Ton Steine Scherben 1st LP and Das Schillernde Leben des Nikel Pallat von Ton Steine Scherben Book

Ton Steine Scherben - Warum geht es mir so dreckig? LP

Label: David Volksmund Produktion: Year: 199?; Format: Vinyl LP

A few weeks back I listened to the latest episode of "Und Dann Kam Punk" podcast from Berlin, a podcast dedicated to finding out what brought people to punk rock, young and old. In the case of Nikel Pallat, the interviewee is not directly someone connected to punk rock but nevertheless played an important role in the development of said genre, especially through the distribution of the music (more about that in the book review below). The podcast episode not only prompted me to actually order a copy of Nikel's biography, but to pull out also my copy of the band's first LP, originally released in 1971. Ton Steine Scherben formed 1970 in West-Berlin around their charismatic singer Rio Reiser and famously played along Jimi Hendrix at the Love & Peace Festival on the isle of Fehmarn, situated between Germany and Denmark. After the band has established itself as a powerful and popular live band on Berlin's live circuit by 1971 it was time to record the first LP. It is unbelievable how well this record has aged, lyrically as well as musically. Ton Steine Scherben are considered to be one of the earliest German-language rock bands, if not the earliest. And with Rock I don't mean some watered down soft-rock band, but an ass-kicking, angry and socially aware band cranking out tunes that meant a lot back then, and still do to this day. The band quickly gained a fanbase within West-Berlin's anarcho and squatter circles, no doubt due to their direct anti-capitalist approach as a band. Ton Steine Scherben released their records on their own David Volksmund Produktion label and thanks to Nikel Pallat managed to gain distribution channels throughout West Germany after the band was initially only known mostly in West-Berlin. I would go as far as comparing Ton Steine Scherben to MC5 or London's Third World War in the sense that they were proto-punk before the term was ever coined. They foreshadowed what was to come later in the decade and musically one can hear Ton Steine Scherben in early German punk bands such as The Pack or Big Balls & The Great White Idiot. Lyrically Ton Steine Scherben influenced countless Deutschpunk bands in the '80s and were also covered quite a few times, most famously by Slime from Hamburg. Even though the band sings in German and many of you out there will not understand the lyrics I highly encourage everyone to seek out this and the band's second LP. They are timeless classics and have shaped radical music in Germany in many ways. RIP Rio Reiser (1950-1996)

Nikel Pallat mit Christof Doerr - Das Schillernde Leben Des Nikel Pallat von Ton Steine Scherben

Publisher: Hannibal Verlag; Year: 2023; Format: Softcover book (German language)

I thought it came handy to combine the review of Ton Steine Scherben's first LP with this book, even though it is in German, hence it's not that easily accessible which is a shame as it's a truly great read. As mentioned above I learned about the life of Nikel Pallat and this book through a podcast and how glad I am I did as the book is not just highly entertaining and informative, but above all inspirational. Pallat first heard Ton Steine Scherben when attending the Fehmarn Festival in September of 1970. Interestingly enough for a young man infected with the Rock'N'Roll virus he had a serious background when it comes to his professional life as a Tax Office employee by trade. According to Nikel back in the '60s places like the Tax Office were a haven for Nazis who often ended up in higher positions, being rewarded for war crimes as if World War II never happened. After having experienced Ton Steine Scherben live and having moved to West-Berlin Nikel was determined to not only meet the band, but to get involved. Initially he had sly hopes to become a member as he had written some songs, but that wasn't to be until a later point. Since the guys in Ton Steine Scherben liked Nikel and learned about his background in finances, they figured why not put the man in charge of distributing the band's "Macht Kaputt" single. And this is exactly the point where Nikel's life changed once and for all as fairly quickly it became clear that Ton Steine Scherben had found themselves not just someone who's good with numbers but also capable of managing the band and gradually turning them into a household name for polito-rockers across West-Germany. Nikel is probably most famous for his TV outburst in 1971 wherein during a discussion about Independent Music he sets out to destroy the table with an axe in order to send a radical message (Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN1GEiO1vmI ). Said event marked just the beginning of Nikel's colorful and fascinating career in the independent music scene. After establishing himself as the manager and distributor of Ton Steine Scherben Nikel started Efa (Energie Fuer Alle) in 1983, Germany's first independent record distributor. As mentioned above Nikel did play a significant role in the evolution of punk rock in Germany by bringing labels such as Crass Records or Alternative Tentacle under the umbrella of Efa. Everything comes to an end they say, and so did Efa, but not Nikel's hunger to continue where he left off. Indigo Musikproduktion und Vertriebs GmBH, which exists to this day, is Nikel's home away from home, a record distribution and music production company having succeeded to exist in the age of Spotify, a company Nikel despises by the way. The book is divided into short chapters in which some reflect about Nikel through the voice of a third person. It becomes clear that Nikel is not just a well liked person but someone many look up to as to how to lead a fulfilling life. At 77 years of age Nikel still works full time for/at Indigo and I imagine that will never change. I hope this book gets translated into English at least in order to give Nikel's story more exposure. 

Photos borrowed from the book. The one with the various people in it depicts a scene from the apartment Nikel lived at in West-Berlin with Ton Steine Scherben. 

Wayne Kramer - The Hard Stuff (Dope, Crime, the MC5 & My Life Of Impossibilities)

Publisher: Da Capo Press; Year: 2018; Format: Hardcover Book

I had bought this book back in 2018 when it had come out and as per the price sticker on the back I only had to shell out fourteen bucks at Strand Book Store in NYC, a steal for a truly fantastic book. I remember reading it the same year or the year after so my memory as to the details contained in the book is shoddy to say the least. Hence this week I made it a little project to revisit certain chapters and by doing so I quickly realized why I liked the book so much in the first place. Just like the subtitle of Wayne's memoir suggests this book will take you on a wild ride around the U.S of A. starting off in Detroit where Wayne's story originates, and where of course the MC5 formed. From early childhood on Wayne is obsessed with Rock'N'Roll and after having discovered Chuck Berry he knows that one day he will be the badass on stage churning out mean riffs to hard and soulful music. Something I always enjoy about memoirs, and this book is certainly no exception to that, are the early chapters where readers are drawn into a world of the past, a world that is largely forgotten now. Detroit has a rich history when it comes to popular music as well as a history of a former economic powerhouse where many people could live comfortably on one family member's salary thanks to a good union job in the auto industry. It is hard to believe how bustling this city once was before the economic downturn has turned it into a crime ridden ghost town ultimately being forced into bankruptcy a few years back. Capitalism simply doesn't give a shit about people and Detroit amongst other cities in the rustbelt has been rebuilding for decades to gain back a little bit of its glorious past. Wayne's life in a way resembles Detroit in the sense that when it's good it's really good and when it's bad, it's really bad. I don't have to go into details when it comes to the MC5 as they are rightfully regarded as one of the most important Rock'N'Roll acts ever having walked this earth. The fact that they had a pretty significant impact on the '70s punk rock explosion definitely bypassed Wayne up to the point when he meets Johnny Thunders with whom he played in Gang War for some time. After the MC5 fell apart, so did Wayne's life and drug addiction and a career in petty crime and as a cocaine supplier eventually led him to serve a lengthy stint in Federal Prison where he befriends Red Rodney, a colorful jazz character. After life in prison Wayne's life is a steady up and down and takes him from Detroit to the Lower East Side of NYC, Key West in Florida, Nashville Tennessee and Los Angeles where he meets Brett Gurewitz of Epitaph Records who enables Wayne to have another go at a career as a recording artist. Anybody who has been following Wayne in recent years will know that at seventy five he is still very much active on stage, as a matter of fact I just saw this morning that last night he performed with Pere Ubu in New York City. Thanks to a collaboration between Billy Bragg, Wayne and his wife Margaret since 2009 Jail Guitar Doors has been a successful independent initiative to provide musical instruments to inmates locked up in prisons across the United Kingdom and the United States which just proves that Wayne has learned his lessons and wants to give back as much as he can. I understand that amongst die-hard MC5 fans Wayne is a divided figure as he for instance blocked the release of the MC5 documentary which is a true shame in case you are lucky to have been able to see it on a burned copy like myself. But, this book is not about who is to blame and for what but about redemption and a life lived on the edges of society while recording some fantastic tunes throughout the decades. If you haven't read this book yet then you should kick out the jams and get to it fast! 

Spread from the book with photos of Wayne with Mick Jones of the Clash, Johnny Thunders etc.

Update 2-3-24: Unfortunately brother Wayne Kramer passed away yesterday, February 2, 2024. Rest in Peace, Wayne. 

Human Expression - Love At A Psychedelic Velocity

Label: Mississippi Records & Moi J'Connais Records; Year: 2017; Format: Vinyl LP

The beauty of discovering old music is that there really is no end to it, especially if you open yourself to different genres. As you might have noticed I am open to different genres so depending on my mood I am in I like to specifically buy something suitable. A couple of weeks ago I stopped at the record shop of my choice here in Buffalo and told the proprietor that I was in the mood to buy something that's definitely not punk/hardcore. The nice gentleman pressed the Human Expression LP into my hands and told me that he thinks I'd like it and if not to bring it back. I not just like it, I love it. Human Expression were from Orange County in Southern California and were active for just a brief time period between 1966 and 1967. To be honest I didn't even have to look up their history and knew that they had to be from California as their songs have that very distinct feel to them. Being minors at the time I read that they had a hard time getting gigs, especially on the Sunset Strip. After cutting an acetate with 'Readin' Your Will' the band went on to release three singles on Hollywood-based Accent Records, all of them very sought after and obviously very expensive. Interestingly on their third and last single then unknown Mars Bonfire of the Sparrows and later Steppenwolf offered two songs to Human Expression; the one they took being the excellent 'Sweet child of nothingness' and a certain song they rejected called "Born to be wild". You make your own conclusion as for that one, but I suppose it wasn't meant to be for Human Expression. Still, it's obvious that whether it was back then or over the decades their music has remained popular, and with good reason. Some of their songs have appeared on Comps. such as Pebbles or the famous Nuggets series amongst others and this LP collects to my understanding everything the band has recorded including some songs that have previously not been released, and let me tell you that you're in for a very special treat. All fourteen songs are just mind-blowing in their own way, whether it be the tough garage rock tracks, the slower and moodier psychedelic rock songs, or just simply beautiful singer/songwriter ballads. All I can say is that it is a perfect psychedelic garage rock record you don't want to miss out on, end of. 

 

Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels - Wheels of Steel 10"

Label: PRT Records; Year: 1983; Format: 10" Vinyl

Today I've had a long and busy day at work so when I got home I just wanted to have a bite to eat and kick back for a little while. I promised myself that I would do another entry for the blog tonight but when it came to it I wasn't particularly in a punk rock mood so I opted for something lighter and more soulful so to speak. Mitch Ryder (nee William Lewis Jr.) is a Detroit Rock'N'Roll legend who recently turned seventy eight years young. From 1964 to 1967 Mitch Ryder used the Detroit Wheels as his back-up band releasing a number of Top 20 hits. This little 10" that came out in 1983 on PRT (Precision Records and Tapes, formerly known as Pye Records) in the UK collects some of the bands greatest hits such as "Jenny Take A Ride", "Sock it to Me Baby" or "Little Latin Lupe Lu" to name a few. It's a great little compilation when it comes to the music, but not so much when it comes to the packaging as there is absolutely no info about the recordings to be found. I suppose the people behind Precision weren't so precise and forthcoming about that and expected the music hungry consumers to make a trip to the library to find out about Mitch Ryder but in all fairness not much has changed to this day except that we have the intranet and can find everything with a few clicks. Well, goal achieved for tonight. I had a good twenty minutes of shaking my arthritis ridden knees to the soulful rock'n'roll smashers coming out of Motor City and that put a smile on my face. Keep on wheeling! 

Chocolate Watch Band - No Way Out LP

Label: Unknown (Counterfeit); Year: 20??; Format: Vinyl LP

Music is a wonderful thing, and records such as "No Way Out" by California band Chocolate Watch Band are proof of that. Many years ago my interest in music started to change direction and I no longer wanted to just be listening to anything punk rock related but discover music and the many genres that pre-dated the punk rock explosion, because let's face it without those records said explosion might have looked totally different. The other day I walked into my local record stores and had a good chat with the proprietor. I was sat in the chair sipping on a much needed bottle of water after walking for about two miles to get my exercise in and nearly walked out of there without buying anything until I heard the magic sentence "I think I know a record you'll like". When I heard the name Chocolate Watch Band it did ring a bell as I have some Nuggets Compilation LPs in my collection so I must have heard them before, but it's not like I knew the record or much about the band at all. After hearing the opening track "Let's Talk About Girls" I said immediately I'd buy it. We ended up listening to the entire record in the store and today I decided to put it on again for this blog entry and to learn a bit more about the band and the history of this record. For all you record junkies out there the version I bought is a counterfeit but sounds actually incredibly good for a boot. Sundazed reissued this classic a few years back officially hence unless you are wealthy you'll have to grab a repress to get your kicks. Originally the record came out in 1967 on Tower and was supposedly mistakenly distributed through more blues oriented channels which didn't help the band nor the sales figures. Still, by the early '70s the album was out of print and since then has gradually gained interest amongst crazy folks like myself. It doesn't surprise me at all since the songs are a perfect mixture of psychedelic rock and garage rock ultimately leading to a strong influence for proto-punk acts down the road. Reading up about the making of the record I was intrigued to learn that the full band participated only on a handful of the songs with original singer Dave Aguilar being replaced with session singer Don Bennett. The members in Chocolate Watch Band were young kids, all under the age of twenty, and quite frankly weren't quite ready to record a full length, especially after being rushed to do so. No matter what though, the record itself is a masterpiece and one of those records that will take you on a journey where you don't need to take any mind-altering drugs. It's simply a killer record and my mission will be to get their 2nd LP as well. 

Back Cover of the LP where the band listed hundreds of names this LP is dedicated to, including Jackie Kennedy, All Playboy Bunnies, Jack The Ripper, Jack Kerouac, Ghandi and the list goes on...

V/A - Fizzy Soul Cocktail Vol. 2

Label: Cheeky Monkey Records (Unofficial); Year: ?; Format: Vinyl LP

Just like the Killed By Death volumes for rare worldwide punk rock many other musical genres have their own various compilation series when it comes to hard to find records. This particular LP must have been pressed in the UK as I got it dirt-cheap while I lived in London and the few copies that are available through Discogs seem all to be from sellers in the UK. Anyway, this is a great compilation of hard to find soul/funk hits which all seem to have originally been recorded in the '60s. The packaging is typical for a bootleg in the sense that it lacks any information about the artists but the sound quality is good so I won't complain too much. In all fairness it truly is a great record as all twelve songs are above good with some being plain superb. Without wanting to go into all the songs I am going to give you a few teasers so maybe you would want to seek them out on YouTube or such. 'I'm in love with your Daughter' by '60s rhythm'n'blues band The Enchantments from Los Angeles is a beautiful track originally released on Faro Records as a single back in 1965. West Virginia born Turley Richards gets you dancing and grooving with the upbeat smasher 'I feel all right' originally released on Columbia in 1966 while Johnny Robinson's 'Funky Feet' from 1970 is exactly what the song title suggests. Maybe the best song on this compilation is 'Two sided thing' by Johnny Mae Mathews also known as the Godmother of Detroit soul. Miss Mathews founded the Northern Recording Company back in 1958 and many more record labels thereafter. Her song on this platter originally came out in 1968 on Big Hit Records. I will see if I can find the first volume of this compilation at some point as I imagine it'd be equally strong. If you are looking to dance your night away don't hesitate to grab a copy of this one. Have some Boogaloo!

The Sevens - S/T LP

Label: Feathered Apple Records; Year: 2005; Format: Vinyl LP

Sixties garage rock has started to grow on me a number of years back when I developed a strong interest in pre punk bands and the various styles of music dating back to the '50s and '60s in particular. The Sevens hailed from the wonderful border town of Basel in Switzerland, ideally located next to Germany, and France. I am not surprised that the original of this LP is on many wants lists, and can fetch several hundred dollars. Fact is that this LP is a superb collection of songs which were for the most part written by the Sevens bar three great cover versions thrown in. Thank god music fanatics started to take things into their own matters, and invested their hard earned money into reissues of records they wanted the world to hear as presented here by Switzerland's own Feathered Apple. Originally released in 1966 on the Layola Records this 2005 reissue comes with a huge and incredible two sided poster with the history of the band, and some fabulous shots from way beck when. Not only is the packaging outstanding but it is the music itself that will get you off of your lazy ass, and dancing in your living room. Each one of the original nine songs is a hit on its own, whether it be a faster garage rock smasher, or a slower and more poppy song, they are all recorded to the highest quality and will have you want to play this record over and over. Sixties garage punk aficionados consider this LP as one of the best of said genre, and I can see why. Highly recommended!

Terri Hooley & Richard Sullivan:  Music - Mayhem - Good Vibrations

Publisher: Blackstaff Press; Year: 2010; Format: Book

I would assume that anybody reading this review with an interest in DIY labels and the history behind them will be familiar with Good Vibrations, and the man behind the label and the various stores associated with it, Terri Hooley. Richard Sullivan, who has been an avid follower of Terri's fortunes since he was a teenager visiting Good Vibrations store in Belfast is the co-author of this book, and with having said this, it seemed like the right choice was made in regard to Terri's co-laborator for this book, which is a fantastic account of Terri's life with all its highs and lows, and there has been many of them. Of course I personally loved Terri's memories of discovering the Undertones, Rudi and countless other great punk rock/powerpop acts of the Northern Ireland scene, but I especially enjoyed the beginning of the book and the stories of Terri as a young kid and teenager, growing up in Belfast, being a hippy, and standing up for what he believed in, something he has done throughout his entire life. Needless to say that he hasn't just made friends, and this book also talks about arson, the paramilitaries and their actions against Terri, the many different locations his shop was forced to take as a result of that, and so on. This is a great read, from cover to cover!

V/A - Teenage Shutdown "She's A Pest" CD

Label: Teenage Shutdown!; Year: 2000; Format: CD

If you were like me a few years ago, and just started to really get into '60s garage punk, then the Teenage Shutdown series is definitely a good choice to start you off with, or at least one of the better ones. The songs on this particular installment are about girls, as the title "She's a pest" wisely suggests. Granted, the lyricists haven't had the best experiences with the fairer sex at that point, and I sure hope that in all those past decades since those songs were written things have drastically improved. The 18 songs are all revved-up garage punk hits, and there isn't a single song on here I don't like, but of course some tracks stand out, such as "Your Man is gonna leave you " by the Wind from California, or "I've gotta way with Girls" by the Lavender Hour, whom hailed from Texas. I promise you that I will review more Teenage Shutdown comps in the future, and even though I have this particular volume on CD, it is of course available on fine vinyl as well. All you need to do now is get a copy for yourself!

V/A - Pebbles Volume 1 LP

Label: BFD Records Year: 1979 Format: Vinyl LP This is the first post for this blog so please do not expect anything mind blowing. Speaking of mind blowing though the record I am going to briefly review for this post is nothing else than mind blowing. I bought this one not too long ago at a shop in Basel, Switzerland and it was worth every penny I spent on it. The Pebbles series concentrated in stark contrast to the better known Nuggets album on regional acts from the 1960's. 16 Original '60s Punk Rock Classics describes this record as accurately as possible and comes nothing short of the expectations the listener should have. Fact is that the Nuggets hardly scratched the surface of 60's Punk Rock and this LP is a great example of it. So should you like myself be someone that is still discovering lost hits from the vast archives of the 1960's than do yourself a favour by tracking down a copy of this album. And trust me my dear reader, all 16 songs on this album are absolute belter songs by bands such as the Litter, The Haunted, The Elastik Band, The Soup Greens and so on.... Highly recommended!