I'll be doing an abbreviated radio show on Saturday May 19th  from 1:00-2:30PM EST.  You can listen at 89.7 WITR-FM in Rochester, NY or streaming live at http://witr.eit.edu

There is no end to the Game of Influences.  We are all seven steps from everybody. Our twelve note scale goes back to Pythagoras (died 475 BC) and most all of us use the well tempered version which is dated to near the end of the High Baroque (roughly 1750 AD).

Some years ago I played a song I had written for an older gentleman -- a friend of my parents in a retirement community in Florida. He listened, complimented it, and said that it had Indian influences. He'd heard it in the tonality -- something that I, a sitarist, had not. To me it was a totally western composition. The influence was there, inside me.

And just this past week Mike Stax reviewed The Abstracts "Hey, Let's Go Now" album for Ugly Things and referred to one the of songs, "Without Her", as a "surf-tinged rocker." Without Her "surf-tinged"? Yes!  He was correct - and once MS pointed it out I knew just why and how it was so. It was in my own use of muted strings working against the drums. 

By the time "Without Her," a Bonime/Knight original, was added to The Abstracts' repertoire I was totally out of "surf" - or at least I thought I was. But years of playing it (My love for guitar started with the Ventures) meant that it was not out of me. Nor out of Al Karp, my long term partner in musical crime.

And so this discussion, while sometimes annoying, and sometimes eye-opening, is by necessity endless if we really want to get to the roots of The Beatle's (or anyone else's) music. Which leaves me personally back where I always am when I discuss these things...

"Yeah, but do you like it?"  :D

-don

Everyone's influenced by someome. But some people are innovative enough to create something new from their influences, to rise far above them. When this new thing resonates with enough people, it may be enough to change the world. Thus, maybe we can't really go back two steps and say that Buddy's grandad did anything to The Beatles or anyone after them.

Just a thought, go ahead and shoot holes in it.

EH?

That's your logic not Rockin' Rod's.

They were also influenced by Buddy Holly.If he stated he was influenced by his grandad would that mean by "your logic" The Beatles were influenced by Buddy Hollys grandad!!!

DOG DIRT!!!

RJFait said:

Absolutey. Everybody said they were influenced by The Beatles (they were completey inundated with them, how could they not be). They all (including The Beatles) said Elvis influenced them. Elvis claimed gospel as his biggest influence. So by Rockin' Rod's logic, garage and/or psych music never could have happened without... gospel? (bullshit sneeze) There were enough influences bouncing all around that by removing any one of them, (even the damned Beatles) the end product would have no discernible difference. But if you took away all the numerous influence on any one band (including the damned Beatles) that one band would be very different.

Don said:

But isn't it true that all music cross pollinates? Who are my influences? Some I can name but most I cannot.

Stealing a song or an arrangement without giving credit is one thing, but the rest of this IMO is mostly sour grapes.

Don't want to have anyone influenced by your music? Play in your room with the door shut.

-don

Absolutey. Everybody said they were influenced by The Beatles (they were completey inundated with them, how could they not be). They all (including The Beatles) said Elvis influenced them. Elvis claimed gospel as his biggest influence. So by Rockin' Rod's logic, garage and/or psych music never could have happened without... gospel? (bullshit sneeze) There were enough influences bouncing all around that by removing any one of them, (even the damned Beatles) the end product would have no discernible difference. But if you took away all the numerous influence on any one band (including the damned Beatles) that one band would be very different.

Don said:

But isn't it true that all music cross pollinates? Who are my influences? Some I can name but most I cannot.

Stealing a song or an arrangement without giving credit is one thing, but the rest of this IMO is mostly sour grapes.

Don't want to have anyone influenced by your music? Play in your room with the door shut.

-don

But isn't it true that all music cross pollinates? Who are my influences? Some I can name but most I cannot.

The first thing I generally play when I pick up a guitar is a certain rhythm I use when playing I've Got My Mojo Working. I know just where and when I learned that rhythm -- it was from Chris Zaloom the summer I played with him in the Brave Maggots. But the way I use it -- the arrangement of the song -- is almost if not totally my own.  If I was to record it would I be expected to give Chris credit? Not formally, but when I talk about my influences his is certainly a name I mention.

Stealing a song or an arrangement without giving credit is one thing, but the rest of this IMO is mostly sour grapes and/or a game not too different from pin the tail on the donkey.

Don't want to have anyone influenced by your music? Play in your room with the door shut.

-don

Well, a little false and a little true.  VEry true in terms of Pink Floyd and whatever else was going on in "Swingin'" London.  But i don't believe it for anything leading up to Rubber Soul.  Anything you heard on that record, you already heard on other records by other people.  Dylan, the Byrds, Lovin' Spoonful, Stones, Kinks, Yardbirds....they beat the Beatles to the punch that year.  Revolver and Sgt. Pepper is probably the only time they were able to take in anything that influenced them and release it before anybody had a chance to.  As far as Donovan is concerned though, if that's in reference to him teaching Lennon his picking style on guitar while in India, that's his own fault.  I really can't recall any Donovan records from '68 that he played anything that influenced Dear Prudence or other White album songs.  They also took forever to record that album (in terms of 60s studio time) and it had less going on than Sgt. Pepper.  Donovan had plenty of time to release an album before the Beatles could get one out.  In fact I think he did.  Hurdy Gurdy Man came out much earlier in 1968.

RJFait said:

That last line is absolutely true but probably not merely a money thing. In the last 10 years, McCartney has started coming clean about a lot of stuff. Not only is Lucy in the Sky about LSD, but they also heard the Floyd in the room next door at Apple, and re-wrote Point Me at the Sky into the Lucy melody line. 

Rockin Rod Strychnine said:

I think that last line you wrote was a little false.  Maybe in terms of Hendrix, Cream and Pink Floyd (and a lot of the lesser known bands like Creation) did they get a "psychedelic" record like REVOLVER released before the public heard of those bands that were playing London clubs.  But most of the influences that creeped onto earlier albums came from stuff the Beatles heard on records.  A lot of people just didn't purchase those records until after hearing a Beatles record or could even find them due to not having the distribution that EMI and Capitol had.  Donovan can believe what he wants.  He HAD corporate backing.  His label was just slower in releasing his stuff. 

Thane Cesar said:

Also people forget that because of the corporate backing they had, they could absorb influences into their music, record and release them, before the people who influenced them could release their own records (just ask Donovan).

That last line is absolutely true but probably not merely a money thing. In the last 10 years, McCartney has started coming clean about a lot of stuff. Not only is Lucy in the Sky about LSD, but they also heard the Floyd in the room next door at Apple, and re-wrote Point Me at the Sky into the Lucy melody line. 

Rockin Rod Strychnine said:

I think that last line you wrote was a little false.  Maybe in terms of Hendrix, Cream and Pink Floyd (and a lot of the lesser known bands like Creation) did they get a "psychedelic" record like REVOLVER released before the public heard of those bands that were playing London clubs.  But most of the influences that creeped onto earlier albums came from stuff the Beatles heard on records.  A lot of people just didn't purchase those records until after hearing a Beatles record or could even find them due to not having the distribution that EMI and Capitol had.  Donovan can believe what he wants.  He HAD corporate backing.  His label was just slower in releasing his stuff. 

Thane Cesar said:

Also people forget that because of the corporate backing they had, they could absorb influences into their music, record and release them, before the people who influenced them could release their own records (just ask Donovan).

I think that last line you wrote was a little false.  Maybe in terms of Hendrix, Cream and Pink Floyd (and a lot of the lesser known bands like Creation) did they get a "psychedelic" record like REVOLVER released before the public heard of those bands that were playing London clubs.  But most of the influences that creeped onto earlier albums came from stuff the Beatles heard on records.  A lot of people just didn't purchase those records until after hearing a Beatles record or could even find them due to not having the distribution that EMI and Capitol had.  Donovan can believe what he wants.  He HAD corporate backing.  His label was just slower in releasing his stuff. 

Thane Cesar said:

Also people forget that because of the corporate backing they had, they could absorb influences into their music, record and release them, before the people who influenced them could release their own records (just ask Donovan).

Thank you - you said it better than I managed.

Rockin Rod Strychnine said:

I'm probably going to be one of few that agree with you that Beatles changed everything and also point that you got misinterpreted.  They didn't exactly change the world but they had a hand in how many starting viewing it. They changed the way everybody went about carrying on their careers.  A lot of musicians looked at them as a challenge.  If not for them,  a lot of kids would have turning to modern jazz as a form of sophisticated music instead of updating rock.  Classical would have had a much bigger influence.  Rootsier blues and country groups would have been formed instead of garage bands.  AND that's the other thing, for a group like the Sonics to write the songs they did, for an attitude of "we don't want to sound like the Beatles", wouldn't a Beatles have to exist in order to have an anti-Beatles exist?  The Beatles should get a lot of credit as the one who changed the way we think.

matthew rosedon said:

As my original post has been swept up in recent comments I thought I'd respond:

Firstly, the suggestion that EMI throwing money at the Beatles was responsible for their success.  As anyone with a cursory knowledge of the Beatles knows, Brian Epstein was rejected by every major London record label.  In desperation, and as a last chance, he turned to an EMI subsidiary called Parlophone who were known solely, if at all, for producing comedy albums.  The producer of those said comedy albums was, by happy accident, one Mr George Martin - the rest is history.  Similarly, as others have pointed out, Capitol was not interested hence the releases on VJ and Swan before their hand was forced by 'I Want To Hold Your Hand'.  I'm not sure how that constitutes 'buying' success.

One of the posts politely accuses me of ignoring the point that black musicians were doing it first.  Again, anyone with even the most cursory knowledge of popular music knows this to be correct.  The hardline argument tends to say that 'white' music is stolen from 'black' music.  I don't want to get into that here but it is of course true to say that 'white' music is massively indebted to 'black' music.  In all their early interviews, the Beatles acknowledged that debt; they refused to play to segregated audiences.  The Stones were allowed to choose a guest on 'Shindig' (I think); they chose Howlin' Wolf (imagine the shock of that on mainstream US TV at the time); here in the UK Dusty Springfield used her influence to promote a Motown TV special at a time when Motown was barely established here.  It was the first time that a programme consisting of so many black artists had been shown on UK TV.  Now only a fool would say that makes amends for hundreds of years of slavery/imperialist oppression (UK) or slavery/racial segregation (US) but it's a step, an important step, a step in the right direction and a journey of 1000 miles etc. etc.

The Beatles picked up guitars because of Elvis.  Thousands of US garage bands picked up guitars because of the Beatles/Stones/British Invasion and those artists that had already picked up their guitars upped their game e.g. Beach Boys, Dylan, McGuinn etc.  The Beatles didn't block anybodies career, they were, like all great artists, about possibility and hope and about the excitement that lies behind all great art.  Don't be dismissive of teenage girls screaming because they were helping to tilt the word on its axis - John Lee Hooker got it right - 'the men don't know but the little girls understand'. 

I was accused of hyperbole by saying the Beatles changed everything.  I stand by that statement.  In fact, I will go further and say that their artistic achievement is on a par with Shakespeare or Dickens or Picasso or Rembrandt or Mozart.  There I've said it.  Great art does change everything and does make the world a better place.

As an Englishman I am immensely proud that this small island was responsible for The Beatles, The Stones, The Kinks, The Who, The Yardbirds etc (not so proud of Herman's Hermits however)  The downside of that is I get a bit defensive when people attack 'our' music.  I am also a firm believer that people are entitled to their own opinion.  However, I draw the line when words like gutless, mediocre, and Backstreet Boys of their day are used in conjuction with the Fab Four or, even worse, when they're patronisingly dismissed as being an insignificant pop combo who created, by some fluke, the odd hummable ditty.  That I'm afraid can only be answered by meeting said proponents of such nonsense on the field of honour at dawn with the weapon of your choice - swords, pistols, or Phil Collins CDs used like Oddjob in 'Goldfinger'.

But you know this is what I love about this site - the breadth of opinion and the passion shown.  You even get shout outs for Haydn and Bach on here.  Now if someone can start a Beethoven v Shadows of Knight thread we'll really see some sparks fly.

Stay cool everybody.  

 

I'm probably going to be one of few that agree with you that Beatles changed everything and also point that you got misinterpreted.  They didn't exactly change the world but they had a hand in how many starting viewing it. They changed the way everybody went about carrying on their careers.  A lot of musicians looked at them as a challenge.  If not for them,  a lot of kids would have turning to modern jazz as a form of sophisticated music instead of updating rock.  Classical would have had a much bigger influence.  Rootsier blues and country groups would have been formed instead of garage bands.  AND that's the other thing, for a group like the Sonics to write the songs they did, for an attitude of "we don't want to sound like the Beatles", wouldn't a Beatles have to exist in order to have an anti-Beatles exist?  The Beatles should get a lot of credit as the one who changed the way we think.

matthew rosedon said:

As my original post has been swept up in recent comments I thought I'd respond:

Firstly, the suggestion that EMI throwing money at the Beatles was responsible for their success.  As anyone with a cursory knowledge of the Beatles knows, Brian Epstein was rejected by every major London record label.  In desperation, and as a last chance, he turned to an EMI subsidiary called Parlophone who were known solely, if at all, for producing comedy albums.  The producer of those said comedy albums was, by happy accident, one Mr George Martin - the rest is history.  Similarly, as others have pointed out, Capitol was not interested hence the releases on VJ and Swan before their hand was forced by 'I Want To Hold Your Hand'.  I'm not sure how that constitutes 'buying' success.

One of the posts politely accuses me of ignoring the point that black musicians were doing it first.  Again, anyone with even the most cursory knowledge of popular music knows this to be correct.  The hardline argument tends to say that 'white' music is stolen from 'black' music.  I don't want to get into that here but it is of course true to say that 'white' music is massively indebted to 'black' music.  In all their early interviews, the Beatles acknowledged that debt; they refused to play to segregated audiences.  The Stones were allowed to choose a guest on 'Shindig' (I think); they chose Howlin' Wolf (imagine the shock of that on mainstream US TV at the time); here in the UK Dusty Springfield used her influence to promote a Motown TV special at a time when Motown was barely established here.  It was the first time that a programme consisting of so many black artists had been shown on UK TV.  Now only a fool would say that makes amends for hundreds of years of slavery/imperialist oppression (UK) or slavery/racial segregation (US) but it's a step, an important step, a step in the right direction and a journey of 1000 miles etc. etc.

The Beatles picked up guitars because of Elvis.  Thousands of US garage bands picked up guitars because of the Beatles/Stones/British Invasion and those artists that had already picked up their guitars upped their game e.g. Beach Boys, Dylan, McGuinn etc.  The Beatles didn't block anybodies career, they were, like all great artists, about possibility and hope and about the excitement that lies behind all great art.  Don't be dismissive of teenage girls screaming because they were helping to tilt the word on its axis - John Lee Hooker got it right - 'the men don't know but the little girls understand'. 

I was accused of hyperbole by saying the Beatles changed everything.  I stand by that statement.  In fact, I will go further and say that their artistic achievement is on a par with Shakespeare or Dickens or Picasso or Rembrandt or Mozart.  There I've said it.  Great art does change everything and does make the world a better place.

As an Englishman I am immensely proud that this small island was responsible for The Beatles, The Stones, The Kinks, The Who, The Yardbirds etc (not so proud of Herman's Hermits however)  The downside of that is I get a bit defensive when people attack 'our' music.  I am also a firm believer that people are entitled to their own opinion.  However, I draw the line when words like gutless, mediocre, and Backstreet Boys of their day are used in conjuction with the Fab Four or, even worse, when they're patronisingly dismissed as being an insignificant pop combo who created, by some fluke, the odd hummable ditty.  That I'm afraid can only be answered by meeting said proponents of such nonsense on the field of honour at dawn with the weapon of your choice - swords, pistols, or Phil Collins CDs used like Oddjob in 'Goldfinger'.

But you know this is what I love about this site - the breadth of opinion and the passion shown.  You even get shout outs for Haydn and Bach on here.  Now if someone can start a Beethoven v Shadows of Knight thread we'll really see some sparks fly.

Stay cool everybody.  

 

Don, I'm not sure what point you are trying to make. But I was making the point that the Beatles were in a position to (basically) take credit for something that wasn't their idea.

It goes back to the revisionism that has surrounded the Beatles since Lennons death. Would we really be having this debate if Lennon hadn't been killed. The reason Chapman shot him was he believed him to be a fake and a hypocrite. Which could be reasonably argued (not to say he deserved to get shot).

I wouldn't read too much into Lennon's FBI file. The peace activist Lennon is a bit of a myth, even his own son said that Lennon was a hypocrite.

Lots of people had FBI files, the MC5, and while they were a cool band, they were to para phase Lemmy "Dumb as Fuck".

Consider the lyrics to Imagine, and how much wealth he had.

I like the tunes, but the rest of it... Natch.

You're right - a pop song won't end a war but it can be part of a cultural shift that alters the zeitgeist and allows opposition to the war to grow.  I would argue that the Beatles (and of course many others) contibuted significantly to that shift.  The file the FBI kept on Lennon showed at least some were worried.

While I also accept your second point, without the sheer quality of what they produced the corporate backing would have been meaningless (and almost certainly not have existed).

This debate has drifted some distance from the original thread.  In the end the music will endure and these cultural issues will be historical footnotes.

Thane Cesar said:

I would say tho' that at times that can be overstated. All You Need Is Love didn't end the Vietnam war. And the political left has been quite revisionistic about Lennons acheivements, as well as the "uptight, hetro, world of white rock n roll" have been quite nasty about Yoko.

Also people forget that because of the corporate backing they had, they could absorb influences into their music, record and release them, before the people who influenced them could release their own records (just ask Donovan).

TC, what you are describing has a name:  LIFE.  Yes life.  In the rain forest vines grow up the trunk of a tree, steals its light, and eventually the tree gets stunted, withers and sometimes dies.  Down below a similar game is being played under and around every rotting carcass. Want to enter that world? Then you'd better arm yourself at least with knowledge and perhaps a rifle.

In other words "fairness" is a construct. And as such it exists only so far as law and custom requires and even then only in the light and when enough people care  (i.e, enough people are personally effected) to take notice.

The Beatles were living things. As was, as a corporate entity, EMI. As is each radio station. As is each consumer of the product of music.

By this I an not saying that ethics should not apply. In my personal life I do my best to make sure that they do. But when I enter the forest it is not with a bible or a sophomore year philosophy book. It is with street smarts (jungle smarts?) and some times, quite literally, a gun.

That the world of art is so effected is nothing new. As Michelangelo. Ask Bach.

and as to their music "changing the world"... Yes it did. If you view the world not as a singular entity or even as the body politic, but as the people individualy. I.e., the way each person in reality views him/herself.

-don

Thane Cesar said:

...because of the corporate backing they had, they could absorb influences into their music, record and release them, before the people who influenced them could release their own records (just ask Donovan).

I would say tho' that at times that can be overstated. All You Need Is Love didn't end the Vietnam war. And the political left has been quite revisionistic about Lennons acheivements, as well as the "uptight, hetro, world of white rock n roll" have been quite nasty about Yoko.

Also people forget that because of the corporate backing they had, they could absorb influences into their music, record and release them, before the people who influenced them could release their own records (just ask Donovan).

Show #374: "Friday & Saturday Songs"

Every 3 weeks I leave an open slot to do random themes and whatnot. This week's theme is "Friday & Saturday Songs". As of May 20th it'll be seven years since The Metaphysical Circus switched from Sunday night to Friday Night, and I'm celebrating by playing all songs about Friday and Saturday (since the show runs til 1am on Saturday morning). I've excluded all songs about Saturday night because; 1. there's too many, and 2. the show has never aired on a Saturday night. So tune in tonight at 10pm for all sorts of great songs about Friday and Saturday of the 60's and 70's, by bands and artists like: Genesis, King Crimson, The Turtles, The Sons Of Adam, Fickle Pickle, Them, Majority One, David Bowie, The Pretty Things, Chicago, Nick Drake, The Second Helping, Van Morrison, Nancy Sinatra, Steely Dan, The Walker Brothers, Funkadelic, Groep 1850, The Monkees, Mott The Hoople, The Outsiders, Atomic Rooster, The Easybeats, The Sandpipers, Keith West, and many others!!!

***To stream The Metaphysical Circus live via the web click this link: http://portsmouthcommunityradio.org/listen ... to listen to past shows, view playlists and more, fan the show on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Metap ... 50?sk=wall … or check out my website (to be updated someday): http://eggmanrulez.com/
Live every Friday night at 10pm to 1am EST on WSCA-LP 106.1 FM, Portsmouth Community Radio!

Watch my playlist unravel before your eyes LIVE here: http://wscafm.radioactivity.fm/

Egg

This is funny. Other that "don't need a cure" I can't imagine anyone actually thinking any of these are the correct lyrics. I had a friend who thought "Kind of a Drag" was an advert for ginger ale. "Canada Dry, when your baby don't love you." I've known quite a few people who that The Dicks were racist because they heard one letter different in "I hate cops, they're all fucking piggers." The first time I saw "The Wall" I misheard "Digger" and thought, "What a horrible name for a dog... and it's not even black."

Don , I don't know where "Handjob" came from (Tho' rumor had it "Juju Hand" was  about hand jobs.). Do you mean where he said 'Hattie told Mattie"..... I heard "I wanna Hold Your Hand " as "I get high", or , rather , a clever way to make it SOUND like that. Of course , a year later , "It's Only Love"said "I get High when I see you go by"....

We used to laughour asses off to (sic) "Gie Liebe Dicht" , or "She Loves You" in German. "She Lick Dick , YEAH ! YEAH ! YEAH !".
 
Don said:

The other threads got me thinking Beatles. The sheet music to I Want to Hold Your Hand says "Its such a feeling that my love, I can't hide."  I always hear (to this day) "I get high."

And no band of the sixties would do Wooly Bully without screamin out "hand job."  What Sam really cried out I have no idea.

:)

-Don

The music I play now is more mature, because I'm more mature, but no less Rock 'n' Roll. And if maturity had moved me in a completely different direction (shiver) I guess I'd have to go that way. But, there's an old saying in the punk rock community that a very much stand by: "If you're not now, you never were".

Now you're talkin'! You sound like our drummer - case of beer on the deck out back! That's great about Roger's son. The next generation is also 'priceless'. Do you know The Vees? Bobby Vee's sons? An absolutely amazing rockabilly band in their own right, and session players of the first order in any situation. Our drummer's son is also a multi-talented musician, now busy raising his own next generation.  Gerry Gabel from Gonn is Doctor of Music at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, for decades he's been writing everything from Cage-ish performance pieces to classical themed music, previously taught at Dartmouth, USC, has works being performed at universities in Unkraine and elsewhere. Nonetheless he's done the majority of Gonn things since 1996 but finally had to bow out on the latest series with such demanding and diverse other interests & irons in the fire. I've had your album pass through my business a number of times.  Next time, it goes straight to the turntable. I have to hear what you're set's gonna be like on those youtube videos of The Abstracts reunion tour!   

Don said:

No argument with any of the above Craig.

What I'd enjoy most would be to get the guys onto my porch on a summer day with an open tap of cold brew and just wail. That I am hoping we can find time for.

And as regards fans, yup. Would you believe that the President of the Abstracts Fan Club has contacted us. She - about 14 when I first met her and 16 going on 17 when I last saw her - is now a grandmother, retired and living in Florida. But she's still a fan! (and we sent her an autographed copy of our album to show her our ever-lasting gratitude for all she did for and with us back then.)

Of course she has her memories too. Of being a guest on The Cousin Brucie Show -- then the hottest radio show in metropolitan NY -- to talk about the Abs.

Yup, we musicians have quite the life and help create quite the life for others!  Wonderful isn't it? :)))

-don

And this post script - if we do get together, be it for a weekend, a studio session or a tour - we have a bass player lined up. Jordan Ponzi, Roger's son who plays and teaches bass professionally, has offered to step into his dad's size 12 shoes.  So glad Roger's great genes weren't wasted!

CRAIG MOORE said:

Don, so sorry to hear about your bass player. That's tough. It's a sad fact we'll all have to contend with. We have been fortunate so far... knock on wood. I  don't disagree with you in general as to moving into other careers, etc, and leaving the old band behind, but there is a lot of validity to those who regroup. It's about the music, not the money, age irrelevant, and if the spirit moves you, why not? There are countless such examples of careers going in very different directions, including members of my own band. And yet, here we are. I'd bet there is an audience out there who would dearly LOVE to see your band. And I'd bet that after you did it once, you'd be quite pleased to do it again...  You might see something in your music and your band that you hadn't noticed before or forgot about, coming back at you from the audience. It's infectious. Anyway, comment threads can get out of control & get all misconstrued, so I'll bow out here.  All the best !!!

No argument with any of the above Craig.

What I'd enjoy most would be to get the guys onto my porch on a summer day with an open tap of cold brew and just wail. That I am hoping we can find time for.

And as regards fans, yup. Would you believe that the President of the Abstracts Fan Club has contacted us. She - about 14 when I first met her and 16 going on 17 when I last saw her - is now a grandmother, retired and living in Florida. But she's still a fan! (and we sent her an autographed copy of our album to show her our ever-lasting gratitude for all she did for and with us back then.)

Of course she has her memories too. Of being a guest on The Cousin Brucie Show -- then the hottest radio show in metropolitan NY -- to talk about the Abs.

Yup, we musicians have quite the life and help create quite the life for others!  Wonderful isn't it? :)))

-don

And this post script - if we do get together, be it for a weekend, a studio session or a tour - we have a bass player lined up. Jordan Ponzi, Roger's son who plays and teaches bass professionally, has offered to step into his dad's size 12 shoes.  So glad Roger's great genes weren't wasted!

CRAIG MOORE said:

Don, so sorry to hear about your bass player. That's tough. It's a sad fact we'll all have to contend with. We have been fortunate so far... knock on wood. I  don't disagree with you in general as to moving into other careers, etc, and leaving the old band behind, but there is a lot of validity to those who regroup. It's about the music, not the money, age irrelevant, and if the spirit moves you, why not? There are countless such examples of careers going in very different directions, including members of my own band. And yet, here we are. I'd bet there is an audience out there who would dearly LOVE to see your band. And I'd bet that after you did it once, you'd be quite pleased to do it again...  You might see something in your music and your band that you hadn't noticed before or forgot about, coming back at you from the audience. It's infectious. Anyway, comment threads can get out of control & get all misconstrued, so I'll bow out here.  All the best !!!

Playlist May17/2012.....Live In London Ontario

An all live show comprised of various live recordings at various venues from sleepy London Ontario. Some of the sound quality may not be the greatest, as many of this week's tunes will be from the original cassette tapes done many years ago....enjoy and go out and see some live music here in sleepy London Ontario.

1. Dark Carnival....Ain't Nothin' To Do....recorded live at Call The Office 10/12/90 and features Stooges Ron Ashton and Scott 'Rock Action' Ashton along with our fave diva, Niagara on the screeches. It was a great show and we got to hang out with Ron Ashton afterwards...an interview appeared in What Wave zine as well as some major cool pics (see below and drool) of the band. And we got to tell them who originally did 'My Best Bette' (Mr Kenne Highland) as they had found the song on a compilation tape and loved it so much they covered it at the show, yet had no idea who did the song.

2. catl....Church On Sunday....recorded live at Call The Office 3/16/12.

3. Hi-Tones...That's Alright Mama....recorded live at The Spoke 1/13/12 as part of CHRW's Wired Fridays.

4. Lucky 7....Rock'n'Roll Radio....recorded at Call The Office 2/23/89. This combo played at many clubs here in London...The Firehall, Leadbellys and probably Mingles. They came from NYC and featured Barry Ryan on the guitar, presently Robert Gordon's touring guitarist as well as a member of late 70's NYC punk combo, The Victims. Also in the band, on accordion, keys and vocals was Kenny Margolis, famous NYC studio cat who was also a member of Mink DeVille's legendary band...as well as currently being in Cracker.

5. Ronnie Dawson...Rockin' Bones....recorded live at Leadbellys 3/23/89...The Blonde Bomber from Texas did a 2 night stint here in London, I went one night and Rena went the next...and a FUCKING AMAZING show both nights!!! This particular song was a request from yours truly as he cut the original version that The Cramps borrowed. Really cool guy who signed many of my records and had a smile on his face the whole show!!

6. Ronnie Dawson....Congratulations To Me...recorded live at Leadbellys 3/24/89...a double shot of the Blonde Bomber!!!

7. Blood On The Saddle...Let's Have A Party....recorded live at Key West 12/17/86 in front of a small crowd. Singer Annette (original member of The Bangles) wasn't in the best of moods for this show, but MAN can she belt out a tune!!

8. Uranus....Uranium Rock....recorded at The Embassy 3/22/82 and broadcast over CHRW. We had guitarist Jack on a coupla weeks back for the 30th anniversary of this broadcast to talk about those days. And that's Uranus in the pic below.

9. The Fleshtones....Hexbreaker...recorded live at Call The Office 11/22/90 and we started upstairs in the dressing rooms and marched down the stairs with the band as they liked to start the party upstairs and bring it onto the stage. Possibly the most fun band in the entire universe!! You can read all about them in Sweat, by Joe Bonomo as he gives this legendary combo their just tribute in print.

10. Chesterfield Kings...Loose Lip Sync Ship...recorded live at Bullwinkles 5/29/86 and the only time these guys ever came to London.

11. The Fuzztones...Cinderella...recorded live at Key West 4/5/87 to a hot sweaty packed crowd. I was right up front with Psychedelic Pete, mere inches away from Rudi and the boys as they ripped through their set. We didn't find out till many years later, the bass player was none other than John Carlucci (of The Speedies) and presently in The Beat Killers, a killer combo who are in Europe right now. And below is a pic of how close we were to a sweaty Rudi....we won't talk about the underage that Rudi left with that night...

12. The Gruesomes....I'm A Bloodhound...recorded live at Key West 1/11/87. This was the first time we brought these kids into London, and it being a sunday night in January, we were a little concerned that no one would show up. But, the joint was packed and rockin' as Gruesomania had hit London and the boys were well recieved! Think they stayed for several days at our place after this show as we had lots of cartoons, junk food and videos for the boys to enjoy! The first of many many visits by The Gruesomes to this town and our place.

13. Light Bulb Alley....Money....recorded live at Call The Office 5/4/12 and these guys are now labelmates of The Gruesomes on Ricochet Sound from Montreal.

14. Bad Bad Bad....Fucked Up...recorded live at The Black Shire Pub 3/29/12 right after they came to visit us live on Radio What Wave....way cool 2 piece from Halifax!

15. Light Bulb Alley...Pepper Spray...recorded live at Call The Office 5/4/12 and this song is on the latest garagepunk hideout download, We Love Trash.

16. Das Furlines...Boys Are Boys....recorded live at Call The Office 6/5/86. Das Furlines were an all female combo from NYC who were basically a tribute to The Monks, the German band of X-US Army GI's from 1966. One of the wildest shows that involved total crowd participation and the conch!! You hadda be there!! This combo featured Fuzztone keyboard player Deb O'Nair as well as NYC crazy woman, Wendy Wild. And, this was the only time the band was recorded live...right here in sleepy London Ontario!! This was well before their appearance in People magazine and their bogus entry in the 1995 Rolling Stone Record Guide which had them coming from the Black Forest of Germany and releasing many many records. Nope, just a coupla compilation appearances.

17. Link Protrudi and The Jaymen....The Stroll...recorded live at Key West 9/25/86. Essentially The Fuzztones doing all instros ala Link Wray....

18. Boy From Nowhere....Lift Up Your Hood....recorded live at The Brunswick, probably early 90's. With a nice little intro regaling the finer points of The Brunswick Hotel, situated in downtown London, conveniently located across from the bus terminal. A demonic version of DMZ's tune done with sledgehammers to the head! Indeed, The Boy could rock with the best. Bassist Brian Young is currently a member of The Canadian Lyres touring band....they back up Monoman when he hops the border into Canada.

19. UIC....Cropdusting....recorded live at Call The Office 3/16/85. There's also a youtube of this song (as well as others from the same show) which features a bunch of youngsters dancing around like fools, self included! And yes, i still dance like a fool 27 years later! Below is Murray beating the living daylights out of his kit in front of the UIC flag!

20. The Diodes...Time Damage...recorded live at Call The Office 11/18/11. The second time the re-united Diodes have come to London and both times, excellent shows!!

21. The Hook Up....65 Has No Blues....recorded live at The Spoke 11/25/11 as part of CHRW's Wired Fridays.

22. The Fine Print...Remember....recorded live at Brennan's Beer Bistro 11/5/11. A GREAT local combo who don't play out enough.

23. Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet....Who's Afraid of Alison Hymer/Having An Average Weekend....recorded live at Call The Office 7/17/86. First ever appearance by this now legendary combo to London....a very typical London crowd...maybe 10 people out to see them. Listen to the lack of applause after Average, that's just me clapping. Luckily for sleepy London, this trio came back many times and packed the house!!

Outta time but only the tip of the iceberg for live recordings from London Ontario...hope you enjoyed the show. Thanx for all the phone-ins, emails, facebook comments etc! This one was a blast to prep, as i went through a ton of tapes, some that i was hoping to use didn't have the greatest sound quality and hence, were nicked from the show.

Back atcha next week with a bunch of new stuff and as always, some surprises!

Here's a link to the podcasts that are up for one week only:

http://chrwradio.com/podcasts/94-9CHRWThu1800.mp3

http://chrwradio.com/podcasts/94-9CHRWThu1830.mp3

http://chrwradio.com/podcasts/94-9CHRWThu1900.mp3

Bon has a lot of integrity , tho' I have'nt seen her site in some time.

People sucking money out of people  who don't have it , that's Rock'n'Roll.

You'll find that even some of the biggest names have been raped by shysters in the past (Notice the deafening silence that fell with Allen Klein's demise?).

But , these creeps want to make an example of Bon Von Wheelie and others like her , burn 'em at the stake....Or , just burn them.

Bon , you must NOT be a witch. Yours is the righteous path covered in stones , busted glass , and rare Garage 45s, smashed and shattered into unplayability.  But , we believe you'll win.