Punk Turns 30

Nearly thirty-five years after Warner Bros. released the then hotly-anticipated Never Mind The Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols in the winter of 1977, Universal Music Catalogue UK have signed the Sex Pistols catalogue for anniversary distribution worldwide, excluding North America. So, just like in the original punk rock days, American fans will have to buy the import of the expanded and repackaged Bollocks . Read more about this at Sex Pistols Official Dot Com

That's me in 1996 or so, sandwiched between former VH1 co-workers and TOM JONES! . Wales's answer to Elvis, Mr. Jones performed an intimate club gig in NYC and yes, indeed, I went and enjoyed myself to no end. Tom Jones is a not-so-guilty pleasure whether or not you're a hipster. The man has great taste in music and completely understands his place in pop culture. I was thrilled to learn that his next single will be released on vinyl only and sold in only one shop in Cardiff, Wales. Let me lift & paste from the Telegraph: Sir Tom Jones has insisted that his new single be released exclusively on vinyl and sold in one small outlet in Cardiff. The 71-year-old Welsh singer, whose greatest hits include 'Green, Green, Grass of Home', has always been loyal to his roots. But his stubborn mission to lure fans to a tiny shop in Cardiff might test the zeal of even his most devoted followers. Sir Tom has written a new song with former White Stripes frontman Jack White, a...

I learned today at 6 AM that my friend, the influential Detroit rock n roll pioneer, Michael Davis , best remembered as the bassist for the MC5 , passed away on Friday. I was at work, and people were beginning to arrive, so I wasn't able to grab my MC5 cd from my car and blast "Kick Out the Jams, motherfucker" in his honor... so I did it all the way on my drive home, and I'm doing it now. All day long, I've been remembering Michael and the wonderful times I spent with him and his wife, Angela and their sons at their California home, all the times he rocked me... because once the surviving MC5 members re-formed and started touring, there was nothing that would stop me from seeing them play - starting from their opening night in Detroit, to Central Park in my at-the-time home town of NYC, and any and everywhere in between. Michael Davis believed in the power of music and his love and belief were inspiring. As a young man, he was at the forefront of turbulent ti...

Here's Pat Smear (right) with the late Darby Crash in their first rehearsal as The Germs. Thirty-five years later, Pat Smear was on stage at the Grammys with the Foo Fighters, the band led by Nirvana drummer, Dave Grohl. Ironic that Darby is playing with a toy gun in the picture above, and that Nirvana singer/songwriter Kurt Cobain ended his life with a real one. Pat Smear is the link between the two generation-defining outsider singer/songwriters of punk, original and third wave. This is my very public salute to Dave Grohl for his Grammy acceptance speech and for carrying on the punk torch with one of its original flames.