the ponderosa and the ark of the weak heart

Twenty-two floors above, the green JCBs resemble not so much a rise of the machines as their last bronchial rattle. Scrabbling in the dirt for purchase. Listing drunkly like a man with motor neuron disease. Clinging to employment. The blueprints for fuel efficient housing will be rolled out where they are needed least, I suspect.

out of the fish, a dark crocus emerges

According to those annals curated by Ubu Projex, Proto Pere stole under the wire into what was soon to become Ubuttoir De Facto in the city of South Euclid, Ohio sometime in late 1975. Therein seeding the earliest documented shoots of their “Heart of Darkness“. While drummer, Scott Krauss shares writing credit on its definitive

message for the common wealth

Produced for Micron Music by Lloydie Slim. Recorded at Randy’s Studio and King Tubby’s Studio, Kingston.Mastered by Kevin Metcalfe.“Special thanks to Lee Perry, Bunny Lee and Roger Campbellwho helped to make it happen.” Distributed by Carib Gems Ltd., 154 Rucklidge Avenue, London N.W.10. ▼ PRINCE FAR I: PSALM 1 from “Psalms For Far I” LP

none too slim slow slider

Originally released on the 1975 Total Sounds Jamaican LP imprint – and again on Grounation in the UK in that same year – “Roots of Dub” lays down the ‘law’ at Kingston 11, Waterhouse, mixed straight up and round the corner in the delapitated bungalow which served as King Tubby’s infamous studio; the 4-Track hub

anchor snapper

ANC 1021.Lifted from their 1975 LP, “Elastique” – also released on the UK independent Anchor label – “Why Did You Do It ?” remains as taut and inviting a proposition as a 38″ peach in a g-string.Brassy white funk delivered without irony or criminal remorse. The last gasp of live circuit desperadoes drowning in Johnny

agitated: another porky prime cut

RT 008. Recorded on May 25th, 1975, and released on Geoff Travis’ UK label some three years after these Clevelanders finally disbanded; by which time Nick Knox was firmly installed in the percussive seat of psychobilly cheerleaders, The Cramps. Dave E. (McManus): vocals; Nick Knox : drums;Brian McMahon: rhythm guitar; John Morton: lead guitar. Written

come in, captain howdy

ouija board |ˌwiːdʒə|noun trademarka board printed with letters, numbers, and other signs, to which a planchette or movable indicator points, supposedly in answer to questions from people at a seance. ORIGIN late 19th cent.: Ouija from French oui ‘yes’ + German ja ‘yes.’ Produced by Peter Jenner ;engineered by John Leckie, Mark Vigars. Additional musicians:David

king leopold’s ghost

“mistah kurtz, he dead.” The world is seemingly populated with souls who would deny the Holocaust. Blink, and you will have missed it. Events which echo those horrors bring them tumbling out of the woodwork like so many blind worms, quick to point the finger of conspiracy even as they conspire. The planet is full

lose your chains

illustration by ib. Hello, Ramone666. And Groover’s Paradise. pri•ma don•nanounthe chief female singer in an opera or opera company.• a very temperamental person with an inflated view of their own talent or importance. DERIVATIVESpri•ma don•na-ish adjective ORIGIN late 18th cent.: Italian, literally ‘first lady.’ Cleveland, Ohio, February 1975. An atypical loft rehearsal sewing the viral

stationary target

“Young Americans” era jones, 1975. Stepping off American Bandstand – but not the white powder – The Thin White Duke turned introspective and hit the black on Bleaker Street for his follow-up release, “Station to Station“, in 1976. Paralyzing psychosis and paranoia informed both the writing and performance in the studio throughout, and the blue-eyed

brothers grimm

Out of the ashes of the monumental Neu!, featuring brothers Klaus and Thomas Dinger, Nikolaus van Rhein, and Harals Konietzko. Produced by La Düsseldorf and Konrad Plank. RIP, Klaus. Fetch me a f@cking engel with tinfoil wings. And a stick to beat it with. ▼ LA DÜSSELDORF: DÜSSELDORF from “La Düsseldorf” LP (Germaohon) 1976 (Germany)

drugstore cowboy

▼ LESTER BANGS & PETER LAUGHNER: DRUGSTORE COWBOY / I’M SO BORED / G’BYE LOU from “The Creem Office Sessions: 1975 / 6 x MP3 (WFMU) 2007 (US)

on the road to damascus

Overheard from a ten year old girl at the Primary School which my son attends: “I hate the jews. They have destroyed my country.“ That not enough is done in European schools to educate the young with regard to the Holocaust is regrettable. As a child myself, this was not so much the case. The

down on the farm

▼ GRINDERSWITCH: PICKIN’ THE BLUES from “Macon Tracks” LP (Capricorn) 1975 (US)OUT OF PRINT

one who yawns

geronimo (goyaałé: ‘one who yawns’). chiricahua apache chief.omaha, 1898. photograph by adolph f. muhr. This post is prompted by all the bad news permeating through Tuesday. It is like a lunatic asylum out there. I turned on the radio and wanted to climb back into bed. I will fold my cheek into the pillow tonight

héctor lavoe: mi gente

born héctor juan pérez martínez, september 30, 1946 in ponce, puerto rico; died june 29, 1993 in the bronx, new york city. From Wiki: “The first thing he did in New York was visit El Barrio, New York’s “Spanish Harlem.” Héctor was disappointed in the condition of El Barrio which contrasted with his vision of

through the looking glass: 1975

original heartbreakers. left to right:jerry nolan; richard hell; walter lure; johnny thunders. Walter Lure: “I never liked Richard Hell’s versions of the songs we played, but Richard was in another world.It’s not hard to find people like that in the industry, but he considered himself to be the only thing that was like serious art.

patti smith: horses

“horses in the snow“. Produced by John Cale at Electric Lady Studios under the watchful ghost of Jimi Hendrix. Written by Patti Smith, after Chris Kenner. “horses” era patti by robert mapplethorpe, 1975. We Three guitar by Tom Verlaine and Allen Lanier. And Jimi makes four. ▼ PATTI SMITH: LAND: HORSES / LAND OF A

lester bangs & peter laughner

design by ib, with original “creem” logo by r. crumb.Here’s 2/6 tracks I cribbed from the evergreen WFMU about a year ago from a “… rare bootleg of Lester Bangs and Peter Laughner jamming in Creem’s offices in 1975 or 1976.” To quote myself (because I am a shamelessly self-promoting aged f@cker) from a comment

neil young: cortez the killer

Before Sunday shyly arrives with its threat of tortured failure and betrayal, I want to give up a little honesty. This is for Beer and Matt and Nathan and Brushback – who I very nearly forgot to mention in my inebriated state – and Jon and a whole lot of others. Keep On Keeping On,