Punk Turns 30

This picture was taken in Hollywood and addresses the self-reflexive Hollywood thing...All the pictures on Rodney's wall have him in them! People came to Los Angeles to "make it" and one sign of "making it" was getting on the Kingmaker's radar. Rodney was the Kingmaker of glam and punk in LA in the 70s and his wall is chock full of souvenirs from the journeys made by people ranging from David Bowie to my good old friend, Stiv Bators . In this picture with Rodney are Stiv Bators, from Cleveland, Ohio via the more working class, more industrial waste-landed Youngstown, and Cynthia Ross from the hip, urban and urbane although smaller version of NYC, Toronto, Canada. Cleveland and Northern Ohio was a minefield of musical talent and always has been. The punk rock era gave us the Dead Boys, Pere Ubu, Pagans, Hammer Damage, Rocket From the Tombs, and oh so many more. Makes you ask "Is there something in the water?" Well, in Cleveland, their ...

Blondie hit the Number One position on the Billboard charts with "Heart of Glass" and kept the position for a week. You could say that some fans were outraged. On the other hand... Debbie Harry told Billboard, "I don't think being commercial is totally derogatory. I think that this was the most intriguing or interesting cut (on Parallel Lines) being that it was a crossover, and it... helped introduce new wave music in a more commercial way." Chris Stein told Creem magazine, "We didn't expect the song to be that big. We did it as a novelty item to put more diversity into the album. It's not selling out, it's only one song." At the time, Jimmy Destri told Pleasant and me, for the record - as our conversation was part of a Lobotomy cover story on Blondie, that "Heart of Glass" used to be called "The Disco Song," even though it was a kind of pop-funk thing. "Heart of Glass," which topped the cha...

Our hero, Joey Ramone as well as the Ramones lit a fire of furious pop music back when they started in the 70s. Thirty years later, their influence is felt all over the place. While I'm off on my short road trip to the birthplace of rock n roll ( Memphis, in case you were not aware), let me leave you with this hot tip: THE BLACK & WHITES from Oxford, Mississippi...totally rock the way you like it. Check them out: here. love it? I knew you would!

Pre-dating the more famous White Stripes with that primitive guitar/drums/screaming like a banshee duo thing was Bantam Rooster led by Tom Potter and various drummers over the Rooster's lifespan. Pure genius, if you ask me - all bad ass attitude (after all, they've got an album called "Fuck All Y'All") and good dirty noise and a fiery, comic live performance. I pity the soul who never caught live Bantam Rooster. Tom Potter was also in my favorite line-up of the Dirtbombs, playing fuzz baritone guitar instead of the bass, offering zany stage banter and comic relief to Mick Collins's ultra-coolness...he was the perfect foil. The producer genius who made the live Rooster sound just as good on vinyl and CD is none other than Jim Diamond of Ghetto Recorders, pictured here at his throne. Just last month, it was my distinct pleasure to be graced by the company of Messrs Potter and Diamond at the same time in good old Detroit Rock City. They'd jus...

That's Greg Cartwright, whom many of you know as Greg Oblivian. That's Jack Yarber, aka Jack Oblivian. That's Eric Friedl aka Eric Oblivian starting a hot dog cookout... This past weekend, these fine purveyors of loud, dirty music...the kind I love... the kind that gave punk attitude a rebirth in the 90s, when for some reason the revolutionaries thought they could exhale... The Oblivians played a surprise show on Greg's current stomping grounds, Asheville, North Carolina. They are of course, closing out the very last Horizontal Action Blackout in Chicago in May, and this occasion was a rehearsal of sorts. I don't know that anyone knew the show was happening. I knew the guys were getting together this weekend. Eric and Jack stopped overnight at Casa Punk Turns 30's temporary digs in Nashville, which is half way between their Memphis homes and Greg's. We had a good old hang with beer, wine and roast pork, and a very friendly dog whose mom is my life-long...

Its not something I'm going to attend, because I'm all about the dark smoky clubs and 100 people in the audience, but if you want to catch a lot of bands under the hot summer sun, Vans Warped Tour features 3 Germs and an actor doing Germs songs, the original Queen of Noise, Joan Jett and the bonafide Buzzcocks. Punk rock bands I loved during the 70s...and its great to see how they can still draw a crowd 30 years later. Well, I do want to say that Joan Jett has been pretty damn authentic her whole long career, and if I did do big crowds and sunshine, I'd show up just for her set. Here's the schedule: 6/15: Columbia, Md. (Merriweather Post Pavilion) 6/16: Columbus, Ohio (Germain Amphitheatre) 6/17: Milwaukee (Marcus Amphitheatre) 6/18: Minneapolis (Metrodome) 6/19: Bonner Springs, Kan. (Verizon Wireless Lot) 6/21: Nashville (Starwood Amphitheatre) 6/22: Jacksonville, Fla. (Fairgrounds) 6/23: Tampa, Fla. (Vinoy Park) 6/24: Miami (Bayfront Park) 6/25: Orlando, Fla. (T...

Did you know that Kim Fowley, the Dark Prince counterpart to Rodney's wide-eyed Mayor-ship of the Sunset Strip has added FILMMAKER to the list of his many attributes? Yeah. He's on the You Tube!

The Jam played at the long gone Starwood club in West Hollywood. It was (and it still is) my birthday. That was some party, and what a way to ring in the 21st year - and I've told you about it before here. Its a great memory for me, though, and something that reminds me how much times have changed. It was so easy for Pleasant, Randy and I to interview the Jam for Lobotomy. We asked Rick Buckler such silly questions. But brownies were involved somehow and that made it all OK. We hung out at the soundcheck and then there was a photo opportunity for the band in front of a red double decker London bus. Then there was the English pub drinking extravaganza... and the gig... where I took this photo. On my birthday today, 2006...28 years later, I'm going to see a different but just as awesome three-piece band, The Greenhornes. They've got one of the best rhythm sections around today - Jack Lawrence (pictured) and Patrick Keeler, who happened to have played on L...

In June 1978, The Cramps played a free concert for the patients of the California State Mental Hospital in Napa, California. Many people believe that The Cramps were at their peak at that point. At that time, they had just finished recording "Gravest Hits." In this performance, midway through the second song, a young woman jumps on the stage and begins sharing the mic with Lux. By the time the Cramps launch into "Human Fly," chaos has ensued both on and off stage with the patients dancing, grabbing at the mic and embracing each other. It is a spectable of once-in-a-lifetime proportions. No, I was not there... but I did see it - on the DVD now available of this amazing Target Video production. Songs on the disc include: "Mystery Plane," "The Way I Walk," "Human Fly," "Domino," and "Garbage Man." Target Video was the collective brainchild of Joe Rees, Jill Hoffman, and Jackie Sharp, who were living in an artist l...

This guy here on the drums - this 40-ish, father of two, well-respected lawyer, David Steinberg, Esq. a partner in his firm...used to be a serious punk rocker. Hand picked by Stiv Bators to succeed Johnny Blitz in the final version of the Dead Boys that would morph into Stiv's own solo backing band. We called him "Quinton" back then - David Quinton, and he got on Stiv's radar because he was the Keith Moon-like drummer for Toronto's Mods. This was David when I met him. He's just 18 years old here (in the stripes): And while he may be the Man, the disciplinarian and boss of their household, I know David's kids have got to think their old man is the coolest dad ever. And I know that David is proud of his punk past. Here's Frank Secich and George Cabaniss also of that Dead Boys-turned- Stiv-solo band. Young, loud and out of control. And here we all are many years later, having a family reunion of sorts in Stiv's home town. Certainly as punk ...

If you are on the west coast, you've got two great reunion shows going on tomorrow, Saturday April 8. In Los Angeles, there's the Last. Joe Nolte Vitus Matare Mike Nolte John Frank John Rosewall and Steve Andrews They will take you back to them early 80's on Saturday April 8th at: Mr T's Bowl 5621 1/2 Figueroa Highland Park, CA (323) 256-7561 Mr T's Bowl Starting the show at 9 will be Dos, featuring Mike Watt & Kira Roessler, then Kjehl Johansen's (Urinals, 100 Flowers, Trotsky Icepick) band, then The Last! Surprising songs, and possibly a guest or two - what could be more fun? (unfortunately the gig is 21 & over - sorry kids!) OH - and Angelenos...Saturday is Robyn Ginsburg's birthday. She will be 14 (4eva). Please raise a glass to her when you're out raving it up. If you are in San Francisco, there is the Fab Mab Reunion. This show features Dead Kennedys, Flipper, Avengers and Mutants. Its at the Fillmore - and I think you may be able to...

Did they drive you ape back in the day? I loved the Dickies. They were and are still so hilarious and entertaining. I saw them last at the annual Joey Ramone Birthday show at Irving Plaza in New York maybe two years ago. But back in the 70s, I wouldn't let a Dickies gig go by without seeing them. Such troopers - I remember the night Leonard leaped off the balcony at the Starwood and broke his leg. He kept on performing. He continued to perform the next night and didn't cancel any upcoming gigs - he just performed in his wheel chair and then with his crutch. That's Stan Lee's back towards the camera. I was so thrilled a couple weeks ago to get an email from Stan saying hi and that he'd checked out this site. THANKS to Kent Smythe for passing the word! For a brief period of time between 1977 and 1978, both the Dickies and Mumps were the hottest thing going on in LA punk. Led by singers unafraid to be completely stupid, both bands were about as ...

I can't tell you how excited I am - well, let me backtrack by saying I can't believe how quickly the online community myspace has become so important in promoting your band or your "thing" in general. The other day, I noticed that Rodney on the Roq had a myspace page. So, I became his cyber friend. I posted a comment on his page together with this photo of Rodney with Penelope Avenger. It must have gone over well at Camp Rodney, because before I knew it, there was a bulletin generated from Rodney's name endorsing this very site. THANK YOU! Actually, Rodney was exceptional on all accounts helping to promote all the things we punk rockers were doing. There was of course the radio show, and for me as a photographer, and for Pleasant and me for Lobotomy, he always gave us access to KROQ whenever bands we wanted to meet were there, or if they were phoning in, Pleasant and I were allowed to be there to talk on the phone in between Rodney's on air chatting....

Jimmy Zero was the lesser volatile of the young, loud & snotty Dead Boys that I love so much - my dysfunctional big brothers. In the Dead Boys, Jimmy was the butterfly to Cheetah Chrome's bee. Jimmy has always had a great pop sensibility. As a singer, he's a brilliant harmonizer, and as a guitar player, he brings in that George Harrison/Beatles chiming thing and a clean lead when called upon. As a ladies man, Jimmy was just like the rest of them... because who doesn't like a bad boy? The Dead Boys were indeed the baddest. I spent quite a lot of time in Cleveland last year and in 2004. It was such a pleasure to see Jimmy. We first saw each other after a 23 year absence in February 2004 at the Beachland Ballroom, where although there was a big, highly promoted celebrity rock show, Jimmy Zero was the real guest of honor...with New York hipsters coming to pay homage to him when he was spotted in the bar just trying to get a beer. This photo of Jimmy playing guitar wa...

Tonight in Los Angeles, David Johansen and Syl Sylvain will front a tight band and perform their New York Dolls show for what's sure to be a crazed and appreciative crowd at Spaceland. Tonight concludes a brief tour of small clubs. They played CBGB and some other small venues. Can you imagine the level of rock hysteria? I saw the reunited New York Dolls play about 18 months ago in New York, in a stadium, and they were amazing... tighter as musicians in 2004 than they were in 1974...perhaps because they had professional touring and studio musicians filling in for all the members who have passed on. David Johansen is a performer of the highest order and he can still howl that beginning of "Personality Crisis" like a young man despite his gravelly cigarette voice. I have mixed feelings about the reunion, because even though its Dolls songs and its David and Syl....there's no Johnny, Arthur, Jerry... its not EXACTLY the Dolls. Guitarist Steve Conti does a...

Back in 2004, I was given a wonderful opportunity to show a bunch of my photos of Stiv Bators and the Dead Boys at the first of their sporadic reunion shows. The first Dead Boys reunion at the Beachland Ballroom in Cleveland was an amazing event - sold out - the band played so well - Stiv's folks were there, as well as all the extended families of the living Dead Boys, and the 25th Anniversary re-issue of Stiv's solo album, "Disconnected" was unveiled at the show. I wasn't expecting it, but Stiv was represented on stage by three larger than life photos taken by me! Gregg Kostelich of the Cynics, and who runs the cool Get Hip label told me, and honestly, I had NEVER heard this before in connection with any photo I had taken - that the Stiv shots were iconic, and that he'd even had one of them hanging on his wall when he was in college. Of course, since all but one of the photos on the "Disconnected" album were mine, I figured he just put up the ...