Punk Turns 30

From now until January 5 - get a deal on vintage Cramps images - it's not too good to be true , ITS TOO GOOD TO PASS UP! New Years Eve is one of those nights that you expect a great rock n roll show. This year, there are a few I wish I could be at... alas, I do not possess that "two places at one" thingie-majig that "Hermione" from the Harry Potter stories has... so, I'll have to live each show vicariously through you... So starting with the time zones that will ring in the New Year first, the Eastern Time Zone... At Magnetic Field in Brooklyn, The Fleshtones, Bloody Hollies and DJ Phast Phreddie Patterson are throwing down a swingin' New Year's Eve show.... I will be exhibiting the Unguarded Moments: Backstage and Beyond collection there at the Field on January 10 - so if you're going... don't get too wild and trash the place. In what has become a New York City tradition, the high priestess/poet/conscience of punk rock - Patti Smith ...

Does it count as a re-issue if the artist releases his last record on vinyl when a label had previously released it only on CD? Who cares? 2007 brought forth the VINYL of Jack Oblivian 's Flipside Kid, a collection of songs that never made it on to other records, all recorded at home with a variety of guest players ranging from his trusty Tennessee Tearjerkers to visiting musician friends like King Louie and Mark Sultan , or locals like Greg Roberson . This was one of the best records of 2006 and its in a holding pattern of "best of" status again in 2007! Jack proved to be my Hero this year... he not only inspired and inadvertently masterminded my Memphis photo exhibit at Goner Records on November 1 - Punk Rock Day of the Dead, but he assembled an ad-hoc punk rock mariachi band to serenade the crowd! Not to mention, he totally helped me set the whole thing up. Jack Yarber: YOU RULE! Like I said somewhere else.... Spin should have had YOU on the cover of the is...

The most enigmatic man I've ever met... and perhaps the most handsome (which is honestly a superfluous observation, for his male beauty is the least of his commendable attributes), the magnificent musical talent, Harlan T Bobo, whom it has been nearly impossible for me to photograph solo... he released I'm Your Man this year... an album of great intensity and complexity, much like Harlan himself. Another enigma, but for completely different reasons, Nick Lowe released a brilliant album, At My Age, where he takes in stride the autumn of his years, yet remains the clever wordsmith, embracing tenderness and a slight hint of menace, with a lot of Americana feel. Lowe, who produced The Pretenders , wrote Elvis Costello 's most notable song ( What's So Funny About Peace Love & Understanding and whose rock n roll pedigree is pure in each genre that he's touched, has grown up gracefully from the once self-proclaimed Jesus of Cool to a humble fellow At My Age. Ian ...

As 2007 draws to a close, let me just say how proud I am of the great press & reviews the pictures of old punk rockers have been getting on the Unguarded Moments: Backstage and Beyond Tour ! THANK YOU to everyone who wrote a kind word, helped and hosted us thus far.... Andria Lisle, Bob Mehr, Lee Joseph, ISP Music, a.c. & Rock Critics Dot Com, Bubblegum Slut Zine (all linked below) AND to Erin Austen Abbot & the Motel Art Show, Twinkle Van Winkle, Goner Records, Jack Oblivian , Tyler Keith, Scott Rogers, Adam Woodard, John Whittemore, Joe T., Gore Gore Girls , Burmese Crush, Star Bar, Bryan Malone, Rosa Guerrerro, Sound Exchange Houston, Holly George Warren, La Luz de Jesus Gallery, Billy Shire, Mike Edison, Jenna Young & The Punk Rock Book of Lists, Suzy & Patrick / BOMP!, Alive, Bongo Beat, Pop Detective, Deadbeat Poets, Some Like It Hot Catering, Lydia Lunch, Norton Records, Faggoty Backpack Design, Jahna Rain, Smog Design, Bill Heiden , Eddie Munoz, Peter ...

The Stiv Bators Ghost Tour is but one of the many great songs on Notes From the Underground by a new band of underground pop/garage veterans with a pedigree in punk rock ... Deadbeat Poets. From the fertile musical stomping ground of Northeast Ohio and Western PA, Deadbeat Poets can boast former members of regional and national legends Blue Ash and the Latter Day Dead Boys, also known as the Stiv Bators Band. That's Frank Secich below, a veteran of both Blue Ash and Stiv's morphing Dead Boys/pop group line-ups. He's an accomplished player, producer and songwriter and his labor of love is one of my favorite and best records of 2007. Today's partial list of fave records is comprised of veteran pop/punk/garage rockers who have made contemporary and compelling albums that eclipse their youth, no matter how stellar they were and how brightly they beamed. Peter Case, known as a member of the Nerves and Plimsouls and having hits with both bands has been a solo artist...

I have to admit that I'm so NOT into the Christmas spirit right now (too busy; not enough hours in the day) that I nearly forgot the existence of this record until a few minutes ago when I got a message from The Kessel Brothers saying together we can make a Merry Christmas! in a nice nod to some work we did together more than 20 summers ago. Yes - Christmas product is made in the Summer for its Winter release, and there was nothing more surreal to me than meeting former Mouseketeer and all-around celebrated lady, Annette Funicello and her cinema-world "boyfriend" from all those Beach Blanket movies, former teen idol, Frankie Avalon. Consummate professionals they were, each and every person in the room. In summer. Pretending it was Christmas. Well, even the Ramones did a Christmas record... so I'm not going to fight it... Merry Christmas to you all and to all a good night!

Everyone's a critic and everyone has their Top Ten best records list... I'm no different... but - I'm gonna drag it out give em to you 3 at a time because I kind of have a Baker's Dozen favorite bunch of records.... so to start: Mr Quintron and Greg Cartwright, Chicago, 2006 - Oblivians and Mr Quintron played the last ever Horizontal Action Blackout! Two of my favorite records from this past year, 2007, are Jam Skate by New Orleans' own Mr Quintron and Dangerous Game by lead singer of the legendary girl group, The Shangri-La's, Mary Weiss. Quintron is pictured above with Greg Cartwright who wrote several of the songs on Mary's album, lent her a backing group, his own Reigning Sound, and co-produced the album together with Norton Records co-honcho, Billy Miller. Quintron's drum buddy musical instrument/contraption is one of life's marvels. I am not at all sure how he creates these things or manages to get the crazy sounds from them that he ...

Yes - it's the sound of tradition! But filtered through gruff garage-bound Shangrila-wannabe girl groups, Bee Gees cover bands, and just plain peculiar musical folks, along with some concessions to actual seasonal beauty! In the immortal words of Jimmy Jules and the Nuclear Soul System - "Xmas done got funky"! So wrap your presents, drink your egg nog, or growl "Humbug" along with KRISTIAN HOFFMAN'S CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR PEPPERLAND SPICERACK On Sunday, December 23rd Noon Until 2:00 P.M. On LUXURIAMUSIC.COM Happy holidays! LOG ONTO: www.luxuriamusic.com and listen for free! Or: http://www.1.fm/Stations/luxuria/Listen.aspx?pidx=0 or : http://www.1.fm/Stations/luxuria/Listen.aspx?pidx=1 OR: With iTunes software, you can access the Luxuria Music feed - You'll find Luxuria in the iTunes radio menu under "eclectic"."

2001 was a rough year... I was living in NYC, inspired to be there by my friends Lance Loud and Kristian Hoffman, whom I idolized during my teen age years... they were on the first plane to NYC from California as soon as they were out of high school. (I was there on the first plane out after my 30th birthday, but it was truly because of the Lance/Kristian influence.) Lance was an inadvertent reality TV star before that was even a genre... he was famous simply for being Lance Loud. In 2001, Lance was dying, and succumbed to the combination of long-term HIV infection and Hepatitis C on December 22, 2001. It was just 3 months after the 9/11 attacks, and upon the first full day of Winter (the year's shortest day) that Lance passed away... one more sad and tragic thing in a year with so much senseless tragedy already. I've often called Lance the Mercutio of punk rock...and to be sure, he was indeed a character. But to call Lance a character without praising his accomplishments...

As I peruse the statistics for this site, as I do on a ridiculously regular basis, I noticed in the past couple days a LOT of people coming here to look at pictures of Television. Well, here ya go! I'm sure you already know that there are two Television-related products out there right now - a DVD of the experimental silent films to which Tom Verlaine and Jimmy Rip played music live (DVD includes films and music) and also a new album by Richard Lloyd called The Radiant Monkey. Its Xmas time... treat yourself.

And I'd like to wish a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the following fantastic rock n roll people: Nick from the Grave Blankets of Columbus, OH, whose picture I don't think I have to post... and then this bunch of hooligans: King Louie! Mick Collins! And the greatest reindeer of them all: Keith Richards!

Bryan Malone (above in a photo by Lorilee)... booker of the Star Bar, and member of Burmese Crush and one of my favorite bands in recent years, The Forty Fives. Bryan invited me down to show my pix in a triumvirate of shows at the Star Bar consisting of a night with the Gore Gore Girls and two nights with a local Toys for Tots holiday extravaganza. What a great week in ATL, what a great time! Here are more photos by Lorilee of our good time. I'm gonna get some sleep now and will post more tomorrow...

WE GOT THESE IN!!! If you're in the ATL - you can buy yours TONIGHT and SATURDAY at the STAR BAR - downstairs at our photo exhibit!!! You can buy the portrait too!!

Joey Ramone & Georgia Satellite Rick Richards, NYC 1988 Tonight, I am expecting local hero and life-long friend Rick Richards to come down and join the fun at the Star Bar. Punk Turns 30's Unguarded Moments exhibit opened in the downstairs lounge last night. Great turn out and I especially like it when photographers come to the shows and we talk shop about film stock! I want to give a big public THANK YOU shout out to Eric Holder of ISP-Music for sponsoring the snacks for our reception last night. The egg rolls were a big hit! Just like in old skool punk rock days, a lotta broke-ass band kids had dinner at happy hour... Although I am careful not to say "happy hour" in Atlanta, as I understand that phenomenon is illegal (WTF???) Anyway - come on by again, ATL, to the Star Bar just about an hour before the music starts and hang with us. Small Face Ian McLagan and Bryan Malone and Mark McMurtry of the Forty-Fives Bryan Malone of the Forty Fives, Burmese Crush ...