The Great 1973 Sonics Revival/"The Closest Thing to Heavy Metal Until the Advent of the Zep and MC5"/Morock ("Moronic Rock")

Of the many places that could claim the mantle of pre-punk or proto-punk headquarters (for even a few minutes), let me introduce the San Fernando Valley circa 1972-1973, or more specifically Panorama City. That is the location of Mark Shipper’s BuckShot Records and the great compilation of the Sonics called “Explosives.” Then we have the Valley’s own Droogs practicing and releasing their first single in 1973 covering the Sonics’ “He’s Waitin'” on Plug-n-Socket, beating certain high profile “punk” folks to the pressing plant. I don't think there is any dispute these days to the Pacific Northwest's right to claim its place in the history of punk via the Sonics, Raiders, Wailers etc.

Now, do we even get into the ethics of reviewing one of your own releases in a trade publication? See RPM, June 1973, below. Naw, as RPM was itself a mouthpiece for a particular label and when the review is this over the top (and spot on 38 years later), and includes high praise from Metal Mike, we let it slide, no? Then, what do you do next? You have your friend Ken Barnes flog the thing in Fusion the next month, followed by a sweet Sculatti review of the second BOC record (along with a NICE photo of the Soft White Underbelly/Stalk-Forrest Group), wherein he talks about picking the Sonics of the 70’s. Great review, great record. This is how back in the day you created a real critical consensus! Don, the Imperial Dogs coulda been (are) the true Sonics of the 70’s! Decided not to crop Bangs’ review of Sun Ra’s “Atlantis” or Meltzer’s Spheeris reviews for your enjoyment. Oh yeah, a couple of pages of Sculatti/Saunders/Shipper’s 1974 “Brain Damage” as well. Mark Shipper phone home.

Father Yod and Cisco Pike/The Source on Film Part 1 and other stuff from Cisco Pike

If you blink you may miss the sign, but as Kristofferson (Cisco) and Viva (Merna) drive down Sunset they pick up Merna's friend Lynn played by Joy Bang at the corner of Sunset and Sweetzer, i.e., Father Yod’s vegetarian restaurant, The Source.

Here is Kris performing one of his many standards written at the time of Cisco Pike and included in the film - this over the opening credits and here on the Johnny Cash Show:

Another detail from Cisco Pike that needed a still was Waylon's 1971 engagement at the Troubadour.



After seeing Kris' Cash show clip, I had to see this one. Which of course had me thinking that this era of Waylon may be another influence on King Loser (other than the obvious Lee and Nancy), based on Waylon's Heazlewood to the organist's Celia with O'Reilly on the double-necked 6/12 string guitar in this '70 Johnny Cash show clip. Did Waylon put out a single bad record from this era - I sure as hell haven't heard it.

Some other worthwhile images to share from Cisco Pike including one with foil HDS:

The scene with Doug Sahm in the studio is pretty over the top - that is Doug is over the top in all his "Dougness" - though it did remind me and Damon of certain musician friends years ago.



Yes, the business conducted in automats and Alan Arbus' office!

Blondie & Pleasant/A Small Circle of Friends/The Non-Beatles Paul and George/Spider - "America's REAL Rock n' Roll Magazine"

Pleasant Gehman always loomed large as I was getting into music as a teenager, firstly from her association with the Germs and Go-Go's, then from her LA Weekly by-lines and performances with the Screamin' Sirens. By the time I became aware of who she was, Lobotomy magazine was long gone. She features in so many iconic images of the era, mostly shot by Jenny Lens but I am sure Donna Santisi has quite a few we haven't seen yet. She was as much the "it" girl of the early LA punk scene as Trudie Plunger or Alice Bag. Pleasant was a great link between the NYC bands of the era and LA, whether it be visits by the Ramones, the underrated Mumps (who need their own post), or case in point here, Blondie. Was Jeffrey Lee Pierce still the president of the Blondie Fan Club as late as July/August 1979? Man, those early shows in LA by the NYC bands would have been amazing. The handful of folks at that first LA Ramones show included people like John and Dix Denney of the Weirdos, Brian Tristan (aka "Kid Congo Powers"), Phast Phreddie, Plez and who else? Did Iggy show up with an "appearance" like on Patti Smith's "Teenage Perversity" bootleg at the Roxy in early 1976. Blondie and Tom Petty would have been quite a show as Pleasant recounts. Did Dwight Twilley attend that show? Sometime in late 1978, Pleasant and Kid Congo moved to NYC for six months and lived with Teenage Jesus drummer Bradly Field and Kristian Hoffman of the Mumps.

Pleasant came to LA in 1975 from New York and landed at Uni High where she fell right in with Paul and George before they became Bobby and Pat. Plez's dad was a "new journalism" guy as well as penning liners for jazz records. Hep, no? Ditching school to attend Runaways rehearsals always seemed like a good idea. Hanging out with Belinda after she drove into Hollywood from the DEEP valley (Newbury Park) unlike the Denney Bros. original sojourn from North Hollywood over the hill. Maybe the genesis for the Blondie profile kicked in while Plez was living in NYC and seeing how big Blondie had by then gotten? In any event, no last name is given for the article but it only makes sense that it is Ms. Gehman. Bangs' quickie book was from around this same time. We wait for Pleasant's memoir if she takes enough time off from belly dancing. We offer our services to edit.

As to Spider, it came from of all places Ventura. Not exactly an epicenter for high energy rock and roll until Grady's Record Refuge opened - unless board sports is your thing. Mea culpa, I saw the Dead a number of times in Ventura and I swear I saw Ginn at a show but I may be wrong! I love the fact that it bills itself as "America's REAL Rock 'n' Roll Magazine." The coverage is a-ok for the time though Slash it ain't. Spider was really a photo magazine, given that Spider took photos and published others by Donna Santisi and David Arnoff. Anyone know how long Spider ran for and if they can locate the other issues for me. The editing could have been tighter (spell check, etc), but hey, it's mostly about the photos.

"I've Always Thought the Stooges Were ok"/"Elitish Crapola"/Peter Crowley v. "The Dean"/Self-Designated Avant Garde Savior of Mankind

You all have read Meltzer's account of the trials of publishing "Dolphy Was Some 'Weird' Cat." Meltzer, Richard. A Whore Just Like the Rest. Cambridge: Da Capo 2000. How was Bob the editor of the Voice with opinions such as this from August 1973: "but like all theoretical hard rock, [The Stooges] music was accessible only in theory." Read on as it only gets worse or more cringe inducing. Wrong in oh so many ways on the Stooges that this one is more for the 2011 peanut gallery to laugh at. Great quotes though. Oh yeah Bob, I guess you didn't really grok Peter's other fave Von Lmo either. Time has shown that Crowley's taste was pretty classy and timeless. I guess you didn't ask him to contribute to Stranded. Roll on!

If Not Exactly a "Trips" Festival/Now Go Listen to Charlie Patton/"When Rock Implied Danger"

Richard Meltzer is going to be 65 this year. When the oracle chooses to write about music, one needs to pay close attention. Even his toss offs are great. Case in point is this column for the San Diego Reader from June 1999. Too late for inclusion in "A Whore Just Like the Rest," Richard still riffs on his favorite Doors, Monterey Pop versus Woodstock, the Byrds and the Association. He is a bit too harsh on the Monkees for my liking - their records have aged nicely. As Eddie Flowers has said (or a paraphrase as such): "Headquarters"= summer! Growing up those lps were some of the only "rock" lps in the house. But what the fuck do I know - I wasn't at Monterey. I came across this barn archival piece in connection with research on Meltzer's take on the Jefferson Airplane. According to Tamarkin's book, the Monkees' "Headquarters" was firmly lodged at Number 2 on the charts after the Beatles "Sgt. Pepper" in '67, thus keeping "Surrealistic Pillow" blocked permanently from the top spot. Though a no show at Monterey, Macca did head to SF in '67 and spent a day being shown around SF by Marty, Jack and Jorma, and also did acknowledge the incredible playing of Jack - did Jaco Pastorius copy prime Casady or what. Apparently, Jack jammed with Hendrix till dawn the night of Monterey whilst both were tripping. Meltzer where were you and Pearlman hanging out? Anyone sat through the entire Moneterey Pop Pennebaker dvd box set to report whether it is worth seeking out?

Psyche Pscene News/The Kaliedescopic Eyes of Alice Cooper/FM Classic Rock

Last month in LA I found Psyche Pscene News out of Chicago which billed itself as "Chicago's First 'Rock' Newspaper." Says so right on the masthead so it must be true. None other than 1971 "Love It To Death"-era Alice stares at you on the cover.

Psyche Pscene News grew out of Psyche Pscene which started at least as early as 1968. Psyche Pscene claimed that it was "for and about Young Chicago" and covered your usual head bands of the day. Apparently editor Joe Gino (also one of Tiny Tim's favorite photographers), either founded or owned the Chicago area rock club Elysian Fields.

Looking at the listings for Chicago in January of 1972, did I know that Judee Sill opened for Bread? Was Sonny Sharrock still playing with Herbie Mann into 1972? The Allmans are a no brainer as are "Fireball/Machine Head" era Deep Purple and the Hag.

Does Ian really claim that "Highway Star"is going to be our opening number for the next year or two? Deep Purple toured the US four times in 1972!

Nothing really out of the ordinary with Psyche Pscene News. The Faces review is dead on if you like the Faces. Recently finished Arthur Kane's GREAT autobiography "I, Doll" on the founding and first few years of the Dolls and he gives his unqualified Dolls approval to the Faces. Steve Jones played many tracks off this album on his radio show with some great teenage anectdotes. Bangs' Stewart book made me buy all the Faces lps when I was a teenager and I still like to think that he wouldn't have disowned his opinions on those lps in the end even with the horrid background to the writing of that book.

Though it ain't Rock Marketplace or Who Put the Bomp, Psyche Pscene News did try to have a historical column like the one here on Fairport Convention. Man, did Fairport have great taste in covers early on! Richard and Mimi, Tim Buckley, the Merry-Go-Round etc etc. Iain Matthews is the one who really kept up that kinda taste in Southern Comfort and his early solo lps. Digging that first Fairport lp without Sandy and seeing Thompson doing his best Avalon Ballroom/Filmore/JA styled modal soloing. Yes, Lydia, Television were kinda like the Dead or JA with haircuts but whoever said that was a bad thing. Enjoy, Sandy performing solo from the timeless The North Star Grassman and the Ravens which is from around the same time. There is a longer clip from the same session well worth tracking down. Following on the Fairport Merry Go Round cover, some solo Emitt as well.

Link 'n Jerry/Be What You Want To/Black Peter/Those Who Know History Are Doomed to Repeat It

Lenny Kaye on reviewing the Dead's "Live/Dead" in the February 7, 1970 issue of Rolling Stone: "if you'd like to visit a place where rock is likely to be in about five years, you might think of giving Live Dead a listen or two." He also stated that "[the Grateful Dead's] music touches on ground that most other groups don't even know exists."



Skeptical? PSG opened some shows for the Dead in 1979. And I can tell you, anytime I have have seen Patti in the past 15 years, she has included her and Lenny dishing up a reet Garcia cover or two (much to the howling derision on some folks in the audience). Lenny worked on the great autobiography of Waylon Jennings with Waylon. The guy knows a thing or two about American music. No doubt Link Wray rates pretty highly in his book. Now, I understand that Miriam and Billy may not be great fans of this era of Link's music, i.e., 1970-1973, but to those of us - such as Henry Kaiser - who like the Dead as much as Les Railles Denudes, this photo is a keeper. From the sessions for 1973's "Be What You Want To." The Dead subject matter inspired in part by Kaiser's SST years including "Those Who Know History Are Doomed to Repeat It," both the lp and tour we saw supporting the lp at McCabes.