Archives)
One From The Archives: 12/31/09 Kansas/ Night Ranger @ Treasure Island Casine, Welch, MN
(Image via NYCDreamin Archives)
Tonight! 12/31/11 REO Speedwagon @ Treasure Island Casino, Welch, MN
(Image via NYCDreamin Archives)
Friday, December 30, 2011
Tonight! 12/30/11 Gear Daddies/ Rocket Club @ Medina Entertainment Center, Medina, MN
(Image via NYCDreamin Archives)
One From The Archives: 12/30/10 Gear Daddies @ Fine Line Music Cafe, Minneapolis, MN
(Image via NYCDreamin Archives)
Thursday, December 29, 2011
One From The Archives: 12/29/02 Halford/ Testament/ Vio-lence @ House of Blues, Las Vegas, NV
(Image via NYCDreamin Archives)
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
New York City Images As Album/CD Cover Art #50: David Peel and the Lower East Side "The American Revolution" (1970)
Front cover
Back cover: (Left to right) Billie Joe White, David Peel and Harold C. Black - occupying Wall Street some 40 years before the OWS movement.
Artist: David Peel and the Lower East Side
Title: The American Revolution
Released: 1970
Cover Concept & Design: Robert Heimall
Photogrpahy: Joel Brodsky
04/30/70 Rolling Stone Magazine
"Picture this: the group down the street is rehearsing in a garage. They have a guitar, a beginner drum, and a tambourine. They do not have a sound system for voice, so the "singer" screams as loud as he can to get over the blasting guitar, which is turned up all the way on its huge amp (which mom bought for Christmas). Now, put it in stereo, have Peter Siegal produce it, and put it on Elektra. You have "The American Revolution" by David Peel and the East Side. The gist of the album is as follows: side one/doing what you like is good pot is very very good it should be legalized the pigs are bad and stupid and everyone should get high because it is good; side two/violence is bad girls are made to love and draft board is bad and nasty god is good and as this thing says "Why is there war, God?" If you ever have the chance, instead of folding the album cover out, try folding it in. Then fold it over again and again until it is about one inch square and a foot high. Leave the record in the jacket while you are folding."
Monday, December 26, 2011
A New York Minute: July 1939 New York World's Fair Tickets
Found this well preserved pair of 1939 New York World's Fair ticket stubs at an antiques shop while out and about Christmas shopping a few weeks ago and I just couldn't pass 'em up. Looks like they were liberated from a scarpbook or photo album, judging from the little black spots of paper on the corners. Additionally, someone, not me, wrote the date in pencil on each ticket. One could reasonably assume it was the actual original ticket holder, writing the date on each for future reference when he, or she, stuck it in the photo album or scrapbook or wherever they would would reside for how ever long they resided there. Whatever the case, you have to agree, they are very nice...
Modin's Rockin' Recollections #13: 09/29 & 30/90 98Rock Livestock I Festival @ Zephyr Hills, FL
Welcome to another all-new edition of Modin's Rockin's Recollections, this one being our final installment for 2011. This time we venture back to September 1990 to try to recall some of the events at the inaugeral "98 Rock Livestock Festival," the first of what would become a yearly tradition of multiple-day concert showcases held in Zephyr Hills, FL, sponsored by hard rockin' 98Rock-FM. So let's get to it...
09/29 & 30/90
98Rock Livestock I
@ Zephyr Hills, FL
/w/ Every Mother's Nightmare/ King's X/ Savatage/ Trixter/ Bobby Friss/ Uncle Sally/ Delores Telescope/ Stranger/ Cry Wolf/ Rocky V Buchanen & the Beat Heathens/ Sabre/ Bleeding Hearts/ Spread Eagle
Ticket? Check.
Am I reading that right?! $5.98 for a 2-day general-admission ticet? Not a bad deal at all!
And now, the man who was there and lived to tell the tale...give it up for Modin!
All that for just $5.98...hard to belive it, but there you have it...from the man who lived it. And here, straight from Modin's private collection, are a few additional very cool momentos from the show...Savatage guitar picks! (Don't tell Modin, but these were almost accidentally "lost" while being scanned. I'm sure had they gone missing, they later, much later, would have turned up "mysteriously" in the NYCDreamin' Archives. I'm so glad that didn't happen. It really would have been a shame.) Now, uh, what was I saying...oh, yeah! Savatage! Guitar picks...cool! Check 'em out!
Savatage - Jon Oliva pick (front/Reverse)
Savatage - Chris Caffery pick (Front/Reverse)
And with those two ultra-cool Metal-God momentos, we close out 2011 here at Modin's Rockin' Recollections. As always, we hope you'll check back again next Monday for another trip back into rock concert history. Until then, we offer you wishes of etreme bliss filled happiness for the final days of 2011 and all the best for a rockin' 2012.
One From The Archives: 12/26/08 Gear Daddies @ Fine Line Music Cafe, Minneapolis, MN
(Image via NYCDreamin Archives)
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Merry Christmas 2011 From This Aint The Summer Of Love
The Gorgeous One and I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas 2011. If you find yourself heading off across the river and through the woods to Grandma's crib to get your Holiday groove on, please travel safely.
And now, to set the mood, please enjoy this lovely old Christmas favorite of ours...
Thursday, December 22, 2011
If I Were To Start A "The Minneapolis Nobody Sings" Blog, Which I'm Not, I Guess I'd Start With This One
Not too many "Minneapolis" songs out there, but here's a new-ish one from Mark Mallman:
*Thanks to Kii Arens for bringing this song to my attention.
*Thanks to Kii Arens for bringing this song to my attention.
R.I.P. John Chamberlain (Artist/Sculptor)
John Chamberlain and Andrew Wylie, Max's Kansas City, ca. 1970(Photo: Anton Perich via Steven Kasher Gallery)
From the New York Times:
"John Chamberlain, who almost singlehandedly gave automotive metal a place in the history of sculpture, smashing and twisting together a poetic fusion of Abstract Expressionism and Pop from fenders, fins, bumpers and hoods, died on Wednesday in Manhattan. He was 84."
Continue reading:
"John Chamberlain Who Wrested Rough Magic From Scrap Metal, Dies at 84"
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
New York City Images As Album/CD Cover Art #49: Scandinavian Accordion Club Of NY "Brooklyn Memories" (1998)
(Image via NYCDreamin Archives)
*Found this CD in the $1.00 bin at Half Price Books a few weeks ago...
Artist: Scandinavian Accordion Club of New York
Title: Brooklyn Memories
Released: 1998
Cover Photo: Frank Csulak
Monday, December 19, 2011
Hymies Vintage Records of Minneapolis Receives Props In Recent Chicago Sun Times Article
Thanks to our always alert friend MJG196 over at There Is A Site That Never Goes Out for sending along a link to this praise-filled article by Dave Hoekstra, published in this weekend's Chicago Sun Times, about the long running and much beloved "Hymies Vintage Records," located on East Lake Street here in Minneapolis. Here's the introduction...
"MINNEAPOLIS — A great record store can provide a memorable soundtrack to any road trip.
When I travel, I try to find an independent record store to buy local music. I ask the staff what’s going on in their city. It’s the same deal used in meeting folks at a farmer’s market. But I’ve often found people to be more friendly at a farmer’s market than at a record store. My experience has been the more used vinyl, the more scratchy the store owner.
Hymie’s Vintage Records on East Lake Street near the Minneapolis-St. Paul border is not that kind of place."
Continue reading:
"Independent Record Store Is As Old School As It Gets"
Modin's Rockin' Recollections #12: 07/02/91 Queensryche/ Suicidal Tendencies @ Bayfront Arena, St. Petersburg, FL
Welcome to this, the Christmas week edition of Modin's Rockin' Recollections. As always, we hope you are having a pleasant Monday morning. Additionally, we'd like to take a just a moment this time around to wish to all you TATSOL readers out there, from all of us here at Modin's Rockin' Recollections, a very Merry Christmas. We'd like to thank each and every one of you for taking the time to read and/or watch during the previous three months and we look forward to bringing you many more tales of rock and roll craziness as we careen onward towards the oblivion that is rumored to await us all in 2012.
Now that that's out of the way, let's get on with it, shall we? This week, Modin takes you back to July of 1991. Queensryche were out on the road that spring and summer in support of their recently released and highly successful "Empire" CD, along with what seemed an unlikely special guest, skate-punk/groove-metal crossover legends Suicidal Tendencies. It was actually a great pairing though. This was also the first time Queensryche had attempted to perform the entirety of their amazing concept piece "Operation Mindcrime" live in concert. I was also fortunate enough to catch this tour when it passed through Duluth, MN about two months proir to the St. Petersburg, FL show that Modin is about to discuss here. Modin and I were not really in touch at the time this tour took place back in 1991, but when we re-connected a few years ago, we both had pretty much the same feelings about this Queensryche show when we eventually got around to discussing the fact that we'd both seen the tour...we both agreed it was possibly one of the best concert tours ever, both musically and visually, by any hard rock band ever, period.
All right, enough of my rambling...here's our ticket:
You ready, T.M.? We're ready. Take us there my friend...
Yeah..."Operation Mindcrime" live? Two words. Fucking Amazing. I'd say I have to agree with Modin on just about everything he said here, except for one thing: they played it BETTER than the album version! Don't believe me? Check out this clip from the Madison, WI stop on the tour, filmed just a few nights after I saw them in Duluth, MN:
It was exactly like that! After seeing more than 250 rock shows during the past 25 years, including many featuring some of the biggest stage and light shows in music history, this Queensryche tour still ranks right up there near the top of my list as one of the very best shows I've ever seen.
We hope to see you back here again next Monday for our final Modin's Rockin' Recollection for 2011...and god only knows what sort of depraved scenario will play out here then!
Once again, we'd like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas...if you are travelling, please be safe.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Rosebud Social - "New York Days" (2012)
*This is my latest post from over at The New York Nobody Sings. If you don't know, that's where you can check out all the greatest songs (and some of the very worst as well, lets face it, some of the posted by yours truely) about New York City. We're up to 188 New York songs over there and climbing fast! Anyway, I wanted to share this one here at TASTSOL as well (full disclosure here) as a way to introduce a band that features an old friend of mine on drums...read on:
I'm very happy to share something with you this week that you've never heard before. A few days ago an old friend of mine from back in high school - a guy who I'd lost contact with over the years but through the miracle of Facebook, as so often happens these days, have been back in touch with recently - a musician kind of guy, drummer, posted this song on his Facebook page. It's an original song, performed by his long running band Rosebud Social, titled "New York Days." Well, you know right away what I was thinking: "Hmmm, seems perfect for this blog I know about..." So I shot dude a message asking him to tell me a bit about the song and video and to give me a bit of "introductory" who/what/where infomation about the band Rosebud Social and the song "New York Days." In response, I instead heard back from guitarist/vocalist/spokesman, Tom Keteri.
"Rosebud Social has been actively playing since 1992 and the core members (Pat Olds, drums, and Tom Keteri, vocals and guitar) have travelled many miles together, and the band has outlived most of their influences. Joel Moede (bass player of 20 years, stood down in 2010 to have a family) and was replaced by Brian Kislia of "The Swing Dogs," a Minneapolis blues rock band. Brian brings organizationl skills to the band and having been the singer in his band he also opens the door to more vocal range on the back ups. he was the guitar player and songwriter in "The Swing Dogs" so the writing has also been enhanced and we are not such a one trick pony.
Our influences range from old Country to Metal and everywhere in-between, we all have our "favorites" as a band and definately have a "continuity", but we are a mix of Soul Asylum, The Replacments, and most of the "other usual suspects" from the Midwest."
As for the song itself?
"The song was written from the standpoint of never experiencing New York in the "physical sense," it was a dreamt up interpretation of someone from the Midwest moving there and isolating one person (in this case a girl) that you see every day on her schedule among the thousands of people on the street and sort of occupying your day with what you would say and do, had you had the chance to meet her.
The song was written several years ago, in ten or fifteen minutes, before attending a Jayhawks concert on the North Shore of Lake Superior in the dead of winter The isolation of Minnesota's North Shore and the isolation of being amongst so many people in New York (although completly different in fabric) is what we shot for when writing the song. The two situations are so different, but also alike.
The song was written shortly before Ryan Adams released the album "Gold" in 2001, which contains the song "New York, " so there was never a big push on our part to market this song back then because of the similarity of the content. The original song, (that is heard in the video) is the version we will be finally releasing on our new C.D. We always felt it was too good to be a b-side piece, and now with the tradgedy of the events of 9/11 at a respectable distance in the past and no "New York" songs out there at the moment, we feel it is time to finally release it.
The video was produced by Justin Olds and was a pretty accurate interpretation of what we wanted for the song.we are looking forward to working with Justin again in the future as he really captured the feeling of the song."
The new CD Tom mentioned is due out sometime in the first half of 2012. The guys are in the studio today actually, working on this and other original material. I'll have more information on how you can get a copy of the CD as it becomes available at ThisAintTheSummerOfLove. So here you go...your first listen to "New York Days." The band, again, is called Rosebud Social.
I'm very happy to share something with you this week that you've never heard before. A few days ago an old friend of mine from back in high school - a guy who I'd lost contact with over the years but through the miracle of Facebook, as so often happens these days, have been back in touch with recently - a musician kind of guy, drummer, posted this song on his Facebook page. It's an original song, performed by his long running band Rosebud Social, titled "New York Days." Well, you know right away what I was thinking: "Hmmm, seems perfect for this blog I know about..." So I shot dude a message asking him to tell me a bit about the song and video and to give me a bit of "introductory" who/what/where infomation about the band Rosebud Social and the song "New York Days." In response, I instead heard back from guitarist/vocalist/spokesman, Tom Keteri.
"Rosebud Social has been actively playing since 1992 and the core members (Pat Olds, drums, and Tom Keteri, vocals and guitar) have travelled many miles together, and the band has outlived most of their influences. Joel Moede (bass player of 20 years, stood down in 2010 to have a family) and was replaced by Brian Kislia of "The Swing Dogs," a Minneapolis blues rock band. Brian brings organizationl skills to the band and having been the singer in his band he also opens the door to more vocal range on the back ups. he was the guitar player and songwriter in "The Swing Dogs" so the writing has also been enhanced and we are not such a one trick pony.
Our influences range from old Country to Metal and everywhere in-between, we all have our "favorites" as a band and definately have a "continuity", but we are a mix of Soul Asylum, The Replacments, and most of the "other usual suspects" from the Midwest."
As for the song itself?
"The song was written from the standpoint of never experiencing New York in the "physical sense," it was a dreamt up interpretation of someone from the Midwest moving there and isolating one person (in this case a girl) that you see every day on her schedule among the thousands of people on the street and sort of occupying your day with what you would say and do, had you had the chance to meet her.
The song was written several years ago, in ten or fifteen minutes, before attending a Jayhawks concert on the North Shore of Lake Superior in the dead of winter The isolation of Minnesota's North Shore and the isolation of being amongst so many people in New York (although completly different in fabric) is what we shot for when writing the song. The two situations are so different, but also alike.
The song was written shortly before Ryan Adams released the album "Gold" in 2001, which contains the song "New York, " so there was never a big push on our part to market this song back then because of the similarity of the content. The original song, (that is heard in the video) is the version we will be finally releasing on our new C.D. We always felt it was too good to be a b-side piece, and now with the tradgedy of the events of 9/11 at a respectable distance in the past and no "New York" songs out there at the moment, we feel it is time to finally release it.
The video was produced by Justin Olds and was a pretty accurate interpretation of what we wanted for the song.we are looking forward to working with Justin again in the future as he really captured the feeling of the song."
The new CD Tom mentioned is due out sometime in the first half of 2012. The guys are in the studio today actually, working on this and other original material. I'll have more information on how you can get a copy of the CD as it becomes available at ThisAintTheSummerOfLove. So here you go...your first listen to "New York Days." The band, again, is called Rosebud Social.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
New York City Images As Album/CD Cover Art #48: To Stand Atop The Ruins (Proposed Demo CD - 2011)
Artist: To Stand Atop The Ruins
Title: To Stand Atop The Ruins (Proposed Demo CD - 2011/2012)
Artwork by: Taylor Sturgeon
*A few weeks ago, I spotted a "help wanted" ad on Craigslist, placed by a pair of Anoka, Minnesota based guitarists who are in the process of forming a hardcore band they are going to call To Stand Atop The Ruins. They were looking for a bassist...or a vocalist. Maybe it was a drummer. I forget which. Anyway, their ad also featured the catastrophic NYC image seen here, which is described on their Facebook page as a potential choice for the cover art of an upcoming demo CD. Call me naive, but I'm still trying to figure out how you already have the cover art put together for the CD...which has yet to be recorded...when you don't even have a drummer or bassist?!? Seems like they're getting a bit ahead of themselves here.
But, whatever. Even though this one hasn't actually been released yet, I thought I'd take a gamble on these guys and include it in our collection of NYC Album/CD artwork...just for the hell of it. I guess only time will tell if it was a wise inclusion or not. Who knows? Maybe by this time next year To Stand Atop The Ruins will be setting stages across the world on fire with their music. It could happen. Best of luck to you guys!
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
The Vinyl District (TVD) Debuts Free GPS-Based Record Store Locator App
Our friend, fellow obsessive music lover and Stupefaction blogger Karate Boogaloo (aka Tim Broun) is usually up to something pretty interesting. Recently he has been busy working on yet another new project, this one in conjunction with website The Vinyl District (where you can read even more of Tim's music musings) and the software application developer Shoutem. Yesterday, Tim dropped the following announcement which should be of immediate interest to all you travelling, vinyl loving smartphone users:
"I’m very proud & happy to report that, after some time, a new app I’ve been working on in conjunction with developer Shoutem, and music blog The Vinyl District, is finally available for iPhone & Android users!
The great thing about this simple app is that it has a record store finder in it based on location. So it should be useful for vinyl lovers out there who find themselves in strange towns looking for a fix. It currently has about 1200 US stores listed, and we’ll be adding more as they come up. We may also eventually add UK stores at some point."
Now available for both iPhone and Android platforms.
And best of all? It's FREE!
Sounds pretty cool! Kinda makes me wish I had a smartphone. Or a reason to travel someplace.
Click on over to Stupefaction and/or The Vinyl District for additional information on the TVD-GPS Record Store Locator App and for links to where you can download this handy new tool.
Monday, December 12, 2011
Self-Help Guides: Then -VS - Now
Self-help guide books have, apparently, changed radically over the years. Here is an example of a more recent self-help manual, this one from 2006, for bloggers:
...hmmm. Interesting. I might have to check that one out.
Over the years, we've all seen at least a title or two from the popular "...for dummies" series. You know, "Cooking for Dummies." "Car Repair for Dummies." "Paper Clip Collecting for Dummies." "Ass Washing for Dummies." You get the idea.
Now, just for kicks, how about we step back in time to, say, 1972. This is what may have constituted a popular self-help book back in those days, this one found advertised in the back pages of the August 1972 issue of Rolling Stone Magazine:
(Image via NYCDreamin Archives)
$5,000.00 a week? Where do I sign up?!?
It took a bit of searching, but I eventually found a single copy of "Dealer" available for sale at Biblio.com. I was all ready to order a copy and to begin earning my $5,000.00 a week, but as it turns out, "Dealer" is not a self-help/instruction manual for would-be coke peddlers after all. What you really have here is just another '70's dope book, offering, according to the cover, "authentic glimpses of a bizarre scene."
Disappointed!
Sorry to build you up...only to let you down. There are no easy answers here. You'll just have to figure out how to build a successful drug cartel from the ground up...on your own. I think you'll have more pride in your organization that way anyway. Good luck to you.
...hmmm. Interesting. I might have to check that one out.
Over the years, we've all seen at least a title or two from the popular "...for dummies" series. You know, "Cooking for Dummies." "Car Repair for Dummies." "Paper Clip Collecting for Dummies." "Ass Washing for Dummies." You get the idea.
Now, just for kicks, how about we step back in time to, say, 1972. This is what may have constituted a popular self-help book back in those days, this one found advertised in the back pages of the August 1972 issue of Rolling Stone Magazine:
(Image via NYCDreamin Archives)
$5,000.00 a week? Where do I sign up?!?
It took a bit of searching, but I eventually found a single copy of "Dealer" available for sale at Biblio.com. I was all ready to order a copy and to begin earning my $5,000.00 a week, but as it turns out, "Dealer" is not a self-help/instruction manual for would-be coke peddlers after all. What you really have here is just another '70's dope book, offering, according to the cover, "authentic glimpses of a bizarre scene."
Disappointed!
Sorry to build you up...only to let you down. There are no easy answers here. You'll just have to figure out how to build a successful drug cartel from the ground up...on your own. I think you'll have more pride in your organization that way anyway. Good luck to you.
Naughty Punks On Your Gift List? No Problem! Wow Them With A Limited Edition Joseph O. Holmes CBGB Print From 20X200.com!
From the TATSOL email inbox...just in time for Christmas!
20x200.com is an online art retailer, and we sell exclusive, limited-edition art by established and emerging artists. Joe Holmes' CBGB photograph series was shot in 2006, and we are now offering two additional prints from the series, for sale exclusively on our site: "CBGB (Pipes)" and "CBGB (Mixing Board and Bench)".
20x200.com is an online art retailer, and we sell exclusive, limited-edition art by established and emerging artists. Joe Holmes' CBGB photograph series was shot in 2006, and we are now offering two additional prints from the series, for sale exclusively on our site: "CBGB (Pipes)" and "CBGB (Mixing Board and Bench)".
(Images copyright by Joseph O. Holmes - Used with kind permission.) 
Lensman Joseph Holmes recently had the following to say regarding the time he spent photographing some of the final days of the iconic venue's existence...
"In September 2006, I spent ten days shooting the interior of legendary NYC rock club CBGB. Six weeks later the club closed its doors forever, and the fabled walls and stage were dismantled. A year after that, as former owner Hilly Kristal succumbed to cancer, a high-end clothing store negotiated to take over the space.
The club had been a favorite venue for countless rock and punk acts, but for those few days in 2006, my experience of the club was the exact opposite of most people's. I came to look forward to my visits as a time of peaceful solitude. I arrived each morning at 11:00 with my tripod and camera, greeted Hilly at his desk, and then passed into a silent and empty club. During the following three to five hours of shooting, I rarely saw another human. The club was so dark, even during the day, that I had to carry a flashlight. After framing each shot, I took five to seven bracketed exposures, with each exposure lasting as long as thirty seconds, and I ended up with more than 1800 individual frames.
And that's how I came to spend hour after hour sitting stock still in CBGB, alone in the dark among the empty beer bottles and broken guitar strings and abandoned drum sticks, waiting in the silence for the shutter to close."
Each of these spectacular images are available in 4 different size configurations ranging from 8"x10" up to 24"x30" - each size issued in limited editions:
Size 8"X10" - limited to 100 each.
Size 11"X14" - limited to 500 each.
Size 16"X20" - limited to 50 each.
Size 24"X30" - limited to 10 each.
You can also specify framed or unframed...your choice.
Two previous offerings from the series, "CBGB (Register)" and "CBGB ( Stage)" are still available in limited quantities as well.
Christmas is just around the corner. You know there's some punk on your naughty list that would love one of these. For full ordering details and to grab up your very own piece of stunning Bowery nostalgia before they sell out, please visit 20x200.com.
Modin's Rockin' Recollections #11: 08/24/91 Warrant/ Trixter/ Firehouse @ Expo Hall at Florida State Fairgrounds, Tampa, FL
Welcome to another wonderful Monday morning. What could be better, right? Right?!? Up early, back to work...ahhh...the good life. What's that? No? You're not really feeling it this morning? You need a few more minutes to get your shit together? Oh, all right, five more minutes can't hurt...I guess. But if you're late for work, don't say I didn't warn you.
OK, five more minutes...what to do, what to do?
How about losing yourself in memories of a warm Florida summer Saturday night from long ago, spent in the company of good friends and high-hair-sprayed hotties, ice-cold beers and loud rock and roll? Sounds pretty good to me. And you think the chicks in this memory have huge hair? Wait till you see who is on stage...
...and now, the only man who can take you there...Modin!
Thanks for joining us for another of Modin's Rockin' Recollections...as always, we'll have another one for you right here at this same time next week. Now quit screwing around and get your ass to work!
Sunday, December 11, 2011
An Early Christmas Gift For All You Max's Kansas City People
We've just finished updating our massive "Max's Kansas City: Dates and Details" archive with a slew of new content! If you enjoy reading old concert reviews, you are in luck, we have added a bunch of reviews (most ripped right from the pages of the New York Times!) of Max's shows spanning the years 1972 - 1981. Just a sampling of the artists shows that are reviewed: The Country Gentlemen, White Cloud, Elephant's Memory, Birtha, Loudon Wainright, Waylon Jennings, Charlie Rich, Fanny, Willie Nelson, Richie Havens, Martin Mull, Blondie, The Troggs, The Contortions...and many, many more! If you ever wondered what it was like to spend an evening at Max's Kansas City...now you can re-live nearly 50 additional of them! Almost. Here's a sample...
(New York Times - 01/24/77)
We've also added some additional information pertaining to the bankruptcy/temporary closure and eventual sale of Max's during the mid-1974-early 1975 period. For these updates and all the other Max's Kansas City craziness you can handle...the only link you'll ever need is this one right here...
Max's Kansas City: The Dates and The Details
Suggested Reading: "Punk Pioneers: When Punk Was Fun" by Jenny Lens (2008)
Punk Pioneers by Jenny LensMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Not long after this book was first released back in 2008, I spotted a copy on the shelf of a local books retailer. I picked up a copy, flipped it over, looked at the price on the back cover, US$29.95, flipped through it in an interested but half-hearted manner, put it back on the shelf and left the store, thinking the price a bit much. I've spotted it occasionally in other stores since then but they were always asking the same price. Then, a few weeks ago I spotted a copy at another favorite book haunt of mine, Half Price Books. And this time I was in luck: it was less than half price. The copy I found was in near mint condition. Asking price? Just US$6.95. I was nearly giddy as I waited in line to gladly pay such a reasonable price.
I have my own admitedly slightly vindictive personal reasons for wanting to savage this book in review (I'm human and I do sometimes anger easily when confronted with outright hostility, rudeness and ignorance - this is all I will say about why), but instead, after reading the stories presented within and savoring each frame unearthed from Ms. Lens' deep archive of late 70's/early 80's punk imagery at length, I find myself feeling I have to fully and rightfully give credit where it is due - the book is beautiful and amazing...and is well worth the US$29.95 cover price, should you run across a copy and wonder if it's worth it. It definately is. But I'm still happy I got my copy for much less and, additionally, due to the "second-hand" nature of the purchase, the author never received a dime from me.
What you have here is a wonderful visual document, page after page of snapshots of a moment in time when a bunch of hyper-creative (and probably just generally hyper) kids on the left coast formed their own scene, encompassing, as so many of those youth scenes will tend to, art, fashion, and most importantly, music. Also included are images of the occasionally visiting east coast and/or British punks who were, at the same time, creating their own legendary arts and music scenes back east and across the pond. The book also features the randomly inserted image of some non-punk, rock, hard rock or reggae superststar.
A sampling of some of the bands in this stunningly beautiful photography laden time piece include: The Runaways, The Screamers, The Germs, X, The Go-Gos, The Weirdos, Iggy Pop, Ramones, Patti Smith, Blondie, The Mumps, Sex Pistols, The Damned, The Jam, Queen, Rolling Stones, Kiss, Bob Dylan, Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Cheap Trick and Van Halen. There are more. Several of the photos have not been seen in print for, in some cases, decades, and many of them are seen here for the first time, having never been published previously.
Consider "Punk Pioneers: When Punk Was Fun" to be an essential addition to the Punk section of the music history shelf of your home library. It is a wonderful photographic history that resides well in any music library for years of enjoyment and future reference.
One From The Archives: 12/11/08 Suicidal Tendencies/ Madball/ Whole Wheat Bread @ Station 4, St. Paul, MN
(Image via NYCDreamin Archives)
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Friday, December 9, 2011
Tonight! 12/09/11 D.R.I./ Invasion Earth/ This Will Not End Well/ Virgin Whores/ Deretla @ Station 4, St. Paul, MN
(Image via NYCDreamin Archives)
One From The Archives: 12/09/06 Root For Earl Benefit Concert @ Station 4, St. Paul, MN
(Image via NYCDreamin Archives)
*Five years ago today: an outpouring of musical and monetary support from the Mpls./St. Paul metal community for one of our own. Sadly, as we reported in what was only our 2nd post ever on this blog, Earl lost his battle with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma on 05/23/08. His presence is greatly missed by many - not just here in the Twin Cities - but also by the numerous 'bangers around the globe who called him "friend."
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Celebrating The Season With A Joyous Noise
I guess its official...the Christmas season is upon us. To kick things off here, the Gorgeous One and I stepped out last evening to catch our Neice in her solo vocal debut at her school's annual Christmas pageant. She had some pretty tough competition as you will hear, but she did great and we are so proud of her!
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
New York City Images As Album/CD Cover Art #47: Ace Frehley "Take Me To The City" / Eläkeläiset "Dementikon Keppihumppa" (Split 7" Single)(1997)
(Image and information via KissFaq.com)
Artist: Ace Frehley / Eläkeläiset
Title: "Take Me To The City" b/w "Dementikon Keppihumppa"
Released: 07/01/97 (Germany)
*The first pressing of the single was pressed on red vinyl (picture sleeve / 500 copies). The second pressing was pressed blade-cut swirl colored vinyl (pictures sleeve /200 copies). The only single taken from the "Spacewalk: A Tribute to Ace Frehley" album.
*The B side of the split single, "Dementikon Keppihumppa", is in fact a cover version of Kiss' "I Was Made For Lovin' You" by Finnish humouristic band Eläkeläiset who are popular in Germany.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Modin's Rockin' Recollections #10: 03/13/85 Kiss/ Dokken @ Duluth Arena, Duluth, MN
Welcome to a special edition of Modin's Rockin' Recollections! Why is this one so special, you ask? Because. You never forget your first fuc....uh, I mean...uh...your first rock concert! Yeah! You never forget going to your first rock concert! Today we find our pal Modin pulling up a chair next to the old fireplace in his basement and reliving some of the sordid memories of his first time!
Going to a rock concert that is.
So what was Modin's first big rock show you ask? Well, here's a clue:
...the faded remnants of a ticket stub. Not much to go on there, I agree.
"SS? Hmmm....."
"Piss?"
No...
"Ass?"
Uh, no.
OH! Yeah! "KISS!"
Yeah, that's right, Columbo, Modin's first big rock show was a Kiss concert. The lucky bastard. It's a show I should have been at as well...it should have been MY first big rock show too. I was "THIS" close to going. But due to circumstances far beyond my 14 year-old control, this was not to be my first show...but that's another (sad) story for some other time.
Modin, on the other hand, did make it to the show...and he's only been rubbing it in my face for 26 years now. While I spent the evening at home facing up to my very angry parents for tyring to sneak off to the Kiss concert, here's what Modin witnessed and/or experienced...
03/13/85
Kiss/ Dokken
@ Duluth Arena
Duluth, MN
Attendance: 4,795 (figure via KissAliveForever)
I should have been there...I'm tellin' you...I should have been there!
Worst of all? Modin comes to school the following day, full of his tales of how great the show was. Kiss this...Kiss that. Blah blah fuckin' blah.
"Did you see my fancy new Kiss t-shirt?"
"How about this cool Paul Stanley guitar pick?!? Did I show you that yet? I did? Here, let me show you again!"
Yeah...the lucky M.F.'er even got a Paul Stanley guitar pick...I could hardly believe it!
Was I jealous? Oh...just a bit.
26 years later I'm still jealous! Damn it!
Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damin it!
And thus, on a bitter, jealousy filled rant by the blog author, we conclude today's episode. As always, be sure you check back again next Monday morning for yet another of Modin's exciting Rockin' Recollections!
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