LAVELLA-BLOG!

Something to believe in!

2011-09-12T11:56:00.001-07:00

Punk Rock History Lesson, Pt. 24: Weirdos

2010-09-15T22:09:00.000-07:00

If push absolutely came to shove, and I had to pick my three favorite punk songs ever, I'd go with "Loud Fast Rules" by The Stimulators, The Misfits anthemic "Horror Business" and this lil' gem called "Solitary Confinement" by early LA punk band The Weirdos. Formed in 1976 by brothers John and Dix Denney, and originally called The Luxurious Adults (genius!) the band released precious few records in their five year period of activity before splitting in 1981, but when they did, they made it count. This track is the B-side of their Dangerhouse Records 7" We've Got The Neutron Bomb which, if any of you are still around when I kick the bucket, please place it in my casket with me. No wonder that label became legendary, with releases like this on it, how could history have played out any differently?

As far as the clip itself goes, it just showed up on You Tube one day and no one seems to know or agree what it's exact origin is. There is a voice over by a confused (and/or dissapointed) announcer about halfway through, which in this case only aids in giving it some historical context. Punk was once weird, confusing and completely outside of anything that could be considered remotely mainstream, God bless it!

Los Chilaqz tear it up at the Concrete Massacre!

2010-08-08T17:33:00.000-07:00

One of the highlites of an already great car show in Santa Cruz yesterday was Los Chilaqz, a young and almost too much fun band from LA. Notice that the first annual (I hope!) Concrete Massacre was actually held at a huge concrete facility, it never gets boring in California folks.

Now a word from our sponser... Imposters!

2010-07-09T13:26:00.000-07:00

I still say 1970 has it all over 2010... toy wise anyway! Thanks Aurora.

Top 5 Beatles songs that do not suck (and are not overplayed)

2010-06-29T15:59:00.000-07:00

Dr. Robert
Blue Jay Way
I’m Only Sleeping
Baby’s In Black
Hey Bulldog

Damn, can I get a turn? Sheesh!

2010-06-24T22:15:00.000-07:00

The Golden State Warriors held a special Draft Day event at Oracle Arena today, and, just like any other time I've had a chance to go to anything NBA related for free, I went. Things didn't quite work out too well for me, or apparently anyone else, at this somewhat less than stellar event. I'll spare you the gory details, but highlights included a guy in an ill-fitting chefs hat yelling, "FOOD'S ALL GONE!" right as I picked up a plate after waiting in an alphabetically arranged line for 45 minutes, 95% of the crowd leaving the second The Sacramento Kings took DeMarcus Cousins with the 5th pick (the Warriors choosing Ekpe Udoh 6th was met with neither applause or boo's, just total indifference) but perhaps worst of all was this kid who would NOT give anyone else a turn on this nice, vintage 1981 Ms. Pac Man machine. i gotta admit that he WAS wearing the right jersey though, as he hogged this video game the same way Corey Maggette hogs the basketball. The new court did look great though, and better days are surely ahead... and if not, there's always next season... again!

Now THIS is "Old School Punk"

2010-04-16T13:46:00.001-07:00

Thinkin’ back on Tim Yo and his Volvo…

2010-04-02T14:43:00.000-07:00

Every time that April rolls around, I can’t help but think about Tim Yohannan. Tim died on April 3rd 1998 at the way too young age of 53, and it’s hard to believe that it’s been 12 years already. For those of you that don’t know, Tim founded Maximum Rock and Roll in the early 80’s, and was the guy that gave me my break as a journalist. Well, it goes a bit deeper than that even, he was actually the one that put the idea into my head that I could even be a writer. Standing outside of 924 Gilman, the legendary East Bay punk club that he also founded, on a fateful July evening in 1987, Tim told me that I should be a writer. When I told him that I’d never been to college for even five minutes, he simply said, “If you just write the way that you talk, it will be fine” and went on to tell me that if I actually did move to California, he’d put me on the MRR staff. 14 months later when I pulled into San Francisco, he made good on that promise. Writing for MRR lead directly to me writing for Thrasher, which lead to my column in RIP, all of which ultimately lead to me combining my love for car culture and punk rock and creating Gearhead Magazine. It might be a stretch to say that without Tim, there would be no Gearhead, but then again, maybe not. One things for sure, Tim showed me the blueprint for doing my own thing, exactly how I wanted to do it, and without compromise.

I loved that he drove a Volvo station wagon by the way, because it suited him perfectly. He constantly had places to go and things to do, and needed the most practical and reliable vehicle possible for these endless tasks. In the end, that’s really what I admired most about him: in a town that can be flaky beyond belief, if he said he was going to do something, he did it. Starting a legendary fanzine, a syndicated radio show, opening an all-ages club and a volunteer run record store along the way. He never took a dime for himself either, it was all about showing people how to build a truly independent community, working together, and without ego. Never flashy, just hard working and dependable… just like his Volvo.

Happy Valentines Day everyone!

2010-02-14T13:53:00.000-08:00

Nothing like a little inter-species luv to mark the occasion!

Happy Birthday... to me!

2009-11-23T18:53:00.000-08:00

One of the many amazing gifts from an even more amazing 45th birthday party, once again held at Ricky's in San Leandro (where else?) last Friday night. Thanks Courtney and Susie, and um, this seems as good a time as any to give Court's business, the infamous Lucky Mule, a plug too.

Now a word (or 3) from our sponser...

2009-11-13T16:27:00.000-08:00

During my recent and ongoing obsession with Aliquippa Pennsylvania's favorite son, the one and only Pistol Pete Maravich, I uncovered these gems from the early 70's. Even during the "afro mandatory" ABA era, at least the suits at Vitalis thought that Pete had the "best hair in the League." I wonder what the good folks at Afro Sheen would have to say about that?

Happy Birthday Ike, you badass you.

2009-11-05T16:21:00.000-08:00

Sure, Ike Turner's soul left this spinnin' ball o' mud we call the planet Earth a few years ago, but that's no reason not to remember this R&B badass on his birthday. This pic seems to say, "We got Soul, fuck you" and somehow, I couldn't agree more.

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T15:34:00.000-07:00

The raw version of the next Gearhead cover: all hail the genius of WEESNER!

26 years ago today...

2009-09-08T16:48:00.000-07:00

From the "You think you have problems?" Dept.

2009-07-15T10:32:00.000-07:00

Punk Rock History Lesson, Pt. 23: VOM

2009-07-08T13:54:00.000-07:00

Before there was the Angry Samoans, there was VOM. Featuring two future Samoans (Greg Turner and “Metal” Mike Saunders) and rock critic Richard Meltzer on vocals, they only released one EP in 1978, but damn did they make an impression. I could go on for hours about this band (no kidding, I really could) but I’ll just say that they are probably one of the best examples of what this "crazy new thing called punk rock” was before the “rules” about virtually everything slowly fell into place. Lines like “so retarded they were genius” actually do them a disservice, so I think I’ll just settle for “genius” and leave it at that. Enjoy.

Thrift score of the day.

2009-07-03T21:47:00.000-07:00

Best 10¢ I ever spent!

Punk Rock History Lesson, Pt. 22: The Undertones

2009-07-01T11:41:00.000-07:00

Well you come to the letter “U” and you think, I could get cute with this, The Users, UXA, UXB, Urban Waste, The Unnatural Axe even, but to not post a clip of Northern Irelands finest, The Undertones, would be downright blasphemous. I don’t need to say too much about these guys, as they have rightfully established themselves as one of the all time great bands in several genres really, and despite the departure of singer Feargal Sharkey in 1983, in 1999 they reformed and are still at it. This clip falls under the “way too great not to share” category, it’s them in 1978 actually recording their most enduring song “Teenage Kicks,” which somehow never sounds dated. Have no fear blog readers, the letter “V” will be much more obscure.

R.I.P. 1958-2009

2009-06-25T19:17:00.000-07:00

Anyone who knows me can tell you that I'll fight anyone who doesn't give the Jackson 5 the respect they deserve, and I've been that way for decades. I can't speak on how Michael behaved as an adult, or the things he did or didn't do. All I know is, from 1969 to 1979 there was THE VOICE, and now it's silent. Luckily there is the music, the videos of the TV appearances, even the Rankin-Bass produced J5 cartoon had soul. It's all a huge part of my life, and probably is for anyone that grew up in the 70's. How much cooler were the Jackson 5 than the Osmond Brothers? There is literally no comparison, they stood alone, and we stood in awe.

I never met the guy, but I always believed Lisa Marie Presley when she said he was a completely different person in private. A guy who drank, swore and joked around a lot, just like any other guy in his 40's from Gary Indiana. The world will never really know for sure, and he'll always remain an enigma, but I for one will miss him. Rest in Peace bro, you earned it.

City of Champions... again.

2009-06-12T22:26:00.001-07:00

Punk Rock History Lesson, Pt 21: Tenpole Tudor

2009-06-10T14:44:00.000-07:00

Among punk rocks many spin-offs and subdivisions (horror punk, funky punk and Christ-knows-what-else punk, etc.) perhaps no movement is as simultaneously obscure and awesome as Medieval Punk. Of course, when there is only ONE band in this beyond-exclusive genre, it not hard to figure out why it was obscure, but I’m here to tell you why it was also awesome. While anyone who has ever seen the 1978 Sex Pistols film The Great Rock ‘n’ Roll Swindle knows exactly who Eddie Tenpole is, the story of this band goes way beyond that of a crazy guy screaming “Who Killed Bambi” into a vacuum cleaner. Formed in 1974 while bands like The Sweet and Slade still ruled the UK charts, a young Edward Tudorpole (you can’t make something like that up folks) put together the wildly entertaining Tenpole Tudor, a bit pub, a bit pop, and although their wasn’t a word for it yet, a bit punk. Known for performing in period garb, with Eddie himself in a full chain mail suit, their unique brand of Middle Age madness is perhaps even more apparent in the video for "Wunderbar" but I couldn’t find a clean copy of it, so here is "Swords of a Thousand Men," released on Stiff Records in 1981. The old saying “they don’t make ‘em like this anymore” barely applies here, because in the case of Tenpole Tudor, they never made ‘em like this before or since!

The best thing about insomnia...

2009-06-05T21:40:00.000-07:00

My dream job.

2009-05-29T00:11:00.000-07:00

And by contrast, here is the WORST thing I'll ever post...

2009-05-08T21:19:00.000-07:00

God only knows why Beatles engineer Norman Smith, who also produced such top notch UK acts as The Pretty Things and Pink Floyd, decided to step out from behind the mixing board one fateful day in 1972 and re-invent himself as "pop star" Hurricane Smith. Why Lord?

This is the guy that turned the knobs on total classics like S.F. Sorrow and The Piper at Gates of Dawn fer Christsake! What I'm saying is, HE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER! This horrible song absolutely haunted me throughout my childhood... I mean, it was everywhere, and looking back, I bet that no one was more surprised that it became a huge international hit than old Norman himself. Interestingly enough, the best and worst things I will ever post were recorded within a year of each other. It just goes to show what a totally haphazard and arbitrary time the early 70’s actually were. No wonder the muscle car died out and Detroit was never the same… can you blame it?

It pains me to post this, but if we've learned anything from Newton, it's that "for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction" so if I posted that genius and long lost Sparks footage, I simply have to post this... sorry, but I can't break the third law of motion, not even for this blog!

The GREATEST thing I will ever post!

2009-05-06T11:43:00.000-07:00

Look, I’ll be the first one to admit that I am prone to exaggeration. For some, it is a part of my “charm” and for others it’s a minor annoyance they put up. But I assure you that I’m not exaggerating in the slightest when I say that this is the greatest thing I will ever post. Why? Let’s start with the fact that I first saw this clip THIRTY FOUR YEARS AGO on the long forgotten late night ABC TV show In Concert, and it’s not a stretch to say that it totally changed my life. I only saw it once, but it set off a life long… shall we say “obsession” with the band Sparks that continues to this day.

Before seeing this, I never knew that rock and roll could be so clever, both ingenious and totally ass-kicking at the same time. Even among the slew of so-called “glam rock” bands that Ron, Russell and the boys were inevitably lumped in with, they were entirely unique, and I don’t think that’s ever been better illustrated than in this footage. Clearly they had fans in high places, besides the mob of screaming teens, you see none other than Keith Moon and Ringo Starr teaming up to introduce them. In all seriousness, I remember this clip like I saw it only yesterday; no other musical performance ever made such an impact on me. Do yourself a favor and stick with it until the end, because after they do “Something for the Girl with Everything” they break into a killer version of “Talent is an Asset” that still has me jumping around like I did when I was nine years old. Enjoy.

TV Time out!

2009-05-01T23:37:00.000-07:00

Did you ever wonder what goes on at an NBA playoff game during a TV time out? Well, since your boy MLV was there and my trusty Casio Exilim digital camera can make short Quicktime movies, I thought I'd share... cover your ears!

BULLS MANIA!

2009-04-30T23:26:00.000-07:00

My first ever NBA playoff game was everything I ever imagined it could be... and more! The amazing intro! Toni Kukoc in the house! The roar of the crowd when homeboy Derrick Rose hit the court! TRIPLE overtime! Ray Allen puts up 51 points in a loss! All that and... Joakim Noah! Lord knows I love the Golden State Warriors like I love my own mother (flaws and all) but... THE BULLS! This is what the NBA is all about baby!

My kind of town...

2009-04-29T20:11:00.000-07:00

Been chillin' with Alexei in Chicago for a few days now... Drink, talk, eat, drink, repeat! We got tickets for Game 6 of the Bulls vs. Celtics tomorrow, I'll definitely let you know how that goes...

Oh yeah, about this picture: Did you really think that I could walk by the Biograph Theater where John Dillinger was gunned down in 1934 and NOT do this?

Pure genius!

2009-04-24T23:55:00.000-07:00

May the best man win!

2009-04-17T19:23:00.000-07:00

The annual Gearhead inner-office NBA playoffs pool... in the immortal words of my nemesis Jeremy Stoner, "It's on, sucka."

MAGS!

2009-04-06T19:17:00.000-07:00

Yes, Gearhead Magazine #18 is actually here, actually for sale on the website, and is shipping right now. So friends, I gotta check out for awhile so I can ship the thousands upon thousands upon thousands of copies (this was just one days shipment, about 1600 pieces) to fine folks like yourself all over the globe. So subscribers, you’ll get yours soon… advertisers, that goes for you too. And stores, if you haven’t ordered yours yet, please feel free to do so… seriously please do! I’ll be back ASAP, but right now, I have a several weeks long date with a box cutter and a tape gun… see you soon. Did I mention that it’s THOUSANDS of copies?

Punk Rock History Lesson, Pt 20: The Scientists

2009-04-01T17:26:00.000-07:00

Arguably the coolest thing that ever came out of the lonely town of Perth, Western Australia, this totally genius band lead by Kim Salmon formed there in 1978 before taking off for Sydney in 1981, where they stayed until they relocated to London in 1984. They finally called it quits in 1987 after nearly a decade of kicking out some of the finest jams since… well since The MC5 first showed the world what kicking out the jams was all about. Just freakin’ killer stuff.

In the 80’s, my friend Frank Pappagallo (he of Where’s The Pope? Fame) from Adelaide, regularly sent me the latest Scientists releases in trade for American stuff like D.R.I. and Pleased Youth. I'd say I definitely got the better of that deal, but the point is, I’ve been a fan of The Scientists for over 25 years now, and I’m sometimes shocked that people that should definitely know about them still don’t. Well, if seeing them here in 1980 on an Australian TV show called Countdown doing the classic track “Last Night” doesn’t hip you to these guys, I guess nothing will.

“Look Skoty…”

2009-03-30T18:10:00.000-07:00

"I have no idea when the new Gearhead with me and Roger Miret on the cover will be out!” Well you can finally relax Alex, it’s at the printers now…

What the… !

2009-03-27T17:49:00.000-07:00

Has anyone ever actually heard this? If it sounds half as cool as it looks, I'm thinkin' it's a winner.

Punk Rock History Lesson, Pt.19: The Ruts

2009-03-25T19:08:00.000-07:00

Again we fall back to the glory days of UK punk for our next entry, The Ruts. Formed in Southall, West London in 1978, their career was tragically cut short when singer Malcolm Owen died of an overdose in 1980, although they did go without him foe awhile as Ruts D.C. They did manage to release one brilliant LP called The Crack, which is easily as pivotal and important as Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols, although you probably won’t be hearing Anthrax or Megadeth covering their songs anytime soon. No matter, The Ruts were hugely influential on the whole DC punk scene in the 80’s, in fact it was a young, still in Government Issue Jay Robbins that turned me on to them in the mid-80’s, sometime before Dag Nasty famously covered “Staring at the Rude Boys.” This video is for the track “Something That I Said” which is just about as perfect a song as has ever been written in any genre. It has everything, the melody, the big hook… and that’s why it still sounds great today.

Good advice...

2009-03-23T16:42:00.000-07:00

...in 1969 or any ol' year.

Beato’s First NBA game!

2009-03-20T18:00:00.000-07:00

And what a fine game it was! My infamous cousin Beato got into town just in time to get over to Roaracle to see The Warriors easily knock off the Philadelphia 76’ers, despite the fact that they are right in the mix for the playoffs in the East while our bloodied but unbowed b-ball boys have been mathematically elimined from the post season. You’d never know it from this game though; they played ‘em so tough. Hopefully this event will be the first step in weaning Beato away from those other “N” leagues (NFL, NHL) but somehow I doubt it… unless of course they bring back the Pittsburgh Pipers!

Chillin' with the Warriors Girls!

2009-03-19T16:17:00.000-07:00

Every so often, my beloved NBA team the Golden State Warriors have these "Road Game Viewer Parties" at various spots around the Bay Area during the regular season. I'd never checked one out before, but I always wanted to as they feature great prizes (tickets to games, autographed basketballs, etc.) and, perhaps more importantly, The Warrior Girls! So imagine my surprise when I heard that one was being held tonight at Tiki Tom's, a bar that is ONE BLOCK FROM MY HOUSE! No way I was going to miss it, and I gotta say that even though I couldn't get anyone to go with me, it was a blast. Yes sir, that's me with none other than Team Caption Alexis, who, along with the very charming Leah, hung out with me for longer than I could have ever imagined... I guess that despite my rapidly advancing age, I can still hold my own in the talking department anyway, which is good to know. Go Dubs!

Punk Rock History Lesson, Pt.18: The Queers

2009-03-18T14:15:00.000-07:00

Ah, the letter “Q.” I knew that this would be a tough one, but lucky for us, for the past 27 years The Queers have roamed the earth in one form or another. I was hoping to unearth some early footage from the legendary ‘82-84 line-up featuring original singer Wimpy, but alas, all my searching turned up nothing before the band reformed with guitarist Joe King (Get it? Jok-ing?) at the helm in 1990. So what the hell, here is the video for perhaps their best-known song “Punk Rock Girls.” I picked this because I was actually there at the Trocadero in S.F. in 1996 when this was filmed, and I have nothing but good memories from that whole era, so there you go.

Interesting 90’s punk rock footnote: This was not the only punk video shoot that I just happened to be at. I was also at Gilman when NOFX made the video for “Stickin’ In My Eye” but pretty much all I remember was how pissed off Fat Mike was at Eric Sandin for pushing that piano off the stage, because it was a rental! In hindsight, I wonder what Mike thought he was going to do with it? I mean, he couldn’t play it, obviously he was thinking about smashing it… but I digress. I used to hang around with those guys a lot back then, in fact I actually sing on the White Trash, Two Heebs and a Bean LP. Don’t believe me? Check the liner notes punky.

Top 5 things I DON'T want

2009-03-16T13:27:00.000-07:00

Skis
A donkey
A grandfather clock
A boat of any kind
A trophy wife

Runner up: A player piano

Now a word from our sponsor…

2009-03-13T22:30:00.000-07:00

What a simple but effective stroke of marketing genius. You can almost hear the conversation at the Serta, Inc. board meeting...

First Guy: “Well boys, we’ve got a lot of mattresses to sell.”
Second guy: “Who is the sexiest broad on earth?”
First guy: “Joey Heatherton, hands down.”
Second guy: “Let’s get her then, whatever it costs”
CEO: “Good job boys, 10% raises across the board.”

To this day, whenever I think about a mattress for any reason, I also think about Joey Heatherton. Talk about a successful advertising campaign… damn.

Punk Rock History Lesson, Pt. 17: The Pointed Sticks

2009-03-11T21:29:00.000-07:00

Perhaps the greatest marriage of pure power pop and punk rock energy ever, Vancouver B.C.’s The Pointed Sticks are definitely one of my favorite bands. Although they existed for a relatively short time (1978 to 1981) they did manage to record quite a bit, and although their vinyl releases were hunted down to near extinction, in recent years everything (and more!) is available again through Sudden Death records. You can’t go wrong with anything they’ve ever done, but if you’ve never heard them before, the compilation Waiting For the Real Thing is a great place to start... and of course who could forget their performance in Dennis Hopper's cult classic Out of the Blue? If you haven't seen that, trust me it's worth checking out as well.

These guys have actually been playing again on and off since 2006, and are reportedly releasing an LP of new material in June. I normally run away from reunions of anyone from the “wheelchair and iron lung” set, but since it’s these guys, I’m actually keeping an ear out for it.

Scarlett Fever Wrap Up!

2009-03-09T22:10:00.000-07:00

Did you really think that if I posted a picture of two busty beauties one day, that a picture of a shirtless fat guy wasn’t right behind it? Seriously now, another successful benefit for Scarlett has come and gone, and once again I can’t think of a better way to spend my time and money… even if it meant flying halfway across the country just to be there. This year was especially rowdy and rightly so, especially with situations like Rich of Blazen 7 saying things like “I’ll strip right now for 40 bucks!” Now normally you might not expect that to get a stampede of people with fistfuls of twenty dollar bills running to the stage, but remember, all the proceeds go to Scarlett and to raise money for Rett Syndrome in general, so in this club packed full of big hearted people, anything can happen… and often does. It's always great to see plenty of old friends, and new ones like Nicky the Barber making the scene as well.

I gotta say that the bands were all really good this year, especially the unfortunately named Mofo Party Band from Fresno, CA. These guys are easily one of the most powerful and energetic blues bands I’ve ever seen, so maybe we should hold a contest to get them a better name or something! If you ever see that they are playing anywhere near you, don’t miss them, bad name notwithstanding. You’ll be glad you went, take that from me, a guy recently diagnosed as “near agoraphobic” (by my friend Lee anyway.) I’m already looking forward to next years event, and I plan on getting even more involved in the future. It’s a great feeling to know that your efforts are actually making a difference, and that’s a feeling that’s too good to keep to oneself.

The view from Scarlett Fever 3...

2009-03-08T18:00:00.000-07:00

Today could honestly be classified as a “whirlwind” as I woke up in Ann Arbor, hopped a plane in Detroit to San Francisco, attended the 3rd annual Scarlett Fever, then finally hit the sack in Oakland. I’ll be back tomorrow with a little wrap up of this most excellent event, but for now, I’ll just give you people what you want… boobs! Yes friends (or should I say fiends?) whenever Asia and Greta get together, it is nothing short of a pure celebration of chesticles… aren’t you glad I always have a camera on me?

Detroit Day 3, You never know who you’ll run into… (and a very special anniversary)

2009-03-07T17:34:00.000-08:00

My old pal Jon Clark, who is officially known around these parts as “the guy who saved Gearhead” (although that is a story for a different time) proved to be one hell of a host! In less than two hours, he took me through the entire show (stopping just long enough to take this photo of me with the legendary Norm Grabowski) then proceeded to drive me on tour of Detroit that included the original home of Motown Records, the Highland Park Ford plant where the first Model T rolled off the line in 1913, and the giant tigers of Comerica Park, all before treating me to a “Coney Island” at The Lafayette….whew! By the way, that’s Jon’s A-100 Dodge van in the post from 3/5, and I should mention that it won First Place in the “Conservative Van” category. Not bad for it’s first show!

Although I spent most of my time in the ol Acme/Gearhead/No Fun booth, (where I did end up signing lots of autographs – thanks for the luv Detroit!) I also managed to meet artists like Tuck, the boys behind Lowbrow Customs, and to behold the genius that is Speedcult! These guys can make ANYTHING out of scrap metal, and if you don’t believe me, just witness the sheer brilliance of the Crapmaster 3000! A combination magazine/toilet paper holder that no respectable bathroom should be without! I was so impressed by it that I had to donate a set of Gearhead mags to their display one, although I still wonder if any tome is worthy of this magnificent invention! I’d like to thank my new friends Matt and Brenda Pomroy for making my visit to this huge and visually overwhelming booth a very memorable experience. Damn, I wish I had more time here in the Motor City, but Scarlett Fever is tomorrow and in just a few short years it has become the ultimate “be there or be sorry” event in the Bay Area. I have a sneaking suspicion that I’ll be back in Detroit much sooner than later though… I mean, now that I’ve witnessed just some of what this town has to offer, how could I ever stay away?

I also want to mention that this post marks the one-year anniversary of LaVella-blog! and I gotta say that doing it has been a fairly fascinating experience. I’m still figuring out what type of content most people are interested in seeing, but based on the feedback (actual comments on this blog and the ones I’ve gotten in real life) it really is a mixed bag, so I suppose I’ll just keep posting a combination of what I’ve been doing mixed with things that I find entertaining. 165 posts in my first year ain’t bad, that averages out to a little more than three a week...and to think that ol’ Jer was worried that I wouldn’t keep up with it after he helped me set it up. Yes, I had help! I’m 44 years old people, I still think that color television is an amazing new invention. Anyway, thanks for reading.

Detroit Autorama, Day 2. They are doing some amazing things with louvers here!

2009-03-06T15:58:00.000-08:00

I’m not sure what I expected to see in Detroit, but any notion I had that California car builders are somehow “ahead” of what’s going on in the kustom kulture world quickly disappeared after one quick look around. I could (easily) write a hundred different posts about a hundred different cars because the amount of creativity and skill that I saw laid out before me at Cobo Hall was truly inspiring. My erstwhile “tour guide” around the layout of this brave new land was Jason Poirier from the Detroit chapter of the Road Devils. Yes, this is a peak under of the hood of his immaculate 1955 Pontiac Chieftain, and like the title of this post promised, they really are doing amazing stuff with louvers here! I was thankful (to say the least) that Jason took the time to introduce me not only to his club, but to the members of the local chapters of The Poor Boys, The Rumblers and the Deadbeats, to name but a few. He did such a damn fine job (and kept the Black Label flowin’ all day) that I felt compelled to make a name tag proclaiming him “The coolest fuckin’ guy in Detroit.” Much to my surprise, he actually wore it. Stay in touch pal!

Detroit Autorama ho!

2009-03-05T15:13:00.000-08:00

Well, here I am at the birthplace of the two things I love the most: 1) Rock and Roll (as we know it, MC5, Stooges, etc.) and 2) The Automobile. I haven’t been here since 1987 when Half Life played at the Graystone, and now all I can do is wonder why I haven’t been back sooner. Why? Because this place rules! Detroit is obviously ground zero of all things cool, from Motown to Dodge Main, from Funkadelic to The Pistons. One quick look around is all it took for me to realize that this is the only other place outside of California that I could do Gearhead from. In other words, this town lacks nothing. It has the cars, the builders, the clubs, the artists, the tattoo parlors, the garage bands, the venues… if it wasn’t for this crazy thing called “snow” that people kept warning me about, I’d have thought I landed in paradise. Like my beloved Oakland, this town gets a bad rap, but hey, it’s all about attitude, and this place has plenty of that.

I’m here because of my friend Nina who owns Acme Mercantile in nearby Ann Arbor. Long story short, she went to the Autorama last year and noticed that no one was selling Gearhead. Seeing an opportunity to right a great, great wrong, she took it upon herself to make sure that Gearhead was in fact a presence at Autorama in the most obvious way possible, by flying me in! To complete the picture, she also invited Claudia from No Fun Records to share the booth with us – and what a booth it is! Between Nina’s Rat Fink-heavy store stock, all the Gearhead Magazines and Apparel, and the No Fun discography, we got a winner here folks. Thanks Nina, I owe you one. I’ll keep you updated daily from here until I once again go West…

Punk Rock History Lesson, Pt. 16: The Only Ones

2009-03-04T01:26:00.000-08:00

I’m gonna keep this short because I’m on my way to Detroit, and besides I’m sure that most anyone reading this is already familiar with The Only Ones, and their best known jam “Another Girl, Another Planet.” This video however is a different story, I didn’t even know that it existed until very recently, so I thought I’d post it for all of “yunz “ (as they say in Pittsburgh) to enjoy.

Motorcity bound!

2009-03-03T10:25:00.000-08:00

Well folks, I'm off to Detroit for the Autorama. I'll be in the Acme Mercantile booth, where you'll be able to buy Gearhead Magazines and related apparel, right alongside all of the great stuff they always have in stock. We'll have copies of the Cole Foster and Robert Williams books I co-authored there as well, so if you're planning on attending the mother of all car shows, plan on swinging by the Acme booth and saying "Hey, when is the new Gearhead out?" I'll actually have a good answer for you!

SCARLETT FEVER 3 THIS SUNDAY!

2009-03-02T23:46:00.000-08:00

It is once again time for the benefit show that is actually the best party of the year! Many of you read about Scarlett Fever in issue #17 of Gearhead, but for those of you that didn’t, it is a annual event held at the DNA Lounge (375 Eleventh St. in San Francisco) that benefits Miss Scarlett, the 15 year old daughter of Road Lords CC president Bob James who has Rett Syndrome. This year’s event will be hosted by Asia Devinyl, and feature performances by The Del Bombers, Three Bad Jacks, Mofo Party Band, Stigma 13, Not For Not and the Faraway Boys. There will be a raffle with lots of great stuff donated by everyone from Mike Ness to Cole Foster, and plenty of rods & customs parked right out on 11th street. Co-sponsored by our pals at Gambino Customs and Gearhead Magazine ('natch) a good time is guaranteed to be had by all, and of course it’s for a great, great cause. Plenty more info on Scarlett and the event can be found right here. And yes, I will make it back from the Detroit Autorama in time to attend, so see you there!

We got soul! (Well, not really...)

2009-02-27T17:40:00.000-08:00

This post could also be called "Why black folks find us ridiculous, Pt.1." If it pains you to watch people that have absolutely no rhythm whatsoever then look away... for the rest of you, enjoy!

Punk Rock History Lesson, Pt. 15: 999

2009-02-25T11:21:00.000-08:00

I have a really cool video of The Nils from Canada that I had planned on posting for “N” but then I came across this gem from 999 (which, while technically a number, does begin with an N and was therefore deemed eligible) and I figured that I’d be doing the world (or at least the few hundred people on it that regularly read this blog) a great disservice if I didn’t post it ASAP.

Formed in London during that mythical year of 1977, 999 are definitely one of the all time greats. Today’s so-called pop punk bands owe them a great amount of gratitude, if they realize it or not. Back when bands were either very political or almost comically nihilistic, Nick Cash and the boys provided the blueprint for very listenable and melodic punk rock that still sounds great today…. So let’s take two minutes and forty-two seconds out to celebrate them here. This video is for the song “Emergency” which was their fourth single, released in June of 1978.

Dr. Cheetah Chrome on the importance of Fiber

2009-02-23T13:34:00.000-08:00

I recently came across this record while I was going through my boxes of punk singles, which I do from time to time when I need to sell a few on EBay to supplement my “income.” I was amused by this message written by Dead Boy’s guitarist Cheetah Chrome back in 1986, so I thought I’d share it with you. While there hasn’t been much written on the subject of Mr. Chrome’s clairvoyant abilities, I’d say he nailed this one right on the head. For a mere 22 years later, I was laid up for a while there last summer with diverticulosis (and if you don’t know what that is, do yourself a favor and DO NOT look it up!) It took a CT scan to figure out exactly what was (or in my case, wasn’t) going on down there, and once we knew, there was only one cure: “You need more fiber in your diet” – spooky! So, I now have a regimen that insures that I get at least 25 grams of fiber everyday (Tip: Fiber One products are a Godsend for the defecationally challenged) and I’m happy to report that my problems are now all behind me, pun intended. Thanks Cheetah, I know should have taken your advice sooner, but “better late than never” I always say.

5 bands I saw live that should make young people really jealous...

2009-02-20T18:09:00.000-08:00

Devo (New Traditionalists tour 1981, on the treadmills)
The Clash (twice in 1982, with Terry Chimes drumming)
Elvis Costello & The Attractions (1982, original line-up: epic!)
Gang of Four (three times between 1981 and ‘83)
The Pretenders (original line-up, 1981)

Punk Rock History Lesson, Pt. 14: Métal Urbain

2009-02-18T16:25:00.000-08:00

With this post, I managed to not only stay in France, but also get back to the original punk rock era, which can only mean one thing: Métal Urbain! Compared to the rest of Europe, our beret-wearing, bicycle-ridin’ French brethren produced far fewer punk bands than other countries, but if these guys are any indication of what France was capable of, maybe you only need one great band to represent the disenfranchised masses!

Described as a cross between The Sex Pistols and Lou Reed’s infamous Metal Machine Music LP, these guys were obviously an influence on everyone from Big Black to The Jesus and Mary Chain. I have no idea why they aren’t a household name (after all, it’s not that hard to pronounce) like their peers The Clash and the aforementioned Pistols, but I for one hold them in similar esteem… perhaps more so, if only for their originality. Par excellence!

Ah, the joys of rat ownership...

2009-02-16T20:41:00.000-08:00

This is my new pet rat, Illya Kuryattus, The Rat from U.N.C.L.E.

What in the Hell happened to these guys?

2009-02-13T16:59:00.000-08:00

About 5 years ago, a promo CD in a plain white sleeve arrived at my P.O. Box. A Band of Bees? I never heard of them, and almost didn’t play it, but eventually I did and was blown away, as I always am when I hear a bunch of hillbillies play with so much soul. So, "I had to do some investigating" as my friend Rob Tabachka would say. A little later on, an early You Tube search turned up this amazing and quite ingenious video, which only fueled the “who in the Hell are these guys” fire. Five years later, I still don’t know, but this is definitely worth a look. Just try not to groove, I dare ya!

Punk Rock History Lesson, Pt. 13: Les Thugs

2009-02-11T15:27:00.000-08:00

Hailing from Angers, France and existing from 1983 to 1999, Les Thugs are easily one of my 25 favorite bands of all time. Despite being French, they were truly the kings of the “great American riff.” With powerful vocals added by diminutive front man Eric Sourice (and amazing harmony vocals provided by his brother, Thugs drummer Christophe, that would give any Southern California band –from the Mama & Papas to Bad Religion– a run for their money) I was lucky enough to catch them many times in the late 80’s/early 90’s. Although we never actually spoke, I’m sure they would remember me, as I was the guy screaming “Tres bien, music fantastique!” after every song, much to the bemusement of Tim Yohannan and anyone else standing near me.

Speaking of the dearly departed Tim Yo, he was a bigger fan of these guys than I was, if that’s possible. I remember one time at the Covered Wagon Saloon we were watching them and a huge smile came over his face as the Thugs tore into one particularly driving song. He leaned over to me and said very matter-of-factly “There it is, the Velvet Underground New York subway rhythm.” Since Tim was the only person I’ve ever known who actually saw The Velvet Underground, I was happy to take his word for it.

For this post I chose the video for the track “Never Get Older” from 1986, but honestly I could have just as easily picked any of about 150 remarkable songs from the bands rather large (but still possible to acquire) discography. If you don’t know about these guys do yourself a favor and look them up, you won’t be sorry.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year

2009-02-09T01:29:00.000-08:00

No, I haven’t misplaced my calendar friends. I know that the holidays are behind us and that summer is still months away. I’m talking about my favorite time of the year: Now. Why you ask? Because football is over and baseball hasn’t started up yet, so for a few wonderful weeks it’s all about the NBA. Baring some sports legends death or a drug/sex scandal, basketball scores and the days top plays are always the lead in stories on SportsCenter, and talk about player movement or the standings and whatnot dominate other ESPN shows like First Take and it’s spin off 1st and 10. Add that to the 24/7 action available on NBA TV, and I’m all set until the final game of the playoffs… so see you in July when I re-emerge and slowly work my way back into society, at least until the season starts again in October.

Now a word from our sponser...

2009-02-06T13:08:00.000-08:00

Dude! Did you see the Superbird SSP? That's one lucky goddamned kid!

Punk Rock History Lesson, Pt. 12: Kraut

2009-02-04T00:12:00.000-08:00

I’m going to move out of the late 70’s and into “my era” for a bit, which is the early 80’s and the birth of what became known as hardcore punk. By 1981, there were bands that existed only to play as hard and fast as possible, but the ones I find myself still listening to are the groups that paid tribute musically to the original punk bands that came before them, that is the ones that never sacrificed a good melody for pure speed. A good example would be Kraut, one of the first bands to emerge in New York City right on the heels of late 70's bands like The Stimulators, but a little bit before better known groups like Agnostic Front and Murphy’s Law came along.

Kraut’s place in hardcore history is undeniable. Their first two EP’s are genius (and highly collectable) and their first full length LP, 1982’s An Adjustment to Society, is a bona-fide classic, but to this day, they are best remembered for this video. Why? Because in the very early days of MTV, long before Billy F. Gibbons and the boys famously re-invented themselves for small screen mega success, the fledgling network had to play whatever videos were available to them, and the majority at that time were UK pop and new wave acts, and this video for “All Twisted” which gave Kraut the distinction of being the first independent band ever played on MTV. The fact that it was shown at all still boggles the mind, but it was, and pretty damn often. I was only 17 years old when I first saw this, and while my own future was still uncertain, this group of my peers pointed out the path I was to take for the rest of the decade and beyond. So thank you Doug, Davey, Don and Johnny; wherever you are, I hope you’re still fighting the good fight.

We are the Champions… again

2009-02-02T23:08:00.000-08:00

For the second time in only four years, my hometown team the Pittsburgh Steelers are once again Super Bowl champions. It’s starting to feel like the 1970’s, that preposterous decade not so long ago when it seemed like the “Stillers” couldn’t lose. As far as this year’s game is concerned, it reminded me a bit of Super Bowl XIV where, after The Rams played Pittsburgh tough for 3 quarters, they (say in John Fucenda voice) “Achieved a dignity in defeat that they never had in victory.” What I’m saying is, no one will ever think of the Arizona Cardinals as a bunch of pussies ever again. Great game.

Punk Rock History Lesson, Pt. 11: The Jam

2009-01-28T11:36:00.000-08:00

Last March I did a post called “5 Favorite Bands of All Time, if I absolutely had to pick only 5.” I remember laboring over that for about a week, mostly because it simply felt wrong to post such a list without including The Jam. Since the moment I first saw them on the late (and unbelievably great) TV show Fridays in July of 1980, I was hooked, and I’ve “rediscovered” them at various times in my life more than any other group in the last 28 years or so. They are always there when you need them, and remarkably, their music never sounds antiquated. Their discography is relatively concise, that is they only released 6 full-length albums between 1977 and 1982, but if the saying “all killer – no filler” ever applied to anyone, it’s these 3 incredibly talented Brits. What I’m saying is, if I ever expanded that list to 10 bands, they would make it easily.

Since this is a “punk rock” history lesson, I decided to focus on the band early in their career. Their later, more soulful stuff is equally brilliant, but when I came across this footage of the band doing “In The City” live at The Circus that ran on Tony Wilson’s show in 1977, I knew I had a winner for ya. Check out the very young Poly Styrene sitting in the interviewers chair before Tony gets up to introduce this footage… hopefully I can scare that up before we get to the letter X.

Top 5 Greatest speaking voices of all time

2009-01-23T13:10:00.000-08:00

Arnold Stang
Ken Nordine
John Fucenda
Edward Everett Horton
Boris Karloff

Punk Rock History Lesson, Pt. 10: Iggy and the Stooges

2009-01-21T22:50:00.000-08:00

As tempting as it was to go with Icons of Filth, Iron Cross or even the Inca Babies for the letter I, the recent passing of Stooges founding guitarist Ron Asheton sealed the deal; so Iggy and the Stooges it is.

This footage of the band playing at the Cincinnati Pop Festival in 1970 has made its way around ye olde internet to be sure, but if there’s even a chance that someone on earth hasn’t seen it yet, then it’s definitely worth posting here. Rumor has it that a young Stiv Bators gave Iggy the now infamous jar of peanut butter that he saw fit to spread all over himself. That's feasible I guess, after all it is a small world, or more specifically, Ohio is a small state when it came to rock n’ roll 39 years ago.

At Last

2009-01-20T23:16:00.000-08:00

Today I woke up and there was an intelligent, passionate, eloquent, wonderfully articulate man being sworn into our countries highest office. If I’m dreaming, please don’t wake me up! Is it too soon to start a "Four More Years!" chant?

R.I.P. Patrick McGoohan

2009-01-19T22:16:00.000-08:00

Last week Patrick McGoohan, one of the most memorable figures in small screen history, passed away in Los Angeles. He was 80 years old, which somehow seems impossible, if only because the image of him at 40, the age he was while filming the 17 episodes of The Prisoner (which he also wrote, directed and starred in) is so indelibly burned into my brain. The character of “Number 6” became so iconic that it actually haunted McGoohan throughout his career, it seems that one does pay a hefty price for perfection. He did play other roles of course, like the lead in the pre-Prisoner UK series Danger Man, the warden in Escape From Alcatraz, and was there ever a creepier homicidal art dealer than the one he played opposite Richard Pryor in Silver Streak? But it’s that vision of our boy running down the beach in Portmeirion, Wales screaming “I am not a number -–I am a free man!” right before they once again capture him that stays with you forever. But like Martin Luther King who’s birthday we celebrate today; he too is finally free at last.

Books I read, 2008 Edition

2009-01-16T16:49:00.000-08:00

At the beginning of last year, I realized that I probably wasn’t reading enough books. I reckoned that now that I wrote a few, I should start reading them again too. Now don’t get me wrong, it’s not like I had stopped reading altogether. I still devour about a dozen magazines every month (including Mojo, which I read from cover to cover no matter how little I care about bands like Fairport Convention, et al) but books, not so much. So I decided to read at least one book a month, and by years end I actually overachieved a bit, as the final number was 13. Yes gentle reader, I also see the gaping hole representing the absence of titles that have anything to do with cars or even car culture, but I promise I’ll right that ship in 2009. My choices may shock some of you, but for those who know me best, I’m sure that the books listed below are par for the course, such as it is.

1) Good Grief: The Story of Charles M. Schulz by Rheta Grimsley Johnson
My mom actually purchased this book for me on a visit to San Francisco back in 1989, I dunno why it took me almost 20 years to pick it up. I’m glad I did though, as Miss Johnson pulls no punches in her Schulz-approved biography of a very complicated man who preferred playing hockey with his friends to jet setting.

2) A Paper Life by Tatum O’Neil
Let me just say that I freakin’ love Tatum O’Neil. Paper Moon, The Bad New Bears and Little Darlings practically shaped my adolescence, and it was really interesting to read about the making of those films from her point of view. Her childhood however, despite winning an Oscar and whatnot, was far from idyllic, as the reader soon figures out. I dare you to read this and not want to punch John McEnroe in the face.

3) Boy Wonder: My Life in Tights by Burt Ward
Holy (insert expletive) readers! This book tried my patience more than most, as Burt Ward, a.k.a. Robin from the mid-60’s Batman TV Series takes you though his life, with much emphasis on his numerous sexual exploits and conquests. He somehow manages to end EVERY GODDAMNED PARAGRAPH with a "Holy (insert adjective or noun)!" that will have you wanting to punch him in the face (or nuts) as well. Somehow this is still worth reading though, if only to better understand the love/hate dynamic between he and co-star Adam West. Holy Hepatitis Batman!

4) That Girl and Phil by Desmond Atholl
Pure campy trash, but if you ever wanted to know what it’s like to run a household that thinks nothing of spending $30,000 a week on fresh-cut flowers, then this is your book.

5) Woody Allen, A Biography by John Baxter
This book is often criticized as being “too ass kissing” or whatever, and it’s true that Baxter obviously holds Woody in high regard, but hey, who doesn’t? I’m reading the supposedly much more "neutral" biography by Eric Lax as we speak, so I’ll let you know what I think about it next year. You have to read at least one book about Woody Allen per year, I'm pretty sure that's even a law in New York state.

6) Diary of a Punk by Mike Hudson
This was a pretty Goddamned-amazing read; in fact I liked it so much that I did a little piece on it in the upcoming Gearhead #18. I set out to seriously interview the ex-Pagans singer, but it ended up more like a conversation between old friends, which was nice. Recommended reading for all aging punk rockers, and autographed copies are available right here.

7) The Replacements: All Over But The Shouting by Jim Walsh
In this Please Kill Me-style tell all, I learned more about The Replacements than I would have thought possible, but I must admit that I enjoyed it thoroughly. Also recommended.

8) Charles Kuralt’s America by Charles Kuralt
I’m a huge fan of the old CBS News “On the Road with Charles Kuralt” segments, and after he died, I read the book of the same name and enjoyed it immensely. That lead to me seek out his other books, most of which can be purchased for a dollar, no kidding. This particular book is especially engaging, because it takes place after he left CBS, and he obviously feels much more comfortable giving his honest opinions about things, and even drops a few “F bombs” along the way for good measure. This definitely left me wanting to read much more about Kuralt and his travels, which, as you can see from the next few books on the list, I did.

9) Charles Kuralt’s American Moments by Charles Kuralt w/ Peter Freundlich
This book, published posthumously, is a collection of short television spots called "An American Moment with Charles Kuralt" that he was working on with Freundlich right before his death in 1997. Some cool and off-the-beaten-path subject matter is explored here, but if you are only going to read one Charles Kuralt book in your life, you should probably start elsewhere.

10) A Life On The Road by Charles Kuralt
The book was fascinating in that it largely dealt with Kuralt’s life before he settled into his “drivin’ a camper around the USA” gig that most people knew him for. War zones, luxury liner hi-jackings and countries under bizarre dictatorships were just a few of the places that CBS sent a young Charles off to report from, and despite the fact that it reads almost like a quixotic spy novel at times, I believe that every word of it is true. This really made the job of being a reporter during the Cold War era seem romantic, as I always suspected that it was.

11) Creem: America’s Only Rock ‘N’ Roll Magazine by Robert Matheu and Brian J. Bowe
What can I say? In many ways, no magazine has inspired Gearhead more than Creem did. Looking back, it’s hard to believe that I had a subscription in 1975 (at age 11!) but I knew even then that this was the one magazine that told it like it really was, damn it. Seeing all these articles again, it gave me not only a warm nostalgic feeling, but also a whole new appreciation for artists like Bob Seger, believe it or not. It almost comes down to “if they covered it, it has to be cool” – a philosophy I pray lives in the readers of my own publication. Now in our 16th year, we have to be doing something right, and again, this was a major influence. Also very highly recommended.

12) Stuff White People Like: A Definitive Guide to the Unique Taste of Millions by Christian Lander
Yes, I actually succumbed to reading a book that was on the New York Times best seller list while I was reading it, but hey, this had more “it’s funny because it’s true” moments than I care to admit. My only criticism is that it is so timely that it will only be relevant for a very short period. That is, only until the next wave of trends come along and make this seem antiquated, which they inevitably will. It will most likely retain its humor, but will serve more as a time capsule for pre-Obama America than anything else.

13) Here’s the Story by Maureen McCormick
Start the year with a trashy biography, end the year with a trashy biography I always say. Wow, about all I can tell you about this is that the empty sex and drug abuse that went on in McCormick’s life made her onscreen Brady Bunch brother Barry Williams’ book Growing Up Brady read like Laura Ingalls Wilder. Damn girl!

Punk Rock History Lesson, Pt. 9: The Hurriganes

2009-01-14T20:37:00.000-08:00

Formed in 1972 and taking their musical cues more from the Bo Diddleys and Little Richards of the world than the glam rock popular at the time, The Hurriganes (the “g” is intentional, trust me) built quite the cult following in their native Finland throughout the 70’s and well into the 1980’s. Described as “Finland’s answer to Pub Rock” they do have more than a little in common with rockers like Dave Edmunds (which makes them relevant to the punk scene in general) but what struck me about them when my friend Pekka of The Hypnomen laid their classic 1974 disc Roadrunner on me in 2000, was their timeless appeal. Beloved by the Flaming Sideburns and all those who came after, their dedication to real rock and roll, with a mighty dose of hot rod and classic car imagery thrown in for good measure, makes these guys Gearhead-friendly to say the least. Check out this amazing video from God knows when in their long career and tell me you’re not instantly a fan. The Hurriganes just might be the coolest band you’ve never heard of. Oh, and check out the vintage Shell commercial tacked on at the end (or is this entire video a Shell commercial? Who knows?) you’ll be glad you did. Sorry about the audio, that's as loud as it gets.

So this explains it...

2009-01-12T15:59:00.000-08:00

Ever wonder why 20 year old Portland Trailblazers center Greg Oden looks likes he's in his sixties? This could be the answer you seek, grasshopper.

Ron is Gone

2009-01-09T14:21:00.000-08:00

I just found out that Ron Asheton died, damn. As founding member of The Stooges, who literally defined proto-punk and are arguably responsible for rock and roll as we know it today, I gotta say this is a shocker. He was 60, so you could say that he outlasted many of his guitar playin’ peers (Fred “Sonic” Smith and Eddie Hazel come to mind instantly) but I still think it’s way too soon, especially considering that after decades of fans demanding it, The Stooges finally reformed in 2003 and returned to much fanfare. At least ol’ Ron got to relive the glory one last time, not unlike Arthur “Killer” Kane’s last hurrah with the New York Dolls. Life is funny like that sometimes, even in the rock and roll world you can find redemption. He will be missed.

Punk Rock History Lesson, Pt. 8: Generation X

2009-01-07T17:09:00.000-08:00

I would imagine that damn near anyone who reads this blog is already familiar with Generation X, so think of this post as more of a celebration of one of the greatest original UK punk bands than a “history lesson.” This footage of the band recording “Kiss Me Deadly” comes from the film D.O.A., which, much like Rude Boy and all criticism aside, I’m just glad that someone had the sense to have a camera rolling. How deeply does this track resonate with me? When I finally made it to London in 2002, I only had one day there in route from Sweden back to the States, but I knew what I had to do. So “two punks” did “choose the risk the subway for a tube to Piccadilly” that day, 25 years after the song was recorded. Billy Idol sure does look young in this clip, but unlike so many of his peers he’s still with us, and considering everything that he's been through, that’s really saying something. Enjoy.

Stephen Jackson for Mayor?

2009-01-05T20:59:00.000-08:00

Why the hell not?! Considering all the crazy shit going on in Oakland these days, he probably could do a better job than Ron Dellums. You stepped up on the court Jack, now step into City Hall. "I make love to pressure" indeed!

Fight the Power! (Sorry... couldn't resist)

2009-01-02T17:06:00.000-08:00

Here's to the Golden State Warriors in 2009... they simply HAVE TO be better than they've been so far this season. We still believe!

Punk Rock History Lesson, Pt. 7: The Flesh Eaters

2008-12-31T14:37:00.000-08:00

Easily one of my top ten favorite bands of all time, The Flesh Eaters remain somewhat of an enigma. Existing on and off for over 30 years, you’d think that this notorious LA band would be a household name by now, but that’s sadly not the case. I remember being shocked when AFI frontman Davey Havok told me that he’d never heard them (check the interview with him in Gearhead #12, it’s in there) but then again, that’s why I’m doing this ongoing series: to hip you to the good stuff.

Forever fronted by Chris Desjardins (that’s Chris D. to you punk!) their early and most famous line-up included John Doe and D.J. Bonebrake of X, Dave Alvin and Bill Bateman of The Blasters, and Steve Berlin of Los Lobos. I really can’t imagine living in a world where this bands first four LP’s –No Questions Asked (1980) A Minute To Pray, A Second To Die (1981) Forever Came Today (1982) and A Hard Road To Follow (1983)– didn’t exist, because like a handful of other bands that sprang up out of the same well (The Gun Club, the aforementioned X, and early Wall of Voodoo) they never get stale.

This video is for the song “The Wedding Dice” from the Forever Came Today LP, which features the later (and less punk rock star studded) line-up of Don Kirk on guitar, Robyn Jameson on bass and drummer Chris Wahl. Less star power yes, but no less great. When I think about this so-called kustom kulture world that we live in, it’s hard to deny the role that Chris D. and The Flesh Eaters played in getting us to here. From hot rods and Harley’s, to hair grease and flaming dice tattoos, these guys were living it before a lot of you were even a gleam in your daddy’s eye. Respect.

What a haul!

2008-12-26T16:10:00.000-08:00

OK, I’ll be the first to admit that me and Greta tend to overdo it a bit in the gift-giving department each Yuletide season, but what better way to show someone that you love them then by paying close attention to every hint (some subtle, some not so much) that they drop throughout the year, then getting them everything they want… and more!

I seriously didn’t think that 2007 could be topped, but the proof was right there in this Christmas morning pudding: The Man From U.N.C.L.E. box set (41 discs!) and the Honey West Complete Series DVD’s, a pristine 1963 Mr. Gasser model kit, an original Nauga monster (in my favorite color no less), a limited edition Tim Biskup Yeti vinyl figure, the “Green Siamese” Circus Punk by KOA, a set of mint-in-box Nancy and Sluggo dolls (and a musical Sluggo mug from 1968), a great old hillbilly bobblehead, a whole set of the rare Spanish Munsters “squeaky dolls”, vintage Dr. Doolittle and Korg 70,000 B.C. metal lunchboxes, copies of the hard to find Chrysler dealer in-house publication Bin & Bench, a copy of the October 1964 edition of Life magazine with the huge “Big Daddy” Roth feature, Best in Show: The Films of Christopher Guest book, a Charlie The Tuna shaped transistor radio, some crazy circa-1960’s crying Indian and Eskimo dolls (that I collect on the rare occasion that I can find them) and (not pictured) a print of Emory Douglas’ iconic “All Power to the People” Black Panther Party print (and hand carved wooden fist thrown in for good measure) and… some pajamas! Do I have the world’s greatest girlfriend or what?

Punk Rock History Lesson, Pt. 6: Eddie and the Hot Rods

2008-12-24T13:56:00.000-08:00

Punk rock? The letter “E”? Gotta be Eddie and the Hot Rods kiddies. Formed in 1973, they, along with UK contemporaries like Dr. Feelgood and The Hammersmith Gorillas, were so-called “Pub Rock” bands whose working class image and “rough around the edges” sound served them well during the punk explosion of 1976, where they were propelled into the media spotlight. Their first two LP’s, Teenage Depression (1976) and Life on the Line (1977) are must-owns in my book, especially if you like your punk rock on the rock and roll side.

Arguably their most famous song, "Do Anything You Wanna Do" hit the UK Top 10 in August of 1977, a month where the US charts were dominated by the likes of Barry Manilow, Shawn Cassidy and Andy Gibb. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, in many ways they are way ahead of us over there, and here’s some more proof of that from 31 years ago. What a hook!

“I just flew in from Salinas, and boy are my arms tired…”

2008-12-19T15:04:00.000-08:00

Several people have emailed in asking if the copies of the Cole Foster book that are sold at the Gearhead Magazine website really are signed by Cole. Yes, yes they are. Whenever I get a new batch in, I make the 90 minute drive down to Salinas with Sharpie in hand, say “Hiya doll” to Susan, pet their pug Sophie, have Cole sign the books, then head back to Oakland. Why? Because I have to do something to give my poor ol’ website an edge over Amazon.com who sell the book a little cheaper. Cheaper yeah, but signed by me and Cole, no way. So there you go non-believers, and if you don’t have a copy yet, for the love o’ everything sacred, click here and get one… damn!

Punk Rock History Lesson, Pt. 5: Dow Jones and the Industrials

2008-12-17T11:48:00.000-08:00

OK, enough with the preachin’ and back to the teachin’. Dow Jones and the Industrials were a relatively short lived punk band from West Lafayette, Indiana, which is about an hour outside Indianapolis, best known for being the home of Purdue University. They existed in that brilliant post punk, pre-hardcore era of the late 70’s and (very) early 80’s that produced some of the greatest “no rules/anything goes” music ever created. With a very limited discography that consists of only one EP, and split LP with The Gizmos and one compilation track, not too much has been written about these guys, but I bet it’s pretty easy to fill in the blanks… they met at college, saw Devo, and, well… here are the brilliant results. “Can’t Stand the Midwest” is one of the greatest punk songs you’ve probably never heard, until now that is…

Some things are definitely better left in the past…

2008-12-15T17:23:00.000-08:00

Back in the mid-80s, when my life consisted mainly of passing time between Half Life gigs, I remember an ongoing argument that my tight knit gang of Pittsburgh punkers and I often had. One day our friend (and loyal roadie) Brian Corley brought up the short-lived 1970’s TV show Dusty’s Trail by way of asking us if we remembered it. I did, somewhat vaguely I’ll admit, but once he went on to (accurately) describe it as “Gilligan’s Island set in the old west” our little group was instantly split between the two of us and those who thought that he was totally making it up, and for whatever reason, I was in on the joke. Looking back on those pre-internet, “all the information in the known universe is just one click away “days of yore, it does sound like the set up for an elaborate gag. I mean, why would you try to recreate the wackiness of the world's most famous "crew of castaways" 100 years earlier, substituting a lost wagon train for a remote South Pacific island? But unfortunately for us, back in 1973 that’s exactly what Gilligan’s Island creator Sherwood Schwartz did. Jump to the present, where I recently had the misfortune of having one of the Dusty’s Trail discs somehow work it’s way to the top of my Netflix cue, and I’m here to tell ya, he and his son Elroy really should have left well enough alone.

It’s bad enough that the cast is a carbon copy of the Gilligan’s crew, from the bumbling Dusty (played by an obviously stoned Bob Denver, Mr. Gilligan himself) to Forrest Tucker as the “wagon master” who essentially takes on the Skipper’s role. But it doesn’t stop there, you have the rich couple, the smart guy, and of course the two girls, one glamorous and one a plain but loveable brunette no less. But where it really stinks up the joint is within it’s so-mundane-they-actually-insult-you “plots” – if you dare to call them that. During the course of the 4 episodes I somehow forced myself to sit through, they pull out every tired television gag humanly conceivable, from the old “hypnosis gone wrong” to a (Gasp!) escaped gorilla, which, remember that this is set on an abandoned trail in the unsettled west of the mid-19th century now, they don’t even attempt to explain how it got there, much less the fresh bananas that they have at their disposal to feed it. You know me friends, I generally like the TV shows of my youth, and I do have a pretty high threshold for sit-com silliness, from Petticoat Junction right up through the last season of the Partridge Family, but this flat out sucks, there’s really no other way to put it. I’ve read reviews online where retailers try and put a positive spin on this turkey, using phrases like “mirth and merriment ensue” but trust me, Dusty’s Trail is to be avoided at all costs.

Punk Rock History Lesson, Pt. 4: The Clash

2008-12-10T12:34:00.000-08:00

The gods of punk (Joey Ramone? Joe Strummer? Jeff Lamm?) have spoken, and so it shall be done: Punk Rock History Lesson is now weekly (and alphabetical) so let us proceed then to the letter C. While visions of posting videos by Chelsea, The Count Bishops or The Cortinas danced in my head, I’ve spend too much time with Roger Miret this year not to have found a renewed appreciation for The Clash. Sure, they achieved a level of success that most punk bands (actually most bands in general) can only dream of, but we can’t let that blind us to the fact that were great. Undeniably great.

As a young punk rocker in 1980, I was blown away the first time I saw the movie Rude Boy. Not by the flimsy plot of course, which follows sex shop worker Roy Gange as he ascends to the lofty rank of Clash roadie, but for the performances of The Clash themselves. Almost 30 years later, all I can say is, “Thank God someone was filming that!” No performance was more memorable of course than the one of the band performing “White Riot” at the now legendary Rock Against Racism concert in Victoria Park in 1978, where they are joined onstage by Sham 69 front man Jimmy Pursey. This is still awe-inspiring, and way too great to be ignored. My apologies to The Cortinas… maybe next time boys.

Punk Rock History Lesson, Pt. 3: The Buzzcocks

2008-12-03T11:51:00.000-08:00

Part of the reason why it took me awhile to get this new “weekly educational series” going was that I wasn’t sure how to approach it. SO MUCH material to cover, but also so little time, but I think doing it alphabetically is the answer, at least for the time being. Which brings up the letter B, and since we started off in the UK in 1977, that leads us directly to The Buzzcocks of course. I’m sure that by now many of you have seen the promo clip for “What Do I Get?” so I’m avoiding that (although it’s sparse set design and deadpan delivery was often copied by other bands, as you’ll see in upcoming weeks) and going for the less often seen but equally great “Why She's a Girl from the Chainstore” video. If I had to pick between this ageless bands two principle songwriters, I tend to go with Steve Diggle over Pete Shelly most of the time. As a younger man, Steve certainly came across as the more “punk” of the two, I mean, just look at how angry he is delivering these lyrics whilst walking through a department store! It’s like he only had one speed: ON, which endeared him to me quite a bit. I only caught them live once, at the now extinct I-Beam in SF back in 1989, when they first reformed and played only the classic material. They totally lived up to any hype that surrounded them, and were as good as The Clash, Devo, Gang of Four, or any other band I had caught earlier that decade. Enjoy!

Soon!

2008-11-28T00:00:00.000-08:00

Punk Rock History Lesson, Pt. 2: Alberto y Lost Trios Paranoias

2008-11-26T08:52:00.000-08:00

Sure, I know what you’re thinking, “MLV, this is a brand spankin’ new weekly feature, replacing the much cherished ‘New Wave Wednesday,’ so why is it part two?” Good question. It’s #2 in a series because awhile back, on July 9th to be exact, I did a post about my mucho beloved band The Professionals that was technically Part 1. So in the interest of accuracy and consistency, this is actually “Part 2”… glad we got that cleared up.

So, where to start? How about the UK in 1977 (seems logical) and alphabetically? Formed in 1973, Alberto y Lost Trios Paranoias were actually a “spoof rock” band in the tradition of the Bonzo Dog Band, but when their classic EP Snuff Rock was released in 1977 (on Stiff Records no less) you have to wonder how many people actually knew that. I got a copy in 1986 when then Circle of Shit front man and legendary Philly punk rock character John Brubaker demanded that I buy it when we saw it in a store while record shopping. He was as shocked that I didn’t already have it as if we were talking about the first Ramones record or something, but that’s how highly he regarded it, and after one spin, so did I. I mean sure, these guys couldn’t have been that serious with songs like “Gobbing on Life” but then again who knew? It’s not like we could hop online and look for videos back then, and there was precious little information out there on these guys. Fast-forward to 2006 or so, when my daily You Tube mining regimen basically consisted of looking up bands I liked for years but never actually saw, and these 5 minutes and 36 seconds of pure genius popped up. As the saying goes, you could have knocked me over with a feather, and my interest was peaked once again. Supposedly there is a book about these guys, brilliantly titled When We Were Thin, but I’ve never been able to track down a copy. If anyone knows where I can get it please let me know, but for now, be my guest and enjoy the “comedy rock” stylings of Alberto y Lost Trios Paranoias.

Happy Birthday… to me!

2008-11-23T13:50:00.000-08:00

I’ll tell you one thing, my gal Greta really knows how to throw a party. Ricky’s Sports Theatre & Grill (voted 2nd best sports bar in America by Sports Illustrated) in San Leandro was the spot, and the Warriors / Bulls game was the original premise to meet up last Friday night, but in the end, it was all about the people. We were amazed that damn near everyone we invited actually showed up, but then again, that’s why we chose Ricky’s in the first place, because nothing repels hipsters like a sports bar! Seriously though, Juan and Jesus from Deadend Magazine came the whole way from Salinas, Scott and Michelle Mugford from Sacramento, Flip and Trish from Santa Cruz, I mean, it’s hard not to feel humbled when you have friends that loyal. It’s a cliché, but a good time truly was had by all.

Shave and a haircut, Nicky the Barber style.

2008-11-21T13:02:00.000-08:00

Operating under the principle that all work and no play truly does make MLV one dull boy, I’m actually having a birthday party tonight, the first one since I turned forty a few years back. It seemed like the right time, but one thing was definitely wrong, and that was that I was starting to resemble Sgt. Pepper-era George Harrison in the hair department. Luckily, I now know Philadelphia transplant Nicky the Barber.

Professional and charmingly loquacious, Nicky is a one-man whirlwind dead set on bringing the old school barbershop vibe back to the Bay Area. Here, an expert cut won’t set you back too much, and you can even get a straight razor shave, Clubman optional. The whole experience is unique actually, as he works in a traditional shop that is actually located inside of a high-end salon, but in San Francisco, one expects no less. If you gotta get your look together, then look no farther than Nicky. He can be found at The Barber Lounge, 854 Folsom Street, San Francisco, CA. Getting an appointment is probably a good idea, 415-934-0411.

Now we’re cookin’!

2008-11-19T23:19:00.000-08:00

Whenever you don’t see a lot of activity on this here blog, you can bet that I’ve been up to something. Well, good news for you long suffering Gearhead subscribers, we’ve been working pretty much around the clock trying to wrap up the soon-to-be-legendary issue #18. Why did it take so long you might ask? Well, besides all the usual shenanigans, headaches and heartbreaks, Gearhead #18 is extra unique in that it features not one, but two incredibly in-depth and revealing cover story/interviews. First up was Agnostic Front front man/ Rumblers Car Club founder Roger Miret, but this week it’s been all about Alex Gambino. To say that I’ve been practically living at Gambino Customs in San Jose this week would not be an exaggeration; in fact I even have the daily dog walking routine down to a science. Resourceful beyond belief, as witnessed here as our boy Alex shows off his skills with a George Forman grill, it’s been interesting to say the least. Candid, honest and at times fascinating, the Gambino story reads like a book, or at least it will when I get everything transcribed and laid out, so I better get back to work. All I’m saying is that for a measly $4.95, you are really going to get your money’s worth with the next issue. I’ll post the cover next week to further wet your appetites…

Damn it!

2008-11-17T13:11:00.000-08:00

I woke up this morning hearing Ron Palillo's (as Arnold Horshack) voice saying the phrase "Little Juan" over and over in my head. Damn you popular culture for making shows so memorable that even after 30 years they lurk in your subconscious, ready to strike when you least expect it!

Who you gonna call? Honey West of course!

2008-11-14T23:40:00.000-08:00

It’s been an amazing year for 1960’s spy shows re-released on DVD, what with the Man From U.N.C.L.E. box set and all three seasons of the brilliant I Spy finally seeing the light of day, and at budget prices no less. There is however a gem in the bunch that should not be overlooked, and that is the stylish and mod-as-hell masterpiece Honey West. The show stared Anne Francis, whose resume reads like a list of virtually every show I’ve ever been obsessed with, from Route 66 to Mission: Impossible and the aforementioned U.N.C.L.E., to 70’s faves like Cannon, Banacek and even Kung Fu (not to mention that she was Altaira in Forbidden Planet!) but I gotta say that she played Honey brilliantly, the "role of a lifetime" if you will. Campy and sophisticated at the same time, Honey karate chopped and drag raced her way into the hearts of many an American male in 1965, but sadly, for only one season. Maybe the world wasn’t ready for a totally independent, crime fighting n’ ass-kicking gal in a catsuit with a pet ocelot just yet, but thanks to the modern miracle that is the Digital Video Disc, society can now see the error of it’s ways. Definitely work a look.

New Wave Wednesday: Final Week!

2008-11-12T18:39:00.000-08:00

All good things inevitably come to an end, and even though these posts will be up on the “world wide interweb” as long as Goggle is up and running, I’m still “making changes babe,” that is, I’ve decided that this is the last “New Wave Wednesday.” Why? Well, the best reason of all: I personally got bored with it. But fear not, gentle (I’m assuming a lot about you there aren’t I?) reader, it is going to be replaced with “Punk Rock History Lesson” which, for the time being (and because you’re so used to exciting new weekly content) I’ll be posting on Wednesdays. So, having said all that, New Wave Wednesday is going out with a bang, with the band that the term was practically invented for: Blondie. Of all the so called new wave records in the world, I’ve heard Blondie’s discs more than almost any other bands, for this one simple reason: I owned their classic releases Parallel Lines and Eat to the Beat on 8-track tape. I probably don’t have to remind the over-40 crowd out there what I mean by that, but for you youngsters it went like this – you would pop a tape in and kind of forget about it, which meant that it played over and over and over, until someone finally pulled it out. So inevitably, you ended up hearing anything you had on 8-track way more than your vinyl, and depending on what it was, that was either a good or (sometimes very) bad thing. In the case of Blondie (and the first three Elvis Costello releases) it was indeed good. “Union City Blue” has always been my favorite Blondie track, but I never saw this video until 2002, when the sadly now out of print Blondie - Greatest Video Hits DVD came out. I love how happy they all look, just goofin’ around on the pier towards the end. We now know they were dealing with all sorts of personal and professional problems pretty much throughout their entire career, but on this day at least, they had fun. Everyone deserves that once and awhile.

Suckers!

2008-11-10T19:27:00.000-08:00

Well, last week I was in Las Vegas for SEMA, and rather than vent about the economic circumstances that have the Big 3 (and therefore everyone else in the automotive industry) totally freaked out, let’s concentrate on the positive, shall we?

First of all, I was sent there by Motorbooks to promote the Cole Foster book I wrote (and I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that copies autographed by Cole and myself are available for below cover price right here) so that was great, and for once I actually made a bet and won! It was a suckers bet really, I mean, c’mon, the Denver Nuggets by 6 over my beloved Golden State Warriors two days after the big Allen Iverson for Chauncey Billups trade? Anyone who follows the NBA at all would know that they wouldn’t be playing with their respective new teams yet, and add that to the fact that Steven Jackson and the boys would be playing at home and… Hell yeah I’ll take the Dubs to cover that spread every time! Luckily Mike Bumbeck was there at the MGM Grand to document the historic moment when your boy MLV actually got paid, which, trust me on this folks, doesn’t happen too often. I would have bet the farm on this one, if only I had one…

I'm 3 and 7!

2008-11-05T22:52:00.000-08:00

For only the third time since I've been old enough to vote in a Presidential election, the guy I wanted actually got in. Amazing.

Mood: cautiously optimistic. Oh yeah, the photo was taken by Jeremy Stoner, a.k.a. "Lil' Obama" in downtown San Francisco. Right on brother, fight the power, etc.

This pretty much says it all...

2008-11-03T12:46:00.001-08:00

Don't forget to vote tomorrow kids!

It's Halloween kiddies!

2008-10-31T12:16:00.000-07:00

Around here, that can only mean one thing: it's time to groove to Tibia and the Fibias doin' The Mummy, from the greatest Rankin/Bass creation of them all, 1967's Mad Monster Party.

Give that man a drink!

2008-10-30T12:41:00.000-07:00

Corey Maggette scored 27 points with 8 rebounds, 4 assists and a steal in his debut game as a Warrior last night… Baron who? Give that man a drink!

His truth is marching on...

2008-10-27T13:09:00.000-07:00

Vinnie Stigma for President! Part 3

Hilter plans Burning Man, with Hi-larious results

2008-10-24T11:52:00.000-07:00

Living in the Bay Area for 20 years now, I've known that Burning Man is lame for quite some time, and Hitler? Well, everyone knows that guy was lame, so this is perfect. Prepare to laugh your ass off.

It’s like a Night Flight re-run every Wednesday!

2008-10-22T16:55:00.000-07:00

Ah, Night Flight. Where would the disenfranchised youth of the mid-80’s have been without ye? As any former punk rocker my age will be all too happy to tell you, seeing bands we actually liked on TV was virtually impossible back in the day. Sure, there were some exceptions, like Fear on Saturday Night Live in 1981, but they were isolated incidents. Then USA Network came up with Night Flight, which, while still about 80% square, did turn me on to everyone from Text Department and Cabaret Voltaire to Kick Axe and Madame X. It was a free for all to be sure, but it was our free for all, and we watched it religiously. When I think back on it these days, one band always comes to mind immediately: Yello. So for this weeks edition of New Wave Wednesday, I salute these Swiss nutballs who, lead by deep voiced millionaire industrialist Dieter Meier, sure knew how to made a video. With a look and sound all their own, I must admit I was a fan of these guys, and thanks to the miracle of blogger.com, you can be too, albeit 25 years later.

More wit and wisdom from our next leader

2008-10-20T11:59:00.000-07:00

Vinnie Stigma for President! Part 2

You gotta love the Chrysler Corporation

2008-10-17T23:17:00.000-07:00

Who else would use kids with firearms to sell cars? Works for me!