Looks interesting.    I was never a big fan , tho' I have some of his records. I was reading in "Heebie Jeebies at CBGS's" that Hell basically refused to talk about what being Jewish meant to him in relation to the formation of Punk. He was'nt raised Jewsh (His Father was an Atheist.) , so , maybe even being ethnically Jewish was of little consequence to him. IT STILL WOULD HAVE BEEN INTERESTING TO HEAR HIS THOUGHTS ON THE SUBJECT. This book will probably clarify none of that , and , that's his business. He acted like he was being "Outed", whereas Tommy Ramone stated that he only ever mentioned being Jewish  , and having relatives die in The Holocaust , at or around the time the book was put together , because he really did'nt think people would want to read about it. Personally , I thought Hell was Italian . Alan Vega , too. The Dictators , before I knew more about them , seemed straight - up Italian , also. But , they all tried to form their identity outside of their ethnic or religious identities , some eventually embracing their backgrounds.  
dave said:

Richard Hell Looks Back on Punk's Roots in Place

Richard Hell Looks Back on Punk's Roots in Place

I had the chance to see Johnny Depp performing with Gibby Haynes and the group , "P" , in Austin in '93. I was IN the venue , but , they were following Roky Erickson. It was my first time to see Roky , ever , and NUTHIN' could have followed that. OK , MAYBE SLADE , ALL ORIGINAL MEMBERS , could've. I stuck my head in the doorway , looked inside momentarily , and went off to relocate my head , which was on the cieling , somewhere. I was an extra in one of Depp's movies. I did'nt get to meet him , but , he was hanging out right where I was sitting , when he  was off - camera. I found him to be very funny , and very good with people , not up himself at all. I could easily see him doing a self - indulgent ,  but very funny , Psychedelic album of his own.

What a great idea tho.... Pished up actors do your favourite garage classics. I'm a living sickness: Johnny Depp, Be a Caveman:Al Pacino, and the classic Voices Green and Purple done by Martin Sheen, haha. This would make Shatner's albums positively listenable

David McCallum's Orchestra did "I Can't Control Myself", it's hilarious , but not too rockin' at all. The Sonics did "Open Up Your Door" by Richard and The Young Lions..... But this was the 1980 Sonics (Gerry Rosalie with The Invaders.). It's not terrible , it just reminds me a bit of The Cars.I'm told The Standells' own remake of "Try It" (1987?) was terrible. Never heard it , tho'. The Low Numbers , on Rhino , did a pretty bad (In a humorous way) "Try It" , which was a misguided Punk parody. Alice Cooper's "Talk Talk" and "7 and 7 is" may sound watered down , but his version of "Ubangi Stomp" kills!  The Dwarves' "Strange Movies" , no thanks. T. Tex Edwards and Lithium Xmas' superior version , released concurrently , should have been on the "Groin Thunder" Troggs tribute ,instead.

 yes ! That Oliver Reed thing is SO weird. It's kind of sad to see him THAT drunk , but of all the remakes Reg and/or The TROGGS did of 'Wild Thing" , it's got to be the most original.

Reed did what the fuck he wanted. Like KLAUS kINSKI , HE PISSED A LOT OF PEOPLE OFF WITH HIS BEHAVIOR , BUT HE HAD THe SWAGGER TODAY'S HOLLYWOOD BAD BOYS SADLY LACK.............And , oh , yeah , he could ACT ,too.

talk about shit covers of 'wild thing'... check this clip out. 90's British Tv at its most fuckin cringey!!! I fkn love Oliver Reid tho'. Classic!

I like it. It's not my favorite Eddie and The Hot Rods cover song. That , of course , would be "Get Out of Denver".

Johnny Lurg said:

What do you think of Eddie and the Hot Rods' version?

John Battles said:

THAT'S FUNNY !!!! Almost as funny as the guy who posted The Stranglers' "96 Tears" on You Tube, stating it was by The Cramps. It's still up there , by the way , despite several people leaving corrections to the obvious (Intentional?) blunder.   That version, I like OK , i'M A BIGGER FAN OF THE PURPLE HELMETS , THO'.  
 
Johnny Lurg said:

I actually like The Stranglers' version of "96 Tears," although one of my friends mistook it for Smash Mouth's version of "Can't Get Enough of You, Baby."

.....I think The Ventures' VERSION OF "Wild Thing" is pretty funny , but , this was when they'd cast their lot and become largely a cover band. People forget , they did a LOT of originals in the early days , and still did the odd original in the mid - 60's and after , when they were slowly falling out of favor in The US , but , (sTILL.) reign supreme in Japan......

I'm a fan of their "Hard Rock" period , when they did stuff like "Sunshine of Your Love" , "Down on Me" and (Blue Cheer's) "Summertime Blues". I realize I'm largely alone , here........

No real merch, but ANY country band new and old should have this on their tables ;)

That I would pay big big money for, haha My Syd book came through and ironically enough my son started colouring in all sorts of coloured scribbled crayons and I couldn't help thinking that this was how Syds mind was probably thinking at the time, haha
 
Johnny Lurg said:

I have a Wesley Willis coloring book.

YOU SHOULD SEE THE STUFF THAT DID'NT GET RELEASED , LIKE THE KISS SKATEBOARDING FIGURES. OR THE KISS KITE. THERE WERE PICS OF ALL THESE WEIRD , UNUSED , IDEAS FOR KISS TOYS IN THE ROCTOBER "KISSUE".
 
MikeL said:

KISS has put out so much weird merchandise over the years that I wouldn't know where to start.  Yeah, I know this isn't garage or punk related, but I just had to say that.  They are the kings of inexplicable merchandising.

KISS has put out so much weird merchandise over the years that I wouldn't know where to start.  Yeah, I know this isn't garage or punk related, but I just had to say that.  They are the kings of inexplicable merchandising.

I have a Wesley Willis coloring book.

I liked the prima Doona song or the Red Kross song. BTW Prima Donna & Kiss Kiss Bang Bang will play together next Friday..

MikeL said:

I voted for Prima Donna that year, although I was really hoping "Feral Children" would be named a "Coolest Song" during that year.

I WORKED , BRIEFLY , WITH A TROUPE CALLED VICTOR DADA. They had a song called "Kill The White People"...Of course , Johnny Thunders had "Just Because I'm White (HoW come you Treat Me LIKE A N***ER)'' , " wHO Needs Girls (' WELL , You need 'em to sew , you need 'em to cook , you need 'em to suck your left nut.')" , There's a Little Bit of Whore (In Every Little Girl), and so on.....But , Sylvain Sylvain told me , "Johnny was no woman hater.". Besides , I can't thing of many artists who employed as many Black and Female musicians in his bands as he did.
 
Johnny Lurg said:

Speaking of NOFX, you can't forget "Kill All the White Man," "Don't Call Me White," and "The Brews."

The Urinals are... Awesome!

Can't believe I haven't heard them before...

dave said:

They're hardly unknown, but OFF! has been the best discovery for straight-up punk rock in the past 4 years. 

OFF! - I Don't Belong

Pretty pissed-off for a buncha old guys!

Do you like the experimental/lo-fi goodness of the Urinals?

two cracking tunes... a jingle jangle!

I'll investigate it, Andy.

buy it. you really won't be disappointed. the live set had the same energy as any Man or Astroman gig I ever saw, and that's saying something

I saw The War Room on sale at Rough Trade.

Yeah. Was on the 'War Room e.p'. Saw'em live last year. last gig I saw with my bassman Joe before he went to the great Ampeg factory in the sky (god bless him. very sorley missed). They were amazing. one drummer and a guy with a bank of sounds, a guitar and a banjo. theyre playing up here again next month. cannae wait. If any of ya get the chance to check'em out.... Go figure

I think I heard PSB on 6 Music, who sampled Public INFOrmation Films from the 1930's ("If War Should Come").

Debut album out next month. stunning live set. Enjoy!!!

Our all top howlers GUITAR WOLF have released a new album in Japan in March, called BEAST VIBRATOR (cover above), with an international version in the pipes to follow on May 31st. Extensive touring is also on for Europe, which is great news. Has anyone had the chance to listen to the japanese version?

Seji started a funny thing called "SEJI TV" on their Shmucktube channel, in addition to his SEJI's VOICE feature on the website. All in japanese as of now and oddly not viewable outside of Japan, along with what looks like some promo videos for the new stuff.