Men's Dinner

As Gene Casey and I drove down 2nd Ave, 'Her Love Falls Like Rain' came on the radio and, since we were about to dine with its creator, Willie Nile and other friends at the Bad Mexican Restaurant, it seemed like a good enough excuse to stop in at my favourite cd/dvd/lp store, Rockit Scientist on St. Mark's Place to feed our insatiable jones for acquiring stuff to play loudly around the house and/or on the radio. As long as there are cd/record shops, I'm gonna buy stuff. Gene chose a Waylon Jennings and The Kimberleys cd while I stocked up on some Sly & Robbie, Prince Far I, Burning Spear and an incredible Roy Lee Johnson collection on Bear Family that RS proprietor, John Kioussis, was playing in the store. Folks, if you're looking for the good - not to mention the rare - stuff, JK's your guy.

Jones satisfied (temporarily), our next stop was the West Village's best English chipolata sausage and lamb curry pie emporium, Myers Of Keswick where all the necessary Crunchie bars, Twiglets, Cornish pasties, cans of Strongbow and other priceless British comestibles were loaded into the boot of the old Altima. Next, we got in the car and headed further downtown to find a parking space some where near the site of the BMR. Idling at a light at Thompson & Broome, we spotted Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top. I mean, it had to be him, right? I'd heard Billy was producing Roky Erickson's next album so, as I turned the corner, I lowered the window and said, "hey Billy...how's the Roky thing coming along?" at which threw a big grin, said "Awl-right!" and gave us this snazzy ZZ thumbs-up move. Kinda made our day.

Billy Gibbons
photo: Richard Brill
courtesy: www.my-best-shot.blogspot.com

Then, it was on to the men's dinner, for which one of its rules is: you can't write about it. So, thanks for the cd Willie, and the generous set of Woodstock performances, Steve. See you on the radio.

Finally, kudos to Dave Clark who found this must-see:

North Fork Sound Top 20 - June 28th '09

1. The Low Anthem: Charlie Darwin
2. Fleetwood Mac: Albatross
3. Graham Parker: Bullet Of Redemption
4. Eli ‘Paperboy’ Reed & The True Loves: Ace Of Spades
5. Jim Jones Revue: Rock ‘n’ Roll Psychosis
6. Ray Davies & The Crouch End Festival Chorus: Do You Remember Walter?
7. Tapper Zukie: MPLA
8. Swamp Dogg: Total Destruction To Your Mind
9. Ian McNabb: You Must Be Prepared To Dream
10. Björk: Declare Independence
11. Steve Reich: Music For 18 Musicians (excerpt)
12. Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers: Bustin’ Loose
13. Amy Winehouse: Do Me Good
14. Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3: Goodnight Oslo
15. Muddy Waters: (I’m Your) Hoochie Coochie Man
16. Sandy Denny: For Shame Of Doing Wrong
17. Gene Casey & The Lone Sharks: Who's Sharing The Moon
18. Suicide: Be Bop Kid
19. Hank Jacobs: East Side
20. Peggy Lee: I’m A Woman

NoFoSo Alb o’ The Week:

Amy Allison: Sheffield Streets (Urban Myth Records)

AA meeting
Lindsay Hutton, Amy Allison, Avy Carroll
photo: Karen McBurnie

The Guilty Pleasure:
Girls Can’t Help It: Baby Doll (Virgin Records, UK)

Last Week’s Listener Thumbs-Ups:
Jill Sobule: A Good Life
Spirit: Prelude/Nothing To Hide
The Flamin’ Groovies: Shake Some Action
Paul Westerberg: Dyslexic Heart
Andy Fairweather-Low: Wide Eyed And Legless
Peter Hammill: Ghost Of Planes
The White Stripes: Icky Thump
Billy Fury: Wondrous Place
AC/DC: Stiff Upper Lip
Pink Floyd: Careful With That Axe Eugene
Café Tacuba: El Punal Y El Corazón
Led Zeppelin: Communication Breakdown
Jackie Wilson: Doggin’ Around
Ike & Tina Turner: River Deep Mountain High
The Yayhoos: A Bottle And A Bible
Willie Nelson & Winton Marsalis:
Garbage: Special
Pete Townshend: Let My Love Open The Door
The Seeds: Up In Her Room
10,000 Maniacs: Scorpio Rising
John Doe & The Sadies: I Still Miss Someone
Bob Seger: Get Out Of Denver
New York Dolls (w/Iggy Pop): Gimme Luv (And Turn On The Light)
Doug Sahm & The Tex Mex Trip: Beautiful Texas Sunshine
Rickie Lee Jones: Walk Away Renee
Tim Buckley: Dolphins
The Psychedelic Furs: Pretty In Pink
ZZZ: Lalala
James Hunter: Don’t Do Me No Favours
Van Der Graaf Generator: Interference Patterns
Blur: Parklife
Alex McMurray: Where K-Doe Lives
Dusty Springfield: Your Love Still Brings Me To My Knees
Carlene Carter: Every Little Thing
Ian Hunter: Girl From The Office
Amy Allison: Dream World
Chairmen Of The Board: Give Me Just A Little More Time
James Brown: Out Of Sight
Wilbert Harrison: Let’s Work Together (Pts 1&2)
The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band: I’m Going To Bring A Watermelon To My Girl Tonight
Bonnie Raitt: Let Me In
Buddy Holly: Not Fade Away

Ian Hunter & The Rant Band
'23A Swan Hill/Sweet Angeline'
Rockefeller Park, NYC
June 24 '09
Andy Burton - keyboardss
MC Bosch - guitar
Ian Hunter - vocals, guitar, piano
Steve Holley - drums
Paul Page - bass
James Mastro - guitar

It could have poured, but it didn't. And a freshly turned 70 year-"officially old" Ian Hunter could have phoned it in, but he didn't. Instead, he and his superb band kicked out the jams Wednesday night to a strong-in-numbers and appreciative crowd in the shadow of Battery Park City and what was once the World Trade Center.
Starting with 'Once Bitten, Twice Shy' he pulled songs from most stages of his career, including a few choice Mott The Hoople tunes. However, despite a rousing encore of 'Saturday Gigs/All The Young Dudes', the song of the night - no question - was the title track from his new album, 'Man Overboard'. It just might be his best song ever and it's no fluke, as the new album - out July 21st, and previewed here on North Fork Sound - is chock-full of classic Hunter tunes.
Finally, one of the people I went to the show with, Ed Hamell (of Hamell On Trial), has a new dvd coming out soon. Check this trailer:

RIP Sky Saxon (d. 6/25/09)

The Seeds
'Can't Seem To Make You Mine'

Hamell On Trial

Ed Hamell (Hamell On Trial)
'The Patriot', NYC
6/24/09

Van Der Graaf Generator

Van Der Graaf Generator
Nokia Theatre dressing room, NYC
June 21 '09

It's 33 years since Van Der Graaf Generator last played NYC, so when Peter Hammill played the opening phrase of 'Man-Erg' from their grand opus, 'Pawn Hearts' on his piano, you could just feel the collective consciousness of the crowd exclaim "YES!" Although sax-player Dave Jackson is no longer with them, Peter, drummer Guy Evans and organist Hugh Banton have filled out the sound to become - in Peter's words - "the heaviest band in the world - whose members are seated!" and 'Over The Hill' from last year's exquisite 'Trisector' proved it. The crunching organ riffs, devilish bass-pedal work, subtle time-shifts, yelps, growls and dark poetry all brilliantly anchored by Guy's deft percussive flourishes were brought to bear to the delight of all who, in turn, blessed the band with standing ovations after several songs. This was very much a VDGG crowd and they'd come from all over. I met a fellow who traveled from Springfield, MI ("30 hours by bus, each way") and, while strolling around Times Square with Guy just after soundcheck, he was approached by half a dozen people including a couple who'd seen the group's show at Near Fest in Bethleham, PA just 2 days before and were going to see them again in Chicago next week. Guy told me he's enjoying playing with the band again and that they'd had a great time in Japan last year. As he went off in search of a vegetarian restaurant, I took refuge in the best old-school dive left in the city, Jimmy's Corner, a bar on 44th owned and run by acclaimed boxing trainer and cut-man Jimmy Glen, where I ordered a couple of Jack and cokes and wondered which friend I'd like to be my +1. Fortunately, abstract artist, ex-Girls and current Pothole Skinny guitarist, Mark Dagley picked up after seeing my ID and said "hi Howard, I suppose you're probably in town seeing Van Der Graaf Generator" so that was a good enough greeting for me to offer him the spare! We both had a blast and with any luck, this tour will prove to be enjoyable and successful enough for the band to come back long before another 33 years goes by

Van Der Graaf Generator
Peter Hammill, Guy Evans, Hugh Banton
Nokia Theatre, NYC 6/21/09
photo: ht

North Fork Sound Top 20 – June 21st 09

Hugh Hopper

29 April 1945 - 7 June 2009

1. The Soft Machine: Have You Ever Bean Green
2. Nouvelle Vague: Heaven
3. Chumbawamba: Song For Len Shackleton
4. Small Faces: Tin Soldier
5. The Psychedelic Furs: Pretty In Pink
6. Buddy Holly: Little Baby
7. Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band: Dirty Blue Gene
8. Bruce Woolley: Ghost Train
9. Rickie Lee Jones: Walk Away Renee
10. Genevieve Waite: The Man Who Fell To Earth
11. June Lodge & Prince Mohammed: Someone Loves You Honey
12. Van Der Graaf Generator: Interference Patterns
13. Scatterbrain: Don’t Call Me Dude
14. David Allan Coe: Funeral Parlor Blues
15. The Ramones: I Wanna Be Sedated
16. The Soulmates: Them A Laugh And A Kiki
17. Dave Edmunds: Crawling From The Wreckage
18. Lightnin’ Hopkins: Mojo Hand
19. David Bowie: Drive-In Saturday
20. The Skiffle Minstrels: All Night Diner

NoFoSo Alb o’ The Week:
The 13th Floor Elevators: The Sign Of The Three Eyed Men

13th Floor Elevators - Sign Of The Three Eyed Men (10CD set) from Snapper Music on Vimeo.

The Guilty Pleasure:
Ted Nugent: Cat Scratch Fever

Last Week’s Listener Thumbs-Ups:
Electronic: Get The Message
Amy Allison: Hate At First Sight
Maureen Tucker: Bo Diddley
Vince Taylor: 20 Flight Rock
Billy Bragg: Must I Paint You A Picture
Meryn Cadell: The Sweater
Mick Ronson: Billy Porter
XTC: The Mayor Of Simpleton
VAST: Pretty When You Cry
U-Roy: Wake The Town
Fats Domino: Ain’t That A Shame
Toots & The Maytals: Country Road
Addie Brik: Hey Mama I Died At War
Primal Scream: Loaded
The Undertones: Teenage Kicks
Thurston Harris & The Sharps: Little Bitty Pretty One
Neil Young & Crazy horse: Over And Over
Republica: Ready To Go
Brinsley Schwarz: Going Down The Road
Willie Nelson & Wynton Marsalis: Bright Lights Big City
Tammy Wynette: You Good Girl’s Gonna Go Bad
The Raspberries: Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)
Harvey Mandel: Christo Redentor
Randy Newman: Baltimore
Mick Ronson: Billy Porter
The Band: Forbidden Fruit
Hawksley Workman: Bullets
Vince Taylor: Twenty Flight Rock
Edgar Broughton Band: Out Demons Out
Electronic: Get The Message
Ian Hunter: Arms And Legs
Ry Cooder: Tattler
James Hunter: No Smoke Without Fire
Oasis: Up In The Sky
Micadelia: Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Edgar Winter’s White Trash: Keep Playin’ That Rock ‘n’ Roll

North Fork Sound Top 20 – June 14th 09

1. Jerry Lee Lewis & Kris Kristofferson: The Pilgrim
2. Tammy Wynette: Your Good Girl’s Gonna Go Bad
3. Brinsley Schwarz: Going Down The Road
4. The Velvelettes: He Was Really Saying Something
5. Mystic Eyes: Elaine
6. The Tornados: Earthy
7. Willie Nile: Rite Of Spring
8. Spiritualized: Good Times (Pure Phase)
9. Television: 1880 Or So
10. Neil Young & Crazy Horse: Over And Over
11. The Raspberries: Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)
12. Dave Alvin & The Guilty Women: Que Sera, Sera
13. Susan Cadogan: Fever
14. The Penguins: Memories Of El Monte
15. Primal Scream: Loaded
16. Mickey Jupp: If Only Mother
17. Traffic: Hole In My Shoe
18. Touch & Go: Would You…? (Trailermen Go To Rio Mix)
19. Todd Snider: Barefoot Champagne
20. The Byrds: Goin’ Back

NoFoSo Alb o’ The Week:
Addie Brik: Strike The Tent (Itza Music)

The Guilty Pleasure:
The Two Dollar Question: Aunt Jemima’s Double Yummy Blow Your Mind Out Brownies (Intrepid Records)

Last Week’s Listener Thumbs-Ups:
T Valentine: Hello Lucille Are You A Lesbian?
Luna: Cindy Tastes Of Barbecue
The Clash: Julie’s Been Working For The Drug Squad
Jimi Hendrix: Day Tripper
Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears: Humpin’
Allen Toussaint: Long Long Journey
Gary Lucas: Autobahn
Gene Casey & The Lone Sharks: 40 Miles Of Bad Road
Leroy Sibbles & The Lions: Picture
Alvin Robinson: Down Home Girl
Mark Bingham: Pissoffgod.com
Van Der Graaf Generator: Refugees (single version)
Family: My Friend The Sun
Joan Jett & The Blackhearts: I Hate Myself For Loving You
Big Al Anderson & The Balls: Animals
BB King: The Thrill Is Gone
Alan Vega: Wipeout Beat
Stevie Wright: Black Eyed Bruiser
Forest For The Trees: Dream
The Godfathers: Birth, School, Work, Death
The Hellacopters: Another Turn
Ian McNabb: Go Into The Light
Max Wall: Dream Tobacco
Ike & Tina Turner: Nutbush City Limits
JJ Cale: Lies
Juliette Lewis & The Licks: American Boy
Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3: What You Is
The Standells: Try It
The Valentinos: It’s All Over Now
Alan Price Set: Simon Smith And The Amazing Dancing Bear
The Walker Bothers: The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore
10,000 Maniacs: Poison In The Well
The Pretty Things: SF Sorrow Is Born
Brian Eno & John Cale: Spinning Away
Chas & Dave: That’s What It’s All About
The Eagles: Witchy Woman
Can: Mother Sky
Lucio Battisti: Ancora Tu
Lou Reed: Street Hassle Medley
Status Quo: Rocking All Over The World
Todd Snider: Bring ‘em Home
The Ramones: Do You Remember Rock & Roll Radio?

North Fork Sound - the radio station

The Killer, Eric Maché, ht

Beefheart Suicide

Gary Lucas & Alan Vega
'Life Kills'
Gramercy Theatre, NYC
June 11 '09

North Fork Sound Top 20 - June 7th ‘09

1. Bo Diddley: Better Watch Yourself
2. Graham Parker: Stick To The Plan
3. Leroy Sibbles & The Lions: Picture
4. Paul Carrack: Just 4 Tonite (radio mix)
5. Micadelia: Cinnamon Girl
6. The Screaming Gypsy Bandits: Lay In Your Groove
7. Amy Allison (w/Dave Alvin): Everybody Ought To Know
8. The Poets: Baby Don’t You Do It (acetate version)
9. Alex McMurray: The Woman I Love
10. Kylie Harris: Down To The Ground
11. The Lightning Raiders: Didja
12. Miles Davis: Moon Dreams
13. Vernon Reid: My Last Nerve
14. Moondog: Bumbo
15. King Tubbys: Jah Love Dub Mix
16. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers: Listen To Her Heart
17. Tim Buckley: Sweet Surrender
18. Gene Casey & The Lone Sharks: 40 Miles Of Bad Road
19. The Mothers Of Invention: Stuff Up The Cracks (mono version)
20. The Bitter Twins: Right This Time

NoFoSo Alb o’ The Week:
Mark Bingham: Psalms Of Vengeance (Piety Street)

The Guilty Pleasure:
Joan Jett & The Blackhearts: I Hate Myself For Lovin’ You (Blackheart Records)

Last Week’s Listener Thumbs-Ups:
Robyn Hitchcock: Penelope’s Angles
Levon Helm: Anna Lee
Suicide: Shadazz
Luna: Tiger Lily
Bruce Bruno: Dear Joanne
The Georgia Satellites: Sheila
Buddy Covelle: Lorraine
BB King: Lucille
Buddy Holly: Peggy Sue
Wilson Pickett (w/Duane Allman): Hey Jude
Roxy Music: Virginia Plain
Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band: Beautiful Zelda
Gene Vincent: Lovely Loretta
Calhoun: Nefertiti
Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels: Jenny Take A Ride
New Math: Angela
Christine Ohlman & Rebel Montez: Charmaine
Kid Creole & The Coconuts: Yolanda
Automatic Man: My Pearl
Jill Sobule: Mary Kay
Oasis: Lyla
Chris Farlowe: My Girl Josephine
The Mighty Wah!: Hey! Mona Lisa
Mott The Hoople: Sweet Angeline
Captain Beefheart: Alice In Blunderland
Motörhead: English Rose
Canned Heat: Amphetamine Annie
The Kinks: Lola
The Who: Bony Moronie
Jelly Roll Morton: Mamanita
Quickspace: Gloriana
Little Richard: Miss Ann
PP Arnold: Eleanor Rigby
Eddie Cochran: Teresa
The Soft Boys: I Love Lucy
Marianne Faithfull: The Ballad Of Lucy Jordan
Vince Taylor: Jeannie Jeannie Jeannie
Sweet Justice: Hey Christina
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band: Isobel Goudie
Elvis Presley: Susan When She Tried
Sara Hickman: Aurora
The Psychedelic Furs: Susan’s Strange
Gene Vincent: Mitchiko From Tokyo
The Lone Sharks: Sherry On The Ferry
Pierce Turner: Julie London
Mickey Jupp: Switchboard Susan
John Mooney: Louise McGhee
The Beach Boys: Help Me Rhonda (alt. single version)
John Coltrane: Naima
Billy Bragg & Natalie Merchant: “Birthday”
Ian Hunter: Irene Wilde
Help Yourself (w/Deke Leonard & BJ Cole): Mona
Ennio Morricone: Two Mules For Sister Sara
East River String Band: Crow Jane
Brave Combo: Patricia Twist
Joey Ramone: ht birthday greeting
The Mystics: Lucy's Factory

Just as I began to write a piece on the UK underground scene and how it affected the life of a 14 year-old stuck away at a 2nd division, all-boys public school in Rutland, where the act of merely talking to a girl from town was enough to get one's self expelled, I started reading Mick Farren's terrific autobiography "Give The Anarchist A Cigarette" and decided to hang up my pen. I'm not impressed with my own writing and having close friends like Richard Williams, Richard Meltzer, David Aaron Clark and Eric Danville (who ARE brilliant writers) just makes it all the more difficult to sit down and bash something out. Plus it takes me WAY too long so, from now on, this blog will simply be a visual and informational adjunct to the radio station, which I'm still inordinately proud of. North Fork Sound is supposed to reflect the best of the original pirates (of whom Geronimo and Radio London were my favourites) and djs like Andy Dunkley, Jeff Dexter, John Peel, Johnny Walker, Mike Raven, Rosko, Kevin Patrick, and a handful of others.

Most of the girls have gone - just a few stragglers left, mostly called Mona for some reason - so we're nearly back to normal, play-list-wise. Last week, I got a fantastic package from Mark Bingham, whose Piety Street Studios in New Orleans consistently cranks out some of the finest contemporary music out there. Mark's 'new' album, 'Psalms Of Vengeance' (which over the course of the last few years went under the names 'Disgraceland' or 'The White Man Just Can't Be Trusted') is finally available so now it's officially released, it's officially our Alb o' The Week.

I daresay the other 2 albums contained in the envelope will get heavy airplay during the summer, too. Ex-Royal Fingerbowl-er, Alex McMurray has delivered a fantastic slab of Nawleans-style pub rock that actually features a Brinsley Schwarz-er on keys, Bob Andrews. It's called 'How To Be A Cannonball' (Threadhead Records) and is a contender for the year's 'best of' list. Bravo, a great record, right out of the blue...

And, at long last, Bloomington, IN's legendary Screaming Gypsy Bandits have managed to get their 'Back To Doghead' (Piety Street) pressed up. It's still as out there as it was back in the early 70s and fans of the Mothers of Invention (Absolutely Free/Freak Out period) should take note. Now all we need is a cd release of 'In The Eye' so we can play a non-hissy version of 'Foggy Windows'

We can't wait until the new Leroy Sibbles & the Lions 45 is pressed up, so enjoy this NoFoSo World Exclusive, thanks to 'Night Food' producer, Danny Holloway, who is once again producing Leroy after a 34 year hiatus.

There's a name I see on a lot of good records that come out of Sweden - Lars Tengroth. One of his latest discoveries is a gal called Micadelia and she's made an album of moody covers called Free Ride (Diesel Music AB) featuring tunes by Neil Young, Nick Drake, Jack Lee, Page & Plant, Steve Kilbey and others. We'll start with her take on 'Cinnamon Girl' and probably follow it with 'Under The Milky Way' or 'Bron-Y-Aur Stomp'.

Lili St. Cyr, Allen Ginsberg, Boots Randolph, Curtis Mayfield, Eddie Holman, Mickey Finn, Suzi Quatro and I were all born on June 3rd - as was Ian Hunter, who new alb 'Man Overboard' (New West Records) is his best since 'The Artful Dodger'. It's out in July, but we've got an advance and we're gonna use it.

Lili St. Cyr