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. 

Motorheadgirlschool - St Valentines' Day Massacre 10"

Label: Earmark; Year: 2003; Format: 33 RPM 10" EP

In hindsight it's clear to see that the collaboration between Motorhead and Girlschool was one of the best in Rock'N'Roll history, period. As a matter of fact the St Valentines' Day Massacre EP reached Number 5 in the UK Singles chart, the highest either band has ever been able to climb in the charts. Back in 1979 when Lemmy discovered Girlschool through their "Take it all away" single he fell in love with the band and thought rightfully so that Girlschool kicked just as much ass as any other band consisting of guys only. Lemmy went even further and invited Girlschool as a support act on their first big tour in support of the "Overkill" album. The friendship between the two bands resulted in the release of St Valentines' Day Massacre, released originally on Valentines' Day of 1981. The concept of the EP is very simple, Motorhead covers a Girlschool song, "Emergency", while Girlschool cover a Motorhead song, "Bomber", and last but not least together they cover the outstanding Johnny Kid & the Pirates classic "Please Don't Touch", which landed the band(s) as Headgirl a TV appearance on Top Of the Pops and definitely played a role in chart success. Personally I like the "Bomber" version with Kelly of Girlschool singing better than the original Motorhead version, and I think that says it all. This is truly one of those records that will never age and be a favorite for many of us for the rest of our lives. Say what you want about Lemmy, but back in the late '70s and early '80s he made sure that an all-female band was offered the same opportunities as every other band and Girlschool went on to have a fine career, deservedly so. It is sad to think that Lemmy, Philthy Animal, Eddie and Kelly are no longer with us, hence I raise a glass to them and this fine record. 

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. 

AK-47 - The Badge Means You Suck LP

Label: Splattered Records; Year: 2022; Format: Vinyl LP

AK-47 from Houston, Texas are one of those bands that many of us into obscure worldwide punk rock must have discovered through a Killed By Death compilation LP. I don't recall when I heard "The Badge Means You Suck" for the first time but it certainly has been a good while hence the band has fallen off my punk radar until a well written 2021 Texas Monthly article about the band's history and their fascinating connection to police brutality and killings from the past and present subsequently revived my interest in the band (Link to article at the end of this entry). It's only fitting that just a few days ago I visited my local record shop and found a copy of the already hard to find official reissue of the band's material collected on a Full-Length. While the two songs from the originally in 1980 released 7" are the ones many of us are after on vinyl I must say that the remaining eight songs are just as intriguing and good. The true gems on this record are the six songs that the band recorded in 1981 and put up on bandcamp in 2021 as "Singularities". These six songs previously unreleased on vinyl highlight the development of the band after the demise of their original singer and are in my opinion worth every penny spent on this LP. With the addition of Penny Smith on vocal duties it is widely believed that the band really found its style and peaked during that time. Songs like "Isaacs Social Disease" or "Brain on a Pillow" to name just two of the six take the band in all kinds of musical directions without ever losing their Art-Punk roots. Mix angular post-punk with some hard rock and new wave and you get an idea as to how those six songs sound like, and trust me you will not be disappointed. Two more songs recorded actually in recent times are to be found on this wonderful record, with one of them - Trumpelstilstkin - being proof that these Texans haven't lost their art of social commentary in the modern day and age. Get a copy of this record while you can! 

Link to the Article in Texas Monthly:

https://www.texasmonthly.com/arts-entertainment/houston-punk-bands-protest-anthem-still-resonates-forty-years-after-release/

The Rocky Horror Picture Show - Soundtrack LP

Label: Ode Records; Year: 1975; Format: Vinyl LP

Even though Halloween was yesterday it is still the season and when I was sitting down last night to write the review after having listened to the LP I was plain tired hence a twenty-four hour delay it is. I don't exactly remember how old I was when I saw The Rocky Horror Picture Show for the first time, but I was very young. Over the years I have seen the movie several times again and always loved it for its celebration of trash culture and B-Movies. It has been years since I saw it last hence it's time I catch it again some time soon. Since I am not a movie buff and definitely don't consider myself knowledgeable when it comes to the world of cinema I read up about the impact of the Rocky Horror Picture Show on the intranet and have come away with some interesting angles. First and foremost since this blog of mine concentrates so heavily on punk rock it is interesting to see how the costume designer Sue Blane has directly or indirectly influenced early punk rock fashion, especially when it comes to the torn fishnet stockings and colorfully-dyed hair. Let's also not forget that the movie spawned the musical career of Meatloaf as two years after the release of Rocky Horror Meatloaf released his most popular album ever, Bat Out of Hell. At the same time the movie launched careers of actors like Susan Sarandon or Tim Curry amongst others. But how about the music on this record and so crucially important to the movie itself? Everybody will have heard "The Time Warp" at some point in their lives, there is no doubt about it. It is definitely the hit song on the record and of the movie, but let's not fool ourselves to think that the rest of the music is not interesting. All the music was written by Richard O'Brien aka Riff Raff in the movie and I shall just conclude that his dialogues for the movie and the accompanying music make this movie and soundtrack so much fun that it should not come as a surprise that almost fifty years after its original release the movie is a cult classic and has a worldwide following. I'll put on "Time Warp" again now and raise a glass to everything outside the norm. Please do yourself a favor and watch the movie and let's do the time warp again!! 

Trashcan Darlings - Gore Gore Boys & Splatter Pussies 10"

Label: Eastside Records; Year: 2000; Format: 10" Vinyl EP

Since it is Halloween Season I thought it would be an ideal time to pull out this beauty of a 10" record by the Norwegian band Trashcan Darlings. Back in the late '90s/early '00s my friend Alain and I were organizing gigs in Zurich/Switzerland and somehow the people behind the Eastside Records label from Germany contacted us if we were interested to book these Oslo guys in Zurich, and so we did. At the end of March in 2001 (see flyer) we booked them at Hohlstrasse which at the time was a semi-squatted/semi-legally occupied house with a really cool basement where shows were happening once in a while. The basement was full of great metal work with sharp objects sticking out all over the place and a capacity of maybe one hundred people. To this day I remember the Trashcan Darling show very vividly as the Oslo bunch put on a fantastic show in front of a sweaty and crazy crowd and yes, they looked just like in the pictures with make-up and all glamed up. The 10" released on Eastside Records is nothing short of a classic glam punk record backed by a really decent production job. As quite often is the case with musicians from Northern European Countries they are excellent at their instruments, and that is definitely the case with the Trashcan Darlings. Five outstanding originals and one funtastic live cover version of Funtime are to be found on this red splatter ten inch and no song is to disappoint you. Whether you like your glamed up punk'n'roll slower such as in "She's A Fuck around" or the incredibly catchy "Angel Lost" or at a faster pace like in "Electro Shock Rock" I think these guys just perfectly mixed glam rock and 77 punk by putting it through an Oslo based blender with a nice touch of good ole Norwegian Punk'N'Roll. The band existed from 1995 through 2008 and released quite a few records during their career. Definitely worth checking out if this is your cup of tea! 

 

Suzi Quatro - Your Mama Won't Like Me LP 

Label: Arista Records; Year: 1975; Format: Vinyl LP

A few months back I listened to an interesting podcast with Suzi Quatro. Now in her early seventies and based in the United Kingdom she seems to still be full of energy and I must say I have nothing but respect for her. Just like countless other Detroit born musicians of any genre she's a self-made woman and has prevailed in the music industry throughout the decades, something that's not easy at all. In that podcast I learned of Suzi's first band she was part of, the Pleasure Seekers, a '60s garage rock band she joined with her older sister Patti and about the years since, of which there has been many by now. I picked up "Your Mama Won't Like Me" not too long ago for a few bucks as it's just an old Quatro record, hence why not. This was Quatro's third LP and somewhat of a departure from the first two records which I don't own but am familiar with to a degree. The productions on this one is top notch and the songs on this full length are largely in the funk rock vein departing from the glam rock and '50s rock'n'roll informed first two LPs. Still, it's an interesting album that doesn't get boring and unsurprisingly has some real hits in my opinion. On Side A "Paralysed" and "Your Mama.." stand out whereas on Side B "New Day Woman" and especially "Michael" are the true winners. I believe back in the time this record came out some critics wrote it off as disappointing but at the same time it was the beginning of a new era for Suzi Quatro and is definitely worth getting for a few bob. I'll be looking for the Pleasure Seekers and Suzi's earlier material so stay tuned!

Punishment Of Luxury - "Puppet Life", "Engine of Excess" and "Secrets" Singles

Label: Small Wonder Records; Year: 1978; Format: 45 RPM Single

What can be said about Punishment of Luxury or also known as Punilux? Well, actually quite a lot as they certainly are a highly interesting bunch hailing from the North East of England, Newcastle to be exact. When I decided to spin the three singles I have I wanted to find out more about these fellows so I naturally reached to Alex Ogg's bible 'no more heroes' only to find out that Punilux were not included in said book. Hmm, I suppose they didn't quite make the punk cut and to be honest it is understandable as Punilux were truly not a punk band per se but incorporated aspects of punk rock into their sound and look. Luckily I also own Mario Panciera's '45 Revolutions' which is an absolute goldmine for information as you intranet geeks will surely know. Punilux were formed in 1975 by two members with theatre company backgrounds. The theatrical aspect is something that is quite unique to Punilux and plays a big part of their sound and visuals. Fittingly the band released their first single 'Puppet Life' on East London's Small Wonder Records where many interesting bands found their home and an opportunity to be heard. Both of the songs on this single are pure gold with influences ranging from psychedelic rock, glam rock and 77 punk to be heard on both songs. They were referred to as theatrical punk or art punk but call it what you want they were talented and drew from different influences equally important to them. Savage Pencil reviewing the single for Sounds back in the day wrote: "This U.K. band look and sound like your worst paranoia come to life. Punilux toy and claw at your brain with a tune that won't let go, filling your sleepless nights with fevered dreams of insanity. On top of all that it's the best British single I've heard in weeks." I couldn't agree more. 

Label: United Artists Records; Year: 1979; Format: 45 RPM Single

Just like many other small and independent English bands of the time Punilux searched for a major label deal and were eventually picked up by United Artists. Originally 'Jellyfish' was supposed to be the A-Side for their first release on UA but last minute it was dropped for 'Engine of Excess'. Gary Bushell wrote for Sounds that the band was pointless, safe and something for dated people which I suppose is true coming from someone who likes to surround himself with football hooligans. But that's not the point here as in my opinion this single is just as good as the first one on Small Wonder. Both songs continue in the weird, humorous and arty tradition of theatrical punk with 'Jellyfish' being somewhat of Punilux's stand out track. A good friend of mine back in Europe used to play this a lot when DJ-ing after gigs and it is not surprising that a lot of people were turned off as it's just not everybody's cake. Back in the day the release was received lukewarm and the sales weren't all that great either. It is a shame as it just proves that no matter what decade we are talking about most people love to just give a band a certain label and sound without going too deep. Punilux were so much more than plain punk, that's for sure. 

Label: United Artists Records; Year: 1979; Format: 45 RPM Single

Punilux's second single for UA was released in 1979 as well and is an interesting one in the sense that the two songs are quite different from each other. 'Secrets' is described by Mario Panciera as a lackluster song reminiscent of early '70s Prog Rock. Sure he is not miles off with the description but in my opinion the song does grow on you and still has elements of the weird and arty craft known to Punilux. But let's not dwell too long on the A-Side as the other side offers 'Brainbomb', a smasher on a whole different level. This is a fast and furious song mixing elements of 2nd wave punk rock and the emerging sound of NWOBHM to give you an idea, just a perfect song. Punilux disbanded twice and returned to perform in 2007 when I moved to London for some time. I saw them at a small venue in London in 2008 or 09 and they sure as hell did not disappoint. This won't be the one and only Punilux entry to this blog so stay tuned and if you haven't discovered the band yet just remember it's never too late. 

The Warriors - Movie Soundtrack LP

Label: A&M Records; Year: 1979; Format: Vinyl LP

Back in 1982/83 I was a 12-year old living in the suburbs of Zurich, Switzerland. At some point I saw this gang-related movie from New York City called "The Warriors" for the first time on TV, dubbed from English to German. I remember that one of my friends that lived on the same street saw it also and we instantly became huge fans of this cult movie trying to figure out how this Coney Island gang navigated their agonizing trip from the Bronx all the way down to the Ocean. Of course we had no knowledge whatsoever about the geography of NYC but to the two of us the movie remained an all time favorite until today. Forward thirty years after that experience and in 2012 I actually moved to "The Big Apple". Little did I know back in the early '80s that one day I would live where they filmed "The Warriors", but you never know where live takes you. Even though I don't reside there anymore but still live in the state of NY, a little part of me will be a New Yorker for the rest of my life. I have fond memories of my wife and I taking the bus from Bay Ridge in Brooklyn to Coney Island to take a walk on the boardwalk and grab some unhealthy but yummy food from Nathan's while taking in the fresh air from the Ocean. In 2015 I was lucky enough to witness one of the reunions of some of the actors from the movie. If I am not mistaken the person that organized the event had punk rock roots which is not surprising at all taking into account that quite a few bands took their band name from the movie. Sick Of It All headlined the musical aspect of the event and John Joseph of the Cro-Mags was the interviewer at the end of the event when there was a Q&A with the actors (see photo). But this entry is really about the music on the movie soundtrack LP. I am by no means an expert on soundtracks and in general not even a movie buff but "The Warriors" is always worth an exception. So today I sat down on a trip down memory lane and gave this a spin and if you ask me for the most part it's just a really enjoyable record. If you are a fan of the movie then you will know the big hits announced throughout the movie by a female DJ we never learn much about. Barry De Vorzon, a progressive Disco producer of the time was tasked with the soundtrack to the movie and succeeded on all levels in my opinion. From his own electro-disco themed tracks to the heavy soul hitter of 'Nowhere To Run' by Cleveland born Artist Arnold McCuller to the fantastic Joe Walsh written song about making it in the city entitled 'In The City', a song that later ended up on an Eagles album to Desmond Child's 'Last Of an Ancient Breed' the soundtrack immensely helped carrying the movie. Maybe a little less known are the equally great 'You're moving too slow', an energetic blues-rock stomper or 'Love is a Fire' by Polish-born Solo Artist Genya Ravan. Interesting was also the inclusion of Bed-Sty, Brooklyn based band Mandrill who in 1971 started to fuse Afro-Carribean sounds with Jazz, Latin and Rock, something that would in years and decades to become known as World Music. Walter Hill's movie based on a novel by Sol Yurick is not just a great watch but also a great listen people. Warriors, come out to plaaaaayyy! 

AC/DC - Dirty Big Balls 2-LP

Label: Fuck The Mother Records (Unofficial); Year: 1989; Format: Double Vinyl LP

So, about time AC/DC get an entry on this blog of mine as they truly were my very first musical love back in 1979 when my parents out of nowhere decided to gift me the "Highway To Hell" LP for Christmas said year. But more about that when I will be reviewing that classic record. As a matter of fact the concert on this Double-LP bootleg was recorded three weeks prior to me getting my introduction into rock'n'roll. As one would expect with a bootleg the sound quality isn't great but in all fairness it's not horrible either hence making this an enjoyable trip down memory lane. If you're into Bon Scott-era AC/DC then you pretty much know what to expect and that's exactly what you get delivered on this cheaply made bootleg which I have gotten many years ago at the warehouse of a record store owner back in good ole' Switzerland. The concert was recorded on December 3 of 1979 at the Eissporthalle in Berlin and was according to Jeff Apter's "AC-DC 1973 - 1980 The Bon Scott Years" book the last gig on the Highway To Hell tour of Europe. According to the AC-DC.net website support act was Judas Priest and a ticket cost 18 Deutsch Mark. Bon's voice is pretty beat but that's hardly a surprise considering how non-stop the band toured. Still, the songs deliver despite the bootleg quality and I for one have no idea if it was just somebody recording it on a tape recorder close to the stage or whether it is taken from the soundboard as the drums are pretty loud. One of you sound experts out there could probably clarify this as the whole concert is also to be found on Youtube. I for one found myself tapping with my feet throughout my listening experience today and AC/DC with Bon Scott were one of the best rock'n'roll bands ever, period. RIP Bon. 

Steve Miller - Detroit Rock City: The Uncensored History of Rock'N'Roll in America's Loudest City

Publisher: Da Capo Press; Year: 2013; Format: Book

I am glad to have found this book very recently for close to nothing at a place I've never been to before in Manhattan. Rest assured though that the price tag does not reflect the quality of the contents in this book. I have heard about Steve Miller's book a while ago, and I certainly wanted to improve my knowledge of Detroit based Rock'N'Roll so having to read this one book one day was definitely inevitable. Many of you will know Steve Miller as the vocalist for much famed Lansing, MI hardcore punk band The Fix, or as the editor of the Touch and Go book that was published a few years back. Some of you might not know that he's actually a veteran when it comes to investigative journalism, and author of several books outside the music genre covering real crime. Needless to say that for a massive project such as writing on the rich history of Rock'N'Roll out of Detroit he was the right person to succeed at it. There are not many books that manage to cover as much ground as this book does, and let's be honest which other book will give you the pleasure to read about bands and artists such as MC5, Alice Cooper, Ted Nugent, Mitch Ryder, Destroy All Monsters, Negative Approach, Laughing Hyenas, The Gories or the White Stripes, all at the same time? My guess is as good as yours, ladies and gentlemen. What I find really fascinating about this book is the fact that Steve has not only found a way to describe many anecdotes for the reader to feel like one is right there in the middle of the chaos, but at the same time he has done an outstanding job when it comes to the chronology of the debauchery that took place in Detroit and its surrounding towns. The only part I didn't really enjoy in this book was about Bob Seger, and this was when he was already a well known act on the national circuit. I yawned a lot through that part only to be awaken by more crazy stories from Wayne Kramer and other luminaries that were fed up with the status quo, and were starting to form new bands. And believe me, that was the only slow part in this book as the rest of it will take you through clubs such as Bookie's and bands associated with that scene, the early '80s hardcore punk explosion with Negative Approach on the forefront, the aftermath of hardcore and some crazy drugged stories involving John Brannon and Larissa Strickland of Laughing Hyenas, and the start, or shall we say return to garage rock from Detroit with The Gories and bands and scenes that evolved out of that time including Bantam Rooster, White Stripes or Von Bondies. Have I told you this book covers a lot of ground? Okay, there are two omissions I was disappointed with. For whatever reason the bands Death and Cinecyde get very little to no mention at all, and members from those two bands contributed little to nothing for this oral history. That sucked but still, it takes very little away from what this book gives the reader, and that is a detailed and at times mind blowing account of what was happening in Motown. This is widely available, and even your local library has probably a copy of this book, hence I really don't see an excuse for any of you out there for not reading this!

Motorhead - Pussies & Beer - Rock N Roll Tour LP

Label: Fan Club; Year: 199?; Format: Vinyl LP

So, ladies and gentlemen here is the fiftieth entry on this blogspot, and my intention was to celebrate that with an entry of Motorhead, my favorite band. I didn't want to bore you with an entry of one of their regular albums though, and believe me those will follow in the future, but instead I opted for something more special for your amusement. What we've got here is a bootleg LP of a show Motorhead played in November 1987 (Line-Up: Lemmy-Wurzel-Phil Campbell-Phil 'Animal' Taylor) at the Fryshuset in Stockholm/Sweden. If anyone can fill me in who came up with the outstanding artwork for this LP, I would be very grateful. I have tried finding information pertaining to this particular bootleg online, but to no avail. Judging by the fact that the LP was not included in 1994's Collector's Guide to Motorhead, I would assume that the record came out no sooner than the mid '1990s. Anyway, that's all collector scum talk, let's get to the bare basics here. Eleven songs are to be found on this platter, and if one looks at the song titles it just seems weird to not see certain song titles, but considering this was taken from their 1987 tour let's not forget that they of course had a far smaller repertoire to chose from. Still, all their classic albums were out by that point and so it should come as no surprise to find certain all time classics on this live recording, which for a bootleg actually boasts very decent sound quality including great comments by Lemmy between the songs. Hey, you can't go wrong with the artwork, Motorhead's timeless classics, and drunken Swedes shouting "Lemmy, Lemmy, Lemmy.." on top of their lungs.

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!

Wild Dogs - S/T LP

Label: Shrapnel Records; Year: 1983; Format: Vinyl LP

I am by no means a metal fan, but I do remember picking up this record many years ago for a few cents at a thrift store, probably just for the hilarious front cover. A few weeks ago I gave it a spin for the very first time since picking it up, and I must confess that I was surprised myself. If there is metal I will give a chance, then it has to sound like on this record. This is raw, straight-forward, and no-bullshit traditional heavy metal, played at a decent speed and with plenty of balls. The band hailed from Portland/OR and apparently reached international recognition following their second album, which came out after this one here. The band was seen to have a pioneering role for metal music in the Pacific Northwest, and I can see why that would be. Don't be discouraged by the horrendous cover, as this might appeal not just to fans of heavy metal, but people with a general liking of loud rock music.

Seb Hunter: Hell Bent For Leather - Confessions of a Heavy Metal Addict

Publisher: Fourth Estate/Harper Collins; Year: 2004; Format: Book

While I am most certainly not a big fan of heavy metal per se, I am certainly always open to a good read and a few years back I remember reading a review in regard to this novel which must have caught my attention. In the end I found the book on sale at Foyles in London, and that's how it ended up in my collection. It took literally years for me to open it and read it, but just like the author himself, I must make a confession on my own in saying that I had a hard time putting it down at nights. Let it be very clear, you don't have to be into heavy metal to appreciate Seb Hunter's life story and his addiction to said music genre. Yes, there are parts in the book which drag on where for instance the author goes on to define genres such as glam metal, thrash metal and the likes, but overall the novel is about Seb and his witty stories on growing up in Winchester in the south of England, joining his first band, gigging locally, local punks throwing beer cans at them and his eventual move to the big smoke aka London. In my opinion London also marks the best parts of this book as there are so many hilarious stories being told by Seb, including living in squats, the pursuit of a career in heavy metal music at all cost, groupies, and crazy band members that would kill you over a girl. All in all I can only say that I've really enjoyed reading this book and couldn't help laughing out loud on many occasions.