Incoming...

This week, the mail brought two promos from top new UK group, The Jim Jones Revue. Both tracks are taken from their stunning self-titled debut, but the non-album tracks here offer a glimpse into the kind of stuff they listen to when not tearing up club stages the length and breadth of Britain...Little Richard and Elvis. Last November, a feral 'Big Hunk O Love' complemented 'Rock 'n' Roll Psychosis' and on March 9 '09 'Good Golly Miss Molly' accompanies the new single 'Cement Mixer', thanks to the good folks at Punk Rock Blues Records.

It's always good to hear from ex-Elvis Brother and current Romantics' skin-basher, Brad Steakley. As you probably know, he and the lovely Chloe Orwell make up The Handcuffs, a pulsating powerpop pair who've recently released their second (and superior) album 'Electroluv' on OOFL Records. I'm pleased to see I have 6 out of the 11 books stacked by the bed on the cd's cover and hope it's not long before they come back to NYC.

Reasons To Be Cheerfull

What do Billy Bragg, The Edgar Broughton Band, Paul Carrack, Carlene Carter, John Cooper Clark, Elvis Costello, The Damned, Dr. Feelgood, Ian Dury, Dave Edmunds, Peter Hamill, Hawkwind, Nick Lowe, Graham Parker, The Psychedelic Furs, Larry Wallis and Howard Werth have in common?

Well (apart from being core artists on North Fork Sound) they've all had their music wrapped in the art of Barney Bubbles. Born Colin Fulcher in 1942, he obtained his National Diploma in Design (with honours) from Twickenham College of Technology and in July 1963, created his first piece of commercial art - a poster for the Rolling Stones' appearance at the college's end-of-year dance. Now it's one of the rarest pieces of Stones memorabilia. Around the same time, he made a poster for the college's in-house group, the Muleskinners featuring none other than a soon-to-be member of the Small Faces, Ian McLagan. A love for music, fashion, art and photography played a huge part in Colin's development and in '67, he was inspired by a Pink Floyd event at London's UFO club to purchase four old projectors and create his own mobile light-show. He combined coloured inks with oil and placed the mixtures between glass slides which, when heated by the lamps' warmth, would 'bubble' and make gloopy shapes on walls at clubs like UFO, the Roundhouse and Middle Earth. An introduction to Oz magazine's Richard Neville and a move into 307 Portobello Road placed Barney bang in the centre of London's blossoming underground. He became art director for Friends (another counter-culture mag) who set up offices next door and soon freak-friendly labels like Island, United Artists and Vertigo were commissioning artwork for acts like Quintesscense ("Everything's great in Notting Hill Gate"), The Sutherland Brothers, Cressida, Cracious!, Quiver, Brinsley Schwarz and Hawkwind. It wasn't long before Barney's meticulous, expertly executed, pioneering designs were being used to separate stems and seeds across the nation. Reasons To Be Cheerful - The Life And Work Of Barney Bubbles by Paul Gorman tells of Barney's highs (and lows) so much better than I can and you'll find a huge amount of Barney's work presented magnificently between its covers. If you have even a half-decent record collection, you already have some of his work. Here, you can check out the rest.

Deborah Evans

Deborah Evans
Agate Rd, London, W6
photo: ht

What does money sound like? Well Deborah Evans actually, the extraordinary vocalist on the Flying Lizards' 'Money' (#5, UK/#50, US), 'TV' (#43, UK) and Summertime Blues, which didn't chart, but should have. Writer Vivien Goldman and Famous Monster/Snatch collaborator Patti Palladin also lent their voices to the David Cunningham project but it was Deborah who had the chops to put them on Top Of The Pops.

Later, as Deborah & The Puerto Ricans, she blew Aretha outa the water with R.E.S.P.E.C.T. produced by reggae producer/musician, Dennis Bovell. On Dec 31st 1981, I went to see Aswad tear up the Grosvenor Rooms in Willesden Green with their wicked riddims, colossal grooves and psychedelic dubbery (Michael Campbell at the controls). Deborah, John Anthony and Duane Sherwood came with me, and it turned out to be one of the best shows I ever went to. Duane and I were invited to dinner at Deborah's flat one evening. He took some photos but whenever she was in the picture alone, the picture came out foggy and under-exposed. When he mentioned this to her, she told him he had "photographed an enigma"

ht, Deborah

photo: Duane Sherwood

Richard X used her voice on Walk On By and Lemon/Lime for his 'X-Factor Vol. 1' album. There's also a terrific, but (sadly) unreleased blues album called Walking On Water that she made with Bill Smith and Daniel Smith. On it, she gives 'Hey Joe', 'I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man', 'I Just Want To Make Love To You' and 4 others the 'treatment'.

These days, Deborah Evans-Stickland practices psychotherapy and does voiceover work. Lately she's been focusing on her charity, Outside-In Pathways, which helps those with learning disabilities by exposing them to the arts.

more photos here (click on "slideshow")

North Fork Sound Top 20 January 25th ‘09

1. Mac Gayden: Morning Glory
2. Mott The Hoople: Roll Away The Stone
3. Dennis Linde: Some Songs
4. Charles Louvin: The Little Grave In Georgia
5. Legend: Cheque Book
6. Brave Combo: Undercover Medley
7. Steve Reich: Music For Mallet Instruments, Voices & Organ
8. Dr. John: Keep That Music Simple
9. The Famous Monsters (w/Patti Paladin): 48th Floor
10. Eddie Boyd: Third Degree
11. New Riders Of The Purple Sage: You Never Can Tell
12. The Barracudas: Don’t Let That Feeling Go
13. Smokey Robinson: Baby That’s Backatcha
14. Neu!: E-musik (excerpt)
15. Rodney Crowell: Who Do You Trust
16. Natalie Merchant: Carnival
17. Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3: TLC
18. The Mystics: Lucy’s Factory
19. The Rake’s Progress: Fingers In Your Ears
20. Bobby Byrd: Try It Again

Featured Album Of The Week:
Jook: Different Class (RPM Records)

Vinyl B-side:
The Imposter: Pills And Soap (extended version) (Imp Records)

The Guilty Pleasure:
Odyssey: Native New Yorker (RCA Records 12”)

Last Week’s Listener Favourites:
David Bowie: I Wish you Would
The Rolling Stones: Doncha Bother Me
The Records: Held Up High
Tanya Tucker: Some kind Of Trouble
Philip Glass: Solo Movement From ‘Dance’
Wilco Johnson: Twenty Yards Behind
Angelo Badalamenti: Twin Peaks Theme
Tom Waits: Picture In A Frame
MX-80: Someday You’ll Be King
Richard X Heyman: Twelve Bars And I Still Have The Blues
Eggs Over Easy: Runnin’ Down To Memphis
Richard Lloyd: The Knockdown
Billy Bragg: There Is Power In A Union
The Cramps: Garbageman
Elvis Presley: Heartbreak Hotel
The Real Kids: My Way
The Nazz: Open My Eyes
Waylon Jennings: Talk Good Boogie
Traffic: Hole In My Shoe
Gene Casey & The Lone Sharks: Ain’t Easy Leavin’
Johnny Otis: The Dirty Dozens
Thee Flying Carpets: Stoner Chick
Vince Gill & Allison Krauss: High Lonesome Sound
Alan Vega: Wipeout Beat
Medicine Head: Rising Sun
Mudcrutch: Wild Eyes
Pete Wingfield: 18 With A Bullet
Queen Ifrica: Daddy
Richard & Linda Thompson: I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight
Siouxsie: Into A Swan
The Small Faces: Watcha Gonna Do About It
Wild Tchoupitoulas: Here Dey Come
Smashed Gladys: 17 Going On Crazy
T. Rex: Get It On
V.V. Brown: Quick Fix
Nicholas Payton: Chinatown
Detroit: Rock & Roll
Bob Marley & The Wailers: Stir It Up
Billy Bremner: I Thank Them

Each week, approximately 230 songs get played across 7 days…
…those listed in the section above received the most listener ‘thumbs-ups’

www.live365.com/stations/thespangler
http://www.facebook.com/people/Howard-Thompson/659208571

North Fork Sound Top 20 January 18th ‘09

1. The Fireman: Nothing Too Much Just Out Of Sight
2. John Kongos: He’s Gonna Step On You Again
3. Halfbreed: Billy Dean
4. Labelle (w/Nicky Hopkins & Keith Moon): Miss Otis Regrets
5. The Records: Held Up High
6. Joe Higgs: Family
7. Max Oglesbee: Cock Block Me And Die, Motherfucker
8. Laura Cantrell: Do You Ever Think Of Me
9. Captain Beefheart And The Magic Band: Big Eyed Beans From Venus
10. Danny Gatton: Pretty Blue
11. Philip Glass: Solo Movement From “Dance” (live at Carnegie Hall)
12. Lowell Fulson: Low Society
13. Lou Donaldson: Everything I Do Gonh Be Funky (From Now On)
14. Frank Zappa: Montreal
15. Groundhogs: Split Pt. 2
16. The Rolling Stones: Doncha Bother Me
17. Gene Casey & The Lone Sharks: Ain’t Easy Leavin’
18. Ellen Foley: What’s A Matter Baby
19. Mickey Newbury: American Trilogy
20. Muddy Waters: Mannish Boy

Album Of The Week:
Fotheringay 2 (Fledg’ling)

Vinyl B-side:
Dave Edmunds: Louisiana Man (Arista)

The Guilty Pleasure:
Nazis Against Fascism: Sid Did It (Truth Records)

Last Week’s Listener Favourites:
Angel Corpus Christi: Sadder
Marianne Nowottny: Fade To Blur
Johnny Otis: Castin’ My Spell
Martin Rev: Cheyenne
Dr. Feelgood: She Does It Right
Andy MacKay: Green And Gold
Mickey Hart: Look Away
Johnny Kidd & The Pirates: Please Don’t Touch
Golden Earring: Radar Love
Buddy Holly & The Crickets: Not Fade Away
Lorraine Ellison: I’ll Be Home
The Count Bishops: Beautiful Delilah
Mick Ronson: Growing Up And I’m Fine
Graham Parker: All Being Well
The Herd: From The Underworld
Jerry Lee Lewis (w/Mick Jagger & Ron Wood): Evening Gown
Glasvegas: Stabbed
Lori Carson: Something’s Got Me
The Jags: Back Of My Hand
Hawkwind: Urban Guerilla
Lou Reed: Crazy Feeling
Groove Armada: I See You Baby
Amy Allison & The Maudlins: The Whisky Makes You Sweeter
Les Paul (w/Sam Cooke & Jeff Beck): (Ain’t That) Good News
James Hunter: Don’t Do Me No Favours
John Cale: You Know More Than I Know
William Bell: You Don’t Miss Your Water
Mark Bingham: 3 Fingers
The Kursaal Flyers: Little Does She Know
Public Image Ltd: Rise
Luna: Slash Your Tires

Each week, approximately 230 songs get played across 7 days…
…those listed above received the most listener ‘thumbs-ups’

www.live365.com/stations/thespangler
http://www.facebook.com/people/Howard-Thompson/659208571

'Saturday Groovers'

Robyn Hitchcock - "Saturday Groovers"
Stephen Talkhouse, Amagansett, NY
July 11th '08

Robyn's new, and probably best album - ever - 'Goodnight Oslo' will be released February 17th on the always reliable YepRoc Records. The album features the Venus 3 (Peter Buck, Scott McCaughey and Bill Rieflin, + guests) and there's a killer version of this song on it.