Don Hill RIP (photo by Julian Ungano)

Steve Lewis: Don Hill has passed, and a lot of people are getting together to celebrate his life. Since Don Hill went down, there's not as many places where we can all gather. And let's face it, Don Hill owned the place. He booked it, he answered the phones, and, we suppose, at the end of the night swept up the place...Michael T, tell me why you're involved in this event, and what did Don Hill mean to you?

Michael T: I met Don back in the eighties at Cat Club when I was very young. He opened Don Hill's in the early nineties, and I was one of the first persons to perform there. Later, in the second run of Don Hill's, I started to do my party, Rated X, there. It was really the first time that Don and I had worked together on a regular basis. It was super easy. Don was always the same. He was Don. It's so rare in the business to have someone that's just steady, where you know what you're going to get out of him. We had a great working relationship, and a comfortable personal relationship. He was a straight shooter.

Don Hill (RIP) will be remembered December 15th when a band of musicians will gather at Irving Plaza to celebrate his life and legacy. The show features performances from some of the musicians that blessed his night spot including names like Richard Butler (Psychedelic Furs), Royston Langdon (Spacehog), David Johansen (NY Dolls), Manitoba, Jesse Malin & the St. Marks Social, Lenny Kaye, The Toilet Boys, and many many others.

At 1am the party turns into Squeezebox. Tickets are still available. Flyer below...

Continue reading "Don Hill tribute happening at Irving Plaza"

photos by Chris La Putt

Eleanor Friedberger / David Johansen

What Kind of Love Is This:
The Music of BOB DYLAN & THE BAND
w/ Steven Bernstein (Sex Mob, Levon Helm Band), John Medeski (Medeski, Martin and Wood), Rob Burger (Laurie Anderson, Marianne Faithful, Iron & Wine), Tony Scherr (Bill Frisell, Norah Jones, Sex Mob), Kenny Wollesen (Norah Jones, John Zorn, Bill Frisell, Sex Mob), and special guests Jolie Holland, Laura Cantrell, Nicole Atkins, John Wesley Harding, and Eleanor and Matthew Friedberger of The Fiery Furnaces. And special Guest Vocalists Chocolate Genius, and David Johansen (New York Dolls).

That's how Sunday night's Bob Dylan tribute show at Le Poisson Rouge was listed. The full setlist with performers listed, more pictures from the event, and two videos, below...

Continue reading "Bob Dylan was celebrated @ Le Poisson Rouge (pics, video & setlist) -- David Johansen, Fiery Furnaces & many more"

Bob Dylan by Greil Marcus: Writings 1968-2010 was recently released, just in time for the holidays...

"The book begins in Berkeley in 1968, and ends with a piece on Dylan's show at the University of Minnesota--his very first appearance at his alma mater--on election night 2008. In between are moments of euphoric discovery: From Marcus's liner notes for the 1967 Basement Tapes (pop music's most famous bootlegged archives) to his exploration of Dylan's reimagining of the American experience in the 1997 Time Out of Mind. And rejection; Marcus's Rolling Stone piece on Dylan's album Self Portrait--often called the most famous record review ever written--began with "What is this shit?" and led to his departure from the magazine for five years. Marcus follows not only recordings but performances, books, movies, and all manner of highways and byways in which Bob Dylan has made himself felt in our culture.

Together the dozens of pieces collected here comprise a portrait of how, throughout his career, Bob Dylan has drawn upon and reinvented the landscape of traditional American song, its myths and choruses, heroes and villains. They are the result of a more than forty-year engagement between an unparalleled singer and a uniquely acute listener."

You can buy it at Amazon, or maybe pick up a copy at the Strand tonight, 12/1, where Greil will be speaking in conversation with Stephen Hazan Arnoff, Director of the 14th Street Y, "and special guests Matt and Eleanor Friedberger of the Fiery Furnaces, who will perform a few songs."

Eleanor & Matt Friedberger will also be on hand at the 14th St Y and Le Poisson Rouge on Sunday, December 5th, for a day of Dylan events. The concert at LPR is this:

What Kind of Love Is This:
The Music of BOB DYLAN & THE BAND
w/ Steven Bernstein (Sex Mob, Levon Helm Band), John Medeski (Medeski, Martin and Wood), Rob Burger (Laurie Anderson, Marianne Faithful, Iron & Wine), Tony Scherr (Bill Frisell, Norah Jones, Sex Mob), Kenny Wollesen (Norah Jones, John Zorn, Bill Frisell, Sex Mob), and special guests Jolie Holland, Laura Cantrell, Nicole Atkins, John Wesley Harding, and Eleanor and Matthew Friedberger of The Fiery Furnaces. And special Guest Vocalists Chocolate Genius, and David Johansen (New York Dolls).

$35 tickets are still on sale for that part, and $75 tickets which I guess get you into everything at both spaces, are on sale too. If you just want in the symposium happening at the Y, that's $45, described as "a one-of-a-kind exploration of Bob Dylan and the Band's work, featuring scholars, critics, writers, and artists"

Greil Marcus: Author of the definitive book on Bob Dylan and The Band, Invisible Republic: Bob Dylan's Basement Tapes.

Christopher Ricks: Renowned critic and scholar of English literature and poetry, and author of Dylan's Visions of Sin.

John Niven: Novelist whose book Music from Big Pink vividly imagines the world of Bob Dylan and The Band.

Dana Spiotta: Author of mesmerizing portraits of the 60's underground, including Eat the Document.

Matt Friedberger: Co-founder of the visionary rock band The Fiery Furnaces.

D.A. Pennebaker: Pioneering film documentarian, whose credits include Don't Look Back, the first film on Bob Dylan.

Stephen Hazan Arnoff: Executive Director of the 14th Street Y writes and teaches widely on music, art and religion.

Wesley Stace (John Wesley Harding): Singer-songwriter and award winning author of Misfortune.

William G. Scheele: Museum curator and former Equipment/Stage Manager for Bob Dylan and The Band.

Bob Dylan himself, who recently played three nights in a row at NYC's Terminal 5, is not listed anywhere. Maybe he'll come watch. More info on the whole thing at 14th St. Y's site.

John Wesley Harding also has a show coming up at City Winery.

"We are going to miss him terribly" - David Johansen

Recording artist, manager of the Sex Pistols, provocateur, fashion designer, impresario -- Malcolm McLaren, who died of cancer April 8th at 64 was all those things. He was also, briefly, the manager of the New York Dolls just before their breakup in 1975. Dolls guitarist Sylvain Sylvain spoke with Rolling Stone about his encounters with McLaren. "I always thought the most important member of the Sex Pistols was Malcolm McLaren," Sylvain says. "When they got back together in the '90s, I thought, 'They're missing their most important star, and that was Malcolm.' "

Rolling Stone: When did you first meet McLaren?

NY Doll Sylvain Sylvain: It was at a clothing trade show back in 1971 in New York City. I had a knitwear company, and he and Vivienne [Westwood] were down at the end of the hallway with their clothing line Let It Rock, which was basically rockabilly clothing. Malcolm had this long blond pompadour, long sideburns and white baggy pants. He was like Jerry Lee Lewis, really cool looking. On the last day of trade shows, designers sell their samples, so I said to David Johansen and Johnny Thunders, "You gotta come over." So we bought some things from Malcolm and Vivienne and invited them down to see us at the Mercer Arts Center. He fell in love with the New York Dolls, and we fell in love with them. Vivienne would tell us, "You boys look so much better in women's clothing."

Malcolm McLaren also managed The Sex Pistols. You can hear what Sex Pistol & PiL frontman Johnny Rotten has to say about him HERE.

About to kick off a tour in Europe, it has been announced that the New York Dolls will play Warsaw in Brooklyn on Saturday, May 22nd. Tickets are on sale for the joint Knitting Factory and Scenic production.

You can also catch David Johansen solo on June 27th at Highline Ballroom. All dates and some videos below...

Continue reading "New York Dolls remember Malcolm Mclaren, playing Warsaw in Brooklyn, touring Europe (dates) "

We need your help to raise $100,000 in four nights to help the victims of Haiti's catastrophic earthquake. No country in the Western Hemisphere has been battered more than Haiti in the last 500 years--the nearly complete annihilation of its native population over two decades, a brutal slave regime, ongoing foreign military interventions over hundreds of years, brutal dictatorships supported by western powers, blockades of aid and more recently, devastating natural disasters from hurricanes to this latest earthquake.

100% of proceeds from this benefit will be donated to Doctors Without Borders, Partners In Health and the mobile hospital initiative directed by the Jewish Renaissance Medical Center - all recommended by the Haiti Consule General. We ask that you give any way you can.

Check out the four shows (with ticket links) below...

Continue reading "Patti Smith, Swell Season, Josh Ritter, Roseanne Cash, JW Harding & many more playing Haiti benefits @ City Winery"

some upcoming shows @ City Winery in NYC
12/29 - David Johansen
12/30 - David Johansen
12/31 - Los Lobos (early & late)
01/01 - Joseph Arthur & Charlie Mars
01/22 - Bob Mould w/ Jon Auer
01/23 - Bob Mould w/ Jon Auer
01/29 - Joseph Arthur & Bobby Bare Jr.
02/28 - Robyn Hitchcock
03/20 - Rhett Miller

---

Full schedule & other upcoming shows @ City Winery's website.

David Johansen w/ NY Dolls @ MHOW in June (more by Tim Griffin)

The New York Dolls will be playing an eight show UK tour in December, but before that, Dolls frontman David Johansen will bring the David Johansen Band to NYC's Highline Ballroom for a show on Saturday, November 28th. Tickets are on sale.

The NY Dolls went on a North American tour earlier this year to promote their Todd Rundgren-produced album Cause I Sez So. Recently, Johansen contributed harmonica to the new record from Steve Conte, NY Dolls' guitarist since their 2004 reunion. That album Steve Conte and the Crazy Truth (produced by Steve Lillywhite) came out out October 20th on the Varese Sarabande label.

Johnny Thunders died 18 years ago in New Orleans. The hotel room he shot up in before ODing is now a tourist attraction.

In other old-guy rock news, Iggy & the Stooges will be playing Raw Power in full at ATP NY in 2010.

Some choice videos (including David Johansen taking on music critics and the idea of old New York & CBGBs...) and all Dolls tour dates are below...

Continue reading "David Johansen Band playing a NYC show, Steve Conte released solo album, NY Dolls touring the UK "

NY Dolls @ SXSW 2009 (by Stereocourier)

In support of their new album 'Cause I Sez So' produced by Todd Rundgren, New York Dolls return to US with Summer 2009 dates. MORE DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED IN THE NEXT WEEK! [NYDolls.com, April 15th]

The band played SXSW earlier this year. In addition to other tour dates (some with Rundgren), the album release party for Cause I Sez So, out on Atco Records, will take place the day of its release, Tuesday, May 5th, at the John Varvatos' store (AKA CBGB) in Manhattan. The show is invite-only, but will also be broadcast live on on Sirius XM radio. No other NYC dates at the moment.

NY Doll David Johansen is also appearing at Red Bank, NJ's Count Basie Theatre for its Friday, May 1st Writers in the Raw show. He'll share the stage that night with Rhett Miller (of Old 97's), Alec Ounsworth (of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah), and Ashton Shepherd for "an informal evening of songs and stories."

A video of the band at SXSW, new album tracklist, and all dates, below...

Continue reading "NY Dolls playing CBGB (Varvatos store) & other places"

by Andrew Frisicano

June is going to be an exciting month for Old 97's fans. "An Evening With Old 97's" will be on tour in June through the eastern States. Both Rhett Miller and Murry Hammond will perform solo acoustic sets before taking the stage with Old 97's. Old97s.com has tickets for many of these shows.

That tour visits Hoboken, NJ venue Maxwell's for four nights - tickets are on general sale for the shows on June 19th, June 20th, June 23rd and June 24th shows. The Old 97's will also play at Westchester's Tarrytown Music Hall (less than 1 hour from Grand Central) on Friday, June 26th. Tickets for that show are on sale, too.

And before those dates, Old 97's frontman Rhett Miller will play (Le) Poisson Rouge on Thursday, April 16th with Starling Crush. Tickets are on sale.

Miller's other Greater NY-area shows might be of interest as well. His May 30th show in Hunter, NY is part of the three-day Mountain Jam Festival. (Tickets are on sale - full lineup below.) And his May 1st show at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, NJ is part of the Writers in the Raw series. Miller appears there with David Johansen (of the New York Dolls), Alec Ounsworth (of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah), and Ashton Shepherd. (Tickets are on sale.)

Miller's newest, self-titled solo album will be out June 9th on Shout! Factory Records.

All tour dates, with Rhett Miller track list and Mountain Jam lineup below...

Continue reading "Old 97's (4 Hoboken shows) & Rhett Miller (LPR) - 2009 tour dates & Mountain Jam Festival lineup"

Bill Graham died 16 years ago, but the legendary rock promoter's birthday is still cause for celebration in these parts.

For each of the past three years, Graham's old compadres have invited stars such as Carlos Santana, Jackson Browne and Bonnie Raitt to gather in San Francisco in January for a good time and a good cause.

"We have a dual purpose," says Danny Scher, a former vice president for Bill Graham Presents and current member of the Bill Graham Foundation's advisory board. "One is to give money away to organizations that probably couldn't get it otherwise. The other is to keep the spirit of Bill and awareness of Bill alive." [The Mercury News]

That story is about California. Here's what's going on in NYC....

Continue reading "Happy Birthday Bill Graham -- show @ BB King's"

NY Dolls @ Irving Plaza, NYC - (CRED)

New York Dolls played the Fillmore @ Irving Plaza in NYC on December 28th & 29th.

Next up: David Johansen (who turns 58 on January 9th) is part of a group playing Jazz Standard in NYC on January 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th. And the Dolls just announced a bunch more tour dates for 2008. Those are below........

Continue reading "NY Dolls played 2 NYC shows, David J playing 4 +++++++++++ 2008 Tour Dates"

, David Byrne guested at Lucinda Williams' town hall show last night (Oct 4)...they did a few songs..."Heaven" was one of them.. "Buck Naked"...oh, and he came back for her encore and they did "Take Me To the River". Amazing. Fionn Regan was also there, and David Johansen came on to do "Jailhouse Tears", a sort of duet she does. Also a woman from Memphis who toured as a background singer with Cat Power, she did a Janis Joplin cover.

Tuesday Steve Earle guested....and Jesse Malin...

Weird combination for Lucinda, but it all worked great. [Juan via email]

Continue reading "Lucinda Williams & special guests @ Town Hall"