Stupefaction

Who doesn't love a good boxset? Cherry Red to unleash Scared To Get Happy in June

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Broun) — Thu, 23 May 2013 22:49:00 +0000

For those with an Anglophilic bend to their tastes, who may have missed out on the 80's indie scene, or for those who want to relive those halcyon days, this box is for you. Cherry Red Records has pulled out all of the stops for this: Five discs of UK indie pop - pure heaven. Out in June, they've even organized a central London show (June 22) featuring ten of the acts included in the set - see flyer at the bottom of this post. I could go on, but I'll let the music speak for itself.

Hard to believe, but this is the first collection of this era of this scale - you'd have thought it was ripe for the picking. 134 tracks in total (with several previously unreleased) including releases from all of our favorite labels like Creation, Postcard, Zoo, el, Cherry Red (natch), Sarah, Kitchenware, etc, etc...Also included is a 54-page book with mucho sleeve-notes regarding each recording and band. Phew!

Order Scared To Get Happy here (US), direct from Cherry Red, or demand it at your favorite retailer!

Continued after the jump...

Take a deep breath & check out this track listing:

Disc 1:
01. THE WILD SWANS Revolutionary Spirit, Zoo, 1982
02. GIRLS AT OUR BEST! Getting Nowhere Fast, Record, 1980
03. ART OBJECTS Showing Off To Impress The Girls, Heartbeat, 1980
04. THE PALE FOUNTAINS (There’s Always) Something On My Mind, Operation Twilight/Les Disques du Crépuscule, 1982
05. JOSEF K The Missionary, Les Disques du Crépuscule, 1982
06. THE MONOCHROME SET The Jet Set Junta, Cherry Red, 1982
07. BLUE ORCHIDS Dumb Magician, Rough Trade, 1982
08. MARINE GIRLS Don’t Come Back, Cherry Red, 1983
09. FIRE ENGINES Candyskin, Pop:Aural, 1981
10. TV21 Ambition, Powbeat, 1980
11. DOLLY MIXTURE Everything And More, Respond, 1982
12. THE NIGHTINGALES Paraffin Brain, Cherry Red, 1982
13. SCARS All About You, Pre, 1981
14. JANE It’s A Fine Day, Cherry Red, 1983
15. THE FARMER’S BOYS I Think I Need Help, Waap, 1982
16. THE ROOM Things Have Learnt To Walk That Ought To Crawl, Red Flame, 1982
17. WEEKEND Summerdays, Rough Trade, 1982
18. PREFAB SPROUT Lions In My Own Garden (Exit Someone), Candle, 1982; reissued Kitchenware, 1984
19. THE LINES Nerve Pylon, Red, 1980
20. EVERYTHING BUT THE GIRL Feeling Dizzy, Cherry Red, 1982
21. THE HIGSONS The Lost And The Lonely, Waap, 1981
22. BLACK Human Features, Rox, 1981
23. THE DAINTEES Roll On Summertime, Kitchenware, 1982
24. THE BLUEBELLS Happy Birthday, Lyntone, 1982
25. TRIXIE’S BIG RED MOTORBIKE Norman And Narcissus, Lobby Ludd, 1983
26. TV PERSONALITIES A Picture Of Dorian Gray (Live), Creation Artifact, 1982

Disc 2:
01. HURRAH! The Sun Shines Here, Kitchenware, 1982
02. FANTASTIC SOMETHING If She Doesn’t Smile (It’ll Rain), Cherry Red, 1983
03. PULP Everybody’s Problem, Red Rhino, 1983
04. STRAWBERRY SWITCHBLADE Dark 7, Previously unissued
05. THE SUEDE CROCODILES Stop The Rain, No Strings, 1983
06. GRAB GRAB THE HADDOCK I'm Used Now, Cherry Red, 1984
07. DEL AMITRI Sense Sickness, No Strings, 1983
08. FRIENDS AGAIN Honey At The Core, Moonboot, 1983
09. AZTEC CAMERA Oblivious, Rough Trade, 1983
10. LLOYD COLE & THE COMMOTIONS Are You Ready To Be Heartbroken? (Indie Version), LC, 1983
11. THE CHERRY BOYS Kardomah Café, Crash, 1983
12. IN EMBRACE This Brilliant Evening, Cherry Red, 1985
13. MICRODISNEY Dolly, Rough Trade, 1984
14. THE WOODENTOPS Plenty, Food, 1984
15. THE JAZZ BUTCHER Southern Mark Smith, Glass, 1983
16. THE JASMINE MINKS Where The Traffic Goes, Creation, 1984
17. THE HIT PARADE Forever, JSH, 1984
18. THE JUNE BRIDES Every Conversation, Pink, 1984
19. THE REVOLVING PAINT DREAM In The Afternoon, Creation, 1984
20. JAMES Hymn From A Village, Factory, 1985
21. THE JESUS & MARY CHAIN Just Like Honey (Demo Oct ’84), Blanco Y Negro, 1985
22. BIFF BANG POW! The Chocolate Elephant Man, Creation, 1985
23. YEAH YEAH NOH Temple Of Convenience, In Tape, 1985
24. THE BODINES God Bless, Creation, 1985
25. BIG FLAME Debra, Ron Johnson, 1985
26. THE LOFT Up The Hill And Down The Slope, Creation, 1985

Disc 3:
1. PRIMAL SCREAM Velocity Girl, Creation, 1986
2. THE WEDDING PRESENT Go Out And Get ’Em, Boy!, Reception/City Slang, 1985
3. THE PRIMITIVES Thru The Flowers, Lazy, 1986
4. THE BMX BANDITS Sad?, 53rd & 3rd, 1986
5. SHOP ASSISTANTS All Day Long, Subway Organisation, 1985
6. THE MIGHTY LEMON DROPS Something Happens, Dreamworld, 1985
7. WE'VE GOT A FUZZBOX AND WE’RE GONNA USE IT XX Sex (Demo), Vindaloo, not originally released, 1986
8. MIGHTY MIGHTY Is There Anyone Out There?, Girlie, 1986
9. THE SOUP DRAGONS Quite Content, Subway Organisation, unreleased, 1986
10. McCARTHY Red Sleeping Beauty, Pink, 1986
11. AGE OF CHANCE Motor City, Riot Bible, 1985
12. THE CHESTERF!ELDS Completely And Utterly, Subway Organisation, 1986
13. THE WOLFHOUNDS Cut The Cake, Pink, 1986
14. THE SERVANTS Loggerheads, Head, not originally released, 1986
15. THE CLOSE LOBSTERS Don’t Worry (Demo), Not originally released, 1986
16. POP WILL EAT ITSELF Sick Little Girl, Desperate, 1986
17. RAZORCUTS Big Pink Cake, Subway Organisation, 1986
18. THAT PETROL EMOTION It’s A Good Thing, Demon, 1986
19. THE WEATHER PROPHETS Almost Prayed, Creation, 1986
20. JAMIE WEDNESDAY Vote For Love, Pink, 1986
21. TALULAH GOSH Beatnik Boy, 53rd & 3rd, 1986
22. THE DENTISTS She Dazzled Me With Basil, Tambourine, 1986
23. THE RAILWAY CHILDREN A Gentle Sound, Factory, 1986
24. THE GROOVE FARM Baby Blue Marine (Alternative Version), Raving Pop Blast, not originally released, 1987
25. JESSE GARON & THE DESPERADOES The Rain Fell Down, Narodnik, 1986
26. ROSEMARY’S CHILDREN (Whatever Happened To) Alice?, el, 1986
27. 14 ICED BEARS Balloon Song, Frank, 1987
28. THE WONDER STUFF A Wonderful Day, Far Out, 1986

Disc 4:
01. HOUSE OF LOVE Shine On, Creation, 1987
02. THE SHAMEN Something About You, Moksha, 1987
03. THE BACHELOR PAD The Albums Of Jack, Warholasound, 1987
04. GOL GAPPAS Albert Parker, el, 1986
05. HANGMAN'S BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTERS Love Is Blue, Dreamworld, 1987
06. WHIRL Heaven Forbid, Playroom Discs, 1987
07. THE BRILLIANT CORNERS Delilah Sands, SS20, 1987
08. THE FLATMATES Shimmer, Subway Organisation, 1988
09. THE WAKE Gruesome Castle, Factory, 1988
10. THIS POISON! Engine Failure, Reception, 1987
11. THE DARLING BUDS If I Said, Darling Buds, 1987
12. THE BOY HAIRDRESSERS Tidalwave, 53rd & 3rd, 1987
13. THE WALTONES She Looks Right Through Me, Medium Cool, 1987
14. THE ROSEHIPS Room In Your Heart, Subway Organisation, 1987
15. APPLE BOUTIQUE Love Resistance, Creation, 1988
16. LAUGH Take Your Time Yeah!, Remorse, 1987
17. THE RAW HERBS She’s A Nurse But She's Alright, Medium Cool, 1987
18. THE HEART THROBS Toy, In Tape, 1987
19. THE CLOUDS Tranquil, Subway Organisation, 1987
20. THE GROOVY LITTLE NUMBERS You Make My Head Explode, 53rd & 3rd, 1987
21. THE SIDDELEYS My Favourite Wet Wednesday Afternoon, Medium Cool, 1987
22. RUMBLEFISH Tug-Boat Line, Pink, 1987
23. THE HEPBURNS The World Is, Cherry Red, 1987
24. BUBBLEGUM SPLASH! One Of Those Things, Subway Organisation, 1987
25. THE CORN DOLLIES Be Small Again, Medium Cool, 1987
26. THE KING OF LUXEMBOURG Lee Remick, el, 1987
27. THE LA's Son Of A Gun (Demo), Not originally released, 1987

Disc 5:
01. THE STONE ROSES The Hardest Thing In The World, Silvertone, 1988
02. INSPIRAL CARPETS Keep The Circle Around, Playtime, 1988
03. THE POOH STICKS Indiepop Ain’t Noise Pollution, Fierce, 1988
04. THE SEA URCHINS Solace, Sarah, 1988
05. CUD Only (A Prawn In Whitby), Imaginary, 1989
06. THE POPGUNS Landslide, Medium Cool, 1989
07. ONE THOUSAND VIOLINS All Aboard The Love-Mobile, Immaculate, 1988
08. ANOTHER SUNNY DAY I’m In Love With A Girl Who Doesn’t Know I Exist, Sarah, 1988
09. EAST VILLAGE Strawberry Window, Sub Aqua, 1988
10. BAD DREAM FANCY DRESS Choirboys Gas (Hack The Cassock), el, 1988
11. RODNEY ALLEN Circle Line, Subway Organisation, 1988
12. THE ORCHIDS I’ve Got A Habit, Sarah, 1988
13. BRADFORD Skin Storm, Village, 1988
14. THE CHARLOTTES Are You Happy Now, Subway, 1989
15. THE CLAIM Picking Up The Bitter Little Pieces, Esurient Communications, 1989
16. THE POPPYHEADS Dreamabout, Sarah, 1988
17. THE SUN AND THE MOON Adam’s Song (Pour Fenella), Midnight Music, 1988
18. THE McTELLS Jesse Man Rae, Frank, 1988
19. WOULD-BE-GOODS Cecil Beaton’s Scrapbook, el, 1988
20. THE DESERT WOLVES Speak To Me Rochelle, Ugly Man, 1988
21. THE RAIN Dry The Rain, Medium Cool, 1988
22. BLOW-UP Forever Holiday, Cherry Red, 1989
23. THE FANATICS Suburban Love Songs, Chapter 22, 1989
24. MILLTOWN BROTHERS Roses, Big Round, 1989
25. THE SEERS Sun Is In The Sky, Hedd, 1989
26. THE TELESCOPES The Perfect Needle, What Goes On, 1989
27. THE BOO RADLEYS Catweazle, Action, 1990

Just Because: Charles Mingus

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Broun) — Thu, 23 May 2013 14:31:00 +0000

Don't Hide The Madness: Lydia Lunch To Host Howl Benefit at Pyramid

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Broun) — Wed, 22 May 2013 14:48:00 +0000

HOWL! Arts and Some Serious Business Present an Evening of Spoken Word in the Raw

LYDIA LUNCH Hosts DON’T HIDE THE MADNESS
With cohorts Bob Bert, Nicole Blackman, Bibbe Hansen, Zachary Lipez, Edgar Oliver, Tony O'Neill, Phantom Family Halo, and surprise guests.

DJ: Linda Rizzo

Thursday, May 30, 2013 / 7–10 PM

Tickets: $10 in advance / $15 at the door / Cash only the evening of the show
Tickets available in advance through Brown Paper Tickets http://m.bpt.me/event/378639

A Benefit for HOWL! Emergency Life Project (H.E.L.P.)
*100% of the proceeds from the door go to H.E.L.P.

Pyramid Cocktail Lounge
101 Ave A (between 6th & 7th Streets)

East Village, NYC

Shot by: Ann Sanfedele

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Broun) — Wed, 22 May 2013 13:51:00 +0000

Cat in Window above Manic Panic Store , 33 St. Marks Place, 1981

Jeremiah's Vanishing New York has a nice short interview with longtime East Village resident & photographer, Ann Sanfedele. Read it & see more photos here. Stunning work.

See Ann's full collection of 1970s and 1980s photos here

Buy her calendars, including "East Village Back in the Day," here

86 E 7th Street, mid-70's

212 East 14th Street, mid-70's (between 2nd and 3rd Ave)

Trevor Bolder RIP

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Broun) — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:58:00 +0000

Trevor Bolder - RIP

Trevor Bolder, left, with David Bowie & the Spiders From Mars

Shot by: Tony Fletcher

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Broun) — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:00:00 +0000

Life from a (broken) Window: The view through the abandoned Overlook Mountain House, above Woodstock, NY. By Tony Fletcher.

Dimmed lights on the Sunset Strip

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Broun) — Tue, 21 May 2013 12:48:00 +0000

Fittingly, The Whisky, the Roxy and The Viper Room dimmed their lights last night for 10 minutes in Ray Manzarek's honor. A touching tribute on the Sunset Strip. Photo courtesy of Carlo Asciutti & Daisy.

Stupefied: The Gary Asquith Playlist

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Broun) — Tue, 21 May 2013 12:23:00 +0000

This week's edition of the Stupefied playlist is from one my all time favorite frontmen, Gary Asquith, best known as a member of London's provocative and dubby Renegade Soundwave. Gary has long been involved with a bunch of interesting (no matter what, they're always interesting) projects beginning with early post punk efforts MASS, and Rema-Rema, moving on to Renegade Soundwave, and most recently with the Lavender Pill Mob, and some other more underground things.

Here's what Gary had to say: This was harder than making a record in my opinion. I want you to know that Nat King Cole is my favourite singer of all time - I grew up listening to my father playing his albums and he's god in my house. That's it. It could all change at the flick of a finger.

I worked on Mikkim's Offbeat Rhapsody album last year which won the Andel prize for Best Reggae and Ska album (an Andel award is like a Czech grammy - it means "angel" in Czech). I did three songs for the album: a reworking of "Probably A Robbery," "Air Hostess" (an old RSW track that vanished around the recording of Soundclash), and "Heaven Be Upon Us." I shall also be promoting the album by playing live with Mikkim at Glastonbury this year.

I've been recording with Japanese musician Takatsuma Mukai for his new album - a track called "The Store" - called Sunya (which is sanskrit for zero or void), and I've recorded a dubby-styled 45 under the name Renegade Connection called "I Surrender" for my Le Coq Musique label. I'm also I'm also currently working on the remixes of Rema Rema's original recordings.

Lavender Pill Mob

Visit Gary and keep in touch with his various projects via the following Facebook links:

Le Coq Musique

Renegade Soundwave

Rema-Rema

Renegade Soundmachine

Gary Asquith

Huge thanks to Gary...And don't forget those bonus points for including "Karate Boogaloo"!

01. When I Fall In Love - Nat King Cole

02. Ballade De Melody Nelson - Serge Gainsbourg

Renegade Soundwave

03. Lola - The Kinks

04. In A Broken Dream - Python Lee Jackson

05. Dub Organiser - Dillinger

06. Karate-Boo-Ga-Loo - Jerry-O

07. Would You Believe - Roxy Music

08. Out On the Street - The Shangri-Las

09. You Got Soul - Johnny Nash

10. Nancy - Frank Sinatra

11. I'll Come Running - Brian Eno

12. Havana Moon - Chuck Berry

13. Heroes and Villains - The Beach Boys

14. Police in Helicopter - Eek A Mouse

15. Cosmic Dancer - T.Rex

16. The Trip - Kim Fowley

17. Ain't That A Kick In The Head - Dean Martin

18. Cheesy Lipstick - Rammellzee

19. I'm A Man - Jobriath

20. Walking On Water - Richard Hell

21. Girls - Genevieve Waite

Shot by: Ariel Martini

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Broun) — Tue, 21 May 2013 00:55:00 +0000

James & Judy Chance and Les Contortions ontage at Virada Cultural 2013 in Sao Paolo, Brazil, this past weekend. Photos courtesy of Ariel Martini / I Hate Flash. See more here.

Ray Manzarek RIP

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Broun) — Mon, 20 May 2013 23:53:00 +0000

Ray Manzarek - RIP

MC5 "Borderline" shipping box addressed to John Sinclair (1968)

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Broun) — Mon, 20 May 2013 14:00:00 +0000

Here's a very cool bit of ephemera as seen last week in the collection of the Archive of Contemporary Music - a cardboard box used to ship copies of the MC5's second single, 1968's "Borderline" b/w "Looking At You" on the A-Sqaure label run by Jeep Holland. Its addressed to MC5 manager John Sinclair.

The first of the two bi-annual sales at the Archive is coming up soon beginning June 8 and running through June 16. Click the website link above or visit them on Facebook here.

Ruts DC: Rhythm Collision Vol. 2 is here! Listen to "Mighty Soldier"

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Broun) — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:30:00 +0000

What a fantastic surprise! Collecting my mail after getting home from a couple of days out of the city, I received a mysterious padded mailer from the UK. Upon closer inspection, turns out it's from Mr. Dave Ruffy, the one & only drummer for Ruts DC, and it turns out it's a copy of their brand new album, Rhythm Collision Vol. 2. Life is good! Anyone who has read Stupefaction for a while now knows what a huge fan of the Ruts and Ruts DC I am.

About a year ago, I featured a new song, "Mighty Soldier," which leads off the new album and you can listen to again below. Considering that Vol. 1, released 30 years ago, remains firmly high on my desert island disc list, surviving members Segs & Ruffy (the rhythm section, wouldn't you know?), and a fantastic crew of support players, have done masterful work that just may rival the original. The overall scope and cohesion of this album as a single piece of work cannot be underestimated - this exactly how I feel about Vol. 1, and it suits this one to a "T". From the beginning, each track weaves into the next to take you on a bass heavy journey of rhythm that is incredibly rewarding. The album is twelve tracks in all - 9 on the album proper, and 3 listed as bonus cuts. It was recorded with Mad Professor, who also engineered Vol. 1 thirty years ago, and mixed by Prince Fatty. It's pedigree is undeniable.

About the album, the band says, "We have decided to release this album on our own Sosumi Recordings, embracing the DIY ethic that propelled The Ruts into the 7" vinyl market in 1978, and allowed us to release Volume 1 in '82."

p.s. From the "even more excitement department," according to the liner notes, there is a book about the band in the works by Roland Link. It will be called Love In Vain: The Story of The Ruts & Ruts DC.

Ruffy & Segs

All I can say is thank you, Ruffy & Segs. You've made this Ruts fan extremely happy. I honestly never thought I'd be listening to new Ruts music again in this lifetime.

Ruts DC have already played a few album kick off shows in the UK this month. Later this summer they'll be playing the following shows, and it wouldn't surprise me if more are added along the way:

August 10 - Blackpool - Rebellion Festival

August 25 - Penzance, Cornwall - 3 Chord Festival

September 6 - Preston - 53 Degrees

September 7 - Newcastle - North East Calling

September 13 - Reading - Sub 89

More in September - German & Scottish dates TBC

Buy the album directly from the band, or at your favorite retailer,

and keep up with Ruts DC via the following links:

Official website

Facebook

Twitter

Happy guys, from left: John "Segs" Jennings, Mad Professor, Dave Ruffy

Daily Travels: New Paltz, NY

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Broun) — Sun, 19 May 2013 19:24:00 +0000

Movie of the Week: John Joseph of the Cro-Mags (2013)

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Broun) — Sun, 19 May 2013 16:00:00 +0000

LES documentarian Clayton Patterson interviews longtime punk/hardcore/vegetarian/yogi/etc man, John Joseph, in this piece for Noisey. For those interested in more, check out John's books, The Evolution of Cro-Magnon, and, ahem, Meat Is For Pussies (A how-to guide for dudes who want to get fit, kick ass and take names). Also Patterson's documentary on the Lower East Side and chronicling it, Captured.

It makes me wonder how I keep from going under

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Broun) — Sun, 19 May 2013 02:51:00 +0000

Source

Movie of the Week: Malcolm McLaren, Artful Dodger (2010)

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Broun) — Sat, 18 May 2013 16:00:00 +0000

A lot of people have a lot of things to say about McLaren, and he could talk bollocks with the best of them, but mark my words...one day he'll be acknowledged as a great artist.

Hat tip to Glen Friedman

Movie of the Week: Iggy Pop

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Broun) — Fri, 17 May 2013 13:08:00 +0000

Who knows if we'll ever see the Stooges documentary director Jim Jarmusch has spoken about? While we wait, here's a recent & decent film about Mr. Pop and company. Iggy is a good man...

Hat tip to Flaming Pablum

This weekend in London - We're Not Here To Sell Clothes: The Making of BLITZ Fashion

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Broun) — Fri, 17 May 2013 13:06:00 +0000

Launching a new book, As Seen in BLITZ: Fashioning '80s Style, by Iain R. Webb's, there will be a series of special events over the weekend at the ICA in London: A pop-up show in the ICA Theatre curated by former fashion editor Iain R Webb, a series of talks with special guests, and film screenings.

Contributors include Leigh Bowery, Amanda Cazalet, Boy George, Princess Julia, Nick Knight, David LaChapelle, Paul Morley and Anna Piaggi. Featured designers include Bodymap, Judy Blame, Dean Bright, Comme Des Garçons, Jasper Conran, John Galliano, Jean Paul Gaultier, Katharine Hamnett, Hermès, Pam Hogg, Marc Jacobs, Stephen Jones, Calvin Klein, Andrew Logan, Issey Miyake, Franco Moschino, Rifat Ozbek, Antony Price and Vivienne Westwood.

For more info visit the ICA website, and the official Blitz Magazine Facebook page.

Order As Seen in BLITZ: Fashioning '80s Style here.

Happy birthday Jonathan Richman!

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Broun) — Thu, 16 May 2013 20:46:00 +0000

Source

Before & After: Album Art 8

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Broun) — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:48:00 +0000

Before - Students swing to a jazz band in a bamboo-lined student center in Vienna, February 1959. Shot by Volkmar K. Wenztel:

Courtesy of This Isn't Happiness and National Geographic

After - "The Beat Escape" by Fingerprintz, Virgin Records, 1981:

Long one of my favorite record covers, I've never seen the original until today. Leave it to Pete at TiH to dig it up. I've always loved the song as well. It takes me right back to 1981, and listening to the WNYU New Afternoon show in my bedroom. Classic! Here's the song:

Well?

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Broun) — Thu, 16 May 2013 12:49:00 +0000

Trainspotting with the Smiths

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Broun) — Wed, 15 May 2013 13:45:00 +0000

Source

Marlene Dietrich, Burt Bacharach, and my father

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Broun) — Wed, 15 May 2013 12:47:00 +0000

My father

Recently a friend of mine posted a video on Facebook of German movie & cabaret star, Marlene Dietrich, singing Pete Seeger's "Where Have All The Flowers Gone?" Now, there's something funny about this very beautiful, if a little cold & stiff (not unlike Nico), Germanic woman singing folk & pop songs. And the accent always topped it off. I've always found it funny. But Dietrich was quite a recording & concert (especially cabaret) star in her time...

After the laughter subsided, I told him my father - who, before settling down as a writer was a real life Broadway stage manager - had stage managed Dietrich in the first of two Broadway stints in 1967. She'd repeat the show again in 1968 before bringing it to television in the 70's. Anyway, it got me thinking, and I asked my dad to share his memories about the show and working with Ms. Dietrich. I hope you enjoy this:

AN EVENING WITH MARLENE DIETRICH
By Daniel Broun for Stupefaction

To be a star on Broadway – to see your name above the title of the show – means that your name will sell more tickets than the name of the show. In the 1967-8 season some of the biggest stars on Broadway included Judy Garland, Ingrid Bergman, Melvyn Douglas and Burl Ives. Then, on October 9th, perhaps the biggest name to appear on the New York stage that season opened for a limited run of six weeks. She was Marlene Dietrich, film star and international celebrity then sixty-six years old who, if you were close enough to shake hands with her, looked forty-five. I can vouch for her appearance because I was the stage manager for An Evening With Marlene Dietrich, and I’m sure I shook hands with her when we started rehearsals, just as I’m certain that I did not shake hands with her at the end of the run. By then we weren’t speaking to each other.

Dietrich was an international celebrity whose friends included Ernest Hemingway, Noel Coward, Orson Welles, Gary Cooper, and John F. Kennedy. Her 1967 show on Broadway was to consist of an hour-and-a-half concert of 21 songs, most of which she’d sung in films. Her performance was arranged and conducted by composer Burt Bacharach who called Dietrich his “girl singer“ and led a 30-piece onstage band.

Bacharach proved to be a charming, talented man who often got to the theatre early – before I or anyone else did, in fact– – and composed new tunes. New songs by Burt Bacharach were and still are surprising and delightful.

My job as stage manager was to oversee everything that took place during the show – to supervise light and sound cues, to maintain order and quiet backstage, to solve any emergency that arose during a performance, and above all, to keep Marlene happy. I was equipped with a headset that kept me in touch with stagehands all over the theater, and most of the time I succeeded at calling the cues and tending to Marlene’s wishes, one of which, quite properly, was to prevent pictures being taken by members of the audience, especially by anyone using flashbulbs which crazes actors and anyone who has paid big money for tickets. Notice of this prohibition is both announced over the public address system before the curtain goes up and is printed in the Playbill. Nowadays, notice to silence cell phones is also given. But such notices are sometimes ignored.

One night, someone in Dietrich’s audience decided to disregard the ruling and began to click and flash away which, quite rightly, infuriated her. When she came offstage for a moment during her curtain calls she stopped at my desk and screamed at me to go out into the audience and stop the person taking pictures.

As it happened, as stage manager of Dietrich’s show I didn’t need and didn’t have an assistant whom I could either send out front to handle the problem or hand my headset to properly call cues for the rest of the show. So I handed the headset to her so that she could call the cues herself. My job was not as important as hers; still, it was necessary and, if ignored, would certainly have been noticed.

This incident occurred a few weeks before the end of Dietrich’s limited Broadway run, and during this period she and I never spoke to each other. We never spoke to each other again. We communicated with each other, by way of her dresser, but that was all, until closing night when she gave me a pair of gold cufflinks inlaid with precious stones. I still have them but have never used them.

The following theatrical season, Dietrich performed on Broadway again, and asked the producer to hire me again as stage manager. I was busy, however, and said no.

Just Because: Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Broun) — Tue, 14 May 2013 14:18:00 +0000

Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner

Stupefied: The Steve Harvey Playlist

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Broun) — Tue, 14 May 2013 12:30:00 +0000

Medium Medium, 1981, by Eugene Merinov

This week's edition of the Stupefied playlist comes from longtime friend, Medium Medium's drummer, Steve Harvey. Best known for the neo-funk post punk of "So Hungry, So Angry," Steve and the guys have been fairly active over the years, and have never stopped making music of some sort - whether with Medium Medium, or in other projects.

Following several reunion shows over the last few years, here's what Steve had to say about current events: As for promotion, we recently compiled some tracks for a cassette-only release due soon on My Dance The Skull in London. It’s a compilation of demo and radio session recordings from the very beginning of the band to early 1981, featuring the original lineup of the band (not me – I joined in summer 1981). Most of it is previously unreleased, and would only have been heard if you saw the band live at that time. One track was so obscure that no one could even remember the title! It also includes the original punk version of “Guru Maharaji.”

We currently also have the two vinyl split-LP releases on Der Schöne-Hjuler-Memorial-Fund of live tracks from 2008 and 2009 recorded at Echoplex in Los Angeles. I think copies can still be found online, and we have some – contact us directly. They feature original artwork, numbered and signed; every one is unique. (See part one here, and part two here.)

We hear that a couple of other small labels might be interested in live and obscure tracks from our back catalog. We’re also working on some new studio tracks. We work very slowly, but they might see the light of day this year, if we can find an outlet for them. They include previously unreleased material plus two covers: The Temptations’ “Ball of Confusion” and King Crimson’s “21st Century Schizoid Man.”

And let us not forget Steve's kitschy jazztopian-elevator-ukelele-punk-with-a-mellotron cover band, Sartre's Lobster. In his spare time, he writes for Pro Sound News, amongst other outlets.

BIG thanks to Steve for the great list...be sure to check out his notes about each track below!

(Continued after the jump)

Medium Medium, 1981 and 2008: John Rees Lewis, Graham Spink, Alan Turton, Andy Ryder, Steve Harvey. Graham is not in the second shot.

1. The Teardrop Explodes – Reward

Joyous. I must have played this twice a day for months. I worked for a production sound company, SSE Hire, between MM tours and had the great pleasure of seeing the Teardrops multiple times while babysitting the PA rig when they did a weeklong residency at Liverpool’s Pyramid Club, Christmas 1981. Bless my cotton socks…

2. Comsat Angels – Independence Day

In 1977 or ’78 I saw a band called Radio Earth at a pub in Nottingham and booked them for a Sunday night gig at my college. I think we paid them £35. Mik Glaisher’s drumming was an inspiration. The following year they changed their name to Comsat Angels and in 1981 released this, which rarely left my turntable for the following year.

3. David Bowie – Stay

Hard to pick just one track from such a constantly evolving artist, but “Station to Station” is a favorite album. What great players he had during this period: Dennis Davis, George Murray, Carlos Alomar, Adrian Belew, Robert Fripp, Earl Slick (MVP on this track).

4. Siouxsie and the Banshees – Spellbound

The Banshees’ concert in Nottingham in 1981 still stands out in my memory. The light show was one of the most inventive I can remember seeing, and guitarist John McGeoch was a revelation. Budgie was definitely an influence on my playing at the time, pre-MM.

5. Talking Heads – The Great Curve

“Remain in Light” is one of my top 5 all-time favorite albums. In 1982 we learned that we had a good shot at opening for Talking Heads at a big venue in Holland, along with the Tom Tom Club and U2. The Alarm’s record label apparently promised “tour support” and got them the opening slot instead. I only recently discovered that The Alarm never showed up for the gig.

6. Ministry – Work For Love

“With Sympathy” is up there with the great synth-pop albums of the era. Ministry opened for us on our March 1982 U.S. tour, before they were signed. The van bringing our backline equipment from New York was totaled on the way to meet us at O’Hare Airport so we ended up using Ministry’s gear. The Gun Club opened for both bands in Minneapolis.

7. Brian Eno – St. Elmo’s Fire

From “Another Green World” – Best. Album. Ever. I first heard Roxy Music on John Peel’s radio show, and got to see them in 1972 and ’73 while Eno was still with the band. His first four solo albums, especially, are classics.

8. Roxy Music – The Bogus Man

Roxy Music was a life-changing experience for many people of my age, especially musicians, I think. They might as well have arrived from a different dimension. Plus, they completely bypassed that period in every other band’s existence where you had to run around in a Transit van playing every toilet in England, making them the envy of us all. They were probably the first rock artists to put as much emphasis on fashion (through Anthony Price) as music (as did Bowie, too; Grace Jones and Madonna would follow suit – pun intended – later).

9. Aswad – Warrior Charge

Syn drum! British reggae has a sound all its own, and Aswad was one of its pioneers. They were especially notable for creating dub effects live through their playing, not just effects. MM played numerous gigs with reggae artists (this was the era of Rock Against Racism) before I joined the band, including Aswad, Prince Far I and Creation Rebel.

10. Gregory Isaacs – Night Nurse

Kids today don’t know this, but back in the day certain record labels had reputations for quality and innovation. With some labels you could almost guarantee that any release would be great. Look at Island Records: the Cool Ruler himself, of course, plus Grace Jones, Aswad, Roxy Music, Eno, King Crimson, 801, Bob Marley, Black Uhuru, Fairport Convention, Ultravox, B-52s, Free, Mott the Hoople, U2, King Sunny Ade, Third World, Kid Creole, Tom Tom Club, Steel Pulse, Sly & Robbie, Shriekback. In other words, the sound of my youth.

11. Can – Vitamin C

We only recently learned that there are 3 artists that all 4 members of the current MM lineup appreciate: Can, Capt. Beefheart and King Crimson. Can’s Jaki Leibezeit and Kraftwerk/Neu drummer Klaus Dinger were among my early idols when I first started learning to play in 1973.

12. C Cat Trance – Dreams of Leaving

Rees (singer, sax) left MM at the end of 1981 to form C Cat Trance, with original MM drummer Nigel Stone. They pioneered the amalgamation of world music with indie rock, borrowing melody lines and rhythms from North Africa and the Middle East, especially Turkey. I played on one album, co-produced a single and toured with them as driver, tour manager and percussionist. I love the internal rhymes on his lyrics on this track.

13. Gang of Four – To Hell With Poverty

Jon King and Andy Gill came to see us play at a club called 1st City in Manhattan in June 1983 (I think that was the one Joey Ramone also attended). Not long after they called to ask if I would audition for Go4. They’d just completed “Hard,” using programmed drums. We were on the verge of disbanding anyway. According to my diary I auditioned at 2pm on Monday, July 25th, at Atlanta Rehearsal Studios on Chalk Farm Rd. in London. Steve Goulding (The Rumour) got the gig. Andy called to tell me I was their second choice. He probably told Dave Palmer (ABC) the same thing; still, that was nice of him.

14. Skyy – Call Me

When we toured the U.S. in the early ‘80s we listened almost exclusively to R&B radio (as it was then called) in the van, especially KISS FM and WBLS in New York. This track is just one great example: it could as easily have been Shannon (“Let The Music Play”) or Luther Vandross (“Never Too Much”) or SOS Band (“Just Be Good To Me”) or The Time (“777-9311”) or…

15. Miles Davis – E.S.P.

Oh, so many choices. I have more albums by Miles than any other artist. I grew up listening to jazz; my parents listened to a lot of Dave Brubeck and took me to the first concert I can remember, Errol Garner, when I was still very young. Over the years I’ve seen Dizzy, Blakey, Mingus, Brubeck, Sonny Rollins, and on and on…but never Miles.

16. Billy Cobham – Stratus

Already a fan of the Mahavishnu Orchestra, I discovered Cobham’s first solo album as an import at a local record store in Leicester, where I grew up, in 1973. I knew I was never going to play like him, but he’s always been inspiring. Whatever he played it was always funky. Guitarist Tommy Bolin is fantastic on this album.

17. King Crimson – Lark’s Tongues In Aspic (Part 2) (see video below Spotify playlist)

As prog as prog can be. More metal than the most metallic metal. And one of my favorite rhythm sections, growing up: John Wetton and Bill Bruford.

18. Massive Attack – Angel

Massive Attack, like King Crimson, are masters of dynamics. They’re sublime on record, and live they are a wonder to behold. I love almost everything they’ve done, and everything they stand for.

19. Underworld – Rez

I’ve been a fan since 1994’s “Dubnobasswithmyheadman.” Their “RiverRun Project” is currently in heavy rotation when I take Tilda the dog for her walks.

20. LCD Soundsystem – Dance Yrself Clean

We reformed in 2004 for a couple of shows, and have played a handful more since. In 2007 we contacted LCD to see if we could open for them. James Murphy’s manager very generously replied that he had a policy of not playing with his heroes and influences (Tim Sweeney had already warned us this might be his answer). In ’08 and ’09 we got to play with some of our contemporaries, including A Certain Ratio, Section 25, The Raincoats and Pylon, which was fun. We’re always open to offers…

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Tim Roth